Chapter Eleven
I wanted to thank you all for the support through all of this. I especially want to thank LostOne1775 and DoctorMerlinfan04 for all the great comments. Keep the reviewing coming.
Hesitating to wake up, a loud buzzing sound came from the ceiling. Knocking the poor girl completely from her slumber, Laura groaned. Shit she had over slept and Shepard wasn't even in the room anymore. It must have been her who called her over the com. Quickly she rushed into the bathroom, taking a fast shower and throwing on some civilian clothing. Jumping onto the elevator she took a deep breath, closing her eyes she made her way to the com room were Garrus and Shepard where standing.
They both stared at her, it made her feel uneasy but it was Shepard who allowed her to over-sleep. She could have easily woke her up. Shaking her head she could still feel the remnants of a headache from drinking last night. Sherry handed her daughter an aspirin and a bottle of water, she quickly drank it down. With no words exchanged the group got onto the shuttle and where off to the planet.
Once they landed, they were caught in a cross fire by Cerberus agents. The troops waiting for them started to fire on the shuttle, Laura and Garrus jumped off first. They took cover behind crates, bullets flying past both of their heads; Laura pulled out her widow and shot off a few rounds. Taking out one of their engineer she stud back. A turret started to rain fire down on them, shooting rapid rounds. Garrus took a few rounds; they did nothing but bump off his armor.
Laura covered Sherry as she started to make her move for the doors. Taking out any enemies in her way while Laura and Garrus took out the ones she missed. They started up towards the doors, taking out the few enemies in front of her. A bullet passed right by Laura's face, making her blink. The enemy soldier was killed, Garrus took him out turning to look back at her "Laura are you alright?" She nodded wiping the sweat from her forehead a smile appears on her lips.
Once approaching the doors Shepard looked over the people, most of them lying dead, it seemed one had survived. He was a man from what Laura could see from the scope. He nodded, while Sherry proceeded to pick up a com "This is Commander Shepard of the alliance, the enemy is clear for now open the doors." The man spoke "It's okay Brynn." Once the doors opened a woman walked out, which Shepard proceeded to pick up the man. Both Laura and Garrus fallow behind them, slowly.
Laura looks around worried, wondering why they are there. It seemed the people where dressed in Cerberus clothing, which meant they were the rouge members. Smiling happily she gave them a slight nod, "I'm alright, the others didn't make it." The man seemed unhappy with greeting the girl, who gave him a worried look. "What are you doing here?" Shepard asked helping him to his feet, "I'm support protecting these people from the Illusive man and his attack dogs."
"Are they gone?" Brynn asked, looking to Sherry for an answer, who nodded back to her. "They're gone but they'll be back." Their eyes locked, "Save my life one more time and I'll start owing you." He joked, making Laura lean back, looking off towards Garrus. He made her feel more comfortable; she slowly walked over next to him. Wanting to get a bit more lovey, she almost did but something in her mind made her back off, her face become red. "This one is on the house." She joked laughing a bit.
"Yup I missed you too." He said to Garrus. "Staying out of trouble I see." He teased Jake, Laura took this as a chance to speak and did so. "Hello there, I'm-" The man turned to face her. "You're Laura Miller. I know who you are, the youngest sniper the alliance has ever had." She smiled proudly, wondering how he knew her; it must have been his Cerberus connections. But that would mean he would know that Sherry was her adoptive mother as well. "This is Doctor Brynn. She is in charge here." Jacob spoke; Sherry extended her hand and shook the doctors. "Tell me what's going on here." She asked the human female.
"We are all ex-Cerberus members. Mostly scientists." She spoke, Shepard turned to Jacob while Brynn spoke, "We would like you to consider us refugees, political refugees." Laura sighed; she hated waiting and talk to people unless it was a certain person. They went on yakking about this Illusive man, Laura had no idea who he was. By the sound of their dialogue he didn't sound like a pleasant man to be around. He was the man who brought Shepard back from the dead but he also seemed to be dangerous, like he had an agenda. Maybe it was just the way they were making him sound.
"I'll meet you upstairs once you're ready to help us with the AA guns." Brynn spoke walking away with Jacob who was limping. He was told to get the wound checked out. Not like he was really going to do that. Turning back to her crew Shepard spoke "Listen guys we have to help them out. Cerberus has taken down their AA guns so they can't punch a hole through the enemy defenses to escape. If they were to leave now in the shuttles they would be shot down."
"Alright Shep what do you want me to do?" Laura asked watching her movements. "I want you to cover me. Most likely we'll need just one person to take care of the gun. I know Garrus is good at getting guns to work. So we'll be covering him, making sure he gets that gun up and running." She complimented him, he slightly smiled his mandible flicked once. "Thank you for the confidence Shepard. I'll get it done no problem. It's what I do after all." He clicked his gun, reloading it. The young woman sighed "Such a big talker." He glared at her, she smiled lightly pushing air at him. He laughed before making a rebottle. "Okay let's focus."
The team walked up the stairs, approaching Dr. Brynn. "What's the status on the guns?" She asked. "I have my best people on it." She quickens her pace over towards what seemed to be large computers with a few guys standing by. "How many people are here?" She questioned, "Forty-three including research assistants. " The doctor said calmly, it seemed like she was hiding something but what? "You ran with over forty people?" Garrus asked surprised that many people escaped.
"When you are running for your lives there's a lot you'll find you can do." She answered quickly but her eyes softened, making it seem like a lot more people had died. But why? Why did they run away? Why allow such an evil man to control their fate in the first place? A man approached her, he looked worried for some reason unknown to her. It was Doctor Brynn who addressed him. "You need to tend to your family. I understand." This made Shepard even more concerned, "Wait. There are families here? Children?" This knowledge gave Laura a bad feeling about the mission.
A flash came before her eyes, she saw the child, the one she tried to save back on Earth. The one she failed. The one who haunted her dreams at night, it made her feel guiltier than anything else she had ever done. She knew she had to get everyone out of here, she didn't want them to end up like the boy on Earth. "That just ups the ante." Laura added making Sherry feel worse. "This escape must be carefully executed. I don't want any more to die." She spoke from her heart; it seemed the doctor understood what Sherry was saying. "I had hoped. I had tried so hard for it not to come to this." Brynn looked worried, only making things worse. "What's the word on the gun?"
"I don't know. But I know I can't fix it from here. I have to get to the roof. Cerberus just landed a shuttle up there a few minutes ago. You in?" Jacob asked, looking towards Shepard who did all but smile. "Jacob you're injured, I'll fix the guns." He looked up at her, his deep, black eyes pierced through her. He felt like a useless person, just because he was injured meant nothing to him. These where his people, he wanted to be the one protecting them; not have Shepard come in and save the day. "No way, they're my people I am going" He argued with her.
"Shut up pretty boy." Laura shouted at him, making Jacob back down. Slowly he turned to Shepard, who sighed, "Laura, watch what you say. Keep quiet!" The young girl frowned, "Fine, but I'm going to talk you through it from here. Cerberus is probably jamming the radio network. Contact me once you found the control panels. I'll give you the override code." Shaking her head, Sherry had agreed to his terms. She didn't mind as long as they stayed in contact with him. "Will do."
They started for the back of the building where there was a ladder that would bring them to the roof. Laura could overhear some com chatter, making her a bit nervous but she shook it off. They could hear some soldiers above them talking about taking over the AA guns. Blinking Shepard and Laura came upon them hot. It was quick she and Shepard snapped their necks. Garrus proceeded to snipe the third guy, Laura looked back knowing he had her eye on her. It made her feel more reassured, they proceed up the next ladder.
Once they reached the top someone yelled out "ITS SHEPARD." The shout made Sherry freeze and take cover just as bullets began flying past her at a furious pace. Laura and Garrus both took positions, scoping out the enemy and taking them out. One two three. They started to drop like flies, until another shuttle hovered over them. Dropping reinforcements onto the field, this time they were behind Shepard, boxing them in. Bullets flew past them from both sides; Laura turned her gun cocking it back. Shepard and she started to fire; they were in sync with their motions.
Firing on the enemy that was coming down on them hard, both girls seemed invincible. But Garrus wasn't done, he had gotten on top of a crate and sniped a few of them that where off a great distance. Another shuttle dropped off more soldiers. They were flooding out and on top of Garrus this time, both girls pulled back, Laura lined up her widow taking a few shots. But they missed. Sherry started to make her way towards Garrus, she used a biotic pull on one of them. Making an easy target for the young girl, she easily shot him in the head.
Rounds now fired down on Garrus, his shields had come down and now it was a matter of time before he got hit. Laura double timed it towards him, taking out her hand gun. With only a few rounds left in her clip, she shot them in the head. Bullets started to ping off her armor until her shields came down, she used the crates now as cover. With the enemy now coming losing some of its numbers they were able to get to the guns.
Laura spotted the AA guns on top of the tower, signaling for Garrus to start his climb. Once he finished, he walked up to the guns taking out a few enemies in his way. Laura and Shepard both right behind him, they both started to cover him. The enemy forces seemed to be losing some ground, which gave them time to punch the code in the first gun. Which Garrus kindly did, since he was the best gun tech on the team.
With the first gun now online they were off to the second. Laura and Shepard both went first with Garrus behind them. They were met up with more of the enemy. "Punch through them!" Shepard yelled, while Laura and Garrus started to cut through the enemy like they were nothing. The young girl nodded, bullets zooming past her and Garrus' head. Until the two came in as one, taking the enemies out, with Shepard jumping through the bullets all of them missing her. They bounced off the ground or the crates nearby.
With the second AA gun in sight a loud noise filled the air, "The guns lost power. Shepard we need you to restore it now." Jacob yelled over the com, "Roger that." Sherry responded, "Laura I need you on that." With a nod, she was off, Garrus and Shepard had her back. The young woman was now in search of the power core, once she found it she got to work. The enemy seemed to be backing off now, it was quiet too quiet. A shuttle hovered over them, an ocean of Cerberus troops rained down on them. There was nothing Laura could do; her job was to get the power back on. It was harder than it seemed.
Once bullets started to fly past her head, she turned around. Seeing Shepard and Garrus taking cover behind some crates, they seemed to be boxed in. But that didn't last long, a loud blast came from Garrus's rifle, it was a compressive shot. While Shepard used a biotic pull on the enemy, making it easy for Garrus to pick them off. Knowing they were now safe Laura turned to the task at hand, watching the glowing light turn from a glowing red to green signaling that the guns where now online. Now it was off to the third and last AA gun, Garrus started towards it in a full sprint.
He was fast, the girls had no idea how but he really could run if he needed to. When he came to the AA gun Laura blinked when a rather large atlas landed with a thud. The her eyes shot wide open, now they had to fight this thing. Once the atlas started towards them a rocket fired from its left arm, making both of them doge. Pulling out her side arm, Laura popped a new clip it in, popping rounds off. While Shepard got closer to the thing, starting to shoot its weak point, the back. It was busy forcing Laura to focus her shots on the front. Until it turned to face Shepard, firing rapid rounds from its hand.
A rocket followed the volley of shots, making Laura shake. It didn't seem like Sherry was going to make it out of there in time. Quickly the young woman pulled out her widow and started to fire, its rounds hurt worse than any other gun on the market known for sniper rifles. It fell to its knees exploding a few feet from Sherry. With it down Garrus and Laura both raced to her side, the guns where now up. He picked up the commanding officer and they both brought her back to the building. Laura slapped some medi-gel onto Shepard and she was up in a matter of moments.
Laying the commander down, she relaxed her body. "Thank you Laura." She commented watching the girl, she was showing her new mother how capable she had become in the last few weeks. Doctor Brynn walked over with a smile. "I see the AA guns are online. Would you like me to send the first shuttle out?" the doctor asked, while the young woman looked at her. "Yes I'm ready." The crew made their way down to the shuttle bay, once there they started to help them load the shuttles. A wave of Cerberus troops started to gather outside, but the AA guns took out them and their shuttles before they even had the chance to set up a formation.
Laura was first outside; she slamming a new clip in her widow hard, she started to scope out the enemy popping off a few rounds. They fell like flies, and Garrus came out with Shepard right behind. The bullets started to fly fast, the turian started to take hits, from the point he was. Shepard wanted to take the heat off of him, so she got in the cross fire. Her shields started to fail, Laura pushed her back, and keeping Shepard covered. A loud bang came from the Turian's gun another compressive shot echoing. Taking out a few enemies, Laura used her gun to take out a few more Cerberus troops. Once they were clear Shepard called out over the com, "Send the first shuttle." Already ready it took off fast over their heads.
With the second one now being loaded, more enemy troops arrived with a large number of reinforcements. Bullet pinged off crates and armor. Both sides equally matched for the time being, quickly the second shuttled took off. With the enemy now started to fold, the shuttles where now in the safe zone and away from the facility. The enemy troops started to come down on Shepard and her crew harder. Until a shuttle started to hover above them, with Jacob aboard shooting at the troops, they started to fall several at a time. Shepard, Garrus and Laura started a full dash towards the shuttle, Laura turned around starting to shoot, covering their exit.
Taking out a few of the encroaching enemies with her rifle, an atlas fell. Once the trio reached the shuttle Shepard was shot at, she fell forward and to her knees. The atlas rocket had done some damage to her ,"Shepard" Jacob called out. "Commander!" Brynn yelled, picking her up she arranged the woman over her shoulders. Laura looked down at them worried; but she knew nothing bad was going to happen to Shepard, she was too strong. Jacob started to shoot at many targets, until he hit an explosive blowing up most of the enemies and their last remaining atlas. Pulling the shuttle door closed he yelled, "Okay! Let's go!"
The Cerberus commandos continued to shoot at them, their bullets bouncing off the shuttle's shields. "Out by the skin of our teeth again, eh Shepard?" He spoke as Shepard nodded "It's nice to see you back in action." Shepard looked towards him "Yeah it feels good." Jacob sat down as Brynn started to talk "I was afraid we wouldn't get anyone out alive, but because of you we got almost everyone. Thank you." Brynn complimented Sherry on her efforts to get everyone out. "Doctor Cole I have a request. I need you help us fight against the Reapers. " She looked towards the doctor with a smile.
Brynn looked Shepard in the eye and responded, "Without a doubt. I am at your service." She turned towards Sherry with a deep smile on her face. "And I'm sure you can count on the others as well." Walking over to sit down, Shepard sat next to Jacob. "You too, Jacob. The alliance needs a man like you." He looked towards her with a half-smile. "Of course. But I wouldn't mind staying with these folks." Shepard nodded knowing how he felt about them. It seemed like he was sweet on the doctor, which she thought was cute. "I understand Jacob. Keep them safe, the alliance needs the crucible."
"You got it." He nodded relaxing into the seat. "Okay report to Admiral Hacket for your assignment." Shepard said to him, just like he was part of the Normandy crew again. She laughed a bit at how he had changed during the time she had been gone. Brynn walked over to the two of them, "You know, Commander, I've never met anyone like you. I feel better just knowing you're on our side." A light smile crossed her face as she said, "Thanks."
Laura and Garrus started to relax sitting down on two seats next to each other. They seemed to be engaged in some sort of conversation. "So it looks like Garrus found someone to be with. Good for him." Jacob spoke looking towards Shepard, who seemed a bit concerned. "Yeah I'm happy for Laura too." The two smiled at each other. "Shepard when this mess is over, drinks are on me. Be safe out there." Once they boarded the Normandy, Garrus went back to the main battery. Laura and Sherry stayed in the cock pit with joker and EDI. "Joker I need you to plot a course to the citadel." He nodded with a response, while Laura leaned over to talk to EDI. "Hey EDI I wanted to invite you to a girls night out. Like a sleep over if we have any shore leave soon."
"It sounds like it would be a wonderful experience. Is there anything you would like me to bring?" She asked in a tone that made her seem like she was smiling. While Joker leaned in, "So you're throwing a party Miller? Am I invited?" She shook her head. "No Joker, no GUYS aloud period." EDI looked at her "I have heard about girl sleep overs in the vids I have seen. They seem interesting but most of the time I notice a boy trying to crash the party." Laura shot joker a hard look "Alright. Alright. I won't tell anyone." Joker turned his chair back facing the monitor.
"No EDI you don't have to bring anything I'll have everything." Miller nodded, walking away.