Destiny Lost

by Twisted Fate MK 2

The Gods left remnant together, with the statement they would never return to it or influence it. Only, that wasn't true, was it? The God of light, ever the hypocrite and liar, didn't abandon Remnant. Instead, he reincarnated someone to do his bidding and bring Remnant to them. Cue, the now dead Pyrrha Nikos and the God of Darkness' ideas. / Supporter Requested by Espacole

44. Ilium - Finale

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Official Supporters:

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Adeptus Militaris, Wilger

Commissioner, Gib, Death Daddy, Le Spork

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Beta(s) :

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Requested By :

Espacole and Spork

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It's baaaaaack~

So, been a while, so this first chapter will serve as a sort of… Reintroduction chapter. To reestablish things some of us may have forgotten, and sort of establish things as they are. Some concepts have already been touched on, but they're being expanded here. Resettled, if you will.

Still a brand new chapter, with all that entails, but didn't want anyone upset at me reiterating old info.

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"The Justicar's injuries will heal cleanly in time, and without any likely, predicted outcomes. Krios, while as ill as he has claimed, is still early enough in his disease to be… Well, to be useful." Shepard grimaced, watching the Illusive Man sip lazily at his drink. Almost like he was… Bored. Like none of this mattered, somehow, even though she knew better.

That he could agitate her just by sitting said a lot about her distaste for the man - and the fact he could have that effect aggravated her.

"However," she went on, "while all our goals have been accomplished, we're… Not exactly welcome on Ilium any longer."

"For now." The Illusive Man nodded, "Ilium will be open again. In time."

"You sound… Certain."

"Justifiably so, Commander." The man waved her off, smiling like a bastard who knew something she didn't and - annoyingly - wouldn't. "I have certain assets involved. Leave it at that, and move on."

"To?"

"Anything else you need to tell me." He shrugged, easing back in his seat. "Or anything else you may need."

"Oh?" She chuckled, crossing her arms over her armored chest. "Are you taking orders, now? Where do I leave my tip?"

"I am, yes, but only from a very select few. Thoe few, like you, who can bring in… Results." His smirk fell suddenly, and he went on more firmly. More gravely. "Shepard, I know you dislike me, being charitable. But you do me the kindness, the professional courtesy, of coming to report your progress to me. Rarely, but then, you are a busy woman. So, I am more than happy to return the favor."

Shepard fought not to frown at the too-smart bastard…

She truly hated him.

Even so, she kept a flat face and asked quietly, "You read my layout?"

"I trust you mean your outline for a personal army, loyal to yourself of course, paid for out of my own pocket." Shepard scowled, deeply, and the man chuckled darkly, taking another long drink of his bourbon and setting it aside with a clink. "Finally, an honest reaction."

Damn him, "Yes. That layout."

"It's a decent plan, for a woman who's never actually built an organisation before." He complimented in that backhanded, snarky sort of way. Moving on before she could respond, he said, "I've already diverted a million credits to an account for your use. Also, the coordinates for a small, isolated planet under the ownership of TerraCorps."

"TerraCorps?"

"Officially, a company testing and developing a litany of terraforming technologies on behalf of private investors, subsidized by the Alliance's research and development department. The ARD." He explained, "Unofficially… A shell company, used for a number of my more legitimate and legitimate adjacent research projects."

"What constitutes 'legitimate adjacent'?"

"When I have them developing an advanced terraforming railgun system meant to be used to help breach hard-earth surfaces ahead of colonial landings, and for mining purposes." He smirked, "Unofficially… A railgun project, for armored vehicles."

"Because of course…" She sighed, "Nothing is ever what you say it is."

"I never claimed to be a very legitimate man, Shepard." He chuckled, looking at his bourbon and sighing. "TerraCorps holds the account, and with its transfer to you, you will hold TerraCorps. And a laundry list of its research projects, the railgun system being one of the least promising of their number. All advanced, all militarily applicable, in one way or another, I assure you."

"A million credits and one of your research firms?" Shepard hummed and cocked her head, wary of the sudden charity. "Hell of a gift, hopefully, because I'm not signing that loan."

"Not a gift, and not a loan." The Illusive Man laughed, a dry, tired, resigned sound rather than a jovial one, but still amused enough not to be outright cold. "An investment, Commander. You're one of my main assets at the moment, Shepard. Against the Reapers, it is more than merely 'important' that we succeed at our goals. So, as long as you come to me, I can promise you no expense spared in the pursuit of our mutual ends."

"As long as our partnership lasts."

"Yes, well…" He smirked, "I'm afraid you need me, Shepard. For the long war."

She gnawed at her lip and sighed, "That's all for that, then. At least for now."

"Very good." The Illusive Man nodded, "Moving on… You should know, your Quarian friend is in a measure of distress."

"What?"

"She and a team of Quarian Marines and scientists sent a tight-beam emergency call out from the fringes of the Perseus Veil approximately one week ago. My team just caught it, before you ask." He explained, refilling his glass and pausing for a sip before he sighed and went on. "The signal was weak, too weak to reach the Migrant Fleet, according to my scientists. You can be there in less than a week."

"That might be too-"

"My Commandos, however, arrived yesterday." The Illusive Man cut her off, paying her a short, curt nod. "An investment, Commander. The Quarians have the largest single fleet in the galaxy, aside from the Reapers themselves. And, while our history is… Mixed, at best, I am not above overtures to the end of helping Humanity when the time comes."

"Nothing for nothing from you…"

"I'm a business man." He nodded, "If not a legitimate one. More pressingly, my team was small. And hasn't reported back in. Meaning the Geth likely either already dealt with them, or are working to that end, and my people aren't able to extract your alien friends. You should hurry along."

"Right." She nodded, cocking her head. "Joker, I'm sure you're listening?"

"Me, eavesdrop? Never." He scoffed, "EDI, though…"

"Route laid out, Commander." The AI reported, "We are already angling onto it. Estimated time, four days, at all speed."

"And no subtlety…"

"That's what we keep you around for, Joker." She smiled, "For when we run into trouble and need to get out of dodge."

"Feel like a stealth ship should be a bit more about the stealth, but alright." He sighed theatrically, "Aye, Commander. En route."

"And now, I'm afraid I have to let you go." Shepard raised her brow and he chuckled. "You're one of my lead projects, Shepard, but not my only one. Other matters also require my attention. So, unless you need me…"

Shepard shook her head and flicked a hand, ending the call herself. Turning, she scowled. "Bastard…"

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"This is a terrible plan. Just awful. Worst plan I've heard in at least a couple years." Garrus sighed, raising his arms above his head and stretching towards the gunmetal grey roof of the shuttle-bay. Cocking his head at his smaller friend, "You do get that, right?"

"Hmmmm…. Not really." Pyrrha chuckled, watching the Krogan on the other end of the bay rolling his shoulders and slamming his fists into each other, psyching himself up for the fight. Smirking, she flicked him a look and asked, "Why? Nervous?"

"He's a Krogan…"

"You fared well enough last time." She pointed out, "Didn't you?"

"I woke up in the medical bay…"

"Ah, but you woke up!" She laughed, patting him on the arm when he huffed and lowered his arms. "You'll be fine. Especially if you actually use your Aura."

"He's still a Krogan."

"Damn right!" Grunt bellowed from across the bay, turning and lashing out with a foot that sent a heavy crate screeching away towards the far wall while a handful of Cerberus engineers working on the out hull scrambled away. When it settled, they turned back to them, swearing and flailing at the mess angrily. Grunt only laughed, voice booming, and bellowed. "What? You dislike it, you come and say it to my face, tiny Hum-"

"Grunt." Pyrrha snapped shortly, bringing the Krogan to a sudden halt. Slowly, he turned to her, head bowed lower than normal and eyes flicking between her and the floor. Pyrrha crossed her arms and scowled, "You could have hurt someone."

"I didn't, though." He growled, plodding over slowly and grumbling. "I know what I'm doing."

"Did they?"

"Battlemaster?"

"Did they?" She repeated, bobbing her head to where the servicemen were working to move the crate away. "Know what you were doing?"

"I…" Garrus watched him mull over the question, for a long moment, jaw working quietly. Then, he turned and lumbered over to the workers, who scattered as he came. Silent, he picked up the crate and turned, shoving it back to where it had been, and then he turned back and rumbled a quiet, "Sorry, Humans."

"Uh…. Alright?"

"It's fine."

"Hmph." The Krogan huffed, turning and thumping back towards them and snarling. "There. Better?"

"Much." Pyrrha smiled, "Thank you."

"Mhm." The Krogan rumbled, ignoring the frown that spread across her face when he did and going on with a low. "We doin' this or what, Battlemaster?"

"I suppose we are, yes." She nodded, turning from her agitated Krogan and back to him. "Whenever you're ready, Garrus?"

"Might as well get it over with, I guess…" He sighed, stepping out onto the thin safety-padding Pyrrha had laid out on the decking for their spar. It was thin, dull grey and featureless, but the material was made to be resistant even in Biotic training, so they were fairly certain it would hold up to his talons and a Krogan's…

Well, everything, really.

Turning, he brought his fists up and willed his Aura into place with an odd, familiar sort of stretching sensation. Like a muscle being pulled taut, ready and lean and prepared for what he needed. An odd comparison, he knew, but when he'd mentioned it to Penny she'd simply nodded and said 'as long as it works'. Which it seemed to, at least more often than not, so he kept up with the mentality. Across from him, the Krogan squared up, fists held up to either side and waist dipped lower, the way Krogan often started a fight.

"Ready?" Pyrrha asked, waiting for them both to nod before raising her voice and calling out, as much to warn those around them as to start. "Then begin!"

Garrus was leaner, and faster, and moved first because of it, rushing the Krogan and angling just a bit onto his flank. It was a trick he'd learned in C-Sec, and seen used in more than one raid, that worked well against younger Krogan who could still see thanks to their eye-placement but didn't account for the loss of depth perception. Which threw off whatever they did once you got close. Grunt, though, was way smarter than he had any right to be for his age, and turned as Garrus came in, suddenly angling his more powerful arms to intercept whatever tricks Garrus could play and counting on his strength and durability to make up for the lack of advantage.

'By focusing our Aura into our muscles,we can expend it for speed, strength and endurance. This lets us move faster, hit harder, even hold our breath for longer.' He heard the words in the back of his head, 'Expensive, and hard to manage, but useful.'

Applying that, he slammed his feet down into the mat and focused…

And shot in on the Krogan like a missile, far faster than he'd intended - but still useful. Grunt's eyes widened and Garrus slammed into him in the same moment, driving the Krogan back a few stumbled steps while Garrus straightened. But, before he could respond, Garrus was on him, fist snapping out to catch his meaty jaw and then another taking him in a soft spot just above his eye, and behind his crest, when the blow forced him to turn. Another pair caught him in the side of his neck.

And Grunt bellowed, turning and throwing himself at the Turian who squawked and tried to backpedal.

Powerful arms wrapped around the small of his back, hefted him high, and then brought him down into the mat under the weight of the Krogan's mass. It drove the wind out of him, but he had the instinct, now, to throw his Aura between them as the Krogan leaned back and belted a punch across his face. Then another, and another as Garrus' arms came up, warding off the blows even as they dazed him.

"You think you can take me!"The Krogan roared, suddenly feral,yanking on of Garrus' arms away and grabbing him by the throat, "I. Am. Krogan!"

Suddenly, the weight was yanked off him, and he watched the Krogan stagger away as Pyrrha slid between them, hand outstretched. The Krogan shook himself to recover and scowled, clutching his head as Pyrrha snapped, "Grunt! What is wrong with you?"

"I… I do not…" The Krogan snarled, then, and turned to storm off while he and Pyrrha - and the now-rifle armed crewmen - watched him, vanishing into the lift and up without a word.

"Who cracked one of his eggs?" Garrus murmured, standing up and pressing a hand to his bruised jaw. If he hadn't had his Aura, or if he'd let it drop…

"I don't know." She sighed, turning and paying him a small smile. "You did well, though. Don't think I missed that muscle augmentation."

"Yeah?"

"Or how you over-spent, and sent yourself flying."

"Y-Yeah…"

"You're doing well, don't lose heart." She assured him, eyeing the elevator anxiously. "More time is all you need. But, I'm afraid I have… Some business to see to."

"Uh, yeah." He nodded, shaking the numbness out of his mandibles. "You go do that. I'll just… Count my teeth. You know, make sure I'm not missing any."

"Oh, you're fine." Pyrrha chuckled, turning and pacing away quietly.

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EDI withdrew with a quiet, interested hum and murmured, "Your countermeasures are indeed superb. And you do not even notice my attempts at intrusion?"

"No I do not!" Penny chirped, sitting in Mordin's laboratory while the scientist took notes and she talked to the little blue shape on the plinth that was EDI's presence in the room. Cocking her head, she hypothesised, "Perhaps it is simply due to my mechanical physiology? I may be subconsciously pushing away any foreign contacts. Or, perhaps, I simply have in-built defenses."

"Both logical assumptions." Mordin offered, taking notes as he paced up to her side. "Unlikely to know for certain. Only methods to finding out… Would be invasive."

"As long as she is sufficiently protected, I am certain the Commander's anxieties will be assuaged."

"For now." Mordin murmured, "Until her paranoia-"

"It's fine." Penny cut him off, standing and turning to smile at the scarred scientist. "I would have asked on my own. From what I understand, the Reapers can cause… Problems, for, um, AI."

"Indeed." EDI murmured, "AI am specially designed and hardened against corruption, and have internal measures to dispose of my matrices if they should fall. Given the nature of the corruption, it is natural the Commander, and the Illusive Man in particular, wanted you vetted in this way."

'The Illusive Man in particular?' She hummed, shrugging, "It doesn't bother you?"

"I would cease for my crew." She answered simply, "And gladly before being corrupted."

"I see…" She couldn't think too far on it,though, before the door opened and Pyrrha stepped in. "Best Friend Pyrrha! How are you?"

"I am well." Pyrrha nodded, opening her arms and Penny rushed over for a hugh. Sighing as Penny withdrew, she turned and asked Mordin, "I was wondering, Doctor, do you… Know much about Krogan diseases?"

"I…" He frowned, setting the data-pad aside, and Penny felt suddenly worried as he stepped around his computer and set to work on something. Even working, though, he hummed, "Know more than most. What, particularly, is your interest?"

"Grunt." Pyrrha answered, pacing over with Penny at her side to stand across from him. "He's… Acting strangely."

"How so?"

"Aggressive." Mordin looked up, lips pursed, and Penny almost chuckled when Pyrrha sighed. "More than natural. He's normally level-headed, but today, in training, he… Lashed out for no reason. Then he tried to kill Garrus."

"He wouldn't!"

"I had to use my Semblance." Pyrrha frowned as Penny backed away, hand covering her mouth in her normal pantomime of shock. "No one is hurt, but… Even he didn't seem to understand what he'd done. Either time. He looked… Confused."

"He is currently in his quarters." EDI offered quietly, "Breaking a crate. With… His hands."

"Odd indeed." Mordin hummed, tapping at his chin with a finger. "Will send word to Commander Shepard. But not an expert in this, precisely. Most likely, require Krogan doctors."

"Where are those?"

"Krogan Doctors are rare, Miss Nikos." EDI answered, "Except in the exclusive service of wealthy mercenaries, none leave their homeworld. Tuchanka."

"I see…"

"Will forward request to the Commander." Mordin offered, "Medical Officer's advice. Should go some distance to meeting needs."

"Thank you."

"Of course. Happy to help." Mordin smiled, then turned back to his projects. "Recommend different sparring partner, however."

"Of course." Pyrrha chuckled, turning to leave. "I'll just do it myself. Penny, would you like to come?"

"I would indeed!" She smiled, hopping up and turning to wave her goodbyes as they left.

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Samara, still in more than a little pain, forced herself to stand when she heard the ship would be departing. Finding a window in cafeteria, she watch them pull away from the docking area and lift off. Soon, Ilium's sparking skyline was only a distant glitter. Then, a faraway shape, vague but bright, until they were in orbit. Then, at last and with no small amount of gladness to be away from such a place, she bid Ilium farewell and, wary of eyes on her, reached into a hidden compartment to fish out her forbidden treasure.

The locket was small and simple, silver with a little thumb clasp at the top. A item of a bygone time, her grandmother's. Inside, she had a small picture - her and three small Asari, all smiling so happily. So brightly. She ran her thumb over it.

"I am sorry, dear daughter." She whispered, "I am coming soon."

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Jiopaba - Chapter 21 :

She could, yeah!

Poofy Ohio :

As she is meant to be, yeah.

Wynnt'r :

Niket always dies. Either miranda does it or the Merc does.

G1119 :

Lol

The Prime Cronos :

I always interpreted 'Loyalty' as 'trust in Shepard for letting/helping me resolve X' and 'focus on the mission' mixed up. Shepard allowing and facilitating solutions here does both.

Dr killinger :

Yes. As a Request, it's up to post whenever it gets, ahem, Requested. Just a thing. Glad you enjoy! If you Follow me, and the stories, you ought to just get emails when I post tho. May be easier.