Cue Mass Effect Soundtrack - Saren's Theme. [Again! If you've already stopped listening to it. For its thematic significance. Obviously.]
And as Saren clacked away at the tower's holographic interface, entering every single entry that Sovereign dictated within his mind...something inside him wavered. A feeling of...what? It always eluded him at the last second! Every time! His vision was focused solely on this console's orange panels, eyes clearly recognizing them for what they were...but...did he truly? Did his eyes actually see what lay before them? Was what he was seeing real? Were these eyes he was using...still even his own? Was this body?
...was his mind?
Desolas.
That was it. That was the name that hadn't crossed his mind in years. For why would it? In the last decade, his focus had entirely been centered on, solely intent on saving organic life. And he had cast aside his own in its entirety to do so. Every single relationship. Every single grudge. Every single weakness.
For Sovereign had shown him how weak they all truly were. How insignificant they were. How ignorant they were. How ignorant he had been. He had killed Edan Had'dah for his research in '65. Spent years, decades of his life interpreting it all. Tracking down what it detailed, pinpointing the location, preparing the expedition...all in effort to seek a weapon to simply put humanity in its place. And instead, he had discovered a conspiracy that revolutionized the entire Galaxy as he knew it. The Reapers wouldn't just destroy the humans. No, they would destroy turians, salarians, asari- EVERYONE! They would consume EVERYTHING in their wake. He had known it as soon as he had entered that derelict ship. As soon as he saw what lay inside. As soon as Sovereign had spoken to him. There was no alternative. There was no other recourse.
The Citadel Wards began to huddle together in consequence of his last action, ushering Sovereign forward from the battle outside, on towards the bowels of the station, inside where it would be free of any interference from the Nebula surrounding them, a place the remains of the Citadel Fleet would be unable to touch it. For nothing could stop Sovereign's agenda now. The Reaper's victory was all but assured. This Cycle was at it's end.
So why was he so distracted by that name?!
Then Saren let out a snarl as something throbbed in his mind.
Relinquish Control To Us.
The voice reminded him to resume his task as the turian continued transferring access of the station over to the entity now perching itself above him, its aura undeniable, presence impossible to ignore, malevolence overwhelming...
Desolas.
Desolas and that last look he had given him before the end...
No. That was impossible. He had forgotten the face of his brother long ago. Every. Detail. He had been the last one to see him, the last one to speak to him, the last one to touch him...but his passing had occurred more than twenty years ago. He had no need to remember it now. No, what he remembered of his brother was only the oath that he had made to him that day. That day he perished inside Temple Palaven. The oath Saren had made to avenge him. To make the humans pay for what had transpired-
But no...that human...Shield...
No, he knew nothing. It was not the truth. What Sovereign had told him was.
The human knew nothing of what he spoke. The Arca Monolith...was a Reaper device. Proof that they had come and would come again. And Desolas had conspired with its servants to create legions for them. But HE was not HIM! His brother had no idea of the forces behind the Monolith, forces he thought he could control. But Saren...no, he knew better. Unlike Desolas, he-
No! Did he not seek out Sovereign for that very reason?! To discover an artifact that would give Palaven power far beyond its own grasp!? To put humans in their place!? He wasn't misguided! Did they not deserve it?! For what they did? Throwing his brother to the Monolith, ending-
But were you not the one that ordered the strike? You were who-
Protected Palaven! He had done it all for Palaven! For the Hierarchy! For-
But the humans actually responsible got away-
The humans that Desolas had deemed to bring HIMSELF! If he hadn't brought them then-
No. If the Monolith hadn't been brought to Palaven, hadn't corrupted all those minds, then Desolas would have never perished in the first place. His death was because-
Because he was MISGUIDED! He was narrow-minded! He sought to use powers beyond his control-
Only because he sought the safety of their race. To protect their species. He-
Was that not what he himself was doing?! Was he-
Being misguided?
NO! Protecting turians! Asari, salarians, hum-EVERYONE!
The Turian paused, lifting his hands away from the console, grasping at his head. Why was his mind so conflicted?! He had never regretted anything! Never regretted anything he had ever done! Nothing in his entire LIFE! He had always done what he did with good reason. For he always did what was required of him. What his people demanded of him. His DUTY! His actions were ALWAYS justified because they meant that their society would continue on! So why were his thoughts so conflicted-
Pathetic Creatures Scurry Behind You. Shepard Approaches, Seeking To Prevent The Inevitable. Delay Her.
Saren glanced over his shoulder in conjunction with its command, already hearing the pitter-patter of their steps. He quickly tapped the console once more, changing its color from a bright orange to a dark red, conveying it had locked out any other user, and then quickly stepped forward, off the walkway entirely, dropping out of sight and into the depths below. He landed on the hovercraft idling underneath softly, already waiting for his next command. He then slowly unclipped a disc from his waist with his right hand, eyeing it with disdain, before drawing his firearm in the other. What he had seen...Sovereign was right as always. She was here after all.
Shepard had come so far...only to fail.
Our Victory Is Nigh. Defend The Console.
Furrowing his brow, he willed the geth vehicle rocketing upwards, hovercraft shooting up out of the chasm and far above the Council Platform before Shepard's team could even react, tossing his grenade their way while doing so.
Shepard immediately dove out of the way, an action repeated by several of her party members, with only the sole Krogan present actually caught in the following blast. But it did not truly matter. It had had served its purpose. Sent the fools scrambling for cover. And Saren slowly raised his pistol upon seeing the puppets act just as he had desired. His eyes lit up as well, for he was also glad that they had arrived. For they would be a proper distraction from these...thoughts. And the turian did not wish to be alone when the Reaper's triumph finally came.
No, that was wrong. It was HIS triumph-
Urgh.
He clenched his talons tight as his head throbbed, mandibles twitching as he next addressed the recent arrivals.
"Mmm...I was afraid you wouldn't make it in time Shepard."
...why?
"Had to wipe out a few hundred of your followers along the way! Sorry if I kept you waiting," the crimson-haired warrior merely barked back from behind her railing.
Why did you hope they would come? Why do you wish for any kind of company at all?
"You've lost, you know that don't you?" he made sure to clarify, dismissing both his doubts and Shepard's bravado with a wave of his arm. "In a few minutes, Sovereign will have full control of all the Citadel systems. The relay will open, the Reapers will return."
Do you currently speak because you wish to stall them? No, that's not it, is it? Sovereign will be done in moments, there's no need...so what exactly is it that you're doing right now? What do you seek-
"I'm heading to that master control panel. And you can't stop me!" the ignorant fool only shouted back.
"You survived our encounter on Virmire," he ceded to her. He had not expected that outcome. Shepard truly was a talented soldier, had earned her accolades despite what he had previously thought. "But as I told your compatriot, I've changed since then. Improved. Sovereign has...upgraded me."
He felt his power course through his body at that very moment. Sovereign's power. Every tendril, every muscle, every fiber of his being, pulsing in unison. The sensation made him feel godly. Like a being of unparalleled ability. The pinnacle of what they were all truly meant to be!
...but had he even really needed them? He was the BEST of the Council's lap dogs. Their best Spectre. The youngest turian ever inducted. He had earned that position. Despite her skill, Shepard hadn't challenged him on that planet back then. He had killed plenty stronger than her before. So why had he accepted Sovereign's implants then? To strengthen his mind? If-
No. No...it couldn't be.
Shield's words during that storm echoed in his head again.
'Keep lying to yourself Saren!'
"I don't know what you're talking about but fancy hardware's not gonna save you!"
The turian's attention immediately snapped back to the matter at hand, ridding the thoughts from his mind.
"You just don't understand Shepard," he informed her. "Despite your preconceptions, there is a place for organics in the new order. The reapers need men and women of action. People like US! Sovereign recognizes your value. You've impressed it. Surrender to the Reapers and you will be spared. Join me...and we can find a place for you."
...all a lie.
Sovereign's interest in her solely stemmed from the fact that she alone had pursued them. She alone had caught wind of its dealings. And that she alone was the obstacle most detriment to their plans. Sovereign's interest in any organic beside Saren himself stopped there.
So why did you just tell her that? Why did you offer-
"I'd rather die than live like that!"
"Then you will die!" Saren immediately snapped in rage. "You and your companions! Everyone you know and love! Everyone you've ever met! Don't you understand?! You will all DIE." His ranting caused him to pause, eyes widening as he found himself breathing heavily, reflecting on the words that had just left his mouth. But they were all true. Every single one. "...the Reapers can't be stopped. Not by the Protheans. Not by you. The Cycle always continues-"
"Why can't you see that the Reapers have indoctrinated you!" the voice of Benezia's daughter rang out from somewhere in the room. If only that fool Tanok had completed his mission, Shepard would have never have learned what she had needed to. About the Protheans. About the Vision. About the- "Sovereign has taken your mind just as it did my mother's!"
"Even if it hadn't before, it certainly has now!" the C-Sec agent originally tasked with investigating him yelled next. The estranged son of that famous investigator Castis. His involvement had led Shepard straight to Fist, hadn't it?
"He's controlling you through those new implants!" Shepard's quarian continued for them. She was the one that had instigated this entire affair, wasn't she? Whose death would have prevented the Alliance and Shepard from ever acting against him. His agents should have killed her. "Can't you see that?!"
"You're a fool Saren," the deep voice of a Krogan suddenly guttered behind her. "Just another turian too blind to-"
"NO!" he finally shouted in response to all of them. Because they were all simply wrong! Ignorant. He was still the owner of this vessel. They just needed a proper explanation to see why. That's right. "None of you understand! The relationship is symbiotic! Organic and machine intertwined, a union of flesh and steel. The strengths of both, the weaknesses of neither! I am a vision of the future. The evolution of ALL organic life. Can't you all see?! This is our destiny! If you all join Sovereign, we will all experience a true rebirth!"
A true rebirth.
Into something like the husks. Or the Meta-Turians. Was that not the Arca-Monolith's original purpose? What those 'Valluvian Priests' had been doing to Palaven's people all those years ago? Like Shield had said...had you not destroyed them and that machine for that exact reason?! Their single-minded drive to offer people to that device! Forcing evolution onto them, corrupting organic flesh with synthetic grafts, imposing change unwanted, unneeded-
You Exist Because We Allow It. And You Will Evolve As We Demand It.
"GRGH!"
"The Reapers don't use organics!" Shepard deemed to lecture him now. "They devour and discard them! As soon as they're conquest is over, you'll be cast aside!"
No, that wasn't true! That was the one reason why he had been doing any of this-
'To save yourself!'
No. NO! It had all been to save the lives of others! Organic life! Life as they knew it!
Saren dismissed Shepard's words from Virmire as they resonated inside his mind again. For he knew they were wrong. They had to be. He hadn't done all this out of self-preservation...but if the only way life could survive was through implants, as mechanical servants, as husks, as thoughtless...abominations... would that truly even be life worth livi-
RAGH.
"I had no choice!" he spat, twisting his head away. "You saw the visions! You saw what happened to the Protheans! Surrender or death! There are no other OPTIONS!" he continued to shout, face returning to her, thrusting his arm in her direction. She didn't know the futility of her actions! She was ignorant of how powerful Sovereign was! She-
"You could have resisted. You could have fought. Instead you surrendered. You quit!"
NO, HE DIDN'T! HE...but she had seen everything he had...hadn't she? The Beacon, the warning, had talked to Sovereign ITSELF! So why did she still resist?! How could she possibly-
He raised a hand to his head, mind pounding, thoughts swirling, shadows creeping, everything becoming too overwhelming to even think. Her spirit...she couldn't be...couldn't be stronger than him, could she? Fight the Reapers? Was that even truly an option? ...was it?
"Maybe...maybe you're right," he unconsciously muttered aloud. "Maybe there is still a chance for-"
You Will Obey. You WILL Carry Out Our Will.
"Ghrk, GRAGH! Agh-"
He felt spirit be torn asunder, every object around him rippling, something chattering loudly at his ear, someone's talons raking his spine, shadows rising up, telling him she was WRONG! But...NO!
She fought them because...she wasn't indoctrinated.
She wasn't indoctrinated.
Unlike him.
"Ah...gah...the implants." The words left his mouth absent-mindedly. How had things come to this? When had he lost control? Was it when the implants had been introduced? When he had first found Sovereign? Had it...had it been as early as Desolas' death? ...when he had come into contact with that Monolith? "...Sovereign is too strong. I am sorry," he spoke aloud now, apologizing to no one at all I particular. "...it is too late for me."
All his research, all his efforts, all his actions...all was for naught? Had the last few decades and choices he made truly been a waste? Utterly meaningless?
"Yes. It is. And so I'm done arguing with you Saren! No more stalling!" the woman suddenly cried out, rolling out of cover, standing tall despite all that transpired around her. "Let's end this once and for all!"
Stalling?
Was...was that what he was doing?
...yes.
Yes, for the Reapers were about to emerge from dark space. Any moment now. Their victory was all but assured. The shadows originally clouding his vision rescinded, returning his mind to him. Yes, for his mind was his own. This was his decision. His choice. His life had not been a waste. His mission was not one made in vain. He WOULD be the savior of this galaxy!
"You should have joined Sovereign when you had the chance!" he immediately roared, firing his gun in her direction. Only those useful to the Reapers would survive. For Sovereign did not lie. It had no need for it. He would survive if he helped the Reapers. Everyone that did so would. It did not lie.
His hovercraft darted over the shotgun blasts that next came for him, arm batting away the warp Benezia's daughter unleashed in his direction, mind materializing a barrier to deflect the incoming barrage of gunfire from the son of Castis Vakarian, implants annihilating the viral sabotage the Quarian had just been trying to introduce to his systems.
He activated his own omni-tool in conjunction, jamming the equipment of Shepard herself just as she swung out of cover to confront him again. The human barely had time to leap away as Saren subsequently unleashed a hail of fire on her position. Neither she, nor her team, nor anyone else on this forsaken Citadel had a chance! He was a Spectre! His abilities and skills were paramount to the rest. He had never ONCE failed a mission! With the stakes never higher, he surely wouldn't now.
"Sovereign is opening the Relay! The Reapers will arrive!"
The hovercraft shot across the room now, Saren dropping warps along the way, carpet bombing the entire room with biotic explosions, Sovereign's implants burning within him as he detonated every single one. The action wasn't to kill however. It was to simply create chaos, sow confusion, end this pathetic farce. Once this was all accomplished, he would kill them, as they were dizzy and disoriented, driven from cover, one by one.
He overclocked his pistol's targeting system as his vehicle rounded on the room, gun's marksman protocol now active, turian deeming to first fire upon the two exposed, those who still had their backs turned to him. The asari barely managed to erect a barrier as he did, the other turian simply opting to spin around and return fire. Both reactions however ineffectual. Pointless. He yanked the quarian nearby up with his biotics, causing her body to barrel towards his position. He then used her body as a shield, deterring the rest from acting. And that subsequently caused the turian to stop his firing, shouting her name pathetically as Saren did so. Bored, Sovereign's Chosen then threw the quarian into the asari harshly, quickly downing the turian beside them with several more well-placed shots. His hovercraft immediately dipped afterwards, dodging the carnage blast that had been aimed in his direction by a wide margin. And once again, Saren let loose his biotics, augmented by technology beyond any organic's understanding, flinging the krogan violently across the chamber.
"Don't any of you understand?!"
Shepard finally whipped out of cover as he shouted at them, unleashing a hail of gunfire upon him in the process. But she was weak. Weaker than the Reapers. Weaker than the Protheans. Weaker than HIM!
His recently boosted shield allowed him to ignore them all. Ignore the rest of her team recovering as his biotics crushed her in place. Freeze the woman in stasis. And his implants would DECIMATE her once he sent Sovereign's unimaginable power her way! Destroy all who stood in the Reaper's way! Why couldn't they just accept their folly? Why couldn't they understand?!
"Don't any of you GET IT?! You will ALL-"
"GETH this!"
The hovercraft spun itself around, Saren's cybernetic eyes widening in alarm, arm already outstretched, already dazzling a bright blue as the figure leaped off the chamber's balcony, dropping the unwieldy weapon just in its hands before deciding to fly straight towards him. Saren had not the time he sought, nor the time to react, nor the time to even realize what was happening before the human was colliding with him head-on, before he could even fire the synapses required for another biotic attack. The turian was immediately thrown off balance by the action, felt himself become weightless as he was tackled off his mode of transport, realized he was soaring through the air as his feet left it, feel himself plummeting straight toward the ground with the human once gravity took hold of them both, failed to activate his biotics in time to soften their impact with the oncoming floor.
But despite the harsh collision, Saren still immediately cast himself away from the man, thrusting himself upward from the tumble, drawing his mexta as soon as his did, fury growing that this Shield was STILL alive, STILL DARED TO STAND IN HIS WAY-
"Knife-"
"Ghrk!"
"-knowing ya!"
Saren felt a point pierce his stomach, penetrate his carapace, draw his own blue blood as they exchanged blows. He stared into the human's eyes in turn, wondering...how had it come to this?
"LIARA!"
Shepard's voice rang out before a singularity suddenly erupted between them, tearing the two of them apart, the daughter of T'Soni enacting her revenge for what he had done to Benezia. No...what SOVEREIGN had done-
A bright crimson bolt headed straight for him, rending apart the biotic barrier he futilely erected in response afterwards, the Krogan responsible grinning wide, obviously taking pleasure in doing so. A Krogan that was supposed to be under HIS command. All Krogan were supposed to be under...no. No, it was to be SOVEREIGN'S command-
He grimaced as he nulled the singularity hindering him and began to raise his barrier again, calling for his hovercraft-
His vision went white as his head suddenly snapped back, mind completely stunned as something electrocuted his entire body, his shields shattering with the phenomenon, all systems overloaded from that quarian's tech attack. If only Jacobus had done his job! Had done as he...NO! What SOVEREIGN had instructed-
"ARGH-"
He had no time to recover before his face suddenly screamed out in agony, Saren only now coming to realize that half of it was missing, his left mandible sheared completely off his face, the flesh under his carapace exposed, what little remained of his cheek burning, a failed applicant to special response of all things responsible-
His eyes then drifted past the smirking face of Desolas in front of him, currently mocking his predicament, malicious eyes telling him he had failed, as some several meters behind him, Saren himself now marched down the walkway, face twisted in hatred, a halo of azure around his head, emotionless cybernetic eyes piercing his-
But that was impossible! That...abomination of...of metal and sinew couldn't possibly be him! He-
With a warrior's cry, the mockery then dug its feet into the ground and thrust out its arm, biotics abruptly activating, flinging Saren through the air, straight through the master control unit behind him, straight off the platform of the Petitioner's Stage, straight down towards the Tower Garden below. Glass broke his fall, if only for an instant, before dozens of shards embedded themselves into him as he quickly crashed through the window pane, his body afire, feeling like it had just been thrust through a thicket of razors, like he was-
And then he continued to fall.
And fall.
And fall.
And-
"GHRK!"
He felt his strength leave his body as blood spattered up out of his mouth, out along with his last breath of air. He laggardly raised his head, mind already going, eyes fainlty drifting to the glass shard the size of an elcor sticking up out of his stomach, skewering him like the ancient Lance of Viruvius. He raised a claw toward it, grasping at it, wondering how it had all come to this-
His eyes then wandered back up to the ceiling, up to where he saw the cold, cobalt eyes of something alien staring back at him. And was that...really him? Could it really be? When had his form become so twisted? So monstrous? A mirror of those meta-turians from all those decades ago? When-
No.
The Current Form Of This Vessel Is Inadequate.
No, that wasn't him. His story couldn't have ended like this...it can't have. He was...he was going...to...
Desolas!
He was...going to...avenge...h-
ASSUMING CONTROL!
And then the turian's synthetic arm went limp, cybernetic eyes grew dark, body grew still, no last gasp escaping its mouth as Saren's head subsequently dropped to the ground lifeless, as if it never had been in the first place.
And blood continued to pool beneath the Turian as his body grew still, just a large plain piece of glass doing what their team of commandos had failed to do back on Virmire.
"Garrus. Wrex...make sure he's dead."
"On it," Vakarian quickly replied to her, Wrex already descending from the Council platform to do just that. They had both been just as eager as her to end the bastard, hadn't they? And they finally had. After weeks of hunting him down...they had finally done it.
They had killed Saren.
She shook off her fatigue and immediately spun around to their tech.
"Tali, hurry and upload Vigil's data file! We need control over the Citadel's systems. Now!"
"Right! Starting the upload Shepard!"
So why did their victory feel so hollow? They had just killed the one responsible for preventing the Captain from becoming Humanity's first Spectre. The one responsible for the thousands of dead on Eden Prime. The one responsible for aiding Sovereign in its mission-
She clenched her fists as the blatantly obvious hit her not a moment later. They had learned on that forsaken world that Saren had never been the true threat. Hadn't been the one responsible for what was currently occurring. That's why she currently felt like they had accomplished nothing. Because they weren't even done. They still had Sovereign to deal with. And with how it cut through the Citadel Fleet, how it bypassed all their defenses completely, how were they supposed to-
"Glad you finally got the point Saren. See you next...fall!"
The idiot beside her caused her to forget her worries, if only for a moment, as he taunted the corpse below them.
"Hehehe, no wait, even better...welcome to the party pal. Hahaaa...NO WAIT! Long live the Kin-"
But before she could tell him to shut up, the man suddenly began coughing fiercely, face clearly contorting in pain, legs trembling as his entire body was racked by its ongoing fit. And she felt a jolt run through her body as she saw it.
"Shield!"
Following the outburst, his pained hazel eyes turned toward her, pathetic expression affixing itself to her own, his face questioning her blatant shock before slowly following her gaze down toward his own stomach, only to find a short blade jutting out of it, discovering Saren had mimicked his own action in his final moments.
"Oh," he only muttered before his knees immediately failed him, body going limp as Shield collapsed to the ground.
"Is something wrong?" Tali suddenly spoke up, looking over her shoulder in panic.
"Focus on getting us control!" Shepard barked back. "Liara!"
Having gotten her attention, Liara yelped Shield's name herself upon seeing him, immediately scrambling over, searching for a medigel kit on her person. In the meantime, Shepard grabbed the man, propping him back up against the railing as he continued to cough and cough, knife wound growing redder and redder with each hack.
"Ah...eugh...it's starting... starting to reallyhurtalotShepard," he wheezed, gasping in between throes.
"Stay calm! We'll help you!" Liara said taking a knee beside them, medi-gel ready, hands already going to remove the knife-
Which Shepard immediately stopped, only shaking her head in response. Removing the weapon at this point would do more harm than good. And would do little for him now even if they could. Taken aback, the Asari paused when she saw the look in Shepard's eye, taking the following moment to then look at Shield, before moving her gaze back down to his wound. And then the Asari began applying gel to him regardless.
"Agh...that's...haha...that's definitely better...hah...hAGH-"
Or it had been before Liara's hand accidentally nudged the knife's grip.
"Sorry!"
"Ah...ha...haha...it's...alright...Liara. No need to be...Asari...about it..."
BLAM.
The sound of a shotgun blast reverberated throughout the chamber. Followed by several more. The voice of Garrus then came over their comm, confirming what they had seen.
"He's dead Shepard."
Then the weary lines of Shield's face suddenly turned to her. "I knew...I knew I could count on you."
"What are you doing here Shield?" was the only thing that could come out of her mouth in turn.
"...I didn't...mention before? I could have sworn...I did...that I wanted-"
Shield shut his eyes as another throe of pain hit him. And realizing she already knew the answer, she furrowed her brow, finishing the sentence for him.
"...you did. That you wanted to stop Saren-"
"No," he interrupted to her surprise, only smiling sadly, shaking his head slowly. "I said...I wanted...to be a hero. I just...mmm...just wanted to be the one... to save everyone...for once. To be...a savior of the universe-"
"Shield, you need to save your strength," Liara stressed beside him, continuing her attempt to assuage the wound as he hacked in pain again. "You're-"
"Dying? Hehe...ayup. Seems like it...Ahhhh-"
"No! I was just going to say that you're wounded! That you need to-"
"Don't lie...I think I'm...pretty close to the edge Liara," he muttered under his breath. "Aren't I...Command-"
She could only stand by as Shield's face became excruciated, blood pooling in his lap thicker than it had before.
"Shepard! I'm in! Vigil's data file worked! We have control of the Citadel. What should I-"
"Open a channel Tali!" she immediately barked back to her.
"...Shepard." She looked back down to the dying man below her. "The...destiny...a cinch...you...you need to-"
"With whom?"
Shepard snapped her head back up to the Quarian. "Anyone! We need to know what the hell's going on out there!"
"You have to..." She gritted her teeth in frustration as Shield began murmuring again. "...everyone has to... take down...Sov...toge...ther..."
"Got one!" Tali suddenly spoke up.
"This is the Destiny Ascension!" an alien voice suddenly came on.
"...promise...me..."
"Shield, I can't understand-"
"Main drives offline! Kinetic barriers down to forty percent!"
"Sov...vy...too strong."
"The Council is onboard. I repeat, the Council is onboard!"
"You have to...save...the Destiny-"
"And I just opened a channel with the-"
"Normandy to the Citadel. Normandy to the Citadel! Please tell me that's you Commander!"
"I'm here Joker," she replied in her comm, panic mounting as the man began choking.
"Shep...oh...dammit...mars...cat...catalyst-"
"We caught that distress call!"
"Shield," Liara plead, "Please, hang on!"
"I'm sitting here in the Andura Sector with the entire Arcturus Fleet-"
"What's happening?"
"We can save the Ascension!"
"Shield?!"
"...Thess...Thes...agh...dam...mit..."
"Get him some medi-gel!"
"Just unlock the Relays around the Citadel and we'll send the cavalry in!"
"We already did!"
"...Shep...ard...please...save...it-"
"Shield!"
"What's the order Commander?!"
"Dammit!"
Garrus' last curse went unheard, as the man's body suddenly slumped, eyes went dark, chest going still as his wound stopped its hemorrhaging. Liara and Tali only looked on in shock as the man ceased to be. As much as she had loathed him...how much she detested him...she had never forgotten the words that man had said in that airlock. How he would gladly give his life for their mission if need be. To stop Saren...to save her. Hmph. And despite all her disbelief...due to all his dishonesty...his dim-witted demeanor...his dumb-ass decision-making...he actually had. In the end he had actually done it. Which almost caused her to laugh.
"I'm sorry Shield," she found her lips only mouth to the body instead.
But she had seen too much death to let this one affect her. She steeled herself like she had so many times before, locking away the emotions she felt every time she lost someone under her command. Because despite all their misgivings...all their fights...all their conflicts...in the end...he had been a part of their team. Part of the Normandy. She extended her hand towards his face, shutting his eyes for him, letting his body close them one last time. And then Shepard stood up, standing tall above the rest once again, carefully eyeing the individuals around her before turning back to the master control console.
"Shepard? Come in now and save the Ascension? Or hold back?"
Because you can't do anything for the dead. You can only help the living.
And she had always found her own way. Made the ultimate decisions deciding the fate of others on her own. That's how it had to be. No matter what opinions others had, what they wanted, what they believed...at the end of the day...they weren't the ones that would live with the consequences. They didn't know what it took to make them. To make those hard decisions. What it took to do your duty as a leader. No, Shepard knew what she had to do as soon as Sovereign had touched down above them.
There was only one way this could end.
"...Shepard?!"
Codex Entry:
Alliance Navy Deployment Brief
First Fleet - The largest fleet of the Alliance Navy. Stationed at Arcturus Station, the First Fleet guards the mass relay connecting to the Sol system and serves as a reactionary force able to respond to any attack across three different clusters. If an alien force were to declare war on humanity as a whole, the First Fleet would be the backbone of military efforts immediately used in response. Threat of the First Fleet's deployment is generally used as a deterrent to those who threaten the Systems Alliance's interests. Currently headed by Admiral Ines Lindholm. Flagship is the SSV Everest.
Second Fleet - Stationed at Arcturus Station, the Second Fleet is largely made up of cruisers, wolf flotillas, and modified frigates volunteering from colonial initiatives for fast deployment. If a slave raid or an incursion from the Terminus Systems were to attack an Alliance colony, the Second Fleet would be the first ships sent in response. Currently headed by Admiral Abdu Balewa. Flagship is the SSV Einstein.
Third Fleet - Stationed at Arcturus Station, the Third Fleet guards the Arcturus-Sol Relay. The Third Fleet is responsible in sharing its duties with the First Fleet, guarding Arcturus Station and its mass relay nexuses, and is specifically charged with defense of the Relay that leads to humanity's local cluster and Earth. Currently headed by Admiral Nitesh Singh. Flagship is the SSV Fuji.
Fourth Fleet - Stationed at Hydra Station, the Fourth Fleet guards the Sol-Arcturus Relay (also known as the Charon Relay). Due to this, the Fourth Fleet is considered to be the warden of humanity's local cluster. If an enemy force were to bypass the defenses and safety net of Arcturus Station, the Fourth Fleet would be the System Alliance's last line of defense between the invaders and Earth. Currently headed by Admiral Jack Lee. Flagship is the SSV Elbrus.
Fifth Fleet - Stationed in the Arcturus Stream, the Fifth Fleet is also known as the Arcturus Fleet, named so for its constant patrols throughout the cluster. Since humanity's induction into galactic society, the Fifth Fleet is often included in joint-military exercises with other races, improving Systems Alliance relations with allied governments, most notably drilling with the Citadel Fleet. The Fifth Fleet is commonly associated with Systems Alliance Special Operations. Currently headed by Admiral Stephen Hackett. Flagship is the SSV Newton.
Sixth Fleet - Stationed at Arcturus Station, the Sixth Fleet is considered a reserve power of the Systems Alliance Military. The fleet's duties largely overlap with the Second Fleet, and will usually follow their deployment based on the situation report. Currently headed by Admiral Johanna Lundvall. Flagship is the SSV Hyderabad.
Seventh Fleet - Stationed at Arcturus Station, the Seventh Fleet's sole task is patrolling the Attican Traverse, policing the Verge to deter any potential attackers. Considered the most underfunded force of the System Alliance's naval operations due to its constant losses from skirmishes with pirates and slavers in the Terminus Systems. Currently headed by Admiral Angelini Giancarlo. Flagship is the SSV Maxwell.
Author's Notes:
With the special occasion of ME:A being released today, I thought I'd release this chapter a little earlier than planned. Despite my better judgement. And I hope you'v prepared yourselves for the onslaught of new SI Andromeda Fics incoming. Which I'll be bandwagoning on too of course. Forget Shepard and the Reapers! And get ready for ScottxShieldxSara!
God help the OT.
And oh, WOW! Look at that! Shield's alive after all! What a surprise-
And he's dead. Well. It was nice while it lasted I guess. Who saw that coming?! This ending is pretty edgy though huh? What was the point of it all? In the end, I guess Shield was just too dull. He couldn't hack it in the big leagues. Saren was a real cut above the rest. Shanks for the memories though Shield. Even your sharp wit can't save you now. And I have more...but they're a slice above the rest. I'll spare you guys the truly glorious puns before I make your minds totally unstable.
But I've been wanting to do this Saren POV for awhile however, as I always wondered how exactly the turian's mind worked during that final confrontation. How you could convince a brainwashed person they were suddenly wrong and off themselves after years of obeying their oppressor. And you all thought that random excerpt in Chapter 5 was in here for no reason at all! Haha...THINK AGAIN. I'm all bout dat foreshadowing brah. Anyway, hope you guys found the thing relatively in character, and had as much fun reading it as I did writing it.
Reviews!
URoRRuR'R'R 1602 - Right? Shield's like a cockroach. Extremely annoying, jittery, and can survive anything. Almost anything.
M29 Griezzly - But that wouldn't nearly be as epic lol. How can you not scream someone's name before your final attack? I will play devil's advocate and say that Saren would have noticed a mine blatantly laying in his way though. And I would ask for your technique on firing a rocket launcher quietly. But Shield is stupid. I will give you that.
ElvizFonz23 - Wait no longer. Here you go boyo. Told you Shepard would poke in the eyes in the end.
TehUltimateAussie - Shield not a badass?! What story you readin' boy?! He's definitely an ass. And looks bad to boot. He certainly is 100% badass. And if you're the pope of such a respectable sect, then I'm the author of a SI ME fanfic...so how exactly does one convert to the Ass Church again your holiness? I feel like its a change I need in my life.
neverendingDiddly-Squat - How bout I just give you a gold star in blackmailing and call it a deal? And to be honest, like any videogame literature, you'll be hard-pressed to find some decent writing. Though a lot of them have interesting premises...they're always sort of usually kind of disappointing. In my opinion, the best one without any weird plot holes or conflicts with the lore is the Mass Effect: Homeworld series. The four issues of it gives you juicy backstory on several companions, including arcs such as Garrus' relationship with his father, Tali's adventures in acquiring the Saren evidence, and James Vega's rendition of Miami Vice. But if you like Mass Effect, you can't really go wrong with any of them. Save for Mass Effect Deception. That shit was so bad, its hilarious. Bioware was even forced to declare it non-canon and pledged a rewrite they never delivered on.
WKRP in Cincinnati - Thank you for sharing the origin of your name. Can't say that I've ever heard of the show. So I'll have to check it out someday, sounds like a good time! And don't worry dude. I think you can get away with a 'my child' on the internet easy. I thought you were until you said otherwise. Hell, I'll declare you a minister of the Ass Church right now. I'm sure the pope won't mind.
OneRandomTangibleDude - And what? Who the hell said she was a corpse?! Oh, someone just gets a sharp knife to the noggin and suddenly everyone thinks they're dead. Ok. Yeah, right! And second of all, even if she was, ain't no mono-gendered alien getting into Shield's harem. Ew. Even Shield has standards.
Toothless is Best - Well I give your review a 5/7 for not replying to the right chapter. Take that.
Pew Pew PeW - WELL DO I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU MISTER!
I don't. But glad you liked the fight scene before the end! I think I enjoy writing them the most to be honest. Largely because I act them all out while I'm writing them. Gotta make sure the choreography's as real as possible.
Dekuton - Adrenaline is a really interesting hormone, purportedly responsible for some crazy shit, and your body regulates it pretty well though overdoses can happen (due to things like adrenal tumors or surreptitious injection). When shit hits the fan concerning adrenaline, usually you'll just develop hypertension and bad heart problems, though the drug won't actually ruin the glands or anything like that. And if doctors are aware, it can be pretty easily addressed, with your body also pretty used to dealing with the stuff since it experiences it so commonly. Beta-blockers and serotonin reuptake inhibitors usually key. There IS an in-universe explanation for all the 'crazy' stuff Shield has seen and done however, such as his adrenaline rush 'power' and the 'talent board', and maybe one day you'll be lucky enough to learn it. One day...
Exercise-ium - Bruh. You're only offering to do that NOW?! With like two chapters left in the story?! Real funny man. Real funny. You're on my list.
In the next chapter: A Hero's Made.
Tune in next time on Mass Effective: A Hero Made!