Chapter 19 - 304,942…That's the Cost
Eternity's Struggle
Eternity's Struggle, the sequel to A Glimpse of Eternity, is a complication of short stories, letters and life-snapshots that are sprinkled throughout the events of Mass Effect 2 following both Commander Kiara Shepard and Kaidan Alenko. While they're in chronological order, its not the complete storyline of the whole of Shepard's missions as she prepares, then faces, the Collectors. There will be SPOILERS. Please read the Eternity Series - Disclaimer for more general information.
Disclaimer: I own only the parts of the individual personality of Commander Kiara Shepard I have developed inspired by the Commander Shepard in the gameplay. I do not own, nor hold any rights, to any of the characters, dialogue, storylines or any part in or of the "Mass Effect" game series. I want to thank Drew Karpyshyn and his staff of amazing writers, animators and voice actors. These are for fan enjoyment only and no money had been made on these stories.
304,942.
That number haunted Shepard's every waking moment. 304,942 lives snuffed out in an effort to stop the Reaper invasion. 304,942 lives gone, in the blink of an eye…and she'd pulled the trigger with their destruction.
How many more lives, she wondered as she looked at the galaxy map, were going to be sacrificed before the end. The Reapers weren't stopped. Not by a long shot. They were just slowed down.
How much time did those 304,942 lives buy them?
Turning away, she headed to the med bay. Dr. Chakwas wanted to do an exam on her and see if her exposure to the Reaper artifact she encountered had any lasting effects. She thought she was done with visions but she'd been wrong. How hadn't she seen Dr. Kenson was indoctrinated?
The rescue attempt from the prison had been a success. It was after that when they arrived at Kenson's base that everything went to hell. Kenson and her team had managed to set up an entire plan to destroy the Alpha Relay where the Reapers were going to come through but they'd been indoctrinated before they could implement it. After a considerable fight, and a race against the clock, Shepard had managed to implement the plan but at a devastating cost: a nearby Batarian colony she hadn't had time to warn them.
It shouldn't have surprised her that Admiral Hackett had wanted to debrief her but it did surprise her when she was notified of his arrival. Granting permission to come aboard from the med bay, she waited as he docked and made his way to her. She wanted to go greet him at the airlock but Chakwas wouldn't have it. So she stayed and waited, letting the doctor run her tests.
Admiral Hackett started to debrief her and the news wasn't good. She knew there was going to be music to face with the Alliance. She also had no doubt that the batarians were going to be out for blood, which was confirmed when the Admiral spoke with her. What surprised her was the fact he not only believed her about the Reaper invasion but supported her fully. She shouldn't have been surprised, given his long history with her father, but she was. He'd always been a supporter of her claims about the Reapers.
She was informed she was going to be brought up on charges for what she'd done but she had expected and accepted it. If there had been a way to save the system, she would have but there wasn't. She would accept the consequences of her actions, whatever they would be.
Shepard stepped forward, hands behind her back as muscles conformed to the familiar, rigid stance of an Alliance soldier at attention. Cerberus had been a resource, one she had used to defeat the Collectors, but now the Collectors were destroyed. She had cut ties with Cerberus and the Illusive Man knew it. He knew it and wasn't happy about it. They were in her past and the Alliance was her future. She still held her commission, another surprise from Hackett, but she suspected that wouldn't last long.
"I'll gladly stand trial now that this mission is done," Shepard said, looking straight ahead at the Admiral. He was convinced the evidence against her was shoddy, at best, with the straight facts. He believed her actions would be proven valid and the charges dropped. He had also promised to fight for her on this and she trusted him.
"Glad to see working with Cerberus hasn't stripped away your sense of honor," Hackett said, a clear note of pride in his gaze, "Do whatever you have to do to tie up your affairs out here. But when Earth calls, you make sure you're there with your dress blues on, ready to take the hit."
She gave a single, firm nod as she held her position. "In the meantime," he continued, "you keep this. I don't need to see your report to know you did the right thing." He handed her back the data pad, which she took. The way he looked at her gave her strength and faith in the decision that haunted her. She had done the right thing, and though she would face the consequences for it, she would do so with her head held high. She was an Alliance officer.
"Yes, Sir," she said and saluted him.
"You've done a hell of a thing, Commander," Hackett said with no small hint of admiration then he turned and departed.
Shepard remained there for a long time thinking over what happened and what was to come. She would turn herself in and pray the process went quickly.
The Reapers were still coming and she needed to stop them. She couldn't do that from inside a jail cell.