Chapter 125 - Last Chance Saloon
That... does not look good... Kasumi remarks to herself as one of the small research vessels begins its approach towards the Charon Relay. The comforting and healthy blue glow of the relay's element zero core is gone, the core now appears to be emitting some kind of reddish fluctuation at irregular intervals, making the master thief feel a little cold from fear that the massive structure could collapse in a spectacular explosion. One of the great revolving rings around the relay arms seems to have splintered beyond repair, and one of the arms itself looks to be slightly bent and not in the best of shapes.
All the scientists on the vessel are already abuzz with excitement in the face of another challenge before them. Dr. Brynn Cole is currently deep in debate with the asari lead scientist, Dr. Jelize, two volus engineers and a salarian offering their opinions now and then. I don't think they even realize that this might keep all the ships of the galactic fleet from returning home, to their families and loved ones, they just see it as their scientific problem to solve, Kasumi thinks. And by the looks of things, this is going to take a while...
"Could a Prothean beacon have information that might possibly help us repair a mass relay?" the asari, Dr. Jelize, asks.
"I find that quite likely," Brynn replies. "I have heard that the Crucible blueprints came from the Prothean archives on Mars. Perhaps that would be a good place to start looking."
"Hey, Dr. Cole, that sounds like a job for me!" Kasumi exclaims, sensing an opportunity. "I could drop by Mars, sneak into the archives and snatch whatever you need. Heck, maybe I can even pickpocket a brand new eezo core for the relay. This one seems broken!"
"While that would be convenient, it is also quite impossible," the asari says, smiling a little. "How much do you know about mass relays, miss Goto?"
"Uh... not too much, Doc," Kasumi grins. "Can't steal a relay, so, never had the motivation to learn more about them."
"Well, we built the Crucible, and improved its designs greatly to make it safe for operation, freeing the galaxy from the Reapers and saving the good people on the Citadel," Dr. Cole speaks proudly. "If we could achieve that, repairing a mass relay should not pose more problems for the greatest minds of the galaxy." Her speech is met with loud cheers from everyone present on the deck.
"I agree with your sentiments wholeheartedly, Dr. Cole," the asari matron speaks. "But I would also like to draw your attention towards these energy readings from the eezo core. The fluctuations here... and also here..."
"Yes, I see, most interesting... core instability, perhaps... could indicate a bleed of sorts..." Brynn and the other scientists immediately surround Jelize near the consoles, leaving Kasumi alone and ignored, but that suits her just fine when she realizes that the scientists will now be going on for hours and hours, taking more and more scans, discussing them until they are blue in the face. Well, I guess that doesn't apply to Jelize, she's blue in the face to begin with, she snickers at herself.
"Incoming transmission for Specialist Goto," she hears the pilot calling out to her from his small cabin, there is no need to use intercom on the ship of this tiny size. "You can take it up here with me, Kasumi!"
"Anything to get me in that co-pilot's seat, huh, Sebastian?" she replies flirtatiously, sauntering up to the pilot's cabin and settling into the seat next to the grizzled once-hotshot pilot, now at the age where he could very likely pass for Kasumi's father. Well, if he was Asian, anyways.
"Let's see who thinks it's a good idea to interrupt me on this ever important task of playing a nanny to the galaxy's top scientists," she says before activating the comm link, grumbling a little about the poor signal quality until the static clears, the small screen of the tiny console revealing the face of a certain salarian, someone she had so desperately hoped to see alive and well after the Reapers were defeated. "Spectre Bau," she manages to keep her face neutral, knowing that Sebastian is observing their exchange very keenly. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Specialist Goto," Bau nods, correctly guessing that circumstances have not granted them the much desired privacy. "Merely thought it would be an excellent idea to update you on the situation groundside. I am pleased to report that our victory is decisive, though losses have been catastrophic."
"I am pleased to hear that, Spectre," Kasumi replies, then trying to summon a stern facial expression, aware that she is probably failing terribly at it. "I am less pleased that this report did not reach me any sooner."
"Communications have been difficult to establish. I hope there will be no repercussions for this negligence in my duties."
"I will think on the most suitable punishment, but perhaps this should be discussed later and in private," Kasumi replies, chuckling inwardly as she hears the pilot groan, smacking his forehead against the consoles in mock frustration. "Are your orders to remain groundside, Spectre Bau?"
"We will continue our SAR mission for several more hours, miss Goto," comes the polite, controlled answer. "I have rejoined Major Kirrahe and some other survivors under his command. He managed to save my life on at least two occasions in the battle. I would like to repay some of that debt by aiding him now."
"I heard it was very bad down there. Survival rate below 20% sounds awful."
"Yes, no survivors from the first wave and a few of the krogan from the second wave," Bau shakes his head, managing to look a little sad, difficult feat for a salarian. "The most important asset in this battle certainly was our ability to duck. Shame about all those turians."
"It's not looking so good up here either. The relay is completely buggered," Kasumi sighs. "It'll take some time to get it back together again, I suspect. Speaking of which... I might need a lift to Mars, we need to check out the Prothean archives there to see if they have any handy 'How To Repair Borked Mass Relays In Three Easy Steps' manuals. Could even do with some assist on the mission!"
Bau's head horns are twitching very slightly from excitement as he hears that. "That would be... a very interesting experience, I'm sure. We will try to wrap up SAR as quick as we can, and I'll get in touch as soon as we're done."
"Right, I guess I'll go play the charming hostess to the scientists and listen to some more rousing mass relay theory," Kasumi gripes some more, before grinning broadly. "Oh, the sacrifices I take for the galaxy... they go completely unappreciated!"
"Insinuation has been detected. Preparations will be made," Bau replies with just a hint of a knowing smile. "Expect another call soon."
"Oh... and now I'm suddenly all intrigued..." Kasumi's smile broadens even more as the call is disconnected and she turns to the long-suffering pilot who has been forced to listen to their disguised verbal love-play. "Seb, you really should get a girlfriend of your own, then you wouldn't react like this to some innocent chatting. Want me to put in a word with some salarian girl?" Her innocent question is answered with more frustrated moans.
"Miss T'Loak?" the human nurse addresses her intimidating patient with exaggerated humility. "Miss T'Loak, here at the Shalta Wards, we are capable of supplying you with the latest, state-of-art cybernetic implants. Your vision would be at least 90% of what it was, and visually we can make the difference nearly impossible to detect."
"I'll give it a thought," Aria replies impatiently, looking in the mirror, carefully adjusting the black eye-patch covering the empty socket. This looks pretty impressive, actually... dangerous, thrilling. I should have worn one of these even when both my eyes were in their sockets. Hell, Tevos might even like it, she gets turned on by the strangest of things.
"Off course, miss T'Loak," the nurse bows her head. "The operation is very simple and completely painless, and can be performed at any time you wish it." She hesitates a little. "Now... is there anything else I can do for you, ma'am?"
"No, that will be all," Aria shakes her head. "I imagine you need this space for patients that are actually injured, not just a little scratched like I was."
"Uh... ma'am, I wouldn't have called your injuries light, but... the doctor claims that you can be released, yes."
"Good," Aria walks up to a glass pane, separating the hallway from the operating room on the other side of the window. Two doctors, an asari and a salarian, are working to reset T'Soni's fractured left shoulder, then moving to her other numerous and less serious injuries, the young asari maiden blissfully unconscious under sedation. The other operating room next to Liara's has its blinds closed, making it impossible to see what's going on inside, although Aria has a reasonably good idea. A whole army of doctors had rushed in after they had delivered Shepard, lead by the red-haired human female from the Normandy.
If they manage to salvage anything from that pile of shredded meat and bones, I'll call that an even bigger miracle than the demise of the Reapers, Aria thinks at herself, remembering how it had felt to sit next to Shepard's body in the shuttle. One of the younger assistant doctors on the scene had completely lost his cool when they arrived to retrieve what was left of the galaxy's most famous hero, the young human male becoming green in the face like his salarian colleague, nearly vomiting all over Shepard. Then again, she came back from the dead, and this isn't as bad as that time... so, maybe I shouldn't write her off too soon.
And as much as I'm... curious whether she survives or not, I have my own matters to attend to, Aria decides, her eyes lingering on Liara's face one more time. Need to get to the Tayseri Ward and catch up with the girls... and see how Tevos is doing. Now... there should be some free skycars out there that I could borrow...
Walking out of the hospital with a slight limp, Aria takes in the sights of massive destruction everywhere she looks, fires breaking out across several levels of the wards, keepers moving around and trying to fix the damage, but with the demise of their Reaper masters, their actions seem a little confused and lack the purposefulness and determination that is usually present in everything they do. Aria, however, cares little about such details, simply jumping into the first available skycar she can find, assuming that its owner is likely dead, quickly lifting off and then trying to remember what is the quickest path from Shalta to Tayseri Ward.
The enormity of the damage that the Citadel has suffered becomes truly apparent only when Aria sees the remains of the destroyed arm of the station, thousands and thousands of small chunks of rubble slowly dispersing through space, taking countless unfortunate victims with them, people guilty only of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Damn it, that was the arm of Zakera Ward, wasn't it? Shit, it had some of the best shops on the Citadel... all my favorite liquor stores! Shit...
Finding Level 33 of Tayseri Ward is an adventure in itself for Aria, but not of the kind that she ever wishes to repeat, hating to feel useless in not knowing her way around, thinking back to Omega where she always felt as if knowing every nook and cranny. The med facility on this level is rather small compared to the hospital on Shalta Ward, but it is still very busy with doctors and nurses charging about, several asari specialists surrounding one of the tables in the operating room, the body on the table presumably belonging to Tevos.
Why haven't they moved her to some better equipped hospital, Aria fumes, desperately wishing that she could approach that table, push all those stupid doctors away and just take Tevos' hand, to hold it for a brief moment at least. Maybe she's still too weak to be moved? Shit... if those incompetent idiots let her die, I'm going to kill each and every of them! Then again... perhaps best not to mention these threats to the doctors, not everyone performs better under duress.
With a corner of her eye she finally spots the two asari girls, sitting in the corner of a sofa in one of the two small waiting rooms, looking frightened and deeply worried. There is a C-Sec officer, a female human with light golden hair sitting on the other sofa across to them, time and time again asking some questions of the two girls. Both Rila and Falere look extremely relieved when Aria finally reveals herself, trying to motion for the girls to remain calm and avoid displaying any emotions, and the Pirate Queen feels proud to see that the two Ardat-Yakshi just about manage to hold their nerve as she approaches them.
"Is there a problem, officer?" she asks deliberately harshly, trying to throw the human off-balance immediately.
"Hmm... ah, the illustrious miss Omega," the human sneers in reply. "Commander Bailey asked me to keep an eye on these two asari, not that it is any of your business."
"But it is my business, you little C-Sec bitch," Aria snarls. "These girls belong to me."
"Where are their immigration permits and ID's?" the officer presses, trying not to appear intimidated.
"I had them brought in from Omega quiet-like, fool," Aria snaps. "Do you really think I care whether my dancers on Omega have proper ID's or not? And there are people dying on the Citadel, you idiot! Does your boss truly think that your time is best spent harassing my employees than actually aiding people that need help out there?"
The human blanches a little, swallowing uncomfortably. "I'm just... doing my job. I can tell Bailey that it has been settled if you promise to sort out their ID's and immigration permits."
"The councilor will sort that out for me as soon as she comes to," Aria smirks confidently, pointing at the operating room. "She's been enjoying their performance too much to see the girls actually thrown off the station by some zealous clerk."
"Ah..." the human smirks before retreating. "So Bailey was right with his theory about how you've got the councilor in your pocket... supplying her with whores, now isn't that nice?"
Aria resists the urge to splatter the irritating human against the nearby wall, watching her leave and then quickly sitting next to Rila and Falere. "You handled that well, girls," she says approvingly. "I'm... relieved to see you two alive."
"Goddess, Aria, your eye..." Falere, ever the compassionate, exclaims.
"Don't worry about it, young one, I'm quickly becoming fond of my new look," Aria chuckles in reply.
"They thought we were Tevos' lovers," Rila whispers. "Won't that cause problems for her?"
"It was unavoidable... and I think that this is something those idiots on Thessia might stomach better than if they knew the full truth," Aria says. "But still, it would be preferable if I could get you two away, somewhere far from prying eyes. Questions will be asked, and I don't want you two to be exposed to reporters and their ilk... there's only so many of them I can kill, before the C-Sec will decide to come after me."
"Can we go to your apartment on Kithoi?" Falere asks. "I still feel a little shocked, and my violin is there... I think playing some music might help me to calm down."
"I agree..." Rila sighs, wringing her hands. "I can't forget the sight of Tevos throwing herself in front of that husk, and the way it plunged its claw deep into her chest... goddess, it was horrible!"
"What possessed that crazy matron to do something as stupid as that, she knows that she couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag," Aria sighs, shaking her head. "I guess she was just trying to protect you, even if you would have been able to deal with that husk using your weak biotics. She really picked the wrong time for her heroics."
"You worry about her, don't you?" Falere asks.
"Let's just get you two out of here for now," Aria replies evasively, pulling Rila and Falere up, but as she is about to leave the medical facilities, the doors of the operating room are thrown open and one of the asari doctors rushes out, following them.
"Excuse me... excuse me, but you are Aria T'Loak, aren't you?" the doctor asks, looking grim and fearful.
"Yes, is there something you need?" she asks, managing to avoid sounding completely unkind, considering that the asari in front of her has been busy working to keep her secret lover from expiring from her injuries.
"You were... leaving, yes?" the doctor asks again, receiving Aria's nod in reply, the Pirate Queen starting to wonder what exactly is going on. "Could I... humbly request that you return to this medcenter after you have finished your... undoubtedly important business?"
"I can be back in thirty minutes, if you would explain to me what's this all about?" Aria growls impatiently.
"Councilor Tevos' condition is still... very unstable," the doctor explains nervously. "We think that... perhaps your presence... might help."
"And why the hell would the presence of a glorified criminal warlord help an esteemed and respected asari councilor?" Aria demands angrily.
"I don't know, miss T'Loak," the doctor replies quietly. "But the first word she spoke after regaining consciousness... was your name."
Liara lets out a quiet groan as she finally opens her eyes, feeling the room still spinning a little, her head feeling a bit dizzy from the sedatives. Shepard! That one single thought rushes through her head, and she tries to pull herself up in the bed, immediately crying out in pain.
"Dr. Chakwas warned me that you would try to do something like that," the woman's voice she hears is familiar, even if it speaks something that has to be complete nonsense.
Liara blinks, shaking her head, trying to clear it until her vision can properly focus in on the woman standing by her bed. "...Dr. Michel!" she exclaims in a weak voice. "They brought you in from the Normandy..."
"Yes, I came as soon as they told us where they were bringing you and Shepard," Michel replies. "Please, Liara, do not move too much. Your injuries were rather unpleasant, and my colleagues spent four hours putting your shoulder back together again."
"Oh..." Liara finally realizes that there is a complicated brace encasing her left shoulder and hand down to the elbow. There is something restrictive pressing tightly around her right leg below the knee, and her entire body makes her feel as if she has been ran over by a heavy tank... and now that her memories come back in a flood, she realizes that it was exactly what had happened. "Dr. Michel... you learned of my condition back during the Cerberus coup..." the asari speaks hesitantly. "Can you tell me whether... everything is alright?"
"That was my first concern when Cortez brought you before us. I consulted with several asari specialists about your condition, and several of them advised me to terminate your pregnancy," Chloe Michel shakes her head, looking exasperated and a little accusing when she stares at Liara. "While physically the child appears to have miraculously escaped any harm, the asari doctors are more worried about the implications that your physical and mental state and exhaustion can have on the development of the child. They claim that your actions in taking part in heavy combat have been incredibly irresponsible."
"I... did what I had to do. Shepard needed me down there, if she was to succeed and save us all," Liara replies, a little defensively.
"And you were willing to risk the life of your unborn child just to see Shepard succeed?" Michel's tone expresses clear disapproval. "I... wish I had not honored the confidence between a doctor and a patient, and simply told Shepard the whole truth, she would have brought you to your senses. God is my witness, I was tempted, so tempted to just tell her..."
"It was not your decision! I had my reasons, and I will take responsibility for them, they are not yours or anyone else's to discuss!" Liara snaps a little harshly, trying to glare at Dr. Michel, failing when her face becomes contorted with pain again.
Instead of appearing angered by Liara's outburst, Chloe steps a little closer and puts her hand over Liara's and gently strokes it, the asari too surprised to pull away. "I feel terrible, knowing what you must be going through, Liara. To be saddled with such guilt, it must feel overwhelming. I wish there was more I could do for you..."
"Please, Chloe... I... I can't speak of it anymore... please," tears begin to fall down Liara's cheeks, the asari desperate to change the topic of conversation. "Did... did you mention Dr. Chakwas earlier? She... she is out of her coma?"
"That is correct," Michel nods. "I regret that I had to call upon her assistance immediately, but the issue could not wait."
"And Shepard... Morgan, how is she, did Aria find her on the Citadel?" Liara rambles nervously. "Of course she found her or we wouldn't be talking about her! Tell me, Chloe!"
"Liara... the Commander was in a very bad shape when they brought her in," Michel speaks quietly. "Her injuries were horrific and she had lost so much blood... nevertheless, we have worked eight hours straight, and we have done all that we could..."
"Is she alive?" Liara demands, her voice growing stern, sharp.
"Yes, but..."
"You know about her implants, I assume," Liara speaks, looking relieved. "If she is alive, they will help her pull through... they always do."
"Liara... that is why I had to call in Dr. Chakwas," Michel speaks, lowering her eyes. "The Crucible beam that destroyed the Reapers... it did a little more than just that. EDI... is gone, because of the Reaper code she was created with..."
"Yes..." Liara feels a tremor passing through her chest, terrible, agonizing pain from the memory of EDI's lifeless frame tumbling into the mud. "I... saw her... die."
"We think that the same beam might have done something to... Shepard's implants," Michel swallows heavily. "Because... they just do not seem to respond... as if they have been switched off, the nanites are not rebuilding her, and... Shepard's body is too badly damaged to recover without the help of the implants."
"What... no... no!" Liara lets out a sharp cry of dismay. "To... to die because of... of something like this? After everything she has sacrificed? No! No, I will not allow it, I will not stand by idly and... and let her expire! There must be something we can do!"
"Karin and I spoke at length about the issue... we could think of nothing that could reactivate her implants," Michel sighs. "I'm sorry, Liara."
"Don't be sorry, Dr. Michel! Be useful!" Liara snarls, her attitude startling the good-natured human. "I know what we can do. Is anyone from the Normandy still groundside?"
"I... I believe that Garrus and Tali brought up Grunt, Wrex and several other injured, before returning to London... they were hoping to find more survivors. Why do you ask, Liara?" Dr. Chloe Michel inquires.
"There's someone who might know how to jump-start Shepard's implants... the woman who put her together after the Collector attack," Liara speaks quickly, all dizziness and confusion gone, the young asari completely and utterly focused when faced with the almost certain possibility of losing her bondmate. "Dr. Miranda Lawson. And if I know her at least a little, Miranda will be groundside somewhere in London, trying to put her medical training to use and save as many survivors as she can, aching to make up for her Cerberus past."
"I will pass this information along immediately, Liara, you can rely on me," Chloe Michel nods.
"And make sure it is marked as extremely urgent," Liara demands. "We must find Miranda Lawson at all costs. Oh, and Dr. Michel?"
"Yes, Liara?"
"How much time does Morgan have?" she asks. "Give me an honest answer. I don't want you to... as she would say, sugar-coat it for me..."
"I can give her thirty-six hours at maximum, Liara, I'm sorry," Michel replies, sad look on her face. "The injuries are so severe that it is a small wonder she survived the transportation to the hospital."
"I... see," Liara nods, biting her lower lip so hard that she can feel the taste of her own blood seeping into her mouth. "Thank you, Dr. Michel. Now please... go and pass along that information with all haste. I... I wish to be alone."