Aelius watched as the cargo ship approached the larger vessel that served as the base of operations for the Shadow Broker. The transporter carried supplies for the Shadow Broker and his agents to this spirits forsaken backwaters regularly and it became something of a routine, but proper procedure still had to be followed.

"Transport this is SBB, respond please" said the turian agent into his comm.

"Transport at your service" came the reply, the asari's voice sounding bored.

"Hello to you to T'Vez, cargo bay two is free as soon as you give me the correct code" said the shadow broker agent.

"I obey" came the reply.

Aelious confirmed the code and opened the hangar bay.

It was just another uneventful day of work...

XXX

The transport easily docked inside the larger vessel, all around it agents went about their business, armed to the teeth with the best weaponry money could buy.

"Open up T'Vez, we don't have the whole day" grumbled a batarian agent as he and a few others stood in front of the transports doors, ready to unload the supplies.

"Yuri commands me" said the asari from the vehicle.

"Who's Yuri?" asked one of the agents, annoying the already irate batarian...he was already swamped with work and he didn't need the asari pilot to pile any more upon his shoulders "T'Vez if you don't open the doors this instant, the Shadow Broker will have your head, you know how regulations are" hissed the alien.

Like on command the large transport doors parted.

The batarians sighed "Finally..." the next second a over sized fist shot out from inside the transport sending the batarians broken body flying across the hangar.

The other agents stopped whatever they were doing and stared in shock at the thing that sucker punched the batarian, that lasted for a few seconds before they grabbed their guns and started to shoot at the huge form that exited the craft.

The heavily armored and shielded Brute shrugged the projectiles off as if they were nothing and send the other nearby agents flying with one hand before unleashing a storm of destruction with his portable 'Antares' gun.

"KILL IT!" jelled a salarian agent as he hid behind his cover, that lasted for a split second before the Brutes antares melted the crate and turned the alien to ash...all in one hit.

The other agents fired at the armored figure but the Brutes kinetic barriers and armor stopped the incoming fire easily. Even if the barrier fell and its armor was pierced the mutants natural toughness and regeneration would still keep the thing in a good fighting condition for a time.

"We need reinforcements!" shouted one of the agents when another equally large figure emerged beside the first...that was the last thing the turian said before he was hit by another energy weapon.

The 'Terranova' beam that exited her rifle bypassed the aliens barrier, dissolved his armor and collided with the turians flesh.

The mutagenic energy made the turians body morph until another Brute stood there instead of the alien, its appearance was more avian and less human, but its loyalty was unquestionable...it was tailored in its very genes now. The thing roared before it grabbed the closest crate and threw it at the nearest group of enemies, making the aliens scatter out of their cover.

Weapon fire soon started to rain down on the mutated monstrosity until the body ceased to function and it dropped dead on the ground, its regenerative ability unable to fix the body quickly enough.

The Virus didn't bother to watch her handiwork as she used her genetically modified muscles and perception to move to the nearest cover with speed and agility normally not associated with humans. From the new location she found her next target...

Behind the Virus and Brute cover Initiates rushed down the transport ramp, taking cover behind the advancing mutants or nearby crates.

"I don't need matches!" shouted a Initiate as he burned an asari to ash with his pyrokinesis. Unlike the Soviet lasers technology the Initiates didn't suffer from a slow rate of fire and were free to unleash an inferno on the aliens as fast as they could think it.

The shadow broker agents were thoroughly pined down by their enemy, but that was soon to change. What none of the agents managed to see were the humans that emerged last from the vessel.

Soon after that agent turned on agent, friend betrayed friend and the whole situation went to hell in a hand basket.

The Shadow Brokers mercenaries tried to hold the advance of the intruders but all seemed futile, barricade after barricade fell to the attackers or even numerous traitor agents that appeared to lead the assault against their former comrades.

XXX

Natasha Petrova exited the transport with the rest of the Psi-Corpse, her laser pistol still in her holster.

After making sure that the hangar was completely in their hands she activated her comm device "Master, we have taken control of the target."

A voice broke through the static "Excellent, reinforcements are on their way."

Natasha deactivated her comm device and looked over her squad. The two Brutes did well in keeping the enemy fire on them, the Virus also managed to add to their strength by turning another three aliens into Brutes. They didn't have any gear on them but they would serve their purpose anyway. From the twenty Initiates only one was lost in the commotion but thanks to the other ten Psi-commandos they had four alien fodders still at their disposal.

There are two corridors leading out of the hanger... "Nikolai, take Vladimir and ten Initiates to clear as many enemy's as you can" she said and pointed to the left exit "I will go with Alexei and another ten Initiates through the other exit. Ludmila you're in charge of defending the hangar. Let's move."

Not wasting any time Natasha went to the door and tried to activate it...no response, they sealed us in. Or so they though... she pointed the gauntlet on her right arm at the door. In a eye blink the magnetic gauntlet ripped the door apart.

Two Initiates made sure that the way is clear before they took a step further, when it became clear that no enemy personnel was close by, the group went ahead.

They advanced through the corridor with determination, but unlike their initial assault the SBA quickly became organised and started to mount a more resilient defense against the Epsilon forces.

Suddenly agents emerged from their covers and started to saturate her position with heavy fire, killing two Initiates in her squad and forcing the rest of her team to hide behind the nearby crates.

Natasha exhaled a few times and calmed her thoughts...she closed her eyes and searched for the best target.

As soon as she found it a burst of psychic energy took control of it, bending the persons mind to her will.

She forced the salarian agent to stop shooting at her team and made him shoot his comrades in the back. The other agents quickly reacted and turned to fire upon the salarian who hid promptly behind his cover.

That distracted the enemy long enough for the Initiates to advance forward, and as soon as they were close enough they pulled a few Chaos grenades and quickly threw or rolled them to the enemy's position.

The effect of the weapons was instantaneous as the mind influencing vibrations drove the agents into a murderous frenzy.

After a few minutes the grenades shut down and the Initiates rose from their cover to pick them back up for the next use. None of them ever glanced at the aliens who shot each other to pieces because of them.

Only one injured and thoroughly confused asari was left.

Natasha ended the aliens life with her laser pistol, killing the asari in an instant.

With this location cleared her team advanced into the next area.

She barely registered the carnage around her as the Initiates massacred everyone that crossed their path, clearing one room after another with no pity or sympathy.

Yuri's will was absolute...any and all resistance was to be removed.

They managed to advance considerably into the ship, sometimes a closed door blocked their path...but her magnetron gauntlet made such obstacles irrelevant. The gauntlets weren't anything fancy as biotics, but they had their use. She could use them to lift metallic object like crates and mechs and throw them with ease, or disarm a enemy by simply pulling their weapons out of enemy hands leaving them unarmed in combat. She could also tinker with metallic objects by playing with their polarity, even forcing heavy mechs to rip themselves apart if polarized just right.

Theoretically she could even pull gunships down, but only if a brute held her down by the gauntlet or the force would really tear her arm off, the reverse magnetic field not withstanding such a strong pull.

The only drawback was that it couldn't do anything to organics, it was designed primarily as a weapon against synthetics...against the Reapers.

Like her mother, grandmother and great grandmother before her, she was proud to serve Yuri. It was his brilliance that will bring the galaxy under the power of Epsilon, and there will finally be peace and unity...

XXX

The Shadow Broker watched the development with concern, he wasn't prepared for a situation like this.

Sure the yahg had an army of mercenaries and other low lives, but only a small fraction of them were on the ship and for some reason the ones he did have betrayed him in large numbers as soon as they came in contact with the enemy...

But what puzzled him the most was the enemy itself. They appeared to be the newly discovered race called humans but he didn't know why the Soviets would attack him or even how they found his location, they should be busy with conquering the Terminus not storming his base.

He had no real hope of victory here, dozens of transports have already brought enemy reinforcements and more were coming with every passing moment. It was very frustrating to say the least...his people were the hunters and feeling trapped certainly didn't appeal to him.

Their equipment was odd as well...his agents smuggled him a copy of the Citadel report that concerned the Soviets and none of the tech they used was like the report said it would be. Notably these humans used kinetic barriers and their lasers weren't handheld but mostly fired from their heads at a very fast pace...and what were those brutish things? They were as formidable as his own people in melee combat...

Well I will soon find out mused the yahg as he watched the entrance from behind his desk.

Minutes felt like an eternity and then the door slowly opened, allowing a single bald human to enter.

The huge alien watched the small, apparently unarmed mammal with predatory curiosity. It had no armor, only a brown coat and a strange tattoo on its forehead.

"I'm must admit I didn't think that the Soviet Union would come knocking on my door" said the yahg, trying to sound as civil as possible and maneuver himself in a better position "especially not when a geth armada is threatening their new planets."

"Indeed" said the human, his attitude and words oozing superiority, much to the aliens frustration "though I'm sure they are capable enough to deal with the synthetics."

The Shadow Broker chuckled "That might be so, but the attack was never meant to succeed, it was nothing more then a diversion so your forces in the Terminus would gather to fight the armada leaving the Collectors free to relocate the Omega 4 Relay themselves."

Yuri nodded "Again, that might be the case but your information has one major flaw."

"And that would be?" said the Shadow Broker.

"We are not Soviets."

"Then you are that other faction? The Allies?" mused the large alien, that would explain the difference in technology, he had little information on Allied equipment. The second human faction didn't use the relays thanks to that chronosphere device and because of that colonized systems away from them...and the Soviets.

"Wrong again."

If they are not Soviets and not Allies... "If I'm not mistaken humanity is divided into only two major factions..."

"Only because the other two thought they destroyed the third" said the clone as he approached the Shadow Broker "but rest assured, this knowledge wont help you talk your way out of this predicament...you have already lost."

"Not un-" was all the alien managed to say before he fell to Yuri's mind control.

Without a word the yahg left his shotgun before rising up and going to the terminal...he had to perform his duties as the Shadow Broker, information was essential...all for Yuri.

The clone stood beside the huge alien as any good assistant should, ready to guide the yahg every step of the way.

The Reapers were already on the move, and the Soviets have advanced further than he had anticipated...it was time to remove some of the darkness that shrouded the approaching threat from the known galaxy. And make sure his enemy's tear each other to pieces...

"Have this information about the Protheans sold on the black market" said the clone as he gave the storage device to the alien "make the price high so we don't have to deal with trivial bids."

The yahg nodded and did as he was told.

It didn't take even five minutes that a message was received. Reading through the offer the yagh scowled "It seems the Collectors are interested to purchase the data pack."

The clone could only smile "Of course they are, amongst all that trivial data is the thing they have been looking for...the information about the Conduit."


A/N: Because of the time machine Yuri had another two century to advance his technology and prepare for the battle against the Reapers.

1) Infantry:

Initiates: Kinetic Barriers, pyrokinetic device, chaos grenades.

Brute: Super strength/endurance/regeneration, heavy armor/barriers, Antares weaponry.

Virus: Super speed/agility, 'Terranova' (energy) sniper rifle.

Psi-Corpse: Squad leaders armed with magnetron gauntlets, mind control ability, laser pistol.

Yuri clones: mind control, psychic blast.

2) Vehicles:

Strider: Assault APC, chameleon cloak.

Magnetron: magnetic coils, chameleon cloak.

Marauder: Antares cannon.

3) Space forces:

Basilisk: regeneration, chameleon cloak, pyrokinetic weapons, neural control, energy drain.

Leviathan: laser cannons, barriers, psychic dominator.