Whole, Part 2 (a Mass Effect fanfiction)

To This Final Fight

Fleet after fleet followed them through the Sol relay and reported in. Every species in the galaxy had sent some part of their people, if not all, to this final fight. They were trusting Shepard to get this done, to finish it, once and for all.

On the Normandy, pacing her quarters, she'd had doubts. But now, with battle at hand, with her people around her, being shuttled to Earth, she was ready. This was where she lived.

Hackett's voice came through on her comm link. "Shepard, I'm ready to start this. Are we a go?"

"Yes, Admiral. Let's take these bastards down."

"Copy that, Commander." Over the open channel, transmitted to all the ships in all the fleets, translated into every known language in the galaxy, Hackett's voice rang loud and clear. "This is Admiral Hackett of the Alliance Navy to all fleets. We are on final approach to Earth, where we will engage the Reaper forces. This battle does not end until we win it. Never before have so many come together—from all quarters of the galaxy. But never before have we faced an enemy such as this. The Reapers will show us no mercy; we must give them no quarter. They will terrorize our populations, as they have been since they arrived. We must stand fast in the face of that terror. They will advance until our last city falls. That is their purpose. But whatever happens, we will not fall. We will prevail. Each of us will be defined by our actions in the coming battle. Stand fast. Stand strong. Stand together. Await my signal, and then ... unleash hell. We will bring the full might of the galaxy to bear on the Reapers. And good luck—to all of us."

"Shepard, where are we going?" Kaidan asked.

"London. That seems to be where the Reaper forces have congregated on Earth."

"And the Crucible?"

Shepard looked at Liara, who was the most likely to have the up-to-date information.

"Waiting on the other side of the Sol Relay for Leviathan."

"Leviathan is coming, right?" Garrus asked.

"My sources report unusual activity in the Psi Tophet system. I think it's safe to say Leviathan is coming."

"Let's hope it gets here in time," Shepard muttered. If, after all of this, the attack failed because an ally was late ...

"It will." Kaidan squeezed her hand. "Don't worry."

She smiled. As if she could stop worrying at this point. "I'll feel better when I have something to shoot at."

"What she said," Garrus agreed, fingering his sniper rifle.

"You're going to get plenty, Commander," Cortez shouted over his shoulder. "We're coming in hot."

"What about the other shuttle? Did it land safely?"

"Safe and sound."

Garrus growled in annoyance. "You mean Tali and Javik are already fighting? Hurry it up, man!"

"Afraid your girlfriend's going to rack up a higher body count than you?" Kaidan asked, smirking.

"Look who's talking. You could never catch up to Shepard in a thousand years."

"And I'm man enough to be fine with that."

"Show-off," Garrus muttered.

"Commander, signal from Admiral Hackett. The fleets are attacking."

Amonkira, Lord of Hunters, give my people the strength they need to prevail. Arashu, Goddess of Protection, grant them peaceful passage if they should fall. Kalahira, Goddess of the Sea, take them across safely to where their loved ones wait. Thane ... be with me today. As you are always.

Shepard blinked against the hot tears that prickled the back of her eyes. There would be time for that later. She felt better having said her prayers.

"You okay?" Kaidan asked softly.

"Yes. Glad to be here."

"Me, too. Let's take our homeworld back."

"About time," Shepard said.

Kaidan grinned. "About freaking time. And if the Reapers messed with anything I left behind, I'm going to be so pissed."

Shepard chuckled, as he had intended her to.

"Earth will either be remembered as the place we beat the Reapers ... or it will be a smoking ruin for future generations to wonder about," Garrus said.

Shepard frowned at him. "Thanks for that cheerful perspective."

"It's what I do, Shepard."

Joker's voice came through the comm. "Hammer team is waiting for you guys to clear a path on the ground, and they'll be landing. Normandy's rejoining Sword team."

"Stay safe," Shepard told him. "I'll be back before you know it."

"I'll hold you to that. Normandy out."

The four of them looked at each other soberly in the back of the shuttle. Their home was in the hands of Joker. They trusted him to pilot her safely through the battle. But they also knew that even Joker wasn't infallible.

Without a word, each of them put their hands out, holding on to one another tightly. They had fought together for a long time; they had nearly always prevailed. Today was the hardest fight they had ever faced, but also the most important. They would trust each other, and they would do their best, and with luck, they would win.

"How are you holding up, Liara?" Kaidan asked.

"Nervous. Frightened. Anxious to go. I think I've checked my equipment three times. Um ... make that seven. But glad to be here."

"At least we finally killed Lieutenant Bastard Kai Leng," Garrus offered. "I just hope we get to do the same to his general."

"You think the Illusive Man is on Earth?" Kaidan asked.

"I hope not," Shepard said, "but I wouldn't count him out just yet. He always has something up his sleeve."

"We're closing in on the LZ, Commander," Cortez said. His arms were tense on the controls. "I won't be able to stop for long—be ready to jump."

Shepard nodded. "Thank you, Steve."

"Thank you, Commander," he replied without taking his eyes off the screen in front of him. "You stay safe out there, you hear me?"

"You, too, Lieutenant. That's an order."

"Yes, ma'am. All right, get ready." He brought the shuttle to a stop, opening the doors onto a nightmare landscape that bore no resemblance to any human settlement. It was swarming with Reaper troops, and with Alliance soldiers in heated combat.