~John~
When Paige, Tali, and I got to Udina's office, Cameron smiled at his sister who smiled back, they both have the same smiles.
"You're not making my life any easier, Shepard. Firefights in the wards? And all-out assault on Chora's Den? Do you know how many…" Udina stopped as he saw the quarian. "Who's this? A quarian? What are you up to, Shepard?" He asked me.
"Making your day, Ambassador. She has information linking Saren to the geth," I told him. That caught Cameron's attention and he gave her a small smile.
"Really? Maybe you better start at the beginning, Miss...?" He asked.
"My name is Tali. Tali' Zorah nar Rayya," she answered. He gave a curt nod with a small smile.
"We don't see many quarians here. Why did you leave the flotilla?" Udina asked. Cameron and Paige sent him an annoyed look.
"I was on my Pilgrimage, my right of passage into adulthood," Tali said to him. And curiosity takes over.
"I've never heard of this before," I said to her.
"It is a tradition among my people. When we reach maturity, we leave the ships of our parents and our people behind. Alone, we search the stars, only returning to the flotilla once we have discovered something of value. In this way, we prove ourselves worthy of adulthood," she said.
"What kinds of things do you look for?" Paige asked curiously.
"It could be resources like food or fuel. Or sometime of useful technology. Or even knowledge that will make like easier on the flotilla. Through our Pilgrimage, we prove that we will contribute to the community, rather than being a burden on our limited resources," Tail told her. Paige looked like she was happy she learned knew information.
"Tell us what you found," I said to Tali.
"During my travels I began hearing reports of geth. Since they drove my people into exile, the geth have never ventured beyond the Veil. I was curious. I tracked a patrol of geth to an uncharted world. I waited for one to become separated from its unit. Then I disabled it and removed its memory core," Tali informed.
"I thought the geth fried their memory cores when they died. Some kind of defense mechanism," Anderson said.
"How did you manage to preserve the memory core?" I asked her.
"My people created the geth. If you're quick, careful, and lucky small caches of data will sometimes be saved. Most of the core was wiped clean. But I savaged something from its audio banks," she said to us. She then brought up her omni-tool.
"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit," I heard Saren's voice say. I saw Cameron's fist clench.
"That's Saren's voice. This proves he was involved in the attack!" He stated.
"He said Eden Prime brought him once step closer to finding the Conduit. Any idea what that means?" I asked.
"The Conduit must have something to do with the beacon. Maybe it's some kind of Prothean technology…like a weapon," Anderson said.
"Wait…there's more. Saren wasn't working alone," Tali said. She then replayed the recording.
"Eden Prime was a major victory! The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit," Saren said.
"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers," a female voice said.
"I don't recognize that other voice. The one talking about the Reapers," Udina said.
"Are they some kind of new alien species?" I asked.
"According to the memory core, the Reapers were a hyper-advanced machine race that existed fifty thousand years ago. The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction, and then they vanished. At least, that's what the geth believe," Tali said.
"Sounds a little far-fetched," Udina said.
"Someone let me use a gun," Marcus and Paige whispered making me smirk. Luckily Udina didn't hear them.
"The vision on Eden Prime—I understand it now. I saw the Protheans being whipped out by the Reapers," I said remembering the vision I received.
"The geth revere the Reapers as gods, the pinnacle of non-organic life. And they believe Saren knows how to bring the Reapers back," Tali said.
"The Council is going to love this," Udina sighed.
"The Reapers are a threat to every species in Citadel space. We have to tell them," I said.
"No matter about what they think about the rest of this, those audio files prove Saren's a traitor," Anderson said.
"The Captain's right. We need to present this to the council right away," Udina said. Paige looked at Tali.
"What about Tali?" She asked. Tali looked at me.
"You saw me in the ally, Commander. You know what I can do. Let me come with you," she said to me.
"I thought you were on your Pilgrimage," I said to her.
"The Pilgrimage proves we are willing to give ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this? Saren is a danger to the entire galaxy. My Pilgrimage can wait," she said to me.
"I'll take all the help I can get," I told her.
"Thanks. You won't regret this," she said to me.
"Anderson, Cameron, and I will go on ahead and get things ready with the Council. Take a few minutes of collect yourself, then meet us at the tower," Udina said to us. Hopefully the Council will believe us now.
~Paige~
We were on our way to meet with the Council to report Saren. Finally, that bastard can get a taste of his own medicine. We arrived and saw my brother and Anderson.
"Come on. Udina's presenting the quarian's evidence to the Council," Anderson said. Her name is Tali! As we walked up, we heard the recording. Hopefully this will be enough for the Council to turn Saren in.
"You wanted proof. There it is," Udina said.
"This evidence is irrefutable, Ambassador. Saren will be stripped of his Spectre status and all efforts will be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes," the Turian Councilor told us.
"I recognize the other voice, the one speaking with Saren. Matriarch Benezia," the Asari Councilor told us.
"Who's she?" Shepard asked. Man, he is so handsome. How come women aren't forming a line just to get to him? Especially for the amazing blue eyes. Okay…I'm getting ahead of myself here.
"Matriarch's are powerful Asari who have entered the final stage of their lives. Revered for their wisdom and experience, they serve as guides and mentors to my people. Matriarch Benezia is a powerful biotic, and she had many followers. She will make a formidable ally for Saren," the Asari Councilor answered.
"I'm more interested in the Reapers. What do you know about them?" The Salarian Councilor asked.
"Only what was extracted from the geth's memory core. The Reapers were an ancient race of machines that wiped out the Protheans. Then they vanished," Anderson stated.
"The geth believe the Reapers are Gods. And Saren is the prophet for their return," Shepard added.
"We think the Conduit is the key to bringing them back. Saren's searching for it. That's why he attacked Eden Prime," Marcus said next. Anderson must have filled him in on everything that happened.
"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" The Salarian Councilor asked.
"Saren thinks it can bring back the Reapers. That's bad enough," Shepard answered.
"Listen to what you're saying! Saren wants to bring back the machines that wiped out all life in the galaxy? Impossible. It has to be," the Turian Councilor denied. He just doesn't want to fight for us humans. "Where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? How come we've found no trace of their existence? If they were real, we'd have found something!" He finished.
"I tried to warn you about Saren, and you refused to face the truth. Don't make the same mistake again," Shepard said to them.
"This is different. You proved Saren betrayed the Council. We all agree he's using the geth to search for the Conduit, but we really don't know why," said the Asari Councilor.
"The Reapers are obviously just a myth, Commander. A convenient lie to cover Saren's true purpose. A legend he is using to bend the geth to his will," the Salarian Councilor said to him.
"Fifty thousand years ago, the Reapers wiped out all galactic civilization. If Saren finds the Conduit, it will happen again!" Shepard argued.
"Saren is a rogue agent on the run for his life. He no longer has the rights or resources of a Spectre. The Council has stripped him of his position," the Turian Councilor said.
"That is not good enough! You know he's hiding somewhere in the Traverse. Send your fleet in!" Udina ordered.
"A fleet cannot track down one man," the Salarian Councilor told him.
"A Citadel fleet could secure the entire region. Keep the geth from attacking anymore of our colonies," Udina argued.
"Or it could trigger a war with the Terminus Systems! We won't be dragged into a galactic confrontation over a few dozen colonies!" The Turian Councilor said. Bastard, if it were his people we would help!
"I can take down Saren," Shepard said with determination.
"The Commander's right. There is a way to stop Saren that doesn't require fleets or armies," The Asari Councilor agreed.
"No! It's too soon. Humanity is not ready for the responsibilities that come with joining the Spectres," The turian said. I clenched my hand into a fist as did my brother. Shepard grabbed my fist gently as a way of saying 'calm down'.
"You don't have to send a fleet into the Traverse, and the Ambassador gets his human Spectre. Everybody's happy," Shepard persuaded. The three Councilors were silent for a moment before pressing something into their computers.
"Commander Shepard-step forward," ordered the Asari Councilor. Shepard stepped forward and people showed up. "It is the decision of the Council that you'll be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance branch of the Citadel," the Asari Councilor said.
"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fire of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above rank and file," said the Salarian Councilor.
"Spectres are ideal, a symbol. The embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council, instruments of our will," the Asari Councilor said next.
"Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace, both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy are theirs to uphold," added the Turian Councilor added.
"You are the first human Spectre, Commander. This is a great accomplishment for you and your entire race," the Asari Councilor finished.
"I'm honored, Councilor," Shepard said bowing his head a little.
"We're sending you into the Traverse after Saren. He's a fugitive from justice, so you are authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him," the Salarian Councilor told him.
"Any idea where I can find him?" Shepard asked.
"We will forward any relevant files to Ambassador Udina," the Turian Councilor said.
"This meeting of the Council is adjourned," the Asari Councilor said. With that, the Councilors left. Shepard looked at us.
"Congratulations, Commander," Anderson shook his hand. Marcus just clapped him on the shoulder.
"We've got a lot of work to do, Shepard. You're going to need a ship, a crew, supplies…" Udina listed.
"You'll all get access to special equipment and training now. You should go down to the C-Sec Academy and speak to the Spectre requisitions officer," Marcus told Shepard.
"Anderson, Cameron, come with me. I'll need your help to set all this up," Udina said to the Captains. Marcus kissed my head before leaving with the other two. I sighed.
"Those bastards didn't even thank you. Does anyone learn manners anymore?" I crossed my arms. Shepard gave me a small smile.
"Until I find Saren, I haven't done anything. Come on," he said to us.
"Ready when you are, mate," I said. With that we got going. We checked out the equipment then made our way to the Normandy. There we saw Anderson, Marcus, and Udina.
"I've got big news for you, Shepard. Captain Anderson is stepping down as commanding officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now," Udina said.
"She's quick and quiet and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander," Anderson said.
"This isn't right! The Normandy belongs to you!" Shepard said to him. Just what I was thinking…forced retirement.
"You needed your own ship. A Spectre can't answer to anyone but the Council. And it's time for me to step down," Anderson told him.
"Come clean with me, Captain. You owe me that much," Shepard said.
"I was in your shoes twenty years ago, Shepard. They were considering me and Marcus for the Spectres," Anderson said.
"What happened?" I asked looking at Marcus.
"We failed. We couldn't make the cut. It's not something we're proud of," he answered me.
"Ask me later and I'll tell you the whole story. For now, all you need to know is Marcus and I were sent on a mission with Saren, and he made sure the Council rejected us. We had our shot. It came and went. Now you have a chance to make up for our mistakes," Anderson said next.
"I won't let you down, sir," Shepard said to him.
"Saren's gone. Don't even try to find him. But we know what he's after: the Conduit. He's got his geth scouring the Traverse looking for clues," Marcus told us.
"We had reports of geth in the Feros system shortly before our colony there dropped out of contact. And there have been sightings in around Noveria," Udina said next.
"Find out what Saren was after on Feros and Noveria. Maybe you can figure out where the Conduit is before he does," Anderson said.
"The Reapers are the real threat," Shepard said.
"I'm with the Council on this one, Shepard. I'm not sure they even exist," Udina said. Marcus and I rolled our eyes like we were expecting this from him.
"But if they do exist, the Conduit's the key to bringing them back. Stop Saren from getting the Conduit and we stop the Reapers from returning," Anderson said.
"I'll stop him," Shepard said with determination in his voice.
"We have one more lead. Matriarch Benezia, the other voice on that recording? She has a daughter, a scientist who specializes in the Protheans. We don't know if she's involved but it might be a good idea to try and find her. See what she knows. Her name is Liara. Dr. Liara T'Soni. We have reports that she was exploring and archeological dig on one of the uncharted worlds in the Artemis Tau Cluster," Udina informed. I looked at Shepard.
"It might be a good idea to start there. That way we can have more help and gain more information quickly," I said to him. He nodded in agreement.
"It's your decision, Commander. You're a Spectre now. You don't answer to us," Marcus said to him.
"But your actions still reflect on humanity as a whole. You make a mess and I get stuck cleaning it up," Udina stated.
"I'll try not to make things any harder on you, Ambassador," Shepard told him.
"Glad to hear it, Commander. Remember: You were a human long before you were a Spectre. I have a meeting to get to. Captain Anderson and Captain Cameron can answer any questions you might have," Udina said before leaving. Marcus pulled me to the side.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Paige?" He asked me. I raised an eyebrow.
"Am I sure that I want to bring Saren down while going on a wild adventure?" I asked making it obvious. He chuckled.
"Right, stupid question. Just make sure to call in whenever you can. You don't want to worry me and Russell," he said to me. I nodded before we hugged and went our separate ways. It was then I saw Shepard walk into the ship and I followed. I nodded to Shepard smiling before I went to find a room I would be staying in. Once I did, I changed out of my armor and went and stood by Ashely, Garrus, and Wrex.
"This is Commander Shepard speaking. We have our orders: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. I won't lie to you, crew. This mission isn't going to be easy. For too long our species has stood apart from the others. Now it's time for us to step up and do our part for the rest of the galaxy! Time to show them what humans are made of! Our enemy knows we're coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren's followers will be waiting for us. But we'll be ready for them, too. Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every other species in Citadel Space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise you all…we will stop him!" Shepard said over the com. I smiled…he can be an inspiration for humanity…and every other species if they are willing to listen. I made my way to my room and looked over my weapons. A few minutes later, someone knocked at the door.
"Come in!" I called. Shepard walked in and I smiled. "Hello, Shepard. What can I help you with?" I asked him. He shrugged as he leaned against the wall.
"Just thought I would get to know my new crew members," he said to me. I smirked.
"And what about me do you want to know?" I asked.
"Have you always wanted to be in the military?" He asked.
"Yes, I always loved to do the right thing. I thought serving my race through the Alliance would do that. I knew C-Sec wouldn't cut it for the action bit though," I said to him.
"Considering how far you've come, you must do your job well," he said to me. I chuckled.
"I try, but I could say the same for you. I mean, you're only a year older than me and you're already a Commander," I told him. He nodded with a small smile.
"What about your family?" He asked.
"Well, you already know Marcus, he's thirty eight and a Captain. Then there's Russell, he's twenty five and a Lieutenant," I stated.
"What about your parents?" He asked curiously. I frowned.
"They died when I was fifteen. Marcus took me and Russell in after they died," I told him. He frowned too.
"I'm sorry for your loss," he said softly. I nodded with a small smile.
"Thanks. I was happy to know that they died as heroes, that's a good thing. They were trying to take down a group called Cerberus. Undercover work actually. Somehow they got caught and were shot on sight," I explained.
"I can see why you would be proud. They died working to protect everyone," he said. I nodded with the same small smile.
"It's the same way I would hope to die. I would like to die either protecting everyone or protecting my loved ones. Otherwise my death would just be worthless," I sighed. Shepard placed a hand on my shoulder.
"It wouldn't be worthless, Paige. With everything you've done, it wouldn't be worthless. Marcus gave me your file to show me your accomplishments, I was majorly impressed," he said to me. I blushed a little, but smiled.
"I guess you would either read about it or hear it. Good, I suck at trying to verbally impress people," I said to him. He chuckled before he walked to the door.
"I find that hard to believe," he said to me. He stopped at the door and looked at me. "Oh, and call me John," he said to me. I nodded and he left. Once he was gone, I grinned. I feel like a silly school girl with a crush! We were on our way to Therum to find Liara T'Soni, hopefully she hasn't followed in her mother's footsteps. Once we landed, John looked at us. "Tali, Paige, you two can come with me," he said. I nodded with Tali and got ready. We had to get to the site by MAKO, when we were about forty meters away, we walked on foot. We had to fight geth along the way, but I didn't mind it completely. We soon reached the dig and ran into another fight, this time with an Armature. Once that thing and the rest of the geth were gone we walked into the building area. Once we were in deep enough, we heard a female voice.
"Uh…hello? Could somebody help me? Please?" The girl asked. We then saw a blue force field and an asari inside, no doubt Liara T'Soni. "Can you hear me out there? I am trapped! I need help!" Liara said.
"Are you okay? What happened to you?" John asked.
"Listen. This thing I am in is a Prothean security device. I cannot move, so I need you to get me out of it. All right?" She asked.
"Your mother is working with Saren. Whose side are you on?" John asked her.
"What? I am not on anybody's side! I may be Benezia's daughter, but I'm nothing like her! I have not spoken to her in years. Please. Just get me out of here," Liara pleaded.
"We just need to figure out some way past this energy field," John said.
"It's a Prothean barrier curtain. I knew it would keep me safe from the geth. When I turned it on, I must have hit something I wasn't supposed to. I was trapped in here. You must get me out. Please," she said to us.
"We'll find some way to help you," John assured her.
"There is a control in here that should deactivate this thing. You'll have to find some way past the barrier curtain. That's the tricky part. The defenses cannot shut off from the outside. I don't know how you'll get in here. Be careful. There is a krogan with the geth. They have been trying different ways to get passed the barrier," Liara informed. We managed to find a way in, thank god. We got onto the elevator and made our way up to Liara. "How…how did you get in here? I didn't think there was a way past the barrier," she said.
"We have to get you out of here before more geth arrive," John told her.
"Yes, you're right. I've seen enough of them to last a lifetime. That button should shut down my containment field," Liara said. I walked over to the computer and helped her down. She landed on her knees obviously exhausted. I looked at her.
"Is there a way to get out of here?" I asked her.
"There is an elevator back in the center of the tower. At least, I think it's an elevator. It should take us out of here. Come on!" Liara motioned for us to follow. We got on the elevator and she looked at us. "I—I still cannot believe all of this. Why would the geth come after me? Do you think Benezia's involved?" Liara asked.
"Saren's looking for the Conduit. You're a Prothean expert. He probably wants you to help him find it," Tali told her.
"The Conduit? But I don't know…" Liara was cut off by a small jolt from the elevator. We then heard rumbling. I looked up cautiously.
"What the hell was that?" I asked not really wanting to know the answer.
"These ruins aren't stable. That mining laser must have triggered a seismic event," Liara said.
"Well, that's just dandy," I muttered sarcastically.
"We have to hurry. The whole place is caving in!" Liara said typing something into the computer. John pressed a finger to his earpiece.
"Joker! Get the Normandy airborne and lock in on my signal. On the double, mister!" John ordered.
"Aye, aye, Commander. Secure and aweigh. ETA eight minutes," Joker told him.
"He needs to move faster," Tali said.
"That boy better move quick or I'll make his life living hell when I haunt him!" I stated. I then saw John crack a small smile at that. It was then the elevator started moving. We made it to the sop and saw four geth and a krogan…just great.
"Surrender. Or don't. That would be more fun," said the krogan Battlemaster.
"In case you didn't notice, this place is falling apart," John glared.
"Exhilarating, isn't it? Thanks for getting rid of those energy fields for us. Hand the doctor over," the krogan Battlemaster demanded.
"Whatever it is you want, you're not getting it from me," Liara refused.
"She'll stay with us, thanks," John agreed. The krogan shook his head.
"Not an option. Saren wants her. And he always gets what he wants. Kill them. Spare the asari if you can. If not, doesn't matter," he said to the geth. I took out my pistol and began shooting the geth. I noticed the walls beginning to collapse and I looked at John.
"We need to get out of here!" I told him. He nodded and we all ran out of the wall collapsing hole. We were able to make it out and I went to Com Room where everyone else was. I took a seat next to Kaidan who was on my right. John was standing on my left.
"Too close, Commander. Ten more seconds and we would have been swimming and molten Sulphur. The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference," Joker…well, joked.
"We almost died out there and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asked kinda annoyed.
"Joker pulled our asses out of there. I think he's earned the right to a few bad jokes," John told her. I nodded.
"Besides, the Normandy is his baby," I added.
"I see. It must be a human thing. I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species, Commander. But I am grateful to you. You saved my life back there. And not just from the volcano. Those geth would have killed me. Or dragged me off to Saren," Liara said. Gee, you're welcome. It's not like Tali and I didn't help you too!
"What did Saren want with you? Do you know something about the Conduit?" Kaidan asked her.
"Only that it was somehow connected to the Prothean extinction. That is my real area of expertise. I have spent the last fifty years trying to figure out what happened to them," Liara said.
"I've got my own theory about why the Protheans disappeared," John told her.
"With all due respect, Commander, I have heard every theory out there. The problem is finding evidence to support them. The Protheans left remarkably little behind. It is almost as if someone did not want the mystery solved. It's like someone came along after the Protheans were gone and cleansed the galaxy of clues. But here is the incredible part. According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first galactic civilization to mysteriously vanish. This cycle began long before them," Liara said.
"Where'd you come up with this theory? I thought there wasn't any evidence," John said to her.
"I have been working on this for fifty years. I have tracked down every scrap and shred of evidence. Eventually, subtle patterns start to emerge. Patterns that hint at the truth. It is difficult to explain to someone else. I cannot point to one specific thing to prove my case. It is more a feeling derived from a half-century of dedicated research. But I know I'm right. And eventually, I will be able to prove it. There were other civilizations before the Protheans. This cycle has repeated itself many times over," Liara informed.
"If the Protheans weren't the first, then who was?" John asked.
"I don't know. There is barely any evidence on the Protheans. Even less on those who came before them. I cannot prove my theory. But I know I am right! The galaxy is built on a cycle of extinction. Each time a great civilization rises up, it is suddenly and violently cast down. Only ruin survive. The Protheans rose up from a single world until their empire spanned the entire galaxy. Yet even they climbed to the top on the remains of those who came before. Their greatest achievements—the mass relays and the Citadel—are based on technology of those who came before them. And then, like all other forgotten civilizations throughout galactic history, the Protheans disappeared. I have dedicated my life to figuring out why," Liara informed us.
"They were wiped out by a race of sentient machines. The Reapers," John told her.
"The—the Reapers? But I have never heard of—how do you know this? What evidence do you have?" Liara asked him.
"There was a damage Prothean beacon on Eden Prime. It burned a vision into my brain. I'm still trying to sort out what it all means," John explained.
"Visions? Yes…that makes sense. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the mind of the user. Finding one that still works is extremely rare. No wonder the geth attacked Eden Prime. The chance to acquire a working beacon—even a badly damaged one—is worth almost any risk. But the beacons were only programmed to interact with Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would have been confused, unclear. I am amazed you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be remarkable strong-willed, Commander," Liara said. It almost sounds like she's flirting with him!
"Okay, this isn't helping us find Saren. Or the Conduit," I stated a little irritated. Though I love to learn new things about the galaxy…I don't want to hear it from an asari who's hitting on our Commander. Ashely nodded in agreement with me, but for another reason.
"Of course. You are right. My scientific curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately, I do not have any information that will help you find the Conduit. Or Saren," Liara said.
"I don't know why Saren wanted you out of the picture. But I think we'll be a lot better off if we bring you along," John told her.
"Thank you, Commander. Saren might come after me again. I cannot think of anywhere safer than on your ship. And my knowledge of the Protheans might be useful later on," Liara said.
"And her biotics will come in handy when the fighting starts," Wrex said. John gave her a small smile.
"Great to have you on the team, Liara," he told her.
"Thank you, Commander. I am very gratef—whoa. I'm afraid I'm feeling a bit light-headed," Liara said.
"When was the last time you ate? Or slept? Dr. Chakwas should take a look at you," Kaidan said to her.
"It is probably just mental exhaustion, couple with utter shock of discovering the Protheans' true fate. I need some time to process all this. Still, it could not hurt to be examined by a medical professional. It will give me a chance to think things over. Are we finished here, Commander?" Liara asked.
"We can talk again after you've seen the doctor. The rest of you…dismissed!" John ordered. I sighed and stood up. I then left and went to my room. This has been one hectic day.