I hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you all the very best for 2013.
On the bright side, I was able to watch Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (apparently just because its animated doesn't mean there won't be a lot of blood) and noticed that the interior of the Mako is different to what I had imagined. I imagined the seats to be parallel which wouldn't give them a lot of space but as it turns out, the seats in back actually line the sides so they are perpendicular to the driver's seat (I hope that makes sense) so there would be enough space in the back for pretty much the entire ground squad.
I once again apologise for my lateness but I hope you enjoy this chapter. The last few hopefully won't take too long.
Chapter 21
Sid was sitting beside Joker with her attention focused on her omni-tool. Joker also had his attention fixed on the consoles in front of him. There was still a chance that they would suffer the Council's wrath so he was keeping an eye out to make sure they weren't being followed even though it was unlikely. It was also pretty hard to guess what they would face when they hit the Mu Relay which meant Joker wanted to make sure all of the Normandy's systems were running smoothly. Sid was attempting to do some research on Ilos to figure out what they may face while on the planet. Unfortunately, the extranet was proving useless in that regard. Anything she found, Liara had already told them or it was pure speculation.
She eventually sighed in defeat and deactivated her omni-tool. It was rare for her to come up empty and everyone on the Normandy knew it. On the plus side, Captain Anderson had managed to avoid any trouble. Sid hadn't mentioned it at the time but she had also uploaded a VI that would erase any traces of the Captain from surveillance thus making it impossible to see who was behind the Normandy's timely escape. Udina would obviously have his suspicions but he wouldn't be able to prove anything. This served the dual purpose of making Udina's life hell and helping one of Jo's friends. Jo trusted this man a lot and so Sid would help him because he helped her. Sid also guessed that Captain Anderson was the closest thing to a father figure.
"Why have you failed me?" she demanded of her omni-tool in frustration.
Joker snorted in amusement. "Don't have anything, huh?"
"For once, the introverted scientific recluse has more information than I do," Sid replied with a smirk.
Despite her cheery exterior, Sid was very restless and a bit nervous. They were nearing the end of the mission after weeks of chasing Saren around the galaxy. In a few hours, they will have succeeded in stopping Saren and the Reapers from invading or they will have failed and the entire galaxy was doomed because of them. On the plus side, it would be the biggest 'I told you so' ever for the Council. This did nothing to calm Sid's nerves. She knew that even the best plans could go awry at the last possible second and for this mission, there was a long list of things that could go wrong. At least unforeseen betrayals and not getting paid were not on the list. Unfortunately, getting killed was at the top of the list.
Sid tried to keep these thoughts away but a lot of experience in things going wrong wasn't letting her. In an effort to distract her mind, she brought up one of the navigation windows. They were nearing the Mu Relay which meant things were going to get very exciting very quickly and that Joker would need to send for Jo, as per her orders. A thought suddenly occurred to Sid. Kaidan had gone through the CIC towards Jo's quarters. Sid had noticed him out of the corner of her eye and she only took note of it because he was trying very hard not to attract any attention. It had been a while since then though. She vaguely wondered what they were doing and then she suddenly realised…maybe she really, really didn't want to know.
"Sid?" Joker suddenly said.
She looked over at the helmsman and was quite surprised by the serious look on his face. It was almost like he was going to try to say something while he still had the courage to say it. Either he was going to confess his undying love for her or he was going to tell her that they should just be friends. Sid couldn't decide which one was more terrifying to her.
"Yeah?" she answered eloquently.
"I just wanted to say something, you know, just in case?"
The penny dropped and she realised exactly where this was going. It was one of those 'in case we all die' speeches and it was far too serious for her liking.
"Oh no," Sid interrupted, much to Joker's surprise. "No, no. We are so not having one of those 'just in case the entire galaxy explodes' things. Let's just leave it at after everything is done, I'll buy you a drink and you can buy me dinner. Sound fair?"
Joker's look of surprise quickly turned to amusement. "Did you just ask yourself on a date for me?"
Sid was momentarily confused and then she realised exactly what she just said. "I guess I just did." Well, that's a first.
"It sounds like a fair deal," he agreed, still too amused for Sid's liking. "So…the whole galaxy exploding?"
Sid shrugged. "It's a worst case scenario."
And just like that, it was comfortable once again. There was no awkwardness or embarrassment left hanging in the air or a sense of impending doom. Sid had no idea how that always happened between them or why it only happened with Joker. Nothing like that happened with Jo or any other member of the crew. Sid decided it was not an important matter to think about now. It wasn't long until the Mu Relay was almost upon them and Joker called Jo over the intercom system. Jo was soon standing behind their chairs, waiting. Sid immediately noticed that Jo looked a lot calmer and there was a glint in her eyes that wasn't there before…happiness, perhaps? This inspection was over in seconds and Sid quickly returned her attention to the consoles in front of her.
"How long until we reach the Relay?" Jo asked.
"Half an hour," Joker answered.
Jo was silent for a moment. "Tell the entire ground squad I want to meet them in the Mess Hall. We need to figure a few things out. Come on, Sid."
Without a word, Sid got to her feet and followed Jo towards the Mess Hall. They didn't say a word, mostly because there was nothing to say. There was too much hanging on this mission to waste time with meaningless words. One of the tables was empty so Sid took a seat near the end. Jo remained standing at the head of the table. Liara was first out of the Med Lab and took a seat opposite Sid. Kaidan was next and he came down the stairs that connected the deck to the CIC. When Sid noticed this, she smirked – much to Jo and Kaidan's slight discomfort. Tali, Garrus and Wrex arrived together on the elevator and silently took their own seats.
Jo took a deep breath. "So, here's the deal: we're about to pass through a Relay that may have been damaged to a planet that was originally thought lost to find a device that we don't know actually exists. Saren will try his hardest to stop us with his army of Geth and he will be trying to jumpstart a Reaper invasion. That's about all we know. There's a chance that we won't survive this mission therefore I can't order you to be a part of the ground team."
Sid knew exactly what this was all about and she also knew it was unnecessary to go fishing for their loyalty. Almost immediately, they all spoke up with various versions of "I'll follow you" or some such thing. Wrex had said his words and a silence stretched as they waited for Sid to say her own words, until Jo gave her a very pointed look and cleared her throat.
"What the hell?" Sid decided with a dramatic sigh. "It's not like I had anything better planned."
There was no doubt that she would go along on the mission if she was asked but her words had the desired effect when they all chuckled in amusement at her. The atmosphere was immediately lighter and it was suddenly easier to talk about the mission and what might happen. Just by seeing the look on Jo's face and the way her eyes lingered on Liara and Tali, Sid could tell she was trying to figure out who to take to Ilos and who should stay. This was made personal for the Alliance so it would make sense to take Kaidan, especially given his powerful biotics. Garrus was lethal with a sniper rifle while Wrex was pretty effective at close range which would give them an advantage as all distances would be covered. Sid guessed she was coming in case there was some technology involved. Tali and Liara would be effective but they were inexperienced and young.
Jo hesitated briefly before she said anything. "Tali and Liara, I want you to stay aboard the Normandy." They both started to protest but she raised her hand and silence followed. "There's no way to know what will happen. Tali, I want you to stay and work with Engineer Adams to make sure the systems run smoothly. Liara, I want you to work with Dr Chakwas…just in case."
Jo was handling the situation pretty smoothly. Rather than make it sound like Tali and Liara were unwanted, Jo had put them in a position where they would be needed, if things went wrong. It would be the best place for them because it would keep them out of danger and it would still give them the opportunity to do something worthwhile so they were still an important part of the crew. They wouldn't feel left out. No one could find a reasonable argument to counter these orders although Sid was quite surprised that Liara didn't pull the revenge card. It was Saren's fault that her mother was dead, after all.
"The rest of you, go grab your gear. We'll be passing through the Mu Relay shortly and I want you all ready," Jo ordered.
The table dispersed as everyone, aside from Jo, headed to the elevator. Liara had obviously chosen the support role to make sure she was there if anyone needed help. They were all quiet as they put on their hardsuits and holstered their weapons. Sid was just running a systems check on her omni-tool when she noticed Kaidan staring at Chief Williams' locker. The others had already walked off, trying to mentally prepare themselves for what was coming next. It was rare to see such open emotion on Kaidan's features. There was a mixture of pain and guilt. Normally, Sid was pretty useless at the whole comforting and friendship thing but she had come to regard the lieutenant as a big brother so she should at least try to help.
"Just because she's dead, it doesn't mean she's gone," Sid murmured softly.
Kaidan was brought out of his thoughts and frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Chief Williams will live through those who remember her," she answered.
Judging from Kaidan's expression, her words had helped him a bit. Without waiting for a response, Sid started to walk towards the elevator to head back up to the cockpit. While she was waiting for the elevator, Liara's approach went unnoticed until she cleared her throat quietly. Sid looked up in surprise and noticed how nervous she was looking which was quite weird considering they had something bordering on friendship.
"Liara," Sid greeted unsurely.
"I…have a favour to ask of you," Liara replied and her hands started to fidget. "Perhaps now is not the best time. It does seem quite silly next to the mission."
Sid smiled. "What can I do for you?"
Liara looked relieved. "Ilos used to be a Prothean world and considering no one has been there in years, I'm hoping that the site has been well preserved and undisturbed. However, Commander Shepard has made it clear that I am to remain on board the Normandy."
"I'm not sure how much time I'll have between shooting geth and all," Sid answered, still smiling. "But I'll see what I can do. I might only be able to take photos with my omni-tool."
Liara's face immediately brightened. "Photos will be more than enough, Sid. Thank you!"
Sid half expected a hug but thankfully the elevator arrived at that moment. Liara and Tali got in with her and together, they made their way towards the cockpit. She decided to remain standing behind Joker's chair as the Mu Relay loomed closer. Joker was handling the situation calmly and it was pretty much like every other instance when they went through a mass relay. This was a good sign and Sid relaxed a bit. Thankfully, the Normandy went through the relay without a problem though their luck didn't hold. The entire planet of Ilos was surrounded by Geth dropships and Dreadnoughts. For a moment, Sid panicked as she wondered if the stealth systems were engaged. Then she remembered: this was Joker. He would never let anything happen to his baby.
It was at this moment that Jo returned to the cockpit in her hardsuit with Navigator Pressly and Kaidan hot on her heels. The Executive Officer gave Sid a quick disapproving look. Apparently, Pressly still didn't approve of her presence. Absently, she also noted how close Kaidan and Jo were standing as well as how comfortable they looked, despite the tense situation. Everyone's attention was fixed on the large amount of Geth ships though so she was the only one who had noticed this. Between the Normandy's stealth systems and Joker's skill as a pilot, the chances of them being spotted or even shot down were slim.
"Uh…Commander? We've got company," Joker announced unnecessarily.
"Have their sensors picked us up yet?" Liara asked nervously.
Sid raised an eyebrow. "If they had, we'd probably already be dead."
Her tone had been far calmer than it should have been, given the statement, and she received a glare from Jo in response. Sid shrugged in a "what do you expect?" manner. Ask a stupid question, get a stupid response.
Joker took over the answer though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. "Stealth systems are engaged. Unless we get close enough for a visual, they won't have any idea that we're here."
"We're picking up some strange readings from the planet's surface," Navigator Pressly told them from where he was hovering over one of the nearby consoles.
Jo was silent for a moment and just when Sid was about to ask what kind of readings had been detected, Jo had decided what she wanted to do. "Take us down, Joker. Lock in on those coordinates."
"Awesome. Going headfirst into 'strange readings'," Sid muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, an argument erupted between everyone on the cockpit, aside from herself and Joker. The argument was about the landing zone and how close it was to Saren and about how much time they had. Kaidan demanded another landing zone while Pressly argued that there was no other landing zone. Tali added her two cents about the angle and there were all sorts of things going on. One thing did make Sid nervous though: Jo planned on taking them in the Mako which did not sound like a good plan. She also looked towards Joker. He was uncharacteristically silent and when she looked at his face, she noticed annoyance and frustration. Just as Kaidan started talking about it being a suicide run, Joker cut him off.
"I can do it," he said in a determined voice which immediately silenced the argument.
"Are you sure?" Jo asked quietly.
"I can do it," Joker repeated with the same amount of determination.
Between the look of determination in his eyes, the even calm in his voice and his excellent record, Sid believed he really could do it. "I believe you can."
There was a moment of surprise. Everyone knew about Sid's paranoia and serious trust issues so for her to openly say something like this, they could all tell that she trusted Joker and actually meant what she had said.
Apparently, that was all the convincing Jo needed. "All right. Sid, Kaidan, head down to the Mako and get Garrus and Wrex inside too. I'll be along shortly."
Sid smiled reassuringly at Joker before following Kaidan. Apparently, he hadn't known that she was going with on the mission and there had been a moment of hesitation on his features, like he somehow doubted his earlier insistence if her life was now in his hands. If she hadn't been spending so much time with him, she probably wouldn't have noticed but it quickly disappeared and he then returned her smile. As soon as they were in the elevator, Sid did a last minute gear check. This was going to be one interesting adventure, to say in the least. On the bright side, she did have dinner with Joker to look forward to, assuming they survived.
Ilos was swarming with geth though that wasn't surprising at all. Joker had kept his word and had managed to drop the Mako on top of Saren. The look on the rogue Spectre's face was priceless. Too bad they didn't have time to take a picture of it. They had spent a lot of time blindly stumbling around until they found the switch to open the large doors which Saren had retreated behind and locked. Shepard had ordered Sid and Garrus to guard the Mako while she took Kaidan and Wrex. With two biotics and a whole lot of firepower, the geth went down very easily. They were eventually able to find the switch and then they had to make their way back.
Along the way, Shepard's mind drifted back to when she was still on the Normandy and it had nothing to do with what happened in her quarters, surprisingly enough. She ordered Joker to rally the Alliance as soon as the Mako was dropped. Every ship would be needed to defend the Citadel and not just from the geth. If the Council refused to do something about it, Admiral Hackett would be willing to help. Hopefully the rest of the Alliance would be just as willing to fight for a society that wasn't quite prepared to make them a part of it. Regardless, as Shepard turned to leave, Joker had asked her to look after Sid. He apparently did not approve of her going along for this mission and a part of her agreed with him.
There were so many dangers that they couldn't account for and Shepard did not want her little sister involved with them. But Sid knew how to look after herself. This was made very clear when she had attacked Saren on Virmire and even protected Kaidan. If they came across any unfamiliar technology, Sid could be the key especially if there was important information locked away on a computer terminal. Shepard had obviously promised to look after her but the sincerity of the request had caught her off guard. Just how serious were they getting? Probably not as serious as she was getting with Kaidan.
Shepard forced her thoughts away from her cabin in the time leading up to the Mu Relay and focused on the Mako ahead. Garrus was stationed on the top of the Mako with his sniper rifle clutched between his talons which gave him a good lookout point of the immediate area. There were a few dead geth lying around. Apparently, they had made an attempt at getting the Mako, most likely under Saren's orders and not their own initiative. A few had their heads blown clean off while others had been killed with a knife. Perhaps Sid could look after herself better than anyone realised and Shepard's promise to Joker was unnecessary. It was then that Shepard found Sid happily using her omni-tool to take photographs of the scenery and she was paying little attention to what was happening around her. Then again, maybe Sid did need some supervision. Wrex was pretty amused though.
"I didn't realise we were tourists," Shepard said in a stern voice.
Sid shrugged carelessly, completely ignoring the fact that she was in trouble. "I'm keeping a promise to Liara. Besides, Garrus has the whole early warning thing covered." She vaguely waved her hand in the direction of Garrus.
Garrus lithely dropped to the floor beside them. "It looks like the area is clear, Shepard. The tunnel too."
"Then let's go," she ordered. "There's no sense in giving Saren an even bigger head start."
They all quickly clambered into the Mako. Sid slid into the passenger seat and Shepard sat in the driver's seat. Garrus and Wrex were seated in the back while Kaidan had climbed into the turret. As it was an Alliance vehicle, there was no way that Wrex or Garrus would have been able to fit inside because it had not been made with aliens in mind. Sid also didn't have the training required to use the turret which only left Kaidan though he seemed quite happy to do it. As soon as everyone was buckled in, Shepard flattened her foot against the pedal and they sped off down a very tight tunnel. The tunnel was covered in hundreds of years of moss and algae. The walls were green and the ground was covered in plants until they hit some sort of waterway.
Shepard was tense and she gripped the steering wheel tightly so her knuckles turned white. There was no telling what Saren was capable of, especially now that he was so close to achieving his goal. Sovereign would also be pushing him forward so the rogue Spectre would either meet the Reaper's expectations or he would crumble under the pressure. Shepard sincerely hoped it was the latter – not because of her intense dislike for Saren but because it would undoubtedly save the lives of thousands, if not millions, of people. Saren also knew they were following him closely and it was likely that he would have taken precautions to stop them…even though they had yet to come across anything. It was hard to decide whether this was a good thing or not. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who noticed.
"I thought Saren would have set some kind of trap or ambush for us. They must have been in too much of a hurry," Kaidan remarked from the turret, sounding hopeful.
"It's also possible we just haven't come across his trap or ambush," Sid countered.
Shepard swerved to miss what looked like roots of a large plant. "You're a real ray of sunshine sometimes, Sid."
"And you're a barrel of laughs, Jojo," Sid argued with a smirk and then she leant forward in her chair to get a better look of their surroundings. "This looks like it might have been a city at some point. There are stairs and walkways everywhere. Anything from here must be worth a fortune."
Shepard tore her eyes away from the road just long enough to give Sid a look. "Seriously?"
Sid shrugged. "It's an observation. Note how I'm currently in the Mako on a suicide run instead of out there, counting credits."
"Fair point."
"Liara would have loved to see this," Garrus added.
Shepard didn't reply immediately. "I don't think she's particularly suited for combat. Besides, there wouldn't be much time for her to make any archaeological finds anyway."
"Hence the photographs," Sid explained, still peering through the window.
"What are all of those things on the wall?" Kaidan suddenly asked. "Some kind of containers?"
When Shepard was satisfied that the road ahead was straight, she leant forward and looked up at the walls. Long, cylindrical objects were protruding from the hard stone at regular intervals. The rows continued up beyond what she could clearly see and they were also covered in a layer of dust and moss. They looked like they were big enough to hold a person…but that was stupid.
"They almost look like…stasis pods," Sid said quietly, almost like she didn't quite believe it either.
"You think the Protheans tried to wait out the Reaper invasion in cryogenic stasis?" Garrus asked sceptically.
Wrex snorted in derision. "That plan clearly worked."
"I don't know about that, Wrex," Sid remarked thoughtfully and absently tapped a finger against her chin. "If this facility is still standing, then the Reapers obviously didn't find it."
"So…what?" Shepard asked in confusion. "We use stasis pods to evade the Reapers?"
"No," Sid answered patiently. "It means that the Reapers can be fooled. Perhaps they aren't the perfect hunters the Prothean Cipher led us to believe."
Shepard sighed. "Well, let's leave the stasis pods as Plan Z."
Sid snorted in amusement. "Don't dismiss this so readily, Jo. Ilos and the stasis pods could provide logical insight into the hunting patterns of Reapers. This in turn might lead to finding things that could help us evade them…if they were to invade, of course."
"I do think that that is the smartest thing you have ever said," Shepard remarked with a grin.
Any retort that Sid might have lined up, it was cut off before she could say it. Kaidan had fired off a missile straight ahead and Shepard barely avoided a missile that was coming right for them. Apparently, they had finally stumbled upon Saren's geth. The Mako continued at its very quick pace while Kaidan continued to fire the turret. Those that he missed were quickly mowed down. It was pretty easy as the road continued in a straight line and just as there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel, Shepard realised it was a force field of some kind blocking the way forward. She slammed on breaks and the Mako skidded forward. Just as she prepared to reverse, another force field appeared behind the Mako. They were trapped with nowhere to go.
"It's a trap," Kaidan said, obviously caught off guard. "Saren must have set an ambush."
"Unlikely," Sid replied and she had her omni-tool activated. "These energy fields are not of Geth origin and it gives off an entirely different signature when compared with the data I have from Sovereign. Either this is another Reaper entirely or…"
Shepard raised an eyebrow. "You think it might be Prothean?"
Sid shrugged. "This is a Prothean planet so it would make sense that some of the technology still functions. I mean, the Beacons do."
"Then what activated it?" Garrus asked. "Saren obviously got through without a problem."
"That…I don't have an answer for," Sid replied.
"Is that a door?" Kaidan interjected from the turret.
Shepard leant forward over the steering wheel. Sure enough, there was an opening in the rock wall that looked like it led somewhere. "Let's go take a look. Hopefully we can deactivate these force fields and move forward."
Once again, they didn't know what they might face so Shepard decided to bring everyone with. The Mako was presumably safe because nothing would be able to get through those force fields. Shepard led the way down the corridor and was careful not to trip over any of the plants that were growing on the floor. The path led into an elevator and as soon as everyone was inside, she hit the button. It was impossible to tell whether they were going up or down. The entire planet had this disorientating effect. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that no one had walked its surface in a really long time.
When the elevator came to a stop and opened its doors, it revealed a long room. The walls were lined with more stasis pods. The ceiling continued far above them and the floor disappeared far below them. This area also did not escape the plants' notice as the walls were covered in moss and a huge tree had forced its way through a wall. A single walkway connected the elevator to a computer terminal of some sort. Shepard carefully approached the computer terminal, placing one foot in front of the other. The walkway was thousands of years old and she wanted to make sure it wouldn't crumble under their weight. After a few long minutes, they surrounded the terminal and looked at it curiously. Why had they been herded here?
Shepard was about to order Sid to investigate it when it suddenly powered up and started to project an image like most VIs were programmed to do; only this one must have taken some damage. The orange projection was a mess and it was impossible to make out any shape. This did not affect its programming though.
::You are not Prothean. But you are not machine either. This eventuality was one of many that was anticipated. This is why we sent our warnings through the beacons.::
Well, this was an unexpected outcome. Not only were they talking to a Prothean VI but it was also speaking English. And the beacons had been used to send out a warning? It probably would have been more effective if it hadn't nearly killed Shepard.
::I do not sense the taint of indoctrination upon any of you. Unlike the other that passed recently. Perhaps there is still hope.::
So, Shepard's guess had been correct. Saren really was indoctrinated and it was possible he didn't even realise it.
"Wait a minute," Kaidan interrupted and he was confused about something. "How come I can understand you? Why aren't you speaking the Prothean language?"
It was an excellent question, now that Shepard realised they could all understand the VI, unlike the other one which she hadn't even realised was speaking Prothean.
::I have been monitoring your communications since you arrived at this facility. I have translated my output into a format you will comprehend. My name is Vigil. You are safe here, for the moment. But that is likely to change. Soon, nowhere will be safe. ::
"Why did you bring us here?" Shepard asked with a frown.
::You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years.::
"Oh, is that all?" Sid asked sarcastically which was ignored by Vigil.
::But to stop it, you must understand or you will make the same mistakes we did. The Citadel is the heart of your civilisation and the seat of government. As it was with us, and as it has been with every civilisation that came before us. But the Citadel is a trap. The station is actually an enormous mass relay. One that links to dark space, the empty void beyond the galaxy's horizon. When the Citadel relay is activated, the Reapers will pour through. And all you know will be destroyed.::
"Saren plans on activating the Citadel relay," Garrus realised.
"If he succeeds, the Reapers will wipe out the Council and the entire Citadel in one surprise attack," Shepard added and she suddenly felt cold at the realisation.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Wrex demanded and cracked his knuckles impatiently.
::That was our fate. Our leaders were dead before we even realised we were under attack. The Reapers seized control of the Citadel and through it, the mass relays. Communication and transportation across our empire were crippled. Each star system was isolated, cut off from the others. Easy prey for the Reaper fleets. Over the next decades, the Reapers systematically obliterated our people. World by world, system by system, they methodically wiped us out. Our enemy had a single goal: the extinction of all advanced organic life. Through the Citadel, the Reapers had access to all our records, maps, census data. Information is power and they knew everything about us. Their fleets advanced across every settled region of the galaxy. Some worlds were utterly destroyed. Others were conquered, their populations enslaved.
These indoctrinated servants became sleeper agents under Reaper control. Taken in as refugees by other Protheans, they betrayed them to the machines. Within a few centuries, the Reapers had enslaved or killed every Prothean in the galaxy. They were relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough. All evidence of the Reaper invasion was wiped away. Only their indoctrinated slaves were left behind, abandoned. Mindless husks no longer capable of independent thought, the indoctrinated soon starved or died of exposure. The genocide of the Protheans was complete.::
Shepard took a moment to let that all sink in and briefly looked at her companions. There was a mixture of shock and horror on their faces though Wrex looked more angry than horrified. It did make sense, like why there was no evidence of the Reapers and why there was so little left behind by the Protheans. It was horrible to hear about and now Saren was planning on exposing the galaxy to this. He had to be stopped.
"How do we stop the Reapers?" Shepard demanded.
::The Conduit is the key. Before the Reapers attacked, we Protheans were on the cusp of unlocking the mysteries behind mass relay technology. Ilos was a top secret facility. Here, researchers worked to create a small scale version of a mass relay. One that linked directly to the Citadel: the hub of the relay network.::
Shepard frowned. What did any of this have to do with the Conduit or stopping Saren?
"The Conduit's not a weapon," Kaidan explained. "It's a back door onto the Citadel!"
"That's impossible," Sid muttered under her breath. "…isn't it?"
Shepard shrugged. "We're talking to a Prothean VI about a race of machines that can wipe out the galaxy."
Sid looked like she was about to argue and then she tilted her head to the side. "An excellent point."
::When the Reapers retreated, the top researchers were still alive. When the researchers woke, they realised the Prothean species was doomed. There were only a dozen individuals left, far too few to sustain a viable population. Yet they vowed to find some way to stop the Reapers from returning. A way to break the cycle forever. And they knew the keepers were the key.::
Shepard shook her head slowly, still struggling to figure things out. "I'm having a hard time following you. What does the Conduit have to do with stopping the Reapers and why is Saren trying to find it?"
::The Conduit gives him access to the Citadel and the keepers. The keepers are controlling the Citadel. Before each invasion, a signal is sent through the station compelling the keepers to activate the Citadel relay. After decades of feverish study, the scientists discovered a way to alter this signal. Using the Conduit, they gained access to the Citadel and made the modifications. This time, when Sovereign sent the signal to the Citadel, the keepers ignored it. The Reapers are trapped in dark space.::
"Enter Saren," Sid guessed.
Shepard gave her a sideways glance. "Sovereign must have come up with a Plan B in which he needs Saren to do something that will allow the Reapers to invade."
::The one you call Saren will use the Conduit to bypass the Citadel's defences. Once inside, he will transfer the control of the station to Sovereign. Sovereign will override the Citadel's systems and manually open the relay. And the cycle of extinction will begin again.::
"There must be some way to stop them," Shepard reasoned, otherwise Vigil probably wouldn't be talking to them.
::There's a data file in my console. Take a copy when you go. When you reach the Citadel's master control unit, upload it to the station. It will corrupt the Citadels' security protocols and give you temporary control over the station. It might give you a chance against Sovereign.::
Sid immediately went towards the computer terminal and connected her omni-tool to search for the necessary data file. Shepard hoped Sid didn't get any wild ideas about this file.
"The Citadel's master control unit?" Garrus suddenly asked. "I don't remember ever coming across it."
Out of everyone in the group, Garrus had spent the most time on the Citadel. If he wasn't familiar with the master control unit, then they would be in big trouble.
::Through the Conduit. Follow Saren. He will lead you to your destination.::
"Sid?" Shepard pressed.
Sid frowned in concentration as she examined her omni-tool. "I have the data file. It looks pretty straightforward."
"Then we need to move," Shepard ordered. "We need to close the gap with Saren."
::The one you call Saren has not yet reached the Conduit. There is still hope if you hurry.::
That was all the information Shepard needed. With one last look at Vigil as he deactivated himself, she vowed not to let Humanity – or any other race – suffer the same fate as the Protheans. There was still time to catch Saren and she would be damned if she let him slip out of her grasp again.