Mass Effect - Fragments

Chapter 1 - Third Time's a Charm

“...aw hell, my mandible, think he cracked it…”

“..us Christ he’s strong…”

 He flailed again, but weakly this time, his breaths coming ragged. He saw something approach, holding a hypo, which he knocked aside. He managed a breath and forced the words out.

 “Where… am… I?”

 The pressure subsided. The figures still maintained a gentle pressure on him, but there was a cautious pause. His vision began to clear, but his eyes hurt like hell. Focus returned, slowly, showing the figures around him: A turian, clad in a white coat, nursing his cheek, two humans, holding his arms and an Asari. It was the blue woman who spoke first.

 “Do you remember your name?”

 She spoke slowly, careful, as one would to a child. He felt a flash of irritation, but it subsided quickly.

 “John Shepard, Commander Alliance Navy, Spectre. Number 25145597.”

 Reapers didn’t interrogate; indoctrinated might, but there was a caution there, a shock that could be seen clear in her face. He decided to ask again.

 “Where. Am. I.”

 The Asari stepped away from him and buzzed a comm near the door - now his vision was back he could make out details - a hospital room, or similar - all clean white with holographic displays and medical equipment.

 Quite a lot of medical equipment.

 He heard the Asari speak again.

 “Get me Admiral Hackett. He’s awake.”

____________________________________________________________________________

“Eleven Months.”

Shepard’s voice was a dull monotone. Admiral Hackett, to his credit, didn’t waver. He offered a short nod.

“Eleven months? What the hell.”

“You were in a bad way, Commander. We were lucky to have Miranda on site. Had to pull another Lazarus, near as dammit. The Krogan strike teams were doing clear-outs of any remaining Reaper ground forces, found you in the rubble near the spire. Managed to get you out of that field hospital and onto the SSV Orizba.”

His mother’s ship. Shepard managed a staggered, unsteady breath

“My mother?”

Hackett managed a grin. “She damn near demanded you be placed on board. Still going strong Commander. She said she’d be along after this.”

 The Admiral sighed - he appeared to sag a little, looking smaller as he leaned against the wall. Such a public display of weariness shocked Shepard. He narrowed his eyes, but didn’t speak.

 “It’s been chaos, Commander. It took us six months to reactivate the relay. Whatever you did knocked them for six. The Comm-buoys were part fried as well, meaning getting in contact with other parts of the galaxy has been difficult at best. By some miracle everything has held together. But we’ve got bickering starting already - Salarians threatening to strike Tuchanka, Turians threatening reprisals on the Asari for hiding the beacon on Thessia. Hell, the Quarians even declared the veil a no-fly zone for citadel races until the Council has reformed and is willing to negotiate. And with the Geth backing them up, that’s a dangerous powder keg.”