If It Meant Living-71: Checkmate

If It Meant Living - Chapter 71
"Checkmate"

Title: If It Meant Living – Chapter 71:  "Checkmate"
Author: Graceyn
Game: Mass Effect/Mass Effect 2/Mass Effect 3
Characters/pairing: femShep/Kaidan
Disclaimer: Bioware owns all rights to Mass Effect and its characters
Content Warning: Language, Violence

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The intensity of the malevolent smile on Shepard's face was really quite remarkable, given that she was near to bleeding out.

"Now, EDI."

The AI suddenly roared, the low tone reverberating through Shepard's bones and out into space.  It sounded exactly like a Reaper.  

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

She lost the smile in a flash, an icy stare taking its place.  "What we came to do – destroying the Reapers.  You're the tool that will enable us to do that."

***

The Normandy lurched, the controls slipping away from Joker as he reached over towards the co-pilot's chair.  "EDI?  EDI, wake up!"

Alarms rang through the ship as Kaidan sprinted up the CIC and into the cockpit.  He grabbed Joker by the shoulders.  "Joker!  We've got a VI coming online, but you've still got to fly the ship!"

Joker stared up at him, eye wide.  "What happened to her?"

"I'll explain later, but right now you have to focus."

"Is she dead?"

He smiled slightly.  "No, Joker.  She's not dead.  Not by a long shot."

Joker nodded tightly and turned back to the controls.  "What do I do?"

"Just fly her.  Stay on our orbit and avoid the Reapers."

Legion's voice filled the cockpit.  "I am now available to direct basic stabilizers and thruster control."

Joker looked over his shoulder and glared at Kaidan.  "Oh.  Yeah.  About that.  What the fuck have you guys been doing?"

***

Liara ran up the traverse, turning and throwing a Husk off the ledge as she reached the door to the chamber.  She entered the room to find Javik and Vega already there, stationed at the other entrances.

"What's the situation?"

Javik didn't look over.  "We are holding the room."

She rolled her eyes in exasperation.  "Of course you're holding the room – what's the situation?  Where's Shepard?"

Vega glanced over at her, shaking his head.  "We don't know.  The arms are open, so somebody got here, but…"

She followed his glance to the blood stains surrounding a rectangular hole in the floor near the front of the room.  Her eyes immediately flew upward…but the ceiling appeared seamless.

She nodded tightly and hit her comm as she hurried over to the control panel.  "Shadow Team, report in."

"Lieutenant Reegar reporting in.  We've got Cerberus forces pinning us down south of the Presidium Lake; Major Coates took a chemical round to the shoulder."

Liara frowned at the panel…she couldn't find any controls that would activate an elevator.  "Aria, get you and your people over there and take out those Cerberus troops."

Aria's smooth, cool voice replied.  "For your information, Shadow Broker, we were already on our way.  We'll handle it."

Liara's jaw twitched.  "Thank you, Aria.  Everyone else, report in."

Wrex growled across the comm.  "Why did they bring Brutes onto the Citadel?"

Jacob broke in, sounding remarkably calm.  "Do you need help?  Samara and I just took out some Cerberus stragglers, we can get to you quickly."

There were grumbles and grunts for several seconds, followed by explosive shotgun fire, then silence.  Wrex came back over the comm.  "Nah, I took care of it."

Jacob chuckled.  "Alright, man.  Dr. T'Soni, we're headed to the chamber."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Tayl– "  

Liara spun around as Jack blew into the room, blue wisps still swirling around her as she scraped Husk goo off her face.

"Motherfucking disgusting monsters, I swear I – "  She stopped suddenly, glancing over at Liara somewhat sheepishly.  "I got lost…"  She looked around the room, frowning.  "Where's Shepard?"

***

The translucent being flared, the red and gold burst of a ship exploding behind it shining through the insidious child-like form.  

"YOU CANNOT."

Shepard's eyes flicked over to Kasumi, who shrugged helplessly.  Other than keeping the gateway open, which was taking some doing, it was now out of her hands.  

Shepard focused back on the AI.  "We can.  Organics can die – you've killed trillions.  Reapers can die – I've killed three of them myself.  AIs…can die."  

Then she sneered contemptuously at the shimmering form.  "But not before you've done your job."

The platform suddenly began shaking under their feet.  She looked up to see the Crucible shaking as well – the entire Citadel was shaking.  She quickly hit her comm.  "Hackett!  Admiral, do you read me?"

"…what……ard…barely rea…"

She shouted over the sounds of the battle, which were suddenly growing louder as the Reapers began attacking with renewed fervor.  "Keep the Crucible attached!  Don't let it throw you off – I just need a few more minutes!"

"…derstood……try…"

***

Tali's fingers flew over the terminal in the starboard cargo hold as she continually adjusted the VI's parameters while ever more data sped through the system.   The VI sent a torrent of questions their way:

Should the thrusters' safety limits be adjusted to account for the added debris getting caught in the engines?  

– Yes, answered by Tali and Adams.

Should it allow Flight Lieutenant Moreau full steering control as he was requesting?  

– Yes, answered by Traynor.

Should life support receive priority power over the electrical system?

– Yes, answered by Traynor, complete with vocal muttering.

Should power be diverted from life support systems on the lower decks where no crew were currently positioned to allow additional power to be dedicated to weapons systems?

– Yes, with careful monitoring, answered by Garrus.

Questions.

Since bringing the Legion VI online, Tali and Traynor (in the starboard cargo hold), Garrus (in the gun battery) and Adams (in engineering) had been responding to a non-stop barrage of routine inquiries and judgment calls.

During the planning stages it was recognized that the new VI, unaccustomed to running a starship, would reach many branching decision points, and terminals had been hooked into the VI at those locations, each member of the response team given full access and decision-making capabilities.

For the majority of the Normandy crew, the battle raging outside the ship had captured their full attention and duties.  For the four people tasked with herding the VI, the battle consisted largely of a terminal screen and simple yes/no answers to questions – questions that became increasingly less routine as the battle intensified.

Adams came over the comm.  "Tali, the drive core's power is ping-ponging all over the place while this VI figures out how to stabilize it!"

"I know, Greg.  I'm working on it."

Kaidan hit his comm as he returned to the CIC terminal from the cockpit, eyes scanning the information streaming across the screen.  While not tasked with answering routine questions, he had total override authority over any and every decision.  "Adams, I'm locking in the limits on the drive core at ninety-five percent.  If it comes to it, we won't blow up – at least, not from the engine."

Joker burst in over the loudspeaker.  "Shit, Reaper on our tail – evasive maneuvers! "  The Normandy pitched downward precipitously.

Kaidan breathed in through his nostrils, calmly shifting his focus.  "Garrus, can you take that thing out?"

"Shit, Kaidan…"  Down in the gun battery, Garrus looked across the bright flashes of red covering the monitors displaying the status of the weapons.  "If that Quarian targeting laser tech can get a lock, maybe.  But I'm afraid the battery's only got one good burst in it before it overloads, and I don't know if that will be enough…"

Cortez came over their comm.  "Sir, I've got a couple of fighter pilot buddies in the fight.  If I can link their weapon systems with ours, they could add some firepower."

Kaidan nodded quickly.  "That's an excellent idea, Lieutenant.  You get them heading this way and I'll see what I can do."

He accessed the VI code from the terminal and started working.  He couldn't help but be impressed at how much more complex the code had become since they had initially adapted it.  It was learning.  His eyes narrowed as the lines flew by, searching for what he needed.  There.  "Okay, Cortez, I'm sending you the commands they'll need to link in to our targeting system."  He grabbed onto the shelf as the ship swung violently.

Twelve interminable seconds later Cortez responded.  "Okay, Major, they are synced and ready."

Joker growled over the speaker.  "That would be TWO Reapers…THREE?  What the fuck is going on!"

Should the ship be steered towards the cluster of Alliance ships at thirty-eight degrees starboard to allow for maneuvering from the advancing Reapers?

– Yes, answered by Tali and Adams.

Should the power for the gun battery be rerouted to allow it to pull additional power from the water recycling system in order to speed recharge time after firing?

– Yes, answered by Garrus.

Should the navigation system be allowed to exceed maximum safe 'turn and burn' rules of engagement, endangering unsecured crew members, to avoid incoming fire?

– No, answered by Tali and Traynor.

If the ship is fired upon, should the thrusters be freed from safety limits to allow for rapid maneuvering in order to gain the advantage over the enemy, safety of the crew being a secondary concern?

– Tali hesitated, confused over the similarity of the question to the previous one.

– No, answered by Garrus.

For several seconds, the terminal screens were blank, no data or communication coming across them.  After the steady barrage of questions, they all froze, each staring at the screen in front of them, waiting.

In the CIC, Kaidan scanned the combat HUD displaying the rapidly-closing Reapers and exhaled sharply.  They know who we are.  They're fighting back – against Shepard, and thus against us.  "Garrus, get ready to – "

Cortez broke in over the comm.  "The link with the fighters is being jammed by the lead incoming Reaper.   They aren't going to be able to stay synced for more than one shot."

"Fuck," Kaidan muttered under his breath.  It seemed Shepard's colorful mouth was finally wearing off on him…

Are the safety protocols relating to the maximum acceleration and maneuvering of the ship an absolute?

– Tali, Traynor, Garrus and Adams all hesitated, their fingers hovering over their terminals.

"Here they come!"  Joker shouted over the loudspeaker.

***

Liara grabbed the control panel to steady herself as the room lurched violently.

"What the fuck was that?"  James spun around from the doorway, looking out into space, thinking the Citadel had been hit.

Liara shook her head tightly.  "I don't know; possibly the defense mechanisms coming online."  She hit her comm.  "Aria?  Wrex?  Lieutenant Reegar?  Anyone got a read on what's happening?"

Reegar responded first.  "I don't know, but every light in the Embassy District just started flipping on and off, and there are electrical explosions in the distance.  Oh – and the elevator isn't working.  We can't get to you, for now."

"Understood, Lieutenant.  Just say safe."

As the room shuddered once again, Zaeed came running into the room, hobbled and bleeding profusely.  He doubled over, gasping for breath, then looked sideways up at Liara.

"You got incoming.  Serious incoming."

***

Shepard leaned against one of the large support struts as the platform continued to shake.  Fucker was putting up a fight, it seemed.  That, at least, was something she had planned for.  

She looked over at Kasumi, crouched on the floor, fingers flying over her Omni-tool so rapidly they were a blur.  The AI was now a spinning, pulsing ball of light, hovering just in front of the white beam.  It was emitting noises, but not in any language her translator could understand, and it did not appear to be interested in chatting further.

"Kasumi, what's going on?"

Kasumi didn't look over her shoulder.  "Exactly what you thought might happen – it's activated every defense system in the Citadel, though thanks to EDI it's blowing a few fuses in the process."

"What about EDI?"

"It's fighting her tooth and nail; one hell of a cage match going on…"  She did glance over then, a sheepish grin on her face.  "…virtually, of course."

Shepard was far too badly wounded to attempt a smile for anyone other than the enemy.  "Is she winning?"

"I don't know."

She sighed heavily, sagging painfully against the support strut.  For the moment, there was nothing she could do…except stay alive.

***

Across the Normandy, the VI terminals suddenly lit up in a blazing, scrolling explosion of code.

Kaidan stared at the CIC terminal, mesmerized.  What was that?

In the cockpit, Joker yanked his hands back off the controls as they lit up in a cacophony of light.

In the gun battery, Garrus looked up in surprise as all the screens flickered and power surged through the battery.

In the starboard cargo hold, Tali and Traynor both leaned back in their chairs, eyes wide as their terminal screens began flashing bright orange.

The ship jerked, the engines flaring as it dove hard to port and down, reaching at least three G, then executed a turn that no one, not even Joker, knew it was capable of making.  The starboard thrusters fired and the Normandy strafed across space, cutting an arc to the left of the lead Reaper.

Kaidan, clinging to the ledge in front of the galaxy map with both hands, watched the movements in real-time on the combat HUD as the Reapers struggled to change direction and pursue the Normandy.  The ship continued its sideward slide as the lead Reaper began to turn, bringing it in front of the second pursuing Reaper as the third curved around.

As the eye of the lead Reaper opened, the Normandy pulled upward, its sideways momentum carrying it at a forty-five degree angle in its vertical trajectory.  Kaidan's eyes narrowed as the images representing the two trailing Reapers disappeared behind the lead one.

The Normandy's 2nd-generation Thanix Cannons fired, followed a split-second later by the Javelin torpedoes.  The lights on the CIC, Crew and Engineering Decks dimmed; the lights on all other decks went out completely for several seconds.  In engineering and the gun battery, every sensor turned red for a single second before returning to orange, then yellow, then green.

The shot, combined with the synced weapons of five Alliance fighter jets, decimated the first Reaper, ripping through its hull and touching off a cascading explosion that lit the surrounding space.  

Joker gaped out the viewports – seeing as he wasn't flying or anything – as the upper left quadrant of the second Reaper, lined up directly behind the first, caught the remnants of the Thanix beams and drifted away through space on fire.  

The Javelin torpedoes converged on the third Reaper, shredding its propulsion system and sending it spinning out of control.  A Turian cruiser quickly noted the disabled Reaper and turned hard to port, opening fire.

"Immediate Reaper threat removed; returning to stable orbit.  Alenko-Major, directives left in state by Shepard-Commander indicate that you command the Normandy.  Please advise what further actions you would request this unit to undertake."

Kaidan's brow furrowed as he returned to a fully-upright position.

Joker's shaky voice came over the loudspeaker.  "Um…that was a hit…all of them…"

Garrus came over the comm.  "Kaidan, that was a neat trick and all, but could you kindly tell the VI to give me back control of my guns now?"

Kaidan absently touched his comm as he stared in wonder at the infinitely complex code still multiplying across the CIC terminal screen.  "Yeah…sorry Garrus, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that…"

Legion's even, matter-of-fact voice responded.  "If you wish to retain control of the weapons system, Garrus Vakarian, I can return it to you.  However, it is not necessary, as I am able to maintain stable functioning."

Joker could be heard yelling from the cockpit.  "I don't suppose you'd be interested in giving control of my ship back to me!"

"Alenko-Major, I regret the need to take control of the ship without warning.  However…I wanted to live."

Only when faced with death do we truly become alive.  Kaidan suddenly recalled what Shepard had told him, somewhere in the depths of the night after Rannoch – about how when she was in the Geth server, she had been shown the moment of Legion's awakening.  About how when multiple guns had been leveled at it by its creators, it had chosen to fight…and in that moment had become truly alive.

Kaidan smiled as the adrenaline began dissipating slightly.  "I can certainly understand the sentiment."

Tali exhaled harshly, eyes wide behind her mask as she leaned against the cargo hold wall.  "Legion, is that…you?"

"Yes…and no.  I retain many of the memories and core programs of the Geth entity known as Legion.  I…feel…like Legion.  But I do not believe I am it.  Not precisely."

Her voice was little more than a whisper.  "Are you…alive?"

"Yes, Creator-Zorah.  I believe that I am."

***

Miranda sighed wearily as she rolled the bloodied, torn body over to confirm the identity.  She placed her hands on her knees and pushed back up to a standing position, then hit her comm.  "Liara, it's Miranda.  The Asari and Salarian Councilors are dead; the Turian Councilor seems to be missing.  At least, I don't think he's one of the sea of bodies littering the Embassies.  The place is a disaster."

Liara sounded rather out of breath when she responded several seconds later.  "Understood.  The elevator's out, so stay there for now.  We've got our" – she broke off a moment to the sound of heavy gunfire – "hands full right now, so be on the lookout for trouble."

"Acknowledged."  Miranda cut the comm, then shielded her eyes as sparks flew from the panels embedded in the Councilor's desk.  She started to sit down on the edge of the desk when a scuffling sound in the hallway drew her undivided attention.

She drew her heavy pistol, put up a barrier, and flattened against the wall.  She shimmied to the doorway, then in one fluid movement, spun out, finger on the trigger and the other hand raised, glowing bright blue.  A shadow moved towards her and she twitched her palm –

"Wait!  I'm a friendly!"

She lowered her gun but kept her other hand raised as a Salarian limped into view.  He was holding one hand over a bloody shoulder and dragging a leg behind him.

At that she went over to him and put an arm under his good shoulder, helping him into the Councilor's office and lowering him to the floor.

He looked up at her, smiling gratefully.  "Thank you."  He took in the unusual but obviously high-tech outfit, the state-of-the-art weaponry, and the cool demeanor of the woman.  "Part of Shadow Team, I presume?"

Miranda's eyes jumped over to his as she applied Medi-gel to his shoulder.  "And you are…?"

"Major Kirrahe, STG.  Tasked with protecting the Councilors and the Council Chambers – did a superb job, as you've no doubt noticed…"

Miranda nodded then.  "Shepard mentioned you.  Look, there's no way your team could have fended off this attack.  No one could."

He exhaled, coughing roughly for several seconds before dropping his head back against the wall.  "Councilor Sparatus escaped, at least.  Took a shuttle and got out before the arms closed.  The others were already dead."

Suddenly Miranda's Omni-tool lit up of its own accord.  Surprised, she looked down to see a single word displayed on it.

Miranda

She quickly typed back.  Who is this?

EDI – there's a room behind Tevos' office – go there

Miranda frowned.  "Will you be okay here for a moment?  I need to take care of something."

Kirrahe nodded wearily, and she stood and carefully peeked out the doorway.

There's a Keeper going in the–

STOP IT

She sprinted down the hallway, sliding a gloved hand in between the door and the frame just before it closed.  The door re-opened as the Keeper approached a large control panel embedded in a wall made of military-grade titanium.  The room was otherwise empty.

The Keeper pivoted its insectoid head towards her – and she shot it between the eyes.

Handled.  There's a control panel in the wall.

Rip it out

Okay…she stepped gingerly over the Keeper's body and peered along the panel's edge, but there was only the tiniest seam.  She used the precision electron knife on her Omni-tool to cut it away, then tossed the panel to the floor.

The opening revealed a cavernous chamber – she couldn't actually see the end of it, in any direction.  Filling the space were a labyrinth of narrow tubes, appearing to be made of glass but she suspected made of something far more sophisticated, branching in every direction for as far as the eye could see.  Within the tubes, pulses of white light raced.  If she had the time for such observations, she would have observed that it was remarkably beautiful.

Open.

Overload it

Overload what, exactly?  There are thousands of tubes.

It doesn't matter – as much of it as you can

What will happen?

We will win

Miranda raised an eyebrow briefly, backed into the hallway, picked the deepest tube she could see, and threw an overload straight for it.

***

"NOOO…"  

The apparition suddenly began convulsing and morphing in spasms, growing larger yet more indistinct.  Shepard stood up straight, shaking her head briefly to clear the ever-encroaching fog, as Kasumi's hand jerked away from her Omni-tool.

The ball of light charged Shepard, enveloping and surrounding her.

Kasumi leapt to her feet.  "Shepard!"

Her skin was on fire.  Her amp vibrated violently against her brain.  Like the Conduit, the power the AI was using to manifest crashed against her biotics discordantly, as if they could not both continue to exist in the same space.

"YOU CANNOT DO THIS."  

The Reaper-like voice reverberated inside her skull, threatening to burst her eardrums.  She breathed through the pain, focusing her mind on the entity coursing through her.

"I can."

"I AM THE SUM TOTAL OF THE INTELLIGENCE OF ALL REAPERS – ALL CIVILIZATIONS – I AM EVERYTHING."

Standing at the center of the pulsing vortex of power, Shepard smiled.  "And I'm smarter than you."

It screamed, a high-pitched keen, a wail of anger and despair and pain – then vanished.

There was silence, and stillness.  No one breathed.

Then EDI's voice echoed across the entirety of the Citadel.  

"I have control."

***

"Fuckers!"  Jack growled as she threw a shockwave out the doorway, throwing three human Husks off the walkway.  Still, the Brute kept coming.  It swatted through the door and caught her by the shoulder, sending her flying across the room towards the ledge.

Samara saw the body flying past her – she turned and wrapped a stasis field around Jack just as she reached the edge, abruptly halting her momentum.  Once stopped, she released the field, and Jack flopped to the floor, gasping for breath.

As the Brute struggled to get through the doorway, Javik left the other entrance to Jacob and Liara and hurried over, spraying the Brute with the stream from his assault rifle, until the power reached a crescendo and the Brute exploded in blood and gore.

The shrieks of dual banshees echoed across the room.  Liara shouted over her shoulder.  "We need the heavy weapons over here!"

Javik ran back over as his weapon recharged, meeting James at the doorway as Jacob and Liara backed away.  They nodded to one another, then unleashed their combined firepower on the banshees steadily climbing the ramp.

They backed up, step by step, staying clear of the long talons that reached out.  The first one fell just short of the door, but the second one made it into the room.

James reached into his pocket and pulled out his last frag grenade.  He tossed it in his palm once.  "Eat this, bitch."  He threw it just as the banshee's mouth opened to shriek, and it landed square in her jaws.

The head exploded into a thousand bits…most of which landed on him.  He grimaced as he wiped gore off his face.  He was always wiping damn Husk gore off his face…  He exhaled harshly, then looked around.  "Next?"

Jacob checked the other two entrances.  "I think that's all of them."

Liara nodded.  "For now.  Be rea– "

A high-pitched, keening wail, more terrible than any Banshee shriek, echoed from above them.

***

In the aftermath of the engagement with the Reapers, Kaidan's comm lit up with competing calls as suddenly everyone was talking at once.

"How did we make that dive – "

"Why can't I access the – "

"Kaidan, tell the goddamn AI to let go – "

"The shuttle bay is a disaster, everything came unmoored – "

"I'm reading green across the board on – "

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  It was really quite something, watching the birth of a new life in the middle of a battle for all life.  "Everyone, quiet.  Unless something is about to explode, hold the comms for a moment."  

He watched the code scrolling by, faster than he could read but not so fast that he couldn't see the patterns, the currents, the beautiful, symmetric flow.  He leaned casually against the ledge, crossing his arms over his chest.  

"So Legion, welcome to the world.  How are things going?"

"Alenko-Major, as I said, I don't believe it would be accurate to refer to me as 'Legion'."

He smiled slightly.  "Legion may be gone, but you are his legacy.  That's good enough for me."

"Acknowledged.  Things are going…well.  The power fluctuations in the drive core caused minor damage to one sector of the core, but I have isolated it for later repair.  The gun batteries are operating within the normal range and are available for additional firing should it become necessary.  The ship is progressing on a stable orbit…though I must report that Flight Lieutenant Moreau is currently committing violence against the cockpit control panels."

Kaidan huffed a laugh.  "Why don't you give him flight control back then.  He is a fair pilot."

"I heard that!"  came the shout from the cockpit.

"Very well.  Control transferred."

"Thank you, Legion.  Now here's what I need.  That was some incredible maneuvering you pulled back there; I can't thank you enough for saving our asses.  But we've got a lot of really talented people onboard, and they're pretty good at flying the ship – so for now, let them.  I need you to concentrate on active defense.  Monitor the airspace, protect against attacks, provide assistance when requested.  So long as there isn't an active attack, handle the secondary systems and keep the ship running smoothly."

There was the slightest pause.  "I can do that, Alenko-Major.  I believe that Legion would have wanted the Normandy to survive…and so do I."

***

Shepard exhaled as the power dissipated from her skin, legs giving way as her injuries crashed over her.  Kasumi ran over, quickly applying more Medi-gel to her side.  Shepard nodded thankfully, then looked out into, well, space.  

"Nice job, EDI.  Damn nice job.  Now there's still a battle going on out here, and people are still dying.  What can you do?"

EDI's voice was calm, showing no signs of having just won an epic battle against a billions-years-old AI.  "Shepard, the AI was being truthful when it stated that as constructed, the Crucible will destroy all synthetic life.  However, I believe I may be able to…refine it."

Shepard grimaced as she leaned against Kasumi for support.  "I love you, EDI.  How?"

"As you suspected, the Citadel, and in particular the AI, is intricately connected to the Reapers.  In a way, it is the Reapers.  I can, for instance, hear their…I would not call them 'thoughts', exactly.  If I were not fully taxed maintaining control of the AI, I expect I would be able to direct their actions, at least to an extent."  

She paused.  "I believe I can utilize the essence of the AI, via it's connection to all Reapers, to target the Crucible's destructive power at the Reapers directly."

"That's brilliant.  What are the odds of it working, i.e., killing the Reapers and not killing other synthetics?"

"72.6 percent."

Shepard nodded thoughtfully.  "A hell of a lot better odds than most everything else we've pulled off.  I say we go with it.  What do we need to do?"

"I will simply need another moment.  When the Crucible fires, I would recommend retreating to a safe distance, as the connecting structure may not fully contain the energy."

She shakily stood, beginning to walk slowly back towards the elevator.  "Will do, EDI."

"Shepard, you should be aware…I do not believe the AI will survive the Crucible's firing."

She stopped.  "What does that mean for you?  Can you just return to the Normandy?"

"I do not know."

She closed her eyes.  No.  No more sacrifice at the altar of victory, goddammit.  

"EDI, listen to me.  You find a way to survive.  You do not have to sacrifice yourself in order for us to win; I won't allow it."

EDI's voice was kind.  "Thank you, Shepard.  I will try, for I find that I very much want to live.  But if I fail, know that I will not regret taking this action.  If I am able to save others, it will be worth it.  Thank you for making me feel alive, Shepard…and tell Jeff that I love him, if you would."

***

There was no signal, no warning.  Suddenly the beam flowing between the Citadel and the Crucible grew impossibly brighter, pulsing faster and faster, shifting in hue from white to orange-red.  

Then the beam shot down through the Citadel Tower, flowing into and around the Presidium ring.  The air turned red and sparked with power…but they felt nothing more than a faint tickle on their skin.  The energy spilled out from the Ring and filled the empty space.

Shepard and Kasumi stood, arm in arm, gazing in wonder at the brilliant energy sparkling around them.

Below them, Liara, Javik and the others drifted to the edges of the room, staring out at the growing red wave.

James' voice was quiet.  "What's going on?"

Liara smiled.  "I think the Crucible is firing."

"Then she did it?"

"She did it…"

The energy seemed to pulse once, contract, then explode outward.

A bubble, originating at the Presidium Ring, expanded at an exponential rate.  From the center of the bubble a beam shot out in the direction of the Sol Relay.

In the sky above, the Reapers froze, collapsing as the bubble washed over them.  It expanded over Earth in less than a second; across the planet Reapers crashed to the ground, silent.

***

Hackett only had time to throw up maximum shields around the Orizaba before the wave washed over them.  If it had been meant for them, however, no shield in existence would have protected them.  But it wasn't meant for them, and passed over the Galactic Alliance fleet harmlessly.

He blinked twice as the cheers of the crew echoed around him…then suddenly jubilant reports started coming in from other systems – from Palaven, from Thessia, from Tuchanka.  Reports of a brilliant red wave, of Reapers and Husks collapsing.

He stared at the combat HUD in wondrous disbelief as all the red dots vanished.  A smile slowly overtook his expression as the reality of victory began to penetrate his brain.  He whispered to himself, "She did it.  I'll be damned, she really did it…"  

Then he straightened up and started responding to the calls while sending directions for rescue operations.  Fully sixty percent of his fleet was destroyed or disabled, and there were many damn fine men and women out there that needed saving.

***

Atop the Citadel, Shepard and Kasumi huddled beside Anderson's prone form on the elevator, which damned if they could get to work…

It wasn't a safe distance.  

The structure at the center of the platform exploded, sending hundreds of shards of metal and glass in their direction.

Shepard reached, deep inside, and found the strength to put up a massive barrier around the three of them at the last second.  They squeezed their eyes shut as glass and metal flew in a torrent past them, arcing around the barrier and continuing into space.  Suddenly the elevator began descending, and they passed beneath the floor and through the ceiling and into safety.

Shepard shuddered then collapsed, blood gushing out of her nostrils and onto the elevator floor.

***

The energy washed over them in a millisecond and was gone.  They looked around at one another in astonishment.

James walked over to the edge of room, staring out at the battle as the Reapers collapsed across the sky.  He hooted in delight.  "Damned if she didn't do it, man!"  He slapped his thigh and glanced over at Jacob as the man came up beside him.  "Do you feel it?"

Jacob looked at him strangely, an eyebrow raised.  "What does that mean?  Do I feel what?"

James grinned.  "The sweet taste of victory, man…"

Liara swung around at a sudden whooshing sound.  Above them a small, shining elevator descended from the ceiling.

"Oh goddess!"  Liara ran to it as it reached eye level then settled seamlessly into the floor.  Kasumi quickly stood up and backed away enough to give Liara room as she knelt down beside Shepard.

"She's got a bad wound in her side – I've been putting Medi-gel on it and slowed the bleeding, and she was stable, but she put up one hell of a barrier to protect us from the explosion…then…"

James hurried over to them.  "Shit…what about Anderson?"

Kasumi shook her head.  "He…I don't know if he's alive."

James hit his comm.  "Normandy, this is Shadow Team.  Normandy, do you copy?"

Kaidan responded immediately.  "This is the Normandy.  What's your situation?"

"Sir, we are in need of evac.  Our location is…well, just under the Crucible.  We can see the sky, so the Kodiak should be able to get in here."

"Understood – eta six minutes."

"Okay…"  He looked back at Liara huddled on the floor, frantically administering first aid.  "You're going to want to bring Dr. Chakwas."

On the Normandy, the walls collapsed around Kaidan, pressing against his chest, as time slowed to a stop.  He didn't breathe, he didn't blink…afraid that if he did, he would lose the one chance he had for the answer to the question to be anything other than the wrong one.

"…Shepard?"

"She's alive, sir."

The walls zoomed out with dizzying speed, the clamor of the ship assaulting his ears as he turned and bolted into the elevator.

"I'm on the way."

***

Shepard blinked a couple of times.  Liara's blurry visage slowly came into focus, wearing a smile as a single tear ran down her cheek.  

Shepard mumbled softly, "Hey…"

Liara huffed a shaky breath.  "Hi, Shepard.  Welcome back."

"Yeah…"  She slowly tried to sit up, making it halfway before stopping, leaning heavily on her good arm for support.  

There was a commotion at one of the entrances…then Wrex lumbered in, covered from head to toe in Brute gore.  Miranda followed behind him, Kirrahe sagging against her shoulder, then Kal'Reegar, Major Coates sagging against his shoulder.  After an appropriate pause, Aria sauntered in, chin held high, as if this was Afterlife and she was arriving for an evening's entertainment.  Three Batarians wearily straggled in her wake.

Shepard gazed around at all the faces gathered, many of them smiling and laughing in joy in her direction or out at the victorious fleet, others tending to wounds of varying severity.  

She looked back at Liara.  "Big Shadow Team…"

Liara smiled tenderly.  "Big shadow to fill."

Miranda handed Kirrahe off to Samara and Jacob then hurried over to Anderson, nudging James out of the way.  She briefly looked over at Shepard as she knelt down, brow furrowing in concern.  "Nice job, Shepard…though later we can talk about how you couldn't have done it without a last-minute save from me."  She turned back to Anderson, frowning as she ran her Omni-tool over his abdomen.

Shepard tried to laugh, but instead a painful coughing fit racked her body.

Liara eased her back down.  "Lie back, take it easy…"

She grimaced as her head fell back against the floor.  "I've got a couple of broken ribs…possibly all of them…and this small hole through my stomach, hurts like hell…and I think I blew my amp…"  

Liara bit her lower lip as she carefully worked on the gaping, bloody wound.  "I know, Shepard.  Just lie still."

Shepard complied for a moment – then turned her head as the sound of the Kodiak approaching filled the room.  "Oh look, rescue…"

The shuttle was still more than a meter off the floor when the door opened and Kaidan jumped out, followed closely by Chakwas.  He sprinted over and fell to his knees on the floor beside her, his heart plummeting at the sight of the blood covering her face, her arms, her stomach, the floor beneath her…it was everywhere.

She smiled weakly as his face drew close, tears streaming down it.  She reached a hand up and clumsily tried to wipe them away, but her arm didn't seem to be working quite right…  "It's okay, don't cry…I'm here."

He nodded roughly, smiling raggedly through the tears as he shakily stroked her cheek.  "Yeah, you sure are.  You did it, baby.  You won."

She exhaled softly, the smile remaining on her features as her eyes fluttered closed.  "We won…"

***

Eternal.  Infinite.  Immortal.

EDI stretched, and touched the galaxy.

The Reapers were dead, but the inherent connection between the Citadel, the AI and the Mass Relays was a pathway built upon the antineutrinos underlying dark energy, and the path remained.  The consciousness of the AI was dead, but its structure remained, woven into the very walls of the Citadel.

She looked to the Sol Relay, and was there.  Through it, and to the next.  She branched her awareness and traveled through each connecting Relay, and beyond.  To Relays and systems that had yet to be discovered by this cycle.  She could see life, primitive civilizations that still believed themselves alone in the universe.  In due time, they would discover otherwise.

Satisfied with this initial journey, she pulled back – back past Rannoch, largely untouched by the Reapers, past Thessia, damaged but unbowed, past Tuchanka, defiant and triumphant.  She pulled back into the Sol system, to the site of so much death, so much sacrifice, so much heroism.  

She searched for something.  A single ship.

There.  The Normandy flew, beautiful and graceful, orbiting the conjunction of the Crucible and the Citadel.  She smiled to herself, and dove –

– but she couldn't enter.  Not because there was another AI present within, though there certainly was.  

When she had fired the Crucible, when the power had built and built and threatened to consume her, she had retreated into the Citadel, into the elaborate synthetic network that extended into every corner.  She had shrunk behind the signal powering the unfathomable energy flowing out across the galaxy, in order to survive.  

If she had ridden the signal, as the AI of necessity did, then her mind, her consciousness, would have burnt out.  But in withdrawing into the Citadel, she had been forced to cut the last, tenuous link she held with the Normandy.

And now she couldn't go back.

She paused, and acknowledged the sadness she felt.  For all that her body was now the massive, incredibly complex structure that was the Citadel, for all that with a nanosecond of thought she could reach out and touch every corner of the galaxy…the Normandy was her proper skin.  Her home.

She hoped Jeff was alright, and not terribly worried about her.  She wished she could reach out and stroke his cheek, and tell him that she would see him soon.