Chapter 58: Minimal Casualties
The fleets from the Council races were already filing through the relay. Shepard's team had been briefed. It was time. She should be thinking about what laid ahead, getting through the Omega 4 Relay in one piece, taking out the collector base … saving over three million people … but all she could think about was what, exactly, Garrus might've done for Aria.
Sighing, she tossed the datapad down on the coffee table in her cabin. She'd gone up there to try to center herself and look over the reports while they waited for the last of the fleets to report in. Who was she kidding, though? She needed to have a talk with Garrus before passing through the relay or her mind wouldn't be one hundred percent in the game, and that's where she needed it to be. "EDI, ask Garrus to come up here, will you?"
"Of course, Shepard." EDI's paused before adding, "Garrus is on his way."
"Thanks, EDI." Shepard leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees and rubbed her face.
A few minutes later, her cabin door slid open, and she turned to look over her shoulder, watching as Garrus appeared on the stairs. "Hey … we need to talk."
He stopped on the last step, mandibles fluttering. "Why does it sound like you're going to tell me something I don't want to hear?"
Jane snorted, the sound far from delicate in the back of her mind.
She smiled and raked a hand through her hair, throwing herself back against the cushions with a heavy sigh. "Actually, I think you're going to tell me something I don't want to hear."
"Hmmm." He stepped down and crossed the floor to stand next to the couch. "And what might that be?"
She looked up at him and held her hand out, waiting for him to slip his fingers over her palm before she tugged at him, urging him to sit. "I need to know what happened between you and Aria while you were on Omega. She's going to end up telling me whether I want her to or not, I can tell … and I think I'd rather hear it from you."
Folding his leg, he sat sideways on the couch next to her and draped his arm over the back. His mandibles worked soundlessly for a moment, his eyes taking on an icy edge that made her stomach twist in knots. Settling her hand on his knee, she chewed on the inside corner of her lip, waiting while he seemed to put his thoughts in order.
Garrus sighed. "Aria didn't pay me much mind until I had a team put together. I think she started seeing us as a threat, so she arranged a, ah, meeting."
Lifting an eyebrow, she asked, "Meeting?"
His mandibles fluttered, gaze dropping down to her hand. It'd been a long time since he'd shown embarrassment, but she'd be damned if it wasn't painted all over his face as clearly as his colony markings. "Hmmm, you might call it an ambush. A few of her men caught me off guard while I was away from the base alone, they drug me into Afterlife and threw me down on the floor at her feet." A frustrated growl distorted his words, but not so much her translator couldn't pick up what he said. "She said she wanted to meet this Archangel who'd been causing so much talk in her streets." He shook his head and glanced up at Shepard. "I thought she was going to have me killed. I wasn't entirely sure I cared."
She fought back the urge to wince and scold him for letting such a thought even cross his mind. "What happened?"
"Basically, she told me if I wanted to continue to operate on Omega, she needed something from me in exchange. She wanted me to oversee a couple of smuggling shipments—weapons to a group of batarians known to take part in the slave trade, and crates of narcotics … Hallex, illegal stims, Red Sand, the usual. She also 'suggested' I avoid taking out anyone doing her business, and offered me a list of names of groups who were getting dangerously close to being seen as competition to her businesses."
"He gave weapons to slavers? Gods, that goes against everything he's ever stood for …." Jane seemed to shift forward, almost as if she were leaning in toward Garrus, scrutinizing the turian. "Hell, even smuggling drugs is just … no, there has to be more to this."
Shepard swallowed, turning her head to stare out across the room, thoughts racing as she tried to find a way to shine a positive light on his revelations. Something that wouldn't make her skin crawl whenever he touched her, because the idea of him helping Aria give batarian slavers weaponry made her want to vomit—especially considering he damned well knew about the raids she survived on Mindoir, the same raids which stole from her everyone she knew and loved as a child, parents included. The drugs, she didn't like, but she could handle. Acting as Aria's personal hitman was a sickening, but at least she knew the names on Aria's list were likely people who'd end up on Archangel's radar anyway. Hell, Shepard herself killed Anto for Aria. No, she killed Anto for information, a lead on Garrus and Mordin, and to prevent further issue with Aria.
"No wonder Grundan Krul seemed surprised the first time Aria mentioned their 'arrangement.'" Jane hummed, leaving Shepard with the impression of a baffled shake of her head. "Surely that would've gotten a rise out of him. Hell, I doubt anyone on Garrus' team would've been thrilled with the idea of being under Aria's little, blue thumb."
"Dawn, it's not as bad as it sounds, I promise." He scooted a little closer, leaning in to run his fingertips over her jaw. "I agreed to Aria's demands, but do you really think I'd let it go at that? Spirits." He tugged her chin a little, getting her to turn her face back to him. His eyes had taken on a fervent cast, no longer crystal blue ice, but wild, blue fire.
Watching her for a moment, seeming to search her gaze, he dropped his hand from her face only to scoop up both of her hands in his. "I sabotaged the batarian slaver ship, it never made it back to Lorek. The whole thing was destroyed," he said, shaking his head, "nothing but debris floating in space. If anyone bothers to go looking for the black box, it'll show an electrical malfunction lead the a core overload. As far as Aria's concerned, she got her payment and delivered her product. I expected her to be pissed, if for no other reason than she lost repeat customers … but honestly, I think she knew I'd do something. I think she wanted me to, and that's why she never even asked me about the ship."
"Sounds like Aria," Jane said, her tone taking on a soothing lilt. "I know I said before that you broke him, but … he's still Garrus."
Sucking in a deep breath, she felt her muscles relax a little, and she closed her eyes."Yeah." The words came out weaker than she intended, so she nodded for good measure.
"The ship carrying the narcotics was intercepted on Council orders the second it left the Terminus Systems. I know they unloaded some of the cargo in nearby systems first, but it was the best I could do." He fluttered his mandibles when she looked at him again. "Did I kill for Aria? Yeah. Yeah, I did. I did some terrible things on Omega, I'm not going to pretend I didn't, but never to people who didn't deserve it. And yeah, I also avoided killing certain people for Aria, some of the worst scum I've ever met, but I did what I had to do." Mandibles fluttering in a strange mix of defiance and pleading, he let out a soft keen, tightening his hands around her fingers.
Jane geared up to say something else, thoughts churning in the back of Shepard's mind, but she stopped herself at the sad sound coming from Garrus. It tore at Shepard's heart, and she knew it did the same to Jane. And, if the strong wave of apprehension washing over her was anything to guage things by, then the majority of Shepards still 'alive' in her head were also disquieted by the evidence of Garrus' inner turmoil.
"I had to stay on Omega. Even when, hmm." He stopped and closed his eyes, shaking his head, mandibles flared wide. "Even when I felt filled to the brim with rage at you, even when I was a keening mess, mourning you and trying to drown myself in alcohol … even when I began to doubt you would ever really come back. I thought if I left Omega—if I let myself give up completely—then you definitely never would."
She sighed, reaching out to tug at one of his mandibles, using it to guide him to her. Eyes popping open, a slow smile spread over his face, his other mandible fluttering with the gesture. He leaned in, pressing his mouth plates against her lips before gathering her up in his arms and dragging her over to his lap. She laughed, settling into the bowl made by his bent leg and tucked herself in against his chest.
He hummed, apparently satisfied all was well between the two of them. Nuzzling against her head, he pulled her in a little closer. After a moment, he let out another soft hum, contemplative and curious. "You ready to go blow up a collector base?"
"As ready as ever, I suppose." She shrugged against his chest, ignoring the part of her that didn't feel so confident and really just wanted to tuck her head under his chin and hide there.
"That is good news, Shepard, because the last of the fleets have arrived," EDI said.
Shepard sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a rush, letting her lips flap. "Thanks, EDI. Tell Joker to go ahead and organize the entry into the Omega 4 Relay and start heading that way. Let the crew know to be ready, and make sure Kasumi goes back up to the med bay. If the oculus busts through the hangar again, I don't want her down there."
"Right away, Shepard."
Tilting her head back to look up at Garrus, Shepard met his gaze when he glanced down at her. "Kiss me for luck?"
He smirked, a soft purr in the back of his throat as he brought his mouth to hers. Parting her lips, she trailed her tongue along the edges of his mouth plates until he opened his mouth to her, tongue joining hers. Wrapping a hand around the back of his head, just under his fringe she held him close to her, savoring the kiss for long seconds before letting it end with a sigh. Untangling herself from him, she stood and picked up the datapad, tucking it under her arm.
He followed her over to the cabinet she kept her armor in and helped her suit up. When the last piece of armor was secured and the last of her guns in place, he leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm going down to the battery, make sure—"
"The guns are calibrated, yeah, I know." She chuckled, brushing her hand over his arm.
He flicked a mandible at her. "Hmmm. I'll see you on the other side. Take a few shots for me?"
"You bet," she said with a grin. "I'll even yell out 'scratched one' and 'one less to worry about.'"
"Don't forget 'scoped and dropped' or 'never saw me coming.'" Jane laughed. "Oh, and his battlefield love confession for his weapon 'I love this rifle.'"
"I don't say those things in battle," he said, deadpan.
Shepard snorted. "Uh huh. Jane just reminded me of a few others, too."
He chuffed, giving her a playful growl as he slid his arm around her waist, leading her out of the cabin. "Jane, aren't you supposed to be trying to win back my favor?"
"Hey, I like your … battle cries. They're very you, and they let me know you're still alive out there on the field."
He chuckled when Shepard repeated Jane's statement, pushing the elevator call button. "At least it's better than 'nothing's faster than Chatika vas Paus.'"
"Don't be a bosh'tet." She stepped on to the elevator when the door slid open, moving to the back to turn and lean against the wall. "I'm telling Tali you're making fun of her drone."
"I'm not making fun of her drone," he said, pushing the buttons for the second and third decks. "I'm making fun of her weird obsession with her drone. The drone I'm good with, it does its job distracting enemies and taking down their shields."
They took the elevator down together, Shepard stepping off on the CIC while he continued down to the third deck. When she reached the cockpit, she found Miranda already there, hovering behind Joker with her arms crossed and her hip cocked. Shepard put a hand on Miranda's shoulder, and the woman glanced at her.
Stepping aside, Miranda turned her attention back to the ship's controls. "Everything is in order, Commander."
Joker cast an irritated glance at Shepard, and she fought back a smirk. She knew he hated having the Cerberus operative overseeing his work, as if he didn't know the Normandy better than the engineers who put it together. Laying a hand on Joker's shoulder, she gave it a little squeeze. She looked out the window, seeing the Omega 4 Relay looming in the distance, the Normandy just outside of its reach. Ships of various makes and sizes spread out around the Normandy, waiting for Shepard's orders.
Patting Joker's shoulder, she removed her hand and stuck them both behind her back. "Open the channel, Joker. I have something to say, and I want everyone in here and out there to hear it."
"Aye aye, ma'am." He pushed a couple of buttons before looking up at her. "Channel is open."
She nodded, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. "This is Commander Shepard. For some of us, this day has been a long time coming, others of you are just joining us. We're glad to have you, and humanity is grateful to have the Council's support. Some of us are probably frightened, uncertain about our odds. No one has gone through the Omega 4 Relay and come back out again. We can't be sure what we're facing on the other side. For some of us, this may very well be a one way trip, though I for one intend to survive."
Jane seemed to smirk, giving the lie to Shepard's words. They had gone through the relay and survived, time and time again. They knew what to expect on the other side. And they did it all without the Council's support.
Shifting her weight a little, Shepard paused to take a couple of breaths before continuing, "No longer are the collectors sticking to the Terminus Systems. No longer are they acting as cowards, tiptoeing around the edges to attack colonies separated from the protection of the Alliance and the Council. They mistook our political boundaries for weakness, acceptance of their crimes, and they attacked Earth, the homeworld of humanity."
Shepard's words seemed to take a little of the fire out of Jane's ego. Yeah, they may have done all of that in Jane and the others' time, and sure, it gave Shepard an advantage, but the fact was, the circumstances were far different. Jane had begged Shepard to change things in the beginning, and she'd done her best to do just that. The reality left them all hoping it didn't come back to bite her in the ass.
Thane stepped into the cockpit, drawing Shepard's attention for just a second as he took up position behind the co-pilot's chair. He nodded at her and then turned his gaze out at the relay.
"Some of you may be wondering how long until the collectors stop going after just humans. How long until they move for Thessia, Palaven, or Sur'Kesh? Well, we're not going to give them the chance. Today we're going to show them not only does humanity not stand alone, but we stand with some of the most powerful allies this galaxy has ever seen! We're going through the Omega 4 Relay, invading their home where they think themselves safe and protected, and when we come back out again, the collectors will never be a threat to anyone in this galaxy again." She tapped Joker's shoulder, making a slicing motion in front of her neck when he glanced up.
He jerked his head in a nod and pushed a couple of buttons. "Nice speech, Commander. Let's just hope EDI was really able to isolate the IFF code for all of them."
"She damned well better have, or we're going to be in serious shit. Try explaining that one to the Council."
EDI's hologram fluttered to the left of the pilot, the iris opening and closing as she spoke. "Legion and I are certain the code is safe and will work as expected, Jeff."
Shepard smiled at the hologram. "I trust you, EDI, and so does Joker, even if he doesn't want to admit it."
"Thank you, Shepard," said EDI.
"Let's get this ship moving." Shepard glanced at Thane before looking over at Miranda. "You might want to find something to hang on to, it's going to be a bumpy ride."
The propulsion systems kicked in, the inertial dampeners negating the feeling of movement, leaving the stars and ships shifting past in her peripherals the only sign Joker followed her order. Gripping the back of Joker's chair, she turned her attention back to the swiftly approaching, red relay. The first of the flashing hazard beacons came into sight, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Thane clasp his hands in front of him, bowing his head. The Normandy pulled out in front of all the other ships, the spearhead of the lance aimed straight for the Omega 4 Relay. She glanced down at the sensor read out on Joker's console, noting the blips indicating the ships were still following on track.
Shepard filtered through the memories bubbling to the surface, pulling the ones she needed in the moment to the forefront. "You're going to need to reroute the drive core's electrical charge when the IFF is active."
Joker glanced at her, but she didn't meet his gaze, letting the surety of her tone speak for itself.
"Reaper IFF activated," EDI said. "Signal acknowledged."
"Rerouting the core. Hitting the relay in five … four … three … two …." Just as Joker would've said one, the red tendrils of energy whipped out from the relay, grabbing the Normandy, flinging the ship out right toward the galactic core at FTL speeds.
"Brace for deceleration," EDI, Shepard, and Jane said in unison.
"Oh, shit!" Joker swerved to avoid a head on collision with the remnants of an ancient ship only to have another piece of debris clip a wing. The ship jerked, but he had it steadied out and on a path to clear the thickest parts of the debris field before Shepard could tell him to keep it steady.
She swallowed, though, unease creeping along her spine. Replaying her memories of the trip through the relay, she didn't even need Jane's confirmation that no, he'd never clipped the wing the same way before. He always had to dodge on reentry, but not once did the Normandy take damage so soon until just then. At least not before the oculus started dogging them.
"Joker, slow down! We want the Normandy in one piece!" Miranda all but screeched, digging her fingers into the side of his chair.
"Uhhhh, it won't be in one piece if we're still in the way when the other ships start coming through." He spared an agitated glance over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the controls, brow furrowed in concentration. "Duh."
"Duh," Jane repeated.
Miranda huffed, but didn't say anything else.
"PFS Havincaw reporting in." EDI began listing off the names of various ships as they came through the relay, but hearing 'PFS Havincaw' transported Shepard to another time, another place.
Steve Cortez stood next to her—him—leaning over a rail, looking out over the Citadel airspace on the docks. Steve pushed away from the railing, moving a little closer to Shepard. "Hey, turian frigate. I think that's the PFS Havincaw."
Shepard followed his gaze to the frigate before glancing back at Steve. "What's one turian warship doing at the Citadel?"
Steve leaned back over the railing. "Looking for drydock, I bet—"
"Kinda need to concentrate, EDI," Joker said, the strain in his voice pulling Shepard away from the other life. "Maybe just let us know if there's a ship that doesn't show up."
"Very well, Jeff."
Shepard blinked, pushing away the residual voices of a conversation she might never actually have. After all, Ferris Fields didn't get attacked in her lifetime. Steve Cortez's husband was probably still alive. The man wouldn't be lost in mourning when she met him, if she even met him at all.
"Careful, Jeff. We have company."
"Normandy, this is the Cybaen." A woman's voice, asari no doubt, if she was on the Cybaen's crew, filtered through the cockpit's comm system. "You have enemy movement on your flanks. We're sending out fighters."
"Copy that, Cybaen," Joker said, his hand never ceasing movement over the controls. "Thanks, wouldn't want them to scuff up my baby."
"Don't let him rely on the Cybean completely," Jane urged, images of the oculus ripping through the hangar flashing through Shepard's mind.
"Be ready for evasive maneuvers anyway, Joker." Shepard leaned in, making sure she wasn't overheard by the Cybean. "These things are fast and they pack a punch. The plating will hold against their lasers, but they'll project themselves right through the hull."
Joker pushed a button, muting the connection to the Cybean. "Now you tell me."
"She told us before." EDI's voice took on a cocky tone, making Shepard smirk. "Should I play the log of the conversation for you?"
Joker snorted. "No, EDI. God, whose side are you on anyway?"
"I am on the side that keeps the Normandy and our crew alive," EDI said, her tone soft and filled with an affection the AI still didn't seem to realize she knew how to feel.
"Amen, EDI."
"I'm with EDI." Miranda shifted her weight to the other hip, white knuckling the side of Joker's chair as the ship nose dived before shooting back up again.
One of the asari fighters came into view, blowing up an oculus, as the ship leveled back out, and Joker whooped. "Hell yeah!"
A moment later, the asari's voice came over the comm once more. "You're clear, Normandy."
Unmuting the comm, Joker grinned and said, "Thanks, ladies."
Shepard cleared her throat.
"Uh." His gaze flicked to hers before shifting to the green glow of the open comm. "I mean, ma'am."
The asari chuckled. "Anytime, Flight Lieutenant."
Joker cut the comm as the Normandy rounded an enormous chunk of what looked like prothean era ship, the collector base coming into view. Miranda let go of his chair, crossing her arms once more. Thane stepped a little closer to Shepard, and Joker let out a low whistle.
Jane grew still, and Shepard could feel the push of memories against her consciousness, held at bay only through Jane's efforts. Still, she knew what Jane fought to keep from her in that moment, things she'd seen already, images of the people she cared for dying on the collector base looming ahead of them. She set her jaw, she would not be losing anyone else.
"It's going to send a cruiser out after us." Shepard lifted a shoulder and tilted her head to the side a hair. "Well, at least it always has before. Same one that took down the old Normandy, but who knows what will happen now. So much has changed …."
"We're ready for it, Shepard," Joker said, glancing up at her, eyes filled with determination and support. The way he looked at her … he wasn't just her pilot, but her friend. "Don't worry. I'll get you to the base. You just focus on getting the job done once we land."
"Shepard, I'm getting reports from the Alliance fleet." EDI drew her attention away from Joker. "It appears a cruiser was lying dormant in the debris field. It has activated and is now flanking the fleet."
"Shit," Jane said, echoing Shepard's sentiment.
"Notify the turian fleet, ask them to send ships with Thanix cannons to assist." Shepard fought the urge to let her shoulders slump. She knew her crew needed to see her with her head held high, needed to see her confident, not despairing. "We're too far out to turn back to help them now."
Joker looked up at her, his eyebrows raised. "You sure?"
In response, Shepard lifted a hand, pointing at another cruiser disengaging from the base. "We have our own battle to fight."
Voice solemn, EDI said, "The turians are sending assistance, Shepard."
"EDI, is that it?" Joker's eyes narrowed, lip lifting in a silent snarl as he took in the collector ship. "Is that the piece of shit that took down the old Normandy?"
"Scans of the cruiser's emissions suggests it is, Jeff."
"Oh, ho, ho. Hang on you guys, I'm about to light those sons-of-bitches up." His hands flew over the controls, almost faster than Shepard's eyes could track. "Firing the main guns!"
The Thanix cannons whirred to life, the shift in mass effect energy almost palpable. Just as Joker took the first shot—shearing through the outer, hive like plating—another cruiser left the base. But then, the darkness of space suddenly lit up with fireworks, and the Normandy became surrounded on either side by asari and salarian ships. Shepard sucked in a slow breath, holding it for a second, examing the spark of hope springing forth in her chest.
A moment later, the Thanix cannons charged again, Joker took another shot, slicing through the cruiser, already set ablaze in several locations thanks to their allies. The collector vessel exploded with thick flames, billowing out in all directions, chunks of the ship ripping away only to be thrown into the path of the second cruiser.
"The ship attacking the Alliance has been destroyed," EDI said, and Shepard swore she heard relief in the AI's voice. "Alliance and turian ships are back on course with minimal casualties."
"I wonder what Cerberus taught her to view as 'minimal casualties.'"
"I don't want to know right now," Shepard thought, her stomach churning as she watched the destruction in front of her.
Bile rose up into her throat as it occurred to her, there very well may still have been humans on those collector ships. Hundreds. Thousands. Maybe even more. Another piece of the destroyed cruiser blew off as something critical exploded within, sending shrapnel spinning out of control. Pieces of the ship careening right towards them.
"Shit." Joker lifted the Normandy, turning the ship on her side, but still, something slammed into the ship hard enough to nearly knock Shepard off her feet. "Shit, shit, shit. They hit the guns!"
"Several of the allied ships have been severely damaged." And just like that, the relief disappeared, leaving the AI sounding almost mournful. "Emergency evacuation procedures have begun."
"Put me through to the main battery," Shepard barked the order at EDI, waiting for the comm light on Joker's console to turn green. "Garrus, the guns have been—"
A deep growl followed by the sound of something metal hitting metal cut her off. "I'm already on it, just need a minute. Buy me some time."
Joker pushed a button on his console. "We're going to need a minute for the cannons to be realigned."
Salarian and then asari voices responded back, telling Joker they'd cover the Normandy. Shepard slid into the co-pilot's chair, sitting sideways, barely aware she'd slipped into the breathing exercises Thane taught her to try to soothe her racing thoughts. Salarian and asari ships moved out in front of the Normandy, surrounding them. The collector ship fired, taking out three asari and two salarian ships in one blow.
"Bloody hell …." Miranda whispered, but still, it carried enough volume in the graveyard-like silence of the cockpit to reach Shepard's ears.
Shepard's breathing stalled, heart sinking into the pit of her stomach to bathe in the excess acid, until Thane laid a hand on her shoulder, a gesture she barely felt through her armor, but it was enough to remind her to breathe. "Joker, those cannons ready yet?"
"Almost … there!" He lifted the Normandy up above the blockade of ships that moved in to take the place of their fallen comrades, and then angled the Normandy down, sending them racing toward the cruiser.
Firing off the cannon, he ripped through the front end of the collector ship, tearing off a piece and sending it off course, forcing it's shot to go wide, off into the debris field. The moment the cannon finished priming for its second shot, he took it, shearing straight through the back side of the cruiser while the other fleets continued to fire. Just like the first one, the ship burst into flames, the force and heat enough to rock the Normandy, but Joker got the ship out of there before the explosion could do any real damage.
Turning the ship around, he took them back closer to the fleets, giving Shepard a view of the damage already done. Damage brought on by her meddling with fate, changing things to try to make them better, to try to break her cycle. How many more lives would be lost for her sake? Fires, already consuming all of the oxygen available to them, began to burn out, leaving at least fifteen new, shattered husks of ships to drift away into the graveyard surrounding them. A few ships held back, picking up escape pods, but the rest stayed the course, following the Normandy's lead as they closed the distance to the collector base.