The Captive
Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.
Chapter 6: Loyalty
Garrus slid Shepard's food through the bars to her. She smiled a thanks and immediately dropped on her bed.
"So what can I tell you about today?"
He sat down in the chair, his food on his lap. Shepard grinned brightly at him, "Hmmm." She said thoughtfully, "How about yourself?"
Garrus looked at her in surprise, "Me?"
"Yeah! You've told me all about the Citadel and the council races, yet I still don't know much about my captor."
The way she emphasized 'captor' sent chills up his spine. His mandibles fluttered, "I, uh, am afraid I'm not very interesting."
"Liar." She replied with a teasing grin. "You mean to tell me, that the top hand to hand specialist, and one of the only Turian's who can compete with me, isn't interesting?"
Garrus chuckled, "Well, when you put it that way."
He paused as he searched his mind of what he could possibly tell her, Shepard watched him carefully and helped him along, "Any family?"
"Yeah, a dad and a sister back on Palaven."
She smiled softly, "Happy family?"
Garrus grimaced, "Eh, my dad and I don't get along so well, my sister and I are on pretty good terms though. Her name is Solana."
"Why don't you and your dad get along?"
He shrugged, "I, uh, he's never been very pleased with my decisions. I think I might follow his advice for once and go into Citadel security once this whole war is over though."
Shepard looked thoroughly surprised, "I can't see how anyone could be displeased with you."
Garrus laughed, "Oh?"
His eyes twinkled as they captured hers. She felt a blush heating up her neck. She opted to stuff a roll in her mouth and gave a little shrug. She really needed to learn to think before she spoke.
The door whirred open and Nihlus appeared, "They've called code red, mission is a go."
Garrus jumped to his feet quickly. Shepard stared at the two Turian's, "What's going on?"
"Batarian Pirate ship we've been tracking for a while, we've got them." There was a dangerous glint in Garrus' eye that chilled her body and caused her stomach to flutter wildly. Knock it off, Shepard.
"Is it... dangerous?" She asked slowly.
Her eyes betrayed her body and showed every bit of worry and concern that raced through her heart and mind. Garrus looked to Nihlus and nodded his head, "It's...not going to be easy."
"Nihlus, do you know the mission parameters?"
The darker Turian nodded his head as he fiddled with his omni-tool. "There's a base on the planet and the ship that we have to hit. The largest group will be led by Vitani into the center of the ship to take out comms and their weapons. You and I will lead a couple other ground teams and assault the base."
Shepard's eyes jumped from Nihlus to Garrus, "This sounds like a huge mission. In the middle of a war?"
"The Galaxy doesn't stop moving just because we're in conflict. Batarian Pirate's are dangerous, and this particular group are well known terrorists."
"We need to get going, Garrus."
He nodded his head to Nihlus, "I'll be right up."
As the door closed behind him, Garrus turned to face Shepard. "The ship is going to be pretty empty for the next day or so. Victus will more than likely see to it that you're taken care of."
The woman nodded her head, as he turned to leave he felt her small hand grasp his talon. His eyes connected with hers. "You and Nihlus take care of each other. I'll piss on your graves if Vitani ends up in charge of me." Her words were mock aggressive.
Garrus laughed, "And here I thought you were starting to care."
Shepard smiled wryly, "I do."
The shock was evident on the Turian's face as he processed the information, an alarm started ringing out across the ship and urgency replaced it. He nodded his head to her before darting from the room.
Shepard pressed her forehead against the bars. His words and voice still ringing in her body. The warmth of his talons tingled in her skin. Fuck, how did she get so far gone?
The ship gave a violent jerk, Shepard caught herself before she face planted on the floor. What the hell?
A screeching alarm began screaming in her quarters and across the ship. She jumped in momentary fright, her hands covering her ears. An explosion muffled the alarm and the ship gave another shudder, tossing her to the floor again.
It sounded as if a storm was breaking out inside the goddamn ship. She heard the very familiar patters of distant gunfire. Someone was trying to take the ship. Shepard looked out the bars of her cell.
There was yelling and then a single gunshot. Blue blood spattered the window of the door that whirred open. A Turian body rolled to the floor, his head blasted clean open. Shepard swallowed as fear began to creep in the darkest corners of her mind.
Shadows began to descend the staircase. Dark colored humanoid aliens appeared at the opening. Their voices had an echo, similar to Turian's. They had four, peering, beady eyes and were well armored, and armed for that matter. Batarian's.
They strode down the cell block. Shepard backed up against the wall. Her heart thumped in her body wildly. She stared them down as they approached her. One of them laughed, "I wouldn't have believed it. Commander Shepard. You are very valuable." His voice snaked around her chillingly.
The other twirled the keys in his hand. Fuck. She had almost hoped they wouldn't be able to find their way in. Too much to hope for.
"How much do you think we could get for her?"
"We could live like kings for the price she'd bring." muttered the other.
Shepard swallowed, fear was roaring through her body and mind. She was unarmed. They were going to take her and sell her to some slave trade. Humans weren't liked. She would live for a few months before her body died of the abuse she would suffer.
Fuck them. No one was taking her.
She repressed her fear as the keys jingled in the lock and the familiar latch sounded it's opening. The cell door screeched, grinding loudly in her eardrums. Everything was so loud, so intense. The colors, the movements.
Adrenaline screamed it's course through her body rapidly with each pound of her heart. The two Batarian's approached her, she backed into the corner of her cell. Her mind whirling.
The first alien raised his arm to whip her with his pistol. Shepard ducked his strike, and wrenched his arm around so that her body pressed against his back. His partner fired several times, the gutturals and screams of the Batarian body guarding her were drowned out by the breaking of his shoulder. She took his weapon and fired several times. Head shot, after head shot, the body jerked and shuddered every which way until it collapsed before her.
The room stopped roaring, her hearing returned to normal. She heard the gunfire continuing as the few remaining Turian's held out against the Batarian's. This was her chance! She could escape now and return to the Alliance.
She felt a pang of guilt as the faces of Garrus, Nihlus, and Victus flashed in her mind. She collected the ammo clips scattered on the ground. Just as Shepard began to exit her cell, she stopped short. Her eyes landed on the book; the gift from Garrus.
She grabbed it and tucked it away. Shepard cracked open the lockers, Turian clothes, Turian armor. She saw a glint of black in the back of the last one. A smile crossed her face as she caught sight of the N7 insignia.
As she pulled it out piece by piece, she discovered it had been repaired. Surprise flitted across her mind. She shoved it away as she quickly dressed. The Batarian's wouldn't wait on her to kill them.
Shepard rolled her neck as she shook her arms and legs in the armor. Testing it. The familiarity of it was absolutely wonderful. She didn't feel naked anymore.
As she replaced her omni-tool she noticed something very off about it. She gave it a shake and a sword lashed out, and then whirred back inside neatly. Holy shit.
Someone had repaired her armor, and replaced her omni-tool with one far more advanced. She whipped her arm to the side, testing the sword. It had such a satisfying cutting sound as it whipped through the air. Shepard grinned. She could definitely get used to this new toy.
She crept up the staircase, the pistol she had stolen from the Batarian held out in front of her. She ducked into the corners, checking the hallways for threats. She could hear the distant roar of gunfire and battle. It was towards the mess hall.
Her mind warred as her eyes caught sight of the escape pods. She could easily leave the ship, return to life in the Alliance. An annoying pang of loyalty crept through her body, willing her to head to the mess hall.
She growled in irritation. Shepard didn't owe the Turian's anything. But, she still felt it as her duty to ensure the safety of General Victus- her friend's ship.
Anger replaced her irritation as her sense of honor won out. She hissed to herself mockingly as she ducked into another corner, "Just had to be the good guy."
"Could have escaped, but noooo, had to save the fucking dinosaurs." Shepard gritted her teeth.
Her steely eyes caught sight of the battle. It was violent. She had a straight shot down the long hallway, where Batarian's continued to enter the room. They were slaughtering the Turian's. Shepard ducked behind cover and took a deep breath.
She leapt over the large cargo box and charged down the hallway. She whipped her sword out and sliced into a Batarian's armor. He gurgled in surprise, his friends were too busy with the Turians to notice his death.
Shepard holstered her pistol and continued ripping through the Batarian ranks silently. She whipped to the side, wrenching through the neck of one and delving into the chest of the other.
"Behind us!" The voice echoed loudly in the hall. Her shoulder jerked to the side as her shield flashed in warning from the gunfire.
Shepard shoved her sword deep into the back of another Batarian and shoved him forward. Her pistol was out in a flash as she ducked and rolled.
One. Two. Three times she pulled the trigger. Three body's fell to the ground, bullet holes sizzling through their skulls. She neared the entrance to the mess hall. She grabbed a Batarian and bashed his face against the bulkhead. He screamed in pain as she fired off a shot through his jaw.
She caught the arm of an attacking Batarian, she shoved her omni-sword straight through his chest. Shepard saw as the life left his eyes, he sputtered and collapsed to the floor in surprise. The woman whipped around and charged to the makeshift barricades.
She slid into cover. A Turian jumped in surprise, she grabbed his cowl and pulled him back away from the barrage of bullets. He yelled over the fighting, "Commander Shepard? Figured you'd have left the ship by now."
She shrugged as she fired off a few rounds, "Thought you guys could use the help."
He laughed wryly, "No kidding. All that was left on the ship from the mission were green recruits. General Victus is stuck on the bridge with a few others. He's guarding the ship controls. They can't take this ship, Shepard."
She looked into his weary eyes, and nodded her head. "Understood. I need to be at the bridge then. Can you guys hold out here?"
"Yeah, we've got a few good kills left in us."
She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Stay alive. I'll be back with reinforcements."
Shepard jumped to the next cover. An explosion sent her against the wall with a heavy thud. She stood slowly, stumbling as the room shook and her hearing screeched.
Her face felt wet, she rubbed it and her hand pulled away drenched in blue. Shepard grimaced and pushed on towards the bridge entrance through the west side of the mess hall.
She moved quickly. The fight down towards it was relatively weak. A few Turians were in groups, holding out against the assault. Shepard cleared the way for them and sent them back to the mess hall. They couldn't afford to lose the resistance in the mess hall- it would be an all out purge on the bridge if they did.
Shepard ducked onto the bridge. She found herself immediately surrounded by Batarian's at the mouth of the entrance. Fuck. She acted quickly, firing her gun precisely to conserve ammo. She whipped her sword out and cut down those that got too close.
Shepard dove behind cover as the blast of a shotgun narrowly missed her. Her breath was heavy as the shots got closer. She squeezed herself together to avoid any spray shrapnel. She heard the demonic and sick, twisted laughter of the Batarian as he approached. Firing, his gun again and again. Her hearing was sharp as she judged the distance of his laughter and shadow, deciding it was now or die. Shepard grabbed his collar and yanked him over the barricade. Her sword plummeted into his chest, silencing his laughter permanently.
She grabbed the shotgun and charged the remaining Batarian's. The gun recoiled into her chest roughly, but dealt massive amounts of damage. A Batarian turned on her finally, a mad glint in his eye. Her gun clicked empty.
He lifted his gun, Shepard trying her best to get to him before he fired. The bullet rang out and screamed in her eardrums. She inhaled sharply, looking down at her body. No wounds.
She looked up again as the Batarian crumpled to the floor. General Victus stood behind him. His mandibles twitched in some what of a smile as he leaned the massive rifle against his shoulder. "It's good to see you, Commander. I can say I am pleasantly surprised."
Shepard grinned in appreciation, "I couldn't leave you guys hanging high and dry. Someone had to pull your asses out of the fire."
His talons clasped her hand in a shake. He chuckled wearily, "We are in quite the fire here, aren't we?"
She nodded her head. "I don't understand, what happened to the teams you sent out?"
"We lost contact only minutes before the Batarian's attacked us." He looked out the large window into space. "Sneaky bastards. Operative Vitani warned me that the fight on the ship they attacked was weak, and that the teams on foot found an empty base."
It still didn't answer how they could have possibly been attacked. Shepard shook her head, "What happened?"
"Vitani took care of the ship, but the Batarian's returned to the base with an enormous force. She was forced to go ground side with her team to assist the other squads."
Shepard gave a sharp, disbelieving laugh, "The Batarian's had a diversion ship while they prepared to attack here."
Victus nodded his head. "It would appear so. I just don't understand how the bastards got so clever. They have to be working with someone else."
Shepard nodded her head. She looked around at the carnage that surrounded them. Several Turian's lay dead around the General.
"How long have you been fighting on your own?"
Victus gave her a weary look. "Too long. We couldn't lose the bridge."
Shepard felt a surge of awe. Victus was obviously well worthy to be a General. "We need to drive them out, most importantly. Perhaps I can take a small squad to their ship and clean them out?"
Victus gave her a rough smile. "I'm afraid I don't have any operatives that would be suitable for a mission of such caliber."
"General, all I need is their will to fight, and I can take a small squad and wipe that ship clean." Her eyes were bright with determination. The General held her gaze steadily in thought. Several Turian's entered the bridge from the mess hall. The one she had spoken with earlier was leading them.
"General, we've driven the Batarian's back. If it hadn't been for those reinforcements you sent Commander, we would have lost the hall."
Victus nodded his head. "Outstanding. It appears I owe you one, Commander. Pick your team and leave as soon as possible. Reinforcements will be on their way, you need to stop them."
Shepard nodded her head and walked towards the group of battle weary trainees. They eyed her suspiciously.
"I know I am technically your enemy, being a human. Right now though, we can't afford petty feelings like that. These terrorists have killed your friends and brothers in arms." She paused, letting it sink in.
"I know every one of you are exhausted and most definitely don't want a human leading them into a dangerous mission. But if we don't do this, we'll lose the ship. Your ship. I need every ounce of fight each and every one of you can muster. I don't care that you're 'green' or only 'trainees'. You're Turians, and you guys are some tough sons a bitches."
There were a few chuckles as they stood taller with pride. Shepard gave them a battle-ready grin, "Come on. Let's go show those Batarian's the very grave mistake they made by boarding your ship, lets go drive them back into whatever hole they crawled out of."
The Turian's nodded their heads, slapping their talons together. Growls and grunts of war echoed in the room. Shepard pointed to the Turian she had met earlier, "What's your name?"
"Treyynus." He said proudly, slapping his chest plate.
"I'm going to call you Trey. You're coming with me."
"It'll be an honor, ma'am."
Shepard paced before them, her eyes scanning each of the trainees. She selected one near the front. He was large, and head intricate tattoo's over his face. He had blazing yellow eyes, and his chest was puffed in pride. Perfect.
"You. Your name?"
He replied gruffly, "Jantor."
"You're with me, big guy. Trey, I want you to pick out a squad to hold the mess hall while we're gone, and another squad to direct the defense of the bridge."
He nodded his head sharply, "Right away, Commander."
Shepard returned to Victus, "We'll be heading out pretty quickly. Anything else you need, General?"
"Your assistance is greatly appreciated and noted. Fight well." He shook her hand one last time.
Shepard nodded her head, "Hold out for us General, we'll be back soon."
She jumped down from the perch. Trey and Jantor appeared beside her with freshly reloaded weapons. Jantor handed her a Mattock assault rifle. "This will suit you better than that Batarian piece of shit weapon."
Shepard nodded her head in thanks.
Trey and Jantor stood ready, the woman before them rolled her neck and shrugged her shoulders. "Alright boys, lets go spill some terrorist blood."
Hey guys! Y'all are awesome, and I would like you to know I love you. Thank you SO much for the kind words! I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, next one should be up soon.