Story Notes

Wow, nearly done! It was quick, but I really enjoyed writing it. I've already got its successor started, but that I think I'll take longer to write. This fic was mostly powered by the visions of the game in my mind, and now that I've written my own conclusion, some of the steam is wearing off. Not to worry though. I'll get it done. I'm posting up a chapter after I've completed a chapter, so that should hopefully give some motivation to get stuff done.

My Fluffy Scarf: I'm glad! Here's the next post. Also, I love fluffy scarfs.

Guest: 3

Negrath: Here's the next chapter for you, about a half an hour after you posted up your response too.

Garrus, Javik and Tali ran down the hallway and through the door, before they came to another hall with moving walls beside a bridge. Javik pointed across the bridge and the three of them ran across. Garrus kept his grip on his gun strong, as they ran up the stairs on the other side. It must have been at least two levels that they ran up, before they got to the end of the hallway and got to the platform. Garrus stopped and his eyes darted around, scanning the platform... only stairs lead into the center of the platform, which had a console at the end of it.

"Oh Keelah..."

Garrus looked down the steps and saw one body there. It was male. He walked down the steps and then took a gulp.

"It's the Admiral." He said quietly as he looked for vital signs. He stared into the human's face. The admiral's eyes were closed, as if he were sleeping, a frown on his face. Garrus lifted the admiral's hand. It had been staunching a gunshot wound.

"Anderson is here. Where is Shepard?" Tali asked. Garrus glanced at Javik.

Javik looked down at Garrus from his position. "Can you handle the vision? You did not do well last time."

"I was... in shock." Garrus muttered. "I'll be fine."

"Very well." Javik replied as he touched Garrus' shoulder. "But it is not pleasant."

The vision was blurred this time. Shepard was hunched over, pointing a gun at Anderson, who was on the other side of the platform. The Illusive Man was between them. Shepard seemed to be talking to him, but the words were so warped, Garrus couldn't understand what she was saying. Only some sentences were coming through.

"I dedicated my life to understanding the Reapers, and I know with certainty; the Crucible will allow me to control them."

"And then what?" Shepard spat bitterly.

"Look at the power they wield! Look at what they can do!" The Illusive Man replied, and he clenched his fist. Shepard shot Anderson in the gut, and for half a second, Shepard looked distraught, before her cold look fixed onto the Illusive Man.

"I see what they did to you."

The sound became warped again, Shepard pointing her weapon still at Anderson. Then, the sound came back.

"If we destroy the Reapers, this ends today. But if you can't control them..."

"... BUT I CAN!"

"Are you willing to bet humanity's EXISTANCE on it?!"

"I know it will work!"

"You can't, can you!? They won't let you do it!"

"No! I'm in control! No one is telling me what to do!"

"Listen to yourself," Anderson grunted. "You're indoctrinated!"

The sound became warped again, this time for much longer. Garrus stared at the Illusive Man, pacing, then grabbing Anderson's pistol.

"Because of you, humanity is already undone." Shepard spat.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

"They have the Citadel! They have us fighting each other instead of fighting them! You're doing exactly what they wanted, you're still doing it because they control you! Don't let them win! Break their hold! Don't let them control you!"

There was a long pause as the Illusive Man stared at the pistol he held in his hand and then he seemed for half a second to be himself. "I tried... Shepard." He replied weakly, before he shot himself in the head.

Garrus was trembling as Javik let him out of the vision. He stared up at Javik, who was looking down on him quietly. He shook his head.

"Javik, how do you live with seeing those things?"

"You become accustomed to it. It is like breathing." Javik said quietly. He pointed towards the console.

"She went there. She collapsed after she pressed a button. Then a platform carried her above the Citadel."

Tali went to the console and within a few seconds, she hit it. "Dammit! It's dead! I can't get that platform!"

Garrus looked to the ceiling of the Citadel, frowning. How the hell did they continue? But before he could even think of how to get up, Javik tensed.

"She... then came back down."

Garrus shot Javik a look. "Come again?"

"She stayed up there maybe fifteen minutes, at most. Then she came back down on the same platform. She seemed... healthier. The Citadel has started to explode around her, and course with the red energy that we saw coming out of the Crucible. She then..." Javik's gaze followed something that Garrus could not see, and then came to rest on the stairs. He then smirked a little and walked towards the stairs, grabbing a little black device from the floor.

"I have found your distress signal, Captain."

Garrus and Tali hurried over to Javik's side. Javik dropped it into Garrus' hands, and Garrus recognized it; it was the omni-tool that Jane kept with her at all times. Garrus inputted it into his own omni-tool, and brought up the distress signal.

In front of him, a holographic vision of Jane Shepard, battered, bloodied and wounded, started to talk. "To any ships out there, this is Commander Jane Shepard of the SSV Normandy! I'm requesting assistance. The Crucible is armed, I repeat! The Crucible is armed! I am going to cut my way back to the beacon. Hopefully it will take me back to London. If anyone is out there, please respond!"

The hologram waited exactly ten seconds, and then cursed. "Guess no communications are going out. Alright. For the party that comes to investigate, I am making my way back to the teleportation beam! Requesting assistance! I am likely in London, Earth. I repeat! Come to London!"

There was a massive explosion, and suddenly the feed cut out. Javik nodded.

"Yes. Her omni-tool was knocked out at that point. She didn't bother to pick it up."

"Where did she go?" Garrus asked in desperation.

"Back the way she came."

"Track her. Find her." Garrus commanded grimly.

The three of them ran back, Garrus' heart jumping in his chest. But he didn't have time to his own thoughts. Beside him, Tali seemed elated.

"There's a chance! There's actually a chance!" Tali cried out. "Hopefully that beam's still open!"

"It's most likely not." Garrus grunted. "Especially by now."

"Even so!" Garrus was sure that Tali was grinning. You could tell by her voice. "Javik, she hasn't died yet, has she?"

"Not yet." The prothean replied back curtly.

Garrus caught up to the prothean and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Shepard ran with a bit more strength than before, but she was still badly wounded. She stumbled up the steps at top speed. Apparently a chance at life was motivating her to keep running, despite all of the injuries. She tripped and used her hands to propel herself up the last few steps, before she practically fell through the next door.

The woman's path was blocked by a Keeper trying to clear bodies. Shepard raised her pistol and fired a warning shot at the creature, causing it to shriek and its eyes to turn red. All that Garrus heard out of the woman's mouth was "Shit.", before she dove around the Keeper. Then, there was another explosion. "SHIT!" She roared, trying to increase the pace. The blue light at the end of the tunnel was starting to flicker. "SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!" she screamed, before she dove through the teleportation platform... right in time for a massive explosion to go off behind her.

Garrus, Tali and Javik had run all the way down the hallway, and Garrus was panting as if he had been the one running from the explosions. He stared at the teleportation platform that Shepard had thrown herself through, and saw Tali cross her arms.

"It's deactivated. Now what?"

Garrus and Javik looked at each other and Garrus nodded. "She made it through to the other side. She was alive when she went through. Her body is in London." He shakily raised his hand towards his communications device in his helmet. "Joker, we're coming back down. Get Admiral Hackett on the line. We figured out what happened, and we need clearance to get to London. Fast."

Chapter Notes

Only one more chapter to go!