Chapter 7: Cause and Effect
"Wha…where am I?" he wondered.
"I…I can't see anything." He said breathing heavily.
"That was a impressive, usually know one gets away from Shepard."
"But I gotta tell you…the timing was kind of…odd."
"By the spirits…Shepard?"
"Would know if it was."
"What do you want from me!" He shouted.
"Why would three specters come to Omega?"
"If you know that I'm a council spectre, then you know that I can get you things."
"You aren't in a bargaining position, I'll show you."
In a flash a cover was lifted over the man's face. He could see the hover cars below him.
"Don't drop me!" he exclaimed.
"I didn't know specters, let alone turians could squeal like you just did."
"Why did you come to Omega!"
"The human councilor wants Shepard dead."
"Really?"
"Yeah and he wanted her dead before she meets with Admiral Zorah and the geth."
The last thing the turian spectre would experience is the terror he felt when he made his way to the street below.
Garrus regretted having to kill a fellow turian in such a cold manner, but he was a threat to Shepard's goal and for that had to be put down without hesitation. Garrus believes in Shepard's plan and will kill anyone who gets in her way.
Garrus made his way to Shepard's apartment. As the elevator got to Shepard's floor, Garrus thought back a couple of years back when Shepard found him here, the people called him archangel. But Shepard had done what Garrus couldn't do in a whole month. Since Shepard took power crime has dropped and some could say that Omega was now as safe as the Citadel. Omega was still dangerous; all the crime wouldn't just go away.
Shepard had amassed an army of mercenaries to patrol Omega and in a way it was kind of like Citadel security. After Shepard killed Aria, people from all over the galaxy wanted to be a part of Shepard's war. From C-sec officers to some of the lowliest individuals in the galaxy and for the most part Garrus didn't really mind. Some instead of publically supporting Shepard gave her money and ships to fight her war in the Terminus systems and to weaken the Batarian Hegemony.
"So what did you learn?" A voice asked from behind Garrus.
Garrus whipped around with his pistol drawn. "Oh, sorry Shepard." He said holstering his weapon. "I thought you were inside with Liara."
"She's asleep and I thought it would be a good idea to get some air." Shepard yawned.
"So tell me what happened with the spectre." She asked.
"Feldmen wants you dead."
"Well I knew that." Shepard replied nonchalantly.
"If the council wants you dead…"
"Don't you think it's strange that how he only mentions Feldmen and not the rest of the council?" Shepard interrupted.
"Well know that you mention it…"
"Is Tali here yet?" Shepard interrupted.
"Yes she arrived here in the Ulnay an hour ago with Legion and is nearing the end of the tour." Garrus said.
"Good I'll meet with them in the meeting area near the docks." Shepard ordered.
"Go upstairs and wake Liara up and take her to the safe house."
"You really think things are going to be that bad?" Garrus asked uneasily.
"That is the plan." Shepard mumbled.
After the Reaper war Tali was made Admiral by the quarian people. With her understanding of the Geth Tali negotiated a truce with the machines and they were granted a new planet that the geth had been developing in a time of peace with their "creators".
This new planet was similar to their home world and was subsequently named "New Rannoch". Since then in the last ten years the quarians have had a drastic population increase and have begun to create a joint fleet with the geth.
"Tali, Legion I'm glad you both could make it!" Shepard said excitedly.
"Greetings Shepard-Commander." Legion said robotically
"It's nice to see you after all this time Zel." Tali replied.
"You to Tali Z." Shepard said giving the quarian a smirk.
"Legion I'm surprised to see that you look the same as last time I saw you."
"You are familiar with this platform and typically organics react negatively to the unfamiliar." Legion replied.
"Alright then." Shepard said.
"Shepard I'm impressed that in such a short time that you managed to secure the entire nebula." Tali said.
"That's what I want to talk about." Shepard sighed. "I don't want to just stop with this nebula…I want the entire Terminus Systems."
Shepard couldn't tell with Legion, but could see the shock in Tali's body language.
"We are curious as to how Shepard-commander can accomplish such a goal?" Legion asked.
"I'm planning an all out offensive in the Terminus and to reduce casualties…"
"You need the quarian feet." Tali interrupted.
"Yes and I need the geth as well." Shepard stated. "Other wise everything I've tried to accomplish in the last year and these few months will end in failure."
"Shepard you are my friend and I would do anything for you but I will not pull my people into a war!" Tali shouted.
"We have come to a similar consensus, the geth have no need to enter a war with organics." Legion replied.
"Tali the Terminus is right on the border of quarian and geth space!" Shepard shouted. "When there is war things could… spread."
"Is that a threat!" Tali shouted.
"I've recently gathered Intel that batarians have begun to move closer to the Perseus Veil." Shepard said transferring theinformation to Tali's omni-tool.
"How did you get this?" Tali asked.
"I got the information out of a slaver and what I found is that they are planning an attack on New Rannoch." Shepard sighed.
"Shepard-Commander it would be accurate to think that because of your action here that you may have forced their hand else ware." Legion said.
"Legion's right because of you acting against them, you've made my people a target!" Tali yelled.
"Now you see why the batarians need to be dealt with!" Shepard shouted back. "I'm trying to stop them from attacking human and quarian colonies!"
"I'll have to alert the conclave." Tali sighed. "I'm sorry Shepard but I can't help…"
Tali was interrupted by a massive explosion outside.
"What the hell is going on!" Shepard shouted over her communicator.
"Omega is being invaded by a Batarian fleet and they're ripping our ships apart!"
"Damn it!" Shepard shouted. "Tell Kolyat to get civilians to the shelters and have all ground troops to get ready for a fight!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Tali, Legion I need to get you two out of here!" Shepard shouted "Follow me there's a bunker under this building."
As Shepard lead them out of the room, an explosion ripped through the building, sending the falling to the next floor.
"Tali…Legion!" Shepard coughed.
"I'm ok." Tali said weakly.
"This platform has received minimal damage." Legion said.
"Good I see a way out, let's go!" Shepard ordered.
Tali, Legion and Shepard got out of the burning building. In the few minuets since the invasion began the destruction was extensive. Omega was in flames, bodies littered the streets and the sounds of gun fire added to the destructive chorus of explosions.
"Ulnay to Admiral Zorah…I repeat Ulnay to Admiral Zorah!"
"I'm still here what's going on?" Tali asked
"They came out of nowhere, we're taking heavy damage we…"
"Ulnay come in…come in!" Tali barked over her comm.
"Tali I'm sorry but…"
"No there are two thousand quarians on that ship and I'm responsible for all their lives they can't…"
"Creator Tali I am no longer receiving signals from the platforms on the Ulnay…they are gone." Legion said.
"It's too dangerous for us to stay here; I have a safe house nearby." Shepard exhaled. "But we might run into hostiles."
Tali's fist were clenched, she was shaking. "Two thousand live were just cut down…I'll make them pay!"
Tali, Legion and Shepard fought their way through the streets of Omega. The Batarians had troops all over Omega and fought Shepard's group all the way to the safe house.
"Tali take cover, Legion cover me!" Shepard ordered.
Legion took down enemy shields, Tali's combat drone kept the batarians distracted, while Shepard went in for the kill.
"Just like old times Shepard!" Tali shouted over cover.
"All hostiles eliminated!" Legion announced.
"Shepard watch out!" Tali Shouted as she jumped out of cover.
Shepard turned around, a rocket was coming in fast. Shepard dogged it but the missile exploded right on Tali's position. "Tali!" Shepard shouted.
"Oh my god Tali are you alright!" She shouted as she ran to her friend.
"Her vitals are falling Shepard-commander." Legion said.
"Hang on Tali I can arrange a pick up and you should be just fine. " Shepard said frantically.
"Too many suit ruptures…Face plate cracked." Tali said weakly.
"Don't give up…that's an order!" Shepard shouted.
"I'm sorry captain…" Tali coughed
"Don't talk Tali, save your strength!" Shepard shouted.
Tali took off her mask and for the first time looked at her commander with an uncovered head. "It was an honor serving with you commander…Keelah sel'lai."
Tali's body feel limp in Shepard's arms. "No…no it isn't how this was supposed to go!" Shepard shouted. "Damn it!"
"Shepard-commander we need to continue evacuating to the safe house" Legion said.
Shepard exhaled. "Take Tali…we can't leave her."
Shepard and Legion made it to the safe house without much trouble. Shepard activated her omni tool and the doors swung open. Legion put Tali's body down on a table and looked over her for a moment.
Shepard went to the terminal inside the bunker. She pressed a series of keys and after a few seconds the entire station shook.
"Shepard what the hell was that!" A voice belonging to Jack shouted over her comm.
"I activated the explosives in the asteroid field…it should have crippled the enemy fleet!" Shepard shouted back over her comm.
"Shepard the batarians a retreating, what are your orders?" Another voice asked over her comm.
"Hit them on their way out; don't give those bastards a chance to breath!" Shepard ordered.
"Shepard-commander."
"What Legion!" Shepard barked.
"We have come to a new consensus." Legion said.
"Creator Tali's death and the destruction this battle caused have made us see what we could not before." Legion continued. "You fight to stop this destruction and death, the batarians are the cause."
"So what have the geth decided?" Shepard questioned.
"The geth will aid Shepard-commander and her allies in the coming battles."
End.
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