Mass Effect: Another Time, Another Place

Chapter 27: Be Still My Beaten Heart

Summary:

Wyatt, Garrus, Tali and Shepard all board Dr. Heart's ship and make some disturbing discoveries... They deal with the Doctor and board the Normandy. Shepard and Wyatt talk about their families, or lack thereof. Wrex then asks a favour from the two Spectres, which they happily oblige.

Chapter 27:

I woke up to Joker saying we were in the same system as the transponder frequency...

I got geared up and went to the airlock as we docked with the ship, Garrus, Tali and Shepard ready and waiting... "I invited Tali along in case of any locked doors." Garrus explained to me and I nodded to him.

We docked and disembarked... The room before us was empty, but I spied movement on the Soliton a few rooms over... We exited the docking area we were in and entered a T-shaped room. To the left was a dead end so we quickly moved right, our weapons trained ahead of us. We entered what seemed to be a cargo room with massive crates strewn about...

The Soliton then became static, calibrating itself to deal with the large objects in the room... As I walked forwards, something leapt onto my back and spewed acidic stuff on me... Before I could throw it off, it was dragged of me and I saw Tali jab her boot knife in it's throat. I turned again and blasted a... Were these Thorian Creepers? No not exactly... Weird.

I blasted two away with my rifle and spied explosive canisters... I tossed a grenade and blew them up, more of the things blasting to pieces. Shepard knocked one down and curb stomped it's head into the deck, While Garrus threw one over his shoulder and dug his talon's into it's eyes, taking it out...

We easily cleared the room and moved to another door... Locked. Tali didn't need prompting and quickly unlocked it. We moved in and found no more hostiles. I went straight and checked the cockpit... No one. I turned back and on my right was a sealed door, so we went left...

There stood a Salarian. A strange looking one at that... "Thank you! Thank you for saving me from those... Things." he thanked us incessantly.

I shook my head then. "Don't thank us yet..." I mumbled.

Garrus' eyes went wide and he turned his head to us. "Commander, that's him! That's Doctor Saleon!" he exclaimed with a nod.

The Salarian acted confused. "What? My name is Heart. Doctor Heart! Please, get me out of here." he begged us, sure in his words.

I scoffed at him then. "What kind of name, alien name at that, is fucking Heart? What, you happened to have a name that goes with your profession? Piss off."

Shepard wasn't so sure and turned his head to Garrus. "I'm positive, Commander." he nodded to Shepard assuredly. "There's no escape this time, Doctor. I'd harvest your organs first, but we don't have the time." he stated coldly to the Doctor.

The Doctor took a step back then. "I disagree..." I mumbled out.

"You're crazy... He's crazy! Please, don't let him do this to me!" he begged Shepard and myself.

Shepard sighed then. "We'll take him in. Drop him off with the military." he decided.

Garrus shook his head in shock then. "But... We have him. We can't let him get away... Not again?" he asked us.

I nodded then in agreement, not giving in to my hatred this time. "He'll be tried and locked away for the rest of his miserable life. We can find out what he's done and who he's done it to. Get some closure for their families or next of kin." I pointed out to him.

Shepard agreed with me on that. "He'll be interrogated, and serve his time." he told Garrus.

Garrus took a sharp breath. "I've- Okay. You're right." he conceded to us. "You're a very lucky Salarian. You owe the Commanders your life." he spoke to the Doctor harshly, narrowing his eyes.