[Hoo boy. How to explain Reapers? Start at the beginning, or just throw it all out there? Shepard considers a moment, and then make a face and simply launches into it.]
So, your basic spacefaring race; it evolves somewhere, builds a society, makes tech, finds a way out of its solar system, eventually it joins the bigger galaxy, right? Basic progression. Asari did it, Salarians did it, Turians, Krogan, Humans, all of us.
But, we're all looking at the same old ruins, the same ancient tech. It's valuable, it's got a lot to teach us, but— where did it come from? Scientists figure there's a precursor race, we called them Protheans. [Pause for dramatics, always important.] ...But they were wrong.
See, there were lots of precursor races. And every fifty thousand years, the Reapers show up, these huge, kilometer-long, half-organic synthetics, and they kill every species that's put a toe into space. Then they go back home, and wait, then come do it again. It's been happening for thousands of cycles, who knows how many trillions of dead people every time. And, get this... [she laughs, and it's so bitter.] Nobody believes me. They're on our doorstep, we've already fought actual battles against their vanguard, but—
[She cuts herself off, and Shepard takes a drink. A long one, longer than is really necessary. Give her a minute.]
...Anyways. I'm going to save the Galaxy or die trying. If it's the last thing I do, then at least I'm goin' down swinging. Except... then I showed up here.
no subject
[Hoo boy. How to explain Reapers? Start at the beginning, or just throw it all out there? Shepard considers a moment, and then make a face and simply launches into it.]
So, your basic spacefaring race; it evolves somewhere, builds a society, makes tech, finds a way out of its solar system, eventually it joins the bigger galaxy, right? Basic progression. Asari did it, Salarians did it, Turians, Krogan, Humans, all of us.
But, we're all looking at the same old ruins, the same ancient tech. It's valuable, it's got a lot to teach us, but— where did it come from? Scientists figure there's a precursor race, we called them Protheans. [Pause for dramatics, always important.] ...But they were wrong.
See, there were lots of precursor races. And every fifty thousand years, the Reapers show up, these huge, kilometer-long, half-organic synthetics, and they kill every species that's put a toe into space. Then they go back home, and wait, then come do it again. It's been happening for thousands of cycles, who knows how many trillions of dead people every time. And, get this... [she laughs, and it's so bitter.] Nobody believes me. They're on our doorstep, we've already fought actual battles against their vanguard, but—
[She cuts herself off, and Shepard takes a drink. A long one, longer than is really necessary. Give her a minute.]
...Anyways. I'm going to save the Galaxy or die trying. If it's the last thing I do, then at least I'm goin' down swinging. Except... then I showed up here.
That's why you're paying for the drinks.