Chapter Text
Disclaimer: Too crazy to own it, too lazy to try. So, don't sue!
AN: This only has basic editing, so any grammar issues… I’m sorry… But please don’t be an asshat about it.
Chapter 1 – The Battle of London.
“The lord is my Shepard; I shall not want.” Ashely began to pray even as she killed the husks before her. “He makes me lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.” Her omni tool blade extended as she turned to take out the husk who had snuck up behind her. “He restores my soul; he guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Slowly Ashley’s words got louder as she fought her way through a swarm of husks using her gun and blade. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow death, I fear no evil because Shepard is the biggest bad-est mother fucker there is.” Ashely called out as she slammed a husk down and then stomped on its head crushing it.
“Oorah…” was called by those nearby and could hear her.
“Seriously Williams…” Jane complained as she threw out a biotic slam which picked up a cannibal and then slammed it into the ground hard killing it.
“It’s true…” She replied as she swapped to her sniper rifle to snipe a few enemies who were further off.
“It’s true…” Jane corrected her even as she lifted her rifle to take out some new enemies.
“Seriously…” Ashley complained for a moment. “It’s true… ma’am.” She corrected.
“Don’t you feel better now,” Jane replied with a grin.
Javik threw out his own powers, “is this how you primitives fight.”
“How many reapers have you taken down?” Jane snapped back at the ancient alien. “That’s right… none… us… we’ve killed three… banter keeps us strong…”
“Pftt… he is just angry because he can’t catch up…” Garrus explained as he killed another two.
The scream that pierced through the din of battle set everyone on edge. It was followed by more piercing screams.
“BANSHEES!” Liara called as she pointed to the three monsters that had just made their way forward.
“Come on,” Vega complained even as he lobbed a cluster grenade at them.
Jane lifted her sniper rifle, “Strip their shields, don’t let them get close.” She called, checking her Indra she made sure disrupter ammo was active and then took aim at the closet banshee and started to shoot. Garrus and Ashley each took their own banshee leaving the small fries for the others.
Jane’s banshee imploded first, quickly she scanned the kill zone. “BRUTES!” she called just as reinforcements arrived.
“Hello princess.” A brash male voice said as it dropped from the shuttle and landed on top of the brute then fired his shot gun at point blank range.
“I will destroy you,” another voice said as a second brute was smashed with a biotic blast which sent it reeling before another Krogan landed on its head crushing it.
“I thought you could use a hand,” Anderson said over the radio, “So I sent your people to you.”
Samara, Jack, Liara, Javik, Miranda and an Asari Commando sent the enemy flying or in pieces. Grunt and Wrex smashed their way through the fighting like Krogan were known for with Zaeed cleaning up behind them. Garrus, Jane, Ashley, Edi and Vega were joined by Jacob who threw out a biotic slam. They managed to clear the site and got a moment of quiet.
Jane stared at the person in commando blacks trying to figure out who they were. Her eyes scanned over the person’s body; she was pretty sure she recognised that arse. “Aria?”
“Yes… yes…” Aria took off her helmet and then tossed it aside, no point in hiding her identity now.
“You’re on Earth?” Jane questioned.
“Long story… but yes.” Aria answered in a way that meant she didn’t want to go into it.
“You’re here?” Jane continued a little disbelievingly.
“I couldn’t sit and do nothing… so I offered my help…” Aria explained getting a little irritated, although she kept it from her face. She understood Jane’s scepticism, she essentially had a selfish personality although she knew deep down that was slowly changing.
Jane went to say something but the look on Samara’s face had her stopping. “Um… Thanks.”
“Welcome to the cult of Shepard, beware though… she’ll make you… dependable.” Jack told her with dry humour.
“By the way… why wasn’t I invited to your party?” Aria asked as she reloaded her shotgun, the N7 Piranha she had ‘borrowed’ from Jane back when they took back Omega.
“I invited Thea and told her she could bring you… neither of you came so I assumed…” Jane started to say.
Wrex laughed and gave Aria a friendly pat on the back. “AR- “
There was a loud thump nearby, everyone turned and lifted their weapons only to lower them as a large Geth prime stood up and walked forward. “Shepard Commander, I have supplies.”
“Hey… isn’t that a piece of your old armour…” Ashley asked as she gestured to the piece fused to its chest plate.
“Yeah… the primes from the server we liberated each have a piece… taken from the SRV 1 crash site… apparently… there were holes.” Jane explained. “Long story just smile and nod.”
Ashley nodded and walked forward like everyone; to stock up on clips, grenades and medi-gel. Jane studied the prime she had met a couple of them, this one had a few scars on its body that were familiar. “You are the prime who greeted me after Legion’s death?” she questioned.
“That was I,” the Geth replied.
“Huh… do you have a name?” Jane quickly stuffed some food into her and some water, she didn’t have a lot of biotic powers but she had a couple and using them burnt energy like there was no tomorrow. The other biotics were also fuelling up. She was also pretty sure that this prime unit was the one who spoke to her in the server as well.
“No… there has not been time to pick a name.” it replied.
Jane nodded and ran a hand through her messy red hair. “Right… mind if I give you a name?”
“He is Legion’s heir, why not just call him Legionnaire?” Edi queried.
“Again Edi…” Jane complained, she hadn’t named Legion either, although she had offered.
“Although the name does not match the sentiment… I... like it…” Legionnaire told them. “I will be Legionnaire.”
“You need to go now.” Jane started to say, they were so close to the device which connected to the citadel.
“I wish to fight in Legion’s place…” Legionnaire told her.
Jane considered him for a moment then sighed, “Okay, but when I tell you to fall back and evacuate to a Faraday cage you obey. I promised Legion that I would protect his people, don’t make me a lair.”
“Acknowledged.” Legionnaire told her.
Jane watched as her people gathered around her. “I would wish you all luck…”
“We don’t need luck we’ve got ammo,” Everyone except Aria and Legionnaire called back as they were not used to the somewhat normal saying of those who followed Commander Shepard on a regular basis. After all it was tattooed into Jane’s left forearm, a gift from Jack during one of their shore leaves on the citadel.
“Right… let’s go fuck up the Reaper’s day by killing the lot of them.” she checked her gun then stood straight and saluted her team. “Whose like us?” she demanded to know in a loud voice.
“Damn few and those who aren’t are dead. Oorah.” Everyone called back again except for Aria and Legionnaire, James (Vega), Jacob and Ashley saluted her back while the others simply nodded their heads, those on the Normandy had a slightly different saying to what other Alliance Marines used but it mattered very little as the sentiment was the same.
“So… who’s winning so far?” She asked to lighten the mood a little.
“I am,” everyone except the Asari and the Geth replied.
“Really Wrex… all those eager females have dulled your edge; besides, you weren’t with us when we took down the Collectors, you’ll never catch up.” Garrus teased.
Jane stepped between the two even as Samara gave her team mates a slightly disapproving look. “You do realise… none of you will win.” Samara told everyone with a small smile, “because my money is on Shepard.”
“That’s cheating and you don’t even have money!” Jack declared, “Besides… Jane’s kill count isn’t included.”
Aria leant in a little to Liara, “Is this normal?”
Liara sighed, “yes.”
Aria shrugged, “As long as they don’t get me killed, I want… everything-is-going-to-be-okay-we-survived sex.” She told the group.
“Okay let’s shorty.” Jane said as she pushed forward. Anderson and his reinforcements showed up at the final push just as her group did. They quickly took stock of the kill zone.
“Forward!” Admiral Anderson yelled and everyone started to move down the slope.
Just as they started to pick up steam a large shadow fell over the field. Everyone slowed and watched as the largest of the Reapers landed near the device.
“These attacks are pointless… nothing stands against us… Evolution cannot be stopped,” Harbinger told Shepard as it seized her mind.
Jane groaned and dropped to her knees and then to the ground mid stride.
“Shepard!” Liara exclaimed. Jack, Aria, Miranda and Samara combined their biotic fields and put up a barrier as they waited to find out what was going on with Jane.
~~~~~~~~
Jane glanced around at the blank landscape, it reminded her of what the Leviathans had done, back when she met the creators of the Reapers, Harbinger was trying to indoctrinate her, just as the Leviathans had wanted to make her a Thrall.
“If I must tear you apart, Shepard, I will.” Harbinger told her.
“I won’t go down without a fight!” Jane told him as she tried to focus, to force her mind back into her body instead of this weird limbo.
“Why do you resist us, Shepard?” Harbinger asked even as it clawed and chewed at her mind trying to bend it to their will.
“You want to destroy my world, my people… everything I love.” Jane told him as she felt chained in place.
“We are your genetic destiny,” Harbinger told her.
“No… you aren’t… you are a machine… made by organics and you will be destroyed by them.” Shepard fought.
“You will regret your resistance, Shepard.” Harbinger.
“I am human, resisting is practically a prerequisite for us, we resist oppressors, we resist that which we believe is wrong… and you… are wrong… organic and synthetic can live together… fight together… exist together.” Jane argued even as she tried to think of a way out of this, how had Benezia fought this.
“You are arrogant, Shepard, you will learn.”
Jane shook her head, “No…” she focused on what she believed had snapped the Matriarch out of indoctrination. Love, love for her daughter. “You are the arrogant ones… after all this time… after all you have seen… all the people you have consumed… you still know absolutely nothing about what it means to be alive.” Jane felt power flow through her, the power of her love and used it to wrench her mind from Harbinger’s grasp.
~~~~~~~~
With a gasp Jane opened her eyes and lurched to her feet, back in control of her body.
“What was that?” Jack demanded to know.
“Harbinger…” Jane started to say but felt Harbinger claw at her mind and dragged her back, her body collapsed again.
~~~~~~~~
“You escaped us before, Shepard, not again.” Harbinger told her. “Embrace perfection.”
Jane laughed, “What are you talking about I am perfect.”
“You are vermin,” Harbinger told her.
“Really… then why do you want me… why am I the one you need to be the human reaper.” Jane taunted. “Do you even know why you are fixated on me.”
Harbinger started to show her images of her dead friends, “Your death is assured.”
Again, Jane laughed, “Do you know how many times I have died? Heck… the collectors killed me… all it did was piss me off. You think you can control me… kill me… this isn’t real.”
“Your allies have fallen… you have no one left… and now you stand alone, Shepard.”
Jane took a deep breath, “Never… even if they die… I will carry them with me… I will never be alone!”
~~~~~~~~
Again, Jane shook her head as she opened her eyes, her head pounded in pain, and a tickle of blood ran from her nose, someone had rolled her onto her back and she was being cradled by Liara. “He is trying to indoctrinate me,” she told the people around her who were keeping her safe even as they fought off the enemy.
“Lola… you fighting that?” Vega asked shocked.
“Yes… and…”
~~~~~~~~
“Shepard, you cannot stop us. Progress cannot be halted… we are the harbinger of your destiny.” Harbinger told her.
Jane sighed, “Really this rhetoric again.” She told the mind which was trying to grab a hold of hers but for some reason it couldn’t grab hold. “I chose my destiny, and my destiny is to destroy you…”
“Shepard, I always survive.”
Jane took a deep breath before she broke free again, “Not this time… this time… you die and I survive… Now get… the… FUCK… OUT… OF… MY… HEAD!” Golden light exploded out from her, filling her mind and sweeping Harbinger out of her mind for good.
~~~~~~~~
“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!” Jane yelled much to the shock of those around her. “He is going to attack us… now.” She warned just as Harbinger opened fire. They all had just enough time to get behind cover.
“He won’t let us get close.” Jane told them as she wiped away the blood from under her nose. “We will…”
Liara grabbed Jane and held her head between her hands and searched her eyes.
“He tried… he failed… in fact… towards the end… it was almost… easy to throw him off.” Jane explained.
“Show me,” Liara’s eyes became black as she did a quick meld, just to ensure that Jane was still herself. With a gasp she broke the meld, she had felt the wounds of Harbinger’s attempt to take her mind, or at least what should have been deep wounds. They were there, but something golden and shimmering knitted the wounds together brightly and protected her mind.
“Is it still her?” Javik asked as he went to lift his rifle, ready to take out the Commander if she was compromised.
“Yes… she… it is Shepard.” Liara explained mystified. “How did you…”
“Hey… as interesting as this is… we can’t hold this spot.” Aria complained.
Jane got onto her communicator and was broadcasting to everyone in range, “Alright everyone… this is Commander Shepard… Anyone with Cains… when Harbinger goes to fire, he opens himself up as he charges his shot, so that he doesn’t overheat, gives himself a weakness. In waves, aim Cains at the opening and fire. Everyone else cover the people with Cains, give them time to aim and fire.”
“Heh… heh… heh…” Grunt pulled forward the Cain he had strapped to his back and stroked it tenderly. “Was saving it for something big and now I get to use it to take down Harbinger.”
“Okay… so we have a what… now how?” Ashley asked.
“We draw his fire. Like I did on Rannoch.” Jane took a deep breath as she assessed her body. Once she was satisfied that her two falls hadn’t done much to her other than a couple of faint bruises she got to her feet.
“Wait what?” Aria questioned.
“Right… I took down a Reaper with a laser pointer.” Jane explained and Aria gave her an incredulous look.
“And the migrant fleet,” Tali corrected.
“What…” Aria started to say, if she got the gist of that conversation, Jane had let a Reaper aim and fire at her in order to target the open section of the ship. She had thought Shepard was a little on the crazy side, after all she had helped her to retake Omega, but not full blown insane.
Samara placed a hand on Aria’s arm and she only just managed not to flinch, she doubted that she would ever be fully at ease around the Justicar. “Believe it or not… but crazy ideas… tend to actually work… when she does them.” She told Aria in a comforting tone and with a confident air about her. After all, Samara had already survived a suicide mission so was able to be confident about this crazy plan.
“Don’t forget Lola… you also took down a Reaper with a Thresher Maw.” James added.
Jane sighed and patted her pockets. “Sorry fresh out of Mother of all Thresher Maws.”
Aria glanced around but since no one seemed to think the statement was weird she had to believe that had actually happened, that or they were all in on pulling her leg.
“Seriously… another suicide mission?” Miranda complained even as she reloaded.
“You knew this was a suicide mission when Anderson asked… we all did.” Jacob told her.
“Right…” Miranda replied before she turned, grabbed Jack by her jacket, pulled her close and kissed her. Jack blinked in shock when Miranda broke the kiss. “Just in case we die.” She told the other woman before she released her. Jane snorted in amusement.
James held Ashley’s hand, “Don’t plan to die… but I what I would do to you…” he gave her a heated look which caused Ashley to blush. He leant in and gave her a gentle kiss.
Liara leant over and kissed Jane on the cheek and then they rested their foreheads against each other. Tali and Garrus held hands. Jane smiled after giving everyone a few moments to collect themselves, “Alright everyone… good luck.”
“We don’t need luck we’ve got ammo,” Everyone said flawlessly a few moments later they ran out from their cover and started to unleash everything they had at Harbinger and his forces. Harbinger opened his firing port and started to charge its shot.
“Shepard, you cannot escape your destiny.” Harbinger said aloud and for everyone to hear. “I know you feel this, this hurts you. But nothing stands against us.”
“INGORE HIM!” Jane ordered even as she threw out a slam to smash a Cannibal.
“CAIN!” A voice called out over the coms as two Cains flew in and exploded. Everyone turned their heads and covered their eyes just before the bright explosion happened, knocking Harbinger back a few steps but they had been slightly off course, his shot went off wildly carving a path of destruction that only just missed them.
“Again, remember aim for the gun while it’s charging,” Jane called as she sliced a husk in half and started to run again, putting some space between her and her team as she realised Harbinger was targeting her.
“These attacks are pointless… our power us unmatched… if I must tear you part, Shepard, I will.” Harbinger told them all as again he went to fire, ignoring everyone else on the field and focusing solely on Jane. Reaper forces also were focused on Jane, trying to hold her still but her team cleared the area around her giving her room to move and dodge. “CAINS,” someone yelled down the coms as again Cains were fired and everyone turned their heads and waited as the explosion rocked the field. This time however Harbinger had moved slightly, the Cain hit one of his legs and exploded, blowing the leg off making it unstable, again its shot flew wild only this time it flew high and off into the distance hitting a Destroyer class Reaper and taking it down. There was a cheer as they watched Harbinger unsteadily tried to balance itself, but in order for the weirdly shaped form to be balanced it had to stop moving and shifting. With it not moving it would give them a much better chance of targeting that one little weakness.
“Impressive, Shepard… this body does not matter… We are the beginning; you are the end… You cannot stop us. Shepard… submit now.”
“Take your time, aim for the gun port when it is charging.” Jane called into her communicator even as she fought off Reaper forces which slipped through the ring of death around her.
Again, Harbinger tried to fire at Jane and she let him, standing still, confident that her team or someone could make the shot if she just gave them a chance and also confident that her team could keep most of the Reaper forces off her. “Shepard, you could have been useful.” He told her as he focused and charged his gun on her.
“FUCK YOU!” Jane yelled even as she killed a husk that had slipped through.
“I AM KROGAN!” Grunt and Wrex yelled together as they finally fired their Cains.
“CAINS!” Ashley called. These Cains flew true and landed in the open part of Harbinger and exploded, since he hadn’t fired his charged shot the discharged power combined with the Cains caused a massive explosion internally. Harbinger took a few teetering steps back before it collapsed to the ground. There was a large collective cheer from the combined forces as they watched the behemoth machine fall.
“SHEPARD!”
Jane turned to Ashley’s frantic call, Liara was hurt, purple blood ran down her head and painted her side. “Normandy do you copy. I need an evac, Right now!” Jane ran over to her team, many of them were hurt in the fight but none of them looked critical.
“We are taking heavy losses up here, Commander.” Joker warned. “We’re on our way, Commander!” In minutes the Normandy was hovering with the ramp down.
“Come on,” She said as she got Liara to her feet and partially carried her to the waiting ship.
Garrus got to the ship just before them, the others were already up the ramp and those who could were laying down cover fire.
“Here, take her,” Jane said as she passed the love her life off to Garrus.
“Shepard!” Liara cried out, not wanting to leave her.
“You gotta get out of here,” Jane told her as Garrus wrapped his arms around her firmly.
“I’m all right Shepard…” Liara told her trying to stay with her, reaching for her.
“Don’t argue with me, Liara,” Jane told her firmly.
“You’re not leaving me behind,” Liara told her, her voice full of hurt, it almost sounded like a goodbye.
“No matter what happens… you mean everything to me, Liara. You always have and you always will.” Jane told her gently as she cupped Liara’s face. She didn’t want this to be a goodbye and she was going to try her hardest to make sure it wasn’t, but if it was… she needed Liara to know, she let her love fill her eyes, hoping that Liara could see it.
“Shepard, Jane, I…” Liara started to say and Jane stepped back. “I am yours.”
Jane noticed the forces coming, “GO!” she ordered before she ran back into the fray.
The Normandy took back to the skies dodging fire now that it had its pickup. She still had a job to do as she ran to the device, she killed anything that got in her way.
“You think you have won… progress cannot be halted… I always survive…” Harbinger said as it fired for the final time, its segmented body moved jaggedly, only just managing to open its firing port enough to fire. If it stopped Shepard, the reapers would still win, the organics would have no rallying cry, no champion to save them.
Jane dodged at the last moment missing the main part of the beam but not the secondary parts of it. She was sent flying from explosion and the heat burnt part of her left arm.
Jane groaned, not knowing if she had been knocked out. She could hear the fighting still going on around her, calls from team leaders telling people to fall back. And frantic calls between units, they had seen Jane, so close to the explosion.
“I see the commander… she’s up…” a crackly voice came over the com.
“Cover the commander,” a commanding voice said. Gingerly she got to her feet, her suit automatically dispensed some medi-gel letting her know she was hurt, badly, she grabbed at the only weapon she had left, a pistol. But she was so close so she kept moving. Three husks came at her almost slowly, lifting her pistol she killed the husks quickly before pain lanced through her side sending her to her knees. Getting back up she continued to move closer to the device which would send her to the citadel.
A marauder came into view and shot her causing her to cry out, she started to shoot at it as it moved slowly, was the world moving slowly, or was she moving fast. The marauder went down after a couple of shots, a complete miracle she would later remark. She felt the edges of her consciousness grow dark but she focused and continued to move forward, just a few more steps she was in the white beam of light.
~*~*~
Jane didn’t know if she had passed out mid transport or not but she found herself on the ground again.
“Shepard…” a familiar voice said in her ear. With a groan she started to push herself up. “Shepard…” the voice said urgently into her ear. Getting to her hands and knees was a struggle but she managed.
“Anderson. You up here, too?” She asked as she rested on her knees her body at least partially upright, she spotted her pistol and knowing she probably wouldn’t be able to get down to pick it up once she was up again, she leant over and grabbed it before pushing herself shakily to her feet.
“Followed you up,” Anderson told her, “But we didn’t come out in the same place… at least I don’t think we did.” He explained. “What’s your surroundings like?” he asked.
Jane glanced around as she hugged her left side, pain laced through her for a moment before her suit dispensed a dose of emergency medi-gel. For a moment she was pleased that she had forked out the huge amount of credits for that particular suit upgrade, still didn’t stop her from groaning. She spotted a Keeper working to the side, was tempted to shoot it but she curbed the impulse, she didn’t have a lot of ammo and she didn’t know what was going to be before her.
“You okay?” Anderson asked.
Jane chuckled once, “I feel like death… but I’m moving.” She told him before she started to move forward in a shuffling limp. “It’s dark… there’s human remains… scattered.” She reported.
“Sounds familiar,” Anderson told her. “I’m in a dark hallway… reminds me of your descriptions of the Collector Base.”
Jane paused, “Makes sense.” She told him.
“You think they’re making a Reaper in here now?” Anderson asked alarmed.
“Sure. They round them up on Earth, then send the people up here to be processed.” Jane agreed as she tried to straighten her body but it just seemed like too much hassle. She started to move again.
“Goddamn abomination.” Anderson exclaimed. “I’m going to keep moving. The sooner we blow these bastards back to hell, the better.” He told Jane. “The tubes don’t go on forever… but where the hell are, we?” he questioned.
“Yeah,” Jane agreed. “Doesn’t look like any part of the Citadel I’ve been to.” She told him still moving forward only now she could see a doorway, slowly she wove her way through the piles of bodies and even saw another Keeper doing something.
“Whoa,” Anderson suddenly said.
“Anderson?” Jane questioned.
“One of the walls here just realigned itself.” Anderson explained. “The place is shifting. Changing.”
Jane kept moving.
“There’s a chasm here… and more hallways like the one I was in.” he described for her.
“I think I am near an exit,” Jane told him just as the doors slid open.” She walked through the now open doors and moved forward and then down a ramp.
“I see something up ahead, might be a way to cross over.” He told her.
“Don’t get too far ahead of me.” She told him just as she got to the bottom of the ramp. A ramp leading up was on the other side of an open walkway.
“Where do you think you’re at?” He asked.
Jane glanced around, “Just found that chasm you were talking about.” She answered.
“Hold on… I see something. A control panel maybe.” He told her. “I’m just going to go ahead to check-“ He went silent.
“Anderson?” Jane called concerned. “Damn it!” she complained when she got no response, another dose of medi-gel was dispensed from her suit. She started to slowly walk up the ramp on the other side of the catwalk. When she got to the top of the ramp, she came upon a circular room with a person standing before a control panel. She just kept moving forward as she got closer to the person at the terminal, she realised it was Anderson but at the same time she realised something was… off. Like her he was holding his side, a blood red stain soaked the back of his fatigues.
“Anderson!” Jane called.
He turned around, releasing his wound and moved in a way that made him look like he was a puppet.
“Shepard… I can’t…” Anderson told her.
Jane heard steps behind her but didn’t have the energy to turn.
“I underestimated you, Shepard.” The Illusive Man remarked. She felt the claws of indoctrination try to worm into her mind, the golden barrier protected her but she decided to play along.
“What have…” she asked, hoping that her acting skills were up to par.
The Illusive Man came to stand before her. “I warned you. Control is the means to survival. Control of the Reapers… and you, if necessary.” He told her arrogantly.
Anderson grunted, “They’re controlling you.” He spat out in understanding.
“I don’t think so, Admiral.” The Illusive Man replied.
“Controlling me is a lot different than controlling a Reaper.” Jane told him.
“Have a little faith.” He told her.
“When humanity discovered the mass relays… when we learned there was more to the galaxy than what we imagined.” He started to spout as he walked around. “There were some who thought the mass relays should be destroyed. They were scared of what we might find. Terrified of what we might let in.” he told her trying to justify what he had done. Jane continued to play along, hoping she could get him to fight, for just one moment.
“But look at what Humanity has achieved. Since that discovery we have advanced more than in the past 10,000 years combined.” He explained. “And the Reapers will do the same for us again. A thousand-fold. But…”
The Illusive Man paused, as if sensing he hadn’t quite gotten control of Jane. She felt the push of indoctrination and pretended to have it hurt her head. She heard the command he wanted her to do, to point her gun at Anderson. She did as he wanted, for now, lifted her gun and pointed it at Anderson. She gave him a mock mortified look, hoping she had just the right amount of mortification in her eyes.
“… only if we can harness their ability to control.”
Anderson managed to hold out his hand, to try to stop Jane. “Bullshit. We destroy them, or they destroy us.” He told the Illusive man firmly.
“And waste this opportunity? Never.” The Illusive Man replied.
“You’re playing with things you don’t understand. With power you shouldn’t be able to use.” Jane told him even as she kept her eyes on him as he moved around. Wondering how he could use indoctrination, was it him or was it the reapers working through him.
“I… don’t believe that. If we can control it, why shouldn’t it be ours?” he told her.
“Because we’re not ready,” Jane told him truthfully.
“No. This is the way humanity must evolve.” He told her, slight hesitation in his tone.
“There’s always another way.” Anderson told him even as he began to feel light headed.
“I’ve dedicated my life to understanding the Reapers, and I know with certainty; the Crucible will allow me to control them.” he told the pair confidently.
“And then what?” Jane asked, knowing she had to bring an end to this soon.
“Look at the power they wield! Look at what they can do!” He argued as he sent the command for Jane to shoot Anderson, to kill him.
She turned her gun and pointed it at the Illusive Man, refusing his command. “I see what they did to you.” She told him firmly.
He was furious that she had managed to ignore his command. “I took what I wanted from them. Made it my own! This isn’t about me or you. It’s about things so much larger than all of us.” He told her, again trying to take back control of her mind, not knowing that if Harbinger, the first fucking Reaper couldn’t control her mind, his half attempt most definitely was destined to fail.
“He’s wrong. Don’t listen to him.” Anderson said, not understanding how Jane had managed to fight of the mental command and fervently hoped she could keep doing it.
“And who will you listen to, Shepard? An old solider, stuck in his ways, only able to see the world down the barrel of a gun.” The Illusive Man taunted as he moved closer to Anderson, not realising that her gun was trained on him. “And what if he’s wrong? What if controlling the Reapers is the answer?”
“If we destroy the Reapers, this ends today. But if you can’t control them…” Jane told him
“But I can!” He proclaimed.
“Are you willing to bet Humanity’s existence on it?” Jane said, her ultimate trump card.
“I know it will work.” The Illusive Man said but there was clearly conflict within him.
“You can’t can you? They won’t let you do it.” Jane told him in understanding.
“No! I’m in control. No one is telling me what to do!” he argued.
“Listen to yourself.” Anderson coaxed. “You’re indoctrinated.”
“No. No! the two of you, so self-righteous. Do you think power like this comes easy? There are sacrifices…”
“You’ve sacrificed too much.” Jane told him as she watched him start to unravel.
“Shepard, I… I only wanted to protect humanity…” He told her. “The Crucible can control them. I know it can, I just…”
“It’s not too late. Let him go. We’ll do the rest.” She told him.
“I… can’t do that, Commander.” He told her regretfully.
“Of course, you can’t…” Anderson told him. “they own you now.”
“You would undo everything I’ve accomplished. I won’t let that happen.” He told her pacing backwards and forwards getting closer to the only other weapon in the room, strapped to Anderson’s side.
“Because of you, Humanity is already undone.” Jane told him.
“That’s not true!” he exclaimed.
“They have the Citadel. They’ve got us fighting each other instead of fighting them.” Jane explained. “You’ve done exactly what the Reapers wanted. You’re still doing it because they control you.”
“I… they’re too strong.” He told her.
“You’re stronger. Don’t let them win. Break their hold. Don’t let them control you.” Jane coaxed, he was so close, if he could just find strength, he would be able to throw of the Reaper indoctrination just long enough for them to open the arms and that was all they needed.
“I tried Shepard,” he told her as he reached for Anderson’s side arm.
“I know.” Jane told him as she fired, killing him pretty instantly. Anderson dropped to the floor the only reason he was standing was because of the Illusive man’s control. Jane stumbled and limped over to Anderson and using her omni-tool she dispensed some medi-gel on his wound, it looked like a piece of metal had been stabbed through him and then removed, she was also glad her omni-tool was still working considering the hammering her left arm had taken. “How… how did you fight him?”
Jane rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah… I think I am immune to indoctrination.”
“You need to open the arms.” Anderson told her.
Jane groaned as she got to her feet and walked over to a terminal. It took a few moments, her suit dispensing another dose of medi-gel. Eventually she entered the right commands and the arms started to open. Slowly she walked over to Anderson who had dragged himself to a raised platform so that he could sit up and watch. She sat down next to him but it was more along the lines of collapsed.
“We did it,” she told him, tossing away her pistol, she had no more ammo for it anyway.
“Yes, we did.” Anderson replied. “It’s quite a view.” He told her.
“Best seats in the house,” Jane agreed as she gave him another dose of medi-gel, glad she had stocked up when Legionnaire had offered. She had six more doses, not including the supplies stored by her suit, her suit stored ten doses, four had been used. She just had to hold out.
“Save it for yourself,” Anderson told her.
“Kahlee will kill me if I didn’t try to help you.” She told him and Anderson chuckled.
“You ever wonder,” he began, “how things would’ve been different? How our lives would be different if this… hadn’t happened?” he asked.
“Sure,” she told him.
“I never had a family, Jane.” He told her feeling his hold on life begin to fade. “Never had children.”
“Hey… did you think… all those years ago… when you, Hackett and Ryder, found me on Mindoir, that I… we would have ended up here?” Jane asked, a little loopy from all the medi-gel being flooded into her system as she dosed herself and then Anderson, four doses left in her omni-tool, six in her suit.
“No… not back then.”
“Liara’s gonna kill me.” Jane remarked as she pulled her burnt and charred left hand and arm away from her side to see it coated in blood, she could feel the foreign object lodged in her side.
Anderson gave her a pained laugh. “You thinking of settling down with Liara.”
“Yeah, I like the sound of that. Little blue babies, white picket fence, hot Asari wife. I’m sure I wouldn’t be much good at it, though.”
“Sure, you would,” Anderson told her honestly. “I think you’d make a great mother.”
Jane smiled, “Technically, according to Asari, I would be the father. But thanks.” She told him.
“Think how proud your kids would be.” He told her. “Telling everyone that their dad is Commander Shepard.”
“I don’t know about that… not everything I’ve done… is something to be proud of.” She told him, they lapsed into silence for several moments.
“God… feels like years since I just sat down.” He told her honestly.
“I think you earned a rest.” She told him and he groaned.
Jane dispensed another dose of medi-gel to his body as her suit dispensed another dose of its emergency supply into her. “Stay with me. We’re almost through this.” She begged, five more doses in her suit, three more in her omni-tool, keeping the mental tally in her head was getting harder.
“You did good, child. You did good. I’m proud of you.” He told her as he lost his grip on consciousness.
“Thank you, sir. Anderson?” Jane felt her eyes start to close, she was so tired, it would be fine if she just closed her eyes for a few minutes. Liara’s face flashed in her mind and she was suddenly wide awake.
“Normandy to the Citadel… please tell me that’s you Commander.” Joker’s voice said over her coms.
“Is that you, Joker?” She asked as she struggled to her feet only to fall down, giving up, she crawled to the terminal.
“Commander, I’m picking up some strange readings.” Joker told her. “Really strange, like off the damn charts.” He reported. Static broke over the com just as she got to the terminal. “… you need to get out before…”
“I’m not sure how to… Joker… Go!” She told him just before she fainted.
She was barely conscious when a shuttle came to hover near them.
“Shepard!” Garrus called as people jumped out of the shuttle with stretchers. They carefully moved her to a stretcher as someone dispensed more medi-gel. Anderson was also bundled into the shuttle beside Jane.
“Cortez get us out of here,” Garrus ordered before he took Jane’s hand. “Hold on just a little longer, we’ve got you.”
~*~*~
“Get her into the Faraday cage with Edi and Legionnaire.” Karin ordered, when they finally figured out what the crucible would do when fired Jane had ordered the creation of a Faraday cage to be installed around Edi’s core to protect her and had made the same orders for other Faraday cages to be made so that the Geth could evacuate to them and be protected from the wave. Even with resources spread thin people had made them to protect their Geth Allies from destruction.
“But…” Someone went to argue.
“She has reaper-based implants in her body… we can’t afford for them to short out on us while we are trying to keep her alive.” Miranda explained. “We will just have to work on her in the cage.”
“Can you get her stable and keep her stable?” Karin asked as she went over Anderson, the wound was bad.
“Jane first,” Anderson told her weakly, he was barely conscious but still wanting Jane to be put first.
“Move them both into the cage and treat them there.” Miranda offered a practical solution as she grabbed a handful of supplies and thrust them into Legionnaire’s arms, “get in there, you too Edi.” The stretcher bearers moved Jane and Anderson into the AI core. They then left as there simply was not enough room for them all. There was already a heap of supplies to treat Jane in the room as Karin had been sure Jane would have been hurt in this battle.
“Hurry up please I can’t out run this forever.” Joker told them over the intercom. “Traynor is going to manually shut off your connection to the ship Edi, make sure you are completely in the AI core.”
“Yes Jeff.” Edi told him as she walked in behind Legionnaire, pulling her consciousness from all parts of the ship. It felt strange for her as she was essentially cutting off her senses but she knew she had to or she could be killed as like the Geth, she had segments of Reaper code in her, the wave would destroy her and as much as she said there were things worth dying for, she also didn’t want to die, she wanted to talk to Jane about it but for the moment Jane was out cold and fighting for her own life. She turned on her omni-tool. “Traynor I am completely within the core; you can cut my connection.”
“Thank you, Edi,” Samantha told her. “Good luck in there.” She added before she signed off.
The stretchers had been placed on the floor; the room was going to be cramped but they were lucky that this room had its own internal power source.
“Lock us in.” Karin said just as Liara slipped pass her and into the room. Karin didn’t bother to order her out as it would waste precious time and she was sure she was going to need the extra hands.
The door slid shut and locked, Edi slid the faraday cage part of the door closed and locked it down. “I don’t know what assistance I can give… please direct me.”
Karin glanced to Liara who was busy trying to cut Jane out of her mangled armour. “Edi strip him down to underwear we need to see everything.” She turned to Legionnaire who was seated in a corner to keep out of the way and braced so that he didn’t stumble and land on the injured humans.
“Legionnaire… hold the drips please.”
Legionnaire held out his arms and Miranda attached drips to arms. “Thanks, frees us up.” She told the AI who simply watched.
“If this helps, I am sorry that this platform is not better suited to help more.” Legionnaire told her.
“It’s fine,” Miranda reassured him, patting his arm in a comforting gesture, before she moved over to Anderson. “I should be able to stabilise Anderson.” Miranda stated, she wasn’t a qualified doctor, but she had enough knowledge and experience to be considered a highly qualified field medic.
“Good, Jane has gone and made a real mess of herself,” Karin remarked as she took a moment to study the wound in her side.
“But she did… you know… save the galaxy… again…” Miranda remarked.
“True… Edi I am going to need your assistance as well as Liara’s.” Karin replied already hard at work. “Let me know if you have any problems. How on earth…”