Just Give Me A Reason

by enbycabbage

Garrus & Elle's journey together continues into ME2. They have a mountain of baggage between them, a painful past, and a galaxy to save. They each need to heal and forgive if they'll ever have a future. ***This is the third work in the series. You will miss things if you don't read the first two installments.*** Some canon, some not, but it's Bioware's sandbox!

18. Chapter 16 - Trapped

Aite might be a damn pretty planet, but I'm starting to hate everything about this day. Last night was absolutely perfect; Shepard submitted beautifully and the sex was better than ever. She even handled the crash after shockingly well, didn't shut me out or berate herself for it. Getting Shepard to acknowledge and respect her own emotions and limitations will be the hardest part of our relationship, but we're making strides.

I should have woken her up with kisses this morning. I should have made love to her and then we should have talked about last night, debriefed and reassessed. We still have so much to talk about. Instead, we woke up to a crisis and it's been nonstop ever since.

The Illusive Man is a sack of Varren shit. He's secretive at best, more accurately a liar. He's arrogant and makes assumptions about what other people are willing to do for him, and his moral code is nonexistent. The man has no honor, and yet he can send Shepard on missions knowing that her honor forces her to do the right thing. Always. Even at the expense of her own well-being. It's a dangerous combination.

Today he sent us to some backwater planet with vague warnings about technology instead of giving us a heads up that there are Geth here. We were not prepared for the extent of the issue, especially since this doesn't seem to be over yet or simple to resolve.

Dr. Archer leads us into the observation room again where we can look out at the landing pad and the planet through the wall-length glass window. He's pale but doesn't sound quite as panicked now. "You have my thanks, Commander Shepard," he breathes, walking over to the consoles with Shepard. "You bought us some time, though probably not much. This isn't over yet."

"Who did you say you were again?" Shepard asks. I recognize it as a challenge, a push. She and I are on the same wavelength; if this guy works with the Illusive Man, we cannot trust him.

"Dr. Gavin Archer, chief scientist at this facility," he answers, no aggression. His face falls and he adds, "And probably the only one left."

I wonder if the guilt in his eyes is just because he survived, or because he's responsible for whatever is going on here.

"You owe us an explanation," Shepard informs him, her arms crossed over her chest.

Archer takes a breath. "This is Project Overlord. An attempt to gain influence over the Geth by interfacing a human mind with a VI. The results have been...less than satisfactory. Yet even amid chaos, there are lessons to be learned." He starts walking from the room, again motioning for us to follow. "My brother David volunteered to serve as a test subject, but his mind couldn't handle the VI connection."

"Not surprising," Miranda snaps. "There was some talk of using that sort of technology for your revival, Shepard. But there is no evidence that it could work and no logical reason to believe it. It's risky at best."

"That should be a given," I scoff, finally grateful to Miranda for the way she handled the project to bring Shepard back.

"Yes, well." Archer clears his throat and leads us to another window. We're looking down at dismantled pieces of Geth. "He's like a virus now, infecting our networks and seizing control of any technology he finds. It's why you had to destroy the dish. Imagine if his program got off-world."

Shepard faces him, not the window. "What's the worst case scenario?"

"A technological apocalypse. Every machine, every weapon, every computer could be turned against us. If he hit the extranet, who knows where it would end."

"The Illusive Man brought me back to fight against sentient machines who want to wipe out every organic being in our galaxy," Shepard notes, clenching her fist. "And you're actually enhancing their power?"

"That's not..." Archer shakes his head, stuttering. "The purpose was to get an edge on the Geth! It's - "

Shepard scoffs and turns away, done with him. They should all know better. After what happened to the Quarian when they created the Geth, after seeing what happened to Saren when he tried to control them and use Sovereign...this was stupid and reckless at best.

"How does he take control of electronics?" I ask, just as tired of the excuses as she is.

"This is a hybrid intelligence the likes of which I've never seen. I don't know where the man ends and the machine begins."

"How do we stop him?" Shepard asks.

Archer takes another breath. "Davi...the VI has fortified itself in the main laboratory at Atlas Station. It's in lockdown now. To enter, you need to manually override security from our facilities in the Prometheus and Vulcan stations."

I glance at Shepard to see if she noted the switch in pronouns as well. The VI has gone from 'he' to 'it' and he almost referred to the VI as David again. His brother. This is personal for Archer, and we need to keep that in mind.

"I can give you my authorization from here," Archer continues, "but you'll have to manually reset the other two yourself. No one is left at those stations to override for us."

"Dr. Archer." He looks up at Shepard, only barely not shrinking back. "What happens if I have to kill your brother?"

Archer turns away and walks to one of the consoles. There's a framed photo on the desk; Archer and another young man. "Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

"What went wrong with the experiment?" Miranda demands, her voice tight.

"David volunteered to interface with the VI to give it genuine consciousness. Theoretically, it should have been safe but...with an artificial intelligence, there is no such thing as safe."

"Then you shouldn't have attempted it," Shepard snaps.

"And what if you had never attempted to find the Reapers, Commander Shepard?" he demands, finally showing a little life. Doesn't mean I won't blow his face off. "Where would the galaxy be then? Sometimes you have to ignore the risks."

Shepard doesn't like it, I hate it...but the guy has a point. She takes a deep breath, calming herself. I watch her clench and relax her fists. "Tell me more about Project Overlord."

"We wanted to turn the Geth's religious impulse into a weapon," he explained, speaking slowly like we're children who need our hands held. I'm gonna smack him. "When we saw them following Saren, we realized they could be swayed. And if a proper figurehead was created - a virus with a face, if you will - the Geth might be controlled."

"An ambitious undertaking," I allow, trying to keep the snark out of my voice.

"And it would be the perfect weapon," Archer presses. "Victory without casualties. We could avoid war with the Geth altogether." He exhales hard. "That was the plan anyway."

Shepard takes a breath, running a hand back over her hair. "Atlas Station. What do I need to know?"

"It's the main laboratory where all of our VI experiments take place. It's your final goal once you've overridden the lockdown. It's also..." He clears his throat, pain flashing in his eyes. "It's also where my brother became...something else."

"We're heading out now. Send the locations to the stations to my Omni-Tool."

"Will do. Best of luck, Commander," Archer calls as we pass through the doors and back outside of the station where the Hammerhead waits.

Shepard is moving at a clipped pace, her shoulders tense. It's a tell that she's frustrated, and it's hard to blame her. But she'll lead us where we need to be and complete the mission. That's just who she is. And it's one reason why I love her.

"Okay," she says as we reach the Hammerhead, turning back to us and pulling up a map on her 'Tool. "We have the locations of the Prometheus and Vulcan stations, both in driving distance."

"The planet is going to be covered in Cerberus security mechs," Miranda notes. "Anywhere that a Cerberus base - especially a high value one - is located will be heavily guarded."

"And the VI can likely take control of the mechs," I chime in, rolling my eyes. "Great. Cerberus needs our help, and they're going to be shooting at us all at once."

"The Illusive Man owes us big for this," Shepard notes with a nod. "Let's get going."

I move for the Hammerhead, aiming for the driver's side this time, and Shepard reaches for the door at the same time I do. "You can land the thing, Shepard, but let's be honest. If we need to drive to three stations intact in a tank that hovers, maybe someone else should drive."

I can't keep the smile off my face while I say it and her scowl grows deeper with every single word. "You know, the teasing me about driving wasn't funny two years ago either."

"Maybe not but it was true then, too."

"You're a dick, Vakarian. Better watch how bratty you are, or I might not let you get as familiar with this tank as the last one." Her little threat rings true, getting my heart racing and a stir building in my core.

I step a little closer, making sure Miranda is otherwise distracted, and put my hand beside her head on the door. "You talk a big game, but you'll take my cock wherever I give it to you, won't you?" I lift my hand, running my fingers down her throat slowly and letting her see my eyes drift down her body. "You're as starved for it as I am for your soft body, that sweet pussy of yours. My perfect little slut."

"Jesus Christ," she moans, her head falling back briefly. "Why does that make me so hot?"

"Because you know what it means to me." I lean down and catch her lips for a brief kiss. "Earning your trust so that you can be like that with me, for me, is the only thing I've ever done that I'm truly proud of."

Shepard's emerald eyes flash and the smile that pops onto her face makes my breath catch in my throat.

"Try not to kill us on the drive." I dodge her playful punch and laugh all the way to the other side where I climb in beside her. Shepard gets us a few feet off the ground and starts the drive, following the Hammerhead's internal mapping system. "This is a damn nice upgrade from the Mako...and I loved the Mako."

"I have to agree. The toys that Cerberus provides are the one benefit to working for these people." Miranda makes a noise from the backseat which Shepard laughs at.

Aite is even prettier here, the landscape rocky and raw, broken by lush vegetation and water features. "Geographic conditions indicate an aesthetically pleasing view nearby," the Hammerhead computer tells us as we approach a waterfall. "Organic life forms may wish to take note."

"Well, it is not wrong," Shepard notes with a sweet little giggle craning her neck to see it while trying to watch where she's going.

We have a few moments, so I shift in my seat to look back at Miranda. "What do you think about all this? Is the Illusive Man going to be upfront with us - with you - when it's done?"

She opens her mouth with a hard stare that makes me certain she's about to snap at me. Instead, she closes it again. Her eyes don't soften, though. "I think the Illusive Man will do what's best for the mission."

"The question is whose mission," Shepard retorts. She's always harsher with Miranda if Miranda is being mean to me; humans never learn their lessons, though.

"I hacked a console and found some files that were marked confidential; they were hidden and encrypted, and they weren't among what Archer or the Illusive Man sent to Shepard."

Both women look at me for a long beat. I catch Shepard's eye and she nods, aware of my motives and approving of my methods. And then I focus on Miranda. What I want right now are her reactions.

"Cerberus will want those files," she informs me, voice tight and emotionless. Her face is supposed to have been crafted for perfection; I don't get it. She always just looks miserable to me.

"I don't work for Cerberus," I remind her. "If my commander wants the files, she'll have them. What she decides to do from there, I'll trust."

Shepard reaches over and pats my knee, giving her approval. "We'll look at them together tonight. I'll keep you updated, Miranda."

"I understand," Miranda replies, still looking at me, "but I have to encourage you to trust Cerberus. They aren't the enemy you keep making them out to be."

I bark out a laugh at that. "Did you not see all the carnage back there?" I demand of her. "All of those people trusted Cerberus. What did they get for it? Gunned down by Geth that were there at the fault of Cerberus. That's not an incentive for me to trust them."

"Cerberus brought back Shepard," she snaps back, a smug smile appearing.

"And I'll be grateful for that every day for the rest of my life. But don't act like you and the Illusive Man don't have your own motives."

Miranda folds first, looking away from me with her jaw set hard. She's not going to concede or give me an inch. I can appreciate her sense of loyalty but unless that loyalty is to Shepard, it's useless to me, to the crew of the Normandy, to our mission.

"I've made my decision on the files, Miranda. If I think you or the Illusive Man should see them, you will. Understand?" Shepard doesn't get an argument or snark, and I turn to face the front of the Hammerhead again. Shepard supports me on this; that's all I need to know.

She guides the Hammerhead through a passage built into a mountain, rock on all sides of us. Piping begins, built out of the rock, and Shepard manages to bump several of them. It's not until I see lava through the rock that I realize where we are.

"Commander," Archer breaks in over the comms, "I advise extreme caution. Vulcan Station is our geothermal plant. They stopped reporting in shortly after the experi - "

The roar of the rogue VI cuts over the comm and echoes around the tank's cabin, ending our connection to Archer.

"Scanning area," the Hammerhead tells us. "Analysis: VI infection is present within plant machinery. Advise caution."

It's a good reminder to double check my weapons and heat sinks. I do the same for Shepard since she's driving, and she flashes me a grateful smile. I wink in response. The thanks is unnecessary; just like Cerberus had an ulterior motive to bring Shepard back, I have a vested and selfish interest in keeping her alive.

We have to take the Hammerhead over a river of lava, and I do my best not to white knuckle it all the way across. I don't handle not being in control of things at moments like this well, but I don't want to take that out on Shepard.

Like we'd expect at a geothermal station, there are venting stations. Unfortunately, Shepard passes at least partially over one and the thing shoots us up into the roof of the cave. It's a jarring impact, and I nearly whack my face on the dashboard.

"Shit! Sorry," Shepard offers, a shy smile on her face.

"I'm good," I assure her. Miranda says the same, and Shepard is more careful passing the next one. And then we reach the end of this pathway, and find the area covered in vents with no other way out.

"The map says we have to go up," Shepard notes, holding the Hammerhead steady.

I lean forward to look through the windshield and up. The rocky outcroppings create multiple levels, and the ceiling is much higher here. "Use the vents, Shepard. We need to go up, let them send us up."

"Creative, I like it." She listens, and my stomach drops as the Hammerhead is launched into the air at a higher velocity than I anticipated. It works out, though, getting us to the next level. Shepard giggles again, clearly enjoying our little ride.

"Spirits, you can be so adorable sometimes," I inform her, shaking my head but unable to stop smiling.

"Excuse you, Garrus Vakarian," she replies, feigning insult. "I am the Hero of the Citadel. I am not adorable."

I laugh and she smirks in response, but the happiness fades quickly when we start moving and come into view - and range - of an automated turret. Shepard gets the Hammerhead behind cover and then tries to return fire but after a couple shots, it becomes clear that the tank's guns can't do anything against it.

"We're gonna have to speed past it," Shepard says. "Hang on." She floors it, zooming past the turret and barely getting any damage on the way.

"Nicely done, kid."

She nods at me and keeps going, the cave structure leading us around to a huge flow of lava, including a lava waterfall. "The Hammerhead doesn't think this one is pretty," Shepard notes, pauses again to watch it.

"It's wrong," I note. "There's something beautiful about things that deadly." I look at Shepard, taking in the most beautiful and deadliest thing in my life if not the universe as a whole. Her flush and the little smile she tries to hide only add to the beauty.

"Getting across that is going to be a challenge," Miranda notes.

She has a point. It's a large flow, pretty rapidly moving. There's no way the Hammerhead could stand up to something like that if the lava got to us, and the tank only hovers; it won't fly long enough to get us all the way across.

"There's enough debris," Shepard says, pointing toward some of the larger rocks floating. "I could probably hop across. You think?" She looks at me and I have to hesitate.

I tease Shepard about driving but some of it is warranted; she's got great aim with a gun but with a tank...

Right now, Shepard needs confidence and support, though. I promised to hold all of her burdens when I promised to dominate her. This is a burden on her right now, and it's my job to hold it.

"I think my final wishes are up to date, so go for it," I quip. It has the desired effect and Shepard laughs even as she flips me off. Confidence returned, and now she'll make it just to prove me wrong.

"Who gets all your nothing if you melt in this tank?" she teases on the way across.

I laugh at that. "Actually, you do so. Congrats on the nothing."

"That's especially funny because everything I have goes to you, too." She lands safely on the other side of the lava river and flashes me a stunning smile. "And now you can kiss my ass, big guy."

"Gonna do something with it," I mutter, only letting her hear me. It earns me another giggle. I'm a big fan of her mood today and can't help but wonder what's the cause for it. I'd like to believe it has something to do with last night, with everything we did and said. Spirits know that it's helping me; Shepard's going to let me take care of her the way she deserves.

"Yeah, well. You're never allowed to tease me for driving again." Almost immediately after she's done saying it, Shepard tries to turn and instead swerves right into a wall of rock. Even Miranda can't help but laugh at that. "God damn it! You shut up, you big dinosaur," she snaps, holding out a warning finger even while she chuckles.

We continue our way through the cave system, using vents and avoiding lava. There are a few more turrets but I manage to find a weak point and take them with Shepard's shotgun while she dodges in and out of cover. Another river, another passageway, and then we reach what looks like the entrance to the station. I shoot out the surveillance camera before we get out of the Hammerhead.

The building opens into a large parking space with a few more surveillance cameras, all of which I shoot down. I'm recording all of this on my visor; if the Illusive Man wants a record, I'll decide whether or not he can have a copy.

Through the doors, we end up in a poorly lit area that has a lot of unfamiliar complex systems and an uncomfortable smoke clogging the air. "This place reminds me of a factory my uncle worked in on Mindoir," Shepard notes, making a face. I can't imagine her uncle ever managed to wash the smoke smell off.

"Warning," a computer announces over the intercom. "Pressure levels in valve D4 have exceeded maximum threshold. Manual control is required."

"That doesn't sound good," Shepard mutters.

I look around and spot a valve marked D4 as well as the console that goes with it. I have to hack in, not giving Shepard a chance this time simply because we might need to hurry. I have no idea what I'm doing, so it's lucky the control is easy to handle. Some of the smoke starts to clear, enough that we can find a short set of stairs going down and across the building.

There's a technician dead in the middle of the room and a few others scattered throughout. It's not long before we encounter the LOKI mech and assault drones that killed them, the rogue VI screaming louder and angrier as we go. Fortunately, there are a lot of opportunities for cover in here.

"How many is that for you, big guy?" Shepard asks from a few feet away. "No counting the turrets!"

I scoff dramatically. "I don't need to cheat to beat you, kid."

Shepard laughs but Miranda turns to frown at me quickly. "Are you competing for kills?"

"Almost always," I answer. "It was sort of a tradition on the first Normandy."

"Yeah, we saw so many Geth or husks or whatever on any given mission that to try and get out of our heads, we started the game," Shepard chimes in.

"And one person remains undefeated." I nail another mech, taking two others out with that single shot when it explodes. Shepard copies my dramatic scoff, and I laugh at her, but glance toward Miranda again. "What do you say, Lawson? Want in?"

"I hardly think that's appropriate."

Shepard laughs as we take out the final mechs and clear our path for now. "Nothing that's fun is appropriate, Miranda. If we take all of this too seriously, we'll never make it out alive."

I stand with them, entering a fresh heat sink. "You'll have to deal with losing, though. And biotics don't count for kills."

"I don't need biotics to beat you," she quips, showing fire of an interesting kind for the first time since I met her. She's a lot more intriguing than I give her credit for if she's serious and going to play along. Granted, she's still xenophobic and generally just unpleasant but maybe not all bad.

We push on, ending up having to climb up a makeshift ramp created by a pipe when there's too much damage for us to get through the room the way it's intended. There are more dead technicians and Cerberus employees up here. At the other end of the building is a door that leads into a small room - an office with a few consoles. One of them has a log.

"...received an SOS from Atlas Station," the recorded voice says. "Archer has declared a project emergency. We're trying to shut down the power generators to starve the VI, but it's already hacked our automated systems. I'm ordering my people to sabotage the plan any way they can."

"Ah. Explains the mess." Shepard nods to me.

"And I think we should follow their lead." She explains by turning around to shoot through a console and destroy it. The rogue VI immediately screams on another console, and I shoot through that screen. We continue like that, wiping out all the mechs we face and destroying any system we can.

The fighting gets harder and the cover gets thinner as we proceed, more and bigger mechs joining the fight, but we continue on at a steady pace. When we get through, we follow a platform outside the building into an alcove and find a locked door at the top of a set of stairs.

Shepard reaches for it but hesitates and then looks at me. I nod and offer her a smile. "You've got this." And she does, unlocking the door efficiently. "Faster this time, too. Well done."

She smiles at me, trying not to look too excited I can tell, but the pride in her eyes makes my heart feel full. She's the most capable, talented woman I've ever met; it means the world to me that she's starting to feel that way about herself.

Shepard leads us into a room where we find a mech with an odd green light glowing around it. It's shooting at something - not us - and then starts kicking it over and over and over. When it turns around and notices us, it puts its hands up instead of shooting. Almost defensively. A surrender.

I look to Shepard and see Miranda do the same on her other side. Shepard nods and we both unload, blowing one of the things arms off and putting a few new holes in it. The mech looks down at the missing arm, then raises the gun in the other hand toward us. I fire, blowing that arm off too.

The glow around the mech fades, and if I didn't know any better, I'd say that the mech shakes its head almost like trying to recover its bearings. And then - armless - it goes running out of the room.

"That was...weird."

I laugh. "It must be that rogue VI, screwing with the mechs now too."

Shepard approaches whatever the mech was so angry at and then nods. "That would explain why the VI was trying to get the mech to break the override controls. It failed, though." Instead of going wild on the thing like the mech did, Shepard effectively disables the control.

"Override of Atlas Station lockdown accepted," the station computer announces.

Almost immediately, the window in the room becomes covered in the code, the rogue VI screeching at us. This time, the pixels don't seem quite as random though. It's almost like...

"God, is that a face?" Miranda demands, leaning a little closer but obviously still cautious of the thing even if it is just a visual.

"The screaming," Shepard breathes. "Do you think David is trying to talk to us?"

"If the VI gained consciousness, if it became an AI, it's possible that David is trapped inside this thing," I note. "They wanted to join them but...well, do we know if the joining was complete?"

Shepard shakes her head but before she can respond, Archer comes over the comms, a little broken up at first. "...are you receiving this? Commander Shepard, this is Dr. Archer. Please respond." He sounds fairly desperate.

"I hear you, Doctor," Shepard responds, her own voice hardening immediately. "We've hit the override at Vulcan Station and are moving out. Shepard out."

She ends the call. I know this means that she's given up on trusting Archer, on having any sort of relationship with him that benefits either of them or Cerberus. He's either the enemy or at least not on our side. I approve...but I'm surprised when she looks up at me. I can see the need for approval in her eyes. Or maybe not need. Just...want.

"Good call," I tell her, deciding the why isn't important right now.

We head back the way we came and don't have to go far before we find the armless mech running back and forth, aimless and chaotic.

"What the hell is it doing now?" Shepard demands as we watch it literally bump into a wall and then pause like it's surprised.

"Now I'm pretty certain the VI hacked it," I tell her. "And when he bailed, he essentially left it hollow. Mechs need a directive, and this one doesn't have one."

Shepard looks back to the mech, her expression almost sympathetic. And then she puts it out of its misery, one more bullet to the head. It's for the best.

We head back outside and toward the Hammerhead, but Shepard slows when we near. When she turns toward me with a mischievous little smile, something primal and hot stirs inside me. "Wanna drive?" she asks.

"I wasn't born yesterday, Shepard. What's the catch?"

"A bet." Now I'm very intrigued. And even more into Shepard's mood. "I bet that you will hit at least one rock or wall or other easily avoidable object, from now until we leave."

"If you both hit walls, I'm leaving," Miranda announces, climbing into the tank and leaving us alone.

"The stick up her ass is bigger than any Turian's," I note with a laugh. "But you have my attention. What are the terms?"

"If I win, you have to announce in front of the entire crew that I am a better driver and a better shot than you," she tells me, cocking her hip in that way I like so much. I laugh, copying her position and crossing my arms over my chest.

"Alright. And what about when I win?"

Her smile only grows. Damn she's beautiful. "If - and that's a big if - you win...you get to choose your prize. No exceptions. Whatever you want."

"Spirits." I glance back toward the Hammerhead to make sure Miranda isn't watching too carefully before shifting my codpiece so it puts less pressure on my groin. "What I don't want is an erection in my armor - again."

"I did promise to keep you hard all the time," she notes, the mischief in that grin becoming downright sexy. "Do we have a bet?"

"Hell yes," I answer, fighting the urge to jump her right now. "And I promise to spend the rest of the mission coming up with an appropriately creative prize."

Shepard steps closer, only just not touching me, and drops her voice low when she replies, "I'm looking forward to delivering, big guy." Green eyes drop suggestively to scan me and then she walks away, leaving a swirl of cinnamon and citrus lust.

I wonder if she knows just how badly she's going to need to pay for this later.

I get behind the controls of the Hammerhead and take off, following the VI's directions for Prometheus station. We have to cross near that waterfall again, and as we get close, Shepard leans forward eagerly. I angle the tank for her window to have the best view and then I slow.

"You're doing that on purpose," she notes, practically pressing her nose against the glass. "And I adore you for it."

I choose not to comment, giving her a moment to appreciate something beautiful and natural - a rare thing when you live on a spaceship and hunt sentient machines. And then I take off, putting the Hammerhead through its paces. It controls beautifully and has pretty nice acceleration; I take advantage of both while navigating the landscape smoothly.

"You are the cockiest bastard in the universe," Shepard jokes, laughing and shaking her head at me. "Any opportunity to show off, huh?"

"I believe you gave me this opportunity, Commander," I remind her, taking a turn sharper than I need to just to prove a point. "And you say cocky, but I prefer aware of how incredible I am."

Shepard scoffs but tries to hide her smile, and I can hear Miranda cough in the back to try and cover up her laugh. Unfortunately, we all have to stop laughing when we come across a series of turrets. Shepard and I switch roles, her shooting them down while I keep us moving in and out of cover.

"If this planet is only supposed to be a research station, why the hell is there so much security?" Shepard asks. I'm not sure if she's specifically asking Miranda or just wondering aloud. "I mean, obviously they're worried about attacks."

"Do I need to remind you that both the Alliance and the Council consider Cerberus a terrorist organization?" Miranda responds, her defenses already raised.

I almost laugh but manage to squash it. "Acting like a terrorist organization and guarding secrets so violently is not helping the way the Alliance and the Council see you," I note. "Not to mention things like illegal Geth research."

She doesn't respond before I guide the tank into a small ravine under a waterfall. It leads us to what the Hammerhead computer announces is Prometheus Station. I give Shepard my best grin.

"OK, fine. You're an ass, but you win." She narrows her eyes at me, still smiling. "You're not gonna tell me what you'll take as your prize, are you?"

"Not a chance," I laugh.

"Oh, you are a...what the..." Shepard trails off and leans forward in her seat, gawking at what emerges through the windshield. We've found Prometheus Station, and while I knew it was on the edge of a cliff per the map, nothing could have prepared me for this. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Do you think it's a giant ass Geth ship? Because yes," I snap, slapping the controls with my frustration boiling. "What the hell were these people thinking?"

"The Illusive Man...he can't have known about this." Miranda doesn't sound like she believes herself. It seems hard to be sure of anything right now while staring at a downed geth ship that has been turned into a research station. I have trouble imagining the level of hubris a person would need to think they can be safe screwing around not only with Geth but with their ship. Did we learn nothing from the Quarian and their exile?

"I hate Cerberus more every day," I growl, fighting the urge to turn around and glare at Miranda. She's the closest I can get to the actual body of the issue, and I want to tear her apart right now. I have to walk Shepard inside that fucking thing.

"Regardless, we have to find a way in. And that," Shepard says, pointing at the massive round shield covering the only entrance we can see from up here, "is going to be an issue."

"Not as big as all of those," I note, pointing at the various shields all over the field. "Geth use those shields for their generators, remember?" She nods.

"Might as well get started." She motions for me to take the tank down into the valley and I do so, driving more cautiously now.

"Scanning area," the Hammerhead announces. "Analysis: Generators are providing power for the main shield. Warning: The VI infection has assumed control of the Geth cannon."

"Oh, shit," Shepard groans, all of us looking toward the massive cannon set up at the 'head' of these ships. We've seen them in action; the Hammerhead won't be able to stand up to it.

"Warning," the tank computer continues. "We are being targeted."

"Oh, shit! Move!" I don't need the command, already speeding across the field and to cover. Fortunately, the targeting and blast system is extremely slow; by the time the cannon fires, it's aimed several feet behind us. "We need to get that cannon and the shield down to get inside, and we need the generators down for that."

"The Hammerhead's cannon is going to be useless while the shields are up, and I don't know that we have time to take them down." Even while I say it, I'm forced to dodge the geth cannon again.

"I bet that thing could take the generators down real quick," Shepard notes, pointing back at the cannon. I blink at her, confused for a moment...but she's absolutely right.

I swoop the Hammerhead around the field and into position. "Beautiful and brilliant," I muse, shaking my head. "I'm a lucky man, Shepard."

A flush rises in her cheeks that I'm forced to ignore for now. The cannon is helping, but the longer we're out here, the more likely we are to get the Geth coming to us.

"Miranda, can you use your biotics to keep lowering the shields?" Shepard asks. "Garrus, if you can do the same with your 'Tool, it'll make all this faster." I should have realized we'd be on the same page.

"Grab the controls," I tell her, motioning for her to come to me while pulling up what I need on my Omni-Tool. I wonder if she knows that the illegal upgrades to my overload are what makes me so effective at taking out shields like these; Omega was a hellhole but living in a place like that has benefits.

Shepard shifts out of her seat and quickly crosses the space to mine. I slide over, letting her sit on my lap for a moment before we switch and I move back into her seat. The battle goes much faster now, the shields weakened before the cannon blasts them and then the Hammerhead wiping out the generators quickly.

Once the shield around the cannon is down, we take cover again. Miranda continues to throw her biotics at it and I switch to my pistol, both of us teaming up with Shepard and the tank to get the thing down. And down it goes, with a rather satisfying plume of fireworks.

But now the part I'm dreading begins. Shepard hasn't been as reckless lately since we talked about it, but nothing about walking into a geth ship feels logical to me. I realize we don't have many options, but I don't have to like it.

We park the Hammerhead and walk up a ramp, through the entrance built into the side of the ship. The only one here to greet us is the ship computer, coming over the comms. "Attention visitors. This Cerberus facility contains a hazardous AI technology. By continuing, you agree to assume liability for all personal injuries or death that may occur during your visit."

"I should have boosted my life insurance policy this morning," Shepard grumbles. If I thought she was joking, I'd tell her it's not funny. Instead, I know she's just as concerned as I am. I think that's worse.

I shoot out the camera in the entryway, and then we proceed through the only set of doors to get into the station. It's a large, mostly open space that looks like it was used for a lab of some kind. A bad kind, considering the Geth Destroyer in the middle of the room. At least it isn't attacking; it's trapped and frozen inside some kind of shield.

Miranda finds a log on a console. "Now we just got word Atlas Station wants a dozen more geth for the experiment. I hope this means a breakthrough is close."

"Jesus," Shepard breathes. One day I'll need to ask her who that is. Almost every human I've ever known has evoked him when they're pissed off or upset or awed. The guy either did something really good or really bad.

We take a flight of stairs at the side of the room and it takes us up to a platform which we follow around to the other side of the room. Geth favor function, not form, so there aren't a lot of alcoves the way Turian ships or the Normandy might have. Through that door, we find a long hallway with a few doors and a console at the far end. Shepard leads us to the console first.

"Lanigan just ran a simulation," a man's voice says on a log. "If these geth ever wake up, there's a 98% chance we'll be dead within two minutes. I'm starting to hate Lanigan."

"Do you ever just wish you could shake people and tell them to trust their instincts?" I wonder aloud. "I mean, this guy obviously had a bad feeling about this. It's a shame he didn't run. You just know we're going to find his body here somewhere."

Shepard frowns up at me but nods and turns away, a weight on her shoulders. I reach for her, tugging her ponytail lightly. It works, the playfulness lightening her expression and her eyes immediately. None of us is enjoying this, but I'm not going to let her suffer.

We head back the way we came, but two of the three doors have no lock available. It means we pick the only available door and that opens into a flight of stairs, going right up to another door. Inside, a hallway splits into three doors. I move for one, planning to hack through it, and then the lock disappears.

"The fuck was that?" I turn to find that there's now only one door with a lock. It's our only choice.

"The VI is controlling us," Miranda mutters, sounding a little shaken - if that's possible for Miranda.

Shepard takes a breath and heads through the unlocked door. "It's not like we have a choice." She's right, but I stay close anyway. It's hard not to believe that this is a trap.

It's just a small alcove...full of downed or deactivated geth. It doesn't look, at a glance, like these have done any battle but it's unnerving to be in the same room with them. Since we can't do much more in here, we turn and go back the other way. Now another door is unlocked, and we take that one instead. This way, we find a couple more impenetrable doors and a console with a log.

"Halloween was yesterday." It's the same man as before. "Lanigan ran out wearing spare geth parts. Spooked the shit out of everyone. Now I definitely hate him."

"Lanigan was a dick," Shepard mutters, nodding to the log like she's validating the speaker.

We continue through the ship, forced to go in exactly the direction the VI wants us to go in by shifting locks on doors. Usually they don't change until right before we reach them, like the VI wants us to know that it's screwing with us. Or maybe David is.

At some point, we come across a downed chunk of metal, blocking our path. It looks like a door used to be there but was blown out, internal pieces of the door and wall hanging down. We hop over to find what looks like a tech room, a lot of destruction, and more downed geth.

There was definitely a battle in this station. The question is why it stopped. And when or why it'll start again.

We head back in the other direction, finding a dead Cerberus agent in the hall. He has a datapad on him, and I play the most recent log. "Everything's off-wire! Archer's declared a lockdown, but our station's already infected. What does the VI want?" the voice demands, cracking with panic. "It keeps screaming at us - nobody understands!"

We press on, entering another open space. Shepard tells us to spread out and look for anything of value, anything we might need to figure out what's going on, but I can see the tension in her jaw. Something is wrong.

I glance to make sure Miranda isn't too close, and then follow my girl. "Hey." She looks up at me. "What's going on?"

"Really?" She laughs and motions around us.

"No, that's not it. Something else is on your mind, I can see it." She winces and looks away quickly, but I catch her hand. "Hey, easy. Talk to me."

"This thing," she motions around us to the interior of the geth ship, "feels a lot like a Reaper. Especially considering all the AI. I'm just...uncomfortable, I guess."

"Anyone who could be inside this thing and not be uncomfortable should get checked out," I note. "This is creepy at best."

"Yeah." She sighs again and shakes her head a little. And then it all clicks for me.

"Shepard." I reach for her wrist and pull her to turn toward me. "Look at me." She responds to the tone of voice, one she should recognize now and clearly does, and then meets my eye. "You are not infallible, and no one expects you to be. You have the same reactions any of us would. That's okay."

"It doesn't really feel okay," she admits, frustration coming through in her tone. "I'm supposed to be carrying all of this. If it scares me, how do I convince other people not to be scared?"

"You don't; that's not your purpose. Even if they're scared, we'll stop the Reapers and save them. Shepard, we'll do that even if you're scared." I can see her settle a bit, so I tug her earlobe and offer a smile. "And you're not carrying any of this alone. I have you."

This time when she sighs it's a heavy exhale and it comes with a release, her body collapsing heavily against my chest. I hold her, knowing that she'll pull away in a moment because we have work to do, but that both of us need this right now.

And then we get back to it, Shepard walking a little more steadily now. If that's my only victory for the day, it's a damn big win.

"There are almost no dead bodies in here," Miranda notes, returning to us. "In the other stations, they were everywhere. Here there have been maybe a couple."

Shepard hacks into a console and plays the log. "The VI's closing some passages and leaving others open. It's like it's herding us. At least the geth are still dormant."

The log cuts off when the rogue VI screams again. It's hard to not feel like it's getting more aggressive, especially when what the logs are saying feels a little too close to home.

We search the room but don't find much, and then we find an absolute mess through a door at the end of the hall. It's flooded, partially blocked by a beam, and there are downed wires all over. Still nothing to shoot at us, though.

In the next room, we find a room with a series of platforms over water - which explains the flooding in the last room. We can't get through the room, though, only going up a ramp to a console. It has a map that looks like the station, including the pathway to the override controls. The question is how to get over there.

The console has controls, and I test one out. They move the floor panels. I can work with that. And I do, managing the controls and moving the panels like a puzzle until we have a path across. "Nice!" Shepard chirps, pounding my chest twice rapidly.

"Yes...very nice," Miranda chimes in, looking down at the console and shaking her head. "You're...very capable, Vakarian. Clearly an asset." And then she just walks away, back down the ramp.

"If we weren't in a geth ship, that would be the weirdest thing that happened today," I joke, keeping my voice down.

Shepard laughs and rolls her eyes at me. "You're getting her to warm up to you, Vakarian. Such a charmer." She throws me a wink and then heads off, following Miranda back down and then leading us across the room. The override controls are available now, and Shepard uses them.

"Override of Atlas Station lockdown accepted," the ship announces.

Instantly, the VI's face pops up again. It's even more human this time. It's David, and that makes me nauseous. I'm distracted from it by a noise behind us, and we turn to find one of the downed geth coming back to life.

David took control of them. And there are a lot of them on our way back out of here.

"And there's the catch," Shepard groans. "I knew this was too easy."

"Hostile geth activity detected," the station computer announces as we fire our first shots on the enemy geth. "Armed response is authorized. Cerberus reminds all personnel that this emergency is now classified. Disclosure to outside parties is a violation of your confidentiality agreement."

I scoff and look toward Miranda but don't have to say a word this time. "Yes, yes, I know. I realize how that sounds," she growls out. "I realize it's an issue."

"Do you?" Shepard presses, ducking behind cover to exchange her heat sink. "I really hope so, Miranda. I genuinely hope that you're coming around to loosening the leash Cerberus and the Illusive Man have on you, because I believe that without it, you might actually make for a good person. Maybe even a friend."

Miranda pauses completely, forgetting to fire or even watch her targets for a moment. She just freezes and stares at Shepard. I know in an instant that no one has ever said anything like this to her before. I'm not sure if that makes her attitude in general better or worse.

She gets it together either way and Shepard keeps us moving, pushing back through the ship the way we came. It trembles around us, and I don't want to consider whether it's coming to life or falling apart. The fight to get out is hard, the geth more familiar with the ship and the damn ship full of them. The ship computer continues to make announcements about various areas of the ship coming back on, the geth taking control of their lives again. And it's a lot of them.

When we finally make it back to the first room, the Geth Prime that had been in stasis is active and pissed. The room just about floods with other Geth, so many I'm starting to worry about my ammo supply. The ship has no air flow, no AC, so we're all sweating and panting by the time we get them down and escape. Even the perfectly crafted Miranda collapses into the backseat of the Hammerhead.

And this is not over yet. We still have one final station to take back. We still have to face the rogue VI. We still have to rescue David.

---

"Commander, you've done it!" Archer cheers over the comms almost as soon as we're back in the Hammerhead. "The lockdown has been canceled. We can end this nightmare! You need to go to Atlas Station, find the main server room, and shut down the VI experiment."

I confirm with him quickly and then end the call. There's still something off about him and all of this. I can't help but wonder what happens to David when we shut down the VI experiment. Or why Archer doesn't mention it.

Garrus shifts beside me from the driver's seat, checking his supplies and giving his guns a quick wipedown. Miranda is doing the same in the backseat; she had to switch to relying completely on her guns because the use of her biotics got too exhausting. We've been down here for hours, fighting for all of that time. And we aren't done.

"Now's a good time for either of you to swap out if you need it," I tell them, taking their lead and checking my guns and ammo. "No judgment, it won't be held against you. I understand and respect it."

"You're shitting me, right?" Garrus asks, giving me a dry look with narrowed eyes.

I laugh. "Yeah, I kind of thought you'd refuse. I had to offer, though."

"You can save your breath," he replies. "The last time you left a ship without me will be the very last time, Shepard."

It's not a suggestion, and he's not teasing. I have no doubt that it's something of an order, and unlike just about every other order I've gotten in my career, I have no urge to fight this one.

"Yes, sir," I respond, keeping my voice soft so it's private even if not just for him.

Garrus' eyes snap back to me in an instant. He doesn't have to speak for me to see the words in his gaze. Good girl.

"I'm not going anywhere either," Miranda announces, either oblivious or polite. "If this is a Cerberus mistake, there is no one on the ship more responsible for handling it than I am."

"I'm grateful to you both," I tell them, patting Garrus' arm and nodding to Miranda. "We'll get the hell out of here as quickly as possible, and then I owe you both a dip into my reserve whiskey stash."

Miranda chuckles. "I won't say no to that."

Garrus gets us back into the air with the Hammerhead, on the way to Atlas Station. We encounter yet more turrets but we've become old pros at them by this point. The nav system leads us under another waterfall and then up a ramp that heads to a tunnel built into the rock walls. It leads directly into a garage where we land and park. Even out here, there are dead Cerberus agents. This isn't going to be like the last station.

We move inside, the first door leading us into a room like a lobby. Archer returns to the comms immediately. "Looks like you're in, Commander. Good. I'm getting some troubling readings from here, though. The VI is trying to upload its program directly from your location. Get to the server room and shut it down before - "

"Archer Log 155.2." Same voice. Same comm channel. But this one is recorded. This one is from David. "For years, my brother's condition has been a handicap. That changed today. His autistic mind is the breakthrough I've been looking for. He can communicate with the geth. Such a tremendous grasp of mathematics. It seems serendipity is alive and well in the 22nd century."

My stomach hits my shoes, and I'm honestly shocked I don't just vomit. It's replaced by a hot rage. "David is autistic?! What the fuck was Archer doing?"

"Completely unacceptable, by anyone's standards," Miranda chimes in, pacing now. "If the Illusive Man knew about this, I..." She trails off like she can't find the right words.

"Wait, wait," Garrus interjects, his hands up. "Why does him being autistic make so much of a difference?" I just stare at him for a moment and he shakes his head. "I don't know what that is."
Oh. Right.

"Palaven has no mental healthcare or conversations, right. Autism is a neurodivergence. Everyone with it is different but mostly it's a different way of communicating, understanding, expressing. And Archer called it a handicap, which tells me David struggled." I shake my head, trying to control my rage. "Archer told us that David volunteered. If David couldn't understand what he was really volunteering for or the risks..."

"Then he was forced or coerced, even if he agreed," Garrus finishes, his face hardening. "And David is his brother? Why would he treat family like this?"

"Because he's scum," Miranda snaps. "We need to end whatever is happening here and then we need to turn Archer over to the Illusive Man." I frown at her and Garrus openly scoffs, but she holds her ground. "At the very least, he doesn't tolerate failure. Archer will be dealt with."

"We'll talk about what to do with Archer when we're done," I decide, waving it off for now. We have enough to deal with, and I want to get my team out of here as quickly as I can. They aren't going to last forever and neither will I.

We enter the station and proceed to the doors at the end of the hallway. There are two. The one dead ahead is locked, but the other is open. And then David's VI face flashes on a glass window beside the door to our left before the locks switch. Forward is the only option.

It goes on like that through the rest of the station. There are dead agents everywhere, and David leads us wherever he wants us to go by switching doors. I don't know if he's taking us in the right direction or not, but something tells me to follow his path. Of course, we don't really have another option. But still. Instincts count for something.

David sends us into an office space full of dead bodies and plays another log. "Archer's Log 157.8. Unless he sees results, the Illusive Man is shutting us down next week. I have no choice. I'm going to tap David directly into the neural network and see if he can influence them. The danger should be negligible. David might even enjoy it."

"He doesn't believe himself," Garrus notes, his tone disgusted. It matches how I feel. This mission has officially shifted from helping Archer recover from whatever happened here to rescuing David from whatever Archer did to him.

We find an elevator at the end of the room and call it up to our level, taking cover just in case it's full of things that want to kill us when we get here. The display beside the elevator tells us that the elevator steadily climbs from Level 0 to Level 6, stopping one floor below us. The station computer announces, "System malfunction," and then the elevator starts back down. I call it again but the same thing happens.

"Fuck. David, if you want our help, you should let us get to you. And yes, I realize I might just be talking to the walls."

Garrus laughs at me, making me smile, and then heads for a console. He does something that at least gets the elevator to pause. Something else sends it back down again but then he tries a new tactic, and it finally reaches our floor.

We take cover again and David lets out another angry mechanical howl before the doors open. A Geth Prime is standing right behind them, with a Geth Trooper at its six. We take them out before they can even get off the box, and then we toss them off before stepping inside.

The elevator moves down one level and then immediately back up while David makes some kind of noise. It's not a scream this time. Maybe he's trying to talk to us? I don't have a chance to listen before a rapid change in direction sends all of us stumbling, Garrus catching my elbow.

"Please contact facility support," an automated message calls.

Alarms start going off and red lights begin flashing, just before another change of direction comes too fast and too hard.

"This elevator is not in service. Please choose another."

"A little late!" Miranda cries, the elevator now smoking while it continues to jerk us up and down violently.

"Smoke detected. Please extinguish all cigarettes. This is a non-smoking facility." This computer is really useful.

Suddenly, David sends the elevator absolutely flying upward, so fast that we can feel gravity pulling us to the floor. At the last moment, he switches direction and we all fly right off our feet. Somehow, thanks to the magic of Turian reflexes, Garrus grabs me mid air and tucks me into him so that when he hits the ground beside Miranda, I'm cushioned against him.

"Not fair," Miranda groans, pushing back to her feet. I just laugh and get up, extending a hand down to Garrus as if I could possibly lift him. The three-hundred pound Turian humors me though, taking my hand while getting himself off the floor.

At least the elevator ride from hell is over; the doors open and we get off - Miranda darting out quickly like she's afraid it'll start moving again.

The room that David lets us out into has a series of Geth attached to an odd sort of machine in the middle of the room. None of them are attacking us or even moving. We've learned not to assume that doesn't mean they won't attack, but I let them go for now.

David has more to tell us anyway. "Archer's Log 168.4 I'd be lying if I said no harm could come to David. His autistic mind is as alien to me as an actual alien. Anything could happen when we plug him in. But I have to try, don't I?"

"No, you did not," I snap at the log, needing some kind of release.

"It's totally irrational," Garrus muses. "He's using systems that he doesn't understand on a person he also doesn't understand. There is no way any of this could have gone right. How is it possible no one questioned or stopped him?"

Miranda just shakes her head, pale and eyeing the connected Geth. There are other dead Geth around the room too. I wish Tali was here; she could completely deactivate the damn things before David can control them.

Garrus moves to a console and hacks through it, unlocking the door that lets us out of the room. David doesn't sound happy but doesn't stop us either. There's only one unlocked door in this hallway, but before we can use it, the unlock symbol actually moves across the wall and to the other door. David is definitely leading us.

And he's led us right to the server controls.

"Get ready," I warn them. "I wouldn't be surprised if this button summoned a Reaper."

We all step in cautiously. There are dead Cerberus techs around, but it's eerily quiet in here. There are a number of consoles and systems, all of them on but none familiar - although that doesn't mean much coming to me.

"Garrus, can you figure all this out?"

He lifts one shoulder, focusing on one of the consoles. "I should be able to. I just might need a couple minutes."

Hopefully we have that much time.

One of the consoles in the center of the room seems to be in a standby mode, like when I come back to my console after leaving it on. I tap the screen to wake it up and feel a spark shoot up my hand. I want to jerk back but find my hand stuck.

A green light crawls off the screen and over my hand, spreading enough that I can see code fragments...just like David makes. In the next instant, the massive screen in front of us is overtaken by the VI face and my head explodes with the sound of David's roar.

I can move my head, and I look around wildly, expecting Garrus to already be on the way to rescuing me. Instead he's...a hologram? Miranda, too. The whole room changes, turning a soft orange that makes everything look like it's a console screen that I'm trapped inside. But Garrus and Miranda don't seem to have noticed. And I can't call them for help.

Trapped. Stuck. Helpless. My heart starts racing, and my breath catches in my throat, panic rising.

I can feel my body moving, but I'm not doing it. I'm not in control. David has taken me. When I try to fight it, my body rebels and pain surges through my head and down my spine. My legs give out, and only when I hit the floor is there a flicker, Garrus and Miranda both startling like they hadn't seen me move at all.

Garrus is beside me, speaking, but I can't hear him well. It's like he's speaking under water or...or outside the console. God. I want to reach for him, throw myself at him, but I can barely breathe and I can't move. The pain from the last attempt at movement is still echoing through my brain.

Someone moving catches my attention, and I look up to find a hologram of three men in Cerberus uniforms walking out and then down the hall. They're with me, in this...console or wherever - however - David has trapped me. And that means he wants me to see them. I'm supposed to follow them.

I stop fighting and let David get me to my feet. I can feel Garrus pulling at me when I start to walk but I can't stop. Or he can't stop me. David won't let him. I don't know how.

"Shepard, wait." I finally hear that, hear Garrus clearly when I step through the door into the hallway. David lets me turn, lets me look Garrus right in the eye...and then he slams the door shut so that we're separated. Something hits the door hard enough to make it shake, and I know that was Garrus. He's panicking, he's hurting, and I'm stuck out here.

There's a jolt, and then I have control of my body back. The world is still wrong through, the walls covered in code. I almost want to rub my eyes, my brain telling me it's seeing something wrong, but I know my vision isn't the issue.

"What the hell are you doing?" I demand to the room. "I am trying to help!"

The holograms of those men appear again, and this time they walk through the doors at the end of the hall. David isn't forcing me anymore but I don't see any other options, so I follow them. At least I can pull my weapon again.

The first thing I see through the doors is David's face on the wall. There's a lot of mechanical garble like he wants to say something, but all that comes out is one word in a scream: "STOP!"

I don't know if that's pain or fear.

Geth appear from down the hall, aiming their weapons at me. I know that they're here but they're green. Still, they are shooting at me and so I return fire. And I hit them. But they don't fall down dead. They...pixelate. And then fade. They're virtual.

Maybe I'm virtual. Maybe I'm not even really here.

The only thing I know for sure is that I am entirely alone. Even before I got locked out of the room and away from Garrus, he couldn't reach me. I couldn't reach anyone. I'm stuck and isolated and...

Garrus' voice rings through my mind. Deep, slow, melted chocolate. I can hear him like he's in the same room, I can feel the way his voice brushes over me. "I have you." I keep replaying that in my head, clinging to it like a lifeline. I'm not being spaced again. I'm not dying. I'm not alone. "I have you."

I follow hallways back the way we came and then into a familiar room. It's a lab we passed through, but now a virtual Dr. Archer is here. He's standing with someone else in a Cerberus casual uniform, similar to one in my closet. He looks younger than Archer, and he's wringing his hands while rocking back and forth on his feet. David.

I step closer and can hear him repeating something. "Square root of 906.01 is 30.1. Square root is 912.04 is 30.2."

"Time on this project is running out," Archer replies, obviously ignoring him. "There are no options left. How to get the Geth's attention?"

A speech pattern of noises I recognize distinctly as Geth emerges, and it takes me a moment to realize that it came from David. He can speak Geth. And the Geth actually replies to him. "The robot says hello."

Archer looks just as shocked as I am. "Eureka! David, you're a miracle worker."

The visual stops and then in a different part of the lab, a bright green bundle of pixels pops up. I can't help but feel like I need to touch it, so I do. And then the room shifts from orange to green, and David and Archer come back.

"Square root of 906.01 is 30.1. Square root of 912.04 is 30.2.

Archer turns around to face David. "David, can you repeat my notes from Thursday's experiment?"

"Square root of 918.09 is 30.3."

"David!" Archer snaps. "Please pay attention."

David's hands fly to his ears and he cries out. "Loud! It's getting loud in here."

I watch Archer deflate just a little, but his posture says frustration more than guilt. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. Would you mind repeating my notes from Thursdays experiments?"

"Log 137.3. The experiment yielded no discernible pattern of geth obedience. End dictation now, David. Hell, the Illusive Man will have my head for this."

"Thank you," Archer replies. His posture changes, and he shifts closer to his brother. His younger brother. There is love here. "And how are you feeling today?"

"Square root of 924.16 is 30.4. Earplugs would be good." There's a lot of love from David. God, I hope that love wasn't abused.

They disappear, and then another blob of pixels pops up in another part of the room. I approach it again, and when they come back this time, David and Archer are standing beside one another. There's staring at a Geth connected to one of the machines I saw earlier, and there's another Cerberus tech dressed like an engineer nearby.

"David," Archer says, "I want you to order the geth to take a step forward."

David mimics the geth language. The Geth is attached to the machine so it cannot actually move, but it's arms and legs to start moving. It's following a command to start moving forward. He did it. Holy shit.

"How does he do it?" the technician asks, barely keeping his jaw off the floor. That shock is an emotion I share.

"David is a mathematical savant." David sits down on the floor right there, leaving the others in the room standing and staring down at him. Archer isn't concerned. "His autistic mind can interpret the geth language at its most basic form and mimic their phonetics. With his photographic memory, cross-referencing the meaning is a snap. He's literally a human computer."

My fist balls and I snap, "He's a person." I know Archer can't hear me, I know he's not even really here but...God, I hate him. I hate this.

"And you think he can interface with the geth's neural network?" the tech presses.

"I do," Archer replies.

Another Cerberus tech comes into view and asks, "Is that even safe, Doctor?"

Archer doesn't hesitate, doesn't even blink, doesn't look at David before he answers, "I see no harm in finding out."

The image fades again, and the room turns back to the orange glow I'm almost beginning to find comforting when compared to the green. That can't be a good sign.

I push forward, ending up back into the room where the Geth were connected to a machine; now, I recognize it as a Geth neural node. And now, the virtual geth are disconnected from it and shooting at me.
We get into a shootout, Geth just as deadly in the virtual world. And so are bullets...I think. Except that they're bouncing off surfaces, making whatever they hit all pixely and weird. They aren't real. Part of me wonders if I could get shot and not even get hurt by the bullets.

I wonder if I could get out of this by finding out. Maybe by challenging the virtual reality enough...

No. Garrus would freak. He's probably already freaking, really. God, locked inside that room without me, no way to get to me. Could he even see me if he were here? Where the fuck am I? And Garrus is going to be so, so pissed that I was reckless enough to touch that first console.

I can't wait to get back to him, even if all he does is yell at me. This distance...I'm not meant to be this far from him. Every piece of me feels the wrongness, even more than being stuck in whatever this console world is feels wrong.

"I have you." Garrus's voice grounds me instantly even if it's only in my head, coming with the kind of relief only he can give me. It's enough for me to take out the rest of the Geth, for me to find peace and focus. I continue to repeat it to myself until they're all down, letting his voice play through my mind. "I have you. I have you. I have you."

Finally, the Geth are down and I can move on. And I have to believe that moving forward, following David's directions, is how I get out of here.

There's a green ball blocking the door, pixels rotating and undulating. I touch them, like I did before to get the images to pop up, but it does nothing. Whether or not it's rational, I shoot it...and it works. The ball fades, and the door opens. Good to know.

I move back into the office space with the deadly elevator. It's David's face I find on the panel this time, though. Again, that mechanical sound screeches out. "STOP," David screams. "MAKE...STOP!"

Well that's damn hard to misinterpret.

"You're trapped here too, aren't you?" I ask David through the room. "And if this is freaking me out...God. We have to get you out of here, David."

"Warning," the ship computer announces, clear enough for me to believe it's with me in this virtual version. "Elevator exceeds maximum weight capacity."

I don't know if I can die in this world, but I know I don't want to, so I dive for cover and then take out the Geth Hunter that gets off the elevator. When it's gone, I step in and David takes over, bringing me to a different floor without screwing with me this time. The entire room is a large, open platform.

When I get out, Archer's image is in the room. I can't see David but I hear him chanting, "Square root of 906.01 is 30.1. Square root of 912.04 is 30.2."

"We're ready," Archer says. "Open a connection to the geth network."

Archer and another tech in the image are standing at consoles near the center of the platform. In the very center of the room is a Geth neural node with a big, pixelated blob of some kind in the middle and two Geth attached. I wish I had the technical capacity to understand any of this. I also wish I could see David.

Archer or the other guy does something, and whatever it is was a mistake because that blob explodes. Both of them flinch hard, and then something mechanical screams. David.

"QUIET!"

Released from the node, the Geth turns and aims its weapon at the tech. Archer screams, "David, no! Tell the Geth to stand down!"

"QUIET!" David roars. "PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"

I wonder if that screeching, grinding, horrible sound is what David hears constantly. If he's trapped in here, if that's all he can see. My heart hurts at the thought.

And then the image in the middle of the room fades. That blob is now black and orange, bursts of green code shooting out of it. David's face, the same one I've seen all day, appears over the top of it. Massive. Angry.

"Node acquired," the station computer announces. "Normandy SR-2 is within range. Attempting to establish upload link."

"No." I swap for my shotgun, ready as two orange pipes - virtual - come out of the blob and move to connect with large nodes on pipes that extend up to the ceiling. They look like wires being plugged in. "I'm sorry, David. I can't let you have my home."

I instinctively aim for the connection point, but it does nothing. And then I spot that same green blob I shot earlier moving along the connection and shoot that instead. And it works. David howls angrily, and the green shield he's had up around the central platform fades. I unleash on the pixelated image inside. I have no idea if it'll do anything, but this is all I have.

But then David grabs me again. I can't move, can't fire, can barely breathe. If he keeps control, he'll get to the Normandy. He'll get to my family and then who knows where. I know that David is just scared and angry about what was done to him, but I can't let that happen.

And I know the pain will be hell, but I can't just let him control me.

I fight for control of my trigger finger first. It hurts like needles in my spine and a knife at the base of my skull, all of my muscles screaming the way they do at the end of a too-long run, my bones burning like they'll snap. I focus on the only thing keeping me grounded. "I have you."

I fight through it, alternating shooting at whatever I can that seems to be working to keep the shield down, and then firing at the central blob. I figure if it has a shield, it's important. I also figure I'm going to start bleeding from my eyes and ears any moment.

"Pull the plug," I hear Archer's voice echo, screaming and panicked. I can tell it's a recording. I wonder if David is still trying to show me something or just trying to distract me. "Tell Vulcan Station to cut all power!"

"It's too late!" someone responds to him. "We've lost control!"

The pain surges, nearly knocking me off my feet. And oh, I want to quit. If I stop fighting David, the pain will fade. But if I stop, I may never see Garrus again. I continue shooting, and I don't dare fall down.

"David, you have to stop this!" Archer from the past shouts, trying to sound angry.

"DAVID DOESN'T WANT TO BE HERE!" That roar feels present, like he's currently responding to what his brother said and did to him before. Even while he's trying to kill me, that's easy to relate to.

"David, calm down," Archer presses, trying a different tactic and softening his voice now. "I can make all of this go away if you let me!"

David screams. He keeps screaming. His pain...if it's like mine, he just wants to die. "QUIET! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"

"I have you," Garrus murmurs in my head. It can't stop the pain, but I cling to it for all that I'm worth. I need it. David keeps screaming, I keep shooting, and Garrus keeps whispering to me.

"QUIET! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!"

There's a boom, right after I shoot at the center of the room again, and a bright flash comes out from the center of David's pixelated face. And then it fades out. It's gone. No more blob, no more shield, no more pixels.

The pain releases just as suddenly, and that does knock me to my knees. It's like a vacuum, my body suddenly sapped of all strength when there's nothing left to fight against. I want to curl up on the floor and sleep or cry or... No, not that. I'm not done.

I lift my head, looking to the center of the room again. I'm back in the real world. No more pixels. No more glowing lights. Real.

And David is here, too. The real David. But...oh, God.

David is hanging from underneath the platform where the core was. He's completely naked, and his arms are trapped out to his sides. His head is inside some kind of metal trap, his eyes are pried wide open, and there are thick metal tubes running into his temples and into his mouth. It looks like absolute torture.

I get to my feet and take a step forward, trying to figure out how I can fix this for him. And David moves his eyes to look right at me. My heart stutters and I nearly vomit. He's alive, awake, conscious.

"Quiet," a voice speaks into the room, softer this time. Familiar, too. David. "Please, make it stop."

"Commander!" A voice in the real world startles me, and I turn back to find Archer running into the room. "Wait!"

He comes up behind me but stops, and I realize only then that I've walked out onto one of the bridges from the platform into the center where David is. I feel unstable, my legs shaking. Falling up here is going to be a problem. But right here, I'm between Archer and David. That's where I belong.

"I'm begging you," Archer says, holding up his hands. "Don't do anything rash."

"Rash?" I repeat, my blood set to boil in a flash. "Like forcing your brother into an experiment?" I motion back toward David and shout, "This is an atrocity!"

"Shepard!" Garrus's voice isn't just in my head now. And then he's there, running into the room. I watch his face when he sees me, the way his whole body seems to release a breath it's been holding for too long. He only pauses for a second before running the rest of the way through the room and right to me.

The air around me sparks to life. That sensation has been there since the first time we met. I know now that it's my body, my soul, even the very fiber of the universe drawing me to him. And I want to go to him.

"Garrus." I manage a step before my legs falter, the exhaustion too heavy, but Garrus must have seen it coming because he catches me. That, or I really look like shit.

"I have you," he murmurs, wrapping his arms around me. I nearly laugh. I might laugh if my body didn't hurt and if David wasn't being actively tortured. Right now, it's all just...heavy.

"What did you do?" I hear Miranda ask, her voice tight and breathy like she's in complete disbelief. Garrus finally turns to look at David as well, holding me against him and taking on my body weight. It's all I can do to keep standing...but I don't let go of my gun.

"I know how this must look," Archer begins, not looking at his brother. Instead, he's facing me and Garrus, glancing over at Miranda who is standing a few feet away. "But I never intended any harm to come to him. You must believe me! It was an accident. Seeing David communicate with the Geth...it all seemed harmless."

"And before you knew it, you were running your own private hell," I snap at him. "I saw his memories. He begged you not to do this!"

"I had no choice!"

I take a step forward, my anger pumping as adrenaline. "You treated him like a machine and plugged him in like a computer!"

"I was desperate!" Archer screams, throwing his hands up. "The Illusive Man doesn't broker failure! Any war we fight with the Geth will be bloody. I was asked to find a way to avoid that bloodshed."

"And how many already died for this project?" Garrus demands. He has his hand on my back like he's expecting me to fall, but he's giving me space and letting me do my job. Respecting that I'm still in command and need to be on my feet for that.

I just wonder how long I can keep that up, my head pounding and hands shaking.

"More souls than will ever forgive me," Archer answers, shaking his head as if he gives a shit. "But I won't apologize for radical ideas. If my work spares a million mothers mourning the loss of a million sons, my conscience will rest easy."

"How dare you say that to her?" Miranda spits, stepping closer to him. Archer has the good sense to step back. "Commander Shepard is on the front line of this war. The entire galaxy will be mourning without her efforts. Your excuses are wasted here."

Well, damn. It has an effect on Archer too, and he falters more genuinely this time.

"Look at him," I say, pointing at David and keeping my eye on Archer. I wait until he does, until he looks at what he's done. "Your brother will never be the same."

Archer shakes his head, now not daring to look away from David. Or maybe he can't. "The damage may not be permanent. He might recover some semblance of his mind."

"Cerberus will never leave him alone," I counter. "Your brother will always be a lab rat."

"But a well cared for lab rat," he snaps, fisting his hands. I can feel Garrus tense behind me. "At least he'll still be alive."

Archer pauses and I follow his gaze back to David. Even from here, I can see the tears tracking down David's face, and I know Archer can, too. His little brother is crying.

"You'll sacrifice your brother's happiness for your own ambition?" I ask him.

David's eyes flick over, aiming at Archer. "Square root of 906.01 equals..." He trails off. The one thing he's chanted to keep himself grounded, just like I did with Garrus's voice, and David has lost it.

"30.1," Archer finishes softly. He pauses, and I don't say a word this time. None of us do. What else is there? "What I've done to David is unethical. If he dies...unforgivable. Let me take care of him." He looks at me and begs, "Please."

"Quiet," David says softly. "Please make it stop."

And now I know David well enough to know what that means. "I've seen enough of your cruelty to know he'll never be free from it here. I'm taking him away."

"No!" Archer screams, moving forward a couple steps. "Leave him! He's too valuable!"

I shake my head to begin to object, but Archer isn't going to let me. I watch his hand drop to his gun, I watch it lift, I watch the barrel aim right at me. And then he screams, the gun almost exploding out of his hand and skittering across the floor. He's left clutching the mangled remains of his hand.

A little delayed, I realize that Garrus fired from right behind me and disarmed the man trying to shoot me.

And then it clicks that Archer tried to fucking shoot me.

I get a new surge of energy and adrenaline, and I ride it right up to Archer who is cowering before I get there. My shotgun is still in my hand, I hit him across the face with the butt, sending the pathetic, sadistic asshole to the floor. He cries out and covers his face, but I make sure he's looking up at me when I point the business end of the shotgun at him.

"You even think about coming for your brother, and this bullet will be waiting for you," I inform him. "Then we'll see who's valuable."

I step back, intending just to lower my gun, but it falls from my hand completely. The weakness is returning rapidly, and I feel the room tilt under my feet. At least I hope it's just weakness. What did David do to me?

I know the answer, of course. He did whatever he had to do to get out of here. And I don't blame him.

"Where will you take him?" Archer asks.

"Grissom Academy," I answer confidently. "They can help special cases like David. Minus the torture." I look back to Miranda. "You think the Illusive Man will have an issue with that?"

"I'll discuss it with him," she answers quickly, firmly. I believe her. "And even if he does...if you contact the Alliance to come get David, he won't be able to do anything about it." Now I definitely believe her.

I open my mouth intending to give the orders, but I've lost control of my body again. And this time it's from the weakness, the pain, the damage.

"Joker, get a hold of Admiral Hackett and brief him. The Alliance needs to send medics," Garrus says from behind me. "Call the Academy and tell them we have someone who needs help. And get our engineering crew in a shuttle down here to figure out how to get him down."

"I'll send Chakwas, too," Joker confirms.

The room sways again, much more violently this time. "We...might need Chakwas." I try to take a step, and my vision flickers, falters. I can feel my heart speeding up but it's...bad. I move...or at least I think...I'm... "Garrus?"

"Shepard!" Garrus's voice is close, his arms closer, and then the room shifts again when I'm lifted right off the ground. "I have you, Shepard, it's alright."

I want to look at him. Can't hold my head up. Too tired.

"We're going home, baby," I hear Garrus say, his voice echoing like the memories when I was in David's world. Distant. But he's warm. He's here. "I have you."