"Alenko, your mom's in the infirmary," Anderson announced, once they were past the security checkpoints.
Tali exhaled once they were off the ship, but her anxiety increased as they descended into the subterraneous sprawl the Resistance had apparently taken over. She didn't think she liked being underground like this. It wasn't natural for a quarian.
Alenko swallowed, conflicted. "Let's talk shop first. There'll be time for reunions later." It looked like it cost him something to say it.
Shepard turned to Alenko. "We need a few minutes anyway to make sure of our…various unconventional assets," she said. "Go say hi to your mom." She patted his shoulder as if to say it was okay, now that they were out of the line of fire.
Alenko nodded, immediately breaking off to follow an aid Anderson indicated.
"EDI, can we get in contact with Horatio now?" Tali asked.
"Yes. I was going to ask if you would prefer to speak with him, as you are his co-ambassador," EDI responded. "Encrypting connection…connecting…I have him. Horatio, this is EDI. Ambassador Tali'Zorah wishes to speak with you." EDI nodded. Tali's helmet radio coughed, indicating EDI had tapped Horatio in.
"Horatio? Horatio, are you there?" Tali asked, watching EDI and wishing there was a visual feed.
"Affirmative, Tali'Zorah. I am here," Horatio's mechanical tones answered.
"Oh, good! What's your situation?" She had worried he might be detained or killed by the Reapers simply for having escaped the Illusive Man's purge. Clearly, that wasn't the case. Maybe it was like Shepard hoped: that like the team on the Heretic station, the Reapers wouldn't mess with Horatio unless he established himself as a threat. Like blood cells in the bloodstream, the organic might know they were there, but who really thought about them unless there was a problem?
"I am currently located in C-Sec headquarters on the Presidium. I am borrowing their monitoring equipment and I have armed myself. Instigator unit Harper is located in the Citadel Archive, and is therefore well-protected, but I am uncertain as to his…condition. Can you receive images?"
EDI nodded, cuing her omnitool.
"Yes, sending the node…eew!" Tali squeaked, recoiling from the desecrated visage of the Illusive Man. It looked like his implants had burned through his skin, as if it was just a plastic coating.
"What?" Shepard asked sharply, moving to peer over EDI's shoulder. "Ugh," she grunted. "Is that…?"
"The Illusive Man? It seems so," Tali said, trying to squelch her sudden squeamishness as she switched the connection's audio from her helmet radio to her omnitool so everyone could hear. "Horatio, my co-ambassador, is still on the Citadel, and he's using C-Sec's equipment to…I guess to make himself a good asset."
"I was uncertain of the ramifications if I, a synthetic, were to kill this organic," Horatio admitted. "Perhaps I was concerned for no reason; he does not look very organic now." The question 'shall I terminate?' hung in the air.
Tali had to exercise patience not to say 'yes, kill him right now!' "No he doesn't," she agreed. "You were right to wait; we don't want you to do anything that would endanger you…prematurely."
"I understand and agree. Although endangerment may be unavoidable."
"How much of a threat do you estimate he is?" Shepard asked, crossing her arms as she, Anderson, and Coats crowded in.
Tali wished they wouldn't; she didn't like being underground like this, and feeling further crowded by people made it worse.
"Very minor. I am not entirely certain he is capable of functioning independently from the Reapers. Monitoring of his position, as logged by C-Sec's network, suggests an upswing in the pace of Indoctrination over a short period."
"They tightened their grip. That was what Saren said: the tighter they hold on, the less of the organic is left to function. Once they do that though, there's no going back," Shepard said. "What else can you tell us?"
"The Wards were not vented, only the Presidium Ring. I have locked down C-Sec headquarters for security purposes, but the Reapers do not appear to care. They are not watching the entrances or exits. They do not appear concerned. There are Reaper forces on the station, but only a few on the Presidium. The Presidium seems to be being converted mainly by the Keepers into a…processing facility. They are assisting with the processing."
"Processing?" Anderson asked uneasily.
"Shit, they're going to try again," Shepard muttered.
"I am concerned that death squads will soon be deployed into the Wards," Horatio admitted. "The population is captive, and vulnerable. They would be easy prey for the Reapers."
"Hopefully we'll give the Reapers something else to worry about, shortly," Shepard assured him.
"Humans, living and dead, are moved to the processing area via the beam, which terminates on Earth. As living organics are conveyed with no apparent ill effect, it is to be assumed that soldiers could be moved the same way."
"We wondered what that was for, but couldn't get close," Anderson mumbled. "Sounds like a back door."
"If we can get to it," Coats said, less optimistically.
"This gives credence to the theory that the Reapers are attempting a second progeny from this Cycle," EDI suggested.
"Do you think they could repurpose the superstructure at Cronos Station?" Shepard asked.
EDI calculated for a moment before responding. "Unknown, but the Reapers appear to be most expert in the mindset of 'waste not.' Perhaps we should assume yes, they can."
No one pointed out that the Reapers would have to move the superstructure first. It was too obvious they were already preparing their processed bio-paste, content to store it on the Citadel until they had a vessel to put it in.
"Alright, Horatio. We'll talk down here and see what we can come up with," Shepard said.
"Affirmative. I will hold position, and alert Tali'Zorah if the situation changes." Then, tentatively, "It is good not to be alone."
The sentiment seemed to shake everyone who had never worked with the geth before.