Ch. 5
It's easy to laugh it's easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind.
Morrissey, The Queen is dead 1985
As Shepard's team begins to move off I decide to try and contact Liana. "Liana," I whisper. Nothing so I try again with a little more volume, "Liana." She should be answering I start to get worried more and more. "Shepard," I shout to her. I'm scared hopefully Liana's okay I have to check on her. Shepard walks over to me I'm standing near Nihlus' body.
"Mr. Doe," she says, "what's wrong." I see a slight frown crease her face, was it worry or...
I'm losing my train of thought, "I have to go now," I say, feeling a little like E.T.
"Why," she asks calmly.
She is definitely a paragon I think noone else would have this calm of an aura. "I need to check on my girlfriend," I say blushing an imperceptible amount.
"You said she could handle herself," Shepard states, I sigh.
I begin to think of a plausible lie but stop, "I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, I can't explain more than that."
I can see in her eyes she doesn't believe me, or at least thinks I'm holding something back. "You are not under my command you are free to come and go as you please," she states with a small worried smile. Yes, I smile from ear to ear.
Unable to hold it in any longer I hug Shepard and speed off shouting over my shoulder, "THANKS." I move fast the mods they put in me let me run as fast as an Olympic sprinter but with so many trees in my way I constantly have to cut and dodge.
I reach the field from earlier crossing it, heading in the direction of the ship. I hear a gunshot and turn to see a pair of geth beside a prone form, my eyes widen looking at the limp form anger takes over. I scream like a berserker and charge not bothering to draw my gun. "I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES," I shout with feral rage both turn and level their assault rifles but for some reason they're moving in slow motion, I cover the distance an instant before they open fire, I reach and grab the one on my left and throw it into its partner I vent my rage by smashing the machines with my bare hands reducing them to scrap metal. I kneel over the limp form of my only friend, tears well in my eyes.
"Will," a quiet voice says.
I look down and see Liana weakly turn her head towards me. "Liana," her name barely more than a whisper leaves my lips.
The same sad and worried look crosses her face as when she gave me the tranq back on the owner's ship. Her eyes close but I put my ear near her mouth, she's still breathing I shout in my mind. I carefully, but quickly cover the wound in medi-gel. I lift her in my arms and take off back towards the space port. I activate my communicator as I ran, "SHEPARD," I shout to the air.
"Doe," I hear her voice through the device.
"She's hurt, you've got to help, used medi-gel, not sure," I ramble. Silence greets me from the other line. "Please," I plead, "she's the only thing I've got now." Which was true, I'd rather not lose my only friend in the galaxy so soon, I haven't even told her about my family yet. Still running I hit the port we found the dock worker at I put on an extra burst of speed.
"Where are you," Shepard asks over the comm.
My heart jumps to the roof, "Space Port, Nihlus, Dockworker," I pant as I activate the returned tram, "almost there.
"We'll be ready get here on the double," she orders through the comm.
"Damn it why wont this stupid thing go any faster I think as we speed towards Space Port 2, the beacon and Shepard. My adrenaline rush slowly started to come down and everything began speeding up. We arrived in the station and I barely let the tram stop before I jump off. "Hold on Liana," I plead not sure of her condition just knowing that the rise and fall of her chest marked her as still alive, "Hold on." I see Kaiden and Ash supporting a limp Shepard, whats wrong I begin panicking. "I need help," I shout to them.
Kaiden and Ash see me, Ash takes Kaiden's burden so that he can run down to me. "What happened," Kaiden says as he begins to examine Liana.
"She was shot by a geth," I say, "the wound is on her shoulder."
He rips the uniform around the area giving a more clear view. "Let's get her to the Normandy," he says urgently as he puts more medi-gel on the wound. I reach down and pick her up.
"Let's move then," I shout heading towards Ash and The unconscious Shepard. We move quickly and before I know it I'm boarding the Normandy alongside them. I carry Liana to the med bay. "She needs help," I say to Doctor Chakwas, "she's been shot." Doctor Chakwas begins taking off Liana's top and stops for an instant to shoot me a look that says get out now. I step outside as Ash and Kaiden walk by dragging Shepard, they do a double take when they notice how I got so far ahead. I sit down by the door out of the way, after a while Ash comes out and tells me I can come in. I walk in and stand next to Liana's bed. Until I feel a tap on my shoulder Kaiden had brought a chair over to me. "Thanks," I say sitting down and grabbing Liana's hand. Slowly I start to fade until finally I fall asleep.
