Chapter 106: Xenotechnology and Dark Energy Integration

=== Summary ===
Shepard and Garrus finally talk about what happened on Rannadril and her escape to Suen. Shepard apologizes for what happened during the test, and both admit that while she did mean to take control of him, they have no idea what happened or how to stop it. Garrus admits that he had been avoiding contact with Shepard and that he is very scared due to what happened with him and later with Liara. He asks Shepard what happened with the rachni queen and her sneaking off to Suen. Shepard reluctantly admits that she was encouraged, not forced to go to Suen. The two of them reluctantly decide that while they miss Entanglement, they should probably avoid touching each other because they don’t know what is going on. Garrus asks about Shepard reaching with the rachni queen’s help and she says that she can’t really find the words to describe what happened. Garrus initiates Entanglement and tells her that while he is scared, he chooses to be right beside her.
Alexander Trechenkov has a restless night, hearing the voices in his head insist that he, and he alone, must return “her” to “where it began”. Finally he thinks at the voices in his mind that while he could kill both Shepard and Viatrix, the voices don’t want them killed. That if he is to capture them he is going to have to go after the people that guard them. The voices quiet and allow him to sleep.
The next morning, Shepard and Garrus attempt to use the sensory isolation helmets, triggering a flashback. Despite being exhausted mentally, Shepard doesn’t want another day of failed tests. They bring James down to the lab and have Shepard speak to him in his mind. James confirms that he can hear her, and that Shepard is seeing more of his memories than either intended.
On Earth, Clara Goyle publicly steps forward as the visible head of Minos. She declares the Systems Alliance a failure and calls for the people of Earth to follow them.
=== Title Meaning ===
In Mass Effect 3, we discover that Conrad Verner wrote "my doctoral dissertation on xenotechnology and dark energy integration.” This is an exact quote, though we do not know the name of the paper.
=== Easter Eggs ===
==== Discord Highlights ====
The sheer number of Shepards with eyebrow scars, Vi's education in salty language, and whether turians purr.