Chapter.5
Salvation or the Savior.
Shepard was walking back and forth among Legion, Mordin, Tali and the Marine technical crew trying to get an idea on what this complex was for. He was nervous but excited at the cache of Prothean artifacts they had just recently discovered in the large mountain range.
"Come on Mordin, there must be something in there that states what this place is." Said Shepard obviously eager.
Mordin was going over vast stores of data that was irrupting from the small terminal that seemed to be made of nothing but rock. Each terminal looked alike and they were so many that the room looked like a large chess set from above.
"Data is in Prothean. Not my best subject. Best to just copy data and translate aboard the ship." Mordin sounded just as eager as Shepard but he was restricting himself from getting over excited since they still had no idea what they had found.
Shepard went over to blank terminal that looked like it was turned off and leaned against it trying to relax.
Garrus and the two Marines that Shepard had sent with him came into the room from the tunnel that was situated in the middle of the south wall, it was the only way in or out of the room at least as far they knew. Since the terminals sprouted up from what seemed like the floor Shepard assumed this room had more secretes then it let on.
Shepard sat up from the terminal and walked over to Garrus. "Did EDI send a message to Anderson?"
Garrus stopped in front of Shepard and had a worried look plastered all over him. "Yea, EDI did send a message….but there was a problem."
Shepard tensed up waiting to hear the problem.
Garrus exhaled and then looked directly at Shepard. "It seems like someone has blocked are long range communication signal."
Shepard flinched suddenly. This was bad news the Normandy had some of the most advanced communication systems the galaxy had to offer.
Shepard turned around to the rest of the team that was a few yards away near the still spinning group of rings. "HEY! Were pulling out of here now. Get your gear and mount up." Shepard made it clear through his voice that they were to double time it.
Mordin rushed over to Shepard and looked rather frantic. "Shepard must finish copying data to Omni-Tool. Still need time." Mordin was too curious about the Prothean data to leave it behind.
The rest of the team were putting away various instruments into their rut sacks that they had been using to collect data.
Shepard looked at Mordin with a stern face. "Look, someone blocked are long range comms and they would not have done that unless they were planning to stop us." Shepard talked fast. He was in a hurry to get back to his ship and find out what the problem was. Shepard assumed that once the Normandy got back into space they would be able to activate there radar and see what was blocking there comms.
Mordin wasn't about to give up the data stored in the small complex that easily. "Someone blocked communication. This implies that they know this data is valuable and do not want us to take it."
Shepard thought about this for a second, the doctor was right. Someone obviously knew about this place and probably couldn't gain access to it and since they blocked the comms only after the door was open…it hit Shepard suddenly. He looked over at Mordin. "They were waiting on us….they knew we were coming."
"All the more reason we should get the data fast." Said Mordin still pushing for Shepard to let them stay longer.
Tali called over from the exit near the tunnel."Shepard were all ready. Are we still leaving?"
Shepard thought fast he knew they didn't have much time before whatever was planned would happen. "Garrus take everyone who isn't needed for the data transfer and get back to the ship. I'll wait and meet you back up at the LZ when it's done copying." Shepard knew they needed the data but he also didn't want to endanger his team by keeping them here.
Tali rushed over to Shepard. "Shepard NO!..either your coming with us are were staying." Tali's voice was obviously worried about leaving Shepard behind but she tried to hide the concern behind anger so he would know she was serious.
Mordin was about to say something else when Garrus grabbed his shoulder and motioned for them to start heading to the Hammerhead waiting outside.
Once all the team except for two Marines had left Shepard gently grabbed Tali's arm and pulled her right in front of him. "Tali…like I said before, I lost you once…I won't make that mistake twice, I'll be right back but I can't focus if I think you're in danger. Please go with Garrus and help EDI fix the comms." Shepard spoke quietly and soft.
Tali looked up at him and he could tell she was worried. "Just…just make it back Shepard….if you don't I'll come back and drag you with me." Tali was hiding her emotions as she had been for so many years. Shepard knew she was more worried then she let on.
"Trust me Tali, I won't leave you. Now go…hurry up and get out of here." Shepard was speaking soft but firm he needed her to realize she had to go.
Tali slowly and reluctantly turned around and headed down the tunnel catching up to the rest of the team.
Shepard turned around to the two Marines that had returned to their terminals and began copying the rest of the data.
Shepard walked over to the pair. "How much time do you need?" Shepards voice was back to its original stern, harsh and disciplined tone.
Lance Corporal Spell a young Marine that was currently in charge of getting the data transfer complete responded quickly. "About forty five minutes left."
Damn it. Thought Shepard as he heard the Marine speak. He knew they would not have that kind of time. Whoever blocked there comms was probably on their way and Shepard could think of no one that would know about this place besides Harbinger.
From what Shepard could tell this was a complex similar to the one on Illios. Smaller and less protected, but from the vast stories of data the Protheans must have built it with the intent that someone would find it and make use of it and it seemed the Reapers wanted it destroyed….along with him.
Twenty Three minutes later.
Shepard was getting impatient he couldn't talk to the Normandy due to the rock blocking short range comms, and he couldn't leave the complex while the data was still transferring. As he thought about all the scenarios that might happen he began getting worried about Tali. "Damn it, I hope she got back to the ship safe." Shepard didn't like waiting around like this however he didn't have to for very long.
Just as Shepard was beginning to calm himself down he heard a loud crash outside the complex and the entire room shifted violently. Shepard stumbled to keep his balance as another loud crash hit then another and another. It seemed like the whole planet was being bombarded but he couldn't tell sitting in the small room.
The crashed stopped and everything was quiet except for the rings in the room emitting a low hum. Shepard and the two Marines stopped moving waiting for a sound.
Lance Corporal Spell activated his Omni-Tool and looked up at Shepard shocked. "Dear God!...Unknown life forms are headed to the Normandy's position!" He spoke fast and looked back down at his Omni-Tool. "There's too many for me to count!"
Shepard turned around and began sprinting to the tunnel."COME ON! We need to get back there now!" Shepard's voice was filled with anger and fear. He immediately knew the Collectors were going to severe his escape route by destroying the Normandy which meant Tali was in grave danger.
Lance Corporal Spell yelled after the Commander "Wait!...if we leave the Collectors will destroy this facility and the data will be lost!"
Shepard spun around quickly and hammered back. "I don't give a damn what happens to this relic I'm going back, stay here if you want but that Alliance issue amour isn't going to protect you from what's coming!" Shepard saw the two Marines start to follow him as he spun around again and continued his aggressive sprint outside.
The two Marines were having a hard time keeping up with Shepards pace and they fell behind. He didn't care the only thing that mattered was getting back to Tali. Shepard thought quickly as he ran down the dark tunnel. "She's all I have; I can't lose her I won't lose her!" He hadn't been this scared since he had seen her buried underneath rubble at the Collector Base right before it was decimated with the charges he had placed. At the time he didn't know why he cared for her so much but now he did and he wasn't going to let the enemy take the one chance at a normal life he had left.
Shepard shot out of the tunnel and kept running not slowing down, not breathing, only running and keeping Tali in his mind so he would know why he had to hurry.
Shepard suddenly realized he had past the mountain and his mike would work. He pushed the button on his helmet and yelled into it. "EDI STATUS REPORT!"
EDI's voice filled his helmet with her same calm relaxed tone. "Collectors have begun attacking all sides; we are also unable to take off. The Collectors have damaged the ships main thrusters and I need time to calibrate it so we may leave." Shepard could here fighting going on behind her voice.
Shepard did not like what he heard. He glanced behind him and saw the two Marines still struggling to keep up and replied to EDI. "Is everyone at the ship?!"
"Everyone is accounted for except you and your team." EDI voice still calm and collected even with sounds of gunfire in the background.
"Were almost there EDI!..How much longer until we can leave?" Sheppard panted between words trying to keep a rhythm going so he wouldn't slow down.
EDI replied to Shepard. "Eight minutes until we may lea" Her voice was cut off by Joker.
"Commander we need to get the hell out of here NOW!" Joker was clearly and understandably nervous about what was going on around him.
Shepard snapped back. "I'm at the*" Shepard stopped. He had cleared the forest and was in the open area were the Normandy had landed. He could see waves of Collector drones running toward the ship but being cut down by the lethal squads of Marines and his team behind the barricades they had only recently erected.
Shepard drenched in his sweat from the run began glowing with biotic energy. He spotted a Scion preparing a burst of energy to throw at his men and unleashed himself. Shepard charged towards the large unknowing creature and screamed a blood curdling cry as he did.
He ripped through the disgusting creature with ease and looked for his next target, his eyes turned bright red and his own body craved another kill. Filled with bloodlust he reached for his Revenant light machine gun and began firing it as he speed towards his next target with biotic propelled force.
The two Marines that had been following Shepard exited the forest into the clearing just in time to see the Commander ripping apart his latest enemy with a biotic blast. They ran for the barricades to join the rest of their squad but noticed a large hovering creature floating in their way.
Lance Corporal Spell reached around him and retrieved his ML-77 Rocket Launcher and began firing volleys into the creature. He yelled at Private First class Arenando the Marine that had been with him. "GET BEHIND THE WALL I'LL DISTRACT IT!" The young PFC did as he was tolled and ran to the barricade leaping over it to get behind safety. He looked back over the wall he had jumped behind and stared in horror as the hovering creature slammed into his comrade ripping him to shreds. Stunned momentarily by the gruesome sight he quickly remembered his training and instinctively began firing his weapon at the hovering creature.
Shepard ran over to the barricade and saw Garrus directing the small army into various positions telling them where to shoot.
Most of the Marines were in good condition however Shepard noticed a few of them were being hauled into the Normandy with wounds that varied from a bullet shot to a sucking chest wound made from a biotic warp.
Shepard ran to Garrus who was taking pock shots with his rifle behind a few crates while screaming at the Marines through his mike.
Shepard crotched down beside Garrus and noticed a few new scraps on the Tuarian amour."What's the situation?!" Asked Shepard shouting so his comrade would hear him over the battle.
Garrus didn't stop to look at Shepard he kept aiming down his scope towards a Praetorian that was slowly hovering towards a lone Marine firing at it with no hope of even breaking its barrier.
Garrus fired a single accurate slug that punched through the hovering tanks layers of armor causing it to fall to the ground obviously wounded badly. Garrus smiled as he saw the Marine that had almost been killed by it stand up and take advantage of the creature while it was down.
Garrus looked over at Shepard. "Same as always, were getting hammered while waiting on someone to do something!" Garrus sounded calm even though the raging battle was all around him. "But, were holding are ground and the enemies died are piling up!"
Shepard ejected a clip from his weapon and looked at Garrus again. "weres Tal*" A scion fired its artillery like gun towards the barricade they were hiding behind interrupting Shepard. Shepard stood up and unloaded his weapons magazine into the creature.
Shepard sat back down. "weres Tali?" he asked again this time able to finish his sentence.
Garrus grinned and replied. "Tali's on the other side of the ship with the Hammerhead. She's got grunt and Jacob with her so I'm sure she's fine. Everyone else is sp*" Shepard interrupted him by standing up and sprinting across cover to were Garrus had said Tali was.
Garrus laughed in his head as he thought about Shepard falling for the young Quarian, but was brought back to the battle at hand when a scream echoed across the field grabbed his attention and he began directing the squads again.
Shepard rushed underneath one of the Ships rear engines and spotted Tali bandaging up a wounded Marine behind a sturdy looking crate with the Hammerhead a few yards away firing barrages into the Collector waves.
He started to run over to her but stopped as he saw a Drone begin to convulse and rise up in the air. He knew all too well what this meant.
He looked over at Tali who was preoccupied with wounded Marine and didn't notice the large creature approaching her. Shepard's eyes began to glow again and he felt the urge to destroy something rising up in his chest. He wasn't going to let anything hurt Tali……