When All Was Lost
Chapter Twenty-One: When All Was Lost
Shuttles landing, troops scurrying about, and frantic local communications were all that remained on Earth as the sky grew an eerie shade of green. The Kodiak that had landed near the base of the conduit was preparing fo landing with its surviving passengers aboard. Its pilot's hands flew over the hoo interface with practiced ease as he lifted the brick-like shuttle off of the ground. Inside it were the last survivors from Hammer's accrued forces; commandos, a justicar, a krogan battlemaster, and a human depended on him to get them somewhere safe and swcure quickly, but for Steve Cortez, that didn't seem to be much of a problem.
With the interference from the conduit still heavily influencing the strength of his navigation, Steve used manual controls instead of automatic; piloting the shuttle away from the conduit and toward a fortified groundside field hospital. It had been something of a refuge in this, especially for him after the shuttle crash earlier, and with levels below London's surface, they were sure to be able to ride out the blast or whatever this was there. Rising higher into the air, the comm chatter from the combined galactic fleet was getting clearer, but he paid it no mind. What he really wanted to hear was what was being said behind him.
"…We saw it from the ridge. She was lucky not to have taken a direct hit from Harbinger. You both were." The green-hued asari that had assisted Wrex in getting Steve's CO aboard the shuttle spoke quietly, but it was loud enough for him to hear.
"There was… little time." Choosing her words carefully, the justicar had managed to board the shuttle under her own steam, but as she sat near the fallen spectre, she looked worse for wear. "The final push to the conduit was difficult, but my concerns lay elsewhere."
"You mean with Shepard." The krogan, Wrex, completed Samara's thought as he stood over his former CO and respected friend. "Somethin's off about her. Back there, she seemed out of it… Confused."
"You are correct." Samara's even tones were filled with concern that most would miss. "Something happened in those final moments, and I could barely reach her."
"You had to join with her…" Shiala spoke with an understanding that few could comprehend. "She was lost."
"Indeed." Seeing the confusion on the others' faces, the justicar clarified as she looked down at the still unconscious human. "Whatever occurred consumed her; due in part to the reapers' influence and strain on her mind, no doubt. I have had to pull her from her thoughts before, but nothing quite so…" Struggling to find the right word, Samara reflected on the fleeting images that she had seen; a shimmering AI, two control panels, and a central beam. None of it made sense, but she hoped it would in time. "Involved."
"The reapers wouldn't have taken control of her." The krogan spoke with an air of certainty that all seemed to agree with.
"No, but they were attempting it."
"All fleets, the crucible is armed!" The voice of Steven Hackett came over the shuttle's comm array as Samara finished her comment. All eyes looked to the display, if only to hear what he said more clearly, seeing as there was no picture. "Disengage and head to the rendezvous point. I repeat, disengage and get the hell out of here."
"Requesting permission to remain." That voice had Steve, Wrex, and Samara looking up. It was Jeff Moreau.
"Negative. Get out of here. We don't know what this thing will do, and I won't lose any more people to this war. Break off and get through the relay."
"Joker, what are you thinking?" Opening a comm link with the Normandy, Steve looked through the display at the flight lieutenant. "Get them out of here-"
"No way I'm leaving Shepard again." Joker appeared on the display in the shuttle as well, and he went on speaking as everyone saw Zaeed and James approaching from behind. Apparently, the Normandy had gotten more passengers in their quick evac run. "I did it once and she went down with the ship. She fought too long and hard for us to hit and run now."
"So you're just going to stay here and hope to not get blown up when this thing goes off?" Steve's question had Wrex fighting off a slight grin at his bluntness.
"Looks like it's not just us. The Geth aren't moving either-"
"Asari fleets," Cut off by another voice, Joker was seen looking to his own comm panel. "Those who wish to leave, retreat through the Sol relay. For those who wish to remain, get to the outer rim of the local cluster now!"
"Who was that?" Steve, having gone for landing procedures, looked back to see the commandos sharing a look. "Didn't think the Asari navy was unified like that."
"They're not." Kurin spoke up, and as she explained, the other commandos still had a curious expression. "Each republic has their own military forces, but only in times of full-scale war do they unite to form the fleets we have now. That was Matriarch Lidanya from the Ascension."
"Must be prepared to ride out this storm like the rest of us." Steve's comment was met with nods from the other passengers in the shuttle. As he went to complete the landing procedures, he saw Joker continue speaking.
"Ascension, we're on your flank. Sending rendezvous coordinates."
"Copy that." The matriarch's comment was barely heard over Normandy's comm, and as Joker closed the channel with the asari dreadnought, he addressed Steve again. "Yeah, we're staying. Keep her safe down there."
"Nice to know you care, you pyjak." Wrex' comment had everyone laughing.
"Yeah, well I assumed you could hold your own, big guy. Normandy out."
With the shuttle's landing, Steve stood from the helm and released the shuttle hatch. With it open, everyone could see the flurry of movement going on outside the building ahead. Turian platoons, commando squads, STG regiments, and so many more were converging on the fortified structure as the skies above them lit up with the energy from the crucible and Citadel. Some carrying their wounded on their shoulders and others lifting them with biotics, there were many to be looked after. Some had been mauled by brutes or cannibals and others looked to be bathed in ravager acid. Either way, there were those that were ill-fated, or they would die due to their injuries. Waiting as the commandos moved first, Steve saw Wrex carefully lift Shepard from her place on one of the shuttle's benches. Still unconscious, the krogan moved slowly and deliberately to the smoothest path that led to the fortified groundside triage center. With the commandos escorting the wounded justicar, they remained in a single cluster as they made their way down into the building. Once there, Steve removed the M-76 Revenant that he had placed in his weapons pack and headed back outside to join the troops that had been guarding the area for the last hours. As he exited, he heard doctors giving orders to the new arrivals.
"We'll take them. Go on." Karin Chakwas, having chosen to go to Earth and do what she could, had met Wrex in the entryway. Hearing that he and the others were coming from Joker, she motioned for them all to follow her. "What was her condition when you found her?"
"Awake, somewhat alert, but not much else." Wrex' accurate description had the doctor nodding, and when she motioned toward a pair of decent looking cots, the krogan carefully placed Shepard down on one of them.
"Her eyes were following who was speaking at the time, but her expression suggested that she was unsure of something." Having observed from the moment they had approached, Shiala mentioned this detail, and Chakwas nodded.
"Possible disorientation from the attack…" Doing a sweeping motion with her omni tool, she took a full body scan and waited for the results. "We really won't know until she regains consciousness."
"Reaper influence." Samara's suggestion got the doctor's attention as she started seeing results from the scans.
"She didn't say anything before they found you, did she?" Seeing what looked like moderate to severe burns to the exposed flesh and more or less "expected" wounds from Earth's battle, Chakwas went to work immediately.
"No." Relaying what she had seen when joining with the human to pull her from whatever it was that she was experiencing, Samara mentioned the catalyst and what it had explained of the crucible and the options it presented. Hearing most of it, save for a fragment here and there, she had been able to piece together the majority of it. When she finished speaking, Chakwas nodded gravely.
"I knew she had mentioned being concerned with indoctrination, but I wasn't sure how deep those concerns were." Frowning as she began removing the armor that had been damaged by Harbinger's blast, the doctor continued. "We all knew her risks of it; the amount of reaper technology she has been exposed to throughout this mission…" Using a small tool to break the left shoulder guard loose, she did the same with the gauntlet. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit."
"Indoctrination is subtle;" Shiala kept an eye on Shepard's medical standing while the doctor worked to remove the armor. "At first, it feels almost like a tingle at the back of your neck. Then the feeling increases to a constant awareness of their presence. You know they are there; hear their voices, suggestions, and they exploit your fears." Seeing a slight elevation in heart rate as Karin finally removed the warped shoulder guard and gauntlet, the asari released a breath as it went back down. "As I told Shepard two years ago, Sovereign's influence was great. It slowly but effectively made us all its thralls. I willingly joined with the Thorian, a creature that could have utterly destroyed me with its mind, but I did not question when Saren ordered it. I suppose that it is ironic that the Thorian's influence has kept the indoctrination at bay for so long…"
"Shepard was exposed to Sovereign, the derelict reaper that we boarded during our mission against the Collectors, an artifact later named object "Rho" while investigating the Bahak system and the Alpha relay, and those are just the ones I am aware of." Samara, having been looked over by another human doctor, stood and removed the assault rifle from her back. "I am only thankful that she could be reached, and was not lost to their influence." Practically leaving against medical advice, the justicar went to join Cortez and many others that were standing guard and picking off hostiles as they approached. This left Karin to continue removing the armor and looking over Shepard's hidden wounds. Once past the chestplate and upper body, it was easier to remove, but the wounds got worse. Stopping as she scanned the commander's body from the waist down, the doctor's frown deepened.
"Something wrong, Doc?" Wrex had caught the look Chakwas had given her omni tool, and he waited for her to elaborate.
"Possible paralysis." The words hit her like shrapnel as she said them. From what it looked like, Harbinger's cannon had hit with such force it had spun her upper body, and while she had landed hard to begin with, there was a particularly tricky spinal injury as a result. "I'm not certain how the bone weaves and skeletal reinforcements that Project Lazarus employed were effected by all of this. Any idea where Miranda Lawson is at the moment?"
"The Normandy, from what I heard." The krogan's answer made Karin shake her head.
"Well, I'll proceed with what I can do and I'll have to consult her when or if they get back." As she moved to work on the worst of Shepard's wounds that she could handle, the doctor waved over another doctor that Wrex recognized as Chloe Michell from the clinic in the wards nearly three years ago. Not knowing of much that he could do inside the facility, he checked the thermal clip in his M300 Claymore and headed outside. As he neared the exit, he could already hear gunshots, and as he quickened his pace, he could see a few brutes lumbering toward the building from a distance. Strengthening his barriers, he joined a few other krogan and charged forward. Having picked up a small supply of biotic grenades from an Alliance supply truck before locating Shepard, he readied one and tossed it at one of the turian-krogan hybrids as it roared and flexed its muscles. Detonating right in the beast's face, the grenade knocked it backwards, leaving room for the armed turians and humans to fire. Doing the same to the other one, Wrex modified his shotgun to fire a larger cluster of highly explosive rounds. When they hit, the second brute was victim to a another krogan vanguard's charge. Preparing to fire a second cluster of rounds, Wrex heard the first brute finally fall, and le continued with his attack. The next thing he knew, the brute that still posed a threat was being bombarded by members of the turian Cabal unit. Their poison strikes were easily weakening the beast regardless of how strong its armor was. One cabal in particular let off a biotic flare that finally put the brute down where it stood. Hearing some commotion behind him however, Wrex only had time to nod to the turian female before the sky caught his attention.
The greenish light that had begun radiating from the Citadel and crucible had easily broken through the dense rainclouds that had blanked most of the London skyline. Pulsing as it grew even brighter, it enveloped the reapers and everything else in its path as it expanded. Even as it came closer to Earth's surface, everything that this energy touched was brought to a halt. Husks, marauders, and even banshees stopped in their tracks with the ongoing energy burst. Wrex could see a few of the asari creatures as they had been making their way closer. Their eyes, once hollow and black, shone with the green hues of the energy pulse they were trapped within.
Fast approaching the building, people were retreating into it; hoping to outrun whatever was coming in a powerful green wave, Wrex and the turian cabal joined a few salarians, commandos, and humans as they anticipated the energy's arrival. When it hit, it knocked them all to the ground. Pulsing with what seemed like a life of its own, the wave crashed over them and lingered. Feeling like a fiery breath caressing the skin, Wrex could feel it all over him. Looking to his right, he found the others wore the same wide-eyed expressions as he felt he had. Jus as quickly as it had come however, the energy moved on; sweeping through the area, including the building people sought refuge in seconds earlier. There were a few startled screams heard, but other than that, nothing seemed to change. Rising to his feet again, the krogan battlemaster looked over the others. In their eyes, he saw the fading traces of green as their natural iris colors returned.
"What the hell just happened…" The krogan vanguard that had charged the second brute had seemingly recovered first and was looking out over the battlefield. "What did that…"
"I don't know, Dagg." Having recognized the krogan by voice, Wrex turned to face him. "Whatever it did… We survived it."
"Looks like they did as well." A salarian indicated the enemies that had been inbound before the energy pulse had washed over them. Prepared to raise his Scorpion pistol, he stopped and motioned for the others to lower weapons. When given an almost shocked look from his regiment, he clarified. "Look at them. They're not firing. They seem to no longer be hostile."
"I don't trust 'em until they're in pieces." Urdnot Dagg had raised his gun and was prepared to fire, when Wrex placed his hand on the barrel, aiming the shotgun quickly toward the ground. The first one to approach, a marauder, had seen the salarian lower his weapon, and it had begun to do the same. Slowly, it bent down and placed the modified Phaeston rifle on the ground at its feet and simply stood there. Even the banshee that was approaching behind the now defenseless marauder, lowered her barriers; her powerful biotic field dissipating.
"What did that thing do…" Steve, who had been in the fight with the brutes earlier, now stood near Wrex, and was looking at the reapers' thralls as they simply stood there. "They were everywhere and aiming to kill us earlier…" Looking back to the building behind him, the lieutenant radioed back. "Everything alright back there, Doctor?"
"Yes, we're fine, Lieutenant." Karin Chakwas' positive report had people letting out tense breaths. "What's going on out there? An energy pulse just swept through here and I'm getting strange readings."
"Not sure. It hit us first. We're seeing some strange stuff out here too." Switching from audio only, Steve activated his display and turned it so that Karin would see what they were. "They've stopped attacking. The marauders are laying down their weapons, and… Holy hell…" Stopping before he could finish his own sentence, Steve and the others watched as the reapers that were visible were leaving Earth. Some massive in size, others merely drop ships, were rising from Earth's surface or leaving the atmosphere. "You're seeing this, right?"
"I am…" Able to see the doctor's face on his display, Cortez could completely understand the shock that was evident there. "And I can't believe it…"
Closing the channel, Steve continued to watch as the ships that had once promised to darken the sky with their numbers were lifting off from the surface and moving away. Their forms were illuminated by the energy's light, rather than their usual blues and angry reds. He then saw Harbinger as it ascended as well. Something was odd, though. While some of the energy remained on Earth, most of it was being drawn back into the crucible. With the skies clearing around the alleged super weapon and the Citadel, everyone could clearly see the power drained from the Citadel's arms and presidium completely. The station went dark for all of a few seconds before the crucible let of a white-green beam.
As the energy poured from the crucible, the skies were illuminated so much that it looked to be midday in London for a few moments. As it shot across the skies, the energy seemed to gather at a point far beyond Earth, but at a brightness that allowed all to see it. Shining brightly like a moon after the beam had dissipated, the collected energy seemed to fester and grow in brightness again, Only when it was too strong to look at any longer did it expand again. This time, the energy didn't reach Earth, and as it faded, the skies darkened and returned to their normal grey and blue hues. It was then that a voice came over the comm.
"What the hell is going on up there?" It was Major Coats. "The conduit that leads to the Citadel… It's gone."
"I don't know what that thing did, Major," The salarian that had been the first to disarm spoke quickly. "But the reapers have left and their forces are neutralized."
"Wiped out? I'm not seeing that here, Bau."
"Not dead, neutralized." The salarian repeated himself as he continued. "They've ceased their attack. I repeat, they are no longer hostile."
"So you expect us to simply leave them be?"
"In effect, yes." The salarian, identified as Bau, nodded although it was clear that Coats couldn't see him do it. "Spectre authority. Hold your fire unless they attack you."
"Understood. We're on our way to your location now. Any word from Admiral Anderson?"
"He boarded the Normandy and they moved to the outer reaches of the local cluster, Major." Cortez took over. "They, the Ascension, and a few Geth ships remained, while the rest of the fleets headed through the relay."
"Hope they're faring well. That's where that energy was headed. On approach now. Coats out."
"Now what do we do?" A gunnery chief that Steve didn't recognize spoke up as the salarian deactivated his omni tool.
"We lay down our weapons and tend to our wounded." Baw, who was apparently a spectre, turned his back and began heading back to the building that they were using for triage and a local base of operations.
"What about them, Sir?" Another salarian indicated the reaper thralls that had begun a slow advance toward the building as well. "Should we leave them?"
"They've lowered barriers and surrendered their weapons." Turning briefly to let his green eyes land on the approaching reaper converts, Bau nodded. "Leave them be for now."
Hearing the sound of a Kodiak approaching, Steve looked up. The Alliance shuttle slowly descended and was on approach to a clearing where a few others, including Steve, had landed. When it hit the ground, he heard a shifting behind him. Turning, he saw the marauders and banshee stop dead in their tracks. When the lieutenant turned back toward the shuttle, he realized why. Coats' men had their weapons trained on them. Some were long-range rifles, and others were heavy weapons. Even so, the reaper creatures simply stood there while the soldiers advanced. A few of the husks that had been flanking them fell to the ground, apparently from injuries sustained earlier. When the major exited the shuttle, he ordered his soldiers to stand down and to holster their weapons until otherwise instructed. Crossing to Steve, Coats kept a wary eye on the reaper forces.
"What's Shepard's condition?"
"I'm not sure." Turning to head back into the makeshift hospital after Bau, Steve continued. "Got her here and decided on shoring up our borders while the doc looked over her. I didn't hear much."
"Any idea how the arms got open? Now that we know she and the asari didn't make it up there, that leaves many things unanswered." Holding the door as a few female turians entered ahead of him, Coats finally entered after the lieutenant had gone ahead of him.
"Hopefully there will be answers when the Ascension and Normandy return." Stepping into the gutted entrance of the building, Steve saw many huddling together or hovering over the wounded. This was almost like what Shepard had described Sanctuary as; the more dire patients had been moved on back to be looked over by what medical personnel they had on staff, while these tended to have easier injuries to handle. Some were waiting to be seen, but most were either suffering from field shock or had minor scrapes from run -ns with smaller reaper forces. "I'm sure we'll hear from them soon." Changing subject as he leaned against a bare stretch of wall for a moment while a nurse passed him, Cortez decided to indulge his curiosity. "Did you say that energy was headed for the Sol relay? How do you figure that?"
"Having observed the beam's projected path, it was inevitable that the energy would reach the Sol relay." Hearing a feminine voice answer his question, Steve turned quickly; Eyes landing on a few familiar faces, he realized the answer had come from EDI. She was standing near Garrus and Grunt, who had apparently just arrived with Coats' soldiers.
"EDI? I thought you were…"
"I considered the evacuation and found I was more useful here." Clarifying why as she worked to restore more communications with anything beyond the Sol relay, EDI went on. "I am sure Jeff had his objections…"
"Yeah… That's to put it mildly." Rising from his kneeling position, Garrus shook the loose stone fragments from his uniform. "He'd be worried anyway, what with Shepard still here."
"Any word on her?" Coats voiced the question before Steve could, and Garrus nodded slowly. "Good news, I hope."
"Better than expected." Nodding toward a more secluded hallway, Garrus led the group away from everyone else. "Just spoke with Doctor Michell. From what they can tell, there was spinal damage, but they're not sure about long term. Otherwise, everything is being treated; burns, contusions, abrasions… all the normal stuff from hanging around here too long."
"Any idea when she'll be conscious?" Having known she had been out of it when they got her to the shuttle, Steve looked toward the last place he had seen Shepard; he could just see Karin Chakwas moving to do something with her omni tool through the doorway.
"Nothing yet." Grunt answered this time. "Doc said something about keeping her out until Miranda got here."
"Fair enough, if you think about it." Hearing something through the doorway leading back to the crowd of those who were better off, Garrus' mandibles twitched. "Miranda oversaw the project that rebuilt her from nothing, from what Liara said..." At the mention of the asari, EDI bowed her head slightly.
"Liara was declared dead by Shepard when the Normandy went to extract her and Tali."
"I heard…" Garrus' hand shifted as he collapsed his M-92 Mantis, but his eyes were focused on Chakwas' back. "Any idea how things are going on the Normandy? You're still aware of everything shipside, right?"
"At the moment, I am not in range, so no…" It almost sounded like there was disappointment in EDI's tone as she spoke. That struck all of them as odd. "I am unaware of anything. It is a… strange feeling."
"If you don't mind my asking, how exactly are you still controlling that body, if you're out of range of your core programming?" Coats, while checking the comm link that EDI had repaired, questioned the AI with a great deal of uncertainty. "I heard about the requirements of remote access, but…"
"After the struggle with the Cerberus machine known as EVA, I realized that there would be a chance that I might be cut off from Normandy's core processes and the AI core." Making a few more minor adjustments to the QEC that Coats was nearly ready to test out, EDI continued. "I began reconstructing this mech's systems so that my core files that were necessary to operate this body could be stored locally, rather than remotely. I finished these adjustments before we left the Citadel to attack Cerberus headquarters."
"…And I thought calibrating a big gun was a tedious job…" Garrus' attempt at humor succeeded; resulting in everyone's laughter. "Good that you got it done before that run on Cronos station."
"I anticipated a possible threat to this body's systems. With the Illusive Man knowing virtually everything about EVA's core programming, I was sure he would not expect my rewriting her core programming to suit my needs."
"…Normandy to medical outpost…" David Anderson's voice almost made the five jump. "Outpost four, respond."
"We're here, Admiral." Coats, jogging over to the QEC's panel could just see a hazy projection of the man appearing. "What's your status?"
"Just landed back in the Sol system via FTL jump." The signal getting a little clearer with help from EDI, they were able to see Anderson out of his combat fatigues. He now wore Alliance dress blues, like the ones he had been forced to scrap after Earth was hit. "On approach to Earth; the Ascension and Geth are right behind us. What the hell just happened down there, Major?"
"Not sure." Thinking on what he had seen and what the others had told him upon his arrival, Coats went on. "Suffice it to say, I think this war is over, Admiral; Reapers have left Earth, their forces seem docile or confused, and communications are being restored throughout the planet."
"It's about time…" Letting his head fall back in relief, the admiral pressed on shortly after. "That wave of energy hit us. I assume it got you all too. Not sure what it did, but we're still breathing. What about Shepard? Did she…"
"She's alive, Sir." Chakwas, who had heard the commotion, had finished what she was doing and entered the front of the building. Coats stepped aside, allowing her to stand before the admiral. "I've done what I can with what knowledge I have. I'll need Miranda Lawson's input on the rest."
"How bad off is she?" Nodding in understanding, Anderson continued. "Don't sugar-coat it."
"The worst I've seen are a questionable spinal injury, a few broken ribs, and burns of varying degrees. The burns and minor breaks I've managed, but the spinal injury has me concerned."
"Lawson." Turning away from the QEC for a moment, Anderson motioned for someone to come toward him. A few seconds later, Miranda appeared in light Alliance armor. Joining the admiral's projection, her expression was one of curiosity.
"Admiral?"
"Shepard's been recovered, but there are questionable injuries." Quoting the doctor, Anderson wasn't surprised to see Karin raise an amused eyebrow. With that statement however, she repeated what she had said to Anderson with more medical terms involved, and Miranda's expression eased up slightly.
"The spinal injury… I'll have to see it for myself to measure the severity." The former Cerberus operative looked slightly curious. "I wonder what force that shot packed. Reinforced and a bone weave at that, Shepard's spinal column wasn't indestructible, but…"
"Hang on." Using her omni tool, Chakwas brought up detailed skeletal scans from after the armor had been removed. "That," She took a second to locate and indicate the skeletal abnormality. "Is what has me puzzled." It wasn't a clear break, but it was enough of a fracture to cause temporary, or in extreme cases, permanent damage.
"I see…" Frowning for a moment, Miranda nodded slowly. "Otherwise, she is in good standing though, correct?"
"Very much so, yes."
"Keep her on a heavy painkiller, but wake her up."
"Are you sure?" Anderson's tone was more concerned rather than surprised, as he interjected.
"From what I've seen, there's no reason to keep her sedated. I would like to see the full body scan, if I could." When Karin brought it up, Miranda nodded easily. "Right, administer painkillers as needed, but wake her up. The sooner she regains consciousness, the sooner her body can begin to heal faster."
"Did Lazarus make it to where she would recover faster too?" Almost meant sarcastically, Garrus was slightly shocked at Miranda's answer.
"Actually, we did." The signal glitched slightly for a moment bur re-stabilized. "We've known for a while that asari have a faster recovery rate; as do Krogan." Pausing to word this simply, Miranda continued as Anderson stepped away. "We simply worked with these attributes until we found a suitable combination."
"So Shepard's part Krogan…" Grunt's deep laugh made Garrus' mandibles flare in amusement. "Wrex will get a kick out of that one."
"I'll begin bringing her around now. Hopefully, there won't be any complications." Preparing to leave, Chakwas paused and turned back. "Also, clear out the medbay's stores. We'll need them down here."
"I'll get on that." As Miranda went to turn away, Anderson reappeared. Garrus however, caught her before she could leave.
"I think Shepard would kill me if I didn't ask this question while I had the chance." Seeing the Cerberus operative's lips upturn in a smile, the turian went on. "How're the wounded?"
"Everyone here is still breathing." Pausing a moment to think on what details were crucial, Miranda settled for the minimal; seeing as they were preparing to start their descent, the others would find out soon enough. "Tali's fine, Liara was a bit more difficult, but she's coming around, and the others didn't have much trouble. A few of the Ascension Project kids had some worse injuries, but they'll be fine when they fully recover."
"Joker?" Anderson spoke over the ship's internal comm as Miranda left; presumably for the medbay. "Status?"
"Starting our descent, Admiral. ETA twenty minutes."
"There's a port near here that's been abandoned, but the docks still function." Using his omni tool, Coats passed on the coordinates. "Normandy can probably land in the airfield just north of here, but the Ascension and Geth ships can dock at the port easily."
"Understood, Major." Pausing as he used his own omni tool for something, Anderson continued. "Passing that along. Looks like we'll be seeing you all soon."
"Looking forward to it, Sir. Maybe you'll see London without hearing shots fired in the process."
"Here's hoping. Anderson out."
With that, Anderson's holo form disappeared and the others were left to simply wait. Deciding to take the initiative, EDI, Garrus, and Steve headed outside. Coats waited a few moments to check in with his men before he did the same. As they stepped outside the building again, Garrus could hear the sound of ships in the distance. Walking up the slight incline that was away from the outpost, he indicated shadows in the clouds above; the thrusters of the aforementioned ships were illuminating the skies as the vessels came through Earth's atmosphere. Seeing both the port and the airfield that Coats had mentioned, they all noted that they were still a few hundred yards away. Steve, thinking fast, headed for the shuttle pad and began prepping is Kodiak for transporting any wounded. The rest moved forward on foot.
As they saw the Normandy descend first, the frigate leveled out and settled firmly on the ground after landing struts had fully been ejected. The next to break through the clouds was the asari dreadnought, the Destiny Ascension. Docking procedures under way, the powerful ship leveled out and was received by the port; docking clamps and gangplank extending to lock the vessel firmly into place. It was interesting to see a ship of such magnitude docking at a planetside port; Garrus and EDI had only seen it docked or stationary around the Citadel. This particular port had been built to where the ships whould dock within the side of a cliff. Hollowed out and fortified, it was one of London's original ports that had been improved and preserved since the Alliance had started using ships with eezo cores. Two Geth dropships came down next, choosing to land in the airfield, rather than the port. They were followed by the final ship; a Geth dreadnought. With it docking in the port as well, Steve's shuttle run was easy enough. The others watched as the blue AT-47A Kodiak moved past them and landed in the cargo bay after the shuttle access had been opened.
After a brisk walk, Garrus, EDI, and Major Coats arrived at the airfield and could see the Normandy's main hatch opening. Thrusters still cooling down, the newcomers could still feel the heat in the air around the ship, and it honestly felt better than the biting London weather. Anderson was the first off the ship from the main hatch, while Miranda was getting people moved into the shuttle. Jack, Zaeed, James, and Tali stepped out of the Normandy's main hatch behind the admiral, and as EDI raised her eyes toward the ship again, she saw Joker and Liara making their way down. Both were keeping a steady arm on each other to keep from falling, but that changed. Garrus, giving Tali a quick embrace and a slight apologetic look, moved up to meet the two leaving the ship; EDI followed, and both assisted one as they stepped off onto uneven ground. Joker, who wasn't injured at all, simply wrapped his arms around EDI's shoulders when he got the chance.
"I hate when you're off like that and I don't know if you're alright or not." He started off strong, but his voice trailed off when EDI embraced him fully. "Everything okay…"
"I am… Fine, Jeff." That time, Garrus noticed EDI struggling with her words. Mandibles flaring in curiosity and slight interest, he simply let it go as the two continued walking; Joker leaning on her for support. Turning to Liara, the turian voiced his own question.
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine." Attempting to brush it off, Liara frowned when she tensed at the slightest movement in her back muscles. "The injuries were mostly superficial…"
"Mmhmm." Nting that she was able to walk under her own power but was still in visible pain, Garrus adjusted his arm around her shoulder. "Heard you hit the ground hard earlier."
"I stillfeel as if I have a splitting headache, but I'll be alright." Adjusting her line of vision on the building to the south, Liara noted the absence of the conduit in the sky. "The conduit… Shepard-"
"She's fine." Saying this loud enough for the others to hear as well, Garrus kept his voice up slightly for the crewmen who were still leaving the ship; Donnelly, Daniels, Adams, Traynor, Allers, and several others were leaving now that the others were already off. "Found her not far from where she and Samara were shot down."
"Wait… What?" Liara's genuine confusion had Garrus curious. "Samara went with her towards the Citadel…"
"You don't know…" Frowning as he approached the peak of the airfield where Tali, Anderson, Joker, and EDI were waiting with the others, the turian clarified. "Shepard never made it to the Citadel. She and Samara were shot down by Harbinger and found by the commandos and Wrex near the base of the conduit."
"Then how did this..."
"That's what all of us down here are wondering." Seeing the shuttle pull away from the Normandy's cargo bay and land nearby, Garrus decided to push the issue with the asari. "Hitch a ride back with them. This uneven terrain won't do you any favors."
"I'll be fine, Garrus, honestly." Putting up a weak protest, Liara shook her head; knowing that she wasn't going to win this one.
"If nothing else, do it so that I'll feel better about it." Amusement filling his tone, Garrus went with her toward the shuttle. "I don't want to see this rough dirt knock you back, T'Soni." This earned him a genuine smile from the archaeologist.
"Oh fine…" Finally boarding the shuttle with a few of the Grissom Academy students that couldn't cross the distance due to internal or external injuries, Liara took a seat by Miranda. "If only to make you feel better about it."
"Just think, you'll get there sooner and find out about Shepard's condition before anyone else." Shaking with laughter as a few soldiers from London that had left on the Normandy boarded the shuttle as well, Garrus could only laugh harder at Liara's retort.
"I'll owe you for this, Garrus."
As the shuttle's hatch secured itself and the Kodiak took off, Garrus went back and joined Tali and the others. All having heard what he had said to Liara about Shepard and the Citadel, they had already known what had happened. Anderson also knew just how the Citadel's arms had been opened, to a point, but he wasn't sure of the details. All anyone really knew for certain was that this war seemed to be at an end, and that was all that mattered. Looking back to the spaceport however, Garrus could see people finally exiting the superstructure. Commandos in varying grades of armor were headed toward them. Some had hung back; waiting for others to find them before they moved on, but the one at the forefront was hard at work on her omni tool.
Orange hues illuminating her face, dark eyes scanned over the display, but from her expression she wasn't finding what she was looking for. Red markings almost looking like blood against her illuminated purple skin, the creases in her forehead were clearly evident; a sign of worry or frustration. Eyes darting from side to side as she read what looked to be reports scrolling down the omni display, her frown deepened. Another asari, one with teal skin and dark markings caught up to her; the concern in her eyes was not as driven, but it was there nonetheless. When she spoke, Garrus recognized her voice; she was the chief navigator from 2183 during the battle of the Citadel. It was assumed that she still was.
"Ma'am, they haven't restored communications everywhere, yet." Receiving no response from the focused commando with the omni tool activated, the Ascension's helmsman tried again. "There's no guarantee you'll get through to them."
"I have to try, Lieutenant." Garrus easily recognized that one as the Ascension's CO. Speaking again, the matriarch seemed to be more driven than she appeared. "I realize that these people aren't my responsibility, but this is a personal matter." When she continued speaking, it was assumed that she had opened a comm channel that broadcasted on all known asari frequencies. "Nefrane, Polara, anyone aboard those vessels report in."
"Aethyta here. Nefrane's fine. The drive core was damaged when reapers took out our shields. Thrusters got us to the surface. Repeating; we have no casualties. We're making our way to you."
"Copy that. Any word from the Polara?" Relaxing slightly as the pair approached the remaining Normandy crew, the asari didn't like what she heard next.
"Destroyed."
"What?" Stopping in her tracks, the matriarch waited for an explanation. When she didn't hear anything, she questioned further. "Destroyed?"
"Suicide run on one of the reaper capital ships." Matriarch Aethyta's words weren't cold, but they were to the point. "Saw it as we were going down. Collision course and all weapons were discharged."
"No…"
"That must be what we found earlier…" Major Coats, speaking for the first time since the Normandy's arrival, used his omni tool to locate an image he had received earlier from the base commander near the field hospital. "We received notice of several crashed escape pods from the sergeant who oversees this field hospital."
"What?" The Ascension's helmsman, who had advanced further than her CO, looked at the human carefully. "You found escape pods? How many were there and what ship were they tagged to?"
"Twelve in all." Coats addressed the teal-skinned asari as he stepped forward. Rotating the image he had displayed so that she could make sense of it, he went on. "Not sure of the ship. I only got this a short while ago. We arrived here and he mentioned it."
"Ma'am, they're the Polara's escape shuttles!" Calling back to her CO, the helmsman wasn't surprised to hear an immediate response.
"I'll get back to you, Nefrane. Stay safe." Approaching, the Ascension's CO looked over the image on Coats' display. "Those are their shuttles, yeah. Any survivors?"
"The base commander mentioned several asari entering just before we arrived. More than likely, those were from the crash site." Coats relayed a few names that he had on hand from the list of asari who had checked in with the operations base. When the matriarch recognized a few names, she nodded.
"That's them." Deactivating her omni tool, she eyed the base to the south. "Here's hoping she's still alive."
"Geth are disembarking now." Anderson, having looked back to the spaceport as well, saw several platforms leaving the dreadnought to join the ones from the drop ships. Mostly troopers, rocket troopers, and the occasional juggernaut, they waited as other units came forward from the dreadnought. A few Prime units were seen towering over the others, and most of the mobile platforms weren't armed. There were a few that carried rifles but they were in a more relaxed pose. "Looks like we can start heading back. Major, how many buildings have been cleared out?"
"Enough to accommodate for now." Noting the number of people that were already headed toward the field hospital, Coats went on. "We're in the process of clearing out others, so that will do nothing but help. All of these buildings used to be nicer apartments…"
"I remember hearing that." Starting the walk back, Anderson watched as others headed on at a quicker pace. "Let's just hope that the others will make it back here safely."
"That energy went straight through the relay." The Ascension's helmsman, having not gone ahead with her CO, said this with slight concern. "Long range sensors detected a disruption in relay transit protocols, so I'm guessing that the crucible's energy was meant to hit every relay it could in the entire network; dormant or otherwise."
"Dispersing energy in that way…" Thinking on it, Anderson found the method to be crude but very effective. "It will affect all theatres of battle soon enough." Hearing a dull thump In the distance, his eyes searched the ground and skies, but he saw nothing at first. Garrus' sudden words drew his attention back up to the heavens.
"The Citadel." Stopping nearly a third of the way back, peoples' eyes landed on the station. Arms open wide, they could see power fluxuating throughout each ward and in the station's inner ring. The thump that had been heard was Harbinger as it had docked at the station's central point, the tower. A few other sovereign-class reapers surrounded the wards and energy transferred between them. Soon enough, the wards lit up as they normally were, but there was visible damage throughout the station.
"What do you suppose they're doing up there?" Coats watched as Harbinger moved from its place and another reaper docked. "You don't think they're sabotaging the Citadel do you?"
"One could only hope that they are making it inhabitable again." The voice that answered the major's question was turian. Both Garrus and Admiral Anderson turned to see the councilor of the aforementioned race looking skyward as well. "It is only logical to assume that they have a hand in restoring what they destroy at the end of each cycle."
"Councilors." Shaking the turian's hand as he addressed them, Anderson spoke again. "Good to know that you all pulled through." Recognizing that there was a different salarian councilor, he indulged his curiosity. "Did Valern leave for the war?"
"Indeed he did, Admiral." The salarian female spoke with a slight grave tone.
"Then you must be Dalatrass Esheel." Garrus, having heard of the council's established lines of succession, clarified.
"Yes." Esheel nodded and looked to the sky again. "We lost contact with his ship before the crucible was escorted here. He rode with the Salarian first fleet. They entered the battle for Earth with the Quarian heavy fleet."
"We'll know more when the fleets return, I suppose." Coats resumed his steady pace across the uneven English landscape. "I'll assume that some of the other reapers have already begun work on the relay."
"Here's hoping." Anderson looked up toward where the crucible's energy had gone. "Not sure what that thing did to it, but nothing could take that much pure energy and still function… Not even a mass relay."
"We all saw what happened to the Alpha relay when a loaded asteroid crashed into it." Tali, thinking back on the events of the reapers possible arrival, continued. "The relay shattered and its core detonated. I can't imagine how that energy was dispersed without some semi-permanent damage to the Sol relay and any other that it touches."
"Mmm." Humming in agreement, Anderson picked up his pace a bit. They had just passed the half-way point between the airfield and the compound ahead. Though the field hospital was the first building they saw, others were behind it, and they were still in the process of being repurposed. "Well, we've heard of two asari ships and shuttles that have crashed here. I wonder if any others did."
"The Nefrane was one that survived the battle of the Citadel by the skin of its teeth, for lack of a better expression." The Ascension's helmsman, remembering the battle too well, went on. "It had several scars from encounters with the Geth, but they never wanted them repaired or removed. Matriarch Aethyta was aboard, coordinating with the second fleet."
"She survived then?" The asari councilor spoke for the first time, and the other asari nodded. "Good. The matriarchs we have left will be key in restructuring the republics and re-establishing any sort of peaceful relations with other species that we can. What of the other ship, Lieutenant?"
"The Polara." The helmsman frowned as she spoke again. "Apparently it was sent right at a sovereign-class reaper's firing chamber. Aethyta said something about a suicide run. It impacted directly, weapons discharged, and I'd bet the drive core was rigged to explode on impact. It probably hit that thing at full force."
"I wonder why the commander said it was a personal matter." Garrus' comment was more to himself, but he was open to answers.
"I know why." When the turian looked back, he saw a slightly worried expression on the asari councilor's face as Tevos clarified. "The Polara was a frigate in charge of a fighter squadron with the second fleet. Matriarch Irissa captained it during the battle for Earth. To say that she and Lidanya have history would be an understatement."
"So the rumors are true." Sparatus' tone sounded amused ashe commented. "Sadly, the gossip was so thick it was unavoidable on the station, most days."
"They are indeed true." Pausing as she heard a loud crack of thunder from above, Tevos frowned. "If she survived aboard one of the escape shuttles, it will make the republics' reform much easier."
"So the tales are true, Admiral?" Having heard the thunder as well, James grinned as he eyed Anderson. "They say if it isn't raining here, it's looking like it will."
"It is, Lieutenant." Anderson shook his head in amusement. "Can't remember when we saw the sun last. You, Major?"
"Few weeks back, or longer…" Reaching the outer perimeter of the outpost, Coats nodded to a few Alliance soldiers that had been waiting for them. Along with geth, commandos, and the troops that had already arrived, there was the matter of the reaper forces that were still there. The marauders were actually assisting in lifting heavier objects from the buildings nearby. There was even a brute lugging a broken down column away from the second building nearest. The cracked and splintered concrete mass was across its shoulders. This had the Ascension's crew stopped in their tracks. "Right… That will take some time to get used to." Stating this as he neared the main entrance, Coats simply walked past a group of marauders, but everyone could see the tension in him as he did.
"How is this happening…" James, having stopped beside Garrus, watched as the brute dropped the column and returned to the building it had exited from. "Last I saw, those things were trying to wipe us all out. Now…"
"Now, like their masters, they're helping us rebuild." Completing his sentence, Garrus nodded. "Hard to believe, isn't it? We've got orders from a spectre not to fire on them unless they shoot first."
"Must have been an odd one, giving that order."
"Vasir." Having heard of the asari spectre from Liara and Shepard after the dealings with the Shadow Broker, Garrus crossed his arms as he faced her. "Thought you were-"
"Dead?" Checking the thermal clip in the M-76 Revenant that she carried, the asari had an amused smirk on her face. "Yeah, I get that a lot."
"So Shepard didn't try to kill you." Tali's assumption was correct, which had Anderson and Coats both raising their eyebrows.
"Interesting that you said that she didn't "try" to kill me." Replacing the rifle as she passed the council, nodding to them in turn, Vasir looked to the turian and quarian who had addressed her. "No. If she had, she would have succeeded. She just walked away with T'Soni and the justicar. It took some threatening, but I managed to get medical treatment."
"That tends to happen when you leave a trail of destruction behind you through Azure."
"Speak of the pureblood." Looking forward again, the spectre's dark eyes landed on Liara as she stood in the entrance to the main building. Crossing the threshold, Vasir gave her a level stare but continued speaking in a quieter tone. "Surprised I'm not dead yet with your being the new Broker."
"Why would I waste my time and resources?" While Liara's tone wasn't cold, it was blunt. "I assumed that if you did survive, you would target the reapers instead of harboring a grudge."
"You think it was a grudge." Shaking her head in disbelief as others passed them, Vasir went on. "If it had been, you'd be dead." Turning away for a moment to look over the crowds, Vasir finished her thought. "No. I went after you because I had a lot more to lose if I declined. You had a score to settle, T'Soni; I had a family to keep safe. Had I chosen to tell the Broker to shove it, like I'd planned, they would be dead; their blood on my hands."
"Admiral." Vasir and Liara's conversation was interrupted as Miranda Lawson moved through the open "foyer" of the field hospital. Holding a datapad, she stepped past most of the troops that had already been there and met Anderson at the door. "The doctor brought her out of it successfully. Thought you might want to know that I have assessed the injuries sustained, and it seems the spinal column fracture will mend on its own."
"What's her condition now?" Anderson voiced the question that was on more minds than just his own. "Is she looking at a full recovery?"
"From what I'm seeing, yes." Motioning for them to clear the doorway, Mirada led Anderson and the council away from the crowds. Karin Ckakwas met them.
"Until that spinal column fracture heals, there will be temporary paralysis, I'm afraid, but other than that, she seems fine."
"Is she awake yet?" There was hope in Anderson's voice that hadn't been there for several months.
"Only for a moment." Seeing the almost disappointed look, Karin clarified. "She was still exhausted after everything that has happened. From what I understand, she hasn't properly slept all that much lately, so it didn't take much encouragement for her to drift off."
"Did she say anything?"
"Odd thing;" Pausing as she watched Dr. Michell move on to an asari that looked to have burns on her upper body, Karin relayed what Shepard had said. "She questioned how she got here."
"How is that odd?" The turian councilor's question wasn't too surprising. It seemed only logical for someone who had lost consciousness to question it once they awoke in a different place.
"She questioned how she got here from the Citadel."
"No one made it aboard the Citadel."
"Exactly." Chakwas' nod toward Anderson's statement left the others to their thoughts for a moment. Miranda's next comment made both the admiral and asari councilor's expressions change to a more deep concern.
"The last time Shepard was aboard the station was before the fleets converged on Cerberus at Cronos station." Lookng over neural scans she had taken personally, the former operative shook her head in confusion. Everything seemed to balance out, but something was amiss. "The only question now is: what is the last thing she remembers?"
"Post-traumatic amnesia, perhaps." Esheel, thinking on the situation, elaborated. "It would be likely in events such as these."
"I could easily see that happening." Miranda nodded at the coucilor's suggestion. "There was some pressure in the skull cavity during the initial scans. That could attribute to it."
"I don't think so." Remembering what Samara had mentioned pon their arrival, the doctor didn't go into detail about it just yet. "Something Samara spoke of when they first got here makes me think that Shepard experienced something after the moment of impact; whatever it was seemed to make her think she was actually aboard the station and interacting with the Catalyst and crucible directly."
"The catalyst was the Citadel, wasn't it?" Knowing that was the last thing Shepard had said of the "Catalyst", Anderson scratched his chin. "I guess we'll know more when she wakes up."
"Seems so, yes." Addressing Miranda next, Karin cast an eye out over the others just beyond the doorway they stood in. "I think it might be wise to get her to one of the other buildings for the remainder of her recovery. This is going to be a royal mess of patients and all while we sort through them."
"I agree. Shepard's out of the woods, as far as we can tell, so moving her now would probably be a good idea."
"Councilors!" Turning to see one of the STG regiment leaders approaching, Anderson saw him looking particularly excited. "We're getting scattered communications beyond the Sol relay. A base on Menae just reported in."
While the three politicians moved to look over what little news was coming in, Anderson moved to assist Miranda in getting the commander moved out of the chaotic hospital. Scanning the crowd, the first person he saw was James. Waving him over, the two entered a room with two cots. One was occupied by the asari with burns that they had seen earlier, but the other was being vacated. Miranda, working with her biotics, carefully lifted the commander and placed her on a gurney; James took up the head, and Anderson, the foot.
"This way." Motioning to one of the rear doors of the building, Miranda opened it and kept it open with her heel as the two men exited. "Head to that building there. I'd suggest somewhere on the upper level."
"Any particular reason why?" James, while continuing forward, looked down at his CO as she slept.
"Traffic will center around the ground level for most of these buildigs. Some of these people will never walk again, but with time and patience, Shepard will." A turian, having heard what they were doing, indicated a uilding that looked to be in better shape.
"It's secure and well structured. We went through it and fortified the support beams and walls when we first arrived."
Nodding as James walked past, he recognized the turian as one from Tarquin Victus' platoon from Tuchanka. He had been the one that had objected to Victus' plan to finish their original mission. After crossing the short distance between the buildings, Anderson led them toward an exterior stairwell as Miranda had suggested. James, knowing that he was going to be bringing up the rear, carefully lifted the gurney a bit higher, so that while Anderson moved up, it would remain level. As they took it one step at a time, the two made it to the second level with no real difficulty.
Quickly darting under the shelter that the roof provided over the landing, Anderson felt the first hard drops of rain. Looking through the broken windows, he found a decent sized unit and motioned for Miranda to open it with her omni tool. When she did, they got inside and set the gurney down; Miranda repeating her previous action of lifting Shepard off the gurney and placing her on the bed after the blanket had been turned down. James, while moving the gurney, heard someone calling him over his omni tool. Ducking outside to answer it, he saw Anderson step closer to his former XO.
"You did god, Shepard; you did good…" Seeing the woman shift slightly in her sleep, Anderson watched for any sign of awareness. When she had turned her head to the side and stopped moving, he continued. "I'm proud of you."