I Do Not Own Mass Effect
Chapter Six: Not Alone
"Tali, what are you doing here? Actually how did you even…" Tali cut off Garrus as she fired a round from her shotgun toward the mercs with no affect. Tali growled lowly then ripped the sniper from his talon like hands and fired a round between the forehead of one of the Vorcha encroaching on Shepard.
"I'll explain later! For now help me protect Shepard until the others gets here!" Tali barked as she threw the sniper back to Garrus. The turian gave her one affirmative nod and rested back into his sniping hole. Tali sprinted full force until reaching the latter. She slid down the metal support and un-holstered her shotgun. A Vorcha jumped toward her in an attempt to cut off her route from Wayne. It ended with super-heated shrapnel from her M-23 Katana being introduced to his stomach. When she reached Wayne it was worse than she could have imagined. Blood smeared his armor, face and hands. Tali could barely see the man she loved under all the wounds and burns. She let out a low snarl and snapped her body to face the mercenaries. Tali pumped her shotgun and started to fire, punching a hole through their breaking lines. Between Garrus sniping and her shotgun the mercs were thinning… slowly.
She charged forward like a Krogan Battle Master, unloading heavy flechettes into any Vorcha or Salarian that stood in her way. Only until her thermal clip ran dry did she retreat back to Wayne's side.
"Bosh'tet!" Tali hissed as she discarded her shotgun and scrambled to Wayne's assault rifle. She unleashed several volleys before three Krogan marched forward with shotguns at the ready. The first dropped. Garrus had a bead on all three and was not about to let them reach Tali or Shepard. He quickly loaded his last round and made a calculated judgment. He readied a type seven explosive charge and flung it toward the Krogan. He zeroed in on his target and exhaled sharply. Being one of the top students in the sniper academy on Palaven Garrus was sure that he wouldn't miss. He couldn't. So much rode on this shot that he could not afford to miss. As Garrus readied the shot he counted down from five mentally. As he reached one his finger arched, placing pressure on the trigger. The weight from the silent anxiety lifting as his finger tightened against the cold steel.
"Archangel!" A batarian voice spat angrily as he felt someone yank hard on the back of his head plate and shoulder, forcing his entire body around. Tarak stood over him, landing punches to his face, chest and stomach. Garrus clenched his fists and charged forward. He lifted Tarak up by his waist and slammed him into the railing. Garrus delivered several blows to Tarak's face and kneed him in the stomach. The batarian countered by head-butting Garrus, dazing him. Tarak took advantage of the turian's state and reversed the hold and began slamming the scarred side of Garrus's face against the railing. Garrus cursed as he strained against Tarak's strength. As the batarian prepared another haymaker Garrus slammed the side of his ribcage with a balled fist followed by an uppercut, freeing himself from the hold.
Tali meanwhile had spotted the explosive charge and shot it. The blast just barely licked at her and Wayne but engulfed the remaining mercs. She let out a strained breath and turned her attention back to Wayne. Her eyes began to sting as she looked down at him. She forced herself to remain strong as she hurriedly applied medi gel to his wounds. The protective coating sizzling and eating away at any infection while sealing the deeper wounds with its foam like substance. While she worked Tali checked for a pulse. It was there…barely. She could tell it was fading and fast. Her eyes began to sting again as her throat started to dry. Tali could only cradle Wayne in her lap and silently beg that he live. Suddenly she started to lightly pound on his chest.
'Bosh'tet, bosh'tet, bosh'tet! Please don't… please..." Tali couldn't form sentences, she had started crying. Tali gasped and tried reining it in but that only made it worse. Tali slumped over Shepard holding his hand begging that he live. As she did there was movement from the ally way. Two Ysmir heavy infantry mechs with the remaining Blue Suns moved forward. Tali's eyes narrowed as her hand clutched Wayne's rifle. She brought it to bear and pulled back the trigger. The rifle was jammed from heavy use. Defeated, she collapsed with her back on the wall. She closed her eyes and offered a prayer for Wayne and one for the Home World. Heavy fire was heard and the whole world went white.
There was a pause and a brief silence. Tali forced her eyes open. Zaeed stood across from the mechs with a back mounted M-409 heavy repeater. Lights from one of the Normandy's shuttles bathing over him. The Ysmir mechs engaged him but were filled with holes the size of a Krogan forehead. The whir of the heavy issue ordinance drowned everything out as Zaeed cleared the path to the nearby shuttle. The last of the Blue Suns tried retreating but Zaeed made sure that not a single one so much as made it to one of their shuttles. The ones who thought that they had gotten away were met by Kasumi and Jacob. It was finally over.
Zaeed marched over to Tali and offered his hand to her. At first she refused wanting to stay near Wayne. After some deliberation Tali stood on her own. Zaeed nodded his head and kneeled beside Shepard and lugged him over his shoulder.
"Come on, little miss, let's go back to the Normandy." He gruffly stated. Tali only nodded
"What about Garrus?" She asked.
"Right here." Garrus replied with an edge in his voice. He was bruised and bloodied with a chilling darkness in his eyes. He slammed his fist against the wall as he walked toward the pick-up shuttle.
"What happened to the bastard that did this!" Tali demanded shrilly. Garrus looked downward. His look of defeat was the only answer she needed.
"You let him get away!" Tali snarled. She began marching over to Garrus but Kasumi restrained her
"Now's not the time, little miss. He needs to be with Mordin and Dr. Chakwas." Zaeed offered as continued onto the shuttle.
"He's right, Tali." Garrus offered. She only glared at him and snapped.
"If it wasn't for you he wouldn't be like this!" Garrus clicked his mandibles out of shame and bowed his head forward. Kasumi only offered her arm and helped Tali to the shuttle. Comforting Tali all the way back.