Chapter Ninety-One: Cronos Station
"That's right. Miranda confirmed it. We need to issue a warning about Sanctuary, sir."
"And risk tipping off the Illusive Man? We can't let him slip away. Besides, Sanctuary hasn't been operational for weeks." Hackett paused before continuing, "But I hear you, Shepard. We can't allow refugees to be lured into this slaughterhouse. We'll move quickly. I want you and your team to be ready by the fifteenth. I'll gather resources and form a more solid plan. I expect that you'll be tasked with reaching the Illusive Man while other units clear the station of Cerberus soldiers. After Cronos, we'll shut down Sanctuary for good."
"Understood, Admiral."
"Expect a call tomorrow with a more detailed plan."
"Yessir."
"Hackett out."
Colt shut down the QEC before stepping into the War Room. Crew members saluted once they saw him.
"EDI, please call the ground unit and intelligence personnel."
"Yes, Shepard."
He walked towards the room's main holograph. "Let's pull up the Horsehead Nebula," he said to Rodriguez.
"Right away, sir."
"Attention: All ground crew members and intelligence officials please report to the War Room," EDI said over the ship's speakers, "All ground crew and intelligence officials."
The intelligence experts already in the War Room looked up curiously. The call for both ground troops and intelligence meant that a mission was coming.
Sam walked in, prompting him to go over. "Traynor, EDI tells me that you're the one who tracked Kai Leng's signals."
"Well, EDI helped."
"Don't be so modest, Specialist," the AI said, "If you hadn't monitored the data so acutely, we would never have picked up the signal blocking."
"Signal blocking?" He asked.
"I'll explain in just a sec," Traynor said. She moved past him to the holographic display and started to pull her presentation up. Her hands flipped through files adeptly, picking and manipulating different models. She was definitely up for a promotion.
He felt someone settle beside him and turned to face them. "How did I know that your 'vacation' would be the least relaxing shore leave known to man?" Ashley said.
"You know me too well," he said with a smile. He gave her a quick hug before looking her up and down. She didn't seem injured in any way. In fact, she looked well rested. "No worse for wear?"
"Nah. Hackett gave us easy assignments. In and out pretty damn quick."
"Not a fan of that I'm guessing?"
"Yes and no. I personally wanted tougher missions, but when I think of the rest of the team, I'm quite content with what we did. I think they needed a break. And if I'm being honest, I needed more experience with them. We aren't really used to each other if that makes sense. They're not familiar with my leadership style and I'm not familiar with leading them," she explained, "But I did take everyone out for a tune-up, so to speak. Everyone went on at least one mission and stretched their legs for a bit. Barring Liara, of course."
"Good idea. I know some were getting antsy. Let's do a total review of the week tonight. I-"
"Commander, We're ready," Traynor interrupted.
"Talk later?" He asked Ashley. Once she nodded, he turned his attention to the rest of the room. He did a quick scan before starting. "Liara and I spoke with Miranda about the refugee camp, Sanctuary. According to her, it's actually a Cerberus base that's being used to test anti-indoctrination methods. The refugees are the subjects of such testing."
He took a deep breath before continuing, "We obviously cannot allow this practice to continue. I spoke with Admiral Hackett and he agrees that this must be stopped. The only hiccup is that Sanctuary hasn't transmitted in weeks. That sounds good, but it makes our assessment of the situation much more difficult. It's possible that the station has been moved or that Cerberus has successfully created something that we cannot handle or that the Reapers have taken it over. The intelligence is shaky and I don't love the prospect of going in. At least, not right away. Luckily, we do know where Cronos Station is. And I think that's a better option. Traynor will explain."
"When Shepard killed Kai Leng earlier this week, we were able to retrieve his omni-tool," she said, "We then tracked his communication signals before they disappeared in the Horsehead Nebula. It's not just gone, though. The signal is being actively blocked."
"How?" Ashley said.
"I'm not sure. But something is interfering with all the signaling in that region of space."
"Commander, multiple intelligence agencies have flagged Anadius, one of the Nebula's supergiants, as potentially covering slaver activity," EDI said.
"Ya, it's been flagged for about a year or two now. It's become increasingly clear that someone's using the star as camouflage. The star's periodic solar outbursts masks any output that a normal space station would emit," he said, "All the clues point to this being Cronos Station."
"So let's go kick some Cerberus ass and take them out of the game," James said impatiently.
"I agree," Grunt said, "We haven't seen much action lately. It's making me twitchy."
Colt acknowledged them both with a nod. "As I said earlier, we could move on Sanctuary. But there's a possibility that it's been moved or completely overrun. We also believe that the Illusive Man's base will lack any "creatures" for lack of a better word. Sanctuary was specifically designed for gene editing, so there's a strong chance that we'll face things we never have before. I like our chances of fighting the usual Cerberus troops at Cronos. After considering all these factors, I feel more comfortable with assaulting the Illusive Man's base. I'm hoping that we'll find intelligence on the base that will shed more light on Sanctuary. Plus, I like the idea of shutting down Cerberus once and for all."
"This is going to be a massive operation," he continued, "Assaulting the main Cerberus base is going to require a ton of personnel. I suspect that they'll utilize a handful of N7 assault teams, maybe even my old team. We'll see. Once I have concrete information, I'll let everyone know."
People started to murmur amongst each other. Not that he could blame them, getting Cronos was huge.
"Just a minute everyone," he said while holding up a hand. He gestured for the clone to come closer. He slung his arm around the clone's armored shoulders before addressing the group. "I also want to let you guys know that I've brought on a bodyguard. I've had far too many close calls recently, so I've hired him on. His name is Ryan Carver. If you see him around, feel free to say hi. He'll be following me around for the most part. He's ex-Alliance so he might join a mission or two. Any questions?"
When it stayed silent, he said, "That's it for me. Dismissed." People brushed past Shepard, eagerly chatting about the upcoming assault. He watched them clump together and head-off for what would no doubt turn into a massive gossip circle. Cronos Station always drew in tons of speculation and theories.
He watched the room clear out before turning his attention to the holograph of Anadius spinning lazily. It was the perfect cover. The Illusive Man could've hidden Cronos forever. The flagging produced by intelligence agencies was low priority and could've been wiped completely by Cerberus in a few years. So why didn't the Illusive Man hide it better? What was his game?
"Ready?" Ashley asked. He gave the holograph a final look before nodding and following her out into the CIC.
"Let's talk in my cabin." The two stepped onto the elevator, watching as it rose slowly.
"I am utterly exhausted after this week," she said, "I can't imagine going on every mission for years. Hell, it's tiring going on one every other week."
"It's incredibly draining," he admitted.
"Now I know why you're so grumpy all the damn time."
"Gee, thanks," he said while stepping off. He unlocked his cabin's door and followed behind Ashley.
"But I totally sympathize now." She sat on his couch and started to swipe through a datapad.
"Lucky me," he said, "Now, let's start with Javik. What were your general impressions?"
…
A Few Hours Later
"Alright, thanks Ash," he said, "Let me know if you think of anything else."
"Can do, skipper," she said while walking out of his cabin. As soon as the elevator doors opened, Liara walked out. The two women greeted each other before continuing on their separate ways.
"Good timing," he commented.
"Ya." She absentmindedly gave him a peck on the lips before moving further into the cabin.
"Something on your mind?" He followed Liara and sat down next to her on the couch.
"Two things. One, I'm almost positive that the second clone will be on Cronos. I have been searching for any Cerberus-related activity that could point to the clone and I've found nothing. No possible transports and no deaths that match, well, your description. If there is indeed a second clone, we should expect him on Cronos."
"Sounds reasonable to me. The Illusive Man doesn't want to tip the Alliance off about the clone, so he keeps him close. I'd probably do the same," Colt said, "And since there's a chance we'll run into the clone, I'm planning on bringing you and EDI. I still want as few people as possible to know about him...them. You know what I mean."
"Perfect. I wanted to come."
"So what was the second thing?" Colt said.
"Right. Well, I think there's something off about Cronos. The intelligence gathering process on my end was surprisingly easy. It almost feels like we're being led to the next piece of information. Like the Illusive Man wants to be found," she said.
"I agree that there's something suspicious happening. I mean, if I had that base, I'd never let it go. It's fantastic cover. And leaving traceable comms on Kai Leng's omni-tool was an incredibly bad mistake. It's just been mistake after mistake."
"Sounds like we're on the same page."
"Ya, I'm trackin'. But don't worry, I'll make a plan of anything and everything that could go wrong," he said, "When I brief the crew, I'll also have them stay alert to anything fishy. We should have as many people as possible looking for problems."
"Make sure not to mention me."
"What? You mean I shouldn't say that our resident Shadow Broker, Doctor Liara T'Soni, found evidence that Cronos may be a total cluster?"
She blinked a few times before saying, "I deserved that."
"Don't worry, Shadow Broker, your secret is safe with me." She rolled her eyes back farther than he ever thought possible.
"Speaking of poorly kept secrets, where did the clone wander off to?" Shepard asked, "He
kinda' scattered once we got here."
"I saw him at the earlier crew meeting," she replied. "Haven't seen him since."
"I better go find him then."
"I'll keep looking for anything useful."
Colt stood and walked over to the cabin's door. "EDI, where'd the clone-I mean, Ryan, go?"
"He is in engineering, Shepard."
He thanked the AI while getting on the elevator and heading down. Once the doors opened, he immediately saw Ryan gazing up at the Tantalus Drive Core. The engineers greeted Colt as he walked by.
"I thought I lost you for a minute," Colt said. He stopped a few feet behind the other man.
"I was just taking the tour. Everything's how I remember it." Ryan turned, crossing his arms. His helmet prevented Colt from reading his expression.
"It would've been a little disheartening if the Alliance got their own ship's design wrong," Colt replied. "But I suppose their record for disappointing behavior is at an all-time high."
"True."
"Sooo why'd you choose Ryan?"
"No other reason than the fact I've always liked the name," the clone answered.
"Good enough reason for me," Colt said, "So are you settling in alright?"
"As well as could be expected."
"Good, let me know if I can do anything."
"Can do," Ryan said.
"I also wanna' talk about the upcoming mission," Colt said after a long moment, "I figured you'd sit this one out, watch the video feed, and get a better understanding of how I do things. Then you'll be ready for the mission after that."
"Works for me."
"Also, I think it's best if you sleep in my cabin for now. I imagine you probably don't wanna' sleep in your armor."
"No, not really."
"Alrighty then, well, I'll let you get to it. And I know I keep saying this but please do not take your armor off in front of anybody whot isn't Liara, EDI, or I."
"This is the fifth time you've said that," Ryan said.
"Sorry, I just worry."
"Well, don't," Ryan replied, "I'm not gonna' do anything stupid."
"I've said that almost every time I've done something stupid."
"I'll be careful, okay?" Ryan said.
"I know you will. Bitching at you is really for me more than it is for you," Colt said, "But anyways, I'll let you get back to your tour. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
...
January 14th, 2187
"Alright, everyone. I just got off the QEC with Hackett and the mission to Cronos Station is a go. The operation has been officially titled 'Operation Hercules.' I've already directed Joker and EDI to start heading for the Horsehead Nebula. We should be reaching Anadius by midday tomorrow. The operation is scheduled to start at twenty-four hundred tomorrow night."
"Our team will be a part of Task Force Dagger. We'll be receiving support from the Sixth Fleet and part of the Fifth. We're planning on three waves of ground troops, all majority N7. I will take myself and two others in the first wave of the attack. Our main priority is to take the Illusive Man alive," Shepard said, "We cannot get bogged down during this mission. The next two waves will sweep the station more comprehensively."
"The second wave will consist of Strike Teams 7, 6, and 5 from O.D.A.G. or the Operational Development and Application Group. The third wave will consist of three companies from the 103rd Special Forces Division, and two companies from the Combat Assault and Reconnaissance Division. We'll keep members of the 9th Planetary Defense Division in reserve. These guys are going to clear the station and bring it under Alliance control. So, we need not worry about clearing everything. Any questions?"
"Will we run into any of the N7s?"
"It's possible, especially when we start heading back to the Normandy. Don't worry about that, though," he said, "I commanded Strike Team 6 and then 7 for a handful of years. They're good people."
"So the rest of us will just stay on the Normandy?" Garrus asked, "It seems like a waste."
Colt snapped his fingers. "Thank you for reminding me. If you're not on my team, then I'm assigning you to a different unit. It'll be good to see how other N7s do it. I'll let everyone know your assignments tomorrow morning."
"All this activity is bound to catch the Reaper's attention," Ashley interjected, "Moving Fifth and Sixth fleet will draw them for sure. How are we supposed to outmaneuver them?"
"There's a chance that this operation will catch the Reaper's attention. I'm not gonna' deny that. But luckily, there's several other operations occurring that'll hopefully keep them away. The turians are launching a couple of assaults on their colonies and the asari have agreed to help on some of those operations. We're counting on that to keep the Reapers busy," Colt explained, "But if some start heading this way, we've already deployed trackers that will let us know. We can be out of the Horsehead Nebula in a matter of hours, far before the Reapers can catch up. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. The more time we have on Cronos, the better."
"Alright, that makes sense," Ashley said.
"Commander," EDI said, "I should accompany you on this mission."
"Why?"
"This is the central point for Cerberus operations. It will have enhanced security measures. With my knowledge of Cerberus algorithms and this body's updated protocols, I offer the best chance to help you succeed."
Since they'd probably run into the other clone, he already planned on bringing her. "Alright, you're on. Anything else?"
The crew shook their heads. "Okay. I want the ground crew to prep your equipment," Colt said, "I'm talking weapons, armor, first aid kits. Everything. I want intelligence to focus on anything and everything relating to Cronos. Defenses, floor plans, anything."
He looked over the holographic Anadius once more. The perfect cover. So why did the Illusive Man act so carelessly?
"Shepard?" Garrus said.
"This is sloppy work," he said suddenly, "I've known the Illusive Man for a while now. Several years personally. He's a lot of things, but sloppy is not one of them."
"He knew I would win over Kai Leng and he still sent him. And he gave him amateurish back-up. They'd basically just graduated from Cerberus boot camp and he chose them to back his most elite agent? Then when I inevitably killed Leng, his omni-tool still had traceable communications on it? It's rookie mistake after rookie mistake."
"So what's his problem then?" Ashley said.
Colt ignored her comment and kept going. "He knows the Alliance would send me if they ever found his base. And if they didn't, he knows I'd insist until they let me. And he knows I wouldn't kill him." He drummed his fingers against the holograph's railing. "I think he's in trouble, for whatever reason. Something spooked him and he wants out. That's what I think."
"What's got him so afraid?"
"Maybe the Reapers are closing in. Maybe agents turned on him. I don't know," he said, "But he wants help."
"Could be a trap," Garrus offered.
"There is always that possibility," Shepard agreed, "But reconnaissance on the area suggests that there has been little movement in or out of the Horsehead Nebula. Most importantly, there hasn't been any Reaper activity. So, if it's a trap, then it'll be a Cerberus-led one. The number of Alliance soldiers going in is staggering. We'll be able to handle it."
"Maybe he's indoctrinated?" Traynor suggested.
"Could be, but the cognitive ability needed to set this plan in motion is extensive. If he is, he'll be the most lucid indoctrination victim I've met so far," Colt said, "But it's possible. Let's keep all these possibilities in the back of our minds as we go forward. We need to make sure we are ready for every possible outcome. Let's get to work. Dismissed."
…
January 15th, 2187
2400 Hours
"Ready?" Colt asked Liara. She tightened the armor on her forearm and nodded. He looked at EDI, who also nodded in the affirmative. The rest of the ground team was already embedded with their respective N7 teams.
The Normandy had been idling for the past few hours, gathering as much information about the base without alerting Cerberus to their presence. They'd monitored traffic to and from Cronos, inventoried potential docking points, and took pictures. Hackett decided only minutes earlier that the intelligence was sufficient and the assault was to begin.
The holographic display beeped to indicate that the Fifth and Sixth fleets had arrived. They'd take care of the initial Cerberus response while the Normandy maneuvered to a drop-off point.
"Fifth and Sixth fleets, all forward," Hackett's voice echoed, "I don't wanna' single Cerberus ship in my sky when we're all through." The fleets surged forward and started to spread out around the base. They'd rip through Cerberus easily.
"I'm gonna talk to Joker," he told Liara and EDI, "Meet me in the shuttle." He jogged from the War Room to the CIC and finally into the cockpit.
"Joker, what's our status?"
"There's a lot of fighters guarding the launching point. It'll be difficult to get around them."
"Can you get us in?" Colt asked.
"Hey," Joker said, "I got us to Ilos. I can do this. Might be a bumpy ride though."
"Do what you can. We'll be on the shuttle."
"Shepard," Joker said. Colt stopped.
"I don't like that you're bringing EDI. They could have a virus or a killswitch or-"
"-She'll be fine."
"Sixth fleet cut through their line," Joker said mechanically, "They're regrouping."
"I know it hurts. I feel the same way every time I bring Liara on a mission," Colt started, "And I know it's hard that you can't go with her."
"Ya, it sucks. Thanks for bringing that up."
Clearly, Colt wouldn't be convincing Joker of his choice. He turned and started out of the cockpit.
"Hey, Shepard," Joker said, "Keep her safe."
"You know I try my best."
…
"Is everyone ready?" He asked while ducking into the shuttle.
"Yes, Shepard," EDI answered.
"Good to go, Commander," Steve said.
Liara nodded.
He walked to the front and settled in the copilot chair. His preset programming appeared and he checked the shuttle's armor, shields, and life support. "My systems look good," Colt said.
"So do mine. We just need to wait for Joker's-"
"-We're as close as I can get," Joker said through the shuttle's intercom, "You're up, Cortez."
"Speak of the devil," the pilot said, "Here we go." The shuttle rumbled to life, idled for a few moments, and then shot out of the cargo bay.
Alliance and Cerberus ships dotted the area around Cronos. Their outlines were stark against Anadius's light. The Cerberus ships were in no discernable formation and lacked a united front. Hackett had to be enjoying such an easy battle. But again, the sloppiness was astounding. How the hell was this the same Cerberus that defended colonists and brought him back to life? Something catastrophic must've happened. And they were going right into the belly of the beast.
"Door's closing," Steve said. The shuttle surged forward, pushing Colt back into his seat. "Their shield just went up. But we'll make it. It's gonna' be rough, brace yourselves."
The shuttle hurtled towards the base's shield and burst through it. Immediately, several alarms started going off. The shuttle dropped before skidding across the cargo hold's floor. "Shields are down," Colt said, "Armor is at eighty-four percent. Life support systems weren't damaged." He turned to Steve, "Are you gonna' be okay alone?"
"I'll be fine! You guys go!"
Colt unbuckled, pulled his Graal shotgun, and ran for the shuttle's door. "Out, quickly!" He ordered. The door opened, revealing rows of cargo stacked rather precipitously. He scanned for any Cerberus troops, but there was no one to see.
"Anyone?" Liara asked.
"My scanners are not picking up any movement or heat signatures," EDI said.
"I'm not seeing anything, but let's keep moving," Shepard said, "The N7 teams will clear this place more thoroughly."
He jogged through the cargo, gun raised. "I see an upper level. Look for a ladder."
"Over there," Liara said, pointing.
"I'll go up first, then Liara, then EDI." He jogged the rest of the way to the ladder before climbing. He scanned the rows of cargo, but there was no movement and no bodies.
"So where's Cerberus?" Liara asked once she made it up.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I didn't think we'd encounter anything new, but I sure as hell thought we'd be hounded by Cerberus troops. It's possible they fell back to better defend the Illusive Man's position," he said, "We need to stay vigilant."
"Definitely."
"I am ready, Shepard," EDI said.
"This way," he said, leading the pair into what looked like a control center. There were a few doors, but their locking mechanisms were red. "EDI, get on that console. Let's see if we can get any of these doors open."
"Security breach in Hanger Sixteen," an alarm blared, "Initiating Achilles Protocol."
"What in God's name-"
"Cerberus intends to vent the hanger," EDI said. She was typing furiously at the panel.
"Can you stop them?"
She stayed silent.
"EDI?"
"Achilles Protocol disabled. I have stopped the hanger bay venting."
"Holy hell. Thank Christ," he said, "Let's get one of these doors open before they can vent us again."
"Actually, venting the hanger was an automated response that was put in place before I was ever developed. The door is now open."
He turned to for the door, activated its controls, and charged in. The room was utterly abandoned, pristine even. "What are you saying?" He asked while lowering his gun.
"That protocol was initiated by a VI," she said, "There is no record that any human authorized the attack."
"So where the hell is everyone?"
"Like you said, maybe they've fallen back to defend the Illusive Man," Liara suggested.
"Ya, maybe. But there's nothing here. No signs they left in a rush. They would've been scrambling on a retreat and reinforce order," he said, "Every time I was involved with something like that, there'd be half-eaten food. Armor lying around. Instead, there's a sole VI defending the most important Cerberus base? Makes no sense. Speaking of which, are we gonna' get any other surprises from the VI?"
"No, Shepard. I am aware of this facilities safeguards and can counteract them."
"And if I hadn't brought you along, there would've been a part two to the Lazarus Project?"
"Three, if we are counting Liara."
"Comforting," the asari muttered.
"I'm glad I brought you," he said,"And thank you."
"I am happy to keep you alive," EDI answered.
"Music to my ears," he said, "Come on. Let's keep going. We still have some ground to cover."
…
"I can override the lock," EDI said, "I'll need some time."
"Okay, we'll cover you," he said, "...Probably from nothing. This has gotta be the most boring feed for our back-up."
"The strike teams have already been deployed. They do seem rather aggravated. Though Grunt seems to be keeping his team quite entertained."
"God, I'll never hear the end of it...I really thought we'd meet some sort of resistance," he said.
"We all did," Liara said, "No one predicted that Cronos would be abandoned."
"Ya, I suppose."
"That terminal hasn't been wiped," EDI said, "You may find some interesting information on it."
He holstered his gun and started tapping at the console. "What am I looking at here?"
"Namely the Lazarus Project."
"Cut the feed, just in case."
"Done."
The first video pulled up, showing a QEC with a holographic Illusive Man and some sort of lab technician. "It just can't be done. It's not a matter of resources," the tech said, "We don't presently have the technology."
"It's always a matter of resources," the Illusive Man said, "We're not losing Shepard."
"Sir, he's clinically brain dead, not to mention that he's been decapitated. The lack of oxygen combined with the massive trauma of hitting Alchera's surface is too much to overcome. We can't undo nature."
"Operative Lawson disagrees. She is now in charge of Project Lazarus." The video then promptly closed.
Holy shit. Every time he heard about the Lazarus Project, his throat got a bit tight. "I know I was decapitated, but it's so fucking hard to wrap my head around it...No pun intended, I guess."
"I saw you when you were dead and Goddess...I wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy. I can't imagine actually living through it," Liara said, "Are you alright?"
"I'm still me. I'm not some AI that thinks it's Commander Shepard. I know I've got a few Reaper parts, but I'd be dead without them. But who knows, I guess? Maybe I am a different person. If I'm not me, who would know?"
"I would," Liara said, "I knew it was you the first time I touched you. There's no doubt in my mind."
He turned around while desperately trying to think of the right thing to say. But as soon as they made eye contact, he knew there were no words that could express his gratitude. A lingering hug said everything that words could not.
Some sort of sick compulsion propelled him to turn around and click the next video. It was probably best to leave these videos for AI and intelligence officers to review, but his legs would not let him leave.
The next video was as grainy as the first, but he could still tell it was the Illusive Man and Miranda.
He spoke first. "I know it's difficult, Miranda. But we cannot let him go. There's too much on the line."
"I don't disagree," she answered, "But the tech we're using on him has never been tested before. This could come back to bite us. I think we should abandon the project altogether or install some sort of control chip. If the Reapers get ahold of him using our tech...it's hard to imagine anything worse happening."
"No. No stopping and no control chip. We want the real Commander Shepard, not some puppet I have to control. Our neuroscience team is confident that they've removed any indoctrination materials from the Dragon's Teeth. Proceed with Lazarus or I'll find someone else who will."
"Sir…"
"Miranda, this is not up for debate," he said, "If I wanted someone physically similar to the Commander, I'd use the clone. But I didn't sanction this project just so I could use his physical features in a marketing campaign. It's his personality and experiences we're after. Do whatever you need to do to revive his body but leave his brain intact."
"Understood. I'll proceed as you've outlined."
The video closed and exited to the library of recordings. He stared at his reflection on the screen.
The Illusive Man was the only one who advocated for Shepard. Liara, too, in the beginning, but she'd lost any input long before this conversation. If the Illusive Man had caved, Colt would be a very different person. Selfishly, he was happier for himself more than the galaxy. It was good to know that the galaxy benefited from the Illusive Man's decision. It was better to know that he was, in fact, himself.
Thank God for the Illusive Man.
He pulled up the final video on the console's screen. The picture wasn't great, but he could make out the Illusive Man and maybe a doctor of some sort.
"Sir, you wanted my opinion on this. It's too dangerous," the doctor said, "Shepard's success was a one-off event. He responded to the Reaper-tech far better than any other subject. The physical enhancements are impressive, as well as his cybernetic abilities. Almost any Reaper ground trooper would be hard-pressed to defeat him. But he's an outlier. Many of our other troops have already reported hearing voices. This is too risky. Don't base your decision off of one person."
"The troops experiencing those symptoms lack resolve. They were loyal to nothing but our paychecks. We can't rely on them being accurate representations either."
"Resolve has nothing to do with it," she said, "Shepard received the Cipher. He's spoken with more Reapers than anyone else in the galaxy. Who knows what else happened to him. All of these experiences are extremely unique, and probably played a part in how he's handled the Reaper tech."
"No, we're close," he argued, "Sanctuary was a success. We've learned so much. It's all about to pay off."
"We can't lose you, sir. Humanity needs you, and your mind, intact."
"I understand the danger, Jana. That's why I'm trusting you with this. As long as you're here, I know you'll keep me in-line."
"I'm holding you to that, sir."
A machine rolled closer to the Illusive Man, but the picture was too grainy to make out any of its features.
"Begin the procedure. No anesthetic," the Illusive Man ordered, "Computer, stop the recording."
The image lingered for a few seconds before exiting to the main screen.
Colt drew in a deep breath. "Stupid fucker. He never should have put that shit in his body. That's probably why he's been making all the wrong calls."
He wanted to punch something. Maybe even utterly destroy the console. The Alliance would need it for intelligence, even so, he wanted to rip it from the wall.
"Across the board, anything even remotely related the Reapers should be avoided at all costs. Especially when it comes to your body. And he just threw caution to the wind! Stupid fucker!" He repeated.
"Commander, we should continue," EDI interrupted, "The other teams are starting to catch-up."
Colt took several deep breaths while closing his eyes. Once he felt the tension in his shoulders start to fade, he opened his eyes slowly. They needed to finish this mission. Whatever his personal feelings were, they could wait.
"You're right, let's go." He grabbed his shotgun and approached the door that EDI successfully opened. Once he felt the tap on his shoulder, he ran through the door, gun raised and scanning.
"And...no one's here. That's a shocker." He lowered his gun before approaching some sort of structure protruding from the wall. "What the fuck?"
"What are these?" Liara said.
"They look like cages?" He approached one slowly, gun raised. A slight buzzing noise grew louder and he felt a slight tingle throughout his body. "They've got biotic blockers." A biotic pulse ran down the length of his skin. He could still generate charge, but there was some suppression to its typical power. "And they're better than any blocker I've ever experienced."
He crept up to the glass wall, trying to get a glimpse of its contents. "I see something at the back." He cupped his hands on the glass and peered inside. An object flew at him, causing him to jerk backward and almost fall on the floor.
A banshee clawed at the glass, snarling. Her long claws screeched against as she raked them back and forth.
"You okay?" Liara asked. She was by his side, gun drawn.
"I'm just happy there's something between her and I."
"Me too," she said.
He backed away from the glass while taking a better look at the rest of the room. It was lined with similar glass cages. "Is it just Banshees in the cells?"
"It appears so, Commander," EDI said. She held out a datapad towards him.
"What's this?"
"It is tracking the difference between the Banshees held here."
"How many are there?" He asked.
"Seven more."
"Lord," he said while starting to read. Approximate age, place of origin, approximate time of death, and reanimation were all stated.
"They're tracking the changes made by the Reapers."
"What for?" Liara asked.
"The Reapers tweak their...creations. They make them bigger, better able to withstand trauma, more agile, better suited for smaller amounts of sustenance. You get the idea. They start with a small population of their target race, learn about that race's biology, and tweak," he explained, "Eventually they get to a place where their construction can be mainstreamed. They apply those changes to Dragon's teeth and start to collect in greater numbers."
"I have a distant memory of a similar report."
"Ya, when we were on the SR-1, I noticed changes in husks from planet to planet. I told Anderson about this, and he commissioned a study. They found enough difference to indicate that the Reapers were changing husks for better performance."
He sighed. Goddammit. They were always playing catch-up.
"What?" Liara said.
"The changes are getting harder and harder to notice in the newer Banshees. That usually means that they're getting ready to do something pretty drastic with whatever race they're experimenting on."
"And with asari? That means Thessia, doesn't it?" Liara asked.
"That would be my guess." He turned around to face her. "I'm sorry, Liara."
"Don't be. It was only a matter of time."
"The Alliance will go over everything here more thoroughly and send it to the Matriarchs. For now, all we can do is press on."
"I'm right behind you."
He jogged through the rest of the lab before opening the next door. He scanned the room, gun raised. A lone figure caught his attention almost immediately. Someone was sitting with their back turned to him. "Hands up!" Colt walked slowly towards the figure, watching for any movement. "Show me your fucking hands!" Still nothing.
He moved closer and closer. If they tried something, having their back turned to him would prove fatal. "Fucking hands! Now!"
"Shepard."
Colt stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice. "EDI, are you picking up any movement? Anything at all?"
"Negative."
"You must think this is a trap," the Illusive Man's said, "I don't blame you. But I can assure you, it is not." He turned his head slightly so that Colt could make out some of his profile. Cigar smoke floated lazily upwards before getting sucked into an air filter. His face seemingly had black lines running through it, but that could've been the shadows.
"Get the fuck on the ground. Now!" Colt moved quickly to the Illusive Man, gun raised.
"Shepard-"
"Now!"
The Illusive Man gave a slight nod and began to get to his knees. Colt reached him and yanked him downwards, unsatisfied with the Illusive Man's speed. He felt the older man wince in pain. How old was this guy anyway? Colt needed to be more careful with him.
He grabbed handcuffs from his kit and snapped them around the older man's disturbingly thin wrists. Colt then pulled him into a standing position before patting him down. Once he was satisfied that the Illusive Man was only armed with a pack of cigars, he helped him sit at the table.
Once he was settled in more direct light, it was clear that the lighting had not played a trick. His cheekbones protruded from his face and his skin was pulled thinly over his blackened veins. His eyes had never been quite human, but the cybernetics in his irises now had a red tint. His back was hunched and the bags under his eyes were giving Shepard's bags a run for their money. It was the markings of end-stage indoctrination.
Colt wanted to scream at the sight.
"So what's the trick, you fuck?" He spat, "Where's the Banshee that'll eat my face off." The aggression in his own voice surprised him.
"No trick."
"And when have you ever told me the truth?" Shepard said.
"Almost always."
"Then what the hell are you doing here? Where are all your troops?" Shepard asked, "We pretty much strolled in without a care in the world." He asked this question more out of formality than anything else. If the Illusive Man was showing physical symptoms of indoctrination, he had no idea what the fuck he was doing.
The Illusive Man shook his head. "I was close. I should say, we were close."
"To what? What the fuck are you talking about?"
"I woke up about two weeks ago, and I just knew. John had been trying to tell me for weeks."
"Have you stroked out?" Shepard said, "I don't understand what you're trying to say."
"Colt, you're one of the smartest people I know, but you still don't see what they're doing. I didn't either. Not until I awoke one day and I saw this." He gestured to his face. "It didn't happen that night either. I just had a moment of clarity that allowed me to see what they'd done to me. To be completely honest, I don't know if the Reapers wanted me to realize or if they slipped up somehow."
"So they've indoctrinated you?" There was no doubt that he'd been indoctrinated However, it was a step in the right direction if the Illusive Man knew and admitted to it.
"To some degree," The Illusive Man answered, "We both know we wouldn't be having this conversation if I was too far gone."
"What do you mean, then? When you say, "I don't see what's happening?"
"You know exactly what I mean. You've had suspicions yourself."
Colt stared at him long and hard. If they kept going down this road, he'd wring the Illusive Man's neck and be done with it.
"Do you know my real name?" The older man asked suddenly.
"Jack Harper."
"I haven't heard that name in a very long time, and then suddenly, I heard it everywhere," the Cerberus leader said, "They know everything about me. They know what I want to hear, and what I don't."
"And why the fuck should I believe anything you're saying? You've tried to kill me. Repeatedly," Colt started, "First it was the bomb on the shuttle and then it was my second-rate replacement, Kai fucking Leng."
The Illusive Man let out a raspy laugh that devolved into a coughing fit. "We both know I had nothing to do with the shuttle bomb. And as for Kei Leng, I knew he'd never kill you. You killed a Leng with your fists, he stood no chance. I just wanted you to find me."
"You sent him to die just so I could find your fucking base?"
"He was too far gone. I sent him to you as a mercy killing."
"Fuck you," Colt growled.
"Necessary evils have rarely bothered me, Shepard. I suspect you'll come to the same conclusion soon enough."
"Colt! I think you'll want to see this!" Liara called.
He looked between Liara and the Illusive Man. Dammit, he was just starting to get somewhere with him. "EDI, watch him."
"At once."
Once the AI was standing in front of the Illusive Man, Colt walked over to Liara. "What's going on?"
She merely pointed.
Once he saw who she was pointing at, he yelled, "EDI, cut the footage!"
"Done."
"Didn't take you long to find us, I see," his clone drew out. Shepard couldn't help but stare. He really should've been used to this by now. The clone's slight Southern twang wasn't helping this developing clusterfuck either.
"We've been trying to find you for a very long time," Colt finally said. They looked at each other for a moment before he gave the clone a hug. Afterward, he placed his hands on the clone's shoulders and looked him over. "I was worried something terrible had happened to you."
"I'm okay," the clone said, "But I've only been up for a few months."
"Been up?"
"I was in an education simulator and an ager."
"So why did Cerberus cut it?" Colt asked, "You don't look a day over twenty."
"You know, you don't look that old either. Maybe twenty-five."
"Okay, well, whatever. My point is, why didn't they just leave you in there?"
The clone sighed. "I don't know. Loneliness? After you left him, maybe he wanted to feel some sort of control. Maybe he was already indoctrinated by then. Who knows? You'll have to ask him for sure."
"You seem pretty self-aware," Liara said.
"I was raised knowing exactly what I was created for. I know I was originally supposed to be extra body parts for you in case the cybernetics fell through," he said, "But they didn't and here we are."
"And you're not bothered by this?"
"No, I am. But I've talked extensively with the Illusive Man about this and I don't know, I feel like I've accepted it," the clone said, "Plus, he never treated me like I was merely a body part incubator."
"I guess a broken clock is right two times a day."
"Indeed. Now, I was just bringing out some tea for everyone," the clone said, "Shall I continue or are we setting off for the Normandy?"
"No, go ahead. I want to speak to the Illusive Man for a while longer."
"Okay." The clone stepped past the pair with his tray and started walking towards the cuffed Illusive Man. Colt looked at Liara but she only shrugged. They trailed in after him and were close enough to hear the Illusive Man greeting the clone.
"I see you've finally met John," the Illusive Man said.
"About time," Colt answered, "You should've released him a long time ago."
"Released him? Why?"
"Why? You're keeping him as a prisoner! He's not yours to own. And he certainly isn't your plaything."
"I know that." The Illusive Man haphazardly took a cup of tea from John and sipped at it the best he could. He looked so goddamn weak. Colt's stomach was turning at the sight. This was not the same person from a year ago.
"John is the one who convinced me to vacate the station," the Illusive Man started, "And he told me there was a problem weeks ago. I just didn't listen...Maybe I couldn't listen."
"I'm guessing these problems started once you got that Reaper tech implanted in your brain?" Colt said.
"Before that," the clone responded, "The tech only made things worse."
"Jesus Christ." Shepard rubbed at his own face. "Why did you do that? Why did you let them in so easily? Why not fight the good fight?"
"You tell me."
"You're wrong about me," Colt said quietly, "Whatever you're trying to imply. Whatever fucked up thing the Reapers are getting you to say. It's all wrong."
"You act as if we don't share the same fate."
"I'm not you!" Shepard roared. The Illusive Man shrunk back. Even Liara took a step back. He took a deep breath and started again. "I'm not you, Jack. I am sorry this happened to you. I really, truly am. But don't fucking turn this around on me."
"I'm not turning this around on you. I'm warning you."
Colt stood up and turned to EDI. "Make sure his restraints are tight and let's get back to the Normandy." He looked down on the Illusive Man and said, "And I suggest that you shut the fuck up."