I know I'm late on the story but I had a very busy week. But I was able to finish typing what I had last Friday. So here's the second part of chapter 11.
I awoke to find myself still on the Citadel. I slowly sat up as a spike of pain shot through my head. I looked around to find that I was still in the Council Chambers, and had my helmet on. I stood up and saw Shepard typing on a console. As she backed away I heard a slamming sound and the sound of a room being pressurized. I looked around trying to remember what had happened when I saw an explosion in the background. It soon hit me what had happened.
I jumped up to the glass as I watched Sovereign start to explode. I watched in horror as everything came rushing back to me. Brent saying he was going to enter Sovereign and a tremendous force hitting me in the face. I looked at Shepard as she hung her head down; I looked closer at her and saw tears falling. The realization hit me like a truck, Brent didn't make it out. I leaned against the glass as I watched Sovereign's explode sending pieces everywhere. I watched as one piece that was supposed to smash through the glass drift off to the side missing the Council Chambers. Another thing that has changed I guess.
I removed my helmet and threw it to the ground, since I no longer needed it. I jumped down and pushed Shepard aside as I opened the Citadel's arms, she just turned and walked away. I watched as the Citadel Fleet and Human Fleet flew in expecting to see Sovereign but found just pieces crashing into the Citadel. I turned around and walked over to Shepard who was sitting on the stairs watching a fountain that tried to shoot water up. I slid down next to her and as I was about to say something to her I saw Jesse walk up, approaching the stairs covered in burns but not dying or bleeding. He stopped at the fountain.
"Where's Brent? He's missing an amazing firework show outside." he commented smiling
We didn't respond but I saw him observe our facial expressions.
I simply shook my head not able to say that he truly died. I watched Jesse sit on the fountains rim as he tried to deal with the news. "What if he's not dead?" Jesse asked in a soft voice as he tilted his head down "What if he got out, you're always saying that he'll pull through!" he shouted as I could clearly tell he was denying it. I should have known he wouldn't react well.
I looked over at Shepard as she raised her head higher letting her hair fall off of her face revealing red eyes showing signs of tears. "He could barely speak" Shepard said as she brushed away her hair out of her eyes. "He even said he wouldn't make it. I listened as he coughed up blood and uttered his last words." She finished as she buried her face in her arms once more.
I figured that Jesse would take this worse because it was his explosives Brent used to destroy Sovereign. I watched as Jesse, who I've known for years began to cry. I got up and sat next to him and rested my hand on his shoulder as I watched the Fleets fly past the glass.
One day later
It's been one day since the defeat of Sovereign and we were preparing a funeral for Brent. In the cleanup a couple of marines were able to recover his helmet, when they found it wedged into a car. The rest of him however was never recovered, only his helmet that had scorch marks and a dent in the top right part of it. The color had peeled off from the fires leaving a grayed helmet and the visor was shattered.
We prepared the funeral on the Normandy since that's what he would have wanted. Everyone attended; even Anderson came by to pay his respect. I examined the faces of everyone there each bearing sorrow for a lost comrade. Few truly wept, which is something else Brent would prefer, he didn't like people crying over him.
I watched as Shepard gave a speech about Brent while she stood at the front of the CIC, I was listening when I heard my name called, my head shooting up as Shepard asked me to give a speech. I was never expecting her to ask me to do this.
I walked up next to her as I prepared to speak to everyone that was on the ship. I stepped up next to her and looked across the CIC unprepared. Everyone must have been present as they waited for me to speak.
"Were to begin I said as I looked at all the faces. I should be able to do this, unlike Brent I can talk to a group of people" I said as I chuckled lightly "All I have to say about Brent is that I have known him for years. We were friends when we first meet and stuck together, we even picked up Jesse as he joined our group. Brent's selfless acts always amazed me, he was always ready to give his life or put himself in harm's way to protect someone. Even at the age of eighteen he had the heart of a warrior and the wisdom of an elder." As I said eighteen I heard a few gasps making me chuckle a little. I guess his age was a bit of a secret, but not anymore. "He wasn't just a man he was a leader, a soldier, a fighter… a friend" I said as I bowed my head to fight back the tears that began to ride, but I soon suppressed them.
"I wish that things could have gone differently; there were things that I wanted to say that I can now never say. He knew the risks of joining but he insisted. I will never forget his excitement when he met Shepard as she took us into her crew." I said as I chuckled remember him jumping up and down. "With his death however we live, and are able to talk about this. Without his sacrifice we wouldn't be here." I repeat "I just wished that he didn't go alone. If I was with him I could have dragged him out." I say in anger, but I soon regained my composure as I took some deep breathes. "I will never forget his sacrifice and what it has taught me. I bet some of you are asking what that could be, well Brent has taught me to treasure your friendship with the people around you because…" I say as I push more tears back "the people you care about can be gone the next day, like this day." I finish as I stepped down unable to hold back the river of tears.
I rushed through the crowd and went down stairs unable to deal with this anymore. I pushed past Jesse who watched me leave. I ran down to the elevator and pressed the elevator button and entered it clicking on the living quarters.
I watched as the elevator door opened to reveal an empty living quarter. I walked in and looked at the beds. I walked next to Brent's spot on the floor and sat next to the spread of sheets, blanket, and pillows.
I sat at that spot for thirty minutes hoping that I would wake up to find Brent sleeping on the floor again, but that wouldn't happen. I looked around the room, when my Omni-tool began to glow signaling that I got a message from Jesse. I opened it and saw that he was wondering where I ran off to. I looked at the message but closed out of it not wanting to answer. I figured if he wanted to talk he could just look. I began to close out of the message when I saw that I had another message. I opened it and saw that it was from Brent, and it was a day old. My body went tense for a second. I had no idea he had sent me a message. I was never alerted that my Omni-tool went off. As I examined the message I noticed it was a recording. I pressed on my Omni-tool and a display of Brent appeared on a holo-screen from the Omni-tool. "That's new" I thought. I clicked play, and the video began…
I watched it and noticed that Brent made the video here, while Jesse and I were gone. "Let's see where to start?" he started as he sat down and leaned against his bed. I noticed that he was in his sleep wear so this must have been made before Ilos. "First off… Joseph if you are seeing this then I am in fact dead. I programed my Omi-tool to send this message upon the ceasing of my heart." He said "I bet you didn't think that could be done but I you know I can figure out anything given enough time." He finished
"Second" he continued as he held up two fingers "You are probably wondering why I made this video. Well in the course of our time here we were faced with many challenges. One of them is being able to deal with the injury of a friend. I figured out that fate had me destined to die here… if you believe in such a thing. That's why these things happened to me to prepare us for my final sacrifice. I made this video in response if I did in fact die." He said
"Third" he said again, holding up three fingers "This is one I've been trying to figure out and am still plagued with questions." He said as he rubbed his head "While in the crate I found myself in blackness, there I was faced with a… being, he had no figure just a voice." He said hesitating as if trying to figure out a word for it.
"I don't know who this being is or why he chose us but we had a nice little talk. He said we were "chosen" to bring balance to this universe. I haven't figured out why he chose us. I asked him how he transferred us here, and he simple said that he is capable of many things. I haven't been able to figure out what else he can do past what I'm about to tell you. I asked was he the reason that you and I are capable of using biotics without implants and why would he give us this power. He said he did this because he wanted us to bring balance. I asked him what that meant, he said that there are forces opposing and this universe is one of many that is beginning to change and are threatened to be destroyed. Now I don't think he literally means that the universe will go boom but I think he means that this galaxy is in danger. Like if Shepard was to fail the Reapers would destroy all life like they have done before. However he said this cycle was not meant to be carried out as it is right now. He stated that to us this universe is a game but in fact it is one of many alternate ones. He said that this universe was supposed to run similar to the game but has changed."
He paused for a minute as if letting me absorb these words "Now I may be throwing the words change and universe and others like that out a lot, well I didn't prepare a script that makes this sound good so bear with me. Now back on topic he said that he knew that you and I would be able to make the changes needed with his gift and show discipline with them, that's why he gave us biotics… to bring balance. He knew I could unlock my true power with the biotics and you could show superior control of yours. So in other words I was the force you were the control. I think he didn't give Jesse biotics because of how insane and wild he can get if he were to have that power." He finished as he as wiped his forehead. "Now this probably sounded better in my head but I hope you can make sense of it. I think you can because you're the smart one of the group."
"One more thing" he said as he held up a finger "I want you to look after Jesse. You know how he can get if he is left alone to his own devices. You may be the smart one but that kid can build anything and can build explosives that can blow up that anything. You remember what he did in the woods with his homemade explosive, and that was with 21st century tools that he had at home. Anyway just make sure to watch over him. I hope this gave you some answers. Oh, don't show Jesse this I doubt that he can handle this information. Plus he would be incredibly pissed if he knew that I knew that I was going to die, and didn't tell him. I guess you could say that a sacrifice was needed for the truth to come out." He paused for a bit looking out past the screen "So I'm approaching the end of this video and I leave these final words, if you are watching this then I wish you the best of luck, my friend. My journey ended but yours and Jesse's are just beginning, I hope you can find the rest of the answers you seek." He said as he frowned and ended the video.
The holo-screen disappeared and I looked around the room before I laid my head in my arms and began to cry.
His words ringing in my ears "My journey ended but yours is just beginning." As I raised my head I sat up and approached my bed. I lied on it hoping to get some good sleep. I was also hoping that the rest would help me absorb all that has happened in the last two days, especially Brent's information of our origins.
Finally after sitting for many minutes I felt sleeps embrace.
I'm ending this here. I hope the explanation I provided was a good one; I was kind of worried that I might have over done it. I don't know when I will update the next chapter. I've been running into writers block when I try to think of the next few chapters. I have also been twiddling with another story (I hope that is the proper term, twiddling) every now and then. Back on topic I hope I can get the next chapter up and going so until next time. *bow*
