In Infinitum
Chapter 26
Illusive Man
Cronos Station, Horsehead Nebula, Anadius. 2100 Hours.
The Illusive Man sat inside the headquarters of all of Cerberus' operations. The station Cronos, this facility housed all of the Illusive Man's personal and more secretive projects along with the key minds behind most of the technology that Cerberus was putting into production. Along with a few special guests. He tapped a key on his command chair and the holographic screens closed and allowed him to peer at the dying star near the station.
He raised his cigar, puffed it once and lowered it.
Ever since this business with the Reapers had started and Shepard's fantastic work against them and the Collectors. The galaxy as a whole was more prepared to fight them, but now the galaxy had even greater weapons to fight the reapers. These UNSC and Covenant technologies had opened doorways the Illusive wouldn't have dreamed of. Their tech didn't rely on eezo and it was lightyears more advanced than any of their creations. Least militaristically, medically? Apparently they still had the advantage in that area if what Halsey had been sending him was any indication.
The reports from the Mars mission were also very interesting. The strike team sent in to destroy the data cache from the Protheans had only been partially successful and that was still preferable to a full on failure. The Illusive Man understood now that the future of humanity didn't lay with the Reapers or the Protheans. It lay with Halsey and her technological expertise on her own universe's level of advancement. Answers to defeat the Reapers weren't in the past of their galaxy. No, the Protheans and those before them had all been destroyed.
Now? Now they had a real shot to defeat the Reapers with strategy and cunning.
But they had to do so without relying on some ancient data that didn't even save the Protheans from extinction. The relics of the past will never lead to prosperity. He understood that now and he was determined to follow this wave of technology with the help of Catherine. He puffed his cigar again and the doors to command office opened.
"Ah, Lucy! Wait up, I'm rather winded!" Evangel walked after the stoic woman into the room towards the Illusive Man. He was now one of the few people with access to the technology that Halsey provided them and Cerberus' top researcher.
Lucy stopped several paces short of the Illusive Man, she crossed her arms and frowned. "Reporting as ordered, sir." she said, her tone snippy. She was not happy.
Evangel caught his breath, smiled sheepishly at the Illusive Man and then stood next to Lucy. "Yes, reporting, all that…" he gave a mock salute and chuckled slightly.
The Illusive Man nodded. "Yes, doctor Evangel, Lucy. Always a pleasure." he nodded graciously to them. "I'm sorry for the rushed calling, but once I received the report from Mars and Shepard's involvement. I had to ensure you were safe." He smiled slightly towards his favorite soldier and scientist.
"Well, as you can see we're both fine, aren't we, Lucy?" Evangel smiled to said Spartan.
Lucy nodded and rolled her eyes. "We're fine, He wasn't on the ground team and I handled the Asari, subject T'soni should be dead by now."
"Don't be too sure, Lucy." The Illusive Man said simply. "The Reach is staffed with some of the most qualified individuals in the Alliance and it's equipment is above Grade-A standard. I imagine as we speak miss T'soni is quite well."
Lucy narrowed her eyes slightly and frowned further.
"Do not be too disappointed, Lucy. I suspected that Shepard would show up," Another puff and the Illusive Man tapped a key on his command pad. "I have a new assignment for you, Lucy. You're to head to our Glacier base and oversee the destruction of the reaper technology we have there." he stated simply. "I've come to believe the staff has been indoctrinated and is now working against our interests, and the interests of humanity. Dispose of them as you see fit."
Lucy nodded and turned away before marching out of the room.
Evangel watched her go with a smile. "So eager," he turned back to the Illusive Man. "What about me? What do you have planned for me?" he asked curiously excited.
Illusive Man tapped another key and brought up the picture of the data they had recovered from Mars. "Translate it, see if it can be useful. If not, destroy it."
Evangel nodded, saluted and left when the data was finished transferring to his Omni-tool. It was huge! He grinned ear to ear and the doors slide closed behind him,
With a sigh the Illusive Man spun on his chair and looked at the various data he had gathered on the Reapers. Looking back on it now he realised what a fool he had been, this technology was a poison that had no master other than its own malevolence. He tapped another key and the data banks concerning the Reaper tech was sealed under layers of heavy encryption.
Another tap and the schematics for the Legend appeared on his screen. This monster of a ship had taken almost everything Cerberus had to build, it had cost them as much as five Shepard's and even then the Illusive Man was more than pleased. He would have given the price of a hundred Shepards for this ship. Sadly, without the resources that Halsey had at her disposal it would be the only of its kind for years to come.
With the battle on Palavan going as it was, along with the pressure being applied to the major races of the council they would need something of a beacon of hope to ensure their morale stayed within acceptable range to continue the fight with the will to win.
They needed the Legend and so, the Illusive Man would gladly give them it. Just seeing it on a holoscreen was enough to give the Illusive Man hope that the Reapers could be defeated. It would do so for others.
Spinning around again when his communications line pinged him, the Illusive Man accepted the call and watched as Shepard's form appeared on the holopanel. "Shepard, a pleasure as always." he tipped his head in the Commander's direction. "It's been months since we've chatted."
Shepard didn't look amused. "Illusive Man, what the hell was that back on Mars? Innocents killed, soldier executed and the only possible data that could end this war destroyed." his tone rose with each accusation. "You better have a damn good explanation. You know what happens to those who cross me."
The Illusive Man set his cigar down and looked Shepard straight in the eye. "I'm well aware, I seem to remember you being one of my most effective operatives while working again the Collectors." he said simply, "To answer you concerns, I did what I had to. Shepard, you've seen the technology Halsey is offering humanity. Our future can't be secured through the Protheans or Reapers! She, Halsey, is the key." He explained easily. "I was a fool to believe that indoctrination was the key to our victory." he shook his head.
Shepard raised a brow. "So you've switched gears again? First you almost beg me to not destroy the Collector base, then you risk indoctrination by scavenging Reaper tech and now you want the technology that Halsey has, what's next? You gonna find God?"
The Illusive Man shook his head and tapped a key on his pad. "I've reinstated your Cerberus access and resources, along with back pay for… time in captivity." He stated, "I've also transferred Command of several Cerberus Wet Teams to you, you'll find them useful I think when you can't personally handle business across the theatre of war."
Shepard's expression of surprise was almost enough to make the Illusive Man smile, almost.
"…Why did you reinstate me?" Shepard asked once he got over the surprise.
"Because I still believe you're the shining beacon of hope the galaxy needs to pull itself together and fight back against the Reapers," The Illusive Man replied. "You, Commander Shepard, have done things in the last ten years that defy all expectations. You saved the citadel from Sovereign and his Geth army, you stopped and destroyed the Collectors on their own turf and now you're commanding one of the most advanced ships in the galaxy and being sent out to build bridges between races who feuds run deep as blood," the Illusive man's lips quirked upwards slightly. "And you're succeeding. Shepard, what did I say to you before you went through the Omega Relay?"
Shepard frowned, thinking back to that moment when he and the Illusive Man had one last talk before the supposed Suicide mission began. "You've never seen a better leader." he said finally.
"Yes, and I stand by that. Despite what everyone says our odds are in this fight, no matter what comes at humanity, at this galaxy, so long as you're at the head of the home team." The Illusive Man stood and moved over towards Shepard. "Then whoever stands behind you will fight their hardest, to the end and to victory. You've done the impossible twice before, now… the galaxy demands one more time for your miracle."
Shepard stayed silent, listening to the heavy praise and wondering where this was going.
"Which is why I've given you access to your old resources here at Cerberus, you need resources, I've given them." The Man stopped, turned and walked back to his chair and sat down. "I'm transferring what data we have on Reaper technology to your superiors inside the Alliance. I'll be here on my end analyzing the data from Mars and determine if its useful." He chuckled and withdrew another cigar. "Call me confusing, but I prefer dramatic."
Shepard frowned, but nodded after he thought it over. Could he really afford to turn the Illusive Man away? No, he couldn't Cerberus had informational resources on par with the Shadow Broker herself. He needed them and now he understood that the Illusive Man knew they needed Shepard.
He could live with that alliance for now.
"Alright," Shepard said and unfolded his arms. "I'll inform Hackett that you're willing to work with us."
The Illusive Man nodded. "Please do, though I imagine he'll know before you tell him." he smiled slightly and then said, "And Shepard, once this is over and you've saved the galaxy a third time. I would love to share a drink with you."
Shepard blinked, tilted his head and stared at the Illusive Man. "I don't see why not, you and Jacob owe me some drinks."
"Then I look forward to it, Goodbye, Commander." the com went out and Shepard disappeared from sight.
The Illusive Man sighed softly and turned back to his massive window. He tapped yet another key and a direct line connected to the good doctor. He waited, the line went unanswered a few more moments before it was green to go.
"Catherine," Illusive Man said in greeting.
"Illusive Man," was Dr. Halsey's calm reply. "To what do I owe this call?"
"Shepard just contacted me, I've reinstated him and given him access to his old resources and more," The Illusive Man replied easily. "He reacted as you predicted, quite impressive."
"I told you," Halsey said with confidence. "I knew someone like him. They're quickly becoming so similar it almost disturbs me." she admitted.
The Illusive Man wasn't that surprised at the admission. He and Catherine had been secretly conversing for four months, he had been aiming to recruit her to Cerberus for her extensive technological expertise and in doing so had discovered she was a genius on par with the galaxy's best minds to date. In the short time they had talked she had deduced what he wanted from her and after he had found himself on the receiving end they started over.
He had learned a great many things about the good doctor and she had taken him apart through their conversations, what drove him? Why did he feel that sacrifices had to be made for everything? She had answered these questions and more. She had opened his eyes.
"I imagine that can't be easy for you," The Illusive Man said lightly, tapping his cigar on the tray of his chair. "What's the news about Earth?" he asked, cutting to the point of their conversation. Cerberus wasn't blind, once they had found out their operative was indoctrinated and working for the Reapers they had sent a stealth ship to investigate.
The Illusive Man, in all his years, hadn't been ready to see more then a thousand Reapers in orbit around Earth, the Earth defense fleet had been decimated and almost hunted to nothing. If the Turians though Palavan was getting hit hard, then Earth was knocked out from orbit. With the Reapers there in force and the planet locked down, humanity had lost its homeworld.
He blew out a puff of smoke.
"It's bad, Hackett hasn't reported in since Sol went dark, neither has Anderson. What few stragglers from the fleet that are still arriving all say that Hackett's ship was one of the first to fall during the invasion," Halsey replied grimly. "Alliance Command is in chaos, With Hackett and Anderson gone, it falls on Terrence to step up in Hackett's place until he's found."
The Illusive Man sighed softly and shook his head. "That is a shame, the Alliance will need Admiral Hackett and Anderson." he stated, "Hackett and Anderson would have been on the ground when the Reapers hit. My contact told me they were to be in a meeting with the defense committee discussing the matters of cooperation with the other major races."
Halsey didn't reply for a few moments and he knew she was thinking. "So, you're saying they could still be alive on the surface of the planet?"
He smiled slightly. "Precisely, Catherine," he said with a nod. "If either, or both of them are still alive. They'll need to be extracted as soon as possible. The Alliance needs them."
Halsey sighed from her end. "I know, but the question is how do we get to them? Who do we send?"
"With Slipspace, Catherine," The Illusive Man blew out another puff of smoke. "Anything is possible." He said idly, tone suggestive.
"You're right, but who could we send? With the Reapers in orbit and those on the ground." Halsey said contemplatively, "We're looking at a very small window for success for an in-atmosphere Slipspace transition." she mumbled.
"I'd suggest Shepard, but he's playing bridge maker with the others," The Man replied. "We'll need a team of infiltration, high risk specialists." The Illusive Man said with a frown.
"I think I have the people in mind," Catherine replied confidently. "I'll need to call in some favors with Terrance," there was an alert in the background. "That's all the time I have for today, I'll contact you when I have more information." she rushed, "Keep me posted on the prothean data." she added.
"Of course, Catherine," The Illusive Man closed the line and took another puff of his cigar. He brought up several holographic screens and data rolled across them. He watched them, eyes and expression contemplative.
Palavan, Cipritine. 2200 Hours.
Adrien ducked lowly and leapt to the side to avoid a strafing run by a Harvester that flew past, flanked by Alliance Fighters. The Harvester banked right and then exploded in a brilliant show of fire and scrap when an Alliance HELIX missile struck it. The S-IV kept prone as more gunfire erupted from across the street from her position. She and seven other Spartans had been reassigned to Generator station seven due to their shortage of man power after a heavy assault of Reaper Strike teams lead by Marauders and now she and the others had split up into the rubble and back alleys of the city to keep a lower profile.
It was only her bad luck that allowed her to run into a patrol of Reaper troops. Troops who took notice of her and were now working to pin her down while two Cannibals moved over to her left flank using the wreckage of what was once an administrative building. Her cover being a piece of debris from said building that hardly covered her, but it was better then letting her shields take all the punishment.
She stood up and levelled her Banshee. The weapons barrel flashed twice and the Marauder she targeted stumbled back when the powerful rounds struck its barriers, with a roar it moved into cover behind a wrecked speeder. The four Cannibals with it blanketed Adrien's position with more suppressing fire and she sprinted to the right behind a support pillar of the building across from the ruined administrative one.
She looked down at her ammo counter. It read 34 and she was empty, she'd be out of ammunition altogether. She'd opted to leave all her spare thermal magazines behind at the headquarters since they were expecting another siege like they had that morning. Looking up at the darkening sky she sighed and muttered. "Dumb idea…"
The clouds of smoke that she had become accustomed to seeing suddenly shifted and dispersed as a strong gust of wind blew over her position. She blinked and saw a shadow moving over the city, it was huge!
She turned on her Thermal Vision and once she saw it was red hot, she switched to night. She stopped cold, at first she thought it had been a Reaper that had made it past the multiple Ground-to-Space cannons. But she inspected it closer and saw it wasn't the usual Reaper silhouette, in fact. It was more like a whale and it was huge!
"Attention Alliance and Turian forces! This is the CCV-Legend, we're heating up our point defense lasers, I'm urging all teams to paint ground targets now, we're providing air support!" A woman's voice came over Adrien's com line and she almost jumped.
She watched as little red lights blinked across its blackened hull. Then her shields flared when the two flanking Cannibals fired on her from their new angle directly beside her from the second story of the ruined building. She staggered forward from the impact, hitting the ground and rolling over she sprayed their position with a seven round burst before she linked her reticle to her targeting laser. She marked their position, then she stood and marked the advancing Marauder's position.
"Targets marked." she said.
"Acknowledged," came a more synthetic voice over her com. Adrien checked and saw it was the same channel the woman had spoken from. "Firing."
She spared a glance upwards in time to see a thin beam of red streak down and impact the ruined building right over where the two flanking Cannibals had been. The metal boiled white hot and the Cannibals were flash vaporized by the intense heat, an explosion later the threat was gone before a similar explosion followed in the street where she knew the Marauder team had been.
The Spartan stood and moved back to her pillar. She looked out of her cover and observed the scene she had caused. The Marauder team had and the surrounding area had been reduced to melted metal and smoke. She looked up and saw dozens of red beams being fired from the massive vessel overhead.
This thing was providing air support like no a hundred fighters with pinpoint accuracy.
That amazed the Spartan more than she cared to admit and before she could send her thanks her com opened up and it was Nathan this time. "Theta, Sit-reps, now."
And soon, the reports across the communication lines started pouring, all of which were the same two replies. "Hostiles terminated, area secured." and "Hostile retreating, area is secure." She stopped herself from cheering into the com and instead she held her Banshee up and moved along the street towards the generator complex she had been assigned to.
That was until Nathan's reply to the dozen or so reports came back. "Good work, Theta Company. Cipritine is now ours, readouts show all enemy forces within the city on full retreat." there was a pause of gunfire on his end along with a small cry of 'Yes!' before his voice came back. "Reports from the Spirit confirm Reaper forces in full retreat topside too."
Adrien watched as the massive vessel lifted up and descended back towards the upper atmosphere. And when it didn't obscure her view of the sky she saw the fireballs of debris falling to the planet. She zoomed in a cluster.
They were the burning remains of a Reaper. She smiled.
"Congratulations," Nathan finished. "We've just successfully taken back Palavan."
Fighters swooped across the skies and destroyed any fleeing Harvesters that were trying to leave the city. Any ground troops left inside the city that weren't destroyed in the precision bombing were only small pockets of resistance, they moved in full retreat to the outskirts. Outnumbered they would either be intercepted by advance teams still inside the city or strafed by fighters on the grasslands surrounding the capital.
Either way. Adrien knew they had won this battle. She laughed and lowered her Banshee.
Damn did Victory feel good!
Earth, Sol system. Remains of England Alliance Headquarters. 2200 Hours.
On the twentieth floor of the once great England Alliance Headquarters laid two Alliance soldiers. Both wore Onyx colored armor with the standard N7 crest on their chests and shoulders. One was looking through an advanced pair of binoculars while the other was looking through the scope of a N7 Valiant sniper rifle.
Both lay still, covered in a tarp of thermal blocking fabric, the power to the entire city had been cut hours into the "invasion" if it could be called that. So the Reapers had been using thermal vision optics to find survivors for the last three hours. Mostly civilians at this point as most of the soldiers had either died defending key locations or were on the retreat to nearby fallback positions.
So, why were these two N7 troopers deep inside a hot zone that had been deemed "lost" for awhile now? Simple. They had a very important task to do.
"Strike team, one hundred and thirty-seven meters out." spoke the man beside the sniper as he zoomed on a team of one Marauder, seven Cannibals and a single mobile turret platform that was dubbed "Ravager".
They were just two heavy cannons with legs and small size, their rounds tore barriers apart and were strong enough to pierce tank armor. They had only recently been deployed and no one knew what to think of them, what species did they come from?
"Targets in sight," the Sniper was female. Her voice concentrated, "Sight locked on the Marauder. Am I green?" she whispered.
"No, Cannibal on the far left could trace you." He replied lowly.
"Understood," her finger eased off the trigger a fraction as her barrel slowly shifted to follow the head of the Marauder as it moved its team down a street that had been filled with busy shoppers only twenty hours ago. Now only the debris and charred corpses remained, but they still patrolled it for survivors.
The man beside her shifted again and he frowned. "Hold, shift aim seven degrees to the right, three degrees up."
She did as told and saw a woman carrying a child from a wrecked speeder. She was running quickly down opposite end of her street, her head turned frantically in a panic.
And she was headed right towards the four-way intersection that linked her street and the street of the advancing Reaper strike team.
"Damnit, she's going to be caught." The man gritted.
The woman nodded ever so slightly, as if any fast movements would alert the enemy to their position. Which wasn't so farfetched, they had technically snuck into an enemy occupied building. It hadn't been easy, but it provided the best view within the area for their purposes.
"Yeah, she is…" she whispered. "Permission to fire?"
He paused ever so slightly, then he shifted and opened his com. "Admiral, sir, we have a civilian and child within the path of a Strike team, she's going to be made if we don't intervene. However, it we fire we'll be compromised. Orders, sir?" he asked, he couldn't make this decision.
In moments, Admiral Anderson's voice came through. "Copy all, Sniper team. You're green to fire, if things get hot mission is aborted. Good luck." he replied.
The man released a breath and addressed his partner. "You're green."
"Good," She replied simply and her finger tensed on the trigger. "I was going to fire anyways," she held her breath and her rifle barrel flashed once.
Through his Binoculars he watched as the Cannibal to the right of the Marauder, the one that would have had a clear line of sight to trace the shot, slump over without a head. The Marauder snapped its weapon up and stared straight at the tower before it took slumped over as another Disruptor rounds tore through its shields and destroyed the right side of its head. It slumped over to the right.
The man shifted his gaze back to the civilian. She had stopped, looked around and ran to destroyed Mako tank. She placed her baby down on the ground, then pried the hatch open and climbed inside with the little bundle. Once she was out of his sight he turned back to the Reaper team.
The remaining Cannibals had taken cover and the Ravager was firing into the nearby building, apparently trying to snuff the sniper out. How wrong it was. Zooming on it he said, "We haven't been made, alright. Operation is still green." he opened his com.
"Admiral, we're still green for the operation. Civilian is safe for now, you're good to advance, we'll keep the Reaper pinned in their street while you sneak by. Good luck sir, give Admiral Hackett my regards when you save his ass."
Anderson chuckled over the com. "I will, Corporal, You and the Chief keep up overwatch, we'll be out before y'know it."
The com went out and through his binoculars he saw roughly two dozen blurred figures moving in the shadows in in the ruined buildings of the street that the Reaper Team was in. they didn't stop, they kept moving.
"Alright, they're clear." He said, lowering his gaze to check on the civilian, she wasn't in sight. So he assumed she was safe. "Cease fire. And go to standby."
"Damn," the woman replied with a sigh she lowered her weapon and stretched her arms out a bit. "It was just getting fun." she added with a yawn.
"Yeah, well, don't worry Cass," replied the man. "We've still got a war to fight down here."
Cass, or Cassandra, chuckled and lifted the thermal blocking blanket to reveal her sharp blue eyes and fiery red hair. A young stunning face marred by only a scar running from her right eye brow to the upper left of her forehead. "Good, you're not stiff, Keller?"
Keller grunted and placed his binoculars down and moved the blanket to the side slightly. His own dark hair and soft green eyes stared back at her with a fatigue she knew came with running on rations and water for the last twenty hours since England had been taken.
She assumed they would have fled England for the fallback position several klicks out of the city hours ago before it was completely taken. But they had caught a distress signal sent out by Admiral Hackett and that kicked Anderson into action, he had put together a strike team and infiltrated the city to retrieve the Admiral. The last they heard from him he was holed up with several others in the basement of an old Alliance munitions factory. Really old, used mostly for storage nowadays.
Keller sighed softly. "You think we can take Earth back?"
"Well, we can't lose. So yeah, that's the only other option." Cass replied simply.
"Yeah," he said with a nod. "you're right."
End of chapter 26
There it is! A little later then I thought, also, kinda sad due to the lack of reviews from the last chapter! Supersadpanda. Anyways, here it is. Cerberus is going to be more helpful this time around, because the way I see it. The Illusive Man cares only about the most powerful tech, which has proven to be the Covenant UNSC tech Halsey and he possess. So, he's side burning his research on the Reapers in favor of a greater find. Since I believe he and Halsey would see eye to eye, as both have made brutal sacrifices for the greater good of humanity. So, I had Halsey on their side.
Anyways, Read, review and fav! Thanks, g'night all!