If It Meant Living: Mass Effect 2

31: From the Ruin

Chapter Note:  If you haven’t heard the recording of the “About Horizon” message read by Kaidan’s voice actor, Raphael Sbarge, you definitely should listen to it – it will transform the way you view that message.  I can’t link to it, but search YouTube for “Sbarge Horizon.” 

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 41 days since Resurrection    ||    1 months, 24 days until activation of Omega 4 Relay

"Let me come with you."

She glanced over at Garrus as she slid into her armor.  "I'll be fine."

Garrus grumbled in frustration.  "Shepard, with all due respect, I'm not sure you will be.  And no one would fault you for not being fine.  I'll stay out of your way – I'll even stay in the shuttle.  Just let me come with you.  Please."

She finished fastening her boots, stood up and turned to face him.  "I understand what you’re saying, Garrus.  And I appreciate the concern, I really do.  But I need to do this alone."

He stared at her.  "You're not going to back down on this, are you?"

She gave him a sad smile.  "Nope."

He sighed in resignation.  "Okay.  Just...take care of yourself down there."

She nodded.  “I will.”

A young man wearing the ubiquitous Cerberus uniform approached her.  “Commander, the monument is loaded on the shuttle.  I’ll be piloting today; I'm ready to go when you are."

She glanced over at him as she checked the seals on her armor.  “Thank you, Mr. …Remling, correct?  That won't be necessary.  I'm perfectly capable of piloting a simple shuttle."

"But...Ms. Lawson instructed that..."

She cocked her head at him.  "Is Ms. Lawson commander of this ship?"

"Um...no, ma'am."

"Who is commander of this ship?"

"You are, ma'am."

"Excellent.  Your services are not required."

"Understood, ma'am."  He replied, eyes wide, then turned and scurried off.

She didn’t make a habit of it for strategic reasons, but she could pilot a shuttle.  When she had entered the Academy she had even briefly considered becoming a pilot.  But she was a biotic, and biotic abilities weren’t of much use in the cockpit.  Perhaps more importantly, human biotics were still rare and treasured by the military.  Accordingly, her instructors had urged her to focus her talents elsewhere, where her biotic talents could be put to a “greater purpose.”  It had been a pleasant surprise when she discovered that Special Forces training included basic piloting, and she had relished later opportunities to satiate the urge to fly through the stars.

She settled into the cockpit, took a deep breath, and departed the hold of the Normandy for the surface of Alchera.

***

She stepped out of the shuttle then stopped, frozen in awe and in horror.

The wreckage of the Normandy was strewn as far the eye could see.  Large sections of the ship were remarkably intact; others were shattered into a hundred pieces, some less than a meter in length.  The Mako rested diagonally on an outcropping of rocks, ten feet in the air.  She chuckled quietly and almost wished she had brought Garrus along – if only so she could rib him about needing that Mako fixed ASAP…