A/N Thank you all so much for reading, I'm beyond grateful. Sorry for the gap between updates, it would be easier if I just wrote shorter chapters but I'm incapable of it it seems. New thing for my this chapt, action, lets see how it goes. Thanks for all the reviews/ faves/ alerts

Chapter Six

It's a cliché to say time stands still in shocking or traumatic circumstances, it's also a lie.

It doesn't stand still, doesn't elongated or even slow; that would be too easy. Time races, runs away with you and if you don't act quickly enough, don't think quickly enough it will leave you behind. You're forced to see not one, not two but fifteen, maybe sixteen steps ahead, to think round corners; to plan and prepare for every possible eventuality and change in events. Done right it's exhilarating, invigorating and completely addictive, done badly and it's a very quick death.

As soon as the hold opens I know what I have to do.

"Geth." I state simply, looking to Liara who is a glow with biotic charge, moving from the door and pulling back on the clip of my pistol as I do so.

"How many?"

"Too many." The pistol kicks in my hand, blue flames licking from its barrel as I fire three shots through the gap before the door closes completely. "One less now."

First thing's first.

"They're going to try and hack through the door, I need to lock it down, buy us some time."

If I don't hold off their digital assault this will be over very, very quickly. Sliding over the couch I prise a box free from the wall, fire up my omni-tool and begin my defence of the system. I see them there immediately, their distinctive fingerprint evident in the scrolling code; I'm no engineer, I can't hope to beat a geth at their own language, the most I can do is postpone the moment that they burst guns blazing through that door.

Another biotic pulse, I feel the ripples in the air.

"May! May'ia!" Ripley slams his hands in to the dead intercom. "Jaysus May'ia answer me."

"We'll get her, Mr Ripley, Shepard will get to her." Liara says soothingly, removing his hand from the button, I feel her turn to me. "Communications are blocked; there must be a hopper or sniper aboard,."

"Or a prime." I mutter in reply, only half joking. "We need to know what's happening out there."

Movement behind me, Liara turns to Ripley. "This ship is equipped with motions cameras, is there anyway to access them from here?"

"I….err…there's an emergency comm. terminal behind that panel, it ain't been used in years, I think it might be rusted shut. What in the love of all heaven is going on lass?"

No time for an answer, I need to keep my mind focused, one slip and they'll be through but one wrong line and the doors will dead lock shut.

Concentrate.

"What-what are those things?" The ship rocks again, another explosion, San'del stumbles into his brother. "What's happening?"

Ignore the question, concentrate.

"I can't get the panel open." Liara now, can't ignore her.

Eyes still on the rapidly moving text I don't look up. They're still a few lines behind, gaining but not there yet, a moment's reprieve. I look up at Tanton.

"Make yourself useful."

"Who the hell put you in charge?" The eldest brother bristles, I pin him with my eyes.

"Commander Jac Shepard, Special Tactics and Recognisance Unit, you think you're more qualified apply for the position in writing and I'll consider it, until then..." I flash him a smile. "Get that thing open."

Kian throws his arms up.

"Fuck no, I ain't taking no orders from an Alliance bitch."

"That isn't helping." Liara defends.

"Shut up blue."

"Shepard?" Tanton asks me, "The Shepard?"

"No a Shepard, haven't you heard we come in six packs now?" I snap, fingers still flying, the door creeps open, I counter act the code before it takes. "Enough questions get that damn panel open."

Back to the holographic screen, blurs of scrolling text, meaningless words and numbers, an alien presence not far below.

A crash in the corridor, a door opening and closing.

A scream.

"May'ia!" Ripley calls; his voice panic stricken. "We have t'get to her."

Ignore him.

More words, more lines of text, a gap that's rapidly closing as they bypass and thwart every block I put in their way.

"….fuck is going on?" Kian demands.

Ignore him, concentrate.

"….to get out of here, that door ain't gonna…."

"I have the feed, goddess…they're…moving towards the passengers…"

Nearly there, nearly there, I see the end, the final passage of code, can almost feel the lock take hold.

"Answer me!" Kian grabs my arm, my attention jumps and fingers trip. A line slips through, fifteen characters but it's enough.

The door opens.

"Everybody down!"

Diving over the chair back I push Kian out of the path of a stream of bullets; he crashes to the floor, a stray round catching my shoulder. Liara spins, biotics flaring as she throws a singularity towards the oncoming trooper. Rolling to my feet I fire, three, four times, the rounds snuffing out the geth's glowing head.

It crumbles down.

Another takes it's place, fires towards Liara and Ripley, the asari raises a barrier, deflecting the shots just before they hit. Kicking a vacant chair towards the trooper I knock it from it's feet.

"Ripley! Hit the control!"

He does, the door shut violently, segmenting the geth in two. I fire one shot into it's metallic cranium, stepping over the ensuing explosion as I slam my open omni-tool into the control panel. The room shudders as the deadbolts take, locking the door tight.

The speakers crackle into life as electronic voice of the VI fills the room.

System lock down engaged, all doors sealed. System lock down engaged, all doors sealed.

"Well, that's one way of doing it."

Closing my omni-tool and replacing my pistol in the holster at my back I close my eyes, taking a moment to collect my thoughts. Allowing ideas to roll around my mind, I open my eyes again, taking in the room. Liara is at Ripley's side, examining his hand, Tanton has taken cover behind the canteen counter, and the other two Astra's have retreated to behind the couch.

I scan my eyes around me.

One entrance therefore one exit, sealed, no passages or escape hatches, no access to maintenance shoots. Wonderful, alright. I look at Ripley.

"Is there anyway out of this room that doesn't use that door?"

He stares at me silent for a moment, it takes me a brief second to realise why.

"It's nothing, good thing about incendiary ammo, it cauterises holes for you." Wincing I suddenly remembering the wound on my arm. "The door Ripley."

"I…er, no. One way in one way out."

"Why can't we go through that one?" It's San'del who asks, his voice wavering slightly.

"It's dead locked," Scanning across the door plate, around the edges, the archway I don't look at him, don't make eye contact, I can't until I've thought of something. "I don't have the tech skills to bypass a lockdown, at least not from here." My eyes stop at a square of steel on the floor, ah, something. Gaze upto the Irishman. "Ripley, what model is the Promethei?"

"It's a, oh now you're askin'….it's a 66 or a 68."

Correct answer, bless you Jim Ripley.

"Good, that's good."

Reaching for a nearby bread knife I kneel at the hatch and begin to force it from the floor; I might not be an engineer but I do know a little about ships. Sliding the knife along one edge I find a nook and lever it upwards exposing the electronic entrails of the ship. There hidden in the chaos of wires and cables runs a metallic pipe, its cool to the touch, pulsating slightly as the hydraulic fluid pulses through it. Breaking it will release the pressure on the deadlocks, but that also means….Closing my eyes I sigh, turn my head towards Liara.

"Is the feed still up?"

"Yes," Suddenly she's at my side, smooth fingers touching the edge of my wound softly. "Shepard you're hurt, let me see to your arm."

"It's fine Liara." I pull away from her with some effort and move to the flickering video feed. "What do we have?"

She pauses, face caught somewhere between comfort and annoyance but she moves with me to the wall.

"The camera in the hold has been disengaged; I couldn't bring up any pictures from there. But I saw at least eight in the halls, four troopers and a destroyer heading towards the sleeping quarters and the other towards the bridge." Her eyes scan the screen, she points. "There, at least with the lockdown in affect it will take them a little while to get through the system."

"Until Shepard blows the hydraulic line." Kian says with a smirk, his back resting against the canteen wall, arms folded. "I know a bit bout these things, you break that every door on this boat opens, quarters, hold, bridge."

"What?" Liara frowns, turning from the screen.

"It's just one possibility." Rotating my injured arm I assure her. "We've still got a time before we need to make any decisions."

"W-what about if they just…" San'del begins, all the blood has drained from his slim face. "What it they like blow a hole in the wall, vent us into space."

"No, if that's what they wanted they would have done it by now." Biting my bottom lip, eyes on the flickering screen, impassive. "They must want the ship intact." I cut to Tanton, a glimmer of their intentions coming to mind. "How many are there?"

"What?" He steps backwards, shoulders rising in defence. "How the hell should I know?"

"Don't start with that, I saw the three of you in the hold last night, I don't care what kind of activities you're involved in, right now I just need to know what we're dealing with." My eyes, intense grey and blazing bore at him till the larger man backs down, he shrugs.

"I don't know, fifty crates I guess."

That gets my attention, I wasn't expecting that.

"Fifty? Shit…shit, that's," My mind races the glimmer is now a full blown picture. I round at Tanton. "That's an invasion force. What the hell were you guys thinking?"

"Hey this ain't nothing to do with us," Kian pushes between Tanton and I, hackles flaring. "You're the big alliance hero, this stuff just follows you around."

"There are twenty people on this boat, twenty! All of their lives at risk because, you, what? Wanted a quick buck? Damn it." Hand on my bleeding forehead I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Alright, alright, alright, there's only a handful active that means they must be waiting till we hit Thessia to boot up the rest. That's good, okay okay." I begin to pace, I always work best while moving, while thinking aloud. "They've probably been monitoring communication since they boarded, they'll have a voice record of Ripley or May'ia that'll get them into dock, from there….alright, we need to vent the hold, which means we need to get to the bridge, which means we're gonna need more guns…"

Cursing myself for only bringing one pistol with me I rack my brain for an answer to this. There is no way that I can take this many geth with one pistol even with Liara's biotic help the odds are far too high in their favour.

"We have two rifles and a shot gun in our cabin." San'del gives an answer

"God damn 'Del shut the fuck up. You gonna tell the Alliance 'bout all the shit we got or what?" Kian grabs his brother around the arm, San'del throws it away.

"You think we should keep it to ourselves? Shepard's trying to help us and that, she needs us."

"What you gonna do you idiot, only gun you're any good at firing off ain't gonna be no use here." He takes him by the shirt. "The moment you step foot out that door those things're gonna blow a hole in that hollow fucking head of yours."

"Kian let go o'your fucking brother." Tanton pulls his sibling away, throwing him stumbling into the centre of the room finger pointed at him. "Don't you ever touch him."

"Whatever Tan. You shits wanna go playing soldier that's fine by me but I ain't following her blindly into that, I ain't crazy."

Locked in a standoff the Astra's stare at each other, gazes fierce and hard. Tanton turns to me, I can read the apology on his face. "I'd like to help you Shepard but he has a point. Even if we get to our guns, which ain't likely, four of us 'gainst all of them aint good odds."

"Look, I know I have no right to ask this of you but there are people on this ship that are relying on us. I know the geth, they might not blow the hull but give them enough time and they'll be through the lockdown and they'll turn the life support off."

San'del pales, Kian just shakes his head. "What the hell do you think we can do that you and the blue can't? All that's gonna happen when we step out that door is that those things will see us, laugh and shot us the fuck away."

"Give me a stick, show me where to point it Shepard." Ripley growls at them, his irish voice dark and deep. "I'll show these snappers how a codger millie's up."

"That's kind Ripley," at least I think it is, "but I'll need you here at the feed."

"I'm more than an eye man darlin'."

"I know that but this is the one advantage we have. If I know what's round the next corner we can't be ambushed."

"I ain't ever even been in a fire fight," San'del adds now, voice wavering, eyes huge and terrified. "Not like proper and that. Just shooting bilihawks back on Millor, planet I was born. But they don't like make you all inside out and…." He lashes out with his hand. "Fuck, Kian rights I ain't got the stuff for this."

I step in front of him, look him directly on the eye, he's taller then me, by more than a foot, his face is fairer and softer then I'd have imagined. He can't be more then nineteen or twenty.

"San'del, look at me. I know you've heard stories about geth, horrible things, Eden Prime, ambushes, spikes that turn humans into abominations; you must be terrified of them. But let me tell you, let me tell all of you," My eyes move from the youngest brother through the eldest. "Those geth out there, they might be soulless, synthetic monsters but they're not robots. They understand, they comprehend, they see things and they learn from them. They pass along the thing's they've seen, fought, killed, they tell each other what they should be wary off, what they should run screaming from. And there is one warning that they tell more than any other, one thing they fear more than anything else. And that's me." A pause, a breath. "Those geth out there? They might not have been on the Citadel, might not have seen first hand what I did to thousands of their kind but I promise you they know, somewhere in that computer hard-drive they call a consciousness they see it, what happens when people stand against me. They might be machines but that doesn't stop them knowing fear, and they fear me, they fear Liara, they fear anyone brave enough to be my ally, which means San'del, Kian, Tanton, that while you fight by my side they fear you to," Eyes on San'del now, "and that is a powerful weapon, that is something that they can't ever fight against and it means that if you stand with me we will do this. I promise you that."

A wave passes through the brothers, through Tanton and San'del but doesn't quite reach Kian, who shakes his head at me dismissively.

The speakers crackle into life again, the calm, even voice of the VI.

Life support disengaged…Life support disengaged.

Times up.

xXoXx

A countdown on my fingers.

Four

Three

Two

On one the axe smashes into the pipe, hydraulic fluid spurting from the vain as it dies.

A pause, then…

Lockdown broken, all doors unsealed….

The pressure drops, the deadbolts release, Tanton and San'del take one door each and pull, they judder open just enough to see the two troopers who stand a few feet away.

"Now Liara."

I yell, looking away from the biotic blast she sends through, propelling three crates into the long corridor with a momentous crash, The troopers fall like skittles. A flick of my thumbs turns the pistols safety off, a well placed heal spins me outwards, firing through the doorway.

Three shots take out the first troopers shields, three more to the head just take it out. I slide into cover behind the nearest crate as the first trooper explodes, peeking over it just in time to see Liara throw the second fiercely into the far wall. A well placed head shot and the geth is down.

"More o' the white ones on the way Shepard, moving in from the hold. The doors are open.."

Ripley's voice comes over my communicator, our unofficial eyes on the ship.

As soon as his transmission ends I hear their footsteps in the distant corridor. Vaulting over the crate I move into position against the wall a fraction before the door opens. Levelling my gun to head height I fire one shot directly into the trooper's skull as it passes through, catching hold of its pulse rifle in my spare hand. It falls, I kick it's body away and aim. A burst of bullets before the gun shuts down, the oncoming shock trooper quivers then implodes.

No time to breathe, Ripley's voice in my ear again, geth forcing their way into the sleeping quarters.

A door scraps open; I throw the dead rifle away.

"Destroyer!"

I scream at Liara to take cover.

A rocket screeches past my face, burnt air filling my lungs as the wall behind me melts; no time to wait, it'll be on us in seconds. My finger pressed firmly against the trigger I fire into it, the pistol growing dangerously hot as round after round shoots into the storming geth. Ten feet away, five feet, wait till it switches weapons, wait…three feet now, shotgun raised. A poorly aimed carnage blast in my direction, shrapnel rips past my face and ear, it's stings but is bearable.

Wait.

Two feet and its shields are down.

Now.

With a flick of her hand Liara seizes hold of the destroyer and thrusts it backwards into the far door. Sprinting towards it I grab it's discarded shotgun and fire it into it's chest. Once, twice, go for a third but the pump locks, mechanics seizing. A sabotage attack fries the geth's core instead, it falls lifeless to the ground.

"Get away from them! Get awa-" Frantic calls in the distance cut short by the precise rat tat tat of gun fire, I cast Liara a look, she nods, knowingly and I run, leaving her behind.

More screams, closer, wilder, tearing against the walls.

Boots fall heavily on the metal floor, arms pump at my side, heart races. Urgent, frenzied movements, giant strides, the gun in my hand hums slightly as I run. Cries again, higher than before, I round the corridor to the bunks, bullets already streaming from the gun barrel like tiny pieces of blue fire. Three of them, weapons pointed at the passengers, a firing squad that has already begun. Blood pools underneath a body, the red catching in the corners of my eyes, I rotate my jaw and charge. The geth part, fall backwards, turn to me but I don't stop running.

A bullet catches my shoulder, another skims my chest but I don't slow.

Gun kicking in my hand I dive feet first towards the nearest monster hitting it low and knocking it from it's feet. Back up again now without a pause, hands taking the next trooper by the neck, swinging myself round as I open my omni-tool. An easily accessible file, a hack I've done many times before, I press it to it's temple and send. Buzzing and popping, the sound of data streaming into it's electronic brain, a fraction later it's gun is pointing in the opposite direction.

We fire together, my shots hitting the trooper on the floor, the other hitting the one on the furthest wall, they both explode in time.

A brief cease fire as I allow my HMWP X to breathe.

"T-thank you…"

The passengers words a warm and hollow, too far away for me to hear, drowned by the faces of the dead on the floor, a woman, her husband, a boy….

"I am Shepard!"

His mother doesn't offer me any appreciation; I wouldn't either.

"You're….her."

Attention snaps back, I round at them fingers raised.

"When I leave, barricade that door and keep away from it."

Back to the geth now, no time for this, the air is getting thin, it's difficult to breathe. Though that could be because of the boys accusing eyes. Focus damn it!

A wave of my hand at the geth, I beckon it to follow me, planting it out side the door.

"Geth. Command twenty-twenty kilo. Protect. Priority one dash alpha. " The flash light watches me, rapt. "On termination of this order self destruct. Confirm."

The light flashes twice, a communication built into the program. The hack won't hold forever but it will be long enough.

"Movement in the bridge Shepard, heading you're way."

Finding the Astra's bunk takes seconds, breaking the lock of their trunk less; I'm back at Liara's side in a minute. The Astra's are there, two of them at least.

"Kian is-"

His words die as I hand him his rifle, pass Tanton the shot-gun and Liara my pistol. Lancer VII's aren't my weapon of choice but needs must, I check the side, recoil dampener, rail extension, high calibre barrel, will over heat quickly. Remember, remember that.

"This way."

Life support at critical levels, please reinitialise.

We move towards the bridge, Ripley's guidance in my ear meaning we're one step ahead of them. A corner, three troopers, one sniper, a hopper on the ceiling as predicted. Over load flash to the hopper, back into cover before the snipers laser hits it's target. Back out again, exact, controlled burst from the Lancer towards the sniper, shields down, forty five shots, forty eight, hold. Tanton fires a blast into the trooper on the right, San'del's barely grazes the one the left, they advance. Wait for the gun to cool, wait, wait. A biotic blast from Liara knocks them back, gun cold I finish them with poorly aimed headshots. I miss my sniper rifle.

"Move, move, move!"

Onwards to the bridge, one more doorway, one more bulkhead between us and it. Take out the remaining geth, restart the life support, flush the hold.

The door parts; we're greeted by an army.

Liara raises a barrier between us and them without even taking a breath; San'del's gun wavers but doesn't drop, Tanton's shotgun stays high, too high. His first shot goes wide, scorching the wall.

The geth return fire.

The barrier quivers with impacts, mass accelerator propelled rounds corashing against it as they begin their assault. My own rifle kicks and groans as I return the favour, ripping through the weaker shields, doing almost nothing against the stronger ones. I see a rocket trooper raise it's weapon.

"Everyone down!"

My arms around Liara waist I pull her with me behind the archway, the Astra's dive in the other direction, the rocket misses San'del my inches.

"There's too many!" Tanton cries, firing a blast at the machines. "There shields're too strong!"

Think, think, think. The layout of the room passes behind my eyes, searching for something, for anything- A memory from my training, an anecdote from my old instructor.

"Liara, singularity, low and to the right."

"Shepard there are too many, it won't-"

"San'del, Tanton cover her, count of three." On the final mark they all move, a blue orb explodes from her finger tips hitting exactly where I asked. If the moment was better I'd kiss her. The spiralling ball of energy grows and contracts, fizzing with power, pulling the loose cables that hang from the ceiling into it; electricity sparking where the bare ends meet like a giant deadly spider web. I flip the Lancer round, deft fingers unlocking the mass accelerator at its heart, removing it along with the ammo clip.

Wait for a break in fire and….

Guts of my rifle in hand I dive from cover and throw the pieces towards the still spiralling singularity. They land at it's core, for a moment nothing happens.

"What was that meant to-"

The explosion rocks the ship, blue fire erupting from it knocking us from our feet. The smoke clears, the geth are down. Tanton looks at me expectantly, I give a small shrug and a smile.

"Element zero and electricity don't mix." Liara hands me my pistol back, rolling her eyes at my smirk as we enter the bridge. Only two troopers here, easily taken out. Quick scan of the controls and slide into the helm and find the life support; a few key strokes and it's online again.

The fans spin back to life, fresh air circulating, the engines restarting their recognisable dance. Hand still I take the opportunity to collect myself, to listen to the life signs of the ship, they feel normal, they're anything but.

Liara touches my back. "What's next Commander?"

"Reset the auto-pilot and flush the hold. There should be a button here to do it we just need to find it and…." A smouldering piece of electronics catches my eyes, my breath halts. "Shit."

"Shit?" San'del's voice is low and scared, his youthful face marred by too close bullet strikes. His brother is holding his forearm, blood is seeping between his fingers.

"Does that….is that a problem?"

In short, yes, I think but don't say. Clenching my jaw I try to think past this. There are back ups every ship has them, an over ride, a dead mans switch, no system is completely isolated….my head snaps up, I slide off the seat and under the console pulling at wires till I find what I'm looking for. Connecting two cables together I recoil as a shock rattles through me. One more hurdle but this isn't over yet.

More movement in the ship

"… heading your way Shepard."

"I have to initiate manual docking, that means I have to get to the hold. You two you hold this room till I get back, do you hear me? Not one geth get's through. Liara as soon as the light comes on you hit this button here. Failing that you take the brother's, you get Ripley and you get the hell out of dodge."

"Shepard, I'm not letting you go in there alone, there are…." She turns her head, brings her finger to her ear. "Ripley how many active geth in the hold at this moment?"

"Eyes still down in there love, haven't a bleeding clue."

"There could be hundreds, this is suicide."

I check my gun. "As my philosophical predecessor once said 'don't tell me the odds'. You hold this room Liara, I will not let the people on this ship die, that's an order."

"Goddess Shepard, at least take the Astra's, I can hold the bridge alone."

Meeting her eye. "Alright, you two with me."

Closing the door behind me I don't look back as I make my way to the hold with new purpose, the Astra's at my heal. It looms in front of me, it's door open ominously, the gun in my hand is warm and heavy, my left arm aches. There's no way of knowing what I'll find in there, could be a hundred solders, could be none but this is what I do. This is what I am trained first and foremost for; get in, get out, don't get dead.

Low voice, body tight I look at the Astra's.

"If we're lucky I can get in there undetected. You two stay outside and keep quiet, any geth that leave you take them out alright? You keep them from Liara as long as possible."

"Shouldn't we…" San'del looks between me and the doorway. "Give you back up or somin', that's what Liara said to do."

"Liara is not in command of this San'del I am. I'll get in and out before they even know what's happened. If we go in guns blazing this will all end very, very quickly and not in our favour. Stay here, if I need you I'll signal, alright? Other wise hold this position, if anything happens to me you're the next line of defence. Repeat it back to me,"

They do, they look awkward and foolish doing it but they do.

"Keep the bridge safe."

Keep Liara safe.

We back into an alcove as the hold door opens again and more geth leave. A look to the Astra's and I move.

Deep breath, a burst of speed and I pass into the hold before the door shuts closed again, disappearing into the darkness unnoticed. With considerable effort I press myself into the walls, the shadows covering me. Lights shift on the far edge, near to the controls I'm here to access but they don't turn to me, so far so good. Feet silent I begin to edge round the room, ducking in and out of alcoves and crevices, keeping myself hidden from their view. A stop at one crate, a glance over it's top. Figures a few feet away, bent forward over crates removing piece of a larger structure.

A prime. I'd laugh if it wouldn't give me away.

Back down again, silent progress deeper into the hold. It's a hundred metres long, fifty wide, the size of the rest of the ship twice over. Crates are stacked high, branded with a familiar insignia I can't place. More then fifty, hundreds of them each filled with twenty, maybe thirty geth. I have to get to that control, this ship can't reach Thessia with these things still on board. Pressing myself into the surface of a crate I begin to flank the troopers in the centre, cautiously making my way round.

Not far now, just keep quiet, regulate your breathing, your heart beat. This isn't the first time you've been the one to do this alone, it won't be the last. You survived Acuze, you'll survive this.

Something soft falls against my foot, I glance down.

"May'ia" I whisper, too loud, I know it's too loud, I couldn't stop myself. Her body is cracked and broken, bent in an impossible way, her skin tacky and sallow. Fingers on her pulse point, searching for life; it's there, it's weak but there. Her eyes flutter open.

"R-Ripley?" She mutters, the floor is slick with blue. "Y-you were right Ripley, I never should have….should have trusted her."

I try to silence her, guilt flaring at denying her these final words but I feel the geth drawing to me.

"T-the geth Ripley, she said….said they were needed…in the war." My heart sinks, don't say it, please, don't say it. "Benezia..."

Her hand drops from mine like it's electrified, I stumble back, crashing into a crates. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

A moment of intense silence.

A quick short breath.

Then….

A rocket shoots passed me, inches in front of my eyes, exploding against the bulk head, scattering pieces of scorching metal and melting flesh through the hold. May'ia disappears in flames. I dive behind the nearest crate, landing hard on my side as I roll into a squat and check my pistol. Heat synched to capacity, internal gears fried. Damn it Liara, I should have checked, I should have checked!

A siren wails; hull breach in portside cargo bay, kinetic barriers at seventy percent, depressurisation contained.

Thank Christ for small mercies.

Wanting to look for May'ia I resist, they haven't spotted me yet I'm sure of it. Peeking over I spot the control I need, it's twenty, maybe thirty feet from me. There's still a chance to do this quietly, still time.

The hold doors open, I spin just in time to see San'del and Tanton rush in, their guns burning like torches in their arms. They last four seconds, my stomach clenches, why, why hadn't they listened? Damn them. Damn them. San'del's eyes stare at me, bloodshot, hollow and glass like. His rifle has made it to my side, bloodstained and scorched; I pull it to me.

Taking slow deep breathes I listen to them move, heavy footfalls on the metal floor. I peek over the crate top again. Three of them, just three, I can take three. I just need to reach the airlock control….

A head turns towards me, a light catches my face.

Damn it, damn, it, DAMN IT.

I drop back down; close my eyes, readying myself. Closer footsteps, the electronic buzz of rocket launcher readying, it's now or never.

Raising my gun, I roll out from cover and fire. The first rounds distracts the rocket trooper long enough for it not to pull the trigger but it's only a split second delay. Charging I manage to dodge the rocket as it comes towards me, the impact behind me powerful enough though to knock me forward. I collide with the trooper, limps flailing, just sufficient control in me to get a few shots off before I fall.

Damaged ribs give way at the impact.

The geth is pinned beneath my, my hands are pressed against it's chest, gazing into it's single glowing eye; not a position I ever thought I'd find myself but this isn't the time to revel in it. I jump to my feet, slam the butt of the rifle into the face of the closest trooper, whip it round and the do the same to the last. They step back, phased for a moment, long enough for me to empty my clip into each of they're torsos. The gun splutters and squeals as it over heats, nothing for it now…

I kick at one of their legs, dodge between the two others as they twitch but don't fall. Reaching the plastic covered console I lift the lid and slam my palm into the huge glowing red button. It flashes, an alarm sounding, I touch my communicator.

"Now!" I scream turning from the airlock and facing the three geth in front of my, their heads cock, their guns raise. Wielding the rifle like a bat I slash across their faces, snuffing out one of the glow orbs, disorientating the other. The third fires it's gun behind me as I run, leaping over the nearest crate as I feel the airlock behind me preparing to open. The hold door is a head of me, it's console flashing red and yellow in preparation for the vent, I'm not far now, not far at all. A bullet rips into my shoulder, biting at me painfully but I don't fall. Nearly there, nearly there, a quick side step round an open crate, another burst of speed.

Fixated on the doorway I don't see it rise behind me until it's too late. Two solid footsteps rock the hold, it fires into the crates in front of my blocking my exit, I spin. Towering over me at twelve feet high I gaze up into the face of the prime.

I touch my comm..

"Vent the hold! Vent it now!"

"You're not through, you'll…."

"NOW!"

Pushing with every thing I have I run for the door as the airlock opens, the entire contents evacuating into space behind me. The vacuum tugs at me, trying to take me with it; I leap for the door, try to grasp it, to anchor myself and…my fingers catch nothing but air, I fall backwards, my body being sucked towards the empty wall and open space.

My training kicks in.

Exhale, don't hold your breath, your lungs will be ripped to shreds, exhale, exhale damn it!

One long breath, nothing left inside me.

Hands scrap against the floor, the walls, nothing takes, the void is coming ever closer.

Damn it. God damn it. Liara I, shit….the battered body of Tanton Astra flies past me, Liara I. SHIT!

The emptiness is nearly on me now, nearly around me, engulfing me. No pressure, no air, I close my eyes, feel my lungs scream.

Through the airlock, skins prickling at the cold, the end, always hated the thought of this always hated wait…eyes spring open, I look around me, not cold that embraces me but blue…what? Biotic…a biotic field! A biotic field holding me in the gap between ship and stars.

My head snaps back to the doorway as I'm flung back into the hold, brittle body ricocheting against crates, luggage and pieces of geth as the hold empties.

Emergency vent complete, restabilising interior pressure.

The door locks.

The ship is sealed again, air fills the empty space, I drop to the floor with a painful thud.

A deep breath, lungs ready to burst.

Peeling my eyes open I look up into the eyes of my saviour, Liara stares down at me, worried, relieved and angry all rolled into one.

Beautiful.

Opening my mouth to say something witty or clever I settle for the first thing that comes to mind.

"Ow."