*50,000 YEARS AGO*
BLOODLET THRONE SYSTEM
THE CRIMSON RELAY
"Standby to come about. All hands to battle stations!"
Magi Dranen Thurn, Avatar of Wisdom, stands on the command bridge, his arms folded behind him. His eyes flick over to me, and he gives me a ghost of a smile. I nod and return the gesture before flicking open the communication channels.
"All Fleets, this is Command, onboard the Righteous Fury. Status report, all fleets."
One by one, each of the fleets of the Great Armada of the Prothean Empire make their presence and readiness known:
"Gold Fleet reporting."
"Red Fleet reporting."
"Blue Fleet reporting."
"Black Fleet reporting."
"Rose Fleet reporting."
"Indigo Fleet reporting."
"White Fleet reporting."
Each of the fleets is the last remnants of one of the great houses of the Prothean empire. Scattered across the empire. Starving. Divided. Leaderless.
No more.
"ALL STAND!"
All leap to their feet and face the doorway at the Avatar's cry. In resplendent golden armor, Emperor Urush Robbidir looks out at the massive fleet filling the view-screens. On his shoulder perches Swims-The-Stars, the tiny hanar wrapping its tentacles around Urush's muscular frame. Urush holds out his arm and places the hanar down on the rail in front of him.
"Dranen," the Emperor says with a brilliant smile on his face. "A glorious day, is it not?"
The Avatar of Wisdom merely nods.
"The day is not over yet, my emperor."
"My emperor," I report, stepping forward, " all fleets are reporting in."
"All of them?"
"Seven thousand, five hundred and twelve warships, sir. Five-hundred thousand soldiers, ready to fight and die for their Emperor."
Urush nods. "Open a channel."
The Emperor moves and take his place on the bridge, as his voice is broadcast to each of the ships of the Great Armada:
"Once we were divided: Imperials and Separatists. Densorin and Ditakur. Enduromi and Vandomar. We warred with one another, and as such, we were unprepared for the Reaper threat. We have, each of us… lost deeply.
But even in the midst of our loss… we have survivied. We have come together. We have been reminded of this fundamental truth: that no one race can survive alone. We are all sons and daughters of the same family: With One Father Below and One Mother above. Souls all on the same celestial journey. A journey, brothers and sisters, of vengeance. A journey that has lead us here, to this place, to this day.
Strike hard. Strike for the memories of our past. Strike for the hope of our future.
Ee-RAH!"
In answer, one of the largest ships, the Izumlayat'sya, hails the ship. The Emperor nods to me, and I answer. The holographic image of Admiral Izmennik appears on the screen. His right arm and right eye gleam red with the cybernetics implanted to replace what the Fallen's blades had taken from him.
"My lord," he says, taking a knee, "most humbly on one knee, I do beg the leading of the vaward."
The Emperor looks over at me. Izmennik was the leader of House Predateli and the Admiral of the Black Fleet – newest of the forces who had joined us, and thus it makes sense that they are the most eager to prove themselves in battle. I give a barely-imperceptible nod, as does the Magi next to me. The Emperor turns his gaze back to the black-armored admiral:
"Take it, brave Izmennik! Transmitting IFF codes now."
Izmennik grins.
"Thank you, my Emperor. The Black fleet will hold the beachhead while the rest of the fleet arrives."
The Black Fleet moves forward, catching in the arcs of red energy from the Crimson Relay, firing forward into FTL. Urush stands and draws his sword, pointing it towards the relay onscreen.
"Will we be content to sit back and let them win all the glory, brothers?"
The answer is passionate and unanimous:
"NO!"
"Then follow, my warriors! The battle leaves us behind!"
Gold Fleet moves into position, the stars around us blurring and turning into a red-tinged blur of motion. The IFF codes stolen from Fallen ships activate, and are acknowledged by the Relay.
"EE-RAH!"
The short jump comes to an end, and there is… darkness. No glint and glimmer of distant stars. Only the sight of supernovas being swallowed by black holes. And in the distance, there can be seen the specks of the Black Fleet, in formation around the Relay where we are exiting FTL. A chill runs down my spine, and the hairs on the back of my neck stir uncomfortably. We should have come out in the middle of a battle, where the Reapers had been taken by surprise that we had found their capital and staging area for their invasions across the galaxy. Instead… there was…
Nothing.
"Hail the Izumlayat'sya."
I obey the Emperor's command. The figure of the Admiral once again appears.
"Emperor."
"Admiral? What is going on? Where is the enemy?"
The red cybernetics of Izmennik flicker for a moment, then turn purple.
"HERE."
Suddenly, Reaper ships come out of FTL behind us.
"LET THE REDEMPTION BEGIN, AND THE ANCIENT ONES FULFILL THEIR GLORIOUS PURPOSE!"
Bastard. He has betrayed us. He was indoctrinated the whole time!
"Fire!" I order the nearest gunner, trying to rouse my Prothean comrades out of their dazed stupor. "All guns, fire!"
Red tendrils of energy fire forwards towards empty space, only for a Prothean cruiser to appear out of FTL, moments before it is struck.
There is no time to raise shields or to return fire.
THIS IS A TRAP.
The battle was lost even before it was begun. We cannot relay a warning to the rest of our ships so long as they are in FTL, and they are being picked off piecemeal. Ships crash into the wreckage of other ships that have not cleared the arrival zone. Those who succeed in pulling away are caught in the gravity wells of the nearby black holes, being slowly pulled into nothingness.
They are the lucky ones.
"Majesty!" Dranen Thurn calls out, gripping the railing as a shot strikes the Righteous Fury. "We must retreat!"
"No!" Urush shouts, but his eyes hold only desperation and despair where only minutes before, exaltation and hopeful expectation reigned. "WE MUST FIGHT! DEATH BEFORE RETREAT!"
"Indeed, my lord," Dranen answers in a softer tone. "But not for you."
He raises his Magi's staff and strikes the Emperor on the back of the head, knocking him out cold.
"Ko'le! Take Him!"
With a snarl of fury and anger, I seize the body of my dearest friend, my first friend. My Emperor and my lover. I pull his body toward the escape pod, his feet caught up by his bodyguards, who lend their strength to my own. Swims-The-Stars moves quickly, attaching his tentacles to my arm, holding on tight.
"WHAT ABOUT YOU?"
"We will cover you!"
The door closes, and there is a sudden shudder and a floating motion as the Command Module detaches entirely from the Righteous Fury. I hold the form of Urush to my chest. Swims-the-Stars moves to the control panel, typing away furiously.
"They are engaging their Pulse-engines!"
To illustrate his words, he brings up a view-screen. With a massive roar of its engines, The Righteous Fury pulls forwards, ramming the Izumlayat'sya, the larger World-Ship plowing through the Stavka-class warship like tissue paper.
Then we engage the Relay for the return trip, and the horrific scene of the Prothean Armada being torn apart by Reaper tentacles is cut mercifully short.
*CSV NORMANDY*
SAHRABARIK SYSTEM
"By the Goddess…"
Liara's hushed words seem loud in the silence that greets my story. Impassive faces meet my gaze. There was no sign on Javik's face of the pain that seeps from his aura.
"That is likely what awaits us on the other side of the Omega Relay," I said slowly, locking eyes with Shepard. "You deserve to know."
"I agree," Shepard answers, addressing the rest of the room. "Nobody need go through that Relay who isn't committed to this mission. Any who wish to stay behind, we can leave you at Omega. No judgement, and no hard feelings."
There was a moment of silence as we all considered her words.
"There's never been a fight I've backed down from," Jack said, straightening up where she was leaning casually against the wall.
Nods and grunts of approval met her statement.
Tali stood up from her chair. She folded her hands nervously for a moment, then clenched them into fists.
"For Karin."
"FOR KARIN," echoed most of the rest of room's occupants.
Javik stood up from his seat.
"Those are my crewmen in chains onboard the Indomitable. I will not abandon them to torture and a fate worse than death."
"Hear, hear, sah," Pyke Morrell echoed, pounding the table, "Certainty of death…small chance for success…. Eternal glory at stake…. What are we waiting for?"
A slight chuckle escaped a few of us at the vorcha's attitude. Shepard even grinned slightly before nodding her approval.
"Joker is finalizing preparations now. The trip should take a few hours. Everybody rest up. I want the Normandy at 100% before we make that jump. Dismissed."
The group stood to their feet and headed out the door, each going their own way. Shepard remained seated, as did I. Miranda looked to her left and right at each of us, then turned and left us alone.
"I'll admit it, Shepard," I said slowly. "I'm impressed. You've done what many people thought impossible."
"We've got a strong team and Prothean's own technology," Rebecca said as confidently as she could manage as she stood to her feet. "We'll get the job done. See you on the other side."
"Shepard?"
She paused at the door, and looked over at me.
"I didn't want you going through the relay blind, Shepard. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was wrong not to tell you."
"We've assembled some of the best fighters in the galaxy with us," she answered, "We'll make it."
"I brought you back for a reason, Shepard," I said. "You are the best damn leader I have ever seen. Far better than me… Regardless of your opinion of me, you are the best hope humanity has for the future."
Shepard clenched her fist, then turned and left the room without another word.
*Rebecca Shepard*
Commander Rebecca Jane Shepard ran a hand through her hair on the elevator ride up to her cabin.
Karin.
Of all the people she could have lost, she was hard-pressed to find one she expected less than Karin.
Loosing Kaiden had been tough. But she had lost friends before in battle. Hell, her whole squad on Akuze had gotten eaten alive by those monsters. She had watched a batarian put a knife in-between her dad's ribs, then put a bullet through his skull.
But in the whole time she'd been an Alliance soldier…there'd been Karin. She was the one you came and talked to after the mission. You could get through anything, any fight, knowing that Karin would be there afterwards to lend an ear.
Oh God…Karin…
The door finally opened, and Rebecca stumbled into her cabin. She looked up to see the slender figure of Liara sitting down at the desk. The asari stood when she saw her.
"Shepard…"
The Commander didn't make any reply, just stumbled down the stairs, sitting down on the couch with an exhausted sigh. She heard Liara make her way around and sit down next to her.
"I…I got you something. I was waiting for the right time to give you this…"
Shepard felt something being pressed into her hands. She opened her eyes to see a small picture frame. Inside there was her graduation picture from N7. And beside that…
"It took some digging but I recovered your tags," Liara said, hesitantly smiling as she tried to gauge her lover's reaction.
"I thought I'd never see these things again," Rebecca said breathlessly, absent-mindedly running her hand along the well-worn and charred tags:
Rebecca J. Shepard.
5923-AC-2826
"You can't get back everything you lose," Liara said gently, wrapping an arm around Shepard's shoulders, "but sometimes you get lucky."
There was a moment of silence as Rebecca just stared at her lover's gift.
"They've changed hands more than once," Liara added, more to fill the silence than anything else. "I got them from Admiral Hackett. He says that he's glad you're back and hopes you're doing well."
Rebecca sighed, placing the picture frame on the coffee table in front of them. "It seems forever since I was just an Alliance soldier. First I get tapped for the Spectres, then Ko'le brings me back for his Conclave…."
Liara got down on one knee, turning Shepard's face to look deeply into her eyes.
"You succeed against odds most people wouldn't even take on. It's no wonder everyone wants you on their side."
The tears spilled over and traced their path down Rebecca's cheek.
"And yet every time, another person I love dies. How long until I lose Ash? Or Joker? Or You?"
Liara held her lover close, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Between you and me," Rebecca continued, softly sobbing in-between sentences, "I have no idea how we're going to do this… I'm doing everything I can but… We are headed towards the relay. I couldn't bear it if I lost you again…"
"Not going to happen," Liara stated, marveling at the rare moment of role-reversal. Here was her lover, her Commander Shepard, being comforted by an asari maiden.
"Goddess. Tell me what to do, amchara," Liara asked in husky whisper. "Tell me what to say? Tell me what you want…"
A chuckle escaped Shepard, event through the tears.
"I dunno… us married, growing old together? A lot of little blue children running around?"
Liara drew back and slightly slugged her lover in the shoulder.
"You just…say these things…"
She stood and turned away, hoping Rebecca wouldn't see her face flushed or feel her heart racing at the honesty in Shepard's voice.
Children…
A pair of strong arms folded around her from behind. She sank back, resting her crest against the human's shoulder, awash in the feeling of absolute security that she only felt in her arms.
"Say something now…. Something I can hold onto forever, amchara."
Shepard moved her hand up, gently massaging that nerve-cluster between the shoulder-blades of all asari.
Goddess…
Liara's knees went weak and she had to fight melding with her lover instantly as the arousal hit her with the gentle wave of a train-wreck. She might have resisted the urge successfully if her lover's voice hadn't suddenly filled her ears, deep and full of desire:
"I love you, Liara T'Soni. Embrace Eternity…"
*KOLYAT KRIOS*
Kolyat reached over for the spanner. Angry thoughts filled his head:
disappointment in himself for not being able to recognize a trap when he saw one.
Frustration at not being able to save the crew of the Indomitable.
Sadness at the loss of Dr. Chakwas. True, Kolyat hadn't known her for long, but in the time he had, she had been there for him in a way no other human had been, except for maybe the Imperator.
And now she was gone to Kalahira's Oceans.
Gone to the deeps.
Just like his mother.
Then he heard it.
Well, it was the fact that he actually didn't hear it that let him know who it was that was suddenly at his feet.
"We have nothing more to say to each other."
Thane Krios simply responded in that infuriatingly even tone that he always did:
"You are angry that I wasn't there when your mother died."
"No."
"No?"
THAT surprise you, you bastard?
Kolyat grabbed the frame of the shuttle and rolled out from underneath so he could stare his father in the eyes. So his father could see the anger in his expressions.
"I am angry that you weren't there when she was alive.
I am angry that the only reason you've showed back up on my life is so you could appease your conscience and die in peace!"
"I came to grant you peace."
"And ANOTHER…Wh-Wha-What?"
Thane glanced down at the floor, mourning and sadness in every aspect of his body language and his words.
"Your mother…. They killed her to get to me… it was my fault."
"What?"
"I… After the body was given to the deep… I… I went…"
"You went after the triggermen," Kolyat said, putting the pieces of his childhood together for the first time in his life. "The ringleaders..."
"Yes," Thane confirmed, nodding his head. "I hurt them. Eventually killed them. When I went back to see you, you were—older. I should have stayed with you."
The familiar anger flared up again.
"I've done just fine for myself without you."
"I know… I'm extremely proud of you. That is what frightened me the most."
"Wait….what?"
Kolyat was really starting to get tired of hearing his voice say that…
"You have done well," his father repeated. "You have prospered. You have kept to the way of the Pantheon. You have done well…without me. That just confirms the true depth of my failure. I should have been there for you, but you overcame your adversities anyway."
Kolyat stared at Thane wordlessly. Silence hung in the world between father and son.
"Kolyat, I've taken many bad things out of the world. You're the only good thing I ever added to it. Our problems – they aren't something I can fix with a few words. If Amonkira smiles upon us, and we survive the battle to come, I would like to continue our talk. See what happens."
Kolyat barely managed to nod.
"Amonkira willing," he croaked.
Thane reached out awkwardly, placing a hand on his son's shoulder: the boy he had left had become a man. What's more, he had become a warrior in his own right, rather than the priest he had hoped for when Kolyat was an infant.
He turned slowly, leaving his son alone in the shuttle-bay.
And that was where Reyna found him only a few minutes later, sitting against the shuttle, hot tears of loss and sorrow pouring down his face.
She ran to him, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. No words were spoken as she pressed her lips unto his own. He grabbed her, pressing her to him with a deep longing.
The nearby shuttle was empty, private, and… convenient.
*GARRUS VAKARIAN*
Garrus opened another bottle of turian brandy. The Port Observation deck was usually a quiet place, good for relaxation and reflection. Now, Zaeed and Javik were arguing small-squad tactics, using empty beer bottles to simulate formations and group movements.
It was good for the squad to get out of their own heads. Losing the Indomitable and the medical team had hit everyone hard. Garrus saw Kelly Chambers sitting next to Jacob Taylor, looking very friendly indeed.
"When faced with an entrenched enemy, a head-on attack is madness!" the Prothean general was saying. "An entrenched enemy is a stationary enemy: one who can be out-flanked and surrounded at will."
"Unless that's exactly what the gooks WANT you to think," Zaeed countered. "If it's too quiet on the front lines, the enemy will get suspicious. Send flanking guards to overwhelm your own. But if you send in a diversionary attack first," he said, shoving the bottles forward, "then the bastards think they've got the upper hand."
"I concur with Mr. Massani," Pyke Morrel was saying, knife in hand to point out the various positions on the table. "Especially if you feign a retreat from the head-on attack and potentially get the blighters to leave their defenses in what they think is a mop-up operation."
"Too risky," Jacob Taylor said, shoving the bottles back again with a gentle push from his biotics. "You risk your feigned retreat turning into an actual panic. Get half your men killed needlessly."
The arguments had gone on for the better part of the hour, ranging from talking about tactics to favorite guns. Garrus looked over at the other couch. Kasumi, Kai Leng, and Tali had been sitting there together, but now it was just the quarian sitting alone.
Damn, I hate cloaking devices, Garrus thought, annoyed. I wonder if… no, it couldn't be…
Before he could speculate further on the Japanese woman's sexual proclivities, the door opened and…Jane walked into the room.
Gotta stop seeing Shepard everywhere she goes. I mean, it makes sense, being her clone and all, but the two are very different, Garrus.
Jane saw the turian behind the bar and came over, smiling.
"Hey there," she said, smiling. "Are you new here? Or did you find something behind the bar to calibrate?"
Garrus chuckled, and reached back until he found the bottle he was looking forward. He poured it into a glass and handed it to the human woman.
"Earth Whiskey," Jane said, clearly impressed. "How'd ya know?"
"For all your differences, you two have more in common than just your looks," Garrus said simply. "Where's Turro? He said he was coming."
"Meditating," Jane said, rolling her eyes. "In the Starboard Observation Deck with Morinth and Samara."
"Spirits, that has to be awkward."
Jane nodded before pouring herself another drink. "You're telling me. You seen Jack? She said to meet her here."
"She was," Garrus shrugged, "Got a message from Miranda asking if she could 'report to her cabin' about half-an-hour ago. Haven't seen her since."
Jane actually grimaced. "Oh jeez, what do you think the odds are that those two finally had it out and one of them is dead?"
Garrus reached for a towel and began carefully wiping the copious number of used tumblers clean.
"Well, considering the distinct lack of hull breaches and warped bulkheads, I think the odds of that are pretty slim. The odds of them solving the tension between them in another way, however….?"
He left the statement open as he gave Jane a knowing look.
It took her about three seconds to get what he was talking about.
"What? That's crazy!"
Garrus gave her a turian grin.
"I dunno, I've seen it in turian units all the time… females challenging one another, threatening one another. The pheromones get positively intoxicating. Before big missions like this, turian commando ships practically turn into either a bar-room brawl or an orgy."
"Oh god," Jane said, rolling her eyes, "Typical male, Vakarian. Two women disappear into the same room, and you draw all the wrong conclusions."
"What I'm drawing in my head, Miss Jane, is no business of yours…"
Jane smiled before pouring herself yet another finger of whiskey. "So, what do you do before missions?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "The brawl or the orgy?"
She picked up her drink and downed it in a single gulp, never breaking eye contact.
Garrus suddenly found it difficult to swallow all of the sudden.
"That… depends." He said slowly.
"Oh? On what?"
Garrus filled another shot glass and downs the turian liquor in a single gulp.
"The company…"
Suddenly there was a deafening crash from the nearby couch as Tali stumbled over the coffee table, sending glasses and empty bottles everywhere. Kelly Chambers scrambled to help the fallen quarian, as did Jane and Garrus.
Dear Ashley,
We are preparing to jump through the Omega Relay. This will be the second time I have made this journey. The first time, we were betrayed, and half a million Protheans died within a few minutes. I do not know what is in store for me a second time, but it feels somehow that I am tempting fate, returning to the place I should have died…
I wish I could see you; look you in the eye and say all these things. But Fate, it seems, has been set against the two of us. I am sorry. I have focused so much on creating the Conclave, on trying to save the galaxy, that I thought my happiness was a small price to pay for success.
I never took into account you own happiness.
If what we hope comes to pass, and the Normandy's mission is successful, I fully intend on making good on my promise of making it back to you, and finding a quiet beach where we can sit, and there will be no more secrets between us.
But you know better than most that the best-laid plans do not survive first contact with the enemy.
If the worst should happen, and the Normandy is lost again, you will be the one the galaxy will turn to fill Shepard's shoes. I'd be surprised if you haven't seen Udina already. He's probably hinted that "humanity still needs you, Lieutenant Commander." It won't be fair, being in the Skipper's shadow. But if anyone can do it, I know you can. You have a great heart, and a noble passion, my Ashley. Forged in the heat of battle, it will be a formidable weapon in the days to come.
You have the ability and the charisma to rally soldiers to follow you. Freedom's Progress is proof enough for that. Speaking of, that Vega seems like a solid guy. Keep him close. Good soldiers will soon be worth their weight in gold.
I must also plan for the possibility that the ship will return without the Imperator. If that is the case, stay close to Shepard. She will need her old friends and crew around her: people she can trust and count on. I confess that in the two years we've been…apart, I am almost a stranger to Shepard. Perhaps the fault is mine: As you know, I tend to hold my cards close to my chest. The result of that is that few people see past the armor and office of Imperator of the Conclave.
Except you.
When I awoke in the coffin on Therum, I truly did not think I could ever be happy again. I had thought myself doomed to an existence of solitude, alone with the ghosts and memories of my past.
You have proved me wrong. And I thank the Mother Above and Father Below that you came into my life, Ashley Williams.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
Until we meet again, in this life or the next, to you I will always be
Neither Imperator
Nor Seneschal,
But merely,
Ko'le
The Boy Who Lived.
Author's Note:
Sorry this is late, everybody! Real life decided to have the nerve to interfere with my writing process (the bastard). :P But hopefully we'll get back to a regular schedule soon!
I just wanted to take a quick snapshot, if you will, of the squad's attitudes and spirits going into the Omega-4 Relay. This time we have Liara going with us, and we're going in guns blazing!
Who will survive? More importantly, who will NOT?
Tune in next time! *evil laugh*
In the meantime, if you're interested in Skyrim fanfiction, you can take a look at my newest fic The Wolf Queen Awakened. I'd love you guys' thoughts and input on that fic and what you'd like to see there!
You guys ROCK!
Reviewer Responses:
LITERALLY EVERYONE: Yes, Karin Chakwas was beloved, and wasn't supposed to die. That is exactly why she did. This is no longer the in-game storyline, and Kevin/Beast/Ko'le take it as another nail in the coffin of their understanding of both the past and the future. Ko'le thinks that his knowledge of the past can save this cycle. Kevin is equally confident in his knowledge of the future. Beast is just ready to kill things NOW, and couldn't care less about either of the other two. But foreknowledge of an event does not mean that event is predestined, and history, while cyclical, does not always repeat itself exactly. And there is always a foe who you WILL not be able to defeat alone. That's why you bring friends along…
More specific Queries/statements:
StrawHatLuffy94 – The Indomitable was also boarded by the Collectors, only there was no EDI to save that ship. So it's been taken by the Collectors.
Ericmc02304 – I also think Javik is way too one-dimensional in the games. He is the LAST survivor, for Father's sake. But how would it be if he was suddenly responsible for others, as he was before? The Protheans didn't suddenly die overnight, and their culture was rich and alive. That's what I'm hoping people take away from my fic (among other things).
METALHELLSPWN, Tahkaullus01, OBSERVER01, spiral83 - Yeah, the Awakened Collectors, while being an obvious bone to throw to FPS-game lovers in the Multi-player aspect of ME:3, fascinated me from a story standpoint (particularly how somebody like Javik would react to them). It'd be like an alien showing you a room full of zombies and saying, "See? They're humans JUST LIKE YOU!"
RakSandman – Didn't put a Samara/Morinth bit, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Trust me, we're not done with the Mother/Daughter team. :P
Bearmauls,Nagato21,Blaze1992, Deathknight999, Toothless is best, BrotherCaptainSheperd, Squadpunk 2.0, Elvisfonz23, Pietersielie, SpecterXCove, tamagat, KyuubiNodachi, BJ Hanssen, jackli10345, Guest, You Bastard, general-joseph-dickson, Katkiller-V, redcollector, Zeru'Xil, Dragons guard – EE-RAH, my friends!