The Diomedian Chronicles: End Game

< The Diomedian Chronicles

The Diomedian Chronicles: End Game is a Novel/Transcript following the events of Archaon and Jim Farrel.

The events take place somewhere during the Reaper Invasion.

While working on the Crucible Project, Jim Farrell finds a data entry concerning a hidden lab on the Citadel. After forwarding his findings to the Alliance, the Aegina is tasked in aiding Jim to find it.

After Jim and Archaon discover the hidden lab, they create a chain of events.

Prologue
50.000 years ago

''[In the council’s audience room. A Prothean, dressed in white, is at the end of the catwalk and is valiantly looking on at the 3 Prothean council members. These council members are dressed in big red robes that have a golden trim, designed to make the councilors appear bigger then they truly are. Passerby’s are starring as the discussion with the council ensues.]''

Councilor Marros: Causality is not to be treated so lightly, Janus.

Janus: [smiling] No one’s treating it lightly, councilor.

Councilor Marros: You are! With your insistence on continuing these experiments! The council orders you to cease these activities!

[Their discussion ensues as they fade into the background and light shifts to reveal the present day.]

Present day

''[The presidium, Amir and Archaon are walking by a peculiar looking fountain before taking the stairs up. They talk while passing other people going down the stairs.]''

Archaon: I don't know what all the fuss is about. If we do this every time someone comes for a visit, we'll never get any work done.

Amir: We're just meeting him at the docking bay.

Archaon: We're not just meeting him at the docking bay! I've been pulled from my regular duties to help him with his database research! [He makes an annoyed sound.]

''[They turn around a corner, walking through a scanning door large enough for both of them to walk through simultaneously. The walls of the scanner room are plexiglas, on the left side, people can be seen working computers that perform the scan. On their right they can see the words “Docking Bay” and behind it a view of the Citadel’s Presidium area.]''

Archaon: I've got stuff on the go, you know: important, vital projects for the -- the betterment of the human race.

Amir: Apparently there are other people doing equally important work, doctor, as hard as that is to believe.

''[The scan is complete and it opens a door into the docking bay, it’s overflowing with refugees cause of the Reaper attacks. They rush through the refugees to meet up with John at Docking Bay 12. John is facing a docking bay door, only to slightly turn to his left when Amir stands next to him.]''

Marachuk: [unamused] Exciting day...

Amir: [equally unamused] Absolutely, sir.

''[Archaon grimaces. A docking bay door opens and a flood of new refugees scuttle out and pass the three men. Among them, Jim Farrell spots Archaon and walks over to the group. He grins at them happily.]''

Marachuk: [extending a hand] Doctor Farrell, welcome to the Citadel.

Farrell: [Shakes the offered hand] Thank you, Commander Marachuk. It's great to be back.

[He grins at the other men.]

Farrell: Amir. [Amir nods] Archaon.

''[Archaon grimaces again, then forces an unconvincing smile. Jim continues to grin happily.]''

Chapter One
[Amir leads Jim and Archaon away from the docking bay.]

Amir: I'll have doctor Thrax here show you to your quarters.

Farrell: Actually, I'd like to get started right away, if that's OK with you, Archaon.

Archaon: [sarcastically] Oh, sure, sure. What've you got planned? An exciting exploration of insignificant Prothean historical events?

Farrell: No, not quite. I'm sure you're both familiar with the Prothean named Janus?

Archaon: The inventor?

Farrell: Yes. He was a lead scientist and apparently a bit of a renegade.

Archaon: Yes, and I've been over all of his logs. Look, this is work we've done already.

Farrell: Well, I'm pretty sure I have information that could lead us to his secret lab.

[Archaon stops and turns to face him, his face full of cynicism.]

Archaon: Secret lab?!

Farrell: Yes, a place where he conducted and subsequently hid a significant portion of his unauthorized research. And if I'm correct, it's right here... on the Citadel.

Chapter Two
''[Archaon’s lab. Archaon and Jim sit side by side at a table as Jim types on a laptop. Archaon has his head propped up on his hand and is looking bored.]''

Archaon: I've been over Janus' database entries with a fine-tooth comb. I never saw any mention of a secret lab.

Farrell: Janus was doing a lot of work that wasn't exactly approved by the Prothean Council, so it's not hard to imagine he wouldn't include a full account in his very public database. I mean, do you include all of your research in your official reports?

Archaon: Just get to the point.

Farrell: OK, he never talked about it in his entries, but several of Janus' peers suspected he had a "bastion of unfettered thought and experimentation" or -- as one of his lovers put it...

Archaon: [envious] He had lovers?!

Farrell: [calling up an entry on the computer] ... "an isle of solitude within the city walls."

Archaon: Well, that could just mean he's hard to talk to. People say things like that about me all the time.

Farrell: Now, none of these writers had any idea where the lab could be, but one of his young assistants recalls a day where Janus turned a corner down a hallway.

Archaon: [mock-quoting the entry] "Dear dairy, today: saw Janus down the hallway." There's a real page turner!

Farrell: He chased after him with a question about his work, but when he rounded the corner, Janus was gone. The hallway was a dead end. He had seemingly disappeared and, I think, into his secret lab.

Archaon: [looking more interested] Well, did this assistant happen to mention ...

Farrell: ... which hallway? Yes, he does.

Archaon: Oh. Well ...

[He reaches towards the laptop.]

Farrell: Yeah.

''[He leans back and lets Archaon pick it up. Pulling it closer to himself, Archaon looks at the screen.]''

Archaon: Hmm.

Chapter Three
''[Huerta Memorial Hospital. Lorelei Mobious is supervising as members of her staff carry bags and boxes away.]''

Lorelei: Yeah, I think this should be the last of it.

[Scott Greer walks in.]

Greer: Hey.

Lorelei: Hi. I was just leaving.

[They walk over to another bed and she reaches for another bag.]

Greer: Yeah, I know. Hey, let me get that.

[Scott takes the bag from Lorelei to carry.]

Lorelei: Thanks.

Greer: So, you're sleeping on the ship tonight?

Lorelei: Yeah, I...--

[She reaches for yet another bag, but Scott picks it up with his other hand.]

Lorelei: Thank you.

''[They walk out of the hospital. Lorelei continues what she was about to say.]''

Lorelei: I kind of have to. I don’t get paid enough to own a fancy home on the Citadel. [Smiles Ruefully]

Greer: Right... Busy tonight?

Lorelei: No. Why?

Greer: I don’t know. Just don’t feel like being on the ship is all.

Lorelei: Is it because you’re bored or because you want to be seen with a woman?

Greer: I don't know. Both, I guess.

[She turns away, grinning.]

Greer: What?

Lorelei: Nothing!

Greer: What?

Lorelei: [shaking her head, still smiling] Nothing! Nothing! It'll be great to go out with you.

Greer: Great.

[They pass Archaon and Jim going in another direction.]

Lorelei: Bye, Archaon! Wish us luck!

Archaon: [waving] Good luck!

[He stops as he realizes and turns back towards them.]

Archaon: What do you mean, "us"?

''[Scott turns and smiles at him smugly. Archaon stares as he watches the two of them disappear around the corner. Jim walks back to him.]''

Archaon: Well, that’s interesting…

Farrell: Archaon?

[He jerks his thumb in the direction they were going.]

Farrell: You, uh ...?

''[He heads off again. Archaon, still surprised, follows him.]''

Chapter Four
''[Citadel underground. Archaon and Jim are making their way through dark abandoned corridors that appear to have pipes on the ceiling which are leaking water. Lighting the way with their omni-tool flashlights, the lights in the corridor come on automatically as they continue onwards. Jim looks up at the walls.]''

Farrell: Is that a water line up there?

Archaon: Yeah. This section of the city flooded during the first year the Asari discovered the Citadel. Anything salvageable got moved to one of the storage towers.

Farrell: Well, it's remote. That's promising. He wouldn't want anyone around when he came in and out of his lab.

Archaon: Ooh, like the Batcave!

Farrell: Yes, just like the Batcave!

Archaon: [looking at a small scanner] Well, I'm not picking up anything unusual.

[Jim stops as he sees a small recess in a column on the wall.]

Farrell: Something used to be attached here.

[Archaon turns and looks, then sees a similar recess two columns along.]

Archaon: Hmm. And here.

Farrell: [going to the column in between the other two] And another one. Any idea what they are?

Archaon: Looks like your run-of-the-mill sconce-interface.

Farrell: Right! Well... [he looks around the corridor] ... where are the sconces?

Archaon: I don't know! Maybe the decorator changed his mind.

Farrell: You said after the flood anything worth salvaging was moved to one of the storage towers. Now, please tell me you have detailed records of what was found and where.

Archaon: [smiling smugly] Do I have detailed records? Who do you think you’re talking to here?!

''[Time-laps. Back in Archaon's lab, Archaon is showing Jim photographs taken of the corridors after they were flooded. He flicks through the photos on the screen until Jim points.]''

Farrell: There. That's the hallway. Can you, uh, can you zoom in there?

[Glaring at him for a moment, Archaon types and the image zooms in on three round objects lying on the floor.]

Archaon: There. There are your light fixtures.

Farrell: They must have been knocked loose during the flood.

Archaon: [bored] Possibly.

Farrell: But the Asari salvaged them, right?

Archaon: [annoyed] They're lights! They fell to the ground during a flood ...

Farrell: Just... Humor me, OK? I think we're on to something.

Archaon: [sighing] Right.

''[Time-laps. Citadel Storage. In a room a long way from the main tower, Archaon and Jim are searching through cases of stuff.]''

Archaon: Here they are. We got ‘em.

''[Jim goes over to join him. Archaon opens a case and Jim looks thoughtfully at the three lights inside.]''

''[Time-laps. Back to the Citadel underground. Back in the same corridor, Jim pushes the last of the lights into its position on the wall. It chimes a single note as it lights up.]''

Farrell: That's odd. Each of these three lights made a different tone when I plugged them in. Does that usually happen around here?

Archaon: [thoughtfully] Not usually, no.

''[Jim taps the light and it chimes again. He walks along and taps the other two lights and each one chimes a different note.]''

Archaon: Well, they've been banged around a lot, under water for a few days, left to rot in a case for a couple hundred years. Maybe they're just broken.

Farrell: No, it's a puzzle. I think we need to activate these in a specific order.

Archaon: You mean, like a three digit code? D'you know how easy that'd be to break?! There's only six variations!

Farrell: Well, maybe we need to activate them a number of times in a specific order. I don't suppose you recognize any of these three notes?

Archaon: What, do you mean, like, does it remind me of Janus' favorite Expel 10 track?! No -- no such luck.

Farrell: Well, Janus' assistant said he disappeared pretty quickly down the hallway, so it can't be a long code. Maybe it's just as simple as three tones in a row.

Archaon: [bored] Go for it.

''[Sighing, he turns to the right and walks to the end of the corridor. Jim taps the lights in the reverse order to what he did previously. Archaon, with his back to him, pats the end wall. Jim taps the middle light, then the right and then the left. Putting his hand against the wall again, Archaon frowns. Jim tries middle, left, right.]''

Archaon: Hold on for a second.

Farrell: What is it?

Archaon: Come here and push against this wall.

Farrell: Why?

Archaon: Please, just... Humor me. I think I'm on to something.

[They change positions.]

Archaon: OK. On the count of three, I want you to push against the wall as hard as you can, OK?

Farrell: OK.

[He puts his hands against the wall.]

Archaon: OK, one, two, three.

''[Jim leans hard against the wall as Archaon walks along and taps the lights left to right in quick succession. The wall doesn't move, but Jim plunges forward and disappears straight through it. Archaon stares in surprise.]''

Archaon: That son of a bitch!

[He trots back to the left light and taps the three of them again, then walks briskly towards the wall -- and straight through it, appearing in a darkened room on the other side.]

Farrell: Ow.

[Archaon looks down, then squats down to Jim lying on his face on the floor.]

Archaon: Controlled magnetic harmonic resonance.

Farrell: [sitting up and looking at him blearily] Say again?

Archaon: Apparently, Tesla was close to something like this before Edison trashed his lab!

Farrell: [rubbing the back of his neck] What are you talking about?

Archaon: That wall was specially designed to destabilize when bombarded with a very specific harmonic resonance. That's what the tones were! And the strong magnetic property of the particles is what keeps the door from just crumbling into dust! It's a great way to hide a door because, you know, if you're looking for a door to open, it's never gonna be found! It's like a hologram, only better, because it's solid mass until the tones are played.

Farrell: Right, so you could've just told me to walk through the door when you did.

Archaon: I could've, yes.

Farrell: Yes, yes.

[Sighing, he stands up.]

Farrell: Where the hell are we?

''[They step forward and the lights come on. All around the room wallscreens and consoles light up.]''

Farrell: Wow.

Archaon: Janus' secret lab!

''[They walk around and start to investigate. Unseen on a table behind them, a red light begins to flash on a device.]''

''[On a white planet on the other side of the galaxy, an identical red light begins to flash and the console to which the light is connected lights up. The wallscreen nearby illuminates and text scrolls down it as an alarm begins to sound. Standing nearby, a human shape, either a robot or a person dressed entirely in battle armor, speaks in an low, electronic voice.]''

Alien: Alert the others! The device has been activated!

Chapter Five
''[Janus’ Lab. Gwen walks through the wall into the lab. It's obviously her first visit because she stares back at the wall in amazement.]''

Gwendolyn: Wow! That's pretty cool!

[Archaon, Jim and various scientists are inside the lab.]

Archaon: Harmonic resonance.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, I was told, but what happens if the sound goes off and you're in the middle of the wall?

Archaon: Well, the wall would break apart your body at a molecular level.

Gwendolyn: [nervously] Maybe we should, uh ...

Archaon: I've set up a sub-sonic tone generator outside. The wall is now permanently open. Don't worry.

Gwendolyn: That's good. So what've we got?

Farrell: Well, the good news is: it's definitely Janus' secret lab. The bad news is: getting in was the easy part.

Archaon: There are levels of encryption on all the data here that even the most paranoid N.S.A. agent wouldn't use. I mean, it is deep.

Farrell: Some of them are straight-up math ciphers while others are Prothean knowledge puzzles.

Archaon: And until we start deciphering, there's no way to tell what any of this stuff does.

Gwendolyn: Sounds like you guys make a good team, though.

Archaon: [uncomfortably] Mmm.

Farrell: [equally uncomfortably] Yeah.

Gwendolyn: Well, I guess I'll go back to being the corporal.

Archaon: How's that going?

Gwendolyn: Pretty boring, actually.

Archaon: Well, you're more than welcome to help us crack this first stream cipher.

[He glances at Jim.]

Archaon: You know, she could have been in Mensa.

''[Jim grins disbelievingly while Archaon snorts with laughter. Gwen glares at them.]''

Gwendolyn: Why don't you contact me when you two geniuses have a breakthrough?

Farrell: Will do!

''[Gwen turns and walks back through the wall. On the nearby table, the red light continues to flash on the unnoticed device.]''

Chapter Six
''[The Citadel. In Janus' lab, Jim is sitting at a console and gazing at text scrolling across a wallscreen in front of him. Sitting at another console beside him, Archaon yawns. The two of them have been at it all night by the looks of it.]''

Farrell: You know, it's almost dawn. If you wanna call it a night, it's, uh ...

[Jim rubs his eyes tiredly.]

Archaon: What? No-no-no, I'm fine, fine, but, you know, if you need to rest, I completely understand.

[Annoyed, Jim turns to face him.]

Farrell: Seriously, is everything a competition with you?

Archaon: I'm not sure what you're talkin' about.

Farrell: I just found you a secret lab full of really cool Prothean stuff. I kind of think that should score me some points here.

Archaon: OK, I will admit that I may have been little brusque with you up until now.

Farrell: Oh, just a little!

Archaon: But the truth is, I really didn't think you were gonna find anything.

Farrell: Well, that much I actually understand.

Archaon: You do?

Farrell: Yeah. I've spent the majority of my professional life being ridiculed for my theories -- most of which turned out to be correct, by the way. I'm kind of used to it, Archaon.

[Archaon slumps back in his chair and sighs.]

Archaon: Doesn't that bother you? I mean, there's no vindication, no recognition, no credit.

Farrell: Well, I could say the same thing about you. The discoveries you've made -- you probably could have won the Nobel Prize five times over by now.

Archaon: Too true. So -- I guess none of us signed up to get famous, huh?

Farrell: Nope, we did it for the money.

Archaon: [chuckling] Good one!

''[He continues to chuckle as Jim grins. Then Archaon's smile drops and he turns to Jim.]''

Archaon: Wait a minute. You don't get paid more than I do, do you?

[Jim rolls his eyes and sighs.]

Archaon: Do you?

''[In space, near the Citadel, a Mass Relay’s rings spin more rapidly as a small lozenge shaped shuttle flies next to it, leaving behind a blue tail that gradually fades. In the Control Room of the Citadel, an Asari operator, with the nametag “Kaiya”, has her feet up on her console while reading a book, but straightens up as the console beeps.]''

Kaiya: unscheduled relay activation!

''[Another operator walks over. Her nametag reads “Melia”.]''

Melia: The Ascension isn't due back yet.

[They look at the wallscreen which reads “Mass Relay activation detected”, followed by “Unknown I.F.F.”.]

Melia: Get Captain Bailey.

''[In Bailey’s bedroom, we see Bailey lying on his bed. He too is reading a book, but Is gradually falling asleep. He wakes up as he hears Kaiya's voice.]''

Kaiya: Captain Bailey, sir?

Bailey: Yeah, uh, just resting my eyes.

[He frowns and looks around half-asleep.]

Bailey: Who said that?

Kaiya: I patched into the P.A. in your room, sir. You're gonna wanna get up here.

[Bailey jumps off the bed, rapidly puts on some clothes and walks to the doors, swiping the wall panel to close them before heading off.]

[Out in space, the side pods on the shuttle open out and picks up velocity as it heads towards the Citadel.]

[Bailey runs into the Control Room.]

Bailey: What's going on?

Melia: Tracking a small shuttle nearby. It's coming right for us.

Bailey: Get SWAT in the air.

Melia: It's closing fast, sir. It'll be here in less than thirty seconds.

Bailey: close the arms. I still want SWAT ready.

''[Kaiya activates her controls and the Citadel closes. The slow closure of the Citadel arms make them look at their screens with suspense, luckily it closes moments before the shuttle is near. Bailey and Melia watch the wallscreen nervously. The shuttle doesn’t seem to change course nor slow down.]''

Melia: Are they going to ram us?

[The image on the screen shows the shuttle as it flies straight through the tip of the arm and heads for the end of one of the piers.]

Melia: That's impossible. They went straight through...

Bailey: Wait-wait-wait, what just happened?

Kaiya: It passed through the arm.

Bailey: Yeah, but how did it do that?

Kaiya: I'm not sure, sir. [She looks at him.] I bet Prothean ships can do it.

[Bailey frowns, then looks at the screen which shows that the ship has stopped a short distance in from the end of the pier.]

Bailey: All right, I want a team of SWATs to meet me at that pier.

''[He hurries away. At the pier, a section of the underside of the shuttle opens and three figures -- dressed in some kind of battle armor-- drop out of it and fall towards a building below the shuttle. They plunge straight through the roof. Shortly afterwards, they start to make their way through the city.]''

''[Some distance away, Bailey runs out of a transporter and joins the SWAT team as they hurry along. In the corridors, Melia guides them over radio.]''

Melia: [via radio] They should be right in front of you.

''[The three aliens have each taken from their backs a piece of metal shaped like a cone. They lay them on the floor, unfold them and lock them together to form a circle. One of the aliens locks a device into the centre of the circle and it begins to power up. Just as Bailey and the team runs into view, the aliens step onto the circle with their backs to each other.]''

Bailey: Don't move!

''[As the team aims its weapons at the aliens, one of them presses a device on its chest armor and a white glowing energy shield deploys up from the metal circle and surrounds them. The team opens fire, but their bullets have no effect. The metal circle glows and, having apparently cut around itself, drops through the floor, taking the aliens with it. As crashing noises come from the hole in the floor, the team walks cautiously forward and looks down to see that several floors below them have also been cut through. The glow of the shield can just be seen receding lower into the tower.]''

Bailey: [activates his earpiece] What's at the bottom of this tower?

Melia: [via radio] Janus’ Lab, sir.

''[In the corridor outside Janus' lab, the metal circle and its aliens smash through the ceiling and land on the floor. The shield instantly drops and two of the aliens head towards the wall leading to the lab while the other moves in the opposite direction to guard the corridor.]''

[Several levels above, Bailey and the team are running.]

Bailey: [into his earpiece] Doctor Thrax, this is captain Bailey. Please respond.

[In the lab, Archaon looks up at the sound of Bailey's voice.]

Bailey: [via radio] Doctor Thrax!

[Archaon presses on his earpiece.]

Archaon: Who is this?

''[Bailey and the team hurry into an elevator. In Janus’ Lab, Archaon yawns and sees Jim has fallen asleep on the console.]''

Bailey: [via radio] Get out of there right now.

Archaon: [confused] Why?

''[He instantly finds out as the two aliens walk through the wall, raise weapons and shoot him and Jim with what appears to be a stun-gun. One of them walks over to the fallen men while the other goes to the device with the red flashing light and picks it up.]''

''[In a nearby corridor, elevator doors open and the team hurries out. They run to the corridor and then stop and raise their rifles at the sight of the alien standing in the middle of it. It quickly presses a button on its left arm and holds its arm horizontally in front of itself. A wall of energy emanates out, forming a glowing yellow shield which deflects all the shots fired at it by Bailey and the team, it looks similar to shields that N7 Paladins use.]''

''[Behind it, the two other aliens walk back through the wall, one of them carrying the device and the other dragging Jim and Archaon along the ground by an arm each. Bailey and the others continue firing at the energy wall, but can't get through it. The alien pulling Jim and Archaon hauls them up onto their feet by the necks of their jackets and pulls them onto the metal circle. The other alien joins it, a white forcefield deploys around them and the circle rises up into the air, shooting back up the way it came.]''

''[The yellow shield wall around the last alien either fails or the bullets finally wear it out and at long last the team's weapons fire impacts the alien itself. The gunfire sends it crashing to the ground.]''

''[Above the tower, the circle flies back up into the shuttle. Its hatch closes and it heads forward, flying passed other towers, phasing through the tip of the arm again and onward to the Mass Relay.]''

''[In the corridor, Bailey and the others carefully walk forward, aiming their rifles down at the alien. When it doesn't move, Bailey activates his headset radio.]''

Bailey: Control Room, what's the status of that ship?

Melia: [via radio] I'm sorry, Captain. They're gone.

Bailey: [sighs] Notify The Aegina personnel. They’ll want to know their lead scientist just got kidnapped...

Chapter Seven
''[At the Citadel, the crew of the Aegina along with a couple of scientists hurry into the corridor. Lorelei looks down at the alien nervously.]''

Lorelei: Is it alive?

Bailey: You tell me, doc.

[Lorelei activates her omni-tool and squats down to the alien to scan it.]

Lorelei: No. I'm not getting any coherent readings. [Looks at John.] Perhaps we should put it under a medical scanner.

Marachuk: OK, do it.

[Lorelei stands up and addresses one of the scientists.]

Lorelei: Go get a gurney.

[As the scientist passes Gwen, she looks up at the hole in the ceiling.]

Gwendolyn: Ooh! So is it true they took Archaon and Doctor Farrell?

Bailey: Yeah.

''[Alien Shuttle. Jim kneels at Archaon's side and gently slaps his face to wake him up. Groaning, Archaon regains consciousness and Jim helps him to sit up.]''

Archaon: [high-pitched in indignation] What the hell happened?!

Farrell: [pulling him to his feet] We were attacked.

Archaon: By whom?

Farrell: I was kinda hoping you could tell me.

''[They look around. The room they are in is very dark, but they are in a small triangular cell bounded by horizontal lasers.]''

Archaon: OK, there is no way this is a coincidence. I mean, we discover Janus' super-secret lab and less than twenty-four hours later a bunch of aliens show up, all guns blazing?! Don't you think it's a little odd?

Farrell: Well, now that you mention it... !

''[The Citadel. Scientists are wheeling away the alien on a gurney. Gwen looks at the lab entrance, lost in thought.]''

Gwendolyn: They knew exactly what they were looking for. Didn't waste any time. Went straight for the lab.

Bailey: When they came out, one of them was carrying a device.

[John, Bailey and Gwen go into the lab.]

Bailey: Unfortunately, we haven't had nearly enough time to go through everything we found in here, so there's no way of knowing exactly what they took.

Marachuk: All this stuff came on when Archaon and Doctor Farrell came in here?

Bailey: Yeah, pretty much. It activated probably in response to movement, like most of the Citadel systems. Why?

Gwendolyn: [looking around] Something in here's been broadcasting.

[On the alien ship, Archaon has had the same idea.]

Archaon: A sub-space signal. That's the only possible answer.

Farrell: What are you talking about?

Archaon: It's a device. They're a real-time, practically instantaneous, link between two Prothean devices. They can be separated by, like, half a galaxy.

[In Janus’ lab]

Gwendolyn: There's a bunch of aliens out there. They stumbled upon a Prothean lab, probably built by Janus himself. It's dormant, not working; then one day, out of the blue, it activates.

[On the alien ship]

Archaon: So they're standing around, scratching their heads, they have no clue what's going on, then they discover the sub-space link.

[In Janus’ lab]

Gwendolyn: They decide to follow it, tracing it back to Janus’ lab here.

Bailey: [skeptically] And then attack us and take two of our people hostage?

Marachuk: No, Archaon and Doctor Farrell weren’t the targets. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever that device was, that's what they were after.

[On the alien ship]

Farrell: All right, good theory. So what do we do?

Archaon: Well, we've gotta get out of here.

[He starts to walk around the small cell, looking at the laser bars.]

Farrell: We're probably on a ship travelling through hyperspace. Where are we gonna go?

Archaon: I'll think of something.

Farrell: Really?

Archaon: Yeah. Always do.

[Tentatively he puts the tip of his finger to one of the laser bars, which promptly sparks and burns him.]

Archaon: Ow!

Farrell: Oh yeah, I tried that. They zap you when you touch them.

Archaon: [indignantly] You could have told me that before I touched it!

Farrell: I could have, yes.

[Archaon glares at him, realizing that he was getting payback for the wall incident earlier.]

Farrell: Look, they stripped us of everything but the clothing on our backs and surrounded us with laser walls. I'm not sure how much play we have here.

Archaon: We've got one thing going for us at least.

Farrell: What's that?

Archaon: We're not dead yet.

Farrell: Good point...

Chapter Eight
''[The Aegina’s Infirmary. Lorelei, dressed in a quarantine suit, is working on a computer while the rest of the Aegina crew is watching through the window in the mess hall. The alien has been laid on the scanner bed and the scanner is running overhead. Looking at a computer nearby, Lorelei sighs.]''

Lorelei: It's no good. I'm still not getting any useful readings. The suit is emitting some sort of E.M. field that's disrupting the scanner. I have no idea how to shut it off.

Marachuk: [via speaker] There's no way to penetrate the shell and see what's under there?

Lorelei: I'm afraid not.

Greer: [via speaker] Do you think there's a human underneath all that armor?

Lorelei: Impossible to say. Could be a Geth. One thing's for sure: it's not like anything we've ever seen before.

[In the mess hall, Gwen looks towards John.]

Gwendolyn: Well, Archaon did say that there were other technologically advanced species that we have yet to encounter.

Amir: Perhaps we just made first contact, sir.

Lorelei: [via speaker] What do you want me to do?

[John looks down at the alien thoughtfully.]

Marachuk: Cut it open.

''[Time-laps. Lorelei is attempting to drill into the chest plate of the alien with a saw blade. Some seconds later she stops and looks at the drill. Seeing it’s blade, she curses in Russian.]''

Lorelei: Черт! it's no good. I just dulled out the blade.

Gwendolyn: [via speaker] The neck.

Lorelei: What?

Gwendolyn: [via speaker] Try the neck, it’s mostly the weakest spot.

[Lorelei looks uncomfortable at that thought.]

Marachuk: [via speaker] It's already dead, Lorelei.

Lorelei: W-We think.

Marachuk: [via speaker, impatient] Just do it!

''[Lorelei takes another drill and gets back to work. Almost instantly she calls out over the noise of the drill.]''

Lorelei: Yeah, it's working!

''[She continues to drill, but then looks up at a beeping noise. On the chest piece of the alien, a yellow light has begun to flash. She stops drilling.]''

Lorelei: Oh...

Marachuk: [via speaker] Get out of there, now! Everybody, on the ground!

''[Everybody falls to the ground as the beeping and flashing increase their rate. Lorelei opens the infirmary door and charges around the corner, cowering down as an enormous explosion goes off behind her, shattering the window. Pieces of glass fall upon Gwen and Marachuk.]''

Marachuk: Everyone OK?

Gwendolyn: [looking around to check] Yes.

Greer: [groans while getting up] Somebody really wants to keep secret whatever's inside that suit.

''[The alien planet, it looks like a clear white marble. Nearby, a shuttle exits hyperspace and heads down towards the white planet beneath it. It flies towards a complex on the surface which is covered with snow as a blizzard rages all around, and settles onto the landing pad. Shortly afterwards, an alien walks along a corridor inside the complex, holding the device taken from Janus' lab. It is followed by two other aliens, each of which is bundling Jim and Archaon along by the neck of their jackets.]''

Farrell: Can we talk to somebody in charge? I think there's been a bit of a misunderstanding. There's no need to treat us this way.

''[Behind him, Archaon is grimacing and making "Ow" noises as his alien shoves him along. They reach a lab and the doors open and everyone goes inside. The lab looks Prothean in design. The aliens shove Archaon and Jim into the middle of the room and the alien with the device sets it down onto the central console. Immediately it lights up and a wallscreen behind it activates.]''

Alien: Get the device operational!

Archaon: We don't even know what it is!

''[The aliens leave the room and the doors close. Archaon walks over to the doors.]''

Archaon: Oh, great! Sealed shut and they've removed the door controls from this side.

Farrell: Where the hell are we?

Archaon: I'd say, judging from the Prothean architecture, I'd guess, you know, a secret Janus facility -- which is, you know, probably bad for us because it probably means it's hard to find.

Farrell: So I guess that means no rescue any time soon.

[Archaon walks over to the device which the alien put onto the console.]

Archaon: Does that look familiar to you?

Farrell: Yeah, it's the device from Janus’ lab on the Citadel.

Archaon: At least we know why they brought us with them.

Farrell: Yeah, they need us to get the device operational. I got that.

Archaon: Right. And I don't think we're gonna get any more info from Talky McSays-A-Lot out there, so fire up these consoles -- see what we're dealing with.

[Jim reaches for a button on the console.]

Archaon: Not like that.

[Jim pulls his hand back as Archaon looks at the console.]

Archaon: Uh, yeah, see, like that.

''[He reaches across Jim and presses what looks like the button that Jim had been reaching for anyway. Jim looks irritated.]''

Archaon: OK, that's the one.

[He leans across him again.]

Archaon: And I need to be right there.

[Trying hard not to look murderous, Jim lifts his hands off the console so that Archaon can activate controls at the bottom of it.]

Archaon: Yeah, thanks. There.

Chapter Nine
''[Citadel. John and Amir are walking through the docking cradle to the Aegina.]''

Amir: Captain Bailey’s got five SWAT teams in the air flying a defensive formation around the citadel, and we’ve got the Aegina fired up and ready for you at a moment's notice.

Marachuk: I want details every five minutes, locked and loaded ready for my go-ahead just in case.

Amir: Absolutely, sir.

[John and Amir enter the Aegina and walk through the control room over to Merrick who is sitting at a console.]

Merrick: Commander. I think I may have something. I've been working under the assumption that, as you suggested, the device they took must have been broadcasting some sort of sub-space communication...

Marachuk: You can trace it.

Merrick: Well, yeah, if it was broadcasting from the Citadel, but obviously it's not doing that any more.

Marachuk: So?

Merrick: So ... well ... I'm using the work of László Babai as a stepping stone.

[John looks at him straight faced.]

Merrick: You know, combinatorics and, um... [He shakes his head.] No offence, but the math I'm using is so complicated, I don't know if I can dumb it down enough for it to make sense.

Marachuk: [sternly] Try.

Merrick: [swallowing nervously] Well, OK, I've been going over our record of sub-space logs and I'm trying to extrapolate the single thread that will lead us to the area of space associated with the device.

Marachuk: Well, that’s not hard to understand.

Merrick: Yes. It doesn't accurately represent what I'm doing, but ...

Marachuk: I get it. What you're doing is difficult. Just ... tell me when you get a hit.

''[He walks away. Merrick sighs and gets back to work.]''

''[Alien Planet. Archaon is gazing thoughtfully through a window in the lab which looks into another room which has a large device in it with large antennae on either sides. After a while he turns around and walks back to the main console and looks down at it. Jim, standing by another console near the opposite wall, turns around.]''

Farrell: This facility's tapped into some pretty serious power generation. I've never seen anything like it before.

[Archaon has realized something and stares at the console.]

Archaon: You'd need a lot of power...

Farrell: What?

Archaon: [turning to face him] I think I know what this thing does.

Farrell: Well, what?

Archaon: It's an end-game machine.

Farrell: [a little nervously] How so?

Archaon: If it works the way I think it does, it would mean the end of the Reapers once and for all...

Chapter Ten
Farrell: So how do you destroy the Reapers once and for all?

Archaon: Well, I never said "destroy." I mean, it would lead to that, I suppose, but this device would stop them dead in their tracks.

Farrell: How?

Archaon: It creates a very specific sub-space static ... uh, turbulence is probably a better way of looking at it.

Farrell: Which means ...?

Archaon: OK, look. Um, although they're all based on a fairly similar technological premise, each race has a slightly different type of hyperdrive. Ours are based on the Alcubierre drive, the Protheans had their own particular system and the Reapers, again, have their own separate hyperdrive technology.

Farrell: All right.

Archaon: OK, so at its base level, a hyperdrive engine allows you to travel great distances by entering and exiting sub-space. In other words; F.T.L.

Farrell: OK, this much we know already, yes.

[Archaon leads Jim back to the central console so that they can see the device in the next room]

Archaon: OK, so, if this machine is capable of actually functioning safely, it disrupts the very specific sub-space frequencies the Reapers use.

Farrell: So they wouldn't be able to engage their hyperdrive.

Archaon: Well, that's the genius part. They would be able to engage their hyperdrives. It's just that their particular channel of sub-space would be destabilized and their ship would be ripped into a million pieces.

Farrell: So, when this device is turned on, every time a Reaper ship enters F.T.L., it self-destructs?

Archaon: Yeah!

Farrell: That’s a pretty effective idea.

Archaon: Yeah! I mean, because even if word got back to the other Reapers that they should stop using their hyperdrive, they'd be stuck where they were. They'd only be able to travel using sub-light engines.

Farrell: ...And because a Prothean ship's hyperdrives operate on a different frequency of sub-space, the Protheans could fly around the galaxy and pick them off one by one.

Archaon: Yeah, or... Just leave ‘em in the vastness of space. If only allowed to use their sub-light engines, it would take the Reapers thousands of years to get from one solar system to the other.

Farrell: So, what's the catch?

Archaon: Ah, well, the catch is that Janus ran a three day test about fifty thousand years ago and then shut the whole project down because of unforeseen side effects.

Farrell: Right, which were ...?

Archaon: Well, it's not clear.

[He points to the device from Janus' Citadel lab.]

Archaon: That's the key to the whole shebang. I mean, Janus brought that back with him to the Citadel, but kept it connected to the main system here. One won't work without the other.

Farrell: Well, they seem pretty convinced we can make it operational.

Archaon: That's because we probably can. I mean, we have everything we need here. The question is whether we should.

[Jim looks at him.]

Archaon: The last time I went down this road, I... I kinda destroyed a solar system.

Farrell: Yeah, and I'm not too keen about experiencing those unforeseen side effects.

Archaon: So, what do we do?

Farrell: It's simple: we, uh ... we reason with them.

Archaon: [sighs] Oh!

Chapter Eleven
''[Alien planet. An alien has come to the lab and Jim is trying to reason with it.]''

Farrell: Now, obviously you're excited about the possibility of ending the Reapers' reign over this galaxy once and for all, but the reality is: this device and this facility were abandoned by their creator for a very good reason. See, uh, it doesn't work -- at least, not safely. [He gestures to Archaon beside him.] That's from what my friend can tell.

''[Smiling nervously, Archaon raises a hand to the alien. Ignoring him, the alien stares silently at Jim -- or at least aims the helmet on its head in his direction.]''

Farrell: Look, we share common goal. Perhaps we have many things in common.

''[The alien continues to look at him silently. Jim looks at Archaon briefly, then turns back to it.]''

Farrell: Look, given the right amount of time, it's possible we could get the device to function safely, but we'd have to contact our people and bring in a much larger science team. See, I'm not that kind of scientist... [he points towards Archaon] ...and what my friend... --

[The alien interrupts, turning its head to address Archaon.]

Alien: Get the device operational within one hour or I will kill him.

[Jim freezes, his finger still pointing towards Archaon.]

Alien: [to Archaon] Do you understand, Dr. Thrax?

Archaon: [nervously] I understand, yes.

''[The alien turns and the doors behind it open. It walks through and the doors close again. Archaon turns back to the console with a look of frustration on his face]''

Archaon: Great plan, Jimmy! Great plan!

Farrell: [still staring at the doors] Why the suits?

Archaon: [over his shoulder] Huh?

Farrell: Well, they're not in battle anymore. Originally I thought it was just their version of SWAT gear, but they still have it on. Maybe they're more than just armor; maybe they're some sort of protective suit. Maybe they can't function on our livable atmosphere. That thing also knew your name. Perhaps from your nametag? That would suggest they also know the human language...

Archaon: Maybe we should just add it to the list of things that have nothing to do with the task at hand.

Farrell: These clues might be the key to figuring out who these guys really are. Quarian, perhaps?

Archaon: Well, you work on understanding them; I'll work on trying not to get us killed.

''[He gets back to work on the console. Jim continues staring at the door, frowning thoughtfully.]''

''[Aegina. John trots around impatiently into the Control Room.]''

Marachuk: Talk to me Merrick, what do you got?

Merrick: Uh, Yes. MHX-495. That's my best guess.

Marachuk: You sure?

Merrick: Well, it’s the planet with the highest percentage rate.

Marachuk: All right. Well, it's our only lead. It'll have to do for now. Doesn't happen to have a Relay near it, does it?

Merrick: I’m afraid not.

Marachuk: Of course not, that would make it too easy! All right, I need you to get down to engineering, tell Iggins to boost the hyperdrive as much as you can.

Merrick: What are you planning?

Marachuk: We've gotta get to that planet as soon as possible. We're gonna jump as near as we can.

Merrick: [gets off his seat] OK. I'm on my way.

Marachuk: I'm gonna get the team ready.

Chapter Twelve
''[Alien planet. Archaon and Jim are looking through the window into the other room.]''

Archaon: That main chamber houses the sub-space antenna.

Farrell: So that thing will harness the static into sub-space.

Archaon: Well, it will once I light it up.

[Jim turns to look at him.]

Farrell: What? You're finished already?

Archaon: [turning and walking back to the main console] Well, it wasn't broken. He just shut it down. All we need is that... [he points at the device from the Citadel lab] ...a basic understanding of the Prothean language and -- here's where I come in again – knowledge of Janus’ coding. I mean, we're... we're ready to roll.

Farrell: Archaon, you don't have to do this.

Archaon: What?

Farrell: Look, if turning this thing on means a solar system is gonna explode, then let's... not.

Archaon: They're gonna kill you! We don't have a choice!

Farrell: Yes we do.

Archaon: OK, so I do nothing, they come in here, they kill you. Who gets killed next, huh? Me! And to tell you the truth here, I'm quite fond of me, so we might as well do it, you know, now, while you're still alive, as opposed to... you know, then.

Farrell: [not entirely happy] All right.

Archaon: Right.

''[He activates the controls. In the next room, electricity begins to spark off the antennae and bounce around the room. Jim and Archaon turn to watch as the central device begins to glow and more electricity sparks around.]''

Archaon: [nervously] Are we still alive?

Farrell: I think so. I'd hate to think that I’d have to share heaven with you.

Archaon: Who says we went to heaven…

[Whimpering nervously, he leads Jim closer to the window.]

Archaon: It's operational.

Farrell: Anything out of the ordinary?

[Archaon looks at the console.]

Archaon: No. Everything's in the green. I mean, it's working great!

Farrell: What about those unforeseen side effects?

Archaon: Still unforeseen. For now, it's working and we're still alive.

Farrell: OK, so what now?

Archaon: Uh, maybe, uh, a nice pat on the back and an all-expense paid trip back to the Citadel?

''[He looks hopefully at Jim, who looks back at him as if to say; "You wish!". Archaon's smile fades.]''

Archaon: [quietly] Yeah...

Chapter Thirteen
''[Alien planet. Some time has passed since Archaon activated the device. Jim, pacing around the room, slowly walks over to Archaon's console.]''

Farrell: Ten minutes and counting. Still no problem.

[Archaon's eyes widen as he looks at the wallscreen in front of him.]

Archaon: Oh boy...

Farrell: What? What is it?

Archaon: I think I just found a log entry that tells us what the side effect is.

Farrell: [backing away from the console nervously] It's not harmful radiation, is it?

Archaon: No. No-no-no, you and I are safe. It's just the rest of the galaxy that's gonna have problems, including the Aegina. I've gotta shut this thing down.

''[He starts to work on the console, but just then the doors open and two aliens walk in. One of them aims a stun-gun at Archaon.]''

Alien: Step away from the device.

''[Archaon keeps working, so the alien shoots him. He crumples to the floor as Jim raises his hands.]''

Farrell: Ok, wait-wait-wait. There's a very dangerous, very serious problem with the device and we need to talk to your boss...-

[The aliens shoot him too and he joins Archaon on the floor.]

''[Aegina’s shuttle bay. Inside a shuttle, Iggins is closing various panels he had opened in the rear compartment just as John, Amir and the rest of the team walk in.]''

Iggins: OK, all set.

Marachuk: Nice work.

Iggins: Good luck.

Marachuk: Thanks. We're gonna need it.

''[He heads for the front compartment as the team sits down in the rear. Iggins trots down the stairs into the Engine Room and goes to a console.]''

Iggins: [activates his earpiece] All right, Misses Spaulding, get her in close.

''[Alyssa changes course to the Relay, The rings’ movement changes in velocity, turning around faster and faster until, finally, it releases a bolt of energy at the ship and it “kawooshes” forward, leaving behind a blue trail. But suddenly, turbulence, the Aegina shakes violently as it exits back into space, flying violently around until side thrusters correct its flightpath. In the engine room, Radovan regains his footing and sits down at a nearby console as Iggins looks at his screen in surprise.]''

Iggins: What's was that?

Bernn: We've got a power spike in the engine.

Iggins: What? Power's building in the engine? No-no-no-no. [He laughs disbelievingly while typing.] That-that can't be happening.

[He stares at his screen, then activates his headset.]

Iggins: Commander, we can’t proceed.

Marachuk: [via radio] Why not?

Iggins: Well, for some reason there is an unprecedented power build-up within the engine.

[In the shuttle, everyone looks perplexed at each other.] 

Gwendolyn: [looking at John] Power build-up from where?

Bernn: [via radio] It’s the Eezo. This is very bad for us.

''[In the engine room, Iggins starts typing very fast. The team exits the shuttle and walks towards the engine room.]''

Marachuk: [entering] Just shut it down. Shut it all down!

Bernn: I'm-I'm-I'm trying! It won't let me!

[He looks across to Iggins, who shakes his head at him to indicate that he can't shut it down either.]

Greer: So, what do we do? Just, ride it out?

Bernn: I wish. If the power continues to build like this, the engine will reach critical overload and most certainly explode.

Tanaka: Explode?!

Bernn: Yes. I told you it was very bad for us.

Marachuk: How did something like this happen?

Iggins: I don't know. It's never happened before.

Marachuk: How long do we have?

Iggins: Not very long at all. About ninety seconds tops.

Tanaka: Ninety seconds?!

Bernn: I would say closer to sixty.

Marachuk: We've gotta evacuate.

Bernn: An eezo explosion is the equivalent of a dozen nuclear bombs! There's nowhere we could evacuate quickly enough to a safe distance.

Gwendolyn: The shields!

Bernn: What?

Gwendolyn: Collapse the ship’s shield around the engine; we can contain the explosion.

Bernn: Yes, yes.

[He scoots his chair across to another console.]

Bernn: That might just work.

[He starts to type frantically.]

Iggins: The Engine’ll reach a critical limit in five, four, three...-

[Radovan continues typing and the shield begins to rise up around the engine.]

Iggins: -... two, one.

''[The shield reaches the top of the engine just a second before it explodes. A brilliant yellow light fills the room and everyone cowers.]''

Bernn: Don't look at the blast!

[John, shielding his eyes but looking in the direction of the engine, turns and glares at him.]

Marachuk: Could've mentioned that before!

Bernn: I'll see if I can divert more power to the shield -- see if we can block more of the radiation.

''[He types and the shield whines as it strengthens around the destroyed engine. John lowers his hand and walks closer to the balcony, looking down at the yellow ball of energy inside the field.]''

Marachuk: All right, so now what?

Bernn: [wheeling himself back to his original console] Well, the shield will continue to diffuse the energy of the blast. Every second that it is contained within the shield, the explosion gets weaker.

Marachuk: How long does it take?

''[An alarm beeps. Radovan’s eyes widen.]''

Bernn: Oh no.

Marachuk: [walking over to him] What?

Bernn: The shield needs at least another minute to contain the full brunt of the blast, but we're frying out the emitters. I don't know how much longer I can hold this.

Marachuk: Shut down everything we don’t need. Transfer all the power.

Bernn: Already on it.

[John turns and calls out to the others in the engine Room.]

Marachuk: OK, Everyone, get to the escape pods! Move! Now! Everybody!

[As the crew start to leave the room, he looks at Tanaka.]

Marachuk: You're gonna want to get out of here too.

Tanaka: But John, I... -

Marachuk: Tanaka, please...

''[Unhappily, she joins the exodus, grabbing Iggins along the way, leaving just John and Radovan in the engine Room. Radovan continues to type frantically.]''

Marachuk: [gently, encouragingly] Come on, you can do it, Radovan.

''[Not stopping his typing, Radovan glances nervously towards the shield. The yellow glow begins to fluctuate and fill with orange speckles.]''

Marachuk: It's going down. We're gonna make it.

[Radovan shakes his head.]

Bernn: No. It's not enough...

''[From an external viewpoint some distance from the ship, escape pods are shooting out, but it’s too late. Before all escape pods are used, the windows of the ship shatter and a massive explosion destroys the lower-back side of the ship. Emergency shutters ram across the shattered windows to prevent atmosphere from venting into space. An emergency distress beacon shoots out from the top of the ship and flickers red as it flies away.]''

Chapter Fourteen
[A few seconds before the explosion, in a corridor behind the control room, Gwendolyn hurries everybody near an escape capsule and calls out to the people running down the corridor.]

Gwendolyn: Move quickly! We have to make sure that everyone is...-

''[She stops as an explosion goes off several levels below. People scream and duck as the ship shakes and the lights go out. Gwen regains her footing by grabbing a ledge on the wall. She looks to her left where she sees a blaze of fire rushing to her. Gwen's frozen in fear, but Amir, that’s running from the escape capsule behind to her, jumps forward and grabs her, resulting in both of them falling to the ground. The wall of fire continuous past Gwen and Amir, sparking fire along the corridor until it finally dies in the control room. Amir hurries up, grabbing Gwen in the process.]''

Amir: C’mone, we need to turn on the sprinklers!

[With Amir’s aggressive help, Gwen gets back on her feet.]

Gwendolyn: [coughs] Aren’t they automated?

[Gwen rushes after Amir, who’s running as fast as he can.]

Amir: The explosion must’ve destroyed all sorts of systems!

''[Both are running at top speed, passing by people who are trying to put out the fires with extinguishers. Screams from people who are on fire echo in the hall. People rushing to those on fire, trampling the fire that engulfs them, trying to put out.]''

''[An explosion knocks Amir off his feet and stops Gwen, but just briefly. Not concerned for Amir’s wellbeing, Gwen jolts to the end of the corridor. She makes it, opens the emergency fire cabinet and pulls the lever located underneath the fire hose. The sprinklers activate immediately all over the ship, the water droplets soaking in the chairs of the control room.]''

''[Coughing, Gwen falls to her knees, turns around and sits against the wall under the emergency fire cabinet. She activates her omni-tool; “Respiratory implants activated”. She closes her eyes and takes a large nose breathe in and black smoke leaves her mouth when she exhales. She stops coughing, seemingly feeling better already.]''

[Groggy, She gets up and walks to the control room, standing while she leans against the back of a chair, her head between her arms as if she still has problems breathing.]

''[One by one, the surviving personnel walk into the control room. It’s a real mess: debris is lying everywhere, the lights are out and the windows are shattered, overlapped by emergency shutters.]''

''[Valevoss enters, holding on his shoulders an unconsious Amir, blood seeping through the hair on his head. Carefully, he lays him down on the floor.]''

''[The non military personnel who enter have burn marks on them, tattered clothes or have patches of hair on their head burned. Valevoss activates his earpiece. It connects to the escaped pods. In one of them, Lorelei is listening on as she hears Valevoss ordering the escaped personnel to turn back to the ship.]''

Chapter Fifteen
''[A team runs down the stairs to the engine room, shining omni-tool flashlights around. Everywhere they look, they see debris, smoke, dust and puddles of water. They suddenly hear a cry from further down the corridor.]''

Tanaka: [tearfully] John!!

''[The team runs over to the scream. They find an open door leading to the engine room. They enter and find Tanaka moving debris around.]''

Greer: Tanaka?

Tanaka: They were in there when I left them!

[The team walks closer to the center of the room, seeing a large bulkhead door that, most undoubtedly, leads to the now exploded engine and space itself.]

Lorelei: Chances are small we’ll find them. Not only can they be vented into space, but if the explosion was hot enough, there might not be anything left for us to find.

''[They continue shining their flashlights around, but can see nothing. A few seconds later a faint groan can be heard. Tanaka looks round at the team.]''

Tanaka: Did you hear that?

''[Valevoss nods. Gwen shines her flashlight in the direction the sound came from. The groan comes again.]''

Gwendolyn: Over there!

''[Gwen leads the team them to the place the sound is coming from. She runs forward as she sees John Marachuk on the ground, lying protectively over Radovan Bernn. There is broken glass all over the floor and covering John's back.]''

Tanaka: John!

''[She and Lorelei hurry over to him and help him to get up. He groans again.]''

Marachuk: We took cover under the consoles.

Tanaka: [crying] Are you all right?

Marachuk: [looking round at her vaguely] Huh? What?

Lorelei: [squatting next to him] Are you all right?

Marachuk: [groaning] Oh, my ears are ringing. I think I got some glass in my back.

Lorelei: [Looking at Tanaka] ready?

''[Tanaka nods and helps him away as Lorelei bends down to Radovan and helps him to stand. He appears to have some of his hair burned off.]''

Bernn: We lost the Engine. [cough] We lost power.

Lorelei: But we did not lose you.

[She pulls him upright.]

Lorelei: That's good. OK. Small steps.

[She nods at Greer who helps her assist Radovan out of the room.]

Chapter Sixteen
''[The infirmary. John is sitting on the side of a bed with his shirt off as Holly, one of Lorelei’s medical assistants, carefully uses a pair of tweezers to pick out one of the many pieces of glass embedded in his back. He grunts in pain. Amir, who has bandages across his head, walks over to him.]''

Marachuk: I need you to get Navigator Merrick and his team to set up batteries in the Control Room. We need to get this ship operational again as quick as possible.

Amir: They've already begun. How are you, sir?

[He grimaces and grunts again as Holly removes another piece of glass.]

Marachuk: Well, I'm alive, you know? That's good for now.

Amir: I still do not understand what happened, sir.

Marachuk: The engine blew up.

Amir: [smiling sarcastically] That much I surmised, sir, but my question was “why”?

Marachuk: I don't know. Where the hell's Archaon when you need him, huh?

''[Alien Planet, Archaon Thrax and Jim Farrell have been moved to another room away from the lab. They have regained consciousness. Archaon is pacing around the room while Jim sits on the floor with his back against a wall.]''

Archaon: All right. So the device creates a very specific sub-space turbulence that makes it impossible for the Reapers to operate their hyperdrive.

Farrell: You said that already.

Archaon: But there's a side effect.

Farrell: Yes, the unforeseen one that Janus mentioned.

Archaon: Yeah, well, something not seen here because there's no Mass Relay near this planet.

Farrell: What's your point, Archaon?

Archaon: Look, although the sub-space turbulence only affects the Reaper’s hyperdrive systems, it creates a very dangerous type of radiation that, uh ... well, that messes with the chemical process of eezo.

Farrell: And when you say "messes with," you mean what?

Archaon: Look, when interacted with a Mass Relay, radiation will make eezo unstable, energy will build up until it ignites.

Farrell: [standing up] So you're saying that as long as this Janus device is running, every time someone uses a mass relay the eezo...--

Archaon: --... it'll explode... Millions of people will die if we don't shut that thing down!

Chapter Seventeen
''[The Aegina’s control room. John and Amir walk in. Iggins, Gwen, Ellen and Merrick are already there with several other crewmembers and are all working busily.]''

Marachuk: Well, are we up and running?

Ellen: Yes, sir. Everything is hooked up to the batteries.

Marachuk: At least we're not blind any more.

[Gwen and Iggins join John's side.]

Iggins: No, but we're severely crippled. Without the engine we have no way of getting to MHX-495 or rescuing Doctor Thrax and Doctor Farrell.

Marachuk: [turning to Iggins] What are the odds that this event can be linked to that sub-space link Bernn traced?

Iggins: MHX-495? I'd say it's very likely. Perhaps they needed whatever was in that lab to activate some form of device Janus was working on.

Amir: It must be a weapon that Janus developed during the Reaper war.

Marachuk: [thoughtfully] A weapon that blows up Eezo?!

Gwendolyn: I doubt that was its original design. It doesn't seem like an effective strategy.

Marachuk: So, nasty side effect. That's probably why they stopped production.

Gwendolyn: Whatever those aliens took from the lab allowed them to reactivate it again. [looks at John] Sir, What are we gonna do?

[John thinks for a second and then calls out to everyone in the room.]

Marachuk: Five credits to whoever can figure out a way to rescue Doctor Thrax and Doctor Farrell.

[Ellen’s console beeps.]

Ellen: Uh, Commander?

Marachuk: Got an idea, Ellen?

Ellen: Well, no, but I am being hailed by a ship. [She looks at John.] Does that count?

Marachuk: Technically that's not an idea, but good enough. Put ‘em on screen.

''[He, Amir, Gwen and Iggins hurry towards the wallscreen. John points to Ellen as he passes her.]''

Marachuk: I'll pay you later.

''[The screen comes to life, but they can only see static. Marachuk turns to look at Ellen.]''

Ellen: The explosion must’ve damaged the antennae.

[Marachuk turns back to the screen and attempts to hail whoever can hear it.]

Marachuk: This is commander John Joseph Marachuk of the SSV Aegina. If you can hear us? we're in need of help.

[Te static subsides and the face of a man, obscured by a hood, appears on the screen.]

Marachuk: Who is this? Identify yourself!

Beckett: My name is Jacen Beckett, but you probably know me. I’m here cause we followed your distress signal. Didn’t realize we’d be running into Alliance this far in the Attican Traverse. According to my instruments you’re out of power... and very far from home...

Marachuk: [whispers to Amir] We have any way to defend ourselves?

Amir: [whispers back] None, sir.

Beckett: Don’t worry. I’m not here to pick a fight with the Alliance. Actually, I’m here to help.

Amir: We do not need help from a terrorist.

Beckett: That’s a large accusation you’re throwing at me. I was going to help you rescue your crew, but now...

Marachuk: How do you know that?

Beckett: You don’t think I keep tabs on people who have me on their watchlist? You disappoint me, John.

Marachuk: That's Commander Marachuk, to you.

Beckett: Of course...

Amir: And obviously you want something in return.

Beckett: Amnesty.

Amir: You can’t be serious? The Alliance would never... -

Marachuk: [interrupts] -... You've got a deal.

Amir: Sir?

Marachuk: [whispers to Amir] Look, these aliens -- or whoever they are -- they have two of our people hostage. They need to be stopped. We have coordinates, but we have no ship. What would you do?

Beckett: Then I guess I got here just in time.

Marachuk: That's what I wanted to hear. I’ll make preparations to board.

Beckett: For the safety of my crew -- and yours -- I recommend you only take 2 crew members with you. I may be helping you, but that doesn’t mean I trust you. Not yet anyway. Marachuk: [reluctantly] Fine.

''[MHX-495. Archaon is trying to pry open a panel on the wall when the doors open and an alien in battlegear comes in. It points to Jim.]''

Alien: Doctor Farrell. Come with me.

Farrell: Me? Why?

[The alien unholsters its pistol and points it at him.]

Archaon: Hey!

Farrell: [simultaneously] Whoa!

Archaon: Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa! No, we'll both go! No need for that!

Alien: No.

[Archaon turns to Jim.]

Archaon: Well, I guess it must be your turn to use the little boy’s room.

Farrell: Right.

[He walks towards the door.]

Archaon: Uhm, good luck?

Farrell: You too!

''[He leaves the room and the alien follows. The doors close behind them.]''

Chapter Eighteen
''[MHX-495. The alien marches Jim into a room where another alien is working on a console with its back to him.]''

Alien Leader: You wished to speak to me.

Farrell: You're the leader?

[The alien doesn't reply.]

Farrell: You need to shut this device down immediately.

[The alien turns to him.]

Alien Leader: No. I do not.

Farrell: OK, look, I understand wanting to destroy the Reapers, I do, but this isn't the way.

Alien Leader: I disagree.

Farrell: OK, I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but this device has a serious side effect. It makes Element Zero unstable and explode when interacting with a Mass Relay. Most of our ships--

Alien Leader: [interrupts] --We have advanced beyond the use of Element Zero. It does not concern us.

Farrell: ... OK -- but lots of other people do.

Alien Leader: They are of no concern to us either.

Farrell: So you're just gonna let them die -- millions of people across the galaxy.

[The alien looks at him silently.]

Farrell: You're no better than the Reapers...

Alien Leader: Perhaps, but we have little choice.

Farrell: Why?

Alien Leader: Our planet is dying. It can no longer sustain us. For the first time in countless generations, we must venture back into the galaxy again -- a galaxy controlled by the Reapers. If we do not destroy them, they will destroy us. This is the way it must be.

Chapter Nineteen
''[Hypespace. Jacen’s Ship. The ship's interior looks dusty and dirty. Patching of rust blend in on the light brown walls. the ship feels old and outdated compared to the Spartan look of the Alliance vessels. Jacen, John, Iggins and Lorelei are walking through the ship.]''

Marachuk: We need to get to MXH-495 as soon as possible, every moment that goes by is another moment we can’t shut this thing down and rescue Dr. Thrax and Farrell.

[Jacen stops at a closed door.]

Beckett: You want speed? You've come to the right place.

''[Smiling proudly, he opens the door and leads them inside. The boys stop just inside the door and stare. The room is a mess. Many cables are hanging from the ceiling, almost completely blocking the walkway as steam is pouring out of some of the equipment. Lorelei hesitates to enter, looking rather disgusted at the scene.]''

Iggins: [disbelieving] This is your engine room?

Beckett: That's right. It may not look like much, but we can outrun most anything in the Alliance fleet.

[Lorelei enters as Beckett leads them deeper into the room and calls out.]

Beckett: Sarah?

[A girl sticks her head out from inside a batch of cables on the ceiling.]

Sarah: Hey!

[Like a monkey, she pulls her head back in and swings out of the mess before coming round to join them.]

Beckett: This is Commander Marachuk, Engineer Iggins and Doctor Lorelei Mobious. They're from The Alliance. Sarah's our Chief Engineer.

[As Sarah strolls past them and picks up something before walking away, Lorelei looks at Jacen in shock.]

Lorelei: She can't be more than sixteen years old!

Beckett: Fifteen, actually. She's been working on ships since she was four.

[He walks over to Sarah who is now sitting at a console.]

Beckett: We need to get where we're going as fast as possible. I want you to do whatever you can to maximize hyperdrive output.

Sarah: No problem!

Marachuk: [to Sarah] You know, uh, mister Iggins knows a thing or two about hyperdrives himself. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you a hand.

''[Jacen turns and heads out of the room. John turns to Iggins.]''

Marachuk: Who knows, maybe you'll learn a thing or two too, old man.

''[He pats his arm and follows Jacen. Lorelei shoots him a rueful smile before she leaves, Iggins grimaces and walks towards Sarah's chair. He rests his hand on a pipe which promptly sparks and gives him a mild electric shock.]''

Iggins: Auw!

''[MHX-495. Jim is still talking with the alien.]''

Farrell: We're talking about the deaths of millions of people. How can you be so callous? And what is it you're so afraid of? Why are you still in your battle armor? I can't hurt you.

[The alien looks at him in silence.]

Farrell: I know you're not human, and you're definitely not Quarian. And if you were a Salarian, you probably wouldn't have needed our help to activate the device, so what are you?

''[The alien looks at him for a moment longer, then turns and walks away a few paces. It seems as if it has just turned its back on him to ignore him, but a few seconds later the back of its suit begins to open. Once the suit is fully opened, a figure can be seen inside and it carefully steps down out of the suit. With its greyish-green bare feet, it turns around and walks closer to Jim, who stares in amazement at this 6 foot creature. Wearing nano-weave spandex, it shows it womanly features. Its face looks geometric and has tentacle-like hair similar to Asari, but much larger and moving.]''

Chapter Twenty
Farrell: You... You're Oravores...

''[It is indeed an Oravores, a race that was part of the Protheans empire. Judging from the emblem on the left side of her chest, she’s the leader. She speaks with a soft, almost angelic, voice.]''

Oravores Leader: You have encountered our species before?

Farrell: Well, no, but I studied Prothean history as a hobby. I even wrote a thesis about you in college.

Oravores Leader: Perhaps, what do you know about us?

Farrell: Well, your race started investing in cloning technology after the Reaper took your homeworld, Now, at first... --

Oravores Leader: [interrupts] -- ...And where are they now?

[Jim grimaces.]

Farrell: Extinct.

Oravores Leader: [thoughtfully] Hmm.

Farrell: But that had nothing to do with us.

Oravores Leader: Are you certain?

Farrell: At the end your race was nothing more than clones -- copies of copies of copies going back generations, and they suffered irreversible genetic degradation as a result, but you probably already knew that.

Oravores Leader: Of course, because we are clones as well, subject to the same law of diminishing returns -- and yet we are still very much alive.

Farrell: So, what, you solved the problem?

Oravores Leader: Not entirely, but once we were able to conduct our research without interference, we made significant progress.

Farrell: [realizes] Research on Asari... because their physiology is similar to what yours used to be.

Oravores Leader: Precisely.

Farrell: You remind me of someone – I’ve heard stories about someone like you. We named him Loki. He was experimenting on early Asari too, until he was caught and brought to justice by the Prothean Council.

Oravores Leader: Because they did not believe the ends justify the means.

Farrell: That's right!

Oravores Leader: And look where it got them...

''[Hyperspace. Beckett’s ship. Iggins is standing beside Sarah's station as she works on her console. He grimaces and pushes a dangling cable out of his way as John walks in.]''

Marachuk: Well, how's it coming?

Iggins: Well, uh...

''[Just then the console beside Sarah sparks and a small fire breaks out. Grimacing, she beats it out with her hand, then turns back to her console.]''

Sarah: It does that sometimes. Don't let it bother you.

[Iggins takes John's arm and leads him away from her.]

Iggins: Listen, what we're doing here is not safe.

Marachuk: Well, what else is new?

Iggins: She is pushing the ship well past its boundaries.

Marachuk: Kinda what we asked for, no?.

Iggins: This is the crudest hyperdrive system I have ever encountered. It is cobbled together from mismatching components.

Marachuk: She's gotta be pretty smart to put a hyperdrive together with mismatched parts, huh?

Iggins: She's going to burn it up. Once we drop out of hyperspace, there's a high possibility we won't be able to engage the drive again.

Marachuk: Let's worry about that when we get there.

Iggins: [notices something] Where’s Doctor Mobious?

Marachuk: She’s in the med bay, making preparations.

Iggins: Look, tell her to check the staff here for... --

''[An alarm begins to sound. Sarah gets out of her chair and goes over to the central mess. The boys turn to her.]''

Marachuk: What was that?

[She flicks a switch and the alarm stops.]

Sarah: Just a radiation warning. The detector's a little over-sensitive. I wouldn't worry about it.

''[She goes back to her chair. Iggins looks at John and holds out his arms.]''

Iggins: See what I mean?

Marachuk: Best not to cause a panic right now. Look, I gotta get back to the bridge. I'll leave you to it.

[He walks away, leaving Iggins rather nervous.]

Chapter Twenty-One
''[MHX-495. Jim is still talking to the Oravores leader.]''

Oravores Leader: With both the Reapers and the Protheans occupied, we were free to conduct our experiments. Unfortunately the hostilities came to an end sooner than we'd thought and with an unexpected result.

Farrell: You were betting on the Protheans. They may have tried to shut you down, but at least they wouldn't exterminate you.

Oravores Leader: The Reapers do not tolerate the presence of advanced civilizations other than their own. Before we knew what was happening, we were under attack. We lost our dreadnaught ships in the first battle and we did not have the resources to build more.

Farrell: So how did you survive?

Oravores Leader: The leaders wanted to fight, reclaim our homeworld, but there were some of us who knew we had no choice but to abandon our settlements and retreat to a place where the Reapers could not look for us -- a planet with a acidic atmosphere.

[Jim raises his eyebrows.]

Farrell: Oh. That sounds... nice...

Oravores Leader: It was tolerable at first. We were able to survive using simple shields and breathing apparatus, but over the eons the environment has grown so harsh that not even our armored exoskeletons can protect us now.

Farrell: So you ventured back into the galaxy and that's where you came across this place.

Oravores Leader: We knew it was built by the Protheans and why, but we were unable to activate it until you came along.

Farrell: Look, I'm sorry that you were trapped on a poisonous planet for the last fifty thousand years, I really am. I'm sure it was awful. But that doesn't justify what you're doing here.

Oravores Leader: My people are dying, Doctor Farrell. The fact that -- as you tell us -- our brethren are already gone only reinforces the need. If we do not do this, our whole civilization – more than fifty thousand years of history -- will be wiped out forever. I cannot allow that to happen.

Chapter Twenty-Two
''[MHX-495. The alien guard bundles Jim back into the room where Archaon is waiting. It shoves Jim roughly forward and he falls to the floor. The alien leaves the room and the doors close.]''

Archaon: Are you OK? I thought you were a goner!

Farrell: I'm all right.

Archaon: I mean, they need me -- you're kind of expendable. I just figured they'd ...

Farrell: [standing up] Yeah, I got what you meant by "goner," thank you.

Archaon: Well, what did they want?

Farrell: Uh, to talk, actually.

Archaon: Oh! How'd that go?

Farrell: They're Oravores.

Archaon: For real?!

Farrell: Yeah -- a faction that broke off from the guys who fought the Reapers fifty thousands of years ago. They're the ones inside the suits.

Archaon: I did not see that one coming!

Farrell: Apparently no fans of the Reapers either.

Archaon: OK, they're gonna shut off the device?

Farrell: Um [nods, but then] ... no...

Archaon: Doesn’t matter. I mean, as long as that thing is on, then millions of people could die. Besides, I think I figured a way out of here.

Farrell: Really?

[Archaon leads him over to a panel on the wall.]

Archaon: This is a Prothean facility, and Archaon Thrax knows a thing or two about Prothean facilities.

Farrell: You know, it has been clinically proven that referring to yourself in the third person is a sign of mental instability, right?

Archaon: [smiling smugly] Mentally unstable like a fox!

[He pries off the wall panel, revealing the cabling behind it.]

Archaon: OK, so here's the plan. I blow the fire monitoring fuse. The system suddenly goes dead; it assumes there could be a fire, it detects life signs inside the room, it unlocks the doors for safety reasons.

''[Still smiling smugly, he touches two cables together. They spark.]''

Archaon: And, ow!

[Jim looks round just as the doors slide open.]

Farrell: Good job!

[He goes to the doorway and looks out to check that there's no-one around.]

Archaon: Huh! It's a good thing they brought you back when they did because, you know, I just assumed you were dead and I was gonna leave.

Farrell: Well, lucky me!

Archaon: Yeah.

Farrell: So! What do we do now?

Archaon: Well, we've gotta shut down the device.

Farrell: How do we do that?

Archaon: Well, we'll just ... we’ll ... improvise.

''[He heads out of the room. Jim frowns.]''

Farrell: [mock-confidently] Right!

[Jim and Archaon make their way cautiously along the corridors.]

Archaon: OK. We need to get to the device control room.

Farrell: Crawling with soldiers.

Archaon: Well then, we'll need to create a diversion.

Farrell: I'm all ears!

Archaon: OK, we go to the power relay station, we create a massive explosion.

Farrell: I never got how that made a good diversion.

Archaon: What?

Farrell: You wanna clear the device control room of bad guys, right?

Archaon: Yes!

Farrell: So why would you assume if there was a massive explosion, people would go running towards it?

Archaon: Well, I would.

Farrell: I rest my case!

Archaon: [annoyed] Oh, I'm sorry! You know, I'm a good person; I’d wanna save people from the fire, maybe figure out what was going on.

Farrell: I, au contraire, would order more guards to protect the one room I thought whoever's blowing things up probably wants to get to.

''[He throws a triumphant look at Archaon and then carries on. Archaon glares at his back, then follows him.]''

Archaon: Explosive diversions are the very cornerstone of diversions.

Farrell: You don't have any better ideas.

Archaon: Do you?

''[They reach a door at the end of the corridor which slides open as they approach, revealing two aliens in battle armor on the other side. Archaon instantly raises his hands in terror.]''

Archaon: Oh my God! Please don't kill me! You need me!

Farrell: Archaon ...

Archaon: Us, us. You need us. Look, the device needs constant care. I mean, true, I'm the only one who knows how to work it, but... what am I talking about killing for? You're not a violent race. I mean, you may have stunned us more times than I would have liked but who's to say we didn't deserve it, huh?

''[While he's been babbling on, Jim has been frowning and tilting his head as he looks at the aliens. Now he interrupts Archaon's nervous rambling.]''

Farrell: Archaon. They're just suits.

Archaon: Yes, suits! Suits that house one of the smartest races that ever evolved! I mean, the Oravores. I've always been a big fan of the Oravores! One of my favorite... --

Farrell: [interrupts again] --... They're empty suits.

[He waves his hand across the faceplates, but gets no reaction.]

Farrell: See?

Archaon: Yeah, I know. I was, uh ...

Farrell: You were ...?

Archaon: Yeah, doesn’t matter.

[Jim nods.]

Farrell: You know, their suits all look male, but the Oravores I talked to was a female, so as far as I can tell, the inner suit forms around whoever's in them.

[Archaon looks at him.]

Archaon: One size fits all.

''[Jim raises his eyebrows at him. They turn and steps closer to the suits.]''

Chapter Twenty-Three
''[Beckett’s Ship. The bridge. John is sitting in the pilot's seat as Jacen walks over to him.]''

Beckett: Sure you have all that figured out?

Marachuk: You know, I've flown birds a lot harder to manage than this one.

[Jacen takes the weapons seat behind him.]

Beckett: We're about to come out of hyperspace. Everyone get ready.

''[The ship bursts out of hyperspace and heads towards the white planet ahead of it. In Engineering, explosions go off all around. Once they've subsided, Iggins sticks his head out of hiding. A moment later, Sarah pops her head out below his.]''

Iggins: [plaintively] See? I knew this would happen! You’ve burned out the drive.

Sarah: We got here, though, didn't we?

[On the Bridge.]

Marachuk: Any life signs on the planet?

Beckett: No, but I am detecting a power source on the surface, that must be them...

Marachuk: That's the first good news I've had all day.

[An alarm beeps.]

Beckett: Wait. I've got two ships closing in.

[He calls out to his crew.]

Beckett: Shields up! Fire at will.

[He looks forward at John.]

Beckett: Evasive maneuvers might be good, commander.

Marachuk: On it.

''[Two Oravores ships identical to the one that attacked The Citadel converge on Beckett’s ship, firing at it. The ship swerves about while returning fire.]''

''[MHX-495. Three Oravores in battle armor are working the consoles in Janus’ Device Control Room. The doors open and Archaon and Jim, dressed in battle armor, walk in and quickly shoot them down with stunner pistols. The doors close and the boys take off their helmets.]''

Farrell: OK, how long to get the device shut down?

Archaon: Five minutes.

[He walks across to the main console and puts his helmet on the top of it.]

Archaon: All right, look, you watch the...

[He trails off as he looks at the readout on the wallscreen.]

Archaon: [angrily] Ah, come on!

Farrell: What? What now?

Archaon: Well, something must have spooked them.

Farrell: Why?

Archaon: Well, aside from encrypting access to this workstation...

Farrell: Yeah, but you can break that.

Archaon: Yeah, in a heartbeat! But as they very well know, you can't operate this machine without the control key.

[Jim looks around the console blankly.]

Archaon: Look, the thing they stole from Janus' lab to begin with.

Farrell: [resigned] They've taken it...

Chapter Twenty-Four
''[Outside the facility, the ship that had landed there earlier takes off. In the skies above the planet, the battle between Beckett’s ship and the two Oravores ships continues. Beckett’s and one of the Oravores' ships fly close together and dance around the sky as they twist and turn in an attempt to get good shots in. Beckett’s ship prevails and the Oravores ship explodes. On Beckett’s Bridge, consoles spark and explode.]''

Marachuk: One down, one to go.

Beckett: I'm picking up a third ship headed right for us.

Marachuk: Wonderful!

''[More consoles explode as he sends the ship towards the new enemy. The two ships fly side by side towards Beckett’s, exchanging fire, but then the Oravores ships blaze past Beckett's as their engine flare and they enter hyperspace, leaving Beckett’s ship to fly on alone. On the Bridge, Jacen breathes a sigh of relief.]''

Beckett: That was close! They flew into hyperspace.

Marachuk: What?

Beckett: Hold on. I've got another window opening.

Marachuk: Coming right back at us! What kind of messed-up battle technique is that?!

Beckett: Deploy a mine!

''[He flinches as more explosions go off. In space, only one Oravores ship has returned. It’s speeding towards Beckett’s ship. On the bridge John presses the console to release a mine. The mine shoots out of Beckett’s ship and it hurls towards the unaware Oravores ship, making a head-on collision. The Oravores ship explodes. In the bridge, another sign of relief is heard.]''

Beckett: I don’t think the third one’ll return.

Marachuk: It’s not over yet, how do I land this thing?

[MHX-495 control room.]

Farrell: Can't we just power down the entire facility?

Archaon: We can't do much more than turn the lights on and off without the component thing.

Farrell: Well, we have to do something.

Archaon: [wide-eyed] Wait a second! These suits were designed to protect the wearer from harsh environments, right?

Farrell: Technically, yes.

Archaon: Then I have a really terrible idea.

[He turns and looks into the room next door where the antenna array is still sporadically sparking electricity around the room.]

Farrell: Oh no, no, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking.

[They walk over to the window and look into the room.]

Farrell: Radiation in there would be pretty extreme, not to mention those electrical discharges look pretty unfriendly.

Archaon: Yeah, but the antenna must have a motherboard. If we can pull it manually...

Farrell: I'd say fifty: fifty we can get that far.

Archaon: I'd go thirty: seventy, but I don't have a better idea and the suits -- they should protect us.

[They look at each other for a moment, then Jim sighs.]

Archaon: You ready?

Farrell: Let's just get this over with.

[They put their helmets back on.]

Archaon: You know, we both don't have to go in there.

Farrell: Well, when you get killed by one of those discharges, someone's gonna have to finish the job, so, you know...

[He shrugs.]

Archaon: Oh, great pep talk! Thanks!

''[They turn to the door and activate its controls. It opens and they nervously step inside as the electricity continues to arc across the room. Archaon points to the arcs.]''

Archaon: I'm pretty sure we wanna avoid those touching us.

Farrell: Yeah, thanks coach!

''[He looks across the room as all sorts of information flashes up on the inside of his visor in a heads-up display. The two of them walk hesitantly across the room and Archaon kneels down at the base of the central device and pulls the cover panel off. He looks at the circuits inside, then hesitates. Jim looks down at him.]''

Farrell: What are you waiting for?

[Archaon too has a H.U.D. flashing across his visor, which may be distracting him somewhat.]

Archaon: I have to pull the right one or the antennae might explode.

Farrell: Well, hurry up.

[He takes a few paces forward and then turns back to Archaon.]

Farrell: But get it right!

Archaon: OK. Here goes nothing.

''[He reaches towards one of the circuit sticks that he has decided is the correct one. Just then an arc of electricity lashes out and strikes Jim, throwing him to the floor.]''

Archaon: Jim!

''[He looks at Jim briefly, then turns back to the console and pulls a circuit stick out. The device powers down. Archaon kneels down beside Jim. He takes off his own helmet as Jim does likewise, grimacing in agony.]''

Archaon: OK, you're OK, you're OK.

Farrell: Ow! [He looks up at Archaon, his teeth gritted against the pain.] Wrong again.

[He groans.]

Farrell: Did you turn it off?

Archaon: I did... I mean, we did... You did. Look, where does it hurt?

[Jim thinks about it for a second.]

Farrell: Everywhere. [He gasps in agony.] I don't suppose there's a med bay nearby?

Archaon: I'm -- I'm... pretty sure we're on our own.

Farrell: [sarcastically] Good!

Archaon: Look, I mean, on the bright side, I mean, we're both gonna be dead of dehydration in, like, five days, so you won't have to put up with me for much longer.

[Jim looks up at him, his eyes full of tears of pain.]

Farrell: I'm... I'm pretty busted up, Archaon. I don't... I don't think I'm gonna make it that long.

Archaon: OK, um, I know it may not seem like it, but... I want you to know, I-I-I really resp...--

''[Just then, the door to the control room opens. Revealing both John and Jacen. They enter the device room, followed closely by Lorelei.]''

Archaon: Oh, thank God you’re here!

Lorelei: [kneeling down to Jim, looking significantly at Archaon] I sure am glad to see you two.

[Archaon stands up and gestures down to Jim.]

Archaon: [at Lorelei] He's hurt, bad.

[John walks over to Archaon and looks at his suit.]

Marachuk: Well, that's a new look for you.

Archaon: Well, you know me: function over fashion.

Marachuk: Is the device still active?

[Archaon holds up the circuit stick.]

Archaon: Not without this -- it's the device's main control circuit.

[John shakes his head.]

Marachuk: That’s not going to do it for me.

[He looks at Jacen.]

Marachuk: Mister Beckett, our mission here is complete. Will you please see to it that we never have to deal with this device again?

Beckett: Way ahead of you.

''[Jacen points at a large device his crew is carrying into the room. They set it down and open a slit that reveals an arming mechanism. They activate the device.]''

Beckett: Prepared a little going-away present.

Marachuk: Good. [He turns to Archaon.] Let's go home.

[Both John and Jacen turn to leave.]

Archaon: Hey, wait! Mind if you... unzip me first?

Beckett: [smiling quirkily] I believe I have a can-opener a board my ship.

''[He looks at John, he looks back at Jacen. They mockingly laugh as they exit the room. Reluctantly Archaon follows them, passing many of Beckett’s crew on the way.]''

Epilogue
''[Beckett’s infirmary. Jim is sitting up in bed with a tray of mostly uneaten food on his lap. He grimaces as he feeds a small spoonful of food into his mouth from a small plastic pot. Archaon walks in.]''

Archaon: Hey!

Farrell: Mm.

Archaon: How are ya?

Farrell: Well, it hurts to eat this Fruit Cup.

Archaon: Well, don't eat the Fruit Cup, than.

Farrell: Thank you, Groucho.

[He puts the pot down.]

Farrell: Listen, not that I don't appreciate the visit, but shouldn't you be trying to figure out a way to try and keep the Oravores out of the Citadel arms?

Archaon: You don't think they'd make a run at us again?

Farrell: Well, I'm not sure, but we did ruin the one plan they had to feel free in this galaxy. They might hold a grudge.

[Archaon frowns.]

Archaon: Well, let's hope not.

Farrell: I just hope I won't be around to find out.

Archaon: Yeah, I heard. They're sending you back to The Citadel.

Farrell: Yeah, I guess I need some major patching up and recovery, and Hackett prefers I do that there instead of... [looks around, as disgusted as Lorelei]... here, so...

Archaon: Well, the Aegina is all patched up, got the replacement parts, my people are installing the new engine as we speak, so we should have you home in no time at all.

Farrell: That's good! That is... good.

Archaon: Yes, so...

[He looks around, making popping noises with his mouth as he tries to think of something else to say.]

Archaon: Well, it's been, um... surreal.

Farrell: Yes! Yes, it has. It sure has. But I do wanna say thank you -- for saying that you respected me when you thought I was about to die back there.

[Archaon frowns and shakes his head.]

Archaon: Excuse me? I said no such thing.

Farrell: Yeah, you did. You were, like, "I know it may not seem like it but I really respect you," and that means a great deal to me.

[He smiles up at Archaon.]

Archaon: I don't believe I ever finished that sentence.

[Jim's smile fades.]

Farrell: How else would you have finished that sentence?

Archaon: I would have said "regret." I would have said, "I really regret you being here, because none of this would have happened... otherwise."

[Jim stares at him while Archaon tries to look nonchalant.]

Farrell: So you can only give compliments to the dying?!

Archaon: It's something I'm working on.

[Jim looks down, then offers his tray to Archaon.]

Farrell: Do you wanna try any of this?

Archaon: Ooh, may I!

Farrell: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dive right in, take it.

''[Archaon takes the tray and starts to help himself. Jim painfully reaches across to his bedside table and picks up a cup.]''

Behind the Scenes

 * Jim Farrell is a creation of Gnostic.
 * Jacen Beckett is a creation of Ahalosniper.