Chapter 24
Shepard waited in the CIC watching the crew. The shuttled should be arriving near the crash site. A year and half without resources was going to be a long time to go without and survive, especially turiens. Some of the plant life was dextran, but not much. Shepard strolled into the war room out of sight of the crew and shut the door. She leaned over the center table with shaky arms and gritted her teeth. It was quieter and dimmer here.
A light blinked on the edge of her vision on the quantum communicator. Shepard walked over with a frown. Lights blinked across the QEC comm console. She ran a hand over the buttons and the light went out. It was acting funny again. Damn, she wished she was a better engineer. She'd have Adams look at it later. It seemed to be functioning though. She punched in the sequence as if calling the council. It looked like it would go through.
"Nearing drop site." Cortez's voice came over the comm.
Shepard sighed touching her forehead remembering the look James had shot her. Maybe she was wrong sending Anchor. He was XO. It would for neither of them to go down with the ground team. She didn't know anything about him on the field though. He could freeze up under pressure and put all her soldiers at risk.
"Are you there?" It was Anchor's voice.
"Yes. I read you, Lieutenant Commander." Shepard touched her earpiece.
"Almost to the ground. Arriving near the downed ship, Commander."
Metal scraped as if settling against bedrock. Shuttle doors slid open.
"Move, move."
Footsteps scrambled out across metal onto rocky dirt. Must have found a clearing close enough to land and unload.
"Landsite secure." It was James.
"Cortez, keep the shuttle grounded here," Anchor said. "We may need to retreat. Only move on my order."
"Aye, aye," Cortez agreed slowly.
Not a typical command, but if Anchor wasn't used to seeing action, maybe a straightforward escape route was foremost on his mind. Footsteps shuffled and armor clanked.
"How close did you get to wreak?" Shepard asked.
"It's down a ways, Commander," Cortez said. "It was visible before I landed. Thick forest. Hard to see too far ahead."
Shepard paced. This must be the first time in years she wasn't with her team on the ground. Maybe it wasn't fitting for the CO to be vaulting into the shuttle at the first sign of trouble. She hadn't gotten where she was though by hanging back and telling everyone else how to do it. She should be down there.
Her head floated, and she felt for the wall. She sank down quickly and waited for it to pass. All she could hear was movement and breathing.
"We're gettimg close to visualizing it." It was Anchor.
Shepard wished she could see it. Once she got back to Earth and worked through this implant issue, she'd find a good fight. Not one with words and treaties, a real fight with guns and biotics. Though maybe she'd never use biotic again. The thought sobered her. Maybe that part of her was gone. It had been part of her for her whole life. She had been getting good wrapping things in her barrier. To never use biotics again, feel it again, a whole part of her military tactics and talent gone. It would change an extraordinary soldier into a mediocre one. Her training and all the combat she knew revolved around it. She was too old now to relearn it and hope to get to where she had been before. She stretched her hands out in front of her. To never to see the ripples of blue across her skin again or feel the electrical corona …
"None of the ship occupants visualized," Anchor said.
"Orders?" It was James.
Anchor spoke. "Split up. We'll fanout. Search for signs of any survivors. James, Briggs, and Jensen. Stofsky, you're with me."
Maybe she should have sent down more men. If they were just searching, maybe she could go down. Maybe it would be low key enough her leg—
"Movement! Take cover!" James yelled.
Shepard's spine snapped straight as gunfire sounded. Shepard groped against the wall rising to her feet.
"Anchor! What's going on?"
Gunfire, yelling, scrambling.
"Anchor?" Shepard tried again. Nothing. "Cortez? You read me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"What's going on? You hear the gunfire?"
"Yes. I can't see it. Sounds faint when not listening to the comm."
"Vega?" Shepard called pressing her earpiece.
"Here," James said out of breath.
"What's happening?"
Shots, rushing, and sliding sounds. Charging for cover maybe.
"What's going on?" Shepard breathed faster pacing as her head pulsed with pain. "Vega?"
"Commander. Can't find Anchor."
"What about Stofsky? Jensen? Briggs?"
"Here," James said. "Just found Stofsky. Taking cover. Those creatures."
"Use the biotic grenades. Scare them off," Shepard said. "Vega?"
No answer. Shepard tore out of the war room to the elevator. She smashed the button.
"Vega?" Shepard tried again. "Anchor?" Still nothing.
She rushed into the elevator as the doors opened. Diaz and Plastino spun from the bank of terminals as she burst into the cargo bay. Their eyes widened watching her.
"Vega, do you read me?" Nothing. "Cortez?"
"Commander," James said.
"Damnit, James! What the hell's going on?"
Maybe Anchor had fallen. If he was just injured, he should be responding. Maybe he was worse than injured.
"You found Anchor yet?"
"Negative."
"Stofsky? You were with him. Anything?"
No answer.
"Stofsky's comm's offline," James said. "He's shaking his head though. Not sure where Anchor went."
"Damn," Shepard growled. "Cortez?"
"Yes, Commander."
"Step outside the shuttle. How far does the fighting sound?"
More shots burst in the background.
James spoke again panting. "Briggs with me. Stofsky, Jensen fall back."
"Let me check, Commander," Cortez said. There was the sound of the shuttle doors sliding open. Cortez's breath caught in the mic.
"What is it? Cortez?" Shepard asked.
"Yeah, yeah. Found Anchor."
Dead. Not dead. Even a shoddy soldier like him on her watch.
"Says his comm's out too. Uh … here—"
"Commander." It was Anchor. He must be talking into Cortez's comm.
"What the hell's going on, Anchor?"
"Under attack, Commander."
"Is that Anchor?" James asked on the comm.
"Fall back to the shuttle," Shepard ordered. "Cortez, see if you can pick them."
"What about me?" Anchor said.
"Sit your ass in the shuttle. You're coming back. All of you. We need to sort this out."