"Everyone?" Miranda's accent is more grating than normal when she's yelling, and it's worse right now than ever because she's yelling at Joker. "You lost everyone and damn near the ship, too?"
"I know, alright?" Joker snaps back at her. "I was here!"
Jacob shakes his head. "It's not his fault, Miranda. None of us caught this."
"The harmful data in the Collector drive was even more sophisticated than the block box Reaper viruses I was given," EDI chimes in.
"Is the ship clean? We can't risk this happening again." I can hear the tension, the fear, in my own voice, but I can't help it. Garrus wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side, and I don't resist for a second. I need it.
"EDI and I purged the system," Joker assures me, rubbing his eyes with one hand. I can see the physical and emotional toll this took on him, the bruises and the trembling and the pallor of his skin. Literally crawling through the ship while the Collectors murdered and took our crew? For the first time since we met, Joker looks broken and not just because his legs are at odd angles in his seat in the Comm Room. "For what it's worth, the Reaper IFF is online. We can go through the Omega 4 Relay whenever you want."
"Don't even get me started about unshackling a damned AI," Miranda scoffs.
I turn to start telling her off, but Joker is defensive and beats me to it. "What could I do against Collectors? Break my arm at them?" he demands, voice cracking.
"That is enough," Garrus interjects, voice low and deep with a growl. It catches me off guard that he jumps in when usually the Turian is the perfect soldier. I can see Miranda startle as well, but she only needs a glance at him to decide she's not going to argue. I don't blame her; I've seen Garrus protective before, and it's nothing to mess around with.
Garrus squeezes me and then steps away, kneeling in front of the pilot to get closer to eye level. I realize seeing it that Garrus always makes a point of sitting when he's with Joker, never asking the pilot to look up at him. He never asks Joker to submit.
"You okay?" he asks.
"I'm...yeah, I mean, I'm fine," Joker grumbles, clearly lying. At least Garrus used the same tone he would in the field; if I had to ask Joker that question right now, I would probably cry and embarrass the hell out of him.
"I'll get your legs splinted as soon as we're done here. It won't be as good as what Chakwas can do, but it'll help some until we get her back."
My heart stutters. It's special to see him so protective over someone else, to watch it from this perspective this time. And I don't worry about Garrus doing more damage to the pilot's fragile bones just because of his size; I've certainly got experience with the big guy being gentle.
"Will administer pain relievers," Mordin chimes in. "Well deserved." The Salarian who has a special forces reputation and is well respected as a total badass on this ship gives Joker a firm nod of approval and respect. He's staked his side in things against Miranda. Once again, she's put herself at odds with the crew by putting her foot in her mouth and her ego ahead of her good sense. And she had the nerve to wonder why I didn't give her one of the teams on the Geth ship.
Joker seems a bit flustered, and he's definitely blushing, but I can see that he's grateful. "Yeah, painkillers would be nice, thanks." He glances quickly at Garrus but doesn't keep eye contact and then mumbles, "Thanks, buddy."
Garrus just nods and pats his shoulder gently before standing again. I make a point of catching his gaze and giving a nod of approval of my own. I know he appreciates it even if he doesn't need it.
"You should all be thanking EDI, by the way," Joker announces. "She cleared the ship."
"I assure you that I am still bound by the protocols in my programming," EDI tells us calmly. "Even if I were not...you are my crewmates."
It makes me smile even with the pain and fear in my chest, threatening to choke me. Joker praising the AI he's called cancer more than once is certainly worthy of a smile, too. "EDI, you have had plenty of opportunities to kill all of us and never took them. I trust you."
Tali touches my arm. "Shepard, you've worked hard to get the upgrades that the Normandy needs. From an engineering perspective, we're ready to go after the Collectors whenever you decide we need to."
"Offensively, we couldn't be better prepared," Jacob agrees. "Between the armory upgrades you and I put together and all the work Vakarian has done on the Thanix, this baby packs a serious punch to her now."
"And the squad is ready," Garrus adds, his tone allowing for no uncertainty. "We're all with you."
My heart rocks when the whole room agrees. And Garrus is in the middle of them, the literal beacon for me, the beam holding it all up. Right now, he's standing tall and firm, arms crossed. There's no doubt in his eyes, and that's what I need to see.
Especially because even if we weren't ready right now, there would be only one way forward.
"We have to try and save our crew," I tell them. "We're going to the Omega 4 Relay and the Collector Base immediately."
Zaeed outright cheers, probably more for the prospect of violence than anything else. A couple others clap or fist pump, Jack and Jacob high five with their jaws set firm. They're as ready as I am. We're doing this.
"Course plotted for the Omega 4 Relay," EDI tells me. "ETA is about two hours."
"Perfect. Everyone go gear up. Do what you need to do. We bring our crew home, and this ends today."
The confident way that the crew confirms my command and then scatters off to their respective places around the ship makes me feel a little better. I ask Miranda to get the Illusive Man on the comms but I don't plan to start the call with him right away, wanting to make sure Garrus can get Joker to Med Bay safely.
"Can you walk?" Garrus asks. He waits until the room is clear of everyone else, and his tone is patient and kind without being patronizing. It strikes me that this is a huge part of his dominant personality and his skills in that arena, being able to anticipate and manage needs. We both know damn well how defensive Joker can be about his illness, and Garrus obviously doesn't want to make the guy feel worse. Love and affection swells in my chest as I watch him care for a good friend.
Joker, of course, growls in response. "As much as I'd like to tell you to fuck off and I'll get there on my own...no, I don't think I can walk."
"I think I could probably manage carrying you easier than Shepard could. That okay with you?" Garrus checks. I definitely recognize this treatment, Garrus getting consent every step of the way.
"We might make Shep jealous if you give me the full princess treatment," he quips.
Garrus laughs, and I flip Joker off, which makes him laugh as well even though it looks painful. I hold my breath when Garrus steps closer to the pilot and lets the human brace himself on the chair. He tries his best to slide his arms under and around Joker's frail body without breaking or harming it. Joker groans in pain, and I wince in sympathy.
"I know I'm not exactly soft, buddy, I'm sorry. I promise I'm doing my best," Garrus breathes, anxiety thick in his voice when he straightens slowly to lift Joker into his chest.
Joker pants heavily, the pain obviously bad enough to take his breath away, but he shakes his head firmly. "No, it's...it's okay. I'm good, I'm good. Okay. Let's go."
Garrus moves with caution, turning sideways to leave the Comm Room so that Joker's legs and head are nowhere near the bulkhead. Joker doesn't make eye contact, mostly because his eyes are shut while he grimaces in pain, but Garrus catches my eye as he passes. Garrus just shakes his head a little to blow it off and even offers me a wink before continuing on his way to get our pilot battle ready.
Once they disappear and the doors shut again, I accept the call with the Illusive Man. In classic douchebag form, he goes on and on about what a great opportunity this is and how the danger is well worth the risk. He tells me that I've put together a fine crew and that I'm a great leader - the leader humanity needs. He calls me a valuable asset, and I feel cheap, my stomach churning at the reminder that this man brought me back from the dead to use me.
I tune out most of what he says because I just can't stand talking to him. I hate him, I hate everything he does and stands for, and I despise the fact that - at least for now - I have no choice but to check in with him. It makes me sick to owe him my life.
It makes me sick to hear him call me a great leader right now, too. My team has been broken, our crew taken from us and slaughtered. Garrus, Grunt, and Thane did the horrible work of collecting bodies - bodies of our friends. And as their leader, every single death is on me.
I consider doing rounds after ending the call with the Illusive Man as quickly as possible, but I don't have the emotional energy for it. And we only have two hours. I know where I need to spend that time if I'm going to be ready to go through the Omega 4 Relay, so I get into the elevator and hope Garrus is either already there or will be soon.
My heart is heavy when I start at the empty spot on the CIC where Kelly Chambers should be playfully annoying me about emails until the doors shut. After how much of an ass I was to her in the pre-Garrus days, I never deserved her kindness. My mind whirls through everyone else the Collectors stole right out from under my nose. Hadley, Matthew, and Hawthorne were murdered, their blood smeared on the floor of the ship that they protected until their last moments. I wonder who they're gracing with those ever-present smiles in whatever life comes after this.
Gardner was taken. He was the first member of the Cerberus crew to welcome the aliens, and his efforts to give all of us comfort after long missions never meant unnoticed. I hate thinking about how quiet Engineering must be right now without Ken and Gabby. I picture Ken taking bets on how long before we rescue them, and Gabby blushing when Garrus comes to her rescue.
Dr. Chakwas is gone. That one is the hardest to take. The mental image of the gray-haired doctor being dragged off the ship she loves so much by one of those bug-like abominations makes me feel sick. Garrus asked her for a blessing to marry me because we're so close, because she's one of the closest things I have to a parent. My heart breaks to think that the Collectors may be hurting her.
I have nothing but unknowns. Will we make it to the base in time, before they kill the rest of our crew? Will we even make it through the Omega 4 Relay? And even if we do get through and do rescue them, can we make it back?
With pain in my chest and anxiety making my head spin, I send up a silent prayer that Garrus will already be in our quarters when we get there. I heave out a sigh of relief when the doors open and he's standing near the edge of our bed. Right where I need him.
For half a second, I fight the urge to rush across the room and into his arms, to where I'll be safe and feel alive. And then I stop fighting at the same time Garrus does, our bodies colliding into the middle of the room. I cling to him, throwing my arms around his neck, and Garrus pulls my legs around his hips immediately like he knows I'm ready to collapse.
He moves for the couch, just a few steps away, and sits so my knees rest outside his hips. One hand shoves into my hair, and Garrus pulls my forehead to his where I can nuzzle him, my hands on his jaw. With his other arm firmly wrapped around me, he's created a bubble. A place in the universe where I can be safe from the monsters who just invaded our home and hurt our family.
"You're trembling," he whispers. I only realize then that he's right, but we're both distracted by Monster making space for himself between us. It's welcome, his tiny but rapidly growling body warm and snuggly the moment I pull him against my chest. And his purr is enough like Garrus's that it's even more comforting than a sweet kitty purr would be anyway. Monster tucks under my chin, and Garrus leans around him to kiss my neck, up to my ear, and then my jaw softly. "I do not like competing with this little creature."
"Hmm. Just wait 'til there's also a baby someday."
Garrus snaps his head up and gives me a dark look that makes me laugh - really laugh, which I would have thought impossible a moment ago. "I will love our children more than anything in the galaxy...but not enough that I'd let them keep me from getting to your body."
"You're an animal," I murmur against his mouth, instantly turned on both by his need for me and him talking about future children - children, multiple! Garrus meets my kiss, wet and almost rushed, and very hot. Monster has been around long enough to know that's his signal to get out of the way, and he only chirps his displeasure a little before going elsewhere. I don't worry about where, already far too distracted by Garrus's exceptional kissing skills.
He threads both hands into my hair and tilts my head, holding me still and taking control of my mouth. His tongue moves in slow, almost lazy licks except that each one is perfectly tantalizing. He slides his tongue along my lower lip, then captures it between his teeth and tugs gently. It's enough to completely melt me, my entire body simultaneously charged and submitting to him. I need that desperately right now.
"Wanted to taste these lips the first moment I saw you," he purrs, brushing his lips over mine.
"You took to kissing lessons exceptionally," I manage, my voice absurdly wanton and husky.
"I had a lot of incentive." He kisses me fully again, hard and demanding. "Most of that being that I am completely fucking crazy about you, Elle Shepard."
He pulls my hand up between us, nipping my ring finger, then just above my engagement ring, and then licking a hot line over my palm. I have no idea how my palm turned into such an erotic spot, but damn he gets me hot.
"You know what happens after we get back through the relay, right?" he breathes, a growl building in his chest while he pulls my arm to bring his mouth to my wrist. This is a spot he's taken advantage of before, his tongue on my pulse point somehow connected right to my clit. "We're gonna bring our crew home, shut the Collectors down...and then you're gonna meet my mom."
My heart stops. It's not that I'd forgotten Garrus's mom started treatments on the Citadel, absolutely not. And I definitely haven't forgotten that we made plans to visit when our mission is over. But with everything that's happened very quickly since Castius Vakarian left the Normandy, it took a back burner. That, or I'm so terrified about meeting Garrus's mom that my mind put up a block.
Garrus snaps me back out of my head with a sharp nip to the inside of my wrist. "I told you that because I'm excited about it, not to panic you. As far as I'm concerned," he licks to soothe the nip, "you're my family. And introducing you to the rest of my family..." Blue eyes blaze at me. "I can't wait."
"I'm excited, too," I assure him. "And you know that you're my family. It means a lot to me that I could...you know, become part of yours."
He kisses my lips again, softly. "We're gonna go rescue our family here, and then you're gonna be that much closer to being a Vakarian." He cocks his head. "Shepard-Vakarian? Just Shepard?"
"I should probably just change my first name to Shepard," I laugh. "And you're doing an excellent job of distracting me this evening, big guy."
He offers me a sad smile. "You're onto me, kid. Usually a distraction is what you need. But you know I'm here to talk, too."
"I know. I just..." Words fail me, and my head falls forward.
"Hey now." I talon tips my chin back up, and impossibly blue eyes hold mine. "We both know I'd follow you to hell without question. But I have every confidence that you've prepared this team and this ship. You are going to bring all of us back through that relay. Okay?"
They're just words. Anyone else could say the same thing, I could have said those same words to myself. But for some reason, coming from Garrus, the confidence lifts a massive weight. It's like he can breathe right into my soul when even I can't.
I capture his mouth this time, leaning heavily against him so that he can feel my breasts against his chest, which always makes him moan. I press closer, slipping one hand under his fringe to the soft spot there, and kiss his mandible softly before kissing the new bandage on the other side of his face. Against his lips, I whisper, "I know we're coming back. But I need to know that we've said everything we need to say to each other before we go."
"Vows," he responds, punctuating it with a kiss.
"Okay, other than those," I laugh softly. "Have we? Is there anything else you need to say? What do I still need to say?"
He chuckles a little and nips my bottom lip. "I can't answer that last one. After everything we've been through, all the mistakes we made, I think we both try to say things every day, not wait." He smiles. "You totally blindsided me the first time you told me you love me."
"I could tell! And you're right, I couldn't stand the thought of not saying it right then and missing my chance." My heart swells and I kiss him again, then whisper, "But you've always given me more chances than I deserved."
"I've always known you're meant to be mine," he whispers right back, the heat of his breath making me shudder. "I couldn't have said what it was then, but I knew there was something special about that first night."
I roll my eyes dramatically and tease, "They're just tits, Vakarian."
"And they're fantastic, but we both know it was your ass that drew me in." We share a laugh and then another long kiss that lingers, then grows. I just can't seem to pull myself away, and Garrus doesn't seem to want to either. "We don't have much more than an hour," he breathes, breaking the kiss to lean down and kiss my throat. "If there is any chance this is our last hour, and if it's okay with you...I want to spend it buried inside you."
The words alone are enough to get heat coursing through me. But after what we've been through...I need this. "I want that, yes. Garrus. please."
He meets my lips again and stands smoothly, holding me in his arms. I wrap my legs tightly around his back while Garrus makes quick strides to the bed and lays me down under him, pressing that big body against me. We strip one another eagerly, the time ticking in our heads, but I'm still panting and hot and crazed by the time Garrus is sliding inside me.
When our bodies finally meet, Garrus heaves out a heavy sigh into my through. I recognize it because it's the same way I sighed when I walked in here to find Garrus. It's the sigh of coming home, of recognizing safety and peace and the place where we belong. Knowing that I am that place for Garrus, in the most visceral sense, means everything to me.
Everything I still need to say swells up inside me, but I can't find more words than, "I love you."
"Oh, Elle," he moans. Garrus strokes slowly, capturing my hands to entwine our fingers above my head and pressing forehead against mine. "I could have a lifetime, and it wouldn't be enough to say everything. I love you so much."
Instantly, my eyes sting with tears, and I tighten my legs around his back. "You will have a lifetime. We're not done, big guy, not by a long shot."
"Damn right," he growls, going a little harder and squeezing my hands. "Can't wait to spend the rest of our lives worshipping you...this exceptional body, Spirits." He rolls his hips and releases one of my hands so that he can lift my breast and catch the nipple with his teeth. My back arches and a cry escapes me. "Let me hear you," he growls. "Don't hold back, baby, scream for me."
It's not an order, but it doesn't have to be; Garrus is going to give me no choice. He scoops my leg over his elbow, then pulls it over his shoulder. His strong hands hold my thighs and that powerful cock pounds me, Garrus making long strokes so that he knows I'm feeling every thick inch. And every damn one of them is glorious.
He gets me screaming, moaning, begging expertly, and he's just as vocal. Garrus growls filthy things at me, making sure I know exactly how sexy he finds me and how good I make him feel. He's constantly kissing, licking, or nipping me somewhere, keeping me on sensation overload. When he commands my orgasm, I shatter for him while he fills me with a roar.
I love the way he cums, the growl and his entire body shuddering. His orgasms are intense and powerful, just like the man himself, but they're also extremely vulnerable. Garrus lets himself go for me when he cums, and I know that I'm privileged to see it.
Now, eyes closed, Garrus drops his head to my chest and pants heavily. He's resting on me without letting his entire body weight down since he could crush me pretty easily. I'm not scared, though, and when I wrap my arms around him, he tilts his face toward mine. I kiss his head and face, loving the peaceful smile that slips onto his face.
Much as I adore the color of his eyes, watching him keep them closed is pretty great, too. "You know, we were always told Turians never did that," I breathe.
"Did what?"
"Close your eyes around non-Turians. Probably especially humans."
His mandibles flicker with what I recognize as amusement. "That's mostly true. We don't like to be vulnerable." He nuzzles me a little. "I trust you."
"I should hope so, considering what we're doing in..." I check my Omni-Tool. "Half an hour."
"Too soon," he groans, tightening his arms around me. "Can't we just stay here forever and ignore the galaxy?"
I take a deep breath, wishing I could give him another answer even while we both want to complete this mission more than ever. "Someday we will. Stick it out with me until then, okay?"
Garrus lifts his head, looking at me now. He smiles, then kisses me softly and presses his forehead against mine. "Our life together is worth the wait, kid."
"And the Reapers are standing in the way of it. They really don't stand a chance."
"Approaching Omega 4 Relay," Joker announces. "Everyone stand by."
Garrus's hand lands heavily on my shoulder. "It's been a long time coming, kid. Congratulations on getting us this far, Commander."
"Thanks for being with me," I reply, leaning into him. "Let's make it happen, Joker."
We approach the relay, easily the most ominous one I've ever seen, and the ship starts to vibrate with that familiar pressure. A roller coaster ride.
"Reaper EFF activated," EDI tells us. "Signal acknowledged."
"Shepard!" Tali cries over the comms. "The drive core just lit up like..."
Jacob, who is helping in engineering since we're shorthanded, chimes in, "Like a Christmas tree!"
"Drive core electrical charge at critical levels."
"Rerouting!" Joker seems like he's trying to control more switching and signals and controls than he can all at once, and he's also managing our approach to the relay - which is happening very fast. And engineering is down two experts. Just before I can get worried, Garrus sits down in the navigator's seat, taking the console and lending a hand. It lets Joker guide us right through.
"Thanks, big guy," Joker offers as Garrus stands and joins me again.
"No problem."
There's that moment of weightlessness, a stutter in my heart when I realize this is actually happening, and then EDI's voice warns, "Brace for deceleration."
And EDI is not kidding. The moment we come through the relay, a piece of huge debris is barely a few feet in front of us. Oh, shit.
"Oh, shit!" Joker cries, swerving around that piece and then weaving around another. There's no clear end in sight, a debris field surrounding us. If not for having one hell of a pilot, we wouldn't have made it more than just out of the relay, all that work for nothing. Instead, Joker pilots us expertly through until we have clearer skies. He slumps, dropping his head back into the seat. "Too close."
"But impressive as hell," I assure him, patting his shoulder.
I get a smile for that, but it fades quickly as we continue flying and get a look at our surroundings. This is basically a ship graveyard, vessels and chunks of what used to be vessels floating lifeless and wrecked everywhere.
"These must be all the ships that tried to make it through the Omega 4 Relay," Joker mutters.
"Some of these are...ancient," Garrus notes. He motions toward one of the more intact ships. "Turians haven't flown ships like that since before the Hierarchy existed. I saw one at a memorial site once."
I shake my head but don't have a lot of time to take that in before EDI says, "I have detected an energy signature near the edge of the accretion disk."
"Has to be the Collector base," I say, something that feels like both anxiety and excitement surging in my gut. Almost there. "Take us in for a closer look. Nice and easy."
Joker flies us in steady. This place is creepy as hell, the entire atmosphere odd, but it seems fairly quiet. And of course the moment that thought occurs to me, EDI is delivering more news.
"Careful, Jeff. We have company."
"Jeff?" Garrus echoes with a grin even while we're all looking at the sensor for this company. "Shit, even I don't call him Jeff."
"Shut up and I'm taking evasive maneuvers." I'm certain that Joker yanks the ship to port harder than he needs to so that Garrus will stumble, until we start getting fired at. Little bots are chasing us, and they're quick, keeping up with Joker pretty easily. "Now they're just pissing me off."
A beam hits the ships, jolting us even though the shields don't take a hit. "Let's hope that new plating upgrade holds out," I mutter.
"EDI, take these bastards out!" Joker calls, leaning forward a little. He and EDI go at it with our chasers, and we get a moment of peace when they're successful, before more pop up. "They want another round? Come on, girl, let's give it to them!"
Joker has to start flying more erratically, throwing us all over the place, and I'm grateful yet again that Garrus is so damn big. I can basically use him as an anchor and reduce how much I'm feeling or moving.
"Alert," EDI announces, voice still completely calm. Obviously, since EDI is an AI. Still, inflection would be good. "Hull breach on the engineering deck."
"It's in the Cargo Hold," Joker confirms.
"We'll deal with the intruder. You get them off our tail."
"Aye aye, Commander."
I spin out of the cockpit, and Garrus follows without being asked or told. I call Zaeed on the way down, figuring he's nearby and always up for killing something. It ends up being a good call since few things shake him, and we end up fighting a huge machine with a powerful gun while Joker has to race back through the debris field to shake our tail. We have a ton of chop, and we're flying into things down here while EDI is giving warnings about the kinetic barriers that I do not like.
Finally, we take care of the machine - dead for good after two rounds - and Joker gets us through the debris field. It's instantly so much calmer that it feels like a vacuum.
I slump against a crate for a moment of rest and call, "Damage report."
"Kinetic barriers are thirty percent. No significant damage," EDI confirms.
"Damn, Joker, nicely done."
He scoffs over the comms. "I'm gonna go throw up. Take the helm, EDI, keep it slow. See if we can avoid any more attention."
"Oh, man. He's letting EDI use his first name and drive his ship," Garrus teases while we head for the elevator. "I think he hit his head during the attack."
"Or he's thinking with a different head," I chime in.
"How 'bout you two assholes just get back up here?" Joker snarks in response. We get to share a laugh on the way back up to him, which is needed since I'm not thrilled Miranda is in the cockpit when we return.
We're crossing the bridge when she says, "There it is. The Collector Base."
Sure enough, we're approaching what looks like a massive version of a Collector ship. Bigger than Sovereign, the thing is a planet unto itself. No wonder it manages to survive this close to a galactic core.
And we're gonna take it down.
"See if you can find a place to land without drawing attention," I tell Joker.
"Too late! Looks like they're sending an old friend out to greet us."
From a port on the Collector base emerges one of the Collector ships - the same one that destroyed the first Normandy and killed me. There is not a single piece of me that feels fear looking at it now. Not this time.
It starts to shoot at us almost immediately, that red beam I still see in my nightmares coming right at us. This time, however, they didn't sneak up on us. Prepared, Joker swerves right out of the way.
"Give it the Thanix," Garrus growls, his voice deadly. He's staring down the thing that killed me, and he's in the same mental place I am. I remember his warning that he wasn't going to ask permission if he got to kill his thing, and I have no problem with that. Sometimes revenge does heal.
"Hell yeah, Joker, show that bastard our new teeth."
Joker was already on it at Garrus's command, so moments later, I get to see what Garrus has been working so hard on. The Thanix unleashes such a blast that it rocks the Normandy a little, like Joker wasn't prepared for the kickback. Our own beam slams into the Collector ship, an explosion coming with impact.
"How do you like that, you sons of bitches?" Joker cries triumphantly.
"Get in close and finish it off," I tell him.
Joker nods. "Everyone hold on - gonna be a wild ride!"
Joker has to continue avoiding the Collector beam while getting even closer to the thing and lining us up to take aim. He's really getting a chance to show off here. For all the shit we give him - and that he gives us - I'd never want a different pilot.
"Give 'em hell, girl!"
Another shot from the Thanix, and a weight lifts from my chest as the Collector ship blows. From the comms, the entire team chimes in cheering, and Garrus grasps my hand. They can die.
But the celebration is cut short when that explosion is rushing toward us. We're close enough - to close - that the blowback comes at the Normandy with force, and I'm thrown right into Garrus's hard body.
Alarms screech all over the ship, and for a moment, I wonder if I dreamed the Collector dying when really it's killing me all over again. Strong arms taking hold of me while the ship rattles and rolls bring me back to reality. Garrus wasn't there when I died, so this isn't my nightmare.
"Mass effect field generators are offline," Joker says, frantic at the control. "EDI, give me something!"
"Generators unresponsive," the AI replies. "All hands, brace for impact."
Joker maneuvers us toward the Collector base, giving us somewhere to land as best he can, and we go at it hard. There's nothing to stop us except for impact.
Garrus's arms come even more firmly around me. He spins me toward the wall of the cockpit and pins me there, holding onto a beam over my head for leverage and protecting me with his size. All I can do is brace and cling to him, lifting off my feet more than once while we crash land. Garrus never lets me go far, so while Miranda slams into the bulkhead and then the floor, I'm cushioned. As much as metal and muscle can actually cushion.
Despite not falling, I'm still a little dazed when the dust settles, and I can tell Garrus is too, but we're steady enough. Joker is almost halfway out of his chair though and groaning, so we rush right to his side.
"You alright?" I ask, each of us letting him use our arms to get himself upright again.
"I think I broke a rib. Or all of them." He gets upright and can breathe though, and considering where we are and what just happened, I'm calling it a win.
"Multiple core systems overloaded during the crash," EDI tells us while Garrus turns to give Miranda a hand off the floor. "Restoring operations will take time."
Shit.
"Well...we all knew this was likely a one-way trip," Miranda notes, steady now.
No.
I shake my head. "Our primary objective is to destroy the station and stop the Collectors - at any cost. But I have no intentions of throwing my life away. I have things to live for. We all do."
Joker looks up at me. "So, what's next?"
"Is the ship safe here?" Garrus asks. "How long until the Collectors find our landing pad?"
"I do not detect an internal security network," EDI answers. "It is possible the Collectors did not expect anyone to reach the base."
"If we're lucky," Joker adds, not sounding like he believes in luck at the moment, "their external sensors were hit like we were. They might not know we're alive."
I nod and take a breath. "Okay. We're gonna get inside and do what we came to do. Joker, you and EDI do whatever you can and whatever you need to get this ship back online and flying. I have no intentions of staying here. Clear?"
"Aye, Commander," Joker answers, giving what might be the first genuine salute of his military career. "We got this."
"I've never doubted you." I give him a final nod and then turn to the comms. "Everyone, get your gear and get to the Comm Room. Double-time."
I let Miranda head that way first and then start across the bridge, Garrus at my side. We're going slower than double-time, but I need a minute. I know what I said, I know the orders I gave Joker, and I know I'm going to make it clear to the team that I plan to get home. But shit we just crashed down onto the Collector Base.
"Where you at, kid?" Garrus breathes, his voice a low and calming rumble.
"I am...trying to get as confident as I just sounded. Fake it 'til you make it, yeah?"
He takes my hand and pulls me to stop. "Yeah. The reality of this whole thing just got a lot more...real." I almost manage to laugh at that. "Focused on the future though, right? That's what gets us through."
Focusing on the future gives us something to fight for when the fight seems impossible, and something tells me that a lot of impossible fights are coming our way even after we make it back through the relay.
"Right," I assure him with a nod. "Let's get this done."
"On your six, Commander."
I leave him into the Comm Room where the team has gathered. Their weapons are scattered across the table for final checks and loading. Garrus finds his place among them, his rifle and my pistol out on the table in a flash for a check. I look down at my holster and then up at him, finding blue eyes full of mirth. He winks, and my cheeks head instantly. Even here, he can make me smile.
But here, there is not much to smile about at the moment. We have a huge mission ahead of us, and I have to be convincing that it's possible.
"Okay." I plant my hands on the head of the table and take a breath. "This isn't how we planned this mission, but this is where we're at. We can't worry about what comes next. We came to stop the Collectors and that means coming up with a plan to take out this station. EDI, bring up your scans."
A hologram of the Collector base, standing straight up, appears in the middle of the table. EDI has peeled layers away in some places so that we can see the inner workings, the paths. Our way through.
"You should be able to overload their critical systems if you get to the main control center, here." She highlights a piece of the base and creates an arrow pointing to it. "That means going through the heart of the station, right past this massive energy signature." She highlights that as well.
"That's the central chamber," I note, remembering the last Collector ship I was inside a little too vividly. "If our crew or any of the colonists are alive, the Collectors are probably holding them in there.
"Looks like there are two main routes," Jacob observes. "Might be a good idea to split up and keep the Collectors off balance, then regroup in the central chamber." I like the idea immediately.
"No good, both routes are blocked," Miranda tells us. "See those doors?" She points at the hologram. "The only way past is to have someone to open them from the other side."
She already sounds frustrated, and I don't want anyone else to join her, so I quickly jump in. "This is not a fortress. There's got to be something." I run my eyes near the routes that EDI has highlighted, and for a moment, I think she missed one. Then I realize what I'm seeing and point. "Here. Maybe we can send someone in through the ventilation shaft."
"Practically a suicide mission," Jacob notes, crossing his arms over his chest. "I volunteer."
"I appreciate the thought, Jacob," Garrus chimes in, already shaking his head, "but you couldn't shut down the security systems in time. And there's no way I fit through a ventilation shaft. You need a tech expert, though." He looks at me, and I can read the suggestion though I don't completely need it.
"Tali, you can hack through anything," I tell the Quarian. "I'm sending you into the shaft."
She grows three inches right before my eyes. "I won't let you down, Shepard."
"The rest of us will break into two teams and fight down each passage," I continue, feeling more confident by the moment. "That should draw the Collector's attention away from what Tali is doing."
"I'll lead the second fire team, Shepard," Miranda announces, moving to stand at my side. She doesn't even look at me. "We'll meet up with you on the other side of the doors."
Before I can scoff or laugh at her, Jack does. "Not so fast, cheerleader. Nobody wants to take orders from you."
"This isn't a popularity contest!" Miranda snaps back. "Lives are at stake, and this won't be as simple as the Geth ship."
She's right. Whoever is leading my second team is going to be up against formidable enemies while keeping their squad together, keeping morale up, and keeping three steps ahead.
"Shepard." I look up at Samara. "You need someone who can command loyalty through experience." She says it softly, the way she speaks to me when she's trying to tell me that a personality flaw is keeping me from grasping a new biotic or meditation technique. Again, I can see the suggestion right there in her eyes. But this one is much harder to deal with.
I look across the table at him, impossibly blue eyes already shining back at me. He knows, too. Garrus is the obvious choice and the best one. He's led full squads on high-risk missions, he has the loyalty of the crew, and I can be confident that he'll make the same calls that I would. But choosing him means being in there without him.
And that's the choice I have to make for my crew, for my mission.
"Vakarian, you'll lead the second team."
"Aye, Commander."
"Good luck, Vakarian," Miranda offers in the least sincere tone I have ever heard. She falters instantly when I turn to look at her. Now is not the time for petty bullshit.
Miranda quickly forgotten, I focus back on the whole crew. I'm not a big moment person, but they need to hear from me before we walk into hell.
"I don't know what we're going to find in there, but we can assume it's not going to be easy. We've lost good people, and we may lose more. We don't know how many the Collectors have stolen - thousands, hundreds of thousands...it doesn't matter. What matters is this: not one more. It ends with us." I slam a hand down on the table, my heart racing. "The Collectors and Reapers want to know what we're made of? Let's show them. Let's bring our people home."
A firm cheer goes up around the room, everyone grabbing their weapons. I take a breath as Miranda, who is standing closest, turns to me and holds out a hand. "You've done a hell of a job getting us here, Commander. I'm not sure anyone else could have pulled it off."
I accept her handshake. "Let's finish pulling before we call it down." That earns me a rare smile, and then she heads out.
"Commander." Jacob is right behind her, smirking when I roll my eyes at his salute. "You know, I thought the project to bring you back was crazy. That many resources for one person..." He shakes his head. "Now I get it. Miri is right; no one else could have gotten us here. And you'll get us back, too."
"You're a good man, Jacob." I shake his hand, too. "I'm glad you were chosen for the team. It's been great coming to trust you."
I can see how much that means to him in the gleam of his eye, but he turns away quickly. Mordin takes his place almost instantly and only then do I realize that everyone is waiting around for their moment. Yikes.
"Commander Shepard. Hell of a thing you've done. Will do much more." He smiles and bows his head. "Look forward to seeing it."
"We would never have gotten this off the ground without you, Mordin," I remind him. "And that's not to mention everything else you've done."
"No need to mention. My pleasure."
He leaves me with that and leaves me smiling, especially when I notice Garrus by the door having his own moment with Jacob. It looks like the crew is making their way to both of us. My smile falters a little when Zaeed swaggers up to me.
"Well. You did it. You brought us right to hell's door."
"And you were crazy enough to stick around for the ride. Let's hope you get to spend those credits."
He gives me a scrutinizing look, and I'm expecting more snark or an insult. It's the only way Zaeed has communicated with me for the last few months, when he bothers to at all. Instead, he thrusts out a hand between us.
"With you leading, I'm sure I'll be spending them soon."
Shocked, it takes me a minute to accept his handshake, and neither of us lets it last long. Zaeed hates me, and I don't have any fondness for him. We're total opposites in all the ways that it matters - namely that I have morality. So from him, the show of faith and respect goes a long way.
"Commander." I turn to Thane who, of course, snuck up on me. And then he bows, which only makes me blush. "You have allowed me to make the remainder of my life count. You have given me something I did not expect to find ever again: a family. I am honored to serve you."
"Geez, Thane. I don't need to cry before we go in there, okay?" I grin at him and tease, "Besides, you're just trying to butter me up for a shot with Garrus."
Thane laughs, such a rare sound that it catches the attention of everyone in the room, and when he opens his arms for a hug, I don't resist. He holds me for a long moment, his heartbeat steady and comforting, then releases me to bow again. "You make us proud, Shepard."
He then steps aside, letting Samara approach me. I smile up at her. "Is there any kind of rule against bringing a Justicar on a suicide mission?"
"The rules are more like guidelines," she quips smoothly, sharing a laugh with me. Samara has become something of a biotic mentor to me, and her guidance in mindfulness and meditation have done wonders for me. I've come to admire her, so the look in her eye now surprises me. "It is not often that a Justicar finds someone not of our ranks who is as driven by justice and honor as you are, Shepard. I have learned much from you - as much as you think you've learned from me, I assure you."
She hugs me, surprising me, and then releases me quickly before stepping away. I've learned that the Justicar does not like being praised or thanked; they want to feel as altruistic as possible. I can only hope I've made her feel welcome and appreciated.
"Shep!" I startle at Jack's voice and turn around only to get shoved backward. "I should've gotten the hell off this ship and this crazy ass mission the first chance I got." And then the crazy biotic is yanking me into her arms for one of the tightest hugs I've ever had. "I'm kinda glad I didn't," she whispers.
And before I can even get my arms around her, she's gone.
The smallest member of my crew is replaced by the largest, Grunt scooping me up for a hug from behind. "Hey, don't break me now," I tease him. "Especially since you're coming with me when we get in there."
"Oh, great," he grumbles. "I get the speech from Vakarian about protecting you or dying at his hands."
I turn when he puts me back down and balk up at the Krogan. "Does he really do that?!"
Grunt just grins at me, the expression surprisingly sweet for someone built to be so menacing. "I was given one purpose in the tank, Shepard. You have made me rise above that. I couldn't have found a better Battle Master anywhere."
"You only say that because you couldn't find better enemies anywhere," I tease him. He laughs and lets me pat his cheek. "You're a good man, Grunt. Just be your own man when we get out of here, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
He's off, immediately aiming for Garrus, but I'm distracted from them but a familiar squeak. I turn just in time to catch Tali, and I sink into the hug, holding onto it and her. "Thank God you joined us, Tali. I needed you," I confess, something I've only said to one other person.
Her arms tighten around me. "I'll always be at your side, Shepard. There is no one else I'd rather serve with. And I love you!"
"I love you, too."
She steps back and holds my shoulders. "Just think. The next time we hug, it'll be when we're celebrating getting the whole crew back and the ship home safely."
And she means it, too. I can see nothing but confidence on her face, and it spurs my own. We're ready for this.
"Hey, you don't take any dumb risks in that shaft, Tali. I'm not leaving this base without you. Got me?"
"Got it. But the same goes for you." She pokes my chest and laughs, then hugs me again before scurrying off.
I shake my head and circle the table to grab my pistol where Garrus left it, perfectly clean and loaded and ready to go. And it wasn't when Garrus took it off my hip. I'm a lucky Commander.
I wait, giving Garrus a moment with Tali, and when she's gone, the air in the room sparks to life. Even the atmosphere in space recognizes our bond. Alone with the love of my life, with my other half, we take one final moment in the calm before the storm, and Garrus welcomes me into his arms. I close my eyes as our foreheads come together and inhale deeply, breathing in Garrus's scent and the peace he brings me.
"You ready for this, big guy?"
"You know I'm always ready, kid. You're gonna be careful when we're apart, right?"
I smile. "I will if you are."
"Deal. Now kiss me and let's go kick ass."
I don't hesitate to do either.
The whole team leaves the Normandy as one and we split into three as we enter the ship, Garrus taking most of the squad while Legion and Grunt come with me and Tali heads into the ventilation shafts.
Fortunately, the Collector base is just like the ship we were on and has pretty much open entry. Cocky bastards don't expect anyone to get this close.
"I'm inside the ventilation shaft," Tali confirms as we get inside. "It's hot in here, but clear as far as I can tell."
"Good, keep me updated. Second team, are you in position?"
"In position," Garrus answers, voice clear over the comms - much to my relief. It's bad enough that I can't see him and he's not on my squad at the moment; if I can't reach him at all, this is going to get ugly for me. And probably even uglier for Garrus if I know him. "We'll meet you on the other side of those doors."
Locked and loaded, I lead Legion and Grunt into the base. It looks almost exactly like the other Collector ship and, in a weird way, I'm glad for that experience now. At least Garrus and I aren't completely thrown by the look and feel of the place while we lead the team through. Legion is unaffected in the way I would expect from an AI, and while Grunt mutters about the smell once or twice, he's on his game and ready to rock. And I know why Garrus didn't make any comment about my squad for the mission.
In the first room we reach, we're attacked almost immediately. The Collectors were waiting and definitely know we're here, so I check in with Garrus to see if they're having the same experience. "We're taking heavy fire, but moving forward," he assures me. "You?"
"Same," I answer, blowing the head off one of the Collectors with a shot that would make my sniper proud. "At least we know that means our plan worked and they're having to split their attention between us."
"I'll keep you updated on us; I'm keeping my comms open too." It makes me smile even during this fight that he can anticipate I'll need regular updates on him. We never fight separately anymore; it just doesn't feel natural, but there's also a sense of vulnerability without him on my six. But I know that the majority of my team, those who aren't with me, are safe with him, and that means enough that I'll deal with feeling vulnerable. For now.
As we clear the first room, Tali calls, "I'm stuck! Something's blocking the pipe. Can you find a ventilation pipe and clear it?"
I spot what she's talking about, and I'm not far from it. "We have no ventilation pipes on this end," Garrus chimes in. "You got it, Shepard?"
"Yep." I head right for it and find the system simple to get through. Granted, a few months ago, it would have stumped me completely. And a few months ago, I never used my biotics. And a few months ago, I was heartbroken. Everything about my life has changed very quickly, and it's all come to a head here where I'm using every change to take down the biggest thing we've faced so far.
"The gate is open," Tali confirms, relief in her voice. "Moving forward. Thanks, Shepard."
We push into the ship, getting into firefights at just about every turn. Tali getting blocked regularly, too, but I'm not having any trouble finding the exchanges to let her through. We're making enough progress that while Tali gets hot at times, she's never at any real risk. And she never panics, which I'm grateful for. Garrus's team is progressing as well. It's all going as well as we could hope.
We get into the largest room yet, the one right before the central chamber, and it ends up being our largest fight as well. While we fight, Garrus comes over the comms and tells me, "We're in position, just waiting for the doors to open."
"We're getting there," I tell him. The moment the words are out, I regret them, wincing between shots.
"You mean to say that my squad made it first, yes?" he taunts predictably.
"You have the bigger team! And the bigger ego."
Garrus laughs, and I roll my eyes even while joining him. It's a huge relief to hear that laughter when I can't see him in a place like this.
Harbinger shows up, taking over a Collector or two, and makes an attempt at taunting me. I can't help but laugh. That damn thing can say that our efforts are futile all it wants; we've already done the impossible, and we certainly aren't backing down now. Plus, we've basically confirmed that the Reapers consider me personally a threat to them, and that ego stroke is doing a lot for me.
Tali lets us know when she's through the doors, and I feel some relief knowing that she's letting Garrus's team through. Not long after, we get to the doors, but more Collectors show up behind us.
"We're in position, taking fire. Tali, I need this door open now."
"Tali, go!" Garrus orders. "We'll cover you."
Legion and Grunt hunker down on either side of me. With the Collectors approaching from in front of us and the doors behind us, we're pinned down, and I hate it. Especially when Tali tells me that the doors are stuck. I trust her though, and it pays off when she gets the doors open just in time as Collector reinforcements arrive. The three of us are immediately joined by Garrus's squad, the Turian leading them in front of us so that we can get inside for cover and a breath or two.
"Fall back!" I call to everyone once we're inside.
The squad, still firing, starts moving backward into the room, Tali working on shutting the doors and getting us safely shut in. The doors that Garrus's team used to get in shut no problem, but the others stay open. "Something's wrong; the door is stuck!" the Quarian tells us.
Garrus springs into action immediately, running to one side of the door. "Come on, Krogan, show me what you got!" he shouts. Grunt obeys, hurrying to the other side. The rest of us keep the Collectors at bay while the largest members of our team get the massive doors shut manually, complete with a good deal of groaning and grunting from both of them, though neither would admit that it's difficult.
Once the doors are shut, I take stock. Everyone is in, no one is injured. That's a huge piece of this mission accomplished.
"Nice work, everyone." I pound my fist on Garrus's chest. "Great job, Tali. I know you wouldn't let us down."
"Shepard!" Miranda's tone of voice makes me spin around, gun raised and expecting an enemy. Instead, she's standing just inside the next room and not looking at us. "You need to see this.
It's an unsettling and ominous thing to say, but I move to join her, knowing that the others are following me. Of all the crazy, horrible shit we've seen on our mission so far, the pods decorating the cavernous room are the first to take my breath away.
And the familiar faces inside them don't help.
The first pod along the wall has a familiar redhead with a bounce to her step inside, floating in some kind of odd liquid. I reach out and touch the pod, confused and feeling kind of sick. "Spirits," I hear Garrus breathe from beside me, staring through the front of another pod to where Dr. Chakwas floats.
When Kelly Chambers suddenly surges to life in front of me, it's so unexpected that I jump. "Oh, God, they're alive," I gasp. The pod containing my yeoman makes a whirring noise as if something just clicked on, and then Kelly is thrashing, screaming silently inside it as the liquid around her starts to move. Red blood joins the swirl. "Fuck, get them out of there!" I shout, already pounding at the latch on the glass with the butt of my rifle. Thane appears beside me and starts to do the same. The latches pop, and we jump aside to let the glass fall, Kelly tumbling out unconscious again and directly into the Drell's waiting arms.
I spin to find the others at work. Garrus taking a much more direct route and going directly through the glass to yank Dr. Chakwas out. I watch as she takes her first gasping breaths with my heart in my throat until she looks up and clearly recognizes the Turian, lifting her hand to touch his face. He murmurs something so softly I can't hear it and then bows his head to press his forehead against hers.
All the remaining tanks are opening before God knows what happened, every single member of our crew now out and gasping for air in various stages of confusion. Kenneth throws up while Tali rubs his back, and Gabby tries her hardest to sit up and comfort Ken while Jacob tries to keep her down. Gardner is holding Jack's hand, and I think Samara is talking him down from a panic attack. Everyone is shaken up but out and at least alive.
I turn back to Kelly, my own breaths coming in hard gusts from my lungs as the adrenaline eases a bit. Thane is kneeling and cradling her to his chest, Kelly breathing but still unconscious. She doesn't look good. She's in bad shape...they've all been through hell.
And now it's time to make sure no one else has to go through this.
Dr. Chakwas gets steady on her feet with Garrus's support and looks at me like she's seeing the sun for the first time. "Shepard, you...you came for us."
I nearly laugh. "Of course we came for you! We couldn't let them have you." I take her hand and squeeze, hoping she understands just how much she means to me even if I can't say it out loud right now. The way she squeezes back tells me that she knows. Unfortunately, I have to keep us on track. "Any chance you know where we can find the missing colonists?"
"The colonists, they were...processed," she answers, shaking her head with sad gray eyes. "Those swarms of little robots, they...melted their bodies into gray liquid and pumped it through these tubes." I look down at Kelly, realizing she was seconds from having that happen to her.
"Why are they doing this?" Miranda muses, looking around the room. "What are they doing with our genetic material?"
"Many possibilities," Mordin responds, tapping his chin. "None of them good."
"I'm just glad you got here before it happened to us," Gabby breathes, now on her feet. "A few more seconds, and..."
Ken steadies himself enough to reach for her, pulling Gabby into an embrace where she lays her head on his chest. He presses his mouth to her head and they both close their eyes, clinging to one another.
I know all too well everything that death can teach you not to take for granted.
"We're glad too," I assure them all. Then I take a breath. "But we still have a job to do. Joker, can you get a fix on our position?"
"Roger that, Commander," he responds over the comms. "All those tubes lead into the main control room right above you. The route is blocked by a security door, but there's another chamber that runs parallel to the one you're in."
"I cannot recommend that path," EDI chimes in. "Thermal emissions suggest the chamber is overrun with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasure cannot protect you against so many at once."
"What about biotics?" I suggest. "Maybe we could use a biotic field to keep them from getting near us?"
"Yes," Samara replies with a nod. "I think it may be possible. I wouldn't be able to protect everyone, but we might be able to get a small team through if they stay close."
"I could do it too," Miranda announces, over eager. "In theory, any biotic could handle it."
Jack says nothing, but I can feel her eyes on me. I know she wants the responsibility, and I know how much it will mean to her. I glance at Samara, and she nods which I take as acceptance. I'm not worried about Miranda's reaction.
"Jack and I will take my squad and get us through the seeker swarms. Garrus, you'll lead the rest through this room and wait for us to open the security door. We'll meet you there."
"Aye." I appreciate the confidence in his answer since I'm sending them into a firefight that will likely be bigger than the one my squad faces. That doesn't sit well with me, but I don't have a lot of options.
"What about the rest of the crew, Shepard? We're in no shape to fight." Dr. Chakwas is now kneeling by Thane and Kelly, though I can tell the position causes her a great deal of pain. She turns to look up at me.
"And Kelly needs immediate medical attention."
Joker's voice cuts over the comms. "Commander, we have enough systems back online to do a pickup, but we'd need to land back from your position."
"We cannot afford to go back, Shepard, not now!" Miranda screeches.
"Damn it, Miranda - shut up!" Jacob snaps at her. I hear Jack snort her laughter.
Thane clears his throat for my attention. "Forgive me, Shepard, but I would like to return with Miss Chambers."
"I understand, and she's unlikely to get there on her own," I agree. "Mordin, I need you to lead the crew back to the Normandy. You can handle your own if they face resistance on the way, and since Chakwas needs care herself, you can start medical attention."
"Yes, understood, Commander. Happy to."
Dr. Chakwas pushes to her feet as the crew gathers around Mordin, Thane carrying Kelly in his arms with her head heavy against his shoulder. "Good luck, Shepard. We will see you all soon."
"Yes, you will." I turn my back to those leaving us and face my crew. "Jack, Grunt, Legion - you're on me. Everyone else with Garrus. You have your assignments; let's move!"
Part of me wants to take a moment with Garrus, to kiss him and tell him that I love him, but I know that we'll have another opportunity. More importantly, I know that our crew needs to believe that. So, instead, I catch his eye and toss him a wink. Garrus gives me his crooked smirk, my favorite smile, and we part.
Jack puts up an impressive, large biotic shield as we head through the passage EGI told us about, and it's a good thing she does because the AI was right. We are completely surrounded by Seeker swarms.
Unfortunately, we're also facing a good number of Collectors and husks, which is especially a problem because it takes a ton of energy to keep a shield of that size.
"How's it hanging, Jack?" I ask the biotic.
"We need to get there soon," she answers with a grunt, walking with her feet behind her hips like she's using her whole body to push the shield out.
"I can see the doors, Jack, hold on - we're almost there!" We keep pushing, and for the last few meters, we run for the door.
"Husks!" Grunt shouts, drawing my attention to a wave of enemies coming in front behind us. I need Legion or I to get to the terminal and open the doors, but there are enough husks coming that we can't afford to lose the firepower.
Before I even have to come up with a plan, Jack plants her feet and lets out a roar. She blows her shield out in a blast, leveling every seeker, husk, and Collector in the way. Legion makes a dash for the terminal, opening the doors and giving us a moment to breathe.
"You okay?" I demand of Jack once we're inside.
Static breaks over my comms, and I hear Garrus calling, "Repeat, Shepard, do you copy?" The swarms must have broken up our radio connection. Jacks nods to me while she catches her breath, but Garrus shouts, "Damn it, Shepard, do you copy?"
"I copy. What's your position?" I'm trying not to panic.
"We're just outside the door, and they've got us pinned down." He sounds exceptionally calm considering the situation and the fact that I can hear them all firing on the other end of the comm.
"We're coming, hang on! Legion, the doors!"
The Geth dashes to the terminal while Jack and I get set to provide cover the moment they open. The squad hurries back through the doors, all of them shooting at the rapidly advancing Collector group, and we manage to hold them back until Legion shuts the doors again. A quick glance around confirms everyone is here, and no one is injured. Success.
"Couldn't reach you," Garrus mutters when I meet his eye. I can tell he's not pleased.
"It must've been the swarms. You okay?"
He tucks a curl behind my ear and smiles softly. "I am now."
My heart thumping, it takes all my self control to keep my focus. It's truly magic that he manages to distract me even here.
"Joker, are you at the rendezvous point?" I ask over the comms.
"I'm here, Commander. Mordin and the rest of the crew just showed up. Everyone made it safe."
Yet another success. And a huge weight off my shoulders. I can see relief ripple through the rest of the crew as well; we've come this far and lost no one else to these bastards. We can do the rest of this.
"Good. EDI, what's our next step?"
"There should be some platforms nearby that will take you to the main control console," EDI answers quickly. It's easy enough to recognize the sort of platform we got trapped on in the Collector ship turned trap, and they are nearby. "From there, you can overload the system and destroy the base. Shepard, I am detecting a massive energy signature near the main console. Resistance will be strong."
"You've got another problem, Commander," Joker chimes in. "Hostiles massing just outside the door. Won't be long until they bust through."
Garrus looks at me. "Take a team with you, everyone else can bunker down here and provide cover." It's a good idea. And it means that, from here, the crew will be on a straightaway to get safely back to the Normandy once we set a charge. I'm sure Garrus knows I'm thinking that as well.
"If whatever is waiting for us is as big as EDI says, you're with me, big guy," I tell him. He nods firmly. "Jack and Miranda, you're coming too. Everyone else..."
I turn to them and take a breath, feeling another big talk coming on. Gross. But if I've learned anything, it's to say the thing that needs to be said before it's too late.
"There's just no way around this face: the galaxy is depending on us - on all of us. We've made it farther than anyone ever has before. We are the first to make it to the belly of the beast and fight back. The Collectors, the Reapers have always won before. They've never had to stand up and fight the very best, and I'll be damned if that's not you." They're getting riled up, adrenaline pumping again and showing in their eyes, the way they hold themselves and their weapons. "Make me proud. Make yourselves proud. And give 'em hell."
I get a cheer, but it doesn't mean nearly as much as Garrus pressing his mouth to the top of my head, clearly unable to keep his distance in the moment. "Well said, kid."
I don't resist either and grab his hand before giving one more order. "Let's finish this!"
The platform moves us deeper into the ship, heading up and in somehow faster than the Citadel elevators. I take a breath on the way. "So, this is it EDI? All tubes lead to this spot?"
"Yes," the AI confirms. "The tubes are feeding into some kind of super-structure. It is emitting both organic and non-organic energy signatures."
Just as she's telling us this, the platform reaches this end of a tunnel and connects to a series of other platform, effectively parking us in a large open area. The super-structure EDI has been referring to looms over us – and massive feels like an understatement. We all just stand there gawking at it for a moment, Garrus the first to gather himself and take a few exploratory steps ahead.
"If my calculations are correct," EDI continues. "The structure is…a Reaper."
"Not just any reaper," the Turian murmurs, shaking his head slowly. "It's a human Reaper." As much as I hate the words, it would be impossible to deny. The thing is absolutely huge, it's head alone the size of half the Normandy. And it's very clear human shaped, a mechanical skeleton.
"It appears the Collectors have processed tens of thousands of humans," EDI says. "Significantly more will be required to complete the Reaper."
That information is enough to snap me out of shock and get me bad into work mode. "This thing is way too big for our guns. EDI, give me a way to blow this thing to hell."
"The large tubes injecting fluid are a structural link. Destroying them should cause the glass supports to collapse and cause the Reapers to fall." She barely finishes telling us when Jack blasts her shotgun at one of the tubes, making the glass crack from the blow. I nod and we all open first on the tube, taking it out with a lot more ease than I would have imagined.
"That could have been worse," Garrus muses, daring to stand near the edge and look down.
I smirk at him and get onto my radio. "Shepard to ground team. Status report."
"Jacob here. We're taking them out as they come but feel free to call for an exit anytime."
"Head back to the Normandy. Joker, prep the engines. I'm about to overload this place and blow it sky high," I tell them.
"Roger that, Commander." I get to work pulling up the core of the ship so that I can set the charges and get my team the hell out of here. "Uh, Commander? You're not going to like this, but I've got an incoming signal from the Illusive Man. EDI is patching him through."
I roll my eyes and Miranda kneels beside me, pulling up the comm on her Omni Tool so I can see his creepy ass face while I work. "Shepard, you've done the impossible," he preens. "You did what you had to do and you acquired the Collector base."
"Acquired?" Garrus repeats, drawing my attention to the word as well. What the hell…
The Illusive Man continues, "I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse would kill the remaining Collectors, but leave the machinery and technology intact. This is our chance, Shepard. They were building a Reaper. That knowledge, that framework, could save us."
"They liquefied people, turned them into something horrible!" I protest. "We have to destroy the base and put technology like this where it can never be used again."
"Don't be short-sighted. Our best chance against the Reapers is to turn their own resources against them."
Jack scoffs. "That sounds like betraying the people who died for this to me."
"If we ignore this opportunity, that would be a betrayal," the Illusive Man urges. "The Reapers were working directly with the Collectors. Who knows what information is buried here? This base is a gift. We can't just destroy."
I shake my head and continue working on the charges. "No matter what kind of technology we might find, it's not worth it."
"Shepard, you died fighting for what you believed. I brought you back so that you could keep fighting. There are those who would say what we did to you was going too far but look what you've accomplished! I didn't discard you because I knew your value." I wince at his choice of words, making me sound like a tool or possession all over again. I hear Garrus growl from behind me. The Illusive Man either doesn't notice or doesn't care and continues, "Don't be so quick to discard this facility. Think of the potential, Shepard."
"I will not let fear compromise who I am," I tell him, firm and clear. "We'll fight and we'll win without it."
"Miranda! Do not let Shepard destroy the base."
I half expect Miranda to grab me but she gives a soft laugh. "Or what? You'll replace me next?"
"I gave you an order, Miranda," he barks.
"I noticed. So consider this my resignation." I turn to blink at the human, shocked, and hear Jack give a laugh that sounds a lot like approval. Miranda looks like the picture of confidence in her decision and she nods back toward the core to signal that I should keep going.
The Illusive Man tries to focus on me again, his voice rising with panic now. "Think about what's at stake, Shepard. About everything Cerberus has done for you. You – "
Miranda cuts off the transmission and Garrus laughs softly. "I think the words of Jack are needed here. Fuck Cerberus."
We all laugh and I finally finish the charges. "OK, we're done. Let's get out of here. We have ten minutes before the reactor overloads and blows this whole station apart." Before we can actually go anywhere, the entire platform starts to shake violently. A huge metal hand appears and then with a roar, the hellish face of the human Reaper, pulling itself back up onto the platforms. "Get cover!" I shout as it starts to attack us, sending beams from its mouth that I want nothing to do with.
The squad responds immediately and we take the thing on, shooting at whatever might be a weakness and weaving around cover on the platform to avoid the attack. "The eyes, Shepard," EDI tells us over the comms.
"You heard her! Go for the eyes – give it everything you've got!" We unload on the thing, Garrus and I relying on firepower while Miranda and Jack support us through biotics. It takes almost all of our ammo and I can see our teammates waning on energy when the head finally explodes with an impressively violent blast.
The Reaper starts to fall again, this time collapsing onto the platform. As the massive being slips into the darkness below us again, the weight of the body pulls the platforms. With a loud crack, the lower half starts to split and fall with it. I spin and grab the low wall behind me, using it as leverage to keep myself from falling. Jack and Miranda do the same but my stomach drops when I hear Jack scream, "Garrus, no!"
Over my shoulder I watch him try for purchase but he's not close enough to anything that isn't also falling; he has no way to stop himself. Without second thought, I let go of my hold and dive down for him. Garrus stretches a hand up toward me, both of us barreling downward, and I stretch as far as I can to reach him. My body angled, I catch myself on the very last hold of the platform just as Garrus falls over the edge and disappears from view. It's only by touch, feeling a large hand grab my wrist, that I know he's caught on.
"I've got you," I tell him, bracing my legs on the hold and using both hands to try and pull him up. Garrus is a lot bigger than me and my angle isn't good. Before I have to figure out how the hell to get him up, the Reaper falls into something below us that causes an explosion. Within a split second, the shockwave from the explosion blasts up at us. The force is enough to throw Garrus up into the air and send him back down on top of the platform several feet away from me.
He moves a leg so that I know he's conscious and alive but before I have a second to check on him, the platform starts to vibrate again. The shockwave blasted out a wall of the ship above us and it starts to rain down in huge pieces of metal and rock. "Get down!" I shout to them covering my head with my arms. My heart pounds, knowing that Garrus is exposed and potentially in danger, but with the amount of debris, I'm stuck. I'm trying so hard to find him that I don't see the beam coming until the last minute. My arms do nothing to stop it and the metal slams into my chest, taking me flat down to the ground and knocking the wind from me.
I fight to stay conscious and catch my breath while listening to the rain of rock stop slowly around me. Finally it's quieted and I get my arms under the pole. I can't lift it but I can push it up enough to slide out from underneath it. Nothing injured, I can still breathe. When I get to my feet, I spot Miranda and Jack on the other side of the platform; Jack is on her feet and helping Miranda crawl out from under a huge piece of metal.
For a moment, I can't see Garrus at all and my stomach knots in the worst way as I spin to try and find him. It's the shine of blue armor that finally catches my attention and I race for it, finding the Turian pinned under rock. "Garrus, wake up!" I shout at him while trying to get him uncovered. Jack and Miranda race over to join me but when he's clear, Garrus remains unconscious. I lean over him and give him a hard shake, enough to rattle him.
It's also apparently enough to wake him, impossibly blue eyes blinking open and becoming almost immediately aware. "You good big guy?" I ask.
"Good," he answers gruffly, already starting to push himself up. I give him a hand and have to resign myself to patting his back for now even as relief that he's unharmed takes my breath away.
Joker's voice breaks over the comms, his tone bordering on frantic. "Do you copy, Commander? Come on, Shepard, don't leave me hanging. Do you copy?"
"I'm here, Joker. Did the ground team make it?"
"Everyone is on board. We're just waiting for you."
"Commander," EDI chimes in. "Collectors are approaching your position."
I spin to the squad, all on their feet and ready to go. "Let's get the hell out of here!" I command. We start running, shooting back at the Collectors until we realize that time is not on our side. "Forget shooting them just haul ass – fast as you can. We're almost there!"
The Normandy is waiting for us up ahead, the door to the airlock open where Joker stands. He's holding a rifle and shooting at the Collectors behind us, buying us extremely valuable time. Garrus reaches the end of the platform first but stops and motions for Miranda and Jack. They take the leap at a run and cross easily.
"Go!" I shout to him, just a few steps behind. Garrus obeys and takes the leap, landing inside. Something crashes down beside me onto the platform and I dodge it but feel the ground under my feet starting to give.
"Shepard, jump for it!" Garrus shouts. I find another gear to move enough faster and use every bit of energy I have to leap for the ship when I reach the edge. I never have the opportunity to find out if I would have made it because Garrus takes no chances, holding the edge of the airlock with one hand and reaching the other out to grab me mid-air. He yanks and throws me into the ship behind him, nearly making me crash into the wall.
"Detonation in ten, night, eight…" EDI starts to count as Joker limps quickly toward his seat.
"Yeah, I get the gist of it EDI. Hold on!" he cries while shutting the door. Joker punches it and we're all launched backward, Garrus again catching me before I fall. Within a second, another blast rocks the ship and through the window, we see the destruction of the Collector Base. Cheers erupt throughout the ship and a laugh bursts from my chest, overjoyed and shocked that we did it.
Garrus grabs me and pulls me into his chest for a hard kiss. "I knew you could do it."
For the first time ever, I'm glad to check in with the Illusive Man before doing anything else. He is pissed and it makes me feel so damn proud. "Shepard. You are making a habit of costing me more than time and money," he snaps at me.
"Too many lives were lost at that base. I'm not sorry it's gone."
He shakes his head. "The technology from that base could have secured human dominance in the galaxy. Against the Reapers and beyond."
"Human dominance? You mean Cerberus dominance," I counter, crossing my arms and sinking back into my hip.
"Strength for Cerberus is strength for humans!" he snaps, losing his cool finally. I can't help smiling. "I should have known you'd choke on the hard decisions. Too idealistic from the start."
"I'm done listening to you; I'm doing things my way from now on." He blinks at me. "The Reapers are coming, and I'm going to make sure everyone is ready when they get here. Not just humans, and not just Cerberus. You and Cerberus can fall in line or get the hell out of my way."
"You sure that's what you want? You're taking one hell of a risk here, Shepard."
I laugh at him. "You brought me back. You should know better than to make an enemy of me." I spin on my hell and call, "Joker, lose this channel." My pilot confirms with a laugh and I hear the click to confirm the end of the comm. I walk out of the room with my head held high knowing that the Illusive Man and Cerberus are no longer a shadow over my head.
Now I just have to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with the Reapers.