"You've never done this before, have you?" he asked quietly, while motioning for me to follow him.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, blushing at his arched brow.

Walking over to a large table near the back of the room, James pointed at it. "Weapon station," he explained, taking several guns from the crates under it. "Take this. It's a Viper. A good starter Sniper for someone learning." He handed me the large gun grinned wickedly. He held his own rifle up, showing me how to stand and how to position the weapon.

I couldn't help but feel foolish. "Like this?" I asked, trying to mimic his pose.

"Just relax and let it sit in your arms. If you hold it too tight you're not going to be able to absorb the recoil. You gotta make love to it like a beautiful woman," he coached, stopping to adjust my arms and hands. Once satisfied, he spent a few seconds showing me how to shift from ready position to firing position. Once I'd kind of got the hang of pressing the stock against my shoulder, he nodded again. "That's it. There ya go."

"Kaidan showed me a little, but it's hard to remember when people are shooting at you," I said as we began moving again, passing through several rooms like the one we'd just been in. The base had a kind of bland sameness that hospitals had, clearly trying to seem professional and efficient. I just found it creepy.

"So . . . um, where's the shuttle?" I asked as we walked through a large room, full of crates and random detritus. The air was oddly cold, making me shiver as it bathed my face.

"Get behind me, Amiee," James said suddenly, his voice taking on a note of steel that brooked no argument from me.

Standing behind him quickly, I was comforted by the fact I had him with me because his sheer size made a great wall to hide behind.

"What is it?" I whispered, peeking around him. I couldn't see much in the gloom but my question was answered for him as several of the white and yellow armoured guys emerged from behind several large crates. Ambush …. Crap.

"Don't hesitate, just keep firing. If I go down, run!" Vega barked, charging forward and unloading several rounds into the first solder.

Swallowing down my revulsion as I tried to convince myself once again that they were just pixels, I took a breath and slipped my finger into the trigger loop. I moved into cover with James and once protected from the flying bullets, I looked down the scope, firing at one of the larger guys. The impact of the stock into my shoulder knocked the wind out of me, sending me back a little. Mother-

Wincing as my shoulder protested this new abuse, I bit my lip and raised the viper again. Watching Vega out of the corner of my eye, I tried not to be too distracted by how ... well, graceful he was while fighting. It was like a grim ballet of death, bodies falling left and right as he fired with an accuracy I wouldn't have thought possible considering how fast he was moving.

A huge bear of a man suddenly rushed him, making Vega leap back and try to bring his rifle up. The soldier backhanded him and raised his shotgun, aiming at Vega's head. The Maine lay, stunned, on the floor and shot his head. I didn't even think. I didn't have time. I just lifted the Viper, fired three rapid shots, and tried to ignore the pain in my shoulder as it slammed into me. The bear guy fell, his face torn apart by my rounds, and my stomach twisted.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh my god! Vega, get the hell up!" I shouted, running over to him. His lip was bloody and his eyes a little unfocused, but I didn't think he'd suffered too much. He took the hand I offered, using some of my rather nonexistent strength, before pulling me down behind a huge crate.

"You were worried about me Muñeca? I'm touched." He smirked cockily. He reloaded his rifle, keeping his head down as rounds pounded our cover, "You need to reload, Amiee. Here," he said, quickly showing me how to stick one of the gray tube things into the slot. Nodding to show I'd gotten the gist of it, I accepted a couple extra and slipped them into a pouch on my belt.

"How're we gonna get out of here?" I said, raising my voice over the gunfire. I was shaking, my shoulder ached, and my head throbbed from the noise.

Vega seemed totally unphased. "We're gonna use grenades, Amiee," he growled, pulling out several objects I didn't get chance to see before he threw them. I guessed, judging by the screaming and explosions, they were the grenades, but there was no way I would be looking around to check.

"Which way out?" I shouted as he took my hand and pulled me to my feet, dragging me through crates and weaving around bodies. Some of the more hardy Cerberus soldiers tried firing on us, but I think they were more worried about the fact fire was racing towards them.

"Not sure there is one. Guess we'll be making our own!" he shouted, letting go of my hand and throwing a grenade into a wall. The thing exploded, sending rubble and smoldering bits of plastic showering over us. We were thrown back, hitting the wall opposite with a loud crash of armour.

"Warning next time," I growled, staggering to my feet and shaking my head to clear the white noise. Jesus, it's like my TV just glitched.

"Sorry, but planning ain't somethin' I do," he coughed, pulling me with him again. What the hell am I? A frickin pull along truck?

"Well, next time you blow up a goddamn wall, let me at least get out of the way," I whined, tugging my hand from his and cupping my rifle they way he'd shown me. Rolling my shoulder, trying to ease the tightening muscle, I lengthened my stride to keep up with him. "Will you slow the hell down, I've only got little legs!" I shouted, as he forged ahead.

"I'd offer to carry you, but I wouldn't be able to save your pretty ass," he shouted back, not looking at me as he swept the parameter with his flashlight.

"Who was it saving you, Action Man? Oh that's right, little ole me," I snarked, imitating him. "You're such a butt," I growled, when he offered me nothing more than a grunt.

"C'mon. The shuttle's out there." he said, pointing to another door; this one leading outside. "Do you have a helmet?" He pulled on his own helmet that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Game mechanics, yay.

"Um, no I muttered, embarrassed by the fact I'd done something as noob-like as lose my helmet. "Do I need one?"

"No air," he sighed, taking something from another pouch in his armour. He's like a magic hat, pulling random crap from his butt. "Here, it's an emergency breather, slip it over your mouth," he said, handing me a clear face mask thing.

"How does it work?" I asked, my voice distorted.

He rolled his eyes, muttering something about being a babysitter and earning another kick. He took the tube connected to my mouthpiece, and did something I couldn't see.

Cool, recycled air hit my mouth and I gasped, "The hell?"

"I did say it was a breather. Hint's in the name," he said, a little too mockingly for my taste but, like the mature adult I am, I only kicked him once more before leading the way out of the door.

Okay ... ouch. Sand, plus bare skin, equals pain. Anyone for sand facials? Come on over to mars, we got's the best sand, it'll leave your skin as fresh as a daisy ... a mile down the goddamn planet.

"James! Normandy! Anybody!" screamed a voice even I could hear over Vega's comm unit.


A/N Another chapter updated and edited. Please let me know if I've missed anything.