DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT OR ANY OF THE MUSIC LYRICS USED IN THIS FIC. ONLY THE PLOT OF THIS STORY AND MYSELF HAHAHAHA
Warning lots of Flashbacks and Author Insert.
Mass Effect the Immortal Series Part 2: Legacy of the Dragon
"Regular"
"Dragon"
Chapter 20: Inception
NORMANDY SR-2 MEDICAL BAY YEAR 2185
Green eyes slowly opened and Jeff found himself once again in the medical bay of the Normandy.
"Ah shit what happened now?" he asked
"You should ask me that question, Joker," a familiar voice said and Joker's eyes lit up in alarm as he turned to find none other then Martha sitting down on the bed opposite of him.
"Grandma! But? How?" he asked.
"Miranda invited me, said I have to do a bit of pest control with a couple of your people. But other then that I wanted to see you badly Jeff," Martha said
"So you can kill me?" he demanded becoming fully awake.
"No so I can say I am so sorry," was the whisper.
Jeff finally looked at Martha and found to his shock that she was crying!
The great immortal dragon queen. The Grandmaster of the Order of the Dragon was crying! She was holding onto a lightsaber and crying before him. Slowly he tried to get out of bed to offer her some comfort but his legs protested because they were in casts.
In fact most of his body was in a cast.
"Grandma why are you sorry? What are you sorry for?" Jeff asked confused.
"For you feeling like I was going to murder you all those years ago," Martha admitted
Now Jeff understood.
All those years he had been on the run from Martha's wrath. All those years of fearing her retribution for his thievery and his breaking the sacred taboo. He thought that Martha was chasing him around to kill him, but the whole time she wanted his forgiveness! Why?
"Why? I'd stole from you, and broken a sacred taboo. I'd forfeited my trials grandma why are you begging me for forgiveness?" Jeff asked.
"For not saving you sooner. For not being with you when you needed me the most, for failing to realize sooner what that bitch made you do. For not going after you and freeing you of her control sooner...what kind of a grandmother am I to do such a thing," Martha cried.
Jeff felt along his neck for the collar and found it gone. He then used his biotics to sit himself up slowly and then using a technique he learned form Martha when he was young he felt along the tendencies of her mind. She was indeed sad and sorry and the colors of her mind can't hide her true feelings.
She was happy that he was alive and well. As he had gone through her memories of what happened after he'd left he suddenly came across a few memories.
"Jack became a criminal because of me?" Jeff asked.
Martha nodded tears still brimming her eyes. Jeff sent a tendril of thought in the form of a hug.
"She blames me for your disappearance; said I was too harsh on you. That you had isolated yourself because I had impacted on your disease. She had hated me ever since. I had cried for days when she left in anger. It was just after the Alliance had found you floating in the ocean. I tried to get to you but they won't let me said that this was not my jurisdiction. Steven tried to help me but in the end I could do nothing. Not without tearing the planet apart." Martha said.
Jeff wanted to cry now and he felt tears build up in his eyes. All these years...all these years his grandmother wanted to help him and he shoved all of her attempts to help him back in her face. He turned his back on her when she wanted to help him overcome his problems. What kind of grandson was he to do that to the woman who took him in when his parents died and raised him as her own. She taught him everything he needed to know about technology and life in general, but all he did was shove it back in her face. He now felt stupid for doing such a thing to this woman right here. When he looked into her reddish brown orbs he finally stared to see the true age of those eyes. The years of regret and longing and the ache in her heart when he ran off with her memory stone.
Of course she was angry...just not at him.
"You knew?" Jeff asked in Dragon.
"Only suspicions, when I grew worried when you came out of that bathroom. At first I thought it was because you forgotten to use protection but after smelling the scent of the female I knew something was wrong, but I foolishly dismissed it as pheromones from her perfume. So I thought it was some sort of Asari perfume but after your trials the analysis came in from Morgana. It was the same pheromones that a Goa'uld queen would use on her victims before she extracts their DNA for her offspring," Martha replied in Dragon.
"Extracts their DNA?" Jeff asked.
"A Goa'uld queen needs the DNA of the host species in order to adapt her larva for future implantation. She already has the DNA of the female, but she needs the sperm of the male in order to fully adapt her children to their hosts. When she took you Jeff into that bathroom I never knew who she was at the time. I thought she was a horny woman looking for some equally horny male to fulfill her deep desires. And being apprenticed to the Grandmaster sure as hell raised your social status up a bit amongst the locals," Martha joked.
"Hey how was I supposed to know that when you scare them off remember," Jeff said and mentally made an image of him crossing his arms since he could not at the moment.
"Well I hate to admit it but I try not to be scary. My problem is I am always going to be a scary person," Martha said wiping her tears with her arm.
"So when were you sure I was under her influence?" Jeff asked.
"When you ran off," Martha whispered.
She had tears in her eyes again, "Jack grew angry that you left and blamed me. Said that we probably had a fight over what happened at the trials and that I was pushing you too hard. Said that I was pushing everyone too hard and that I should lighten up. She was very upset with me. The next day I found her stuff gone with an angry note saying that she can't be around people who were cruel to even their own children. I'd searched the stars for years trying to find you both. I used every contact I knew to find you but you were gone...both of you," Martha had tears build up again.
"I've never knew what happened except that I was so angry at that queen for destroying my family that I had to do something about it. So I went searching...trying to find her and make her pay for what she did to you and to Jack." Martha said.
"What of Jack? Why did she think that way of me?" Jeff asked.
"Jeff, Jack loves you like a brother always had. You are the world to her and saving her from Cerberus was the most important thing to her. You were her world Jeff; her elder brother, her family. You up and leaving her like that tore her apart. In fact when she tried to contact you, you never responded. She didn't even come to me instead she wanted to find you and ask you what was going on. All she got was a slap to the face by Jenna. Of course being a teenager she never reasoned that I never knew what was going on just that I was to blame," Martha said.
"Jack ran away because of a misunderstanding?" Jeff said.
"Yes, she was only 14 at the time Jeff you should know this. She is at that age where she was starting to push the boundaries of adulthood. When she saw the pillar of her world suddenly run off with that trash she went berserk. She destroyed much of her room and other things before running off. I fear I have failed as a mother and a grandmother," at this last statement there was the sound of smashing glass and Jeff turned to find Jack standing there at the door of the medical ward.
"You didn't fail grandma...I failed to deal with it like I should have done. I failed you, I'm sorry," Jack said as she slowly entered the room.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be a better parent or grandparent..." Martha was stopped from her depressed triad when Jack crossed into the room and hugged her tightly. The sounds of sobs could be heard from her as she held her close.
"I'm sorry grandma...I'm so sorry!" she cried and Martha held her close. Her own tears staining Jack's jacket and she leaned closer to Jeff's bed to let him put his one good arm around them in a hug. All Martha could do right now was cry into her children's embrace.
Unnoticed by the family was Thane who shared a small smile on his face to see the family together again.
After a few minutes of crying with relief the family was once again separated and peering at each other. All three of them had mist covering their eyes.
"Oh by the Gods and spirits of all species I've missed you both," Martha said holding them both at arms length.
"I never knew grandma, I've always thought that you'd been the one to make Jeff run. But after everything that's happened and all that I've seen I...I'm sorry I made you feel that way," Jack said.
"How much have you heard?" Martha asked.
"Everything," Jack replied.
Martha sighed her hair falling into her face as she brushed it away, "So you know what really happened," she said.
"Yeah I know now what really happened especially what happened to Shepard," Jack said.
"So why am I in bandages instead of in a water tank?" Jeff asked.
"You were poisoned with a specially made toxin that turned your bones to liquid. It was a venom that the queens are notorious for. They use that to kill their victims and their hosts when making an escape. After I found out that you had left I did a search for Jenna and found her body dissolved on Ilium." Martha replied.
"I had to make a DNA analysis with Normandy's biological detection systems to make sure that it was her and not some clone. Turns out it was her and her blood was laced with a poison that I later identified as a specially made toxin that dissolves the body from the inside. My investigation ran cold till I started to dig a little deeper into Jenna's past. Turns out she was no daughter of a dignitary she was a street prostitute from Omega. Apparently there were women who had gone missing on Omega a lot of them human. So when digging deeper and thanks to Aria's help I managed to find out that the Goa'uld was looking for an ideal host. When she found her she quickly subdued a man with similar features to play as her father and infiltrated Eden Prime. I should have seen this sooner! I was a fool to let history repeat itself," Martha growled low in her throat.
Jeff put a hand on Martha's forearm, "Don't blame yourself grandma she was a slippery bitch and you got this time," Jeff said.
"Yeah and she almost killed you again in the process. It was with luck that she did not realize your worth the first time. Now however I fear that the Illusive Man knows who you are," Martha said.
"So that is why I am in casts and not in a bubble of water? Because of this poison?" Jeff said.
"Yeah, it will take a while for the bones to grow back. The casts I created myself using a calcium based mineral found here on Omega. There is water inside that would allow the body to reabsorb the lost calcium and use it to regrow your bones. It is not a cure for Vrolik's so you will still have the disease, but you will not be a Hanar either," Martha joke.
"Thanks grandma," Jeff replied.
"Now what are you going to do grandma? Commander Shepard is now that bitches victim and she might do the same thing," Jack said.
"No she won't," Martha said.
"How'd you know?" Jack asked
"Because I am going to make sure she doesn't. Have Thane prepare this room we are going to do a mind immersion and I will need your help Jeff to do so. Thane had told me of your bond with Commander Shepard and frankly that would make my job a lot easier." Martha said getting up.
"How?" Jack asked.
"I will explain it when we get everything ready. Right now the medical bay is our best option it is reinforced to withstand a lot of power just in case. Cerberus was well prepared for this kind of trauma," Martha said.
"Who else should be apart of this?" Jack asked.
"I will ask the other biotics for their help as well. We will need barriers to hold Shepard in place while I immerse myself in her mind. Jeff being partially bonded to her will be the anchor and my guide into Shepard's counciousness. But before we do that I will discuss it with Miranda and set things up for the immersion," Martha said finally getting up and cleaning herself up with the nearby sink.
"You should some rest grandma you look exhausted," Jack said.
"Oh I will, you can find me in the hanger all this emotional stuff has worn me out." Martha said leaving them alone.
Jeff turned to look at Jack who had a sad look on her face.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," Jack replied.
"Why didn't you tell me that you and grandma had a fight?" Jeff asked in dragon.
Jack looked down, "I didn't want you to know. I thought she was the one that drove you away. I thought you guys had a big huge fight or something and that you would come back after a few hours of cooling off like you normally would. But you didn't and when I went to investigate I found you gone with all your stuff and Morgana told me that you left the planet. I was so mad at grandma at the time thinking that you left because of what happened that I destroyed my room and left Skyrim. When EDI shown me the file of what happened that day with an exchange from Morgana I realized that...I had been wrong. Grandma needed me and I left her alone. She should not have been left alone like that," Jack said.
"I know and I am just as at fault as you are. We both should have known better," Jeff replied.
"You were under the influence of the Goa'uld Queen you would not have known!" Jack said.
"I should have pleaded my case! I should have returned to Skyrim to plead my case to the elders. I should have known better! In fact with that artificial intelligence and Javik's mind skills they would have known the truth but I was a coward. I joined the Alliance by falsifying my credentials so they never knew I was a member of the Order. Only Admiral Hackett knew since he was close friends with grandma and Captain Anderson. I am just at fault as you are Jack so don't just blame yourself. I let my guard down and look at what happened," Jeff said.
Jack looked down she knew she was just as at fault as Jeff. They both looked around the medical bay towards the windows. There they saw Thane interacting with Kasumi.
"If it wasn't for this crew then I would have truly been alone. Shepard taught me that years ago." Jeff said.
"Really?" Jack said.
"Yeah that is why I love her so much," Jeff replied.
"So you do love her," a new voice said and Jeff turned to Thane who was at the door.
"I've prepared the area that you need for extraction, but the grandmaster is too exhausted to perform the ritual so I let her rest for now. As for you two I would suggest the same as the eldest currently on duty I have noticed that your family has finally been restored," Thane said.
"Yeah it has been a rough ten years," Jack said.
"Quite Jacqueline, you should have come to us first then this event would not have happened." Thane said scolding.
"I know that now," Jack said.
"You both had put the grandmaster into such an array that we had to force her to take a leave of absence to recover. She spent every credit she had to find you both and find out why you turned your backs on her. Only to find out much later that Jeff enrolled in the Alliance and Jack became a criminal. That broke her heart to see two of her finest students and her children by extension go off on their own so soon. Not everyone passes the trials the first time and I myself had taken it two to three times before I finally passed but this...it tore her to shreds," he said.
Both looked down to the floor but Thane was not done yet.
"Both of your realize that had you been my children I would have punished you both for your unsullied actions towards the Grandmaster. Your disrespect alone would have caused you to be exiled for a time. But seeing as you had already suffered the punishment I don't see why any further punishment should be necessary." Thane then moved in towards Jack his aura appeared powerful but gentle at the same time.
Jack bowed low to show respect but Jeff being in his condition could only look down and away from Thane.
"Since you both now feel sorry for what you had done to both the Order and your grandmother, it would be best that you both give me a hand with preparing the Medical bay for when the grandmaster performs her extraction," he said.
They had resigned to help Thane out with what he would do to prepare the room. Jeff being restrained to the bed was forced only to watch as they set up the candles. Using biotics and metal bending both Jack and Thane moved things out of the way so they can make ready for the initial contact with Shepard. Dr. Chakwas was surprised when she returned for her shift to find her room transformed into some sort of Buddhist Ceremonial Chamber.
There was candles that lit the room around where a mat was placed on the floor and a bucket of water was right beside it.
"What is going on here?" Chakwas asked.
"We are preparing the room for extraction. The candles are used to help the extractor focus on extracting the Goa'uld Qeen." Thane explained
"Why my medical bay?" asked Dr. Chakwas.
"It is the ideal place for the extraction for it is reinforced just in case of a biotic fallout and because Shepard's room is too close to the outer haul. This way if there are any complications we have the equipment to deal with it. It was one of the reasons why we remodeled the Normandy's medical bay. Even all the other rooms including Miranda's was retrofitted for when we go into the Omega 4 relay. This ship is as close as we can get to the original Normandy as possible. The perfect mobile platform. Mordin seems to love the fact he can do whatever he wants now so watchout for that one," said Thane with a smile.
"Yes, I've noticed though he has been a big help now that he has been moved to the medical bay," Chakwas said looking outside the window at Mordin who was eating some Salarian food. She then got up and looked at the monitor towards the hangar bay to see the sleeping dragon curled up on itself. Never in all her years in the Alliance Navy had she experienced a creature of legend even on board the Normandy.
"She normally sleeps like that doc," Jeff said from his bed.
"Does she always sleep as a dragon?" Chakwas asked.
"Yeah, she rarely sleeps as a human anymore it brings too much pain," Jeff replied.
"I see, two hundred years of living will do that to you," she replied before turning the monitor off.
"The Grandmaster has waited years for this moment to be reunited with her family once again," Thane said.
EIGHT HOURS LATER
Martha walked into the medical bay her poise was sure and her face looked a little more rested and clean. She wore the same clothes she wore the day she came onboard the ship with a sleeveless tunic, and tight breeches. Her saberstaff at her side along with a katana strapped to her back. She walked like a true warrior of the Dragon Order. The other Cerberus crew memebers watched as Martha came up to the platform where they had to drag Shepard kicking and screaming into the medical bay.
The Goa'uld Queen could not move since she was incased in ice and metal, but her biotics tried to flare only to be stopped by the collar.
"Place her here," Martha said.
Shepard was placed right in the center of the ring where there was a bed with a hole for the head at one side. Martha lowered Shepard there and then bound her hands and feet. Freeing her from the icy bounds she then turned towards the others.
"What I am about to do is very dangerous that is why I am the only one who has the knowledge to do this. I do not share this likely because it would destroy any lesser mind should this be done wrong. A Goa'uld Queen is a dangerous foe one that must be destroyed from within. I have imprisoned her to the point where she can't use her venom to hurt anyone else. Commander Shepard being her host would kill her if she tries to use her venom on herself. I know that deep within the bowels of her mind the real Commander is likely trapped against her will by Lilith. I will do what is necessary to free her from that abomination." Martha said.
"How do you know the name of the queen grandma?" asked Jack.
"Simple I recognized her handy work from fifty years ago when she was first created to take me down." Martha said.
She walked closer to where Shepard's scar was visible for everyone to see. Martha then started stripping the commander to nothing but a naked doll on the table.
"For this to proceed she must be nude or else it would be messy," Martha said then turned to Jeff.
"Jeff, Thane told me of your bond with the Commander is it true?" Martha asked.
Jeff turned away before nodding, "It is not a true bond but it is there I can feel her and see her in my dreams." Jeff said.
"Show me," Martha said and she touched her fingers to Jeff's forehead allowing herself to see all of the dream. When she released him she finally understood.
"Tsaheylu," Martha hissed and Jeff looked like he wanted to crawl under a rock and die.
"Alright that actually makes my job easier," Martha said smiling grimly.
"How does that make your job easier grandma?" Jeff asked and Martha smiled.
"Now I don't have to force my way into Commander Shepard's mind. You already have the back door. I am just going to use it," Martha replied.
"Back door?" Jeff asked.
"Yes, the mind has many layers and the deeper you go. The more time seems to have past when only a fraction of a second happens in the real world. It is called Inception and it takes many years to master. Those without experience in mind healing would end up trapped in the patient's mind or worse. It is kind of what the Asari use when they join minds with another person. The only difference is that the Asari only scratch the surface of what a person's mind really is. They can see into some of the layers not all of them. It took me years to master this technique and even still if you want to learn how to help someone you have to take the initiative to learn how to do it. You have to dive deep into their minds to see everything there is to know about them. A Goa'uld Queen exploits this and uses it to her advantage when taking over a host. She takes the consciousness of the host and buries them so deep within their minds that you have go to the deepest darkest parts to find the person you seek and bring them to the surface. Sometimes I arrive too late to help them and other times I managed to save them. From what you are telling me Jeff in your dream we don't have much time left. If Commander Shepard has any chance of staying sane we have to find her and defeat the creature who put her there." Martha said and her hand started to glow blue as she scanned the Commander's body.
"The Queen Lilith is the first Goa'uld Queen designed to take over my body and use me to create an army of super parasites. Well when the Illusive Man had captured me and tried to implant her. She was damaged by my own blood and biotics. I was too powerful for her and she became insane. Her primary objective was to take control of me so that way Cerberus could learn my secrets. What they found out was that when you mess with an Immortal you are messing with powers you are not supposed to mess with. Lilith afterward became obsessed with trying to take me down since she can't command me. She wanted me for herself so that way her brood can have the blood of an immortal in their veins. Well she found out the hard way what happens to those who mess with me." Martha said.
"You were lucky Lilith you managed to elude me for years and slipped up ten years ago on Eden Prime. Now you fucked up more then anything when you messed with my grandson again. Now I am going to rip you apart piece by piece till there is nothing in your parasitic body that remains after this." Martha said.
"Go ahead kill me! I will kill Commander Shepard along with me and your precious grandson will be without his mate for all time," with that Lilith laughed and continued laughing until Martha stabbed her blue lit hand into the back of Commander Shepard as if it were water.
"The only one who is going to die you filthy parasite is YOU!" Martha roared as her eyes glowed red.
Jeff's eyes began to glow at the same time as Martha's and together they plunged into the mind of Commander Shepard.
SHEPARD'S MIND
There was darkness at first the fog of nothingness that comes from someone's mind when they are in the dark.
"Where are we?" Jeff asked.
"We are in the mind of Maria Shepard," Martha replied.
"How?" Jeff asked.
"Your bond," Martha said.
"Oh," Jeff replied.
"We are at the surface right now where only fleeting thoughts are found. The most meaningless and simple thoughts are found here," Martha said.
"Oh," Jeff said seeing the darkness around them.
Then Martha began to glow and he could see her glowing with her biotics blazing. He decided to follow suit glowing as well. To his surprise he was naked while his grandmother was in her dragon form.
"How come I am naked?" he asked
"You have to think your clothes are on you that is how the mind works," Martha said.
"Oh," with that Jeff through of his Cerberus uniform and his braces.
He then looked down and found that he was indeed dressed and fully clothed. He was floating when Martha came and scooped him up and placed him on her back.
"So what now?" Jeff asked.
"Now we find the real Commander Shepard," it was disturbing to see the dragon's mouth move as she spoke. Jeff was used to her telepathic abilities.
He held on as Martha flapped her wings and began to fly through the darkness. With each flap he felt himself go deeper and deeper into something. It felt like he was diving into the depths of the ocean with things moving in front of him.
"They are fleeting thoughts ignore them," Martha said
It seemed like they were going down deeper till an image began to make itself known.
"What is this?" Jeff asked.
"This is Shepard's most recent memories," Martha said
To Jeff's astonishment it was the Citadel when they returned to it after two years. Only they are flying in space with no space ship to surround them in. The ships flew past them with no problems as if they weren't there. Jeff held onto Martha's feathered ridge as they neared the wards. Now that he was seeing it without the help of the Normandy everything looked so different.
As he traveled on the dragon's back it feels almost like a fairy tale. To fly with a creature of myth into an unknown world.
"Focus Jeff don't lose yourself now or we will never get to the deepest parts of Shepard's mind," Martha said.
As they drew nearer to the nearest airlock suddenly the ground shifted into something like the Presidium. The flowers and the trees here that are immaculate with the Keepers going their way and everyone paying respects to nothing. Martha flew over them following the traffic.
"So how do we go deeper into Shepard's mind?" Jeff asked
"We must find a conduit that will take us down. It can be anything from a skycar to a person walking." Martha said as she banked to avoid a car.
"Ok, anything that strikes out from the ordinary got it," Jeff said as he looked around.
There was skycars everywhere and they all were doing what they normally do on the Citadel going in circles around the Presidium or going into the tunnels that led to the Wards. He thought he had lost hope when he spotted something kind of off about one of the tunnels.
"Grandma down there!" he pointed to the tunnel and Martha turned her head to see where he was pointing.
There on the far left of where they were circling was a large tunnel that the skycars were going down in. It was one of the tunnels that led to the wards. This one was labeled Shalta Ward and dove right into it.
As soon as they dove into it the scene changed to that of a jungle somewhere.
"Where are we?" Jeff asked as they flew down through the clouds. The door behind them was gone replaced by nothing but clouds.
"We are in another layer of the mind this one appears to be a jungle world of sorts," Martha replied as they flew over the trees.
The trees were of various colors. Colors that Jeff did not recognize as ones from Earth. In fact they looks surprisingly like those found on the Prothean worlds. In fact this one was just as deserted as...
"Ilos!" Jeff said as they flew through the ruins.
"Ilos?" Martha asked.
"This place this is Ilos I remember it because we came here to fight Saren two years ago," Jeff replied as they flew around a building.
It was the largest building around and this one Jeff clearly remembers since he had to drop Shepard right on top of Saren two years prior. The door was massive when Martha landed right in front of it but it was shut like before.
"Fuck! How do we get in!" Jeff said as they scoured the area around it.
"Jeff what do you remember Shepard did before she went in?" Martha asked.
"I remember she had to fight a bunch of Geth to get in here...uuummmm...wait! I remember her saying something about an elevator! That's it! An elevator that activated a lock on the door," he said as he leaped off the dragon and used airbending to cushion his fall.
"We have to find the door and the way in can you handle that Jeff?" Martha asked.
"Yeah," I can," Jeff replied.
"Good lead the way," Martha said.
"Alright," Jeff replied.
He hobbled along trying to remember what he had seen through the suit feeds. He walked around a corner trying to find the elevator that would take them down to the main security area. The dragon kept watch for any mental defenses that Shepard might have and from the looks of it she had plenty.
Gunfire sounded as Geth stormed into the area. Martha unleashed a full plume of flame at them while Jeff hurried towards the elevator door on the far side of the building and opened it. Martha swatted some Geth with her tail before Jeff could get her into the elevator. When they gotten in and down the shaft Jeff felt squished under the dragon's body weight. When the doors opened again Martha took the lead burning or freezing anyone in the way while Jeff looked for the controls. When he found them he activated them and hurried back to Martha who then took the elevator back to the main floor.
The door opened in front of them leading down a long tunnel. Martha helped him back onto her back and they hurried down the tunnel seeing all the life pods waiting for them to open again. Seeing as the tunnel was too small for them to fly through Martha took off running while Jeff held on. She barreled through the many Geth in her way. When the way became wide enough Martha took to the air once again and Jeff found himself hurled through the tunnel and towards a large chamber filled with Geth and what appears to be a small mass relay.
Martha wasted no time getting to it before they where hauled into another area of Shepard's mind.
This time they found themselves over another planet this one much like Ilos only this one was more coniferous. It was another world totally different then the one they had just left. It was then that Jeff saw for the first time the creatures that came from this world.
"What the fuck!" Jeff said as Martha roared a challenge.
"This is not from Shepard's mind!" Martha said as she blew flame at a nearby drone.
"What is...the beacon!" Jeff said realizing that part of Shepard's mind contains remnants of the Protheans so this must be from the Protheans themselves.
Martha wasted no time attacking the defenses of Shepard's mind as they came at her. Jeff held on as his grandmother gained speed and attacked mouth agape. He could feel the lightning before it struck at the defenses the Collectors struck at her. Martha was strong and yet the defenses of the Collectors were stronger as they hit her again and again. Jeff decided to join in casting lighting of his own from his hands.
"I will keep the Collectors busy just look for a way out!" Martha shouted at him before dodging yet another strike by the Collectors.
Jeff had to look really hard to find what they were looking for when a booming noise filled the skies. His heart sank when a Reaper showed up and began firing on them.
"Fuck!" Martha shouted as she dodged the blast. Jeff held on as he searched for a way out and it was hard to do that and defend yourself at the same time.
Jeff nearly had his head taken out by the Reaper when he spotted it just beyond the Reaper there was a beacon of some sort.
"There!" he shouted and pointed to the hole.
Martha dove for the hole the Reaper opened fire on her and she dodged with all the speed she could pull off. Breaking the sound barrier in real life could have killed Jeff but he was well prepared for this one as he put up a barrier just in case. The Reaper released its spores of fighters at them and Martha was trying her best to dodge them all. Several of them eventually hit her forcing her to land just a ways off from the beacon.
"Grandma! Are you alright?" Jeff asked as he raced towards the dragon.
"I am fine Jeff but you might want to head for cover...or create your own cover for I am about to show this son of a bitch what happens when you piss off the Grandmaster of the Order of the Dragon!" Martha had flames coming out of her mouth at this time. Jeff knew from experience what happens when his grandmother was pissed. Jeff hobbled as fast as he could, even doing a few biotic jumps to a hiding spot just out of range of what his grandmother was about to do.
The Reaper charged up his ray towards Martha, but the dragon was too quick and he saw the blue lightning snake across her dorsal feathers like lightning rods. When the Reaper unleashed its power at Martha the dragon unleashed her own causing massive shockwaves across the cityscape towards the Reaper. Jeff had to hold on to the ground as hard as he could with his earthbending to prevent himself from being thrown and being crushed by buildings.
The massive beam cut through the Reaper's firepower with some difficulty before hitting the Reaper square in the beam's source.
The scream that followed however was not from the Reaper at all. Rather it was the familiar scream of the Goa'uld Queen.
"You won't get Commander Shepard she belongs to me!" the Reaper screamed.
"FUCK YOU BITCH!" Martha shouted and let loose a volley of white hot fire right in the face of the Reaper.
The sound of a Reaper in pain was music to Jeff's ears as the creature exploded in a ball of blue flames and white lightning. Martha's roar filled the skies as she came down to pick up Jeff. Jeff using his biotics races forward and off a ledge so that Martha can catch him. Taking off with him Martha made for the beam of light in the distance.
"Alright Jeff this is it! If the Goa'uld Queen was watching that beacon then we are almost there. That light will take us the deepest part of Shepard's mind where her consciousness is at. So be ready for the fight of your existence," she said and Jeff nodded, "What happens if we both fail?" "Then the both of us will be nothing more then vegetables for the rest of our lives. We can't let her win Jeff, Commander Shepard's existence is at stake!" Martha said and Jeff held on to her tighter as the dragon disappeared into the beam of light.
SHEPARD'S POINT OF VIEW.
Commander Maria Shepard had been fighting this monster for years now. The same thing happened day after day for how long she does not know.
Every time she goes and looks for food that creature shows up. It was a routine mission on this unknown planet and suddenly radio with the Normandy went dead. Shepard feared the Collectors were behind this as she readied her now beaten up old Mattock Assault Riffle. She was lucky she found it on the corpse of some soldier. They fought well against the Collectors but against this monster well it ain't happening.
Again and again she tried to radio Joker and the others but things ended up gone. Only about a year ago that she found the remains of the Normandy. Its smoking ruin with corpses lying all across the landscape had reminded her desperately of Akuze. That memory will never leave Shepard no matter what. She was trying to find a way to get away from the Thresher Maw when it appeared out of nowhere even on solid rock!
That creature came charging at Shepard at high speeds killing off the remains of the colonists before turning its eyes to Shepard. The many eyes of a Thresher Maw was more grotesque then anything Shepard had seen. It was also filled with a madness that one does not associate with Thresher Maws. Shepard was tired and sore from all the running and fighting she had to endure for nearly four years in this hell hole. The whole time she had no radio no backup no help from anyone. All those that tried to help were dead and all the colonists were killed and eaten up by the Thresher Maw.
Shepard felt the ground rumble once again and she tried to get up but her badly damaged leg was protesting yet again. She had broken it a week ago when the Thresher attacked her while she was sleeping. It cornered her in one of the buildings causing it to land on her leg. The resulting crack! had shattered her knee and forced her to hobble around worse then Joker!
Joker oh how she misses him the most.
His laugh, his smile, his kiss.
That last part had Shepard reaching to her lips and feeling where he had kissed her all those years ago. Who would have thought that the crippled ornate pilot of the Normandy was the long lost Dragon Prince of Skyrim. That is what they called him on Earth and at N7 training camp. The great descended of the legendary immortal Martha Kahalewai herself. The most powerful biotic in the galaxy and leader of the legendary Order of the Dragon. Her prince charming was nothing more then a crippled man with a huge secret.
Well too bad he is dead like anyone else.
Her heart ached to hold him again. His rotting corpse on the Normandy tore her apart. That creature took great pleasure in desecrating his grave and melting his remains into nothing but goo before devouring him and every other corpse on the Normandy.
She hated that creature with ever fiber of her being.
She wanted revenge for what it did to Joker and the rest of the crew. She wanted it gone but with what?
She had nothing to fight it with but an assault rifle that has seen better days, and it looks like it was about to give up on her at any moment. Then Thresher Maw came at her hard and she fought to get out of the way. Her infected leg full of gangrene and infection has slowed her down to the point where she can't fight any more. It smashed a few pieces of rock forcing her to fall down a steep hill into one of the valley's below.
Crying out in pain Shepard fought to stay alive this long and she spied the monster above her. It burst out of the hillside like an angry creature from hell. Shepard tried to fight it but her assault rifle had been lost and she is no longer armed.
That was her last weapon of defense.
This was Akuze all over again. In the smoking ruins of this city she is now ready to die with honor against this foe.
She will not run from it either.
She would join Joker in death with honor.
She stared at it as it opened its maw at her ready to devour her.
"Shepard!" someone shouted and Shepard turned her head to see a ghost of her past coming out of the smoke towards her.
"Joker?"
"SHEPARD!"
The voice kept getting closer and Shepard found the urge to scream out at him, "JOKER!" with tears in her eyes.
"Shepard!" footsteps could be heard throughout the smoke and out came Jeff in all his glory. He hobbled over to her and held her.
The kiss that followed was one of relief and reunion.
Only for it to be shattered by the sound of a Thresher Maw ready to strike, "Oh how touching! The reunion of two star crossed lovers! I feel so thrilled to see the Prince of Dragons coming all the way into the deepest part of Shepard's Mind to protect his future queen how touching" the grotesque creature called.
"It talks!" Shepard recoiled back.
"That is not a Thresher Maw Shepard that is a Goa'uld Queen the worst sort of parasite you've ever met. Remember those vids where a parasite takes over your body and controls you...well she is it!" Jeff said just as the Thresher struck down on them. Jeff grabbed Shepard and leaped away just in time.
"How can you do that?" Shepard asked.
"One this is your mind and two I used my biotics," Jeff replied
"My mind?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, you are trapped in your own mind this is not real!" Jeff said as he leaped away from a stream of acid.
"Then if this is not real then why does it hurt so much?" Shepard asked.
"Because She made it that way," Jeff said and used Earthbending to stop another stream of acid from coming down on them.
"Then how did you get here then? I saw your corpse on the Normandy...or is that not real either?" Shepard said.
"It is not real, I've seen the wreckage it is not real. Everyone is still alive and are waiting for you." Jeff replied back.
"Oh my god then what is that thing trying to kill me? And how long have I been out of it?" Shepard asked.
"As for your second question it has been a couple of weeks. As for that thing; it is a Goa'uld Queen created by the Illusive Man to control you in case you decide to leave Cerberus," Jeff said and miscalculated his next jump.
The Thresher Maw had managed to hit him with some acid and a tentacle at the same time.
"JOKER!" Shepard called to him as he fell with her on top of him.
"Looks like you will be joining your family soon little Dragon Prince! I would love to see the look of horror on your friends face when you go into a coma and die with your warrior princess. Oh this will be sweet!"The Thresher said as it reared its head for the kill.
Trapped in front of a boulder they were ready for the end.
Until an ear piercing scream filled the smoke filled skies above them.
"STAY AWAY FROM MY GRANDSON YOU SLIMEY, SLITHERING OVERGROWN PARASITIC BITCH!" A deep and shrilling voice said.
The Thresher Maw looked up and around trying to find the voice. It could not find anything at first.
Then from the direction of the sun a black shadow came streaking towards her. In all her glory a mighty black dragon came down with talons extended and ready. Spitting acid the Thresher tried to fight off the Dragon, but the dragon had the advantage of being in the air. Picking up the thresher from its head like what a hawk would do to a snake the Dragon pulled on the monster. The Thresher Maw tried to fight the dragon but the dragon had its talons in the head of the creature as it pulled and pulled till at last the entire length of the monster was freed from the ground.
"Go get that bitch Grandma!" Jeff yelled.
"Grandma?" Shepard asked from their hiding spot.
"Yeah we had to find my grandmother she was the only one who can help fight a Goa'uld Queen. Oh and her name is Lilith," Jeff smirked when Shepard hit him playfully.
MARTHA'S POINT OF VIEW
Lilith is now free from her hiding place but Martha was not done with her yet. The dragon lifted her into the sky and dropped her towards some buildings hoping to impale her on them. They worked as the Thresher fought to free herself from the confines of the building.
Slowly black blood began to ooze as Lilith freed herself from the building with her acid. Roaring in rage she charged the dragon and caught her by the throat. Martha struggled to free herself from the Thresher as it wrapped itself around her trying to consume her.
"I don't think so bitch!" Martha said as she used her biotics to electrocute the Thresher.
Lilith screamed when she was fed several million volts of electricity. Feeling her grip loosen Martha wrenched herself free of Lilith's hold and grabbed her head with her talons. The Thresher tried to free herself from the dragon's grip, but even her tail could not help her from Martha. The dragon Grandmaster knew all too well how to fight real Thresher Maws and held the head pinned under her talons while she attacked the main nervous center which would normally account for the brain. She attacked and using her wings for balance pecked at the casing like a bird would do. Using her hardened snout she smashed her way into the head while Lilith struggled to free herself from Martha's hold.
Sharp blades suddenly stabbed the immortal causing her to scream as they pierce her hide. Acid poured from them to kill her but she burned it away with a mouth full of fire. Her whiskers flayed as they released arc after arc of electricity. Lilith bashed her body this way and that trying to get Martha off but the dragon queen held.
Martha burned and pecked till at last the bone began to give way towards the metal interior. Taking a good grip with her jaws she tore into the circuitry of the monster and ripped it out of her head. Lilith screamed as she saw the innards of herself being thrown about.
MEANWHILE
Shepard could not believe her eyes as she watched Martha being stabbed by the Thresher Maw and then ripping out its brains in retaliation. The Thresher Lilith screamed in agony trying to get the Dragon off of her. Martha wasted no time in tearing out circuits and veins trying to kill the creature. Burning into her body with white hot fire the dragon did not stop in the least.
Shepard was mesmerized by the ferocity of the Dragon Grandmaster and Joker's Grandmother. Speaking of Joker he held on to her tightly and she him. They watched as the Thresher tried to fight her way out only to meet her end in the claws of Martha Kahalewai's Dragon form. Martha burned her till there was nothing left and the Goa'uld Queen felt herself burn into ash screaming the entire time.
When the ash vanished Martha was left floating up in the sky her wings pulsing to stay aloft. The dragon gently landed on the ground her wounds bleeding profusely. Slowly they began to heal into nothing more then new skin.
It was also then that the ground started to rumble.
"Oh shit! What is happening?" Shepard said as Jeff rushed her up and they began to run.
"The dream is collapsing!" Jeff shouted as he began to run with Shepard leading the way. Since he is too slow to run fast enough the ground nearly collapsed on him. Shepard using the last ounce of strength tried to help him. They ran under a building that was starting to collapse on top of them.
Till a pair of talons came out of the sky and picked them both up at the same time.
The weight of the world suddenly left him as Jeff looked up at his grandmother. Martha scooped them both up and is now pumping her wings as hard as she could to get airborne. They were flying away from the burned out buildings and towards the rising moon hopefully they can get somewhere safe while the dream collapses around them. While this was going on he looked at the other talon that held Shepard and found her to be asleep. The fighting between herself and the Goa'uld Queen had finally tired her out and due to exhaustion had passed out safely tucked in Martha's talon.
"Where are we going Grandma?" Jeff asked.
"Someplace where she can heal before we make our way back to the real world," Martha said.
"Alright any ideas as to how we can do that?" Jeff asked.
"You have to trust me," with that Martha's face vanished in the clouds and Jeff was left to wonder how his grandmother knew such things.
TBC