It didn't take long for the Illusive Man to appear in front of him. Asshole was drinking his liver to oblivion again. Seeing him sit there on that stupid chair, stupid brandy in hand, stupid eyes somehow radiating smugness despite his overall neutral appearance was only stoking the flames of Shepard's anger. The QEC was establishing a connection far too slowly to his liking.
"Shepard. Looks like EDI–"
"You can shut it right there, you bloody bastard." He cut the man off before he had to listen to yet another lecture. Shepard had remained cordial up until now, only showing distaste for TIM's methods out of professional courtesy. This time though, he wasn't holding anything back. Not after what had happened. "You lied to us. Turians disabling a collector ship? I should have known you were spouting bullshit the very moment you opened that mouth of yours. Not only did you trick me, but you also endangered everyone on the Normandy!"
The Illusive Man's expression did not change one bit. "It was a calculated risk. We're at war; no matter how you look at it. The Collectors are taking humans, and every minute we waste is one more given to the enemy to prepare. That information was vital to our cause."
"Tell it to someone who cares. For all your talk about being in this together, it's clear that I can't trust you. Not when you pull off stunts like these." Shepard scowled.
"Without that information, we don't reach the Collector homeworld. And you and every other human may as well be dead." TIM declared as he put his cigarette away. The man sounded genuinely convinced that he'd done the right thing. "It was a trap… but I was confident in your abilities. And don't forget EDI. The Collectors couldn't have anticipated her. As for the deception, I needed the Collectors to believe they had the upper hand. Telling you could have tipped them off in numerous ways. Besides, I wouldn't have sent you in if I didn't know you could succeed."
And there it was; the sweettalking, the justifications and excuses. The Illusive Man didn't care about anything but results. That much was becoming abundantly clear as of late. Not surprising, considering the experiments and acts of terrorism that Cerberus was known for. Moments like these he regretted working together with them, but the harsh reality that no one else was willing to fight the Reapers remained.
Shepard still wanted to reach through the hologram and strangle the man though. Doing that would be so damn satisfying. Better than any form of therapy.
"I don't play with people like that. There is a difference between risking your life and being reckless; you'd better keep in that mind." He said, frowning heavily. "What you did, put everyone on the team in danger – the same team you helped me build. These people want to fight the good fight, and you're practically spitting in their faces!"
The Illusive Man was just about to raise his glass to his lips, but paused. "Regardless of what happened, it paid off. Our suspicions–"
"No! You don't get to say that when you're just sitting there, drinking and smoking while we're putting our lives on the line!"
A tense silence settled in. TIM was no fool; he could see just how angry Shepard was, synthetic eyes calmly evaluating. Maybe the man really did mean the best for them, but if throwing the Normandy and its crew blindly into a trap was his way of helping, then he could bugger off. Shepard was done dancing to the man's whims. And if push came to shove, he'd take the Normandy by force and fly back to the Alliance. Not his best option, true, but better than being toyed with like Tim did.
"Very well. I shall keep your words in mind, if that's what you want." The Cerberus leader said eventually. No apology, of course.
Shepard scoffed. "There's a lot I want; the Collectors dead, the colonists safe, and for the Council to pull their heads out of their asses and prepare for the Reapers. Unfortunately, we don't always get what we want, and I doubt you'll really start thinking about our safety."
"Regardless, your team pulled through. With the information gathered by EDI, we are one step closer to hitting the Collector homeworld. The results can't be argued with. All recovered data is still being decrypted, but we're looking at a way to use the Omega-4 relay. I will have more information ready soon. On that, you can trust me."
And it was all that kept this shaky alliance intact. Shepard scowled in distaste as the Illusive Man casually spoke of what had happened like it was nothing, reluctantly admitting there was some truth to the bastard's words. This intel would be vital for what lied ahead. As well as his resources. This wasn't the first time that Shepard absolutely loathed his dependency on the terrorist leader. Nevertheless, he was tired of the man's bullshit.
"Maybe. But we'll deal with it once my team's ready, preferably without some pretentious asshole playing god. Keep that in mind." Shepard didn't even give the Illusive Man time to respond, ending the transmission with a simple tap on his omni-tool. The hologram faded away almost instantly.
The commander sighed in exhaustion, realizing he was practically running on fumes now. The whole ordeal with the Collector ship had left him more worn out than he initially thought. Right now, he just wanted to go up to his cabin, take a long shower and then hit the sack. A good night's rest would do wonders.
At least his squad was alright. Well, most of them anyway. Some had suffered minor injuries, whereas the worst case was Grievous. He knew from experience just how deadly and strong a husk could be up close, having fought plenty of the reanimated corpses during the Eden Prime conflict, and wasn't all that surprised to hear that Grievous had suffered a bad concussion. Doctor Chakwas and Mordin were currently treating him inside the medbay, though. All he could do now was wait and hope for the best.
And the information was worth it – not that he'd admit it. Were it up to him, they would have handled this mission differently. The means were certainly arguable, but the results were exactly what they needed. Probably one of the only things that the Illusive Man spoke the truth of. Everything else was either manipulative, or an outright lie.
As he left the conference room, Shepard did not expect anyone waiting for him. Everyone had their own way of dealing with the aftereffects of a stressful mission. So he was only mildly surprised when he saw Anakin waiting for him. Similar to himself, the younger man seemed tired from the fighting and all the action, leaning with his back against the wall and arms crossed, but there was a burning anger in those clear eyes. Sadly, he understood all too well why.
"I take it you just got finished with your boss?"
"Not my boss. I'm working with Cerberus, not for." Shepard corrected. He'd been accused of that several times by now, and wished people wouldn't think something like that. Not that Tim would have anything against the idea. "And yes. Took less than five minutes to end the conversation. I also made sure he knew just how much I disagree on having my people – yours included – being put in danger like that, if that's what you were going to ask."
Anakin shrugged. "Can't fault me for that. Obi-Wan might be too polite and mean good, but I'm not going to sugarcoat it; we didn't sign up for this. You promised to help us get back home, and so far all that's happened is us putting our lives on the line to fight your battles. Then this disaster happened."
"Look, I apologize for what happened on the Collector ship. And we do appreciate your help – don't think otherwise. It's just that the Illusive Man has a nasty habit of withholding important info, which sadly led us right into this mess." He sighed, frustrated with both the Illusive Man and the situation in general. "Of course we'll help you. Trust me, I've reached out to my contacts in the Alliance, while also using my status as a Spectre to receive intel reports from the Council. Trying is all we can do without enough information."
Anderson had helped him out with this one, being both a councilor and liaison between the politicians and the Alliance navy. The strange phenomenon that caused Anakin's group to arrive in this galaxy was still being investigated, primarily by the Council now that they knew all the details, including the part about the gateway between their two respective galaxies. He didn't have much say in the matter himself, but even Hackett was on their side, providing Alliance researchers for the investigation.
Still, so far they weren't sure if they could reproduce the phenomenon. Shepard was aware that Kenobi had additional information, which unfortunately needed more deciphering. So in the end, all they could do was wait and continue fighting the Collectors.
Except they didn't. Or at least, Anakin's group didn't have to. They were all essentially volunteering, even if they got something out of it; a way home. Shepard would never force them to do fight his battles for him. Especially after what had happened today. If Anakin wanted out, he'd respect that decision.
"I'm just here too look out for my men." The Jedi clarified; calmer than before, but still firm. "All they got are bruises this time around, but only because we got lucky. An ambush like that, while also being on the enemy's ship? Frankly, we should have been goners."
"You're not hearing any objections from me. If it counts, I made sure to let Tim know just how much I disagree with him."
Anakin snorted. "Fair enough. Then we're even. And, uh, sorry for pushing a lot. It's been… stressful to be out here, not knowing how much has happened back home."
"It's alright. I can't even imagine what it must be like. Do you have anyone back home who's waiting for you?"
A moment of hesitation; Shepard could see it clear as day. The way Skywalker glanced to his left, not quite as subtle as he probably liked to think he was. Curious.
"Not in the way you're hinting at, but I do have friends. Some closer than others. Jedi aren't supposed to make too much attachments, but hey – not like I ever listened." Anakin grinned as he casually admitted to breaking the rules. Considering how stupid this one sounded to John, he couldn't help but smile along. "I'm sure they're okay though. They all know how to take care of themselves."
"Good to hear. That reminds me, how are the clones actually? I haven't had the chance to check up on everyone yet." Certainly not when he had an illusive bastard to reprimand.
"Eh, better than you'd expect to be honest. Hardcase simply sprained his shoulder from all the recoil of his weapon. The others are relatively fine, although Fives is hurting all over. One of those zombie things tackled him to the ground, and tried to claw its way through his armor. Luckily Rex was close by to save him. He'll be sore in the morning, but it beats being ripped to pieces."
Shepard nodded in agreement. "I can imagine. Glad to hear everyone's doing alright. It's bad enough we have one critically wounded."
Grievous was a prime example of how bad things could have gotten. The surgery had to be underway by now. Whether or not the cyborg would survive, he didn't know. He couldn't say the general and him were on good terms, however, their professional relationship was amicable enough. Grievous kept to himself, which was fine by him.
"I'm not exactly the best person to show sympathy to that can of bolts and nuts." Anakin said with a grimace.
"Ah, because of the war, right? I haven't really said it before, but I'm grateful that you're all willing to put your differences aside for now."
"Hasn't been easy to do. I can tell you that much." There was obvious resentment there. He knew by now that the Jedi wasn't keen on hiding his opinions or emotions. "To be honest, you won't see me shedding any tears if that monster dies."
Shepard raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
"Let's just say that Grievous has carried out plenty of atrocities. Bombing cities full of civilians, using them as shields, torturing Jedi… I'm not going to pretend the Republic plays by the rules, but he has crossed the line many times before. Back during the first year of the war, Grievous used a dreadnought equipped with an experimental ion cannon to harass our supply lines. Sounds logical, right? Disrupting supply delivery is something I'd do myself. Of course, Grievous took it a step further, destroying medical transports without leaving any survivors. If we hadn't stopped him in time, he would have obliterated an entire medical station filled to the brim with wounded clones."
That was… dishonorable and horrifying to say the least. Shepard understood why Anakin would have such a negative perspective on the separatist leader. The act of going after wounded soldiers didn't sit right with him either, and it made his own view on Grievous worsen. That being said though, the cynical part of his mind saw the benefit in the warlord's actions. A weapon such as that dreadnought would have ended numerous enemy lives in an instant, tipping the odds in your favor.
A cruel, vindictive strategy that brought results. It reminded him of what he'd seen on Torfan, during the Skyllian Blitz… No, he didn't want to remember the acts that his unit had carried out. Best to leave those memories buried.
"Well, that explains the anger. I won't be a hypocrite and tell you to forgive him though. Personally, I'd like him to live, if only so I don't lose a possible ally." Shepard responded neutrally.
Anakin shrugged, finally stepping away from the wall. "Suit yourself. I'm going to take a quick nap. Maybe some sleep will help improve my mood. See you later, Shepard."
The conversation was obviously over. He watched the Jedi knight leave, hoping the Illusive Man's deception hadn't costed them republic aid in the fight against the Reapers…
"Mhm. Finally. Some good kriffing food."
Garrus watched halfheartedly as Boil dug into his plate, scooping up mashed potatoes as if his life depended on it. He didn't eat in a foul manner, true, but it wasn't very proper either. More like he just didn't care about table manners. And to be fair, most people would be famished after a grueling mission. If the clone wanted to fill his empty stomach, then all the more power to him.
Still, would it hurt to wipe away the bits clinging to his chin?
In contrast to his comrade, Garrus hadn't touched his own food. He looked down, poked the meat with his fork a bit, almost trying to see if it would come back to life, and then dropped it. His hunger had left him a while ago. With all that had happened, Garrus was too preoccupied with his thoughts to eat. The food was getting cold. Dextro, of course. Eating Boil's share would be a one-way ticket to the toilet, and maybe even the medbay.
And speaking of which, the turian vigilante glanced at the door that led to said facility. Still locked, if the red interface was any indication. No doubt doctor Chakwas and Mordin were still busy operating on Grievous. He vividly remembered how they'd rolled him into the room, where an already prepared Chakwas had barked instructions at them to place the general on one of the sickbeds. It was a good thing those could support the weight of a cybernetic body.
"Are you worried about him?"
Garrus blinked. He turned away, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze head-on. The man's expression was difficult to read – too neutral. He liked to think he could see through a person's mask, but the Jedi's was more of a challenge than he'd initially assumed.
"You mean general stick-up-his-metallic-ass?" Boil snorted, pausing only for a moment before he resumed his dinner. "Not really. Or, well, maybe a little. I don't know him well enough to care about him like a comrade, nor has he made any attempt to win me over. I'd say it's more like I view him as an ally."
Kenobi made a sound of understanding. "I see. True, it would be bad for your mission if you lost Grievous. As much as I dislike him, he is a competent fighter; cunning, skilled and a good tactician."
"And here I thought you hated him? Instead, you're praising the tincan."
"Oh, don't be mistaken – I do wish I could throw him in a cell, lock the door and throw the key into a black hole. It would make life much easier for me." Obi-Wan sipped his tea, smirking slightly. He didn't seem irritated by Garrus' jab, as expected. The bearded man was always calm. "That being said, there's truth to my words. Grievous is the supreme commander of the separatist military for a reason. The fact that he's absolutely uncivilized has nothing to do with his ability."
Boil grumbled. "That's one way of putting it. Too bad he's obsessed with settling the score between you and him, sir."
Now that sounded interesting. Garrus put his forgotten plate aside, and leaned in to hear better. He would most likely get an earful from Gardner about how wasting food was an abhorrent sin, but he was too curious to care about mush that was already cold. Besides, stories were always a good way to keep your mind off stuff.
"Come to think of it, I do remember hearing about how you and Grievous have a rivalry of sorts. Care to elaborate?" Garrus asked.
"It's nothing too complicated. The general and I have clashed multiple times before, you see. Aboard the Malevolence; Saleucami; Kamino and many other places." The Jedi master looked down at his tea. To hear that he'd fought Grievous that many times was surprising. It spoke volumes of both fighters' survival skills. "During our battles, we seem to be evenly matched most of the time. Of course, whenever he starts to lose, he flees the battlefield. Not that I wouldn't do the same. If I were to be put in a disadvantageous situation, I'd also try to retreat."
He grunted his agreement. "Sounds logical. It wouldn't make sense for me to stay in one place when the enemy knows where I am. A sniper has to stay out of trouble, so they relocate. If you two were to clash in a duel, it'd be smart to disengage when you start to lose."
A lot of people liked to talk about honor in combat. Sadly, they either misinterpreted what that meant or thought that the widely accepted idea of honor actually existed. Real life wasn't like movies, where people fought one on one duels with the intent to have a fair battle. You either killed or died. Garrus had long since discarded any notion of honor being something that mattered – especially after Omega. His talons dug into the table as he remembered that damn traitor Sidonis.
The bastard couldn't keep running away from him. His contacts were getting close, and he expected word from them any day now.
Obi-Wan didn't seem to notice his inner conflict, as he kept talking. "True. Grievous never fights fair. He always has some trick up his sleeve; be it droid bodyguards or something else. I must admit I lost my cool once, and insisted on chasing him rather than thinking of my men. It's… something I am very ashamed off."
"It was for a good cause, sir." Boil interrupted. His eyes were no longer on his food, but locked onto his officer instead. "We lost good men above Saleucami, but they died trying to put an end to head clanker himself. Lots of people think of him as the Jedi killer. What they tend to forget, is that he's killed a lot of us clones too. One day he'll pay for that. Maybe today it's that day."
"Time will tell."
They glanced at the medbay, which was still locked. Garrus didn't believe in karma. Otherwise plenty of murderers, rapists and slavers would have long since met their demise. But they were still alive, doing whatever they wanted to do. So he doubted that karma would try to cut Grievous' life short. Certainly not now that Chakwas was in there, trying to save his life. That woman was tough as nails and smart. And for a human doctor, she was no slouch at patching up the other races aboard the Normandy.
Garrus had a suspicion the cyborg would survive today's events. A head injury due to being ambushed by a husk seemed far too silly to be his cause of death.
More crew members were beginning enter the mess hall. He spotted the men of the 501st sitting together with Jacob and Thane, eating their meals in quiet conversation. Well, aside from Hardcase. The heavy gunner eagerly recounted his battles aboard the Collector ship. While the others were not as energetic as him, they weren't quiet either. Instead, they talked leisurely among each other.
The weariness was there though. Garrus noticed idly how Rex stared off in the distance several times, seemingly contemplating on something. Fives played with his food instead. They'd probably try to get some sleep soon, like several other ground team members had done. Maybe he'd lie down on his cot inside the main battery in half an hour or so. He didn't feel particularly exhausted, but sometimes he just didn't notice before it was too late. It wouldn't be the first time he fell asleep while performing maintenance on his sniper rifle.
His sight settled on the table again, and saw Kenobi tinker with a datapad. "What do you have there? Reading material?"
"You could say that." The Jedi shrugged. He put the device down, allowing Garrus to see what appeared to be an image of strange markings. He didn't understand a word of it. "Ever since we came here, I've been trying to decipher these glyphs left behind by the Rakata. It's our best chance at discovering a means to return to our own galaxy."
"Rakata? They're the ones responsible for that strange wormhole that brought you here, right?"
"Precisely. Or at least one of their artifacts. Their civilization died out thousands of years ago, leaving only the remains of a once powerful empire." Obi-Wan grimaced, eyebrows pulled down in a frown. "One that was built on the backs of slaves, I'm afraid. The temple where we found the artifact was probably built by them. I don't want to consider how many died, trying to fulfil the quota set on them by the Rakata."
Garrus shared his view. "Having seen firsthand how slaves are treated on Omega, I think I'll agree with you on that one. Always did hate slavers – especially Batarians. Too bad it's profitable."
"Let me guess; you put a stop to their operations?" Boil said.
"As much as I could. But criminals are unfortunately like vermin. No matter how many you try to get rid of, there are always more; ready to take their place."
That's what he'd learned on Omega. Garrus knew they'd done tons of good during those times. Many slaves had been set free, and their captors had suffered the price of their cruelty. That being said, slavery was a big trade in the Terminus Systems. You could even find slavery markets on Ilium, albeit under different names. The jewel of the Terminus indeed…
Obi-Wan shook his head, distaste evident. "Regardless, I've had some small breakthroughs concerning the decryption. The Rakata were aware of 'gateways' spread throughout the galaxy, linked to this one. Apparently we were wrong to assume that the relic found in the temple was what sent us here. Or at least, it's only a part of the truth. The artifact is actually the key to opening the gateway."
"But we didn't find anything when we picked you guys up on that abandoned moon. So if you don't have the key, then you won't be able to home."
"Quite the conundrum, isn't it?"
Yeah, no kidding. Garrus didn't fully understand how it all worked, but if that artifact was what sent them here in the first place, then it was logical to assume that they'd need it to return home. And said relic had disappeared without a trace. That was a bad situation to be in; no matter how you looked at it. But perhaps not so hopeless after all.
"Well, the Council has begun to extensively investigate what happened on the day of your arrival. And I bet the Illusive Man is also on the case, which means Cerberus is interested in unraveling this mystery, too." The latter would probably keep certain things to himself, in case it was advantageous for Cerberus to do so. But they didn't expect much better from the man who sanctioned cruel experiments. "Each has a substantial amount of resources. It'd be rather surprising if they find nothing at all."
The Jedi master smirked. "I'll take your word for it. In the meantime, I'll keep working on these scripts."
"Ask EDI or Mordin for help when you need it. An outside perspective could be of use."
Garrus picked up his fork, finally ready to eat something. The casual conversation helped to clear his thoughts. He wasn't overly worried, but still had difficulty with believing TIM's ruse.
Then again, that wasn't entirely correct. He understood damn well that their lives meant little to Cerberus. The Illusive Man didn't hate them, nor did he think they were useless; otherwise he wouldn't have proposed any of them as potential recruits in the fight against the Collectors and Reapers. However, they were all expendable. Especially if it saved human lives.
Because that's the purpose of Cerberus came down too; humanity itself. Garrus knew that not all of Cerberus' members were supremacists. Hell, Kelly Chambers was pro-Cerberus yet anything but xenophobic. The woman probably wrote poetry about interspecies relationships, or something. But most their number were fanatics. And that's what made the organization so dangerous. For human advancement, anyone on this ship was an expendable pawn to be sacrificed.
The turian vigilante wasn't happy to see those beliefs reaffirmed. Especially since it almost costed their lives.
A noise behind him drew his attention, and Garrus turned around just in time to watch Tali leave the medbay. His old friend came over immediately when he beckoned her. Garrus noticed how lethargic she appeared to be. Her posture was slouched, while she moved slowly and with the enthusiasm of an Elcor. He raised an eyebrow as she plopped down next to him, planting her helmet on the table.
"Keelah, I'm so tired. And to think I'm not even getting paid for this." She slurred.
"Come now, Tali. You get to serve under Shepard in return. Or, would you rather have him under you instead?"
Garrus barked a laugh as she punched his shoulder. Clearly she was as tired as she looked, or he would have felt that through his armor. The quarian's infatuation with their mutual friend was no secret to him. He'd even given her some tips, even if he'd found them on an extranet website about humans. He didn't really have much experience with romance either.
"Setting Tali's love issues aside," Kenobi piped up, causing Tali to hold her head in embarrassment. Much to Garrus' pleasure, of course. He couldn't tease her too much without being threatened to have a shotgun pushed into his face. "How did the operation go? What's Grievous' condition?"
She hid her flustered state well as she spoke. "Stable. For now, that is. Mordin and doctor Chakwas are running a few more tests, and they'll be closely monitoring his health. But they think he'll make it."
"Whoopdie-kriffing-doo…" Boil muttered sarcastically as he helped himself to a second serving. Damn, he sounded even gruffier than normal.
"I suspected as much. Grievous is far too difficult to kill. Almost frustratingly so, actually."
"It's amazing how you both practically said the same thing, yet so differently." Garrus drawled dryly. Both men shrugged innocently. "Putting the passive-aggressiveness aside; how banged up is he? That husk delivered a nasty blow, if I recall correctly. Those things are deceptively strong."
He would know. Garrus remembered Ilos, where he'd been jumped on by a husk. The damn thing had hidden itself on top of a balcony, before dropping itself onto him. But Garrus was skilled at close quarters combat. Despite being a long range fighter, he'd easily broken free from the zombified human and snapped its neck. Still, it could throw quite the punch.
Tali nodded. "True. Grievous suffered head trauma because of that surprise attack. To make matters worse, it used its claws to damage his mask. I had to open up his cranium. It was… not something I want to do again, to be honest."
A few seconds of silence ticked by as they understood the implications of what she just said. Despite how the general was more machine than man – or whatever species he was – there was still organic material underneath that metallic shell, and obviously the brain remained intact.
"Well. There goes my appetite." Boil grumbled as he shoved his plate away, suddenly not as interested in food anymore.
Eh, Garrus had seen worse. Hunger prevailed as he took another bite. He could use some turian chocolate though.
"The surgery was done fairly quickly. At first, we had more trouble with removing his armor." Tali continued to explain. "It's a good thing that I saved those schematics. Otherwise we might have been too late to begin the surgery, and he would have died – according to doctor Chakwas."
"Shame. Real shame."
Rolling his eyes at the clone's commentary, Garrus thanked her for the status update. Even if they didn't get along, he didn't want to see Grievous dead. The cyborg had earned his place on the team. Plus, they'd need all the help they could get in the fight against the Collectors; damn enigmatic bastards. That display of Grievous' skills back on the enemy's ship had impressed him.
Garrus continued to eat as he participated in banter with Kenobi. The other two sitting at their table only joined in occasionally; Boil being grumpy and too busy stuffing his face, while Tali was simply tired. Not that he blamed her. Between the mission and then helping out with Grievous' surgery, she hadn't had much time to rest. He expected her to hit the sack fairly soon.
"Hey, are you sure you're alright?" He asked her, still somewhat concerned.
"I'm fine, Garrus. Just tired is all." Tali chuckled softly, shaking her head in bemusement. "I didn't even suffer a suit breach this time around. Don't tell me you're getting soft."
"Me? Nah, I'm merely looking out for myself. Wrex would have my head if anything happened to his favorite quarian. Actually, I'm sad that he doesn't like me as much."
The engineer scoffed. "That's because you're an annoying bosh'tet."
He cracked a smile in return. Besides, there was no heat to her words; they were two friends having fun at each other's expense. And he'd never openly admit he was worried – ever.
*Beep, beep*
Garrus turned on his omni-tool, wondering who would be sending a message this time of day. Or, well, whatever counted as the time of day on the Normandy. Galactic and local timetables didn't always match up. He tapped the message screen, and opened the newest pop-up. Whatever mirth he might have felt vanished in an instant, as he read its contents.
He stood up abruptly. Ignoring the questions from his comrades, Garrus walked briskly towards the gunnery station. Shepard would need to hear of this soon. But for now, he needed a moment to himself.
Because his contact on the Citadel had finally found a lead on Sidonis.
So, I owe you all an explanation for why this story rarely gets updated. It's actually rather simple; I lost interest. Not necessarily in the story itself, but it became difficult to get motivated to write. I didn't play Mass Effect for a while, and definitely not when the Legendary Edition was announced. Meanwhile I was introduced to new things, which grabbed my attention. And then of course stuff from my personal life.
But that's only a part of the truth. See, I really feel as if it'd be more fun to cover the events of ME3. Don't get me wrong, ME2 is fun too. It allows me to write scenario's of the crew interacting. This wouldn't work quite as well for ME3, since most of the crew is already split up. I guess I just really want to write about how the republic and separatists affect the Reaper war. Hell, I've already written some outlines for those events, and got at least 10.000 words worth of the Eden Prime mission; on how the 501st liberates the planet. The Star Wars cast simply has more of an impact on those events, as opposed to ME2's. Take Thane's mission for example. None of the Jedi, clones or droids fit in that storyline. Except for the aftermath, when Thane might wish to talk about it.
However, I realize that I cannot just skip ME2's events. Not only have I come too far, but there are certain matters that need to be dealt with. So I can set the stage for ME3.
To answer the question that a few of you have asked me in the review section; no, this story isn't abandoned. But I won't say that there will be a ton of updates from now on either. I'm not going to make promises I can't keep. That being said, I will try harder. Mass Effect: Clone Wars Truce is a story I don't wish to put a stop to. And if it that does happen, I will at least put it up for adoption so that others can continue where I left off, or give it a different spin.
So expect shorter chapters from on, similar to this. I think it'd be easier for me to give more updates this way, and feel less burned out. See you all soon.
PS. Anyone else loving the Legendary Edition? I'm having a blast!