Once the first chunck of Cerberus soldiers were dealt with, Shelby, Kaidan, and Liara started on their way to the pedway station at Liara's recommendation. The pedway would be the fastest way into the Archives... If they could just beat Cerberus there.
They walked into the pedway's control room, and quickly skimmed the little room for Cerberus. No signs of them.
"Shel, see if you can gain access to the pedway." Liara stated as she and Shelby each went to a holo computer as Kaidan checked their backs before going over to the security moniors. "I can't seem to pull up the livefeeds, but..." Liara continued.
"Did you see that? Who's that woman in the vid?" Kaidan inturupted as a woman appered on the vid screen then ran away.
"That's Dr. Eva Core. She got here about a week ago." Liara said and got up from her chair before turning to Shelby. "Any luck?"
"Pedway's been locked out. I can't hack or override it." Shelby stated, drawing Kaidan's eyes over to her. Shelby had never been a techy person for anything but the bare basics, but she actually seemed to know what she was doing now. It impressed Kaidan a bit.
"Alright. Looks like there's construction nearby. We can get out on the roof, and find a way around from there." Liara stated and unlocked a door.
"Great. Let's move." Shelby stated and they all moved out.
They headed straight for the door, put their helmets on, and headed out into the blustery storm winds of Mars.
"That storm's getting close." Kaidan stated as Shelby found a ladder and slid down it. "What the hell?" He asked as they all looked over to see the tramway moving towards the Archives.
"Looks like the Alliance is still putting up a fight." Shelby stated.
"That tram leads to the archives. That means Cerberus is at the final security checkpoint." Liara stated, and immediately after, Vega came over thier comms.
"Commander. You read me?" The comm was really scratchey and significantly breaking up as they moved along.
"Barely. Storm's causing nasty interference."
"Tell me about it. I've lost contact with the Normandy. What's y.......... tion" Vega was cut off by static.
Shelby started up another ladder as she tried to reach Vega. "I didn't read that, James. Repeat."
"I said, W.... 's Y..r p........" Vega tried to reapeat, but the comm turned into nothing but static.
"Damn it!" Shelby exclaimed in furstration.
"That storm is going to be here very soon." Liara stated.
"Yeah, I think it's already here." Shelby pointed out as they made it to their way back inside. They all rushed inside and pushed forward, fighting Cerberus troops as they came until Shelby and her team reached the control room that would lead them to the tramway.
"We need to pressurize the room first." Liara said as she did so on one of the control consoles. "There we go. We have access to the labs, they'll take us right to the tram station."
"Hey, there's a recording of what happedened here." Kaidan pointed out on one of the vid screens.
Shelby brought up the log of a soldier reporting odd activity to the security station when the woman from before, Dr. Eva, came in. The soldier acknowledged her, and said he'll get her a report, but before the soldier could finish, the doctor shot the soldier behind him, and then killed him as well. She did someting on the console, setting off the station's alarms, and darted off again.
"I guess we know how Cerberus got in." Shelby stated.
"I should have realized it when I met her. I was just so focused on finding a way to stop the Reapers." Liara said, clearly blamming herself as she leaned her hands on a desk.
"Stopping the Reapers is the only thing we should be foucused on. It's not your fault." Shelby reassuered her.
"But what if we're wrong? What if there is no way to stop them? What if these are our last days, and we spend them screwing around trying to solve a problem we can't fix?"
"Come on, Liara." Shelby said, encouraging her friend to hold it together.
"I know. I shouldn't think that way." Liara started as she turned to face Shelby. "I don't know how you do it. You've always stayed focused, even in the worst situations."
"When there's so much at stake, I just think about what I'd loose if I fail." Shelby said as her gaze drifted over to Kaidan who had been gaurding the door this whole time.
Liara crossed her arms and shifted her weight so the she was in Shelby's sight again before she spoke up. It was Liara's way of pulling Shelby's focus back together. "That's a terrible burden."
"We'll stop them Liara. Together." Shelby said as she briefly put a hand on Liara's shoulder.
"Thanks. I want to believe you." Liara said before turning to a console and unlocking a nearby door. "Okay. Door's open. We can get to the labs and tramstation through there."
"Good. Let's move." Shelby said before leading the way though to the tramstation.
YOU ARE READING
Second Chances(A Mass Effect Fan fiction)
Fanfiction*UNDER REVISIONS* Shelby Shepard didn't lead a very interesting life in her 16 years on the colony of Mindor. But one fateful day, her life was turned completely upside down. She is forced to leave her home and start a new life. Will she thrive or f...
