It's time to begin the next chapter, which will pick up right where we left off. So, with the revelation that Reapers attacked the Milky Way revealed to the Initiative leaders, they want more answers from the Benefactor. And that's where we're going to be, so let's dive right in.
Disclaimer: You all know the drill by this point; I do not own Mass Effect: Andromeda or Star Wars.
With the briefing over, Scott followed Kota and Kandros to Goyle's cell. He couldn't deny that revealing what had happened to the leaders felt like a weight was lifted from his shoulders, but at the same time, it reminded him of just what was at stake here.
Which meant that they needed to get answers from Goyle. Given what the Imperials had used against the Yuuzhan Vong, he knew that all options were on the table. Hopefully, it wouldn't come down to that.
"I was wondering when you'd come back." The voice drew Ryder from his thoughts as they made it to the cell where ex-Ambassador Goyle was waiting. "And Pathfinder Ryder as well? I'm flattered. And for what it's worth, I am truly sorry about what happened to your father."
"I'm sure." Scott snarked drily. "And I'm also sure you know what we're here for."
"Yes, to figure out just what my intentions were for the Andromeda Initiative." The human female rolled her eyes. "I've seen enough interrogations to know how this works. Also, speaking of which, are you sure you want Kandros here? After all, General Kota knocked me out the last time-"
"I'm well aware of what happened with the Reapers in the Milky Way." The turian rolled his eyes. "So don't even try to pull that card."
"Wasn't expecting that." Goyle muttered, before a smirk appeared on her face again. "Though I doubt you told the rest of the Initiative the truth."
"And let me guess, this is where you threaten to do so? Like you did to my father when he proposed SAM to you?" Scott shook his head to clear away the anger of that memory. "Y'know, I have to say, I'm kinda disappointed. After everything I saw in my father's memories, I was expecting something... more."
"More what?"
"Intelligent." That struck a nerve, which Scott didn't fail to pick up on. "I mean really? I can understand all the secrecy and what not for your little scheme, but trying to ally with the Sith, or the Vong?"
"Perhaps not my best decision..." Goyle all but growled, before glaring at Kota. "But it wouldn't have been necessary if you Jedi hadn't shown up!"
"What brought you to your current situation is by your own design." The blind Jedi Master countered. "Don't try and pin this on us."
"This is a waste of time." Kandros shook his head. "She's clearly not going to tell us anything useful."
"Why would I?" Goyle said mockingly. "After all, you surely recovered all the data from my computers, did you not? Or is that something even SAM can't recover?"
The trio looked at each other with similar frustrated expressions as they turned away. It was clear that Goyle wasn't going to give them anything they didn't already know. And she was correct; she had managed to erase quite a bit of the data on her computers before they could get to it.
So while the Benefactor was contained, it was clear that didn't necessarily mean that she was no longer a threat. Kota could sense the fear underneath her bravado, but also the fact that she was still keeping secrets from them. Secrets that could potentially be dangerous.
Before the trio could consider what their next course of action could be, SAM interjected and spoke. "Pathfinder, General Kota, Moshae Sjefa has requested your presence immediately."
"Can this wait, SAM?" The human Pathfinder blinked at the sudden an unexpected interruption.
"I apologize, but she was quite insistent." The AI explained. "She claims to have found something from your galaxy, Master Kota. Lady Tano's presence has also been requested as a result."
"You two go ahead." Kandros said, having heard the conversation. "Goyle's not going anywhere and I can keep the interrogation going."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." The turian shook his head. "Besides, given how events have gone lately, if the Moshae has found something related to your galaxy, then it's probably important."
"... That's surprisingly hard to argue with." Scott sighed.
...
With all that said and done, the duo met up with Ahsoka and went to one of the labs on the Nexus, where the Moshae was waiting. She nodded in greeting as the trio came through the door.
"Pathfinder, Lady Tano, General Kota. Thanks for coming on such short notice."
"Well, this sounded fairly important." Ahsoka replied, just barely containing her curiosity.
"It may be." The Moshae shook her head. "As I recall, the Sith mentioned that another Jedi followed them to our galaxy." The angara pulled out a lightsaber hilt. "I believe that we may have found them."
"So... whoever it is died?" Kota crossed his arms. "I mean no offense, Moshae, but this hardly seems like something that requires our immediate attention."
"No offense taken. But that's not why I called you here." The Moshae said, holding up a square device. "We have also uncovered something else, something I hoped you could identify."
"That's a holocron." Ryder's eyes widened, before turning to Ahsoka as she spoke. "A Jedi Holocron."
"So, you can open it?"
The answer came when the cube floated out of the Moshae's hand, the corners of the device coming off and floating around it. The center of device lit up blue as a hologram of a humanoid Jedi appeared, one with a crown of horns on his head.
"This is the log of Jedi Master Archaezis." The image spoke up. "While the Council may have reservations about my work while the Sith Empire is still an active threat, I know what the Force is telling me. This information is vital, if only so the Sith don't claim it."
"That would be a yes." Kota confirmed, as this Archaezis continued speaking.
"Fascinating." The Moshae said. "To be able to hide secure data using only the Force would be quite useful."
"I'm more interested about what he found." Ahsoka pointed out. "We were only able to get snippets from the Sith one. And it looks like he was studying the same device that brought us and the Sith here."
"Well, don't stop on our behalf." Scott gestured to the still floating Holocron. "Let's keep going."
"Very well then." Even Kota couldn't deny he was curious as the next log played, this time discussing his discovery of the machine that sent them all here.
"This place, it called to me." The Zabrak was walking along through a hallway, undoubtedly the same Rakata temple Ahsoka had passed through during her journey. "There is power here, but also something more. A machine, at the center of temple, it's purpose I have yet to fully determine, but it appears to be some sort of gateway, like the hypergates built by the Gree."
"Sounds like the Mass Relays back home." Scott noted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"The technology was somewhat similar." Ahsoka agreed. "Though I'd say the relays were a bit more useful." Their side conversation paused when Archaezis continued his report.
"Whoever built it, it wasn't the Rakata. The odd thing is, it seems like the Rakata actually submitted to the ones who did build the device." The Master had a frown on his face. "Considering the behavior of their Infinite Empire, that is extremely unusual. Furthermore, I can't find records of any of the species responsible, which is a rather worrying prospect-" He paused and looked around in concern. "I sense darkness nearby. I fear the Sith may have sensed this place as well."
"Well, we already knew that part, didn't we?" Scott drawled as the log ended.
"I guess history really does repeat itself." Ahsoka shook her head sadly. "Because this is starting to sound like exactly what happened to me."
"There are more logs on this device, are there not?" The Moshae interjected. "Perhaps the next log can shed light on the subject."
With a nod in agreement, Kota gave a wave of his hand and the Hologram returned. The Jedi Master in question seemed a little more disheveled, understandably so as he explained what they knew; a battle with the Sith had ended up activating the artifact, sending them all to Heleus.
"It also seems intended to be a path to some sort of sanctuary." The Jedi shook his head. "But we seem to have ended up scattered across space, because nothing here looks quite like sanctuary to me. Whether this was by design or likely misuse when it activated during our battle is unclear to me now. And unfortunately, it seems I might never find out."
"That's a familiar feeling." Kota noted, not needing to see the Archaezis' sorrow to know what he was feeling.
"I've left behind our galaxy for this new one, with absolutely no idea of how to get back or what's actually happening back home." The Zabrak said, crestfallen. "And with the indication that the device didn't just send us through space, but also time, I will never know how our war with the Sith turned out. Perhaps more individuals will come through the gate, but that is not something I can count on."
The log ended as the quartet listened silently. Without needing any words, Ahsoka reached out with the Force for the next log, which seemed to take place some time afterwards. Given how the Jedi mentioned the Jardaan and their Adversaries, he had clearly encountered the ancient species, as well as noting that the Jardaan were not the same ones who made the device.
Most of it was already information known to the Initiative and Angara, though SAM made sure to record it for posterity's sake. The Jedi Master did mention that he couldn't sense two of the Sith anymore, which clearly meant this was after the apprentices had been captured and put in stasis.
"There's something more." The Jedi Master said at the end. "I've been getting visions. Disturbing visions. I believe the Force is trying to tell me something, though it feels... off somehow. Hopefully meditation will provide the clarity I need to solve this puzzle."
After that log ended, the next log began, this time with Archaezis looking rather terrified. "The visions have been getting worse, but now I believe I know what they mean. I've gone over my old notes, back when I was still in that temple. And I believe I've put some of the pieces together. I can't be certain how much has already happened or if they are prophecies of what might come to pass, but what I have found... I desperately don't want to believe it."
"That doesn't sound promising." Ahsoka murmured.
"There's so much to be afraid of." The Jedi Master sounded scared now. "The Black Demon. The Immortal Witch, the Harvesting Machines, the Moons of Madness. All of them serve this... Perversion."
"Okay, that's not creepy at all." Ryder snarked, but the Jedi could sense how unnerved he was.
"The Jardaan, their Adversaries, they are nothing compared to these- that- thing!" The Master looked panicked now. "The- the Rakata, those others. They must have figured out a way to escape through time and space. Because that's all that can be done against such an onslaught! And even that might not be enough!"
The log abruptly cut off, only for another one to appear. Gone was the wisdom that had once graced Archaezis' face, but there was no sign of fear either. There was only a sense of grim resignation.
"It's happening. I'm not sure how, but I can feel the Force. Something is draining it, perverting it in ways that should not be. I felt that life be snuffed out slowly and in agony, a mind being torn apart memory by memory. It's as if it wanted me to feel it. And I fear that is only the beginning. I-I don't even know who would even be watching this..."
The Jedi Master paused as disturbing laughter echoed from all around him. It sounded like billions of voices laughing as one, yet somehow a rasping baritone was the most prominent of them all.
"Do not be afraid. I bring unity. I bring peace."
"The Perversion is here. The end has come." Determination appeared on his face. "I will not run away from this. Not again."
He ignited his lightsaber, a glowing blue blade as he turned and dropped the holocron. Something leapt into frame as the footage cut out. For almost a minute, there was absolute silence among the two Jedi, the Pathfinder, and the Moshae.
"... So..." Scott was the first to break the quiet in the lab. "That just happened."
"Where did you find this?" Was all Ahsoka asked as she turned to the Moshae.
"From a Jardaan bunker on Eos." The Angara replied. "We were unable to find a body, only his lightsaber half buried in the desert outside."
"And what exactly was in this bunker?" Kota asked. Surprisingly enough, it was SAM who answered that question.
"Reports say that they found a lab where the Jardaan were studying several unknown bioengineered species."
"I was getting to that, but yes." The Moshae nodded. "We have recently uncovered this during one of our studies on Eos. We found the Holocron inside the bunker, and the lightsaber outside."
"And I guess we have some idea of why that happened." Kota scratched his beard. "Still, there was no body? That's rather odd, especially when we found the body of that Sith on Voeld."
"Can you take us there?" Ahsoka asked, drawing everyone's eyes to her. "This Master Archaezis was there for a reason. And more to the point, he was there when this disruption in the Force happened. Maybe we can get some clearer picture of what happened back then."
"The logs at the bunker were rather corrupted. We couldn't get anything off them." The Moshae countered, before adopting a thoughtful expression. "Then again, your ability over the Force is something that none of us can touch. Perhaps you can find something that the rest of us can't."
"I can have the Tempest ready to depart within the hour." Scott glanced at Kota. "And let's be honest, we're not exactly getting much out of Goyle. And with her contained, she's not exactly a major threat at the moment."
"We'll have to clear it with Kandros, but you're probably right." Kota nodded. "With the Vong MIA and the Benefactor contained, I think we can afford to take a look at this bunker. Provided we can get back before anything unexpected occurs."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ahsoka asked. "Let's get going."
...
The traitorous Archon had failed. He had allowed his obsession with the Remnant and their makers to lead him away from properly Exalting the Angara and now these new Initiative species.
And with the arrival of these alleged beings from another galaxy, including those with what seemed to be supernatural abilities, it was clear that the Heleus cluster was far more valuable than they had first believed.
A much bigger armada than the previous one had been dispatched to the cluster, with the orders to exalt and study all these new species. And it was especially vital that they get their hands on the Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong, especially after what happened to a ship full of Kett when they fought these Vong over a Remnant bunker.
The Primus had sent a Kett frigate to intercept the Vong at this place, but apparently they released something that caused them to lose contact. When scouts were sent, they found the bunker was devoid of life, only strange frozen and colorless husks remained.
And they couldn't be studied either, as those husks disintegrated into dust when contact was made with them. Of whatever had done this, there was no sign. Still, in the end it was no matter.
The armada's arrival was imminent, with the Primus already giving current intel on the status of affairs in the Heleus Sector. Even their newly militarized state with the aid of the Imperials wouldn't help the angara and Initiative now.
One way or another, they would either be Exalted or they would be destroyed.
And I'd say that's where we're going to end the chapter. We are definitely approaching the story's end at this point, though I know I've said that before, I do mean it here. Of course, I'm still not sure how many chapters it'll be before we get there.
Anyway, we had quite a bit happen in this specific chapter, what with the Jedi finding a holocron and the hints of what happened, as well as that bit at the end with the Kett. All of that and more will be explored further in later chapters, but that'll have to wait for now.
With all that said, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and reviews are always welcome.