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Chapter 3.3 Beacon
The Prothean lighthouse towered in all its dubious glory: a narrow pylon glowing with a ghostly green light, covered with dim lights. It's a beautiful device, I can't take that away, even though it didn't bring up the most pleasant associations in my memory. It looked too much like hubs in undead cities. The same ghostly green glow, except that it is warm, and the deathly cold of necroelectric energy is not felt. If it hadn't been so necessary, I wouldn't have gone within a mile of him!
"Unbelievable! The current Protean technology!" An enthusiastic voice sounded very close by.
I turned around. And here's a greeting from canon: Kayden admired the ancient device, slowly walking around it in a circle. The lighthouse's pylon stood in the center of the site, flashing green and gold lights, and hummed softly.
"How much time has passed, and it's still working." Ashley was kneading her left arm, which was hanging with a whip, numb from the discharge of a nearby husk. "When he was excavated, he didn't behave like that."
Of course, he didn't! It was inactive until Saren turned it on and counted the attached information. Now the device was working and waiting for its last victim.
"I wonder what he's hiding?" Alenko muttered, took a step forward and... crossed the security zone.
The beacon has been activated.
A powerful arc of energy passed through the pylon, throwing out a tight beam. Alenko screamed, slowly rising into the air. No matter how much the man resisted, an invisible force persistently dragged him towards the ancient device.
"ALENKO! Curious idiot!"
Running, I slammed into this jerk, knocking him out of the beam. The biotic collapsed to the floor, and I felt an invisible grip lift me into the air and pull me towards the slowly opening lighthouse.
Darg started to run towards me, but I shouted:
"Stop! Not an approxima..."
The visions flashed suddenly, instantly overloading the mind with an abyss of information: coordinates, chronicles, excerpts of recordings and short videos. Blood, war, planets burning in nuclear flames, collapsing cities, armies of beetle-like monsters tearing sentient beings of different races to pieces, fleets of ships dying under the blows of black machines so familiar to me, Reapers descending on the planet.
Blood, war, planets burning in nuclear flames, collapsing cities, armies of beetle-like monsters tearing sentient beings of different races to pieces, fleets of ships dying under the blows of black machines so familiar to me, Reapers descending on the planet. Episodes, excerpts, memories, emotions, feelings of despair, threats and hopelessness, a strange planet... It seemed that my head would simply burst from the endless stream of data being lavishly pressed into my poor brains! But finally, my consciousness could not stand it, and I plunged into blessed darkness.
Last coherent thoughts: *Alenko, moron... I'll kill the cattle!* and *The recharge will stop!*.
Consciousness returned painfully and slowly, pulling me out of the depths of a bloody nightmare. The information that was forced into my poor brains was slowly digested and sorted out, but its volume is such that colorful bloody dreams are guaranteed to me. My fingers were clenching convulsively from the desire to strangle Alenko, even though I knew in my mind that in any case I would have climbed under the lighthouse.
* * *
Something a little to the left beeped softly. I slowly opened my eyes, staring blearily at the familiar ceiling of the infirmary.
"Doctor? Dr. Chakwas!" Kayden's voice sounded alarmed. "She's awake."
The biotic beast! I turned my head and got a lot of pleasure from the unexpected but very pleasant sight that opened up to me: Alenko was sitting on the next bed, looking at me longingly with swollen eyes. Oops! Who fixed his face like that and put the backlight under both eyes? If I find out, I'll thank you. From the bottom of my heart! And so that Anderson doesn't hear, otherwise he won't appreciate it.
There was another beep from the left. When I turned around, I saw only a solid partition separating a part of the infirmary from us. I believe Nihlus is located there.
"You've got us worried, Shepard." The doctor came up to me, carefully examining my face. "How do you feel?"
I slowly propped myself up on my elbows and struggled to sit up.
"Disgusting! My head hurts!" I shuddered, cupping my aching temples with my fingers. How "long have I been unconscious?"
"About fifteen hours." the doctor replied. "I suppose it's the influence of the lighthouse. You're in luck, Commander."
How much?!! Fifteen hours?!! I closed my eyes, stifling a curse. It's good that Turians are so tenacious, and Nihlus, who managed to get a little boost in his body, managed to survive the time of my unconsciousness.
Guilt flashed brightly nearby. Oh, has it dawned on Kayden that I might just be freaking out because of him?
"It's my fault." He said penitently. "Apparently, I activated some kind of protective field, and you had to rescue me."
To be honest, I didn't expect Kayden to actually admit his guilt. Sincerely. Not many people can do this, just like that, and say: "I was wrong, it's my fault". But he could.
Maybe Kayden isn't that hopeless. Let's see, let's see. But he got caught in the face legitimately, and his brain needs to be rinsed so that it doesn't happen again next time.
"Lieutenant, you should remember that ancient artifacts can be dangerous. You can't just approach them like that: it's not known for what purposes they were made and what systems they have to protect against unauthorized access. We were lucky that the lighthouse just worked out and leaked the information embedded in it to me, and I was able to accept it and not get my brain burned out by such a crude transmission.
Chakwas's gaze was attentive and thoughtful, and Kayden looked at me with the eyes of a beaten dog. A very expressive face, which generally read everything that could be read. And this is without any mentalism.
Basically, he's not a bad guy. It's even a pity for him in some ways: the L2 implant caused a lot of inconvenience and was simply dangerous to life and mind, and its replacement is quite expensive. I know what constant and severe migraines are, when I am unable to think coherently from a dull aching pain, and sparks really fall from sharp, sharp lumbago. The funny ones are so bright-bright white dots that quickly scatter in all directions from the point of focus of vision and leave a light trail behind them. Or small rainbow squares running erratically in front of your eyes. And such a condition... It's interesting, like being in a closed glass jar: although your vision is crystal clear and clear, you look at the world somehow distantly, and the sounds are muffled. Sometimes it also gets fun. And the earth is spinning so funny under your feet.
I don't know how much Kayden has these symptoms, but he's not a fighter. Yes, the biotic is not bad, but he is not a fighter. He needs to have his implant changed. Preferably quickly, before the consequences accumulate and result in some kind of cute complication.
"Don't scold him, Commander." Karin said softly. "We had no idea what we were up against. And, unfortunately, we won't find out now."
To my questioning look, Kayden said:
The lighthouse exploded. You lost consciousness from the explosion.
It's clear. Then the canon worked: the lighthouse was destroyed. So Saren will find out about this soon and will want to rip my very knowledgeable head off. In fact, he will order my liquidation. But even during the passage of the game, I was wondering where Lady Benezia got the information so quickly while on board the Lord? Who leaked it?
"What are the consequences, Doctor?"
Physically, you're fine. But I found an unusual brain activity— abnormal beta waves. I also noticed that you have more rapid eye movements. These are the usual signs of intense dreaming.
"It wasn't a dream." I replied. "Information from the lighthouse appears in the form of fragmentary visions. Ragged, fuzzy, and messy."
"What did you see, Commander?" Kayden leaned forward, staring at me with the burning gaze of a beaten raccoon.
"Death and destruction." I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. "The Protheans recorded their deaths. Have you left a warning for other races? I don't know. But I didn't see anything pleasant."
There was silence in the infirmary. Kayden blinked in confusion, trying to comprehend what was said. Yes, there was nothing so fabulous about the lighthouse. No ancient technology or the great wisdom of a mighty civilization. Indeed, fragmentary pictures. When the mentalism is activated, I will sort through the information received and structure it. Maybe I'll get a whole streaming image, or maybe everything will remain in the form of scattered pieces of useless pictures. With a soft hiss, the door opened, admitting Captain Anderson to the infirmary. Kayden and I straightened up and saluted the sudden arrival of our superiors. The captain nodded, which was regarded as an analogue of the command *at ease*: Imrir knew Anderson's habits perfectly well.
"Doctor, what is the Commander's condition?"
"All indicators are normal. I think she's fine."
"I'm glad to hear that. Commander, I need to talk to you. In private."
Alenko ran away instantly, away from his superiors, but Karin frowned and did not budge, folding her arms over her chest.
"Captain, I cannot leave the infirmary while there is a critically injured patient in critical condition."
Having said that, the doctor retreated behind the partition. I guess you can hear everything there verbatim. The captain sighed, but did not argue. On the territory of the infirmary, the word of the doctor has power, perhaps no less than the power of the captain of the ship.
"I hope you're feeling well."
"Yes, sir," I replied shortly.
Anderson clasped his hands behind his back, frowning at me. I understand him in some ways. The situation was just magical. That's what he said:
"I won't lie to you. The situation is not the best. Nihlus is dying, the Lighthouse is destroyed, and the Geth have begun an invasion. The Council wants to ask you a number of questions."
Oh, how! Has he sent the report yet? In principle, a lot of time passed, I could have sent it, especially since we were on Eden Prime not far from the communication buoy. The ship was definitely moving between relays now, judging by the steady, measured vibration, barely perceptible by the body. Right now we are deaf and blind until we come out of the corridor near the destination repeater.
"I'm not going to let the Council pin the destruction of the lighthouse on me!" I said calmly, understanding the background perfectly.
"I will support you and your report, Commander. But that's not why I'm here." Anderson shook his head. "It's about Saren. The second Turian."
Anderson was silent for a few moments, pacing the infirmary, lost in unpleasant thoughts. The situation is really far from rosy, and the real Saren Arterius can cause much more problems than the canonical Saren. Still, this is the real world.
"Saren is a Spectr, and one of the best." The captain finally said. "A living legend. But if he got involved with the Geth, it means he decided to go his own way." Anderson turned around, staring at me intently. "A spectrum that refuses to obey the Council is a problem. Saren is dangerous. And he hates people."
Yes, Saren is dangerous. Damn dangerous! How dangerous can a practical and ruthless specialist with unlimited rights be? The question is different. His true motives. To what extent are his actions controlled by the Lord? How much does he do of his own volition, and how much is he forced to do? We need to find out as soon as possible. And this will be crucial in my future actions.
All my future actions and plans for the future depend, funnily enough, on the Spectr of Arterius. Is he subordinate or acting of his own free will? If subdued, he will be an extremely valuable ally if he can be freed. If he's working on his own... he's the enemy. There are no options or doubts, and it should be destroyed as quickly and accurately as possible. Unless, of course, I decide on my own that I should make a Harvest and throw this Cycle to the demons. And I haven't given up on this idea yet. Knowing myself, I seriously fear that serving in the army will only strengthen this idea in me.
I don't like military service! I can hardly stand the barracks and their crowding. I'm angry at the number of strangers in my personal space. Always, in all my lives, I have done everything to avoid the army. I've been anything from a mercenary, bounty hunter, or monster hunter, to a black archaeologist, to an artifact miner, but never a regular army soldier. The single life in which I was reborn into a man and entered active service caused me to have an unshakable dislike for the army, its laws and way of life. Perhaps it was influenced by the surge of Chaos that I had fallen under before. He changed me, my soul, my worldview and my attitude to reality. Perhaps it was my unstable psyche and the habit of loneliness, but a rigidly planned life, strict routine and complete subordination without the right to a personal opinion, coupled with a hidden mess, ubiquitous hazing and double standards caused aggression and instinctive hostility. So far, formations, drill have raised a wave of anger. I'm a loner. I'm used to relying ONLY on myself. No one will help in the darkness of the ancient catacombs, where there is only you and your weapons against an endless crowd of monsters. I never make a lot of friends and acquaintances. I try not to take responsibility for someone else's life. I always act alone, even if it's the right way to die. Death is familiar to me and does not cause fear or dislike, but the presence of a large number of intelligent people is very much so. I don't need someone else's company at all for an adequate existence.
Estus was right. Pupation has already begun. I closed my eyes, watching the nervous captain. Maybe this is my chance to change something about myself? A little more, and I will finally turn to the path of isolation. From life to life, it's getting harder and harder for me to tolerate the presence of other intelligent people. This is not good. This is the path to degradation and decline.
"Why does Saren hate people?" I asked an almost canonical question.
The answer came immediately:
"He thinks we're growing too fast and occupying the galaxy."
I couldn't agree more. The Alliance is rapidly colonizing planets, unable to protect them or develop a colony properly, and many of them remain at the village level of modular houses, unable to survive on their own. What am I talking about? Here, there was a simple example recently. Eden Prime is one of the oldest colonies, and one rebellious Spectrum and a handful of Geth have actually taken it. And without much hassle. The Lord didn't show up there at all. So, I gave my pet a ride and hung in the sky to pick it up later. And he made sure that Saren didn't get off the hook.
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