I do not own Mass Effect.
Mass Effect 2: Lanius
Begin Collector Cruiser Recording
"Shadow Broker. What's the emergency?"
"Commander Shepard, time-critical intelligence of the highest value has reached us. We received this not five minutes ago before sending for you. Listen."
The hologram of the broker is replaced by another. It is rougher, with static and noise affecting the image, but it is clearly the Butcher.
"I know you're listening, Broker, and I want you to pass this on to Commander Shepard. Credits have already been passed on to your agents."
"Shepard, right now we both want the same thing. A Reaper IFF. And while I have a head start on you and know where to go, I'm a sporting man when I want to be. Let's make this a fair game. Come to the attached coordinates. Come quickly enough, and you may be able to get the last Reaper IFF in the galaxy for yourself. This is a limited-time offer, however, that will not be repeated. Cerberus out."
"It only repeats after that," the Broker added. "But he was correct: not only were coordinates attached, but so was a notable sum of money, which I've already transferred to your account."
"They know what we're looking, for, then," Shepard mused.
"It's a naked setup," the Broker agreed.
"I know. But right now, we have no other leads towards an IFF. We'll go in, ready to get out at the first sign of trouble."
"Be careful, Commander," the Broker cautioned. "I wish we could provide more intelligence, but that region is nothing but dark space. We have no information to give you."
The only thing more impressive than the scope of the Collector Cruiser is the scope of the Collector Cruiser in flames.
Joker whistled. "That thing has seen better days."
"What's going on, EDI?" Shepard asked, trying to make sense of it. As they watched, another explosion rocked the Cruiser, ejecting a plume into space. A small, orange-colored fighter flew by, racking the ship with fire.
"Cruiser main power core is off-line. Its gravitational axis is disrupted. Engines are off line. Fire and damage controls are haywire. Damage control systems are active. And judging from radio chatter, the source of destruction is… Cerberus."
"Cerberus if fighting the Collectors? No way! Aren't they working for them?" Joker asked.
"If they were, they aren't any more," Shepard said. "But why?"
"Data is insufficient to-" EDI began, before pausing. "Commander, this was just broadcast in the clear. It seems to be from the Cerberus Normandy-class. Replaying."
Static began. "Sir, blue shift-down detected, but no heat emissions visible! We have a stealth ship in the vicinity!"
The Butcher's voice was unmistakable. "Shepard. Perfect. Good job, Nemesis."
"Listen up, Shepard: you don't trust me, and I sure as hell don't trust you, but I'm going to be the better man and tell you exactly where to hurt the Collectors most. Port side, follow this path to the data node. I have men in the area to help clear it, and it leads to the main hanger. Huge thing, can't miss it." A pause. "Shepard, my men are going to have their hands full fighting the Collectors, not you. I already put the fear of me into them, and they aren't going to fight back even if you attack. So why don't you let your enemies tear into each other, and take advantage of the chaos? See if you can beat me there. Butcher out."
"Commander?" Joker questioned.
"EDI?" Shepard asked. "Is he honest?"
EDI did the equivalent a pause, and the practical effect of focusing on answering Shepard's question.
"I do detect a nexus of data nodes in the area he described," EDI conceded. "And there are Cerberus Commandos in the area he outlined. As to his other claims, I can not say. His voice did not contain notable variations for stress and deception."
"…we go in," Shepard ruled. "I'll take a team, and we'll fight our way through his path, while the rest provide another force… here," Shepard said. "Two teams, second team being a distraction. And provide a tech expert to help the other team, while EDI focuses on my effort. Confuse the Collectors of our real effort. If this is a trap by them, some faked set up, we fight them both. If we don't, if Cerberus is fighting the Collectors… we make the most of it."
"Very well, Commander," EDI said. "Who will you take? And who will lead the other team?"
Shepard considered...
"It looks like there truly is a battle," Thane noted. It was hard to dispute, after seeing a Cerberus soldier launch a rocket into a Harbinger, taking it down. Harbinger spawned in another Collector soon enough.
"Or else Cerberus and the Collectors didn't mind a lot of dead bodies to make it convincing," Jack countered. "I wouldn't put it past them."
"Whatever is going on, we don't have much time," Shepard countered. "There are countless husks and Collectors, and only so many of us. We need to keep pressing forward."
"Understood, Commander," Thane agreed.
"Commander, diversionary team here."
"What's your status, Garrus?"
"We're in combat with the Collectors. Cerberus is… not fighting us. They sent Operative Taylor as an envoy. He wants to say something to you."
"Make it fast, I'm not stopping."
"Commander? Operative Taylor. Our wrecker-teams in your area encountered heavy resistance. We believe the Collectors are moving Scions and other heavy-husks to your area."
"Thanks for the warning, but so what?"
"Send your team over here forward. Or let my group go forward without being shot in the back. A good squad with a focused leader could intercept the reinforcements and save you a lot of trouble."
"And let you slaughter my people on the way back?"
"That's why I said you can let my people go forward. You have nothing to lose if you don't trust us."
"I'd take the opportunity, Commander, but its your call. You want me to try and lead an attack, see how it goes? Or should I let Taylor and the Cerberus Commandos go forward?"
Shepard considered, and chose.
The Harbinger loomed tall, before suddenly toppling forward. Even as it fell, a figure re-materialized on its back, bringing it to the ground. Harbinger did not even have a chance to push itself up before a shotgun was shoved to the back of it's head, and fired.
"Shepard. Glad you listened to Taylor," the Butcher said. While his timely destruction of a Harbinger was welcome, there was no trust.
"Butcher. Glad your dogs didn't turn on my men afterwards."
"Taylor's a good man, you know that. But enough: you're close to the node now. I'm busy holding their scuttling efforts from it, so you need to go in and grab the IFF."
"Is the Butcher really in a position where he needs someone's help?"
"Is Commander Shepard really in a position to refuse? Run along, little Spectre. The Big Dogs are busy doing what's necessary to save Humanity. I'll walk you home once you have the IFF."
With that the Butcher cloaked and stepped away, returning to the fight.
"EDI, I have the Reaper IFF."
"Good. Commander, signs show Collector systems returning to operational order. They are regaining control of the ship."
"Bugs work fast," conceded Grunt. "They'll be swarming us with numbers soon enough."
"Not if we get out of here first."
"Shepard, Butcher. I heard that. All remaining Cerberus commandos are tasked with screening you, but a lot of Collectors are going to get through regardless. We need to get you out of here ASAP. I'll provide support."
"You think I'll accept your help?" Shepard asked.
"I'm not giving you an option," the Butcher returned. "Getting that IFF off this ship is the priority. That means you are the priority."
"The man is a villain, but his actions are sincere," Samara conceded. "We need not fear him for now."
"Glad the Asari mall cop agrees. Now move, Shepard!"
"Our shuttle is in sight, Commander!" Tali exclaimed.
"Is the other team recovered?" Shepard asked.
"They just got back on the Normandy," Joker confirmed. "Now get your butts here too! The ship's almost done powering up, and if those weapon systems come online we're toast!"
"Normandy, leave now! We'll make a FTL jump with the Kodiak and meet up with you at the rendezvous point!" Shepard ordered.
"Roger that, Commander. See you in a few hours."
"Jacob, Miranda, are our teams recovered?" the Butcher asked, a short distance behind.
"Not all of them: two squads are pinned down five hundred meters away. Should we go out for them?"
"Negative. They fell behind, they die. Withdraw with who you have."
"Understood, Commander. See you on the other side."
Shepard stared at the Butcher. "You'd leave your own men behind?"
"Of course," the Butcher said. "They're dead men anyway: most of them would be overrun by the time we could reinforce them."
"Typical Cerberus," Tali spat. "No loyalty amongst thieves."
The Butcher rolled his eyes. "Look space gypsy, they knew the risks when they signed on, and they understand the reasons why. We go after them, not only are they mostly dead anyway, this entire force is risked. And if this force is lost, the mission will fail. And I will not fail the mission. Now, are we going to leave or not?"
"We?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, we," the Butcher answered. "You have a ship. I need a ship. You doubtless have questions. I have answers. We need to have a discussion. Quid pro quo."
"This vorcha-shit leaves his own clan to die, and now wants to save his own skin? Are you just going to let that go, Shepard?" Grunt asked.
Shepard chose. "No," Shepard said coldly, as the team brought up its weapons. "I won't. He can stay."
The Butcher startled, then rolled his eyes. "Fools," he muttered, but kept his distance, even as the sound of approaching husks came closer.
Shepard and the team climbed into the Kodiak… and then the Butcher sprinted towards them. Shepard's shots hit, but were blocked by kinetic barriers even as the shuttle's doors closed. As the shuttle began to rise, the last glimpse of the landing pad was of the Butcher leaping towards the shuttle, Husks reaching at his heels. A notable 'thump' hit the side of the shuttle.
"Get us out of here," Shepard ordered. "And lose the debris."
Soon the shuttle accelerated to faster than light speeds, leaving the Collector Cruiser behind. For a few short seconds, the Kodiak Shuttle blue shifted… and then emerged in Dark Space outside of the solar system.
"Glad that's over," Shepard said, breathing a sigh of relief.
Then a fist began knocking on the door from the outside.
End Collector Cruiser Recording
Author Notes:
Yes, that fist belongs to the Butcher. The next chapter is a long overdue chat with Cerberus.
As you can probably decipher, the mission is a raid on the Collector Ship, in which Cerberus is an unexpected ally. On your way to the IFF, you see Cerberus fighting and holding the Collectors back. Even if you fire at them they won't shoot back, but doing so leaves you with more Collectors to fight. On the way back, the Collectors are overwhelming the Cerberus attack, but the Butcher is playing escort. He's still unkillable: even if you do shoot him, he just stealth-cloaks away and leaves the fight for a time.
The Collector Cruiser introduces the squad-role mechanic as well. While this case is low-risk, low-reward (no character deaths for failure, only more enemies for Shepard to fight), it introduces the role of team leader and tech specialist. The remaining story missions will also feature squad assignments. At this phase, of course, it's impossible to have many Loyalty Missions under your belt, and non-loyal squadmates don't succeed as a matter of course. Potential success, potential failure depending on how Shepard has developed the team.