A/N - If you've been reading and following this series of fanfics, you know that one of my most prominent pet peeves about the Mass Effect world is the the uneven characterization of Liara T'Soni... I think Liara is an amazing character that Bioware didn't develop well, and that's unfortunate, since they have shown with several other main characters - Kaidan, Garrus, Tali come to mind - that they are capable of sustaining a character arc and showing real organic growth and development. Thessia is a microcosm of this... Liara is up and down all over the place in the course of just one mission. As usual, I've tried to even that out and keep her true to the version of Liara that I've been writing. Hope it works for you. I also wanted to mention that Shepard surprised me in this chapter... when I sat down to write Thessia, I had planned it to go similarly to how she reacts in Reflections (and to somehow have Kaidan step up to give another amazing, but different, speech to help.) Then when the time came, she reacted differently than how Kat in Reflections did, and I had a moment of 'huh' but went with it.
As always, all credit for anything Mass Effect related belongs to Bioware, and I thank them sincerely for it! Thanks to all of you out there still reading, following, favoriting! I appreciate the time and attention. Finally, you can find this content (and much more!) at my site at arinskye dot wordpress dot com... Til next time! ~Arin
Shepard woke the next morning naked, curled up in her husband's arms, and to the sound of EDI's voice. The first two were fairly common occurrences, the last was not. A lifetime aboard ships had instilled her own internal alarm that usually woke her before most of the crew. This morning she had chosen to ignore it - and silenced Kaidan's omni-tool alert when it rang shortly after - in favor of sleeping in. She and Kaidan had been up very late the night before working out their tensions in the best possible way, and the war wasn't getting any easier. She had figured those were two great reasons to sleep in. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like the galaxy wanted to let her rest. She sighed when EDI called her name again.
"Privacy mode engage," she ordered. She kept her voice soft and low, though she could see Kaidan was beginning to stir. She pulled herself to a sitting position and drew the sheet against her naked chest despite the fact that her order meant no one but Kaidan could see her. "What is it, EDI?" she asked.
"Commander, I'm sorry to disturb you, but the asari councilor is calling. She would like to speak with you," EDI's disembodied voice informed her.
Shepard sighed again and sent a quick conciliatory smile to her sleepy husband.
"Tell her I'll be five minutes," she said as she climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom for her three-minute military regulation shower.
#-#-#
Shepard stood, as promised, in the comm room five minutes later, her damp hair the only indication of her rushed waking. She watched Councilor Tevos' holographic image form dispassionately, thinking, not for the first time, that she wished her relationship with the asari matriarch was different. She respected Tevos, and in another life, another galaxy, she might even like her - she was a strong and caring leader who always put the needs of her people first. As commendable as that quality might be, it had often placed the two of them in direct opposition and in their worst moments of confrontation, Shepard sometimes wondered if Tevos wasn't as much her nemesis as Cerberus and the Reapers. She sincerely hoped that today would prove the exception to the rule.
"Commander Shepard," Councilor Tevos greeted once the connection was stable.
"Madame Councilor," Shepard replied, calling upon her years of military service to keep her tone even and polite.
"I've heard you managed to resolve the conflict between the quarians and the geth peacefully," Tevos went on. "Congratulations are in order - if anyone else had suggested that it was possible to achieve peace after 300 years, I'd have thought they were insane. But you've proven me wrong before."
"Thank you, Councilor," Shepard acknowledged with a nod.
"That's not why I contacted you today, however," Tevos continued. "I've received information from my government. It's too sensitive to discuss over an unsecured channel."
"The Normandy is en route to the Citadel," Shepard replied. "Can I call on you when we arrive?"
"I think that would be best, Commander," Tevos confirmed with a nod. "Please send word to my aide when you dock."
Shepard nodded and Tevos ended the call. Shepard put the conversation out of her head for now and concentrated on the seemingly endless things that demanded her attention immediately.
#-#-#
When they arrived on the Citadel several days later, Shepard asked the helpful Alliance docking official to contact Tevos' admin, and quickly received word that the councilor would meet her - in Udina's (now-empty) office. She set aside curiosity and suspicion since she'd have answers soon enough, and proceeded with docking procedures. Once the Normandy was at rest in Bay D-24, she released the crew to liberty, made arrangements for lunch with her husband once their meetings were done, and then headed to the airlock. Several security scans and a short elevator ride later, she walked through the door of the deceased human councilor's office.
Tevos was already there, coordinating a C-Sec search of the premises - likely not the first - and one of Shepard's questions was answered.
"I want all files secured and marked for Tentron clearance only," the councilor said to the officer in charge. She turned her head as she noticed Shepard's entry.
"Commander Shepard," she greeted with what was almost a smile. "Thank you for coming."
Shepard nodded and approached the asari.
"Madame Councilor," she said with a nod. "Did you find something?" she asked, referring to the C-Sec search.
"The council has ordered a full review into Donnel Udina's activities," Tevos replied, gesturing with the datapad in her hand. "We're still piecing together his coup attempt." Tevos sighed, and for a brief second, Shepard saw some of the tension and stress she felt reflected in the councilor's face.
"That isn't why I asked you here, however," the asari continued. "The situation is growing urgent for my people," Tevos said and her voice was lowered, and full of sorrow. "We're aware your Crucible is still missing a key component."
"The Catalyst," Shepard confirmed with a nod. "Do you know something?"
Tevos nodded, then looked around at the C-Sec officers still milling around them. She led Shepard to the relative privacy of the balcony overlooking the busy Presidium. She stood at the railing examining the activity below her, lost in thought. Shepard waited her out patiently.
"I don't know what the Catalyst is - not exactly," Tevos finally said. "But, there is an... artifact on our home world, Thessia, known only to the highest levels of my government."
"What is it?" Shepard asked, trying not to let the impatience she felt bleed into her voice.
"With any luck, it's a means to help you locate the Catalyst," the asari councilor replied. "The artifact is kept in a temple located at these coordinates," she added, employing her omni-tool to send the information. "I've ordered a scientific team to meet you there."
Shepard nodded, opening her own 'tool to ensure that the data had correctly transferred. She swallowed the questions she wanted to ask - most prominently 'why?' - because she knew she would either not get answers, or it would inflame an already tenuous situation. Still, Tevos' next words seemed to indicate that she had heard the unspoken questions.
"Every species on the Citadel has its secrets, Commander," she asserted. Her voice had hardened to a tone that was much more familiar to Shepard, and her posture was, if not exactly defensive, much more guarded than it had been so far. "But this one, in the wrong hands, would upset the balance of galactic power."
Shepard found that her patience was stretched beyond its limits. She sighed and rose to the bait, as she often did with this woman.
"The Reapers are doing that right now, Madame Councilor," she argued.
"And that is why I'm bringing this to you," Tevos returned evenly.
Shepard sighed again, and nodded.
"I appreciate the help," she said finally.
"It's you who will be helping us," Tevos replied, and again her demeanor was soft, nearly cajoling. "The Matriarchs are growing desperate. For the first time in our history, Thessia is vulnerable. For all our intellect, we're outmatched by Reaper firepower."
Shepard called upon every diplomatic skill she had developed over the months of the war, plus borrowed some from Kaidan and Anderson, and barely managed to resist the urge to say 'I told you so.' The confirmation that she had been right from the beginning wasn't worth the political fallout of alienating the most powerful member of the Citadel Council. At the same time, a little voice inside Shepard's head told her she nearly deserved another Star of Terra for the effort that restraint took. Instead, she kept her face as blank as possible and her voice even when she replied.
"I'll do what I can."
"Whether you know it or not, you've become the sole ray of hope in a very dark night," Tevos said gravely.
She turned to face Shepard finally, and Shepard saw the tension, fatigue, and sadness coloring her expression. She placed a hand gently on Shepard's shoulder in a gesture of gratitude and faith that surprised Shepard more than if the asari had struck her.
"Goddess be with you," the councilor said softly.
Shepard nodded and took her leave.
#-#-#
She was still feeling a little stunned and off balance when she sat at the table Kaidan had claimed for them at the Apollo cafe. He looked up from the datapad he was studying, set it aside, and smiled a greeting.
"Hey, Shepard," he began and then his practiced eyes noted her subdued and contemplative demeanor. "What's up?" he asked in concern.
"I'll tell you in a bit," Shepard replied, returning his smile, though it was a pale imitation of her usual enthusiasm with him. She wanted to give herself a bit more time to process all that Tevos had told her (and hadn't) and the implications the information might have. "Tell me about your errand first," she added, a request more than an order.
Kaidan read the unspoken signals and heeded them patiently.
"I met with Ann in her father's lab, as you requested," he began. It was a euphemistic way to summarize the short but heated argument they had earlier over the subject. She had wanted to see Ann herself - and Kaidan understood why - but she had finally given in to the practicality of his argument - she simply didn't have unlimited time.
"How is she?" Shepard asked.
"Much better," Kaidan reassured her. "She's still grieving, but she's not letting it overwhelm her. And Dr. Michel has given her a clean bill of health."
"Good, I'm so glad to hear that," Shepard said with a relieved smile. She had truly liked Ann and regretted that they had used her in the way that they had, regardless of the fact that it had been Ann's choice and that they were desperate.
"I gave her all our reports, and explained the choices that we made," he told her. "She's on board to advise on, and coordinate, any further attempts to contact or deal with Leviathan, though she agrees that it's a bear we shouldn't poke unless we have no other options."
Kaidan saw her eyes narrow in a quick wince as he spoke, though she tried to hide the reaction from him. He knew her well, and knew that she saw the entire mission as - if not exactly a failure, as close to one as she would allow herself to come. It wasn't only her pride that was hurt, though. She thought that she had broken a promise and let Ann down, and that, to her, was unforgivable. It was the darker side of one of the qualities that made her the leader she was - that she took these burdens on herself needlessly. He didn't agree with her, or see things the way she did in this case, but he did have the utmost respect and love for her.
He took one of her hands between both of his and held it. He waited patiently until she raised her head to look at him. He held her gaze and spoke from his heart.
"Shepard, Ann doesn't blame you - no one does," he told her softly. "She understands that you made the best out of a bad situation."
"I promised her I'd hunt her father's killer - and eliminate it," Shepard hissed softly. "And instead, I begged it for my life and then ran away."
"You stood toe-to-toe with an immeasurably powerful being and, rather than cower or panic, you bullied and harassed it until it released you," Kaidan corrected. "And you secured its promise to ally with us in this war. But never doubt that the most important thing you did that day was convince it to let you go. Without you, this war is lost. So even if we can't use Leviathan at all, giving you back to us was a boon. Ann was hurt, angry, and grieving when you made that promise. But she's a smart and practical woman. She knows you did the right thing - the only thing."
Shepard sighed and relented. She still didn't agree, but she had to face the hard lesson this war was teaching her - she didn't have time and energy for regrets now. When this was over, if she survived, she could study her record and dwell on her failures. And she knew that Leviathan would be only the latest of what she saw as black marks.
"Ok, Kaidan," she said with a sigh and a small smile.
He knew that she meant 'ok, Kaidan, for now' but it was a win, and he'd take it. He smiled back and changed the subject.
"So how did your meeting with Tevos go?"
"You'd be proud of me," she began with a self-deprecating smile. "I managed not to yell - barely." When he laughed, she grinned and then went on. "The situation on Thessia has apparently become so dire that she is reaching out. I think she hoped she baited the hook well enough that I wouldn't see it, but I do. She told me there's a highly classified artifact with immense galactic importance in some temple. She thinks it might help us locate the Catalyst. And she's sending a science team to meet us there."
"So she's sending us to save her home world - and maybe the galaxy as well if she's right?" Kaidan summarized.
"When you put it that way, it seems much less manipulative," Shepard replied with a wince. "Either way, it's not an offer I can afford to refuse. But..."
"But you worry about what we'll find when we get there?" Kaidan guessed.
"Yes, but I'm more worried about how it will affect Liara," Shepard clarified. "I know she'll insist on going - and I can't possibly deny her. And Kaidan, she's the one person that this war hasn't really touched personally - not yet. I know she suffers with each and every one of us over our losses, but she still has hope. Deep inside, under the Shadow Broker skin, she's still that naive, optimistic, and innocent young girl that we first met. Not even Benezia's death took that away from her - partially because I stood my ground and refused to let her come. But if Thessia is anything like Earth..."
"Then she'll be devastated," Kaidan finished. When Shepard nodded, he continued. "And you'll be there for her. You'll hold her and help her pick up the pieces. And she'll love you for it. Shepard, you're her hero - she'll follow where ever you lead. She'll suffer, and it will hurt, but we'll make sure she's not alone. It's the best that any of us can do right now."
"I'm so lucky to have you by my side, Kaidan Alenko," Shepard said softly. "What would I do without you?"
"You'll never have to find out," he promised softly, giving her hand a gentle kiss.
#-#-#
When they reached the Parnitha System of the Athena Nebula, Shepard's suspicions were confirmed. She stood in the CIC listening to Joker, EDI, and Traynor's reports that the entire system was swarming with Reapers, not just in orbit around Thessia, but also surrounding its multiple satellite stations. Though it didn't surprise her that Thessia was in as dire a situation as Earth - it was what she had expected - she still cursed under her breath at the reality of it, and then again when Joker reported that all comm channels were scrambled and they couldn't reach the team of scientists Tevos had promised.
She shrugged off Joker's warnings about the danger of the mission and called her squad to the shuttle bay, heading to the elevator herself. She allowed herself a single moment to reflect on the fact that though she had told Liara of their destination, and informed her that she would be on the squad, she hadn't prepared her asari friend for the destruction she was about to witness.
She didn't believe that any amount of words would help, and she knew that, as the Shadow Broker, Liara would already have the facts of the situations. The only thing that would make that real was firsthand experience. Shepard wished like hell that she could shield her friend from it. When she stepped of the elevator and on to Deck 5, Liara was already there and she made one last ditch effort to do just that. Before joining Kaidan in the armory to gear up, she waved Liara to her side.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Liara?" she asked softly. "It's going to be brutal." An understatement, she knew, and likely a futile attempt, but she had to try. When Liara shook her head fiercely, she knew she had failed.
"Shepard... that's my home down there," Liara said resolved hardening her voice and straightening her stance. "I have to go."
Shepard closed her eyes for moment and let the regret wash over her and then shoved it away. She nodded and met her friend's eyes.
"Then let's do this," she replied softly, and headed to the armory.
#-#-#
On the way down in the shuttle, Kaidan and Shepard watched Liara stare at the screens displaying the destruction of her home world like a horror vid on and endless loop and met each others eyes in the silent communication formed by years of experience and their deep bond. Shepard nodded and Kaidan understood - it was his job to provide a distraction.
"Do we know anything about this artifact, Liara?" he asked, knowing their friend well. The question didn't just serve as a distraction - for all of them, really - but also gave Liara a chance to contribute information that may be vital to the mission ahead. He saw Shepard smile gratefully and nod her approval at his effort.
"The coordinates Councilor Tevos gave you are for the Temple of Athame," Liara responded. "My mother took me there once. It's several thousand years old. And for some reason, it has classified government funding."
"Sounds like we're on the right trail," Shepard said. She had wavered back and forth over the days they'd traveled to Thessia between believing there really was an important artifact, and that Tevos had sent them here on a wild goose chase. The only thing she was sure of was that the councilor's primary purpose was to put Shepard on Thessia to repel the Reapers any way possible, but if there really was information about the Catalyst here, too, all the better.
"What if we're too late?" Liara asked softly. "My people are dying down there," she added, turning back to the screens.
"Benezia took you to this temple?" Kaidan asked, continuing the distraction plan.
"I was just a child," Liara confirmed with a nod. "I thought it was a history lesson, but now? Maybe there was more to it."
"What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely intrigued now.
Shepard and Kaidan watched as Liara accessed her omni-tool and displayed a file that included a picture of the long-dead Matriarch Benezia.
"I went digging through her old files," Liara explained. "She had heavily encrypted records on this place, some dating back centuries. I still can't crack most of them," she muttered in consternation. "Whatever is going on, it's well hidden."
"The thing I remember best about your mother was that she fought indoctrination when it mattered most,"Kaidan said softly.
"And this brings all those memories back," Liara replied sadly. "What if Thessia faces the same fate?"
"Finding the Catalyst is the only way to save Thessia - to save all of us," Shepard said grimly. "This is our first real lead, our best chance to finally get ahead of this thing."
"I hope you're right," Liara said.
"Hey, buckle up!" Cortez called urgently from the pilot's chair. "This one's gonna be tight."
The three of them complied quickly. The time for distractions had passed.
#-#-#
Once on the ground, they discovered a tired and decimated squad of commandos desperately trying to hold out against overwhelming Reaper forces. They fell into battle beside the brave asari and helped them reinforce their barriers and drive back the immediate attack. The asari in charge, Lieutenant Kurin, gave them information about their destination and, at Shepard's urging, agreed to stay and hold the line behind them.
They stepped out into the no man's land between their landing site and the next asari outpost and were immediately attacked by barrier-reinforced Reaper troops. Shepard led them through the intense combat, leading the squad's way carefully. Eventually, they reached the temple doors, but not easily. Along the way, they had interacted with groups of stranded commandos who were tired, injured, or completely disheartened and Shepard had been forced into bullying them into providing support for her mission. They were ruthless moments, made more so by the reaction of her asari friend. Each and every time she had to ask more than another commando could give, she saw Liara's shoulders slump. Every new death hit her friend like a staggering blow, and Shepard absorbed it all, pushing aside emotion in favor of determination.
The interior of the temple was a stark contrast to the world outside - quiet, sedate, pristine - it was a peaceful heaven in the middle of the hell they had traversed. Shepard studied the layout of the huge central room with a detached kind of awe. If she weren't in the middle of a critical mission to win a desperate war, she would be impressed with both the massive size and incredible beauty of the temple. The room was semi-circular and decorated on the outside arc with display cases holding various relics. Benches were arranged on both sides of a center aisle and provided the perfect place to sit and contemplate the wonder of the temple's showpiece - a massive statue depicting the asari goddess Athame that stretched from floor to ceiling.
On first glance, the temple appeared to be deserted, but closer inspection revealed the bodies of the scientists they were supposed to meet, piled at the feet of the Athame statue like a macabre sacrifice to her.
"Their throats have been slit, as if by a thin blade," Kaidan reported, reading the scan he had done with his omni-tool.
"The security barrier was raised when we got here, and that doesn't seem like damage from a Reaper attack," Shepard replied. "How long have they been dead?" she asked her husband.
"No more than an hour," Kaidan answered. "They're still warm."
"I don't like this," Shepard said. "Let's stay alert."
Since there was nothing more that they could do for the dead asari, Shepard turned her squad's attention to the artifacts displayed around the room. Something in the temple was resonating with her, and she knew the answer they sought lay within, though she couldn't explain why.
She started at one edge of the circle, wandering slowly and letting instinct guide her. She heard but didn't really comprehend Liara's explanation for each object, and it wasn't until the third time that Kaidan pointed out the resemblance of the object they were studying to what was now the familiar Prothean form that she finally noted it as well. She looked again at the bust in front of them, tilting her head from side to side and decided that she agreed with her husband. The figure depicted was definitely Prothean in shape. As they studied object after object, even Liara had to admit that a strange story was beginning to take shape - one that conflicted with asari history as it was told. It was clear that Athame herself was a Prothean.
She turned her head to study the statue of the goddess in the front of the room and noted that Athame looked completely asari. She wasn't sure what the connection was, but she left her squad to continue their search and wandered closer to the central piece. Once she was at the feet of the statue, she stretched out a hand to touch the smooth stone, still allowing only instinct to guide her. She felt an instant buzz, a connection she recognized, and pulled her hand back in shock.
"There's a Prothean beacon here," she exclaimed.
"What?" Liara asked, shocked. "Are you sure?"
"It's not something you forget," Shepard replied grimly.
"But why hide it?" Liara wondered.
"I wish we'd hidden the beacon back on Mars a little better," Kaidan piped in. "No telling what's in this one."
"That... can't be," Liara said with a shake of her head. "I can't believe my people would keep this a secret."
Shepard's thoughts traveled the same direction, though she put a more specific face to it. She wondered if Councilor Tevos knew of the Prothean connection to asari history and had sent her here to learn it. Since that seemed likely, she further wondered how long Tevos had kept the fact that might lead to key intelligence in this war to herself. She sighed and realized that her uneasy peace with Tevos may be ending soon.
"A beacon like this could explain why asari are so advanced," she said to Liara.
"You did say this temple was thousands of years old, Liara," Kaidan added. "Plenty of opportunity to crack its secrets."
"That doesn't make it true," Liara protested.
"Like Athame not being Prothean? Think about it, Liara. A couple breakthroughs every other century from this beacon, and the asari stay on top. Maybe this is why." Kaidan pressed, though gently.
He understood Liara's desire to cling to old beliefs and reject their find today - hell, he couldn't imagine having to reorder reality in the way she must be right now. It would be like trying to learn that blue was actually green. The kind of stuff that turned your world upside down. And Liara had already had her world reordered today, in the harshest way possible, thanks to the Reapers. So, while he understood that Shepard needed to press their friend - they needed her scientific mind and knowledge of history to make sense of this - he also regretted that she'd have to lose yet another part of her innocence. And he understood the toll that would take - not just on Liara, but also his wife.
"Well, if it is true, the asari should have shared this knowledge," Shepard hissed, thinking of Tevos. She saw Liara flinch and regretted the acid in her tone. "Think about it, Liara. If we'd know this three years ago, we might not be in this mess now," she added, much more gently.
"You don't know that, Shepard," Liara protested again. "We don't know what's going on here."
"And we don't have much time to find out," Shepard agreed with a nod.
Liara nodded and opened her omni-tool. She searched asari databases she had cracked with her Shadow Broker skills, looking for key words.
"This temple has military grade encryption on its records," she told them finally. "The few I can access talk about tapping into Prothean data streams, reconstructing matrices... none of which I see here."
"Maybe that's the point," Shepard replied.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, tuning in to the pull the beacon inside her. Now that they had identified it, she recognized the resonance she'd felt since they had entered the temple and remembered the familiar tug at her mind. She had first felt it so long ago on Eden Prime, and after the Cipher and Sovereign, it had become as much a part of her as her other senses. She breathed slowly and relaxed and let that alien instinct take over. After a short time, she felt similar, but less intense, tugs from various objects around the room. She wandered to each slowly, and touched it, letting the 'other' part of her guide the way. As each object activated, beams of green light began to form between them and the central statue. Athame's image began to crack. Once she had located and activated three more artifacts, the huge statue fell away and revealed the beacon inside.
"By the goddess... literally," Liara breathed.
Shepard wandered back to beacon with not a small amount of trepidation. She understood much more about the way Protheans had communicated through these objects thanks to Javik, and the small shards she had touched on Eden Prime had been tolerable, but she hadn't forgotten the way her first exposure to a beacon had ended, and she couldn't afford another 15-hour coma. Clearly, she and Kaidan were on the same page based on the way he hovered protectively over her shoulder. She took a deep breath and reached out to touch it.
Instead of the expected result - having her mind flooded with a jumble of not just images, but complete sensory experiences that the Cipher then translated and replayed to her in a headache inducing echo - the beacon glowed visibly and a ball of light formed and then flew off it. Still, Shepard looked quickly at Kaidan and Liara to reassure herself that they were seeing the same thing. When they, too, appeared to be staring at the translucent sphere, she relaxed and stood back to watch the show.
The sphere swirled for several seconds in an impressive light show, then began to speak.
"Obtaining chronological marker. Hold... Timescale established. Post-Prothean cycle confirmed."
"What are you?" Shepard asked. It was reminding her of Liara's information drone, but more.
"Reaper presence detected," it went on as if she hadn't spoken. "This galactic cycle has already reached its extinction terminus. Systems shutting down."
"Hold on a minute!" Kaidan cried.
"We need answers!" Shepard added.
"To what question?" the VI asked, finally acknowledging their presence.
"The Catalyst," Shepard said, cutting to the heart of the matter. "We need to know what it is to finish the Crucible."
The sphere shimmered and then morphed itself into the form of a Prothean - albeit a monochrome and translucent one. The memory of Vigil on Ilos flew threw Shepard's mind.
"I am called Vendetta, an advanced virtual construct of Pashek Vran, overseer of the project you refer to as Crucible," the VI informed them. "He died fighting the Reapers in the battle of Tranbir Nine. Your remaining time is also at an end."
"Were all Protheans so grim?" Liara asked sharply, mostly to herself.
"What happened to the Crucible in your time?" Shepard questioned the VI. "Why didn't the Protheans deploy it?"
"We were sabotaged from within," the VI responded. "A splinter group argued we should dominate the Reapers rather than destroy them. It fractured our order of battle. Later, we discovered the separatists were indoctrinated."
"Deja vu, anyone?" Kaidan asked, tongue-in-cheek.
"Our studies of past ages led us to believe that time is cyclical," the VI continued. "Many patterns repeat."
"I know about the cycles and the harvest," Shepard confirmed grimly.
"Beyond that," the VI persisted. "The same peaks of evolution, the same valleys of dissolution... The same conflicts are expressed in every cycle, but in a different manner. The repetition is too prevalent to be merely chance."
"I was told that the Intelligence that created the Reapers was responsible for the cycles," Shepard said.
"Perhaps," the VI responded. "I do not have data on this topic. I have come to believe that the Reapers do serve some master, but its presence is inferred rather than observed. The only certainty is its intention... Galactic annihilation. You now stand at that precipice."
"There's still hope for this cycle," Shepard argued. "We need to know what the Catalyst is. Trillions of lives are at risk."
"Trillions of lives are always at risk," the VI stated, unmoved. "But if the Reapers have arrived to end your cycle, this discussion is too late."
"We can break the cycle! We found your plans for the Crucible - we're building it right now!"
"The Crucible is not of Prothean design," Vendetta corrected. "It is the work of countless galactic cycles stretching back millions of years. Each cycle adds to it. Each improves upon it. Thus far, none have successfully defeated the Reapers with it."
"Then we'll be the first," Shepard stated, her voice filled with resolve. "Tell us what the Catalyst is."
"If you wish to continue fighting, I will not hinder you, though I deem your odds of success remote."
"We'll take our chances," Shepard said.
"Very well," Vendetta relented. "If you have followed the plans for the Crucible, I will interface with your systems and assist with the Catalyst to - " the VI broke off mid-sentence. "Indoctrinated presence detected," it said as it began to reform into the sphere it once was. "Activating security protocol." It returned to the beacon where they had found it.
A bright light behind them caught Shepard's attention and she pivoted to see Kai Leng approaching them.
"You..." she hissed in accusation, reaching for her shotgun. "You killed the scientists. What do you want?"
"Your attention,"Kai Leng replied. "Someone would like to talk to you," he added softly, withdrawing a (smaller) sphere of his own and holding it out in an open palm.
Kai Leng retreated to the entrance as the sphere formed into the holographic image of the Illusive Man.
"Shepard," the Illusive Man greeted her.
"How did you find this place?" Shepard asked. She sighed and lowered her shotgun, resigned to yet another frustrating debate. At least this time it would be with someone who was - at least mostly - organic.
"The Archives," he sneered. "Or did your Shadow Broker miss that one?"
"Show yourself," Liara snarled. "I promise I won't miss."
"Stick to your talents, Dr. T'Soni," the Illusive Man replied breezily. "You've helped uncover the key to subjugating the Reapers."
"Or destroying them," Shepard added with a snarl of her own.
"Damn it, Shepard," he replied impatiently. "Destroying the Reapers gains us nothing!"
"Nothing but peace," Shepard asserted.
"They're just trying to control us," the Illusive Man told her earnestly. "Think about it: if they wanted all organic life destroyed, they could do it. There would be nothing left."
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked in frustration.
"I know them, Shepard," he declared, sounding like the zealot he had become. Sounding indoctrinated. "I know how they think."
"I think you've gotten a little too close to the enemy," she corrected with a tired sigh.
"No.. I'm saying they've got it right," the Illusive Man shook his head as if to physically dispel her argument - or the doubts it caused. "Why kill when you can control?"
"The enemy is dragging you over to their side - their way of thinking," Shepard countered.
"No, I just... see things differently," he sounded unsure, though.
"If you truly care about humanity, you'll stop fighting me," Shepard pressed her advantage. "You'll join me."
"Don't ever question my intentions," he argued with renewed vigor. "I've sacrificed more for humanity than you'll ever know. And don't assume you know me. My methods for dealing with the Reapers are simply more refined than yours."
"You've forgotten everything you stood for!" she countered, though she realized she was just wasting her breath now. "Cerberus was supposed to be humanity's sword, not a dagger in our back."
"Poetic," the Illusive Man quipped arrogantly. "But, as usual, you miss the point. The world is more gray than you care to admit."
"With the Prothean data in this beacon, I can end this conflict, once and for all," Shepard replied forcefully. "You're either with me or against me. There's nothing gray about that."
"No, I suppose there isn't," he acknowledged. His avatar turned his back on her, clearly done with the debate. "Leng, the Commander has something I need. Please relieve her of it. And then bring me the data." His image blinked out in the next second.
"Understood," the cyborg ninja growled, crouching into his phantom-like battle stance.
Shepard sighed and turned her attention to the immediate threat - Kai Leng's attack. She ducked into cover and assessed the enemy for a moment. The bastard was fully shielded on top of his armor and moved faster than she was able to track. This was not going to be easy.
"Kaidan, I need an overload," she called and cringed when she saw Liara fling an utterly useless singularity in his direction. She couldn't really blame her - normally, her singularities were extremely effective - but he had come prepared for biotics. It wasn't going to make a dent.
She watched as Kaidan complied with her order and nodded in satisfaction as her HUD recorded his shields were halved. She prepared and executed a charge, raising her shotgun loaded with incendiary ammo to start to whittle away his armor, but she quickly changed her mind. As Kaidan shouted her name in alarm, she saw the same thing he had. Kai Leng raised his barrier and ducked down to let his shields recharge while a gun ship hovered in the open temple entrance and peppered the entire battlefield with bullets fired from a high caliber machine turret. It was a strategy she'd almost admire if she didn't have to find a way to counter it. She scurried back to her squad, keeping herself low and in cover.
"Thoughts?" she asked once she reached Liara and Kaidan. She ignored Kai Leng's taunts.
"My biotics aren't going to help unless you can lower his shields," Liara said apologetically.
"It's ok, Liara," Shepard replied with a wave of her hand. "Just stay on your pistol, use the incendiary ammo, and don't miss." She saw Liara nod her agreement and begin to do just that.
"Commander?" she asked, prompting Kaidan.
"It's gonna be a battle of attrition," Kaidan replied slowly. "We can take his shields down and hope for a few good shots with modded ammo, maybe a cryo or two, before the gun ship takes over."
"And just hope they run out of ammo before we do?" Shepard concluded. It was a shitty plan, and they both knew it, but it was the only one they had.
"That's about it," Kaidan agreed.
They set about executing the plan, weak as it was.
#-#-#
Ten minutes later, they were all exhausted, soaked in sweat, and nearly out of ammo. The entire fight thus far had been a draw - a tug of war with neither side gaining ground. Shepard felt her heart lift when she heard the unmistakable sound of the gun ship trying to fire with an empty clip. She raised her assault rifle to take aim and saw the asshole crouch behind cover. She concentrated, waiting for a shot, and nearly didn't comprehend what he was saying - he had been taunting her the whole fight and she had pretty much put the mouthy bastard on ignore. Luckily, some instinct for self-preservation replayed his order to his gun ship - to fire its rockets at the temple supports - though not in enough time to do more than yell at her team to take cover, and to do the same herself.
She watched, heart in her throat, as Kai Leng retrieved the Prothean VI and escaped the crumbling temple as the rockets fired inexorably. A moment later, she felt the floor beneath her begin to rumble and give and she rolled, trying to escape the collapse and find any purchase. The floor fell out and she felt herself sliding. She desperately grabbed at the pieces of rubble around her, hoping against hope that any were heavy enough to stop her fall. Finally and to her immense relief, she felt a strong grip on her flailing arms.
"It's ok, I've got you," Kaidan told her softly as he began to muscle her to more solid ground.
Once she was safe, she sat in his strong arms for just a minute before she pushed against him and to her feet. She stared at the destruction around her, unable to comprehend the complete and utter failure that this day had become. The sound of asari voices over the comm gave her renewed vigor, and she tried to reach them in the hopes of determining their location. She had the vague thought that if she could rescue the stranded squad, perhaps she could salvage something of this disaster. Unfortunately, the comm seemed to be jammed on her end and she gave up after several fruitless tries.
She didn't even notice the blue glow of her biotics flaring from emotion - as she listened, helpless, to the cries of the squad falling to the Reapers. She stood, utterly still and empty and stared at the Reapers filling the skies above Thessia. She felt Kaidan behind her, but he didn't touch her - he knew her too well for that. She started walking, retracing their steps to the LZ.
#-#-#
She still hadn't spoken a word to anyone when they returned the Normandy. Instead, Kaidan had taken over the routine of ordering their extraction, coordinating with Cortez and Joker, and ensuring that Liara got out of her hard suit and up to her room. Once he had changed out of his own armor and into his BDUs, he asked EDI for Shepard's location and was not surprised to hear she was in the comm room. He winced a bit. She had chosen to face the music alone. He rushed to Deck 2 and stood outside the comm room as she completed her call.
"Cerberus was there. We were..." he heard Shepard say, and the empty defeated tone in her voice made him wince again. "We were defeated. We don't know how to finish the Crucible."
"I... don't know what to say," Tevos replied slowly. Kaidan could have cheerfully strangled her in that moment. Her planet lay in ruins and she only had herself to blame. "What was the situation on Thessia?"
"Deteriorating fast," Shepard replied regretfully. "The Reapers are there in strength."
"Then you'll excuse me," Tevos said sadly. "There are... preparations to make... continuity of civilization to consider... I never thought this day would come."
"Neither of us did," Shepard replied. "I'm... sorry."
When Kaidan did not hear Tevos reply, he realized that she must have ended the call, likely mid-sentence. He cursed under his breath and then entered the room. Shepard was still at the terminal, head bent and shoulders hunched.
"Hey," he said softly though he knew she knew he was there.
She stood straight but didn't turn to face him. He closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He waited patiently for her to speak, knowing better than to rush her. She finally sighed and relaxed against him slightly, allowing herself that tiny bit of comfort.
"What do I say to her?" she asked, and he knew she meant Liara, not the asari councilor.
"I don't think it's about what you say," he replied. "But just that you're there for her. When you're ready," he added sternly. Her first concern might be for Liara - and their friend was certainly on his list, too - but Shepard was his primary worry.
"I'll go now," she replied, squaring her shoulders. "She shouldn't have to wait."
Kaidan watched her walk away with both pride and concern. Her unwavering selflessness was part of the reason he loved her as much as he did, but also one of the reasons he wanted to shield her. He waited until she was gone and then headed to Deck 5. He'd do the post mission armor and weapons checks and maintenance - his and hers - while she was with Liara.
#-#-#
Shepard knocked softly at Liara's door and heard her say that it was open. She entered the cabin and saw her friend seated on her bed, datapads strewn around her. She approached slowly and seated herself at the end of the bed.
"Shepard... I," Liara began quietly, sadly. "No one could've predicted that Cerberus would reach Thessia before us."
Shepard smiled sadly when she realized Liara was actually trying to comfort her. It was so like her friend - to be so sweet and giving even in the face of her own loss. It made her angry to know that she had put Liara in that position.
"It's my job to be prepared - no matter what," she corrected. "I'm so sorry, Liara."
"How did this happen, Shepard?" Liara asked softly. "Did I just assume the asari would be ready? That the council would protect them? Or was I so busy with the Catalyst that I ignored my own people?"
"Liara, you had nothing to do with the attack on Thessia," Shepard replied softly.
"Nothing to do with it?" Liara repeated incredulously. "I told those people on Thessia we'd save them. How many asari died because I demanded their help?"
"None," Shepard said firmly.
"Shepard, that isn't true," Liara argued, tears running freely down her cheeks.
"You've been warning your people for four years, Liara," Shepard said with a frustrated wave of her hand. "There's not a damn thing you should feel guilty about. If we move fast enough, they'll have a chance to survive this - start again. We lost Thessia - but we haven't lost the asari yet."
"Helping the refugees," Liara replied, standing and walking to her terminal with renewed vigor. "That's something I can do. It's something I owe them."
"I knew you'd think of something," Shepard said with a hidden grin.
"I'll need time to deal with this," Liara told her softly. "But... thank you."
"Anytime," Shepard said. She briefly placed a gentle hand on Liara's shoulder and then left the room.
#-#-#
Shepard left Liara's cabin and headed directly to the war room, paging her senior staff (minus Liara) as she went. She felt the weight of not just today's defeat but the entire war resting on her shoulders, but she knew that, like Liara, the best solution for her was to have a plan. She couldn't let the bitter ache that threatened to swallow her sink in, or she might never recover. And there was simply too much at stake - too many people relying on her - to allow herself one moment of self pity. As she'd decided during her conversation with Kaidan about Leviathan, she needed to forgive herself and move on.
Once she had everyone gathered, she looked around the room and let herself feel the hope and support they were silently sending her. She knew every one of these people would lay down their lives for each other - they had formed a bond even beyond the brotherhood of a typical warship. Instead, they were a family. They had their differences and disagreements and didn't always get along, but when the chips were down, they'd have each others backs. It was a rare and incredible thing, and her greatest asset. Cerberus and the Reapers may not know why she had been so successful in her campaign against them, but she had no doubt - she was looking at it.
"We've lost Thessia and the data on the Catalyst," she began, allowing the anger she felt to color her words. "And I'm done losing. Not again. I'm sick of Cerberus beating us to the punch. I want to take the fight to them. Anyone know where they're hiding?"
She looked around the room and saw blank looks, until her gaze fell on Traynor. The comm specialist seemed to be looking everywhere but at Shepard. She hesitated, then finally spoke.
"Um... Well, there is something," she said shyly.
"Let's hear it, Traynor," Shepard replied with a nod.
"I was able to track Kai Leng's shuttle through the relay and extrapolate his destination," she replied. "But... the signal disappeared in the Iera system."
"Naturally..." Shepard said with some rancor. There was only one habitable location she knew of in the Iera system, and she really didn't want to consider the implications (and break her wedding vows.)
"It's not just gone, though," Traynor added. "The signal is being actively blocked. I'm not sure how, but something is interfering with all signal activity in that region of space."
"The Iera system is home to Sanctuary and little else," EDI offered. "Sanctuary is a supposed safe haven for war refugees."
That was housed on a planet that shall not be named, Shepard thought grimly.
"We have little other leads to work with," she said with a sigh. "It has to worth checking out. Let's make it count." With a nod, she turned to leave the room. In honor of her vows, she turned and spoke over her shoulder.
"Kaidan, set our course, please."
She heard the sound of her husband's voice ordering Joker to plot a course for Horizon, and nodded with satisfaction. She had a plan, no matter how slim. It was a start.
#-#-#
Kaidan joined her in their cabin shortly after.
"That was well executed, Commander," he said as he took a seat on the couch next to her.
She set aside the datapads she had been studying and turned to face him.
"The plan or my sidestepping the promise I made when we got married?" she asked.
"A little of both," he replied with a grin. He sobered and touched her face softly, letting the love he had for her shine in his eyes and his gesture. "You're an amazing woman, and I'm so lucky to be at your side."
"I wasn't so amazing today," she countered with a slowly exhaled breath. "Far from it."
"You're wrong," he said. "Nothing that happened today was your fault or in your control - other than how you handled it after. And that - was nothing short of amazing. It's tough to get up and fight again after a punch like that, but you did. And you helped Liara do it, too. And then you gave us all a plan to help you fight back. So don't ever sell yourself short."
"You know, I might keep you around a while," she said, moving to straddle his lap and meet his mouth in a long kiss.
When they separated, he grinned.
"Just a while?" he asked with a cocked brow.
"Well, you're pretty good for the ego," she bantered. "So, I'm open to negotiations."
"In that case," he said against her lips. "Let me make my best offer." He closed the distance, their lips met, and he proceeded to do just that.
