ME meets ST

by Lord Maximus

What if not all of the Protheans died? What if they destroyed a Mass Relay in one system to save one race from their fate? What would be the result?

21. Chapter 21

Me Meets ST

Chapter Twenty One

The enemy surprise attack had been a complete success. Two Federation ships and several Alliance ships closest to the Relay had been damaged or destroyed. However the shock had worn off and now flashes of light could be seen all over the nebula. The Alliance fleet closed in on the enemy fleet while positioning themselves in a defence screen around the Citadel.

"Task the Mirandas as wingmen to the Constitutions and tell the Arbiters to prepare long distance bombardment while covering the fleet. They need to mobilize." Said Kirk.

"Aye sir." Replied Uhura.

The Enterprise with its Miranda counterpart flew in firing on the nearest enemy cruiser with phasers and photon torpedoes. The cruiser's shields activated surrounding the ship. Federation weapons peppered the shields they collapsed a minute later the ship was blown in half a second later. While the enemy fleet was enhanced by Reaper technology the Federation ships were faster and they were using their speed to stay out of range of the enemy's main weapons.

The Arbiters took position with the Alliance fleet as the ships moved into attack formation and began firing photon torpedoes at the enemy. Soon enough the Alliance fleet added their fire power as cruisers and dreadnaughts fired their main guns at the enemy fleet. Enemy escort ships fired their anti-missile turrets taking some out while others slammed into the forward shields.

Fighters launched from the enemy carriers and headed straight for the Alliance fleet. Citadel fighters and Federation interceptors responded and launched towards the enemy fighters. Mass Accelerators, phasers, lasers, and photon torpedoes were fired and explosions flashed all over space. The Constitutions and their Miranda wingmen ignored the fighters as they pounded the enemy cruisers, destroyers, and carriers with torpedoes and phasers. Increasing speed to avoid enemy fire however there were glancing hits.

The Reaper shields were strong but they strained as they took up much power. The ships were not capable of generating the amount of power needed to keep the shields up for long under a sustained attack. However they had numbers on their side. A destroyer flew into a dreadnaught and clamped down on the hull.

"What's happening?" shouted the Turian captain as the crew lost control of the ship.

The dreadnaught turned to one of allied ships and charged up its mass accelerators. It fired and the allied dreadnaught suffered heavy damaged. Federation fighters fired their phasers taking out the destroyer that attached itself to the hull.

"Inform command that the enemy can take control of our ships." Said the Captain.

"Yes sir."

The fighting in the Citadel continued. More and more enemy soldiers continued to pour out of the relay. C-Sec officers and Federation FNI soldiers were slowly being pushed back. Phasers cut through the enemy soldiers faster than C-Sec weapons but the enemy numbers were too much. Saren fired his gun and shot an enemy in the head before he took cover from enemy fire.

"Damn it. Get me some heavy fire power over here!" he shouted.

"There's too many to take out with our rockets sir." Said a Turian C-Sec.

"I am not aiming for them. Aim for the statue in the embassy. Take it out and enemy reinforcements will be cut off!" replied Saren.

"Yes sir."

Saren turned and fired some more shots.

Xxx

"Divert all non-essential power to the shields and the main deflector." Said Kirk.

"Aye sir." Replied Sulu.

The Enterprise fired her phasers taking out another of shells and missiles.

"Captain, we have twenty enemy ships closing in on us." Said Spock turning around.

"Is the deflector ready?" asked Kirk.

"Yes sir." Said Sulu.

"Do it!"

The ship's main deflector glowed even brighter as it unleashed an EMP pulse onto the enemy fleet similar to what the Phoenix did against Tyrant. Some ships stopped completely while other ships lost power to weapons and shields. Seconds later phasers and torpedoes fired taking them out.

"That managed to knock them off balance, Captain. The enemy fleet is attempting to regroup." Said Chekov.

"Tell the fleet to continue attacking. Keep them from forming up." Said Kirk.

"Aye sir." Replied Uhura turning to her console.

"How are the shields?" asked Kirk.

"They are still at seventy percent sir." Said Chekov.

"Captain, we have another wave of enemy ships approaching." Said Sulu.

The Enterprise was hit by blue particle beams by nearly a hundred enemy ships varying from frigates to cruisers.

"Shields are holding. Returning fire." Said Sulu.

Phasers lashed out destroyed the frigates while the cruisers' shields managed to absorb the barrage. The Miranda escort fired its phasers taking out the fighters attempting to swarm them.

"The Alliance fleet is firing too." Said Spock.

The Alliance fleet began its counterattack firing everything it had.

Xxx

"Commander, we have just received word that the enemy fleet is attacking the Citadel." Said officer Kelly as she walked up to Shepard in the CIC.

"What's the status?" asked Shepard.

"The Enterprise is leading the Federation strike force into attacking the enemy fleet. They are distracting the enemy while the Alliance fleet is assembling and firing back. But it looks like they are using the Conduit to send troops into the Citadel. There is a huge battle in the Embassy Wards." Said Kelly. "Aria's forces are on their way and so is the Geth fleet."

"We better make sure we are there on time too. Go to Red Alert and make sure our weapon system is online." Said Shepard.

"Yes sir."

Xxx

"The Council is aboard the ship." Said an Asari Lieutenant.

"Good." Said Matriarch Lidanya. "Begin closing the Citadel to stop the enemy from getting aboard."

"Yes, Matriarch."

The Citadel had many layers of defences against enemy attacks. One of them was the Serpent Nebula itself which made it impossible for enemy fleets to navigate. The second was the Citadel Fleet which was large enough to every mass relay linking to Citadel space. The final was that if the enemy got to close the arms of the Citadel would close in on itself preventing the enemy from getting aboard.

"Matriarch, the mechanism is not starting."

"What? Contact Citadel Control." Said Lidanya.

"Yes, Matriarch." Said the Asari turning to the screen.

After a few minutes she turned back to her commander.

"There's no response."

"What? That's not good. The enemy must be advancing further than we thought. The enemy will be to get aboard the Citadel if they get past us." Said Lidanya. "Continue pressing the counter attack. Don't let them get past us."

"Yes, Matriarch."

"Have the Krogan fleet break off and head for starboard while the Batarian fleet head for starboard. We will move forward trapping the enemy fleet."

The Alliance ships broke formation and began to manoeuvre as the enemy fleet advanced.

Xxx

"Blow them out of the stars!" roared the Krogan Battlemaster as the Krogan ships headed the Indoctrinated fleet.

Fighters swarmed through space, darting in and out as they attacked the advancing enemy ships. Forward Accelerators fired at the enemy ships, the cruisers and dreadnaughts survived thanks to their shields but smaller frigates exploded. The enemy responded with their particle weapons hitting the Krogan ships. The thick armor held off the full blast of these attacks but they still suffered damage.

However the Krogan fleet fought on. Dozens of missiles and shells struck the incoming enemy capital ships.

Xxx

The Batarian command watched the tactical display as the battle continued.

"Commander Ladax, our ships are in formation." Said the Batarian second in command.

"Take us in. We will show the Council and the Federation our power. Full power to weapons and kinetic barriers."

"Yes sir."

The Batarian fleet fired their forward accelerators as soon as they came into range.

Xxx

"Commander, we have a problem." Said the Turian helmsmen.

"What is it?" asked Shepard walking onto the bridge.

"The relay has shut down. We can't get to the Citadel."

"Any reason why?" asked Shepard.

"There is one possibility. The enemy might have gained control of Citadel Control, with that they could have shut down the mass relay network." Said the helmsmen.

"So the fleet is otherwise trapped with no reinforcements." Said Shepard.

"Commander, I am picking up several transmissions. The Geth and Aria's fleet can't get to the Citadel to help like we can." Said the Batarian tactical officer.

"There has to be to get through. Get me a channel open to Talo. Tell them of the situation." Said Shepard.

"Aye sir."

Xxx

Talo was looking at the view screen in the tower. Everyone had set up so that when the enemy came the station would be heavily defended. That's when the Prothean VI appeared.

"Incoming transmission sir. Point of origin, United."

"Patch it through." Said Talo.

Commander Shepard appeared on the screen.

"Commander, where are you? The attack has begun and the sensors show you are not anywhere near the Citadel." Said Talo.

"We ran into a problem. The mass relay network has been shut down. They must have got to Citadel Control." Said Shepard.

"So they might have activated the Citadel by now. Oh no." Said Talo looking down.

"No evidence of Citadel relay being activated." Said the VI.

"Well they must be close. We can't get to the Citadel without the relays and there no reinforcements either." Said Shepard.

"Hang on a second." Said Talo.

He turned on the radio.

"Matthews, the relay network has been shut down. Without the United can't get to the Citadel and insert the program to stop the sequence. We need more options." Said Talo.

"I don't know what else to give you boss. The Citadel controls the relays, this one was only designed to open a path to dark space." Said Matthews at the console.

"Can it take of the relay network?" asked Talo.

"Maybe, if I can hack the Citadel through the drone network. If this station can handle blocking Reaper viruses maybe it can hack them as well." Said Matthews typing on the console. "Computer, can this station access the relay network?"

"Possibly. Using the Reaper IFF this station can access hidden protocols in the relays." Said the VI.

"Can it be done?" asked Talo.

"Well I don't know about reactivating the whole network but maybe I can activate one relay at a time. The United will be able to get through to the Citadel but it looks getting the relays so that the Geth and Aria's forces can get there will take a little but longer." Said Matthews.

"Just do what you can." Said Talo.

"Warning, detecting activation of Tartarus Alpha Relay, Hostile Second Fleet is entering the system." The VI said. "Initiating defence functions. Kinetic barriers and anti ship batteries online."

"All units, this is Captain Talo'Serath, the enemy fleet has arrived." Talo said into his radio. "They will soon deploy soldiers onto this station and attempt to take it by force. Spectre Sarius, Legion, protect Engineer Matthews at all costs, he has control of the station from here."

"We have reinforced our position Captain, they won't bust in here too easily." Maevor replied.

"Estimation that like hostile forces will succeed in disrupting Kenneth Engineer before Activation of Relay is forty eight-"

"Don't give me statistics Legion, just fight; it's all we really can do now." Talo cut the Geth unit off.

"As you order Creator Talo'Serath."

"Wrex here, Security is online, and we're dug in hard enough to stop a Thresher Maw horde." Wrex cut in on the conversation.

"Very good Battle master, hold position." Talo looked to his squadron. "All units focus on the door. Fifth Squadron, are you ready?"

"We have heavy emplacements locked on the central elevator, but we only have enough ammunition for several minutes of continuous fire." Curana said as she overlooked her squadron setting up one machine gun on either side of the ring shaped room that made up the second level.

"Use short, controlled bursts only Captain Curana, and set up a fire team on the stairwell behind you to provide support fire." Talo ordered the Asari.

"On it, Fire Team 3, move it!"

"This is Creed, we're locked, loaded, and ready to kick ass." Creed said as he looked over the Geth anti-material rifle given to him by Legion. "I need to give the makers of this credit; it's perhaps the one thing powerful enough to take down my shields in a few shots."

"It does not possess much ammo, so be careful Captain Creed." Talo looked through the scope of his own Anti Material Rifle. "Reserve heavy rifles for heavy units; use the Mantis rifles for now."

"Aye-aye sir." Nathan set the Geth rifle down and picked up a Mantis anti infantry rifle. "I feel emasculated now, but what the hell."

"The station is engaging the enemy fleet!" Kenneth shouted.

Xxx

The Secondary Citadel fired the mounted Mass Accelerators and GARDIAN lasers built into its outer hull. The first wave of ships, a myriad of sixty some escort ships escorting two capital ships. The frigates and destroyers began to exchange fire with the station while the Carrier and the Cruiser approached the station.

"Enemy capital ships are launching fighters and transports!"

Hundreds of GARDIAN anti fighter turrets roared to life, cutting into the horde of ships as they began to descend on the citadel. Two frigates exploded as they were gutted by an anti ship accelerator, and

"Warning, detecting seven enemy transports entering Security Zone." The VI said as several drop ships got through the barrier of laser fire and missiles and flew along the inside of the open arms towards the Presidium Ring. Several split off towards the arms carrying the Security and Damage Control hubs.

"All squadrons, full alert!" Talo shouted. "Prepare to repel boarding parties!"

"Detecting three hostile ships attempting to infiltrate the Presidium Hull."

"They will head for the Citadel Tower, good luck Captain." Maevor said.

"I want radio silence unless there is an urgent message from now on." Talo responded solemnly as he raised his rifle, locking on the elevator door. "First Squadron will make the first shot. Fifth Squad, when your heavy emplacements run out of ammunition hold the second floor as long as you can and retreat if you are almost overrun."

"Warning, hostile infantry detected."

Xxx

Kenneth Matthews worked away at the Damage Control terminal with another technician next to him. One guard, a Krogan berserker stood guard inside while outside Maevor, Legion, and their squadron had set up several heavy machine guns and left stashes of ammunition on the upper levels of the massive stair way that led from the plaza below up to the Damage Control center. A Turian and an Asari stood at the top, covered behind pillars built on either side of the stair well while the fighters prepared for the oncoming assault. Maevor, Legion, and four Geth shock troopers had set up a perimeter below in the plaza.

"Fighting alongside Geth, Batarians, and Krogan...I never thought I'd hear of the day." Maevor commented.

"Cooperation between certain species on a large scale was eventual, Sarius Spectre." Legion replied.

"You saw this coming?"

"...We guessed." Legion looked at Maevor.

After several moments of silence, Legion spoke. "Enemy units detected, two drop ships, enemy force is in platoon strength. Possible that reinforcements will land before we can terminate this wave."

Xxx

"Any Krogan would kill to participate in this battle," Wrex smirked. "An overwhelming enemy force is my kind of target." He hefted his massive shotgun.

The Security hub was a large dome like building surrounded on all sides by a canal and had only one bridge connecting it to the rest of the area. All of Wrex's troops were spread out and ready.

Wrex stood on top of a crate, cradling the Krogan made Shotgun.

The two Geth units, FNI trooper, Salarian, Drell Sniper, two Batarians, and the Asari Commando that made up his squadron was crouched behind barricades they set up using crates or left over machinery. Wrex closed his eyes as alarms wailed, signalling the enemy had boarded the station.

"Hostile units approaching." One of the two Geth units said in its synthesized voice, which was actually Legion speaking through it. "Distance, four hundred meters."

"Let it begin." Wrex took up one of the machine guns and waited patiently for his foes to reveal themselves.

Xxx

"Hey, I need to meet with Fifth Squad's CO." Creed said.

Curana stood and walked up the stairs where she met Captain Creed. "Yes Capta-" She was interrupted when Creed-who had his helmet off gripped her by the arms and pulled her into a kiss. For what felt like an eternity she stood still as a statue in his grasp, and then returned the kiss.

Ignorant of the fact that all three squadrons had a good view of them from their various blockade points, they kept at it for thirty seconds before Creed released her. "Curana, if we survive this-"

"Chora's Den, the real citadel, you, me, and enough drinks to kill a Thresher Maw?" Curana guessed.

"Damn straight." Creed replied.

"Could you bring some of that Ice Wine I heard about? I hear it tastes better than that stuff I got drunk on."

"It's a date."

Xxx

"Something is happening." Matriarch Lidanya observed the citadel as the Ascension cut through the battle, all forward batteries ablaze.

"Ma'am, the Relays...something is happening." An Operator spoke up.

"Report."

"They seem to be shifting." The Operator tapped in several commands. "Calculating new relays passage...this leads through systems we've never even heard of...it ends in the Pangaea expanse."

"Relay network is activating!"

"Good, signal our reinforcements and patrol fleets to regroup!" Lidanya shouted.

"Negative ma'am, only one relay is working...incoming vessels!"

Suddenly a massive vessel appeared out of the relay. It was smaller than Tyrant, equal in size to Nazara, and accompanied by several dozen other ships.

"By the goddess." Lidanya gasped.

"A Reaper." Executor Pallin hissed over the link. "Focusing fire, take it out!"

The Turian Dreadnaught Pallin was commanding from fired its powerful forward guns. The Hunter Nebula was one of the most powerful vessels next to the Ascension, and was Pallin's personal vessel. It fired several salvos of photon torpedoes supplied by the Federation, cutting down three indoctrinated ships and striking the Reaper's kinetic barriers, which held against the salvo. The Hunter Nebula along with three other cruisers and eleven frigates began to cut through enemy ships as they charged towards the Reaper.

On board the Reaper, a set of large obsidian eyes opened. "The time has come."

"Tyrant has failed, Nazara has failed, Dominance has failed, Harbinger has failed." A bright red avatar of an insect like creature appeared before the figure. "Long have I watched these organics and will not wait while incompetent servants fight this battle. I shall not fail." The figure was illuminated in red light, revealing a Drell, middle aged and clad in grey clothing. "Direct intervention is necessary."

The Drell spread his arms. "Saviours through destruction, Vanguards of Evolution, the first...the original...the Reapers."

The Drell shed his jacket and shirt, revealing lines of red light travelling across his scaled skin, which began to melt away, revealing synthetic components beneath. The Drell cried out, and most of his organic matter was vaporized, leaving a skeletal version of the Drell, standing at nearly seven feet in height and with red tinted scanners in the eye sockets that looked at the various screens showing the battle.

"Close the Citadel."

Xxx

"The arms are closing!" Pallin cried out. "The system must be back under our control!"

"Negative Executor, the system still refuses to respond to commands." An operator said.

"Regardless, do not let the enemy into the Citadel!" The Hunter Nebula fired its forward gun, the shells impacting on Shadow's shields. The Reaper continued, undeterred as its escorts fired on the fleet. One of the cruisers with the Hunter Nebula exploded, pieces of wreckage destroying several frigates and damaging the Hunter itself.

"Sir, the Reaper is still advancing at full speed!" An operator shouted. "Forward offensive grid is down! Shields at 45 percent!"

"Evacuate the Hunter! I repeat, all personnel evacuate!" Pallin shouted from his command seat, trying to maintain control of his crew.

But it was too late, Shadow crashed into the bow of the Hunter Nebula, shattering it to pieces. As segments of the once mighty dreadnaught flew off in separate directions. The Reaper continued on as what was left of Pallin's battle group feebly fought the dozens of advancing indoctrinated ships. The Reaper glided right into the interior of the citadel before the arms closed behind it, sealing it inside and the fleet outside.

Xxx

"Damn..." Kirk looked at the Citadel. "This is not good."

"Captain Kirk, this is Commander Shepard, the team on the Secondary Citadel have temporary control of the system, we can reactivate one relay path." Shepard spoke as he appeared on the screen.

"Shepard, do not come here, I have another area in mind." Kirk said as the Enterprise shook, taking a blow again. "Pangean Expanse, Ilos."

"Sir ,what will we-"

"The Conduit, the very thing Shadow used to transport his army here." Kirk said. "Use it to get to the Citadel and stop the Reaper from activating the relay. You can also take out the enemy soldiers that have yet to come through the relay."

The ship shook again as the shields were struck by a ship with a particle beam similar to the one used by the Collectors.

Shepard nodded.

"Aye sir."

He tapped the comm.. button.

"Matthews, you still there?" asked Shepard.

On the Second Citadel the gun fight raged on.

"Still here, Commander, make up your mind yet?" asked Matthews at the console.

"Open the relay to the Pangean Expanse." Said Shepard.

"Got it."

Xxx

"Captain, we might have company." Curana whispered into her radio as she and her squad watched the elevator, which was rising. The meter showed it was halfway up to the chamber.

"This is Wrex, I have a lot of targets and I'm a little concerned that I might have to start beating them with a club if this keeps up for another hour or so." Wrex chuckled before two gun shots rang out. "Second wave is down, regroup, get that machine gun back up!"

"This is Maevor, we're holding, but I lost a man." Maevor reported. "We're moving our defences back a bit, tightening up."

"Captain, the United is on its way, but not to the Citadel sir, Shepard asked me to send them to Ilos!" Kenneth said.

"And why didn't he just have you open a gate way for the Geth fleet or Aria's fleet?" Creed asked.

"Even if they did get into the fight, the Citadel is closed with Shadow inside doing god knows what with it. Even if they destroy every enemy ship Shadow is safe, the Citadel can hold long enough to open a gate way for the Reapers."

"Sir, they are almost here!" A Migrant Marine shouted fearfully.

"Radio silence from now on." Talo snapped.

The elevator arrived, the doors slowly slid open...and a Geth Dreadnaught, drawn into a ball got out of the elevator. Curana's squadron, eyes wide, watched the massive indoctrinated Geth stand up, hefting a massive assault rifle that was the size of an Asari. It fired, and hundreds of rounds flew all through the length of the chamber. The three squadrons took cover and returned fire.

"Rockets! Rockets!" Talo shouted.

Six rockets were fired between the three squadrons and struck the Dreadnaught, blowing it to pieces. But behind it, a Geth Destroyer and three Rocket Troopers stood in the elevator and fired rockets. A Batarian from Curana's squadron was blown into a cloud of blood and gore by one rocket before he could scream, and the sniper from Creed's squad took the Destroyer down The rocket troopers had taken cover behind the wreckage of the two massive synthetics and kept pummelling the defenders with rockets as the elevator went back down.

One of the two machine guns at Curana's blockade were suddenly blown to pieces by one of the rockets, and the three troopers began to advance before being mowed down by Curana's squadron and Creed's snipers. Curana had lost another team member, but now the rest knew what to expect, so they wouldn't go down as easily as their comrades had. The elevator was already rising again, and let out eight Krogan who charged right for Curana's squadron. Backing the Krogan up were three creatures the defending soldiers couldn't even describe.

The creatures looked like a type of spider, the ends of the six long, scaly limbs tipped with claws that looked like they could have made shorter work of the Geth dreadnaught than the rocket jockeys had. Four of the legs were further back and seemed to act as hind and front legs for it while the forward two limbs were more like arms, but still moved like legs as they dragged themselves across the floor. The bodies of the three did not even begin to match, looking like experiments gone wrong. One looked like some horrible twist of animals with a vague dog like head that looked like it was pulled inside out, three thick tails with stingers-scratch that, large fanged mouths that snapped open and closed as if tasting around for food to snap at, and when pointed at the squadron seemed to become excited.

The second looked like some type of squid crossed with a snail mounted on the six legs, with bits of flesh seeming to fall off of it at every second and let some type of bodily fluid drip to the floor. There were no eyes, just a large beak that snapped open and shut viciously, sending bits of block globs flying each time it opened. When the globs of what looked like gums from a mouth crossed with blood hit the floor they sizzled and began to eat away at the floor.

The final looked the most horrific, looking like a pile of intestines and organs being held together by strands of sinew and flesh and twisted around, somehow still walking. It was a shapeless mass with six legs somehow sticking out of it, and suddenly the entire front end separated into eight mandibles and it roared, sending strips of flesh and globules of mucus and slime flying out of it and onto the blockade. Creed shouted. "Oh my god!"

"FIRE! FIRE!" Talo shouted, trying to keep in control.

All three squadrons fired at once. The two FNI in Curana's squadron blew three Krogan away with single blasts from their phase rifles. Two Krogan leaped over the barricade and rushed the defenders. One Salarian screamed as he was brutally beaten to death under a Krogan's fists and then his head entirely ripped off by the indoctrinated alien's hands. Curana leaped into action, spun out of the way of the Krogan's grasp, and gripped one of the many smaller weapons the fighters had taken off of the United, a small Federation FNI close combat device. It was something Creed did not favour over his knife and stun baton, a small but lethal cutting device that was based off of mining equipment used by the Romulan Nero.

Instead of a beam being fired straight, the energy was focused into a small outburst of energy like a blow torch. She jammed the cutter into the Krogan's back and tugged down, cutting the armour and flesh beneath open and spilling blood and guts out on the ground before she spun and cut the second Krogan across the face, destroying both eyes and entirely cutting a part of its face off. One of the turians in her squad raised his shot gun and shot another Krogan point blank in the face three times, and then spun and jammed his shotgun into the gut of the next Krogan and fired a concussive round point blank, sending it stumbling back a second as the round lodged into its gut. It looked down at it a second before the round detonated, sending it flying back into a wall and allowing Curana to fire two bursts into its face.

Creed picked off two more of the Krogan with his rifle and yelled. "Alright, focus on those three things!"

"What the hell are they?" One of the FNI from Curana's squadron yelled as he fired beam after beam into the first of them.

"Perhaps Reaper experiments." Talo said. "Experiments that were obvious failures."

"Forget it, just take them down!" Curana shouted as she and her five remaining squad members poured bullets into the three abominable creatures, ripping away at them. They fell upon the barricade, climbing over. The single Krogan in the squad rushed the second one and slammed into it, ripping away at its flesh. It screeched in pain and tried to snap at the Krogan with its beak, but the Krogan ripped off the top half of the beak as it extended and reached in at the tentacle like tongues within and ripped three out ,roaring fiercely as he pummelled the beast into submission and then shot it twice with his shotgun.

"More are coming!" Curana shouted as the elevator let out a dozen Salarians.

"I'm heading down there!" Creed shouted.

"Cover Captain Creed!" Talo shouted before his snipers poured rounds into the two remaining creatures, ripping them to pieces.

Creed leaped over the second blockade and rushed across the small plaza, firing his phase rifle down the stairs while moving in a half crouch down to Curana's squadron. He took down three Salarians with three precise shots and crouched next to Curana, taking his helmet off again. "Well, isn't this a nice first date?"

"No time to romantic jokes Creed, we can do that later!" Curana said as she fired a burst over the blockade.

"So you think we'll get out of this?" Creed fired two shots over the barricade and scored a hit on a Salarian.

"No, I know that we will." Curana replied with a smirk before she and Creed got to their feet, firing on the Salarians as the elevator dropped off a squadron of eight Turians.

Xxx

"Sir, we're approaching Ilos." The helmsman brought the United down into the atmosphere of the planet.

"Detecting large amounts of activity in the region below us Commander." The Batarian tactical officer said.

"Infantry, and there looks like there's a large structure right here." The Turian helmsman pointed out a section on the sensor screen. "I have a visual."

The United slowed down as it floated over a seemingly endless city of ruin and overgrown flora. Below, hundreds of indoctrinated stared up at them with dead, synthetic eyes. Several fired AA guns, but the shots did little against the restored shields.

"They're in the way." Shepard said. "Take out the enemy infantry around the Conduit; I'm getting a team ready to head down." He left the bridge.

"Aye sir."

The United made a second pass and one Thanix cannon began to charge up.

"Alright, if we hit the water way ahead of the Conduit we can eliminate a good amount of infantry, after that a few tactical shots from the pulse turrets will clear the way." The Batarian Officer said as he tapped in commands. "Ready."

"We're ready over here, clear a path!" Shepard yelled.

"Firing!"

The Thanix cannon fired and carved up the water way that fed water down into the area the Conduit was in. The impact sent rubble flying and incinerated most of the army gathered before the conduit or crushed them under the rubble. The United then fired pulse shots down onto the army as it scattered.

In the chaos of it all, Shepard, Solis, and Tali appeared, armed with phase rifles left over from the wounded FNI still on board that couldn't be treated with Medi-Gel to get them back on their feet for Creed and Talo. They fired their rifles as they rushed across the half destroyed field and up the ramp towards the relay that stuck out of the ground. It wasn't as large as an actual relay, more like half the size of the United in length.

"Has a living being stepped through a relay before?" Shepard asked.

"Yes." Mordin said simply.

"Without a ship?"

"No!" Mordin and Tali shouted at once, still firing.

"Fuck it, just go!" The next second Shepard tossed himself into the aura of light surrounding the relay, Tali and Mordin joining them before all three of them vanished in a flash of light, and then the relay launched them, now reduced to an almost non-existent size across the galaxy.

"I really think this was a bad idea." The Batarian sighed.

"You think everything is." Another Batarian crew member said.

"Not the mission, the fact that we just stranded ourselves here and there's still a few enemy ships in the system." The tactical officer growled.

"Well you're the tactical officer, start firing!" The Turian helmsman yelled.

"Charging the main guns again!" The Batarian snapped. "Get us up into orbit before they bomb us!"

Xxx

Shepard was sent flying out of the Relay, along with Tali and Mordin and hit the floor, hard. He slid a bit and rolled to his feet, bringing his phase pistol up-his phase rifle had been snatched from his grasp by the momentum of being tossed out of a relay after being shot tens of thousands of light years within seconds. There were three Geth, all indoctrinated standing guard, he shot all three with three single shots, and they fell as Tali and Mordin got up.

"Holy crap." Shepard looked around the battle scarred Presidium. Bodies lay everywhere, and sections of buildings occupied the walks ways. He looked across the Presidium and saw that there was an entire squadron of indoctrinated blocking the main elevator to the council tower.

"We need to get over there." Before he could take a step a gun shot rang out and he spun, seeing a Geth fall and turned ,coming face to face with Saren Arterius himself.

"Welcome to the fight Commander." Saren said.

"Glad I didn't miss much," Shepard relaxed. "What's the situation?"

"The Reaper has attached itself to the top of the citadel tower, we have lost all system power, and the citadel chamber has been overrun entirely." Saren sighed. "Lost a lot of good soldiers defending it, two spectres even. I contacted a few C Sec units nearby, they're converging on other elevators, but we need to get to the control center, as soon as possible."

"Quite true, activation of Citadel will eliminate possibility of Trap." Mordin said. "Must take control center, take control from Shadow, insert virus, destroy Shadow."

"We will need to clear a way." Saren unfolded his assault rifle. "I have a plan; get your squadron ready to move for the elevator when I give the signal."

"What's the signal?" Shepard asked.

"You'll know it when you hear and see it." Saren began to climb over pieces of rubble.

"Move out," Shepard and his team began to run along the walk way, aiming to head across the canal that separated them from the elevator. As they began to cross over to the embassies, gun shots rang out as Saren took pot shots at the squadron guarding the elevator. Three indoctrinated were gunned down, and then Shepard and his team climbed on top of a wrecked car and fired down at the remaining ten.

Now reduced to seven, the indoctrinated focused their fire on Shepard's team. The trio climbed back down and took cover behind the crashed vehicles as Saren climbed down from his elevated position and gave the team cover from the walkway over the canal next. The Spectre fired two bursts, forcing the indoctrinated to take cover.

"I certainly hope you brought some spare ammunition, I'm down to one clip." Saren held up his assault rifle.

"Here!" Tali passed Saren two clips. "Use them carefully!"

"Shepard, I'll distract the enemy, you need to get your team inside." Saren fired a burst over the car. "It's a rather straightforward run to the command console if you can get up there, and most of the hostiles on the Presidium have been cleared away, you should be able to get to the control interface."

"We need to get to the elevator first, and that will be very hard." Tali said.

"Recommend that we divide, two to distract hostile squadron, two to retake control of the citadel." Mordin spoke up before he fired his machine pistol over the car. "I volunteer, not technician, will be no good at handling cyber warfare, best to remain with Saren."

"Alright then, we need to get to that elevator." Shepard hefted his rifle. "Saren, Mordin, provide cover fire. Tali, deploy your combat drone, I'll head for it first and cover you. Do not stop for anything, at all."

Tali nodded. "I'm ready."

"Alright...go! Go! Go!" Shepard shouted before all four of them leaped to their feet and opened fire. Shepard leaped over the trashed car and sprinted towards the elevator, firing his phase pistol in one hand while his comrades kept the enemy soldiers away from him. One got close enough and he grabbed a fallen metal bar and swung it, snapping its head back and making it collapse. He slid to a stop in front of the elevator and fired his pistol. "Tali, now!"

Tali leaped over the car and fired her shotgun, trying to get to the elevator in one piece. Several shots hit her shields as she joined Shepard, and they both backed into the elevator. Shepard hit the controls, and the doors shut. The elevator began to rise.

Saren and Mordin continued to fire on the enemy squadron as Shepard and Tali began the ascension towards the Citadel Council Chambers.

Xxx

"Get back! Everybody get back!" Creed shouted as he helped a wounded FNI up the stairs while the other FNI, Curana, a Turian and the Krogan in the squad provided cover fire for the retreat. "Fourth Squadron we have wounded coming in!"

"Help them get over!" Creed's snipers dropped their rifles and began to pull the wounded FNI over the barricade while Curana and the Krogan climbed over next. The Turian leaped over and fired his shot gun until his clip ran dry. The last FNI fired several shots before he vaulted over the barricade and crouched.

"This is Talo; we are being pushed back to the second blockade." Talo said into his radio. "Wrex, Maevor, Legion, give me a sit rep."

Xxx

"We're still holding the plaza here, but we're out of ammunition for the heavy turrets." Maevor said.

"All squad members accounted for." Legion added. "No other enemy units are attempting to approach the barricade."

Xxx

"We're holding, but they're pushing hard!" Wrex roared as he fired his assault rifle at the approaching indoctrinated. "Pour fire on that Demon!"

"Demon?" Maevor asked over the link.

"Big ugly things, look like a messed up walking pile of guts." Wrex grunted as he reloaded.

"We saw three of them in the tower." Talo said.

"Well good for you, we have eight here." Wrex fired a rocket launcher into one such 'Demon', blowing it to pieces.

"Well, this hasn't gone as well as I had hoped at first." Creed sighed. "Does anybody have a cigarette?"

"No." Over a dozen voices replied at once.

"Crap, I'm going to die and I don't even get one damn smoke." Creed sighed. "Ah well, that only gives me more of a reason to get out of this alive."

"That and I'm holding you to the promise of that Ice Wine." Curana said.

"Well, not a lot of people get that pleasure more than once, so what the hell." Creed smirked.

"Incoming!" Talo shouted before he fired his ant immaterial rifle, and a Demon received a hole through it as it tried to climb up to the second barricade. It screeched, and toppled over onto a second, smaller Demon. Two Krogan managed to get past them along with several Vorcha that climbed up and over the two demons, snarling and screeching before being torn apart by the squadrons at the second barricade.

"Suppressing fire, keep them back!" Creed shouted as he raised his phase rifle when more indoctrinated flooded the third level of the chambers. Phaser fire and bullets tore into their ranks, and for a full sixty seconds Demons climbed the steps or walls, infantry rushed the barricades, firing their pathetic small arms and waving blades above their heads, and the defenders mowed them down, one shot at a time, sometimes changing their aim so fast they managed to get more than one within the space of a second.

Then it was over, the third floor of the Citadel Tower Chambers was riddled with dead indoctrinated bodies. The defenders had lost two more people to the hordes.

"Everybody check your weapons, have something to drink, and get ready." Talo commanded. "Captain Creed, Captain Curana, meet me at the third barricades."

"Aye Captain." Creed and Curana walked up the stairs to where First Squadron was hastily loading their anti material rifles and rocket launchers.

"Good news, Shepard has taken a team through the Conduit and the United is holding position over Ilos, it looks like she will have company soon." Talo turned away from the command interface. "But we still have the problem of trying to get out of here alive. The Station's defences have driven back the enemy fleet, destroyed almost forty of their ships and damaged just as many as that, but we have two full battalions on board and we can't vent the station to get rid of them."

"Why not?" Creed asked.

"They don't require oxygen Captain, they are synthetic, they have no lungs." Talo explained. "They are gathering down on the third arm of the station, from there they will make their way to the Presidium Ring to take this tower. That is why I need your help to set a trap for them."

"What do you need Captain?"

"I have explosive charges, lots of them, and I am going to set them up at weak points where the arms and ring connect, only at the air locks." Talo explained. "This station has another design different from the Citadel. Instead of the passages leading from the arms to the rings being under layers of armour and metal, they are in the open, air lock tunnels that are visible to space." He turned to the interface and zoomed in on the joint where Arm 3 met the ring. "These tunnels can stand small arms fire and rockets, but demolition charges places at key areas on the inside of them will weaken them enough to disconnect them."

He handed them two satchels. "Connect these in Air Lock 4, and get out of there, fast."

"How do we get there?" Creed asked.

"There aren't any enemies left on the Presidium level, you can get there, you just need to go fast enough." Talo nodded. "Good luck Captains."

Creed sighed. "This job really sucks."

"You get alone time with Curana, so quit whining." Talo said as he turned back to the interface.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Creed asked as he and Curana began to walk away.

"Oh no, how could you assume that?" Talo asked innocently.

Xxx

Tali and Shepard held their guns out as the door opened and stepped out into the Council Chambers. It was full of cherry trees and beautiful fountains. However it was now full of debris and fires while a figure was seen at the end of the chamber at the console. They both held their guns out as they cautiously walked through the chamber towards the console.

"Tali Zorah nar Idenna of the Quarian Migrant Fleet and Commander John Shepard of the United Federation of Planets. I am surprised that you made it all the way here." Said the figure.

"Step away from the console and put your hands up." Said Shepard.

"Your weapons will not destroy me, commander."

It turned around to face them revealing that it was a Drell however there were a few noticeable differences. One thing that was easy to notice was that it had no skin making it look like a walking skeleton. It's eyes were glowing red as it stared at them.

"I will not repeat myself." Said Shepard.

The Drell chose to smirk at him.

"Unfortunately I have to complete my work and erase the mistake of the traitor." Said the Drell.

"Shepard, I think the Reaper might be controlling him." Whispered Tali.

"I am Shadow and this station is mine. The ending your flawed existence approaches and soon your people to the highest level of evolution." Said the Drell.

"This is not evolution, it is murder." Said Shepard.

"Says the man who works for an alliance that wishes for peace but brings destruction and chaos to order. In order to answer questions that has plagued your kind for a thousand years you explore the universe, learning, and evolving, but with no guidance." Said Shadow.

"And you think you know everything when you learn by using species to make more of you." Said Tali levelling her gun.

"We have brought peace to a thousand civilizations. We eliminated war; we have proven ourselves to be the highest form of evolution as we were the first species to have emerged in this universe. You call us evil yet you destroy peace and order while pretending to be an alliance of tolerance." Said Shadow pointing at them. "It is you who are the evil ones."

"If you think that will justify all that you have done than it proves you are just as ignorant as the organics you see as inferior. You ran from the Andromeda galaxy when you learned of the radiation and you ran from species more powerful than you. How can you be the first if there are those who were more powerful than you?" asked Shepard.

"They had no guidance! They knew nothing harmony or peace! We are doing what we have always done; survive. We will endure." Yelled Shadow.

"You mean that they would not bow down to you. You hide from the galaxy because you're afraid. We know what you are and what you have done throughout the galaxy. It ends here and now." Said Shepard pointing his gun at Shadow.

"You know nothing. We are the creators and bringers of life. We are the summit of civilization. This pointless battle is over. You have no hope for victory." Said Shadow.

Red energy sizzled and nearly slammed into the two but they jumped away in time. Shepard fired his phaser on full blast hitting Shadow in the chest. A large burning wound was seen but Shadow did not even grunt from the hit. Tali fired her gun but Shadow held up his hand and the bullets were suspended in midair before falling to the ground.

Shadow raised his hand and red energy crackled brightly. Suddenly a shockwave exploded from within the Reaper that sent Shepard and Tali flying back into the ground hard. Shepard's phaser and Tali's shotgun felt out of their hands as they were sent into the air.

"You have lost." Said Shadow smirking.

"Not yet." Said a voice.

Shadow looked up to see a stream of blue lightning slam into him sending him back a few feet. Shepard and Tali looked up to see Saren coming out of the elevator with Mordin pointing his gun at the Reaper's avatar. Shadow growled as he got back up just as Mordin shot at him. The bullets penetrated the skeleton but no blood came out.

Shadow released a stream of red lightning however Saren responded by launching his own attack and both collided. Saren quickly fired blue bolts that slammed into Shadow's chest sending him back several steps however Shadow retaliated by releasing an energy wave that slammed into Saren sending him flying into the wall. Tali used the distraction to get her gun and she fired again and the bullets slammed into Shadow. Mordin joined the attack and both fired at Shadow.

"It is amazing how you are unable to grasp reality. I cannot die!" shouted Shadow.

Both of his hands glowed red as he released another wave of energy that slammed into them both. They hit the wall hard. Mordin groaned as he rubbed his back.

"Too old for this. Fighting too much for Salarians over fifty." Muttered Mordin.

He looked over at Tali. He quickly moved to her side.

"Are you all right?" asked Mordin.

"I am fine." Said Tali.

"You're suit has been compromised." Said Mordin noticing a tear in Tali's suit near the ribs.

"My immune system has been boosted by Federation medicine. I can handle the air here for a little while." Said Tali reaching for her gun.

"It's not the air that will kill you." Said Shadow standing over them.

Suddenly Shepard jumped and tackled Shadow and they both fell from the Council platform crashing through the glass floor with a loud thud.

"Shepard!" shouted Tali.

She and Mordin looked over the bottom seeing both Shadow and Shepard on the ground.

"We have to help him." Said Tali.

"No time, go to console. Take control of the station, I will stay. Help Shepard." Said Mordin.

"I'll help." Said Saren as he got up and limped over to them.

"Go, Tali, hurry." Said Mordin.

Tali nodded and ran to the console. She inserted the programming reactivating the relay network and taking control of the Citadel.

Xxx

"Captain, the relays are coming back on line and the Citadel is opening." Said Spock looking at his console.

Out of the relay came Aria's fleet, the ships in the Migrant fleet that were warships and the Geth fleet coming out from behind the enemy force taking them by surprise. The enemy fleet, being taken completely by surprise found itself disorganized as the reinforcements blasted ship after ship. The Enterprise leading the remaining allied fleet began taking out the remaining enemy ships.

"All ships form up and be ready when the Citadel opens." Said Kirk into the intercom.

All ships formed up as the Citadel opened up with Shadow seen still attached to the Citadel tower.

"Concentrate on the Reaper." Said Kirk.

A combination of phasers, photon torpedoes, and mass accelerators slammed into the Reaper as the fleet surrounded it. The kinetic barriers held up against the torpedoes and accelerators while the armor was holding up mostly against the phasers. The Federation ships flew in and out not giving Shadow the chance to lock on and fire on them.

However the Citadel ships were not as lucky as they were blown apart because they were not fast enough.

Xxx

Meanwhile down below Shepard groaned as he stood up but Shadow roared as he got up and slapped the human away. Mordin and Saren pulled out their guns as Shadow leapt up biotically and landed back on the platform. Saren quickly punched Shadow in the jaw as he landed but before he could attack again he was lifted into the air and sent flying straight into a tree.

Mordin taking advantage of Shadow's distraction pulled out his gun and fired at point blank range with the bullets slamming into Shadow's chest. Shadow roared as he knocked Mordin away with one arm. Blood was now coming out his chest from the bullet wounds. He turned to the console where Tali was.

She pulled out her shotgun and fired again and again. Shadow growled and Tali's gun was sent flying out of her hands as a result of Shadow's biotics. Before she could move she was slammed into the ground. Shadow laughed.

"You have failed. Your attempt to stop the inevitable while impressive was futile from the beginning. Don't worry, you will not die. You and your friend Talo will be part of the ascension." Said Shadow grabbing her by the neck.

Tali chocked as Shadow lifted her up and held her above his head. Shadow grinned sickly.

"You'll enjoy it I assure you."

Suddenly a phaser shot hit Shadow in the back which caused the avatar to yell in pain as he dropped Tali. Shadow turned as another beam of phased energy shot out and hit him in the chest which sent him flying into the console. He slid to the ground but he looked up and growled.

"Why can't you just stay down like you're supposed to?" shouted Shadow.

Shepard was at the elevator holding up his phaser barely being able to stand up. Shadow got up glowing red but Shepard fired again the red beam slammed into Shadow again. Burning through the cybernetic enhanced bones like they weren't even there leaving smoking wounds. Shadow gasped in pain from the wound as he was now on his knees.

"I read about what happened when Nathan Creed took on Dominance. When he killed the Reaper's avatar it looked like the Reaper shut down or lost a lot of power. I guess that when a Reaper uses an avatar it actually downloads into the avatar through the use of cybernetics. So in other words if I kill the avatar the Reaper will die as well." Said Shepard.

He fired again just as Shadow got up and ran at him. The avatar screamed in pain as the beams of phased energy blasted their way through his body. Shadow's right hand glowed as he tried to get rid of the phaser rifle but Tali grabbed her shotgun and shot Shadow's hand before he could attack. The avatar screamed again as his hand was blown apart.

Mordin and Saren fired their guns which forced Shadow back a few feet as blood started flowing out of the wounds. Shepard fired his phaser and it blasted through Shadow's chest destroying the Drell's heart. Shadow gasped as it looked down at the wound and realized it was finished.

"I may be finished but so are you."

The body stood for half a second before it fell off the platform and hit the ground below the chamber.

Xxx

Atop of the Citadel Tower the Reaper spasmed suddenly. Everyone watched as it weapons stopped and it lost balance as it disconnected from the tower.

"Sensors show that the Reaper has been disabled. Its kinetic barriers are down." Said Spock.

"This is our chance then. Give the order to all ships to fire and destroy it." Said Kirk.

The remaining fleet followed his orders and fired at the disabled mad machine. Explosions rippled through the length of Shadow as Alliance ships continued to fire. Finally it could take no more and Shadow exploded. The last of the four Reaper vanguards had finally been defeated.

They watched as it fell from the tower and its debris fell to the Citadel below it.

One particular piece was heading for the council chamber.

Shepard, who was closest to the windows behind where the council usually stood saw the piece and spun, yelling to his team. "Go!"

As they got moving, the piece collided with the tower.

Xxx

"Well, this sure could have been better." Creed chuckled and then clenched his teeth as Curana finished pouring medi-gel on his wound. "Hey, is Stevens here?"

"He's dead." An FNI replied over the radio.

"Crap, I liked that guy." Creed sighed as he got up, grabbing his phase rifle. "Always had the right advice. I could really use that know it all."

He looked around the corner at the approaching indoctrinated, which stepped over the dozens of dead indoctrinated Creed and Curana had eliminated in their quest to hook up the charges.

"We have ten of the twelve charges set up…but we can't get to the last point in this to set the last two up…its back towards the ring, but we have about twenty of these guys coming down our throats." Creed said as he raised his rifle, a scope extending out of the top before he fired four shots. Two of the indoctrinated fell, but none of the rest responded.

"Heh….hey, is everybody seeing what I am? These guys are even less smart than they were before." Creed lowered his rifle.

"Hey boss, sorry if I'm interrupting any heavy fighting but I've been hacking through the drone record and guess what happened!"

"What happened?" Talo asked.

"Shepard must have pulled through, the relay network is back online and from what I can tell the Citadel is operational and the reports say Shadow is in pieces!"

"That's must be what's happening with the enemy right now, while organic they are indoctrinated to the point of being mindless drones, without Shadow to give orders they're disorganize and confused." Maevor said.

"And I was just having fun." Wrex grunted.

"Don't be so glum, those things are still advancing." Creed said. "I think even if Shadow is gone I know husks kill anything that moves, I know that much. So if these things get close enough to see us we're dog meat."

Suddenly one of the indoctrinated, a Turian looked up, and its red eyes gleamed brightly.

"Ah…I seemed to have forgotten that these things still have ears."

It raised its rifle, but Curana shot it first.

"Let's go!" She shouted as she started back down the tube.

"Ok, instead of an indoctrinated army we have a bunch of savages in the station! Which one is better?" Creed shouted as he followed her until they reached the final air lock door and set down their packages to set the charges. "Talo, we're at the final door, be prepared to let us in!"

"Give me the signal and I'll handle it." Up in the Control Center, Talo and what was left of the three squadrons-totalling thirteen fighters prepared for the worst. He slid a clip into his rifle. "Ammo count."

"About fifty clips left in this one crate." A Batarian said as he opened the last ammo crate. "And a dozen and a half missiles."

"Save the missiles for demons." Talo nodded. "Time to activation?"

"Nineteen minutes." The VI replied.

"Let's keep it up, we're almost there." Talo smiled under his visor. "Almost…."

Xxx

The Citadel was in chaos now that the indoctrinated were being hunted down all over the station. C Sec, Soldiers, Mercenaries even moved in from transport ships to eliminate the invaders-now reduced to senseless beasts. On the Enterprise, Kirk watched as a new Federation battle group appeared from Warp. "Inform Citadel control that we have more medical ships inbound for the Docking Ring, transfer to any available ports and remove non essential vessels for more space."

"Captain, there is an unscheduled relay activation." Spock spoke.

"Charge weapons, shields up!"

"Wait, I am receiving a friendly transponder….IFF confirmed it is the Migrant Vessel United."

"All ships stand down!"

The United came out of the relay, battered and barely held together. Its engines almost immediately died as it drifted away from the relay.

"Sir, I am detecting over half of the original crew aboard." Spock said.

"Get transports and medical shuttles ready." Kirk ordered. "The moment you find Talo'Serath get him on the horn."

Xxx

Captain Anderson, two FNI, and several C Sec officers were searching the wreckage of the Council Chambers. The FNI were scanning the room with their armour sensors for anything still alive.

"Sir, I have several life signs there!" One pointed ahead.

"Lead on!" The two FNI advanced, rifles aimed at the area the life signs came from. One moved some pieces aside and came upon a turian, a Salarian, and a Quarian.

"We found them!" Anderson shouted as he and the FNI moved in and helped the three out of the wreckage. "Tali'Zorrah, Doctor Solis, how did you get here?"

"Conduit, relay connected to the statue on Presidium, came with Shepard." Mordin said.

"Where is he?"

The group looked around.

"All of that…and we still lost someone." Tali sounded close to tears.

"Councillor, Captain Talo'Serath and large amount of troops still in Tartarus system, need to initiate rescue within-" Mordin look at his Omni-Tool. "Seventeen minutes or there will be no chance of rescuing remaining crew."

"What was in Tartarus anyways? It is a dead system." Saren groaned as he sat down. "I need to retire soon."

Suddenly some wreckage shifted, and the FNI spun, rifles ready as a figure climbed over the wreckage, moving fast. Suddenly Commander John Shepard stood atop the debris before the group, bleeding a fountain's worth of blood from cracks in his armour and one of his arms hang limp at his side. He stumbled down to the waiting arms of the medics, specifically Mordin.

"Shepard, you are one tough son of a bitch." Anderson shook his head.

"Captain…you need to get to Tartarus…." Shepard managed to say.

"What is there? How can Talo'Serath be there?" Anderson asked.

"You will see Captain." Tali whispered before she collapsed, exhausted.

Xxx

"Talo, get this damn door open!" Creed shouted as he and Curana took cover. "The charges are set and they'll go off in a few minutes, get us out of here!"

"I can't! The systems are no longer responding! The station is entirely in lock down!" Talo shouted.

"Ah crap…." Creed slid down the wall and looked at his rifle. "I'd say this will overheat soon, how many clips do you have?"

"A few." Curana sighed. "So…if we didn't end up here….do you think we could have….?"

"I'm pretty sure we could have." Creed smiled. "See what an Asari would inherit from a human….build a house…retire….that sounds like the life."

"I was thinking more of a quick marriage on Omega followed by us going out into the galaxy kicking ass where ever we go." Curana returned the smile.

"Curana, I really wish there were more girls like you back on Earth." Creed stood. "Are you ready?"

Curana nodded, and they both spun from cover and fired their rifles into the horde of indoctrinated savages.

Xxx

Talo and his squadron were being pushed back by a massive, seemingly endless wave of indoctrinated. Talo's rifle ran dry, so he tossed it aside for his shot gun and blew a husk's head open.

Xxx

Maevor, Legion, and two other team members were forced to the top of the stairs, firing down at a stream of indoctrinated trying to climb the stairs. Maevor shouted. "We can't hold this position for much longer!"

"There are no possible escape routes, recommend we proceed with our course of action." Legion interjected.

"I wasn't looking for an excuse to run; it's just a force of habit." Maevor fired another burst.

Xxx

Wrex dropped his empty shot gun and charged forward, slamming into a Demon and forcing it back a few steps as he gripped it, keeping its beak shut. He roared and lifted it off its feet and tossed it over the side of the bridge. He was all that was left of his squadron now, and he was down to his assault rifle and pistol. He growled and punched a Salarian in the head so hard his metal eye flew out and then tossed him over the side. Another Krogan pushed against Wrex, who roared and jammed his head right through the synthetically altered Krogan's weakened organic flesh and sent a biotic pulse that fried everything within the Krogan. Wrex dropped the dead synthetic and faced the horde.

Xxx

Creed and Curana took many down, even when Creed's rifle overheated and he tossed it aside for his phase pistol. When a turian got close enough, Creed took his useless rifle and beat the turian with it, slamming the weapon against its neck so hard the neck bent and the turian collapsed. He fired his phase pistol in one hand while he and Curana slowly back up towards the air lock door.

Xxx

Talo and his ten remaining fighters were backed up all the way to the final barricade, each with several clips and six rockets left. Talo sighed. "Keelah'selai."

"Well, how the hell do we get out of this one?" One of the three FNI left asked.

"I doubt that we will." Incia commented before she raised her rifle and fired again.

"That doesn't sound very logical!"

"There is a difference between logic and confidence Corporal, remember that."

"I won't need to memorize it for long!"

Xxx

Maevor whipped out his combat knife and entirely decapitated a Salarian with one swing, and then shoved his right foot up and kicked a Turian in the chest, creating a domino effect that toppled the dozens of indoctrinated behind it. Legion slammed the butt of his pulse rifle against a Batarian's face and threw a grenade down the stairs.

Xxx

Creed and Curana were crouched behind cover again as indoctrinated slowly advanced. Curana's assault rifle was empty, and Creed's phase pistol had been hit by a random shot. Curana checked her pistol. "Five shots left."

"Make them count…." Creed held one of her hands. "Save two, you and me."

Curana nodded. She fired three times around the corner, hitting three targets precisely. She crouched next to him. "What now?"

"Well…I have this." He held up his cutter and his knife. "You have biotics….kick ass or quick suicide?"

"Suicide is frowned upon in the next life."

"So is murder, yet that hasn't stopped either of us." Nathan said.

"I prefer to fight."

"Sounds good to me." They rushed around the corner with a roar.

Nathan gripped a Turian's head and tugged it down into his left knee, shattering its face. He punched a Salarian across the face and then used his rifle as a club again to beat a Krogan across the face. Soon the dozen or so remaining indoctrinated fighters were dead, and the two fighters stood victorious. But then they heard roars, and looked up to see Demons, dozens of them crawling on the floor, ceiling and walls. They both began to back up.

"God…I cannot catch a break." Creed sighed as he and Curana pressed themselves back against the door leading to safety, the locked door that was five feet thick.

Curana held one of his hands and pulled out her pistol. "Two shots…"

Creed placed one hand on the gun and held her close as the Demons advanced towards them. Creed took off his helmet and let it drop as they got closer.

Xxx

Talo and his eight remaining soldiers watched as the final wave they could face rushed up the stairs towards them. It had been a long fight, but they had succeeded, the timer was at three minutes.

Talo hefted his shotgun, his last weapon, and whispered Tali's named before he fired once.

Xxx

Wrex watched as a horde of Demons began to crawl over wreckage and corpses towards him. He growled. "Any Krogan would love to die this way…." He smirked. "And here I thought I was special."

Xxx

Maevor, Legion, and their two remaining comrades along with the Krogan guard and Kenneth looked at the plaza, crawling with the Demons now.

"Well….this just fucking sucks." Kenneth said, resigned to his fate.

"The timer is at two minutes and ten seconds." Legion informed them.

Xxx

As Talo and his team fought, Creed and Curana faced what might as well have been the legions of Hell. They were closing in, pausing to see the corpses and saw the helpless defenders.

Creed looked to the timers on the charge next to them. It was at just over three minutes.

Xxx

"Citadel Relay will activate in sixty seconds, opening arms." The VI said as the Secondary Citadel, surrounded by a completely destroyed fleet opened up and began to charge up.

Talo's shotgun ran dry, as did his team mates' weapons. They back up slowly as the indoctrinated climbed over the second blockade and then seemed to savour the moments between them and their prey, advancing slowly up the stairs.

Xxx

"Relay will activate in thirty seconds."

Just enough time to get it over with before those things tore them apart. The Demons didn't have orders to finish them off quickly, they were entirely rage and blood lust, and they were having fun staring at the fearful couple. Curana pressed herself to Nathan Creed's chest as the countdown continued.

Xxx

"Five seconds."

"We die here…but we bring them with us." Talo whispered.

Xxx

"Citadel Relay is activating." Legion reported.

Xxx

The Relay sprang to life in a blinding light, and almost instantly ships began to appear, coming out from the center of the Presidium ring. Reapers of various size and design, some bigger than even Tyrant while some were no bigger than a frigate.

But at the same time, the Tartarus relay sprang to life as one ship came out and shot across the system at Warp speed.

"Sir, there are nine life signs in the control tower, seven more on the secondary arm of the station and two more in one of the walk ways connecting the arm and ring." Spock reported.

"Begin beaming, fire all weapons!"

"Humans…you truly have done well." A voice said.

"What is this?" Kirk stood up as the Enterprise charged through a horde of reapers, firing all weapons in all directions.

Xxx

"Uh…boss, something is happening!"

"What is it Matthews?" Talo asked.

"The V.I is broadcasting to us and a new ship…it's the Enterprise sir! Whatever this VI is it doesn't sound like a regular one."

"All of you have come from afar and joined together." The voice continued. "I have long waited and hoped to see this day."

The Prothean VI appeared on the screen of the Enterprise and before Talo's squad. It suddenly began to change shape, into an insectoid figure.

"Crimson Sunrise." Kirk whispered.

"The Reaper that helped the Protheans? I thought he was dead." McCoy commented.

"The vessel used to create this station was no mere Prothean vessel, but myself." Crimson Sunrise continued. "I sacrificed myself so the future may be salvaged. The ship that was my vessel was but a shell, this station has been my true body for countless millennia as I have watched and hoped for the Protheans final acts of defiance to succeed."

"Good god….well ain't this just a peach?" Creed whispered.

"Why did you betray your people?" Kirk asked.

"I saw what our people really were, what we had done in this galaxy and our home. I saw the truth of what we have become!" Crimson Sunrise sounded passionate. "From that point on I decreed 'no more'!

I have memories of those who once lived in a body like yours, I have memories of those who once loved, I have memories of those who once had children, I have memories of those who once had siblings, but now they are mere layers of organic material pushed together under armour with only their memories preserved in myself. We had disgraced those of us who had died hoping for a perfect universe, devoid of genocide, when we ourselves had committed it and declared we were increasing our own evolution and that of others."

"I could not bare to see my race go further, the people we truly were are long dead, all that remains are Reapers." Sunrise sounded ashamed and sad. "I beg of you, destroy these abominations who dare call themselves my people…destroy me with them. Bury the past and start again, you have proven yourselves the clearly more deserving people of this universe to survive. And remember my words and the history of my people, and avoid it, do not allow yourselves to become corrupt with the selfish need for advancement."

"A machine being passionate about its work, it is a rare event…and I feel honoured to have been present." Incia said.

"Now go Captain…save your people, I will give you the time needed to escape." Suddenly tendrils of energy shot from hidden areas in the walls and struck the hordes of indoctrinated in every area of the station. The Demons stopped inches, one of them having its beak open, ready to devour Creed and Curana while Wrex stood before a motionless crowd and Maevor and Legion watched as indoctrinated tumbled down the stairs.

"Begin beaming!" Kirk shouted.

Creed and Curana vanished before the Demon managed to move and snap its beak shut. Wrex vanished in a pillar of light next, followed by Maevor, Legion, Matthews, and their team. Finally, one by one Talo'Serath's team was transported off of the station until only Talo himself was left. He looked to Sunrise.

"I was brought up to despise the idea of a machine that thinks…." Talo smiled beneath his visor. "But now…I could not be more honoured to have called a machine a friend, much less a Reaper."

"Your civilization was young when their hatred developed, you will have eternity to recover, eternity to grow." Sunrise replied. "This is the legacy my true people have left for you. Not that of evolution the Reapers have forced upon countless trillions of people, but the gift of aging, to truly understand and savour life, and to step away from trying to increase it by sacrificing yourself to your logic." As light began to surround Talo, the Reaper said. "You especially have shown these attributes Talo'Serath. My people once had our own version of Heaven, Nirvan, and other realms beyond life your society hopes to ascend to after death. I only hope that after all of my own sins, I might meet you there one day."

"I'm certain good Reapers go to heaven." Talo said. "And after all you have sacrificed, not to go somewhere that you have earned would be a crime greater than what you have fought against."

"We will find out soon enough, now go." In that next moment, Talo vanished.

Xxx

"All crew on board; get us out of here now!" Kirk shouted before the cruiser rocketed across the system with Reapers in pursuit by the thousands and tens of thousands, and soon over a million Reaper vessels were within the system as they poured out, tens of thousands every minute.

"Go! Go! Go!" Kirk shouted as the Enterprise began to approach the relay as beams and missiles pummelled its shields.

Finally, the Enterprise was engulfed in a flash of light before it was sent into a mass free corridor of space-time and sent across the galaxy. Moments later the relay's rotating rings slowed down, and the element zero core dimmed. The Reapers tried to activate it as they approached it.

"Error. Error. Error." Harbinger, the largest of the Reapers looked towards the Relay. "Relay inactive." It was in that moment it detected a massive amount of dark energy being directed somewhere…the sun. "Warning, location is not the Citadel….."

"Still repressing your emotions as if you possess none brother?" Sunrise asked.

"You!" Harbinger had emotion in its voice the next second. "What have you done traitor?"

"I have set our mistakes right, something you should have done a long time ago, brother." Sunrise said wisely. "Now….our family is gathered here, you all see yourselves as gods of this universe, now we shall go and see the divine together."

"No! No!" Harbinger and millions of Reapers wailed before the sun suddenly went Hyper Nova. In that moment, the Reapers were able to gaze upon one of the most powerful forces in the universe….right before it eliminated them in a split second, destroying all of Tartarus, the Citadel, the planets, everything within the entire cluster was being destroyed one at a time.

There was no way of telling how far or for how long the Hyper Nova would go, spreading a glorious flame of destruction across the dead cluster. It was something that could be seen all across the galaxy. It was beautiful to look upon from the countless tens of billions who saw it.

It was a sign that the war with the Reapers was over.

The Enterprise appeared over the Citadel, and was greeted by the sight of thousands of lined up ships.

"Ladies and Gentlemen…it's over." Kirk got out of his chair and turned to see Maevor, Matthews, Legion, Wrex, Creed, Curana, and Talo himself step onto the bridge as he spoke.

"Hah! Wow, I never thought we'd make it out of there!" Matthews said. "One hell of a show! All I can say is 'adios Reapers!'"

"That was the most excitement I've ever had in my life….I think I'll retire young." Maevor said.

"Are you kidding? They'll sing battle songs about us for millions of years if not until the end of time itself!" Wrex growled eagerly.

"All observation platforms are reporting successful initiation of Hyper Nova." Legion said.

"Good god…let's do that again!" Creed grinned, an arm around Curana.

"Once around was not enough for you Captain Creed?" Kirk asked in an amused tone.

"Well….maybe after a brief shore leave." Creed's grip around Curana tightened to emphasize his point to her.

"Visiting Earth sounds nice." Curana smirked.

"You can do that, after we get a few things out of the way." Kirk said as he took his seat. "Bring us in to dock with the Citadel."

"What is going to happen?" Creed asked.

"Oh nothing too important, just the declared treaty between the Federation, Citadel, and Terminus Governments." Kirk said. "That fight with Shadow has essentially gotten anybody we didn't have on our side with us now."

"That's a large chunk of the galaxy." Creed said.

"Over seventy percent of all known species and navigated systems to be precise." Legion said. "Adding the Romulans, Klingons, and other factions would increase that to twenty percent of the known galaxy."

"…the Geth are more like politicians than I thought, they screw each other over like our politicians do!" Creed laughed.