This is a redone version of my Synthetic Hearts story. I felt the other version suffered from implausibilities, logic errors, and a few inconsistencies, mostly born from writing the chapters so far apart. So this is the new version, which will be a better narrative. It is also an attempt to get a better flow in my stories, and therefore should be better fleshed out. Other than that I wanted to increase it a bit more and give a bit more depth to description into what was going on, and get inside the character's heads better - something I felt my other version lacked. It follows the same general storyline, except for some slight changes made to make it make a bit more sense and a bit more realistic. It also includes not only 'Synthetic Hearts Continued', but also the original short 'Synthetic Hearts' piece. I've also decided to write longer chapters. I suppose those of you who like short chapters should read my other version of this story, while those who prefer longer chapters will find this more enjoyable. Although, this version is the more polished one. I probably won't update the other one from now on, as my main focus has become this version. Please let me know if you find any of the mistakes mentioned above. It would help me greatly. Or, if you like this version better, let me know! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you enjoy. (Best viewed at 1/2 story width)
"We've got geth," Shepard said, her eyes fixed firmly on the vision through her sniper rifle. Garrus, crouching beside her, likewise lifted his own rifle sights to his visor. He confirmed what Shepard had said: there was a geth standing by the doorway to the facility that hadn't seen them yet, and was scanning the research facility's deserted courtyard. "No other sentries," Shepard remarked from beside him.
"What's the plan?" He asked her, his voice tinged with curiously.
Shepard paused, still staring through the eye of her scope. "It won't be alone," she said, adjusting the view distance of her scope. "We're going to have to take them out from here."
Garrus nodded. He could feel the excitement he usually got when he fought at Shepard's side, the sheer delight he got when it was just the two of them, fighting together as a team. There was something particularly brilliant about it; when together, they complemented each other perfectly, acting almost as if they were one entity. He could confidently say that they worked as efficiently, if not more so, than most turian military squads. He got a little trill of enjoyment just thinking about it.
"Keep behind the shuttle. We'll be able to take them out easier when they cross that bridge," she said, although her sights were still fixed on the geth unit by the door.
The bridge she was talking about was a naturally occurring stone span, the only crossing point across the ravine between themselves and the research facility. The ravine itself was wide, making any chance of a successful hit on anything on the other side impossible with anything other than a sniper rifle. The bridge itself was only wide enough for one geth to cross single-file, which meant with the two of them firing, it should be fairly easy for them to take out the geth as easy pickings before they even got too close.
"What about when we've gotten all of them?" Garrus questioned.
"When we're sure we've got them all we'll head across to the other side. Just don't forget we're just as vulnerable out there as they are," she replied. "We don't want to take any chances."
Again, Garrus nodded his consent. He steadied his aim at the door.
"Ok, get ready to fire," Shepard ordered him. He was ready.
From her position ducked behind their shuttle, Shepard had a perfect aim at the lone droid in the doorway. Garrus was aimed at the same target, ready to take a shot at whatever came through the door after the first geth had been taken out. He waited for his commander to fire. He heard the loud discharge of her gun beside him as she took the shot. She wasn't a trained sniper like he was, but she was still deadly efficient with her sniper rifle. Her hit had managed to score a headshot; the geth's head exploded even as Garrus watched through his lens into a spray of sparks and white fluid. It collapsed into a jumble on the floor.
"Tungston rounds. Nice," Garrus congratulated his commander.
He didn't let down his slack though, for a moment after the first geth had fallen, just inside the door to there seemed to be a swarm of activity. A moment later geth began pouring out from the doorway, alerted to the attack. About forty of them pushed their way through the door toward the span. Garrus let off his first shot which managed to rip through one geth and into one behind it – they both collapsed instantly, and were immediately trampled by those behind them as they continued to hurry out from the doorway.
As the geth reached the span they began opening fire at the shuttle on the other side, their shots more an intimidation tactic than possessing any threat to their targets as their machine gun rounds were still too short ranged to do any damage. Quickly and efficiently, one by one Garrus and Shepard eliminated individuals from the swarm. When the first one of the geth began to cross the bridge, Shepard had him. In quick succession, The geth in the rear quickly began charging across. Garrus and Shepard tag-teamed, using the opportunity to reload while the other took their shot.
A few minutes later the last of the geth fell off the bridge, blasted away by one of Shepard's shots to the chest. The bridge itself was now covered by droid bodies. Any one of them had only managed to get half way across the bridge. The canyon was silent once more – there was no activity from the doors of the facility.
"None too bright, are they?" Shepard grinned, satisfied that was the last of them. She lowered her sniper rifle. Garrus twitched his mandibles in amusement.
"At least we won't be late for dinner," he chuckled.
They remained behind their shuttle for a while longer, watching the door of the facility to make certain no more geth came out. Finally, satisfied that there were no more geth forthcoming, they tentatively left their shelter and began their walk across the bridge, kicking the geth off to clear a path through.
They stopped just short of the doorway, collapsing their rifles and instead drawing their assault rifles. Shepard indicated for Garrus to take the right side as she took the left. When they were ready in position, she risked craning her head to glance into the open doorway.
"All clear," she stated.
Garrus noted there was something hesitant about the way she said it. A moment later she stepped out of her cover and into the doorway. Hesitantly, he followed, assault rifle at the ready.
The inside of the dimly lit facility was quiet. They appeared to be in a short entryway which led into a large, open laboratory. Terminals occupied the walls and the center of the room. There was no sign of the geth, except what appeared to be rather old dried human blood which stained in occasional patches on the floor and walls. The previous human occupants evidentially didn't go down without a fight. Shepard glanced around uneasily. "I don't like it," she said. "It's too quiet."
She advanced slowly, her rifle ready as she aimed ahead of her. Garrus came behind her, as ready as she was to fire at the slightest sign of movement. He felt uneasy as they crept their way through the terminals.
After a short distance Shepard stopped dead in her tracks. She held a hand up, indicating for him to pause as well, and cocked her head to listen. Silence. Shepard frowned, shaking her head.
A loud crack suddenly alerted them to something behind one of the lab terminals nearby. Suddenly, a geth drone leaped up from its crouching position behind it, instantly opening fire on them. Simultaneously from various other locations about the room, several more geth rose, all giving fire.
Those first shots were deflected by their suits kinetic barriers. They barely held through the initial onslaught.
"Get out!" Shepard hissed. They ran back toward the door, the geth fire continuing to assault them from behind. They were out, but the geth continued to pursue them. They ran toward the bridge, the geth shots at their backs still being deflected by their kinetic barriers. They reached the foot of the bridge, and Shepard turned about to meet the geth head on, returning their barrage of fire with her own assault rifle.
"Garrus, get behind me and go. I'll cover you!" Shepard yelled at her turian counterpart through the constant barrage of gunfire.
He was reluctant, but Shepard was already holding her own against the approaching geth, so he turned and began moving back along the span. With Garrus past her, Shepard retreated slowly behind him, firing as she went.
Garrus stumbled forward, making his way as quickly as he could toward the end of the bridge. It was within his sight – the shuttle waiting for them on the other side, offering them protection. Suddenly, right behind him, there came a large explosion and the sound of falling rocks. He instantly looked around, to see Shepard. She'd given up on the geth and was now furiously running as quickly as she could across the crumbling span toward him, attempting to outrun it as it crumbled around her. She was within a metre's reach when with a moment of biting realisation he recognised she wasn't going to make it – the bridge in front of him collapsed, and Shepard lunged forward in desperation, dropping her gun as she attempted desperately to grab on to something. Garrus lunged forward, grabbing onto her. He caught her by her hand.
Glaring down at her, he attempted to pull her up, but stopped immediately as more rocks dislodged from the shelf and fell into the mists below.
"Shepard, hang on!" He called, looking frantically around for some other way to get her up. He knew he had limited time.
She tried swinging her other hand up, but stumbled as more rocks fell from the cuff where Garrus was lying. She realised any attempt at movement on her part would probably result in the bridge continuing to collapse.
Even though he tried desperately to maintain his grip on her hand, his three talons were clumsy in her five fingers, and he could feel her gradually slipping, despite his efforts. He attempted to crawl backwards, pulling her up with him, but that only proved to loosen her grip on him even further. He looked down at her again, his mind racing, trying to figure out some other way to pull her up.
As he was thinking, Shepard continued to slip. She looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. There was an expression of recognition and sadness in them that Garrus couldn't bare.
"I didn't want it to end this way," she said. "But there's nothing you can do. Good-bye, Garrus. I'm so sorry."
Garrus' sharp teeth showed in alarm as he realised she was right.
"No!" He felt his voice quake. "This can't end like this. We've been through worse and…" his voice cracked.
"There's always risk. We both know that," Shepard said to him.
Garrus' mind wheeled. His body was still pumping with adrenaline, and he could barely fathom what was occurring in front of him. Where had that bomb come from? The bridge had been rigged! He cursed the geth. It'd been their plan all along to lure Shepard and himself onto the bridge so they could destroy it while they were on it – even if that meant sacrificing a few of their own to lure them into the trap. Something raged within him. He looked down, and that rage quickly manifested into hopelessness. He gritted his teeth, staring down at Shepard.
"You can't go! Not again, Shepard. I… I need you."
"You'll do fine, Garrus. I know you will," She offered a sad smile up at him. The muscles in his throat tightened. He felt her fingers sliding out of his grasp even further. Every muscle in his body tensed; there was nothing he could think to do. Shepard looked up at him, her face strangely resolute.
"Garrus, I love you."
A knot formed in Garrus' throat. He couldn't speak. His mind was racing, pleading with himself to do something to help her. A growing feeling of horror was spreading through his mind, and he felt he was witnessing his worst nightmare; one that he had dreamed many times over the last two years. He felt as her fingers slipped again. He quickly attempted to tighten his grip on her again, but it was useless; she continued to slip. Finally, she slipped out of his grasp entirely. Her gaze fixed on him the whole time, she began to fall away from him.
"Shepard!" He called after her, watching in horror as she fell. She was quickly gone, disappearing into the cloud-engulfed void. This was no dream.
He stared after her, long after she was gone. Slowly, a large lump of bile rose to his throat. In a growing sense of rage, he drew out his sniper rifle again. Pulling himself to his feet, he lifted the sights to his eye.
"You bastards won't get away with this," he promised quietly.