It had been two hours since the Normandy had left for Virmire, leaving the debris of the Conestoga behind them. Things were quiet on board ship as everyone felt the loss of Colonel Kage. He may have been a hard case, but he did have the crew's respect. Jack had spoken to the few marines that were there and they had sworn their loyalty to him and the ship in honour of their fallen leader. Jack walked away from crew quarters and towards the common room. When inside he went straight over to the drink and food dispenser to see what chef had made. As he looked over the meals that was there he could not help but smile.
'What no organic tofu?' he thought to himself, then remembering most of the meals he had while living with his mom. Because of her job as a nurse, she wasn't always there to cook him a freshly made meal. But he never resented her for that. Far from it, he loved her. He knew deep down that she would have been there more if she were able but her job was important so that they could keep a roof over their heads. So most nights consisted of either microwave meals or take outs. He shivered when he suddenly remembered the burgers he had to eat at that horrendous dinner. Damn that food as horrible. It tasted like burnt leather, how could anyone want to eat that garbage. But when he joined the Alliance he then realised what great food was, and from that moment he never looked back. Jack almost drifted off with the memories that he had when he noticed Wrex sitting a table alone. So Jack picked up an apple and walked over to him.
"May I join you?" Jack asked as the Krogan looked up at him.
"Jack, sure take a seat. In fact could use the company, I am Sorry about Kage. He seemed like a great soldier".
Jack's face saddened slightly, remembering what happened on the Conestoga.
"Yeah he was." Jack replied as took a bite out of the apple and chewed it slowly, relishing the fresh taste of it before swallowing.
"Well I wish I had been with you, being cooped up on this ship isn't good for a Krogan." Wrex replied dryly before looking around the room.
"You know I have yet to see Garrus in here, he is to busy with his calibrating." he then added as Jack took a bite out of his apple.
"Yeah well recently that would be my fault. I asked Garrus to double check the Normandy's weapons before we reach Virmire. Just to be safe." he said as he then took another bite out of the apple. Wrex nodded while looking a little irritated by the Commander.
"But I'm here, so is there anything you want to talk about?" Jack asked trying to get Wrex's attention away from the comment earlier.
"Well Jack, while you were on the Conestoga, I received a message from Tuchanka, my home world." he said before looking down at the table, saddness on his face.
"What did it say?" Jack asked noticing the change in the Krogan.
"One of my friends there died recently." the Krogan answered.
"I'm sorry." Jack replied, not knowing what else to say. Wrex then looked back at the Commander.
"What do you know of the Genophage?" he said, his voice suddenly sounding slightly angry.
"I know that it is pathogen that has afflicted the Krogan for over a thousand years. That it basically reduces the number of Krogan born so that your population stays low." Jack replied, who when seeing the look of Wrex's eyes suddenly wished he hadn't said anything.
"But did you know that it was designed and released upon us by the Decepticons." Wrex said as he saw the shock in Jack's face at that comment.
"What, how?" was all that Jack could say.
"During the Cybertronian war, both sides were forced to abandon their planet Cybertron and so spread out into the galaxy looking for new sources of energon. Now my planet had a very rich supply, but unfortunately for us the Decepticons found us. Even though we were not as advanced as them, we fought hard to defend our home from those metal aggressors. So hard in fact that the one in command of that particular force. I believe you call him Starscream had his two most skilled scientists create and spread the pathogen across our planet to make us weak and more manageable so that they could use us to mine the energon for them. To do this they used our atmospheric control pillar to spread the Genophage. The pillar was built long ago by an ancient race who were there while our race was very young."
Jack listened to every word the Krogan said, before the last part got to him.
"You mean the Lithone" Jack jumped in. Wrex nodded
"Yes, now don't interrupt..." he barked at the Commander who just looked at him with stoic expression, not giving into the Krogan glaring at him. After Wrex calmed a little he continued.
"...Now my father told me this next part, since he saw it while he was a child. But on that day at the pillar, he saw both of the scientists. One was purple and slightly bulky, with a large gun for an arm and had one red optic, while the other was of a sleek design, dark blue and his face was covered by a visor. Those are the two who started the darkest chapter in my race's history and when I find them, in what ever form they now inhabit. I will make them pay for it in their blood." Wrex finished as he then noticed Jack looking away for a moment.
Jack knew who both of the scientist Cons were, but he didn't know if Wrex should be made aware of it at this very moment, not with a big mission ahead of them.
"Jack, what is it? The Krogan asked noticing the change in Jack's behaviour.
"Well its just that I know who they are, their names are Shockwave and Soundwave. I have seen them both during the last years of the war on Earth." Jack answered and then waited for the inevitable rage from the Krogan. But it didn't come, instead Wrex smiled at Jack.
"Thanks for telling me Jack, I now have names to follow up on after this mission is over. Don't worry I wont let it interfere with what we have to do."
Jack smiled back at the brute.
"I appreciate that Wrex." gaining a chuckle from the Krogan.
"As I do for you spending the time to listen to me, you're a good friend Jack Darby." he replied before Jack got up and left, saying that he would speak to him more later.
As Jack stood by the elevator waiting for it to open, he looked over to see his old quarters, now resident to his partner and XO. He smiled to himself as decided to go and pay her a visit. He rang the door chime and immediately heard.
"Come in" as the door opened allowing him to enter. He walked in to see that Arcee had decorated the room with numerous belongings of hers and saw the femme sitting on the bed looking out of the window into the hyperspace field that was surrounding the ship as the stars sailed by. She looked over to Jack and the most beautiful smile he had ever seen graced her lips as Jack walked over and sat on the bed next to her.
"Hey, I was just thinking about you partner." she said warmly as Jack looked out of the window.
"Yeah, all good I hope?" he replied just as coy. Her smile widened and her cheeks reddened slightly as Jack turned to face her.
"Of course" she answered as she leaned closer to the Prime, he himself leaning toward her until their lips joined together for one long moment. They then parted, panting slightly. Jack looked into Arcee's eyes lovingly.
"I'll never get tired of that." he said as they embraced each other in a hug.
"Me neither" she replied as they kissed again, this time for longer and more passionately as they laid down on the bed. Both hoped this moment would never end, but then the intercom went off, startling the lovers.
"Jack, you there, its Wheeljack" the wrecker said over the com, earning a sigh from both of them as Jack lied on top of Arcee.
"Yes Wheeljack, I am here." he replied trying to hide the annoyed feeling he had at that very moment.
"Well, Tali and I have finished our research and would like to brief you on what we have found." WheelJack answered. Then Jack and Arcee heard another voice talking to Wheeljack in the background making him speak again.
"Oh and if Arcee is with you, better bring her along too." he said. The two then frowned when they heard Miko's voice along side the Wreckers.
"Of course she is with him".
Arcee muttered a curse under her breath which Jack could only guess had to do with Miko's impending doom.
"Okay we will be both up in a moment." he said as he then turned off the intercom, cutting out Miko's voice saying
"See I told ya".
Jack looked down at Arcee who's face had gone from annoyed to disappointed as he brushed his hand through her hair..
"Well duty calls..." he said sadly.
"...Rain check?"
Arcee's expression lightened as she smiled up at him.
"Definitely".
They then kissed once more before they both got up off the bed and headed towards the door. Jack offering her his hand and the femme excepting it affectionately, as they left for the science lab.
PRIME EFFECT
As Jack and Arcee entered the science lab, they found Tali working at a console and Wheeljack standing around a large round table with a set of controls in front of him. Miko was at his side with a huge grin on her face.
"I think that's fifty credits you owe me" she said in a very proud tone as she held her hand out to the wrecker who looked at her bemused.
"Okay that's enough of that." Jack replied in stoic manner as his he and his partner and stood at the other side of the table, holding hands under the table out of view. Arcee gently squeezing his in appreciation.
"So what have you got?" the commander asked looking at both Tali and Wheeljack while ignoring Miko's annoyed look. The Autobot composed himself before beckoning the Quarian to his side and activating the holo-emitter in the center of the table. Suddenly a bright orange and blue display of information, graphs and screens appeared in front of them.
"Well Commander, we have finished our examination of the evidence we collected on Conestoga and analysed it against the data from the Reapers file. It seems that the Reapers use ships like the one we saw at Eden Prime to destroy all organic life every hundred thousand years. Why they do that, no one knows. What else we know is that those same ships emit a field around them which can effect an organics mind and turn them against themselves and others." Wheeljack said as the images in front of them changed.
"You mean indoctrination?" Jack replied as he looked at an old drawing of people worshiping a black ship.
"Exactly, I guess that explains why the crew of the Conestoga suddenly decided that to impale themselves on those spikes." Wheeljack explained as Arcee looked at the image of those spikes.
"What can you tell us about those things." she asked as Tali took control of the holo-emitter and brought up a large scale model of the spikes.
"It seems that these dragon's teeth as they were nick named are used to produce Husks. That is what the scriptures in the file call those creatures we encountered on the Conestoga. The Reapers would plant these spikes on a world and by indoctrinating the population, they would have them turned into those monstrosities. And they do this by releasing nanites into the host that then convert the host's skin, organs, everything into cybernetic material. Therefore turning the host into a synthetic organic drone, ready to do what ever the Reapers want."
Jack looked over to Wheeljack.
"So where does Virmire come into this?"
The Wrecker looked over to Tali and nodded as she activated another hologram, this time of a planet.
"It seems that this planet is off the last set of coordinates we were given by about fifty light years." he replied as he deactivated the holo-emitter.
"So if we hadn't gone to the Conestoga, then originally we would have gone to those coordinates and probably found nothing." Jack replied to which Wheeljack nodded. Jack then activated his com link.
"Hotrod, this Commander Darby, set course for Virmire, but drop us outside its system with the steath mode online and launch a class five probe so that we can see what is waiting for us." he said as the Autobot and Quarian walked around to him.
"Yes sir, we will be at the Hoc system inside of a few hours." Hot rod answered before the com link deactivated. Jack then turned to the others.
"Well I suggest you all get some rest and prepare for the mission. We will all meet in the briefing room after we receive the telemetry from the probe, dismissed."
As the others left for their quarters, Arcee looked at Jack who looked like he had a umber of thoughts going through his mind.
"Are you okay?" she asked tenderly. Jack gave her slight smile.
"Yeah, its just I have a bad feeling about this."
Arcee took his hand into hers.
"If you want I could stay with you until the call comes in."
Jack smile back to her.
"I would like that." he replied gently. They then left the science lab and went to Jack's quarters together.
The Normandy exited hyperspace and its hull shimmered as it activated its stealth mode and slowly made its way to the outer edges of the Hoc system. Once in position it launched the probe which flew into the system towards the green and blue planet of Virmire.
As Jack and Arcee lied on his bed together, Jack was resting his head on his right arm while he held her close with his left. Arcee herself was resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beat while fiddling with one of the buttons on his uniform. She enjoyed listening to the steady beat of the Prime's heart, as it made her feel peaceful. Neither of them had spoken in the hour or so since they had entered his quarters, words weren't needed at that moment for how they felt for each other. They were just enjoying their company, while waiting for the inevitable call to come in. Then the intercom came to life.
"Commander Darby we are receiving telemetry from the probe."
Jack and Arcee slowly rose from the bed and sighed.
"Thanks Hotrod, Arcee and I will review the findings in the science lab and then could you inform the rest of the team to meet us in the briefing room in an hour." Jack asked as he felt Arcee rest her chin on his shoulder.
"Sure thing Commander. Hotrod out."
The femme then affectionately nudged him.
"Lets go Commander"
Jack turned and smiled at her.
"Okay, lets do this." he replied as the both got up and too the elevator to the third deck.
Garrus was the last to enter the Briefing room and take his place around the long rectangular table alongside Miko, Wheeljack, Kaidan, Wrex, Tali, Arcee and Jack who's face was as stoic as ever.
"I called you all here, because after looking at the data from the probe, it appears that we have found Saren's base. Due to the large facility on the planet's surface and the several Geth Cruisers in orbit around the planet. I am going to need everyone on this mission, which will be to infiltrate the facility, find out what Saren is planning and then destroy the base and take out Saren if he is there. We will be splitting into two teams, Alpha team which will comprise of myself, Garrus and Wrex and Kaidan. Beta team will be Tali, Wheeljack, Miko and Arcee who will be the team leader. We will be taking shuttle one own to the surface after the Normandy drops us off behind Virmire's moon and then engages the Geth ships and draws them away from the planet allowing us to enter without incident. Once there we will land a few clicks west of the target and then split up, entering the facility via multiple areas of access. Now I don't know what we will find down there, but with the number of Geth ships in orbit. Geth centurions are a definite, and possibly Husks since this is the planet where the dragon's teeth was found." he said as he looked at his team.
"Any questions?"
Everyone looked around to each other before looking back at the Prime who smiled.
"Okay, suit up and meet me down in the shuttle bay in twenty minutes, dismissed."
With that everyone left the room as Jack was left with his thoughts.
PRIME EFFECT
The Normandy had made it to the moon without incident thanks to its stealth mode and released the shuttle which waited as the frigate took up a position next to it.
"This is the Normandy, all systems ready to go." Hotrod said over the com.
"Roger that Normandy, Hotrod give them a good show." Jack replied.
"I'll do my best, Normandy out." Hotrod finished as the Normandy flew out from behind the moon and moved at top speed towards the Geth fleet. As the frigate entered weapons range, Hotrod deactivated the stealth mode and fired its javelin torpedoes which tore through the first Geth cruiser, causing explosions along its hull as the Normandy flew past and fired at the next ship, gaining the same results. Hotrod then turned the ship toward another cruiser and fired again only for the torpedoes to detonate harmlessly against the cruiser's shields. At this point the rest of the Geth ships had started to turn towards the Normandy and Hotrod pulled the ship into a one hundred and eighty degree turn, then flew back towards the enemy as it evaded the incoming fire. It fired its torpedoes at numerous targets until it flew through the fleet and back into open space, the Geth ships pursuing.
With the Geth cruisers seemingly distracted, the shuttle left the dark side of the moon and flew down to the surface of Virmire. The shuttle landed just outside the perimeter of the base which was based on the coast. Jack and the rest disembarked and immediately split up into the teams and headed off to their target areas. The journey to the facility went without incident, no Geth or Husks were encountered. Looked like the plan had gone of without a hitch, make it look like an Alliance frigate had stumble upon the Geth and make a quick attack before turning tail and running like hell. Saren obliviously didn't think that there would be a ground assault to deal with and so had not increased the guard. As they entered the facility's outer area, Jack spotted two Geth centurions and signalled the others too switch to silencer mode on their weapons. He and Garrus then took aim and killed both Geth with shots straight through their heads.
"Its funny how we haven't came up against much opposition yet Jack" Garrus said as Jack took out another Geth before turning back to the Turian.
"It does seem a bit too easy doesn't it." he replied before activating his com link.
"Beta team this is Darby, report status."
Arcee's voice then was heard over the com.
"we have just entered the Facility grounds, have only come up against a few Geth and taken them out without alerting anyone." Jack kept his hand to his com link while Garrus, Wrex and Kaidan kept watch.
"Roger that, Arcee stay safe." Jack replied as Wrex spotted a squad of five Geth walking off to the east of their position caring something that looked familiar to him.
"You too partner" Arcee finished as Wrex tapped Jack on the shoulder gaining his attention.
"Jack, I think we should go that way, those Geth I just spotted were carrying something interesting." He pointed Jack in the direction the squad headed in.
"Okay, lets see what they are up too." He replied as they moved slowly after the Geth,
Arcee and her team were on the other side of the Facility and had just taken out another Geth Squad.
"Let me take a look at the Geth leader there." Tali asked Arcee as the others watched the area around them.
"If I can hack into its memory banks, then I can find out what they have been doing here." she finished. Arcee looked down at the Geth before nodding in return, making the Quarian activate her Holo- tool and scan the Geth.
"Anything interesting Tali?" Miko asked.
Tali's eyes went wide and she gasped.
"What, What is it?" Arcee asked noticing the Quarian's expression. She then looked up at the others.
"We need to get Jack out of here now!"
The Geth entered a room inside a large building as Jack and Alpha team shadowed them to the door way, the Commander and the Turian standing at the doorway looking in while Kaidan and Wrex waited beside them.
"What do you see in there?" Wrex asked as Jack and Garrus scanned the room. What they saw was a large room filled with capsules with creatures in them. They then looked at each other surprised after noticing what the creatures are.
"Can't be…there are Krogan in that room." Garrus said, then noticing the glare Jack gave him as a certain Krogan behind them suddenly became enraged.
"They have my people!" he cried out charging into the room leaving the others in his wake, as he fired his shotgun into the backs of the first two Geth. Making them fly forward into the two centurions next to them sending them tumbling. The Geth leader turned round and fired a shot which narrowly missed Wrex as he then shot the Geth in the face. He then walked straight up to the capsules and saw the sleeping Krogan within them, not noticing the two Geth that were knocked to the floor get up and raise their weapons. He heard them and turned around only to witness the Geth fall to the floor dead as Jack, Garrus and Kaidan walked in behind them.
"That was a stupid thing to do Wrex, what if they had set off the alarm." Jack ripped into him, making the Krogan stomp right over up to Jack's face.
"They have my people in there, we have to get them out." he raged as Jack stood his ground.
Kaidan was at the computer console and reading the data it showed.
"Hey guys, look at this."
Jack, Wrex and Garrus walked over and looked at the screen.
"What have you found Kaidan?" Jack asked as Wrex pushed him and Garrus out of the way.
"Well it seems that Saren was experimenting on these Krogan, giving them some sort of formula."
Wrex looked at the screen as he is eyes scanned the information before the froze on particular sentence, making his eyes widen.
"Saren has found a cure to the Genophage." he exclaimed. The others looked at him in surprise.
"Why would Saren want to cure the genophage?" Garrus asked as Jack looked to Wrex, only to find him gone. He turned around to see Wrex next to one of the capsules activating its release mechanism.
"Wrex wait!" Jack shouted. But it was too late, the capsule opened releasing the liquid that the Krogan was sleeping in as it dropped to the floor with a thud. Wrex picked the Krogan up and helped it stand.
"Easy brother, I have you." he said gently as the other one opened it eyes and looked at Wrex with a blank expression.
"Brother, what's wrong?" he asked confused by the Krogan's indifference with him. But then the Krogan's eyes narrowed before it let out a mighty roar and grabbed Wrex and pushed him into the wall behind him, stunning the brute. As the Krogan fell to the floor, the other turned to Jack and the others.
"I'm guessing he didn't want to be woken up?" Garrus joked half heartedly, gaining a glare from Kaidan as Jack noticed something about it before raising his weapon at it. It then roared again and charged at them, earning a burst of weapon's fire from the trio, putting it on to the floor. But it didn't die, as it started crawling towards them, a blood trail appearing beneath it as it moved closer to them. Jack sighed as he walked over to it, aimed his weapon at it's head as it looked up to him, again with the blank expression. He pulled the trigger and the body then went limp. Jack looked up to see Wrex watching in shock, having only just recovered as he leaned against the wall for support.
"I don't get it, why did it attack." he asked with a sad look on his face. Jack looked at him sympathetically.
"Lets look at the research data and find out."
Kaidan looked over the data with Garrus as Jack and Wrex rejoined them.
"It appears that Saren has had the genophafe cure laced with the same nanites that we found in the husks, but these nanites have been altered to only change the Krogan's thought patterns to make them listen to him and him alone." He said as he worked the console.
"Wait I have found an video file, just enabling." They all looked at the screen as a video of Saren and Sideways appeared with the two of them standing next to one of the capsules.
"So how do the experiments fare Sideways?" the Turian asked as the former con turned to him."
"Well with the information you brought from Sovereign, I have successfully created the Genophage cure and also laced it with the altered Reaper nanites..."
Sideways then motioned Saren to view a video that Jack and the others couldn't see properly.
"...and as you can see the Krogan once given the cure become docile except when being given commands."
A smile appeared on Saren's lips.
"Excellent, when I offer this cure to the Krogan population, they will take it happily and unbeknownst to them, they will willingly become a part of my growing army."
"An ingenious plan. But tell me, has Sovereign approved of it?" the former con asked curiously. Saren looked over to him.
"Sovereign knows my value Sideways, since it knows everything that we do and has yet to stop us. I believe that we have it's consensus to proceed." he replied as the video ended.
"Wait so the Reaper ship isn't Sovereign, does that mean that there is a Reaper on this base?" Garrus asked the others.
"I'm not sure, but the video's date was only a few hours ago which means that they are still here..." Jack replied.
"...but I think it would be best if we destroy this base."
Garrus and Kaidan nodded in agreement.
"Take out the base and we take out Saren, Sideways and this Sovereign. I like it. " Kaidan replied with a grin. Jack felt a hand grip his shoulder and turned to Wrex.
"We have to take the cure with us Jack, my people need it." he said anxiously. Jack looked the Krogan in the eyes. He knew how much Wrex wanted to cure his people but this wasn't the way to do it.
"Wrex, this isn't a real cure..." He was about continue when Wrex grabbed Jack and shoved him into the wall angrily.
"My people need this cure Jack and I will give it to them, and no one will stop me!" he declared, the anger making his eyes narrow at the Commander. Jack had his hand on his pistol, ready to use it on Wrex if necessary but then decided to use diplomacy.
"Wrex..." he said in a calm tone.
"...You said that you didn't want to live under the iron fist of another. But if you use this cure. You will only be swapping one aggressor for another. Is that what you really want?" he finished, looking Wrex right in his eyes.
The Krogan mulled over Jack's words as Garrus and Kaidan trained their weapons on him, but then lowered them when Jack signaled them to.
"I will help you anyway I can to find a cure for your people Wrex, I promise you that. But we cant use this. You have to see that I am right?" Jack pleaded with the Krogan who after a moment or two, loosened his grip and released the Commander.
"Your right Jack, its just that my people have been barely able to live their lives due to the genophage. I guess I just thought that I had found our salvation. Forgive me?" Wrex said looking down at the ground ashamed. Jack picked up the Krogan's shotgun and handed it back to him.
"Come on we have a mission to complete." he said with a smile. Wrex nodded and cocked the shotgun. Suddenly Jack's com link went off.
"Jack..zzzzzz..you..zzzzzzz..need..zzzzzzz..to…zzzzzzz" then the signal cut off.
"Arcee I didn't get that, your signal's breaking up. Repeat your last message." he replied, but the signal was gone.
"Wonder what that was about?" Kaidan asked worryingly. Jack looked at his holo-tool map for Beta team's location.
"They are about several hundred meters north west of us, I think we should meet back up."
The others nodded as they walked back out of the room.
"What about the lab and the infected Krogan?" Garrus asked.
"Well this place must have a reactor. We find it, set it to overload and the place goes up with it." Jack replied while looking over to Wrex who nodded in agreement.
As they neared beta teams last location, having taken out an other few Geth patrols along the way. Jack's holo-tool suddenly beeped, causing jack to look at it's findings.
"What is it Jack?" Kaidan asked. Jack looked over the readings and his eyes widened. "It's detecting another Lithone artifact in a room close by." he answered surprised.
"Well I think this is worth a detour." Garrus said as jack once again tried to contact Arcee again, only to get static.
"Yeah lets go, my map says that they are heading to us anyway," Jack replied as the went in direction of the Lithone signal.
Arcee and the others ran as fast as the could as they tried to get to the Alpha team, taking out any Geth that appeared in the way. Having just found out that Jack was walking into a trap, all the femme could think about was making sure her partner, her Jack was safe while she killed yet another Geth that had turned a corner right into their path.
PRIME EFFECT
Jack and the others entered a room that was much larger than the lab they had been in earlier and saw that the Artefact was at the far end. As they walked up to it, jack could sense it as the others kept their eyes peeled for any surprises. Once he was close to it, Jack placed his hand out in front of the beacon to activate it, but nothing happened. Jack tried again ,but nothing.
"It has no power, it is dead." Jack said turning to his team.
"As you will soon be!" a metallic voice boomed, making them look around to where it came from. Jack then looked above the beacon as a large orange hologram of the Reaper ship appeared over them.
"This can't be good" Garrus said as Kaidan stood beside Jack.
"What do you think it is, a VI?"
"Small organic insects, you touched my mind. Yet are incapable of understanding what it is that stands before you."
Garrus shook his head.
"I don't think that is a VI."
Jack took a step forward.
"What are you?" he asked, his face remaining stoic.
"I am beyond your comprehension, I am the apex of evolution and the vanguard of you destruction. I am Sovereign."
Jack then realised the truth.
"Sovereign isn't the name of the Reaper ship or a being occupying it. The ship itself is the Reaper."
"Reaper, a name given to us by the many species that have fallen to our will, as your cycle soon will."
"What do you mean cycle, what is it that you do?" Jack asked.
"For as long as life has gone on, we have been here. We are here at the apex of a cycle to harvest the strongest race that a cycle has to offer, while condemning the rest to oblivion. For that is how we go on as a species while maintaining our original goals."
"What do you mean original goals?" the Commander asked.
"Our goals are too complex for your small, feeble minds to comprehend. Your individuality makes you weak, while each of us is a nation, a collective of all the knowledge of the race that we have harvested."
"So every hundred thousand years you wipe out all advanced life in the galaxy, yet harvest the one race that you deem worthy of becoming one of you." Jack replied, feeling his blood begin to boil.
"Call it what you will, but know this. We have been at this for thousands of cycles and have never been stopped, and that will not change."
"Yes it will. It will because we will stop you." Jack answered back defiantly.
Your words are meaningless. You live because we allow it, and you will die because we demand it. This conversation is over, time for you to expire as all organics do."
With that the hologram disappeared.
"Well I think you just pissed him off Jack." Garrus said when suddenly a familiar scream echoed through the building.
"What is that noise?" Kaidan asked, noticing the look on Jack's and the Turian's face.
"Believe me, you don't want to know." Garrus replied as Husks suddenly rushed through the doorway at the group.
"Go for headshots to take them down." Jack ordered as they fired on the charging horde. Kaidan then looked up to see more Husks climbing down from the upper level around them. The creatures were flowing in from every angle. There was no way to cover all points of the attack.
"We are surrounded." Kaidan shouted back to others over the weapons fire as the husks closed in. Jack powered up his energy blade.
"Prepare for some close encounters people." he said as the husks closed in on the group."Wrex chuckled at the remark.
"That's how I prefer things" he replied as he fired his shotgun into one in front of him.
"Well I am not eally a fan of close quarters, but I'll improvise" Garrus said as he switched from his sniper rifle to avenger rifle.
The husks then pounced at them as Jack prepared to meet it head on only for a gunshot to go right through it, stopping it mid flight. Jack looked up to see Arcee on the upper floor smiling back at him with her SMG's drawn, with the others around her firing down at the husks.
"Thought you could use some backup" she said. Jack nodded back in appreciation before slicing the head off husk who got to close. After they mopped up the last of the Husks, both groups reunited outside the building.
"So once Tali found out that they had set a trap for you, we doubled back to help." Arcee finished explaining to Jack and his team.
"Well I am glad you showed up when you did." Jack replied.
"So you detected the Lithone artifact's power signature, but as soon as you got close to it, it died." Wheeljack said.
"Yeah sounds like a trap to me." Miko jumped in. Arcee then looked at Jack.
"But that black ship is a Reaper?" she asked, the slight worry evident in her voice. Jack nodded back.
"Yes, when it spoke to us, I could feel its animosity. It wanted me, it wanted us all dead and I know that it is capable of it."
Everyone looked at Jack, worry now written on their faces. Then Hotrod's voice could be heard as Jack's com link activated.
"Commander, thought you should know, that Reaper ship has entered the system is heading your way."
"Copy that Joker, tell me. Do you still have the telemetry from the probe?"
The group looked at Jack confused as he spoke to his pilot.
"Yes Prime, why?" Hotrod asked curiously.
"Can you tell us where the facility's reactor is and how far it is from us?" the Commander asked.
"It is pretty close to your position, it is on the west side of the complex, about five minutes if you run Prime." Hotrod answered quickly.
"Thanks, tell the shuttle to come meet us at the rendezvous coordinates in thirty minutes, Darby out." Jack finished before looking at his team.
"Okay, we are going to split up again. Arcee, want you an beta team to go to the reactor and start an overload, and then meet up with us at the rendezvous."
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"We are going back to the beacon and will remove it's memory core, before joining up with you." he replied.
"Tali you will switch places with Kaidan, since you are good with tech." he said gaining a nod from the Quarian.
"What about me?" Wheeljack said, feeling slightly insulted.
"Wheeljack, I need you to find a way to over load the reactor..." Jack answered back.
"...Time is short, we have a Reaper inbound, so lets get to it." He added as both groups split up again and made their way to their objectives.
Beta team had fought through quite a few Geth on their way to the Facility's reactor. It seemed that the base as now on full alert. Maybe Sovereign warned them, but where is Saren. These thoughts went through Arcee's mind as she and her team fought their way through the Geth and husk forces that were blocking their path.
After slicing down the last husk in front of her with her arm blades, the femme could see the reactor ahead.
"Okay, lets move" she ordered back to the others as they moved into the area, Wheeljack heading straight for the controls.
"How long do you think it will take?" the femme asked as Wheeljack activated the console.
"Give us a few minutes?" he answered back irritably.
"I'm afraid you don have that kind of time." came a voice from their left. They all looked over to see a Caucasian man wearing purple and gold armour. He was surrounded by husks and Geth.
"Sideways" Arcee called to him angrily, bringing out her SMG and arm blade.
"Arcee right? I would say it is a pleasure, and quite frankly it will be for me." he said before opening fire on the group causing them to take cover.
"Miko, I want you and Kaidan to cover Wheeljack." the femme shouted to them over the gunfire.
"What about you?" the gunnery chief replied.
"I'm taking Sideways." She answered, feeling anger grow inside her spark as she vaulted over her cover and stormed over to the former con's position shooting and slicing past Geth and Husk alike. While Miko and Kaidan gave supporting fire to Wheeljack who was trying to overload the reactor.
Arcee pounced at Sideways who dived under her attack and rolled over in to a kneeling position, his katana at the ready. She then activated her other arm blade and swung both in his direction as he lifted his katana to block her.
"You so much more pretty in person" he quipped at her with sly grin that made her even more angry as she broke the deadlock with him and attacked again. This time he dodged her and kicked her in the back, sending her to the floor. She got on her hands and knees and looke back at him.
"Your not my type..." she spat as she got up and launched into another set of moves as he dodged and blocked all of them.
"...I don't go for traitors and backstabbers."
He just kept that sly smile on his face as he stayed on the defensive.
"But where is the fun in working for one side when you can play both of them and come out on top." he answered as he grabbed her right arm and threw her over his shoulder on to the ground. As she tried to recover he stepped over her and held her down, getting close enough to whisper in her ear. She could feel his breath on her skin and it made her sick.
"Anyway do you really think Saren will let your boyfriend get the information he seeks." he whispered into her ear, making her eyes widen.
'That wasn't the trap earlier, Saren's setting his trap now…..JACK!' she thought as she let her anger explode as she wrapped her legs around the former Con's body and spun him so that he ended up on the ground and she was now on top. She then hit his face with as much force as she could muster, knocking him out.
"Thanks for the heads up." she replied as she got up and ran back to the reactor, leaving Sideway's sprawled on the floor unconscious.
Miko and Kaidan were taking out one Geth or Husk after another while Wheeljack was still messing with the reactor, when Arcee vaulted back over the cover and knelt beside them.
Miko saw the fear in the femme's face.
"What's wrong?" she asked while still killing any enemy that came into her sights.
"Saren's real trap for Jack is about to be sprung." she replied.
"You want to go help him don't you?" the woman asked, seeing what Arcee was thinking.
"The mission comes first, I know that but…its Jack." the femme responded, not hiding the emotion in her voice. Miko was about to speak when suddenly the reactor started humming loudly as Wheeljack got up with his guns ready and exclaimed
"We are done here lets go!".
But before her could do anymore, he was hit in the chest by several shots riddling his body and forcing him to the floor.
"WHEELJACK!" Miko screamed as she rushed over to the bot, Arcee too moving to his side.
Kaidan looked back for a moment an cursed under shi breath before continuing to fire on the approaching enemy forces.
"I don't think I should have done that." Wheeljack coughed as liquid spilled out of the bullet wounds in his chest. He then looked at Arcee.
"The reactor is going to go off in fifteen minutes, enough time for you to get Jack and got off this rock." he finished.
"You too." Arcee answered, but the bot shook his head. "Need to stay and defend the position. The reactor could easily be turned off." the wrecker said as Arcee was torn between Jack and her friends. Miko then looked at her, her face uncharacteristically stoic.
"Arcee go get Jack, I'm staying to defend this position with Wheeljack."
Arcee didn't know what to say as Kaidan then jumped in.
"I guess I am staying too." making all three look at him.
"Hey, Wheeljack won't last that long and Miko, you wont be able to hold of all those enemies on your own, you need back up."
Miko looked away, she knew he was right, she composed her self and looked back to the young man who was still shooting Geth.
"Okay then." she smiled gaining a smile in return. She then turned back to Arcee.
"You better get moving, we will hold this position and makes sure the reactor goes off."
Arcee just nodded, not being able to think of anything to say.
"Oh and tell Jack if he doesn't beat Saren, then I will kick his ass." Miko finished before returning her attention to the enemy. Kaidan then looked at the femme.
"Arcee, you look after Jack now, and tell him I'll be watching over him." he said confidently as he smiled at her.
"I will Kaidan." she replied as she felt a hand tug her own, bringing her attention down to Wheeljack.
"We had a hell of a ride, didn't we Arcee?" he coughed as she held his hand.
"We sure did Wheeljack. Bulkhead would be proud of both of you." she replied with a smile that caught even Miko's attention who nodded in kind before turning back to the fight. Taking one more look at the three of them, Arcee then turned and ran back towards the building where jack and his team were, leaving beta team and the reactor behind her.
PRIME EFFECT
Meanwhile Jack, Garrus and Wrex were waiting for Tali to retrieve the beacon's memory core. She was using her holo-tool while cursing under her breath every so often.
"I think I nearly have…. Damn you bosh'tet" she cursed as Garrus started tapping his foot on the ground.
"No pressure Tali." he replied.
The Quarian glared at him, making Jack step in.
"Now that's enough." he shouted as the two went quiet and carried on with what they are doing.
"Why don't you just shoot it?" Wrex questioned, making Tali's eyes roll. But then something caught Jack's attention and he looked over to the main entrance to see a number of Geth enter and another Turian among them.
"Saren!" Jack said as he aimed his pistol at the traitor.
"Commander Jack Darby or is it Jackson Prime, It doesn't matter does it. The last Prime I met was taller anyway..." he retorted earning a growl from Wrex.
"...By the way it's pointless to try to take the core, without power it is useless."
Jack looked at him and smirked. "Then you wont mind us taking it then if it really is that useless?" he replied. Saren walked towards Jack trying to look friendly. "I mean that I can't let you interfere with our plans."
Jack kept his gun trained on the Turian. "What plans, your helping the Reapers to wipe us all out."
Saren looked back in shock.
"No, after Sovereign showed me it's power I joined it and convinced it of a better way. I am forging an alliance with the Reapers, between organics and synthetics. Working together for a better future, think of the lives it will save." he answered back confidently. Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Sounds to me like you have gotten too close to them." he replied.
"No, I have studied the effects of indoctrination, and I know of the dangers. But Sovereign will not take control of me, because I am still valuable to it with my mind intact. Now I will ask again, I have no need to kill a Prime, not if you join me?"
Jack looked backing disgust. "I will never join you." he spat back. Saren sighed and looked disappointed.
"Well I did try... destroy them." he shouted as the Geth moved, guns blazing on the four of them.
"Cover Tali" Jack ordered as he charged at Saren, tackling him to the ground and repeatedly punching his face. Garrus and Wrex took up positions next to Tali, who was still not having any luck.
Meanwhile Saren grabbed the Commander by the throat and strangled him before throwing Jack off. He then got up and kicked Jack in the side making him wince in pain.
"I tried to be reasonable, thought that since you were apparently a Prime, that you would be willing to talk." he said as he kicked Jack in the side again, making him roll over on to his back in pain. The Turian was much stronger than Jack and had better fighting skills it would seem. The others were too busy with the Geth to help, so Jack was alone. Saren then picked him up by his throat and held him aloft before punching him a number of times in the stomach, making Jack cough up some blood.
"You humans can't handle much pain can you. I wonder how much it would take to kill you." Saren questioned as he then threw the Prime to the ground, before pulling out his gun and aiming it at Jack's body. He as about to pull the trigger when he suddenly looked away like he had heard something. He then kicked Jack aside and began walking off.
"Your lucky Prime, if we meet again, you will die." He finished as he left the building.
Jack tried to recover when three Geth came out of nowhere and stood over him, weapons trained on his hurt body. The others hadn't noticed with the number of Geth still attacking them. Jack looked up at the centurions and waited for the trigger to be pulled, when they suddenly dropped dead and familiar blue haired woman bent down at his side.
"Jack, by the Allspark. Are you alright?" she asked in shock as she saw his injuries before helping him up.
"I've been better." he replied. Just then Tali shouted "Eureka" as she pulled out the memory core, and Garrus and Wrex took down the last of the Geth.
"Where's your team Arcee?" Jack asked after seeing her on her own, she looked away in response.
"They are defending the reactor until it blows." she said, her voice sounded uneasy, as Jack looked at her in shock.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Wheeljack got the overload to start but not before being shot and so Miko and Kaidan decided to stay and defend the position." she replied.
"We have to go back for them." Jack said angrily, but Arcee held him.
"We don't have time, the shuttle will be here in a moment and the reactor will go off in just a few minutes."
Jack looked around, trying to think of something they could do, but nothing came. He then felt the terrible realization, that they were giving their lives so that he could complete his mission and he had to respect that.
"Okay, lets get back to the shuttle." he said sadly as Arcee and Garrus helped him.
Back at the Reactor, Miko and Kaidan were still keeping the Geth and Husks at bay as she turned to Wheeljack.
"We are really giving them hell aren't we Wheeljack." she said, but when she heard nothing she looked over to see his lifeless body slouched against the wall of the reactor. Miko then looked back at the battle around her and felt her eyes well up. But then a shuttle flew out from the other side of the facility, gaining both her's and Kaidan's attention. They both smiled as they knew their friends would be on board the shuttle and heading to safety.
The reactor behind them was humming so loudly now that they could barely hear themselves.
"It's been an honor Kaidan" she said to him while shooting some more Geth.
"Same here, Miko." he replied as they continued to fight, ignoring the reactor which had started to glow brightly and the humming reached deafening levels.
Meanwhile the shuttle had left the atmosphere just as an nuclear explosion engulfed the facility, as well as the immediate area surrounding it. Jack looked out of the window back to the mushroom cloud that just appeared, he couldn't help but feel defeated. He had been beaten by Saren, and had lost two of his best friends as well as a comrade in arms. He stood there and said a silent pray for his two friends.
"I am sorry Kadian and Miko!"
