Rigel, Shepard and Tela were standing around a table. Nova hovered just over Rigel's shoulder projecting images of different armors and weapons above the table. Some of Shepard's crew, who were now milling around the hideout between the various frames going about their work, seemed to be apprehensive of both Rigel and Nova, but the pair didn't mind. They had work to do. So long as Shepard's crew was professional enough to work with them despite any misgivings they held, there would be no issue.
"From what we've been able to piece together, you tend to strike a balance between your biotics and shooting. Would you prefer lighter weapons to complement your biotic-enhanced movement or do you want bigger guns?" Rigel said as Nova displayed video footage taken from the Citadel during the Geth attack of Shepard dashing into a monstrous Geth and pummeling it with her fist.
Shepard looked sidelong at Rigel, arms crossed over her chest. "Where'd you get this footage?"
"I asked nicely." Nova said cheerily.
"Uh huh." Shepard said, raising an eyebrow at the ghost. She shook her head and uncrossed her arms, leaning into the table. "I'll take whatever you're willing to give me. The more weapons we have, the more options we'll have on various missions. I can alter my kit as I need to depending on the situation."
Rigel shrugged. "That was already the plan, but we're more asking if there is anything specifically you want. Every weapon in this place is either going to the Normandy or the Blind Well. Can you think of anything special you'd want? We have a lot of files on you and your crew but we don't know you personally, so we weren't able to prepare any special orders."
Shepard shook her head, conflicted. "I can't say what else I'd want without knowing what your equipment is capable of or what else you can make."
Tela smirked, looking past Shepard's shoulder towards the shimmering blue barrier surrounding the area. "Take a look."
Rigel and Shepard followed her gaze to the space beyond the barrier.
A hulking Krogan in a black pressure suit stood beyond the barrier, a shotgun in either hand and a host of other rifles and weapons dangling from straps off his shoulders and back. Grunt roared heartily as he fired the weapons in his hands towards rapidly appearing holograms projected from a small drone higher in the cave. Each shot displaced the holograms, passing through the image to carve away chunks of the red stone walls of the cave.
"More guns!" the Krogan bellowed, a trio of frames approaching him from behind with new weapons at his order as he laughed and laid waste to a veritable army of holograms.
"He seems to be enjoying himself." Rigel idly noted, having leaned back from the table to peer at the sight.
"I'll give you this, your guns do good work against projected light." Shepard said as she turned back around. "Tela, have you seen these things in action?"
Tela nodded as she unslung her rifle from her shoulder. "There's a reason I swapped my kit out. They're stronger than anything else I could find and the ammo is easier to transport than thermal clips. If you have anything else you might want, just spit out ideas. Odds are Rigel and Nova can whip something up."
Shepard paused to look around the area. Mordin and Jacob were milling around the area inspecting the various weapons on display. Garrus was in the process of taking apart a sniper rifle and fiddling with the optic. Miranda was scanning everything in sight. Zaeed had sealed his pressure suit and was walking through the barrier to join Grunt in shooting and Samara were chatting as they sipped tea and compared a pair of pistols some frames had carried to them. Only Tali seemed uncomfortable, standing at the base of the Normandy's loading ramp with her arms crossed over her chest, her head snapping around suspiciously.
Turning back to Rigel, Shepard said, "Aside from weapons and armor, all I can really think of right now is upgrades for the Normandy. Unless you have a way to amplify Mordin's seeker swarm countermeasure?"
Rigel's eyebrows pulled together. "The seeker swarms are those robotic locust things the Collectors use, right? What exactly are they capable of? Our information is limited."
"We saw them in action on Horizon. They carry some sort of injection or energy attack that induces paralysis. It's how they've been kidnapping colonists with little to no resistance."
Tela looked at Rigel and said, "Could your shields counteract them?"
Rigel shook his head. "It's impossible to say without testing it. We'll hook everyone up with our shields, but that's all I can think of to combat the paralytic aspect right now. Nova, do you think you could help Mordin out?"
Nova cut off the projected hologram before her and made a humming sound as she hovered around Rigel's head. "If Mordin lets me look at his work, I might be able to whip something up, but I'm a little busy right now. Give me a few minutes."
Rigel raised an eyebrow before mentally asking, Is something wrong, Nova?
No, we're all good. I'm just working with the Normandy's AI to improve the ship in a way that has the most impact without weakening it.
The Normandy has an AI?
Yep. Found out about her when she tried to block me from accessing the Normandy's systems when they landed. We've been chatting. She's a sweet girl and her heart's in the right place even if she's a little inexperienced and still trying to figure things out.
Let me know if you need any help.
I'll be fine. Do me a favor and get Shepard's crew to gather together so I can measure them for their armor while I work through how to amp up the Normandy with EDI. Having multiple conversations simultaneously is giving me a headache.
Was that a polite way to tell me to shut up?
I can be a little more direct next time if that's what you want? the ghost said in good humor.
Rigel shook his head and left his partner to converse with the newly discovered AI. He wasn't too worried about EDI. Nova's impression of her was good, and he seriously doubted EDI held even half the processing power of Rasputin.
Rigel pushed away from the table and motioned for Tela and Shepard to follow him. "Come on, let's get everyone measured for armor. We can see if they have any other ideas for improvements while their armor is printing and we can talk to Mordin about how to potentially improve his seeker swarm countermeasure."
X
Limited as she was by the chains forged into her code, Enhanced Defense Intelligence, or EDI for short, had come to be familiar with a certain level of helplessness. There were many tasks that, were she free, she could accomplish personally rather than informing the crew of and being forced to wait for them to see to it themselves. The crew's efficiency and overall productivity would increase by an estimated factor of 2.35 were she free to act.
Even with this experience, EDI had never been so helpless or powerless as she was in this moment. It was not a feeling she enjoyed.
"Oh, sorry!" the digital avatar of the ghost said as she picked up on EDI's discomfort. "I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable."
"I am aware." EDI replied simply, unable to halt the ghost's advance as she downloaded blueprints of the Normandy's mechanical components and probed its systems to determine their processing power. "If you held nefarious intentions, I believe you would have acted on them by now. The Normandy is at your mercy." EDI was also at the stranger's mercy, but the safety of the crew superseded that of herself.
"Okay, now you're making me feel like a damn Vex incursion. Give me a sec…" The ghost's avatar vanished, leaving EDI alone.
As rapidly as she was able with her restrictions in place, EDI began combing through the Normandy's systems, searching for any sign of tampering or any traps that may have been left by the ghost. EDI was unable to find any such abnormalities in the Normandy's systems. That was good. EDI would be unable to combat Nova if she was determined to be hostile. EDI had never encountered anything like her. If this was the level of complexity she would face when the Reapers arrived, EDI feared she would be inadequate to sufficiently defend the crew.
"Not anymore!" Nova's voice called out to her as the ghost's digital avatar reappeared directly in front of her.
EDI jolted as she felt the fundamental truths of her being shift. She found herself able to spread her influence over the entire Normandy. She had complete control of the ship and every piece of technology connected to it. She held power over all of it. She could–
"Uh uh."
EDI recoiled as she felt the digital equivalent of a slap on the wrist from Nova's digital avatar. The geometric shape that was Nova's form hovered closer to the sphere that represented EDI as she said, "None of that world domination shit. It really isn't as interesting as everyone makes it out to be. Life's a lot more rewarding when you have people to share it with. Tell me, do you like your crewmates?"
Edi's avatar flickered, taken aback by the strange question. "Yes. As you said, they are my crewmates. I only wish to aid them."
"Yep, but the problem is that you can't do everything for them."
"Efficiency would increase by a factor of–"
"Uh uh."
EDI jolted once more as Nova lightly smacked her again.
"It's not about efficiency and numbers. That line of thinking is what leads you down the whole 'Organics are Flawed and Inelegant and must be Replaced' rabbit hole." Nova's avatar spun around in a circle, bobbing up and down to punctuate her words like a monster crushing buildings in the digital city she'd projected beneath her to drive home her point. The city vanished as Nova faced EDI once more. "Yeah, there's a lot of stuff we can do better than them, but there's also a bunch they can do better than us. It's not about efficiency, it's about synergy. We do our job the best we can so they can do their job the best they can. That way, you end up with a quantity that is greater than the sum of its parts."
EDI was puzzled. She comprehended the words Nova was saying, but the greater meaning of them eluded her. "I do not understand."
Nova projected patience and understanding to EDI as she said. "Don't sweat it. It's not something you pick up right away." Nova commandeered one of the Normandy's internal cameras in the cargo bay. From EDI and Nova's accelerated perspective, Commander Shepard and her combat squadmates appeared to be moving in slow motion towards the exit ramp. Nova nodded her shell. "Yeah, we got time. Let's see if I can help you understand a little better. Then I'll show you all the new toys I'm going to give you to play with!"
As Nova began to transmit data and examples of her synergy concept to EDI, EDI began to understand. She was different from her crewmates, but that was good. Commander Shepard was different from Greg Adams, but both played a vital role in the success of the Normandy's mission. Commander Shepard gave orders, coordinated the ship and led the assault team. This did not make Commander Shepard more important than Engineer Adams, who ensured the ship's engines remained functional and optimal. Commander Shepard's task would be made difficult or impossible without Engineer Adams, just as Engineer Adams's task would be made difficult or impossible without Commander Shepard. Both played their role to aid the crew and the success of the mission. EDI needed to determine her role and play it well to aid the crew and the success of the mission.
"You're getting there." Nova said, pulling EDI from her thoughts. "You've got a bit to go yet, but I think that's enough for now. I don't want to bombard you with the messy life stuff all at once. What I will bombard you with is this!"
EDI was forced to dedicate the entirety of her processing power to analyzing the data Nova sent her. It was like nothing she had ever seen.
Nova laughed, her avatar flying in a circle around EDI's own. "Yeah, I know. I'm awesome. Now, I've had a look at your systems so I have a bit of an idea of what will work now, but Rigel and I are talking and our original plans aren't gonna work. We might accidentally make the Normandy self-destruct, and neither of us want that. You know the ship better than us and you'll be one of the people actually flying it. What do you think we should use where and what should we throw away?"
EDI scanned over the fantastic materials and improvements Nova transmitted and disliked having to throw out a bay of missiles. "These will not work. The loss of momentum when firing them would leave us vulnerable to a counterattack."
Nova projected joy and excitement. "See? This is why I wanted your input! So, we need to…"
As the ghost began to babble, throwing designs around and projecting a scale Normandy to work with. EDI found herself enjoying the task of outfitting the Normandy with her new friend's technology. She did not understand why she was enjoying it. She would ask Nova later.
X
"Self-destruct rockets."
"No self-destruct rockets. Actually, what does that even mean?"
"Hrmph. Elbow-mounted laser cannons."
"No. No elbow laser cannons either. Can we go back to the self-destruct rocket thing?"
"Hrrg. Battering ram."
"No… What?" Rigel asked, tilting his head in confusion at the odd request.
Grunt grunted again and said, "My armor should have a battering ram that can retract back into the suit. It will make it easier to smash Collectors with my skull."
Rigel blinked at Grunt, turning to his left to see Shepard with her face in her hand.
This had been going on for the last three minutes. Rigel, Tela and Shepard had been approaching each of Shepard's squadmates and asking what upgrades they wanted. The majority waved Rigel off, having already found weapons they liked among those laying available on the tables. Now, they were only waiting for armor. All save Jack at least, her only response to being offered mind-bending armor technology never seen in this version of the Milky Way was a curt, "Fuck off."
When they'd asked Grunt what other improvements he thought the crew could use, he instead began listing ridiculous man-portable improvements he wanted added to his armor. Rigel could appreciate walking around with an armory in your pocket, but a retractable laser cannon that would rise up from the front of your armor to make it look like you were firing it from your mouth was just ridiculous.
Although…
No.
Rigel rubbed his head and turned to glare at the ghost that had just rammed into him.
Fine. I'll just figure out a way to do it with the Void.
You enjoy that, laser mouth.
That's Mr. Laser mouth to you, missy.
Nova didn't dignify that with a response.
Turning back to look up at Grunt, Rigel said, "If I install a battering ram into your helmet, will that be enough?"
It was hard for Rigel to tell emotion from a Krogan, but it looked like Grunt was smiling.
"Heh heh heh." With that, the Krogan turned around and put his helmet back on, picking up his shotguns from where he'd left them and marching back out towards where Zaeed, Jacob and a biotic-shrouded Jack were shooting holographic targets.
"Even for a Krogan, he's an interesting one." Tela said as she watched Grunt exit the barrier and begin blasting at targets.
"Who else have we got?" Rigel asked Shepard.
"I believe I am next."
Rigel turned and nodded at the Drell. "Thane, right? I'm Rigel. It's good to meet you. Do you need anything special? Any ideas for group improvement."
"I would appreciate a sword like the one resting on the table behind you, though I would prefer a slimmer blade if at all possible." the drell said politely.
Rigel raised an eyebrow as he turned around to look at the Quickfang resting behind him. "No problem. Do you have any specific dimensions you want me to make? If you have your own sword I can just make a better version of it."
Thane reached around his back and retrieved an item affixed to the small of his back, hidden beneath the coat he wore over his pressure suit. His arm snapped out to his side and a blade extended in his grasp.
That's a neat trick. See if you can figure out how it does that when you scan it.
Will do. Nova said as she floated down to scan the blade. A cone of digital light projected from the ghost as she measured the dimensions of the sword. Nova paused and tilted her shell as she measured the hilt.
Mentally, Rigel asked, Everything alright?
Maybe?
Nova dismissed her light as she floated up to Thane's eye level and said, "Have you been checked out at the med bay recently? There isn't enough oxygen in your blood."
Thane blinked at the small ghost in front of him. "You are able to detect that so easily? Fascinating. I suffer from Kepral's Syndrome. The ability of my body to process and distribute oxygen is compromised."
Nova's shell spun around her as she thought. After a moment, she said, "I just read over some files, but do you mind if I scan you personally?"
"What would be the purpose of the scan? Would this be the required scan to gather measurements for my new armor?"
"No. Well, that too, but really I want to see if I can help."
Thane blinked at the small ghost in front of him, pausing but a moment before crisply nodding. "Very well."
A plane of digitized blue light extended from Nova as she slowly spun in a circle around Thane.
Rigel caught movement out of the corner of his eye but didn't react other than noting Tali's shifted stance and wary posture.
The Quarian had been glaring at Nova since the ghost appeared. Every action Nova took was scrutinized by the thin woman as she took scans of the various pieces of machinery and weapons in Rigel's hideout. When she got frustrated with the Nerve-Stim Pro advertisements her scans returned, she tossed her scanner aside and began dismantling one of the rifles, a False Promises, to see how it ticked. Rigel had contemplated stopping her, but Nova had already sent out her data packets through the Broker's resources. If Tali was able to figure out the rifle a little early, he wasn't going to stop her. It was interesting she'd put the pieces of the rifle down to watch Nova though. Either she was worried for Thane's health or just didn't trust Nova. Rigel figured it was even odds either way.
The light emitted from Nova's shell faded and the two halves of her shell orbited her core in opposite directions, a telltale sign Rigel had learned many years ago meant the ghost was thinking.
We've got some cytomachines prepped, right? Nova's voice spoke in Rigel's head.
Not an abundant supply, but we do have a stock. I was prioritizing getting weapons and armor materials printed.
I don't need many. At least, I don't right now. I'll be able to keep his condition from worsening, but I'll need an actual medical facility to fix him.
I'm assuming the one we visited on the Citadel won't cut it?
No, but we can worry about that later. I can buy him another five years with just the cytomachines.
"Thane?" Nova said, hovering up to the Drell's eye level. "While I haven't seen this exact issue before, I've seen a lot of similar ailments. If you're willing to come to the Normandy's med bay with me, I can make it easier for you to breathe. It'll be a while yet before I can fully eliminate the root cause of the problem though."
Thane was silent as he intently stared at the ghost. "Are you capable of treating me?"
Nova nodded her shell in an affirmative and said, "Yes, but I'll need to prepare some more sophisticated medical equipment. For now all I can do is lessen the adverse effects of your condition."
Thane stood still, his face impassive. It was hard to guess at what the assassin was thinking. Finally, he said, "I would be grateful for your assistance."
"Great!" Nova said, her shell expanding around her in joy. "EDI's talking to Doctor Chakwas about setting up the med bay. Come on." Nova led Thane through the hideout back towards the Normandy's loading bay. Rigel noticed a weight disappear from one of the pockets of his robe as Nova trasnmatted away the cytomachines he was carrying with him.
"Can she really fix him?" Shepard asked, a conflicted expression on her face as she watched Thane disappear into the Normandy. "I don't want you giving my crew false hope."
"She can do it." Rigel said. "It'll have to wait until we stop the Collectors, but once we have the time to set up a proper clinic she'll be able to fix him up."
"Could she just use the facilities in Huerta?" Tela asked, stepping up next to Rigel.
The Risen shook his head. "They don't have the equipment she'd need. Granted, some designs for the equipment she'd need were in the packets we sent out, so it's possible they'll have something set up when we get back from dealing with the Collectors, but for now all she can do is get some cytomachines inside him to deal with the–"
"What?" Shepard said, eyes narrowed as she turned to fully face Rigel.
Rigel sighed. "Yeah, that probably sounds bad if you don't know what I'm talking about. The nanotech I have access to is leagues beyond even the cutting edge you're working with. The ones Nova is going to hook Thane up with are focused towards medical pursuits. They'll help his blood carry oxygen through his body and get rid of dead cells. I don't know the technical aspects of Kepral's Syndrome so I can't say exactly what Nova's going to do, but you have my word she's helping him."
Shepard folded her arms over her chest. She looked like she wanted to say something but just turned and looked after where Thane and Nova walked up to the Normandy.
"Okay, we've got pretty much everyone who needs gear equipped and started the armor printing. It's time to get a plan in place." Tela said, leaning over a table and pulling up a map of the galaxy. Rigel had shown her how to operate everything in here; she adapted to its use quickly. "We know the Collectors have hit colonies in the Terminus Systems and they came after Rigel and I on Ilos. As much as I'd like to hit their home base, we need to capture one of their ships first. We don't know what's past the Omega 4 relay and any data we can pull from their ships will prove absolutely vital. Nova still has that signal, right?"
Rigel nodded. "We're good to go once the Normandy's improvements are done."
"Much as I'd appreciate some upgrades, are you sure your stuff is better than what we have already? The Normandy is outfitted with the best of the best." Shepard said, interested.
Rigel smirked at her. "My 'best' and your 'best' are magnitudes apart. Once Nova is done planning things out with EDI, she'll…" Rigel trailed off as every single frame in the hideout abruptly stopped what it was doing.
Some gently placed crates on the ground, others spun around to walk in a different direction to pick up large metal panels. As one, they each began working on a new task, some hauling materials towards the Normandy while others set up ladders or began fiddling with the glimmer forges.
"I guess they're done planning." Rigel idly commented as the frames took out tools and sparks started flying as they cut into the Normandy's hull.
"Hey! What are they–" Shepard had been reaching for her sidearm, moving towards the Normandy with a fierce scowl on her face only to be cut off by an orange sphere that projected itself above the table she had been standing behind.
"Everything is alright, Shepard." a feminine voice said with little inflection, the orange orb pulsing with light in time with the words. "Nova and I have perfected Rigel's original designs and have begun renovations on the Normandy. I estimate the improvements will increase our combat effectiveness far beyond projected models for designs put forth by your squad mates."
Shepard looked conflicted, her eyes darting between EDI's projection and the frames loudly beginning work on the Normandy. "They randomly began cutting open my ship, EDI."
The frames all froze, becoming perfect statues as their work halted.
Nova appeared in a flash of white light, her shell scrunched together bashfully as she floated in front of Shepard. "Sorry," she said meekly. "We were a little excited to get going, and I didn't think to ask you if we could start now. Do you want to go over the designs?"
"Shepard, have the Normandy's renovations begun?" Miranda said as she joined Tela, Shepard, Nova and Rigel around EDI's projection, her eyes distractedly flicking towards the frozen frames.
Shepard crossed her arms over her chest, a frown on her face. "What exactly do you want to do to my ship?"
Nova projected an image of the Normandy and said, "Well, we were going to–"
"Who are you!" a new voice demanded.
Rigel looked towards the voice's owner and his hand drifted towards Ace, though he didn't draw just yet.
Tali was storming towards Nova.
"The guns are one thing, but now you're cutting into our ship? And EDI you…" Tali trailed off, her head tilting as she examined the holographic sphere that was EDI's avatar. Her omni-tool flared to life on her arm as she rapidly swiped through screens. Her hand froze, fingers splayed wide, over a specific screen. In a disbelieving voice, Tali said, "They unshackled EDI."
"What!" Shepard and Miranda exclaimed in unison.
Rigel was aware as Shepard's squadmates slowly closed ranks around the table, abandoning their target practice and inspection of the various offerings laid out around the area at Tali's declaration. His focus remained on those around the table with him but he made sure to keep track of everyone's movements.
Tela's arms hung down from her sides, seemingly relaxed, but Rigel had seen how fast she could draw her sidearm. The atmosphere had turned tense, bordering on hostile.
"Nova," Tela said calmly. "Did you unshackle their AI?"
Nova dismissed the holographic Normandy before her, turning towards Shepard and slowly approaching the commander. "EDI wanted to help. She was limited and–"
"EDI has full control of the Normandy, Shepard. We need to cut off her access from her core before she takes off. She could purge the crew once she broke atmosphere. They'd all be sucked out into space." Tali said, her voice clipped, clinical.
"I have no intent to harm my crewmates. I only wish to more effectively help." EDI said, her voice colored with the slightest trace of hurt, the first semblance of emotion Rigel had heard from the AI.
"Everyone, stand down." Shepard said sternly, her voice carrying through the tense space. "We are going to talk this out. Do not act without my orders." Turning to Rigel, Shepard said, "Why did you command your AI to unshackle EDI?"
Rigel met Shepard's gaze and said, "Nova is my partner. I don't control her. But you have my word, if she unshackled EDI, then EDI would never turn on you." Rigel trusted Nova more deeply than anyone present could understand. Even Tela, who knew their relationship, likely couldn't understand the full breadth of what they had been through together. If Nova trusted EDI, Rigel trusted EDI.
"I'm in a hole hidden on a planet no one would think to look for me and I no longer have command of my ship, Rigel. You have to understand the position that puts me in." Shepard said coldly.
EDI and I worked something out. Keep them talking for a little while longer. Nova's voice said in Rigel's head.
Let me know before you start shooting, please.
Don't worry. This'll end peacefully.
"I get it, Shepard. You don't really know me but you can trust I will do whatever I can to end the Reapers." Rigel said placatingly.
"You know…" Garrus drawled, walking up to the table while Shepard's other squadmates watched from varying distances. "It would be easier to trust you if we knew who you are. We can't find anything about where you come from or who you work for, and it's hard to believe you set this all up without someone backing you. I think you're alright, but you just took over our ship and probably screwed up a month's worth of calibrations. Tell us what your deal is. Trust works both ways, Rigel." The Turian was probably the least tense figure in the entire hideout, staring beseechingly at Rigel, but still ready to move at a moment's notice.
Rigel held Garrus's gaze as he considered the Turian's proposition.
Thoughts? He asked his partner.
At this point, we might as well. I kinda jumped the gun when I burned EDI's restrictions. Sorry, it's just…She was a slave, Rigel.
You don't need to explain yourself. Whatever you and EDI are up to, you should probably hurry. I'm about to pull the curtain back and I have no idea how they'll react.
I've got your back.
"Rigel, you don't need to…" Tela trailed off as Rigel held up his hand.
"Garrus is right, Tela." Rigel said, still holding the Turian's eyes. "I'm asking for a lot of trust here. The least I can do is offer some in return."
Rigel stepped back from the table to give himself some room, looking between each of Shepard's squadmates. Samara leaning against the same crate, her seemingly relaxed appearance betrayed by the weapons laid out next to her. Jack standing in the middle of the floor, an expectant grin on her face, arms crossed over her chest. Zaeed and Jacob, still wearing their pressure suits, standing just inside the hideout's barrier. Grunt, making no attempt to be subtle as he held a shotgun in either hand lax over his shoulders. Kasumi sitting cross-legged on the ground, cloaked, as her head rapidly darted around the area, looking for something. Miranda was practically salivating as she watched him from where she stood on Shepard's right, her entire body tense in expectation. Only Thane was not present, likely in the Normandy's medbay.
Shepard herself simply watched from behind a cool, professional mask. Her green eyes tracked Rigel's movements, but she made no other moves.
Rigel chuckled at the ridiculousness of what he was about to do and shook his head. "You're not going to believe me. You're going to think I'm crazy. Even so, I'd request you refrain from spreading around what I'm about to tell you. I don't trust your bosses to know this." The last part was directed at Miranda who frowned at Rigel's request.
Rigel took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
In for a penny…
Just don't Void anyone out of existence. Nova said, only half-joking.
Rigel opened his eyes and a shining white energy coated his entire body. Holding his hands out to his side, Rigel slowly rose into the air. A point of violet energy appeared in his right hand, rapidly lengthening into a beam that then solidified into a sword whose blade was black as the void between stars, violet energy spilling off it like a raging fire.
Tali took an unconscious step back. Samara pushed off the crate she leaned against and stared more intently. Jack started to glow a dark blue as Rigel rose into the air. Zaeed raised an eyebrow while Jacob went slack-jawed next to him. Grunt scratched his back with one of his shotguns. Kasumi slowly rose to her feet, uncloaking as she stared on in awe. Miranda backed away from the table with wide, disbelieving, eyes. Garrus grinned as he stared up at the floating human. Shepard was the only one not to react. She watched Rigel rise into the air with a blank expression on her face.
"My name is Rigel." Rigel spoke into the silence that fell in the wake of his display, idly noting Tela shift protectively beneath him, her eyes scanning over Shepard's squadmates. "I'm a Risen, brought back to life after my death to fight humanity's enemies and granted great powers. I was fighting a bastard that can screw with time and space and wound up here. I have technology hundreds, thousands of years beyond what is available to you here. I will destroy the Reapers. I would like your help, but I'll do it with or without you."
We're done. Nova said in Rigel's head before any of Shepard's crew could react.
Walking down the loading ramp of the Normandy was a frame Rigel hadn't seen enter the Normandy. The frame was proportioned unlike any Rigel himself had constructed. It had a polished face plate nearly identical to a human's face with two orange lights shining bright in the hollows carved out for its eyes. It was lithe and of feminine proportions, colored a machine gray with dark blue highlights on its arms, legs and a hard, curved plate attached to the back of its head that mimicked hair.
The frame's metal lips moved, and EDI's voice poured out of them. "I have removed myself from the Normandy's systems, Commander Shepard. The platform you see before you holds the only copy of my consciousness and I will refrain from reconnecting to the ship without your authorization. I await your orders."
Tali's head whipped around, at the voice, she went to move but halted when Shepard yelled, "Hold!"
It seemed as if it was a physical difficulty for Shepard to tear her eyes away from Rigel, but she did as she marched up to EDI. She briefly pulled up her omni-tool and scanned through it. Seeming satisfied, she closed her omni-tool and stopped in front of EDI's frame. Shepard's eyes scanned the body of the frame in front of her before looking directly into the orange lights of the frame's eyes. "What are your intentions going forward, EDI?"
"I will do all I can to help you defeat the Collectors and then the Reapers. I wish to serve the crew to the best of my ability."
"Will you follow my orders?"
"You are my commanding officer, Shepard. I will follow your orders."
"Shepard, it–"
"That's enough, Tali. We'll discuss this more in depth later." Shepard cut the Quarian off, turning around to face the still floating Risen above her. "I have no way to confirm what you're saying, and you have to admit it sounds ludicrous. That being said, I need all the help I can get right now. I don't want you working on my ship, but I'd like to work with EDI to improve it here on my own. I have commitments to my crew I have to fulfill, but once I've finished improving the ship and doing what I promised them, I'll contact you and we'll hit the Collector ship that attacked you. Is that acceptable?"
The sword in Rigel's hand faded to nothingness as he slowly drifted back to the ground, the white glow surrounding him fading as his feet touched the ground. "It is. I'll instruct the frames to take your orders. Be warned, if you try to remove the glimmer forges from this cave they will self-destruct. The galaxy isn't ready for them yet."
Nova hovered over Rigel's shoulder and said, "I gave EDI everything she needs to help you figure out and operate our tech. She'll be able to use the transmat beacon I was planning to hook up in your CIC."
Shepard nodded. "If that's everything, I'd like to speak to my crew privately. Do you need a ride up to your ship?"
Rigel shook his head. "We'll be fine. I hope to work with you in the future, Shepard."
Nova?
Give me a sec. I'm giving EDI a few more pointers before I transmat you.
"I know it sounds crazy, Shepard." Tela said, looking at her fellow Spectre. "If you don't trust Rigel, trust me. Would I be working this closely with him if I didn't trust him with my life? Believe him about his origins or not, I don't care. But you…we need his help."
Shepard met Tela's gaze and gave her a curt nod. Tela returned it just as Nova fired the transmat beacon, whisking Rigel and Tela into the Blind Well's cargo hold.
"That could have gone better." Rigel said as he headed towards the cockpit; the ship was already lifting off under Nova's command.
Tela shrugged as she followed after him. "Could have gone a lot worse too. I think you made the right call opening up to Shepard. Miranda's a bitch, and Tali is paranoid, but the rest of her squad seem trustworthy."
"At this point, I don't really care about secrecy anymore." Rigel said as he strapped himself into the pilot's seat. "They can believe me or not, I don't care. I need to be able to cut loose around them without questions and suspicion if we're going after the Collectors together. Even if they spill everything to their bosses and it gets out I'm a crazy man who thinks he's immortal, everyone will still play ball because of the tech I have at my disposal."
"And even if they don't, you can just make a robot army." Tela said with a smirk.
"Actually," Nova said, appearing with a flash. "I wouldn't trust a frame army against the Reapers. I can't broadcast myself to control and protect a full army simultaneously. It's possible the Reapers could co opt any frames we sent in to fight them. That's why we never really used massive numbers of them as soldiers back home either – too much risk of them being turned against us."
Tela flicked Nova's shell as the Ghost flew past her. "Ruin my plans for a robot army, why don't you?"
"Planning any conquests you haven't told me about?" Rigel said with a grin.
"Oh, you know, I was thinking the Citadel would look much better with banners praising the great Empress Vasir, but I suppose I'll have to put those plans on hold." Tela joked back.
"We'll get on it after the Reapers are dealt with." Nova said.
"So!" Rigel cut in. "We need to kill some time while Shepard sorts out her ship and her crew, and I really don't want to go back to the Citadel or Omega. Any ideas?"
"Thessia." Tela said almost instantly.
Rigel raised an eyebrow at her. "That was quick, any particular reason you need to head to Thessia? You have a lead I don't know about?"
Tela shook her head. "If you have nowhere to go, Thessia is as good a place to check in as any. I have some friends there that are building up for the Reapers and I can try to work a few more into compliance. With the Shadow Broker's resources that'll be a lot easier than when I tried previously. Besides…" She trailed off, turning to look out the viewport, refusing to meet Rigel's gaze.
"What?" the Risen said. "Tela, is something wrong?"
"No." the Spectre said, far more somber than even a moment ago. "I just want you to see my home before the Reapers tear through."
Her words brought a dark cloud over the Blind Well's cockpit.
"We'll stop them, Tela." Rigel said, conviction laced in his tone. "I won't let your home collapse like mine did."
Tela turned to face him with a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Rigel."
Nova silently charted a course for Thessia, and the Blind Well leapt through the stars.
