Jane stepped out of the shuttle and onto the red dusty ground of Tuchanka. It had been a long time since she had been here and it still looked the same. And she still hated it. They had landed in what she could only assume was supposed to be a small screening place for visitors. Krogan were spread out and few, a couple of kiosks were set about and a pit was to the left and she could distinctly hear two varren snarling from within.
Garrus stood beside her, Sticks and Grunt bringing up the rear. She swallowed roughly as many of the Krogan began to stare at them and her hand went to her side instinctively. Being around this many Krogan in a closed in space made her nervous. Jane had almost died the last time she had been in this situation. Sweat beaded at her forehead, but she ignored it. There were far worse things than a mass of Krogan and even though her heart beat was racing, getting Mordin back took precedence over her old fears.
Jane went to start forward, but a blur of dark red caught her attention. The Krogan was fast, huge and charging straight for her. She reached for Garrus, pushing him harshly away from her before she turned just as a streak of red and blue filled her vision followed by a horrendous slam into her that sent her flying back and tumbling into the varren fighting pit.
Jane crashed into the hard packed earth, air rushing from her lungs at the impact. Her vision swam and dimmed, the fuzzy mass of red jumping down into the pit after her, encompassing her failing vision. She scrambled backwards, her hand catching on a piece of shrapnel. Jane ignored the pain as she reached for the pistol at her side. A heavy boot collided with her chest, pinning her, before the butt of a shotgun smacked into her nose. She heard the sickening crack of the delicate bones breaking just before blood poured down into her gasping mouth.
The gun was pulled back for another blow, her hand still scrambling for her gun, when a body slammed into the Krogan, knocking him off of her and into the dirt. Jane only saw the marking of the Archangel fighting in a sea of red before she was collected into a pair of arms and cradled against a chest, all light fading from her eyes.
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Garrus leaned quietly against a locker outside the medical bay, arms crossed over his chest and eyes tracking the back and forth movements of Sticks. He might not have shown it as much as the other Turian, be he was worried. There was a horrible knot in his chest that made it hard to breathe and he was certain that if he moved just a fraction that the contents of his earlier meal would be scattered across the floor.
It was terrible, waiting and wondering about how she was. He felt utterly helpless and it was the worst feeling Garrus had experienced in his life. If only he hadn't have let his guard down, if he hadn't have let her push him out of the way he could have taken the hit instead. The what if's were endless and it was maddening. His mandibles flared in irritation, legs shifting to redistribute his weight, before he let his head fall back in irritation. Murmurs of the crew and fellow squad mates filled the air as the all waited for an update. His temper flared with every word spoken in question about her. He couldn't stop the rage or the feral want to scream at them all before tearing them limb from limb. Who were they to question Jane Shepard? Who were they to talk about what was his?
The medical bay doors opened with a hiss before Chakwas walked out. He pushed himself from the locker, arms falling to his sides, as he made to step towards the woman.
"How is she?" Sticks asked, beating Garrus to the punch. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Jane's got one cracked rib and her face is a little worse for wear, but she'll be fine. That girl is more resilient than her brother. The biotic charge could have killed her," Chakwas said, giving them both a small smile of reassurance. "She's awake if you would like to see her."
Sticks rushed forward at the words of permission, Garrus staying glued to his spot. He wanted to go in there and see her, but hesitated. When it came to Jane, Sticks had more of a claim than he did and the unmarked Turian was territorial when it came to her. Garrus felt like saying to hell with Sticks, but a physical confrontation between the two would just be harder on Jane at the moment. He knew she didn't need, or would want their macho bullshit. So Garrus stayed put, hands balling into fists as Sticks grew closer to the open doors. The Turian stopped suddenly, looked over his shoulder at Garrus and raised one hard-ridged eyebrow.
"Are you coming or not?"
Garrus' mandibles twitched in surprise at the invitation before he was moving towards the open medical bay doors, instep with Sticks as they entered.
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Jane laid quietly on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling of the medical bay. Her face throbbed with pain, her body feeling like she had got hit by a runaway taxi on Omega. She tried for a large breath only to have it turn to a hiss when pain shot through her side. Chakwas had patched her up best she could, braced her bad rib so she would be ready for duty, but Jane was still having trouble sitting up in bed. It wasn't the pain keeping her down, hell she'd had worse on Tuchanka before, it was that sudden wave of uncertainty washing over her that kept her pinned to the uncomfortable table.
Jane had thought she had gotten rid of the self-doubt somewhere along this crazy journey, but there it was again, rearing its ugly head at her, when she needed it the least. Her eyes drifted closed as she let out a pain-filled sigh. She knew why the feeling was back, why failure seemed the only thing she could ever accomplish. It was Mahogany. The confirmation that he was still alive and loathed her more than anything had sent her off center and spinning into space, just as he had planned and she knew it to.
"Yes. Going to retire. Somewhere tropical. Collect seashells."
Mordin's voice echoed through her aching mind, her eyes fluttering open as her gaze fell from the ceiling and to the computer on Doctor Chakwas' desk. With a grunt she pulled herself into a sitting position, throwing her legs over the table so they dangled in mid-air. Jane couldn't give up. Wouldn't. She would find Mordin and then he would help her save the fucking galaxy after that. Then when it was all over they would collect his damn seashells on every fucking planet that had them.
Her tired eyes caught movement at the open doorway and she immediately looked over, muscles tensing even though Jane knew she was in the safe walls of the Normandy. Sticks walked towards her briskly, Garrus trailing behind him at a slower, more hesitant pace.
"Well I can't say that the butt of that shotgun made any improvement to your face. You went from 'attacked by varren' to…well hell, you look like you got chewed on by a thresher maw," Sticks said as he reached out and gripped her chin in his hand and pulled her face up to get a better look.
Jane laughed lightly, winced and gently moved her chin from his grip. "Is it going to leave a scar?"
"Maybe a little, but I promise I won't love you any less," Sticks said, getting a small smile from her.
"Scars are sexy," Garrus added, voice a deep rumble, "shows people you lived."
"Sometimes I feel like I've lived more than most," Jane said, her voice just above a whisper.
A large hand fell unceremoniously on top of her head, mussing up her already unruly hair further.
"And it's a good one Jane," Sticks said, "even if you don't think so."
"Maybe," Jane commented under her breath.
When the room fell back into silence she looked up, her gaze going over to Garrus and lingering on his face for a moment before she looked up at the form in front of her. Sticks was hovering, like he always did when he was exceedingly worried about her. He could be a mother hen sometimes, and though she might have made it seem like she minded she really didn't. She had felt so unloved after Nihlus died and then she found Sticks.
The feeling that someone cared…it was nice. And now, for the first time in what seemed like forever, more than one person cared about what happened to her and she was going to hold onto that feeling dearly. Alone. She never wanted to feel that way again.
"I'm okay Sticks, I promise. I'll be right as rain soon."
"I never understood that expression," Sticks said with a laugh before taking a step back.
"Me either," Jane said, a tick of a smile coming to her battered lips.
"Well when you got plan B worked out just holler and I'll round everyone up for you," Sticks said, not waiting for a reply as he turned and headed for the exit, hitting the small button on the wall so the door would close behind him. People would still be able to look in, but at least they wouldn't be able to hear them.
Garrus walked up to her the moment the door closed behind her friend, one of his hands reaching out tentatively before resting on one of her knees. She looked away from her worn boots and to his face, a look of sadness and longing brewing in the depths of her eyes. His other hand reached up and cupped her battered cheek and she leaned into his touch, her bruised eyelids fluttering closed.
When had the sudden ease of their affections happen? When Garrus tried to think of the moment he couldn't discover it and found that he didn't care if he ever did. It felt natural and real and right and that was all that mattered to him.
"You saved me, again. I owe you now," Jane said softly, her eyes never opening.
"You don't owe me anything Jane. I would do it again."
Her narrow shoulders rocked slightly, the small laugh soundless. "You sound like one of those knights in the books Johnny…"
Her words trailed the moment her brother's name left her throat. Garrus' eyes narrowed slightly at her quick silence. Garrus found it odd that all he ever heard about John Shepard was positive and at times borderline worship, but the one blood relative the man had never wanted to speak of him at all. Garrus knew Shepard better than anyone, except for maybe the woman in front of him, and it amazed Garrus how different they saw the man.
"Shepard read to you?" Garrus asked boldly. There was silence for a moment before a timid yes breached the air.
"He taught me how to read. Dad never had time for such things."
"Shepard was always good with the Krogan, diplomatic…" Garrus started, but the sad, distracted look he got back had him stopping before he said something foolish.
"He didn't have that skill when we were kids."
Garrus wanted to learn more, but he could tell by the rapid movement and frantic gaze in Jane's eyes that the conversation would not stay on John Shepard.
"I need to think of a plan," Jane said, changing the subject as she finally looked back up at him.
"Hold on to that thought for right now. Kaidan, Liara and I are going to talk to the clan leader. Try to reason with him."
"Do you know him or something?" Jane asked, quirking a brow.
"He's an old friend of ours," Garrus answered.
"Let me guess, a friend of Johnny's too?" When Garrus nodded Jane just shook her head. "I should have known. I can't escape you people."
"We'll talk to him and if he doesn't agree we can think of another plan to get Mordin back."
"Okay, just…be careful, alright."
"I will," Garrus said with promise.
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Garrus stood silently in the open throne room, eyes narrowed and hands clenched into fists. The ruins hadn't changed and even though they had asked for a private audience, they were surrounded by members of clan Urdnot. Kaidan had been adamant that Garrus stayed quiet through the whole meeting hoping that he wouldn't be provoked any more than he already was. But the longer Garrus stood there and listened to Liara and Kaidan drone on and on, Wrex crouching leisurely in his throne, the more and more Garrus wanted to rip that huge turtle's throat out. Their friendship had always been on the shaky side, due to the history that Wrex refused to let go of, but now that delicately built bridge was starting to crumble at an alarming rate.
"If you just allow us to search any of your outlying facilities we could…" Liara started only to be cut off by the rumbled roar of Wrex.
"I won't help a murderer!"
Garrus snapped. He rushed forward, Kaidan jumping in front of him and pressing against his chest to stop him.
"A murderer! What the hell does that make you Wrex? We've all killed people and that doesn't make us murderers!" Garrus yelled.
Wrex flew from his chair, his footfalls echoing off the ruins as he thundered down the stairs. He didn't stop until he had Kaidan pinned between the two of them. His eyes narrowed, a vicious frown coming to his face.
"She is personally responsible for the death of ten Krogan on Tuchanka soil, three that were children and two that were fertile females. She is a criminal and I would have killed her if you hadn't have gone all hero."
"She's Shepard's sister," Kaidan tried to interject.
"That doesn't change anything," Wrex grumbled. "If I catch her on my soil I will kill her, no matter who her brother," his gaze shifted to Garrus, "or her play thing is."
"Wrex," Liara gently said, clutching her casted arm to her chest as she made a step towards them. The korogan around them had tightened the circle.
"No more talking Liara. She's not welcome here and if you keep at it, you lot won't be either." He turned and ascended the steps to his perch, landing in it roughly. "Now leave."
They said nothing as they did as was instructed, not once looking back at their old friend. When they made it to the familiar varren pit Kaidan finally spoke.
"We'll that went well."
Garrus' mandible's flared in irritation. Kaidan's humor had always fallen short with him.
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Jane sat peacefully in the mess hall, a small smile playing at her lips as she watched the three males in front of her. Vega and Sticks had hit it off immediately, falling quickly into jokes and jibes at each other. Feron, the drell they had saved on Eden Prime hadn't taken long to join them, his colorful vocabulary entertaining Sticks as much as the male's jokes did. Legion was sitting beside her, small whirls and clanks of his faceplate filling the air surrounding their position. He had been inquiring about the boys' behavior earlier, but had fallen silent and was now just observing.
"Boys always compare, no matter the species," Kasumi said, amused, as she leaned against the mess hall table next to where Jane and Legion were perched, both of their legs swinging slightly as they dangled over the side. Jane laughed as James gestured toward the zipper of his pants.
"They always want to have the biggest."
"And they always fail to realize that no matter how big it is if they don't know how to use it they might as well have the smallest."
A bark of laughter left Jane, catching Vega's attention. He smiled his large toothy grin, wriggling his brows as her before diving back into the conversation he was having with Feron and Sticks.
"Look," Jane continued, a nagging guilt finally getting the best of her. "I'm sorry about Eden Prime. I shouldn't have left you and Legion."
"You know him don't you? The Shade?" Kasumi inquired, giving Jane a small smile of reassurance when she looked her way. Kasumi couldn't hold it against her. She knew that if she had been in Jane's shoes, and that had been Keiji, she would have done the same thing.
"I did," Jane croaked, "a long time ago."
"Was he a friend?"
"Yes." Jane paused for a moment, swallowing deeply as she looked away. "He was supposed to be dead. Reports said he died in a crash years ago, but there he was, healthy as the day I met him. I had my suspicions. I just didn't want to believe it. I mean they found remains and everything."
Jane knew she was rambling and wanted desperately to stop, but couldn't bring herself to do so. She hadn't talked about him to anyone before, not even Sticks.
"I heard you call him Mahogany. Is that his real name?"
"Yes. Georgie and I called him Maho. He hated it."
Jane fell silent then, a haunted look coming to her bruised face, and Kasumi said no more. She knew what it was like to live with ghosts and sometimes you just wanted to be left alone. Jane didn't get long however before Garrus came storming into the mess hall with Kaidan and Liara nipping at his heels. Jane casually slid from the table, pulling down on the hem of her military issued shirt. She looked to Garrus then to Kaidan, letting out a small defeated sigh.
"I'm guessing it didn't go well," Jane said flatly.
"He refuses to help because of what you did last time you were here," Garrus ground out, looking away from her. He wasn't angry with her, just Wrex…and himself. He should have tried harder, made Wrex see the direness of the situation. He felt a small hand land on his forearm, drawing his attention. Jane was looking up at him, smiling softly.
"What did you do Lola?" Vega inquired. Her head whipped in his direction.
"I followed my orders!" Jane snapped.
"Okay Lola, no need to get snappy," James said, throwing his hands up in surrender.
"We just need to think of another plan," Kaidan interjected, trying to calm the tension. Jane looked to him and nodded before she stepped away from Garrus and quickly went about messing with her omni-tool.
"If we want to get this done we'll have to go unseen. I'll take a small team with me. We'll travel on foot and move mostly at night to cover our movements. Joker the minute we head out I want you to fly out but double back and cloak the ship. Park the Normandy on that plateau about five hundred yards from here. Radio silence, okay? I don't want them picking up on any signal."
"We don't know where to start Jane," Sticks commented, arms crossed over his broad chest.
"I think I might have an idea. When I came here last time with Mordin we utilized a structure called the Shard as one of the ways to implement the new strand of the Genophage. Mahogany…" Jane paused, stumbling slightly with the name, correcting herself, and clicking rapidly on her omni-tool to show a small model of the Shard. "The Shade was also on that mission and if I ever knew him at all I know that's a good candidate for where he will be holding him. It's about twenty clicks from here so we will have to head out as soon as the sun sets, which give us about thirty minutes to prepare. Garrus, Vega, and Kasumi suit up and ready your gear bags. Pack light, we need to travel quickly. "
They nodded before heading in their separate directions to prepare. Jane let out a breath, scratching slightly at her neck before heading for the elevator, the rest of her team looking at her team looking at her in different degrees of dismissal.
"Um, Jane?" Sticks called out, getting her to turn towards him again, one of her delicate brows arched in question. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Take shifts and watch the korgan's movement. If anything seems suspicious take care of it."
"Like kill them?" Kaidan asked, appalled.
"You don't have to kill them Kaidan, just…delay them if you must. You can knock them out just like any other alien."
"But…" Kaidan started, but Jane held up at hand.
"You'll figure it out Kaidan. I trust you."
And with that she turned and disappeared into the elevator, Kaidan blinking rapidly at her words.
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Jane slipped silently from the Normandy, Garrus right behind her. Kasumi and James had slipped out moments earlier, hiding in the shadow of their home. Kasumi looked like nothing but a wisp in the darkness, while James was a domineering shadow. They sidled up to them, Jane looking over her gear one more time. She was carrying an extra weapon with her this time at Sticks' request. It was his beloved grenade launcher.
"In case you run into any worms."
It was cumbersome, but Jane would rather deal with the extra weight than to be without it, especially if one of those worms decided to show their face.
"We need to head east from here. I want to cover a good amount of ground before we stop and find shelter. We gotta move fast so if you're not up for it, tell me now."
"We're game Lola, no worries."
Jane nodded in the dark, all lights from their guns out. They were close to the krogan's main center to risk it. She turned and took one step forward before a huge shadow emerged from the tail end of the Normandy. Jane heard guns being drawn from behind her before a deep rumbling voice came from the shadow in front of her.
"I'm not as stupid as you look Garrus."
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Authors note: Whoot! New Chapter! Hope you enjoyed it and the next part whould be coming out March 31st.