The Little Engine that Could

The Rachni scout was dying. It's hull was leaking fuel, it had suffered burns and damage to every sector. Yet, its quarry was too important to fail now. It weaved in and out of debris and incoming stray fire. It needed help; its life was failing it. It sent out a song, asking for aid from its sisters.

Soon other Rachni began to surround it, forming a thick shield of their bodies. It needed more. Its engines struggled, but the Rachni kept moving forward. It had one last delivery to make before it could rest. It had almost been too late, but now it had to focus on just surviving long enough…

Tali was sitting now. Her tears dry. She sat, without motion or thought. She simply stared. The few words she had uttered before she withdrew to herself were "Fire at will", a last order, and a final duty.

Over the intercom came a voice.

"The Reapers are struggling, some are moving now. They are preparing to charge us! Wait…they…they are converging…what is that?"

Tali rose, her sensor readings showed something odd. There were the blue dots, her allies, and the red, the Reapers. A single gray ship, insignificantly small was flying out of the remains of Harbringer. Her ship could not yet recognize it, but it was making a beeline towards the Council fleet. The strange and tiny blip suddenly sent out a signal, it was going to a nearby Alliance ship.

"All ships respond. This is Admiral Hackett. That Rachni scout is going to come under attack. We must defend it at any cost! I repeat, do not let the last Reapers damage that ship!"

The last, broken and dying Reaper ships were moving as fast as they could with a great focus. Their weapons may be gone, but their bodies be used for one last vindictive strike. One ship in particular was closing in on the small cluster of Rachni ships. Suddenly, a Turian cruiser rammed it, killing all aboard but altering the Reaper's course. The other human and allied ships began firing frantically, scoring hits and kills on the few sentient ships that were struggling towards the Rachni scout.

Tali rose. Her heart beat faster. It couldn't be.

"Admiral vas Normandy, we are detecting another signal out of the Rachni ship. It is going towards the…"

"The Normandy!" Tali exclaimed. The ship she was named after suddenly appeared, swooping towards the incoming Rachni. Its docking bay doors were open, it was flying directly towards the scout.

"Admiral…the ship…its dead…but its flying on its own inertia. We are detecting a life form…it's…unlike any we have seen before. Parts of it are human…it is barely alive. Wait…we have identification…Admiral…Admiral! It is…"

Drawing in a deep breath and releasing it…Tali breathlessly exclaimed…

"Shepard!"