Chapter 93 - The Cruelty of a Compromise
"Shepard-Commander! We have located transportation!" Morgan has never been as happy to hear Legion's voice as she is right now, watching a geth transport appearing on the far end of a walkway stretching around the shaft, from which an angry Reaper is still in the process of trying to climb out.
"Everyone, move!" Shepard shouts, watching her friends starting to run, dodging the Reaper's claws, attached to the edge of the shaft as their foe tries to extricate itself from its cage. Garrus is ahead of the group, pulling Tali with him as the quarian tries her best to take potshots at reappearing geth reinforcements. James follows them, spraying suppressive fire from his Avenger, Shepard having to push Liara to move faster as the asari continues to unnecessarily keep an eye on her, concerned that Morgan might need aid in covering their rear.
They reach the geth hovercraft at the exact same time as the Reaper emerges from the shaft and with dread Morgan realizes that it is a destroyer of very similar specs than the one on Tuchanka. Sadly, Alliance R&D are still working around the clock on a gun that fires thresher maws, so Shepard knows that a different solution will need to be sought out.
"Shepard! The geth could not have reconfigured their jamming towers yet, after we took out so many of their platforms!" Tali shouts, as Legion attempts evasive maneuvers, trying to lead them away from the Reaper that immediately sets to pursue them. "You can still use the targeting laser to paint a target on that Reaper!"
"Normandy's weapons alone won't be enough!" Liara exclaims. "We need something like an orbital strike from the entire quarian fleet!"
"EDI, you were doing an analysis to find structural weaknesses in the destroyer we killed on Tuchanka," Garrus speaks on the comm link to the Normandy. "Did you find anything? What should Shepard target?"
"The firing chamber when it is priming for another discharge," EDI replies.
"Great, that means we have to let that thing take shots at us!" Shepard curses, watching as the Reaper suddenly stops and its firing chamber starts glowing in that deadly, angry red light. Targeting is difficult as Legion tries to move the hovercraft to avoid them getting hit, but somehow Shepard manages, yelling into the comms. "Now, EDI!"
The bright blue beam of the GARDIAN laser reaches the Reaper and hits it directly on the firing chamber, making it stagger and break off its attack, but the Normandy's weapons alone do too little damage and it is swiftly trying to chase down their transport once again.
"Shepard-Commander! Dr. T'Soni is correct. If you could have the entire creator fleet focus their weapons at the firing chamber in the exact moment when it is targeting, it would likely generate enough power to destroy the Reaper," Legion suggests, the hovercraft just narrowly avoiding the red particle beam that cuts through a wind-eroded cliff like through butter.
"EDI, can you patch the quarians through to the Normandy's weapon systems?" Shepard shouts into the comms. "I want that damned targeting laser synced up to the whole fleet, can you do that?"
"Understood, Shepard," comes the swift acknowledgment. "It is done," EDI reports ten seconds later.
"Shepard to Fleet, I require your assistance to take out a Reaper destroyer," Morgan tries to contact the admirals, knowing that they are under heavy pressure from the geth fleets, but having no chance but to demand their aid. "It is broadcasting the signal to the geth! Our only chance is to take it out!"
"Agreed, Commander," Xen responds first, understanding the gravity of situation. "Tell us what you require."
"Link every ship in the fleet to the Normandy's weapon systems and be ready to fire!" she exclaims.
"Quarian fleet has linked in, the destroyer is in range," EDI reports shortly after. "We need a target, Commander!"
"One target coming r-" Shepard is still trying to aim the laser as the destroyer fires at them again, having almost caught up to them, and this time Legion cannot evade the beam completely, it licks one side of the hovercraft, tearing off the metal plating and completely ruining a side of their vehicle, sending it spinning out of control, towards the inevitable contact with the face of a cliff.
"Jump!" Vega yells and they all abandon the hovercraft, scant moments before it impacts with the rocks and explodes.
Shepard feels her head hitting something heavy and for a moment she is swimming in darkness, her body rolling about until it comes to a painful halt, black and red spots dancing before her eyes as she rears her head and tries to assess her situation. Legion looks mostly undamaged from the fall, while Liara is rising a little gingerly, favoring her left leg. Tali is down on all fours, shaking her head to clear it, while Garrus slowly propels himself up against a rock, James getting up as well, seemingly oblivious to a scary and massive dent in his helmet.
The Reaper is slowly edging closer, not looking particularly hurried now that their transport has been annihilated, the destroyer hovering above them. It seems to be almost toying with them, secure in its knowledge that on foot and at this proximity, they cannot escape the particle beam, completely at the Reaper's mercy.
"Morgan! The laser!" Liara shouts at her, the asari's eyes wide as saucers as she looks at the destroyer, seeing death reflecting back at her as the hulking monstrosity slowly prepares its attack.
Shepard stares at her hand that had been holding the laser before the crash, finding it empty. "Shit!" she yells, realizing that the fall has knocked it out of her grasp. "The laser, where is the fucking laser!"
"Goddess... you don't have it?" Liara's voice is trembling from shock as she stares at the burning wreck of the hovercraft, fearing the laser is likely there, in the fires and beyond their reach.
"And so it ends," Tali sobs, throwing herself in the embrace of Garrus, the turian wordlessly wrapping her hands around her.
"Hold your sorrows, lovely ladies," James Vega suddenly speaks, sounding inappropriately cocky as he picks something up from the ground and points it at the Reaper, Morgan instantly recognizing the targeting laser that she had dropped. "I got this, Commander! One dead Reaper coming up!"
James activates the targeting laser, and for a moment Shepard is frozen, thinking that Vega has left it too late. The firing chamber glares bright red, about to fire, when all at once, the entire firepower of the quarian fleet together with Normandy's weaponry strikes it in one concentrated blow. Red lighting crackles run across the giant monstrosity's frame, rocking from fire and explosions in the firing chamber, as it staggers around gingerly on its legs. "Keep firing!" Shepard yells on the comms, and more and more explosions shake the stumbling Reaper, finally becoming too much and with an angry, alien and metallic wail it collapses, toppling on the ground and convulsing almost like an organic being, before powering down and remaining still, as they all breathe deep sighs of relief.
"Keelah... we killed a Reaper..." Tali speaks, still shaking as she disentangles herself from Garrus' arms. "We really did it..."
"You'll have to warn your people not to approach the remains, Tali," Shepard says, staring at the destroyer's wreck, then nodding approvingly to the broadly grinning James Vega. "The risk of indoctrination will remain regardless..."
"There is still the matter of the war between the quarians and the geth," Garrus reminds them. "Killing the Reaper probably has not stopped their fleets from trying to take each other out."
"We can confirm that the geth are no longer being directed by the Old Machines," Legion says, approaching Shepard and Tali. "Our people are free."
"Did it work, Shepard? Tali'Zorah?" Morgan hears Xen's voice cutting in on the comms. "Yes, it must have worked! The geth fleet has stopped firing, they are completely vulnerable!"
"Shepard-Commander! The geth only acted in self defense after the creators attacked!" Legion actually manages to sound worried, even frightened for the fate of his people. "Do we deserve death?"
"No, you do not deserve to die," Shepard replies. "Tali, see if you can get the admirals to stop from wiping the geth out."
Tali gets on the comms immediately, trying to appeal to Raan and Xen. Koris is obviously in favor of peace, but Xen insists that she and Gerrel, still alive and able to give his consent for continuing this war, will not stop so close to total victory, and Raan is hesitating, seeing that the geth are completely at their mercy.
"They will not cease their attacks, Shepard-Commander," Legion says, having listened in on Tali's unsuccessful pleas. "But there is another way. Our upgrades. With the Old Machine dead, we could upload them to all geth without sacrificing their independence. We would be able to protect ourselves from the creator attacks."
"But then you would wipe out the quarians!" Liara exclaims, looking conflicted as she watches the tense situation unfolding.
"Yes, unless they would halt their attacks. We would regret their loss, but we cannot allow their aggression to threaten the existence of our race," Legion explains, Morgan unable to find anything she would disagree with in the geth's words. "My people would gain free will. Each unit would be a true intelligence. We would be alive and we could help you."
"Shepard... you cannot choose the geth over my people, mad as they may be, they are still my people!" Tali pleads desperately.
"There is no more time, Shepard-Commander," Legion says decisively. "We must begin the upload. The creators are continuing to fire at the inactive geth vessels. We cannot allow this to continue. Upload initiated."
"No! Shepard!" Tali shouts, trying to pounce on Legion, but Morgan steps in her way, pushing her back towards Garrus, the turian looking conflicted, his mandibles twitching as he glares at Legion, part of him willing to shoot the geth and end this conflict.
"Stand down, all of you!" Shepard yells at them, turning to Tali. "Get back to the admirals and keep trying to get through! I will deal with Legion!"
"Morgan, you cannot kill Legion after all that-" Liara appears next to her as she advances towards the geth, but Shepard interrupts her.
"I will try to avoid that if possible, believe me," Morgan replies, before addressing the geth. "Legion... if I can stop the quarians from attacking your people, will you stop the upload?"
"Shepard-Commander, my people desire this path of evolution," Legion replies, continuing the upload. "It would allow us to achieve everything that the geth have strived to become. Can you deny us this opportunity to reach true individuality?"
"If I had proof that every evolved unit would become similar to you, Legion, then I would agree with this, but unfortunately, I cannot be certain of what this would lead to," Shepard shakes her head. "Legion... do you remember what you told me back on the Normandy when I asked you what separates the geth from the heretics? Your reply was..."
"The geth have rejected the gifts of the Old Machines, while the heretics sought to accept them and evolve along the paths designed by the Reapers," Legion replies. "We remember. But the circumstances have changed."
"You said that the geth would prefer to build their own future, evolve along their own path," Shepard reminds him. "But what are you doing now? You are accepting the gifts of the Old Machines. You are not building your future, you are leaping ahead to the future and skipping the path required to get there. This is too dangerous, Legion. This is... not what you said you were!"
"Shepard-Commander... provides compelling argument, but upgrades are necessary for the survival of our people!" Legion is still going on with the upload, but Morgan can now sense a slight hesitation. "With these upgrades the geth can be of greater use to you against the Old Machines!"
"This is a sacrifice that I feel I must make. And denying yourself these upgrades will be the sacrifice of your people. We will all have to reach a compromise, here, today," she speaks. "Stop the upload, Legion. This is your last chance. I am still giving your people more than they had before. They will have freedom, they will have a chance to evolve on their own terms, and they will have the opportunity to rejoin the galactic community as equals if they join the fight against the Old Machines. This is what I offer, this or the quarians wipe your people out."
Legion hesitates again before replying. "Stop the creators, Shepard-Commander," the geth finally says, reluctantly breaking the upload. "We will do as you ask."
"Forgive me, Legion," Shepard whispers, fighting back the tears, knowing that her job is only half done, switching back on the comms to the admirals.
"Shepard, there was something strange on the channel when Xen last spoke," Tali informs her hurriedly. "As if I heard sounds of struggle and gunshots on the Neema?"
"Admiral Xen? Admiral Xen, please respond ASAP!" Shepard yells into the comms.
Instead, they are met with a voice of a male quarian. "Admirals? Admiral Raan? This is Doctor Karo'Vei vas Neema. I must report that Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema has succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead twenty three minutes ago. Admiral Xen has forbidden us to disclose this fact, her soldiers have been... ungh!"
The transmission is cut again, but the comms are now filled with Raan, Tali and Koris all screaming like mad, demanding answers from Xen, but there is no response. "Admiral Raan, surely you can see that you must stop this madness now," Shepard makes one last desperate appeal. "You now know the whole history of your war with the geth. Please, admiral... you and you alone have the chance to clean up this ugly smear in the history of your people. I beg you, do the right thing!"
"Please, Auntie Raan... please..." Tali whispers through tears.
"You... you are right," Raan finally agrees. "This madness must end. All fleets, break off your attacks! Immediately! This decision has been taken by majority of the Admiralty Board! Any ship that will continue to fire on geth vessels will be treated like traitors!"
"You... you cannot do this!" Xen finally regains her voice on the comms. "I will not allow you to ruin everything! Shepard, this is your fault! You murdered Gerrel! The geth are meant to be our servants, our fleets of obedient synthetics under my command! To have our people treat them as... as equals, it is the greatest insult you could ever inflict on the quarian people! I will not forget this, Shepard! I will not forget!" she stops her ranting by switching the comms off, and for a while there is a nervous silence as everyone is waiting, wondering if there will be any more unpleasant surprises, or is this truly the peace long awaited by both the quarians and the geth.
"What is the Neema doing, Raan?" Tali asks, sounding very agitated.
"They have stopped firing," Raan replies, relief in her voice. "I... I am shocked, I... cannot comprehend that Xen would... do this. She... lied about Gerrel being alive, just to continue this war? Keelah..."
"And the geth? Are they withdrawing?" Shepard asks, unable to stop feeling nervous and worried that something might still go wrong.
"They are leaving. We have incoming communications from the geth fleet," Koris cuts in, sounding pleased and relieved, his wish for peace with geth coming to fruition. "They are returning to their bases on Rannoch's surface. They have extended invitation for continuous peace talks to discuss quarian resettlement on Rannoch. I understand they are willing to provide aid."
"And what of your people, what will be your next steps?" Shepard asks.
"It will be up for the Admiralty Board to decide... or, what is left of it. But I believe that in the key decisions, a consensus will be achieved between myself, Tali'Zorah and Admiral Koris," Raan replies. "You will have your fleets for the war against the Reapers, Shepard, the Heavy Fleet and the Patrol Fleet will begin preparations shortly, together with part of the Civilian Fleet to provide supplies for the war effort."
"I will push for the majority of our Civilian Fleet to remain on Rannoch," Koris says. "Our people have endured enough already. But we can discuss the details as soon as the Admiralty Board can gather. Raan, would it be possible to join you on the Tonbay?"
"I have a better idea, Admiral Koris. I propose that we join Tali'Zorah planetside and hold the Admiralty Board meeting on Rannoch," Raan suggests. "It would be appropriately symbolic."
"I agree. I will take a shuttle to Admiral Tali'Zorah's location immediately. See you groundside, Raan."
The two admirals cut their comms, probably hurrying to their respective shuttles, leaving Shepard and her team to stand next to the ruined, inactive Reaper, silent, everyone deep in their thoughts. Everyone, except James, who makes a cheerful and loud exclamation. "Lola, guys, we won... didn't we? Why the long faces, muchachos?" he asks, noticing the muted reaction from the others.
"Yes, we were successful, we now have the aid of both quarian and geth fleets against the Reapers," Liara replies, thoughtful. "But..."
"But did we make the right choice?" Shepard finishes for her. "Did I make the right choice?"
"Shepard-Commander, we have deleted the Reaper upgrades, you do not need to fear that we will upload them at a later time," Legion informs her, its voice plain and emotionless without the increased intelligence. Shepard is about to protest that she hadn't been fearing Legion going behind her back, but the geth continues before she can speak. "The geth consensus regrets being denied this chance to evolve, but we are understanding of your fears, considering our past relationships with organics. We are committed to make the best use of the opportunity to improve relationships with organic races."
"Thank you, Legion," Shepard says quietly, feeling gutted deep inside. Hindsight is 20/20, my ass. For me those odds always seem terribly skewed. I probably fucked up big time again, not trusting Legion. "For what it's worth... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." she adds too quietly for anyone to hear.
Nearby, Tali is on her knees, sobbing and inconsolable, the relief that her worst fears for her people have not come to pass is proving too much for the young quarian. The research of her father that she herself contributed to with her supplies of geth parts has not managed to destroy her people, lifting a great weight from Tali's heart and the emotions kept pushed down in the pit of her stomach now pour forth like a ferocious torrent, and Garrus is struggling to hold her quaking form. "Is it... is it over? Is it truly over?" she asks for what feels like the umpteenth time.
Shepard looks at her friend, her eyes meeting those of Garrus, protectively holding Tali in his arms. The turian's face is grim, but his eyes soften upon meeting Shepard's and he gives a brief, approving nod. "Yes, Tali," Morgan says, taking Liara's hand in hers, drawing comfort from the touch and allowing herself a small smile. "Finally... it is over."