Title: ME1: World Without End
Author: Amanda Rau (manda091987)
Game: Mass Effect 1
Characters/Pairing: (Characters) All from Mass Effect 1 (Pairing) N/A
Disclaimer: All characters, the name 'Shepard', and story are the sole property of Bioware. Hayden is mine. Some words and items are mine and are indicated with an *. Please ask for permission for use of these things.
—
I had been searching in the Artemus Tau cluster for three and a half days. All we could seem to find was a Matriarch Writing on Porolan, a light metal deposit on an asteroid in an asteroid belt, and a gas deposit on Fargeluse. The Athens system also turned up much of nothing except a gas deposit of oxygen on Proteus, another gas deposit of Helium 3 on Circe, and a Turian Insignia on Pharos.
"Might not be easy finding Dr. T'Soni out there. My advice is to look for the world with the Prothean ruins."
I exhaled, rubbing my temples.
When I wasn't working, I was either looking over system charts with Pressly and Adams, settling into my cabin, or getting to know my crew. I even installed upgrades in my shotgun and pistol.
It was now midday, and I wanted to decompress and eat while I examined the data I had collected. I hunkered down in the cafeteria's center, Tali on my right, Ashley to my left. Kaidan was across from the chief, both discussing Doctor T'soni and our mission to locate her. Garrus was facing Tali, and they were conversing about her Pilgrimage. Wrex was my counterpart and was studying me with intensity.
A few days ago, we talked over dinner, and Chakwas told everyone about my high IQ. Wrex found it fascinating since, quote-on-quote, "most humans were stupid." I could hear both conversations on either side of me. Before I could interact with either one, Joker spoke over the intercom.
"Commander, I'm picking up an automated distress signal from the surface of Edolus. Might want to come up here and check it out."
"On my way, Joker." I stood, tucking my datapad under my arm.
"I'm still waiting for the magic, Shepard," Wrex voiced.
I observed him for a moment, then moved my fingers as if trying to conjure up something, causing everyone to chuckle.
"How's that work for ya?"
"Don't be a smart-ass," the krogan grumbled.
I dumped my things in the trash and walked over to Wrex. "I learned from the best."
I winked at Tali, causing her to giggle. After, I went up the stairs, nearly bumping into Pressly.
"Anything?" I inquired.
He shook his head. "Nothing, Commander. A beacon-like signal is coming from the surface, but that's all we know."
I nodded and made my way to the galaxy map, stumbling around the holographic image. I navigated to the Sparta system and selected Edolus. I read the description before deciding who I wanted to take. I pressed the button under the bar that linked me to communications.
"Garrus. Ashley. Suit up and meet me in the Cargo Bay."
"You got it, Commander," came Ashley's voice.
"Joker, keep 'er steady."
"Aye' aye, Commander," the pilot responded.
I descended the stairwell to my quarters. When I arrived, I pulled off my uniform and flung it on my mattress. I quickly changed into my black sports bra and leggings, pulling on a white v-neck shirt as I dashed toward the elevator. After descending into the cargo section, which took significantly longer than it should have, I hurried to my locker.
I glanced over my shoulder to Garrus. "We set?"
"Yes, Commander."
I opened up a commlink to my pilot. "Joker, ETA?"
"About five minutes, Commander."
"Let's go."
We all rushed toward Mako, climbing in. Ashley took control of the gun, and Garrus rode shotgun with me so he could accurately scan and navigate. It took the five-minute-long warning to get systems ready and brief the team.
"Edolus is a terrestrial planet with an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The surface is covered by wide deserts of silicate sand, with only a few areas of igneous rock highlands to break the abrasive, dust-choking wind. Orbit is congested with debris thrown inwards by the gravity of the gas giant Ontamalca. Due to a high rate of meteor impacts, exploration is hazardous. We need to be vigilant," I stated.
Garrus added, "The operational area has a dusty breeze that only slightly impairs visibility. It's hilly but lacking in steep inclines. Going from point A to point B in a straight line shouldn't take too much time."
"Great," I said sarcastically.
"Any information on the beacon, Commander?" Ashley inquired. "Or why one's on this horrible planet to begin with?"
"The only readings Jeff and Pressly could get were that underlying signatures determined it was Alliance," I reported.
"A science team, perhaps?" Garrus voiced.
"Perhaps." I gently shrugged.
Joker came over the comms in Mako. "Drop in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1."
We plunged toward the surface when Joker hit 'one.' I activated the thrusters at the appropriate time, but I knew they wouldn't help as much as I hoped with the impact.
"Brace yourselves!"
Everyone took deep breaths as we landed on the planet's surface.
"Systems?" I asked.
"Everything looks good, Commander." Garrus nodded.
"Drive systems check out too," I reported. "Ashley?"
"My board is green, Skipper."
As we fumbled with switches, I gazed at my crewmen. "You guys all right? No bleeding lips or bitten off tongues?" They shook their heads. "Garrus, you sure?"
His mandibles flapped. "I am fine, Commander."
"All right, Joker, you said you synced my iPod?"
"Yes, Commander. I plugged the ancient technology into the old USB, and it is now working. You should be able to get it whether in the ground car or your internal helmet speakers."
"Your charm, Joker. It turns me on," I teased.
Joker growled seductively over the comm. "I have that effect on the ladies."
"Oh brother," I heard my cousin, Lexi, sigh.
I started up my music, catching a glimpse of Garrus. "All right, big guy, where are we headed?"
"The signal is coming from the North at about 3.2 kilometers."
I nodded. "FYI... I drive poorly. Thought you deserved to know before we set off."
I proceeded north, at Garrus' instruction. One kilometer from our drop point, I noticed military-grade vehicles and the flashing light of the beacon. I observed bodies strewn about the trucks as we inched closer. My stomach tied itself into knots as I sensed something wrong. Six meters from the position, the earth trembled, a thresher maw emerging from under the terrain.
"Ashley, shoot!" I yelled.
Ashley immediately fired on the enormous worm. Garrus monitored our systems while she was shooting, making sure nothing was overheating or breaking beyond repair. All pandemonium broke loose as I attempted to avoid the maw's deadly spew, but it was ineffective.
"Systems report?!" I bellowed to the turian beside me.
"Three tires are deflated, the engine is overheating, and shield systems are at three percent. Pull back, Commander!" Garrus commanded.
I slowly backed away while Ashley continued firing at the creature. Once far enough, the maw went back underground.
I mumbled under my breath, "Who, in the Spirits' names, bred these dust-sucking, rock-munching worms and dropped them on these God-forsaken planets? I know, a sodding bunch of idiots who deserve to have their faces ripped off and fed to varren who will later poop them out onto a rock for the sun to dry up into turd dust."
"Akuze bubbling up memories, Commander?" Ashley inquired.
"Are we good, Garrus?"
"We have one wheel still inflating," he reported.
"Screw it." I drove forward, making Garrus protest.
I understood he would have to fix it if I broke it, but the creature was slowing down. I pushed forward nonetheless, and the thresher maw emerged from the earth. This time, Ashley gave all she and Mako had while I dodged poisonous spit. It took a few exhausting minutes to kill the stupid thing, but we were eventually successful. Afterward, we stopped and sighed relief. We all checked systems. After a long silence, I rode toward the bodies.
"You two stay here just in case any more beasties pop up."
"You're going out there?" Ashley asked.
"Yes, Chief. There could be survivors and information we need."
I climbed out and walked over to the bodies. I examined each one. They looked to have undergone the same treatment as my team on Akuze.
Chaos. Running. Yelling. Orders.
"Get over there and fire that cannon, Private!" I heard Captain Jocas yell.
He knelt beside me. The medic looked at him. "She'll make it, no lasting damage, but the leg will be sore while the muscle and tissue repair itself."
"That acid is a female dog, sir," I grunted.
My Captain chuckled." It is. Hold on, Lieutenant Shepard. We'll get the damn thing."
I rifled through the pockets and pouches of the dead victims on the ground, collecting several medi-gel and nutritional gel packs, stuffing them into my arm pouch. I also seized the tags of two soldiers as well as other expensive supplies from the vehicle. The individuals looked to be requesting support. I reached the beacon, turned it off, and returned to Mako.
"Pretty calm for going through this once already," Garrus observed
I sat quietly for a minute. "Maybe on the outside, Garrus. To be honest, I'm not afraid of Thresher Maws, I just hate them more since Akuze."
"What does scare the great Commander Shepard?" Ashley inquired.
"Simple things. Well, not simple to me." I shrugged.
"Like?" Ashley pressed.
"Well, one of them is Katsaridaphobia."
Silence fell on Mako while they waited for a definition that never came.
"That is...?" Garrus hinted.
"Fear of Cockroaches," I replied.
"Seriously, Commander?" Ashley's nose wrinkled.
"What is that?" Garrus asked. After a few seconds, Ashley showed him a picture. "Just a bug, Commander."
"Just a bug?" I looked at him. "Just a bug? The darn things crawl fast, and some fly and even hiss. They can be as big as your turian talon or as small as one of my fingernails. They scurry through sewers..." I wiggled my fingers up Garrus's arm. "Gross."
Garrus and Ashley chuckled.
"What's the other?" Garrus questioned.
I looked down.
Screaming children. Adults yelling. The mother pleaded. Guns firing. Blood flowing.
"It's a private one. Forgive me for taking a liberty or two."
Ashley, Garrus, and I drove around in silence for the next hour because they sensed I needed it. We discovered a solitary salarian body and Captain Milon's ID tag. It was difficult to discern if it was his or someone else's. I snatched the dog tag and walked onto some debris. It was a heavy metal, light metal, and even a rare element survey. I contacted Normandy, and after waiting 10 minutes, we were picked up.
It took around 20 minutes to secure Mako, with Kaidan in the Cargo Bay assisting. I made my way to my locker, removing my armor one piece at a time. After removing the top, I placed my shotgun and handgun next to Ashley, then padded to the elevator. I inhaled, my head going back, eyes closing. Talking about my anxieties with Garrus and Ashley didn't help the adrenaline. It drew out recollections from my past that I wished to keep repressed. When the elevator doors opened, I exited to the right, shuffling into my cabin. Inside, I walked straight to my drawers beside my washing station, grabbed my bag containing all of my toiletries and cosmetics, and then a towel, undergarments, and a clean uniform.
"Joker, have the crew meet in the comms room for a debriefing in thirty minutes."
"You got it, Commander."
A sweet voice followed him. "Heard about the maw, you okay, Jujube?"
"I'm fine, Lexi."
I sat down at my workstation once the communications had been turned off and messaged Ashley and Garrus. I requested them to send me their mission reports before the briefing, then exhaled and closed their conversations. I got up, gathered my belongings, and exited my room, heading for the restroom. When I arrived at my location, I unpacked my baggage and switched on the hot water.
After approximately ten minutes of scrubbing and washing my hair, I turned off the water, stepped out, and began to dry myself and go through my routine. Ashely came in with her belongings just as I was removing my towel to get dressed.
"Hey, Skipper. Did your shower help any?"
"Yes. Hot showers solve everything."
"That they do. You—Commander, look at your hair. I should buy cute pink bows next time I am on the Citadel," she joked.
"Not funny."
She walked over to me and looked at me carefully. "How come your eyeliner isn't coming off."
"It's uh... it's tattooed on," I confessed.
"I bet that hurt like a bitch," Ashley voiced.
"It did, but only for a few weeks. I had a life before the military, Ash."
She smiled. "I know, but still. Any other tattoos?"
I leaned back and crossed my arms as she studied my covered figure.
"A few," I admitted.
Joker spoke over comms giving me a ten-minute warning. I straightened my hair with a blow dryer and a round brush before gathering my belongings and exiting the restroom. Before entering my cabin, I noticed Kaidan working attentively on his tasks. I sorted my stuff on my bed then padded to my desk seizing the dog tags. I made my way to the briefing room, and everyone else soon followed.
"On Edolus, we found a group of soldiers that were killed by a thresher maw. Their names are as follows: Private 2nd Class Matthew Davis, Corporal Amber Dillard, Service Chief Lisa Truck, Operations Chief Melissa Nexus, 1st Lieutenant Mark Tall, 2nd Lieutenant Joshua Remming, and Captain Jason Hernandez. Please take a moment of silence and pray to your entity for their souls." After a moment of silence and my sympathetic thoughts, I spoke up. "I have one more system to breeze through looking for Doctor T'Soni. Take the rest of the day, and we'll start up again tomorrow. Dismissed."
The crew went their separate ways, but Garrus stopped me by gently grabbing my arm before we both walked out the door.
"Commander, if I crossed any lines down there—"
"No." I waved my left hand. "Nothing like that. You asked me what my other fear is..." I took a deep breath. "It's Achluophobia, fear of darkness."
Garrus looked at me questioningly. "Why is that so bad?"
"There are some fears amongst us humans which are considered childish in nature. Being afraid of the dark is one of those."
Garrus was quiet until I looked back at him. When I did, his mandibles fluttered lightly and softly. "Shepard, fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain or a threat. If you believe something like that lurks in the darkness, then you have every right to be afraid. Everyone fears something different. I'm scared of water and cold weather. Turians dislike both, I probably more so than others. My sister almost drowned when she was little."
"I didn't know you had a sister."
He nodded. "I do."
"Thank you, Garrus."
"Always."
We locked our gazes on each other for a brief moment. It was so intense, I let down my guard. I respected him and appreciated that he didn't make me feel ashamed or choose to further humiliate me. I was confident that my slight grin exposed my senseless swooning. His mandibles fluttered, and he dipped into a respectful bow before exiting the briefing room. I followed, stepping into my quarters. I wasn't sure what to do until my recent upgrade purchases caught my attention. I seized them, then padded toward the elevator, descending into the Cargo Hold. Something whizzed by me as I entered the poorly illuminated space. When Garrus sighed, I looked at Wrex, who snorted a laugh. Apparently, the two were competing to see who could antagonize the other the most. I held my hands up in surrender, waltzing over to Ashley at her station.
"Kanalizace jíst pták," Wrex spat.
"جسر متضخمة ترول," Garrus said.
They challenged one other to a game of poker. It was ironic how humans and aliens weren't that dissimilar when it came to debt settlement. While Ashley cleaned her weapons and ran diagnostics on them, I started going through the new modifications. I worked on my shotgun and pistol while listening to Wrex and Garrus banter; it didn't take long to swap out certain mods for others and enhance upgrades I wanted to keep. Wrex and Garrus were chatting with Tali about locating Doctor T'Soni as I was cleaning my shotgun. Their conversation triggered a thought.
"Ash, can you run diagnostics on my weapons and finish cleaning them?"
"Yes, ma'am."
I nervously paced in the elevator as I waited for it to stop on my level. I didn't even pause for the doors to fully open before leaping out and hurriedly walking toward my quarters. I was there all night. Robert Felawa, the chef that Anderson raved about, brought me dinner. I had the ship's VI give me every bit of information about the Knossos system and its planets while I scanned over data I requested from Hackett about Therum and our Alliance science teams on the ground. Not much intelligence would filter off human-colonized planets, as most of our relations still harbored slight animosity. Apparently, prothean artifacts were found about 83 kilometers east of Therum's capital, Nova Yekaterinburg. It suddenly made sense why they would call on a prothean expert. I lost track of all time till Joker pinged me the following morning.
"Morning, Lieutenant Commander Hayden Jade Shepard. Space, and your handsome pilot, say hello."
Ugh. I was not a morning person, not in the least. "What time is it?"
"It is 07:30. Wouldn't want you to miss breakfast."
Robert swapped my supper tray for one containing breakfast and coffee. I thanked him as he retreated from my cabin. I changed into clean undergarments and a fresh uniform before shuffling to my wash station, quickly completing most of my morning routine before sitting down to my meal. As I ate, I continued to peruse the data I had received the night before.
"Commander," Jeff summoned me. "We're receiving a transmission. I think you're going to want to hear this."
"I'm on my way, Joker."
I exit my quarters, ascending the steps to navigation. I passed the nav team, entering the cockpit to see Pressly and Jeff discussing something over his datapad.
"Commander," Pressly greeted.
"What have you got?" I inquired.
Jeff hobbled back to his chair, then flicked over a screen, playing the broadcast he discovered.
There were sounds of static and high-pitched warbling, then a soft noise that might have been a distant explosion.
"Normandy, do you copy?" a voice sounded. "We're under attack. Normandy, are you there? I repeat we are requesting immediate aid! Please! please-"
A nearby blast cut him off, the transmission ending.
"Anything?" I asked Pressly.
"If there is anyone down there, they are not responding to our hails." He sighed. "I don't like this, Commander. It doesn't feel right."
"Did Admiral Hackett give you any more information?" Joker wondered.
"Apparently, one of our science teams uncovered a prothean ruin about 80 kilometers outside the city."
"Makes sense that the doc's curiosity piqued," Joker said.
"Agreed. Which means the scientist and dig site could be compromised. Saren's geth may have already found Liara." I inhaled. "Let's hope she's intelligent enough to hide, and we can get to her before Saren's lackeys do. Get us as close to that dig site as you can, Jeff."
He pressed a few buttons. "ETA to the closest drop is about thirty minutes."
"Good. If you need anything, call me over comms. I need to update Lieutenant Alenko and Engineer Zorah."
"Yes, Commander."
Pressly remained in the cockpit with Jeff.
My crewmates had their personal datapads, but the ones I had exchanged from my hands to theirs. The two I selected for the mission would get their briefs on the current assignment, details shared by the Council and/or Alliance, and information on the System and planet. Afterward, the selected crew would type up their mission reports and return them. I was all about organization, and this was a more straightforward method for me. Once the updated parameters transferred, I sauntered to the kitchen, pouring two cups of coffee. I met Kaidan at his station.
"Commander." He received the pad and beverage. I clicked to play the transmission, sipping my coffee as he listened. "Any word on the scientist?"
"They're not answering hails."
"In that case, we can assume what happened, albeit not safely. Communications could simply be down." Kaidan swirled his coffee.
"Agreed. Either way, it's imperative that we locate Doctor T'Soni."
"I'm with you," Kaidan stated. "I'll be ready, Commander."
"Good."
I returned to the kitchen, emptied my cup, and removed a water bottle and one of Tali's favorite dextro juice boxes from the fridge. I waved at Robert before wandering down to Engineering. When I arrived, I located Tali and went through the facts with her in much the same manner as Kaidan. When we finished, I tossed the empty juice box into a receptacle and led Tali into the hold where the whole team was patiently waiting.
"Here are the facts we have so far: a few weeks ago, a team of a little over a dozen Alliance scientists discovered prothean ruins about 80 kilometers east from the capital city. When they contacted headquarters, they contacted Asari High Command first. Doctor T'Soni and a small team were dispatched to investigate. A troubling transmission was sent to Normandy asking for aid, but their current status is unknown as they are not answering communications. It could be a simple outage, or Saren's forces are already trying to locate the Doctor. Alenko and Zorah are going with me. You three—" I motioned to Ashley, Garrus, and Wrex "—are team bravo, and I want you geared up and ready if push comes to shove. Dismissed."
Everyone went their separate ways and prepared. Kaidan headed to his locker, Tali holstered her weapons, and Garrus prepped Mako to launch. I went over to my allotted compartment and quickly put on my armor.
"Are we ready, Vakarian?"
He nodded. "Yes, Commander."
Ashley put everything away and strapped it down, and buckled up, as did the Requisitions Officer and Wrex, Garrus joining after Mako was ready to go. Inside I started calling out orders.
"Alenko, you're the gunner. Zorah, keep an eye on Mako's systems. Landing is hard despite the thrusters, so please keep your tongues away from your teeth."
Joker came over Comm. "Drop in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1."
We plunged to the surface as Joker completed counting down. It wasn't as far as I had anticipated. Tali, Kaidan, and I double-checked all of the systems to ensure that everything was in working order. One of the wheels sustained damage, but Tali swiftly repaired it. Joker's voice came over the intercom just as we started moving.
"Getting some strange readings, Commander. Strange, like off the damn charts. It looks like it's coming from a compound a few clicks from the drop zone."
"Got it, Joker," I responded. "Tali?"
"About three kilometers west of our current position," she replied.
"All right. Let's rock and roll."
I increased my music's volume but only a little, as I didn't want to be disrespectful. However, I noticed Tali typing in the song's name on her omni-tool and Kaidan tapping his foot to the beat. About halfway down our path, a geth dropship discharged two armatures. They were a pain in the ass, but Kaidan eliminated them rather quickly, despite me thrusting us into the air to dodge their shots.
Finally, Kaidan, Tali, and I reached the area Joker mentioned. At least, we thought so. Cannons started shooting at us.
"Kaidan, take them out!" I yelled, trying to evade one of the missiles.
It took a few minutes, but all three were down. I drove up closer and realized that the door was locked. I looked around, thinking for a moment.
"We passed a road, a ways back. I am going to check it out."
"Uh, Commander, that isn't wise without backup." Kaidan looked at me from behind the cannon controls.
"I'm just going to see if we can go that way."
I slipped out of Mako and headed in the opposite direction. When I entered foreign territory, I leaned up against a boulder and peeked around the corner. We could squeeze Mako through, but Garrus would never forget the damage I'd inflict and the many hours he'd have to spend mending it. We'd have to go toe-to-toe with the cannon. I sprinted back to Mako.
"Good news: we can go that way, but it is going to have to be on foot. The bad news: there is another cannon around the corner. Tali, if we distract it, can you get close enough to hack it?"
"I should be able to. I won't know till I can get to it, though, Commander."
I nodded. "All right. Let's go."
Kaiden, Tali, and I gathered our belongings and followed the tiny valley route. Kaidan and I agreed to jump out and keep the monster gun's attention long enough for our quirky quarian engineer to hack its defenses. As the quarian approached, we watched her rush back and begin shooting at the cannon. It took much longer for us to destroy it on foot with our firearms, but we managed.
I padded to the young quarian. "What's wrong? Is it remotely operated?"
She shook her head at me. "At least five geth and a heavy on the other side."
"All right, we'll deal with them together," I stated.
I'm thankful she didn't attempt to fight them on her own. We moved slowly and cautiously toward the first structure's location. On the other hand, Kaidan had a more definite point of view; two Geth: Prime and Juggernaut. I nodded and motioned that we'd start with the Prime and Juggernaut because they could inflict immeasurable damage. We poked our heads out of cover, then stepped out and fired, diving out of the line of rockets and bullets. We cleared the buildings after Kaidan and I shot our weapons and threw down biotics, Tali blowing away Troopers with her shotgun. The only items we discovered behind lock and key were an ammunition and grenade upgrade.
Kaidan, Tali, and I migrated to the second structure, hoping to find the door controls inside. A Rocket Trooper greeted us with a projectile. I shoved Kaidan aside, and Tali gripped the wall in front of me. I eliminated the geth unit with Warp and two Sokolov bullets with the Sledgehammer upgrade. My squad and I proceeded through the compound. We discovered a locker, which I had Tali hack.
"Commander, you could do this now."
I bobbed my head. "I could, but we might be here forever. I'm still not confident enough."
"Garrus and I can help you on smaller, less critical missions if you'd like," she offered.
"I would like that."
Once Tali had it opened, I recovered a gun as well as turian armor and human armor. Kaidan walked to the end and opened the gate.
I glanced over my shoulder. "Let's quickly secure the last two structures, then head back to Mako."
After leaving the second building, we headed for the other compound, opening up some crates on the way. Once into the third infrastructure, a Shock Trooper fired on us. Tali ran for the weapons locker while Kaidan and I covered her, which barely took any effort. It was down in seconds. Tali got the vault open and pulled a sniper and assault rifle out along with an ammo upgrade. Kaidan activated the gate controls.
The three of us decided to investigate the fourth building as a safety precaution. The metal structure contained nothing, no lockers, no minerals. We headed back to Mako, breathing a little easier.
"Good work, kids. Let's go get the Doctor."
Tali, Kaidan, and I climbed into the Mako and drove away. We came upon one Armature a klick away and another a few meters further. The geth were hurling everything at us. We traveled for a few meters until coming upon two additional geth units and a Colossus. This walking tin can made me want to spit nails, but Kaidan handled it well.
"All clear, Commander." Kaidan exhaled.
I nodded. "Good work, LT."
I drove through a tunnel, geth waiting on the other side. Kaidan annihilated them in seconds; he was doing well. I followed the road till I came to another underpass with two Rocket Troopers watching for us, but Kaidan carved his way through them like a knife through butter. As we emerged, another ambush greeted us. Kaidan fired the cannon, finishing them off. I drove over their burnt remnants and around a curve, where boulders had created an obstacle Mako couldn't go around.
I observed the layout ahead. "Looks like we're going the rest of the way on foot."
I looked at Tali, who shook her head. "The signal is jammed, Commander."
"Weapons free! Be ready for anything. I'll take point."
When a patrol of geth attacked, Kaidan, Tali, and I moved stealthily along the pathway. A Trooper rushed toward me, but I compensated and threw it against a rock, forcing it to tumble to the ground as sparks flew and its illumination faded. When another Trooper fired at me, I returned it, eliminating the geth in two shredder rounds. As Tali and Kaidan's guns boomed behind me, shooting down any geth units they could locate, I proceeded along the walkway. When I reached the top of the hill, a rocket targeted me, Tali shoving me out of its way. I grabbed Kaidan's pistol because he was using his assault rifle, warped the trooper's shields, and blasted it with dual wield. I bobbed my head as I re-holstered the weapon on Kaidan's hip.
Kaidan, Tali, and I made our way up the hill cautiously. It looked like the dig site. We heard a noise that caused us to ready weapons.
"Nothing here, Commander," Kaidan reported.
Tali followed. "Targets eliminated."
No sooner had they spoken, did a dropship unload more ground troops. We had at least three Hoppers, two snipers, a Shock Trooper, and an Armature.
"Fan out! Tali, focus on the Hoppers. Kaidan, handle those Troopers."
"What about the Armature?" Kaidan asked.
"Leave it to me."
I snatched Kaidan's handgun from his hip once again, knowing I'd need more than biotics. I warped the Armature's shields, then blasted with both weapons till I recharged, then reshot Warp. One of the Hoppers unloaded its laser beam in my direction. Contact was excruciatingly painful and caused the muscles in my right forearm to spasm. I holstered one of the pistols and examined the damage. There didn't appear to be lasting damage, but it was throbbing. I drew a syringe from my arm pouch and loaded it with topicsangolophy*, a toxin common to the salarian homeworld. It would paralyze nerves in one extremity or across the body, preventing pain from triggering the brain to shut down but causing no harm to the body. It was mere seconds before it kicked in, though afterward, I found it challenging to grip the stock of my pistol.
I leaned out of cover, my scanner alerting me that its shields had restored themselves to full.
"Horse manure," I cursed.
"Here to help, Commander," Kaidan said, him and Tali firing.
It didn't take long at all with their help since its health was down most of the way. After it was eliminated, Tali holstered her shotgun and came over to examine my arm.
"I'm all right, Tali."
"You sure?" she asked worriedly.
"Yes. I numbed it. My arm will be all right till we get back to the ship."
"Okay." She nodded.
My team and I walked toward the ramp and went up, entering the doors a few seconds later. Inside, our scanner picked up hostiles right away, and we readied weapons.
"Careful. Bullets might ricochet off the walls here," I whispered.
When Kaidan, Tali, and I reached the end of the ramp, geth began firing on us. Tali made quick work of one, leaving the two on the lower catwalk for Kaidan and me to eliminate. Kaidan activated Lift, rendering it inert and finishing it off with his pistol. I initiated Throw to the unit coming up from the right of our position. The geth flew into the adjacent boulder, a precision shot to its flashlight permanently offlining it.
Tali, Kaidan, and I climbed into the elevator, descending a few floors till it came to a halt. We exited and shuffled to the left, where another lift was located. Three drones appeared. Kaidan suffered a blow, but his defenses absorbed it. Tali used her shotgun to obliterate them in mere seconds.
"Impressive," I looked at Kaidan. "Lieutenant?"
"Golden, Commander. Just nicked my barrier." He smiled.
"The caverns must have formed around the ruins," Tali noted as we stepped into the other lift.
"The tiles remind me of a bathroom floor," Kaidan pointed out.
The elevator brought the three of us down as far as possible. There seemed to have been a cave-in at some point when miners had been drilling to utilize the materials. I could faintly hear a worried voice calling out. My team and I gradually worked our way around the rubble till we came across an asari trapped behind a kinetic barrier.
"Can you hear me out there? I'm trapped. I need help," she said rather frantically.
"Are you okay? What happened to you?" I asked.
"Listen," she said, "this thing I am in is a prothean security device. I cannot move, so I need you to get me out of it. All right?"
"How did you end up in there?"
"I was exploring the ruins when geth showed up, so I hid in here. Can you believe that? Geth! Beyond the veil! I activated the tower's defenses. I knew the barriers would keep them out of here. When I turned it on, I must have hit something I wasn't supposed to. I was trapped in here. You must get me out. Please."
"We'll find some way to help you, hold tight," I reassured her.
"There is a control in here that should deactivate this thing. You will have to find some way past the barrier curtain. That's the tricky part. The defenses cannot be shut off from the outside. I do not know how you'll get in here. Be careful. There is a krogan with geth. They have been trying different ways to get past the barrier."
I nodded, then turned and looked around for a way to get in. The elevator was a no-go, only because of something, possibly the barrier, fried the connections and wiring. I walked toward the ramp when geth started attacking.
Tali, Kaidan, and I drew our weapons and started shooting. I crept up behind Kaidan, searching for a way to get to the Doctor. I knew I'd have to become inventive after failing to find a way down. Fortunately, I discovered a mining laser that could carve a path through rock like a chainsaw through a tree trunk. I hurried over to it and began tinkering, hoping to find the proper code. There could be billions of possible results using 26 letters and ten numbers. I activated my omni-tool and utilized it to assist me. After the geth had been destroyed, Kaidan turned to see me struggling with the keypad.
"Need help?"
I put my finger up. "I've got it."
The laser sliced through the rock, revealing a little cubby similar to the one occupied by the Doc. When Tali returned to us, we strolled toward it. Kaidan was correct; with the lighting the hue it was, it appeared like a lavatory. I joined Tali and Kaidan in the elevator's midsection and punched the next level button.
"How...how did you get in here? I didn't think there was any way past the barrier!"
I deflected her question; there would be time for them later. "We have to get you out of here before more geth arrive."
"Yes," she replied. "You're right. I've seen enough of them last me a lifetime. That bottom should shut down my containment field."
I tapped the controls, and she fell out of the hold of the containment area with a thud.
"Oof!"
"Any idea how we get out of this place?" Tali questioned her.
Liara nodded. "There is an elevator back in the center of the tower. At least, I think it's an elevator."
Kaidan nodded. "We took it up here."
"It should take us out as well. Come on!" The Doctor motioned for us to get back on it. "I-I still cannot believe all this. Why would the geth come after me? Do you think Benezia is involved?"
"Saren's looking for the Conduit. You're a Prothean expert. He probably wanted you to help him find it," Kaidan tried to calm her down.
"The Conduit? But I don't know—"the Doctor was cut off by the sounds coming from all around us.
"What was that?" Tali wondered.
"The mining laser must have triggered a seismic event. We have to hurry. The whole place is caving in," Liara replied.
"Joker!" I yelled. "Get the Normandy airborne and lock in on the signal. On the double, Mister!"
"Aye", aye, Commander. Secure and aweigh. E.T.A eight minutes," he responded.
"He needs to move faster," Tali replied with worry evident in her voice.
While we stood there quietly, the elevator moved up the various levels. We just wanted to get out of there and weren't paying enough attention to the conversation. When the elevator came to a halt, we spun around to see a krogan and four geth escorting him. I prevented Tali from pulling out her shotgun.
"Surrender. Or don't. That would be more fun," the krogan challenged.
"In case you didn't notice, this place is falling apart," I pointed out.
He gave me a krogan smile, if you would call it a smile. "Exhilarating, isn't it? Thanks for getting those energy fields for us. Hand the doctor over."
"Whatever is it you want, you are not getting it from me," Liara protested.
"She'll stay with us, thanks," I said with a sarcastic tone.
The krogan shook his giant head. "Not an option. Saren wants her. And he always gets what he wants. Kill them. Spare the asari if you can. If not, it doesn't matter."
Battle ensued.
"Spread out!" I ordered.
When a geth went flying, I looked back, and Dr. T'Soni smiled. I returned the gesture.
"Liara and Tali, take out the geth. Kaidan. Krogan!"
I moved around the opposite side of the pillar as Kaidan distracted our enemy. I raced up behind the gigantic krogan, shoving him forward. My pistol slid as my abrupt momentum caused me to tumble with him, but the lieutenant kept shooting. The krogan sprang up and charged at me, forcing me to swiftly dodge. As the enormous alien turned back toward me, I punched him. He attempted to swipe at me, prompting me to somersault back and retrieve my gun, which I unloaded. Mere seconds after he fell dead, everything started to tremble. We began running as the final barrier powered down, blasting our faces with intense, howling wind.
As a result of the mining laser blast, tremors were now causing stone fragments to break off and land on our position. A quick glance behind me as I bolted for the door revealed that my squad was immediately behind me. I sprinted up ramps and across catwalks, turning as a thunderous boom resonated behind me. The entire ruin crumbled.
"Move! Move! Move!" I yelled, making sure they passed me.
Kaidan emerged first, followed by Tali, then the doctor. I surfaced in time for the door's control panel to turn red, blocking access. Halfway down the inclining ramp, I came to a standstill, deeply inhaling. When I stood up, I noticed Normandy moored overhead.
We returned to the ship and placed our belongings in our lockers while Liara stood off to the side, patiently waiting. After removing all of my gear, I positioned my weapons alongside Ashley and turned to face my squad.
"You guys did great!" I chirped. "Get me your mission reports in ten, so I can send them out with mine and Jeff's."
"Aye Aye, Commander," Kaidan replied.
I turned to Liara, motioning her toward the elevator with me. "Come with me, Doc. I think I know just the spot to make you comfortable."
Liara and I went up in the elevator, making it to the second floor a few moments later. The two of us stepped into med-bay, and I introduced her to Karen and the Science and Medical teams. They were extremely welcoming and even volunteered to show her where she could sleep and familiarize her with the lab. I left the med-bay after telling Liara where she could find me if she needed anything. When I got to my cabin, I typed up my report and sent it to Joker with Kaidan and Tali's briefs. Afterward, I got into my uniform and headed to the debriefing room. When I made it, everyone was already there.
"Debrief in session, oh and by the way, too close, Commander," Joker sounded over the comms. "Ten more seconds waiting on you, we would all have been swimming in molten sulfur. Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference."
"We almost died out there, and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara sounded a bit put off.
"Joker pulled our asses out of there," I reminded her. "I think he's earned the right to a few bad jokes."
"I see," Liara relaxed. "It must be a human thing. I do not have a lot of experience dealing with your species, Commander. But I am grateful to you. You saved my life back there. And not just from the volcano, those geth would have killed me or dragged me off to Saren."
"What did Saren want with you?" Kaidan joined in. "Do you know something about the Conduit?"
"Only that it was somehow connected to the Prothean extinction." She shrugged. "That is my real area of expertise. I have spent the past 50 years trying to figure out what happened to them."
My eyes widened at the sound of that. "Just how old are you exactly?"
"I hate to admit it, but I am only 106."
"Damn," Ashley said aloud. "I hope I look that good when I am your age."
"A century may seem like a long time to a short-lived species like yours, but among the asari, I am barely considered more than a child. That is why my research has not received the attention it deserves. Because of my youth, other asari scholars tend to dismiss my theories on what happened to the Protheans."
"I've got my theory on why the Protheans disappeared," I said, flashing through the vision burned into my brain.
"With all due respect, Commander. I have heard every theory out there. The problem is finding evidence to support them. The Protheans left remarkably little behind. It is almost as if someone did not want the mystery solved. It is like someone came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part: According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish. This cycle began long before them."
"Where'd you come up with this theory?" I asked, suddenly curious. "I thought there wasn't any evidence?"
"I have been working on this for 50 years," she reiterated. "I have tracked down every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. Patterns that hint at the truth. It is difficult to explain to someone else. I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case. It is more a feeling derived from a half-century of dedicated research. But I know I am right. And eventually, I will be able to prove it. There were other civilizations before the Protheans; this cycle has repeated itself many times over."
"World without end," I said more to myself than out loud. "If the Protheans weren't the first, then who was?"
"I do not know." Liara jolted her shoulders. "There is barely any evidence of the Protheans. Even less on those who came before them. I cannot prove my theory, but I know I am right. The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises, it is suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruins survive. The Protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spanned the entire galaxy. Even they climbed to the top on the remains of those who came before. Their greatest achievements—the mass relays and the Citadel—are based on the technology of those who came before them. And then, like all the other forgotten civilizations throughout galactic history, the Protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my life to figuring out why."
"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines, the Reapers," I revealed.
"The—the Reapers? But I have never heard of—how do you know this? What evidence do you have?"
"There was a damaged Prothean beacon on Eden Prime; it burned a vision into my brain," I said, thinking about the twinge of tension in my neck. "I'm still trying to sort out what it all means."
"Visions? Yes... That makes sense. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the mind of the user. Finding one that still works is exceedingly rare. No wonder the geth attacked Eden Prime. The chance to acquire a working beacon, even a severely damaged one, is worth almost any risk. But the beacons were only programmed to interact with Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would have been confused, unclear. I am amazed that you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed in the process. You must be remarkably strong-willed, Commander."
"This isn't helping find Saren or the Conduit," Kaidan finally halted the conversation.
"Of course. You are right. I am sorry. My scientific curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately, I do not have any information that could help you find the Conduit or Saren."
"I don't know why Saren wanted you out of the picture, but I think we'd be a lot better off if we brought you along."
"Thank you, Commander." She stood, inching closer to me. "Saren might come after me again. I cannot think of anywhere safer than here on your ship, and my knowledge of the Protheans might be useful later on."
"And her biotics will come in handy when the fighting starts," Wrex added.
"Good to have you on the team, Liara." I uncrossed my arms.
"Thank you, Commander. I am very great—whoa. I am afraid I am feeling a bit light-headed." Liara leaned to the side.
"When is the last time you ate or slept?" Kaidan asked her. "Doctor Chakwas should take a look at you."
"It's probably just mental exhaustion coupled with the shock of discovering the Protheans true fate. I need some time to process all this. Still, it could not hurt to be examined by a medical professional. It will give me the chance to think things over. Are we finished here, Commander?"
"We can talk again after you've seen the doctor. The rest of you, dismissed."
"Mission reports are filed, Commander," Joker sounded. "You want me to patch you through to the Council?"
"Patch 'em through, Joker," I replied.
"Setting up the link now, Commander."
I turned to see the council member's holographic forms facing me.
"We've received your report, Commander," Tevos began. "I understand Doctor T'Soni is on the Normandy."
"I assume you are taking the necessary security precautions?" Sparatus asked rather snidely.
"Liara's on our side," I tried to reassure him. "The geth were trying to kill her."
"Benezia would never allow Saren to kill her daughter," Tevos said with absolution.
"Maybe she doesn't know," Valern concluded.
"Or maybe we don't know her," Sparatus added rather bitterly. "We never expected she could become a traitor."
Valern ignored his comment."At least the mission was a success."
"Apart from the utter destruction of a major Prothean ruin. Was that necessary, Shepard?" Sparatus asked with venom in his voice.
I wanted to roll my eyes at his disrespect, but I remained calm. "The geth were crawling all over those ruins, and we were lucky to make it out alive."
"Of course, Commander," Valern responded. "The mission must always take priority."
"Good luck, Commander." Tevos looked back at me. "Remember, we are all counting on you."
I stood there a minute longer looking at where their halo images once were, then sighed as I left the comm room.