beacon's effect

8/15/2019 Beacon's Effect

1/264

“Kevin! Where’d you go, man?”

“Kevin! Wait up!”

I heard my friends call from further down the trail. dusting the straps on my

"ac#pac#, I turned "ac# to head "ac# down.

City-slickers, I thought. We’ll never get to the falls at this rate.

$he trail curved "ac# sharply to right. s I came around the corner, I saw my

"eleaguered companions collapsed wearily on the sides of the trail. $hey were

panting hard, and drin#ing from their various canteens and water "ottles.

“%ome on, you guys! We’ve only got a &uarter mile to go!” I told them as I came up

to the group.

“nd how do you #now that?” 'ohn (the most rotund of the group) as#ed in an

e*asperated tone of voice.

“Well, 'ohn,” I replied, “+ecause I too# "asic orientation in couts, and I can read atopographical map to determine our e*act location. nd also-” I raised my arm to

point at a wooden sign attached to a tree a"out ve feet from the group.

Cavern Overlook: .25 miles

“-I can read.”

groan went up from the group, with a few chuc#les mi*ed in.

“/ow come on,” I said with a smile. “0et’s get up there while we’ve got daylight!

1nless there "e some here who ust love setting up tents in the dar#.”

“0oo#!” 2a* pointed towards the hori3on. We all paused to follow his ga3e.

“Wow-”

45K clouds were rolling in. 6ast. $he low rum"le of distant thunder reached our

ears, along with the rst cool gust of wind.

Right, no time to lose.

“torm coming, guys! 7et up, get up! We’ve got to get the cave! /8W!”

I ran from one friend to another adusting straps, helping them to their feet. With

the added motivation of potentially "eing caught in a driving rainstorm, we set o9

up the trail at an invigorated og.

“'2:! I-thought-the weather- was supposed-to "e clear!” 'ohn was

complaining "etween pants.

“It W! $he weather radar doesn’t show any of this!” 'ames said, loo#ing at his

i;hone app, as we were ogging.


2/264

“$hat’s technology for ya!” I yelled over my shoulder, out4 seen script li#e this. :%$0@ li#e this.

$his was a ;rothean "eacon from 2ass :9ect!

Oh #$%& That is so COO'& (on’t know e)actly W*+ someone wol ay to il one

of these in a %ational /ark, t 0 on’t really care& That is $W1O#1&

I had played 2ass :9ect do3ens of times (earning the occasional oshing from my

friends) "ut I loved it. @eah, 2:A’s ending was ru""ish, "ut the gameplay was why I

#ept coming "ac#. $he customi3ation, the personali3ation of the s&uad, the

conversations, ;aragonB5enegade, the whole wor#s was incompara"le. :*cept for

may"e 4ragon ge, "ut I loved that game, too. $he e*pansion pac#s, the 40%s, I

got them all.

0 can’t elieve someoy il sch a realistic ro to t it on the to of a

montain in the mile of nowhere.

I reached out a hand to touch the "ase, trying to see if they had used 0:4 lights or

ust Corescent "ul"s to light the "eacon.

$he second my hand touched it, I #now it wasn’t 3st a replica.


3/264

With a sudden and violent 3erk upwards, I was lifted o9 the ground and Coated four

feet a"ove the ground.

4C6 4C6

4C6

4C6

4C6

4

uddenly, I saw images and shapes appear "efore me. I recogni3ed them all as

identical to the "eacon message hepard saw on :den ;rime.

:*cept this time, instead of loo#ing at them on the screen (which was creepy

enough the rst time I played the game) they were "eing +15/:4 4I5:%$0@ I/$8

2@ +5I/.

It would not "e until later that I reali3ed the "lood


4/264

situations, I tend to cope with inappropriate humor or a classless one


5/264

$he wave of panic was now on the verge of overwhelming me.

THE OTHERS NORMALLY USED THIS TIME TO MENTALLY PROCESS THEIR

SELECTION AND TRANSITION. I BELIEVE THEY USUALLY REFER TO IT AS

“FREAKING OUT.” YOU MAY DO SO NOW, IF YOU WISH. IT IS COMPLETELY

UNDERSTANDABLE.

6or some reason, that struc# me as funny. I could picture the “frea#ing out” that

most fan "oys and fan girls would have my situation. %huc#ling at that mental

picture now rmly in my head, the feeling of crippling panic e""ed somewhat. I

closed my eyes, and clenched my sts. $he feeling faded a little more. It was still

there, of course, "ut at least I could concentrate.

Ok, 6evin. 4ocs: what is the ne)t ste" $sk for irections&

“Where. m. I?” I said, slowly and evenly forcing out the words so they wouldn’t "e

panic#ed screams. When I opened my eyes, 'ohn was now the one spea#ing.

THIS IS THE TIME BETWEEN TIMES. THE WORLD BETWEEN WORLDS.

'ike the #ltiverse"

I could swear the damn thing chuc#led in response to my thoughts.

THAT IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST YOUR FINITE MIND WILL COME TO

GRASPING THE CONCEPT.

“Why. m. I. >ere?”

2a* was now wal#ing past me.

YOU ARE OUR INSTRUMENT. YOU WILL INTERVENE IN THE COURSE OF

EVENTS YOU PERCIEVE AS FICTION IN YOUR REALM.They’re sening me to the worl of #ass 1ect"

THAT IS CORRECT.

I mentally slapped myself again.

0’ve gotta have to get se to talking to sychic eings.

“@ou said there are others. hould I meet up with them?”

THEY ARE DEAD. THEIR TEMPORAL INTERVENTIONS BECAME CORRUPTED

AND RESULTED IN FAILURE.

Why did they fail?

MYRIAD REASONS. IDENTICAL RESULT: THE HARVEST WAS SUCCESSFUL,

AND CYCLE CONTINUED.

Why do you need to insert me at all? 4idn’t hepard WI/ in the A rd game?

THE CATALYST PROVED INEFFECTIVE SOLUTION. SYNTHESIS RESULTED

ONLY IN REAPERS ASSIMLATION OF GALAY. CONTROL RESULTED ONLY IN


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SHEPARDS INDOCTRINATION. DESTROY RESULTED IN GALACTIC"WIDE

ETINCTION EVENT.

(amn. Ok then.

“Why do you thin# I will succeed where so many others have failed?”

WE DO NOT KNOW.

The fck"

YOU ARE AUTONOMOUS. YOU ARE OUTSIDE THE PREDICTED OUTCOME.

YOUR DESTINY IS YOUR OWN.

I too# a deep "reath to try and process all this. /ope, the panic came Cooding "ac#.

I forced it all "ac# down, li#e the last "ite of the nasty spinach casserole that 2om

made me eat when I was a #id.

Oh my go, #om&

“What of my family in 2@ timeline? What of my friends? m I missing? Will they#now what happened to me?”

YOU WERE KILLED BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE. YOUR BODY HAS ALREADY

BEEN LAID TO REST. YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS MOURN YOUR PASSING,

BUT THEY WILL ADAPT. THEY WILL BECOME STRONGER THROUGH THEIR

GRIEF.

7rief washed over my "ody. I feel to my #nees, suddenly feeling very sic#.

#y mom. #y a. ;icki, my girlfrien& Oh, my go, what have 0 one" What have

T*1+ one"

nger and rage lled my veins, driving out grief and sorrow. I turned to scream, tostri#e, I didn’t #now what, "ut then was stopped dead in my trac#s.

2y mom stood in front of me. In her usual Coral s#irt and white "louse. $hen she

held up her hand and spo#e.

UNDERSTAND, ORDAINED. YOUR EMOTIONS WOULD BE #USTIFIED, HAD WE

CAUSED THESE EVENTS TO TRANSPIRE. HOWEVER, YOU WERE ALREADY

DEAD. WE INTERVENED IN YOUR TIMELINE TO BRING YOU HERE.

picture unfolded. I saw myself on the cli9 face, ust as I had "een-what, secons

ago" 2inutes? I couldn’t tell. 8nly this time there was no glowing o"elis# on the

overloo#.

I watched myself turn from the cli9 and og towards the mouth of the cave.

>owever, when I got to the center of the clearing, there was a Cash of lightening

and a roaring %5%K! of thunder.

8ne instant I had "een ogging towards my friends. $he ne*t I was a "lac#ened,

charred corpse in the middle of a "urning circle of grass.


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2y stomach re"elled against the sight, and I turned away to vomit, "ut nothing

came. I dry heaved for a long while, trying to get the sight of my own "urning "ody

out of my head.

hand touched my shoulder. I turned and saw my 4ad standing a"ove me.

WE WOULD NEVER TAKE A LIFE, ORDAINED. THAT WOULD MAKE US NOBETTER THAN THE CONSTRUCTS WE SEEK TO DEFEAT. WE GIVE LIFE. A

SECOND LIFE, WITH LIMITLESS POTENTIAL.

2y "reathing slowed to a normal rate, and the feeling of overwhelming dread in the

pit of my stomach eased somewhat.

Ok, 0 was ea in my ol worl. %o going ack there. %o se crying over sille

milk, 6evin. Ok, maye 0 will cry, t not now. %ow!0 nee a lan.

“Where will I start? 8n :den ;rime? 8r "efore that? hepard’s origins, perhaps?”

THAT WILL BE YOUR DECISION. WE WILL GIVE WHAT AID WE CAN. WE

CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT PATH TO TAKE, ORDAINED. WE CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHAT OTHER ORDAINED HAVE TRIED BEFORE YOU AND FAILED.

8# then. $hat’s a start.

0evi (I didn’t #now what else to call him, and neither did he, it seemed) and I spo#e

for 0 on’t know how long, going "ac# and forth with ideas and strategies. +asically,

the main lesson from all of the previous attempts was 48/’$ $:00 >:;54 +81$

$>: FI4:8 72:. :very time someone did, something always went F:5@ wrong (as

in, spend


8/264

“2y friend?” Wow, I too# that as a huge compliment coming from G

TEMPORAL SHIFT ENGAGED.

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucKKKKKKKKK

;ain and o"livion once again too# me. :*cept this time there was also the horri"le

sensation of falling.

Well, here goes nothing!

+linding light surrounded me when I opened my eyes. I was- e*actly where I

e*pected to "e.

I was in a coHn


9/264

0t’s ok, 8avik was weak too when he =rst got ot of stasis in the 4rom $shes ('C.

/reten to e weak& 0t’s etter than amitting 0’m 3st clmsy, 0 gess.

I #ept on trying to crawl towards the corner, propping myself up against the wall.

$he two asari came around the stasis cham"er, still #eeping me rmly in their

sights.

(on’t shoot, on’t shoot!

In response to my fear, my "iotics Cared again, wea#ly.

green and whiteer eyes as she loo#ed down on me were full of pity and concern, "ut with a large

amount of wonder and ama3ement "ehind them. he reached out a hand, slowly, as

one would a wounded dog "ac# on :arth. Which I guess was appropriate, given the

circumstances.

“;88/” she said slowly.

That too# me "y surprise. I hadn’t e*pected to hear anything I could understand.

+ut what in the world could that mean? +ut then I remem"eredD she’s the leading

e*pert on ;rothean culture. he’s pro"a"ly trying to use ;rothean words tocommunicate.

8h yeah, I didn’t tell you? I spea# ;rothean now (a gift from ol’ 0evi).

he put her other hand on her chest.

“65I:/4.” nother ;rothean word I guess she #new.

;laying the part of a much disoriented, very confused stasis


10/264

?6o’le, reort&@

0 swa ot the ower-sorce for my /rothean /article Rie. 0 stan to attention.

?0noctrinate are overrnning the otwar efenses. 0nner lines of efense

holing. $ll simlations reict the energy shiel will lock the stasis wars from

any etection, #aster.@rsh Roiir, general of the /rothean 1mire, stoo on the /romenae,

overlooking his fortress crmling to Reaer attack. *e was wearyD his sholers

were slme.

?#aster"@ 0 Eerie. ?We mst get yo to yor stasis chamer.@

?+es,@ he relie e3ectely. ?0 mst go an hie in a o) while my soliers ie in

attle.@

?They know why they =ght,@ 0 relie. ?They =ght for the ftre of the /rothean

1mire. They =ght that their general might live to reestalish the reorn /rothean

1mire. 0f we o not o this, their sacri=ce will e forgotten, an there will e noneto sing their name-songs in The Rememering.@

*e slowly looke , his sholers now ro an straight.

?;ery well. 'ea on.@

We ran own the hallways!

?0t is reay, #aster.@

0 intte the last of the ;0 comman s-rotines. rsh looke at the chamer,

an then at me.

?What of yo, 6o’le"@

?0 am a thrall, #aster. 0 have no lace in the Reorn 1mire. 0 will take comman in

yor name an =ght o the Reaers as long as ossile. When the etonators go

o, the Reaers will elieve that we committe sicie. They will e nale to

etect the stasis wars throgh the rle. +o an rest of the Reorn will e safe.@

rsh noe, slowly.

?$ goo lan, eneschal!a goo lan.@

$ rsh of rie went throgh my oy at my master’s comliment.

?0 will see it one.@

Fefore 0 can react to my master’s comment, he whirle aron, hyosray in han.

The aralytic in3ecte into my neck, 0 slm over, comletely helless. rsh

catches my falling oy in his arms, an tenerly lays me in his own stasis

chamer.


11/264

?0t was a goo lan, 6o’le. Ft withot my oy, the Reaers will never sto looking

for me. When my lifeless corse is fon, it will con=rm to the Reaers that the last

/rothean stronghol has fallen. They will not other to ig throgh the rle,

ecase there will e nothing left they seek.@

*e laces a three-=ngere han on my cheek. 0 strain against my nwilling

mscles, nale to even seak. Only my eyes etray the emotion 0 feel.

?+o have serve me well, faithfl frien. +o eserve a long life in the ays of

eace. Or scots reorte that yor worl ha een comletely asse over y

the Reaers. Who knows" /erhas when yo awake, it will the Oomans traversing

the Relays an welling on the Citael.@

*e stries over to the console an tas the comman key. The oors close, with the

low hissing son of the environmental seals engaging.

rsh walks over to the stasis chamer an looks at me throgh the glass. *e

laces his han against it, an 0 hear his mGe voice in the echoes of my steel

rison.?'ive well, 6o’le of Terra. $n know that rsh Roiir love thee...@

$n all fae to arkness.

5H,HHH +1$R '$T1R

0iara reeled "ac#wards, as did I. I hadn’t e*pected it all to "e so vivid= after all, they

weren’t even my memories, so to spea#. +ut I was still e*periencing all the

emotions, all the vivid memories as if I had truly "een there.

Which, the strictest sense, I ha-"ut you get what I mean.

2an, time travel will mess with your head.

I too# stoc# of my situation. sari, $urian, and other %ouncil races’ languages and

#nowledge was now swimming around in my "rain. While I had "een showing 0iara

my little "ac#story, my "rain had "een assimilating her information and #nowledge.

“+y the 7oddess-” 0iara said, completely in awe.

“2a’am? 4octor $’oni, are you alright?” one of the other scientists as#ed.

“ay the word, doc, and I’ll "last this mummy right "ac# to the >ell he came from,”

said one of the guards.

“/o-/o,” said 0iara, wearily waving them o9. “I’m alright. nd so is he.”

Ok! 0 can nerstan them. Time to see if they nerstan me!

“>ow. 2any. 8thers?”

2y voice was strange in my own ears, sounding harsh and grinding. Kinda li#e when

I wa#e up and haven’t had a drin# of water yet.


12/264

Which I guess was e*actly the pro"lem, "ut instead of ust Ne’s a hman! What the hell is he tal#ing a"out? re

you telling me that the humans are the descendants of the ;rotheans?” $his

out"urst came from one of the guards.


13/264

“%alm down!” a voice rang out. :veryone turned to the spea#er. he was in a long,

"lac#, dress, concealing a very wellow long- has it "een?”

0iara loo#ed at me thoughtfully, then at the 2atriarch, who nodded at her almost

impercepti"ly. he turned and answered.

“We’re not sure, as our own understanding of your culture is somewhat limited.

/ear as we can tell- almost fty thousand years-”

I leaned "ac# against the wall. 0iara too# a step forward, instinctively gra""ing my

other arm. he then loo#ed down at her hands and then at me, worriedly. I smiled,

reali3ing her concern.

“I have already assimilated what I need of your #nowledge, sari. $here is no

further need of mind


14/264

$hat seemed to &uell the torrent of &uestions I #new she had the tip of her tongue.

0eaning on the two asari, I started wal#ing down the stairway, with the rest of the

party in tow.

“+ase %amp” as it turned out, was a collection of prefa" units ust outside the

tunnel leading to the central >all.

2ade sense, I suppose, there’s a nagging feeling of claustropho"ia whenever you’re

underground.

I allowed myself to "e led into what appeared to "e their eld hospital. 2iss 0a"

%oat then insisted everyone leave. 0iara started to protest again, "ut she held her

hand up to interrupt her.

“@ou may "e an archaeologist, 4r. $’oni, "ut I am a medical doctor. /ow this

human has "een underground in stasis for the "etter part of MJ,JJJ years. >e is

getting a full medical scan "efore I allow him to "e interrogated "y you or anyone

else!”

$he two maidens stared at one another for a "rief moment. $hen 2iss 0a" %oatsighed.

“@ou may assist and o"serve, if you wish-”

0iara’s eyes lit up and I could tell she was trying to stop from dancing for oy. he

regained her composure and cleared her throat.

“Fery well. %arry on, 4octor 8sana.”

Osana! so that’s her name. *er last name, anyway. Fetter than calling her 9'a

Coat.’

8sana typed away on a console on the far side of the room. 0iara stood ne*t to me,"ringing her arm up to her chest. >er 8mni


15/264


16/264

$he last word was spat out, almost as a curse.

“@ou were a servant, then?” as#ed 0iara.

ir escaped my nose in a derisive Lhu9.L

“I was a et , 4octor. nd I- am as you see meD the result of their deaths, and the

#nowledge that Kopral gleaned from them= something to "e "ro#en on the la" ta"le,and remade in their own image.”

0iara started as if my words had slapped her.

There goes yor theory of the /rotheans as an enlightene race, my ear .

“Kopral needed weapons. $he ;rotheans were getting desperate. I was merely the

latest in the ;rothean arsenal in their war against the 5eapers. +ut "efore Kopral’s

success with me could "e replicated on others, the research station in the 4’#arr’ta

system fell. :*cuse me,” I corrected myself. “$he- ol system, as you call it.”

“$he humans discovered the ruins on 2ars almost AM years ago.” 0iara conrmed,

shoc# and dis"elief unmas#ed on her face.

“>mm. I would li#e to see them-” I murmured.

“;erhaps soon I can ta#e you there,” 0iara o9ered helpfully.

“/o, no,” I corrected. “/ot-2ars. >umans. I would li#e to see what my #in evolved

into. omething "eautiful I’m sure, if the path of the asari is any indication.”

0iara "lushed again, loo#ing down at the Coor. he too# a moment to compose

herself.

“+ut, in your vision- he called you Eeneschal.’”

I suc#ed in air through my nose.

“$hat was his sonD 1rush. fter Kopral’s death during the evacuation of 2ars, I

passed, along with all the rest of his property, to him. >e was #inder to me than his

father had "een. >e treated me as a "eing, not an animal. I fought alongside him in

the war= I saved his life in "attle, and he saved mine. :ventually, he even named

me eneschal of his house.”

“$he asari have a similar position in the 7reat >ouses. Is that li#e a steward, or a

careta#er?” 0iara as#ed.

I nodded.

“$he "attle you showed me- that was the- 5eapers you spea# of? $hey were

enemies of the ;rotheans?”

I loo#ed up slowly to stare into her eyes.

“$hey were their e)ectioners, 4octor. $he means of a no"le :mpire’s e*tinction.”

>er eyes went wide.


17/264

“7oddess- we had no idea-What happened?”

“$hey came from 4ar# pace. $en thousand planets were attac#ed simultaneously.

$he ;rotheans were unprepared, unaware. It was worse than massacre.”

“$hey came from another gala*y?”

/8W was the time I had to refrain from giving too much information. >ere the linehad to "e drawn. It too# all my willpower to #eep from gushing out all the

information I had on them. I loo#ed down at the Coor long "efore I continued,

“I do not #now. +y the time I came- to e, the war had "een raging for three

generations. $hey were synthetic "eings, of immense si3e, taller than the highest

"uildings of this city.”

0iara’s eyes were still wide with dis"elief and wonder. $here was a long silence. I

was the one to "rea# it.

“$hey would not only #ill. That would have "een merciful. $hey too# our fallen, and

reanimated them in their own synthetic image. :very soldier that we lost wasanother soldier then enemy gained. We fought an enemy that still "ore the faces of

our friends and comrades.”

“7oess!@ 0iara whispered.

“$he Rha’til, the Rha, the 4ensorin- they were all wiped out or indoctrinated.

:ventually, only the Imperial worlds remained. +ut soon, we lost contact with the

other stations. We were "ro#en apart, una"le to present a united resistance.

Isolated and alone, each world "ecame a fortress unto itself. 6ortresses the 5eapers

could attac# at leisure and overrun piecemeal.”

orrow had crept "ac# into my heart as I was tal#ing. 2emories of "attles 6o’le had

fought "ut Kevin had never participated in, and friends that Ko’le had lost "ut 6evin

had never #nown= they all Cooded my "rain in a swirling maelstrom of emotions. 2y

words failed me, and the tears returned to my eyes, running down my chee#s

unashamedly. I guess that wasn’t very ;rothean of me. fter all, 'avi# rarely crac#s

so much as a smile during 2:A, much less a tear.

+ut that was ust the #ind of guy I was- or at least, that Kevin ha eenD I was

unashamed of my tears or my emotions "ac# home. 2y friends sometimes gave me

a hard time a"out it, my family ust #inda accepted it, and my girlfriend said she

loved me for it.

I thin# that if a man feels li#e he should "e ashamed of an emotion he is feeling or

that he should try to hide it, he must ree*amine "oth himself and the emotion.

+ut I digress. Where was I?

8h yeah, so""ing in the middle of an sari archaeology la"oratory.

0iara placed her hand on my arm, concern and worry etched on her face. 4r. 8sana

came over from the console.


18/264

“4r. $’oni- the human is still wea# from coming out of stasis. >e hasn’t had a

proper meal or rest for fty millennia. I must insist that he "e left alone for now.”

0iara loo#ed her, nodded, then "ac# at me.

“@ou regain your strength-6o’le. We will have time for all your &uestions later. @ou

rest now.”he patted my arm and wal#ed towards the door. s she passed 4r. 8sana, she

whispered,

“%all me the secon he wa#es up.”

8sana nodded, and 0iara paused at the door to ta#e one last glance at me "efore

e*iting. s the doors hisse closed, 4r. 8sana turned to me and pulled out a

hypospray. he lifted it towards my nec#, "ut then she gasped in fright as my hand

came up to gra" her wrist in a vise


19/264

“While I respectfully decline your drugs, some food would "e appreciated, 4octor.”

he nodded, a small grin still on her face. he turned and hit the door to leave.

“4octor?”

he paused and loo#ed "ac# at me.

“@es?”

“What is your name? I only assume you asari have two names, "ased on 0iara

$’oni’s name.”

he smiled.

$ goo sign.

“Kylee. Kylee 8sana.”

I "ent my head in salutation.

“$han# you for your #indness- Kylee 8sana.”

he turned towards me, and "rought her hand across her chest, as I had seen

%aptain +eyala salute the 2atriarch earlier.

“@ou are welcome- Ko’le.”

s she wal#ed out the door, another security guard strode in to stand ne*t to the

door. he was in the same yellow armor as %aptain +eyala and the other guard at

the stasis cham"er.

Wait a secon! yellow armor"

hit.

he’s a gor-ramme 1clise sister.

I gave myself a mental slap for not reali3ing it earlier. It made senseD 2atriarch

lesia would favor a mostly asari security company for security for an asari

archeological dig.

0 woner if 8ona eeris is still rnning things, or if she’s een arreste yet. Ok,

6evin, one worry at a time.

I paused my train of thought when I reali3ed that the :clipse sister was tal#ing to

me.

“-"e your escort while you are here, sir.”

I nodded, slowly.

“@ou’ll "e my escort? 2y guard, more li#ely.”

he shrugged her shoulders.

“I ust follow orders, sir. ;aid too well to &uestion them.”


20/264

Tyical hntress attite, I thought.

“Well, as we’re going to "e spending some time together, what’s your name?”

he s&uared her shoulders "ac#, then stepped forward and stuc# out her hand.

“0ila $’7oni, sir.”

I had to catch myself from reaching out and sha#ing her hand reCe*ively. I stared at

it, then "ac# up at her.

“I appreciate the /ame


21/264

“nd he will, doctor, ust as soon as you and 4r. 8sana have further proof verifying

his claims. If there is the slightest chance this is a tric# or a fraud of some #ind, I

want to #now a"out it, "efore spreading the word out to the gala*y.”

+eah, right. #ore like yo want to kee this little secret for Thessia alone, 3st like

all the other /rothean artifacts the asari have g over the centries.

“/ow, have you found so far, 4octor?”

“It’s mind


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$here was a "rief moment as the three younger asari loo#ed to the matriarch. lesia

thought for a moment and then turned to 0iara.

“%aptain +eyala. 8utt our friend here an 8mni


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I usually pride myself on my patience and my temper. +ut amn, she #new how to

press someone’s "uttons. I lifted my hand 4arth Fader


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“What is your ghting strength?”

$he group of asari turned towards me at my &uestion. %aptain +eyala loo#ed at the

matriarch, then apparently made up her mind.

“$wenty commandos, all well trained "iotics.”

“nd the strength of the enemy-these- what did you call them? 7eth?”

7otta lay the ignorant car.

“ccording to our sensors, one geth frigate and appro*imately three dropships.

:asily capa"le of holding hundreds of enemy com"atants. :*act num"ers-

un#nown. We have- limited #nowledge of the 7eth’s tactical strength and

capa"ilities.”

“;ull your soldiers "ac# into the fortress. 4o not attempt to engage them. $he entry<

ways are narrow, designed to funnel attac#ers into a crossI I

%/’$ 48 $>I.

@et as panic#ed as Kevin’s mind might have "een, I was also acutely aware of Ko’le’s

mind running scenarios of past "attles and past assaults on these very walls. I was

mentally preparing tactics and countermeasures, stratagems "ased upon "attles I

had led.It was a very surreal e*perience. I elected to go with Ko’le’s rational strategy


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I had memori3ed that verse of the Fhagava 7ita years ago. 6unny that I should

remem"er that now. +ut it seemed appropriate, given the situation.

2ore geth now were pouring into the room, guns "la3ing at a target they could not

see.

Time to see if 'evi’s gift really works.I came up "ehind one of the geth units, and grasped the Cashlight head with "oth

hands, lifting it o9 the ground. $wo tendrils came out of my armor and plunged into

the head of the unit.

“1wenno o gwath&@ I yelled.

What" 0’m a 'or of the Rings fan too!

What happened ne*t too# place in less time than it ta#es to read it. 6lashing across

my memories was all the shared e*periences of the geth routines in this mo"ile

unit. I saw /a3ara in all his magnicence, preaching to the geth of synthetic

superiority and the eradication of organics. I heard his voice spea# through thevessel aren to come here to the planet $herum and collect 4r. 0iara $’oni. I heard

the orders that she was to "e "rought "ac# to /a3ara, alive and unharmed. nd in

the place of those orders, I cast my will. $he geth unit turned from glowing "lue to a

dar# green. I released it, rolling left to avoid a shotgun "last from the #rogan. few

shots clipped the geth unit, who suddenly wheeled and opened re on near"y

:clipse s&uad. $hree of them fell "efore the fourth got o9 a shot that too# down the

geth’s shields and ripped through its armor. It collapsed.

Thrall.

8r at least that’s what I would call that move if we were still in the game. I could

ta#e command of synthetics! Kevin was internally gee#ing out, while Ko’le was stillprocessing tactical options.

$he "attle mostly consisted of gra""ing "odies and using them as human shields,

then "iotically hurling them at the nearest shooter, then repeating. $he #rogan was

now charging. I leapt left, narrowly avoiding him, watching as he "arreled into a

group of geth, leaving them "ro#en and lea#ing circuitry Cuid. $hen, suddenly, a

&uic#ly as the ght started, it ceased and I was nowhere to "e seen.

I was "ac# the way we came, "iotics hurling me down the passageways at "rea#<

nec# speeds. Fery shortly, the modular units came into view. I was so focused on

them, I wasn’t paying attention to my own two feet. omething solid caught my

shins, and I went tum"ling across the ground.

7racefl, 6evin. Reeeeaaaal gracefl.

I loo#ed over my shoulder to see what I had tripped over.

2atriarch lesia’s prostrate form lay sprawled on the Coor. >er e*pression was

fro3en in one of incredulity and confusion. I ran over to her "ody. $here was a


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gunshot wound to the "ase of her nec#. 4eath would have "een mercifully &uic#. I

closed her eyes and folded her hands across her chest.

I didn’t #now any prayers to thame. /ot that I really "elieved in all that. fter all, I

was from the time of thame. $hane’ prayers to Kalahira also ran through my head,

"ut none of them seemed appropriate. I closed my eyes and silently sent up a

prayer from my own world.

ReEiam aeternam ona eis, (ominae. 7rant nto them eternal rest, O 'or.

It wasn’t even so much that I "elieved, I ust felt li#e the words needed to "e said.

2y invocation was cut short "y the sound of gunre. I loo#ed up to see a familiar

yellowey- thought you’d "e dead "y now, ape.”

I cradled her head under my hand.

“4r. $’oni. Where is she?”

wea# chuc#le was followed "y coughing up "lood.

“Whoever said she would "e an easy mar# o"viously never fought her. he throws a

hellova warp.”

“0ila- where is she?”

he smiled up at me. 2y heart ached for her. :ven with my limited medical training,

I could tell she was not long for this world. he fought for each "reath, whee3ing

"etween her words.

“he and 4octor- 8sana headed- down %orridor 7. +ut there’s- nowhere- togo- L%&'()L from there. 4ead- end.”

The rison war, Ko’le’s e*perience told me. “2emories” of the fortress’s layout

Cooded my "rain. I mentally processed the "est route to ta#e "efore turning "ac# to

the mortally wounded asari.

“@ou should not have gotten involved, 0ila. We should not have "een enemies.”

“/o-hard feelings-I hope- ;aid- too well- to &uestion-”

>er eyes rolled "ac# into her head and she went limp, one last gasp slowly escaping

her lips.

I followed the same "rief ceremony as the matriarch. orrow and grief at the death

of one so young threatened again to "oil over and overwhelm me.

4ocs, 6evin. 'iara is in trole. 4in her. 6ee her alive&

;ushing aside thoughts of grief or loss, I stood and turned to head down the

passage to the prison ward. $hen a thought occurred to me. I #nelt down again and


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e*amined 0ila’s "elt. $hree concussion mines were still in one of the compartments.

In another was an unused /e*us 8mni tool. I too# the items in hand and set o9.

When I saw the tunnel that had a temporary sign that read “%orridor 7”, I loo#ed

down at the three small disc


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“Ko’le! @ou’re- you’re alive!”

“4espite the "est e9orts of the guards- yes.”

“nd you came "ac#-”

“We seemed to have mutually incurred the enemy’s displeasure. %om"ining forces

seemed to "e the most prudent measure.”

0iara’s face fell for a moment, as if she was disappointed somehow, "ut then her

professional mas# was "ac# on. 8sana, meanwhile, had "ent down and ta#en the

dead guard’s pistol out of her hand, and rolled the "ody over to recover the folded

27 in the small of her "ac#. he adopted a stern, no


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“@ou’re her daughter, 0iara! >ow could you not #now?”

“I. 4on’t. Know.” 0iara’s tone was indignant. “I may "e +ene3ia’s daughter, "ut I am

nothing li#e her! I have not spo#en to her in years! If I was wor#ing with my mother,

would they "e trying to >88$ me? nd why would I try to stop them from shooting

@81? I... I-”

he was now on the verge of tears. 8sana stopped and put her hand on her arm.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I "elieve you.”

“@ou ght well, for "eing doctors, “I interected, more to change the su"ect than

anything else. “/ot to mention for "eing primitives.”

“I have trained under the "est "iotic and weapons instructors on $hessia,” 0iara

said defensively. “I have fought mercenary "ands and looters on multiple occasions

on several planets.”

Right. 4nny how mst fan=ctions seem to forget aot that, or try to aint her as a

helless civilian" 4nny, she ignore the ?rimitives@ 3ie comletely!

“I’ve one my fair share of mercenary wor#,” 8sana added. “$hirty years of

"attleeld rst aid is what convinced me to go into medical school.”

*h. That’s right. 0 ten to forget that oth of these women are over a hnre

years ol.

“In my time,” I said, “:very soldier had to "e a doctor. $here were too many

wounded to a9ord waiting for a trained careta#er.”

We came around the corner to come face


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“Weapons cache?” as#ed 8sana.

“;rison cell,” I answered. “8ne more level down.”

2ore tampering and wiree’s e*pended a damn ton of energy already. 6ran#ly, I don’t #now

how you managed to stay on your feet this long.”

“/eed-to #eep- moving-” 2y speech was slurred and slow.

4espite my "est e9orts- dar#ness claimed me once again.

“4octor? 4octor %ha#was? I thin# he’s wa#ing up!”

$he #ind face of Karin %ha#was came into view. I too# a sudden and a"rupt gasp

and sat up. $wo hands gripped my shoulders, and 4r. %ha#was’ hands were on my

chest, restraining me.

“:asy- easy. 4on’t overdo it.”

“@ou’re- you’re-” I didn’t even have to fa#e the surprise and dis"elief in my voice.

What the actal fuck " What the hell i 0 miss"

“'ust ta#e it easy-” $he doctor’s voice was soothing, "ut "roo#ed no argument.

“@ou are- hman?!”

Farely avoided saying her name-


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“@es- I #now it’s a lot to ta#e in "ut-”

+oth of my hands came up to hold her face in my palms. he too# a deep "reath,

"ut didn’t Cinch. I loo#ed into her eyes, and she loo#ed into mine. 6inally, I spo#eD

“@ou. re. +eautiful.”

$ears "linded me, as all the emotions I had "een holding "ac# and holding downcame "ac# with a vengeance.

I’m not that goo of an actor. I can’t even "egin to e*plain my reaction. +ut ust

seeing another human that reminded me so much of my mom, along with Ko’le’s

reaction of ust seeing another "eing from his planet, that loo#ed so familiar, and

yet so alien at the same time- it was ust too much.

I gotta say, for having a hysterical, MJ,JJJ year


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It wasn’t an e*act copy of my old one, "ut it was close. 8r at least, I remine me of myself. >owever, the forehead and aw was larger, giving credence to my/eanderthal "ac#story. lso, the dreadloc#s were new. In my Cash"ac# I had sharedwith 0iara, I had gone into the stasis pod with my normal hairer voice started out as girlish s&ueal, "ut then su"dued itself to a moreprofessional tone.

“$han#s to your "rilliance, it would seem, 4r. $’oni,” I replied, "ringing an a3ure"lush to her chee#s. “What made you thin# of activating the security grid?”

“Well- in all honesty,” 0iara replied, loo#ing down at the Coor, “It would "e moreaccurate to say it was a mista#e. I was trying to ust activate the shields, "ut thensuddenly you were suspended o9 the Coor and I couldn’t turn it o9! I ust had thee*pertise to reali3e that it was also a medical force


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Ko’le’s voice was even and calm, "ut internally, Kevin was *+-/0( the hell out.hepard’s eye"row arched in slight surprise. he straightened, uncrossing her armsand returned an lliance salute, four ngers crisply "rought up to her forehead.

“Welcome a"oard, Ko’le. 0iara has told me a lot a"out you. It sounds li#e you’ve"een through a lot. ounds li#e you’ve "een told &uite a "it, also?”

Comassion. Caring. Welcome. +es, this was the hear who will ring a gala)ytogether.

“@ou have the eyes of a general, %ommander. ny fool could tell that you are incommand of this vessel, whose commander, I’ve "een told, is named hepard,” Ie*plained. “@ou say that 4r. $’oni has told you my story?”

“@es, "ut I’d li#e to hear you tell it. @ou are from :arth?” as#ed hepard, coming intothe room, the door closing "ehind her.

“In a way,” I answered. “MJ,JJJ years ago, I was "orn there.”

I proceeded to tell her the same story I told the asari "ac# on $herum. >ow I was

ta#en "y the ;rotheans, given all these implants and "iotics, and trained as aweapon for the war with the 5eapers. When I told of Kopral and his horri"lee*periments, hepard’s hands gripped the ta"le she was leaning against, turningher #nuc#les white. When I told of 1rush and the choice he made in the nal "attle,her eyes softened, and I could feel the sympathy and compassion waft over me. Iwent over the tales of my awa#ening, with some additions made "y 0iara and Kylee,who had oined us as I was telling my story.

“-I was trying to get to the weapon catches on the lowest levels, "ut I "lac#ed outon the second lift. nd then I awo#e here,” I said, gesturing to the med


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“fter only a"out three centuries of nonstop war, yes,” I answered defensively.

“nd +ene3ia and aren are trying to "ring them "ac#?” Wre* turned to hepard.“$his whole mission ust got a lot more serious.”

“@ou only ust now got that?” $ali as#ed.

“$he geth worship the 5eapers, so it made sense that aren would play to theirmythology to get an army,” Wre* e*plained. “+ut now that we #now their mythologyis actually an army of organic


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dec#. I made my way to the med "ay, along with 0iara and Kylee. 4r. %ha#was,along with several orderlies, were putting together medical supplies. Kylee threwherself into that group, o9ering her services as a medical doctor. 0iara too# my armand half


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8n ;ressley’s command, the /ormandy targeted the nearest geth ships

simultaneously. $he re from the ship’s cannons ripped through their targets li#e

tissue paper. $he twin torpedoes detonated in the target 3ones, causing the ships to

e*plode into scrap metal. even ships in as many seconds Coated in pieces around

the /ormandy.

“4amn. I’m impressed,” said hepard.

“We still have the geth on the surface,” said ;ressley. “$hey’re not going to "ac#

down without a ght.”

“'o#er, any communication with Rhu’s >ope?” as#ed hepard.

“N(-3/7, C&11-02+. T) -'3&1-32 2/43+44 4/(0-6 /4 43/66


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“$hen you only have your eyes to conrm they are dead, 7arrus Fa#arian,” I

answered. “I prefer to see their life drain from their eyes, up close and in person.”

“>ehehe, I ta#e it "ac#, "irdundreds of +ullets

and >ope 8ne of $hem >its the 4amn $arget.’”

“4amn straight!” replied Wre*, pumping his arms and shifting his weight from side

to side. “4amn, I live for moments li#e these.”

“t least our fearless leader has some sense,” said 7arrus. “hepard, "ac# me up

here.”

“I thin# everyone’s #inda operating from the same idea,” said hepard, unfolding

her "eastly >2W5 sniper riCe. “/one of us li#e shooting the same guy more than

once.”

“men to that, hep,” Kaiden said with a smile.

“T M/0'4 =, C&11-02+,” 'o#er’s voice echoed in the cargo "ay. “S04&+4 4)&8

- >+>()3 -3 3) 6-02/0( 4/3 8/3) 1'63/96 (3) 4/(0-3'+4, -4 866 -4

*+/0265 %&6&05 *&+%4. T)/4 8/66


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"la3ing gun "attle that loo#ed li#e some >ollywood director had decided to re


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I ust cryptically tapped the side of my helmet. “It’s all in here, %ommander. I ust

#now how to listen.”

$he geth hoppers that occupied the towers in the game never made an appearance.

We e*ited out and onto the main level of the colony. We passed the "arricades, and

I could see 2acha 4oyle wor#ing on the water pipes and 2ay 8’%onnell ust past her

wor#ing on the power conduits, and "eyond her, the entrance to the colony proper. Iturned to the right after leaving the stairway and paused, ta#ing in the sight of the

ruins. I reached out and put a hand on the wall.

With a LwooshL, I saw the city in all its glory, spreading out over two thirds of the

planet, resplendent and outpouring, with ships laden with the trade of the gala*y

coming and going. I saw ;rotheans, 4ensorins, Rha, and $horian wal#ing the streets,

tal#ing, arguing, hec#ling, and yes, showing a9ection. It was any other street from

any other time, with any other people doing ust what you might e*pect. I saw time

in fast forward, and saw 5eapers drop in from atmo, red lasers spreading death and

destruction, opening their "owels to release millions of Indoctrinated on the streets,

Cooding the city with re and death.

“Ko’le?” 0iara’s voice and touch on my shoulder caused the Ceeting vision to

shatter, "ringing me "ac# to the present with a sudden rush and an audi"le gasp.

0iara drew her hand "ac#. “I’m sorry... you’ve "een standing there for twenty

minutes, I ust thought- did I interrupt something?”

“%harn,” I answered. “orry?” she &ueried. “$his was once the planete has- great e*perience with ;rothean tech,” she continued, shooting me a

Ethis is not a time to comlicate things’ loo#. “;leased to meet you,” 2acha said,

holding out her hand. I shoo# it, merely nodding "ac# in reply. +ut in that "rief

contact, I heard a very sharp, 7+5 9/+%/0(, metal scream. “2acha is trying torepair the water pipes here to get fresh water to the colony, and "y the loo#s of

things, they’re trying to tap into the a&ueducts the ;rotheans "uilt here long ago.

+eing our resident ;rothean e*pert, I thought you could give her a hand.”

“I will see what I can do,” I answered. “:*cellent, I’ll leave you two to it, then,”

answered hepard. “6ai 4an has as#ed us to clear the near"y tower of geth, who’ve

"een using it as a sniping position. 7arrus, Kaiden, and I will handle that. fterward


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we clear the tower, we’ll push on to :*o7eni >ead&uarters in a 2a#o the colonists

have gotten a hold of. Wre* and shley are hunting geth in the tunnels "eneath the

colony, and I’ve got $ali trying to help repair power conduits.”

“Where would you li#e me, hepard?” as#ed 0iara. hepard didn’t even s#ip a "eat.

“4r. %ha#was is over in the Forealis, a downed freighter the colonists has set up as

a triage center. $hey’ve got a lot of ru""le and de"ris over there. "iotic could "euseful, I thin#.”

“8f course,” 0iara said, and turned toward the downed ship with an almost eager

loo# in eye, grateful, I supposed, for the opportunity to apply her talents. hepard

turned to head "ac# towards the #yway tower. “8#, so I guess it’s ust you and me,

then, "ig guy,” 2acha said. “how me the pro"lem,” I replied.

/ow I was fully prepared to have to go down into the tunnels and Cip all three main

water mains, li#e the game mission. >owever, instead I got to play the hac# game.

pparently they were trying to patch power relays into the e*isting ;rothean

system, which included the water ltration systems. Kevin’s memories of the game

were therefore utterly useless, so Ko’leEs memories of the ;rothean routines came inhandy. s I was typing on the console, I heard- something. Whispers in the air. I

could see the colonists wincing in pain around me, some of them muttering under

their "reath or sharp inta#es of air. “$here must "e more water,” I heard 2acha say,

mum"ling almost incoherently. “We thirst, here in the dar#-”

The Thorian’s work. Time to get the all rolling. I wal#ed up to 2acha. “2acha?” I

as#ed. “What?!” she as#ed, startled and afraid. “I was wondering if you could ta#e a

loo# at this-”I said, soothingly. “8f course,” she said, her nec# twitching ever so

slightly. he leaned over my datapad. “What do you-” she "egan. I reached out

and too# her head in "oth of my hands.

*arken nto me.

2y eyes glowed white, and her eyes mirrored.

A0 seak to the $ncient Wisom, which rinketh from ee Waters.B

I could feel 2acha’s mind, weary and worn from ghting this long losing "attle.

Lhel me. 0 can’t =ght it o anymoreL

(on’t worry, #acha. 0’ve got yo.

A0 seak the 1ntity controlling these eole. $nswer #e&B

$here was no answer. +ut there was a decided change in the air, li#e a ringing in myears suddenly changed pitch.

“It wants me-to-ght you,” 2acha said. I placed my hands on her head again.

“leep.” >er eyes rolled "ac#, and she went limp. I set her down, and made my way

to the Forealis. 8ther colonists were gra""ing their heads and gripping their

weapons. I did the same to them, putting them to sleep. I turned the corner to see

6ai 4an and rcelia 2artine3. rcelia was pretty far gone, with her eyes rolling "ac#,


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I didn’t let it get that far. tepping forward, I placed it in a "iotic stasis, and spo#e in

;rotheanD

“Uilence, fool! Why hast thou perverted thy vine and the vine of thy father? $hou

sittest here in the halls of the 'eweled %ity, and thou spea#est prattle to the winds

and dust to the sepulchers? >ow could thou have used a gift as the Fineow?V

UI #noweth thy shame. $he $horians and ;rotheans who "uild this city would have

hung thy heads and sung the ong of 0oss and orrow at one such as thee. $ell me

then, weed, what is thy name, and the name of thy fathers? I invo#e the Foid $reaty,

ection M, rticle A, on the identication of all creatures and peoples of the ;rothean

:mpire. V

If the asari’s eyes were wide "efore, they were popping out of their soc#ets now.

U@our #nowledge is-impossi"le. We- are- $horian. V

U$hat is your people! 7ive me the name your Fineow? Who art thou?V

UI am Ko’le, eneschal of >ouse 5o""idir, and you WI00. $:00. 2:. @815. /2:.V

loud groan arose from the towering vine, and creepers all around us opened theirmouths and screeched. shley placed her hands over her ears. Wre* even winced.

$he asari


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“%ouncilors, this is Ko’le of ;rotea, the- individual I mentioned in my $herum

report,” introduced hepard.

“hhh, yes, the proto


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“I’m sure I don’t #now what you’re tal#ing a"out,” I said, with a #nowing win#.

“8h come on, Ko’le, you were laying it on thic# with $evos,” hepard said as we left

the comm room.

“he is a politician,” I answered. “I dou"t politics has changed all that much in

MJ,JJJ yearsD @ou Catter, you say nice things to each other, all the while attemptingto discern what you can get from each other at the lowest price.”

“/ope, hasn’t changed at all. $hat’s why I try to stay clear of the whole mess

altogether,” hepard said with a laugh. $hen her e*pression changed as we got into

the elevator.

“I never really said this, and I don’t thin# anyone else did, eitherD "ut that colony,

not to mention us, owe you our lives. @ou did an incredi"le thing "ac# thereD I came

down those stairs prepared to destroy a monster, and you saw a frightened creature

in need of help. $hat ta#es a special #ind of person.”

“hepard,” I said dismissively. “If all the information I had on $horians came from a

frightened la" tech, I would have seen a monster as well. I have #nown several $horians in my time, and #new what words to say. $he real heroes are the colonistsD

what they had to endure would have #illed lesser "eings. o what did hiala say to

you "efore we left?”

“he said she was staying to try and undo some of the damage she inadvertently

caused. he seemed genuinely repentant, and I gured the &uic#est way for her to

deal with what she’s "een through was to help others.”

“6orgive me,” I added, “+ut I saw the two of you- um-”

“2elding?” hepard nished.

“It is generally an intimate gesture, at least from what I understand of asari

culture,” I said hurriedly. “I didn’t #now if may"e-”

“/o!” hepard answered. $lmost too Eickly . “hiala was ust- helping me with

something. $hat "eacon on :den ;rime left my "rain a little-. scram"led. 0iara

attempted to help when she rst came on "oard, "ut hiala had also received a

;rothean %ipher from the $horian, the same as aren had. I ust thought that

may"e- it could help ma#e sense of the damn images in my "rain. If your words

and your "eacon on :den ;rime are any indication, the 5eapers are the real threat

here,” stated hepard. “nd I need all the help I can get.”

“@ou activated one of our "eacons?” I as#ed. “nd you survived?”

“+arely,” hepard said.

“$hen human communication is still primitive,” I said, turning away.

orry to steal yor line, 8avik.

“I’ll say,” hepard said good


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“While the a"ilities of the asari are remar#a"le, a meld with a ;rothean might

reveal more.”

“I- didn’t want to presume-” hepard said, loo#ing away. I too# her shoulders in

my hands.

“hepard, I am here to help. @ou have to trust me on that.”hepard "it her "ottom lip, then made up her mind.

“8#, go ahead” she said, pushing her shoulders "ac#, "racing for an asari


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0 ow my hea, rie an 3oy rshing throgh my oy at the raise. ?%ow lea me

to him,@ orers rsh. 0 ring my right han in salte. ?Feast hears. Feast oeys

on.@

We trn ack the way 0 came, my iotics taking ot foes at long range, rsh’s

lae taking care of close-range. Fack into the hanger, an the three levels to

the roof. When the oor oens, 6oral, having iscare his Rie in favor of anenergy-sear, rings own three foes, one right after the other. *e trns towars

s.

?rsh& #y son&@

Fefore a renion can e mae, a lone 0noctrinate ies onto the roof. 6oral trns

to face it, t then it glows a right gol.

ASSUMING DI!C" C#N"#$, it ellows.

?Feast.@ 6oral oesn’t even trn to look at his son an me ehin him. ?Take my

son to the evacation transort.@

?%o, father&@ rsh yells, rawing his lae. ?0 will =ght esie yo&@

?F1$T&@ yells 6oral.

?Feast oeys #aster,@ 0 rely, lacing rsh in a iotic stasis =el. 0 gra him

aron the waist, then trn to the far sie of the iling, where a lone /rothean

transort lies arke. 6oral shifts his sear from his right han to his left, testing

the familiar weight.

?+o may trimh toay, %a


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safety restraints holing him in the seat. 0 trn ack to see 6oral rn his sear

throgh *skK%a


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“>ey! ;ya#!” "ooming Krogan voice ended my reminiscing. friendly thm on

my "ac# popped several verte"rae, which was surprisingly not nleasant . “1rdnot

Wre*,” I said, with a slight raise of my cup.

“4amn, son,” Wre* said with a chuc#le. “$hey must have made humans of sterner

stu9 than they do now. If I hadn’t seen with my own eyes, I never would have

"elieved itD you faced down a monster from the pits of hell that would have made#rogan attlemasters shit themselves.”

“pea#ing from e*perience, I ta#e it?” I as#ed, with a slight raise of my eye"rows.

That "rought an outright laugh from Wre*, who pounded the weapons crate that

had "een turned into a "ar.

“len#o! nother drin# for our champion here!”

Kaiden too# the "ottle and poured me another drin#.

“$hat was impressive wor#, Ko’le. 7lad to have you on our side.”

I nodded in reply.

“@ou are a formida"le warrior yourself, len#o.”

Wre* then reached "ehind him and pulled a "ottle out of one of the utility pouches

on his armor.

“hhh, 5yncol,” he mused as he poured himself a drin#. “$he tre drin# of

champions. @ou humans don’t even #now what you’re missing.”

“0 do,” said Kaiden, with unmas#ed revulsion on his face. “$hat stu9 hits humans

li#e glass and a hand grenade in li&uid form.”

little voice spo#e in the "ac# of my mind.This is a a iea, 6evin. Fa iea. F$( 0(1$.

“%hallenge accepted.”

Wre* loo#ed up at me in surprise. I gulped down the few shots of whis#ey that were

in my cup and held it out to him.

“@ou, me, and the night ahead. What say you, #rogan?”

“>uman-” he said warningly. “$his is no o#ing matter. +etter men that you have

tried to out


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“@our spill, ;ya#.”

I stood and "raced myself.

“4o your worst, young .” $hat term clearly ir#ed the veteran #rogan, and he

charged his st, and lashed out with a glowing "lue right hoo#.

“5emem"er- you as#ed for this,” he said and lunged forward.

42/.

With all my cy"ernetic enhancements and all my "onealf


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“$han# the ancestors for that,” Inamorda said, drin#ing the rest of his glass. “We

"oth #now what usually happens at 1rdnot social visits, don’t we?”

Wre* growled and his hands curled up into sts. Inamorda’s free hand sna#ed down

nonchalantly to his waist, "ut I could see the cimitar shotgun at the small of his

"ac#. *ow i he sneak that ast cstoms"

“8pold sent me.” Wre* said, in a very even tone.

“$he hanar? 6igured he would need "ac#up to give him a spine. >ehehe, a spine,

get it? E%ause he’s a ellysh? 7et it?” Inamorda apparently thought his o#e

hilarious, as he continued to chuc#le.

Wre* responded "y putting the case on the ta"le.

“>ere’s the case. @ou owe him eighty thousand.”

Inamorda too# a loo# over at me.

“Who’s the human? 4idn’t thin# the almighty 1rdnot Wre* would need "ac#up, and

wouldn’t have thought you’d "ring a human to do it.”

I Cared my "iotics, loc#ing him in place with a "arrier. Wre* leaned in and spo#e in

the ear of his nowe loo#ed over at me and nodded. I

dropped the "arrier, and Wre* too# the shotgun from his "rother’s "ac#.

“Well, well, well- what is this? Wonder if those nice :5% oHcers would li#e to

#now where I found it? 7uns "eing "anned in ;ort >anshan and all.”

“Idiot,” hissed Inamorda. “@ou’ve got a gun.”“2e?” as#ed Wre* innocently. “I’m partnered up with a %ouncil pectre. $he ;ort

dministrator personally vouched for my weapon. $hat’s the di9erence "etween

you and me, little "rotherD I ma#e contacts wherever I go. @ou leave "odies.”

“6ine.” $he word was more a curse than an actual capitulation. “$ell that Coating

"lo" of fat that I’ll wire the amount we agreed on.”

“nd I’m #eeping this gun,” Wre* added, stretching with moc# sleepiness. “$he

things I do to #eep my family mem"ers from "eing thrown in a /overia prison. 8n

second thought, you want it "ac#?” >e turned the gun around, o9ering it "ac# to

Inamorda. Inamorda only grunted in reply, gra""ing the case and stal#ing o9.

“1ntil ne*t time, "rother.”

“Well, that was fairly painless,” I said.

“2eh, E2orda has always had half a &uad when it came to getting in a fair ght. >e

usually collects "ounties on volus em"e33lers and salarian "ail


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“I always have my friends’ "ac#s,” I replied.

“>ey, isn’t that hepard?”

I turned to see hepard tal#ing to 2allene %allis. 0iara and 7arrus were with her.

he’s asking her to sy on Rafael ;argas.

+ased on hepard’s e*pression, and 2allene’s as she wal#ed away, it loo#ed li#e

hepard had turned her down Cat.

(e=nitely /aragon.

Wre* and I wal#ed up to oin up with the three of them.

“What’s the word?” as#ed Wre*.

“$hat asshole noleis won’t give us a garage pass. +ut that secretary, ;arassini?

he said to come see a turian named 0ori# Pui’in. aid he might have a way to get

us to ;ea# M.”

“$hat’s the only turian in here, "esides 7arrus,” I said, nodding my head at 0ori#

Pui’in sitting at the ta"le.”

“$hat must "e him,” agreed hepard. “@ou two nd out anything?”

“/othing,” Wre* said. I said nothing.

“Well, I’m gonna to tal# to our turian friend. @ou guys chill here. 4on’t want to spoo#

him with a large crowd.”

“We’re supposed to meet up with that hanar merchant from the ;la3a,” Wre* said.

“>e might not have much information, "ut he tells me he can get us some toper eye"rows went up in surprise. “>ow do you #now a"out asari pets?”

“I’ve "een doing research. I have MJ,JJJ years of history to catch up on, you #now.”

0iara smiled. “Impressive. Well, if you need anyone to help you with your history-

let me #now.”

I smiled "ac#. “I shall. $han# you.”

“K8’0:? @ou coming?” Wre* called out from the elevators. I turned and reoined him.

fter another ride down the elevator "rought us "ac# to the main ;la3a.

“$his one has ust received the transfer of funds from Inamorda. $his one’s gratitude

to his old friend 1rdnot Wre* is "oundless.”


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of her "ac# and re two shots, the rst through the #neecap of one of the oHcers,

the second through the helmet of the other. $he #nee


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“I have permission to "e here from 0ori# Pui’in,” hepard answered. “$hese oHcers

were on noleis’ payroll. I have proof of it here.” he held up the 84.

“noleis would have you thrown o9world for what you did here,” gt. tirling

continued. “I won’t. 4o you #now what we did to cop #illers on my world?”

>er voice was 3st grating, slightly demented and o9er head was "ent at

an unnatural angle, and "lood was coming out of her nose and ears. >er "reaths

were coming in ragged gasps, and her eyes were wide and fearful, darting "ac# and


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started coming out of the corridors, and "usting out of crates that seemed to "e

everywhere. hepard and 7arrus too# up positions for support, covering the rest of

us with sniper re. 0iara was now using her 27, laying down a eld of re with

short, controlled "ursts. Wre* and I- charged into the thic# of it, "la3ing away. 2y

leap carried me over the chaos, landing me s&uarely on the 'uggernaut’s "ac#. I

plunged my hand "eneath the plates covering the geth’s nec#. 2y interface spi#es

attached themselves to the geth’s hardwire.

”%an iChir gelair&@ I shouted, the geth 'uggernaut’s light turning from red to green. I

"ac# Cipped o9 it as it turned on its former comrades. It too# down several "efore a

roc#et put it out of commission. I launched two 5eave elds, "ringing two of the

#rogan to their #nees as their vitals were drained, ma#ing them easy targets for my

s&uade mae them.”

“%ome on, we’ve got to nd +ene3ia,” hepard said.


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“8ne moment please- %ouncil authority conrmed. @ou are entitled to ecure

ccess of all systems. ;lease note that all &ueries relating to corporate secrets

re&uire ;rivileged ccess. ;rivileged ccess is only availa"le to +inary >eli*

:*ecutives.”

“I’m loo#ing for 2atriarch +ene3ia. 4o you have any record of her arrival?”

“0ady +ene3ia departed on the passenger tramway to the 5ift tation su"sidiary

la"s.”

$he rest of the conversation went pretty much as e*pectedD hepard as#ing

&uestions a"out the situation, and 2ira simply saying that “that information

re&uires ;rivileged ccess.” We split up to * the landlines and reactor to get the

tramway "ac# in wor#ing order. 1nli#e the game, no more enemies, 5achni or geth,

were encountered. s we were departing for the tramway, I suddenly paused and

turned "ac# to 2ira, and inserted my interface spi#es into the computer. 2ira fri33ed

for a moment, then disappeared entirely.

“What are you doing?” as#ed hepard.“>ac#ing +inary >eli*,” I answered.

“8h. Is that all?” hepard as#ed, sarcasm dripping.

“7ot it.” I straightened up and wal#ed down the hallway towards the trams.

“What? eriously?”

“hepard, you witnessed me hac# a gethD a living creature. I thin# a corporate

rewall should prove little challenge for me.”

“I stand corrected. o what did you nd out?” hepard as#ed as we "oarded the

tram to ta#e us to 5ift tation.

“+inary >eli* found a 5achni egg in a derelict ship Coating in space,” I said,

accessing 2ira’s information. “$hey hatched it, and it was a Pueen. he is at the

5ift tation facility. $he eggs she has laid since then have given "irth to o9spring

completely loyal to her and only her. o the idiots decided to separate some of the

eggs from the 2other to try and control the wor#ers directly.”

“0et me guess,” 7arrus said dryly. “$hat hasn’t wor#ed so well.”

“/o. $he separated 5achni are swarming 5ift tation, apparently searching for the

Pueen, who is in the ecure 0a"s. $here are +inary >eli* guards there at 5ift

tation, "ut +ene3ia has told them a"out terrorists that are loo#ing to assassinateher. I do not recommend interaction with them, %ommander. $hey will most li#ely

not "elieve your credentials as a %ouncil pectre.”

“7ood call,” said hepard. “nd +ene3ia?”

“ sari commandos and nine geth units remain with her. he is in the ecure 0a"

at the moment.”


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“6oolish girl!” +ene3ia snarled. “$hese are the servants of >ouse $’oni, and they

answer only to me&@

/o emotion played in the faces of the asari around us. +ene3ia charged her "iotics

and Cung a giant stasis eld at us. I threw up my own "arrier, "loc#ing the attac#,

tossing my weapon to hepard, who caught it without a word. he and Wre* opened

re, scattering asari left and right. I charged forward, determined to ta#e +ene3ia inclose &uarters. he sei3ed her s#irt and tore it open to reveal tactical leg


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“nd I’ll stand "y you if this whole thing goes wrong.”

Wre* grunted and nodded, seemingly satised.

?*armony-4rom-Chaos,@ I said, "efore the cage reached the oToad point. “ 0 shall

come to thee ere long. There is work to e one: work to =ght against the 4ol

%otes of the Ol #achines. en me wor, if tho art ale.@?&e s1all, Senesc1al. &e remem4er and 3e 1onor /1e (o-d "rea/y of #ld.6

“What’s that you’re saying to her, Ko’le?” hepard said.

“'ust telling her to "e careful,” I lied.

“he’ll have to if she wants to avoid a galactic panic,” said 7arrus.

$he cage o9armony


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"ehind 0iara, putting her hands on her shoulders. “If you ever need anything-

I’m-. I’m here.”

“$han# you, shley,” 0iara said tearfully, s&uee3ing one of shley’s hands with her

own.

“ virus swept through the 6leet a"out M years ago,” $ali said, her own voice full ofsorrow. “2y mother- my mother was among the ones who- didn’t ma#e it. I’m-

so sorry, 0iara. I’m so- sorry.”

he #nelt down "etween me and 0iara, wrapping her arms around the asari. >er

shoulders shoo# with emotions, and she &uietly so""ed in her helmet. 0iara

wrapped her own arms around her in return, fresh tears running down her face.

shley’s eyes were closed and her hands folded in front of her.

” $ve #aria, gratia lena, (omins tecm.

Feneicta t in mlieris,

et eneicts frcts ventris ti, 0ess.

ancta #aria, #ater (ei,ora ro nois eccatoris,

nnc, et in hora mortis nostrae. $men.@

I started at her words. I #new shley had tal#ed a"out “"elieving in 7od” in 2:,

"ut had honestly never given it much more thought. %ever thoght of her as a

Catholic girl, t now everything aot her makes so mch more sense.

“+eautiful prayer.”

7arrus was now oining the evere stood respectfully on the

outs#irts of the group.

“It’s to one of your human goddesses, right?”

I could see shley hysically "iting "ac# the full %atholic e*planation of the Firgin

2ary, "ut what she said was simply,

“It’s to the 2other of 7od. /ot e*actly a goddess.”

“It’s "eautiful,” I said.

“$han# you,” 0iara echoed.

0oo#ing around, I couldn’t help "ut marvel at this "eautiful sightD a #rogan, a turian,

a &uarian, and two humans #neeling around an asari, comforting one another in a

time of pain. ll we needed was-.“It’s at times li#e these that I #now e*actly why I chose this crew.”

hear.

ll eyes turned to see our fearless leader stepping o9 the elevator with Kaiden close

"ehind. I stood and stepped aside as she oined our circle, as did Wre*. hepard

stood at 0iara’s side.


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3m-see. 7nners, set yor scanners for cyclical long-range scans. 0t col e a

tra, my frien,@ he as, Eietly, to me. ?$t the =rst sign of Reaer activity, we

mst eart.@

0 no, salting in rely. 0 make my way to the ganglank, =ve trooers in tow.

?6o’le"@ the voice of (ranen Thrn, the shi’s #agi, comes over the con.?*onore #agi,@ 0 acknowlege.

?Fe on the lookot for any meical eEiment. $ny nanite infsions or io-cltres

wol e invalale.@

?$cknowlege.@ 0 trn an no to the other =ve soliers. We ring or weaons to

the reay as the oors oen. We oar the shi, slitting o into teams of three.

The rige is a wreck. 'ife ort is negligile, an the arely-oating eris

aron s shows that the arti=cial-gravity rive is failing. Three crewmen lie on the

oor, their faces serenely calm. The catain still sits at the helm, hea owe, with

a iece of eris imaling him to the chair. $ memory shar is still cltche in his

han. 0 take it from his han.

?F0O'OC61( #1$71 4OR 71%1R$' O4 T*1 ROFF0(0R 4'11T@ is the message that

ashes across my eyes when 0 toch the shar. #y other team reorts in, an 0

activate my comms.

?Foaring /arty to Frige.@

?This is the Frige, go ahea.@

?4or /rotheans have gone nto the 4ather, 7eneral. The shi’s armory is emty,

an the shi’s weaons systems are elete. We have three crates of io-cltres

an nanites. %othing salvageale in engineering otsie of a few service-

generators: the shi is too heavily amage. There is also a memory shar the

catain cltche in his hans. 0t is io-locke for the general of the Roiir 4leet.@

?$cknowlege, Foaring /arty. Retrn to shi.@

$s the oors close ehin ack on or own shi, or helmets isengage. 0 make my

way ack to the rige. #agi Thrn stans at rsh’s left sie, an 0 take my lace

on his right.

?The memory shar"@ he inEires, holing ot his han.

?#y lor,@ 0 say, lacing the shar in his han. The io-lock isengages, ringing the

shar to life. $ ro3ection ashes on, revealing a tall /rothean in reslenent ornateattle armor.

?To 7eneral 6oral Roiir, this is 1meror Valek of the /rothean 1mire.@

rsh Roiir instantly ows the knee efore the image of the 1meror. The rest

of the crew on the rige follows sit.

?0f tho art reaing this message, then the Catain of my 7ar, Rthan 6iesh,

has een sccessfl in his mission to =n thy eet. 1ven as 0 seak, the Reaers are


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?*elm, lay in a corse for *a’lal,@ orers rsh. The rige retrns to its normal

stle, as crewmen retrn to their stations an their tasks. rsh sinks ack own

in his chair, his forehea coming to rest in the alm of his right han.

?0 tell thee trly, 6o’le,@ he says wearily to me. ?Of all the things 0 thoght wol

haen this morning, this was not among them. %ow the task of leaing or

scattere eoles fall to me. 0 am 1meror now, t of what"@

?The strongest of ons may e roken, if taken one stran at a time, my lor,@ 0

rely. ?We have srvive. We mst etermine who among the 7reat *oses still

stans, an what forces remain to s, efore any task may e nertaken.@

rsh nos in answer. There is a long silence efore he answers.

?/erhas the time has come for a new 1mire!@

+!S!N" DAY

“KOLE$”

$he sound of the intercom awa#ens me, and I lurch forward, hand instinctively going

to my "ac#. It ta#es me a moment to reL and %itadel

lay "efore us in all its glory.

8#, I #new that the %itadel was "ig. I had played through the games literally a"out

times. +ut none of the games prepared me for the sheer si


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“t ease, %ommander,” Keith 4avid’s magnicent voice answered, only now

"elonging to argua"ly the ultimate "adass of the 2ass :9ect 1niverseD 4avid

:dward nderson. >e now turned to me.

“@ou must "e Ko’leD the ;rothean that’s got everyone all hot and "othered.”

“nderson-” 1dina’s voice was one of general irritation, rather than actualdispleasure.

“m"assador 1dina,” hepard said, with a respectful nod of her head.

“hepard, I must say, your instatement as pectre has "een one of the greatest

achievements humanity has accomplished in over a decade. $here’s re&uests from

news agencies all across the gala*y for an interview with you.”

“'ust doing my duty, m"assador,” hepard replied modestly. “@ou’ve given me a

ne ship, and I have a ne crew.”

“nd you’ve done it well,” continued 1dina. “aving colonies, resurrecting e*tinct

species, and "ringing a criminal to ustice. $here’s no telling how much damage+ene3ia could have done if left unchec#ed.”

“nd it is that that unfortunate "usiness that "rings me here, m"assador,” the

asari was saying, stepping forward.

“8h- yes, &uite,” 1dina replied, reassuming a mantle of gravitas. “%ommander

hepard, this is Irissa, chief aide to the sari %ouncilor’s oHce.”

0rissa: he’s the one who relaces Tevos if she ies on the (estiny $scension!.

“2a’am,” hepard ac#nowledged.

“%ommander,” replied Irissa in #ind. “8n "ehalf of the government of $hessia, I amhere formally re&uest the transfer of the remains of 2atriarch +ene3ia, and those of

her handmaidens.”

“4idn’t thin# they’d send someone so high up the food chain,” I heard Kaiden

whisper to shley "ehind me.

“%riminal or no, she was a 2atriarch of one of the 7reat >ouses of $hessia,

'ietenant len#o,” Irissa replied, ga3ing pointedly at Kaiden, who loo#ed slightly

startled at her sense of hearing. “We will "ear her home to $hessia and there lay

her to rest with honor .”

“;ermission granted. 2arine honor guard is waiting at the /ormandy’s doc#ing

"ay. We await only your word, 2a’am,” hepard answered graciously.

Irissa’s harsh ga3e softened, somewhat. “$han# you, %ommander,” she said, with a

"ow of her head. he turned to ma#e her way down to the /ormandy’s service

gangplan#, connected to the doc#ing "ay. hepard nodded at Kaiden and shley,

who moved &uic#ly to accompany her.

“/ow that that unpleasantness is over, allow me to formally greet yo, 2r. Ko’le,”

1dina said, stepping forward towards me. “$he report %ommander hepard sent us


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$here was a long pause.

“/o- "ut I do spea# for me,” nderson said, holding out his hand. “@ou have my

support, Ko’le. 6or whatever it’s worth.”

“$han# you, %aptain,” I replied. “@ou are a warrior of honor.”

“Is there a place I can ta#e you? +ac# to the /ormandy? 8r would you li#e to reoinany of the crew?”

“I- would rather wander alone, if that is possi"le. Is there a way you could prevent

me from "eing followed?”

“0et me handle that,” nderson said, smiling. $hen his eye"rows furrowed. “$he

%itadel is a pretty "ig place. If you ever need anything-” he reached into his "ac#

poc#et and handed me a small device that loo#ed li#e a garage door opener. “-hit

the red "utton. It’s a communicator directly to me.”

“7ratitude, %aptain,” I said, ta#ing the communicator. “/ow if you’ll e*cuse me-” I

turned towards the "alcony edge and leapt o9, plunging towards the concrete"elow. t the last second, I Cared my "iotics, "ringing me to an a"rupt and er#ing

stop, ust a"ove the pavement.

I wandered the wards for a while, loo#ing around at the di9erent shops and sights,

ta#ing in the full vastness of the %itadel.

It was reathtaking.

s I was wal#ing down a corridor, I heard a familiar music in the air. I rounded the

corner, and sure enough there it was in "right and "old letteringD 601.

nd coming out of 6lu* was hepard, with shley and 0iara in tow. $heir "ac#s were

to me, and they were wal#ing away. I pondered for a moment whether to call out tothem and oin them, or to go into 6lu* on my own.

I decided on the latter. Inside the clu" was the dance Coor, the &uasar ta"les, the

"ar, everything ust li#e the game. nd there was 5ita, the waitress, serving drin#s

to-.

“K8’0:! 8F:5 >:5:!”

Wre* and 7arrus were sitting in a "ooth, drin#s in hand. I wal#ed over to oin them.

“>ow did it go with the %ouncil?” 7arrus as#ed.

I sighed, and shoo# my head. “$hey will do nothing without further roof of the5eaper’s e*istence. pparently that is prefera"le to causing a gala*y


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“0et me ta#e a loo#,” 7arrus said, activating his 8mniis eye"rows (or

whatever the hell the turian e&uivalent is) furrowed. “$his- this is the same code

that was used in a "an# heist three months ago. /ever could catch the guy-”

“It’s siphoning a few credits at a time every time someone plays,” $ali e*plained.

“8nly thing is, it a "uoy systemD re"ounding o9 multiple transmitters. $oo# me

awhile, "ut I thin# I trac#ed the eventual destination. ee?”

“4amn!” 7arrus said, umping to his feet. “6inally going to catch this pric#!” >e

started striding out of the clu", then turned around.

“1mm- great wor#, $ali.”

$ali loo#ed very em"arrassed, "ashful, and proud at the same time.

“$han#s-”

2eanwhile Wre* and I e*changed a loo# and a nod. Wre* caught up his shotguns

that were lying on the ta"le and folded them down to t at the small of his "ac#. We

caught up with 7arrus right outside the clu".

“What are you guys doing?” 7arrus as#ed.

“iding a comrade,” I answered.

“I’m ust tagging along hoping to see you "eat the crap out of some s#inny hac#er<

#id,” Wre* said.

“Which is why you "rought your shotguns-”

Wre* shrugged. “$here might "e two hac#er #ids.”

7arrus chuc#led, then pulled up his 8mnie dialed a num"er, and the %e’ll show up to ta#e this pric# into

custody.”

“>opefully not we’ve had our fun,” Wre* grum"led.

turian face appeared in the monitor.

“7arrus! I ust got done tal#ing to your "oss. he nearly "lew my undercover op, "y

the way.”

Chellick. Chellick is 7arrs’ ol artner.

“%hellic#. 5emem"er the 7ala*y tar ro""ery? $he code we couldn’t trace?” 7arrus

as#ed.

“@eah, the la" techs said it was unli#e anything they’d ever seen.”

“I found the "astard. I’ve got a location I’m sending to you. +e there.”


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118/264

“%orrect,” replied the I. “+ut I have control over several secondary systems, which,

if overloaded, will e*plode violently.”

“What is the point of the self


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121/264

I noticed 0iara over at another ta"le, drin# in hand, alone. I left the crowd to 7arrus’

story and made my over to her.

“@ou are not returning to $hessia for your mother’s "urial?” I as#ed.

0iara shoo# her head without loo#ing at me.

“2y mother’s "urial- has "een postponed.”

I sat down "eside her. he continued.

“I- wanted to stay with the /ormandy. With all this data a"out the ;rotheans, I’m

still the "est- well, one of the "est authorities on the su"ect,” she chuc#led,

loo#ing at me. “nd- and- I want to "e there when you catch up with aren. *e

caused all this.”

nd her voice with dar# and icy (very 2:A 0iara)D

“nd I want to do my part to put a "ullet in his head.”

(amn.

“I will aid you in your &uest for vengeance, 0iara $’oni.” I held up my glass to her.

“nd may our enemies trem"le.”

0iara loo#ed at me, then too# her glass and Lclin#ed it against mine.

“$han# you, Ko’le.”

“@ou are sure there is not another reason to stay on the /ormandy?” I as#ed,

glancing at the distant laughing gure of 5e"ecca hepard, and then "ac# at her.

0iara "lushed deeply, and dgeted with her drin#.

“We’re- I’m- that is- there is a strong attraction that we "oth feel- "ut- Iwouldn’t want to resme anything right now. nd certainly not give it a la"el- we

are simply very good friends. he’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met,” she

said, and her eyes got dreamy at the very end of her sentence.

“he is- a great warrior,” I agreed. “It is easy to see how she has gathered such an

eclectic group to her cause.”

I stood, patting 0iara on the shoulder.

“@ou are leaving?” she as#ed.

“I have a few more places I must visit on the %itadel "efore we depart,” I said.

“Where?”

I shoo# my head.

“$hat would "e telling, now wouldn’t it? %aptain nderson has a direct comlin# to

me. If %ommander hepard has need of me, she can use it.”

“I’ll- I’ll tell her,” 0iara said, curiosity in her face and voice.


122/264

I managed to e*tricate myself from the crowd, slowly ma#ing my way towards the

6ast $ransit.

“W)+ -+ 8 (&/0($” as#ed 2ira. “A02 8)5 8&'6203 5&' 8-03 5&'+

*+/024 3& 0&8$”

“We are going to the /resiim. 0 have siness with the hanar, vols, an 1lcoremassies.@

“O), 15, )&8 %/3/0(! I7 -68-54 8-032 3& 4 3) P+4/2/'1. I7 &065

erald. 7reat has

"een the reoicing all over the gala*y "y all those who hold the :n#indlers to heart.

+ut rest easy= the secret of thy return has "een #ept to the faithful.”

I would "e a fool if I truly "elieved that, "ut there was nothing for itD apparently

hanar can share memories with others of their #ind= $'' others of their #ind.


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“I am here to see the am"assador? Is that you, friend?” I as#ed.

$he hanar Cashed "rightly again at the address.

“/o, >erald. I am E>eerald,” it said, its "ioluminescents Cashing. “@ou are very welcome here. :nter, if

you will, into the lowliest of your servants’ &uarters.”

I wal#ed to enter the room, m"assador 5hysan Coating

beacon's effect

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