The Reaper Marauder's metallic cry ended abruptly as Shepard drove his heel into its neck and sent a shotgun slug slamming through its forehead. The Commander turned and unleased a wave of biotic energy at another group of the former Turians. The Reaper forces held their ground, knowing that their intact shields would dampen the power of the shockwave racing towards them. At the last moment before the attack reached them, Liara's overload erupted in their midst and the biotic energy ripped through the Marauders, scattering them like dolls.
.
.
"I've got it."
Shepard keyed the life pod's control panel and the device opened with a sharp hiss. Inside was the Prothean Shepard had seen in the images relayed to him from the data Cerberus had gathered before they had vanished. The alien's angular features were covered with crystallized water which began to steam away as its stasis began to dissipate.
"Goddess..." Liara murmured, her voice low in awe.
Shepard moved to stand behind the Asari as they both stared down at the slumbering Prothean.
Liara finally broke the silence. "It may take him some time to fully regain concious-"
The Prothean's eyes shot open and with a yell, unleashed a burst of biotic energy unlike any Shepard had ever encountered that sent Liara and himself flying through the air. As the Commander landed, he rolled backward and dropped into a ready stance, but the Prothean was not pursuing them. The alien staggered awkwardly across the platform to its edge and stared out at the landscape of Eden Prime.
Shepard holstered his weapon and walked towards the Prothean. Liara placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Be careful, he's confused," she stated quietly. "Remember it's been fifty thousand years for us, but for him-"
"He's the Prothean I saw from Cerberus' data, Liara. I'm going to try something."
Liara nodded and moved her hand to her side, close to her sidearm.
The Commander cautiously moved across the platform, stopping behind the Prothean. The ancient alien seemed lost in thought and did not react to Shepard until he placed his hand on its shoulder. As the Vanguard touched the Prothean, he was cast into the familiar chaos that was Prothean communication.
.
.
"There are Pods online, those soldiers are still alive!"
"Their sacrifice will be honored in the coming empire. Preparing newtron bombardment. Get-"
.
.
Abruptly, the connection was terminated, and the image of the Prothean AI standing before him vanished. Shepard blinked his eyes in confusion, and before he could regain his senses, a blast of biotic energy slammed into him and sent him flying from the platform.
The Commander fell for a few moments before collecting himself and willing himself into his biotics, lancing onto the platform above and drawing his weapon. Liara had created a singularity that held the Prothean in place, its energy pulling at the alien's barrier. The Asari scientists shoulder's visibly sagged in relief at Shepard's return and she began to shout at the Prothean as it strained against her power.
"Please! We do not wish to fight you! We are trying to destroy the Reapers!"
"You-LIE!" the Prothean roared, the words broken and mispronounced. As it spoke, the alien clenched its fist in Liara's direction and baleful green energy enveloped the Asari. In an instant Liara's barrier was torn apart and the malformed warp began to rip away at her exposed armor. Liara's concentration faltered, as did her singularity, and the freed Prothean charged at her.
Shepard appeared before him, emerging from his biotics and firing round after round at the approaching Prothean. With a second gesture the green warp jumped from Liara to the Commander and a blaring klaxon sounded from his helmet, warning him that his barrier was depleted. Through the haze of the warp eating away at his armor, Shepard could see the Prothean and swung his fist at the approaching alien.
The Prothean's attack struck first, its fist slamming into the faceplate of Shepard's helmet. The force of the blow was magnified tenfold by biotic energy and the Commander rocketed backwards to slam against a storage building's wall, his impact leaving a sizable dent in the plated metal of the structure.
A flash of light erupted in the air in front of the Prothean and Liara unleashed her own warp against the alien. In response, Liara felt herself yanked through the air towards her combatant and landed hard, sprawling on the ground before him. As she rose, the Prothean slammed the heel of his foot into her knee, the blow smashing through her weakened armor and causing her lower leg to snap forward with an sickening staccato. Liara screamed, and as she fall away the Prothean seized her throat with both hands and began to squeeze - his eyes hard with rage as the Asari weakly tried to push him away.
Shepard's thrown knife embedded itself in one of those eyes and as the Prothean reeled back. Shepard slammed against his chest. The two figures fell away from Liara and without the Prothean holding her she fell to the ground, twisting her leg painfully as she did. The Asari's vision was blurred and above her desperate gasps for air she could hear the dull, wet thuds of metal striking flesh.
The sounds continued for some time before ending abruptly, and a moment later Shepard knelt beside her, green blood covering his shattered faceplate. Why? Liara tried to ask, but the words would not form from her battered throat.
"Cotez," Shepard's voice sounded distant, far away. "I need evac, now! And have Dr. Chakwas ready for triage as soon as we get back to the Normandy."
Then there was nothing.
.
.
"She's going to be ok. I've got her under and her trachea should heal nicely. It was close though... Was it really a Prothean?"
"Yes."
"Why did it attack you?"
"I don't know. I... tried to communicate with it. I figured with my exposure to their technology I could, but as soon as I touched it it forcibly broke the connection."
"Connection?"
"Most of the Prothean tech we have interacted with have seem almost... empathic in nature. Information relayed by feelings, sights, memories, almost always received after direct contact. I touched him and was witnessing a memory when he... cut me off."
"I... see. Why would it do that?"
"I... I have no idea... I have to send this information to Andromeda as quickly as possible."
"You think it's that important?
"Yes. Tell me when it's safe to wake Liara, I need to talk to her."
"Yes, Commander."
.
.
"Are you sure?"
"No... but it makes sense."
"Shepard... I don't... I can't..."
"Whatever happens, Liara, I'm here. I'll always be here."
.