Location: Normandy
Shepard was on the Normandy, heading to the briefing room to talk to the Illusive Man. It had been two days since the incident on Kaya. He and Tali had separated, and as soon as Shepard returned aboard, Miranda began scolding him. There was obvious disappointment in her voice - she thought Shepard had made a mistake by allowing Tali to take Vitor, who might have valuable information. But Shepard didn't care. He wasn't going to ruin his relationship with Tali for information that hadn't even been confirmed.
On the way to the briefing room, Shepard thought about Tali again.
"She's changed a lot," he muttered, remembering the young girl he'd taken on the hunt for Saren.
She was inexperienced back then and always nervous before missions. Now, two years later, Tali was much stronger, and she was leading her own squad. Shepard didn't know how she felt after the tragedy on the planet, when she lost her soldiers. He even felt ashamed that he didn't ask her about it, because losing subordinates is always hard, and Shepard knew about it firsthand.
He stepped into the room, where they immediately began to scan him, and a hologram of the Illusive Man appeared in front of him. As always, the Illusive Man was sitting on a chair, smoking a cigarette.
"Shepard, I am pleased with the work you did," the Illusive Man began, his bright blue eyes staring intently at Shepard. "The data from the colony turned out to be useful. Now we at least know who is behind the abductions."
"The Collectors," Shepard confirmed, to which the Illusive Man nodded.
"Yes, we still don't know their exact motives, but I am convinced that the Reapers are behind them.
"And this mysterious monster that killed almost all the Collectors and almost killed us?" Who was it?
"We don't know yet, but I'm investigating. As soon as I have news, I'll update you."
"Okay, I'm planning to head to Omega now. We'll gather supplies and gear for the next mission there," Shepard was about to disconnect, but the Illusive Man interrupted him.
"Wait, Shepard. I'd like to discuss Miranda."
"And what about her?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She sent me a detailed report on your actions in the colony. To put it mildly, she's very critical of you."
"Really? Who would have thought," Shepard responded sarcastically.
He was prepared for Miranda to be displeased after his orders and decisions. It's unlikely that she missed the opportunity to insert her comments into the report and try to put a spoke in the wheels.
— She wrote that you released a quarian who might have important information about the colony. Why?
— "Might" is the key word. This guy has suffered enough, and I was not going to make things worse for him. I do not regret my decision.
— It was not rational, but I trust you, Shepard. Do as you see fit. But just so you know, we would not have tortured him if that is what you are worried about.
— Tali'Zorah already told me how you get information, Illusive Man. And she also told me how Cerberus attacked one of the civilian ships and wiped out all the quarians. Sorry, but I trust her more than you, — Shepard replied, looking at his interlocutor seriously.
The Illusive Man sighed heavily. He knew that Shepard would not trust him, but in order for the cooperation to continue, he needed to gain at least a drop of trust from the commander. So he decided to tell Shepard the truth about his resurrection.
"Shepard, I am not your enemy. I am trying to help you. I want you to trust me. So I will be honest - we did not attack the quarians for no reason."
"And what is the reason for this terror?"
"It was not terror, it was a rescue mission."
Shepard frowned, clearly not expecting to hear such an explanation.
"A rescue mission? And who, I wonder, were you saving?"
"An engineer named Adam. He was Cerberus' best engineer until the quarians took him from us. I tried to resolve this issue peacefully, but Admiral Rael'Zorah refused to give him back. Adam was studying geth neural networks, and Rael wanted to use his knowledge to create a new weapon against the geth. He deliberately hid it on a civilian ship, thinking that we would not dare to attack. But he was wrong. I always return my assets, Shepard. If anyone was to blame, it was the Admiral.
Shepard was stunned. He had always believed that the quarians helped each other, but if the Illusive Man was telling the truth, then Rael had put his people in harm's way.
"I find that hard to believe," Shepard said, his voice doubtful. "Was that engineer really that important?"
"Yes, without him you wouldn't have been resurrected."
The Illusive Man's words caught Shepard off guard.
"Resurrected? What do you mean?" Shepard looked at the hologram warily.
The Illusive Man responded by showing an image of a charred corpse. The entire body was covered in black soot and looked completely lifeless.
"That was you, two years ago, after the Normandy was destroyed. You died, Shepard. You weren't in a coma."
Shepard stood there, unable to tear his eyes away from the hologram. Everything he knew, everything he thought about his return, was a lie.
Location: Omega
The Harbinger, in the body of one of the Collectors, stood at the terminal and thought deeply about the next steps.
For the last two years, everything had gone according to plan. The Collectors under his direction carefully and methodically kidnapped people from human colonies, trying not to attract the attention of the authorities. The Harbinger intended to speed up the process, but did so carefully so as not to arouse suspicion.
However, his last raid on the planet Kaya failed. The forces of Chaos, which he had long considered a threat in the distant future, had finally gained enough power and could now move around the galaxy wherever they wanted.
The Harbinger considered the movement of the forces of Chaos to be the biggest problem. Unlike all sentient beings in the galaxy, including the Reapers themselves, who were limited by the network of Relays, the forces of Chaos could travel anywhere. The Reapers could only get from point A to point B, following the established routes of the Relays. Chaos, however, acted differently.
Using Element Zero to its full potential, Chaos opened portals that allowed travel through distorted space. This other dimension, known as the Warp, was filled with chaos and destruction, where time itself and the laws of nature obeyed different rules. The Warp violated the usual patterns, turning travel through it into a deadly game.
The Harbinger did not expect Chaos to attack so quickly. Realizing his vulnerability, he quickly left the planet and retreated. Even his Collectors, former Protheans whose bodies he had genetically altered to protect them from Chaos's influence, were unable to fight back against this threat.
The Harbinger lost himself in thought, dialing the coordinates of the Omega-4 relay. These moments were rare for him - he avoided returning to the memories of his creators, erasing even the smallest images from his memory. But now he allowed himself to linger in these thoughts.
Leviathans. An ancient race that was the first to realize that the galaxy was inhabited by many forms of life. They were the first to conquer interstellar space, discover Element Zero, and begin building relays across the galaxy, connecting worlds and civilizations. These giant creatures considered it their duty to help other races develop and prosper.
But where the Leviathans sought harmony, their charges often preferred conflict and bloodshed. Galactic wars broke out one after another, and the Leviathans only watched what was happening, remaining on the sidelines.
Years passed in endless battles, until one day a colossal explosion occurred in one of the systems. An explosion of such force that its waves spread to several planets. This event was accompanied by a piercing scream that echoed across the galaxy. Thus was born the first God of Chaos - Khorne.
An outbreak of rage and bloodlust spread like an epidemic. Peaceful civilizations that had recently flourished suddenly began to fight among themselves. Even the Leviathans, who were considered the pinnacle of evolution, began to experience emotions they had never suspected before: rage, aggression, an uncontrollable desire for violence.
They studied this phenomenon and came to a terrifying discovery: Element Zero was not a product of their universe. It came from the Warp - an alternate dimension where reality is distorted, and emotions and thoughts take on material forms. Element Zero became a catalyst, a conduit, absorbing all the negative emotions of intelligent beings and feeding the Warp. As a result, entities with intelligence and limitless power began to be born - the Gods of Chaos.
Khorne was the first of them, filled with rage and bloodlust. His influence spread across the galaxy, and he consumed more and more civilizations. On planets where wars raged, Element Zero began to turn into Dark Matter, accelerating the aging of stars and planets and destroying entire systems.
The Leviathans tried to contain Chaos, but their forces were insignificant compared to the armies of daemons. They created the first Reapers to protect the galaxy, but they were unable to stop the endless hordes of Khorne. Planets died one by one, daemons destroyed everything in their path, and the Leviathans desperately sought a solution.
The Harbinger, then just one of the many Leviathan machines, came to a cruel conclusion: the only way to defeat Chaos was to destroy all life that fed it. He began with his own people, exterminating the Leviathans, and then turned his forces on all sentient civilizations, wiping them out to the last creature.
The galaxy was empty, and with it the daemons disappeared. Dark Matter began to slowly dissipate, turning back into Element Zero. The Reapers retreated to the dark corners of space, waiting for intelligent life to repopulate the galaxy so they could begin a new cycle of destruction.
Cycle after cycle, the Reapers followed this method until one of them was broken. Humanity intervened and thwarted their plans. And now, for the first time in millions of years, the Reapers were faced with something beyond their calculations.
The Harbinger coldly analyzed the situation. Time was against him: the Reapers would reach the galaxy in thirteen months. And in that time, the Chaos Gods would be looking for their champions to sow discord and strife.
So he had one goal: delay them as long as possible and prepare the Reapers to exterminate all sentient life in the galaxy.
As the Harbinger typed the coordinates of the Relay, nine sinister eyes stared at him, piercing through the Warp, watching his every move.
Planet: Tuchanka
An old krogan named Urdnot Wrex sat on his stone throne, yawning with boredom and indifference. Another clan leader stood before him, heatedly scolding him for violating the old krogan traditions.
"Why can't my men and I attack those vile frogs?!" the leader of the Iron Fist clan shouted furiously, glaring at Wrex. "You've probably forgotten who deprived us of the opportunity to have children, Urdnot!"
"I remember very well and will never forget, Tarnek. But I don't want any more problems to fall upon us because of your anger," Wrex began to explain, holding back his irritation. "There are already so few of us, and you want to start a pointless war just because a couple of salarians called you a 'stupid rock.'"
Tarnek just growled angrily, clenching his fists.
"They had no right to say that! I am a veteran of many wars and after I saved them, these creatures insulted me!"
"Saved?" Rex smirked. "You were hired as a bodyguard. And instead of doing your job, you spent all their credits on booze and managed to end up behind bars for vandalism in a casino! Calling you a "stupid rock" is even a compliment, Tarnek. Now get out of my sight, or I will make you apologize to them personally!"
"Oh, so! Okay!" Tarnek growled angrily and left the throne room in anger.
Rex sighed tiredly and ran a clawed hand over his forehead.
"Why is everyone in the Iron Fist clan so careless?" "This is the fifth one this week, and by their leader," said Draknor Tar'Shak, Wrex's loyal shaman, who stood nearby.
"They are not careless," Wrex shook his head. "They are idiots, and there is no need to choose softer words for them."
He looked thoughtfully at the hall, where the voices of other elders and clan leaders were heard discussing the fate of the krogan. Urdnot Wrex had managed to unite almost all the clans under his banner over the past two years, creating a strong coalition. It had been difficult, but every day he was getting closer to his goal - to strengthen the krogan race and return them to their former glory, despite all the internal strife and stupidity of some of his people.
Three unfamiliar krogan suddenly entered the hall with a crash. They wore scarlet armor studded with sharp spikes, and on the chest of each was an unfamiliar symbol. They strode past the others, their footsteps echoing in the quiet hall, until they stood before Wrex's throne, glaring at him with icy eyes.
"So you are the great clan uniter Urdnot Wrex?" one of them sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "I expected you to be taller." He looked Wrex up and down, as if assessing an opponent in the arena.
Wrex's eyes narrowed, his claws digging into the arms of the throne.
"Who are you?" he growled, his voice thick with menace. "And what clan are you from?"
"We are no longer of any clan. We are followers of the great Khorne."
"Khorne?" Shaman Draknor asked, surprised. "I have never heard that name. Who is this krogan?" "That's not a krogan, you old varan!" the stranger snorted, turning his head to the shaman. "I'm not talking to you, one more word and I'll rip out your tongue!"
"Enough!" Rex barked, abruptly rising from his throne. The floor shook beneath him. "How dare you, youngster, talk to us like that?! Are you tired of living?"
The stranger grinned, his lips stretching into a predatory smile.
"How evil we are," he drawled in a mocking tone. "You're old, Rex. Too old to lead us. I'm here to challenge you! I challenge you to Krag'Ash'Tar!"
A deathly silence fell over the hall. All the krogan stared at the insolent man. Krag'Ash'Tar is a sacred ritual in which the right to leadership is contested in mortal combat.
Draknor Tar'Shak lunged forward, his eyes blazing with anger.
"You can't!" he shouted. "You said yourself that you're not a member of any clan! Only a clan leader can challenge you, and you still need...
The shaman froze in place when he saw what the stranger pulled out of the bag.
"A Lycanthrope Tooth?" Draknor breathed out, his voice shaking. "You mean..."
"Exactly, you old monitor lizard!" the stranger held up a huge, sharp tooth for all to see. "I killed him. And if you doubt it, go outside and admire his corpse for yourself. I brought it especially for the likes of you."
Rex's eyes narrowed. Lycanthropes are giant predators that live underground in Tuchanka. They come to the surface once every ten years in search of food. It is almost impossible to kill such a beast due to its incredibly tough skin. It was because of the Lycanthropes that the old clan leaders made it a rule that only those who could kill one of their own could challenge their authority.
"And as for the clan," the krogan continued, his voice ringing with triumph. "I hereby formally declare the creation of a new clan: the Scarlet Spears! The terms have been met. You cannot refuse me, Urdnot Wrex!"
Draknor glanced nervously at Wrex, but he stood motionless, as if carved from stone, his gaze focused and full of fury.
"Good!" Wrex growled. "Tomorrow at dawn I will crush your skull and throw your corpse to the varrans to devour!"
The krogan crowd roared in approval of their leader's words.
"Sleep well, old man," the stranger grinned. "Tomorrow your skull will adorn the throne of the great Khorne."
With that, he turned and stalked out of the hall, leaving only Wrex's tension and rage behind him.
Location: Migrant Fleet
Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay stood before a crowd of tense and anxious quarians, trying to keep her voice calm and confident.
"I repeat, there is no reason to panic," she said firmly, trying to sound confident.
"There is no reason to panic?" one of the quarians shouted, clenching his fists in anger. "I apologize, Admiral, but I no longer trust you! You said the same thing before the quarantine, and what did it lead to?"
There were cheers from the crowd. The emotions were growing, and it seemed like the situation was about to spiral out of control.
"My son was on that ship!" an elderly quarian began to cry, pushing forward. "You are to blame for what is happening now!"
The Civilian ship mysteriously disappeared two days ago, and the Fleet has been in a state of panic and fear ever since. All the Admirals went to their ships, trying to calm the population. Admiral Koris took the hardest hit, as it was his crew and passengers who were on the missing ship. Since then, he has rarely left his cabin, lost in thought and despair.
Shala'Raan sighed, trying to calm her nerves. She could feel the despair of her people growing. The Migrant Fleet, already in constant danger, had literally turned upside down after this incident.
"Ancestors, help us," Raan whispered softly, her words lost in the roar of the crowd.
One of the officers approached her.
"Admiral Shala'Raan, Miss Tali'Zorah has returned. She is in the main hangar now."
Raan felt a moment of relief, knowing that her dear girl had returned home.
"Make sure no one causes trouble here. "I'll go to the hangar," she ordered, leaving the officer to deal with the crowd alone.
As Shala'Raan walked the long corridors of her ship, she saw her people sinking into despair. Some sat on the floor with their faces in their hands, some prayed to the Ancestors, some quietly sobbed, remembering their loved ones.
As soon as she reached the hangar, her gaze fell on the dead bodies that were being carefully pulled out of the ship on stretchers. Tali stood near the ramp, watching as her former subordinates were carried out of the ship. Her posture expressed a mixture of pain and stubbornness - despite the loss, she held on.
Raan, with a pain in her chest, approached and saw Tali quietly looking at Prazza's body. Even though she knew he was a problematic subordinate, Tali still took Prazza's lifeless body to be buried in her home, as was the tradition of her people. Raan watched as her dear girl swallowed her hurt.
"Tali, are you okay?" Raan asked worriedly, approaching her niece. Her heart sank with pain at the sight of her depressed state.
Tali recognized her aunt's voice, but did not answer. Raan noticed how her shoulders trembled. She understood that Tali blamed herself, and tried to comfort her.
"It's not your fault, Tali," Raan said softly, carefully taking her hand. "No one could have foreseen what happened."
"I know," Tali answered quietly, but there was weariness in her voice. "I always knew this would happen someday. I'm a bad commander."
"Being a commander is not easy," Raan agreed. "I also lose good soldiers every day. But this pain should not stop us.
Tali looked at her with a slight sadness in her eyes.
— How do you cope with it?
Raan sighed, her gaze becoming distant for a moment.
"I just live with it," she admitted. "If you blame yourself every time, it will destroy you sooner or later."
Tali thought for a moment. Raan was right. To be a better leader, she had to learn to accept the pain of loss and move forward, to make more thoughtful decisions in the future.
"I'll remember that, Aunt Raan. Thank you," Tali replied, taking a deep breath.
"Okay. You need to rest," Raan said softly, leading Tali to the common quarters.
As they walked, Tali noticed that the Fleet residents were acting strangely, not like usual: nervousness and confusion reigned everywhere. Her heart sank with a premonition of trouble.
"Raan, is something wrong?"
Raan paused, thinking. Her gaze slid over the wary faces of the quarians. She sighed.
"Eh, I was going to tell you this when you've had some rest... but I guess I'll have to do it now," Raan replied, preparing to tell her niece about the recent troubling events in the Fleet.
Location: Migrant Fleet
"This is incredible! I have never seen such high levels of Element Zero in my life," Admiral Daro'Zen vas Moreh said with admiration, not taking her eyes off the terminal screen.
She and Admiral Rael'Zorah were in the laboratory aboard the ship "Alarey," studying a container with Element Zero, enclosed in durable protective glass. The green glow of the substance was brightly reflected on their faces, creating a mysterious, almost mystical atmosphere in the room.
"Due to unknown factors, it has changed significantly," Rael said thoughtfully, recording data into the terminal. "But this change was the reason for the disappearance of the Civilian ship."
"I can say with certainty that the ship made a hyperspace jump without using a relay," Zen's voice sounded excited and impatient. "If only we could control the process of changing Element Zero, it would open up unlimited possibilities for us!" We would revolutionize interstellar travel in the galaxy!
"It's just a theory," Rael interrupted, but he couldn't hide a slight smile. "Although... you're right."
"Imagine what we could do!" Zen continued, waving her arms as if her ideas were already beginning to become reality. "With technology like that, we could launch surprise attacks on the geth, moving around the battlefield instantly, without relays. We wouldn't have to rely on your weapons anymore..."
"It's not a weapon, it's a virus," Rael clarified coldly. "It's still in development, but with or without your help, I'll complete the project."
Zen frowned.
"Are you really counting on that virus?" she asked mockingly. "You don't even fully understand the schematics that man gave you."
Rael narrowed his eyes angrily.
"I'm studying them," he snapped. — And you swore you wouldn't mention it.
— I know, I know, — Zen sighed, raising her hands in a placating gesture. — It's just... because of the last incident, I'm starting to feel guilty.
— You have a conscience? — Rael laughed heartily, shaking his head. — That's really amazing.
— You know what I mean, — Zen muttered discontentedly, looking away. — I just think your virus is a dead end.
Rael turned to her, looking her straight in the eyes.
— We can do this. We have to do it.
Zen wanted to say something, but she held back, sighed, and turned her attention back to Element Zero.
A soldier entered the lab, saluting Rael.
— Admiral Rael'Zorah, your daughter returned from her mission safe and sound. She brought Vitor home.
Rael froze, his fingers hovering over the terminal for a moment.
"Good. Bring Vitor here," he ordered.
The soldier hesitated for a moment.
"Also, Tali'Zorah wants to talk to you."
Rael frowned.
"Tell her I'm busy."
The soldier shifted nervously from one foot to the other.
"She insists, sir. She says it's important."
Rael's face twisted in irritation.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" His voice grew harsher. "That's an order."
The soldier swallowed and saluted, quickly leaving the lab.
Zen, watching the scene, shook her head.
"Wow, what a perfect father, huh?" she said with a grin, noticing Rael exhale heavily, clearly calming himself.
"She's an adult now," Rael replied, returning to his notes. - She understands that I have a lot of work. Talking can wait.
- Hm... as you say, - Zen responded, her voice was light, but there was a shadow of condemnation in it. - After all, this is your child, not mine.
Rael frowned in irritation, but remained silent, immersing himself again in the numbers and graphs on the screen.