A/N: This is the longest chapter I've ever written for this series. The fight for Horizon starts NOW!
I don't own Mass Effect
Gun fire, explosions and orders being shouted were the only sounds that could be heard in and around the colony.
Horizon had become a warzone.
The Shadow Army fought with the strength that they were known and feared for.
But the Collectors had the superior numbers, but that didn't hinder the strike force in the least as they remained dug in and refused to give the humanoid bugs even an inch.
X
Rico stood atop of a roof and fired a rocket from his launcher. The following explosion sent a group of Collectors flying in pieces in everywhich direction. "YEAH MOTHERFUCKERS! COME GET IT WHILE IT'S HOT!" he said emptying his Firestorm into the drones and shreading them to pieces.
X
A group of soldiers was pinned down by Collector fire. But what the three drones didn't see was the shadow that dropped down behind them.
A drone stopped to reload, when a blade burst out the front of it's throat. The Collector next to it spun only to have it's throat slashed so savagely that it's head came off. The last Collector aimed at the attacker only to have a hole blown through it's skull.
Rez stepped out of the shadows, his armor covered in blackish blood and grinning. "You mon's are done."
X
A Collector was in mid retreat when a blast knocked it to the ground. Before it could stand a heavy foot planted it to the ground.
Zen aimed his Claymore at the drone's head and blew it off in a cloud of blood and bone. He looked over at the soldiers around him and motioned with his head to keep moving.
X
Talon stood ontop of a Mako as it fired a round and blasting drones and Husks everywhere. Starring down the sights of his rifle, be shot a Collector in the head as it tried to stand back up.
"Sir, the enemy is starting to pull back." said one of the soldiers on a stationary gun. The Turian twitched his mandables questionably before getting on his comm, "Eric, theres a situation."
X
Eric fired a massive shockwave sending both Husks and Collectors flying into nearby buildings giving medics time to help the wounded. "What is it Talon?" he asked. 'The Collector's are pulling back, something don't feel right about it.' Eric glared at the Collector ship, "What are they up too?"
'High Commander, this is recon team Alpha.' "Go ahead Alpha." said Eric. 'We have visual of a large force of Husks leaving the ship and heading your way.' "Roger that Alpha thanks. Control this is Lachance, have Echo squadron deployed. And tell them to bring the rain." 'Copy that High Commander.'
Eric looked down at a Husk that was trying to crawl at him. He raised his handcannon and fired.
X
From orbit, three fighters flew down and made their approach. They flew over the colony and saw their target. As the recon team had reported, a large wave of Husks was exiting the base of the ship and making their way to the colony.
The fighters flew in low and dropped their payload.
A massive wave of explosions spread over the synthetic zombies. The carpet bombs burning them to a crisp and blowing them to pieces.
As the fighters returned to their original positions, they left nothing but craters and scortch marks where the Husks had once been.
X
Eric watched the display through the scope of his sniper rifle, "Whats your next move Harbinger?" he asked outloud. He tapped his comm, "Ash, whats the status on those guns?" 'Sev and the others are working as fast as they can. But they've...Shit! Contact! Take cover!' the line suddently cut.
"Ash come in!" Eric yelled. 'Sir, the Collectors have regrouped focusing on two locations. The teams at pilon one are having trouble holding them off, and they've started launching an assault on the defense hub.' said one of the techs back at the command post. "Fuck, their gonna try and take out our shield and the defense guns at the same time. Whos the closest one to the pilon?"
'That would be Rez sir.' replied the tech. "Rez! Grab a squad and get your jamacian ass over to pilon one and keep it online!" 'You got it mon!' "Rico, Micka grab a few men and meet me at the command center. Cat, have the rest of the Division move into a defense position around the planet."
After the barrage of orders, Eric emptied the rest of his rifle into a Scion before it could fire it's weapon then heading toward the command center.
X
"Whats the plan boss?" asked Rico around the cigarette in his mouth. "The Collectors have gotten smarter and launched a strategic strike on a pilon and the defense guns. Rez has the pilon, we're gonna go back up the others at the main defense hub." said Eric. "Then what are we waiting for?" asked Micka with a group of ten soldiers behind her.
The team set off toward the defense hub. All around them was gun fire and orders being shouted. Wounded soldiers were being tended to by medics, and a few bodies were covered in sheets. Eric shook his head, there would be time to mourn the dead later. If he didn't act quickly there would be more casualties.
In the sky, a dropship flew down to drop off more troops.
Suddently, a large beam shot through the air and taking the ship's right wing off. The pilot tried to maintain altitude but only managed to slow it's decent as it crashed a click away from them. "Shit! New plan. Micka, take five of these guys and head to that crash site, save who you can." Ordered Eric.
Micka nodded and split off from them to head to the downed ship. "This situation is getting bad Eric!" Rico said shooting a Collector that came out of an alley. "We're still holding our ground, we just need to hold them off while the ships in orbit get into position." said the young Commander.
A group of Collectors and three Scions formed infront of them and opened fire forcing them to take cover. Rico took out his Firestorm and fired a large volley of slugs that took down one of the Scions and crippling the drones around it.
The five other soldiers took aim just as Eric lifted four Collectors into the air giving them a good line of fire.
One of the droned floated and a voice thundered out, "I will direct this personally." Harbinger launched an energy blast that struck a soldier in the chest and sent him flying as his armor was burned away.
Eric gritted his teeth and fired his Mattock as fast as he could pull a trigger. The possessed Collector fired a blast at him only for Eric to fire one of his own that exploded on contact with the other one.
Harbinger fired the particle cannon in his hands just as Eric aimed his rifle. The beam of super heated energy sliced through the weapon making it useless. Throwing aside the melted pieces, Eric drew his serrated machete and gathering his mass energy before charging the glowing drone.
"Foolish." said Harbinger as he charged Eric.
The two clashed in the middle in a blast of white and orange energy. Harbinger blocked his knife strike, but couldn't stop the round house kick that connected with his head that sent him crashing into a nearby wall.
Before the puppet could stand, the large blade sank into it's stomach and pined it to the wall. Harbinger looked up at Eric through the Collector's eyes. "This form is weak." Eric snarled, "It's you who is weak Harbinger." The drone's eyes narrowed dangerously as the energy faded and the body fell limp.
Eric spun around and launched a powerful singularity that finished off the remaining enemies before running over to the man who was hit with Harbinger's attack.
He was in bad shape. The blast had melted his armor and burned into his skin leaving it scorched and bubbling. Eric dropped down next to him and gripped his hand as he started to shake. "C...Comm...ander...?" he asked. Eric could hear the blood gargling in the man's mouth. "I'm here." he said solumnly.
"I...I...fought hard...sir..." the man said getting weaker. Eric nodded and gripped the soldier's hand tighter, "You did. You fought damn fucking good soldier." he said with pride. The man coughed hard and shuddered violently before going still.
Eric sighed before laying the soldier's hands across his chest and pulling off his dogtags and pocketing them. He looked at the others who all looked back at him waiting for his orders.
Walking over to where the wall where the Collector was still pinned. Eric pulled his large knife free and resheathed it, "Lets go." he said seriously as they double timed it to the defense hub.
X
The group burst into the open area and Eric surveyed the situation. Ashley, Sev and the remaining troops had set up a barricade around the main hub while the Collectors were firing from a bunch of crates on the far side.
"Move!" he ordered as they sprinted across the open area. The Collectors saw them and started firing on their position, the group fired back as they vaulted over the barricade and hunkered down. "About time you got here." said Ashley shooting over her cover. "Heard you got a bug problem." Eric said looking down the sights of his Incisor and taking the head off of a drone as it leaned out.
"Sev! Whats the situation on those guns?" Eric asked. "Almost done, you just need to hold them off for a few more minutes." the Quarian sniper replied.
Rico braced his Firestorm on the barricade and let loose a hail of gun fire, the other troops followed suit with their weapons now turning the tide of the fight. On the right, a Scion stepped around a building. Eric primed an upgraded grenade and threw it. Instead of an explosion, the device burst into a fire bomb that engulfed the large Husk and spread.
The Scion shreaked in agony as it fell to the ground.
A round flew over the barricade and struck an Asari commando in the shoulder dropping her to the ground, a medic nearby ran to her and started to administer medi-gel. "Sev!" Eric shouted firing a shockwave. "Almost there!" said Sev.
'High Commander, this is Hammerhead Two do you need assistance?' "Affermative H-2, we have a swarm pinning us down at the main defense hub! Assistance would be appreciated!" Eric exclaimed. 'Roger, making our approach.'
"They better get here damn fucking quick!" Rico shouted. Another group of Collectors flew in along with several Scions and Husks. "Ah shit!" Ashley exclaimed as she emptied her thermal clip into the crowd.
A Scion fired a blast from it's weapon, the following shockwave struck the barricade and sent three men, including Rico flying. "Rico! You alright?" Eric shouted over at him. The hispanic soldier stood on his feet with the others and spat out a glob of blood, "Just fucking great." he said taking out his rocket launcher and firing it at the Scion that hit them, the explosion blowing the syinthetic to pieces.
Eric snapped his hand out and an energy blast launched from his open palm. The ball of white energy connected with a crate that four drones were hidding behind and exploded with a massive blast reducing the crate and the Collectors to ashes. "Damn Eric, a lot really has changed." commented Ashley. "You have no idea." said Eric taking out his Shuriken pistols.
'High Commander this is H-2, we have your positon. Standby for incoming.' "Everyone get down!" Eric shouted. They ducked behind their cover just as a wall on the far side of the courtyard was blown inward. Through the dust, a Hammerhead hovered into the area and started firing on the Collectors. "Oohrah!" shouted one of the soldiers as they all resumed fire.
One of the Collectors pulsed. "Assuming Direct Control." Harbinger glared at the squardron as they tore through his drones. The Hammerhead tank firing explosive shells that blew the other Collector's and Husks apart as though they were flies. "Immediate intervention is required." he sent out a pulse just as a tank round blew his puppet apart.
X
"That looks like the last of them." said Ashley. "About fucking time." said Rico taking out another cigarette. "There, the defense is ready. It just needs a few minutes to charge." said Sev joining them.
Eric kept his eyes trained on the Collector ship. Something didn't feel right. "H-2, are you picking up any enemy signatures?" he asked. 'Negative sir. We still detect them where the others have dug in but...wait...WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!'
Eric snapped around in time to see a large crab-like machine leap over a wall and land on the ground with a crash. It's mouth opened revealing the heads of over a dozen Husks as it screeched at them.
Before anyone could shoot, the Praetorian charged up and fired a beam that sheared through the Hammerhead like a hot knife through butter. When the beam struck the hover tank's fuel cells it exploded in a fireball.
"FUCK!" Rico shouted as he opened up on the abomination. The Praetorian jumped and hovered in mid-air as it's heavy armor absorbed the rounds. Eric grabbed a chunk of debris with hsi biotics and threw it with all his strength at it. The Praetorian brought up a barrier deflecting the projectile then started to charge again. "HIT THE DECK!"
The mutated Husk fired it's primary weapon as they all dove aside, the beam leaving a large burned trench in the ground where they had been standing.
A cry of agony rang out, one soldier couldn't get out of the way soon enough and had his left leg burned off at the knee. The medic and two other troops moved in and dragged the man into a nearby building. "We gotta stop this thing!" exclaimed Eric as the Praetorian prepared for another attack. "How?" asked Ashley.
Eric looked around and saw a crane hanging above the ground on the left side of the courtyard with a steel gurter attached to the cable. He looked at the squad. He had Rico, Ashley, Sev, and four remaining troops with them, one of which was an Asari commando. "We wear it's barrier down, then drive it over to where we can drop that gurter ontop of it."
"Might work." said Sev. "We don't have time to think of anything else!" Ashley shouted as the construction fired another beam at them forcing them into cover. "Open up!" Eric ordered as they all fired on the Husk. Rico switched his ammo type to incinerary and watched as their rounds slowly ate through the Praetorian's barrier.
Sev kept his sight's trained on the cable hanging from the crane. The Praetorian was pulling back as it's barrier went down and it's armor started to become damaged from the non-stop barrage.
When it was under the crane, Eric shouted, "SEV NOW!" The Quarian pulled the trigger on his rifle, severing the cable and dropping the gurter straight down onto the Praetorian and driving it straight into the ground.
"Did we do it?" asked the Asari. They slowly approached the Husk with their weapons ready. Eric looked it over...then a small pulse of energy caught his attention, "GET BAC-" A large pulse shot out of the Praetorian sending them crashing into the ground as it lept into the air with it's barrier fully restored.
"How in Keelah..." Sev said as he staggered to his feet. "Bastards hard to take down thats for sure. Any better ideas boss?" asked Rico. Eric looked at the large dent in the Praetorian's head. "Get your rocket launcher Rico. Everyone else stand by." he said before sprinting toward it. "ERIC WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ashley shouted. "Something fucking crazy. About damn time too." said Rico unfolding his launcher and taking aim.
Eric surrounded himself in a mass effect field just as the Praetorian's eyes started to glow. When the beams fired, Eric launched himself into the air and landed ontop of it. Feeling him on it's head. The mutated Husk started to try and toss him off. But the powerful magnets in Eric's boots kept him in place.
Kneeling down, Eric charged mass energy through his body and into his right fist before bringing it down with teeth shattering force. Piercing through the Praetorian's barrier and armor like it wasn't there. "This seems important." he said grabbing a fist full of wires and nerves and yanking them out of the hole he had made.
The Husk sheaked in pain and fell to the ground. Eric reached down and grabbed the edge of the hole and ripped it open wider revealing the organic and machine insides. "RICO!" he shouted leaping away. Rico fired his rocket launcher. The missile flying through the air and straight into the opening Eric had made.
The Praetorian exploded in a shower of purple fire and sparks before collapsing in a heap on the ground. This time dead.
X
Eric dusted himself off as the others approached. "That was awesome!" said Rico bumping his fist. "Your just as damn crazy as you were two years ago." said Ashley shaking her head. "Nah, I've gotten worse." said Eric smirking.
The defense guns around them started to hum, and energy started to gather in the cannons. "The guns are online." said Sev. "Good." said Eric getting on the comm, "All Echo teams, the guns are online. Commence operation RAID."
'Eric mon! We gotta situation at pilon one!' said Rez. "Shit." Eric cursed before looking back at the others, "You guys stay here and make sure those guns stay online. I'll go get Rez." He charged energy around him and started sprinting toward the jamacian's location at inhuman speeds.
"Just what the hell is he?" asked one of the soldiers. "Hes our leader. And one to be feared." said Sev. "Show off." said Rico.
X
Eric practically flew through the colony. Passed the dead bodies of both his men and the Collectors. Vaulting over walls and leaping over buildings, allowing his powers to enhance his abilities. "Child ease yourself, pushing yourself too far won't save your comrades." spoke one of the Spirits. "No time. Gotta keep moving." Eric thought back pushing himself farther.
He saw the pilon peeking over the top of a buiding and leaped over it. The sight before him made his blood boil.
Piles of bodies, both Husks and Collectors were scattered around the pilon. Where the device was stationed, the bodies of the squad that was incharge of protecting it lay dead all around it.
He saw Rez, battered and bloody, standing next to the pilon fighting off five Collectors with just his knives. Eric charged in and blasted three of them away with a singularity and shooting another in the head. Rez rammed his knife through the last one's head.
" 'Bout time you got ere boss." said Rez grinning. Eric breathed heavily but smirked, "Sorry, the commute was hell."
The two laughed. Neither one seeing the possessed being approach them from behind.
"How's everyt'ing out d'ere?" asked Rez. Eric looked up intime to see Echo squardron, 15 fighters strong, fly down and launch missiles that impacted with the side of the Collector ship. The defense guns around the colony came online and fired on the vessel as well. Tearing the outer shell of the ship to pieces. "What do you think?" he asked grinning. Rez grinned back.
A gunshot rang out and Rez's grin fadded.
Eric looked down in horror when he saw the hole in Rez's chest. The jamacian mercenary fell to the ground clutching the wound. Eric spun around and saw Harbinger standing a few feet away with weapon in hand.
He roared and lept at the puppet taking it down to the ground and started punching it in the face. Each blow spreading black blood splashing everywhere. "Resistance is futile...You cannot stop the cycle...Not even the Prothean's power can save you..." said the drone.
Eric pulled out his handcannon and pressed it deep into the Collector's head, "I am going to find you...And when I do...I'll kill every last fucking one of you!" he roared firing his weapon again and again until the clip ran empty.
The Collector dead, Eric ran back over to Rez. A pool of blood had gathered around his body as he laid on the ground. Eric reached for medi-gel...but found that he ran out. "FUCK! Rez just hang on man." he said pressing his hand's into the wound. "This is High Commander Lachance, I have wounded and need assistance at pilon one, repeat, I need immediate assistance."
'Eric it's Micka, I'm one my way with help.' came the response. Eric looked down at Rez and saw that he was pale, "I'm...not gonna make it...mon." he wheezed out. "Shut up Rez! Yes you are. I'm not losing someone else." Eric exclaimed keeping pressure on the wound.
Rez reached a shaking hand into his armor and pulled out an oval shaped locket. "I...have a daughter...out d'ere on d'e...Citadel." He ripped it off and handed it to Eric. "Eric...please...take d'is...give it to her and...tell her I'm sorry..." Eric shook his head, "Your not gonna die!"
Rez chuckled, "Sorry mon...you better kick some...Reaper ass..." Rez's head rolled to the side and he fell silent.
Eric lowered his hands and bowed his head. He was silent until Micka and three other medics arrived. She immediately checked Rez's vitals
She slowly moved her hand away and shook her head, "He's gone."
Eric took the locket out of Rez's limp fingers and took his dogtags. Slipping both into his armor. "Rest in peace man." he said quietly.
The sound of large engines powering up echoed through the area as the Collector vessel started to make it's escape. Eric glared hard at the ship before hitting his comm, "All ships fire at will! BLOW THAT FUCKING SHIP OUT OF THE SKY!"
X
The Collector ship left Horizon's atmosphere and came face to face with a dozen ships charging their weapons. Cat grinned from her seat on the Shadowed Light, "Say goodnight assholes." She said firing the main guns.
The Collector ship under the amount of fire it was taking. The dreadnaut fired it's gun, the heavy round tearing the enemy ship in half.
The engines shut down, and the once dreaded ship exploded in a massive fireball.
X
On the ground, Shadow Army cheered loudly as they saw the explosion from their position.
Eric watched the light show. But unlike the other's he felt empty. He looked back at the body of Rez and the others who had fallen. His soul ached for the loss of his men, but they did not die in vein.
The Collectors had failed...and Eric had sent Harbinger a message.
'We will not fail'
A/N: Shadow Army has won! But at what cost? How will the death of Rez effect the others? And what else awaits Eric? Review.