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Loyalty and Limerence
Part 2
Chapter 24
The Collector Base
Not long after Shepard's team left toward the side passage, it slowly became obvious to Garrus that something was wrong. Shepard had given him the direction to get into position and wait for his signal before progressing further, which they'd done easily enough. However, he'd radioed Shepard to tell him they were ready, and all he'd gotten in return was some staticy, garbled nonsense. Something about the seeker swarms must have been interfering with their comms. After some internal debate, he eventually decided to move ahead with the plan and hope for the best.
"Okay, team. Time to push forward. We're going to trust that Shepard will get the doors open, and we'll provide the distraction they need to make it through safely." No one argued as they double checked their weapons and they began making their way through the corridor.
"You know," Jane whispered as she came up alongside him, checking her heatsink, "I like hearing you in command." She looked up at him with a lopsided grin and a wink before picking up her pace, and he couldn't help but chuckle in surprised amusement, a pleased flush creeping up his neck.
As they continued on, Garrus immediately noticed a shift in the architecture, and it actually did seem like 'architecture' at this point. No longer was the corridor made of the rough stone-like material. Instead, everything seemed to be made of a greenish metal. Everything had a strict, angular look, making it feel cold and inhospitable. The floor seemed to be made up of huge, hexagonal tiles that interlocked poorly, some sitting far higher than others, often necessitating that they jump or climb as they made their way through.
With no warning, the wall would occasionally open up to expose wide vistas overlooking dark, seemingly bottomless caverns lit only by clusters of tiny, irregularly sized oval windows emitting bright white light. It was as if there was no true rhyme or reason to the place, as though it had been pieced together haphazardly from the dregs and remains of other civilizations.
Garrus blinked and shook his head, forcing himself to focus. He had to keep his head in the game. He was concerned that they hadn't run into any Collectors yet, and it made their job of providing a distraction somewhat difficult. They were a large group of people and they certainly weren't making any effort to conceal their presence, so it was honestly a little surprising.
There was a low moan. He slowed, glancing around him as the others continued on.
"What's up?" Jane asked as she slowed as well, concern on her face.
"I'm not sure, I thought I heard-" Garrus froze. There it was again, followed by a scrabbling, scraping sound. "Heads up! Enemies incoming!" He yelled as he brought his rifle up.
A pale, sickly looking hand appeared at the edge of an overhang, followed by two angry, glowing blue eyes, and a husk pulled itself up before lurching at him. He fired one shot, catching it between the eyes.
"Great," He chuckled humorlessly. "Exactly what we needed." The first husk fell to be replaced by three more as they screeched and darted toward the group. He wasn't sure if Shepard could hear him, but he decided to update him on their status, regardless. The team opened fire as more and more husks seemed to pull themselves from the woodwork.
Garrus took aim, but the husk in his crosshairs dropped suddenly, a hole blooming between its eyes. He looked away, turning to see Jane smirking at him.
"Gonna have to be faster than that, Vakarian, if you want to earn your free drinks." She drawled as she loaded another heat sink, and he couldn't help his answering smile
They began pressing forward again, and it wasn't terribly surprising when Collectors finally began showing up as well. For the most part, though, they had no trouble with the small groups as they appeared. They made steady progress, and when they finally arrived at the large security door, it didn't take too much before they were able to wipe out those guarding it.
Garrus quickly directed everyone into defensive positions, and all that was left was for them to hold their own until Shepard's team arrived to open the door for them. Assuming, of course, that nothing had gone horribly wrong. He still hadn't heard much more than garbled static from the other team over the comm, and he was more than a little anxious.
"He'll be there." Jane asserted, reading his face as he glanced back at the door for the millionth time.
"I know. And we'll be ready when he is."
But as the minutes dragged on, he became less and less sure. Wave after wave of Collectors threw themselves at them, each larger and more desperate than those that came before. It wasn't long before his team was merely holding their own, holding off the tides of enemies with sheer determination and grit.
Garrus tried and failed, once again, to raise Shepard on the comm, cursing under his breath.
"We're going to need to think up a backup plan pretty quick here if we don't hear from him soon." He stated bleakly, but Jane didn't answer as she aimed and fired, another Collector dropping like a lead weight.
He wondered idly how many Collectors there were, because it certainly felt like all of them seemed to be descending upon them as they did their best to survive the assault. Their job had been to draw the Collector's attention, and they certainly seemed to have done that admirably.
Garrus was just beginning to contemplate giving the order to retreat, if he could figure out where they could possibly go, when he saw it round the corner.
"Praetorian." He breathed as the air seemed to drain from his lungs and he lost what scraps of hope he was clinging to. He looked around at his team, more than one nursing bloody injuries as they struggled to hold their positions.
It was Omega all over again. He was going to get another team killed, he never should have been trusted, he never should have-
The Praetorian loomed ever nearer, its pace unhurried as it descended upon its trapped and injured prey.
"Damnit, Shepard, we need that door open. Do you copy? Come on, Shepard, where are you?" Garrus shouted into his comm, nearly jumping out of his plates when he instantly got a reply.
"I copy. What's your position?" Shepard's voice felt like a blessing, an eleventh hour salvation, and Garrus almost felt his knees buckle as relief flooded him.
"We're pinned down at the door. Taking heavy fire."
"We're coming; Just hold on!"
Jane aimed a shot, but it ricocheted off the Praetorian's armor and she cursed as she ducked back into cover. Others tried as well, but they barely seemed to make a dent. It seemed all they could do was keep their own barriers up and attempt to return fire from their huddled positions as the onslaught from the Collectors continued.
Garrus glanced back at the door behind them, clenching his jaw.
"Come on, Shepard…" He hissed in desperation before turning to aim and fire at an encroaching Collector, putting a bullet between its eyes.
The sweet, wonderful sound of grating steel on steel echoed through the corridor, and Garrus felt the door open behind him.
"Come on!" He heard Shepard yell as gunfire erupted on either side of him, mowing down a number of enemies. Standing, Garrus called for his team to begin retreating through the open doors, and quickly they stood and made their way through, laying down cover fire as others joined them.
Finally, Garrus backed through the door, joining the line just within it as they held back the Collectors fighting to get through. Someone was crouched nearby, working at the controls in an attempt to get the door closed.
A shot caught him hard in the side, feeling like a hammer blow to the gut, causing him to gasp and curse as his knee gave out. It sent him nearly crashing to the ground, his hand clasped to his side.
"Garrus!" He looked up to see Jane come to a screeching halt before him, her weapon drawn as she stood between him and the oncoming fire. After a moment, Thane, who stood just beside her, gestured back at him, and she nodded.
She turned and kneeled down before Garrus as Thane shifted over to cover both of them, and she quickly grabbed his free arm, slinging it over her shoulders before hauling him to the wall. He hissed in pain as he shifted, his subvocals flailing as she pulled his hand away from his side.
"Hold on, Garrus, you're going to be okay." Jane stated firmly, and he couldn't help but appreciate her attempt at hiding the fear in her voice.
"I know." His words were cut off as he gasped in pain, "I think my shields caught most of it." Just then, they heard the whoosh of the doors closing, followed by the echoing silence that signified the end of the fire fight. Jane glanced up quickly before returning her attention to him.
"Garrus! Are you alright?" He looked up to see Shepard hurrying toward them before kneeling down beside him.
"I think so." Garrus murmured as Jane managed to unlatch and pry off a cracked section of his hard suit's plating, "I'll probably have an awful bruise to boast about tomorrow. If we make it through this, that is."
"I don't think you're bleeding, but I'll apply some medi-gel just in case." Jane reported, relief apparent on her face, "That should help with the pain at least."
"Thanks, Jane." Garrus said gratefully as he smiled, his mandibles flicking. Shepard gently patted his shoulder before standing and making his way from person to person, checking in to ensure everyone was okay. As Jane applied the medi-gel, Garrus felt the pain instantly beginning to recede. Looking around, he saw others tending to injuries, but it appeared as though they'd all made it. He took a deep breath, letting it out as he thanked the spirits.
"Joker?" Shepard finally stood, walking toward the center of the room as he opened the comm channel, "Are you at the rendezvous point?"
"I'm here, Commander. Chakwas and the rest of the crew just showed up." The pilot's voice reported.
"Tali's group just arrived, Shepard. No casualties." EDI added, and Shepard seemed to visibly relax.
"Excellent," Miranda said as she stepped up next to Shepard, "Now let's make it count. EDI, what's our next step?"
"There should be some nearby platforms that will take you to the main control console. From there you can overload the system and destroy the base." The AI responded matter-of-factly, and Miranda and Shepard exchanged a look, nodding.
"Commander?" Joker cut in urgently, "You got a problem. Hostiles massing just outside the door. Won't be long until they bust through." As one, the team looked toward the door they'd just come through. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination, given what they'd just escaped from. They knew it was probably a matter of time.
Shepard seemed to steel himself before walking over to a platform and climbing up onto it. Those who had sat down to tend wounds stood, and everyone made their way to stand just before him.
"A rearguard could defend this position and keep the Collectors from overwhelming us. With the door to funnel them, you should be able to hold against them." Shepard stated firmly, and Miranda stepped forward as she looked up at him.
"Pick a team to go with you, Shepard. Everyone else can bunker down here and cover your back."
Turning, Shepard gazed up into the cavern beyond for a moment before returning his attention to the team arrayed before him.
"Garrus, are you in fighting shape?" He gestured down to him, and Garrus brought a hand up to brush the cracked plate of his hard suit which they'd gotten reaffixed.
"Absolutely."
"Then let's go. Jane, you too. I probably can't be trusted to figure out how to overload this place on my own." Smirking, Jane rolled her eyes before hoping up onto the platform. Together, they came to stand just behind Shepard. Garrus turned to look at Jane, who met his eye and reached out a hand for his, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go.
It wouldn't have been right facing this any way other than together, side by side.
"The Collectors, the Reapers-" Shepard began, all eyes trained on him, "They aren't a threat to us. They're a threat to everything, everyone. Those are the lives we're fighting for. That's the scale." His voice seemed to resonate through the room, the weight and scope of his words capturing each of them.
"It's been a long journey, and no one's coming out of it without scars." Shepard continued after a beat, and Garrus forced himself to keep his hand at his side, forced himself not to finger his cracked and healing facial plates and scared flesh. "But it all comes down to this moment. We win or lose it all in the next few minutes."
Shepard smiled, his face hard and determined, "Make me proud. Make yourselves proud." As he went silent, a number of cheers and hollers erupted from the group, heads nodding in agreement and faces becoming resolute. Garrus knew that if they hadn't already been willing to follow the man into hell, they were now.
As the voices quieted, Miranda spoke up, "Well said. We'll do our best. Good luck, Shepard." With that, Shepard nodded farewell to the group before turning and gesturing to Jane and Garrus to follow him. Together, they stepped forward toward the center of the platform. As if it knew its own purpose, the platform smoothly began shifting forward as it detached, slowly lifting them into the air.
"Thanks." Jane muttered after a moment as she pulled out her rifle and spread her feet slightly for stability.
"For what?" Shepard turned to her, his eyebrow cocked in confusion.
"For not leaving me behind. For not pulling up some sort of bullshit excuse for why I shouldn't be at your side." She stated evenly, and Garrus wondered for a moment if the statement was meant as some sort of commentary on what had happened with Tali. If he'd had a chance to see Jane safely kept from danger, would he have taken it? Probably. But wasn't it only natural to wish to keep your loved ones safe from harm? If Jane had a chance to keep him or John out of harm's way, would she take it?
Shepard laughed, though it was closer to a snort of amusement, "Jane, if I tried to keep you out of this, you'd probably have beaten me up like when we were kids. Plus, how else would I keep an eye on you if you weren't here with me?" They shared a laugh, and Garrus felt a little bit of the tension drain out of him, even as the platform continued into the unknown.
"Not to mention," Jane added as she grinned, "You're completely hopeless with tech without me. You might have the brute biotics covered, but you need Garrus and me for the stuff that actually requires smarts."
"Hey!" Shepard glared at her as he tried to fight back the smile on his own face, but their laughs slowly died as they finally entered another cavern and spotted another platform moving toward them. Garrus could make out the distinct form of a Collector standing in the middle of it.
"Enemies inbound!" He called out as he pulled out his rifle and they all darted into cover. Their own platform froze as the new one neared it, and Garrus lined up his shot. Taking out the first one, he noticed two or three others already ducking behind low walls.
Shot after shot, biotic blasts and shockwaves rocking the platforms occasionally, they took down the Collectors as they fought savagely to keep them from progressing. They seemed to throw everyone they could muster at them, and Garrus was beginning to think they must truly have something interesting to hide wherever those pipes led.
Every now and then, one of the Collectors seemed to be seized by an invisible fist, thrust up into the air as it crackled with glowing energy. When it dropped heavily back down onto the ground, it was possessed of an otherworldly power, strength, and stamina that made it a challenge all its own. It screamed at them with a voice completely lacking emotional intonation, each time making Garrus feel as though the voice was scratching across the inside of his skull instead of just assaulting his ear drums.
Finally, they seemed to be out of forces to throw at them, and Shepard ordered them back to their original platform. Jane typed a few commands into the odd control console there, and the platform continued on into the main chamber, the ultimate terminus of the abhorrent pipes.
"This is it." Shepard murmured as they neared the entrance to the final cavern, "All the tubes lead to this spot." They each exchanged grim glances, and Garrus wondered if they felt the same building dread and trepidation that he felt. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew it wasn't anything good.
What could the Collectors possibly be doing with the liquified remains of thousands of humans? They had been harvesting colonists for months in a targeted, well planned campaign. They knew the Collectors were servants of the Reapers, but what could the purpose of all it truly be?
"EDI. What can you tell us? What are they doing?" Shepard asked into the comm, his mind clearly drifting to similar questions.
"The tubes are feeding into some kind of superstructure. It is emitting both organic and non-organic energy signatures." EDI explained, but as she continued, her voice seemed hesitant, almost fearful, "Given these readings, it must be massive." She paused, and Garrus felt the tension in the air tighten and churn as they finally entered into a colossal chamber. Looking up, Garrus' eyes widened in horror. "Shepard. If my calculations are correct, the superstructure… is a Reaper."
The thing… the Reaper hanging before them was nothing like the only other Reaper Garrus had ever seen. Sovereign, or what Legion referred to as Nazara, had been almost insectoid in shape, its many legs extending from something that resembled a thorax. This Reaper, if that's what it was, seemed to resemble-
"Not just any Reaper- A human Reaper." Shepard snarled in disgust as their platform drew ever nearer, finally coming to a stop with a jerk as it interlocked with a collection of similar platforms just below the structure.
"Precisely."
Human. It could possibly be called that except for the fact that it was clearly something straight out of a nightmare. The bones, the flesh, the internal organs - they were clearly all made of cold, synthetic metal. Organic and inorganic shapes came together in a twisted, horrific mockery of life, a deathly homage to the creatures melted down to create it.
It was clearly unfinished, significant parts if it seemed to be under construction, and there appeared to be nothing completed below the ribcage yet. Some areas appeared to be covered in plating, while others had exposed wires, tubes, and joints on display. The skull grinned down at them, its eyes lifeless, and some sort of device hid between two sets of unnervingly detailed teeth.
Four huge, partially clear pipes trailed down from the cavern's ceiling to the Reaper's arms, seeming to support it. Hazy light filtered in from behind, catching and reflecting off the pipes in a way that made their crimson contents seem to glow vibrantly. Contents which seemed to be slowly draining down into the Reaper. Garrus felt his stomach churn and thanked the Spirits he hadn't eaten much before the mission.
"It appears the Collectors have processed tens of thousands of humans. Significantly more will be required to complete the Reaper." EDI stated heavily, and the implication was clear. The Collectors had their sights set on a target far more densely populated than any colony.
"They're going to target Earth." Jane whispered in horror as she stared up at the Reaper, her eyes wide. "We need to blow all of this to hell."
"This thing is an abomination. EDI, how do we destroy it?" Shepard asked, his voice little more than a furious growl.
"The large tubes injecting the fluid are a weak structural link. Destroying them should cause the supports to collapse, and the Reaper to fall."
Before she even had time to finish speaking, Garrus could hear the sound of additional platforms closing in on them. The very tubes she spoke ok suddenly began stuttering, the exposed glass suddenly covered by panels of plating. As the platforms approached, Garrus could see a number of Collectors upon each.
"Give us a minute, EDI. We've got to take care of some old friends first." Shepard muttered as he checked his shotgun, an angry gleam in his eye.
"Enemies incoming." Jane stated, and they all dove into cover just as the Collectors opened fire on them. They began picking off enemies one by one, almost as though it had become routine at this point in the mission.
"Do you think all Reapers look like different races they've harvested?" Jane asked between shots, and Shepard shook his head.
"I don't know. The visions I got through the beacon back on Eden Prime… I don't know. I kind of figured they all looked like Sovereign did." He said thoughtfully before standing to fire off a biotic shockwave.
"This thing seems substantially smaller than Sovereign." Garrus pointed out, and both the Shepards murmured their agreement.
"What if this is just some sort of core? What if, inside, Sovereign had a core that looked like some other race they'd harvested millenia ago?" Jane mused after a minute, and Shepard turned an exasperated look at her as another platform full of Collectors arrived.
"Jane, this really isn't the best time for speculating. Can it wait till later?" He asked and she scoffed in reply, but didn't continue the train of thought as they focused on the oncoming enemies.
After a few minutes, a flash of blue light caught Garrus' attention. He glanced over at the Reaper, but seeing nothing, he focused back on the enemies bearing down on them.
Another flash caught his eye, and apprehension began building as he saw yet another pulse of blue light shoot through the Reaper's core.
It twitched.
"Guys," Garrus began, his voice rising, "I don't think that thing is inactive."
The Reaper's head jerked suddenly, and its jaw opened wide as a dull, orange glow began to gather between its teeth. Alarm bells began ringing in his head as the Reaper looked up in their direction.
As the last Collector fell, whatever energy resided within the platform faded, causing the plating over the tubes to retract suddenly. The glow within the Reaper's mouth grew brighter, and Garrus realized it was some sort of cannon.
"Shoot the injection tubes!" He yelled, and at once all three of them aimed and fired. Within seconds, the glass shattered, showering the Reaper with vivid crimson liquid. Jane cursed under her breath, her eyes wide as the gigantic synthetic suddenly seemed to power down. They shifted their attention to the next tube, but as another platform approached, the tubes began shuttering again.
"Rinse and repeat." Shepard muttered as they all changed out their heat sinks in preparation.
One by one, they killed the Collectors descending upon them. One by one, they destroyed the glowing tubes. Each time, the Reaper seemed to fight its lethargy faster, charging its energy beam with fervent determination to see them incinerated.
But as the last tube shattered, the whole structure seemed to quiver. The Reaper's head lurched forward, swinging down to hang before it, swaying dangerously. One by one, the narrow supports keeping it suspended snapped, and it seemed almost anticlimactic as the Reaper slumped and finally fell.
The three of them stood there for a moment as they caught their breath, exchanging wild eyed glances as though they still couldn't quite believe it was over. Slowly, they stepped toward the edge, but the haziness of the air made it impossible to see all the way down to where the Reaper had landed.
Suddenly, Shepard's head shot up as though remembering something important.
"Shepard to ground team. Status report." He snapped into his comm urgently as he stepped away from the ledge, turning toward the center of the platform. After a few tense moments, they finally got a reply.
"It's Thane. We are holding, but they keep coming." The sound of gunfire rattled in the background, followed by an explosion. "A quick exit is preferable." Jane cursed again, not bothering to keep it under her breath. She quickly made her way to the main platform, glancing around before her eyes landed on a small hexagonal panel in the floor. Garrus joined her, kneeling just beside her.
"Head to the Normandy. Joker, prep the engines. I'm about to overload this place and blow it sky high." Shepard said as he watched them both fiddle with the panel.
"Roger that, Commander." Joker replied just as Jane managed to find the switch, releasing the handle. Grasping it, she twisted and pulled up, releasing the main control console. "Uh, Commander?" Joker's voice piped up again, "I've got an incoming signal from the Illusive Man. EDI's patching it through."
Since Jane's hands were full, Garrus summoned up his omni-tool and pulled up the call. Instantly, the hologram materialized before him, and he felt his mandibles flick in irritation and distaste as he finally laid eyes upon the Illusive Man.
"Shepard." The Illusive Man stated, and the Commander turned to face him, his arms crossed. Jane continued tinkering with the control console, studiously ignoring them. "You've done the impossible."
"I was part of a team, and we're not finished here yet. This base is ten minutes from extinction." Shepard stated, his face as blank as a poker mask.
"Wait." The Illusive Man interjected hurriedly, "I have a better option." Beside the control console, Jane's fingers froze. "I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse would kill the remaining Collectors, but leave the machinery and technology intact." Jane sat back on her heels, her attention wholly on the Illusive Man. "This is our chance, Shepard." He continued, bringing up a clenched fist before him, "They were building a Reaper. That knowledge, that framework, could save us."
"You've got to be kidding me." Shepard hissed indignantly, "They liquified people. Turned them into something horrible. We have to destroy this place." He turned away from the hologram, his face pinched and angry. Jane stood, crossing her arms in contemplation.
"Don't be short sighted." The Illusive Man rebuked harshly, "Our best chance against the Reapers is to turn their own resources against them."
Garrus wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the prospect of keeping the Collector Base. On one hand, if they really could find something to use against the Reapers here, it would feel as though all those human lives would have been lost for nothing if they destroyed it. On the other hand, he didn't trust Cerberus not to do something worse than the Collectors did. He vividly remembered the kind of experiments they'd done in the past.
He looked over to Jane, who slowly turned to look out over the cavern where the human Reaper had hung. She remained silent, and it made him hesitant.
"Using anything from this base is a betrayal to the human race." Shepard snapped, his eyes alight as he took a half step toward the hologram.
"If we ignore this opportunity, that would be a betrayal."
The two men continued to argue back and forth over the fate of the Collector base, their tempers flaring. Jane turned back to face them, her face stoney as one hand came up to finger her sidearm absently. She couldn't seriously be considering it, could she?
"-I didn't discard you because I knew your value. Don't be so quick to discard this facility. Think of the potential." Garrus could hear the desperation in the Illusive Man's voice as it slowly became clear that Shepard didn't intend to budge.
"We'll fight and win without it." Shepard turned away to glare down at the control console, "I won't let fear compromise who I am."
Turning quickly to face Jane, the Illusive Man's eyes narrowed, his lip curled in an angry snarl, "Operative Shepard. Do not let him destroy the base!" He demanded, and Jane's eyes flicked to where Shepard stood.
Shepard looked back up at her, their eyes meeting, tension causing his shoulders to tighten. They held each other's gaze for a moment that dragged on, until finally Jane looked back at the Illusive Man.
"Or what?" She finally asked, cocking an eyebrow at him, "Gonna sic your AI on me? Oh, right. EDI's not under your thumb anymore either, is she?" Jane's familiar smirk slowly spread across her face, her voice mocking and unconcerned.
"I gave you an order, Shepard!"
"No, go fuck yourself. I don't give two shits what you think. I'm done taking orders from Cerberus, and the Council can just go suck on it." Jane's smirk vanished as she jabbed an angry finger in his face. "If you think we'd trust you with something as dangerous as this base, then you're stupider than you look." The Illusive Man's eyes widened in outrage, and Jane caught Garrus' eye with a curt nod. "Consider this my resignation."
"Shepard!" The Illusive Man turned to face the Commander again, panic in his voice, "Think about what's at stake. About everything Cerberus has done for you. You-"
With a single keystroke, Garrus cut the call.
"God, that felt good." Jane sighed as she turned toward the main control console, pausing to look up as Shepard stepped closer to lay a hand on her shoulder. "Wha-" She cut off as he pulled her into a tight hug. "John, what-"
"I"m proud of you, that's all. You had me worried for a moment there."
"You didn't honestly think I was considering arguing with you to keep this abomination, were you?" She asked incredulously as Shepard pulled away and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck.
"Well, you seemed to be giving something a great deal of thought, so I just-"
"I just told my boss to go fuck himself. You're the one who's always telling me to stop being impulsive. So I thought about it first." Jane shrugged as she smiled, and Shepard couldn't help but chuckle.
"Okay, fair."
"Uh, guys," Garrus coughed, causing both of them to look at him, "This is all well and good, but we might want to get on with it."
"Right. See? That's why we keep you around." Jane turned and knelt down by the control console, typing in a few commands quickly.
"Someone needs to be the brains of this operation." Shepard muttered, causing Jane to chuckle and nod.
A minute or two later, Jane pulled a small device out of her pouch and affixed it to the console. Pulling up her omni-tool, she typed in a few commands before standing.
"Okay, that should do it. We have ten minutes before the reactor overloads and this whole place blows to kingdom come."
"Let's move." Shepard stated as he reached up to grab the handle above the console, pushing it back down into the floor. As Shepard stood, Garrus turned to glance around the cavern. All that was left was to figure out how to get back to the Normandy.
The platform shook violently, causing them all to stumble and struggle to keep their footing. At first, Garrus assumed it was whatever Jane had done to cause the reactor to begin overloading. But then he heard a terrible, electronic howl echoing up from the depths of the cavern. The platform shook again, and they turned to see a gigantic, metallic hand reach up to grab the platform.
"Shit!" Jane hissed, taking a half step backwards.
The human Reaper had clawed its way back up to them, staring down at them with glowing, soulless eyes, and Garrus accepted in that moment that they were probably going to die. The thing was impossibly huge, and now that it was unbound and determined to kill them, Garrus couldn't see how they could survive and make it to the Normandy in time.
He glanced quickly at the main control console. But they'd done it. So long as they guarded the console until the explosion, then the mission would be a success. They could manage that, couldn't they? By the determined set of the other two's jaws as they unholstered their weapons, they'd had similar thoughts.
It wasn't the worst way to die, Garrus supposed. His mind drifted back to his last stand in his apartment on Omega. He'd been running on nothing but spite at the end there, determined to die with style. But this felt purposeful, less like screaming into the void and more like dying for a cause.
Maybe he wasn't such a bad turian afterall.
Shepard immediately lept into action, directing them to take up positions and go for the eyes. The nightmarish thing leaned in closer, staring down at them as it began charging up whatever it was that resided between its teeth. They got a few hits in before a beam erupted from the cannon, sending them diving into cover as it shook the platform, leaving a sizzling scar of charred residue in its wake.
Garrus could feel his heart hammering in his throat as he realized how much damage the thing was capable of inflicting in a single hit. There was no way his shields could stand up to something like that.
They continued aiming for the Reaper's furious, glowing eyes, but it became apparent that it was much more intelligent than they'd originally guessed. It looked like a hellish beast, but as it ducked, dodged, and attempted to hide its weak points from them, it became obvious that it was a thinking, calculating being with a mind all its own.
One of them got in a good hit, and it screamed in anger before ducking down below the platform. In an instant, gunfire was directed their way as another platform arrived carrying more Collectors. The team returned fire, taking them out as quickly as they could, and minutes later, the Reaper reappeared as it lifted a giant hand up in an attempt to crush them.
Garrus rolled out of the way and struggled to keep a grip on the platform as it rocked violently with the impact. Regaining his footing, he aimed for its eyes again, whooping as he landed a few good hits.
He wasn't sure how fast time was flowing as they struggled to dodge and return fire, but all the while he pictured the countdown slowly ticking away, and any hope he'd had of making it back in time disappeared with it. He half expected to feel the heat of the overloading reactor any moment. Should he have asked Jane to return to the Normandy back when they'd had a chance? Not that she would have listened.
They took down another group of Collectors, and Shepard stood as he looked down at something he'd plucked from one of their bodies.
"Hmm, now this might be useful." He muttered as he gazed at the Collector Particle Beam in his hands. The Reaper reappeared, looming above them with a viscous, synthetic screech, and they all quickly ducked into cover again.
"John, don't. You know you have to stand stock still to aim that thing. You'll be a sitting duck." Jane hissed, but Shepard just shook his head.
"Our only chance of getting out of here alive is to end this now. And if it gets me, well… We're going to die soon anyway." With that, he stood and took a step back, aiming the Particle Beam.
"Goddammit, John!" Jane cursed as she began firing her own rifle. The Particle Beam seemed to be doing the trick and the Reaper screamed angrily at them as it attempted to dodge out of the way. Finally, though, it seemed to decide destruction was the only way. The beam between its jaws began to glow, the energy gathering quickly.
"Shepard, get down!" Garrus shouted as he dove into cover, but the Commander still stood motionless, the Particle Beam cutting a deep furrow into one of the synthetic's eyes. The glow of the Reaper's cannon charging nearly hurt the eyes to look at as angry, crackling energy arched across its face. Garrus stood, preparing to dash out and grab Shepard, "You need to move!"
Before he could, Jane dashed forward, coming to a stop before Shepard, one arm outstretched protectively, the other blocking her own face from the intense heat of the nearly charged beam cannon. Words evaporated off Garrus' tongue as he processed the sight of the two people he cared most about in the world willfully staring death in the face.
Garrus willed his feet to move, hoping he had time to drag both of them to safety, but at that moment, something exploded. He looked up to see the Reaper's eye socket engulfed in flames, the fire quickly spreading across its face. It threw its head back and roared in outrage, the energy beam erupting to smash into the cavern's ceiling.
As debris began raining down, the Reaper raised a gigantic arm into the air in a final attempt to crush them. But then something in its head exploded, and it seemed to falter. The arm came crashing lifelessly down onto the platforms, followed by the rest of the Reaper as it pitched forward limply.
The platforms heaved as they failed to support its weight, and Garrus felt his footing give out, gravity taking hold of his body.
"Garrus!" Two voices cried out as he fell hard onto his chest, the air leaving him in a rush. Fear began to set in as his fingers scrambled for purchase, the platform nearly vertical as it began tumbling after the fallen Reaper. He looked up to see Jane throw herself after him, her eyes wide as she called out to him. Reaching up toward her, his mind was nothing but a panicked, scrambled mess of prayers, their fingers mere millimeters apart as they slid downward.
His stomach dropped out as the platform ended and he careened off the side of it. Thrashing, his hand managed to catch hold of something, his arm screaming in pain as he struggled to retain his grip. But whatever it was, it was too slick to hold, and only a second later it slipped out of his hand.
Two hands shot out, grasping one of his arms and the edge of his shoulder guard. Looking up, he saw Jane dangling almost completely off the edge of the platform, Shepard holding desperately to her lower half in an attempt to keep them both from falling into the abyss below.
"I got you." Jane grunted, her face twisted in pain as she struggled to support his weight. Carefully, Shepard began pulling her back onto the platform, and Garrus managed to grab a hand hold with his free hand. As quickly as they could, they pulled themselves back up onto the platform just in time to duck as the cavern was engulfed in a huge, fiery explosion, the faint screams of the dying Reaper finally drowned out.
The blast sent the platforms spinning, causing them to detach from one another. Shepard, Jane, and Garrus all rolled as one side of the platform they were on was flung upwards. They finally came to a stop as it righted itself, and Garrus grabbed Jane as they clutched the platform for dear life, the world spinning around them. He attempted to cover her as much as he could, but everything quickly seemed to devolve into chaos.
He chanced a glance up just in time to see a stray platform hurtling toward them. He opened his mouth to scream, but the world exploded in pain as it collided with them.
Some time later, he wasn't sure how much, the world finally stopped spinning, and Garrus blinked. He had no idea where he was, or even what way was up. His head hurt. His whole body hurt. He could feel his blood thumping with every throb of his head, and even twitching a finger made him wince.
"Garrus!" He looked up to see Shepard coming to stand over him, carefully rolling him over.
"Shepard? What-" He winced and coughed, a sharp pain in his chest, "What happened?"
"We need to hurry, we don't have much time. Come on." Shepard offered a hand, and he grabbed it, groaning as he stood. Once he was steady on his feet, Shepard let go and glanced around, hurrying toward a pile of debris nearby.
"Jane!" Garrus gasped as he watched the Commander reach down and begin heaving a large metal panel off her prone form.
"I'm… okay. I think." She groaned as Shepard finally got the heavy weight of it off her, tossing it to the side. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, supporting her as she regained her footing.
"Do you copy? Commander?" Came a staticky voice over their comm suddenly, "Come on, Shepard, don't leave me hanging. Do you copy?" Shepard stepped back from Jane, focusing on the incoming call. Garrus limped over to her, bringing up a hand to grab hers pulling her close for a hug, marveling at the feel of her arms wrapping around him.
They were alive. By some miracle, they had survived. Spirits, he could smell her sweat, he could feel her heartbeat, he could hear her breathing. They'd killed that thing, somehow, and come out of it alive.
"I'm here, Joker." Shepard replied hoarsely into the comm as he stepped off the ruined platform onto the solid ground they'd collided with, "Did the ground team make it?"
"All survivors on board. We're just waiting on you." Just then, Garrus registered the humming sound he'd heard in the background, steadily growing louder. He let go of Jane, stepping back as he turned, looking for the source.
"Seeker swarms." Jane growled, and they both backed up as Shepard turned toward them to see the oncoming swarms.
"Come on!" Shepard gestured to them, and they both turned to follow as he ran into the adjoining corridor. Jane pulled out her sidearm as they ran, turning for a moment to fire a few pointless shots in the direction of the swarm. "We only have a minute or two before this place blows!"
They ran as fast as they could, ignoring everything but the route ahead of them. Garrus pushed his legs as hard as he could, ignoring the pain, ignoring the stitch in his side, ignoring the throbbing in his head. Beside him, he saw Jane panting raggedly, her face contorted as she struggled, her hand gripping her side in pain. He willed her to continue going, hoping she had the energy to keep up.
They turned a corner, coming face to face with a number of Collectors. They skidded to a stop, turning and hurrying down a different corridor instead. Spirits, he hoped Shepard knew where they were going, because Garrus had no idea where they were. The Collectors ran after them, and suddenly they were having to duck and weave as the Collectors opened fire. Their only saving grace was that it was hard for their foes to aim while running fast enough to keep up.
They turned another corner, and Garrus felt a spike of hope. A ramp led up toward a large open section in the wall, the burning light of the center of the galaxy just visible beyond. Without warning, the Normandy rose up from below, coming to rest at the end of the small ramp. Garrus almost felt lightheaded at the wave of relief that hit him.
He nearly lost his footing as an explosion rocked the base, and he realized with dread that they'd finally run out of time. The reactor must be overloading. Another explosion shook them, but he managed to maintain his momentum, forcing his feet onward, every step taking him closer and closer to safety. He dodged rubble as it fell from above, a metal panel falling to crash nearby.
Finally, Garrus reached the ramp, and he looked up to see the airlock door open. There stood Joker, rifle in hand, snarl on his face. He began laying down cover fight, and Garrus picked up his pace for the home stretch, leaping into the open airlock.
He turned just in time to see Shepard nearly careen headlong into him. Helping the other man steady himself, he turned and readied himself to help catch Jane, but paused. She wasn't there, and his heart nearly stopped.
"Jane!" Shepard shouted, and they both stepped to the edge of the airlock, searching for her. Jane was hurrying up the base of the ramp as fast as she could, gripping her side in pain as the Collectors gained on her. "Come on, Jane, hurry!"
She didn't reply, only picking up her pace as best she could. More explosions rocked the base, more debris falling. More metal panels fell, and one of them landed just before them, breaking off the end of the ramp before Garrus could even process what was happening. With dawning horror, his eyes scanned the expanse between Jane and the safety of the Normandy's airlock.
There was no way she could make it.
"Bring us in closer!" He yelled, but it was no good. Jane reached the end of the ramp at full speed, her eyes set, her face determined. She leapt toward them, her arms outstretched. It was as though she were convinced that sheer willpower would see her across the gap. But it wasn't enough, and Garrus felt his chest tighten as his blood chilled with despair.
She wasn't going to make it.
He threw himself forward, his arm outstretched toward her the same time Shepard did, the two of them hitting the floor of the airlock hard, fighting for every extra inch they could spare. Garrus felt the brush of her fingers, and he clamped down upon her as firmly as he could. His heart hammering in his chest, his eyes wild, he looked down and saw her.
They had her. He and Shepard had each grabbed one of her hands as she plummeted downward, catching her in the nick of time.
"Gottcha." He said, and she grinned up at him.
The Collectors neared the ramp, opening fire at them as the Normandy began pushing back. Together, he and Shepard pulled her up and into the airlock. When they were finally clear, the door closed, and Garrus felt himself reach for Jane's hand. Her's found his, and they held onto each other as they followed Shepard and Joker into the cockpit.
"Detonation in ten, night, eight-"
"Yeah, I get the gist of it, EDI!" Joker snapped as he hobbled toward his seat, falling into it, "Hold on!" His fingers were a blur, whirling through the controls faster than Garrus would have thought possible. He looked up through the window to see them burst free of the base just as an explosion caused the ship to rock.
"Get us out of here, Joker!" Shepard stated somewhat unnecessarily from where he stood just behind the pilot's chair, clinging to the top of it in a death grip.
"Aye, aye, Sir." Joker quipped as Garrus felt the Normandy picking up speed. There was a sudden burst of light from behind the ship, but a moment later, they passed close enough to the relay.
Garrus felt the familiar tug, and suddenly everything outside the window seemed to draw out as they made the jump. The atmosphere in the cockpit remained tense and silent for a moment as they all struggled to process what had happened. Then, a lone cry went up behind them.
"That was fucking awesome!" Jack yelled, and they turned to see nearly the entire ground team gathered just behind them. The words seemed to release them from whatever spell they were under, for at that moment cheers went up around the CIC, both from the crew and the ground team alike.
Garrus turned to Jane, who was slapping her brother on the back. She turned to face him, her grin so bright he thought it could light the whole galaxy all on its own. He pulled her into a hug, and he was fairly certain his own smile was no less huge. He couldn't help himself, he spun her around, cherishing the sound of her laughter. He felt like he was high and lightheaded, the joy of surviving taking complete control.
They came to a halt, and without warning, Garrus twisted, dipping her down low. Then, right there in the middle of the cockpit, before everyone, he kissed her.
They were alive.
(Note: Merry Christmas and happy holidays to my wonderful readers! I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. We're really coming down to the end here, I hope you enjoy the conclusion coming up!)