"Anything we can get you, soldier?" Garrus Vakarian asked the fellow turian.
"No Sir," he replied, hazily. "I've been given enough medi-gel to last an asari's lifetime. I'm just waiting for the okay to get back in the fight."
The former C-sec officer took proper sight at the man hunched low in the giant containers corner (beds were becoming something of a luxury around here) The flesh of both his legs had been severely misshapen. He looked lucky to have avoided amputation. He would not be returning to service, this was obvious. His character was inspiring. "Good spirits to you," Garrus nodded.
"Thank you, Sir."
Garrus had spent the morning here at the refugee camp. The Council were being tight with rations. An old buddy at C-sec had asked if he could use a little influence to help things along. He'd decided to stay and offer a word of sympathy or two while he was down here. The Normandy was docked for the day anyway. Shepard had needed to speak to Miranda and Aria, but mostly wanted to see Thane. The others were off gallivanting somewhere. James, Purgatory. Joker, showing Edi around. Even the ever charming Jack was here somewhere, the crew having reunited with her at Grissom Academy a few days ago.
"Mommy, Mommy look!" a young voice came. Garrus turned his gaze to the opposite corner on the far side of the dust ridden container. He seen a turian infant pointing in his direction. "It's Garrus, Mommy!" His green eyes twinkled. The turian woman whose lap he was sat on stroked his fringe.
"Garrus is very busy, honey," she hushed.
He recognised the woman, his sister's best friend growing up. "Hello, Keera," he greeted walking over to the two.
"Hello, Garrus. This is Alos, I don't suppose you'd remember. He was just a baby last time we saw you."
"I remember, how you doing buddy?"
"Fine," he said quietly, before burying his head back into his mother's chest.
"He's shy," she explained. "He's very fond of you, we've been watching you on the vids at home. He says he wants to be a soldier. There's a lot of people putting faith in you back home."
Garrus wondered why the little boy's arm was bandaged, probably the same reason his mother had burns down her neck. "There's plenty of faith to be had," he assured. "We have a good team."
"Have you heard from Solana?"
"No. Not yet."
"Our shuttle was one of the ones reported missing too. We made it here in the end. I'm sure her and your dad aren't far behind. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything."
"I'd appreciate that."
"Where can I reach you, Garrus?"
"Send a message to the Normandy. I'll get it."
"Okay. Nice to see you again."
"And you. Do you or your son need anything while I'm here?"
A shriek of alarm rattled the area, triggering an even louder shriek of babies wails.
Warning, warning, the Citadel is under attack. Please act as directed by C-sec.
"What's happening?"Alos cried.
"Shhh, it's okay." his mother soothed, looking to Garrus, willing him to stay.
Garrus grabbed a young turian C-sec recruit and pulled him towards the container. "Stay with this family," he ordered.
"Um...yes Sir, but I've just been told by Bailey to get to the Councillors."
"Now I've told you differently." Although Garrus had no real authority over this recruit, they both knew he would be taking his over his bosses orders.
"Where are you going?" Keera asked.
"To find a friend."
The woman's eyes immersed themselves into the sky view. Authentic or inauthentic, it was beautiful. Easy to lose time in. The aquatic shades of blue reflecting fittingly to the waters below. She could see how her old squad mate found it easy to simply sit at the hospital's window.
"The sky," the assassin drell uttered, as if hearing her thoughts. "Such things one does not think about, until cause gives reason."
"Are you sure I can't tempt you back?" she smiled, looking to his dark, dark eyes, thinking of the welcome distraction he may well be craving.
"That's very kind. You have always been very kind. My memories on the Normandy hold dear to me. But, no Shepard. This end is the one I desire. No stress, no fears, just memories. A lifetime to flicker over."
She nodded, and silently felt very proud. Thane was such wonderful company, not what she had originally expected when commissioned to recruit an assassin.
"Besides," he spoke. "My son visits regularly, I have much time to make up to him. I suppose I consider that to be my last assignment. One put off far too long."
"If there's ever anything you need, Thane..."
"Thank you Commander Shepard," he smiled at her with his very human lips.
The shriek of alarm disturbed the already mostly disturbed patients of Huerta Memorial. The Spectre hurriedly got Bailey on comm, and was informed of Cerberus' attack.
"Perhaps I will enjoy including this as another last assignment," the drell grinned.
"Knew you wouldn't be able to resist," she grinned back, before the pair took themselves to the elevator, and ordered the receptionist to lock down after they leave.
Shepard pressed her back to the wall, and listened to the muffled voices behind it. The thick heavy helmets Cerberus apparently provided each and every employee with, made it all the more easier to recognise them sound-wise from afar. The Spectre had been filled in via Captian Bailey through omni-comm, of the assumed reason for the organisation to be attacking the Citadel. She wished she felt more surprise at Udina's alleged part in this. He was always something of an xenophobe, but Cerberus, really? The hypocrisy of this judgement was not lost on her.
Her and her drell friend had split up, with aim to more speedily find the missing salarain Councillor. She'd had to recruit a little more brains than usual. Taking out a floor of heavily armed soldiers with only the pistol never removed from her ankle, and clothed in mere Alliance casuals, had its challenges.
She coughed in a bid to draw attention, needing the hostiles to run in. By the sounds of it, there were just two of them left on this floor. Her ammo was near depletion, she needed them close enough to receive a couple of kill shots. She coughed louder. The troops remained obliviously unaware, in their conversation.
Dumbasses.
"Hey uglies!" the impatient woman shouted, stepping to view.
"Huh?" one of them mumbled, finally turning to see the Alliance soldier. "It's Shepard! Oooo the boss is gonna love this. Come here Princess." He began his march towards her, before the other stretched out an arm to stop him.
"Wait!" he ordered.
Dammit. Really thought they'd fall for that.
"I want to bring her in!" he insisted.
Never mind.
"No!" the first one stormed. "It was my idea. I'm bringing her in!"
Shepard amused herself a minute in their shoulder pushing demonstration, before growing tired. "Well, one of you idiots bring me in." They turned back to her in confusion, almost as if they'd forgotten the last couple minutes of their lives. Shepard wondered over their husk to human ratio. They ran forwards anyway, where they were promptly taken out. The commander kneeled and took search over their bodies, took the ammo needed, investigated as to what decency of weaponry was carried. She suddenly sensed more than felt the pressure of weight behind. She spun, stretched and slammed the perpetrator to the blood spattered wall, her newly loaded pistol jabbed above his throat. "Garrus?" she blinked.
"Mmmm not bad Shepard," he rumbled rather pleasantly. "I see those sparring lessons of ours are serving you well."
She grinned exceedingly happy as to his arrival, lowered her gun, but pressed the arm at his waist harder.
" Kidding, kidding, ouch," he winced. "We all know what an expert you already were. "
"Uh-huh," she smiled, releasing him. "Certainly good to see you. The others not with you I take it?"
"Still at Purgatory, perhaps" he speculated, catching a little breath. Damn, she could hit when she wanted to. "We don't need them anyway. I still happen to have...this!" he beamed, unclasping the scorpion pistol from his back.
"You brought that to the refugee camp, really?" she smirked. Only Garrus.
"Sure. I always like to be prepared. My weaponry, my...armour," he stated, running a look up and down the woman. "Didn't share the thought, I guess."
"Surprisingly no. Not for the hospital."
The echo of footsteps cut short their conversation. Yet another Cerberus troop. Taken the elevator down they assumed. The pair could hear him from around the corner talking into his comm. "Everyone's dead down here," he remarked. "Must be more C-sec than we thought. I'll be sure to kill a few more." There held a sickening enjoyment to his muffled tone.
Garrus grinned in thought of the man's immediate demise. He twisted the scorpion around and back again, displaying intentions to his commander.
"Can I try?" she whispered.
He let out a disappointed sigh. "Okay. You can use one round."
"Well, that's rather generous," she mocked, taking the pistol.
"Use it or lose it, human."
"Insolent," she mouthed, leaning herself back to the walls edge, discerning the troops distance with her ears. She left cover, and after checking for certainty he was in-fact an armed Cerberus soldier, took her 'one go'
"Impressive," Garrus remarked.
"Thanks."
"Talking about my gun."
She rolled her eyes playfully and threw back his cherished possession, before informing him on all she knew about what was happening. Garrus suggested if the salarian Councillor was to be hiding it would make sense for him to be in the executors office at C-sec. With that, the two head to the elevator, which Captain Bailey assisted as regards stability. The initial stops and starts formulating a rather uncomfortable feel.
The doors opened to a sickening metallic odour, one the pair had gotten far too accustomed to over years. Garrus scoped the trail of dead. Most unrecognised, some unrecognisable. Others, old co-workers.
"You okay?" his commander checked.
He nodded. "Let's get these asses."
Shepard briefly informed Thane of their location, before setting through the corpse ridden building.
Having their weapons at the ready. They crouched quickly to cover, spotting a couple of troops.
"Did you really need to kill him?" one of them spoke looking down through his helmet over an officer's deceased body. "I thought we were just here for the salarian."
"You're in the wrong business kid," his deeply gruffed associate replied. "Watching Citadel pigs die is all part of the perks."
Before his commander had noticed Garrus had engaged in a charge toward the men. The younger one nervously pointed to the turian.
"Shoot him!" the deeply voiced one yelled, taking out his pistol, only to have it instantly swiped from under him. Garrus hand encased his neck, punched the window through his helmet, revealing the half reaperd monster he was. The turian promptly pierced his side with his omni-blade and watched him slump to the ground. He turned to the remaining bag of nerves, pulled out his pistol, before feeling a jolt hit his chest. The turian turned to see his commander, and though her hand bare, and his chest armoured, he indeed felt the force. The stern in her eyes inducing a feel of authority, the familiarity in them inducing a little calm.
She promptly took her hand off, and turned to the remaining living troop. "Why is Cerberus here?" she demanded.
"Erm, I really don't-"
The turian took a step forward, towering the man. If the killing of his co-worker wasn't enough to unnerve him, the ice of turian eyes and the promise they warned certainly would. "I suggest you think harder," he seethed.
"Look, look, I'm only on first assignment. I'm still technically in my training period. I don't know anything. Only that we were suppose to find the salarian Councillor."
"And did you?" Shepard asked.
"No. We've searched all over but- Please, I really don't know anymore."
"Your friend was right," she said. "You're in the wrong business. We're at war, I suggest you re-think your side. Next time you won't be as lucky."
"Lucky? So wait, I can go...?" She gestured to the corridor behind them. "Thank you," he stammered, running fast before anyone's mind was changed.
"Lucky, indeed," the turian remarked.
"Don't worry about it. Come on, show me the office."
"Thane!" Shepard crouched to the injured drell's side, whilst Garrus took chase of the man responsible.
"I'm alright," he uttered, hand pressed to his wound. "I have time, catch him." Shepard hesitated for all of a second. Right or wrong. Duty or not, Thanes life meant more to her than the Councillor's ever would. Garrus returned unsuccessful in his apprehension of the man they would later come to know as Kai Lang. The three of them sat together for a moment, recounting fond memories of service whilst waiting for help to arrive. Eventually Bailey showed up with medical staff assuring them Thane's wound was fresh enough to not cause him a fatality. He was taken to the hospital, whilst Shepard and Garrus immediately took chase in a shuttle.
"Shepard...?" Garrus hesitated.
"Mmm?" she uttered, eyes fixed ahead.
"Can I drive?"
"Why...?"
"Oh, no reason really, just that, ah... you're not doing it very well."
"Garrus, really? Is there anything you won't call me on?"
"Hmm..."
"Rhetorical. And the answer is no, I'm driving."
"Fine," he huffed, causing his commander to smile. "Just at least slow down a little, so when we crash we might just shred into a couple of pieces rather than thousands of them."
"Ooooo," she teased, steering the shuttle off.
"Shepard, please."
"What? Making you feel uneasy?" she grinned.
"You always do."
"We're not going to crash, Gar-" The sudden jolt and blade of sword between them stopped thought. "Alright, you can drive," she grinned, opening the door, hanging herself out and firing rounds into the Cerberus assassin on top, causing the turian's heart to stop a moment.
"Wer'e really going to have to talk about this!" he yelled.
"Jealous much?" she shouted back with a smirk.
The force of air eroded much of her aims capability.
"Shepard." Garrus called, before throwing his heavy pistol to her. "That'll do it." he grinned.
She entertainingly, but urgently fired explosive fatalities at the unknown man. Hoping with each missed shot, the rounds were not to find themselves anywhere catastrophic. The blue glow of barrier continued to deflect anything hit, until its attacker emptied ammo. "Dammit!" she cursed, frustratedly lunging the gun at him.
"Shepard!" Garrus yelled.
"What?!" she asked urgently.
"My gun..."
"Oh..."
The Cerberus coward jumped to the safety of another shuttle, while the turian and human's made a pointed descension to the ground. Garrus grabbed and pulled his friend inside, quicker than she could have managed herself with the angle and force of air. She strained her bicep to close the door, before both braced the huge force of impact.
Shepard's eyes bounced themselves back to unblured function. The smouldering scent gave her the vague idea they should probably be moving. Garrus retracted his arm after having seat-belted her chest. Knowing her lacking of armour, and a perfectly glassed front window would not be creating the most pleasant of scenes. Though, knowing her, she'd probably just get up and shake the damn thing off.
"Okay?" she breathed towards him.
"Just about," he answered, pressing down on his lower back, stretching until bone, muscle or ligament, even he couldn't be sure clicked back to place. Shepard barely touched the door, before it separated itself completely from the shuttle. "Hold on," he uttered. "Your arm."
She took attention to the surprising sight of glass shard, maybe half an inch rooted. Hardly something to fuss over, its releasing of redness causing an unnecessary show.
"How did you not feel that?" the turian mused.
"Adrenaline," she stated, matter of factly. Wondering of her fellow soldier's surprise, before realising the feat penetrating turian skin must entail. It would take some hell of adrenaline for their nerves to ignore a placed shard.
She pulled out the glass, numbness so considerately removing itself enough to feel the pinch, and the pricking of fingers. Garrus observed the further releasing of scarlet this induced. Had he not just fatally stabbed a human? If starting military life at fifteen had given him anything, it had been desensitisation. Not to empathy, but to what was seen. Still, seeing her blood was not entirely unnerving.
"I'm sorry about your gun," she offered, though he could see in the corners of her lips, she was trying to restrain a laugh. He nodded silently, teasing her. "I'll get you a new one, a better one." He shrugged a childs shrug. "Come on, I'll get you a super powered scorpion extreme...five."
"Wouldn't hold the sentiment."
"Don't be such a-"
He took a gloved finger to her lips. "We both know what you're about to call me is actually you. Now come on please Shepard. Let's not sit around mourning weaponry. We have rather important things to be doing."
"Aye aye, Garrus," she smiled.
Kaidan Alenko hurried his charges to the extraction point, willing the quickness of a shuttle. Not knowing exactly how many of Cerberus were on tail. Hoping he could fulfil his duty well enough should their arrival announce. Whilst Councillor Udina sent for retrieval, Kaidan's guard flared further as the opening of elevator came. He lowered his pistol momentarily, observing the familiar face of the woman once his. Her expression, one of confusion, contemplation. His old crew mate Garrus Vakarian at her side, the turian's expression startled a moment.
Kaidan stared to his fellow Spectre, she stared back at him. Silence engaged before she stated flatly "I'm here for Udina."
The human Councillor mumbled some curse of sorts before unbeknownst to most present continued sending for Cerberus.
Shepard certainly did not have the time nor the want of Kaidan Alenko's permission. She raised her weapon in Udina's direction.
Kaidan said nothing but stepped in her path, raising his own gun to her. Was this it? Had the niggling doubts been justified all along? Was she still allied with the terrorist organisation? Whatever the case, as he watched Garrus Vakarian's expression deaden and observed him point his weapon directly at him, Kaidan sensed this wasn't going to end well.