Log 28
Date: 26ND NOV 2186
Location: PROBABLY STILL RUSSIA
How best to describe what happened after that abrupt ending to the last entry? Honestly it isn't easy even to remember it, everything happened so quickly.
I was aware of a burning red light flashing in front of my eyes and for several minutes afterwards I couldn't see anything but the bright afterglow burned into my vision. Like staring up at the sun but much, much closer, filling my entire field of vision.
As the Reaper beam sliced through the train it soon derailed but didn't stop. The sheer speed of the train kept it moving forward for a time, smashing against the walls of the tunnel like a snake caught in a metal pipe. What had felt just minutes earlier like a fairly lax pace now felt like hurtling through a rollacoaster with all the safeties off. Inside we clung to whatever we could to avoid being thrown about the carriages like rag-dolls.
Eventually the train did come to a rest, at least several hundreds meters from where we had been hit. I lay there for awhile, barely able to see in the darkness. As my eyes slowly adjusted I looked up to see Coberg already on his feet. He had a few cuts and bruises but otherwise looked okay, I'm sure I didn't look any better myself.
"What the hell happened?"
"Reaper ambush," I replied, stating the obvious as I got to my feet. I tried to think of something more useful to add but it was hard to focus. My mind was replaying those last few seconds of carnage over and over, trying to accept what happened.
"How did they find us?"
I groaned as the realization hit me.
"They must've worked out that there was only one place we could be headed after- well after what happened on the sub. I should've predicted this!"
"What other choice did we have? Hellman abandoned us all to freeze our arses off in the middle of bloody Russia! Last time I ask that man for a favour." Coberg frowned.
"In any case we need to get moving quickly. Xi Chan said most of the tunnel was out of range of their weapons. Hopefully we can get topside before we hit another exposed section."
"I doubt they'll risk firing again. Afterall we all know they want me alive," I said.
"Maybe but I'm not sure why they didn't just collapse the whole tunnel before we got here. Easiest way to trap us."
"Apart from what would've happened to me if we'd crashed straight into a blockage at that speed? I'm guessing the Reapers know that if I ever thought we were completely trapped, I'd put a bullet in my skull just to deny them the intel they want on Shepard."
"Would you?" Coberg raised an eyebrow to show he wasn't convinced.
'No' came the unexpected answer inside my head. This caught me by surprise, I've never hesitated before when I've known I might have to lay down my life in service to my duty. It was just a random thought though, I haven't really been feeling like myself lately. Most likely its just stress and lack of sleep.
"We're wasting time here that we don't have. We need to get moving before the Reapers can capitalize on this." I said out loud, indicating the smashed up carriage.
The General nodded.
"We should keep moving forward, I'll go up to the top of the train and arrange a scouting party to check out what's ahead of us."
"Alright, I'll head back the other way. Let everyone know what's going on and send them up towards you." I said and then pushed forward without another word.
Moving through the train proved to be a challenge in and of itself. When I came across a door to the next section it was always sealed shut, with no power left to get it open. I used my omniblade as a tool to wrench the doors apart like a crowbar. I thought it might also serve as a torch but the glaring red light it gave off was blinding, certainly it didn't help me see much more than I could without it.
As I progressed through the train I found many survivors, mostly suffering from injuries of some sort. The least injured were helping those more badly hurt but our replenished Medi gel supplies were running out again quickly. I knew we'd get through the last of them in this single event. As much as possible I urged everyone to head towards the front of the train and gather there.
Occasionally I'd come out into the open air of the tunnel where the train had been sliced in two by the Reaper beams. The other sections weren't in much better shape than our own. Usually I found them crashed into a wall not far from where they'd detached.
Another carriage then another, then another. I started to come across people heading the other way. Some claimed they'd heard gunshots and explosions from the back of the train. Others didn't stop at all just passed me by quickly without a word. I lend a hand where I could to help the wounded get through the doors and retreat before pushing on alone. There were no sounds of fighting now but I needed to know what was going on.
When I reached the last carriage I could see why we hadn't come under attack. Someone had had the sense to collapse the tunnel behind us. Given I could actually see half the corpse of a fallen Brute sticking out amid the rubble it was clear just how close we'd come to being overrun.
I didn't spot anyone in this carriage until Coats called out to me.
"Is that you sir? I need help with him, it's bad,"
I glanced over to the major crouching over someone who was laid out on a row of seats off to the side. I couldn't see much of the other man but what I could tell it didn't look like he was going to make it.
"Where's Daniels?" I asked. "I thought he was assigned to this position as well."
"Sir, this is Daniels," he replied.
I moved closer scarcely able to believe what I'd just been told. His face and hands were burned completely black along with most of his uniform. The only colour left was the flecks of blood all over his body. Out of his stomach protruded a piece of shrapnel, the blood staining the area was darker, more like black ink.
"What happened?"
"We came under attack not long after our carriage stopped. Cannibals and Marauders came pouring out a side tunnel. We tried to hold the position but there was too many of them. Daniels suggested we use the grenades to bring the roof down sir but one of them was thrown back right at his feet. His shields were still just about functioning otherwise he'd already be-"
"Don't-" I said my voice breaking. "Just don't."
The major was praising Daniels actions, saying he'd saved his life but the words barely registered. I knelt down beside him and took over applying pressure to the wound. His breathing was weak, I could well remember just how many of my comrades I seen die from similar injuries. Part of me knew he was most likely going to die. Worse still the Reapers would clear the blockage soon enough and we'd be under attack again. Strategically it would have been safer to leave him.
But he was so young to die like this, cold and alone in this horrible place. He was a grown man of course but still no older than my son and he had been with me in this nightmare since the beginning. I would not abandon him today so instead I sent Coats back to the front of the train with orders that if the Reapers came again they should collapse the tunnel and leave without us.
And I meant it, it's how I've been feeling from time to time. Not all the time of course, I try my best to keep my spirits up and leave the only sign of my fears in this journal but I am tired. Tired of the war, tired of losing people, tired of trying to maintain this pretense of confidence and hope. With my mask on people see me as optimistic, jovial even given the circumstances but every day it gets harder to maintain.
I said some of this to Daniels while I sat with him and he slipped in and out of consciousness. Hell I talked about anything I could just to fill the silence, to cover the scrapping noises I could hear on the other side of the tunnel collapse. Kahlee, the war and the strategies I still had left, some of the amusing tidbits Jason had shared with me about work. In my darkest moments I talked about the Reapers. Raged about them asking the same question over and over. Why were they doing this to us? What was it all actually for?
It felt like we spent hours there, crouching in the darkness. Eventually I couldn't think of anything more to say so I simply sat there in silence while the noise from the other side of the blockage grew steadily louder. Sooner or later the Reapers would succeed in tunneling through. I was just contemplating trying to carry Daniels through to the next carriage when Coberg and Xi Chan arrived.
"What're you still doing back here?"
I didn't speak just nodded towards Daniels.
"The kid's still alive? This isn't exactly the best time to be playing the hero Admiral, we've got bigger problems right now."
Again I didn't bother to respond. If Coberg didn't understand why I'd chosen to stay I didn't see much value in trying to explain.
"Coats told us what happened and we came as soon as we could," Xi Chan explained helpfully.
"I saved a batch of Medi gel. Our last one actually."
Well that did far more to get my attention. I hurried out of the way and ordered him to administer the Medi gel. As usual the gel did its work flawlessly, quickly surrounding the wound to form a perfect seal. The shrapnel was expelled from his body replaced with gel that would stop the bleeding completely for the time being. Within a few moments Daniels eyes flicked open and he seemed more alert for the first time.
Not for the first time did I find myself marveling at the miracles the substance was able to achieve but at the same time (and for much the same reason) I mourned the loss of our last supply. Without any left and with no means to resupply in the near future there would be no more miracles like this one.
"Can we move him?"
"I'm not a doctor but I'd say it'd be safer than leaving him here."
"Come on then."
"We need to get moving, the Reapers will be coming."
"Agreed but before we do there's just one more thing."
"What's that?"
I turned at looked at Coberg directly.
"How many explosives do we have left?"
About half an hour later our group was starting the long march westward down the tunnel. In truth there wasn't any choice, we'd used the majority of our remaining explosives to more thoroughly seal the tunnel behind us. As for our journey we unfortunately don't actually know how much further we need to go. We know the train was running slower than it should have been or we would have arrived already. But since we don't know how fast we were actually traveling its hard to make any accurate predictions regarding our position. Xi Chan's best estimates put us anywhere between St. Petersburg and 500 klicks back from that in the Krasnogorsky District.
If we're as far back as that our food reserves will be starting to struggle. It shouldn't be a problem, we should be able to make it to the next station but I'd be cautious about pushing our reserve too much further than that. So far the only good news is that the tunnel is going downhill so the odds are we'll be deep enough that the Reaper ships can't hit us again like they did the train (it was only ever a risk on stretches that ran closer to the surface). That's the hope at least and so far it's working but the Reapers must know we're here by now. I'm told there are several intersecting tunnels in this area as the line branches out towards other major cities in Russia and beyond in Europe. With any luck it'll take the Reapers some time to locate us in this underground maze. It's not a question of if they'll find us only when and if we'll be ready for them when they do.
In fact it was actually only four days of marching (roughly four days in any case it's getting harder to tell) before we came across the next station. Though once we saw it up close there were one or two issues.
"It's blocked!"
"What's that?" I called out.
Coats came running back down the tunnel clearly looking frustrated.
"Half the station ceiling has caved in sir, I can't see a way out."
I cursed repeatedly and lead a group to investigate more thoroughly. When we arrived I could see what the Major had meant. The station opened up onto a wide platform with tunnels that branched away many of which were now blocked by debris.
"Spread out and search the area," I called out. In the dark space lit only by torchlight it would've been easy enough to miss a way out. I hoped a more methodical search might reveal some way out of here.
We took a few teams and headed into the concrete and brick maze. Most of the group were left out on the platform just in case there actually was a route up to the surface. Afterall a route up would also mean a route down, better to keep most of our people out in the open away from any potential ambushes.
Coberg, Xi, Lara and Coats went scouting through the various tunnels. I held back, carefully checking the rest of the platform, checking every kiosk and shop. Not much there, very little of this station was even finished being built by the time the project was abandoned. It was sad in a way, walking around this forgotten piece of Earth history. Only now standing in its ruins did I appreciate what a massive undertaking this would have been back then. You could almost see the dreams that had gone into building this place. But I was a visitor from the distant future, someone who already knew that this dream was doomed to failure.
Still if there's anything I've learned from being stuck on Earth all this time it's just how much is going on here that we overlook. I've always looked outwardly, to the rest of the galaxy for exploration. My interest in exploring might sound odd given I joined the army but despite being a soldier I've always had a keen interest in trying to understand other cultures. Maybe it even enhances it in some ways, I've learned to respect the Turians more than any other species yet they were a bitter enemy during the first contact war. I guess it was only by fighting them that I was able to see their strengths and gain a desire to learn from them.
Anyway getting back to the point I was about to make, these past few months have shown me just how much I never knew about my own world. Not seeing what was right under my nose I suppose, especially when it comes to the bases hidden under Vancouver. I wonder how much more lost history and forgotten places exist here. If by some miracle I survive the war maybe I'll write a book about it, once I've done what I can for the reconstruction.
I realized I gotten badly off track and forced myself to focus on the task at hand. Finally I located what I'd been looking for, a main reception of some sort. There wasn't much to see unfortunately, far as I could tell it was abandoned half finished, though the roof collapse didn't help either. No maps or signs that might confirm where we were that I could see. A single graffiti scrawled on one of the walls read "Welcome to Hel-" (the rest was hidden by debris). Well I hardly needed to be told I was in hell. To learn any more I'd need some teams to help clear the debris.
I headed back outside and saw some of the other teams returning from their exploration.
"Did you find anything?" I called out.
"All the exits are blocked but we might be able to tunnel our way out. The Asari stayed behind to start working on it, any luck down here?" Coberg replied.
"About the same really. I found some kind of reception room back here half buried but it might tell us where we are if we can get it cleared."
"Couldn't hurt to find out what to expect up there I guess. Did you learn anything Xi?"
"Not much. But I thought you might like to know the damage here looks natural, far as I can tell they were caused over time by structural weakness."
"So not a Reaper attack?"
"Precisely, just time and the station not being finished."
"Well it's good to know the Reapers are less likely to be waiting outside. Still someone should probably warn Lara to go carefully, we wouldn't want her biotics bringing the roof down."
"Good idea."
Coberg lead the way back to where Lara was but we'd barely set off before we started hearing weapons fire ahead of us.
"Now what?" I muttered as we broke into a run only to find Lara and the rest of her team heading back the other way pursued by Husks.
"I'm guessing you managed to break through the blockage then?" I asked as we cut down the nearest attackers with assault rifles.
"Harbinger's not far behind, we need to move," she called back.
"I thought he- it, whatever was still in London?"
"Oh you know what I mean. One of his puppets is up there, with an army. I think they may have recognized me."
I swore as I spotted a Ravager coming down the corridor, the firepower of its cannons soon sending us into a hasty retreat.
"Goddammit!" I shouted and stabbed a husk in the throat as it got too close. It fell to the ground screeching, dragging my knife with it but there were many, many more on their way.
"Do we have any options here? Anyone?"
"We could bring down the whole station, block them from reaching us," suggested Xi Chan.
"What with, we used up our explosives the last time we tried that trick," I reminded him.
"No to mention we'd be left trapped down here. Again." Coberg pointed out as he took out another Husk with a shotgun blast.
"I don't think we have many alternatives left Admiral," Lara pointed out.
As we'd been talking we'd been in full retreat, swiftly falling back to the main platform where the bulk of our forces were still waiting. As we approached I bellowed out an order and we threw ourselves to the ground so that our people could target our pursuers. The Reaper forced were met by a hailstorm of incoming fire that flattened the Husks and drove back the Ravager. We'd bought ourselves a reprieve but only a brief one.
"Xi do whatever you have to to stop them, everyone else get off the platform and back into the tunnel."
"Lara I need your biotics. Target the columns I point out to you."
That really got everyone moving, afterall what do you get when you put a Salarian engineers ingenuity and a Justicar's biotic power together? Well to put it simply we were luckily to get away in time ourselves. As for the Reapers? They never stood a chance. The entire ceiling collapsed around the platform and the ground shook like we were in the middle of an earthquake. For awhile I was worried that the tunnel would collapse as well burying us all alive but eventually the shaking stopped and silence fell in the darkness.
And that where we are now more or less. I'm leaving another copy of this journal here just in case this is where we reach the end of the line. Hopefully it will get lost in this forgotten corner of the planet and not be found again until it's unearthed by the next cycle. If that's what happens and you're reading this in the future, well I hope it helps. As for us the story is simple. We're running out of supplies, we're not sure when or if we'll reach the next station or what we might face when we get there. We know that Harbinger is aware of us now, we are being hunted.
If these are the last words in this journal know that we died fighting these monsters to the last man, to our final breath.