Rebirth The Mass Effect is old

While I was looking at the abyss, Garrus chose a place he liked with something, checked the fastenings of the cable and nodded to me, informing me that he was ready. Gripping the rope tightly in my fist, I kicked off the edge and jumped down.

The "window" flew by quickly, and I braced my feet against the span between the floors, gripping the cable with both hands and dampening the speed of the fall. If I hadn't been wearing armored gloves, I would have lost my fingers, at least. Push off, loosen your grip, passing the cable between your fingers, fly through the "window", clench your fist, slow down, push off and swing into the right section to Liara.

"I'm on the spot."

A cable snapped from above, falling into the darkness as Garrus unfastened his carbine. The winch started working, winding it on a spool. Going to the terminal, I looked with interest at the funny hieroglyphs of the Prothean script.

"Liara, where should I click?"

"There's that golden symbol near the circle." Asari immediately replied.

I touched the sign, and the blue barrier disappeared. An emerald "intruder" symbol flickered nearby, and I gently touched it with my finger. Tali, Kayden, and Rex entered the section. The azure bubble disappeared with a soft pop, and the long-suffering Liara collapsed to the floor. Kayden reached out and helped the doctor stand on shaky legs.

"Thanks!"

"Garrus?"

"I hear."

"There's a kind of elevator here. I don't know how he drives there or on which floor he slows down, so be ready to jump on the platform."

"Understood."

Clicking on the appropriate symbols, I launched the elevator platform. There was a rustle somewhere below us, and a massive disk of dull silver metal froze in front of our floor, spreading out a bridge.

Garrus, you'll have to jump three and a half meters from the edge of the window to the elevator.

"Acceptable." a calm reply came.

That's wonderful, otherwise I'll be driving this elevator up and down until I pick up my fighter. I wasn't going to leave Garrus. Since we climbed into the tower without vandalism using a laser, we were not in danger of collapse, and there was no need to get out at the speed of light.

Once on the platform, we spread out across the disk, and Liara turned on the elevator. Contrary to my fears, the elevator was moving rather slowly, and Garrus had no difficulty jumping onto it. While we were climbing, the Turian managed to pick up his weapon, jealously examining the "Harpoon" under Rex's chuckles.

The elevator crawled to the top and stopped, and a Krogan with four Geth appeared around the bend. We didn't start talking and immediately started fighting, until the enemy had time to recover from a sudden and warm welcome in the form of a grenade that flew under his feet. Tali instantly ran behind the elevator control terminal, Garrus raised his Harpoon and managed to put a heavy bullet in the head of a geth in black sniper armor, which tore off a friendly flashlight looking at us, before a startled unknown Krogan raised his weapon. The nimble Turian was already aiming at the red-armored geth rocket launcher when Rex's shotgun rattled, and my shot flew into the stormtrooper. The Geth was hiding behind a hexagonal shield, but immediately received a combined hit from two biotics and sprawled across the floor in a limp pile of scrap.

Rex enthusiastically punched his kinsman in the face, tearing out his weapon along with his arm. We've been watching this: Garrus was interested, Kayden and Tali were shocked, Liara just blinked, not understanding why I wouldn't stop the mayhem. But why? Let Rex relax, let off steam.

"Who sent you, you belch of a wastrel?"

A powerful blow to the face, the Krogan wheezed.

"Saren."

"What for? What do you want in this tower?"

"Her!"

We turned around. The Krogan's hand was pointing at Liara, who was standing in confusion near the terminal.

"Alive or dead?"

"Alive."

"A gunshot rang out, and the unknown Krogan went limp. Let's go." I touched the transmitter, calling the ship. "Shepard calls Normandy."

"Nihlus is on the line." A rumbling voice answered me.

"We're done here. Get us out of here."

"We'll be right there!" Jeff replied.

The connection is gone. Rex spat.

"It's a deal after all." The Krogan kicked his kinsman's body in disdain.

"Get me out of here already." This place sends a chill down my neck. We got out without any problems and global destruction: the Protean tower remained completely intact, waiting for its researchers. The mission has been completed successfully. The ruins are preserved. The Council has nothing to reproach us with.

An elegant silhouette appeared in the sky: the ship, having turned around famously, landed on the road just below the processing station. Kayden brought the Mako into the hold, and we boarded under our own power. I took one last look at the acrid smoke-filled hell of Terum. It is unlikely that I will ever return to this planet. The ramp rose. The floor vibrated: the Normandy pierced the atmosphere and left the Room.

"Where are we going, Rir?" Jeff's cheerful voice brought an involuntary smile.

"We're going to the Citadel."

Chapter 12: Ideas and Suggestions

After returning from the Terum, I gave the members of the disembarkation group the opportunity to rest, tidy up, eat, and only then gather in the briefing room to discuss the current situation, since an hour or two did not matter.: We have the same eight-day flight to the Citadel. However, Rex fell asleep safely. The Krogan didn't care what we were doing, where we were going, who we were hunting. The important fact is that our lives are full of events, and our ship is in the center of a hurricane. That's what he told me before he closed the door and went to sleep.

Karin released Liara from the infirmary, pumping medicines up to her eyebrows with instructions to be in a bed and sleep in an hour. As it turned out, the young Asari stayed in that bubble for almost three days and managed to fall into despondency and despair. Our appearance for the girl was something like a miracle, which she had already stopped hoping for.

Slowly, the two Turians, Tali, Kayden, and a dejected Ashley gathered in the hall. Jeff was listening with interest from the control room, but only Nihlus and I knew about it. When Liara arrived, the people stopped chatting and pretended to be attentive.

"Dr. Liara." I motioned for Asari to sit down. "How are you feeling?"

"Thanks to you, it's pretty good." The girl smiled a little shyly. "I'm sorry, but I do not know your names."

"Yes, it was rude. My name is Irene Shepard." I introduced myself, and then pointed to the Spectre sitting next to me. "Nihlus Kraik. You've already seen the rest: Garrus Vakarian, Tali"Zora nar Raya, Kayden Alenko, Ashley Williams and Krogan, who is now brazenly sleeping — Rex Urdnot. We are on board the frigate Normandy."

"Are you the military of the Alliance?" Asari asked doubtfully, looking at our extremely colorful team.

"Just Kayden and Ashley." Who is the commander of the ship?

"I."

"Liara nodded slowly."

"I'm sorry, I don't have much experience with your race. I am grateful to you. You saved my life."

"What does Saren want from you?" Nihlus asked.

"I do not know what the Council's Spectr required of me." The girl said, confused.

"Saren lost its Spectr status." Kayden said dryly.

"Oh... I didn't know. I've been excavating for over a year now and I've barely kept in touch with the Citadel. The news has been going on for a long time."

"Have you heard something about the Channel?" I asked.

"Only that he has something to do with the disappearance of the Protheans." The Asari spread her arms. "This is the area of my research. For the last fifty years, I have been searching for the causes of their disappearance."

Kayden and Ashley's faces fell. The Turians reacted calmly: they knew perfectly well that the Asari were a long-lived race.

"What is your age?" Alenko asked quietly.

I grimaced. Question... not too tactful. But Liara was understanding and, with a slightly embarrassed smile, replied:

"I don't like to talk about it, but I'm only one hundred and six years old."

"Everything?" Ashley's world seems to have fallen apart.

"For a species as short-lived as yours, a hundred years may seem like a long time, but by Asari standards, I'm considered barely out of childhood." Liara explained. "That's why my research has not received much attention. Other Asari scholars usually dismiss my theories because I'm too young."

A spark of anger flashed in Liara's voice. This attitude hurt her, but she couldn't do anything about public opinion and prejudice.

"I have my own theory about why the Protheans disappeared."

"With all due respect, Captain, I'm aware of all the theories that exist." Nihlus chuckled slightly at this categorical statement, but said nothing.

"The problem is finding evidence. The Protheans left very little behind. As if someone didn't want the mystery to be solved! It's like someone went through the Galaxy after the extinction of the Protheans and destroyed all the evidence!"

Nielus and I exchanged glances, which was not lost on Liara's wary gaze.

"Go on, Liara."

But here's what's amazing. According to my findings, the Protheans were not the first race in the Galaxy to mysteriously disappear at the peak of their development. This cycle started long before them!

Nihlus looked at me questioningly. I nodded. Liara is absolutely right.

"How did you come to such conclusions?" Nihlus hoarse voice sounded unexpectedly loud in the silence of the hall. "Is there any evidence?"

"I've worked for fifty years!" I examined every grain. "Eventually, a subtle connection began to appear. A faint hint of the truth." Liara clenched her fists. "It's hard to explain. I can't provide any concrete evidence. It's more like a feeling generated by more than half a century of painstaking work. But I know I'm right! And sooner or later I will be able to prove it! There were other civilizations before the Protheans. The cycle has been repeated many times!

If the Protheans weren't the first, then who was before them?

"Kayden asked." I don't know. There is almost no information about even the proteans, and even less about their predecessors! I can't substantiate my theory, but I know I'm right!"

Nihlus listened with interest, staring intently at the nervous Asari. She sensed in her gut that this Turian had come here for a reason. He has the right. But she didn't know who he was. Liara did not recognize the Spectrum in Naylus, and we were in no hurry to enlighten her.

"The galaxy lives in a cycle of annihilation. Every time a great civilization arises, it is suddenly and brutally destroyed! Only ruins remain!" Liara threw up her hands. The Protheans created a great empire, but even they were climbing over the remains of their predecessors! Their greatest achievements — the Citadel and the repeaters-were built using the technology of those who came before them! And then they disappeared, just like other civilizations before them! I've dedicated my life to finding out the reason for this."

Nihlus leaned back in his chair, wincing painfully. I looked with interest at Liara's soulful face, wondering if I should tell her the truth. Sooner or later she'll find out. Does it make sense to remain silent? She met the gaze of bright green eyes. A slow nod, a slight smile. And really, why not?

"What if I tell you that you're right about something?" I asked calmly.

Liara blinked in surprise.

"In something?" The Protheans really aren't the first civilization to be destroyed. "And not the last one."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We're next." I watched with interest how the expressions on the faces of the reasonable people sitting in the hall changed. "And we have already achieved enough greatness, but we have not yet crossed the line beyond which we become dangerous."

"Are you sure?"

"Not so long ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with the efficient information buoy protean. You call it the Lighthouse. And I still enjoy the exquisite nightmares-visions that show in detail exactly how the Protean was put under the knife."

"It is quite possible. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the user's mind." Liara jumped to her feet, excitedly pacing the center of the hall. "It is extremely rare to find a working lighthouse!"

"Oh, this one worked." But the beacons were designed to interact with the physiology of the Protheans. Your visions are probably blurred and fragmented."

"This is not entirely true." Liara stopped abruptly.

"The information has been processed and is more than clear." I chuckled. "The Protheans were destroyed by intelligent living machines. The reapers. Or Reapers, whichever way you like. They are the ones who observe the Cycles of Destruction, destroying the advanced races of the Galaxy over and over again. The name of this process is very revealing: Harvest."

Liara froze, starting to pace the hall again.

The citadel and the repeaters weren't built by the Protheans, you're right about that. And not even by their predecessors. I completely captured Liara's attention. Have you ever wondered why it was the repeaters and the Citadel that repeatedly experienced the actual genocide of the galaxy's most advanced races in one piece? Didn't the same Protheans resist? They resisted! And for a long time! At least a hundred years old. But! The galactic Star Wars didn't leave a scratch on the Citadel and the repeaters. Strange, don't you think? And no need for fairy tales about a particularly durable case. You can ruin EVERYTHING.

"Indeed, such thoughts have visited me." Liara admitted. "But I didn't find any other answer, except as a special durable alloy."

"The answer is as simple as a ruler. The citadel was built by the Reapers. Millions of years ago. Repeaters are a trap. The Reapers are repeatedly rebuilding the station and building mass repeaters in systems with undeveloped civilizations, so that the next generation is guaranteed to receive new toys BEFORE they can create their own unique way of interstellar travel. We also found them, and without realizing it, we got into a carefully dug development rut.

"Why are you sure that we will be destroyed too?"

"Why shouldn't they? How do we differ from the same protean or inusannon?"

"Inusannon? Who is it?"

"The progenitors of the Protheans. Anticipating your question, I only know the name and have seen the stone statue a couple of times. If you want, I can draw it for you."

"I would appreciate it. What can you tell us about them?"

"There is nothing really about Inusannon in the lighthouse: the name, the vision of the statue in the jungle, and the information that they were killed seventy thousand years before the Protheans. An example of repeating the Harvest Cycle."