TITLE: Hell is Empty
CHAPTER 4
LOCATION: The Citadel, Omega Station & Horizon Colony
GAME TIMELINE: ME2
Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
The Tempest 1:2 William Shakespeare
"Staff Lieutenant Alenko reporting as ordered, sir."
"At ease, Lieutenant. Sit down, son. I have an assignment for you. First, let's make sure everything that needs to be said is out."
"Thank you, sir."
Admiral Anderson came around the front of his desk and sat down next to the marine.
"Ready to get back to work?"
"Yes, sir."
"Kaidan, be at ease about the last two years."
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"I understand. I'm sure you've talked more about it than you ever intended or wanted to just to get your security clearances back and your commission reinstated. I read the medical reports: Injuries that never healed properly, trauma, old fractures. I want you to understand that your medical records are sealed and the information will remain classified. Your doctors, Garrus Vakarian, and I are the only ones who ever need to know. Unless you tell someone yourself, of course."
"He saved my life." Replied the Lieutenant with his gaze fixed at some faraway point.
"The work you did with Garrus Vakarian was important."
"It didn't last."
"You've been out of touch for a while. Can I interest you in something I think will suite your unique skills?
"I'd be grateful for anything, sir."
"Human colonies are disappearing."
"Disappearing? Where?"
The admiral was gratified to see the Lieutenant's head come up and his shoulder's straighten. He thought this would do the trick to get him interested in work. A good mystery and a problem to solve usually worked with these young troops. Keep them moving, keep them engaged.
"We don't know. We just don't know. I want to send you to Horizon. Set up a defense perimeter. Protect the colonists with whatever means necessary and report your findings."
"Understood. I'll leave immediately."
"Thank you, Kaiden. I knew I could count on you."
"I'll be in touch, sir."
~0~
Garrus could hear their footsteps now as they closed in on his position. Shepard was alive. How was it possible? Yet, there he was. He was alive.
"Archangel?"
Shepard's voice.
"Careful, Shepard. It could be a trap."
Tali's voice.
"Don't bloody well care if it's Saint Michael himself. We're here to do a goddamn job."
And voice he didn't recognize. Around the corner, guns drawn, walked a battle scared man followed by Commander Shepard and Tali. For a long moment everything just stopped. No one spoke. Had he ever been happier to see anyone in his life? As the adrenaline drained away and relief set in, he had to sit down.
Tali took a step toward him.
Garrus twisted the catch on his helmet and pulled it from his head. All Garrus could think of to say, "Shepard."
"Garrus." Shepard responded quietly.
"I've missed you, Tali girl."
"Hey Garrus. It's good to see you.
He couldn't see her face, but he heard the catch in her voice. Was she glad to see him, too? Touch her... right now. He would get up and walk right over to her. Pick her up by that impossibly sexy waist and hug her body to his until she cried out for more. Then slip that face plate off and see her, really see her... love her... Shepard interrupted his musings.
"After you tell me how you got every merc in the Terminus Sector gunning for you, I'll tell you about how you shot me."
"They were only concussive rounds, Shepard. Had to be convincing, didn't I?"
"You didn't shoot a Tali or Zaeed."
"You had it coming."
"Care to elaborate?"
"Care to explain how come you're alive? I spent a lot of time grieving over your death and now, here you stand."
"I'm the one who died and all I get is hard times for it. Garrus, it's good to see you. Damn good to see you."
"While you two nancy boys get reacquainted, I'll remind you we still have to get out of here. From what I see down there we won't be just walking out the door."
"Garrus, this is Zaeed Massani. He's in charge of Normandy public relations."
The turian and the human nodded. They'd never met, but they were familiar with the other's work.
"I'll tell you all about the last two years when we get back to the ship, Shepard. Right now, I'll stay up here with my sniper rifle and you get down there and do what you do best."
As the trio walked away to take a position, Garrus felt Tali quickly squeeze his hand.
He returned the pressure, pulling her to a stop. "Tali, got anything good in your secret snack drawer? I haven't eaten in two days."
"Oh, I think I've got something you'll like." She said over her shoulder, as she walked away.
Suddenly the world tilted straight again. Just like old times.
They fought their way to the lower levels and just as they were about to finish off the last wave. They all heard an attack helicopter and turned as one to watch it swing into view just outside the windows. They all took cover, but Garrus tried to get one more shot in.
The turian actually heard the sound of the missile launching. His brain registered it as a small AA Stinger missile. He watched its trajectory: it would impact his body in seconds. Funny how you have time to measure these things when everything is happening in slow motion. He moved. He tipped his body to the left the missile, but the damn thing seemed to follow him.
Then he was on the ground and the world was on fire. Silence. Shepard must have destroyed the helicopter. In quick succession, he heard Tali and Shepard calling his name and the sound of their foot steps. It was good that he could hear them. Right? Meant he wasn't dead. Then he felt the sticky sensation of blood pooling under his faceand the pain kicked in. The next time he was aware of anything he was in Med Bay with Doctor Chakwas fussing over him.
"Good you're awake. Do you realize that you're dehydrated? I'd say you haven't eaten in a while and you caught a missile with the right side of your face. When was the last time you slept?"
"Let's get back to the caught a missile with my face part."
"I'm sorry, Garrus. It's good to see you. I just hate for any of my boys to be in pain. There will be some scarring, but you're fine. No damage to your right eye or jaw. Thankfully, your armor absorbed most of the impact. You won't be winning beauty contests anytime soon."
"That's certainly a priority. Thanks for patching me up."
"Commander Shepard wanted to talk to you as soon as you woke up."
~0~
Filling his lungs with the fresh air, Lieutenant Alenko watched the sun set over the settlement. He'd be much happier if they'd finished the defense perimeter before the sun went down. To his surprise these people were not receptive to what they saw as Alliance interference. Didn't matter, he was immune to their complaints. In fact, he was immune to most emotions. The folks at the Alliance mental health clinic were sympathetic, helpful, and kind. When he'd finished 'talking it out" with them he realized nothing inside him had changed. The anger, the shame, the grief were his now.
It did feel good to be back in a uniform, working again and keeping busy. All his regrets were behind him. He did wish he'd been able to find Garrus though. Alliance had kept him so busy he hadn't really had time to look.
The invasion happened during the night. The lieutenant heard the sounds of screaming. He'd spent the night walking the perimeter. Running toward the sounds, with gun drawn. By the time he'd arrived back in camp it was all over and he too late. He was alone. He walked the empty colony in the early morning sun, trying a little unsuccessfully to keep those old thoughts of inadequacy at bay. Until, in the distance he heard the sound of a shuttle. Shielding his eyes against the glare of the sun, he saw the emblem. Cerberus! He checked his weapon and took cover. Better to wait and see what they were up to. Perhaps they had just come back to make sure they hadn't left anyone behind. They wouldn't take him alive.
The sound of people talking brought him out of hiding. It was one of the colonists. So, not everyone was gone.
Was that Garrus? He walked slowly closer to the sounds conversation.
"I didn't want it to end this way, I did what I could."
"More than most, Shepard."
It was Garrus and… His feet were moving and his lips were saying words, "Commander Shepard. Captain of the Normandy, First Human Spectre, and Savior of the Citadel. You're in the presence of a legend, Delan and a ghost."
Anger… no, rage rose up in his chest like a tumor. His hands clenched into fists. How dare Shepard stand there looking at him as if nothing had changed.
"We thought you were dead, Shepard. We all did."
To hide his rage he hugged Shepard and the commander did not hesitate to hug back. Maybe he was wrong. Then stupid hurtful words started coming out of his mouth. He couldn't stop them.
Garrus was shaking his head and using a hand signal from their days back on Omega Station. The cutting motion of the turian's hand across this throat telling him silently to shut the hell up. He should listen to the turian. But he couldn't, he just kept talking. Two years… two years… two years, his rage taunted him. The pain he was inflicting with his words showed on Shepard's face now. He was hurting him and probably embarrassing him in front of Tali and Garrus.
Just walk away, Kaidan. Walk away. But he couldn't. Not yet.
"Thinking you were dead, tore me apart. How could you put me through that? And, now you're with Cerberus?" He was behaving like a spoiled child. Only stamping his feet in anger would make the picture complete.
"Kaidan!" Garrus tried one more time to stop him.
"I loved you, Shepard. But you've changed. I still know where my loyalties lie. I'm an Alliance soldier, Always will be."
Then, as quickly as it had come the rage left him and couldn't say anything more. The damage was stamped on Shepard's face.
The only thing he could think of to say was goodbye. There would be no forgiveness for the awful things he'd said. Didn't matter, he wasn't worth it anyway. Slowly walking toward the buildings, he heard Shepard call for the shuttle just as he rounded a corner.