*OMEGA-4 RELAY*
SAHRABARIK SYSTEM

There it was: The Omega 4 Relay.

Even compared to the Alpha Relay, the Omega-4 Relay was a giant beast of a thing. In all the thousands of years, ever since its first discovery by the asari, all had seen fit to give the massive relay a wide berth. Its red coloration, as well as its unusual size, had been the topic of speculation and scientific study for millennia. Of course, the fact that the relay grabbed nearby ships and hurled them into black holes at the center of the galaxy seemed to discourage any up-close scientific study.

Now, as the Normandy drew closer and closer, it seemed to loom ominously, commanding the entire region of space. Many centuries ago, the krogan and the asari had towed a second (more traditional) inactive relay into the system, in order to open Omega up as a trading center for the Terminus System, a feat that had taken nearly a trillion of today's credits to achieve, as well as the entire Battle-fleet of the Krogan Emperor. Then, its transportation and activation had been considered the peak of mass relay research, before the era of the Krogan Rebellions set the galaxy back another three centuries.

How many of us would be coming back, I wonder?

"Approaching Omega-4 Relay," Joker reported, easing the ship within the relay's Jump-Zone. "Everyone stand by..."

Shepard glanced over at me from the other side of the pilot's chair. I glanced over at Morinth in the co-pilot's chair, then nodded back at the Commander.

"Let's make it happen," she said, confidence in her voice.

EDI's avatar came online, with her in her battle armor. She saluted the Commander.

"COMMANDER, COLLECTOR IFF ACTIVATED."

The red tendrils of energy made contact with the ship, our speed increasing as each one sling-shot the vessel further and further along, faster and faster.

"SIGNAL ACKNOWLEDGED."

Oh, good. That means the Relay won't tear us in half IMMEDIATELY, anyways….

With a terrific whoosh and the blue of red light where blue usually was, the Omega-4 relay sling-shot into Faster than Light Travel, or FTL.

"Commander!" Jacob's voice called out over the ship's intercom, "The drive core just lit up like a Christmas tree…"

"Warning," Legion's voice added, "The drive core electrical charge is at critical levels."

"I'm rerouting…." Tali answered impatiently. The excess charge seemed to bleed off some as the quarian worked her techno-magic.

Ko'le's memories counted down the length of the trip compared the last time through this way.

And Three… Two… One.

"Brace for deceleration!" I called out. "PREPARE to pull up!"

Just as quickly as we had entered, we exited FTL. Just like in the game, ship fragments loomed just ahead.

"SHIT!" Morinth shouted.

"PULL UP!" Joker answered. "COME ON, BABY, PULL UP!"

With a stomach-wrenching twist that even the inertial dampeners could not account for, the ship pulled up just in time, avoiding a quick end to our mission.

"Whew," Shepard exhaled, "That was too close. Well done, Joker."

The pilot made no answer, instead looking out at the twisted wreckage that made up the extensive debris field before us.

"These ships…" he said slowly.

"Behold what remains of the Prothean Great Armada, my friends," I answered. "Behold the dashing of our hopes, and the end of our war."

Everyone remained silent as we drifted slowly through the field.

"Commander, Father," EDI called out, turning to me. "I have detected an installation at the edge of the accretion disk."

"That would be their Base," I confirmed, taking a look at the tactical scans. "Run another sweep of the debris field between there and here. I imagine there are some hidden surprises for anyone lucky enough to survive the jump."

Sure enough, the moment EDI scanned the nearby asteroids, small red dots detached from their hiding places in the asteroid and debris field, their stealth now rendered meaningless.

"Careful Jeff," EDI warned, "We have company."

Thin red beams began streaming towards the Normandy as the Oculi opened fire. Joker cursed as one of them made contact with our barriers.

"OK, now they're just pissing me off!"

"Oculus fighters," Javik confirmed gravely. "They will fan out in an attempt to overwhelm your ship's defenses."

"Well, then it's a good thing we upgraded," Shepard smiled. "EDI, take these bastards out!"

"Activating anti-fighter batteries. Turrets activated."

"All batteries," I called out, turning to face the two rows of seated crewmen. "OPEN FIRE!"

From the sides of the Silaris Heavy Ablative Armor installed on the Normandy SR-2, small turrets deployed in rows. Each of the sixteen turrets could either be controlled by EDI, or diverted to manual control by a crewmember. And there was no shortage of people willing to shoot some Reapers… Within seconds, the Normandy was transformed from a single solitary frigate to a floating Flying Fortress. A deadly cross-fire of turret fire crisscrossed through the vacuum of space, forming a labyrinth too deadly even for the Oculi.

"FUCK 'EM UP!" Joker called out as the Oculi were torn apart by our fire.

"Don't celebrate too early, Joker," Shepard cautioned. "Looks like they're sending out an old friend to greet us."

Sure enough, coughed from the depths of the base, like some undead thing emerging from the depths of Tartarus, came the Collector's World-Ship: the twisted, distorted remains of the Righteous Fury.

"Time to show off the new teeth," Shepard grinned, "FIRE THE MAIN GUN!"

"Aye-aye, Commander," Garrus' grin could almost be seen through the ship's intercom. "Firing solution in… Five… four… three…. two… one… Firing!"

The belly of the Normandy seemed to open and belch forth blue fire, like a vengeful dragon. The Collectors' own gun was still charging, but the blue beam struck the focusing dish on the edge of the main cannon. Multiple explosions rocked the side of the World-Ship in a series of chain-reactions as the stored energy of their Pulse Cannon now had nowhere to go…but OUT.

"How do you like THAT, you sons of bitches?!" Joker howled as the Normandy drew closer to the enemy ship.

"JOKER!" I called out in warning, "Sheer off! She's gonna blow!"

My words came moments too late. In a blinding flash of light, the remains of the Righteous Fury detonated, sending the smaller frigate into a dizzying tailspin, caught in the shock-wave of the explosion.

"Mass effect generators are offline!" Morinth reported through gritted teeth as we continued our spiral decent towards the Collector Base.

"EDI, give me SOMETHING!" Joker called out, panic at just the edge of his voice. "ANYTHING!"

"Mass effect generators are non-responsive," EDI replied evenly. "All-hands, BRACE FOR IMPACT."

Somehow, just before we careened into the side of the massive base, the ship straightened, coming down in a slow arc, rather than the deadly spin. With a screech and a horrible grinding noise, the Normandy made contact, throwing everyone who wasn't strapped down in a seat to the floor. For what seemed an eternity, the unearthly grinding sound of metal-on-metal scraping against one another continued, until, suddenly, and with a final lurch, all was quiet and still.

"REPORT?" I called out.

"Simon's arm is broken, Imperator," a nearby crew member reported.

"I'll be fine, sir," the crewman waved dismissively. "Some Medi-gel and a sling, I'll be right as rain."

I nodded.

"Anybody else?" Shepard asked. "EDI? Everybody ok?"

"Only minor injuries reported, Commander," EDI responded. "No casualties."

"Thank the Goddess for small blessings," Morinth groaned, straightening up.

"All squad members, report to the Briefing Room," Shepard called out over the intercom. "The easy part of this mission is over."

*SOME TIME LATER *
CSV NORMANDY

"EDI, how long can we stay here?" Shepard asked, pacing back and forth in the crowded briefing room.

"Unknown, Shepard," EDI reported from the central projector, now in her blue orb state. "I have not detected any internal sensor network in this installation, Commander."

Ha, Javik guffawed, folding his arms. "The arrogance of our enemy is revealed, Commander, as is their weakness."

"They never expected anyone to make it this far," I explained to the confused glances being exchanged.

"Big fuckin' mistake," Zaeed grunted, with the rest of the room chuckling of amusement at his assessment.

Shepard looked around the room, then leaned against the table.

"This isn't how we planned for this mission, but we came here to destroy the Collectors. WE can't start thinking about how we get home. We focus on one thing, and one thing only: getting the job done here."

Grim nods and a grimmer silence followed her words.

"EDI bring up your scans."

A tactical outlay of the Collector Base came online.

"We should be able overload their critical systems," Miranda explained, stepping forward. "If we can get to the main control center, here."

A red dot appeared near the very core of the station.

"That means going through the heart of the station," Jacob observed mirthlessly. "Right past this massive energy signature."

"That's the main chamber, there," I mused. "IF the Indomitable's crew is anywhere, they'll be there."

"There will be two main routes," Shepard said, a red line and a blue line appearing on the scan, "We can split up and keep the Collectors guessing."

"NO good," Javik pointed out on the map. "They're both sealed off. We'd need somebody on the inside."

"Here!" Liara exclaimed, tracing a third path on the hologram with her finger. "We can send someone through the ventilation shaft, here."

Tali shook her head. "It's going to get hot in there, and fast."

"Oh, gee, if only we had a specialized thief on our team whose suit is designed for that very thing!"

All eyes turned at Kasumi's sarcasm to see her apparently listening intently to her Omni-Tool.

"What's that?" the kleptomaniac asked her device, gasping in mock surprise. "We do?"

Shepard grinned, despite herself.

"Kasumi, you're up."

Kasumi nodded, saluting with a single finger.

"I won't let you down, Shep."

I stepped forward.

"My team will provide the other squad for the diversionary route," I volunteered. "I have a feeling our Prothean signatures will provide more than sufficient a distraction for your infiltration team."

Shepard nodded, then turned back to the table.

"I don't know what we're going to find in there, But I won't lie to you: we are in for the toughest fight of our lives. We've lost good people. We may lose more: we don't know how many the Collectors have stolen OR killed: hundreds; Thousands. What's important is this: NOT ONE MORE."

Fingers tightened on weapons, and biotics began to flare around the adepts amongst us.

"They want to know what we're capable of? They want to test our strength and the measure of this cycle's resolve? Let's show these bastards who they're fucking with!"

"Form up by your squads," I called out as the room began to empty. "Indomitable, we move out in Five."

I rejoined my team outside the Normandy, taking my first steps on the Collector Base. It looked like rock beneath our feet, but the ground gave, almost like a sponge. I took a look around at these heroes I had gathered around me.

Mira, the Citadel AI-turned-thief I had rescued from death and self-destruction.

Pyke, the loyal vorcha Sergeant-Major, stepped right off the pages of a novel of the British Empire.

Tallaxis, the loyal hanar, determined to do his part in the defense of his people.

Morinth, the deadly Ardat-Yakshi, pledged to turn her considerable destructive talents to my will.

Reyna, the young Thorian Seedling, saved from her father's death on Zhu's Hope.

Kolyat, the young drell who has overcome hatred and anger to become a proficient warrior of his own right.

Turro, the Raloian High Seeker, sent out by his people to explore this galaxy. Now here of his own free will, to fight alongside his friends.

Kai Leng, Cerberus assassin, given life beyond the one-dimensional villain status granted to him by the in-game universe.

Jane Shepard, the clone, given purpose and a duty for her own existence.

Basher, noble, kind-hearted krogan, wielding a War-hammer it would take two of his kinsmen to lift.

And Javik. My Brother, arise from the grave just as I was: Vengeance given corporeal form.

These were the heroes I had gathered in my time here. It was for this reason I came into this Universe. THIS is what set me apart from the game Universe. I had founded an army, and gathered heroes unto my banner.

"My friends…" I began. They paused in their various tasks to turn to me. In their gazes, I saw no distrust. No blame for the stranger who had led them into what was surely death for more than a few of us.

I have brought them all here to die.

TO die, that Shepard might live.

I shook the sudden chilling, fatalistic thought from my mind.

Whatever speech I had been mentally preparing stuck in my throat. I swallowed hard and tried again, to no avail.

"Father and Mother be with us today," I finally managed. "I am proud to have fought alongside each of you."

"EE-Rah," Javik answered simply.

Ee-Rah: "Remember."

Brave warriors are never forgotten, Kevin.

I'm sure of that, Ko'le. But sometimes they don't live long enough to be remembered…

We set out at a brisk jog, looking over just up and to the right of us to see the Normandy squad setting off.

"ABOVE!"

Turro's warning was followed with his Bolt-caster firing, sending a purple beam upwards to knock a winged Collector out of the sky.

Let The Battle Be Joined!

Beast's exultant roar escaped my lips as I brought my Rifle to bear, blazing away at the targets as they showed themselves. With eleven different gunmen, the Collectors who attempted to bar our way were swept aside quickly.

Here, Reyna armed and slung twin tech-mines, the Incinerate charges detonating mid-air, raining fire down on airborne and grounded targets alike.

There, Kolyat's modified Widow rifle took out three Husks in a single shot, the zombie-like human figures toppling over limply.

And there, Pyke deployed both bayonets on his Hornet SMGs, impaling one Collector and using the dead corpse as a meat-shield as he advanced from cover to cover.

Over the radio, I heard Kasumi arrive at, and pass through, each of the seven heat exchange points in the ventilation shaft. Our plan seemed to have worked for the moment: The Normandy crew was encountering much less resistance than we were, it seemed.

"MIRALA! Singularity!" Jane called out, green laser-pointer marking the choke-point ahead. The Ardat-Yakshi snarled, hurling a biotic orb forward, the azure blossom plucking our foes from cover, leaving them flailing helplessly midair. I rolled forward, focusing my own biotics, simultaneously with Tallaxis into a thin stream of warpfire to detonate the singularity, scattering the enemies in front of us.

"I don't want to complain, but it's getting hot in here, Shep!"

Kasumi. She must be at the eight exchange now… the last one.

"Shep…ard… hurry…."

"Vent the pipes, goddammit!" Kai Leng shouted over the radio, his usual calm demeanor broken. "Now!"

"Leng!" I called out. "KEEP IT TOGETHER! Press on!"

Javik and I locked eyes and nodded. Both of us initiated biotic charges, along with Morinth. Those units unfortunate enough to be between us and the door soon served to repaint those doors with their blood.

"Look out! Seeker Swarms!"

Sure enough, a black mist could be seen heading in our direction. I opened the doors and waved my crew in.

"OPEN FIRE!" I called out. "Morinth, Javik, Barrier!"

The asari and the Prothean grunted, both them sending a biotic wall in front of the open door to cover the

"We're in position," Shepard's voice came over the radio. "We need this door open. NOW!"

I looked over to see the door on the other, locked shut.

Shit!

I tapped Mira on the shoulder, pointing her towards the other set of doors.

"Go! We'll cover you!"

The Prophet of the New Geth raced over to the other console, fingers working in blazing speed.

"Something's wrong, the door is stuck!"

"FUCK!"

"NO, wait…Got it!"

The door flew open, and the Normandy squad poured in. Kasumi and Miranda were both supported by another crewmate's shoulder, I noticed.

"Suppressing FIRE!" Javik called out. "KILL ALL WHO APPROACH!"

Our group blazed away in an unholy storm of bullets, causing the Collector's countercharge to melt like wax in a blowtorch before both sets of doors slammed shut.

"Cutting it a little close, eh, Shepard?" I asked, and got a middle finger raised in my direction in reply. Leng was already on his hands and knees next to Kasumi, checking for her pulse.

"How is she?" grunted Miranda, wincing at the bullet wound in her side.

"Never mind her, princess, how are you?" Jack asked. "What the hell were you thinking, using your biotics to break the pipe like that?! Left you totally open!"

"I had to…get her…"

"Shut up and let me apply this Medi-Gel."

"She was unconscious when we got her out of the pipe," Shepard said slowly. "Mordin?"

"Miss Goto will be fine, Commander," the professor reported. "Miss Lawson, as well."

"SHEPARD! KO'LE!"

Jacob's yell brought us to the edge of the nearby ledge. Beneath us, locked down in the docking clamps, and already half-dismantled, was the remains of the Indomitable.

"So much for flying her home," Pyke observed mournfully.

"But the crew? Where is the crew?" Turro asked, peering into the depths beneath us.

Pods.

Kevin's memories of a liquefied Lilith from Horizon caused me whirl, suddenly noticing the pods arrayed along the wall for the first time. Half of them were already empty, black liquid staining the inside of the quasi-glass covering.

"THE PODS! BREAK OPEN THE PODS!" I yelled, leaping forward, Omni-Blade in hand. I punched through the lid of the first pod, seizing the flexible membrane-like organic structure and peeling it back. Inside was the half-dissolved face of a woman in a Conclave uniform.

FUCK.

Glancing over, I saw several of the other pulling humans from the ten or twelve pods that remained on the wall.

Forty crewmen had been on the Indomitable.

Eleven remain alive.

Damn.

One of the Conclave troopers was gasping for breath as Mordin was injecting something into his neck.

"Report, Trooper," I said slowly, but firmly.

"S-S…Sir," the human managed. "We were… overrun. Paralyzed… had no chance."

"What happened to the rest of your crewmates?" Javik interrupted.

Unmasked horror filled the expression of the former captive.

"M-M-m-melted, sir. Turned in fucking glue and sucked up…up the pipes."

The crewman's demeanor broke, and tears began to pour down his face as ragged sobs escaped his frame.

"Thank you, sir… thank you for coming for us…"

"They're in shock, Ko'le," Mordin said in a sorrowful voice. "Likely from the trauma experienced in captivity."

"These crewmen are in no shape to fight, Imperator," Javik stated matter-of-factly. "Kasumi and Ms. Lawson will only slow us down as well."

"He's right, Shepard," I agreed. "We should send the wounded back to the Normandy."

Shepard pursed her lip thoughtfully.

"I don't want to leave them here to make their own way. First sign of trouble, they'd never make it."

"I could accompany, Shepard," Mordin volunteered. "Provide medical attention to all who required."

"You're the best field-medic we've got, Professor," I objected. I turned to the Thorian in my squad.

"Reyna, you accompany the Indy crewmen back to the Normandy, along with Kasumi and Miranda. Kolyat, you're with her."

"No!" Miranda objected, rising to her feet. "I'm… I'm alright."

"Like FUCK you are," Jack dismissed, pulsing a light, almost gentle biotic pulse that caused the woman to stagger. "You get back to the ship, cheerleader. You survive."

Jack seemed to only then notice that everyone was watching the two of them, now very close. She backed away slowly, muttering something.

"Miranda, I need you to take command of the Normandy," Shepard insisted. "If we have to make a quick getaway, or worse, no getaway, you need to get back to the other side of the Relay and tell the Alliance, the Conclave, hell, everyone, what's going on here."

Miranda still didn't look pleased, but the quiet anger behind her eyes faded somewhat, giving way to a firm resoluteness.

"Acknowledged, Commander."

"We've done well so far," I added. "Now we just need to finish the job."

"Joker, can you get a fix on our position?" asked Shepard.

"Commander," our pilot answered. "The main chamber is directly above you. There's a security door blocking the way, but there's another passage running parallel to that."

"I cannot recommend that route, Shepard," EDI reported. "Thermal scans reveal that the alternate route is overrun with Seeker Swarms. Even Professor Solus' countermeasures will prove ineffective against so many."

"Conventional weapons are also useless against the Zha'til," Javik agreed. "We'd be torn apart."

"Perhaps not," Samara countered. "On our entrance, I found I was able to generate a biotic field to keep the swarms at bay. I will not be able to protect the whole party, but I could get a small team through, if they stayed close."

"Right then," Shepard said, after a moment's deliberation. "Samara and I will take a small team through while the rest of you create a diversion. We'll open the door and let the rest of the team through. Jack, Garrus, and Liara, you're with me. Jack, if it takes longer than expected, you'll need to help Samara support the barrier."

Subject Zero only nodded, and checked her weapon's heat level.

"Who should lead the diversionary team?" Miranda asked.

"That'd be me," I answered simply. "We'll keep them busy, and hopefully away from you."

"The Normandy's systems are just now starting to come back online," Joker reported, "We'll meet the wounded for a pickup."

"Relay the coordinates to me, EDI," Reyna said, opening her Omni-Tool. "Have emergency first-aid teams standing by."

The young Thorian looked up at me. I reached over and squeezed her shoulder gently.

"You'll be fine."

"We've all got our assignments," Shepard said grimly. "Let's move!"

Kolyat and his father were exchanging some quiet words in the corner that I could not make out, but both of their hands were on each other's shoulders, and their head were bowed.

A drell prayer, perhaps?

Thane was the first to draw back, giving his son a nod, which was returned. Then Kolyat picked up his rifle, and the Indomitable crewmen helped up Kasumi and Miranda, getting them back on their feet, and moving back the way we had come. Shepard's party moved off down a narrow corridor, a small door closing behind them.

I turned to the reduced party now left to me. By now, we had moved to the other side of the Main chamber, leaving the torn-apart wreck of the Indomitable behind us.

"We move fast and we move forward," I instructed simply. "If we let them bog us down, we're dead. We make it to the door, and then hold it against all comers."

"Acknowledged," Legion answered, charging his sniper rifle.

I looked over at Tali and nodded. She hit the door controls, and the bay doors in front of us opened.

"Move!"

"BLOOD AND FUCKING VINEGAR, chaps!" Pyke screamed. "EE-RAH!"

Author's Note:

It's rough winding down a story. You don't want it to come to an end, but you know it has to if we're going to get to Beacon's Effect 4: Reckoning. I was hoping to get through the entire Collector Base fight on this chapter, but the Thanksgiving holidays have really cut into my writing time. Next chapter will probably be the conclusion of this roller-coaster of a story. I hope you guys will like it. In this season of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for each and every one of you for sticking with me in the journey that these stories have taken us on. You've stuck by in Ko'le's Gary Stu-ing, in my cheesy lines and stilted dialogue, and through your PMs and reviews, I truly think (and hope) that my writing has improved.

Thank you all for your support, and keep the reviews and PMs coming!

EE-Rah!

-Tusken1602

Review Responses:

Katkiller-V – Not everyone will live….

Squadpunk 2.0, Blaze1992 – Yes, I figured that drunk Tali stumbling would be just the ticket to break up this serious flirting going on. We've all been there, I think, taking care of that one drunk friend who's inadvertently cock-blocking us.

KyuubiNodachi – Do Reapers count as Kaiju? I say yes.

Bearmauls, Nagato21, BJ Hanssen – For the Reaper indoctrination detectors, yes, those are canon in the Mass Effect Universe, but I figured that after 300 years of war, the Reapers might have developed at least one countermeasure to those, and on top of that, the Black Fleet had only just joined the Prothean Great Armada, so it's possible to mask Izzmenik's indoctrination for at least a little while? Anyway, those were my thoughts.

Toothless is best – I live, I die, I SHIP AGAIN! :P WITNESS ME!

BrotherCaptainShepard – Truth be told, I'm still broke up about Karin's death, my friend.

griezz – A lot of people have requested that scene between Samara and Mirala, so you may want to keep an eye on "Tales from Starlight Station…"

Deathknight999 – Well said, my friend.

SpecterXCove – Everybody has different reactions to looming and imminent death.

general-joseph-dickson, Kailstormfire – It will be interesting to see Ash in BE:4, I think.

Tahkaullus01 – We will see how good your predictions are, my friend.

tamagat – I prefer GarrusxTali myself, as well.

Pietersielie – Well, that's the general arc of the Mass Effect Universe, isn't it? It starts light-hearted and merry as we set out to catch Saren, but then we get further and further down the rabbit hole and closer and closer to doomsday. Kevin as the SI thought he could just waltz in and fix everything. Now, I think, he realizes that failure is in fact not so much an option as a very real possibility. There is plot-armor in real life.

Anny-Rudolph – Hey, Kevin is allowed to be a Harry Potter fan. :P

jackli10345, deadtrooper, Elvisfonz23, OBSERVER01, Zeru'Xil, shugokage, Dragons guard, RakSandman – Thanks, you guys! Keep up the awesome work, and keep on being YOU!

You all ROCK!

P.S: Thanks for notifying me of the typo, people. :P :D