A/N: In terms of air speed – one knot is equal to 1.150 miles per hour. – one mph is equal to 1.852 kilometers per hour.
When Fates Collide
Chapter 29
~ ~ Divine Guidance ~ ~
Ilos
The commanding officer's cabin was dimly lit as the owner of the large quarters stood against her desk staring at the naked form beneath her sheets. Shifting her weight in her tight leather boots, the redhead glanced at the clock that typically reminded her how slow it could drag. Fondly glancing back at the slumbering asari, who was resting in the captain's bed, reminded Shepard that the time device was once again betraying her. However during this occurrence, it wasn't showing how slow time moved, but rather how fast time slipped away when she wanted it to crawl most. Still begrudging that she had to drag herself out of bed in the first place to make her mandatory morning rounds, the council's champion silently cursed the electronic time device.
Releasing a heavy sigh, the spectre slowly sat on the edge of the metal desk behind her, not once taking her eyes off the maiden. Even as the galactic commander walked the passageways of her ship, meeting with each of the department heads during her rounds, she couldn't get the prothean expert off her mind. The seasoned soldier chuckled as she recalled what Dr. Chakwas mentioning earlier that morning. "I presume you know where Ms. T'Soni is? She didn't come in last night; even at her normal late hour."
The green eyed woman looked down at the floor as if to hide her newly blushing cheeks. A stir from the sheets caused the captain's head to pop up instantly. Her overnight guest started to wake before she had been able to sneak back into bed as she had hoped. Frozen in place, Shepard watched as Liara leisurely tossed from one side to the other before realizing she was alone. Slowly rising, the commanding officer studied the lone blanket gradually unveil the sweet voluptuous skin below. Glossy eyed, the savior of the galaxy stared back at equally adoring irises.
Sitting up to where only her waist was covered, the extremely distracted galactic commander scarcely heard the asari speak. "Shepard, last night was amazing."
Using every ounce of restraint she had to hang onto the desk, the spectre, barely maintained control as she purred, "No Liara, you…were… amazing."
The titillating asari blushed, making the harden soldier's knees want to buckle even more. But before she lost her nerve for such a bold statement, the redhead inquired, "So, Ms. T'Soni, are you ready for round two?"
"Shepard!" gawked the aroused maiden, shortly before her eyebrows rose entertaining the idea.
"Commander Shepard!" blasted over the ship's announcement system.
Annoyed with the interruption, the redhead tilted her head towards the ceiling and snapped. "What is it Joker?"
Unaffected by the sharp tone of his commanding officer's voice, the faithful pilot reported, "Fifteen minutes to the mass relay commander."
Thrusting her back into the reality of her mission, the spectre returned, "Copy that Joker."
"I thought you really liked Joker. Why were you so harsh with him?" Consciously slumping to one side as if caught in a lie, the heroine squirmed, "I do like him. It's just that sometimes I swear he's spying on us just so he can interrupt us at the most inopportune moment."
Slipping out of Shepard's bed sheets, the asari purred, "Well, he didn't interrupt last night, did he?"
The redhead grinned, eyeing up the maiden sauntering towards her, happily answering, "No…he ...didn't… thank God. But if he had been watching, I'm sure he got an eyeful."
Hueing a soft shade of cobalt, the asari stood and hovered directly in front of the confident warrior as she seductively traced a blue finger over the curvature of the spectress' hip. "I should be going anyway..." Lifting the redhead's chin, the captivating maiden placed a chaste kiss upon her recent lover's mouth. "…and so do you."
The galactic warrior pouted as she reached out for the maiden, surprising even herself, "…but Liara."
Making the spectre miss her intended target by pulling her arm away with lightening fast reflexes, the older T'Soni heir contrived wagging her finger, "Now, Now Commander. I don't believe the council would be pleased, if we stayed in bed all day."
Continuing the playful teasing, Shepard retorted, "Matriarch Tevos wouldn't mind me in your presence for a few more minutes."
Instead of the good bye kiss she was hoping for, Liara offered her finger across the veteran soldier's lips ending the discussion. "You, Galactic Commander of the Normandy, have somewhere to be."
About to protest again, Joker's voice once more resounded off the walls of the commanding officer's stateroom. "Pardon me Captain; I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."
"What is it Lieutenant Monroe?"
"Commander, Adams has requested your presence in the engine room as soon as possible."
Accepting she was loosing the battle of convincing Liara back into her warm bed, Shepard inquired, "Do you know what he wants?"
"He mentioned that he wanted to go over the ship's readiness before we reach Ilos" reported the pilot, absence of any malice in his voice.
The naked asari smirked at her, before silently reiterating that she was right; Shepard was now needed elsewhere. Rolling her emerald green eyes at the ravishing professor, the redhead conceded as she replied, "Tell Adams, I'm on my way."
The pilot's tone shot back in a whimsical octave, "Copy that commander."
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Shepard took a deep breath as she approached the bridge. From the far side of the CIC, she could hear several of her crew members bickering amongst themselves. In the forefront of her mind, she knew everyone was on edge since Liara's discovery of where Saren Arterius was really headed. The stakes had never been higher for the Normandy to succeed, as all life was counting on them. There was a tremendous amount of stress placed upon the crew, and above all their leader: the council's champion, Galactic Commander Katherine Shepard.
If the seasoned veteran had allowed herself to contemplate the gravity if such a mission, she would have surely faltered. It was unfair to place the responsibility of all life on one person, one ship, on one do or die mission.
The best way for someone with a long line of military ancestry to cope with the extreme pressure, was to make the task more manageable. Instead of thinking she was stopping the invasion of the known universe, she was simply stopping one man; one rogue spectre. Focusing on the single mission was far easier to accomplish then the magnitude of it all if she failed. It also helped a great deal reminding herself she was also seeking personal revenge for Liara's mother, and her predecessor, Matriarch Benezia. This single concept, kept the veteran soldier on track without hesitation. Especially as Liara had explained, it was actually Matriarch Benezia who had placed the coordinates of the Mu Relay; she recovered from the Rachni Queen, in Shepard's mind, moments before she died. Without that information, Shepard's team may have never found Saren.
Dragging the toe of her leather boot across the steel deck, the commanding officer sucked in another elongated breath before lifting her head, and strutting onto the bridge where the crew was clearly in a heated discussion. They were her friends, her companions she had to find a way to get them to work cohesively if they were going to stop the Armageddon of the universe. Shredding the provisional hostile atmosphere, the galactic champion took control of the situation. Secretly stealing a quick glance at the woman she had just spent the evening with, the redhead, worthy of her position as captain barked, "What's going on up here?!"
All voices that filled the small space abruptly halted as everyone except the pilot turned to the entering commanding officer.
Lieutenants Pressly and Moreau began to respond instantaneously before Shepard interrupted, "One at a time, please."
Shooting an annoyed glance in the direction of the senior Alliance Officer, the normally zealous pilot waved his hand in the air as he dismissed his right to speak, giving the ship's navigator the floor. "Whatever"
Based on the current mission, the ship's navigator spoke, ignoring the space pilot's disrespectful behavior. "We just passed through the Mu Mass Relay Commander. We were discussing the best plan of attack. And…"
"I don't mean to interrupt, this time…" The scruffy bearded pilot relayed, his fingers gliding over the holographic control panel. Seeming to answer a question the spectre had not even asked typically ornery pilot announced, devoid of all humor, "Um, commander, we have company."
In a panicked tone not normally heard, Liara T'Soni questioned, as her own eyes scanned the large geth fleet awaiting them, "Have they picked us up yet?"
Feeling the presence of his commander move closer behind him, the snarky pilot calmly stated as if he were reciting the dinner menu. "The stealth systems are engaged." The galactic aviator's hands floated over the ship's control panel ensuring everything was in perfect order. "Unless we get close enough for a visual, they won't have any idea we are even here."
Shepard could almost feel Liara's relief as well as everyone else on the bridge. However, before the spectre had time to react, the ship's navigator had more bad news to report looking down at his own control panel. "We are closing in on Ilos and our sensors have picked up geth activity on the surface."
Furrowing her brow, the copper redhead shook her fist and blasted, "Saren!" Gripping the back of Joker's chair, the fiery woman asked, "What is their location?"
From the port side of the cockpit the senior navigator explained, straightening up from his monitor, "I am showing a large electronic signature….twenty clicks from the main cluster of buildings."
Tali's synthesized voice questioned, "Geth?!"
Snatching the attention of his commanding officer, Joker added to the dilemma, "Yeah it looks like Ilos was hit by a shit storm. My sensors are registering all kinds of geth fighter ships patrolling the planet."
A frantic female voice shrilled, "Oh God, we will be smashed to pieces!"
Snorting at the absurd comment, the cantankerous pilot retorted, "No we aren't Ash. Hello, that is why our stealth system have been engaged ever since we went through the relay." Under his breath, the Naval pilot chastised, "Ground loving Marines, good grief."
A firm, but subtle shake to the pilot's chair reminded him that his superior officer was still standing right behind him and she didn't appreciate the snarky comment. "Now that we know we won't be detected, thanks to our clever little pilot…"
The aviator was about to erupt again, but thought better of it before muttering under his breath. "Little Pilot!"
Turning back to her navigator, the green eyed woman asked, "What's our status, Pressly?"
The silently shaking officer recited what he read on his station's screen. "Commander, we are coming around the Western hemisphere now."
Ignoring the numerous goliath battleships they were secretly passing, the stead-fast spectre questioned, "Where is Saren located now?"
Trying not to glance out the window of the bridge, Lieutenant Pressly affirmed, "My instruments are indicating he has landed just outside the main cluster of buildings, on the south side."
Once again gripping the back of the pilot's chair, Shepard dictated, "Lock in on his coordinates, Joker. You are taking us down there."
Straining his voice, Pressly rejected, "Negative on that Commander. The nearest landing zone is two clicks away."
Understanding how difficult it was to maneuver a landing party with all its gear such a distance, Williams voiced her concern with a flood of terror in her tone. "We'll never make it in time on foot. We need something closer!"
Finally allowing his own emotions of fear to surface, the typically docile navigator practically yelled, "There is no where closer! I've looked!"
The stoic captain ordered, as if she had done it a million times, "Drop us in the mako."
Disputing the spectre's order like she had lost her mind, Pressly shot back, "You need at least a hundred meters to pull off a drop like that. The most I can find close to Saren is twenty!"
"Twenty meters?! No way we can make a drop in that little of space. We need more room!" Blasted the alliance marine.
A calm and confident tone rang out over the bridge, "We have to try." Stealing a brief, supporting glance from her commander, Liara declared, "Shepard can do it."
Despite the redhead's bad driving reputation, Williams knew the extreme danger the spectre was taking. Ash pleaded, "Find another landing zone!" hoping the mission wouldn't end sooner than anticipated, if the council's champion failed to land the mako properly.
In rapid recession, each occupant of the bridge retaliated. "There is no other landing zone!" Pressly barked.
"The descend angle is too steep" Tali added in a mellow tone regardless of how she was really feeling about deploying the mako out at such a height. "The stress could rip the mako's hull apart."
Not thinking about the deployed craft, Williams shot back, "What happens if Joker can't pull the Normandy up in time, and…and… we do a face plant in the side of one of those buildings?"
Feeling insulted, the trusty pilot bit back, "Please!"
The near hundred year old asari placidly announced, trying to instill confidence within the crew, "It's our only option."
Reacting rather than thinking about it, the brunette gunny chief frantically rebutted, "It's not an option! It's a suicide run!"
Only slightly louder than his normal tone, the galactic pilot reported, "I can do it."
Rotating around to look at him, the hopeful savior of the galaxy uttered, "Joker?"
Slicing through the air like a sharp blade, stilling all other motion on the bridge, Joker repeated, more self-assured. "I can do it!"
Slapping the side of his custom leather chair, the former rogue soldier's typical mischievous smirk returned when she felt a plan was coming together. "That's what I want to hear Mr. Moreau." Looking back over her shoulder she addressed the bridge crew, "Everyone man your battle stations, we've got some business to take care of." Redirecting her words at the pilot, the confident commanding officer ordered, "Joker, drop us right on top of that bastard. I have a score to settle." Shepard absentmindedly glanced in the direction of Liara upon finishing her last statement. Speaking with absolute authority, the spectre conveyed, "Liara, Tali you're going with me. Ash, I want you down in the cargo bay loading up all the ammo the mako can carry."
Shifting her attention to the main switch board, the redhead's finger slid over the holograph screen, marked 'Main Battery Room', "Garrus, I need you down in the cargo bay. I want you warming up the mako. I need her hot and ready to roll. Landing on Ilos is going to be a little harder than normal."
The turian's voice returned with complete dedication. "I'm on it Shepard. You can count on me."
The line went silent before the experienced soldier recognized that the turian had paused. "Everything ok Garrus?"
Clearing his throat feeling silly for the hesitation, the man questioned, "Shepard, may I ask who you are taking?"
"Tali and Liara."
Another bout of muteness filled the connection between the battery room and the ship's bridge. Releasing a deep sigh, the ship's captain suddenly realized the hesitation and informed the concerned Palaven native, "Don't worry so much Garrus. I won't let anything happen to Tali."
Chuckling a bit at his odd behavior the reptilian man quipped, "I'm sure you won't Shepard. I trust you." Regaining focus, the turian soldier reported, "I'll have the mako ready to go when you need her, ma'am."
Another stroke of her finger immediately commanded her voice to the cargo bay. "Wrex!"
"Wrex here"
"This is Shepard. Can you meet me in my cabin in about five minutes?" Before the mammoth of a man could explain how he didn't engage in social conversation, the redhead insisted, "It's important."
A brief grumble escaped the large battle masters lips before returning, "I'll be there Shepard." The line went dead before anything else could be said.
Another command on the holopad brought the veteran soldier's voice directly into the medical lab. "Dr. Chakwas, Shepard here. I would like you to prepare for any…unforeseen problems that might arise while we are planet-side."
Hearing the chief medical officer drop what she was doing, the experienced doctor respectfully replied in her British accent, "Aye, Aye Commander. I will be ready for whatever you need."
"Thank you, doctor." The redhead acknowledged, ending their conversation.
Gripping the pilot's seat once again but for a different reason, the council's champion uttered to her favorite galactic pilot, "Let's make sure we don't need to her, huh?"
The scruffy bearded man replied with confidence, "You got it, Commander."
Ensuring that her orders were received, the galactic champion spoke, mustering respect worthy of her title as commanding officer, "Alright people, let's suit up. You know the drill. We've got a rogue spectre to stop."
Being one of the last to leave the forefront of the ship, the savior of the galaxy began to usher the asari maiden off the bridge when she stopped and paused in front of her second in command. "Lieutenant Pressly, you have control of the Normandy while I am gone. May God…" Shepard then glanced towards her presiding prothean expert, and continued, "… or the Goddess out there, watch over us this day. For the sake of all life as we know it."
The older alliance officer nodded simply at his commanding officer knowing they were going to need every bit of help they could get; no matter the source. He watched the occupants of the bridge empty before he began commanding every major department on the ship. Within seconds he had the Normandy ready for battle; ready for the fight of their life.
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A few moments later, the door to the captain's cabin swished open. Four steps inside, the expected visitor stood and watched as the spectre scurried about her quarters preparing for the battle at hand. Fastening the last of her N7 breast plate, the woman sat down on her bed and diligently worked on securing her boots. Between held breaths, the redhead's face popped up and she began to ready her secret weapon.
"Wrex, I'm glad you came."
Wiggling her foot inside the large boot ensuring a tight fit, the commander began her unrehearsed speech. "If you don't hear from me with a few hours after landing…" The woman abruptly stood, finishing her boots, "…if I fail…"
The annoyed looking battlemaster appeared to have gotten even more annoyed, "You won't fail Shepard."
Gripping the top of her breast plate, pulling it down to adjust it into place upon her body, the redhead quipped, "Thanks for your confidence big guy… but if I do…"
The mighty krogan shifted uneasy on his feet as he waited for what was coming next. The experienced soldier slid each of her hands into a thick black pair of combat gloves. Flexing her fingers, ensuring the glove moved in unison with her hand, the galactic commander walked over to her personal desk and picked something up. Allowing parts of the beaded chain to slip through her fingers, she held the main component loosely in her hand reading the inscription. Uttering her own name and title engraved on the shiny metal, the seasoned soldier gripped the dog tags tightly before placing it around her neck, completing her ensemble.
"…if for some reason we don't make it out of there alive, I want you to hit Ilos with everything the Normandy's got. Don't let Saren off this planet." Throwing up an imaginary shield that made her seem invincible to those who didn't know her very well, the redhead added, "Destroy the Mu Relay if you have to."
"What about Liara?" Wrex questioned, even the harden warrior knew how close the two squishes had become.
Allowing a twinge of sadness to sweep across her face, the spectre conveyed, "I know she'll be crushed, but if she lives another day to be pissed at me…. then I'll be happy." Not allowing another protest to be uttered, "Wrex, you're a krogan. You understand war more than anyone. You know that sometime sacrifices need to be done." Reaching down, touching the screen of the ship's computer, the woman continued, "I, Galactic Commander Katherine Shepard, under sound mind and body, am giving you, Urdnot Wrex, command of the Normandy if I fail. I am recording this conversation, and I am giving you full authority to blow Ilos out of the sky if I don't make it back. Is that understood?"
The mighty battle master batted his eyes once before answering with a solid grunt. "I understand Shepard. I won't let you or the galaxy down."
Patting the krogan on the shoulder, that was her head's height, the commanding officer expressed her gratitude for the task at hand. Shepard knew humanity, not even some of the other crew members, might be able to perform the charge put before the experienced warrior. "Thanks Wrex. I'm counting on you. Now walk with me to the cargo bay. I'd like your opinion on how I should attack this son of a bitch."
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Planetside, Saren was leading a small army of geth forces into one of the main caverns of Ilos that resembled a large underground freeway. Hearing a ship's roaring engines in the distance, the tall turian spectre turned around and saw a human alliance ship fast approaching. Reminded of the pestilence that had been following him for months, the rogue spectre growled, "Shepard". Seeing the vessel coming in at a very steep angle, Saren knew there wasn't a descent landing zone within a thousand clicks from his present location. However studying the fast moving alliance ship, he realized how low to the ground she was. "Unbelievable."
The former glorified spectre, shouted at his team of faithful servants, "Keep moving!" Taking a few backward steps, not taking his gaze off the rapidly approaching craft, Saren muttered, "That crazy heretic is actually going to try and land." Knowing that the veteran soldier had been on his heels during his entire mission, the angry turian once again blasted at his army, "Keep moving, we are almost at the conduit. I don't want any further delays." Glancing at the heroic ship one last time, the turian hissed, "Perhaps she'll kill herself, and I won't be bothered anymore."
High in the sky, the wings of the galactic bird shuddered against the friction around her. The entire ship was rattling as Joker desperately hung on, trusting the Normandy could handle this. Despite the turbulence surrounding the mighty ship, the cargo bay doors began opening in midair. Half way ajar, a large metal craft jettisoned out of the belly of the alliance's best ship. Her spinning tires before the doors even finished opening was imperative for the mako to shoot out of the belly of the ship like a rocket. The commanding officer's unmistakable voice declared the mako, "clear" of the magnificent space fairing ship, before she pulled up, narrowly missing the large climbing skyscrapers that seems to touch the sky itself.
Feeling the immediate sharp descend, Shepard realized exactly what Ash meant by the roller coaster effect back on earth. Locked elbows and firmly gripped fingers held onto the steering wheel of the mako for dear life. Shepard's life and that of her squad were once again in her very hands. Glancing out the windshield from the corner of her eye, the commanding officer watched as the Normandy successfully cleared the monumental buildings. "Way to go Joker" breathlessly leapt from the soldier's lips. A hard shutter to her present transport ripped her attention back to the fact that she is now at the mercy of Ilos' gravity, as she and her crew are plummeting towards the ground at an alarming rate. Quickly scanning her faithful companions, who remained silent despite their urge to scream in absolute terror, Shepard reasoned, If Joker can save the Normandy's crew, then I can certainly save three more.
Maintaining control of the craft, projected to slam into the planet at any second, Shepard quizzed, "Tali, how far until we hit the ground?"
Exasperated and horrified by the question, the quarian genius asked, "What?!"
Gritting her teeth from the intense G-force surrounding the mako, the soldier reiterated, "I mean how far until we reach the ground?"
Feeling as if her stomach contents were about to fill her face mask, the young engineer answered, "2.38 kilometers" now bracing herself between the roof and the side of the mako behind Shepard.
"Ok, good. I will hit the thrusters at 1.5 kilometers."
Shocked by the extreme short distance before even trying to slow down, Liara all but blasted, "1.5 kilometers?!" Watching the ground getting closer and closer, the prothean expert confessed her doubt, "Isn't that a little late?!"
"No," Shooting a hopeful fake smile to her co-pilot sitting next to her. "I can't activate them any sooner or we'll head into a tail spin. The mako wasn't designed for such a steep drop."
Again her back seat driver fearfully inquired, "Shepard, are you sure about this?"
Experiencing her own stomach at the back of her throat, the spectre quipped, "Well, we have little choice now."
The engineer beckoned, "That is not an answer."
"Tali, I got this" reported the hopeful savior of the galaxy.
Liara tightened her own grip on her security harness as she studied the craft's pilot. "Shepard?"
Shooting the asari a firm confident glance, the experience soldier reported smoothly, "Liara, I got this."
Fighting the mako's urge to flip and head into a tail spin, the galactic commander tore one of her hands free from the steering column and immediately began pressing buttons. "Ok, I'm going to activate the forward thrusters. Get ready for a little jolt."
Dripping with sarcasm, Tali retorted, "And exactly what do you call us firing out of the belly of a ship?"
Realizing she had chosen her words badly, the redhead warned, "Just hang on."
Coming to an abrupt standstill, like a 21st century Navy fighter jet; decreasing speed from 130 knots to a stand still in less than 150 feet, the mako came to a screeching halt, similar to landing on an aircraft carrier. Not much time passed before the team's stomachs caught up to the occupants inside, as the last of Ilos' earth scattered about the wheels of the Normandy's land rover. The squad had landed better than perceived, but arrived just in time to see a large door that separated them from Saren's army, close between them.
Watching the last of daylight disappear behind the leviathan door, Saren warned, "If she makes it inside, consider yourselves scrap metal" before he headed deeper into the large structure.
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Climbing out of the well ridden assault vehicle, Shepard approached the massive door blocking their path. "Dammit!" She spat in anger kicking the door ahead of her. Before her temper could fester any further, the redhead heard Liara nearing.
"Shepard, we made it!" The professor exclaimed, sending a wave of ease over the irate spectre.
Tali was the last to stroll up to the magnificent wall, which towered at least fifty meters over their head. Tapping the omni-tool on her arm, the feminine quarian stated, "Well, one thing is for sure. Shepard knows how to crash-land the mako better than she knows how to drive it."
Twisting around, the council's champion flattened her smile at the young engineer. Unphased by the glare, the suited woman continued to inspect the outside of the mako. Taken aback by the genius's odd behavior, Liara inquired, "Tali, what is it?"
"I don't get it. She can't drive worth a vorcha, but she can crash-land this hunk of metal like a bird in a 20 click radius." Staring back at her commanding officer, Tali voiced, "Absolutely unbelievable. If I hadn't been strapped in, I wouldn't have believed it myself."
Looking innocently back at her team member, the asari maiden commented, "Me either Tali, and I was sitting right next to her."
Frowning at the lack of confidence in her driving between the squad members, the first human spectre grumbled, "Alright, alright. I pulled off a miracle. No biggie." Turning back around to face the door, the frustrated soldier dragged her hands across the front of the stone wall. "What I need now is another miracle, to get on the other side of this door."
The synthesized voice reverberated, as she examined the gigantic stone, "We have to get inside this bunker before Saren finds the conduit." Disappointed that her superior, custom modulated omni-tool didn't offer better results, Tali reported, "There is no way we are getting past this door with brute force." The mathematical genius informed her leader, "It's at least 1.2192 meters thick."
Discussing their options, the seasoned warrior and quarian engineer seemed to be making no progress. Suddenly the redhead realized that the resident prothean expert wasn't participating in the conversation. Attempting to shake the asari from her bewildered trance, Shepard called out to her, "Liara! Liara!"
Half dazed the maiden answered, "What? What?"
Nearly snapping at the young professor, the woman dressed in her tightly fitting N7 armor countered, "Do you have any suggestions on how to get past the door?"
Still looking wildly around at her surroundings, Liara softly muttered, "Ilos is so beautiful."
Knowing she did not have the prothean expert's full attention, Shepard snapped her fingers. "Liara! Liara! How do we open the door?"
The asari slowly turned her mystified head back towards the captain. "I'm sorry Shepard, but I have no idea."
The commanding officer and her engineering genius instantaneously shared a discouraged expression at the lost professor. Both had a rapidly growing pitted feeling that Liara was going to be more of a hindrance then help during their visit to the legendary planet of Ilos.
Offering what little she could, the young quarian announced, "Saren found a way to open it, so there must be a way inside."
"Right Tali, we just need to find another way in." Taking a moment of her own to survey the layout of their temporary landing pad, the N7 officer saw a passageway behind them, off to the side. The spectre, gripped her weapon and ordered her squad, "This way!"
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Snaking their way down and around the narrow passageways, and after encountering several patches of Geth forces along the way, the team soon discovered an ancient lift of sorts. However unlike other elevators, this one moved at an incline angle rather than the traditional up and down. Reaching the top level, the young engineer noted, that with the age of the equipment and lack of maintenance, she couldn't believe it was still running. Marveling at every step they took, Liara added, "Yes indeed Tali, this place is truly remarkable."
On the heels of the quarian's statement, the savior of the galaxy added, "I believe our engineering wizard was saying she couldn't believe the elevator still had power." Keenly searching for some sign of power cables or junction box, the Normandy's captain speculated, "It must be running off its own generator."
Using her omni-tool to evaluate the electrical surges around them, Tali suggested, "I bet this is the main command center for the entire complex. This must be where Saren's troops sealed the door behind them. We have to find a way to turn it off if we ever want to get inside."
"Agreed"
"If I can find that generator, I should be able to override the main door Shepard" informed the quarian female.
Spinning around so wildly that she almost fell off the ledge overlooking the plaza below, the prothean expert concurred. "I believe she is correct Shepard." Liara voiced brushing off her armor as if nothing had happened.
"Copy that." The councilor's champion reported, chambering a new thermo clip in her trusty assault rifle Maggie. "Now let's find that generator."
Following her lead, the accompanying squad mates nodded in agreement as they headed back into the prothean elevator, preparing their side arms for the next wave of geth troopers. Back at the main floor, Shepard took point securing the surroundings. She believed that even though Liara was pre-occupied with the great city around her, she would still instinctually respond at a moments notice if Shepard was in danger. At least that is what she was counting on.
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The galactic commander rocked the heel of her boot over one of the downed geth troopers making sure it was in fact, out of commission. This was, without a doubt, the largest conflicting force they had met so far. Resting her rifle on her hip, the gallant soldier peered over to her squad mates and asked the young quarian taping away at her arm, "What's our status?"
"Perimeter clear" Methodically replied the master engineer.
"Good. What else you got Tali?"
Staring down at her favorite gismo, the engineer absentmindedly raised a digit to the commanding officer. "Shepard I am going to need a moment, there are power surges all over the place. It will take me some time to locate the source."
Aware that her presence would be more of a hindrance to the situation than useful for the quarian genius, the redhead abjectly replied, "Ok." Feeling helpless in Tali's department, the spectre sauntered towards the professor engrossed in a large statue that resided in the great plaza around them. Positioning herself beside the asari who hadn't yet acknowledged her presence, the council's champion chimed, "Hey pretty blue eyes. What you got there?"
Finally recognizing the company of another, Liara grinned as she rose to her feet. "I'm not entirely sure." The prothean expert slowly pirouetted around encompassing the entire plaza. "It seems that we are in the middle of an elegant Prothean Garden."
Leaning on the statue like she would a guardrail on the Citadel, the green eyed woman, sounding partially intrigued, answered, "Oh?" Sneaking a peek at the professor's backside, the soldier recalled enjoying living art to those made of stone or metal. Not attempting to hide her blatant stare, the spectre added, "I'm sorry we don't have the time to explore this place like I know you'd love to Li."
A solemn frown smeared its way across the maiden's face, one Shepard hadn't seen since their time on Harbinger. Pulled into the moment, the redhead's heart went out to the nearly devastated prothean expert as she conveyed, "I know Shepard, but this is all so amazing. I have studied the Prothean Culture nearly my entire life and now, right now, I am standing where they once stood; on an unspoiled planet." The commander moved off the ancient statue as she watched Liara scan the vast open area. Barely holding back the tears of joy or anguish, she couldn't tell, the daughter of Matriarch Benezia continued, "An entire planet in excellent condition, untouched by thousands of years of pirating and looting." Abruptly spinning around to face her lover, Liara animatedly disclosed, "Shepard, do you know what this means?" Coming within a few inches of the woman's face, the asari gleamed desperately at the human, practically pleading, "What this means to me?"
A rugged side of a gloved hand caressed the maiden's cheek. Remembering the shared thoughts and memories of the asari, the hardened warrior spoke with a soothing tone. "I do Liara. I do."
Interrupting yet another intimate moment for the couple, a synthesized voice bellowed, "Golmallie!"
Both women's heads snapped around at the sudden outburst. Grounded once more by the realization of the matter at hand, Shepard questioned, "What is it Tali?"
"I believe I found the power source." Lifting her head and double checking the electronic device attached to her arm, the quarian pointed to her right. "It's this way Shepard, and we really need to get going."
"You're right Tali. Liara, let's get moving, we don't know how much time we have left or if Saren has already reached the conduit."
Studying the asari lost in her own thoughts, the spectre gently tugged on her favorite prothean expert's arm, knowing how truly hard it was for her to rush through the place that she had only dreamed of finding, much less visiting. In a soft understanding voice she whispered to her companion, "Come on Liara. We've got to go."
Shaking the woman from her profound thoughts, the maiden responded as she firmly gripped her weapon. "I know" nodding her head in agreement.
It took all the commander had, to drag Liara past more statues as they headed down the passageways that seem more like a maze than an ancient city. Climbing and descending several staircases, the savior of the galaxy's team encountered several more enemies before exiting a narrow hallway that opened into an odd shaped octagon. Frustrated with the labyrinth, the spectre decided, as she headed down one more twist and turn, that she was going to start shooting down walls as well as anything else that got in her way.
Eventually coming to what looked like a control panel to another elevator, Tali disclosed, "This is it Shepard. The power source is behind this door."
Looking at markings on the panel, the redhead inquired, "Can you open it, Tali?"
"I don't know. I have never seen anything like this before."
Encouraging the genius on her team, hopeful she could figure it out, Shepard insisted, "Do what you can."
Carefully approaching the asari who had begun to marvel the intricate carvings on the wall next to Tali, the savior of the galaxy asked, "Anything helpful on there?
"I do not know. There has never been enough evidence or remains to describe their true spoken language."
"Hmph"
Just as the spectre began to believe that her team would be able crack the power issue, Tali revealed, "Shepard, based on my calculation…" The young quarian slowly turned around and stared at the massive stored gear behind her, "this took the geth days, if not weeks to crack."
"What?" croaked the soldier. "We don't have that much time."
Dropping her arms as if she had disappointed her admiral father, the quarian responded, " I'm not a machine. I can't work as long and as hard as they did." Feeling all glimmer of hope flee, Tali muttered, "Shepard, I'm sorry."
The commander glanced back at the prothean expert, one look at her face said it all, she too had nothing more she could offer in such a short amount of time. Kicking the ground as she spun around, a lone word escaped the former rogue soldier's mouth that was rarely heard, "Fuck!" The spectre shifted uneasy on her feet as her fist clinched her face. "No! No! No! This isn't happening." The two aliens stood in silence as they watched the redhead struggle for control not erupt into a fit of rage. Liara's head was the first to drop to the ground as she too began to belittle herself. If only she had not been afraid to meld with the commander earlier. Had she only read Shepard's visions sooner they would have had plenty of time to stop Saren.
Like a flash of light, the professor's head lifted with great purpose. Not wasting a second, the asari maiden approached the fuming soldier. "Shepard, you should try the control panel." Seeing the blood rushing about the normally pale face, Liara encouraged the stumped warrior. "You were touched by the prothean beacons. Your physiology was changed so you could receive the transmission."
The spectre once again dragged her fingers through her copper red hair. "But Liara, I still don't understand it all."
Smiling brightly like the day Benezia first held her new born child, Liara explained, "Remember on Therum, you didn't even have the cipher and you operated the lift?"
"Liara, I don't know what you're talking about." The galactic commander disclosed, scratching her head trying to make sense of it.
Placing her hands together to gather her thoughts, the professor worthy of all her years of study conveyed, "On Therum, you not only operated a prothean lift, you also freed me from a prothean barrier that had imprisoned me."
Joining in the confusion, Tali questioned, "..and?"
Rubbing her forehead like she were speaking to stubborn child, Liara stated, "Shepard, you couldn't speak, read or understand Prothean, yet you operated prothean technology like you had been doing it your whole life."
Simultaneously the same brilliant light went off in both the commanding officer and quarian's head. "Oh my Goddess, you're right Liara. I don't know how I did it. I just did it."
Enthusiastically, Liara suggested, "You should attempt it again. See if you can get inside that control room. Try to shut down the power to that massive door."
Gently thanking her lover by placing a tender hand on her shoulder, Shepard leapt into action and hovered over the screen. Immediately feeling the pressure of the entire universe crushing down on her if she failed to operate this panel, sweat started to bead down the spectre's face. Taking in a few deep breaths, the redhead raked her fingers through her copper red hair and closed her eyes. Slowly exhaling the last bit of air from her lungs, the green eyed woman tried to clear her mind, clouded by the images of everyone suffering from her failure. Even, when the disciplined soldier concentrated harder, she was reminded of a difficult time from her youth as her mother's voice floated across her mind. As fast as it came, the comforting voice left her and all that remained was darkness as the spectre stilled her mind further. At first, the commander tried to rush her calmness as the nothingness engulfed her. Although, before she allowed a moment of frustration to fill her mind once again, Shepard remembered the most powerful image in her life. She envisioned Liara standing there in the darkness, enveloped by a brilliant light of hope and happiness. This is where Katherine Shepard could draw her strength today and for many days to come.
A quick jerk from the warrior's body, followed by opened eyes, she filled her lungs with a wonderfully fresh breath of new air. Without hesitation, the spectre removed her gloves and allowed her fingers to glide over the electronic panel. As precise as a well rehearsed recital, the commander's fingers floated above the panel tapping an intricate sequence of buttons in a seemingly unscripted pattern. The humming noise that had been omitting from behind the sealed room, suddenly softened as the door slid open.
"You did it!" cheered the quarian engineer.
Cupping the spectre's face within her hands, Liara slowly leaned in and kissed her. "Yes, she did."
Enjoying the affectionate kiss, Shepard smiled back at her recent lover for a moment before announcing, "Alright team. We've got a mighty big door to open. Let's get this show on the road."
%%%%%
Neatly packaged back inside the mako, the trio watched as the heavy door lifted before their very eyes. The mako made haste of the geth troops that Saren left in his wake, thanks to Tali's exceptional aim, and the startling admirable driving skills of Shepard. Wave after wave, the obstacles were mowed down as the squad made their way deeper into the ancient city. It did not go unnoticed to the mako crew, the multiple cylinders that seemed to be virtually attached to the walls. As they drove further down the large passageway, the group began to realize there were thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of these containers. The Normandy's presiding prothean expert was unable to provide the answers her shipmates asked, in fact, regardless of the near fifty decades the woman had spent on the subject, standing on solid prothean grounds made her realize how little she really knew about the historic civilization that once occupied this magnificent planet.
Chugging their way down yet another long winding path, the mako came to an abrupt stop, forcing the occupants' heads to jolt forward. "What's wrong?" Tali asked, unable to see directly in front of the assault vehicle.
Stepping outside the mako, Shepard glared at the amber colored barrier that was now blocking them from proceeding any further. "Angrily stomping at the ground below her, Shepard blasted, "Dammit Saren! I knew this was a lousy trap." Glancing behind the mako, the galactic officer saw a matching barrier blocking their path back and shouted, "We are trapped like rats."
Liara staring bewildered at the only possible escape route stammered, "Um, Shepard. I do not believe it was Saren that ensnared us in this prison."
About to accuse her personal asari scientist of being out of her mind, the human questioned, "What?!"
Gradually pointing towards a small opening in the enormous prothean wall, the asari stated. "That is not geth."
Pulling out Maggie, Shepard entered the tight corridor, "Fire up those biotics, we need to be ready for anything." The spectre whispered to Liara. This time, ready for another ambush, the team nodded and slowly made their way inside.
Making their way down a purely intended path, the piercing blue eyed asari declared, "I have studied the Protheans for decades, however, I have never felt this sense of foreboding. I can't imagine what we are going to find down here."
"Whatever we discover, be cautious. We still aren't sure if this is a trap set by Saren." Tali added, maneuvering herself between the deadly spectre and perhaps the galaxy's most powerful biotic.
Stepping out of the lift's entrance and continuing down a extended path, the team noticed several more pods lining the walls around them. Along the edge of the elongated corridor was an illuminated metallic hand rail. At the end of the stone platform was another prothean control panel, similar to the one Shepard had operated only moments ago. The savior of the galaxy signaled for her team to stay back as she investigated forwards. An odd amber light seemed to hover before the redhead, several meters off the floor and when she advanced, the light sprung to life, sending the cautious captain back a few steps.
The light twirled as a synthesized voice spoke to the harden warrior, "You are not prothean, but you are not machine either. This eventually was one of many that were anticipated. This is why we sent our warning through the beacons."
Coming to stand at her leader's side, following her squadmate, Tali mentioned, "Looks like some kind of VI program, pretty badly damaged though."
Speaking with absolute resolutions, the electronic voice continued, "I do not sense indoctrination among any of you, like the one that passed recently. Perhaps there is still hope."
"This is incredible. An actual working Prothean VI, and I can understand it." The life time student of the ancient race excitedly resonated.
Carrying on, the synthetic voice revealed, "I have been monitoring your communications since you arrived at this facility. I have translated my output into a format you can comprehend, although, I am still unable to translate 'sugar butt'. The asari maiden's face dropped to the ground as the galactic commander tilted her head to the side, nearly un-phased by the embarrassing comment.
"My name is Vigil and for the moment you are safe here. But soon, nowhere will be safe."
Already aware of this alarming information the council's champion, not wanting to waste a single precious minute stopping Saren, sternly retorted, "Why did you bring us here?
On command, the rotating beams of light responded, "You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years. But to stop it, you must take heed or you will make the same mistakes we did."
Like her encounter with Matriarch Benezia's faithful subject, Shiala, a great deal of information was passed from the prothean VI to Shepard and her squad. He, or rather 'it', disclosed the tragic fate of the Protheans along with the truth of the Reapers and where they came from. Unable to provide an answer on how to destroy the massive Reaper fleet, the electronic voice did deliver instructions on how prevent them from invading again. To their great shock, Shepard and her team were informed that the Citadel was actually an enormous mass relay to dark space. The gateway was pinnacle to the Reapers initial attack; starting with the killing of the galaxy's top leaders, including the Citadel Council, then destroying the Citadel's fleet in one fail sweep.
Vigil strongly suggested that Shepard first stop Saren from activating the Citadel Mass Relay by altering the signal that instructs the keepers to trigger the mass relay open. The VI informed her he could provide everything it knew about the Reapers and their cycle of devastation to Shepard on a disk. She only needed to upload this disk directly into the Citadel's master control unit.
Braking out of form, the young quarian probed with a bit of skepticism, "What master control unit? I've never heard of anything like that on the Citadel."
Also having never heard of the master control unit, in either the Alliance files or spectre files that she was privy to, the galactic commander waited for the informative VI to answer Tali's question.
Again the amber light glowed as Vigil explained. "The seemingly benign keepers were either created or trained, I can not say for sure which, to hide the Citadel's greatest secrets. There are a many abundant things that are unknown about the Citadel."
Unable to contain her overwhelming enthusiasm any longer, the zealous asari professor snapped, "How is it possible that not a single Prothean survived?"
Without emotion the VI explained, "Some worlds were utterly destroyed, while others were conquered and their populations enslaved. Within a few centuries, the Reapers had killed or enslaved every Prothean in the galaxy. They were relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough."
Realizing she now had what she needed to stop the rogue spectre, and hoping to side track her personal prothean expert, the council's champion asked, "Do you know how Saren plans to use the conduit to begin this genocide?"
Without pause, the VI's deep electronic voice began to transpose what it knew. "The conduit is actually a small scaled mass relay prototype created by the last of the Ilos' prothean scientist. It only links in one direction to the hub of the mass relay system; the Citadel itself."
Dumbfounded, Liara remembered spending much of her time on the station staring at the only thing that could possibly be the conduit. For countless hours, she studied and adored the massive statue in the main plaza that resembled a small scale of a mass relay. It was this asari's favorite place on the galactic station. "Oh Goddess, the conduit is not a weapon after all. It is a back door to the Citadel."
Continuing its artificial explanation, the rotating beams of light stated, "Saren plans to use the conduit to bypass all the Citadel's external defenses. Once inside, he will transfer control of the station to Sovereign, and the cycle of extinction will begin. From over her shoulder, the commanding officer could hear Tali suck in a sudden gasp of air over the news. "Upload the data disk. It will give you temporary control over the station. It might give you a chance against Sovereign."
Determined to stop this cycle of extinction, the veteran soldier absentmindedly slipped into her typical no nonsense bad ass stance and questioned, "If the keepers have hidden the master control unit, how will I find it?"
"Follow Saren through the conduit. He will lead you to your destination." Vigil hastily replied.
Relaxing her intimidating stance, the redhead barked, "Saren's got enough of a head start. Grab that data file and let's go."
Before the spectre had a chance to turn around, Liara remarked, "Shepard are you sure we need to go now?" Glancing back and forth between the commander and the VI, the maiden pleaded, "Who knows how much longer Vigil will be here? Even now the projection is weak." Taking a step closer to the soldier, the asari professor stared into her green eyes lobbying her case. "This might be our only chance to speak with it. Our only link to the knowledge of the Protheans! It is the opportunity of a lifetime!"
Rubbing the bottom of her chin as she quickly weighed the pros and cons of the prothean expert's request, Shepard affirmed, "It might know something useful."
"I will provide whatever information I can. My data banks, however, are limited to information directly related to stopping the Reaper invasion."
The spectre knew the young T'Soni wanted more than that, however, time was short already. The council's champion looked down at her omni-tool and tapping her finger along the electronic device, she conveyed, "Ok, I've got the file. Come on."
Wanting to contribute more to the mission at hand, the synthesized voice divulged, "The one you call Saren has not yet reached the conduit. If you hurry, there is still hope." If it were possible for a synthetic to communicate fear with its words, it certainly did the trick as Vigil reiterated its last words, "Remember Shepard, if the Citadel relay is activated, the Reapers will pour through. And all life as you know it will be destroyed."
Donning her best stoic face, one she had learned from a particular asari matriarch, the galactic soldier inhaled sharply and affirmed, "Got it." The spectre did not even have to issue an order to her team before leaving, they knew instinctually to follow her back the path they came.
Back in mako that had previously carried her team through Ilos, Shepard carefully navigated the city's aqueduct system. Demonstrating that her driving had not miraculously improved in the last hour, the assault vehicle drifted from side to side. Often times, the commander found it easier to run over several geth troopers, rather than trying to line up a shot for the cannon. In between the cheering jubilations from the human and quarian, for demolishing every geth in their path, the asari maiden commented about the engineering wonder that surrounded her. The green eyed woman could hardly dismiss the professor's great curiosity, as she recounted the asari's love for all things prothean experienced during their melds. Peering out at the complex water system they were driving through, even the spectre felt a bit amazed.
"Maybe one day, we'll come back here, and I'll let you study to your heart's content." The redhead absentmindedly mentioned, still staring out the window, at the large concrete walls in which water streamed down.
"Really?!" questioned the piercing blue eyed beauty.
Snapping her head back around, Shepard shifted in her seat realizing what she had just voiced. Under her breath the galactic warrior muttered, "If there is a someday." Focusing back on the road in front of her, Shepard never drove the mako so straight. At the time, when the newly appointed spectre opened her mouth before thinking, she actually meant what she said. However, in this moment, the savior of the galaxy had more pressing matters to deal with; a rogue spectre trying to destroy the entire universe for one.
Coming to the top of an embankment, the trio's eyes shot wide as they stared at what laid before them. If it were possible to hear a terrifying site, then it surely would have made its presence in the mako at that very moment. Scanning her eyes over the large plaza below them, the spectre counted the numerous geth colossuses that awaited her team. Ripping her attention from certain death, rested her sole objective. Just as Vigil had described, a small scaled mass relay stood at the end of the line. Based on the brightness of the light, illuminating off the apparatus, it was clear that Saren had already entered the Conduit.
Tali's voice shot over the deafening silence that filled the tank, "According to my calculations Shepard, the conduit will only remain open for another minute twenty seven seconds."
"Oh Goddess, we will never defeat that many geth colossuses in time." Liara shrieked.
Acknowledging that there was little chance of surviving, the redhead glanced over to her dear friend Tali, she wanted the young engineer to step foot on her home planet again. Turning to her right, Shepard's emerald green eyes peered at a pair of glistening azure pupils as she professed, I want Liara to have that someday, to come back here. Focusing back solely on the conduit, the council's champion narrowed her eyes and wrapped her fingers tightly around the steering wheel.
From behind her, a more than concerned quarian nervously asked, "Shepard, you don't plan on driving down there, do you?"
Not allowing her glare to revert from her intended target, the conduit, the commanding officer was not going to allow anything else to stand in her way from succeeding. "They didn't give me the title of 'Savior of the Galaxy' for backing down when things got rough."
Glancing over to her crew, the first human spectre confirmed with a nod, "You might want to hang on…" Slamming her foot on the accelerator, the veteran soldier mentioned, "…this might get a little scary."
Clinging on for dear life, her faithful crew did as she ordered, while the harden warrior made her gusty move and propelled them towards the unbiased mass relay. The trio shuddered wildly as the mako shook from the large geth colossuses firing extensively upon it. Huge explosions surrounded the craft as Shepard's quick calculations and gut feeling were paying off, the enormous machines were too big to maneuver and target the small fast moving vehicle.
Gripping the interior of the mako with all her might, the quarian engineer asked, "What if that 50,000 year old VI was mistaken about where the conduit actually leads?"
Unwavering in her devotion to continue, the councilor's champion answered, "I don't know, but we are about to find out."
Clearing the last of the artificial combatant devices, the light grew intensively brighter. Not letting up on the gas pedal, the council's champion headed straight for the blinding beacon as a brief thought crossed her mind. We are about to be propelled half way across the universe faster than the speed of light. I hope the mako will hold.
The Alliance assault vehicle disappeared, vanishing into the blinding light of the prototype mass relay.
%%%%%
A panicked scream erupted from the Normandy pilot's chair, "What the hell?! Where are you?! What happened?" Joker frantically maneuvered his skilled hands over the translucent control panel. Fear filled his voice as he frantically searched for the mako carrying not only part of his crew, but his commanding officer.
Speaking on deaf ears, Lieutenant Charles Pressly queried, "What is it Moreau?"
Again the man blasted aloud, "Shit! Shit! Shit! This is soooo not happening. Not on my watch!"
As diligent as the pilot was, in all his years he had never lost anyone from his crew, at least not due to his failure and he certainly wasn't going to make Galactic Commander Shepard, first human spectre, his first. He pressed and tried everything his decade of experience had taught him, including a few tricks he picked up while spending way too many nights at the bars and haggling over credits during a late night poker game or two. Nothing was working. He was unable to locate the missing M35 tank.
The quick working hands abruptly came to a screeching halt when the Alliance pilot froze, then flopped heavily back into his chair. Open palmed hands hung in mid air as astonishment engulfed the alliance pilot.
"They're no longer on my scanner." Barely sucking in the air he needed to survive, the pilot begrudgingly added, " Even their heat signature is gone."
"What do you mean gone Lieutenant?!" bellowed navigator Pressly.
Stammering at his own disbelief, Joker motioned to his control board and replied, "I mean, they are gone as in they are no where. Commander Shepard, Liara, Tali and the mako. They are all just… just GONE!"
