Title: Ilos Chapter Four
Authors: DinkyMew and Jagespages
Game: Mass Effect (one)
Disclaimed: Bioware own all content and characters related to the Mass Effect franchise. Abigail Shepard is my own creation inspired by the character of Jane Shepard created by Bioware. Any original characters contained herein are my own creations (with the exception of Vindex Foster who is the sole property of Julie Jones and the Swagger Vasa Chronicles) and are not necessarily affiliated with Bioware. **You may not copy, edit or distribute this fanfiction as it stands without my expressed permission – thank you**
"How the hell did you get the Mako through?" Everyone snapped to attention when Shepard appeared, trudging towards them, her boots making a swishing noise through the grass. She came to a stop looking at them each in turn before turning her attention to Garrus.
"Report Vakarian." She said, wiping a hand over her forehead absently.
Quickly Garrus filled her in on the events and how they had managed to get the Mako free. She noticed Kaidan was looking like he had more colour in his cheeks but he wouldn't meet her gaze and it bothered her a little. He had done something reckless, but he should know her better that she wouldn't be calling him out about right now.
"Get in, people," she urged. "Time isn't something we have a lot of."
As they all filed into the Mako Garrus took over the drivers seat, Kaidan taking the seat next to him and Shepard settled in next to Hobbs and Foster. Wrex slid onto the opposite side, slamming the butt of his shotgun between his scaly knees.
"You alright there bambi?" She asked, reaching across Hobbs to press a hand to Foster's shoulder.
"I'm fine, Commander." He nodded, but she noted the weariness in his posture, he had done good considering how far in the deep end she had thrown him.
"Corporal, what you did with the Mako showed ingenuity. Good job." She stretched out her legs. "Saved me some walking."
"You're hurt!" Kaidan's voice from the passenger seat sounded and she glanced round to see him looking over the headrest at her "Are you ok?"
Garrus half turned to look himself at the commotion, and Shepard shook her head.
"Drive, Garrus," she ordered. "If the geth allow, I'm going to catch some Zzzs." She leaned her head back against the headrest as the Mako jounced and rattled through the ruins.
"You're on burnout." Hobbs said and it wasn't a question. His hand came to her armour and she made to fend him off, but he caught her fingers, holding them a little longer than was appropriate – the moment freezing the blood in her veins as it ripped her back through time, back to a moment before – stolen memories that rose like some kind of undercurrent inside her as his touch sparked a biotic reaction that made her skin flush with heat.
"Stop it Tempy." He said, quiet enough only they could hear his words and she moved her hand, allowing him access to her armour. He removed the fastenings at the shoulder, exposing the wound to the air as a fresh gout of blood rolled down her arm.
"Shredder rounds." He said turning to accept the medical supplies from Foster who was holding them out ready "Nasty."
"I've had worse." She smiled and he nodded chuckling softly with her.
"I remember."
Cleaning the wound gently he closed it with a medigel patch and helped her strap her armour back on securely. She smiled faintly, her eyes growing heavy as she leaned back once more and he thrust a bottle into her hand.
"Come on Tempy." He coaxed, and she felt him slap her face gently "Not yet – drink."
She nodded, bone weary as she forced her eyes open and unscrewed the cap of the bottle he had given her. The high grade energy drink was like a new lease of life, a second wind that soared up from her feet almost as she drank hungrily. When she was finished he took the bottle back and gave her a lopsided smile.
"Sleep on." He said gently "I'll wake you."
"Abby!" Libby screamed, and Shepard paused on the doorstep – her hand tightening on the bottle of wine she held momentarily as she gauged the other girl's reaction. It was open, and loud – so loud – but that wasn't unusual for Libby. Neither was the very revealing tank top, her bosom looking like it was barely held inside, as she bounced toward her out onto the front stoop, gathering her in skinny arms and crushing her against the great, soft cushion of her eagerly.
Abigail hated touching other people. Libby seemed to thrive off it.
Not a good match.
And yet as she pulled back Shepard was reminded that while this girl was altogether too touchy-feely for her, she was also her best friend – probably her only real friend from Blue Horizon, and no matter what you should never burn those bridges. Especially now they were all heading out on their own to face the world alone.
Most had enlisted in the Alliance, a few were still undecided – Abigail among them. Captain Anderson – now known to her as 'Paps' - was pushing for her enlistment, but she was dragging her heels. Her father had wanted to be in the military and it had ate him up when he had been rejected, she didn't want to suffer the same fate.
"I'm so glad you came!" She gushed "I didn't know if you got the message!"
Abigail handed her the bottle of wine, if only to stop her hugging her again and gave her a firm smile "I got the message." She said simply "And you said there was a surprise?"
"OH!" Libby squealed, and Shepard closed her eyes, the noise running over her skull like glass as she kept that smile forced onto her face. "That's right!" She breathed, and she reached for her not noticing the way Shepard tensed and drew back from the gesture as she wrapped glittery fingers around her wrist and hauled her inside.
The house was busy– compared to the neat and tidy home Shepard had seen before it was almost unrecognisable. Bottles were strewn on every clear surface it seemed, the beat of a sound system making the foundations shake as she was dragged through the rooms, weaving through bodies smoothly as she skipped to keep up with Libby. She recognised some of the people, not a lot – it seemed a lot of Alliance recruits had decided to come to the party.
Libby stopped, allowing Shepard to draw her hand back to her as she adjusted the bottom of her red sweater. She felt overdressed as she glanced around at the scantily clad ladies – her tight black jeans and red sweater seemed a mite homely and she folded her arms under her breasts self-consciously as she looked expectantly to her friend.
"You remember Hobbs." Libby breathed, splaying a hand and indicating a marine who was sat on the sofa with a beer in his hand, surrounded by a gaggle of girls fawning over him.
Shepard took one look at his handsome, confident smirk and felt the blood boil under her skin.
"So?" She shrugged and Libby deflated, reaching to grab her again. This time Shepard did move in time, avoiding the offensive touch but not the gentle push that followed, turning her shoulder so Libby could whisper in her ear.
"He came here looking for you." She whispered "He's been looking since he saw you in that club… now that's something no?"
Shepard gave her a withering look "No." She said dully "Means nothing to me."
"Oh Abby!" Libby scoffed, giving her a mild push, she turned back toward the sofa and Shepard kept her vision carefully trained to the dancing crowds but she heard her friend shout "Good luck! You have your work cut out with this one!"
With that she was gone, swallowed up by the dancing bodies in the crowded lounge and Shepard felt herself bristle as the first feelings of claustrophobia crept in. She closed her eyes.
Screams.
Hot and terrified and burning with the same intensity ripple through my ears and I try to catch my breath but it's not there anymore, instead there is burning, burning in my lungs and in my legs as my mom half pulls me half drags me up the stairs of our house. Her swollen belly gets in my way, my baby brother pressing me to the wall as she heaves, pushing me in front of her as I scrabble up the stairs –fingers and nails and palms working in concert as I rake the carpet, push with numbed, bare feet and crash headlong onto the landing.
She moves over me as the sound of gunfire erupts like hail, pop pop pop. She crushes me under her weight, head to the floor, the carpet biting into the skin on my cheek as I try to scream; my chest is constricted and I only manage a whimper, my mom's hand coming to flap my face and keep me quiet.
"Are you alright?"Her eyes snapped open again as she whirled to the source finding that man standing beside her now, his fanclub still on the sofa pouting after him like some kind of undiscovered fish species.
Abigail narrowed her eyes at him "What do you want?" She asked, the tone sharper than she intended but the sweat had started to mist her forehead, the same horrendous thundering in her chest threatening to make her pass out as she pushed a body roughly that danced too close to her. The party go'er cried out, turning to confront her but something in her eyes made him stop and sidle on.
"You don't look so good." Hobb's continued, and she drew her gaze back round to him, drawing as much loathing as she could from inside her as she curled her lip.
"Happens when I see someone I don't like." She said firmly and he smiled – smiled!
"Ouch." He said smoothly "So she does bite."
Rolling her eyes Shepard elbowed another body moving too close to her and began to unceremoniously push her way back through the crowd toward the kitchen. From this vantage point it looked decidedly less crowded. She had seen Argyle around – or Hobb's – as he was better known by; she had heard of his reputation and she wasn't interested in a playboy and so worked hard to put distance between them as she shoved a dancer out of her way, keeping hard eyes locked on her destination.
She squeezed free of the dancers, entering the kitchen with a huff of relief and crossing around behind the island counter. Without breaking stride she opened the back door stepping eagerly into the backyard which was empty and silent save for the low hum of the patio lights as they winked in the darkness.
She took a step onto the artificial grass, her sneakers sinking into it a little too far for it to feel real, as she rose her face to the sky wishing she could feel a breeze. Real air. But Arcturus was a Stanford Torus design station, the air in here was artificial, as was the sky which they changed to day and night to better acclimate the people who lived here.
"Are you alright?"It was him again and she turned sharply, taken aback by the fact he had followed her – that his persistence was apparently a testament to his ignorance– could he not tell she was not interested?
"What do you want Hobbs?" She asked, folding her arms again, blue eyes locking on his mercilessly. He looked genuinely curious, dressed in Alliance casual-wear, his dirty blonde hair was mussed, his green-blue eyes watching her carefully as she kept her face carefully devoid of emotion. She gave him nothing as she raised her chin and eyebrows expectantly.
"Look," He said gently, the change in tone catching her off-guard but she was careful not to let it show as he took a step toward her "I know you have this like… barrier thing… going on? I just want you to know it's not necessary. I'm not here to hurt you."
She blinked, thrown. No one had ever just called her out like that – had been so plain-spoken about her wariness and it gave her pause. She shifted uncomfortable as her eyebrows knitted together.
"So what do you want?" She asked exasperated "I've heard the rumours Hobbs. I know your reputation… what do you want to talk to me about?" She didn't wait for an answer, instead she took a heavy step toward him "Nothing that's what. You're looking for someone to bunk up with for the night and that is not me. So why don't you save us all a lot of time, turn around and go back inside. There are a dozen girls in there that will suit your needs just fine." She bit off spinning from him, taking a step further into the grass, right up to one of the patio lights that shone upward casting long shadows over her face.
"I just wanted to talk." Hobbs said, his tone was controlled, bordering on frustration and she sighed heavily.
"Why?" She shook her head, not turning to look at him this time "Why do you want to talk to me Hobbs?"
"Because." He said hotly, and this time his voice had risen a little "You looked lonely." He added after a beat. She paused, turning to look at him carefully "And I figured we maybe had something in common."
As the Mako bounced and jolted along the ruins Kaidan got to his feet carefully, balancing on the hand rails as he made his way into the back of the Mako where Hobbs had his fingers on Shepard's radial pulse.
"What's happening?" He asked, looking at him seriously and Hobbs raised his eyebrows.
"She's on burn out." He said quietly "She'll come around. She's been in worse."
Kaidan looked at him a long time, deciding whether to take offence to the obvious statement about their history together. Instead he swallowed it down like jagged glass and gave him a polite nod, crouching in front of Shepard as he removed his gloves from his hands. Gently he pressed a hand to her knee, taking a deep breath "I suppose you would know more about that than me." He said at last and Hobbs swallowed, the acknowledgment making something lodge in his throat as he counted Abigail's racing heartbeats.
"How's your gut?" Hobbs asked and Kaidan nodded again.
"I'll live." He said simply "Thanks to you." He added pointedly his dark eyes looking to blue-green ones with unspoken meaning. Hobbs broke the gaze first, looking to the floor as he moved his shoulder.
"I..." He sighed, shaking his head softly "You know I don't actually hate you Kaidan." He said quietly, and across the way Wrex snorted. He raised his eyes to the Krogan who was watching with a bemused look on his face. When his eyes met Hobbs' his great maw opened in a grin.
"Humans are so damned indecisive." He grumbled, barely folding his arms over his large chest as he moved in his chair to get comfortable.
Hobbs smiled, appreciating the truth in the krogan's words, but he was wrong. Hobbs had never been indecisive of Kaidan, he had simply been jealous beyond control.
"We're never going to be friends." Hobbs said at last, and he turned back to look at Kaidan seriously. The lieutenant was on his knees, his omnitool flashing in the dim light of the Mako interior as he measured temperature and pulse rate on the Commander. "And I'm never going to like anything you say." Hobbs added with a smile. "Because you talk a lot of shit Alenko." He chuckled. "But, you did say one thing that was true." He reasoned. "She chose you."
Kaidan shifted, uncomfortable as he closed down his omnitool quietly once more "I think you're right. I think she's going to pull through ok."
Hobbs nodded "You'd be surprised what Tempy can get through." He smiled.
"Thanks Hobbs." Kaidan said genuinely "For saving me back there. I… I took it the wrong way at the time, but I can see you were just trying to rile me. I appreciate that, you could have just let me bleed out and your problems would have been over."
"We're Soldiers." Was all Hobbs said, glancing round to his brother who had also fallen asleep, he sighed heavily, pressing Abigail's hand in both of his gently as he brought her fingers to his lips tenderly. Then he set them gently in Kaidan's hand and turned a little avoiding his gaze as he cleared his throat.
"Just look after her." He said thickly, waiting a beat before he got to his feet crossing the Mako and taking the empty passenger seat beside Garrus.
Her light blue crests caught the sunlight and her blue eyes glowed, or, at least it seemed like that to the new recruit to the Blue Suns. She was slender even with the armor with the Blue Suns emblazoned across the chest. Cobalt eyes met his and she smiled, mocking him.
"Take a holo," she said in a low, sultry voice. "It'll last longer." She rolled her eyes. "Why Zaeed has to give me the newbies…" She let it trail off. "And what's your name? Maybe you'll last long enough I might actually remember it."
"Foster."
"As in child?" Her eyes raked over him. He was green, too damned young and too damn good-looking for her peace of mind.
"Nope." A megawatt smile turned him into a blond god for a moment, disconcerting her. "As in beer."
His answer made her pause and then she laughed. She reached into the Grizzly vehicle and tossed him a pistol. "Let's see how you shoot, rookie."
Foster nodded. "At?"
"What?"
"What do you want me to shoot?"
She pointed to the Blood Pack squad that was camped down the hill. "Them."
"With this?!" He shook his head. "Won't have much impact on krogan."
"Is this your cute way of saying you can't shoot?"
He smiled, then the blue eyes widened. "Did you just call me cute?"
That flustered her. "No, rookie."
"But you think I'm cute."
"Look, let's get this straight, Foster. I'm Zaeed's right hand girl and if I tell you to shoot, you shoot. Got it?"
He nodded. "I'll shoot, but not with that." He leaned into the Grizzly and lifted a Mantis sniper rifle. He checked to see if it was loaded and what kind of rounds. Shredder. He didn't like using shredder ammo, but newbies couldn't be choosy, he supposed. He climbed into one of the trees, rested the rifle on a steady branch and looked through the scope. His trained eye sought the leader of the group, the krogan the rest deferred to. The leader was a hulking brute with facial scars and hideous green armor.
He blinked when he heard Sha'ira's voice in his head. "The krogan have a vulnerable spot…"
He smiled, aimed and pulled the trigger, dropping the leader with one shot. He climbed down and smirked at her. "Anything else you want me to shoot?"
"So, you're cute and a smartass," she remarked. "Get in. Time to clean up the rest of them."
"Not until you tell me your name." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Liselle. Keep the rifle, rookie. You earned it."
Foster jerked awake and saw his brother give him a curious look.
"You were dreaming, Beer." Hobbs rolled his shoulders, hard to do in the armor, but he managed to release some of the tension across his back and neck. "Care to share?"
"Some other time," Foster said and reached for the hand hold when the Mako climbed an embankment going backwards.
Just as it did, two rockets flew past. Garrus remarked," That was close!"
"Hey, Beer, you up for a little target practice?" Hobbs waited for the Mako to come to a full stop, pushed open the door and vaulted onto the ancient road, Foster close on his heels.
Garrus turned to call after them. "We can use the…cannon." He placed a hand to his face in a decidedly human gesture. "Why do I even bother?"
Shepard, deeply asleep out of pure exhaustion never even batted an eyelash.
Hobbs motioned to his brother to stay to cover as rockets zipped past them.
"I don't need to get close. I just need a decent shot." Foster's back was to one of the stone archways and he inched around so he could look through his scope.
"You prefer distance to up close and personal, don't you, little brother?" Hobbs was activating his omni-shield and Foster froze.
"Another suicide run?" The blond ran his fingers across the top of his helmet, clearly agitated.
"There's only three of them. You chicken?"
Foster snorted. "Three of them with fucking rockets, and, no, I'm not chicken. I'm cautious. Big difference."
Hobbs snorted and made a clucking noise and flapped his arms like wings. He laughed when Foster gave him the bird.
He watched as his younger brother sighted one of the geth and took it out in one shot. "Where'd you learn how to shoot like that?"
Foster shrugged under his armor. "Different places; different people."
"Well, that leaves two for me."
Foster trotted after him, sighing as he drew his Stinger. "With rockets!"
"Stay behind my shield and see how it's done, bro."
Foster muttered something under his breath, activated his drone and sent it forward to take the geth's attention from his crazy-ass brother who was charging full speed at them, no matter how many rockets barely missed him. "Fucking mental," the blond said, speeding after him.
Hobbs watched her watching the party-goers as they sat in perpetual silence and she avoided his gaze purposefully. She looked stunning, but she was cagey – flighty – and he knew he had to work to break that barrier down. Normally he wouldn't bother, but something spoke to him with this girl –something was special about her, he could feel it.
"So," He said leaning back on his hands, they had decided to sit on the grass where it was quiet watching the party rage on inside the house. "now you've graduated where do you think you'll go?"
She didn't look at him, instead she shrugged her shoulders, picking at the blades of grass between her legs.
He smiled, chuckling softly "You have to give me something…" He said quietly, almost pleading.
At last she looked at him, really looked at him, large blue eyes holding his in a vice-grip as she blinked at him calmly "I've thought about the Alliance." She said stiffly, her voice and face carefully expressionless "I don't know though. It's not really … me, I guess." She moved a shoulder casually, turning her gaze back to the grass.
Hobbs smiled, rolling onto his side and propping his head on his hand "I think it's you." He said carefully.
She raised her eyebrows looking at him "You don't know anything about me Hobbs." She said defensively "How would you know?"
He gave her a cheeky smile, knowing that conventional flirting was not going to let him through those barriers – no, for this one he had to pull out the big guns. "I think I know a lot more about you than you think Abigail Shepard." He said quietly, intimately and he could see immediately she began to recoil from him.
She snorted "Yeah right." She scoffed "Tell me one thing you know about me." She said, her voice rising and bordering on challenge.
Hobbs didn't react, instead he glanced to the grass, pursing his lips as though in thought and then sighed "Ok." He said softly "I'm what you call hyper-observant." He said gently "It's part of my job, Abigail."He smiled "For instance when you walk – you walk like a marine, shoulders forward, back straight – like you've been taught. People see that easily, and you like that – it gives off an impression, hardened exterior right? Just like your armour." He dropped his gaze to the grass to avoid intimidation as he continued "But I see the way you hang back before entering a room. The way your gaze slides over every face, never pausing too long on a single one. I see how you adjust your sweater all the time, self-conscious, insecure – maybe a bit nervous; not of crowds, or of leading – but of being lead." He swallowed carefully "Of being misled." He added carefully "You want someone to take that pain away, but you can never tell who is going to stay and who is going to leave and so you sink into this protective shell and you butt everyone out of your way to make sure no one gets in."
When he raised his eyes again she wasn't looking at him, she was staring ahead at the window but he could see by the tension in her posture and her shallow breathing he was hitting a nerve. That was good, he needed that – he wanted to show her he wasn't here to hurt her. He had no idea why that was so important to him, but it was. If he could leave tonight simply with a smile from her he would be happy.
"And I know that kind of thing only happens to someone when they've been grievously hurt. Beyond repair." He swallowed "But what I've found is when you have two wounded souls, it can offer comfort to know someone at least understands."
She turned to him, her eyes narrowing darkly as she drew her eyebrows down into a frown "Is that supposed to get you into my pants?" She asked.
He smiled "I don't want to get into your pants Abigail." He said gently "Well, that's a lie." He added after a moment and shifted position, sitting up so he could look right at her this time "Because I think you are stunning. When you look at me, I actually honestly cannot see anything else. If I were to be blessed to get into your pants I would be… the happiest man alive– but not because I was getting some," He said carefully "but because I was getting you."
"You are very forward." She said "Has anyone ever told you that?"
He moved his shoulders "Just honest." He said evenly "I don't want to mislead."
He smiled and she blinked the corners of her mouth twitching before she turned her gaze quickly from him once more.
"Shepard?"The voice was distant, faraway and soothing as she slowly came up for breath, she felt like she had been underwater forever, her eyes fluttering open as a warm hand was pressed to her head. When she opened her eyes Kaidan was in front of her and she started, her eyes sliding one way and then the other before resting on his face.
"What happened?" she asked
"You hit a serious case of burn out." Kaidan said softly "But I think you'll be fine now. How are you feeling?"
Abigail caught her breath, getting to her feet a little unsteadily "I'm fine." She ground out as she swivelled her head around the Mako interior "Where's Bambi? Where's Hobbs?" She looked to Garrus who simply pointed a talon out the Mako side door. He looked almost helpless and Shepard sighed, rolling her eyes and moving to the open door.
She didn't have to look far for them though, they were already on their way back, arms slung over each other's shoulders Hobbs pulled his little brother to him –pressing a swift kiss to his temple before shoving him forward hard, making him stumble and laugh.
"Quite finished?" Shepard called to them and Foster immediately changed demeanour, hurrying to the Mako and scuttling back inside, but Hobbs just gave her a smile.
"Just clearing the way for you Tempy." He announced, climbing inside the Mako once more "All set to go."
As the Mako pulled off again, the motion forcing Shepard to grab one of the overhead hand rails, Hobbs took his seat in the back once more beside his brother. There was the grind of the canon preparing to fire as Garrus bore down on another squad of geth, blasting them to pieces with the Mako guns, and just as suddenly the Mako screeched to a halt.
"I think you might want to see this, Shepard." Garrus said and she frowned, moving to stand behind him as she peered at the way ahead. It was blocked, the other side visible but through a sheer barrier of golden light – it appeared solid and as she looked closer it seemed to waver with fibrous strands that shifted and undulated like waves.
"What is that?" She asked and Garrus moved his shoulders.
"Shepard, I have no idea." He said honestly.
"Alright."She said after a beat "Alenko come with me, the rest of you stay here." She glanced over them all as Kaidan came to her side, still pressing a hand idly to his side she noticed. "You fit?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him and he cleared his throat, standing a little straighter.
"Absolutely Commander." He said with a nod.
"Let's go." She said firmly, and Garrus hit the lock for the door, waiting until they jumped down. Kaidan moved ahead of her toward the barrier cautiously and she mused at how much the moment reminded her of Eden Prime.
"You never learn, Alenko." She scolded and he glanced over his shoulder at her, with a curious smile "Let's see if we can turn it off down here." She gestured to an open lift to the right where her omnitool was picking up a signal deep underground.
"Right with you." He said, moving to her side as they entered cautiously. The door cranked shut behind them and moments later the great stone lift accelerated into the ground, the motion making them both stumble a little as they leaned against each other for balance.
When it finally shuddered to a stop they looked at each other a little nervously as the door ground open, snapping vines and overgrown plants. Shepard drew her pistol, her biotics whispering to life as she took a cautious step onto what looked like a stone walkway. At the far end some kind of VI program was flickering in and out of focus and she glanced to Kaidan questionably who shrugged.
Holstering her pistol she pressed forward, taking quick strides toward the VI. As she approached it began to flicker brighter, the holo signal broken so that the image was nothing more than scattered, glitching lines.
"You are not Prothean." It addressed her in a monotone, male voice "But you are not machine either. This eventuality was one of many that was anticipated. This is why we sent our warning through the beacons."
Kaidan came up beside her, breathing heavily and she noticed still holding his side. "Looks like a VI program," He said, the speaker on his helmet catching the heavy breaths he took. "Pretty badly damaged though, Shepard."
Before she could respond the VI spoke again "I do not sense the taint of indoctrination upon any of you unlike the one who passed by recently. Perhaps there is still hope."
"How are you speaking English?" Kaidan frowned, cooly regarding the program.
"I have been monitoring your communications since you arrived at this facility. I have transferred my output into a format you will comprehend." The VI explained helpfully. "My name is Vigil. You are safe here for the moment but that is unlikely to remain so. Soon nowhere will be safe."
Shepard shook her head "What are you? Are you an AI?"
"I am an advanced non-organic analysis system with personality imprints from Ksad Ishan, chief overseer of the Ilos research facility."
"So you lead me here?" Shepard asked, raising her chin a little "Why?"
"You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years. But to stop it you must understand or you will make the same mistakes we did." Vigil announced calmly. "The Citadel is the heart of your civilization and the seat of Government. As it was with us and as it has been with every civilization that came before us. But the Citadel is a trap. The station is actually an enormous mass relay. One that links to dark space – the empty void beyond the galaxies horizon."
Shepard frowned, catching her breath as she glanced to Kaidan who removed his helmet, wiping a gloved hand over his misted forehead; sweat ran freely down his face, his hair plastered to his scalp was skewered at off angles from wearing the helmet.
"When the Citadel relay is activated the Reapers will pour through, and all you know will be destroyed." Vigil said.
Kaidan hitched a breath, blowing sweat from his top lip as he tucked his helmet into the crook of his arm "How come nobody has ever realized the Citadel is an inactive Mass Relay?"
His tone was dubious and Shepard watched him carefully, it did sound unbelievable didn't it? But they had all commented on how strange the Citadel had seemed when they were on it. Could it be true? And more importantly at this point could they really afford to doubt it?
"The Reapers are careful to keep the greatest secrets of the Citadel hidden. That is why they created a species of seemingly benign organic caretakers. The keepers maintain the station's most basic functions. They enable any species that discovers the Citadel to use it without fully understanding the technology. This reliance on the Keepers ensures no other species will ever discover the Citadel's true nature. Not until the relay is activated and the Reapers invade."
Shepard caught her breath, her hand reaching suddenly for Kaidan's arm. "The Reapers could wipe out the Citadel fleet and the council in a single attack – no one would even see it coming." She whispered hotly.
"That was our fate." Vigil continued "Our leaders were dead before we even realized we were under attack. The Reapers seized control of the Citadel, and through it, the mass relays. Communication and transportation throughout our empire was crippled. Each star system became isolated, cut off from the others, easy prey for the Reaper fleets."
Shepard watched the swirling, fractured light as it spoke, the blood leaving her face as their fate was slowly unveiled to them. She felt Kaidan's hand move to hers, his fingers cupping hers gently, but she felt too numb and hollow to respond.
"Over the decades the Reapers systematically obliterated our people. World by world, system by system they methodically wiped us out."
Shepard shook her head "No one survived?" she pressed.
"Through the Citadel the Reapers had access to all our records, maps, census data –information is power, and they knew everything about us," Vigil explained. "Their fleets across every settled region of the galaxy. Some worlds were utterly destroyed. Others were conquered, their populations enslaved. These indoctrinated servants became sleeper agents under Reaper control. Taken in as refugees by the other Protheans they betrayed them to the machines. Within a few centuries the Reapers had killed or enslaved every prothean in the galaxy. They were relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough."
"What do they want?" Abigail asked, "Why repeat a pattern of genocide over and over? Are they looking for something?"
"Unknown,"Vigil stated flatly. "The Reapers are alien; unknowable. Perhaps they need slaves or resources. More likely they are driven by motivations and goals organic life could not hope to comprehend. In the end what does it matter? Your survival depends on destroying them, not understanding them."
"He has a point." Kaidan said softly and Abigail closed her eyes, her mind racing as she considered the Reaper Sovereign she had spoken with on Virmire. That voice still haunted her dreams, the absolute confidence that they were doomed.
Slowly she opened her eyes, letting go of Kaidan's hand as she squared her shoulders to the VI. "You said you brought me here for a reason," She said firmly. "Tell me what I need to do."
"The conduit is the key." Vigil said "Before the Reapers attacked Protheans were on the cusp of unlocking the mystery behind mass relay technology, Ilos was a top secret research facility. Here the researchers worked to create a small-scale version of a mass relay. One that linked directly to the Citadel the hub of the relay network."
"The conduit isn't a weapon?" Kaidan asked, almost disappointed "It's a back door to the Citadel."
"If it's just a back door why is Saren trying to find it?" Shepard frowned "There are a million other ways to get onto the Citadel."
"The Conduit gives him access to the Citadel and the Keepers." Vigil stated flatly"The Keepers are controlled by the Citadel. Before each invasion a signal is sent through the station compelling the Reapers to activate the Citadel relay. After decades of feverish study, the scientists discovered a way to alter this signal. Using the conduit they gained access to the Citadel and made the modifications. This time when Sovereign sent the signal to the Citadel the Keepers ignored it. The Reapers are still trapped in dark space."
"So Saren could use the Conduit to let the Reapers through…" Shepard said carefully "And he could use it to bypass the Citadel's external defenses?"
"Correct."Vigil agreed "And once inside he can transfer control of the station to Sovereign. Sovereign will override the Citadel's systems and manually open the relay and the cycle of extinction will begin again."
"How can I stop them?" Shepard asked, her heart seizing in her chest.
"There is a datafile on my console. Take a copy when you go. When you reach the Citadel's master control unit upload it to the station. It will corrupt the Citadel's security protocols and give you temporary control over the station. This might give you a chance against Sovereign."
"I've never heard of a master control unit on the citadel," Kaidan said worriedly."How can we find it?"
"Through the conduit." Vigil said "Follow Saren. He will lead you to your destination."
Shepard stepped forward, opening her omnitool to download the datafile from Vigil."Saren has enough of a head start.," She said breathlessly. "Lets move!"
"The one you call Saren has not reached the Conduit." Vigil said "Not yet. There is still hope yet if you hurry."
Shepard took a long last look at the fading VI program, each word felt as though it were being hammered into her chest as she swallowed the gravity of the situation with difficulty. Without a word she turned, jogging back up the stone walkway to the elevator that waited.
Kaidan rushed in after her and she slammed the button, the stone door grinding closed once more as the elevator began to ascend once more. She slammed her hand into the button again and again, slamming a foot into the wall, a fist into the stone. She crushed her eyes closed, pressing her forehead to the cold stone.
"We're going to lose." She breathed "this is it, Kaidan… the end…"
"Abby."His voice was soft, grounding, and his hand came to her shoulder gently "It's not over yet. We have time."
She laughed, soft and bitterly as she turned, slamming her back to the stone instead "He could be at the Conduit now," She despaired ."How am I supposed to do this?"
"You can do it," Kaidan said firmly, his gloved fingers raking into her hair gently."You don't know how to fail, Abigail." He leaned into her, kissing her gently."And I know you'll fight. We'll fight. We're worth that."
She nodded, pressing her head to his chest briefly as she drew strength from his presence "This is a weak moment." She said glumly "No one is supposed to see this."
Kaidan chuckled softly. "I'll be your shield to hide behind then." He said and she smiled, raising her head to look into his eyes.
"I like that idea." She smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too," He said and then after a beat added, "Commander."