Author's Note: I've got a 72" snowdrift in front of my kitchen window. With little else to do today… double update. ^_^
-J-
"We're the first ones here," Lysana announced as she and Vasir regarded the now-way-too-close Beam. It was a matter of a few minutes walking—or even fewer minutes at a run—through the lightly-defended (except for the small Reaper ship) area to the beam, and then up into the unknown and the hands of the Citadel-side asset.
"And once we assail the beam we'll be the last team in," Aurelie observed stoically.
Vasir, rolling her eyes unseen, muttered through her teeth, "Little ray of sunshine, isn't she?"
Lysana agreed, but accepted that Justicars weren't supposed to have a sense of humor. And it wasn't as if Aurelie was trying to supersede anyone about anything; she simply stuck to the accomplishment of goals. In this, it was nice to work with professional, goal-oriented people.
Lysana wondered how Hammer One was doing…or she would have if she hadn't realized that the Reaper guarding the beam was not the Reaper doing it earlier. That Reaper seemed to be taking potshots at the city for its own perverse amusement.
She hoped it wasn't taking potshots at Shepard, who had successfully and in true Shepard self-sacrificing and dramatic style lured it away from its post.
"Then we shall have to make a decision," Lorella said serenely. "And I propose that the Spectres, who know the station, should take the beam. We," she indicated her fellow Order members, "shall remain here and hold the way open for any others who might come."
"That's practically suicide," Vasir pointed out, her nostrils flaring with distaste. Spectres were expected to maybe die in the course of their duties, but they were also expected not to die stupidly if at all possible. This counted as 'pretty stupid' as far as Vasir was concerned.
Lysana wished there had been a secure way to keep the Stiletto teams in contact, so they would know who else was coming. If anyone else was coming.
"Once we pass the beam, the Reapers will know it is doable," Lorella continued calmly. "We will have lost the element of surprise. They will realize what the Wrench teams are up to and will consolidate their forces here to ensure no one else gets through." She frowned at the pavement, then picked something off her armor. "I do not know the Citadel. I would rather die giving our forces their best chance at getting through as well." Her voice was heavy.
"I will stay with Lorella," Samara said quietly, rolling her shoulders. "She is correct that if anyone else is coming, they will need the door held open. Turians move quickly; if they have not bogged down, then they will be here soon. Humans are…" she paused, in search of an adjective. "Determined. I expect them, at the very least."
"…do you think the krogan Wrench would change from distraction to offense if they got close enough?" Lysana asked uneasily. She'd love a horde of rampaging krogan right about now.
"They might," Vasir shrugged. "No good counting on maybes though," she added, glancing sidelong at Lorella and Samara.
"I, too, shall stay," Aurelie announced after a moment of deep contemplation. "Talassa, go with the Spectres and provide whatever backup they require."
Talassa drew herself up. "But, Aurelie—"
"It is an even split of our forces," Aurelie said quellingly. "You may yet be more useful in protecting the objective they must hold than you would be down here with us. Not another word."
Talassa looked ready to utter more than just another word, but Aurelie's steely frown and flinty eyes silenced the argument. "I know my duty," she said mutinously.
"Then remember that saving lives is a higher prerogative than throwing yours away," Lorella inserted gently. "Aurelie is right. Three of us to hold the way here, one of us to ensure mission success up there. It is believed that the Citadel is not as heavily infested as the city; I think you will be enough of a match for anything that crops up."
Still looking resentfully mutinous, Talassa nodded once.
"Talassa," Samara broke in.
Talassa gave her her attention.
"Someone of our Order should survive. Who else can resurrect it?"
All three of the older asari looked pained at this statement, at the concrete knowledge that there might be no other Justicars in all the galaxy. They didn't discuss their losses, but all seemed to think that those losses would be high.
Of course they would, if wedging the door open tactics were as acceptable to other Justicars as to these four.
"We will go first," Lorella said briskly. "And wedge a way open for you. After that, we will hold the way as best we can."
Talassa moved to stand with Vasir and Lysana, still looking mutinous and truculent.
The three Justicars prepared to open the way took a moment to compose themselves, offer prayers, repeat sutras, whatever it was they did in silence before an action like this. "Tell Shepard, if you see her, that I thank her. She'll know what for," Samara said very quietly, to Lysana in particular if eye contact was anything to go by.
Lysana nodded consent.
None of the Justicars asked to be remembered, that their stand be remembered, not even of their fellow Justicar. Apparently, it wasn't the custom to hope someone would give them nice tombstones or write epitaphs in praise of them.
Lorella, Samara, and Aurelie took off at a run, Lysana, Vasir and Talassa falling in behind them. The Justicars used their biotics to wedge the path to the beam clear; the Spectres and Talassa used theirs to ensure the team didn't get flanked.
About twenty feet from the beam, the Justicars stopped and turned around, slamming any Reaper forces away, while the Spectres and Talassa continued charging.
As soon as she hit the beam and it snatched her up, thrusting her into the sky through the channel between Earth and the Citadel, Lysana's furious battle cry turned into a dismayed shriek of 'I'm gonna puke!'