Chapter 23
Jane approached Victus first.
"Commander."
"So, one of your ships is missing?"
"Crashed, actually. I couldn't speak in front of the krogan. Our ship went down on Tuchanka. Now they're pinned by an advanced guard of Reapers scouting the planet."
"What are your men doing there?"
"I'm sorry. That's classified. But it's vital they be rescued. They must complete their original mission. It's a matter of…galactic peace."
"Listen, if you want me to put my ass on the line then I need some answers…please."
"I'm sorry, I can't tell you. Please understand."
"How many men are there?"
"A platoon. The commander is Lieutenant Tarquin Victus. He'll be your contact."
"Victus?"
"My son. I needed someone I could trust completely."
"I'll do what I can."
"I appreciate your help…and understanding."
jane nodded as she walked away and found her way over to Wrex.
"Hell of a show down there on Sur'kesh. Just like the old days, Shepard," Wrex said. "Right down to me pulling your ass out of the fire."
"I was the one with bullets flying at me,"
"And I gave you the moral support to dodge them."
jane laughed, "Uh-huh. So anyways, you said one of your squads is missing?"
"They were scouting out the rachni relay. We've heard rumors of trouble in the area."
"Rachni?!" jane repeated, she had though shed seen the last of them, she had released the queen, they had promised they'd stay out of trouble.
"Thought that might get your attention. I have a favour to ask, it's big. I've got Aralakh Company, my best unit, on standby. You give the word and they'll meet up with you there."
"How could there be trouble with the rachni? They were all but extinct. The last queen promised to disappear forever or be destroyed."
"I know, I remember. I've got a bad feeling about this. May not be rachni, but maybe it is. Could be another invasion."
"I'll see what I can do," she said as she turned around and started walking away she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand and groaned internally, things were going to keep up being crazy busy.
"And Shepard, I like what you've done with the Normandy. Got tired of always hanging around the cargo bay before. I still don't have a window like Liara does, but it's progress."
"I'll remember that for next time."
Shepard got on her comm as she left the war room, "Joker, set a course for Tuchanka."
"You got it, Commander."
-
Jane sat in the mess and lifted the fork up to her mouth "JANE!" she jumped the fork dropping
Her eyes met liara's "what?"
"Aki- she's on the citadel"
"she's what?"
"she's alive, she came in with a group of survivors not long ago"
Jane felt the tears brim "she's alive"
Liara grabbed her in a tight embrace "she's fine"
"thank fuck" jane laughed softly she ran a hand through her tousled curls and laughed quietly again in disbelief "she's alive" jane whispered
"what's the plan?"
Jane shook her head "I uh-" she stood up from the table, "she'll go to her apartment- I need to ring her"
Jane rushed up to her cabin and quickly typed in aki's name eagerly waiting for the call to be picked up, it rang for a long minute- for what felt like an eternity before the call answered.
"aki?" jane asked
"jane-"
"I'm so fucking happy to hear your voice" she breathed tears filling her eyes
"I'm okay jane" she assured her
"we're at tuchanka, there's so much to catch you up on. Once were done here, we'll pick you up, you probably need rest"
"not going to lie im pretty beat up"
"I'll see you soon aki, stay safe"
"you too, jane"
Aki.
Aki leaned back on the couch in her living room and inhaled deeply, earth, earth had been a slaughter, she did what she could and safeguarded as many survivors as she came across.
She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her blood matted hair, the fights had been unforgiving, the only reason the shuttle made it off world was thanks to another groups sacrifice, the people of earth refused to be broken and fought tirelessly.
Aki stood up and walked into the bathroom, she turned the shower on and began to strip before standing under the burning stream, the water running red and black. The medigel that sealed her wounds had done its job but now the hole In her thigh, the gash on her eyebrow and cuts that surrounded her entirety stung and burned. She felt her aching muscles unwind, the bruises softly thumping, she took the bar of soap off the side and began to lather up, scrubbing the blood and grime from under her fingernails and washed her hair.
She'd been on battlefields, seen innocents slaughtered but to have everything around her so ruthlessly obliterated seemed to cut her deep. She washed every inch of her twice before stepping out of the shower and securing a towel around her.
Aki looked to the mirror as she brushed her teeth, looked at the new nicks and scars which littered her face, bags under her eyes off night after night of no sleep, of moving endlessly and sighed.
She exited the bathroom and crossed through the passageway and into living room to the drinks cabinet, she poured out a large helping of rum and swallowed it back- she frowned at the endless beeping from her Omitool and clicked on the flagged messages.
She felt her breath stutter in her lungs, message after message after message all filtering through at once;
Aki,
Hey, how are you it's been a couple of weeks. I just- I don't know if you'll get these, but I want you to know how much I'm missing you. It's uh- hard to sleep now without you.
I stayed at the apartment for a few days but it was different without you
Anyways I'm home- my mom is in such good health and my dad isn't being a total ass so that's good.
Garrus x
Aki grinned reading his words and took a seat on the couch,
Aki,
Hey me again, hope things are going okay. I'm training- so im now my peoples resident reaper expert apparently. I know I know, mad eh, I miss you still. I was talking to liara and she was saying youre on comm lockdown but I just wanted to let you know that im thinking of you, I hope we see eachother soon.
Garrus x
Aki,
If by some miracle you're alive and can read this know I've never given up on you. I'm fighting the good fight with jane. The reapers will pay, come back to me.
All my love Garrus x
Aki,
I love you.
Garrus x
Aki swallowed hard, her throat rough, she gulped back another mouthful of rum and re read all the messages her heart thudding in her chest. She felt her tears whelm, he was the only thing that kept her fighting, she wanted to see him again, wanted to hear his voice and feel his body, to have his arms wrap around her. She felt a loss she couldn't explain.
