Sure enough, mercenaries had invaded the dig site they had landed at, no doubt looking for something worth a hefty sum that they could steal and make a profit with, not caring about the lives that they took in the process. Moments after exiting the shuttle, a human in full Blue Suns uniform emerged from the mine shaft that led down into the caverns where the artifact had been found, and all hell broke loose. The merc radioed back to his associates in the caves, and mercenaries started pouring out from the door.
"Get down!" came Shepard's voice over the radio. Thane was already behind an outcropping of rock, and Jack dove behind a shipping crate.
"I'll rip you apart!" came Jack's yell, and a shockwave tore through the mercenary forces. Thane popped his head around the rock and shot one merc square in the forehead with his rifle before blasting another with a warp field. Shepard was, of course, also holding up her own side of the battle. A mercenary lieutenant had his barrier taken down by her biotics just before Thane delivered a shot to his chest, sending him reeling backwards. Jack took down another merc with a well-timed warp field, and Thane used his submachine gun to bring down a fourth. With only two opponents left, Shepard brought out her most devastating ability, a biotic charge that brought her up close and personal to the enemy, hurtling them backwards and bringing her in for a kill with her shotgun. The first time Thane had seen her do this, he had almost cried out to their other teammate that she was in trouble, but he had quickly learned that it was whoever Shepard was coming up against that was in trouble when this happened. It still took his breath away, though, whenever she charged headlong into enemy ranks. This time was no different. Shepard blazed forward with lightning speed and knocked the man back, then brought up her shotgun and hit him with incendiary rounds. Thane lined up hit own shot and took out the last mercenary, then stepped out from behind the rock.
"Woo! Yeah, take that you slimy bastards!" Jack yelled, punching the air with her fist. Shepard grinned at Thane, and he gave her a small smile back. It wasn't over yet, though.
"Okay Jack, that's enough yelling," Shepard said, "Let's get down into those caves and see what these mercs were so intent on keeping for themselves." She turned back to the door the mercenaries had emerged from. Jack stuck her middle finger up at the commander's back; a gesture Thane had learned meant "fuck you", presumably for spoiling her celebration. Thane wasn't worried, however. Jack might not respect authority, but she respected Shepard. She may gripe about being ordered around, but he knew that every member of the crew had Shepard's back. He shook his head at Jack, who turned the gesture on him, then headed after the commander.
The caves were filled with more mercenaries, and the trio started taking them out with their combined biotics and firepower. The first room they fought through easily, and into the second. Once again, Shepard threw herself into the brunt of the fighting, charging at an unshielded mercenary with her shotgun in hand, but this time something else happened. The mercenary who she hit went flying backwards, hitting a large canister filled with fuel. Before Thane could call out a warning, she fired at the downed man, and the pressurized canister exploded, sending Shepard stumbling backwards and taking down her shields. Suddenly exposed to enemy gunfire, she dove behind the nearest pile of rocks, right next to where another mercenary had taken cover. Thane could see the entire situation unfolding, helpless from his position, pinned down by a mercenary with an assault rifle. It seemed to be happening in slow motion; Shepard's look of chagrin and anger at having dove into cover right next to an enemy, the mercenary's surprise and shock at her sudden appearance.
"Cover me!" Thane shouted at Jack, who turned with lightning fast reflexes and sent a shockwave hurtling at the mercenary who had pinned him down. He rocketed out of cover, ignoring the screaming of his lungs as he pushed himself to move faster. He reached an open line of fire just as the mercenary was raising his pistol to point at the commander's forehead. Shepard was desperately reloading her own gun. Thane had his own rifle out as he ran, aiming at the man's head. He was about to fire when BLAM, a gun went off. Shepard had reloaded before the merc had even aimed, and now the man lay on the floor of the cavern, his head blown off by the powerful shotgun round. Thane was stunned and relieved at the same time, but quickly ducked back down behind another outcropping before the last two mercs turned their guns on him. What the hell had he been thinking? What would he have done, dive in front of the bullets? He cursed himself for being so stupid while simultaneously shooting the last mercenary through the back of his head while the young man squatted in what he must have believed to be a covered position. They all stepped out from cover.
"What the hell was that, Thane?" Jack yelled at him, "And Shepard, you idiot! Check your cover before you dive right in! You're both fucking idiots! What am I supposed to be here, a babysitter?" Thane cringed. She was right, he had been massively stupid.
"Calm down, Jack," Shepard said, "I'm fine, Thane's fine, we're all fine." Thane inclined his head.
"I wish to apologize. I did not think," He said. Shepard turned and gave him a wry smile,
"That makes two of us."
"Gah!" Jack threw her hands up and stormed off towards the interior cavern, "You people make me sick!" Shepard smiled and shook her head, then turned back to Thane.
"What were you going to do, jump on him?" she asked. Thane returned her sardonic grin with an embarrassed smile of his own,
"Perhaps. I… wasn't really thinking beyond the moment. That was foolish of me, Siha. I'm sorry. I should have been faster with my rifle, you wouldn't have-" Shepard cut him off, holding her finger to his lips to silence him,
"I shouldn't have shot an explosive container. No playing hero, okay? I can take care of myself." She wasn't angry, as far as he could tell. She seemed to be amused, even, though he was unsure as to why. He decided not to question it, instead leaning forward ever so slightly, and kissing the tip of her finger lightly where it hovered in front of his lips. Her eyes widened in shock, then the corners of her mouth turned up and she shook her head. "You're too distracting for your own good," she said, "Come on, let's go and find Jack before she terrifies the next group of mercs to death and doesn't leave any for us." She stopped briefly and picked up a PDA, reading it for a moment, then saying "Looks like we found out where the Blue Suns came from. Some poor ship's out there thinking they've hired a mercenary group for protection, while what they've really done is sign their own death warrants. We'll check out this MSV Strontium Mule once we're done here." Thane nodded his assent, and then Shepard gestured for him to take point.
They jogged together into the inner cavern, and found Jack standing in front of a Prothean pyramid. It was a breathtaking piece of history, and remarkably well preserved considering its age. Thane had always appreciated the clean lines in Prothean design, and this was no exception. In front of the pyramid was a console with the most important part of the archaeological find, a Prothean video log. Jack was pressing buttons on the console to decode the static, but so far without luck.
"Here, let me try," Shepard said, and stepped up to the structure, her Omni-tool ready. The moment she waved the interface over the video log, her body went rigid.
"What the hell!" Jack exclaimed, grabbing the commander's arm and shaking it in a futile attempt to rouse her. Shepard's eyes were moving rapidly back and forth, as if seeing things that were not there. Thane held out a hand to stop Jack.
"I believe she is having a vision," he said, "like the one given to her by the Prothean beacon back on Eden Prime." Jack shrugged, as if she couldn't care less, most likely to cover up her frightened reaction to the commander's sudden catatonia.
"I hope it's a fast vision," she said. Just as she finished rolling her eyes, Shepard snapped out of whatever had a hold on her, pulling a hand to her forehead as though it pained her. Thane moved swiftly to her side.
"Are you alright, Siha?" he asked, "Do you need to sit for a moment?" Jack made a noise somewhere between a cough and a laugh, and started walking back the way they had come. Shepard shook her head slowly, as if trying to shake the vision from it, then spoke,
"No, I'm okay. It was the same vision that the beacon back on Eden Prime showed me, but the end was different. There was… I think I saw a Collector." Thane cocked his head,
"Interesting. Perhaps more proof that they are agents of the Reapers." Shepard shook her head,
"No, it wasn't… it looked like it was in pain…" She trailed off and was silent for a moment, then shook her head a final time and started off after Jack. "Come on, let's get back to the shuttle. We have to go find the ship that led the mercenaries here, see if there's anyone left alive on board who isn't part of the Blue Suns." Thane followed her, mulling over the evening's events. It had been different, being out with Shepard now that they had both professed their feelings for one another, and he would have to watch himself to ensure that he did not act rashly in some foolish attempt to protect her, but overall he felt… good. For the first time in a very long while, he looked forward to the future.