„Thinking"
„Talking"
„Impactful word"
Location: Sentry Omega Cluster - Hoc System - SSV Normandy SR-1
Shepard POV
"Put her here, Commander!"
Chakwas led Shepard briskly to one of the empty beds, putting Akane gingerly on the white mattress. Despite having second to no knowledge about medical procedures aside from the standard first-aid lectures every alliance soldier was given, she recognized a fatal injury when she saw one.
"I will leave her to your hands." Jane turned sharply but looked once more back at the grey-haired woman, eyes pleading, "Keep her with us, please."
"I will do my best, dear."
Knowing she would only hinder the doc with her presence, she made her way out of the med-bay but not before exchanging a reassuring glance with Kaidan, who was also injured during the mission.
"Joker, gather everyone in the comm room!" Jane order, harsher than intended whilst swiftly swishing a hand over her tear-streaked face, having no desire to appear in front of the crew this way.
"Aye, aye, Commander." Even his ever acrimonious voice held a certain sadness to it which almost made her shed tears all over again.
Without even considering taking her armour off, she took long strides into the round room only to find everyone already at attendance. They looked worse to wear when she entered the room. Ashley stared guiltily at the ground. Garrus reflected certain merit of worry but not to the extent of Tali and Liara, who looked restless in their excessive worry born out their affection the teen. And Wrex, he certainly was the least affected of the four.
She stepped up to the comm buoy, "Set up a link with Admiral Hackett, Joker."
He did just that and in a matter of seconds, Hackett's hologram came into view. On most occasions she would have enjoyed the view. Now she found herself deprived of this by her distressed mind.
"What is it, Commander?"
"Akane Uchiha was critically injured and we fear she won't make until we arrive at the Citadel. Can I count on your help?"
Thank the universe for small miracles, he must have picked up on her on-edge feelings, so he kept it short. "You can. I will prepare everything for your arrival. Hackett out."
Her shoulders visibly slumped as the hologram vanished, the tension becoming unbearable for her tired body.
"You heard the man, Joker."
With a defeated sigh, she took her seat next to Ashley, leaning back to relieve some pressure off her legs. An uncomfortable silence settled inside the comm room. Nobody knew what to say, what to think of the predicament they found themselves in.
Prompted undoubtedly by her growing malaise, Tali was the first to say something, "What happened down there, Shepard?"
As if she hadn't been asking herself the same question the whole time, she answered honestly, "I don't know."
"You don't fucking know?" she heard Tali snap, actually snap. She expected some spark of anger to rise inside her at the quarian's tone but there was nothing other than disappointment. In herself and her poor capabilities to ensure her team's survival.
Turning her head away in remorse, she palmed the side of her face, finding herself at loss at how to properly explain what was beyond her understanding without sounding as if she was making excuses.
Tali, in response, eyed pointedly at Garrus and Wrex on her side, hooded orbs shimmering with unleashed rage. Demanding from the two a plausible answer that Shepard couldn't give, "Akane always acted as an independent unit, you can't blame the Commander for her actions."
"For once, I agree with Garrus. Shepard hadn't given the order." she heard Wrex add.
Jane was surprised to see him not only coming to her defence but also supporting Garrus' argument, she still wasn't sure where she stood with him after Virmire. No small part of her had been convinced that he was considering switching sides, remembering how important his people were to him. She was aware that his loyalty to her couldn't begin to compare to his people's future and that it righteously outweighed her on the scale of importance.
Everybody would think of their species first. It was only natural.
But as someone who she slowly saw as a friend, she realized what Saren's cure promised, didn't align with what Wrex had envisioned. So as his 'friend in the making', she had tried her best to find a way to let him see reason but it seemed she hadn't been the only one with the courage to do it. It was a mystery to her what Akane had said to him to make him pliable to conversation and was thankful for his cooperation. Most krogan she knew wouldn't be so controlled in face of instinctual aggression.
"It should have been me, Tali. Everyone knows that." This was what made Jane intervene. Pointing fingers would solve nothing, especially when it wasn't even warranted.
Enough things went wrong in the span of the last hours. There was no way she would allow any more to commence lest any words would come out that they would bitterly regret.
"ENOUGH!" Her voice sounded resolute but not angry, ensuring that there would be no further spiteful arguing. Although she couldn't hold it against them. Emotions were running high ever since Shepard had to choose between her two crewmates and while it showcased how much they grew as a crew, if let she let this unfold they might as well throw this growth out of the window.
Wrex and Garrus were controlled but obviously bothered by the recent events. Only participating because they had been present at the mission and Liara was visibly unsettled but her shyness kept her from saying anything. Completely opposite to Tali, who was still trying to wrap her head around why her best friend was on the verge of death. Then, there was Ashley, who couldn't get past the regret she felt about having to leave Akane behind, painting herself as the main reason for failure, when she was not.
What a mess.
She turned to the face the downright depressive Chief, making sure every word she was about to say reached her, "Don't blame yourself, Ash. Akane knew the risks when going in. She almost gave her life to save you and your team and by extension, the rest of us."
Seeing that there was protest lingering behind the dark-brown orbs she supplied, "I don't get it either, what Akane was thinking down there, but I am sure she had her reasons. Also, don't cut her out of the picture yet. She is a tough girl, she will push through."
"I take accountability for my choices, however, the blame doesn't reside within me. Nor you, Ash. Nor any of us. It's Saren's fault things ended up the way they are."
That seemed not only temporarily relax the brunette but also Tali who sat back down devastated, mumbling an apology for her outburst. Jane heaved a heavy sigh herself, once the tension dampened a bit, waiting for her words to sink in.
Akane's unexpected sacrifice, though shrouded in mystery (and a lot of confusion), made the mission a success, with a total amount of zero casualties (on Shepard's side), or so she dearly hoped it would stay that way. Thinking back in what condition she had found the teen and the dreadful look on Chakwas' seasoned face as she brought her to the med-bay spoke volumes about her chances of survival. But she chose not let it occupy her thoughts too much, even when the images kept making their appearance inside her mind.
Jane knew it wasn't what Akane would want her to do. Oh God, and here she was berating Ashley on her lack of faith when she was also talking as if she was already dead.
"Commander? Excuse me for interrupting. But I have an idea. I think the beacon you found in Saren's base was similar to the one you found on Eden Prime. It may have filled in the missing pieces of your vision. I might be able to help you put all those pieces together." Liara tore her out of her mind with her suggestion.
A large part of her wanted to postpone it until she felt rested, but she found it shamed what time Akane had bought them and so she begrudgingly went on with it.
"I recognize the place from my research... Ilos! That is why Saren needed to find the Mu Relay, it is the only way to get there!"
"Forget it. The Mu Relay's inside the Terminus Systems. Alliance ships are not welcomed there, neither are Spectres." stated Tali, no trace of anger left in her voice.
"What utter bullshit!" she heard Ashley exclaim ruefully, taking the words right out of Jane's mouth.
Although her feelings pressed her to make a decision, she knew she had to go about it smarter than she had last time. She wouldn't have Saren outsmart her a second time. The red-head had to draw out the pragmatic in this one.
"We'll see how the Council reacts. Expect another crew meeting in due time. Dismissed!"
Ugh- now onwards with these three. What should she expect this time from Councillor Sparatus?
Location: Arcturus Stream – Arcturus - Arcturus Station - Docking Bay
Hackett POV
Since the moment he had seen her rigid self in the transmission he knew he wouldn't feel excited to read her report. Something horrendous must have happened for her to be this on edge. Mind him, guerilla warfare wasn't meant to be nice to look at. But he had seen many strange (which usually went along with disgusting) things during his career and Shepard had topped mostly all of them in a span of a year.
From long-forgotten enemies like Rachni and Geth. To mysteries like the Thorian and its creepers.
He would call it bad luck weren't these things part of a Spectre's daily routine. Thank God Anderson didn't become one, not that he hadn't deserved it, or Steven would never hear the end of it from his best friend. Anderson wouldn't find that so amusing.
Better not telling him. Eyes up, Steven. Here comes your Spectre.
And his mind was right, the Normandy was landing neatly but he detected unhinged urgency in the pilot's movements. He threw a look at the medical staff to approach the starship and things happened in a rush. Next thing he knew there was a partially covered body being transported on a stretcher towards the surgical department, he caught a whiff of burnt flesh and gulped down his stomach's contents.
"I am sorry for calling on such short notice, Sir. But-" He turned to the woman of his dreams, unveiling worry inside her forest-green eyes.
"-no buts, Commander. Despite being an agent for the Council, you're also still part of the Alliance and therefore we are more than inclined to help you out in times of need."
As if you wouldn't fall on your knees if she asked.
Ignoring his pesty thoughts, he observed how her gaze dropped down but he would have none of it. "Besides, it is a welcoming distraction from all the politics."
Steven prayed to God she wouldn't take it the wrong way. A barely perceivable upturn of lips appeared on her delicate lips and he decided it had been worth the risk.
A smile of his own made itself know and before he could stop himself, he added, "There, you would put the Sun to shame with that smile."
Damn, that was cheesy, man.
His brain caught up to his mouth in embarrassment and trying to hide his slightly redding cheeks he looked away for a couple of seconds. Though the full-blown smile she sent him he could not miss, and he felt blinded by it.
¡Mierda, Steven! Is that a blush?
However, the smile didn't last and her expression turned serious quicker than he would have liked, to no small part due to her worry for her dying crewmate. It was apprehendable that Shepard had gotten close to her crew often if not considering them family. A family she never had. So he understood how much her crew meant to her.
"Rest easy, Shepard. I have my best working on her. They know how to keep things under wraps."
"I know, Hackett. It's just..." There was something she needed to get off her shoulders.
"... something is coming in the horizon and I fear I can't stop it. Not when the Council continues to trip my feet on every occasion they get. Saren's fled to the Terminus Systems and I was ordered back to the Citadel, unable to follow. I understand where their reasons come from but I find it insulting. Insulting to all the Normandy has been through only to be stopped right at the finish line."
He waited patiently all the while, listening to the shifting tones of her voice between the lines of her sentences, each portraying something different but nonetheless powerful. She spoke her mind freely and her feelings honestly, at least around those she trusted. However, that didn't impose the notion that she was outright lying to anyone outside this circle. She gave people a sense where they stood with her.
"I don't know what to make of this either, Shepard. But I don't doubt for a second that what you do is for the best for Humanity and the galaxy. Never doubt my trust in you." They locked eyes and the spark was not missed by any of them, yet none acted upon it, fearful of the other's reaction. Fearful of misinterpretation. Fearful of ruining their friendship.
"Thank you, Steven."
There was more he would like to tell her but he became tongue-tied around her once he searched for the right words to tell. Acknowledging the end of the conversation, her eyes averted with the turn of her body and he missed looking at them almost immediately but settled for her figure as compensation.
"Godspeed, Commander."
Please be careful.
Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Upper Wards
Shepard POV
She couldn't believe the Council's lengths to prevent her from going into the Terminus Systems. They grounded her.
They. Grounded. A. Spectre.
And for what? Just because Saren fled to another goddamn cluster. The best thing was that they didn't do it because of the ex-Spectre's chosen location, but because they simply harboured not enough trust to let her loose in the Systems, after some encouragement from that idiot Udina.
She suspected that they would plan something like this, catching the hint at one of their mandatory holo-meetings, but her hands were tied in her obligation to obey. For now, she would play nice. Do the Council's bidding in the sole effort to stay in their good graces. But she wasn't about to lay down just like that.
Forget about it.
She owed it to Anderson. She owed it to all the victims of Sovereign's crusade. She owed it to her crew; to Akane.
Giving up wasn't even an option in her books.
Making her way through the docks, she headed for the elevator which would bring her to the upper wards, the Flux, to be precise. Anderson had told her to meet her there and she wondered what his take on this was.
"I am glad you came, Shepard." he began. "I heard what happened."
It was strange to see him out of his dress blues, in standard-issue attire that was just like hers, "Udina sold me out."
"I know. I am sorry. I wanted to warn you but there was no way to get a message to you before you docked," he leant over the table, lowering his head lightly, "I know you're as pissed off right now as I am, but you can't give up."
"I don't." Jane clipped at the implication.
"They all think this is over, but we both know it's not. We have to get you to Ilos. Otherwise, we might as well pull out the white flag."
"Without the Normandy, it won't be possible."
"Citadel's control locked out all the Normandy's systems. But if we override the Ambassador's orders, we can get them to bring the Normandy back online."
"We can be in Terminus Systems before anyone even knows we're gone," Tali piped in.
"Hold on for a second!" Jane tamed the hope that had sprung to life, "If we steal the Normandy, you're the one left holding the back. They will charge you with capital treason!"
"There will be no Alliance left to do so if we let Saren have his way! The Reapers will destroy us! Humans, asari, everybody!"
...
"You're the only one who can stop him, Shepard. So I'll do whatever it takes to get you on the Normandy and off this station," he said adamantly and the red-head knew once Anderson put anything inside his head, he wouldn't budge.
"What are your options?" she conceded with a sigh that promised trouble on her father-figure's part.
"Either I break into the Ambassador's computer or take my chances with the patrols in Citadel control."
Hell no! She would rather have him knock out Udina than risk dealing with C-Sec, payback was long in the coming. By the satisfied smirk that held more than it let on, they were on the same wavelength, "I was hoping you would say that. The Ambassador made this personal."
They both stood up from their table, set on doing what they had discussed without wasting time, without a back glance which showed how much they trusted the other to get things done. She made her retreat to the Normandy as discreet as possible and made a bee-line for the helmsman's lair.
"Everyone on their stations!"
A round of confused 'Commander?' came from every crew member in close vicinity but they snapped out of it and got back to work.
"Joker! Prepare for green light!"
He righted his cap with the most shit-eating grin ever, "I knew there is a reason I like you!"
Hackett POV
A handful of people moved around the bedside of a patient. The said patient laid unmoving, obviously unconscious, as the doctors moved efficiently as to not block the other's way. The only words that flung around the room were updates on the patient's condition, which was failing gradually.
He wouldn't know a better team than his long-time friend's Keith Murphy.
She got a slight airway burn so it was no question why there was an endotracheal tube peeking out of her mouth. Chakwas had her on repeated dose of sedatives but now she was put intentionally under coma with paralytics to relieve her of experiencing excruciating pain.
From a bystander's view, one would recognize nothing more than a jumble of flesh and quilts, along with dozens of cables and other medical equipment around.
His opinion about Akane Uchiha was put temporarily aside for her emergency treatment, "Status report."
"We have managed to stabilize her, Sir." one of Keith's crew, Jesse Clayton, if he remembered correctly, informed him.
"Good job." The compliment rushed out quicker than he thought about it, but he was determined not to fail Shepard a second time, "How are her chances?"
"Better, but still slim. 99 percent of her body suffered full-thickness burns, counting out the 1 percent which present her genitals and eyes. Dr Chakwas did an excellent job at reducing the chances of cyanide or CO poisoning." she explained briskly.
"Has her peculiar genetical disposition somewhat impeded the surgery?"
"Fortunately, no. It seems, however, that the residing energy within her is weakening with the worsening of her condition."
"I trust you know what you have to do." squaring his shoulders, he turned on his heels. "I will be in my office. Message me if you need anything."
Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - SSV Normandy SR-1
Shepard POV
She didn't know what to expect when Joker made the FTL jump through the Mu Relay. But she stood through it as they waited for the visual.
"Uh... Commander? We've got company."
"I am right behind you, Joker."
He snapped his head to the side with an 'Oh!', surprised to see even Liara and Tali present, he could have sworn that he saw Ashley out of the corner of his eyes but for the sake of his anxiety levels, he dismissed the image and murmured: "It seemed more like I've got company."
"Since we are still in one piece, I take it their sensors haven't picked us up yet?" Liara assessed, her voice sounding worrisome.
"Stealth systems are engaged, unless they look out the window they have no idea we are here," Joker assured confidently.
"Picking up some strange readings from the planet's surface." Pressly cut in sharply, so she ordered for the helmsman to follow the coordinates.
"Negative on that, Commander. The nearest landing zone is two clicks away." Pressly pressed on.
Ashley, much to the fright of Joker, also decided to join the pseudo gathering in the cockpit, "We'll never make it in time on foot. Get us something closer!"
"There is nowhere closer! I've looked!" The XO defended himself from her abrasive assault. The brunette was a spitfire once things crossed her boiling point, and believe Jane that the Council gave her more than a reason to.
In an effort to cut the tension between the two of them, Shepard concluded, "Drop us in the Mako."
Despite the attempt, it only seemed to fuel their vicious banter, "You need at least a hundred meters of open terrain to pull off a drop like that. The most I can find near Saren is twenty."
"Twenty meters?! No way we can make a drop in there!"
A burst of courageousness came unexpectedly from Liara, "We have to try!"
Before they would be at each other's throats with repetitive words, Tali, God bless her, intervened, "The descent angle is too steep!"
"It's our only option!" Liara insisted. Whoa! Where did they leave the shy doctor from Therum?
Ashley threw her hands around in enraged disbelief, "It's not an option! It's a suicide run! We don't-"
"I can do it." Out of all people present, it was Joker who decided he had enough of their raving.
"Joker?" Jane heard herself ask in the silence.
"I can do it." his calm confidence shined through and Jane was convinced he would be able to do it. If not the best helmsman the Alliance had to offer then who?
"Gear up and head down to the Mako." she put a hand on the pilot's shoulder, he caught her eye in return. "Drop us right on top of that bastard!"
The machines were beeping frantically in response to Akane's change of condition, "Vital signs are failing!"
The group swarmed back into the room to join Joshua on his watch while he performed an analysis of the teen's body via his specialized omni-tool.
"The cause?" The unmistakable voice of Keith resonated in the isolated room.
"Compromised breathing due to exponential swelling." Joshua surmised quickly. It shouldn't be too long before the first cells would begin to die due to oxygen shortage so the need to hurry came without question.
Keith, knowing this would happen sooner or later, already handed out a laser to his fellow colleague. They started out simultaneously at her small torso, incising through the eschar on each side, careful to avoid cutting the healthy skin underneath the leathery one.
They repeated that action horizontally under her breast and collarbone to join up with the incision from before, then finalizing it with a lone trail on her neck. Upon seeing her chest expanding ever more slightly after each intake of breath, therefore widening the incision by a good bit, he concluded there would be no more similar attempts for the time being.
Joshua was mentally elated when her condition restabilized, "Condition going back to normal."
"Excellent." he heard approving murmurs from the rest of the team, putting her limbs back into an elevated position as he watched the others resume their break. "I leave the dressing to you, Joshua."
Jesse, an undoubtedly talented woman, came up to him, "Theresa will come in two hours to take over your shift, okay darling?"
Reaching out for a pack of dressing, he rolled his eyes in exasperation, she could at least try not to vex him by talking to him like he was ten, but he let it go as usual, "All right, Ma'am."
Joshua put an emphasis on the end of the sentence; a triumphant grin making its appearance on his young face once Jesse sent a disapproving scowl his direction. Ah, he lived for this playful interactions.
Only did the young man forget one thing, and that was the cocktail of sedatives that kept the patient sleeping.
Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - Ilos
Shepard POV
"Liara! Left!"
Wrex stormed with all his krogan might forward, shotgun fastened in hand, causing mayhem with his unpreceded nature whilst Shepard used the disorder he created to her advantage. Where they were going? Jane didn't know, but Liara - as the local prothean expert - suggested they should follow the geth. The next best plan didn't exist so Jane listened to the asari.
They fought... then ran... went for cover occasionally... then fought a bit more... until there were no more geth to follow. The room was dark and humid, overgrown with moss and synthetic bodies laying here and there as an aftermath of their struggle to get here.
And for wha- a security panel?
A heavily damaged security panel, with a hologram message, which no other than herself understood. Liara was swift to offer a theoretical explanation which possibly only scratched the surface of truth. Great, just what she needed right now. But...
It couldn't hurt to lend an ear, right?
"Perhaps you can make out something useful?" Wrex's booming voice echoed louder within the enclosed space.
"That's what I was thinking." The red-head thought to herself.
Hackett POV
Steven didn't know what rogue thought compelled him to check up on Akane but there he stood, watching how Keith's team began surgical debridement, certainly not a sight for the faint-hearted but nothing he couldn't stomach. He had been a soldier once after all.
Initiated once they were sure that the teen was strong enough to take on the next step: the removal of the dead skin tissue. An arduous task but one of utmost importance if the girl wanted to make a recovery. Beginning with her extremities, he observed them carefully peeling off the charred skin, the glistening pink of fresh dermis revealing itself from under it.
The surgical procedure should have gone as planned, Keith assured him of it, but something must have happened for them to suddenly freeze like that. Motionless, he caught their eyes widening in wonder. A good sign, he hoped. After what felt like an eternity of building anticipation, Keith stirred from his amazement and murmured something inaudible to his colleagues, then to Jesse at his left.
Dr Jesse left her post to, most likely, fill Hackett in.
"I take it something unexpected occurred?" he inquired the middle-aged woman evenly.
The last traces of shock steadily morphed into signs of curiosity when her eyes met his, "Affirmative. The girl's body reacted unpredictable to our standards."
"To human standards, you meant to say."
"Correct."
"So what exactly, out of the ordinary, has happened?" Steven's own curiosity had gotten the better of him.
"Due to the recency of events, I can't offer you more than a hypothesis stemming from years of experience but... the energy that resides within the girl seems to have drastically shortened the overall healing process."
"I assume this is a positive development?"
"While we still-"
Beep. Even he himself was startled by his omni-tool but hadn't missed a beat when he raised his left arm in response. All Alliance channels, with the sole exception of the one reserved for mission-critical communications, were muted by him.
"This is Admiral Hackett..."
"Sir, the SSV Normandy SR-1 sent out a distress call saying the Citadel will be attacked."
Trusting Shepard to his fullest, he tried to block out the arising 'whys and hows'.
"Rally the Fifth Fleet."
"Understood, Sir."
His posture went rigid and for a moment he almost forgot the doctor in his vicinity. "Thank you, Doctor Clayton, that will be all."
Without missing a beat, he strolled in big strides to his ship, mentally preparing himself for renewed deployment outside of his desk. A small part of thrill accompanied his increasing heart-rate, excitement for doing something outside of his day-to-day norm. But as with every rejuvenating feeling, it didn't last long and quickly were these thoughts replaced by the weight of responsibility that command passed onto an individual.
Steven knew wherever Saren went, Shepard would soon follow.
On the battlefield.
Not how he pictured their reunion to commence, but what's got a man to do?
Making sure Shepard survives would be a good start.
Location: Pangaea Expanse - Refuge System - Ilos - M35 Mako
Shepard POV
Fuck! Shit! Dammit! They needed to get to this fucking beam asap! Saren was probably already accessing the Master Control Terminal for all she knew, and what destruction Sovereign was causing she dared not imagine.
"Ignore the geth! Just drive through!" she heard Liara shouting over all the alarms that were getting triggered by the Mako's failing kinetic barriers.
So she drifted like never before, recklessly through the battalions of geth armatures with Liara and Wrex deliberately trying to gun down at least a few of them.
"We are close, Commander!"
There!
"Kinetic barriers at 30 percent." The VI warned.
Hold on.
"Kinetic barriers at 20 percent."
For the love of God, hold on, please.
"Kinetic barriers at 10 percent."
Almost there, just a little bit...
She felt as if she was in a daze.
Haziness had taken ahold of her vision as she tried to make proper use of her eyes. To no vain. At least the rest of her senses had less issue acclimating to renewed usage.
Kami, what happened for her to have trouble seeing?
The bomb happened.
Aha, right... Akane should count herself lucky to be able to see at all! Quick thinking on her part, averting her vision away from the explosion, otherwise, she would have been exposed to such a high enough level of light that could have left her permanently blind.
Other than being a grim reminder of everything that happened on Virmire, it also meant her memory was intact. Her heart picked up speed as she remembered, her breathing increasing as she became aware of the tube way too far down her throat. Her eyes snapped open despite their delicate state, her insides clenching as a congenital reflex to remove the foreign object from her pathways.
Sharp pain shot through her body as she instinctively doubled over, distracted from fully recognizing the state her body was in.
"Oh my God, don't move! Your wounds have not yet healed!"
Figures where most of the pain comes from.
A woman, Akane vaguely noticed, came to her aid. Snatching the tube out of her before she could drag her sluggish arm to do it herself. Taking in a much-needed breath once that thing was out of the way, Akane's state of awareness gradually returned to her.
She felt miserable, inside and out. As if she was in the body of a stranger, completely unfamiliar with the sensations going through her recovered nervous system. Grateful that the nurse gave her time to reacquaint herself with her body, she gave herself a once over, dully eyeing her naked body.
Her face was a mess of tears and spit from near-suffocation and her stomach continued to clench around itself for the lack of solid food. Yeah, she had seen better days. Not that she paid much attention to her appearance anyway.
Seemed like enough time passed for the woman as she initiated the conversation, "How do you feel?"
"Conscious." her voice rasped heavily, vocal cords flexing with strain.
Akane tried to massage her neck only to find it tightly bandaged. As well as the rest of her upper body with the exception of her arms. "Where am I?"
"We are on Arcturus Station," she replied, and Akane felt once more grateful for not dragging it out with unnecessary details. So Shepard must have come back for her after the explosion which made her sink into a moment of silence. She truly hadn't predicted such an outcome, not that she wasn't still glad to be alive. Her Kanzen Saimin must have broken after she lost consciousness.
"How long?"
"Almost a week."
"Under whose supervision?"
"Admiral Hackett's." Just as she had guessed.
"Where is he?"
"He is gathering the Fifth Fleet for an urgent mission." A mission, huh, sure.
The deployment of a whole army could hardly be just for the sake of a simple mission. There was only one thing to deduce from this.
The battle over the Citadel was on the way. She wouldn't let the Normandy fend for itself against an enemy they knew next to nothing about. Hell, they were the only ones to even acknowledged their existence! Unlike the Council, who continuously disapproved of every piece of evidence Shepard dug up.
Well, fate had its way with fools.
Reality would come crashing down upon them, if not already, and thousands of lives would be lost upon the assault. Just because of the pride and ignorance of three. The darker side of her most viciously tempted the shinobi to let it happen. Let them witness the consequences of their stupidity! Let the guilt and responsibility of their choices crush them!
But that would put those three ahead of those who suffered inside her head. Ahead of all the lives they were endangering with their decision. That was what Akane made to overthink her plans, although securing the survival of the Normandy was still her primary objective, she decided it would be beneficial in the long run to have as many people make it as possible.
But first, she turned her onyx eyes back at the woman, the Uchiha's machinations apparent by the look of suspicion on the woman's youthful face.
"W-What are you planning?" Akane heard her ask timidly.
The black in her iris was replaced by red and the woman found herself falling to the ground, "Sleep."
Once the woman no longer stood on her legs, the Uchiha's sleepy fingers separated each cable that kept her connected to the medical instruments, so she could safely spring from the bed in all her naked glory within the parameters the injuries on her body allowed.
Trusting her way towards the fallen woman, even though on shaky legs, Akane felt bad for stealing her omni-tool but she needed it more. Urging herself to make haste, she performed the signs for the Henge no Jutsu and transformed into a young man.
Knowing she had wasted enough time for her to lose her chance at making it on one of the starships in the Fifth Fleet, the disguised shinobi rushed through the compound. Having to activate her Byakugan along the way because she got lost, much to her embarrassment.
But thankfully, she managed to get out of the maze they called a hospital and narrowly entered one of the smaller frigates. Pressing herself against a nearby wall, she thought about what she would do now.
Should she henge into someone else and act as part of the crew? No. Too obvious; a crew was a tight-knit group who would sniff out a problem right away.
The other alternative posed to make use of the Meisaigakure no Jutsu although that would possibly drain the last of her chakra reserves she possessed. The In'yu Shōmetsu took quite the toll on her but it had served its purpose adequate enough. But how would she go about destroying Sovereign without chakra?
It won't matter if you don't get there! You will just have to improvise!
Well, although she loathed proceeding without a plan, it wasn't like she had any other options. Akane would have to take a risk. She heaved a deep breath while forming the tiger sign. The apprehensive part of her was convinced that this was suicide.
There was a high probability, yes... but statistically speaking there was always a chance for unlikely events to take place.
Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium
Shepard POV
Holy shit! For a second she couldn't believe they did it.
"You guys are okay?" Shepard asked alarmingly, squeezing herself from under the overturned Mako.
"I am okay, Shepard," Liara answered promptly. But where was Wrex?
"Wrex?"
A sonorous grunt could be heard from the Mako's direction and she turned to see the krogan trying to lift himself along with the infantry, which inconveniently laid on top of him. Shepard didn't doubt his strength to free himself alone but they were running out of time.
"Liara! Help me lift it off him!" They jogged over to him, seizing a firm hold on the hull.
"Shepard behind you!" Wrex warned as three husks made a run for them. In a swift motion did both women take out their pistols and fired with frightening precision.
"I knew fighting with women gave the whole experience another flavour." he chuckled as he rose from the ground, impressed but also pleased. After having learnt not to underestimate krogan durability, she refrained from further asking if he was okay. He might take it as an insult if she asked that.
"Let's head to the elevator."
Typing into the console, the elevator swished with speed upwards, carrying them to their desired destination. Giving the squad a chance for a breather but also offering a chance to spectate the alarming state of the Presidium.
"By the Goddess! The Citadel's arms are closing!" Liara exclaimed with shock, pointing upwards. But there was something else when she looked up at the Citadel Fleet. Squinting her green eyes in an effort to discern the shape rapidly growing in the distance, her head connected the dots immediately once the figure decimated any starship in its way simply by brute force.
"Sovereign's coming!"
Dread tingled along their spines as they watched the looming figure of a Reaper closing in on them, not specifically targeting them, but the Council Tower. The Reaper landed on it gently, tendrils sucking on the surface as the elevator stopped abruptly.
No doubt, Saren's response to the Reaper's arrival. "Helms on - we're going outside."
Hackett POV
"Normandy to Fifth Fleet. Normandy to Fifth Fleet. Do you copy, Admiral?"
Joker's voice was unmistakable. Steven nodded towards his Navigator Officer to set up a link. "We copy. Patch me through to the Commander."
"Negative, Admiral. We have lost touch with Commander Shepard's ground team after Ilos. Last time I heard from her was when she said she was following Saren through the Conduit."
Steven ignored the pit that opened up in his stomach. "I- see. Who's with her?"
"Liara T'Soni and Urdnot Wrex, Sir."
He wasn't sure why he had asked such a question. Certainly, any member was so loyal to Shepard that they would follow her through hell and back.
"Admiral, we are receiving numerous emergency calls from Executor Pallin. The Citadel Fleet is suffering heavy loses and the Destiny Ascension sent out a mayday call. Their shields are failing and their engines are offline. They also mentioned that the Council is on board." one of his men stated grimly.
His expression didn't falter. The Citadel was being overwhelmed by the geth's forces and the Reaper had yet to make an appearance in their allies' updates. While his Jane faced countless dangers to apprehend the enemy's plan.
If someone just opened those goddamn Relays, he wouldn't be forced to idly sit by. It wasn't often that Steven prayed to a higher power but as the situation stood, only divine intervention would turn the tables.
"Admiral Hackett! The Commander has given us green light! I repeat, we have green light!" Joker announced.
Who needs divine intervention when you have Shepard?
"What's the order?"
"Save the Ascension."
"Prepare for FTL jump!" Hackett announced through the shared comm. Within the span of seconds, they entered the battlefield-ridden space of the Citadel, mayhem all around them as they streamed in numbers.
"Alliance ships move in! Save the Destiny Ascension!"
Save Shepard.
She had never witnessed such carnage in such a tranquil ambience as space. There were spacecrafts everywhere, tangled together in combat of starships. The Destiny Ascension stood out in the crowd, with its strongly asari influenced design.
This was a battle of another kind even the veteran Anbu had yet to witness. A battle of astronomical scale. Nothing like fighting from the shadows.
Here, there was no place to hide.
No shadow; just a vast plain of nothingness where every second was lethal.
And this was the place where Akane Uchiha had come to realize that, in spite of how many ways she prided her power, it had shortcomings. There was no way she could battle the Reapers in space with her current scale of power.
After securing the Ascension from enemy fire, they focused their joint efforts on one target; and that was Sovereign. "The Citadel's opening! All ships move in! Concentrate on Sovereign!"
She knew what currently went through every head of any Alliance soldier within the Arcturus Fleet as they gazed upon the massive shape that was Sovereign: Big target. Unmoving. Outnumbered. Easy prey.
They couldn't have put it more wrong.
Akane was aware who they were up against, was aware of the power a single Reaper held in store. But they were not. They didn't know. How could they? It was their first encounter with one. Their inexperience and overestimation would cost them dearly. Just like it had once cost her people.
The Reaper was under fire from all angles in seconds, covered in explosions that on closer inspection, seemed to not do any damage at all. Sovereign lifted one of its tendrils and levelled it on some frigate. There was a short span before the frigate was pierced through with but a single beam, bypassing any relevant barriers it might have had. Panic broke among the Fleet and it was heard through the channels.
The Uchiha didn't waste another second as she sprinted towards the escape pods. The passages of the ship were fairly deserted because everyone else was pinned to their respective posts. No one took notice of her departure, safe from the officers who managed the ship's interior system. But they were more than preoccupied with the ongoing battle to pay any attention to it.
Sealing the entrance off, Akane dropped her concealment jutsu and grabbed the nearest breathing mask in the storage. She gulped down her fear as she opened the metallic door, exposing her to empty space. Akane had encountered countless things that would leave the bravest hearts trembling. But nothing compared to the fear she felt in this moment.
Vulnerable, alone and out of options. Realizing how immeasurably tiny she felt at this very moment; as if the vacuum wanted to swallow her whole and never spit out. The eery silence she was greeted with suddenly became overwhelming when she was encompassed in chaos. Internal and external. The only thing she heard was the frantic pounding of her heart inside her disfigured chest.
The thought appeared almost strangely ironic to her. How she could laugh in the face of danger, smile in the face of death, but not jump into open space. It brought her mind back to her first mission with Shepard when she had only felt a fraction of this fright.
Because this was no mere jump.
It was a leap of faith.
She who lost all hope in believing in anyone else, anything else than herself. She tried to pressure her mind into thinking how many lives could be lost if she didn't get over it. Tried different methods to get her to move but none worked. Nothing seemed to overthrow the terror that seized her very soul.
At times, when great terror takes over your mind. Drives away any rational thought. Remind yourself that your body responds to your mind. To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.
She didn't know how long her eyes had been closed but to Akane, it felt like a fresh breath as she pried them open. Even when Haruko wasn't with her anymore, his lectures remained with a strong foothold inside her psyche. An anchor for the turbulent sea that was her mind sometimes.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
"Thank you, my heart."
With rejuvenated determination did she dispel the Sharingan to direct the rest of her chakra towards her legs.
And jumped...
Nobody saw how the human shape drifted towards the Citadel, too small to be fully recognizable and therefore not targeted. But once it got within the Citadel's active mass effect field, it regained its hold on movement.
Kami, she did it! Akane released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. Her adrenaline spiked to such heights that she even forgot the disapproving pain resonating through her injured body. Looking around, it was hard to miss the Council Tower so the shinobi hastened her steps towards the building.
Her previous fear was long forgotten as she jumped from building to building in an effort to get closer to the Reaper. Riling her brain to conjure up at least something resembling a plan, but nothing came to mind. She wasn't up to par without her chakra to actually do something against Sovereign.
Think! Think! Think!
The Reapers were machines. The only way for Akane to beat one was through her Susanoo. And only with great difficulty. There was no way for her to take Sovereign down all by herself, which was why she needed to make use of her allies.
What was the Alliance's current greatest obstacle in destroying the Reaper?
The near-impenetrable kinetic barrier. If she somehow managed to take down its kinetic shields, the Alliance would give it the finishing blow.
Flicking through the memories of Tali's lectures about the use of element zero in the form of mass effect fields, she searched for a possible weakness. The shielding afforded by kinetic barriers did not protect against extremes of temperature, toxins, or radiation. Toxins and radiation hardly affected machines. But temperature...
Perhaps she could work with that. There was only one catch to this. She wouldn't be able to knead her own chakra into a sufficient enough fire release because she simply had none left. For any chakra transformation, in fact.
Make use of what you have and not what you don't have, you idiot! The Alliance is getting shredded!
"Use of what I have?" What the hell was she supposed to find on the Citadel that could possibly help her? There was lots of fire, fallen debris. The civilian casualties were high and there were some geth roaming around. Destroyed wires carrying electric current dangerously lingered...
Wait- that was it! Electricity!
She could use it as a source of energy via posing herself as a conductor to fire her own beam at the Reaper. Undoubtedly, the current's voltage would be immense and therefore, handled with extreme caution. She had never tried anything remotely similar, but she felt confident enough in her proficiency with the element. But she wasn't sure how the lethal amounts of electricity would affect her own health, even if she wouldn't be directly conserving the energy within herself but simply letting it pass through her.
Wrex wasn't lying when he said you were insane.
Approaching the nearest vein, she gathered the smallest amount of chakra she had possibly ever accumulated and seemingly incited the current to flow into her palm. The weight of the energy that flooded her felt heavy and she almost failed to raise her other arm from the intensity.
Concentrate. Imagine the shape and simply let it do the rest.
Her other arm barely stretched out, fingers forming a Seal of Confrontation to accommodate the path she wanted the current to take and aimed it on the Reaper. Just like that, the tension became lesser once the current had somewhere to flow although certain merits of numbness prevailed. The crackling white beam smashed against the invisible barrier with consecutive force.
As long as the current flowed she couldn't move from her stance and was vulnerable for an attack but the fruits of her efforts finally bore and she couldn't care less, for the sight she was met with was one of hope. Red lightning bolts shot within Sovereign as it fell in a sort of knocked-out way forward, no longer being able to keep its grip on the Council Tower.
It was in shambles with the next round of fire and the sight couldn't have been more satisfying.
Even though her vision began to blurry, the image of the SV Normandy SR-1 blitzing all across the battlefield didn't escape her notice. Noting with a smile, Joker was in his element as he manoeuvred the 'beauty of a ship' with such expertise that Akane almost considered artful. But she wasn't long to admire the display as wreckages of all sort came raining down upon the Citadel and she needed to get out of the way lest she would get crushed.
Moving safely out the way, she collapsed to the ground, twitching from the traces of leftover electricity putting her whole nervous system into disarray. Exactly like the effect of the Ranshinshō. Damn, she felt tired even when finally lying down.
"Oh for Kami's sake!"
Have fun relearning the connection between your brain and your limbs.
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" she cursed inwardly.
Location: Serpent Nebula - Widow - Citadel – Presidium – Citadel Tower
Shepard POV
She didn't know how much time had passed since she shouted for Wrex and Liara to take cover. But what she knew was that she had been knocked out cold and that Jane only now woke up. Feeling somewhat groggy yet possessing enough coordination to stand up, Jane was taken by a violent cough as her lungs breathed in the excess of carbon dioxide from the inflamed tress inside the Council Chambers.
It seemed her helmet was damaged.
It was from the fit of coughs that she came to realize the acute pain on her side and once she instinctively reached out for the spot, Jane felt her left arm joining in the pain. Clutching it protectively to her side, she carefully descended the stairs when she heard something closely resembling a voice.
Or was she imagining it?
She walked after the sounds and the stone on her heart dropped from relief as she found Liara and Wrex relatively unharmed. Only kept upright by C-Sec officers. But the sight that followed left a permanent smile on her face. Anderson was there and he was looking relieved beyond measure, which was closely followed by such an intense expression of pride that she almost hugged him.
Realizing by another sting of pain that such motions were unadvised she kept her hands to herself, but Anderson didn't miss the grimace that passed her features and let her slung her good arm around his neck, helping her walk.
Despite the pain, his next words had her brimming with happiness, "You did good, lass."
Ah! She could finally move!
What a delightful feeling to be able to move after that dreadful experience. But she wasn't ready to move yet and she hoped that they managed to reestablish life-support because Akane was growing tired of the breathing mask.
"Kami I feel wrecked."
More like tired of living.
Or that.
This was becoming too much for her battle-worn mind. She simply felt lost again. At least at the SSA, she had Haruko and Shirone. As long as they had been alive, her course was clear. But now that they weren't, she didn't know where to steer the wheel. She was so used to letting her life be led by another that she forgot how to be the one in charge.
Not that she had any right complaining. Akane chose such path out her own free will, but now that she was alone. She suddenly found it difficult to point out what she wanted to do with herself.
Seems like 'embracing life' isn't as easy as you thought?
Her creed was no longer applicable since no one she cared about was alive. And she would be lying if she said that suicidal thoughts hadn't crossed her mind in times when her mind became too much. Out of her own stubbornness, Akane didn't entertain those thoughts. Because death was always the easiest way out. No, she needed to suffer. For every child she had murdered that night, for every innocent man or woman, even for the very guilty... she deserved to suffer.
Her sense of justice wouldn't have it another way. But despite knowing that she was the least of people deserving a second chance, Shirone wished her exactly that. It was one of her dying wishes, and Kami knew how much the Anbu tried to live up to them ever since. But her inner demons put up quite the fight.
Nevertheless, she simply had to try. For Shirone. For all the lives that her victims couldn't live out themselves.
But all of this, all the small changes in perspective would have never happened if she hadn't met the likes of Shepard, Liara or Tali; hell, the whole Normandy. They were the ones who held all the credit.
However, she couldn't hope to accomplish her newfound goal with her current self. After all, one couldn't build a house on brittle ground. She needed to make the first step towards her new self. And it was important that she undertook this journey alone.
That was why she decided it was for the best to leave the Normandy. Leave Shepard.
But what friend would she have made if she didn't, at least, leave a message for her?
Hackett POV
By some unknown miracle, which he suspected to be of Shepard's doing, they were able to take Sovereign down before it overwhelmed the whole Fleet. He wouldn't deny it that even his leadership skills almost failed him against the obvious technological superiority that had almost cost him the whole fleet!
"Reporting in: Shenyang, Emdem, Jakarta, Cairo, Seoul, Cape Town, Warsaw, Madrid have been destroyed."
8 cruisers.
"Go on."
The officer acknowledge his demand, "The rest is on stand-by, awaiting your orders."
So this was the end result.
And they didn't even lose them to the geth. It was all the doing of one Reaper. Of only one. Let's not forget that prior to their timely arrival, it was up against the Citadel Fleet, and look in what condition they ended up. The Destiny Ascension - the pride of the Citadel - barely standing. He dared not imagine what might they were capable of in larger numbers. But that was what awaited them, at least according to Shepard. When? Nobody knew... but they would come.
And they would come in numbers and strength the galaxy hadn't seen.
But that lay in the future, Steven was needed in the present. And he had yet to hear from Shepard. The worry inside him didn't budge against the grief that threatened to overtake him at the loss of his soldiers.
"Heavily damaged ships have permission to dock, any other available ships will be patrolling around Citadel perimeter."
A series of affirmations came out of the Captains under his fleet until the channel went quiet again. He allowed himself a moment of relapse as he stood at CIC. Knowing that he should draw strength before he would be needed again.
"You have new messages on your private terminal, Sir." His yeoman informed him all too early.
Yet, his heart skipped a beat at the potential news regarding Shepard or Anderson. And true to his intuition, there was a message from Anderson, but also from Keith. Opening Anderson's first, his icy blue eyes skimmed through the contents, his worry disappearing with every sentence he passed.
Evidently, one of Sovereign's tentacles, upon its destruction, had crashed into the Council Tower, where Jane had been battling Saren and she hadn't come out of this without injuries. But thankfully, no life-threatening ones.
Jane lived! That was all that mattered. His mind absently thanking whatever high entity watched over his Spectre. Enthralled by joy, his fingers tipped on the other message that soon toned his mood down considerably.
Akane escaped, which by the state of her injuries shouldn't have been possible. Was she a second Shepard? Always doing the impossible? The message didn't entail anything explicit and he suspected his friend wouldn't keep the details to himself if he had any to spare in the first place.
You have other things to worry about, Steven.
Right, how would he tell this Shepard?
From: Uchiha Akane
To: Commander Jane Shepard
Subject: Farewell
I suppose it must appear unexpected that you hear from me personally, given my dire state of health. But rest assured, the doctors under Admiral Hackett's supervision did an excellent job in keeping me alive. Please do not fault him for my escape from treatment and send him my gratitude, I owe him my life. The same can be said of you. I am sure you must have many questions about what happened on Virmire, but I fear you must be patient with me once again, my friend. What happened down there wasn't your fault and neither is my consequential condition, it pains me if you'd think so. The accountability for my actions are mine alone to bear, although I confess, I hadn't expected for you to come back for me. Yet you impressed me again. I doubt you will ever run out of ways to do so. There are many things I wish to tell you, but I desire to do it in person, for you don't deserve it any other way. Joining the Normandy had made me realize a few things; things I need to give much thought to and for that, I ask you as your friend, that you let me go. Sometimes you have to be alone, to find out who you really are.
This is not meant to be a goodbye. Our paths will cross again and when they do then, remember this:
The moon loved the sun so much that he died every day to let her breathe.
Words dictionary:
Meisaigakure no Jutsu 迷彩隠れの術 / Hiding with Camouflage Technique - The user controls the reflection of light around their body using chakra, causing their form, shadow, and even breathing to become invisible to the unaided eye.
In'yu Shōmetsu 陰癒傷滅 / Yin Healing Wound Destruction - The user gathers chakra to the area of his body where the attack will strike, preemptively starting medical treatment in order to minimise the damage he'll receive. The more extensive the damage, the more chakra it takes to heal.
Tairitsu no In 対立の印 / Seal of Confrontation - Which looks like a half-tiger/ram, is the symbol of combat and is a universal sign of engagement between shinobi. It represents half of a seal that might be used to activate a ninjutsu. This motion is often used to concentrate chakra, and many shinobi are seen initiating simple, basic techniques as well as few complex ones after making this seal.
Author's note: How did you find my grand finale? Boring? Too long? Hopefully, some of you liked it, if not, then please comment on what you would do better. Constructive feedback is always welcomed! As per routine, I will list a few points to avoid possible misunderstandings in the near future.
#1. I have no idea if I directed Akane's surgery realistically enough (within the parameters of anime of course) but I honestly put a ton of research into it. If any of you are medical students then don't shy away from correcting me if I made a mistake in her treatment. At least up until the point where she regenerates herself through the In'yu Shōmetsu.
#2. I know it is scientifically unlikely for lightning to be visible with the naked eye in space. You can have an electrical discharge across a vacuum. Electricity can jump through a vacuum, much like it jumps through air. It doesn't glow in quite the same way, because there is nothing to become incandescent and nothing to fluoresce. Space is a perfectly good dielectric, and electricity can jump across such a gap. However, accumulation of a charge is not so easy in space and that is where Akane came into place. In the atmosphere, charges can accumulate in clouds, in the air itself, and on the earth. In this case, I had Akane become the medium through which the electric current would flow and her chakra be the secret ingredients that would make it all possible. In a sense, you should see elements of Sasuke's Kirin. Way less refined, but the same in theory. Sorry for the short physics lesson!
#3. In relation to my last point, I KNOW that it is often useless to use science on anime but I have to tone down Akane's hax powers somehow. I imagine you have grown tired of the repeated concept of OP MCs with unlimited powers and blah, blah, blah... You get my meaning. My protagonist won't be like this at all otherwise the story might get too predictable. And where is the fun in that for you my dear readers?
#4. PLEASE, and this is important. Do give me your opinions if the characters are too OC, I know that it is probably a bit late for that but I haven't addressed this issue solely because it didn't seem to bother you. I truly tried my best to let them be who they are in the original series, with the exception of Shepard who has to be a bit player biased.
At any rate, big shout out for you guys! For sticking with the story so far and supporting me throughout this challenging year. I will take a break to plan out the ME2 timeline and you will hear from me when I update the next chapter.
