Author's Note: Phew, it's been another crazy couple of weeks. Lots of overtime at work, plus overnights and job number 2, and then I got sick. Still recuperating, but so excited to post this chapter for you. Thank you to those who commented on the last chapter, you always make me smile: Jules Hawk, Vorcha Girl, Kateriel79, TMGermany, JediZelda, riehull, Kris B, Kirsah, and JanIckAvatarred. You're all amazing.
To Vorcha Girl - thank you again, this chapter wouldn't be what it is without you. :D You're awesome.
That all said ... Enjoy - TLC
Chapter Forty-Six
Mars has a very different atmosphere from Earth. Dry and dusty, like a desert, only colder – much colder. Kaidan was grateful for the security of their hardsuits, especially as Vega pointed out there was a hell of a storm headed their way. Shepard gave the order for them to move quickly. With the storm rolling in, it was likely they would lose their connection to the Normandy sooner rather than later and she wanted to be long gone before that was a concern.
Kaidan couldn't keep the nostalgia from lacing his thoughts as he followed Shepard's lead, walking behind her and slightly to the right. Vega was bringing up the rear, and watching her opposite flank. Vega commented on the size of the storm, which pulled Kaidan's attention away from Shepard and out over the open area. It was a big storm, but it was average for Mars, and Kaidan said as much as they moved towards the facility. "Glad you're so optimistic," Vega added and Kaidan thought maybe he heard a snort of a laugh slip from Shepard over the comm.
"Yeah, with the Reapers invading Earth, and the station here is offline… I really think a little dust storm is the least of our worries," Kaidan shot back, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. He knew his tone was spiked with irritation, but he couldn't help it. He was startled when he turned his eyes from Vega and found Shepard staring at him, eyes narrow. Before he could say anything she turned and continued to lead them, without speaking. He wished he could see her face, try to read what she was thinking. His jaw was clenched tight, and if he didn't relax he'd have a migraine before long. He forced a breath out through his teeth.
They still weren't sure what was going on at the base, so they were proceeding with caution. Though it wasn't until the came across the body of a dead Marine that it became apparent something had gone very wrong at the base. Kaidan stopped to check for a pulse, but Shepard had already moved on. A fact that settled uneasily in Kaidan's core as he stood to follow her. Before Alchera, before Cerberus, she would have had some kind of reaction. She would have stopped and made sure to collect his tags, which Kaidan had tucked into a pouch on his armor. He ground his teeth as they continued toward the archives.
Suddenly, she stopped, holding her hand up for them to pause. The trio froze in place, and listened. Gunshots rang out, echoing from the bottom of the hill they were on. They hurried closer to the edge, and that's when they saw Alliance crew on their knees, hands behind their heads, as the invaders fired single rounds into their faces. Kaidan knew Vega spoke, but his words were lost on him as he felt a familiar pull in his gut. He watched as Shepard reacted to the scene. One second she was standing in front of him, the next he felt physically pulled towards her as her biotics flared and the gravity around her shifted. Then she was gone, at least twenty yards ahead of them and Kaidan stu0mbled slightly in her wake. He heard her yell, the anger and frustration plain in her voice as she jumped and gathered the dark energy in her fist before slamming back to the ground. The cerulean biotic energy erupted from the point of impact and the opposing agents flew off their feet and didn't get back up.
Kaidan looked at Vega for a second and the Lieutenant let out a low, impressed, whistle before they chased after her. Kaidan couldn't take his eyes off her as they made their way down the hill. She was still glowing slightly, and he could tell even from this distance that she was breathing heavy. Not only could he see it in the rise and fall of her armor, but he could hear the ragged sounds over the comm. He had never seen anything like what she had done. He wondered first where she had learned it, then he wondered if the ability came from her new implant. When he worked with her before, he had been so accustomed to her abilities, he could feel her prepping for an attack. This had happened so fast, by the time he realized she was flaring, she was gone.
The power she expended was incredible, and the fact that it hadn't wiped her out was a testament to her implant and amp. He wondered what else she could do with it. They reached her, and she turned and met his eyes. Her eyes danced with the biotic energy, and he could tell she had missed this. Six months of being locked up had not been easy on her. He knew how thrilling the first attack was after being offline for awhile. The rush of the power, the adrenaline of the fight, it was a heady mix for soldiers like Shepard and Kaidan. For a moment, it felt like it did on the SR-1. Their eyes were locked, and he knew exactly how she was feeling.
His thoughts were interrupted by Vega, who had moved to the fallen agents to check them. Kaidan kicked himself for allowing himself to be distracted as the Lieutenant did his job for him. "They're Cerberus," Vega announced as he stood and moved back over to Shepard and Kaidan.
"Looks like," Shepard agreed as she moved her eyes to the soldier at her feet.
"Cerberus? What are they doing here?" Kaidan asked. His question wasn't really meant for Shepard. He was simply thinking out loud. Then her eyes turned back to his, and any trace of the SR-1 was gone. Replaced by walls of ice designed to keep him, and everyone else, out.
She turned her back on him then, and started towards the entrance to the facility. "Good question," was her only response.
Kaidan spoke without thinking, "You mean you don't know?"
"For fuck's sake, Kaidan, why would I know?" She snapped stopping short and turning to glare at him. "I'm not with them anymore!"
"I'm not saying you are! You have to admit, it's a bit…"
"Circumstantial? You're right. It is. Let's go," She interrupted ending the conversation. Kaidan felt the anger bubbling in his core again, and he gripped his rifle hard in his hands. He followed her lead, without looking at Vega. He hadn't meant for the comment to be an accusation, but she had jumped to the defensive pretty quickly.
He hated how confused his thoughts were. He tried to focus on the reports he had read, of the disdain with which she had treated Cerberus and their orders and requests. He held on to hope that she really had simply used them, and that she held no allegiance to them. It was harder to do when they met the next group of soldiers and her biotics flared again in another impressive display of skill and power. Cerberus had taken who she was, no, they had taken the soldier she was and improved it; which wasn't something Kaidan had thought would be possible.
He knew her. It was hard for him to believe she would have no emotions to the group that had saved her life … but this was Cerberus. He could feel the beginnings of the expected migraine at the base of his skull and held on to hope that it wouldn't hit him fully until they were back on the Normandy. They finished off the last group of Cerberus agents who were guarding the door and Shepard was leading them towards the entrance. "It doesn't look like they came here in force," Vega commented absently as he followed them.
Shepard agreed with Vega, and turned her eyes to Kaidan when he suggested they had help from the inside, "You could be right," She answered Kaidan simply as she moved towards the door controls. They were standing on a large elevator that would lift them up into the station. Shepard reached the controls and activated them. The doors closed and the elevator started lifting them.
"Shepard," Kaidan spoke, and she turned to look at him. "I need a real answer," He insisted, and she turned away from him, sighing his name. She was dismissing him, and his concerns, and he nearly broke. He felt his control slip on his biotics and he flared slightly as he shouted, "Don't 'Kaidan' me, this is business and I need a straight answer!" He used his full command voice on her and watched as her back stiffened. She performed a perfect about face, and her hand twitched as if she thought about saluting him. It would have been more a slap in the face than a show of respect. Her hands stayed at her sides and her eyes flashed like a gas flame but before she could respond to him he continued, "Do you know why they're here?"
"How the fuck am I supposed to know?" She spat the words at him, her voice low and aggressive. For a moment he thought he saw the hurt in her eyes at his suggestion, but it was gone before he could be sure.
He swallowed hard, but he couldn't let this go, "You worked for them, for almost a year. You expect me to believe you have no idea what they're planning?"
"Yes, that is what I expect. I expect you to…," She sighed, losing steam. She sounded exhausted when she continued, looking up to meet his eyes, "I expect you to trust me." Kaidan stayed quiet. He'd never heard her plead, and that wasn't what she was doing, but it was certainly close. She didn't seem to understand why he was so suspicious. He wasn't sure what he should say. He wanted to be able to just trust her, but that wasn't something he could do anymore. "I used them, Kaidan. I used their resources, their ship, their people, and their money to take out the Collectors," It was exactly what she had said in her message and hearing the words out loud in her voice, instead of just in his head, stung.
"No," He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "I want to believe that – believe you, Shepard, but they saved you. They brought you back-"
"For fuck's sake!" The words slipped out on an exasperated groan as she threw her head back. "I can't keep going around in circles with you! I am going to say this one last time, and then I'm done. If you can't wrap your head around it, fine. You can stay on the Citadel with James," She said and gestured to Vega, who glanced awkwardly at his commanding officers. "I have had no contact with Cerberus since I blew up the Collector base. I don't know why they're here or what they want," She sounded defeated, and it broke something in Kaidan, and he moved closer to her, just slightly, as his eyes searched hers. She took a full step back from him.
"Major, you know Commander Shepard was under constant surveillance while she was on Earth. I can assure you, there is no way they have communicated," Vega answered, coming to Shepard's defense. She shot a sideways glance at the young Lieutenant, her eyes shining momentarily with the appreciation she felt for his support.
Kaidan sighed, "I'm sorry, Shepard, it's just that-" Kaidan was interrupted when the elevator stopped and the air vents hissed as the room pressurized. He watched as Shepard removed her helmet and hooked it at her hip. He copied her.
She shrugged at him, a clear gesture of her helplessness. Her voice was soft when she spoke; the tone shot right through his stubborn doubt and hit his gut. "Kaidan, you know me," She reminded him, her eyes searching his. He wasn't sure what she was looking for, but he kept his eyes on hers hoping she would find it. He hoped she could see how hard this was for him; how much he wanted to believe, follow, trust; how scared he was, scared to let her in and lose her again. He tore his eyes away and scrubbed a hand over his face before letting it move to the back of his neck where he tried to ease some of the building tension. She waited for him to look back at her. When he did, she almost whispered, "Please, trust me."
His eyes met hers again, and he resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, "Okay." His answer slipped easily from his lips, and he was pleased by the timid smile that pulled at hers. They were distracted by the sounds of chase coming from the air ducts. Gunfire and bullets ricocheting before loud bangs rang out as something hit the door at the end of the tunnel. The vent fell, and an attractive Asari dressed in white, with a long jacket billowing around her fell gracefully to the floor.
Kaidan felt the surge of energy from the alien as she threw out a singularity. The ball of biotic energy caused the Cerberus agents chasing her to float, helplessly, around it giving her ample time to aim her pistol. She took them out with a calculated coldness that Kaidan didn't remember in the young Doctor. Though, he was reminded of the way she'd spoken to her contact when he'd met her last and he was suddenly less surprised.
Shepard grinned as she moved from cover towards Liara. James twitched, bringing up his rifle, and Shepard scolded him gently. Liara greeted Shepard with a warm hug, which Shepard returned easily. Kaidan shifted his weight from one foot to the other as they exchanged pleasantries. Liara asked after Earth, and Kaidan stepped up next to Shepard as they confirmed the devastation. "I am glad to see you, both of you," Liara commented as she reached out and took Kaidan's hand, squeezing it briefly. Her tone was questioning, "Why did you come here?" Shepard explained that Hackett had sent them to find her and ask what she had found. "Ah yes, I discovered plans for a Prothean device; one that could wipe out the Reapers," She explained, and Kaidan had to admit the thought of such a device appealed to the techie in him.
"Here? On Mars?" Shepard asked as they moved towards one of Liara's research stations. There was a large window that looked down on the dig site.
"Why now? Seems pretty convenient," Kaidan commented, and was surprised by the look Shepard sent his way. Like she was shocked by his statement, though, he couldn't place why.
"Process of elimination, mixed with a little determination," Liara explained as she leaned back on the window and turned to Shepard. "When you destroyed the relay you bought us some time, but then you were incarcerated. I knew I had to do something. Hackett knew it, too. He contacted me, asking me if I would use my resources as the Shadow Broker-"
"You're the Shadow Broker?" Vega interrupted, and Liara glared at him for the interruption. Vega shifted nervously and Kaidan realized she had grown into quite the formidable woman. Liara T'Soni was far from the young, timid Doctor they had met on Therum.
Liara didn't answer, she just slowly turned her eyes back to Shepard, who was smirking, and she continued, "Hackett wanted me to find a way to stop the Reapers. My search led me here. Hackett got me access to the archives and kept me updated on your status," Liara's eyes dropped to her feet, and her hands twisted in front of her. For a moment, she did look like that young doctor as she apologized for not seeing Shepard while she was under house arrest. Shepard brushed it off effortlessly, and Kaidan felt his core twist with envy at the easy way they interacted. He wondered if it would ever be that easy again. "Well, my work paid off," Liara continued, "There is an overwhelming amount of data here and I think I found what we need."
Kaidan stood with Vega and listened as Liara and Shepard spoke about her find. It wasn't a weapon, well, not yet anyway. She had managed to find blueprints to a device, the size and scope of which led her to one conclusion. It had to have been the Protheans last hope in defeating the Reapers. Kaidan listened, but he couldn't take his eyes off Shepard. The openness with which she spoke to Liara and the Asari's easy confidence left an aching envy in his gut.
The blue prints were in the archives, which was on the opposite side of the tramway, and Cerberus had a head start. Shepard turned and ordered Vega back to the shuttle as they prepared to make their way further into the station. He started to argue, and it was clear he was struggling with putting his role as her guardian aside and listening to her orders. She sighed, her eyes flashing with annoyance, before explaining her decision, "If Cerberus beats us to the archives I need someone covering the exits."
He grumbled, but followed the order as Kaidan, Liara, and Shepard made their way deeper into the station. "How'd Cerberus get into the facility?" Kaidan asked Liara, hoping she would have some insight.
"I am not sure," Liara admitted as they continued down the darkened hallways. "One minute we were getting reports of the Reaper invasion. The next, there was chaos. I did not even realize it was Cerberus, at first."
Kaidan and Shepard covered a doorway as Liara walked through, slowly, checking for Cerberus agents. They were clear. "Could Cerberus be working with the Reapers?" He asked, it seemed strange, but stranger things had happened.
"Doubtful," Shepard dismissed his suggestion, "but I guess anything is possible." They reached a room where a few Cerberus soldiers were stationed to make sure no one was following them. Kaidan watched as Shepard rolled from the doorway and stayed in cover. She gave the signal, and on her order, she reached up and pulled the agent over the counter she hid behind, snapping his neck in the process, as Liara and Kaidan hit the other two with their biotics. Their attack was silent and allowed them to keep their element of surprise.
"Shepard, we'll need access to the pedway," Liara insisted and gestured towards the desk with the controls. Shepard nodded and led them towards the room. Once inside, Kaidan kept his eyes on the door while Liara and Shepard moved to the terminals. "See if you can get access to the controls," Liara suggested as she started working at her own console.
On an almost forgotten instinct, Kaidan moved to the computer to hack into the system for Shepard. She held her hand up, and Kaidan cocked an eyebrow at her as she moved to the terminal. He stayed close to her, standing just over her shoulder and he watched as she worked the hack. The codes scrolled over the screen and she tentatively reached her hand out. Before he could stop her, she stopped herself, and waited a long minute. Kaidan felt a wave of pride wash over him, followed quickly by the cold reminder of time lost as he remembered an afternoon spent tangled together on a couch. When she successfully hacked into the system she turned and looked at him, her eyes shining brightly and Kaidan couldn't help the smile that broke out on his face.
Oblivious to their moment, Liara spoke, "I cannot seem to unlock the live feeds, but…"
Kaidan's eyes lifted to the monitor, just in time to see a striking woman walk purposefully across the screen. "Did you see that? Who is that woman in the vid?"
"That's Dr. Eva Coré," Liara explained simply, "She got here about a week ago," Kaidan couldn't explain it, but something felt off about Dr. Coré and the easy way she walked. Liara turned to Shepard and asked if she had any luck with the pedway controls. She hadn't been able to unlock the pedway, so they had to take a shortcut through some construction areas and go over the roof.
The storm was closer than Kaidan would have liked, and he felt the pressure of time as they continued towards the archives. When they reached the next area, they found a room that had been vented while the workers were still inside. They had died, trying to scratch their way out. It was terrible, and clearly Cerberus was not above killing humans in order to advance humanity. Kaidan felt the anger at the organization burning in his core as he focused on his control. He couldn't wait to get off this planet. Liara moved to one of the consoles and pressurized the room. She announced that they would have access to the tram now, and it would take them right to the archives.
Kaidan noticed the monitor playing a video on a loop. "Hey, there's a recording of what happened here," He stated and three sets of eyes watched, horrified, as Dr. Eva Coré entered the room and assassinated the staff before venting the room and running off frame.
"Guess we know how Cerberus got in," Shepard commented dryly glancing at Kaidan. He moved to the door to keep an eye out for Dr. Coré while he waited for Shepard and Liara. He wanted to find her, and take her in as quickly as possible. Liara and Shepard spoke in quiet whispers for a few moments, and when Kaidan turned to see what was taking them so long he met Shepard's eyes. He thought he saw a hint of warmth there, but it was gone before he could be sure. He sighed deeply and they moved out of the room.
It seemed that every corner they turned, they found another pocket of Cerberus troops. For the most part, their stealth allowed them to maintain the upper hand, though Kaidan felt like he was a step behind Shepard and Liara. It was clear they had spent some time on a battlefield together, but Kaidan couldn't imagine where or when. Their biotics were in sync, and he struggled to keep up. He had never been so frustrated in battle. He thought maybe it was how Garrus had felt back on the SR-1 when Kaidan had been in Liara's place. Then there was the gentle tingle and the rush of her biotics when she would flare. He had always been sensitive to her, but there was an intensity to her attacks that hadn't been there before and it distracted him.
After far longer than Kaidan would have liked, thoughts of the approaching storm hanging over his head, they reached the tram controls. Liara moved to the console and activated the vid screen. Their eyes moved to the screen and they watched Eva Coré ordering Cerberus to set up a perimeter around the tram way and not to allow anyone across, not even their own crew. Once she gave the order for the cameras to shut down, the images faded away. Liara announced the obvious – Cerberus had beaten them to the Archives.
"Well, they're not going to just send us a tram," Kaidan grumbled as his head started to throb slightly. They needed to hurry. Shepard asked if Liara could override their controls, but it was impossible. The Archives were on a whole separate grid. "What if we find a short range communicator," Kaidan suggested, thinking out loud, "helmet to helmet."
"For what?" Shepard asked, turning and watching him as he moved around the room looking for stray Cerberus equipment.
"We can convince them we're on their side," He didn't even turn to look at her, just kept up his search while he explained his idea, "We tell them the Alliance forces have been taken care of." He was already moving into the next room when Shepard agreed it was a good idea. She turned to speak to Liara instead of following him, and it was just as well. He needed a minute. It was overwhelming, working with her again, without having had the opportunity to sort things out. He sighed deeply at the first waves of nausea that rolled through his gut.
He found the body of a Cerberus agent, and called for Shepard to join him in the small room. "What is it?" She asked as she moved towards him. She crouched down next to him as he hovered over the Cerberus corpse.
He was fumbling over the man's helmet as he spoke, "He has a transmitter in is helmet, if I could…" He stopped when the mask lifted and revealed what was beneath. He pulled away and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. If not for years of training, he would have been sick on the spot, between his migraine and what Cerberus had done to their own people. "Shit… he looks like a husk…" It was true. His dead eyes still glowed with the eerie blue of Reaper technology, and it appeared as if his skin had begun decaying even while he walked around in his armor.
Shepard remained low near the remains, "Close, but not quite," She said as she reached inside the helmet to pull out the transmitter, not responding to Kaidan's reaction, "but they've definitely done something to him," She agreed quietly.
"So, this is what Cerberus does to their own people?" Kaidan asked and he couldn't keep the disbelief out of his voice. He watched as she stood, transmitter in hand, and turned towards him, "Is this what they did to you?"
He regretted saying it almost instantly. The pain that flashed on her face was not something she could hide and he wished he could take it back, it didn't come out the way he had meant it, "You know what, Kaidan, fuck you! Do I look like a goddamn husk?" She snapped, her tone bitter and jaded. Her eyes flashing bright blue as her biotics reacted to the sharp flux in her emotions.
"Shepard, I don't know what to think…" He admitted, and it was the most honest thing he had said to her all day. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded," He explained, "None of this makes sense. I keep trying to figure it out, but it's like every time I think I understand something, I find more layers," he sighed as his hand moved to the back of his neck.
She stood, staring at him for a long time. The silence was palpable, like a vacuum it was sucking the air from between them, "What happened to you?" She whispered after a long time, not moving her eyes from his face as her brow creased. He asked what she meant, his face twisted in confusion. "Why can't you just accept that it's me? When did Mr. Brightside become such a cynic?"
He stared at her, his jaw slack with surprise. He spoke the two words that summed up the event that had changed his life more than any other, more than discovering he was a biotic, more than BAaT… he said simply, "You died."
Instantly, her face softened, and her eyes warmed, if only slightly. She chewed her lip and he looked away from her. "Kaidan, I don't know what I can say," She whispered, and he felt a shiver trace his spine at the almost intimate sound. It took him back to late nights and early mornings, just him and her; the only thing between them the quiet words and soft laughs they shared. He glanced at her, and the memories faded as he locked eyes with her.
"I don't know that I'll understand it, anyway," He confessed with a shrug. He didn't want to think about what the Cerberus scientists and doctors would have done to her to bring her back. "I just… I need to know if the woman that I followed to hell and back… the woman that I loved-"
"Stop saying that," She interrupted him sharply, her eyes on the transmitter in her hands.
"What?" He asked, sincerely confused as to what she wanted him to cut out.
"Loved…" She croaked the word without lifting her eyes. It was the second time he admitted he had loved her, first on Horizon and now. He had to admit he felt his chest clench with uncertainty as he watched her. Maybe she had never felt the same. Maybe she was in love with someone else now. The Drell, perhaps? Kaidan had nearly forgotten about him.
"I just need to know if she is still in there," He finished simply, gesturing towards her with a flick of his hand.
"Kaidan, I'm still me. I-" She started but was interrupted when the transmitter rang out in her hands, asking for Delta squad. He sighed loudly and turned his back to her for a moment so he could regroup. They needed to stop having these broken conversations, bits and pieces, it wasn't enough. He heard her answer the comm, and heard Cerberus confirm they'd send over a shuttle. She called for Liara who met them near the platform for the tram and the trio waited in silence. Kaidan wished they'd had more time to talk, but he knew there would be time once they got back on the Normandy. He hoped Chakwas had left some of her meds in the Bay.
The shuttle arrived, and with the combination of their biotics they made quick work of the small team that rode over with the shuttle before climbing on. Shepard went to the controls and Kaidan leaned back against the wall with an almost inaudible groan. His migraine was growing steadier, and he knew he needed to get off this planet. He scolded himself for not working out with his amp as diligently as he should have been during his time on Earth. At the thought of Earth, his mind drifted to his parents and he hoped they had made it far enough out of the city in time.
The shuttle dropped them off and they were immediately surrounded by Cerberus forces. Kaidan forced thoughts of his parents, and his migraine, from his head and focused on the battle. He managed to keep an eye on Shepard and Liara's status making sure there were no injuries. It took them longer than the other skirmishes, but Kaidan had a feeling this was the bulk of the remaining team. Eventually, the last soldier fell and Shepard led them cautiously towards the main area of the archives.
They entered a large circular room built around the Prothean ruin. It looked similar to the beacons from Eden Prime and Virmire, but this was about much larger than the beacons and Kaidan could only imagine the amount of information stored here. As Shepard moved towards the controls, a hologram appeared. Average height and build, an older man with salt and pepper hair. His eyes seemed to glow bright blue as he pulled on a cigarette, the other hand tucked into a pocket. He stood with an assured confidence, and Kaidan felt his hackles stand on end immediately - The Illusive Man.
Kaidan felt an immense hatred for the man in the hologram. He realized he blamed him for the changes in his relationship with Shepard; that was easier than taking the blame himself. He was surprised by the anger coming from Liara. He wondered what had happened since Liara gave Shepard over to Cerberus that she felt so strongly against him. Kaidan listened as The Illusive Man explained why Cerberus was here. They were looking for a way, not to stop the Reapers, but to control them. Kaidan balked at the idea, and Shepard seemed less than surprised.
He remember reading her reports from the Collector base. If there is one thing Cerberus is, it is power hungry. Kaidan thought he heard something over his shoulder, and as much as he wanted to hear out the rest of this exchange, he felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck and knew he had to see what it was. He moved around the perimeter of the room, looking for the source of the noise.
He reached another work station, and found Dr. Coré accessing the system, he trained his pistol on her before speaking, "Step away from the console!" He ordered, his voice hard and demanding. She paused, but didn't turn towards him, "Now." He added, his voice thick with command. She paused before turning. Suddenly, her closed fist struck him in the throat before she kicked him in the chest. He had the fleeting thought, as he grunted and hit the floor, that she was stronger than she should have been. He looked up to see her punch her fist through the console before she took off running. "Shepard!" He croaked out. Between the migraine and the wind being knocked out of him, it was the best he could do. "She's got the data!"
Shepard took off running after Dr. Coré, and Shepard's speed once again amazed Kaidan. What had Cerberus done to her?Liara stopped to help him up and he accepted the assistance before they chased after Shepard. The chase was short as they followed the woman out of the building and to the exterior. They lost valuable seconds when they had to stop to put on their helmets to protect them from the atmosphere. By the time they caught up to them, Coré was aboard the shuttle and making off with the data.
Shepard was screaming for help, from Vega, or the Normandy, anyone. Suddenly, Kaidan saw the shuttle Vega was piloting heading straight for the Cerberus vessel that was in mid take off. He yelled out, and when Vega connected with the Cerberus ship, it sent both vehicles to the ground just at their feet. The trio were sent sprawling from the force of the impact and the Cerberus ship was in flames. Shepard moved towards him but Kaidan waved her off before standing and going to Liara. The Asari was alright, if shaken. She wasn't wearing full armor, just her work clothes, so the impact had been harder on her.
"The data…" Liara said wistfully, looking over her shoulder at the burning vessel, and Kaidan had the sense that some things would never change. Liara may be the Shadow Broker, and a kick ass Asari biotic, but she would always be a scientist first. It was comforting. He could hear Shepard yelling at Vega for his recklessness but suddenly it was drowned out by loud, echoing booms coming from the Cerberus ship.
The door flew off the hinges and, like a demon, Dr. Eva Coré emerged, seemingly unscathed by the flames. Kaidan drew his pistol, lightly pushing Liara away, and trained it on the woman – no, not a woman – the synthetic. The skin had been burned off revealing the shining metallic frame beneath. No wonder it was so strong, and fast. It wasn't human. He started firing as it ran towards him and before he knew what was happening its hand had gripped his helmet lifting him off the ground. He tried to pull away as his feet dangled helplessly above the ground. He could feel the blood pounding in his head and at the same time, each of his extremities.
He could feel the strength in its unnatural hand as it tightened the grip on his head. It was too much for him with the migraine he already had, he wasn't strong enough to break free from its grip. Distantly he heard Shepard's voice scream out his name. He tried to focus on that, on anything but the pain searing at his temples where its fingers were digging in. He couldn't breathe, the adrenaline was too much and only made him dizzy. He had a hard time focusing his eyes on anything. He could hear his helmet cracking. It spoke into its earpiece asking for orders. Then it nodded and moved its inhuman eyes to Kaidan's face as it turned.
With one quick movement of its arm, Kaidan's entire body was slammed into the wall of the burning shuttle, the back of his head hitting first. If he could have, he would have screamed. He felt the pain like lightning at the base of his skull. His amp, or his implant, had taken serious damage. His legs went numb instantly and he was suddenly very tired.
He realized, with startling clarity, he was going to die.
His eyes found Shepard over Coré's shoulder, and focused on her face as best he could. He thought she looked angry, and scared. She was scared for him, maybe she did still care. Kaidan started to call to her as Coré thrust his head back into the shuttle wall, "Shep—"
Author's Note: If you haven't yet, and you're wondering when you should, now would be the time to read the one shot, Just the Beginning. In it, Sloan Shepard is back on the Normandy, rushing from Mars to the Citadel. The Reapers are here. She left David Anderson on the front lines of Earth. Kaidan is near death. Sloan's reaction to the events on Mars. - I'd love to hear what you think! - TLC