God Alone to Heed Us

by NCR Ranger

When a mysterious vessel ambushes and obliterates the Normandy SR1, Ashley and a band of survivors find themselves fighting for their lives, embracing faith, and clinging to hope, on the edge of habitable space...

4. Unstoppable

2185

August 5th

Omega Nebula

Amada System

Planet Alchera

Local Clock: Established as 11:25

---

" ...Storm ?! "

Gausman. Always- or, at least, pretty often- the first to say what everyone else was thinking of, before they did. Even for an Australian, that was just...out there, and probably his most defining trait. Aside from, needless to say, the overall Aussie-ness of him...which was a bizarre science all on its own.

"...What...bloody storm ?! "

Yum pointed back the way she'd come again, though even harder now. " That one ! "

" And its more than just a storm- its a blizzard ! "

Shifting her frost-covered, dripping-with-snow-melt obsidian-colored helmet from beneath her left arm to her right, the Japanese Alliance Marine pivoted to face the whole rest of the pod, though her gaze soon landed squarely on the ranking officer:

Chakwas.

"...Permission to speak freely, ma'am ?! "

" Granted ! ", the Corpsman consented quickly. She'd already been on her feet, from the moment the airlock had cycled open to let Yumi re-enter, and perhaps more than anyone else ( aside from the Marine NCOs, needless to say ), she was the most listening the most closely of all. And, that was saying something...

...Given that even the heavily-burned/lacerated Uzek, and Adams...knew what was coming for them. As wounded as they were, and as much pain as they were contending with, they could- and were- able to grasp what was happening around them. They could still follow it, even though neither one could stand.

They didn't need to, though. They just needed to listen.

They knew. But...

...They needed details.

And they would get them.

" What have you found out there ? ", Chakwas persisted.

Dear God...

...What are you sending our way ?!.

..Guess we're about to find out..

Pressing her lips together, Ashley planted both feet against the pod's deck plates, and stood tall. Things were about to get put to the grinder's wheel, she suspected, and for that, she would have to ensure she was fully set to " Planning for trouble mode ".

Soon enough, that proved a wise call.

"...I'd say its about...about less than an hour out. ", Yuki estimated. She had some hesitation with how she said it, but not...not outright nervous. Nobody expected someone who's MOS wasn't meteorology to utterly ace something weather related, but she'd gotten the gist of it across. And that's what counted.

Case of point-

" .Wait-..A-an hour ?! ", exclaimed one of the few Navy sailors who'd gotten aboard, who's name Ashley hadn't caught just yet. She had a strong Australian accent- nearly as much as Guassman, though not quite-so ignoring that outburst wasn't an option. Even if anyone wanted to...which they didn't.

They were all ...all stuck here together, after all. There was no icing someone, or paying them 0 mind. Especially...with an accent like that.

It was just...a rule. The kind that wasn't etched down on record, but...it didn't need to be.

" You sure ? "

" No ! ". Yuki lightly shook her raven-hair head, driving the point home. " No, I am not, Samantha, but...I am confident. I know what a storm looks like. And I know if its moving our way or not from looking at those clouds. "

" ..Red sky at night, huh ? ", commented Juikara, arms crossed. " Something like that ? "

Yuki shrugged. " Close enough, anyway. Feel free to check for yourself ", she added, tipping her chin toward the airlock.

Juikara raised both brows, but didn't say anything at first.

Finally, though...

" Might just do that. But, I got an ever better play..."

" Ay...Guassman ! ".

Pitching her tone louder, she easily got the Aussie to glance her way. " Master Guns ?! "

Still without even needing to look at him, the South African kept him playing to her tune. " Gus...check the main console. You know what to look for. Get me some reports ! "

" And , Private ? Stay. Put ! Until that storm is confirmed on senors, we can't afford to miss a thing ! " ", she added.

"...Roger that ! All over it, Master Guns..."

" Better be ! And, Nagawa ! Get your ass over here. No point blocking the door. Come on...! "

Like a lever getting pulled, a minor flurry of activity burst throughout the pod, from that succinct set of orders. Guasmann did exactly as he was told, hopping to his task, as Ashley uncrossed both arms, and took a step forward, biting her lower lip again- as she was wont to do when thinking hard and long. Across from her, Juikara confidently kept her own armored arms X'd over her chest, as Yuki made her way deeper through the packed metal cavern that was their escape pod, leaving a trail of melted snow behind her.

Having placed herself roughly halfway down the length of the pod, so that she could watch either half at the flick of a hat, Ashley set about doing just that- watching. It wasn't what she'd have done if given a choice...but then again...things weren't always a matter of choice. She knew what her expertise was, but with the chance of a storm smothering them, she might not get the chance to use them again

Droplets of ice and snow, turned to freezing water against the well-above-freezing temperatures of the Pod. Its environmental systems, designed to only operate for a few hours to maintain a sustainable level of heat for its occupants against the literally unlivable frigidness of space, had been pushed to their limits via the emergency capacitors. Emphasis on pushed...as this was, technically and officially, a lifeboat, and not some mobile habitat that was supposed to last for days on end...or even longer. It wasn't...It just wasn't feasible for the climate controls to stay online for that long...or the O2 systems. Or the food storage..

Yet again, Ashley's mind went down that old, badly retreated dark road- and at the prompting of something so seemingly pure as melted snow. Why that was...actually, no. No, she wasn't going to squander precious room on the clock getting stuck with that rut.

No...she couldn't afford to.

Thankfully, I seem to have some discipline left..

Maybe Anderson was right about me after all..

But, she couldn't avoid stopping herself, mentally, from going all out on the nitty gritties of how things were- the details, why's, and what's. Trekking across the snow-smothered surface of this world had provided a distraction, yes...but only as the form of a new set of issues to face down. Specifically...how any chance of finding a smuggler/pirate encampment that might be somewhere around here that they might be able to steal/ bargain a evacuation on had been scuppered by this oncoming-

"...Agh- Hey, hey, Yuki ! You were onta something ! "

Ashley lifted her head, pushed slightly off the hull, and pivoted toward the Aussie all as one fluid motion- something she owed years of experience to, and one she was always thankful for. Said list of what she was thankful for wasn't even that long, but the ability to react quickly was one she especially valued.

On a pragmatic level, at least..

Which was constantly useful, though. Like right now.

" What do you got, Private ?! ", Ashley demanded. Out the corner of her rightmost field of view, she watched as Chakwas-still by Uzek's side- continued the motions of undoing the layers of wrapped bandages, so that she could check his burns.

For just the most...the most fleeting of moments, Ashley spared a thought for him- not the first, not the last, and nothing much different than before. That was ok, though..

It didn't have to be original. It just had to be real..

Preserve him, Lord...

Through this trial, at least..

Amen

With divine help thus requested, Ashley went back to the current world around her...just as it gave her the answer she needed.

Though, maybe not the most encouraging one...but, then again, it was better to have it anyway.

"...Nothin' good, Gunny...". The Aussie had an edge of apprehension as he said it, which was only kept from its worst form by the fundamental buoyism of his Aussie accent.
Nothin' good..."

"...And by that, I mean that Yuki's right ! "

...

A shudder- cold, deep , and long- rolled its way from the base of Ashley's back to the corresponding base at her neck. It threatened to bring some unwanted, worrying thoughts along with it- and it did. But, thankfully...Alliance discipline managed to keep them at bay.

On this go around, at least. There may be more...but that would be something to worry about later.

For now...

" Expand on that, Private ! ", the Marine descended from the ( wrongly ) disgraced General Williams demanded.

" Hey ! ".

Switching gears for a split second, she called to the others. " Everyone- ears ! ".

" Ay !You heard her-listen close ! "

With typical vigor, Juikara added some ever-helpful reinforcement with that unmistakable accent. Whether it was needed or not, it sure helped out, because every head was soon focused on the Aussie, like solar panels getting activated by the sun. Chakwas was still busy, but she'd altered her stance to face just a bit more toward the front.

Not by much, but it was enough. As one of the more action-oriented Marine the Normandy had embarked before her ill-fated voyage, and one of the ones with one of the higher levels of combat experience, it was just outright normal for Juikara to place herself close to where potential action might erupt. Completely on brand, that was, for sure.

...Always helpful to have an Afrikaaner around.

They're either down for a fight, or getting everyone's total attention.

Or both..

Sure enough, everything was soon set..

..And, a second later: The main course arrived.

" Right then...!"

Nodding toward the main console, Ashley gestured at the Aussie stationed there. " Go ahead, Private..."

The Aussie nodded slowly, paused for a second...and then finally spoke.

"...So, just for anyone who didn't know...the senor suite here was built for the vaccum, not atmo. They're kinda sensitive to heavy weather ( weatha )- and none of the channels are going at full steam right now. There's a lot of bloody static jamming the airwaves out there, and its gettin' worse. "

"...Come to think of it...I did think I heard some garbling on my helmet comms as we were hiking back... ", Janes thought out loud, nodding minutely. " But, it wasn't that bad, and I didn't notice the clouds...must've been a ways out by then. Seems their closing quick, though.."

Ashley raised a hand- as much as she appreciated others taking accountability, it still seemed like falling on one's sword to her . " Don't get caught on that, Private. Its not a problem- let's stay focused on what is. Understood ? "

"...Roger that, Gunny ". The French Marine nodded again, but more visibly.

He'd gotten the message ( whether he'd fully grasped it was something that would have to wait...as a lot of things were having to ), so Ashley signaled Guasmann to continue with a " Carry on " hand flick.

Which, he quickly did, and even actually gathered more steam. " ..Right ! So , like I said: Comms aren't fully online anymore. Outside probing sensors are showin' things are falling through the floor, temperature wise- must be some kind of storm-born...cold snap. Between all that...yeah. Yuki's definitely not imagining things when she said there's a blizzard headed for us. "

" Someone might wanna stick their head out the airlock and check for sure, though. Y'know...just to be sure. "

...Typical.

Aussie could be telling you that a meteor is about to land on your head, and they'd still sound optimistic..

Maybe Vince has some Aussie background for him...

Wouldn't shock me..

...It was a pleasant series of thoughts, for sure. Morale boosting, even. Well, for her, at least. Wether that was true for the others...well, that wasn't something for anyone other than God alone to be 100 percent sure of...but Ashley, as an NCO, generally had a better read on the lower ranks than most officers ( aside from the medics, needless to say ), so...

A quick-momentary, specifically-glance, then another, around the pod sure enough didn't find any fallen faces, or grimaces, or anything like that.

Sure...there was the occasional bit lip, or the shadow crossing someone's features as the gravity of what a storm barrelling down on them could- and did-mean, but, nobody cried out. Nobody made a racket over it, and nobody got dramatic.

They didn't take it quietly, though...but that was to be expected. Perfectly reasonable, honestly.

It was mostly just a salvo of questions...

If there was one thing that the lower ranks excelled at , it was questions.

" ...You sure about all this ? ", demanded a ever-so-slightly skeptical Rahman. " Like you said, the sensors are twitchy against atmo- maybe they're getting screwy.. "

Guassman shook his head. " Yeah...naw. I checked 'em twice. Everything came back the same. "

" Same ? "

" The same. "

Unfortunately...he sounded confident on that. Ashley knew hesitance when she heard it, and this wasn't that. The Aussie was a certified weirdo on a lot of levels ( which was a redundant phrase, given that he was Australian..), but not having skills with Comms gear wasn't one of them. It was something Ashley had figured out a while back, along with pretty much everyone else on his deck shift and among the Normandy's Marine detail as well.

That just made it easier to grasp the gist- the cold, ominous gist of it. For...everyone.

And...there was more.

"Well...What about pings from other pods ? ". It was the Tunisian-Rahman- now doing the asking. " If this storm's about to cut off all comms, this might've been the last chance for them to reach out- or the other way around ".

" Don't wanna be the bearer of bad news...but negative on that ". Guassman accompanied the statement with another decisive head shake. " They're either on the other side of the bloody planet...or we're the only pod that made planetfall at this exact grid spot. "

" Honestly ? Both are pretty bloody scary. "

" Say that again, mate... ", Yuki agreed.

It was a sentiment that Ashley could easily agree with..

...and if she was to answer it, she'd have to say " About 50/50 ".

End result is the same..

..Reluctantly tacking that extensional dread onto the rapidly growing list of issues that they had to contend with, Ashley pressed her molars together for a second, before stepping forward and addressing the Aussie on the console. " ...Check the scopes again, Private. That storm still closing on us ? "

"..Might be. One second..."

Swiveling around, the Aussie worked the controls for a few moments...while Ashley shot a glance toward Chakwas. The Corpsman had been oddly quiet all along throughout this- and said quick glance showed why soon enough-

...Good God..

Uzek..

Adams...

...Neither of them looked to be doing well at all- granted, that was " looked to be "...but..wow, they did have a lot of blood, bandages, or both covering them. On a closer examination that lasted longer than the last...Ashley was stunned how...at how..

...Weak, Uzek looked. It didn't seem to be that much different than earlier, but Good God, did he look rough. Just barely awake, and with the edges of the fields of...of blistered and charred skin that poked out from the layers of field dressings covering his torso and legs. He was just sitting there, motionless as a statue...no more stirring than Adams just across from him.

The only other officer who'd made it to this pod before it'd launched so hastily, Adams had been fortunate enough to escape getting literally scorched, but that vast amount of blood loss, and the depth of that metal debris had speared him still hurt enough to leave him biting his lower lip every few minutes. And...it'd left him distinctly pale looking, as well as surrounded by a veritable lake of dried, coagulated blood.

True, Ashley was no Corpsman. But, the Marine on the ground's observations weren't just nothing- they were all they had, so they counted. That much, at least.

...There was no realistic way- judging from that observation- that they couldn't last much longer. They- meanings, everyone here- had to keep fighting to escape from this death planet.

They had to. Marines and sailors, as a whole- were too closely-knit to allow anything else. It was a welcome boost for Ashley's fledgling spirit of determination-branded optimism, and it was well-received. Like...drinking warm cocoa.

Or offering a sincere prayer...

"...Still the same, Corporal ! ".

An Aussie accent disrupted Ashley's mental mirror world- which, to be honest, hadn't pulled her out of the real one all the way. Just...hearing that accent without warning always got a reaction out of you.

Always. It was an Aussie one..

" ...Double checked that, Guassman ? ", she asked, reorienting to focus on him.

...Got to get back on track..

Got to find a way to survive this..

And escape.

" Roger..that ! " , Guassman supplied. " Gotta be real with ya, though: Getting real bad, on all channels! That storm's isn't going away...! "

...And just like that, I half wish the systems didn't survive the crash..

Or that nobody knew how to use them.

Aghh...geez.

No avoiding it anyway..

Might as well face the band...wherever that came from.

Closing her eyes, Ashley allowed herself a lighting-fast moment of steeling, as a South African accent issued an order to check that everyone's armor was fully sealed.

...There could be no more waiting around now.

Not anymore. To keep with that logic...

"...Lt. Commander Chakwas ! "

As she spoke, Ashley took her helmet, and swung it over and on top of her head, before lowering it to place, and then locking it there. " Permission to exit the pod, and check the oncoming storm front ! "

Proactive-ness is the only way forward..

She's known that from Day 1 of her career. Sticking to it had been her best card worth playing, every one of those days from then till now.

...Especially this kind of now.

And, unsurprisingly, Chakwas agreed. There was a momentary pause, but then-

"..Granted, Gunny Williams ! Private Nagawa ! Unlock the doors ! "

"...Understood, Ma'am ! "

cllck, cllck..!

Ashley's helmet locked itself tight, as the Japanese Marine traversed to the front of the Pod, and stood by the airlock controls.

There was no need for her rifle , but she kept it on her back regardless, as she also moved toward the front of the pod. She stopped, looked over at Yuki, and nodded.

"...Pray this isn't what it seems ? ", the other woman hopefully suggested, putting a hand out on the buttons.

Out of all and any of Ashely's past comrades under arms...this one had been one the more sympathetic toward her adherence of faith. Given all the opposite she'd gotten over the years...Ashley valued it for all its gold's weight.

Heck, Element Zero's weight !

" Amen to that ", the NonCom replied, offering a slight smile to go with it.

Couldn't hurt, right ?

"...Right, then. "

She turned ahead again, and braced herself.

"...Cycle the door! "

---

Wrnnnnnnnckkk...!

Wrrrrrrnnccckkk...!

Wbbbbrmmmppp...!

The moment the doors hissed open...

...Within seconds of that happening...

Ashley was greeted by a flurry of activity. Emphasis on flurry, and by more ways than one as well- there was a literal flurry of millions, on top of millions of snowflakes that had been kicked off the ground, and flowing all round the pod. It hadn't quite reached the level of blocking out visibility, not yet, but there were a lot of them...way more than anyone could ever hope to count save for God himself.

As if she'd experienced much of it back home, which she hadn't, but...that didn't matter. Shew knew enough recognize what was worth looking for.

So, she began to manually scan for it. Activating her visor's enhanced mode...

...Prove your worth, taxpayer dollars...!

...Hmmm..

...Aha ! There..!

Then, further out, near the top of the long reaching, gently angled slope that fed its way down to where the pod had come to rest...coming over its top like a rolled-tight ash-colored rug, was a line of stormy clouds. Not just patches of white-topped ones with grey undersides, but solid grey ones. Ones that formed a nearly endless carpet's worth of a Cumulonimbus ( Anvil ) cloud...

A towering, gigantic, its top-spread-out-like-it'd-been-smashed-with-a-mallet Anvil cloud, with an escort of lumpy, puffy, and also grey Nimbostratus clouds along with it. Its sides, top, and underbelly were all roiling, and churning, giving it the appearance of a literal living thing, as opposed to an example of nature.

A manifestation of God's power, basically.

But...not the kind Ashley wanted to see.

Not even close. Normally, yes, the sight of a giant storm cloud would be...awesome. Majestic, and beautiful. Something gorgeous ( despite its destructive potential ) that no human hand could ever build.

...Except...

Except when it was coming towards you. Then, it was a monster. Then, it was something to be afraid of.

And...this one was.

This one...was doing exactly that. It either would leave you afraid , or it would seriously put you on notice. Your head would get filled with planning thoughts, like: Where do I seek shelter ? Can I escape ? Is there anyone I am responsible for who needs special attention ?

And more...but those were the tops.

And Ashley was no exception. All of those questions were clicking off through her own head, as she stared down that Anvil cloud, looming on the edge of the ridgeline's top, as it ground its way forward. A trickle, then a steady ( albeit thin ) stream of liquid nitrogen began to fill her veins, and a prickly electric field began playing across her skin, cocooned though it was under the layers of her combat hardsuit.

...Seems you have plans for us, Lord.

Forgive me if dying is one of them, because I can't help but plan to fight like hell to stay alive.

Blinking, she stood back...having easily come to that realization about herself, and what was going to happen. Actually...it'd always been there, sure, but...

...Actually, seeing that cloud..

It'd hammered things home. Like a hydraulic press machine .

Ashley had to move. She couldn't stay here, whether she wanted or not..

And she didn't.

Pivoting on a US dime, Ashley activated the comms. " Private Nagawa ! Private Nagawa, get these doors open ! The storm's real, and its coming hard and fast ! ", she warned, allowing a healthy dose of urgency ( but, not fear ) to go along with the words.

Snow crunched, and crunched some more under her feet as she hustled back. Her comms squawked as she did, with a crisp ( but, slightly more hurried than usual ) Japanese accent saying, " ...Understood, Gunny ! Cycling doors...now ! "

Metal ground against more metal, compressed air hissed, and the round halves of the vacuum-secured door sections circled and spun around each other , before pulling away and opening a path.

Ashley stepped through, and went through the entry process yet again, at that phone-booth-tight gap just past the outer doors. The angry, ruby-red glow of the emergency lights bathed the entire terribly cramped ( cramped to the point where your ribs were crushing each other ) space, giving it an eerie, tension-manufacturing atmosphere...

As if the hulking storm cloud outside hadn't already done that !

Which it had, needless to say...

For all of that, though, Ashley called on her discipline, as always, to push away all that mental litter, and focus, again, on what she could do...

...as the second set of doors also cycled, and she came back again.

clnk, clnk, clnk,clnk.

The second set of doors, having finished her movements, widened the corridor, and Ashley knocked snow off herself as she crossed the border, reaching with both hands to remove and stow her helmet...to be greeted again by the tepid, recycled-tasting, and metallic air of the pod.

The best it could provide...

" Welcome back, bokke ( Springbok )...", greeted Juikara, utilizing an Afrikaans nickname she'd specially marked for Ashley. It was one she rarely used, though, that was just to keep it fresh for as long as it could be kept so.

Aside from Guasmann and Nagawa, the South African was among those closest to the pod, and she'd clearly been waiting for the other NonCom to return- one foot was forward, and the other was braced. She was- and had been, from the moment they'd crashed till now-set on " Ready for action at a moment's notice " mode, and that wasn't going away any point soon.

Thank God for that..

I get the feeling we're gonna need it..

" What's the situation out there ?! ", the Afrikaaner pressed on. " Got a real problem on our hands ? "

"...Wish I could say no on that front, but...". Ashley clamped her helmet under her arm, and used the other to pry open a compartment on one side. From within, she assessed the set of control switched that was there, tapping them with rapid dexterity.

" Fair warning: You're not gonna like this. Caught some footage with the helmet recorder...I'll push it to everyone's HUD's now. "

Watching this, Juikara said nothing for a second, but then processed it quickly, and nodded. "...Roger that ! Sounds like a plan. "

" Ay- Marines ! Helmets, on ! Load your linked video feeds- Gunny Williams has a present for ya ! "

As was the norm, that was all it took for things to get done around here- a deceive, capable NCO issuing confident orders. That had been the backbone , and the beating pulse of the Marine Corps throughout its entire history, and it still applied just as strongly today. Without good NCO's, a unit could not run. It could stumble along, and maybe even walk, but it couldn't truly thrive.

Then again...having good officers didn't hurt, either...

" I agree, Master Guns ", came Chakwas' curious British/Canadian accent, which came calmly, but also laden. " All personnel- helmets ! "

Between all of them, it sure didn't take long for the whole lot of them to get their " buckets " ( as helmets had been half-derisively-nicknamed ) on, sealed, and locked. All the Jarheads ( Marines ) had theirs on quick, tidily, and smoothly, while the " Squids " ( Navy sailors ) were a tad slower, as doing this kind of thing wasn't exactly par for the course for them...but even given that, they weren't doing badly.

Compared to a right-off-the-streets Civvy, at least. And...even to Marines as well. Ashley respected them for that alone. It took serious spine to even consider joing the Alliance, especially these days, what with the Geth assault ( One that was led by the hitherto-unknown...sentient spacecraft known as " Sovereign " that the Galactic Council was tipping over themselves to bury under mountains and mountains, and mounts of red tape and secrecy ) recently, and the constant threat of Batarian Slaver raids like the kind that'd rocked Elysium. Willingly risking going head to head with all of that ?

You were a brave one for sure, god bless you.

Eventually ( which was to say...about 20 seconds later, give or take ), everyone was all set, and ready. From end to end though the pod, on both sides, every last Sailor and Marine was all swaddled with armor and plating. Even the worst off among them...the unfortunate Uzek...had his on as well. It'd taken help from Chakwas to do it, needless to say, but he could not have asked for safer hands.

Best of the fleet, Vince had once described Chakwas' skill, during a conversation with Liara once. Ashley remembered it, clear as day- she'd been sitting a few yards away, the day they'd hauled Liara to safety from the depths of an exploding volcano, while under attack by Geth troopers !

He was right. Right then, and he was right now.

And, speaking of now...

" Finally ! All good ! ". Juikara flashed a raised thumb to Ashley.

" Send it, Gunny...! "

Thus signaled, Ashley nodded, then did exactly that, with a few more rapid taps.

" Coming your way.."

" And...brace yourselves..."

---

Well...the truth was out, at least.

For what that was worth...

It'd only been a few seconds- barely 30, or at least definitely under a minute- after the storm-front footage had been fully played across everyone's HUD's. The impromptu movie-night had been useful nonetheless, though, as it'd given everyone a valuable eye-opener to what was about to happen.

Crucial, even...

Though...exactly how...Ashley was not yet certain.

Heck...they'd barely even begun to cover it...

" نحن تحت رحمته الآن ( nahn taht rahmatih alan )...", pensively murmured Rasmah.

"..Wait...What was that ? ", a moderately confused Guasmann asked after a second or so.

"...' We're at his mercy now. ", the Tunisian Marine softly explained.

The unexpected moment of theology was surprisingly well received...even if the Australian hadn't shown much of a care for it, which he had. Still, he got the long and short of it pretty quick ( with the " his " clearly referring to God ), and nodded appropriately.

"...Got it. Ok..."

" Ay-not getting the impression you get how much that matters ", Juikara weighed on the conversation. " Need to watch that footage again ? "

" Honest answer...? ", the Australian blinked.

" That's the only kind I ever want from you, kid ", the South African clarified.

" So out with it ! "

" Heck no...! ". Guassman shook his head, responding to what was asked. " Born and raised on the plains around Alice Springs, Master Guns. Saw enough of those bloody dust storms to know how gnarly weather can be.. "

" And now you're seeing it again- on some miserable ice-ball on the other side of the galaxy ", Ashley added, with a tone of both philosophy, and a previously-terrestrial-bound Marine eager to get to know all she could about any planet she could set foot on.

" And...it can bury you deep, just like they can ", she continued. " Snow or dust...its the same principle. "

" That's roughly correct, Sergeant, but I am not worried for myself- and frankly, that should go for the rest of you as well. To some extent, at least. "

Chakwas. She made herself heard again, calmly and once again assuming some control. Ashley searched for her, and found the Corpsman was standing now, with the twin patients that she'd been so steadfastly caring for carefully leaned against the bulkheads. Bundled emergency blankets had been bundled around and behind them, softening their sides and backs as much as could be done.

Perhaps...that was the best summary of their plight right now: Doing all that they could, for sake of just one more hour here. Having hardly anything at their disposal...other than this pod. A pod that wasn't supposed to fulfill the role it'd been forced to...

A haven amid the wastes. Just a misplaced lifeboat for some unfortunate souls...

"..If I allow anyone to leave this pod, and on even the slightest chance that there may be some form of help that awaits us...that's gone now. With that storm about to slam us...I can't allow it. "

Arms crossed, the Corpsman exhaled , stayed unspoken for a moment, then slowly kept going, and still while keeping her gaze on them as a whole. " ...With that storm headed for us, and less than half an hour out, if its pace is correctly guessed...then all we can do is stay where we are. Leaving would be utter suicide, and the station is unfavorable enough as it is. "

She paused again, and then looked over at Gaussman. " Private- is the emergency beacon still transmitting ? "

The Australian nodded , lower lip bitten. " That's affirmative, ma'am. Goin' on full power..."

Chakwas nodded back. " Good...good. Keep it that way. We were beyond Alliance space when the Normandy died, but...their Frontier Patrols can't be long from coming close enough to receive the beacon's signal. "

" God willing- isn't that right, Sergeant Williams ? "

Somehow...a sense of calm swept over the Marine who had survived the massacre of the 212th at even the brief mention of her faith. She didn't know how or why...and that was ok. What mattered was that it was there at all.

It wasn't as if many understood her value placed on a higher power...

" ...Amen on that, Ma'am. ", Ashley staunchly affirmed.

Regarding her with a look that could just about be called...proud, Chakwas went back to the others. " Then...that is all. We stay. We run the beacon, and we ration our supplies. If...and only if they begin to run out, will I authorize a search. That will be our final option..."

" Final. ", she repeated, just to drive it home.

...A wise choice- doubling down emphasis couldn't hurt at all, and it didn't. Nobody here was a total greenhorn to the point where they needed it explained overly simply, but...when things got real important- like a matter of survival, for example.

Like this one...

" Understood ? "

" Ma'am, yes ma'am ! ", came the replies. They overlapped each other, male and female, and a mosaic of accents...but, somehow...each one stood out to Ashley. Maybe that was because they were all trapped here together, or maybe she knew all of them better than she realized. Maybe even both. Regardless, though, she did notice them...and it had some value.

Couldn't specifically say what it was, but it was there. And appreciated...

" ..That will do. ". Chakwas uncrossed her arms, and turned to look back at the wounded men she was charged to care for.

The ones who were depending, more than anyone else, on any way they might yet reach home...Godspend, that would be.

" That will be all, as well. I need to stay close to them, and I need to give them my primary attention, but if anyone needs me...even if just to get something off your chest- then...I'll be right here. "

On the " here ", she jabbed a finger toward the set of ailing, nearly comatose patients. Everyone saw, and again...they responded ( nearly...but that was close enough ) as one.

" Copy that, ma'am.."

" Reading you loud and clear, ma'am..."

" Got it, ma'am..."

" Easily done, Doc..."

Nodding yet again as an acknowledgement, Chakwas turned away, and came back to kneel beside Uzek...

....right as a new noise...a brand new one, reached everyone's ears:

Wrrnnnkkkk...!

Wrrrnnkkk...!

Ashley, mind still filled with the same blizzard of thoughts as before, had just began coming back over to speak with Juikara, when the distinctive creaking of metal under stress became audible...

Wrrrrrnnnnkk...!

She wasn't alone , either. Heads quirked, and oriented around, every which way, as the creaking continued.

Louder, and louder, and on...till it became constant. Between its volume, and the suddenness of it ( And, honestly, that was more hard hitting ) , it sure activated a fresh adrenaline surge through everyone's blood...

"...Bloody oath- that's the blizzard on us now...! ", the Australian observed.

" Sounds pretty mean as well..."

" You would know, wouldn't you...Dusty ? ", needled Juikara, with obvious amusement.

Given what was happening all around them...a touch of levity wasn't so bad...even if any hardass basic training sergeant would disagree.

Besides, as Chakwas had so aptly pointed out...what else was there to do ? Not much- the storm, as the Aussie had just said, was on them. Like white on rice, and if it was strong enough to shake the metal of the pod ( and it was...which was still going at that exact moment ) , then leaving was just pure nonsense. For the moment, they could do nothing but stay hunkered down right where they would...and find any way to stay busy.

Check their weapons, and suits. Regular maintenance, and such, as well as supporting the emergency beacon...and keeping the comms broadcasting system online. That was the practical stuff, but aside from it...there was no room to do drills, or PT ( psychical training )...

...So...that left them with just talk.

Talk about...what, though ? Well, that was just too varied to pin down quickly.

But...had to begin somewhere.

By that measure , then, Ashley didn't linger where she was any longer.

She moved forward, crossed the pod, and called out to their Afrikaaner, who was back over by the console again that Guassman was manning. Evidently, she'd posted herself there...or, perhaps Chakwas had given the order while Ashley been out leading that brief patrol- one of only a minuscule handful she'd been allowed to have over the span of her career...owing to her string of distrusting superiors.

Regardless, at least she was here.

" Hey...Master Guns..", Ashley reached out.

The South African turned around, saw her, and dipped her chin once as a greeting. " Williams. "

Ashley nodded back, as Guassman glanced over his shoulder to spot the other NCO, and acknowledged her with a crisp ( and still Aussie ) , " How're you doin' , Gunny ? Still kicking, huh ? "

" Along with the rest of us ", Ashley reminded him. " Thank God for that, and you should as well. "

" Every day, Gunny. Every day. "

" Good to know. Now, stay on task. Got to speak with Master Guns for a sec "

Giving the Kangaroo-country-man a comradeire-ly shoulder thump, Ashley briefly contemplated what it'd be like if she'd been born with that accent, before switching back to Juikara.

" So, Master Guns...". Ashley leaned forward, keeping things conversationally close.

" How're we looking, you think ? "

For a second, then maybe another, the other NCO didn't answer, but did seem to be considering which one to give, which was commendable. Granddad Williams had always made sure that Ashley learned that kind of lesson beginning from childhood, and it was pleasing to see it'd been spread to others by their own fore-bearers as well.

Soon enough, then...

"...Alive, aren't we ? ", came the eventual response.

Wrrrrnnnkkk !

Wrrrbbmmmm...!

As if on cue...the pod's metal hull protested and moaned against the howl of the winter storm. It was strong, for sure. Strong enough to get the solid materials of the pod, built to withstand the vaccum and harshness of outer space, to creak and scream like it was a wooden ship on the high seas.

One could only imagine how high the snowdrifts outside already were...even though only a few minutes had elapsed from the moment the storm had reached their 20 ( position ) till now. Then again...the storm had been as wide as Texas ( appearance wise, at least ), and moving like a freight train ( as much as a storm could be said to hustle, anyway ), so really...it wasn't as surprising as it might've been.

Still...concerning.

But, that aside...

"...Storm's tearing this place apart real good, but as long as we stay hunkered ? Should be alright ", Juikara assessed their situation. " Doc pretty much covered everything, I'd say. "

...Yeah...

...Yeah, that's about the long and short of it, isn't it...

"...Yep...that sounds like it tracks ", Ashley agreed, observing the truth of it.

Lowering her tone slightly, she added, " Gonna need to keep them busy...as best we can. "

" Hmm...my turn to say you got a point ", the other NCO noted. " Tell ya what: I'll get 'em going on some rifle cleaning drills. You can catch some R and R . Then we'll switch. "

" Sound good ? "

Ashley mulled it over, and after a few moments...found no flaw with it. Unable to leave as they were, keeping occupied was all they had. Didn't need to be the same NCO/ Officer running absolutely everything on their lonesome, either...

Not that either of them would push themselves to if need be, but...anyway..

" Sure ". The other NCO shrugged. " Its a plan. Get 'em moving, and I'll catch some shuteye. "

With a grin, Juikara smacked her across one shoulder. " Fok ja ( Heck yeah ). Leave it to me, Williams..."

On that note, she pushed past Ashley, planted herself at the center of the pod, and immediately entered full on Sergeant mode, with a 1988 SADF-born soldier's spirit. " Ay ! Marines ! Squids...! Ears ! "

As the bellowing commenced, and as the scrambling among the lower ranks erupted all along the length of the pod...Ashley made her way to the nearest chair- which, conveniently, was right behind her. She seated herself, helmet clasped with both hands, and let her head touch the rest behind it.

Crossing both hands over the helmet, she closed her eyes...

" ...like greased lightning ! Whoever finishes last will drop and give me 60- that means you, Janes ! Stand by...! "

As the shouting continued...Ashley closed her eyes. Something she had not done at all from when her pod had first blasted itself clear from the crumpling, flaming, wide-open hull of the Normandy...

She closed them, and sought to get a bit of...

Asleep ? Well...not quite. It wasn't the shouting, actually...not really. She'd caught some zzz's ( albeit, just a few minutes worth ) before while riding Kodiaks down to the surface of any of her...many groundside postings, and those things weren't exactly known for their stealth. Besides...she wasn't even really planning to sleep right now, anyway. Between the adrenaline that kept coursing through her system, and how this planet's day/night cycle was all alien to them ( and that they hadn't been here long enough to figure that out anyway..). A sense of overwhelming exhaustion hadn't quite overtaken her, thankfully.

Yet. It might, soon enough. But, for the moment..

For the moment...she could just rest. Rest, despite the stubbornly bland air, and the creeping chill of the pod, as its climate controls gradually lost their battle against the outside frigidness. Rest, even though a sense of thirst- dry, cottony mouth, and hunger- gnawing emptiness , and hollowness- clawed at her, and distracted her.

They wouldn't let her go. She knew that. So...she sought what rest she could get.

Rest...and maybe some..

...Maybe some good memories to go with it.

Been wanting to, anyway..., the NCO confessed to herself.

Haven't a chance to till now. Been all wall to wall stuff-but it couldn't go on forever. One way or the other, you always find a way to relax..

Doesn't matter how busy you are...

...Even if fighting to survive is the task at hand..

"...more like it ! Right- again ! "

Clasping her fingers atop her helmet, Ashley willed herself to relax...as best she could.

Just...just a quick ( but, the good kind of selfish, not the spiteful, cruel kind ), bunch of thoughts about...just a few of them, about the man who'd quickly become the love of her life. The man who'd tirelessly pushed to always teach her some of those most vital lessons that Ashley hadn't been able to learn on her own: To stop blaming herself for what had happened to her Granddad , to accept that her self-worth and value as a Marine wasn't dependent on her superiors' badly skewed opinion of her because of her Grandad's surrender.

Revealed the overall worth of aliens to her- they were different, yes, and Vince was not naive enough to believe that there would be 0 conflict on any level between Humans and aliens...but he rejected the notion that they're mere species difference could stop them from getting counted as ( overall ) allies of the Alliance. At least, on a national level. Ashley's harbored a distrust, and a hesitation to accept them as such for pretty much her whole life, and having a bunch of them ( Garrus, Tali, Liara...) brought onto the Normandy to serve as permanent members of the vessel's ground assault team hadn't helped.

But, weirdly enough...that'd actually proven to be the exact opposite of not helpful. Those same same exact " suspicious aliens ", and " untrustworthy allies " of the Alliance...had given Ashley covering fire during combat- effective, accurate fire that'd helped Ashley stay above the mud, and not get put under it. They'd stood their ground against corrupt, scheming, and conniving politicians and bureaucrats who were blocking the ground team's way during the long, long hunt for Saren. They'd even...heck, they'd even been willing to shoot the breeze about things that actually made sense- coffee, firearms, how dumb politicians usually were, the value and warmth of family bonds, and even theology ! Theology ! That wasn't exactly something she'd been able to chat about with her squadmates...at least, not comfortably anyway. For some odd reason, faith wasn't something they took seriously. Or, anyone who believed it didn't really garner much respect from those who didn't..

Vince wasn't one of them, though. No, he was not. He supported her...and actually, he was a believer himself ! Hadn't specified what denomination, exactly, but had still made clear he didn't believe atheism was worthwhile, and was willing to stand beside someone else who knew that was true. But, most prized of all...

...the most treasured thing about him, Ashley found, rivaled only by his staunch support of faith, was...

...

...He'd given her a chance.

When everyone else- or near enough to everyone else, anyway-

He gave Ashley a chance, and...

...if nothing else had drawn her to him...

That did.

That, absolutely did.

---

2184

August 12th

System Alliance Stealth Frigate SSV Normandy SR-1. Operating under Spectre Command

Pangea Expanse

Refuge System

---

...This was stupid.

This was stupid, dumb, it was wrong...and on top of all that, as if it wasn't enough ( which, it was ), it was also against the rules. Explicity so.

Actually...that last one was all it took to give Ashley a dragging-down sense of apprehension. Concern as well, plus some worry.

She could feel it, and strongly. That persistent, nagging feeling of " Don't do this. You know its against official, on the books rules ". It wouldn't leave her, and she knew why- it was because her career could depend on it. Depend on it ! If she actually went and did...if she actually went and..

..Knocked on this door, and...

...And...

Biting her lip, Ashley stayed fixed fast to the spot on the deck where she stood, and just stared at the door before her.

Stared at it, and didn't move.

...' I want to go through it...'

' ...I want to, and I know I want to'

'. But...'

Her jaw clenched...then she unbit her lip, but still did not move. She did glance around for a moment though, quickly...but, there was nobody watching. Not at this hour. The SR1 had shipped out with barely even a skeleton crew- and with the current aforementioned hour roughly " late at night ", they were pretty much all asleep...aside from the ones who were operating the vital systems: Drive core, bridge, CIC, etc...

They were elsewhere, for the moment..

And, speaking of moments, for another one, Ashley pondered doing that herself. This was, after all, really against the rules. She wasn't supposed to be doing this...

She knew it...

She knew it. That was the real kicker. She should, by all rights, just...just leave this spot and go back to her bunk.

...But...

...But, then there was the other half of the Oreo cookie, so to speak.

That one, specifically, was that she wanted to do this. Wanted it, and even actually longed for it, as well !

It was...it was just so freaking bizarre. Everything about it...everything. From standing before a door and unwilling to open it, yet also unwilling to walk away, mixed with a cold feeling of about to commit an act of illegality, but also a warm, soothingly pleasant one of how that same exact thing was something she badly...badly craved, actually. Wanted wasn't really a fully suitable word. Wanted, technically, was for something like getting promoted ( still a sore and difficult road for her...and for reason beyond her control ), or getting a new specialized training pin for her lapels...or , heck, even wanting to buy a new set of shoes, purse, and/or sweater for herself while on leave.

Those were all wants, yes. But, that didn't mean they didn't matter, because often, they did. After all, how many girls how there wanted new clothes when they got the chance ? Most of them, obviously. How many NCO's were eager to rank higher and higher ( short of outright of becoming officers, that is ), so they might one day command a full strength squad ? Most of them, whether they were overachievers, or otherwise.

On some level, Ashley wished what she was facing right now was one of those. It'd be so much easier to grapple with...and then submit it and win via rear naked chokehold. Then it'd be quick...quick, easy, and...well, easier than this.

Easier than how to reconcile with the reality that she craved something big- something big that mattered to her whole life...but strict rules that governed her career , and a career that had also had a deep and strong hold on her life for years as of today were unwilling to ignore that getting it would mean ignoring them, as well.

Wait...

...If it was even debate at all, then...was this not worthwhile ?

Oh...but...she'd thought of that as well, though. Yeah...yeah, that was the final component of this bizarre...jigsaw puzzle right here.

But, that also made it worse. Made it more complicated, and confusing. Ashley essentially felt like she was trapped between the two halves of a hydraulic press: How much she was compelled to go through with it on one side, and the foreboding consequences of what actually doing it would do on the other..

It was...unique. The bad kind of unique.

Still...that wasn't an excuse to just...to just stand here and gawk at the door like an idiot. She'd still only been here for...about 20 seconds or so, but...that was still pushing it.

She couldn't stay here. She had to do something..!

...God...

Clamping her mouth together, Ashley willed herself to crush those doubt and worries down as much as possible to minimize their effects...while she called on some help.

...Please...

Please, what should I do ? Can I get some kind of hint, please ?

Anything...

Anything at all..

Closing both eyes, she kept pushing the thoughts of doubt away, as she waited for an answer.

Regardless of what form it took..

...

...

...And, then...

Her hand rose, made a fist, and tapped hard on the door's wooden visitor's slab, mounted high beside it. The slab was a holdover- a tradition- from ages past, from the days long before biometric locks and electronic security systems. Its purpose had been for any potential visitors to announce their arrival to whoever was behind the door, so they could then ask for permission to enter. Even with the arrival of high end , current day technology, though...the slabs still made appearances on Alliance-made warships as a way of holding on to where they came from.

Though, at the moment...Ashley abruptly found herself wishing she had gone back to where she'd come from- all the way back to Earth ! Or, at least her bunk..

What ?!

Woah...wait a second..

God-!?

knnk !

Knkk !

Knkk !

..You're serious, aren't you...

Evidently , he was. Or something like that. Ashley had just knocked on this door...and hard.

Knocked hard on Spectre Vince Shepard's door, specifically. CO of the Normandy.

Also Ashley's CO...

And...

...

...The man she had fallen for.

...Or, at least...that's what all the bits and pieces that could be- and most likely were- moments that'd blossomed between her and the man behind the door here suggested

Yes. That one. Her superior officer, and the only Human Spectre . It was him, that she had developed this overwhelming feeling of...

...love ? Was that it ?

Good Lord...it couldn't be. Couldn't be..love. Sure, they'd known each other well enough over this past few months, and Ashely'd opened herself to him on things that she'd played so close to the vest, it was criminal. She'd told him her deepest, darkest feelings and fears, and he'd accepted them...and helped her to understand how trivial many of them were. She found him devastatingly handsome , with a sharp mind to drive it all. He had a good sense of humor, loved exercising and firearms as much as she did...

He was a fellow believer, and understood the powerful value of a strong, traditional family of man, woman, and child.

With all that said, on paper ( and , even practically )...he was relationship material. Heck, he was a classic woman-magnet- a modern-day...Hemsworth. The kind of guy ladies were just drawn to via charisma and looks, and then stayed because of the warm personality, funniness, and worth ethic. Plus, how many of them even knew how quickly he could throw a switch from all that to a razor-focused, highly determined Marine on the battlefield, or during any kind of fight to the death ?

Ashley was probably...maybe the only one who knew all those sides to him. Even his own skeletons...

...Such as how he wouldn't forgive himself, and continued to lose sleep over...the deaths of his entire squad ( Save for one other man ) on Akuze, at the...tentacles and teeth, of those devilspawn Thresher Maws..

How it still-

Wrrrrshhh !

With zero warning, or even a hint of consideration for her mental processes...

..The doors hissed open.

All the way open..

....What the..!

Oh...!

Oh...its on now..!

It sure was. Because, standing right there on the other side of them..

...was Vincent O'Hara Shepard himself.

No turning back now...

No turning back

" Good evening, Williams ".

He didn't even sound surprised to see her. Mildly puzzled that she'd appeared so randomly,perhaps, but his deep, automatically authoritative voice didn't show a trace of astonishment. Just...calmness.

His cobalt blue eyes were fixed on her, and his mouth had formed to be just enough of a smile to notice, and to be real, but it wasn't enough to stand out. That was ok, though..

Big smiles were like candy-best used sparingly. Real smiles were more like this, anyway.

...Which wasn't helping her conundrum. His real smiles made Ashley feel all warm...like drinking hot coffee. It was reflexive, automatic...

And it was happening now.

Thus, it was under that " Having a romantic-reaction-to-quasi-moment-that-wasn't-a-moment " kind of heated mood, that she blinked, left her mouth agape, and then finally salvaged some dignity with a quick, " ...Hello, sir ! "

...You idiot.

That's all you've got ? You're an Alliance Marine, for God's sake !

Act like it !

The warm bloom continued to linger around and over her, as she continued. " Permission to enter ? "

The reply couldn't have come quick enough.

" Granted ". Vince deftly stood aside, and chivalrously gestured toward the depths of his quarters with an open palm hand. " More than welcome. Open door policy, after all. "

...Seemingly by sheer autonomy, Ashley did exactly that.

She crossed through, nodding subtly. That she had come through so quickly, though, and despite all that mental gymnastics that she'd been burning out so many neurons over, regarding her feelings vs her obligations to abide by the Alliance's code of conduct...she'd just done it.

Just done it ! What did that even say...?

Nope.

Can't do that now.

Won't, as well..

Can't afford to. I am already here...aren't I ?

Its already getting clearer...and I have to see it through.

For more reasons than one...

"...I take it, you're here for reasons other than talking shop about the assault on Illos ? ", Vince remarked, as he resealed the doors, and paced forward a bit.

" 'Course, if you do, then that's alright. As General Eisenhower once said, " During battle, plans are useless, but entering battle without plans is suicidal. " ".

..Whether that was simple philosophical musing ( albeit, pragmatic, practical philosophical musing that was definitely relevant ), or a combination of that and Vince seeking to make friendly conversation, Ashley couldn't tell.

And, frankly...she didn't mind much regardless. Because, both of those things were having an effect on her, and...

...the doubts that'd followed her here were beginning to fade away.

Just...just a tad, but they were still there. But, weaker now..

And the opposite of them...had just grown stronger.

---

"...giving us an opening to slip past their perimeter, and make planetfall ", Vince finished, his tone having taken on a familiar current of decisiveness, and energy." Specifically, where the co-ordinates from the Cipher are pointing. Much as I hate to plan an Op around such hocus-pocus, we're starved for anything more tangible. Saren's moving quick, and he's got an entire army- thousands and thousands-of Geth at his disposal. We can't afford to move slowly. "

...Choice of words, huh ?

Wait...Was that deliberate ?!

Geez...now that is overthinking things..

Shaking her head, as if to psychically dispel the worrying, Ashley demanded herself to focus on the here and now.

The impromptu tac session, for example. It'd gone pretty well, all things considered ( NPR ). Despite how they didn't have much at all to go on regarding Saren's exact location ( other than were it was...which was still sketchy, given the source ), and how they had 0 Naval backing for an Op that hinged on getting past a full scale Geth fleet blockade ( Stealth systems aside, it still didn't sit right with Ashley that were essentially 1 v 25-ing a whole fleet ), Vince was absolutely right that they had to roll on this target now- any delays could give Saren himself an opening...though, exactly what that entailed remained short of perfect clarity.

Still...it was pretty much a given that stopping it would require a substantial amount of grunt work- or to put it more bluntly...and that did sit fine with Ashley.

Simple things were usually the best.

If only...

Yeah. Yeah , you wish it was that easy.

Just stick with it. You're getting there..

Nodding to acknowledge Vince's point, Ashley leaned back against the bulkhead across from the officer, who was also leaning, but against the edge of his desk. " I'd say that tracks, Sir. That pointy-headed prick doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who drags things out. "

...Ok..

Now who's using choice words ?!

Get. Real.

" Agreed ". Vince's expression suddenly turned thoughtful at that. "...If I was to peg him as anything, it'd be as a fanatic. A zealot..."

" I'd just call him crazy, sir. But, those other descriptions fit as well. "

Getting her superior to smile hadn't technically been the goal of Ashley saying that, but she didn't have a problem with how it succeeded anyway. It was always worthwhile, she had to admit, the way it just lit him-

...And, there she went again. Runaway thoughts of her having these crazy feelings of romance, and attraction...love, maybe even, and to her superior , that were distracting her like she was a dopey high school romance movie main protagonist. It'd been the actual, real reason that she'd even come here at all, but here she was, avoiding it, and talking shop like it was another day at the office.

Well...at least she was a good, model Marine- as much as the cantina stories would put it. They didn't say much about how you grappled with this kind of weird ball of string, though.

Got to...

...Got to get down the meat and potatoes of this.

Now..

She bit her lower lip again, and set her jaw. Enough was enough.

Enough tap dancing around this whole... blasted thing..!

It..it was like a tea kettle: boiling, and boiling away...until it began to shriek. Something that was driving her mad. She kept biting her lip, and fighting off ocean waves of frustration that rolled over and then down her back...over and over. Chilly adrenaline had begun to get added to her blood, providing a jarring contrast of hot and cold.

What was this ? She wasn't a 16 year old ! This was...

This was ridiculous...to even have any level of this kind of emotional blender-fest going on...!

Was this how it was for him, as well ? Some kind of mind game, where each was expected to move first ...?

Well, it wasn't as if she could just outright ask him...

..Although, when he'd found her just standing their outside his quarters' doors, his reaction had been to casually ask if she just wanted to discuss the battle plan- but with a telling smile. And, while they'd been talking all along now...he'd been seated and/or leaning without any official bearing, but a casual, relaxed one. As if he wasn't talking to one of his subordinates about official business ( or rather...just talking to one about official business...and nothing else...which wasn't the case ), but...

...Talking to...

Talking to...

...A...

No !

This.

Is.

Against.

The.

Rules !

Do you want to end your career the same way as your gra-

" Williams ? You seem kinda distracted, I got to say..."

Vince's assessment of her current mental state was...mostly accurate. She was definitely distracted, but...maybe it wasn't for the reasons he might've been thinking about.

...Unless, he was. But, darned if it wasn't hard to be sure, because the Spectre had been playing some of his cards close to the vest. Sure, he'd been pretty open about most things they ever talked about, even real deep and hard hitting things like Akuze, or Ashley's loss of the entire 212th...

How Vince had been a street kind, scraping and struggling day by day by day during this late teens...how joining the Alliance had saved him.

Ashley protecting and advising her sisters through some high school drama nonsense back home, her struggles at getting a rise of rank for no reason except for her Grandad's forced decision 25 years ago...

They'd opened, to each other. Opened, like they had to nobody else. For both of them , or as much as Ashley had been able to read and discern...

...And, they'd even shared some...quasi-close moments, maybe ? Over and over, on the cargo deck between missions, they'd chatted to each other one on one...with both them seemingly mutually only seeking the other out, and not even bothering to have anyone else join them-Tali, Garrus, etc. At least, that's how Ashley had always seen it- whenever Vince came down to the bay, he pretty much always talked to her first. Her...not anyone else. And the conversations always were so...relaxed, and calm.

At ease..

..Also professional and official, yes, but absolutely different from when they talked with any of the others. With him, Ashley didn't get the sense of talking with an officer- well, she did, but...more than that, also with a good man, with who she had-

...

" ...Ashley.. ?"

Vince stood, leaving the edge of the table, and came a bit closer. His face had changed, features changing to a more kind, and open style.

The kind Ashley knew him for so well...

The kind that'd helped draw her him to begin with..

"...Is it the 212th, again, Ashley ? ", he asked quietly.

The momentary mention of her slain unit generated a sharp, moist, stinging sensation around the corners of Ashley's eyes, and a lump jammed her throat...but, Ashley knew Vince wasn't to blame. She'd reacted this way before, when dwelling on the deaths of those good Marines that'd been hers for over 2 years. Vince understood that kind of pain..

...He understood all too well. It wasn't a case of misery liking company, or anything even remotely like it...but...it'd...

It'd helped, actually. As excruciating as it was to have to recall, even for only the briefest of moments...it helped. The alternative was just boxing it away, and leaving it to gather dust, so to speak, somewhere you figured you wouldn't have to confront it ever again. Or, at least not often...

...Until, your realized neither of those things applied. You had to face them, regardless of the pain. It was the only way forward...

The only way you coule heal..

And, someone who voluntarily helped you...with their own similar pain helping to dilute yours ?

" Thinking of them ? I don't blame you. It isn't like I can choose when Akuze comes back, either..."

"...Yes. Well...yes, but no. Wasn't on my mind till just now, but not your fault. Couldn't have known. "

" ...Wish I had, Ashley. You don't need someone dredging that stuff back out- it'll do it on its own often enough. "

" True..."., the NCO solemnly agreed.

God, this was getting depressing now. Really dampening the mood...

...but, there was one last bright spot. The original reason she'd come here.

And...

...And, it just couldn't wait anymore. Maybe it was a simple matter of the whole thing just getting too powerful to keep bottled , and it'd reached its exploding point right now. After months and months of amassing a charge, like holding down the trigger on a plasma pistol. Or/and...maybe it was unexpectedly having to remember the demise of the 212th, which was such a nightmare to even have a flash memory of that she'd do and think of anything to get away from it..

It wasn't...using that as a springboard, but...

Well...

...Aghhh !

Just...

Out with it already !

"...Hey, Sir...?", she cautiously began.

" Yes ? ", Vince was right there, listening with full attention.

"...I..."

Vince smiled- just a dash of one, but that made it even more real. "...'Sokay, Ashley. First name basis from here on out, ok ? First name, and both ways. "

Ok...

That's a relief.

I'll take any of those I can get right now. Which is weird...because I've been literally shot at, and didn't need it-!

..And, it was at that exact moment where things began moving so quick, that her head could barely keep pace..

It just...got away...

But...perhaps that was for the best.

At least, one way or the other...

It'd be over soon. The questions, that is.

"...Understood si- Vince. Vince, got it. Kinda got used to " Sir " "

The man across from her shrugged understandingly . " Blame Macapa Boot Camp for that one. "

" Heh...yeah. Thanks, Ellison... "

A split second pause ensued, without a word...

Experiencing a fresh surge of determination ( and, along with it, a concurrent surge of those ultra-complicated " feelings " that'd been clawing at her for so long ), Ashley breathed deep for a moment, looked off to one side for another fleeting moment...

And, then..

"...Vince, I got to level with you on something: Where are we at right now ? I mean...where are we at, right now..."

Had her pulse begun to race , on saying that ?

No...no, it couldn't be.

...Well, maybe.

" Because, honestly ? Its something that just will not leave me alone-and that wasn't a complaint, though. Just..."

...Great. She'd had some momentum, but now it was going all helter-skelter...!

Perfect...

"...Stop me if this is way off base, but...were you going to say you can't stop thinking about me, even when we're off the clock ? ".

Vince's question contained a palpable sense of...

Good lord Almighty...!

...Hope ?

It was...was it ?!

Hope ?!

...Wait a second...

Ashley was thrown for a spin for a second, but regained her bearings quickly- how, she couldn't be sure. Maybe all that adrenaline was doing the trick.

Or maybe it was divine help. Whichever way, though...she'd take it with both hands.

She could not stop now..

"...I...I...well, yeah, actually ! "

It was...it was like a cold drink of water on a scalding day...just...just admitting it !

Why...why on God's earth had Ashley been so blasted hesitant to do so ? Oh...right. The Alliance Code of Conduct. Obviously. She hadn't forgotten, needless to say.

But...

...When faced with the source of where those feelings were stemming from, and after having let them broil away for as long as they had...they'd somehow managed to overpower that deeply-set conviction that Ashley had been living with from Day 1 of her career. The stone-set knowledge that fraternization was strictly against those regs and that ignoring it carried dire consequences that usually took the form of a less-than-honorable or even outright Dishonorable Discharge...

For someone with a blacklisted family name like " Williams ", the latter was way more likely. With that hanging over her head, Ashley couldn't have done anything to risk it...

...Until...

...Well, until now, that is.

Until now.

For sure.

"...Yeah...yeah, I have ", the NCO allowed herself a smile of her own. " I...ok, Vince, I honestly think you are a total..package. "

The words were just tumbling out now- the floodgates were open, and it was too late to close them. A chorus of voices at the back of Ashley's mind screamed at her that she was literally killing her future with the Corps...

...But, they weren't loud enough. Heck, even her rational , sane, organize side of her mind couldn't stop it now..

" I've literally had dreams about you, Vince. About...about us. And we're not even on patrol, or cleaning weapons, or anything like that. We're holding hands, we're laughing over bowls of chips while completely alone while just dressed with t-shirts and shorts...and sometimes, its just us...stargazing, or...or comparing poetry ! "

Taking another pause, just to breathe, she went right back to it. " ..We've...we even kissed once, Vince. We kissed. During my dreams, sure, but...still ! Man...I don't even..."

...Good lord, she was almost getting dizzy from all this outpouring of formerly-sealed-away-tight emotions and thoughts. It was some seriously heavy stuff, that was for sure...

...A good kind of heavy, though. A rewarding kind of heavy, that couldn't stay ignored forever. It had to have gotten voiced. It had to, and that was now.

But...even more than all of that..

All the while she'd been talking, Vince had been hanging diligently on every word. Every syllable. He was always a good listener, and now was much the same. With every word Ashley had to say, he seemed to get more and more, and more of a...

...what Ashley could only describe as a " delightfully relaxed " expression. The kind of expression whether you were ecstatic and delighted about something, and so much so that you weren't even making a face about it- it was just natural, and came easily to you. It wasn't even enough to garner a laugh...because it wasn't something light. It was something so...so real, and genuine, and powerful, that it was more than you could convey with your face.

Just the slightest of twitches, and smiles showed though, but they said so. Much.

So much...and...

" ...Talk about one gem of a revelation, Ashley ", Vince admitted.

His smile didn't go away...and at long last, a revelation hit Ashley. Hit her, and then washed over her like a mug of more hot coffee...

That revelation was: Vince did understand what she was going though.

He did !

He...he actually felt the same way !

He...had those same kind of feelings for her , as she had for him, after all !

...And...that was good. Ashley's first and immediate reaction to that, was that it was good. It was authentic, real chemistry at play here...and even if it slashed her career...

...Maybe...it hadn't been that right for as she thought. That was the dark side of the new revelation, though, and it hit like a blast of a freezer fan. It was cold, chilly , and unwanted to a T. It...it actually made Ashely shudder...just a tad. But, there was a reason for that. To be an Alliance Marine mattered to her, was why, and to risk losing that...?

A heavy blow it would be. For sure, and without question.

But...denying the truth of how she was feeling toward Vince wasn't something she could ignore either. It...it was so strong. It was...it was so powerful..

...Oh. My. Lord.

...Is this...?

...is it..?

Geez...her own face was actually getting heated now. She really was becoming a high school girl again, undoing years with the SAMC ( Systems Alliance Marine Corps ), and multiple combat tours as well with them ! She had been literally shot at...and nearly blasted to kingdom come more than once ! Nearly met God on several occasions, and had been shuffled out the doors of a high altitude Kokiak for HALO jump training, done rappelling at Macapca...

Sparred with Alliance Marine Veterans that were giants, basically. At the terrible risk of boasting, she'd...she'd done things. Adult things...that required guts and a spine. She'd done them, though. With good Marines around her and God's help ( for he helps those who help themselves ), she'd done them...!

So...then..

What was even happening to her...?!

" ...Truth is..."

Vince stopped himself momentarily, before a telltale look manifested itself on that strong-jawed face of his.

The same he'd had when he'd confessed the first night he'd spent homeless on the streets of Miami during his childhood. The kind that he absolutely would keep hidden from literally everyone else...

Except her.

Ashley. He'd been...vulnerable. Him, Vincent Shepard ! The first Human Spectre, a modern-era force of nature...had been willing to show vulnerability to her. He had then, though it'd been tinted with awful memories..

But...here ?

This...

This was the warm kind of vulnerability. The affectionate kind. The kind a man reserved only for a women who wouldn't judge him, and who understood that a man showing vulnerability like this wasn't a sign of weakness, but of trust, proof of a connection...

A mutual connection, that is..

"..Well, I'll just come right out and say it ". The Spectre stepped yet nearer to Ashley, and was now so close there was less than a yard between them.

"...Ashley Madeline Williams...I can't , for the life of me, stop thinking about you either. I keep getting reminded of you whenever I spot another woman wearing Alliance armor...I just keep thinking about you. And , when you're actually there...its...its like you're...a filter, on my whole life. Its a different feel and look with you..."

He stopped again, and proceeded to look Ashley as dead on as it was possible to. His gaze- direct, open...and affectionate- seemed to pin Ashley where she was, and slow her breathing right down.

Nearly to a halt, it seemed. The world seemed to...the walls of the Spectre's quarters seemed to receded, and fade away.

Vince was so...so close, to her. Even closer than before. So close, Ashley felt like she could...

..Like, she should, even. Yes...actually, that was it. She wanted to...

All those thoughts of...discharged dishonorably, of getting kicked out of the Marines ? She wasn't even aware of them anymore. She wasn't...she wasn't able to fight them anymore.

Couldn't...

" ...I know...I know you're worried this might...tank things with your superiors..".

At that, Vince lifted a hand, and ever so gently, set it on Ashley's shoulder. He did it carefully, slowly, giving her plenty of chances to back off. She didn't take it.

" ..So..."

He said nothing for the span of several seconds, then spoke again: softly, and reassuringly . "...I promise, that if you want to...act on what you might be feeling towards me, and vice versa...it'll stay between us. The Brass doesn't know how to mix Spectre Authority with the Alliance Command Hierarchy and the Code of Conduct, so, until they do...I'll keep this on the DL if you will. Least...until you can earn a Commission. Then we can go public."

" Its all your call, Ashley. Pretty sure we both want this, and if that's true, then...how do you want to play it ? "

Swallowing, Ashley ran her tongue against her tongue. Her pulse was a NASCAR speed demon now, and didn't even care at all how childish it might be called for a career ( which might soon be ending ) Marine to have the butterflies like this..

She finally understood now..

She finally got it-

"...Ashley. Its ok if you need a moment. You can stay as long as you want. Or if you'd rather sleep on it and then get back to me...that's ok as well. "

With a minute amount of pressure, Vince gripped her shoulder, then let it go.

He was...he was right there. Less than a foot away. Filling Ashley's whole field of view. She was neither a short woman ( 5'9 ), nor a small one ( stocky build, 160 pounds, a good portion of it muscle with the necessary soft tissue to fuel it ), but compared to a lumberjack like Vince..

So. Close. She was crumbling against his lighthouse-bright charm- because he wasn't even using it on purpose. She was helpless against his handsomness-because he wasn't strutting it around. She was magnetically tugged toward him...

...Because, under all the excuses, and rationale, and justification o the contrary...

..He was everything she wanted with a man.

Everything.

Grandad...

Sorry. I am so, so sorry-

" Hhhh."

With a sudden, primal sigh...

...Ashley practically lunged forward. Nothing wild, or reckless, but...driven.

Purposeful.

She closed the distance between them, unable to resist a second longer..

Closed her eyes, mentally recited a prayer that Vince would hold still..

And...

He did. He did.

...As Ashley got to him, threw both arms fiercely around him..

...

...and kissed him.

---

Right on the lips.

All...as a single, fluid, passion-fueled motion.

One that was followed by several more. Ashley dug her fingertips through the material of Vince's MARPAT-pattern fatigues t-shirt, and was rewarded with the rock-solid iron beneath. She pressed her lips against his, and clamped them down around the other pair...hard, firmly, and passionately. Her soft, sizable breasts had their nipples hardening beneath her own shirt, as they were also getting pressed- against the pectorals of the Spectre.

...It...it was...

...A lightning salvo of sensory and emotional high loads, that had her at their mercy.

The...rest of the universe had ceased to exist. For now, it was just her, and it was just him.

Her, holding him tight and close..

"Mmm...hh ! "

A geyser of fresh icewater erupted , and doused Ashley's veins.

...Because..

...Vince was kissing her back.

Heck...she'd actually missed how he'd matched pace with her ( let alone respond ) barely a millisecond after she'd gone for the lip-lock. But, he was !

Vince Shepard...

...was kissing. Her. Back.

...Right on the lips. Just as hard as she was kissing him. Plus, he had his own arms around her- well, one , at least. The other...was carefully, almost tentatively, caressing her chin. A thumb on her cheek.

A cheek...that was home to a single tear that was already trickling down.

"Mmmhh...hh..hhhh"

...That...was the final straw.

Surrendering to the ( somewhat literally ) dizzying cocktail of endorphins and euphoria that threatened to overwhelm her circulatory system..Ashley just admitted defeat, and let go. Her legs relaxed...her whole body relaxed. Another tear trickled free...and then a few more.

"...V...Vince..."

...It was all she could say. All she could utter. Every syllable, dripping with desire..

Commitment...

"..I...I.."

For a split moment, she left a gap between their mouths. The urge to kiss again was unstoppable, but...

..she had to just say this...:

She had to:

" ..I want this, ok ?! I want us..."

" I want you. I...I love you. "

More tears followed the first few. They were coming quicker now...

Pointless to fight them. Needless to say.

Letting her forehead lean forwards, Ashley let it come to a stop against that of Vince.

She practically chomped her lower lip, fighting the tears. Dang it, Marines do not weep...!

Except...she did. Couldn't stop it. Couldn't fight it. God knew that better than she did...which said enough to fill a library.

"...I love you, Vince. ". Ashley buried her face against the man's shoulder, holding him like a drowning woman would hold a life preserver ring.

"...I...should've said it...sooner..."

" Ashley..."

...Vince finally spoke.

It was only one word- but it was her name. And, it was so laden with meaning, and warmth and...

...Love, that it might as well have been a thousand. Or a million.

Embracing her fully, and holding her as if she was some priceless statue that he was refusing to let fall, Vince responded to her confession:

"...You said it...at all. Its all that counts. "

" And so does this..."

He moved her ( and, she let him ) so that he could look right, and directly, at her. Caressed her chin again, but now, with both hands...

Unmasked, and unaltered love, evident and plain as day.

And...that's when he had a confession of his own to reveal..

"...I love you too, Ashley Williams. "

" I love you too. "

...With that, he kissed her again.

As hard as before. As deeply as before.

Ashley was out of words by now. Out of thought, action...save for the absolute last remaining corer of her mind that still realized what was actually happening...

...but, it knew better than to do a thing.

Because...for the moment.

Just for this moment, out of the grand scheme of things, however important they were, and however much they mattered...

For all of their shared determination and commitment to stopping Saren, which was still well and alive...

...For this, exact moment...

All they wanted, and all the desired, and all they could focus on...

...Was one another.

And God, by his grace...

Had gifted them...

Had granted and given

Exactly that.