** 50 **

James ducked behind cover. Alenko and Garrus followed him from the shuttle towards the first of the artefacts they had to collect but Cerberus troops were in their way. It wasn't unexpected but he thought they might have got a little further in before the fun started. Scans hadn't registered large numbers so it hadn't looked too difficult.

Shepard had deviated their route on the way to the Far Rim to follow up on a request from Hackett that he considered important, if his regular reminders were any indication. Rather than leave it she had slotted it in so here they were. What had been a complete shock was her order that James lead the mission, selecting a ground team that didn't include her.

When he finally picked his jaw up off the floor he nodded and ordered Alenko and Garrus to be ready. He could only imagine how she was feeling, watching from the bridge, which is what he knew she'd be doing, as they came under fire. His lips turned up slightly as he pictured her pacing and Joker throwing frustrated glances her way.

He brought up a map of the complex as he kept low, 'Scars, there's another path through this bottom section, if you make your way around we can get them in a crossfire.' He readied his shotgun, 'Alenko, covering fire.'

Garrus ducked around his cover as they kept the troopers busy. There were only a couple in the corridor and they made short work of taking them down. They moved forward as Garrus let them know he was in position. James risked a glance around the doorway where they'd taken cover.

'I count six,' he spoke into the com. He indicated their position to Alenko who nodded.

'I've got one in my sights.' Garrus informed him.

'Roger that,' James looked to Alenko, 'Can you gather them up?'

'Grenade left about thirty degrees.' Kaidan nodded and grinned.

'On three.'

Alenko threw two troopers into two more and James' grenade left them dazed if not dead. Garrus took down one and quickly moved to remove a still confused trooper out of the equation. James and Alenko stepped through the door together and the remaining troopers didn't have time to put up a fight.

'Nice,' James was laughing as he moved towards the console where the first artefact waited.

He opened the special purpose crate as Kaidan dropped the shields. There was soft buzzing in his ears and the shield around his gauntlets burned as he scooped up the Reaper artefact, dropped it hurriedly into crate and closed the lid. He visibly shivered and looked up to find Garrus and Alenko watching him.

'This stuff gives me the creeps,' he shrugged, 'Let's hope the adjustments to our shields and these crates work.'

'What, you don't want to end up a mindless Reaper lackey?' Garrus chuckled.

'Nah, cause then I'd have to take down your sorry ass, Scars' James snorted, 'and I've grown to like you.'

'I'd hate to have to put a bullet in you,' Garrus agreed.

'Should I leave you two alone?' Kaidan raised an eyebrow at them, his lips curving upward in a half smile.

'Not likely,' Garrus clapped James on the shoulder, 'Shepard would shoot me for even thinking about it.'

James laughed as Alenko smirked at him, 'let's see what else we can find while we're here.'

They parted ways and went in search of data. James found a log that made his skin crawl because of what it indicated and he knew Shepard wasn't going to like it. Before long they gathered by the shuttle to drop off the artefact.

'Anything good?' James asked as they regrouped.

'I found a sniper enhancement,' Garrus nodded, 'some credits, if we need it there's a medigel dispenser back there.'

'There was a failed medigel experiment,' Kaidan brought up the specs, 'only Cerberus would consider medigel for aliens a failed experiment.' He sighed and shook his head, 'I also found a log about integration.'

'Yeah, me too,' James brought up what he'd found only to discover that it was from the same person. 'I don't like the sound of this integration, it's taking away their free will.'

'We already know they're doing something to their troops,' Kaidan frowned as he read the two logs.

'That sounds a lot like indoctrination,' Garrus commented as he read over Kaidan's shoulder.

'We don't have time to worry about it now,' James closed down his omnitool. 'Esteban, what's next?'

The second artefact was easier to collect. James let Garrus handle that one, the less contact they had with these pieces the better. The lock just clicked into place when Cerberus pinned them down, arriving in numbers. Their situation became worse when Cortez had to bug out to protect the shuttle.

'We hold until Cortez can pick us up,' James ordered as they found cover and he hooked the crate to his back.

Unfortunately Cerberus was using their corrupted brains and included engineers among their forces, which meant turrets. James cursed their position as troops came at them from two different directions, three if you counted dropping in from above. Garrus was overloading and laying down proximity mines in one corridor, Alenko was using his biotics to lift, throw and reave between shots on the other side of the room and James was stuck in the middle. He could shoot in both directions but the number of troops meant if he turned between Garrus or Alenko one of them could be overrun.

He'd been here before, his team being overrun. Shepard would never forgive him if Garrus or Alenko died. He forced down the bile in his throat and flicked his eyes around the battlefield. Cortez was still in trouble so they had to hold.

'Alenko, on three fall back to my position, a lift as you do would be appreciated.'

James counted down, lobbed a grenade and saw Alenko lift two troopers, which James blew up in spectacular fashion with a carnage shot. The few troopers on the ground had raced for new cover when the grenade clattered across the floor. Alenko dived into cover beside him but he had already turned and successfully taken down a trooper encroaching on Garrus' position. For a moment there was a lull as the Cerberus troops regrouped.

'Esteban, how are you doing?'

James' heart was racing, the adrenaline rush was euphoric but as much as he was enjoying the fight he worried about his friend. There was nothing.

'Maybe they've taken him down,' Kaidan said softly.

'He's better than that,' James grunted but he had to believe it. 'We need to get back to the landing area for when he does pick us up.' He had a quick glance around the room and he could hear troops gathering where Alenko had been keeping them at bay. 'Scars, we're coming your way.'

It was the better option, a narrow corridor instead of an open room with access from an upper level. Making the most of the apparent hesitation from Cerberus he tapped Alenko on the shoulder and together they joined Garrus behind a stack of crates.

'Alenko, we need a blockage behind us,' he pointed to the crates and the biotic nodded and proceeded to lift the crates.

It didn't take long to move them into place, forming a wall so they didn't have to worry too much about troops coming up behind them. It wouldn't be obvious from the room they'd just left and he knew it would only take a couple of grenades to remove but it might give them time to clear a path ahead. Once he was satisfied he moved beside Garrus as Alenko took a moment to recover.

'Straight up and through the opposite corridor, there are consoles in the room up there we can use for cover.' James pointed ahead.

Garrus nodded and prepared proximity mines, leaving a parting gift for anyone who came up the corridor behind them. Two Guardians waited for them at the top of the inclined corridor and they ducked behind cover. Alenko threw them backwards, James lobbed grenades and Garrus assisted their backward stumble with concussive shots. Their shields gave them some protection from the strength of the attack but they had no time to recover as a second wave sent them reeling. James put shots through their helmets as he led the dash across the open space into the corridor beyond.

'I'm counting eight between us and the docking platform,' said Alenko, between breaths.

'Scars, can you give us two lines of proximity mines, there and there,' he indicated the doorway they'd just come through and the open space in the room ahead. 'Esteban, talk to me.'

'Almost there,' the pilot sounded pissed and James understood his frustration.

'You heard him,' James checked his shotgun, 'we need to hold a bit longer.'

Holding was about all they could do as Cerberus troops came at them from every direction. They worked their way across the room, taking fire but returning in kind. It seemed like they were winning but troops continued to appear. There was no time to catch a breath.

Garrus yelled something the translators didn't recognise before adding, 'my shields are down.'

James flicked his eyes to where Garrus crouched behind a small console and knew it would take time before he could move. He reached into his grenade pack to find it empty. Fuck! He glanced around the room, he knew there were weapons caches, he'd seen them on his search of the place. His eyes landed on one in a corner to his left. To get there he'd be out in the open but they were going to need grenades if they had any hope of getting out of this in one piece.

'Alenko, I need a distraction.' The biotic nodded and James moved.

He could hear the crash as troopers flew through the air and landed on top of each other, feel the electricity in the air as Alenko used a reave and he heard the resounding shots of his heavy pistol. James didn't have time to look as he slid to a halt beside the weapons cache, grabbing a handful of grenades and lobbing them in the general direction of the confusion Alenko created. He refilled his pack and turned to run back when a shot struck his shoulder and his shields sizzled.

He looked up to see three troopers coming through the door between them and the landing pad. There was no cover, he stood up and flattened himself against the wall behind a sliver of a bulkhead but it wasn't enough, especially with the artefact crate pushing him forward. He also knew that Garrus would be exposed too, his small cover in direct line of sight to the doorway. Sucking in a breath, letting out a roar, he charged.

It was the last thing the troopers expected and their hesitation was all he needed. He unclipped the crate from his back, slid it across the floor towards the troopers, dropped and rolled. He felt the impact as he hit the armoured legs but inertia kept him moving enough to slide on his back and bring his shotgun up. The three troopers hit the ground in an ungainly heap and before they could untangle themselves James was firing. Shots from the other side told him Garrus was too. All three troopers dropped to the ground and stayed there.

Garrus dashed to the doorway taking cover behind it as James got to his feet and took up position on the opposite side. He peered around the corner to see Alenko crouched behind a console as troops advanced on his position. James opened fire and Garrus did the same. Using everything in their arsenal they gave Alenko the time and space he needed to join them and he dropped into a corner where a crate met the wall. James looked down at him to see him breathing heavily and there was a slight shake to his hands. The furrowing of his brow wasn't good and James guessed he'd overtaxed his biotics.

'You good, Alenko,' his attention was pulled back to the Cerberus troopers as they regrouped and moved towards them.

'Yeah,' he blew out a breath. 'Just need a minute.'

'We've got this,' James followed Garrus' concussive shot with grenades. 'Are we clear below?'

'Appears so for now,' he heard the biotic move and assumed he was recovered enough to go on.

'Scars,' James looked to Garrus who nodded and proceeded to place a line of proximity mines just inside the doorway.

James dropped back, reattached the artefact to his back and turned to check on Alenko who readied his pistol. They moved forward and just when he thought they might have gotten a break another wave of troopers dropped in.

'Where the fuck are these pendejos coming from!?' James crouched behind a crate as Alenko took up position at the top of the stairs.

'Heading back, be ready,' Cortez spoke into his ear.

'Roger that,' he sighed and looked at the platform below. 'You have tangos on the pad.' He heard Cortez acknowledge his report. 'We need to clear that pad,' he looked at Alenko who nodded as Garrus joined them.

'That's a lot of troops down there,' Garrus pointed out and threw a grin at James, 'you might just get the chance to match my kill count.'

'You're on Scars,' James smirked at him. 'First to the shuttle buys the beers.'

There was a non-stop barrage of rockets, tech, biotic and turret attacks as they slowly made their way down the stairs. The fog in James mind was getting thicker as they fought back, his reflexes slowing and he knew Alenko and Garrus would be feeling the same, well, maybe not Garrus because the turian was a hard bastard to beat. He knew for sure though that they couldn't keep this up much longer.

They managed to take cover close to where the shuttle would be and just when he thought they might be safe troopers started arriving on the platform from below, coming up behind where they were hiding. Alenko threw the first two off before they could plant their boots on the deck. The next two went screaming backward from a combined carnage and concussive shot. But the distraction allowed an engineer to set up a turret that would drop their shields the moment they ran for the shuttle. Rocket troopers had them pinned from that direction too so taking out that turret was close to impossible.

Troops had settled in at the top of the stairs and were peppering their position with never ending gunfire and tech attacks. James heard the familiar sound of the shuttle engines and he had never been so relieved. It was short lived though as two more troops came up from below but he almost laughed as the shuttle came down on top of them before they had time to reach the platform. Now all they had to do was get there in one piece.

'Scars,' James slid the small crate that carried the artefact towards the turian. 'Take this and get to the shuttle.' Garrus was quick if anyone could make it with some shielding left it was him. 'Alenko, you go too, keep a barrier up around both of you if you can.'

There was no hesitation as Garrus met his eyes and accepted the item they had come here to collect. James was surprised to see admiration in the turian's eyes and as he flicked a glance at Alenko he saw respect there too.

'If this is your way of forcing me to buy beers it doesn't count,' Garrus prepared himself.

'If we get out of this in one piece I'll buy the beers,' James grimaced, the reality of their position not lost on any of them. James switched to his assault rifle, while he loved his shotgun he needed the speed of the rifle. 'Ready?' They both nodded and he tightened his grip with one hand, preparing grenades with the other. 'Go!'

The pair moved quickly as James lobbed the last of his grenades and leant around cover to distract the turret long enough for them to get clear. It wasn't enough though and the sound of rockets firing made his stomach churn. His shields reacted as shots hit him from behind forcing him to duck down between crates. He watched as Garrus and Alenko raced across the platform towards the open shuttle hatch. But they ran out of time.

His eyes widened in horror as Alenko's barrier dropped from a rocket hit, as he stumbled and knocked Garrus forwards, as a rocket hit the shuttle and it shunted backwards. Alenko's momentum forced them towards the edge of the platform. They were still on their feet, barely, but they were fighting to find their balance, the gap between them and the shuttle widened as Cortez dropped below the level to avoid taking fire. A rocket hit the ground at their feet, flinging them into the air, arms and legs flailing. James cried out in fear as he watched them disappear from view, as another team was lost because of him.

The sound of boots coming closer didn't register as he sat on the ground, his head buried in his hands, his heart racing and his stomach contents close to escaping. How could he face Shepard? How could he go back and tell her he'd lost two of her closest friends? It would be better for him to die right here, it was what he deserved.

The image of her beautiful brown eyes popped into his head, pleading with him, fearful of losing him. She expected better of him, from both the soldier and the man. It drove him out of his despair and he lifted his head, reaching for his rifle, as the shuttle appeared before him. His eyes widened in surprise. One shot from the front cannon took out the turret and the rocket troopers before it turned side on.

'Vega, get your ass on the shuttle.' Garrus yelled at him.

The sound of bodies hitting the ground, the rat-a-tat-tat of assault rifle fire and the cursing in his ear had him scrambling to his feet. The platform under his feet shuddered and shifted, he could only guess that the shuttle cannon had damaged it. His feet were already moving as the shuttle drew closer. The platform shifted again and it dropped suddenly at the precise moment something hit him in the leg. He lost his footing but his boots eventually hit the falling surface and it careened him forward into a flying leap. The shuttle came up quicker than he expected and he rolled across the floor, coming to a crashing halt against the opposite hatch.

Cortez had them underway before the hatch completely closed. He leant against the door and looked up to see Garrus bent over, his hands resting on his knees as he sucked in air. Alenko was on the floor, backed up against the seat to James' left, a nasty gash on his forehead dripping blood down his face. They were alive, he had no idea how but he'd take it.

'Everyone okay,' he sidled around until he was resting against the seat, not having the energy to stand.

'Yeah,' Kaidan nodded then winced as he wiped blood out of his eye and reached for the first aid kit.

'How … I saw you both go over the edge?' He looked from one to the other.

'Cortez did some fancy flying,' Garrus slid down the wall and joined them on the floor. 'Caught us like we were those balls you humans like to throw into baskets.'

'Way to go, Esteban, and nice work knocking the Cerberus troops out with the shuttle.'

'You're not the only one who can use the shuttle as a weapon, Mr Vega.'

'Just hope Shepard doesn't yell at you.'

'For bringing you all back alive, I don't think so.' The pilot chuckled, 'she's was yelling at me through the com, she's not used to watching, is she.'

'Nah,' James dropped his eyes to the floor, the urge to close them and sleep for a week making them heavy, the thought of Shepard screaming at Esteban making him smile.

He glanced down at his calf as pain shot up his leg to find a hole in his armour and blood slowly seeping out. That was going to hurt when he stood up but it could wait for the doc. The image of Garrus and Alenko flying through the air, arms and legs akimbo jumped into his head and he chuckled.

'Something funny, James?' Garrus tilted his head at him.

'You should have seen you two,' his chuckle turned into laughter and he waved his arms in the air. 'Arms and legs going everywhere as you flew through the air.' He was laughing louder and Garrus chuckled as Alenko grinned.

'You should have seen them when I was catching them,' Cortez was chuckling too, 'windmill arms and legs kicking.'

Adrenaline wore off, exhaustion kept them on the floor but they were alive. Laughter echoed around them as they shared the relief and knew that today had brought them closer than ever. They were true comrades in arms, sharing a closeness that only imminent death can bring. James might resent Alenko for wanting Shepard but right then he was a fellow soldier who he could laugh with. It felt good and the shuttle ride was so much better for it.