Chapter 60 - Rescue a la Wrex
Wrex flies the shuttle with surprising skill and confidence, and the heavy Kodiak responds well to his handling, gliding smoothly on its approach towards the Prothean digsite on Eden Prime. The idyllic sights of the agrarian world not yet touched by the Reapers, green farmlands with patches of housings between them, everything is at odds with the memories of Morgan's last visit here, landing amongst smoke and gunfire, the place ravaged by the numerous geth forces.
"Eden Prime. Where it all began," Liara says thoughtfully, looking at the view outside the shuttle. "The Prothean beacon that gave you the vision that warned us about the Reapers."
"Yeah, I really should have listened more carefully to my mom's warnings when growing up," Shepard chuckles. "Don't touch any strange alien devices, Morgan! Oh... what's the worst that could happen, huh?"
"Performing simulations of the scenario in which Commander Shepard did not use the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime," EDI says, remaining silent for a few moments, and the others regard her curiously. "Analysis show Reaper invasion through the Citadel relay inevitable."
"EDI is right, Morgan," Liara smiles. "If you hadn't touched the beacon... we would not be standing here, with a fighting chance. Your actions on that day have led us here."
"Don't sell yourself short, Liara," Shepard replies, smiling at her. "If not for you, I would have never understood the meaning of those visions, so you brought us this far as much as I did."
Liara blushes, appearing unwilling to accept the praise, but EDI interjects. "Commander Shepard's assessment is essentially correct. My database scans fail to identify another individual possessing the necessary knowledge of the Prothean lore in combination with the ability to meld consciousness."
"See Liara, we were just meant to be together," Shepard grins like a fool, sauntering up to her lover and wrapping an arm around her waist. "Written in the stars and all that romantic sappy stuff."
Liara merely rolls her eyes before allowing herself a tender smile, but then Wrex butts in from the pilot's seat. "Heh, tell yourself what you want, you all know that without me doing all the heavy lifting, you would never get anything done," he chuckles.
"We love you too, Wrex," Shepard replies, smile not leaving her lips. It's so good to have Wrex along and back in action, even if it's just for a brief bit. "Are we there yet?" she adds.
"Going to land a little away from the digsite," Wrex says. "Can't see any Cerberus around, but just in case to save your pilot doing a new paint job."
"Scans indicate minimal Cerberus presence around the digsite," EDI informs them with surprising news.
"That's strange, considering how valuable this artifact is supposed to be," Shepard says, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it's already been taken off-world?"
"Alliance intelligence suggests the recovered artifact remains on premises," EDI says. "I am obtaining comm chatter indicating heavy fighting in a larger settlement nearby. Perhaps the Cerberus forces have been recalled to deal with operation launched by Eden Prime resistance."
"Or perhaps they have simply broken for lunch," Shepard shrugs as Wrex lands the Kodiak, as softly as some of the better landings by Steve Cortez. "So, we still don't know anything about the nature of this artifact? Could it be related to Hackett's project?"
"What project?" Wrex looks curious as they get out of the shuttle to take their first steps on the solid ground of Eden Prime.
"Right, just try not to share this with half of Tuchanka, Wrex, but we're building a Prothean super-weapon that will help us defeat the Reapers," Shepard explains.
Wrex looks unimpressed. "Don't waste your time with crap like that," he shrugs. "What do you need some super-weapon for if you'll have krogan on your side?"
Liara gently pats Wrex on the arm. "Compelling argument, Wrex, but I would feel much safer with both Crucible and the krogan," she smiles, then turning back towards Shepard. "Well, this is the same site that stored the Prothean beacon that warned us about the Reapers. It is possible that another discovery here would be connected to the Reaper threat and the Crucible."
"Fair point," Shepard nods, urging the others to get moving towards the digsite. "Maybe we can get in and out before Cerberus lunch break has ended."
"There is no data or evidence to support your claim about Cerberus forces being on a... lunch break," EDI somehow manages to sound frustrated.
"Stop trying to defeat my blind and irrational hope with your logic, EDI," Shepard snickers. Her smile fades quickly as she looks around the buildings of the small colony, walls riddled with bullets and smeared with blood, colonist corpses lying here and there, the bodies already starting to decompose. Such a beautiful place, why is it such a magnet for disaster? These people do not deserve it, nobody does, Shepard thinks. And eventually the Reapers will arrive here to finish the job, unless we stop them.
They walk between the rows of houses, the digsite spreading before them, recognizable shape of recovered tall Prothean structures reaching out from the excavated site. "Sticking out like bits of old bones," Shepard can't help but to remark.
Liara and EDI quickly rush up to the edge of the digsite to look at what Cerberus have uncovered below, but all they see is more and more structures of similar shape to the beacon, but merely just remnants of Prothean architecture. "Dr. T'Soni," EDI starts to speak. "Have you ever encountered dinosaur fossils during your digs?"
"No, no, dinosaurs and other fossils would be paleontology," Liara replies, completely serious. "My field is archeology, I study artifacts left by sentient species. The two fields are completely different and... wait, you could not have been unaware of this. You were joking," she gives EDI a reproachful stare.
"I was not," EDI replies, equally serious. "Jokes tend to have specific structure. I was merely... messing with you."
"Hey, don't do that ever again, EDI," Shepard says, corners of her lips tugging into a smile. "Liara has a hard time always being the butt of my jokes, she doesn't need you having fun at her expense too."
"That is so kind of you, Shepard," Liara grumbles, playfully elbowing her in the stomach as she strides past. "Now come, follow me. I see an elevator leading into the digsite."
They rush past some scattered crates and an abandoned Mako with Cerberus logo painted on the side, reaching a little bridge running to the center of the digsite and a computer console at the top of the elevator. The bridge creaks ominously under Wrex's weight, but fortunately holds. Liara is the first to jump to the console, starting to examine it, EDI peering over her shoulder, Shepard content to allow them to satisfy their curiosity.
"Operating the console will likely trigger alarms and alert Cerberus to our presence," EDI warns.
"We don't have much choice," Liara replies, hitting a button to activate the elevator. She continues to read the data on the console. "What they have found... oh goddess, it does not seem possible!"
"What is it, Liara?" Shepard asks, then noticing that the elevator coming up is not empty, but it is carrying something vaguely coffin-shaped. That looks very familiar somehow... I've seen something like that already, I'm sure... stasis pods?
"You remember seeing them before, I trust?" Liara asks, as the elevator stops, revealing the oddly shaped stasis pod.
"That looks like something we saw on Ilos," Wrex remarks, his memory and astuteness surprising Shepard.
"Yeah, I remember it too," Morgan nods. "But everyone inside those pods on Ilos were dead. This one has to be-"
"It is operational, Shepard," Liara breathes out, looking pale, her arms trembling from the unbelievable excitement. "The readings are unmistakable, this pod has never lost its power supply like those on Ilos. It is active even now," the asari says, scanning the pod with her omni-tool. "Shepard, this is... incredible! We were looking for some artifact to help us with the Crucible, but this... this could be so much more helpful! Imagine what he could teach us!"
"Careful, Liara, breathe," Shepard reminds her with a smile on her lips. "If we manage to get the Prothean out of there alive, let's not assume he will be immediately cooperative."
"Everything I have learned about the Protheans suggest to me that they were a noble race, interested in helping other species and committed to inter-species cooperation," Liara states passionately. "They uplifted countless other species to help them join the galactic community! Their cultural and artistic expression are actually quite close to the ancient asari. If we can open the pod, I am certain that the Prothean will help us!"
That sounded like idealization unlike my usually rational and logical Liara, Shepard inwardly shakes her head. Well, I'm not going to argue, and who knows, she might be right. I just hope that the grim reality doesn't shatter her dreams and illusions... "Well, with the galaxy's best expert on the Protheans at our side, I'm sure we'll get him to cooperate," she only says, giving Liara an encouraging smile.
"I will do my best to help," Liara replies with a smile of her own. "This single Prothean is probably the foremost scientist of his time... or perhaps the wisest counselor..." She continues to scan the stasis pod while talking. "Ah... Cerberus have mishandled the pod while moving it. The life signs are unstable."
"Right, so let's break him out and get him out of there," Wrex decides, stomping towards the pod with clear intent, reaching out to rip the pod's cover wide open.
"No! No, don't!" Liara exclaims loudly, making Shepard worry that every Cerberus soldier in the near vicinity has heard her. The asari throws herself in Wrex's path, almost trying to charge him, but deflecting from the krogan's bulky frame like a rubber ball from a stone wall.
"What exactly are you doing?" Wrex blinks, staring at Liara, sitting on the elevator floor and shaking her dizzy head.
"Looked like she tried to head-butt you," Shepard says thoughtfully. "She does that, you see. She's my little quarter krogan."
Liara glares up at Shepard, then turning to Wrex. "Uh... don't open the pod, Wrex, or you'll kill him," she says as EDI helps her get back up to her feet. "We have to find the command signal that ends the stasis mode, as well as a way to physically open the pod without doing more damage."
"Cerberus would have been searching for similar information," EDI remarks. "It is likely that some of these surrounding buildings house their laboratories, which could contain the data we need."
"And speaking of Cerberus..." Wrex says, pointing in the distance. There is a clearly recognizable vessel approaching the digsite, for now just one of their shuttles.
"Looks like the lunch break is over," Shepard chuckles, checking the ammo of her sniper rifle. "Alright, people, let's get into positions and give these suckers a proper greeting!"
"Wrex... wielding the body of that poor nemesis as a club is just wrong," Shepard says, rolling her eyes, impressed with the carnage the krogan has left in his wake.
"And why is that?" Wrex growls, throwing the mangled, broken body aside and it rolls into a nearby ditch.
"...it's just inhumane," Shepard replies.
"Well, it's very krogan, that's why it must be so effective," Wrex grins broadly.
"Urdnot Wrex is displaying admirable efficiency... as well as large degree of reckless abandon," EDI comments, her voice almost managing to sound approving. "Observing the carnage in his path gives greater insights into the concerns of Dalatrass Linron."
"You're not doing shabby yourself, EDI," Shepard tells her new squadmate. It is true, EDI has been extremely useful, from simple hacking to overloading the enemy shields and extremely accurate weapons fire. But even more impressive is the AI's ability to work as a part of the group, having analyzed the patterns in the actions of Shepard and her crew, she adjusts her behavior instantly. Morgan is able to act without having to worry how EDI might react, displaying immediate synergy of the same level that Shepard has developed with Liara and Wrex over many, many months spent chasing Saren.
"Thank you, Shepard," the AI replies. "Your approval is of great value to me."
The labs are close by and another Cerberus squad lays entrenched in their path, but the combined abilities of Shepard's group are too much for their opponents, troopers sent flying by Liara's singularities, the rest disabled by EDI and left vulnerable to Wrex's charge, which leaves very little for Shepard to mop up with her sniper rifle. The Cerberus labs contain several Prothean artifacts that they have been studying, and Morgan stops to reach out and take one of them, forgetting what effect touching strange and mysterious alien relics usually has on her. Immediately, memories of ancient times accost her mind.
Reaper destroyers, several of them, ravaging an unmistakably Prothean landscape. Platoon of soldiers standing in their way, the green rays of their pulse rifles making little impact on the destroyer armor. They look familiar... Collectors! Wait, no... of course not, these are Protheans, the real ones. The sickeningly familiar red particle beams of the Reapers wipe them out, group by group.
There is a recording, a memory, of an assault on some kind of a base. The destroyers wander in the near vicinity, as the complex is assaulted by hundreds and hundreds of Collectors. The Protheans fight valiantly to hold the base, but it seems only a matter of time before the superior Reaper forces break through. There are scattered stasis pods around the base, mostly damaged ones, and the complex itself looks a little like the facilities on Ilos. Except that it can't be Ilos, can it? The Reapers never went there.
Shepard sees one of the Protheans stepping up to a damaged pod and pressing on a panel to reveal a small touch screen. His fingers quickly input the commands, and they burn itself into her mind as the cover of the pod lifts to reveal a charred corpse inside, the body's position suggesting death in terrible agony, struggling to get the pod open from the inside but failing to do so.
The desperate plan of the Protheans is simple. Put enough of their people into these stasis pods, clear all the Reapers from the planet by initiating neutron purge, end stasis when the Reapers have finally retreated back to the dark space. There is a memory of the last Prothean ordering a VI to broadcast the stasis readiness to all the pods, and Shepard senses the signal, confident of being able to replicate it. She shakes herself free from the memory, giving herself a few moments to steady her thoughts before stepping away from the Prothean artifact.
"I think I've got it," she nods slowly. "Bless Shiala and that Prothean Cipher, without it we would have been as stumped as Cerberus."
"Let's get back to the pod, quickly!" Liara exclaims hurriedly, about to run out of the lab, but Wrex grabs her by the hand, halting her.
"Easy there, don't get yourself killed," he growls warningly. "While you were busy admiring ancient crap, our friends have prepared a welcoming party outside."
Shepard activates her cloaking, leaning out through the doors to take a peek. There are at least twelve of the Cerberus shock troops waiting for them, and this time they have brought engineers who have already set up turrets. "EDI and I can disable the turret to our right," Liara offers.
"Good. I guess I will just handle EVERYTHING ELSE!" Wrex roars, rushing out of the lab building, his sudden battle cry startling a few of the enemies, one of the troopers even managing to drop his assault rifle at the sight of a krogan charging at him. Wrex grabs the suddenly limp trooper and throws him right on top of the active turret and its burst fire quickly tears several new holes in the unfortunate trooper's abdomen. The krogan is already upon the turret and knocks it over with a mighty kick, before raising a shotgun and blowing a brand new ventilation shaft in the nearby engineer's chest. EDI and Liara destroy the other turret, while Shepard teaches the enemy snipers to keep the top of their heads in cover too, but the two foes will not be able to benefit from this newfound wisdom, on the account of being quite dead.
"Right, let's take care of this before more Cerberus show up, it's starting to get a bit annoying," Shepard says, leading her friends towards the recovered pod. "Let's see... the signal first," Liara nods at that, wrenching her hands hopefully, no doubt uttering all possible prayers to her goddess that the Prothean inside is unharmed and alive. "Alright, here goes nothing," Morgan finishes fiddling with her omni-tool, sending the signal, and the pod responds immediately, a panel slides open, allowing her to enter the necessary data input to unlock it.
The cover slides open agonizingly slowly, and Liara is reaching up on her toes, peering over Shepard's shoulder, trying to see what is inside the pod. "Goddess... this is incredible..." she exclaims close to Morgan's ear, seeing the armored shape of a living Prothean lying inside, covered with a sheen of frost.
"I've seen so many of them as those twisted Collectors... it will be... interesting to have someone like him on our side," Shepard says thoughtfully. "Assuming he will be interested in joining us."
"Doesn't seem to be able to do much," Wrex shrugs. "Looks dead to me," he says, reaching inside the pod to poke the Prothean, Liara quickly stopping him again.
"Life signs are spiking... still spiking... slowly returning to normal," EDI speaks, monitoring the Prothean's vital attributes. "It is recommended to allow him to regain consciousness on his own."
The Prothean himself does not appear content with taking things slowly, however. As soon as his four yellow eyes snap open, his shape immediately crackles with green biotic energy, throwing them all back into a heap, fortunately with Wrex underneath and not squishing anyone to their death. The Prothean then leaps out of his pod, but stumbles as soon as he hits the solid ground, unsteady, taking a few steps and then collapsing. He gets up to his feet, staring at them, backing off as if in fear and turning to run, falling again and almost tumbling down from the bridge and into the digsite.
"Careful, he is confused!" Liara warns as they slowly approach him, trying not to appear threatening, which is increasingly difficult in Wrex's presence. "Remember, it's been 50,000 years for us, but for him it's only been a few minutes. Give him time to gather his bearings."
"Does he even understand us?" Shepard steps closer, carefully, as the Prothean remains on his knees, looking around the digsite, his eyes widening slightly as he notices the remnants of the Prothean architecture. Suddenly, the Prothean whirls around and grabs her hand in his, immediately a sea of images washing over her mind, the sharing of visions and memories impossible to resist or block, and she surrenders to them, recordings of the last few moments in the life of this Prothean, before the stasis pod trapped him for what feels like eternity.
The Prothean releases her hand, and the images break. "How many others?" He suddenly asks, and she is surprised of being able to understand him. Looking at the others, it appears that they understand their new acquaintance as well.
"None," Shepard shakes her head. "The neutron purge compromised the facility... but you know that, those were your memories I saw, weren't they." The Prothean nods slowly. "How come you can even understand me?" she asks.
"I have read your physiology, your nervous system, it was enough to understand your simplistic language," the Prothean explains plainly, his hoarse voice stating a simple fact, without meaning to insult.
"Okay, that's... I guess it needed to be done, but please, no more touching. It's a bit overwhelming and creepy," Shepard says sternly, before giving him an evaluating stare. "What happened to your people in that vision... is happening to my people right now."
"The cycle is upon you?" the Prothean asks, suddenly interested. "You are fighting the Reapers?"
"Yes, we are," Liara steps forth, giving the Prothean that certain dissecting look that Shepard remembers the asari eyeing her with upon learning that she carried the knowledge of the Prothean beacon in her mind. "We would be honored to have you fight alongside us."
"I am sure, but... is this what the galaxy's hopes rest on in this cycle?" the Prothean's stare now is disbelieving, almost condescending. "Asari and humans, beyond the Reaper notice as too primitive in our cycle, leading the battle in this cycle? How the mighty have fallen," he shakes his head dismissively.
EDI comes closer as well to speak. "My analysis have shown that the technological advancement of the asari and the humans have come close to the level achieved by the Protheans at the height of their empire."
The Prothean gives the AI a hateful stare. "A synthetic?" he growls, then looking at Shepard. "Human, this is not a good beginning. I do not approve of working with a synthetic."
"Well, tough," Shepard says. "I have grown to trust EDI. You, on the other hand, I know nothing of. If I'll have to choose..."
"Please! I'm sure we can get along just fine," Liara speaks pleadingly. "I can assure you that EDI is completely devoted to fighting the Reapers alongside us," she tells the Prothean.
"We will see..." their new and reluctant ally replies thoughtfully, then moving past them to approach Wrex. "And this is even worse," he says, raising a hand to point at Wrex. "You have brought a krog-"
A heavy fist lands in the Prothean's face, dropping him like a sack of potatoes, at the same time as Liara lets out a scream of anguish. "Wrex!" she shouts. "What are you doing, you... you... you krogan!"
"Your insults could really use some work, Liara," Wrex just snorts. "Besides, I thought he was going to touch me. I'm not letting anyone mess with my head. Well, except that asa-"
"Not the time, Wrex!" Shepard hastily interrupts, realizing that Liara is going through enough emotional turmoil right now, fussing over the unconscious Prothean and definitely not deserving to be traumatized by the mental images of Wrex and Aethyta.
"I can't believe we just found a real living Prothean and he was knocked out by a krogan..." Liara sighs, checking the unfortunate Prothean's life signs, then exhaling with relief. "Well, he's just knocked out cold. Hopefully he will still want to join us after he comes to..."
"Let's just leave him no option and bring him to the Normandy while he's unconscious," Morgan suggests, giving Wrex a glare. "And for knocking him out, you'll get to carry him back to the shuttle."
"I am not touching him," Wrex backs off, looking resentful. "Besides, he was annoying me."
Shepard sighs. "EDI, would you be so kind as to..."
"It will be my pleasure, Shepard," EDI replies, quickly gathering the heavy Prothean in her synthetic arms and carrying him back towards the shuttle. The others follow, Shepard noticing Liara picking up some kind of a shard from the stasis pod and then catching up with the group.
"Well, this has been quite the day, hasn't it?" Morgan smiles at Liara as the asari settles in to walk by her side.
"Yes, it has," her lover replies softly. "I can still scarcely believe it all. A real, living Prothean. Today we spoke with a real, living Prothean!"
"We did, yes," Morgan reaches out and takes Liara's hand, feeling the asari's excitement bubbling over, as she gives a stare to their krogan, walking ahead of them. "...and then Wrex punched him in the face..."