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

46. Haestrom - II

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Commissioner, Gib, Death Daddy, Le Spork

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Requested By :

Espacole and Spork

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They came down at the edge of a shaded, weather-abused concrete platform topped by thin metal grating, rusted over and breaking in places from time's burden. Overhead, a half-destroyed concrete ceiling hung precariously above and around them, ancient steel bared to the air in rusted sections all along the larger, square structure, held up by several corroded, decayed columns reinforced by more advanced blue and black Geth support struts. A catwalk just below the ceiling ran around the landing site, dotted by pulleys, winches and maintenance systems. More dotted the inside of the four walls of the structure, accessible from ladders and platforms, and even more ran along the bottom edges of it.

They all stood patiently in a semi-circle just outside the shuttle with Pyrrha at the front and the others flanking to either side, watching the Geth anxiously until a heavy, ancient looking round door several dimly lit yards ahead of them groaned and opened.

A huling, red machine stepped through, head segmenting down into its chest ever so slightly to accommodate the door, as it opened. It was larger than any of them, nearly half again as tall as Pyrrha herself was, with heavy, layered red plating along its legs and arms and a smooth, featureless but protectively curved bent to its torso. Its 'face' as Pyrrha knew it was also more sheltered, indented ever so slightly into its curved head, protected by moderately larger flanges than Legion had. Like them, though, this Geth had a long antenna coming up from its back over one shoulder and, though it carried no weapons, she knew it could annihilate most of them if it wished to.

Behind it, shuffling uncomfortably quickly, were several badly injured Humans in Cerberus fatigues, pressing themselves to keep ahead of the trio of blue units bringing up the rear.

"An Overseer Unit." Legion explained for their benefit as it came to a stop a few feet ahead of them. "It is equipped with specialized processors to host administrative programs, as well as long-range transmitters."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that it will facilitate our dialogue with the consensus present on Haestrom." Legion explained, "It will enable negotiations. And has come unarmed as a show of good faith."

"Got it." Pyrrha murmured at the same time Shepard did. Chuckling, the Commander added, "Not used to not taking the lead, Nikos."

"Apology accepted." She smiled, taking a breath as she stepped forward, looking up at the towering machine looming over her. Cocking her head, she asked, "Do you know who I am already?"

"All Geth know of you, Pyrrha Nikos." The Unit answered, voice deep and reverberating through the air. "Legion imparted data regularly, prior to its joining Shepard-Commander's mission. You, Pyrrha, are well known."

"O-Oh?" She smiled - she'd expected as much, from what she knew, but it was smart to check regardless. Just in case. Nodding, she said, "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, um…"

"We recognize through Legion the use of 'names' for personal referral." The towering Geth said simply, "As such, we consulted Legion for naming conventions, and recommendations. You may designate this platform 'Goliath'."

"Alright, Goliath…" She nodded, peering past them at the wounded Cerberus soldiers and then flicking them another look. "I'm assuming you know everyone with me, so… May I get our wounded comrades on their way?"

"They may load." Goliath rumbled, "ONce we are sufficiently distant from the shuttle, they may leave."

"Nobody mentioned that." Shepard cut in, "What the-"

"What Commander Shepard means," Pyrrha cut in, raising a hand to wave the woman down, "Is that this wasn't discussed, and that isn't very cooperative. If you want peace, want us to work together, like I was told, then you have to trust us. Just a little. Like we have, walking right into your home with no way of getting back out."

"We merely wished to further guarantee our safety." It explained, "Not to antagonize."

"I understand." She nodded, "But this looks even to me like some kind of… Trap. Commander Shepard is already on edge. She's pushing herself to trust me, and you all through me. Please, don't push her to breaking."

"...Very well." It rumbled, "Your logic is acceptable. We apologize. They may leave immediately."

"Thank you, Goliath." Pyrrha smiled, stepping aside and gesturing the Humans forward. As they shuffled by, flicking the massive machine wary looks, and slipped into the shuttle, Pyrrha added, "I appreciate it, truly, I do."

"Understood." Goliath nodded simply, turning and stepping to the side, gesturing towards the door with a hand as the three Geth stepped off to the side, opposite Goliath to form a sort of… Tunnel between them. "We will escort you to the Creators."

"Alright." Pyrrha stepped forward and, as she walked, Goliath fell into step beside her while the rest followed closely behind, and the three Geth took up the rear.

They stepped out onto a broken avenue, split down the middle by a sort of road made up of old, rusted grating panels, each running to a raised edge at the edge of the cliff they were walking on. Large, Geth, structures stretched off to one side, dotted around more ancient looking concrete buildings covered in smoke-stacks, ancient paneling, and colonnade supports for raised segments. Off to the other side, beneath the cliff, more clusters of Geth and stone architecture were scattered about an arid, sparsely plant-covered stretch of miles of most flat ground. And, ahead of them, the path was clear - albeit with long and wide overhangs made of thick, Geth metal covering most of it, lined to either side by work-stations, terminals and other kinds of units she couldn't identify even as they passed them.

And, all the while, slim Geth units worked, repairing damaged lengths of the road and, to her right, putting out a fire and working to repair damages to the buildings as well.

"Gah!" Pyrrha turned as Garrus staggered away, clutching the side of his face and looking out at the empty air like something had stung him. "What the-"

"Haestrom's sun is unusually active in a myriad of ways inimical to many forms of life, particularly those not adapted to it." Goliath called over, "Without shielding calibrated to a frequency of eleven thousand point eight two units over four thousand eight hundred and twelve, set to a broadcast latency which fluctuates with the time of day, it is quite hazardous. We constructed these covers to preserve the roadway as well as our more sensitive tools and systems."

"Okay…?"

"The sun is dangerous." It reiterated more plainly, "Without specially tuned shields, and armor, you can suffer injury or death. Stay in the shade."

"Got it, yeah." Garrus grumbled, massaging his cheek and flicking his mandibles. "Stay in the shade."

Goliath didn't respond, turning and moving on without another word while Pyrrha rushed to keep up. Pyrrha watched the Geth work as they passed, fascinated by the way they went about their business. Almost like the 'organics' weren't even present. Which, she supposed, made sense - the Geth Troopers and Goliath themself were there for security, so why would the other units care? They were paying attention besides, she was sure, linked in through Goliath's systems in some way or another.

It was fascinating, truly, to consider…

She should have brought Penny along.

"Odd." Miranda said after a while, and Pyrrha turned to look at her over a shoulder. The woman was eyeing the sun, hand shading her eyes and lip pursed. "The sun looks fine, and our sensors didn't register any anomalies with it when we came into the system… The sun seems a normal enough one."

"So it would appear." Goliath rumbled, "However, something is…. Poisoning it, somehow."

"Poisoning a sun?" Shepard asked, "How?"

"Unknown." It answered, never once turning or slowing but, Pyrrha was sure, regarding them all regardless through other sensors - or maybe it wasn't, since the Geth didn't care so much about things like 'eye contact'. "Our presence on this world is due to that precis query. Whatever can do this could occur elsewhere, after all."

"That could be… Disastrous." Miranda murmured, suddenly sounding… Somehow awed and frightened at the same time. "What if it's the Reapers' work?"

"There is no data available to support that conclusion."

"No." Pyrrha agreed, "But it's a worrying thought, is it not?"

"Indeed." Goliath agreed, "Geth present in the greater consensus has posed such suppositions, from time to time. However, without more data, we are unable to reach consensus on the matter. And were we, we would then need some avenue by which to address the issue."

"What even could you do against such a thing?" Pyrrha asked, a thrill of terror coursing through her at the prospect. "How do you even fight such a force that can poison a star?"

"No data available." Goliath answered plainly, "We will continue to investigate."

"Alright…"

They moved on in silence, then, walking along the sheltered path until they reached an ancient seeming, towering wall. It had a few narrow windows facing out, and she could see moving lights within - Geth, she supposed - beyond it. But, otherwise, it was a flat, simple construction of stone or some kind of concrete, pockmarked by wear and tear. And bullet impacts, she realized, as they turned to the side to pass around it, avoiding the few Geth working to repair what they could of the damage.

And, as they made their way around the corner of the building, to remove the bodies from the fighting - their own, and the Quarians alike.

"Seven dead…" Shepard murmured as their group slowed and, aware of them, the Geth did as well, Goliath turning and looking them over. The bodies were laid out in rows, head by each other's feet and hands folded over their chests, and Shepard asked, "What will you do with them?"

"Burn them." Legion answered, "As is tradition among their people, in so far as we understand."

"You're not wrong." Shepard answered, "But their hoods should be removed, first, if you care about tradition."

"Why?" Goliath asked.

"They're supposed to be returned to their families." Garrus explained quietly, almost… Reverently, even, somehow, "They'll be hung on a wall for memorial or, if they like it, sewn into a family member's cowl or suit for something closer."

"Why the variance?"

"Different families, different ships, different traditions." Garrus shrugged, "Just… How it is."

"We will share this information with the greater consensus." Goliath rumbled, "Thank you. Shall we remove the cowls ourselves, or wait and allow the Creators to do so?"

"I'm sure they'd rather do it themselves." Lawson said, "And seeing the bodies respectfully laid out as such may go a long way towards mending things. At least here."

"Still a hell of a way to go…"

"Every journey starts with a single step." Pyrrha offered, smiling at the Commander. "You have to take it eventually."

"True enough." She sighed, flicking the large Geth a masked look and sighing again, more deeply this time. "True enough…"

"Wise counsel." Goliath rumbled, "Processed."

Around another corner and out a door, they found themselves in a more open, industrialized, but still ancient and stoney area. Catwalks, reinforced by Geth supports in places, and patrolled by a handful of Geth troopers. All of whom kept their optics locked on a squat structure near the middle, which they gave a purposefully wide berth. Outside it were metal barricades, and stacked stone, assembled to either side in rough barricades topped by a lair of light support guns manned by masked soldiers who flicked each other a look as they all approached.

"Commander Shepard?" One of them, a woman, said as they approached, "We didn't actually believe the broadcast - but you're here!"

"I am." She nodded. "We're here to negotiate your safe exit. What's the situation?"

"Tali-Zorah is inside with Commander Reegar." The other, older sounding, man said as he watched the three Geth escorts back away, leaving Goliath and Legion with them. "Oh frag me - you really want us to let those things inside, don't you?"

"Want?" Shepard scoffed, "No. But I need you to anyways."

"Was afraid you'd say that…" He sighed, turning his head and, from the way his throat and head moved, talking soundlessly. After a moment the door slid open and he turned back to them, "You're clear. But watch yourselves, Geth. Make a move and we have four Marines ready to perforate you."

"Acknowledged." Both platforms responded, following their team inside, past the Quarian and their heavy guns.

Inside was a sort of ancient control room, lined by archaic looking computers, terminals and power outputs and inputs. There was more she didn't recognize, too, and all interspersed by Quarian additions. Or what she assumed were Quarian additions - they were far newer than the rest, cables running out from them into wall-sockets, terminals, and other machines. A few beds had been crammed into one corner, just beside a larger machine and screen at the back, where a couple wounded Quarians lay, being tended to by another Marine. Two other Quarians, standing to either side of the little sleeping area, raised their old rifles menacingly as the Geth appeared, and Pyrrha stepped between them protectively.

"Stand down." A man grunted sharply as the two at the main console turned to them. He was dressed in red armor, and sported a heavy looking shotgun, but paid them a more respectful nod than Pyrrha had expected. "Ma'ams. Sirs. Uh… Geth."

"Greetings, Creator." Legion nodded, "It is a pleasure to meet you. We are designated : Legion. This platform is designated : Goliath."

"Uh… I'm Kal'Reegar, Flotilla Marines." He answered, cocking his head and sighing, "Boss, this is officially the strangest op I've ever been on."

"Shepard's involved. Of course it is." The other Quarian, a woman in a dark suit with a heavy, piecemeal looking pistol in one hand and her other wreathed in Omni-Tool orange. She ran it up and down herself, and then held it aloft for a moment before sighing and nodding. "No hacks, no loose transmissions beyond the promised one, no hidden weapon sigs…"

"We are here to negotiate." Legion pointed out, "Smuggling weapons is not conducive to this end."

"Mhm." Tali, Pyrrha assumed, hummed, flicking Shepard a look as the woman stepped to Pyrrha's side. "Commander?"

"They're here in good faith, Tali." Shepard sighed, stepping forward and spreading her arms while th Quarian rolled her glowing eyes. With a sigh, the Quarian hugged the woman, and Pyrrha heard the Commander whisper almost sheepishly. "All these Geth were getting to me…"

"Mhm." The Quarian returned, "Hence the hug."

"Hence the hug." She agreed, turning around without a hint of even the slightest bit of shame or anxiety - even for the Geth, suddenly - and gesturing to Pyrrha. When she spoke, she did so with a lot more warmth, now, than she'd ever had before. "Only one you don't know. Pyrrha Nikos, Huntress. And, rough start notwithstanding, valued member of my crew, incredible point-woman, unstoppable fighter and resident Krogan wrangler."

"Krogan wrangler?" She and the Quarian both scoffed, while Pyrrha went on, "Commander, please. You make me sound like some ungodly thing, running amok on your ship."

"Do I?" She chuckled, turning and stepping out of the arm the Quarian had left over her shoulder. "We're here to talk. So, do you have a good place?"

"We have what you see, Commander." The Quarian sighed, waving for her only two other standing Marines to head outside and humming. "We'll have to make do."

"Fair enough." Shepard nodded, turning and adding, "Nikos, take it away."

"Why her?"

"Ah, right." Shepard chuckled, "She's also our resident Geth-o-phile."

"Oh." The Quarian sighed, "That's… Absolutely wonderful, So nice."

"Commander, please." Pyrrha frowned, doing her best to ignore the morose tone of the Quarian and hoping the conversation to come would help. "That sounds vaguely inappropriate…"

"Now that you point it out," Shepard cocked her head, "it does, doesn't it?"

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Penny smiled as she stepped into her quarters, and then froze, smile falling, when she saw the blue-skinned woman standing at their window, leaning on a crutch while she watched the stars. Quietly, she moved over to her bunk and set aside her noodles before she stood, smoothed out her dress and cleared her throat loudly. The woman cocked her head in acknowledgement but didn't say anything, and Penny sighed - this was going to be fun, it seemed.

Still, a new person was a potential new friend!

And it was good to see Miss Samara on her feet in any event.

"Hello!" She said, padding towards the woman, "I am glad to see you up and moving!"

"I am glad to be moving, Penny." The Asari said, watching the stars as she spoke. "I know these are your quarters. I hope you do not mind, I… Wished to see the stars, for a time."

"It is quite alright." Penny nodded, watching them with her and going on. "I only came to eat. And pray, I suppose. You are no bother."

"I am happy to hear it." Samara hummed, "Pray? I… Understand you are a machine. I never thought a machine would pray to a god."

"O-Oh, um, well…" Of course she'd be told, it was only fair given Penny would fight with her after all. But she hadn't expected to be asked about anything like that, or her God, so blatantly. Swallowing, she shrugged and explained, "It is a long, and private, story, but… I am a machine, and I do worship, yes."

"I know something of Human gods." Samara said, "One of these?"

"Nope." She smiled pleasantly, "Mine is the God of Darkness."

"An… Evil god?"

"Oh, no! No, no, no!" She turned to the woman, shaking her head sharply and rambling, "He is, um, he likes destruction, yes. But he isn't evil! He doesn't destroy people, usually, unless they do something. To him it's, uh, art."

"Art?"

"Best Friend Pyrrha could explain better." She had a much closer relationship to him, much to her chagrin. "But, I mean… He saved us both. Gave us our lives, literally speaking."

"I see…" Samara chuckled, "Perhaps don't lead with 'I follow the God of Darkness?"

"But that's his name…?"

"So describe him instead." She offered, "What he's done, what he represents to you. The name is rather off-putting, however."

"I see… I'm no good at this." Penny sighed sadly, "Best Friend Pyrrha is better with, um, people. But, I just, um, it's hard to explain. And a lot of it is private, anyways, so I don't know what to explain. But he's not evil. Just… Misunderstood. And lonely."

"How so?"

"People look at him, and what he is, and… Judge." She explained simply, watching the dark of space and frowning. "They see this tall, dark, gangly thing that likes to blow stuff up and see 'evil'. They don't even try and understand. They just assume. Without knowing him. And it's not fair, but…"

"It's normal." Samara hummed thoughtfully, "You sympathise."

"Mhm…" She sighed, reaching out to lay a hand against the glass and going on. "Everyone judges me, too. Everyone but him. Even-"

"Even I did." Samara hummed, "This is true. And after you saved my life, as well. I am suddenly ashamed."

"It's fine." She shrugged, "I'm used to it."

"What we are accustomed to, and what is acceptable, are different. Though, perhaps that would apply to more here than merely what you are…" Samara said, turning and making her way towards the door while Penny turned to watch. She lingered, for a moment, before she turned back at the door and bowed her head. "Enjoy your meal, and your prayers, my young friend."

Penny nodded, and said, "Rest well."

Samara didn't respond, leaving the door to close behind her as she left, and Penny turned back to the stars with a smile. Short though it may have been, Samara had listened to her, and she appreciated it. The woman hadn't reacted, really, but… Who knew?

Maybe she'd be a friend, going forward, after all.

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As the Geth will be important to the overall story, I elected to give them time and build them a bit, here. Also, letting the characters breathe, which is always nice to have in a story. Hope ya like it, sorry if ya didn't - more interesting things to come, but I needed the Geth to start getting more to them for later events.

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Chip Thrown out a Plane :

Ah, will do, if I find time. Now about that parachute…

A Rosey Nomad :

Genuinely happy you like it. Tali's proper convo will come next chapter, tho, sorry.

Familiarantiguo :

Define 'partner' for me?

The Prime Cronos :

Genuinely bothered me how, in-game, you ALWAYS default to murder. No one surrenders, or negotiates, or anything. Just murder. It was a game, tho, so made sense. But this ain't, lol.

Guest W :

No, but she's not interested in that - she's focused on the fight and, in her self-martyring way, has set aside her own animus to do that. Unsatisfying, maybe, but Penny's growth from it, and other set up, was the goal - and how Pyrrha handled everything is very in character for her.

Simply Christian :

I never thought about them being 'Orthodox' or not. I just assumed they reacted violently to what is, practically, an invasion - by the Quarians with Tali, and then Shepard herself. Also, as I mention, this is all to build up to future events, so…

Yeah, the Migrant Fleet will hear about this - and the political events from that will happen, as you may expect. XD