AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not own any of the Mass Effect character except for any OC's and the story plot.
...
I coughed up more of the goo; it was disgusting the feel of it sliding out my mouth. I groaned as I felt another bought of sickness rise from my stomach and continue till it settled in my throat. Fortunately and unfortunately this batch burned from my stomach acid, at least there was no more goo. I slowly moved away from the bile I'd left on the floor, not my fault they didn't have a bucket for me to throw up in.
"Gross." I muttered. My voice sounded strange but I knew it would, my ears picked up a second, identical tone that layered over mine. It was slightly slower than my voice which is the only reason it stood out. I stood on shaky legs, steadying myself with just as weak arms; I needed to move. I wasn't completely used to the sound of my voice; I hummed softly getting used to the feel and sound I made.
"Welcome Aurora. How do you feel?" came a voice in front of me. Female. Soothing. Sound of a scientist or doctor. More likely is a doctor by the tone. Doctors tended to have more compassion in their voices.
My gaze went forward and only saw the outline of someone in the shadows. I half-glared at the person- glaring took effort, something I didn't want to actually do right now.
"I'd be better if I could see the person who is going to assess me."
"I don't think that is such good idea." An orange light shined for a second and the television that was still running went off.
Omni-tool. My brain clicked. I rolled my eyes as I heard her say that. I clenched my fingers to make a fist then rolled them to extension, repeating this a few times on each hand. I did the same with my toes, and when that was over with I slowly started the process of working out my body. Being in cyro made the subject weak when they exited but the feeling would soon wear off when the body's temperature regulated on its own. Which mine was doing quite well since this wasn't the first time I'd been woken up.
"You are used to this…" Her voice trailed off but I knew it was a question. Newbie. She walked forward, her steps light on the ground. I rolled my shoulders then went back to stretching out my legs. I glanced at her and my eyes widened. Female, doctors outfit. Blue skin and tentacles on the head. Human type body. Asari. My mind whirled at the information it had learned about the Asari. She seemed to hesitate as she looked at me.
"My name is Doctor Caliis (Khal-ee-ss). I'm an-"
"Asari" I finished for her. She looked confused for a second before I pointed at the television she turned off earlier.
"It's pointed at me for a reason."
I could see almost hear her brain jump into over drive as she realized what I meant. Always with the shock I thought. This was the first time I've seen an Asari with my own eyes the vids, which were high in definition couldn't really compare to the real thing. She was strangely beautiful. Besides the blue skin, lack of ears and tentacle hair she looked human. Eyes, nose, mouth and lips, and her body's similarly shaped to that of a human female. From what I had learned from the vids they were an all-female race. Capable of living for 1000 years, if they were lucky. All Asari were able to use biotics and they were the first race to reach the Citadel. That was just the basics but that was all I needed.
I let her think for a few more seconds before I asked: "So what do you need my consent for this time?"
Her eyes snapped to me, shock covering her face again with what I could only assume to be the work of her figuring something out.
"There's a situation of which you may or may not be aware of…"
"Shepard! We're pinned down behind the rubble-"
"Everything's rubble."
"-at the extraction point!"
Shepard quickly, as her heard Tali's report and Garrus' smartass comment of their surroundings- checked from behind the wall he was using, assessing the battlefield in front of him. With his Omni-tool also showing blipping red-dots of enemies her couldn't see, he had a pretty good idea that getting through to his team would be a piece of cake really. He continuously ducked from behind cover to land a few more shots with his N7 Valkyrie. After downing a few husks, he spoke through the comm: "I'm on my way."
Shepard jumped out from behind his protective spot and ran, occasionally ducking behind large amounts of fallen building to avoid the shots from the Marauders and Cannibals. He loaded another clip and kept firing at the hiding Marauders first before taking out the Cannibals. He could hear Tali's shotgun firing at any of the enemies that got to close and could make out Garrus' assault rifle and occasional concussive shots. Slowly the enemy's numbers were dissipating and they were winning. Shepard stomped on the head of a Cannibal who was crawling away from him, the crunch of its face under his boot semi-satisfying to his ears. Garrus and Tali's head popped up from behind their cover and Shepard smiled.
"Shepard!"
Tali's voice was covered by the sound of a growl. He already knew what that sound was and knew what would happen but his body still turned in response. A lone husk that had gotten separated from the group that ambushed him and his team had spotted Shepard… And had gotten the jump. All that Shepard could think was Damn… He awaited the impact from the husk's tackle but instead was greeted by a wave of shock and the sound of a sniper rifle. The head of the Husk exploded and the green tinted fluid that ran through its body splattered all over Shepard's face and the wall. Shepard looked at Garrus; he thought that Garrus left his precious sniping rifle back on the ship for repairs? A small blip appeared on his Omni-tool tracker and immediately Shepard raised his gun and turned towards the dot. There was no movement, but that didn't mean that whatever had shot the Husk wasn't just hiding or being cloaked.
"Friendlies!" a voice shouted. It sounded human.
"Come out slowly and identify." Shepard ordered.
A figure made its way from behind more of the rubble; human, male. He looked older with his hair and beard peppered. He moved slowly, his hands raised above his head. He wore civilian style clothing with an Alliance symbol embroidered over the front, left side of the shirt- over the heart.
"Kenway, Adams. I'm uh… well civilian now I guess."
"A survivor, here? Kee'lah." Tali's voice snapped Shepard from looking over the man; he then lowered his weapon. Ex-Alliance, showed why the old man survived for so long.
"Most people say 'friendly' if there's only one person." Garrus commented; Shepard could feel the Turian looking past the man at anything that seemed out of place. There were no blips on his Omni-tool but long distance was another story, that and height.
"That would be my protection detail, and I guess yours," the man responded gesturing to the headless Husk. "They're carrying weapons so I decided to be the liaison."
I looked over the man once again; the subtle shift of Tali and Garrus returning their weapons to a ready position, scouring the area for anything at all.
"We're looking for the SSV Normandy extraction point." Shepard raised his eyebrow at this. It wasn't common knowledge that extraction points would be told to anyone outside of the ship. And the only ones who really needed to know were Joker, EDI and Steve.
"We have orders" the man added.
They stared each other down before Shepard finally nodded. There were too many variables to even make what he said true, but leaving innocents behind when they were right behind him was not an option. And if they turned out the be Cerberus Shepard would take care of them the way he'd been taking care of the Reaper forces. Quick, calm and deadly.
"Call your team. We're leaving now." Touching his ear with the comm quickly Shepard turned away from the man and ordered Steve to get them now and to send a message to the Normandy to be ready for visitors, possible friendlies or enemies. Even though it was a time of war they still had to keep up the regulations when visitors were aboard. Usually Shepard would have just waited until another shuttle could have picked up this man and the 'Protection Detail' he mentioned, but the fact that 1: they knew who he was, which wasn't a huge surprise being the first human Spectre but still, 2: they knew about the extraction point which no one should have known about, and 3: clearly this person had ties to Alliance but this area was a danger zone and civilians were supposed to be evacuated already; it would have been difficult to survive, an finally 4: Shepard was curious. Movement from the left caught the Normandy teams' eye. A woman slid down from a large piece of street that had been torn up from the ground, creating an effective slide and bridge to the second floor of a demolished building. She carried an old looking sniper rifle; and she held it properly. The Protection Detail the man mentioned, but she doesn't look like she has a lot of armor. She looked to the pepper-haired man, who nodded in return, then looked back up the cement-slide and waved her hand in a beckoning motion. This time a large group of people slid down from the building: 4 men, 4 women and… 'Movement from the left caught the Normandy'without armor needing help down. then it shoul
"They moved with that many people?" Tali asked. The amount of people they traveled with was shock enough, but it was the small legs that took 2 or 3 steps compared to the group's 1 that made Shepard's heart stop-
"Children." Shepard muttered. "You have children?!"
The man stepped forward, pulling a small data chip from his pocket and held it out to Shepard.