Chapter I
The shockwave emitted from the Crucible had given a jolt to everything in its path. Reports soon came flooding in at Alliance command, all with the same conclusion: The Reapers had stopped moving-dropping like flies-and had ceased to attack, while the husks had turned into ash.
"It worked! The Crucible worked!", Hackett exclaimed in relief.
Shepard had done more than anyone could have imagined: helped cure the genophage, reestablished peace between the quarians and the geth, crippled Cerberus, united the greatest fleet the galaxy had ever seen, and, finally, destroyed the Reapers. Hackett had never doubted her resolve. Commander Olive Shepard was exceptional.
"Admiral Hackett, this is Jack. I need Shepard's last known coordinates. I'm on my way to the Citadel as we speak. I can't let her sorry ass quit on us now!" Jack had boarded a shuttle, along with her biotic students, as soon as she was able to find a pilot. Hackett sent her the coordinates and wished her luck. He had not met Jack in person yet, but had read enough reports to know that she wouldn't stop until she found Shepard.
The Citadel was in ruins, which made it impossible to land the shuttle. The pilot, Chief Lieutenant Naser, opted instead to lower the shuttle close to the ground so Jack and her students could jump off near the location Hackett had given. The students were visibly exhausted, but Jack was now restless-more than usual. Shepard was the closest thing that Jack had to a friend, and she wasn't going to let Shepard just die after everything she'd done.
"Alright gang", Jack said in her usual don't mess with me tone, "the Reapers are dead, but the only reason we are still here is because of Shepard, so this isn't over until we find her, you all got that?"
"Yes, ma'am!" her students answered, their spirits strengthened.
They proceeded to meticulously scan their surroundings with their omni-tools and remove any object that could possibly prevent them from getting at their target. The air was heavy with dust and smelts of smoke. About half an hour into the rescue mission, Ensign Rodriguez waved the others toward her and urgently said, "I found something. It looks like, yes, it's Admiral Anderson." A few of them quickly cleared the area. Ensign Prangley went to check Anderson's pulse, and grimly announced that the Admiral hadn't made it.
"Shit! Shepard loved that old man. Ok, she's gotta be close. Stop moping around. Focus. She's here somewhere," ordered Jack, trying not to show her growing desperation. She simply couldn't-wouldn't-allow Shepard to be dead.
In the very corner of the room, after what felt like hours of searching, Jack uncovered part of a badly burnt face. She lost her breath for a moment. Then, with all the strength she could muster, she gently moved aside the pillar that was on top of the body. It was Shepard. She was barely recognizable from the burns. Her pulse was faint, her body broken and bloody, but she was alive; and for now, that was enough.
"Admiral Hackett, we need medics at my location ASAP. Shepard's alive. I repeat, Commander Shepard is alive," spat Jack into her omni-tool.
"I'll be damned!" uttered Hackett under his breath before sending out the paramedics.
"Get me Miranda Lawson. I need to speak to her immediately," demanded Hackett to his staff.
Although the Alliance didn't fully trust her yet, Miranda was the best chance Shepard had to survive. Miss Lawson had brought Shepard back from the dead once already, after all. The Alliance might not have all the resources it once had, but it still had state of the art facilities in Rio. With the devastation of the war, humanity needed some good news. Shepard's survival would be uplifting for civilians and military personnel alike.
The medics arrived within minutes. Jack and a couple of her students removed the rest of the rubble, and they slowly placed Shepard on a stretcher biotically. While escorting her to the medics' shuttle, Jack contacted Hackett again to give him the news about Anderson. Hackett was sad his old friend was gone, but he took solace in knowing that David's sacrifice was not in vain-that thanks to him, humanity had fought to see another day.
On the ride to Rio, the medics tried to stabilize Shepard with medi-gel, but her wounds were too severe. She was unconscious with massive internal bleeding and signs of severe head trauma. Her ribs, left arm and ankle were broken, and her body was covered in second and third degree burns. It wasn't pretty, but her breathing was steady, which meant that her lungs hadn't been punctured. Her armour and shields had allowed her to sustain the blow that knocked her out. When the shuttle arrived at the Amparo Research and Health Centre, Miranda and several other medical personnel were ready to admit their newest patient.
After the paramedics briefed the hospital staff about Shepard's current state, Jack took Miranda aside and pleaded to her, eyes raw with emotion, "You better make sure she wakes up from this one". Miranda had never thought it possible for Jack to show such grief. Her pain was real-a pain they both unequivocally shared.
"I will do everything in my power, Jack", replied Miranda with a reassuring smile before disappearing in the operating room.