Chapter 17: Escape
Sentry Omega, Hoc System, Virmire
Yang
"You are not Saren."
That voice cut deep, almost like fireworks going off and feeling the thumbs within your chest. It was powerful and rousing, and completely demanding of one's attention.
"What is that? Some kind of VI interfacer?" Tali asked, but there was something tickling the back of Yang's skull. It wasn't the effect of indoctrination, but a familiarity.
"Rudimentary creatures of flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding."
Squeezing her eyes shut, she could feel a sense of… something. It was right there on the tip of her tongue, she just had to rack her brain for what it was.
"I do not think this is a VI…" Liara trailed.
"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign."
"Sovereign isn't just some Reaper ship Saren found. It's an actual Reaper!" Shepard said as she realised what they were speaking with.
"Reaper, a label created by the Protheans to give voice to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are." The ship informed them.
"The Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago. You could not have been there. It's impossible!" Liara said rather assertively. Yang knew Liara had studied the Protheans, she had told her a little about her research when they were having breaks from training.
"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation, an accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die. We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything." That was it.
Yang went to shout what she had remembered, floating in the void from once she fell. How long passed she didn't know, but she had met him there, and he had gifted her knowledge, power, and a chance.
"There is an entire galaxy of races united and ready to face you." Shepard declared, but even Yang knew she was grasping at straws with that one. The Krogan were on the decline, the Quarians were homeless. The Batarians and humans were at one another's throats for territory, and it seemed like Shepard was the only one chasing the Reaper threat.
"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken."
"Cycle? What cycle?" Tali asked, sounding frustrated.
"Shepard, can I shoot the hologram?" Wrex then asked.
Shepard held a hand up to Wrex while Yang opened her mouth. "The cycle of extermination that has been happening for more than a million years." Was that too much? She wondered as she answered Tali's question without looking away from the hologram.
Sovereign paused, Garrus, Tali, and Shepard all gave her a look too. "The cycle has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic Civilisations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished." The ship clarified. "The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, the legacy of my kind."
So the information on Prothean technology and creations is… of course it's false. She felt stupid for not putting it together sooner, how long it had said the cycles had been going. How the Protheans were only around 50,000 years ago. The current people of the galaxy didn't have the scope, but Yang had been given information, tiny bits that she was starting to put together.
"Why would you construct the mass relays, then leave them for someone else to find?" Shepard asked.
"Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays, our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire. We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. You exist because we allow it. And you will end, because we demand it." The confidence, matter-of-fact way Sovereign spoke had Yang nervous. Could she really help change the turning of cycles in this galaxy, was her chance really a chance at all, or just a brief stint of life because some god thought it was amusing, or beneficial?
"They're harvesting us! Letting us advance to the level they need, then wiping us out!" Liara yelled, fear and anger making her voice waver.
"What do you want from us?" Garrus yelled from the back.
"My kind transcends your very understanding. We are each a nation. Independent, free of all weakness. You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence."
"Where did you come from? Who built you?" Shepard questioned, digging for any information she could get.
"We have no beginning. We have no end. We are infinite. Millions of years after your civilization has been eradicated and forgotten, we will endure."
Frustrated with the ship's answers, Shepard looked to Liara and Garrus before continuing. "Where are the rest of the Reapers? Are you the last of your kind?"
"We are legion. The time of our return is coming. Our numbers will darken the sky of every world. You cannot escape your doom." Its threat didn't hit Yang all that hard, she was still getting used to this galaxy, how big everything was. And even if they did have those numbers, ships could be broken.
"You're not even alive. Not really. You're just a machine. And machines can be broken!" Shepard's defiance to this alien construct seemed to have an effect on at least a couple of them. Garrus and Wrex moved a little, as if they were getting ready for a fight.
"Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This-"
"Vanguards are the first to die." Yang interrupted with a smile.
There was a brief pause, like the ship was waiting for more bluster from the organics.
"This exchange is over."
Before the image of the Reaper had even fully dissipated, there was an explosion behind them and the glass shattered, flying through the air. Yang moved herself in front of Tali while Liara put a biotic shield around herself. Garrus merely covered his face, while Wrex moved to cover Shepard from the shards.
Yang would turn to make sure Tali was alright, not wanting to have her suit pierced and her get ill, or die.
"I'm fine, thank you." Tali said softly.
"Any time." Yang meant it too, out of all of them, she felt like Tali was taking the biggest risk every time she left the Normandy.
"Let's head out. Joker can pick us up after we set the nuke."
With Shepard leading the way again, Shadow made their way back through Rana's office and outside. They were met with a single Geth Destroyer that was torn to shreds through biotics, bullets, and electronic attacks from Tali.
As if sent to take them out in particular, a bridge lowered revealing several Krogan. Time for some fun. Yang thought before both she and Wrex charged forward without Shepard's command. Two Krogan returned the charge in kind while the support from both sides opened fire. Making contact with her foe, shoulder to shoulder. Yang was knocked off her feet and rolled backwards once she landed. A little surprised, she figured it must just be the mass thing and charged again. Though this time she sidestepped the charging Krogan and started hammering his body with heavy left and rights.
The Krogan remained standing as it was forced back towards the edge of the railing, railing that was not high enough to hold him in. Feeling a couple of punches connected on her torso, Yang grinned, dealing the Krogan a devastating uppercut that sent him airborne while teeth and blood were spat out.. Seizing the opportunity, Yang threw her hand forwards, fingers extended and palm out. A blue glow surrounded her for a moment as she felt her biotics flare up. The slow moving Krogan was sent from falling, to speeding backwards and towards the wall of the complex. Crashing into it, Yang watched as it fell down, splashing into the water below. She was very happy with herself, stringing together a new technique in the middle of battle like that.
Continuing their now relentless push through the facility, they came across more enemies. Geth Troopers and Krogan, both fighting side by side, something that Shepard couldn't allow to happen galaxy wide. And Wrex didn't want it to happen either because of what the Krogan had become, tools. Then there were the crawling Geth with powerful beams and rocket drones causing them all to take cover. Tali came in handy for anything Geth, with Garrus and Shepard supporting her abilities with their own. The Krogan were more troublesome, but with herself and Wrex taking the front, they too fell rather quickly.
Coming across some turret controls, Shepard deactivated them, only for Tali who was at the rear of the group to warn them about Geth attacking from the rear. Yang was the first to turn and sprint towards the Geth, wanting to get their fire away from Tali and onto herself. Amidst the chaotic fist to synthetic fight, her helmet did warn of shield depletion. This didn't affect Yang at all, who simply activated her aura to cloak her body and continue smashing the Geth until none were left standing.
"Maybe you stay in the middle of the pack." Yang mentioned.
"Agreed." Shepard said. "Garrus, remain behind Tali and watch our backs."
Fighting back a surprise group of Geth that came up the elevator, they kicked the remains out and piled on in. Coming to a stop, they advance for only a few dozen metres before having to open a door. Geth jumped around and blasted at them while a Krogan or two could be heard further down this peculiar chamber.
There was water on the group to about ankle depth, making their movements heard no matter where they went. Then there was the fact that the Geth had more manoeuvrability and height while the Krogan at the end slowly advanced. It's a funnel, but not a good kind.
An overhead platform had some of the Geth Stalkers holding on underneath, but also a trooper on top that opened fire. Yang and Wrex charged ahead once more, their type of fighting more effective up close. That and it drew the attention to them while their teammates could pick off the distracted enemies.
Again she came face to face with a Krogan, this time catching a punch and then launching the beast with a return punch of her own. Wrex was headbutting his foe repeatedly until the foe fell to one knee at which point Wrex raised his shotgun and blasted. Yang was very familiar with killing Grimm, but flesh and blood creatures were still fairly limited in her experience. Adam was one such example, two long and hard fought battles had resulted in her killing the Faunus, something she took some pleasure in doing.
Once the enemies were taken care of, Shepard opened the large door and the group moved through to a zone where no enemies were waiting. Yang felt uneasy, but as they spread out and secured the area, she took a moment to check her aura levels. Aura was much more difficult to recover than shields, but was still green in terms of quantity, something she only activated if her suit's shielding neared failure.
"Secure the area." Shepard ordered. "Joker is bringing in the payload now. I want this place to be completely safe." There were a couple of confirmations and Shadow moved to secure the doors. Garrus and Tali went to the door where they came from, while Liara, Wrex and Yang went to the opposite door to wait.
"You fight pretty well, for a human." Wrex teased.
"Thanks, you fight well for a… overgrown lizard?" Yang looked to Liara who backed away.
"No, leave me out of this." She said while Wrex just laughed.
"You and I will have to go a few rounds one day, kid. Maybe I can teach you a few things." Yang had figured Wrex was old, given his skill and how she had read they can live for a thousand years, or more.
"You know, I'll take you up on that. Old dogs can pass on some good tricks." Wrex burst out laughing, though did answer in a serious tone.
"We can, but don't think I'll let that comment slide." He cracked his massive knuckles while Yang clenched her prosthetic fist in return. Both liked to fight up close so they were sizing the other up.
The sound of the Normandy approaching did end their brief conversation, as the two set about being more professional and attentive to their surroundings. After all they'd gone through and learned, they needed to get the nuke off before Sovereign came back. Kaidan was part of the crew unloading the nuke, something Yang was very nervous about since she hadn't seen the devastation they could do.
Leaning back against the door they were guarding and scanning the tops of the walls, Yang could see Shepard approaching with Tali and Garrus at her sides.
"Geth have the Salarian squads pinned down, they've already suffered heavy casualties. Williams doesn't think they'll make the rendezvous in time and Joker can't get in close. According to her, Normandy could be endangered. So we're going to relieve them of some pressure." Shepard informed everyone as they regrouped.
"More fighting? Why didn't you just say so Shepard." Wrex answered energetically.
"Is it Krogan that love to fight, or just you Wrex?" Garrus asked with a grin.
"Not just Krogan," Yang added, "Let's go save some Salarians… and our teammates." She grinned and Shepard ordered them all to the AA tower with Kaidan remaining behind to set up the nuke.
Going through the first door they were faced with a similarly built team as the opposite side, a team which they tore through in an aggressive manner so they could reach the Salarian teams ASAP. It was all going well, until a Geth ship flew towards the bomb site.
"Damn, Geth sending reinforcements." Wrex sounded a little disappointed.
There was a silence between the group, other than Shepard speaking. She seemed mad at Kaidan for some reason after asking if they could hold the Geth off. More silence followed while Shepard began to look perplexed. Yang looked to Liara for help but got nothing. Eventually, Shepard apologised to someone and turned her attention to them.
"Back to the bomb site, we need to arm that bomb and make sure this facility is destroyed." Shepard told them.
"What about Williams, your cousins?" Liara asked.
"Destroying the facility takes… priority." Yang could see the conflict and pain on Shepard's face as she said that, knowing she had just sentenced them to die.
"It's just like Atlas all over again." Yang said softly. "Arguably the better choice, though at the cost of the lives of friends, family." Yang looked directly into Shepard's eyes. "I'll go help them out, patch me through to their com channel."
Shepard didn't look favourable. "You'll die if you fail."
"An occupational hazard for a Huntress." Yang answered with a smile.
"Yang, please-" Liara started before Garrus interrupted.
"I'll go with her. Make sure she can get through the right doors." There was a hidden insult there, but Yang knew better than to object to help.
With a sigh, Shepard would tune them both into the channel with Williams and her cousins. "Get there fast, eliminate the enemy, and then get the fuck away from this place. The blast radius is massive, but we'll give you as long as we can."
Garrus nodded and headed on while Yang thanked Shepard and shook her hand. Taking a few steps after Garrus, she would turn and look at the group of four. Liara looked worried, Shepard looked hopeful, Wrex looked impressed, and Tali looked… well, Yang couldn't read body language. Giving them a victory sign, she took off after Garrus who already had the first door open.
It was during another elevator ride that Garrus eventually spoke to her. "So, you really think you can do it. Help the Salarians?"
Facing the Turian, Yang smirked. "You know I do, otherwise you wouldn't have thrown your life away on a chance."
That got Garrus chuckling. "Suppose you're right. But I'm going to be hanging back giving you some fire support. Your place seems to be in the thick of battle."
"That's where it's the most fun." A momentary pause as Yang felt the pressure and consequences of failure begin to surface. "Garrus, thanks for backing me up."
"You've proven yourself to be… trustworthy. At least in battle. I don't know about outside of battle, but I'm willing to gamble on you during."
"Thanks. Maybe we should… have a drink after this?" Yang offered.
"Humans and Turians can't drink the same things."
Yang just rubbed the back of her neck. "Right… forgot about that."
As the door opened, the mood changed. Garrus went left while Yang went right. Immediately she found a Destroyer charging her, something that excited her. They liked to get up close for some reason and she met it head on. One blast from her shotgun, she would then drop it and meet the Geth's elbow with a shattering right of her own. Using her aura to coat her fist as to not damage the prosthetic, the Destroyer's elbow cracked and broke. Without waiting, she unleashed a combo of strikes with both hands and feet, knocking it to the ground and slamming her right fist into its head. She wasn't holding back at all this time, crushing the Destroyer's head and rendering it inoperable.
"Reinforcements? Shepard?" Williams asked.
"Negative." Garrus responded. "She returned to the bomb site, just Yang and I here to save your asses."
Yang appreciated Garrus' wording and moved forwards. Geth seemed to be the only enemy on the tower, giving Yang confidence as the Krogan did require a bit more of a beating to be put down. The troopers were almost nothing to Yang, superior to the Atlas drones, sure, but they were still smaller and weaker than the Destroyers, of which she saw a second heading towards Garrus.
"Garrus, big one heading your way." She informed him.
"Focus on helping the Salarians. Believe it or not, I can hold my own." He retorted, beginning to damage the shielding of the Destroyer.
Trusting his boast, Yang charged into the backlines of the Geth, knocking them down with hard hands, sweeping them with her legs, and even throwing a couple with the use of her biotics. They were highly uncontrolled throws though, but against an enemy Yang didn't worry herself too much as damage output was key.
"Men! Concentrate on the ones getting back up, don't let them rejoin the fight!" Kirrahe ordered.
During the fight, Yang was having a degree of fun despite the hovering threat of death should she take too long. Geth were falling left and right, her form hadn't been lost but added to with what Liara called, simple applications of biotics. Pulling them towards her and smashing them away with her fists and disarming them with kicks, Yang was giving it her all, almost her all. Her shields had been depleted many times though, and she used her aura for protection until they recharged, alternating between the two as she left the Geth as little more than scrap metal.
Coming to a halt as she scanned for more Geth, Yang would breath heavily. Her shoulders heaving even as she held her fists up ready for more. Salarians began to emerge, checking on their own fallen and securing the entrances. Kirrahe was giving orders too, while Williams and Maulden approached. Seeing the two she got on with the least coming to her, she expected insults from both of them.
"Guess I can't say anything bad about you anymore." Williams said, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Thanks, for coming to get us. I thought that might be it for us."
"Still might… be." Garrus called, limping over to them. Yang was quick to go and support him as a Salarian came up and used some med-gel to help heal the wound.
"I thought you said you could take the Destroyer?" Yang teased.
"I did… but you let a few extra slip past." Garrus countered with a pained smile. "Let's get to the rendezvous, Joker can stop by in the Normandy before it's too late."
Recalling the imminent threat of a fiery explosion and death certainly got the humans moving. Yang continued to support Garrus until one of the larger Salarians took over, opting to have himself out of action rather than the human wrecking ball they had all witnessed lay waste to and survive against more than a dozen Geth.
They had successfully made their way out of the facility and were working their way through the jungles of the planet when Shepard asked how they were doing, gunfire in the background of her voice. She and her group were still defending the bomb. Ingersoll was the one to inform Shepard of their current situation, moving towards the rendezvous but at a slower pace because of the injured they were carrying with them, Garrus among them.
"Contact left! Men, protect the wounded!" Kirrahe yelled as several Geth drones appeared above the foliage.
Gunfire erupted from both sides as yet another skirmish began. Yang took cover, keeping herself hidden for the time being. She couldn't kill the machines in the air currently, but the others could.
"Here come the ground forces." Maulden informed the groups.
"Keep the injured moving." Kirrahe ordered. "Eliminate the flying ones first, human… ah-"
"It's Yang." The blonde answered. "I'll engage the ground forces when they're closer."
"Roger that. Men, feign a retreat once the wounded are back far enough." It was a simple strategy, one Yang hoped would work.
It felt like minutes passed as Yang poked her head out a few times, firing off her pistol and damaging a few different Geth. Though when the retreat was called, the Geth surged forwards aiming to capitalise on the backs of the Salarians. Yang struck as soon as the first Geth passed her boulder. She emerged and charged.
Again she became the focus for many of the geth, surrounded and in the middle of their forces as some of their crossfire struck their allies. This time she noted her shields getting depleted rather quickly, having to activate her aura much earlier and more often. Troopers made up the majority of the Geth, but a Destroyer again made its way at her. Fending off another large foe, her aura scroll alerted her to the change in her aura level. Now under forty percent, Yang knew she couldn't keep this up for long.
Gunfire ripped through an approaching Destroyer while a few small explosions incapacitated several Geth. Electrically charged grenades, fancy. She didn't have a lot of time to think though, as two Geth Juggernauts appeared. One locked onto her and started running, firing rockets with an incredible inaccuracy. While the other started firing on the Salarians.
"Focus fire on the one charging the human!" Kirrahe's voice sounded in her ear.
"Negative." She responded. "The one shooting you is the bigger threat, take it out."
"You heard the human. Unleash everything." Kirrahe ordered.
There was a sudden increase of noise as Yang ran at and started to fight the Juggernaut. Without her gauntlets at full power, it was a difficult thing. Getting thrown about, punched square in the face, and even knocked prone by a near miss from one of the rocket drones, Yang hissed as she got up.
Inside her helmet her eyes blazed an incensed red, her golden hair shone brightly though no one would see it. She hadn't used her semblance since arriving in this galaxy, but this instant seemed to call for it. As the Juggernaut threw another heavy and surprisingly fast punch, Yang dipped to the side and stepped forwards. With one punch, the Salarians, humans, and Garrus would see a cascade of various Geth bits both large and small fly through the air and splash into the water. Yang's strike, much like against the Atlas mech Roman had been operating, had completely obliterated the Juggernaut.
Standing there puffing, there was no fire for a moment as both sides seemed to take in what had just happened, before the firefight began once more. Running herself to the Salarian lines, Yang dived over a rock and lay low behind it. Checking her aura again, she could see it in the red. It had been a long mission with many fights, plus the rest since the last hadn't been great. Now she was now growing tired, her body calling for a rest.
Letting her shields take the damage from then on, she would pop out with her pistol and let off a few rounds until the Geth were wiped out. A cheer rose from the Salarians before Kirrahe quickly ordered them to get a move on.
Helping Yang to her feet, the Captain would commend her. "You are a credit and asset to the Alliance. Thank you for helping my men."
"Yeah, let's get out of here. I'm getting tired." A flash of understanding showed Yang that Kirrahe must understand what she meant. She couldn't go out in the open like that again.
Shepard informed them all that the charge was set and that they were boarding the Normandy now. They might cut it close, but they'd be able to escape the blast radius and meet up with the Salarians before the big boom. It was good news, or at least Yang found it to be good news.
"Pick up the pace! We need to get out of the blast zone!" Kirrahe yelled.
Shit. Sorry Ruby, you'll have to wait a bit longer. I don't plan on coming over just yet. Like many of the others around her, Yang dug deep and picked up her pace, splashing through rivers and jumping over roots. Everything was going well, they were making good time and distance, right up until the sound of a rifle echoed around them and a cry of pain followed.
"Keep moving! Any more diversion will result in your lives. Men, I'm sorry." Kirrahe respected his men, and his men had kept following his orders. Yang looked around and saw some grim expressions, they all knew what they now had to do. Any that fell behind would be left, it was a race to get outside the radius.
More rifles sounded and some soldiers did slow, taking cover and returning fire while those either carrying or supporting the wounded kept moving. Yang turned and took cover, looking for the Geth shooting at them. Realising she was no help, she took off again, leaving those who were better suited to long range fighting to keep doing just that. Fucking long range… shits.
"Fuck! Ingersoll… Give me some cover!" Maulden sounded pained over the coms, something that Yang took a little joy over, but that quickly dissipated.
"Alright, hold on. Williams, help me here would you." Ingersoll said, it was a request instead of an order, Yang realised Ingersoll didn't want Ashley to endanger her own survival if she didn't want to.
"Copy that, I see you." Williams responded.
Yang smiled and shook her head. Comradery, damn it. She abruptly turned heel and made her way over to where the three humans were, Maulden was behind a small rock while Ingersoll and Williams were engaged in what looked like a long range firefight. There was a Salarian by Maulden too, and another went to aid them. It was shot and fell, but Yang could still see movement.
"Cover us!" She yelled, tapping Ashley on the shoulder and rushing forwards. It was only seconds later that she felt the ping of a bullet, her shield falling below half durability. Time for more aura use. She realised, activating it beneath her armour.
Sliding in beside Maulden she took his arm and looked to his wound. It was in his thigh meaning he wouldn't be moving on his own. She got him to help her apply some of the medi-gel she had which lessened the pain, and then she did the same to the Salarians on the ground. She looked between the three, wondering who she should take first when one Salarian who had a hole in his armour, right to where Yang figured his lung would be, grabbed her arm weakly.
"Save… them." He croaked, green blood being coughed up.
"As you command." She whispered back, getting Maulden and the other Salarian ready to move. It was a hard thing for her to do, but given the nuke and pending death, she decided to leave the salarian behind.
In a show of strength and endurance, Yang started running. Powering herself from a crouched position, she charged towards Ashley and Ingersoll with the heavier Maulden on her right shoulder and the more slender Salarian on her left. She wondered what it must be like to see bullets moving, how many were narrowly missing her and how many her allies were outputting in an effort to cover her.
Thankfully, she passed them both and just kept running. Knowing their time was limited, she couldn't stop, couldn't allow her legs to stop pumping. Her legs began to burn from the extra weight she was carrying and energy she was using, but still she kept up with the slower retreating forces. Inhaling as she felt a bullet slam into her back, Yang took a breath as she recovered from the stumble it caused and continued.
Behind her the ground began to shake as loud explosions went off, she thought it was the nuke detonating, but instead it was support from the Normandy as it flew by lighting up the forested area behind them.
Joker set the Normandy down and the crew poured out from the cargo bay door. Yang got all the way to the base of the ramp before she was suddenly and violently struck in the back of her head. Stumbling forwards before starting to fall, she was caught by the Normandy crew, the Salarian and maulden were taken from her grasp and she got herself inside.
Legs burning and her aura nearly completely out, Yang found herself a spot behind one of the large crates and let herself slip down until she was sitting on the floor. Not knowing completely how she found herself with a nice spot protected from the hail of gunfire, she watched as those injured were brought into the cargo bay and taken up the elevator while the living filtered in. Then there was a lurch as the ship started to move and a rush of everyone getting back inside the cargo bay. The door sealed and closed, and finally Yang felt safe. It was the shockwave of the blast that gave her the chills, violently rocking the Normandy as Joker steered them into space. There wasn't any cheering, but Yang could feel and see the relief washing over everyone who had survived.
Looking around she could see people talking, humans and aliens all. She could see Shepard checking on Garrus, then helping him towards the ship's infirmary. A friendly face, more visor, found her sitting down though and came over. Removing her helmet, Yang smiled up at Tali.
"You're not hurt are you?" She asked the Quarian.
"Me? How are you not hurt?" Tali asked, pointing at the helmet in her hands. Inspecting what she was looking at, Yang could see a hole in the back of the helmet and a spider web of cracks reaching out from it.
Recalling the sudden impact to the back of her head right as she got to the ramp, Yang just smiled. "Aura, I used it to save you, and now you can see it saved me."
"Keelah." Tali would squat down and give Yang some Medi-gel. "Do you need anything?"
Smiling and feeling a little better, Yang would try to say something she had learned. "Es… Ess… Essed?"
Tali tilted her head and backed away a little. "Where did you learn that?"
"Extranet. It does mean anything, right?" Tali's giggle was a pleasure to hear given the day they'd had, and her nod let Yang know to ask. "Can I have a hug?"
There was a pause from Tali, something Yang knew would happen because of her weakened immune system, or lack of one. But the Quarian did lean in and give Yang what she'd asked for. Yang squeezed her gently, and then began to tremble. The adrenaline quickly wore off and the fatigue began setting in. The risk of what she'd done was very present in her mind. She sat there, hugging Tali while the inhabitants of the Normandy and their Salarian guests went about dealing with the aftermath of the mission.