“I've got a signal!” Joker shouted. “Bravo team, do you have them?”
“We're on our way back now,” Miranda answered between breaths, running as quickly as her legs would allow.
In Wrex's arms was a limp and unresponsive Shepard. Grunt held an equally unconscious Garrus. He was unable to determine if he was alive or dead. His scorched armor and face didn't leave much hope. Liara lay burned in Vega's arms, purple-blue blood dripping with every step he took. Vega tried to cushion each jolt the best he could as he ran, hoping to minimize her blood loss.
“Stay with us, T'Soni,” he muttered softly.
A few minutes later Javik reported in.
“The device is armed,” he relayed to Joker as he followed his teammates through the damaged airlock into the Normandy.
“We're onboard,” Samara shouted through her communicator. “Joker, fly!”
Joker fired up the Normandy's reverse thrusters and tore the front of the ship away from the breach. The sound of metal screeching against metal was deafening. Emergency force fields covered the hole that it left, although one could clearly see the stars through the port side.
“We're free,” Joker informed the crew. “EDI, do your thing!”
“Activating Reaper purge.”
Behind them, Harbinger raised a tentacled arm to take aim at the Normandy. Before it could fire, it exploded from the inside, pieces of itself soaring outward. Joker expertly maneuvered the Normandy SR-2 to dodge the flying debris.
With the destruction protocol engaged, the eerie red light of the Omega 4 relay began expanding. Bright red light erupted through space as it raced to every mass relay in the Milky Galaxy.
“There it goes!” Joker exclaimed. “Pray to whatever gods you believe in this works.”
*
“Shepard, can you hear me?” Dr. Chakwas asked, her voice tight as she passed a light across his eyes.
“Chakwas,” Shepard coughed. He blinked his eyes rapidly, the light smarting them.
“Gave me a real scare this time, Shepard. You were so burned I wasn't sure I could revive you. Your lungs were nearly incinerated and I wasn't positive you'd be able to see again.”
“Liara? Garrus?” he wheezed.
“I've stabilized them and I expect a full recovery. Liara managed to block some of the impact with a biotic shield, otherwise none of you would've survived. But for now, close your eyes and rest.” She injected him with a sedative to allow him to sleep.
When Shepard came to, he saw Tali speaking with Garrus.
“Look who's awake,” said Tali good naturedly.
“Tali! Garrus!” Shepard exclaimed with excitement, sitting partially up. He was still alive, as were his friends. It could only mean the mission was a success. “The last thing I remember was firing at Harbinger's communication relay. Then, just darkness.”
“Turns out the rest of the crew followed us in,” Garrus explained.
“We couldn't let you three go alone,” Tali'Zorah vas Normandy told him. “Besides, if you were successful in destroying Harbinger's communication relay and IFF, he wouldn't have been able to receive EDI's destruction protocol.”
“Makes sense,” Shepard grunted, adjusting himself on the bed.
“Javik prepared a neutron bomb that could receive EDI's signal. When we found you unconscious, Wrex, Grunt, and Vega carried you back to the Normandy. But everyone was there, Commander. All of us. We had your back.”
Shepard was grinning so hard his face hurt. Sure, he was blistered and lying in a medical bed, but he was with his closest friends. And he was alive. They all were.
He looked to his right and saw Liara in the bed next to him, sleeping peacefully. He wouldn't have made it without her.
“Garrus, you're not looking any worse for wear,” he joked, noticing the new cuts covering his face.
“How could I possibly look any worse? In fact, Tali tells me it's an improvement.”
“Oh, stop it,” Tali chided. She bent over and “kissed” Garrus through her environmentally sealed helmet.
“Worst case scenario, I could always wear a mask like yours,” Garrus teased.
“Once you're out of that bed, neither of us will be wearing any masks,” Tali informed him.
Garrus' turian carapace gratefully prevented him from blushing.
“And you, Shepard,” Tali turned to him. “You have to get back on your feet. You may have saved the galaxy from the Reapers, but that's no excuse for indolence.”
“I will,” he promised with a grin.
“Let them rest now,” Dr. Chakwas chided. “Doctor's orders.”
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