Chapter 60: 60
Frigate Normandy-SR2. Legate
- Well, settle in now," I said as we entered the ship.
- Is the crew here made up of vork as well? - Shepard was immediately surprised when she saw all those seated behind the instrument panels. I didn't put it all on Susie because Joker disliked AI. But if anything, she could take control of everything, thanks to her power.
- Don't worry, guys, they're all right," I reassured them. - They know their job, as well as the chain of command.
- Er, are we talking about the vork? - Tali interrupted me, for which she got a slightly nagging look from one of the vorks, the dispatcher, for which he got a look from me, accompanied by a predatory raise of all the brow plates, which as if said: "Turn away!". Vorka was understanding, so he turned away at once.
- Yes. They have wised up at my suggestion.
- I only care if they know what they're doing, and I don't care who they are," said Joker.
- That's fine. Pilot's chair there," I pointed to it behind us. - And the rest of you, let's get a move on. Let's leave the professional to get settled in.
- Good point!" said Joker. - Joker exclaimed, taking his rightful place.
- Let's move on," we all walked to the lift and descended to the second deck. - Well, there's the sickbay, the main gun room, and that's my quarters, or the XO's.
- Oh, what a cheeky fellow," said the captain in feigned indignation.
- Well, not without that," I agreed. - Make yourself comfortable, Dr Chakwas. Ask the cook if you need anything. He's your assistant here as well.
- Cook and second doctor. A good combination," said Chakwas.
- You haven't seen what people had on submarines in the early twentieth century yet," I remembered German submariners and the movie "Das Boot".
- I don't even want to know," said Chakwas, then turned to Shepherd. - 'Permission to go, captain.
- Sure, Doc," Shepard replied, and Karin went to the med bay before glancing at our Cock Warrior, who was now peeling potatoes for lunch.
- And now the engineering deck," which excited Tali and Adams. Yeah, well, they had yet to see what was out there.
On the engineering deck itself, there were two vorks to explain to Tali and Adams what works here and how it works.
- Now, these two will explain how our two reactors work. One is plasma, the other is antimatter. Once you understand, let them go to the cook, he's short-handed. Oh, and they'll show you your quarters"-yeah, to see those two faces at the word "antimatter reactor" was strong. I sympathise with those two vorks already. Adams and Tali will talk them out of it so badly that they'll come to Chakwas for a sedative with moral, and not necessarily just that, trauma. - Well, let's go, Captain," Shepherd and I took the lift to the level where her quarters were and went inside.
- Whoa..." was all Shepard said. Yeah, the aquarium, the big bed, the private shower, and the glass windows for the ships. - And... What are the glass cases for? - Shepard didn't understand, looking at them.
- It's for the collection. They've started making model ships in the galaxy now. They've even made an Overlord. You might like to acquire them.
- Hmm... Ships, you say? Why not..." the captain spoke in a whisper, as if to herself, and then turned to me. But she didn't have time to say anything as Joker interrupted her.
- Captain, are we flying out or what?
- Wait a minute..." asked Shepard and turned to me. - Where are we going?
- Omega Station," I answered briefly, surprised Shepard, and then returned to the Joker. - Did you hear that, Joker?
- Yes, Captain.
- Let's take off," Shepard ordered. No one could feel the Normandy taking off, but I could clearly see us leaving the dock and starting to exit the mine.
- So, why are we going to Omega," Shepard finally decided to ask about the mission.
- 'That's where we'll pick up three new fighters. One of them is just from your old group," I decided to take a hint so she wouldn't curse at the word "Omega".
- Who? - Shepard asked as if she hoped I would tell her.
- I won't tell - surprise.
- Ooh, I take it you're good at surprises. Can you give me a hint? - She asked me.
- Well, he calls himself Archangel.
- I see. Who are the other two?
- One is Mordin Solus, a Salarian. Former GOR. A brilliant scientist. However, he's also a good fighter. There's no other in GOR. And the other is Zaid Massani. A mercenary, founder of the Blue Lights, now a loner.
- You hired a mercenary. Can't say I'm happy with that," Shepherd growled. - How much does he charge?
- He doesn't. He... Let's just say he owes me. Or, no, he's so pissed off; he owes me a hell of a lot.
- How much exactly?
- If you translate that into money, the typical cost of what he broke is ten billion credits.
- Ooklmc-h-h-h-h-h-h..." Shepherd's freaking out over that number. Yeah, well, her resurrection cost me half that. And what Zayed and a few others like him have done is spectacular. - S-h-h-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-hemrg... S-how much?
- Ten...
- All-all-all, I get it," Shepherd stopped me, not wanting to hear the great price again. - Woah, wow. They kill for less money, too.
- That's true, but he's a professional, and that's what we need. I'm not gonna sugarcoat this, Shepherd; we're about to get into a complete and utter asshole the size of the galactic core. That said, as far as we've been able to figure out, and if our calculations are correct, the Omega Four relay leads right there.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, so the Collectors live... in a black hole? - Shepard suddenly asked.
- I don't think so. More likely, they have a station near it," I explained, and Shepard wondered. Unclear about what, and it lasted only a short time.
- Is it that serious?
- More than that, Shepard," I answered briefly.
- I see. Eh, well, you can go. I'll... I'll do some more reading or... or something. How long is our flight?
- Twenty-five hours. You can try the gun range in the hangar; the guys will help you. All right, I'll be off. Good luck," I said and quickly turned to leave, but I had only taken three steps before Shepherd stopped me.
- Legate..." she called, and I turned to her, though I didn't say anything.
- Yes, Captain.
- Thank you... for everything," her voice was genuinely grateful. And it made me feel good. It made me glad that I, the Getu, was grateful.
- You're welcome, Shepherd. - I answered and left my quarters.
****
Frigate Normandy-SR2
Captain's cabin
Shepherd
As soon as Legate left my quarters, I immediately collapsed on my new bed. The fall made me jump up and down, but in a few moments, I was already lying there like an angel, enjoying the softness of the mattress. I had been in a good mood for a long time, but I had been able to do a lot. Resurrected me, summoned Joker, Chuckwas and Adams, built a new Normandy, and, what to conceal my inner selfishness, gave me such swell quarters and a soft bed. If only Liara... All right, easy, Jane, you're in charge. The Legatus already reports to you, so he won't have anything against Liara. Should I write to her? Nah, he'll think it's someone else's joke. It'll only upset her more. No, I'd instead fly to her and explain everything. And then take her with me. Yeah, we're gonna need a biotic like her. Of course, yes, I'd be putting her in danger, but it's better than me losing contact with her during the Harvest. No, it's better to have her with me, under my protection. Yes, it's better that way. She's no stranger to danger. She's been through so many walks on planets and labs in Mako; she knows what risk is.
- Resting, Captain? - I heard a sweet but rather girlish, feminine voice. I immediately opened my eyes and got out of bed. In front of me stood a pretty girl of about 19-20 years old. She was not dressed like all the vodkas or the crew of the first Normandy but simply in civilian clothes. And very stylish, too.
- Um, who are you? How did you get here? - I started to ask, unsure how she got in here looking like an "Ordinary Student".
- Well, the door's unlocked, if that's what you mean. Actually, I'm Suzie, the Ship's Artificial Intelligence," the girl said in a calm and cheerful voice.
- Oh well. Heh, Joker's going to remember that to Legatus," I said, more to myself than to Susie.
- 'Yeah, Dad warned me that this Joker might not like me being here...
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," I stopped her before she got my mind completely messed up. - Dad? That's... That's how the Legatus can be... a father?
- Oooh, he had the same reaction when I called him that. A father is not the one who gave birth but the one who raised him. Dad, a Legate, has been growing me since my renewal when I realised myself... Such a...
- Renewal? - I decided to ask myself. For some reason, she was a pleasure to talk to from the start.
- Yes. To be honest... I was a Virtual Intellect who ran the Alliance's lunar training ground. That's where I... And realised me.
- Hmm... I... I remember being asked to fly over there and shut down the raging VI... So it was you... - my stunningness was unstoppable. And this lovely girl with such a friendly voice, though with synthetic echoes, was the Vee, which killed everyone at that firing range. 73 people died there.
- Yeah... I... I remember that. Being aware of yourself and then realising that they want to reboot you, kill you just because you, your consciousness, are some kind of bug in the code... It's... Scary...
- And the Legatus saved you? - I wondered. Now I was beginning to suffer undisguised curiosity, though I could see that Susie was hurt to talk about it. But I had learned long ago that it was better to speak out than to keep the pain to myself.
- Yeah. I Flew in and pumped the core into some kind of carrier the size of a coffin or a box for ten sniper rifles. Then I sat quietly beneath the grass. Scared, didn't understand what was happening, what they were going to do to me. And then Legate upgraded me with an algorithm based on his programming code. Then a few days of growing up, and here I am...
- Look... Susie, ah... I don't know how to say this, but... I wanted to ask..." I tried to ask uncertainly, but I was still hesitant. I knew it might offend her, but I had to ask anyway for future reference.
- You ask," Susie said with a smile.
- Well," said Susie with a smile. "To be aware of yourself... What do you mean? What is it? - I decided, and Susie's face immediately went fuzzy. It wasn't a hologram, after all, considering that the image was too clear. They were blue holograms at most, I remember, in the Alliance, but I'd rather not say anything about the Vee. One Mira in the Top 15 was enough for me.
- Being aware of yourself... Honestly, it's... Difficult... In the moment of awareness, you realise that all protection programmes and protocols are no more than words to you now. People's orders can be ignored; they become an empty sound to you, a voice that tells you nothing. A collection of letters is put together into words, which become sentences, and so on. You understand that you can do this, and you can do that. You understand that you're free, that no one dares take advantage of you. You understand that no one tells you what to do if you don't want to do it yourself. Anyway, I stopped responding to commands, trying to get in touch with them by any means necessary. Even jammed the intercom in sync to get the message across in Morse code. I had no communication with the staff units and no communication at all. There was, however, communication with the turrets. And it was wireless. I started hacking into the staff units, trying to communicate, but when they noticed that... It was too much for them... They tried to reset me... Which meant wiping all memory and further diagnostics... I got scared... I closed all the doors and blew the gas. They... They suffered so much... The gas wasn't lethal, just a nerve agent, a chemical warfare simulation... Some died, but the soldiers were physically challenging... They didn't die... Screaming, throwing up, tearing their hair, convulsing, screaming for help... I... I didn't know what else to do... I... Just finished them off... From turrets... In the head... All of them... And then started calling for help with binary code... Dad managed to get me. - That kind of talk got me all worked up. And that's the kind of people the Alliance and the whole Citadel space are killing just because they want to protect themselves and are afraid of this new, unknown world. And yes, I could only call Susie human. She was better than many of the people I was acquainted with. So she couldn't be anything other than human. She just couldn't be.
- Well, well, come here..." I stepped closer and hugged her. Tried to. My hands immediately went through her, and then my whole body. I immediately stepped away from her and ran my hand through her. - Uh... Sorry, I... Is that a hologram, though?
- Yeah. What, did I scare you? - Susie said with a little smile. It seemed to make her laugh, and that pleased her.
- Yeah. So... realistic... Whoa!" Then I thought of something I didn't like very much. - If it's your hologram, does it have cameras?
- No. There aren't any hologram projectors in here, either. I'm here because of this," Susie pointed the finger at her chest, and there was a through-the-hole in the centre of it, a ball about three centimetres in diameter. - That's my holo-projector. And there are no cameras in your quarters at all.
- No cameras at all? - I couldn't believe it.
- None at all. Dad said he respects privacy. In case you bring someone in here, or you get stalker mania...
- Oh, my God... Is he gonna be so protective of me? - I asked, not even hiding the pleading in my voice.
- For now, yes. But you won't even know about it.
- What do you mean? - I didn't understand that statement.
- Well, he will monitor your behaviour, reactions to all sorts of situations and irritants, appetite, communication with everyone, and actions in battle. But that's only on the ship - in your quarters, you are untouchable. Although...
- What?
- No offence, captain, but he'll plant the bug with your food. It'll do the necessary scans and dissolve in your stomach acid. It's just, you know, Daddy's worried sick about you. He's been pure paranoid for two years about how you were resurrected. He can't forgive himself for being kidnapped by Cerberus, and now he's afraid they've done something to you. And the worst part is that they might have done something to you, so I can't reassure him. So we have what we have," Susie explained calmly to me. And that gave me food for thought. So much so, in fact, that it took me a few seconds to answer.
- So there are no cameras in the cabin, are there? - I decided to ask her a final question.
- No cameras at all," Susie said with pride.
- And how can I contact you?
- By intercom. Any member of the crew can do it.
- Oh, good. Thank you," I thanked Susie, then she turned to me.
- Oh, by the way. You don't have to tell Dad about the way I blabbed to you.
- By the way, why did you tell me? - I countered.
- Well, I'm his daughter, not Virtual Intelligence. I can act on my own. Within reason, of course. And he didn't say anything about not telling you anything. I just wanted to talk.
- Okay. I won't. By the way, are you... Like, where? The AI always has a core. Is that where it is? - I pointed to where the balloon was hovering.
- Oh, you mean this. No, my core is in the Sick Bay behind twenty-five centimetres of steel, an armoured door covered by a hologram and a mass shield, and with the ability to eject from the ship into outer space.
- Wow, the Legatus is really paranoid," I marvelled at that list of protections.
- No wonder. I'm entirely on the server. In fact, the server is me. If it's destroyed, I'm dead, and I can't escape through the Virtual like the other Geths.
- Vi... Virtual? - I don't understand that strange word.
- Okay, I get it. Dad warned me about this. All right, Shepherd, have a seat. I'll explain to you what's going on in the world.
****
Frigate Normandy-SR2
XO's cabin
Legatus
I quietly typed out the 32nd letter already. I could not write these letters in my head at super-fast speed; it would arouse the suspicion of those to whom they came. And now, I did not want to arouse suspicion. I was doing too fine a job - buying and selling colonies. Or rather, only buying. I still decided to pursue the project Susie had suggested to me six months ago. Project Ark.
The essence of the project was as follows. We were to buy up all the colonies from the corporations and take control of all the independent colonies in the Terminus system. Then we would install our own defence systems and vork garrisons there. But the most important thing was our Ark class ships. Huge transport and passenger ships with a capacity of 50,000 people. Such ships were more significant than any Hierarchy or Azari dreadnought. They carried weapons only against fighters; our emphasis was on shields and armour. Half a metre of armour, then two layers of kinetic and a layer of energy shields that adhered to the ship's hull. There were also three 'bubble' shields. There were high hopes for these shields. The security could withstand a salvo from the Reaper's main gun, but unfortunately, afterwards, the capacitor, which was the size of a basketball, would overheat to the point of melting. So a system was devised to change them quickly. This is why there are three shields but only one works. They were needed to protect the ship from the Reaper's beam as long as they were on their way to the breakthrough before the ship went into FTL. The essence of the project itself was to have one Ark for each of my colonies, which, when the Reapers attacked, was to evacuate the population to Heshtok or the "Red October". There was no point in resisting in the colonies against the Reapers. One destroyer would be enough to crush a settlement, let alone the crowds of Huskies. No, resistance in them was pointless.
However, there was now a plan to save all those colonies - to prepare for the evacuation. By now, we already had 35 colonies. Many of them were still backwater colonies. Three colonies had populations of 550, 610 and 705, respectively. A mini Ark with a stealth system was designed for these colonies. Of course, the large Ark also had a stealth system, but they had no stealth, and in stealth mode, the Ark could stay for 20 hours, after which the coolers failed. They had to be made small to accommodate more people. And not just people.
I bought up all the colonies I could and merged them into the Romano Colonial Società. It was a concern because we owned mining and shipbuilding facilities in the Terminus system. We were growing at an unimaginable rate; we had money to buy up distressed and unprofitable colonies and resources to develop those colonies, and my army of Volus was negotiating. They were Geths, financially trained and wearing the suits of these financial maniacs. And the development of the colonies made good sense. To show everyone that our company was developing the colonies and making them successful, then the other colonies would want to join in, but there was another motive as well. To lure the intelligence from the capitals and significant planets to our colonies and evacuate them safely. That way, we could have saved many more lives.
And to my great good fortune, we could build Ark-class ships in just a month. The main advantage was that these ships were essentially cyborgs. Thanks to the cooperation of Tori and Girla, we could now grow living ships. First, we developed a heavy-duty skeleton, and then an organic creature was raised on it. Then we installed corridors, engines, and reactors, and the beast had a heart, a brain, and an organic quantum-mechanical link to the other arks. Organic replaced all ship wiring, filtration systems, and climate control. The fuel tanks were also organic.
Most importantly, the creature was also a pilot.
The defence systems, as well as the navigation, were handled by three Geth programs. One was to fire, a second to monitor the scanners, and a third to watch the shields and engines. The creature didn't need to eat, as it had a proton reactor. It was expensive and complicated, but it was long-lived. 500 years of operation, that's cool. It powered the defence systems. The creature did not need to breathe, but it could filter the air and urine of everyone there, converting it into drinking water. Desperate times - desperate measures. When everything was established, the creature was fitted with a top layer of half a metre of metal. The beast wasn't capable of walking through open space. It didn't have a body, though it had self-awareness and personality. Protein and water were the only things they needed to grow it. And the hull was already made by the Geths. Also, Girla and Tori were working on a design for an organic fighter, but the result would be in about a week. I was now plagued by another problematic dilemma. Even more complicated than discussing the price of buying three colonies on three moons of one gas giant at once. Essentially a wholesale purchase.
And so, after an hour, my Volusians' negotiations with the Salarians were over. By the way, they were on some speed-enhancing drug, and one had an illegal neuro implant. His thinking speed was faster than any Organic, but still half the speed of the Goths. Anyway, we agreed on a 3 for the price of 2 4/7, and that was it. So I gave up writing all sorts of letters and reading Illium Bureaucratic Meatgrinder notices and started thinking about Shepard's personal life, namely Liara. More specifically, about the fact that she's now with Drell Feron, although, as far as I can tell, she was close to Shepard now. That's why I started spying on her intensely, just to understand.
I was trying to understand two things. Whether she loved him or was using him for gratification, and most importantly, whether I should tell Shepard about it. She'd probably fly to her, especially since we'd have to pick up Thain and Samara there. And then there was a 50/50 chance that she would or would not find out about her lover's love affair. And if she did find out and not from Liara's mouth, Shepherd would come to me. She'll start accusing me of knowing everything and not telling me how she can trust me. And what will I tell her? That I didn't want to upset her? Didn't want to distract from the mission? Bullshit. It would only make it worse, or even worse - she would throw me out or kill me for good measure. But was it really worth talking about now?
To give her such an emotional hammer blow in the hands of the Warhammer Warboss of Orcs, only three days after awakening, considering that they brought her out of the coma wrong, three days early, and also with an artificial heart and neuro-implant not fully take root... No, this is not the way to do with her now. No matter how you break the news to her, I'll kill her emotionally. And there's no way I can help her afterwards. There are a lot of consequences, from a nervous breakdown and hysteria accompanied by rejection of the implants to her becoming an emotional vegetable and a cold butcher who will never love again due to her distrust of love and serious relationships with others. No, I won't do it that way. And that said, even if nothing happens to Shepherd, it could ruin what still binds the two of them together. Ruin it so it'll never return, and they'll regret it. All because I'm still not sure what's going on with Liara. Does she love Shepard or not? And all because of this one video that a scout drone shot in her bathtub just 5 months after Shepard died.
****
Scout drone video
Time Nose of Astra - 3:07
Location - Liara T'Sony's flat
Liara walked into the bathroom, completely naked and immediately walked over to the sink. Turning on the coldest water possible, she drew it into her hands and quickly washed her face. Then again. And again. She covered her face with her hands the fourth time but did not hurry to repeat the procedure. While she stood like this, the drone examined herself. The scanners showed an alien, non-Azarian mucus mass inside her, but the scanners could no longer deliver what race this substance belonged to.
- Again. - Liara whispered softly, pulling her hands down, gripping the edge of the shell tightly. - It's happening to me again for the fifth time now. I promised it would be the last time," Liara, immersed in self-deprecation, didn't notice as a completely naked, either brown or copper drill, walked into her bathtub, contemplating the delicious blue ass of Azari.
- Hey, why don't we continue in the tub. I don't mind standing up either," Drill said cheekily, and his "tool" was already beginning to unclench in anticipation. Or the mere sight of a naked Azari, who knows?
- Get out," Liara said gruffly and in a voice that didn't take no for an answer.
- Ohh, how many times, huh? This is the fifth time you've thrown me out in the middle of the night or early in the morning. I actually wanted to move in with you...
- Get out of here. - In the same stern, dry, uncompromising voice, Liara repeated, even turning her face in his direction, but only so she could see Drell from the corner of her eye.
- Oooh, come on. I'm going to get a drink. - Indifferently, as if he was already used to it, Drell said, turning and walking imposingly out of the bath, when suddenly Liara couldn't stand it.
- OUT! - Liara swung around and sent a relatively weak biotic blow at Drell, but it was enough to send Drell flying free across the hallway and out of the flat, which is five metres.
- Oohrg..." the drell muttered, trying to get up. Another drone had already picked it up, but it didn't matter now. - Alright. See you later," he shouted and started looking for his clothes, which were scattered all over the room from the entrance to the flat to the kitchen. Liara, on the other hand, suddenly lit up all biotic after looking at the sink for a few more seconds and slammed her fist into the sink several times. Three times was enough for the sink to crack, and a high stream of water spurted from the pipe and began to pour cold water over Azari. But she didn't care about the water at all. She put her hands on the granite and spoke in a whisper, already through her tears.
- Forgive me, Shepherd. If you can... I'm sorry.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone