Chapter 4: Savior
Shepard was bored. It was rare for her to be so. For the first time in quite a long time she had nothing to do. The thought of sleep came to mind, but she shoved that aside. Shepard knew that there was no way she'd be able to sleep, she was still full of energy and not even the instinct to sleep whenever she could would help her.
Shepard glanced over at the large bed that occupied the other side of the room. It, like the rest of the room and most of the ship looked cold, hard, and lifeless. Sure having a "cabin" that was half the size of the rest of the decks on the ship was nice, but after living out of a duffle bag her entire life it was far, far too large. Her room, like the rest of the Normandy, was far too different from the original. The old Normandy was full of life and laughter at nearly every hour. Now the Normandy under Cerberus was far too guarded for her to get much out of most of the crew. Shepard never thought she'd say it but she sorely missed the atmosphere of her Alliance commands.
There were only three places out of the whole ship that Shepard felt anything but that guarded, almost fearful, feeling she felt across the ship. Those places where only like that because of the people there. The cockpit was the most prominent area, what with Joker's lack of caring what others thought of him. The med-bay was the other area that was brought to mind. Shepard had always like Karin Chakwas on the old Normandy, having the motherly doctor around always made her feel just a tad safer should anything happen. Karin was not only a second mother to Shepard but also a rock that she knew would always be there. The last area of the ship that had any life to it was, of all things, the engineering deck. Shepard was surprised to find her engineering staff to be all of two people. The fact that it was just them gave a lighter air to the deck. Her engineers, Kenneth Donnelly and Gabriella Daniels, were clearly long time friends, Shepard let them be so long as her ship worked.
"EDI." Shepard called out to the silence around her.
"Yes, Commander?" EDI's voice came over her room's stereo system.
"I'm going to need every thing available on Omega and where I can find Doctor Solus and Archangel. Send everything you can gather up to my terminal when you're done." Shepard replied.
"Yes Commander. Will there be anything else?"
"Yes. Please send Miss Chambers up to my quarters."
"She is on her way Commander."
"Thank you, EDI. That will be all."
"Logging you out."
Shepard looked over at the clock in her HUD. She winced when she saw she still had four hours to kill before they reached Omega. Hopefully Kelly Chambers would help her kill most of that time. After her chat with Joker, Shepard had spent the last two hours trying to get to know her crew. Shepard had always lead by the idea of always being there for everyone. Other than Donnelly, Daniels, Chakwas and Joker the crew that she tried to talk with all made some excuse to avoid her. Shepard had a feeling that it was more the awe of first meeting "the Great Commander Shepard" than it was of their CO trying to talk with them.
Yeoman Kelly Chambers was a different matter entirely. Shepard had only briefly spoken to the perky red-head, but the few moments she had spoken to the woman for were both enjoyable and confusing. They were enjoyable because of Kelly's perky demeanor and almost complete innocence, and thus confusing because of it. Kelly had told Shepard that she was there to not only be her Yeoman, a glorified secretary, but also as the ship's psychiatrist. Ever since being told of what happened to the squad sent to Azuke and after her suicidal "heroics" on Elysium, Shepard had always assumed that anyone involved with Cerberus were some kind of twisted monsters. Seeing Jacob and now Kelly made her rethink that.
Kelly was no where close to what Shepard had expected. The younger woman, though not much younger, was very pleasant to be around. The very air around the bubbly woman had seemed to warm around her the closer Shepard was to her. Bubbly, was definitely the best way for Shepard to think about Kelly. She had never expected such warmth from a member of such a cold organization.
Shepard was pulled out of the silence of her mind by the ping of someone outside her door.
"Come in, Kelly." Shepard opened the door to the cabin.
"You wanted to see me, Commander?" Kelly replied as she stepped into her room and taking in the large area before her.
"Yeah Kelly. Please have a seat." Shepard stood up from the large couch occupying a corner of the room.
Kelly took a seat on the other side of the "L" shaped couch.
"So what is it you'd like to talk about? " The young woman inquired.
"Just wanted to chat, Kelly. Let you find out what makes me tick. Dossiers never do a person justice, They make come close but they're nothing like actually talking to the person."
"Very true Commander." Kelly replied. Shepard cut her off before she could say more.
"Alright, first thing. Don't call me 'Commander', I'm not part of the Alliance anymore." Shepard's spine chilled at her own words. " Shepard will do fine, Kathrine if you'd prefer for when we're alone."
"Alright then, Katherine." Kelly replied feeling her way around Shepard's given name. Shepard could count the number of people that had used her real name in her past on one hand. Of those only her mother and Doctor Chakwas, were still alive.
"Tell me about your old team on the Normandy. I've only read the news articles on them and might as well start somewhere familiar. I remember reading quite a bit about one of them in particular. I believe his name was Garrus? He seemed to be almost as popular as you were back then."
Shepard watched as a smile came over Kelly's face. She felt like she knew the mischievous, challenging smile, from where she couldn't quite peg.
Shepard let out a breath. "Oh sure, pick the largest topic first. Garrus was quite the character." Shepard felt herself smile at the memories that came to mind.
"If you ever meet him don't tell him I said this but, I'm not sure I can do him justice."
Shepard watched Kelly's smile widen. It was still familiar to her for some reason, the almost knowing smile tugged at her mind. Kelly leaned forward with obvious interest.
Omega was by far, the best representation of Hell Shepard could think of. As soon as Shepard, Jacob, and Zaeed stepped off the Normandy the former two nearly choked on the stench. Shepard had thought she could handle anything after the sights and smell from countless battles and countless hours in interrogation rooms. The overwhelming stench of Omega told her otherwise. It was a terrible combination of the worst smells she could think of and countless ones she didn't want a name to.
Omega's ruler was completely opposite the foul station, at least in appearance. Shepard took in the lithe yet powerful Asari sitting on the couch opposite her. Like all Asari, Aria T'lok was attractive and a powerful biotic. Shepard could practically feel the biotic power rolling off the Asari, likely a side effect of Cerberus' upgrades. Shepard could tell that despite her clean calm exterior Aria was no different from her and likely waist deep in the blood of others.
Shepard had been told by EDI that the best person to ask about the whereabouts for Doctor Solus and Archangel would be Aria. So far She had not disappointed. Aria had told Shepard that Mordan ran a clinic in the slums and was working on curing a plague in the area.
"You said you needed information on someone else? Someone else for your suicide squad?" Aria asked, with an appreciative eye on Shepard.
Shepard had noticed the interest Aria had shown towards her. Shepard was used to it even before she had come into the lime light of being the first human Spectre. For some reason she couldn't fathom Asari had always had an interest in Shepard, she had learned long ago to ignore it.
"I did." Shepard replied, crossing her legs over one another. "I'm looking for a Turian. I'm told he's made quite the name for himself her the last few years. Archangel, I believe the locals call him."
"Hmmm, Archangel. You're going to make some enemies teaming up with him Shepard. He's found a way to piss off all of Omega's major players at once. Almost feel bad for him. He's done quite a bit of house cleaning for me."
"So you know him, good. Where can I find him? Assuming you don't know where he is would be idiotic." Shepard replied. She shuddered mentally seeing that the almost hungry look in Aria's eyes were still there.
Aria chuckled. "You're smarter than the vids pegged you as I'll give you that. And yes I know where he is. Getting to him is another matter however."
"Oh? Care to explain? Or are you going to make me beat it out of you?" Shepard replied, allowing a hint of sultriness into her voice. Shepard heard Zaeed give a slight chuckle but she kept her focus on Aria.
Shepard had asked EDI to dig up everything it could on Aria. The information that EDI gave her was a practical gold mine. Cerberus was very well connected it seemed. Shepard had a habit for using every advantage she could. Aria already being interested in Shepard made teasing Aria's desires that much easier. Shepard's ability to capitalize on every mistake or weakness her enemies had was what made her the best the Alliance had, both on and off the battlefield.
Aria coughed, clearly trying to keep control over the situation, both between her and Shepard and within herself.
"Those major players I talked about? They're currently working together to try and kill him." Shepard mentally smiled that her ploy worked. Shepard applauded Aria for keeping control. Shepard hadn't lied when she told Joker she'd broken better men and women than him. She was almost disappointed that she couldn't add another name to that extensive list.
"Them working together is bad enough." Aria continued. "They're never together unless there's a war between them. Archangel's life span now is measured in mere hours maybe a day, if he's lucky."
Aria glanced over her shoulder. "The mercs are using the room over there to recruit for cannon fodder. Your best bet to get there is through them."
When Aria looked back at Shepard her expression was once again schooled into one of detached disinterest.
"Looks like I don't have time to waste, then." Shepard replied standing up.
"You have all the time in the world. Archangel? Not so much. Come back if you need anything else." From the look in Aria's eyes Shepard could tell she did mean anything.
Shepard walked down from Aria's private lounge that had looked out over the main floor in the club AfterLife. she motioned for Jacob and Zaeed to follow her. The three wasted no time going to the merc's room.
Upon entering the room Shepard was greeted with the sight of a grizzled Batarian in the blue and white armor of the Blue Suns. He glanced up as the trio approached.
"Ya got the wrong room honey." The batarian spoke, his rough voice like sand paper to Shepard's ears. "The stipper's quarters are downstairs." The Batarian smirked.
In the span of a heart beat Shepard was within arms reach of the Batarian. Her shotgun was out, it's barrel in his face and she was wreathed in the azure glow of her biotic energy.
"Show me yours. I bet mine's bigger." Shepard's voice spoke of the pleasure she'd get from pulling the trigger right then. There was nothing in the galaxy that shepard hated more than Batarians.
Shepard saw the pure, raw fear in his eyes. "Impressive. I didn't expect that."
Shepard lowered her shotgun, still keeping it out. The blue glow faded from around her. "I hear this is where one goes to kill Archangel. We want in." Shepard gestured to Zaeed and Jacob.
"Standard pay is five hundred credits. You get payed after it's done. You die and your friends don't collect your share." The Batarian still had fear in his tone, but he at least wasn't tripping over his words.
"There's a car outside that will take you there." The Batarian continued.
"Thank you." Shepard replied her voice icy.
Shepard heard the door open behind her.
"Hey! I heard this is where I could sign up." Shepard heard a scratchy voice behind her.
She turned to see a kid just inside the doorway. Shepard pegged him for seventeen, eighteen at the most. He looked like the kind of poor kid that knew nothing but a life on the streets.
"Yeah." Shepard replied. "How old are you kid?"
The boy glared at her. "I'm old enough." He walked up to stand next to Shepard.
'I grew up on Omega. I know how to use a gun."
Shepard snorted "Yeah and so does Archangel."
"Besides." the kid continued "I just spent fifty credits on…." He pulled out a Shuriken SMG from his hip. His body unused to the weight.
Shepard didn't give him a chance to do anything else. Before the boy or the merc could do anything to react, Shepard reached out and grabbed the gun from the boy's hands.
"Get your money back kid." Shepard said and bent the barrel to a ninety degree angle. She shoved the now useless gun back into the kid's hands.
"Hey!" The kid yelled out.
Shepard walked out of the room ignoring the shouts from the boy that followed her.
Things were quiet. Over the last eighteen hours of near non-stop shooting, Archangel had learned that quiet was bad. The last time it was this quiet, the mercs had tried to kill him using one of the Blue Suns' gunships. He quickly put an end to that threat by shooting out one of it's thrusters.
Garrus leaned out from the cover he was using, for now a window frame. He sighted down to what he could see of the boulevard the mercs had occupied. His only saving grace for now was that the completely open bridge leading from his building to the street was the only way in now.
Garrus didn't see any movement through his scope. His visor told him there were mercs on the other side of the barricade that had been erected. They had apparently learned how to actually use cover.
What are they up too? Garrus thought.
Garrus nearly dropped his Mantis when a familiar face entered his sights. Garrus slammed his eyes shut and shook his head. When he opened them again and sighted the face was gone.
Get a hold of yourself Vakarian. She's not here. She can't be here.
Garrus didn't dare go far from his perch. The last time he did so it was nearly the end of him. Had the mercs pushed his base the last time he went to get food he would've been caught with his pants down. Never the less, Garrus had brought some extras with him. Fighting on little sleep was one thing, fighting without food and sleep was near impossible. Garrus quickly ducked back into cover. No need to give them a clear shot.
Garrus flipped on the listening devices that were stationed at the end of the bridge and grabbed a bottle of water from nearby. The devices only had enough power left in them for a few minutes of activity, He'd been warned of it several hours ago. Now seemed as good a time as any to use those last minutes.
"... That's the signal! Bridge teams! GO GO GO!" A rough batarian voice came over his helmet speakers almost instantly.
Garrus dropped his bottle, lid half open, and picked up his Mantis once more. He nearly dropped it when another voice came over his speakers.
"You're workin' too hard." The Batarian's scream filled his helmet, but Garrus barely heard it.
No. There's no way.
"Come on. I'm not letting his guy die on and keep up this time Jacob."
Garrus heard several thumps as armored forms landed on the other side of the barricade. One of them had a grenade launcher and fired into his building. The explosion shook the floor but did nothing to actually hurt him, his shields taking care of the stray shrapnel with ease. Garrus quickly sighted on a merc and pulled the trigger. The merc's head exploding while he ducked back into cover.
Garrus popped back out of cover and sighted. His scope came to rest on the face he now only saw in his dreams. Everything was the exact same as when he last saw her. Her eyes were the tell tale slits of having her contacts in. Her skin still pale in comparison to other humans, pale from years of continued encasement in armor. Even her scars were the same. The white line running the length of her face just to the side of her left eye, faint but still visible. The trio of lines that were once claw marks from a varren on her right cheek.
There were new scars as well. Garrus could faintly see on her left cheek faint red lines. Garrus almost thought he could see them pulsing. Some how her nose was straight and not crooked and bent from countless breaks.
Part of him yelled at him that this couldn't be real, that Shepard was dead. That part was very small however. The rest of him, mind, body, and soul, all cried out that this was Shepard.
Time had seemed to slow down as Garrus took in Shepard's face. When he fell bullets ping off his shields, time sped up much to his distaste. Garrus quickly sighted a merc and squeezed the trigger.
Garrus dropped back into cover to reload and give his shields a chance to recharge. Garrus' speakers crackled again.
"PULL!" He heard Shepard yell, both in his ear and through his helmet pickups. Garrus heard the resounding boom of mass effect fields colliding and wet heavy thumps below him.
Garrus watched as Shepard blasted a merc with her shotgun, a large hole appearing in the merc's chest. Garrus watched as a merc tried flanking Shepard. Her quickly put a stop to it with a round in his head.
"Taylor! Massani! Hold the bridge!" Garrus heard Shepard yell.
Garrus looked up to see two men behind Shepard. They took cover behind Garrus' own barricades on his side of the bridge. Garrus looked up to see another wave of mercs coming over the far barricade.
Garrus sighted a merc and dropped him. Behind him he could hear the sound of shotgun blasts coming from the doorway to his room. He heard her familiar stride as Shepard moved up behind him. Garrus sighted on another merc, dropping him minus a head..
"Archangel?" Garrus heard Shepard ask.
A chill shiver ran down Garrus' spine. It was her. He had no doubts about it now. Her voice was one that had kept him up many a night when neither of them could sleep. It was the same voice that he had come to know as one of a close friend. One of the few voices that he could call from memory at will.
Garrus held up a hand towards Shepard. He didn't trust his voice just yet. Garrus squeezed the trigger on his Mantis, finishing off the last merc from that wave.
Garrus looked over at Shepard. Her face in a look of near recognition. Garrus slowly stood up from his crouch. He turned to fully face her and slung his Mantis onto the magnetic clamps on his back.
Shepard stepped closer to him, just outside of his reach. Garrus reached up and pulled his helmet off.
"Shepard." Garrus said, his voice was scratchy but almost a purr from his sub-vocals.
"Garrus!" The next thing he knew, the wind was knocked out of him when Shepard moved up to him and pulled him into a crushing hug.
For once in his life Garrus felt the urge to hug her back. Before he could however he felt Shepard's body tense.
"Heh, sorry. My new hormone implant isn't tuned right." Shepard said and started to pull away.
Garrus pulled her back into him in a back breaking hug, almost as if he let go she would be gone again. For once Garrus felt completely at peace, as if some dark part of him had once again been bathed in the warm light that was Shepard.
"I.. I thought you were dead." Garrus said, his voice barely a whisper.
Shepard looked up at Garrus, a small sad smile on her face, her eyes shimmering with tears just below the surface.
"I was. I…" Shepard was cut off by her comms crackling to life.
"Don' wanna break up the reunion Shepard, but we've got Eclipse coming. They're bringing in the mechs too." Garrus heard a grizzled voice from Shepard's suit speakers.
"Copy that Massani. I'll be down in a sec." Shepard replied into her comms.
"Looks like we'll need to continue this latter, Garrus." She said to him. She pulled away almost reluctantly.
Garrus cleared his throat. "Right. I'll stay up here. I can do a lot of damage from this spot. You go do what you do best." Garrus' mandibles flared into a smile of his own.
"Just like old times." Shepard said with a grin. She un-holstered her Katana.
"I'll be back." She said and jumped up onto the window ledge.
Before Garrus could say anything, Shepard was wreathed in the familiar azure glow of her biotics. The next second she was nothing but a streak of blue light, flying into the midst of the Eclipse mercs below. Garrus watched as she slammed into a group of Salarians next to one of their massive YMIR heavy mechs. The mech was shooting at the Salarians and not at Shepard, oddly enough.
In one smooth fluid motion, Garrus drew his Mantis. He sighted a merc that was trying to flank Shepard. His rifle cracked and the merc's head exploded. Garrus saw Shepard flash him a grin before flying into another merc.
Just like old times. Garrus thought and sighted another merc.
Garrus easily fell back into the old routine he and Shepard had honed during their pursuit of Saren. He sighted and dropped the mercs farthest from Shepard and kept an eye on her flanks, she in turn destroyed anything within reach, be it with blasts from her shotgun, biotically charged punches or kicks and now her charge ability. It was easy. It was familiar. It was peace. It was home.
Just as the last of the Eclipse fell to Garrus' deadly fire a thunderous crash echoed below him.
Took them long enough. Garrus thought, it was only a matter of time before the mercs had cleared the bubble out of the basement.
"ARCHANGEL!" The bellowing roar of a Krogan echoed through the building.
Garm. Garrus thought. Of course it'd be the Blood Pack to dig their way in.
"Shepard! Blood Pack below me!" Garrus called out.
"Take care of that bitch and her team! Archangel is mine!" Garrus heard Garm's slow booming steps coming up the stairs behind him.
"Time to die, Archangel!" Garm yelled and he stepped into the doorway to Garrus' room.
As soon as Garrus saw the Krogan's ugly, red plated head he fired. It was a dead on hit, but only managed to break his shields.
"HA! That the best you got, Turian!" Garm roared, raising up his shotgun.
Garrus didn't bother replying. He simply reloaded and fired again, this time taking out one of Garm's eyes. Had he been any other race and Garm would have been falling to the floor dead. Krogan however were notorious for their redundant nervous systems and fast healing times. Garm himself was a freak of nature, putting other Krogan to same at how fast he regenerated.
"HA! Just a scratch!" Garm laughed off the wound as if it were nothing. Garm fired but the metal shavings went wide.
Garus re-sighted when Garm lowered his head and started pumping his legs. Garrus fired again this time taking out one of Garms knees, causing the massive Krogan to stumble and fall to one knee. Garrus heard the loud thumps of armored feet pounding up the stairs.
Come one Shepard. I can't take him alone.
Sure enough Shepard had impeccable timing. As Garm started standing up, his knee mostly healed already, Garrus heard Shepard yell out.
"HEY UGLY!" Shepard yelled.
Garm was nearly knocked over by the blue light that was Shepard. She quickly batted aside Garm's shotgun and brought her own to just under his jaw. Garrus winced when Shepard pulled the trigger. The wet sound of Garm's jaw being riddled with metal fragments still present even over the loud boom of her shotgun.
Surprisingly Garm was still alive, but just barely. Garrus walked over to his soon to be corpse. He heard Garm's voice now weak and full of gurgling blood.
"Who… Who are you?" Garm asked, his voice full of fear.
"I am the Vanguard of the Alliance. The Daemon of Elysium. The Savior of the Citadel. I am the slayer of Saren and the destroyer of Sovereign." Shepard said coming to stand over Garm's head.
"I am the harbinger of the end of all my enemies." Shepard raised her shotgun. "I am Commander Katherine Shepard.."
Garrus watched Garm's eyes widen. Garm had no more time to contemplate Shepard's words. Shepard pulled the trigger on her shotgun, Garm's head turned into nothing more than a pile of shredded meat and broken plates.
Garrus finally reached Shepard, and placed a hand on her shoulder. He only faintly heard her voice.
"FInd peace in the Angels' embrace." Shepard muttered, regret filling her voice.
"Shepard? Are you ok?" Garrus asked, both sets of vocals filled with concern.
Shepard sniffed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine. Just adding another name to my list." Shepard turned to face Garrus. Her face a mask of sorrow. Garrus felt the sudden urge to hug her again.
Garrus thought he could faintly hear the roar of an engine in the ensuing silence. The silence was broken with two human men walking into the room. One was dark skinned in light armor, if it could be called armor. Garrus' eyes narrowed at the orange logo on the man's chest.
Cerberus? What's Shepard doing with them? Garrus thought and turned to look at the other man.
His face was hideously scarred. the right half of his face looked as if it had once had major damage. Whoever had patched him up hadn't been very good. The scars looked old, decades old at that. The man's right eye was likely now sightless, the entire orb glazed over in a milky white sheen. The man's odd orange armor didn't strike him as from any of the merc groups he knew, so he was likely a freelancer.
The grizzled older man spoke up. "Building's clear Shepard. Only the Suns are left on the other side of that bridge."
Shepard nodded to the man. "Good." She turned back to Garrus.
"What'd ya say Garrus? Ready to get off this hell hole of a station?" Shepard asked, a smile on her face. Garrus thought he heard the sound of engines growing louder.
"Yeah, just let me…." Garrus was drowned out for the roar of a gunship's engines just outside the building.
"ARCHANGEL! So you think you can fuck with the Blue Suns!?" The gunship's speakers blared a rough angry Batarian voice.
"Son of a bitch!" Garrus yelled and shoved Shepard away from him. He inturn rolled the opposite direction, taking cover behind one of the couches spread throughout the room.
"I thought I took that thing out already!" He yelled out over the whine of the gunship's chaingun fire.
'You did!" Shepard replied, crouching up next to him. "I made sure it's not at a hundred percent."
"Hell yeah ya did!" The gruff man in Shepard's team called out to their right behind the door frame.
"Massani!" Shepard yell out to the older man. "Catch!" Shepard pulled the grenade launcher off her back and tossed it to him.
Shepard pulled her Vindicator off her back. "Ready Garrus?"
Garrus nodded. Shepard grinned. "Just like old times."
With that she rolled away from him and out into the open, firing at the gunship as soon as she regained her footing. Garrus followed her lead and rolled out the opposite way, sighting the cockpit at a kneel. His fire, combined with Shepard's and the grenades lobbed by Massani caused cracks to start to form on the cockpit's canopy. The bullet resistant glass didn't hold for long under their combined fire.
The canopy shattered right when the driver activated the ship's rocket pod. One of the two rockets stored in the pod went wide and collided with the side of the building. The other flew true directly for Garrus. He fired one last shot, catching the Batarian square in the chest. He tried to dive away but was too late.
"No!" He heard Shepard yell. An azure wall appeared in front of him, but it only served to slow the rocket down.
Time slowed down for Garrus as he watched the rocket rush towards him, he tried to move but his limbs wouldn't obey him. He froze like a rookie just out of boot camp.
I'm sorry Shepard. was the only thing that went through his mind and the rocket slammed into him.
The rocket hit and detonated on his shields. They held only long enough to stop the rocket's momentum, but not enough to save him from the blast. The blast caught him on the right side of his face and sent him spinning to the floor, landing on his now injured side.
His vision went black, with pain. Pain unlike any he had felt before. Pain that felt like his entire body was on fire, inside and out. Pain as if he had been riddled with bullet holes until nothing but meat and shattered plates were left.
"Garrus!" He heard Shepard yell out over the blood rushing in his ears. He thought he could hear grief in her usually calm and steady voice. "Come on Garrus! Stay with me!"
Garrus' vision slowly came back into focus. He was becoming numb to everything but her voice. He thought he could feel a pool of something wet under his face, but it didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that Shepard here with him now.
"EDI!" He heard Shepard yell into her comms. He slowly brought her gaze up to her eyes. The were wet again, this time he thought he could see small trails of that wetness making their way down her face.
"I need a med evac! And I needed it twenty minutes ago!" Shepard's voice was still filled with grief, she wasn't even trying to hide it.
"Come on Garrus! Stay with me!" Shepard rolled him over to be resting on his back and not his side.
"Massani! Find me a med-kit! Taylor! Get me some of those blankets! NOW!" Shepard yelled out to her squad.
Garrus slowly moved his hand towards her. It was getting harder for him to focus. He feared he would black out again. Worse he feared he wouldn't wake up this time. Garrus managed to move his hand towards hers and gripped it tightly.
Garrus managed to choke out a single word. "Sh-Shepard..."
"Shhh. Garrus don't talk." Shepard locked eyes with him, for the first time that he'd known her Garrus saw grief, raw and unbridled, in her eyes.
Pain lanced through Garrus' body once more as Shepard pressed a blanket to his face. His hand squeezed tight against her hand in pain.
"Come on, Garrus. Stay with me. I'm not losing you."
"Move over, Shepard." He heard Massani say next to her. "I've got more experience at this." His voice was steady. The voice of a veterian. The voice of one that knew what was needed. One that knew how this ended.
Garrus felt the man's hands on his face spreading soothing medi-gel over his wound. It was larger than he'd expected. Garrus felt the man's hands spread the cold gel over the length of his mandible and up onto his neck.
"Commander!" the other man spoke. "Shuttle's here!"
Garrus felt small yet powerful arms lift him up, one arm under his back the other under his thighs. Shepard was holding him up and close to her chest. Garrus looked at her, but was too numb to care that she wasn't wreathed in energy like she should've been.
"Where is it?" Shepard's voice still cracked with pain and grief.
"Out front Ma'am" The same man replied.
"Good." Shepard replied and moved over to the window.
"Shepard, What the hell… ?" Garrus heard Massani say. He was interrupted when Shepard stepped up onto the window ledge and dropped down. Garrus felt himself falling slowly in her arms, not the sudden crash of jumping like he expected.
"Come on Garrus. We're going home. Stay with me big guy. Stay with me."
Garrus tried but failed. He felt himself being lowered onto a flat surface just before he blacked out once more.
"Karin! Help him!" Shepard called out upon reaching the Normandy's medbay. She was once again carrying Garrus. He felt weightless in her arms.
Her pain was not physical, but it felt like it. Shepard felt as if a large part of her soul was slowly being torn from her body. With every faint breath Garrus drew it kept her hopes up that he would pull through. She knew though that it would be close. If anyone could save him Karin could.
"Put him over there." Karin said motioning towards a bed nearly next to the door. Shepard obeyed. She saw the table next to the bed was full of various medical equipment.
"Put this IV in him. I need to get something." Shepard mindlessly followed her orders. She whispered soothing words to Garrus, more for her benefit than his, he had passed out from the pain once on the shuttle.
Chakwas came back over to the bed, a box in her hands. Shepard's eyes widened at the biohazard symbol on it's side.
"Shepard go. I can't do this with you in here." Shepard didn't move.
"Katherine." Chakwas said. Shepard's eyes snapped to the elder woman's face away from Garrus' limp form.
"Go. I will save him but not with you here." Shepard nodded and left.
Once Shepard crossed the threshold, the door to the medbay sealed and locked behind her. Shepard felt numb. She had no idea what to do anymore. Her only hope was that Karin would be able to keep Garrus alive.
Shepard blanked her mind. She knew where her train of thought would go already from experience. Shepard didn't remember doing it but she found herself sitting on the floor next to the medbay door, back resting against the bulkhead. Shepard lost all sense of time, not allowing any thought into her mind other than her pleas to the divines.
"Hey." Shepard was too numb to be startled by Massani's voice, now filled with concern.
Shepard just started at him blankly. "Mind if I join you?" Massani asked, his tone soft.
Shepard nodded and Massani sat down next to her.
"You really care for him don't you?" Massani asked, his voice still uncharacteristically soft.
"More than I want to admit." Shepard replied her voice weak.
"I've met that Salarian you're looking for." Massani said, his voice gentler than Shepard thought possible. "He's a fantastic doctor. You'll need him."
Shepard just nodded not knowing what to say.
"Go back to Omega and get him. If anyone can help your Turian friend its him."
Shepard heard and accepted his words to be true, but she didn't move.
"I'll stay here Shepard. I'll keep watch and make sure nothing happens to him. If something does You'll be the first to know."
Shepard found her voice again. "Why are you doing this?" She asked, still numb from everything that had happened.
"You remind me of my niece. Her husband was killed by raiders. She became a shell of what she was."
"I couldn't save him." Shepard said, looking at the door.
"You're probably the only reason he's still alive Shepard." Massani stood and pulled her up with him.
"Go. Get Solus and bring him back here. I won't let anyone in long as I still draw breath."
"Thank you, Zaeed." Shepard said, her voice no longer the flat toneless voice it had been.
"Don't thank me yet, girl. Now go, your friend doesn't have all day."
Somehow Massani knew what she needed. Shepard had a goal. She had something to focus on. She still had a reason to go on. Her soul still felt as if it was being torn apart, but she had a way to fix it.
"EDI." Shepard called out upon stepping into the elevator. She pressed the button for the CIC.
"Yes Commander?" EDI's synthesized voice came over the elevator's speakers.
"No one other than me is to board or leave the ship until further notice." Shepard replied, her tone dark and serious.
"Understood Commander. Will there be anything else?"
"Send the fastest route to Mordin Solus' clinic to my omni-tool."
"Done." Shepard's omni-tool pinged at her.
"That will be all EDI."
"Logging you out Commander." Edi replied and the doors to the elevator opened.
Shepard strode out of the elevator and the ship with purpose, ignoring everyone on her way out.
"Where do you think you're goin' lady?" Shepard heard a Turian's voice in front of her, filled with annoyance.
"I'm going in there to get my stuff out before looters get it." An equally annoyed human woman replied.
Shepard found her way to the district Doctor Solus was supposed to be in blocked by Turian guard. A younger human woman, just into her twenties by the look of her, stood in front of the Turian, her back to Shepard.
"Not happenin' lady. District's sealed, Aria's orders." The Tuiran's voice gaining a slight edge to it.
"I'm human you ass! I can't get the plague! Let me get my stuff out!"
"What's going on here?" Shepard asked, a deadly edge in her voice.
"Turn around. Aria's had the district sealed 'til the plague is cured." The Turian replied ignoring the other human now.
"I'm going in there. Anyone gets in my way and I'll kill them. Including you." Shepard's eyes narrowed, daring the Turian to test her.
The Turian took a step back. A scarred human in full body armor wasn't something to mess with. That body armor having the N7 logo on it made it even more intimidating.
"Fine. I'll call ahead for the other guards to let you in." The turian replied, his sub-vocals held a tinge of fear.
"Your letting her in but not me? Fucking asshole!" The other woman replied, hate filling her voice.
"You're not an N7 lady. Get lost." The woman snorted and left. The Turian let Shepard through.
"I can't wait to get out of this shit hole. Don't understand way Tarak wants us to hold this place, I'd rather be helping kill Archangel." Shepard heard a Blue Suns merc just ahead of her say to his partner.
"Yeah. I want to put a bullet in that fucker's head. Killed my brother." The other Blue Suns merc replied.
Shepard quietly moved into cover. The mercs were too engrossed in their conversation to notice her. Anger filler her veins hearing the mercs words. Shepard felt primal power just under the surface of her mind. She prodded it and felt biotic energy spring into her arms. Instinctively she flicked her arms out in front of her. Before her azure glowing blades flared out and formed around her fists. She had used her biotics to power her limbs before, but she never imagined that that energy could be formed into biotic omni-blades.
Shepard heard the first merc speak again. "Yeah if I could, I would flay him alive. I'd slowly peel his plates off his body before…"
Shepard interrupted him with a primal rage filled yell. The mercs turned to look at her. She sprinted out from her cover. The mercs raised their weapons and fired. Shepard was on them just as the first burst caught her in the chest. Her shields flared but held. She lashed out with her blades. She caught the first merc under his jaw, the blade easily cut through his shields and armor killing him instantly. The other merc was caught in the chest. He wasn't lucky enough to be stabbed in the heart, Shepard missed by a air and instead caught his right lung.
Blind rage clouded Shepard's thought. Instead of simply killing him then and there she pulled her blade out of both mercs. She used each blade to lop off both of the merc's arms.
"Please!" The merc pleaded. "Don't make me suffer!"
Shepard glared at the merc, her steely gaze held nothing but the promise of death.
"Archangel is my friend." Shepard replied and left him there. She left him to bleed out alone and in slow agonizing pain.
She allowed her blades to fade. Exhaustion came over her in a crashing wave. Without practice she knew she couldn't do that often or for very long.
Shepard turned to keep following the path EDI had mapped out for her. She didn't get far before she heard a racking sobbing fit of coughs just ahead. Shepard moved to find the source.
There sitting on the ground, covered in his own blood, was a Batarian. Shepard moved closer to him and his coughing fit subsided. The Batarian noticed Shepard coming closer. When she came within arms reach the Batarian raised his arm, a Carnifex pistol loosely gripped in his weak hands, his finger on the trigger.
"Stay back human!" The Batarian wezzed out. "I'll.. I'll.." He was interrupted with another racking coughing fit.
Shepard knelt down next to him, ignoring the gun. She pulled up her Omni-tool and keyed up a medi-gel injection. She pressed her palm against the Batarians chest and injected the gel into him.
"It won't cure the plague." Shepard said standing up "But it'll help."
Th-thank you." He wezzed out.
"I'm going to the clinic. If they have a cure I'll have someone bring it to you." Shepard turned and started to leave.
"Wait!" The Batarian called out.
"You... You're the Demon. Why... Why would you help me?" He asked , the medi-gel helping him fight through the pain he must've been in.
Shepard looked at him, her eyes held no emotion in them. "Not even a Batarian deserves this. To die slow and alone to something you can't fight back is only fitting for a small group of people."
"Thank you. I owe you my life." The Batarian replied.
"Just remember. Some demons can be angels too." With that Shepard left, continuing towards the clinic.
Shepard had reached the clinic. The guards at the front desk directed her to a room in the back. As Shepard approached the room she heard a long winded stream of medical talk, it all sounded like nonsense to her.
Shepard came to a room with two humans and a Salarian standing over a panel of displays.
"Doctor Solus?" Shepard asked looking at the Salarian.
He was old for a Salarian and his appearance showed it. He looked both old with his decisions and yet young with his vibrancy. Shepard had read over his dossier several times. Mordin Solus was a former Salarian Special Tasks Group agent. Both a brilliant scientist and an expert infiltrator. Shepard knew that even after she got him to help Garrus he would be a useful asset.
"Hmmm?" the Salarian asked and turned to face her.
"Who are you? Merc? No, no district closed off. Guard? No same problem. Researcher here to use plague as Bio-weapon? No, no, no too heavily armed. Facial scarring suggests heavy cybernetics…"
Shepard raised a hand and interrupted him. "My name is Commander Shepard. I'm on a critical mission and I need your help."
Mordin turned back to his displays, typing something into the keyboard. "Mission? What mission? No. Must cure plague first."
"I need your help, Doctor. One of my friends is injured. You may be his best beat of living." Shepard allowed the sincerity of her words into her voice. She allowed her grief into too, though unintentional.
"Fine will help him." He leveled his omni-tool in her direction. "Bio signs show interesting readings. This friend close? Possible lover or mate?"
Shepard blushed. "He.." She was interrupted by the room going dark then red as backup lighting kicked on. Shepard could feel the air still. After living on ships most of her life Shepard knew what this meant.
"Doctor! What happened?" One of the humans, a woman, asked, fear in her voice.
"Not good, not good. Life support down, nearby Vorcha must have disabled it." Mordin turned back to Shepard.
"Have cure already made. Just need to be distributed. Take it and go to life support systems. Get it back on and put the cure into system. I will go with you when you return. Go don't have long."
Shepard nodded and left the room.
"EDI." Shepard said.
"Yes Commander?" EDI replied over her comes.
"Send me a route to the district life support, fastest route."
Her omni-tool pinged. "Completed."
Shepard began moving down the route EDI mapped out for her. She pulled out her Vindicator and held it at the ready.
"Thank you EDI. Let Chakwas know she will have some help soon."
"She has been notified Commander."
"ETA, back to the Normandy two hours. Signing out."
Zaeed watched as Shepard approached him, a Salarian right on her heels.
"Here we are Mordin. Our doctor is aware you're coming." Shepard spoke to the Salarian.
"Zaeed. Let him in." He nodded and opened the door behind him.
Shepard turned away before she could get a glimpse inside. She did however, hear the steady beeps of medical equipment. Shepard knew them all too well. She allowed herself to smile at hearing the regular even beeping that should have been there. She allowed herself to hope.
"Shepard? You ok?" Zaeed asked.
"Yeah I'll be fine." She said and whipped away the tears that threatened to come forth.
"Go and get some sleep Shepard. You look like you need it. I'll keep watch 'til Chakwas says otherwise." Zaeed's tone was the same soft voice he used earlier.
"Thanks Zaeed. For everything."
"Don' mention it Shepard. You're the only one that can stop them guddamned reapers. If you fall apart, we all do." Shepard nodded at his words.
Shepard walked to the elevator.
"EDI. If anyone needs me tell them to wait six hours. Unless it's life or death it can wait."
"Understood Commander. Anything else?" EDI's smooth synthetic voice replied.
"Alert me as soon as Doctor Chakwas and Doctor Solus are done with Officer Vakarian. Other than that let me sleep."
"Understood Commander. Logging you out."
AN:
Oh man this was a hard chapter to write. The part that was hard wasn't the actual writing of it but that I came close to tears several times during this. I don't like killing off characters and the fact that it felt like I was almost killing off one of my favorite characters out of everything (games, books, comicbooks, movies etc) was rough.
So I kinda lied in my last note. Turns out that what's going on in my Rift guild has actually given me more time and not less. No clue as to how that happened but whatever.
Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this. Please let me know if you did/didn't like it and if there's anything I could improve on.
Mega thanks for the follows, favorites and reviews! Even bigger thanks to two friends of mine from my guild. They provided some much needed insight and inspiration for this and previous chapters.
Not sure if I'm going to do Grunt or Jack's mission next, I've finally caught up to where I am in ME2 so I'll need to play through it again first. If any of you would like me to add one of them first over the other please let me know!
Alright I'm done rambling. Until next time!
