Mass Effect: The Mercenary's Destiny Male Reader x Small Harem

Chapter 2: Citadel

(Y/N) POV, Normandy Med-Bay

Pain. Every part of my body felt like I was being burned alive. But it was quickly fading except for a throbbing headache. As it did I opened my eyes to see I'd been removed from my suit. Nyta must've activated the emergency override. But I could still feel a weight pressing down on one side of my chest.

Moving my head, withholding a wince of pain from the headache, I saw a ponytail of blonde hair draped over my chest and shoulder. Must've been out for a while if Nyta had time to fall asleep in a chair and then sleepwalk onto the bed. Wouldn't be the first time. That's just how she did things.

The pain suddenly returned as the memories came back. Machines, unlike any I had ever seen, butchering people. Forced conversion into cybernetic abominations. The Demon Fish reaching out for me.

My groan caused Nyta to blink and then look up at me. "Finally. Hey, Dr Chawkwas, he's awake!" She got up and stood nearby, then grabbed my hand in hers for a few seconds as I stood up. Over on the next bed was Shepard, who'd also started waking up. Kaiden and Ashley got up from their chairs to stand.

Dr Chawkwas walked in and started looking over us. "You two had us worried. How're you feeling?"

"Don't suppose you could please get me an aspirin? Then we'll see." Shepard looked over at me and nodded. "Same. Aspirin first, please."

She handed us each one of the painkillers Humans had been using for over a century or two. "How long were we out?" When Shepard spoke I looked up from where my hand remained intwined with Nyta's.

"About 15 hours. Something happened down there with the Beacon."

"Damn thing exploded, a system overload or something, maybe. The Lieutenant, myself, and Nyta had to carry you two back to the ship." I squeezed Nyta's hand and finally let go of it as I looked Ashley in the eye. "I appreciate it."

"Unfortunately, the energy from the Beacon fried your armour. I got the override working, but beyond that it's basically a pile of scrap. Fortunately, the Black Box survived so we'll still be able to turn in the data to Okiwa and get the credits for testing it." I looked towards the corner Nyta had indicated, seeing my armour lying in a scorched heap, and snorted. "I bet they'll be thrilled." I then turned my attention to what Shepard was saying.

"Neither of you had any way of knowing what would happen, it's not your fault. That thing was over 50,000 years old. We were lucky to even dig it up reasonably intact." Both Ash and Kaiden seemed to perk up a bit at Shepard's words. I shook my head as the floor suddenly started spinning a bit. Why were Nyta, Ashley, and Jane's voices all coming from within my own head?

"I saw... not sure what I saw. Death, destruction. Nothing's really clear." I looked over, Jane's voice hitting my ears from outside my head providing something to focus on as the spinning stopped. "Yeah, what she said."

"Hmm... I better add this to my report, it may..." That was when a black man in an Alliance Officer's uniform walked in with Nihlus a few meters behind him. "Oh. Captain Anderson."

"How're our XO and mercenary doing, Doctor?"

"All of the Commander's vitals look normal, I'd say she's going to be fine. As for our mercenary, his brain chemistry was all over the charts for a few minutes, but it seems to be settling down."

"Very well. Commander, Mr. Boll, I'll need to speak to you two. In private."

Ashley and Kaiden both saluted and left. Nyta and the Doctor followed them.

"Sounds like that Beacon hit both of you pretty hard, Commander. Ghost, after you get your pay would you mind staying around a while longer in case we require you again?"