Chapter Text
The Geth was one thing I doubt any of else expected to encounter once we got to the surface of Eden Prime after seeing that footage on the Normandy. Anderson was right, this mission just got a lot more complicated. Husks were easy to take out, troopers were another story, and I just hope there are no Geth Primes waiting in the wings. I had made it to the docks, whatever survivors were here hopefully Shepard was able to secure them. Then I saw something, better yet someone that I hadn’t expected to see at all. “Saren?” I asked as the familiar figure turned to look at me, something felt off about my old friend.
“Nihlus” he said coolly walking towards me slowly.
“What are you doing here? This was supposed to be my mission.” I told him.
“The council thought you might need a little extra help” he said walking past me.
I lowered my head, things were bad no doubt, I still couldn’t shake the fact that something was still off “Things are bad…” I said letting my guard down that was a mistake I would never make again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything” I heard him say also hearing a weapon power up.
“NIHLUS! LOOKOUT!!” it was Shepard, her, Alenko, and a female officer took out some husks as they charged at me and Saren. I turned to see Saren’s weapon pointed at my head, and was able to move just fast enough so that the blasts only grazed the said of my face. He made sure that one at least hit the flesh deep in my arm and I went down in excruciating pain. The ground was hard, and Saren managed to get to the tram and on his way to the next platform where the beacon was.
“Nihlus! Hold on!” I could hear Shepard call as she and her team reached me. She applied a dose of Medi-Gel to my wounds. The one in my arm was deep, I could feel the blood leaving the wound, between the pain in my face and my arm, and it was too much even for me a Spectre. “Joker, get Dr. Chakwas and a med team down here ASAP Mister! Hold on Nihlus help is coming.”
I blacked out. All I remember was Shepard’s hands applying the medi-gel, and her voice telling me to hold on. It was really all that kept me going I suppose, when I next woke up I was in the Normandy’s Med Bay, she was laying in the bed next to me. Something had happened, Saren had done something. I tried to move as the pain from my wounds came rushing to my brain “AH!” was all I could get out as I laid back down to see Dr. Chakwas rushing over to tend to me.
“Easy Nihlus, you took some pretty nasty shots from Saren. You were lucky the Commander got there in time to administer the medi-gel in time to keep you alive until my team and I got to you.” She explained
“What happened to Shepard…the beacon…Saren?” I gasped out as she gave me a dose of pain killers tailored to Turians.
“I’ll let the Captain fill you in when you and the Commander are rested enough. We’re on our way to the Citadel to give a report to the Ambassador and for you to give your report to the Council. We should only be another six hours from Citadel space, just rest Nihlus” she said making sure I was comfortable one more time before going to Shepard and running what looked to be scans of her. She looked like she was dreaming, though her dreams seemed to be less than pleasant.
I decided to do what Dr. Chakwas instructed and try to rest. But how does she expect me to rest when Saren is out there somewhere doing who knows what while I’m here in a med bay cot. Not to mention the matter of the beacon; was it recovered? Did Shepard get there in time to stop Saren from whatever it was that he was doing? I looked over at Shepard; Dr. Chakwas was done with her scans and back to her desk. Shepard didn’t seem to have any visible injuries, but Saren wasn’t above playing dirty, I know that now.
The war hero of the Blitz didn’t seem like much now that she was lying in the med bay, out cold. She was human, and humans in their own way are fragile creatures; determined as hell and by the spirits stubborn, but they weren’t much without their weapons and armor. I didn’t mind much seeing Shepard in this way, I’m sure she did everything in her abilities on Eden Prime. She is, at least I think she is, the best humanity has to offer at this point. That is why I pushed her name forward for Spectre status.
It was hours before the commander started to stir, Alenko was right there of course “Doc she’s coming to” he said.
‘Thank you Lieutenant Obvious’ I thought to myself leaning back against the other bed reading through my data pad configuring my reports for the council.
Shepard sat up, and shook her head, she was drowsy “How long have I been out?” she asked looking around.
“About fifteen hours” the doctor said as she explained about Shepard’s rapid eye movement and noticing abnormal beta waves as she was sleeping. Alenko explained how he and the Gunnery Chief carried Shepard back after the beacon had done whatever it did to knock her out then self-destructed, and how Saren was already gone by the time they had reached the beacon. Those last parts did not sit with me well, as I started to round on the Lieutenant Anderson walked in wanting to talk to the Commander about what happened.
“I would as well like to speak to you in private as well Commander Shepard. I will wait in your cabin” I said walking out before I did something I might regret. I went straight for Shepard’s cabin even as Alenko walked out of the medical bay to give Shepard and Anderson time to debrief as Captain and his XO.
It felt like hours had passed before the Commander finally came into her cabin “You wanted to speak with me also Nihlus?” she asked. She looked as if she were to fall over, though she tried to hide it. Whatever the beacon did, it took quite the toll on her.
“Yes, about Eden Prime, the beacon, and…Saren” I said staring at a picture of her and what I believed to be her parents; all three Alliance military.
“I regret not getting to Saren in time before he got away, but I had to make sure the colony stayed in tack. And the beacon, well that didn’t go very well either way.” She said
“Saren will be my responsibility, I will see if the council will let you accompany me on apprehending him as part of your Spectre training if they don’t go ahead and make you a Spectre. Though I doubt they will grant you that since Eden Prime was such a fiasco with the Geth and Saren going rogue. I’m pretty sure he’ll try to cover his tracks before we get to the Citadel.” I explained as she sat in the chair at the tiny desk. “Is everything all right commander?”
“Yeah it’s just the vision that the beacon showed me…my head still feels like its swimming” she said holding her head.
“What did you see?” I asked walking toward her. I felt concerned, for this human, it felt strange.
“I’ll tell you what I told the Captain; I’m not sure what I saw really.” She said “It was jumbled but I saw death and destruction. It was horrible.”
“…maybe we should talk later after you’ve gotten more rest” I said putting a hand on her shoulder.
“No, Nihlus I’ll be fine, I swear. It just worries me, like something big is coming, I just don’t –“
“We’ll be to the Citadel in a little while, why don’t you go up to the bridge, it is quite the breath taking sight” I said changing the subject to something else other than her disturbing vision. She looked at me then smiled with a small nod and stood up. “We’ll have time to discuss this further after you’ve met with your Ambassador and we’ve met with the council” I turned away and started to walk out of her cabin as she followed behind me.
“You going to come to the bridge too?” she asked.
“I spend most of my time on the Citadel, when you’ve seen one sight you’ve seen them all” I shrugged.
“All right then, see you later” she said moving passed me, the light scent of some strange earth flower catching my nose.
“Commander…”
“Yeah Nihlus?” she turned.
“Thank you, for what you did on Eden Prime. If you hadn’t had come when you did, I surely would have been killed” I said “You certainly are one of the best humanity has to offer” this made her smile; it made me feel even more like a fool. I was glad that Turians don’t blush or I would have been in trouble.
“No problem Nihlus, just try not to make a habit of it, ok?” she said in a playful tone as she rounded the stairs and headed to the bridge to see the view of the Citadel as we approached. She was pretty for a human I’ll give her that, but is this I’m feeling just from the fact she saved my life or was it an honest attraction? Whatever it was, right now it didn’t matter, and I just wanted to savor her smile for what little time I could before we have to get to business with the council and Saren.
“So Nihlus” I heard Anderson’s view to my left. I respected him, but I don’t understand why he had to ruin my moment.
“So what, Captain?” I said turning my head to look at him. He had a sly smile on his face.
“We could stall the council for a few moments if you want to join the Commander and seeing the sights for a while, give her the tour?” he suggested. I scoffed at such a preposterous idea and headed for the bridge. As I approached the bridge seeing the Commander, Joker, and the other two craning their necks to get a view of the Citadel. Maybe the Captain’s suggestion wasn’t such a bad idea.