Aboard the Shadow
There was no outwards expression of pain, but that certainly didn't mean that each and every inch of Marc's body wasn't ready to kill him.
"I hope you realize I am very mad at you" stated Eva in an unusually hard tone
"I'm fine, just a few scratches" replied Marc as his armor began opening
The low hiss of pressure releasing, could be heard through the ship. Slowly the various parts of the Alpha Frame began separation, not long afterwards did a thick red liquid begin to seep through the cracks.
The chest compartment finally released itself, only for a wave of blood to rush forward and cover the floor. With a few pained sounds, Marc managed to take one step out of the Alpha Frame. The rather sickening sound of his bones slowly breaking spread out as he applied weight to the leg.
It wouldn't be unfair, to say that Marc's body looked like a disaster. Had the Alpha Frame not restrained most of his bones, well, he would surely have some poking through his skin. Though fear not, they had still broken through in multiple places and were the reason for the rather impressive display of blood.
With a few sloppy steps, Marc managed to slump his way into the engineering compartment of his ship. He quickly laid himself down on the medical table, and then gestured for Eva to begin the procedure.
"Procedure commencing, injecting relaxant, I will see you later Marc"
Marc just gave a weak thumb up, at the same time as he felt the injection taking hold and the world around him going dark.
*Flashback/Memory*
"Mr. Echo are you sure?" asked Kirrahe in a slightly worried tone
"Get out of here Captain, I can keep them off long enough for your team to get away" replied Echo
"Very well… Then Mr. Echo it has been an honor serving with you" stated Kirrahe as he saluted, the rest of the assault team joined him shortly after
Echo just waved his hand in front of his face "Don't worry about it, now get out of here"
The Salarians all turned and began running; most of the Geth saw this but weren't sure if they were to proceed. Their prime directive had been to protect the facility, and upon discovery of Echo they were to terminate him.
Echo himself breathed a long sigh "This is going to hurt like a bitch…" he mumbled to himself
"Operator, you aren't thinking off…"
"Yes I am Eva, I know you don't want me to but there is no other way to survive this"
"But Marc… if you use that, the odds of you surviving won't be much better"
"True… sorry Eva. Command Override: Mute"
A small ping sounded, as Eva's voice module was turned off. Taking a stand once more, Echo shook his limbs to loosen them as much as possible before attempting this. When the Geth began advancing, he gave a small smile to himself.
"Voice Command: Emergency Override: Engage Prime Protocol, Subject: ASH"
Had Geth not been mindless machines, they might have felt the way the temperature seemed to drop.
It was slow at first, the colors of the Alpha Frame shifting around impossibly until settling on a brilliant white, with bright shining gold decorations. Where a once eerie dark red light shone, a brilliant blue brimmed with power.
The shifting of colors was the first sign for the Geth; the second was when the entire armor began releasing what sounded like a maniacal cackle.
As the plates began shifting and turning, the sound of bones breaking and skin tearing could be heard echoing into the mountains. Echo's own screams were being muffled, from inside his helmet.
Ever so slowly the image of the Neutral Alpha Frame ebbed away, and the horrifying and awe inspiring image of the Prime Ash stood in its place.
It wasn't much different from its standard counterpart, the Prime version held a sleek helmet that encompassed the skull. The once light smoke that encompassed the arms, were now oozing out and obscuring most of the Ash from view. Aside from the helmet, nothing else was incredibly different. A little thing off here, a small detail added there but in essence, nothing major.
"Fuck me… I'd forgotten just how painful this is" growled Echo to himself
And it was painful; the Prime Protocol was a life threatening, emergency only action. Using it you basically overpower the Warframe of your choice, augmenting its existing abilities beyond the norm. The problem with the protocol came in the energy consumption; the raw amount of power it pulls out is so great that it will deplete the regular stores of energy in a matter of minutes.
To compensate, the Prime Protocol then begins tapping into the nearest energy source, the operator. It first targets the nanites in their blood, then it goes onto taking energy from the nerves, and finally it aims directly for the small constant spark that keeps your brain going. All in all; you have perhaps a grand total of five minutes, before the Prime Protocol kills you to sustain itself.
The after effects are no less devastating; at first there is the violent transformation from Regular to Prime. Then there is the excruciating pain, as there are no dampeners on the shifting plates during a Prime transformation, which basically means that you are going to snap a few bones.
You will be bleeding, both external and internally, for the entire duration of the Prime Protocol. When you finally step out of it, well… expect a bloodbath and then some. The last, and perhaps worst, side effect is that once you use the Prime Protocol it will need a disastrous amount of time to recharge. This was a safety mechanism that was put it early in development to ensure that an Operator couldn't risk his life twice, just to get killed by the side effects the second go around.
But there was something else there… a familiar feeling… that glorious feeling of raw, unfiltered… Power
"Come then, who wants to die first!?" roared Echo as he charged the Geth
It was a known side effect to the Prime Protocol, that sudden influx of power had a habit of warping the mind. In the later years of development, it had become quite an in house joke to refer to this effect as the "Bloody Echo Effect"… a sort of twisted name given in honor of just what Echo had done, and how he himself earned that title.
The few Geth that actually did attempt to fight him, didn't last long. Most of them were cleaved through with the Nikana; others had holes in them from where Echo had drilled his fist through.
It was a bemusing sight, to see one of the supposed greatest warriors of all time… darting between opponents while roaring, he looked more like a Krogan on a blood rage than a Tenno.
A few blips announced the arrival of the Geth reinforcements; they seemed to have diverted the entirety of their attention towards Echo… 'Good' was the only thought going through his head.
"Command: Acquire Targets" ordered Echo
Inside his helmet things began happening, the Geth slowly began glowing a feint red. One by one they were all marked, until each and every Geth was marked for death.
With a somewhat sadistic smile, Echo jumped backwards and gave himself some distance from the Geth. He gazed over them and waited, they were slowly coming towards him, getting closer together… perfect.
"Execute"
And then he was gone. For a second there was no sound, and then it all began. The sound of metal being ripped apart began spreading, and then the sound of oil and grease splashing on the ground joined in. The symphony of sounds continued, as Geth dropped to the ground with various parts of them either missing, or downright obliterated.
An ear rending laugh was accompanying the chorus of destruction; Echo was high on his own power like never before. He had only ever used the Prime Protocol once before outside of testing, it had been a dire situation but he had snuck out using the Loki Prime.
But this was different, now he was spreading such incredible destruction and no one was here to stop him!
The speed Echo was displaying was almost impossible, the Geth were slowing down by the second because their optic receptors began displaying multiple versions of Echo, each one destroying a Geth in one way or the other.
Finally Echo seemed to slow down, there was only a few Geth left now but even they fell a few seconds later. From the very point he had vanished from, Echo reappeared with his heavy breathing heard clearly through the helmet.
"D-Disengage P-Prime Protocol" grumbled Echo
Oh god it hurts… everything hurts… breathing hurts, speaking hurts, walking hurts… thinking hurts!
"Motherfu…" growled Echo as the plates began shifting once more, the entire Alpha Frame returning to neutral mode.
Along with the Neutral mode came a few more broken bones, and just a bit more blood that wasn't already threatening to recreate the great flood.
Grumbling, Echo limped over to the edge of the large platform and sat down, a great deal of pain shooting through his body as he did.
"If I ever… and I mean ever think of doing that again, shoot me" growled Echo as he leaned his head back
*Memory/Flashback End*
*Beep* … *beep* … *beep*
The sound of the heart monitor woke Marc back up, he had no idea just how long he had been out. But taking into consideration that he everything was in pain, he suspected he was at least alive.
"You are awake" chimed Eva's voice
"What's left of me anyway… damage?" asked Marc with a tired sigh
"Total Collapse of both lungs, several muscles torn or downright removed. Left leg completely broken, right arm completely broken, lower right leg broken. Cranium intact with little damage, all but ribs one and two are broken as well. 86.432% blood lost, thankfully no nanites where lost, total heart failure approximately 3.43 hours ago. Congratulations on being revived from the death once again, Operator" supplied Eva
"How much is still under repair?"
"Ribs Eight and seven need an additional day to heal completely. Right arm is at 95% capacity, I suggest not using for the next 24 hours as well. Aside from that you are completely healed, though a minimum of two days' rest, before doing anything excessive is suggested"
"*Sigh* Great…" grumbled Marc as he sat up and leaned against the wall "Where are we Eva?"
"Aboard the Normandy, I arranged for us to rejoin them as soon as possible" replied Eva
"When did we board?"
"6.23 hours ago"
"Shit…"
"Commander Shepard has been by the ship, 43.5 times since we landed"
"43.5?"
"She is currently approaching again"
"Open the locks"
"Doors unlocked"
Marc stood up with a pained expression, and walked carefully to the entrance hatch of the Shadow.
Upon his approach, the door gave a low hiss as it began opening. Down at the bottom of the ramp stood Shepard, a very scared look on her face, Though Marc's own was one of relief and happiness.
"Told you I would see you again" said Marc with a large smile
He didn't get an answer, as Sarah closed the distance between them with a few big steps and threw her arms around his neck.
He ignored the pain; it was overshadowed by the warmth spreading in his chest anyway.
The two stood there for what must have seemed like an eternity, just reassuring one another that they were still alive.
"I thought I lost you again…" came Sarah's strained voice
"I'm not that easy to get rid of…"
Moments later their lips were locked, both needing the extra reassurance that this wasn't just some trick. Sarah perhaps needed it the most, having believed Marc lost to her twice now. Marc was not without his fears as well, the kiss was perhaps the greatest assurance that he was still alive, and by the maker he was thankful for it.
*Slap*
"Don't you ever scare me like that again" growled Sarah in an angry tone
"Wouldn't dream of it" replied Marc with a grin
"Why didn't you tell me that Eva was on her way to save you?"
"Because I wasn't sure if she could make it in time, so I didn't want you to get false hope in case I actually ended up dead"
"Don't try and be noble next time, just bloody listen to orders!"
"I couldn't let Kaidan die, he is essential to this mission"
"So are you…"
"Not in the same way, I love you Sarah but you have to realize that my life is expendable. I don't fill some greater role in all this; I'm just along for the ride"
"Just… just… *Sigh* just come up to bed will you? It's in the middle of the night cycle. We can continue tomorrow"
"Now that sounds like a plan"
It was a tired Marc, that almost dropped out of bed next morning. It wasn't because his sleep cycle had been butchered, ohh no that he had learned to deal with. But a thing he had not been informed of, prior to dating Shepard that is, was that apparently when you have a brush with death the following night just has to be that much more intense… not a good thing for a wounded man.
Which was exactly the reason he was currently tip-toing into the bathroom, some of his wounds were opening back up again. Nanites were good, but a cut that reached the bone still needed time to heal.
When he caught himself in the mirror it was a strange sight, he had gone almost two hundred years without any major injury that left a scar and look at him now. Well… Wrex would say it was "proud battle scars" or something, not completely wrong in a sense but he highly doubted that self-inflicted wounds count.
"Just Ilos left old boy… then you have two years, two years to relax and just live" mumbled Marc to himself as he placed his forehead on the mirror
And it was the truth, right there, right now, Echo had only thing on his mind and that was surviving Ilos. He didn't care how much of the timeline would be butchered, he didn't care who had to die that wasn't meant to for it happen. He and Sarah were both coming out of this, one way or another.
Marc quickly dressed and left Shepard to her sleep, he had every intention of letting her rest as much as possible.
He returned every nod, wave and greeting he got as he moved aimlessly through the ship. It was very early in the day cycle, so at most a few privates were waking up for morning duty.
He even skipped breakfast, not feeling like eating anything while his stomach still recovered. So he decided just to go into the observatory and stare at the stars.
A relieved sigh escaped him as he entered the observatory, believing himself to be alone. Sadly that proved a falsehood as he rounded the sofa, and saw Kaidan lying there staring into the ceiling.
"Lieutenant" greeted Marc
Kaidan flinched as his eyes regained some focus, his gaze then fell upon Marc and his eyes widened.
"Ah it's you, figures…" mumbled Kaidan
"Do you wish for me to leave, Lieutenant?"
"No, no… I was just thinking about something, was all" mumbled Kaidan as he scratched his head
"Something concerning me I take it" replied Marc as he sat down
"… you ordered her to go back for me… I-I… why?" tried Kaidan
"Why indeed? As I said Lieutenant, you are more important to the operations of the Normandy than I am. I am expendable, just another mercenary" replied Marc with a weird smile
"Bullshit, you aren't expendable. Plenty on this ship depend on you for various things; you didn't think I knew that? Also you are not expendable to her… not to…"
"You don't think I now that Kaidan!?" interrupted Marc with a yell "You don't think I realize, that it would have completely broken Sarah's heart if I had died? You don't think it felt like ripping my own heart out, when I asked her to go back for you?!"
"Then why?" mumbled Kaidan weakly
"Because as much as we love each other… she could have completed this mission without me, I could always be replaced by another hired gun. But you are a trusted friend; you have served with her longer than anyone else aboard the Normandy… you are an essential piece"
"You think you are that easily replaced? Sarah would have broken down completely, if you had died… she wouldn't have been able to go on!" yelled Kaidan, now angry
"Do not presume to know her like that, Lieutenant. My death would have hurt, yes, but she would have moved on for the better of the mission. She knows that there is a time for action, and a time for mourning the lost!" yelled Marc in response
Kaidan flinched backwards a little; he looked down and shook his head. He knew that Echo was right, he didn't know Shepard that well anymore. They hadn't spoken like they usually would, in fact that had stopped even before Echo had joined the crew.
"I've said it before Kaidan; you're a good soldier, but perhaps not the best at thinking of the big picture. I will admit my dislike for you is substantial, but I am willing to put it all to rest. So Lieutenant what do you say, peace?" said Echo as he put his hand forward
"I can't say I like you, or that I ever will. But yeah, peace sounds good… we aren't in a position to have enemies inside the ship anyway" replied Kaidan as he shook the offered hand
"*Chuckle* truer words have not been spoken in a long time. Let's go get something to eat, I find myself hungry"
"Sounds good"
Ashley could have sworn she was going insane, there was no other explanation for Echo and Kaidan sitting and eating breakfast while leading a civilized conversation.
Perhaps asking Chakwas for some medication wouldn't be a terrible idea, certainly would help with other things as well. If only it helped with what she was going to talk with Liara about.
Steeling her resolve, Ashley opened the door to Liara's room and took one step inside… before all her courage left her, and she felt like crawling back out of the room and hiding in the darkest corner of the ship.
'Why is this so difficult…' she thought as she shuffled into the room, hoping not to alert Liara
"Ashley?" came Liara's voice from behind a stack of crates
'Damnit…'
"It's me Li"
"I was just going through some of my things, you know, from before Therum"
"Oh?" asked Ashley as she moved closer, her curiosity rising "Some of your old archeology stuff?"
Liara finally poked her head up from the boxes, revealing a rather tired set of eyes though brimming with joy
"Yes that, but also a few things from home on Thessia" she held up a small box "Like this for example, my mother gave this to me just before I left"
Ashley climbed over the boxes, and joined Liara on the floor sitting cross legged.
"What is it?"
"Oh!" exclaimed Liara as she opened the box and pulled out… a teddy bear, or at least what Ashley assumed was a teddy bear. Given that it was made out of some type of cloth, and the four extra arms where a little confusing but from a glance… definently teddy bear
"A plush toy?"
"Gramps called it a Teddy Bear; he made it for me after I was born… supposedly I grabbed on to it, and didn't let go for a week"
Ashley couldn't hold in the chuckle at the reddening cheeks of Liara, oh she had a few embarrassing things from her past down in her locker… but Liara didn't need to know that.
"It's cute…" mumbled Ashley
Liara put down the teddy with a smile, and then faced Ashley completely
"But that is not why you are here" she stated
"No it isn't… I just don't know how to say it…" mumbled Ashley
"Something about this is worrying you?"
"*Sigh* Yeah I guess it is… ever since you pulled out Ilos from the vision in the Commander's head, well I have been thinking"
"And that led to your worrying"
"Ilos is probably where we end this, after that this mission is over with and I'll have to return to the Alliance"
"Ah… and by then I will return to my archeology. You are afraid that we will leave each other"
Ashley slumped against the crates with a loud sigh
"Yes, yes I am. I love you Li, but the Alliance is all I have ever known… I don't know if I'm ready to give that up"
"I can see your dilemma; I too don't feel ready to give up on my career in archeology just yet. Who knows, perhaps we can stick it out and maybe one day we can find each other again… *chuckle* "settle down in a white picket fence house, have a few children and grow old together" as Gramps was so fond of saying…"
Ashley couldn't restrain the chuckle, though she would admit it sounded nice… growing old together, having kids…
'Children… am I ready for that sort of responsibility, will I ever be?' thought Ashley
"That sounds amazing Li, I just hope you are right"
"How about you help me sort through all of this? Clear your head a little?"
"Yeah… that sounds good… thanks Li"
Liara only smiled in reply before opening another crate.
Roughly around the time Liara opened up her third crate, Shepard was making her way to the med-bay. Chakwas had asked her to come down; something about her illness that had her worried… she really didn't like the sound of that.
To her surprise, or perhaps not that much, when she entered the med-bay it wasn't just Chakwas, Marc was standing right next to her.
"I take it this does in fact, not, have anything to do with my illness?" asked Shepard
"It most certainly does Commander, you think I would call you down using that reason otherwise?" stated Chakwas in a huff
"You are her because I need a blood, tissue and bone marrow sample from you" stated Marc
"You mean for the nanites?" asked Shepard
"Yes. Chakwas informed me that we are heading towards the Citadel, something to do with you getting recalled. That means that now is as good a time as ever, to start preparing you for receiving the nanites" replied Marc
"And I would like to do a follow up, and who knows perhaps we can find a way to cure the disease by copying what the nanites do" stated Chakwas
"Sorry Karin but that isn't going to happen, the nanites find the virus and then destroy it. No fancy tricks or clever use of the body's own system" said Marc with an apologetic smile
"Ah… yes that is a shame" Chakwas then turned towards Shepard "If you would sit down, Shepard, we could get started with a blood sample"
Shepard gave a nod and sat down in the chair, rolling up her sleeve she waited.
"So how soon will those nanites be ready?" asked Shepard as Chakwas took the blood sample
"*Shrug* All depends on what the tests reveal, if you just so happen to have some special extra thing… like I don't know, a rare virus that runs in the family" Shepard rolled her eyes at that one "Then this could potentially take a while, but I'm confident I should have them ready before Ilos"
"I must admit I am quite curious about one thing, just what will these nanites do to our Commander, once her disease has been cured" mused Chakwas as she put away the blood sample, and prepared to take the tissue sample
"That's a good question, Marc?" Shepard directed the question towards him
"Well… I'm not really sure to be honest, I mean I'm half and half so the nanites took to me because of the Tenno DNA. When I am done reprogramming them, well then they should work for you like they do for me… so I guess that would mean with "only" human DNA you would live some roughly 150 years longer than usual…" stated Marc while rubbing his head in thought
"Extraordinary, so they would keep her body running for that long?" asked Chakwas
"Well partially, I mean I still need to eat, drink and sleep like any regular person. So obviously she would need to do the same, but her body would simply age that much more slowly because the nanites keeps her body healthy" continued Marc
"Will it impact my combat performance?" asked Shepard with slight worry
"Yes and no… it's a bit difficult to explain, on one hand you have increased regeneration in the form of the nanites closing all minor wounds. Then there is the downside… like me you will end up having periods of low energy, this is because your body still needs to get used to producing double the needed energy to keep the nanites fueled when they attach to your nerves" continued Marc with a now slight frown on his face
"So what, I will become slower?" questioned Shepard
"Yes, for a time. Once your body has adjusted to supplying the nanites with sufficient energy, then you should return to your original speed. If you were capable of operating a Warframe like me, then you would be able to reap the benefits of your body generating double the energy. You see when I am inside my Warframe, the nanites draw energy from the armor rather than me. Which leaves my body with double the energy to burn, which is why I can actually fight in close quarters with my blade against gunfire and the sort, I simply think double as fast as my opponents" finished Marc
"How long are we talking, you know before my speed would be back to normal?" asked Shepard now slightly less worried
"Hummm… a good question, you already have good reflexes and a quick mind so… I would guess a month, maybe a little longer" replied Marc with a shrug
"This might hurt a little Shepard" interjected Chakwas as she prepared to take a bone marrow sample
"That's okay Cha… Fuck!... you call that a little?!" yelled Shepard with a look of mock betrayal
"Oh stop being such a big baby, you have definently felt worse" chided Chakwas as she began packing the three samples
"*Chuckle* The mighty Commander Shepard, scared of a needle" mused Marc from the side
"Oh like you aren't scared of needles?" rebutted Shepard
"Shepard I have undergone 458 tests in all my years since I became a Tenno, you honestly think I am still scared of needles?" asked Marc with a blank expression
"Yes?" tried Shepard
"Okay only those small bastards that hit a nerve…" conceded Marc with a grin
"Well here you go Marc, I expect to be informed if anything is wrong" stated Chakwas as she handed Marc the case of samples
"Of course Karin, just clear a bed I'm sure I will be admitting our dear Commander for excessive overworking soon enough" quipped Marc as he left the med-bay, accompanied by a laughing Chakwas and the sound of raspberries
Marc quickly made his way back down to the armory, intending on getting this down as soon as possible. Though when he stepped out of the elevator, something caught his attention in the form of a group of Salarians.
"Ah Mr. Echo, I had hoped to catch you before we reached the Citadel" called Kirrahe as he approached
"Captain Kirrahe, it is good to see that you all made it… I trust you didn't lose anyone on your way to the bomb site?" asked Marc
"No the path was clear, I don't know what you did Mr. Echo but the Geth certainly was distracted"
"I did what I had to; let's leave it at that Captain. Now I must excuse myself, I have important work to do"
"Of course Mr. Echo, thank you once again"
Marc gave a salute before stepping away from Kirrahe, and continued towards the Shadow.
He stepped inside and sealed the door behind him, this work was too important for anyone to disturb him.
"Eva, I'm going to give you three samples. A blood, tissue and bone marrow sample, they all come from Shepard and I need you to run a check"
"Understood"
Marc stepped over to his communications console, and found Karick's number and called him up.
"Marc, is something wrong?" asked Karick as soon as he picked up the call
"Nothing is wrong my friend, but I am about to run some tests on Shepards blood, tissue and bone marrow. I thought you might wish to listen in" replied Marc
"Well this should be interesting, do you think you can find some traces of the Technocyte in her blood?"
"I hope not, but somehow I don't think we are that lucky"
A small chime sounded, letting Marc know that the samples were loaded and ready to be viewed. Quickly maneuvering the menu, Marc pulled up the blood sample.
"Sweet fucking hell!" and then promptly yelled as the entire image spread out in front of him
"What is it my friend?" questioned Karick
"Her blood cells… t-they're… no it can't be…"
"By the Lotus get your shit together! What is going on?"
"Her blood… it's like ours, but that is impossible… unless…"
"Unless?"
"Eva bring up tissue sample"
An image appeared next to the blood sample, thankfully this time Marc kept himself from swearing but his face told the entire story.
"Karick?"
"Yes?"
"What would you say, after living with humans, their average tissue resistance is?"
"Quite weak depending on where you attack, one layer in the weak points, two in the strong ones. But that is solved by their ability to regenerate it… why?"
"Sarah's tissue sample… it has five layers"
"What?! No that can't be right, I took a sample from Marie and she had two layers… there is no way a human would naturally develop an extra three layers, no way"
"You think I'm lying about this?! I'm looking at the samples myself… there are five layers of resistance here, however that came to be"
"*Sigh* What about the last test?"
"Eva, pull up the bone marrow sample"
The images in front of Marc flickered, as a third one was added. This time Marc wanted to exclaim something, but he didn't know what to say… this was getting out of control at such a pace, that he was starting to think someone was messing with him.
"How bad is it?"
"I-It's a carbon copy…"
"*Gulp* Of what?"
"Of ours… her bone density is the same as a Tenno"
"You need to do a full body scan of that woman, right now!"
Marc agreed silently, and in a half-daze called down Shepard to his ship. How the hell did this happen? Even if the Technocyte had somehow, been absorbed by one of Shepards ancestors it shouldn't have done this to their bodies.
It wasn't a minute later that Shepard stepped into the Shadow, a look of worry plastered on her face.
"What is the emergency?" she asked
"Strip" ordered Marc in a dead tone
"What?" asked Shepard in raw shock
"Strip down to your underwear, right now. I need to do a full body scan" ordered Marc as he turned and continued studying the three samples
Sensing the seriousness and urgency in his voice, Shepard did as he asked and was soon standing in her undergarments.
"Eva, scan her"
"Commencing scanning"
A small green beam struck Shepard in her chest, slowly it spread until it covered the entire front of her body in a green light. It then began turning around her, once, twice and three times before the light disappeared.
"Scan complete" announced Eva
"You can put your clothes back on" stated Marc as the information began scrolling
"Eva, give me a rundown, Karick are you listening"
"I'm listening" stated Karick
Once Shepard had gotten dressed, she moved to stand next to Marc to look at the data herself
"The body scan revealed your fear, Marc. Commander Shepard carries the Technocyte virus inside her, though this version seems to… co-exist with her body. The scan also revealed that this is the reason behind her increased tissue strength, the Technocyte has been slowly enhancing her body to accommodate it as she is its host" informed Eva
"Marc… what does all this mean?" asked Shepard
"It means, Commander Shepard, that you are, at least biologically, something that could be considered a version of the Tenno… or at least what the Tenno were a long time ago" supplied Karick
"Karick this means…" began Marc
"Yes… if we could do it right, she could potentially pilot a Warframe" finished Karick for his friend
"Wait what? So because of this virus, I should be able to control one of those armors?" asked Shepard with slight disbelief
"In theory… I can use a Warframe because of my Tenno DNA, part of that DNA is the remnants of the Technocyte virus. So because you have part of it in you…" began Marc
"*Sigh* Then in theory, you should be able to reprogram one to work for me since I have the same DNA" finished Shepard
"Correct. Though this begs the question, how has your body maintained the virus for all these years? Because obviously it cannot only be you, your mother and ancestors connected to Hayden must also have carried the virus… but if I remember correctly, one of you were listed as having assimilated the disease" said Karick
"Mary Ann, Hayden's grand-daughter" supplied Shepard
"Perhaps not assimilated… a more likely explanation would be the virus went into a state of hibernation, and then simply waited for a time that it could sustain itself again" suggested Marc
"I can see where you are going with this, after lying dormant so long eventually the bodies of the Tenno family simply accepted it… so when the disease came out of hibernation, well, it simply lived alongside the body in some sick symbiosis?" tried Karick
"That would be the best suggestion, but you must remember that the virus would do everything to survive. Even if that meant strengthening the body it inhabited, which would explain the increased physical prowess of Sarah and her family… and when one of them either got pregnant, or got someone else pregnant…" mused Marc
"The virus saw a chance to live longer, so it integrated itself into those organs… Marc this, this is extraordinary" stated Karick
"And a bit creepy for me…" mumbled Shepard
"Sorry/Sorry" chimed the two together
"So what does this mean, you know for the whole nanite thing?" asked Shepard
"It means that I need a bit longer to make them ready, but look at the bright side. This means you won't be slower by the time we hit Ilos" replied Marc
"I would though suggest a few more tests, and then begin prepping the nanites. Anything else is just inviting disaster" supplied Karick
"Yes and knowing Marc… I would probably end up with pink skin" mused Shepard
"Keep joking like that missy, and I'll make you into a panda" returned Marc
"Karick I suggest you turn off the com, unless you wish to see the death of your good friend" said Shepard ominously
"Good knowing you Marc, send me a souvenir from the afterlife" said Karick as he cut the com with a large grin on his face
Marc turned his rather frightened face towards Shepard, and gave a weak smile.
"Come on, it's not like I mentioned the panda panties…"
"You. Are. So. Dead!"
Citadel Alliance Dock, aboard the Normandy
Everyone was preparing to depart the Normandy, though some were visibly less happy about it than others. Echo would be an excellent example, he knew that they were about to be grounded… and boy did he have a few choice words to say, he kind of wanted to see if he could make the Salarian Councilor vomit.
"Well you look happy" quipped Ashley from his left
"Call me a pessimist, but I think we are walking into a shit storm" replied Echo in a displeased tone
"It isn't just you, something about this stinks" added Wrex
"I agree, if they were assembling a fleet, wouldn't it make sense to send the Normandy out to scout ahead" supplied Wrex
"Perhaps they need us here for something?" suggested Liara
"Let's just hope I'm wrong" Echo closed the conversation
Everyone agreed in silence and waited, Shepard would be here any moment and then they would head out.
Sure enough Shepard arrived moments later, looking not so happy which only added to the apprehension of the rest of the team.
"Echo you are with me, we are going to the council. The rest of you, I need you to finish up your business as fast as possible. We are heading out at first opportunity" ordered Shepard
A chorus of acceptance sounded, as they gathered into groups and left the Normandy. Garrus and Wrex were headed towards C-Sec, Garrus had a few reports to check up on. Ashley, Liara and Tali were heading down to gather supplies, and perhaps look at some new equipment. Kaidan was meeting up with a group of Alliance Marines, reinforcements for their Ilos mission no doubt.
Shepard and Echo met up with Anderson in front of the council chambers, he was not going to miss this and he was just as worried as Echo… he had been kept in the dark, and he didn't like that.
"What do you think Anderson, good or bad?" asked Echo
"Udina was the one that called this meeting… bad right from the get go" replied Anderson
"Let's get this over with gentlemen, we have a Turian to catch" said Shepard as she began heading into the chambers.
Once they were inside they saw Udina, he was standing in front of the council and was apparently leading a small conversation, though he went silent as Shepard approached.
"Commander, thanks to you the council is finally doing something against Saren" stated Udina with an annoyingly smug smile
"The Ambassador is correct, if Saren really would be foolish enough to attack the Citadel, as you believe, then we will certainly be ready for him" stated Tevos
"We have patrols stationed at every mass relay, leading to the Citadel from the Terminus Systems" added Sparatus
"A bloody blockade, you think that is going to stop him? What about Ilos? Saren is there right now, looking for the conduit. What the hell are you doing about that?" questioned Shepard angrily
"Ilos is only accessible through the Mu-relay, which is deep within the Terminus, Commander. Sending a fleet in there would only have one result, full-scale war" replied Valern
"The Council is correct, Shepard. Now is the time for discretion. Saren's greatest weapon was his secrecy, with that now removed he is no longer a threat, it's over" stated Udina from next to Shepard
"If a fleet is too much, then send me. The Normandy could infiltrate with its stealth drive, we wouldn't be discovered. Discretion just like you wanted" countered Shepard
"You detonated a Nuclear bomb on Virmire, I wouldn't call that discreet" said Sparatus angrily
*SLAM* Echo hammered his fist into the railing, denting it and getting everyone's attention.
"That fucking nuke is the only, read my lips, only reason that when Saren does come knocking, there won't be an army of Krogan behind him!" yelled Echo in anger "So don't you fucking dare complain"
"Mr. Echo! The Commander and your own style might have worked in the traverse, but Ilos requires a more… deft touch. We have the situation fully under control, you just leave this to us" said Tevos in a surprisingly calm voice
"No you don't! If Saren finds the conduit, then we are all screwed! We have to go to Ilos" yelled Shepard before turning to Udina, hoping to get some support
"*Sigh* Ambassador Udina, I sense that the Commander won't be letting this go" muttered Sparatus loud enough for everyone to hear
"There are some serious political implications here, Commander. Humanity has made great strides thanks to you, but you are becoming more trouble than you are worth" stated Udina in a tired tone
Echo closed the distance between the two, with two long steps before grabbing Udina and lifting him up by his throat.
"Echo let him go" ordered Shepard calmly, though it was easy to her the edge in her voice
Echo dropped Udina, though he didn't seem happy to do so. Then he returned to his place next to Shepard, though it was now clear that everyone was on thin ice
"*Cough* It's just politics, Commander. You've done your job, now let me do mine. We have locked out all the Normandy's systems, until further notice you are grounded" stated Udina
"You are all insane, after everything I have done for the Council you still refuse to believe me?" questioned Shepard with a face displaying her disbelief
"It is time for you to leave, Commander. This is no longer any of your concern, and the council will be able to handle it from here on, with my help of course" said Udina with his usual superior sneer
Shepard threw her arms up in anger, then turned and stormed out of the council chambers leaving a rather angry Echo behind.
Of course Echo rounded on the council instantly.
"You three have better hope this doesn't turn bad, because I swear if even one person from the Normandy is lost because of your stupidity..." began Echo
"You'll do what Mr. Echo? You have no authority here, if you remember" said Udina believing his own words
"It's simple really…" Echo's gaze first landed on the Turian councilor, making him flinch "Sparatus, I'll break your neck and then I'll rip off your fringe and use that to decapitate Tevos" here Tevos gulped loudly, and grabbed her neck unconsciously "then I will use her severed head to choke Valern." The Salarian Councilor looked ready to hurl… alas it did not happen "Then finally I'll come for you Ambassador, and when I do… well let us leave that a surprise" finished Echo before turning and walking out of the council chambers after Shepard, leaving a stunned and terrified Council behind.
"Bah, empty threats" stated Udina
The three councilors looked at him like he was an idiot, an opinion they in fact all shared.
"I can assure you Ambassador, those weren't empty threats" stated Tevos
"Spirits help us…" muttered Sparatus as he stepped away from the council stand, and began heading towards his private chambers.
Tevos and Valern could only agree in silence.
Outside Echo was catching up with a livid Shepard, who was cursing and growling at anyone getting just a little too close.
"Shepard" called Marc
Shepard spun around, an angry mien on her face.
"Can you believe them, those… those… urgh!" cried Shepard
"Calm down Shepard" suggested Marc
"C-Calm down?! Those bastards put us on lockdown, what the hell will calming down do?!" she yelled in response
"Well it might help you realize that we aren't stuck, also it might make you realize that the solution to your problem is walking up behind you"
"What?"
Shepard spun around to see Anderson approaching, a rather annoyed look on his face.
"Shepard… I might have something, meet me down in Flux in two hours" said Anderson in a low tone as he passed by, he kept walking to make it seem like nothing more than a casual greeting
Once he was far enough away, Shepard turned towards Marc with a pensive expression
"You knew he would have a plan to stop the lockdown?" she asked
"No, but I had my suspicions that he wouldn't let it pass by quietly" replied Marc
"So what are we going to do while we wait?"
"I am going to go talk with Karick, You are going to go find Ashley, Liara and Tali and then use these two hours to calm the hell down"
"Alright, I'll see you at Flux in two hours?"
"Count on it, sound the alarm if something goes wrong"
Shepard gave a nod in confirmation, and began making her way towards the Presidium shopping area. Marc himself gave a low sigh, before turning and began heading off towards a closed off part of the Presidium, somewhere he could speak with Karick without risking getting overheard.
"Eva, contact Karick for me" ordered Marc as he continued his walk
"Establishing Contact… … … … Secure Connection Found… … … … Contact Established"
"Once more within the week my friend? You spoil me" came Karick's voice
"Stow the humor, we have hit a snag and we need to speak. I'm heading towards the back alley behind the Consorts chambers" said Marc
"Understood, I'll be there in a few moments" replied Karick and cut the connection
Nodding to himself, Marc continued on his way and soon found himself standing in the secluded alley. The Consort had, thankfully, secured this particular alley so that her more trusted friends had a place for private meetings.
A good five minutes later Karick stepped into the alley, and greeted his old friend.
"So what is the trouble?" asked Karick after the two had shaken hands
"The Normandy has been put on lockdown, it will be resolved soon but that also means something else. Once we depart for Ilos… well it won't be more than a day before Saren and Sovereign comes knocking, I'm sad to say my friend that that means you only have another 24 hours to find the object" replied Marc
"Damn… I see the trouble, during the attack we won't have time to look for it and the chance of getting destroyed is simply too big… got any suggestions?"
Marc shook his head "Sadly no, all I can say is to focus it around areas that would make sense, other than that we can only hope for a stroke of luck"
"Very well… then what of this planet, Ilos, are you going to be okay there?"
"We'll be fine, we will come through the conduit and then all hell breaks loose… but on the bright side all of this will be over in the next 48 hours"
"*Chuckle* Yes that is certainly a comfort… you have given me a clock my friend, excuse me for leaving but I intend to beat it"
"Of course my friend… Just one more thing…"
"Yes?"
"Can you remember how long it has been, since we fought side by side?"
Karick blinked a few times, before his head swung back and a roar of laughter escaped him. His laughter continued as he departed the alley, images of destruction flying through his mind… The Bloody Echo fighting side by side with the Stalker once again… he could feel his blood burn at the thought.
Echo left the alley moments later, he was going to head down towards Flux and wait around, he didn't have anything to do now that he had warned Karick.
Flux was a much nicer place than Chora's Den, that much was certain. Though Echo couldn't help but feel bored, these sorts of "fancy bars" wasn't really his scene. Even among the Tenno a party without a fight would be considered a dull affair, though deaths were usually frowned upon.
The rest of the time passed by in silence, Echo was just observing the people around him. It was a bit of a trip really, standing here and watching them. He knew full well that before tomorrow was over, this place would be completely destroyed and many of these people dead.
"Marc"
He turned and faced Shepard as she approached; he gave a nod and a smile before turning and following her into Flux.
They found Anderson sitting by himself, nursing a small drink and looking every bit the troubled Captain they both knew.
"Well you look well, David" quipped Shepard as she and Echo sat down
"This is wrong Shepard, you should be on your way to Ilos right now… not sitting stuck here while we wait for Saren to come and break down the door" replied Anderson
"I agree with you completely David, but there is the small problem of the Normandy. She is the only ship that can get me into the Terminus undetected, and currently she is on lock down… unless you have a fix for that?" inquired Shepard
"It's quite simple really, Citadel Control might have locked down the Normandy's systems, but if we can override the Ambassador's orders, we can make them bring the Normandy back online. You'll be in the Terminus Systems before anyone know what's going on" said Anderson
"Anderson, if we leave with the Normandy you are the one left to take the blame…" tried Echo
"Yes, yes, and if Saren gets the conduit, life as we know it will be over. Human, Asari, Turian, it won't matter to the Reapers, they will destroy us all. So I'll do everything in my power to get Shepard and the rest of you off this station, and heading towards Ilos" interrupted Anderson
"I won't forget this Anderson, if you ever need something in the future then come find me" said Echo
"Thank you. Now I can unlock the Normandy from one of the consoles in Citadel Control, which should give you a few minutes before anyone knows what's going on" suggested Anderson
"No way, Citadel Control is heavily defended. No way are you getting through there, not without ensuring your execution if you are caught. There must be another way" replied Shepard
"Well… Udina was the one who issued the order, if I could hack into the computer in his office… then there would be a slight chance that I could override it" said Anderson
"And what if Udina is in there, then what?" asked Shepard
"I'll just have to hope he isn't there, and if he is I will think of something" replied Anderson
"*Sigh* I would rather you deal with Udina, than a squad of heavily armored guards…" stated Shepard
Anderson smiled a small smile at that "I was hoping you would say that, Udina made this personal… so what do you say Shepard, are you ready to get the hell off this station?"
"Good luck David, I'll see you once this is all over" said Shepard as her answer
"You too Shepard, go bring that bastard down" replied Anderson with a smile
Shepard turned to leave but Echo remained, and stood staring at Anderson for a moment before he pulled something out of his leg compartment, and threw it to Anderson who caught it.
"What's this?" he asked
"That, Anderson, is a special hacking device. It should get you into Udina's computer almost instantly… and do me a favor if he is there" replied Echo
"Sure, what?"
"Punch his light's out"
Echo left to the sound of Andersons laughter, a small smile gracing his lips. He then caught up with Shepard as they made their way back to the Normandy, along the way they recalled everyone back to the ship.
It was somewhat of a challenge, making it look like they weren't rushing like hell back to the Normandy. By some twisted miracle everyone made it back to the ship, now they just needed to wait for Anderson and then they would be off.
Once everyone inside a dead silence fell over the ship, everyone was holding their breath and standing ready. Echo could almost hear the cracking of Udina's jaw, moments before the entire Normandy sprung to life.
"Get us out of here Joker, now!" yelled Shepard
Joker wasted no time, disengaging from the dock and turning the entire Normandy around, soon they were so far from the Citadel that it would be too late to stop them.
Once they were far enough away, Shepard stepped up and opened the com to the entire ship.
"Everyone… I can't thank you enough for sticking with me through this, at this moment we are heading out to deal with Saren once and for all… This is my potential last order to you as your Commander, be happy and enjoy these precious few hours before Ilos. We might not get anymore, gods speed everyone… let's give him hell"
The silence that followed the short speech was bitter sweet, but everyone took the words to heart. Looks were exchanged between many crew members, friends gathered around the tables, lovers retreated to smaller private areas and everyone else gathered in the mess hall for one final dinner together as a crew.
It was no different for the ground team. Wrex took these final moments to sit down in the armory, looking over images on his Omni-tool from back on Tuchanka. Garrus had finally gathered up his courage, and went to speak with Tali. Ashley was heading towards Liara's room once more. Kaidan had joined the crew in the cafeteria.
Then there was Shepard and Marc, they had retreated to Shepards quarters. Realizing that his plans might not go as he intended, well Marc wanted to say his words… just in case.
"So this is it huh?" began Shepard with a sad smile on her face, as she sat down in the sofa
"This is what it has all been building towards" added Marc as he sat down next to her
"*Chuckle* You know sitting here, it is almost funny… the way we met" Shepard said as she leaned into Marc's embrace
"*Snort* Yeah, me threatening to kill Tali… great first impression" replied Marc as he leaned his head against hers
"Come on, you would never have hurt her"
"Of course not, but that doesn't change that she was afraid of me for the first few weeks"
"But hey, it all worked out didn't it?"
"Yes, yes it did… somehow here at the end; everyone seems to be getting along"
"*Chuckle* Even you and Kaidan"
"The Lieutenant and I made peace, perhaps it was simply time… or maybe, just maybe we finally found something we agree on"
"*Sigh* I can't wait for this to be done… then maybe, we can finally live a life"
"Yeah… live…"
"You sound unsure…"
"Sarah, I love you… but I'm still scared I'm going to lose you. I think every man is scared of losing the woman he loves… but…"
"But not every man is together with someone that repeatedly puts her life in danger"
"Exactly… you know yourself what it's like to think you lost someone"
"Don't worry about being afraid, the truth is I'm scared as well… you remember I told you my father disappeared?"
"Yes I remember"
"In the start I didn't think like I do know… at first… at first I thought he had left me, that he had decided he didn't love me or my mother and then just left us behind…"
"And you fear I will do the same?"
"No… yes… I don't know okay? I Trust you, but some part of me just fears that you will go away one day too"
With a small sigh Marc grabbed Sarah by her shoulders and turned her to face him, making sure their eyes met so she could see the seriousness in his eyes.
"Sarah, I will never leave you. As long as you want me to stay, then I will always be here"
It was a difficult thing for Sarah to accept, she had heard those words before… her father had promised her the same thing, right before he went out for his last deployment.
Freeing herself from Marc's grip, Sarah stood up and began pacing around the room restlessly. It was just an odd thing for her, she had been in relationships before but this one was different… though she suspected the whole "Dimensional Traveler" thing had something to do with that as well.
"I know you will, but that won't change that I'm afraid. I'm always going to be afraid, if it isn't of you leaving me, then it will be the fear of you dying on a mission…"
Marc stood up, walked over and stopped Sarah mid stride.
"I won't die, I finally have something to live for again. So I need you to believe the same, I need you to believe that we are going to get through this, together"
"You sound like a sappy romance novel…"
"You mean like that piece of offending literature on your shelf?" he gestured behind him, to a very a specific book that looked a little dusty from its trip into the trash bin.
"*Groan* please don't mention that… I still haven't forgiven it"
"This sounds like a story I need to hear"
"… … only if you promise me one thing"
"*Chuckle* Sure, anything"
"You have to watch the movie with me…"
"I think I can do that" Marc said as he leaned down and planted a kiss atop Sarah's head
"*Sigh* Okay… remember all those weeks ago, when I found you sitting in the darkness of the mess hall?"
The two shared some good laughs over Sarah's story, then they made themselves comfortable and Sarah started the holo-vid. Marc enjoyed these moments more than he ever believed possible, but perhaps it was because he knew what was coming… but for now, this was enough.
Around the same time as Marc and Sarah spoke their words, a woman was making her way with shaky steps towards her lover.
They had spoken earlier, but for some reason this time it felt so much more… real. Like now was the time for her to truly empty out her heart, like if she didn't do it today… well then she wouldn't get the chance again.
As Ashley's thoughts focused more and more in Liara, she felt warmth spread through her chest and the shaking of her legs stopped… now was not the time for fear, now was the time to be bold and daring.
"Liara?" called Ashley as she stepped into the room
Ashley didn't get an answer; she didn't need one either after seeing her. Liara was sitting on her bed, a warm smile on her face and her omni-tool open. She was reading a message from her mother and grand-father, they had been informed of their "escape" and so they wanted to wish Liara the best of luck.
Ashley didn't wish to interrupt her so she removed her boots and climbed into bed, and hugged Liara from behind. She felt Liara lean into her embrace, and then the omni-tool was tilted slightly so she could read the message along with her.
To my dearest Little Wing,
Tevos just informed us that the Normandy "fled" from the Citadel during a lockdown, so of course your grand-father has spent the past hour ranting about the incompetence of the Council. Because of the lockdown, mind you.
I am writing this to wish you the best of luck, I know you are going after Saren and I hope you get him. Be careful out there little wing, I couldn't bear the thought of losing you.
How's Gramps favorite little girl doing?
But in all seriousness Liara, I need you to be careful when you go after Saren. You mother is right in saying losing you would hurt us all, I already lost your grand-mother and I am not ready to lose another of my family.
Which leads me to this next part, for which I hope Miss Williams is with you.
This part is solely for you Miss Williams. I am holding you personally responsible for my grand-daughter, if one little freckle is out of place when I see her again you will think fighting Saren was a vacation.
You two stay strong, stick together and you will be alright and we can't wait to see you once all of this is over. I do hope to be great-grandfather before I die, just for your information.
Ashley could feel the gentle shaking of Liara against her chest; she didn't need to see the tears to know they were there. She could only suspect how long it had been, since Liara had gotten this sort of message from her Mother.
"They love you very much" stated Ashley
"*Sniff* I-I know… I just wish that this didn't sound so much like a farewell" replied Liara as she snuggled further into Ashley's embrace
"Well… I kind of wish your grandpa didn't ask for great-grandchildren…" joked Ashley
"*Chuckle* Gramps is always like that, trying to light up the mood with jokes…"
"That didn't sound like a joke to me"
"Do you want them, kids I mean?" asked Liara as she leaned her head backwards so she could look up into Ashley's eyes.
"D-don't ask me that Li, not now… not before all of this…" replied Ashley as she tried to look away from Liara's enchanting eyes
Ashley felt a hand land on her cheek; she looked back down into a pair of misty eyes that were brimming with love.
"I want children someday… *chuckle* I even thought of changing the direction of my Archeology career, make it more of an office job… so I could look after our girls"
"You make it sound like the chance of us splitting up isn't there anymore…"
"Because it isn't, I've made a decision Ash… I'm not letting you go; I don't care what I have to give up for us. If I have to go live on earth and work out of an office, while listening to the sound of our girls running around playing… then I can't think of a greater reward for that, but to have you walk through the door to our home every day"
Now it was Ashley's turn to feel tears stinging her eyes, they slowly began running down her cheeks as she leaned her forehead against Liara's, and slowly allowed her fear's to wash away with her tears.
"*Chuckle* I think I need to get Wrex and Echo a gift…"
"Ohh? May I ask why?"
"If it wasn't for them… well let us just say that the conversation we had on Therum, would have been a lot different… but thanks to them, I gave you a chance and look where it got me"
"Ah yes, you cleverly lured a young, innocent, Asari Scientist into bed with your wicked human ways… they most certainly deserve a gift"
"Innocent? Miss T'Soni if I might remind you who initiated our first night together?"
"Details, details…"
"I love you"
"As I love you"
The two shared a tender kiss, and slowly the world around them vanished as all they could think of was each other. Though Liara might have accused Shepard for being noisy… well it was perhaps not completely unfair, to say that herself and Ashley weren't any better.
Garrus had been dancing around the subject for a while now, ever since Wrex had asked him about Tali he couldn't get her out of his mind.
Shepard's words had hit something deep inside him, he didn't like the idea of dying but he couldn't deny that it could happen. So why wait, as Wrex would say, he should just ask Tali out and hope for the best.
This was the entire reason that he was currently on his way down to engineering. Like so many others aboard the ship, he wasn't going to be spending these final hours alone.
Exiting the elevator, he headed straight towards Tali's little part of engineering. He saw her standing overlooking the engine; she looked to be deep in thought.
"Tali?" tried Garrus
Tali jumped a little at the new voice, but quickly calmed down when she turned around and saw Garrus approaching.
"Oh Garrus, you scared me" she said
"Sorry… You didn't feel like joining everyone else, up in the mess hall?" he asked
Tali shook her head slightly "No, I had some things to think about. You know I'm returning to the Flotilla, after we have dealt with Saren that is"
"*Sigh* I had guessed it, and I suppose that it will only make what I'm about to tell you that more difficult"
"Garrus?"
"Tali… ever since Noveria, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. You are one of the most amazing people I have ever met, and these past few days I have been kicking myself over this… but then Shepard held her little speech and I realized something, I don't want to let this go unsaid"
"What are you saying Garrus, that you love me?"
"I don't know, maybe not yet… but I would love to have the chance to… that is if you would let me?"
Tali chuckled slightly, before she took two steps forward and drew Garrus into a hug. Garrus froze just for a moment, before he smiled and returned the hug.
"I think I would like that Garrus… I have to return to the Flotilla… but if you are willing to give it a try, then… then I would like to have a chance to love you as well"
Garrus had never felt like this before, he felt like he could take on the universe and still come out on top… even if he didn't he wouldn't care, as long as Tali would be there with him… then he would be okay.
The two stayed together down in engineering, just talking and laughing together. Garrus even ended up talking about his family, back home on Palavan and how he missed them. Tali talked a lot about the Flotilla, how much she missed her father and was looking forward to seeing them all again. In the end they fell asleep sitting in each other's arms against the wall, just waiting and looking forward to when this was all over.
All across the ship the crew were acting happy, games were being played, stories were being told and joy was spread. Though a somber tone always hung in the air, most everyone just did their own to keep it at bay.
These were the precious moments, this was the calm before the storm and there was not a soul aboard the Normandy that didn't think the same.
If they had to go out, then by the gods themselves they were going out with a bang!
A/N: I don't know what to say people… chapter 17 is done and now I have one big announcement to make.
Chapter 18, titled "The Endgame" will be the final chapter of Mass Effect: Dimensional Rift.
This chapter will be of an undetermined length, as I will be ending the story in chapter 18 I will write until it is finished. This means that the chapter could be 13.000 words, or 30.000 words, it all depends on how much it will take for me to be happy with the last arc of everything. (This also means the release date is highly suspect to change at every moment)
This story has been underway for a good while now; it has even seen a rewrite from its original form. I cannot thank you enough for having stuck with me for this long, so I beg all of you to stick with me for just a little bit longer… so that I may give you a proper farewell, and hopefully an ending you will all be happy with.
Stay happy everyone, I'll look forward to seeing you all one last time!
-BundleJumper
PS: As usual everything that has to do with any Medical or Technical aspect, i have no actual knowledge of as i am not a trained Medic, Doctor or Nurse of any kind. So my knowledge of medical procedures and the build up of a human is very limited.