Sins of the Fathers
2237, November 9 2560 (Military Time)\Serenity
En route back to the Sh'lithra, Alan found himself answering another call on the QEC. This time it was Kiryuu, who was looking very grave on the holographic viewer. Alan had of course filed his report on the incident on Utukku, and he was not looking to having to explain how he lost an entire Krogan unit.
"I've read your report on the Rachni situation," Kiryuu was saying. "This could have gotten complicated, fast." He folded his arms, shaking his head. "I just hope you know what you're doing, making a deal with the Rachni Queen. We got burned last time. I'm trusting your instincts on this one."
"We can count on her support, Kiryuu," said Alan, in what he hoped was a reassuring tone.
"I hope so," said Kiryuu. "But at least we cut the Reaper supply of new Rachni troops, and picked up some additional Krogan support. I'd call that a victory." He turned over to his side, as if speaking to someone Alan couldn't see. "Yes, yes, Wrex, I'm almost done…" He turned back to Alan. "Sorry, but I've got to go. I'm putting Wrex on the line. See you shortly."
Kiryuu's avatar disappeared as he stepped off the transmitter. Another holographic figure took his place; this time it was Wrex, who was looking very sour.
"Tyler," he said gruffly. "You made it outta there. Sounds like I missed a hell of a fight."
"What's up?" Alan asked. "If this is about Aralakh Company…"
"No, not just that," snarled Wrex, waving his hand irritably. "You know that 'private business' Victus wanted Shepard for?"
"Yeah," replied Alan.
"Well, turns out it was all to do with a gods-damned bomb his people had put there during the Rebellions!" Wrex spat. "As if the genophage wasn't enough! Had it gone off, it would've taken out a good chunk of an entire continent, and Cerberus had every intention of setting it off!"
"Cerberus again?" asked Alan, surprised. "What the hell were they hoping to accomplish?"
"Hell if I know," shrugged Wrex. "Just like when they showed up on Sur'kesh. Anyway, if Victus' son hadn't sacrificed himself to stop it from detonatin', it would all have been over." He narrowed his eyes, arms folded. "It was bad enough the Turians planted the bomb back then, but the fact that the Primarch was too much of a coward to tell me about it… That's what really sticks in my craw."
"You know that we can't let the past rip us apart," said Alan firmly. "Not now!"
"Shepard said the same thing," Wrex grunted. He snarled, turning away. "I don't wanna speak ill of his son, not in light of what he did, but his bastard father's secrets were what got him killed. If Victus tries anything like that again, this alliance is over. I told him and Kedzuel that in no uncertain terms."
"Just bear with it, Wrex," said Alan. "This is hard for us all."
"I've got Reapers on my planet," Wrex rumbled, looking as if he was about to explode, "a bomb that almost blew up my planet, and if those two fail, the genophage to make sure we all go extinct anyway! I don't wanna hear about who has it hard!"
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," sighed Alan, throwing up his arms. "Sounds like you should have come with us after all. We could've used you."
"Too busy talkin' rather than fightin'," grunted Wrex. "Feeling restless. A war going on, people not telling me everything I need to know, and yet I'm stuck keepin' the peace and being expected to smile through it all." His eyes narrowed. "So Kiryuu was sayin' you'd made some kinda deal with the Rachni Queen, costing me Aralakh Company, as if I didn't have a big enough headache…" He paused for a moment, looking away, shaking his head. It was clear he didn't approve of Alan's actions, least of all how this deal had cost him some of his finest troops.
"Well, if they get outta hand again, it's your ass on the line," he stated.
"Understood," Alan replied. Wrex then tried to soften his expression, but the effect was unconvincing.
"I heard Grunt managed to get outta there with a few scratches," he said.
"You could say that," said Alan, shaking his head. "Right now we're trying to get him back to the Shi'lithra before he eats his way through all our supplies." It was then that he was hit by a piece of a protein brick thrown at him from behind. He turned to see Grunt, now bandaged and cleaned, scowling at him from the dining table.
"Hope the Precursors have better food on their ships," he grunted.
"We'll get him back in the fight soon enough," Wrex chuckled. "I should get back to it. See you when you land." With that, he signed off.
"Sounds like you're in the doghouse," Grunt said as Alan walked past him.
"I don't blame him," sighed Alan. "I'm sorry about Aralakh Company, but it was my decision to make. I take full responsibility for it."
Grunt just made a dismissive gesture with his hand, and went back to his plate. Taking that as a sign that the conversation was over, Alan decided to head back to the bridge before things got more awkward.
"Tyler…" Grunt suddenly said, just as Alan was about to step through the door. Alan turned back, dreading the words that were to come from the Krogan's mouth.
"Tell Telek 'Heros," the Krogan said, "that he's got a hell of a krant. It would be my honour to match my own against his someday."
Alan stood for a moment, surprised by Grunt's words. "I'll tell him," was all he could think to say, before turning around and heading to the bridge. He had the funny feeling that he had dodged a bullet; he doubted things would have turned out the same, had any other Krogan been sat there, or they had been influenced by any other leader.
0
An hour later, Alan found himself back in the conference room, inside Kedzuel's grand palace on the Shi'lithra. He peered around at the other faces in the room – Kedzuel, Kiryuu, Otto and Shepard – trying to determine if any of them felt as exhausted as he did. It was slowly dawning on him that he had been on his feet for almost an entire day, and had fought until his muscles ached. Otto was pacing back and forth while the others kneeled on cushions, his brow furrowed.
"I had no idea that the Rebellions had left scars so deep…" he mused. "I hate to think of what would have happened had that bomb detonated. We cannot afford to lose any allies, not at this point."
"Wrex was really pissed," groaned Alan. "I don't think the loss of Aralakh Company has helped his mood, even if Grunt did make it out. I'd stay away from him for a while. Frankly I'm surprised Victus isn't in the infirmary, or worse."
"They'd better start cooperating soon," said Kedzuel gruffly. "We've wasted enough time trying to resolve everyone's petty squabbles. I'm getting tired of having to play peacemaker; why is it so hard for these people to realise that there are larger, more urgent matters that need their attention?!"
"I know the feeling," said Kiryuu, looking grim. "Right now, however, we should just be thankful that the bomb was defused and that the Rachni are on our side now. Of course, we can't do anything about any indoctrinated Rachni that were already shipped off Uttuku, so we'll have to deal with them as we come across them on the battlefield." He leaned on the table in the centre of the room, baring his teeth. "What bothers me more right now is Cerberus' involvement, in both the bomb and the attack on the STG base. I don't know what they hoped to achieve from such acts. Where are they getting all the reinforcements from? I'm sure they never had armies so vast before…"
"I only have theories," sighed Kedzuel. "It could be that the Illusive Man is so confident in his plans for that Prothean device that he's already preparing for post-Reaper civilisation. By weakening our position now, he ensures that humanity is truly on top when the dust settles. Perhaps he doesn't want a united galaxy to interfere in his plans for the Crucible." His expression turned darker. "Of course, there is one other explanation…"
Alan's brow furrowed. "You think they might be indoctrinated?"
"It cannot be ruled out," rumbled Kedzuel. "That way their actions would make sense to them, when really they're the whim of their masters. We know that Cerberus has been experimenting with Reaper technology, and they were supplying it to the Neru Pe Odissima a couple of months ago. Kahlee Sanders' account is also proof of their experiments into indoctrination. It's reasonable to assume that James Vega uncovered the results of those experiments on Mars, results which continue to hinder our efforts in this war. They have spent so much time around Reaper technology that it's bound to have taken its hold on them." He snarled, his ebony talons gripping the table so hard he was gouging claw marks into them. "The Illusive Man is a complete fool if he thinks he can control the powers of the Hydra!"
Alan shook his head, turning to Shepard. "You worked with the Illusive Man for a short time. Did he strike you as being capable of this? Was there ever a time he was a good person?" He knew Shepard's temporary alliance with Cerberus was a sore spot for her, but he felt he needed the perspective of someone with inside knowledge of the organisation. Rather than look annoyed - as was usually the case when someone brought up Shepard's connection to Cerberus – the Commander looked thoughtful.
"Well, he gave me what I needed to stop the Collectors," she mused. "Back then he wanted the best for humanity, and he had resources to spare. But then it became 'humanity first and at any cost', and that… That's a very different thing." She frowned, shaking her head. "But this? No… I never saw this coming from him."
Kedzuel peered at Shepard for a moment with the glowing eyes of a Technomancer, scratching his chin. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, certainly not if he approved of what Shepard had said. In the end, he nodded, seeming to be satisfied. His expression became one of sympathy as he looked at both Shepard and Alan, perhaps finally noticing how tired Alan looked.
"You look terrible," he said. "Why don't you both rest for a day or two?" He looked towards the door, the frown returning. "That's as much time as I'm prepared to give Doctor Solus on the matter of the genophage. After that, I'll have to step in. Let's just hope he can come up with something by then." He stood straighter, his expression relaxing a little. "I'd say we can adjourn this meeting. You'll all be contacted as soon as we have news of the genophage cure, one way or the other. Arbiter, I'd like to speak with you and Victus later about reinforcing some of the N7 teams engaging the Reapers. That will be all."
As Alan walked past him, however, the Blitzardi suddenly grabbed his shoulder. After everything that had happened, Alan was surprised to see that Kedzuel's expression was kind and sympathetic.
"Alan," he said gently. "I should have told you about this sooner, but Gillian's treatment succeeded. She was up and walking shortly before you returned. Any physical damage to her wasn't permanent. She could still be in shock, however; she hasn't spoken to anyone since the incident, and has barely acknowledged their presence."
"I appreciate it," sighed Alan. The chaos of the last few hours had distracted him from the welfare of his youngest crew member, but this reminder had brought back his concern full force. "So why hadn't Paul Grayson gone back to the Array when he died? I'm assuming Gillian knows now, whatever the reason was."
"Yes, she does…" sighed Kedzuel, his head hanging. "I had hoped that she would be spared from this, but…" He rubbed his eyes with his fingers, releasing a deep breath. "Her father couldn't return to the Array because of the Reaper technology. The moment he was implanted with it, his soul belonged to the Hydra. Upon his death, instead of returning to the Array as he should have, he became part of that monster…" He folded his arms, looking away from Alan with a grim expression. "He suffered the same fate as Saren Arterius, and trillions upon trillions of others before him. I've seen this happen too many times to count. The Hydra's depravity knows no bounds."
When he didn't look back at Alan again, the mutant turned to look where the Blitzardi was looking. He almost jumped when he saw Megellan now stepping into the room, the door to the onsen open. Outside, the weather looked grim. The Lengodo had his arm wrapped over Gillian's shoulder; the teenager looked thoroughly shell-shocked. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot, her long hair lank, and she was trembling slightly. She really looked as if someone had come along and sucked all of the willpower out of her. Alan took a step towards her, and her head slowly turned in his direction, her bloodshot eyes peering into his own.
"Gillian…" Alan breathed, unable to know what to say to her. He tried to imagine what it was she was going through – to not only lose her father, but to have his very soul be stolen. However, he found it hard to do so. He wondered if the same fate had befallen Alistair the moment he was infected by the Far Realm's energy.
Before he could even think of another word, Gillian had run from Megellan's grip, and almost knocked the wind out of Alan with an embrace. Alan was only frozen in shock as this was completely unexpected behaviour; normally Gillian didn't want others touching her. Now, however, she was actually sobbing into his chest, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry…" she gasped, in-between sobs. "I couldn't find him…"
"It's alright…" Alan said softly, gently wrapping his own arms around her. "Shh, shh… It's not your fault."
For several minutes afterwards, there was silence in the conference room, broken up only by Gillian's weeping. Outside the palace, rain began to fall.
0
Over the day that followed, Alan and Shepard decided to take Kedzuel's advice and put themselves on some much-needed downtime. After the events of the previous day, the crews of both ships were feeling burnt out; both leaders knew that it wasn't a good idea to push their teams too hard. Alan in-particular knew that they needed to help Gillian recover from the shock of yesterday, so he and his team tried to make her as comfortable as possible.
Gillian, however, refused to leave Serenity, and spent most of her time in her cabin, even while the ship was docked at the Citadel. Nicole stayed with her, trying to take her mind off her troubles by trying to teach her how to cook, while the others explored the Citadel and stocked up on supplies. The nightclubs and entertainment districts were still online and extraordinarily busy, as many eager punters tried to drink their sorrows away or distract their minds from the ongoing war. Alan couldn't help but feel that those teeming crowds were in for a rude awakening, and would have to face reality soon.
Shepard, for her part, had received another letter from Kaidan, asking for another meeting at Huerta Memorial Hospital. Knowing that it was the last chance she would have before returning to Tuchanka, she headed there almost as soon as the Normandy had docked at the Citadel. To her surprise, upon entering the waiting area, she came across another old comrade of hers; the Drell assassin Thane Krios, who had been part of the team that fought the Collectors. He had been diagnosed with Kepler's Syndrome, a medical condition that attacked the respiratory systems of the Drell due to too much moisture in the air, condemning the afflicted to a slow death. In spite of this, knowing that he only had a few months left to live, when Shepard met him he had seemed in good spirits, and had even promised to keep an eye on Kaidan while they were at the hospital.
"I am near the end of my life," he had said in that deep, raspy baritone voice. "It is a good time to be generous. Kepler's Syndrome has put most of my plans on hold."
"Are you in a lot of pain?" Shepard asked, as they both sat by the window, enjoying the view of the Presidium.
"At times," sighed Thane. "The oxygen transfer proteins don't form correctly. Your human equivalent would be haemoglobin. As a result, my blood is low in oxygen. No matter how much I breathe in, I get tingling, numbness… and that is the best of it. As for my brain, I cannot track the damage. I just experience dizziness from time to time."
"Do you know how much time you have left?" asked Shepard, her face full of sympathy.
"My doctors have given me another five to eight months," replied Thane. "That's enough time for me to get my affairs in order, make sure Kolyat is well provided for." His large dark eyes closed as he thought about his son; without Shepard's help he would never have been able to heal the rift with him, stop him from going down the dark path of an assassin just as he did.
"I'm back on the Normandy on an important mission," said Shepard, thinking that being a part of it would help Thane to give him one last chance to prove his worth. "I could sure use you, and the Precursors may have a cure for your condition."
"I would not be as I was before," said Thane, shaking his head. "I need daily medical attention. If I know you, you will want to fight the Reapers somehow. You need the best at your side, and I am not at mine."
"You don't have to wrestle down Krogans and break their necks," said Shepard. "I'm sure we could find you lighter work."
"I am at peace with what I have done in my life, Shepard," said Thane. "There comes a time when one must rest from war and conflict. It is not your time, but it is mine." His tone suggested that this was his final word on the matter, so Shepard decided not to press the issue, despite her disappointment. She nodded and stood up.
"I wish the best for you, Thane," she breathed.
"And I for you," said Thane kindly as he stood up. "Do not grieve for me. I have good doctors, and my son visits regularly. Perhaps we will keep up via the extranet now that you are free. Until we meet again, Shepard." He and Shepard shook hands, a kind smile on the Drell's face.
Upon entering Kaidan's room, Shepard was surprised to find him out of bed and back in a blue UNSC uniform. His time in the hospital had done him good; aside from some faint bruising that still remained around his eye, there was no sign that he had been injured at all. He was peering out of the window when Shepard arrived, and he turned to her, a grin on his face.
"Hey, Shepard," he said. "If you came to spring me, you're late; I'm getting out soon."
"Good to hear," Shepard nodded.
"Maybe you already saw the vid," said Kaidan, "but I accepted Udina's offer." The news had reached Shepard from Admiral Hackett, and she knew that she could not have been more pleased with him.
"Spectre Kaidan Alenko…" she said. "That's a big deal."
"Only the second human Spectre," said Kaidan, blushing slightly. "It's humbling. Udina thinks they may put on a big ceremony, even with the war. He says a celebration would give folks something hopeful to latch onto."
"You ready to take on that responsibility?" asked Shepard.
"You set the bar pretty high," chuckled Kaidan, "but I'll do my best." He sighed, turning to look out of the window again as a cab raced by underneath the structure. "It's strange… On Mars, I should've died. A promotion from Anderson, Spectre status…" He shook his head, closing his eyes sadly. "These are terrible days… but I've been lucky." Shepard sidled up to him and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning into him as they looked out of the window. Kaidan winced a little, still sore around that area, but made no protest.
"You're perfect for the job," the Commander said. "On Eden Prime, I could see there was something special about you. You're a good soldier."
"That means a lot," Kaidan replied, wrapping his own arm around her. "I'm happy; I wanna serve."
"I thought you might wanna join the Normandy," Shepard suggested.
"Yeah…" Kaidan breathed. "I have thought about that. I just need to get outta here first, though, take care of some things. I'm trying to locate my old Spec Ops squads, my students from the Technomancy division."
"Any luck?" asked Shepard.
"No," said Kaidan, shaking his head. "Probably went underground, but the docs haven't let me Connect to check on them. I know they'll turn up, though; if they were easy to find, they wouldn't be doing their jobs." With that, he and Shepard broke their embrace, their expressions brighter.
"Well," said Shepard. "Let me know when you're out… Take care, Spectre Alenko."
"Stay safe, Commander," replied Kaidan. Their eyes never left each other until Shepard had stepped out of the room and back into the hustle and bustle of the hospital.
Her encounters were not to end there, however. For later, as she headed through the docking bay back to the Normandy, someone hailed her from the lower area, close to a board full of Missing Person notices. Looking around to see who it was, Shepard's eyes widened as she saw a figure she never thought she would see again. The woman who had hailed her was wearing a very form-fitting black and white outfit that showed off her full athletic frame, had long waves of black hair and very pale skin.
"Commander Shepard," the woman said with traces of an Australian accent as she approached. "It's been far too long. We live in interesting times."
"A little too interesting," sighed Shepard. "I never thought I'd see you again, Miranda."
"Well," replied Miranda Lawson, "I couldn't get anywhere near you when the UNSC had you locked up."
"Relieved of duty," said Shepard as they walked before the large viewing window. "It was complicated."
"I know," sighed Miranda. "I was there when Anderson gave the news. In spite of his influence, I'm surprised you weren't court-martialled; the Office of Naval Intelligence was not known for its flexibility."
"Doesn't matter now," stated Shepard. Miranda paused for a moment, looking awkward.
"Shepard…" she began. "About Earth…"
"It was hard to leave…" said Shepard, turning back to the former Cerberus agent. "I haven't seen so much mindless slaughter since the Covenant War."
"I'm sorry, Shepard…" The Commander hung her head, her eyes closed.
"But seeing it all made me more determined to fight back," she breathed, her fist clenching, "find a way to beat the odds."
"Everybody's got a weakness," Miranda nodded. "Even King Ghidorah." Shepard allowed herself to relax, turning to Miranda.
"What about you?" she asked. "What brings you here?"
"I need to talk to a few people," Miranda replied as she led the way back towards the security checkpoint. "People like you. The Citadel's a good place to meet… for now. What's the UNSC's next move?"
"We have a plan," said Shepard. "It's a long shot."
"Not surprising," chuckled Miranda, but her smile quickly faded. "Shepard… There's something I need to mention."
"What is it?"
Miranda paused, holding a hand up to her head, her face a mask of worry.
"I haven't heard from my sister, Oriana, for a while" she replied. "I'm getting worried. I don't want to overreact, but…" She sighed. "Well, there's a lot going on."
"I thought we made sure she was safe," said Shepard, puzzled.
"We did," nodded Miranda. "It's probably nothing, but… I just know my father's involved." At this, her expression turned dark. Miranda hated her father for everything he had tried to do, how he had tried to control the lives of both of his daughters.
"What happened?" asked Shepard.
"I don't know…" replied Miranda in a nervous tone. "Everything I had in place to make sure she was safe went dark. I can't even find anything out through the Array." Like Kaidan, Miranda was also a Technomancer, one of several who worked or had worked for Cerberus at one time.
"What do you need from me?" asked the Commander.
"I appreciate the offer, Shepard," said Miranda, shaking her head, "but you have your hands full." She tried to put on a brave smile. "If I need a door or two kicked down, I know just who to call. But for now, I'll be fine."
"Okay," sighed Shepard, knowing it would be impossible to change Miranda's mind at this point. "I understand." They sat down together on one of the benches, Miranda still wringing her hands and looking awkwardly around, as if expecting someone to jump out at them.
"It's been a long time," Shepard continued. "What happened to you?"
"I've been in hiding," Miranda replied. "Being on the run from just about everyone isn't as glamourous as it sounds. I knew there would be repercussions to walking away from Cerberus."
"I imagine," chuckled Shepard. "You're a dangerous enemy."
"I am," stated Miranda, getting some of her old cold confidence back.
"So have you had any run-ins with the Illusive Man?" asked Shepard, frowning.
"Just once," said Miranda. "He said it had been a pleasure to work with me, but he needed to 'contain the situation'.
"That sounds pretty final," said Shepard scornfully.
"It nearly was," Miranda spat, looking away with narrowed eyes. "He doesn't take rejection well."
"No, he doesn't," replied Shepard. "But if you're looking for a lead here, anyone connected to Cerberus will be hard to find."
"No question," said Miranda. "But I'm owed a few favours. Someone here will give me a tip on Oriana."
"What makes you so certain your father's involved in her disappearance?" asked Shepard.
"I kept careful tabs on my sister," Miranda explained. "I always knew where she was. For her to just vanish…" Her expression grew particularly disgusted, as if she had tasted something rotten. "It could only be him. After I'd hid her away, I still knew he'd stop at nothing to find her. She's all he has left." She stood up, looking towards the checkpoint. "I have a hunch what happened, but I'll fill you in when I'm certain."
"Understood," said Shepard. "Be careful."
"No promises," Miranda shrugged, as she strutted towards the checkpoint. Shepard shook her head, wondering just how many of her former crewmates were throwing themselves into danger at this moment.
0
That evening, Alan found himself pacing his cabin on the Serenity, checking the stream of data he was receiving on a datapad. He had been checking it almost every day, as it had a direct connection to the data in the conference room in Kedzuel's palace. His brow furrowed as he studied the data; reports of the Reapers' advance kept coming in, with Palaven and Tuchanka barely holding together. The N7 teams that Kiryuu had dispatched, in spite of now being joined by Sangheili volunteers, were barely able to push back the Reapers in every theatre of war they opened. Cerberus had complicated matters by dispatching their own squads, one of which had tried to activate some kind of ancient cannon on Tuchanka. Their plan had been foiled, and an N7 unit was being stretched to its limits trying to hold the area. Alan frowned, wondering just how long they could keep this up, especially as supply lines were getting harder to hold…
He jumped as there was a buzzing on the small intercom by the ladder leading up to the corridor. Groaning, he threw the datapad onto his bunk and pushed a button on the intercom.
"Yeah?" he grunted.
"Sorry to bother you, Captain Tyler," came Emily Wong's voice, "but President Knight has just come on board. He says he needs to speak to you about something; as a matter of fact, he's standing right here with me. I didn't know what else to do; turning away a former President is just not something you usually do, is it?"
"You'd be surprised," snorted Alan. "Still, no harm done. He can come on down, but I doubt he's in the mood for an interview."
"No, he already made that pretty clear," sighed Emily. "Think I'll try again once we've saved the Krogans. That at least has to be worth commenting on!"
The intercom went quiet, and the hatch in the ceiling softly creaked open. A shadow fell across the wall, and Kiryuu's armour-plated feet were the first things he saw descending the ladder. This was quickly followed by the long, snaking tail, the waist, chest, arms, neck, and finally the head. The former President stood there for a moment, taking in the sights of Alan's cabin and the ladder. It was a rather plain cabin, as Alan didn't have much in the way of possessions, though he had tried to brighten up the place with old displays of ancient, long-dead prog-rock and prog-metal bands, as well as the odd model ship that he had purchased on his travels. Under one arm, Kiryuu was holding a small black box lined with blue lights.
"Is this a bad time, Alan?" he asked.
"No, of course not," Alan shrugged. "Have a seat." He gestured towards his bunk. "Sorry it's not very roomy in here, but I don't get many visitors in my cabin."
"It's quite alright," Kiryuu smiled. He sat down on one end of the bunk, Alan sitting beside him. The bio-mechanical dinosaur placed the blue box between them.
"What is that?" asked Alan, peering at it curiously.
"It's a time capsule," explained Kiryuu. "It was all Liara's idea. She felt that, should the worst come to pass…" He sighed, shaking his head. "God forbid that happens, but if it does, then Liara wants a record to be left behind, seeded throughout every corner of the galaxy in case the knowledge of how to connect to the Array is lost. While it's not foolproof, she's put in every translation and linguistics program she can think of; you remember how the biggest problem with the Forerunners' warning was that no-one could read it without a lot of psychic intervention."
"I remember," said Alan, vividly recalling how much of an effort it had been to decipher the warning of the Reaper invasion that had been implanted in Shepard's brain two years ago.
"In here is everything we have so far on the Reapers, and our attempts to fight them," Kiryuu continued. "We have everything on the Reapers, the galaxy, different cultures, and information on Technomancy. However, there are a couple of records that still need to be filled in, and Liara was hoping we could help with that. One record was about me, and the other about… well… you."
"Me?" asked Alan, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Why are you so shocked?" chuckled Kiryuu. "You're playing as much of a part in this war as everyone else is. You've already had a couple of triumphs in the Grissom Academy rescue and recruiting the Rachni to the cause. I'd say you've earned your place in this record."
He tapped a side of the cube with his claw, and a hologram suddenly flickered into life above it. It showed a stationary representation of Alan. The real Alan was fascinated by this, and thought that this was a very sound idea. So he nodded at Kiryuu.
"Fine by me," he said.
"Liara says she wants our input on this," Kiryuu paused, scratching his chin. "So, Alan, how would you like history to remember you?"
"Forty thousand years is a long time for a computer to sit around," Alan shrugged.
"That's what I said to Liara," Kiryuu chuckled. "She said 'I'm an archaeologist. I know what I'm doing'."
"This all reminds me of Vigil on Ilos…" Alan muttered, looking thoughtful.
"That's where she got the idea, apparently," replied Kiryuu. "Anyway, have you decided what you'd like me to write in your entry?"
Alan paused for a moment. He had to admit that he had no idea how he wanted to be remembered should he ever die; he had always reasoned that the galaxy would forget about him after a while, and life would go on. However, now that he found himself trying to write his own entry in what was essentially a history book, he found himself stumped. So much had happened, and he was worried that he could not be honest with himself. After a few moments, he looked back at Kiryuu, their reptilian eyes peering at each other.
"You know me well enough to fill in the blanks, granddad," he said quietly.
"Are you sure?" asked Kiryuu, arching his brows.
"Yeah," said Alan, smiling. "I'd like it to be your call."
"Alright…" Kiryuu said, looking a little abashed. He ran a claw through his dreadlocks, carefully considering his words and pulling up every record on Alan he had, everything that they had been through and experienced for over five hundred years. Afterwards, when he felt confident to speak, he leaned towards the time capsule, peering at the holographic Alan figure, and began:
"Alan Tyler. He was one of the very few who had witnessed the multiple forms of King Ghidorah. Born nearly five hundred years from this date, during the time when Earth's greatest achievement in space flight was going to the Moon and landing a rover on Mars. Despite the primitive technology, at least by today's standards, Earth was still attacked by King Ghidorah and Alan was one of the first to see it personally; the very first recorded attack of King Ghidorah on Earth. And though many denied the attack, covered it up, Alan never gave in. He knew the truth and he was going to tell it. You see, Alan Tyler was a very stubborn human. He wasn't going to give up, not to King Ghidorah, not to anyone. He was so stubborn that he survived into the future, five hundred years later to face the monster down again. Because Alan is stubborn and he will not give up. And that's what it means to be human. Never giving up no matter what the odds are against you. Alan is a very good example of that. He even taught this old biomechanical dinosaur a thing or two about never giving up. Even after all we've been through, he never let me give up." Kiryuu paused and a soft smile spread across his face. His expression was soft, thoughtful as if he was reflecting on the centuries he had known Alan. "And I thank him for that."
Alan nodded, smiling. "Any time," he said. "Just be careful that this doesn't end up sounding like a diary."
"I can't help myself," chuckled Kiryuu. "It feels good to open up about everything we've been through." He turned off the recorder, and the holographic Alan flickered and faded. Kiryuu sighed, turning away from Alan with a sorrowful expression. "I know things didn't start off well between us… I was a very different person back in those days. I didn't see you as anything other than a tool to achieve my goals, and I placed you in harm's way so many times… I don't blame you for resenting me in those days."
"You made up for it," replied Alan, giving a sympathetic nod. "Let's face it; I wasn't exactly an angel, myself. You summed it up pretty well there; I was too stubborn for my own good."
"Now that stubbornness makes you a constant thorn in King Ghidorah's side, so something good came of it all," Kiryuu snorted. He picked up the capsule and stood up from the bed. "At least Liara will be happy to know that she can write your name in the stars." He looked back towards the ladder and then back to Alan, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry I can't stay any longer, but I've got to get back to organising the movements of our fleets."
"Give Liara my regards," said Alan, standing up. "I hope those time capsules never need to be necessary, but I'm glad someone's preparing for the worst."
Kiryuu smiled. "Let's keep hoping for the best, though," he said. He wrapped a claw around the ladder, and for a moment actually stared at it as if seeing it for the first time. "How have none of you had an accident getting in and out of your cabins before now?"
Alan laughed. "Blind luck, I guess," he sniggered. "José had a near-miss one time though, when he was blind drunk. It's not a story he likes to share."
Kiryuu chuckled, and climbed back up the ladder. Alan sighed as his 'grandfather's' tail whipped out of sight and the hatch closed. Unable to think of much else to do, Alan decided to recline on his bunk and keep checking the reports, relaying suggestions when he felt he could make them. It was late in the day, but he figured that it might at least help to pass the time until he felt tired enough to try sleeping…
The next thing he knew, he was jerking awake after being startled by his commlink beeping. He had actually dozed off while checking the reports, and the datapad that had been resting on his chest fell off him and clattered to the floor. Blinking heavily, trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes, he raised his commlink and answered the call.
"Captain?" came Nicole's similarly sleepy-sounding voice. "Sorry to bother you, but Megellan's here. He says you're needed at Kedzuel's palace."
"Can't this wait until tomorrow?" asked Alan groggily.
"Apparently not," replied Nicole. "He says he's here to take you to the palace now. It's urgent."
Alan shook his head, trying to wake himself up more. He then remembered exactly what had been so important, what it was that everyone was waiting on, and he had the feeling he knew exactly what this meeting was about.
"Tell him I'm on my way," he said.
0
0206, November 11 2060 (Military Time)\Imperial Palace, Shi'lithra
They had all gathered now, in the war room inside Kedzuel's palace, though several of them looked like they were still struggling to wake up. Alan in-particular felt as if he could barely stand, and he noticed Shepard looked much the same. Doubtless she was doing the same as he was, keeping up-to-date with the latest information constantly, with little time for a break. Megellan had teleported him to the palace, but only Alan had been required to be present. So he knelt on a cushion at the low table beside Shepard. Also present were Kedzuel, Kiryuu, Admiral Hackett, Otto 'Gamam, Urdnot Wrex, Primarch Victus and Mordin Solus.
Of those present, only Mordin looked wide awake, in spite of the fact that he had not slept and barely remembered to eat over the past two days. He still seemed to twitch as he jerked his head around, looking at each face in turn, not seeming to notice that this meeting had roused most of those present from what was probably a deep slumber. Kedzuel looked similarly awake, as the Blitzardi barely needed to sleep due to how they measured time differently to other beings.
"Thank you for all for coming at such short notice," the Emperor said. "I am sorry for the abruptness of this gathering, but Professor Solus had given me news which could not wait. If you wish to present your findings to us, Doctor?"
"Yes," quipped Mordin. "Thank you. Cannot delay now." He addressed the whole table, still gesticulating wildly even as he pored over reams of data on his Omni-Tool. "Tests verified. Results promising. Can synthesise for universal Krogan immunity."
"Good," grunted Wrex. "Then you can put your knife away." Mordin had gotten his cell sample from Wrex, apparently extracted from an area of Krogan anatomy that it was more polite not to talk about.
"The cure's ready?" asked Shepard, now suddenly more alert to this news.
"No," replied Mordin, shaking his head. "Still need transmission vector. Cure useless unless given to entire species.
"You infected them with the disease once," said Alan, frowning. "Is the cure really that different?"
"No," replied Mordin. "Keeping modalities similar where possible. Easiest way to develop cure rapidly." He lowered his head slightly, his brow tightly-knit in concentration. "Groundwater? No, too slow. Voluntary inoculation risky. Population too scattered for airborne transmission, unless…" He glanced back up, his dark eyes suddenly widening and his long fingers snapping. "Wait… Yes!"
"You have an idea?" asked Hackett, now leaning forward in anticipation.
"The Shroud!" Mordin barked. "Constant global dispersion of air particles! Built by Salarians to repair atmosphere of Tuchanka!" He tapped frantically at the holographic controls, transmitting an image of a large, sleek-looking tower onto the projectors on the table. Out of the top of it came wisps of air, launching up and spreading out. With a dark expression, Mordin looked at Victus in-particular. "Also used by Turians," he added.
"We used it to secretly spread the genophage virus," the Turian explained. "It ended the Krogan Rebellions."
"I'd be careful who you tell that to," growled Wrex, grimacing.
"You know," hissed Otto, glowering at Victus, "sometimes I understand why the Krogans want to shoot everyone on sight."
"Those were desperate times…" sighed Victus, his hawk-like eyes downcast.
"Yes, yes," Mordin interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "But useful now. Original genophage strain still in storage at Shroud facility." He pointed to the hologram, where a light started blinking close to the top. "Can use it as transmission vector, then use Shroud to blanket Tuchanka with cure!"
"You clever little pyjak," grunted Wrex, smirking. "That's our best shot, right there."
Kiryuu, however, looked concerned. While the others had been talking, he had transplanted the coordinates of the Shroud onto a map of Tuchanka, and now the real-time readings had revealed worrying results.
"Hold everything," he barked. "The scanners are showing a Reaper is standing guard at the facility." The hologram showed one of the walking, crab-like Destroyer-class Reapers Shepard had seen back in New York. "It would be impossible to land a shuttle there. I'm also picking up strange atmospheric readings coming from the area around the Shroud."
"Reapers one step ahead," Mordin groaned. "Doubtless using Shroud to poison Tuchanka's atmosphere." Wrex snarled, pounding his fist into the table.
"They want a fight, they got one!" he roared.
"Primarch, Arbiter," Shepard commanded, her back straighter. "We're gonna need your help."
"That could be difficult," sighed Victus. "Our losses on Palaven have been catastrophic."
"And the weaponry on our dreadnoughts is too powerful," Otto chimed in. "Only our strongest weaponry, the kind we use to glass planets, can take a Reaper down, but if we use that kind of firepower then we will destroy the tower as well."
"No-one said this would be easy," said Alan, his eyes narrowed. Kiryuu took a deep breath, and leaned closer to the holograms. He then turned to Shepard, who had her chin in her hand, her emerald-green eyes peering at the hologram intently.
"Shepard," he said, "you have something in mind?"
"A combined attack," replied Shepard. "The Turians and the Sangheili hit the Reaper with an airstrike." She turned to the Krogan leader. "Wrex, at the same time your soldiers will be attacking from the ground. Together, you can draw it away from the tower."
"A distraction," said Mordin in approval. "Small team can reach Shroud facility, finish synthesising cure. Will need Eve to come with us."
"The atmosphere around the tower is declining at an alarming rate," said Hackett, shaking his head. "If this keeps up, the atmosphere will be unbreathable across the entire planet within a few hours. It's now or never."
"Now," snarled Wrex. "The genophage ends today."
"Then everyone get to your stations," said Kedzuel, addressing everyone at the table. "Primarch, Arbiter, ready your fleets of fighters. Wrex, contact your people on the ground and organise a meeting spot to prepare for the ground assault. Mordin, prepare Eve for travel. Shepard, Alan, get your teams ready as the escort." He clenched his fist, his teeth bared, looking determined and rather frightening. "The Hydra's hold on Tuchanka is about to be brought to an end. Meeting adjourned, and best of luck to all of you."
Mere minutes later, the Normandy was en-route to Tuchanka. In spite of the early call, everyone on Shepard's crew looked ready. She knew she was asking a lot of them, but she had been glad that they had been given a respite yesterday. They were ready for this; she knew it. However, as she went over the plan of attack in the ship's War Room, Traynor's voice came through the speakers.
"Commander?" she said. "Incoming message marked urgent. I'll put it in the comm. room for you."
Walking through into the comm. chamber and activating the QEC, Shepard was surprised to see the hologram of Dalatrass Linron before her. She had not been surprised that the Salarian leader had declined to be present for the meeting; this entire issue had certainly caused a rift between her and the rest of the gathered alliance.
"Commander Shepard," the Dalatrass' reedy voice hissed, "we know you're heading back to Tuchanka, and by now I imagine Mordin Solus has proposed using the Shroud."
"Are you spying on us?" demanded Shepard.
"Hardly," Linron spat. "The Shroud is the only viable course of action open to you." Her face hardened, her dark eyes narrowed. "Commander, you can't allow your misguided sympathy for the Krogans to cloud your judgment. Do you honestly believe curing the genophage will result in lasting peace?"
"We have to give the Krogans that chance," replied Shepard, calmly but firmly. "You can't condemn an entire race to extinction based on what might happen."
"What will happen," the Dalatrass retorted, "is that the Krogans will reproduce out of control. We uplifted them specifically for their violent nature, not their diplomatic skills. Another war is inevitable."
"What do you want, Dalatrass?" asked Shepard, her eyes narrowed, and now finding it very hard to keep her temper. She did not doubt that Linron was making the same mistake that Mordin had once made; making judgments based purely on predictions brought about by analysing data, a method which failed to take many circumstances, and the unpredictability of life itself, into account.
"Years ago," said Linron, "our operatives sabotaged the Shroud facility to ensure what you're planning couldn't be done. Mordin will likely detect this malfunction and repair it." A horrible sneer played across her face. "But if you ensure that he doesn't, then the cure's viability will be altered just enough so that it fails. No-one will notice the change."
"You mean trick the Krogans?" breathed Shepard.
"They need not be any the wiser," replied the Dalatrass. "Let Urdnot Wrex believe you have fulfilled your promise."
"Mordin would never stand for that!" barked Shepard.
"How you deal with him is up to you, Commander," replied Linron, completely unflappable. "We can provide Emperor Kedzuel with our very best scientists, and the full support of our fleets."
"If I sabotage the cure," hissed Shepard, slurring the words as if she had tasted something foul.
"Think about it, Commander," the Dalatrass pressed. "The choice is yours."
Before Shepard could reply, the transmission was cut. She hardly dared to believe that the Dalatrass had even contemplated such a thing, a course of action that threatened to tear the alliance apart and destroy any chance they had against the Reapers. Frowning, she turned to head down to the hangar bay to get ready; the call had come when they were only a short distance away from Tuchanka, and as a result there was no time to alert Kedzuel to the Dalatrass' treachery. All the same, she knew that the Arbiter was right; sometimes the Krogans had good reason to resent everyone else in the galaxy.
