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Chapter Twenty Five: Jentha
The human's body went heavy and limp in Tarak's arms. He tossed her aside like used tissue paper. Shepard was on him before the body even hit the floor. Tarak closed his eyes. He could almost see Jentha. She was smiling. They had met many years ago. She was a wanted convict for murder in the first degree, arson and the attempted theft of an Alliance frigate. Tarak offered her a job, an impossible task. The bodies she buried that day cemented her role as his second. For nearly twenty years both worked with the Blue Suns, climbing rank, kicking ass. All of it was gone in an instant when the Archangel and Shepard set his world on fire.
In this burning world Tarak had no one left. Jentha and Sharn were nowhere in sight anymore. He was alone, again. Once Tarak had a sister on Khar'shan but she was taken by the Hegemony. What memories he had of her were pleasant. He wondered now as he was about to die why he thought of his home, his sister. How he had met his best friend and soul brother Sharn. How Jentha carved her way to the top of Tarak's unit. It was serene. In this moment of clarity it was then Tarak wondered why he undertook this crusade. He knew in his heart that Jentha wouldn't approve of what he had done what tactics he used to get to this point. She would chastise him about letting emotion overtake common sense. Then she would smile no matter where or what they were doing even if on assignment. I'll never see her smile again… The thought danced at the back of Tarak's mind. The same thought he had the moment he got word of her death. There was no more on this mortal plane for him his mission complete.
The Commander slamming into him snapped Tarak out of his train of thought. On the ground Shepard straddled Tarak, pinning his arms with his legs. Practically foaming at the mouth he had his M-6 Carnifex aimed in between his upper set of eyes. Tarak jeered,
"You'll never see her smile again." With that Tarak closed his eyes and waited for his soul to leave through his eyes. Captain Bailey's voice cut through the air, it was harsh and commanding,
"Shepard, stop! We don't know where the detonator is! We still have hostages on sight!" That gave the Commander pause. Tarak blinked slowly and hissed,
"Do you know what she said before we gagged her? It's touching, really. She was worried about you, didn't want you coming here. That it wouldn't do you right. Prove her right! Do it!" Shepard was automatic in his reply,
"I'm thinking about it. Where's the detonator, Tarak." That was when the woman on his Omni Tool started yammering on, talking him out of shooting. It was working! Tarak tried to think of what he could say to egg him on. He was cut short when the woman asked Shepard to manually link up to his Omni Tool. If that happened the last trick up his sleeve would be revealed. Tarak tried to stand to fight, but one sound punch from Shepard kept him still. Once Shepard was connected it only took a matter of seconds,
"Wayne, he is the detonator. The rest of the explosives are linked to his vitals, if he dies the building goes too." The woman warned, ruining Tarak's final act of vengeance on the Commander. With nothing else left to do he looked to Shepard and started to laugh. There was that small chance Shepard would still pull the trigger. After all he was the Butcher of Torfan. The Commander's eyes grew thin as he visibly began to shake. After a long sullen silence he threw the M-6 to his side and began throwing punches. Every punch was stronger than the last. As twisted as it was Tarak could sympathize with the Commander. Both had been robbed of the satisfaction they had wanted. Tarak dared not show how much pain he was in.
Back when he was young he had been a part of the Special Intervention Unit. This beating was nothing compared to the beatings his old Drill Instructor dished out. Every punch sent cascades of sharp needles through all of Tarak's face. At one point he could feel some of his teeth loosen. Yet he wouldn't break, not for Shepard. This was his "victory". Even if he wasn't dying this day Tarak had inflicted wounds far greater that would be felt all throughout the Citadel. His actions today would spread like a ripple in a pond. Although Tarak hadn't won, the Commander hadn't either. That brought a smile to his face. As if to rub it in he began to repeat joyously,
"You lose!" Every time he spoke it fueled Shepard's anger making him punch harder, faster. This continued on until the quarian Tali arrived, she ordered him to stop and like an obedient attack dog he was leashed. In time several Alliance tech officers arrived and began to work on disarming the detonator. Tarak, bloody and bruised looked up to the skylight. He was reminded again of Jentha. She too once had that ability, to rein in Tarak when his anger had taken over. He thought again of her smile knowing he would never see it again.
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