Drew Karpyshyn: Revelation

“No. Goyle’s not looking for a scapegoat. The Council sealed all the records associated with Saren’s involvement. Officially they’re calling it an industrial accident.

“Once the ambassador calmed down I think she realized the mission wasn’t a complete failure. We found out what really happened at Sidon, and the men responsible are dead. I think she’s giving me some credit for that.”

“So this won’t hurt your military career?”

“Probably not. But it won’t help, either.”

“I’m glad,” she said, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. “I know how much being a soldier means to you.”

He reached up gently and placed a hand on the back of her head, pulling her in slightly as he leaned toward her. Their lips brushed for the faintest of instants before she pulled back.

“No, David,” she whispered. “We can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled.

“They offered me a new posting at my meeting this morning. They want me to join the research team on another project. Even promoted me.”

“That’s great, Kahlee!” he exclaimed, genuinely excited for her. “Where will you be stationed?”

She gave him a wan smile. “It’s classified.”

The smile on his face fell away. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry,” she told him, trying to make light of the situation. “We’re not studying anything illegal this time.”

He didn’t answer, trying to digest the situation.

“We can make this work,” he declared suddenly. “There’s something special between us. We owe it to ourselves to give this a chance.”

“With me on a top-secret project and you always out on patrol?” She shook her head. “We’d just be kidding ourselves.”

Even though it hurt to admit it, he knew she was right.

“You’re a good man, David,” she said, trying to make the rejection less painful. “But even if I wasn’t going away I don’t think we could ever be more than just friends. The military’s always going to come first in your life. We both know that.”

He nodded, but couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. “When are you shipping out?”

“Tonight,” she said. “I need to go get ready. I just wanted the chance to see you one last time. To thank you for … for everything.”

Kahlee stood up and brushed herself off, then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Good-bye, soldier.”

He didn’t watch her walk away, but instead stared out over the lake for a long, long time.

In the privacy of his small one-man craft, Saren had been studying the data on the flash drive inside

Qian’s metal case for hours. His suspicions had been correct: the alien technology was a vessel of some sort. It was called Sovereign; a magnificent relic from the time of the Prothean extinction; an enormous warship of tremendous power.

But it was much more than a mere ship. Its systems, processes, and technology were so advanced that they dwarfed every accomplishment of the Citadel species. Its grandeur and complexity rivaled the greatest creations of the Protheans — the mass relays and the Citadel. It may have even surpassed them.

And if Saren could learn and understand how it worked, he could seize all that power for himself.

He’d spent his entire life preparing for a moment like this. Everything he’d ever done — his military service, his career with the Spectres — was only a prelude to this revelation. Now he had found his true purpose; destiny had led him here.

How else to explain how perfectly everything had worked out for him? Anderson had been rejected by the Spectres. The Alliance had been politically humiliated. The Council was convinced the artifact didn’t even exist. And the only men who could have exposed him were now dead.

Their deaths didn’t come without a cost, however. Qian may have been losing his grip on reality, but just from looking at his notes it was obvious he was brilliant, a true genius. Saren understood the fundamental theories and principles of AI technology, but it was clear the human’s research was far beyond anything he could ever hope to grasp. He’d need to find someone equally brilliant to head up the study of Sovereign; it might take him years to locate a suitable replacement.

But he didn’t regret killing Qian. The doctor was in too deep. The notes on the flash drive showed a steady progression into dementia, a deteriorating mental state directly linked to incidents of exposure to Sovereign. There must have been some kind of field generated by the vessel; some kind of radiation or emission. Something that had destroyed and corrupted Qian’s mind when he went to study it in person.

It had affected Edan, too, though the transformation was more subtle. The batarian had begun acting differently from the moment he first visited the site of the artifact: consorting with humans, risking the wrath of the Spectres. Edan probably hadn’t even been aware of the changes, though looking back it was obvious to Saren.

He had to be careful. Avoid unnecessary exposure until he knew exactly what caused the mental deterioration. He’d work through intermediaries, like Edan’s research team out near the Perseus Veil.

Saren planned to contact them soon enough. Cut off from all external communications they probably had no idea what had happened to their former employer. If they were willing to work for him once they found out — and if they had shown any progress in their research — he might not have to eliminate them.

At least not until the inevitable alterations to their minds and personalities began to affect their work.

There was another problem to consider, as well. The ship was just beyond the borders of the Perseus Veil, right on the edges of geth space. Eventually he’d have to deal with them … though if everything went as planned, he might be able to use Sovereign to bend the geth to his purpose.

The dangers were great, but the potential rewards were worth the risk. He’d just be cautious. Patient.

He’d move slowly. It might take years. Maybe decades. But the secrets of the alien vessel, all its power, would one day be his to command.

Once he unleashed that power, everything would be forever changed. Never again would the turians be forced to bow before the will of the Council, as they had when they’d been commanded to make reparations for the First Contact War. At long last there would be a reckoning for the Alliance.

Humanity would learn its place, along with every other species that paid homage to the Citadel.

And Sovereign was the key to it all.

2007 year