Chapter 13: The Best Laid Plans

"Shepard, our scouting reports indicate that the bulk of the Reaper fleet has, in fact, congregated around the Omega 4 relay." Hackett's voice came through the communicator in the Normandy's cockpit. "They've established a defensive perimeter, composed mainly of destroyers. Their capital ships must be on the other side of the relay, as Dr. T'Soni suggested."

"Could our fleet punch a hole in the formation?"

"Almost definitely. For once we've got them outgunned, but it would take time, possibly more than we have.

"We can try to sneak past them." Joker suggested. "Take advantage of the stealth drive."

EDI answered "That will not work. Experience suggests that Reaper ships are capable of visual scanning. Furthermore, their prime directive is to prevent the Normandy from accessing the relay. They would likely detect our approach and intercept us."

"What about a diversion?" Asked Hackett. "We could send the fleet in first, then call for the Normandy once fighting begins."

"As long as the Normandy is their top priority, it will be impossible to divert their attention completely. Even in the middle of a battle, we would be spotted at long range."

"So we need a way to get her in close, without being seen."

The discussion continued for some time, with EDI shooting down ideas as quickly as they were introduced. Shepard spent the majority of the discussion looking distracted, and finally chimed in.

"Admiral, what can you tell me about the SSV McKinley? I overheard some cadets talking about it."

"The McKinley was a failed concept Shepard. She's sitting out by the Arcturus relay because no one wants to take her into battle."

"I want to know the details."

"The idea came from Rear Admiral Mikhailovich. Traditionally, an Everest Class dreadnaught is centered around a large mass accelerator cannon that runs nearly the length of the ship. Mikhailovich decided to create an exaggerated prototype, with a cannon five times the caliber of the standard model. It fires enormous rounds and has an unrivaled range. His strategy was to bring the McKinley out to the periphery of a battle and devastate the enemy from afar. When the war started, he nicknamed it the 'Reaper Buster.'"

"But it didn't work?"

"No. The cannon is immensely powerful, but it's no good in a real fight."

"Why not?"

"First of all it weighs the ship down, and makes aim adjustment too sluggish. It also takes too long to reload. The first time he took it into battle, the Reapers danced around it as if it weren't even there. We almost lost the McKinley and her crew without hitting a single target. Biggest waste of resources I've ever seen."

"How big is it?"

"The ship is over twelve hundred meters long with—"

"No, I mean what is the diameter of the cannon itself."

"Huge. The body of the accelerator would have to be at least sixty meters wide. At the external opening, a focusing cap narrows the diameter to about twenty meters. The actual slug is much smaller, and is suspended in an electromagnetic field throughout its course. The dramatic size of the chamber allows for generation of a more powerful field, adding velocity to the shot."

Shepard sketched something out on a data pad and closed his eyes for a minute. When he opened them he had a smile on his face. To no one in particular he posed the question, "What would you do if someone pointed a gun that big at you?"

"Piss my pants, sir?" Came Joker's reply.

Shepard rolled his eyes. "Or…"

EDI responded. "Or… you would move out of the way."

"Exactly. Admiral Hackett, I need you to mobilize the McKinley. Oh, and call in as many engineering and construction teams as you can spare. We are going to make a few modifications."

"Understood. I'll send the order. Hackett out."

The communication ended, and Shepard looked at the time. "The meeting with the delegates reconvenes in one hour. I'm going to go speak with Liara. We still need to come up with a way to destroy the anchor."

…

"I'm not sure what sort of resistance we can expect on the other side of the relay Shepard. Almost all of the remaining capital ships should be busy trying to reverse the anchors, but I can't predict what sort of support they will have."

"There's no avoiding the trip Liara. The best we can hope for is that they'll be overconfident in their blockade of Omega 4. If Reapers have a weakness, it's that they don't know how to deal with failure. Assuming we survive our exit through the relay, what next?"

"We use the Illusive Man's data to chart a course for whichever anchor is the least defended."

"Once we find the anchor, how do we destroy it?"

Liara stood up from her desk and shook her head. "The architecture is similar to that of a mass relay. I imagine you would have to treat it the same way."

"Unless you have an asteroid rigged with rocket thrusters, that's going to be a problem."

"I'm afraid I don't." She paced a few steps and turned towards him. "Although theoretically, any large object would do. The difficulty in destroying a relay comes from the fact that it will transport almost anything thrown at it. You need to exceed the transport capacity to allow for an impact. An anchor, on the other hand, has no transport capacity. As long as it is approached from within the protected zone, any object set on a collision course should come into contact with it."

"How big of an object would we need to destroy it?"

"Something of comparable mass to an Alliance cruiser should be sufficient. But then again, this is all theoretical."

"We know that there are hundreds of derelict cruisers in the debris field. Would it be possible to send one of them crashing into an anchor?"

Liara started pacing again. "The Normandy is not currently equipped with a tow cable, but it would be easy to install one." She stopped in place. "In an area devoid of gravitational pull, it should be possible to latch on to a derelict cruiser and drag it towards an anchor. Once the course was set, we could detach and fly to safety, while the cruiser continued into its target."

"So we use the cruiser as a wrecking ball. Sounds like a plan."

"My only concern is that there will be a Reaper perched on the anchor. It might have an opportunity to destroy the incoming ship before impact."

"If that's your only concern Liara, you're braver than I am."

…

"Take a look at this Shepard."

Shepard stood in the main battery room staring at a sequence of numbers cycling on the Thanix control panel. "What exactly am I looking at Tali?"

"While you were meeting with the Liara, I received a transmission from the Quarian Applied Defense Council. Our scientists back at the flotilla have been working with the Geth to develop mutually beneficial technologies. Most of the results involve things that probably wouldn't interest you; immuno-modulators, terraforming agents, biofilm manipulation–"

"Tali, you know I love having these talks, but I've got to get back to the meeting."

"OK, OK. I'm getting to the point. Ever since Legion updated the Geth with their improved AI code, the breakthroughs have been coming at a staggering pace. I brought you down here to discuss something that they discovered by accident."

"Since their initial occupation of Rannoch, the Geth have made a habit of collecting and cataloging the planet's wildlife. One of the organisms they found was a species of bacteria isolated from a deep ocean thermal vent. The bacterium is harmless to Quarians, so it was suggested that it be introduced into the Quarian population. This way we might establish a symbiotic flora that would help us fight pathogenic organisms. We were skeptical at first, but a series of in vitro culture demonstrations—"

"Tali I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Keelah, I wish Mordin were here. Just try and listen. The plan was put into motion, and the bacteria began to colonize much of Rannoch's surface. The interesting part occurred when spores were found on the hull of the Reaper we destroyed there."

"What happened?"

"The spores were found to be eroding into the Reaper armor. They were chewing it to pieces, albeit very slowly."

"Are you suggesting we turn this into some sort of biological weapon?"

No. The process would take forever, and as soon as the Reaper left the atmosphere, all the bacteria would die."

"So how does this help us?"

"Up until now, we have had no idea what sort of metal the Reapers are made from. We only know that it is tougher than any naturally occurring ore. All attempts at chemical analysis have failed, as we have had no way to separate the armor into its component parts. However, this bacterium allows precisely that. The Geth have just broadcasted a detailed analysis of the substance. In other words, we know exactly what the Reapers are made of. The implications are fascinating."

"So what am I doing in the battery?"

"If you had spent as much time around Garrus as I have, you would know that the Thanix cannon can be calibrated for increased effectiveness, depending on the makeup of the target armor. I have reconfigured the Normandy's weapons systems so that they will do maximum damage to Reaper targets. And the difference won't be subtle either. We will pack more punch than an Irish Krogan…although I still don't understand what that expression means. Does—"

"Tali."

"Yes."

"Are you saying that you calibrated the Normandy's guns."

"Yes."

"Does Garrus know about this?"

"No. Why?"

"I'll be seeing you at the bar later."

…

The meeting reconvened after the break, with Shepard at the head of the table.

He looked out at the assembled leaders and said "You all understand the situation, and you've heard the obstacles we face. I'll get right to the point.

"We are looking at the mission in terms of three stages. Stage one; we get the Normandy past the Reaper blockade of the Omega 4 relay, securing safe passage to the galactic core. Stage two; either by stealth or by force, the Normandy makes its way to one of the mass anchors and destroys it. Stage three; upon disruption of the barrier field, the gravitational force of the surrounding super-massive black holes will collapse toward the relay at the speed of light in all directions. The Normandy will outrun this collapse at FTL speeds and make it back through the relay. I am aware that this outline raises many questions, which the following demonstration should answer.

He pressed a few keys on his Omni-tool, and a holographic illustration appeared at the center of the table. A series of images depicting the elements of Shepard's strategy appeared and progressed in sequence. The group watched in complete silence as the plan was revealed. Even Wrex found himself speechless. When the presentation was over, Shepard leaned forward and placed both hands on the table.

"That's the best I've got. If anyone has a better idea, now's the time to speak up."

More silence. Shepard looked from face to face. The despair was palpable.

"I know that the outcome looks bleak. I know that what I'm asking seems impossible. But as we go on to prepare for this final mission, consider what this day means. The fact that Project Horizon is in effect proves that the Reapers are desperate. Just weeks ago they held dominion over the galaxy. Now they are beaten and scared. For countless millennia they have counted on division and fear, but we've shown them unity and strength. Our peoples have accomplished what has never been done before. We have beaten them at their own game. Now they seek to change the rules. We will not let that happen."

Shepard looked over at Admiral Hackett. "Stand fast, stand strong…"

Hacket rose from his seat. "Stand Together."

He turned to Wrex. "Stand fast, stand strong…"

Wrex knocked his chair back on the floor. "Stand Together!"

"Stand fast! Stand Strong!"

The group stood and shouted as one. "Stand Together!"

Shepard surveyed the assembly. He could see the fear in their eyes, but he also saw resolve. Their homeworlds had been invaded, their families threatened, their loved ones killed, and now their very existence held in jeopardy. An entire galaxy rich with culture and life was being held at the brink of extermination by a cold and calculating enemy. Yes they were tired, but they were also fed up. This was an insult no citizen of the galaxy would stand to bear. They would fight, and somehow, despite the odds, he knew they could win.

Next: The Hunt