United We Stand, Apart We Fall

Modifications and an Uncharted World – Chapter 11

"Shepard, Miranda has requested your presence in the Cargo hold immediately." EDI's voice pierced through his cabin's speakers.

"Gahhh!" Shepard shot up, fully awake and heart racing at the startle. As soon as what EDI told him sank in, he groaned in frustration. "What is the problem EDI?" Shepard groggily responds.

"XO Miranda refused to give specific details, only that your presence was urgently needed." The ships AI responded in her usual, monotone voice.

"Tell her to use my comm link." He suggested, shaking away what drowsiness remained in him. "It'll be at least 10 minutes before I am ready to leave this room, its quicker that way."

"Very well Shepard. Informing and patching XO Miranda through."

There was a calming silence as EDI's interruption faded. Shepard was ready to sink back into the bed before Miranda's voice interrupted the peace.

"Shepard, Yelcher is dead." Miranda reported through the comm.. Even through the comm., her voice was low and casual, almost as though she were standing in front of him.

'So, he made his decision…'

"The pistol's thermal clip is depleted, yes?" Shepard asked, still tired while reaching over on the bed, searching for Tali.

"Yes." Miranda confirmed. "The weapon's thermal clip was depleted. I take it this is your doing?" Miranda asked in her normal tone again.

"Yes Miranda," he admitted, "I gave him an option indirectly. His decision was… not completely unforeseen."

"Alright Shepard. I'll prep the body for the void." Miranda finished as she disconnected.

Shepard, thankful for the returning silence and the resolve of yet another problem, sank down onto the pillow and felt its softness engulf his head, welcoming him. He sighed in momentary happiness as his back relaxed. He looked to his side and, instead of finding Tali, found an empty spot with a shuffled blanket and ruffled up pillow. Looking around, he didn't find Tali. She wasn't next to him, nor on the couch or by his terminal. He gave a sigh as he sat up once more and got out of the bed, slightly staggering as his legs started waking up from their own rest. He made his way to his private bathroom and the door slid open as he came near. Still no Tali, but her environment suit was gone. Sighing a collective sigh of relief he knew she was somewhere on the ship.

He walked over to his armor compartments and opened an additional holo-screen near the usual armor selection screen. The small screen showed casual wear, but in his recent case, a selection of suits… which were only two. One for social and public purposes and one for battle, which was clad in modern, medium armor. Ah, the many calls he had to make to have them fit his needs specifically… thank god he had Shala to help him with most of it.

Selecting the more civic suit and putting it on after several minutes, Shepard left his room and walked over to the elevator, safely securing the door and letting his room enter a decontamination cycle for his exhausted return. He looked at the 'Deck's' holo-screen and thought to himself of where to go first. Eventually shrugging, he decided for the first stop of many to be the A.I. Core. He figured it would be best to let Legion know that he was rescinding the order to seal the room. He sighed inwardly after pressing the button for the crew's quarters and looked at his gloved hand, examining its skin tight features and sometimes balling his fist, testing its rather impressive flexibility. This is what he was to deal with… he would die outside of this suit, just as Tali would die outside of hers if she, he or they were anywhere else but in their quarters or a clean room…

His thoughts were interrupted by the elevator doors opening. He glanced at the opening, then returned his gaze to his hand. He sighed and walked out of the elevator, past the mess table and into the medical bay. Chakwas gave a brief greeting and went back to filing her reports on any changes in his bodies genetics or improvements in his immune system. He entered the AI core and stopped in front of the familiar Geth that was Legion. The synthetic soldier darted its glowing bulb over his body, observing his rather new suit. Shepard interrupted the machines observation.

"Legion, what is the status of the new upgrades?"

Legion set its bulbs gaze onto his face and answered in its regular, monotone voice. "Approximately 4.9 hours until external modifications are complete." It reported.

Shepard gave a thoughtful nod, appreciative of the progress on the ships upgrades. "Alright, good." He responded to the Geth. "Do you have the statistics put down on a data pad, as instructed?"

"Affirmative." Legion responded as it turns itself to the side and grabbed the data pad near it's rather unused shelf. Upon receiving it, Shepard ran his eyes and fingers over the screen, looking at the many improvements that the synthetic soldier impressively added to the Normandy's already advanced systems. He gave a thankful nod without moving his gaze from the data pad and turned to leave, but stopped at the door.

"One other note before I leave." He spoke to Legion, moving his head to the side. "I am rescinding the order to seal the A.I. Core. The threat has been dealt with."

"Acknowledged, Shepard-Captain." Legion responded fast enough to let Shepard hear it before the door slid closed behind him.

Uncharted Worlds

It took the crew only 12 hours to prepare for the flight back through the Omega 4 relay. EDI, tested and verified the code well before that. All was set; Shepard wanted to test out the higher functions before returning to the Omega 4 relay. To see if they could actually save time as what he found in the notes from Illos.

"EDI, plot a course for the Omega 4 Relay." Shepard ordered through the podium in the CIC. He had been thinking it through for the last thirteen minutes, debating whether or not it was truly a good idea. In the end, he thought that he may as well try.

"Are you sure Shepard?" EDI asked for assurance.

"Yes, EDI" Shepard replied with a nod.

"ETA 17 Hours" the machines voice responded almost instantly.

Shepard eyed the galactic core with a serious face and examined the glow that represented blowing up stars and black holes. He hoped it was the right call, going into yet more uncharted territory without sending a recon of sorts through it. Either way, it had to be done. "Thank you EDI, that is all"

"Logging you off, Shepard." EDI responded as he retired to his quarters for the remainder of the trip.

17 Hours Later

The Normandy SR-2 approached the Omega 4 relay once more. The ship didn't stall as it progressed beside the large relay and eventually began to be surrounded a glowing dark orange glow. Inside the ship, Shepard stood in front of Joker, monitoring the progress of the run while the pilot ran his fingers over several keys.

"Back in to the fires of hell again, eh Captain?" Joker said with a smirk as the ship entered the Omega 4 relay.

"Well this time we shouldn't have to deal with a Collector threat since we destroyed their base the last time we were here" Shepard responded.

"Either way, I should start charging to pull your ass out of the fire. Since our job includes fighting Reapers, its kinda my own 'get-rich-quick' schemes." Joker replied with a widening grin.

Shepard shook his head in disbelief at the pilots joke. "Is now really the time Joker?"

"Just trying to lighten the mood, boss." The helmsmen replied. Shepard gave another shake of the head.

"You're the best at what you do, Joker. Its why your here" Shepard responded as he watched the ship emerge on the other side of the Omega 4 relay through the cockpit. Joker, being more prepared then last time, easily evaded what debris that once surprised him. He turned the ship around so they faced the relay once more.

Once the ship was in a good position, Shepard looked to the side and pressed a key on EDI's terminal. "EDI, activate the new IFF signal. Let's see where it takes us."

"Are you sure, Captain?" EDI asked for confirmation.

"Yes, EDI"

"IFF Code sent. Relay changing direction." EDI replied. The relay's light vibrated intensely as parts of it began opening. Joker and Shepard instantly feared that the IFF was causing it to break apart, but looked at it confusedly as the parts that broke off hovered over the relay.

Like seeing the insides of a machine, many parts of the insides of the relay began moving around. The middle of the relay gained an additional two rings, the original two splitting in circular halves. The color also morphed. It changed from eerily orange to a calming blue, to a convulsing light green.

As some of the changed on the relay changed physically, Joker was alerted by a report on his terminal. He opened the file and his eyes widened at the ocean of new information that was leaking onto his terminal. It literally didn't stop and at the rate it was going, exact statistics as to the machines changes would take weeks. Luckily, Joker kept a small form of the statistics at another terminal, showing him only the information he would really need.

Joker opened the file and what he read only made his eyes widen a little more. "Energy signatures are off the charts! Im talking, straight up! There's no slope or curve!" Joker exclaimed as the information constantly changed, the power signatures getting higher with each passing second.

"What the hell?" Shepard asked, just noticing the change in color. "What is going on EDI? The mass effect field was orange a minute ago."

"It seems that sending the new IFF code segment altered the relay's mass effect fields." EDI responded. "Data regarding such an act is either unrecorded or non-existent. Further analysis will be required to understand what is happening to the relay itself."

Shepard looked as the machine's many panels reattached and made an extremely loud noise. He waited a few seconds, looking at the four rings moving in circles before turning to EDI's image.

"Is the relay done with its realignments?"

"No. Current estimates suggest it will take twenty minutes to complete the rotation and power change to make the jump to the unknown relay." EDI replied.

With a nod, Shepard started waiting patiently, looking as the light green glow of the mass relay convulsed. With a twenty minute wait there wasn't much Shepard could do at the time. He had, in his recent spare time, finished compiling many reports and checking systems logistics. There were no pressing issues or arguments amongst the crew, so for once in his life he felt useless as he stood behind Joker waiting for the relay to finish its sequence it had started.

[Flashback]

"Shepard. GARDIAN Anti-ship laser turrets are fully powered and are firing on the Collector vessel." EDI reported to him. "It also seems that you have incoming hostiles, I recommend taking a defensive position until EVAC can arrive"

A few moments after EDI declared Collector reinforcements, a strange mechanical monster appeared, floating towards them. His militaristic experience kicking in, he commanded for all his team mates to find cover. The strange machine landed with a very loud thud and opened its 'mouth', revealing a collection of heads. Shepard didn't have time to exclaim any form of shock as the machine gave an ear splitting shriek. The machine moved to destroy the GARDIAN command console, which caused everyone's weapons to be raised at the machine. Shepard gave a shout of protest as he pulled out the newly gained Particle Beam Rifle that he picked up a while back. He aimed through its very strange scope and, clicking the disturbingly fleshy trigger, unleashed a concentrated beam at the creature.

The machines shields took the hit. They were no match however, since the shields quickly depleted, allowing Shepard access to its metallic exoskeleton and piercing a fraction of its 'mouth'. The machine howled once more and looked at him with its strangely colored eyes. Shepard noticed they were starting to glow quite vibrantly. As soon as he decided to take cover, the machines eyes shot twin concentrated laser beams at him.

His cover was starting to burn up as the lasers started melting away at its surface. He shouted to Garrus, who pulled out an emergency missile launcher from his back. He prepped the heavy-grade weapon onto his shoulder and locked on to the machine. His shoulder jerked back slightly as he sent two missile shots at it.

The machine fell onto the ground at the impact of the two shots. It quickly recovered, roaring at him and replenishing its barriers. Its eyes glowed once more, but a fast acting Mordin quickly changed its weapons trajectory, making it attempt to choose between targets.

Shepard soon rose from his cover and shot the creature with the beam rifle once more. As soon as its shields were down, Garrus and Shepard unleashed whatever payload their weapons would allow. A few seconds after shooting it constantly, it closed its mouth and launched itself to the ground. It shook a great deal and sent a shockwave throughout the small, open area. Everyone's shields quickly shut down and, all giving muttered curses, sank back to their cover as the creature, finishing the surge, started getting back up.

"Damn it, what the hell is that thing!" Garrus yelled into the comm as he moved to a location that provided more cover.

"Unsure. Never encountered before. Collector being likely. Appears to recharge kinetic barriers once enough damage is sustained. Also appears to land violently. Possibly security feature. Recommend avoiding during impact. Shockwave dangerous" Mordin replied as he also moved to different cover.

"Alright, damage it enough, it recharges shields. Be careful not to be too close when it does that. Got it." Shepard replied, standing back up with his beam rifle.

The creature, now hovering where it once was, moved rather quickly to try and flank Garrus. It also happened to be where Mordin was headed. He cursed as he tried shooting with one hand and alerting his friends with the other at his helmets side. "Garrus, it's trying to flank you! Mordin, take cover!" Shepard shouted into the comm. He didn't wait for a response as he grabbed his weapon with both hands and fired the beam once more.

The machine saw this and changed its course for Shepard, its eyes already prepared to fire at him. As soon as it fired, Shepard gave up on the beam and took cover. Nonetheless, the machine sent its beams at him, or more accurately his cover. Garrus took advantage of its interruption and sent a few more missiles it's way. The first two hit its shields while the third gave a direct impact, reducing what armor it had to half of its natural efficiency.

"We can't hold out forever Shepard!" Garrus shouted into the comm. Garrus opened the missile launcher's ammo canister and gave a curse as its innards showed evidence of overuse and constant overheating. It was no longer operational. He let it fall as he grabbed the assault rifle on his back. "What's the next move?" Garrus asked over the comm system, taking cover as it once again diverted from Shepard to Garrus.

Shepard stayed behind cover for a minute and formulated a plan. "Garrus, I am going to sprint to the other side of the plaza. As I do that, shoot it and keep shooting it as long as it follows me."

"Shepard that's suicide, if it hits you yours shields can't take that kind of damage." Garrus pointed out.

"We don't have another choice, it needs to be done." Shepard retorted as he readied for a sprint. "We need to take this thing out; it only has half of its armor remaining. Hopefully we only have to do this once and it will be dead."

Garrus was going to complain again until Shepard leapt from his cover and sprinted to the other side of the plaza. As soon as the machine saw him and started hovering to him, its eyes prepping another shot, Garrus and Mordin opened fire on the creature. They must have hit it in the right spots since it wasn't long before it fell to the ground with a roar.

Shepard stopped sprinting and tried to catch his breath. While Garrus and Mordin started making their way to the machine, it started to disintegrate. Mordin, doing what he could as soon as he saw the creature vanish, ran his hand over what remained of the disintegrating creature. He gave a disappointed hum as only a small fraction of information was collected before the machine fully disintegrated.

No sooner had the creature vanished than the Collector vessel decided to retreat, not being able to last long against the GARDIAN turrets. It gave an erupting bang as its engines came back to life and took off at an increasingly fast speed. Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin stood in the courtyard, looking on as the ship retreated and made its way to orbit.

"Damn it, no!" Someone shouted. Garrus and Mordin where the only ones to turn to see the colonist from earlier coming out of a warehouse. "Do something!" he shouted as he reached them. He was talking to them, but his eyes were on the ship as its size began to get smaller and smaller as it entered orbit. "They got half of the colony on that ship!"

"We did all we could" Garrus replied, crossing his arms. He took note of his blackened shoulder pads and tried brushing them off before giving up a second later.

"They have Lilith and Ted, and, and Mark! Do something!" he shouted again.

"We did everything we could to save them." Shepard responded. As soon as the ship left his sight, his gaze met the ground. "Even that wasn't enough…"

"You did what you could, Shepard." Garrus responded, placing his hand on the Commander's shoulder. That got the attention of the colonist as he slightly stiffened and turned around.

"Shepard? Commander Shepard?" he asked in momentary awe before he resumed his Alliance-hating stance. "Yeah, I heard 'a you. Some Alliance big-shot."

Before anyone could respond, a familiar figure and voice approached them.

"Commander Shepard," the man greeted. "First human specter, Lyon of Elysium, Savior of the Citadel" The figure soon came close enough to be physically recognized. Kaiden Alenko. Kaiden turned to Dylan and gestured to Shepard. "You're in a presence of a god." He then resumed to look at Shepard and outstretched an arm. "I thought you were dead commander. We all did."

"Of all the people abducted, you get left behind." The man named Dylan remarked in a bitter tone. He waved them off as he made his way away from the courtyard. "I am done with you alliance types." The colonist said as he walked away

"It has been too long Kaiden." Shepard responded, taking a firm grip of the hand and shaking it twice. "How've the last two years treated you?"

Alenko scoffed in disbelief. "That's it? After two years, that's all you have to say?" he asked in an angry tone. "I would have followed you anywhere, Commander. Thinking you were gone… its like losing a limb…" he added in an angry-to-sad way. He then resumed his aggravated stance. "Why didn't you try to contact me?"

"I was dead. Cerberus rebuilt me" Shepard gave Alenko the short version. A bad decision, he soon found out, since Alenko looked at him and backed up slightly.

"So… you're with Cerberus now?" he asked. He looked at the turian vigilante and gave a sad scoff. "You too Garrus?" Neither gave a response as Kaiden closed his eyes and shook his head. "I guess the reports were accurate then"

"Reports?" Shepard asked. "You knew?"

"Anderson was stonewalling me, but there were reports that you were alive and working for Cerberus." Alenko admitted with a neutral tone. "It surprises me to see that you are working with them Garrus. You know their attitude on aliens and all"

"I am not working for Cerberus, I am working for Shepard." Garrus interjected.

"Kaiden, Cerberus isn't behind theses colony abductions, the collectors are." Shepard tried explaining.

"How can you be sure commander?" Kaiden snapped. "Cerberus could be manipulating, making you think it is the Collectors or Reapers."

"Damn it Kaiden, can't you understand for one minute that it is not Cerberus!" Garrus yelled back in anger at Kaiden's response.

"Why would Cerberus, a pro-human group kidnap humans?" Shepard added. Before he could state another fact, Kaiden took a step forward, pointing a finger at Shepard.

"Fuck off Shepard!" he yelled at him. "You're a traitor to who you once were!"

The comment was left in the air as neither group responded. Kaiden soon calmed down and, shaking his head, turned to leave. "…I have to file a report." Kaiden said with a rather sad tone. As he walked away, he muttered loud enough for them to hear, "So long, Shepard."

Shepard kept his gaze on his former team member disappeared from his sight into a building. Garrus was going to ask Shepard if he was fine before the Commander raised a hand to the side of his helmet. He stalled before pressing the button. "EDI… come and pick us up… I've had enough of this colony." Shepard said in a neutral tone.

[End Flashback]

Shepard snapped back to attention and, as soon as he remembered where he was, tried to figure out why he had that memory all of a sudden while EDI and Joker where trying to get his attention. With a slightly paler face, even if hidden behind the visor he looked at EDI's holographic image.

"What's the problem EDI?" Shepard asked after he realized he had zoned out for most of the 20 minutes.

"Relay orientation complete." the AI responded. "Power fluctuations have steadied out. The relay is ready for use Captain."

Shepard gave a nod and looked onto the green-glowing relay. "Alright let's make it happen"

Uncharted Sectors

As the Normandy exited from the other side of the relay the first thing that everyone in the bridge noticed where four giant stations flanking the relay with massive mass accelerator cannons. As the Normandy moved away from the relay, all 4 stations tracked the single vessel that exited the relay.

"Those are some big guns." Joker remarked in both awe and fear, not knowing if the Normandy could stand the firepower of these weapons.

"Scans indicate that they are tracking us until we leave the space of the relay." EDI explained.

"Why haven't they fired at us yet?" Shepard asked quizzically while looking at the strange designs and patterns of the cannons.

"The IFF to activate the relay must also correspond with the defense stations." EDI explained once more. "Since we have the proper IFF, we are considered 'Friendly' to their systems until a manual override insists otherwise."

"Uh, Captain?" Joker interrupted as something caught his eye.

"What is it Joker"

"We… We're being hailed." Joker said trying to mask the clear confusion and worry in his voice. He knew that no one else should be out here.

"What?" Shepard said aloud in utter shock. Living beings? Here?

EDI automatically attempted a translation "Attempting translation" even with all of her computing power, it didn't help the fact she didn't have the proper base language. "Translation attempt failed"

"Put it on audio EDI"

A few clicks were heard as the audio systems engaged soon after the speech of the long lost Prothean language was heard throughout the bridge. Although Shepard understood what was said, there was a distinct change in the dialect from what was engraved into his mind. Shepard understood the language while noticing the distinct change in dialect as the unknown race repeated his phrase one last time.

"Shut off you engines now, or prepare to be destroyed" The voice said radiating authority.

Shepard looked at Joker, not bothering with the AI's hologram. "EDI, shut down the propulsion engines, but keep them primed if we need to make a quick retreat back through the relay"

"Are you sure Captain?"

"Yes EDI."

"Acknowledged."

Down in Shepard's throat, his mind formed the words of the forgotten language that even he was surprised by the fact he could speak it as up to now all he could do was listen and understand it.

"This is Captain Shepard of the Normandy SR-2. We will comply in regards to shutting down our engines for the time being. We are requesting a language database"

There was a disturbing silence on the other end of the comm before the voice returned, a slight shock in his voice. "You speak the language of our ancestors, using their dialect that was lost long ago." the voice exclaimed. "We will honor the exchange of language databases."

"Language database received, transmitting galactic standard language." EDI said in her monotone voice.

Continuing his use of the Prothean language, Shepard asked, "May I ask who I am talking with?"

Another long silence. This one was slightly less lengthy. "You told me who you are. I suppose it is only fair you know who I am." the voice responded. "I am Captain Mani'laoh of the Lonaru. Although I am more curious how you traversed that relay, we have not been able to do so since we discovered it."

Shepard brought his hand up to his visor and dragged his hand down the front of it as he tried to determine the best way to explain the situation to the person he now knew as Mani'laoh. "It is a long story, but we are seeking a device, a device that is supposed to stop the Reapers."

There was a slight stall, and a barely audible gasp in the background, from the Lonaru. A response soon came from the captain of the Lonaru, though his voice was neutral.

"Permission to come aboard, Captain Shepard?"

Shepard again stood there in thought.

'What would be the best course of action here?'

"Permission granted," Shepard responded after a long wait on his half. "You may have an escort if you so choose, but they are to remain unarmed. We wish no hostilities but, in this situation I think it is for the best."

"Understandable." Mani'laoh commented. "Usually we would require you to come to us, but after hearing what little you said, even about the Reapers, I believe my superiors would understand the circumstances. Expect a ship momentarily"

With the final remark, the comm went silent. Shepard exchanged unsure glances with the crew of the Normandy behind him. They had no idea what the creatures look like and even less about what the hell happened to Shepard as he spoke in a very strange way. He had a lot to explain, but felt the chance escape him as EDI interrupted his thoughts almost suddenly.

"Shepard, there is a small craft approaching the ship. It is requesting docking clearance." EDI reported.

Shepard gave a sigh as some of the team started shuffling uncomfortably. He really should have told them something by now. "Give them an approach vector EDI." Shepard responded to the AI, looking at its hologram. "And send them to the cargo bay. Notify the team to arm up and meet me there." On that note he started making his way through the bridge and to the elevator. As he walked he added, "One last thing EDI. After they board, run a decon sweep in the cargo bay. I want the air in that place clean. We don't know if our bacteria can harm them."

"Acknowledged Shepard." EDI said she refocused back to her duties once again.

Shepard closed the elevator door behind him and gave a sigh as the ship progressed downward. What where these creatures and why did they refer to the Protheans as 'Our Ancestors'? There was much to be explained… and he wasn't sure if he wanted all the answers.