Omega
01020 hours
Lifting its nose to the air, the rat sniffed carefully in all directions before setting off at speed once it was certain of its objective. It was dark. The landscape jumbled and uneven. Dim light crept through the gaps, casting everything into shades of grey. With the cunning and skill of its kind, it oiled around corners and squirmed through impossibly narrow passages, climbing with great dexterity up and over little hills. Despite the safety of the shadows, it paused momentarily as it neared its target, sniffing warily before it lifted a small foreleg to continue on. The rush of air warned it of danger. Instinctively, it dodged to escape. A squeak of surprise and pain.
Snarling with triumph, he examined his prize and reached to pull it from his spear when another hand darted for the carcass. A quick snap and a growl of angry warning. The woman bared her teeth before retreating, eyes gleaming through her oily tangled hair. Glaring at her for a while longer for her presumption, he tossed the little body into the sack tied around his waist and lightly leaped to the top of the battered skycar, searching for his next target.
Nothing moved. No sign of them. He was not worried. This was but one of many passages they could use. They were but one of many groups roaming the forsaken grounds. They were however, one of the few who knew exactly what needed to be done. His luck if they used this passage. It would save him and his group a lot of time. The spoils would be theirs. Patiently, he waited, flicking his eyes on the surroundings, checking for any signs of activity. He scratched the throbbing and itching lumps on his arms. A light touch startled him and he nearly lashed out, annoyed that the pesky thief was trying again. Three times now she had managed to steal kills from him. This time, he would teach her a lesson.
However he stopped when he saw who it was. With gentle hands, she reached for his arms and rubbed them soothingly. It pleased him. She always comforted his aches away when lesions erupted. Wordlessly, he returned the favor. A flicker of unhappiness arose when he saw how marred her dark blue arms were. Her markings were different from his. They were black streaks, not lumps. He did not know if they gave her pain. Something ought to be done and he wasn't sure what.
A soft snarl drew their gaze to the top of the mound on the right. Eyes gleaming blue above his sharp teeth and missing half headplate, the Krogan hunched over, almost as if he was waiting for the sound of a starter-gun to set him off running. He looked over the roof of the skycar and almost chortled with glee. He had guessed right. The useless armoured two legs were moving through the corridor.
Without waiting for his signal, the Krogan rushed forward, laying about with his club into the hated white armoured interlopers. The Krogan was not alone, the others were also moving in. Gunfire erupted, hoarse voices grunted and screamed from beneath black faced helmets. Snarling, he lopped towards them, aware of her beside him and her eagerness. Knives out, they charged into the melee.
The Cerberus troopers tried but they were not as fast or as bloodthirsty. Hardsuits were no protection against opponents who moved inhumanly fast and knew exactly where to strike. Whenever a trooper brought up his weapon, his target inevitably flickered and vanished, leaving him with nothing to shoot at. The next moment, he was screaming as sharp points, amplified with biotics, entered his throat, behind his back or his groin. A cruel twist and slice left no room for survival.
There were those who simply used their biotics, flicking in at close range to reach and tear off pieces of the hardsuits with inhuman hands before the hapless trooper was torn apart. A swift end was a mercy. The unlucky ones had their arms and legs wrenched and broken, still alive when the Krogans took hold of them by a sound limb or any convenient hold and smashed them about as they pleased. The others howled in delight when this happened. The troopers screamed to no avail until blood lost and internal injuries saw to their end.
It was sometime before they realised there were no targets left. A chorus of howls marked their triumph as they swamped over the crates on the carts the troopers were escorting. Wrenching one open, he grabbed a few energy bars and thrust them at her when she came up. The delight in her eyes warmed him. He tried again to bring up words but they eluded him. Shrugging, he growled and gestured to the others who gathered up the crates. Taking her hand, he towed her behind him as she bit at the energy bar she unwrapped, leaving the scene of gory carnage behind them. No one would care. No one would clean up. Not one of the killers would be brought before a court.
Omega had gone to the wolves.
Thessia
Gallia wished she was back at the tower, yakking with Pulchia and Nervia, sharing food and beverages. Having deployed on Thessia for a year now, she had come to know them very well and thought they were really great gals to hang out with. With them, she could shoot off her mouth as she liked, even taking a few potshots at some matriarchs for she knew they wouldn't take offense when the matriarchs themselves were in bad odor.
After the attack on the spaceport defenses, her CO had reassigned her to the academy. She wished she had the guts to say no. Being a lowly grunt had its advantages and disadvantages. One of which was that she didn't have to permanently keep a pair of black eyes as the higher ranked officers. The good hardworking ones. Sometimes, she didn't know if they slept but she knew she had more chances at rack time than they do. They might get the better cut of food and other privileges but they also get a lot of shit when things went south.
The downside of being a low pay grade was that she couldn't reject an order without good cause. She also had non-existent clout so she couldn't pull on someone's ear. Of course she could protest that a corporal wasn't up to the job, which was true in her opinion. It should have gone to a captain or a major but she had a feeling the top brass wasn't keen in losing another top officer to the mires of Asari politics. So now she was sitting for hours on her butt, watching vids of training sessions in the large operations centre in the Asari academy. It was no different sitting in the tower, she busted her butt there as well but she had two fine gals to knock about with. Here, she had no one. It was a prospect she didn't much relish.
Not so good, Gallia. Just three days and you're ready to throw in the towel.
Part of the restlessness was due to the cool reception she received from the academy captain. She didn't like to be put down for something she hadn't done yet but that was the impression she got from this captain Nyrine Rylaer. Not that the captain actually put it in words but her attitude implied that she wasn't fit to scrap the mud off her boots.
Well, Miss-High-And-Mighty, I'm going to stick it out just to wave a finger of triumph at you.
Maybe that's why Shepard went off planet. That's right, a mere Asari captain scaring off the human who ate Reapers for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper with extra cheese. Food for thought. The thought of food brought a rumbling to her stomach. She looked furtively around her. No one seemed to have heard the thunder. Grumpily, she cursed at her forgetfulness to bag a sandwich but her late night with Pulchia and Nervia brought about a very late sleep period. When she had to get up, she had simply slammed down on the alarm, rolled over to sleep some more and woke up to find she was really really late. She had rushed off without preparing any snacks.
The chronometer swam into her line of sight. She glared at it, wishing she could shift the numbers. Another two hours before she could officially leave to grab a bite. Perhaps she could buttonhole one of the soldiers to get her something. As if by magic, a blue hand deposited a paper wrapped bread roll and a cup of juice before her.
"I noticed you're looking a little pale," Sanar offered when Gallia stared at her in astonishment.
"Damn right you are." Gallia flashed her a grin, unwrapping the paper and tucking into the roll. It was stuffed with meat and greens still piping hot. It could use some cheese but she wasn't going to complain. "You guys got a good setup running here." She chewed, drank from the cup and waved at the live feed of squads of recruits manuevering against one another for the training session of that day. "Rough around the edges but given more time, I'd say you'll be ready to take on the bull by the horns."
Some of the words the corporal used didn't make sense but Sanar understood the gist of what she was saying. "How much more time do you think they need?" she asked.
"Several more months." Observing her disquiet, Gallia leaned in a little closer and said softly, "You don't think so?"
Other than the captain, she had nothing to bitch about the others. The lieutenant was more to her liking; friendly and receptive. Much like the gals she hung out with. Too, she was a looker. Not that she's attracted to females. Asari didn't think of themselves as females but to her, they all were. She wouldn't know how else to call them otherwise. The light green and red stripes and swirls of the lieutenant's facial markings enhanced her beautiful almond-like eyes and fine features.
"There are plans to go to Armali," Sanar murmured and drew back in alarm when Gallia jumped up.
"What?! Are they nuts?!" Gallia ignored the heads that turned in her direction at that outburst. "That's throwing chickies to the crocs!"
"I-," Sanar broke off when Gallia marched towards the exit. "Where are you going?"
She chased after, regretting letting loose the information. She had meant to discuss it quietly with the human since she felt she could trust her but Gallia's reaction took her off guard. Dismay set in fast. This corporal seemed more impulsive and outspoken than Shepard and the deceased major. She wished she had waited. Hastily, she grabbed hold of Gallia's arm once they were in the corridor.
"Wait, it's not officially confirmed. I heard it just now."
"C'mon, I know these brass heads." Gallia gestured indignantly, almost swiping Sanar's face with the half eaten roll. "They don't talk cheese unless they meant it." She resumed her march towards Zelenia's office. "I thought your boss has her head screwed on right."
She remembered the warm reception she received from the matriarch. Old but no fool. She had a very frank dialogue with her and had come away much assured that she wasn't being handed the short end of the stick.
"You don't understand." Sanar pulled her to a halt again. "I don't mean High Command or Zelenia has plans for Armali. I'm talking about Nyrine."
"What's that again?" Gallia was suitably confused.
Sanar glanced up and down the corridor. A few administrative staff were looking at them curiously. She motioned to Gallia to follow. They turned the corner down the corridor and into one of the lifts that would take them up to ground level.
"The captain wants to bring the kiddies out to Armali? Why?" Gallia asked.
"I overheard a conversation between training staff. They were talking about preparations for Armali and whether Nyrine is ready to assume responsibility."
Sanar leaned against the wall of the lift, still uncertain if she shouldn't tell Zelenia about it. It would be nice if she could get hold of Hiaras or Aethyta but they seemed to have vanished off the face of Thessia. She had no idea if Nyrine was carrying out some plan of theirs or otherwise. Aethyta had told her not to converse with Nyrine in any manner bar official business and she had adhered to it. It was perhaps foolishness to doubt Aethyta's confidence in Nyrine but she wished she was that certain of Nyrine herself.
"Doesn't mean it's true," said Gallia after swallowing another mouthful of breadroll. If the Asari had eyebrows, she was having a mighty big mental hashing at the moment, judging from the deep crease on her brow.
"Which is why I want to discuss it with you, quietly."
"Oh." An embarrassed flush reddened Gallia's face. "I have to shout it aloud, I see." Another notch in the long list of why she didn't make it past corporal. "So where are we going?"
"To the shuttle bays. Nyrine's there right now."
"Shit, you're going to ask her right up, aren't you?" Gallia whistled softly, surprised. Sanar didn't strike her as an assertive mover, rather, she would have put her as one of those steady, industrious deputies who always get the job quietly done behind the scene.
Three days and you think you know her and everyone else.
"That or sit by and wait for something to happen." Sanar straightened, a determined set to her face, when the lift stopped.
"Too right," Gallia said dryly as she followed her. "Waiting can be really bad sometimes," she added as she hurriedly finished the rest of the bread roll.
She drained the cup and tossed it into a waste bin when they reached the huge shuttle bay. It could accommodate thirty cargo trucks. Several landing pads were empty, the rest were filled with gunships and shuttles with more in the baffles. Teams of engineers and technicians were clustered around vehicles, servicing and repairing those that were damaged. Glaring bright sparks flared like fireworks from welded parts, bent steel sang in a steady beat as they were hammered into shape. Nyrine was no where in sight. Nor were there any recruits or soldiers around.
Sanar paused now and then to query on the whereabouts of Nyrine and was directed to the farthest shuttle near the transport exit of the shuttle bay. With Gallia behind her, she hurried over to the shuttle and saw hardsuited soldiers. If a mission to Armali was indeed to take place that day, Nyrine should have delegated her duties over but she had said nothing to her. If it was not, Nyrine could be prepping a shuttle for a purpose other than a military mission. If so, why were soldiers standing around, seemingly waiting to board? As they went nearer, Sanar recognised none of them. On looking closer at their hardsuits, she realised there was no unit patches or rank flash. Her anxiety flared into alarm.
"What's up?" Gallia asked when Sanar slowed down. The tension coming off the Asari was thick as gravy.
"They are not academy commandos." Sanar felt they ought to turn around. Retreat and report to Zelenia. That was what she should have done from the beginning.
"How'd they get-," Gallia broke off. The commandos had seen them. She grabbed hold of Sanar's arm. "Right, how about we turn around right now and make a break for it?" she said, not liking the way the commandos were moving towards them. With swift purpose. As if they were expected, she realised.
Before either of them could retreat more than a few steps, they were surrounded by four of them. Four? Gallia realised the other two must have been hidden themselves behind the nearby shuttle.
"You're on time, Lt. T'Enaire," one of them said, hard-eyed. "You brought the human too. Do not risk the lives of others here if you wish to preserve them," she added warningly when Gallia took a step forward.
Shock held Sanar immobile. Surely they wouldn't create such chaos within the grounds of the academy? How would they explain it? "You would dare?" she said when she found her voice.
"With the Elders' wisdom, we dare. None," the commando looked around them, "will live to tell the tale."
"Wow, that's certainly drastic," Gallia drawled, crossing her arms. "You people sure know how to cut off the nose to spite the face."
"Be silent," the commando said coldly. "Bring them."
With two behind their backs nudging them on to the shuttle, Sanar and Gallia exchanged a glance and moved. Neither of them were willing to test the commando's implied threat. Who knew they didn't have bombs planted around the landing bay? Such an incident could easily be explained away. Malfunctioning fueling tanks or ordnance, with evidence planted or muddied thereafter. If the Assembly, or part of it, were supporting this clandestine mission, Sanar knew there was nothing the commandos wouldn't do. But exactly what were they going to do with her and Gallia? The easiest course would be to shoot them and toss them off the shuttle on the way to wherever they were going.
She didn't think Nyrine would stand for it if she was with the commandos but would the captain be able to do anything to prevent it? If she and Gallia died, how were they going to explain it? That they had inexplicably run off to join the TI? When they stepped into the shuttle, Sanar found a full squad of commandos strapped into their seats. Two got up immediately when they saw them. The commandos moved them to the empty seats and told them to sit down.
Exchanging another glance with Gallia, Sanar sat quietly. Neither of them were in hardsuits or armed. She was not sure what they could do or if they could, later. Once in Armali, what was going to happen? She eyed the large crates tied down in the middle of the cargo compartment. A movement from the cockpit drew their gaze. Nyrine glanced at them. Her face was expressionless. She nodded wordlessly when the commando who had spoken to them murmured something and buckled into a seat at the other side of the compartment. The two commandos who had given up their seats held on to handholds as the shuttle lifted.
Well, shit, Gallie, what did you jump into now?
Whatever was going to happen next, Gallia was sure they were getting front row seats to whatever was stalling the efforts to retaking Thessia. Too bad she wouldn't be able to share any of her information with her gals. The chances of getting back to her own rack tonight seemed slim. Worst come to the worst, she would be sharing a drink with her old buddies in the afterlife bar. But hell, she wouldn't be going down quietly. Looking across at Sanar, she wondered what the lieutenant was thinking.
Sanar was more interested in the crates and what they held. If they were really heading for Armali, she was certain the group was making a rendezvous with the TI. To blatantly move around so openly, to use academy shuttles said a lot about the level of collaboration. The Assembly collaborators were definitely deep in the mud with the TI. If it was discovered, the shattering of the clans and the Republics might come about. Why were they doing this? Was it to save the TI? No, it had to be something else, Sanar felt. Whatever it was, she would find out soon enough. It was unfortunate that Gallia was inadvertently dragged into the situation. Judging from the human's set expression, she had the same inclination not to go out without a fight.
Looking at the faces of the commandos around her, Sanar knew it would be difficult. Commandos were veterans of many conflicts and not easy to overcome. She wondered if they all came from one clan or many. Not that it mattered at the moment. She couldn't see Nyrine from where she was sitting. Did she know exactly what was in Armali? If she did, did she tell Aethyta? And Hiaras? What was Hiaras doing now? A pang hit her. There wouldn't be any more sharing or another visit to the waterfall as she promised. Closing her eyes, Sanar pulled up memories of that day.
Crossing her arms, Gallia leaned back in her seat, wondering how long the journey would take and decided to follow Sanar's example. Better to swim around in memories than to stare at her would-be killers. Funny. She'd often assumed she would end up getting impaled by some Reaper thrall or turned into goo. Instead, she was getting one in the back from those she thought were her allies. Such surprises she could do without. She should have bounced out of the Alliance when the war was over, go back home to the farm. If it still existed. She didn't think so judging from reports of the vast contamination of the Earth. Entering those zones would be foolhardy. Damn it, she hadn't even found out if any of her family and relatives survived the war.
Fuck it, Gallia, they're dead. Face it.
Getting out and going back home was shitty anyway. What idiot would prefer more hardships when she could get free hot chow, clothing, a comfy clean rack and medical care off the Alliance? She'd end up scrapping in the debris of wrecked streets and buildings, fighting for space, bits of food and eating rodents. She shivered when she recalled the survivors she encountered in the months after the end of the war. They looked worst than the husks, having being trapped and entrenched for months. There were suspicion of cannibalism but no one was willing to start prying and all that shit. That can of worms no one wanted to touch. Better to look the other way.
She opened her eyes when she felt the shuttle descending, meeting Sanar's eyes. This was it. She tensed when the standing commandos opened the hatch of the shuttle when it landed. A hard hand on her shoulder pressed her back when she made to peer out. The commando next to her glared at her in warning. Fine. If that was what she wanted. It wasn't time to start dancing anyway.
Nyrine strolled past without a look at either of them. She strained her ears to get an idea of what was going on outside but could only get inaudible murmurs of conversation. Before long, the commandos in the shuttle were unshackling the crates and carrying them out. Then it was their turn. With a pair of commandos behind them, they exited the shuttle.
Where they were, Sanar had no idea but it was clear they were in the ruins of a village. In what was once the festival plaza. Wrecks of gunships, skycars and shuttles lay scattered all around. The once beautiful plaze flooring was marred by cracked surfaces and gouges. Her heart sank as she scrutinised the newcomers that ringed the plaza. TI. Without a doubt. Their hardsuits were much begrimed. Their faces were lean and dark with fevered shadowed eyes.
A small group stood at the crates. One of the TI commandos opened a crate and brought out a package. Energy bars, Sanar realised. The Assembly was supplying food to the TI? And what else? A shove behind her propelled her and Gallia forward to the group.
"What's this?" the TI commando rasped, looking at them.
"Trouble makers," Nyrine said dismissively. "You could use more hands, I heard."
"Ohh, we do." The TI commando tossed the package back into the crate. "We need more than hands."
"That much is clear from your message but to get more, you know what we ask for." Nyrine looked back steadily when the TI growled. For a moment, they glared at each other, neither giving an inch. Minutes went by. No one moved. Finally, with a snarl, the TI commando marched off into the ruins.
"That one looks like she wants to eat you," Gallia leaned in to whisper, eyeing one of the TI commandos near the crates. She had been gazing at Sanar the moment they appeared. Like a starving tiger sniffing out and now eyeing its prey, she thought.
"I don't taste good," Sanar returned softly, avoiding the gaze of the TI in question.
"You'll taste good," one of their guard commandos said behind them. "They like to do the forbidden."
"What?" Gallia queried when Sanar went pale. "Crap, if you have nothing nice to say, shut up," she threw angrily at the commando when Sanar said nothing.
"It'll not be so bad for you human," the commando grinned. "You won't feel it."
"Really? You would know so much if you have been at it yourself," Gallia threw back.
"Don't try me human."
"Or what? Want to try me on for size?" Gallia challenged, tensing when the commando looked ready to lash out.
"Silence!" Nyrine stared icily at the commando who backed down, sweeping her gaze at the others before turning back to see the TI commando approaching with someone.
The atmosphere around them changed. The TI soldiers genuflected and weaved a symbol of reverence with their hands, Sanar realised. It could only mean one thing. Whoever she was, she was a matriarch of high standing. A TI matriarch? Her skin crawled. As the matriarch moved closer, she looked as bad as the TI, with the exception that her aura seemed to burn more brightly within. For a moment, she stood. As if surveying a thousand minions at her feet.
"I am Aiahcra." She held her arms out, looking at the TI soldiers. "I am the Eldest, the bearer of wisdom. I hold the keys to our ascension."
"We hear. Guide us for we are yours."
Gallia was tempted to scratch her head in bemusement. The matriarch's entry was quiet and then she swept into that bold introduction. Perhaps the matriarch would throw out lightning bolts or something next to demonstrate her power and break into a long speech. It was always like that in funny old vids. A peek at Sanar. She wondered why the lieutenant was so thunderstruck. Another careful scrutiny of the matriarch. She found she had missed out one aspect; the matriarch looked really old. Ancient.
Wow, how old is she?
"Your Eminence." Nyrine bowed her head respectfully. "The people ask for your return."
"I am already home, where is that you ask me to return to?" The matriarch reached down into the crate. "Is this all that is?" She held up the package.
"We ask pardon for such poor offerings but we need to ascertain that you are here," said Nyrine.
"And now?" The matriarch drew herself up with visible effort, as if she was tired.
"Now, we have to bring you back." Without warning, Nyrine's arm whipped up and something snick out. The matriarch staggered, eyes widened in astonishment before anger took over.
"You dare!" she roared, biotics flaring as she clapped a hand to her neck.
Around the plaza, the TI commandos reacted immediately, throwing out biotic barriers and whipping out their weapons. The rogue commandos near the shuttle dove for cover. Nyrine barely dodged the biotic blast the matriarch threw at her. She rolled and dashed to Sanar, throwing a pistol to her before tackling a confused Gallia at the legs, toppling her to the ground as the commandos guarding them drew their rifles to shoot their prisoners. Sanar shot one of them, biotically pushed the other commando away and ducked down when gunfire crisscrossed the plaza. A commando flew past when one of the TI soldiers threw her biotically.
"Into the shuttle!" Nyrine shouted, dragging Gallia up and shoving her in that direction, grabbing the rifle off the wounded commando Sanar shot. The other chose to concentrate on the TI after recovering from the push and had gone round the shuttle. "Get the pilot!" she said to Sanar, shooting down another of the rogue commandos who had come around a skycar to shoot at them before entering the shuttle.
Sanar dashed to the cockpit and found the hatch locked. Nyrine stopped her when she was about to toggle her omni-tool to hack the controls. She called out to the pilot who opened the hatch. A loud crack was heard after she entered. Looking in, Sanar saw the pilot sagging in the chair. There was no sign of any wounds so she presumed Nyrine had knocked her unconscious.
"Stay here and don't move," Nyrine said as she hurried back to the exit hatch.
"Shit, give me something to shoot with!" Gallia yelled, not liking to stand around in a firefight empty-handed.
"Wait!" Sanar grabbed Nyrine's arm before she charged back out of the shuttle. "Where're you going?"
"I came here for someone. Dead or alive, she's coming with us." Nyrine nodded to the matriarch, now lying unconscious on the ground. A small group of TI was shielding her with their bodies and a shield bubble was visible. There were signs they were going to move her.
"Not alone!" Sanar went out after her.
"Shit." Gallia was nearly hopping with rage as she watched them go. She wasn't that nuts to run out after them so what should she do? There were no spare rifles in the weapon racks on the shuttle. What could she do?
Fuck, can't shoot? Get into the cockpit! Stupid!
She cursed at herself and pulled the unconscious pilot out of her chair before running a systems check. A quick getaway was in the cards. She heard a familiar thrum as she warmed up the board.
I know that sound.
Checking the shuttle scanner, Gallia could see an icon of a ship approaching. It was almost right on top. Outside, the exchange of gunfire intensified. With Nyrine, Sanar dashed to the wreck of a skycar near the shuttle. Nyrine pointed. Sanar nodded and threw up a shield once they reached the ruin of a fountain. She was not sure how many of the rogue commandos had survived but there were definitely some still around and putting up a fight. She looked anxiously around them as Nyrine peered over the rim of the fountain.
"How're you going to get to her?" she asked.
"I'm waiting," Nyrine muttered. "Here they are."
"Who-?" Sanar broke off when a large shadow came over them.
Looking up, she saw a Geth dropship. Preoccupied with their situation, she did not notice its approach. It was low. So low she could have sworn she could count the number of rivets on a hull plating. The Geth did not shoot. Instead, ports opened in the underbelly and more commandos were dropping in, dressed in hardsuits of grey-blue and wearing arm patches that belonged to the Geilsia Republic. Clan emblems under those patches identified them as commandos from clan T'Soni and T'Deynor.
"When are you going to tell me what you're up to?" Sanar demanded.
"Later," Nyrine said.
One of the commandos ran over to them, going so fast that the TI couldn't seem to pinpoint her. Sanar tried not to gap when she saw the commando's face through her helmet visor.
"How many?" Hiaras patted Sanar's leg, a glint of astonishment in her eyes. What're you doing here?
"Too busy to take a count?" Sanar frowned at her despite the relief and happiness she was feeling.
"I estimate two platoons or more. The target's down with that group." Nyrine indicated the spot.
"They're ready to throw their lives down, I see." Hiaras noted the pile of bodies stacked up around the TI defenders. They were getting ready to move away. She could see a body held over the shoulders of one soldier. "This will be a little difficult. Stay here." She was away before Sanar could ask how she might help.
"I think the ones that came with us are down," Nyrine observed. Most of the TI attack was concentrated on the newly arrived commandos. "We should get those who're wounded into the shuttle. Shouldn't leave them for the TI."
"They were ready to leave me and Gallia with them," Sanar said sourly but followed Nyrine.
They found the commando Sanar had wounded, unconscious, and dragged her into the shuttle. Scurrying from wreckage to wreckage, they tried to ferret out those who had fallen. Behind them, Hiaras and her squads pushed back the TI with the Geth ship now shooting further afield as more TI troops were spotted. Clapping a hand to her helmet comlink when they were near their target, Hiaras spoke rapidly. One of the dropship gun turrets turned and fired a shot at the group protecting the matriarch. Not a direct hit but near enough to weaken the shield the TI was holding up.
The moment it collapsed, Hiaras threw a precise calculated biotic throw with the squad that blasted most of the TI soldiers out of their positions and followed it up with several shots that killed them, saved for the one who was carrying the matriarch. She held her fire and waited, peering out from her cover. As if realising there was no desire to shoot at her because of her burden, the TI commando opted to use the matriarch as a shield, retreating as fast as she could. Hiaras simply put a shot through her lower leg and she was overwhelmed easily. The matriarch was removed. Towlines were dropped from the Geth ship. The matriarch was fastened to one. Hiaras ran for the shuttle as the rest of her squad clipped on to the lines. The Geth dropship shot off missiles to keep the TI down as the Geilsia Republic commandos and the matriarch were pulled into the ship.
"Get in," Hiaras shouted to Sanar and Nyrine as she neared the shuttle. "We're moving out."
"Come on, we got them all." Nyrine tugged at Sanar and they ran for the shuttle.
Out of the corner of her eye, Nyrine spotted an approaching white smoke trail and shoved Sanar aside. The rocket exploded near the shuttle, rocking it violently. Inside, Gallia cursed when she was tossed out of her seat. Scrambling up, she jumped back on and activated the seat restraints.
"Hiaras!" Sanar bent over Nyrine in horror. So much blood. Frantically, she tried to staunch the head wound.
"Not here! Get her in." Hiaras took hold of one of Nyrine's arms as Sanar took the other. Together, they got her into the shuttle. Hiaras was about to run for the cockpit but spotted the human through the open doorway. "Get us out of here!" she shouted as she closed the hatch of the cargo compartment. "We're sealed."
"Yeah, yeah! Hold on to your knickers damn it-," Gallia trailed off as the shuttle lifted, wobbling unsteadily. Fingers dancing rapidly over the controls, she made adjustments and took manual control. The last thing she needed was for the shuttle to freak out. "We're away."
Behind them, the Geth dropship made for space. The TI soldiers milled around in confusion and anger, firing uselessly at the fast disappearing ship.