Chapter 25

Shepard charged up to the shuttle as the doors slid open. A sheen of sweat caught the light on James's forehead as he jumped out of the shuttle.

"What happened?" Shepard demanded.

Briggs and Stofsky hopped out behind him. Jensen watched Shepard warily standing in the doorway of the shuttle before dropping down into the cargo bay.

"Those creatures rushed us," James said. "Way more than last time, Commander. Almost took down Briggs."

Shepard sized up Briggs. He stood a little unsteady but not much worse than the others.

"I'm fine, Commander," Briggs said. "Just got the drop on me is all. Vega saved my ass."

"And what about you?" Shepard asked searching past their faces for Anchor.

He pushed through Briggs and Stofsky into the cargo bay.

"I called a retreat to the shuttle, but my comm went out. No one must have heard me."

"And you left them?" Shepard asked coming up to him.

"I thought they were right behind me."

"You thought they were right behind you …" Shepard repeated. "Did you even look?"

Anchor's face reddened. "Of course. I thought they were right there!"

"The gunshots in the distance instead of 'right behind you' didn't tip you off?"

Stofsky came up beside Anchor. "Ma'am, I—"

"Stofsky." Shepard held up her hand and gave him a pointed look until he stood silent. She turned back to Anchor. "How did you get separated?"

Anchor shook his head and looked off. "I don't know, Commander. I just turned around. Stofsky wasn't there. I don't know how he lost me."

Cortez swayed in the shuttle's doorway. His face scrunched, and his eyes glinted with a hard edge when they met hers. Shepard took a step back from Anchor and looked each one in the face.

"We're going to debrief. Take a few minutes."

Her earpiece crackled. "Commander."

"Joker?"

"A distress signal just activated near the ship. To the west."

"Survivors," Shepard said. "Must have heard the commotion."

James shifted on his feet with his helmet under his arm. He caught Shepard's eye.

"Send Briggs and Jensen with me," James said. "We'll get 'em. We'll stock up on grenades. We know how many to expect this time."

Shepard held James's eyes and considered.

"Okay," she said finally.

James's face split with a grin and he jogged toward the armory. Shepard stopped him.

"You'll take Plastino and Diaz too. Stofsky?"

Stofsky looked up. "Yes, ma'am?"

"How you feeling? Briggs? Jensen?"

"Fine." Jensen's short hair waved with her head bob.

"Just fine," Briggs agreed.

Stofsky nodded.

"Okay. You all go with James. First we'll debrief upstairs. You've got a few minutes."

Anchor stepped up to Shepard. "I—"

"Stop," Shepard interrupted. "Back to the CIC. We'll talk later."

Anchor's face stiffened. He seemed about to say something but then brushed past her to the elevator.

"Aye, aye," he muttered.

James called over to Plastino and Diaz. Briggs lead the others to the armory and started changing out guns and gathering grenades.

Cortez hoped out of the shuttle and came up to Shepard. "Commander."

"You okay?" Shepard eyed him critically. "You see any of it?"

"No. Uh …"

"What is it?" Shepard straightened herself to face him.

Cortez looked past Shepard's shoulder. Shepard turned and followed his gaze. Anchor stared fixedly at them from the elevator. The doors close cutting off his hard eyes.

"What is it, Cortez?"

"Um …" He rubbed his forehead. "Don't know if I should say anything. I don't know anything for sure."

"What is it? You obviously have some concern. Out with it."

Cortez glanced around then said quietly, "There was a strange reading when I was checking the shuttle earlier, before we went down. I really thought it was nothing. A small glitch to look at later."

"But?"

"But," Cortez stepped closer, "when I got out of the shuttle down there, Anchor was there. Only he wasn't trying to get into the shuttle. He was messing around with one of the back panels."

"Messing around?"

"Up to something. I checked the system on return. That funny reading's gone."

"And what does that mean?"

Cortez sighed. "I'm not sure. Only, it's suspicious."

Shepard nodded. "Look into what he could've been doing in that panel. Run diagnostics on the shuttle again. Be thorough. We'll delay going back down until it's all checked out."

"If you want a thorough check, maybe hour to hour and half," Cortez said.

"Get started. I'll let James know we're waiting on that."

Cortez walked over to his tool box. It was heavy enough he dragged it to the shuttle. Shepard's forehead pounded. She touched her face, so hot and sweaty. For an instant, she saw the grassy lawns of headquarters and the cool winds coming off the ocean. Wishing for Earth weather while in space? She was becoming a grounder.

Shepard walked over to James. "Hey. Cortez's running some diagnostics on the shuttle first."

"Why? We need down there. Those things could be all worked up. We don't know shape those survivors are in."

Shepard touched her forehead. It was getting worse. With the adrenaline subsiding, she was left with the consequences of racing around furiously through lights and sound. Maybe it was the stress.

"You okay, Lola?" James came up close and peered at her.

Shepard dropped the hand on her forehead and straightened. "Fine. We'll go ahead and debrief." James opened his mouth but Shepard beat him. "We're waiting on that shuttle check first. That's the way it is."

James sighed but nodded. "Aye, aye, Commander."

"Get the others upstairs. The old war room. Fifteen minutes."

Shepard rushed to the elevator and rode up to the crew deck. She bumped into Anchor standing by the elevator doors.

"I said to go the CIC, Lieutenant Commander. What didn't you understand about that?"

"That's where I'm going. Just need to—"

"Enough." Shepard jammed a finger in his chest. "You're relieved of duty."

"What?" His eyes widened. He lurched to catch the elevator doors before they closed. "I'm on my way up right now."

"Too late. Go back to your bunk. You're relieved of duty."

Anchor's face scrunched with fists clenching at this side. She could do him one favor by sending him on before he said something.

"Dismissed," Shepard said.

He burst past Shepard to the crew bunks.

X

Shepard flew through the med bay door. Dr. Chakwas rotated in her seat before seeing Shepard. She shot up and rushed over.

"What happened? You look …"

"Awful?"

"You were doing so much better."

"I need something more. What can you give me?"

"It's too soon for more pills."

"Get them for me anyway." Shepard moved to the sink and grabbed a glass. Dr. Chakwas wasn't moving. "Now!"

"I was going to say something." Dr. Chakwas put a hand on Shepard' back. "I can give you pills, but what you really need is something only you can give yourself."

"I'll take the pills." Shepard shrugged Dr. Chakwas's hand off and filled the glass.

Dr. Chakwas looked at her. "You must really be feeling bad to get yourself the glass of water."

"The pills, doctor!" Shepard put her palm out emphatically.

Dr. Chackwas's lips pulled tight. She backed up to the cabinet and took down a bottle. She set a green capsule in Shepard's hand.

"I want two."

Dr. Chakwas's frown deepened, but she tapped out another capsule. She set it next to the other in Shepard's hand. "Fine. There you go. They'll only help you so much you know."

"I know." Shepard slapped the hand to her mouth then brought the glass of water up. She gulped it down.

"All of it."

"Damnit!" Shepard spat holding the glass out in one hand. "I know!" She frowned and gulped at the water again.

"You are the surliest patient."

Shepard smacked the empty glass down on the counter. "See! I drank your whole damn glass full of water. Got it."

Dr. Chakwas folded her arms as Shepard passed by her. "Go then. You know what to do if you really want to help yourself."

Shepard marched to the elevator. She called the elevator and backed up to peek into the crew bunks. Anchor's back was to her. He sat on a bottom bunk hunched over with his chin resting on his hands. She tapped her foot as she waited by the elevator. These pills better kick in soon.

X

They filed out of the war room. James, Briggs, and Jensen trailed out to the elevator, and Shepard walked over to the galaxy map.

"I'll be in the cargo bay when you're ready, Commander," James said.

"I'm waiting Cortez's call, then you'll be on your way," she said with an absent nod.

Shepard bent over the railing as her eyes rested unfocused on the map of star systems. Jane stepped in beside her.

"Are you okay, Commander?"

"Yes." Shepard tapped her fingers on the railing. "Just taking a moment."

Jane leaned forward on the railing next to her. Officers walked around them, the elevator doors opened and closed, the galaxy map hovered bright in front of her. Jane shifted.

"Commander?"

"Yes, Ensign?"

"How long is Lieutenant Commander Anchor suspended?"

Shepard sighed. The pills weren't working fast enough.

"The Lieutenant Commander?" Shepard scrunched her eyes to think. Her thoughts were fuzzy. She straightened against the railing and faced Jane. "Indefinitely."

Jane's mouth opened slightly. "Indefinitely, Commander?"

"Indefinitely. Or …" Shepard moved to the elevator. "Or … until I say so."

X

Shepard touched the datapad on her desk. It was her private one. The one she used for her Spectre activities. She didn't remember leaving it on top the stack of folders. She turned it on using her fingerprint, but everything seemed in order. She tucked it under into a desk drawer. She checked the information clip. It still tumbling around in the dreadnaught. She set it back in the display case.

Shepard switched the lights off on the fish tank. With the auxiliary lights out, the room sank into darkness. It was darker than her room as home with the city lights coming through the window. Though that wasn't home, Earth. This was home, space.

Shepard stumbled against her desk chair and fumbled on the shelf by the empty hamster cage. Her fingertips touched the cool metal of the button. She felt along the wall, careful with the two steps down, and finally bumped against the bed. She crawled across it and lay back letting her body go limp. The stars shimmered overhead. Were they closer than on Earth? She wasn't sure anymore. She held the button to her chest and twisted it around in her fingers. No, the stars really weren't much closer from here. For a moment, she even missed the moon.