Chapter XV: A Visit from An Old Friend

Part III: Discovering the Archives

Mars Colony, Sol System

Amanda walked over to the console that housed three of the artifacts.

Commander Shepard had called in extra security from Earth itself as soon as he confirmed the existence of the artifacts themselves.

The place was practically swarming with Alliance soldiers and other soldiers of varying races.

Alex didn't just call the brass at Alliance headquarters. He also called in a couple of favors to the Council. The asari ambassador herself gladly agreed to send over a group of her best asari commandos to help keep the colony secure. The turian and salarian ambassadors also pulled a couple of strings and sent over a company of turian soldiers along with a group of STG commandos.

All of them arrived in a matter of days. Commander A'Loak Tevile of the 10th "Nightwalker" Division, Commander Lerbik Gosso of the 2nd STG Regiment. and Commander Velbus Petacius of the 12th Group stood at attention in front of the human Spectre.

Commander Tevile was the first one to speak. "We are here as summoned Commander Shepard. How may we be of service?"

Alex stood at attention and placed his arms behind his back. "I want you to assist in the security of this facility. There are Prothean artifacts here. They are paramount to the defense of the galaxy. Your job is to assist the Alliance troops here and to keep the place secure and protected from the geth. I have it on good authority that Saren will attack this place since it possesses more Prothean artifacts. "

A'Lok gave the commander a nod. "Understood." She then turned to her troops. "You heard the Spectre! Move out and secure the colony!" The asari commando and her troops then walked off.

Lebrik looked back at his small contingent of men. "Same goes for you all. We must secure the colony at all costs."

Velbus glanced back at his men. "Move out!"

Amanda glanced at her nephew for a second. "How in the world were you able to get a contingent of asari commandos, STG, and turian troops to come all the way over here?"

Alex glanced back at her. "I'm on good terms with the Council Tia. I pulled in a couple of favors."

Amanda nodded and smiled at him with pride in her eyes. "You really have come far from being that little nerdy kid who used to have his nose buried in books. I'm so proud of you. I know your parents would have been as well."

Alex just nodded numbly. "I know." He then cleared his throat and looked over the unused beacons.

Liara's eyes immediately brightened up. Four unused Prothean beacons that haven't been touched by a single soul. Just fascinating. The young scientist let out a squeal of glee. This garnered the attention of everyone else. The asari scientist felt herself blushing with embarrassment. "I..I'm so sorry for my reaction. I've just never seen a find like this before. I've been studying the Protheans for fifty years. This is the biggest find I have ever seen." She then sighed and stared longingly at the beacons. "I wish I had more time to study all this."

Alex gave the asari an understanding nod and put a hand on her shoulder. "As do I Liara. Unfortunately time is not on our side. We have a war to win." He then turned to Amanda. "What do we know about these beacons?"

The older woman let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm afraid I'm not sure. We've tried to run as many algorithms as possible but none of them seem to access the data in these Prothean beacons. It is like some kind of foreign coding."

Alex unsealed the seals on his helmet and shook his head. His bangs swayed from side to side. "I may have a way. The beacons transmit information from mind to mind."

Tali and Liara both glanced at him with incredulous looks in their eyes.

Tali spoke with great alarm in her tone and grabbed one of his hands. "Shepard! You can't be serious! The first transfer nearly killed you!"

Liara added. "She is correct. You are still suffering from the aftereffects of the first one."

This then drew Amanda's attention. She held her nephew's face in her hands with a look of awe in her face. "You've..connected with a Prothean beacon?"

Alex sighed and removed her hands. "Yes. I was on Eden Prime at the time the colony was attacked by the geth. My team and I were supposed to extract the beacon and bring it to the Citadel. I accidentally activated it and it implanted its data into my mind. The experience has had..aftereffects."

Amanda just blankly nodded. "That is...fascinating. The experience alone should have killed you." She then shook her head disappointingly. "I won't allow you to endanger your health for the sake of opening the beacons. There has to be another way."

Tali then chirped.. "Let me see what I can do. My people are expert hackers and shipbuilders. I should be able to hack into the beacons."

Alex rested his hands on the console and sighed frustratingly. His knuckles tightened until they were white. "That seems to be our only route of action. There is no way in hell I can process all that data in my head. I've lost enough sleep already."

Tali rested a dextro-hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Don't worry my szectchen. I've got you covered." The quarian then opened her BlueWire IV omni-tool and connected it to the mainframe. Well this is really intricate coding. If I weren't so good at this...I would have thought this could be impossible." The quarian chuckled to herself. "Luckily...I'm a master hacker. The console let out a beep. Beacons activated. A series of schematics then popped up on the display. They were blueprints for the Crucible.

Amanda looked on with great awe. "This is fascinating!"

Liara then looked on with awe and immediately began translating the documents. "Fascinating.". A crucible of some kind. I wonder if the Protheans created it."

Alex gave her a nod. He looked on and examined the files. This pulled up a projection of the Crucible itself. "This is a weapon of some kind. I just don't know what yet." He then glanced at Liara. " You have been studying the Protheans and their technology longer than I have. Have you seen anything like this?"

Liara glanced at him and shook her head. "I'm afraid there isn't much I can tell you Shepard. Like I told you on the Normandy...I haven't found much on the Protheans." Alex just nodded. "Let's forward these plans to the Council. They will want to see all this anyway."

Chapter XV: A Visit from An Old Friend

Part III: Discovering the Archives

Part II: Goodbyes

Alliance Facility 4, Mars Colony, Mars

03:00:00 GST

Once the rest of the data was transmitted to the Normandy SR-1's computers. Commander Shepard had decided that he had spent enough time on Mars. He needed to get to Feros quickly. He turned to his crew. "Alright squad. We've done what we can here. Let's get back to the Normandy ASAP."

Tali and the others gave him a nod.

Alliance Facility 4, Mars Colony, Mars

03:30:00 GST

Alex and his aunt hugged for the last time.

Amanda felt a tear come to her eye. "I will miss you nephew."

Alex nodded. "As will I. You know my personal commlink. Please let me know if Saren attacks this place. I'm leaving the non-human troops here to keep this place secure. Be careful."

Amanda nodded. "I will. You too."

The two then separated.

Amanda then turned to Tali'Zorah and put a hand on her shoulder. "Take good care of my boy won't you? I'm trusting you to keep him safe."

Tali just saluted. "O-Of course ma'am. I'll protect him with my life."

Amanda smiled sweetly at the quarian. "Thank you!" She then turned to Liara and offered a hand. "Always a pleasure to meet a fellow scientist. It's been a pleasure Liara."

Liara smiled back and graciously shook the woman's hand. "Indeed it has."

The human scientist then turned to Garrus. "A pleasure Garrus. If you see my brother..tell him I said hello." She then glanced at Wrex. "Be well Wrex." She then walked off.

Chapter XVI: Feros

Part I: The Geth Assault

Captain's Cabin, Normandy SR-1

Three days later.

Alex growled. "Ash. I've told you before. I will neither confirm nor deny whether I'm in a relationship with Tali. My personal affairs are my own business. I will not discuss them with you."

Ashley sighed in frustration and rubbed at her temples. "You don't need to confirm anything Shepard. I know already. There have been rumors down deck that she is...talking about you." Ashley felt a bit betrayed. Up until now, the young soldier had looked to her commanding officer as a hero of sorts. He was supposed to be the best humanity had to offer. She respected the Commander. Hell a part of her was even in love with him. He was brave and kind yet willing to lay down the law when it was necessary. She respected that. What she didn't respect was his lenience towards the non-humans on the ship. It seemed that Commander Shepard had a bit of a soft spot for alien species. Ashley personally had no problem with that. What she didn't like was how trusting he was of them. In her eyes, they were not Alliance military and needed to be looked on with at least some suspicion. "Shepard..our people..our familes both suffered during the First Contact War. My grandfather was forced to surrender at Shanxi! He was blackballed by the Alliance military and brought to Earth in irons! I thought if anyone would understand where I am coming from..it would be you. The Hero of Elysium."

Alex sighed irritatingly and put his hand on her shoulders. "I do understand. What happened to your grandfather was not right Ash but I do not share your distrust of our alien allies. We as humans need to work a more diplomatic path. It is what is best for humanity. The other races..think of us as too bold..too demanding. We should always strive for what is best for humanity, but we need patience as well."

Ashley growled and got into the Commander's face. "Diplomatic huh? We'll see how diplomatic the Council races are when it is our people with their back against the wall." Ashley just shook her head disappointingly. "I could give you so much more than that damned quarian could. I mean look at me. I'm human. I'm sexy as hell. I've got an ass that doesn't quit. I'm also a hell of a shot. What is it that she has that I don't?"

Tali, who had been listening in, finally walked in with a smirk in her face. "Well for starters. You don't have my pretty violet eyes and my mesmerizing hips." Ashley turned around and glared when she saw her. "You! Who do you think you are talking to me like that buckethead? "

Tali just let out a small laugh and crossed her arms. "Resorting to taunts, are we? Just get over it bosh'tet. I'm who he chose. You can't blame him. I mean look at me. Look at these hips. You can't blame him for wanting something a little more exciting in his life."

Ashley let out a sigh in frustration and glared at Alex, pointing a finger his way. "You are a traitor to your own kind. Your father and mother died for nothing."

Alex's eyes went wide, and his mouth just went silent. His lip started to tremble.

Tali noticed this and then glared at Ashley. She quickly charged up her shotgun and aimed it threateningly at the human soldier. "Alright. You need to leave."

Ashley then shoulder bumped the quarian as she walked out the quarters. "Don't worry. I'm gone."

Things suddenly went quiet.

Tali let out a sigh and eyed Alex. It seemed the soldier's words had struck close to home. "Alexander..."

Alex just raised a hand and took in a deep breath.

Tali nodded. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Will you be alright my szechcen?"

Alex nodded. "I'm fine. I just didn't want you exposed to all this drama. She's been like this ever since the Citadel."

Tali nodded at him smiling. "It is quite alright. I can handle her. I'm used to racist assholes trying to get a rise out of me. It comes with being a quarian." She then turned to him. "I'm more worried about you. That was cruel of her to use your parents' deaths as an attack on you. I understand the pain of rejection but that was over the line."

Alex shook his head and took a sip of his whiskey and rested his chin on his hands. "It was yet it wasn't. I understand her concerns. I'm well aware that the Council was wary to send us after Saren. Part of me is worried that they will ground us the minute we find him. If it hadn't been for you...we wouldn't be here. Humanity still has a long way to go. The other races will need time to trust us. They may have accepted a human in the Spectres but things are far from ideal for my people. I'm not too blinded by my own optimism. I just know pessimism will get us nowhere."

Tali then took a seat beside him and took his hands into hers. "Well I may not be able to speak for the Asari Republics or the Turian Hierarchy, but I can speak for the Migrant Feet. You have an ally in me and those I consider family."

Alex sighed and nodded. "Thank you Tali. It helps to know I have some friends outside of the Alliance."

Tali then removed her facemask and pulled down her hood so he could really read the gratitude on her face. "You saved my life on the Wards and have helped make the Normandy a second home. It is the least I can do." She then kissed him on the cheek. "I don't know what the future holds for us, but I want you to know that I am here for you whenever you need me."

Alex smiled. "Thank you." The door to Alex's cabin then opened. Navigator Carlisle then stood in the doorway. "Commander. We are three clicks away from planet Feros." She then blushed with embarrassment when she realized she had just walked in on the couple's moment. "Ah. My apologies."

Alex smiled at her and raised a hand to calm her. "No apologies needed Navigator Carslie. I'll prep a squad immediately." He then turned to Tali with a warm look in his eyes. "I'm going to need you for this next mission. You know the geth inside and out."

The quarian smiled at him and nodded. "Of course my dear szechen. I'll suit up right away." She then got up, put her face mask back on, pulled up her hood and walked over to the Armory.

Navigator Carlisle then managed to find the words. She was shaking in her boots. "Please don't lock me up sir. I didn't mean to intrude on..." She was stopped in her words when Alex put a hand on her shoulder. "Relax Carlisle. I'm not kicking you off the ship. Just don't speak of this to anyone. The last thing the Alliance needs to know about is that the one Spectre it has in its ranks is involved with a non-human. It would bring a lot of unneeded heat on both of us."

Navigator Carlisle then saluted with a hand. "Yes sir. I won't breathe a word of this." She then walked off back to her post.

Chapter XVII: Feros

Part I: The Geth Attack

Feros Docking Bay

Feros, Attican Beta Cluster

Alex and his five-person crew stepped out of the Normandy's docking doors. Alex barked orders. "Weapons at the ready crew! The last I heard..this place had been attacked by geth forces. Keep your eyes sharp."

Liara took a quick scan about the room. "You got it Shepard."

Tali, who was following close behind the Commander, had her trusty shotgun out. "You got it Commander."

Wrex had pulled out his Katana shotgun. "I hope we get another shootout. This is gonna be fun!"

Garrus, who was adjusting his Lancer sniper rifle for bugs, scoffed. "Typical krogan attitude. Always focused on the fight rather than figuring out a plan."

Wrex turned over to Garrus with a wide grin. "Damn straight turian."

David Al Talaqani then called them over. "Hey over here!"

Alex then gestured for all of them to follow him. "Come on!" He then put a hand on David's shoulder. "Everything will be alright. My name is Commander Shepard. I'm a Spectre. My crew and I are here to help."

David then let out a sigh of relief. "Finally! I am glad somebody managed to get our distress call!"

Alex just nodded. "What is going on here?" David shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you much. You will need to speak with Fai Dan. He is the one who runs things here. I can show you to..."

The man was interrupted when a bullet struck him in the head. He crashed to the ground unconscious.

Alex growled. "Damn it all! Everyone get behind some cover!"

Everyone soon managed to find some cover. They soon fell under intense fire from approaching geth forces.

Alex grumbled. "Damn it!" He then turned over to Liara. "Liara! Biotic support!"

The asari met his eyes. "Of course!" She then lifted one of the geth with her biotics.

Alex hit the comm-link near his ear. "Garrus. Shoot that bastard in the head."

Garrus gave the Commander an affirmative nod. "Yes sir." The former C-Sec officer then took aim with his sniper rifle and managed to nail the levitating geth in the flashlight head. It fell the ground with a dying croak.

Alex then activated his comms again. "Wrex! Time to let loose some havoc! Keep them off our scent!"

The old krogan battlemaster let out a guffawed laugh and charged his shotgun. "Haha! Now you are speaking my language Shepard!" He then activated his biotic barrier and charged wildly at the large geth contingent, blasting away with his shotgun. He fired a mini-rocket from it which directly hit one of the troopers causing a large explosion. This allowed for the heat to die down on the others.

Alex holstered his sniper rifle and unlocked his Spectre pistol. "Everyone on me! Advance and find cover!" He then started aiming while running, taking pot shots at any geth he could see. Garrus was now blasting away with his assault rifle at any geth he could find.

Tali had leapt over the next stone barricade to engage the geth troopers directly with her shotgun.

Liara was giving her support however she could by exposing the troopers from their hiding places with her biotics.

Tali put the barrel of her shotgun into one's chest and fired. He hit the nearby wall and collapsed into a mess. She then activated her omni-blade. She ran it through one trooper while shooting the other one in the flashlight head. The quarian's eyes narrowed at the approaching group of geth. A bit of anxiety hit her tone. "There are more coming!"

Alex hit his commlink. "We've got them. Garrus. Enact Plan Solaris."

Garrus nodded. "You got it Commander." He then tossed a small pearl white grenade in the middle of the group of geth. The grenade then let out a electrical pulse.. The geth troopers all collapsed to the floor within seconds.

Tali's eyes widened. "What is that?"

Garrus turned to her and chuckled. "That was a special grenade Shepard and I came up with. It disrupts the neural connection between the geth. I only have the one though."

Tali chirped up. "Well. That comes in handy. I may ask for a blueprint to take back to the Migrant Fleet."

Sorry for the long wait!