New chap!
Good thing was able to finish it this weekend...
Chapter 10: Trench Run and Vigil
Upon arriving its destination, the elevator ended up at a tunnel that led to a large room of some kind. Our heroes slowly moved towards it, fearing they might meet resistance there. The Geth they defeated before seemed to be hastily protecting whatever was inside here.
Perhaps the terminal to open the gate is lo- Shepard didn't finish his sentence as he spotted a Geth Prime at the opposite side of the room. It had already done same and it was moving to face the team. As soon as it started firing, more of its friends joined it from behind. Ten Shock Troopers, seven Rocket Troopers, three Juggernauts and two Destroyers rapidly advancing at the same pace of the Prime.
Already in cover, Shepard looked to his team. The enemy fire was so intense that their shields couldn't hold for even seven seconds when they tried to fire from cover.
There is only one option. Shepard thought. He looked for X who was desperately firing few burst plasma shots towards the Prime. "X, give them your best charged shot!" He shouted.
X wasted no time and began to charge his cannon.
In the meantime, the enemy was advancing slowly towards them in a line formation. The Rocket Troopers and the Juggernauts were firing rockets directly towards their covers, in an attempt to not make them show their heads off to fire while they advanced. However, the rockets' fire rate was slow, so they had to compensate with their pulse rifles until they could fire again. And X exploited this.
When he finished charging, he waited for the next wave of missiles. After they hit, he looked to the squad and shouted, "Everyone get down now!"
They did as the robot said. Then, X got his head, along with his right arm, off the cover and quickly fired at the Prime who was at the center of the formation. The big blue plasma exploded when it made contact with the Prime's hull, unleashing a heavy black smoke through the area. After it dissipated, most of Geth were ripped to shreds, including the Prime. Some of the smaller ones had survived, but they were easily deactivated by the team's weapon fire barrage.
"Damn, that was a close one." Ashley said absent-mindly. It was true though, a few more minutes and their bodies would be full of holes.
Shepard walked over to X and patted his shoulder. "Good job, X! That was one damned shot you made. I almost felt pity for the Geth." Shepard joked to light the mood a bit.
"Thanks," X said while panting. "but that shot drained too much energy from my power core. I won't be able to make another shot like that one for a while." Thanks to his internal power generator, he calculated that it would take at least one hour to regain full energy again.
Kaidan, who was inspecting the Geth corpses, walked over to them. "No survivors, sir." He reported.
"Alright, let's see if we can find the terminal to open that gate." Shepard said as he moved to a platform at the opposite of the room.
As they headed up ramps there, they found a console. Shepard wasted no time and activated it. If his instincts were right, that was the console that should open the gate to the Conduit.
But he wasn't expecting the next outcome. A strange hologram had appeared just next to him. It hadn't a definite form since it was obviously distorted.
"…too late…[static]…unable to…[static]…invading fleets…[static]…no escape…[static]" It said. The majority part of the program seemed to be corrupted since it was giving too much static.
"It's some kind of message, but I can't recognize the language." Kaidan commented.
"It's in Prothean language, it has to be. This message was made 50,000 years ago. That explains why we can't understand it." Liara explained.
"The message is all broken up, but I can understand a few of it. It's a warning against the Reaper Invasion." Shepard said.
That's something that Liara didn't see coming. She knew that Shepard had the Cipher in his mind, but she didn't know that it could actually do more than give an understanding to his visions. "Amazing! The Cipher must have taught you how to understand Prothean language!"
While she said that, the message continued. "…[static]…not safe…[static]…seek refuge…[static]…side the archives…[static]"
"What's it saying, Commander?" Tali asked curiously.
"…called Reapers…[static]…the Citadel…[static]…overwhelmed…[static]…only hope…[static]" It paused for a moment. "…[static]…act of desperation…[static]…the Conduit…[static]…all is lost…[static]" It was a different voice now.
"It said something about the Conduit, but it's too degraded to help. We should get moving." Shepard finally said.
"How disappointing." Garrus blurted out.
However, as they were about to leave, another part of the message was heard. "…cannot be stopped…[static]…cannot be stopped…[static]" Shepard turned back to the hologram. That part scared the shit out of him. Were the Reapers really that devastating force as the program seemed to describe? However, those weren't thoughts to worry about now. He quickly rejoined with his team.
Just beyond the platform, there was another elevator, probably the one that took them back to the surface. They entered it and took another long ride back.
The elevator took them back to where they defeated the first Geth patrol since they set foot on the planet. From there, it was a short walk back to the Mako.
When they arrived, they found the gate open.
"Okay, who wants use the vehicle into the creepy building?" Garrus asked, feeling rather stupid for asking such question. Of course, they were going to using the Mako to catch up with Saren.
Everyone soon entered the vehicle and took their seats. As soon as they did, Shepard started driving towards the building.
As he drove, the path went underground to some type of tunnel where they had strange things on the walls.
"What are those things on the walls?" X asked as he saw them from the hatch.
"Probably stasis pods." Liara replied, also looking through the Mako's windows. "It seems that the Protheans sought a way to survive the Reaper cataclysm. The facility appears to have not been touched by anyone for a very long time."
"They are still alive?" Wrex asked, finally breaking his silence.
"I can't say for sure." She hoped they were. Prothean archeology was one of her specialties and as a scientist herself, she dreamed about the possibility of finding remnants of Protheans still alive.
Exiting the chamber and driving down another ramp, they met some Rocket Troopers guarding the path. With the combined firepower from the Mako's cannon and X's plasma cannon, they were easily taken care of.
They entered another chamber similar to the previous one. However, there was a shimmering at the far end. They continued to move closer until they were meters away from it. Soon, they realized it was a force field preventing them to move further.
They tried to move back to seek an alternative route, but there was another force field behind them, trapping them inside the chamber.
"This must be Saren's work, strange though that he didn't place any Geth to finish us off." Ashley stated.
"I don't think this isn't Saren's doing. As you said, I would also be expecting some Geth here." Garrus protested as he got out of the vehicle. "No, someone else is doing this." The others soon followed.
X spotted a door on the right wall of the trapped area. "Commander, a door." He pointed out.
"Alright, whoever is keeping us here must be behind that door. Let's not keep him waiting." He said as he moved to it. When he opened, it was another entrance to another elevator.
It led them to a room a bit different from the others. Although it had stasis pods and the invading alien vegetation, it had a pad way which led to a console similar to the one they used to open the gate to that facility. However, it was already active.
As they approached it, another damaged hologram materialized. "You are not Prothean, but you have machines accompanying you too. However, they show… signs of true intelligence. Most intriguing…"
"Wait, this is a Prothean VI isn't it? How am I able to understand it?" Liara asked a bit surprised.
"Not only you, I'm also understanding what it is saying." Wrex added, confirming the other suspicions.
The VI continued. "This eventuality was one of many that were anticipated. This is why we sent our warnings through the beacons.
"I do not sense the taint of indoctrination upon any of you. Unlike the one that passed recently. Perhaps, there is still hope." It added.
"How are you speaking our language?" Shepard asked curiously.
"I have been monitoring your communications since you arrived at this facility. I have translated my output in a format you will comprehend. My name is Vigil. You are safe here, for the moment. But that is likely to change. Soon, nowhere will be safe." It replied.
"What are you?" Shepard asked.
"I am an advanced non-organic analysis system with personality imprints from Ksad Ishan, chief overseer of Ilos research facility."
"Then, why did you bring us here?"
"You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years. But to stop it, you must understand or you will make the same mistakes we did. The Citadel is the heart of your civilization and the seat of government. As it was with us, and as it has been with every civilization that came before us. But the Citadel is a trap. The station is an enormous mass relay. One that links to dark space, the empty void beyond the galaxy's horizon. When the Citadel relay is activated, the Reapers will pour through. And all you know will be destroyed." It explained.
"But how do the Reapers survive in dark space?"
"We have only theories. The researchers here came to believe the Reapers enter prolonged states of inactivity to conserve energy. This allows them to survive the thousands and thousands of years it takes to organic civilization rebuild itself. But in this state, they are vulnerable. By retreating beyond the edges of the galaxy, they ensure no one will accidently discover them. They keep their existence hidden until the Citadel relay is activated."
"How come nobody ever noticed the Citadel was an inactive mass relay?"
"The Reapers are careful to keep the greatest secrets of the Citadel hidden. That is why they created a species of seemingly benign organic caretakers. The keepers maintain the station's most basic functions. They enable any species that discovers the Citadel to use it without fully understanding the technology. Reliance on the keepers ensures that no other species will ever discover the Citadel's true nature. Not until the relay is activated, and the Reapers invade."
"Damn it! They will destroy everything there! The Council, the Citadel fleet and civilians living there in single surprise attack!"
"That was our fate. Our leaders were dead before we even realized we were under attack. The Reapers seized control of the Citadel and through it, the mass relays. Communication and transportation across our empire were crippled. Each star system was isolated, cut off from the others. Easy prey for the Reapers fleets. Over the next decades, the Reapers systematically obliterated our people. World by world, system by system, they methodically wiped us out."
"Some of you must have managed to survive."
"Through the Citadel, the Reapers had access to all our records, maps, census data. Information is power and they knew everything about us. Their fleets advanced across every settled region of the galaxy. Some were utterly destroyed. Others were conquered their populations enslaved. These indoctrinated servants became sleeper agents under Reaper control. Taken in as refugees by other Protheans, they betrayed them to the machines. Within a few centuries, the Reapers had killed or enslaved every Prothean in the galaxy. They were relentless, brutal and absolutely thorough."
However, the next question came from X. He was as curious as the Commander. "What do they get out of this, by repeating this genocide every cycle?"
"Let me ask you a question first: why do you care for organics, being a machine yourself?"
"Because I was created by one of them. I was made to live as a replica of a human being in a world of peace. However, I was awakened by these same people that are standing right here. And seeing the danger that the galaxy was in, I decided to fight for the people we need to protect." X said.
Tali walked over and stood next to him. "So did I." Even if she didn't reach maturity from her Pilgrimage yet, she needed to do her part to assure the flotilla's safety.
"Everyone here is united for the same purpose, Vigil." Shepard proudly remarked.
"Which is why I said there is still hope to correct this. And answering your question, robot. The Reapers are alien, unknowable. Perhaps they need slaves or resources. More likely, they are driven by motives and goals organics beings cannot hope to comprehend. In the end, what does it matter? Your survival depends on stopping them, not in understanding them."
"Tell us what we need to do." Shepard finally asked.
"The Conduit is the key. Before the Reapers attacked, we Protheans were on the cusp of unlocking the mysteries behind the mass relay technology. Ilos was a top-secret facility. Here, researchers worked to create a small scale version of a mass relay. One that linked directly to the Citadel, the hub of the network."
"Hmm… a back door to the Citadel. Niiice!" Garrus blurted out.
"How did you manage in stay hidden?" Shepard continued asking.
"All official records of our project were destroyed during the initial attack on the Citadel. While the Prothean Empire was crashing down, Ilos was spared. We severed all communication with the outside and our facility went dark. The personnel retreated underground, into the archives. To conserve resources, everyone was put in cryogenic stasis. I was programmed to monitor the facility and wake the staff when the danger had passed. But the genocide of an entire species is a long and slow process. Years passed. Decades, centuries. The Reapers persisted and my energy reserves were dwindling."
"We had only a few hundreds of people, so our aid wouldn't matter against a galactic invasion. Our best hope was to remain undetected. I began to disable the life support of non-essential personnel. First, support staff, then security. One by one, their pods were shut down to conserve energy. Eventually, only the stasis pods of the top scientists remained active. Even these in danger of fading when the Reapers finally retreated back through the Citadel relay.
"How could you do that!? You were programmed to protect these, not kill them!" Shepard said angrily.
"This outcome was not completely unforeseen. My actions were a result of contingency programming entered on my creation."
"And I bet this wasn't told to the 'non-essential' staff." Garrus commented.
"I saved key personnel. When the Reapers retreated, the top researchers were still alive. My actions are the only reason any hope remains. When the researchers woke, they realized the Prothean species was doomed. There were only a dozen individuals left. Far too few to sustain a viable population. Yet they vowed to find some way to stop the Reapers from returning. A way to break the cycle forever. And they knew the keepers were the key.
"The keepers? But aren't they in the influence of the Reapers?" Shepard asked.
"The keepers are controlled by the Citadel. Before each invasion, a signal is sent through the station, compelling the keepers to activate the Citadel relay. After decades of feverish studies, the scientists discovered a way to alter this signal. Using the Conduit, they gained access to the Citadel and made the modifications. This time, when Sovereign sends the signal to the Citadel, the keepers ignored it. The Reapers are trapped in dark space. The one who passed here will use the Conduit to bypass Citadel defenses. Once inside, he will transfer the control of the station to Sovereign. It will override the Citadel's systems and manually open the relay. And the cycle of extinction will begin again."
"What help can you provide?"
"There is a data file in my console. Take a copy when you go. When you reach Citadel's master control unit, upload it to the station. It will corrupt the Citadel's security protocols and give you temporary control over the station. It might give you a chance against Sovereign."
"Even in my time with C-Sec, I never heard of a master control unit." Garrus said.
"Through the Conduit, follow the one who passed here. He will lead you to your destination."
"We got to move! Saren got enough of a head start!" Shepard grabbed the data on the console and ordered the team to move back to the Mako. When they arrived, they noticed that the force fields weren't there anymore. With everyone inside, Shepard floored the accelerator and exited the chambers.
Meanwhile, at the Citadel…
Sovereign and the Geth fleet came out from relay jump and began their attack on the Citadel. The attack opened with a massive volley by the Reaper forces that hit the Citadel Fleet doing a lot of damage. However, the Citadel forces didn't show weakness and counterattacked.
In the Destiny Ascension, the flagship of the Citadel Fleet, the Commander ordered the Citadel arms to be sealed to avoid damage at civilian areas. However, the systems weren't responding. There was only one option left.
"Abandon the Citadel! Evacuate the Council!"
Back at Ilos…
Shepard was driving through the trench that led to the Conduit. So far, they haven't met strong Geth resistance along the path, except for some Rocket Troopers that tried to stall them.
It didn't take them much to reach the Conduit. However, it was heavily guarded by four Colossi by the sides of river that led to it. And they didn't have much time left since readings showed that the Conduit was set to deactivate in 40 seconds.
There was no time to deal with the Colossi, so Shepard drove his way to Conduit.
"X, close the hatch! Everyone, grab on something! Things are going to get real shake here!" Shepard shouted.
The river trail performed a zigzag pattern, which was a good advantage to avoid enemy siege fire. Shepard used it as he drove towards the Conduit.
After getting past the defenses, Shepard drove at full throttle to the small mass relay. When the Mako came near it, the relay sent its energy to the vehicle, which jolted to space.
The final battle was about to begin…
Things are heating up, so stay tuned for the next chapter which will "settle" everything.
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