Mass Effect Project Renegade
Chapter 20: Sovereign of our Destruction…
Jack and the Normandy Ground team were now in the water lines of the facility, navigating through the corridors of the tunnels. Jack was taking the lead making sure no one took any unnecessary risks. The more of the facility they explored the less it looks like a breeding facility, sure the experiments were here, but the facility itself served a much larger purpose.
The files that were on the computers held everything but the breeding programs.
[System Archives] Indoctrination…
…
…
Indoctrination is the process of inculcating ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or a professional methodology. It is often distinguished from education by the fact that the indoctrinated person is expected not to question or critically examine the doctrine they have learned.
[In depth searching contents/ Breakdown Choices.]
Religious indoctrination: Religious indoctrination, the original sense of indoctrination, refers to a process of imparting doctrine in an authoritative way, as in catechism. Most religious groups among the revealed religions instruct new members in the principles of the religion; this is now not usually referred to as indoctrination by the religions themselves, in part because of the negative connotations the word has acquired. Mystery religions require a period of indoctrination before granting access to esoteric knowledge.
Military indoctrination: The initial psychological preparation of soldiers during training is referred to (non-pejoratively) as indoctrination.
[Benezia before her demise, said she was brainwashed on Saren's flash ship, The Reaper Ship. It must've been Indoctrination, it's nowhere near M.I. indoctrination, but it sounded close to Religious indoctrination, but it was off. The data we're finding is shedding some light on a new type of indoctrination.]
The logs on the data records I've been searching through are called Reaper Indoctrination.
I tapped in to Saren's personal log.
Log 1:
'I'm losing my sense of control, I can feel So[corrupted] in my skull, I don't know how much time I have left, hopefully [corrupted] won't know the full extent of the facility's purpose, if I can find a way to block out the signals, my mind can be saved… Running out of time. '
Log 2:
'I almost have it figured out the signal the Reapers give out, I believe I can resist it, [corrupted] is getting impatient, he needs me to find the Conduit, then it'll destroy my mind.'
Log 3:
'The Nightmares keep repeating, … no I will not give it the satisfaction of a name I am still in Control, I believe, I hope, …. No I am in control…..
Spirits of Palaven, I saw it engulfed in flames, My home world, the Citadel was moved to Earth, The Humans! They must've caused this destruction!'
Log 4:
'Can we, possibly co-exist with the Reapers, the Protheans, what if they surrendered to the Reapers? It's possible this cycle can be spared the onslaught of the Reapers. If the Reapers have wanted to extinguish all life in the Galaxy, they would've done by now… Maybe just maybe they were waiting for the right cycle to figure out the question, that's it! That has to be!'
[The Logs continue, and Saren's ideas are getting Deluded.]
The Prothean Beacon in the facilities comm room, Jack approached it, tapping several commands. Visions rushed in his head, the beacon was more forceful than the damaged one on Eden Prime. This one was flaring Jack's implants revealing his Renegade Scars.
[ERROR/ WARNING DISGUISE BROKEN!]
[INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM ILLOS
Act of DESPERATION! CAN NOT BE STOPPED! … CAN NOT BE STOPPED!... Program Vigil, Shut down all non-lifesaving power … we'll contact VICTORY on [unrecognizable] Prime Commander Javik is leading the last of the Empires warriors….. We'll use the beacons to send out a message to contact the garrison when the Reapers leave.
Cranial scans have come in; all Occupants in the pods have no sign of Indoctrination… I'm worried that there won't be enough power to sustain the pods, I'm giving Vigil emergency power…. …. . ….. In case the Reapers are still here, Vigil will shut down non key personal on Project Conduit. We cannot let this happen again; if we die then we'll at least give the next cycle a fighting chance…. Damn the Reapers, Damn the Citadel, and Damn the Keepers Too! ]
Jack dropped to the floor, falling face flat on the metal. Jack sat up and turned around to face his crew, their eyes widened and mouths dropped.
"What?"
Garrus pointed at Jack's face.
"Your eyes they're glowing red, and you got these glowing scars!"
Jack quickly drew his blade to see his reflection. Tali slowly approached Jack; she placed her gloved hand on his face.
"They don't look that bad…"
Jenkins looked at a flickering red hologram above them, soon the whole crew followed up the ramp. Zoey looked at the appearing image. The booming voice that came from it frightened the bulk of the ground team.
YOU ARE NOT SAREN
"What is this some sort of VI?" Asked Zoey.
RUDIMENTARY CREATURES OF BLOOD AND FLESH. YOU TOUCH MY MIND, FUMBLING IN IGNORANCE, INCABLE OF UNDERSTANDING.
Tali grabbed on to Shepard's arm.
"Shepard I don't think this is a VI…"
THERE IS A REALM OF EXISTENCE SO FAR BEYOND YOUR OWN YOU CANNONT EVEN IMAGINE IT. I AM BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION. I AM SOVEREIGN!
Shepard glared at the image and figured out what was going on.
"Soveriegn, you're not some Reaper ship Saren found, You're an actual Reaper!"
Reaper? A LABEL CREATED BY THE PROTHEANS TO GIVE VOICE TO THEIR DESTRUCTION. IN THE END, WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO CALL US IS IRRELEVANT. WE SIMPLY ARE.
Liara stepped up to the plate with a little hostility in her voice.
"The Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago. You could not have been there. It's impossible!"
ORGANIC LIFE IS NOTHING BUT A GENETIC MUTATION, AN ACCIDENT. YOUR LIVES ARE MEASURED IN YEARS AND DECADES. YOU WITHER AND DIE. WE ARE ETERNAL. THE PINNACLE OF EVOLUTION AND EXISTENCE. BEFORE US, YOU ARE NOTHING. YOUR EXTINCTION IS INEVITABLE. WE ARE THE END OF EVERYTHING.
Shepard formed of fist, the arrogance the machine spewed was off the charts.
"Whatever you're planning, I'm going to stop it, and you can bet your soulless body on that."
CONFIDENCE BORN OF IGNORANCE. THE CYCLE CANNONT BE BROKEN.
Nick stepped by Shepard, with an inquisitive look.
"Cycle? What Cycle?"
THE PATTERN HAS REPEATD ITSELF MORE TIME THAN YOU CAN FATHOM. ORGANIC CIVILIZATIONS RISE, EVOLVE, ADVANCE. AND AT THE APEX OF THEIR GLORY, THEY ARE EXTINGUISHED. THE PROTHEANS WERE NOT THE FIRST. THEY DID NOT CREATE THE CITADEL. THEY DID NOT FORGE THE MASS RELAY. THEY MERELY FOUND THEM, THE LEGACY OF MY KIND.
Bethora Stepped by Shepard as well.
"Why would you construct the Mass Relays, then leave them for someone else to find?"
YOUR CIVILIZATION IS BASED ON THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE MASS RELAYS, OUR TECHNOLOGY. BY USING IT, YOUR SOCIETY DEVELOPS ALONG THE PATHS WE DESIRE. WE IMPOSE ORDER ON THE CHAOS OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION. YOU EXIST BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT. AND YOU WILL END BECAUSE WE DEMAND IT.
Tali's eyes widened as she figured it out, what the Reapers were doing.
"They are harvesting us! Letting us advance to the level they need, then wiping us out!"
"Where did the Reapers come from? Who built you?" Jack asked Sovereign.
WE HAVE NO BEGINNING. WE HAVE NO END. WE ARE INFINITE. MILLIONS OF YEARS AFTER YOUR CIVILIZATION HAS BEEN ERADICATED AND FORGOTTEN, WE WILL ENDURE.
Wrex was the next one that shot a question at Sovereign.
"What the Hell do you want from us? Slaves? Resources?"
MY KIND TRANSCENDS YOUR VERY UNDERSTANDING. WE ARE EACH A NATION. INDEPENDENT, FREE OF ALL WEAKNESS. YOU CANNONT EVEN GRASP THE NATURE OF OUR EXISTENCE.
Jack about had it with the Reapers assurance of the Organics destiny.
"Where are the rest of the Reapers? Are you the only one here right now?"
WE ARE 'LEGION'. THE TIME OF OUR RETURN IS COMING. OUR NUMBERS WILL DARKEN THE SKY OF EVERY WORLD. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE YOUR DOOM.
Jack gave off a small laugh, and then gave a killer look at Sovereign.
"You're not even alive. Not really. You're Just a Machine! And Machines can be broken! "
YOUR WORDS ARE AS EMPTY AS YOUR FUTURE. I AM THE VANGUARD OF YOUR DESTRUCTION. THIS EXCHANGE IS OVER.
With that said the console explodes, and the wave of the blast breaks the glass around them. With comm inoperable, Jack's comm goes active with Joker on the other end.
"Hey Commander, I don't know what you did but Saren's ship Sovereign is heading your way, you finish what you're doing and get out of there. "
"Copy that Joker, meet us at the extraction with that bomb as soon as we take out the AA tower…. Ground team let's move out."
Bethora stopped the Commander from exiting with the crew behind her.
"Commander we need to talk about those scars on your face, did the Beacon give you these?"
All eyes were on Commander Shepard, hoping for answers, Shepard could give them any lie and they would accept it, but now wasn't the time for dishonesty.
"No… It's complicated I'll explain it to you all when were back on the Ship, let's just take out Saren."
With that said the crew decided to follow Shepard towards the AA- Tower. Fighting Dozens of Geth Shock Troops. With the AA- Tower down, the Normandy began to touch down at the heart of the facility. Jack decided to change his armor to his Alliance Black Ops armor (Nightmare armor flying Systems Alliance Colors.). Jenkins came out with three other crewmen caring the Nuke.
With the Nuke being armed, Jack activated the comm.
"Alenko, Williams, were arming the Nuke get your asses down here, ASAP!"
As the diversion teams comm went up, Jack could hear heavy gunfire on their line, followed by Lieutenant Alenko.
"Negative it's too hot up here, I'm not sure if we can get down there."
Jenkins approached the Commander, following an Idea he'd just had.
"Go get them Commander, it'll take time to arm the Nuke."
Jack placed a hand on Jenkins shoulder and moved off towards the AA tower where the Diversion team was pinned down.
The Ground team was halfway to the AA- Tower when they immediately spotted a Geth Drop Ship.
"Commander this is Jenkins, Geth Drop inbound, they're dropping off a lot of Geth, here."
Jack looked back at the elevator, thinking he should go back.
"Can you hold them off?"
There was no reply for a few seconds, then what the entire ground team heard next shocked them.
"I'm activating the Weapons countdown, they won't be able to deactivate it, go get Williams and Alenko Commander, you know it's the right decision."
Ruthless Calculus, letting one person die, to save two. It was the right way, it didn't have to mean it was fair. With the decision made in Jack's mind he activated the Diversion team's comm.
"Alenko signal Joker on the radio, tell him to meet us at the AA Tower."
Kaidan was speechless, he didn't know what to say of the sacrifice Jenkins was about to do.
"Y-yes commander…."
"Fight Hard Jenkins, Die Proud!" Ordered Jack
"Oorah!" Replied Jenkins.
Jack equipped his AR and signaled the crew to double time to the Tower. No one could see Jack's expression on the way up, due to his face was concealed in that yellow tinted helmet. As the elevator door opens the Geth were closing on the diversion team. The Ground team drew their weapons, and opened up on the unsuspecting Geth.
The barrage of different weapons pummeled the Geth ripping them to shreds. With the area secured, both the ground team and what was left of the diversion team regrouped, but not before Jack heard a hover pad going over head. The occupant was none other than Saren, tossing disk shaped explosives, breaking up the crew to find cover.
"This was quite the show, Shepard I truly thought that-"
Saren's eyes widened as he saw that armor, on Shepard, but this time it was the Alliance Color. He drew his carnifex aiming it Shepard and began to discharge his weapon, Shepard who was taking the rounds and not flinching from either of them aimed his weapon at the hover pad, bringing it down. Saren threw his weapon at the ground and stormed at Shepard.
No not this time Human.
Saren tried to punch Shepard with his synthetic arm, but failed miserably as he just took his arm and threw him towards the wall. Saren ducked as Shepard threw his punch at him, destroying the wall behind Saren. Saren was experienced this time, being careful not to mess up.
"I've been improved since we last met, I'm going to make you regret that day of humiliating me, you should've killed me."
Jack was quiet not saying one word, he kneed Saren in the gut, causing Saren to lean down, Jack then took Saren by the shoulders swinging him around in to the fuel tank. Saren Biotically charge at Shepard, but failed to strike him, Jack brought his elbow on the back of Saren's head. Before Jack couldn't finish Saren off the Nuke's alarm starts to sound off a warning. Saren activated his cloak, quickly leaving the fray. The Normandy comes zooming in to pick up the ground team, while barely escaping the blast.
The Comm room was silent, over the sacrifice of Jenkins. Jack believed it was time to give the crew his answer.
"The Scars you see on my face and the glowing eyes were not given to me by the Prothean Beacon… I was designed this way with ninety nine others. I'm an experiment from Project Renegade…. The Alliance Black ops created us to advance Humanity, by any means. They created us to be the Next evolution, I'll grow to the age of one hundred thousand. The Alliance black ops wanted us to be an unstoppable force bred to fight the chaos around Humanity…. When the First Contact War started we were immediately thrown in to the fray, wiping out Thousands of Turian Life forms. Project Renegade's members, the Hell Dog Platoon… we were being hunted down a few years back. I am the sole survivor to that attack, I was ordered to infiltrate the N7, the Systems Alliance to see if the attack was orchestrated there."
Ashley cocked her head, confused of that last statement.
"Wait infiltrate the Alliance, you are part of the Alliance."
Jack still wearing his Nightmare armor in Alliance colors, he tapped something on the suit, seconds later the Alliance Colors began to fade, the Blue and white was replaced with a Yellow and White. The entire crew were shocked, they knew that insignia on the armor. Jack just lit his cigarette, inhaling it, waiting for the crew's reaction.
"C-Cerberus?! Those Terrorists?! Your with them?!" Asked Ashley
"Project Renegade was created by the founding members of Cerberus, Cerberus was framed for several terrorists attack that we never took part in. The facilities we've coming across? Those were people pretending to be us. We're not a terrorist organization."
Garrus shifted in his chair posed to ask Shepard the next question.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Jack looked at Garrus next.
"If you found out about my true intent prior before this discussion, I had orders to, 'Contain' the situation. Technically I should be killing you all right about now, but I'm not, I'm telling you this right now, because I don't want to expect a knife in the back. My orders have changed ever since we were chasing Saren, Stop the Arrival of the Reapers, the beacon sent me a distress signal we need to head to Illos…. Joker I hope you're hearing this too."
"I heard it Shepard, I'm with you don't worry."
Liara stood up to the plate.
"Illos? We need the council fleet behind us."
Jack looked at Liara, with a neutral expression.
"No the Council will slow things down; I'm not going to allow that, on a mission this critical."
Before anyone had the ability to object Joker cut in.
"Shepard I sent the mission reports to the Council you want me to patch them through, you know warn them about Sovereign."
Shepard reactivated the disguise on his armor and put on his helmet.
"Patch them through Joker."
Jack was in no mood for their games, he just wanted to head to Illos. Once again the Asari Councilor Tevos spoke first.
"I hope you don't plan to cut us off like last time, Commander. What you discovered on Virmire is too important."
Jack predicted Sparatus would cut in, so he held his tongue.
"Saren is formidable enough without an army of Krogan serving under him."
"Sovereign's the real problem here. The Reapers wiped out the Protheans. We're next."
Valeren picked up the data pad on the mission reports, some of it to him sounded make believe.
"Yes, we saw mention of this on your report. Sovereign. A sentient machine. A true artificial intelligence. This news is quite alarming… if it turns out to be accurate."
Through Jack's helmet he was burning a hole through the Salarian Councilors head with a Murderous glare.
"Sovereign's real. The Reapers are real. Saren even admitted it!"
Sparatus gave a dismissive wave at Shepard, which only agitated Jack.
"He's playing you, Shepard. Saren still has contacts on the Citadel. He probably saw your earlier reports. The ones talking about your vision. And the Reapers."
Valeren decided to add in to the subject.
"It's highly possible Saren is using false information to throw you off balance. Our own intelligence has never turned up any corroborating information."
Jack took a step closer to the comm.
"I tried to warn you about Saren, look how that turned out!"
"I believe you Humans have a saying, even a broken clock work is right twice a day."
Jack got mere inches away from the console.
"Here's another saying GO TO HELL!"
Jack swung his arm breaking the console from the floor. Jack leaves the Comm room and heads to the CIC of the ship, but before he sets location to Illos, Joker contacts Shepard through the comm.
"Shepard I got a message from Ambassador Udina, it looks like the Council is going to take Saren seriously."
A smug look appeared on Shepard's face behind the Mask.
"Took them long enough, back to the Citadel, I want the Normandy ahead of that fleet."
"Yes sir!" Replied the smiling Pilot.
The Normandy docked with the Citadel and the Ground team headed towards the Citadel Tower. Udina placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder.
"Good work, Shepard thanks to your success the Council is going to take real action."
Sparatus leaned over his Podium.
"Your ambassador is right Shepard, Patrols are stationed around to all the Mass Relays that lead to the Citadel, if Saren is going to attack the Citadel we'll be ready."
Shepard's expression turned to a demanding one.
"You think a blockade is going to stop Saren, he's heading to Illos right now to get to the Conduit."
"Illos is only accessible through the Mu Relay through the Terminus system."
Jack looked at Ambassador Udina.
"If Saren gets to the Conduit, we're all dead, I'm heading to Illos on my own!"
"I don't think you are Commander Shepard, The Council came to an understanding that you are mentally unstable, and would likely cause a catastrophic war, we locked the Normandy down, you aren't going anywhere." Stated Sparatus.
Ambassador Udina, glared at the Council.
"You can't hold an Alliance Ship, You have no right to do that, That's not your decision."
Sparatus just folded his arms.
"The Council is beholden to their decision until further notice."
Jack grabbed Udina turning Udina towards him.
"Ambassador I want a mass evacuation of all Alliance Citizens off the Citadel right now."
Udina, nodded slightly, as he predicted what was going to happen next. Jack looked at the ground team, preparing his orders.
"Guys get back to the Normandy, tell Joker to prep for takeoff, I'll deal with the locks."
The Crew Immediately made their way to the Normandy; Jack got on top of the Normandy and started to pry the magnetic locks off the Hull of the ship, as an alarm went off Jack went through the airlock and in to the cockpit.
"Get us out of here Joker!"
The Normandy took off and escaped the Citadel, managing not to cause a chase. The Normandy was prepping to head for the MU Relay and Jack retreated to his Quarters. As he sat at his desk, he sent in a report to Cerberus Command to stand by for emergency assistance. Jack set down the data pad, before he rested his eyes, he could hear someone knocking three times on the other side of his door.
"Come in."
In came Tali, who was playing with her hands all nervous like.
"Shepard…"
Jack turned his chair around, to face Tali.
"Tali…"
Tali approached Jack taking her hands and unlatching his helmet revealing his face. Following suite Tali did it to herself; she removed her right gloved hand and rubbed the palm of her hand across Jack's face, feeling the textures of the scars.
"It's the implants that caused these scars to open up and glow like this. I hope you don't mind the glowing scars." Stated Shepard.
Tali shook her head.
"No… I think they look nice on you... I mean you're going out with me a Quarian."
Jack chuckled, at her reply.
"Well the difference was you were good looking beyond comparison to my looks."
Tali gave off a laugh at Jack.
"Keelah, this could be it… Shepard I-I won't lie, I'm scared of going to Illos, what if we don't come back… I don't want to regret anything, I want to make this night special…"
Tali sat up extending a hand to Shepard. Jack took Tali's hand as she led him towards the bed.
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I used the Wiki for Indoctrination search.
THE FINALE OF MASS EFFECT 1 NEXT CHAPTER!