Shepard hadn't expected much when she kissed him, perhaps nothing more than simply pecking him on the lips or perhaps feel him return it slightly. She certainly didn't expect to feel a set of arms going around her back pulling her closer while he certainly returned the kiss. She couldn't tell how long they had been standing there with their lips locked but when they finally separated she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen before, and she wanted to see it again.
Marc himself was equally surprised, both by the kiss and the fact that he returned it with just as much vigor. When he separated from her he could have sworn he saw Sivra standing a little behind her grinning like a loon while mouthing "I told you!" over and over again, he couldn't help but smile. A Sharp pain however interrupted his happy moment as Shepards hand impacted with his face leaving behind a small red print.
"Don't you ever fucking pull that sort of shit again!" yelled Shepard before she took in his face and a twitch appeared on her face "and wipe that shit eating grin from your face!" she yelled again
He wanted to remove it but he couldn't! For the first time since Sivra died he felt genuinely happy! He had found the person he would give his last years too, not really caring what it would bring him Marc pulled Sarah back in and locked their lips once more. If Shepard was against the act she certainly wasn't showing it.
When they parted again Shepard now too had a rather stupid grin on her face. She quickly schooled it back into her "Commander" role so as to stay professional… though there was nothing professional about what they just did. A rather exaggerated cough brought the two lovebirds back to reality
"That is nice and all and I'm happy for both of you, but should we perhaps get on with our mission? You know stopping the giant talking PLANT that can CONTROL MINDS?!" Garrus yelled the last part as to incur urgency
Both Shepard and Marc turned towards Garrus with an apologetic look in their eyes before stepping up alongside him. After telling Lizbeth to stay put and out of sight the team headed out towards the upper levels of the tower. Marc had fallen to the back and Garrus soon joined him.
"So… you and the Commander huh?" asked Garrus with an amused grin
Marc shrugged "Don't ask me to explain it because I can't"
"It doesn't need to be explained my friend. You do know that Kaiden is going to throw a fit when he finds out right?" said Garrus
"Of course he is and when he does it all depends on his choice of words" replied Marc not so cryptically.
"Worried you might have to hurt him?" asked Garrus
"Worried I might have to kill him" replied Marc
"You think it will go that far?"
"I hope not Garrus. But who knows how it will turn out"
'Certainly not me anymore, that's for sure…' thought Marc privately as he and Garrus followed the rest of the team up the stairs only to be met with a raised fist ordering them to stop. The sound of an angry Krogan could be heard up ahead as he was yelling at the VI to give him the information he wanted. The team approached carefully but Marc already knew the VI would alert the Krogan to their presence and he was ready to speed forward.
Turns out he didn't need too. The poor unsuspecting Krogan suddenly found himself levitating in midair while coming under fire from two assault rifles only to be finished off by a biotic throw sending him into the wall with a rather sickening crack… 'That's… one way to do it I suppose'
"… You know what I think I am starting to understand why my dad always told me that my mother is the real power back home" whispered Garrus
Marc only nodded and continued to stare at the dead Krogan until the VI spoke
"Exo-Geni Corporation reminds all staff that the discharging of weapons while on company property is strictly forbidden. Welcome back, Research Assistant Elizabeth Bayham. What can I do for you?" finished the VI
Shepard looked slightly confused at first due to being addressed as Elizabeth but quickly worked out that the terminal was only registering the card in her pocket and not the actual face of the person.
"Tell me what information the last user was attempting to access" said Shepard
"The previous user was attempting to access details on the study of subject 37, the Thorian" spoke the VI
Everyone stilled slightly as Marc's information just got confirmed, there really was a Thorian somewhere on Feros and apparently Exo-Geni had been studying the thing.
"I need you to tell me everything you told the Krogan" said Shepard
"I was unable to provide the last user with any relevant data, aside from lacking proper access there has been no new data available on subject 37. All sensors monitoring the observation post at Zhu's Hope have been inactive for several cycles" said the VI
Everyone eyes widened slightly at the indication but no one wanted to risk denying it. Echo stepped forward and sighed before speaking
"So subject 37, the Thorian, is located beneath the substructure of Zhu's Hope?" asked Echo
"That is correct" replied the VI
"Shit…" muttered Echo
"What is it?" Asked Garrus
"If that damn thing is under Zhu's Hope then the entire place is most likely infected like I suspected but that isn't the bad news. Thorians are capable of storing tons of information and who knows how long this one has been around. This is definently what Saren was after and the reason the Geth are attacking Zhu's Hope, they want to get back to the Thorian for some reason" replied Echo
Shepard had turned away from the conversation as soon as Echo had revealed the Thorian's location, she was currently attempting to call the Normandy and alert Joker to shut down the ship in case the Thorian ordered the colonist to attack the ship but she wasn't getting through.
"Fuck that field is blocking our communications, we need to bring that field down and get back to the outpost now!" half yelled Shepard
Echo turned towards the VI "Tell me everything you know about the Geth ship and the field it is generating"
"I have limited data on the Geth. They have effectively blocked all sensors within the facility. I have detected unusual power fluctuations, but I am unable to determine the source" replied the VI
"We need to find that ship and make it detach from the building or destroy it before we can do anything" said Ashley from the back
"Agreed, let's move out people" ordered Shepard
The team got into formation behind Shepard and continued their exploration of the Exo-Geni building. In through the corridors a few thoughts passed through Echo's mind. One of the most prominent is the glowing orb that the Geth are "praying" to a little further ahead. In the games you never got to investigate the thing and he had always been quite curious about it and whatever it was simply a light or an actual object of reverence to the Geth.
"Geth!" was shouted from the front and everyone went into combat mode as the team took up tactical positions and began firing at the geth in the small room. Incredibly there was far more geth inside their little temple than there was in the games.
A rather loud thud could be heard as Echo hit the wall after he had recoiled from getting shot in the head with a Geth Sniper Rifle. His shield was almost none existent and now he had a killer headache… not a good mix in a trained killer. Jumping forward Echo lurched in mid-air as he drew his Nikana and cleaved straight through the Geth that had nailed him in the forehead.
It proved quite the mistake when he felt plasma slugs dig into his back as a Geth Shotgun blast had torn straight through what remained of his shields and then proceeded to dig slightly into the Alpha-Frame which left Echo with a few holes that would need fixing. Luckily the Geth in question was taken down by Garrus before it could unleash another shell into Echo's back.
Straightening his back Echo gave a low growl as his spine popped and four plasma slugs slowly began moving their way out of his back. All four hit the ground with a rather disgusting splat as they were incased in blood and tissue.
"Eva, damage report" said Echo
"Minor tissue and muscle damage. No internal organs struck by the slugs. You should be safe to proceed with the mission if you avoid further shots to your back" responded Eva
A slap to the back of the head made Echo turn around to a glaring Shepard
"What the hell kind of stunt was that? You knew damn well that there was more Geth down there and yet you jump down and begin swinging around that fancy sword of yours without regards to other threats!" growled Shepard
Echo slightly inclined his head in apology "Sorry Shepard. But that bastard nailed me straight in the forehead; I take that sort of thing personal"
A tick developed over Shepards left eye as she stared at her new lover with a stare that almost screamed "you idiot!"
"Well next time wait until after we have disposed of the remaining geth! And if you really can't wait then don't jump in when you barely have any shields left to speak off!" yelled Shepard in annoyance.
Under his helmet Echo had an apologetic smile on his face as he nodded to Shepard before stepping up next to Garrus and thanking him for taking out that Geth before it added a few quick access oxygen holes to his lungs.
"No problem. Spirits know that Shepard would have my fringes if I let you die so soon after your relationship began" joked Garrus
"I wouldn't joke about that sort of thing if I were you Garrus, she might seriously do it" returned Echo
Garrus gave a small laugh despite silently agreeing with Echo's assessment, she probably would. As the team looked around the room Echo approached the small glowing orb and placed his hand slightly above it.
"Eva, run a scan for me. Cross reference with any data-base you can find" said Echo
A small light emitted from Echo's hand as Eva began scanning the little glowing orb to determine what material it is made of or perhaps if it is even composed of a certain material, it could after all just be a hologram that the Geth are projecting. When a small ping sounded signaling the end of the scan Echo flipped his hand so his hand was palm up and a hologram of the data appeared over his hand.
"Operator I believe this material is a very early version of the Warframe armoring. Though this particular source seems to be incredibly young and has not been exposed to the same amounts of radiation or absorbed as much energy as the ones that are used in Warframe creation" said Eva
"Magnificent… to think that this exists here. Given enough time this one little source could become enough to create some small semblance of a Warframe… how fascinating. Eva do you see any potential in bringing it back with us or should we find a safe zone to deposit it and then return for it later?" asked Echo
"The Normandy frequently travels near suns and planets with high radiation and energy output so it is possible that if the material is placed somewhere where it could absorb these energies, that we could potentially mature it making it usable" replied Eva
Echo smirked beneath his helm as he took the small orb and placed it in a storage compartment on his leg. 'So it seems that the two dimensions are more closely connected than I first thought. If anything this opens up the possibility that a lot of unprocessed material from my world is present in this world as well, that means I just need to find it and figure out a way to mature it'
Echo continued to look over the information that he was given and found that the material was in fact already usable in its current form, only it wouldn't provide as good protection or possibility for reshaping as its processed counterpart. A tap on his shoulder alerted him to Shepard standing behind him while looking at the screen hovering over his hand.
"Neat trick. Is it based around the same tech as the Omni-tool?" asked Shepard
"Not really but the concept is essentially the same. I assume the road ahead is clear?" asked Echo in return
"It is, I just came back to get you. Find something that interested you?"
"Indeed I did. I don't know of how much use it will be just yet but I hope it will turn out well and if it does I might be able to forge something truly unique"
Shepard nodded and turned around before leading the way back to the team who was standing down a corridor waiting for the two. Everyone fell back into formation which meant Echo was once more walking with Garrus in the back in a comfortable silence.
The room they came to was large and had two of the Geth ships claws inside it. They really didn't have any heavy ordinance to blow away either of the legs but Echo knew that a little further ahead they would find a few geth alongside the pressure controls to one of the doors that is capable of cutting the leg. A gentle nudge in his shoulder made Echo turn his gaze towards Garrus who had a peaceful and yet interested look in his eyes as he pointed forwards to the two people walking in front of them.
Echo looked forward and felt a smile tug on his lips as he saw Ashley walk with her gun in her right hand while her left hand was intertwined with Liara's. A low chuckle escaped him though it didn't make it past the helmet sound suppressers, the slight shake of his head did though and Garrus saw it.
"Who would thought…" began Garrus
"I guess Ashley took me and Wrex suggestion quite literally" continued Echo
"Think it's going to last?" asked Garrus
"They will have problems… Ashley will have a long way to go before she fully accepts that she has fallen for an alien. Bad things are going to be said and harsh truths will be exchanged but I think in the end the two of them will stand strong at each other's side" responded Echo
Garrus nodded with a smile "I think your right. I guess that means I have to find me someone so I don't get left behind by the rest of you… wouldn't want Wrex to get a lady before me…"
Echo gave a low laugh "hehe… no you don't. Ever thought about Tali?"
Echo knew that he was pushing it a little by trying to make a relationship happen a good two and a half years before it would have started naturally but he didn't really care at that moment.
"It could happen. I guess time will tell" said Garrus
Echo nodded in response and looked forward and past Liara and Ashley to see Shepard prepare her weapon in expectance of a fight, he did the same. Shortly after a shout Geth began the fight as Echo jumped over the railing and down onto the same level as the Geth where he took cover and began firing at the Geth with his Vasto.
Ashley and Liara had both taken cover at the top of the stairs where Ashley had a good position to cover Liara while she pelted the Geth with her Biotics which opened up some easy shots for Shepard and Garrus whom had bunkered down together behind a crate.
Shepard popped and fired at one of the Geth only to have to pull herself down at an incredible speed with a quick "Fuck!" because her shields had been shot to hell by a lucky shot. Garrus muttered something from next to her that she didn't catch and didn't care for. A bang sounded as Garrus killed another Geth though it was clear from his expression that something was off.
A perfectly placed Singularity managed to catch the last two Geth in midair which allowed Echo to save everyone some bullets by jumping forward and slicing the last two Geth apart with his Nikana.
With the fighting done Shepard turned towards Garrus and stared as he inspected his sniper and began growling angrily.
"Something wrong Garrus?" asked Shepard
"Yeah my heat dampener is screwed and I don't have a spare. I guess I have to get a new sniper… just fucking fantastic" growled Garrus angrily
Echo came up next to them and looked over the weapon himself, it did indeed look like it couldn't go that much further, perhaps a few more shots before the gun completely overheated and exploded.
"If you want, Garrus, I have a sniper in my weapons locker that you can borrow until you get yourself a new one" said Echo
Garrus turned towards him with a thankful smile "That would be great, getting a new Sniper and getting it fitted is going to be a pain and I'd rather not go into the field without one"
"Don't mention it. I was never much of a Sniper so it has been gathering dust for a while" replied Echo with shrug
"Oh I see, he can burrow one of your extremely dangerous weapons but I can't?" muttered Shepard
Both Garrus and Echo chuckled at the pouty expression on Shepards face and her whiny tone. Of course Echo wouldn't mind lending her another one of his weapons he just didn't know which one would fit her. He was already building her a blade and he couldn't let her borrow one of his more ammo consuming weapons as he didn't have the materials to make more.
"Fine" drawled Echo "When we get back you can go pick out a weapon to borrow as well"
Shepards face lit up like a Christmas tree as she thought about what weapon she wanted to borrow
"You are not borrowing my Angstrum, Shepard. It only has six more shots left and I need those later" Echo interrupted her thought process
Shepard resumed her pout but nodded none the less and went over to the console that Ashley was looking over with Liara, it seemed like those two had figured out to use it to cut the leg while the other three had been debating gun borrowing.
"Got something Williams?" asked Shepard
"I think so Ma'am. The talons of the Geth ship are sitting in between the bay doors and if we can get the pressure just right they doors should be able to slam closed with enough force to snap at least one of the legs" replied Ashley
"Good let's get too it" ordered Shepard
Back with Garrus and Echo the two were walking across the room looking for anything useful but finding nothing. Though Garrus had blast when Echo picked up a Geth Pulse rifle only to have the thing frizzle and blow up in his hands making him yelp in surprise. As the two came to the end of the room they inspected some of the lockers down there but found nothing besides a few journals.
"Hey, Echo?" called Garrus
"What's up?" replied Echo
"You think we are going to make it?"
Echo raised an eyebrow as he gazed at Garrus
"What makes you ask that?"
"I don't know… I just feel like before all this is over something really terrible is going to happen"
"*Shrug* I don't really know Garrus. I like to think that we can make it through this but my life has taught me that casualties are unavoidable and no matter what we do, we will always lose someone"
"*Sigh* I know you're right but I still wish it was different"
"We all do, Garrus"
"Yeah…"
The two began walking back towards Ashley, Liara and Shepard when the bay doors began grinding up before slamming shut and cutting the arm of the Geth ship causing the entire tower to shake as the giant ship outside began its fall towards the ruins below.
'I hope that didn't hit anything important to Honor…' thought Echo as he realized that there might be some really important things down there that Honor had kept hidden from all the looters and scientist that have inspected the ruins over the years.
"The shields are down Commander, we should be able to leave and contact the Normandy now" said Liara
Shepard nodded before opening a com link back the Normandy
"Joker, come in Joker" said Shepard
"Shepard? Damn you don't know how good it is to hear your voice. You need to get back here quickly Commander, some crazy shit is going on" replied Joker
"What is it?" asked Shepard
"The colonists suddenly began banging on the hull trying to get in. I sealed the ship and we have few armed guards standing ready at the door should they somehow manage to get in" answered Joker
"Understood Joker, sit tight and we will be there as soon as possible" said Shepard
"Aye, Aye Ma'am" was Jokers reply
"Okay let's get moving people!" yelled Shepard
The entire team began moving towards the garage to the Mako but took the detour to find Lizbeth first. They found her standing and waiting for them near one of the corridors leading towards the Garage. Shepard however had a few choice words to say before they moved on.
"You and I need to talk, you knew more about the Thorian then you let on" accused Shepard
"I… I was afraid okay? I wanted to stop the test but they threatened me, told me that I would be next! When the Geth attacked I stayed behind to send a message to Colonial Affairs. I wanted to tell them where to find the Thorian but the power was cut before I could send the message" responded Lizbeth
"*Sigh* okay listen you did what you could. I'll help the colony if you can tell me exactly where the Thorian is" said Shepard
"It's directly beneath Zhu's Hope but the colonists blocked the entrance with a freighter just before the Geth attacked" replied Lizbeth
"Smart move on their part. Let's get moving and stop that thing" ordered Shepard
"I'm coming with you, I might still be able to undo some of the damage this place caused" said Lizbeth
Shepard only nodded and led the way to the Mako. As soon as everyone was inside Garrus climbed into the gun while Echo once more took the navigator's seat next to Shepard. They barreled out of the Garage at full speed but were quickly met by a heavy Geth presence. As they fought their way through them Shepard closed the hatch leading into the cockpit which gave the two some privacy.
"What happened to you down there?" asked Shepard while dodging an Armature blast
"What do you mean Shepard?" asked Echo in return
"You know damn well what I mean, Marc"
Marc let the helmet on his armor recede into its confinement as he rubbed his tired eyes and stared out the window towards the assembled geth.
"I landed in the ruins, Sarah, that's all"
"Bullshit, never mind the fact that you somehow survived the fall but ever since you came back I can feel something different about you. You seem almost like I did the first few days after I had interacted with the beacon on Eden Prime"
"… something did happen in those ruins, Sarah… but please trust me on this and I will tell you everything once we are back safely on the Normandy and aren't about to face down a sentient plant"
Sarah stared at Marc for a few moments before nodding.
"I trust you. But I expect to get every detail once this is over"
"Of course, Sarah"
Marc's helmet slid back over his face as Shepard opened the hatch once more connecting them with their team. As they passed through the last remaining Geth they finally came through to the way station, but upon approaching the small camp of survivors from the Exo-Geni tower they got strange com chatter that sounded like a fight was about to break out which resulted in Lizbeth demanding that they stop the Mako after she heard her mother's voice.
The team quickly disembarked the Mako and moved down into the camp just in time to see Jeong in the process of losing his mind. Lizbeth however only saw her mother being grabbed by two of the guards and ran in to save her.
"Dammit! Come out where I can see you, all of you!" yelled Jeong
Everyone slowly moved out and revealed themselves and reactions was mostly as expected until Echo stepped forward and Jeong caught sight of him.
"Wh… What is that thing?!" yelled Jeong
"I am not a thing. Lower that gun unless you intend to use it" replied Echo
"Goddamnit I knew it was too much to hope for that the Geth would kill you Shepard" said Jeong after refocusing on Shepard
"Calm down, we can talk about this and nobody has to get hurt" said Shepard in a calm tone
"No! You don't understand! Communications is back up and Exo-Geni wants this place purged" half-yelled Jeong
"What?! This is a human colony Jeong, you can't just repurpose us!" cried Lizbeth in outrage
"You don't get it! There is something far more valuable here than just a few simple colonists" Jeong yelled back
Echo moved forward with incredible speed and grabbed Jeong's arm and twisted it so he would drop the gun before grabbing him around the throat and pulling him into a headlock.
"The Thorian is not a subject to be experimented on or with, you stupid human! That thing is to be destroyed and all memory of it forgotten!" yelled Echo in clear anger
"What?! No are you insane? Exo-Geni would have my head if I allowed it to be killed!" yelled Jeong
"Then I will save Exo-Geni the trouble" said Echo in a low and dangerous tone before
*CRACK*
The neck of Jeong gave a sick sound as it twisted and was turned 180 degrees. Echo knew that this guy was a worthless piece of shit. He remembered all too clearly from the games how this fucker wanted to dispose of the colonists and just forget they were ever there. Echo really didn't like those kind of people.
"Echo!" yelled Shepard
Echo turned towards Shepard but didn't seem to react in any different way. He then turned towards Lizbeth and her mother.
"The colonists are under the Thorian's control and we need to get to it but the colonists won't let us without a fight. Got a way for us to deal with them without killing them?" asked Echo
Shepard was standing to the side with a ridiculed look on her face, how the hell could he kill someone in cold blood like that and then not show any reaction?
"I don't kno… wait, yes! If you hit them with a concentrated Nerve agent it would knock them out until you could deal with the Thorian, like a gas grenade!" said Juliana
Echo nodded and watched as Juliana went over to assemble the attachments for the team's grenade launchers. He spared a glance to the corpse at his feet and surprisingly didn't feel anything. Usually there would be something when he killed, be it either loathing or enjoyment or sometimes even glee but here there was nothing. This one had perhaps not deserved to die but he had been in the way… Shepard had been able to talk him down but Echo wasn't Shepard… he didn't save anyone.
He felt a tug on his shoulder and turned to stare into the eyes of Garrus who was giving him a concerned look. He shook his head at the Turian in a gesture of asking to be left alone, Garrus reluctantly stepped away again.
As Juliana returned and handed the modifications to the team she was about to give one to Echo when he shook his head at her while indicating that he didn't have a Grenade Launcher. Once everyone had equipped and prepared their launchers the team made their way back to the Mako. About halfway up the ramp Shepard grabbed Echo's shoulder and stopped him while everyone continued on ahead.
When the rest of the team was at the Mako, Shepard turned around and gestured for Echo to remove his helmet, which he did.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" asked Shepard in a pissed tone
"If you are refereeing to the death of that useless fool then I did the galaxy a service" replied Echo in an even tone
"You don't get to decide who lives and dies around here!" yelled Shepard
"Correct! But that asshole had it coming from miles away. You forget that I have information on Exo-Geni and a lot of other things, that fucker I just killed down there would, at first given chance, kill everyone in that colony and then blame it either on us or the Thorian. He would have ended up dead either way, if I didn't do it then Exo-Geni would have sent an assassins to take care of him for allowing the Thorian to get killed" retorted Marc
Shepard looked displeased at his explanation but couldn't exactly fault him in his logic. Jeong had said it himself that Exo-Geni would have his head; she just hadn't thought he meant it literally.
"Be that as it may, next time you will talk to me before you decide to go out and kill someone!" yelled Shepard in a commanding voice
Echo's face suddenly turned very passive and neutral
"Sarah… let's get one thing extremely clear right this moment" Shepard actually gulped at his tone "I am not your subordinate, I am here of my own free will to help stop Saren from bringing back the Reapers and I can most certainly assure you that I will do my best at that endeavor. But that doesn't change the fact that I am privy to some information that you are not and as such we are going to be coming across people that I will kill due to their previous actions"
Echo's face seemed too darkened as he thought something over for a few moments.
"I care for you Sarah, more than I have cared for anyone in a long time" He reached down at took her hand in his own "I don't want this to come crashing down before we have had a chance to explore it, so please Sarah just trust me that there are some people in this galaxy that doesn't deserve to live" he waited a few moments before adding "If it makes you feel better then I will warn you should we ever come across someone like that again"
Shepard tightened her grip on his hand and leaned her forehead against his while the whisper of a smile danced across her face.
"That's all I ask, Marc" she grinned slightly before adding "And don't you dare think you are getting rid of me that easily, it will take a lot more than this to make me reconsider this" she finished by gesturing between them with her free hand.
'Then I fear your reaction when I reveal to you what I truly am, Sarah' thought Echo to himself as he followed Shepard back to the Mako and jumped into the navigator seat.
The drive back to the tower that held the colony was spent in relative silence as Echo half listened to Liara and Ashley talking about a few mundane human things like billiard and golf… Liara failed to see the reason to be swinging a stick at a small white ball. As they pulled into the garage the team instantly knew something was off, though it was cliché as hell it was way too quiet.
"Where did the guards go?" mumbled Ashley
"Recalled to protect the Thorian" replied Echo
"Everyone got their grenades ready?" asked Shepard
A chorus of confirmation was sounded.
"What about you Echo?" inquired Shepard
"I will sneak up behind them if I can and knock them unconscious. That should work just as well as gas grenade and might be a decent alternative if you run out of grenades" replied Echo
Shepard nodded and led the team back through the tower down towards the colony. As they progressed down the stairs a faint sound became clearer and clearer until something that sounded like muffled groans could be heard. A pair of sickly green skinned husk like beings walked forward towards the team, Echo recognized them instantly and knew that the Acid those things could spit was not a good thing to be on the receiving end off.
"Watch for those! Don't let them near you!" yelled Echo as he began firing at the Thorian Creepers.
Everyone took his suggestion and stayed as far from the Creepers as they could while shooting them down. They encountered quite few of them until they came upon the first barricade that had two colonists guarding it. Garrus lopped a grenade right between the two and it exploded in a green mist that soon saw the two colonists drop to the floor in an unconscious heap.
"That's two down. Question is how many more is in there" muttered Garrus
"I counted sixteen on our first pass through, but that isn't taking those that could have been inside the structures into consideration" replied Echo
They entered the colony to the sound of gunfire as the entire team had to take cover behind the giant stone blocks to avoid the constant fire from what seemed like six gathered colonists.
"Goddamnit! Who the hell thought it was a good idea to give colonists military grade weaponry?!" yelled Ashley
Echo gave a weak laugh as he looked to his side and spied a route that would allow him to get behind the cover the colonists were using by climbing up onto the containers.
"Shepard I am about to do something stupid again, could you cover me?" asked Echo while gesturing to his path
Shepard looked it over and gave a grin as she nodded and the entire team came out of cover and laid down some covering fire. Echo jumped up on some boxes and onto the containers and ran across them as he dodged a few bullets from some of the other colonists around the colony. He finally reached a point where he could jump over the cover that the colonists were using.
He landed square in the center of four colonists and he quickly took his Nikana and spun around while still crouching which allowed him to knock all the colonists over. In their down positions Echo was quickly capable of applying a strike to their heads that knocked them unconscious for a good long time. A grenade exploding with nerve gas took out the two other colonists that had been firing at the team.
"They are certainly well coordinated for mind controlled drones" quipped Garrus
"So far, so good. Let's take care of the rest of them" said Shepard
The team went through the entire colony while ensuring they caught as many colonists they could with their grenades at a time. Luckily due to the sheer amount of people they had brought they had more than enough grenades to deal with the remaining colonists and soon enough the entire colony was in blissful unconsciousness.
The team found the crane and managed to get it back in working condition as they raised the freighter that had been placed atop the entrance to the Thorians' lair.
They progressed rather slowly down through the corridors that would eventually lead to the Thorian and where most of the team had their own thoughts running, Echo had a much different thought pattern. He knew they would have to end up fighting against Asari clones and he had actually yet to face a Biotic in direct combat, sure he had faced down a few on the Citadel in his months there but most of them were never allowed to throw Biotics before he took them out.
As the turned a corner the giant Thorian became visible at the end of the corridor and everyone made their own variation of disgusted face, that thing looked really ugly. Echo even admitted to himself that the thing was way the fuck uglier in reality than in the game.
As they approached the giant plant Echo was of mind to begin blasting the thing but he knew that it had such thick skin that nothing short of dropping it down the hole it was hanging over was going to kill it.
A sick gurgling sound could be heard as the Thorian "birthed" a clone of the green Asari. Everyone watched in disgust as the slime covered Asari stood up and turned her dead gaze at them.
"Invaders! Your every step is a transgression. A thousand feelers appraise you as nothing but meat, good only to dig or decompose. I speak for the old growth as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian, it commands you be in awe" said the Asari
Shepard stepped forward "You gave something to Saren, I want to know what it was"
"Saren sought knowledge of those who are gone. The old Growth listened to flesh for the first time in the long cycle. Trades were made. Then cold ones began killing the flesh that would tend the next cycle. Flesh fairly given! The Old Growth sees the air you push as lies! It will listen no longer!"
The sound of a blade being drawn could be heard moments before the clone had its head separated from its body as it fell lifeless to the ground.
"That was a clone… there should be more around. Let's find a way to kill this thing" said Echo as he wiped his blade
A door opened to their right and out came a few creepers which were quickly gunned down. A giant tentacle was attached to the wall inside with a giant growth on it that Echo recognized.
"Blast that thing" he said while pointing at it
Ashley used her shotgun to tear holes in it and cries of pain could be heard coming from the Thorian.
"That worked" grinned Ashley
As the tentacle detached Echo looked out at the side of the Thorian with an evil grin
"There should be more of those around, if we get enough of them then it will drop down into the pit below" said Echo
Everyone nodded and proceeded to make their way through the strange chamber that the Thorian was hanging in. They came across multiple clones and Creepers, a few of which almost cost Garrus his life when a biotic throw send him flying out towards the edge. Luckily Liara was quick to grab him and throw him back inside with her own biotics.
Shepard and Echo were fighting together in the front with Echo using his blade to either deflect or damage the Creepers and clones while Shepard shot them to hell. As they came across the various tentacles each of them were destroyed and it was getting visible that the Thorian wouldn't be able to hold itself up much longer.
As they approached the last tentacle they were suddenly met by an ambush of three clones that all three nailed Echo with biotics pushes, from three different angles. Echo screamed as his body felt like it was compressing in on itself and he heard the sound of some of his ribs breaking under the pressure alongside his right collarbone.
Garrus was quick to react and turned around and threw a regular grenade towards one of the clones that blasted it off the side and down the pit. Liara was fighting one of the other clones in a battle of biotics as the two Asari were attempting to overpower the other with sheer force. Liara won out in the end as she her Biotics were naturally stronger than that of the clone.
Ashley and Shepard took care of the last one together with their combined fire, Shepard took down the biotic barrier around the clone and Ashley blew a hole in the clone's stomach with her shotgun blast.
When Echo stood up he was in almost insufferable pain, something he had gotten used to long ago. He popped his collarbone back into place and mentally directed all his nanites to focus on that one particular bone, this would ensure it was ready and healed again by the end of the day. The ribs could be healed over the night.
Shepard destroyed the last tentacle and the team watched with joy as the giant plant fell screaming to its death. No one noticed the way Echo let a happy sigh escape him as he felt imminence relief over finally being rid of a foul creature like that. They made their way back down to the entrance just in time to witness the original Asari that had been used to create the clones burst from a pod.
"I'm free… I'm free!" yelled the Asari
When she noticed the group standing before her she let out a relieved sigh that someone had managed to save her from that wretched creature.
"I suppose I have you to thank for freeing me" she said
Shepard stepped forward and nodded "Is everything alright? Are you hurt?" she asked in concern
The Asari nodded "I am fine, or will be… in time. My name is Shiala. I serve… served Matriarch Benezia, when she allied herself with Saren so did I" her eyes turned sad for a moment before she continued "Benezia foresaw the influence Saren would have. She joined him to guide him down a gentler path, but Saren is compelling and Benezia lost her way" finished Shiala
Shepard looked concerned at the news and spared a glance back to see Liara standing with a confused expression on her face, she clearly didn't know how to handle that information. She also saw Ashley grab her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. Shepard turned back towards Shiala with a worried expression
"Are you saying Saren can control minds?" asked Shepard
"In a way. Benezia underestimated Saren, as did I for that matter. We eventually came to believe in his cause and goals. The mere strength of his influence is worrying" said Shiala
"Benezia sought to turn a river and was swept away" muttered Liara with a sad undertone
"How is that possible? Asari Matriarchs are among the most intelligent and powerful beings in the galaxy. How could one fall under Saren's control?" asked Shepard
"Saren has a vessel, an enormous warship unlike anything I have ever seen. He calls it Sovereign. It can dominate the minds of his followers. They become indoctrinated; the process is slow and subtle. It can take days or weeks but in the end it is absolute" Shiala shook her head for a moment "I was a willing slave when Saren brought me to this world. He needed my Biotics to communicate with the Thorian, to learn its secrets. Saren offered me in a trade. I was sacrificed to ensure and alliance between Saren and the Thorian"
Shepard scoffed "Saren is pretty quick to betray his own people"
"He was quick to betray the Thorian too. After he had what he wanted he ordered the geth to destroy all evidence of its existence. Saren knows you are searching for the Conduit, he knows you are following his steps. He attacked the Thorian so you could not gain the Cipher" said Shiala
Shepard looked slightly confused but Echo spoke up before her
"What is the Cipher and why did Saren want it?" he asked
Shiala looked at Echo for a moment before turning back to Shepard
"The beacon on Eden Prime gave you visions, but they are unclear and confusing. They were meant for a Prothean mind, to truly comprehend them you must think like a Prothean. You must understand their culture, their history, their very existence. The Thorian was here long before the Protheans built this city. It watched and studied them. When they died, it consumed them. They became part of it" finished Shiala
Shepard now looked slightly less confused but not by much
"So the Thorian taught Saren how to think like a Prothean? How?" asked Shepard
"The Cipher is the very essence of being a Prothean. It cannot be described or explained. It would be like explaining a color to creature without eyes. To understand you must have access to endemic ancestral memory. A viewpoint spanning thousands of Prothean generations. I sensed this ancestral memory, the Cipher, when I melded with the Thorian. Our identities merged, our minds intertwined. Such knowledge cannot be taught; it simply exists" spoke Shiala
Shepard growled slightly "There has to be a way for me to acquire that knowledge, I need it to defeat Saren"
"There is a way. I can transfer the knowledge from my mind to yours, as I did with Saren" began Shiala "Try to relax, Commander. Slow, deep breaths. Let go of your physical shell, reach out to grasp the threads that binds us together, one to another. Every action sends ripples across the galaxy. Every idea must touch another mind to live. Each emotion must mark another's spirit. We are all connected, every living being united in a single, glorious existence. Open yourself to the universe, Commander. Embrace eternity!" finished Shiala in a half yell
Everyone watched as her eyes turned black as the void and Echo felt a stab of pain in his chest as he witnessed the woman he gave his heart to have her mind connected to another. A useless feeling of jealousy that he shouldn't be feeling and yet there it was.
Shepard was currently reliving her vision as it flashed across her mind with a new clarity, it still seemed confusing but now there seemed to be more structure to the vision than before. When the connection broke Shepard opened her eyes once more and stared at Shiala who seemed slightly shaken.
"I have given you the Cipher, just as it was given to Saren. The ancestral memories of the Prothean are a part of you now" said Shiala
"A knowledge bond can be quite traumatic, are you okay Shepard?" asked Liara concerned
"I'm okay. I saw something, but it still didn't make much sense" replied Shepard with a small smile
"You have been given a great gift; the experience of an entire people. It will take time for your mind to adjust to process this information" spoke Shiala
Echo stepped forward and put a hand on Shepards shoulder
"We should get you back on the shop so we can monitor your brain activity. Ensure nothing went wrong" said Echo
Shiala gave a nod in apology "I am sorry if you have suffered, but there was no other way. You needed the Cipher and in time it will help you understand the vision from the beacon"
Shepard nodded and accepted the apology.
"What about you? Now that you are free of the Thorian what are you going to do?" asked Shepard
"I think I will stay here with your permission, Commander. The colony has suffered greatly and part of it was my fault. I wish to make amends" answered Shiala
"Good idea. The colonists will need all the help they can get when they need to rebuild, you would be a great help to them" smiled Shepard
Shiala returned the smile "Thank you, Commander. May fortune smile upon you"
Shepard nodded and let the team towards the surface once again. There they met with the small group of survivors as they helped the knocked out colonists out of their unconsciousness and helped them get slightly more stable. Juliana thanked the Commander for the help and wished them luck on their mission to stop Saren.
As the team came back aboard the ship Shepard went to talk with Joker while everyone else went down to put away their gear and hopefully relax a little atop the mission. Though they didn't get much farther than removing their gear before everyone was called together for debriefing, so it was a rather tired group of four that walked into the mission room and sat down.
Liara quickly noticed that Shepard had gotten slightly pale and looked a little sick. She looked over at Echo who was staring at Shepard and seemed to share her concerns.
"You seem slightly pale, Commander. Are you suffering from any side effects of the cipher?" asked Liara
"It's nothing, Cipher shook me up a bit is all" replied Shepard with a smile
"I might be able to help you with that Shepard. I am an expert on the Protheans, perhaps if I link my consciousness to yours I can help you make sense of the vision?" asked Liara
Shepard quickly stood up "Do it, we don't have much time left so we can't waste any"
Liara stood up and walked over and stood in front of the commander before she closed her eyes and slowly breathed out. "Relax, Commander. Embrace Eternity!" she yelled before their minds linked. The process went by quickly and soon enough both Shepard and Liara looked ready to fall over but both were caught by Echo and Ashley separately before they could.
"That was… intense. All my research and yet I never dreamed… I'm sorry. The images were so vivid I never imagined the experience would be so… violent" said Liara in a shaky tone
Ashley helped her stand straight but didn't remove her arm she had around her shoulder.
"What did you see?" asked Ashley
"The Beacon on Eden Prime was badly damaged, large parts of the vision is missing. The data transfer into the Commander's mind is incomplete" answered Liara
"You must have seen something?" asked Shepard
"I was able to interpret the data relayed through the vision, what was there at least. But something was missing. Saren must have the missing information, maybe he found another beacon. If the we can find the missing data from your vision I should be able to make sense of it all" replied Liara with a tired look
"You look exhausted, Chakwas should have a look at you" said Ashley
Liara turned and gave Ashley a smile "Thank you but the joining is merely exhausting for me. I just need some rest somewhere quiet and I will be fine"
"Just stay healthy yeah? Dismissed everyone" said Shepard
"Commander I have sent the Feros report, want me to patch you through to the council?" asked Joker's voice over the com
"Patch them through Joker" said Shepard
At the same time the rest of the ground team left the room since no one wanted to deal with the council, they weren't getting paid enough for that. Echo headed down to his ship to relax a little and think over his new relationship with Sarah.
As the hours passed Marc quickly agreed with himself that relationship with Shepard would be a hard one and he would be forced to lie about many things, but there was one thing he had decided he would not hide from her any longer. The fact that he was from a different Dimension all together, he of course had no intention of telling her that he was in fact from two different dimensions since that would only cause needless friction and make her ask some questions he would rather not answer. He simply hoped she would believe him when it came down to it.
He stepped outside his shop to go find Garrus so he could show him his Vectis Sniper, he needed to teach him how to load the bullets and maintain the gun before he could let him use it after all. He however didn't come much further than a few meters from his ship when he saw an angry Kaiden heading directly for him. 'Here we go…' thought Marc in annoyance.
"You! I thought told you to stay away from Shepard!" yelled Kaiden
Marc just raised an eyebrow and stared at the lieutenant
"I also remember telling you not to stick your nose in her business anymore, you didn't listen to that either did you?" replied Marc
Garrus had been standing behind the Mako and heard Kaidan's yell and had already called down Shepard, he figured she needed to get here to help him stop the potential death of Kaidan.
"I don't care what you say! I know you are just using her for your own ends in some way!" yelled Kaidan angrily
"And what, pray tell, made you come to that brilliant conclusion, Lieutenant?" asked Marc while drawling out the last word
"I know you will get her killed, you see I did some digging and managed to find a pretty interesting file Chakwas had on you. So I want you to stay away from Shepard or I am sure you will end up getting her killed, just like you did your wife!" yelled Kaidan
Marc stilled completely at Kaidan's words and felt a shadow pass over his mind. He had gone too far, to somehow even manage to look at the note Chakwas made when they talked… Something inside Marc snapped and the beast that had so long been held prisoner since he had killed that colony was suddenly allowed out… Kaidan was a dead man.
Without giving anything away Marc sprang forward and grabbed Kaidan by the throat before lifting him off the ground for nothing but a few seconds before he threw him across the hangar, sending him slamming into the wall.
Shepard had arrived just to hear the last part of what Kaidan had said. 'I dint know Marc used to have a wife…' Shepard was confused but she knew that Marc would explain it to her when he was ready. For now it was about getting in there and ensuring she still had a lieutenant at the end of the day. The large slamming sound only made her move faster as the doors to the hangar opened Shepard was met with the scene of a bleeding and almost unconscious Kaidan lying on the floor, with a clearly angry Marc standing above him.
Marc turned his gaze towards her and their eyes locked for a single second, but it was enough for Shepard to see the dead soulless look he had in them, whatever joy and happiness there had been earlier today was now all but gone. When he turned his gaze back to Kaidan, Shepard's eyes widened as he lifted his leg and clearly had every intent on smashing Kaidan's bones.
"Marc stop!" yelled Shepard but it did nothing
Growling Shepard changed to full Commander mode "Echo Stop! That is an order!" she yelled
Even in his crazed state Echo recognized an order and his Tenno side was compelled to obey since the order had come from someone he respected. So he stopped his assault and placed his leg down on the floor before walking towards Shepard and past the rushing crew members that came to carry Kaidan to Chakwas.
Shepard turned her gaze back to Echo after she had ensured that Kaidan had gotten on the elevator safely.
"Go to my quarters and wait for me to get there!" she ordered
Echo did as ordered and walked to the elevator and waited without saying a word. When the two arrived at the crew deck Shepard headed towards the Med-Bay to ensure Kaidan hadn't taken any permanent damage, while Echo went into Shepard's quarters and sat down.
Shepard came into the med-bay just in time to see Chakwas checking over his wounds, thankfully Echo hadn't managed to do much other than throw his stupid ass into the wall, though he would be hurting for a while nothing major should arise from this.
"So Commander, care to tell me what the Lieutenant could have said to Marc to cause such an extreme reaction?" asked Chakwas
Shepard looked a little surprised at Chakwas addressing Marc by his first name but shrugged it off quick enough.
"I only arrived at the end of their argument, but I heard Kaidan telling Marc that he would end up getting me killed like he did his wife?" said Shepard a little confused
Chakwas hand rose to her mouth "Oh dear…"
"What is it Karin?" asked Shepard now concerned
"I don't know how the Lieutenant could have known about her, but mentioning Marc's wife and then accusing him of causing another woman to die because of him is a surefire way to get killed" said Chakwas as she sent a half glare at Kaidan "He came to me some time ago and we spoke about his past, he mentioned he once had a wife and she had gotten killed on a mission with him. He blames himself for her death and had an extreme reaction when she died. I can only say it's a good thing that you managed to stop him or I am sure I would be doing an autopsy right now"
"That bad?" asked Shepard
"That bad, Sarah" replied Chakwas
"What am I supposed to do with him?" Muttered Shepard while gesturing to Kaidan "He just won't get it through his thick skull that I don't care about him like that. To top it off I have just began a relationship with Marc which is what I think triggered this"
"That could very well be, Sarah. For now I would suggest to leave him alone and then perhaps speak to him once he awakes. But now I think you have someone else to go deal with" said Chakwas with a smile
"Yeah, you're right Karin. Thank you" said Shepard as she turned to leave
At the same time with Marc inside Shepard's quarters the hybrid had finally managed to cool down. With some of his sanity restored Marc could only lament himself for losing control once again. Though this time he might not be feeling just so bad about it since he took it out on Kaidan, stupid idiot.
Though this would without a doubt turn his conversation with Shepard into a much more difficult one. As if on cue Shepard walked through the door and locked her glare at Marc.
"You have some explaining to do" she said
Marc sat down in the sofa and sighed
"*Sigh* You have no idea Sarah… how about you just ask the questions and I will answer them the best I can?" he replied
"Works for me. Let's start with the most obvious one; you were married?"
Marc nodded "I was. Her name was Sivra and she died 53 years ago"
"I am sorry" said Sarah before she sat down next to him
"Don't be. I don't blame myself for her death anymore and finally managed to move on"
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Never had the chance or the reason to tell you. I probably would eventually have told you now that we are trying to be together"
"Do you still love her?"
Marc turned his head and stared at Sarah for a few moments "Yes and I always will. Sarah right now you are first in my heart but Sivra will always be a big part of me, she was the first woman I ever loved enough to wish to marry. I hope you can understand that"
Sarah nodded "I understand. What was she like?"
Marc let a chuckle escape him as he thought about it "You are actually a lot alike. She was also stubborn as hell. You both have and incredibly strong will and refuse to take shit from anyone" he turned and looked directly into her eyes "You both have some of the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen"
This earned him a small chuckle as Sarah moved closer and took his hand in hers.
"You think we can make it work?" she asked
"I do. It has taken me a long time but I am finally ready to have another woman in my life again. I have chosen you, Sarah, and I need you to know something"
Sarah gave him a curious stare so he went on
"You will be the last woman I will ever love. Should you in the future decide that you and I are not to be then I will respect your decision but know that I will love you from now and until the day I die"
Sarah looked at him with wide eyes before she got a smile on her face and leaned in to give him a quick kiss.
"Thank you" she whispered
The two then fell into a comfortable silence as they sat in each-other's arms while thinking about where they would go from here. Though Marc had one more thing to do, the one thing that would determine whatever he could be with Sarah or not.
"Sarah I have something I need to tell you" he began
She turned towards him and gave him a confused look
"What is it?"
Marc let out a breath as he stood up and stood in front of Sarah and his face turned completely serious.
"What I am about to tell you is the biggest secret I have and I trust you enough to never reveal it to anyone, but I also feel that you need to know this before we go any further" Sarah nodded once in understanding "I am about to reveal to you just why I have the weapons and armor that I do"
Sarah now had his full attention as she sat upright and got completely serious herself.
"I have told you that I am 354 years old correct?" she nodded "I also said I left our world in 2013… the truth is Shepard I didn't just leave Earth… I left our dimension entirely. That is why I have such advanced armor and technology. The tech I am using comes from a completely different dimension and world than this"
Sarah's eyes widened as the implications hit her… another dimension? But how is that possible, and could it even be true for that matter.
"You might find it difficult to believe, but I was somehow taken from my world in 2013 and placed in a different one. There I met the Tenno and eventually joined them. I lived a life there, Sarah as you know. But then a few years ago I was somehow brought here again while I was traveling in my ship. I found out it was now 2183 and everything had changed"
Sarah still didn't say anything as she tried to compute all the information. It fit somehow though, his advanced armor and ship, his strange weapons and choice thereof. Though there was one thing it didn't explain.
"How do you know so much?" she began "How do you know so much about the Reapers, the planets we went to and just everything in general? If you have only been back here for a few years?"
Marc sighed as he knew she at least believed him partially if she was willing to ask those questions. But the problem was that he was already lying again. Sure he was doing it to protect her and the others but he still felt horrible about it.
"I went slightly crazy after I returned, I was angry that I had been robbed of my life so I began searching for a way back. This led me around the universe as I discovered many things and picked up all the knowledge I now possess"
Sarah nodded a little as it seemed to make sense to her.
"Why didn't you tell me this before? Why haven't you told anyone?"
"Because I feared what would happen, I didn't want to become a research object nor did I wish for people to hunt me for my knowledge on the subject. I am telling you now so that you know exactly what I am. I am a hybrid of Tenno and Human, a man whom has been moved between Dimensions. I hope you can accept it Sarah"
Sarah stood up and walked around for a few minutes while debating wit herself. She wanted to believe him and everything he said only helped his case, him getting all that advanced tech from a different dimension seemed to fit as it would also explain why she had never found anything about the Tenno aside from that one man… wait
"What about Hayden Tenno?"
Marc froze as she asked but quickly answered
"Back in the other dimension he was the first of us, the first Tenno. Here I don't know what happened to him but clearly the events played out differently"
Shepard nodded as it once more made sense. There were many questions to be asked and many answers to be found but she figured that he was perhaps also searching for answers to just how he was moved and how he got here. Her focus then turned on the man himself, Marc was a decent guy who had showed many times that he would be willing to stand at her side and help her. He had also proven that he was capable fighter and a monster when the time came.
In the end Sarah came to one conclusion. She loved and trusted him. She quickly went over and embraced him in a hug before kissing him.
"I believe you despite how crazy it all sounds. I am happy that you are willing to share your secret with me. Are you still looking for a way back however?"
Marc shook his head "Not actively no. I wish to someday find a way there, but not without being able to return here once again. I have found something here that I will never abandon" the last part was said with a large smile
"Good. I say this is enough for now, we have both had one hell of a day and you just dropped the bomb-shell of a century on me so I will need some time to think on it all, but I believe you"
Marc gave her another quick kiss before speaking
"Thank you, Sarah. You have no idea how much that means to me"
"Probably not. Let's go get something to eat"
Marc nodded and followed her out into the mess hall as they grabbed some food and sat down with Ashley and Liara where the conversation quickly fell upon the newfound relationship between the Commander and Echo, though Marc was quick to turn the conversation towards Ashley and Liara as well.
After dinner Marc had excused himself back down to his ship where he had resumed working on Shepard's blade. It was almost finished and only needed a few more things before he could forge it and then he could begin training her in its use. A small beep however interrupted him as he got a message from Sarah asking him to come back up to her quarters.
The entire way there he didn't meet anyone, this was probably due to it being somewhere in the early start of the night cycle and the only people that are around now are the ones that have the graveyard shift. He didn't bother knocking as he stepped through the door and noticed how it locked behind him.
"Thanks for coming so quickly Marc, I just wanted to go over the details of Noveria one more time before we arrive"
Marc nodded and sat down on the other side of her desk
"That's okay, Sarah. What do you wish to review?"
"Mostly just what you told me a few weeks ago. The planet is under the control of the NDC, as you said the entire planet is privately owned and as such doesn't fall under Council law. Meaning my Spectre status doesn't mean much down there, other than I am allowed to carry weapons it seems"
"That is pretty much the gist of it. What do you think Saren sent Benezia there for?"
"I don't know. The place has tons of research centers that the NDC is renting out so odds are that Saren has some experiment going there. The question is if we can manage to catch Benezia if she hasn't left yet"
"It would seem so. I hope we don't run into too much trouble down there, but we have to remember to try and stay out of the corporate political shit storm that is always going on down there"
"Agreed. I was thinking of bringing Garrus, Wrex, Liara and you with me down to the planet"
"That could work, are you sure it's are good idea however to bring Liara along to see her mother? Chance are we might have to kill her when we find her and I don't know how she will react to that"
"I trust her ability to stay calm. Anything else you think I should know or we should prepare for?"
"Other than be prepared to fight a lot of geth and one hell of a Mako ride out to the research base? Not really. If we keep a lookout we might be able to get Garrus a decent sniper for a good price down there though. The black market is very active out in these parts"
Sarah grinned slightly at the thought of getting some good weapons and perhaps a few upgrade for a good price. It didn't matter that it was from the black market as Noveria was after all a privately owned colony planet so technically if it is legal for the Black Market to sell their gear there, then Sarah could purchase it legally as well.
"If that was all Sarah then I think I will retire back to my ship and try to catch some sleep"
Marc stood up and made to leave when he was stopped by Shepard grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. She then led him over to the bed with a smile before she dropped most of her clothes aside from her underwear and climbed into bed.
Marc just stood with a small grin on his face. Sarah and Sivra were really alike, neither liked to sleep alone if they could avoid it. He quickly removed his own clothes (bar the underwear, of course) and then climbed into bed with her. She snuggled up close to him as he held her close and the two quickly drifted off, both feeling slightly better now that they had someone to share a bed with again.
A/N: Well thank fucking god that is one more chapter down. I don't know how the hell I managed to do this on time. I have been working on this since I woke up Saturday morning. College really only gives you the weekends to do something in and I damn sure am going to use it on this. Of course I don't know when the next chapter will be out since my schedule is still frantic but for now I am happy to give you all chapter 11.
Leave a review if you are felling kind and thank you to all the followers and favorites I have been getting over the past few weeks, your support is really overwhelming.
-Bundlejumper
PS: Yes Echo/Marc is going to start killing certain "key" people… such is the way of things