From this chapter and others, till you get to 21, is all dialogue and missions with a twist, from the game. Spoilers if you've never played the game. Rate M.
Thanks for stopping by.
Shepard watched the monitor again. The display in front of her playing out the disturbance in the Citadel gardens. The conduit came to life suddenly and a dark figure is thrown out.
Satima staggers to her feet. Everyone is running and screaming to get away. Afraid it's another attack by the reapers or geth, dozens of C-Sec guards surround the bridge, targeting her with their weapons.
What if what Satima says is true, about coming from the future?
Satima watched Doctor Chockwas type on her monitor. Chockwas knew she was being peeped at by the hybrid. With such curious wide eyes and a furrowed brow that seemed stuck in place.
It made Karin laugh to herself. Satima stayed in her corner. A darker place in the med-bay to continue her observation from a small distance. Karin glanced and smiled at her.
"What is your name girl?"
Satima leaned on the wall in a standing position as she contemplated answering the human. Might as well acclimatize. "Satima.", she answered out loud.
Karin typed a few more words for her report. Then she turned off her display and stood.
"I am Doctor Chockwas. I have been on the Normandy for quite some time.", she smiled warmly.
Satima didn't care for smiles. Plenty of predators smile right before they pounce. Her trust issues remained. Karin noticed how Satima refused to smile or even acknowledge the gesture.
So, she decided to carefully approach her. When she reached the table Satima was standing behind, Karin spoke to her again.
"You are a unique type of hybrid. Of course, you would be the first of your kind. Tell me, how did your parents manage to... conceive you without prenatal problems?", Karin folded her arms.
Satima gulped. The truth behind that was more twisted and sinister than a simple act of conception. Satima doesn't even understand why, as it seemed all directive wanted was to mock Shepard in every way.
He or IT, took her mind, her freedom and everything else in between. It wasn't fair to Satima and Shepard both, but it happened. That's one reason why Satima should stay in this timeline. To stop the Reapers.
No Directive, no Satima. At this moment of intense thought, Karin snapped her fingers in the girl's face.
"Child, are you alright? You seemed to have been in a daze."
Satima shook her head quickly and gave a curt answer, "I'm fine!"
She hurriedly left back inside the core room. Karin turned around unamused at the girl's rudeness. She looked over some samples Mordin left from eight hours earlier. Karin re-tested them to possible DNA matches in the network databases. She'll get an answer one way or another.
The hybrid girl was left on the Normandy while Shepard took a team to the surface of Tuchunka. The krogan female had left with them, Mordin keeping her safe.
Satima wanted to go, but didn't make an inquiry of it. She wondered if the planet was different or the same since her future timeline. Crew members spoke loudly in the mess of Shepard fighting a reaper, and using the dangerous planet's thresher maws to destroy one.
She stayed at the door of the med-bay listening in awe. To see Reaper, no… Shepard in action against the giant machines, would've been epic.
With everyone still passing the news around, Satima decided to wait for Shepard's return in the core room. The next mission, she must accompany! This is history, after all.
The mission on Tuchanka was a success. The genophage cured and Wrex made Shepard an honorary krogan. He even called her sister. All this became overshadowed by the fact that Mordin died. Shepard lost a friend.
"My responsibility to fix. Need to save them. No more… No more dead."
Shepard headed to her cabin. Once inside, she hastily took off her battle gear. The tight black under-suit clinging like a second skin, almost suffocating.
"Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong."
Those words stung bitter as Shepard watched the Shroud explode in fire and crumble to the desert below it. Somewhere in that pile, lays the mangled and burnt body of a hero.
She sat on the edge of her sofa, head bent down in defeat. How many? How many more will she lose in the name of war? Damn Reapers! They can all go to hell!
"Commander.", EDI's voice echoed for a second.
"Yes…", Shepard replied.
"Satima would like to speak to you."
Shepard sighed briefly. "Let her in."
Minutes later Satima came through the door inside the famed cabin of Commander Shepard. She passed the fish tank in-bedded in the ships wall. There was one type of fish in it. It swam to her outline and stared with its large aquatic eyes. Satima ignored it.
Shepard sat on the sofas edge watching her. Satima stood. "Shepard. I have various tactical skills in combat.", she informed, standing at attention like a soldier.
Shepard raised an eyebrow, "Good to know. Why are you bringing this up?"
Satima cleared her throat, "I can fight."
They seemed to stare at each other for a moment. Shepard stood up and walked to her bed. She dropped on it, laying on her back with hands resting over her stomach.
Satima watched as she closed her eyes. Was she asleep? This was strange behavior. Reaper never stopped patrolling, surveying and observing the surroundings. She never once rested too long and taught Satima the same.
But the Shepard in front of her did. It became oddly relieving to see such a calm approach and a casual setting. Satima let herself sit in the same spot Shepard occupied minutes before. Then Shepard spoke again.
"Can you follow orders in the field?"
Satima sat up. She nodded, but remembered Shepard's eyes were closed.
"Yes. I can follow your command.", Satima couldn't believe the words that left her mouth. Her usual impetuous behavior became mature. Shepard opened her eyes.
"Okay. Next mission, show me what you got. Follow my lead and don't wander off. If you want a quick reference to how this works, go speak to Garrus. Right now, he's one of the only original members of the Normandy."
Satima's heart pounded.
"Right...great idea.", she thought. Especially after the pissing match they had in the core room.
As Satima started to leave, Shepard turned over in her bed. A small, soft whimper was heard, Satima quickly left.
Reaper seemed stronger and more capable to her by the minute compared to the soft emotional Shepard. Maybe the Directive's control was an improvement? Satima shook her head.
No one should be controlled. If this Shepard felt emotional, then she had every right to be so. Satima knows well how that goes. Too well.
She soon stood outside the battery room door. Garrus is always serious, broody and in her timeline, a bit of a drunk. Could still put a bullet between a pyjacks eyes while stumbling. As she reminisced, the door slid open. Garrus bumped into her and dropped a data pad.
"Spirits kid!", he said aloud.
It made her cringe. He would say that to her on Haven. A lot.
"Apologies, Garrus.", she replied. He smirked at her, "Don't pretend our conversation didn't happen." Garrus picked up the data pad
She averted her gaze, "I haven't."
"Good.", he glared, noticing she didn't budge. "What do you want?", he asked, annoyed.
"I have a question.", she blurted out.
Garrus stood waiting for her question, gesturing for her to speak. He seemed less patient than her father. A whole timeline ago, now.
"Commander Shepard has consented to me accompanying the next mission.", Satima finished.
She felt confident except for the puzzled look on his face. "What?", he spoke aloud. Satima looked down. This seemed a mistake. Back to the core room. As she turned around a taloned hand touched her shoulder quickly, she turned to it.
"Listen, kid. We haven't been properly acquainted. I'm gonna need some convincing you're not the enemy, by telling the truth. Starting with how you were born.", he demanded. "And what you're really doing here."
Satima scoffed, "And what if I don't really know? What if the answers are beyond reach and I'm just as in the dark to my existence as you are?"
Garrus's serious manner turned to a pure comical state. He laughed enough to draw the looks of another Normandy crew member, but stopped himself shortly after. "Then we can drop you off the nearest desert planet."
She stared at him. Garrus slapped her arm, "Come on, I was just kidding."
Satima stood feeling absolutely stupid as he brushed past her into the mess area. She turned to follow him and spoke in a hushed tone. "I knew that."
At the table, Garrus held a cup of dextro coffee as Satima seated herself on the opposite side. He sipped two times and stared at her.
"Are you gonna talk?", he waited.
Satima wanted to leave this horrid ship. No one knew her. She knew no one (except Garrus and Liara-the bitch), this was all very uncomfortable. And she couldn't say anything about Reaper.
Reaper and Shepard were polar opposites. Galaxy hero versus Anti-hero psycho. Satima stopped thinking. Garrus sat there still giving the young girl a chance to speak. The amount of fear that came off her clouded his judgement. She needed to adjust and relax.
Satima finally opened her mouth to speak. "I've flown a ship, and fought a mechanized reaperfied assassin. Smuggled refugees off world, shot down enemy ships, and been in quite a few scraps."
Garrus stopped her, "Whoa, slow down. How about something more detailed and less like a mercs resume.", he asked.
"Alright.", she said unsure, "I have training in hand-to-hand, melee and fire arms. I can pilot class L and class B ships, provide technical backup on the field."
Garrus whistled, "Now that is a resume Shepard would approve. That and the previous information."
Satima surprisingly gave a smile. She blushed from the embarrassment, looking away to the floor, then back to Garrus who seemed confused.
"Thank you… uh, sir.", she replied awkwardly, glancing around in confusion as to what to say.
Garrus nodded, feeling equally indifferent about being called sir by her.
Minutes passed, when he finished his coffee. Shepard came in dressed in her normal military attire.
"We're heading back to the citadel. Received a message from the salarian councilor.", she looked at Garrus, "Seemed troubled. Something about Udina."
Garrus got up and smirked, "Think it has something to do with him being a potential security risk?"
Shepard crossed her arms, seemingly stunned. "How do you know this?", she asked surprised.
Garrus shrugged, "I have my sources."
Shepard turned around to Satima, who was still sitting at the table. "Satima, you're up this mission. Should be easy for you to get a handle on things."
The girl sat up hiding the excitement building up inside. "I'm ready.", she exclaimed.
The Citadel
Inbound shuttle ride to the presidium
In the shuttle ride inside the presidium, Shepard began to shout her orders over the hatch door being opened. "Cerberus has attacked and partially taken over the station, particularly C-Sec Headquarters. We need to clear out the bastards to get to the men inside. Satima, you'll provide back up while Garrus and I clear a path."
Satima nodded and held her pistol tight. She was nervous. Not because of Cerberus, she's fought bigger. But because they were watching her.
If she messed up or got cocky, they wouldn't trust her again. That trust means the difference between stopping the reapers or dying by them.
The shuttle quickly hovered over the C-Sec docking hub for their patrol cars. Several guards stood their ground at the entrance to the C-Sec HQ. Many were shot down as the team leapt out and took cover. Shepard took point, leading the way down the parking walkway.
"Watch out for snipers!", she yelled to them on comms.
Garrus heard his commanders voice and obeyed, but was more in a hurry to reach the entrance and the remaining guards. Cerberus soldiers ranged from typical ground fodder to those crouched behind a massive shield.
It prevented the penetration of bullets to their bodies. Shepard had gotten annoyed quickly because of it. She turned to Garrus who already seemed to know what she was thinking. Those shields had a small open window, a peep hole for the trooper to look through. Garrus brought out his mantis and showed his expert skill in three seconds.
"One down!", he shouted in excitement.
Satima watched them fight. She had to admit, it brought a chill to her spine. Both deadly and skilled, these seasoned veterans of war cut a bloody swath between them and their foes in this uphill battle.
Approaching the middle of the walkway, a lone engineer stood in front of assault troopers. He let out a wide grin and hastily set down a square metal pod. It quickly transformed into a turret.
"GET DOWN!", Shepard screamed.
Several rounds fired towards them. Satima almost got grazed. Garrus fired two proximity mines around it to bring down the shields. That barely nudged it. He then took a chance by standing in the open and using his overload skill on the machine. It worked!
Shepard stood up and fired hard on the turret. Within a minute, it exploded around a few troopers. In that explosion, Garrus used the advantage to move closer, firing on them. Another fell to his bullets.
As Satima provided suppression fire so Shepard could move forward, the lone blonde human at the entrance screamed in pain. He had been shot in the gut. Not a good place to receive a wound.
If they reach him in time, maybe they could stop the bleeding. Shepard yelled for him to hold on as five more troopers landed in front of them, blocking the way. Garrus shot two of them before having to duck to reload.
Satima saw from the corner of her eye three more troopers silently flanking the man at the entrance. Even if they manage to quickly dispatch the other soldiers, that guy was seriously doomed.
There would be no time to debate, Satima left the field leaving Shepard and Garrus's back open. She had to get to them first or that human was dead.
Satima quietly ran in the exact direction of the three soldiers. She hugged the lower wall while crouching. Staying closely behind for the right moment to attack. They surrounded the man and laughed at him.
"Well, Commander Bailey, looks like your usefulness is up. Time to die.", the leader of the group threatened.
Bailey clutched his side trying to hold the wound from pooling out any more blood, it seemed it wouldn't matter anyway. If Shepard didn't get up those steps quick, he's a dead man.
As the leader was about to pull the trigger to Bailey's head, he yelled in pain, dropping his rifle. Suddenly, clawing at the back of his head and falling over motionless. There was a seven-inch blade embedded in his skull.
The other two fired at Satima, who dodged the bullets. She released a breath, emerged from her cover and shot each one in the head perfectly. Bailey let out a long whistle.
"Thanks kid. I would've been kissing my mother in heaven, or hell if you hadn't been here.", he thanked her leaning against the wall.
Shepard and Garrus ran up the steps. Bailey was all right. Shepard knelt to him and administered medi-gel. They exchanged words and glances to Satima while Garrus observed the dead troopers.
"Nice job. But next time, warn us when you're about to go in assassin mode.", he gave her a slight glare before returning to Shepard's side.
Satima's heart raced as Garrus spoke. He wasn't too pleased. Bailey sat for another minute to let the medi-gel sink in his wound and soothe the sore flesh. He looked at the strange alien girl then back at Shepard.
"Thanks Shepard for saving my ass.", he laughed bitterly from his wounded side.
"No problem Bailey. What happened here?", she asked sitting on one leg.
"Damn Cerberus that's what happened! We had no warning. It just... happened! A few of my men and I tried to stop it but... you can see how that worked out.", he glanced around the dead.
Shepard nodded sympathetically and stood up. She turned around to Satima who was looking over the small battle scene she took part of. The three dead Cerberus soldiers in a row. One had a blade in his skull lying face down.
"Satima... you did this?", Shepard asked her. Satima nodded. "Next time, warn us.", Shepard slapped Satima's back. Bailey led them inside the lobby, to the receptionist desk. He sat at the front desk accessing the terminal.
"Damn.", he exclaimed. His expression troubled.
Shepard leaned over the edge of the counter. "What's wrong?"
Bailey clutched his side but continued his typing with one hand. "The salarian councilor has taken refuge in the executor's office. You'll need directions to it."
Shepard nodded, waiting for the go-ahead by Bailey. Satima looked around the lobby, glancing at the occasional plant or advertised digital frame to join C-Sec. She gave a slight smile to the thought of joining a police force on this station.
Turning to see Garrus's mandible frown. Either he caught on to her thought and disapproved, or something else was bothering him.
Another voice spoke, flanged tones like the turians but smoother. Shepard called it Thane, and listened as the other person relayed information. Garrus also listened, nodding his head at her, while she smiled.
Old friend?
Beginning their recon inside the damaged building, two assault troopers across the hall had their backs to them. The perfect moment for surprise. Shepard used a biotic power and lashed them hard, taking a trooper down easily.
The other turned shouting while firing his weapon. He became silent as a blade entered his chest. Satima walked over casually taking it out. Shepard watched her, then suddenly, guardians began firing at them.
Using their shields to block oncoming cover, Garrus used his mantis again. Shepard shot the other one with a red savage looking pistol. It had a white alien skull on it.
Satima envied that pistol for those few seconds. They pushed on ahead only to meet another turret. Garrus used overload with Shepard shooting it into metal slag.
Satima rushed around a corner to take point in case of anymore surprises. Further up the stairs, they passed a terminal and some mod kits. Shepard picked one up to examine it. She attached it to her rifle with a smile.
Deeper in the room four more troopers descended from the ceiling. Crashing down around them. Shepard fired. Garrus took cover again and once more used his mines to surround them. Satima fired along with Shepard. It wasn't long before they all fell dead.
In front of a work desk laid a female c-sec cop. Facing downward on the floor with a red pool of blood around her head.
"Inside job, like Mars. Cerberus sure likes their sleeper agents.", Shepard commented in controlled anger.
"Looks more like a surprise than an execution. These are hardcore traitors here in C-Sec, Shepard.", Garrus started to fume in disgust.
"Keep it together Garrus. You can have your revenge on the bastards when they attack, deal?", she looked at him as his commanding officer more than his lover.
They exchanged glances before he broke his glare. "Commander." His tone sounded calm, dangerously calm.
Once they cleared another room of centurions and one guardian, Garrus ran inside a men's room finding another c-sec agent's corpse. Shepard followed close behind with Satima in tow.
"Cerberus didn't even bother to drag him into the hall before killing him!", Garrus's angry glare burned through them both.
Garrus rushed out to lead the way to the next room. An intercom goes off. One lone engineer is attempting to destroy the elevator controls. Shepard begins to sneak under the broken window to stop him, but Garrus jumps over the window seal.
The engineer turns around, body slammed into the wall. Garrus takes a hit before delivering a more powerful blow, knocking the engineer down.
He tries to get away, receiving a gunshot to the head. Garrus opens the latch to the elevator controls and the door slides open. As he jumps back over the window, Shepard stands in his way.
"That's enough, Vakarian.", her body an immovable force.
Garrus looks her up and down while pacing in anger, "You saw what Cerberus did! He didn't deserve any mercy!"
Shepard shook her head, "That isn't what I'm talking about. He deserved what you gave him, but I need you to get your shit together. I know you're angry. I am too, but this is not the time to play Archangel. Got it!", she yelled at him.
Garrus sighed and nodded, "Yes... Commander."
Shepard moved to him and touched his arm gently. She glanced to Satima who was watching the whole scene intently. Satima looked away in embarrassment. With a slight, ahem clearing the air. The team proceeded forward in the elevator.
During the ride, Shepard's intercom opened. It was Bailey.
"Shepard. Any survivors?"
"No Bailey. Cerberus planted sleeper agents. No one had a chance.", she glanced to Garrus.
He busied himself with his mantis.
"Damn. Alright Shepard. I know you're doing everything you can.", Bailey shut off the com.
The next area was empty. One door tried to open but shut itself quickly. Satima walked over to the damaged panel. Shepard found some useful items as Garrus stared around in memory.
"Ouch.", Satima said under her breath.
The panel sparked on her hand. It was too badly damaged to repair. She looked around the room next to it. A terminal labeled door control was left on.
She pressed a holo button and the malfunctioning door opened. Shepard watched this young girl rummage, hack and work her way through this damaged area. It seemed second nature to scavenge for her.
Garrus found an opened com channel. It had static on the other end but he wanted to try to find someone still alive.
"Lamont! Mendez! ", he yelled.
Other names were shouted over the dead comms. Shepard told him to be quiet since Cerberus was around every corner.
"If they can't hear our gunfire, they can't hear this.", he replied.
Shepard stared at him in irritation. Garrus threw the com across the room. Satima felt sorry for him. He lost his friends to betrayal. Something she knew about, too.
They finally reached the Executor's Office. Two preoccupied Cerberus soldiers, this time executing a c-sec sleeper agent who had ceased to be useful, stood in the entry way. Shepard nodded to Garrus's sniper rifle.
She took one out as well. Together they dropped them both. Satima stood impressed.
Once through the cafe, Cerberus soldiers flooded the room. Weapons fire pinging off the surface of walls and shattering any remaining glass doors or windows. Satima ran, taking cover to a set of stairs leading downward in the middle of the lobby.
She used this cover to prevent troopers from flanking Shepard. Garrus swapped his mantis for the M-76 Revenant. He smiled at the site of a beautifully dangerous weapon.
Peaking from cover, he pressed the trigger letting the rounds burst in a spray of bullets, raining instant death on any Cerberus scum that crossed its path.
Shepard ducked behind the partition of walls in the breakroom, hearing a woman's voice broadcast from the T.V to her right. It was Khalisah al-Jilani. She was apparently covering c-sec's attempt to reclaim the comm towers.
Looping her footage to contact other c-sec for reinforcements. Shepard hoped it worked for them. At this moment, the councilor would be her main concern. Especially if this was some type of coup attempt. She needed the evidence and the villain.
The last trooper fell clearing the area of any hostiles. They quickly ran up the stairs, opened the door to the office, only to find the executor dead.
"What a surprise.", Garrus said unamused.
"Bailey, it looks like they got the executor and two of his bodyguards.", Shepard reported to Bailey.
"Damn. Alright keep searching. If you don't see the councilors body, don't count him out yet." Bailey returned the com call.
Shepard and Garrus caught a slight disturbance in the workstation below. A chair is moved on its own. It's the councilor! He was under cloak the whole time.
"Look!", she yelled.
Garrus hoisted his rifle over his shoulder to mockingly laugh, "Little bastard.", he said.
"Found him. He looks unharmed.", she reported once more to Bailey.
"Get him somewhere safe!", Bailey replied to her.
Satima felt relieved this councilor was alive still. At least he had the intellect to hide. Garrus turned around to leave the office for the councilor, Shepard continued to look out the office window. She turned her back to wave Satima over to her.
In the distance on a beam, Satima spotted a dark figure landing silently. He jumped down surprising the councilor and herself! Shepard watched Satima's surprised look.
She looked behind her out the window to see the ominous figure slowly approaching the councilor. Shepard shot the window out and jumped down from it.
The apparent assassin leaped over the councilor standing behind, trying a biotic attack on him. Satima noticed his cybernetic body, similar to Archer's. A frightening concept that made her second guess herself.
Shepard walked to them cautiously targeting the assassin with her rifle. "Don't even think about it.", her tone resolute and stern.
The councilor speaks in a frightened hushed tone, "Shepard, he's going to kill us all!"
"That remains to be seen.", she replied still targeting the assassin.
Satima and Garrus quietly come down the stairs to help Shepard.
"No! I mean Udina! He's staging a coup and has the other councilors now. To hand over to Cerberus!", the salarian councilor held his hands in the air.
"Shit.", Shepard thought.
Garrus along with Satima point their weapons toward the assassin. Shepard raised an eye in apparent victory.
"Three on one pal.", she says confidently," It's over."
The assassin grins at her, taking note of the strange alien girl with the turian. " No. Now it's fun."
The sound of a pistol priming brings the assassins attention to a drell behind him. Shepard whispers Thane to herself.
Thane points the weapon firmly towards the assassin's head. They begin their melee battle of martial arts. The hand to hand battle becomes intense for a few seconds with the assassin quickly grabbing Thane and throwing him over his shoulder to the ground.
Thane immediately stands back up, firing his pistol at the assassin. He disappears. Satima tries to back out quietly to find him. After all, she was trained for this sort of fight, not for a team battle. The assassin uncloaks behind Thane and pulls out a small katana. Close quarters combat blade.
He charges toward Thane, who starts firing his weapon at him again. The assassin dodges, ducking behind desks and leaping around the team. He confronts Thane with a fast strike of his blade.
Thane dodges it expertly delivering powerful kicks and one swift biotic blow. He knocks the killer backwards across the room. Thane stoops down to pick up his pistol, cocking a fresh thermal clip. He points the weapon back towards the assassin.
Satima watches, hoping to learn something from this aged master hitman. That young amateur hasn't a prayer. Shepard and Garrus keep a close eye on the scene while protecting the councilor. She has no doubt Thane can take care of this hired merc. Then the unthinkable happens.
The assassin back flips back on his feet. He charges at Thane, who equally bolts forward firing his pistol, but the assassin makes a strike stance, forcing Thane to leap up with a killing blow.
He tricks Thane, nearly plunging his katana through him. The Cerberus assassin smirks, only to yelp in pain as Satima pulls her blade out of his shoulder.
Thane drops his pistol, holding the hilt of the katana over the assassin's deadly grip, turning the blade towards his foe. But the assassin uses force to throw Thane backwards, falling to the floor, and thrusts his blade into Thane's chest. He skillfully sheaths his blade in victory.
"Thane!", Shepard shouts.
Satima watches in personal horror. She hesitated, too cocky in thinking they had the villain.
Shepard opens fire on him as he leaps down the stairs to the bottom and runs to a waiting sky car.
Hot on his heels, she fires more rounds watching him escape. The severely injured Thane comes from behind firing his weapon alongside her before leaning against the wall as his strength wains.
Shepard runs to him. "How bad is it?", she asks worried.
Thane coughs, "I have time. Catch him."
Shepard's omni-tool lights up to her incoming com call. It's Bailey.
"Shepard? What's going on?"
"Thane needs medical help fast, and I need to take care of an assassin.", she grips Thanes hand while informing Bailey.
"He must be going after the rest of the council. Catch him Shepard before it's too late!", Bailey sounded more than worried.
If the council went down, the citadel goes with it.
Shepard walks to a sky car, "Get the word out. Udina is trying to seize power. I've got to get to the councilors."
Garrus and Satima follow down the stairs behind Shepard. Satima glances at the dying drell. He manages to give her a nod, somehow thanking her for trying to help in the fight. She looks away quickly, already full of guilt.
"They're being taken to a shuttle pad on the Presidium. Start driving, I'll try to raise them on comms ...make it there fast.", Bailey closed his com link.
Satima sat behind Shepard as she drove the hover car pursuing the assassin.
"I got a fix on the council's position. I'm sending it to your car.", Bailey informs Shepard through her omni-tool.
"Good work Bailey. We're almost there.", Shepard passes by empty damaged shops.
At that moment, the assassin drops on the car's hood looking straight at Shepard. She begins to shoot through the glass shield, stunned, as he wields his katana and casually leaps over the hood to the engine core.
Shepard opens the door, leaning out, firing at him while Garrus takes the controls.
The assassin blocks her gunshots with a quick shield and jams his katana in the engine causing it to emergency shut down. Shepard watches his smug demeanor as he hops inside a sky car escaping once again.
Her vehicle begins to crash. Garrus tries to land it without too much injury.
Shepard gets back inside the sky car and takes over, crash landing in a lobby courtyard. It skids across the floor of an apartment level. A small fire started in the engine core. The car's door hangs open, as she rushes out limping, followed by Garrus and Satima.
Garrus darts to her, "Are you okay?"
Shepard brushes him off, "I'm fine."
Satima uses her omni-tool to check them both.
"Shepard! My terminal says your car has stopped?", Baileys voice blares over a screaming woman running for safety.
"I'm on foot now. Any luck contacting the councilors?", she shoots down a trooper.
"Negative, their guards are dead. But we still got vital signs on the council's transponders.", he informs her.
Shepard opens fire on a squad of Cerberus soldiers. Garrus snipes two down. "Where are they going?", Shepard asks Bailey.
"The plaza. Udina's with them. I hope you can get to them. Shepard if he can get them in range of that assassin... this is all over.", Bailey turns off his com.
"On my way.", Shepard responds.
Satima shoots a trooper sneaking around them. Then she spots something in the distance that reflected the light.
"Did any of you see that?", she asks.
Shepard looks hard to see a new type of Cerberus soldier uncloaking and charging her way. It was female and wielded a katana like the assassin.
"Watch out, it can cloak!", she yells.
Three more troopers were dropped off by a shuttle. Shepard shot them down.
"Snipers!", Garrus yelled.
Red lasers pinpointed around them. A high-pitched whine coming from the primed weapon across the broken railed walkway. Shepard took cover on the wall.
Garrus used his mantis in turn making quick work of the sniper. "One down", he said.
Satima leapt over the walkway, with Shepard and Garrus following. She heard a rustle behind one of the few sky cars sitting idle. Shepard powered ahead, taking precautions behind every new turn.
At that moment, a phantom uncloaked in front of Shepard. Leaping away from her weapons fire. "They don't like to hold still, do they?", Garrus quipped while firing his rifle.
Shepard threw a lift grenade ahead of the phantom who landed next to it. It exploded hot shrapnel into the body armor of the would-be assassin. She fell dead with a moan.
Satima checked her weapon, picking it up and attaching it to her armors magnetic cling system. She had her smaller blades but the katana could come in handy.
Ahead a trooper came out trying to hit Shepard with his taser baton. Satima threw a blade at his chest, ending it.
"They sealed it behind them!", Garrus shouted noticing the door in front was locked tight. It could take too long a time to hack through.
Shepard sees an opening through a balcony of flowers and grass. A small lawn that led to a keeper walkway. The metal bridge was broken in half, blazing with fire between the jump point.
Shepard ran fast, successfully leaping over it. Garrus and Satima came from behind. They continued their short trek to the other side of the presidium's many shops.
Satima fell behind upon noticing a slight distortion of space in the darkened hall. Shepard and Garrus soldiered on.
Gun fire echoed from their location. With closer inspection, Satima knelt in front of the tiny singularity. It dissipated as quickly as it appeared.
A dangerous feeling filled her senses. There was no time to investigate. Shepard needed her help with this council and that assassin first.
As she began to stand, a heavy metaled hand grabbed her, swinging her hard against the grated floor. Picked up by her hair, she was slammed face first into it.
Dazed, Satima looked up to see a horrifying figure from her possible future.
"Nice to see you again, Satima.", Archer glared with his neon blue eyes at her. Satima quickly moved back, standing with her katana in hand and a pistol in the other.
Archer laughed loudly. "Here you are! Right in the heart of the galaxy", his cybernetic vocals echoed. "The Sentarian's feared what you might do. They didn't guess that you would go running back to Reaper."
Satima held the pistol firm, aiming. "Her name is Shepard. Not Reaper."
Archer grinned, tilting his head curiously. "How sad. You want more time with mommy, before she became the directive's puppet." He leaned closer, " You can't change fate, girl."
Satima lunged towards him. The katana hitting his chest merely scraping the surface. Archer knocked her sideways to the edge of the bridge. She looked below. "How did you get here?", she questioned, turning to his sinister gaze.
"I followed them here.", he revealed.
Satima looked away in fear. Archer stared around him. "Reaper doesn't want to interfere with this timeline. She's hiding in the farthest systems. I stole one of their ships and followed the reports here."
"Does she know where I am?", Satima asked, afraid.
"No. But she will find you, sooner or later. Or… what's left of you.", he smiled.
Without Reaper, he could end her here and now. As he made his way to her, Satima held the katana close and rolled off the edge. Archer growled in anger.
She fell far before landing on a sky car. Her weight slamming into the metal roof, as the glass windows shattered at her sudden stop, bowing out the door. Satima laid there, bruised and unable to move.
Time seemed to slow as she tumbled off the hood onto the glossy floor below. Red blood smeared her nose. She could taste its metallic palette.
Her armor registered many injuries to her omni-tool, Satima found her two middle fingers were broken on the hand she had used the pistol with. Wherever it might be.
Setting the katana down, Satima took a deep breath and pulled both fingers hard to set them straight. She yelled loudly, only whimpering for a second.
The pain will have to wait. Around her, shops blazed on fire, people screamed and gunfire masked out any sounds from enemies. Archer could be anywhere.
Satima continued to cautiously walk through the chaos. The katana in her grasp with her good hand, she checked every corner.
In a souvenir shop, a glass bottle filled with green sand rolled in front of her. She readied herself but there was no one there. Archer landed quietly behind her.
When she turned, he greeted her with a hit in the gut, grabbing her throat and lifted her body in the air. Satima's feet squirmed for a foot holding as she struggled against his grip.
"I had hoped to bring you back in one piece. But if you continue to press this issue of resistance, then you'll come along as a broken husk!", he roared at her.
Satima widened her eyes in adrenaline, taking her useless katana and piercing him through his left shoulder. A simple over looked piece of his design. He dropped her.
Satima coughed and fled. Running away from a foe much stronger than she is capable. Able to take her out of the whole scenario before she could even help Shepard defeat the reapers. Archer followed close behind in rage.
He knocked glass out of any remaining windows, kicking debris in his way to the side. Some even at Satima. Finally, she stood cornered facing a tightly shut door.
Archer loomed behind her. Satima had no choice but to fight with her bare hands. She leaped at him, delivering two blows to his metal face.
Archer stepped back from the heavy onslaught. Satima tried to block his counter strike. He hit her arm breaking it and kicking her pelvis. Satima went down on her belly.
She crawled away from him, gasping from the pain. Blood staining her face in streaks. Archer put a hefty boot on her back. "And now... my dear Satima. It's time to end this."
Satima waited for the crushing blow, but was surprised at how long it took. A struggle was heard. She turned her head to see Archer being pulled back through a singularity rift.
He tried to grab her, eventually disappearing completely. Alarms blared distantly as she dropped her head unconscious.
Satima wakes abruptly in pain. Her nightmares giving her a start to where she was. Dizzy, she propped her body on all fours, trying to stand.
Her suites functions sending a slew of injury updates by the minute. Arching her back, Satima forced her body to stand. She moaned in pain. There was a half-broken bench looking out to a garden below. Most of it was on fire too.
Satima sat gently, wincing. She didn't know how long she was out or if Shepard saved the council in time.
The fact Archer came through a portal rift tore a hole in her plans. He could come anytime, in any place. Even the Normandy. A sound of scuffling feet alerted her.
Coming out of the sealed door were two asari women. They held hands shaking with fright.
As soon as they saw Satima, one of them ran to her. "By the goddess are you alright? Delana, look at her!", the asari hovered over Satima.
Delana walked over timidly to have a look. "I'll call for an ambulance." Satima waved her hand, "NO... no. I mean, I'm okay. Just give a message for this coded number." Satima sent the code to Delana who took off to a non-damaged terminal.
Much did happen while Satima laid unconscious. Shepard got to the council in time. The assassin was nowhere to be found. He deleted all footage of his presence. A ghost. Bailey congratulated Shepard on saving the council. She was just happy she didn't have to put down a friend.
Inside Bailey's office, they discussed the reports of the Cerberus coup.
"We looked over every centimeter of those tunnels Shepard. Your Cerberus pal is made out of smoke and mirrors.", Bailey tried to settle himself in his chair. A surge of pain in his gut made him stay still for a minute.
"He likes to fight. He'll show up again.", Shepard was sure in that.
"Pardon me if I'm not reassured by that.", Bailey spoke in sarcasm. That assassin had him on edge with the council demanding better security.
He'll probably end up holding one of their hands so they can squat in their luxury bathroom. Bailey shuddered at the thought.
Returning to his original conversation, "We can't even get an ID on him. He released a VI into the citadel system that erased all footage of him wherever he went. I guess he didn't trust that Udina's plan would come together."
Shepard smirked at that. Udina was always a pretentious selfish bastard. From day one. She wished she could've seen Anderson deck him those few years ago, in the beginning. Worth the wait on Saren.
Bailey proceeded with his debriefing of the current events. "That reminds me-we got your friend Thane to Huerta Memorial. He's in for surgery. Apparently, there's uh... complications."
Shepard unfolded her hands from behind her back. "Do you think he'll make it?"
Bailey looks off to the side in thought, "I caught that they didn't have much drell blood on the citadel. I notified his next of kin, his son Kolyat. He was the right blood type but I don't know if he made it in time. We're pretty sure the route to the hospital is safe from Cerberus. If you want to see him, I'd go now."
Shepard makes a weak smile," Thanks Bailey, I'll get on it."
Before Shepard starts to leave Bailey speaks again. "You can tell him the salarian councilor thinks he's a hero. Just to...I don't know, make things easier for him."
Shepard nods and walks out the door. She steps down the stairs heading for the elevator when Khalisah al-Jilani starts shouting at her. "Commander Shepard! Commander, the people of the Alliance have questions."
Shepard begrudgingly approaches her.
"Commander Shepard! Isn't true you were on earth when the reapers attacked?", Khalisah pointed her finger in Shepard's face in an accusing manner. "How do you justify running away while millions of people on earth are dying? Is that the best we can expect from the Alliance?"
Shepard rubs her temples in frustration. This must end. People need hope, not smear jobs on the very persons who are trying to save them.
"I came to get help for earth. For everyone.", she glared at Khalisah.
Khalisah blurted more angry words back at her. "What about all the people suffering while you play politics with the council? What about them?", she looked down with sad eyes. "How can you stand there while our families die? What are you going to do?" Her voice started to break.
Shepard put a hand on her shoulder with sympathy,"Khalisah, we're doing everything we can."
Khalisah didn't flinch or budge. She stood closer to Shepard accepting the friendly gesture. "Before they cut the feeds...there were so many dead."
"I'm going to stop the reapers or die trying, but I need your help.", Shepard lifted her hand off the reporter's shoulder. "Keep asking the hard questions. Don't let the council forget earth."
Khalisah looked relieved, "I will. Thank you, Commander." Before walking away, she turned facing Shepard again. "I'm glad you're on our side."
Khalisah and her annoying camera left, while Shepard sighed agitated. "I was on your side from the beginning, woman!" She thought.
Shepard departed the embassy for the hospital. On the way, down from the elevator, she received a com from Garrus.
"Shepard. When you're done in the hospital. I need you to come by the Normandy. And tell Thane, he's one hell of a hero, and a good friend."
The comms closed with Shepard still wondering where the hell Satima had run off to? Most likely Garrus's call was for that. A strange feeling of regret crept up on her. She shook it off to nerves about Thane.
"I hope you make it old friend.", she whispered a silent prayer.