Chapter 65
"Commander Shepard, I hate to do this so soon after the outpost invasion, however we need your battle group to intercept a small fleet spotted by Rothschild and the Geth heading your way." Admiral Hackett said.
"Yes sir. We'll be underway immediately. About Rothschild, sir. Is he ok?" Shepard asked.
"No, but he's getting there. Our species has had hundreds of thousands of years to become accustomed to death hitting that close to home, he's completely new to this. It will take time, in the meantime he is determined to continue." Hackett answered.
"Good to hear sir. We've got preparations to make, so unless there is anything else?" Shepard said
"No commander, Good luck and keep us posted. Hackett out." Hackett said before severing the connection. The next few minutes were a flurry of activity. Shepard was pleased to see the crew of the Normandy at their stations nearly instantaneously. The Asari commando squad and General Noruva decided to remain on the Normandy to assist with boarding if needed. The fleet that was detected was a single dreadnought-sized ship and three cruiser-sized escorts, so a smaller stealthier task force was deployed with the rest remaining to defend the outpost.
Within minutes the Normandy, and its escort of two Turian frigates and a single Asari cruiser dropped out of FTL a quarter of a million kilometers in front of the Batarian fleet, likely scaring the Captain halfway to death.
"Joker, what's the story?" Shepard asked.
"Weapons are cold on the cruisers, and the big one has no weaponry installed. Shields are minimal and life support is unstable but weak. I think I know why, that ship is way over capacity. I'm reading fifty thousand humanoids on board. " Joker said
"Fucking slaver shitpigs. Do we have Rothschild's chip scrambler online?" Shepard asked.
"Affirmative, Shepard Commander." A Geth unit at one of the tac stations said.
"Bring up a link with the dreadnought." Shepard ordered. She was expecting to be staring the ugly brutal mug of a Batarian slaver but was surprised instead to see an Asari with a black eye and blood leaking from a small gash in her forehead.
"Alliance vessel, This is Sila Nadanna, I'm an escaped slave. I beg you on behalf of everyone aboard, please help us." The tired looking Asari said.
"Sila, this is Commander Urdnot Jane Shepard Vas Normandy, are there any slavers aboard?" Shepard asked.
"Goddess, You're the Shepard?" Sila asked.
"Uh, the what now?" Shepard said
"The Shepard! There's been stories circulating amongst the slave camps, a Human commander that has been freeing slaves and leading them home, to safety... They call you The Shepard." Sila said.
"Wow.. I was not expecting that... Um, just Shepard will do, or Jane. Commander if you're feeling formal. Sila we're going to send over a couple of squads to stabilize things over there, once everything is secure we'll escort you to an outpost we just took. Make sure anyone who is armed puts down their weapons. I'm not sure you're aware but the Alliance, the Asari Republics and Turian Hierarchy are officially at war with the Batarian Hegemony." Shepard said
"Understood, and thank you. Thank you so much." Sila said, severing the connection. Shepard announced that she wanted to meet with Kurg and Noruva's squads in the cargo bay.
"Kurg, General Noruva, I want you to go and secure the Batarian dreadnought. I have ordered them to drop their weapons, but we have no way of knowing whether this is some elaborate trap. Stay sharp, don't be afraid to fire if attacked, and come back to us safe, ok? No stupid risks." Shepard said.
"Understood, Commander." Kurg said. Noruva nodded in agreement and then began briefing her commandos. Kurg's squad already knew the deal and were preparing their weapons. Their trip to the Dreadnought was a short one, Kurg's squad volunteered to remain on the dreadnought while they jumped to the outpost. Noruva's commandos were too shaken at what they'd seen and had requested to return to the Normandy. All of the ships jumped to the Outpost, and preparations were made to ferry the former slaves down to the outpost where adequate housing was already in the process of being prepared. Having anticipated finding living slaves the Alliance had set up support to handle a hundred thousand slaves so the sixty thousand plus from both the dreadnought and the cruisers could be easily accommodated. They traveled at a slow speed, since the Normandy had to remain close to feed auxiliary power to the Dreadnought to bolster it's rapidly failing life support.
It was with great relief they arrived at the outpost. On the way there they were discussing how best to move the occupants of the ships planet side, since Cruisers and dreadnoughts were not designed to land on the surface of a planet it was decided to evacuate the first round of former slaves via escape pods, however on the dreadnought there were too many aboard so Kodiak shuttles were brought in from all of the battle group's ships to slowly cycle down the rest.
Karin, Vil and the rest of the medical staff that the Alliance had brought along began feverishly working to process all of the refugees, the vast of whom were Batarian. Thankfully the healthier ones were able to donate blood for the critical patients who needed it. Within hours the staging area the Alliance had set up for the invasion was a sea of patients either receiving treatment or awaiting it. This however proved too much for a team of two doctors, several medics and a swarm of soldiers with first-aid and basic medical training to handle so a pair of hospital ships were en route. Shepard was cleaning a wound on a Batarian teenager's arm when a runner came from the command tent asking for her.
"Commander Shepard, Admiral Raan is on the back at command, she said it's urgent." The soldier said.
"Understood, I'll just be a minute." Shepard said, pressing a medigel-soaked gauze pad against the wound and wrapping it with a bandage.
"Is your translator working?" Shepard asked the girl, who only nodded meekly.
"OK, sweetie. Keep that bandage on overnight, tomorrow you should be able to take it off and let someone know if it hurts or starts to smell weird, OK?" Shepard said. The girl paused, and then attempted to say something but no sound came out, though she mouthed words Shepard assumed to be in Batarian. That was when she noticed the ugly scar that cut across her throat, it looked very old.
"Also, once things are quieted down, I'd like you to go see the nice Asari lady in the Alliance jumpsuit over there. She might be able to help you with your voice. This stuff is pretty awesome." Shepard said, holding up vial of medigel. The girl's eyes, all four of them shot open widely and stared. Shepard smiled and nodded, and the girl launched herself into Shepard's arms, silently sobbing.
"Go over to the mess tent and get something to eat. Don't worry about speaking, see the bald guy over there with the Krogan? That's Sargent Gardner and Ensign Grak. Sargent Gardner can make anything edible for any race and it will be delicious, and Grak is really good at communicating, I bet he'll know what you want before you can point it out on the menu. I really do need to get going though, you need anything else?" Shepard asked. The girl shook her head and waved, slowly making her way towards the mess area. Shepard gathered her supplies and jogged over to the command tent where Raan was waiting on the comm unit for her.
"Sorry Admiral, I was patching up one of the slaves. Some asshole cut her vocal cords God knows how long ago, she couldn't even speak. She can't be a day over 14." Shepard said.
"The savagery of these slavers will never cease to disgust me. I'm glad after so many years we're finally putting them down. That's not what I called for, though. Did the Mercy and the Nightingale arrive?" Raan asked.
"Not yet, but their captains reported in they are minutes away. Thank you by the way for sending them so quickly. We're working miracles down here, but without a proper hospital we're coming dangerously close to losing some of them. As it is many didn't make the trip to the surface. The temporary morgue we set up is almost at capacity." Shepard said.
"It was the least we could do. There are four more hospital ships from the Asari republics inbound and the Turians are sending six squadrons of their dominator fighters to protect them." Raan reported.
"That's a massive relief, please convey our thanks." Shepard said.
"Of course, though I doubt it's necessary. From your report it looks like while the majority of the slaves rescued were Batarian there were a significant amount of Asari and Turians recovered as well." Raan said.
"They also had a few Drell, a ton of Vorcha, five Krogan and an Elcor and two Volus. The Elcor is in very bad shape, he only weighs about 500kg, but he's stable." Shepard said
"I'll contact Dekuuna and have him evacuated as soon as possible. They heal faster in high gravity. Anyway the main reason I'm contacting you is within the hour several squadrons of smaller ships of unknown make will be arriving at your location. They are friendlies, and their commander will fill you in on the details. We'll be returning that planet to the Batarians after the war and we don't want to establish a QEC there so we're being careful with what we say via open communication." Raan said.
"Understood Ma'am." Shepard said, then a sudden gust of wind rocked the tent.
"Looks like the Mercy's here, I need to go help board the wounded. Was there anything else Admiral?" Shepard said.
"No commander. You and your people are doing excellent work out there. Raan out." She said disconnecting the call. She ran outside to see medivac shuttles dropping out of the sky. Their doors burst open shortly after landing, medical teams erupting from inside and heading straight over to the field hospital. Shepard rolled up her sleeves and jogged over to assist in the evacuation efforts.
Hours later, the other races stood in awe as the Humans, Quarians and Krogan were still at it, moving the injured to the waiting ships. Several could be seen eating protien bars with one hand while dragging a stretcher with the other. What would have taken a Turian or Asari group of equal size multiple days was handled in less than 12 hours, and by nightfall the only remaining patients were those with simple injuries. Shepard leapt up onto a crate of medical supplies and activated a module on her omnitool that amplified her voice.
"Alright people, amazing work today, all of you. I want you all to know that your efforts have turned what started out to be an unbearable tragedy into a miracle, we've saved thousands of innocents here today and you should all be proud of yourselves and each other. I just got word back from Captain O'Donnell of the Mercy, not a single refugee that made it planet side has died. I cannot express how proud I am of all of you. Now stand down, eat something and grab some rack time, the Geth have offered to take the night shift so we can recuperate." Shepard yelled. Everyone cheered, and many of the organics walked over to the nearest Geth platform and shook it's hand thanking it for taking over. These gestures still managed to confuse the Geth, it was in their nature to serve, but the organics didn't treat them like servants, they treated them like teammates. Still over time, Rothschild was helping them to understand that they truly were part of the giant weird Alliance family.
Shepard hopped down from the crate and jogged over to General Noruva and the commando squad, and sat down in front of them.
"You guys doing good? You get anything to eat yet?" Shepard asked, breathing slightly heavily.
"Goddess how are you still upright? We had to stop every couple of hours." one of the commandos asked.
"But you came back every time and that's what matters. I'm told Humans are freaks like that, and we're rubbing off on the Quarians and Krogan. Your people and the Turians were absolutely vital to our success today and we will never be able to thank you enough. I have to go check on a few things and see if my girlfriend is still conscious, but if you need anything just call ok?" Shepard said pointing at her omnitool. Before she could leave, another Asari, one of the regulars that came in from their medical ships came up to her.
"Commander Shepard ma'am. Can I speak with you in private?" She asked.
"Of course, please come with me." Shepard said guiding her over to a quiet alley behind one of the old outpost buildings. She leaned against the wall and gestured for the Asari to go on.
"I met your ship's doctors. I... I know what Vil D'inan is." The Asari said timidly, wringing her hands. Shepard seemingly appeared instantaneously inches away from her face and glared at the woman.
"If you or anyone else here lays a single fucking hand on her or tries to take her away or even upsets her I will tear your fucking head off and post it on a pike, Asari diplomatic status be damned." Shepard growled, staring down at her.
"Goddess, please, don't hurt me I don't mean any harm.." The woman said, clearly terrified.
"Then why did you need to speak with me?" Shepard demanded.
"My name is Tull... Tull D'inan. I'm Vil's mother." She said.
"It's nice to meet you Mrs. D'inan, but I don't care who you are you will not bring harm to her do you understand? She is a citizen of the alliance, and she is a dear friend to me." Shepard said, not backing down.
"You don't understand... please let me speak.." Tull begged.
"Go ahead then." Shepard said, crossing her arms.
"When we found out.. When she was scanned at the college, Goddess I tried to hide her away. I kept her safe in my house for years but that was little better than being stuck at one of those horrible monasteries being shouted at and threatened by justicars. After some time I was able to save up enough to bribe a merchant to take her off world, to hopefully find a life for herself, but I was betrayed and she was sold to Batarian slavers." Tull said, her expression growing despondent.
"So why hasn't she tried to reach out to you since she came under our protection?" Shepard asked.
"I don't know. I have been trying desperately to get ahold of her, but every message I send gets blocked some how. I thought at first that the justicars were monitoring my communications, but it then occurred to me that your Rothschild and the Geth would never allow that sort of intrusion." Tull said.
"I will speak to Vil and see what she has to say. If you truly want to see her then stay planet side, I'm sure I can get permission from Ambassador T'soni. However, if this turns out to be a ploy, if you hurt her, nothing will save you. Do you understand? I don't care if I have to slaughter a path through a thousand justicars or whatever they're called on my way to Thessia to find you I will gut you slowly, and I'll rot in jail for the rest of my life with a smile on my face after, am I perfectly clear?" Shepard said. The Asari nodded frantically, too terrified to speak. Shepard stalked off faster than Tull thought humans could move and walked directly back towards the Hospital area.
IT took little time for Shepard to find Vil, the poor woman was slumped over at her desk asleep. Shepard quietly approached her and gently shook her shoulder. Vil shot awake and began swatting wildly at Shepard.
"Don't touch me! I'm Sorry! Please don't hurt me!" She shouted before slowly regaining he composure and realizing it was just her commander.
"Goddess, Shepard I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?" She asked.
"No, not at all. I' m sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you OK?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, I am. I'll be fine. The nightmares have stopped mostly, but I'm still working through it." D'inan said.
"Of course, do you need a few minutes? I have something I'd like to discuss with you." Shepard said
"Sure, now is fine, what can I do for you Commander?" She asked.
"There is an Asari out there, she came on one of the medical ships. She claims to be your mother, Tull D'inan." Shepard said
"Oh no... Shepard please don't let her know I'm here. I need to get back on the Normandy!" Vil said, frantic.
"Hold on a sec, Vil, you're safe. She is well aware that I will eviscerate her if she or anyone else lays an unwanted hand on you. Just breathe." Shepard said. Vil sat down and began one of the breathing exercises that Karin had taught her.
"She told me that she paid someone to smuggle you off Thessia and then you disappeared, she's been trying to reach you." Shepard said
"She would say that. Shepard she sold me to the Batarians. Her horrible freakish monster baby became too much of a burden for her so she found the easiest way to be rid of me." Vil said.
"How do you know she sold you?" Shepard asked.
"How else would the Batarians have gotten access to me? Thessia is nowhere near space that allows the Hegemony to operate. As soon as the ship was out of orbit, the Turian pilot knocked me out with a syringe and I woke up with a chip in some Batarian monster's bedroom." Vil said, her hand shooting to her mouth. She had shared more than she had intended. Shepard squeezed her shoulder.
"I won't tell anyone, Vil. Don't worry, and I'm sorry that I've upset you, It's just... She was terrified of me. You know how I get." Shepard said grinning at that last bit.
"Still she stood her ground and begged me to help. She looked awful, I obviously can't read minds but my instincts were screaming at me that she was being sincere." Shepard said.
"She's been sending me messages nonstop since I was taken. I haven't read them. Let me read them and I'll get back to you, I don't trust her, but you I do trust. If you think there's a chance she might be sincere, it's worth exploring." Vil said.
"Just keep in mind, one word from you she's gone, off world and out of your life forever, OK? You're my friend and I don't let my friends live in fear." Shepard said, pulling Vil up and into a hug. Vil had a way of telegraphing that she needed physical contact, since she joined the Normandy's crew she was almost addicted to it. Every chance she got she'd hug, shake hands, she even got into high-fiving the rambunctious marine squad, though it routinely left her hands sore.
"Shepard... I can't obviously, because of my... condition, but if you see her, ask to meld with her. If she's hiding something she won't be able to keep it from you, your will is too strong." Vil said.
"Um, I'd love to help you, but I'm dating Tali, and I would never cheat on her." Shepard said, blushing.
"What? Oh goddess, I keep forgetting you haven't known us that long. There is more to melding than just Sex. There is a mating meld, but that also involves a certain amount of physical contact and definite sexual intent, then there's the non-sexual meld where two minds come together to share knowledge, feelings, or just help one or both process emotional trauma. It's also part of a lot of our religious and social traditions." Vil explained
"Oh, ok. I'm still going to ask Tali first though, just so there's no misunderstanding. Vil, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to ask the Geth to have a platform shadow you when nobody else is around. Better safe than sorry, right?" Shepard said.
"Of course, thank you." Vil said, hugging Shepard again and then returning to her desk to finish the paperwork she'd recently been drooling on.