Author's Note:. A few different readers thought the previous chapter was confusing,so I added in a few paragraphs to add some clarity. I hope that helps. If not, please feel free to PM me with any other concerns or questions and I'll do my best to address them. Thanks guys!
Chapter Eighty Three: G.O.A.T.
Colt could already see it happening on board. Same thing happened with Alex. She was another dead officer in a war of attrition. He was another lost boy. Far removed lessons that could be learned at one's leisure. Watch out for the Reapers! Don't let slavers steal you away! PSA posters on the obvious. They were terribly sad stories that could be left in the past without a single revisit. Colt supposed that was true of him when he died. He was a headline, then an unfortunate reminder of the inherent dangers of space and war. Easily cast aside, forgettable. And now that fate was bestowed upon his mother. Another face in an endless sea of those fallen victim to indoctrination. She was already becoming a sealed letter from the past that no wanted to reopen. If he asked anybody, they'd deny it. They'd swear up and down she was more than an unpleasant reminder. And then, inevitably, their own face would give it away. He'd seen the same look after Elysium, and Alchera, and now, after Hannah's death.
The war stopped for nothing. It didn't even pause for a fallen admiral. A day after he'd returned from Sathur, he was suiting up for a new mission. Mourning was to be done on his own time. There was no stopping mid-way through.
Despite his resurrection, despite all his supposed battlefield glory, despite everything, all Colt could do was stare while the people he loved faded.
He reached out and selected Utukku's flashing NavPoint. The semi-circle of consoles surrounding the Galaxy Map pinged with the updated mission information. His crew swarmed around them, checking the new location before starting the process of gathering intelligence.
There was no way in hell he could do anything without the dedication and thoroughness of his support crew. He'd have been dead months ago without them. The war would've come and gone.
The Alliance heavily discouraged personal relationships between officers and enlisted personnel. Heavily discouraged meant potentially facing a court martial. Colt always played fast and loose with fraternization laws. He'd been told on several occasions to cut it out. Instead, he pressed on with stupid defiance. If the Alliance wanted to court martial him for being friendly, they could add it to his list of charges.
"Hey guys," Colt cleared his throat, "I don't think you hear it enough, but I'm glad that you're all on the Normandy with me. A great team really can't be overstated. So, thank you."
The intelligence personnel looked up at him. Most smiled, all nodded. They were mostly enlisted. Colt could name every colony they had ever lived on, he could recite their children's names and their spouses. He liked visiting them in their quarters. When no else could drive them to the Doctors, Colt did it himself. He'd met some of their children. He had dinner with all of them.
They were just as vital as the ground crew. Only difference was they didn't have the flashy job and over-inflated ego. They were the unsung heroes of the war effort.
Colt could already hear the MP's lining up at the docks eager to take him down for fraternization.
He stepped down from the Galaxy Map and bent over to pet Rosebud. He could tell she was a bit upset that he'd left her on board for the funeral. Luckily, the Ensign Ensemble had taken good care of her. Colt noticed that her nails had been repainted bright pink and she was a bit fatter than when he left.
"Come on, girly," he called to her. The varren got up and followed him onto the elevator. She looked at him and cocked her head. "What?" He asked. She cocked her head the other way before nudging his hand with her nose. Colt kneeled down and scratched behind her ears while she licked his face. Varren did not get enough credit for how intelligent and intuitive they were.
The pair stepped off the elevator and into the Commander Cave. Unsurprisingly, Liara was sitting at her desk by their bed. She swiveled around in her chair and smiled. "Hey," she greeted.
"Hey. I think those damn Ensigns got Rosebud a bit chunky while we were at the funeral. I can't be abused by Reapers or Reaper-like things and come home to an unhealthy varren," he complained.
"She was always a bit...stout, Shepard. Besides, a happy varren is a fat varren."
"Hmmm," he grunted. Colt walked down the steps, sat down on the leather couch, and crossed his arms. He stared at the fish tank while his mind wandered.
His mother's death signaled the beginning of the end of the Shepard line. Sure there were some cousins and aunts and uncles out there, but they weren't true Shepards. They could die as they pleased. In fact, Colt hoped they were dead. If the Reapers had any sort of bearing on right or wrong, they'd have killed them off.
"What are you thinking about?" Liara's voice interrupted his thoughts.
He snorted. "Where do I begin?" He ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't like her, Liara. We never really got along. She was always gone. And mean as hell when she was around. But I miss her more than I thought I would. More than I thought I could. " Shepard cracked his knuckles and made a quick decision to confess. "At least I don't have to starve during shore leave anymore," he said carefully and quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"I was getting bled dry by medical costs from the cybernetic fiasco, but now I'll get her inheritance and everything will be fine and dandy."
Liara swiveled around in her chair to face him. She leaned back, crossed her arms, and arched an eyebrow.
Colt really needed confetti. If he threw it over her and then quickly explained, she probably wouldn't be so mad. In a perfect world, he would have confetti in his pockets at all times. But his mom was dead by his hand, the Reapers were here, and the world was far from being ideal. "So, funny story. I went bankrupt from medical bills. Umm...Surprise!" He threw in a smile for extra points.
She blinked a few times before saying quietly, "You know I would've paid all those bills off."
"I know, that's why I didn't say anything."
He maintained eye contact for as long as possible before he stood up and walked over to the fish tank. He followed two fish swimming together. "I spoke with Hackett earlier and we agreed that I need to take on some smaller missions. Let myself recover for a bit. We agreed that I should go to Utukku today, sort out this Rachni business."
"Am I going?" Liara asked.
"No. Garrus and Vega are up. I'm sorry. I know you've been itching for some action."
Liara stayed silent for awhile. Finally she said, "You should've told me about the money issue."
"Should have is my life motto." Colt chuckled. "First off, it would be morally wrong of me to ask that of you. Secondly, we don't need more problems straining our relationship. Money problems are the number one reason why people divorce. Humans, at least. Thirdly, you don't owe me that. We're not married or anything like that. It's not your responsibility to bare my financial burden," he said.
"I'm very proud of you, Colt, and I love you very much, but you can make some very questionable decisions," she paused, "You should have told me."
He turned to face the still seated asari. "Probably. But does it really matter? I made ends meet. I fought rigged fights. I did missions for money. I paid my bills on time," he said. Keeping his pride was well worth starving during shore leave.
"So, this is about pride?"
"Of course it is. Most things are." He licked his lips before continuing, "I've been self-sufficient for years now. I've always been able to provide for myself. I can't have that taken away, Liara. I need control over something. Seems only fair."
Her eyes seemed to soften in the process of evaluating his words. "Okay," she simply said.
"Okay?"
"I hear what you're saying. I sympathize, not empathize. I'm not mad. Do I wish you had told me? Yes. Do I understand why you didn't tell me? To some degree. But, Colt, maybe you wouldn't hit so many walls if you let people help you. I know it's in your nature to be the helper and not the one in need, but maybe you need to cleanse yourself of that notion. Everybody needs help at some point. Even Commander Shepard."
"Are we still talking about being hellishly poor here?" He asked. He knew he was missing something.
"Yes. And we're talking about Elysium, and Alchera, and your dad, and your mom, and Alex. We're talking about how you don't sleep and how you sometimes throw up for no reason. We're talking about your childhood and how you sometimes see things that aren't there. We're talking about Thane, and Mordin, and Kaiden," she took in a deep breathe, "If you need help, Colt, and I'm not saying you do, you should remember that it takes courage, too."
Colt laughed. "I'm just fucked up right now because I gourged my mom's eyes out before killing her. I'll be fine. Give it a couple of days," he said cheerily. He smiled before continuing, "You know I love you very much, too. And I admire your strength and intelligence… Really everything about you. I didn't mean to upset by not telling you. Honest-to-God. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Colt. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Maybe-"
"-Sorry to interrupt, but we're about half-an-hour from Utukku, Commander," EDI said.
"Thanks, EDI," he said. He turned to Liara, an apology waiting on his lips.
"It's fine. Go sort out these Rachni."
…
"EDI, any more information on the situation?" Colt asked. He tightened his grip on the shuttle's overhead rails as they hit a spot of turbulence.
"I received confirmation that your backup has landed planetside," EDI said, her voice calmly resonating through the shuttle's speakers.
"Backup? When have we ever had backup?" Colt asked. The shuttle shuddered once more, causing the squad to sway back and forth.
"There's a first time for everything, Commander," Cortez answered.
"Copy that. So, who is our backup, EDI? Please tell me they've actually held guns before," Shepard said.
"It's a group of krogan commandos called Aralakh Company. They've conducted initial scans that show no obvious signs of rachni."
"Aralakh Company? Hell yes! Those guys are badass. You're not pulling me leg, right EDI? We've never had backup, let alone competent backup," Shepard said.
"Negative, Commander. This was not a joke."
"Good to hear. Anything else, EDI?"
"In addition to investigating the Rachni claims, you have been asked to search for a missing krogan scouting party that disappeared in the area," she said.
"Fuckin Rachni. I told them I never wanted to see them again and now here we are. No one ever listens to me," Shepard muttered.
"True," Garrus said.
Shepard turned around to eye the turian.
"What? It's true," Garrus said.
"Anyways, the Rachni are exactly what we don't want right now. Even a rumor of their return could cause massive galactic panic," Shepard said.
"We better blow these pieces of shit to kingdom come, then. Calm the masses," Vega said. He shifted in his seat and smiled at the prospect of the coming bloodshed.
"I just don't understand why the Rachni queen would risk everything for a war. She said she'd disappear forever, so why turn up now?" Garrus wondered.
"I don't know. Just be ready for anything," Colt said.
The four remained quiet for a minute before Garrus chuckled and grinned. "You know what this means, Shepard?" He asked.
"Not really."
"No girls on the Rachni mission. Just us guys on a little guy outing. We're the Testosterone Team. The Manly Man Squad. The Dude Crew. The Bro Band. By galactic law, we can only talk about manly things," the turian said.
"Manly things, hmmm," Shepard said, "So like, beards, chicks, and...power tools."
Cortez cleared his throat.
"Beards, power tools, chicks, and men," Garrus said.
"Honestly, just hot people in general. Sorry, Garrus, that excludes you," Shepard said.
"What, you don't think I'm sexy?"
"Well, of course I do. And so does Tali. What more could you want?" Shepard asked.
Garrus looked down and scratched his mandible uncomfortably.
"I really got your goat, didn't I Gar-Bear?"
"What do farm animals have to do with it?" The turian asked.
Colt blinked before an idea came to his head. "It means that you owe me a live goat. It's like a friendship bracelet but more meaningful. I just thought now would be a good time to mention it because we're like...advanced friends. It's just a fun little something, something humans do. To humans, nothing says friendship like the gift of a goat," he said.
Vega looked up and started to open his mouth. Shepard shook his head at him, causing the young marine to shut it.
Garrus nodded his head. "Ya, I knew that. I just didn't know if it was time for a goat, you know?"
"Ya, I do. That's why I said something. I thought it was time to break the ice under the goat. Wait...What?" Colt shook his head. "You know what I mean."
"Oh I know," Garrus said confidently. He winked and gave Colt a thumbs up. Now Colt was all parts confused and intrigued as to what was running through the turian's brain.
"We're here guys. Be careful on the ramp," Cortez said. Colt didn't even notice their descent onto Utukku. Cortez was one hell of a pilot.
"See you in a little, Lieutenant," Colt said while waving bye to Steve. He put on his helmet and stepped onto the sandy ground. A gaggle of krogans were standing nearby, just waiting to be interviewed.
Colt led Garrus and Vega over to them, bracing for spine-shattering hugs. "We're here," he announced to the krogans.
"Shepard?" A familiar voice said. A few krogan were shoved aside as a large figure barrelled through them. Grunt's grinning face was in Colt's line of sight for a few seconds before he was smushed in a bear hug. Grunt laughed heartily as he squeezed Shepard even harder.
"What are you doing here?" Colt wheezed out after he was released.
"I could ask you the same question. Didn't those idiots lock you up?" Grunt asked.
"They sure as hell did. They wanted to keep batarians off me. Didn't want problems with the Council as they prepped for war," Colt lied. Most Alliance members believed him to be either a Cerberus puppet or an honorable man driven insane by war. Finally cracked under the pressure and entirely deserving of prison. Luckily, most of the Admirals believed him and started to build upon an already formidable military under the guise of a looming Batarian war.
Colt tried his damndest not let bitterness consume him. Sometimes he thought he was alright. That lasted until he really started thinking. He gave the galaxy years to prepare. Yet here they were. The inevitable "I told you so" was bittersweet, as it often was.
"The situation changed, so they pulled me out of lockup and into the fire."
"Ya," Grunt agreed, "They have bigger things to worry about, all right. It's why I'm out here running Aralakh Company. They're tough, think they're invincible. They're also stupid. Reckless, but effective."
Colt looked at Vega and then back to Grunt. "Sounds familiar," he said, raising an eyebrow, "Now how did my adopted one-ton baby get his own command?"
"Shepard, you have to be cool around my men," Grunt whispered.
Colt punched Grunt's arm enough to cause the krogan to step back. "Power tools, amiright?" He loudly announced. In a much quieter voice he added, "Look at my little pickle, running his own company. Garrus, our baby is all grown up."
Gar-Bear slung his arm around Colt's shoulders. "We did good," he said.
"Are they always so...kissy, kissy with each other?" Javik asked over the comms.
"Actually yes, Javik. In case you haven't noticed, we're in the Navy. This is the norm," Colt rebuffed. "Anyways, how'd you get your own command, Grunt?"
The krogan laughed. "Wasn't easy. Wrex needed a leader for Aralakh Company that represented the future of our species. Thanks to you I completed my Rite of Passage on Tuchanka and became part of Clan Urdnot. I was an equal. And because I was the strongest, I was chosen to lead this honored company."
"We're some people assholes about it?" Colt asked.
"Ya, I ate them."
Colt stepped back a little. Holy shit.
"I'm kidding. But I did get my fair share of scars earning my place here. These krogan respect me," Grunt said.
"You were a pain in my ass, Grunt, but if these men are half the warrior you are, we might make it off this rock," Colt almost yelled. He threw in another punch for good measure. He had to prove he was a cool dad.
"I like to hear that you're ready to crack some heads," Grunt said before shaking his head, "I can't believe that this might be Rachni. Actual Rachni! A chance to face an old enemy? Impossible to resist!"
"I'm here to see about the Rachni and help you find your scouts. It's a two-in-one deal. You're welcome," Shepard said, "Oh, there's something you should know, I didn't see any signs of the Rachni in our approach. They may not even be here."
"True. But this place smells wrong. Like a bad wound," Grunt said, "The scans we've run show a series of tunnels leading to one point. If we're lucky, it's a nest."
"If we're lucky?" Garrus asked, "A rachni nest would be extremely dangerous."
"Exactly," Grunt said. He giggled like he just saw his first shark.
"I heard you went back to Tuchanka after we defeated the Collectors. How was it?" Shepard changed the subject.
"Good. I learned what it meant to be krogan. The lab was too controlled. The lessons were too mild. There was no bite. I needed the blood and pain Tuchanka offered."
Colt's heart clenched at the news. The idea of Grunt being hurt made his blood boil. But the Krogan seemed genuinely proud so Colt had to suck it up and act happy. "That sounds exciting. Did you have fun?" He asked.
"Fun? No. But I learned and that's what's important."
"I see. Well, tell me more about Aralakh Company."
"Aralakh means 'Eye of the Sun.' We're named after Tuchanka's fiery sun. Wrex himself handpicked us from different clans to show a united people. We were chosen because we're the strongest," Grunt said.
"That's just great, Grunt. So, how much do you know about rachni?" Colt asked. Grunt was a great warrior but it helped to know something about your enemy. The krogan was still young. There was a possibility he didn't understand what they were walking into.
"Okeer made sure I knew of the rachni. They're respected as an enemy. Everyone thought they were dead, killed by my people. You proved that claim to be false. If they're here, my blood demands they die," Grunt said.
"Well, shit. That sounds serious. But you should know something. That queen I met years ago? She doesn't deserve to die. The rachni may be your blood enemy or something, but that doesn't mean they need to be exterminated. Hell, the goddamn batarians are my blood enemies and I don't want them all dead. Only like three hundred thousand," Colt said. Grunt stared at him, Garrus shifted his feet, and Vega coughed. "I'm kidding. But my point remains the same. They may not need to be exterminated is all I'm saying. If you remember that not everything has to end in blood and pain, you'll be a better leader for it. Hell, you'll be a better person," Colt said.
"Okay, Shepard."
"Sorry Grunt. You know it's in my nature to lecture. Do you have any idea about what may have happened to the scouts?"
"It looks like something dropped half their camp down a hole. Their shuttle's gone too. They weren't going anywhere. I just don't know...When you're ready to go just let me know, Shepard."
"Sounds good."
After the krogan moved away, Garrus walked up to his side. "Shepard, I love krogans, but this place is decimated. They're overconfident. It's their weakness. We need to be really careful. You know as well as I do what rachni are capable of," he said.
Colt nodded. "You're right. But we can't just run around with our heads up our asses and hope someone else cleans up this clusterfuck. We have to do this, Garrus. Let's move out guys," he ordered.
Shepard turned and led his crew to Grunt. "We're ready. Let's go," he said.
"Good. Right through here, Shepard. There's a ladder you'll have to climb down to get to the tunnels," Grunt said.
"A fucking ladder. It's always fucking heights, isn't it? Goddamit, let's do this," Colt grumbled. He walked up the steps into the temporary living pod. The sides of the pod were bare metal sheets. A wall separated the pod into two rooms. A few cases were clumsily thrown into the corners, but it had pretty much been picked clean. The scouts must've needed a ton of equipment. "Just through-"
Metal shrieked as it ripped free of itself. Colt was thrown violently against the metal wall before getting sucked out of a door. He slammed into the ground before he could even think about using his biotics. Garrus must've been right behind him because he smacked down hard a few feet to his left. "Where the fuck is Vega?" Shepard yelled at Garrus.
Before Garrus could answer, Vega hit the ground next to him. "Found him!" Garrus yelled.
Rock sprayed the three as the pod above became even more unstable. "RUN!" Shepard screamed. He scrambled to his knees just in time to watch the pod completely dislodge and fall towards them. It fell frame by frame. Watching it come down so slowly felt like a step back from reality.
He swung his arms around in slow motion and lit up his biotics. Lines of pale blue traveled up his arms and extended outwards. The blue storm he fired off cracked like lightning, bringing time back to its normal pace.
The pod was easily ensnarled in his biotics. First its descent slowed dramatically before stopping altogether about a foot above Colt's head. The raw strength needed to produce a biotic pull of this magnitude crashed on his shoulders like a ton of bricks. "Are you clear?" He called through gritted teeth.
"Yes, we're both good!" Garrus called from behind him.
Colt took a shaky step backwards and then another. He kept going until he was clear of the pod's landing zone. He cut his biotics off so the pod could fall to the ground. The earth shuttered as the pod landed harshly. Colt fell backwards on his ass unexpectedly.
"Shepard! Are you okay?" Garrus asked. He grabbed Colt's arm and pulled him to his feet.
"I think I pulled my groin."
"Oh, oh my. Sorry?"
"It's fine. Asari only need your brain intact." He panted and took a swig of water. "Just to clarify, that really happened right? No crazy Reaper mind tricks?" Colt asked.
"It really happened, Commander. I've run several tests on the footage to confirm its integrity. You're in the all clear," EDI said over his helmet comm.
"Well, that's good. That's something. Look on the bright side guys, this is probably the worst thing that's gonna happen all mission," Colt said.
…
"You know how I said the pod falling on us was the worst thing that'd happen this mission? Well, I fucking lied. I could've lived with the creepy crawlies, and the webbing, and those fucking Ravagers, and black-out conditions, and maybe even those goddamn spore pods. But then that fucking poem came along. I can't play baseball with swarmers if I'm being drained emotionally."
"Ya, that was...it was fucked up, for sure," Garrus agreed.
"You know I met Ereba and Charr while we were fighting the Collectors?" Shepard said.
"Really?" Garrus gave him a sidelong glance.
"Ya, I gave them relationship advice. Told 'em they were perfect for each other. Read some of Charr's poems...Fuck the Reapers," Colt murmured. He shook his head and brought up his scope to survey the area. 'O Blue Rose of Illium' would be a tough one to forget.
"Watch it, more eggs ahead. I'll get them," Shepard said. He lit up the entire cavern with his awesome flamethrower. Heart wrenching poems aside, this mission was going spectacularly well so far. The squad got some super-fun flamethrowers, swarmers were excellent baseballs, and it was something to do besides sit in the Commander Cave and relive his mother's death for hours on end. It truly was a win-win situation.
"Commander, I think I found our way out," Vega said. He was standing a few feet away and looking down.
Shepard walked up next to him and saw what he was talking about. There was a small tunnel dug in the rocks. "Good eye, Lieutenant. Let's go," Shepard said. He slung his flamethrower on his back and crouched to peer through the tunnel. Only darkness stared back. "Wait about a minute until you guys follow me," Colt ordered.
"Why?" Garrus asked.
"I have to fart and I think it's a juicy one."
"Spirits," Garrus wailed. He did this weird talon movement that was the human equivalent of crossing your heart.
"Goodbye," Colt said. He crawled into the tunnels entrance and scurried along the rock. "There's never any puppies in these godforsaken claustrophobic pieces of hell, is there?" he growled.
"Why would there be puppies in rachni tunnels, Commander?" EDI asked over his comm.
"I don't fucking know, EDI. Maybe the rachni get lonely down here in the armpit of the galaxy."
"I thought Omega was the armpit of the galaxy?" EDI said.
"Everybody has at least four armpits, so technically there can be four armpits."
"If I'm not mistaken, most species have two armpits," EDI said.
"I'm counting knee pits in that equation," Shepard said. He let out an unplanned grunt as a rock dug into his palm.
"Then you should have said knee pits."
"Fine," he grunted, "Let me rephrase. Maybe the fuckin rachni need puppies because the knee pit of the galaxy gets lonely. Happy?"
"Yes," EDI said simply.
Colt crawled a few more feet before adding, "Knee pits are way grosser than armpits anyway. My robotic knee pit gets kinda...chunky after missions."
The collective "Ewwww," over his comm. was what Colt lived for.
After a terrorizing minute of crawling through pitch black knee pit hell, Shepard finally pulled himself out of the tunnel. He stood up and stretched his back out. He looked up and let his arms fall to his sides. "This doesn't look like your typical rachni nest," he grumbled.
Garrus emerged from the tunnel and waved a hand in front of his face. "I really should've taken that minute," he joked. The turian stood up next to Shepard and observed their next battlefield. His face fell. "Damn," he said.
Huge mechanical triangle shaped structures were protruding from the cavern's floor. The cables running along the ground were classic Reaper fixtures.
"Grunt, we've located the central chamber," Colt said over his comm.
"Good! We've got your back, Shepard," the krogan replied. James flopped to the ground next to Garrus.
"Come on!" Colt ordered. He picked up Vega and unslung his Eviscerator. He moved towards the obvious opening and scanned for enemies.
The metal prongs sticking out of the ground shot up quickly one-by-one. It took Colt a minute to realize that they were being cut off. "Move it!" Shepard yelled. He easily accelerated past the other two, aiming for a small opening. He reached it only to have metal slam past his face. "Damn it! Locate the power node!" He ordered.
The metal prongs shrieked as husks started to claw the other side. Growls accompanied the clawing and only confirmed the Reaper's deep investment in the central chamber. Something was here that they didn't want anyone to find.
"Found it!" Garrus called.
"Light 'er up, then," Shepard ordered. He tightened his hold on his shotgun and got ready for the onslaught. Garrus and James would have to take down the Ravager themselves. His close combat style was too risky against one of those.
One prong rumbled back in the ground only to set loose five husks. They screamed and started to charge. "You two, focus on the Ravager! I've got these husks!" Colt ordered. He charged his biotics for a second before releasing a biotic charge. He flew into three husks, splitting one down the middle and snapping another's leg. Husk fluid sprayed across his chest. Shepard brought a charged fist down in the middle of the husks and unleashed a spine shattering Nova. The two closest to him fell to the ground and didn't get back up. He shot the remaining two and sprinted towards some Cannibals.
…
"Keep it up!" Shepard yelled. He pulled his fist out of a Cannibal only to put it through a nearby husk.
The fighting was rougher than Shepard thought it would be. In all fairness, he hadn't been in a mission in over a month so it was a very real possibility that he was just out of practice. The only indication that the fighting was truly difficult was Garrus and Vega's reactions. They were out of breath always, heaving occasionally, and repeatedly commenting on the seemingly endless waves of enemies.
The sheer volume of enemies was astounding. Exhausting, but exciting. Colt reveled in the opportunity to destroy without thinking. Kill without remorse. It was the kind of mental break he desperately needed. Most of the fighting was exactly how Colt liked it-close, fast, and horrifically brutal. EDI had to keep asking him to wipe his helmet cam off from all the blood.
The only tricky piece was the Ravagers. The newly created Reaper/rachni abomination was cleverly designed. Their weapons were tremendously effective. One expertly placed shot could easily maim Colt and kill Vega or Garrus. Their use of ranged weapons prompted Colt to order James and Vega to go after the Ravagers while he kept husks and Cannibals at bay. Close quarter combat against a Ravager could be a fatal mistake on Shepard's part, so he kept his distance.
"Shepard, the rachni are backing off!" Grunt said through his helmet comm. Shepard looked around and found Grunt's words rang true. The rachni were scaling the walls in what looked to be a desperate retreat. "Whatever spooked them won't last. Finish the job," Grunt growled.
"Copy that," Shepard said. He motioned for Garrus and Vega to follow him. "We need to find the next power conduit. Maybe it-"
Before he could finish, the next metal barrier rumbled and disappeared into the earth. Shepard charged through, Eviscerator raised.
"Holy shit," Vega muttered under his breathe. Holy shit was right.
Towering far above the trio was the Rachni queen Colt saved years earlier. She was much, much larger than their earlier encounter. Beautiful in her own right. Colt had always admired the rachni, especially this particular queen. She was intelligent and brave. Easily an equal.
She looked at him with what appeared to be a gleam of worry. Shame burned through him and prompted him to lower his gun. Nothing cut quite like an innocent being looking at him with fear.
Movement to his right caught Colt's attention and made him turn. A krogan corpse twitched before it started speaking, "Silence."
"What the fuck?" Vega said nervously. He shifted from foot to foot and raised his gun.
"Calm down, Vega. It's just how Rachni communicate. And put your fucking gun down," Colt said.
"The maddening sour note has ceased," the corpse continued. It's voice was rough and husky. Dying wasn't too great for vocal cords apparently. Colt glanced up from the krogan and walked towards the queen herself.
"Are you the queen I saved years ago?" He asked.
"Yes...We listen for the children. They are silent, hollow," she said. The voices of numerous krogan corpses almost chanted her last few words. Garrus and Vega brought up their guns and shifted around, unsure of where to point them. But Colt knew better. She was no threat. Even if she wanted to fight, which she didn't, there was no way she'd stand a chance with all her wounds.
Dozens of corpses were twitching before saying, "The machines come and take them to war. They die alone, silent, far away." The anger was almost palatable. So was the fear. What kind of thing did this to such an impressive individual?
"The Reapers did this to you?" Shepard spat.
"Yes!" The krogans growled. "The sour note of the machines is everywhere."
"How did this happen? I let you go on Noveria. You promised you'd disappear," Shepard said. How did she end up here? Trapped, caged, like some kind of animal.
"We remember clearly. We kept our promise, retreated back through the relay. We started a new home. Beautiful children. Harmony. But...the machines came. They heard our song. Their shriek of sour notes drowned us out!"
Colt shook his head. His stomach turned with rage and hate. How could the Reapers do something like this? "They can't hurt you anymore. I will never hurt you. I'm not like them," he said gently. He took his helmet off so the queen could see he meant it.
A long pause spanned between them. She scanned him and looked him in the eye. "Yes," she finally said, "We understand."
"Good. But can you still feel the Reapers? Can they still influence you?" He asked.
"We can hear the machines, but they cannot control us. Remove the last shackle and we are free," the corpses said in unison. She turned her giant head towards a power conduit.
An ear splitting scream echoed through the chamber. The queen looked up and then back down to Colt. "What? The children return. They will destroy us all. Release us!" The dead krogan hissed.
Shepard's helmet crackled like someone was talking. He put it back on and said, "Please repeat."
"We're getting movement here. A lot of movement," Grunt said.
"Understood," Shepard said. He looked at the queen, "Promise me that the Reapers have no control over you."
"We promise!"
"Can you help us fight them?" He asked.
"We hate the machines! We will fight for our unborn children. Release us!" She flared her mouth at him, like some desperate plea. She didn't need to. Colt already made up his mind.
"She's weak. She needs time to escape," Garrus said.
The sound of a distant explosion rattled the ground. The queen let out a heart breaking cry and looked down at him again.
"Shepard! We are out of time! We stay here, Aralakh Company dies! Is that clear!" Grunt yelled through the comm.
Colt knew the score and so did everyone in Aralakh Company. The queen was too valuable. In terms of fighting the Reapers and in terms of saving her kind. There were millions of krogans and only one Rachni queen. The choice was clear as day.
"Listen up, everyone! Aralakh Company holds off the rachni while the queen escapes," Colt ordered. He looked up at the queen and said, "We'll buy you some time so you can escape."
The queen flared her mouth again.
"Grunt, fall back to our position and lead us out," Colt said. He knew this was a low blow to the krogan. But there was no way they could leave the queen to die in this hell hole. And there was no way he was letting Garrus or Vega die either.
"Damn you, Shepard!" The Krogan roared. In a much quieter and resigned tone, he said, "I'm leaving my team. On my way."
"Commander…" Garrus's voice trembled. He knew it was the end of the road for Aralakh just as much as Colt did.
There was no time for reflection, however. A decision was made and it was to be kept. Getting the queen out was the top priority. "That's an order. We can't lose her Garrus. Now, get ready," Colt said. He jogged over the the power conduit and blasted its core.
The shackles on the queen's feet fell from her all at once. She shrieked with glee and reared up on her back legs. She shrieked again before launching up onto the cave's wall and crawling upwards.
"Now get us the hell outta here, Grunt!" Shepard yelled.
A shotgun fired to Colt's left, making him turn abruptly. Grunt jumped down from a ledge and waved them over. Garrus and Vega ran after the krogan while Shepard followed closely behind them.
They sprinted into another massive cavern with what appeared to be moving walls. Colt focused in and realized that Ravagers were covering the walls like a thick mat. Grunt fired his shotgun at a Ravager dangling from a stone arch. Its blood sprayed the team as it fell. Another dropped down on their right side. Before it could blow someone to pieces, Colt fired off a shockwave that split the creature in half. He sprinted past the other three to take the lead. Maybe he could blast a path through.
Colt let off another shock wave as two more Ravagers jumped in their way. They were blasted from the ground and thrown into the cavern's walls.
"Over there!" Grunt called. Colt looked back to see him pointing at a smaller tunnel to their left. He quickly adjusted courses and led the team in. The tunnel was miniscule compared to the cavern they'd just been in, but it was big enough for Grunt to run.
"Keep pushing!" Shepard yelled, "We're almost there!' He turned a corner before abruptly pulling himself backwards. What looked to be at least ten Ravagers blocked their path. The others pulled up beside him, spraying some rocks from the abrupt halt.
"What's happening?" Grunt asked.
"We got a whole fuckload of Ravagers. At least ten and their numbers are growing," Colt said. He peeked out from behind the corner and breathed a sigh of relief. The Ravagers hadn't seen them yet.
Colt shifted his Eviscerator into his other hand out of nervous habit. One Ravager was tough enough. Ten was a whole different problem. What could they do? This was a fantastic squad but they had their limits. Neither Garrus nor James could take even one hit and live to tell the tale...But Colt could. He could hold them off while the others ran and still make it home. Cerberus may have been an organization composed of assholes run by the king asshole himself, but they knew cybernetics.
Before Colt could start dishing out orders, Grunt said, "The shuttle's down that path." The krogan pointed to a tunnel a few feet from the Ravagers. "I'll hold them off."
"And so will I," Colt said, "Garrus, Vega you guys need to get the hell out of here. Grunt and I can hold them off."
"Sheparrrd," Grunt growled. The krogan turned to him with bared teeth.
"I'm not leaving you to die, Grunt. There's not a way in hell you'll make it out of here alive without help. I'll be fine! Cerberus didn't revive me so I could chicken shit out and leave people to die. "
Garrus took off his fugly helmet and looked at Colt before glancing at the Ravagers. His eyes blazed with concern and his mandibles flared.
"If I leave him here to die, knowing full well I could've pulled us both out, I will have violated every promise I have ever made to my crew. And I am not about to set a precedent like that! Now get the fuck outta here, Garrus! And you too, Vega!" Shepard said, "And for God's sake, put your helmet back on, Garrus."
The turian scanned Colt's eyes once more, nodded, slapped Colt on the shoulder, and pulled his fugly helmet back on.
"Go!" Shepard yelled at him. Garrus and Vega sprinted from cover to the other tunnel. The Ravagers screamed and started to scurry after the pair. Colt stepped from cover and blasted through their ranks with a shockwave.
Grunt fired his shotgun into them as well. He giggled before saying, "Our turn."
The krogan charged into the mass, swinging his shotgun around. The Ravagers turned from the tunnel and started to converge on Grunt's position quickly. Even a minute of being completely surrounded by Ravagers could kill Grunt.
Colt lit up his biotics and let it wrap around him before unleashing a biotic charge. He flew into the Ravager's left flank, knocking a few down. Before he could pull a Nova off, a Ravager fired a shot that completely took down Shepard's shield. Another fired as well, sending an explosive projectile into Colt's chest plates. Luckily, his armor held up against the attack. His fist glowed with biotics before he sent it through a Ravager. It screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
Colt's head was pulled backwards as something grabbed his helmet. He released his helmet's pressure seals before his head could be pulled clean off. Shepard side stepped his attacker and stuck his shotgun in the Ravager's face. He pulled the trigger and blew the Ravager's head off its shoulders. Before he could engage another Ravager, something hit his back, managing to get past his armor and taking a painful chunk out of him. He picked his helmet up from the corpse, completely ignoring his fresh wound, and swung it around into another Ravager. It collided with one of its pus sacks, causing the sack to explode. Blood from the creature sprayed across Colt's face.
The stench of battle hit Shepard hard. His religious use of helmets usually prevented him from experiencing scents. The air was saturated with death. The overwhelming smell of spilled blood, intestines, urine, and feces caused Colt to gag. Now was not time to think, however.
He swung his helmet around again and began to beat a Ravager to death. He brought his helmet down over and over and over again. Each blow resulted in the cracking of bones and a mist of red. He backed up from the unrecognizable pulp and charged his biotics. He jumped and came to the ground with a Nova. It caused the nearest Ravagers to pop like pimples and crumple to the ground. For the few still alive, Colt unleashed a Pull. He quickly switched out his shotgun in favor of his Carnifax. He plugged at the floating Ravagers until they were all dead as door nails.
Where the hell was Grunt? He turned from the pile of carcuses to look for the krogan.
"Over here," Grunt growled. Colt turned around to find Grunt leaning against the tunnel wall. He was dripping with blood and God knows what else.
"Let's get the fuck outta here," Colt said. He walked to Grunt and wrapped his arm around the krogan's shoulders. Grunt leaned heavily into him and moved forward unsteadily. His breaths were wheezy.
Thanks to Cerberus, Shepard was able to easily shoulder Grunt's extra weight. Colt pulled him along the tunnel until they finally reached the outside. Vega and Garrus were pacing next to the shuttle when they walked out. They ran over to help carry Colt and Grunt to the shuttle. Garrus reached out for Shepard. "I'm fine. Help Grunt," Colt said while waving the turian off. Garrus nodded and joined Vega in helping the krogan.
The four reached the shuttle and clambered on. Garrus, Vega, and Shepard all had to push and pull Grunt until the krogan was safely on board.
Colt collapsed next to Grunt and started to perform all the necessary medical interventions. He caught Grunt glancing around the shuttle's interior. The krogan looked him in the eye before cracking a smile and asking, "Anybody got something to eat?"
…
Some Hours Later
Liara had fallen asleep hours ago. Not that Colt was upset or anything. She needed the sleep more than she'd ever admit. So did he. But wars weren't meant to be slept through and guilt wasn't so easily forgotten. In an interesting mix of guilt and self loathing, Colt became so paralyzed that he could neither sleep nor be productive. Instead, he laid on his back and stared at the stars.
Hours passed by before he could no longer stand the stillness of the night. Nights after horrendously violent missions often unraveled the same way. No sleep. No productivity. Just twilight. Almost asleep, almost productive, but never fully committed to either. Colt had always somewhat experienced it, but nights like this were becoming more and more intense.
He carefully extracted his arm from under Liara. It fell asleep some time ago. He stayed perfectly still for a moment to make sure he hadn't woken her up. The steady sound of her breathing confirmed that she was still out.
Colt sat up and ran a hand over his head. He turned and dangled his legs over the side of their bed. His brand spankin' new leg was a little beat up from the rachni. Chakwas promised she'd repair it in the morning. He stood up and pulled his N7 hoodie over his bare chest. Colt had gone for these late night walks many times before without ever seeing any crew member, but there was a first time for everything. No need to scar them by wandering around in his underwear.
He glanced back at Liara one more time before walking out of the Commander Cave. His bare feet sent waves of discomfort once they hit the metal flooring of the elevator.
His first stop was the Med-Bay to check on Grunt. There was nobody running around desperately when he peeked in the window, which led Colt to believe the krogan was doing all right. After Colt was released from the Med-Bay, Chakwas told him she was pretty confident that Grunt would pull through. Looked like she was right. Tough little guy.
Shepard turned from the Med-Bay and surveyed the dimly lit, empty Mess Hall. He envied those who could fall asleep. He walked past the abandoned tables, past the elevator, and into the lounge. The poker table was lit but the rest of the room was dark. He sat on the couch, neglecting to switch on the lights.
The door into the lounge swooshed open unexpectedly. Colt listened for the person's gate to see who it was.
"EDI," he rasped.
"Hello, Shepard," she greeted. She sat down next to him but didn't turn to look at him. "Why are you here?" She asked after a few minutes of comfortable silence.
"Same reason I'm always here. I can't sleep. What about you?"
"Your stress levels are higher than when you participated in the Skyllian Blitz. I am… concerned."
Colt nodded. It wasn't a surprise she'd shown up. He stood up and moved to the impressive window. He leaned against its frame and watched the stars lazily pass them by.
He sighed before saying, "The mission was...violent, to say the least. I've never been able to sleep after missions, let alone missions like this past one."
"Your stress levels have been elevated for months," EDI said.
He twisted around to look at her. "Does that surprise you? I mean the damn world is ending."
She nodded.
He turned back towards the window. "You know, sometimes I can hardly believe everything that's happened. Everything I've done. It's been sickening. That's what keeps me up on nights like this," he said.
"Everything you've ever done has been in the moral right," EDI said.
"So? Was killing my mother the right thing to do? Yes, I think so. That doesn't make it any easier."
"I see. So, being in the moral clear doesn't clear your conscience?" EDI asked.
"It helps I guess. But it certainly doesn't make things okay, no matter how justified. I wish it did though. Make my life a lot easier," he said.
"I'm only just starting to understand emotions like you describe. Please forgive me for all my questions," EDI said.
"Don't worry, my friend. It's not a problem. But trust me on this one. It's not a bad thing that you don't understand what I'm saying. Being human is all fine and dandy until you get hit with all these bullshit emotions that arise from bullshit situations," Colt said. He ran a hand through his hair. "I wish I'd dumped the Reaper war on some other poor bastard and run for the hills," he added.
"No you don't. You're not the type to dump your problems and run."
He shook his head and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. "You'd be surprised," he said. Shepard sighed and watched the stars for a few minutes before continuing on, "At one point, space freed me. It saved me from a short and brutal life on the streets. Now…" he shook his head in exasperation, "Now I can't help but think it's my prison."
"I can't say I understand," EDI said from the couch.
"I'm bound to space like no one else. Other people live beyond dreadnoughts and the Alliance. I don't. I can't. I keep trying to tell myself that there's more to my life, more to who I am than space. But there isn't. Years ago, a career in politics was a possibility. I even considered being a doctor. It's all so laughable when I say it aloud. I am nothing without space. A nobody without war," Colt said.
"Why are you telling me this?" EDI asked.
Shepard shrugged. "I don't really know. I had to tell someone and you happened to wander in." He turned from the window and sat down next to her. "When we were on Sathur, some Reaper thing talked to me in the woods. It said that I'd experience some of the same things that happened to me when I received the Prothean Beacon. It hasn't happened yet. Yet being the key word. I haven't lucked out this whole war, so I'm sure it'll hit me soon," he said. Shepard put his head in his hands. "I'm worried, EDI. The Beacon was debilitating, to say the least. I don't think I can take something like that again," he admitted.
"The Beacon was the difference between losing and winning the Battle of the Citadel, Shepard. Maybe you shouldn't write off whatever's coming as bad."
He picked his head back up and turned to look at the AI. She was watching him without expression.
"There's something else, isn't there?" She asked.
"Ya, and I want to tell you, but you're not known as the greatest secret keeper," he said with a grin.
"What?"
"Everytime I tell you something secret, Joker makes fun of me for it a day later."
"I was not aware," she said.
"Uhhh-huuuh," Colt said. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"You can tell me this one, Shepard. I promise I won't say a word," EDI said.
"Lucky for you, I made up my mind to tell you this a couple days ago. If something goes South on me, I need someone to know the truth. You seemed like the logical choice," he told her.
"Me and not Liara?"
"This secret fucks up everything in its way. It's a real doozy, EDI. I will not put this on Liara."
"But you'd put it on me?" She asked.
Colt laughed. "Your chassis can take a few hits, no?"
"Tell me what it is, Shepard. You've peaked my interest."
"I've got two clones. A Cerberus made one and an Alliance made one," he said quietly.
She stared at him a little before asking, "How do you know?"
"Eve, Urdnot Bakara, told me on Tuchanka. Do you remember when she pulled me aside at the very end of the mission? That's when I found out."
"How did she know?"
"She overheard some Alliance officers when they were on board for the war summit."
EDI nodded slowly. "Okay, so what are we gonna do about them?"
"I've thought about this for awhile, actually. I need to find them before the Reapers do. A clone, let alone two, could cost us the war. We need them where we can watch them," he said.
"What can I do to help?" She asked.
"Can you look for anything suspicious? Anything that could lead us to their location," he said.
"Even in Alliance controlled space?"
"Especially in Alliance controlled space. I wouldn't be surprised if they have both clones hidden away."
"So, you're not going to inform the Alliance that you know about the clones?"
"Definitely not," Shepard said, "An indoctrinated officer may have ordered the clone. I don't wanna tip 'em off that I know."
"I can start searching right away, Shepard," EDI said. She stood and walked to the door.
"Oh, and EDI? I hope this goes without saying, but this stays between us for now," he said.
"Yes, Commander," she said. The door to the lounge slid open. "Oh, and Shepard?" She asked halfway through the door.
"Hmmm?"
"I thought you should know that Garrus has been researching the price of goats on the extranet all day."