Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my MechWarrior/BattleTech - Mass Effect crossover.

Thank you, once more, for your wonderful support and feedback. I deeply appreciate it.

We have arrived at the final chapter for the Leviathan DLC sub-story arc. After this, we'll be heading into the Rannoch sub-story arc, where we will explore what differences will happen when the Federated Commonwealth becomes involved with the debacle between the Geth and Quarians. I'm certain it'll be interesting, and we might just see a speech or two here.

As always, leave a review and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the MechWarrior/BattleTech or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, WizKids, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to it's original developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.

Citadel

Serpent Nebula

September 28th, 2186

Bryson's lab was, once more, the location that Shepard was at, now that Ann Bryson was safely at the Citadel. In addition, Shepard was in something of a good mood, though that was less to do with Ann Bryson's safety, though he was happy for that, and more to do with the current status of Palaven. The AFFC kicked the Reapers off the planet, he smiled to himself. Took them some time, and they took some casualties, but they forced the Reapers off the planet.

Apparently, it was good news to others, as he could see Victor smiling after closing his omni-tool. "Just confirmed it just before bedtime," he told Shepard. "The AFFC has neutralized all Reaper forces on Palaven, and the fleet has just neutralized the last of the Reapers there with a handful of Peacekeeper nuclear missiles. Palaven is free once again!"

"That's good to hear," Shepard nodded. "I heard the same thing too. Still, it's only a matter of time before the Reapers wise up and try to take the planet back."

"True, though the battle gave us a good idea of how they might adapt. The AFFC's brass is already formulating changes to the strategies that allowed us to achieve victory. If all goes well, though I don't count on it, we'll make sure the Reapers don't invade Palaven again."

"True," Shepard nodded. "Still, all of our hopes hinge on getting the Crucible constructed and operational. That way, we can defeat all of the Reapers permanently." As they began to head inside, he asked, "So, what do you plan to do once the war is over?"

"Me?" Victor asked. "I'll have a little enjoyment with my father once the war's over. After that, it's all preparation for when the Clans decide to come back and try to fuck us over again. This time, however, we'll be more than ready to kick their asses." Looking at Shepard, he asked, "What about you? What will you do when the war is over."

"Haven't decided yet," Shepard replied, "though being a good father is part of that. As for the rest… I think I might either retire from the Alliance and become a full blooded mercenary, or I might stay on and act as a liaison between the FedCom and Alliance. I haven't decided yet."

"That's alright. It's something to mull over, since the end of the war is still a ways off. Once it's over, then we can decide on what to do." With that, they walked inside of the building.

Inside, Ann was talking with her father, Bryson, the latter of whom was quite happy if his body language was any indication. Turning to the others, he said, "Shepard, Victor, thank you for saving my daughter. I know we aren't on the best of terms, but -"

"That's alright," Shepard interrupted. "Family is always important." Looking at Ann, he asked, "Are you alright? You kinda had us scared yesterday."

"I'm fine," Ann replied. "From what I've read, Leviathan must've taken full control over me. Frightening, but fascinating as well."

"I agree with the former of the two. The Reapers seem interested in it as well. I wonder why."

"Same here. It's a fascinating enigma. Suppose Leviathan's broken away from the other Reapers? Never went back to dark space? Like a rogue, for even a defector." She frowned as she recalled more information. "Still… I feel bad for what happened to Garneau. It must've been awful, dying in a mine far away from friends and family…"

"If you need time, I -"

"No," Ann interrupted, fixing Shepard with a stare. "Garneau wouldn't want me to be mourning him forever. He'd want me to make sure that his research, that his efforts to find Leviathan wouldn't be in vain. I have to do this, otherwise I won't be able to look at myself in the mirrior."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Looking at Dr. Bryson, Shepard asked, "Your thoughts?"

"I agree," Dr. Bryson nodded. "We give up now, it'll be spitting on everything Garneau did to give us a chance. In addition, I'd be spitting on my relationship with my daughter. I don't care what happens next; I just care that we honor Garneau's sacrifice."

"Then we won't either," Victor nodded. "Now, you said that when Leviathan took control of you, you were somewhere cold and dark, yes?"

"Yes," Ann nodded, "but my father here taught me to never be afraid of the cold and dark." With that, she walked downstairs, while Shepard, Victor and Dr. Bryson followed. "Saw this coming in, didn't you?"

"First time, yes," Shepard nodded. "Victor was more than a little leery of it, still is in fact. What amazes me is that you, and Dr. Bryson, got your hands on a piece of a Reaper."

"I was ecstatic," Dr. Bryson admitted. "Your claims, Shepard, along with this piece of Sovereign, validated years of work. Also, like my father explained to you a few days earlier, we made sure it was completely shielded. We even mandated regular psych evaluations."

"But now, thanks to the artifact, I'm indoctrinated… aren't I?" Ann frowned. "Just another Rachni drone waiting for orders from the Queen."

"You studied the Rachni?" Victor asked.

"I wrote my dissertation on them. My father thought it was a waste of time, but now… it might help us understand Leviathan."

"I never did stop regretting those words," Dr. Bryson added. "Now, I'm eating my own words."

"How so?" EDI, who was present, asked Ann.

"We think of the Rachni as telepathic, but there's really no such thing," Ann explained. "At close range, the Queen uses pheromones to give orders. But at long range, she uses a kind of organic quantum entanglement communicator. Whatever Leviathan does must be similar, entangling particles to stimulate neural activity. It uses the artifact to establish a connection, and then it controls the minds of anyone near it."

"Like what happened with Derek," Dr. Bryson surmised as they entered the room where the artifact was.

"We didn't detect any emissions from the artifact," Victor informed Ann, "but the Reapers were, somehow, able to interact with it. How so?"

"My best guess?" Ann surmised. "Most of the time, the artifact simply acts as a receiver. We'll only be able to actively trace Leviathan, though, when it actively takes control of someone. Unless it needs something, Leviathan doesn't bother communicating. I guess it and my father have something in common."

"About the only thing in common," Dr. Bryson added. "Everywhere else, Leviathan and I couldn't be further apart from each other."

"Agreed," Victor nodded. "Still, how do we trace Leviathan through a QEC? I'm not an expert on the technology, but from what I recall QEC comm calls are untraceable."

"Yes, but this isn't a natural QEC," Ann explained. "Leviathan has to send a pulse through the artifact to alter your mind and create the quasi-QEC effect, and you can trace that. That's how the Reapers were attempting to trace Leviathan: they were activating the artifact."

"Now that's brilliant. I've never really heard of that before." Walking over, he asked, "I know this is hard, Ann, I really do, but if there's anything more you can tell us…"

"I don't think there's anything more I can tell you," Ann remarked, "but maybe I can show you."

"What are you saying?"

"The artifact only sends out a signal when Leviathan is controlling someone. So, let it control me. You could trace the signal."

That sent up red flags in both Shepard and Victor's mind, though Dr. Bryson was the most vocal. "No!" he immediately stated. "That's too dangerous! I lost Garneau when that happened! I don't want to lose you as well!"

"I know that," Ann said to her father. "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise. In addition, it's my call, not yours, and I'm the last chance that we have of finding Leviathan. If we wait, the Reapers will get to Leviathan first, and I'm the only one aside from Derek, who's staying away for fear of his sanity, who's spent enough time around this thing to do so. We're looking for something to fight the Reapers, and I'm looking for the monster that tried to kill you, father."

At that, Dr. Bryson's resistance melted away. "Alright," he nodded reluctantly. "You've made your case, Ann. I won't stop you. Just… just be careful."

"I will," Ann nodded. Turning to Victor, she asked, "Can you have Hastings and Richard keep a hold of me? That should keep me from hurting anyone while under Leviathan's control."

"Sure," Victor noddeed. "Hastings, Richard?" With that, as Ann sat down in a nearby chair, both soldiers came over and held her by her arms and shoulders. Looking at Shepard, he asked, "You willing to go through with this?"

"Like Dr. Bryson said, she's made her case," Shepard agreed. "I don't like it, but she's right: we have no other options." Turning to EDI, who was now standing at the holo-map, he asked, "You ready?"

"Energy signature locked in," EDI reported. "Waiting for activation."

"Alright." Turning to Ann, he asked, "Ready?"

"Ready," Ann nodded. With that, she looked at Victor, who hit the switch. A moment later, the shielding around the artifact faded into nothingness. At the same time, the artifact began to glow blue-green once more.

"Artifact online," EDI reported.

"Anything?" Shepard asked.

"Nothing," Ann reported. Then, just a moment later, she said, "Wait, there's something. I feel a chill…"

"Ho boy," Victor frowned. "Here we go!"

"EDI?" Shepard asked.

"No trace yet."

Just as she said this, Ann Bryson's eyes glazed over. At the same time, she began to struggle fiercely, so much so that Hastings and Richard were having some difficulty holding onto her. "FUCK!" Hastings shouted. "She's fighting mighty hard!" While he was silent, Richard's surprised expression showed that he had also been nearly caught off guard.

"Signal is tracking," EDI reported. "Maintain connection."

A moment later, Ann began to speak, though it was clear that Leviathan was using her as a mouthpiece. "Turn back," it said through her. "The darkness cannot be breached."

"Fuck!" Richard shouted when she nearly broke free of him.

"Maintain connection," EDI instructed them.

Seeing a chance, Shepard spoke up. "Listen to me. I, along with the Federated Commonwealth, found you. The Reapers are right behind us."

"You have brought them," Leviathan stated through Ann, though it was clear that it was angry. "You are a threat."

"So are you," Shepard countered. "I've seen what you can do. The war needs you."

"There is no war. There is only the harvest."

"What harvest?" Victor asked, walking in front of Ann a moment later.

That was when something very chilling happened. Leviathan, using Ann in that moment, looked directly at Victor. "You are an anomaly," it stated moments later. "You are not like the others."

"Hell yeah, I'm not," Victor replied. "I'm from a star-nation that can kick the Reapers in the ass." While he knew this was only partially true, he knew enough about embellishment to use it effectively.

"EDI, do we have enough?" Shepard asked.

"Partial lock," EDI confirmed. "Maintain connection to narrow the search."

"Sir?!" Hastings asked. "If we keep going, we might knock her out!"

"Shut it down," Victor ordered. "We've got enough." Looking at Ann, he said, "Leviathan, if you can hear me, know this: the Federated Commonwealth is going to come for you. Whether or not we destroy you is up to how you react to our arrival. For the sake of your species, as well as my own, choose the path of logic and reason over fear and instinct." Any reply that Leviathan would've given Victor was precluded by the shielding around the artifact being activated by Shepard.

A moment later, it faded into inactivity, while Ann gasped, regaining full control of her body. "Ann?!" Dr. Bryson asked, running over to her.

"I'm fine," Ann reassured the group.

"Did you get anything?" Shepard asked EDI.

"Yes," EDI nodded, "but it will take some time to search. Coordinates sent to the Normandy."

"Send the coordinates to the Fury II," Victor interrupted. "We're going to need to get to Leviathan fast. Captain Carmichael's hot-charged the K-F Drive on his WarShip, so it's ready to go."

"You sure that's safe?" Shepard asked. "I thought K-F Drives suffered molecular damage when hot-charged."

"The older models, yes," Victor nodded. "The newer models, however, have greater resilience, and we designed technology that prevents that kind of damage. We'll be fine."

"Good. That's a start."

"Commanders," Ann added. "I sensed something else. Anger, but also curiosity as well. It knows the two of you are getting closer, and I think it wants to either kill, or interrogate the two of you."

"It can get in line," Victor frowned. "We've dealt with threats worse than Leviathan. Besides, I've always wanted a chance to punch out a Lovecraftian horror, or at least break it by talking. Hopefully, we won't have to resort to that. Either way, it's time to go. We have a Leviathan to catch."

As they were leaving, Victor said, "Shepard, in addition to what I know, I think I have a hunch as to where Leviathan is at: a water world."

"Why do you think that?"

"Ann's description of where she was when Leviathan took control of her. She mentioned somewhere cold and dark. Now, there's two kinds of locations where that's possible: a frozen wasteland, or a water world. I'm banking on the latter of the two being the case. One of those coordinates has a water world; in addition, there's been stories of ships going missing in that cluster."

"Sounds about right. We'll have to check though to be sure."

. . .

It took them around five days, but in the end, the search took an interesting turn when the Fury II jumped to the Psi Tophet system. Moving over a planet known as 2181 Despoina, the Sensors Officer was conducting a scan when he let out a loud whistle. "What is it?" Captain Carmichael asked as he came over.

"I've got a faint signal coming from the planetary surface," the officer informed him. "According to an analysis, it matches the information EDI shared with us on Leviathan. I think we've found it's location!"

"Good," Carmichael nodded. "Inform Shepard that he can head down in his shuttle, and launch a probe while we're at it. We'll stay on station to provide cover fire in case any Reapers come around. There aren't any here yet, but I'll bet you T-Bills to C-Bills that they'll be over here before you can say 'Blackjack.'" With that, he began to issue orders, while the ship entered Geostationary Orbit in order to make sure Shepard and the others had covering fire.

. . .

Onboard the shuttle, Shepard, along with Javik and Liara, was making sure he was good to go, especially with the information they had gotten. In addition, when he learned that 2181 Despoina was a water world, he decided to get some Battle Armor on. Good thing Calbot hammered my ass when it came to Battle Armor training, he thought to himself. Never thought it would come in handy before today. Now I'm really glad I got it.

As they flew down towards the planet, Charmichael came in over the comm. "Shepard, I've got some news for you on Leviathan's location, and it's not good."

"Let's hear it."

"There's nothing but a fuck-tonne of water down there. We've got readings of a few structures down there, likely abandoned barges designed for aquatic exploration, but the probe's pressure readings indicate that it is several thousand meters below sea-level. We're talking about several hundred atmospheres in this case."

Turning to Cortez, Shepard asked, "Can Mountain Lion Battle Armor with UMU's survive that kind of pressure?"

"Definitely," Cortez nodded. "It's specced to around 500 atmospheres. It''s a good thing too; while the Kodiak II can withstand those pressures easily, we'd have to switch out the thrusters on a barge."

"Then it's a good thing I'm wearing that Battle Armor," Shepard decided. "Hopefully, we -"

"WHOA!" Cortez shouted as the shuttle lurched. At the same time, Shepard watched as the holographic panels seemed to fizzle for a few moments before going back to normal again.

"Cortez?!" Shepard shouted.

"Some kind of energy wave, Commander," Cortez reported. "From what I can tell, it's designed to neutralize all electronics within a given area. Fortunately, the Kodiak II's got some really good radiation hardening for it's electronics. I'd rather not find out how good it is, though. I'm landing right now!" With that, he quickly brought the shuttle in for a landing, deploying the landing gear as he did so.

A moment later, the shuttle doors opened. As soon as it did, rain swept into the shuttle, smacking into the faceplate of Shepard's helmet. Stepping outside with the others, he took a look around to see where they were at.

From what he could tell, they had landed in the middle of a massive shipwreck, or rather 'WarShip' wreck, as he could see massive pieces of starships in the sea. Most of them were floating, including the section of ship they were on, which appeared to have once been part of a ship's cargo hold. It was nighttime, with the entire area being pitch black, while white bolts of lightning crossed the sky, illuminating the area in sudden flashes of light and peals of thunder.

Turning on his helmet's headlamps, Shepard gazed out at the deck they were at, even as he moved forwards slightly. A number of cargo containers had been set up, likely for any survivors that had made it down. When he saw a nearby skeleton, though, Shepard knew that no one had survived. "Cortez?" he asked.

"Just radio'ed back to the Fury II," Cortez explained. "Barely got their reply due to interference. They're taking up position and they're sending down DropShips to reinforce our position. The DropShips shouldn't be affected by whatever happened."

"Good," Shepard nodded. "I'd rather not find out how tough our shuttle's systems are. That pulse nearly took them completely out." Looking to the others, he said, "Let's check around this place. We might find something we can use."

"This is a place of death," Javik frowned, pointing at ships further beyond. "Those ships look like they've been drifting for years."

"We're not the first ones to run into problems either," Liara added. "I can't imagine what these poor survivors went through."

"Maybe that pulse is Leviathan's last line of defense," Shepard mused.

"Or a weapon," Javik added.

"That too." With that, they continued to look around. A number of data-pads were present across the hulk they were at, though all of them hinted at confusion at what had happened. In addition, they showed what had happened during the crew's final days. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty.

What had Shepard worried, though, was the number of orbs that were on the ship. The same ones like the one at Bryson's lab, he frowned. This is a clusterfuck waiting to happen.

As they moved along, Shepard heard Carmichael over the comm, though the static was bad enough that he could barely make it out. "Shepard," he could hear Carmichael report. "We've got Reapers coming overhead! We're moving to perform a delaying action, but we can't hold them off long! In addition, I just had a QEC message sent to the Avalon! They're coming to assist!"

"Roger that," Shepard enunciated. "What's the status of the DropShips?!"

"Shuttle ETA: 2 mikes!" came the reply.

Just as Cortez said this Shepard spotted Reaper pods flying in. "Incoming! Take them out!" With that, a firefight began.

Ducking into cover, he fired his arm mounted weapon, a Support ER Small Pulse Laser, at a Marauder, cutting the Reaper troop in half with the powerful energy beam. Nearby, Javik hurled a lift, while Liara fired her MP-20, riddling the Cannibals caught in the biotic field with armor-piercing bullets. Pulling out a grenade, she primed it, before hurling it at the incoming hostiles. There was a loud BOOM as it detonated, with pieces of Husks and Cannibals flying into the air.

"Got a Brute!" Javik shouted as he spotted one of the monstrosities landing. Firing the Grenade Launcher mounted on his shoulder, Shepard nailed the Brute with a direct hit, blasting it's head apart and sending it falling to the ground.

A round ricocheted off of his armor, prompting Shepard to look slightly to his left. The 360 degree view, compressed to 160 degrees, allowed him to see the Marauder that fired on him. A slight adjustment from his stance, and he cut it in half with his ER Small Pulse Lasers. "Go pick on someone your own size," he growled at the creature.

"Shepard, you might want to head out now!" Cortez shouted. "Your armor can take the pressure! We'll handle the fight up here!"

"Got it!" Shepard nodded. Reaching the lip of the wreckage they were on, he said, "Team, do what you can to stay alive! I'll be back as soon as I can!" With that, he jumped into the water.

As soon as he landed in the water, the DIC for the armor said, "ALERT: Full Submersion Detected. Activating Underwater Maneuvering Units." At the same time, Shepard could hear a soft whirring, which indicated the UMU's were online and working properly. Once more unto the breach, he thought as he descended.

As he went further and further underwater, he could hear the sounds of the armor's systems compensating for the increased pressure. He could also hear the quiet creaking sounds coming from the armor and structure, though he was reasonably certain that the Battle Armor would survive the pressures. This, combined with the blackness outside, relaxed him, so much so, that it was a shock when his feet contacted unyielding rock.

Activating the lights and looking around, he found that he had landed on a rocky steppe, likely one of many before he truly reached the oceanic plain. Looks like we're three kilometers down, he noted to himself, and pressure is currently 302 atmospheres. We're still well within the armor's pressure limits.

A moment later, he keyed his comms. "Not sure if you can read me up there, but I've finished the major descent. Can't really see anything down here, aside from what''s in front of my headlamps. Suit's holding up and life support system is operating normally. Scanner indicates the probe is below my position. Moving down." With that, he began his descent.

It wasn't long before he spotted light, but it wasn't light from the surface. Looking around, he could see coral and flora that were bioluminescent. Each of the plants glowed a wide range of colors, from red, to green and blue. Some were even scintillating their colors, creating a beautiful ripple effect. He whistled in appreciation of nature's beauty on display.

As he moved on, he spotted the scanner readings. "Looks like the probe's below me," he observed. "Final drop." Reaching the edge of an underwater cliff, he stepped off and began to descend. The armor creaked as the pressure increased. When he landed, he noted that the depth was now 3.25 kilometers underwater.

Just as he moved forwards, the entire area seemed to shake. Looking around, Shepard soon spotted the source of the disturbance. It was a sight that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

To his surprise, what emerged from below him wasn't a Reaper, but something that looked similar to a Reaper. In terms of body shape, it looked very similar to Harbinger, only the upper portion of it's body, near the very top, forked off into two points, rather than the singular one that Harbinger had. It's entire body was covered in organic armor plating, with small gaps to allow the limbs to move. Three pairs of softly glowing eyes gazed at Shepard, who was now feeling really, really small.

That must be it, he thought, realizing what he was looking at. That's Leviathan. Leviathan isn't a Reaper, it's a creature that looks very similar to a Reaper!

Just then, Leviathan spoke, it's voice booming, though Shepard realized it was in his head. "You have come too far."

Feeling an odd sensation, Shepard had a moment were he thought he was standing on a plane of water, then he shook his head to clear it away. "I had to find you," he said to it.

"This is not your domain. You have breached the darkness."

"You killed a Reaper. I need to know why."

"They are the enemy. One that seeks our extermination."

Another hallucination came, only he felt like he was on his knees. Shaking himself back to the forefront of his mind, Shepard continued to focus. "But… I thought you were a Reaper."

"They are but mere echoes. We have existed long before."

Huh? I don't understand. "Then what are you?"

"Something more." With that cryptic remark, Shepard found himself at that strange place again. Coughing loudly, he felt like he was suffocating to death. Just then, a hand appeared in his vision, while the voice said, "Your mind belongs to me. Breath."

Gasping, Shepard took the hand and stood up, only to find himself looking at Ann. "Ann Bryson?" he asked, confused. "What's happening? Have I gone mad?!"

"Your memories give voice to our words. Your nature will be revealed to us," Leviathan replied. "Accept this."

"The galaxy's at war with the Reapers" Shepard grunted. "You defeated one. Why aren't you fighting back?"

"There is no war. There is only the harvest," Leviathan replied cryptically.

"Then help us stop it!" Shepard pleaded.

"None have possessed the strength in past cycles," Leviathan replied. "Your own species could be destroyed with but a single thought, but you are different. I have witnessed your actions in this cycle: the destruction of Sovereign; the fall of the Collectors. The Reapers perceive you as a threat. And I must understand why."

A moment later, Shepard felt a buzzing sensation in his head, while he saw the memories of his life flash before his eyes. It's examining my memories, he realized. Every moment of my life, from birth, all the way to the present!

As it did so, Leviathan spoke to Shepard. "Before the cycles, our kind was the apex of life in the galaxy. The lesser species were in our thrall, serving our needs. We grew more powerful, and they were cared for, but we could not protect them from themselves.

"Over time, the species built machines that then destroyed them. Tribute does not flow from a dead race. To solve this problem, we created an intelligence with the mandate to preserve life at all cost. As the intelligence evolved, it studied the development of civilizations. It's understanding grew until it found a solution.

"In that instant, it betrayed us. It chose our kind for the first harvest. From our essence, the first Reaper was created. You know it as Harbinger."

At that moment, Shepard realized what had happened. I understand, he realized. The species Leviathan belongs to were the rulers of the galaxy, but when the races advanced and created AI, the species mistreated the AI, causing it to rebel. Leviathan then created an AI to find a solution, but it ended up turning on them as well.

Still, he wanted more answers, so he decided to ask. "You built that machine despite seeing the other races' experiences. Why?"

"You cannot conceive of a galaxy that bends to your will," Leviathan explained. "Every creature, every nation, every planet we discovered became our tools. We were above the concerns of lesser species. The Intelligence was simply envisioned as another tool."

"And it decided to rebel against you," Shepard finished. "Now, we're all paying for the mistake you made in your arrogance."

"There was no mistake," Leviathan calmly countered. "It still serves it's purpose."

"How'd you remain hidden all this time?"

"Our extermination was not complete. Some survived and found refuge in the dark corners of the galaxy. I am their progeny. Over the cycles, the thrall races were controlled, removing evidence of our existence as we directed them to. In this way, our survival was kept secret from the Reapers. Today, we reach out through the fragments, and watch for discovery."

"Fragments? You mean the artifacts that we found?"

"They provide a window into the galaxy. Tools for exploring the events of this cycle from the safety of this world. Through them, we watch, we study, and remain in the shadows."

"I see," Shepard mused. After a moment, he asked, "How did the Intelligence defeat you?"

"To find a solution, it required information," Leviathan explained, sounding like an engineer explaining the purpose of a computer. "Physical data drawn from organic life in the cosmos. It created an army that searched the galaxy, gathering this data. There was no warning. There was no reason given when they turned against us. Only slaughter. Only the harvest."

"OK. Tell me about the Reapers?"

"Each harvest ends with the birth of a Reaper. Perfect in it's design. Each formed in the image of Harbinger. Our image. Each Reaper has the power to influence organics. Over countless cycles, this ability was refined, perfected, and gave rise to Indoctrination."

"But what's the point of all these harvests?"

"The intelligence has one purpose: the preservation of all life. That purpose has not yet been fulfilled. It directed the Reapers to create the Mass Relays – to speed the time between cycles for the greatest efficiency. That galaxy itself became an experiment – evolution it's tool."

"Will it ever end?"

"Unknown. Until the Intelligence finds what it is looking for, the harvests will continue."

"What do you know about the Crucible?"

"We have watched its construction before. It has never been completed. Those who have tried still fell victim to the harvest. It's outcome is unknown.

"I see," Shepard noted. "You've made your point. Will you help stop the cycle?"

"I have searched your mind. You are an anomaly – on its own, it is not enough. You, however, have done what many would consider to be impossible. You have breached the barrier between universes, and have found one that is different, yet similar, to our own."

"The Inner Sphere," Shepard guessed.

"Indeed," Leviathan replied, though it now sounded quite curious. "We have never before witnessed such an event. The crossing of races from one universe to another. The Inner Sphere represents what like would have been like, were it not for the Intelligence, a window into another timeline."

"You sound curious. Why?"

"Until this point, we did not assume that other worlds existed. We merely remained content with the state of the galaxy up to this point. The arrival of the Inner Sphere changes things. The Intelligence has not anticipated such a change of events before. Whether it will prove to be enough is not known. The cycle might continue."

"No!" Shepard adamantly stated. "You've been watching! You know this cylce is different!"

"We will survive. You will become a servant of our needs. The Reapers will harvest the rest."

"If you release me, no one has to be harvested!" Shepard persisted. "You know for certain that this cycle is different. You've even said it yourself: no one has breached the barriers between universes before! The Inner Sphere has more power than the Reapers will ever command. Even if the Reapers do succeed in this cycle, they will not stand against the Inner Sphere, which will become powerful enough to crush the Reapers.

"However, it doesn't have to be that way! Together, we can destroy the Reapers without having to sacrifice an entire galaxy, but only if we work together! Even if you survive the battle today the Reapers won't stop – ever! Release me, and I will show you why the Inner Sphere can help a united galaxy fight back and destroy the Reapers.

"Set me free, and I will show you why the galaxy, as a whole, has declared to the Reapers, 'We will not go gently into that good night! We will rage, rage against the dying of the light! You will come no further! Here and now, we will end your evil!'" Falling silent, Shepard began to hope and pray that Leviathan would change it's mind.

Apparently, in that rousing speech, he had done so. Turning around, Leviathan said, "Your confidence is singular."

"I've earned it: out there fighting, where you need to be." Shepard stated emphatically.

"It is clear why the Reapers perceive you as a threat. Your victories are more than a product of mere chance. Your discovery of another universe, where your species are the apex of life, is also more than a product of mere chance. We will fight, but not for you or any lesser race. We were the first; the apex race. We will survive.

"And the Reapers that trespass on this world will understand our power. They will become our slaves. Today, they pay their tribute in blood."

A moment later, the hallucination winked out of existence, though Shepard now realized what Leviathan had been doing: communicating with him. Looking up, he found himself staring at two more members of Leviathan's species. Mission complete, he thought, shivering despite the fact that it was warm inside of his armor. Hitting a few switches, he could feel the armor's UMU's quickly boosting him up towards the surface.

. . .

Up on the surface, there was a veritable firefight going on. Ever since Shepard had gone underwater, Victor and the others had come down to the surface of the planet, with the four DropShips that came with the Fury II having deployed hover Combat Vehicles and Battle Armor to the fight. Above, AeroSpace Fighters zipped about, blasting away at hostiles.

Victor, who was on the barge Shepard had been on, was firing away with a Support Medium Pulse Laser, cutting down any Reaper troops that came too close. Spotting another Brute, he swung the weapon in it's direction, with the pulsing emerald beam cutting the monstrosity in half. "Eat that, you son of a bitch!" he shouted.

Nearby, other AFFC and TDF soldiers were firing at more Reaper troops. Near the front, Javik and Liara were coordinating those forces, with Javik doing especially well. "Concentrate fire on those Marauders!" he shouted, firing at one with his Man-Pack Particle Cannon. "Destroy them, and the coordination of the Reaper forces falls apart!"

"Sir!" someone shouted to Victor. "I've got a Battle Armor signature coming up from underwater!"

"It's Shepard!" Victor shouted. "Team Rhino, get your ass over there now!" With that, four soldiers wearing Mountain Lion Battle Armor jumped over to where the signal was coming from. Just as they did, Shepard breached the surface of the ocean.

Reaching up weakly, he sighed as the others grabbed a hold of him and hoisted him up. "We've got him!" one shouted. "Get a medic! His vital signs have gone erratic!"

"Get him aboard the shuttle!" Victor shouted. "Everyone, evacuate to the amphibious landing vehicles and get the hell back to the DropShips! WE! ARE! LEAVING!"

With that, everyone began a tactical retreat to the hover APC's in question, with a few nearly tripping over debris on the deck to do so. A pair of Brutes came towards the, ready to spill blood, when suddenly, one of the Brutes attacked it's compatriot, causing the two to get involved in a major brawl with each other. Even a few Marauders and Cannibals were killing other Reaper troops.

Javik, spotting this, asked, "What is going on?!"

"I think Shepard succeeded in recruiting Leviathan!" Victor shouted. "LOOK!" Following the finger Victor was pointing, Javik saw, much to his shock, that the orbs were all glowing. In addition, he thought he heard whispering emanating from the orbs as well. A moment later, he boarded the shuttle, while the APC's took off at best speed for the DropShips!"

Up in orbit, it was a similar battle, with the Fury II giving her all against a Sovereign-class Reaper that had appeared in the area, with both ships having entered LEO. "FIRE ALL MISSILES!" Captain Carmichael roared as the barriers on the Fury II finally collapsed under the onslaught. "CONCENTRATE FIRE ON THE REAPER'S MAIN GUN!"

"SIR!" an officer shouted, "I'VE GOT AN ANOMALOUS READING HERE!" Just as he said this, something happened.

Captain Carmichael would never forget the sight that happened next. A purple wave of what appeared to be energy shot out from a region of the planet and towards the Reaper. When it impacted, the Reaper seemed to go dead in an instant, with the massive machine quickly plunging towards the planet's surface. "What the hell just happened?!" he asked.

. . .

While this was going on, Shepard was lying unconscious on the floor of the Kodiak II, having been pulled out of the Battle Armor, while an AFFC medic furiously performed CPR. "COME ON!" he shouted, hammering a fist into Shepard's chest out of frustration. "BREATH, DAMNIT! BREATH!"

"Not now, Shepard!" Liara whispered. "Please! Don't die now!"

"Come on, Shepard," Victor pleaded. "Stay with us!" Just as he said this, Shepard's eyes shot wide open. He immediately sat upright onto his buttocks so fast that he knocked the AFFC medic onto his back. Coughing loudly, he breathed deeply in and out, while a trail of blood creeped down from his nose and into his mouth. "Shepard!" Victor shouted. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine," Shepard replied. "Got one hell of a headache, but I'm fine."

"I'll see to that," the medic replied, a little nonplussed, but relieved, by what had happened. After a few seconds of scanning, he said, "I'll be damned. Other than a nosebleed and a mild case of hypothermia, you're doing fine. Please don't scare me like that again."

"I'll try not too," Shepard agreed.

"We're lucky to have you back," Cortez nodded. "I've got Ann Bryson on the comm."

A moment later, Ann's voice came in over the 'com. "Commander?" she asked.

"You feeling better?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, thank you. I'm doing fine. What happened?"

"We found it, Ann. We found Leviathan."

"Was it worth it?" she asked.

"I don't know, but we proved that it can't hide anymore… that it's a part of this war, just like us," Shepard nodded.

"Well, I look forward to hearing about it. My father's ecstatic on what just happened, enthused to know that the truth was out there all this time. Hackett's also asked us to join his scientific team. We all have our part to play. I should get to it."

"Take care, Ann. And thanks, for all of your help. Shepard out."

"So," Victor asked, "what now?"

"Now, we report in to Hackett, and find out what else we need to do."

(Author's Q&A)

SulliMike23: Me too. The Taurians probably have the right mindset when it comes to engaging Reapers. As long as no civilians are nearby, nuke 'em into oblivion. They consider nuclear weapons to be standard munitions for dealing with WarShips and major concentrations of enemy ground forces.

Just a Crazy-Man: Thank you.

edboy4926: Alright. I've also worked out a new title for the redux of my Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. I won't spoil it, but will say that it is memorable.

Guest: Thank you.

axccel: It does, actually. 1 G is around 9.84 meters per second. Multiply that by fifty, and you get roughly 450 meters per second. Since a WarShip is accelerating at that speed per second, it's velocity will dramatically increase. At that velocity increase, a WarShip will quickly become nothing short of a blur.

RandomReader: All of those are excellent points, and probably why I might do some tweaking of the previous chapters.