Hey guys, it's me again, late as usual to update a fic that I've literally got finished, but now that I have a proper computer to type on, I'll get this done and out for everyone to read and enjoy. I'm glad there are people out there still reading this. Thanks for sticking with me guys, and I'm sorry it's been years.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect, I don't get any profit for writing this.
Chapter six: Better
" How did you miss a bullet to the side Shepard?" Garrus asked as they dragged John into the Mako. He chuckled, then grimaced from the pain they caused by chucking him into the vehicle.
" I was trying to stay alive Garrus, and keep you two alive as well. My blood was pumping, just didn't feel it with all the adrenaline." Shepard said logically. Honestly Garrus wouldn't have even noticed he'd been shot had he not been trailing red blood, Tali hadn't had any punctures, so that left Shepard, as the only one with red blood, left.
Shepard hadn't honestly felt himself get shot, it probably happened during one of his adrenaline boosts to get his shields back up. He hadn't felt the wound. Not until he'd lost enough blood to realize something was wrong. Garrus and Tali propped him up in a seat as gently as they could. Garrus began pulling his armor off. Shepard chuckled at it, feeling slightly woozy.
" If you wanted me out of my clothes Vakarian, all you had to do was ask." John joked with a smirk. Garrus startled at it, then huffed and continued to unsnap his armor clasps.
" We don't even know how to properly treat him." Tali offered worried. Garrus frowned.
" Just slap some Medi-gel on it, that shit can literally do anything, open locks, fix the Mako, fix people, it's a jack of all trades substance." Shepard piped up, he felt kind of silly getting undressed by a Turian while a Quarian fiddled with her hands close by, and him, just sitting there like a big lug not even helping. Well he had got shot, but that didn't give him a pass. He had to at least add commentary.
He got an look from Garrus that seemed kind of incredulous and a bit amused at the same time, Shepard called that a win at least.
" We'll bind the wound to stop the bleeding, that should keep him alive until Chakwas can get a look at it on the Normandy." Garrus offered as he finished with Shepard's armor and eyed the wound. It was in his stomach, more to the one side, but very much bleeding heavily. He clamped a cloth and a heavy hand over the wound. Shepard flinched hard, but didn't comment.
" Spirits Shepard, I'm surprised you haven't bled to death." Garrus muttered looking at his blood soaked clothes from stomach down his pants.
" Do we have a med kit in here?" Garrus asked holding his hands to the wound. Tali fished around the Mako and came back with one that was hidden under the front seat, good thing they re-supplied these things. Garrus tore it open one handed and fished around for medical tape, a bandage, and gauze to replace the cloth. When he pulled the cloth up it stuck in the blood and made a wet sound that made Tali shuffle her feet. Garrus pushed the gauze on and wrapped the solider as best as he could.
The gauze was already soaked in blood when they finished and Shepard was bordering on being white as a sheet and gray in color, that was probably a bad sign.
" You know you have such pretty eyes." Shepard slurred half in and out of consciousness. Garrus and Tali shared a look.
" Was he talking to me?" Tali asked puzzled. Garrus shrugged slightly. He had no idea.
" Keep a hold of him as I drive, make sure you put pressure to that wound." Garrus offered. Tali nodded, sat beside Shepard, put her hand on his wound, and pushed down while she wrapped an arm around his waist. That was mainly to keep him from sliding all over the place and getting more injured when Garrus took off in the Mako.
" Normandy we need an emergency evac, Shepard is down." Garrus was calling to the Normandy. Joker immediately responded.
" Joker to ground team, On my way." He gave the coordinates on where to meet up. Garrus steered the Mako to more even grounding and away from the bunkers. He spun around when he heard Tali's sharp exhale. Shepard had his hand on hers and was peering up into her helmet to see her eyes no doubt. So the comment was to her, he had figured as much.
" Have I ever told you that I like your voice? It's really nice." Tali seemed uncomfortable, unsure what to do with him flirting with her when he was dazed from blood loss.
" Um thank you Shepard, but you should hold still, the Normandy will be here soon. We'll get you fixed up quickly." She offered.
"Your eyes are my favorite, like gems that glow, something to look to when I get lost." Tali sat a bit speechless. Garrus didn't blame her. Seemed Shepard had game when he was bleeding to death, figured he'd choose such a bad time to hit on Tali.
Shepard's eyes turned to Garrus and he grinned. Even half way dead and he had to compete with him. Shepard wiggled a brow. Garrus snorted, but he was amused none the less. Only John Shepard.
XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxX
Dealing with Dr. Heart was fairly easy, minus the husk like experiments that attacked them and the horror of knowing that this monster created these husks from people who were forced to grow extra organs for money. Shepard had recovered, if a bit stiff, but recovered and still could do his job, despite the fact Chakwas had told him to rest. It was Shepard. Shepard never listened to doctors orders.
Shepard took Wrex on his own mission next as he said he would. Garrus came along as per-usual. When they reached the base where Wrex family armor was supposedly held they had to of course fight their way in.
" You know the Pirate who took your grandfathers armor Wrex?
Wrex growled in his response.
" Some Turian, Tonn Actus or something, he likes Krogan Artifacts, mostly from the wars. He calls himself a ' collector'" Wrex snarled. Shepard nodded in answer to the info.
" That's good to know I guess. Put a name to the face as we kill it." Shepard joked. Shepard slapped the door panel and the door hissed open. Gunfire immediately began, they dove for any cover they could get, Garrus behind a crate, Wrex and Shepard leaned against either side of the wall in the doorway firing shots out. It was hard to actually get your head out in risk of getting it shot off, so they had to do quick blasts and hope it hit something or someone.
Chemical rounds flew by Shepard's head and hissed into the wall. Shepard hated Pirates, those Chemical rounds stung like a bitch.
" You never take me anywhere nice Shepard!" Garrus called over the roar of gunfire. He took down a sniper from the higher levels, Shepard got a round into the charging Krogan coming their way, Wrex finished him off with a shotgun blast to the face, Wrex then tossed the Krogan corpse with his Biotics into two other Pirates who went down with a foul curse. Yay, Teamwork. Shepard Laughed at Garrus' words.
" Not true, I took you to that Garden world." Garrus grunted as his shields took a hit from Actus, but held.
" That planet we chased monkey's across?" Garrus asked incredulously. Shepard boosted his shields as Actus took them with a few Chemical rounds, he just got shot he didn't need a new hole, especially from Chemical rounds.
" Hey it was nice at least!" Shepard retorted.
" I was thinking a beach." Garrus offered.
" Oh skipping to the romantic beach walk? You haven't even asked me to dinner Garrus." Shepard teased. Garrus was quick to respond with a amused laugh.
" I've seen you naked Shepard, I think we can skip dinner." Garrus joked back. Wrex sent them both a disgusted look.
" Are you two done flirting or should I throw myself into gunfire?"Wrex asked seriously. Shepard laughed.
" No need Wrex, besides my chest isn't naked Garrus, only women are viewed as naked when shirtless, men go shirtless all the time." Garrus paused to think about that. Right, the fleshy mounds. The sudden silence had them glancing around at each other in surprise.
" Am I dead?" Shepard asked.
" Did we kill them all?" Garrus pondered disregarding Shepard's joke. Peering over the crate into the room, his mandibles almost fell off from what he saw. Shepard glanced around cover to the room. He sighed. Of course.
He put away his weapon and tucked his hands behind his back as he walked into the room with Garrus and Wrex.
" Jane, you always pop up in the strangest places." Shepard commented. Jane Shepard wasn't paying them much mind due to the Turian, Actus, she had a gun pointed right at the back of his head. She held up a finger at them, dismissing them until she dealt with her own personal matters.
" Tonn Sweetheart, what in the hell are you doing?" Jane asked with that sultry voice, pitched sweet and Sugary. Tonn's mandibles were twitching and his sub-vocals we afraid.
" Janie, I thought you were dead! How have you been?" Jane growled at his words and kicked his legs apart he lost balance and went to his knees, which was easier for her to press the gun to the back of his head.
" You know how I've been Tonn, you sent Mercs after me when I sent word I needed a ship."Actus winced.
" Come on now Janie." His voice quivered.
" It's not-" She cut him off with a shove against his head, he feel silent. Her violet eyes bright lilac in anger.
" You thought with me gone you'd take over and what? Collect Krogan memorabilia?" She asked incredulously.
" Janie, I...didn't send no Mercenaries after you, I'd never, you know me! I'd never-" She pulled the trigger. John and Garrus flinched. Actus body fell at her feet in a heap.
" Shep we thought you were dead!" A pirate said to her right, their weapons all holstered as if the danger had passed, apparently it had? Shepard was a bit confused.
" Where ya been boss?" Another Pirate said as they all came in to greet her. She smeared blue blood across her cheek as she pushed her red hair out of her face.
" Been with a Spectre, got some runs lined up. I also brought back some gear and some toys, go get them." She used her omni-tool to give a pirate the coordinates. They welcomed her back easily and then filed away casually as if they were uncaring about their dead fellow or enemy they'd been shooting at wasn't still there. She kicked Actus body once in displeasure, stepped on top of him as she walked forward toward them, then smiled slightly in greeting.
She was a bit frightening with Turian blood smeared across her face, some splattered on her armor and in her hair, there maybe a bit of brain in there as well. It was hard to tell, blow back was no ones friend.
" Hey John, what brings you guys to me?" She asked as if they hadn't just witnessed her murder someone. She was supposed to be with Nihlus not on some backwater planet killing a random dick of a Turian.
" Jane, why...what...Where is Nihlus?" John finally managed to ask. He was baffled at what she was doing here, but not surprised he found her here. She always appeared in the weirdest place when he least expected it. She motioned for them to follow her past the pirates and up the stairs. The Pirates who'd just been trying to kill them didn't even give them a second glance. There was a room at the end of the hall upstairs she lead them to it.
" I had to sort Tonn out, and these guys, Nihlus went to check out that Geth data we found. I got here just in time too, what brings you guys here?" Jane asked with a pleasant smile. It was so hard to not be focused solely on the blood across her. She seemed so casual about it too. He guessed this was probably normal for his little sister, he didn't like it, but it was her life. She was alive at least.
" Wrex actually, Tonn had his grandfathers armor somewhere in here. We came to get it back." John explained. She perked up.
" Ah hold on, I'm sure I know where he put it." She turned to the wall safe behind her, hacked it open and lugged the armor out. Wrex took it and relaxed.
" Smaller then I thought it'd be." He muttered turning it this way and that.
" So...this is your crew?" John asked hesitantly.
" Eh, crew is weird, I like to think of them as fellow Pirates, some are mercenaries too I guess, but they prefer being lead and they follow me. Tonn did too, but as you see, we had a falling out." She smiled.
" What did he do exactly to deserve a shot in the back of the head from pointblank range?" John questioned. Her smile slipped a bit.
" He thought he was going to take my place of course. I haven't been back since I started helping you lot out. He failed. When I sent word I needed a ship on the Citadel, instead of send one he sent people to kill me, in hopes I'd not return. He failed that too. Now he'd dead." She shrugged as if saying, ' what can you do'.
" We didn't see Nihlus on the way in." John pointed out. If she'd just arrived as well, then maybe they'd just missed each other. Jane shook her head.
" I had Kryik drop me off a bit from the base, I walked here, took a bit, since he doesn't have a Mako for me to drive over, a day in fact. He's probably half way wherever that Geth data took him. He'll be back in about a week unless he needs more time." She replied.
" I needed only a day to get this lot back in shape, I don't have to be present to lead them, I just had to take Tonn out. He kept intercepting my messages. Thankfully I had a man on the inside I trusted." She offered with a smirk. The door opened just as she finished as if waiting for a word from her. A Krogan came in past them and over to her. He was smaller then Wrex, younger as well. He was dark colored like Wrex, but with eyes a mix between blue and purple like Jane's violet, but bluer.
" This is Ace, it's his nickname, we gave it to him a long time ago. Ace is my second." She commented. He'd passed them like they didn't even exist. He put a hand on her head and ruffled her hair with a deep chuckle.
" It's good to see you alive kid." The Krogan, Ace, said with a shake of head. She smiled.
" You too Ace, how is he doing?" She asked turning her attention temporarily to the Krogan. Her brows were furrowed in concern.
" He's fine, bored. And he's not gentle when he's bored either, he almost bit off Kale's hand." Jane laughed surprised.
" That's my baby." She said amused. Ace chuckled.
" You here to stay this time? Or off adventuring again?" Ace said 'adventuring' like it were a curse word. She just smiled at him like it didn't bother her in the slightest.
" I got a Turian waiting for me Ace, and a galaxy to lend my expert touch too. Not to mention the shit ton of info for new runs, but we can talk business later." She turned her attention back to them.
" Ace this is my brother John Shepard." She introduced. Ace seemed surprised, but he nodded his head in greeting.
" The Alliance Commander, I remember you mentioned him." Ace offered, then his eyes went to Wrex and over to Garrus.
" Is this your Turian, Kid?" Ace asked narrowing his eyes. She laughed surprised and put a hand to the Krogan's chest to hold him back ever so slightly.
" Easy Ace. This is C-Sec, while cute, not mine. Kryik dropped me off yesterday." Ace seemed to relaxed at that, he even seemed more friendly. He held a hand out for Garrus, which Garrus took surprised by the gesture.
" Well any friend of Shep's is a friend of mine." Ace commented. John waved a hand at Wrex.
" This is Wrex." He offered finally. The two Krogan's eyed each other and kind of just nodded at the other in greeting.
" If you don't plan on staying we can take you on the Normandy Jane." John commented. He didn't really want her to stay here for a week. She was probably perfectly safe, and it was her people, but the less time she spent with these Pirates the less influence they could have on her. He wanted a good life for her. He knew he was picking at straws but he wanted to be a good brother to make up for not helping her when she was younger. Jane glanced at Ace then shrugged.
" I guess that's fine. I can set things up for now then head out. Go explore the planet as I know you want to. Come back when your done and I'll be ready."Jane offered.
" Oh and before I forget, you see a Maw, you leave it alone." Jane said then smiled. John frowned at her in question. Ace spoke up.
" We use it to break in the rookies." John and Garrus shared similar looks as they left.
XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxXx
" Running with a Spectre boss?"Ace asked as she cleared the desk off by tossing Actus crap in the trash with disgust.
" I saved him on Eden Prime, and John needs the help. I got roped into it. That happens a lot doesn't it?" She questioned then shook her head, they both knew it did.
" Kryik asked me along, I figured riding along with a Spectre could be worthwhile, I mean have you seen this Widow?" She caressed the sniper rifle. He frowned and shook his head. She continued.
" Besides this is getting us a lot of new runs and gear, I have a few bases we can hit soon. Spectre's get to go anywhere Ace, that's a good thing while it lasts." He hummed and looked at her desk then back up at her in concern.
" So you're going to lead this lot from who knows where?" Ace asked. She sighed and put her rifle back on her back and crossed her arms.
" This will bring us a lot of money and business, possibly more contacts, I don't like being away either, but you lot know what to do. I can still lead from across the galaxy Ace, besides you're here in case they fall out of line." She pointed out. He gave her a firm look.
" They'll listen to you in my stead, they know that much." She shook her head.
" What about Falon? He misses you." Jane winced and hunched down.
" I can't take him just yet, Geth are no enemy for him to face, I don't want him getting hurt. You know I appreciate you keeping an eye on him." Ace sighed at that.
" I like the Varren Shep, but I'd rather have you here." She touched his hand gently.
" I know, but this won't be forever. I've got no reservations about the Spectre keeping me around longer then necessary. I'll keep in touch." She offered. Ace sighed again at her, but gave up.
" Your attraction to Turian's will get you killed Shep. You know you can come to me anytime." Jane grinned at him.
" Hell Ace, I'm still fuzzy on the last time." Ace grinned back.
" Try again kid, It'll get clearer." He joked. She laughed as she walked out to inform the rest of her people the plan.
XxxxXxxXxxXxXxXxxXxXxXxX
" You look troubled." Garrus pointed out sitting beside Shepard in the Mako, as he drove them across the planets surface. Shepard glanced over then back to where he was going.
" I'm just a bit disappointed I guess." He said truthfully. Garrus mandibles turned down into a frown.
" Jane?" He questioned. Shepard nodded.
" I was hoping her time with Nihlus doing good work would change her, make her want to turn her life around." Shepard admitted. Garrus tilted his head.
" From what you told me about Kryik he's a mild version of a criminal. He doesn't outright kill people, but he doesn't exactly help them all either. Thinking he'll change your sister...he's more then likely to join her then change her." Garrus offered seriously. Shepard groaned.
" I know that now. But saving the galaxy? That has to be worth something right?" Shepard asked desperately. Garrus shook his head.
"" If you want her to change sticking her with Kryik isn't going to work. You have a better shot of having her with us on the Normandy." Shepard rubbed at his jaw while he drove one handed. Garrus hated when he did that it sent his heart into his throat in fear. Shepard was the most reckless driver ever.
" A couple days won't change her, and Nihlus shouldn't be off alone anyway. After this is over with Saren she'll go right back to this lot and her pirating shtick. She's only staying with Nihlus because she feel responsible for him after saving his life." Garrus flicked his mandibles.
" A ancient proverb, you save a life and you become responsible for it. Jane has always believed that. Besides Nihlus is charming and Jane likes him. She won't leave until she sees this done or she leaves on her own." Wrex made a sound from the back, it could have just been because Shepard went over a hill too fast and they landed roughly, but both Shepard and Garrus glanced back anyway. Shepard more quickly since he was driving still.
" She's respected by those men, including that Krogan kid." Wrex offered. Shepard groaned.
" I know that! But I don't want my sister to be a Pirate her whole life. I know she's good at it, I know she can also literally do anything she wanted with her life. She shouldn't be a criminal. She can't be happy like this, the Doc said she hadn't slept when she was examined before. I know these men respect her, but she doesn't trust them." Shepard shook his head.
" I want better for her." He said.
" She murdered Fist and then Actus in front of us. Reason to or not, killing without a second thought. She's just a kid, she shouldn't have to deal with that kind of life." Shepard rubbed at his face in stress and frustration.
End Chapter:
Okay Guys here's the next chapter, sorry it took so long to get this out. Like I said this is already finished it's just getting it typed out and on here. It'll take me a bit, but hopefully not to long. Any comments are welcome, if anyone wants to ask for anything special before I type it all out.
Thankx for sticking around and reading the fic. I hope you all enjoy it.
Any Questions, comments, or WTF's, as usual hit me up with a review or PM.
Until next time.
Kyo