Six hours.
Six hours and they remained steadfast under their intentional coms blackout.
Unmoving. Barely breathing.
Hushed and under the blanket of darkness, the lone human and quarian stood. Waiting.
Tali was acutely aware that this moment demanded their utmost focus, yet she felt compelled to voice a cherished memory, regardless of the risk it might pose.
"John." She whispered softly to grab his attention.
John's gaze shifted subtly and he met her eyes.
"What is it, hun?"
"Remember when you first saw me?" She asked meekly, wistfulness vaguely there.
"Yeah. I do." He said at length, pulling from memory his first encounter with her. The one in that alley way on the Citadel. Solemnity obscured his stare.
"I meant on Ullipses." She corrected. She traced the outline of the glass over her face, "When I took this off to breathe the fire and feel the air."
He did recall. He recalled it perfectly. That beautiful and unguarded smile. The raven hair. Her soft skin. And those two eyes, holding galaxies within. It never stopped mesmerizing him since. An angel by all accounts. Ethereal really.
"Of course I remember. But I thought you did it because you had an itch on your nose." Was his playful reply.
"So you do remember."
"How could I forget? You were a hot mess."
She made a face. One that was amused and invoked a little challenge. "Hot mess, huh? Hot mess of what."
"Happy and worried all the same time." He graced her wrist with a gentle touch. "You poor thing. Thought I'd pigeonholed you into the friendzone because you thought you were ugly."
"Well; having John Shepard fall for some alien chick was always going to be a long shot. Don't you think?"
"Nah." He shook his head, "You had me all roped up a few weeks in. Honest to god. Tals, I know I've told you plenty before, but it's not impossible to see anything. Always been able to see that pretty lil' nose. And those gorgeous eyes."
Their fleeting moment of levity, a brief respite from the wing of desperation they'd been under, slowly faded. Tali's soft laugh, a sound of pure, unguarded joy, echoed through their private channel.
"You still make me feel all giddy."
"Still gotta crush on your fiancé?"
"Uh, yeah. I do." She said, smitten.
"Me too."
The fog of silence fell upon them once more. Reality reclaimed its oppressive hold and their smiles waned to nothing. It let their minds wander. Inevitably, Tali reminded herself of losing Lantar and it made her feel like a speck. That brief moment of happiness struck her as jarringly out of touch. She felt cloaked by guilt and its shadow grew in the wake of their laughter. It wasn't at all reverent to have found a moment of lightness when they were steeped in the tragedy of having lost someone. A man who'd risked his life in some fruitless attempt to secure the two of them a higher chance to escape the prison and its walls. And yet, here they were. Still stuck. And no results. She shouldn't have forgotten so easily. The contrast of their fleeting joy with everything that'd happened left Tali unsettled and it made her wrestle internally the guilt festering inside.
A bitter sigh escaped her. "I hope Sidonis didn't suffer."
John's reply was a sullen whisper. "I hope so too, Tali."
"Did you ever talk to Sidonis?"
"A handful of times, yes." He said, remembering with a faraway look, "Was like talking to Garrus' twin."
Another bout of quiet third-wheeled them.
"They shouldn't have done what they did." Shepard said, thinking hard and carefully, "He'd still be alive right now."
She couldn't put any words together to say anything.
She watched his shoulders fall slightly. He scanned their sightlines again to make sure no one was near them.
A squawk on the radio. "Get'her one. Report status."
"Status unchanged." Shepard answered with a quick reply of EDI's scheduled check-up, "What do you have for us?"
"Operation Romeo and Juliet rescue now effected. Are you ready for brief?"
Tali was none the wiser, but John gave the empty space in front of him a dry and unimpressed look. Romeo and Juliet. How quaint of a name for an operation, he mused. Even in the shit, they still managed to sneak in snark. It kept the mood above mud, he supposed.
"Ready for brief. Give it to us." Shepard said.
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Two lone men stood, their backdrop the earthen surface of Aratoht; her mass swathed by the seeded clouds of the Hegemony's constant and relentless toil of terraforming. Lukh and Thane, bathed under a harsh crimson glow from the Normandy's jump lights, wordlessly gazed into the void as they balanced on the precipice of her cargo doors. Lukh cast his stare away from the abyss and down to his gear. His fifth onceover to make sure his stuff was where it was supposed to be.
"How many HALO jumps have you been on, Krios?" Lukh asked to kill the silence.
"Many."
"Figured a man of your caliber would have." He said, hoping he could dial the stoicism down, "Read about the stuff the jelly beans put you through. With the way they look, you'd be hard pressed to believe they actually have enemies. Let alone enemies bad enough to make something like you."
"They do not give that impression, do they?"
He shook his head. "Nope."
"Thirty seconds." Joker croaked over the radio.
They both waved to those watching from engineering. Legion was there. Grunt. Olasie. Teri. Kylie even. Zaeed and Jacob too. Talukh was not surprised to see Darehk absent of the group. The man's aversion to the geth was enough to not even watch them leave. Funny how all the other quarians were putting up with it. Hopefully that was enough for the crew to stir up some preconceived stereotypes his race was so keen on preserving.
Lukh was always more indifferent to it all ultimately. Though if he was ever asked about it, he'd give people the opinion they wanted to hear. It was weird. He knew. He was supposed to hate them. He was stuck in permanent hazmat gear with no home to really claim. At least, no home to claim that wasn't a rusting bucket of floating bolts.
But, in the same vein: how many people that weren't quarians lived their plain lives just like him (Save for his integration to Normandy)? They might've gotten to call a particular planet 'home'. But what did it matter? A lot of folks lived in space. A lot. A human or krogan might call out proudly their origins; but it was all vanity. It was a ball of rock. Just pick a spot and live on it. It didn't need to go deeper than that.
"Ten seconds."
Lukh faced the black and brown. "Ready, Krios?"
"I am."
"Jump. Jump. Jump."
Talukh, with the same initiative as Horizon, took the lead. He cast himself over the edge and was swallowed by darkness. Thane followed after.
"Savior-1 to Savior-2. How copy." Talukh asked.
"I copy." Thane answered.
"Homebase, this is Savior-1. Do you read us?"
"We read you Savior-1." Came EDI's reply.
"Getting good copy on you, over. HUDs operational. Will report upon landfall. Out."
Seven minutes of silence and wind.
Aratoht gradually consumed Lukh's entire view until the planet stretched enough for him to see horizons again. As the planet's expanse continued to open up, it revealed to the pair the distant prison – their target eight kilometers west, nestled behind a mountain tall enough to cloak chute deployment.
It was a simple op. Infiltrate undetected. Get Tali and John the juice they'd need for their expired cloaks, and get out.
If fortune favored them, they would complete their task unnoticed, and the batarians would be none-the-wiser. They were also kind of riding on the hope the batarians weren't going to be sweeping the facility with anti-cloaking gear.
Because that would be bad.
They crested the mountain top. Talukh yanked his chute strap and it deployed.
"This is savior-1, chute deployed."
"Savior-2. Likewise."
"Descent nominal. We'll be touching ground shortly."
Just for the hell of it, Lukh gave a good tug of his chute and sent himself into a steady spiral downward.
On final, Lukh flared and gracefully planted both boots on the ground. He watched Thane do much the same.
They quickly wrapped up the chutes back into their packs and set them between a crack in some rocks before adjusting their bearings and beginning their trek to save Shepard and Tali.
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Garrus sat himself on his box and stuffed his hands into his pits. The expression he'd plastered on his face was hard but neutral.
Predictably, and rightfully so, Lantar's death encased the man's thoughts like an oppressive cell. It almost seized the forefront of his mind; but it couldn't. Not right now when Tali and John were still stranded on that hellscape of a planet. But here he sat; helpless to do anything about it. So all he could do over these past six hours was mull over a third member of his team being dead while Shepard and Tali skirted dangerously close to being added to his roster of family he'd lost.
His face did not change one iota. The ship's generally airy disposition felt unusually constrictive, as if the walls were beginning to press in on him.
He took in what was barely a steady breath.
The plan, scrambled together within the hour of escaping Aratoht, was fully realized from beginning to end. Yet they had to wait and allow the mess they'd made settle before actually trying to commit to a rescue.
It just absolutely killed the turian that part of the plan meant waiting. Waiting for what felt like eons. The worst part of their plan was riding on Shepard and Tali simply not being discovered.
Seconds to minutes. Minutes to hours.
Add the time all up and the math in his head told him it would only raise the chances of them being caught in that sordid storage depot they were holed up in.
He leaned as far back as his frill would allow so he could give the ceiling a thousand-yard stare.
His team had paid their respects to Lantar. Token words and an unheard offering that the dead man finally found peace.
It all felt empty. Maybe only to him, he supposed.
The turian had yet to strip himself of his gear. So there he sat. Chest rig still on. Sidearm still holstered. Soot and shrapnel that marred his clothes still keeping him company.
The doors to the battery opened and he looked up to see who was entering.
Huh. He wasn't expecting anyone. Much less the person at the breadth of the door. Or maybe he should've expected some company at some point given everything that'd transpired. It wasn't any secret Lantar was dead and that they were like brothers.
He gave her an unreadable stare and offered her no retort either.
Sensing that he was never going to speak up, she gave him a disarming look.
"Hello, Garrus."
He never could ease, nor dismiss, the unsettling maternal warmth Samara carried. Perhaps it was because she could give him a run for his money if they ever had to kill each other. Or it being the fact he'd killed Morinth. Either or. Had to be one of them.
He dropped his gaze and stared at the wall ahead of him and still said nothing.
"I am not here to intrude or demand." She said plainly, "I only wish to offer my condolences to your loss."
He could barely muster a sound. But it came out. "Thank you."
He wanted to be alone. But there was just no fight left in him right now.
"It's never easy is it?" She intoned, standing a little closer to him and his personal effects, "Companions may ease the burden, but loss is always ventured alone."
"Never easy." He agreed.
"I have seen many things, Garrus. Many awful and, equally, beautiful things." She paused, her gaze drifting past him as if she'd been playing out a library of memories. Gently, she reached out to a small keepsake on Garrus' workbench and played with its weight. It couldn't have served a purpose other than it being sentimental, she observed. It was a crudely carved sculpture of an archangel. Where he'd produced this could have been anyone's guess. She supposed it was a gift from one the many he'd saved on Omega.
"In my long life, I too have lost many I cared for. Friends, family, fellow warriors. Each loss is like a star going out in the night sky. It's a void that never truly heals," her voice was laced with a melancholy wisdom, the kind that only a matriarchal Justicar could bestow.
She turned back to Garrus, her eyes meeting his with a depth of understanding. "But those stars, while no longer visible, burn brightly in another realm, guiding and watching over us. Your friend, your comrade... has joined that tapestry. And though you feel his absence deeply, his light will always remain within and around you."
Samara set the keepsake back down carefully next to his other belongings. "In your times of solitude, when the weight of loss feels unbearable, remember that. His journey continues, as does yours. And in that, there is a form of unity, even in their absence."
It was a gentle offer of solace and it hung in the air. She stepped back to give Garrus the space he undoubtedly needed before bowing her head. "I shall leave you to peace."
"Thank you, Justicar."
She gave him an understanding nod. "If you ever wish to join me in meditation, you are always welcome."
Ever the sentinel of deep understanding and empathy, Garrus thought idly. In the same breath, it was a wonder how the code even allowed that, given its rigidity. "I just might take you up on that. For another time."
"Very well."
As soon as she left, he quirked his brow and never could imagine himself actually meditating. Range time or sparring sounded exceedingly more productive. But he'd locked himself in. And he wasn't one for just issuing platitudes and flaking out. He grumbled and made a mental note to truly give it a shot when he'd let his mind clear a bit more.
One galactic minute passed and he stood up. No point wallowing about Lantar anymore. At least for now. Shit still needed doing and he would've expected everyone to maintain their momentum.
"Sorry, Sidonis." Garrus said through a sigh, "Spirits, I'm so sorry."
He strode out of the battery room, signaled Gardner for a bottle of water (To which he received without having to slow his stride), and entered the sick bay. He saw Dr. Chakwas reviewing her notes at her desk while Dr. Wilson tapped away on a keyboard to some lab equipment Garrus couldn't put a name to.
"Is she finally awake?"
"Only the last twenty minutes." Chakwas said quietly, glancing at the curtain that separated the patient from the clinic for some semblance of privacy, "We're still clearing whatever the batarians put through her system."
The turian took in a steady breath. "Okay."
The old woman touched his hand with hers in a motherly way. "Are you alright, Garrus?"
She was referencing Sidonis. Had to be.
"I'll get better." He decided to say, forcing a dry smile.
"Okay." Chakwas gave him a dour look but handed him a clipboard for him to review.
"Here. Broken ribs. Bruised bones. Broken fingers, toes, and ankle. Contusions. Concussion. Hairline fractures. Superficial wounds from scalpels. I've removed sixty or so staples stamped randomly about her back. Second and small third degree burns on her thighs and buttocks. Signs of trauma on the crotch."
"Thane killed them." Garrus said at length with his hard stare against hers. Hearing the list almost made him mentally shrug. It was nothing he hadn't seen before on Omega.
"I was told. Said she was still standing when the kodiak picked them up."
"Tough lady." He said with a sigh. He could hear Miranda talking quietly within Kenson's curtained room.
"I'm going to see her now."
"I'll be here."
He strode about four steps before slipping through the drape.
"Hey. How's our guest holding up?" The turian asked to make himself known. Miranda, who'd been essentially interrogating Kenson (without the torture), glanced up at Garrus and gave him a pursed smile.
Garrus made no hint of his observation, but Amanda Kenson was a fucking mess. Her eyes were swollen, red, and black. Her cheek sagged slightly. Blood crusted her nose. But somehow, she managed to give him a smile before carefully reaching for the water that'd been placed for her.
"Doing well." Kenson said meekly, "And who do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
"Garrus Vakarian."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise, ma'am."
"If you'll excuse us Doctor, I need to speak to Mr. Vakarian."
"Please." Kenson said, relaxing slightly in the pillow.
He gave her a dip of the head and turned on his heel to leave. He followed Miranda until they were both just outside the sick bay's doors.
"So?"
"We've already booked coordinates to Kenson's hideout. We're green lined confirmed and preparing to move. The commander and the others will have to rendezvous with us there."
"Please tell me she was worth securing."
"If what she says is true, then yes."
He uncapped his bottle but did not drink. "Lay it on me."
"I'll be brief. The specifics aren't important right now." Miranda intoned, placing her hands behind her back and taking the time to study the ground with her eyes. "As you can fondly recall, the first Normandy stalled the reapers from using the Citadel as a relay."
"Biding time, as Shepard so aptly put it." Garrus said.
"Biding time." Miranda repeated softly with a frown, "Until now."
He narrowed his stare. "What are you talking about."
"The Bahak relay. It's the reapers' plan b should something happen to the Citadel. In which case it did from your efforts in 83. They're here, Garrus."
The turian's mandibles flared. "If that's true. If that's the case? What are our options?"
Miranda balanced on a heel and shook her head idly before locking eyes with the man. "We destroy the Bahak relay."
"Miranda, that's…" The hundreds of thousands of souls in the system flashed through his mind and he felt sucked dry. "—How would you even go about doing that?"
"A plan has already been well underway. Weaponize an asteroid. Same crude idea the krogans came up with during the krogan rebellions. Attach rockets. Point and shoot."
"This is unreal. Spirits, this is unreal."
"Hearsay." She mumbled, "It's all hearsay until we get harder evidence. We cannot make any calls until we know more."
For once, Garrus actually felt compelled to pump some breaks here.
"We have to think of another way."
"That is surprising coming from you, Garrus."
"I'm aware of the stipulation and the reputation I have. But I'd rather not have to trade so many lives that quickly right when we start the reaper war."
"Suggestions?"
Speculation. This was all just forecasting. They didn't know if this was even true. Spirits he hoped it wasn't true. They weren't even remotely ready for something like this. Reapers here? Now!?
"Feels like I shouldn't even be having to entertain one. We don't even know if it's true yet."
"This is, potentially, a very critical juncture that we're facing. We better start considering alternatives now. The window is closing."
"I should've led with that: How long do we have?"
"Two days from now is when they arrive. Supposedly. But our window of opportunity to destroy it is closing rapidly. No other asteroid within the vicinity yields enough mass to deliver the payload needed to destroy it. At least, not for another eight months."
"So how much time do we really have."
"Seven hours."
He bristled. "That's not… Miranda.—No one's ever even done this before. We have no idea what would even happen." The expression on his face was a scrambled mess of confusion and surprise. "…How do we even know they're transiting two days from now?"
"She's memorized the dates and time schedules. That's all I'm riding on right now. We won't know anything definitively until we're there. But if you're asking what would happen if we hit it with a big rock? Well. An explosion theorized to be as large as a supernova."
The turian did the only thing he could and pinched the bridge of his bony nose. "EDI, you getting this?"
"Yes, Mr. Vakarian."
"Ideas?"
"One, yes."
"What is it?"
"Tell the truth. A broadcast imitating the Hegemony. A warning that an irreversible collision will occur with the relay and to egress via relay to safety."
Neither Miranda or Garrus looked offput by the idea.
"Okay. So play out the scenario. How many can make it out? Best case." Garrus asked, finally looking up at the PA above them both.
"If the Hegemony's system traffic roster is believed accurate, and that every ship manages to depart and is filled to its rated capacity; fifty thousand souls can be saved if the warning is issued five hours prior to predicted collision. Our warning must be issued three hours after initial acceleration of the asteroid to ensure that the calculated collision course cannot be reversed or altered by any opposing force. Additionally, estimates suggest only 30% of the total population are registered as citizens of the batarian hegemony. The majority are enslaved or imprisoned."
Miranda's face turned icy. There wouldn't be but a handful of slaves crossing that relay to see another day. They could absolutely count out anyone shackled to chains and bars. "We'd be saving only slave masters. Quaint."
Garrus said nothing of the quandary. An ethical dilemma, without doubt. Obviously not every batarian owned a slave. But you didn't need anything but a quick poll to know what the prevailing attitudes were in their society. And it was, unsurprisingly, the majority. If Garrus had to pick, he'd rather be saving people foisted against their will into indentured servitude. Not the captors or those complicit in violating fundamental rights to life at such scales.
"How far along are we in Romeo and Juliet, EDI?"
"Thane and Specialist Talukh are proceeding as scheduled. One hour until prison arrival. All operational parameters are within expected boundaries. I anticipate, if operation order remains unaffected, that offshore members will be back aboard five hours from now."
"Okay." Garrus felt himself cool a bit. "Okay; we've got a lot of time to think."
"We have no idea what we're walking into. I want to trust Dr. Kenson's info," Miranda started, before giving Garrus her ice-like visage, "But you trust and verify. I want the crew and the ground team fully prepared by whatever happens these next seven hours."
He nodded in full agreement.
"Then we need to brief the crew. There really isn't any time to waste."
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Three hours, forty-six minutes later.
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They rounded the last of five hills, and there, nestled by a bulbous outcropping, was the kodiak. A sight for sore eyes, as clichéd as the saying was.
"Audrey, you're in our sights," Shepard said, raising his hand to signal her.
She scanned the cameras and picked them out from the fauna. "Oh. I see you. Let's get you and Ms. Zorah out of here, yeah?"
"Absolutely."
Letting his rifle hang from its sling, a visible ease descended upon the quartet as they approached. The kodiak's door parted with a subdued hiss, welcoming them inside as they clambered in. At long last, they could finally leave behind the stark and rocky tundra of Aratoht. The patchwork of gray and brown would not be missed.
Thane gave a small raspy cough and sat with Talukh sitting across from him in a slump.
"That was a slog." The quarian infiltrator said.
"Thank you, Lukh." Tali murmured to him, grateful they'd finally parted their feet from this rock, "I don't know what we would've done without you both."
Thane bowed his head slightly. "Of course."
John took a spot next to Audrey as she flipped and pressed a myriad of switches and buttons.
"Contact Normandy. Let 'em know we're on our way." Shepard said, leaning an arm against the headrest.
"Aye."
She adjusted the mouthpiece closer to her lips. "Homebase, this is Wagon-1. Payload aboard. We're exfil. Confirm receipt, over."
They both waited, but Audrey wasted no time in her process of prepping the kodiak for departure.
No reply from Normandy.
"Homebase, Homebase. This is Wagon-1. We're asset secured. Exfil underway. How copy?"
She closed the kodiak's door and pressurized the cabin. The rheostats gave her thrust and they gained elevation.
"Odd." Audrey muttered, glancing to make sure she was sending on the right channel. Nope. She was on the right one. Delta-5-Xray.
"Homebase, I say again: This is Wagon-1. Objective secured and we're heading back. Acknowledge, over."
Seconds pass. Maintaining a low elevation; no higher than a hundred feet, she eased into the throttle to accelerate.
"Commander; I ain't getting nothin'." She shrugged, "That's so odd, we just checked in with them not two hours ago."
He chewed his thoughts wordlessly. "Try again in a few minutes… You got something to eat?"
"Yeah. MREs down there. That glovebox lookin' thing. Chicken enchilada. Beef soup. Pizza, I think?"
He knelt down to take one of the three white parcels before glancing at the inscription. His eyes may have been sending his brain a signal, but he did not read it. His mind was adrift. Focused elsewhere entirely. A lot had transpired this past day; and there was only more to come. But even then; it wasn't even about that.
Strangely, or maybe not, he'd been wrestling with his empty promise to the prisoners they'd saved.
A mental scoff.
Saved. He didn't save them. He'd bided them only time. Part of him chewed over the mercy that would've been granted by their captors had he just let them pull through with the execution.
They began their slow ascent into the sky and he watched it wordlessly.
An old memory whispered out and he recalled it vividly. He saw Tali. Arms folded loosely over the guard rail, gazing out at the SR1 shortly after his induction to the Spectre program.
Back before either of them had even known each other a day yet.
But the memory wasn't about her, though as beautiful as she was. It was about what was running through his thoughts then. About having to reconcile with the realities that he'd ultimately face being in the position he was in. He'd asked himself if he could ever make a decision that would determine the fate of thousands. A piece of him had wondered if he'd been catastrophizing a bit then.
But here he was with hundreds of thousands on the line. Right here. Right now. And in its irony, he could hardly grapple with his hasty and empty promise to two souls now lost again. So how could he resolve himself to condemn everyone to reap the coming coffin of a super nova he'd be sowing? All of it again to just buy time. To brace against an unknown. To fight some existential threat most refused to acknowledge; let alone even know about?
Another mental sigh. That's all his career was since the first Normandy. Buying people time.
Tethering himself back to reality, he could hear the thrum of the kodiak return. So he bumped Audrey's shoulder with a light tap of a fist to let her know he was going to hang back in the compartment.
"Get us there in one piece, Audrey."
"Aye, sir. I'll try."
He took a seat and chewed on his tongue.
"No contact, I heard." Tali said, watching him open his pouch of food. He ruffled its contents to get a better eye of what was inside.
"Nope. Can't contact Normandy." He pinched out a bag of skittles and sniffed, eyes a little glossy. He tore off the corner and rose it toward her in offering.
"Want some?"
Tali gave him a nonplussed stare.
"No?" He shrugged and tried to pass off the bag to Lukh. "Skittles?"
"Uh, no."
"Thane?"
"Sure."
John was actually surprised he'd accept the offer. But he obliged him and dropped a few of the brightly colored candies into a green palm.
"I'm not gonna lie, Thane. I didn't think you'd say yes."
He chewed one and looked a little impressed.
"Fruity."
"They're okay." John said with a shrug. He looked over his shoulder to the pilot. "How long until we rendezvous with the others, Audrey?"
"Give or take an hour and a half."
"Then that's an hour and a half for us to rest. Eat some snacks. Take a nap."
John wasted no time in eating his meal. Didn't even bother heating it. He needed to sleep.
Not feeling hungry, Lukh crossed his arms and slouched into the seat to make himself more comfortable.
Rummaging through the pack nestled between her legs, Tali retrieved an SM-10 meal and set to work. She hadn't eaten since they'd left the ship— a staggering 20 or so hours ago. Summing all the time they'd been down there hit her with a wave of exhaustion. She was worn. The trek back to the kodiak under the sweltering heat did her no favors either. Didn't for anyone.
In the quiet that followed their meager meals, John soon surrendered to slumber, his head lulled to the side. A small moment of comfort from the touch of his shoulder pressing against hers, she mimicked Lukh's posture and let the gentle rhythm of sleep claim her too. Shortly thereafter, her soft snores mingled with the quiet hum of the kodiak in flight.
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21 hours and 46 minutes since Aratoht Drop.
2146 HOURS
4-23-2186
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T-Bones. Eight of them. They sizzled beautifully next to a piled congregation of sweating onions, chopped asparagus, and mushrooms in a metal basket to keep them from falling through the grates.
Long tongs in one hand and a cold beer in the other, John smiled as he saw Tali spreading a tablecloth over the picnic table before setting off for the napkins.
"Almost done?" She asked with a voice that sounded to him like a melody that carried through the breeze. She tread across the wooden deck and kicked off her sandals at the breadth of their wide-open bi-fold doors that bridged kitchen and porch. She let them stand ajar to invite the day's splendor. The weather was too good not to let the late afternoon air in.
"Just about." Came his reply through a grin. Past the backyard door, he could see her kneeling down and balancing on the balls of her feet somewhere around the cabinetry.
"You find them yet?"
"Uh, no." She stood back up and crossed an arm around her chest and tapped on her lip, a single black ring around a finger.
She turned around and checked the cupboard, "Ah."
Napkins found. "I knew I put them away somewhere," she said, walking back out and foregoing her shoes.
He took a swig from his bottle and set down his tongs before throwing out an arm. "Come 'ere, beautiful."
She stopped what she was doing and went up to him with a beaming smile. She didn't say anything and stepped in close so he could wrap an arm around her waist.
"Excuse the beer breath." He said before pecking her on the lips.
"Blah." She pulled away, still all smiles to get the last of the dinnerware.
He took a quick gander of his steaks, making sure not to open it up all the way. It was important to keep it closed while you cooked. Checking your steaks constantly was a big no-no. He'd learned that from dad.
He could hear the muted clatter of silverware and clinking glasses on a platter as she passed by him once more to set up the table.
"Paper plates or the real stuff?" She asked, setting the rest of it down.
"Paper plates means less to clean up." He said with a scrunched nose and mirthful eye.
She stood in front of that dying sun, its rays radiating a gilded glow through the dress she wore, outlining a slender silhouette of a womanly body that lay beneath it. Fabric a hushed white, its pattern sparse, its touch fine and airy, and not too unlike earth's most regal of cottons. Her shoulders glowed. Her collarbones stood tall. A modest pendant sat just below her neck, a jet satin pearl with an inscription no one could read.
"Oh good. I'm glad you said that because I didn't want to do dishes either." She laughed.
He heard her. But he wasn't paying attention. The angelic halo the sun gave her deafened him. How was it possible that a woman embody a level of beauty that could steal a man of breath if he so much as glanced her way? God, she was gorgeous.
Seeing as how the table was set up for the two of them and their coming guests, she sat down, all pretty, and finally relaxed to enjoy the afternoon sun. He peered over to her.
The canvas of Rannoch stretched wide, its expanse ending short of a dense and distant treeline. Even further were the mountains that stretched up toward the sky, their peaks white and beholding a grandeur that John could hardly describe. Patches of wild grass, woven through the beds of boulders and rocks scattered about the land captivated his eyes to the lush tundra they called home.
"John?"
He stared at her and rose his brows to show he was paying attention to her.
"John, wake up."
He stirred. The hum of the kodiak. It bled into his ears as if a dial had been turned. The shuttering din of unsecured gear. He blinked. Eyes hard from shadows shattering his dream. The utopia was gone. Back was the dark cabin. Back was the pain. The dirt. The mud.
He blinked more. He looked at Tali cinching down the straps to her dirty plate carrier and dusty backpack.
"Come on." She cooed quietly to him so that way only he could hear, "It's time to lead."
His stare went down to his canteen. He snapped open its cap. "…How long were we out?"
"One hour, twenty minutes." She answered, reaching for her shotgun and going over its frame. She opened its receiver to check its brick. "Still no contact with anyone."
He dipped his head back and downed whatever remained. Then he set it down, put his elbows on his knees, and pressed the tops of his pointers into his eyes to try and push the fog of sleep that'd been muddying him.
"How we looking, Audrey?"
"Nothing, Commander. Zip. We're out FTL in two. I'll try again once we exit."
"Roj. Let's double check our gear, folks. Even you, Audrey. No idea what's going to happen down there."
"Yessir."
Dry mud still on their boots and a film of dust on their gear, John finally stood from his seat and opened the armory closet to begin rearming himself of everything he'd used on Aratoht.
Grenades. Water. Sinks. A protein bar. A real one. 40g's in this bad boy.
Tali did the same. Took a bar as well just in case John would ever need to eat more than one.
"How'd you sleep, hun?"
"I slept okay, boo." She said quietly so that way only he could hear.
He grinned at her.
"You guys sleep?" John called out louder so they could hear him over the kodiak's ambient thrumming.
"No." Lukh said, "Tried, but no."
"I couldn't sleep." Thane answered.
"What about you, Audrey? You sleep?"
"Oh yeah. The entire time." She said, rolling her eyes. The commander had jokes that could parry dad ones, sometimes. His jokes often lacked zeal, but that was okay. They were always a little endearing.
John did a once over of his sidearm. Then his rifle. Both checked to be green, he inspected each pouch to see they were full of everything he could possibly need.
"Folks, we won't have an idea of what to expect until we drop out of FTL. Once we get feeds of the rendezvous point, I want to get a visual of the Normandy first before we decide anything."
"What happens if we don't see them?" Lukh asked.
"If we don't, then we infiltrate. We have to stay on our toes. At least until we're back with Normandy.
"ROE?" Lukh followed up.
"Well. We shouldn't be seeing anyone but friendlies from here. But ROE is return fire only. Unless we're hot contact with, god forbid, the hegemony somehow. Then it's fire at will."
"Copy that."
They dropped from FTL and the first thing that happened was a violent and explosive rumble that nearly sent the kodiak into a spiral.
Audrey yanked hard on the yoke and worked against the tide of inertia that smacked them from what was undoubtedly some exploding ordnance. Shrapnel flecked and scorched her frame and the ship rattled out a cry.
"Oh—H—holy ffffUCK! Lock in! Now! Do it! Do it now!"
Audrey's four passengers did exactly as ordered and scrambled back to their seats to secure themselves into restraints. Then the four stole themselves the chance to look out into the expanse to see the mess they'd just dropped into.
They dropped right into a warzone.
Green and red tracer fire danced around them. Missiles arcing and adjusting and chasing. Fighters in formations. Corvettes giving chase and maintaining escort. Countermeasures burning. Warped remains floating in vacuity. A hulk yawning overhead, turning end over end, billowing out an obese helix of fire and smoke.
"Do you know how big space is?" Lukh gasped, hands outstretched from bewilderment, "And you FTL'd us right into this?! What kind of sick luck is that, huh?!"
"Audrey, move! Full throttle! Get us out of here!"
"Aye!"
A fighter sliced by, its white and black wings sporting the unmistakable crest of Cerberus. It flew close enough to the kodiak for the cabin to pick up and transmit, through its hull, a muffled thunder from its 20mm canon lazing a batarian corvette it trailed, clipping its engine, and birthing a smoldering column of black smoke. Pressing the advantage, the gun opened up again and gifted the crippled ship another volley, one more relentless than the last, gun snarling its thunderous symphony, notes fused into a single, indistinguishable, roar.
Unprepared by the onslaught, the ship rolled into a spiral of death and fractured, splintering into a cloud of warped steel, shattered alloy, and charred composites.
The coming shockwave pulsed the kodiak and Audrey, again, had to brace and adjust. "Jesus LORD of Christ."
Tali's breath left her. Cerberus's stark palette clashing against batarian ones. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. None of them did.
What in god's fallen universe was happening.
"Tali, patch me to the kodiak's radio. We gotta find the Normandy."
Arm enshrined in light, her OT patched him through and she gave him a thumbs up.
"Normandy; this is Shepard. Wagon-1 is out FTL and contact hot. Situation is… kinetic. Course adjustment to follow. Maintaining RV. Do you read, over?"
"W̴͉̩̌̎a̷̛̰͗g̸̗̗̓̿o̶̦̿͛n̶̛͕-̵͇͌̍1̸̫̉ ̵̥̅ẅ̸̻̾e̴̹̋́'̸̪̀w̴̯̤̌ė̸̢̮'̴̠͔͑̆w̵͔̜͒e̷̟̋'̴̣̃̌s̴͔̳̕r̵̪̜̓ë̸̯̦́͘w̴̩̒̔e̸̗͙̽̂a̷̟̒d̸̡͉́͌ ̴̦͍̔̾y̵̮͖͐͑ỏ̴̥̊͜u̵͖̥͝;̷̛̮̥͘ ̸̮͉̓͒ḭ̸̫́F̷̞͛̂F̷̒ ̴̧̈́̂i̴̽͜͝d̵͎̅ͅn̶͕͕̂t̸̜̳̐f̴̡̙̃ì̴͈̗ȩ̴̇d̴̻̖͑;̷̧͌͝ ̸̫͒n̷͉̉̽o̴̪̐t̶̥͂ ̵͍̤̃g̴̣̑̎ȩ̴͈̍t̴̩͎̒̕t̶̮̚i̷̗̯̊n̵͇͈̊͛g̶͖̒ ̴̙̱̕ģ̵̙̿͊ě̶̻t̵͉̾t̶̠̮͘s̴͎̺̒͂i̸̬̞̿͛d̸̻̖͂ņ̸̰̉̾g̷̘̞̒ ̷̙͎́s̶̤͎͋͑i̸̜̒͜g̸̖͔͒̋ṋ̴̆s̸͈̅̊d̷̨͛ä̴̩́̿s̵͉̜͛d̵̗͔̔s̸͍͋l̸̬̆ ̷̛̭͖"
He exchanged glances with Tali. "I could not make that out. What is wrong with the goddamn radio? Is the antennae loose?"
Tali was going to give him an answer, but realized he was probably being rhetorical.
The radio warbled more, but no one paid it anymore attention.
"What's our ETA, Audrey?"
"In five, commander! Get tactical!"
John craned his neck to get a view of the screen Audrey was watching. There sat the asteroid they were trying to reach. A megalith set against an empty backdrop while this quiet war raged.
But in here, it wasn't quiet. It was deathly loud.
The computer gave her a sharp alarm and the instruments on the panels above her glared red. "Missile lock. EVADE." It shrieked into a repeating record, "Missile lock. EVADE."
"Brace brace brace! We're tagged!" Audrey yawed her yoke up high and to the right and flared. The kodiak spat out a cloud of countermeasures and the missile careened off and detonated. More shrapnel cloaked the kodiak's back half and they jostled violently in the cabin.
Tali's eyes squeezed shut. With one hand, she gripped the restraints, the other snaking into John's. If they were going to die here, then at the very least, they'd die together. All or nothing. No more of that survivorship bullshit. Hands interlocked, the both of them held on to what they could.
"Missile lock. EVADE."
The kodiak screamed. Audrey maxed its eezo core and shunted enough power to send them into a sharp curve, flares casting another blinding trail.
Another explosion rocked them. Another missile evaded.
"Missile lock. EVADE."
"SHEPARD, I CAN'T—I CAN'T KEEP THIS UP!"
"Yes you can and you will. Get us there."
Audrey screamed. Screamed harder than she ever had in her life. Sweat marred her face, hair slicked against her forehead, mouth gnashed, face bathed in a red glow. She banked hard left. The kodiak's eezo core, tasked to complete capacity, dumped what it could to engines and killed dampening entirely. Necks snapped to the right and they all had to fight the incredible force of inertia from the roll she put them in. A rain of more flares. Out the went, enshrining the dark into a cloud of bright white, hazing instrumentation enough for them to, yet again, evade the third missile that was barreling their way.
The missile warped into an atomizing explosion, closer than the last three, and maimed thruster four.
"Missile Lock. EVADE."
"SHEPARD!"
"You can do this. Do NOT let up."
She spit out the last of their flares. Sent them careening off every direction she could and nose-dived into a downward spiral. Thruster four sputtered and spat, its light slipping away to die. She was out of options. She prayed to god and reached for her radio in one final attempt to save the souls aboard her ship.
"MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY—Wagon-1 on blind broadcast, under hot contact. We are engaged and in fade! PRIORITY ASSET AT RISK. HELP US."
The radio spat back immediately.
"D̶͒͐ͅo̴̧͓͈̤̖͚̔̔͋͠ǧ̵̛̹̗̳̮͊͗̓̎͠-̸̣̦͖̼̫̟̏͑̎̑͝1̸̢̪͔̩̈́͊͊͐͛,̴̺̦͈̙͚̀̓̈̉ͅ ̶̡̘̲̰̠̂́͠Ḍ̸̯̮̲̎́̔͆̀͂͠o̸̩͚͔̰̭͂́̍̀̂̅͜͝g̴̦̟̻̃̆͑̿̿͂̅͜ͅ1̷̪͚̤̘̞̬̣̈́͗͐̂.̷̭͔̘͖͉̣̫̿́̈́̎͘ ̵̛̦͙̜͌̐̅̃̕̚ ̵̥̙͊̏̓S̶̛͓̥̼o̴͙̯̖̎̓ļ̷̠̆i̵͎̪̗͑̅̉ḑ̵͚̐̔ͅ ̶̼̻̖̆͛̕ć̶̳̱̕ọ̴͌ṕ̵̗̫̳̾y̷̳̽,̵̦̫͈͛́ ̵̡͉̑̔W̸̖̒͂̀a̶̪̕g̶̯̀o̶̞̎n̷̞̎͘-̵̧̬̎.̷̬̱̖̽̒̅ ̵̧̿̓W̸̫͙̑̀͝W̸̨̱̎ė̸̗̑͝ͅ ̶̘̠͚̍ŝ̶͙̞̌̏͜ė̶̩e̷̝̾̉͗ ̸̨̧̫̈̐ÿ̵̠͔͈ö̶͉͈̻́̿ṳ̶̢̝̊̒.̵͔̫̥̎ é̴̥'̸͈̭̬̐ȑ̴̜̳̥̓e̴͎̳͂̇̀ ̶̟̲͌͜f̵͎̹̅̒̕ę̸̱̑n̶̻̺͚̆c̴̦̥̓ȇ̴̤͓̆͘d̵̛͔̖͇̀.̷͕̥̼͌̄̄ ̸͕͕̤̉̐R̶̡̉̔ë̷͈͈͐l̵̡͘i̵̘̯̲̓̂ẽ̴̖f̸̦͠ ̷̧̦̯̿̓s̴̖̈́̓p̵̼̩̽͜ḷ̵̨̎͗̏a̸̢̦̤̎̓̒s̷̛̭̞͐̈́h̷̰̄͜ ̶̠̌̒ị̴̢̺͂̀n̸̮̬͉͗͝b̸͖́̂͘o̶̠̱͌́ǔ̸̹n̷̻͇̙͂d̵́͊͋ͅ.̴̰́̈́ ̷̨̯̣͋̈́͘H̷̖̖͇͆ȍ̸̘̟̘̔͊l̴̰͓̬̂́̈́d̶͚̞͒̈́̌ ̸̤̝̫̇̽t̷̛͎̻̹͑̉i̸̺̭̇̔g̴͇͔̭̾h̷͍̀̓ṫ̸̖̟̲.̵̻̑̀͒ ̷̖͇̍"
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ
A formation of Cerberus corvettes pulled away from the fight, locked in on Wagon-1's transponder, and gave chase to the pair of gunships that'd been harassing the zippy little kodiak. It wasn't far. Just about an easy kilometer or so.
"Dog̷-̷2̴, Dog-3, T̶his is dog-1. S̷͉̬̓̈́tat-relief̶̩̙͛̄̈ on Wagon-1, over. Fen̸̼̩͊̽̈́̓c̷e in, fence in."
"Dog-2, fenced̸̩̲̈̽͆."
"Dog-3. In fence-̷̛̰͇̪̄̐͑-̵̺̦͆."
"Issue̸͍͊́̉ verdicť̵̬̞̒."
Six 30mm guns spooled up, gimbles adjusting to sightlines to get a bead on the gunships tailing Wagon-1. In a show of incredible force, all six fired a burst lasting two seconds, but sent out a whopping 780 rounds down range.
Just a hair under a second and the offending ships evaporated into a spectacle of dust and echoes.
"This is Dò̵͂͜g-1, brrrrt issue̷͝͠d. Dog-3, esć̴͍o̵̹͝rt Commander S̴̼͗hepard to objective—"
"—T̸̥̎͊̓h̶͕̞̀̏i̴̘̮͉̽̈͘͝ś̸́͑̎͠ ̴̡̉i̸͇̓s Wa g̵̻͗on-1̴,̴ ̵b̸ln̸ d̵ ̵t̷r̵ ransmis̸͔̩̆͛͠s̶̫̼̳̎̕͘͝ion: T̶̃͜h̵̳͓̪̰͆͜a̴͎̝̚n̶̨̨̺͕̺̄̀̎nk̴ you! Thank y̵̛̗̘̩̜̍̓͘͝o̸̢̤̒u̴̙̥̟͇͌͊͋͘ Jesus̸!"
"—Co̷͆p̸y, Dog-1. Ẻ̶scort order receḯ̶̱̜͜ved. We're with them. O̵͉̒͛̄ut."
"Good job, Audrey." John hollered and hooted, "Holy hell that was close."
"We're not out yet. We're out of the fire when we land." She limped the kodiak toward the nav marker they so desperately had been trying to get to.
"Look." Thane said, pointing to the window. A Cerberus corvette flying in parallel with them. They could see both the pilot and co-pilot raise their hands to give them all a thumbs up.
The battle blazed on, but it looked like the two of them were no longer a target for anyone anymore.
"They heard us." Lukh said aloud, "Why are we having such an issue hearing them?"
"Damage?" Thane suggested.
"Maybe." Tali shrugged. "Won't know until we check."
"How much longer, Audrey?"
"Three minutes." She said, still catching her breath, "She's limping but she'll get us there."
"You gonna be okay?" John asked her simply.
"I was a second away from pissing myself empty. No. This shit warrants retiring, Shepard."
The pilot's back was still focused on the screen. But then she turned around and gave the commander a smile that betrayed the serious tone she used. Elated would be a good word, she supposed. Elated for still being alive and having just enough skill to show up even Joker.
Three minutes, fourteen seconds passed. They wrapped around the meteor, finally at a reasonable distance from the chaotic skirmish unfurling on the other side of this giant floating rock, and slowly made final on what appeared to be a dock. When they got enough of a vantage point to see everything, they saw that the place was entirely absent of a Normandy. It wouldn't have even been able to berth her.
That was not what anyone wanted to see.
"Can we please just get some answers." Lukh gasped.
"Audrey squinted at the screen and frowned. "Look. It's Wagon-2. We've got a second shore-party. Oh, thank god."
W̴̛̘͇̦̥̙̅â̶͓̽̿̈́͗̇̚g̵̥͑̉ȏ̸̧̞̼͒̉̀ͅn̸̿̽͊-̵͎͎̬̞͆̚1̴͉̅͒̔̀͝,̴̳͍̔ ̵̨̫̹̳̣͎͚͒̍ẗ̷̯̜͈͈̖̙̝́͌͠h̶̭̜̳̫̯͕̺̄́́̚͝i̶̜̲͐̄s̴ ̵̃͂̔̿̽̇i̶̢̟̼͎̪͕̤͋̍̚s̴̛̹͉̍̅ ̵̧͎̦̞̦̓͒͂̓̎̓͝D̵̖͊̃ͅǫ̵̼̖̤͊͌͝g̵͍͂̄̕̕̕-̸̦̈́̌̈́͗̊3̸̛͎̃̐͒͝.̷̛̬̺͍̠̦͐͑͌̈́ ̵̢͕̞̳̞̈́͑́W̸̼̄͂̓̀͛̕ě̴͈̹̓̀̎͊͗́'̶̢͇̱͖̔̆́́́̎̚ř̵̻̠͈̜̻̮̿̇̏͐̌e̷̢̢̫͕̙̱̅̓̐̓̕̕͝ ̵̧͓̞̜̜̐ͅb̴͓̋̄̋̓i̶̬͚̼̎̎̋͝n̷̠̓͗̋̾̓g̷̜̣̹͍͕̝̎̊͒̃o̵̘͓͓̠̩̎̿̏ ̵̼̗̼͋̈́̉͑ͅȯ̴̻̩̅̀́̕n̷͕̾̉̎̾̈̌͌ ̸̨̜̫̜̰̥̾̌̌͐̀̇͝ě̷̤͙̰̙̂͐͌͐s̶̡̬̜̾̀̆̓c̴̛̖̗̀͐͛̇̈́̇o̵̧̖̽͆̇r̸̛̯͇͓̻̻͓̙̍̋ţ̵̺̥͔̞́̈́̐̎̆͜͠͠.̵ W̸͓̣̙̔͆̚͝è̷̢̫̙̬̀̀̃̈̕͘ͅ'̵͇̬̥̻̱̣̖̂r̵͋e̸̞͌ ̴̣̰̓̈́̿͘͝o̸͙̜̼̜͒͊̃̅n̶̮͚̰̈́̐̏̋̕ ̴̩͕̅r̴̿͒̓̚e̴͊́̔c̴͋̔̊a̷̞̻̹̓́̾̆̀l̵̢̢̠̙̈́̂̾̓l̵̛̜͒͗.̴̙̐̎͘͠ ̶̠̍̈̐̌̚̕Ğ̴̎̓͛o̴͈͇̎̿͐̋̇͝͠d̴̅̉͋s̴̈̄p̶͖͉̤̮̚ę̷͕̘̰͈͉̺̏͛͗͌͘e̶̤͇̪̯͎̦̝͊̉͒̄́̐ḋ̴̨̧̝̝͇̯̌͋̆͘͝.̴̮̜͉̦̐̌̏͛̚͝ G̷̅͂i̷̔̋̂v̶̧̡̌̆̌̃̌e̴̹̊'e̶̢͚̝̣͚͒m̸̊ ̵̡̜̲͙͚̍h̵̢̻͎̯̽̍̚e̵l̴̀̏l̴̔̓͝.̷͕͔͕̇̀̅̓̕ ̸̐͊̔͜O̸͚̪̩͕͙̔́ũ̷̎ẗ̵͒̆.̸̀͊"̷̜͇͕͊̉͆̚
The five of them looked to the corvette waving them goodbye. They pulled off, gained 'elevation,' and pivoted back to return to the fray.
"Orders, commander?"
"Land. It's time we get to the bottom of this. I'm sick of being in the dark."
"Aye.
The kodiak sputtered and popped, but it entered the bay and landed. Its door croaked open and the four stacked up, weapons raised and scanning sightlines.
No signs of anything out of the ordinary save for no one being here. They could tell however that Wagon-2's door was left ajar, but out of view of them.
Seeing that the bay was clear, they relaxed, if only slightly. Tali allowed herself a moment to gaze at the kodiak they rode in on. It looked exactly how'd you expect a ship to look after everything they'd just been through.
"John. The antenna. It's gone."
"When do you think we lost that?" Audrey asked, exiting out of the kodiak's hold herself to stretch, "From the four rockets I had to dodge or the explosion that rattled our ass once we exited slip space?"
John cast his gaze there and realized that it was, indeed, missing.
"I'm going to bet it being lost as soon as we dropped FTL." John figured, "But that still doesn't explain why we can't get in contact with anyone or the Normandy."
"Perhaps we're being jammed." Thane suggested, "A batarian electronic warfare system like Normandy's, but without the AI. Somewhere in its vicinity?"
"All good guesses. But EDI should've been able to do something about that if that was the case."
Thane only shrugged at his suggestion. John looked around and made up a plan.
"Audrey. Stay here. Gear up. Keep your rifle hot n'ready."
"Aye, sir."
"We're going to check on Wagon-2. Lukh," John pointed at the only door that would lead them deeper into the base, "Hold security on the door."
Obeying the order, he picked himself a spot next to a forklift and waited.
Thane, Tali, and John approached the second dropship. Wrapping around to the other side, they entered and cleared the cabin and saw that it was devoid of anyone or anything.
"Jesus Christ." He set his rifle down in frustration. "Patch me off Wagon-1's radio, Tali. Open us up to everywhere."
She did just that. "Done. We're back on standard coms and on open broadcast."
"This is 'Get'her-1' to any call-sign. Do you read?"
Nothing.
"Shepard to all call-signs. Anyone. Anything. Respond to receipt, over."
Again. Nothing.
A noise. A large one. The giant door from across the bay whined and began to split open at the far end of the bay. Claxons blared and the five lonely members of Wagon-1 rose their weapons in unison toward the offending noise.
Out popped Legion.
It was the most beautiful thing Shepard had seen in his life. He couldn't even begin to describe how much better he was already feeling seeing that thing.
They all lowered their weapons with the exception of Lukh who had to pull himself up from his prone position. The five of them all huddled together in a group and waited for Legion to cross the distance to meet them.
"Legion. You are a sight for sore eyes." John yelled out.
Its head flaps undulated as it approached. The eyebrow things might've always been a little unnerving back on Normandy, but here, it was something familiar and what he wanted to see.
"Acknowledged," It said before stopping in front of them all, "We saw you on the feeds in the security room. We came here to meet you."
"What's going on? We haven't been in contact with the Normandy for hours and find out there's a whole war raging outside." John thumbed behind him out toward the black expanse to make his point. "Why are they here, Legion? Why is Cerberus here?"
"Operative Lawson issued master critical request for force multiplier. This request was authorized by The Illusive Man. Two carriers, the Aegis and Hera, were dispatched to reinforce the Normandy. Operative Lawson remains on station as acting captain in your absence. They are presently maintaining security for both carriers and engaged with six hegemonic task groups attempting to intercept and destroy this station and its propulsion systems."
John took some steps back, completely unprepared for what he was hearing. These developments were diametrically opposed in every way to the original intent of the mission!
"I— this was… —This was supposed to be a covert mission. No human except me! But now we've got a human supremacist group actively engaged in total combat with the Hegemony! In space! How did this happen?"
"Our actions are commensurate with available data. EDI's analysis has revealed jamming activity similar to what was encountered on the derelict old-machine. We have reason to believe an active and undamaged beacon of reaper origin is residing within this facility and projecting an obstructive signal across an estimated diameter of 300,000 kilometers. Wide beam transmissions have recently become ineffectual since three hours ago. Your loss of communication to us was not a coincidence. Additionally, this signal obstruction has become nearly immeasurable from the boundaries of this station. It is cutting us off from any external contact with the Normandy and all present Cerberus elements. We must not delay and stay any longer than necessary to avoid the effects of indoctrination."
John breathed. Didn't say anything. Tali just watched Legion's explanation all unfold, frown growing. She wanted to know what John was thinking, but his absence of an answer told her enough. He was hardly able to believe it. She didn't want to believe it either.
Sensing John's struggle to fully comprehend everything, the geth explained the final details that would wrap up this whole mess onto their plate of shit.
"This was a calculated and cogent decision. Our mission was compromised. We would fail without help. It was determined that batarian operatives under the thrawl of the old-machines disclosed our intent to destroy the Bahak Relay to the Hegemony. It is the only thing that could explain their presence. It is why we are facing what we are."
He looked past the shoulders of Thane and Lukh, gaze beset on the void of space.
"Where's Kenson."
"Dr. Kenson is dead. Terminated shortly after landfall from those operating this facility."
A shadow of malice graced John, but his face remained deft of any emotion. "You are joking."
Legion stared at him with his single eye. "No. We are not."
"Where's the ground team?"
"And where's Brad?" Audrey butted in, pointing at Wagon-2 and wondering where its pilot had gone.
"Operative Hudson was transferred to the Aegis to aid repelling efforts due to his experience in piloting strike-craft. Vakarian substituted in Operative Hudson's place and dispatched Normandy's ground team in three waves. We have been engaged with Dr. Kenson's security party since and are attempting to gain control of the station to launch the asteroid toward the relay. We are nearing the required window to initiate this sequence."
"And why are you here?"
"I was tasked with holding the rear, protecting the kodiak, and to wait for you."
"Thanks for holding the door for us, Legion." Lukh said.
"Acknowledged."
"We need to move." Thane said, "How far away are they?"
"Five hundred meters below the surface. The facility is underground."
"Audrey," John called, "Can you manage by yourself?"
"Aye, sir. I can. I'll hold our rear clear."
"Legion. Get us there."
"Affirmative."
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Music for the beginning, middle, and end:
'Where is my Mind?' A cover by A.A. Williams
'Tobacco Wife' (Orchestral cover). Remixed by Sterben Music
'Silver Pit' by Ben Chatwin.