Mass Effect fanfiction: Lonely Heart - Chapter 82

Chapter 82 – Farewell

Garrus made quick work of checking the weapon systems and everything was as ready as it could be. Thanix was calibrated and all the firing algorithms just waited to be used. As he checked his work with his omni-tool he noticed that there was an unread message waiting for him. He turned on the program and saw that it was from Helos Institute.

Mr. Vakarian

On behalf of Helos Medical Institute, I would like to thank you for your efforts. It has been understandably difficult to get Collector tissue, given the sensitive situation on the human colonies, so the samples you sent to us have been extremely helpful. Please also offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Solus -- I understand he made some calls to the Special Tasks Group, and as a result, our corporate security clearance was upgraded.

Your concern about Corpalis Syndrome is well-founded. While rare, it's an ugly disease. The neurological degeneration is both difficult to witness and nearly impossible to halt. We are in fact working on some test trials for a new treatment, and I believe that with our new STG clearance, we can get all fees for trial members waived as a governmental cooperation effort with the Turian Hierarchy.

Thank you again for your assistance. Donations like these help keep us running. Per your request, we will keep your donations strictly anonymous.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jelith Kieron
Helos Medical Institute

Garrus couldn't help but sigh out of relief. Whatever happened to him when they hit the Omega four, he at least had some hope that his mother would be well taken care of. If all the test members would get their fees waived there was no danger that anyone would single out his mother from among them. Maybe, as part of a joined project between Hierarchy and STG, his father would accept the treatment for free and not suspect any behind-the-scenes dealings in securing it.

After a brief hesitation Garrus turned on his chat program and noticed that Solana seemed to be online as well. Good.

"Hey, glad I caught you," he wrote to his sister.

"Garrus?" Solana replied. "I was just about to head to bed. Late my time. Where are you?"

"Come on, you know I can't tell you that," Garrus wrote back. "Not a secure channel."

"Oh, please, Garrus." It was amazing how Solana was able to convey her disbelief even through writing. "You don't have to be all secretive. Illium?"

"Give it up, Sol," Garrus begged, he didn't want to worry his sister with the prospect of never coming home again.

"You're one to talk," Solana wrote. "Still playing at Spectre, even after all these years."

"How's Mom?" Garrus asked, both because he honestly hoped to hear she had gotten to the test treatment and just to change the topic of conversation.

"Last round of treatments didn't go so well," Solana wrote.

"Damn it," Garrus wrote back and sighed. He had really hoped to have some good news for a change.

"We may try an offworld center," his sister continued. "Some salarian doctors have something that might work. It's not covered, though."

"Of course not," Garrus replied, hoping beyond hope that Solana was talking about Helos. "I can pay for the treatments."

"That's a nice thought," Solana wrote and Garrus knew she was being sarcastic. "I could really use you here, though."

"I can't," he refused – he wouldn't leave Shepard, not for anything. "How much for the first round?"

"Forget it," Solana replied shortly.

"I can pay," Garrus assured her, he hadn't needed any money since he had bought his new armour, and even that Cerberus had refunded to Shepard's account and she had returned the money to him. "Besides, if I'm going to die during this run, it is better Sol has my money for sure to help the family out."

"Sure you can," his sister wasn't convinced. "You lose your C-Sec job, and what about that contract job you were doing up until recently?"

"Yeah," Garrus grimaced privately as he wrote the reply to his sister. "It ended badly."

"So don't give me more garbage about how you're going to help," Garrus could just feel his sister's fury even through the written chat. "You obviously can't help or won't bother. Damn it, you haven't even bothered to sync up for video chat since you lost that damn job. If you're ashamed to look me in the eye, then why are we even talking? Go have your fun doing merc work or screwing around or whatever. Just don't act like you care."

His sister's messages came in such a rapid succession that he had no time to reply. On one level Garrus would have given up almost anything to tell his sister what they were about to do, tell her everything about the Collectors and the Reapers and how they would destroy the entire galaxy if Shepard didn't stop them. But he could not. His sister had enough trouble already, he didn't need to add to it with nightmarish threats from the dark space.

"You're right, Sol," Garrus just wrote in a way of apology. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," his sister wrote back. "Things are rough with Mom. The salarians are expensive as hell."

"I wish I could help," Garrus replied. "I'm going on a trip. Might be away from the relays for a while."

"Or might be gone forever, if things don't turn out the way we hope," he thought, but that was not something he wanted to tell his sister.

"Another pleasure cruise?" Solana wrote and Garrus could just hear the note of contempt as if she had spoken the words out loud to his ear.

"You know me," he replied.

"Send me something nice," Solana asked.

"I'll be in touch when I can," Garrus promised.

"Bye, Garrus," his sister wrote.

"Goodbye, Solana," Garrus wrote, feeling rather solemn. "Goodbye, and good night."
  He would have wanted to say more, but Solana signed off before he was able to figure out how to convey his feelings without alarming his family. He missed them, even his father, who always seemed to find flaws in him, but at the same time pushed him to excel. He missed his mother, the unmovable centre of the family, and his sister, who had once been his closest friend and companion before he had joined the military and then moved to C-Sec. How he had become such a stranger to his family? How he had allowed that to happen?

"I'm doing this for them," Garrus thought. "To make sure it is not going to be turian colonies that are next to be hit. And to stop the current hits against humans, of course. But when we get back..."

He couldn't think further than that. It seemed like everything was now culminating on this one crazy strike against the Collector home base in the heart of the galaxy.

Garrus looked at the time. Joker had estimated that it was two hours to Omega four, and now there was one hour and twenty five minutes remaining of that time.

Garrus was about to start changing his civilian outfit into his armour so that he would be ready to go when they hit the relay, but as he started to pull off his shirt something fell from his pocket. It was the packet of 'safety devices' Mordin had given him to protect Shepard from turian protein during their discourse. Only, that intercourse hadn't yet taken place, thanks to treacherous bartender and Samara's violent daughter.

Garrus picked up the packet and stared at it for a few heartbeats.

They were about to do something crazy, right?

"To hell with it," Garrus thought.

He straightened his shirt again and put the packet back into his pocket. Taking a deep breath he marched out from the main battery. The mess hall was just as quiet as it had been before, but as Garrus walked through it, he had an uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching him. He rounded the corner and was about to step into the lift when he had an idea. Shepard had wanted a drink when they had been on Omega, so Garrus headed for the port observation deck, where a small lounge had been set up with a selection of drinks.

For a moment Garrus studied the shelf trying to select the best possible bottle to take with him. What Shepard might like? He needed to be certain it was safe for humans to drink – according to Mordin his own allergy level was not that much of a concern, he probably could consume a glass of human drink without any serious effects. But if Shepard got incapacitated...

Finally he selected a lightly coloured bottle with bright liquid inside. The label at the side of the bottle said something about 'diehard', maybe? It would do.

Garrus glanced at the time again. One hour and fifteen minutes.

Garrus took another deep breath and headed back toward the lift.

"Once we are en route, we are committed," EDI had said not that long time ago and now the words echoed in Garrus' mind.

Swallowing hard Garrus stepped into the lift without hesitation and punched the top button to send it to Shepard's cabin.