10.
Eidolus was a planet that was used as target practise by the meteors that constantly crashed into its surface. The vast deserts of silicate sand made it easier to traverse and the Mako had already discovered an ID tag from a mummified Salarian. They had also managed to get some readings off metal fragments. For the missing marines there was no sign, but Joker had said that the distress signal he had picked up emanated from here.
Somewhere.
Kaiden was not sure why all of them were on this trip, but Shepard had explained that should any marine need help, and if there were Geth in the area, then someone would need to help any wounded marines whilst the others dealt with the Geth.
Garrus was driving, the Turian watched the silent Commander out of the corner of his eyes. Her face was grim set and stoic. If the thought of her brother and his unit in danger affected her, as surely it must, she didn't show it. He noticed that there were occasional breaks of rocky headland but, for the most part there was a lot of desert.
Wrex told Garrus to slow down and pointed. In the distance there was a burning wreck. Cassie glanced at the readout, an M29 Grizzly, a troop carrier mainly used for long term planetary campaigns, the old Battle Taxi as it was affectionately known, could deploy troops into any area, but its bulk made it unsuitable for drops that needed an more immediate attention, hence the invention of the Mako.
"Is that their carrier?" Ashley asked, peering over Cassie's shoulder as Garrus slowed the engine and approached the burning Grizzly carefully and cautiously.
"Its someone's" Garrus muttered then yelped "SPIRITS"
Wrex dived into the gun seat as a giant Thresher Maw suddenly erupted from the ground right beside the burning wreck. Cassie's eyes widened as suddenly her head was filled with screams of her dying unit on Acuze, she quashed the image ruthlessly and told Garrus to stay out of its line of fire.
Wrex was whooping for joy every time that the Mako's cannon struck home. Although the Mako took a couple of hits. It was unnerving that the Maws acid went right through their shields, Garrus's skill and Wrex's sharp shooting made sure that the Maw paid the ultimate price. With a scream that sounded like it came from another world, it vanished, the acidic blood staining the sand where it died.
Garrus swerved the Mako to a halt and they all got out, weapons raised, Cassie frowned then, a groan escaped her lips as she saw one body and sprinted towards it. Her legs felt heavy as she approached the body of the Marine. She crouched down and turned him over, then screwed her eyes up, his acid torn features leaving not much left to identify him, his name badge did that.
Lieutenant Commander Alan Shepard.
She sank to her knees and hung her head. Her brother, her twin brother, as fearless as she, his sense of humour balancing her more serious nature. Proud when his twin had got the acclaimed and much elusive N7 rank, she had been so proud of him when he got his N6 rank.
Kaiden shook his head "The distress beacon was dropped on the Thresher Maws nest" He walked round with Ashley, none of them seeing the Commander, bowed head and shaking body. "This was deliberate."
"Goddess, Commander Shepard" Liara put her hand to her mouth.
Ashley lowered her gun as she saw her skipper knelt by the body of one of the men. "Its her brother" Ashley whispered and crossed herself, silently commending the marines souls to the afterlife and into gods hands.
"I am sorry Gunnery Chief, what was that you did?" Liara asked.
"Its a blessing for the dead" Ashley replied quietly "I'll explain more later, now doesn't seem the time Doctor T'Soni"
"Of course"
Garrus and Wrex approached the Commander with Tali and all three saw the anger that simmered in the human woman's eyes.
"They are all the Admirals men, Commander" Tali hesitantly said "Lieutenant Alenko says this was done deliberately."
She nodded, not saying anything for a moment then stood up "Joker, bring the Normandy down, we have some bodies to take home"
"Yes Commander"
"And Joker...one of them is Alan"
Joker was silent for a long time then, his voice respectful said "Understood Commander."
"I'm sorry Jeff"
"Me too Cassie, coming in now ETA Five minutes"
Cassie stared at the other bodies for a moment or two then, she brought herself to attention and saluted them. Ashley, Kaiden and Garrus followed suit, Wrex bowed his head, Tali did the same and Liara closed her eyes.
Cassie sat beside her brothers coffin, her hand resting against it and her eyes closed. She wanted to cry but she would not allow herself to do that, she would find which bastards set that distress beacon down and she would make them pay.
She said she would take Alan home to Horizon, and she would. Once she had seen the Admiral, he deserved to know what had happened. Besides maybe he could give her some more answers, either that or she could go ask Anderson, if anyone would understand the motives behind this, then he would.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Liara standing behind her.
"I am sorry for the loss of your brother Commander."
"Liara" Cassie shut her emotions off and turned to face the Asari "What brings you down here?"
"I wanted to pay my respects to the dead" She admitted "and I wanted to see how you were, this...cannot be easy for you, especially after Acuze"
Shepard scowled a little, it was obvious that the Asari was checking up on her or reading into her, and although she wanted to believe it was idle curiosity, she believed it was more to do with the Prothean beacon.
"You checking up on me Liara?"
Liara blushed a little "I have never travelled on a human vessel before Shepard, I wanted to know more about you, I read up on how you survived the incident on Acuze, where a Thresher Maw wiped out not only the colony but your entire squad. You interest me Shepard"
"Me or the beacon?"
"No, at first I admit the beacon did have something to do with my initial interest but, its more than that, there is something compelling about you"
"So I am no longer an interesting specimen to study?"
"Shepard that was not what I meant!" Liara blushed furiously.
Cassie held her hand up "Its OK Liara, I was joking that's all."
"Joking? By the Goddess you must think I am incredibly dense...anyway I came to pay my respects to the dead and um I wanted to see if you were OK"
"I am fine Liara."
"Well I'll say goodnight"
"Goodnight Liara"
Cassie watched her leave and returned her attention to her brothers casket, and that of his team. She had resolved to stay and watch over them all night, ensure their journey to the afterlife was a safe one. Before the interment she had place two silver coins over each of the teams eyes.
Tali had asked what she was doing and Cassie explained that it was an ancient Terran custom, to pay the ferryman to allow the soul passage to the afterlife. It dated back to the ancient world of Terra's earlier civilisations, but it was something that Cassie had read about as a child, and had kept to the traditions. When Tali had asked her what would happen if there was no payment for the ferryman, Cassie told her that the soul was left to wander the world of the living. No payment, no afterlife.
She rose to her feet, she had to make that call, she had already called Alan's wife, that had been hard but this one was going to be even harder and she was not sure she was going to be able to do it. She had done this before, too many times but, this was her own brother, how the hell was she going to tell her mother that her only son was dead.
It was bad enough telling Islay, and she wanted to be there in the room with her not over some QEC holographic interface telling her sister-in-law that her brother was dead. Isla's eyes had lowered and Cassie wanted to reach out to her, hold her and tell her that she was so sorry. But, the woman that she was soon showed and she made Cassie promise to bring Alan home, that was something she could do. She would see them all then.
Now as she said her final goodnight to her twin brother, her memory flooded with memories that she rarely thought about. The rough housing, the fact that Alan Shepard had only ever been put on his arse by a girl twice, once was his wife in a friendly sparring match and the former time had been his twin sister.
He had been their mothers solace, the man of the house even before the term would apply to him, he was her baby boy, all that she had left of their father, wrapped up in one package, the image of his father and a reminder to Hannah Shepard of what she had lost, and gained.
Cassie took a deep breath and shakily brought herself to attention, saluting the caskets. "See you at the bar one day bro" She whispered "Mines a large one."
She made her way out of the makeshift morgue and up towards her quarters, her mother needed to hear this from her. No one else. This was not going to be good.