Omega, Sahrabarik System. 1145 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'Shepard, scans in vicinity of Omega suggest that the mercenary fleets are fleeing. My calculations suggest that there is at most five minutes until the Imperial fleet arrives,' EDI said through Shepard's earpiece.

'Damn it. Alright, everyone, get onboard the shuttle. EDI, do we have a reply from the Imperial fleet?'

'Yes, Shepard. I have confirmed a transmitted statement stating that we are tagged as friendly, and will not be fired upon. Any ships following us will also be tagged as friendly, as long as their weapon systems are powered down,'

Shepard hauled the last civilian into the overloaded shuttle, listening to the old craft's underpowered engines whine in protest as they tried to lift off with a dozen extra passengers onboard. Hands still reached up to her in desperation as they lifted off, hoping that they and their families would be able to obtain a way from the besieged space station. Closing her eyes in grief, the Spectre watched as the remaining civilians collapsed to the ground, weeping. The mercenary groups had appropriated any freighters capable of mounting any guns, wresting their keys from their owners by force. Very few civilian ships remained on Omega, and fewer still capable of holding more than a few hundred passengers; they had left at least thirty thousand civilians in Gozu district alone, being able to carry but one hundred in the Normandy's shuttle bay.

Parts of Omega had been struck already by stray shots from the space battle; an entire settlement block had been suffocated as its life support systems were blasted to scrap, and another sector nearby remained on emergency lighting as power systems had been knocked offline.

'Unacceptable. Civilian casualties excessive!' Mordin exclaimed, watching another beam spear through a skyscraper, shredding concrete and metal.

'There's not much more we can do here. The Normandy isn't large enough to carry more, and we'll have to go to the Citadel immediately. We don't exactly have enough supplies to feed all the people we picked up,' added Jacob, 'We should probably contact all the civilian ships and have them follow the Normandy, and then we can get out of here before the whole place comes down on us,'

Shepard reluctantly nodded. There were thousands more down on the streets, waiting to be saved; but if she were to wait any longer, those that were able to acquire ships would be shot down before they arrived at the Omega 2 relay.

Wrath of Talos, Sahrabarik System. 1150 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'Scans indicate the Normandy SR-2 has departed Omega, with eleven unidentified vessels of varying sizes following. No weapons are armed on any vessel. Permitting safe passage as instructed,' Fortis said, 'Forwarding instructions to rearguard near Omega 2 relay. Further orders, Your Highness?'

'How fares the battle?'

'We have thirty-five frigates and eight cruisers crippled by return fire. Ten Imperial frigates and nine Imperial cruisers are destroyed catastrophically by the enemy. Two hundred and ten frigate-analogues on the enemy side are destroyed, and all of their cruisers are crippled or destroyed. Remainder are fleeing. Captains on frontmost frigates are requesting permission to chase,'

'Permission granted. Begin loading the troop transports, and order the battlemages to begin priming the Firestorm missiles. Perform scans on the station, notify me of power sources and defenses,'

'I would have to say, Your Majesty, that these pirates fought very...tenaciously. Many of their successful attacks upon our craft are performed by ramming, when their crafts could no longer fire their guns,' Servilius spoke.

'Scans are complete. There are no large anti-Voidship guns present upon the enemy station, though there are smaller local guns that may present threats to close support craft. Suggest localised bombardment by missiles to clear defenses before initiating ground assault,'

'And power sources?'

The image on the holopad on the bridge shifted to that of Omega, its jellyfish-like structure highlighted in green. Within moments, a central spine-like object had been highlighted in red, running the entire length of the station.

'Power analysis suggests that there exists a source of power running the whole length of this station, and that the enemy relies on technological means to perform air filtration,'

'Intriguing. If the Legion were to destroy that power source, or disable it...'

'A quick simulation suggests that in the event that were to happen, the entire station would lose its atmosphere within an hour at most. Excluding the possibility of either another technological or magickal means to generate breathable air, all lifeforms upon that station would quickly expire,'

Servilius looked at Valeria, who seemed deep in thought. Finally, after what seemed an age, she nodded, frowning.

'Very good, Fortis. That will be all for now. Signal the fleets to begin limited bombardment on defensive emplacements. Mark the central power source as a non-target for now. Give the Sixth Legion the coordinates of each pocket of slaves, and have them extract the captured citizens. With stealth, if you please. Instruct the Ninth Legion's stealth corvettes to perform insertion and extraction for the first group of soldiers. They are to neutralise defenses until such time that a second group is able to reinforce their positions. The Sixth Legion shall then move in to ensure both the soldiers' and the citizens' safe extraction,'

'A change of heart, Your Majesty? We certainly have the firepower to force these pirates to submission, if you were to give the order,'

'Not at all, Servilius. Each one of our own citizens is worth more than a thousand of these... dissolutes,' she replied, hissing out the last word in distaste, 'The slaves shall be freed, and only then will I order this station be reduced to dust. See to it that the troops are informed; their orders are to extract any slaves, Imperial or otherwise, and depart as quickly as is possible. Failure is not an option,'

Troop Transport Vehk-113, Lower Omega. 1245 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'So, another landing on a hostile station. A normal day for the Sixth Legion,' Caedwynn murmured sarcastically, 'Listen up, legionnaires, and listen well. We're here to liberate citizens of the Empire held against their will on this sorry station. The enemies are numerous, but so are we; and we are better trained than they can ever hope to be, better armed than they can ever afford to be. Objectives are simple. We are to hit the slave pens in the centre of this district, and evacuate them safely. Let's keep the chatter low, and move out,'

The others nodded silently, gripping their weapons as tightly as any could be. Unlike the other legions, the Sixth never operated in full strength. What extra space there was on the craft was filled with more ammunition, and the eight troops that she had with her all bore the scars of campaigns. She raised an eyebrow as she watched a particularly large Nord heft his repeater assault crossbow up to his shoulder, pressing a belt of yellow-and-orange tipped bolts into the ammunition spool on its side. The weapon was perhaps half as large as she was tall, with a tripod strapped to its underside.

'Really, Hrafn? You're going to be carrying that thing around for the whole day?'

'Been doing it for years. Don't see why I should stop now,' he grunted, 'Can't even aim properly with a normal one anyhow. Feels like I'm using a toy,'

'You're going to be carrying all your ammunition, soldier. Don't expect any of us to be doing it for you,'

He simply shrugged. 'I know. Don't need nobody doing my job - or telling me how to do my job. Point what you want dead, and it will be really dead after I'm done with it,'

He looked down again, stroking the side of his weapon lovingly while pulling back the loading lever on the other side. Shaking her head, Caedwynn glanced around at the others. Four Redguards and an Argonian, and that cat, S'Tharra, all of them bearing swords and towering Ebony-plated shields. The Redguards were praying, their eyes closed as they held on to their symbols of silver, wrought in the shape of a spilled goblet. S'Tharra was running her finger along the edge of her longsword anxiously.

A blast shook the craft on the side, and the corvette gave an angry bleat through its speaker.

'What's it look like on the ground?' she asked the pilot.

'Like hell. The second infantry wave's already landed, and they're getting slowed down by sheer numbers. Take a look for yourselves,'

The Imperial soldiers had begun to march, shields locked together as they slowly advanced under the withering barrage of fire laid down by blue-and-white uniformed mercenaries. An occasional rocket streaked across the streets, blasting a shielded soldier to the ground, while strafing fire from upper floors and haphazardly-placed balconies forced unshielded legionnaires to find cover among fallen concrete pillars and destroyed skycars. Every now and then there was a metal war-automaton, stomping its way through the carnage and raining bullets from its arm-mounted cannons, as Imperial soldiers hacked at its knees in an effort to bring it down. Several had already collapsed, seemingly having their legs and arms hacked off by blades, or smashed to pieces by powered hammers.

'I can't get any closer than this,' the pilot declared, 'Primary landing zone too far into enemy territory. I'll have to drop you here. Get ready, we're coming in hot!'

'Hrafn, you've got door duty until the rest of us get off this transport. The rest of you, keep your head low, and move out!'

The door slid open, and almost immediately a wave of slugs peppered the craft, clattering against its hardened plating harmlessly. One at a time they leapt out, landing behind an overturned, burning skycar wreck. Hrafn was the last to jump, his massive bulk causing the earth to shake as he landed.

'This one thinks that this mission is madness,' S'Tharra hissed, crouching behind her tower shield beside the others. Hrafn propped his assault crossbow against its top, using it as a makeshift emplacement as he mowed down several incoming automata with explosive bolts.

'Get used to it, greenhorn. Move up!' bellowed one of the Redguards, who struck down a dog-like creature with a powered hammer.

They crept slowly forward along the open street, their shields locked together in a solid wall, while Hrafn stood back and continued to fire his repeater. More than a few of the mercenaries fell, their chests and heads exploding as each bolt struck home, though others continued to fill the gaps left behind by their fallen comrades. Return fire was equally as punishing, one of the Redguards knocked down by a particularly powerful shot on his shield; immediately after, a harpoon pierced through his helmet as he struggled to stand. He collapsed, twitching in a pool of blood.

'Leave him, he's gone! Command, do you read? We need an orbital strike near our position, now!'

'Negative, Centurion. We're forbidden from performing orbital strikes near your location, by order of Admiral Servilius. Your request is hereby refused. Further assistance has been requested from friendly armour in your vicinity,'

'Gods damn it. Keep moving, and make sure you keep your damn heads low!' Caedwynn yelled, loosing an anti-materiel bolt in the direction of the mercenaries. A few hundred shots in return was her answer, and she ducked quickly back down behind the shield wall. Wiping the graze on her cheek, she glanced around; for perhaps other alternative paths existed in the maze of towering apartments. The burning skycars on either side were blocking the alleyways that they could have used; though a small voice in her head said that their guns would be far more deadly in confined spaces, being able to fire many times faster than her arbalest could.

A rocket blasted another one of her men to the ground, a gaping hole torn into his body where the anti-tank round had blasted a hole clear through his shield - and beyond. A jet of blue-white flame surged forth from behind them, engulfing the mercenaries' makeshift fortifications in searing heat. The rumble of treads slowed as a heavy tank ground to a halt beside them; its armour plates were pock-marked by the hundreds of slugs that have impacted against it, and a few plates had larger dents from where rockets had struck them.

'Centurion, it looks like our timing couldn't have been any better. Your unit looks like shit,'

'Can it, tanker. We've got a lot of ground to cover, with no air support or artillery support. I suppose you know what your objectives are?'

'Aye. Burn all the enemies on the way, and leave none alive. Cover escaping citizens. Simple enough,'

She slapped a new explosive bolt into her scorpion, and slapped the side of the tank.

'Good. Now get going. We've got some buildings to sweep so you lucky bastards don't get rockets up your arse. Talos be with you,'

'And the same to you, Centurion,'

Omega, Sahrabarik System. 1315 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'Aria. Reports indicate the Eclipse are getting pushed back in Gozu district. The enemy has heavy armour on the ground now, and Eclipse gunships have been ripped to bits. They're on the retreat,'

She was fuming. All over her station - her Omega - these Imperials were present in vast numbers. Though the mercenaries far outnumbered them, they had enough equipment to make short work of the smaller mercenary crews. Only the Blue Suns and the Eclipse proved to be of any use against their heavily armoured soldiers; and the Blood Pack were useful too in disposing of enemy tanks, throwing Vorcha at the tanks with explosives strapped to their bodies.

'Order the Blue Suns to reinforce the Eclipse, whether they like it or not,'

'Will do,' Anto grunted, tapping his Omni-tool, 'The upper slave pens have been breached, and they're evacuating the slaves as we speak. They've killed all the Blood Pack in the way,'

Aria struck the wall beside her with a biotically-charged punch. Howling in fury, she snarled at Anto. To his credit, the Batarian did not flinch, stoically listening to her words.

'Is there no competent person on this Goddess-damned station? This is my station. I am Omega! And they are trampling over all that I have built over all these years!'

'The station might be yours, but the people are not, Aria,'

She paused momentarily, frowning.

'What did you just say?'

'The station's yours, but the people aren't. Your people - and the mercenaries you've paid off - are doing the fighting. I think you might be able to call in a few more favours,'

'Maybe we could. Maybe...Anto, connect my Omni-tool to the broadcasting system throughout the station. I have a very important announcement to make,'

She turned to face her nightclub, its numerous neon lights dark from power loss in her district. The emergency lights

'If they are going to take Omega, then they will pay for it with blood. Announce to the whole station; they will ALL fight these intruders today!'

'Gods above, what the hell is that insane bitch thinking?' Caedwynn cursed to herself, aghast, 'Ordering all the civilians to take up arms? They'll be slaughtered!'

Fortunately, many did not heed the Queen of Omega's call to arms, more concerned about preserving their own lives than assisting with its defense. What civilians that they had encountered wielding guns lowered them when they lowered their weapons; she ordered them to return into their homes and hide. Talos knows that two legions did not have enough people for door-to-door fighting.

Another Imperial dropship passed overhead, though S'Tharra noted that it was significantly larger than a corvette – perhaps large enough to carry a tank. Despite heading towards the front lines, she could not see a vehicle attached to its underside. Only a faint shimmer of an invisibility field indicated that it was even carrying an object. Shrugging off the odd sight, she wiped down the bloodied edge of her blade on a nearby body's clothes.

'I should have taken a few bolts from that tank when it passed by,' sighed the centurion, dropping an empty quarrel of bolts, 'Hrafn, how many have you got?'

'Unless Zenithar himself comes here and gives me some, I've maybe only six hundred more,'

'We'll have to get this done quickly. Alright, that's enough of a rest; the rest of our friendly armour is moving forward. Keep a low profile, kill the enemy silently if you can - but don't fight where we don't have to. There's more of them than I first thought. S'Tharra, you take point; let us know if there is anything on the ground that you can see,'

The streets of Omega were poorly lit, made even worse by the lack of power that was caused by the activation of many of its point defense systems. What little power was made available to its citizens had been routed to more critical systems; and apparently lighting had been considered non-critical. Every step that they took on the grimy metal floors was fraught with danger. One of her men had been shredded by a shrapnel mine that he had stepped on. Fortunately, in the back streets, there were at least not as many enemy soldiers; and what enemies were present were easily dispatched silently, thanks to their crossbows.

'Centurion. Do you read?' her comm-orb barked.

'Yes, General. What are your orders?'

'Your orders have changed. The civilians of this damned space station are rising up against us. I'd like to string up every last one of them, but that isn't an option when my men are mewling like cowards when faced with these numbers. Your initial mission to rescue our captured citizens still stands. Rendezvous with our armour approximately a quarter of a mile northwest of your position for extraction. You are to sweep the buildings for any aggressors as you pass by. I expect that you will know what to do with them. That means everyone, soldier; I don't care if they're men, women, elderly, or young. If they're in your way, you kill them. Do I make myself clear?'

'Affirmative,' she said, watching a corvette fly overhead, unloading a barrage of incendiary bolts on enemies below.

'Good. Make it happen, soldier,'

'Yes, sir!'

And the comm-orb went silent once more. Killing civilians - not like it would matter, she thought bitterly to herself.

'By Stendarr's merciful hand, what in Oblivion have I signed up for,' she muttered to herself, 'Soldiers, you heard the orders. Let's move out,'

Sticking to the shadows, the group stalked through the dimly-lit corridors of the station, carefully stepping over the pieces of broken glass and twisted metal where rockets had destroyed what would have been once a perfectly serviceable building. Corpses littered the floor around a table, broken plates of food scattered on the blood-spattered floor.

'Arkay guide their souls. They were simply in an unfortunate place, at an unfortunate time,' she whispered, leaning down to close the eyes of a woman, 'Probably did not even have any wealth, these poor fellows. Barely anything in this room; and certainly nothing worth taking,'

'S'Tharra sees something,' the cat-woman rasped, pointing at a corner of the room. There was a huddled figure, shaking. One of the Redguards threw a ball of mage-light at the figure, and flinched as a shot ricocheted from his shield.

'Drop your weapon!' S'Tharra shouted at the woman in the corner, who recoiled and dropped her pistol. Her hair and skin were like a Nord's, fair like new-fallen snow, but was perhaps only as tall as an Imperial. Perhaps she was one of these humans from the Systems Alliance. S'Tharra wrinkled her nose as she caught the all-too-familiar whiff of urine; sure enough, there was a puddle forming between the woman's trembling legs.

The Argonian in her team advanced upon the woman, raising his sword for a killing blow; but a bolt knocked his chain-sword from his hand.

'To Oblivion with the General's orders,' Caedwynn growled, putting another bolt on her crossbow, 'You will not touch that woman, soldier. Do you understand me?'

'But-'

'No excuses, soldier. Do you not see it? Stendarr save your soul if you murder this frightened woman in cold blood. She's dropped her weapon, and can't possibly defend herself against all of us,'

Turning to the woman, Caedwynn bent down and hauled her to her feet roughly. As the centurion tried to bind her arms, she struggled and tore herself from Caedwynn's grip; losing her temper, Caedwynn smashed the stock of her arbalest into the woman's stomach. She reeled over, gasping for breath.

'I'm giving you a chance to live. Let me put these bindings on you, run towards our men. Pretend you're a slave, and our flyer boys will take you off this station,'

'Like hell I'm going to let you put these on-'

'Listen, girl. I don't care if your pride gets in the way, but the fact is, this station is going down. If you don't want to live, that's fine by me as well,' Caedwynn snarled, fuming as she continued binding the woman's arms, 'Now go. You've seen where we came from; run back in that direction and ask for assistance. They'll help you out,'

Watching the civilian hobble away towards the Imperial-controlled quarters, S'Tharra shook her head in disbelief. 'This one is amazed that you would defy the general,'

'I've served long enough to know what is a correct call, soldier; and I don't think that you understand. There are orders to be followed, and there are those which should never be mentioned, until not even a memory exists. And this is one of those which should be obliterated. I certainly hope that Stendarr would consign the General to Oblivion for this act of...mass murder,'

'But S'Tharra thinks we would be as much to blame. We would be assisting-'

'Enough, Khajiit!' Caedwynn snarled. 'Do you think I enjoy performing this order? I can ignore his orders to execute civilians, but if I were to desert this mission, then you all would be executed. No – as much as I would rather see us not do this, I would rather see that bastard hang for ordering such a disgraceful act. Now, if we're done bickering, let's continue on our mission. We can discuss this later, if you still feel so strongly about following the General's orders, cat,'

'And I certainly hope no other unit would find out about this disagreement, centurion. We'll keep silent, if only to maintain cohesion in this Legion,' a Redguard said gravely, 'If the general finds out, you'll be executed for direct disobedience of orders. Or at least given a flogging for treating a superior with contempt,'

She nodded her thanks, and motioned for them to move up. A crashed corvette was lying on the open skycar launch pad beyond a burned-out anti-aircraft gun; and beyond that was the enormous central pylon that stretched for the entire length of the station. Jets of flame poured out from Imperial tanks, flushing out whatever defenders had taken position inside the run-down skyscrapers of Omega.

But beside the crashed corvette lay the blackened husk of an Imperial heavy tank, its hull pock-marked by dozens of rocket impacts, with one particularly large hole punched into its rear. Dozens of bodies, both Imperial and mercenary, lay dead around the wreck; though none seemed to be still alive.

'Alright. Let's move; things look pretty bad if they've managed to blow up one of our heavies. We'd better hurry. Khajiit, take watch. Everyone else, stay in the shadows, and we'll be alright,'

Circling around the destroyed vehicles, they tapped every single Imperial body on the ground. None had given even as much of a stir. Most were riddled with numerous bullet wounds, lying in pools of their own blood.

'Gods, the heavy tank looks like it'd seen better days. I don't think we'd even be able to find any bodies in here,' a Redguard mumbled, pinching his nose and retching violently. Whatever rocket had penetrated its rear had struck the magickal reactor in the rear, causing its soul-conductor to rupture and explode. The charred entrails of one of the vehicle's operators lay draped over the burned corpse of the driver.

'We've got a live one here. The corvette's pilot. Quick, get me a potion!'

Inside the shattered cockpit of the corvette lay the Nord pilot, wheezing as he lay slumped against the vehicle's seat; a wavering golden light held in his left hand. He looked up with bleary eyes at the Legion soldiers, giving a very slight smile as he did so. S'Tharra handed him a potion. He shook his head and motioned to the metal shaft protruding from his chest, pinning him to his seat.

'...'Bout time you...got here...' he coughed, 'The fighting's stopped for at least ten minutes now. I don't hear...I don't see—what's happened to the rest of my...?'

'They're dead. Went down fighting those damned pirates,' replied Caedwynn.

'Damn...it. Bastards got them too. Save that potion—can't hold this healing field together,'

'We've got more than enough potion. Take it,'

He gurgled up some blood as he made a move to push the bottle away. A grim determination in his eyes, he lifted up a shaking hand and thumbed unsteadily towards the back of the craft; the golden light faded from his hand, and the pilot fell still.

'Damn it. Hrafn, keep an eye out for trouble. Never know how many of those mercenaries are still around. Khajiit, check the rear of this vehicle,'

A thoroughly battered munitions crate was the only object in the vehicle's cargo hold, fading in and out of sight as its invisibility field wavered. Lifting the crumpled munitions crate's lid, S'Tharra shivered at the sight of the black sphere, which pulsed from within with a malevolent glow, as though ready to burst into flame. On the smooth black surface was inscribed the Imperial dragon in silver, which did little to ease the unnerving aura contained within the bomb.

'That's...an Inferno charge,' Caedwynn whispered, 'I haven't heard of any orders to deploy these. Not in this assault, anyway. What on Oblivion is happening? Khajiit, get that bomb. Something isn't right,'

Numerous dropships flew overhead, converging on a point ahead. Congregated around a cluster of heavy tanks were numerous figures, of whom very few were dressed in Imperial colours. What soldiers were present were ushering them into the dropships' cargo holds.

'This one thinks that the slaves have been freed. But why would the tanks be taken back already?' S'Tharra said, watching a larger corvette sluggishly haul a tank towards the closest docking bay, while others followed suit with varying cargo loads.

An enormous blast rocked the floor, and an enormous fireball lit up the darkness above, the thunderous shockwave knocking the group to the ground. White-hot shards of metal spun uncontrollably into the vacuum of space, while those not launched into orbit shot downwards with lethal force, piercing concrete and steel alike. A bubble of pulsing dark energy wrapped around the breach in the station's hull, feebly trying to keep whatever atmosphere that the station had from escaping.

'S'Rendarr's mercy,' S'Tharra mouthed.

'No time to lose. Go, get to the rendezvous point!' roared Caedwynn, as another blast rocked the station; this time, a towering column of flame shot up from the floor below, incinerating the skyscraper to their right. For a brief moment, she could see a group of people screaming in terror, fleeing from the burning ruin. A brief moment before the entire structure collapsed upon them in a cloud of dust and debris. Dozens of other explosions soon followed, engulfing the entire district in a reddish-grey haze of smoke and embers. To their horror, a particularly violent explosion sent a towering fireball into the sky, engulfing a squadron of Imperial corvettes. Only burning cinders remained, drifting gently downwards like a rain of fine ash.

'Arkay guide them,' muttered the Redguards.

Dashing around the collapsed skyscraper, they could see a cluster of fellow Legion members clustered around a dropship, desperately loosing whatever ammunition they had left at an advancing mob of militia. A crippled tank sat between them and the enemy, its treads shorn to pieces by what must have been a notably powerful blast. Only its turret remained functional, valiantly spraying jets of frost at a relentlessly advancing enemy.

'There they are!' one of the legionnaires shouted, 'Go! Get on the dropship and let's get out of here!'

Noting the silver emblem on his pauldron – a crossed hammer and spade - Caedwynn narrowed her eyes at the lieutenant. 'What in Oblivion are the Ninth Legion's sappers doing here? I thought only your tankers were supposed to be on the ground,'

'Didn't your General tell you about what we're doing here?' asked the soldier; but observing Caedwynn's frown, he waved her onto the ship, 'Never mind. I'll brief you once we're out of here,'

The dropship gave an angry whine and listed to the left as a rocket struck its left engine, though it still remained aloft. Throwing her arbalest onto the dropship and clambering onboard with the rest of her team, she turned back to observe the battle. All present watched in horror as the crippled tank shuddered, and then violently exploded; deafening all with its reactor's thunderous meltdown. Only twisted, white-hot scraps of metal remained. Not a trace of the tank's crew remained to be seen.

'We're done here. Get her off the ground, pilot!' the sapper lieutenant shouted, leaping onto the dropship's deck. Its rear hatch slammed shut, and the sounds of battle gradually diminished into nothingness, replaced by the periodic blasts of further Inferno charges detonating elsewhere.

Carefully stepping over an exhausted sapper, Caedwynn dropped herself into a bench beside the lieutenant.

'You need to explain this, lieutenant. S'Tharra, bring up the Inferno charge,' snarled the centurion, glaring at the sapper. He glared back in return, and shook his head.

'Questioning my superiors is above my pay grade. I don't know why we were given these – but apparently each of our dropships were given two, along with a heavy tank. If you ask me, that's already too much. We're only dealing with pirates, for Talos' sake, not some properly-organised military,'

'And you still deployed them? Knowing that these-'

'Would likely kill everyone in that district? Yes, lady, yes, we did. I'm not keen on facing the punishment for insubordination – not after what they did to the previous lieutenant – and I'm sure my boys would kill me if I'd even suggest defying the command of superiors. If you're going to raise a stink about this, raise it with your legate or your general,'

And with that, he stood up and stalked off towards the front of the ship, sealing the blast doors to the cockpit behind him.

'This isn't the Legion I signed up to all those years ago,' the Breton sighed quietly.

Omega, Sahrabarik System. 1340 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'Things aren't looking good, Aria. Blue Suns and Eclipse are retreating in the lower districts. We're holding the line in the upper districts, thanks to our anti-aircraft guns shooting down their gunships. Those damned tanks are giving them control over the streets. The Blood Pack is routed, and I can't contact Garm's second-in-command,' Anto grunted, putting away his datapad, 'And we're getting reports of the centre levels being set on fire by some form of incendiary explosives,'

Aria stood up, clenching her fist. Her rule over Omega – decades of glorious, complete rule over its criminal underworld, raking in millions of credits in easy profits; decades of careful manipulation and exploitation, manoeuvres and deceptions, unravelled by such a sudden assault!

'What about the people? Aren't they posing any problems for these attackers? In the seven million on this station, there's got to be more of them willing to fight,'

'There were thousands that picked up their guns, Aria. But after watching those tanks fry their friends, they're not keen to fight any more. Lots just dropped their weapons and ran away screaming,'

Another tremor shook the nightclub. Aria's mercenaries looked around uneasily. Some were even whispering to each other in the corners. Aria was no fool. The weaker she appeared, the more tenuous her hold over the mercenaries. And the way in which the Empire was systematically removing the mercenaries – especially the three greater mercenary bands with whom she had allied with – was quickly eroding what support she had. No doubt those less loyal would try to seize her and offer her to the Empire, to curry favour with what they perceived as the new dominant power in Omega.

'Doru district has almost fallen. The last Blue Suns in the area are holding the enemy away in a last stand, but I don't think they'd last much longer. From comm chatter, it seems that-'

'Enough, Anto! I don't care to hear more of the news from around Omega,' Aria barked, 'Get our mercenaries together. It's time to show this Empire what I can do. Round up any civilians around Afterlife that want to help out, just tell them to stay out of my way. If they see that cat, she's mine!'

Only silence answered her order. Turning around, she stumbled backwards in shock as a Krogan's fist slammed into her stomach. Numerous clicking noises echoed around the now-silent building. The all-too-familiar sound of guns being unholstered. And to her shock, the red laser dots were painted on her. Even her Turian lieutenant had turned, pointing his pistol at her head with a sneer.

'Your time is up, Aria. You're too weak to lead,' the Krogan snorted, grasping the Asari's throat with a powerful clawed hand, 'The Blood Pack is tired of answering your calls. Finish off her mercs that aren't willing to join us. We'll turn her over to the Empire and buy our freedom,'

'You idiots. You'll all die, just watch!' she screamed, before another punch from the Krogan sent her into unconsciousness. Anto's hand shifted to his pistol, but he hesitated when even more red dots were painted on his chest. Slowly, reluctantly, he held up his hands, only to have an enormous Krogan fist connect with the rear of his skull.

'Your Majesty, the preparations for our final assault on Omega are complete. We await your orders,'

The rows of ensigns and captains below the command deck gazed up, their dataslate consoles idly blinking. Orange flashes of hostile activity had ceased to exist, replaced with hundreds of blue beacons for extraction – with the occasional red for immediate medical extraction. Admiral Servilius stood grimly at the helm, watching the feeds from Omega on the large orb before him.

'I certainly hope that this assault was well worth the loss of personnel, Your Majesty. We've lost a good portion of the Sixth performing this assault, and the Ninth has had significant damage done to its armour,' he whispered to the Khajiiti empress, 'Reportedly by friendly fire,'

She grimaced, and waved a hand over the combat reports flashing on the orb. Her frown quickly changed to an angry snarl. Even the admiral beside her flinched as the air began to crackle with stray sparks.

'No, I do not for a moment believe that these casualties are necessary, Admiral. I had insisted that General Vyrthus perform a quick strike upon the slave pens within the station, not to perform urban warfare against all of these pirates – nor an incineration of the whole station. These dissolutes deserved no less, but to perform such a task with so few men is nothing short of madness. And I believe I had not authorised the usage of Inferno charges. Why, then, are sixty of them missing from the Wrath of Talos' armouries?'

Silence hung about the deck as the commanders looked at each other. Finally, Vyrthus' aide-de-camp raised his hand slowly, shivering in fear. Valeria rounded on him; her left hand grasping the air as though holding a solid object, while the poor man gasped for breath as he was suspended by an enormous, invisible hand. A cracking noise resonated through the bridge as the man's chest seemed to cave inwards, and a mute scream escaped his lips along with a fine bloody mist.

'Am I to assume that you relayed an unauthorised order from General Vyrthus to the armoury, legate? Speak!'

He fell to the ground, gasping for breath. The two inquisitors flanking him hauled him roughly to his feet; he nodded weakly.

'Take him below deck, and have the healers treat his wounds. He shall clean the latrines upon this ship for three months. His salary is also to be withheld. Instruct the torturers that a hundred and fifty lashes is due for this incompetent fool,' Valeria spat, 'Perhaps then he may learn of the magnitude of his error. Thousands of loyal soldiers have died from the unnecessary use of those charges,'

She then pointed a sparking finger at the nearest communication officer, who jumped as a stray arc of lightning singed his hair.

'Send word to General Vyrthus that he is relieved of command. His next most senior legate with a clean record is to assume command, and the general is to be brought before me in two hours' time. Alive, if you please,'

'Yes, Your Highness,' the ensign yelped, shaking as he scrawled out the command on the dataslate.

Valeria glared at the image of the asteroid before her. The dragon within her called for the station's obliteration, its complete annihilation by massed fleet bombardment. However, she could not deny the strategic value the station had. For as much as it would satisfy her thirst for vengeance to have Omega reduced to small flecks of space dust, it would serve much better as an Imperial docking facility – and a warning to all would-be pirates within her sector of the galaxy.

'Admiral. I will have one of your corvettes fly myself and a contingent of my elite inquisitors to the place these pirates call Afterlife. See to it that any and all unidentifiable vessels are destroyed within two hundred miles of the nearest docking bay. Do try to keep our vessels safe,'

'It shall be done, my liege,'

Afterlife, Omega, Sahrabarik System. 1400 hours, Galactic Standard Time.

'YOL...TOOR SHUL!'

A wave of white-hot flame surged through the docking bay's tunnel, shattering glass in its wake. Drifting above the charred bodies of mercenaries too slow or wounded to flee, she surveyed the station with disdain. The stale stench of recycled air assaulted her nose – as did the acrid smell of the putrid pipe-weed that the Systems Alliance councillor referred to as 'tobacco'.

Outside the docking bay, a squadron of Sixth Legion soldiers stood at attention, lifting their swords and hammers in salute as the Empress passed by. Numerous mercenaries lay prone on the floor, their hands bound behind their backs. Others lay piled unceremoniously in a burning heap, innumerable bolt wounds strewn across their bodies.

'Inquisitors. I will have you search the area for any residual threats. Miscreants are to be captured alive. I have a message to deliver,' she spoke coldly, smiling, 'Inform the Sixth Legion's legate in charge of the capture of this sector that he has my gratitude for his exceptional performance. Now, I believe we have a special...person of interest...here,'

The soldiers guarding the Omega nightclub's front gates raised their weapons as the blast doors slid open. The Empress grinned widely as she watched the former Queen of Omega kicked forward in bindings by a towering scaled creature, along with her Batarian bodyguard.

'It would seem that your work has made my job easier, gentlemen. I see that you have become wiser than your...leader. Certainly, however, you must be repaid for this...gift. What is it that you desire?'

The Krogan grabbed Aria and hauled her roughly to her feet, pressing a shotgun against the side of her head. Snarling in defiance, she struggled in vain against the reptilian creature's grip, only to be rewarded with a sharp strike to her head with the shotgun.

'I want a ship off this station,' the red-armoured Krogan grunted, 'And for my men as well,'

'And what do you offer in return?'

'The Queen Bitch of Omega. She's yours, if you will give us a way off this damn station,'

Mockingly, the Empress cradled the side of her face, as though considering the offer. The Inquisitors on either side closed inwards, their chain-swords drawn, while all the legionnaires drew their crossbows. The mercenaries behind the Krogan stepped backwards, clutching their weapons ever closer to their chest; though to the Krogan's credit, he merely grinned.

'Very well. You have my word. Give me Aria, and you shall have a ship to deliver you to wherever you wish to go,'

She offered a hand, as though to reassure the mercenary of her sincerity. Momentarily blinded by hope, the Krogan thrust the former Queen of Omega to the ground, grasping the Empress' hand with both of his. The broad smile on his face, however, quickly turned to an expression of agony. Powerful currents of lightning surged through his nerves, burning all that they flowed through. Letting go of the smoking, twitching corpse, the Empress rounded on the remaining cowering mercenaries.

'The Empire does not negotiate with criminals,' she growled, 'Nail them to the walls of Afterlife, so that they may reflect upon their misdeeds in their final moments. As for their former leader; I believe you are all familiar with the punishment for those who have committed high treason. While doubtless it would be appropriate to hang her, and distribute her quarters throughout Omega as a warning to would-be pirates, I believe that I have a more...appropriate punishment, given her crimes against our merchants and civilians,'

The remaining mercenaries cried out in protest as they were hauled away by inquisitors and legionnaires. Those that resisted were immediately shocked back to submission by the inquisitors, who wordlessly carried out their duties. One by one, each mercenary was pinned unceremoniously against walls by crossbow bolts, until only Aria lay on the ground, glaring at the Empress all the while. With as much strength as she could muster, she kicked fruitlessly at the floating Khajiit, who merely viewed her with mild curiosity.

'Am I to assume that unlike the traitors that you surround yourself with, that you still possess the courage to fight? Commendable, if you were in the Legions; but as the criminal filth that you are, such courage is worthless,'

Leaning over the Aria, the Empress lifted the Asari's head with a hand, staring straight into the former criminal mastermind's hateful eyes.

'I shall offer you one more chance at redemption. Simply kiss my feet thrice, and beg for my forgiveness, and perhaps I may let you go,'

'Go to hell,' Aria spat.

'As I had expected. Your lack of humility stands between you and your salvation. Inquisitor J'Bari, my goblet, if you please. Inquisitor Bearclaw, I will have the ingot of white-gold that I had entrusted to you earlier. I shall reward our prisoner's avarice with the very items that her pirates had plundered from Imperial merchants,'

Handing the Empress the jagged goblet of Daedric make, J'Bari shivered as she watched the Empress' right hand blazed with magickal heat, reducing the bar of pure platinum to a glob of roiling liquid metal. Pouring it into the goblet, she turned to watch the Asari's hateful expression rapidly dissolve into fear. A pair of inquisitors grasped her head and wrenched it back, one pressing a dagger to her throat.

'To your everlasting wealth, your Highness,' Valeria said mockingly, forcing the Asari's mouth open with her free hand.

A/N

Hospitals are not particularly conducive to work. Sorry for the delay.

Whether or not the rest of the galaxy finds the Empress' brand of justice acceptable remains to be seen. Although it is almost certain that while the destruction of the largest pirate base in the Terminus would cause positive reactions among the public, the method of doing so would likely horrify the Citadel races. Throw in a Paragon Shepard for a more explosive mix :D *stirs cauldron of trouble*

ArcturusWolf, signing out.