This choice: Before she can react, something bad happens. • Go Back... Shepard sighed and leaned back against the bed. Chakwas continued rummaging through the equipment, and to the soldier’s amusement, she saw a strong resemblance to Mordin in the doctor’s intensity. Finally, the older woman turned around with a large, probe-like device in hand. “You’re not going to enjoy this, Shepard, but I’ll need you to turn around and remove your trousers.” All right, this was almost identical to how one would expect Mordin to act, and at that, the Commander let out a small chuckle.
“I appreciate your concern, doc, but I’m not too fond of the idea of being probed for science.” Shepard raised both hands and backed toward the large windows as Chakwas approached. The doctor continued forward mindlessly, holding out the device like some sort of perverse weapon. “Doc? Are you even listening to me?” Still the older woman advanced, though now her head twitched slightly, and as she entered in range, Shepard grabbed the outstretched arm. It was hard, metallic, unnatural. “Who the hell are you, and what’s going.” The doctor’s face spasmed and twitched before bright sparks began spewing from the middle of her back. In an instant the impostor doctor locked down like an old wind-up doll.
Shepard walked around the frozen android and raced to the door, flinging it open. On the other side of the door stood a Cerberus soldier with his rifle aimed straight at Shepard’s head. Diving back into the room, she took cover behind a metal cabinet. Yet to her amazement, he did not open fire. Now that she was back inside the room, the armored soldier lowered his rifle and shut the door, locking it from the outside. “What the hell is going on here?”
“Shepard.” This was the voice. This was whom she heard from within her nightmare. Deep, hollow, and terrifyingly ancient. A faint glow illuminated the front wall, casting Shepard’s shadow across it. Turning about, the Commander saw her keeper. Her eyes went wide, and she could find no words to react. It was him. “Are you afraid, Shepard?”
Harbinger. The citadel sent out Shepard’s consciousness into all of the Reapers long enough to reprogram them for good. It should have affected every last one of them, but here now floated the hologram of the primarch of the Reapers. “...How.” All she could do was wonder.
“I am ancient beyond counting. Your diminutive mortal mind could never hope to sway one such as I. Your interference in altering the task of the others is merely a setback.” He always liked to talk too much, but with each word, Shepard was regaining her composure. She’d beaten him twice now, and she could find a way to beat him again.
“And here I thought I was done hearing you preach, Reaper.” Shepard placed her hands on her hips and glared at the orange glow. “You can’t keep me here forever. The others--”
“--will never find you.” The deep, reverberating voice silenced Shepard, and she simply awaited an explanation. “The entirety of the galaxy has declared you a martyr, and they remain blind to your survival. Such is my will.” Shit. If this was true, no one aboard the Normandy would be looking for her. Even still, she had no idea where the genocidal machine was holding her.
“You’re afraid of me, Harbinger. Why else would you keep me hidden? Why haven’t you just killed me yet?” Shepard’s resolve was growing, and she could feel it smothering the fear inside her. The machine clearly had a reason to keep her alive, but what was its plan?
“Locked deep within your mind resides the key to controlling the Reapers. I will reclaim this power.” Harbinger’s cold, faceless shell stared at her through the hologram. “Due to the fragility of the human mind, alternative methods must be applied.”
“Alternative? Tell me what you have planned, Harbinger.” She stretched out her arms to the sides to solidify her helplessness. “What harm can I cause from in here?”
“None. You are powerless, Shepard.” The machine paused before regaling its scheme. “Your physique has been enhanced with an abundance of cybernetics. Altering the process of indoctrination will allow me access to your physical properties with limited neurological tampering.”
“Would you care to explain that to me so I understand?” Although she was knowledgeable on several technological terms, Harbinger’s meaning was still lost on her.
“Your pathetic understanding is beneath me.” However, after a brief pause the Reaper translated the plan to layman’s terms. “Your body is mine to do with as I determine most appropriate.” With that, the walls all shifted, removing the illusion of a hospital room. His words sent a shiver down her spine, but after observing her surroundings, she felt her heart sink. Shepard stood in the center of a large holding cell, that much was clear, but the walls, floor, and ceiling were metallic with blue lights scattered about their surfaces.
“Where am I?” Shepard looked about, but the false window was nowhere to be found. Instead, her only light came from the dim glow of the blue circles on each surface. If not for gravity, she couldn’t tell you which way was down.
“Inside.” The one word response struck Shepard as odd, but she suddenly realized the severity of the word. She was inside Harbinger. If Saren could pilot Sovereign under the assumption it was a Geth vessel, existing inside a different Reaper was not out of the question. However, her thoughts were quickly broken by the sound of several ports opening up in the walls.
 | Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2024 Ar-Khazaad (UN: ar-khazaad at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
BellyLover has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author