A/N: 's traffic graph is down, so there are no stats for the last week showing whether folks are reading. There are still some readers, though, I hope? Maybe? Thanks!
Joker engaged the stealth systems as the Normandy approached the area of suspected geth activity in the Terminus System. Three ships had disappeared from the region over the previous month, leaving no evidence behind. Shepard was monitoring Joker's reports from the comm room as she reviewed the duty roster for the next week. When Joker announced that he was taking evasive maneuvers to avoid an unknown cruiser on an intercept course, she ran out, heading for the bridge. She didn't make it - the unknown ship opened fire on the Normandy. Shepard quickly backtracked, going instead to her locker and pulling on her armor.
Fires burned all around the ship. The hull had been breached in several places. Barriers and weapons were down. The Normandy was unable to defend itself. There was nothing more that could be done. The call went out for all crew to abandon ship.
Ashley had also donned her armor, and as the ship was fired on by the mystery cruiser again, she met Shepard at her locker. "Shepard!"
"Launch the distress beacon, Joker!" Shepard ordered.
"Will the Alliance get here in time?" Ashley was out of breath.
"They'd fucking better. I'm not planning on them coming just to find our frozen corpses floating in space. Get everyone to the escape shuttles." Shepard's eyes were on fire. She took the attack on her ship very personally.
Ashley grabbed a fire suppression canister, dousing an electrical fire that flared nearby. "Joker's still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship. I'm not leaving, either."
"Goddammit. Ash, I hate to pull rank here, but get to the fucking shuttles. I'll haul Joker's sorry ass out of here."
"Sloane. . ."
"Ash, get the fuck out of here! That's an order. Double time, marine! I'll meet you there."
"Aye aye." Ashley cast one last look at Shepard before running to the escape shuttles. Shepard nodded, trying to reassure her that everything would be all right.
Reaching the shuttles, Ashley directed traffic, sending all remaining crew to the various pods, leaving one empty for the commander. Satisfied everyone was off except for Shepard and Joker, she boarded a shuttle with Dr. Chakwas and Liara, and strapped herself in. The pods ejected from the Normandy just as the cruiser came around, preparing for another volley.
Reaching the cockpit, Shepard yelled at Joker. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? The order was to abandon ship!"
"No, I won't abandon the Normandy. I can still save her!"
"The hell you can. The ship is dead, Joker. Just like we'll be if we don't get the fuck out of here. Now!"
"No, we just have to. . . Shit!" The cruiser attacked again, the latest salvo nearly splitting the Normandy in two.
Shepard grabbed Joker by the arm, feeling the bones break in her grasp, but not caring. She had to get him out of there, and she'd break a few more of his bones if that's what it took to keep him alive. Throwing him over her shoulder, she heard the snap of breaking ribs. "Sorry, Joker." The pilot could only grunt in response.
Ducking debris and flames, Shepard got Joker to the last escape shuttle. She set him down in the jump seat as gently as she could, pulling the restraint down over his shoulders. Before she could take her own place on the pod, another explosion pulled her away from the shuttle door. A beam from the cruiser shot through the ship between Shepard and her way out. Without thinking twice, she hit the remote eject button, sending Joker on his way alone as another explosion sent her hurtling out of the disintegrating Normandy into open space.
In the quiet of space, she could hear Ashley's voice over her comms. "Shepard! What the fuck happened? Are you and Joker all right?"
"I got Joker out, Ash. I'm not injured, but I'm kind of out here on my own right now."
Frantically Ashley looked out the small port hole of her escape shuttle, spotting a tiny figure silhouetted against the light of the sun cresting atop the nearby planet. Her mouth went dry, her heart pounding in her chest. "Fuck! Hold on, Shepard. We'll figure out a way to get to you."
Shepard knew that wasn't going to happen. That final explosion that expelled her from the Normandy also damaged her suit. She was losing oxygen. Rapidly. She reached behind her, scrambling to try to preserve whatever air she had, but there was nothing to be done. She knew she had mere moments. It didn't help that she was quickly approaching the planet. She could only hope she was unconscious or dead before she burned up in the atmosphere.
"It's too late, Ash. My suit is too damaged, and I'm almost out of air. Just know that I love you."
"Goddammit, Sloane! You can't do this. You promised you'd always come back. You promised! Don't leave me. Oh god, please don't leave me!"
Shepard's breathing was labored. Her lungs burned. Her mind was foggy. Her vision was going black around the edges. She knew she was at the end, but she didn't want to go. Her final thoughts were of Ashley. She wished she could kiss her one more time, touch her one more time. "I'm. . . sorry, Ash. I never. . . wanted to break. . . my promise. I. . . love -" The comms channel went silent.
"Sloane! Don't! Please. . . I love you." Ashley crumbled into wracking sobs, her face buried in her hands. Liara unbuckled herself so that she could put her arms around the broken marine. The shuttle was silent but for the sounds of Ashley's anguish.
