"Saren."
Garrus' low growl did no justice to the hatred suddenly burning through Ashley's body.
The treacherous monster, the ally of the Geth, the hater of humans, the instigator of Eden Prime, the snake!
There!
She was to Michael's left, Garrus on his right...and she felt them both raise their weapons, as one...only for both weapons to be pushed further up by Michael's hands, ruining their aim.
What the...! She shot Michael a glare, only to find the Commander's gaze glued to the Turian upon the balcony far above the entrance they had a moment ago been about to enter. He looked...surprisingly collected, eyes only slightly narrowed, stance nearly relaxed. His voice, so familiar and calm, held no emotions: "Saren Arterius, you have been declared a traitor by the Council and are hereby under arrest."
A scoff escaped the Turian...and Ashley found her eyes drawn to the loathsome sight.
Saren was tall for a Turian, meaning that even without the aid of the balcony he would still have been a near two inches taller then Michael. He was also surprisingly broad across the chest and shoulders for a Turian, while still maintaining the predatory shape they had...Ashley couldn't help but think that if Garrus was a panther then Saren was a lion...
He also lacked any markings on his face, something Garrus had claimed to be something of a tradition among them – not that Ashley had listened all that well – and instead sported the regular Turian scaly face...with a strangely metallic sheen to it. Never seen a Turian in that colour... His strange coloured scales combined with the tubes and wires from his grey armour and coming up to the back of his neck and behind his fringed skull made him look vaguely mechanical.
Even his eyes were a hard grey, like the irises had turned to steel, hardened by a soul bereft of any kindness, a soul whose darkness seemed to glow from the dark blue pupils of the monster looking down at them.
She has seen pictures of him, yet none had managed to capture the...malevolence of him.
The monster shook his head, teeth bared in a small smile, voice surprisingly soft and melancholy: "Traitor? Those small minded fools of the Council have no right to judge anything I've done..."His smile faded, gone as fast as it had appeared, brow-plate knitting in irritation. "Take you for instance, a Spectre now? It only shows how desperate the Council is...I've read your file Shepard, I was not impressed, you're a failure of a Commander and have no understanding of what makes a proper Spectre."
Ashley felt her fists tighten around her assault rifle, yet a quick glance showed that Michael looked as calm and emotionless as ever, perhaps even more so then normally: "Found you."
"Ah yes, true." A small scoff as Saren leant against the pitted and scorched railing of his balcony: "You are a very lucky human, but it's just as at Eden Prime, just too late to actually do anything. I have what I came for and will be leaving now...and this time you will not come after me."
Michael's head was cocked a fraction of an inch, the man regarding Saren coolly: "You intend to leave and bombard us from orbit."
"How astute." Saren's mandibles clicked together. "The human has a brain."
"Come down and fight us you coward!" Ashley's words were roared out, anger searing her blood, coming out with each word like a blow.
Saren's gaze turned to her...and she felt her anger wilting at the hatred in those eyes, not of her, not of Shepard or the situation, just...hatred...a dark sun within him glowing with it, threatening to burst forth.
A moment later Michael spoke up, drawing Saren's gaze...and Ashley shamefully felt her shoulder slump in relief even as Michael's words came out like crystal: "The Alliance has been notified and you have only seven cruisers at your disposal, you do not have enough time nor firepower to destroy us from orbit."
Once more Saren's mandibles clicked together, this time staying together as his eyes narrowed at Shepard...
Silence.
Then a wolfish smile as the Turian leant back. "Ah, clever, so now we stand here like snarling Varren, each unable to destroy the other." A slight cock of his head. "Well...I could destroy you, but I am unwilling to waste the time, I'm on a timetable."
A small growl escaped Garrus, the Turian taking a step forth...only to stop as Michael put a hand on his chest, the human's voice calm: "False, engagement too risky for you, you do not take risks with your personal safety so foolishly."
Again, silence, Saren eyeing Michael with...a frown.
And Michael's eyes narrowed: "I too, have read your file."
Saren's right claw twitched on the railing...then his eyes narrowed: "A clever little pet of the Council it seems...but it will do you no good." There was a dark smirk at the edge of his mouth: "You know don't you...?" Voice dark with foreboding. "The Council holds us back, too concerned with their narrow view of the galaxy, unable to comprehend how close the galaxy is to anarchy..."
Michael...hesitated.
His head tilted down, gaze vacant, brows knitting...and Ashley felt her chest tighten in worry. Sure, there's a lot of problem but not...I...no that can't be right...
"If you've read my file you must know, if you've hunted me here in the Terminus systems you must know..." Saren continued, leaning forward now as he growled the word: "The Council is weak because the galaxy is weak, rife with infighting. And even united we cannot stand against them."
Michael's head shot up, voice clear: "Unacceptable, we can."
"Ha!" Saren's laugh was but a dutiful explosion of air, dry as a desert. "Spoken like a true idealist." A short shake of his head, voice sombre: "You have not seen the destruction I have seen in my many years, not seen the despair...and knowing just how pitiful it is compared to what the Reapers will bring."
"Then why try to bring them back!" Kaidan called out, flint in his tone...and Ashley felt a little spike of pride.
But Saren didn't seem to hear him, eyes focused solely on Michael as the man looked back up, a distant look of pain in his eyes. Saren's tone was dark, yet held a strange softness to it as he in a low tone continued: "And you have seen them...haven't you? Felt their pincers around your brain...their utter power envelope you as they descend upon not just your galaxy..."
Michael visibly flinched.
"Nor your planet..."
Eyes narrowed.
"Not even your body..."
Jaw clenching tight.
"But your very soul..."
Silence.
Ashley felt a cold shiver move through her at the words, words sounding so much like a dark prophesy of a future set in stone...
"I have." Michael's voice was low, reluctant, nodding slowly even as he continued to gaze into Saren's eyes.
Ashley shuddered, looking at him, feeling...small.
This is too big for a lowly grunt...
Michael's next words only seemed to confirm it, yet still sent a jolt of energy through her: "And you're wrong." Michael's eyes were hard, cold ice meeting Saren's steel: "I have read your file Saren, you if anyone should know what one person can do..."
"You foolish...!" Saren's fingers tightened into the railing, claws digging into steel even as his fangs were bared into a snarl: "No one man can stop them! Nor a galaxy full of them!" A violent shake of his head as he closed his eyes tightly, his next words came out low and weary: "You are like the rest, another hapless fool thinking the galaxy will improve...can be saved..."
"It-"
"I will not waste more time with you." Saren snarled, releasing a dented railing with a shove. "You are a fool to resist Shepard, but what can one expect from a human?" Another snarl, the monster turning. "You have no chance, I'll leave a Geth cruiser full of my minions here to deal with you...see it as a mercy..." Walking away, voice growing distant as he faded into the shadows: "...for you will not want to survive until the coming of the Reapers..."
Ashley found herself exhaling a breath she didn't know she'd held.
Around her she heard the others do the same.
All but one.
Michael.
The man had taken a step forward, head turned upwards, gaze still fixed on the balcony where Saren had stood, fists clenched to his sides.
She had to say it, if not but to break the spell of silence having descended upon them: "Commander?"
The back facing her stiffened, but he said nothing.
Then Garrus' voice, a low whisper: "Orders?"
The man turned his head, the scar over his right eye white against the shadows cast over his face.
His eyes pools of icy fire.
"Follow me."
He moved, ran.
And they followed.
8
8
8
Breathe.
The clatter of many feet against stone stairwells.
Breathe.
Running hard, armoured boots clacking against the steps.
Breathe.
Gasping mouth, like a great bellow, echoing through the stair-house.
Breathe.
Their lungs on fire.
Ashley knew herself, she knew she was in top shape...yet even she was struggling with the pace Michael had set in his pursuit of Saren. A glance back told her that Tali was beginning to lag behind, only Kaidan a step behind the Quarian, keeping her going as he pushed a supporting hand against her lower back. Ahead Garrus was keeping the pace, the Turian's shoulders rocking back and forth like pistons as he the panting Turian with long strides stayed two steps behind a Michael that showed no sign of slowing down as he bounded up three steps in a time.
How many steps they had already covered Ashley didn't even want to think about.
I...God I'll throw up soon... Ashley lowered her head and stared at her rapidly moving legs with eyes watering with effort even as her thighs began to burn as badly as her rapidly working lungs were. If we keep this up...how will we even be able to fight!
Another stuttering sound of a Geth sentry...and Ashley looked up in time to see Michael crash shoulders first against the midsection of the surprised Geth trooper guarding an open doorway. The force of the tackle lifted the machine off its feet...before it was cleaved from bottom to top to the boom of Shepard's shotgun levelled at its crotch. Parts of its insides poured out of its shorn halves, showering the man charging through it and coming down upon the following team even as they burst through the doorway.
Geth!
Ashley, ignoring her burning lungs and legs, threw herself against a Geth appearing right before her.
Knocking its back into a wall with her rifle before driving her knee into its right hip, bending the Geth with the force of the blow...and then twisting her rifle with the move to smash the butt of her rifle into its face, shattering the eye and sending it to the floor with a dying stutter.
A turn of her head...and she saw half a dozen fallen Geth, the machines having been taken out in a brutal close encounter, bodies smashed by Michael and Garrus, the two a storm ahead as they vaulted a low wall crossing the long room and tore into two Geth snipers that had been too slow to react.
The room was rectangular and long, the group having entered at one of the short ends, just a few steps ahead of Ashley the low wall that Michael and Garrus had vaulted went across it, opening into a large space to the next low wall over by the other end...where at least a dozen Geth were already moving to crouch behind it, weapons firing. Just behind the Geth a large computer, to which several thick cables were connected, glowed.
Ashley couldn't help but follow where the cable went with her eyes however...and realised it hugged the wall to the left – a wall on each end of the room perforated by great black claws – as it went towards the centre of the room...before disappearing into a great hole in the wall from where a few rays of daylight glowed...and a short purple bridge leading into a darkness that could only be the interior of a Geth cruiser.
A hazy red line swayed over her visor...and Ashley gasped as she found herself staring into the scope of a Geth sniper on the other end of the room.
God-
A thump of dark blue energy...and the shot went wide as the Geth was lifted off its feet and lazily drifted over the wall it had taken cover behind...only to crash back down as a shotgun blast struck it square in the chest.
Turning her head she saw Tali and Kaidan stumble towards the cover, both breathing heavily even as Tali pumped a smoking shotgun and Kaidan's glow of biotic power faded away.
There was no time for thanks however, instead Ashley swirled round to give covering fire to Michael and Garrus' mad charge...only to see Michael push the Turian prone as his own shields flared with multiple impacts...as his hand darted to his bandoleer...and threw.
A moment later Michael's shields failed with a flash, a flash momentarily hiding him dropping prone, making the Geth's shots hit nothing but air.
Geth's, whose heads were turning to follow the black sphere dropping in right among them...
A boom, the world shaking, Ashley shielding her eyes with her arm...and then low, insistent beep.
Lowering her arm she found the Geth broken, the ones nearest to the grenade nothing but tiny slices of armour and smashed innards, those further out stumbling away, clutching smashed chests and torn necks...
A moment later Ashley's hearing returned.
And the stutters of dying Geth were a near screeching even as the machines faltered and fell.
Michael's voice was cold, calm, even as he rose to his feet, the dust around him nothing as he slammed his shotgun against his lower back and drew his assault rifle. "Vakarian, explosives on first claw, Alenko, second, Tali'Zorah get on that computer and hack the Geth network, Williams, guard the rear."
Ashley moved, shoulder thumping against the wall as she took aim down into the stair-house they had left, her assault rifle jerking against her shoulder as a Geth Hopper jumping into sight was blasted apart. Nice call.
Shooting a glance back she saw Kaidan and Garrus each having moved to one of the claws that had been smashed through the wall, freeing explosives from the hidden pockets in their armours and moving to attach them to the blackened things. Tali was at the far end of the room, fingers flowing with the dexterity of her kind as they moved over the holographic keys of the computer...
And Michael was between the two claws, by the entrance to the Geth cruiser. He had dragged the two smashed Geth snipers upon one another before the bridge the cruiser had deployed...and now crouched on one knee behind his improvised cover, eyes narrowed at the doorway, assault rifle levelled.
Is he actually going to...
The levelled rifle barked...and something within the cruiser fell with a familiar electronic stutter.
She glanced at the stair-house, nothing there, the Geth gone, then back to Michael. Hesitating. "I should..."
"Stay in position" Michael's voice was calm, as if he was being on a firing range...even as his assault rifle once more fired, this time a longer burst...followed by two crashes of broken machinery.
God... Ashley found herself staring, knowing that there were no Geth left, yet unable to leave her position as she watched Michael hold the entrance, the man nothing but focus, precision...calm.
His shield flared around his helmet with the impact of a pulse shot, a blue halo of energy...and his rifle jerked with a burst that ended with another stutter of a dying Geth.
This is just...
Onwards they came, Michael's shields flaring, the cover in front of him slowly ripped open as shots tore the slain Geth apart...and his own rifle firing faster and faster, each burst answered with the crash of a felled foe.
It's like it all over again...
A flash of failing shields, making Michael's black armour shine white for a moment, and he dropped his assault rifle – its barrel glowing red – as he threw another grenade.
The hero holding the breach...
A muffled explosion...and Michael's pistol was in both hands, the weapon jerking as he held it and fired. Unfazed, not flinching by the shots whizzing past him or thudding into his armour. Precise, each shot from his pistol answered with the crash of a fallen Geth. Calm, his eyes narrowed to aim, yet revealing not a hint of tension as he eased away shot after shot.
Against the odds...
A crash and his cover, too riddled with shots, fell apart. The man didn't even seem to notice it, nor the shot tearing a gouge in his helmet. He only saw the enemy responsible for the hit, retaliated, and another Geth dropped into the dust.
Like in...
"Charges set! Detonating!" Kaidan called out, interrupting Ashley's staring with the harsh reality.
Twin booms...and she saw the claws in the walls fall apart...and the bridge extended from the Geth cruiser slide away as the entire ship began to drop away from the tower it was attached to.
Stepping forth she watched Michael rise to his feet, levelled pistol firing a single shot, sending the Geth trying to jump out of the falling cruiser's interior back into the hole it came from...and then lowering the smoking gun as the Geth cruiser with a loud creak and a crash fell.
Outside the sun shone brightly...and threw the remaining three Geth cruisers in sharp relief as they banked up towards the sky.
She watched Michael look after the disappearing shapes, the ice in his eyes still flaring with an inner fire...
Then he looked away...and holstered the pistol.
"That was..." Ashley shook her head, breathless and trying to find words as she watched Michael calmly turn and pick up his assault rifle even as his shields came back with a flare. "...just like the Blitz.."
The calm broke, the man's head snapping up to look at her, the ice in the eyes melting into pure fire...and Ashley looked away, shamed for having once more angered him with the mention of that feat, shamed and...a little turned on by the heat of that look.
His voice betrayed nothing of that heat however, only an unbreakable calm: "Tali'Zorah?"
The Quarian shook her head, still looking at the screen of the computer. "Sorry Commander...couldn't stop Saren..."
A shy look from Ashley made her realise that Michael had his back to her, looking at Tali with a cocked head, the man reading the Quarian's stance, waiting.
And Tali didn't disappoint, tone smug as she turned: "...but I did find what he was here for..."
8
8
8
Thanks to Abydos Jackson for going the extra mile for this one.