Thread: After The Collectors: Defiant-Anjeru and Raiden The Ripper

The crew made it back safely, Commander, Joker's voice couldn't have been better timed. And Garrus? She asked, her heart nearly in her throat he'd been injured, that's why she had sent him back with the crew of the Normandy, but it had nearly killed her to let him out of her sight, considering the hell they had walked into. Injured, but alive. Good! Now, be ready to get us out of here once I blow this place to bits! Hell yea, Commander! Give those Collectors their due! Joker laughed as he cut the link, and she found his enthusiasm nearly contagious. Hell yea, she would make them pay. And she did, oh boy, did she. Every Collector in her path, including Harbringer-possessed generals, were met with the rounds from her shotgun, until they were no more than empty vessels strewn about the ground. Her soul had literally shuddered when they'd stumbled upon the Human Reaper, she, Thane, and Jack. Vomit had found itself in her throat when they realized what exactly it was the Reaper was being fed to grow - liquified humans, essentially genetic mush. When she had seen the colonist liquify before her eyes, she was determined it would never happen again. They'd shot the feeding tubes loose and the reaper had fallen. She'd set the charges, ready to blow this place to hell despite the Illusive Man's objection, only to have the Reaper return to try and finish them off. A battle like no other was fought there, on the platforms, her body aching and sweat coating her face as they tried desperately to kill it. As it fell, after what felt like eternity, she dove to catch Thane as the platforms collapsed, hefting him up before another came careening at them. Her last thought before she blacked out was of Garrus, and what they had missed out on...again. She was certain she was dead, but when her lashes fluttered and eyes opened, she was almost relieved to find herself still in the Collector base. Climbing to her feet, she anxiously checked on her companions, thankful to find them both alive. The beeping, the warning of the charges, was getting louder. RUN! She yelled and they did, they ran like they had never before and for Shepard, that was saying something. She'd been running her whole life. Her lungs burned. Her limbs ached. Just go! Go, go, go! Her long legs carried her and before long, she could see the Normandy hovering at the end of the way, Joker appearing to shoot at the fucking Collector's shooting at them as they ran. Thane and Jack made it on safely but a beam fell, severing the platforms Shepard's heart thumped like a jackhammer in her breast. There was a chance she wasn't going to make it out of this...again. No, fuck this! She wasn't going to die, not again! She pushed all her might and willpower, her very stubbornness, into her run, and as she reached the end of the ledge, she jumped. She leapt like there was no tomorrow. For a moment, she felt like she was flying. Free. Don't fall, don't fall - the thought was pounding in her head and, as she came up short, she threw her arms out, catching the edge of the Normandy and hanging on for dear life. Thane reached down and pulled her up and as they all tumbled inside, she let out a long sigh of relief. Joker, get us the hell out of here! NOW! Aye aye, Commander! The pilot said as he hobbled back to his chair, firing up the Mass Effect core and the propulsion systems they had managed to repair. HOLD ON! He barked and before she knew it, they were up, flying away from there, the very ship shuddering with the violent blast that was following them as the Collector Base detonated into a massive explosion, right on their trail. Joker pulled the ship up to the Omega-4 relay, shooting the ship through it just as the explosion would have engulfed them. Great job, Joker. Don't know what I would do without you, she huffed. He grinned and she shook her head, hobbling toward the communications room to tell off the Illusive Man once and for all. He was not happy about it, but with a grin on her face, she cut off the transmission and stepped out of the hologrid, taking the lift to her quarters. Sorry that ended up being massive. XD