Twilight Undue

This scenario follows the events of Mass Effect 3, more specifically, the ‘perfect’ destruction ending, which requires an EMS of of at least 5000, and gives a glimmer of hope as to Shepard's survival. This arc would take the form of a DLC package which forms a narrative bridge between ME3 and Andromeda. It would function in a similar fashion to the ‘Arrival’ DLC for ME2, in which Shepard destroys the Batarian Relay in order to delay the full-fledged invasion of the Reapers long enough to warn the galaxy of their imminent arrival. [[continue| Exposition Continued]]

The player will not reprise the role of Cmdr. Shepard directly. His whereabouts or even the basic facts about his final moments are still very much a mystery. No corpse was recovered from the wreckage of the Crucible nor identified in the mass of flotsam surrounding that climactic battle. To the galaxy at large, Shepard is a hero and a martyr: a final sacrifice necessary to bring an end to the reaper threat. To those who knew him - his friends, allies, and lovers - the story is much more complex, but the outcome is the same. Commander Shepard, the first Human Spectre: //is gone//. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- //[[Put the finishing touches on your Crucible SAR after-action report->Enter Garrus]]//

//the scene opens with a side angle shot of Garrus, initially obscuring whoever he is speaking to on the Quantum Entanglement Communicator, aboard the normandy.// **Dialogue: Garrus** "It is in this Spectre's personal and professional opinion that Cmdr. Shepard deserved -deserves- better than being lost and forgotten in the dead of space. He was a good man, and the finest soldier this galaxy will ever see. This is not my personal opinion, but recorded history." //Garrus pauses, and sighs.// "However, having exhausted every available avenue in the search for the Commander, I have no other option than to postpone the continuing search and rescue operation..." //Garrus looks away from the holo-display momentarily before returning his focus to it.// "Indefinitely." -------------- [[Let Shepard go]] [[Refuse to give up]]

**Dialogue Cont.** "While I would like some amount of closure in this matter, as I imagine would many others, I doubt that closure will ever come. I've spent the last three months scouring the sol system for any trace -any sign- of the commander's whereabouts, and found nothing. I believe Shepard, were he with us now, would tell us to let it go, to move on with our lives and accept the sacrifices of everyone we lost with dignity and respect." "As hard as it is to accept that he's gone, that's exactly what I intend to do." "With that, I hereby conclude my first assignment as Spectre, as detailed in the preceding report." [[continue->Liara's Response]]

**Dialogue Cont.** "While my obligation to my duties and my crew force me to end this search... prematurely - I will never give up. We've all thought Shepard was dead before." //Garrus smiles wryly.// "And you know as well as I do how absolutely wrong we were. It doesn't matter if it's three months or three years, I will never give up the hope that Shepard is out there, somewhere... not until I see his body lying in front of me. Even then, I'll have to check his pulse, just to be sure." "That being said, I hereby conclude my first assignment as Spectre, as detailed in the preceding report." [[continue->Hackett's Response]]

//We now see for the first time who Garrus is talking to: Admiral Hackett and Liara T'Soni. Hackett is more or less as he was in ME3, perhaps a bit more weathered (if that's possible) and possessing some scarring incurred during the final days of the battle against the Reapers. Liara is postured and Detached, and now has replaced Councilor Tevos/Irissa as the Asari delegate on the Citadel Council, the former Asari delegate having stepped down in the wake of the invasion of the Citadel.// **Dialogue: Hackett** //Hackett Laughs// "You're right on that. Damn hard to keep that soldier in the grave." //Hackett Sobers, looking at Garrus directly.// "On behalf of the Systems Alliance, and all of humanity, I want to thank you, Garrus. You have gone far above the line of duty in your search for Commander Shepard. Even, as I understand, to the point of bringing down the wrath of the Citadel Council. A risky move on your first official assignment as Spectre." //He gives a sidelong glance at Liara, bordering on reproach.// "We understand that your responsibilities now dictate that your attention be diverted to other matters. However, I want to give you my personal assurance that the Systems Alliance will not stop looking for Shepard, not for the time being anyways. We believe that his body may have have been freighted away from the Sol system by means not entirely clear to us, what with the Relays in the shape they were in after the activation of the crucible. But that is a conversation for another time." [[continue->Liara's Rebuttal]]

//We now see for the first time who Garrus is talking to: Admiral Hackett and Liara T'Soni. Hackett is more or less as he was in ME3, perhaps a bit more weathered (if that's possible) and possessing some scarring incurred during the final days of the battle against the Reapers. Liara is postured and Detached, and now has replaced Councilor Tevos/Irissa as the Asari delegate on the Citadel Council, the former Asari delegate having stepped down in the wake of the invasion of the Citadel.// **Dialogue: Liara** "Thank you, Garrus. I know it's hard to accept that he is gone... again. Believe me, I know. But you are right, we need to rebuild. Not just our infrastructures and civilizations, but our lives as well. We need to focus on what lies ahead of us and to put aside what lies behind. I remember our time with Shepard as fondly as anyone else, but it was a hard time, a time full of pain and sacrifice." //Liara looks down, and returns Garrus's gaze with a slight, forced smile.// "Shepard died so that we could live, so that we could have lives free of regret and fear. Before, we needed each other, and we needed him. But we're free now, free to choose our own paths, free to live the lives Shepard died to give us." [[continue->Hackett's Rebuttal]]

**Dialogue: Liara** "You are right, Admiral, Garrus has come very close to having his Spectre status revoked. The days when Spectre's were given liscense act with near total impunity has come to an end. But as he has now concluded this assignment, and in the understanding that this was a deeply personal matter... The council is willing to overlook his refusal to bring as timely a resolution to this matter as we would have liked." **Dialogue: Hackett** "Indeed. But before you return to the Council for debriefing and reassignment, I'd Like to discuss the matter at hand. The Normandy." [[Thank the Admiral -> Garrus response1]] [[Too many ghosts on this ship-> Garrus Response2]]

**Dialogue: Hackett** "I understand your need for closure, Both of you. Garrus, you've already gone far above the line of duty in your search for the Commander, and for that, you have my thanks." "But doing what Shepard wanted is not my concern. As his commanding officer, it never as been. I, and the Systems Alliance, owe Shepard an incalculable debt. I will continue the search on our own time, utilizing our own resources, until any reasonable hope of finding Shepard has been completely exhausted. And I have not yet reached that point." "Now, onto the matter at hand. The Normandy." [[Thank the Admiral -> Garrus response1]] [[Too many ghosts on this ship-> Garrus Response2]]

**Dialogue: Garrus** "I don't think I can properly express how much I appreciate you loaning me the Normandy during this op, Admiral. I knew the time would come when I'd have to part ways with her. But it was nice... going for one last ride. The Normandy has been my home, and she's never failed us when we needed her - This ship is just as stubborn as its commander and its crew. It was an honor and a privilege to serve aboard her again." //Garrus's words clearly effect Hackett. He smiles broadly, and brings a hand up slightly in a polite dismissal.// **Dialogue: Hackett** "No thanks are necessary. We needed you in command of the search and rescue op just as much as we needed the Normandy to be the ship spearheading it. This ship, and its crew are symbols we could rally behind, now more than ever. A symbol of unity between our species, a sign that sentient life DID overcome their differences and banded together to defeat the greatest collective threat we have ever known. I believe the thought that she still brightens our skies brings many people a great deal of comfort - myself included." "Now that you're done here, we will be returning the Normandy to dry dock at the newly rebuilt pluto station for retrofit. The station is just finishing repairs to the Charon Relay and it is expected to resume normal operation within the week. I've been assigned to oversee the final stages of the repair of the relay as well as the Normandy Retrofit. My shuttle will be meeting you in low Earth orbit shortly, at which point I will assume command of the Normandy." [[continue->choice1]]

**Dialogue: Garrus** "The normandy feels... empty, these days. With most of my squadmates either reassigned or having returned to their planets to rebuild and with Shepard...dead, this ship feels more like a mausoleum than a home. There are too many ghosts on this ship. Too many dead friends. I'll miss her, but I'm ready to leave. //Garrus looks down from the holo-display, clearly taking a moment to reflect.// **Dialogue: Hackett** "I can't blame you. That ship has been through - and survived - more hardship than I can pretend to understand. There are those in the higher echelons of the Systems Alliance that want to make it the center-piece of the war memorial that's being built in the middle of London - a museum to honor the commander and his crew. But I'm not quite to mothball the Normandy yet. She still has some light-years left in her, by my account. With a much needed retrofit, the Normandy will still be one of the most advanced ships in the Alliance fleet. It'd be a waste to moth-ball her now." "Now that you're done here, we will be returning the Normandy to dry dock at the newly rebuilt pluto station for retrofit. The station is just finishing repairs to the Charon Relay and it's on schedule to resume normal operation within the week. I've been assigned to oversee the final stages of the repair of the relay as well as the Normandy Retrofit. My shuttle will be meeting you in Low Earth Orbit shortly, at which point I will assume command of the Normandy." [[continue->choice1]]

**Dialogue: Hackett** "I'd like for you to accompany me on a farewell tour of the Sol System, Garrus. I know you've seen more than your share of in the last couple of months, but it seems it hasn't seen enough of you. People are clamoring to meet Shepard's most trusted ally, his second in command. And while the Commander never designated ranks among his irregulars, I believe that title falls squarely on your shoulders. I believe it would give human beings the galaxy over no small amount of comfort to see you present when we officially reopen the Charon Relay, and finally rejoin the galactic community." **Dialogue: Liara** "Yes, the Admiral indicated to me before you began your report that he desired your assistance with one final task before you return to Council Space. I am reticent to delay your return any further... the Council believes that having a spectre, agents known for their callous disregard for both protocol -and- lives, present during the human's final reconstruction of their relay might send the wrong message to the galaxy at large. This is a time for peaceful reconciliation, for building trust among the species. Your continued visibility in human space may do much to endanger that goal. However, with the current state of the Charon Relay, it will take almost as much time as the Admiral has requested to chart and clear a course to the Citadel. So I leave the final decision in your hands, Garrus. You are just as welcome to spend the next week enjoying some much deserved R&R." [[Accompany Hackett->Garrus's choice1]] [[Get some Rest-> Garrus's choice2]]

**Dialogue: Garrus** "While I'm not much of a fan of publicity stunts, It'd be my pleasure to accompany you on our way to Pluto Station, Admiral." **Dialogue: Hackett** "You and me both, Garrus. I'm glad to hear your onboard with this, though. I'll let our PR division know that we will be conducting the system-wide tour before I go orbital. Besides a few odd interviews with the press, we'll mostly be touring the rebuilding of the Mars Research Facility and the Jupiter mining operation, which has been integral in getting the Charon Relay up and running again. After a couple of days of that, we'll be situated at the Pluto station for the remainder of your stay in Sol, where I'll be personally overseeing the final rebuild for mass transit of the Charon Relay." //Hackett pauses and fixates solely on Garrus before continuing.// "I'll see you shortly... Commander." [[continue to conclusion->Fallout2]]

**Dialogue: Garrus** "As much as I appreciate the offer, I have to respectfully decline, Admiral. Lia- Councilor T'Soni is right. My continued public presence in Human space as an escort to one of the highest ranking individuals in the Systems Alliance will send the wrong signal to the other races. The last thing we need at the moment is a resurgence of old suspicions and grudges among Council and Non-Council species. And... some R&R sounds good. I don't think I've stopped moving since the Reaper invasion began, to be honest." //Liara Smiles, honestly this time.// **Dialogue: Liara** "I couldn't agree more, Garrus. You deserve some time to yourself." [[Continue to conclusion-> Fallout1]]

After arriving aboard the Normandy, Garrus and Hackett have little to say to each other, but leave an amicable terms once reaching pluto station. Garrus spends the next several days enjoying the amenities there, getting in touch with various Normandy squadmates, and giving his firearms some much needed TLC. On the eve of the grand reopening of the Charon Relay, which Garrus has agreed to meet Hackett over a drink to share stories about Shepard, a massive explosion rocks the station. Garrus rushes to the nearest comm terminal to get a sitrep, where he is informed that Admiral Hackett's quarters & the surrounding area had experienced explosive decompression, probably due to explosive charges being set and detonated in their immediate vicinity. The culprits are unknown and at large, according to local authorities. Garrus insists that he be allowed to go EVA in the affected area, but is disallowed by the authorities, citing that this is an "internal affair." Garrus returns to his quarters to see a message marked URGENT - SENDER: STEVEN HACKETT '*Spectre Clearance Required*'. The message's tags make it clear that it has been routed through covert Spectre channels, avoiding any interception by or notification to the Systems Alliance. Judging by the timestamp, the Admiral Must have sent it just minutes prior to his death. Garrus enters his Spectre Ident, and opens the message... [[The End]]

Garrus greets Hackett warmly upon his arrival on the Normandy, which is reciprocated. They retire to the mess for something to eat. After enjoying some grub, Hackett asks to speak to Garrus in private, whereupon they retire to EDI's server room, which shields them from any eavesdropping due to the faraday-cage atmosphere of the AI's core. Hackett tells to Garrus that his reason for asking Garrus to accompany him on this tour of the Sol system is more than just PR. Hackett goes on to reveal what he suspects to be a nascent splinter group forming within the Systems Alliance, one which goes from the very top down to the lowest grunt. He tells Garrus that him being one of Commander Shepard's closest friends and allies wasn't the only reason he desired him as an escort and confidante during this voyage, as that alone wouldn't have been enough, but rather the fact that Garrus is non-human and has been in a state of almost complete isolation in the preceding months, and thus can be seen as being safely removed from whatever conspiracy is brewing in Human-Occupied space. Hackett tells Garrus that this is all he can share for the time being, all other intelligence on the matter being nebulous at best. This conversation ignites all the old feelings in Garrus, and in the following scenes/gameplay, he is much more akin in character to his Archangel days - renegade, outsider, on a hairpin trigger, but fiercely loyal. He guards Hackett fervently, and their bond deepens. Several attempts are made on Hackett's life, each of which Garrus disrupts, cementing the idea that there is a group out to kill the admiral, and to prevent or at least delay the full reactivation of the Charon Relay. On the eve of the relay's reinitialization, Garrus is accompanying Hackett back to his quarters when a suicide-assassination attempt finally succeeds, at least in part. An assassin dressed in the coveralls of a Pluto station workman walks opposite the pair down a narrow bulkhead near the stations exterior. the assassin quietly producing a small device which Garrus immediately reckognizes as an activation key for a portable explosive device. With little time to respond, Garrus attempts to push Hackett to the ground, but its too late. Hackett is grievously wounded in the blast, and is bleeding out. The Admiral has so far kept all the details he has obtained about the alleged conspriacy secret, even to Garrus. But as Garrus attempts to stem the bleeding from the Admiral wounds, Hackett passes him a portable VI blue-box - containing all the intel Hackett has been collecting, integrated with a virtual replica of the Admiral himself. The Admiral makes Garrus promise to follow one final order, which Garrus agrees too unhesitantly. as medical personnel arrive, Hackett tells Garrus that he needs to leave the station immediately, and transfers full command authorization of the Normandy to Garrus, before Finally passing out. Hackett is put onto a hover-stretcher by the attending medical personnel, gagging and coughing, clearly just on this side of oblivion. His fate is unknown for the time being, but presumably is quite dire. //Garrus Reluctantly obeys Hackett's final directive, making a dead run for the Normandy's dry-dock, the Admiral's VI clutched tightly in his hands.// [[The End]]

Thanks for reading! making this story outline was a ton of fun, as was learning to work in Twine, of which I've only just scratched the surface. It was a true pleasure being able to visit the universe of Mass Effect again, this time as a writer. Disclaimer: These are works of purely speculative fiction. It is not intended to infringe on any rights by and of the companies and/or individuals involved in the production of any series mentioned here.