End Game – Chapter Sixteen

As soon as Tabitha and Thane were on the Normandy, Tabitha spoke into her headset comm, "Joker."

Joker instantly replied, "Yes, Commander."

"Set a course for the moon Menae near Palaven – top speed."

"Aye, aye, Commander."

"And Joker…"

"Yes, Shepherd…"

"The Reapers have attacked Palaven like Earth."

Tabitha could hear laughter in Joker's voice, "No problem, Shepherd…just the way I like it." The communication ended as Thane and Tabitha stepped into the elevator. Tabitha pressed the button for the Captain's quarters while speaking aloud, "EDI…"

The familiar melodious voice answered, "Yes, Commander."

"Send star charts of Turian space around Palaven to the war room."

"Anything else, Commander."

The door of the elevator opened as Tabitha and Thane stepped out entering the Captain's quarters. Tabitha continued, "Yes, I would like a detailed in-depth astronomical analysis of all the moons and planets around Palaven, including soil content, rock substructure and density, atmosphere and ocean analysis, plant and animal life, and military and civilian populations."

"Very well."

"And EDI…"

"Yes, Commander."

"Please keep all humidity out of the Normandy, except for the quarters for Javik, and adjust the temperature and humidity levels in the Captain's quarters to the former pre-set conditions when Thane was on the Normandy before."

"Yes, Commander…and I am glad that you were able to join us, Sere Krios. You will be an asset to the crew and will be able to keep the Commander's stress levels within tolerable limits, hopefully."

Thane bowed slightly to the room, arms at his sides, "It is an honor to be a part of the Normandy crew again. Thank you for your confidence in me. I will endeavor to meet the goals you have set for me, impossible as they may seem, pertaining to the Commander."

Tabitha looked at Thane seeing a glint in the depths of his black eyes, "Thane," she cried out, brows knitting together above her eyes.

Thane gave her a half smile as he looked around the quarters walking over to an in-set closet placing his clothes in drawers and hanging up on hangers, "Siha, you know I speak the truth. I am your protector. My arm…my body is yours, but you are the Commander of this ship."

Tabitha was staring at the empty in-set fish tank as Thane placed his arms around her gently bringing her back against his chest. Tabitha could feel his voice reverberating from his chest as he softly spoke into her hair, "Years ago, you told me that I would not be able to understand all the demands of command. I did not understand then, but over the years, I have gained wisdom. I am here for you, Siha. I will listen when you need to talk and/or vent. I will be here when you need a shoulder to cry on. My body is yours when you need to exercise and/or work out."

Tabitha felt his voice go an octave lower as he spoke the last sentence. She turned in his arms nuzzling his neck, "I will take you up on the exercise later, but for now, thank you, for coming. Thank you for everything."

Tabitha could feel his breath by her ear as he replied, "You are welcome, my love. Over the years, you listened to me. When I could not or would not talk, you knew when to leave me alone and when to comfort with your presence. Thank you."

Tabitha leaned her head back, "Kiss me," she whispered.

Thane lowered his head brushing his lips across hers. They linked their hands together as Thane gently pushed Tabitha back against the fish tank. The kiss was slow and explorative as Tabitha opened up to her husband with time seeming to stop. When Thane pulled back, he saw that her eyes were slightly dilated, as she smiled, "I love a good buzz from kissing."

Reluctantly, she pulled away from him, "I want to check on Javik and some of the other crew members before the mission. Do you wish to come along or would you rather stay here and meditate?"

Tabitha saw flames dancing in Thane's eyes as he spoke, "What I wish would be unwise at this time. I will accompany you. I am curious. I have never seen an actual Prothean only mutated versions, Collectors."

Tabitha playfully punched him in the arm, "What am I? chopped liver."

Thane smiled, "You are only part Prothean."

Tabitha smiled as they exited the quarters, "True."

Javik was leaning over a basin letting his fingers dip into the water as Thane and Tabitha entered the room he was occupying on the Engineering Level. Not turning around, Javik spoke, voice deep and full, coming from his chest like Thane, but not like Thane, "Commander, I am ready to accompany you on missions. I have been exploring this ship experiencing numerous species. Because of so many different and varying species, I find I need to wash my hands often because of the residual DNA."

Tabitha spoke, smile in her voice, "I am pleased you are rested. I can use everybody I can get for this next mission."

As Javik turned, he saw Tabitha approaching, hand outstretched ungauntleted. Thane was fascinated by the Prothean. He stood over seven feet tall encased in armor reminiscent of 17th century Earth samari style. He noticed that the Reapers did not change the head configuration or four eyes when they mutated the Protheans into Collectors. Thane was fascinated that the Prothean had neck fringes the same as his race with a body structure similar to Turians and Quarians. "The Prothean scientists must have genetically altered numerous species during their time," he thought to himself, "As the Salarians have experimented and uplifted numerous species."

Both Javik and Tabitha's eyes went wide as their hands met in a hand shake; skin against skin and Prothean DNA interacting with Prothean/Human DNA. Because of the connection Tabitha had with Thane, both experienced Javik's memories.

Javik's Memories

There is a bite to the air as I push the flap of the tent aside stepping outside letting the wind whip around my body. "This will be our last stand," I think to myself, "The best of the Prothean warriors will be placed in stasis pods on this nothing planet sleeping till the Reapers go back into dark space. We will emerge and re-establish the Prothean Empire with the assistance of the primitive races and defeat the Reapers. The Protheans will be victorious."

Sensing movement, I turn to see Janaria stepping out of the tent, wind twisting the robe about the curves of her body. She smiles as she sees me which brings a smile to my eyes. Lifting my arm, she leans against my side, speaking softly in Prothean, "Today is the day, my General. Today you will achieve victory for the Prothean Empire."

I turn her to look at me placing my forehead against hers, "Janaria, today is also a victory for us," as I place one hand against her swollen belly, "and our child."

A tremor to her voice, looking at me, Janaria replies, placing one of her hands along my neck fringes, "Javik, my General. I am so honored to be carrying your child, but you cannot properly acknowledge and formally claim our child. I am a slave and a breed. It would dishonor…"

Taking her hand from my face, I clasp it firmly between my own, my voice laden with pent-up emotion, "Honor be damned. This is our child born from love not lust. I cannot formally acknowledge you as my mate, but in my heart," placing her hand enclosed in mine over my heart, "you are my mate. I do not care that there is primitive Drell blood in your ancestry. You are mine. Remember, I fought and killed other Protheans for you. When I wanted to give up these past years against the Reapers, you gave me the faith to continue because you believed. You are my hope as our child will be the victory for the future of the new Prothean Empire."

I watch as tears slip silently down the side of her face into her neck fringes, "I love you, my General. Remember that no matter what happens today or some day in the future." From the sad far away expression in her eyes, it seems she knows something I do not as I pull her close wrapping my arms around her feeling our child's movements.

"Come, it is still early," I whisper near her ear canal, feeling her shutter in my arms, "Let me love you one last time before we go into stasis," as I walk both of us back into the tent.

Later, stepping out of the tent fully dressed in my armor, I call the Prothean super computer, Victory. A digital image materializes next to me, "Yes, General."

"I need you to escort Janaria to the location I have chosen for her stasis pod. When you have accomplished that task come back to me."

"Yes, General."

As Janaria exits the tent, I embrace her placing my forehead against hers, "Be safe, my love. I will see you soon. We will be victorious."

Janaria does not say anything as she follows the digital image of Victory down into the valley and out of my view. I turn heading to the base where my men are waiting. I watch in silence as my men step into the stasis pods before being lowered into prepositioned slots in the underground bunker.

There is less than twelve of us left when Victory materializes next to me, "General, the Reapers are here. The base has been compromised. There must have been an indoctrinated spy among us."

The ground shakes as underground explosives go off. Victory replies, "Stasis pods have been damaged from the explosives."

"How many?" I yell as I counter attack mutated Protheans.

"I do not know at the moment," states Victory in a clinical dispassionate voice.

I watch my squad of ten dwindle down to three as wave after wave of Reaper husks assault our position. The last two soldiers turn to me, "General, go with Victory. We will hold them off as long as we can. We will not be taken alive for the Reapers to use us. You must survive for the future of the Prothean race. Death before dishonor, General," as the men salute me before closing the blast door to the base.

I quickly follow Victory to my stasis pod laying down. The lid slides shut as I feel first warm then cold then nothingness. In my head, I hear Victory, "General, the Reapers bombarded the planet from space with small asteroids. There is planet wide devastation and destruction. Several Reapers were destroyed by our remaining fleet of ships along with our own ships littering debris across the surface of this planet. Some of my systems were damaged. From the Prothean and Reaper tech, I will attempt repairs to stabilize my computer systems."

My mind shouts, "How many of my men survived? Did Janaria survive? Victory…"

Time ceases for me as I sleep in stasis for year after year till my mind awakens to sounds of construction. Through my mind's eye, I see primitives called humans terra forming and colonizing the planet.

Victory's Memories

If my fellow Protheans knew that I had become sentient, I would be destroyed. I am Prothean and believe that it is the destiny of all races to succumb and follow the rules and dictates of the Prothean Empire. Because of this, I keep my knowledge of self awareness to myself and maintain the illusion of computer servitude. I will serve the Empire.

It was an honor for me when I was given the avatar title of Victory for the Prothean Empire. I thought it appropriate when General Javik was given the avatar title of Vengeance for the Protean Empire. I consider him a true Prothean and friend. I considered it an honor when he allowed me to protect his love, Janaria.

When the Reapers attacked the base I did everything I could to protect and save the Protheans under my direction and care. That included taking Prothean and Reaper tech to supplement my damaged computer systems. No matter what I did, over the centuries, stasis pod after stasis pod failed and the Protheans died. I determined no matter what to maintain Janaria and Javik's stasis pods, even at the expense of my own existence.

It was a pleasant surprise when ships landed on the planet again. I determined that the race was humans from the Sol System. I watched as the planet was terra formed and colonies built. I observed and waited patiently for the humans to find the stasis pods and Protean beacon.

One day, I observed the colony was attacked by another race, Baterians. One severely injured female found her way to the underground bunker housing my essence in the remnants of the super computer and Janaria's stasis pod. I could tell she was pregnant toward the end of her third trimester. She had been followed by several Baterians. Along with my help, the Batarians were killed, but not before they terminally injured the pregnant human female. After the battle, I noticed that a stray bullet had broken the seal on Janaria's stasis pod.

At this point, I concluded that Janaria would not survive the thawing process because the stasis pod had been comprised. From the knowledge I had acquired from the Reaper tech, I broke the Batarians down into their base components and used the gel as an energy source for myself.

Upon determining the flexibility of human DNA and RNA, I utilized the genetic code of Javik and Janaria's unborn child to supplement the human baby. I would make sure that Janaria and Javik's progeny would survive. Before the human female died, she choked out that her name was Samantha Shepherd and to please call her child Thomas if it was a boy or Tabitha if it was a girl.

To physically maintain the little girl, I broke down the bodies of both the human female and Janaria feeding and maintaining her systems in Janaria's stasis pod. Less than six months later, Tabitha's DNA started breaking down because of the asurgance of her biotic powers. It needed another component to maintain the delicate balance. At that point, I knew what I had to do. Through the Reaper tech, my systems had become organic based. I merged with the small child allowing the organic based nanites to constantly maintain and control all her systems. I left the super computer still functioning for maintaining Javik's stasis pod.

XXXXX

Javik slumped back against the basin as Tabitha slumped to her knees shaking uncontrollably. Having eidetic memory and experiencing memories over the years caused Thane to not be affected like Tabitha or Javik. He raced to Tabitha's side dropping on his knees pulling her into his arms, "Tabitha, everything will be fine. Relax…breathe...listen to my voice, Siha."

Tabitha stopped shaking listening to Thane's calm steady voice. As she turned looking at Javik, she questioned in a hoarse choked whisper, "You're my father?!" Slowly bringing herself under control, she stood up.

Thane stood up beside her in one fluid motion. Placing one hand gingerly on her shoulder feeling the tension, he spoke almost inaudibly, "Siha…"

Tabitha knew she could not wrestle with the emotions of the experience at the present time. She was Commander Shepherd-Krios of the Normandy and her mission was to get the Primarch safely off of Menae. Schooling her features into stone, she looked at Thane. Thane seeing her expression dropped his hand from her shoulder bowing slightly, "My arm is yours, Siha, as always," keeping his eyes fixed on hers.

Thane relaxed inside when he saw his beloved's eyes soften for a moment for him alone mouthing, "Thank you," before steeling her eyes and facial expression again.

Tabitha turned toward Javik, "Because of the resurgence of past memories, I need to inquire if you are still capable of participating on the upcoming mission?"

Javik stood up to his full height turning all four of his golden eyes upon Commander Shepherd-Krios, his daughter. He ground out the words through gritted teeth, "I am Prothean. I am ready for the mission."

Tabitha smiled slightly, "Good to know. Meet down in the shuttle bay in 60 EST (Earth Standard Time) minutes."

As Tabitha turned to leave, Javik inquired, "The Drell with you. I sensed his presence throughout different parts of the ship. He is diseased. The two of you have a physical relationship."

Tabitha turned back toward Javik, "Yes, General. The Drell has a name, Thane Krios, and he is my bond-mate."

Javik spoke straight forwardly, "He is diseased. He is a liability. He will jeopardize the mission."

Thane saw a muscle twitch along Tabitha's jaw line knowing his Siha was attempting to keep her anger in check. Tabitha closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. She softened her features slightly allowing her emotions to show through her eyes as she replied calmly but in a heated tone, "Thane is an asset not a liability. He is my Kadar. This is a different time period than yours, Javik. I do not and will not abandon my family or friends. That includes you, father. I guard, I protect, and I serve. Fifty minutes."

Javik watched as Thane and Tabitha exited his living quarters. He mused to himself, "We have a daughter, Janaria. You would be proud. I saw you in her eyes. She has spirit, determination, and compassion, but will her compassion be her downfall."

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