Chapter Thirty-Seven

Roxanne

Serenity bangs on the door as more Collectors start to swarm us.

"This door won't close!" Tali shouts. "I'm working on it."

"Go get their door open, we'll cover you." I hear Garrus through the comm.

I let my biotics swirl around me before letting out a blast that sends a wave of Collectors away from us.

"Any day now, Tali." I say into the comm.

"Got it!" Tali shouts.

Serenity and Samara rush through the door and turn to help fend off the Collectors as I back through it, using my biotics to throw more of them away from us.

Tali gets the door shut quickly before the four of us rush back over to where Raphael and the rest of the group are.

"Suppressing fire!" I shout.

Tali works on the door as Serenity uses her biotics to throw Collectors away from the door and Samara mows them down with her assault rifle.

I use my own biotics to fling incoming Collectors away as a bullet flies past me and hits Garrus.

I rush to Garrus as soon as Tali gets the door shut. I place my hand on Garrus's shoulder, adrenaline and concern pushing my actions.

Garrus lifts his head and gives me a grin. "I'm good, Rox."

I nod and turn to Raphael. "Injuries, now!"

"Everyone is good, Roxy." Raphael says. "No injuries here."

"Sen? Samara?" I ask, turning to them.

"Everything is well, Roxanne." Samara says.

"I'm good, Roxy." Serenity shakes her head. "Just want these bastards dealt with."

"Commanders, you need to see this." Miranda says, motioning at Raphael and me.

We follow her over to what looks like pods full of people.

My eyes widen as I spot Dr. Chakwas.

"This looks like one of the colonists." Miranda says, stopping in front of a pod containing a woman.

After a few moments, the woman's eyes shoot open.

"She's still alive!" Serenity shouts.

Horror is the only way to describe the feeling I have as the woman gets liquified in her pod. Her screams echo around us.

"Get these open!" I shout, smashing the butt of my pistol into Dr. Chakwas's pod. "Hurry the fuck up!"

The whole squad works to get the pods of our crew open. I slip my hands under the crack and pull, yanking the door from Dr. Chakwas's pod.

She drops into my arms as the rest of the squad get the other pods open. Raphael helps Kelly Chambers from her pod.

"I've got you, Doc." I say as I drag her away from the pod.

Once the rest of the crew are free, I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

"You saved us." Kelly says, shaking her head. "Thank you! A thousand times, thank you!"

"A few more moments and those little robots would have…" Dr. Chakwas glances at the pod where the colonist was liquified. "You…you two came for us."

"No one gets left behind." Raphael says.

"Those swarms of little robots processed the colonists into gray liquid and pumped it through these tubes." Dr. Chakwas says.

"Whatever those fuckers are doing, it ends here." I say.

"We've done well so far." Miranda nods. "Let's hope we can finish the job."

"Joker, can you get a fix on our location?" Raphael asks.

"Roger that, Commander." Joker says. "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 room you're in."

"I cannot recommend that." EDI says. "Thermal emissions suggest the chamber is overrun with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasures cannot protect you against so many at once."

"They've got to have a weakness of some kind." Raphael grumbles.

I lift my hand, letting my biotics come to the surface. "What about biotics?"

"A biotic field." Raphael says.

"I think it may be possible." Samara says. "I wouldn't be able to protect everyone but we might be able to get a small team through if they stayed close."

"I could do it, too. In theory, any biotic can handle it." Miranda says as she turns to Raphael and me. "Commanders, who do you want to maintain the field?"

I glance at Jack and raise an eyebrow. "Jack and I will take a small team through the seeker swarms. The rest of you provide a diversion by going through the main passage. We'll open the security doors from the other side and meet you there."

"I'm going with you, Roxy." Serenity says, gripping the pistol in her hand.

"Who is going to lead the diversion team?" Miranda asks.

"Not me, this time. I'm going with my sisters." Raphael glances around at the remaining crew.

"Garrus." I motion towards him. "He's got the expertise to lead."

"I'll keep the defenders busy. You slip around the back." Garrus says.

"What about us?" Dr. Chakwas asks. "We're in no shape to fight."

"Commanders?" Joker's voice filters through the comm. "We have enough systems back online to do a pickup, but we'd need to land back from your position."

"You'll never make it without help. Kasumi will escort you back to the Normandy." I say, glancing at Raphael. "IF we can spare her."

"You heard her, Kasumi." Raphael nods towards Dr. Chakwas and the rest of the crew. "Get them to the Normandy, safely."

"Joker, send me the location of the landing zone. We'll meet you there." Kasumi says into the comm.

"We've all got our assignments. Let's move out!" Raphael says.

Raphael, Jack, and Serenity head towards the room Joker mentioned as I turn to Garrus.

The rest of the crew heads out as I grab his hand. "You've got this, Garrus. I believe in you."

Garrus nods. "Don't worry about me. You three be safe with those swarms. Little bastards."

I smirk as I lean up and plant a kiss on his scarred cheek. "Be back before you can miss me."

I jog away from him, falling in step with Serenity.

"You're doing great, Sen." I say. "Don't burn yourself out though."

"I've got it." Serenity nods. "Thanks."

As we near the chamber, Jack lets her biotics come to the surface, encasing the four of us in a giant biotic barrier.

"Moving out." Jack says. "Stay close if you want to live."

"Garrus here." Garrus's voice comes through the intercom, full of static. "Team is in position and waiting for your orders."

"Damnit." Raphael grumbles.

"The swarms are interfering with radio contact." I say.

Serenity lets out a sigh. "That's a bit more complicated."

"No time to think. Garrus can handle it." Raphael glances at Jack. "Ready to do this?"

"Let's go, Commanders." Jack says.

Raphael, Serenity, and I stick close to Jack as we move down the path.

Husks and abominations emerge from the lower sections, rushing towards us.

"Jack," I motion at the pillar, "get behind there and hunker down. We'll handle these shits."

Once Jack is secure, I throw a singularity into a big group of husks.

Raphael throws a warp into one of the husks stuck in my singularity as Serenity throws another husk off the edge.

Not a single bullet flies as the three of us just unleash our biotics on the husks and abominations.

"Good to go." Raphael says. "Head out, Jack."

"Got it, Commander." Jack says as she continues forward, keeping the biotic barrier strong around us. "Move it or lose it. Don't leave the barrier."