The large door closed behind Saren, effectively cutting us off.
As the mako landed, safely thanks to Joker, I scoured for a way to reach him.
"There's a control panel down the way behind us. We'll need people here, to keep the area clear of geth."
"How do you know?" Ashley frowned.
"I'll explain later." My hand went to the door. "Actually, you know what? Everyone stay here. I'll sneak in and back out. Much easier alone." Hand on the handle, now. "Feel free to explain for me."
Surprisingly, no one argued.
We all jumped out, me cloaking and sprinting to my goal, keeping in contact via comms. It took a while, well over three hours because it was a maze, before I was back.
"Let's go! Back inside!" I shouted, waving everyone in.
All of them accounted for inside, I slammed my foot on the gas, getting us away from the seemingly never ending waves of geth.
The corridor was long and winding, also like it would never end, either. Until a barrier rose up before us, cutting us off.
Another went up behind us.
"A trap by Saren?"
A flash of a vision. Without a word, I climbed out, making my way down the side area that had opened up. Down the elevator. Along another hall.
A VI, Prothean, waited at the end for me.
Relief filled me when it said it didn't sense indoctrination from me.
Kaidan and Garrus joined us a few minutes into the conversation, guns out. Weary.
"The Citadel is the heart of your civilization and the seat of government. As it was with us, and as it has been with every civilization that came before us."
"But."
"The Citadel is a trap. The station is actually an enormous mass relay." My eyes widened. "One that links to dark space, the empty voice beyond the galaxy's horizon. When the Citadel relay is activated, the Reapers will pour through. And all you know will be destroyed."
"The Conduit. It's the mini relay on the Citadel, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Fuck." I breathed.
"Can you understand them?" Kaidan asked Garrus, who shook his head.
"The Cipher." I explained offhandedly, switching to English. I hadn't even realized that we'd been speaking in Prothean.
Vigil then went on, in English as well, to go into detail about what the Keepers are, and the connection between dark space and the Reapers. And how the Protheans had been wiped out.
I hurriedly copied Vigil's data onto my omni-tool. All we were left with after that was the follow Saren, he would lead us to the master control panel.
"The one you call Saren has not yet reached the Conduit." It said before shutting down.
The three of us raced back to the mako. Once in, I got us in gear, and off we went.
"What happened? What's going on?" Liara asked.
"So sorry. Prothean VI. All the stasis pods were deactivated long ago, no survivors. Learned about the Reapers, the fall of the Protheans. It told us Saren hasn't reached the Conduit. Real life case of the tortoise and the hare, right here." I was about to say more, but caught sight of Saren.
He went through the activated relay as we watched from on top of the hill.
"We're gonna need to go fast." Wrex observed, reaching for a roof handle.
Everyone else followed his example.
"Oh, good. I don't have to say 'hold on tight'."
With that, we were flying down the hill, our speed going higher than the speedometer.
"Here goes nothing!" I shouted as we entered the pull of the relay.
In an instant, we launched from the miniature relay in the Presidium, crashing into a pile of rubble.
Everything around us as we climbed out was on fire.
Avina gave us a warning, that the Presidium was experiencing severe system malfunctions and that all non-emergency personnel needed to evacuate.
"We need to figure out where Saren is going." I said, looking around.
I wasn't so much hoping to spot him as I was searching to see where the geth were heading or blocking off.
"Avina. Where's the Council?" I asked.
"In accordance with standard emergency procedures, the Council has been evacuated to the Destiny Ascension."
"Do you know where Saren is?" Because why the hell not ask that?
"Former Spectre agent Saren Arterius is nearing the vicinity of the Council Chamber. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, though Citadel Security is unable to respond at this time."
"Let's go! We need to hurry!"
While we were in the elevator up to the Tower, we watched as the arms of the Citadel closed. A moment later, the elevator halted to a stop.
I enabled my helmet, glancing at everyone. "Helmets on. We're going outside."
"That's..."
"The only way to reach it now. There's an emergency hatch up there, and we need to get to it."
"How do you know that?" Ashley asked while everyone did as I said.
"Nihlus taught me all the various ways in and out of the Citadel, years ago. Now, let's go."
Geth showed themselves pretty quick, trying to cut us off.
"Don't engage unless you have you. Just bolt straight through the gaps between them." I ordered, falling behind my team so I could take out any of the robots that proved to be a bother, so everyone else could stay focused on simply rushing through.
The run felt like it took an eternity, everyone dodging and weaving, but eventually, we reached the hatch.
"There!" I shouted when it came into view, inputting my Spectre code to unlock it. "Everyone in! Let's go, let's go!"
I sealed it shut behind us, taking a moment to assess the situation.
"How is everyone? Y'all good?"
Various affirmations that they were all fine.
"Good. Let's go get Saren."
He was standing on the platform I'd been made a Spectre, turning so he was looking at us. At me, specifically. And then, he jumped off.
Garrus and Kaidan went to rush forward, but I held out my arms. He still had that hoverboard, and I just knew he'd brought it along.
He rose up, shooting an incendiary grenade at us. I brought up my barrier a split second before it hit us. Keeping it up.
"I was afraid you wouldn't make it in time, Shepard." He sounded almost playful.
"Well, if you'd wanted me to be here sooner, maybe try not putting a thousand geth between us. You know how that makes me feel."
He chuckled, before switching gears. "You've lost. You know that, don't you?" I knew no such thing. "Sovereign will have full control of all the Citadel's systems. The relay will open. The Reapers will return."
I stepped out of my barrier, carefully walking toward him. The others couldn't follow, couldn't get past my magic.
"You survived our encounter on Virmire. But I've changed since then. Improved. Sovereign has... upgraded me."
I could see that. He was sporting even more mechanical parts than he was, in such a short span of time. Crazy.
He wasn't giving me any time to speak. "I suppose I should thank you, Shepard. After Virmire, I couldn't stop thinking about what you said. About Sovereign manipulating me. About indoctrination. The doubts began to eat away at me. Sovereign sensed my hesitation. I was implanted to strengthen my resolve." He threw his arms wide. "Now, my doubts are gone. I believe in Sovereign completely. I understand that the Reapers need organics. Join us and Sovereign will find a place for you, too." He sounded eager now, like he genuinely wanted me to be a part of it.
"Saren..." I shook my head, stopping when I was only a couple feet from him. "Do you hear yourself? You don't think you sound indoctrinated right now?"
"The relationship is symbiotic. Organic and machine intertwined, a union of flesh and steel. The strength of both, the weaknesses of neither. I am a vision of the future, Shepard. The evolution of all organic life. This is our destiny. Join Sovereign and experience a true rebirth!"
"Saren, please. Sovereign is using you. You have to see it, you're not blind. You were a damn good agent. Where's that Saren? The one who helped the galaxy? What happened to you?"
"It's surrender or death- there are no other options! You saw the visions. You saw what happened to the Protheans!"
"You don't have to give in." I cut a hand through the air, taking a step closer. "You don't have to give Sovereign a damn thing. You don't have to be anyone's puppet, Saren. Join me. Together, we can stop Sovereign and the other Reapers. We can do it."
"Maybe... you're right. Maybe there is still a chance for..." He let out a pained cry, holding his head. His body started twitching. "The implants... Sovereign is too strong. I'm sorry. It's too late for me."
"It's not too late, it's never too late!"
"Goodbye, Shepard. Thank you."
He floated back a foot or so, bringing his gun to his head.
"No!" I screamed, running forward.
But the sound of the gun firing froze me on the spot at the edge of the platform. I watched as he fell from the board, crashing through the glass and crumpling in a heap on the grassy ground below.
"Fuck!" I hit the terminal, hard.
I pushed it aside, focusing on opening the Citadel's arms. If the ships could get to Sovereign, they would be able to take it out.
Comms opened back up, and the first thing I heard, we heard as the others joined me finally, was someone calling for aid for the Destiny Ascension.
"Normandy to the Citadel. Normandy to the Citadel. Please tell me that's you, Shepard." Joker was urgent. Desperate.
"It's me."
"We caught the distress call, Shepard. I'm sitting here in the Andura sector with the entire Arcturus fleet. We can save the Ascension. Just unlock the relays around the Citadel and we'll send the calvary in!"
The arms were taking their sweet time in unlocking.
"Are you sure about this, Shepard?" Liara spoke up, concerned. "Human casualties will be very high if you send your fleet in now."
"This is bigger than humanity. Sovereign's a threat to every organic species in the galaxy!" Kaidan argued.
The others gave their two cents, as well, but they were drowned out by my thoughts.
Could I? What if I couldn't? Then I'd be sentencing hundreds of humans to death. But the amount of people on the Ascension... Thousands. The lesser evil would be the human fleets.
I had to take that chance.
Liara's voice brought me back to the present. "-greater good. Don't waste your reinforcements. Hold them back until the Citadel arms open up. Save the human fleet to attack Sovereign."
"Joker, save the Ascension."
"I hope this choice does not turn out to be the wrong one." She frowned.
I schooled my features, putting on a smile. Turned to look at her. "You doubt me? Please. You know I always come out on top."
I hoped it didn't prove to be a lie this time.
The arms finally began opening, to everyone's relief. I'm pretty sure we all let out sighs of relief.
Everyone started walking back the way we'd come, ready to be out of the Tower, but I stayed where I was.
Taking a breath, I grasped my talisman and prayed to my patrons. My barrier stretching across multiple ships, protecting them. Each attack repelled felt like an attack against my body. It only took a dozen before I fell to my knees.
"Shepard? Are you- Shepard?!" Kaidan called out, running back toward me.
"I'm fine." I ground out. "Don't... Don't mind me."
Something moved under us, and my eyes widened. Just as Saren, some weird version of him anyway, jumped up and broke the platform, I shoved Kaidan back. Poured all of the strength afforded to me by being a werewolf to send him flying so he wasn't on the damn thing anymore. So he was safe.
I was without my magic, if I wanted to keep up the barriers. If I wanted to keep everyone safe. Which, of course I did. But with how I was reacting to each shot against them, I wouldn't last long in a fight.
Everyone gathered along the edge of the dropdown, firing at will at Saren's twisted form. I settled on simply dodging, knowing I ran the risk of getting in the way if I tried to fight.
A piece Sovereign rocketed toward us, I spotted it through the window.
"Everyone, watch out!"
It hit a moment later, not giving any of us time to brace for impact or get to safety.
...
I heard voices, they pulled me to consciousness. I was surrounded by rubble, my body sore. Assessing my injuries before moving, I found I'd broken at least three ribs and my left hip had been dislocated. That was going to be a bitch. Gritting my teeth, I pushed some of the rubble away, before popping my leg back into place. A hiss left me at the instant of pain.
"Shepard!"
"Shepard?"
"Shepard!?"
"Viridian!"
The voices became distinct, and I realized they were my team, calling for me.
I got to my feet, an arm around my middle to try to stem the pain of my ribs, and looked around. I'd have to climb in order to get out of here. Damn, this was going to suck.
After stumbling a few times, I managed it. And there I stood, gazing out over the wreckage, the people in the room watching me with awe. My team and Anderson, I recognized. The rescuers, I did not.
I slowly made my way over.
"Guys." I nodded to each of them in turn. Then, to Anderson. "Casualties?"
"We didn't lose anyone."
A genuine smile, despite the pain, broke out across my face. "Good. That's good."
