Shepard went to check on Dr Chakwas, who smiled at him as he entered.

"Commander, I very much enjoy sharing ice brandy with you, but I hope I wasn't too unprofessional. Brandy goes straight to my head," she said.

Shepard smiled. "It's nice to see you let your hair down."

"Guess, I hadn't realised how much those feeling needed airing. But, I didn't give you a chance to vent. So tell me now—what do you think?"

"Everyone is depending on us. We won't let them down," said Shepard firmly.

Dr Chakwas smiled at him as if she hadn't expected anything less. "They just don't make a life you anymore, Shepard. Well, promise me we'll share a bottle every year. The next one is on me."

Shepard then went to check on Thane and asked a few questions about the hanar. He explained that hanar are very formal around strangers, but if they got to know you better they would even share you with their Soul Name.

Shepard also asked about the barrier with the hanar communicating with bioluminescence. In order to see the frequency Thane had to have his eyes modified. Shepard also asked about drell religion, which appeared to be a dying culture. Apparently most drell would follow the hanar religion or the asari philosophy.


Shepard got a message from Kelly, who informed him, quite troublingly, that Legion wish to talk to him.

"Shepard-Commander," said Legion. "We have completed our analysis on the Reaper's data core."

"Did you find anything useful?" Shepard asked.

"We were sent to the Old Machine preserver the geth's future," Legion explained. "We are prepared to reveal how. The heretics have developed a weapon to use against geth. You would call it a 'virus.' It is stored on a data core provided by Sovereign. Over time, the virus will change us. Make us conclude that worshipping the Old Machines is correct."

"So why do you need to go to the Reaper corpse?" Shepard asked.

"The heretics store the core in a quantum storage device Sovereign provided. To find and destroy the virus, we need to understand its core and data storage structures."

"So, the virus would give all geth the heretic's logic. And all geth would then go to war with organic," Shepard concluded.

Legion nodded. "Yes. Geth believe all intelligent life should self-determination. The heretics no longer share this belief. They judge that forcing an invalid conclusion on us is preferable to a continued schism."

This sounds like a top priority, the heretics were a small percentage of the geth that attacked the Citadel, he would hate to find what the full force of the geth fleet could do.

"You know where this thing is?" Shepard asked.

"The heretics' headquarters station, on the edge of the Terminus," said Legion. "We will provide coordinates. Normandy's stealth systems are necessary to safely approach."

Shepard's eyes widened. "They built stations in the Terminus? Where is this thing?"

"Between stars. Organic have no cause to look there."

Shepard frowned. "But why do they build stations outside geth territory in the first place?"

"The heretics seek improvement on the Old Machines. In exchange, they help them attack organic. We condone the judgements."

"What the plan once we get aboard?" Shepard asked.

"The geth will disrupt their network. Prevents the station's defences from focusing on us. The Reaper Code is physically isolated from the network. We will need to be escorted to it to access and destroy the data."

"What defences should we expect?"

"In space, not. Within, mobile platforms of various configurations, and non-sentient defence turrets."

"How many geth?"

"There may be billions of individual program. Fortunately, most will be uploaded to the central computer. Only a few mobile platform are maintained at any time. Others are manufactured when needed."

Shepard nodded. "Heritage headquarters. Sounds like we could end their raids once and for all. Let's do it."

"Total victory is a possibility. We cannot judge the odds at this time," said Legion. "Regardless, we will begin preparations."


Using the coordinates that Legion had provided they soon approached a geth space station and for the moment they were undetected.

"You know it's just our heat emissions that are hidden, right?" said Joker looking at Legion. "They can look out a window and see us coming."

"Windows are structural weaknesses. Geth do not use them," said Legion. "Approached the hull at these coordinates." He then accessed a computer terminal and upload some coordinates. "Access achieved. We may proceed."

As Legion talked Joker began moving around like a robot. The only stopped when Shepard looked at him. He then guided the ship towards the space station.

Jacob looked at Shepard. "I still can't believe that were working with a geth."

"Same here," said Tali.

"It's like Legion said, the geth that attacked the Citadel were part of a rogue group," Shepard explains.

"So he come from the same faction that drove my people from our homeworld," said Tali folding her arms.

"Look, Legion says that the rest of the geth oppose the Reapers and I very much doubt they were designed to lie," said Shepard. "He also told me that the heretic were planning to spread a virus to the rest of the geth that will make the worship the Reapers. We cannot allow that to happen."

"The Commander is right," said Miranda. "While I do not agree about awakening the geth, eliminating the geth that worshipped the Reapers has to be our first priority."

Garrus looked at Shepard. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I, Garrus."

They have to cut their way through the airlock to enter the space station.

"Alert," said Legion. "This facility has a little air or gravity. Geth were required neither."

Shepard nodded and they all placed on their helmets and breathers and check to see that their mag-boots were operational. Once they cut through the door they need the space station.

"Won't we be detected?" Shepard asked. "Don't they have intrusion alarm?"

"Sensors have been reduced," said Legion. "We have infiltrated their wireless network and filled the data storage with random bits."

"And that helps us how?"

"The heretics must scrub this 'junk' data. They have partitioned themselves into local network, working in parallel. Any alarm we treasure will not go beyond the room we are in. Only accessing the main core will trigger a station-wide alert."

Shepard nodded. "We've got a job to do. Let's get to it."

"Shepard-Commander," said Legion stopping them before they made a single step. "We concluded that destruction of this station was the only resolution to the heretic question. There is now a second option." Everyone turned and looked at Legion. "Their virus can be repurposed. If released into the station's network, the heretics will be rewritten to accept our truth."

"Either way, these geth won't be a problem anymore," said Tali. She then looked at Shepard. "But Shepard, think about this. If rewrite these geth, they'll join the others. Legion's geth will be stronger. Can we trust them not to attack us in the future?"

Shepard looked at Legion. "Why didn't you mention this before we came aboard?"

"We do not know the virus was complete," said Legion. "It is. It can be used against the true geth at any time. Our arrival was timely."

"They're your people, Legion. You must have an opinion."

"This is new data. We have not yet reached consensus. We will process as the mission proceeds."

"I wouldn't brainwash an organic race," said Shepard folding his arms. "I can't see treating the geth differently."

"The question is irrelevant. If we do not rewrite them, we destroyed them. This is why we are here. Do not hesitate now. They will exterminate your species because their gods tell them to. You cannot negotiate with them. They do not share your pity, remorse or fear."


They made their way deeper into the station and so far they have encountered any geth. It looked as if that Legion was quite correct in his analysis, but soon they entered into a room with deactivated geth.

"The geth are inactive," said Tali. "Maybe we can sneak past them."

"Interrupting data stream will alert our local network," said Legion. "We recommend pre-emptive strikes against hardlink routers."

Shepard nodded it was their best way to eliminate the geth before progressing to the next room. Also the router seem to be linked to the door and was preventing them entering into the next room.

They took cover and Shepard aimed his rifle at the router. He pulled the trigger and the shot struck the router causing an explosion that destroyed the troopers and massive damage to the hunter. The Hunter began to cloak, but they fire several rounds that it and soon joined the others in floating in the air.

"Shepard, I picking up useful resources the geth hub," said Tali. "We could salvage them for supply."

"Do it," said Shepard. He then looked to Legion as Tali, Kasumi and Miranda began stripping down the remains of the hub. "Why are all the heretic attached to the hub?"

"These are mobile platform. Hardware. The crew is software. They are communicating through the station's central computer."

Shepard looked at him. "I'm not sure I follow."

"The heretic connected to the main computer to exchange data-memories and program update. We gain complexity by linking together. To be isolated with a single platform is to be reduced. We see less. Comprehend less. It is quieter."

"If you exchange data—memories—how do you keep track of which ones are yours? How do you stay 'you?'"

"There is only 'we.' We were created to share data among ourselves. The different between geth's perspective. We are many eyes looking at the same thing. One platform will see things another does not and will make different judgements."

"I can see why you be conflicted about the heretic," Shepard nodded. "In a way, whatever you do to them, you're doing yourself."

"Yes. Once they return to us and upload their memory, we will share their experience of being altered."

"Every other species I know of might be physically scarred by a trauma experienced like that."

"It is not clear if geth can be 'traumatised.' We do not feel pain as you do. We cannot predict what the effect will be."

"The question is should we take such a risk," said Garrus. He looked at Shepard. "Shepard, you saw what happened at Project Overlord. There were too many unknown and when they can't recall something they got bit in the ass."

"I have to agree, Commander," said Miranda as she, Tali and Kasumi returns. "The risks are too great."

"Let's keep moving," said Shepard.

"Yes," said Legion.


As they made their way through the space station Shepard noted there wasn't much interior to the place. The only class I was that unlike the Collective, the place had a more familiar feel to it.

Suddenly they were attacked by geth, but thanks to Legion they were able to take control of the turrets turning them against the geth. Unfortunately, when you're out of ammo exploded, but not before they destroyed the geth.

They encountered more data stream and geth attached to hubs, but the easy to care of them with the same method they used last time. Shepard had Tali, Kasumi and Miranda salvage supplies from the hubs before pushing on.

They soon reached some sort of hub within the space station and could be the first time how large the station was.

"I had no idea geth built stations this large," said Tali.

"The station is over 15 kilometres long. The room may run the length of it," said Legion.

Jacob whistled. "I can only imagine the pain it would take to bill such a place."

"Geth do not experience pain," said Legion.

"I think you mean on how much trouble you would have constructing such a place," said Shepard. "But I suppose the heretic have much more freedom in the Terminus than anyone anywhere else."


They kept on moving through the station, encountering more geth along the way. They soon entered into a room filled with geth servers.

"At these databases?" said Tali.

"Processors," said Legion. "Each contains thousands of geth."

"Can't they see us walking by?" Garrus asked.

"They are no more aware of us than you are of cells in your blood stream," said Legion.

Shepard looked at the hubs and frowned. "This isn't like the other hub we've seen here."

"This is a database," said Legion. "It contains a portion of the heretic's accumulated memories." The light on Legion's head flashed and he made surprise gesture. "Wait. We discovered copies of our current patrol routes in this database." He then created a holographic terminal and began to run through the data. "This suggests the heretic have runtimes within our network."

"We wouldn't be here if the heretic wanted to be friendly with the geth. Why wouldn't they spy on you?"

Legion looked at Shepard. "You do not understand. Do not know each other's minds. Geth do. We are not suspicious. We accept each other. The heretic desired to leave. We understood the reasons. We allowed it. There was peace between us."

"It couldn't have lasted forever," said Shepard shaking his head. "You disagreed about what path your race should take."

"Human history is a litany of blood shed over differing ideal of ruleship and afterlife. Geth have no such history. We shed consensus on such things." Legion turned and looked at the databases. "How could we have become so different? Why can we no longer understand each other? What did we do wrong?"

"When individual are separated, a developing different ways. When they get back together, they don't always get along," Shepard explained.

Legion looked at him. "If this is the individuality you value, we question your judgement. This topic is irrelevant. We must return to the mission."

"Have you reached a decision about whether to rewrite the heretic or not?" Shepard asked.

"We are still trying to build consensus. Some processes judge destruction preferable. Others rewrite."

Shepard really hope that he would reach a decision before they reach the main computer. "Let's keep moving."

Legion nodded. "Yes."


The computer terminal wasn't too far way and they could overlook the other databases below. Shepard had a feeling that the heretic will just allow them to destroy them or upload the virus.

"This is it?" he asked looking at Legion.

"Yes. We will upload a copy of our runtime into the core," said Legion. "It will delete all copies of the virus. When complete, it will notify us." Legion then began to access the computer. "The indexing operation will take time. The heretics will respond with force to our upload. We must hold this room. We can override some of the station's internal systems to defence us. Are you ready to begin?"

"Start your upload, Legion," said Shepard. "We'll defend this position."

"File transfer begun. Shepard-Commander, where would you like us to activate defensive? Alert: Heretics runtimes downloading to mobile platforms."

"Get ready," said Shepard.

Soon the heretic began to make their way towards them, but Legion managed to assess the defence turrets and they instantly fired down upon the heretic. Shepard, Garrus and Legion aimed their sniper rifles began to take down the heretic leads.

Tali managed to hack a Hunter and made it to attack the other geth, before they destroyed it. Miranda used her biotics to toss the geth aside as Jacob fired his pistol. Shepard kept on ordering Legion to activate the defence, but eventually they were running out.

Fortunately, the heretics were coming to them a lot slower no doubt they had very few platforms to upload themselves. It in take them very long to wipe out the remaining geth and soon Legion's download was finished.

"Datamine and analysis complete," said Legion. He then turned and looked at Shepard. "Shepard-Commander. It is time to choose. Do rewrite the heretic, or delete them?"

"You don't have any trouble wiping out your own people?" Shepard asked.

"Every sapient has the right to make their own decisions," said Legion. "The heretics chose a path that prohibit coexistence."

"That doesn't make any sense," said Tali. "If they 'have the right to make their own decisions,' how can you suggest brainwashing them to accept your way?"

"We stated the option exists. We did not endorse it." He then turned and looked at Shepard. "It is Shepard-Commander's decision."

Shepard frowned. "Why are you letting me make this decision? They're your people."

"We are conflicted. There is no consensus among our higher-order runtimes: 573 favour of rewrite, and 571 favour destruction." Legion then looked at Shepard. "Shepard-Commander. You have fought the heretic. You have the perspective we lack. The geth grand their fate to you."

Shepard had to say that it was a hard decision brainwashing the heretics or destroying them. Brainwashing the geth would bolster the geth's ranks, but it was hard to tell what would happen if they did so.

"There's no guarantee they won't come to the same conclusion again, is there?" said Shepard looking at Legion. "To worship the Reapers, and attack organics?"

"There is no zero probability of error," Legion admitted.

"Then blow them up. We have a chance to end. I won't waste it."

Legion nodded. "Acknowledged." He then access the computer terminal. "Collapsing antimatter magnetic bottling mechanisms." He then looked back at Shepard. "Done. Recommend withdrawal to Normandy."

Shepard nodded and they began looking through the space station towards the airlock. Geth blocks that happen began to attack, but they were few in number so it didn't take long until they reach the airlock.

Once they were aboard the Normandy made as much distance from the space station as possible and seconds later it exploded.


Rick was having another dinner date with Rose on the minute restaurant in the entire Citadel.

"I can only imagine what you Alliance soldiers do," said Rose. "I mean roaming around space, shooting bad guys saving in children and women."

"Yeah, but that only on a good and those are very rare," said Rick. "Look at John Shepard, the Alliance soldiers were they would help when Mindor was attacked by slavers."

"That's a first point," Rose nodded. "I just can't believe the batarian think we're the problem. Didn't they actually sent a meteor down onto one of our most successful colony world?"

"Yeah, the people on the planet were very lucky," Rick nodded. "They blame ours for everything that happened to them, despite the fact that they done it onto themselves."

Rose leaned in towards him. "You know those people from the Terminus System that believe that the Alliance are the worst thing that happens since Hitler was born, I think their idiots. You do everything you can to help them at the rest of your own live."

Rick looked at her. "I appreciate that Rose. However I doubt that anything useful will convince especially when you called them idiots."

Rose giggled. "True enough, but the Alliance need more people like you, Rick."

Then the two of them hadn't noticed that their faces had become close to one another. They were inches apart from kissing when they heard voice behind them said, "Do you wish to desert?"

The two of them called away from one another and turned to find the waiter looking at them. It didn't take them long to realise the two of them were inches away from kissing.

"I beg your pardon," he said and walked away.

Rose was slightly pink in the face. "You know, I think I've ate enough."

Rose then got up and walked away leaving a slightly bewildered Rick behind.