Shepard returned to base after three days, following the destruction of a building filled with the old enemy. The Alliance had swarmed the area, and upon Shepard's arrival, the Coalition leadership was appalled by the conducted experiments. The fact that the Hierarchy and Council forces were aware of these experiments had a significant impact. The Citadel Council admitted to the assault, claiming it was launched to put an end to the experiments and were on their way back to retrieve their dead. However, the Coalition did not believe their motives. What was left of the Alliance's credibility shattered, resulting in mass surrenders and fleets deserting. Only the Zealots, the most loyal among them, remained. The situation on Faros was different, as the Coalition remnant continued to fight fiercely on the planet. The Alliance military leadership on Faros denounced the Alliance Parliament. The Coalition, no longer constrained by civil treaties, no longer considered the soldiers and officers on Faros as uniformed combatants. They made it clear to the terrorists of Faros that any additional acts against their prisoners of war would not be tolerated.
The Alliance forces stationed on Faros remain a challenging enemy, effectively encircling the Coalition forces. Upon Shepard's return, she observed the base operating smoothly, with no major issues. Shepard is currently supervising the data she retrieved, while Sara is swiftly sifting through it at an impressive pace. What surprises Shepard is the recurring mention of the Turian Rebels, now known as the Turian Republic, and the Hierarchy's persistent efforts to bring them back into the fold, whether through diplomacy or force. Shepard glances over and notices Garrus enthralled in a conversation with his sister, Chairman Solona Vakarian.
The dynamics of the war have once again shifted, unearthing a web of secrets, lies, and betrayals. Shepard recalls the age-old saying, "In war, the first casualty is the truth." Despite still feeling Harbinger's company lingering in the back of her mind, Shepard soldiers on, despite the staying pain from his mental assault. She underwent a detailed mental and physical exam, confirming she is fit for duty. Turning to Sara, who is storing the ACS module, Shepard asks, "Anything you want to share?" Garrus ended his call with his sister and joins Shepard's side. Meanwhile, Sara simply gazes at Shepard and the imposing figure of Garrus.
"Not much, just information we were already aware of, along with a fair share of scientific jargon. I need to continue reviewing it, but my eyes are feeling strained," Sara responds as she heads toward the locker in the room. Placing the ACS module inside and securely sealing it, Sara excuses herself and departs.
Shepard glances at the latest updates, that Karen had left for her. So far, the battle has been effective, and the Coalition has provided Shepard with a timeline for possible reinforcements and supplies.
However, Shepard can still feel the presence of the Reaper god at the back of her mind, slowly entering her thoughts. Suddenly, a vision flashes in her mind, revealing Sara copying and wiping the ACS module. What sends a chill down Shepard's spine is the mention of the Republic's interest for the intel for their own goals, particularly their search to locate Reaper husks. It's a message from Chairman Vakarian herself to her Shadow. Garrus notices Shepard's distant expression and shakes her, asking where she was. Shepard looks at Garrus, mustering a half-hearted smile.
Without fully understanding why, Shepard walks towards the locker and opens the door. She retrieves the module and plugs it in, driven by the vision she received. As the module boots up, her team receives a message about an incoming Republic shuttle, the reason why remains unknown. As the module finally starts, Shepard notices something alarming - or rather, the lack thereof. The ACS module has been completely wiped clean. Shepard immediately demands to know the location where the Republic shuttle is landing, rushing out of the room. Garrus glances at the screen, realizing the haste, and swiftly follows Shepard out the door.
"Stop the Republic shuttle now!" Shepard commands. As she strides into the courtyard, she spots Sara going up the shuttle ramp. Shepard draws her pistol, aims at Sara, fires, and misses. Sara turns, her gaze meeting Shepards. Simultaneously, the base erupts into a state of high alert. Sara merely stares at the famed Commander Shepard, taken aback by her presence. The base's personnel, primarily Shepard loyalists rather than to Republic or Coalition, scramble to intercept the Republic shuttle and the Shadow.
"And where might you be going with the data?" Shepard interrogates. Sara returns Shepard's challenging stare.
"I'm simply doing my job, commander," Sara retorts. Three N7 shadows and four soldiers loyal to the Chairman emerge, rifles at the ready.
"Did you really think I came here for you? I warned you, Shepard. I will bring you down. I won't fight your battles. I'm not coming for you just yet!" In the midst of her statement, Sara lifts her hand to her earpiece and begins to speak.
"Did she ever tell you how this war started, Valkarian? How she staged a operation on that Quaran station? How she let Phoenix to shoot her just to toss blame on the Alliance? She is willing to set the galaxy aflame merely to watch the Alliance crumble," Sara reveals. Her words echo through the ears of Shepard's soldiers, planting the seeds of suspicion for the first time about their commander. Shepard is then confronted with a question from her closest friend, a question she never thought she would hear from him.
"Is it true...?" Garrus inquires, his voice laden with tension. Shepard takes a moment to digest his words. She reholsters her pistol and studies her troops. Like Garrus, they are waiting for her to answer.
"Yes... it's true..." Shepard admits, causing a ripple of shock to pass through the group.
"I served based on what I thought was right. I was clueless about the orbital station's attack until much later. But yes... I let Phoenix shoot me. I was fully aware that the Alliance would assume the blame, and they did... I do wish for the galaxy to be consumed in flame... But I also hope to rebuild it into something truly great... The galaxy needs to become a phoenix and be reborn from the ashes... What does the Republic want with the reaper data, Shadow?" Shepard divulges to both Garrus and the base. She is uncertain of how her troops will react, but she knows she must answer them. Sara merely stares at Shepard, taken aback by the commander's willingness to confess to her own war crimes.
"Classified, Shepard. But somehow, I can tell that you already know, Commander..." Sara responds, hinting at Shepard's understanding of the situation. Suddenly, one of the Chairman's soldiers opens fire at Shepard, narrowly missing their target. Chaos erupts on the landing pad as it becomes a battlefield. Garrus swiftly retaliates, firing his Widow sniper rifle at the Republic soldiers and the remaining N7 operatives who are fighting against Shepard's loyal soldiers.
Shepard instinctively moves back as the shuttle begins to lift off. The Chairman's forces retreat, allowing Shepard to enter the building. Inside, the soldiers who were not engaged in the fight look at her in disbelief. Then, Shepard feels a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turns to find Garrus standing beside her. The fighting has come to an end. They both make their way back to the Command Information Center (CIC), where Shepard contacts Director Harper to relay the events that transpired.
--
After a short wait, Shepard finally connected with Director Harper of Phoenix. The holographic image of the Quarian leader appeared, and Shepard proceeded to share the details of what had just unfolded. If Director Harper showed any emotion, she hid it well. Then she dropped a bombshell.
"We finally know what the Republic stole. It was the location of Harbinger, but Chairman Vakarian just needed it to find out where a third Reaper is hiding. Most Reapers were wiped out or left in ruins after the war. Only three intact Reapers are left: Harbinger, the one you found on Faros, and this mysterious third one. It disappeared under unknown circumstances, or maybe it somehow managed to survive and slip away..." Director Harper disclosed to Shepard, with Garrus standing behind her alongside their most loyal personnel in the CIC.
"The fact that the Geth and our AIs are still operating... It's not completely out of the question," Director Harper said, meeting Shepard's gaze. Now Shepard faces a tough decision. Should she abandon her troops on Faros and track down Sara, or should she stay and continue the fight here, keeping her promise?
"Without the data that Sara has, we won't be able to locate the third Reaper... The choice is yours, Commander," Director Harper concluded, leaving the decision in Shepard's hands.
--
"You hid this ... why?" Commander Shepard's voice drips with venom as her face fills the screen.
"We all have our secrets, Commander," the Turian on the other end of the call responds. Shepard leans back in her chair, frustration evident on her face.
"Why wasn't I informed?" Shepard demands, unsure why her supposed ally would withhold such crucial information.
"Consider yourself well-informed now, Shepard," the Turian replies bluntly.
"Well, that's really fuckin helpful, Chairman. Thank you. But you're a day late and a Reaper short. There are three of them, and we've only found two," Shepard states, her annoyance palpable.
"Then point yourself in that direction and fix it," the Turian retorts, growing increasingly irritated.
"And who fixes you, huh?" Shepard counters.
"I don't need fixing. I'm a patriot protecting my people," Solona asserts, looking at the Human.
"You're protecting your own ass," Shepard says matter-of-factly.
"I do what needs to be done, and no one holds me down with red tape. I know what's best for the cause," Solona asserts confidently.
"Haha. You've lost your mind, Chairman," Shepard remarks, rising from her chair and pacing.
"And you've forgotten what you're fighting for, Shepard," Solona looks at the Human, no longer seeing the mighty Commander Shepard, but rather the problem the Alliance sees. Shepard leans on the table, locking eyes with the Turian leader.
"You need to call off your Shadow," Shepard commands.
"Sara...? Hahaha... She's a dog with a bone, and I highly recommend you don't try to take it," Solona warns Shepard.
"This is your last chance to change your mind," Shepard states, issuing her own warning.
"Then what?" Solona asks, curious.
"Then, after I go after her... I'm coming for you," Shepard declares before abruptly ending the call.
--
Shepard closed the laptop, feeling the weight of the situation settling upon her. She turned to Karen, Gibson, and Garrus, along with a few other ground leaders who had gathered. The chaos of war had always been described as overwhelming, but Shepard now realized that it was an understatement. The conversations with the ground leaders had been difficult, but they understood her decision. The Enterprise was en route to pick her up, along with her command staff. Shepard had promised her troops that she would return and help them finish the fight if they were still engaged. It was now clear that the battle for Faros would be long and grueling.
Shepard turned to Garrus, looking for his advice. "Do you have any idea where Sara might have gone?" she asked, looking into the eyes of her best friend.
"The Republic Capital world, possibly. I'm not entirely sure," Garrus replied with a sigh. The thought of infiltrating one of the most heavily fortified planets in the galaxy was intimidating. In comparison, even Earth or Palaven seemed like open worlds. Shepard glanced at Karen, Gibson, and Garrus, knowing they were with her on this seemingly suicidal mission. Aubree, most likely, was also by her side, along with the rest of the Enterprise crew. Shepard knew she needed to reach out to two old friends for assistance. With Garrus by her side, she hoped to convince a Quarian admiral and the Krogan Clan leader to join their cause. Things had just become a lot more interesting.
--
Three days have passed since Shepard left her troops on Faros, and to her surprise, as well as the Coalition leadership, her Battered Bastards of Faros are holding their ground. Reports from daring journalists who managed to sneak in dirtside on the Enterprise reveal that the Coalition forces on Faros have unwavering faith in their commander's return. They no longer rely on Coalition support but eagerly await Shepard's comeback.
Shepard is aboard her ship, accompanied by her loyal crew as expected. Katherine and Aubree stand by her side. On the fourth day of their journey to meet up with Tali and Wrex, they receive word of a Hierarchy task force heading towards the Republic Capitol World. The secret is out. Victus now knows the location of the intel he needs to find the third missing Reaper. The Coalition military scrambles to assemble a force capable of repelling the most powerful military in the galaxy. Surprisingly, the Coalition Task Force heading to Faros remains undiverted. Instead, EPR and Geth forces are being sent to reinforce the defenses of the Republic Capitol World. Shepard now ponders how she can obtain the intel from Sara before the Hierarchy forces can force her off-world, unless that is precisely what Victus intends.
Shepard reaches out to Tali and Wrex, with Garrus by her side in her quarters. They appear on Shepard's screen, and Tali is the first to respond. However, Wrex seems preoccupied but still listens in on the call.
"Where is she, Tali? Where can we find the Shadow?" Shepard demands, her frustration evident. Tali looks at Shepard, having already reviewed the reports sent by Garrus. The Coalition is starting to question whether Shepard should remain on the front lines, concerned that she may be liable to manipulation by the old enemy.
"What makes you think I would tell you, even if I knew where she is?" Tali replies calmly, causing Shepard to slam her hand on the table.
"Because she and the Chairman trying to find a Reaper!" Shepard claims, her gaze fixed on the Quarian Admiral.
"I know, Shepard. I was there during your conversation. Frankly, I'd rather have Solona find the Reaper than have you involved," Tali admits, surprising Shepard.
"What...?" Shepard stammers, taken aback by Tali's unexpected stance.
"Shepard, you've become a liability. The reports we've read, especially the episode at the research facility, have raised some nervousness among the leadership," Tali explains, her gaze focused on Shepard.
"Tali... Please, don't do this..." Shepard pleads, her voice filled with desperation.
"I'm sorry, Shepard... I can't help you," Tali states firmly before abruptly ending the call. Wrex's connection remains open.
"Wrex...?" Shepard tries to reach out to him.
"Shepard, you know I've always been suspicious of Turians. Right now, I trust Vakarian more than I trust you. Like the kid said, I can't help you... I'm sorry, kid. Truly sorry..." Wrex responds before also terminating the call. Garrus observes Shepard's tension and hears her sobbing. He quickly sends a message to Katherine, asking for her company. Garrus places a comforting hand on Shepard's shoulder, assuring her that he's there for her, just as he has always been. He knows Shepard well, recalling how she cried when Liara left her to hunt the Shadow Broker and when he abandoned her during her exile. He understands her better than anyone. Whatever his sister's intentions may be with the Reaper gods, he knows it cannot bode well. He is with his best friend till the end.
The door to Shepard's quarters opens, revealing a blonde-haired woman. Garrus brings her up to speed, and Katherine assures him that she will take over from there. Garrus exits the room, observing as Katherine wraps her arms around Shepard's waist and rests her head on her back. He watches the scene briefly before the door closes.