22/5/2183.
SSV NORMANDY.
They had returned to the Normandy. Everyone needed a chance to clear their minds after what had happened on that frozen planet. Liara most of all. She had pretty much locked herself in that room of hers since they came back. She needed to mourn, and that was understandable. The debriefing was set to be in a few hours, but Mads knew he had to talk to Liara before that.
He brought along a cup of tea for Liara and a cup of coffee for himself. Tali had been taking care of her since they got off Noveria. As he entered the medbay, he noticed Tali and Chakwas speaking, he slowly walked up to them, careful as to not spill any of his drinks. They turned their attention to him.
"How is she doing?" He asked, still balancing the hot cups in his hands.
"Well enough I suppose. She is handling it as well as anyone is." Chakwas replied as she crossed her arms. Mads turned his head to Tali, who only nodded and agreed with Chakwas.
"Then I guess I should go and try to cheer her up a bit." Mads remarked.
"She only lost her mother yesterday. It won't magically disappear over a cup of tee. She needs time." Chakwas reminded him, and he knew only too well what she meant. That was a pain that took a long time to fade… If it ever did.
"I know… I know." He said and bid them a silent farewell. He went to Liara's room and carefully opened the door to the inside. It was dark and dim in there, the only light source was the terminal Liara was using to do her work. She must have been employing the same tactic he used when everything was torn from him. Work yourself to death, bury the sadness the only way they knew how. "You alive in here?" He asked as he walked in. "You know: Staring at the terminal for too long will make your eyes go square." He chuckled as he warned her. He remembered how his father would tell him that when he was just a lad.
She turned around, her eyes red and sad. Clearly, she had been cried not too long ago. Mads cleared his throat as to not appear too comedic about the whole thing. He knew the pain that Liara was experiencing right now. He need it too well...
"I brought you some Blueberry tea. Figured that was something you like." He said as he handed her the cup. She took it into her own hands and smelled it. She looked back at him with a confused, or perhaps curious look. "Don't worry, it isn't poison. I promise." He tried to make her smile, and that small twitch of her lips meant he was close.
"Reminds me of a Tea native to Thessia… I used to drink that all the time when I was on my digs…." She remembered as she smelled it again. She dared to take a small sip. Mads smiled as he took a sip of his coffee, which was still very hot. "I know why you have come here. It's about my mother isn't it? I assure you, I am perfectly over it." She tried to straighten out her own voice to show that she was serious, but the redness of her eyes, and the faint outline of tears down her cheeks told a different story entirely.
Mads sighed as he readjusted himself in the seat. "Dr. T'soni…-" Mads corrected himself. "-Liara. You probably know me better than everyone else on this vessel." Mads started, but unsure as to how to best compose himself with this conversation. "I lost everyone as well… Granted it wasn't as graphic as what happened to your mother…" He hoped he wasn't going in the wrong direction. He had never really comforted some one like this before. His usual methods for helping a squad mate with the death of his friend simply wouldn't work here. "This not something you get over so quickly… You'll probably never really get rid of it…" He wasn't lying. He hadn't progressed much since everyone he knew died. They still appeared to him, his mind's way of punishing him.
Liara's voice cracked after that, she attempted to say something, but instead she broke down in tears. Mads stood up and offered her a hug. The least he could do. She gladly accepted it. Neither of them uttered a word, he just let Liara cry a bit. On some level, he had wished someone had done the same for him ten years ago. No matter now.
"Your mother redeemed herself in the end. I can't promise the council and the galaxy will remember her like that, but at least I will." He said as he broke the hug. She nodded slowly, to show she understood.
"I want to remember the good times with her. We drifted apart over the last few years… Maybe, maybe if I had stayed in contact with her… Maybe if I had accepted her proposal… Then maybe…" Her mind was running amok with the different timelines. Trying to justify how she could have stopped this.
"That's what we tell ourselves… Truth is… There are no choices. Nothing but a straight line. The illusion comes afterwards, when you ask 'Why me?' and 'What if?' when you look back, see the branches, like a big tree, or a forked lightning. If you had done something differently, it wouldn't be you, it would be someone else looking back, asking the same set of questions." Mads explained, and that halted Liara in her tracks. She looked at him for a moment, as if to see if he was serious. He realized what he had said, and also saw that it was less than helpful for her. "Remembering the good times with her is the right thing to do. Why don't you tell me a bit about your mother?" Mads requested, and Liara reluctantly did so. But as she began to tell story after story, she began to feel much better.
Mads had no idea how long they were in there together. But he enjoying hearing Liara tell me stories from her childhood. Mads shared tales from his young days as well. And he realized just how nice it was. To share the pain with someone else. To not have to hold back. To not lie. Perhaps opening up to other people was therapeutic in ways he could not describe. He had never felt so at ease when he spoke with Harold or Joseph about his loss. They didn't understand the pain… They couldn't
23/5/2183.
Briefing room, SSV NORMANDY.
The following day, they finally got together for the debriefing. Mads had decided to postpone it due to the whole situation with Liara, and while that wasn't normal protocol, he was in fact in charge of the mission and the ship. And Liara was needed to conduct the meeting, and so she needed to be at stable mindset.
They all sat in their respectable seats. Awaiting Mads to start the meeting. Victory was not too far away, they could all taste it. But the small issue of knowing where Saren would go was hindering their progress. So Mads needed his crew's opinion on what to do next. Though he wasn't looking forward to the ear full that the council would give him.
Mads placed his cup of coffee down beside his chair. He wished he had gotten some proper small tables or something like that for the comms room. He cleared his throat, and was just about to speak before he was interrupted by Ashley.
"So what's our next move? Get to the Mu Relay?" She asked like she was in a hurry.
"There would be no point. The Mu Relay links to over a dozen systems. Unless we know which one Saren is heading for, it would be quite fruitless."
"Who put you in charge? Did the Commander resign while I wasn't looking?" Their meeting hadn't even been going on for ten seconds before hostility had erupted. Mads sighed.
"That's enough, Ashley. Liara is right. Knowing the Relay's location is only half the battle. We have to get a clue to where he was going. I'm hoping that the council might be able to give us some advice, but before I fully commit to that, do any of you have any ideas?" He asked and looked around at the various squad members. No one spoke up.
"Okay. Resume your active duty until further orders are given. I'll talk with the council and get their opinion on this matter. Is that understood?" They all nodded "Dismissed." He said, and they all promptly left their seats. Probably one of the shortest meetings so far. Mads stood up and approached the link. "Joker, put me through to the council." Mads ordered.
"You got it." Joker replied, and within a few seconds, the council appeared in their hologram form before him.
Mads opened his mouth to start, but the Salarian councilor beat him to it. "Is this report accurate, Commander? You encountered a Rachni queen?"
"And then you released her!? Have you any idea what you have done, Commander? You have doomed us!" The Turian councilor snarled. He was pissed.
"I don't believe that." Mads replied as calmly as he could manage. "I talked with her. She is different. She understood why the war was bad, she saw what had happened to her race. She is not interested in another war. I took a chance, and I'll gladly stand by my choice. Now and forevermore." Mads promised.
"I hope you are correct, Commander. Otherwise our children's children will be paying the price." The Turian councilor seemed so threatening in his speech. Like every move Mads made was forever doomed to be the wrong one.
"However. Your report also states that you have neutralized matriarch Benezia and gained the location of the Mu Relay?" The Salarian councilor's question was a nice subject changer. Otherwise Mads and councilor Sparatus would just be in a shouting match forever.
"Yes Councilor. Benezia was terminated in the process of obtaining the information regarding the Mu Relay. However, we are now at a standstill. Unless we figure where Saren plans to go, we can't process with the mission." Mads answered.
"Then we might have information that would interest you." Councilor Tevos said with a smile, and just those words peaked his interest.
"An STG team was dispatched to investigate one of Saren's possible hide outs on the planet Virmire. We lost contact with them not so long ago, however, they sent out a distress signal on our encrypted channel. We can't figure out their message, but it was sent on the channels reserved for the messages with highest priority. It might be wise to go and assist them." Councilor Valern explained.
"Thank you councilors. I will plot a course to their last known location." Mads promised with a nod.
"Good luck, Commander. Remember to send any and all updates you can to us." Valern reminded him, like he needed reminding.
"I will." Mads said and sighed off. He had a good feeling about them finding what they needed on Virmire, but even if a highly trained STG unit couldn't complete the mission… Then maybe it wouldn't be as smooth as he was hoping for. He needed to contemplate on what to do next.
He went out and plotted a course to Virmire. Just as he did so, a weary sense of dread over came him. Like a warning signal. He suppressed it, but he knew that his gut had never been wrong before. Something was going to happen on Virmire, he knew it.
He had decided to go down to the mess to clean out his coffee mug. He noticed Dr. Chakwas in the med bay, and decided to go and get her opinion on the matter. He walked into the med bay and gave Chakwas a light surprise in doing so.
"Commander. Didn't quite see you there. Anything I can help you with?" She asked.
"Nothing serious, doc. Just wanted your opinion on something." Mads requested. She raised an eyebrow.
"Of course." She replied.
"For the longest time I have always listen whenever my guts have told me something. You know, like that instinct feeling you get? I just got that feeling when I plotted a course to Virmire." Mads said.
Chakwas slowly nodded. "Go on." She requested.
"Well… The Council believes that one of Saren's bases is on Virmire… But… Do you trust your instincts? I mean… Is there any proof for it?" He asked. He had always wondered as such, but never really felt the need to ask anyone… But Chakwas had that attitude where you felt like you could tell her anything and everything.
"I do. In my opinion, instincts are what have kept humans alive all these years. As evolution, so do our instincts. I don't think any scientific research have proved that our senses have a sixth sense… Or foretelling abilities… If that's what you're thinking about." She answered.
"I know… I just wanted to… you know, ask. I'll treat the next mission with extra caution then." Mads promised. More of a promise to himself than to Chakwas.
"I know you will. If you need my help with anything, just come and ask." Chakwas smiled. Mads returned the smile.
"I will."
Later that day.
Cargo bay.
It was that time of the day again. The time for him to make his rounds and speak with his crew mates. During a small survey done a week ago, his crew members had mentioned this round of him talking to them all everyday was a good thing. They enjoyed it, and it seemed to boost their morale a bit.
He was standing and talking with Wrex. The big Krogan had both grown in his personality, and somehow he still had that same cold look on his face. Speaking with Wrex really provided Mads with good insight into the Krogan world. Before meeting Wrex, he had never really thought about them at all. He probably held the same stereotypes as the rest of the Galaxy about them. But Wrex had changed that view, and Mads believed the opposite was true for Wrex as well.
Wrex assured him that he could on him. That he would be loyal to the very end. Just as they stood there talking, that same damn feeling crept up on him. Like those words would somehow shatter on Virmire. He refused to believe it. Wrex seemed like one of the most loyal crew members. He excused himself from the conversation before it took further toll on him. His mind was all over the place trying to figure out what was going on.
The same feeling came to him when talking to Ashley. She seemed to be in chipper mood though, and he assumed his inner turmoil couldn't be seen from the outside.
"So you really think Saren is hiding out in that base?" She asked as she took a break from cleaning out the weapons.
"If he isn't, then there will be clues to where he is. The STG team didn't sent out a distress signal just for the heck of it. Just… Can I ask you something, Ashley?" Mads asked. She slowly nodded. "What are you opinion on trusting your gut? I keep having a bad feeling about that base…" Mads said.
"I always trust my gut…. I think it's God's way of warning us. But I trust your leadership, Commander… We all do." She assured him.
"I know you do, and I thank you for it… You know, when we are done with Saren, I'm sure you'll make a fine Commander one day as well." Mads said, and there wasn't a word of a lie in there.
"Thank you Commander… That really means a lot coming from you." She said sincerely. Mads smiled and gave her a pad on her back.
"Take it easy Ashley, eh?" He requested.
"No can do, Commander. I have a reputation to think about." She joked, and Mads chuckled. He nodded in agreement.
"That you do, Ashley. That you do…" He laughed. He stopped by Garrus afterwards, who was still busy with the Mako. Garrus looked up at him as he got closer. "You know, the Alliance usually holds military auctions for old vehicles. Disarmed of course, but still. If you start saving up now, you might own one in ten years time." Mads suggested.
"So this or a new skycar? Not a bad idea actually. You could scare the living daylight out of criminals on the Citadel." Garrus replied, and Mads chuckled at that. Honestly, he wouldn't put it past Garrus to do something like that. "So what's the news, Commander?" Garrus then asked.
"Virmire. You know it?" Mads asked.
"Nope. Sounds sinister though." Garrus answered honestly.
"Too true. STG seems to think it might be one of Saren's bases. His evil lair or something like that. Probably locating inside an active volcano." Mads remarked.
"Wouldn't put it past him. Probably suits him. So we coming in bringing hellfire?" Garrus asked.
"Not quite. The STG team sent out a distress signal on an emergency only channel. So we're going there to help them in any way we can. Just wish we knew what they were up against, the message was corrupted." Mads explained.
"The plot thickens… This will prove to be interesting." Garrus smiled.
"Sure it will. Just make sure you got that sniper rifle handy, and make sure the Mako is ready to go whenever we get there." Mads ordered, albeit in a friendly manner.
"You got it Commander." Garrus reassured him. Mads gave him a smile.
"Anyhow, I gotta check up on our favorite Quarian. Don't set anything on fire while I'm gone, alright?" Mads requested jokingly. Garrus shook his head at the poor attempt at a joke. Mads walked away with a smile on his face.
The light hum of the drive core greeted as he entered the engineered department. All engineers were hard at work, keeping the Normandy running smoothly. He had a short conversation with Adams, who updated him on all aspects of the engineering department. Mads was once again amazed to hear that they were constantly coming up with new ideas that could improve the Normandy's performance. Most of the ideas were submitted back to Alliance HQ for further testing in R&D labs.
Wrapping up his conversation with Adams, Mads headed for Tali. Who had already noticed the two of them talking. She stood ready to greet him, not like those other times were she had been surprised by his sudden presence.
"Hello Commander. How are you?" She greeted, in a very surprising formal tone.
"I'm quite well Tali, and you?" Mads asked with a smile, trying to match the formal tone.
"I'm fine. How can I help you?" She asked, and seemed clear from her tone that she was smiling under her helmet.
"Just came to talk… Are you alright, Tali?" Mads asked.
"It's just that… I had been thinking about how to repay you for all you have done for, and-… And well, I did some research on the extranet… I brought this-" She handed him a small box, wrapping up like it was a birthday present. Mads smiled.
"Tali, you shouldn't have-"
"No, I should have." She assured him. "Go ahead. Open it." Tali requested. Mads did as asked, unwrapped the gift. It was properly sealed, which made Mads suspect she had spent hours researching how to do it as effectively as possible.
As the final layer was wrapped away, he opened the box. Inside was a small flask, made of metal. The hammer and sickle engraved on the front of it. He understood what her thought had been, but obviously something had been lost in translation.
"Tali?" Mads asked.
"Do you like it?" She asked right back.
"I do, it's a nice gift… But you do realize the hammer and sickle is the symbol of communism, what killed my ancestors, right?" Mads asked. There was a moment of silence, and then a sudden realization on her part.
"Keelah… I'm so sorry Commander! I didn't meant to offend you!" She almost cried, begging for forgiveness.
"It's alright Tali." Mads laughed, he hoped he hadn't crushed her kindness. It was the thought that mattered, she was still willing to go through a lot of effort to get this flask, even if it was the wrong symbol on it. "It's still a nice flask, mind you. I appreciate the gift, Tali." Mads was quick to assure her.
"I'm terribly sorry, Commander! I should have done more research…" Tali was still worried, he could see it.
"Don't worry Tali. You being here is gift enough, you have given back so much to both me and the Alliance. No one can take that away."
"And I'll continue helping until the end!" She assured him this time.
"I know you will. It will be sad to see you leave when you have to go back though." Mads said, and it was true. He enjoyed the conversations they had in Engineering. She was a very interesting person, no doubt about it.
"Maybe-… Maybe one day we'll meet again." Tali suggested.
"I hope so, Tali. Trust me when I say I really do." He smiled. "Anyway, we're getting towards the end of the road. I can feel it. Saren can't hide for much longer. We're going to a base that he might be at. Those STG folks seem to believe so at least."
"Really? Where is his base?" She asked curiously.
"Virmire. A tropical paradise as far as I have read. I wonder what he might be up to."
"Nothing good."
"On that we can agree. Just stay ready for when the call comes. I need all hands on deck for this mission."
"Of course."
A few hours later…
Captain's quarters.
Mads placed the flask on the shelf. While it contained a symbol he hated, it still looked good. On second thought, he would test it out. He quickly looked down in the little stash he had under his desk, looking for a little pick-me-up. He filled the flask with some vodka, and took a rather large sip.
He was about to go in for another sip when there was a knock at the door. He looked over at the door confused. Who would come to speak him now? He had already been around and spoke to all of his team mates. "Come in!" Mads spoke, loud enough so they could hear it.
The door opened and revealed none other than Kaiden, who seemed a lot more down that last he spoke with just a few hours ago. "Alenko, how can I help you?" Mads asked confused.
"I was wondering if-… If I could talk with you for a sec?" Kaiden requested.
"Sure. Have a seat." Mads gestured towards one of the chairs at the table. Kaiden nodded and quickly sat down, he looked a bit nervous. "You want something to drink?" Mads asked. Kaiden shook his head, a clear no. Mads sat down in front of Kaiden. "So, what's on your mind?"
"It's just that-… Well, yesterday Ashley and I had a bit of an argument, and well… Now she pretty much just ignores me. What do I do?" Kaiden asked, and Mads chuckled a bit. He should have known it was some relationship issues that were occurring. Funny how people thought he was the man who could fix it.
"Alright…" Mads said to himself as he took another sip. "What was the argument about?" He asked.
"Nothing major, just on the issue of my biotics. She thinks I push too hard sometimes, and she is worried. I got a little angry, and well… I told her to-… Well, to go fuck herself, excuse my language." Kaiden explained, and it seemed to dawn on him just how in over his head he was.
Mads sighed. "Jesus fucking Christ, Kaiden."
"I know… I know I fucked up, alright? How do I salvage this?" Kaiden asked, a bit worried. There was no doubt that he loved Ashley, and Ashley loved him. Otherwise she wouldn't have been worried about him like that.
"You lay flat down. Accept that you fucked up… Look, Kaiden, I know what's it like. I used to have a beautiful girlfriend as well. We would get into stupid arguments over dumb shit, and then we would have a small period where we didn't talk. I would bring her something nice and admit that I was the dumbass. So that's what you are gonna do." Mads advised him. He knew he struggles too well. He remembered how Nika would refuse to even be in the same room as him when she was upset.
"Buy her something nice? Like what?" Kaiden asked confused.
"You're the one in love with her, not me. What does she like?" Mads asked right back.
"Poetry. She likes Poetry." Kaiden replied after thinking about it for a second.
"Poetry? I didn't actually know that. I always thought she was a bit too hardcore for that, but then again, she does often talk religion with me." Mads remarked. Kaiden nodded, to show the same was true for him. "Alright then, get her a poetry collection, and probably take her out for a small dinner. I can give you two some shore leave the next time we dock on the citadel." Mads suggested.
Kaiden once again thought about it for a second. "You know… That's not a bad idea… I think I'll do that! Thanks Commander!" Kaiden said, a smile once again dawned on his face.
"No worries pal. I hope she accepts your peace offering, not always that they do." Mads warned him, Kaiden went right back to looking like he had just seen a ghost. "It will go fine. Don't sorry your little head about it." Mads assured him with a laugh. Kaiden nodded slowly, he arose from his seat.
"Thank you Commander." Kaiden then offered a handshake, which made Mads raise his eyebrow. But Mads never-the-less accepted the gesture. "I'm gonna go and prepare all of this, when are we going to the citadel next time?" Kaiden asked before he left.
"Probably when we are done with the next assignment, unless we get a clue that needs our attention urgently." Mads answered.
"Copy that." Kaiden smiled as he left the room. Mads kept himself seated, he wasn't done with his drink after all.
23/5 2183
Virmire.
They had deployed in the Mako once again, and Mads had been sure to compliment Joker on the excellent deployment, like he did every time, otherwise he probably wouldn't hear the end of it. As the wheels touched the sandy beaches of Virmire, Mads realized that Saren had picked one hell of a location for his secret base. It was beautiful, for a lack of a better word. Like some of those 'Paradise on Earth' posters you so often see coming from the Bahamas.
"Watch out for those crab things!" Ashley pulled Mads out of his thoughts. He had almost run over one of those, well 'crab things' was probably the best description anyone could come up with.
"I got it." Mads assured her, as he straightened out his driving. There were Geth here, and they were here in numbers. That was the first indication of Saren's presence. Mads wondered if the STG team was still alive and kicking, though given their reputation he probably shouldn't be too worry about it.
After they had taking out some AA towers they made their way across the sandy beaches and shallow water to get to the camp described by Joker. He had just messaged them to say he had landed there, and that there was a slight issue to resolve when they got there. Mads knew it wasn't just a slight issue, there was something major going on here.
They fought their way forward, ramming through crabs and Geth alike. The outposts along the way seemed to suggest the base must be massive, given how much security was around. They pressed on, undeterred. It wasn't long before the reached the camp of the Salarians, were the Normandy was docked. Already when they got there, there seemed to be an eerie feeling in the air, something unspoken.
They entire crew climbed out of the Normandy and looked around. It was a small make-shift camp, something thrown together in a hurry. Good defensive position though, they were in the backyard of Saren's base. One of the Salarains stepped forward as to greet Mads. He seemed to wear higher quality armor, probably signaling a high ranking officer in the STG.
"Commander Romanov?" The Salarian asked. Mads nodded. "Captain Kirrahe, third infiltration regiment STG. I'm afraid I bear grim news, Commander. You have landed in the middle of warzone, with AA guns in a ten mile radius. It's a wonder you haven't been shot down." The captain explained.
"Fuck me…" Mads muttered. Of course, he was stuck here for the time being. He should have known better. No time to dwell on it. "Give us a sitrep, Captain. What's going here?" Mads asked.
"For the time being, nothing. I suggest we sit tight and wait for reinforcement from the council. Should be here soon." Kirrahe replied simple and unaware of the real situation.
"We are the reinforcements." Kaiden jumped in and said. Kirrahe looked confused at Kaiden.
"You're all they sent?" He asked dumbfounded.
"The distress signal wasn't clear, in fact, it must have been encrypted or corrupted. We couldn't make heads or tails from it. So, I'm all you got." Mads informed the Captain, who shook his head. "… So Captain, what do you know about the base?" Mads asked while pulling out his pack of his cigarettes to fish out out.
"It's Saren's base. No doubt about it." Captain Kirrahe said plainly.
"Have you seen him here? More importantly, is he here?" Mads almost got excited for a minute. Perhaps there was a chance to nail the bastard right here and now?
"We haven't seen him. But we have heard radio chatter talking about him, and his Geth are everywhere." Kirrahe answered.
"Well shit, I suppose that's better than nothing. So what, is this his evil lair or something like that?" Mads jokingly asked as he looked at the other wall. It looked more like a prison than anything else.
"You're more right than you think, Commander. Saren is using this facility to clone Krogan, a whole angry army of them." Kirrahe replied, stone faced to showcase that this was serious.
"What?" Mads asked, beyond confused.
"How is that possible?" Wrex asked as he walked up to them. Despite speaking in the same low tone he always used, there was something different about Wrex in that moment. Like something was boiling beneath his skin.
"It would seem Saren has found a cure for the genophage... Allowing for a rapid growing army of Krogan." Kirrahe explained with a sigh. The Salarian had history with the Krogan. Mads knew there was a conflict brewing rapidly under the surface here, it was only a matter of time before it boiled over.
"Well shit… That's bad…" Mads remarked with a deep sigh.
"Indeed it is. We need to destroy this facility and the cure. We can't allow it to leave this planet." Kirrahe said, it was clear there was compromise here.
"Destroy? I don't think so. My people are dying by the millions, and this cure can save this." Wrex replied. This was getting heated real fast.
"If we don't destroy that cure, then it could lead to the Krogan overrunning the galaxy. We can't repeat that mistake." Kirrahe replied as he took a step back, Wrex walked forward until he was right in Kirrahe's face, staring him down.
"We are not a mistake!" Wrex promptly walked off, leaving the others standing there, worried. Something was going to happen, and if Mads didn't win over Wrex, then this could very well end badly… For both him and Wrex.
Kirrahe turned his attention away from Wrex and over to Mads. "Is he going to be a problem?" Kirrahe asked concerned.
"I'll go talk to him, see if I can't calm him down." Mads said as he looked over at Wrex, who had turned his attention to the ancient art of fishing with a shotgun. "But please tell me you have some sort of plan." Mads pleaded.
"We will start work on one right away. In the meantime, I suppose you can try and calm the Krogan. I'll call you over when it's done."
"Copy that Captain." Mads said as he gave the Salarian a salute. The Salarian returned the gesture. Mads took a deep breath, and started what felt like the longest walk towards Wrex. Before he got more than a few steps, Kaiden and Ashley stopped him.
"Commander… You should be careful. You never know with Krogan. They don't exactly have a reputation for diplomacy and compromise." Ashley warned him. Mads nodded, he knew what she was talking about. And all of a sudden it dawned on him. That twisted feeling he had earlier about Wrex, was he meant to die here? At the hands of Mads? No, he couldn't accept that, not after all they had been through. Wrex deserved a chance, Mads owned him that much.
"I gotta try, Ashley." Mads said. Ashley slowly nodded. She understood.
"We got your back Commander." Kaiden assured him. Mads smiled.
"I know you do, but let us hope it doesn't come down to that." Mads was praying as he walked the last steps towards Wrex. He prayed long and hard for the God that doesn't seem to listen whenever he asked something.
Finally he stood only a few feet away from Wrex, who fired off another round into the lake, making the water splash. The tension in the air was so thick, you could drink it like soup.
"This isn't right Romanov. If there is a cure in there, then we shouldn't destroy it!" Wrex said as he noticed Mads standing there.
"Listen Wrex, I get that you are angry. I understand that. If humanity had a disease like that, and there was a cure just beyond that wall-" Mads pointed to the giant concrete wall behind them."- Then I would probably already be half way there, but you need to focus. Saren is the enemy, you can't fall for his tricks!" Mads tried to pull Wrex over to his side, but that was almost a pipe dream.
"Really? Saren is the enemy? Last time I checked, he created a cure for my people! You want to destroy it, you want to Krogan to stay submissive, don't you? I should have known you never cared. The line between friend and foe is getting very blurred here, Romanov. Help me to see more clearly." Wrex requested, but it shouldn't like he had already made his mind up on the matter. He would die for his people, even after all he said about the Krogan being useless.
"You think Saren is running a charity here, Wrex? You think he will just hand over the cure to the Krogan like that?" Mads snapped his finger. "No, it's a means to an end. He wants the Krogan to serve him, to do the bidding of the Reapers!" Mads' voice was raising the whole time.
"That is a chance we should be willing to take. We are talking about the future of my people here!" Wrex too was getting heated. "I have been loyal to you so far, Romanov. Hell, you have done more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to keep following you, I need to know if it's for the right reasons." Wrex had pointed his gun at Mads, making the entire camp around nervous. All guns were trained on Wrex, expect Mads' gun. It still sat neatly in his holster. He didn't go for it. He wouldn't.
"These Krogan are slaves to Saren, Wrex. They are eager tools for his cause. Is that what you want for the Krogan? A life of submission to an alien overlord?" Mads asked, he felt the sweat coming. Usually he was pretty certain about the outcome of these things, but not now. Now he was at the mercy of Wrex. Mads looked into the dark barrel of Wrex's shotgun, and saw nothing.
Wrex thought about it for a few seconds, still keeping direct eye contact with Mads the whole time. "No." He said. "We were tools for the council once, and to thank us for our service they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be as generous." Wrex said, and he slowly lowered his shotgun. "You made your point Romanov. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead. Just one thing, once we find that Turian bastard, I want his head." Wrex demanded.
"You and me both Wrex. You and me both." Mads let out a sigh of relief, he could let out a nervous laugh right about now. Get the tension of his chest. Just as Mads was about to turn around, Wrex called him out.
"Romanov." Mads turned around again. "We cool?" He asked as he held out his hand.
"Yeah, we're cool." Mads remarked as he shook Wrex's hand. Wrex needed a few minutes to chew on this whole ordeal. In fact, Mads needed that as well. He had been inches away from killing Wrex, or getting killed by Wrex.
As he walked away, he finally got around to lighting that cigarette he had pulled out during the conversation with the Captain. He took a long drag of it, letting the nicotine calm him down a bit. After taking a few more drags, all the other crew members gathered around him. Each of them relieved.
"Spirits Commander. Don't think I have ever seen someone talk down a Krogan like that. You gotta teach me some of those techniques." Garrus remarked with a chuckle.
"Wrex isn't as dumb as he looks, Garrus. Had it been any other Krogan, then I don't know if I could have pulled it off, but I know Wrex, and he knows me." Mads replied.
"Still, how could you be sure he didn't shoot you?" Kaiden inquired, it was certain he too was interested in this topic. Everyone was.
"I didn't… But pointing a gun at Wrex would only worsen my negotiation position, and make me appear as an enemy." Mads answered. "Anyhow, enough about all of that. I'll go and see if the Salarian have come up with anything yet." Mads said. He realized he needed something to take his mind of all of this. He smoked the last of his cigarette and threw it into the sand and stumped it out with the tip of his boot. He noticed that the sun was beginning to set, they had arrived rather late, and the whole ordeal of getting there, making a new plan, talking to Wrex and so on had taken up quite a lot of time.
"Commander? We have a plan. Are you ready to hear it?" Captain Kirrahe asked as he waved Mads over.
"Sure. Shoot." Mads replied.
"The base is heavily fortified. Anything we do from the outside can be counteracted by Saren and his Geth." Kirrahe stated.
"What about from the inside?" Mads asked.
"Well, we can always be a little more creative." Kirrahe smiled. "My men can convert our drivecore into a 20 kilogram ordnance. Crude, but effective, especially if detonated from the inside of the compound." Kirrahe explained.
"A nuke? How are you going to get a nuke in there?" Mads asked confused. He had hoped he had seen the last of the nukes after he defused that nuclear warhead. He should have known better.
"We'll have your ship drop it off on the east side of the compound. The nuke has to be placed in a precise position, otherwise we can't guarantee it will be properly destroyed. But we need to infiltrate the base and disable the AA guns, or it will all be for nothing." Kirrahe shared his plan, which looked fairly detailed as Mads studied it. "We'll storm the base." Kirrahe finished off.
"You don't have enough men for that. It will be suicide." Kaiden interjected. And he was right.
"Kaiden is right. Are you certain there is no other way?" Mads asked.
"I'm afraid not Commander. We understand the risk, but as soldiers we swear a duty to get the job done, no matter the cost."
"So you want a shadow team to go in?" Mads asked after taking a closer look at the files.
"Yes, no more than 4 or 5 members. My team will handle the frontal assault, keep the Geth occupied… Any help you can give us from behind the lines would be greatly appreciated." Kirrahe replied.
"You got it. Anything else?" Mads asked as he finished reading the report.
"Not many of us will make it out alive, so that makes what I'm about to request even more difficult. We need one of your crew members to come with us. It will help us greatly." Kirrahe requested.
It felt like train hit Mads in that very moment. It all made sense. He wanted to say no, to defy fate, but he couldn't, his hands were tied. Kirrahe needed an extra pair of hands, and saying no could jeopardize everything.
'Any mission, any place, any time' kept repeating in his head.
"We'll need someone who knows Alliance protocols well. That would be either Kaiden or Ashley…." Mads said, his voice cold and rough. He tuned out, his emotions being placed on the side.
Kaiden and Ashley argued over who should go, Kaiden volunteered, but Ashley stopped him. Said he was needed for arming the Nuke and escorting it. That made it so much harder, these two were bound in love. Who was he to rip that apart? But this wasn't about them, or him, it was about something much bigger.
"Which one do you want?" He asked unfazed.
"Both would do well. They both seem willing to die for the mission, should the need occur. It's your choice Commander." Kirrahe was really gonna drop it on him. Make him the one to choice. Maybe it was better this way. He hadn't been able to run from any of his guilt so far, so he wouldn't place that weight on Kirrahe.
He thought about it for a long second, which felt like a lifetime. "Take Ashley. She is dedicated, loyal and a good soldier. She will see you to victory, no doubt about it." Just like that, the dice had been cast. Let the chips fall where they may.
Mads turned around to Ashley. "Don't be a hero, alright? Stay down and help the Salarians as best you can." Mads ordered.
"Yes sir." She simply replied with a salute.
"Very well. We'll storm the facility at first light in the morning. No use in doing it now. I'll have my men coordinate with the Normandy and your team." Kirrahe said, Mads nodded. Mads watched as Kirrahe gave a speech to his men, which he had to admit was nicely delivered. Kirrahe knew how to motivate his troops, not every officer could do that. Mads slipped away from the crowd as night began to fall, he needed some time to clear his head, and he had seen a perfect little spot on the beach where he could retreat to.
The moon was high in the sky, most of the people in the camp where trying to get just a little bit of sleep before the push in the morning. Those who couldn't sleep had set up a nice little fire, and they were just talking. All of them felt something was coming, but no one really mentioned it. Wrex had managed to calm down a bit, and had begun to speak a little with Garrus, Kaiden and Ashley were also talking, probably trying to make amends before they would go their separate way in the morning.
"Where is the Commander?" Tali suddenly asked as she noticed his absence. She had been too busy discussing engineering with a Salarian STG soldier to notice he was gone.
"I think he went out for a walk. Why do you ask?" Liara replied, she had been mostly quiet at the camp so far.
"I was just wondering… I wonder if I should go talk with him." Tali remarked as she arose from the sandy ground.
"I'm sure he would like that. He enjoys talking to you." Liara smiled as she said that, and Tali was both confused and happy to hear that. Confused because she was wondering if Liara had been paying attention to their conversations, but happy because she certainly enjoying talking to the Commander. Tali bid Liara farewell as she went out to see if he was nearby.
It didn't take too long long before she found the Commander. He stood at the outer beach, and seemed to be watched the calm ocean that stretched before him. He was once again smoking a cigarette, and didn't seem to notice her as she approached him. It wasn't until she was just a few feet away from him that he spoke up.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I always wanted to go sailing, for the longest time I wanted to be sailor." Mads remarked as he took another drag of his cigarette.
"It certainly is beautiful… Makes me wonder if Rannoch is like this. Paradise." Tali replied as she took another few steps to stand by his side. They both looked out at the ocean, the night reflecting it's light onto it.
Mads smiled as he turned to face Tali. "What's up Tali. Anything I can help you with?" Mads asked as he took another drag of his cigarette.
"No… I just wanted to see what you were doing, and ask how you were holding up." Tali replied.
"I was just reflecting on everything that happened today. It's a big pill to shallow, but… I'm glad Wrex and I could work something out. I didn't want to kill him, he has been a big asset so far." Mads remarked as he once again stared out at the ocean. "I'm just thinking about the possibility of facing off against Saren tomorrow. I fought him once before, albeit only briefly." Mads said as he thought back to Eden Prime.
"You fought Saren before?" She asked intrigued.
"I didn't know it was Saren at the time, hell… I didn't even know who Saren was back then. We were heading for the Beacon on Eden Prime when I saw him killing another Spectre named Nihlus. We struggled for dominance for a while, I managed to shoot him in the arm, and he gave me quite a kicking. If I had known who he was then… I wouldn't have bothered trying to take him in, I would have taken the shot from the start." Mads stated.
"It would be nice with a time machine sometimes, wouldn't it?" Tali asked. Mads chuckled a bit.
"Things happen for a reason. It's fate. The music is already set, we just have to dance to the tune." Mads replied as he took the final drag of his cigarette and threw it into the ocean.
"Perhaps you are right. I prefer thinking I am in charge of my fate." Tali shared her thoughts. She always thought she had the power to forge her own path.
"Then it wouldn't be fate, would it?" Mads asked with a slight smile.
"I guess not." She answered after letting out a sigh.
"Let us go join the others. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Best we get some rest before then. Come on." Mads gestured for her to follow him, and she gladly did so. They didn't talk on the way back to the camp, at least until they were at the very edge of the camp.
"Commander?" She asked. Mads turned to her. "I just-… I wanted to thank you again for giving me the data. Like I said before, I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you." She said as she stared into his eyes.
"Think nothing of it. If the data helps you, then I'd say it's a worthwhile investment." Mads replied with a warm smile. He gestured for them to go on.
Not many people in the camp got a lot of sleep that night. All nervous for what would happen next.
24/5 2183
Virmire.
The first light came around. Mads had never gone to sleep, instead having been watching over his comrades in arms. The lack of sleep was getting to him, running on only four hours of sleeps most days was simply not healthy for him, perhaps that was the root of all the other problems. He had time to dwell on it now. Once Saren was dealt with, he could focus on his sleep schedule… But not now. Mads exchanged a few last words with the Kirrahe, and he watched Kaiden saying his goodbyes to Ashley, which felt heartbreaking. Of course, there was a chance they both made it out, and there was a chance none of them would.
The shadow team made their way to the back wall. Garrus, Tali, Liara, Wrex were with him. Riesman and Kaminski were back on the Normandy, ready to join up when the nuke was deployed, alongside Kaiden.
Mads' feet touched the shallow water on the other side of the wall. The Geth had no idea they were here, both Kirrahe and Riesman had assured him as much. They began to move forward. "Look for opportunity to help lighten the load for the assault team. Otherwise, stay in formation and follow my orders." Mads instructed them as he readied his rifle. They all nodded in agreement.
Even though they had entered without the Geth knowing, they soon alerted the Geth stationed there. A small fire fight ensued. Luckily, the main Geth force had responded to the threat at the front of the base. They pressed forward, undeterred by the small arms fire. Wrex fought harder than he usually did, like there was a rage building in him. His aggression would be taking out over the Geth.
"Communication tower! We can disable it to confuse the Geth!" Tali said as she spotted the small relay on one of the building.
"Good thinking." Mads replied, as he raised his rifle, fired a couple of rounds into the metal disk. It went up in smoke, and Tali confirmed they had disabled it, although she hadn't planned to shot it. Mads received an update from Kirrahe, saying they were getting heavy fire from Geth drones. "Garrus, Liara. Go up and see if you can find a way to bring those drones of their back." Mads ordered. They quickly went off to the platform nearby. "Meanwhile, we'll find the satellite uplinks. That should help them further. Let's go!" Mads said.
The Geth weren't letting up. They were defending this place tooth and nail. Mads got the feeling there was more going on here than Krogan cloning, even though that was a big enough threat as it was. "Wrex, you're in front!" Mads ordered, and allowed the larger Krogan to move up front.
"You'll pay for this!" Wrex muttered as he killed Geth after Geth. He paved the way for them to get to the satellite uplinks. After a few seconds of rapid fire, Wrex's shotgun overheated.
"Get in the back. I got this." Mads said as he moved up front again. With precise marksmanship, he allowed Wrex the time for his gun to cool down. "Tali! Go disable the uplinks. Wrex and I will cover you!" Mads ordered.
"Understood!" She quickly got to work. With her knowledge, it took less than a minute for the uplinks to be down. Kirrahe came in over the comms as they fought on.
"Communication, drones and the uplinks are down. They are blind and without support. Thanks."
"No problem. We'll move into the base now." Mads responded.
"Copy that. Good luck." Kirrahe signed off.
They all linked up again as they were about to enter the main base. Garrus went to the panel to open up the gate for them. "Commander. We can activate an Alarm on far side of the base. Might be more heat for the main assault team, but less heat for us. We could also just disable it." Garrus said as he looked at the options on the panel.
"Just disable the alarm. No need to put extra pressure on the STG, they got the heavy job already." Mads replied.
"Copy that. Disabling the alarm and opening the door." Garrus said as the door opened. They stepped inside, and the atmosphere inside was all wrong. Something was rotten here, what exactly was Saren doing? Mads' mind was racing with possibilities, but he didn't have to wonder for long. He saw what Saren had been doing first hand in the very next room.
A cage, filled with Salarians. But something wasn't right. While Kirrahe had mentioned he had lost a few men to Saren's forces during the initial attack on the base a week or so ago, these men hadn't just been kept as prisoners of war, they were used as test subjects.
"Please! You gotta help us!" One of the Salarians pleaded.
"What the hell happened to you?" Mads asked as he looked at them. They had been through hell.
"It's Saren… He put us through horrible trials-" for a moment, the Salarian's eyes went blank for a moment, like his soul retreated far back, trying to hide. It came back as soon as it went away. "… Indoctrination… Voices at the back of my skull. No way to end them." The Salarian went on.
"I know of it… I have seen it in action before. I can give you a chance to run. We are deploying a nuke." Mads offered.
"Hope to outrun a nuke? It's better than dying here." The Salarian accepted. Mads opened up the door, and all of them ran like hell. He couldn't blame them. They would probably never make it far enough in time. But hope could sustain most people in desperate times. It's better to face final judgment like that.
They moved further into the base. Battling Geth at every time, and the odd cloned Krogan here and there. They came across more Salarians, but all of them were too far gone. It was a hard choice to leave them there, but even if they brought them with them… They would only slow them down, and they were bordering being brain dead, not much hope for them.
Funny how some of them survived the madness, and others didn't. Perhaps that's the lottery of life. Either you win or you don't. Not much to do about it. To the madness of the daring, we chant a song. Not much more you can grant them.
Wrex continued to fight with unrelenting fury. Striking down the Geth and his Krogan brethren as he moved along. His hungry eyes were set on one target: Saren. Mads was just behind him. This whole ordeal had given him new perspective. Saren was a dead man, no matter who of them got to him first. Mads had made up his mind. Saren wasn't going to be brought in. Garrus was right. Too many variables.
"Get out here!" Mads yelled as he banged on the desk. An Asari scientist came crawling out from underneath it. She was afraid, tears running down her face. Not unlike how Liara looked just a few days ago.
"Please… Don't kill me." She begged. Her voice was cracking, her heart probably racing a thousand miles a minute.
His magnum was pressed against her skull. She could probably feel the outline of the end of the barrel pressing in. "You better have something of use then." Mads replied.
She thought about it for a moment. "I can open up the way to the lab for you! Give you access to Saren's personal files! Just please, don't kill me!" She once again begged.
"Do it, and then run like hell." Mads ordered her, she opened the way to the elevator. He took her word that it would lead them to the right place.
"Run like hell?" She asked confused.
"We're blowing this place to kingdom come, so you better get a move on if you don't want to grow another leg." Mads suggested.
"Oh goddess!" She cried as he ran away.
"You enjoyed that Commander." Garrus remarked.
"Sure did." Mads smiled as they all entered the elevator. Watching that Asari scientist run for her life made him smile. Not because she was innocent. She was not here by accident. Most likely she was there to help Saren with his research into indoctrination. He would shed no tears for her, but she was given a new chance. If she could run fast enough, perhaps that would be enough of a motivator to change.
The entire base was filled to the brim with eerie feelings. Like something just wasn't right. It had almost become a norm by now, but there was something else entirely down in Saren's lab. As soon as the elevator stopped on the bottom floor, a strange feeling washed over him, one that he was familiar with.
"There is a beacon here." Mads said. The others looked at him. The feeling was hard to describe, it was like a calling. Something within wanted to interact with it, begging you to go near it.
"A beacon? Really?" Liara asked as she got all excited again. Her chance to study pure Prothean technology was finally here. They began searching around, but it didn't take long before he was face-to-face with the beacon.
"Never thought I would see another one of those." Mads remarked.
"it makes sense. Saren already had one beacon, which is why he so desperately sought out the other beacon on Eden Prime. This beacon is likely to give you the last piece of information you need in order to complete the vision." Liara theorized.
"Smartly done by Saren. Keep one half of the puzzle on ice at his base, make sure no one ever had the complete vision." Garrus remarked as he looked over at it. "Thought it was a bit bigger though." He said. Mads took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Commander… Are you sure about this? Last time you got knocked out." Tali warned him.
"I need to get the full picture Tali. It might be the only way for us to get that piece of the puzzle." Mads said as he approached it. Once again, the Beacon pulled him towards it. It grabbed a hold of him, making him float in the air.
Visions appeared in his mind. More clear this time. It wasn't as confusing as it used to be. Between the first beacon, the cipher and everything he had learned over the course of this mission, he could make sense of it. It was clearly a warning. Perhaps to other Protheans, or maybe to the next generation. There were images of a planet, but he had never seen that planet before. He knew that was the answer. Luckily he had an ace in the hole. Liara was likely to know, and once they were out of here, they could figure out where the showdown would take place.
The vision wasn't long, and when it was over, it spat him out again. Dropped him on the floor. He wasn't knocked out this time. Probably due to the beacon not exploding. His eyesight was spinning a bit, a killer headache developing.
"Are you alright?" Tali asked as she got down on one knee to help him up.
"I will be…" He assured them as he slowly stood up. "Fuck me… I'll never get used to that feeling." Mads remarked as he rubbed his temples.
"What the fuck is that?" Garrus asked. A big hologram was on one of the upper levels. Mads quickly got up with the help from Tali.
"Let me see." Mads muttered as he made his way up there. The hologram was weird, red like blood. It showed the figure of Saren's flagship, Sovereign. Mads was confused as he looked at it, he stepped closer to inspect it.
"You are not Saren." It spoke. It's voice deep and menacing. Not an organic voice, that was for sure.
"What is that? Some kind of VI interface?" Garrus asked as came up to Mads' side.
"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh, you touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding"
"I'm afraid not" Mads answered Garrus. All of them were dumbfounded at what they saw.
"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign." It went on.
"So, Saren found an actual Reaper? This just got a lot more interesting." Mads remarked, as he continued to stare at the hologram. So they were actual ships, giants. This turned everything upside down.
"Reaper? A label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply... are" Sovereign spoke. It's voice carried no emotions, like there was only one truth… And they were the only ones to know it.
"You think you are real slick, huh?" Mads asked Sovereign.
"The Protheans vanished over 50,000 years ago. You couldn't have been there, it's impossible!" Garrus accused Sovereign. But the Reaper being over 50.000 years old was hardly the most unbelievable thing that had happened today.
"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die. We are eternal, the pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything." Sovereign explained, which lined up with what they had seen so far.
"No, you aren't. We'll defend you just as well as we have defended any other machine." Mads fired back.
"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken." Sovereign replied.
"Cycle? What cycle?" Tali asked confused.
"The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilizations rise, evolve, advance, and at the apex of their glory they are extinguished. The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them - the legacy of my kind." Sovereign explained.
"So you made the mass relays? Then why do you just leave them for others to find?" Mads asked, they were all equally confused.
"Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays. Our technology. By using it, your civilization develops along the paths we desire. We impose order on the chaos of organic life. You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it." Sovereign answered. His voice left no room for debate, but Mads would defy the reaper all the same.
"Guess you never heard the chaos theory then? In chaos there is order?" Mads asked.
"Irrelevant." Sovereign dismissed.
"And who spat you out?" Mads asked.
"We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years after your civilization has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure." Sovereign said.
"You sure are arrogant. Pride comes before a fall. Don't worry, I will remember you after you have been dismantled and melted into tin cans." Trying to poke the bear was the only thing Mads could think of doing in that moment. Saren might have cast himself at the feet of the Reapers, but Mads wouldn't.
"Your words are as empty as your future. I am the Vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over..." was Sovereign's final words. The hologram disappeared from view and within a few seconds a large roar and the sound of the ship flying off could be heard.
"Jesus fucking christ… That was intense…" Mads muttered as he turned to the others.
Joker raised them on the comms, informing them that Sovereign just pulled a maneuver that would have teared the Normandy in half, and that it had bolted from the scene. The race had begun, time to end this facility and get out of there. But there was still a lot of Geth in the way, coupled with the fact that Saren might still be there.
"Let's move!" Mads ordered.
"Nice job on the AA guns, Commander! We'll be flying on your order!" Joker proclaimed over the comms. Mads was feeling the sweat, they hadn't had a single second to breathe since they left Saren's personal little lab. As the fight went on, Mads wanted to burn this place even more. Level it with the ground.
The assault had held up surprisingly well, all things considered. The help they had provided was all the difference. Sometimes the small things make all the difference. As things were looking right now, it seemed like this mission could be nothing but a success.
"Check for overheating and catch your breath. We'll take the main courtyard after this." Mads instructed them. They all did as requested, and all them were in agreement: It was nice to have a second to stop and take a deep breath. They took a few minutes, but they couldn't stall it any further. They all entered the elevator that would take them up. It was time for the final push.
The elevator doors opened to show a courtyard filled with Krogan clones and Geth troopers. They hunkered down, trying to avoid direct fire. They exchanged shots with the Geth, who were rapidly moving up on their position. Luckily, their teamwork was second to none. A few grenades from Mads, a hacking trick from Tali, Liara's biotics as a shield, Wrex putting the hammer down and the quick trigger finger from Garrus turned the tide in a matter of seconds. They put pressue on the Geth and Krogan clones, forced them to retreat from their otherwise superior position. Wrex made an off hand remark about how weak these Krogan clones were compared with the real deal, Mads was inclined to agree.
In no time at all, they took the court yard. The Geth retreated behind concrete walls and metal doors. "Now it's as good a time as any." Mads muttered to himself. "Joker, bring in the Normandy. We are ready to deploy the nuke. Over" Mads instructed him over the radio.
"Copy that Commander. ETA 5 minutes. Make sure the LT isn't crawling with Geth when I bring her in. Over." Joker requested.
"Affirmative, Joker. We'll keep it safe for your baby. Over and out." Mads laughed. "Take up defensive position. Make sure this place stays clear!" Mads ordered, and his crew members did as told. All of them took up position, and awaited further orders. Mads checked his ammo, he didn't have all that much left with him. He just hoped it was enough to get the job done.
"Kirrahe. What's your status? Over." Mads asked over the comms.
"We're holding. The Geth is putting on the pressure. Is the courtyard clear? Over." Kirrahe asked back.
"Affirmative. We'll be holding it down. The Normandy will be here in 5 minutes with the package. I suggest you start heading our way as soon as possible. We won't be able to hold them off forever, and if aren't here in time, we're leaving. How copy? Over." Mads replied and waited for some good news.
"Good copy. We'll start heading that way now. Over and out."
"Copy that. Over and out." Mads turned his attention to his surrounding. There was water running through this courtyard, there were doors on either side. Only God knew where they went. They had a moment to breathe again, which was nice. The Geth were probably licking their wounds, getting ready for another push to try and flush them out.
Those five minutes they had to wait felt like forever. Mads lit up a cigarette as he waited behind cover. He felt his hands shaking a bit, he gut still telling him something would happen. Something was coming. A choice, he just knew it.
The Normandy came down, they all rushed over to help with the unloading of the nuke. They moved fast, unsure if there were any Geth snipers sitting by, just waiting to take a shot, or if they would storm out of the gate at any moment. Kaiden came out, carrying the nuke alongside Kaminski and Riesman. Mads joined in to help, and noticed just how heavy it was. They carried it to the center, the place Kirrahe had marked as the ideal spot for it. Riesman and Kaiden instantly started fiddling with it, setting it to the correct settings.
Mads had to give credit to the Salarian. Within a very short time period, they had converted their drive core to a goddamn nuke. Like Kirrahe said, crude but effective. It didn't take long before the Nuke was as it should be, at least that's what Kaiden said.
"Nuke should be in position." Kaiden informed Mads. Mads gave him a thumbs up.
"Commander! Do you read me?" Ashley's voice came over the comms. She sounded worried.
"Big Duke 6 here. The nuke is in position. Get your ass to the rendezvous point now!" Mads ordered as he scanned the area for any intimidate threats.
"No can't do sir. We are pinned down by Geth and an AA tower alike." Ashley responded, but cursed his luck. Of course something was bound to go wrong.
"Can you hold this position?" Mads turned to Kaiden and asked.
"Of course, Commander. Riesman and I need to make a few more adjustments anyway. Go get her! Please.." Kaiden requested, and it came from his heart. He was afraid.
Mads nodded. "I will." He replied. "Hold your position, Ashley! We're coming to get you!" Mads all but yelled into his comms. He took some of his crew with him as they headed through one of the giant metal doors. It felt like he never let his finger off the trigger. Non stop firing, the barrel was probably hot enough to cook your breakfast on. His enemies fell, one by one. His instincts took over, he would prove his gut wrong. Ashley would not die here.
They managed to push deeper into the compound, they weren't far from where Ashley was. It was like there was hope for a second. Hope that they would all drinking at the end of they. But soon enough, even that seemed so far away. A Geth drop ship flew overhead, it roared as it powered itself towards the courtyard.
"Kaiden! You got a Geth dropship headed your way! Do you copy!" Mads tried to warn him over the comms.
"They're already here! - Riesman, hold them off! - There are too many!" Kaiden replied, frantic sounds of battle could be heard in the background. Mads cursed himself to hell, of course it came down to this.
"Any way you can hold them off for another 5 to 10 minutes?" Mads asked, and he hoped for a yes.
"No sir… Too many… I'm arming the nuke!" Kaiden answered.
"Lieutenant? What are you doing?" Mads asked confused.
"Making sure this thing goes off no matter what!" A few seconds of silence came afterwards. Then Kaiden spoke up again. "It's done. The nuke is armed and ready. Go get Ashley!" Kaiden requested. Realization that this was real hit Mads like a freight train. Internally, he screamed his lungs out. He cursed God, for he did this to him.
"Commander, don't listen to Kaiden! Go back and save him!" Ashley replied over the comms.
"No! Don't! Go get the gunnery chief! Please!" Kaiden once again begged.
It felt like Mads was being pulled apart. His arms tied to two horses, which rain in opposite directions. He had to step up. He had to make that choice. He didn't want to, he wanted to take his magnum, press it against his skull and end it all.
"Kaiden. Radio Joker and have him meet us at the bomb site. I'm coming back…" Mads replied, his voice carried no emotion. All feelings had been sucked out of him, he felt numb.
"I- But-"
"This isn't up for discussion, Lt. We're coming down in 5 minutes." Mads replied.
"…. Yes Commander."
"You know it's the right choice LT!" Ashley added, she didn't sound afraid, not in that moment. That really spoke volumes about her.
"Ashley… I'm sorry… But I had to make a choice." Mads didn't know how to say anything like this correctly. He had never been forced to leave someone for dead before.
"I understand Commander. I don't regret a damn thing." She answered with true valor. She would face her death with more courage than most. She would be remembered fondly by all, Mads would make sure of it.
"You're one hell of a soldier. I'm proud of you Ashley." Mads remarked, and it was true. She was truly gifted. Mads had to force his tears back, he had grown to like Ashley. She was a good friend, and one had proven herself countless times. Was this really how she had to die? It seemed so.
"Thank you commander. Now go and save the LT!" She demanded, and she had every right to do so in this situation. Mads didn't say anything, he gave a nod, mostly to himself. This was how it had to be. It was always gonna happen this way, he just knew it…
They all rushed their way back to the main courtyard, the elevator wasn't fast enough for Mads' liking, but nothing in that moment was. His sadness was replaced with anger. He wanted to make Saren pay… Pay dearly.
As the doors opened to the main courtyard, Mads saw that Kaiden amd Riesman were indeed pinned down, unable to move. A massive group of Geth was gained ground, and weren't too far away. Perhaps another minute or so, and they would have been dead. Mads started out by throwing a grenade, the last one he had. They all hid in cover as the grenade exploded, taking quite a few Geth with it. Mads then pushed, by himself. His instincts taking over, his anger boiling over. His AK never stopped firing, not for a moment, his reloads were fast and on point. Geth after Geth fell as they secured the area. While Mads, Garrus and Wrex cleared the area, Tali and Liara checked up on Kaiden and Riesman, who luckily hadn't sustained any major injuries.
As the mopped up the last of the Geth, Ashley's voice came over the comms for one last time. She told them to arm the nuke, make sure the mission was a success. Her comms cut out towards the end, and that was the last they heard from her.
The sweetest flower that ever grew is withered to the stalk.
Mads didn't get a close look at Kaiden when it cut out, but he could feel in his heart how he felt in that moment. His life shattered before his very eyes. His love ripped from him.
Mads walked to Kaiden, but just as he was no more than a few feet away, a stray bullet hit the water just beside him. Mads looked back, and saw that the man of the hour had arrived. Saren himself had decided to join the battle. Mads was about to raise his rifle for an anti-climatic end to the rouge Spectre's life.
But Saren was fast. His threw a few grenades, and stopped an otherwise welcomed end to this whole war between them. Mads was forced into cover by the many grenades Saren threw. Mads checked his magazine, and realized that the plan wouldn't have worked anyway. He was out. He holstered his AK and took out his magnum.
"Romanov!" Saren yelled, as if he didn't already have Mads' full attention. "Nice work. My Geth were utterly convinced that the Salarians were the real threat. Seems like you aren't quite the dumb human I envisioned you to be." Saren's fake praise was more insulting than anything else.
"How nice of you to say! I had a wonderful chat with your pal Sovereign, he filled me in. I must ask Saren, how does it feel to betray not just your own species, but all organic life in the universe." Mads asked. He dared not go out of cover just yet.
"Romanov, you have seen the visions too. How the protheans fought the Reapers and lost? It best solution is clear! Submit and live!" So that was Saren's argument? That was what he told himself? Clearly, Saren was already too far gone to ever see reason… But Mads would give it a shot.
"It will snow in hell before I submit to the Reapers!" Mads fired back.
"Don't be foolish Romanov! You of all people should know! Submission is preferable to extinction! I know of the dangers… I created this facility to protect myself. To research and study the effects of indoctrination" Saren argued.
"And you failed! Sovereign got his hand so far up your ass he can control the beat of your heart! Don't you see, Saren?" Mads almost felt bad for Saren. He was so far gone.
"Sovereign needs me at my best! He wouldn't do that!" But there was a crack in the surface. Mads could see it, and perhaps he could use it.
"He already have!" Mads yelled back. "Think Saren! Think for just a second!"
"ENOUGH!" Saren roared. "No more of this! Talking is pointless!"
"I agree." Mads muttered to himself. He jumped from cover, and fired a single shot. He had hoped to hit Saren, but the bullet hit his little hover board. Forcing Saren of it. It felt like they were back at Eden prime, the first time they met each other.
Mads charged at Saren, and somehow managed to force them both on the ground in all the confusion. Mads was both happy and a bit annoyed. A lot of Geth had arrived, and had forced his crew back behind cover. Though they didn't bother him, perhaps Saren had called them off? Wouldn't be too out of character of him, always arrogant… But then again… So was he. Mads wanted to make Saren pay, but he wanted to do it himself.
Mads brought his fist down on Saren, it was uncoordinated and wild, but not effective. Blind rage was controlling him, not rational thoughts. Saren kicked Mads off him, and as Mads stumbled back, trying to regain his balance, Mads saw only too late Saren grabbing him by the neck and lifting him in the air. Mads could feel the pressure Saren applied to his throat, trying to choke him out.
A kick to Saren's stomach was enough to loosen the grip enough for Mads to get out of it. Saren recovered quickly, and went on the offensive. Mads countered every move as best he could. He managed to lock Saren's arm, and smashed his head against Saren's head. Which turned out to be a mistake, Mads was a bit confused for a second, enough to give the upper hand back to Saren.
The kick to Mads' stomach almost sent him flying. It made him realize that Saren was much stronger, his cybernetic upgrades ensured that, but it was as if Saren wasn't using them to their full extent. Something Mads could exploit. He was strong, but not flexible. They struggled like that for a while, one trying to win dominance. Wasn't until Mads managed to knock Saren on his ass with a well placed blow to the head. Mads felt this was dragging on, and while Saren was trying to recover, Mads removed his knife from his belt. The idea was the drive the blade straight into Saren's skull, but he moved fast, and Mads didn't pay too much attention.
Instead, Saren lost a finger on his left hand. Sliced off with ease, Saren roared like he did when he was shot on Eden Prime. His face turned to pure anger, and he threw Mads on the ground. Just as Mads got up again, he realized what Saren was doing, he was drawing his gun. Mads charged him, seeing it as the only opportunity to not get fatally shot. Mads struggled to knock the gun out of Saren's hand, but somewhere along the lines, Saren managed to pull the trigger.
Mads noticed a sharp pain in his left leg, he knew what had happened. He struggled not to fall down, but fall down he did. He laid there, in the shallow water, trying to get his magnum out of his holster as Saren began to line up another shot. Mads knew that he could very well be dead in the next few seconds, and he made peace with that.
Before Saren could pull the trigger, he came under fire from Garrus. His team seemed to have been able to handle the Geth, which was good timing. Saren let out a silent cursed as he went back on that hover board he was using, which apparently was still working. Mads fired off a couple of shots, but Saren was already gone. All Mads could hope for was that the Nuke would kill him.
"You alright Commander?" Garrus asked as he helped Mads up and supported him.
"Of course not- AAAARG!" The pain was sharp, clearly he couldn't place his weight on that leg. "Fucker shot me in the leg!" Mads said through gritted teeth.
"We gotta go!" Riesman all but pushed the two towards the Normandy, which came in to pick them up. The Salarians had already boarded it, which was at least positive. They could back up what had happened here before the council. Mads cursed himself for letting Saren go, for letting Ashley die, for all the things he had done here… He had failed them…
There was plenty of time to think about that when he sat in the Med bay of the Normandy, as Chakwas applied Medi-gel to his wound. He didn't answer her questions, in truth, he didn't even hear them. His mind was elsewhere. The others assured him that despite Ashley's death and Saren's escape, they had still managed to destroy his base of operation and ceased the production of an army of angry Krogans. He didn't see it like that….
He had a perfect opportunity to end it all, yet his dumb pride came in the way…