I am so sorry this chapter took so long, but on the bright side, my vacation in California was great!
The best part about writing this one was Joker. He's just so funny :) Hope you enjoy!
"All comms with Thessia have been cut off Commander," Joker said to Shepard from the pilot chair, his hands moving quickly over the holographic interface. "Looks like we're going into the dark."
She squeezed the headrest of the chair tightly. "Proceed with the landing, this mission is too important to pass up."
Joker was quiet for a moment, then finally descended into the Thessia atmosphere. "Aye, aye ma'am."
Liara was behind her when Shepard turned around, her eyes full of fear and tears. "I'm going with you, that's my home down there."
Her head was in mid-nod when Thane appeared, walking briskly past the galaxy map to the bridge. All of his muscles were tight, his mouth a straight line. "Commander, I'm going even if I have to force you to bring me."
Shepard ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Lieutenant, please don't do this right now. You know I have to take Liara, and EDI has instant access to the Normandy's resources."
Joker whipped around in his chair. "You're taking EDI down there? Shit, Shepard, you could of at least told me beforehand."
"Your personal matters don't concern me, Joker," she retorted coldly. "Just fly the damn ship."
He threw his hands up in defeat and turned back to the controls. "Who pissed in her coffee this morning?" She could make out under his breath, but ignored it. There were more pressing concerns.
"You're right, Commander," Thane said, backing away towards the elevator. "It's your mission, your decision. I'm not the one to question your authority."
Liara grabbed his arm quickly. "I'll make sure she's safe, Lieutenant."
He nodded to her before continuing into the doors, his shoulders visibly taunt under his thin shirt. Shepard almost regretted her mistake; with Thane she felt the safest. But she could not be selfish and drag him along with every life-threatening mission. Shepard only brought EDI because she feared losing Thane, even if it broke her heart to do so.
"Gear up, you two," she said with no emotion. She was a perfect hard shell on the outside, but a river of emotions within. "We leave in five."
Thane punched the wall of the Life Support room. He wasn't angry at Shepard for doing what she did, he was frustrated at himself. Their relationship wasn't appropriate in this chaotic time. It distracted her from the task at hand, and it was all his fault. It was a mistake to come back to her. If it was a choice between saving the galaxy or saving him, Thane was unsure which she would choose.
He settled down in the chair, hugging his now swollen hand. When he closed his eyes, Thane was somewhere else, far away from his insignificant place on the Normandy. The brightness was almost uncomfortable, blinding him. He squinted through the fog to see a familiar figure.
"Kolyat?" Thane asked, walking toward him. His son turned around, with a smile that resurfaced many pleasant memories.
"Father," he said, opening his arms and enveloping him in a warm embrace. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you."
Thane's arms squeezed him tightly, afraid that if he let go, his son would disappear like a vapor. "I'm so sorry, Kolyat; for many things," he whispered, close to his ear. He could not raise his voice any louder, for his throat was so constricted with emotion.
"There is no need to apologize, Father. You have nothing to be sorry for."
He released his son only slightly to look upon his face. His eyes were attentive and bright, just as they always have been. There was no sorrow or grief in his features, only blissful happiness and content. At the pit of Thane's stomach grew a knot, that his son had become a better man than Thane could ever be, but he had died because of it. "Yes, there is much I need to atone for. I was not the father I should have been. I - I was not there for you and Mother. I left you when you needed me most."
On the monitor was several video feeds from different aerial views of Thessia. Liara remained glued to them, her head slightly lowered in defeat. Shepard knew exactly what she was going through. Leaving Earth that day. . . it was so hard for her. She wanted to stand next to Anderson and fight for her home, fight for her fellow comrades.
"Is this what Earth was like?" Liara asked quietly.
Shepard hesitated, but proceeded to place a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, it was."
Liara turned to reveal her large, blue eyes slightly filled with tears. "I'm so sorry."
"We'll take it back," She said confidently, "I'm not giving up just yet."
Kolyat shook his head, and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did what you had to, and besides, why fret over the past when there is a future to look forward to? Mother and I - we forgive you. We always have, and we understand why you needed to leave."
He wished he could believe his son. That everything was as it should be, with all past griefs forgotten. But Thane still felt guilty for his actions, for his neglect. "Both you and your mother didn't deserve what I did to you, and I know you two have forgiven me, but I still need to forgive myself. I don't know how I will do it, knowing what has happened."
"Indroctrinated presence detected, activating security protocall." The prothean VI announced, returning into its spherical shape once more.
The light of an air ship blinded Shepard at first, but then after squinting and sheilding her eyes, she made out a familiar figure. Her fists and teeth clenched as soon as she recognized him. Kai Leng.
"You," she said coldly, raising her pistol so the bastard was down the barrel of it. "You killed the scientists and Thane. What do you want?"
"Your attention," he said simply with a smirk, raising a small orb that floated toward them. "Someone would like to talk with you." From the sphere, a holographic projection of the Illusive Man appeared. It was as clear as day, as if the son-of-a-bitch were standing right in front of her.
"Shepard."
She returned her gun back to her holster. "How did you find this place?"
"The archives," he said, turning toward Liara who still had her pistol raised. "Or did your shadow broker miss that one?"
"Show yourself," Liara retorted, "I promise I won't miss."
The hologram advanced toward Shepard, passing right through her, making Shepard feel sick. "Stick to your talents, Dr. T'soni. You've helped uncover the key to subjugating the Reapers." His projected hand lifted to virtually feel the sphere of the prothean VI.
"Or destroying."
"Damnit Shepard," The Illusive Man cursed, quickly turning back to face her. "Destroying the Reapers gains us nothing."
Her eyes followed him as he paced. "How about peace?"
"They're just trying to control us. Think about it. If they wanted all organic life destroyed they could do it." His arms gestured, emphizing his words. "There would be nothing left."
He was slipping, it was painly obvious. "They're just dragging you over to their side, their way of thinking. You've been spending too much time with the enemy."
"No - I just. . . see things differently."
Anger fueled her until there was a red haze within her vision. "You've forgotten everything you've stood for. Cerberus was supposed to be humanity's sword, not a dagger in our back."
His half grin only added gasoline to the flames. "Poetic, but as usual, you miss the point. The world is more grey than you'd care to admit."
"With the prothean data in this beacon, I can end this conflict. Once and for all." The ultimatum was strangely satisfying to force upon him. "You're either with me or against me. There's nothing grey about that."
"No, I suppose there isn't," he said, walking away. "Leng, the Commander has something I need. Please relieve her of it, and then bring me the data."
The hologram dissapeared as Leng grabbed it from middair. "Understood."
Kolyat blinked fiercely against the welling of tears. "I remember you telling me that no matter how hard things get, never to give up. Perservere through the pain, endure the unpleasant times, and soon the storm will pass." His hand squeezed his shoulder. "Yours will pass, and soon you'll find the path to forgiveness, and eventually happiness."
Thane could find no words as wise as the ones his son had spoke. The only ones that came to his lips were "I love you, Kolyat."
"I love you as well, my father, goodbye."
His son faded before his voice did. After a few quiet moments, Thane found himself opening his eyes back on the Normandy. The anger fueling inside him had evaporated, leaving a calm and tranquil feeling.
"You'll pay for what you did," Shepard yelled, unloading her whole thermal clip onto his shields, then overloaded him before she replaced the clip.
The gunship returned, relentlessly pouring out ammo while the coward recharged within the safety of its blinding light. She would defeat him, here and now for what he put her through. What he did to Thane and the Citadel.
His flips and agilness was infuriating as she tried to get a good shot on him. Just as he was in her scope, he threw down his sword and sprinted toward Liara. "There's only one way this ends."
Leng hit away her pistol and easily lifted her into the air, causing her to crash right into EDI. Thinking on her feet, Shepard leaped over a counter and kneeled to lay precise shots on him. But he was quicker than she, and had already placed a biotic barrier to protect himself. With his other free hand, he called in the airship once more.
Backing away, Shepard could feel the air of the missile as she ducked into cover. The structure of the temple was collapsing under the impact, causing a column to fall in her path. She dove out of the way, barely scathing by. The ground underneath her started to give in, craking a faulting under her weight. Quickly returning to her feet, she ran and jumped onto the nearest stable object she could reach, but that too was also falling to the cave-in.
From the distance, she could hear his volitile voice. "Cerberus thanks you for all your hard work."
It took all her strength to sustain her grip on the piece of rubble. She finally managed to place her feet on a sturdy part and climb the way back up. Below her was what seemed to be an endless depth of the underbelly of the prothean beacon.
When she finally reached the top and halfway pulled herself up, Leng was already making his way toward the airship.
But the rubble below her finally gave in. She clung onto the ridge with everything she had, yet her hand was slipping. In that moment, all the happiness and love she'd experienced with Thane boiled to the surface. All of the tender and blissful touches, the long nights in her cabin, watching the endless void of space above them. It was calming, and she accepted - maybe even welcomed - her death.
"Shepard!" Liara's voice called out, and her hands gripped her tightly. "Hold on!"
Instinct finally kicked in, and Shepard frantically grasped onto Liara. Using the momentum Liara gave her, she launched onto her feet and grabbed the nearest gun without even giving a second thought.
As she ran toward the fleeting gunship, she unloaded the thermal clip onto its hull, but it was futile. The slippery bastard had escaped again, and she failed.
Around her, Thessia was collapsing. Reapers kept pouring in from orbit and it felt like it was entirely her fault. The weight of the asari homeworld rested upon her shoulders and she had let it down. Countless dead, and more to come. When would it stop?