Chapter Five: Not Enough Tears

Glyph led them through a depression in the sub-floor to a cavern of destroyed foundations and piles of rock. Several meters in, the little hologram arced up a gravel strewn incline and hovered over a stack of block-shaped pillars that had fallen askew under a wasted canopy of concrete. There was no sound, no movement, but Liara could see a small metallic reflection flare beneath the VI's nimbus.

She braced herself against Dr. Chakwas' arm and hobbled up the slope to find a body in blackened armor half buried in the rubble. No! This can't be! Frantic, she folded to her good leg by the broken figure and running her fingers over the surface of the ruined chestplate, grasped the dogtags glinting in the dim light. A wrenching sob ripped from her throat as as she held the familiar icons in her hand, her glazed eyes scanning the N7 symbol and personal data. She felt swallowed whole as her body, heart and soul stood on the verge of total collapse.

Reaching up, her hands trembled as she carefully cleared the sand and litter from her lover's battered head. Her burning eyes overflowed and droplets bathed Shepard's bruised, lacerated cheeks as Liara bent weeping and softly kissed the human's cool, dusty lips. Tenderly, she pushed the blood soaked, dirt-matted hair from the marred brow and lay her head on the Commander's stilled chest. There were not enough tears, there would never be enough.

Unbidden images assailed her mind. As the seconds ticked by she was tormented by every moment she'd spent loving and being loved by this woman. With each remembered touch or smile, every sweet word or shared thought, she felt her soul shred. She had no idea how she would face a future without her. She simply didn't know if she could. The asari were conditioned from youth to let go – but Liara couldn't find it within herself to do that.

She smelled the scorched stench of skin and felt the sentinel's slick blood clinging to her cheek as she lingered, but she couldn't make herself move from the one place in the world she wanted to be. Then, she felt something unexpected – the ghost of movement - a heavy rise and a shallow fall under her grieving face, then stillness again. Not certain that it was only wishful thinking - she stayed. Nothing. Then it happened again. Lifting her head, she cried, "Shepard!"

The maiden saw the Commander's singed lashes flutter slightly. Pulling herself up, she found herself looking into her bondmate's barely open, swollen eyes. "Liara..." Shepard managed to rasp, before her lids dropped closed again.

Relief flooded her. "Goddess, she's alive!"

Dr. Chakwas responded to the maiden's cry and dropped beside her. Swiftly she scanned the Commander and gravely regarded the findings. "She has a slim chance. But we must work quickly Liara!"

Javik heard the women and approached quietly. "How may I assist?"

Karin leaned back on her heels to assess the Commander's position. "You can start by removing this pillar that's pinning her legs." She turned to Liara. "Call James to come - tell him to bring the backboard from the shuttle. I need to try to stabilize her, and then we must evac quickly for her to have a fighting chance."

Liara complied immediately, then scuttled closer to Shepard's other side to give Chakwas room to work. She removed a glove and took the Commander's blood-encrusted hand in her own. The skin was cold to the touch and she nearly broke down again as she felt her lover's fingers close weakly over hers. The sentinel seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. "I'm here Shepard. Just – hold on. Goddess, hold on."

James arrived carrying the hard stretcher and a bag of tools from the Kodiak. As Dr. Chakwas worked to address the myriad of injuries and damage to her patient, the others used their unique skills to free Shepard from what could have been her grave. After removing the pillar, they discovered that a strand of rebar pinned the Commander's leg, just above her knee. Vega cut the offending metal loose with a small, but powerful fusion torch and whittled it down, allowing Karin to field dress it in place. Working together, they quickly and quietly managed to get Shepard ready to move to the shuttle.

Liara felt feverish, the adrenaline coursing through her veins electrified her nerves and heightened her senses. Against enormous odds, they had found Shepard and she was deeply grateful to her friends – their friends, for giving so much of themselves to help her. Now it was time to move – and move quickly. "James, did you have any luck with the Kodiak? Will it get us out of here?"

"Oh yeah, it'll fly. A lot like a lead brick, but it will definitely fly," the marine assured her, scratching his head. "Problem is – I'm not sure where we're going to fly to. The drive core took a real beating. We just don't have the juice to make a very long trip."

Liara wrinkled her brow. "Is the comm equipment online?"

"Seemed to be working." Vega blew out a breath as he and Javik hoisted the stretcher between them. "Your comm came through from here alright. Just don't know if there are any outside buoys up and running. And Earth – well, you saw."

Leaning up from checking Shepard, Dr. Chakwas sounded somber, "There's little more I can do for the Commander here. She's not truly stable enough to move as it is, but we have no choice. We have to get her to a proper facility soon."

The maiden's eyes tightened, her slim jaw tensed. "We will. Let's just get Shepard to the Kodiak. We'll be able to check for any open external channels once we're there."

Progress back was difficult. They had to carry the Commander over countless obstacles and stop for Chakwas to check her vital signs. At one such stop, Shepard's labored breathing revealed an immediate crisis. Liara watched in fear, gripped by nausea, as the doctor purged a large bore needle piercing the ribs just over her lover's right breast, then hung a new IV drip on the backboard extension. She clutched her bondmate's palm, relieved when the spectre's breath improved, anguished by the glimpse of bruised, beaten flesh she witnessed beneath the tattered remains of the filthy compression shirt.

Glancing ahead, Liara could see the Kodiak parked on level terrain just over the next mound of debris. Apparently, James had taken the opportunity to bring the transport farther into the search area when she called him to assist. Nodding her thanks to him, she clenched her jaw and led them over the pile. Soon they were all aboard.

While Karin and Liara secured the Commander, Vega and Javik did a brief, pre-flight check. As the engines came on line with a decidedly unhealthy whine, James called out from the cockpit. "Looks like we're as good to go as we can get. The inertial dampeners are okay and our thrusters check out, but the drive core and navigation systems are pretty weak. Hate to say it, but this is a one-shot deal." Cocking his head to hear her response over the din, he asked the million credit question. "So, where are we headed?"

"Give me a moment James." Liara moved to the cabin's comm station and activated the console. "This is Dr. Liara T'Soni of the SSV Normandy. Is anyone on this channel?" The only reply was mild pops and repeated crackling. She tried again, her nerves frayed, and waited. Then again. Static filled the airwaves for several long seconds, its fluctuating volume finally settling into the tail end of a distant, but audible response.

"r... r... T'Soni. This is the Nefrane. We have your shuttlecraft signal. You are transmitting from the Citadel? Confirm."

"They're nearby, Doc," Vega relayed to her, "On a trajectory between the station and Earth."

Nearly crying with relief, she answered. "Affirmative. We are on the Citadel. My team has recovered Commander Shepard. She...she needs immediate medical assistance. Her condition is extremely critical. I am requesting permission to board with a crew of four and the Commander."

A crisp, elegant voice from the asari cruiser replied. "This is Captain Valicia Kallisto, Commander of the Nefrane. Permission granted. Be aware that our navigation system is marginal. We will launch an approach beam for visual guidance and have a medical team meet you on deck."

"Have there been any signs of reaper activity, Captain?"

"Negative. It appears that whatever Commander Shepard did eliminated them. Contact us en route if you need further assistance. We'll be standing by. Nefrane out."

"That was quick." Vega ran a hand over his head, a puzzled look on his face. "They seem pretty trusting to just take us on board without a bunch of questions."

Liara moved to the seat at her bondmate's head and strapped in. "Under normal circumstances they would not have allowed it. But, they certainly know who Shepard is, and the Captain is a good friend."

"I'm just glad somebody other than reapers are still around. Hold on, this is going to be a wild ride." James revved the engines and began the climb out. "Alright, vamos!"

Liara felt the shuttle lurch as it began its ascent. Glancing at Dr. Chakwas she saw the alarm in her eyes. Re-settling the blanket on the Commander, Karin told her in a guarded voice. "I won't lie to you, Liara. She's in terrible shape and it's getting worse. The only reason she's survived this long is because of her implants."

Gently caressing the sentinel's cheek, her fingers twined loosely with her lover's, Liara bent to her ear. "Please, Shepard, we're leaving. Don't die on me now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N - Good old Doc X was being temperamental this evening. Sorry for any inconvenience!