Rebirth The Mass Effect is old

"The condition is extremely serious." The doctor sighed. "If you had not insisted on immediate hospitalization, he would not have survived."

That's how... Well, Naylus... If you get better, I'll punch you in the face. For making me so nervous!

"And in more detail?"

"The shot was almost point blank. It's a miracle that the fragments didn't hit the heart: several passed almost exactly. The ribs are crushed, the lungs are excised. A little to the left and that's it..."

"What are the chances?"

"It's hard for me to say yet. The spectrum has stabilized, but it is still critical."

"As I understand it, it cannot be transported?"

"Absolutely."

"That's great." I struggled to stand up. "Doctor, I would really appreciate it if you would keep me informed."

The woman smiled knowingly.

"Of course, Captain."

"Please don't be so formal." I smiled. "I still have to visit you so many times... Call me Irene."

"Karin. And that's the only way!"

The doors of the infirmary opened to admit the captain of the ship.

"Captain Anderson!"

"Shepard." The man nodded in greeting. "How are you feeling?"

"Brains are about to boil." I honestly admitted. "Information overload."

"A lighthouse?" The captain's gaze grew heavier. "Did he show you something?"

"Rather, he raped my brain." I grimaced. "Until the information is processed, it is useless. Disparate images."

"Doctor, what is Captain Shepard's condition?"

"Physically healthy." Karin frowned.

"I'm glad to hear that. Shepard, I need to talk to you in private."

The doctor smiled understandingly and left the infirmary, leaving me alone with my superiors. Anderson, hands clasped behind his back, nervously paced back and forth, occasionally squinting at the barely alive Turian.

"Captain, I hope you're feeling well."

Yeah... the incident really threw the man off balance, since he decided to approach the conversation in this way.

"How to say it. Physically, it's fine. My head is a mess of bloody nightmares, Armageddon, and incomprehensible blueprints."

"Blueprints?" Anderson froze.

"Yes. But I can't say what it is. It will take time for the information to be fixed in memory."

"I hope you won't forget her."

"I have an excellent memory, Captain." I was genuinely indignant. "I don't forget anything. No matter how much you sometimes want to."

The man sighed.

"I won't lie to you. The situation is not the best. Naylus is in critical condition, the Lighthouse has been destroyed, and the Geth have begun an invasion. The Council wants to hear the answers."

"I'm not going to let the Council pin the destruction of the lighthouse on me!" I said calmly, understanding the background perfectly.

"I'm not accusing you, Captain!" Anderson shook his head. "It's about Saren. The second Turian."

"I know. The legendary SPECTR." I chuckled. "Naylus warned me. He was choking on blood, but he was trying to speak. Don't explain the obvious to me. I know what Saren is."

"I'm glad to hear that."

We were silent for a while, looking at the Turian lying in a cocoon of medical equipment. The captain's gaze is gloomy. He was well aware of the problems we would have if Nilus didn't survive.

"Captain."

Anderson looked up from the ugly wound.

"Tell me, have you already sent a report to the Citadel?"

"No." — the steely eyes looked hard.

"Do not inform us that the SPECTR is in our infirmary and is undergoing treatment. Just write that he got a fatal shot. Not a lie."

Surprise stabbed at my nerves.

"What's the point?"

I grunted, got up, and walked over to the motionless body, gazing intently at the relaxed face.

"Do you believe in intuition, Captain?" Anderson's gaze was physically boring into my back. "Saren must not find out that his former student managed to survive this shot. If Naylus is taken to the Citadel Hospital, I won't give a dead battery for his life. Let him stay with us."

The captain was silent, considering my words. Roughly speaking, I suggested that he conceal the information. Important information.

"There's some truth in what you're saying, Shepard. But do you understand what will happen if he dies?"

"Nothing will happen." I turned, meeting a hard stare. "A day earlier, a day later..."

"I understand you, Shepard." — Anderson turned around and went to the exit.

Already at the door, the captain turned and said:

"I'll do as you suggested."

I nodded gratefully.

"When you are ready, go up to the bridge and order the pilot to dock with the Citadel."

"Thank you."

"Don't take too long, Shepard."

I nodded gratefully. For a moment, the shadow of a smile flashed across Anderson's stern face: the corners of his narrow lips lifted slightly. There was a soft hiss, and the door closed behind the captain.

I have a couple of minutes until Dr. Chakwas gets back.

My aura hasn't completed its unfolding yet: it's still a decade away, at least. But there is something that I can do in almost any state and in any world. Or outside of it. It doesn't require any special abilities or rituals, my desire is enough. Basic energy recharge. Of course, now is not the best time, and my condition is far from ideal, but... Shaking my head, I dismissed my doubts. With a wound like that, Naylus is unlikely to survive... then it will be restored... long.

If it succeeds at all. My finger carefully slipped past the tubes and touched the bloodstain.

Blood is the moisture of life. The quintessence of it. Blood carries the life force and energy of an intelligent being. It doesn't matter what its composition is, what its biochemistry is. It will work anyway.

A heavy drop formed on the tip of my finger. I touched my skin, drawing a simple sign. My desire is clearly formed, and the blue blood is instantly absorbed into the skin, leaving behind a barely noticeable blue trail. And one last thing. I know it's going to make me sick until my body adjusts... I know that our biochemistry is incompatible, but... IT'S NECESSARY. A sticky blue drop falls on the tongue. The mark on my hand turns purple, and I stagger from the sudden outflow of energy, barely keeping my balance.

The door hissed open, admitting Karin to the infirmary. I straightened up and smiled guiltily, watching out of the corner of my eye as the Turian's heartbeat steadied on the screen. That's wonderful.

Vital energy is almost universal. No wonder it is so appreciated by those who know what it is. It doesn't matter who is the donor and who is the recipient. It doesn't matter what race, gender, or age. With such a recharge, any energy produced by a living organism is suitable. The same treatment by the imposition of hands, a mystical explanation of the lightness of the hands of doctors... all this has only one explanation: voluntary energy replenishment. And if you consciously transform vital energy so that it is best absorbed, losses will be minimal. That's exactly what I did, taking a sample of the recipient's blood. My body is plastic and adapts quickly. The inner layers of the aura have already unfolded, the middle ones partially too. I can already use some of the tricks I learned during my travels. And energy recharge is one of them. And I'll gradually adapt to other biochemistry. It's not for nothing that true metamorphs are so... Be tough. After taking one last look at my debtor, I turned around and left the infirmary. I have about five hours until I'm exhausted and have a terrible allergy.

Chapter 4: Dr. Chakwas

When I went up to the bridge and gave the Joker the captain's order to dock with the Citadel, a surprise awaited me: the flight would take eight hours, plus the time it would take to drag through traffic and dock at the station. In other words, the allergy, if it starts, will knock me down on board the Normandy and in no way pass by the attention of Dr. Chakwas.

I couldn't even imagine how to justify myself to the doctor in this situation. It's funny, but in almost all of my previous incarnations, my first and most loyal ally was a doctor or a murderer.

Sometimes it's both. Karin is a doctor and doesn't look like a murderer, but Naylus is... No, Naylus doesn't pull either, even though his hands are stained with blood. As I walked around the ship, I thought about the upcoming conversation. Karin is a smart woman. She will be able to understand a lot, especially since she has not been noticed in xenophobia. Such an ally would be very useful to me!

The more I influence this reality, the more questionable the value of my after-knowledge will be, given that I only remember the beginning of the story well, the key, unchanging points, and the end very vaguely. Moreover, it insanity grew stronger from series to series, and if my sclerosis doesn't let me down, the Forge and Citadel solved all the problems. I know where to find the Forge blueprints. How to use the Citadel, too. The question is different. Can I turn the tide of history? I can. Fortunately, we already have experience. When? I don't know. In any case, there's no point in going after the Mountain right now. It's too early. First, it is necessary to pass the first nodal point. As always, you will have to rely on intuition and common sense to get out. And it is better to do this in the company of loyal friends and allies.

After wandering around the ship and doing my job, I suddenly realized that I had nothing to occupy myself with, and there were still more than four hours left before entering the repeater. I quickly got tired of pretending to be a restless spirit, and I went to the infirmary to build bridges with Karin and legalize energy supplementation. I feel like I'm going to have to use it a lot, and not just in relation to Naylus.

* * *

The doors of the infirmary opened obediently, allowing me to enter the darkened room. The Doctor looked up from her work, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Something happened?"

I walked over and stood next to the woman, meeting her worried gaze.

"It's hard to say. Karin, do you think it makes sense to believe what I learned from the lighthouse?"

The doctor put down the datapad.

"Did you recognize something?"

"Yes." I approached the only patient, frowning at the fresh bloodstains. "Voluntary energy recharge. It guarantees the survival of a seriously injured patient."

"Guarantee?" Karin asked in a whisper. Understanding flashed in the gray eyes. "Do you want to try it?"

"Why not? The action is elementary, and if it weren't for his biochemistry, I would have already done it."

"What is the problem?"

"My possible allergy." I shrugged my shoulders.

"What is the risk?"

That's what I like about Dr. Chakwas, it's the lack of habit of asking dumb questions. Of course, since I came here, I had time to think about this adventure and decided to carry it out.

"A few drops of blood won't do anything to me." I waved it off. "In the worst case, I'll get a rash. The outflow of vital energy is small, and no missions are expected in the next couple of days."

"Do you need my supervision?"

"It wouldn't hurt. You are a military doctor with a lot of experience. I want you to be aware of my experiments." I met Karin's attentive gaze and sighed. "You understand as well as he do how much we need this SPECTR. Alive. If it is possible to minimize the risk... I'll bring him together."

"You're so sure about this one... recharge?"

For a moment, I was confused. To say an unequivocal and categorical "yes" is to raise doubts. At least in their ability to sensibly assess the world around them. Giving away doubts or lying is even worse.

"Do you believe in intuition, Karin?"

The Doctor nodded slowly.

"It's like an epiphany. Understanding that this is IT! That's what you need right now. I chuckled. Strange words for a military Human, but I've gotten too used to trusting my gut. It has saved my life too many times."

"Is there a risk for the patient?"

The doctor made a decision. I guess she's just as adventurous as I am. However, what do I expect from a military doctor?

"None."

"Get started."

Karin, I adore you already! The decision was made without unnecessary snot and slander. However, the suspicious gleam in his gray eyes suggested that the doctor was no stranger to questionable experiments. Just like me.

The ritual I'm about to perform will allow me to keep in touch with the Turian even after his recovery. Sometimes such an attachment allowed them to literally pull you out of the other world and gave both sides a clear feeling whether the intelligent person connected with you was alive or not. Dipping my finger in the blue blood, I traced a complicated symbol on Naylus stomach. It's an anchor. Chaos alone knows how these signs work! But they work, and that's all I need. In an amicable way, it should be placed above the core of the body, but according to the law of meanness, this place was occupied by an ugly wound.

The second intricate angular symbol was placed on the inside of my palm on top of the one already applied earlier and on the solar plexus, where the energy core of the body is located. The signs were instantly absorbed into the skin with a peculiar blue tattoo. The full ritual involved putting similar signs with an anchor on me, but I didn't do that. I'm a tenacious creature, regeneration has already started working, so I won't die so easily.

The doctor watched my manipulations with interest and a degree of skepticism. Until the blood is absorbed into the skin. Both mine and the small chitinous plates on the Turian's stomach.

"Is it working?"

"We'll find out now." I replied softly, licking my finger, which was liberally smeared in blue blood, under the doctor's warning cry, and began to transfer energy.

The symbol glowed slightly with a dim blue light, so similar to the radiance of biotics, and the equipment beeped perplexedly, registering changes in the patient's body.

The doctor bent over the instruments.

"What's up, Karin?"

"It's amazing!" — sincere surprise and admiration in the doctor's voice. "The action is similar to a regeneration capsule! Even panacelin does not give such a strong reaction!"

"So this stuff helped?" I asked with interest.

"Absolutely!" Karin looked up from her instruments. "Let's check you out now, Shepard."

Pressing the sensor to my skin just at the spot where the symbol was blue, the doctor engaged in high-tech shamanism, using laboratory equipment instead of a tambourine. At least for me, her actions were at about the same level of understanding. While Karin was busy with the tests, I sat on the bed and looked at the first victim of my intervention.

By all the laws of this world, regardless of the possible and acceptable options, Naylus had to die. His death is a key factor in the Eden Prime incident, as is my exposure to the Lighthouse, and they are extremely reluctant to change. Reality always resists, trying to bring events back to normal, and instead of a fatal shot in the back of the head, Naylus got an equally fatal shot in the chest, even though he was trying to escape his fate. It was only my direct intervention that prevented him from bleeding out and dying on Eden Prime. His death affects the chain of events with my obtaining the status of a SPECTRUM and the search for evidence of Saren's betrayal. Until I get through this chain, any attempt I make to introduce Naylus into events that he can influence is guaranteed murder. I've seen this before, and I don't want to see a series of fatal accidents again. Therefore, the Turian will not leave the Normandy until I receive Spectr status and leave the Citadel on business. Then it will be possible to please the Council with news about the survival of this individual. The key point will be passed, and Naylus further actions will follow the same article as mine.