Aww man you can’t kill off shepherd. Sad face, duces

“It had been a day since”
Jensen spent a very long time combating the threat to Hein within the latter’s own body, when in ‘reality’ it took only a few seconds.
“this alternate Earth”
They’re not just ‘seeing’ an alternate reality; they are in it, affecting and changing it as it is affecting and changing them.
“a silent Promethean AI”
I narrowed my eyes at this. Aleph is one of the most mysterious characters of this story. All that Jensen has learnt about him is what Aleph himself has told and shown him.
“this entire journey had started with the excuse of finally using up that vacation time the two C-Sec agents had saved up over the last few years”
I love this.
“refusing to admit that he too, was enjoying the long walk in the wilderness”
Could Ramsus truly retire to a quiet life once he had gotten his revenge as well as Annah? I seriously doubt it; he has a literal taste for bloodshed and suffering, both physical and psychological.
“A quick snap-shot”
Hunting is not supposed to be easy, but Garrus’ marksmanship more than makes up for it.
“They had had enough of talk and explanations. They just wanted this strange journey to be over”
They are all in different stages of shock. Ramsus had been wounded in Bekenstein, Jensen had been frozen, his limbs removed, and put on auction before criminal scum and monsters who either wished to torture, consume or experiment on him, Garrus is slowly losing his mind to a point where he feels like he HAS to go to Palaven the first chance he gets, and Hannibal…huh. Not sure about Hannibal.
“The world’s been mad since forever”
Jensen has been through so much pain and torment even before this series started, and I suspect that the worst is yet to come.
“at Teg’s repeated insistence”
(narrows eyes) What is Teg’s ultimate goal?
“Feel free to go mad along with it”
There are many ways for Garrus’ character to go in this series…
“It’s got a uterus…But it’s got antlers”
What in the…
“it’s a bioroid…The meat is manufactured”
…they need to leave this place and get back to their own reality sharpish.
“See? Said Garrus, resigned”
I really sympathize with him. He and Jensen have been through way too much, and the journey’s still far from over for them. Somehow, I fear that the Citadel would be even worse considering that Jensen and Garrus have been living and working there for at least four years.
“Hannibal’s entire head opened, revealing a suite of sensors”
AI’s can learn and improve themselves without necessarily requiring input or assistance from others. (looks at the Geth) Goddammit. They lost in Noveria, but they’ll be back. Who knows where else they may show up next. If the Geth attack the Durendal and/or the Normandy…
“Proposal…meaningless to us…a waste of time”
Whatever Teg’s goal is, it/he does not want the group to try to learn more about this strange world.
“synthetic proteins”
Is there any trace of organic life left in this alternate world?
“his biology would make him regret it dearly later”
…
“a pulse of energy quietly surged between them, and Elsa’s body sent out a signal”
WHAT. Her CORPSE sent a signal?
“Wasn’t for sport, either”
It says something about the psychological toll that this arc has taken on the group that even Ramsus is in no mode to play around.
“within a split second he had seen all that there was to see about moose”
I wouldn’t trust that database.
“what little remained of Mankind’s history”
I had a sudden horrific thought about an alternate-Palaven. The Turians in my opinion have just as much of a rich and detailed history as humanity, and unlike humanity are one of the three most powerful races in the galaxy.
“from the mind of god”
Religion. Some things never change.
“a Titan-type, two Sorcerer-Type, and a Ranger-Type”
I love the different classifications and categories used by the natives(?) of this world.
“the almost organic”
I thought of the Reaper warform-ships and shuddered.
“eyes made of crystalized carbon”
I wonder what an Altered Carbon fanfic written by you would be like.
“they didn’t try to…”
I lowered my eyelids at this. (sigh) Well, not every mystery ought to be explained, but this still annoyed me because this world is no less fascinating than the ‘main’ one. In other words, yet again, this is entirely your fault, Ignusdei.
“recon probe 25 just took a few hundred snapshots of the area”
Oh man, what Pallin or Chellick would give to have devices and machines like that for C-Sec.
“Steiner replied, non-chalantly”
I love this series.
“There was hardly any place to hide”
I’m nervous now.
“lead them off the rails just to amuse himself”
The others may seriously consider killing Ramsus, and I’m including Hannibal.
“the Accords would have my head for it”
Conrad is clearly under a lot of stress.
“I’m getting tired”
Conrad is going to die, isn’t he?
“he had a bad tendency to get sidetracked”
I thought of Jensen insisting on helping a sick Quarian and then punishing the hospitals that refused to treat said Quarian. That left a big impression on Garrus.
“he was already sniffing the bones”
Adam Jensen is a True Detective.
“it was Michigan, his home state”
How many of Jensen’s enemies have visited Detroit in order to learn more about him?
“It felt like a theme park version of”
This world is terrifying.
“Adam could hear both Darrow and Brea taunting him”
Brea has probably studied Hugh Darrow. She has become increasingly interested in Jensen. Not that I can blame her.
“Oh, are we talking again?”
I need to watch more Cumberbatch movies.
“What’s the point of all our decisions if there is another version of ourselves in the infinite”
Hannibal should take up the last name of Sanchez, become an alcoholic, and force his as-yet-uncreated grandchild to go on adventures with him.
“Right next to a recycling vat”
Jesus, what a way to die.
“A xenotechnologist with a minor in quantum physics?”
…this Conrad killed the real one, didn’t he?
“It’s true, added Ramsus”
And of course he did not bother to tell them.
“A Query…Why did you not save”
Teg does not trust ‘Conrad’.
“Bulls-t, thought Adam”
‘Conrad’ is the scariest part of this story arc to me. If he turns on the group, they may not be able to do anything about it.
“The Warrior whispered the words in Adam’s ear…the red of his mask in his peripheral vision”
…I hate you, Ignusdei.
“How do you travel through time”
If the Geth ever master time travel…
“his dislike of her”
I think they need to be kept far apart from now on.
“Did he know you weren’t the real Verner?”
In my opinion, even if everyone in the loop is convinced that he is not the assassin, nobody may be able to trust ‘Conrad’ ever again.
“Hein’s too clever to just let anyone aboard his ship”
Not clever enough to prevent an assassination attempt. Hein is not an omniscient god. He makes mistakes like everybody else. And in the life he lives, one mistake is usually all it takes.
“a pack of grey foxes”
Dammit, now I’m tempted to look up videos of grey foxes. Also, I thought of the CIA.
“He wasn’t sure why: out there in space he had found more of the same he had suffered through on Earth”
Is it wrong that this made me smile?
“outer space had been this grand frontier”
In my opinion, it still is.
“they’re still beautiful from here”
They really are.
“Ramsus seemed to find some comfort – even joy – at the presence of the flames”
I love character-moments like this. One of the reasons that I dislike the superhero genre is not the powers but the formulaic writing that focuses more on the spectacle than on the characters.
“he medicates with Red Sand whenever he feels sad”
Ramsus is an addict…
“I saw my mother die…I saw my mother die”
Jensen, Garrus and Ramsus have all lost their mothers, and Garrus’ foster mother abused him.
“someone wanted us to see this. Wanted us to be here”
But why? What do they gain from stirring up the group’s memories?
“a hacker capable of completely erasing his tracks”
They are NOT going to let this go. I fear that Jensen’s group may not be able to deal with Symeon’s group peacefully.
“The Sphere – the Maker’s body”
Wait, WHAT?
“Almost as if…the hand of the Maker was at work”
This story arc is making me more and more nervous.
“This is how the world should be”
He did not like his time in the military, and he is inclined to violence against criminals in C-Sec. Garrus carries a lot of pain and rage within him despite his jovial demeanor.
“I’m still adjusting to the concept of not being shot at”
It is not heavily-armed opponents that frighten Garrus, but the unknown in the dark.
“They said nothing, letting the wind whisper”
They know each other too well by that point.
“but Brutus could never figure out why”
There is so much potential in amnesia stories that I feel is under-utilized or downright botched. Geralt being amnesiac in the Witcher game series is something that I wish the writers had explored more of in terms of potential for his character development.
“Garrus handed him the gun”
What if someone had attacked them at that instant?
“protested Garrus”
Let me guess; Garrus is not comfortable with live, sentient transport.
“the risk of falling and breaking his neck”
That would be a heck of a way to die after everything else he had survived.
“Who?”
Of course Jensen hasn’t talked about Megan Reed to Garrus. They may be friends, but there are some things that you don’t tell anybody about, ever.
“Wonder if there’s a version of you in this timeline”
I hate it when Ramsus is right…
“everything was white…made of the same stuff”
This is an imitation of a world, instead of being an actual world in of itself. Why would anyone do something like that?
“Ramsus found it deeply unsettling”
If RAMSUS is disturbed…
“It was the Sarif building”
it was practically inviting him to go off-course and investigate, and Jensen probably knew that but couldn’t stop himself from doing it anyway. Not to mention the chance of resurrecting Elsa.
“All Adam could think of was”
Instead of Ramsus, it is Jensen this time who puts them all in danger.
“do you have a candy bar on you?”
Starving. No source of nutrition found by him so far in this world.
…they’re not going to leave him here, are they?
“behind him…next to his neck”
She snuck up on him without him detecting her…
“You sensed all these things before. You were here before. With her”
…WHAT.

And…it’s done. One year and ten months since I started this review-journey, and as of today I have reviewed every single chapter of Mass Effect: Human Revolution, aka the most epic fanfiction I have ever read.
It’s been an absolute blast, and that experience has yet to fade. I look forward to more chapters of this amazing series, and in the mean-time, I wish you all the best with your current work on a certain video game.

holy fking shit, that ending gave me goosebumps!

Listening to this as I start the review:

INTO THE VOID 1-HOUR Epic Futuristic Space Music Mix Epic Sci-Fi Hybrid Music (by Pandora Journey on Youtube)

“dark figures of smoke caught in an wind unseen and unfelt…they were all wearing Blacklight suits”
This is horrifying.
”What the F-K is going on, now?!”
I don’t think even Aleph knows what is going on. The Protheans could not have known everything.
“A dream, then?”
You cannot trust ANYTHING in this universe…
“his Quicksilver aug”
Just moments ago, they had been fighting Snatchers with what seem to be Sarif-augmentations.
“to wake himself up”
Something tells me that this could backfire very badly on him.
“relative normalcy of hunting down a killer”
This is what Jensen considers to be normal…
“the ghostly form of the Demonica’s AI…pale-skinned girl…she had seen him, countless times”
What in the…
“She held, of all things, a ring of keys…stood besides a huge briefcase”
Science-fiction Mystery…God damn it. My head is spinning.
“standing between the two of them, was Fyodor, the quarrian boy”
I think that the heroes may be wise to consider getting some answers from the Migrant Fleet. Could the Quarians have somehow been involved with humanity for as long as before they were driven from their homeworld by the Geth?
“through his killing instinct alone the new hardware in his arms flash-forged arm blades”
Jensen is a walking arsenal of cutting-edge, state-of-the-art military technology. If he ever goes bad or crazy…well, Gray did state that he has a solid plan to kill Jensen if worst comes to worst.
“I remember this place”
Why the hell did they come HERE? And why did they arrive separately? Even Conrad can’t seem to explain it, and that scares me the most.
“The smugglers dumped me here, knowing that WTO smart-cams were everywhere”
No honor among thieves.
“not caring one bit about proper pedestrian behavior”
He’s been through a lot.
“in spite of Adam’s attempt at Breaching”
Uh-oh.
“the corridor of time”
I wonder if Saren has already underwent time/reality travel and been just as amazed and stupefied as the heroes in this arc. There’s no telling what technology and/or secrets the Turians may have discovered, designed and/or harbor.
“a very bloody and visible stab wound in the back”
Not exactly a clean kill. Also no attempt to hide the body.
“It was almost as if Ramsus had passed through here”
I shuddered at this. I haven’t forgotten Interludes of Madness, Sorrow and Fury. It’s kind of a difficult chapter to forget…
“The audio log semi-confirmed the country”
(looks at the Silver Drakes) …what have the French been doing, or have already done?
“activated his Smart Vision”
That’s just cheating, Jensen.
“The year in the date above it – 2149”
(narrows eyes) Pay close attention, Jensen. Note down everything you can.
“one of Aleph’s memories demanding to be remembered”
Jensen…do not trust Aleph. The Reapers may be the enemy, but that does not necessarily mean that Aleph is a steadfast and trustworthy ally.
“took a few snapshots”
Everything that the heroes do in this arc (Behind the Curtain) would undoubtedly have future consequences.
“Adam killed them easily”
I love that this scene does not need to go into detail of the fight scene since it isn’t even a fight.
“Icarus landing system malfunctioning”
…
“she said cheerfully”
CHEERFULLY?
“a 747 airplane burst out of nowhere, headed straight for Adam”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“before the shadows found him again”
He is being hunted. They may be weaker, but they are many, and persistent, and he is most definitely not immortal.
“That was when Anna Navarre exploded”
What.
“a beautiful free state”
(looks at Omega) Uh-huh. ‘Beautiful’. Sure. If that’s beautiful, I don’t want to know what they consider to be ugly.
“It would be hard to stay mad at Hein with all those new perks”
I doubt that Garrus or even Ramsus could survive going through what Jensen just experienced.
“she was full of Reaper tech”
…
“the turian took the opportunity to”
Instead of being frozen and gob-smacked, he flew into action.
“nothing short of that would bring them down”
Speed is key against the Jester.
“then a hundred…In less than a minute, the fight was over”
How in the hell is Saren going to fight Jensen? Maybe he won’t, or maybe he will. The Turian strikes me as someone who doesn’t fight fair. He is a terrorist after all.
“the dead Vakarian boy?”
What?
“Conrad sent you, thank the spirits…we’ve met”
…Conrad’s got a lot of explaining to do.
“He shall need it for the difficult times ahead”
You’ve got something big planned for Garrus, don’t you?
“This is Messian tech”
What the hell has Leto Valerius been getting himself involved in…? And for that matter, what is going on within the Turian Hierarchy? In my opinion, this crisis is way too big for the heroes to handle. For all they know, Saren may be the LESSER EVIL in his goal to destroy humanity.
“until the Jester took them over”
If the Jester is a Reaper, then may all the Spirits help Omega…
“Thankfully, Hein had prepared Adam’s implants for just such an occasion”
THANK YOU HEIN.
“a Reaper Warform sleeping in the dark as it awaited the start of another harvest”
My hands shook when I read this.
“a fleet of black ships, sword-shaped…like the Durendal”
I know Hein’s in critical condition, but he and Jensen are very long overdue for a talk. No more secrets. If they are to work together, they have to TRUST each other.
“destroying the Reapers again and again”
They can be killed…but that only makes them more dangerous.
“I FOUND THEM…AND THEN I KILLED THEM ALL IN THEIR SLEEP”
If he did that before the events of this series started, then it meant that he won the battle but still lost the war. If so, why?
“clad in an earlier version of their Crusader Power Armour”
Hmm.
“took one look at him…ABOMINATION!”
God damn frigging Templars.
“where he acted like a goddamned krogan”
Ha!
Hmm, I wonder if Okeer is an unusual combatant for a krogan.
“The loss of their leader hadn’t impacted their morale one bit”
(looks at Caim becoming despondent at having failed to protect Elsa) Huh.
“they would have cooked Adam alive”
…
“flew right into one of the Templar’s suits”
I have a very bad feeling about Burroughs trying to do that to Reaper tech.
“a flurry of punches to his enemy’s face”
Jensen has his bias and his prejudices. Not all Templars are irredeemable monsters. Sadly, the ones that Jensen has met were almost all horrible people.
“Sarif, and Eliza…they’ve succeeded! They’ve preserved you!”
Jesus Christ, this series is TOO MUCH. There’s no way all these mysteries could be resolved or explained! And in my opinion, they shouldn’t be. Sometimes you don’t HAVE to explain everything.
“Talia Mullenkamp…Lea Monde, the place where you were born and meant to sleep until the time when you would be needed”
My head hurts.
“I gave the Sarif the means to preserve you for millenia”
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said ‘What’ in this review. Also, yeah, Sarif may have had help, but he was still a goddamn genius.
“his earliest memory, long eroded by time and submerged by trauma”
I wonder if Saren Arterius too has a mysterious past that he is struggling to uncover.
“There was no time to mourn”
When is there ever…?
“there is one last clue you need to see”
Why now? Because of Hein’s close brush with death, perhaps?
“casual gestures of incredible power”
Gandalf the Grey: ‘This foe is beyond any of you. RUN.’
“This was a clue”
Definitely. Note every single detail, Jensen. Don’t dismiss anything, no matter how seemingly insignificant.
“Reaper husk tech”
I shuddered. Reaper technology is…yeah. I don’t know what the hell it is.
“Another timeline secured”
There are probably countless realities in which the Reapers win in this cycle. It is the mission of the heroes to ensure that this one reality turns out different.
“It was Hannibal that swam in”
When did Hannibal spot Jensen? How long had Jensen been in the water?
“screaming in horror”
Is it wrong that I found this funny?
“Excuse me, said Hannibal”
Even in a dire crisis like this, Hannibal is polite. I love Hannibal. He certainly lives up to his name.
“he knew his brain would connect the dots”
True Detective. That’s what Jensen and Garrus are. Heh. The Youtube video just got to the song, ‘Revolt Production Music – Event Horizon’ as I reached this point of the chapter.
“on a hiking trip with Megan Reed”
Even if she never loved him, he still loved her.
“I’m home”
I smiled at this.
“Robot War, humans lost like, a century ago”
Conrad is not going to survive this story arc, is he? Either that or he’d leave the heroes in a hurry.
“And then the Snatchers killed and replaced him with one of their own”
…kill them all, Jensen. Kill every single one of them. Creatures like them should not exist.
“I liked being a Gen-2”
Androids. Is this what this world had been turned into?
“after Red Eye attacked the ring”
Is a war going on in this region?
“She’s been missing for a month!”
Michaelle may or may not be Elsa from another reality; what she would have become if the world had ended up like, well, this.
“Nothing we can’t handle…Still, be careful, okay?”
I love that Jensen’s group do NOT belong on this world/reality. This is a great story arc.
“Symeon…as Bailey”
…Ignusdei, you’re just messing with us at this point, aren’t you? You are way too cruel a writer, y’know.

this CMY187 shit head is making it hard to find an actual review of the story

Listening to this as I start the review:

INFINITY – Epic Futuristic Music Mix / Atmospheric Sci-Fi Music (by Premium Music HQ on Youtube)

“in the dark, at the end of all time”
…so even the Reapers can die. Nothing is invincible. Nobody lives forever. There would come a time in this series in which all life in the universe ends.
“Behind the Curtain…The Journeyman”
I need to play Nier: Automata.
“after a brief eternity of masticating him”
…Jesus frigging Christ.
“growled Ramsus, shoving Garrus away with his biotics”
Ramsus for all his outward confidence carries a lot of pain and fear within him. There is a reason that he is my favorite character.
“his expression betraying neither mirth nor sorrow”
I love this.
“the suspect’s”
I grinned when I read this.
“Hannibal roared”
I’m guessing being strained through reality wasn’t pleasant for Hannibal either.
“Teg, helpfully”
Ha!
“Hannibal, squeeze”
Garrus has no problem with torturing people to get information. Considering that he’s been tortured himself…
“He’s telling the truth”
I smiled at this.
“I’ve been dreaming of it, in fact…not this creepy garbage again”
I love this so much.
“magnetohydrodynamic”
What?
“London, Ramsus recognized”
So he’s been to the United Kingdom. Interesting. When, and why?
“Reaper Leviathan-Class Dreadnoughts”
The Reapers have their own military forces…currently in this series, some of their own people have infiltrated the ranks of galactic society in an attempt to weaken and corrupt it from within. They have been doing this sort of thing for a very long time. And they have never lost…
“Battle of London! 2186!”
I’m guessing that by that year in this reality, Palaven is a smoldering ruin.
“mentally reached out to the missile”
Adam Jensen is a LIVING WEAPON. If Saren does not fear him, then I say Saren is a fool.
“a proper dimensional fatigue point”
If the villains could also do what Conrad can do…
“variations of…suffered a hundred deaths in the blink of an eye”
…
“Follow me, and do exactly as I say!”
Edge of Tomorrow. Live. Die. Repeat.
“as if God had a bad case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder”
Heck, the world would probably be better off if he did have it.
“It simply wasn’t right”
I love that this chapter explores how Garrus’ mental state has been affected by everything he has been through in this series so far.
“a firm believer in the Law”
Why is that?
“he wasn’t fond of rigid hierarchies”
He was bullied in the military by a fellow Turian soldier.
“the world should be constant, and firm, and unmoving”
Nothing makes sense to him anymore.
“Nobody stays the same”
He now doubts his own past…
“trying, really, really hard not to think about this Brutus Valerius”
An essential part of being an investigator, a detective, is acquiring and analyzing FACTS. But if you cannot trust anything to be real or factual anymore…
“He’s only slowly losing his mind”
I love this line.
“please don’t shoot me in the face!”
He’s been mistaken for a snatcher before, hasn’t he?
“that doesn’t happen, now”
Wait, WHAT?
“Be my leader”
Garrus doesn’t trust himself to lead this group. This is bad. Garrus is NOT in a good place mentally. How did he react when he learnt that Jensen had been captured?
“MEDIC PLATFORM REQUESTED…basic first aid”
Geth have platforms that know how to apply first aid to organics? Interesting.
“did we find the Leviathans here”
Conrad must not under any circumstances fall into enemy hands. In my opinion, he just became as important as Jensen in this series.
“We’re not packing a lot of heat”
Sooner or later, they’re going to run out of ammo.
“The Leviathans are enslaved in this timeline”
…
“without any reprogramming whatsoever required”
What are you, Teg?
“an incredible level of ammo discipline”
The Geth are a truly terrifying foe. They lost in Noveria, but they’ll be back.
“a complaint he’d had for years…I know, right?!”
I love that they discuss this in the midst of a battle. They’re used to it by now.
“and I’m not allowed to DO anything”
Ramsus is more of a liability than an asset in this situation, and he knows it.
“that useless corpse”
We love you too, Ramsus.
“I wonder how Elsa tastes…He was just that bored”
Hannibal wasn’t kidding when he said that Ramsus needs to be kept in his cell with maximum comforts when not on mission. However, doing so would prevent him from interacting with the others, and by God do they need to trust and rely on each other. (looks at Ramsus seducing Echo) Goddammit, Ramsus!
“he was looking for some payback”
They may be friends, but they don’t cut each other any slack. After all, one mistake in the lives they live is all it may take to end it all.
“I’ve had to do this over a thousand times”
Jesus Christ…
“It’s not important; don’t think about it…STOP ASKING!...I can’t answer that question!”
What the hell.
“caught off-guard by none other than Teg”
The Reaper forces are NOT invincible. They can be defeated and killed. There is still a chance for victory…but nobody has ever defeated the Reapers.
“his many minds”
Uh-oh.
“but the organics had made it the primary”
Why do I get an ominous feeling from this?
“light cybernetics”
I am still worried that Garrus may attempt to undergo extensive cybernetic augmentation. He knows that he and the other heroes need every edge they can get…but Jensen carries a lot of pain, sorrow and grief due to the limitations that being a near-total cyborg imposes, and one of which is him deciding to be celibate.
“examined it in closer detail”
I do not trust Teg…
“the data Teg had on file for”
Uh-oh.
“Devlon Industries”
Hmm.
“Store data for later use”
…
“almost disgusted”
Whose idea was it to mass produce thermal clips?
“Hein is watching you”
Wait, WHAT.
“the built-in software to use them”
The Geth are an incredibly advanced synthetic race. It must be horrifying so many people to learn that Krogan and Geth are working together.
“an attempt to save itself by”
Who knows if there are Geth within the softwares of organic societies. The Geth may have spies everywhere…
“go over this platform’s memories later”
(narrows eyes) And Teg isn’t sharing any of these findings with the others…why? He clearly has an agenda of his own.
“shaking his head”
I love that despite being his only friend, Hannibal doesn’t approve of Ramsus’ palate either.
“each one the size of a fist. The only thing keeping them at bay”
Collectors. Those swarms could render entire colonies and/or armies defenseless. Where is Mordin Solus when you need him?
“Harbinger can’t afford to waste troops”
The Reapers’ resources are not infinite. There IS hope…but good Lord are the odds stacked against the heroes.
“I can’t sprint while doing this”
Ramsus is a powerful being, but he is not invincible. Nothing is.
“Do not lose control”
I closed my eyes when I read this. Ramsus is powerful, yes, but that power comes at a risk and a price.
“The output was not impressive”
…
“the Warform’s Intellect”
Hmm.
“the Reapers’ strange allies”
The word that got me here is ‘strange’. This series is…Ignusdei, it’s TOO MUCH.
“I thought he was about to kill us all!”
He still might…just not now.
“had been expecting this ever since Ramsus joined the crew”
This made me shudder. Christ Alive, the heroes NEED to work together. They’re going after goddamn Snatchers next. If any enemy requires unity and synergy in order to be dealt with, it’s Snatchers.
“Ramsus was afraid of bugs”
I imagined him being hunted by Collectors…
“I fear NOTHING”
An obvious lie, and Ramsus knows it.
“SOON SHE WILL DECIDE TO MERGE WITH US”
Why do I get the feeling that telling Hein this wouldn’t be a good idea?
“Adam gave the group a reassuring smile”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“a not-quite-dead Husk”
I hate those things too.
“the very fabric of its own being rippled into shards of glass”
That cannot be pleasant.
“as if there were components that resonated with the alien devices”
OH GOD NO.
One of my worst fears regarding this series is Saren studying and replicating David Sarif’s research, especially considering that Aleph is able to somehow stay alive and conscious within Jensen’s body.
“by Zero-shifting towards them”
GOD DAMN IT. AS IF THEY AREN’T TERRIFYING ENOUGH ALREADY.
“played back in reverse, and resumed their existence”
Jesus Christ…
“draining the machine of energy until its existence unraveled”
Hmm. Here’s hoping the others are taking notes.
“calculated the most probable point of exit from the Zero-shift”
Don’t mess with the Geth.
…did Jensen use Zero Shift during the Battle of Noveria?
“following no one’s example but his own”
Narcissist.
“YOUR EXISTENCE IS CHAOS”
What is it that the Reapers truly fear? Why do they wage war on the whole galaxy again and again?
“a full vending machine”
I love that Jensen somehow managed to find one here.
“rewind time”
I’m guessing that Conrad has tried to prevent Shepard’s murder within the hospital in the Citadel and failed.
“the Allied forces”
The Alliance think they could control the Reapers. They are fools.
“he’ll f-k things up. He always does”
That’s going to stick in the group’s minds. I have not forgotten that Ramsus refused to listen to Hannibal which led to his capture and imprisonment in the Peak 15 facility.
“Conrad stabbed Shepard in the head”
…Ignusdei, you are one of the most cruel writers I have ever seen. Coincidentally, this is the most epic fanfic of all time.
“the abominations held Harbinger responsible for this…This was the way Nazara punished all failure”
I’m guessing that Nazara is not like Grand Admiral Thrawn.

I don't know why it bothers me so much, considering that this is a fic on a sci-fi, but fighting through the alteration of mass sounds wrong as it is a property of the object... instead you should be talking about acceleration or gravitational pull which would default to the same effect since you are actually trying to imply a change in force. it's a silly and pointless review, i know, but I had to get it out from my chest.

daaaaaaamn, for this being an introductory arc it felt like an out of this world ride and then some. loving it so far

“Previously, on Mass Effect: Human Revolution”
I grinned at this. I’m still curious of how far ahead you have planned this story.
“had to prop himself up on the edge of the slab to get a good look”
What is it with great writers making characters both terrifying and adorable? (looks at Saren) …Ignusdei, don’t you dare.
“My handiwork”
Oof. So it was Ramsus who killed or executed Hock.
“Did you eat the Reaper”
…now there’s a thought. Has anyone ever tried to consume a Reaper?
“wouldn’t have survived long unless the place was full of Dark Energy”
Hmm. And they consume sentient life, body and soul. Dammit, how does anybody write science-fiction stories?
“Assuming we can even trust those C-Sec techs”
…yeah. Christ Alive, do I hate Snatchers. I haven’t forgotten Jensen pointing his revolver at Hein’s chest at point-blank range. Worse still, Hein did not anticipate that Jensen would do that. Had the latter’s paranoia and fear been higher, he may had shot Hein then and there. This is what Snatchers do to people. I don’t blame Councilor Valern for choosing to keep such information out of the public. In my opinion, it’s a big risk, but the heroes should consider making contact with him…if doing so doesn’t get Valern killed and/or Snatched.
“they are both in the arms and prothean artifact businesses”
How many prothean artifacts ARE there in the galaxy? Do the Batarians and the Turians have any? What about the Krogan? Are there artifacts in Tuchanka? Then again, the Krogan did not uplift themselves; that was the Salarians.
“Too dead”
‘Too’ dead? Could Ramsus get ‘readings’ off a corpse that had only just died?
“someone used Hock’s hardware for the hack”
In the very first mission in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Jensen witnessed a thief/terrorist being forced to put a gun to his own head and shoot himself. Augmentations have both benefits and drawbacks…
“I see it too”
Man, Ramsus NEEDS Hannibal. He knows next to nothing about advanced technology or electronics.
“What is it about you, Adam?”
That IS a good question. Hein has stated that Jensen is a type of person who only comes along once in a generation.
“Brea wouldn’t”
HA!
“How precious; you have no idea, do you?”
He was there on Peak 15, and convinced Brea to give HIM his weapons and let him loose or Jensen (and Garrus) would be killed by the Blacklight operatives.
“suppressing his nervousness as he looked around”
I thought of a quote from Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos:
Orc Grunt: ‘I fear no living enemy, but my axe cannot cleave fleshless spirits!’
“It’s not like anyone can shut this place down from the outside”
Jensen’s just ASKING for it here.
“Meanwhile, in Engineering”
God damn it.
“Tali was working hard on…yet another issue with using a cracked Element Zero core for a ship this large”
Man, Hein NEEDS someone like Tali, and he may need more than just her.
In my opinion, it would be a tremendous thing to ask Tali to vouch for them to the Migrant Fleet. Simply by contacting them, the heroes would be putting the lives of numerous Quarians in grave peril, and Tali knows it. She has been in so much danger before she even met Hein and Jensen, and has been in the frontlines of many of the conflicts in this series. However, she also knows what is at stake if they fail. In my opinion, it IS worth risking the lives of all her people. If they lose, they’ll all die anyway.
“you plowed through that problem like a Pilgrim with his first asari”
Ha! I love that Tali is a pervert.
“the entire inside of the ship is basically a black spot…What”
I’m with Tali on this one.
“I don’t think we should try anything!”
He’s hiding something.
“Tali wasn’t quite livid, but she was getting there”
She’s under a lot of stress. They all are.
“you’re about to make a stupid mistake!...Tali narrowed her eyes at Conrad”
Failed that Speech check, Conrad.
“Grey put himself between them”
I stand by my belief that if Grey had been present with Jensen’s group in Noveria, Tali would not have inadvertently activated that hostile cyborg/mech.
“No, the Durendal’s captain is and always has been Aki Ross”
Yeeaahh, it’s always been a bit of an issue that Hein has more sway over the ship than the person who technically should be in charge.
“commented Ramsus, suggestively”
Jesus is he sexually hyperactive. Maybe his psionic powers increase his libido?
“Never heard of those”
Valern is very, very interested in Snatchers. For all I know, there may already be captured Snatchers being sent to Sur’Kesh for study.
“I’m being polite”
Heh! Ramsus clearly enjoys being around Jensen and Garrus.
“I was just thinking it’s a little odd that”
I still love that Jensen and Garrus are cops, not soldiers, yet are highly capable and lethal in combat. Hein has stated that Jensen could EASILY become a powerful and wealthy mercenary warlord if he wants to, but instead chooses to be a Detective-Sergeant in a police force that is underfunded and under-equipped.
“Adam’s eyes fluttered under his eyelids”
I thought of the process of backups in Altered Carbon.
“It was like watching someone play a video game”
I wonder if Garrus’ sister plays video games. Also, Pallin’s going to need treatment for his severed hand…Christ, this war is taking its toll on both the heroes and the villains, and honestly I don’t see the villains as being close to breaking.
“We’ve neutralized the Revere probes”
I shuddered. Jensen sounds like he’s understating the danger of jacking into a Snatcher’s system.
“Would that not mean that the hacker had access to this…this place”
If the assassin breached and compromised Hein’s hidden lab, they may had done the same to the morgue…
“throwing a look at Grey”
Ha!
“throwing a look right back at her”
I hope Grey and Tali get to work together more in this series.
…dammit, and now I’m realizing that there’s a chance that Tali may become attracted to HIM too.
“maybe we shouldn’t bother him with this right now?”
He knows…
“Brea was suffering”
Yay! Sorry, I love ya, Brea, but your suffering is just too entertaining.
“at which point she tuned him out”
Sorry, Frost, she’s interested in someone else. I still snicker at the scene in which Hein plays the song Weird Science in Jensen’s ear.
“Adam’s maddening indifference”
Hahahahaha! I absolutely love the dynamic between Brea and Jensen. Brea is SUCH a great character.
“looked at her with an odd asexual fondness”
Conrad is a strange person.
“which sent up red flags in her paranoid mind”
Conrad is NOT that good a liar, which makes me believe he isn’t the assassin.
“Just wake him up!”
Sooner or later, the rest of the ship is going to learn that something terrible happened to Hein, especially if he doesn’t recover quickly to appear before them, and I seriously doubt he would.
“Brea lied”
This is bad…Tali will NOT appreciate that she was kept in the dark and not let in on Hein nearly being assassinated. She joined them, fought with them, risked her life just as much as they have risked theirs.
“there’s an issue with his salary. It’s a bit urgent”
NO, Brea. Do NOT do that. If Conrad had indeed been the assassin, he would have immediately been alerted upon being told that Brea needs to speak to him urgently.
“in some sort of laboratory”
They need to find it, otherwise they’d be facing more Snatchers.
“his extensive bio-modifications”
(narrows eyes) There’s no telling what Saren may or may not have done to himself.
“Haven’t heard about him in a while, nevermind seen him”
Saren has been keeping his distance from the front lines, instead directing others like Benezia and Wreav. He knows how to move in and strike from the shadows. I doubt he’d let the heroes anywhere near him, unless they can force or trick him to go where they want him to go.
“I thought Saren hated all humans?”
I predict an extensive interview or even interrogation of Echo/Kasumi in the future.
“Keeping track of so many factions”
This memory that Jensen has found is INVALUABLE. In my opinion, all the heroes need to see it.
“the Shadow Broker”
Saren may already be plotting to eliminate the Broker. Brea likely is aware of and is concerned about it. If anyone can find and kill the Broker, Saren could.
“And so far, Benezia has been very good at acquiring”
How long ago was this? According to Jensen, this is one of ‘Hock’’s earliest memories, while he was still being created in a tank.
“Hate to think what would Saren have done with my body”
…yeah. That would be horrifying; Jensen being limbless and at Saren’s mercy. Saren manipulated both Benezia and Wreav into pledging themselves to his cause…
“Yeah. Diana. Diana Nielsen’
…Jesus Christ. What the hell was Keiji a part of? This…this is BIG. This is crucial, even critical information. It’s a huge lead that could bring them closer to learning more about and tracking down Saren. At the very least, Jondum Bau HAS to see this memory. I’d say Bau can be trusted; he’s fought alongside them enough times, for one.
“Saren sighs”
Being a villain isn’t easy.
“He’s an angel of death, forsaken and forgotten by his own god”
…what.
“I pity him, just as I have taken pity on you”
…show this memory to the Migrant Fleet, and they just might pledge their full might to Hein’s, Jensen’s and Anderson’s mission to bring Saren to justice. Heck, the Quarians may ALREADY intend to go against Saren considering that many Geth currently worship him as their Messiah…though there may be other Quarians who hope to make non-hostile contact with the Turian.
If Saren gets the Migrant Fleet on his side, it would promise terrible things for the whole galaxy…he’s already gotten large numbers of Asari and Krogan to follow him.
“And working with the Alliance, to boot…I’m sure Vega and Jenkins would LOVE to see that”
Those two would be FURIOUS. Imagine how Anderson would feel. His men, led by Shepard, raced to stop the Geth from destroying the colony. To learn that it was the Alliance who orchestrated the attack…
“I’m running out of time”
Why? Time to do or prevent something, or that something is soon to inevitably happen to him?
“there’s still so much I don’t know”
Conrad has incredible powers, but that doesn’t mean he is all-knowing or immortal.
“her very loud high heels”
Goddammit, Brea.
“I know I looked a little suspicious”
Things are just going from bad to worse. They’re turning on each other now…
“What could possibly happen in five seconds that will make a difference, here?”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“for some reason the Durendal’s drive couldn’t be shut down, ever”
…why? What exactly is in this ship, and what’s in it?
“she hit nothing but metal floor”
Brea…you shouldn’t have tried to apprehend him alone.
“Conrad mirrored her stance”
He knows Krav Maga?!
“like fighting a hundred holograms at once”
Jesus Christ!
“That was when Paxton Toombs, Conrad’s former arch-nemesis, came across him”
You’re a cruel writer, Ignusdei.
“reality around the Durendal became a hall of mirrors”
I think the Durendal needs some help…
“his own research on the Normandy’s origins”
Huh. Interesting.
“designed by different minds, different cultures”
I love this.
“This was a place that soon would touch all places. And later still, all times”
One thing I am certain of; if ‘Conrad’ can do it, so can others. There is absolutely no way that he is the only one.
“It would have rammed him at full speed”
…
“utterly shocked”
Garrus Vakarian vs Garrus Vakarian. Jesus Christ, would that be a scary duel. (looks at Jensen and Ramsus) …
“the Battle of Agincourt”
What?
“shouted Ramsus”
I love the friendship between Ramsus and Hannibal. Hannibal knows how messed-up and horrible Ramsus is…but he is also the only friend that Hannibal ever had after losing the only other person who cared about him. And Hannibal is Ramsus’ ONLY friend.
“that idea alone”
(sigh) Goddammit, Adam. You just couldn’t bring yourself to let her stay dead. You know she’d probably hate you for it.
“Go on ahead!...he ran towards his partner”
There was no chance at all that Garrus would have left Jensen behind. They’d either both escape or die together.
“not again!”
HA!
“Unexpectedly…would be fun”
(gives Ramsus a half-lidded look) Thanks for caring, Ramsus.
“pulled into two realities”
…
“his molecules were being unraveled”
JESUS CHRIST.
“Adam resigned himself to his fate”
A note to all the other heroes: Do not let Garrus die, otherwise Jensen may fall into absolute despair and become suicidal.
“defying the fourth dimension”
Sorry, but I thought of the time cops in Rick & Morty.
“did not appreciate Conrad undoing it”
‘Conrad’ is not going to survive this story arc, is he?
“Burrough’s voice”
Wait, WHAT. Jane was wearing the suit while in the Citadel!
“It wasn’t an ideal time or place, but anything was better than being swallowed up”
MAN does he have a lot of explaining to do.
“into the unknown”
I don’t know how the hell they are going to get out of this.

And so the Killer on the Durendal arc ends, to be followed by Behind the Curtain…and the killer still hasn’t been found. Who knows who they could be, or WHAT they could be.
I think it’s going to be up to the other heroes to figure it out; Jensen, Garrus, Ramsus, Hannibal, Teg and ‘Conrad’ have immediate problems of their own.

“He is so close…Wait until my servant comes”
This is where the story dives into a whole other realm of terrifying. Instead of questioning the enemies they fight, the heroes start to question themselves.
“the chain of events that had brought him to this moment”
It all started with Shepard, not ended. The Alliance should have known better.
“Months ago, Aya had called Adam’s sense of morality sexist”
I love this.
“Seeing women killed had always hurt him deeply…compelled him to protect any woman at the cost of his own life”
His enemies may use that against them. I know I would.
“had she been content to die, at the end?”
There is so much about Elsa that even she didn’t know. Perhaps Adam may never learn all of it…or perhaps he would.
“find your killer and put him behind bars”
Hein and Jensen both want the Illuminati to answer for their actions, but let’s face it; people like the Illuminati don’t go to prison.
“I wish we could have had more time to dance”
He saw something in her that drew him to her, perhaps in a way that none of the other women – Brea, Tali or Manah – ever did, at least as of Chapter 90.
“Are you quite finished flagellating yourself?”
Ramsus does not intend to beat himself up over his failure to save or protect Annah. He’s got work to do and people to torture and kill.
“There would be time to mourn later”
Would there really be? They still have to go into the Citadel, as wanted fugitives, and hunt down goddamn Snatchers of all things.
“Ramsus, not fond of technology”
Now I’m imagining Ramsus being ordered to hack into an advanced Geth AA gun.
“People keep barging in on my channels”
…Saren is going to talk to Jensen via Codec, isn’t he?
“I suspected that the data might be tampered with”
It seems that between Ramsus and Hannibal, Hannibal is the better and more level-headed investigator of the two.
“I’ll ask Tali to have a look at the issue”
…I wonder if the Quarians have any advanced prototype ships of their own.
“he pulled out the locker’s slab, lied on top of it, and slid inside, head first”
If this is a trap…
“I can smell a bit of”
Jensen is a very scary cop.
“a triptych”
(Googles the word) ‘A picture or relief carving on three panels.’ Huh. Learn something new every day.
“Adam almost never said that, and when he did…And suddenly, the room folded into itself”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“Tali had left Conrad in charge while she worked on drafting a letter to Veetor’s family”
After this, Tali may end up moving permanently next to the engine.
“To Garrus”
His sanity is currently in danger of falling apart…
“he focused on the sound”
He’s survived so much untold peril, but sooner or later his luck may run out.
“like the lair of an ancient AI God Garrus had seen in a science-fantasy movie”
I’m curious of what movies or TV series Garrus might have seen growing up. I’m just curious of Turian culture and history in general. Who knows what horrible secrets the Hierarchy has. (looks at Tali and the Migrant Fleet) Goddammit.
“surrounded by a globe of yellow light”
Imagine if all of Jensen’s augmentations were suddenly shut down…he’d be paralyzed or even die.
“Makes sense that Hein would make use of that piece of tech”
If Hein’s machines and projects are compromised, the heroes may have to abandon or even destroy the Durendal. Please tell me Hein has another ship in preparation for such a scenario.
“In dreams, we are gods…”
Jonathan Scholar turned megalomaniacal and betrayed the rest of the Illuminati. This may cause them to become concerned that others may do the same.
“Brea-Secretary”
I’m guessing that Brea does not like this name.
“I can cover a lot of ground if you need me”
Garrus may claim that he has dealt with his jealousy toward Jensen, but I cannot help but suspect that if given the opportunity, he’d jump at the chance to become augmented.
“everything he needed to bring his angel back”
…this isn’t Zoller, or at least not entirely. Something was done to him, something bad.
“You disgust me. I know”
First Hannibal, now Ramsus. What is it with Garrus and developing sarcastic partnerships with people other than Jensen?
“I wonder why Hein keeps you around…I’ve asked myself the same thing about you”
The truth is that for all his confidence, swagger and genius, Hein is DESPERATE. He needs all the help he can get. It’s part of why he is such a great character.
“leaving Ramsus to read Hein’s notes on his own corpse”
Ha!
“I left a little trail of breadcrumbs in Echo’s head”
What.
“I’m sure your resurrection is weighing on your heart, haunting your thoughts”
Did something similar happen to Hein? At the very least, this doesn’t seem to be the first time that Hein knows of someone being brought back to life.
“Junko may have broken your Kinderheim shackles”
Ramsus clearly has quite a history with Junko Shepard.
“activating it required a ritual sacrifice”
Something horrible is going to happen to Ramsus, is it?
“five creepy children”
Where the heck did those children come from before they were brought to Peak 15?
“it is currently acting as a brand new biotic implant”
The Asari would doubtless want to get their hands on Ramsus if they learn of this.
“his mother”
Jack, aka Subject Zero.
“I am not like Jensen…I refuse to be”
To be fair, Jensen has at least a few key weaknesses.
“For that small threat alone”
Ramsus is a spiteful and vindictive person. There is a reason that Hannibal strongly advised keeping him sufficiently entertained and comfortable in his room when not on missions.
“Stasis Zoos on Rannoch”
I love that Teg, being a Geth, is apparently from the Quarian home world.
“giant animals that are specifically attracted to asari”
Have I mentioned that I hate you, Ignusdei?
“the kitchen was full of great stuff!”
Marcus made a big mess of the kitchen, didn’t he?
“which made his heart go”
Manah is goddamn cursed. Everywhere she goes, men (and women) may be driven mad just by looking at her.
“Is…is that someone’s heartbeat?”
I suddenly became terrified of Marcus.
“after death came the reboot and with the reboot there would be betrayal”
(looks at Elsa and Taggart, and at what Zoller is doing) …
“some time ago”
Hmm.
“reverse engineered it”
Hein is playing with very dangerous toys. All it may take is one mistake.
“clone tissue and electronics that could break down communication barriers between terran and alien tech”
I suspect that elsewhere in the galaxy, Saren is doing the exact same thing.
“that same Rosetta Stone had granted the hacker access”
I shuddered.
“wasn’t a biotech expert”
They’re going to need one. I don’t know how much help Brea could be. (looks at Warlord Okeer) …augmented cyborg Krogan. As if they’re not lethal enough already. Then again, one of Okeer’s defining traits in ME2 is his belief in ‘purity’ of the Krogan race.
“he found Hein’s folder of files on Elsa”
Uh-oh.
“Quickly, and without care”
If I am the enemy, I might leave a trojan horse or something similar in the files, knowing that Jensen would download them.
“the still active remains of a Snatcher”
I’m guessing this isn’t the real Hock.

“I refuse to believe it”
I noted the exact words she used here; not that she does not believe it, but that she refuses to. Tali is probably aware of Quarians who have stolen from people who had granted them protection and/or shelter.
“she insisted at their disbelieving looks”
Ha!
“Tali still hadn’t quite grasped the Durendal’s complicated hierarchy”
I love that this is still a running gag; Tali after all this time still not being able to get the ranks right.
“And possibly not from us”
Brea may suddenly order that every single person aboard the ship gather in one area.
“finally, after hours of casual conversation, slowly leading up to”
Oof.
“we’re going to need more assets for the Citadel op”
The Enemy may be aware that the heroes cannot leave the Snatchers be. Which means they know what the heroes’ next move would be, and can plan and prepare accordingly.
“In’Gramm protocols”
Hmm. I wonder if there are people who had stripped/looted dead Quarians in order to study the suits.
“held out his hand”
This in no way guarantees Frost’s loyalty…
“Welcome to the Galaxy”
I love this series.
“Half my co-workers at the Office in Langley”
Jensen is a goddamn legend.
“They tend to fall apart at the seams due to divided loyalties”
It’s an amazing accomplishment that Hein has even managed to put together the team he currently has.
“Right up until we win, sure…but that’s a problem for another day”
Even if they someday defeat the Reapers, nothing would be the same for the ENTIRE GALAXY ever again.
“I’d say we have a more pressing need…War assets”
I agree with Frost. He’s certainly taking this seriously.
“Veetor’s suit signal”
Are there Quarians whose main role is to track down Quarians who had gone missing on pilgrimage?
“there’s only a 40 percent chance to wake up from it with your brain intact”
Wait, WHAT?
“Won’t be able to interrogate him until then?”
I winced at this.
“Excuse me, I have to write to Veetor’s parents”
I love Tali.
“quipped Neil”
I love that I can easily read all of Neil’s lines in Steve Buscemi’s voice.
“I honestly don’t care”
Considering the horrific event of Hein almost dying to that parasitic killer, I’d say Garrus’ nerves are far more frayed than he lets on. It doesn’t help that he fears that his sanity is being eroded away.
“As if we didn’t have enough trouble already”
Grey’s probably got enough on his plate planning and preparing for the Citadel op.
“wondering what he could do with that kind of cash”
What WOULD he do with that much money?
“Oh. It’s you”
Tali’s accent is awesome.
“she reasoned that if Adam and Garrus were coming after him”
She hero-worships them as well as desires both of them.
“a spitroasting fantasy”
Sheesh, Tali, you’re a closet pervert, aren’t you?
“shame and guilt”
Just…how long has she been fantasizing about those two?
“If we succeed, all eyes will be on this ship!”
Including those of their enemies…
“I’m angry because I failed to make them see”
She’s imagining her father coldly criticizing her now, isn’t she?
“The Flotilla is made up of ships of fools”
Spoken like someone who’s been there…
“but everyone will know the name of Tali’Zorah vas Durendal”
Hm…a Quarian dictator…now there’s a thought.
“Little did they know, Teg was listening, too”
GODDAMMIT RAMSUS.
“Much to Garrus’s dismay, Adam had trusted Hannibal with that information”
Jensen and Hannibal fought side-by-side against the Geth in Noveria.
“unless he’s desperate”
Hmm.
“turned to Adam, then Garrus, then Teg, then the ground”
Ignusdei, stop making the fearsome AI adorable.
“I’m beginning to think you two are actually the worst detectives on the Citadel”
Someone please make a Mass Effect TV series with Cumberbatch as a main or major character.
“Teg’s reply”
Ha!
“25-second conversation”
I love this.
“for twenty minutes while imbibing poison”
Wait, what?
“Repeated insertion of appendages in orifices ensued”
I suspect that Teg knows what sex is but chose to word it in that manner.
“She was thinking of you the whole time”
This is what happens when Ramsus leaves his cell. Jensen and Garrus should have expected this.
“how incompatible technologies could communicate with each other”
(looks at Aleph) (looks at Jensen’s augmentations) Huh.
“brought back to the Eternity bar back on Illium”
…just how far in advance have you planned this series out? No wonder this is the most epic fanfiction ever.
“grumbled Hannibal. Moving on!”
HA!
“must have taken place some time after Noveria”
Hmm.
“They were erased”
I wouldn’t put it past Hein to do that…
“The meat remembers”
Ramsus is a very, very dangerous person.
“a good enough liar to fool it”
Ramsus has already studied the CASIE aug, hasn’t he?
“Takes the fun out of it”
He enjoys trading barbs with Garrus. Brea on the other hand would just electrocute him.
“Herr Archangel…The jig was up”
Uh-oh.
“It was amazing how quickly turians gave up the game”
Garrus needs to work on his poker face. He’s a cop after all.
Also, I want a noir-genre story set in Palaven, and all the Turians inexplicably have Transatlantic accents.
“the man with the flower in his face is Johann Ramsus”
Please tell me Bosch and Canovas haven’t heard of one of the AIA’s most notorious operatives…things are tense within the Durendal as it is.
“affable people always made him suspicious”
No wonder he liked Pritchard.
“along with the crazy Templar”
Aw, no.
“corrected Adam”
Keep it up, Garrus, and you’d be able to converse with Earthborn humans like you’re Earthborn yourself in no time.
“Ramsus groaned”
I love your writing of his abilities.
“it’s just a trifle confusing”
Has Ramsus ever misread someone?
“I think I need a minute”
I agree. If anybody needs to be given time to compose themselves, it’s him. He has been through so much at this point.

The most amazing fanfic ever, though sometimes I get lost in all of these conspiracies.

“God, I love Depeche Mode”
(goes to Youtube and starts listening to the playlist)
“said Ramsus to no one in particular”
He’s lonely.
“outfitted with all sorts of comforts and distractions”
It is imperative to ensure that Ramsus is never, ever bored in between missions.
“I Feel You”
Whoa, that’s the first song on the playlist I’m listening to while I type this.
“entertaining sexual fantasies of the female members of the crew”
Ramsus is sexually hyperactive. Did something happen to him to develop such a heightened libido, or was he always like that from the start?
“rough sadomasochistic”
Ramsus is a sadist who loves violence and bloodshed.
“but still consensual”
(tilts head) Ramsus is an odd person. I suppose it fuels his ego and pleases him more to convince/persuade/seduce a woman to go to bed with him willingly than to force them.
“most of which involved a great deal of sodomy that surprised even him”
(shrugs) Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
“I wonder if that’s Hein’s thing?”
He’s still trying to get a read on Hein.
“I’m hungry”
…
“found himself feeling a little sad”
Hannibal is probably the only friend he ever had up to that point. I don’t really count Annah. She’s a whole other set of complications.
“That won’t take the edge off”
A drug addict as well. Jesus, it’s a miracle Ramsus isn’t dead already. That or the technology in this series is amazing.
“Soothe my Soul”
(plays it on Youtube) Hm…Ramsus is into this sort of music as well as classical. Don’t know what to make of that. Perhaps he himself doesn’t either.
“Ramsus lied”
He doesn’t want to leave his room, and Jensen knows it.
“No you’re not”
I love this.
“He slotted the clothes in the cell’s small airlock”
Imagine if someone like Ramsus is a companion-character in an RPG…
“Despite himself, Ramsus could feel himself become”
He IS a former AIA operative trained in infiltration and espionage.
“began to probe for more details”
No doubt Jensen and Garrus are watching him as well.
“suddenly, Garrus’ thoughts suddenly became an open book”
Jesus Christ, Ramsus is dangerous.
“complained Garrus”
There may be no secret that Garrus could keep from Ramsus, and the Turian knows it.
“a paranoiac like Hein”
The assassin used Hein’s paranoia and meticulousness against him.
“Your smart-vision won’t work either”
…I. Hate. Snatchers.
“an outdated bioroid like him”
If Bailey is an outdated model…Christ alive, the Snatchers are being constantly IMPROVED. The 108 was able to quickly take down the Snatcher attempting to feed Elsa alive to a Reaper. I don’t know if it could achieve the same result in the future.
“compromise every potential scanning unit at C-Sec, including Jensen’s augs”
This is big, and undoubtedly expensive as well. Perhaps an investigation into any bulk or enormous spendings may glean something.
“it’s far ahead of anything the salarians have put out there”
Councilor Valern has expressed a strong interest in Snatchers to Spectre Jondum Bau. The Salarians are NOT good people in my opinion. You don’t become one of the three most powerful races in the galaxy by being nice.
“…They didn’t tell you…gave Garrus a look”
Ramsus is already beginning to grow to care for Jensen. Doesn’t surprise me; Jensen is a remarkable person. It isn’t just his augmentations; he is a driven and passionate person who’d put his own life on the line over and over to help complete strangers who wouldn’t give an ounce of gratitude or appreciation in return. In other words, Jensen is crazy.
“I’m sorry, but our rescue op was not without casualties”
They lost three people rescuing Jensen; two Silver Drakes and a Spectre.
“gleaned psionically”
Seriously, Ramsus is way too dangerous.
“probing their minds all the while”
The assassin has managed to avoid being detected by Ramsus.
“it was paramount that the four of them were not to be seen together”
Splitting up has its disadvantages, though…
“important to saving the Citadel as they say you are”
In my opinion, Jensen is indeed that important. Without him, they could spent months tracking and chasing the Snatchers, and they simply don’t have that much time.
“hopelessly in love”
Zoller’s not getting a happy ending in this series, is he?
“Adam’s CASIE sent him a few red flags”
Ramsus vs Jensen’s CASIE. I wonder how that would go down.
“Boy wants you dead, doesn’t he?”
Zoller’s going to be a problem…
“he’s as good with a long gun as you are”
If Zoller ever so much as points his weapon toward Jensen, I have little doubt that Garrus would shoot to kill.
“hit Adam’s nose…hit Garrus’ eardrums”
Heh!
“United States sailors”
Any one of them could be a traitor or a Snatcher.
“suffered some nasty blows when Vandermark and Grey had confronted each other”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“Vandermark and his handler Brooks were not good commanders and kept everyone in line using mercs”
Bet Anderson liked that…
“Brooks killed someone, half the crew mutinied”
Brooks is an idiot.
“some of them recognized Toombs’ voice”
Is it just me or does it seem like way too much of a lucky coincidence that of all the mercenary companies Vandermark and Brooks could have hired, they hired CAT6?
“I heard he got fired from”
Jensen’s a celebrity. That has its ups and downs. I doubt he could go undercover due to his fame (and notoriety).
“Does the OCU still have a bounty on his head?”
Wait, what? How many factions have bounties on Jensen?
“his kittybird boyfriend”
It’s obvious that Jensen would be long dead or worse at some point in the previous four years if not for Garrus and Pallin.
“Grey’s Serpent and Vandermark’s Lancer”
The Durendal have committed mutiny, and likely are now branded as outlaws, pirates, traitors, etc.
“You can’t be serious”
I love the dynamic that the Deep Eyes have with each other.
“only with extra bits and fancier paintjobs”
Are there any movies or TV shows in which Steve Buscemi plays a pilot?
“accessing those Citadel tunnels”
If the Snatchers know they are coming, they may set traps and/or ambushes for them.
“the salarian’s been scanning it for the past half-hour. Before that, I saw the quarians admiring the craft”
The Quarians have lost much of their original culture and technology since the Morning War. As for the salarians…how many salarian agents and/or spyware are currently deployed to Earth?
“Tali told us what she did at Noveria”
Tali fought alongside Elsa against the Geth as pilot and navigator…and now Elsa is dead.
“I’m kinda hoping they’ll try and fix it”
If one of the Quarians is a traitor…
“Got a plan for Hein, should he go rogue?”
This may have been too direct. Grey may had gotten suspicious from it.
“Jane challenged him to a friendly match during training and he won effortlessly”
…yeah. Don’t fight Hein up close. Makes me wonder who trained him. Also, Hein chose to reveal his CQC skill to the Deep Eyes rather than keep it hidden.
“He’s lying”
Neil just became a much more interesting character…
“I can’t believe I just thought that”
This is what subterfuge and enemy espionage does to you. It breeds paranoia and distrust.
“Fresh out of the Medigel tank”
I don’t trust those things…
“It’s ah…it’s personal”
I haven’t forgotten that Grey and Ross used to be either romantically involved or married. Does he know of her secret allegiance(s)?
“And youuuuuurrrrrggghlllllbl”
HA! Oh man, I love Jondum Bau. And I love this series so much. Bau is a JERK. He didn’t bother to try to talk things out because he deduced that sedating the sailors would be faster and more effective.
“wondered Garrus”
…he didn’t even detect those darts. Said it before; Bau may be one of the most skilled of the heroes in incapacitating people non-lethally. He probably is under orders to try to bring in Saren alive if possible. In my opinion, killing Saren won’t solve ANYTHING. But good Lord would it be difficult to take him alive.
“Genuine enough greeting”
At first, I’d doubt that Bau is responsible for what happened to Hein considering how practical and no-nonsense he is. Then again, someone like him MIGHT go against their own MO to throw off suspicion.
“that’s only the beginning”
They’re never going to get a break, are they?
“Hein has pitched to me the creation of”
Bau has Valern’s ear. If he could gain Valern’s approval and authorization, Hein would have gained valuable allies and resources within the Salarian Union.
“Small, mobile, elite”
Sooner or later, the heroes may need a full army. They cannot stay hidden and wage guerilla warfare forever.
“ties to all major governments of the galaxy”
Hein wants every ally and comrade he can get, and is working toward accomplishing that…but so are Saren and the Illuminati. And others.
“I’ve been burned by both”
In my opinion, Valern doesn’t strike me as a fool. Perhaps he is going along with the branding of Bau as a rogue Spectre while attempting/maintaining contact with Bau. I suppose it’s one way to maintain deniability.
Unlike Grey’s loyalty to the United North American States, Bau’s loyalty and devotion seem to lie beyond the Council or possibly even the Salarian Union. It makes me wonder about his character and his convictions.
“the Systems Alliance could very well die a slow death”
On the one hand, the Alliance leadership is horrible. On the other hand, they are not the only monstrous human faction…
…yeah. No wonder Saren wants to just wipe them all out. And yet, how many innocent people died in Eden Prime, Caleston and Noveria?
“One of the only survivors of the Acheron”
Traynor’s already had a rough time of it in this series, and I suspect that her troubles are only just beginning.
“I’ll explain later”
Nope.
“all will have to wait until we deal with the synthetics”
Goddammit, Ignusdei, would you have some mercy on your own characters? Even Rey and Finn in Knights of Ren got to have SOME time to recuperate.
“…Oh”
Ha!
“before he does something monumentally stupid”
Oh man, Grey is gonna be SCREAMING at Tali to keep her people in order. The Deep Eyes risked their lives to save and shelter her fellow Quarians from the angry mob in the Citadel.
“I can book passage back to the Migrant Fleet”
Veetor, this would NEVER work. As soon as you’re discovered missing, the others would be after you like lightning.
“the most advanced computer in the galaxy”
I imagined Veetor returning to the Migrant Fleet only to be yelled at, ‘And you brought it HERE?!’
“always wanted to live and serve on that starship”
I’m guessing he’s not the only one.
“with a gift like the one he was carrying, that dream was becoming a possibility”
I’m guessing that it’s not easy to get a spot in the Alarei.
“the infamously picky Rael’Zorah”
(looks at Tali being a highly skilled engineer even among her fellow Quarians and being taught from a young age to hold her own race above all others) Goddammit, Rael. You gave your daughter strengths AND flaws.
“Zoller’s eyes flashed red”
…this happened shortly after Hein was supposed to die. If not for Jensen, Brea, Manah and Garrus…

I’m listening to this as I begin the review:

Nier: Automata OST – Full Original SoundTrack (by Video Games OST on Youtube)

Never played the game, though I’m curious to.

“Killer on the Durendal, part 1”
Having re-read all the way up to this point…I still don’t have a clear or prime suspect. It could have been any of the team or crew, or the assassin could have been an outsider who snuck aboard the ship and into the hidden lab.

“I remember the Master’s commands:”
…what are you, Elsa? Who are you?
“Lie, so that He may sow. Sow, so that I may Reap”
A Reaper…or something worse? Christ Almighty, what could be worse than a Reaper?
“Soon I will reveal myself, and there will be blood”
Y’know, I prefer the Mass Effect version of the Reapers that are enormous. Your versions are way, WAY more terrifying. That previous chapter…I’m shuddering again. Hein nearly died in unbelievable horror and agony.
“coming home after a long, long tour of duty”
I wonder how many shellshocked veterans there are in the Turian Hierarchy. You don’t become one of if not the most powerful military force in the galaxy without sacrificing something in ALL your people. The Turians are a proud people…perhaps too proud.
“I feel like I spent thousands of years in that computer”
…Ignusdei. Like Jensen hasn’t already been through enough.
“Tali, Spooky and Echo…came up with a safeguard program for extended cyberspace experiences”
As skilled as all three of them are, they are ultimately only three, and they can make mistakes. I wouldn’t recommend confronting the Geth again in cyberspace unless absolutely necessary. Those guys learn from every encounter…
“Seeing as you’re not raving like a lunatic”
What does Brea know about mental and psychological damage?
“silently desperate for a shower and a change of clothes”
She’s going to have nightmares about this. They all are. I know I would have.
“The 108 Mark II had been completely removed”
This was/is one of Hein’s most important projects…and someone broke into and compromised it. Badly.
“hence the heavy sedation”
Hein may have suffered permanent damage that would remain with him to the end of his life. I wonder if he’s dreaming about his past.
“One moment he was in Hein’s little secret lab, the next –“
I closed my eyes at this. Jensen has been through way too much at this point. Good Lord does he need a break. He can’t be at the helm of EVERY major/main mission.
“designed for rapid healing in all forms of life”
(looks at the Krogan Genophage) In ME2, Mordin Solus revealed that the Krogan were successfully combating the Genophage, and thus an STG team was sent to strengthen and maintain it.
I wonder if any Krogan are seeking out other Krogan who were NOT hit by the biological weapon. Still, the Krogan Rebellions started around 700 CE and ended around 800 CE. I wonder what the state of Earth was like at the time.
“I’m still not completely convinced”
He’s as horrified as they are, and wants/hopes that this IS an elaborate and cruel prank, because the reality before them is that someone nearly succeeded in killing COLONEL EDGAR HEIN, and in horrific, brutal and sadistic fashion too. This would mean that they are currently up against a truly capable and terrifying enemy.
“this isn’t typical EG biotech”
I suspect that Leng didn’t know anything about it. What the hell has Scholar gotten himself involved in? The man is absolutely insane. There’s no telling what he might do.
“a multi-pronged attempt on Hein’s life”
The assassin left nothing to chance.
“It’s happened before…but three?”
…I hate you, Ignusdei.
“Finally, our vacation is finally over”
…so everything that’s happened up to this point was Jensen and Garrus being on vacation. If THAT’s their idea of a vacation…
“Spoke to him lately”
They’ve got a lot to tell Pallin, and he them. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to brief any new-comers on everything they’ve found and encountered at Caleston, Noveria and later at the Citadel.
“Fingerprints, shoeprints, blood splatters”
If the assassin was careful enough to get into Hein’s hidden lab and rig the Auto-Doc, they would have taken care to remove any forensic evidence. Still, there is no such thing as a perfect crime. There HAS to be something.
“ambient breath bacteria levels…Manah on the other hand”
Huh.
“a 100-character pass-phrase”
Jesus Christ. Still, no security is impenetrable, as Hein found out the hard way.
“it happens more often than you think”
I’d bet Jensen was fondly thinking of Francis Pritchard lambasting the entire Sarif Industries staff in Detroit via email.
“Garrus interjected”
Jensen didn’t say it. Garrus did. Hmm. Well…Ross has lost an eye for the cause…but that doesn’t confirm beyond all doubt that she is not a traitor.
“inside a room nobody knows about”
The assassin studied Hein, God knows how long or how thoroughly.
Quoting Hitman 2 (2016):
‘My usual method is: prepare intensely. Study the problem. Learn everything I can. Analyze all approaches. The idea is to gently nudge people to do what I want. And then, once the objective is in my sights…perfect execution.’
“Garrus’s mandibles flared”
I smiled at this.
“Looks like Hein panicked and fried that thing’s brain before the cracker could compromise it”
…yeah. Hein panicking. He’s only mortal, makes mistakes and has emotions like everybody else. I’d be surprised if he HADN’T panicked. Whoever got access to the lab turned it into a deathtrap.
“That puts Leia on the suspect list”
I breathed heavily when I read this. There’ no telling who could have betrayed Hein. They could have been an undercover agent all along, or were compromised and coerced somewhere along the way. However, consider the sheer amount of effort and meticulousness that went into this assassination attempt…
“As I recall from our trip to Illium…she’s big on settling debts”
He does not trust her. He probably never did from the start. Christ, no wonder Garrus wishes to at least take some time away from the mission. It’s not just his burning desire to confirm the unlocked memories in his mind; there are other factors that led to his momentous decision.
“before we make accusations”
Once they do that, nothing would ever be quite the same between the original Durendal team ever again.
“her bloodied shirt…put it in a crate”
I’d say be careful with that. There’s no telling what got into Hein’s bloodstream.
“been at it for half an hour, and was still trying out shirts fifteen minutes later”
I love Brea.
“from behind several displays, well out of sight…You’re the one who can’t decide on a shirt…just cover your blubber bags already!...Fine, fine!”
You enjoy writing Brea, don’t you?
“Please specify Jensen-Detective’s location”
I LOVE so much that with everything he’s done and accomplished in this series, Jensen’s official title is STILL Detective-Sergeant. Now I’m imagining him arresting the Reapers.
Also, taking Saren alive and putting him on trial? Holy hell would that be amazing. In my opinion, while he may be too dangerous to be left alive, at the same time Saren would be an INVALUABLE prisoner, hostage, etc. If they could get him to talk…still, I don’t think Jensen’s CASIE would be of much use against the rogue Turian Spectre. If anything, Saren may use it against him.
“his new outfit”
Brea has practically taken over every aspect of Jensen’s wardrobe. I think she may have been jealous when Echo took him shopping in Noveria.
“Cared enough to shatter his own legs over it”
Everyone else is risking life and limb every time they step out of the Durendal. Hein would never ask his people to do something that he wouldn’t do himself. There is a reason that he is so damn good at convincing people to join and stay with him.
“started to feel a little guilty”
I’d advise Jensen to dissipate that guilt. It’s already been proven that the 108 mechs are not safe and can be horrifically compromised.
“Brea-Secretary had successfully evaded answering the query by Vakarian-Detective a total of 3 times”
Garrus is not stupid, and neither is Jensen for that matter. They both know why Brea kept the arm. Then again, to be fair, considering how powerful Jensen is, I wouldn’t want parts of him to go missing for someone else to find.
“he wasn’t going to court meeting yakuza”
I thought of the yakuza in Altered Carbon. Also, I have little doubt that the Japanese Yakuza have a presence in the Citadel.
“before that damned turian Councilor had set the squad on this wild goose chase”
MAN has that resulted in a damn fiasco. I don’t think Sparatus anticipated that, though knowing him he may APPROVE of what happened in Bekenstein considering that Donovan Hock is/was a grade-A scumbag.
“protecting Navigator Traynor from assassins aboard the VSE Surprise”
The heroes are being hunted…
“recovering in Durendal’s MedSci”
(looks at the AutoDoc in Hein’s hidden lab) …I think a full security sweep of the ship is in order.
“what were they planning”
Zoller no longer trusts Nazir. This is gonna get bad…unless they could clear the air and put this matter to rest, the heroes would no longer be as effective as they were before.
“And then the boy was gone”
Fyodor scares me.
“he wasn’t supposed to be here”
(narrows eyes) What are you up to, Drebin?
“trying to coax Grey into telling war stories”
I think the worst possible outcome of this is Wrex succeeding.
“not even bragging about taking out a super-soldier”
He’s fought worse.
“sharing tales of great feats in battle”
Grey is…not like that. He’s not in it for the rush, or if he is, he does not like to talk about it. He is a person who believes very much in duty and loyalty.
“Wrex’s eyes narrowed”
He may have a newfound respect – and frustration – toward Grey. To be fair, I doubt Grey’s the only person who has refused to share his combat experiences with him.
“Grey’s face fell”
He is still haunted by Akuze. Not that I can blame him. Toombs was EATEN ALIVE BY A THRESHER MAW…and it only got worse from there.
“muttered Manah under her breath”
I love that Manah has grown more assertive throughout the series. It’s clear that she has genuinely befriended Brea of all people.
“Garrus gave her a frown…Brea rolled her eyes”
She did not pick up on this; that Garrus does not trust her.
“said Garrus firmly”
Seriously, how could Brea have not realized that Garrus considers her a suspect? I suppose that says something about how her mind works.
“close to his sidearm”
…yeah. Unless they put a nail in this investigation, it WILL linger over them perpetually. They MUST uncover Hein’s would-be killer.
“Without a word, Garrus handed the specimen jar to”
Garrus trusts Jensen, if no one else.
“I’ll be needing that mech for something”
Anndd this leads to Teg accompanying Jensen, Garrus, Hannibal and Ramsus into…whatever Conrad has gotten them into.
“designed and manufactured by the Caduceus Corporation”
Hmm.
“a much more sophisticated (but now illegal) computer AI”
What? Why?
“numerous scandals involving Caduceus”
I suspect the assassin studied the AutoDoc thoroughly…perhaps too thoroughly. Jensen and Garrus should check everyone’s Extranet histories.
"No more units of CR-S01 exist today"
Yet Hein has one in his lab for some reason. Hm.

“hidden behind a forest of glowing podiums and glass cases”
An infiltrator or stowaway would probably have many places to hide aboard the Durendal.
“one of those fake weapon stores teenage fanboys frequent”
The Citadel is an awesome place, isn’t it?
“flexing both her art and archeological muscles”
I shudder to think how dangerous she could be if she had been manipulated or brain-washed into working with Saren.
“The closer you got to Hein, the deadlier the warfare”
I love this. Unlike Donovan Hock who only knows to purchase weapons made by other people, Hein is a true weapons expert and designer.
“The DARPA logo - five lozenges in a shield forming a star”
I like it.
“far too cute an outfit for Hein not to have tricked her into it”
Oh good God, Hein is a cosplayer.
“but felt utterly ridiculous”
He’d have to tell the others about the fairy sooner or later.
“Hein charged Marcus and I with finding a hiding place for it in the Citadel”
…oh no.
“I know better than anyone”
I love that Manah does have an ego. What if she were to meet someone whose knowledge of promethean archeology, history, culture, etc rivals or surpasses her own? Would she be awestruck or jealous?
“with some kind of gag, a grin”
(looks at the horrific and agonizing way in which Hein was nearly killed) …I don’t think he’s going to be smiling as much as he previously had.
“Adam felt his skin crawl”
Good instincts are crucial for detective work. You have to learn to trust your gut.
“Toombs’ rampage”
Wait, what?
“Commander – but hardly Master”
This makes me want to rewatch Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
“I’m back to square one”
Hmm. Ross is frustrated and wants to achieve/accomplish something.
“this ship of fools”
Ouch. Guess she’s not as friendly as she lets on. Then again, everyone’s nerves have been steadily frayed throughout this series.
“The invisible war had truly begun”
Yes it has. Defeat means extinction.
“She had lost an eye to an insane, robotic skeleton”
…
“A replacement was growing in the lab”
(looks at Jenkins) Huh.
“Does Brea feel responsible”
When even RAMSUS is starting to bond with at least a few of the team, I think it’s safe to assume that Brea has grown to care for some of them as well.
“a tired young man over the signal”
Seriously, the Normandy team in this series has NOT been given a break. From start to finish they have been battered physically, mentally and emotionally.
“Addams…AIA induced-coma”
I think it’s safe to say that with this and Pressly’s and Chakwas’ death that Anderson may have enacted a shoot-on-sight policy on any AIA troops that attempt to board his ship. Also, Joker’s in charge now? Interesting. Let’s see how he would fare in a leadership role.
“That Tali girl”
Unlike Mass Effect-Canon, Tali in this series never joins the Normandy team. I wonder what she would think of the ship.
“one of his many, badly-timed gags”
I thought of the tale of the boy who cried wolf.
“a third of what’s left of our crew is stuck in the infirmary”
Anderson needs more people, and capable ones at that.
“sighed Joker”
Joker has been through hell and back…and the worst is yet to come.
“simultaneously gripping her holstered sidearm”
I hate Snatchers…
“had made her very wary”
Not to mention that the Bekenstein mission has cost the heroes three people.
“Agent Ross”
God damn it!
“We need to talk”
Hein knows about Ross, doesn’t he?
“Hein and Tali had managed to restore it”
The Normandy team cannot survive on their own, and neither can the Durendal or the others for that matter. They’ll all need each other’s help (and the help of others) if they are to not only survive but win this war.
“I’m gonna pet it”
Hannibal wanted to be petted, didn’t he?
“not caring one bit about being polite”
He can feel that something is very wrong.
“Is he jesting with us again”
Honestly, I think it would be best for everybody if Hein ceases all elaborate jesting or pranking altogether.
“those schematics in the database”
How many C-Sec cases have Jensen and Garrus closed? How many remain open?
“as far as Garrus could see. Adam, on the other hand”
Man, no wonder Garrus is envious of him.
“Hein’s secret laboratory”
Manah would definitely be combing through every inch of the lab later.
“The secret lab was”
The assassin knew that Hein would return to this place alone. Which means they know about the lab.
“that pulsed like hearts”
I hate you, Ignusdei.
“crystal formations – promethean Forma”
Hmm.
“In ten years…one percent of their secrets”
(looks at the Masque of the Black Queen) …how much does Saren know about the prometheans?
“haunted him for years until Elysium offered him something worse”
I really don’t know how Jensen has managed to keep himself sane after all this time. I suppose it helps to have a purpose, and also friends.
“the past month”
To think that EVERYTHING that’s happened in this series’ current timeline has spanned only ONE MONTH.
“Seburo gauss pistol. It’s quiet…unless Hein fired it right next to you”
Hein may end up being killed by one of his own weapons…
“the suit had been completely shut down”
That would be an absolutely horrific way to die.
“maximum, horrific damage to the bones”
…
“his awareness shifted from”
Tali may have nightmares of her cyber-encounter with the Geth. If were to share this with the Migrant Fleet, in my opinion it would cause a massive reaction. The Quarians may attempt to scout, speak to or combat the Geth in cyber-space.
“the Real to the consensual hallucination”
Quellcrist Falconer: ‘Takeshi…get to the next screen.’
“they corrupted every node they could find”
Hein must have spent hundreds of hours and an incredible fortune on electronic security for the 108 mech, and someone STILL managed to compromise it.
“what must have felt like hours”
This series is so terrifying.
“Autodoc”
I immediately thought of the Fallout series.
“she CAN’T do it”
…he doesn’t trust Ross.
“he screamed again to a hesitant Manah”
He was so insistent that it be Brea and not Ross…yet Ross has been working with Hein for years while Brea had only joined them around a month ago.
“Autodoc…infected”
…someone got into the lab. Rigged both the suit AND the Autodoc. This person has studied Hein and his ship. This…this is bad. I don’t think the heroes are going to find the assassin. Someone of that caliber probably isn’t going to get caught.
“Had it been years since he heard Brea’s voice”
Jesus CHRIST, Ignusdei, that’s too much!
“To him it had felt…oddly normal”
One of the scariest characters of this whole series is Adam Jensen himself. How many people even now are attempting to replicate David Sarif’s work?
“cut him out of his suit”
I don’t think Hein would want to ever go near the 108 ever again.
“a holographic representation of Hein’s body as large as Manhattan”
I shuddered at this. Who knows how far medicine could progress in real life?
“Adam waited…Don’t be so impatient!”
Brea doesn’t know about the difference in time, does she?
“T’soni’s idea”
Brea has always liked Manah. She even enjoys feeding her for some reason.
“the diagnostic went on”
Hein has got to be traumatized from this. I wouldn’t declare him ready for duty any time soon…but God damn it, the Enemy aren’t going to give the heroes the time they need.
“biotech knowledge”
…it just occurred to me that Jensen and/or Brea may have just become to Hein what David Sarif was to Jensen.
“the arms under Adam’s control worked so quickly”
I am honestly very glad that you did not write the torture of Edgar Hein from his perspective. Reading of it like this is horrifying enough.
“self-inflicted”
…what?
“some kind of EG bio-weapon”
Christ Almighty, I HATE EG.
“eating Hein alive”
Jesus Christ…
“something alive…such hate in something so small”
And Manah somehow noticed it?
“some of it making its way into her mouth”
Manah should get medical attention immediately.
“Hein began to seize up and tremble”
S-T! Jesus CHRIST. I’ve seen medical/surgery scenes that are agonizing to watch, but a media-version of this may be impossible to view without becoming sick or having to skip past it.
“the acids were moments from spilling onto the rest of Hein’s internal organs”
Forget Wanzers, or Masques or Scholar or cannibalistic psychopaths. This, right here, is the single most horrifying chapter of the series for me so far. I think even Ramsus would be taken aback at what was done to Hein. Whoever did this didn’t just want Hein dead, they wanted him to SUFFER.
“A flash forged blade pierced its core”
This to me is even more amazing than Zoller’s marksman shot.
“how he had managed to pull that off”
I’ll say it; this may be the single greatest thing that Garrus has done in his life so far. He and all present are never going to forget it.