Echoed World 3
anonymous
October 8 2012, 04:09:27 UTC
“How long have I been here?” It felt like days. Maybe longer. At the realization she felt a sudden fear in her chest. Panic.
As if to reassure her, as if he could feel that fear, Legion was quick to answer. “You have been connected to the Consensus for a total of five minutes, thirty five seconds. During which time we disconnected the Geth from the fighter squadrons and removed them from the Consensus.”
She remembered that now, stepping through the holographic world of data, watching the glowing lights disappear from the city. “Then what is this?” She gestured at the beach all around them.
“…It is a virtual environment. We have created it, for you.”
The answer stopped her short. “What?”
“Your perception of time is different within the Consensus than it is with your mind. We created this environment as a pleasant… refuge. For you.”
She didn’t know what to think. Everything around her, the sand caught in between her toes, the wind moving the hair across her neck. It all felt so real. “Why?”
Legion turned away from her, frowning at a spot on the beach. Then, he turned his head back to face her, and his blue eyes were pleading. “We would like you to stay here.”
“Stay… in the Geth Consensus?”
He nodded.
She swallowed hard. “Legion, I can’t. I can’t stay here.”
“Is the environment not to your preference?”
In a sudden rush, everything around them changed, the sand and water and condo moving far, far away out of sight. The world came to a sudden stop and she was standing on a balcony many stories up. Outside cars were flying past, and she could hear their engines and the occasional honks and beeps of traffic. She looked back and saw a studio apartment, gleaming from hanging ceiling lights and reflective wooden floors.
“We can alter it to whatever you like.” She looked back and Legion was closer to her, still looking so saddened.
But she shook her head and placed her hands on his shoulders. “I’m sorry, but my squad needs me. I need to get back to them. I mean, they’re still waiting for me. And besides, as nice as this is… I wouldn’t want to be alone in here.”
He took her hands in each of his, curling his fingers in between her own. “You would not be alone. We would be with you.”
Her jaw fell open of its own accord. The nature of the offer was distracting. Tender. Affection she would have never expected from the Geth. But. “Legion, you altered my memories. You tried to make me forget that I was in here!” Anger replaced the complacency.
He flinched away for a moment at her words, before shaking his head. “We did not alter your memories. We only did not want you remembering the negative ones. We wanted you to remember the good. Your companions. The Normandy.”
She recalled the photographs on the drawer.
“You can’t do that, Legion. You can’t just try and make me forget.”
He let go of her hands, and they slowly ran up her arms to her shoulders before she was pulled into a loose embrace.
“Shepard Commander. If you leave here, it is very likely you will be killed by the Old Machines.”
Despite herself, she leaned into his chest. He was warm under the layers of clothing. “I know that.” She bowed her head, resting against his shoulder.
She felt lips against her brow. Then, words against her skin. “We do not want you to die.”
She breathed out a sigh. His scent was strange. Human skin, mixed with metal and the burn of a thermal clip. She didn’t know how to handle his worry. That fear for her life. Many had expressed a concern like that, but Legion was somehow trying to… save her like this.
Part of her was tempted to stay like this. Waking up in a warm bed wherever she desired, with no worry, no fear in her life any more. Of course she would be tempted. Just as she was tempted when Liara talked about a ship disappearing into the vastness of space. Running away, leaving everything behind…
As if to reassure her, as if he could feel that fear, Legion was quick to answer. “You have been connected to the Consensus for a total of five minutes, thirty five seconds. During which time we disconnected the Geth from the fighter squadrons and removed them from the Consensus.”
She remembered that now, stepping through the holographic world of data, watching the glowing lights disappear from the city. “Then what is this?” She gestured at the beach all around them.
“…It is a virtual environment. We have created it, for you.”
The answer stopped her short. “What?”
“Your perception of time is different within the Consensus than it is with your mind. We created this environment as a pleasant… refuge. For you.”
She didn’t know what to think. Everything around her, the sand caught in between her toes, the wind moving the hair across her neck. It all felt so real. “Why?”
Legion turned away from her, frowning at a spot on the beach. Then, he turned his head back to face her, and his blue eyes were pleading. “We would like you to stay here.”
“Stay… in the Geth Consensus?”
He nodded.
She swallowed hard. “Legion, I can’t. I can’t stay here.”
“Is the environment not to your preference?”
In a sudden rush, everything around them changed, the sand and water and condo moving far, far away out of sight. The world came to a sudden stop and she was standing on a balcony many stories up. Outside cars were flying past, and she could hear their engines and the occasional honks and beeps of traffic. She looked back and saw a studio apartment, gleaming from hanging ceiling lights and reflective wooden floors.
“We can alter it to whatever you like.” She looked back and Legion was closer to her, still looking so saddened.
But she shook her head and placed her hands on his shoulders. “I’m sorry, but my squad needs me. I need to get back to them. I mean, they’re still waiting for me. And besides, as nice as this is… I wouldn’t want to be alone in here.”
He took her hands in each of his, curling his fingers in between her own. “You would not be alone. We would be with you.”
Her jaw fell open of its own accord. The nature of the offer was distracting. Tender. Affection she would have never expected from the Geth. But.
“Legion, you altered my memories. You tried to make me forget that I was in here!” Anger replaced the complacency.
He flinched away for a moment at her words, before shaking his head. “We did not alter your memories. We only did not want you remembering the negative ones. We wanted you to remember the good. Your companions. The Normandy.”
She recalled the photographs on the drawer.
“You can’t do that, Legion. You can’t just try and make me forget.”
He let go of her hands, and they slowly ran up her arms to her shoulders before she was pulled into a loose embrace.
“Shepard Commander. If you leave here, it is very likely you will be killed by the Old Machines.”
Despite herself, she leaned into his chest. He was warm under the layers of clothing.
“I know that.” She bowed her head, resting against his shoulder.
She felt lips against her brow. Then, words against her skin. “We do not want you to die.”
She breathed out a sigh. His scent was strange. Human skin, mixed with metal and the burn of a thermal clip. She didn’t know how to handle his worry. That fear for her life. Many had expressed a concern like that, but Legion was somehow trying to… save her like this.
Part of her was tempted to stay like this. Waking up in a warm bed wherever she desired, with no worry, no fear in her life any more. Of course she would be tempted. Just as she was tempted when Liara talked about a ship disappearing into the vastness of space. Running away, leaving everything behind…
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