A/N: This chapter is probably another that my fellow Mass Effect fans have been waiting for. Enjoy!
I don't own Mass Effect
Ghost Ship
"Attention. Commander Shepard has requested everyones presence in the briefing room." said EDI over the intercom. Everyone assembled in the briefing room to see Miranda and Shepard standing at the conference table overlooking the holographic blueprints of a familiar ship. "The Collector's ship?" asked Garrus. Shepard aknowledged them, "Yes, the Illusive man contacted me and informed me that a Turian crusier fought with it and knocked it offline." Miranda stepped in there, "This gives us a chance to investigate the ship and see what we're up against."
Chase looked at the ship, a lot of memories about said ship entering his mind, "Fuck! I never finished that level, luckily I read the strategy guide from cover to cover." He took that moment to speak up, "Commander." Shepard gave him a serious look, Chase only called him Commander when it was a serious situation. "Yes Chace?" The freelancer walked up to the blueprints and saw a tunnel section highlighted, "I take it your team of choice is to enter here right?" he said pointing to the highlighted tunnel.
"Thats the plan. Why something on your mind?" Shepard asked. Chase walked around the table surveying the ship, when he caught sight of something. "EDI, highlight this tunnel too." The AI highlighted the tunnel he mentioned, it ran parallel to the tunnel Shepard and his team were to enter and connected roughly at the center of the ship before becoming one passage. "This other corridor, theres a possability that there could be more information to gather than just one tunnel."
Shepard crossed his arms and listened closely, as did everyone else. "What are you proposing?" asked the Comamander. Chase squared his shoulders, "That we send in two teams. One down one path, one down the other. Gather information, then link up where the passage connects." he said going through the map.
"It would be a good idea Shepard. These are the Collectors we're talking about, a little precaution never hurts." said Tali. The Commander thought to himself before looking at everyone, "I agree." He looked at Chase, "You volunteering to lead the second team?" Before Chase could answer he was interrupted by Miranda, "Shepard, with all do respect. Chase is a skilled fighter and an excellent shot, but don't you think someone with more experience should be leading?"
"With all do respect XO Lawson." said Chase with a little venom in his voice surprising her, "I can speak on my own behave. And your right, I may not have the experience to lead. But I've been in enough situations that require quick thinking and improvising that I think I can handle it." He looked to Shepard, "I'll take to position. And for my team I'll need the help of Grunt and Tali. A tech support and muscle seems to fit the situation just fine."
The Commander nodded, "Then I'll be taking Mordin and Jack. Gear up, we'll reach the ship within the hour." The teams filed out to prepare themselves. In the back of his mind, Chase knew he had made a good pitch. The problem was this cold feeling in his gut that something was going to happen, and soon.
The Collector ship made the Normandy look like a fly in comparison to size. When EDI ran a scan and found that the ship matched the signature of the ship that destroyed the first Normandy, Joker and the surviving crew were more than happy to watch the ship be blown to hell.
The shuttle launched from the Normandy and reached its first destination with no difficulty. Onboard, Shepard looked to Chase and his team, "You guys know what to do. Scan for intel and keep a look out for the Collectors. Radio in if theres trouble." Chase have a thumbs up, "Gotcha boss."
The shuttle hovered over a platform and the hatch opened. Chase, Tali and Grunt hopped off as the hatch closed and the small transport took off for its last destination. Chase pulled his SMG out and the others did the same as they entered the ship. The interior was just as Chase remembered it, looking like a bug hive from hell. He and Tali scanned various consoles hoping to find anything of value that they could use. 'Chase this is Shepard, things good on your end?' "Yeah boss, nothing yet. I'll keep you posted."
Chase looked to see Grunt a little ways away keeping an eye out for hostiles. He turned and walked over to Tali who had finished hacking a terminal. "Everything good Tali?" he asked. "Yes, we're not getting as much as we had hoped, but at least its something." Chase smikred, he has always wanted to ask this, "So...whats your relationship with Shepard?" The Quarian slipped on and hit the wrong key. "Uh, Uh...Keelah...Thats something we shouldn't be discussing in this situation." she said sounding embarrised.
The freelancer shrugged, "Takes our minds off of where we are." He looked at her to see that she was rubbing her hands together. "You want something to happen between you and Shep don't you." Her back stiffened a little, thats all he needed to know. "Hell, I say go for it Tali." She regarded him as though she was going to say something, but Chase cut her off, "And don't give me the whole 'exosuit getting in the way' talk either. We won't live forever, why not enjoy what we have? Luke taught me that one after we became partners."
Tali looked back at the console in deep thought, "Just think on it Tali. Everyone needs happiness in one way or another." Chase let the matter drop at that and they got back on track with the mission at hand. They walked over to Grunt and started down another passageway.
"For a race as feared as this, you think they would defend their ship." said Grunt. "That makes me wonder, did the Collectors just abandon ship?" asked Tali. Chase felt that familiar feeling in his gut. Dread creeped through him like an injection of ice in his blood, both made good points. Where the fuck were the Collectors?
They rounded a corner and found a pile of dead bodies on the floor, "Shit." Chase said stepping over to it. He could make out amor of Alliance military and uniforms from colonists. "Not even humans deserved this fate." said Grunt with a growl. "This is a horrible way to die." said Tali as she scanned the bodies. Chase got on the radio, "Shep, we found bodies. Human." 'We did too.' was the response. 'Very inhuman. Possable Husk experimentation. Or worse.' said Mordin on the line.
Chase looked away from the bodies and found a small pile of weapons a few feet away. Walking over, he started to sifter through the weapons, "I know its not ethical. But anything to give us a hand." he thought sadly. Going through the many assault rifles, pistols, and shotguns, he hit paydirt. He pulled a long rifle from the bottom of the pile with a slight grin. He held an M-98 Widowmaker rifle in his hands. "Thats quite a find." said Grunt as he and Tali rejoined him. "I'll use it in the memory of the people who lost their lives here." Chase said hooking the heavy rifle to his back.
They ventured farther into the ship when they heard Shepard suddenlty come on talking with EDI, 'My god...they are the Protheans!' "What!" was Chase's response. 'The Collectors, we found one in a pod. EDI ran a scan and it matches Prothean signatures.' Chase wirled around and looked at Tali and Grunt, he didn't have to see under their helmets to know they were shocked beyond words. "I'd say that was something no one knew." he said shaking his head. "Keelah, what did the Reapers do to them?" said Tali not believing what they were told.
"Made them into monsters...guess thats a fate worse than death." said Chase. "The only way they'll rest in peace is when we kill them." said Grunt. "Agreed, lets keep moving." They started to move again when they felt a slight tremor. "What was that?" asked Grunt sweeping the area with his shotgun. "Commander did you feel that?" asked Chase, 'Sort of, EDI?.' 'Scans indicate a slight distrubance in the ship's structure. Most likely damage from the recent attack.' "We'll be more careful then. Thanks for the update EDI." Chase ended the line and turned to the others, "Watch your step guys."
Moving at a slower pace, the team entered a room with a slightly high ceiling. When they entered, a metal wall came down and sealed the archway they entered. "Thats not good." Chase said as the sound of loud buzzing echoed through the room. "Contact!" exclaimed Tali as a group of five Collectors flew in from holes in the walls and landed on the other side of the room. "Nice house party, sorry we forgot to bring the chips." Chase called across to them. One Collector levitated, "Assuming Control." Harbinger leered at the team, "This is where you die."
The team got into cover as a volley of bullets and fireballs flew around them. "You two take out the other Collectors, Harbinger is mine." he said. Tali and Grunt nodded before returning fire at them. Chase stood up and summoned a barrier around him while he opened fire with his sniper rifle. However, Harbinger did the same as the bullets were absorbed. "We are the Harbinger of their perfection. You will not succeed." Chase dumped the spent themal clip before an idea hit him.
He placed the rifle on his back and drew the Widowmaker, "Yeah, well heres perfection for you fuck-nut." he started down the sights and fired. The large rifle kicked hard but the shot was on target. Blood sprayed in all directions as the round pierced Harbinger's biotic barrier and his whole head and a good portion of his shoulders were blown clean off. The body lost its glow and fell to the floor.
Tali and Grunt had just finished off the other Collectors and saw Chase look at his handywork. "Ho-ly shit." he said looking at the rifle. "I knew this thing had a kick but fuck!" "A good kill." said Grunt nodding.
They felt the ground shake again, this time harder. "We should get out of here. This room is more unstable th-" What ever Tali was going to say was cut off when the floor suddently crumbled and collapsed. The team yelled as they fell into the abyss, all went black after that.
A/N: Cliffhanger, tune in next time folks! Review!
Chapter Preview: Chapter 15 - Sacrifice
Chase and everone else could only watch as the Collector ship's main weapon fired. Out of nowhere, the Shadow flew in the way of the beam. The hull of the smaller vessel was ripped to pieces by the ultra heated weapon and exploded moments later.