Some kind of attack. [ Shepard's in mission mode now that he can confirm Kaidan's conscious, and not affected by whatever's making anyone else hallucinate. ]
There's something in the air making people hallucinate. My armor's filtering most of it out. [ There's a long pause -- not a silent one, he's audibly trying to calm someone down and move them towards the exit. ]
Do you have a mask on? What's the situation like out there?
[ A huff, and another tell-tale sound -- this time of Kaidan's biotics running. ]
No, I was -- I was outside. I think I missed the most of it, I got inside, but... everyone's going crazy. I'm trying to keep from breathing, at the moment. Biotics are doing a lot of the work.
[ He paused, then, and inhaled through the cloth, eyes closed for a moment. Shepard was right -- and if their roles were reversed, he'd be doing everything in his power to make sure that Shepard was breathing easy.
But he didn't think there were any masks to be had right now. ]
Shepard, there's nothing to find -- I can't -- I'm not going to just sit back and let this happen without helping.
[ Still, the longer they stay here and argue ... the more it's cutting into time they don't have. ]
Check in with me every ten minutes. Get back outdoors, the gas should disperse more quickly there. I'll cover the inside, let you know if I find anything you can use.
If you can get confirmation on the range of the affected area, tell me so I know where to get people to run.
[ Thank god for hands-free communications, because Shepard can pick up with a thought-- ]
I'm here.
[ He sounds winded, but not in pain. The noise level wherever he is is picking up on the shouts of hallucinating people, but Shepard's tone is even when he responds. ]
[ TOO LATE, he's zapped away with the tell-tale boom of displaced air, and within five minutes, the sound comes again, this time distinctly closer, his biotics making him a beacon even in the cloud of gas. ]
I'm here. [ Holding a surplus of plastic bags with sterile gasmasks inside, no less. ]
I can't believe you just charged through a hall full of --
[ He was running out of air, so he took a moment, to grab one of the bags quickly, efficiently, not event taking the time to grunt out a thank you, before he strapped it on --
And breathed. God, okay, that was better. A lot less trouble. And then he could actually take a moment, to look him over, lip twitched with the ghost of a smile. ]
[ He steps forward to check him with his shoulder pauldron, but gently, conscious of how hard his armor is against Kaidan's clothing. Shepard's own expression isn't so visible, not with the eerie helmet on, but Kaidan knows him well enough by now to hear the smile in his voice, before it becomes serious again, once he's satisfied that Kaidan's put the mask on and isn't trying so hard just to breathe. ]
We need to keep moving. There's still plenty of people to get out of here. Armstrong says Mustang's setting up a medical center to the north of here.
[ He breathed. Finally, he could close his eyes, and take deep pulls, for long enough to get his head wrapped back around sanity, before he reached out, to knock his knuckles against Shepard's shoulder, before he turned in that direction. ]
Right. We should -- has anyone -- anyone we know gotten hurt yet? [ Best to start with that. ]
[ A bit bashful, at that. He'd been more stubborn than he'd intended, but the machine inside of Jaime had been... well --
He didn't know what to think of the Khaji-Da. Better than he'd thought at first, a lot more reasonable than the being who'd tried to kill him, when he met him in a dream. ]
I've been doing the same -- get any imports who're hurting themselves, or anyone else. They're the ones I'm worried about.
[ Even through the mask, the look Shepard gives him is not impressed, but like Kaidan, he knows where their focus needs to be. ]
No telling when this gas is going to disperse, so evacuating's our only option right now. Wish we had imPorts with the power to just... purify the air, or something.
[ He laughed, a bit bitterly, and shook his head. ]
I'm pretty sure if I did, I wouldn't be seeing my partner, I'd be looking at something a lot scarier. [ He pressed a hand, to his shoulder, and held it there. ]
I worked something out. I promise, at the first sight of trouble I would've -- I wouldn't jeopardize anyone, you know that.
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[ His breathing is ragged, and muffled, and the volume shifts, from his arm moving back and forth. He obviously has something over his mouth. ]
I was out getting some air, and then --
What happened?
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There's something in the air making people hallucinate. My armor's filtering most of it out. [ There's a long pause -- not a silent one, he's audibly trying to calm someone down and move them towards the exit. ]
Do you have a mask on? What's the situation like out there?
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[ A huff, and another tell-tale sound -- this time of Kaidan's biotics running. ]
No, I was -- I was outside. I think I missed the most of it, I got inside, but... everyone's going crazy. I'm trying to keep from breathing, at the moment. Biotics are doing a lot of the work.
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[ He'd seen how hard it was on Jack, though he knows Kaidan's not doing anything on the same scale. ]
You need to get a better air filter, and someone needs to get the word out, get some paramedics and EMTs here.
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[ But an air filter was going to be harder to find. ] I'm sure someone might've called, but just in case...
[ The way he trailed off said it clearly enough, he was sending a burst of messages out to the rest of the world, to try and pull people in. ]
Are you alright? Everyone we know okay?
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[ However, his voice turns quite a bit sharper -- ]
I need you on your feet, Kaidan. You need to secure something better to breathe with.
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[ He paused, then, and inhaled through the cloth, eyes closed for a moment. Shepard was right -- and if their roles were reversed, he'd be doing everything in his power to make sure that Shepard was breathing easy.
But he didn't think there were any masks to be had right now. ]
Shepard, there's nothing to find -- I can't -- I'm not going to just sit back and let this happen without helping.
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[ Still, the longer they stay here and argue ... the more it's cutting into time they don't have. ]
Check in with me every ten minutes. Get back outdoors, the gas should disperse more quickly there. I'll cover the inside, let you know if I find anything you can use.
If you can get confirmation on the range of the affected area, tell me so I know where to get people to run.
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[ He really intends to go back outside, he actually does, but there's a pause. ]
Shit, hold on, I think that's someone in --
[ Trouble. There's a soft hiss. ]
Ten minutes. I'll check in.
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[ But he's cut off by the sound of shrieking metal overhead, and the feed dissolves. ]
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[ But it's lost, and he had to bite back a groan, and keep pushing forward, to deal with his own mess, someone on the other end, who needed help.
But after exactly ten minutes, he's calling back. He'd prefer an open channel. ]
-- epard? Are you there?
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I'm here.
[ He sounds winded, but not in pain. The noise level wherever he is is picking up on the shouts of hallucinating people, but Shepard's tone is even when he responds. ]
Where are you?
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[ Inside, so he doesn't say that. ] Keeping above the line, it's pretty -- it's pretty obvious where it's at. It's easy to avoid if you're...
[ Not already infected. ]
You keeping safe?
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Can you make it over to the west exit? Looks like Olivier came prepared. She had gas masks and everything.
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I can --
[ A hiss. ] It'll be a few, but I might be able to get over there.
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If you can tell me where you are, I can bring it to you. It'll be faster.
[ Aren't biotic charges great? ]
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[ A pause, the tell-tale pings of his omnitool, while he tried to get his bearings. ]
South, east section.
How're you going to get here so -- [ No, wait. ] Shepard, I'm not sure that's a good... idea --
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[ TOO LATE, he's zapped away with the tell-tale boom of displaced air, and within five minutes, the sound comes again, this time distinctly closer, his biotics making him a beacon even in the cloud of gas. ]
I'm here. [ Holding a surplus of plastic bags with sterile gasmasks inside, no less. ]
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[ He was running out of air, so he took a moment, to grab one of the bags quickly, efficiently, not event taking the time to grunt out a thank you, before he strapped it on --
And breathed. God, okay, that was better. A lot less trouble. And then he could actually take a moment, to look him over, lip twitched with the ghost of a smile. ]
Looking out for me as always, Commander.
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[ He steps forward to check him with his shoulder pauldron, but gently, conscious of how hard his armor is against Kaidan's clothing. Shepard's own expression isn't so visible, not with the eerie helmet on, but Kaidan knows him well enough by now to hear the smile in his voice, before it becomes serious again, once he's satisfied that Kaidan's put the mask on and isn't trying so hard just to breathe. ]
We need to keep moving. There's still plenty of people to get out of here. Armstrong says Mustang's setting up a medical center to the north of here.
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[ He breathed. Finally, he could close his eyes, and take deep pulls, for long enough to get his head wrapped back around sanity, before he reached out, to knock his knuckles against Shepard's shoulder, before he turned in that direction. ]
Right. We should -- has anyone -- anyone we know gotten hurt yet? [ Best to start with that. ]
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Hard to say. I've run into the Blue Beetle, but I've been focusing on taking the civilians out first, so I haven't really been looking.
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Tried to get me to stay outside.
[ A bit bashful, at that. He'd been more stubborn than he'd intended, but the machine inside of Jaime had been... well --
He didn't know what to think of the Khaji-Da. Better than he'd thought at first, a lot more reasonable than the being who'd tried to kill him, when he met him in a dream. ]
I've been doing the same -- get any imports who're hurting themselves, or anyone else. They're the ones I'm worried about.
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[ Even through the mask, the look Shepard gives him is not impressed, but like Kaidan, he knows where their focus needs to be. ]
No telling when this gas is going to disperse, so evacuating's our only option right now. Wish we had imPorts with the power to just... purify the air, or something.
You didn't breathe any of it in, did you?
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[ He laughed, a bit bitterly, and shook his head. ]
I'm pretty sure if I did, I wouldn't be seeing my partner, I'd be looking at something a lot scarier. [ He pressed a hand, to his shoulder, and held it there. ]
I worked something out. I promise, at the first sight of trouble I would've -- I wouldn't jeopardize anyone, you know that.
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