99 Chapter 98

As the plot approached I was met with several surprises which made me question my own competence. On one occasion where I needed to cross-reference the beacon data, I ended up doing my most thorough search of it yet. Which is when I stumbled across incomplete plans for the Crucible. Which was of course always there, but had been overlooked. I had originally factored it out of my plans because of needing to find the plans on Mars and the uncertainty of what it actually does. In the games, it appears to work, but Shepard may have been indoctrinated. Plus I still don't want to solely rely on a plot McGuffin. With all that said, now that the plans are so easily accessible I have the Vault look at them as a priority. Originally the entire galaxy finished the plans and the Crucible in less than a year. If the Vault can finish the plans early and maybe start construction, even in the worst-case scenario it will save the resources of everyone else trying to do it. In the best-case scenario, it will be a significant head start if not an immediate victory over the Reapers.

However, what I learned next made me seriously reconsider.

"Overseer sir, I would like to report complete success with our stage one priorities." Directed Cranston told me during a report call.

"You are talking about the energy weapons, Quarian Immunity boosters, and Geneophage cure?"

"That's correct. We started with energy weapons. They already worked perfectly on a personal scale, but there was room for improvement so we modernized it. We improved the capacity while allowing for either automatic recharging or disposable ammo. The range, accuracy, and energy output were similarly improved. Scaling the improved designs up for ship use wasn't difficult, but finding ammo for them was. In the end, we scaled up fusion cores, self-contained fusion reactors, and had them directly fuel the guns."

"That's excellent to hear. For now, we'll be holding them back at least for now. We want them to remain secret, plus we need to make sure they'll be effective against the Reapers. Now, how about the other two?"

"For the next two, we started in the same place. Using FEV we..." Oh God damn it. This is what I get for trusting scientists from Fallout.

"Cranston! Did you just say FEV?" I interrupt.

"I understand the concern sir, but everything is perfectly safe."

"I'm sure that's what the people before you said too, but we still have a long list filled with abominations caused by FEV."

"I'm sorry if you felt that I was being dismissive of your concerns. They are well-founded, but we have taken every precaution."

"Well, the research is already done, so no reason to get nervous now. Please continue."

"The first thing to know is that the Forced Evolutionary Virus is a type of retrovirus. When it is exposed to a creature it automatically and irreversibly alters the subject's genetic structure based on the specific strand of FEV. The first thing we did was alter the FEV method of conversion. The primary problem with FEV is the spread and a combination of unintended outcomes. We fixed this by creating what we call the Voluntary Evolution Virus. Where the VEV differs from the FEV is the host's ability to reject it. The FEV was such a strong mutagen even detrimental changes would be adopted across the entire body. With the VEV all changes were still subject to natural selection. Strains of VEV that causes significant side effects had no effect. Some strains were still too effective, but we were able to start weak and work mutagen strength up."

"And that would explain the extensive medical trials."

"All of which volunteered for the process. Considering the original goals were just to improved immune systems to avoid general disease and one specific disease, the final VEV strain code-named CURE, acted more like an inclusive vaccine."

"Well, I'm glad to see my faith in you wasn't misplaced. I'll be forwarding files from the beacon for a project called Crucible. Your new top priority will be to finish the design for it." I told the Vault director turning, my attention to Eden Prime and Commander Shepard.

I did a light search for information about Commander Shepard with limited usefulness. I've been curious about just how good Commander Shepard is, and besides being disappointed by non-fem shep, I didn't find anything conclusive. Commander Shepard can be incredibly effective in the game regardless of background, class, morality, and whatever choices they make. In the game, the biggest factor is completion, which makes sense in real life too. If Commander Shepherd can hunt down a rouge specter, do all the side missions, and stop an early Reaper invasion I can see why he's held in such high regard. With that said until I can see him in action and compare it to the game, it will be hard to tell.

My forces have just gone on high alert due to the discovery of the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime. I checked in with Suki, Toph, and the Geth. Suki and Toph were busy working on their own projects. The Geth were hopeful for peace with the Quarians, preparing for war, hadn't splintered off a heretic sect, and most importantly they were not planning on attacking Eden Prime. Which made me worry that I had somehow completely invalidated the storyline.

My worries were quickly put to rest as Eden Prime was attacked by Batarian 'Slavers'. I contest their identity of slavers because even compared to the historically massive attack of Torfan this attack was large. The attack on Torfan was sponsored by the Batarian Hegemony, this attack which is even larger can't be anything besides direct military action. My forces offered minimal resistance, but they did spread out capturing the entire attack with video evidence. One agent, in particular, was hiding by a warehouse. I watched my team's data stream as the attack proceeded. Batarians flooded the surface grabbing anyone they could and discretely made their way to the beacon exception sight.

The Normandy SR1 appeared in orbit as the attack was winding down. Most of the Batarian ships had left, only leaving scattered ground forces who were planting explosives and securing the beacon. Shepherd, Kaiden, Jensen, and the Turian Spectre Nihlus went down to the planet in a dropship. Nihlus splits off to investigate on his own and Jensen gets killed by the first Batarian he sees. Everything going as expected except... Where is Ashley? Shit, she got taken. I reach out to a Batarian contact to get information on her status, but in the meantime, Shepard needs someone to fill in. I send word to one of my still available agents on the ground. Madison Hess a blue-eyed blond-haired bombshell with talent in infiltration, disguises herself in standard Alliance armor. She baits a group of two Batarains into chasing her into Shepard. As she spots him she drop-spins and shoots both her pursuers. I feed her a new System Alliance approved identity as I make and upload one into System Alliance files.

From that point on everything goes smoothly. The Batarians fully leave the planet, Saren kills Nihlus, and Shepard is exposed to the beacon. I would say everything worked better than I had planned because I now have a potential spy placed directly on Shepard's crew. Except, for the fact that the plot has just started and it already off the rails.