Imperial Reckoning: Humanity Return

Chapter 60: In the Belly of the Beast (Part 2)

As the last Geth unit sparked and crumpled, Shepard ordered the Space Marines to secure the perimeter outside the ruins. “No one gets in or out unless I give the order. We’ll handle things from here.”

The Marines saluted, their towering forms standing guard as Shepard and his team pushed deeper into the Prothean ruins. The stone corridors were dim and oppressive, etched with ancient symbols. Shadows danced around them as they moved, the occasional skittering of Geth footsteps echoing in the distance.

“Stay sharp,” Garrus muttered, his visor scanning ahead. A group of Geth sprang out from behind a set of crumbling columns, but Shepard’s team was ready. Tali deployed a hacking drone, sending it to overload the shields of the closest Geth. With well-practiced precision, Shepard, Garrus, and Nihlus took down the rest with bursts of fire.

When the last Geth fell, they entered a larger chamber, where a strange, shimmering stasis field hung in the air, encasing a familiar figure: Liara T’Soni. She turned her head toward them, relief flooding her eyes. “Thank the stars! I thought I’d be trapped here forever.”

Shepard approached, studying the energy barrier. “Liara. How did you end up like this?”

Liara took a breath, her voice tinged with weariness. “The Geth attacked hours ago. They killed the others—everyone but me. I activated the stasis field as a last resort… but it backfired. I got caught in the field and was left helpless.”

Shepard examined the barrier, then glanced down at his sidearm and armor, considering his options. With a nod, he reached for his power sword. Its disruptive energies flared as he held it to the field, slicing into it carefully. The barrier resisted, but eventually, a gap formed, just enough to access the control panel inside. He deactivated the stasis field, and it shimmered out of existence.

Liara stumbled forward, her limbs stiff. Garrus stepped forward with a grin. “Good thing we didn’t have to blow this place up. The structural integrity here is barely holding together.”

Nihlus glanced around, nodding. “Agreed. We should get out of here before this whole ruin collapses.”

Shepard agreed and motioned them to move. But as they turned to leave, a shadow filled the entryway—a hulking Krogan mercenary, flanked by a pair of Geth. His grin was feral, eyes locked on Liara.

“She’s coming with me,” the Krogan snarled, raising his weapon. “Hand her over, or die where you stand.”

Shepard took a step forward, voice cold as steel. “Neither you nor Saren will lay a hand on her. Not while I’m still breathing.”

The Krogan’s laughter filled the chamber. “I’ll take your head to my war chief as a prize!” he roared, charging forward as his Geth allies opened fire.

Shepard raised his bolter, unleashing a hail of rounds as Garrus and Nihlus flanked the sides. Tali darted to cover, deploying her hacking drone again, disabling one Geth as it stuttered and short-circuited. Garrus fired shot after shot at the Krogan, aiming for weak points in his armor, while Nihlus rolled into position, picking off the remaining Geth with precise sniper fire.

The Krogan lunged, firing his shotgun as he closed in on Shepard. The blast narrowly missed, spraying shrapnel across Shepard’s armor. With a quick maneuver, Shepard swung his power sword, connecting with the Krogan’s shoulder. The energy field disrupted the armor plating, and the Krogan stumbled back, roaring in pain.

Just then, a massive crack echoed through the cavern as a section of the ceiling caved in, throwing dust and rocks across the chamber. The tremors intensified, and they all knew what was coming—the entire ruin was beginning to collapse.

“Everyone, move!” Shepard shouted, bolting toward the exit with Liara and the team close behind.

Chunks of rock crashed down around them, blocking off passages as they ran. Shepard activated his comm, calling Joker as they approached the exit, “Normandy, this is Shepard! We need immediate extraction—this place is coming down around us.”

Joker’s voice crackled back, tense but steady. “Copy that, Commander. Swinging around now. But you’re cutting it close.”

As they neared the mouth of the tunnel, the Normandy swooped into view, hovering just above the ground. Shepard and his team jumped aboard just as the ground rumbled beneath them. Seconds later, an explosion of volcanic heat erupted from the ruins, lava spewing as the ruins disappeared in a fiery collapse.

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Back aboard the Normandy, Shepard and the others regrouped in the briefing room. Liara glanced around, her gaze lingering on their strange armor and insignias. “Thank you for saving me,” she said, sounding both grateful and puzzled. “But… who are you, exactly? I don’t recognize your uniforms.”

Shepard gave a respectful nod. “I am Lord Commander Shepard of the Imperium of Man.”

Her expression shifted, her eyes widening in surprise. “The Imperium… I thought it was a distant, isolated empire. No one expected you to join the galactic community.”

“We’ve only been openly involved for about five years,” he replied, noting her continued surprise.

Liara seemed to absorb the information, then hesitated before asking, “Why were you sent to find me?”

Shepard explained the situation, detailing Matriarch Benezia’s alliance with Saren and their connection to the Reapers. At the mention of the Reapers, Liara’s expression turned skeptical.

“Forgive me,” she said cautiously, “but… I’ve studied Prothean history extensively. I’ve never come across evidence of these ‘Reapers.’”

Shepard held her gaze. “The Imperium discovered ruins, evidence of Protheans, and their warnings of an imminent cycle of destruction. We’ve seen the same warnings in a Prothean beacon on Eden Prime, one of our colonies.”

Liara’s curiosity seemed to shift to a mix of intrigue and apprehension. “Are the visions still in your mind?”

Shepard nodded, already sensing her intent. “You want to perform a mind meld.”

She confirmed with a slow nod, and he prepared himself, allowing her to place her hands on his temples. Her voice softened as she guided him. “Relax, Lord Commander… Embrace eternity.”

Instantly, a flood of visions hit Shepard’s mind. He saw flashes of the Reapers descending upon entire civilizations, towering mechanical beasts annihilating cities in single, horrifying strides. The images were hazy but filled with dread—a nightmare sequence of destruction.

Then, other visions surged through, unbidden and powerful. First, the image of a black-armored Primarch. A moment later, he saw the Citadel engulfed in flames, under siege as the Imperium declared exterminatus, destroying the heart of galactic civilization. Finally, the vision shifted, pulling Shepard into a place he had never seen before: the throne room of the Imperium.

The figure on the Emperor’s throne was skeletal and decayed, with a rotting visage, one eye replaced by a cold mechanical lens, and the Emperor’s blade held in its bony grip. This image was hauntingly vivid, each detail sharp in his mind.

The meld broke, and Shepard gasped, pulling back as Liara released him. She looked equally shaken, her face pale.

Shepard steadied himself, shaken to his core. “What the hell?”

Garrus and Tali, noticing his unease, moved closer. “Shepard, are you alright?” Tali asked, worry evident in her voice.

He took a moment to collect himself. “I’ll be fine. Just wasn’t expecting it to be that intense.” After a pause, he dismissed the team, instructing them to rest up.

As the others left, Shepard remained in the briefing room, alone with his thoughts. The unsettling image of the throne and the decaying figure lingered in his mind, casting a shadow over everything he thought he knew about the Imperium and his mission. For now, he would push it aside, but he knew the questions would haunt him long after this mission was over.