The Last Day of the Rest of Your Life
Normandy SR-2, CIC.
"Doctor! Over here!"
Chakwas rushed over to the tall turian, assault rifle still gripped in his talons. "Where is he, Garrus?"
The former cop sighed and nodded towards the bow of the starship. "Still in the cockpit. He refused any help. Joker's still trying to get the Normandy moving, wouldn't even let me scan his leg. I can't even tell how bad the break is."
She nodded and began to trot for the cockpit of the ship, passing by several crewmen at their stations. From what she gathered, Shepard had been taken, but everything else was lost in a sea of confusion. The crewmembers murmered to themselves, sounding tired and defeated.
"What the hell just happened?"
"Told you guys…the Commander trusts those aliens too much. I woulda just shot that bird-faced freak."
Chakwas ignored any more ramblings as she approached the pilot's chair. She could see the top of Joker's head, locked forward on the screens that were no longer filled with static, but still flickered with insufficient power. The EMP burnt the drive core out. It would take hours before it would be able to recharge on its own.
The doctor approached the pilot carefully, "Jeff? I heard about what happened with your leg."
He didn't respond at first, still flicking through the energy grid as he still tried to reroute power to the engines. "Doesn't matter. I can deal with the pain, doc. But I'm not quitting on Shepard. He wouldn't give up on us."
"Jeff." Chakwas cooed as she knelt by the chair, placing a hand carefully on his arm. "This ship isn't going anywhere, at least not for hours. I don't want you risking infection."
"I'm fine." Joker huffed.
"Getting treatment for a broken leg is not quitting on anyone, Jeff." Chakwas reasoned as she gently guided his hands away from the ship's controls. "Would you rather lose your leg?"
Joker ignored the doctor, refusing to reason. Shepard had always been there for the Normandy and her crew. And now he was being asked to stop trying?
It didn't matter if it was just for a few hours. Every second, Shepard and those 'Black Talons' got further away from Joker. "With all due respect, Doc, this isn't the first time I've broken a bone. I'll live."
Chakwas brought up her Omni-tool and brought it across his left leg. She gasped. The bone wasn't just broken, but the center of his tibia had completely been shattered, fragments of bone scattered throughout the leg. Her jaw still wide open, Chakwas glared at the pilot in shock, "Joker, you need to get down to medical now. This can't wait." She turned towards the CIC and shouted, "Get me a stretcher and painkillers! Now!"
Joker slammed his fist down on the panels in front of him hard, not caring that he just felt his pinky finger break. "I don't need any goddamn help! Get this ship working again!"
A blue hue filled the room, as EDI's presence returned to the Normandy. "Jeff…there is nothing that can be done for the Normandy at this time. We simply don't have enough power to get us moving. You acting like a child isn't helping." The AI paused before continuing. "You need help."
Joker's chest rose and fell as he gained control of his breathing, and a smirk creased his cheeks. "I knew you wouldn't be down and out forever."
"It would talk all but utter destruction of the ship to put me out of commission.
Three crewmen arrived, two men handling a floating stretcher, while one had two syringes filled with painkillers in her hand. Chakwas took the first syringe and turned back to Joker. "This is going to hurt a bit. Not as much as your shattered shin, though."
The pilot's eyes went wide as he stared at the long needle approaching. "Doc, did I ever tell you that I don't like needles?"
"Get over it," Chakwas said as she lifted the sleeve of Joker's shirt and rubbed his arm with alcohol. Quickly, she plunged the sharp barb through his skin and into a vein. She clamped down on the plunger, forcing the drugs into his system.
She removed it and didn't worry about the blood too much, simply wiping it away with Joker's sleeve. Motioning the two men and the stretcher, the doctor lifted Joker out of the chair and supported him, making sure he stayed off his bad leg while seeing to that he didn't put too much pressure on his right one.
One of the two men then guided the pilot over to the stretcher, getting him on the floating device with ease.
Chakwas rubbed her hands together and turned to EDI. "Is the elevator in working order?"
"It is now." EDI replied immediately. Its voice became softer as the AI called out to her human counterpart. "Don't die on me, Jeff."
Joker smiled and waved a hand into the air, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, mom."
The voices echoed all around him. One was booming in his ears while the other was softer, but as if it was filled with gravel.
"You never told me you'd be doing this, you promised you would bring him straight to me." The soft voice said, slightly distorted, as if whoever on the other side of the conversation was being spoken through a communicator.
The loud, harsh voice reverberated through Shepard's brain. "Change of plans. He's coming with me. He deserves to suffer amongst the worst of the galaxy has to offer. You will get him eventually…maybe. But I want to see him suffer first. It's always how my people have done it."
"Think very carefully, Farrax." The other responded menacingly, his tone seemed somehow unchanged though. "We will find you and your little facility, and once we do-"
The transmission cut out abruptly. Captain Farrax's voice filled Shepard's ears, "Try me, human. We'll be ready."
Shepard limply lifted his hand towards his face, his vision returning. Everything was a bleak, runny blur, but he could make out two imposing figures from across the rather small room. The Commander flipped himself to his stomach, and struggled to prop himself up on his knees and elbows. It felt as if thousands of pounds filled each muscle in his body, making him painfully slow.
"He's getting up." A second voice observed. The lapdog, Antalus.
"Deal with it." Farrax hissed, his voice still creating imposing echoes. The door on the far side of the room opened, and he stormed out.
Loud footsteps approached Shepard, halting a mere few feet from the disoriented Commander. A boot pressed against his ribs and forced him to the ground again. Before Shepard could respond, the tip of the boot slammed right into his forehead. A white flash filled his vision, before blackness replaced it all.
Last Dawn Penitentiary, Planet Kalgha.
As Farrax marched down the dark hallways that surrounded him, turian guards on both sides froze at attention, rifles over their left shoulders. He ignored them as he stormed into his office and unclipped his gun belt, the door locking behind him.
The Captain let it fall to the ground, not caring. He slid towards the computer terminal near his desk and activated it. Warden Halan Tordun's holographic face appeared on the other end.
"Shepard's been transported?" Farrax growled, the anger apparent in his voice.
"Yes, sir." Tordun responded with a smile on his face, the black tattoos on his face widened the grin ever so slightly. "Shepard's in his cell as we speak. You sure you want him in with the general population though? Dem krogans in the yard are some mean bastards."
"Very." Farrax scowled as he clenched a fist.
"Heard you talked with that one guy. How'd that go?"
"Keep your men on high alert for these next few weeks." Farrax replied, not bothering to answer Tordun's question. "Nobody gets in here, and nobody sure as hell gets out."
Tordun grimaced and nodded before logging off.
As he turned to his window, Farrax looked down. Below, laid the majority of the Last Dawn Penitentiary, owned and operated by the Turian Hierarchy.
Almost every major species resided within the penitentiary. Krogan, turian, human, salarian, a single elcor, and about three dozen quarians. Goddamn animals, all of them. Murderers, rapists, thieves, terrorists, and more resided within these tall walls, every single one serving a life sentence.
The guards, all turian, were trained with the only form of containment and discipline that has proven to be the only effective way of containment. Kill first, burn the body, display the ashes like a trophy, and then ask the questions. Ever since Farrax was given a chance to assist in the running of the facility with Warden Tordun, there have been zero escapes, with only on attempt. Needless to say, it was put down quickly, with plenty of blood shed to put everyone else back in line. Twenty quarians died that day.
Every building was enclosed with its own regulated atmosphere, including the yard. This prevented ill weather from deteriorating the foundations, but also provided a grand psychological effect on the inmates. No roof, no outside view, no smell of fresh air.
Don't allow them to smell free air; don't allow them to think of freedom. Every room was pressurized to a general area of tolerance for all species, but this provided another advantage as well. He could vent the air from any room, killing everything inside within minutes. Each guard was equipped with a rebreather though. No point in killing employees.
Even if a prisoner were to escape, Kalgha was a desert world. Uninhabitable and hostile. If you escaped, you'd have nowhere to go.
Warden Kuril's Purgatory prison ship had nothing on Last Dawn, not by a long shot.
Shepard woke in a small cell. His eyes picked up every detail as he struggled to get mouthfuls of air. Tiny room, not a standard issue prison cell, which was usually six by eight feet. This room was slightly smaller, everything astoundingly close together. Miniscule bed, dirty floors, dirty sink and crapper. No windows. A faint blue shield kept him within the room.
He had been stripped of his armor and weaponry, donning a clean gray jumpsuit with a number stitched on the breast. Shepard approached the barrier in front of him and when he tried touching it, the barrier burnt his skin immediately.
He stumbled back and grit his teeth, his left hand now bright red from the harsh shielding. Shepard sat in the small bed and looked at his hand. It was a bad burn, but definitely not in the third-degree. Returning to the shield, he peered through to find he was on the second floor of a prison. Across the room, were several identical cells to his, turian guards at every sixth cell.
Each guard had the same tattoos as Farrax and the rest of the Black Talons. Below, there were more guards, but they weren't Talons. They had bright blue armor. Regular guards, maybe?
The Commander glanced to his left, stood a guard near a railing, looking out below to an empty floor, save for a few guards marching along. The shotgun the turian held was personalized and looked well-worn from overuse. Now, the guard himself looked like one mean son of a bitch.
Turning to look at Shepard's cell, the alien growled as he turned on his heels. "Get the hell back, human. Before I make you."
"What are you going to do? Kill me?" Shepard questioned with a small grin, wanting to see how far he could push the guard.
His eyes spread open wide as his mandibles flared. The guard approached the cell and swiped his omni-tool over an access panel, and the shielding died out. The turian's fist wrapped around Shepard's collar and threw him against the far wall, which wasn't that far at all.
Shoving his shotgun in the Commander's gut, the alien finally replied. "I just might, Commander Shepard."
The smile left the human's face as soon as he heard the shotgun being in his stomach be pumped.
"Stand down, Sergeant."
Still glaring at Shepard, the turian sergeant retracted his weapon before reluctantly being forced out of the cell. Lieutenant Antalus stood before Shepard, his face stony. "Hello, Commander."
Shepard wiped off the creases out of his jumpsuit and replied, "Antalus. I'm guessing your not here to tell me why I'm in this prison?"
Antalus cracked his knuckles and spat on the floor, next to Shepard's foot. "Not at all, Shepard. I'm here to lay the ground rules for your stay here at the Last Dawn Penitentiary. Rule number one? When the bell rings, you leave your cell. You do not return until it rings again. And you better get back to it in a timely fashion." The Lieutenant entered the cell.
Shepard noticed two turian soldiers behind him, unarmed except for pistols strapped to their hips.
"Rule number two. You cause trouble, you'll have not just Talons to worry about, but inmates as well. Most of them are extremely violent bastards, half of 'em with rather murderous tendencies." He yanked the Commander by his collar and threw him out of the cell. Shepard stumbled and his shoulder crashed into the metal railing.
The alien yanked Shepard up to his feet and wrapped both talon-tipped hands around his collar and forced him against the rail, the small of the Commander's back the fulcrum, his lifeline. "Rule number three! Fuck with me, you die!"
Prisoners in their cells took notice to the spectacle, most cheering the Lieutenant on. A chant reverberated within the walls of the cell block.
"Drop him! Drop him! Drop him!"
Lieutenant Antalus gave a full-on smile, exposing his teeth. "What do you think, human? Should I let you go, please the crowd? Many have said humans are quite durable."
Shepard felt the Lieutenant's grip loosen ever so slightly. Shepard forced himself forward and drove a knee into the turian's stomach, sending him backwards. Capitalizing, Shepard step kicked Antalus square in the sternum and sent the alien on his ass. The crowed booed and yelled curses like no tomorrow, unhappy with not getting a grander show.
"I think you should go to hell."
The guards immediately grabbed Shepard and restrained him, allowing Antalus time to get back up. He growled and punched Shepard as hard as he could right across the cheek. The Commander could taste blood in his mouth and see stars light up his vision.
"That's for punching me back on your ship!"
He kneed Shepard right in the ribs and forced him to his knees. "And that's for kicking me."
A radio on the alien's hip hissed loudly. "Lieutenant, report to my office right now."
Antalus signaled the guards and the two burly turians threw the Commander back into his cell unceremoniously. He reactivated the shielding and ordered his compatriots to leave. Brandishing a serrated knife, Antalus dragged the blade across the shielding. The metal began to burn white-hot. "Goodnight Commander, see you bright and early tomorrow. Don't break rule three, or I'll break you."
The turian glared at the human for a moment, before he turned on his heels and left.
Shepard clutched his ribs and sputtered blood from his mouth as he used his free hand to check his jaw. There was nothing else he could do but get some rest after a beating like that. Even though he awoke not just fifteen minutes ago, Shepard slumped into the uncomfortable bed and quickly fell asleep.
Farrax marched circles around the young Lieutenant, who stood at attention, eyes set forward. The captain stopped and leaned against his desk, just staring at the man in front of him for a few moments in complete silence.
Sweat appeared at the top of Antalus' brow, the bead slowly began to trace down his face.
Farrax snatched up the handgun he always kept on his desk and inspected the weapon carefully. It was fully loaded, clean, and ready to fire.
"I saw your little spectacle on the security cams, Lieutenant." Farrax commented as he looked down the sights, barrel pointed at the floor. "Mind telling why? I gave you an order to head straight to your quarters once we landed."
"Sir. Shepard's cell was along my way, so I decided to visit. Sir."
"That's bull, we both know that. The most direct route to the barracks is nowhere near Shepard. So I'll ask you one more time, and if I don't get an honest answer, I'll put a bullet in your foot. If I don't get one then, next one will be in your head." Farrax rose and pointed the gun at Antalus' foot. "Why did you go to the Commander's cell? I need him alive and unharmed for the most part, not nearly thrown off the damn ledge and assaulted."
"Sir. He punched me. Sir."
Farrax couldn't believe what he just heard. "There have been people who have shot at you, and they're still alive right now! But you'll get worked up over a punch?"
Antalus stayed at attention, but his eyes darted side to side, as if looking for a good answer. Farrax wouldn't give him time to find one as he pulled a trigger, lodging a slug in the turian's foot. The Lieutenant eyes lit up like fire, showing obvious agony, but he kept his military bearing, as he refused to release a scream or leave attention.
"Dismissed, Antalus."
"Shepard, get up! Before the guard comes back and forces you out."
The Commander awoke from the bed reaching for a pistol that wasn't there. A quarian stood over him, nervously looking back out for any guards.
"Who are you?" The human asked as he got to his feet, still sore from last night's beating.
The accented voice responded hastily, "Zaael'Mirku vas Tonbay, but we'll get into formalities later. If you don't want to end up dead, then follow me and don't do anything stupid."
Shepard nodded and silently followed the quarian out of his cell and down to the left, towards a staircase.
"The guards were distracted with a fight on the first floor, down the hall. Otherwise, you would've been beaten awake." Zaael turned to the human, his mask provided a reflection of Shepard, and questioned, "How did you sleep through the alarms? My ears are still bleeding…"
"I've been through a lot lately…" The Commander sighed as he tried to rubbed the back of his neck, only to have his hand flare with pain as if was set on fire.
Zaael noticed immediately and grabbed his hand roughly. "Yep. You touched the barriers, didn't you? They're designed to make sure you got a bad enough burn that would lead to infection if untreated. They'll do anything to take 'care' of an inmate, if you know what I mean."
Shepard yanked his hand back and rubbed it carefully, pain still pulsed though every nerve in it. "Yeah…These guys seem anxious to smoke just about anyone."
"I saw that little confrontation you had with the LT." The quarian paused and rubbed the back of his neck. "…I didn't start that cheer, just to let you know."
"I'm sure."
The two made their way down to the stairs to the main level, where several inmates and guards had gathered around a group of krogan sparring. Orange blood was spattered all over the floor, showing these krogan were beating each other senseless.
Zaael quickly walked past the scuffle, but Shepard lagged behind, watching as the much older krogan was ramming his fists into the younger one's face.
Zaael grabbed Shepard's forearm and hissed, "We cannot stay. Trust me, they'll make others look responsible for this."
Shepard followed the alien down the hall, but he could hear two turian guards break up the fight and speak to each other.
"Is the krogan dead, sir?"
Two gunshots rang out, and the crowd dispersed. "It is now."
"There's a few things you need to learn to stay alive and pride intact, Commander." Zaael coughed before continuing. "Don't pick fights, especially with different species. Krogans will cut your head off at night before lights-out, turians'll gang up on you and turn you to pulp, and salarians will put some nasty stuff in your food. Keelah knows what you humans do to each other. "
Shepard examined the quarian as they marched through the prison, past inmates or guards, with little attention drawn to either of them. His enviro-suit was stained and covered in dirt and grime. The gear that kept it working looked ancient and heavily damaged, but by some miracle it held together.
The guide coughed again, this time going into a fit. He paused and stumbled to the side, pressing his three-fingered hands against a wall. After a few seconds of hacking up his lungs, Zaael looked back to Shepard, "Sorry 'bout that…"
"You alright? Do you need a doctor?"
Zaael chuckled weakly, "Please…if a few coughs can kill, I woulda died in here awhile ago. It's funny, we quarians here get better medical treatment than the others, 'cuz of our immune systems. Heh heh, bet Farrax is still sore over that, racist bastard."
The alien started down the halls of the prison again, and Shepard followed silently. More and more quarians began to appear, all male. They gave nervous looks to each other as they saw Zaael bringing a human with him. Zaael led the human to a small table, where three other quarians sat.
"Sit." Zaael ordered gruffly. "Make friends. You'll need 'em. Let me get some stuff for those burns."
Shepard eased himself into the tiny metal seat and looked at the three quarians, their eyes the only thing visible through their masks.
The first quarian to the right, whose suit was colored red and black, spoke up. "Well since Zaael hasn't gutted you yet, I guess you're an alright human. Name's Keelan'Massus." He pointed over to the others, who wore matching purple suits. "That's Tarlan and Ferrin. What's your name there?"
Shepard was surprised. Even though this was a prison, information still had to go in and out. How could they not have heard of the first human Spectre, or the savior of the Council?
The Commander cleared his throat. "Shepard. The name's Shepard."
Before they could speak any more, Zaael's voice called out, "Human! Over here!"
The former Alliance soldier nodded to the quarians before walking over towards Zaael, who pulled up two chairs. Shepard sat across from his guide, who ordered, "Give me your hand."
Shepard held out his left hand, palm up. Zaael opened a small container and dipped two fingers inside. Gray ointment dripped from his digits as he quickly rubbed it into Shepard's skin.
"This'll make sure an infection doesn't happen, and it'll stop the burning sensation." He explained as he snatched up a roll of white bandages. Ancient stuff. He expertly wrapped a few layers around and around before grabbing a knife from his boot. With one swipe, he cut the bandage away. "That wrap doesn't come off for five days, you got me? You eat with it, shower with it, sleep with it. If you take it off, I'll have to do this all over again, and I'm not always generous."
Shepard flexed his hand and thanked the quarian, "Thank you, Zaael. But I wanna know-"
"Why no one knows who you are, Commander Shepard?"
"Nobody except for you, apparently."
Zaael sighed and leaned back his chair, twirling the finely crafted, yet obviously homemade, blade between his three fingers. "Besides you, I'm the newest one in here. Been here for a little over a year now. I've seen you in the vids, always paraded as the first human Spectre and savior of the Council." He leaned towards the Commander and looked around, as if checking for anyone listening in. "Information does not pass through these walls from the outside. Everyone in this prison has been locked away for more than the past two years, they don't know squat."
Shepard took in the news before asking, "How'd you get in here?"
"Traitor, that's how." He bitterly replied, sheathing the knife back in his boot. "The Fleet sent me to go assist with a young female out on her Pilgrimage, who said her ship was impounded back on the Citadel by C-Sec. I found her ship, turns out it wasn't impounded at all. Went aboard, played the final log. She struck a deal with the Black Talons… Lead me out in the open, and she'd get a couple hundred thousand creds to bring back to the Migrant Fleet."
Zaael paused and pressed a hand against his mask in frustration. "I found her stripped of her breathing mask in the cargo bay, two bullets to the chest. Farrax and his goons grabbed me once I got off the ship. Just before they took me away, Farrax snatched the blade from my boot and stabbed me with it." He looked up towards the ceiling, as if glaring at the turian himself. "He still has it…and I want it back."
"Why did they want you specifically?"
Zaael's hands began to tremble as his voice filled with anger. "I was still on my Pilgrimage, couple years back. Stopped on Omega to have a few drinks, to relax, you know? I bumped into a Black Talon commando and his buddy on accident. They were both piss drunk, and they wanted a fight. I took 'em outside and handed them both an ass whopping."
He coughed and cleared his throat; his voice was low, "One pulled out his gun, so I pulled out my knife and cut his throat. Let the other one live, told him as he ran away: 'My name's Zaael'Mirku vas Tonbay!' Once I was grabbed by Farrax, I was sent to life in prison for one count of murder and two counts of assault on military personnel. Been in here ever since."
Shepard patted the quarian on the shoulder. "You hate it in here, don't you?"
"Of course I do. I was just defending myself… why would you ask something like that?"
"Because I don't plan on staying in here for very long."
Peace.