Chapter 7: The Project

.

.

.

I slumped forward suddenly exhausted. For better or worse, it was done. Hundreds of miles below me in the dark a brutal war being fought out by tens of thousands using nothing more than rocks and clubs. A war that I had started. I could only hope I had done the right thing.

I could afford to be side tracked no longer; the Reapers could be here at any moment. I turned and entered the elevator and punched the button for level three. There were answers only Kenson could give me and I meant to have them now.

Exiting the lift on the crew deck I ran into Garrus looking agitated. "Shepard, what the Hell? Half the ships systems are offline and when I went down to Engineering to find out what happened I found Tali crying her heart out?"

I felt as if someone had shot me in the chest "Garrus, I don't have time to go into it right now" I said gritting my teeth "Coordinate with Miranda and Tali to get the ship fixed asap. Use whoever, whatever you need, top priority ". I pushed past him striding towards the Medical Centre.

Entering at speed, I saw Chakwas and Mordin bent over the unconscious form of Dr Amanda Kenson. They turned to look in surprise, clearly not expecting someone in full combat armour. I removed my helmet.

"Report" I said curtly.

"No change since you brought her in last night Commander" Dr Chakwas said stiffly "she's still unconscious as you can see but otherwise unharmed"

"I need her conscious now Doctor"

"That might be dangerous…" began Mordin

"That's was an order Doctor" I said coldly "do whatever you need to do, take whatever risk. I have questions only she can answer".

Silently Chawas went over to the Medical terminal and activating it administered a cocktail of neurostimulants. A few moments later Kenson's eyelids fluttered open.

"Commander…" She said in confusion.

"Chawas, Mordin, I need some time alone with Kenson" I said motioning for them to leave "Now, I need to know everything you know about this Reaper Invasion and how to stop it"

"Stop it Commander?" she paused for a moment, her eyes gleamed strangely "There was only ever one way to stop it and that's by destroying the Alpha Relay and all that will do is to delay their arrival for a few months, a year at best. Their coming is inevitable"

"The Alpha Relay?... You mean the mass relay in Bahak system?"

"Yes" she said sitting on the edge of the bed "My research proved that the Bahak relay is the oldest in the network – hence 'Alpha Relay' - and has the potential to link with any of the other sixteen relays throughout the galaxy"

A chill went through me "they could take the whole galaxy in one fell swoop"

"Precisely Commander, hence the need to destroy It." she replied with a touch of condescension.

"And how precisely did you plan to destroy an indestructible object?"

She laughed coldly "Yes I know that's the rumour but just because everyone says something is impossible doesn't make it so. Your career proves that. My team managed to construct a base on an asteroid in this system right under the noses of the Batarians smuggling parts and equipment from Omega. I was on a supply run with some of my team which is how I got caught. The asteroid is now fitted with a massive mass effect core and thrusters and the plan – which we called simply 'The Project' – was to slam it into the Alpha Relay at high speed. I doubt even a relay could withstand that."

"And Aratoht Kenson?... what happens to the three hundred thousand people down there on that colony if you destroy the relay?"

"They would all die Commander" she said casually "relays are the most powerful mass-effect engines in the galaxy and the energy released from destroying one would probably resemble a supernova. I am surprised to have to remind a soldier of the ruthless calculus of war…"

I slammed my armoured fist into the bed "I don't need to be lectured by you on the need to make sacrifices for the greater good Kenson, what I do need to know is how you know all this because I'm going to have to have some fucking convincing proof before I allow this to happen"

She smiled at me calmly, her eyes with a messianic gleam "I was granted a vision Commander just as you were on Eden Prime but this wasn't a Prothean beacon, it was an artefact – we call it Object Rho - left behind by the Reapers during the last cycle. It was a vision of their invincible fleet pouring through the relay. It even gave us the time of their arrival, in a little over two days in fact."

"Two days!" I gasped "You are telling me the Reapers could be at Earth in two days!"

Kenyon laughed "Don't concern yourself commander, The Project is complete. My team knows what it needs to do. All you need to do is to get me back to Arcturus Station so I can debrief Admiral Hackett in person."

I shook my head "What I need to do Kenson is to see your damn proof for myself if I'm going to allow this to happen for one thing you have been exposed to Reaper technology. You could be compromised, indoctrinated. You may have even sabotaged the project and not even be aware of it"

"I am not a child Commander!" she said angrily "we took all necessary precautions. The proof you are talking about exists but it is back at the base. I cannot take you there. I cannot allow you interfere with our plans "

I looked at her carefully "Why would you think I would want to stop it... what on earth would I have to gain from that?"

"I can't take the risk, I have no idea what you might do, what you are capable of!" she shouted "You are no longer with the Alliance, hell you work with Cerberus! Who knows what your real agenda is!"

"Kenson, I am going to see that proof whether you like it or not… where is your base?"

She laughed that same icy laugh "If the Batarians couldn't force me to divulge it after two days of torture there is little chance of the Hero of the Citadel being able to"

"Kenson" I said quietly "one of my crew is an asari matriarch. You have no doubt heard of the asaris ability to meld minds. If necessary I will order her to take the information from you by force"

Her eyes widened "You cannot... You wouldn't…!, I am an Alliance operative, a personal friend of Admiral Hackett…"

I smiled at her coldly "and I am a Spectre"

Her face slumped in resignation "OK you win Spectre, I'll take you to my base, and I'll to show you all the proof you need but just you, alone"

I paused considering my tenuous Spectre status "OK Kenson you have a deal, we leave immediately"

She smiled back at me "Certainly Spectre, lead the way"

A/N Thanks for your reviews and comments