Chương 76: 76
The frigate Normandie-SR2. Tali'Zora.
- Tali... Hey, darling, what's wrong with you?" came the voice of Legatus, who began to bring me out of sleep. After a few seconds, I realised that I wasn't lying down but sitting up, resting my head on my hand, which was resting on the table. Opening my eyes, I realised that my sense of touch hadn't failed me, even though it was dark.
- Hmm... What... What's wrong..." I said something but immediately felt weak and wanted to sleep some more. I had no desire to get up. And Legatus saw that.
- Come here." I felt his cold hands on my back and under my legs, and a second later, he picked me up and carried me somewhere. Why was he always so cold? Even though I knew that he wasn't cold inside at all. And I didn't mean his reactor. Suddenly I was on something soft. It was a bed. Someone's sleepwalking, he said calmly.
- Mm-hmm..." I mumbled as I felt myself falling asleep again.
- Okay, can I get you breakfast?" he asked. It looks like it's morning, but... It's eight days to Purgatory, and that's with our engines. The old Normandy would have taken us a fortnight to get there, so I might as well rest.
- Mm-hmm," I repeated. That was all I could do. There was no reply, but I felt him run his hand from my shoulder, down my side, and end with a.... buttock. You were little... Okay, my het is allowed.
I started to wake up slowly but successfully. After a minute, I yawned and sat up on the bed. Rubbing my eyes, I noticed my breakfast on the nightstand. This was something to be truly thankful for. No, of course, on the first Normandy, Shepard had gone out of her way to feed the crew normal food, not the Alliance and Hierarchy. I once tasted what was called food in the turian Fleet. Brrrr... My stomach then recognised it as heresy, as the Legate sometimes puts it. Yeah, I mean, my stomach was an inquisitor at the time. Eh, anyway, after that incident, the second day after we left the Citadel, we had yet to make it to Terum. Shepard started looking for money for food. Food was not a "nutritious" substance, and the word "nutritious" was very much in question. And she found it. Or rather, she found a way to earn it by becoming, in effect, a geologist. Although it took us a lot of nerve to get used to Mako and travelling around planets.
So, what we got today. The food was in three airtight containers, and all were hot. There was also a note.
Oh, honey.
I'm leaving your way and going to the hangar. Enjoy your meal.
Love you.
The hangar? What is he doing again? Okay, my stomach's already rumbling.
When I opened one container, I was immediately hit in the face with steam. It was meat. The Legate called them cutlets, though that word didn't mean much to me. The others had turian rice and cut-up vegetables. And all warm. Well, the Vorka did their best. It's understandable; the Legatus would tear anyone apart for me. Sometimes it's scary, though I'm lucky he doesn't try to patronise me. That attitude would have pissed me off, but Legatus wasn't like that. And that was good. As was the fact that I'd moved into his quarters. It's a double bed.
As I ate meat, I began to remember my dream. I dreamt about Aunt Raan. It was strange. The dream was clear, but on the other hand, it was fragmented. I wonder why she wanted the details of the Geth.
Having eaten my third cutlet, I couldn't stand it and walked to the computer. It was looking more and more like it wasn't a dream. And strangest of all, as I checked my email, I noticed that there had indeed been a session on a communications channel that was similar to the Quarian one. And it was at 02:17. Okay, there's something wrong here.
****
In five minutes.
For several minutes, that's for sure; I'd been sitting there with my mouth hanging open, staring at the screen.
How am I supposed to react to this? These... These. These... Oooh, I don't even know what to call these... Orggh!
You see, I'm friends with the Grey Mediator, and these guys, as soon as they find out, they go, "Ask for help!". I can't even stop my anger because Aunty Raan asked me to. It's... This is despicable! In the beginning, the entire Collegium didn't care about me from the stratosphere, but once they found out that I had connections, they immediately... Urgh, I'm starting to repeat myself!
- Damn you all, they need help," I whispered, then tried to think it over calmly. And the conclusions were unpleasant.
My father is still standing his ground and sending fighters to the Geth. And it's not just the Legate; there are those True Ones.
Kila, he's sending them to their deaths for some experiment, for details for him. Which meant that if they sent him enough parts, he could stop it. There was no other way to stop him, only to give him what he needed, but in a different way, without any pointless sacrifices.
On the other hand, why should I help them? They all spit on me. No one's heard me for two years; they've just used me.
No, you can't be so selfish. I'll have to help them, or my dad won't stop.
- Coo-coo," came Legatus's voice, and I turned around, but no one was there. The cabin was completely empty.
- Legatus?" I said, surprised, "Where are you?" I heard no answer. I tried to listen, but I couldn't hear anything. I mean nothing at all. Just my heartbeat.
- You won't find it," said the Legate, and I started to turn round again, but there was no one in the cabin.
- Legatus, this isn't funny. Get out. You're probably wearing a stealth system, and now you're laughing in the corner.
- No stealth system. You just haven't looked up yet," he said with a sneer, and I looked up at the ceiling. And in the same second, just reflexively, I lit up with biotics and sent a punch at the Ghost. And it wasn't until the geth fell before me that I realised it was Legate.
- Kila! Legatus, are you all right?" I asked as I lowered myself to him. He had a good dent in his body from my blow.
- I... [interference]... teal... [interference]... flattery... [interference]... Ta... [interference]... yay...-and the light bulb went out after that.
- Hey... Hey-hey-hey-hey, Legatus, what's wrong with you! LEGAT!" I started panicking, as I had no idea what was happening. But suddenly, the light bulb lit up again, and the strong arms of the geth threw me to the floor, and his head and half of his body were on top of me.
- You're a nervous lot today," he said.
- Legatus, you goddamn bosh'tet. You frightened me!" I couldn't stand it, "I thought-- I... Oooh! You're a bloody joker. I told you so.
- Well, at least the modifications passed the field test. He said it like it was meant to be.
- Modifications? You changed your whole platform.
- No, I didn't. My fingers and tendons, I took off my armour, put in integrated weapons and stealth system, changed my eyesight, strengthened my shields, and put in another one. A special one.
- What kind? I asked.
- An anti-biotic shield. If it weren't for that, you'd have blown me to bits. I'll have to work on the shield, though. You took it down the first time.
- Why do you even need it?" I asked as I didn't really understand what he meant.
- The Purgatory will need air support. I'll be that support. I will run on the ceiling, jump on the walls, and add a lot of haemorrhoids to the enemy.
- I see. Thanks for breakfast, by the way. Why would you be like that, huh?
- You asked for it," said the Legate, surprised. "You were asleep at the table; I took it to you and asked about breakfast, and you agreed.
- At the table... - I repeated, - Yes, listen, there is such a thing... There's a thing. Look at the last conversation on the computer. It starts at two seventeen," I said, and a second later, Legatus turned to me.
- Business. Is your dad out of his mind?
- Looks like it.
- That's odd. The last time we faced them three days ago, we retreated. But four days ago, we had to go into battle. By the looks of it, they're facing the true Geth.
- That's what I think, too, but... That's not the point.
- The details of the Geth," he said, realising what I was trying to say.
- Yes," I said, rising up on my elbows, "I'm angry at my father, at the Collegium, that they've only now decided to come to me. But I realise that there's no other way out. So..." I said uncertainly, not sure how the Legate would react.
- You want me to send your father the details. As much as I can." He said exactly what I wanted to say. Sometimes I think he reads my mind.
- Yeah, he is. Look, I realise. That it's probably wrong, or you're uncomfortable with it.
- What's the big deal? It's just detailed. It's not like you're asking me to send the Geth over there.
- Oh, yeah. So you're okay with it?
- Sure. What you wouldn't do for my quarian," he said, getting up off me. Surprisingly, he was soft and warm without his metal body.
****
Cluster: unknown. System: unknown. Migrating Fleet. Ship Alarei.
- What is it?" Rael asked the Quarian who was supposed to count what Tali had sent. All this was going on in the hangar. Also, there were three other admirals, Zahil, Kina, and Shala. The last Admiral, Roshih, was absent. He had a routine check of his ship. The guy was a total workaholic and shook like a person with epilepsy over every ship he was entrusted with.
- We've done the math. There are 50 platforms here, dismantled for parts.
- Wow. That's enough for us," Rael said, but the Quarian reporting to him wasn't finished yet.
- You know, Admiral, I have some concerns about their quality...
- What about them? Broken to pieces?" asked Zahil.
- That's the thing, no. They're perfect quality. Call me an idiot, but I'm betting my suit that the parts sent over are fresh off the factory assembly line.
- That good?" asked Rael, realising that the Quarian was not exaggerating, but it was worth asking.
- Yes. Every detail. They were made at the factory as if they were made to order, according to the blueprints, and then sent to us.
- Well, we don't really care. Check them just in case, and then proceed to the second phase.
- Yes," the Quarian replied, stepping forward, "Yes, and Admiral.
- Yes?" Rael said quietly, realising that this was a serious matter that didn't need any more ears.
- It concerns... That guy... You know, with Aite. What's his name, David?
- What's wrong with him? Rael asked in a serious voice.
- You see, he's human, which means our food isn't good for him; we're tetromino acidic. What we've been able to buy from the colonies is running low. Two days at the most" said the Quarian, and Rael understood immediately.
- All right, I'll take care of everything, and you take care of the details. You have three days to get everything together.
- Yes," the Quarian replied and went to take care of the parts while Rael turned to the admirals.
- So we have the parts. Now I can begin the next phase. You are to provide cover from the Conclave.
- I hope this works, Rael. And I really hope that man stays alive." Shala said worriedly.
- I'll do what I can, but the first goal is results.
- But not in the same way! - Shala said, as she still could not forget the sight of the man who was treated like that by Cerberus. - That man needs medical help at all.
- We've given him the best we can, but we still can't disconnect him from the car. We can switch it back on afterwards. Shala, I realise the methods are brutal, but they're necessary for the Fleet. If we succeed, we can end the war with the Geth. We can get back to Rannoch before our ships collapse completely and our immune system dies completely." said Rael.
- What are you talking about now?" Shala asked, but it was Keena who answered instead of Rael.
- I'm afraid the prognosis is not optimistic, Schala. Some children were allergic to the costumes, so they had to be left in their bubbles. We're working on it now, but I'm afraid it will only get worse.
- How much time do we have left? Shala asked briefly.
- That's hard to say. Right now, we are studying all the children in the bubbles. Most of them have the same problems. I'm afraid the next generation will all have this problem.
- Also, remember the Roshiha Civilian Fleet. There. It's sad.
- Yeah? Shala was surprised.
- Yes. He conducts inspections on every ship he owns. His predecessor, Zaal, left it up to the captains to take care of the ships while he was busy getting fuel, food, medicine, and new ships. Surprisingly, he rarely received complaints. But when Roshikh came in, that's when things came to light... The Civilian Navy is, quote, "run on snot, profanity and prayers." No one in the audience understood whether that last phrase was a joke or his suggestion, and Zahil noted, "The last one was a joke.
- And we thought it was..." said Rael.
- Don't worry, Shala. Of course, everything depends on Rael now, but we are all helping him. I've sent him specialists who are monitoring the human condition.
- Yes, and my fighters will also help Rael in case of... emergencies," Zahil assured her.
- Thank you. To all of you." Rael thanked.
****
"Frigate Normandy-SR2."
- What'd you call for, Joker?" asked Shepard when she got to the pilot's cabin. Susie and the turians, Tali and me were also in it.
- There you go, Captain, take a look." said Joker sarcastically, "Five Quarian ships, two Cerberus, one geth, and THIS!" finished Joker. Susie quickly showed an image of a huge ship. Well, or whatever else was out there.
- The Overlord?" asked Liara, who walked in on the word "Cerberus".
- No," I replied, "Just a Reaper. A battered one. They were probably hit by the Proteans or maybe by someone before them. There have been dozens... thousands. And metal lasts a long time in space.
- And the geth?" the Captain asked.
- Not mine," I replied briefly, "The true ones.
- Quarians, geth and Cerberus. That's a hell of a combination," Shepard blurted out.
- Captain," Susie said, "I'm not picking up any activity on the Quarian or Cerberus ships. Their engines, core, communications, and gravity are all off. The Reaper, however, still has a functioning core. That's why it's not attracted by the brown dwarf's gravity.
- So the Reaper is alive," I said, and everyone seemed to sense something ominous in my voice.
- What does that mean? Liara asked.
- It means we can order coffins for everyone who went in there, but..... We have to go in there.
- Why would we? Shepard asked.
- There should be a programme that can help us jump through the Omega Four transponder. We have to go in there; there's no other way. What the hell are we doing here anyway?" I asked, turning to our pilots.
- We intercepted Cerberus, Geth, and Quarian conversations while flying here and decided to check it out. Still, when we got here, the airwaves were empty.
- I see." Shepard answered for me, "So we're going in. Ready, one hour. And you, Joker, stop for now and-- Try to contact the Quarians.
- Yes, ma'am," Joker replied, and we went to prepare and discuss the plan. Of course, Nargul could have safely taken us to the Collectors' base, but... Legion's got to be saved.
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