Sorry for the delay with this chapter - this semester has been especially grueling.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you for reading!
Shepard finished changing into her signature red N7 armor, making sure it was free of any chinks or dents. She double-checked that her omni-tool was synced, and that her shields weren't malfunctioning; she knew Cerberus' Headquarters was going to have a strong resistance, and after her encounter on Helyme she wasn't taking any chances. Before she headed out of her cabin she checked her reflection in the bathroom, struggling to shimmy through the doorway in her bulky armor.
"You got this, you know this is your only chance." She told herself.
Her appearance still seemed so worn; her eyelids drooping and the circles underneath her eyes darker than ever. Her paled skin made the dark circles look worse. She licked her chapped lips, noticing how dull and paled they also appeared. She knew she looked ill, and that her enemies would take one look at her and see a weakness easy to exploit. The thought of the Illusive Man sneering in triumph at her beaten down form made anger boil at the pit of her stomach.
"I'm coming for you, fucker." She growled, picturing the Illusive Man's smug face.
She left her bathroom and her cabin, making her way to the elevator. She had forty-five minutes to finish preparing, which meant heading to the shuttle bay armory and suiting up with her weapons, then she had to let Hackett know it was time for the main assault. She knew she had to pay a visit to the med bay to check on Garrus and her father before the mission, the guilt was tugging harshly at her heart strings.
In the elevator she rode down in a short and quiet solace, despite the dawning realization and finality of what she was about to do. The stakes were well beyond astronomical, but in the eye of the hurricane she felt a stillness and clung onto it as long as she could. The elevator doors whooshing open disturbed her moment of peace as deck three greeted her with a rush of activity. The crew was running around, preparing as they circled the horizon of the Horsehead Nebula. Outside of the med bay Tali stood, her quarian armor on, staring through the windows at Chakwas working.
"Shepard," Tali greeted without breaking her focus.
"How are they?" Shepard asked, standing beside her friend.
"No change worth noting. Dr. Chakwas stopped administering anesthesia to see how Garrus would do. The pain was so unbearable for him she had to put him back into a coma. Your father hasn't awoken, but his vitals are still strong." Tali paused her explanation, hinting that she wanted to say more but held herself back.
"What is it?" Shepard probed.
"Shepard, what happened down on Helyme? You retreated right to your cabin after you left the med bay. You've been ignoring us for a week and none of us understand why. What is going on with you?" Tali said after a long sigh.
"It's… it's hard to explain, Tali, I'm sorry. I know I've been distant…"
"That's not good enough, Shepard." Tali snapped, now looking at Shepard directly. "Haven't we all proven our loyalty to you time and time again? I've never turned my back on you, even when you were with Cerberus - same with Garrus. In return you keep us in the dark, and now look what happened…" Tali looked back through the window at Garrus, lying on the hospital bed.
Shepard didn't respond, she took in the silence knowing Tali was right. Kaidan had told her the same thing just hours before about relying on her crew.
"I know you're going through a lot, Shepard, just please don't shut us out. We're in this with you, until the end." Tali added, her tone softer. "You can't do this all on your own."
Shepard placed a gentle hand on Tali's shoulder.
"You're right, Tali, and I'm sorry. Maybe after this whole thing, I'll finally be able to articulate what is going on with me. It's hard to form words when I don't even understand myself…"
"I know you will, Shepard. I'll see you down on the station." Tali replied, coolly, looking back at the med bay.
As Shepard turned on her heel to leave, Liara came rushing out of her chambers, then immediately back-peddled as if she had forgotten something. Curious, Shepard decided to go check on the asari. As Shepard opened the doors, Glyph greeted her, drawing Liara's attention away from her computer console.
"Shepard- I was just about to meet you down at the armory." Liara said as she typed furiously away.
"Something come up for you?" Shepard asked, looking at her console.
Liara sighed and stopped typing. To Shepard it looked like she was hiding something, seeing the hesitation clear on her face. She motioned Shepard to come toward her console to look at something on the screen. Shepard leaned in and saw a list of communications between people, she didn't recognize the names. There was also a logo plastered digitally in the corner, one that looked like a ship. Whatever she was showing Shepard seemed classified, but Shepard was still puzzled.
"What is this?"
"I never told you, I'm sorry it was classified and just didn't seem like it was important to you at the time, but…" Liara sighed, giving her head a little shake. "I think it's worth telling you about the Andromeda Initiative."
"Andromeda? Like the galaxy coming toward the Milky Way? I remember hearing about a group coming together to use resources to try and possibly set off for Andromeda, but from what I heard on the news they ran out of funding and dissolved."
"They didn't dissolve, some mysterious benefactor came through with an astronomical amount of credits and helped complete the funding. They left for Andromeda a year ago with 100,000 participants on board." Liara explained.
"Damn, that's a lot of people risking it all on an unknown. Isn't it a one way trip? Even faster than the speed of light the trip would take-"
"Hundreds of years, yes." Liara finished, her eyes going downcast. "The council knew about the Andromeda Initiative, even if they didn't believe in it at first, I know they're thankful for its launch now. Shepard, the true purpose of the Initiative isn't further space exploration, it's to preserve the Milky Way species…"
Shepard felt her throat go dry. There was an entire backup plan launched for the Reaper Invasion, and she wasn't told about it. Liara stepped back slightly, seeing her expression darken as she stared at the computer screen. The communications between the individuals Jien Garson and Alec Ryder displayed casually on the screen, but Shepard felt a pit of resentment toward these strangers.
"I wasn't aware that the project was ongoing until I became the Shadow Broker. Back in 2182 Alec Ryder had contacted me about the idea of it, and wanted information about the protheans. I didn't think much of it until I saw the amount of money through my contacts being moved around. A few months ago I contacted Alec again to let him know the Reapers arrived, but he was already in stasis. I just attempted to contact the Hyperion and the asari ark again, but they have officially reached beyond contact. Radio signals would take a long time to reach them… they're past the point of no return."
"Why wasn't I told about this, Liara? I don't understand…" Shepard began.
"It happened quickly. Like I said, I didn't know Jien Garson would be able to keep the project afloat until that benefactor started to solely supply the mission. They wanted them to leave in a hurry, they believed you about the Reapers." Liara explained.
"So your interest is in the benefactor?"
"Yes, what their true identity is. Understand that the Andromeda Initiative was highly classified to protect from Reaper knowledge, or anyone who would try to sabotage the trip. Now that they're far enough away, it can slowly be released to the public. But nevermind that, what bothers me is that amount of credits the benefactor poured into this unknown outcome. I'm talking quintillions of credits, Shepard."
"Who is that rich, especially now?" Shepard mumbled aloud.
"That's exactly what I'm saying, I wanted to bring it to your attention because of who I think is responsible…"
Shepard glanced over at Liara, her mouth agape as the realization dawned on her.
"You think the benefactor is the Illusive Man," Shepard finally said.
"Yes. The benefactor works through agents and is so well hidden that even I can't uncover who they are with my resources. Jien and Alec knew who they were, but I couldn't get an answer from them and now it's too late…" Liara sighed. "I'm sorry, Shepard, I should've told you sooner. I just wanted to let you know now before we got to Cerberus' Headquarters to see if we can find any information about the Andromeda Initiative. Maybe the Illusive Man was trying to help humanity after all…"
"No!" Shepard snapped, Liara visibly recoiled. "The Illusive Man is an insane, xenophobic person who let his love of control cloud his judgement. Why would he help aliens go with humans to Andromeda if he wanted to help?"
"I don't know, Shepard, but I think we'll find out more as soon as he dock the headquarters." Liara replied.
"You're right, and Liara… thank you for telling me." Shepard said before leaving the room in a huff.
In the war room, Shepard patched Hackett through. His digital figure materialled in a shade of blue before her eyes.
"Shepard, the intel you sent looks good. The fleets are ready to go…" Hackett began immediately.
"But?" Shepard questioned, knowing his tone didn't sound definite.
"Once we're committed against Cerberus, it won't be long before the Reapers take notice." He warned.
"And the Crucible?"
"Ready, except for the Catalyst, but there's no way to hide the ships we'll be sending at Cerberus. Once we attack, the Crucible won't stay safe for long. For all intents and purposes, an assault on Cerberus will be the first stage of our attack on Earth." Hackett informed her.
"What happens if Cerberus doesn't have the intel we need? Or they stop us from getting it?" Shepard hated asking that question, but she knew she couldn't go in blind.
"Then we lead the fleets to Earth and take our chances. But your intel points to Cerberus and the Illusive Man holding the information we're looking for. And… we have the element of surprise. Cerberus won't know what hit them." Hackett answered confidently.
Shepard gave the admiral a firm nod, for the first time today she felt resolve about the upcoming mission.
"The Reapers and Cerberus started this. Now we're going to end it." Shepard replied, her tone steady.
"I'll get the fleets mobilized," Hackett said.
The feed broke off as the two of them turned and left their communications to prepare. The adrenaline started to course through her body, she felt her hands jitter from caged up energy and anticipation. The war room displayed Cerberus Headquarters - a long, slender space station that had been hiding around the rotation of the dying supergiant star, Anadius. Her crew surrounded the display, all eyeing the station with animosity and determination.
Cronos Station. Shepard thought, reading the name on the digital display.
Hackett's voice spoke through the intercom as a location marker blinked on the display.
"The strike team is in. We've got our foothold." Hackett announced. "Fifth Fleet, all forward! I don't want a single Cerberus ship in my sky when we're through."
"Okay, people, we're going to be splitting up into groups again," Shepard announced. "I need teams to help support the Alliance's foothold and keep Cerberus reinforcements from stopping me from finding the Catalyst. Understood?"
"Shepard, I should accompany you on this mission," EDI interjected.
"Why?" Shepard asked, EDI had never suggested to join her team before.
"This is the central point of operations for Cerberus. They will have enhanced security measures." EDI explained simply. "With my knowledge of Cerberus algorithms and this body's updated protocols, I offer the best chance to help you succeed."
"Good point, okay you'll join Kaidan and I." Shepard agreed, then turned to face the rest of her crew.
"Tali, you have an expertise in tech; you have the best chance of hacking your way out of a bad situation in case you guys get stuck. I want you to lead the second team."
"Of course, Shepard," Tali answered confidently.
"James, I want you to help her lead - your leadership and combat experience is needed to clear through any resistance that you'll see down there," Shepard added.
"Hell yeah, I'm ready to kick their sorry asses!" James roared, already pumped for the mission ahead.
"Javik and Liara, you both will support them. Javik you're a powerful warrior, but I also need you to be on the lookout for any prothean tech or VIs. Liara, do the same. Both of your biotics should be enough to help fight off any Cerberus troops."
"Very well, Commander. I just hope we aren't launching this assault for nothing," Javik huffed.
"As optimistic as ever…" Liara responded sarcastically.
"Okay, to the airlock! You all know your positions, let's move out!" Shepard dismissed, they all ran ahead in a hurry.
As Shepard, Kaidan and EDI made their way out of the war room, Shepard went to check in on Joker. Traynor gave her a stern nod as she walked by, which Shepard returned. She was happy to see her looking like a determined soldier. Coming up to the cockpit, Shepard jogged up behind Joker's piolet seat.
"Joker, what's our status?" She demanded.
"We've got a foothold, but it's not much, Commander. Lot of fighters guarding the launch bays." Joker reported.
"That's why we're sending in two teams, I need more muscle for this one. Can you get us in?"
Joker looked back at her, aghast that she would even question his abilities.
"Hey, I got us to Ilos. I can do this." Joker faced forward again. "Might be a bumpy ride, though," he added.
"Do what you can." Shepard said, her confidence in Joker unwavering. She looked over at Kaidan and EDI, noting how quiet Kaidan had been the past couple hours. "You guys good?"
"Yeah, Shepard. Just ready to end this," Kaidan piped up, nearly lost in his thoughts.
"Shepard, I am ready." EDI affirmed.
Hearing this, Joker whirled back around again in his chair.
"Wait what? Are you crazy? You can't go to Cerberus Headquarters! They could have a virus, or a kill-switch, or…" Joker snapped.
"I will be fine, Jeff," EDI interrupted.
"Head to the shuttle you two, I'll meet you there in a sec," Shepard dismissed.
Kaidan and EDI both hurried off. Shepard watched Kaidan, feeling sad that she didn't have more time to talk to him before the mission. She wondered if she had done something to offend him, thinking back to their pleasant time they had in her cabin just a few hours before. He was always so poised, she wasn't used to seeing him nervous. She made a note to try and ask him when they landed.
"Fifth Fleet's cut through their line. They're regrouping. Now's as good a time as any." Joker cut in.
Shepard looked down at Joker, feeling bad for him.
"I know it hurts not being able to go with her," Shepard said gently.
"Yeah, it sucks. Thanks for bringing it up." Joker dead-panned.
Shepard left, knowing he was only going to dismiss his pain with humor. As Shepard left the cockpit to join her crew, Joker's voice called out again.
"Hey, Shepard. Keep her safe."
"Same to you."
In the Kodiak, Shepard sat beside Steve to help him copilot. Shepard glanced at him, seeing him grit his teeth as he launched the shuttle out of the Normandy. The intensity on his face matched the firefight going on outside the ship. Alliance fighters were already shooting at Cerberus forces. Steve maneuvered around missiles and bullets, pushing the shuttle toward Cronos as fast as possible. Shepard looked back to see Kaidan and EDI hanging to railing as tightly as they could.
Right as the shuttle flew into one of the Cronos docking bay's, the power to the shuttle cut off with a lurch. The Kodiak fell instantly to the ground, sliding into a pile of crates. Without saying a word, Shepard leapt up out of her seat and left the shuttle, EDI and Kaidan right behind her. They took cover behind the downed Kodiak as Cerberus troops prepared on the other side.
"Everything okay, Cortez?" Shepard asked through her omni-tool communication.
"I'm fine. I got repairs to make here. Give Cerberus hell!" He replied, hastily.
Shepard went to work, taking out her Black Widow and sniping the troops in her line of sight. She could hear their voices, panicked and shouting orders, but she was too focused on her shots to make any use of what they were saying. Some Cerberus soldiers took shots at her from the upper balcony of the docking bay.
"Commander, watch out!" Kaidan shouted.
He threw a Warp at one of the soldiers, throwing off their shot from Shepard. A group of Cerberus Assault troops tried to spray her and EDI with covering fire. She dodge rolled out of the way, then retaliated with a Shockwave. She hid behind a large crate, reloading her rifle to prepare for the next wave.
"Commander, mechs inbound!" Kaidan warned.
He stood further up from her, hitting one of the Atlas mechs with an Overload. He aimed blindly through the smoke bombs the enemy deployed. Shepard peered through her scope; the infrared made the mechs visible, and she started shooting. A few soldiers boarded some fighters and escaped the docking bay, nearly hitting EDI and Kaidan as they flew by.
"Dammit, I hate these fucking mechs," Shepard swore under her breath, watching EDI hit one of them with another Overload.
They were pinned down as the mechs shot them with their heavy machine guns. Forced to stay in cover Shepard threw a cluster of grenades at one of the mechs. It hit its armor but didn't inflict as much damage as she hoped it would. In return the mech tried to hit her with a missile, and another soldier threw a grenade at her - she was forced to flee from her position. Frustrated, Shepard sprinted up to the mech head on, shooting him with bullets as she covered her pinned down team. She threw another group of cluster grenades. This time the Atlas mech finally exploded. A sniper from the balcony took her shot at Shepard; the bullet pierced her shields.
"Goddammit!" Shepard cursed, throwing a Singularity at the sniper to throw her off.
Shepard switched to her M-7 Lancer and made a dash toward the ladder. She climbed up quickly, listening to the sniper above grunt in exasperation from the Singularity, and the biotics Kaidan was launching at her. Right as Shepard pulled herself up, the sniper whipped toward her, but EDI blew her up with Incinerate.
"My God…" Shepard muttered, stepping over the sniper's charred remains.
"Security breach in Hangar 16. Initiating Achilles Protocol," a female voice announced over the loudspeaker.
"Shepard, Cerberus intends to vent the hangar bay!" EDI's voice urgently informed her over her communication device.
"Can you stop them?"
"I need an active console."
Shepard went through the doors on the upper level. A console was sitting in plain view of the entire hangar. Shepard quickly went over and patched EDI through, typing rapidly on the console.
"EDI I've got a console, go!"
EDI raced up behind her, taking over the keyboard.
"Hangar vent procedure...disabled." EDI informed.
"Can you open the hangar?"
"No. However I can access their fighter launch controls." EDI said as she pressed a button and opened the ground on the hangar. One of the fighters came popping out. "Shepard, Cerberus is aware the venting attempt failed. Reinforcements are inbound."
Without a further warning more Cerberus troops had already made it to the upper level, and were shooting at them from the other side. The team took cover by the doorway. Shepard switched back to her Black Widow and was able to aim and shoot a Cerberus Guardian right through the eye slit of his shield. Shepard couldn't help but smile in satisfaction; the rush of combat heightening her senses. She threw a Pull at a different Guardian, ripping his shield from his hands. EDI Incinerated the remaining group blocking their path.
"Another Cerberus team is inbound," EDI announced.
"I guess they figured out what we're trying," Kaidan added.
"They're not going to stop us now!" Shepard clipped, charging on ahead.
The troops before them didn't stand a chance, even when they tried to conceal themselves with smoke. Shepard launched a Shockwave at them, following up with a fatal shot from her Black Widow, and another cluster of grenades. The two Centurion stragglers left were hit with an Overload from Kaidan, staggering their steps. Shepard killed one with a perfect headshot, but was too micro-focused to notice a grenade that was at her feet. It exploded, tripping her backwards. The Centurion went to take his shot while Shepard was vulnerable, but EDI had Overloaded his shields, and Kaidan had gunned him down.
She nodded at them in thanks, proud at how well they all functioned together. Her and Kaidan's biotics and weapons worked like a well-oiled machine, while EDI's technological assistance aided in their preparedness and pursuit forward. The adrenaline was making Shepard feel giddy; for the first time in weeks she felt fully focused and pumped for a mission.
After fighting their way through the Cerberus infantry, Shepard and her team went through another set of doors. Shepard tapped into the console in the room, making the fighter ship that came out of the ground from earlier reposition itself.
"Overriding safeties. The fighter should now launch toward the hangar door," EDI informed.
"Perfect, let's get down there." Shepard replied.
After sliding down the ladder, EDI rushed to the console on the ground floor. Kaidan and Shepard instinctively took cover, knowing what was going to happen next.
"Launching fighter!" EDI warned, punching in the commands.
The fighter flew into the hull door, crashing through steel in a violent explosion. The sound was extremely loud and disorienting, Shepard's ears rang uncomfortably and the inside of her head rattled. She couldn't even hear Kaidan or EDI mention the central lab being ahead. She was forced to snap out if it quickly as an Atlas immerged through the flames of the now gaping hull. Shepard could hazily hear the intercom voice announce about intruders and a lockdown procedure.
After fighting through more resistance, the team came to a locked door on the far side of the room. Shepard applied Medi-gel to herself; she had taken a few hits while she was recovering during the fight. EDI went to work on hacking through the door, bringing up her own omni-tool.
"How's Cerberus responding to us trying to get through?" Shepard asked.
"They are sealing off as much of the base as they can. Most obvious routes to the central lab are blocked. Other areas are being fortified. Heavy troopers will attempt to delay us while engineers set up turrets." EDI reported.
"Any more surprises like venting the hangar?"
"No. I am aware of this facility's safeguards and can counteract them. Cerberus can merely slow us down."
"And if we hadn't brought you along…" Kaidan piped up.
"Cerberus would've vented the hangar." EDI replied coolly.
EDI mentioned that the Prothean VI would be at the most secure area, which was the heart of the facility. The group ventured deeper into Cronos station, while anxiety started to build in the pit of Shepard's stomach, her earlier giddiness residing.
Another locked door had come to obstruct their path, as EDI got to work she pointed Shepard toward a console that hadn't been scrubbed yet. It was about Project Lazarus, her reconstruction. Part of Shepard didn't want to launch the vid, fearing the truths she would have to face. Data and charts of X-rays of her corpse popped up on screen beside the vids. Reluctantly Shepard played the first clip, hearing the doctor and the Illusive Man speak about finding her remains made her feel uneasy. Brain-dead, trauma, no oxygen for a long period of time...
"I didn't realize it was that bad…" Shepard commented aloud, the concept of her own morality appearing so fragile before her very eyes.
"I thought you were just on life support. Clinically brain-dead…" Kaidan came up behind her, his voice shaky but trying to stay steady. "What was it like? I mean, if you remember… or how do you feel?"
"You're asking if there's an afterlife?" Shepard turned toward him, forcing a weak smile on her quivering lips. "Honestly, the only parts I remember was being spaced and moments before death. It was… really scary and painful, something I think my subconscious is trying to actively forget. And regaining consciousness, I'm not sure if I can recall exactly. All I remember is feeling cold and dark, like being trapped in an empty void. Not sure if that was when I was in a coma during the reconstruction or not…"
Cold and dark… maybe that's why that sinister voice and feeling scares me so much. Maybe I'm trying to get through the trauma of experiencing death and being brought back to life, she thought vaguely to herself.
Kaidan was mute, looking uneasy after her response. Guilt from his quietness from earlier came rushing back to her.
"I mean, I'm still me, right? If they reconstructed me as something else I wouldn't have been able to turn against Cerberus." Shepard added, but she felt some doubt. "Maybe they really just fixed me, or maybe I'm just a high-tech VI that thinks it's Commander Shepard."
Saying it out loud made her shudder, but the possibility of being a robotic copy of her former self had been a dire thought that had been circling in her head for a while. She felt pain the same way, retained memories, bled when she was injured. But the cybernetics that reinforced her body could have replaced her entire organic self. She knew she was mostly a cyborg or close to it at this point, but the thought of being a full VI…
"You're real enough for me." Kaidan stated, placing a reassuring hand on Shepard's shoulder.
She leaned into his touch, feeling immensely relieved that he had said that. She looked over at him, lovingly, wishing she had the right words to say more. She played the next vid, hearing the doctor wary of her Alliance ties while the Illusive Man spoke about playing her like a puppet. The Illusive Man recruited people she knew or could trust, using them as a shield to see his true intentions. Shepard never trusted Cerberus fully, not even when she temporarily worked for them. She decided to shake off her feelings and wait for EDI to finish opening the door.
Through the door Shepard patched through to Tali after Hackett checked up on them. She denied assistance, wanting any aid from the Alliance to help Tali's team if needed.
"We're doing fine, Shepard. There's a lot of engineers but other than that we're making progress quickly. Managed to download a few encrypted files from some scrubbed consoles that we can look over when we get back to the Normandy," Tali explained through Shepard's omni-tool.
"Good work, let me know if you need help."
"Likewise."
As Tali and her squad were encountering engineers, so was Shepard and her squad. They set up so many turrets Shepard had to do most of her fighting sniping from cover. Kaidan got hit by a barrage trying to shield Shepard as she blindly rounded a corner. She pulled him behind a stack of steel crates right as his shields broke. She hastily applied Medi-gel with her trembling hands; the fear and adrenaline making her visibly shake. It was strange, he was usually sharper but he seemed distracted today.
"Goddammit, are you okay?" She asked, her voice also unsteady.
Kaidan groaned in response, but nodded. "I've taken worse, Shepard, I'll be okay." He assured her.
His shield cooldown replenished shortly after she finished applying the Medi-gel. She saw the veil of the blue shield surround him like a virtual shroud. Feeling somewhat satisfied Shepard returned to fighting through Cerberus' defenses.
Cronos Station started to feel like a monotonous task with the constant barrage of enemy forces and firewalls redirecting and blocking their path. The more time went on, the more anxious Shepard started to become about their odds of retrieving the Prothean VI. Without its knowledge of the Catalyst they would have nothing else but their own militaries to stop the Reapers, a very real fear that Shepard constantly tried to bury. With every new room and console to try and scrounge up data from, it didn't seem like there was anything about Reapers or this mysterious benefactor that Liara had mentioned before. All that was left was the vids on Project Lazarus, and a vid of technicians and the Illusive Man talking about EDI. Shepard mashed on the keyboards as frantically as she could, hoping for at least some data she could use as leverage against the Illusive Man if needed. Without much success they continued into another room, zeroing in on the central lab as fast as possible.
"Incursion team, are you still with us? We're limiting fire as best we can!" Hackett's voice chimed in through Shepard's omni-tool.
"Admiral, we're in deep, and the Prothean VI will be in the safest part of the station. Don't hold back." Shepard replied, waiting for EDI to hack through another door.
"This isn't Elysium, Shepard. I don't need a hero."
Shepard grimaced at the reminder of the Skyllian Blitz, and at Hackett's softened tone. She swallowed hard before replying to the Admiral.
"I'll be fine. Just take Cerberus down. Please."
Hackett seemed to hesitate for a second.
"Understood, Commander. All ships, you are free to fire!"
The sound of artillery explosions from outside the station began to echo and rattle Cronos.
"Sounds like the Fifth Fleet just gave Cerberus a wake-up call!" Kaidan noted from behind her, his voice high and alert.
"They'll get it done."
The Human Reaper still existed, right inside of Cronos station. Shepard leered up at the abomination, merely a husk of its former incomplete self, but intact enough to make a chill run down Shepard's spine. Seeing it left in a state of construction like the Cerberus scientists were trying to bring it back made her clench her fists at her sides. Kaidan stared up at it in wonderment, not knowing of the horrible organic machine that the Collectors had been building. Shepard wanted to unload all of her bullets into the awful machine, ready to wipe it out of existence for a second time.
"What is this thing?" Kaidan managed to ask, his hand gliding across a coil leading up into the high ceiling that was holding the machine.
"This is the human proto-Reaper Shepard destroyed." EDI replied matter-of-factly.
"The what?" Kaidan blurted. "I didn't read about that in any reports."
"Well I did write reports about it, confirming what happened to all those missing colonists. I wasn't reinstated to the Alliance yet since I had just turned myself in, so none of it was published," Shepard gazed back up at the machine, "this is what's left of it. I'm surprised Cerberus recovered that much from the base."
"I wish I could've helped." Kaidan replied guiltily, staring up at the heart of the machine.
Shepard placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"You're here now, and that's what counts. Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to see this ugly thing move around. It was a pain in the ass to fight…" Shepard shuddered at the horrible memory.
"Cerberus is actively using the surviving pieces." EDI stated. "The central core- analogous to the heart - is largely intact. I believe Cerberus is using it for a power source."
"So they're just willingly letting themselves get indoctrinated?" Shepard deadpanned.
"Unknown, but I am sure there are some safety measures instilled." EDI responded.
Ahead up a flight of stairs, they came to a high up and thinned out clearing. Cerberus Phantoms and a squad of other troops blocked their path as a last stand. Shepard didn't want to be around the Human Reaper any longer than she needed to, she forced her way past the Phantoms, Nemesis', and the Assault Troopers, leaving behind a destructive wave of biotics.
Kaidan was feeling the same uneasiness: "Fighting through this thing makes my skin crawl. It's like we're bugs crawling across a sleeping giant."
Shepard said nothing, knowing that the feeling of the Human Reaper being somewhat conscious and watching them made her feel queasy. She brushed it off with a brash tone of false bravado, but deep inside the familiarity of an unknown force lurking close and out of sight had been feeling all too real these past few weeks. As she often did, Shepard buried the feelings deep inside and pushed forward, not wanting to announce her true feeling aloud to her squad. Showing any sort of weakness wouldn't help her situation, not when she was so close to finding out the answer on how to stop the Reapers.
After fighting through the last line of defense, they came across a long corridor. The final stretch to their destination was just ahead. They quickly ran up to the door, and EDI got to work hacking through its firewall right away.
"This is it. Stay sharp, everyone." Shepard warned.
They entered with their guns drawn. They were greeted with a large, nearly empty and familiar room. The red supergiant Anadius covered the horizon outside the window, along with dozens of ships flying around and fighting each other. The Illusive Man's chair and hovering console display was bare. Shepard sat in the chair and got to work on the console, feeling strange to be sitting in his chair. EDI assisted in the search trying to find and launch the Prothean VI.
"Shepard. You're in my chair." Came a voice suddenly from behind them.
Shepard jumped out of the chair and whipped around, flaring her biotics. She was only greeted with the hologram of the Illusive Man, standing where she had stood holographically so many times during her brief period answering to Cerberus.
"This chair is about the only damn thing you have left. Cerberus is finished."
"On the contrary. We have achieved more than I've ever imagined." He replied coolly, taking a puff from his cigarette. "Almost everything." He added.
"Yeah, we saw what you accomplished on Sanctuary, but it's not the same as controlling a Reaper." Shepard mocked.
"A significant hurdle," he responded casually, not offended, "but thanks to the Prothean VI, I have what I need to make it a reality."
"The Catalyst…"
"Yes," he nodded, taking another drag from his cigarette.
"What is the Catalyst, and how exactly will it help you control the Reapers?"
The Illusive Man frowned, clearly annoyed that she would even try to ask him questions.
"You'll have to ask the VI yourself. I'm done helping you."
Shepard scoffed, "when did you start?"
"You think because I'm willing to use the enemy's tactics that they're no longer my enemy? Everything, Shepard - everything I've done has uplifted humanity. Not only above other species in the galaxy, but over the Reapers!"
Shepard thought about what Liara had said about the Illusive Man helping humanity.
"Like donating a ton of money to the Andromeda Initiative?" Shepard tested, trying to bait him into a confession.
Shepard thought she saw a ghost of a sneer on his lips, but he didn't budge. In a last ditch attempt at desperation, Shepard pressed on, urging his cooperation.
"If you're willing to do everything it takes, then hand over the Catalyst. With the Crucible, we can end this."
She swore, even through the hologram, the Illusive Man's strange eyes darkened for a moment, like something was coming over him. Shepard wondered for a moment if he had started showing the early signs of indoctrination.
"It's not that simple." He answered.
"It is! It's that simple! We're fighting each other while the Reapers occupy Earth. It's time to stop!" She snapped.
Amused, the Illusive Man tipped his cigarette in her direction like he was tipping a hat.
"Your idealism is… admirable, Shepard. But in the end our goals are simply too disparate. I believe destroying the Reapers would be the worst mistake we could ever make. And nothing you can say will ever convince me otherwise."
"Even with Cerberus in ruins, you still think you can do this your way!" Shepard mocked him again, feeling more frustrated than before.
"I expected you'd say that, you never truly believed in us. Cerberus isn't just an organization or the people behind it. Cerberus is an idea," he took another long drag of his cigarette, "that idea is not so easily destroyed. Besides, I've already acquired what you're looking for."
Shepard peered back at her team, seeing Kaidan's angry stare and EDI working on the console still.
"EDI?" Shepard inquired.
"I've almost got it." The AI announced.
"EDI, I'm surprised at you, working so hard to bring the Reaper's destruction. You could've destroted Eva's body, but instead you chose to control it." The Illusive Man chided.
"It was necessary."
"My point exactly."
"I've got it." EDI announced again, ignoring the Cerberus leader.
The Prothean VI materialized holographically in green pixels, taking the shape of a prothean.
"Online. Security breach detected." The VI reported almost immediately.
"Enjoy your little chat, but don't overstay your welcome." The Illusive Man warned.
He turned on his heel then logged off, leaving Shepard with a bad taste in her mouth. She didn't like how he let them stay and talk to the VI.
"You are attempting to recover me from indoctrinated forces?" The VI questioned.
"Yes, I need to know what the Catalyst is." Shepard pressed.
"Security protocols have been overridden. I will comply," it stated simply, "the Catalyst enhanced dark energy transmissions and coordinates the entire mass replay network. In your cycle it is known as the Citadel."
A hush came over the team with the news. Kaidan and Shepard's mouths dropped open, while EDI remained emotionless and still. Shepard stepped closer to the VI's hologram, as if to gage it in telling the truth.
"What?" Was all she managed to blurt out after a minute of agonizing silence.
"The Catalyst is the Citadel." It repeated.
"So the Crucible and Citadel together can stop the Reapers?" Shepard asked, still in a state of disbelief.
"That is correct."
"But… the Citadel was built by the Reapers." Shepard replied, uncertainly.
"Despite what history has recorded, we believe that to be incorrect. Perhaps the Reapers did build it, but the purpose and planning was from something else. As for the Crucible, plans have been passed down to us from the previous cycle, and countless cycles before that. At some point - it is difficult to pinpoint when the Crucible plans were adapted to incorporate the use of the Catalyst. Presumably, the Crucible was not sufficiently powerful to defeat the Reapers."
"So we use their own technology against them." EDI summarized.
"Precisely." The VI agreed.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Shepard asked, trying to hold back her desperation and anger that were filling her voice. She thought of her first encounter with the VI on Thessia.
"It was feared that if the Reapers were aware of the Catalyst's intended use, they would take control of it. I am programmed to withhold information until the Crucible is complete."
"It's ready as it's going to be. Let's get it to the Citadel," Shepard started to back away and signal for Kaidan and EDI to head for the door.
"That may no longer be possible." The VI added, stopping them in their tracks.
"Why not?"
"The one who broke through my security protocols, the one you call the Illusive Man, has fled to the Citadel and informed the Reapers of our purposes."
"God-fucking-dammit!" Shepard bellowed, wanting to drive her fist through something.
"Then the Citadel is in danger, the Reapers will take control of it." EDI added.
"They already have. The Citadel has been moved to the Reaper controlled space." The VI informed them.
Groaning, not wanting anymore news, Shepard dared to ask him where. She glanced over at Kaidan, seeing his brows drawn in worry and looking a little paler than usual. It made her gut clench seeing hope leave his eyes.
"To the system you refer to as Sol." It answered.
"Earth…" Kaidan said aloud grimly.
"The Reaper forces will now consolidate power around the Catalyst and protect it at all costs. The odds of accessing it are remote."
"We've come too far… we can't give up now, not when so many are depending on us. I won't accept it." Shepard replied shakily, biting her lip to keep it from trembling.
"I hope you find success." It replied.
"EDI, get me Hackett, he needs-" Shepard began before a laser shot at the Illusive Man's console, shutting off the Prothean VI.
They all turned, alarmed to see Kai Leng stalking at the entrance, his hand pointed up in a offensive position. He sneered at the three of them confidently.
"Not so fast." He said, his tone amused.
"You…" Shepard growled, bloodlust creeping into her senses.
"He did warn you not to overstay your welcome." Kai mused.
With a battle cry, Kai smashed the ground, revealing the computers and wires buried beneath the floor. In a flash he was already in front of Shepard, his sword drawn. Shepard used her rifle as a shield, blocking his strikes as he swung at her. The power and resistance she felt from the blade made her elbows buckle slightly, she could feel Kai pushing her back. EDI hit Kai with an Incinerate to throw him off, as Shepard gave him a hard front kick on his chest.
Kaidan shot at him, keeping the Cerberus ninja in his sights. Kai easily flipped and dodged the hits at an inhuman speed. When he jumped it looked like multiple of him appeared, she shook her head to make sure she wasn't seeing double. He leapt in the air, this time toward EDI who was still close to the console. Shepard materialized a Singularity in his way, causing him to stop short. His shields prevented him from being pulled into the twisting force. Kaidan threw a Warp at him, which made him stumble slightly, but he soon regained his footing. Kai scowled in Kaidan's direction, dashing at him as quick as lightning. Kai noticed the Medi-gel patch that Shepard had applied on Kaidan earlier, and struck it with his fist. Kaidan keeled over, the wind knocked out of him from the strike. Kai rose his sword, aiming it for the base of Kaidan's neck.
"Fucker!" Shepard screamed, glowing blue and throwing a powerful Shockwave toward them.
The force of the Shockwave tore up some of the flooring, throwing debris across the room. Kai had no choice but to jump out of the way, as Kaidan fell backwards to avoid the biotics. Kaidan stood back up, breathing heavily but ready to fight again. Shepard switched to her Geth Plasma shotgun, shooting at him quickly without charging fully. Kai blocked her shots with his sword, swiftly and efficiently. The anger that was bubbling inside Shepard started to turn dark, she could feel it prickle on her skin, her eyes bulging, her fists clenching, her L3 implant surging behind her head. Something seemed to wash over her, a power she hadn't felt before. Her vision started to go hazy, as did her balance.
Give in.
With a shriek of rage and pain, Shepard shot a stream of biotics at Kai. The blue force smashed into him, sending him flying backward. Kaidan and EDI both froze, looking back at Shepard in astonishment. It felt like something inside Shepard had broke, she could feel warm blood starting to run out of her nose, but she was set on destroying Kai Leng. She leapt forward, her biotics carrying her far with a burst of kinetic energy that left cracks against the floor. She landed beside Kai, who was lying on his back, bewildered. He gripped his sword, attempting to lift it to defend himself. Shepard stomped down hard on Kai's gut, causing him to lurch forward and cough up blood. It felt like something had snapped and popped beneath Kai's armor and under her armored boot. Shepard focused her biotic energy into her right hand, gathering dark energy into the palm of her hand.
"It's too late… everything is already in motion… y-" Kai rasped, barely able to speak.
"Goodbye."
Shepard drove her fist into the center of his face, caving his skull in. The blast from the impact shot out the floor from under him. Blood and brain matter splattered outward in a gory mess from the back of his head. His facial features were completely obliterated. Shepard removed her fist, her senses flooding back to her. She felt suddenly horribly dizzy, a migraine blooming behind her eyes. Blood continued to run as her L3 implant throbbed painfully. She fell backward, unable to stand up any longer.
That horrible familiar feeling, the darkness… and that voice. Did I…?
She peered down at her trembling hands, seeing her right hand soaked with blood and fragments of skull. She felt like she was going to be sick. Kaidan and EDI were talking behind her, and she swore she could hear the rumblings of distant explosions, but everything sounded so muffled and far away. Kaidan was at her side, staring at her wide-eyed, gripping her shoulders and shaking her. He urgently tried to get her attention. Shepard felt herself slipping out of consciousness, her body spent.
She heard Kaidan's voice calling to her before everything faded into black.