We walked in silence as we explored the ruined concrete building of ExoGeni HQ. The echo of falling rocks bounced around the walls as we walked further inside.
I kept glancing at Jane now and then to make sure she was all right.
I had a feeling Jane was…unstable; to put it lightly…but this was extreme, even for Jane.
"So, Commander, where should we start looking?" Kaidan asked, obviously trying to find a way to break the silence.
"Upper levels" the geth dreadnought is at the top of the building. If we're lucky, we'll find a bazooka in range; if not, we'll just have to find a way to disconnect it from the building and make it crash" Jane explained.
"Bazooka?" Garrus asked, confused.
"Missile launcher: a favourite of Jane's" I explained as sudden movement made us fall silent.
"Who's there?" Jane growled, holding up her shotgun.
The shadow froze and appeared to be turning towards us. As it did, it relaxed and walked calmly towards us.
"Commander Shepard. Fancy meeting you here" Miranda smirked as the light of a hanging lamp caught her smile.
"Diddo" I butted in, glaring at the Cerberus operative.
"You can lower your weapons. I won't bite" she joked, crossing her arms and leaning on her right leg.
"But you will shoot" Kaidan retorted.
"If I have too. Sadly, I need to end this conversation. I have business with the colony to deal with" Miranda spoke with authority as she attempted to walk past the group.
"We know who you are, Cerberus" Jane growled, blocking her path.
Miranda sighed, annoyed, as she turned to Jane.
"We're not your enemies, Commander. Believe it or not, we're trying to help you" Miranda explained sincerely.
This gave Jane pause before she slowly lowered her arm.
"Jane, what are you doing?" I gaped at her, stunned.
"Commander, she's Cerberus. You can't let her go" Kaidan added.
"Thank you, Commander. Until we meet again" Miranda yelled behind her as she began to jog towards the Hammerhead.
"Wait, that's-" I was cut off as she jumped in, quickly started it and began to drive off.
I turned, glaring daggers at Jane.
"You just let a Cerberus operative drive off with our vehicle. If the Council finds out-" I yelled at her before she silenced me with a blank stare
"They won't," she confirmed with a voice of certainty as she turned back and continued to walk further into the ruins.
The more Jane spoke to me, the more puzzled I became. What exactly happened in the Hammerhead?
I sighed in annoyance as I continued to follow her across to the other side of the room before we reached a large tunnel leading under a wall.
"There's no way back up" Garrus told us as he examined the depth of the tunnel.
"There's no other way in either" Kaidan argued, examining the rooms and pointing out the security locked doors and the mountains of rocks blocking the others.
"That's it then: we're going down" Jane concluded, jumping in and landing with a grunt before heading forward.
"I hate my job," I mumbled, jumping down before loosing my balance and ending up rolling before managing to stand back up.
I could hear Garrus and Kaidan laugh at my clumsiness behind me as I flushed madly with embarrassment and anger.
"You never were good on your feet, sis" Jane laughed at my embarrassment before the sound of a bullet penetrating her shield resonated down the chamber.
We all turned, guns drawn, to see a girl, no more than 30, shaking with fright while unsteadily gripping the Predator pistol.
"Oh god, I-I'm so sorry. I-I thought you were one of them" she stuttered, aiming at the Varren under our feet.
"Great, I look like a dog" I mumbled, feeling incredibly insulted.
"Well, since you're a girl, she's actually calling you a-" Kaidan tried to joke but an elbow to the stomach stopped him from finishing it.
"Oh come on, that was a good one" he chuckled as I tried to ignore him.
"Anyway…" Jane cut in, turning our attention back to the girl.
"Who are you, exactly? What the hell are you doing here?" Jane interrogated her, as the girl began to slowly calm down, realizing we weren't going to attack her.
"My name's Lizbeth, Lizbeth Baynham. I'm one of the scientists who work here…worked her" she finished, relaxing the longer she realized we were here to help.
"Why are you here?" Kaidan intervened.
"We…received warning…about approaching geth. I stayed behind; I'd hoped I'd be able to recover some data before leaving but the download took longer than expected and, by the time it'd finished, the geth had arrived" Lizbeth explained.
"Talk about dedication" Garrus commented as I nodded in agreement.
"Any idea why the geth are here?" Jane asked as Liz looked away for a second, immediately catching Jane's attention.
"I'd share what you know now if I were you" Jane threatened her.
"Please" I joked, earning a sigh from Jane followed by a mumbled 'you're not helping'
"Look, I…I don't know how to explain it. Here-" she said before handing Jane a keycard.
"The VI upstairs will recognize the key and you'll be able to access files on Species 37" she told us.
"Why can't you tell us now?" Jane asked.
"We don't have the time," she told us, raising her pistol and pointing behind Jane.
We spun around to see a large pack of Varren creeping up of us; teeth bore.
"Touché" Jane agreed, lifting her shotgun as they growled before charging us. In the corner of my eye, I saw Lizbeth sprint away from us, probably finding a place to hide.
I returned to focusing on the pack, noticing their movement was slow and looked exhausting to them. It was for this reason that they were easy to kill as I examined one of the bodies.
"Looks like they haven't eaten in weeks. They were probably killing just about anything for a meal ticket," I concluded as Jane scoffed.
"We should've given them Lizbeth, useless scientist," she mumbled the ending as we all turned to face the only door in the entire room, not including the entrance to the previous tunnel.
"Well then, let's see what's the big deal with Species 37" Jane exclaimed as we all crowded towards the door and entered a tightly packed room with a large, winding staircase.
"Alright: single-file. Kaidan, I want you at the back and your shields to block anything from following us and as a soft landing incase one of us falls" she ordered as Kaidan nodded, stretched his arms as we started to climb.
"I'm not that bad" I mumbled as we slowly ascended up the staircase as a distant voice soon reached our ears.
"What's that?" Garrus questioned as we walked more slowly, trying not to alert our position and to hear the voice more clearly without the banging of footsteps on the metal, echoing stairs.
"Come on, you stupid machine!" a deep voice bounced off the walls.
"It's definitely a man" Jane commented as we walked further up the stairs.
"-I'll blow your virtual ass into actual dust" he spoke again.
"Krogan" we all agreed in chorus as Jane peaked over the platform, leading to the second floor.
"What do you see?" I whispered as she turned back to us.
"Single Krogan: shotgun out…I think he's alone" Jane replied.
"Sneak attack?" I suggested as Jane shrugged, probably not bothered.
We slowly edged ourselves up the final steps as we crept towards the Krogan, trying not to alert him.
The problem is there's not a lot of room around here and Krogan fight their best up close. Luckily, we have Jane.
"I'm sorry, you don't have access to this information" the VI replied calmly.
"Stupid machine!" the Krogan yelled, lifting and shaking his arms in rage.
Jane stepped closer to him as the others and I tried to circle around him but stayed out of eye shot incase the plan backfired.
Jane slowly lifted her shotgun and aimed at his head, trying to make her shot count.
"If you have no further business, will you step to the side? There is a queue forming behind you" the VI motioned to Jane as the Krogan turned to us, confused.
Bugger
It only took me a second before I crushed the trigger under my finger, mentally cursing that VIs timing. The gunfire seemed to send everyone into the frenzy as well: everyone began shooting, hoping he would go down before he manages to do any damaged to us.
Unfortunately, that would only happen if krogan were not excellent up close fighters, which they were: the bulky body being a large sign that there was power in his muscles.
The sounds of bullets seemed to bring life to him as well as a bloodthirsty grin as he quickly started shooting at us, though I doubt he needed to since he could easily crush us or fling us down the staircase.
Fortunately, he didn't seem that smart as he happily walked in the fray of fired shots as they bounced off his shields making him seem like a Christmas tree with its lights exploding in tiny sparkles.
Noticeably, he mostly focused on Jane, seeing as both their combat styles and even their choice of weapons were very similar. The only difference his were more powerful on both comparisons.
Eventually, he soon realized Jane was a lot tougher since she dodged nearly all of his attacks with graceful side rolls. He slowly eyed each of us individually while still shooting at us, identifying that I was one of the weaker ones.
Until he saw Kaidan, that is.
I was preparing to face his attack, either by dodging if he charged or by adding more power to my shields if he kept shooting at me, hoping he'd go for someone else. He did since he turned away from me and turned to face Kaidan.
I don't know if it was his weapons or his armour but something told the krogan that he was the weakest out of the four of us.
He tried to defend against the incoming krogan by using a variety of defensive and offensive biotics like lift and shockwave, which unfortunately took Jane out instead, sending her into the wall behind the VI interface. He tried using Cryo ammo in a vain attempt to freeze him before he could come closer but that barely hindered him as he charged his full body weight into Kaidan's, slamming him into the wall close to the stairs. The krogan rebounded off Kaidan as he collapsed onto the floor, groaning.
"Kaidan!" I yelled, fearful for his safety.
Jane took that moment to charge at the krogan, shooting her shotgun at the back of his armour, probably realizing Kaidan's defenseless position.
Garrus aided in gaining the krogan's attention back to them while I sprinted over to Kaidan's crumpled body.
"Kaidan, where are you injured?" I asked quickly, scanning over his body with the Omni-tool, trying to hurry incase the krogan's attention came back to our vulnerable state.
I was thankful that he'd used Cryo ammo before the krogan tackled him. If he'd used all his power, it probably would have crushed his entire body: a morbid but credible fact.
I doubt Kaidan could take another crushing from the krogan and I doubt adding my body weight into the mix would help much either if he managed to crush me and Kaidan into the wall together.
"Everywhere" he groaned, pulling me away from my thoughts. He sat up and positioning himself so he was supported by the wall.
"Hmm…it looks like you cracked a few ribs. You've also broken your left arm. We'll have to get you to a doctor as soon as possible. We can't risk you puncturing a lung or worse," I explained before grabbing a bottle of pills from a small pack on my pistol belt.
"Here, the aspirin should help" I gave him a few before an echoing thud sounded behind me.
I turned to see the body of the krogan crumpled and heavily bleeding on the floor with Jane and Garrus panting,
"I hate krogan," Garrus stated, using a nearby desk to support him.
"I hate biotics," she said glaring at Kaidan who looked away in embarrassment, nursing his arm as he focused his attention at the krogan's body.
"Next time, watch where you aim," she growled, her mood not lightening up in the slightest.
"You're lucky there's someone I'm more angry at than you," she stated, staring down at the VI.
"Is there something you-" the VI began but I couldn't hear the end over the shot of Jane's shotgun. A large bullet hole was seen through the VI's head as it watched her emotionless.
"Guns on the facility are strictly forbidden except for security staff. Please report to the closest security station for interrogation" he responded, aggravating Jane even more.
"I sympathize with the krogan," she mumbled, understanding his hatred for the machine before turning her attention to the rest of us.
"Can you stand?" I asked Kaidan, wishing that Wrex were here, though I doubt he'd carry someone twice, even if I'd repay him.
"Maybe" he mumbled, grunting as he slowly pushed himself off the wall and onto his knees, his hands pressed against the floor as he awkwardly moved his ribs.
"Why didn't you dodge? You must've saw him charging you" Jane lectured him as he eventually managed to stand.
"I thought my biotics could deal with him" he defended as he tried walking before nearly falling onto the floor again.
"It's always one of us…" Jane groaned as I supported Kaidan, circling my arm behind him, resting my hand on his waist while lifting his right arm and encircling it behind my head and held it down my right side, carrying most of his weight. He gripped his stomach in pain while a look of nausea overtook his facial features due to the sudden movement.
"Well, don't fall behind" Jane ordered, seeming not to notice his pain or just not caring before turning to see the VI
"How can I help you?" the VI repeated against as we all glared at the hologram, Jane and Kaidan especially.
"What did the Doc want us to search for? Species 37?" he asked Jane but the VI was also listening to him.
"What information do you require about Species 37?" he asked us as Jane stepped towards it.
"Well…what is it?" Jane shrugged, figuring it was the best question to ask.
"Species 37 is a sentient plant life growing under Zhu's hope," he explained in basic terms as we all looked at each other.
"Well I failed Biology back on Earth so I'm useless" I commented as Jane asked what sort of 'plant' it was.
"Species 37 is a new plant form recently discovered by ExoGeni scientists working in and around Zhu's hope. There are no records concerning Species 37, but from personal investigations, we've determined that it has capable mind control properties due to the spores it releases. When inhaled, it slowly ascends to the brain where it affect the neural transmissions inside the body, effectively making the host unable to control their actions" he explained in more detail.
"So a new plant with mind control properties is discovered and eventually and army of geth end up on Feros. I'd make a bet, but it'd be pointless" I shrugged as Jane looked deep in thought.
"Who has been infected?" Jane asked, still in thought.
"Zhu's hope" he replied swiftly as Jane turned to us.
"Remember when everyone was staring at us and everyone just stopped what they were doing?" Jane asked as we all nodded, recollecting the eerie atmosphere.
"They…it was probably…assessing us to see if we were a threat" I suggested.
"Do you think Miranda knows about this?" Kaidan asked us.
"Well, if it thought she was a threat, they would've probably tried killing her by now" I told him.
"Or maybe it was still assessing her" Jane added.
"Or maybe she's one of them" Garrus retorted before a low, groaning noise sounded above us.
"Please tell me I didn't hear that?" I moaned as we all looked towards the ceiling.
"Unidentified machinery in the premises. Please report to the closest security station for further instruction" the VI informed us as the noise returned, even louder than before. Wires and the body of the krogan began to shake from the sudden movement as small rocks from the ceiling bounced along the floor, making small piles of debris.
"We better hurry" Jane said sternly as we all began to climb the set of stairs next to the VI as I half-dragged Kaidan behind me.
"Need help?" Garrus offered.
"Since when do you want to help Kaidan?" I asked, suspiciously as Garrus's face lit up in realization.
"True. Let's leave him instead," he offered as Kaidan gave off a humorless chuckle.
"Commander, when can we kill the turian?" he cruelly joked as Garrus rolled his eyes.
"When we don't need him anymore" she said seriously as Garrus and Kaidan exchanged looks.
"When we do, can I have his gun?" I decided to play along.
"I'm not dead yet" Garrus told me like he was offended at the thought before the groaning noise shook the walls.
"Yet" I emphasized as we almost ran down the rest of the corridor, only to nearly collide with guess who.
"I wondered where you ran off to," Jane said offhand as Lizbeth slouched in front of us, panting like she'd just run a mile.
"Geth *pant* coming *pant*" she managed to say, pointing down the corridor behind her when, on cue, two geth destroyers rounded the corridor.
"All yours" I said, hiding Kaidan and myself around the corner so we didn't get hit.
Kaidan managed to be a good sport and use biotics with his good arm by throwing warp and singularity and the destroyers and the recently introduced shock troopers.
During the battle, the groaning became more intense as nearly the whole entire ceiling collapsed on top of the remaining geth, scattering computer and desk pieces along the rest of the floor.
"Everyone, move! Now!" Jane yelled as she lifted Kaidan out of my arms and over her shoulder without any sign of struggle. I stared in awe for only a moment before returning to the task at hand: running.
We all quickly maneuvered over the rubble and sprinted down the corridor; Jane lagging behind because of Kaidan's extra weight but surprisingly managed to keep up. I guess the threat of being trapped and crushed under tons of concrete and geth is a motivator in its own right. I let her pass me as I lagged behind incase Lizbeth needed help.
We had difficulty navigating the building at first: most of the hallways were blocked by rubble or were impossible to reach due to the floor being gone.
Masses of geth and human bodies were scattered along the hallways as we passed by without a second glance. Well, except for Lizbeth.
I could tell from a glance that she hated leaving them like that but, like I said before, the threat of a building falling on top of you is a great motivator.
"Hurry!" Jane yelled as another rumble followed by the echo of collapsing floors sounded above us. I tensed every muscle in my legs in hope I could sprint faster as Kaidan struggled on Jane's shoulder, wheezing and gasping since every step Jane took jabbed her shoulder into his stomach.
Suddenly, I ran full power into Jane, almost pushing Kaidan out of her arms.
"We can't carry on…" Jane said ominously as she moved out of the way to show that the rest of the corridor was completely destroyed, leaving a bottomless hole where the floor should've been; seeming to carry on to the base of the building
"What do we do now?" I asked panicked as I searched for any other doors but found none, except for the unreachable doors down the floorless corridor.
"Maybe there's a way out down the corridor we've just gone down?" Kaidan suggested.
"No, I know the building inside and out. We won't reach the other exits in time" Lizbeth explained mournfully.
"So, we're trapped" Garrus finalized as the rumble returned, echoing louder every second that passed. I saw Jane mumbled something to Garrus and Kaidan before they all agreed to something, making me even more nervous.
"Quick: everyone jump!" Jane ordered, taking Kaidan and herself down the hole.
"WHAT!?" Lizbeth yelled as, after a few moments, Garrus quickly pushed Lizbeth down the hole before she could back away.
He turned to me as I put my hands up in a weak defense.
"Don't you dare, turian," I growled as he looked at me apologetically.
"Sorry" he said as he grabbed me and jumped down into the abyss; the rest of the building following us down.
I screamed, my arms tightening around Garrus's neck, nearly choking him as I stared helplessly at the incoming avalanche of concrete and electronics.
"Garrus, if I die…"I yelled over the rubble as he turned to see me.
"Yes?" he asked, nodding for me to continue, as I turned to see him, completely serious.
"I just want you to know…I love you!" I said, the knowledge and heart-pounding fear that we'd both be dead soon managed to stick in my mind and I soon acknowledged this, even though I let a few tears travel down my face at this fact.
He said nothing as he gripped my tighter as we sank into darkness…