Chapter 23
Jane approached Victus first.
"Commander."
"So, one of your ships is missing?"
"Crashed, actually. I couldn't speak in front of the krogan. Our ship went down on Tuchanka. Now they're pinned by an advanced guard of Reapers scouting the planet."
"What are your men doing there?"
"I'm sorry. That's classified. But it's vital they be rescued. They must complete their original mission. It's a matter of…galactic peace."
"Listen, if you want me to put my ass on the line then I need some answers…please."
"I'm sorry, I can't tell you. Please understand."
"How many men are there?"
"A platoon. The commander is Lieutenant Tarquin Victus. He'll be your contact."
"Victus?"
"My son. I needed someone I could trust completely."
"I'll do what I can."
"I appreciate your help…and understanding."
jane nodded as she walked away and found her way over to Wrex.
"Hell of a show down there on Sur'kesh. Just like the old days, Shepard," Wrex said. "Right down to me pulling your ass out of the fire."
"I was the one with bullets flying at me,"
"And I gave you the moral support to dodge them."
jane laughed, "Uh-huh. So anyways, you said one of your squads is missing?"
"They were scouting out the rachni relay. We've heard rumors of trouble in the area."
"Rachni?!" jane repeated, she had though shed seen the last of them, she had released the queen, they had promised they'd stay out of trouble.
"Thought that might get your attention. I have a favour to ask, it's big. I've got Aralakh Company, my best unit, on standby. You give the word and they'll meet up with you there."
"How could there be trouble with the rachni? They were all but extinct. The last queen promised to disappear forever or be destroyed."
"I know, I remember. I've got a bad feeling about this. May not be rachni, but maybe it is. Could be another invasion."
"I'll see what I can do," she said as she turned around and started walking away she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand and groaned internally, things were going to keep up being crazy busy.
"And Shepard, I like what you've done with the Normandy. Got tired of always hanging around the cargo bay before. I still don't have a window like Liara does, but it's progress."
"I'll remember that for next time."
Shepard got on her comm as she left the war room, "Joker, set a course for Tuchanka."
"You got it, Commander."
-
Jane sat in the mess and lifted the fork up to her mouth "JANE!" she jumped the fork dropping
Her eyes met Liara's, "what?"
"Aki- she's on the citadel"
"she's what?" jane jumped up a little
"she's alive, she came in with a group of survivors not long ago"
Jane felt the tears brim, "she's alive"
Liara grabbed her in a tight embrace "she's fine"
"thank fuck" jane laughed softly she ran a hand through her tousled curls and laughed quietly again in disbelief "she's alive" jane whispered
"what's the plan?"
Jane shook her head "I uh-" she stood up from the table, "she'll go to her apartment- I need to ring her"
Jane rushed up to her cabin and quickly typed in Aki's name eagerly waiting for the call to be picked up, it rang for a long minute- for what felt like an eternity before the call answered.
"Aki?" jane asked
"jane-"
"I'm so fucking happy to hear your voice" she breathed tears filling her eyes
"I'm okay jane" she assured her with a small smile
"we're at Tuchanka, there's so much to catch you up on. Once were done here, we'll pick you up, you probably need rest"
"not going to lie, I'm pretty beat up"
"I'll see you soon Aki, stay safe"
"you too, jane"
Aki.
Aki leaned back on the couch in her living room and inhaled deeply. Earth.
Earth had been a slaughter.
The forces were overwhelming and they were absolutely unprepared for an attack of such calibre. She had did what she could and safeguarded as many survivors as she came across but even then they didn't stay safe for long, moving from place to place trying to find any form of safety for civilians was for nought.
after a few sleepless nights skirting through blackness with women and children they had found a small gathering of military survivors with enough supplies and equipment to get a a few shuttles operational and off-world.
She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her blood matted hair, the fights had been unforgiving. The only reason the shuttle made it off world was thanks to another groups sacrifice, the people of earth refused to be broken and fought tirelessly, people who had never held a weapon took up arms to protect the wounded.
Aki had fought past exhaustion- it was like her N7 training all over again she had fought past hunger and pain, past desperation the only thing left was survival.
Aki stood up from the couch, every single muscle screaming in protest, she hit the button on the remote for the TV and listened as she walked into the bathroom. The reapers were plastered all over the news, Earth and its losses, the decimation.
She turned the shower on and began to strip before stepping under the burning stream, the water running red and black.
The medi-gel that sealed her wounds had done its job but now the hole in her thigh, the gash on her eyebrow and cuts that surrounded her entirety stung and throbbed.
She felt her aching muscles unwind, the bruises softly thumping.
She took the bar of soap off the side with her left hand, as her right was pretty much useless right now thanks to a Brute dislocating her shoulder a few days prior. She began to lather up, scrubbing the blood and grime from under her fingernails and washed her hair.
She'd been on battlefields, seen innocents slaughtered but to have everything around her so ruthlessly obliterated seemed to cut deep into her core.
She washed every inch of her twice trying to banish what had happened before stepping out of the shower and securing a towel around her.
Aki looked to the mirror as she brushed her teeth, looked at the new nicks and scars which littered her face, bags under her eyes off night after night of no sleep, of moving endlessly and sighed as she rotated her head left and right, the top of her right ear had a chunk missing thanks to a shot from a cannibal. She pressed a finger to it and hissed softly at the scorched flesh before shaking her hair out to conceal it.
She exited the bathroom and crossed through the passageway and into living room to the drinks cabinet, she poured out a large helping of rum and swallowed it back- she frowned at the endless beeping from her Omi-tool and clicked on the flagged messages.
She felt her breath stutter in her lungs, message after message after message all filtering through at once;
Aki,
Hey, how are you it's been a couple of weeks. I just- I don't know if you'll get these, but I want you to know how much I'm missing you. It's uh- hard to sleep now without you.
I stayed at the apartment for a few days but it was different without you being there.
Anyways I'm home- my mom is in such good health and my dad isn't being a total ass so that's good.
i also stole our picture.
Garrus x
Aki grinned reading his words and took a seat on the couch looking to the empty space on the cabinet.
Aki,
Hey me again, hope things are going okay. I'm training- so I'm now my peoples resident reaper expert apparently. I know, I know, mad eh, I miss you still. I was talking to Liara and she was saying you're on comm lockdown but I just wanted to let you know that i'm thinking of you, I hope we see each other soon.
Garrus x
Aki,
its nice to be home, my mom was asking for the millionth time about the picture so i told her. i- am in love, madly in love with a human.
she laughed, she can't wait to meet you- hell i cant wait to see you.
i'm kinda drunk and want more than anything to hold you.
hurry and come back to me okay?
i wont let you leave again Aki- i honestly think that i wouldn't be able to function.
i hope you're doing good but i know you- you'll be doing amazing whatever they have you busy with
Garrus x
Aki,
i heard earth was hit and i felt fucking sick- If by some miracle you're alive and can read this. Know I'm never giving up on you. We're preparing for war Aki. The reapers will pay, come back to me.
All my love Garrus x
Aki,
I love you.
Garrus x
Aki swallowed hard, her throat rough, she gulped back another mouthful of rum and re-read all the messages her heart thudding in her chest.
She felt her tears whelm, she wanted to see him again, wanted to hear his voice and feel his body, to have his arms wrap around her.
She felt a loss she couldn't explain.