The sights of Omega stained the Starquake red. Even from here, crates of drugs swapped hands and vanished into ships to disappear into the stars. Further down the dock, the Normandy would appear to whisk me away on a suicide mission. The bustle of the ship around me hummed, but the activity was not as hectic as normal. With everyone on shore leave, few remained on the ship. While Omega wasn't the best place for shore leave, the crew refused to waste the opportunity. It would be my only chance, but I had some… things to do before then. My gaze tore away from the sights of Omega. The echoes of my feet on the empty hall of the Command Quarters sent jitters down my spine. My hand raised, rapping on Gideon's door. The doors parted.
"Gideon, may I… what the hell are you doing?" I asked. Gideon froze, a sheepish smile on his face, his head lodged inside a dented metal box and the remains of an old computer lay strewn across his room. He winced as a stray circuit board landed on his head, cutting his cheek. A blush burned as he noticed my scowl. "Enjoying yourself?"
"V-Very much so!" he laughed, albeit with a nervous undertone. "W-What's up?"
"I would like to have a little word with Kala, if possible," I said.
"Of course, Captain. What do you need?" Kala asked, trotting over. Gideon shifted his eyes between us. I nodded my head to the door, watching the mech cross the threshold before frowning at Gideon.
"And we will have a word about how you are getting these little 'presents', Gideon," I warned. He whined as the door closed. The FENRIS mech followed me up the hall into my room without a word, sitting once the doors secured. My fingers tapped my omni-tool, turning off the sensors in the room, Lanster's microphone the first on the list.
"I have a favour, Kala," I said. Kala tilted her head to the side. "And you can consider this your final 'test' to see how trustworthy you are. I have a covert mission for you, which means Gideon doesn't learn of this. Do you understand?"
"I do. What do you require of me?" Kala said.
"I will join Shepard on a mission to the Collector Base, ETA 4 hours. I will require to have you with me to mine as much data as possible from the base and transmit it back here or to the Constellation before either Shepard blows the base up or we die. This is a suicide mission, to give you fair warning," I said. The light on Kala's face flashed.
"C-Captain, with all due respect, I do not think this is a wise idea," she said. My eyebrow rose. "I-I mean, if you were to die, w-what of the Saboteurs?"
"Raisha assumes command and finishes the job," I said. "The data there is too valuable to lose and Shepard is planning to blow the damn thing up," Kala blinked, processing my words.
"I understand. Although if the information given by the Normandy is correct, I will require a powerful transmitter to transmit the data from the galactic core. I could piggyback onto the Normandy although I feel the AI onboard that ship may take offence. The alternative would be to set up a transmitter on the base. We have such transmitters in the cargo hold that are simple to set up. I would require my server sleeve and omni-tool to complete this task with any speed, however. Gideon has improved it since its original design so in theory, I can transmit about 2 terabytes a second, depending on the encryptions on the Collector Base. Although, we will need to take into account gravitational distortions from the black holes and solar-"
"Kala," I interrupted. Kala paused. "I am not Gideon, you're going into depths that go above my head. I'll leave it to you to figure it out, but I will have this transmitter set up. I will speak to Gideon about getting your omni-tool and sleeve,"
"Understood. I will say nothing to Gideon either. However, should the worse come to pass, I will keep a copy of myself here so I can continue to aid Gideon," she said.
"I appreciate it, Kala. Thank you," I said. My hand tapped at my omni-tool, activating the sensors in the room before opening the door. I escorted Kala down the hall to Gideon's room. Gideon glanced over as he stuck a plaster on his cheek. "Gid, I need to borrow some of Kala's equipment," Gideon frowned, glancing to Kala. "Her omni-tool and server sleeve to be more specific,"
"Well… you're not taking her-" he said.
"No, I'm not," I sighed. "I'd rather avoid having you throw shit at me again if I can avoid it," Gideon flushed. "No, I need to borrow her for a while. Think of this as her final test to prove her loyalty,"
"O-Oh! Ok!" he started, blinking. He snapped the omni-tool off, pulling the sleeve off his arm. He passed them over. "its elasticated circuitry, so it should fit even a krogan," he puffed his chest out. I shook my head, a small smile forming.
"You will make the Council worry one day, Gideon. You'll give the Spectres a run for their money," I said. Gideon smirked.
"They'll never catch me. Not with Kala with me," he grinned down at Kala.
"We are assuming you learn to duck, yes?" Kala drawled. Gideon glared.
"I can duck!" he snapped. Kala beeped. Gideon fumed. "Can to!"
"Didn't see an awful lot of that with your training with the Commander," she noted.
"Screw you little Miss Can't-Play-Board-Games," he retorted. Kala twitched.
"If your board games followed basic logic, such as chess, then yes, I can play it. However, this forsaken reliance on chance is outrageous," she grumbled.
"She's still sore she can't beat me at monopoly," Gideon smirked.
"it isn't even how a true monopoly works! You don't need random cards to aid or hinder you in-" Kala argued.
"I'm just going to leave you two to it," I waved a hand. They failed to heed my words, already deep in their arguments about organics and their obsession with chance and risk.
Out of the room, I turned to my omni-tool once more, a list forming of things to do before I left. Over the past few days, trying to tie up loose ends proved to be a pain in the ass. Who knew I had so many. Drinks with Mat'al, the chats with Raisha, the pranks with Indira, the engineering lessons with Shayan and spending as much time as possible with Gideon and Val without trying to raise suspicions. Easier said than done. With Val back on his feet, although not back into active duty, he assumed my sudden demand for his attention was because of his injuries and not because I was planning on running off on a suicide mission. But everything was set. Apart from one thing. Well, two if you included the transmitter but that would come later. In my room, tucked under the desk, my armour, guns and equipment lay ready for deployment, sitting in their cases. Kala's server sleeve and omni-tool tool joined a box. Now to figure out how to escape Val's keen ears during the night. The only way to sneak past the man was to drug him, as much as it hurt me to admit it.
The plan was ready, I had to wait another hour before I could deploy it. My legs powered me down the hall to the elevator. Most of the crew had asked for the night off to go clubbing or something. The remaining skeleton crew would mull around the upper floors or be in bed. It left my escape route open. In the cargo hold, I found the bulky transmitter in a case the same size as my armour one in the back of the room. With only a niggling worry about Lanster catching me on the cameras, I fled the cargo hold to my room to add it to the growing pile of equipment to transport. All of this had to go out in one load, somehow. My head shook as I prepared the final trap to ensure my escape from the Starquake, my heart fluttering. Two glasses clinked on the table with coloured bottoms, one red and the other blue to warn which amino-acid it was. Due to the 'no alcohol' policy forced upon me – apart from when Mat'al smuggled me some – the glasses filled with juice instead. Orange and whatever this damn turian fruit Val was partial to. The cameras burned into my back as my omni-tool raised, tapping at the controls until the camera feeds froze for a minute. Long enough to add a few drops of a colourless liquid to Val's. My skin crawled, my heart wishing to punch my face in for it. The betrayal felt too real. The bottle vanished into a drawer. Seconds after putting the glasses on the bedside table, the doors parted.
"Urg, you'd think being off sick and with shore leave ongoing I'd get a break from my job," Val grumbled. A lump formed in my throat.
"No rest for the wicked," I said. My eyes met Val's, the emerald eyes narrowed, examining my half-smile.
"Are you all right?" he asked. My smile faltered.
"I… don't know," I sighed. "This… isn't how I imagined retiring from combat," Val scowled.
"Retirement? Nice try, Shaik," he smirked. "we have plenty of other battles that don't involve Saboteurs," he crossed the distance, hands on hips. "We still have Cerberus and indoctrinated servants to deal with,"
"Don't remind me," I grumbled. "I've been stabbed in the back one time too many. I just wish I never ran into that damn cryptograph,"
"We'll adjust," he said, pulling me into a hug. "You must, you've got me running you off your feet," he smirked at my scowl.
"Gideon's worse," I said, rolling my eyes and my fingers intertwined with his, pulling him towards the bed. His chuckle sent shivers down my back. "Don't get any ideas, Mr," I warned, turning to face him. Not until I look at those bullet wounds,"
"They're fine, Dell. Spirits, it's like you've not heard of military medical advancements," Val scowled. My brow raised. "I've been in the army longer than you, sweetie, I think I know what I – urmph – am talking about," he grunted as I shoved him onto the bed. My arms folded, frown forming. He smirked. "However, I won't say no to a strip search,"
"Ha!" I chortled. "That what you said to Satrino?" I asked. Val flushed, mandibles clicking.
"Hilarious," he grumbled.
Laughter bubbled as my knees touched the soft duvet, hands easing his uniform free. Small, purple hued spots dotted the copper plates and brown skin, but accelerated healing had closed the wounds. The rough skin scratched my forehead when it flopped to his chest. Val's hand toyed with my hair, letting it slip through his fingers. The wounds had closed, the skin still had swelling to deal with, but nothing serious. His metallic scent drafted into my lungs. This turian had done everything possible to keep me safe, even putting himself in danger for me. My mind drifted to the suicide mission, to the drug in his drink. My fingers clenched, hands shaking against his chest. His hand combed down the back of my head, easing my chin up.
When my head rose, he captured me in a kiss. His other hand took my trembling fist, coaxing each finger apart while he distracted me with a flurry of kisses. My eyes squeezed shut, a bubble of emotions swelling like the red tide. My arms threw themselves around his neck, dragging him closer. It was impossible to stop the eventual advancement. Every sensation, every sound, I savoured. The upcoming suicide mission was forgotten for a time, lost in the arms of turian. His gaze captured me, engrossing me in his eyes as we listening to our thundering hearts. His arms supported his weight, keeping his rough skin off me. While my skin had adjusted to him, some parts still broke out in a rash if not careful. His head flopped on top of mine, a smirk growing. My lips pressed a kiss to his jaw before a laden arm reached for the two glasses, our throats parched. Val chuckled.
"Well prepared tonight," he noted.
"After the last few nights, I thought you might have some… additional energy," I said, passing his glass. Sheer stubbornness tore my fingers from the glass. "Besides, we always forget water," Val chuckled as he eased himself off me, raising the glass.
"You thought right," he said, gulping down the juice. "And you broke out my favourite. What did I do to deserve this?" I scowled as I sipped the orange.
"I have to spoil you every now and then, you saved me from some nasty bullet wounds," I said. He clicked his mandibles, a smugness overcoming him.
"And you scolded me before," he chuckled. A frown formed on my lips.
"Don't do it again," I warned. He laughed as he snuggled closer, enjoying the company.
We lay there, listening to the drive core hum around us, feeling our heartbeats settle back into a normal rhythm. Throughout it all, my teeth clamped my tongue still. The minutes ticked by, my mind to restless to even doze. Half an hour passed before Val dozed off, snuggling into bed. My fingers traced his mandibles, his hot breaths brushing past my face. The remaining 15 minutes to ensure he was asleep tore my heart open. What kind of lover drugged their partner? No matter how I tried to reason it, it soiled my soul. My lips pressed a kissed to his forehead, the turian falling deeper into sleep. My feet touched the floor, slipping off the bed and cross the room to the desk. Kala's omni-tool lit up on my arm, the yellow interface blinding me.
"Kala, kill the security feeds. Are the halls and docking area clear?" I whispered.
"They are, Captain," Kala said. The camera in the corner of the room snapped off. Wary that Val would wake, dressing in the armour to save carrying a third case felt like balancing on the edge of a diving board. My guns and equipment snapped to their slots, the transmitter carried in a handy case. With my armour on, my full equipment could sit in their spots without another case, leaving me with just the transmitter. A fortunate discovery. Val remained out for the count. With one backwards glance to Val sleeping behind me, I slipped from the room.
The silence settling over the Starquake cast an eerie shiver down my legs. Despite calling this place home for years now, walking the halls did not comfort me. It may be the last time I saw them. Doubt dug deep. Was it worth it; drugging Val, abandoning Gideon, driving my brother to the edge and losing his own private war? The information on that base was too valuable, but was it worth my family? My head shook, feet forcing me on. Most of the crew had left to go clubbing, a handful took the chance for some early shut-eye. The few that remained wouldn't be in the CIC and the flight crew would not be on deck, not in dock. At midnight, it wasn't uncommon to have people traversing the floors, thus my use of the elevator would disturb no one. On the CIC deck, the echoes of my feet rang down the halls. My muscles tensed with each second. Glimmers of doubt assaulted me once more as the airlock loomed up. They only worsened once outside the ship. Swallowing the lump building in my throat proved to be more difficult than expected. After crossing the threshold of the dock, Kala's omni-tool lit up.
"I have reinstated the security systems, Captain. I hope you do not mind me hacking your ear piece," she said.
"No, its fine," I said. "Thank you," I added as I pressed down the hall.
10 minutes later, after meandering through the maze of red, rust, dank and neon, the Normandy gleamed in the distance. My legs powered on, determined to get on board and away before the doubt grew any further and change my mind. The docks of Omega remained busy as the drug dealers and human traffickers started their shift. They eyed me up, but my murderous expression and guns kept them at bay. The airlock of the Normandy rose before me, my gateway to potential death. My feet faltered at the threshold. My mind turned to Val, the man who had captured my heart and had held me through so many nightmares. Gideon, the boy who showed me what real terror was. My teeth grit as my stubbornness forced me inside. Have to get that data, have to get that data! The wait for decontamination felt like an eternity, doubt gnawing at an exponential rate. Reality's hammer crashed into me with every second. My mood did not improve once inside.
"I hoped you would change your mind," Shepard said as my eyes landed on him overlooking the galaxy map. My shoulders rolled back.
"Yeah, well then you have all the more motivation to bring everyone back then," I said, putting a hand on my hip. Shepard eyed the metal case in my hand with a frown. "Transmitter, it has the Starquake and Constellation coordinates plugged into it. Just in case,"
"Better safe than sorry," he muttered. "Joker, we're ready, let's go,"
"Aye, aye, Commander," Joker said. The ship trembled, the engines warming up as the start-up procedures began. The Normandy disengaged with a thud. My heart thundered, the realisation I might not come back battering me like a bulldozer… The Normandy swung out, a faint glimpse of the Starquake's rotary captured in Omega red. My eyes diverted, heart pining for my family.
"How long do we have before we reach the relay?" I asked.
"An hour at most," Shepard said.
"I have prep to do, I'll be back on deck soon, I just need to find somewhere quiet," I said, diverting to the elevator. The layout of this new ship had changed more than suspected when the crew desk appeared, but with the crew gone, those that remained had taken the helm, leaving most of the rooms empty. I found myself in an observation room, the pin points of stars decorating the darkness of space. My jaw tightened as I lowered myself onto a chair, flexing my hand once the transmitter sat on the ground. My finger touched Kala's omni-tool, the AI bringing a screen up.
"I… need you to record a message, Kala," I said. "I… haven't appreciated this as much as I should have,"
"The CO can return you to Omega. He seems keen for you to do so," Kala said. My head shook, shaking off the tension building in my neck.
"No, no, I have to do this. There's too much at stake," I said. Kala beeped, opening a recording program. My teeth chewed my cheek, struggling to think of the words to say. What could you say to someone when you may die? Oh God, this was a suicide letter. My hands scrubbed my face, a tremble overtaking me. Fuck, I did not think this through, did I? Death would come, sooner rather than later, but that didn't help. My hands rubbed my lips, mind rattling through a billion words a second to find something, anything, to say to those near and dear should something happen. My eyes squeezed shut, finger tapping record.
"Well, I didn't think I would go out with… no, fuck it, that's horrible," I winced, cancelling it. To hear that while mourning… no, no, bad start. My finger tapped record again. 6 attempts later and it became apparent that starting off light hearted didn't work. My breath gushed out, resigned as my finger hit record.
"There's… no easy way to begin one of these, as I'm finding out. I've done a lot of stupid stuff in my life but this takes the biscuit. If you are listening to this then… then Shepard fucked up. Or I fucked up, we'll see. Plenty of time for both," My head shook, hand scrubbing my face. "I suppose there are worse ways to go, I mean, with luck I can get as much data as possible to help you guys fight these Reapers. I've reached the point where my war with Nyryntha is reaching a close. Hell, I can't even go into combat with Saboteurs now without people ready to haul my ass out. I just I hope I succeed, making whatever pain I've forced you all to go through worth it, even in a small way.
"Whatever happens, if I'm no longer here, if this mission kills me, I need you all to push on. Finish what I started, no, what we started. At time of recording, there are 26 Saboteurs unknown to us. Maybe with the data I collect, we'll have the identities of the others but we have to assume worst case scenario here. I'm hoping that after this, another Saboteur will be dead, but if you are listening to this, then 2 are dead. Guess we won't have to worry about my long term health but… I'm blabbing, sorry. I… what the hell can you say those you care about, last words knowing you'll be neck deep with grief, with anger with God knows what? I mean… I guess I can start with raising a glass to Mat'al. I'll out a good word in for you, although knowing Zarhall, he's beat me to it. Thank you… for everything. Go easy on Gid, you know what he's like. Indira, for fuck sake, don't go mental. In any sense. You've put a lid on your bounce metre and I hope you keep it. You seem happier with it capped at least. Sorry I can't treat you to another drink though, the ball and chain kinda put a stop to that, although it was my fault. Shayan, keep your chin up. You are improving, you are getting more confident and comfortable. Shit, you're even arguing with me. Normally, that's a bad thing but in this case it shows you are finding your courage. Keep going and… don't get too upset with Kala. She's… helping me beyond words right now. Gideon's done a good job teaching her.
"Ray, sorry I can't help you with Innot. Sorry I made you go through all of that shit. I'm glad to see you on your feet again, to see you pushing on. Don't burn yourself out though, revenge is a double edged sword. I don't want you to become a shell of your former self. Val… Val you pain in the ass turian, I… I have no words that can express what you've done for me, what you mean to me. I hope I've done enough to show you that, and I hope you can forgive me for… spiking your drink," my voice quivered, a bubble of emotion clambering up my throat. Was that the last time I would see him? Drugged on the bed? "I… I couldn't find any other way of sneaking away without waking you. Dammit, you wake up every time I go to the bathroom for fuck sake, how would I be able to put armour on and sneak out? Please know, from the bottom of my heart, that there isn't enough words to thank you for what you've done for me. But for God sake, I don't want to hold you back," I trembled, tears dropping on my quivering hands. My voice pitched with the swelling emotions. "If you find someone else, don't let me stop me, please don't let me chain you. I want you to be happy, wherever you find it. Please… for me.
"Gid… Gid I don't even know where to start. I know… I know I'm not the best mother, I know I've fucked up more times than I can count. I'm sorry I've dragged you into this, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you more often, especially with Sitoln, I'm sorry for… for the whole Kala incident. There are so many times I… should've listened to you. Fuck, I have a problem listening to you, don't I? But despite all of that, you've… you've come out good. I don't know what your life was like before we found you, but you've grown into someone who I couldn't be prouder of. Dammit, if you made me any prouder, I'd burst. Keep going with your piloting, keep going with your computer… programing, hacking thing you do. I trust you know what you're doing with Kala, I trust she'll keep you safe, she's already done more times than I realise. I'm sorry I'm not… not being there to see you grow up. But you'll be a damn fine man, and don't let Julian keep you down… ah fuck, speaking of which, don't tell him about my death. Delay it as much as possible. I… you need all the allies you can get. Tell him… clone me and pretend I'm in a coma or something. If he knows I am dead, Palalrian wins. But if he finds out but he's still himself… tell him to beat the Reapers. Then I'll forgive him for all the shit he put me though.
"I'm proud of you all, and it has been an honour to know and work alongside you all. Go kick some Reaper ass for me," I finished, stopping the recording. My hands rubbed my eyes, my lap soaked from tears. A ragged breath staggered into my lungs, hiccups rattling me. Tear soaked eyes stung as I shook myself out, unhooking a bottle of water and splashing myself in the face. The cold water settled some of the shaking. "Did you get all of that, Kala?"
"I did, Captain. What would you like me to do with it?" she asked.
"Send it to the Starquake, but put it on a delay, just in case I come back," I said.
"I'll set it to play in a week. That should be sufficient," Kala replied. I nodded as my gaze found the stars, finding time to calm myself. By the time the redness in my eyes died, the relay was upon us. My shoulders rolled, pushing myself to my feet and returning to the CIC, transmitter in hand. Now wasn't the time for tears. It was time to give my family hope for the war ahead.
Veins popped on Shepard's neck, jaw clenched so tight the teeth crunched. His hands clenched the back of Joker's chair with white knuckles. A blunt knife could cut the air. My eyes scanned the screens, stopping beside Shepard as the orange relay lit the space before us. Sirens blared in the cockpit as warnings surrounding the relay warned us of the impending doom. Joker waved a hand, silencing them, glancing to Shepard with a nod.
"Punch it, Joker," Shepard ordered.
"Aye, aye, approaching Omega 4 Relay," Joker cracked his fingers hands dancing over the controls. My skin danced, tingles pricking my skin until the muscles twitched. Within seconds, a spasm held me, air punched from my lungs. Shepard swung to face me as I doubled over, wheezing for air.
"Reaper IFF activated. Signal acknowledged," EDI called.
"Commander, the drive core's just lit up like a Christmas tree," Jacob called over the intercom.
"That's not the only thing glowing," Shepard breathed. My teeth clattered as my muscles twitched, shaken hands ripping a glove off. Every vein glowed like strobe lights. My eyes snapped to my reflection in the window, a blue light vaporising my image.
"I-I'm fine," I clenched. "It doesn't hurt. I-I just can't c-control m-my body," My eyes squeezed shut, my spine radiating heat beyond comfort levels.
"Perhaps the Reapers armed Saboteurs with IFFs. Most likely reacting to Omega 4 Relay," Mordin said. Shepard grabbled my shoulders, lowering me to the ground.
"Drive core electrical charge reaching critical levels," EDI warned. Joker popped his jaw.
"Rerouting. I swear, if we could've used Dell for the IFF instead of the ship, we'd be a little more staffed," Joker muttered. My teeth knocked together.
"S-Sorry," I said.
"Don't worry about it, you didn't' know and we're stressed," Shepard said, hands back on Joker's seat as we swung to soar beside the relay. The amber sparkles reached for us, the charge sending every hair to point before we surged forward. It kicked my stomach back, hands clenching my upper arms for support.
"Brace for deceleration," EDI said. Oh great… My shaking feet found a rib on the floor, pressing against as hard as my uncontrollable body could muster. The ship thumped to a stop, but not for long. Joker swore and the Normandy swerved upwards, upsetting my already stressed stomach. As bile rose, the tingling eased, the glow receding and control returned. My hands gripped a metal beam. The ship smoothed out, gliding around whatever made Joker freak out.
Too late to turn back now.
My feet found the strength to push me up, hands still on the metal beam. An accretion disc of destroyed ships met my gaze. A black hole, surrounded by the brilliant yellow hue of suns swallowed whole by the monster, dominated the horizon. Millions of ships, some of such strange designs they couldn't have been recent, floated around us, wrecks. One ship caught my eye, in the far distance but the shape was unmistakable, the size colossal.
"Well, I think I know where the Constellation came from," I said. Shepard followed my gaze, landing on a dreadnaught carrier of identical design, shape and size. The only difference was the horrific state of it. Similar ships torn into tiny pieces floated in the general vicinity. There were even smaller versions tumbling among the twisted carnage. "A whole fleet must've come in here… Julian must've used it to escape the galactic core with… with the rest of the Saboteurs,"
"So it was Julian who released the Saboteurs on us?" Shepard asked, eyes back on the view ahead. My eyes narrowed with a snap.
"All Saboteurs were like us, once upon a time. They were normal people trying to fight the monsters in their heads. The difference between Julian and me and the others is that we held on for as long as we have, they couldn't. I would've lost my battle a year ago had Julian not plugged me into the RIT machine. It's possible they never even knew what was happening and were desperate to escape. Hell, I wasn't even out of the Saboteur Cell by this point," I snapped. "You can blame Julian for a lot, but you can't blame him for that," Shepard clucked his tongue.
"I have detected an energy signature near the edge of the accretion disc," EDI interrupted.
The Timeline and Galaxy Map have been updated for this chapter. Please see profile for link to Archive.
A/N: Well, second to last chapter of the book! Next week, I'll announce the name and release date for the next book, as well as the blurb and the poster. I've also overhauled the timeline due to problems plotting in the next book. There was too much crap and no enough space. Now it looks a lot neater and is probably easier to read now. All of the timelines have been updated, so go check it out! I'll see you next week for the final chapter of Revenant!