/*In Shepard's Quarters*/
*The Doors Open*
Kelly Chambers: Commander?
Shepard: Chambers. Why are you here?
Kelly: I came to- Commander, have you been drinking?
Shepard: I have a table covered with beer bottles. I have a bottle of whiskey in my hand. I haven't kicked you out for entering without knocking: yes, I'd say I've been drinking.
Kelly: You're drunk.
Shepard: And you're attractive, but tommorrow I'll be sober. Sober enough not say say such things, at least.
Kelly: I don't think that was how the quote goes, Commander. Not unless my looks offend you in some way.
Shepard: And I don't care. Why are you here, Chambers?
Kelly: I came to talk to you about the mission on Tuchanka, Commander. Specifically about Mordin.
Shepard: And how is Mordin doing now? Is he regretting killing his student? Any guilt over destroying the genophage data?
Kelly: No sir. In fact, that's what I wanted to inform you about: Mordin appears to be very relieved now, and grateful to you. He should be focused on the mission completely.
Shepard: Lucky Salarian bastard.
Kelly: ...
Shepard: Thank you for bringing that to my attention. If that's all, Chambers, you can leave.
Kelly: A question, sir?
Shepard: What is it?
Kelly: Why are you drinking?
Shepard: And
that's a question I'm not drunk enough to answer yet.
(Kelly reaches over, opens an opened bottle, offers him another beer.)
Kelly: And how about now?
(Shepard looks at her with glowing red eyes, takes the alcohol, and downs it.)
Shepard: Fine. Have it your way. Sit down.
(Kelly does.)
Shepard: If you really must know, I committed genocide again today and I don't know if it was the right thing to do.
Kelly: Genocide? I'm not sure I would-
Shepard: Well I would. If killing the Rachni Queen and her unborn children counts, I see no reason why millions of Krogan still-borne shouldn't be on my hands as well. They could have been born. They could have lived. Now they won't. Now they're just another stillborn fetus in a maternity ward. My choice. My call.
(Another swig.)
Kelly: And this bothers you, Commander?
Shepard: And why the hell shouldn't it!? You think this is a game to me, Kelly?
Kelly: I apologize, Commander. That isn't what I meant.
Shepard: Then what the hell did you mean?
Kelly: What I meant is that this isn't the first time you've done something that could be considered genocide. The Rachni. The Thorian. Geth beyond counting.
Shepard: And every single fertile woman I've killed. Don't give me that look: every time I've killed a woman, I've killed not only her but every generation of descendants she could have had. If that's not genocide, I don't know what is.
Kelly: By that same logic, Commander, the same applies to every male as well.
Shepard: ...
Kelly: If you want to engage in hypotheticals, Commander, you've also prevented genocides. Not just directly, but in allowing others to survive, and for their descendants to grow and prosper. As long as you've done more good than harm, haven't you come out ahead?
Shepard: Hmph. A bigger picture appeal, huh?
Kelly: That is how you view the world, isn't it? Necessary evils, greater goods? You let the Council die so as to focus every resource focus on Sovereign: ten thousand died on the Destiny Ascension alone, but who knows if Sovereign would have been taken down otherwise? You did stop Sovereign, and you did stop a far greater galactic genocide that outweighed the lost to the Council Fleet by magnitudes of magnitudes.
Kelly: What I'm trying to say, Shepard, is that hypotheticals are easy to get lost in. There are just too many.
Shepard: It wasn't the same today, Chambers.
Kelly: How so?
Shepard: Yes. I've committed genocide. And I intend to do it again. But I've always known it was for a reason. I'm going to genocide the Reapers, because they're out to kill us. And before that I'm going to take out every last Collector, because they're also aimed at killing us and because what they've been turned into doesn't deserve to be called alive anymore. They're threats to our future.
I killed the Thorian because it was a present threat. I killed the Rachni because they've never been anything but a threat to the galaxy. I killed every single Batarian on Torfan for everything they'd done and everything I knew they were going to try to do.
But I knew I had a reason. A
need.But down there, on Tuchanka? I didn't know if I had a reason, or if what I did was necessary.
Kelly: I think most of the galaxy would agree that there was good reason to do so, Commander. Even Mordin does. The Krogan Rebellions were devastating, and the galaxy is still recovering. Most people would agree what you did was necessary to restrain the Krogan.
Shepard: Was it? What do most people know? Most people don't know what I know. Most people don't see what I see.
Shepard: If this were five, ten years ago, I'd agree with you completely. If this were any other political situation, I'd have a clear answer. But now?
Shepard: Wrex is in charge. Wrex is reforming the Krogan. 'The Krogan' are not what they once were, and if Wrex succedes they'll be something else entirely. Not the boogeymen they were. And, damn me if I should have killed him on Virmire and saved me this trouble, but I
trust Wrex. I believe he'll succede, even though I know he could yet fail. Curse me for being sentimental, but I hope he succedes.
Kelly: And you think this affects the question of the genophage cure?
Shepard: Of course it does. If Wrex succedes in this new Krogan, what's the purpose of the genophage: to protect the galaxy from a threat, or to keep another species down? When no Krogan alive was ever a part of the Rebellions, what is our justification for neutering guilty and innocent alike? Are we doing it because we need to, or because we're scared not to? If we're afraid of the Krogan, and now comes along of new Krogan we don't need to fear, what are we doing still implementing the genophage?
Kelly: And what if the the genophage cure broke the back of Wrex's reforms? Wouldn't it invalidate the basis of his unifying the Krogan under his clan?
Shepard: And what if it strengthened his hold on power, and his power base? The Clan that controls the cure to the genophage will be the banner every Krogan will gather around. Wrex would be able to use it as a tool to support his reforms.
Kelly: But you can't know that would happen. That someone else would seize it and do with it what they will.
Shepard: No, I can't know that. And so I destroyed the cure data, and doomed millions upon millions of still-born Krogan to placate my own fears of the future.
Shepard: Damn it, I need another drink. Pass me another, Chambers. If I have to be honest with myself, at least I can be an honest drunk. Then I won't notice as much when you play shink to me to do your job.
Kelly: My job isn't the only reason I'll listen, Shepard. And please, call me Kelly.
Shepard: Sure it isn't, Kelly.
Modifié par Dean_the_Young, 11 janvier 2011 - 03:32 .
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