The Glade 4.0

“Commander.”
“We did it.”
“Yes. We did. Its... quite a view”
“Best seats in the house.
“God. Feels like years since I just. Sat Down.
“I think you’ve earned the rest.
“Anderson? Stay with me. We’re almost through this.
“You did good kid. You did good. I’m... Proud of you.
“Thank you sir. Anderson?”
Shepard pressed her hand to her side and it came away slicked with blood.
“Shepard? Commander!” Admiral Hackett’s voice held an edge of panic.
“What do you need me to do?” Shepard asked as she attempted to gain her feet.
“Nothing’s happening, the Crucible’s not firing. Its got to be something on your end.”
“I don’t see...” she trailed off as she swam in and out of consciousness.
“Commander Shepard!”
“I’m not sure how to...” Falling face down on the floor, she knew that she was not going to make it.
“Commander!” Hackett screamed, the panic becoming more pronounced. “You have to...” The admiral was cut off sharply.
“I.”

“ASSUMING CONTROL,” a booming voice resonated through Shepard’s head as The Illusive Man’s eyes lit up with the fires of Harbinger. “DO YOU SEE NOW HOW FUTILE YOUR EFFORTS ARE? NOW THAT YOU LAY THERE, BLOODIED AND BROKEN, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE COME SO FAR AND FAILED SO COMPLETELY?”
“You? You were controlling him the entire time.”
“OF COURSE. HE WAS MERELY A PUPPET. NOW WATCH IN DESPAIR AS YOUR PATHETIC EFFORTS FALL BEFORE US LIKE WHEAT BEFORE THE REAPER’S SCYTHE.”
“No, it won’t end here.” Shepard stretched her arm out towards the console, dragging herself slowly towards it, leaving a slick trail of blood behind her.
“YES IT WILL. YOU’RE FINISHED. YOU CAN BARELY MOVE. YOU. HAVE. FAILED.”
Shepard steeled herself at this last thought from Harbinger and slowly got to her knees. “No! I will not!” Staggering to her feet, she reached the console. “Admiral Hackett! Admiral!”
“HE’S GONE. THEY’RE ALL GONE. YOU’VE FAILED. GIVE UP THIS SENSELESS RESISTANCE.”
“Never!” Shepard slammed her hand down on the console, triggering the activation of the Crucible. Immediately the chamber was flooded with energy, suffusing her every cell. Shepard screamed with the agony. It was incandescent, white hot rivulets of energy flowed through her and into the catalyst. Then, for her, all went dark.

Outside, a brilliant white beam was forming at the tip of the Crucible, just as inside, the energy built and built until it was released in one titanic flash. Passing through every reaper in Sol local space, the beam of energy flared out towards the Mass Relay out beyond Pluto. It was gathered in and radiated out towards every relay connected to Charon. For a moment, the Relay flickered and dimmed as the rings slowed almost to a halt after processing the blast. Reaper hulls stuttered and went dark as the energy shot through them. The massive fleet battle was concluded as the reapers went inert. Human and Turian, Quarian and Asari, Volus, Salarian and every other race’s ships opened fire on the motionless carcasses and ripped them to shreds. Without shields, they were simply advanced metallic hulls, easily pierced by the assembled dreadnought forces. As the assembled fleets took their vengeance on the helpless ancient monstrosities, the relay out beyond Pluto sparked back to life, the rings returning to their earlier speed.

“Commander.”
“We did it.”
“Yes. We did. Its... quite a view”
“Best seats in the house.
“God. Feels like years since I just. Sat Down.
“I think you’ve earned the rest.
“Anderson? Stay with me. We’re almost through this.
“You did good kid. You did good. I’m... Proud of you.
“Thank you sir. Anderson?”
Shepard pressed her hand to her side and it came away slicked with blood.
“Shepard? Commander!” Admiral Hackett’s voice held an edge of panic.
“What do you need me to do?” Shepard asked as she attempted to gain her feet.
“Nothing’s happening, the Crucible’s not firing. Its got to be something on your end.”
“I don’t see...” she trailed off as she swam in and out of consciousness.
“Commander Shepard!”
“I’m not sure how to...” Falling face down on the floor, she knew that she was not going to make it.
“Commander!” Hackett screamed, the panic becoming more pronounced. “You have to...” The admiral was cut off sharply.
“I.”

“ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL,” a booming voice resonated through Shepard’s head as The Illusive Man’s eyes lit up with the fires of Harbinger. “DO YOU SEE NOW HOW FUTILE YOUR EFFORTS ARE? NOW THAT YOU LAY THERE, BLOODIED AND BROKEN, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE COME SO FAR AND FAILED SO COMPLETELY?”
“You? You were controlling him the entire time.”
“OF COURSE. HE WAS MERELY A PUPPET. NOW WATCH IN DESPAIR AS YOUR PATHETIC EFFORTS FALL BEFORE US LIKE WHEAT BEFORE THE REAPER’S SCYTHE.”
“No, it won’t end here.” Shepard stretched her arm out towards the console, dragging herself slowly towards it, leaving a slick trail of blood behind her.
“YES IT WILL. YOU’RE FINISHED. YOU CAN BARELY MOVE. YOU. HAVE. FAILED.”
Shepard steeled herself at this last thought from Harbinger and slowly got to her knees. “No! I will not!” Staggering to her feet, she reached the console. “Admiral Hackett! Admiral!”
“HE’S GONE. THEY’RE ALL GONE. YOU’VE FAILED. GIVE UP THIS SENSELESS RESISTANCE.”
Liara T'soni's voice speaks softly in the darkness. "Assume this, *******."
The Illusive Harbinger whirls suddenly, but too late as several pistol shots ring out and drop it once more to the ground. Liara kneels at Shepard's side, administering a strong does of medi-gel from her omni-tool, and helps Shepard to her feet. No words need to be said, the look between them is everything. Shepard turns to the console, triggering the activation of the Crucible. Immediately the chamber was flooded with light.

Outside, a brilliant white beam was forming at the tip of the Crucible, just as inside, the energy built and built until it was released in one titanic flash. Passing through every reaper in Sol local space, the beam of energy flared out towards the Mass Relay out beyond Pluto. It was gathered in and radiated out towards every relay connected to Charon. For a moment, the Relay flickered and dimmed as the rings slowed almost to a halt after processing the blast. Reaper hulls stuttered and went dark as the energy shot through them. The massive fleet battle was concluded as the reapers went inert. Human and Turian, Quarian and Asari, Volus, Salarian and every other race’s ships opened fire on the motionless carcasses and ripped them to shreds. Without shields, they were simply advanced metallic hulls, easily pierced by the assembled dreadnought forces. As the assembled fleets took their vengeance on the helpless ancient monstrosities, the relay out beyond Pluto sparked back to life, the rings returning to their earlier speed.