Perfect looks, perfect grades, perfect...everything. That was life as she knew it and failure was never an option.
Until now...
Inhaling the coarse sand, Miranda crawled on hands and knees as she fought to suppress the growing sting at her side. Her gloves were smeared with blood and sand, little granules of dirt fell from the viscous mess and were absorbed into the ground. The pain only grew as a crimson trail of blood marked her trail.
Miranda put all her weight onto her elbows and forced herself to stand and look to her fallen team mates. Their bodies were the only evidence that there had ever been a defence line. All of them were cut down, strewn haphazardly among dead collectors as their blood trickled into one. Garrus, Tali, Jack, Grunt, Samara... each lifeless face came with a stab of guilt. They were gone and yet here she was, still standing thanks to their sacrifice.
Miranda averted her gaze and stumbled towards the edge of the cliff side where they parted. Approximately thirty minutes had passed since Shepard ascended that platform to take down the human reaper. Miranda played the image over in her head, refusing to let it die but it was a fruitless endeavor since each time the flashback came to the forefront, Shepard's inviting brown eyes weakened her. She understood his reason for leaving her behind, it was selfish on his part but something she'd allow him to indulge in this one last time. Besides she had a line to command, she had his back in a sense...but it was still not quite the same.
She stumbled over weak legs and crashed to the ground. Miranda clenched the bullet wound at her side as pain from the impact spiked through her. But that wasn't enough to slow her down, no she needed to see. To confirm some form of success, otherwise this would all have been for nothing.
Gritting her teeth she dragged herself towards the edge, knowing it would overlook the only place where the Normandy could fit in.
As she crawled she remembered how it all began. A swarm of uncoordinated collectors met them first. They were easy. It was the second wave that tried to flank them, but between her and Jack there was no hope for the insects.
"Shit cheerleader you finally brought your A-game," Jack commented as she hurled another biotic shockwave at a cluster of collectors.
"Not so bad yourself," Miranda shot back, before warping her enemy into mush.
"Not bad? Hah, please I'm—" Jack's speech died in her throat as a bullet pierced through her head.
Miranda leapt to break her fall but it was too late, the fierce biotic was dead in her arms. She looked up for help, but half the crew was already down. Only Thane fought hand-to-hand alone against a growing army of collectors that was steadily overpowering him.
That's when a bullet struck her in the gut and she was pitched face first into the dirt.
Crawling past Mordin's deathly white body, Miranda grunted in pain. She could feel the energy draining from her. It was only a matter of time now. So sweet was death's song to just lay here and close her eyes. You've done good enough...death's voice taunted her.
No. I'm just getting started.
Tearing up in pain, Miranda forced herself to stand again as she continued her weak stumble towards the platform. It was just a little bit further now, not much longer. Her vision swam as the darkness called to her, rest now, you've done all you could...
But Miranda fought onwards.
At the edge of the platform she finally collapsed, panting hard as her gloved hands tried to find grips and crawl up to see what was going on in the canyon.
Then she saw it. The glorious Normandy hovering in mid air as Shepard ran towards it.
She started to speak but the shards of the broken omni-tool cut into her fist, reminding her why she was now cut off from him. John ran determined despite the swarm of collectors on his heels. Her heart quenched then breathed a sigh of relief when he lunged into the air and grabbed onto the Normandy. Thank heavens he was safe, she may be going down but he would make it. He would protect Oriana. He would...never forget her.
As Miranda succumbed to her injuries, she watched the Normandy falter. From her last dying breath the image of Shepard falling to his death was embedded in her mind's eye. As he disappeared into the canyon below, she didn't grieve on his loss, there was no energy left for that. Instead she thought of all they did and how despite the heavy losses it was good enough for now.
They had bought the galaxy some time. She just hoped they wouldn't waste it now.
A single tear streamed down her cheek but Miranda was too weak to wipe it away.
Her vision dimmed as darkness won over and extinguished her life.
A/N: This comp reminded me why I hate death scenes. It's so sad to see the characters you know and love close their eyes for the final time, but there's no sacrifice without risk. Thanks for hosting this contest and reminding all of us of that fact, Revy. It's something I tend to forget.