Author's Note: Welcome to 2013, everyone! Hope you have a good year. Now, on to business. This long chapter will finish Mass Effect 2. I know I haven't done much (barely any to be fair) of Mass Effect 2 but that's because it is the exact same but with the addition of Alex-0704D. Mass Effect 3 is where things start branching off to a far greater degree. Also, for the most part, any science terms or weird gadgets are the result of me throwing some sciencey words together at random. So, to the Collector Base…
Onboard the Normandy SR2
"Approaching Omega 4 relay. Everyone stand by," Joker ordered over the intercom.
"Reaper IFF activated. Signal acknowledged. Drive core electrical charge at critical levels," EDI reported.
Alex glanced over to Brighter Than Light and Tali as they worked to ensure the ship didn't spontaneously combust. The Huragok clicked and whistled at Alex, which her armour translated for her.
"Right. This piece?" Alex asked, holding up a large grey box.
The Huragok whistled, managing to sound patronizing even as it whistled.
"Hey, I ain't an engineer. I don't know what a quantum charge matrix is. Or what it looks like," she responded, taking a slightly larger black box over to the engineer.
The engineer clicked a couple of times as it connected the quantum charge matrix to a power line, siphoning off some of the excess charge on the core.
"Brace for deceleration."
The ship jerked slightly as it exited the Relay before tilting into an almost vertical position. Brighter Than Light remained unaffected whilst Alex activated her magnetic boots. Tali, however, almost flew into the engine room before Alex managed to catch her. After a minute, the Normandy levelled out again.
Brighter Than Light floated over to the quantum charge matrix, which had been flung across the room by the ship's manoeuvre. It whistled once in satisfaction before floating off to attend to other matters.
"Thanks, Alex," Tali said.
"No problem. Just don't make a habit of it," Alex chuckled before going to attend to other matters.
After the plasma turrets solved a skirmish with a couple of Occuli, the Collector cruiser engaged the Normandy. A combination of the plasma torpedoes and the Thanix Cannon brought the Collector cruiser down but the resulting shockwave caused the Normandy's mass effect fields to shut off.
"Generators unresponsive. All hands brace for impact," EDI reported over the intercom.
Brighter Than Light clicked and whistled a couple of times as it worked at a terminal.
"Power being rerouted from emergency reactor. Engines back online. Landing gear online," EDI reported.
"What the heck? Where did that come from?" Joker asked as he swung the Normandy around a pillar before landing by a door.
"I believe Brighter Than Light rerouted the power into the necessary systems, Jeff. I did not expect the reactor to be able to cope with the power needed to power the engines. The ship should be safe for now, but in an emergency we should be able to move it," EDI told them.
After a planning session, the team split up. Whilst Tali climbed through the ventilation, Shepard, Garrus and Legion took the path right next to the vent and Miranda led the rest of the team along another path. After a moment Shepard contacted them.
"Second team - are you in position?" Shepard asked.
"In position. Meet you on the other side of those doors," Miranda answered.
Second team moved into the corridor, with Alex, Grunt and Jack on point. Sweeping her assault rifle from side to side. Alex signalled the all clear. Grunt and Jack moved past her while Samara came and crouched next to her. The two stayed where they were as the rest of the team moved past them. Once Thane had past them, the pair moved up. Upon hearing a new sound, the two turned.
"Collectors at our rear!" Alex shouted, firing.
Samara threw a warp at a Collector's head, killing it instantly. Thane, Zaeed and Kasumi added their fire to the pair's, keeping the Collectors back.
"More from the front!" Jack reported.
The rest of the team opened fire on the Collectors approaching from in front. The group slowly continued, fending off attacks from each side.
"Miranda here. We're taking heavy fire, but we're moving forward," Miranda told Shepard.
The team proceeded like that for a while until they reached a set of doors.
"We're in position. Just waiting for the doors to open," Miranda informed the Commander whilst the team arrayed themselves around the door.
Alex fired on a Collector that was trying to sneak up on Samara, who returned the favour by throwing another off the platform. The two continued to work in tandem, efficiently working together. When the door opened, Alex and Samara were the last ones through before Mordin shut the door.
With the team back together, Alex and Samara took a moment to catch their breath.
"Shepard! You need to see this!" Miranda said.
Looking around, the team found themselves in a huge chamber filled with pipes and tubes. The walls were covered in pods. Shepard moved over to look at a nearby pod, which had a young woman in it.
"Looks like one of the missing colonists," Miranda stated.
As Shepard approached the pod in question, Legion called to her from nearby.
"Shepard-Commander. Additional Humans," Legion stated, indicating the Normandy's crew in other pods.
Just then, the colonist started to move.
"My god! She's still alive!" Shepard realized.
The colonist started screaming as she seemed to dissolve. Despite her best efforts, Shepard couldn't get the pod open in time.
"Get them out of there! Hurry!" Shepard ordered.
The team sprang into action, working to get the crew out of the pods. Alex ran over to one and, after a moment's struggle, tore the lid off. Once the pods had all been opened, the team gathered round.
"Shepard? You… you came for us," Chakwas said.
"No one gets left behind," Shepard responded.
"Thank god you got here in time. A few more seconds and… I don't even want to think about it," Kelly said, shivering slightly in horror.
"The colonists were… processed. Those swarms of little robots, they - melted their bodies into grey liquid and pumped it through these tubes," Chakwas told them.
"Why are they doing this? What are they doing with our genetic material?" Shepard asked.
"I don't know. I'm just glad you got here before it happened to us," the doctor remarked.
"So are we. But we still have a job to do. We've done well so far. Let's hope we can finish the job," Miranda commented.
"Joker? Can you get a fix on our position?" Shepard asked.
"Roger that, Commander. All those tubes lead into the main control room right above you. The route is blocked by a security door, but there's another chamber that runs parallel to the one you're in," Joker informed them.
"I cannot recommend that. Thermal emissions suggest the chamber is overrun with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasure cannot protect you against so many at once," EDI warned.
"What about biotics? Could we create a biotic field to keep them from getting near us?" Shepard asked.
"Yes… I think it may be possible. I wouldn't be able to protect everyone, but we might be able to get a small team through if they stayed close," Samara agreed.
"I could do it, too. In theory, any biotic could handle it. Shepard, who do you want to maintain the field?" Miranda asked.
Shepard paused, thinking about it for a moment.
"Samara and I will take a small team through the seeker swarms. The rest of you provide a diversion by going through the main passage. We'll open the security doors from the other side and meet you there," Shepard ordered.
"Who should lead the diversion team?" Miranda asked.
"Miranda, you're leading the diversion team," Shepard decided.
"I'll keep the defenders busy while you slip in the back," Miranda said.
"What about me and the rest of the crew, Shepard? We're in no shape to fight," Chakwas pointed out.
"Commander? We have enough systems back online to do a pickup, but we'd need to land back from your position," Joker told them.
"We can't afford to go back, Shepard. Not now," Miranda argued.
"You'll never make it without help. I'll send someone with you. Mordin, get them back to the Normandy," Shepard ordered.
"Understood. Joker, transmit the location of the landing zone. Will meet you there," Mordin said.
"We've all got our assignments. Let's move out!" Shepard ordered.
Alex moved right behind Grunt and Jack as they moved into the hallway.
"Miranda here. Team is in position and waiting for your orders, Shepard," Miranda said from the middle of the group.
"The swarms must be interfering with the signal. We noticed that to a lesser extent when we were on Horizon, remember?" Alex remarked.
The team reached the door, turning to open fire on the arriving Collectors. They held their position for a couple of minutes, gunning down countless Collectors. Miranda continued to try to reach Shepard to no avail.
"I copy. What's your position?" Shepard finally responded.
"We're at the door. They've got us pinned down!" Miranda answered.
"We're coming; just hold on! Get this door open!" Shepard ordered someone at her end.
As the door started to open, the diversionary team started retreating back in whilst Shepard's team provided covering fire.
"Come on!" Shepard ordered.
As she backed into the room, Alex threw a grenade back into the hallway.
"Seal the door!" Shepard shouted to Samara.
As the doors slid shut, the team took a moment to catch their breath.
"Joker? Are you at the rendezvous point?" Shepard asked.
"I'm here, Commander. Chakwas and the rest of the crew just showed up," Joker replied.
"Mordin's group just arrived, Shepard. No casualties," EDI reported.
"Excellent. Now let's make it count. EDI, what's our next step?" Miranda asked.
"There should be some nearby platforms that will take you to the main control console. From there you can override the system and destroy the base," EDI told them.
"Commander? You got a problem. Hostiles massing just outside the door. Won't be long until they bust through," Joker warned.
"A rearguard could defend this position and keep the Collectors from overwhelming us," Shepard said.
"Pick a team to go with you, Shepard. Everyone else can bunker down here and cover your back," Miranda suggested.
"Right. Garrus, Miranda, with me," Shepard ordered.
"I'm ready, Commander," Miranda told Shepard.
"Same here," Garrus agreed.
"Anything to say before we do this?" Miranda asked.
"The Collectors, the Reapers – they aren't a threat to us. They're a threat to everything - everyone. Those are the lives we're fighting for. That's the scale. It's been a long journey, and no one's coming out without scars. But it all comes down to this moment. We win or lose it all in the next few minutes. Make me proud. Make yourselves proud," Shepard told them.
"Well said. Let's go finish this," Miranda stated as the platform they were on began to float away.
Replacing her assault rifle with her shotgun, Alex took up a position on one side of the door whilst Grunt did the same on the other side. As the door opened, the rest of the team started shooting. In spite of the team's best efforts, the Collectors managed to push into the room. What they failed to do was look to either side.
As the first group of Collectors passed them, Grunt and Alex shot them in the backs with their shotguns. With the group in the room dealt with, the team was able to push up. Eventually, the team was able to take the threshold of the door. Taking positions, the team held there, keeping the Collectors back.
"Shepard to ground team. Status report," Shepard barked.
"It's Thane. We are holding, but they keep coming. A quick exit is preferable," the drell answered.
"Head to the Normandy. Joker - prep the engines. I'm about to overload this place and blow it sky high," Shepard informed everyone.
"Roger that, Commander," Joker responded.
The ground team started pushing forward, moving toward the Normandy. Slowly but surely the team managed to push the Collectors back. Approaching the Normandy, the team kept the Collectors at bay. As they approached, Mordin, Joker and some of the other crewmembers appeared in the opening hangar, providing covering fire. As the ground team ran into the hangar, the ramp started to rise. Joker immediately headed off to the cockpit to move them closer to Shepard's location.
As soon as Shepard's team was aboard, Joker swung the Normandy around and soared out of the exploding Collector Base. As they cleared the edge of the explosion, the slipspace drive activated, tearing a hole in space in front of the Normandy. As the Normandy SR2 soared into slipspace, the remains of the Collector Base drifted in space.