A/N: I'm not sure if everyone saw my update, so I'll say it again, I've recently lost the ability to use Microsoft Word on my home computer(don't suggest Abiword or LibreOffice because they don't have the functions I need) so I only have my work computer, add that to being only a part time workers, I only get 2 to 3 hours(if I'm lucky) in a five day week. Sorry if my updates won't be as soon as usual. But enough about that, on with the story...
Returning to Ganto and Benezia, the duo could see Revan and Cina seemed to have gone through an ordeal. Cina in particular, her face was slightly paler then before. Benezia approached her as she asked her, "Are you alright, Cina?"
Cina forced a smile and replied, "I'm fine. Just a little shock but I'll be able to fight."
When they were ready, Shadow team prepared to open the door. Ganto, Shepard, Tali and Cina where on the right side of the door as Wrex, Revan, T3 and Benezia waited on the left side. Tali opened the door to the bridge only to find a geth Destroyer waiting for them. The geth immediately launched a Carnage once the door opened and he started to charge toward them. Before the geth could get close enough to use the shotgun, Benezia grabbed it with a Biotic Lift. With it helpless in the air, the team unleashed against the machine until the eye shut down.
Over the comm. Captain Kirrahe noticed something odd in the geth tactics, "The geth are turning from your position, Jaeto. Looks like Shadow kicked a sensitive spot! Hunters, head them off! Hold them out here!"
Soon after the geth fell down and they heard the update, Revan turned to the others, "I'm sorry to say Shepard but we must part ways soon." Revan then used the comm. "Hunters, this is Shadow Two. Initiate phase three. Repeat, initiate phase three."
There was an angered roar that rang on all of their comm. channels before Trossk finally ordered, with much distain about it, "Hunters…fall back… Jaeto, Aegohr… give us cover fire!"
Revan turned to Shepard, "Now it will be up to your team, Shepard. T3 has informed me the controls for the AA guns should be close by, but we will unfortunately have other things to attend to."
Wrex questioned his plan, "What's so important that you're going to leave?"
Cina explained for Revan, "At this point the geth are aware that we have infiltrated. We're going to join Captain Kirrahe and the other teams to draw more of the enemy away for you. After the AA guns have been disabled your crew will plant the bomb and we all evac after the charge has been set."
Shepard wasn't sure about this, "Are you sure this is the only way?"
Revan had that smile of his underneath the mask but kept his voice calm, "There are, but they don't offer the possibility for everyone to make it out of here alive. No plan is ever perfect and often falls into place. We must adapt with the changing situations. But let us at least leave this building before we part ways once more."
They slowly entered the room they encountered Rana Thanoptis. Ready, Shadow team prepared for what awaited beyond the next door. Ganto opened the door but as soon as he did, the bridge in front of them, that was originally drawn, started to lower. Before the two segments connected, three krogans in full combat armor were stationed next to a door with shotguns. Ganto pulled out the sniper feature on the assault rifle and fired on the closest krogan. The energy bolt easily burned through the kinetic barrier and armor as it continued through the krogan's skull, out through his back and into the door. The two krogans were unprepared for the rather quick death of their comrade but soon opened fire against them.
One of the krogan made a mad run charge at the group only for Benezia to catch him in a Biotic Lift. Shadow team turned their focus on the last krogan as it continued to fire his shotgun despite the distance. The combined attack from Shepard, Wrex and Ganto quickly brought the last krogan on the ground down. Cina grabbed her Charric as she took her time aiming at the lifted krogan. Before the Biotic attack was released, the Jedi Exile fired and the round was slowed slightly by the kinetic barrier but the energy damage quickly burned through that and the krogan's armor. Revan then grabbed the floating krogan and sent it flying out into open water.
Revan turned to Shepard and gave him a slight bow, "Now you are Shadow team. I look forward to working with you again, Commander. May the Force be with you." With that Revan, Cina and T3 moved to the drawn bridge they had crossed earlier. The two Jedi extended their arms as the bridge was forcefully lowered, the sounds of gears grinding and metal bending echoed around the small basin. With the bridge completely lowered, they moved on.
Separated from Shepard now, Revan and Cina were working their way back though the facility. They made a few shortcuts, using their lightsabers to cut through the walls and any opponent in their path.
Revan stopped at one of the rooms they cut into and turned to the droid, "T3, what do you think?" The droid whistled then Cina tossed Revan a brown metal ball. Revan pulled it apart then tossed one half to the roof above him and the other was tossed to the wall they had walked through. Cina pulled out another ball and split it like Revan. As she placed her two halves in two different locations, Revan started to cut a new exit for them.
Cina advised, "You'd better hurry. The timers are short."
The others had already left as Cina finished placing the final charge. She used her Jedi powers and accelerated her movement to run through the hole. Revan and Cina both picked up the sliced section and sealed the hole as the others continued to run down the hallway. With the hole sealed again, Revan and Cina ran toward the others.
After a grueling fight against a group of krogans, geth hoppers and a few geth drones Shepard, Wrex and Tali reached the controls for the AA guns. As Shepard and Wrex secured the area, Tali powered down the guns and reported to the others, "AA guns are down."
Kirrahe responded to the report, "Good work on the gun, Shadow team. Now it's our turn."
Suddenly large explosions shock the facility diverting the geth over to the source.
After back tracking out from the front lines, the Hunters had returned to the Ebon Hawk, still untouched by the geth. Trossk quickly moved to the cockpit as he started up the ship's systems. Esura had climbed up to the Hawk's dorsal dual turbolaser turret, even HK-47 manned a gunner's position, ready to activate and fire the concealed ventral anti-personnel repeating blaster. Now they just had to wait for the report that the AA guns were disabled and they didn't need to wait long as a report from Shadow team soon came through, "AA guns are down."
Trossk grinned, "It looks like the plan is falling into place perfectly."
Even HK had to agree to a degree, "Unnecessary Admission: I had my doubts that the Master's plan would success as such, but only because of the other meatbags."
Ignoring HK's comment, Trossk warned Esura, "Strap yourself in and prepare to shot down anything we come across. And assassin, don't kill the salarians."
Esura scoffed at the lizard controlling the Hawk, "Just make sure to keep this tin bird steady. And try not to get hit."
Soon alarms started to set off as HK-47 reported, "Warning: We have Interceptor and Fighter class vessels moving on a predicted intercept coarse. Advisement: It is recommended that we prepare for ship-to-ship combat."
Shadow Two had cut their way through the facility and emerged behind the enemy that Kirrahe and the other teams were fighting. Revan and Cina charged the line as their lightsabers made short work against them. Ganto, Benezia and T3 provided support as they took down geth and krogan that were outside the Jedi's lightsabers.
Kirrahe rallied his men after seeing Revan again, "That's it. We need to clear the geth and set those charges."
With the area cleared, Shadow Two moved to meet the others. Ganto was the first to speak as he saluted, "Commander Rentola."
Rentola was not expecting to see Ganto, "Lieutenant Imness. I thought the worst had befallen you. Are the others with you?"
Ganto turned away in shame, "No. They captured us and experimented on the others." Ganto soon change the subject, "Commander, where's the Captain?"
Rentola pointed off to the power relay, "The Captain and Williams are setting charges now."
Just as he said that, Kirrahe and the others were seen running toward them shouting on the comm., "Charges set! Everyone bunker down. Bunker down!"
Everyone took cover just as the explosion took out the rest of the AA defense grid. The pilot of the Normandy soon was on the comm. "All right! Nice work. That's one less thing to worry about."
Kirrahe and the others returned to the Rentola's position. "Revan. The plan seems to be proceeding far better than I was expecting. Lieutenant?"
Ganto saluted again, "Captain."
Kirrahe then asked, "Are the others…"
Rentola answered for him, "No, sir. He's the only one."
Revan turned to Williams, "Chief Williams, it is time for you to rendezvous with Shepard. We'll hold here, try to draw their attention a bit longer so you can have a clean shot through."
Kirrahe then sent two men with her, "Len, Jorda, go with her. Give her support and evac on the Normandy."
Both STG members saluted and echoed, "Yes, captain."
Cina added as they left, "May the Force be with you."
As Williams left a voice soon shouted over the comm., "Incoming!" The flaming wreckage of a geth dropship was falling on their position.
They ran trying to escape the crash zone, running away from the facility. Revan and Cina both stopped to turn around and use the Force to create a Force barrier around the group as debris started rain down from the initial impact. Soon the Ebon Hawk flew over as fighters in the shape of shrimps with blaster fire coming from the Hawk's dorsal turret.
As the battle only intensified in the skies above, the surviving geth and krogan from the crashed dropship started to find their way out. Revan pulled out both of his lightsabers shouting, "We need to hold our position until Shepard's people can arm the drive core and our ship can pick us up." Cina stood next to him as the others took positions behind rocks and anything else for cover.
"Damn machines are persistent!"
Esura shouted to the pilot, "Well if you could fly straight I could shot them!"
As the two continued to fight both the geth and each other, HK was trying to find the hangar where the fighters were originating from. "Interjection: If I may end this meatbag argument, I have located the hangar where many of the fighters are located. Recommendation: I believe the best course of action would be to eliminate this threat before they become a further problem."
Trossk never liked agreeing with anything HK-47 ever said but it had a point. "Give me the coordinates."
After a few moments of fancy flying techniques and Esura's sharpshooting, the Hawk had arrived to the opening of the hangar. HK-47 activated the hidden anti-personnel repeating blaster and started to shot at any krogans and geth he spotted within the hangar as Trossk went crazy with the two dual heavy quad laser cannons on the sides of the Hawk and devastated everything within. "Commentary: Even though we do not often see 'eye to eye', I can say that was a rather brutal display. I liked it."
Esura found the last two fighters left as they fired missiles. She tried to shot all of them down but the turret started to feel sluggish. "Incoming missiles!" The hovering ship took off as the missiles continued to follow hot on its trail. The Ebon Hawk evaded as Esura tried to get a shot off to blast them. "Hold it steady!" With the Hawk level, Esura was able to shot down the missiles. The fighters soon started to close the gap but they weren't firing any missiles. Esura didn't care as she started to track them. "Your mine…" Without hesitation the Kaleesh pulled the trigger and shot down the first fighter. The second fighter preformed a barrel roll to avoid the debris of its comrade only for Esura to have fired the next set of shots that destroyed the fighter's 'head', killing the pilot. The two fighters plummeted into the ocean below, sinking to their water graves.
Having placed the bomb, Shepard received a distress call from Williams. Alenko advised his commander to help them while he preps the bomb to be activated. Shepard took Garrus and Wrex to help Williams and the others who were pinned at the AA tower by geth. After dealing with a group of krogan and a pair of geth hoppers, Shepard was about halfway to the AA tower when a geth dropship flew overhead. As they watched Wrex couldn't help but say, "Damn. Geth are sending in reinforcements."
Williams saw this and tried to warn the others, "Heads up, L-T. We just spotted a troop ship headed to your location."
Too late, as Alenko reported, "It's already here. There's geth pouring out all over the bomb site."
Shepard asked the lieutenant, "Can you hold them off?"
Alenko quickly replied as he took cover, "There's too many. I don't think we can survive until you get here. I'm activating the bomb."
Shepard yelled, "Alenko, what are you doing?"
Kaidan replied, "I'm just making sure this bomb goes off. No matter what." A moment of pause as Kaidan activated the nuke as Kirrahe showed him, "It's done, Commander. Go get Williams and get the hell out of here."
Ashley was convinced Shepard should save him instead, "Screw that! We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Alenko."
Shepard leaned over a guard rail, forced to choice between two crewmembers, two friends. He was under pressure as the bomb's timer was set for eight minutes. Finally making a decision, Shepard ordered, "Williams, radio Joker and tell him to meet us on the AA tower."
Reluctantly she replied, "Yes, Commander. I…"
Kaidan tried to reassure her, "It's the right choice and you know it, Ash."
Trying to be optimistic, Shepard told his lieutenant, "Stay alive. I'll be coming to get you too, Kaidan."
Kaidan knew better, knowing the time it would take to rescue both and the timer set to the bomb, "I think we both know that's not going to happen, Commander." Shepard turned away in disgrace for himself for failing his friend. Soon after the comm. channel closed, Shepard grabbed his assault rifle and moved on.
As more geth continued to push toward them, reinforcements were cutting away at the crashed ship to provide support. Revan sensed a disturbance in the Force just as T3 detected the core's activation. The little droid started to beep and whistle crazily yelling at Revan and Cina to make sure at least one of them heard him in the middle of this battle.
Revan and Cina both heard the droid, Revan fell back to cover as he contacted Trossk and HK-47. "Hunters, the core has been activated. Repeat, the core has been activated. We need evac soon!"
Trossk replied, "We'll be there soon as we can. We just need to take care of a few friends that want to play with us."
Revan moved from his cover and behind Cina as she continued to deflect as many shots as she could and even T3 moved from his position to provide cover fire for Revan. Kirrahe tried to grab Revan's attention, "Revan, get back to cover or pull out those lightblades!"
Revan ignored the captain as he started to focus his mind on the downed dropship. The few geth that were fighting were suddenly pulled back to the ship almost as if it was magnetized but thing only started to become strange. Revan started to lift both of his arms as they were struggling against something, but at the same time the downed dropship started to shake and shiver. It was suddenly lifted out of its muddy prison as the ship continued to rise with no obvious signs that the engines were operating. As the dropship continued to rise up, Revan's hands were mimicking the motions as if he was carrying the massive vessel. The salarians continued to fight off the geth as creaking soon started to come from the ship. The geth reinforcements rushed forward and opened fire on them. Revan's hands, now at chest level, suddenly clasped together and the dropship that now hovered over the enemy was forcibly crushed into a massive ball of twisted metal. The others watched in awe as Revan's hands let go and he seemed to drop something from them. At that very same instant the metal ball that was formally a geth dropship dropped twenty feet onto the enemy, crushing all in its path.
This new blockade would take the geth much longer to try and cut through. All of the STG members and even Matriarch Benezia were amazed by the extraordinary deed. Benezia even confessed, "Not even with my training, I would never be able to mimic such a feat."
Kirrahe asked Revan, "How did you do that?"
Revan turned to answer, "With the Force there are no limitations that cannot be overcome." Before anything more could be said, the Ebon Hawk flew overhead finding a place to land.
A/N: Now, I've had the voting going on for a while now, and the votes have show Williams was favored over Alenko. I'm sorry to all the Kaidan fans, but beside the votes, I always felt that Kaidan was a closed book only adding chapters(yes, I liked his back story, but other than femShep, who else does he have?). I usually saved Ashley because she had family still around that she keeps in contact with and she has fought an uphill battle because her grandfather did what was best for his men and the civilians during the Relay 314 Incident(but again that's just what I saw). Now unlike the Normandy, the Ebon Hawk doesn't have stealth systems so they were visible on most radar.
