Chapter 52
The Forgotten Past
Naruto stood still on the bridge his gaze fixed on the haptic screen that showed him his mother's prized ship, The Normandy.
The Reaper beam had sliced through half of the ship sending it into an uncontrollable spin. His advanced cameras easily picked up ship parts and most of all people being sucked out into space. The tale of destruction lasted for several seconds before the once powerful stealth frigate floated aimlessly in space.
He closed his eyes reigning the tears and pain he felt in his heart. His ears were still abuzz with the ongoing alarms across his own ship as the Reaper Capital Ship now started to take aim at his vessel.
His fists clenched shut drawing blood...
"Enemy Fleet approaching!" warned Garrus,
Mikoto froze when she saw the remaining enemy ships that had survived the Zephyr Particle explosion surround her ship at impossible speeds. The Reaper Flagship was now right in front of the Hyperion.
"We've been had..." said Mikoto bitterly,
"Is it to be victory after victory only to suffer defeat at the end?" thought Naruto sadly,
"Incoming barrage!" yelled Tali,
The Hyperion shook violently as thousands of Geth Ships fired on them. Naruto gripped his command chair to steady himself but his eyes never missed the Reaper ship that took out his mother about to fire its godly laser again.
He glanced at the screen showing him the Hyperion's energy shields were down to 70% due to the continuous fire from thousands of Geth Ships. If that Reaper strike hit then it would be the end.
His eyes widened when the Reaper was literally sent crashing away by several hundred kilometers as thousands upon thousands of slugs and missiles rained down on the ancient AI ship.
"It's the Morgan Fleet!" informed Liara in relief,
The Kaiser saw a group of 200 Imperial Ships arriving on the flank and concentrating all their fire on the Reaper Flagship. A red haired human male in his thirties appeared on one of the screens and saluted him.
"Kaiser, we'll keep that Reaper at bay. Retreat at once..." advised Admiral Morgan,
Naruto wanted to protest but he saw there were still more than a 1000 Geth ships left that could annihilate him at any moment. Morgan Fleet was already taking casualties as the Geth rained down their firepower on them.
The small Imperial Fleet charged in regardless placing themselves between the enemy fleet and the Kaiser's flagship.
"Kaiser, I have sent shuttles to rescue the few who are still alive on the Normandy and those who escaped through pods. My fleet will buy you time, please retreat and join up with the rest of our main fleet..." advised Admiral Morgan,
"Admiral, you won't survive this..." said Naruto honestly, receiving a grim smile from the older man.
"I was born on Feoria, one of the poorer colonies in the Empire. I joined the Imperial Fleet to change things but could not do much until you came along. In you, I see hope for a better future for my people. Mein Kaiser, you must live for our people to have a future..." explained Admiral Morgan,
Naruto saw conviction in the man's eyes, this man truly believed that the Kaiser was the last hope for the Terminus.
Mikoto saw the rest of the Imperial Fleet was rushing to their aide as fast as they could but they would not arrive for another thirty minutes. The Morgan Fleet had been in the rear while the Imperial main fleet destroyed the enemy forces on the left flank. The Imperial Admiral must have pushed his force to the limit to get here as fast as he had.
That much stress combined with the previous combat they had been in must have been exhausting on the troops and it showed as Geth ships and its Reaper flagship destroyed them mercilessly.
She sadly watched as Naruto remained steadfast, his eyes as cold as ice as he looked at the enemy and then at the Admiral in front of him.
"I am sorry, Admiral..." apologized Naruto, regret burning brightly in his heart.
The Imperial Admiral and his officers on the bridge saluted proudly.
"Long live the EMPIRE!"
With a heavy heart, Naruto returned the salute before the feed was cut off. Blood dripped from his wounded palm as he gave a nod to Mikoto. The crew saw their leader take his command chair again as Mikoto ordered the Hyperion to retreat away from the front line.
Even as the Hyperion retreated, Naruto's eyes were still glued on the vid screen where not only the Normandy had went down but was also the location where the Morgan Fleet was now surrounded.
He watched ship after ship slowly fade from his battle map taking with them thousands of lives. Soldiers who sacrificed themselves so that he could live. So that he could lead the Empire...
Half an hour passed when finally the Hyperion and the few shuttles carrying the Normandy survivors managed to join with the rest of the Imperial Fleet. Moments later, the Kaiser heard the news...
"Flagship Vistara has been destroyed. Admiral Bruce Morgan has been killed in action..." reported Liara,
The Kaiser got up from his chair and solemnly stared in the direction where the last of the Morgan Fleet was getting destroyed. The Hyperion's crew silently stood at attention mourning the loss. While it was true their side had emerged victorious in the overall battle, however a High Admiral and thousands of sailors had died for that.
But the sacrifice had not been in vain, even as the Morgan Fleet was annihilated the enemy now just had 800 Geth ships left apart from the now damaged Reaper Capital Ship.
Naruto simply received a message on his communication channel just as he watched The Himalaya charge forward.
And the Imperial Dreadnought was not alone, as by its sides were the flagships of the remaining Four High Admirals.
The Fleet Admiral's enraged and determined voice jolted the saddened Imperial forces from their shock...
"Imperial Fleet! Victory awaits us, don't let Morgan Fleet's sacrifice in vain! declared Raval,
The sight of their fleet's strongest vessel charging forward alongside the remaining flagships reignited the desire for vengeance in the hearts of the soldiers.
"All ships, CHARGE! Don't let a single enemy ship escape!"
Naruto's gaze connected with those of his crew and he saw in their eyes the thirst for revenge. He looked at Mikoto who nodded in support. The Kaiser pressed a key making Raval's face emerge on his front screen...
"You have a plan?" asked Naruto seriously,
"My Dreadnought can handle that Reaper. It would be best if you joined the other Admirals and destroy the Geth Ships. I'd like to focus all my firepower on that Reaper ship..." advised Raval,
"Consider it done" promised Naruto icily, getting a nod from the Fleet Admiral.
"The survivors from the Normandy have arrived. Most of the crew didn't make it, Pressely, Ashley, Jenkins are dead. Shepard is injured but still alive, so are Kaidan and Chakwas..." answered Raval somberly,
"And my mother?"
Mikoto saw Raval flinch slightly on the Kaiser's question. The Imperial Fleet Admiral hesitated a little before looking his friend right in the eye.
"She's missing. I'll have rescue forces search for her..." said Raval compassionately,
"If she isn't here, then she's dead. Hold back those operations and focus on destroying the enemy..." replied Naruto sadly,
"But..." argued Raval,
"That's an order. Many Imperials have already died, I don't want any more losses. Understood?"
Raval nodded and turned off the screen. The Hyperion's crew stared at its Captain and the way he held himself despite losing his mother. If he could stay focused then so could they.
Naruto sat back in his command chair, his sharingan activating and staring hard at the Geth Fleet.
"Burn them!"
(Reaper Flagship)
Saren was thrown out of his command chair as the Reaper Capital Ship rocked violently.
"What the hell was that?" barked the former Spectre,
"Enemy Dreadnought has locked on to us. Now on intercept course..." warned the Geth aide,
"Defensive formations, quick!" ordered Saren urgently,
"Negative. Friendly ships are under attack and outnumbered. We'll be surrounded in 2 minutes..."
Saren gulped as he saw dozens of Geth Ships explode violently as the Imperial Fleet lead by the Kaiser himself returned back with vengeance. The Hyperion was literally butchering anything that got in its way.
"Incoming hits!"
The Turian Spectre gripped his command chair stubbornly and shouted...
"Fire everything on that damn Dreadnought!"
(Imperial Flagship: The Himalaya)
"Incoming drone swarms!" warned an Imperial,
"Reaper beam on the way, 5 seconds to impact!"
Fleet Admiral Raval saw the army of drone forces launched by the desperate Reaper ship. Himalaya staggered a little as the giant Reaper beam collided with it.
"Report!" ordered Raval,
"Shields at 95%, Fleet Admiral. Sections 415, 416 report damage. But nothing we can't handle..." reported Admiral Flavus,
"Are the calibrations ready?" asked Raval seriously,
"Done, sir."
Raval nodded as his eyes locked on the tentacles of the enemy ship. Behind those legs were the enemy's ship thrusters that were allowing it to evade his ship's attacks.
"Counterattack with out own drones. All guns focus on these co-ordinates..." guided the Fleet Admiral,
Admiral Flavus saw the co-ordinates given by his leader and looked at the young human. Before this mission he had his doubts about the leadership ability of this man, but the Kaiser had made a good choice and so far Fleet Admiral Raval had done an admirable job of turning the battle around.
The loss of the Normandy and the Morgan Fleet was a set back but this was war where losses were inevitable. Still, the Imperial Fleet had more than 1700 Ships currently tearing through the last enemy forces. The only thing standing between them and Ilos was this last Reaper.
The Himalaya's drone swarms engaged their reaper counterparts with equal ferocity. The few enemy drones that reached the Imperial Dreadnought were butchered by the thousands of turbolasers and broadside cannons of the Himalaya.
Another few powerful laser beams hit the Imperial Dreadnought but it persevered. As their mighty ship advanced the Reaper started falling back having already taking quite a lot of damage in the battle, not to mention the beating the Morgan Fleet had given to the monster before being wiped out.
However, the enemy in their desperation had maneuvered their ship into the graveyard of the Morgan Fleet in hopes of taking cover behind the wreckage of the destroyed Imperial Fleet.
And that would be their biggest mistake...
"Admiral Flavus, focus everything on point four-nine-eighty. Fire in 3 Seconds..." commanded Raval,
The Turian nodded and carried out the given order. The Himalaya fired with all its might...
It was a bizarre sight watching the longest rail gun in space and thousands of missiles being fired at once. The missiles flew fast destroying the debris of the destroyed Morgan Fleet thereby clearing a straight path for the massive slugs of the rail gun to sail past.
Admiral Flavus stared in shock as the largest tentacle like leg of the Reaper ship was destroyed to shreds. Followed by another and another...
Raval stepped forward a vicious glare burning in his eyes...
"FIRE!"
(Reaper Flagship)
Saren sat in his command chair with a stunned look clearly visible on his face. There were fires all across the bridge and destroyed Geth corpses could be seen anywhere. The Reaper's structure was falling off everywhere and the Turian couldn't help but stare at the dying AI ship.
The AI core was badly damaged leading to critical failures across the ship.
It was just a matter of time before...
He could already feel the voices in his head leaving him. Now that he was of no use to them they were abandoning him just like a coward. Yet Saren was happy...
For he was finally free.
He pressed a few commands making the last Reaper guns to stop firing. The drones swarms attacking The Himalaya lost power suddenly and floated aimlessly in space.
The Imperial Dreadnought now stood before Saren's dying ship ready to give the final blow...
The Turian pressed a few more commands which allowed him to send a final request. A message to have communication with the Imperial Fleet Admiral...
Surprisingly, his request was accepted and the face of an old adversary appeared before him.
The one who almost freed him from Reaper Control on Feros.
"It's been a while, Human..." said Saren honestly, earning a grim look from Raval.
"It has. Though I would have preferred to meet under better circumstances..." replied Raval, making Saren chuckle.
"It's a great comfort that in the end it turned out to be you who freed me. Atleast I can now die with honor..." said Saren peacefully,
"Would you like to surrender? We are trying to free Benezia from Reaper control, it might work for you as well..." offered Raval,
The Turian stared at this man in shock. Never before had Saren expected such an offer for help from anyone. Certainly not a human...
Yet as he stared into the eyes of this man he knew why he felt a connection with him. They were both soldiers who lost their way in life and made many mistakes. They both found comrades who tried to help them, with Naruto helping Raval and Benezia striving hard for Saren.
"Perhaps there is still hope left for this galaxy if people like you are still fighting..." said Saren respectfully,
"I have help..." replied Raval, earning a nod from the Turian.
"Everything I have done in my life has mostly been wrong. I was always blinded by my prejudices, always viewing the galaxy with a narrow vision. But you and Naruto are different..." said Saren with a smile,
He couldn't help but admire the spirit of the Kaiser as he and his ship fought valiantly destroying Geth ships. It was a rare sight seeing a leader leading his forces from the front.
"It is too late for me but not for you. Or this galaxy..."
"Saren..."
"No, let me speak for I am finally free. I can see it now that the Kaiser will be the light that will change this galaxy. And you will be The Magician that helps him protect and win the galaxy. I am sending you some information that will help you in this fight. Succeed where I failed..." requested Saren,
Raval's eyes became moist even as he checked the newly arrived information sent to him by the Spectre. The Fleet Admiral saw the reason why Saren was free of Reaper control. There was a large hole in the Turian's chest courtesy of a metallic rod piercing his flesh. His life was already...
The Turian coughed blood and his mandibles twitched as he smiled.
"I leave the galaxy to you, Magician..."
Imperial Admiral Flavus saw his fellow Turian offer one last salute before raising his sidearm and shooting himself in the head. Flavus looked to his Fleet Admiral to see him remove his military cap in respect as a lone tear slipped from his eye.
A stunned silence prevailed on the Himalaya's bridge until Fleet Admiral Raval stepped forward and saluted the now burning corpse of Saren Arterius.
"May the spirits guide your soul, Saren Arterius..."
The Imperial Turian soldiers were surprised on seeing their Fleet Admiral offering a traditional Turian prayer for the deceased. Even the salute Raval offered to Saren was genuine and full of respect which surprised his troops...
"You lost your way but found your way home in the end. It was a death worthy of a Turian and a soldier's honor..."
Admiral Flavus heavily nodded and followed his human leader in offering his respect to his fellow Turian brother. One by one the rest of the Imperials followed the same action and offered a respectful salute to Saren Arterius moments before the Reaper Capital Ship was destroyed by a final slug launched from the Himalaya.
(Few Hours Later)
The Imperial Fleet was victorious.
All 4000 Geth Ships and one Reaper Capital Ship had met their end in space.
While 237 Imperial Ships, and more than 11,000 soldiers had honorably died in battle.
Among those were the Normandy's crew, the handful that managed to survive were currently standing outside the infirmary of The Himalaya. The undefeatable Kaiser was sitting beside a bed gently caressing the battered face of a familiar red head.
"How is she?" asked Raval sympathetically,
"Severely wounded. Most of her ribs are broken, she has hairline fractures all over her body. However, the thing that harmed her the most was the lack of oxygen in her escape pod. It has sent her in coma..." explained Sakura,
"Will Kushina make it?" asked the Fleet Admiral,
"We cannot say anything for now. I'm sorry..."
Mikoto looked at the man she loved and then at Raval who was waiting for his friend alongside the remaining four High Admirals. She didn't miss the way they looked at the man now that he had proved himself on the battlefield as a capable commander. It was another one of Naruto's hidden talent of recognizing people's potential.
"Mikoto, I'm sorry. It was my plan that led..." apologized Raval, but she raised her hand.
"Don't be absurd, Fleet Admiral. You did the impossible with minimum casualties, anything can happen in battle and casualties are unavoidable. The Kaiser understands that and does not hold you responsible for what happened to his mother..." explained Mikoto honestly,
She saw he was still not convinced and was holding himself responsible so she went ahead and placed a hand on his shoulder gently. Looking at him now reminded her of the boy's father Shantanu, although Raval took after his father he had a kind heart that was giving him trouble.
"Fleet Admiral, you're the treasure of the Imperial Forces..."
Shepard and Kaidan both nodded, so did the remaining four Imperial Admirals.
"Even though our Fleet has suffered losses, we owe this victory to your vision and determination. You are young but I see a great Commander in you, someone whom the Kaiser will always need. So I ask you not to hold yourself to blame and continue to lead our fleet with all your talent..." requested Mikoto, as Raval lowered his head.
"I'm talentless in comparison to the fierce Kushina Uzumaki or valiant Admiral Morgan. Since I have only survived in this war so far I don't feel that I deserve your praise. But I promise you this, I will support the Kaiser with everything I have in order to make up for what Commander Kushina or Admiral Morgan would have done for him..." pledged Raval,
Mikoto smiled in surprise on the Fleet Admiral's modesty even after such a great victory. She saw it increased his respect among the other Admirals who saw him in a different light as he remembered and honored one of their own instead of taking all credit for himself.
She nodded and allowed him to enter the infirmary to talk to his friend.
Naruto didn't look up as footsteps approached his way.
The person arrived by his side and simply stood there for several moments as both of them observed the comatose Kushina.
"You won an impossible victory..." congratulated Naruto,
"Not without your help. It wouldn't have worked if you or Commander Uzumaki hadn't agreed to risk your lives..." replied Raval, as Naruto looked at his friend.
"I heard about Saren..."
The Kaiser didn't miss the brief sadness in Raval's eyes as he remembered the unfortunate Turian Spectre but chose not to speak anything. The Kaiser already had enough to worry about...
"The chakra user named Orochimaru is on Ilos with a large ground force. They are currently searching for the Conduit, and when they find it the rest of the Reapers are going to arrive here..." informed Raval,
"How much time do we have?" asked Naruto seriously,
"Orochimaru has been on Ilos for an entire week. If Saren's data is right then we just have a day or two before the Reaper Fleet arrives with Sovereign. Luckily they don't have any Geth ships left, what we destroyed today was the last of the rogue Geth..." explained Raval in a satisfied tone,
"That's good to hear..."
"How many Reapers are we talking about?" asked the Kaiser seriously,
"Around 12 to 15 Capital Ships. And Sovereign which is a Dreadnought class..."
Naruto froze. Just one Reaper Capital Ship had been enough to destroy the Morgan Fleet with the help of the now destroyed Geth Fleet. To imagine 15 Capital Ships with Sovereign arriving...
He looked at his friend and saw the man understood the situation...
"Stop whatever's happening on Ilos. I'll command the Space Fleet and keep the Reapers at bay...'' advised Raval,
"We need to call reinforcements. We may have more and better ships, but that many Reapers alongwith Sovereign..." warned Naruto,
"And leave the Empire exposed? No, Admiral Morgan didn't die so that we could place the Empire's safety in jeopardy. Pulling any more ships will weaken our borders and I won't allow that to happen with so many Reapers loose. What if they change plans? We won't have a home to go back to even if we win here..." protested Raval fiercely,
"But-"
Raval placed a hand on his distressed friend's shoulder. The truth was that even he knew that so many Reaper ships were going to be great trouble but they had no choice.
"I'll handle things in space. You take command of our ground forces and win Ilos. We made a promise to each other, remember?" asked Raval kindly, as the Kaiser looked at his friend.
"Win the Universe..."
They both chanted that dream outloud as the determination and light in the Kaiser's distressed eyes returned back. A smile came on Naruto's lips as he took the hand offered by his friend and got back on his feet.
Placing one last kiss on his mother's forehead, Naruto and Raval both walked towards the exit where Mikoto and the others were waiting for them. The Kaiser gave Mikoto a reassured smile which made her nod happily.
Liara passed a datapad to Naruto on which was every piece of intel they had on Ilos.
However, the moment he laid eyes upon the planet's image he froze. Mikoto and Raval watched the color drain from the Kaiser's face and saw his eyelids tilting for a few seconds as he said something that chilled their blood.
"We have waited a long time for your return..."
Naruto shivered when that strange voice whispered inside his head. If that wasn't enough to creep him out, he saw rapid flashes of the Prothean Empire ruling Ilos, the secret facilities they formed during their Reaper War, the faces of the shinobi royal family, that royal princess Ren whom he had seen a vision of in the Prothean Beacon...
He remembered that there was another royal prince who was said to be the last heir to the throne. The one who succeeded to become Emperor once Prince Hayato died in battle.
What was his name?
He could feel the answer hidden somewhere deep inside his brain but just couldn't find it. It frustrated him to no end as the flashes of Ren laughing, playing, teaching, feeding and looking after someone flashed before him. However, he could also see the shadow of another person in those visions.
A female if her shadow was any indication. Strangely, he remembered that woman smelling like flowers.
The same scent he was feeling right now around him...
"It's you..."
He turned around facing the person who gave him a knowing smile.
"We meet again, My Prince.."
