Disclaimer... I do not own mass effect, or any of its products.

Rated: M

The Shadow Empire: The Approaching Storm

Chapter 2:

Posted 30th April 2013

Silently watching as the unmarked Cerberus vessel slipped across the darkness of space, crossing the empty 'Gortys' star system at a casual pace to its distant distraction, totally blind to the upcoming attack as the graceful Dancer moved into position behind the former Alliance Cruiser. If this was a straight up firefight, the large Cruiser would easily best the lone Asari destroyer with its raw fire power, and defensive barriers, let alone mention the upgrades Cerberus had properly installed on the vessel since taking procession of it from the Alliance command.

But thankfully that wasn't the case today; Liara's hidden operatives had successfully been able to plant hidden shutdown codes within the ship's key systems, just waiting to be activated for such an attack, which he was willing to admit made a nice change for once.

He knew from his own experiences that such hidden codes could be devastating; after all, his own Normandy had fallen prey to such methods, even with Edi managing their cyber warfare defence systems. Not that he held the AI responsible, since the cyber attacks had been based on Reaper design, and they were ancient sentinel machines.

Then there was the matter of the crew, normally this class of Cruiser with its aged design, would be manned by a crew of closer to 300 hundred, and sometimes close to 800 if the vessel was pushed to its life support limits, its hangers and cargo bays converted, and the comfort of grew and passengers was discarded.

Compare to the Dancer which had a rather modest grew of hundred and fifty, with a third of that being assault troops assign for this strike mission. Whilst a traditional ship the size and weight class of the Normandy would normally need a grew of around 80 to run effectively, but due to newest technologies and having an actual AI running the ship systems rather than people, meant they could get by on a even dozen members easily. All they had to do was maintained and swap the physical hardware, whenever the AI noticed an issue, which was rare occurrence unless recovering from battle...

His Normandy was truly the finest vessel in galaxy at this moment; it was a Predator, with the firepower more than capable of gutting this Cruiser, which was easily 5 times its mass with its state of art Thanix Cannons. Sadly, she was now in a secret space dock undergoing repair work from the damage she sustained from their battle with Collector Cruiser, whilst the damage appeared to be superficial at first, the internal support structure had to be replaced in areas around the core, and hanger bay, as well some of her armoured plates. It didn't stop her from flying, it was just a weakness what could cost them their lives if left unrepaired someday, and that wasn't something he would allow on his ship.

After all, one good hit, could dangerously damage the drive core, resulting in the ship exploding into ball of superheated plasma. And frankly, he had already lost one ship and most of her crew, he wasn't about to lose a second. This operation would have be so easily if he could use her, and his remaining squad, but that wasn't the case, he had to work with the resources he had.

The Intel showed that the ship was manned by a skeleton crew of 50, with security being covered by combat mechs rather than actual Cerberus combat troops, which would have been a far more formal task to eliminate. Naturally, this was Cerberus, he already knew these wouldn't be the standard security mechs they be dealing with, but superior combat models design for actually combat duties...hence the squads was armed close quarters weapons, a mixture of shotguns, assault rifles, submachine guns with mixture of armour piecing rounds, and disruption rounds for upcoming task. Not that he could blame the Illusive Man, the ship was transporting Reaper parts in its massive hungers, and the head of Cerberus properly concluded it was safer to use easily replaceable mechs, rather than risk his personnel being exposed to the reaper technology and run the risk of indoctrination.

However it did make him wonder why the ship didn't have any escorts, when it was transporting such valuable and dangerous technology.

"Something wrong?" Operative Red enquired, clearly picking up his unease, even without being able to see commander face, by god he hated wearing face masks.

Not turning his attention away from the galaxy map, or the two dots on the screen. "It feels too easy," he stated quietly, listening to well homed gut, before his eyes darted back to the tactical screens, "The cargo she carrying I would expect Cerberus to at least assign one escort to her," his quiet words catching the crew ears.

"I'll take your word for it," Red stated, as he too watched the screens, the Turian officer moving around the consoles.

"Do another scan of the system," he instructed, as the crew check their screens again, knowing full well Cerberus had access to most advance stealth technology.

"Nothing Sir," the female Turian senor officer stated after several minutes of intense concentration.

"Set condition 3," he instructed to Operative Red who started barking off orders to command crew. "You have command of the bridge," transferring command back to the Turian officer, as he moved to leave and join the assault teams.

"You're not going to stay here, and supervise the assault from here?" Red enquired.

"No," he stated coldly as he focus on his task ahead, the thrill of upcoming encage shinning through. "I led from the front, if something goes wrong, I'll be there to fix it," he stated, confidence with his ability and privately hating sitting on the sidelines as a observer. "I'll be with Alpha team," as he left the bridge, making his way down to the shuttle bay.

They would have felt more secure if they knew who he was, that he was former N7, highly skilled combat operative and a Spectre, but that didn't matter, the command crew knew their job. He had gone with a modified M-12 Locust submachine gun, a M -11 Wraith shotgun, with a standard M-5 Grenade Launcher equipped with high explosive rounds, he just had to be careful not to breach the hull. His aim was pure firepower, to just overwhelm the mechs defences before their numbers could overwhelm him and his squad. After all, if their Intel was correct, there were close to 300 hundred of them on the ship.

Not that he could find fault with Illusive Man discussion, the simple size of the ship would have discourage most attackers, and it was clearly alliance military design, despite it having no official markings. "Alpha Team your with me," he instructed as he arrived in launch bay, moving towards the group his helm display at marked as Alpha, finding the group to be even balance between Asari, Turian, and Salarians.

"Sir," the Turian officer greeted, clearly excited at the idea of combat, giving him the impression his was green.

"Stand down," he said firmly, "I don't care much for rank, just results," he explained, "Check your gear, we will be disembarking soon," as he checked his weapons and gear again with practise ease, as the rest of squad followed his example.

Resisting the urge to shake his head in disapproval, his experience eye noticing mistakes as Alpha checked their equipment. 'Hopefully these guys know what they're doing,' finding their behaviour concerning, before activating the Com, "Operative Red, set condition two throughout the ship, 5 minutes to launch," as the ship com relayed the order as he step onto the shuttle, to see the armoured Turian pilot doing his own last minutes checks of the shuttle, as the rest of 8 member team bordered behind him, and scrapping themselves into their seats.

Pressing the button on side console next too door, as the shuttle door closed and pressurised itself, as the distinctive rumble of the thrusters powered up. Looking out the side door, to see the cargo bay was emptying quickly of personnel, as the desk crew moved away from shuttles preparing to launch.

"Begin operation," Operative Red stated over the inter com, "Shuttles 1 to 3 you are clear to disembark, good hunting people," the ship commander barked as the shuttles left the hanger bay doors. Stepping up behind the pilot, and silently watching us near the Cerberus Cruiser, wondering what would happen next. It had been too easy so far, everything was going too well... "Maybe I'm just getting use to suicide mission," he muttered with small smile. Turning his attention back to the monitors as his combat experience eyes easily picked out the necessary information from the screens, as he watched the flashing yellow triangle distinction marker on the cockpit screen, numbers rapidly changing beneath it showing their distance and estimated time to intercept.

"Make sure you put us down softly on her hull," he stated to the pilot who just nodded.

"Seal all suits, prepare for hard docking," he stated to the squad, as he seal the door to cockpit, and started checking his suit and weapons again.

"Eta, 30 seconds," the pilot reported over the suit intercom, as he ready his shotgun for upcoming fight, the armour piecing rounds easily entering the magazine as there was a soft bump as the shuttle handed gracefully on the outer hull.

No sooner than the pilot gave the green light, years of home instincts kick into action, as my free hand hit the door controls, opening the main match to the void of space, catching the squad off guard as the vacuum sucked the remaining air out of the compartment. But I was already in motion as the magnetic cramps on my boots activated, as I moved across the hull towards the outer air lock controls, my objective marker flashing on my helmets heads up display.

I didn't brother looking at stars, just focusing on the grey hull of the ship. After all, I had already died once, looking at the stars, I didn't need to see them again, and after the number of space walks I've done, stars were stars, wherever you went in space.

Already at the air lock controls, as I saw the last of the squad disembarking from the shuttle, "Come on people," I shouted over intercom, "This is meant to be assault, not a picnic," trying to add some urgently to the squad. This was annoying thing working with new people, a new squad, you never knew what motivated them, what was their pace or fighting style, you never knew who would be where on the battlefield... you just didn't have that connection what was built by combat. Like Grunt, would always be by his side, in heaviest and most dangerous part of the fighting, Garrus would normally hang back, trying to find higher ground to snipe from, taking out squad leaders and relaying back enemy movements, but close enough to move up and support with his assault rifle if needs be. Just like Legion would move up and around, franking, using his machine accuracy and logic, to get into the best tactical position to control the battlefield with his window sniper rifle.

Pushing such thoughts aside, as Omi tool bleep over the suit's com system, instantly opening the airlock with the access codes we had been provided.

"Were in," I stated over the intercom, the shuttle already touching off to collect the second wave of troops from the Dancer, as the first members of the squads jump into the open airlock.

Following the last one through the airlock, as the outer door sealed and the compartment pressured. Soon as the inner door opened the squad moved in, moving up in pairs of twos over lapping each other, moving into whatever cover was available along the narrow hallway, as helmet distinction point updated using the files we had on the ship, marking the bridge, with map, and clearing marked route flashing in yellow.

Moving shifting through the corridors for several minutes, before we encountered the first member of the grew, dressed in the all too familiar yellow, white and black uniform of Cerberus, reminding me of Kelly, except for her being a blonde, rather than a red head, as I opened fire with my Shotgun, feeling the recoiling from the gun against my armoured shoulder, before two assault rifles opened up on her as well, with my own shotgun blast tearing through her chest. She was dead instantly, still holding the same looked of shock on her face, when our deadly rounds tore into her. I took moment to consider the encounter, ejecting the thermal chip in favour for new one, as the squad moved forwarded, swiping the corridors and side rooms, noting the placement of the shots, my own was dead centre of his chest, right where the heart would be, and was the killing shot as her heart imploded, and round sever her spinal code.

Just then alarms started going off around the corridors, and over coms screeching, as the walls lights flashed red, like all alliance ships did. "Move people, double time," taking point, as they rushed down the corridors, heading to the bridge. "This Nex, the enemy is aware of our presence over," he reported back to the Dancer

"Noted, enacting attack plan, hitting their coms and weapons, second wave is on route, eta 3 minutes, over," Operative Red stated over their coms.

"Acknowledged," he rallied back to Dancer, just as patrol of eight Loki mark III security mechs rounded corner causing him to instantly open fire with two bursts of the wraith, before ducking into cover of a door way as the thermal chip was rejected, as team opened up with their own weapons.

Slamming another thermal clip into the shotgun, before opening fire again at the nearest mech, the armour piecing rounds tearing through its damage armour with ease, dropping it beside its comrade, whilst his second burst ripped parted into the side of his next target, blowing its left arm off from the shoulder joint, disarming it, as it continue to advance at them, as he ducked back into cover.

Reloading with practise ease, as he watch his team duck in and out of cover, shooting off quick bursts of their weapons, before opening fire again at the closest target.

"Reinforcements," Salarian announce over their coms.

Popping out of cover just long enough to see another eight mechs joined the remaining 3, as he fired into the advancing horde of metal.

'This is taking too long, knowing the plan was already falling apart if he didn't act quickly,' as he primed a pair of frag grenades, and rolling them into the advancing pack, as his shields resister some hits. Twin bangs rocked the corridor, they explosive energy rippling through the hull plates, the waves of energy running up his legs as he opened fire on the ones still showing signs of life, as a biotic shockwave ripped through the still active mechs. "Move people..." he shouted as he reloaded, his heart pumping.

Next couple minutes past in series of running gun battles as they made their way to bridge, fighting their way through groups of mechs.

"This is Beta and Gamma team, we've taken engineering," Asari squad commander announced over inter coms, "Currently locking down primary core systems, minimal causalities."

"Acknowledged, Good job Beta and Gamma team," feeling better at least one objective had been completed as planned, as he fired on a trio of mechs, which quickly fell to their overwhelming advantage of firepower. "Lock the area down, reinforcements should be inbound soon," as he opened fire, just as other head automatic turret lowered from the ceiling, its twin barrels warming up before unleashing a barrage of rounds down the corridor, forcing him back into cover of a door way.

'That wasn't on the ship schematic..' thinking back to the plans of the ship whilst moving into cover, rounds bouncing off the way he was shuttering behind, as his team rounds bounced harmlessly off turrets shielding as he holster his shotgun and readying his grenade launcher, as he watched his Turian squad mate get forced back into cover.

"Hack it shielding," he ordered over the team's coms, waiting for turrets shields to go offline.

"Eta, 5 minutes until the core is offline," Asari squad commander updated, as rounds flew up and down the corridor.

Looking over at the Salarian engineer who was furiously tapping away commands into his omi tool, as he saw the outline of mechs advancing up under the cover of the turret. 'I'll handle it myself,' as he unleashed a barrage of explosive grenades at the turret and the mechs beneath it, tearing through the turret shields, and the mechs armour plating, as his team fire their own rounds into mix.

Advancing down the devastated corridor, the walls charred and burnt as he step over the twisted deformed metal of the desk, his armour boots crushing down on faceplate of active mechs head as he rejected the empty shells, as he instinctively reloaded the grenade launcher, his eyes never leaving the corridor as he advance down the corridor to the bridge, not even waiting for the team.

Smiling as his body ran through the motions, 'This brings back memories,' as he fired duo of grenades into another wave of mechs, his mind flashing back to his N7 training, as he tore into the Cerberus security mechs as he continued his deadly advance to the bridge, 'At least it's not husks,' mentally shaking his head at animate corpses, or abominations.

"Behind us!" His Asari squad mate suddenly shouted, as he dropped and span around, as series of rounds went over his head, as biotic wave of energy rippled into the first wave of mechs, twisting up the mental hull plates, as he fired his own grenades passed his squad...' they must think I'm nuts using grenade launcher at such close ranges... they should really be grateful I don't have my Cain with me, wishing he could see their faces at seeing the massively illegal nuclear weapon.' As he watched the mechs get torn apart.

"You two," gesturing to Turian and Asari, "Your rearguard," as he activated the coms, "Take point," gesturing to the eager Turian he had meet in hanger bay who quickly jumped into action.

Following in middle of pack as he reloaded his weapon, "Delta Team status report?" wondering where their support was, since Delta Team mission had been to support Alpha team's assault on the bridge, and be their rear guard.

Several seconds passed before he got a reply "We're pinned down," as rounds of heavy gunfight echoed over the coms "Encountering heavy resistance, we're being pushed back to air lock, over," the Turian commander answered surprisingly calmly.

"Acknowledge," already deciding he had really no choice but to push forward, as the ship power went out, pitching the halls into darkness before the backup lights activated, lighting the halls up with dim light, reminding him of Normandy V1 destruction, as light appeared along the floor.

"Primary power core offline," Asari squad commander announced, "Engines are now offline, primary weapon systems offline, shields are done."

"Good job, see if you can't deactivate the security mechs over," as he walked under a power down security turrets, only stopping long enough to tear out a cluster of wires from the Turrets core. "Is Echo team with you?"

"Confirmed, Echo team is here, helping to secure engineering," Another Turian voice added over the coms.

"Good, lock it down," disconnecting the coms, as his Nav marked flashed at bridge doors, noticing the trio of powered now heavy turrets hanging dangerously from the ceiling as the team engineers started hacking the door controls. Thankfully the rest of the squad moved into position, covering the two corridors leading to the bridge. "Fox Team Status?" he requested.

"Secured secondary hanger bay, but heavy mechs in primary bay encountered over, 1 causality," Salarian operative replied quickly, "Lack the firepower necessary to neutralize targets. Objective unobtainable with current resources, request support, over."

Mentally nodding, as his tactical mind processed the situation whilst pushing news of lose of a team mate back to his mind. "Acknowledged, Just hold secondary bay and try to lock the controls down, hopefully we will be able to deactivate mechs from bridge, contact Echo Team if needs be, get them to assist," relaying instructions, as he shouldered his grenade launcher in favour of shotgun.

'Beep,' as the door to bridge unlocked, allowing the assault team entrance.

Pressing himself up again the wall, next to the door, before quickly and silently gesturing for Salarian engineer to open the doors just to be rewarded with hail of gunfire erupting from other side, as he instinctively pulled the Salarian away, before opening fire into bridge, finding they had a quad-turret facing the door, the Cerberus gunner grinning as he opened fire at them.

"I really wish I had my Gain," he muttered again to himself as Turian at over side of door fired into room.

"Start hacking their turret," he ordered, before opening fire again, his shields registering hits, before pulling back into cover and swapping back to his trusty grenade launcher... 'I really do love this gun,' before opening fire into the bridge, the half dozen grenades leaving his launcher in quick succession as the Turian flew his own pair of grenades into the mix.

Dropping his launcher, his shotgun at the ready has the last of eight back to back explosion ended, he leaped through the door way into action.

Shadow Broker Lair

Liara moved around her office with practise ease as she read over the latest reports, whilst her console flashed again as another of her numerous agents reported in from somewhere in galaxy.

Truthfully, she wished she could borrow Edi from the Normandy, the AI would truly be such a great asset in her line of work as an information broker, instead she had to work with VI's which were helpful, but lacked the creativity and free thought necessary to creativity link pieces of information. However that was going to change soon, with the access to reaper technology she hoped to recreate an A.I like Edi to help manage her vast intelligence network. Plus, it was necessary, Cerberus was already experimenting with A.I's so if she wanted to stay competitive and at her most powerful she would have to get some of her own to counter theirs.

Many people would think it was easy being the Shadow Broker, but they never took into account just how much information she read and process and acted upon to gain advantage in intergalactic market place, or the numerous political reports, or science developments that sat on her desk.

Honestly she spent all her time in her office managing her shadow empire, even when she climbed into bed, she would have a report or data file to read, until her eyes finally gave out, just to repeat the cycle the next day.

Unless Sheppard was around, that man simply didn't give her chance to read the reports, he just flew it out the room before distracting her again in various present and enjoyable ways. Dam she missed him. Entering several commands into her terminal, to see Sheppard was already in action assaulting the Cerberus cruiser, as information poured across her screen.

Hopefully he would be fine, as she mentally reassured herself of John's abilities.

Sighing as her nerves started to get better of her, she rose from her chair, her heels tapping as she salsa her way across the floor of her office into her kitchen. Pouring some blue moon whiskey into empty glass, before downing the three hundred year old whiskey in a flash, before taking the bottle and glass with her desk, something she rarely did, but her nerves were burning with worry. She knew it was illogical to worry about John; the man was fighter, one of the best, a killing machine, almost a human reaper when he got going. But she still couldn't help but worry, has her mind came up with different ways the mission could go wrong.

Closing all the open data files except the data stream coming from the Dancer, and moving over to couch by the windows, as she lay back watching the light show going on outside her window, as lighting danced across the sky, trying to relax her but knowing it was pointless until she knew was sure whether John was safe.

She was in love, she suddenly realized as she curled up on the couch, pulling her legs up to her chest, just hoping her John would be safe.

Cerberus Cruiser

Rolling through the doorway his shotgun in hand as he rolled in cover behind terminal and opened fire into confused mass of Cerberus desk officers as his squad poured into the room opening fire and unleashing mixture of biotic and technological attacks on the command crew.

Firing another two burst over the console at the nearest target as other shotgun blasts joined his own, as the two force opened up on each other in old fashion turkey shot out, as grenade detonated to his left, the heat wave rolling over him as he once again pop out cover long another to fire another two quick bursts of his gun into side of un-armoured man.

Shaking his head, as he rammed another clip into the magazine before firing again, this time at armoured trooper, who shields took the first blast but failed under the second. Just then grenade rolling up next to, reacting with lighting fast reflexes he flew the grenade back over the top of the console, back into enemy ranks as it detonated in mid air.

'Close one' he noted, as he jumped over cover fired another quick two burst all time rounds flying at him, before ducking behind another work station.

Pressing his back next to work station, as he continued to reload his shotgun, his gun barrel smoking, before noticing his blood stain boot marks showing his advance across the room, before popping out of cover again to fire again.

"We surrender," a panic voice went out.

"Throw your weapons on the ground!" he shouted, as he got up, his shotgun wiping back and forward, "Hand's in the air now," as the squad copied his actions, their own guns swiping the bridge, as the first pair of hands appeared, before being joined by another pair, then another. Gesturing with flick of his helmet for squad member to move up whilst he covered them, his eyes looking for any sign of treachery.

Advancing slowly behind the Salarian, who moved up to quickly take their weapons away.

"Lock down the bridge, you two guard the door," gesturing towards pair of Turians "You! Try to deactivate the mechs if they still active," he ordered the Salarian, noticing that couple of the squad were showing signs of light wounds, as the limped about, their armour showing signs of damage.

Moving up, now that they were disarmed, "Where's your captain?" He demanded whilst examining the trio of prisoners, one man and two women, his eyes easily noticing that all three of them were engineers and techs, rather than combat soldiers, which explained the lack of armour and why they surrendered.

"Dead, he was on the turret," the man spoke, gesturing to the twisted pile of metal, which had carrion charred flesh mixture, and what looked like a body of man, as the man vomited on his boots.

Shaking his armoured boot, 'Just great,' he mentally moaned as the man remained frozen in fear realizing what he had done, clearly dreading the worst.

Walking way from bound prisoners, "This operative Nex, we have taken the bridge, along with some prisoners over," he relayed back to Dancer.

"Acknowledged," Operative Red stated.

"We should have control of the ship within next couple minutes," he stated, whilst looking at his mission clock, to see it had taken just over 33 minutes to take the cruiser.

End of Chapter