Zalora turned to head over to Garrus and Elli, not caring that she was going to interrupt the teenagers flirting, but she never even managed to take a step. Standing directly behind her, pistol pointed at her head, was a man, dressed in black, face masked. "Goodbye Shepard." Was the only thing he said, and Zalora gasped, dropped the piece of paper and reached for her own weapon...
But it wasn't there. She wasn't carrying any weapons. Her life flashed before her eyes as she backed into the lockers, and her eyes slammed closed as she heard the blast.
But she felt no pain. Nothing at all. It took her a moment to realize she was alive. Only then did she open her eyes and notice that the man was lieing dead at her feet. And Wrex was practically running towards her, his smoking gun in hand. He was talking, she could see his lips moving, but she couldn't hear it. Nothing at all.
She glanced around, everything seemed to be in slow motion, and saw Elli scrambling over to her, ankle fine. Garrus looked shocked to see the femme running so easily, but having heard the blast he'd rushed to Zalora too. Soldiers were swarming around, trying to get a glimpse of the corpse and their Commander.
But Zalora wasn't hearing it. She couldn't hear anything. Her life had flashed before her eyes, and suddenly she'd relived all that horror. The slaughter of her homeworld, and the sudden thought that her brother may have been alive all that time, the memories of the Blitz, Kaidan... and her body just surrendered. She slid down the locker, landing on her rump and clinging her knees to herself.
Garrus skidded to his knees and clung to her, shaking her and yelling something, but she couldn't hear. And she didn't think she cared.
"Commander! Zalora! Dalninil! Listen!" Garrus yelled, shaking her. "Wrex, what happened?!" He looked at the Krogan, eyes demanding.
"How the hell should I know?" Wrex growled, towering over the sitting Shepard and kneeling Turians. "I just came down in the elevator and saw that assassin with his gun to her head. Shepard didn't have her weapons, she was defenceless. So I fired." He shrugged, but his red eyes looked troubled.
"She needs a doctor." Elli said, clinging to the numb Shepard's hand. "Someone should get that lady doctor. Now!"
"Doctor Chakwas just left to resupply before we leave." One of the soldiers commented. "But Doctor T'Soni is still on board. I'll find her!" He raced off.
Elli nodded. "Good. Now you lot, grab some weapons and take a good look around the ship. See if theres anyone else on board you don't know. If this assassin got on, theres a possibility there could be others on the Normandy." She said stubbornly to a few soldiers nearby, her playful attitude gone. The men nodded, seeming to like that someone had taken control in the absence of their real Commander, and rushed off to do as commanded.
Wrex nodded a little. "Garrus. You should take her up to the med unit. That corpse probably isn't helping her any." He blinked his blood red eyes, gesturing to Shepard who seemed to be staring at the corpse with wide blue eyes.
Shepard was shivering like mad, but didn't protest at all to her Turian brother scooping her up. Garrus, escorted by Wrex, took her into the elevator and from there into the med unit to wait for a doctor to see her.
Tali had rushed to the scene as well, but stayed far back from the commotion. Only once the others were departed did she approach Elli to find out what was going on. "Was that the Commander?" She asked, nodding her helmeted head in the direction of the elevator.
"Yeah." Elli nodded, having picked up the piece of paper and got to her feet. "She was almost killed. I think she's just in a state of shock. I don't think she's ever been defenceless before." She frowned, green eyes staring towards the distant elevator.
And she was right.
Liara did her best to care for Shepard once she was in the medical bay, but being a scientist not a real doctor, she couldn't help much. Basically she just made sure Shepard was comfortable until Doctor Chakwas returned, and even then there wasn't much they could do. Chakwas gave Zalora an injection, mouthed for her to relax, and the Commander's world faded to black.
It was morning by the time she finally awoke, her senses flooded with the noise of people talking around her, her muscles acheing from lieing still so long. She carefully opened her eyes, and couldn't believe it.
Joker was sitting on the bed next to the one she lay in, legs hanging over the side, crutches resting nearby. Sitting beside him talking to him quietly was Ash. Standing at the end of the Commander's bed, talking to one another, were Wrex, Elli and Garrus. They were chuckling a little, but didn't seem all that happy.
Tali and Liara were standing nearby, looking over Doctor Chakwas files for something to do. Everything seemed rather tense, even the air of the medical unit.
Doctor Chakwas hand touched Shepards gently. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Commander. You gave us all quite a shock." At her words, all the others turned to watch, relieved to see Shepard awake.
Zalora turned her eyes and noticed the Doctor standing at her side. She was parched. She could feel her throat was dry and sore, but she sat up slowly and managed to say; "What happened? How long have I been out of it?"
"About eighteen hours." The doctor replied. "You were in a severe state of shock, which is why your hearing blanked out." She smiled lightly. "What do you remember?"
"Seeing my life flash before my eyes." Zalora winced and swung her legs over the side of the bed so her back would be to Joker and Ash while she faced the doctor. She was too embarressed to look at anyone else. "But never mind that. We should check the ship to make sure theres no one else like that on--"
"Already done, ma'me." Ash replied. "Elli gave the command, and we searched high and low. Found one other, and he's been handed over to Citadel Security. Should consider himself lucky, cause if I'd got my hands on him he'd--" She got cut off by Wrex.
"And I dragged the corpse out of the garage, Shepard, so its safe to go back there." Wrex said, crossing his arms and giving a nod.
"And we cleared out the Lieutenant's locker for Elli to use." Tali added, her voice calm.
Zalora felt like a fool and slipped a hand over her eyes. The others took it as a sign she was in pain, and someone even gave her back a light rub.
Annoyed, severely, more at herself than anything, Zalora said quietly. "Thank you. Thanks for saving me, Wrex. Good to have someone paying attention." She commented bitterly and shook her head.
Wrex just gave a nod, somehow sensing that it was a sore subject.
Zalora sighed and slowly lowered her hand. She watched Elli step closer from the corner of her pools.
"Commander... You're not angry are you? I was just trying to help you out." The Turian girl said quietly, hands folded in front of her.
Yeah, just trying to help me out... Gave the order to search the ship, was probably responsible for cleaning out Alenko's locker... and everyone likes little Elli. Zalora thought, angry at herself for being so bitter. Trying to force the thought from her mind she gave a slight smile. "No. I'm not angry. Just pissed off. I should have known better..."
"You had no way of knowing there would be assassins on the ship, ma'me." Ash said, jumping up from where she sat and leaning against the bed Zal was perched on. "None of us knew. We're all to blame."
The others agreed with quiet mumbling and muttering. While they were preoccupied with that, Elli pushed a piece of paper into the Commander's hand, and Zalora recognised it as the note she'd found in Alenko's locker. She winced as she remembered.
"Well, I think that's settled. You're well now, Commander, so I'll leave you with these few so I can go and tell the rest of the crew the news." Doctor Chakwas soon left the medical unit to do so.
"Everyone was very worried, Shepard. No one slept last night... we thought you were going to die." Tali said quietly, rubbing an arm.
"I wasn't hurt." Zalora said stubbornly.
"No, but your vital signs dropped dangerously." Garrus commented with a gesture of his hand.
"Yeah, Shepard, everyone was worried." Wrex said in his deep tones. It somehow comforted Zalora to think Wrex had been worried too, since he usually didn't care about anything. "Garrus almost wore a trench in the ship with his pacing." The Krogan smirked.
Garrus winced. "I wasn't that bad. At least I didn't drink coffee all night to try and stay awake." He glanced at Ash.
"Yeah, and that coffee tastes like sh-- Sorry, forgot there was a kid on board." Ash said, shaking her head, obviously meaning Elli when she referred to a kid. "Anyway, it was either that or watch T'Soni blowing things up in the lab. Is there anything left of it?"
Liara twisted her hands together. "I was just having trouble concentrating. It wasn't that bad. And really it only happened because Elli wouldn't stop talking and breaking what concentration I had." She frowned, worried Shepard might think less of her.
"Hey, sorry, but I talk when I'm nervous." Elli shrugged and gave a small smile. "I was scared my first night on the Normandy would also go down as the day Commander Shepard died." She winced.
...Commander Shepard died... not Zalora Shepard... Zalora frowned as she realized that.
"But 'cause I was in here, I didn't see much of what anyone else was doing." Elli tilted her head sideways, looking questioningly at Tali, Wrex and Joker. The others stories she'd heard.
"I spent the night sorting out all those odd engine wires." Tali admitted quietly. "I thought it would keep my mind busy, and it worked. I noticed Wrex cleaning his armor... and his backup armor... and his weapons--"
"Yeah, we get it, Quarian." Wrex barked suddenly and shrugged. "What are you looking at?" He demanded of everyone when they caught on that he'd been cleaning to avoid visiting the med bay. Zalora noticed his armor was exceptionally well cleaned today. "What about you, Joker?"
Joker, who had been quiet throughout it all, just watching the Commander, shrugged.
Ash answered for him. "In here the whole night, sitting right where he is now. Did you leave at all?" She blinked as she looked over her shoulder at him.
Joker shook his head. "Not once. My ass is numb." He smirked lightly.
Zalora chuckled and shook her head a little, noticing that the others seemed to find his concern amusing too.
Tali chuckled. "Now that's dedication to a ship."
"Or to a woman." Garrus said, and Zalora saw the corner of his lips twitch in what could be considered a smirk.
Everyone went quiet, and Zalora glanced over her shoulder to see Joker. He had his face turned so she couldn't read his expression, but she could tell he wanted to talk to her.
"Ugh, so, Tali, want to come see that stuff I got on the Geth?" Elli offered to break the silence and also so she could make an escape.
Tali nodded. "Yes. I'd be interested in anything you could offer on them, Elli. It is very important to my people, in our battle against the Geth."
"Sure. Come on then." Elli turned to go and paused, glancing at Garrus with a playful smirk. "Want to tag along?" It was a simply statement, but the tone held so much.
If it had been possible, Garrus would have blushed. He rubbed the back of his neck and his mandibles twitched slightly. "Uh... sure." He nodded once then, smiled and Zalora, and followed Elli and Tali from the med unit.
Zalora blinked and watched them go.
Ash spoke up next, watching Liara go into the sub-room she favored as she did so. "So Wrex, want to show me how you got your armor so clean? Mines beginning to get some rust, and I can't figure out how to fix it." She shrugged.
Wrex agreed with a quick mutter and soon gave a nod to Zalora. "Shepard." He turned to go. Ash followed, giving a wave to Zalora as she did so.
Zalora winced. She knew Ash had been lieing. The soldier took excellent care of her gear, and would never let it get rusty. Ever. She wondered why everyone had been so quick to make a getaway. Was it her?
Joker watched them go, and slowly moved his crutches so he could stand. He winced slightly, and gave the Commander a light smirk. "Sorry, numb." He chuckled softly.
Zalora smiled lightly, but there wasn't much enthusiasm in it. "You making a run for it too, Joker?" She questioned.
"Run for--" Joker looked stunned. "Commander, they only left so because Garrus made things akward by what he said. You know, about dedication to a woman?" He stepped up to her med-bed and leant against it a bit. "Are you alright, Commander? You look tense. And you're acting... strange."
Zalora frowned and dropped her gaze. "I feel like a fool. I didn't defend myself. I just became a coward." She shook her head.
It was Joker's turn to frown. "Commander, you didn't. So what, an assassin got the better of you for once? It's nothing. You faced down the Blitz completely, you've proved yourself... you're allowed to be human." He smiled softly, trying to coax her into a good mood.
"Joker, you don't understand--" Zalora tried to say, but Joker cut in.
"Yes I do." Joker said firmly. "My legs are the only thing that don't work, Commander. I'm not simple. I know all about what you've been through, and Doctor Chakwas went over it all for me last night. You're in shock, sooner or later you'll realize there was nothing you could have done differently." He paused to take a breath, and Zalora leapt in.
"Yes, I was in shock, but not for the reason everyone believes." Zalora practically growled the words. "I've been backed into corners before, Joker, and always survived. Luck, I guess, but this time I wasn't prepared, sure, I can blame it on that, but it wasn't shock." She frowned and turned her eyes away.
Joker touched her shoulder and tried to get her to look at him, but she wouldn't. He grumbled and moved around the bed so he'd be looking at her, face to face. "Then what will you blame it on?" He asked.
"This!" Zalora held up the small piece of paper and shook her head in annoyance. "I found it in Alenko's locker, read it, and I was so shocked that I forgot where I was, even who I was." She looked troubled as she lifted her gaze to Joker's.
"What is it?" Joker slipped his hand into hers and took the paper so he could see for himself.
"A note, obviously. In Kaidan's handwriting. A note saying that Salem Foster, who was assigned here for little over three days, could very well be Salem Shepard, the brother I thought was killed when slavers raided Mindoir." Zalora sighed, and shrugged her shoulders. "My brother could be alive, Joker. And if he is, he obviously didn't want anything to do with me..."