Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pain. What a familiar feeling. Sensory input was overloaded with it, internal systems where barely holding together and biotic conduction&control interface gave up long ago. She was falling. Falling and dying, apparently.

Which is a pure wonder for a number of reasons: firstly – how the hell is she still alive and comparatively conscious, secondly – there should be nowhere to fall onto.

Core memory obligingly presented most vivid events: going through the relocated Citadel, logging into the controls while battle rages on, splitting her attention; turmoil of feelings, chat with ol’ pal Harbinger and the triumph over the final outmaneuvering of the Old Machines. Then – the unimaginable pain of the Crucible’s energy flowing through her and massive explosion.

Wait. That’s not quite the last memories? Her last moments were a painful limbo of confused senses stretching into infinity, sure, but something was different, she knew.

Memory tried again. No air. Suffocating, but not dying quickly enough. And falling. Falling, falling, falling…

That was closer to it. She fell. Exhausted, bloody, battered and lost. Black void engulfing her so painfully slow.

 It was intense, but… serene? She accepted her death long ago, so her supposed final moments where liberating. Mission accomplished, Reaper threat eliminated – she made hella sure of that.

Then… why is she still here? Was the universe cruelly joking by bringing her back again? Or was it just a chance to see the freed galaxy – no matter how it made her feel after all the losses and sacrifices? Maybe she finally went insane and all this is just last fire sparkles of her dimming brain.

All comm-systems where burned to a crisp, but some sensors came alive as she plummeted closer to the surface of some planet. Atmosphere, magnetosphere, gravitational conditions, low radio emissions and only sprinkles of electrical signatures – she was falling onto some habitable backwater planet.

Sentience – good, not much communication with the rest of the world – good for now. If only she could land close to some smaller settlement and out of immediate attention…

She cracked her eyes open – shit, she probably burned her face again. But at least the eyes were functioning. Through the web of cracks on her visor she could see the night skies – millions of stars on a velvet of a clear, unpolluted blackness. She felt echoes of nostalgic memories and people left among the distant light dots. What happened to them? She had no illusions: most of them were probably dead. She mentally shook her head – feelings aren’t a priority for now.

She tried to determine through the star patterns where she is, but a hole in the back of her head revealed itself painfully and told her that it was a bad idea to strain the damaged brain now.

An attempt to turn and see the approaching ground forced her to consciously ignore the angry flares of pain and vertigo. But she managed to make out her probable crashing zone – fields near some agricultural colony.

And it seemed, that’s all her body was able to do for now. She was fading out. To survive the landing, she’ll have to rely on luck and currently burning away rests of her armor. At least she won’t feel the additional pain.

Goddess, she was so tired of pain…

Above the dark waters hung the Sun. Ever present, ever guarding the little spot of light, but not strong enough to paint the void blue. It said: “Cycles. It all comes in circles. Guess, where for me it started – it may start again for you.”

Chapter Text

Year 2172, Eden Prime

Local time 23:32

Short buzz-cut flickered between tall crops of a broad field. The head stopped few times, like a wary little animal listening if it was spotted by anyone. Wide watery-blue eyes look up a hill after emerging out of the greenery. They keep dreamily staring into the quiet night skies, while short figure climbs the hill stumbling once or twice. It sets itself atop and big head tilts back mesmerized.

Minutes pass one after another while the little human is captured by his imagination, hopes and silence of the galaxy sprawled over his head.

Until a comet ignites and starts crossing space above.

The boy doesn’t notice it at first, too caught up within his mind. Then he jumps up and eagerly follows the shooting star through the sky. Huh, is it a meteor? It falls too slow to not be going through the atmosphere. Swiftly he turns to look back at his sleeping home, thinks for a moment and sighs. Then eyes the burning bolide again.

On Earth there is a thing about wishing upon a shooting star. It’s the same with meteorites, right? Bright eyes close for a moment as a whisper carries away a wish for adventures, for something exciting into the universe.

But… isn’t there already something exciting happening? Boy quickly starts searching for the meteor and finds it much lower and closer. He can’t believe his luck, when it dawns on him, that it will probably fall so close!

Holding his breath, he watches as the fiery ball descends behind a nearby manmade grove. He jumps a little at the impact, its wave rolling in a small tremor through the soil, and takes off somewhere towards the most thrilling thing in his life. So far – he hopes, remembering his wish.

Part 1.

Cool blue fingers touch her cheek soothingly and a memory of a voice trickles through the void like the crystal brooks of Armali. “Time to wake up…”

She shakily takes a breath – and almost passes out immediately again as her broken ribs scream with pain. Scratch that, everything screamed inside her. So, she focused on breathing while counting each heartbeat. Meanwhile, nanides started spreading in critical areas.

Goddess, she was hungry. Nutrient levels were at their lowest, capacitors depleted and almost no free eezo – it all promised a long recovery from the extensive damage of the last hours of her life. She had no energy to focus on her surroundings – except the heat of her armor’s melted frame – so it came as a surprise when the Sun whispered “We’ve got company. Get ready.”

With incredible effort she managed to split her eyelids and look to her left. There was some small shape moving. She tried to focus…

A kid? What was a kid doing here, carelessly climbing down the slope of the crater and looking around in shadows of a crash-fire? The boy, probably around ten, gasped spotting her half-buried body.

Oh, just great, she was deaf on the left side too.

 -- Are-… are you alive? – came wavering voice. – Hello?

She sighed, mentally. Kid was human – good, she was on human colony, - but stupidly brave. Which might be just to her advantage.

She wheezed signaling to him that yes, she wasn’t dead yet, and accessed the damage to her vocal apparatus. Well, if she concentrated on it, she might bring it into functioning state in a couple of minutes.

-- Oh God, oh God! What do I do?!

She cringed. She doesn’t need him panicking, she needs him helping, better yet – bringing some help, since in no way could a ten year old haul her ass out of here.

She tried to move her right, unburied, hand – and all she could manage was a couple inches.

Yep, not happening. Not before she jump-starts her biotics.

Oh, that’s it!

-- Wa-, water… -- just a pathetic whisper escaped her mauled helmet. But kid had his big ears protruding for a reason and scrambled to action.

-- Right! Uh, -- he fumbled with a standard issue colony bottle at his side and hesitantly approached. – H-how… how do I-?..

He held out the bottle with one hand and gestured to her helmet.

Goddess give her patience, she was not used to dealing with non-combatants, more so kids.

“Yeah, ‘cause it was so-o long since you were called kid too” came into her mind from Sun again and some of her annoyance at the notion apparently slipped into her eyes, because the boy gulped and finally put his big ears-ventilated head to work.

-- Um, hold still for a moment, -- he crouched near her head, -- and let me just…

He set his bottle aside – she caught a glimpse of its handmade case, lovingly knitted, probably by boy’s mother – and carefully tugged her helmet off. It hurt, but didn’t came off.

-- Un… clasp. The. Seals. – She coughed some blood right onto the inside of her cracked visor. His eyes widened in panic. She wasn’t sure if from the closer look at her injuries or not knowing where the seals on a deformed N7-style helmet are. Probably both.

-- Under. Ears. – the one on the back was broken anyway.

 Kid did as told and with a soft hiss and bit of blackish wetness soaking into the ground, she was finally released.

-- Are you Alliance? Some sort of spec-ops? – kid’s curiosity finally overshadowed his nervousness as she hungrily gulped down water held to her bruised lips.

-- Maybe. – she paused as the taste was almost heavenly, if not for the lack of certain tinge that only high amounts of eezo bring to food and water. She missed it dearly from her home.

Still, trace amounts could be found almost anywhere and this planet had a little higher than average levels of free eezo. This should do it for now, besides water was already turning into energy in her body.

-- Ah, I get it. – He grinned excitedly. – You can’t tell me, because it’s a secret. Are you on a secret- classified mission?

She glanced at him, making final gulps. He got embarrassed:

-- Right.  That’s probably classified too.

She nodded both as a thank you and to let him confirm his own assumptions.

Kid retreated a bit, unsure what else to do and fidgeted with the knitted case while trying to look at her somewhere, anywhere where there was no charred flesh, blood or goddess-knew what else. Yeah, good luck with that.

She ignored him for a time being, focusing again on her own breathing and overall state. It’s astonishing what wonders could a brief respite and some water do: she already felt like moving. Probably through sheer willpower only, however she noticed the nanides transferring muscle-tissues from her arms to her half-eviscerated legs and back. No punching it is then.

Boy felt like asking something again when figure before him greeted her teeth and with a painful exhale extracted herself from under the wreckage in one powerful motion. She breathed heavily for a moment, then sat up and looked at him a bit dazed but grinning. He stared back mouth open.

How could she even move?!

-- So. – the apparently indestructible human before him cleared her throat and spat some blood nonchalantly. – Mind helping me bit more?

-- O-of course! – he straightened up to look taller. He was strong and big enough to help a spec-ops soldier!

-- Then lead me to your parents. Now.

Boy deflated a bit.

-- O-okay. – He hesitantly turned to climb out of the crater. – Just, follow me-… C-can you make it? Need some help?

Boy worriedly looked back as he herd her wheeze and halt after just one small heavy step forward.

-- Just. Peachy. – blood covered and broken everywhere woman held a thumbs up and forcefully straightened from doubling over. She started to glow faintly in a deep blue colour and began awkwardly climbing out. The boy watched in awe, deeply impressed by her stare forward - pure steel and will. He had never seen anything like that before.

Kid stood there for a moment, then woke up and scurried up too.

She was slow. So. Slow. But it was literally impossible to make her body move faster, no matter how hard she wanted it. It took a lot out of her extremely limited resources to make it to the settlement and not black out immediately after. The boy told her to stay there – as if she had other options! – while he brought his parents.

She leaned tiredly onto some agricultural machine, careful not to leave bloody traces, and listened to the little midnight commotion in the farmhouse. Soon a cautious man went out holding some old model gun – luckily, trained to the ground for now. He was accompanied by a woman.

-- And we will talk about it later, Richard! – She said sternly back into the house, where a disappointed kid’s whine was heard. – Now, stay in the house I said. Who knows- oh my god!

She gasped and clutched her hands to the chest, seeing the stranger now.

-- Stay back, honey. – The man was carefully stepping closer. – Now, who are you?

-- She is someone in clear need of help, Liam! Put that thing away and help me bring her into the kitchen. – She tugged at her husband’s shoulder.

-- Sophi, we need to be careful here! – Liam turned to his wife anxiously. – Where could’ve she came from to Eden Prime? And in that shape? The Alliance outpost needs to know about it first! We don’t know if she’s not some sort of smuggler who ran out of luck!

-- She is not a smuggler! She is a special operation soldier on a secret mission! – The boy piped up indignantly while poking his head from the doorframe.

-- Oh, Richard... – The woman tried to shoo him back into the house again.

-- It’s… what the kid says. – She mustered her voice to work again and waved weakly as a sort of greeting. – I’m no smuggler. And I do need help with... well, this. – She gestured to herself. – I fear, I won’t hold out long enough for the Alliance to arrive, sir.

She saw indecision crease man’s brows. His wife put her hand on his shoulder.

-- Darling, please. She is losing blood from that horrible gash in her stomach right now.

He sighed and nodded.

-- Fine.

-- I promise, I’ll answer any questions you have. As much as I can.

He shot her a contemplating glance and put his gun to his side.

-- Good. Now hold on to me and let us get started.

She stared into the empty space a bit while Sophi cleaned her wounds and probably spent all their bandages on her. How could this be possible?! First thing that drew her attention inside the house was a chronometer – and the current date displayed. No wonder she didn’t recognize the Eden Prime she knew – ransacked by the geth-heretics first, then Cerberus and then by Reapers. Who were very thorough once they discovered prothean ruins here.

She went. Back. In. Time.

This was impossible. All her knowledge, all knowledge available to her and even the tiniest rumors about alien technology told her so. Yet here she is. Did Reapers build some sort of a safeguard, ensuring that truly no one could stop their harvest? No, with that kind of technology, they would’ve stopped each cycle’s attempt to oppose them with ease – and she knew, that the Old Machines have lost some of their own in the past cycles. But what if that was why Nazara stated “we are eternal”? A cold shiver run down her spine while her mind raced with possibilities and hypotheses of why and how. Naturally, it made her headache only worse.

-- Hold on, I am almost finished. Do you need more painkillers? You sure look like you do. – Sophi hmm-ed at the negative shake of her bandaged head. – Well, you at least need to eat something, love. Can you stomach some broth?

-- Yes, thank you for your kindness.

Sophi nodded with a warm smile and turned to the small stove. At that moment, Liam came back from coaxing his kid into sleeping. And from signaling the outpost as her partially repaired sensors told her. She’ll need to come up with a decent cover-story and fast.

-- Then you can repay it with some honesty, I hope. – He settled against the kitchen counter opposite of her and folded his hands on his chest. – I’m sure, the Alliance will properly inquire you, miss, but I would like some answers too. Can you oblige your fellow ex-marine?

She smirked at his raised brow. Ah, that’s why you reacted like that on your porch – good instincts, soldier.

-- Sure. What do you want to know, sir?

-- Again, who are you? What is your regiment and purpose on Eden Prime?

An idea popped into her mind and she reached to the chunk of her breastplate currently still fried to the skin. She felt around her neck for the chain, but had to follow just the burns left by it and tear off the armor a little.

-- I can’t, unfortunately, disclose any details. – She winced and fished out the dog tags. – But here’s proof that I’m Alliance.

She handed the tags to the man, whose brows shot up in surprise. He turned them thoughtfully, feeling the bit-melted edges and stroking the System Alliance logo and an N7 engraving. Luckily, the asari modifications made to the standard alliance tags either looked like some glass had melted in or where covered in residue.

-- My mission is indeed classified and it’s better if I don’t tell you my real name. However, what I can tell you is that: do not wonder if some time later a bunch of scientists arrive and start combing through some region nearby.

Sophi turned away briefly from cooking and fixed her husband with I-told-you-so stare. But he wasn’t going to give up so easily.

-- Then how did you manage to get so thrashed? My son told me you fell from space.

-- Ah, not quite from space. I believe it’s still considered upper atmosphere. – She got her dog tags back with some relief. She didn't want to part with them for long. – I didn’t tell you that, but my mission was related to some prothean tech and, you know, where there’s that…

-- There are aliens and their laws. – Liam seemed to buy her story now. Which technically contained only truthful statements – just lacked all the crucial information.

-- Did they really attack your vessel?

-- Well, one of their Specters, a turian, caught a whiff of my mission target and, as a rule, I never just listen to demands to shut my engines off. – Smash two absolutely true but completely unrelated statements together – and bam! No detector can catch your lie.

“She taught you well” came from Sun with some pride and tinge of sadness, distant longing.

No wonder: her line of work demands-… demanded it and I had to have to replace her eventually.

“Still, she would’ve been proud of you, kid.”

She was. She really was.

-- Good Lord. — Liam clutched his forehead with his arm and sighed sympathetically. -- I hope the boys I called bring it higher along the chain, so we at least try to pull the aliens down on it.

-- I doubt it’ll work, sir. – She managed to pull herself out of conflicting memories and plaster a convincing sarcastic grin on her face. -- As far as the official business goes, I never’ve been here, never’ve done nothing.

-- Pity.

Sophi set a steaming bowl of some tasty smelling soup on the table next to her guest.

-- Enough with interrogating, darling. She needs to eat and rest before your “boys” come. Can you please check if Richard is asleep?

After her husband left begrudgingly, Sophi sat at the kitchen table too and frowned.

-- How should we call you, love?

-- Ariadne. – She went with the simplest answer. Truth.

-- What a lovely name. My name is Sophi and my dear husband’s is Liam. And you were lucky to meet our son Richard out there.

-- Good kid. – She was trying to eat not too fast and was carefully waiting for Sophi to get to the point.

-- Yes, he is. – Sophi inhaled deeply and briefly closed her eyes before speaking softly. – I might not know a thing about the military, Ariadne, but I do know a thing or two about medical technologies. And your body, love, is physically way too young for you to be an N7 and way too stuffed with cybernetics for it all being legal. Some of it doesn’t even look like prototype-grade tech I was working on once.

Shit. She could hide her identity, but she can’t hide her body from what it is. Yeah, count on my luck to end up in the family of professionals on this backwoods planet.

-- Now, it is none of my business as to why and where you had to lie to us, but I do want to make sure my son and my husband are safe. From you, Ariadne, and from whatever can possibly follow you.

-- I understand. I haven’t lied about my name or being in the Alliance military, I’m just officially not in it anymore. – She held up a placating hand. – And I swear, no one will come here afterwards for me or your family. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible. – She paused studying Sophi’s reaction. -- Also, I mean you all no harm and I’m really grateful for your help.

It came out more awkward than she intended, but the woman in front of her relaxed and smiled again.

-- Thank you for this. I will not mention this to anybody, if that is what you wish.

-- That would be great, thanks. – She finished her soup and added. – How did you know I’m too young to be N7? Just out of curiosity.

-- Liam was never good at guessing people’s ages, but I can see even under all this soot and blood on your face, that you are not older than 22-23.

-- Huh.

Guess that would’ve been a surprise for you, Sophi. You are wa-ay off. And Ariadne definitely needs to disguise herself next time.

Sophi refilled the bowl with more soup and handed it back.

-- Try to get some sleep on the couch, love. The Alliance here will not hurry and come for you in the middle of the night, unless there was shooting or bodies found. -- She carefully patted her less damaged shoulder and left her to her own.

The waters stirred, rippled in intricate patterns: there was a mystery to solve, a plan to devise, some structures to restore. The Sun was watching, overseeing, guarding the order of things and the flickering spot of light. “I wonder, if this will bring change and of what kind. Be careful trotting forward – this coil is an unknown to any of us.”

Chapter Text

Part 2.

Year 2172, Eden Prime

Local time: 07:20

Familiar steps approach and smell of coffee sneaks into the consciousness. The cup knocks softly against the table. “Oh, I know, how comfortable it is to fall asleep researching, Ari, but I also know how it kills your back afterwards. Please, take care of yourself…”

She jolted awake as Sophi walked into the kitchen.

-- Sorry, love, didn’t mean to startle you. I’ll just make some breakfast before you’ll have to go.

-- It’s fine. – She rubbed her face and rolled her head with a pop. – Ow.

-- I can’t blame you for falling asleep sitting. Fancy some coffee?

She nodded. Goddess, she really was in a bad shape to black out like that. Her stomach growled in agreement loudly and Sophi chuckled.

-- How are you feeling? Any nausea, headaches, dizziness? You do have a big hole in your head.

-- No, just hungry. This body needs a lot to regenerate, sorry. And I mean a lot. – They’ll see it when she wolfs down two portions of classic english and will have to hide wanting more.

-- The Alliance contacted me: they’ll be here in 10. – Liam was much more relaxed than before, but annoyed by his son almost bouncing at his side and staring at their guest with excitement. The boy tried to ask about a million questions from her, despite his father’s exasperated looks and his mother’s amused requests to leave her alone.

She said her goodbyes and thanks as they heard the Kodiak approaching. Liam escorted her to the landing zone and greeted the marines. Three of them, including the  lieutenant – she can easily deal with them – not physically, of course. Not yet. But she can turn her charms on already. Nigh imperceptible buzz filled the air around.

-- So a spec-op’s, eh? – After hearing Liam’s briefing on the situation the lieutenant was measuring her up not quite suspiciously. – Never met an N7 before, seems you’re really a different sort, if you survived that.

He ordered two of his men to investigate and clean up the crashing land and waved her to climb in the Kodiak. Once inside he immediately banged to the pilot to take off and turned to her again.

-- We’ll check your credentials, of course, but for now you can relax – they know we’re coming. – She caught him subtly gaging her reaction, obviously to see if what he heard before was true.

Well, no way you or they will gonna find out a thing about me.

She gave him an easy smile and leaned forward as if to reveal some secret. It was long enough exposure already for just one human. Lieutenant watched her raptly and leaned in as well.

-- You are going to obey me as any other human would, lieutenant. – Her metallic voice vibrated through the space around them, hidden in the engine noises, and she pushed into his mind, breaking in easily since her victim was not prepared at all. He stared at her, muscles in his body tensioning in instinctive struggle against the mental attack, but she increased the pressure, probably making him hear things crawling in his skull and loose his peripheral vision. – Your will is mine to command, your life – just a speck of dust, where I am infinite sandstorm.

His jaw slacked and she held back her pressure a bit – she needed him functional, not braindead.

-- What is your command? – His eyes went a little glassy, but he looked almost completely normal again.

-- Order your men to destroy all evidence. – As her new pair of eyes and ears reached the comms and did exactly as told, she went through the gun box and borrowed a pistol. It’ll take time to adjust to the cooling system.

-- Now, tell your pilot to turn back and head to the crater – you want to check it yourself. – She can never be overcautious.

As they were reaching their destination, she sighed and probed the pilot’s mind just a little, just enough to make him forget, that they’ve picked up someone at the farm. A streak of blood went down from her nose. Weak. She was so weak. It reminded her of some of the worst moments on the battlefield, of being imprisoned like a wild and dangerous animal she was, of all the times she overtaxed her abilities to the point of burnout – and had to push more. To survive, to hunt, to kill.

She blibked and quickly wiped the blood away, before others memories had a chance to intrude. It was time to deal with the rest of the soldiers…

Constant Spaceport, Eden Prime

Local time 16:27

The spaceport newsfeed croaked: “A tragedy struck near a peaceful farming community – the local marine team was found dead near the new rogue meteor crater. The surviving pilot tales about strange scratching noises, that were heard at the crater before his commanding officer seemed to go mad and gun down his subordinates. He then proceeded by ordering the pilot to get out and forcing their vehicle to explode. The investigation continues.”

She adjusted her bag on the shoulder and resumed her walking. Her work couple of days prior was sloppy and maybe she could’ve handled the situation better, but she hardly had the strength to do things differently. So now, hopefully, no one picks up her trail until she gets proper base of operations, fake documents and, most importantly, information.

-- Your ID, please. – asked politely an attendant at the boarding.

-- Here ya go. – It was easy to copy both the voice and the face of some drunken dude, she stole the credits and identity from. It was somewhat sad, that he had no one to notice his disappearance. His memories were colorless and bleak – no wonder he ended up at the bottom of a bottle. At least he gave her enough organic material to regenerate properly – now she needed just some rare earth metals for synthetic parts.

-- Thank you. Have a good flight. - Just a couple of relay-jumps and she’ll be on Earth.

Oh shit, I’ll get to see the Earth before with my own eyes! It somewhat made up for the disorienting and lonely feeling, that followed her since awakening in this time. Good that I’m probably too late to run into familiar faces.

 “Don’t jinx it, kid.”

Chapter Text

Part 3.

Year 2172, Earth

Local time 01:17

She hugged her daughter tightly and shut her eyes while the escaping shuttle shuddered from a nearby explosion. She wanted to pray, to cry, she wanted this nightmare to stop! She wanted her husband to be alive, not burned to dust under the unforgiving red beam. She wanted their little apartment to welcome them again, not be an almost deathtrap they’d barely clawed out of. She wanted Earth to be safe, not being demolished by eldritch machines straight from galactic horror tales.

The months after were miserable: moving from shelter to shelter, trying to provide food, water and air for her daughter, trying to explain to her, why they are not coming home, why her mama’s eyes are getting sadder and hollower.

Then they heard about the Sanctuary, but to her ears it sounded like hope. It was a miracle that they’ve managed to get there! She was relieved, she was capable of smiling again.

But it didn’t last. It all was a lie, a trap, a heartless decoy for their horrible destiny. She screamed, she begged, she fought against the restraints as the last precious thing in her life was dragged away. By the time she’d seen what they’ve turned her daughter into, she herself could only flinch against the machinery.

She thought of her daughter as they transported her somewhere else like livestock.  She thought of her daughter’s screams turning into half-mechanical screeching as others around her were melting into organic paste. She asked herself, what death was worse as she faded away to join the discordant chorus.

Ariadne woke up with a startle. She registered a layer of sweat, hyperventilation, an erratic heartbeat and a heightened amount of stress hormones. The fight or flight instinct was practically screaming at her.

And her daughter. She had to save her. She had to break out of this, to run, to shield, to save-…

Ariadne shook her head casting someone else’s feelings away.

So, the nightmares were back again. This was bad news, since she thought that such things were in the past (or future? Who's to tell what's going to happen) and the only person who was able to help is practically in another universe. It's not like she can gulp some kind of drug down and expect it to shut the dead people in her head up.

She got up, went to wash her face with cold water and decided to get some fresh air, since it was highly unlikely that this night she wouldn’t be plagued by random traumatic memories and collections of death experiences.

The Earth was beautiful. Different from the memories – it was something else seeing it all, feeling it all with her own eyes and with other senses. It was in subtle differences of perception, in new experiences. Like feeling the light of sun on her skin, which was not dimmed by dust and ruin, not made harsher by almost destroyed ozone layer from all the ground and space combat. She enjoyed spending last month here, posing as a survivor of the recent eezo-drive accident on a sea-resort. The sea was nothing like Thessia’s oceans, but still calmed her with its free expanse and gentle whispers of rolling waves. She could walk and stare into the palette of different blues for hours. Sometimes she was lucky to find a lonely spot and meditate on her biotics, her riven memories and turbulent wisps of emotion. It was both a moment of shaping herself, sharpening and preparing like a true huntress does – and a moment of utter weakness, because her more human parts fully embraced the situation she ended up in. It was fucked up.

Some time later the night she was leaning on the railing of one of the secluded balconies of the main building, watching the people down below, eavesdropping and mentally going through the to-do checklist. She had enough legally acquired credits for now – from the chain of firms in the Terminus systems she created. Platinum was steadily flowing from Odasst. The production site on Thegan was almost ready. She had access to the Alliance communication channels through the soft she managed to slip into the government network in Vancouver. It was currently spreading and infecting more and more channels and databases.

What she really needed now, apart from man- and processing power, was a spaceship. Something more towards upper-class private vessels, but not too flashy. Something… like the one parked behind the bar right now.

Huh.

She stopped her scanning and focused more on the new ship. Oh, it definitely was an A-61 Mantis with some curious modifications – who among the vacationers could need an FTL-drive crammed into their vehicle? It was hidden quite smartly, cloaked with some prototype tech. The fact, that it appeared just today and without alerting her various “tripwires”, made her wary. She went through her memories and available video surveillance searching for new faces. Nothing.

“On your 5, get ready” she felt firm black-armored hand landing on her right shoulder briefly and turned to see an unfamiliar man appearing on the balcony.

-- Quite a nice view, am I right? – He was lanky, smiling and with an odd spark in his eyes. Short hair, three-day stubble, but clean quality clothes and confidence in his step. His long unrestful fingers fiddled with a worn out rubik’s cube as he settled himself near her.

-- Indeed. I was quite enjoying the privacy too. – She made an obvious enough gesture of discomfort, straightening her shirt and shuffling her feet. The stranger ignored the social clues.

-- Not a party man then? – The cube twirled and twisted, rapidly assembling and shuffling back. – What a shame. I figured, you’d be an interesting interlocutor.

He lifted his watery gray eyes and stared for a moment silently. A wide smile stretched on his face, satisfied like a predator finally spotting his prey.

-- A person with no past, changing literal faces like gloves and stalking through crowds as if invisible. Yet their victims disappear even more impressively.

Shit. Her body currently molded into someone else’s tensed and began changing back discreetly: leaving the outer form mostly same, but burning fats, densifying muscles, sparking up nerves and eezo nodes. Good that it was mostly dark up here.

-- Excuse me? You must have confused me with someone else. – She angled herself to face him fully. – What are you talking about?

The man wasn’t blinking, hyper-focused on parts of her still unchanged face. He then finally tore his gaze and familiarly slapped her on the shoulder – her sensors yelled in alarm.

-- C’mon buddy! – The conducting device he left on her flared with electrical currents and made her crumble to the floor and loose air. – I dig up your path from the very Eden Prime!

He crouched near her and pressed something on the cube again as she made a move to hit him. It hit again painfully, sending high voltage through her convulsing muscles.

-- You are fascinating case for me. I’ve never seen such a professional in terms of hiding, but with so much odd extranet traffic – as if you woke up yesterday or something.

Where had she made a mistake? The marines on Eden Prime were chalked up to stress and newly discovered prothean underground structures. The faces she wore belonged to either already buried bodies or to poor souls, who’s disappearance would’ve went unnoticed even if they’d screamed. She made sure her activity was near untraceable. She regularly wiped all logs, never hacked from same terminals and did about a hundred other tricks. There was no VI, or even AI yet, to be capable to find her through net. It surely couldn’t have been the geth!

-- You’re probably wondering how I did it, right? – He certainly bid his time and enjoyed a chance to brag. Another electrical discharge made her muscles to seize. This was bad, her heart could be stopped like this.

 – Well, I see little things, tiny bread crumbles no one notices. Patterns and clues everyone overlooks or thinks are too random to be true. This ability is what had made me the best in my line of work, buddy. Never heard about Houston by any chance?

Private investigator? Or a counter-agent? He sure is young and talented – a result of both training and some sort of a mental deviation probably. A visage came to her mind: of a young man hooked up – crucified on the ugly contraption of steel and cable, of dying digital minds and cold uncaring human ones.

Square root of 912.04 is 30.2…

-- Who… sent you… -- she started to recover, but faked being disorientated still. Her heart worked double time, pumped her blood with oxygen from quick breaths. Now, just concentrate on the problem area. More blood flow, more nanides …

-- My-my, just what are you! – He clicked his tongue and cocked his head to the side. – This should have fried you dead twice over, but here you are! Barely out of breath! Are you some sort of experiment on the loose or an unknown alien species?

Goddess, you don’t even know how close to the truth you are. She could kill him here and now – her skin was restructuring itself and isolating the device on her shoulder. Unless…

A faint buzz spread through the air, mixing with the sounds of nightlife below.

-- Ok, you caught me. – She hung her head in defeat. – What now?

-- Now you’ll answer my questions, so I can finally report to Cerberus and get my paycheck. And probably wait for them to extract you, of course.

The sound enveloped his mind, settling comfortably behind his ears. Just a soft touch.

-- Cerberus? – She haven’t planned to infiltrate them yet, but when life gives you lemons…

-- Yes. You see, they are very concerned about this dangerous anomaly that fell from literal space and started feasting on human beings. At least, without their control. – He activated his omni-tool and showed her footage from Eden Prime she definitely had wiped. – Do you recognize it? It’s you consuming, or rather devouring poor fella completely and walking off wearing his face! I have seen such things only in old sci-fi vids, you know? – He chuckled incredibly and shook his head. – Never imagined to see it in real life.

-- Have they traced where I came from?

-- Only till a point on the orbit, where you were caught on their radars. – His head twitched and he absentmindedly scratched behind his ear. – So. Tell me, who or what are you, buddy.

She half-winced, half-grinned at him, letting her entire disguise drop. His eyes widened in surprise and fear as he recoiled away.

-- I’m the most human thing you’ve ever met, Houston.

Year 2172, Unspecified Cerberus base

Local time: 14:30

The Illusive Man put down his glass as the interface before him beeped with the new message – Houston, punctual as always.

He opened it and scanned through the report. Interesting. It seems their enthusiastic investigator survived the encounter with the dangerous anomaly, which was already tagged as Devourer by the research team. Houston advises to recruit it instead of eliminating and already made a gesture of goodwill on behalf of Cerberus by cleaning all traces of its existence.

It was something to consider indeed. Such an opportunity and if the scientists tone down a bit on their most lethal experiments…

The Illusive Man lit up a new cigarette and confirmed monetary transaction. Then he sent out two messages: one to Houston with recruitment approval. Second to the surveillance minor cell with orders to take closer looks at the investigator for the next few weeks.

Something wasn’t quite right, his intuition told him. From the footage he’d seen, the man had close to no chances of living through the direct confrontation. Investigator’s careless curiosity was exactly why he was counting on simply locating the creature or luring it into the light for long enough by sacrificing Houston.

Whatever unexpectedly happened between him and Devourer, the former cannot be fully trusted anymore.

Not that the Illusive Man trusted anyone fully.

Chapter Text

Year 2183, Alchera, Amada system, Omega nebula

Local time 03:26:09

The crash site was a ghastly view. The silence, the ethereal glow of the ice and rising methane veils, the flickering breadth of stars above – it all left a strong melancholic impression. And the inky carcass of the Normandy turned it all into a graveyard in more ways than one.

There was though one living thing stalking between the corpses of machinery and the debris of the crew. The figure was human in shape, but dressed inappropriately for this planet’s alien surface. Just regular pants, just red plaid shirt. No armor, not even an enviro-suit or breather. The harsh cold light of distant Amada should’ve blistered the foolishly exposed skin. The surface temperatures should’ve frozen so lightly clad body. Yet the figure continued searching unperturbed, slowly absorbing its surroundings. Thinking. Remembering.

The intruder suddenly stopped and an exhale escaped its lips in a white cloud. The figure crouched in front of particular remains – remains in a burned black armor with an N7 insignia still visible. It lay somewhat aside, cast in sharp blue shadows.

Greetings, Commander.

A cerulean stasis-field embraced the body and hovered it a bit above the ash and blood-soaked ice. The figure stretched its hand towards the body and carefully adjusted some of the barely holding together parts, then peeled off pieces of the now useless body armor – they dropped on the ice and laid there like shards of the void that had sundered it in the first place. So much was broken…

I am sorry, but you have to rise again.

Bare hands carefully took the helmet off the head, considered it looking into darkened visor for a moment and gently laid it aside. Omni-tool chirped while scanning for the life signs, but the figure barely glanced at the results, as if knowing them in advance. It touched the bloodied temples and a low, bone-scratching note echoed around.

Fight on, Shepard. Fight on for your life, for their lives, for all life.

Hands retreated to send off a message. Coordinates, confirmation and a call. Then the body was put into a capsule – not a casket, but not a medical pod either. Then figure hesitated while looking at the barely recognizable face, face with blind-burned eyes staring into the galaxy’s expanse above. A warm hand closed the cold eyes.

The figure was patiently waiting in glacial silence for hours, maybe days, right before a ship entered the system. When the ship landed and a Blue Suns group appeared, led by a rugged salarian, the crunchy sounds of the figure’s steps have long died out. They’ll find only the capsule few kilometers away from the crash site. No small record chip neatly hidden in the wreckage of the galaxy map, waiting to be found by the right person at the right time.

“Damn this hole and damn this freak! I don’t know what unnerves me more: that they found the body or that they escaped.” The salarian was cursing through the helm-to-helm comms. “Send the ghostly fuck his credits and let’s get out of here! I’ll have to clean up this loose end on Omega.”

One of the mercs piped up: “But there was no trace of anyone leaving the system. How do you know, Tazzik, that they’ll be on Omega?”

“I’m sure Aria will know. After all, it’s her snooper or so she likes to think.”

Chapter Text

Year 2174, Thessia

Local time: 10:11

“I don't like the feel of that thing. It's as though it knows we're here.” And it did. Or… it will remember you both, carry over within its heart: the one who killed it and the other who’ll heal it. The one who saved them all and the other who’ll break it. Red and blue. Red and blue. Blood and blood. Blood in her veins and blood on her hands. Blood-ties never established and never-blood ties forged. The eyes it sees in the mirror and the eyes it has.

She twirled her dog tags thoughtlessly, studying their surface through touch for the hundredth time while her eyes glided around. It was relatively hard to find a park close to the spaceport, though each city on Thessia was beautiful like a garden. She looked here as out of place as any non-asari would. Oh well, she was as a tourist here anyway.

The sky was aflame. Graceful buildings were marred with destruction, dark carapaces of the enemy stalked both air and earth, while their spawns roamed for prey – the jewel of the galaxy was falling for the first time in history.

And she was here to ignore it. To ignore their cries, their desperate eyes filled with false hope at Normandy’s arrival. To ignore her guilt and fears and pain of seeing it for the fourth or fifth time – did she really already lost count to the homeworlds burned?

She was here to ignore this lives to save a million more – she just has to make it to the Temple.

It took surprisingly a lot of courage to come to the planet – far more than to see the unbutchered Earth. The memory of the shock, of losing humanity’s homeworld was strong and definitely full of such exciting things as sorrow, rage, grief, fear and vengeance. But she cared about humans so little and for so long – it could never even come close to the feelings she held for Thessia. Her first real home and also her first home. The one person, whose mere name triggered so many impactful memories in both Ari and Sun. Add to that shame, anger and determination after the failure to secure Vendetta from the temple and trauma of her own biggest failure – and she found herself so very hesitant to visit the planet.

The estate looked almost abandoned. No matter how long she’s been here, she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that there was someone’s silent ghost there and that the house was itself a ghost. A reminder, she mused while watching a white-coated figure by the rosebush, of the innocence of childhood and the colour of yellow.

Those weren’t her sorrows. She grew to feel them as such only for she cared for the eyes that cried in the garden. For the quirk of the lips at her wisecracks or a job well done. For the guiding hands and unbelievable kindness walled up by the losses. And now another ghost was waiting for her in the empty halls.

Almost a year passed before she convinced herself that the chances of the most wanted yet dreadful encounter for her were negligibly small. It’s one to a million as people say. And still… she couldn’t make herself visit Armali. Too painful. Too vivid in her mind still – if not ever.

She suppressed a shudder and rubbed her eyes. Goddess, I’m tired.

The nightmares never left. More so, they’ve been more frequent, more vivid. Ari wondered why Sun is having less and less control, why the voices are discordant again. Maybe she should bring it up next time the Commander decides to show up. Or at least find a way to drown out their chatter and intrusive flashbacks.

Meanwhile, lots of blue-skinned people were out on the streets and around in the park, going to and from lunch – an entire species of biotics never skips the necessary meals. She mused if it also came from their lifespans: years and decades tend to create routines, customs. 

A voice broke her out of her thoughts of comparing cuisine, holidays and sports of different cultures. A familiar one, like back of one’s hand.

No way. No fucking way!

– I am ready for the fieldwork outside of our space! – A young asari was walking briskly through the park and arguing with someone over the comms. Her stubborn frown dropped a little as she probably heard some counterarguments, but quickly returned. – Y-yes, I may have never interacted much with them before and I am aware of humanity’s reputation, but it is a small newly-established colony surrounded by uncovered prothean ruins! They’ve been extracting resources for just five years and I cross-referenced their mineral exploration areas with known locations of major prothean structures…

She halted nearby, not seeing the petrified and wide-eyed human in her periphery.

– I understand the dangers, really, it is mostly uncharted after all, but if we don’t hurry…

She resumed walking, distracted since she was busy arguing and calculating in her head how to solve this. Ariadne blinked in another surprise – her body was following the asari without any input from her. She panicked.

What the living hell are you doing?!

“No way we are not talking to her.”

Bad, very bad idea! Ariadne tried to wrangle control over herself back with no major results. Damn your will-virus shit, Shepard! Let me go! You are not even supposed to be here, not supposed to have any conversation – especially with her!

All she got in response was a mind image of the redheaded menace holding a “Fuck da rules” sign.

She stopped herself halfway into loading spyware into a certain archaeological university’s network. We are not involving ourselves into this! Give. Me. My body. Back.

“Your fucking biggest regret is not being by her side to protect her. Surprise-surprise – it’s mine too! The only difference is I have the resolve to amend it – and I’m dead!”

The asari that Ariadne’s body was still shadowing stopped to lean on a nearby bridge railing over sparkling water.

– Fine. You are right I have nowhere to rush. It can wait until there is less pirates and more funding. – She ended the call and pinched her nose bridge. – Or until you will take my research more seriously.

– Are-… are you alright? – flew out of Ariadne’s mouth. No!

 – Huh? Oh! – Only now did the asari notice her audience.

– Hi. You looked quite upset there. Sounded as much.– Stop it! Now!

Sun didn’t deign her with answer. And Ariadne felt trapped. More trapped than when she was captured by an earth-gang, that she was hunting. More trapped than when she first became conscious at that Cerberus facility. More suffocated than Shepard’s own memories of actual asphyxiation or when Ariadne was buried alive on Tuchanka.

The gentle rush of water below became a deafening roar in her ears.

 – Um, hello! I’m sorry if I have disturbed you… I’m fine, I didn’t mean to-… – the asari shook her head and inhaled deeply. – Actually, you are right, I am upset and not alright with my situation. Thank you.

– Trouble at work? – Ari was frantically hacking her own systems to stop this stupid stubborn fucking dead woman and not paying attention.

– Yes, something like that. – a bit of an awkward silence followed. Then almost simultaneously:

– Were you going to Ther-

– Are you a human? Could I ask-

Success!

Ari ripped out the Sun out of the outside reality and threw her across the infinite water surface. The human figure in battered and bloody black armor slowly stood up and casually wiped her hands. A monstrous storm of red mist, blood and vague human faces was looming over her. It was frazzled and unfocused, turbulent with Ariadne’s panic and anger. But that didn’t faze the small figure. She calmly addressed the engulfing storm: ”One very wise salarian once said that the galaxy is too big of a place, but you have to see the small picture, personal connection. Without it we, no, you will end up just like Cerberus, just like Reapers.” Commander Shepard regarded the storm without fear, only concern and righteousness in her green eyes. The storm consumed them last.

I am a Reaper.

Ari opened her eyes – just a second in reality later.

– Sorry. Of course you are, how stupid of me to ask! I-, I didn’t mean to be rude, just- Oh. Your eyes just changed colour. I didn’t know humans can do that.

– No, they usually can’t. – Ari rubbed her brow and winced. – It’s just my prostetics malfunctioning a bit. – She felt slight annoyance from Commander Bodysnatcher for comparing her to a crutch.

– I see. My apologies, again. – The asari slightly bowed.

– No-no, it’s fine. Humans are very rare on Thessia and from what I’ve accidentally overheard, I should apologize for that, you’ve never properly met one of them before.

– Then, can I ask you a question?

Ari’s mind instantly snapped to the opportunity to alleviate the stress of current situation and kicked back on the familiar:

– Sure, you just did.

– What? Oh, very funny. – she didn’t look very amused. – I guess, I still got an answer.

– Sorry, old habits die hard. Ask away.

Blue eyes looked her over warily, so Ariadne tried to look as friendly as she could. It worked.

– Is it true what is being said about your species?

– Which part of it? The one about them having a wicked sense of humor – well, you’ve seen it yourself just now. And it is going to be like that about everything else too – you’ll just have to see for yourself and make own opinions of humans.

Oh, how Ariadne wanted to tell her exactly, what humans are capable of – the good and the bad, the cruel. But she couldn’t. Not when the asari in front of her grew to understand them more than she ever did, empathize with them, grieve for one of them. Teach her to be one of them.

– I guess it is only fair. – she sighed. – Though your reputation of violence is formidable.

– Depends on who and where you are, really.

– What about newly established colonies?

– If you plan to dig on some distant human world, best find a non-human ride and the one you know and trust. – Ari wondered just how much is she supposed to talk her into it and how much out of it. Timetravel made her head hurt. – Oh, and definitely get your university to approve of your dig – so that somebody knows where you’ve gone. Just in case.

The asari pondered the new information.

– In this case, does your excluding yourself from your species verbally and visually counts as you being non-human? Do many of you disassociate with own culture?

Ariadne looked herself over and remembered her phrasing. No shit, the only thing she was wearing that wasn’t bought on Thessia’s markets was her gray hoodie. She forgot how sharp and observant the asari in front of her could be.

– Ha, good catch. I was raised by-… by one of your people actually. ‘Cause humanity kinda failed me from the get-go. – She gave the asari an awkward smile and kept the accepted by the blue-scaled species amount of casual eye contact. It was hard. – It’s been some time since I was at home, so I decided to visit.

– Most curious! Though I’m sorry for your negative experience with your own species. I am glad you’ve found home here. – The scientist’s hammered-in manners were at an obvious war with curiosity. The latter won. – So, I suppose you have seen much of the galaxy? Traveled to the Alliance space?

– Oh yeah. – Ari smiled in her head, knowing where this is going. – Have been to most of the worlds, actually, since I’m a comm-engineer.

– That must be very exciting. I am, unfortunately, much less traveled. At least not beyond the confines of archeological interest in asari space. – She cast a glance at her omni-tool and fiddled with it aimlessly. – Other sites remain available to me only through written surveys and other’s articles. For now.

– Ah, don’t worry, they’ll come around eventually. – She was brave enough to meet the asari’s gaze again and smile reassuringly. – But do be careful on the “frontier”, there is lot less law and lot more greed there. Or simply malice.

It was almost frightening to have the asari’s full attention – she’d almost forgotten how it felt, when you were listened to and observed by those blue eyes.

– I’ll keep that in mind, thank you. – She wanted to say something more, but her omni-tool buzzed demandingly. – By the Goddess, I am so late! Excuse me, I have to go now. Thank you for your advice! – and she took of almost running. Ariadne waved her goodbye.

As soon as the hurried scientist was out of her species’ earshot, she exhaled with no small relief and dragged herself to the nearest bench.

That was-… something.

“See, nothing terrible happened, no rupture in the fabric of the universe or anything! You don’t need to be so afraid.” She glared at the smug redhead illusory sitting near her. “There, there.” She received a mocking pat on the back. “I was just helping you to confront your fear, that’s all.”

So that’s why you insisted to coming here. How did you know she would be in this park?

“I didn’t.” A shrug. “Call it my instincts to find Liara wherever and whenever I am. Or… in whatever form of existence I am.”

Ariadne frowned. I-, I understand it, I guess. I miss her too. Goddess, I miss her terribly! She felt tears coming to her eyes. Such a pathetically human reaction.

“DEFECTIVE” rang through her mind as dark metal legs rumbled closer.

“MOCKERY OF OUR PERFECTION” crawled through her whole body as six unblinking lights stared her down.

“WEAK” shot through her just as she pulled the trigger. She didn’t hear the Lt’s body drop, didn’t see others turn their weapons at her.

 The only sound was yellow sour note.

But we are nothing to her! And will be nothing, because it isn’t our time and place. Not mine, certainly not yours. Because we shouldn’t exist in the first place. She sobbed and tried to scold her face back to normal, stop the crying. Because she is and isn’t her. Because she is gone and it’s my fau-

Her brain violently blocked the memories, flat out refusing to remember the worst moment of her existence. She hunched and covered her face with hands.

Goddess, why did I end up here? Why?! This is torture!

“Shh, kid, it’s alright to feel things, even if it’s loss and grief – remember all the lessons over tea with her?” She knew the hug wasn’t real, but appreciated the attempt to comfort nonetheless. “It might sound weird, but I’m glad that I died. Never could’ve imagined being in your place right now or back when-…” Ari shuddered. “Shit. What I’m trying to say is, that you can still heal, you can carry on. And probably do it much better than I ever did or ever could. You’ve got a chance to protect again. Maybe even protect her.”

I couldn’t.

“Now you can.”

You and your stubborn human defiance. She actually chuckled. Never stop struggling, even in the face of the laws of the universe, huh?

“Yep. And I know you’ve got it in you from me too.”

Ari took a shuddering breath and looked at the sparkling waves.

Just-…uh… She wiped away last tears. Don’t ever steal control from me again. Please. I hate it and you know it.

“Promise not to. Except in the most life-threatening situations.”

You’re obstinate. She couldn’t help but smirk at the ghostly laugh and felt her hair being ruffled a bit.

”C’mon. We’ve got a lot of work to do and only so much time before the Reapers show up their clunky asses.”

Chapter Text

Year 2176, Earth, Beijing

Ari cursed and stepped deeper into the alley. Her video-feeds showed Lang disappearing into the crowd of reporters and a dozen bodyguards chasing after him. Too slow. Michael Moser Lang, a patent clerk and political dissident from Virginia, was no professional assassin, not even a gang-member to have any skills at fleeing the scene or throwing off pursuers – so he should’ve been caught easily. That was the plan, the reason why he held the gun and aimed it at the president and not Ariadne.

And now he was getting away.

It was against the plan. Both her and Cerberus needed Lang caught: Cerberus – because they needed the vice-president pointing fingers and getting alarmed public’s approval and influence; Ari – because she already fed a tasty sample of free info to the Shadow Broker. Well, current Shadow Broker.

And now her chance to efficiently slide into the galaxy’s best data network was annoyingly resisting capture and getting to the prepared bolthole down the neighboring arcology. Her only chance to hold him was the skybridge.

She swiveled and turned through the streets and down the stairs and maintenance shafts, following memorized layout and wiping her traces from the surveillance. Damn, why is Kasumi’s cloaking only a prototype now!

The security’s comm-channels whirred and she almost missed when they’ve started to talk about taking the cameras under direct control and launched VI tracing the killer. It was too dangerous to stay so present in their network, so she retreated leaving some breadcrumbs for the VI to help find Lang.

She reached a lane directly above the skybridge’s entrance right when Lang was getting off in a taxi. A private-networked taxi, which company had a decent encryption system she had no time to crack. But there were always the skybridge controls. Funny, how even the Chinese People’s Federation’s city services were crap at this.

“No! There are people on the-“

A bollard shot up under the taxi, sending it through the air and right into the wall. Screeching brakes and crushing metal joined the fire sirens and hissing extinguishers. It was mayhem on the road in a matter of seconds.

Nobody noticed a bloodied man staggering away from one of the ruined vehicles and sliding down the wall, clutching a strange-looking camera. He wheezed and glanced around with wild unfocused eyes.

He was bleeding out. Lang knew that he’d die here or rot behind the bars – depends on who’ll get to him quicker: the police, slowly climbing over the raised road barriers and cars, or death. He held his gun tighter and leaned his ringing head against the wall. At least, he always can end it himself.

Through the smoke of a nearby car somebody stepped closer to him.

Lang blinked and they disappeared. He raised a wobbling hand, his vision blurring, and a smell of ozone reached his senses. There was a fraction of a movement to his right, so he tried to turn – and found himself paralyzed, cerulean field surrounding him, smelling of thunderstorm.

He watched helplessly as a vaguely familiar-looking man took his gun away and drugged him with a too large doze of medi-gel. Lang felt his heart slowing, his consciousness fading into painless comatose. His last fuzzy thought was recognition of the man’s face. A militia community representative from about a year ago, he was talking about something… something to do with rising crime and a need for populace armaments. They’ve drank tea. His migraine that day was killing him, so they’ve drank tea. It never helped anymore, not for months, until he decided to kill the UNAS president…

Ari calmly walked down the dark maintenance tunnel of the bridge checking her new toy – M-12 Locust. It promised to have a hefty price on the black market in just a few years.

Year 2176, Minuteman Station Construction Site, Horsehead nebula

The music was banging in Ari’s headphones in tact with passing lights in the half-assembled elevator shaft. She was standing still, feet shoulder width apart, head thrown back, eyes closed. The outside world was warring for attention with the loud voices inside her head – and winning for now, thanks to the little devices in her auricles.

It was the only way to stop herself from spiraling down the malignant whirlpool of intruding minds when they decided to play dirty. The only way she knew to work. Something in the long, multi-stepped processing of sound from the headphones through hearing canals and nerves to her overworking brain made it… organized. Not calmed, but synced up to the rhythm, distracted from the cacophony inside.

The elevator stopped opening the doors to one of the few completed decks. A Cerberus officer nodded to her in greetings, while a dozen of his subordinates, posted here and there, followed her every movement through the area to the reinforced doors.

“A fancy greeting. Way too many guns for a newly finished communication hub.”

Look who decided to end the silent treatment from Beijing! You think the man himself is here?

“Possibly. You should know better – I haven’t had the bastard’s memories sitting in my head for years.”

You know I’ve lost them with that body?

“Good riddance.”

The doors hissed open, revealing a wide room bathed in darkness for human eyes, but sparkling and shining with electrical charges running through the tech and wiring all around. Ari sensed two hidden doors in their patterns, as well as the main device in the center – one of the first QECs in human space.

Damn, that thing is expensive. Ariadne knows that herself – she barely afforded the installment of a pair of this beauties between her Rothla facility and Thegan production site.

While she was examining the room a door to her left slid open. She entered the adjacent smaller space with a couple lit-up terminals and comfortable furniture. A nervous looking guy was standing and finishing his report on construction, while another figure wearing an expensive suit took his place at the console and was lazily leafing through schemes and reports. The Illusive Man.

-- That’s quite satisfactory, despite the occurred complications with the signal screening. Now, I’m quite confident in your and your team’s abilities to solve this. – The Illusive Man flicked off the ashes right on the man’s boots and took a drag on his cigar. – Do not disappoint me. Dismissed.

The guy scurried out past her and the door shut.

-- I confess, I am impressed. – The Illusive Man turned his seat to face Ariadne and looked her over. – You’ve proved to possess the professionalism and the skills Cerberus greatly benefits from. And appreciates.

He made few moves on his omni-tool, – Ari saw a glimpse of the top-of-the-line device with bothersome heavy encryption protocols, – and her ostensible omni chirped with a paycheck. She didn’t move a muscle.

The head of Cerberus in front of her puffed again with smoke and started his speech about a great purpose for a creature like her and future of humanity, and blah-blah. All filled with hidden threats and manipulations of course, though not as much as his first missives – he had grown confident in having Ari in his clutches. Assured, that the science team has gutted her, studied inside and out, installed controlling chips and safety explosives. He was assured in her loyalty to the organization, if not through checks, then through this implanted leash. And that’s why she was allowed this high up the chain, this close.

Well, she was going to leave the man to his illusions. And also creep the hell out of him with her silence, since she needed the bastard alive for now and couldn’t eliminate his piece from the board.

The Sun literally growled in frustration at that.

So she half-listened from behind the mask of her helmet, standing still as a statue wearing Cerberus armour. Tall, heavy and dangerous, making the Illusive Man’s body to unconsciously draw back and tense up. Good.

The music in her ears thumped with some early 21^st centuries metal and techno mix.

Year 2176, Trebin, Antaeus system, Hades Gamma

Her ship easily obfuscated all the potential followers by mixing itself into the busy Anansi-Ishtar trading route and then quietly diving off in direction of Antaeus. At this point in the trip her vessel looked no different to any other unregistered ship or pirate barge trying to lay low in this cluster.

Ariadne scanned the surface of the nickel-dusted planet. Her transmission towers were intact and working – all, but one. She carefully checked the standard broadcasting frequencies and caught signals from a new small outpost close to the malfunctioning tower. Nothing in their exchanges indicated any alert or knowledge of Ari’s infrastructure on Trebin. Funny, how they’ve landed so close though.

She left her ship on the landing pad tucked under a local sandy stone plate, that hid her base from any airscan leaving only narrow entrance from a steep gorge. Together with the disruption towers it should’ve averted any attention from her modest automated mine and hide-out above.

Ari entered the small room of the hide-out. Everything was as she left it on previous visit: spare headphones on the couch, fresh supply crates with the topmost half-open, new rock-analyzer at the ready with scattering of samples on a table nearby. Only the console was blinking with new reports from neighboring facilities, most of them from Nonuel extraction plants. She ran through them quickly and sent out new sets of directives. Only a message from Eli Wegner was left unanswered. She can negotiate next funding of his project, as well as deal with the invitation to an arms-dealers’ gala, later.

First, she needed to scope out the newcomers.

Ari continued to listen in to the outpost’s signals during the walk to the broken tower. They seemed to be just surveying the soil and atmosphere, preparing for some kind of experiment.

As she came in range of the intruders’ scanners it became clear which one. No wonder her transmission tower broke – the outpost was drowning its vicinity with a powerful tight-beam homing signal. Those were used for long range navigation or, like she suspected in this case, for targeting extraplanetary bodies shepherded for mining or terraforming.

Ari cloaked herself and carefully climbed an elongated hill separating her position from the outpost. She looked through the scope of her sniper-rifle. A small team of humans was investigating the valley, marking the territory around the main module with glowing beacons for a swarm of construction drones currently zipping in and out of the bunker’s entrance, probably finishing its underground expansion. The lanky, long-legged transmitter stood to the side and another crew member was checking the portable generator it was connected to. Ari spotted unpacked crates with ExoGeni logo on them. One was open and she saw parts of typical GPS-satellites.

This won’t do.

It was one thing to be hiding from an orbital scanning and misleading an errant probe and completely another – having to avoid the attention of multiple satellites constantly.

ExoGeni, satellites, Trebin, a mine…

It all jarred her memory banks. She remembered something, very vaguely and as if through a distorted lens. Broken satellites, empty outpost, dragon’s teeth and hoarse wailing of husks.

Ari was brought back by the voice on the team’s comms. ‘Alright guys, the area seems stable enough and rich, we can start digging whenever.’

They were all doomed in just about seven years.

‘… right, even a goddamn terraforming should bring money to those pricks right here and now,’ another voice grumbled. ‘We can’t mine anything before the comet hits – who knows how the tectonics will react.’

Should she try to eliminate them or the threat to the careless humans?

‘True. And our atmo-readings won’t be accurate, if we raise too much dust by surface operations. The headquarters will have to find money somewhere else.’

… Or she can wait. Wait and let them do all the work of unearthing the obviously reaper artifact. Wait and observe how exactly it’ll subdue their minds and convert their bodies, see if it’s the same in this timeline/universe as in hers.

The Sun stirred inside, not happy with the idea. She ignored her.

Ari returned to the tower and made quick adjustments to it. Now she should be safe from observation and the humans…

… the humans will be mostly on their own with the artifact.

“Monster.”

If I’m right, and I am, then we’ll have a rare conversion seed in our hands. Intact and unaccounted for, ready to be used.

“On whom?”

You know on whom. Ari was irritated by Shepard’s insistent moralism. I hope you have no illusions about what it’s going to take to win this war. Sun bristled in response.

"Hail, Empress, those who are about to rise again salute you."

Chapter Text

Year 2184, Relic system, Eagle Nebula

A-61 Mantis on course to Preying Mouth

Her blue hands showed how to tame her mind first, how to tame her emotions and body second, how to tame the gravity itself third.

 The angry and broken teacher with scars and tattoos like armor may’ve showed her anger, how to draw strength and destroy.

The cold and compassionate warrior with the heart of a mother may’ve showed her control, how to focus and condemn.

But how to control and create – that she learned from her again.

Ariadne scanned through reports from Gadhar, her batarian agent on Ker. There was yet again a spike in the slave trade – she knew, that the Collectors were back and offering to trade again with some of the more tight-lipped slavers. It was another way for the Harbringer’s pets to harvest humans and distract the Alliance from the real disappearances.

She signed and rubbed her eyes. It frustrated her to no end, how she couldn’t do anything about the abductions! Her interference would make it only worse: if Reapers get a whiff too early, that there is someone able to counteract their plans, they’ll adjust their calculations and wouldn’t be so helpfully underestimating humans and the rest of the galaxy. It was important, that they focus their attention on Shepard and Shepard alone, thinking she is an anomaly, a probability blip. That she is a threat, but a minor one – one they can efficiently use and harvest humans instead of condemning humanity to the protheans’ fate or even worse – wiping them outright out.

Hell, she still wasn’t sure, if she can or should prevent the construction of the human Reaper. Should she prevent Cerberus from getting their hands on its remains too? Would it cause paradoxes and erase her from the universe? At least, she was damn sure, that she’s going to be in charge of that project.

“If the Illusionary Bastard will keep you around for long enough. I bet it was the fourth guy keeping his eyes on us on the Citadel. It’s a new record.” Sun piped up.

He was too obvious at the Flux, it’s clearly meant as just a message. I know, he doesn’t particularly like how I handle things, but who else can filch in the Citadel Archives and confirm that it wasn’t just the geth and a rogue Spectre who attacked the Citadel. And don’t forget, who’s the best guinea pig for biotic-ascension-crap-obsessed scientists and their boss.

“Yes, I’m sure Jack and that Grayson girl are so-o glad you were giving Cerberus ideas how to break and torture them. Sorry, how to unlock their potential.” She felt clear frustration and anger from Sun making her almost break part of the console before her.

Look, I know you hate this, you hate Cerberus and what they did. I’m trying here to shape them into what they’re supposed to be.

“You’re using them for their resources.”

Exactly, just like you did.

“I had no other choice. But you do. And yet here we are, helping them commit atrocities!”

Ariadne checked her ship’s course with irritation.

No, I don’t! It is bound to happen anyway, who’s to say it didn’t require even more lives without me? Even more children abducted, tortured and tossed out?

“You are just afraid to try to change it.”

She ignored the voice in her head and looked out at the approaching gas giant. If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up as another victim to the ship-killing Bermuda Triangle of the Terminus systems.

“So afraid that you will change things and then all your precious data will be worthless. Is it really that scary to use what you know and try? Try to fight and save so many lives. I thought you've learned the value of lives over data.”

This conversation was pulling her mind in two opposite directions. She just felt the upcoming headaches.

It is an unwarranted risk. I don’t have all the data, certainly no data about what didn’t happen. In this circumstances, the probability of making the outcome better is almost equal to the probability of making it worse. Not mentioning the vast field of outcomes, that don’t change a thing. So why spend my time and resources on this?

“How convenient for you to hide behind your calculations.”

Something crunched near her hands on the controls - she wasn't sure who from both of them did it.

They are correct and you know it. It is the calculus of war. I was made for it.

A sigh and a waning presence of Sun. “I know it too well. You know that I know. I stood there, I had to choose and I've made my decision."

I am well aware of my origins, thanks.

"Then just wait 'till your decisions start affect your friends and family again.”

Ariadne took a sharp breath in and clutched the controls of the ship. It was unfair. It was so unfair for Sun to jab her with-… with this! Faces flashed before her, familiar faces – to both her and to Sun. But it didn’t stop there.

 She felt crimson waves rising, the smell of ash and burned bodies mingled with unmistakable tinge of metal and plasma. Memories from another lives flooded her consciousness. Heartbreak, grief, pain, numbness, anxiety, terror, euphoria, guilt, loss, betrayal – dozens and dozens effects overwhelmed her senses, a confused and layered patchwork running in circles again and again. This tide threatened to drown her. There was no escape.

Sun reined it all in at last, somewhat apologetically.

One last face faded away before her eyes, with blue eyes unblinking. She still felt blood on her hands, however impossible or irrational that is.

Ariadne blinked rapidly and recovered just in time for the ship to violently shake. Shit. The alarms went off – her Mantis was falling onto the Preying Mouth and she felt her body getting heavier and heavier.

She ran the diagnostics: some electro-magnetic impulse hit the ship just as it began to automatically discharge in the upper atmosphere. The drive itself was fine – probably because it was smaller than usual interstellar vessels. But most of the other systems were failing, including the inertia dampeners. Which answered the question, why no ship ever returned from this planet: even if the crew managed to escape, it would’ve been suicide – the acceleration necessary would’ve turned even volus and elcor to paste.

Good, that she wasn’t any of them.

Ariadne took control over the ship again and steered it on a less dangerous landing trajectory. She switched remaining sensors on and flared with biotics, compensating most of her and Mantis’ mass. It was time to find out what hid in the purple-red depth of Preying Mouth.

She passed several objects, giving off eezo-rich signatures – some sort of proximity mines she deduced, using element zero to both stay buoyant and produce the electro-magnetic explosion when detonated. She also noticed after some time, that something definitely was pulling her deeper into the planet. Not just gravity, but something else was steadily dragging her ship toward an enormous structure below. This something made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Biotic tech? Who in the galaxy managed to simulate organic biotics on such scale?

 “We’re about to find out.”

Oh? No silent treatement this time? Marvellous.

Sun didn't deign her with an answer.

As Mantis emerged through the thicker hydrogen-helium layers, a large stronghold of unknown design revealed itself. And Ariadne was about to crash right into one of its tower-like structures. She desperately tried to land, well, fall more like, but all she could do was slow down. That’s when some dampening system activated and her ship came to a halt meters above the surface. She watched as pincer-like manipulators rose from the structure, accompanied by drones of unfamiliar design. They started cutting and disassembling the vessel around her.

Cautious of probable builders of this all, Ariadne sealed her suit and sneaked out of the cabin. She began looking around while Mantis was very swiftly and very efficiently salvaged. So, this was some sort of automated station, that maintained itself by capturing whatever passed close enough and using surrounding gases and rich eezo deposits.

This thing was ancient. After finding an entrance point and careful exploring – she had to constantly float herself with biotics in order to not be crushed by gravity – Ariadne found automated production lines, abandoned control rooms and legions of drones -- unmoving, but ready. It was built by some advanced race, probably several cycles ago.

Something tickled her memory – the designs weren’t anything like she’d seen before, yet familiar. Where did she see them?

“Crucible. It reminds me of Crucible.”

Sun was right! Everything around had this polished and seemingly simple design, obviously perfected generation after generation, species after species.

Does it mean we are trespassing on some Reaper property?

It was a bitter truth that Sun had to learn once: the Reapers knew about the Crucible blueprints. They were using it in their strategy, just like they were using the Citadel, the relays or indoctrination. It was just another way to weaken organics, to redirect their efforts away from resisting the Harvest. She reckoned, Reapers probably found out about the Crucible at some point, maybe after its prototype first fired and killed a Reaper, maybe even the Leviathan of Dis. It was a brilliant move to use its designs by adding the Citadel into the plans. Even if there was a power in the galaxy, that managed to construct it, it had to come right into the metal tentacles, right into the thick of it. What an elegant solution.

“Not just trespassing, more like we’re stealing it.” She felt Sun grin devilishly and found a matching expression appear in the splintered reflection on the broken console.

Yeah, she could use this facility. It doesn’t matter if it was reaper or not. Or if they knew about it or not. She felt no dangerous fields, no marks of their presence, and having it at her disposal would’ve been a huge advantage both in the inevitable war and her personal coup in Cerberus. She needed to have independent resources, hidden and protected at best – which also was accomplished here. No one would look twice at the notorious gas giant. No one would notice a small trickle of ships among a sea of minors and no one would want to meddle once again with the hanar owning this.

Plans started forming in Ariadne’s head. Sketches of supply routes, uses of krogan mercenaries to blend in on neighboring planets and withstand the pressure and gravity, shipment schedules to evade detection.

Two things though. First, she needs to take control of the stronghold. Second, find out how to avoid being turned into goo while landing or taking off. Well, to work then.

Year 2185, Normandy-SR2, Captain’s quarters

Shepard rolled her head and shoulders with some crackles: she was still a bit aching after her knock out by the Object Rho and escape from the now destroyed Bahak system. Admiral Hackett advised her not to stall her return any longer – not after what she had to do there. So they were heading back, or rather will be escorted back once Admiral’s ships officially take them in custody on the fringe of the Alliance space.

Now she had a rare moment of quiet. Some time to calm down from that disaster of a mission, to prepare and revise what of her modest belongings she’ll be allowed to keep and what definitely not. Upon searching her cabin, she found one strange thing she totally forgot about. Now, she had collected a bunch of weird shit – prothean sphere included – but this little thing did escape her mind entirely, up until now.

It was some strange piece that she found on Alchera and took with her (as well as her old helmet). Too smooth and alien looking among the rubble and bent metal, it was somewhat hidden near one of the dog tags. Now it was lying on her table, winking at her mysteriously with some glass-like inclusions and subtle lines on the silvery-black surface.

-- EDI, can you check this thing for any dangerous emissions? Reaper signals or something? – Object Rho has made her a bit more suspicious about such things.

-- No signals or fields found, Commander. – Came after a minute. – Some residue radiation from exposure to Alchera’s sun, but not at any dangerous levels.

-- Do you have any idea what that is?

-- My analysis cannot give a definite answer. This object does not match known technologies, though it has strong resemblances to prothean data disks and ancient asari artifacts. But I cannot find means to read it.

Prothean, huh? Jane wished, she could show it to Liara, maybe she knew or had an idea at least. But she couldn’t just turn the ship now and hop to Hagalaz for a minute. Why didn’t she remember this thing earlier?

-- You are certain it isn’t reaper-tech?

-- There is no sufficient open data on the Reaper technology to extrapolate the answer and it does not match known samples. Perhaps, if I had more data, I could have given a more precise answer.

-- Got it. I guess, there is no meaning in containing or shielding it – if we’ve failed to detect anything from it, we can’t block it.

-- That is a logical conclusion.

-- Thanks, EDI, that’ll be all.

Shepard grabbed the item and took another look at it. It was funny: it’s like she is some medieval person holding a data stick – it’s secrets are so close, but so out of reach at the same time. She really wished Liara could’ve study it.

Maybe she can sneak it in among her other things? Hide it in a pocket of her N7 hoodie?