Austria
Abigail Shepard hung onto the railing of the Kodiak as it moved through the mountains they were in. They were doing this in lieu of actually making a direct approach, Cameron, James, and Garrus was hanging on behind her.
EDI had managed to hack into the local data nets and was able to pin Soren's position down to one specific building, where he was running the operation from, or where he was hiding. Namely one Hitler's Eagle Nest. The man certainly has the flair for the dramatic, Abby thought watching the rolling hills below her.
"You sure you don't want me to come?" Cameron said.
Shepard shook her head, "No, I don't. I have to do this alone. Besides, there are reports of sphere stations in the vicinity and Alliance guards still resisting. We need to take those out first before the Leviathan's mount a counter attack."
"Yeah," James came forward nodding, "but alone Lola?"
She shrugged, "yeah, I have to try and neutralize this threat, one way or another, and with our forces scattered right now you can go neutralize the spheres…I'm going to try talking Soren down. Maybe I will have to kill him; maybe I can get him to surrender. But either way, I am not expecting he is going to have a lot of guards. He's come here for drama and irony, to hide, not to make a last stand."
"Still dangerous Lola," James pointed out, "What if you're wrong?"
She smiled, "then I am the biggest bad ass in the history of bad asses." James frowned, "I'll know where you are and will keep my Omni primed…ok?"
"Better," James agreed.
"Heads up, ETA to target Alpha one minute." Cortez reported over the radio.
Abigail nodded unfurling her Valkyrie assault rifle off her back and equipping the proper ammo mods to it. She waited as the Kodiak suddenly began shredding speed, diving low for the mountains, up one hill, and over powering to hover over the Eagle's nest.
Shepard tucked her feet up from under her and leapt like a startled cat onto the concrete below, bending her knees to absorb the impact. She turned around and held her hand to her ear. "OK Cortez, I'm down, I'm safe, bug on out."
"Good luck Captain." Cortez said.
"Roger that." Abby smiled as the Kodiak stuttered off.
She turned to the walled fortress and headed in, blasting two auto turrets with her Valkyrie as she went. Checking every corner and making sure her Valkyrie was primed. Her footsteps echoing off the ground reverberating down the corridor as she entered the facility proper.
No other threats, she realized with a smile, it is nice to be right every once in a while.
So she relaxed for a minute going through the building, heading boldly towards the center. She got there finally and opened the door; the central room was set up with foldable tables along the center and a series of computer and computer banks on it. Soren looked up, gawked at her entrance, and then smiled as he realized who it was.
"So, you were able to track me down. I'm impressed." Soren stated.
"Well did you really expect to be able to hide out here?" She countered.
"It…was a long shot," he blinked, "but it's not that bad of a retirement either. Lose, and just…disappear. I have had this place stocked with food and other basic amenities. I could live quite a while here."
"What is it about despicable tyrants and wanting to just disappear alone?" She shot.
"It's a life style." Soren countered. "So now what? You going to try and convince me the error of my ways? Show me where I was wrong and evil and abused my power? Bring me in? I somehow do not think that is your style Shepard."
"You don't know me that well obviously." Shepard spat.
His eyes twinkled, "On the contrary…or should I say which version of you? The one who led your entire squad through a meat grinder and sacrificed them for your petty ambitions, or are you the woman who is a peacemaker and does not care how you neutralize an enemy as long as they are dealt with?"
"People can change, they can grow, evolve, and always redeem, if they are given a chance." Abigail returned.
"Not in my experience," Soren mused, "but I suppose it is all pointless now. I won't come in with you."
"Well then we have reached an impasse." Shepard grunted.
"I suppose we have," Soren muttered turning back to the window.
"So when did the Leviathans get to you? How did they indoctrinate you? I mean, if you think you can tell me oh master of the Alliance. You are a secure politician who has never ventured forth in Alliance space before, not once, and yet here we are."
Soren turned back to her quizzically. "It really is that simple to you isn't it?"
"I beg your pardon?" She asked.
"Me, indoctrination, you, you always believe that anyone who is opposing you has to be indoctrinated, led against you, and is not of their right minds. It never occurs to you that anyone who will want to stand against the great Abigail Shepard actually wants to be."
"Well there was the Council…" She pointed out.
"They were hardly against you more or less just corrupt and your ideological opponents. Same with the mercenaries, they opposed your objectives, not exactly your ideology." Soren explained. "In fact that is the reason why I have been hanging around Archturus so much, to ensure that I wouldn't succumb."
"So you weren't indoctrinated? You did this all on your own?" Abigail felt her eyes narrow incredulously.
"Indeed, you don't believe me?" Soren smirked.
"I find it a bit hard, yes." Shepard replied.
"Well, look into my eyes, hear my speech, I am confident, clear, and I am not uncertain about my positione."
She peered at him, well looking into someone's eyes may not be the most accurate form of indoctrination detection, but it might work. And she saw, he was indeed alert, focused, following her as she gazed at him. He was not evasive, no blank thousand yard stares, only a smirk which was getting ever larger the longer she lingered.
"Alright, you aren't indoctrinated, that much seems clear." She finally admitted.
He smirked triumphantly at her and grinned down.
"So then what, why'd you do this? Why did you join with the Leviathans? Why did you make a pact with them to control Alliance citizens allowing you to start a campaign against the Galaxy?"
"For safety." Soren replied bluntly.
"For safety?!" She raged. "You started a Galactic War, launched a coup attempt, attempted to assassinate the former Prime Minister. Not to mention the sex camps, the work camps, building ships around the planet."
"It was for the greater good." Soren replied.
"Don't give me that."
He smiled again, and twirled around in place, making her wonder again for a split second if he really was indoctrinated. But she rejected it.
"Simply put," Soren finally stated, "the Reapers created a new order. They were tearing down the old will of the Galaxy. Thousands of years of history, of corruption, deceit, lies. That bunk about them purging the Galaxy before synthetics could wipe out organics, or vice versa, was bunk. I imagine that was a part of their motivations-"
"Get to the point." She snapped.
He was taken aback, "The point is…you beat them. You gave us a chance. The first time in millions of years organics and synthetics were left to our own devices to build a new world. We dodged a cosmic bullet, proving we were worthy for the perfection of our societies. The Reapers had killed, yes, but they gave us a chance to rebuild. And instead of rebuilding a bold new world we attempted to build a pale shadow of the one we left. Individual people left to their devices to be corrupt. We went as far as actually rebuilding this world. So someone had to tear it down again."
"And the Leviathans gave you the opportunity?" Abigail shuddered.
"Yes, they can bend the will of organic minds, exactly like the Reapers. And with that control there was an opportunity. Someone has to exercise control, they needed someone to work with, and I had the courage to see that is what was required. To have strong, enlighetened individuals leading, guiding, humanity and the other races to their ultimate destiny."
"At what cost!?" She yelled, spittle flying from her mouth. "Our minds, our freedoms, our very souls? To lose the very things that make us human, that make us organic? Do you really believe that is worth the sacrifice?"
"And what has humanity and the other races done with their liberties?" Soren asked then answered his question. "Murder, death, cosmic wars breaking out decades? Corrupt businesses and political deals? Gouging themselves on environments of a thousand worlds? Of refusing to offer the most simple amenities but for a profit? Is this the freedom that you hold so dear Abigail Shepard? Is this really what you want?"
"It's better than the alternative, of being ruled, and led, and unable to do things with our lives as we see fit."
"How deliciously quaint." He dismissed turning back to his window.
"But it's worse than that." Abby hissed, barely audible.
"And what is worse than taking away all those small and petty things that you want?" He said in a sing song voice.
"You are taking away people's right to fail." Abigail said simply.
Soren had no response to that, his shoulders slumped, and he continued his eagle like gaze out the front window. Abigail stared after him, waiting, wanting to know if he had heard her, if she had convinced him, and what would it be.
"And what is so important about the right to fail? And why not accept control as an answer? After all you are military; you lead by absolute control and discipline the people under you. And I've read your file, I know that the Alliance saved you, gave you a home, succeeded where you could not, and rescued you from your failures." Soren finally stated.
"No, it was a private citizen who saved me. Who interceded on my behalf, who told the judge that he would look after me, and I wouldn't end up in prison. The judge agreed, and he took care of me, despite what I did to his best friend."
"And then you joined the military, the military gave you a home, a purpose." Soren grunted.
"But it wasn't enough; I was not ready for it. The responsibility, the combat, I thought I was. But I failed. On Torfan I nearly sent my squad through a meat grinder and I did terrible things. But I learned, I learned. The Alliance was ready to forgive me and wipe the whole thing under the rug, but because of Anderson I learned and I grew."
"Anderson who was an Alliance Officer."
"Who was a individual who helped me through a tough time…you just don't get it."
"Well then enlighten me." Soren snapped.
"You can't be forced into being a good person, you can't be changed into a good person, no Government and no force of God has that power. Only you can, with the help of people, but only if you want it." Shepard continued.
"And then meanwhile everyone dies and suffers and loses." He teased.
"Life is suffering," Abby said simply, "and you don't have the power to make it any different."
Soren frowned, "I can't convince you can I? You will just go on believing what you believe, and meanwhile the universe has to suffer since Abigail Shepard can't stomach the fact that she might be wrong."
"That's not it at all," She said through gritted teeth.
"No, of course not."
Before they could go any longer Soren whipped out a weapon, Abigail got out into a crouch and reached for her pistol but she wasn't fast enough. Soren had already placed the gun against his cheek and pulled the trigger, blood and brain matter exploding with a slight greasy film. Abby blinked, staring at the scene, mystified. Finally she got up out of her crouch and moved over to him.
Damn, do all the evil tyrants really have to commit suicide all the time? She groused shaking her head.
But there was still work to do, the computer terminals were active and streaming data. Shepard stared at the numbers and symbols on the screen. Encrypted data files, joys.
She touched her hand to her ear activating her com link, "EDI, get down here, we have work to do."
"On the way Shepard."
Hamburg
Cameron Shepard dove for a piece of cover, a low wall in the middle of an open room, as a burst of weapons fire almost cut his head off, or would've if his shields were down but either way he did not want to test the theory over much.
James stutter fired from the Harrier, boldly marching up and collapsing in the frame of the door next to him. "I think they've caught onto what we are doing!" James yelled.
"Took them long enough," Cameron muttered firing a stutter burst from the Revenant and proceeding to drive the enemy back, "after we've destroyed three of these stations and what our forces have been doing globally."
"Maybe they finally got the forces up to stop us, we know our counter measures were at least partially effective." James tossed a frag grenade, Cameron's eyes widened, and the orb exploded with a mind numbing crash
"Damn it James, I don't want any of these people killed, I told you!" He yelled out.
"Hey, right now it's us or them, we kill them, and we can take out the sphere and make sure no one else has to die."
"James, that's your wife talking." Cameron muttered, sensing movement he rose and launched a shockwave blast that split the room and launched one of the guards into the air.
"Hey, when she's right she's right." James responded.
"I'm not killing anyone off," Cameron added the note of authority to his voice, "Not when we're so close."
"Fine." James grunted, "But if they rush, I will do whatever it takes to keep the mission and us alive."
Fair enough, Cameron thought not wanting to encourage him, I know he is right on the one hand but there has to be another way, ah the trials of command, do the job, kill anyone who gets in your way…and not that Abby is like that but that is a very dark road.
He popped up and fired another blast from his Revenant in front of the feet of one of the guards, his leg took a hit and he crumpled down, it burned slightly.
James took that as his cue, he dove, lying flat out he fired the Harrier and the Harrier spread pierced a gas canister. A hissing bloom of smoke cut off the guards from the squad, and the view they had of each other, Cameron fired into the mess emptying his thermal clip, suggesting that they stay in cover.
James rolled to the side, and fired, his bullets striking the sphere and causing it to explode.
One of the guards that Cameron could see spasmed, freezing in mid step, his arms flinging to his side, a stricken expression crossing his face, and he keeled over.
"Nice shooting James," The former Spectre remarked heading over for the guard, he checked his pulse, and it was still there. "He is still alive."
James nodded, "And thanks."
"EDI, get down here, we have work to do." Shepard's voice broke out over the intercom.
Cameron spun to see James going for his Omni-tool, "What's up Lola?"
"Soren is dead," There was a pause over the nets, "killed him right in front of me. But he has banks of computers here, and there might be information here, EDI can help us get to it."
"Right, Lola, good luck with that."
She chuckled at him over the com, "Shepard out"
"Well, that was fun." James turned to Cameron.
He shrugged, "next?"
"Totally."
The Eagle's Nest
Shepard paced around the room as EDI hacked into the database, her eyes weren't closed, but she was staring off into space, her pupils had scrawls of data in it.
"What's taking so long?" Shepard snapped.
"This data stream is protected by thirty firewalls and eight cycling bits of encryption. It will take a few more moments to-ah I have access."
"Great, hit me with it." Abigail came next to the AI and leaned over the oak table looking at the computer screen.
The data still did not make sense to her, and then the screen turned off. She snapped her head around to EDI. "What's happening?"
When the AI responded Abby waved a hand in front of her face, "EDI?"
His eyes flickered, "Shepard, we may have a problem."
By way of response Abby wiggled her right eyebrow at her.
"There is a Leviathan here; it is in the Hawaiian Islands, by them anyways."
Abigail felt the color in her face such as it was, drain itself as the revelation sunk in. Would certainly explain a lot…maybe. "Wonderful." She finally verbalized.
"I assume we will have to go deal with it?"
Shepard felt her hand smack up into her head.
"That was a joke."