Chapter Text
Joker’s voice crackled through the Mako’s comms. “Commander, I’m picking up some strange readings—really strange. Off-the-damn-charts strange. Looks like it’s coming from an underground complex, a few klicks from your drop zone.”
“Roger that,” I replied, my grip tightening on the controls. Without hesitation, I slammed my foot on the pedal, sending the Mako roaring forward.
Wrex and Kaidan groaned in unison as the vehicle bounced over the uneven terrain. The air around us felt thick with the stifling heat from the lava lakes, shimmering in the distance like a warning. Even the Mako’s reinforced shielding couldn’t block out the oppressive warmth. If anyone ever asked me what my biggest weakness was—aside from my failed attempt at embroidering the letter "J"—it’d have to be driving.
“Shepard, you drive worse than a blind volus! Pull over, damn it—I’ll walk!” Wrex growled, his grip tightening on his seat as the Mako shuddered, bouncing over rocks and sand.
I shot him a glare, barely keeping the Mako on course as I veered around a jagged boulder. “Stop being so dramatic, Wrex,” I quipped, narrowly avoiding a fiery plunge into one of the massive lava pools. The Mako roared forward, tires screeching as we barely cleared the edge of the pit, the molten flow licking at our heels.
Kaidan, sitting beside me, didn’t say a word. His eyes were squeezed shut, his body tense. I could practically feel his desire to be anywhere but here. If it weren’t for the thick atmosphere, I’d swear I could hear his heartbeat thumping from the other side of the seat.
Sebastian’s voice cut through the tension, his usual calm presence a stark contrast to the chaos around us. “Commander, if you’re looking for smoother navigation, I suggest a slight recalibration of your trajectory. The current path is... inefficient.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Thanks for the input, Sebastian,” I shot back, my hands steady on the wheel. “But I think we’ll survive.”
The Mako soared over ridges and craters, each bump and drop earning a new round of complaints from Wrex. One particularly nasty jump had us airborne long enough that I started questioning every decision I’d made since leaving Normandy. When we finally hit the ground—barely—it took every ounce of my focus to keep us moving forward, the Mako struggling to regain its balance on the rough terrain.
Ahead, the structure loomed into view, nestled ominously between jagged rock formations and flanked by automated turrets. I brought the Mako to a halt, the engine’s deep thrumming gradually fading into silence.
“Finally,” Wrex muttered, exhaling a long, relieved breath.
I barely heard him, my focus already on the turrets. With practiced precision, I lined up the Mako’s cannons and fired, taking them out one by one. The silence that followed felt unnerving, broken only by the distant hiss of molten lava. As we rounded the edge of the complex, I made an executive decision: the geth weren’t going to deal with us—they were going to get run over.
Sebastian’s voice chimed in, calm and mildly critical. “Commander, I must question the efficiency of this... vehicular assault strategy.”
The Mako jolted as we plowed through a cluster of geth, their bodies crumpling under its heavy wheels. I fired a few well-placed cannon shots into the wreckage, just to be thorough. “It’s highly efficient, Sebastian,” I replied, grinning as I kept moving forward. “No complaints from me.”
Kaidan, sitting beside me, muttered under his breath. “I feel kind of bad for that armature,” he said, his voice low as we crushed its frame beneath us.
I shot him a sideways glance but resisted the urge to laugh. It wasn’t the time for humor, though I did appreciate his misplaced sympathy. “Sorry, Kaidan. No time for a funeral today.”
Once the area was clear, we piled out of the Mako and took care of the remaining geth on foot. It wasn’t much compared to what we’d just dealt with—a few quick shots and the area was secure.
As I approached the heavy doors blocking our path, I noticed Wrex lingering by the Mako, his expression a mix of reluctance and disdain. He looked like he was seriously considering staying put.
“You’re getting back in,” I said, my tone firm as I motioned for him to move.
He grunted but didn’t argue, climbing back into the Mako with nothing more than a low, unintelligible mutter.
Once I was back behind the wheel, I guided the Mako along the narrow path, the largest lava lake yet stretching out beside us like a glowing, deadly abyss. The oppressive heat seeped in, making even the Mako’s reinforced shields feel like they were barely holding it back. Up ahead, another group of geth armatures stood in our path. Fair fights weren’t exactly my style—not when I had a tank. I slammed the pedal down, sending the Mako rumbling forward. We plowed through them, bouncing over the wreckage, and I fired a few shots to make sure they stayed down.
Sebastian’s voice chimed in, his usual mix of curiosity and seriousness cutting through the comms. “Commander, you seem to favor a... brute-force approach. Noted for future tactical assessments.”
I smirked. “Sometimes, brute force is exactly what’s needed, Sebastian.”
From the back seat, Kaidan let out a sigh, his tone full of reluctant sympathy. “It almost feels unfair.”
I glanced at him briefly, grinning. “They’d do the same to us.”
The path wound forward until we reached a long, dark tunnel. The faint skittering sounds of geth echoed from the shadows, but the Mako’s guns made short work of them. Each explosion reverberated through the tunnel, which groaned in protest as we pushed onward.
For a moment, I couldn’t help but marvel at the Mako’s raw power. “Why aren’t we always in this thing?” I mused aloud, feeling almost invincible behind the controls.
“Perhaps because it handles like a drunken varren on ice,” Wrex muttered, gripping his seat as the Mako jolted over a bump. “You could stand to improve your driving.”
I rolled my eyes, a retort forming, but the universe chose that moment to remind me of my hubris. The tunnel abruptly narrowed, and the path ahead was blocked by collapsed rubble. I groaned inwardly as the Mako ground to a halt.
Sebastian’s voice returned, calm as ever. “Commander, I advise caution. Proceeding on foot will increase exposure to hostile threats.”
“Looks like we’re on foot from here,” I said, stepping out of the Mako and drawing my weapon. “Stay sharp, everyone.”
We moved into the clearing, and immediately, geth fire rained down from every direction. We worked methodically, picking them off one by one as we inched closer to the mountain looming ahead. The high ground and defensive towers gave the geth a clear advantage, but Wrex didn’t seem to care. He charged straight into the chaos, cutting through ground forces with brutal efficiency. Kaidan followed his lead, using biotics to throw enemies off balance and create openings. Meanwhile, I stayed back, using my vantage point to pick off enemy snipers one by one.
Sebastian’s voice crackled through the comms, calm despite the chaos. “Enemy positions remain heavily fortified. Precision and patience will be key to advancing.”
“Thanks, Sebastian,” I muttered, ducking as a shot whizzed past my head. “We’re doing just fine.”
The battle was grueling, the air thick with the acrid stench of burning metal and ozone. It felt like an eternity, but we finally reached the summit, clearing out the last of the entrenched geth. In the distance, a massive structure loomed, dominated by three large metal cylinders—the entrance to the mine.
But, of course, nothing was ever that simple.
A massive geth armature emerged from the shadows, flanked by smaller soldiers and two stalkers skittering along the walls like deranged lizards. It was a death trap waiting to spring. I ducked behind cover, my mind racing. Wrex could tank smaller enemies without breaking a sweat, but this? This was something else entirely. I couldn’t help but curse the absence of the Mako—ramming that armature into the nearest lava pit would’ve been the dream.
Sebastian’s voice interrupted my thoughts, analytical as ever. “Commander, that armature’s energy output suggests concentrated attacks may be required. Recommend prioritizing smaller targets first.”
“Stick to cover!” I barked, signaling to Kaidan and Wrex. “Take out the smaller ones first!”
We moved in sync, picking off the geth soldiers and forcing the stalkers out of their hiding spots. The stalkers were the most infuriating, darting around like hyperactive lizards and taking shots from unpredictable angles. Meanwhile, the armature loomed ahead, its charged beams searing the air as we scrambled between cover to avoid being vaporized.
“Target prioritization adjusted,” Sebastian added, his tone still maddeningly calm. “Keep moving, Commander.”
“Working on it!” I called back, firing at a stalker as it skittered up a wall. We were holding our own, but the armature wasn’t making it easy. Its relentless assault kept us pinned down, forcing us to stay one step ahead with every move.
Finally, it was just us and the towering armature. It wasn’t pretty, and it definitely wasn’t heroic, but we stuck to the safest strategy—popping out of cover, dealing small bursts of damage, and retreating before its retaliation beams could lock onto us. Slowly but surely, we wore it down.
Sebastian’s voice crackled through the comms, calm but encouraging. “Sustained fire on its critical points appears effective, Commander. Continue this pattern, and the armature will fall.”
With one final shot, the armature crumpled, collapsing into a heap of smoldering metal. I let out a sharp breath as the adrenaline drained from my system. “Good work,” I said, stepping out from behind cover. “Let’s move. Liara’s close—I can feel it.”
We advanced up a long, narrow walkway leading into a tunnel. As the doors slid open with a hiss, I immediately noticed how dimly lit it was and how steep the incline appeared. I was thankful for my boots—sliding down this thing would’ve been a nightmare, like trying to navigate a water slide in full gear.
Sebastian’s voice chimed in again. “The incline’s angle suggests a deliberate design to slow intruders. Proceed cautiously.”
“Noted,” I muttered, gripping my weapon as we carefully descended.
After what felt like forever, we finally reached the bottom, only to be greeted by another group of geth. These weren’t anything like the chaos we’d just faced—just a handful of shock troopers and standard infantry. We worked quickly, dispatching them as we moved down the platforms, the sharp cracks of gunfire echoing in the cavern.
“Enemy resistance decreasing,” Sebastian observed. “However, expect heightened defenses the deeper you go.”
“Thanks for the heads-up,” I replied, reloading as we cleared the last of the stragglers.
We soon reached an elevator, its controls glowing faintly in the dim light. I exchanged a glance with Kaidan and Wrex. “Looks like we’re heading down,” I said, stepping onto the lift. The platform jerked to life, descending deeper into the mine as we braced ourselves for whatever waited below.
Sebastian’s voice broke the brief silence, calm as always. “Energy readings are increasing, Commander. Prepare for potential reinforcements.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” I said with a smirk, gripping my rifle tighter as the elevator plunged into the darkness below.
The elevator creaked as it descended, bringing us to a short walkway connected to another elevator heading further down. However, before we could step onto it, a swarm of geth drones zipped toward us. They were fast but erratic, and just like the pests they resembled, they dropped like flies under our fire.
As we entered the second elevator, a loud screech echoed through the shaft, followed by violent shaking. The platform groaned beneath us before breaking free entirely. We plunged downwards, the harsh sound of metal scraping against the walls filling the air until the elevator came to an abrupt, jarring halt. Wrex grunted, bracing himself as the impact settled.
“Shitty geth engineering,” he muttered, glaring at the mangled platform.
Sebastian’s voice chimed in through the comms, calm despite the chaos. “Structural integrity of the elevator is compromised. A manual descent is advised.”
I looked down at the gap below us, the faint flicker of light from the lower level guiding the way. “Guess we’re jumping,” I said, vaulting over the edge. The sound of distant yelling caught my attention as I landed, echoing faintly through the cavern.
“Uh… hello? Is someone there? Could somebody help me? Please?”
Suspended in a field that appeared to be some form of stasis, she was unable to move anything but her head. Her pure blue skin seemed to glow faintly in the dim light, the intricate white markings on her face perfectly complementing the pristine white armor she wore. She was even more striking than I’d imagined, but her panicked cries quickly pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Can you hear me out there? I am trapped! I need help!” she called, desperation thick in her voice.
I stepped closer, raising my hands in a calming gesture. “Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Are you okay? What happened here?” I gestured toward the broken walkway and the strange Prothean field surrounding her.
Liara’s eyes darted around anxiously, her expression torn between relief and fear. “This… this device I’m in is a Prothean security field. It immobilized me. I can’t move—only my head. Please, you have to get me out of here!”
I couldn’t help but notice how awkward she seemed, even in a life-or-death situation. “Of course,” I said gently, “but… how exactly did you get stuck in this thing?”
Her gaze dropped briefly, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face. “I was exploring the ruins when the geth appeared. So I hid in here. Can you believe it? Geth! Beyond the Veil! I activated the tower’s defenses, thinking the barrier curtains would keep them out. But when I turned it on, I must have hit something I wasn’t supposed to. The field activated, and I… I was trapped inside.” She looked back at me, her voice rising slightly. “Please, you must get me out.”
Before I could respond, Wrex cut in with a growl. “You’re not working for Saren, are you? Your mother is his subordinate.”
Liara’s eyes widened, the shock in her voice unmistakable. “I may be Benezia’s daughter, but I am nothing like her! I haven’t spoken to her in years. I’m not involved in whatever Saren is doing—I swear!” Her voice cracked slightly, but her resolve returned as she pleaded again. “Please. Just get me out of here.”
Sebastian’s voice interrupted, calm and steady as ever. “Analyzing Prothean structure. The energy signature indicates a complex containment mechanism. Suggest searching for an external control panel nearby.”
“Got it,” I said, nodding as I began scanning the area. “Liara, hang tight. We’ll get you out of there.”
Her panicked breathing slowed slightly, her eyes softening with a glimmer of hope. Still, tension lingered in her voice. “Thank you. But please, hurry. I’m not sure how much longer this field will hold… or what might happen if it fails.”