John Shepard felt an unbearable pain that engulfed his entire body. His thoughts were confused, and he could not understand where he was or how he got here.
Opening his eyes, he saw tongues of fire raging around him, bright and scorching. Heavy, acrid air pressed on his lungs, but it was still possible to breathe, although each breath was difficult.
Raising his head, Shepard noticed a majestic throne towering above him. This was no ordinary throne - its surface was made of skulls, and among them he recognized human skulls, assembled in a terrible order. This sight struck him to the depths of his soul. But what shocked him most was who sat on this throne.
A giant sat upon the throne, his powerful figure clad in heavy, blood-red armor. On the giant's chest and shoulders stood out a fearsome symbol, resembling a complex geometric shape, in the center of which was an inverted triangle with a horizontal line. From this shape, angular lines radiated, intersecting and creating the impression of brute force and unbridled fury. Each line of the symbol was sharp and straight, reminiscent of axes or rough fangs, as if personifying aggression and destruction. This symbol was frightening and mysterious, as if it personified pure rage and destruction. The giant's face was hidden by clouds of thick, black smoke, which made it look even more sinister and mysterious. Only two bright red eyes glowed through the smoke, boring into Shepard with a gaze, as if looking straight into his soul. The enormous throne towered over the hellish setting, surrounded by fire and smoke, as if the world itself groaned under the weight of this creature's presence.
"John Shepard, you are mine now," the giant's heavy voice thundered. He extended his massive hand toward Shepard, intending to grab him.
Shepard was confused, not understanding what was happening. Nightmarish images swam before his eyes, and reality seemed shaky and unreal. When the huge hand was only a meter away from him, a woman's voice suddenly rang out in the air, as if breaking through smoke and fire.
- Get up, Shepard! Wake up!
At that moment, darkness suddenly covered him, as if the whole world disappeared, swallowing his consciousness.
When Shepard opened his eyes again, he found himself in a brightly lit laboratory. The light of cold lamps hurt his eyes after the darkness he had been immersed in. Equipment stood around him: analyzers, monitors and tables with medical instruments.
Shepard regained consciousness, and alarming beeps filled his ears. Looking around, he realized that he was in a laboratory, with its sterile environment and equipment. The fact that he was no longer in the inferno was a relief, although his body still tensed from the memories of that horror.
He stood up with difficulty, feeling his head pounding with pain. In front of him loomed the front panel of the monitor, on which the figure of a girl with black hair appeared. She looked serious and concentrated, her face illuminated by the soft light of the screen.
"Good, you're awake," she said in a calm voice, as if this was an ordinary morning, and not a moment of salvation.
Shepard, trying to concentrate, asked a question, clutching his head, "Where am I and who are you?"
- It doesn't matter now. We are under attack, Shepard. You need to get to the rescue ship as soon as possible. There is an energy pistol in that crate and... - Before she could finish, the image on the screen suddenly disappeared, leaving Shepard in complete uncertainty.
Shepard stood in the lab, his heart still pounding from the nightmare he had just experienced. The lab was filled with cold, sterile light, and the blinking lights of the instruments created a calming atmosphere compared to the hell he had just experienced.
He realized that his situation was far from stable, and with determination he headed towards the crate to get the weapon, hoping to find out what was going on here.
Tali'Zorah vas Nima stood by the door, watching as the admirals argued heatedly. She kept to the background, trying not to draw attention to herself, though her heart was beating faster than usual. Each admiral voiced their opinions, loudly over each other. The atmosphere in the room was tense, as it always was during such meetings.
Her father, Rael'Zorah, had insisted that Tali attend all admiral meetings. He believed that the experience would be invaluable for her, as he saw her as a future admiral. However, Tali herself often felt out of place among such influential and experienced fleet leaders.
Each meeting was difficult for her. She knew that much was expected of her, and she did not want to let down her father or those who trusted her. But despite this, her heart sometimes clenched with anxiety. At such meetings, she tried to be as attentive as possible, to delve into every detail of the discussions and to learn how important decisions were made.
Still, Tali couldn't help but feel like she still had a lot to learn before she could stand on par with these people. At times, she felt like she was too young and inexperienced to be involved in such serious discussions. But seeing how determined her father was to see her succeed, Tali knew she had to do everything she could to live up to his expectations.
They were in a small, high-tech conference room. In the center of the room was a holographic table, around which the admirals were gathered. Bright, blue lines of the hologram filled the space above the table, projecting a detailed map of the Hephaestus star system. In the center of the hologram, numerous ships of the quarian fleet shimmered, their thin outlines moving smoothly in the deep blue vacuum. Subtle flashes indicated energy fields and active systems. However, one of the civilian ships, located at the very heart of the flotilla, stood out from the rest: its outline glowed an alarming red light, as if the device itself was sending out a distress signal.
"We have to help them! They're dying out there!" Admiral Koris, the leader of the civilian fleet, stepped forward. His voice, amplified by the filters of his suit, sounded desperate and determined. His body shook slightly, and even in his protective suit, it was clear that he was tense and depressed.
"I understand your pain, Koris, but there is nothing we can do," Admiral Khan'Gerrell replied, his voice low and level, echoing off the walls of the small room. His form, clad in a massive, reinforced suit, was still and menacing. Khan'Gerrell was known for his stoicism and his willingness to make tough decisions. "We can only wait."
Khan'Gerrell's words, spoken with stern certainty, sent a wave of anger through Koris. He clenched his fists, his breathing growing rapid, audible through his helmet.
"Easy for you to say, those aren't your people, you filthy bosh'tet!" Koris shouted, his voice shaking with rage. He took a step toward Khan'Gerrell, waving his arms as if his words could pierce the Admiral's armor.
Han'Gerrell remained where he was, despite the threats, his face hidden behind the darkened visor of his helmet, showing no emotion. But his stoic posture was one of inflexibility and cold determination.
At that moment, Admiral Shala'Ran intervened. She stepped forward, cutting off the argument.
"Enough!" Her voice was clear and commanding, forcing both admirals to stop talking and turn their attention to her. "Our situation is critical, but we must solve this problem together, not shout at each other like savage varren.
Shala'ran was known for her ability to negotiate and negotiate. Her suit, like the others, was functional and reliable, but her posture betrayed her inner tension and determination. She had always strived to maintain peace and order, and even in this dire situation she was not going to back down from her principles.
Koris, realizing his outburst of anger, stepped back, though his hands were still shaking.
Han'Gerrell, on the other hand, stood still as a rock, his posture expressing an iron will.
The hologram on the table continued to project an image of the fleet, and a red shimmer around one of the ships reminded them that time was running out to make a decision.
Tali stood to the side and watched. She felt her insides tighten with tension and anxiety. She wanted to intervene, to calm the admirals, to offer some kind of solution, but she knew that there was nothing she could do now. Her thoughts raced, but she had no ideas - the situation seemed hopeless.
Two weeks ago, a girl named Ri'Nala returned to the fleet, having completed her Pilgrimage. The first thing she did was go to a civilian ship to see her parents, who lived there among 500,000 quarians. She was greeted with joy, and an examination showed that she was completely healthy. The doctors did not find a single sign of illness - she was clean, as befits a returnee from the Pilgrimage.
However, two days later, the unthinkable happened. Ri'Nala suddenly felt ill. She was rushed to the medical bay, where the doctors, experienced in treating many diseases, were helpless in the face of what they saw. Her body temperature was rising to fatal levels, and small blisters were appearing on her skin, from which bright green pus was flowing. Each new symptom only worsened the situation, and the doctors watched in horror as their efforts brought no results.
Just a day later, Ri'Nala died, leaving the doctors in shock and complete confusion. They did not have time to recover from her death, when the next day new cases of infection began among the ship's inhabitants. The disease, equally mysterious and deadly, spread with unimaginable speed. The doctors checked the air, water, food - everything was clean, but the virus continued to spread, like an invisible enemy that could not be stopped.
When Admiral Koris learned of what was happening, he was overcome with a feeling of deep anxiety. He knew he was responsible for thousands of lives, and every new report of a sick person hurt his soul. He couldn't believe that the situation had gotten out of control so quickly.
With a heavy heart, knowing that there was no other way out, Admiral Koris made one of the hardest decisions of his life. He ordered the ship quarantined to stop the spread of the infection. No one could enter or leave.
The doors swung open, and Admiral Zen, the leader of the science fleet, and Admiral Rael'Zorah, the fleet's chief scientist, walked into the room. Both looked tense, their footsteps thumping on the metal floor.
"Zen, Rael, have you found anything out?" Admiral Koris asked hopefully. There was desperation in his tone; he was expecting at least some positive answer, since Zen and Rael were considered the smartest quarians in the entire Migrant Fleet.
However, Rael's answer was disappointing. He exhaled heavily, as if struggling with the weight of responsibility.
"No," he said, looking down at the holographic table. "No database or Citadel archives indicate what we are dealing with." His voice was full of disappointment, and Koris, looking at him, felt the hope inside him fade.
"So this is a new kind of virus?" Shala'Ran asked carefully, trying to understand the scale of the problem.
"Yes," Zen answered sharply, clenching her fists. "And this is not just a new virus. This is the first virus in the history of the galaxy with an unknown method of transmission. We still don't understand how it's transmitted." Her voice was full of determination, but underneath it there was a deep worry that she couldn't hide.
"Very well," Han'Gerrell said sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now the entire galaxy will shun us even more. If the Citadel finds out about the virus, no colony will accept us for resupply."
"We don't yet know if the virus affects other races or not," Koris countered, although his voice was no longer as confident. "It's all that damned Cerberus! They recently attacked another of our civilian ships. I wouldn't be surprised if they created this virus.
"That's not true," Rael interjected, his voice firm and decisive. "The outbreak began when Ri'Nala returned home from the Pilgrimage."
Tali stood to the side, listening to this conversation, and felt anxiety growing inside her. She didn't know Ri'Nala personally, but she felt terribly sorry for her. The report she had read said that the girl had died in agony. There was nothing worse for a quarian than to die from the disease in such agony.
Rael, seeing the situation worsening, made a difficult decision.
"To prevent this from happening again, I propose that we not allow anyone from the Pilgrimage back into the Fleet," he said, trying to speak clearly, but his words came out of nowhere.
Tali, hearing this, looked sharply at her father, her eyes widening in shock.
"Father!" she blurted out, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "This is madness! They are children returning home! We can't do this to them." Her voice shook with indignation, and she looked at Rael as if he were crazy, not believing that he could suggest something so cruel.
- I agree with Tali, Rael, this is pure madness, - Koris supported, nodding in her direction. His voice was soft, but firm, expressing complete disagreement with Rael's proposal.
- Me too, - added Han'Gerrell, his stern face became even harder. He was ready to make difficult decisions, but this proposal seemed too cruel and unfair to him.
- Rael is right, - said Zen, - I propose a vote.
- Kila, you are crazy! I will not vote for this vile idea, I am leaving, I need to calm the people, - Koris shouted leaving the room.
- It seems the meeting is over, then I will go too, - said Han'Gerrell following Koris.
- Idiots, because of their selfishness we will all die, - said Zen and also left the room.
Only Tali, Ran and Rael remained in the room.
- It... It was hard - Ran broke the silence, breathing heavily.
- Father - Tali turned to her father - Were you seriously trying to close the Fleet?
- There is no way out Tali - Rael said looking at Tali and he looked tired - I acted for the survival of the Fleet, it is my duty.
- Our duty is to protect and care for our people, if we close the Fleet from our people then we will violate our ideals - Tali said sincerely.
Tali cared about the Fleet all her life and she was not going to give up.
- She is right Rael - Ran said putting her hand on Rael's shoulder - Who will we be then?
Rael only chuckled heavily.
"Anyway, we'll need to reconvene, but for now..." Rael said, walking up to the holographic table. His voice was focused, and there was a hidden worry in it. He entered several commands into the control panel, his fingers moving quickly and confidently.
The hologram of the fleet on the table gradually disappeared, replaced by an image of the planet.
"This is the planet Kai, located in the Sigma sector. There is a human colony there that is engaged in the extraction of Element Zero," Rael explained, entering data into the holographic table. Tali and Shala'Ran listened attentively, following his every word.
"What is the matter? Does this have anything to do with us?" Shala'Ran asked, her voice full of doubt. She looked intently at Rael, waiting for an explanation.
"There is Vitor there, whom I asked to study Element Zero in this region," Rael continued, turning his gaze to Tali.
"Why?" — Tali asked, her brow furrowed in surprise.
— The last time we purchased Element Zero from that colony, I thought there was something wrong with it, — Rael spoke seriously, his tone betraying concern. — I sent Vitor there to study the anomaly. He sent me reports every two days, but a week passed and I haven't heard from him.
Tali felt her chest tighten. Vitor was a reliable and responsible quarian, and his disappearance couldn't help but worry her.
— You want me to find out what's going on there? — she asked, already anticipating the answer.
— Yes, — Rael nodded, his gaze softening, but his determination remained. — Besides, you have experience communicating with people. I assigned you a ship and a team of soldiers.
— And who is the leader of that team? — Tali asked, suspecting that she would not like the answer.
"Prazza," Rael answered calmly.
Tali frowned, her eyes flashing with displeasure.
"Father, he will never listen to me. You know he always has his own way." Her voice was full of disappointment and a little worry. Prazza was known for his stubborn nature, and he was not easy to work with.
Rael sighed, understanding her concerns.
"I didn't have any other available lieutenants," he said, regretting that he couldn't offer a better option. "You leave in two hours, so be prepared."
Tali sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. She knew she had a difficult task ahead of her, but she was determined to do the best she could.
"Okay, I'm going," Tali said, nodding to her father. Then, turning, she quickly left the room, trying to act confident even as she was filled with doubt.
"You're being too hard on her," Shala'Ran said, looking softly at Rael.
"She's an adult, she'll be fine," Rael replied, trying to sound confident, but there was a shadow of doubt in his eyes.
"I know," Ran said quietly, "but when was the last time you spoke to her not as a subordinate, but as a father to a daughter?" Her voice was soft, but with a hint of reproach.
Rael paused for a moment, his face tightening.
"Now is not the time for this," he said, clearly trying to avoid the discussion, and headed for the exit.
Shala'Ran just sighed heavily, watching him go. She knew Rael cared about Tali, but she couldn't help but worry that their relationship was becoming more and more formal.
Kel'Varas felt a sharp, excruciating pain that spread throughout his entire body. He knew he was not alone in this suffering - everyone on the civilian ship suffered in the same way. The situation had been getting worse with each passing day since the Fleet quarantined them. The disease was eating away at them from the inside, leaving little hope for salvation.
Kel'Varas hated his current situation. Every two hours, his body convulsed in excruciating spasms, and his stomach turned inside out. Bright green pus oozed from the wounds on his body, leaving stinging marks on his skin. His thoughts grew darker, and he increasingly wondered if there was any point in continuing to live if the pain would never end.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his head, as if someone had driven a red-hot blade into his skull. Kel'Varas clutched his head, trying to suppress a scream, but instead heard eerie voices. They sounded like they were coming from the very depths of his mind, each sound more tormenting than the last.
His body suddenly froze, and his consciousness seemed to leave him. He no longer felt like he was the master of his own body - something alien and sinister had taken control of it. Kel'Varas rose slowly from his seat, his movements seeming unnatural, as if he were a puppet on invisible strings.
He pulled off his glove and stared at his palm, from which bright green pus was oozing. As if in a trance, he walked to the wall and began to draw something on its surface. The pus flowed down his fingers, leaving behind greasy, sticky traces.
A terrible symbol slowly began to appear on the wall, which Kel'Varas drew without realizing it. They were circles with three identical curved lines, connected at one point and diverging in different directions, as if giving birth to disease and decay. The symbol exuded an atmosphere of evil and decay, as if the wall itself was infected with the disease along with Kel'Varas.
Having finished the drawing, he stepped back and, still under the influence of someone else's will, stared blankly at his creation. The disease had completely consumed him, and in his eyes there was no fear or pain - only emptiness.
- Glory to Nurgle, Father of Rot, Rot and Decay for all - he said from his lips before losing consciousness.
The symbol then began to glow a bright green.
"So I was in a coma for two years," Shepard breathed out heavily, his gaze directed at Miranda and Jacob. He tried to comprehend what he had heard, but his thoughts were jumbled, and time seemed to stretch.
Jacob Taylor, a man with short dark hair and a strong build, took a step forward. His face was focused but kind, his eyes serious.
"Yes, we did everything we could to save you," Jacob said, his voice firm and confident, although there was a slight worry in it about Shepard's reaction.
Miranda Lawson, standing next to him, nodded in confirmation of his words. Her long, black hair was neatly styled, and her eyes, cold and penetrating, carefully studied Shepard, assessing his condition. She was dressed in a white, form-fitting suit with black inserts, which emphasized her elegant, but combative figure.
- And we did it, - her voice was calm, but there was an iron determination in it. - Now we need your help, Shepard.
She said it with such confidence that Shepard had no doubt that what they were about to offer him would be an important and difficult test.
After Shepard woke up, they were suddenly attacked by security robots that had once been their allies. But, fighting side by side, they managed to get out of danger and head to another base to regroup.
On the way, as soon as the situation stabilized a little, Shepard stopped and turned to Miranda and Jacob. His gaze was cold and stern.
"Why would terrorists help me?" he asked, looking at them intently. There was tension in his voice, mixed with suspicion.
He knew very well who Cerberus were. This organization had a bad reputation, and Shepard was not going to submit to them so easily, even if they saved his life. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an explanation, ready for any development.
Miranda held his gaze, her face remained calm, but her eyes were determined. Jacob, on the contrary, looked a little more tense, understanding that Shepard's trust was not so easy to win.
"I think if you talk to the Illusive Man, you will gladly want to work with us yourself," Miranda said.
"The Illusive Man? Who else is that?" Shepard asked.
"Our boss and the founder of the organization, he is already expecting to see you," Jacob answered, pointing to the door leading to the Illusive Man.
Shepard looked at them seriously, exhaling, he headed for the door.
When he found himself in the room, he saw that it was empty. Shepard began to think that it was a trap, but small cameras appeared from the floor and immediately began scanning Shepard.
A few seconds later, a hologram of a man sitting on a chair appeared in front of him.
"I think if you talk to the Illusive Man, you'll want to work with us yourself," Miranda said confidently, her voice calm but firm.
"The Illusive Man? Who else is that?" Shepard frowned, clearly not trusting either Miranda or Jacob.
"Our boss and the founder of the organization. He's already waiting to meet you," Jacob replied, pointing to the door that led to the Illusive Man's room. There was a slight tension in his voice, as if he himself wasn't entirely sure how this meeting would go.
Shepard looked at them seriously, holding his gaze for a moment. He sighed, internally gathering his strength, and headed for the door. His steps were confident, but his head was spinning with thousands of thoughts.
When he entered the room, he was immediately struck by the emptiness. The space was almost completely dark, with only a dim light barely outlining the contours of the room. Shepard was wary, his instincts screaming about a possible trap. But before he could do anything, the floor suddenly came to life, and small cameras rose from it. They instantly headed towards Shepard, starting to scan him from head to toe.
A few seconds later, a hologram of a person sitting on a chair materialized in front of him. It was the Illusive Man - a tall man with silver hair, dressed in a strict black suit. His eyes were piercing, cold, and seemed to glow with an unnatural blue fire. He held a cigarette in his hands, and a light smoke rose to the ceiling, adding an ominous atmosphere to the scene.
The Illusive Man looked like a person who is always in control of the situation and never shows his true intentions. His face remained impassive, but in every movement there was a hidden threat and absolute confidence in his own rightness.
Shepard tensed involuntarily, waiting for what would follow.
"Commander Shepard, I am glad you have awakened. First of all, I would like to apologize for the unpleasant circumstances in which you were awakened," the Illusive Man said, smoking a cigarette. His voice was calm, but there was a hidden authority in it.
"There is no need to apologize, no one expected this," Shepard replied, remembering his awakening and the fight with the security robots. His gaze was serious. "So you are the Illusive Man? I thought we would meet face to face."
The Illusive Man smiled slightly, but his eyes remained cold.
"Circumstances have forced me to use this method of communication. But I will tell you frankly and honestly, Shepard: humanity and the entire galaxy are in danger of destruction," his words sounded like a harsh sentence.
"Reapers," Shepard said firmly, his confidence leaving no room for doubt.
"Exactly," the Illusive Man nodded, leaning back in his virtual chair. "I didn't invest so much in you for nothing, Shepard. I'm confident that you're the only one who can stop this threat."
Shepard frowned. He knew what the Reapers were capable of, and he knew that if they weren't stopped, everyone would die. But the idea of working with Cerberus, a terrorist organization, disgusted him.
"I'm grateful to you for saving my life," Shepard began, his voice serious and determined. "But I can't work with people I don't trust, especially terrorists."
The Illusive Man took his time answering. He took a drag on his cigarette, exhaled, and continued calmly.
"You don't have to worry about that, Shepard. I understand your moral compass. That's why you'll be leading your team. You'll be doing what you think you can during the mission, and Cerberus will provide the funding and resources you need."
Shepard stared at the Illusive Man's hologram, trying to figure out his true intentions. The Illusive Man's words made sense, but something about this deal still bothered him. However, the threat of the Reapers was too great to ignore.
"Okay, I agree," Shepard said, sighing slightly. "But I would like to know if my former team is okay."
"Many survived that ill-fated attack," the Illusive Man replied, his voice steady and confident. "Only you and a few others were presumed dead."
The Illusive Man's words brought relief to Shepard. He had been very worried about his comrades, afraid that they might have been hurt or, worse, killed. But now, knowing that most of them had survived, he felt a heavy weight lift off his shoulders.
"Then I would like them back on my team," Shepard stated firmly.
The Illusive Man chuckled slightly and shook his head.
"Easier said than done," he said, pausing briefly.
"Why?" Shepard frowned, not understanding the problem.
"It's been two years, Shepard. They all have their own lives now," the Illusive Man explained. "I've reviewed the files of each of your former comrades, and they're all doing their own thing."
Shepard raised an eyebrow, his interest clearly piqued.
"And what do they do?"
The Illusive Man leaned forward slightly, his expression serious.
"Garrus Vakarian was working as a mercenary on Omega and mysteriously disappeared from view. Urdnot Wrex is on his homeworld, working as a diplomat to unite the krogan clans into a coherent whole. Liara T'Soni is on Illium, opening her own intelligence firm. Ashley Williams is still with the Alliance, and I don't think she'd be happy to work with you, knowing that you're working with Cerberus. Tali'Zorah is back home on the Migrant Fleet, doing missions for the admirals. As you can see, they all have their own lives now, Shepard."
The Illusive Man's words gave Shepard pause. He knew that two years was a long time, and a lot could have changed.
"I guess you're right," Shepard said, his voice thick with disappointment. He had really hoped to get his team back together, but the reality was more complicated.
"Don't worry, Shepard," the Illusive Man reassured him, noticing his distress. "I'll provide you with a dossier of the galaxy's finest specialists. They don't work for me, but they're not currently busy. I'm sure you can recruit them aboard the Normandy."
"The Normandy?" Shepard asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "But it was destroyed."
The Illusive Man allowed himself a small smile, his voice full of confidence.
"I've built a new, improved version of the Normandy, Shepard."
A hologram of the new ship appeared in front of Shepard at that moment. His eyes widened in surprise.
The new Normandy was impressive: it was significantly larger and more technologically advanced than its predecessor. The ship had a sleek, aerodynamic hull, covered in dark gray and black metal that gleamed in the starlight. Blue energy lines glowed brightly along the sides of the hull, indicating powerful engines capable of incredible speeds. The ship's wings were slightly wider, with maneuvering thrusters added, and the lower hull was reinforced for better protection. The stern was emblazoned with the words "SR-2", indicating that this was the next version of the famous ship.
After viewing the ship, Shepard looked at the Illusive Man.
"So, what is the situation and where should I begin?" Shepard crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze focused and serious.
"The situation is, to say the least, bleak," the Illusive Man began, his voice calm but filled with concern. "People have been disappearing from human colonies for the past six months."
"Disappearing?" — Shepard frowned, raising an eyebrow slightly. — So, everyone?
— Yes, every single one of them, — the Illusive Man confirmed, his face impassive. — And we have no idea who's behind it. It's your job to find out.
— What about the Alliance? Are they not investigating? — Shepard felt a growing sense of unease. It seemed unthinkable that the Alliance would ignore such events.
— They don't care, Shepard, — the Illusive Man shook his head slightly. — They're preoccupied with other problems.
— What problems? — Shepard asked, his voice growing more tense.
— That's the next bad news, — the Illusive Man continued, his tone growing serious. — The Alliance's Third Fleet recently disappeared from radar. No one knows where they are or what they're doing.
— How is that possible? — Shepard was stunned. — An entire fleet? Does that mean all the ships and soldiers have deserted?
"The Alliance thinks so, and has already condemned everyone in this fleet to desertion. But it's not just the Alliance that has lost a fleet," the Illusive Man paused briefly, emphasizing the importance of this next piece of information. "The Turians, the Asari, the Salarians, and even the Krogan have lost entire fleets as well. They're keeping it a closely guarded secret."
"You think the Reapers did this?" Shepard frowned, his thoughts vacillating between shock and understanding.
— The Reapers have the power to control sentient beings, Shepard. They did it to Saren, and now they may have an entire army under their control. No one knows where they are. Do you think it's just a coincidence?
— No, — Shepard shook his head, his expression grim. — I think you're right.
— First assignment: go to the planet Kaya in the Sigma system. There's a human colony there, and an alert came over my comms an hour ago. Find out what's going on there.
— Okay, I'll leave immediately, — Shepard said, heading decisively for the exit of the room.
The Illusive Man's gaze lingered for a moment as Shepard left, and then, disconnecting the comms, he quietly wished him luck.
Dor'Lanar and So'Larin sat in their observation room, looking at the screen displaying the data on the Civilian ship that had been quarantined. It was a routine task: every two hours they recorded a report on the ship's status and transmitted it personally to Admiral Koris. All was calm and quiet until a sudden loud signal from the terminal broke their concentration.
"What's going on?" Dor'Lanar asked, his tone worried, his body instantly tensing.
"It's an alarm," So'Larin replied, his fingers quickly running across the holographic display. "The Civilian ship has activated its engines."
"That's impossible! We've disabled access to that ship's engines!" Dor'Lanar's voice was panicked.
"I know!" So'Larin tried to enter override commands, but to no avail. His heart began to beat faster as he noticed something strange on the screen. "Oh, Keela..."
"What!?" — Dor'Lanar leaned forward, trying to see what had scared his partner so much.
— Element Zero on this ship is growing at an incredible rate! — So'Larin literally froze in place, his eyes widening in shock.
— What does that mean? — Dor'Lanar asked, feeling his hands begin to shake.
— It shouldn't be growing at all! — So'Larin was shocked. — That doesn't happen! This is the first time I've seen it grow at all!
— Keela, connect me to Admiral Koris, now! — Dor'Lanar rose from his seat, his voice shaking with tension.
— It's not working! — So'Larin frantically pressed the buttons. — Element Zero's height is causing severe interference! I can't even connect to this ship!
— Turn on the surveillance cameras, I want to see what's going on, — Dor'Lanar said, his voice sounding tense.
So'larin quickly entered the necessary commands, and an image appeared on the screen. They saw the Civilian ship slowly moving forward, ignoring the commands to override.
"Where is it going?" Dor'Lanar frowned, trying to comprehend what was happening. "If they want to escape, the relay is on the other side."
But before they could do anything, the space in front of the ship suddenly cracked like glass, tearing apart reality. A huge portal opened in that place, pulsating with green light, as if it were woven from pure energy. Beams of light twisted around the portal, making it seem as if it was consuming the space around it. The portal, resembling a rip in the space-time continuum itself, was so bright and powerful that they could barely look at it.
The ship, without stopping, headed straight into this green vortex. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the portal closed instantly, leaving behind only the void of space where a moment ago there was a huge ship with 500,000 quarians on board.
"This can't be..." So'larin whispered, not believing his eyes. His hands were shaking, and he instinctively pulled away from the screen.
As soon as the ship disappeared, the static on their screens instantly disappeared, leaving behind a ringing silence. This only increased the feeling of dread that gripped both quarians.
"Connect me to Admiral Koris, now!" Dor'Lanar barely kept his voice from shaking, feeling his heart beating in a frantic rhythm.
So'larin hastily began entering commands, trying to contact the admiral, realizing that they had just witnessed something truly eerie and inexplicable.