Chapter Eighteen: The Legend and the Pragmatist
"Where did they go?" Captain Kagetono moved from one squad to the next, looking amongst his Space Marines for any trace of the two of them. He repeatedly hollered their names into the air, expecting a reply from a far off yet reachable position, he received no such reply. In time the other Space Marines looked around for them as well, and unfortunately came up with similar results…
"Captain!" Sergeant Malus, the wise and insightful leader of a Tactical Squad, brought Legion to the Captain's attention. Gesturing with his massive power fist, he sent Legion over to converse with Kagetono.
"Where is your squad, synthetic?" Kagetono asked.
"We are unable to answer that question at this time. However, we witnessed an anomaly exactly nine minutes ago. Through an unexplainable phenomena, Lawson and Shepard teleported to an unknown location. We are not used to making assumptions, but after reviewing the situation we assume they were taken against their will."
"Can any of my men back up this claim?"
"Sergeant Malus, and Battle Brothers Cleon and Kyba of Tactical Squad Nobilis." Legion replied, followed by the Captain gesturing for the three mentioned Space Marines to come forth to the Captain.
The storm clouds were dissipating, the rain had ceased, now the only sound in the city other than those of a hundred Space Marines conversing or tending to their gear, was the rain flooding into the sewer drains. The faint sounds fused into a chorus that mimicked a far off waterfall. Water still dripped from the armor and weapons of the three marines, they made no attempt to dry themselves off.
"Yes Captain?" Malus was a man with soft facial features, a trait uncommon amongst the Space Marines, his hair was the color of sand and his eyes black. His legs from the tip of the femur down were lost years ago, replaced by sturdy bionics that shimmered after a nice shower like the rainstorm that just past. His two underlings were equally as impressive looking as their sergeant, with elements of different variants of power armor mixed symmetrically into a suit unique to each marine, a trait common among the Fate Breaker Marines.
"You saw the Commander and Officer Lawson vanish?"
"Not exactly, we turned around one moment and the next they were gone." Kyba added.
"Did your men run an Auspex sweep?"
"We did sir, but our squad's Auspex keeper, Brother Hadrian, has reported three signal sources at the top of the tower. We cannot discern the cause of those signal sources, but there is one isolated signal, and the other two are meters from each other." Malus replied.
"That's enough of a reason to break down the doors of this tower, don't you agree Sergeant Malus?" Kagetono asked, smirking.
"Aye, Captain. Shall I send for our Vindicator Tanks?"
Suddenly, the stone doors of the tower cracked. The crack was followed by several mechanical sounds, as if a hidden array of concrete mechanisms worked behind the doors. They shifted forward from the seamless tower base, revealing their thick profile. The doors were easily ten meters of solid stone, yet they smoothly moved away from their frame in the tower, they slid along a hidden rail system until the entire doorway was free of their obstruction. Every Space Marine had drawn their bolters as soon as the doors started to move, approximately eighty infantry pointed the barrels of their mighty rifles into the boundless shadow beyond the doorway.
"Kuzon, take Tactical Squad Custos into the tower. I will follow with Tactical Squad Nobilis." Kagetono ordered over his radio, looking at the ominous tower entrance, unable to see anything beyond the shadow veil. "All other squads, hold this point. Do not enter unless we call for assistance."
"Shepard?" Miranda was highly disoriented, one moment she was talking to the Commander when in the blink of an eye darkness replaced all that she once saw and heard. She rubbed her eyes, the cold metal of her right hand was as smooth as her other hand. She then realized she wasn't blind, she looked around for any source of light, but could find none, yet she could see her hands and everything else on her person.
"It's been a while, Miranda." A familiar voice came from behind her. She spun again, wondering why she saw nothing in that direction before, but now the light of a dying star cast a dim haze at the corners of a defined space. This was also familiar, as familiar as it was not welcome.
She looked to the silhouette of a man in a sleek chair, facing the projection of the star. "Illusive Man…" She was perturbed and annoyed, and aware of the impossibility of his existence. "If you're going to say anything, don't bother. You are not real and I haven't the time or the patience to talk to the real Illusive Man, let alone a copy."
"This isn't like you Miranda. Has Shepard really corrupted your vision so far as to turn from Cerberus?"
"I will not let a figment of my own mind believe that I could ever return to the side of Cerberus! For years I was made to understand the perspective of such a group. I still understand, I comprehend its goals and intentions, and to an extent I still believe in them, but no more! I have seen the mighty and whole truth, so has Shepard and so has the real Illusive Man. The Reapers cannot be stopped while backing human interests, it could never and will never work, and I won't support it! You say I have been corrupted by Shepard into making this decision, but that would imply that I am weak of mind. I have no regrets in supporting Shepard and I have no regrets on turning from Cerberus!"
"Suddenly, you let your emotions burst from your mind and wash over me, the concept of emotional compromise has always been an alien trait to you, Miranda. Why does it guide you now?"
"These are things that the real Illusive Man will never hear, and since you are a figment of my mind and not real, you understand that Shepard will never work to further Cerberus at any point. Shepard is an agent of the truth, and through him I understand the logic and reasoning of all sides."
"So your love for him guides you?"
"That is but a small fraction of the whole that is my loyalty to him. You forget one thing, false man. It's not that I am ordered to be at his side, but I would choose to be nowhere else. It is choice that defines us, and I choose to forever disavow any allegiance to this organization forthwith!"
The light went out as quickly as a man smothers a candle with his fingers. Miranda stood in the silent darkness, contemplating the reality of the decision.
From her first memories as a child on the run, to her young adult years with Cerberus, to her time with Jacob and the Lazarus Project, the images flew through her mind in the constant wind of her thoughts. Then, images of Shepard flashed again and again. She smiled in the darkness, realizing many things…
'I already made the decision long ago.'
The wall behind her shifted and shuffled, the metal walls that were forever hidden by the Illusive Man's projection of a dying star gave way in a sense. The walls came apart, the flat paneling receded in segments, and grey dust clouds seeped in and dispersed. Miranda could barely see, but in comparison to the pitch black darkness of the room the dim grey light blinded her. Then, that grey light became brighter, going from a grey haze to radiant light in seconds. Miranda struggled enough to look in the general direction of the light, and then Miranda could hear metal footsteps.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she utterly froze in awe.
There he stood, a titan among men, nine feet tall and imposing in every sense. His terminator armor was blue like the ocean, flawless and free of dust and damage. Elaborate golden ornaments dominated his person, from shoulder mounted icons of eagles and angels to incense burners and scroll holsters that covered his belt. His arms were hidden by two massive mechanical gauntlets, attached to them automatic rifles that were fed by belts of bullets that led far up the back of his armor. Laurel wreaths, Iron Halos, and purity seals speckled what little blue armor was actually showing under the gold icons, indicating his seasoned past and seniority on the battlefield. With the slightest movement his crimson cape would flow behind him dramatically, only adding to his intimidating appearance.
The man passed over Miranda's shuddering expression with a laser sight, originating from his left eye, "I am Marneus Augustus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines and Lord Macragge." His voice was refined, bellowing, and perfect. Miranda had not encountered anything like the man before, for no single Space Marine she had met of fought beside could seem to measure to his greatness. This was a rare occasion where her cold demeanor was overcome by stronger emotions, she had never been so captivated by shock and awe, and from but a glance at a single man.
Yet he was not real either.
"Why are you here? I've never seen you before?" Miranda pointed her question at the illusion, and not the man."
"I shall escort you to Martin, it's only fair that you are present." Calgar used Shepard's first name, causing Miranda to note she nor the rest of the Normandy crew called him by his full or first name.
"May I ask what for?" Miranda was keen on remaining cautious and respectful to the illusion of Calgar.
"You just overcame an emotional burden, did you not? Shepard must now do the same… It would be out of place for me to say anything more." Calgar gestured with two fingers for Miranda to follow him into the mist of light.
Everything became dark again.
Miranda had an idea of where she was, but that alone felt to be as insane as it was morally wrong. She was somewhere in Shepard's mind, a place perhaps no outsider deserved to see with their eyes.
She came to a muddy cliff, covered in scattered patches of green grass. She could vaguely make out a man at the edge of the cliff, he was on his knees and his head was in his lap. As she approached behind the massive form that was Marneus Calgar, she could tell the man was Shepard.
Beyond the cliff was a horrific scene, she could see a once serene and tranquil valley, surrounded on all sides but the north by a ring of mountains. The north allowed her to view the ocean and the horizon between the sizeable gaps in the mountains. But this was not a peaceful scene, it was not warm or nice or pleasant, that seemed to have been taken from this land years ago.
A raging rainstorm, not unlike the downpour during the battle to reach the tower, covered the landscape. Black clouds obscured the sky and all possible light, leaving only the roiling infernos that had overtaken the valley town to light the sky. Lightning bolts surged into the water close to the horizon line, illuminating dark shadows of crustacean-like machines, the villainous Reapers, floating in the distance above the water.
Miranda peered down into the valley, only to see wrecked statues and monuments that represented each of Shepard's friends and comrades. She could see proud structures now reduced to rubble and ash, littering the valley in a toppled mess.
Miranda could finally see it, even if it was some elaborate fabrication, Shepard's will and resolve had broken.
"This is his visualization of the Reapers winning, carrying out the extermination of the human race." Calgar added. Miranda noted the pouring rain washed over his smooth armor, but the rain not once touched her. She could not feel the wind, smell the flames or the stench of death, she was a guest in his mind but she could not help but feel as if she was trespassing.
"Does he know I'm here?" Miranda asked Calgar as she approached Shepard, kneeling down to his level so she didn't have to raise her voice over the pouring rain. One hand went to his left arm and she froze.
In an instant, scattered memories of Shepard's past played in her mind. She could see his death at the hands of the Collectors. With this memory, the emotions and the physical trauma he experienced at the time went with it. Horrific pain and terrible emotions overwhelmed her psyche for but a moment, she would have let out a scream from the experience if it had lasted any longer. She pulled away and gripped her head, only to look back at Shepard, still overcome with despair in his submissive pose.
"I did so much for this galaxy. I saved innocent lives, I halted the invasion plans of an omnipotent and genocidal machine race, and at least in between those things I had a bit of fun. But I failed to create a long term solution, hell people thought I was lunatic for talking about the Reapers." Shepard tilted his head to barely face Miranda, but the eye lenses of the power armor were always opaque, she could not gather an expression by looking through them.
"So what? Your crew believed you. Anderson believed you. Cerberus believed you. It seems the people that believed you are the people that were the ones with the power to do something." Miranda retorted, staring boldly into the eye lenses hoping she could get to him.
"And yet it is the hand of Cerberus that stole my credibility! I understand that time and hard work went into resurrecting me and replacing my ship, but after that the Illusive Man went to great lengths to fuck me over!" He backed away from Miranda and rose to his feet, staring out at the apocalyptic horizon. "Freedom's Progress, Horizon, Ferris Fields, all of them have been lost or marred by the Collectors. The Reapers are readying themselves for an invasion, if not already on the march, and I'm sitting here in a future where humanity is slowly dying in a galactic war, so far from my true goal! I'm sure whatever is at the top of that tower can tell us why we need to be here, but I question what purpose we serve if the Space Marines know what we do. But, say we do succeed here, how does that help our fight back home? Is this a giant distraction?"
"That is up to you to answer, Shepard." Calgar interjected, causing Shepard to wholly turn to face him. Miranda tried to add something, but Shepard seemed to not hear it altogether, as if Calgar held his attention so utterly his mind blocked out all others. "This galaxy, here in the 41st millennium, needs you just as much as your galaxy does. However, you are not bound to this task. You can leave at any time with or without Miranda Lawson, and the events that transpire here may or may not affect the events you experience upon your return to your time."
Miranda moved to Shepard's side, taking his helmet off and holding it out of reach, "Look at me Shepard." He turned to face her, she could now see how psychologically worn and tired he was. Trauma that would have broken the sanity of most men had little effect on most men, but it had slowly eroded Shepard's dauntless soul. However, Miranda was most certainly not going to let that fade into the night. "Do you see a Cerberus symbol on my clothing?" Shepard looked to the patch just above Miranda's left breast, finding the insignia to be marred and unrecognizable by two horizontal cuts in the shirt. "What you did for me I will never forget. You allowed me to choose a side of my own volition. I was not convinced or persuaded, you let me make the decision to change without letting your hatred for Cerberus tainting your arguments with bias. I now understand what kindness is in your heart, how it drives you, and I will not allow you to cast it aside and admit defeat before our enemy has even shown its face!"
Shepard froze, something in his mind clicked. The tiredness in his face faded in moments, replacing it with the look of zealous rage. He grabbed his helmet from her hand and put it on, "I'll be damned if I let the Reapers get here and the galaxy isn't waiting with nothing short of a dozen fleets!" Calgar had vanished, but that regal and fearless posture that he maintained now seemed to take form in Shepard, who turned to her with an apparent sense of renewed vigor. "I have been through so much, and it has changed me, but it has never changed my kind and tolerant heart. It took me forever to realize that, and I never would have if not for you."
"You allow me to turn against the organization that raised me and I bring you back from the brink of insanity, we're even." She replied with a smirk.
"No, you resurrected me. I still owe you big."
"Ha ha! That you do." They gave each other a light hug as they laughed in unison. The entire illusion faded around them, revealing a grey corridor with a high ceiling and walls smudged with dirt and grime.
A door opened at the end of the corridor, ten meters from their position.