Chapter 28: Reckless Gambles

"And you're sure about this?" Shepard asked seriously while facing Liara's holo-form inside of the communications room of the Normandy.

"I am positive, Shepard. The information that Mal discovered coincides perfectly with the data that you and the others procured from the Equinox facility that you raided." Liara replied. "I was also able to verify his claims regarding the salarians, ZEN and...yahg." she added quietly.

"I was prepared to face the remnants of Cerberus and a few rogue STG operatives, but this is way bigger than anything I was expecting. How is Equinox even managing to recruit anyone?" Shepard inquired.

"For the most part, they aren't. The bulk of their forces are humans who have been genetically engineered specifically for combat. Those without biotic ability are trained and dispatched as soldiers, snipers or engineers. The biotics that they create are placed in elite units and bear their insignia as a privilege. The most accomplished among their non-biotic infantry are allowed to bear their symbol as well. They've completely overhauled Cerberus' former biotic and human enhancement projects and I'm sorry to say, vastly improved them. Their Phantom and Dragoon units are proof of that fact. The truth is, even an ordinary Equinox trooper is far stronger than a soldier of similar rank from another military and their biotics may rival asari commandos." Liara explained in a dire tone.

"Where exactly are they 'engineering' these soldiers and for that matter, where are the ZEN building their platforms?" Shepard asked urgently.

"I don't know, Shepard. I've had my agents working to uncover everything that they possibly can without breaking their covers, but it hasn't been easy. I'm especially concerned about Project Zenith and the possible ramifications of its success." Liara replied solemnly.

"Superhumans, right? That is worrisome." Shepard concurred. "Mal really picked up a lot, didn't he?" he added appreciatively.

"Indeed, to be honest I had no idea that he would end up stumbling across something so important when I informed him of the job for Tevos. He also fought and defeated several elite Equinox operatives, not to mention the salarian infiltrators, ZEN and yahg. He is proving to be a remarkable warrior and so is Ethan from what I've heard." Liara said with a note of admiration.

"This is the second time that I've had to admit it, but Mal is reliable and a good man. I won't insult him by insinuating otherwise, not after everything he's done." Shepard conceded. "And Ethan isn't a child anymore, he's a man himself now. Ash and I have to accept that but we're still going to do what we can to minimize the dangers that he and Allie have to face." he added.

"Speaking of Allie, my sources indicate that she's been transferred to the planet Nepmos in the Erebus System of the Styx Theta Cluster. That must be a relief for you both with the pirates having been all but obliterated." Liara remarked pleasantly.

"A little, I suppose. Lieutenant Commander Montoya insisted that Allie and Zoe be placed under her command when she was reassigned. I heard they really impressed her while she was stationed on Virmire and she's always looking to improve her 'Valkyrie Unit' so I can't say I'm that surprised." Shepard replied casually.

"This Lieutenant Commander Montoya sounds rather...unique. An N7 graduate with an all female detachment under her command. I must admit, I'm rather surprised that the Alliance allows her such liberties in regards to how she arranges her unit." Liara said curiously.

"Well, she also only takes the best and her combat record is impressive to say the least. She may be a bit rough but she's also a damn good officer. Allie's in good hands and so is Zoe." Shepard stated respectfully.

"So, Allie is now under the command of an N7 veteran. Given her abilities, it is likely-"

"I know, Liara." Shepard quietly interjected. "With Ethan working under Commander Xuen, another N7 graduate, they'll both be poised to get a recommendation before long." he added somberly.

"Shepard...they will be fine and it is what they want." Liara said consolingly.

"Ash and I discussed it before I left, where the hell all the time went. Our kids are all growing up and facing their own battles. After the war I was sure that we'd never have to fight anything as sinister as the reapers again and now my kids are confronting a conspiracy that could undo everything we accomplished. I'm getting tired of these damn wars Liara." Shepard replied in exhaustion.

"I understand, Shepard. But remember, you aren't alone and neither are Allie and Ethan. I hope that knowing that gives you some measure of strength." Liara said warmly.

"It does and it always has." Shepard replied sincerely. "So, now comes the hard part. Warning everyone and trying to convince Councilor Faydra that something's rotten in her backyard." he added after a few moments of silence.

"I have already alerted Wrex to our findings, but he isn't convinced that the salarian government as a whole isn't responsible. He's still quite upset about what happened on Utukku." Liara remarked anxiously.

"I assumed as much. I'll talk to Wrex, in the meantime I've already reviewed the situation with Admiral Hackett and the rest of the Alliance brass. Garrus has been doing the same with the Primarch and the rest of the turian hierarchy. Tali's convened a meeting with the other quarian admirals and Emissary has alerted the geth collective. The rachni have also figured out what's going on and their soldiers are getting ready as we speak. This won't be like the reaper invasion, we'll be ready this time regardless of how the Council reacts." Shepard explained firmly.

"Bypass them entirely? I see you retained the lessons that you learned during the war." Liara commented while grinning. "The others are also preparing themselves for battle and so am I. I'm afraid that we won't be able to launch a preemptive strike against any of our foes due to their concealment, but as you said before, we can at least ready ourselves for the worst. I will continue to pursue any leads that I come across, hopefully they will allow us to weaken the opposition before they make their move." she added seriously.

"I appreciate it, Liara. I mean that." Shepard said gratefully.

"I know you do." she replied softly. "I should get back to work, I will see you soon, in a few months I believe." she added.

"It'll be one of the few things that I have to look forward to." Shepard said earnestly.

"I feel the same way." Liara replied fondly. "Goodbye, Shepard." she added before ending the transmission.

As Shepard stood in the silence that followed, he couldn't help but wonder what his two N7 hopefuls were up to at that moment.


"Alright ladies, who's next?" Lieutenant Commander Montoya laughed in a raucous manner while several of her subordinates groaned their displeasure. They had all just been fleeced by their commanding officer in a 'friendly' game of poker and weren't looking forward to a rematch. "Come on now, don't tell me I recruited a bunch of babies? Losing is part of learning so enough with the long faces." she humorously ordered.

Lieutenant Commander Alexa Montoya was, for lack of a better word, 'unique' among her peers within the Alliance. She was widely regarded as a superb CO and her unit was quite famous, not only for its successes in battle, but also for its unusual composition. The Valkyrie Unit, as its namesake would indicate, was an all female detachment. It was also comprised of the most skilled and decorated soldiers in the Alliance and a force to be reckoned with. The unit itself had originally formed quite unintentionally during the Reaper War on Earth. After a particularly brutal exchange with a group of reapers, a young gunnery chief found herself alone and without reinforcements. She eventually managed to fight her way to the resistance where she joined up with Admiral Anderson's soldiers. At that point she'd picked up stragglers from all across London, all of whom happened to be highly skilled women and the only survivors of their respective teams. They continued to operate even after the war ended and Lieutenant Commander Montoya herself was recruited during her days as a corporal. She ended up staying on until her CO and the founder of the group passed leadership onto her. It became one the many reasons that she was well known throughout the Alliance.

These days she found herself in the spotlight for many reasons. Being the unorthodox leader of an all female outfit, being a graduate of the N7 program and one of its most powerful biotic operatives and most recently for recruiting one of the Alliance's most famous rookies into her unit. Allison Shepard was young, but she'd already proven herself in several perilous campaigns and received several commendations. She was also the daughter of a legend personified and the older sister to another famous recruit. Her younger brother was every bit as accomplished as she was, in fact they seemed to be competing with one another. But Ethan Shepard was Xuen's problem and that thought always managed to bring a bit of amusement to Montoya who had always felt that the man was far too rigid for his own good. As the woman's lips began to curl into a smile while she imagined Xuen in various forms of distress, Allison Shepard suddenly approached her small poker table inside of their makeshift barracks.

"I'll play you, LC." she said pleasantly. "But you should know, I've had years of experience playing against Commander Vega and some other unconventional opponents." she added brightly.

"Don't get cute, Corporal." Montoya replied while smiling before shuffling the deck and proceeding to deal the cards. She was fully aware of Captain Shepard's inner circle of eccentrics. "And if you learned how to play from Vega, then this definitely won't last long." she chuckled. "Where's Private Taylor? I heard she was pretty good, too."

"She's performing maintenance on her firearms, ma'am." Allie replied evasively.

"Hasn't she been doing that for the last couple of hours? I know there's not much to do on this rock now that most of the pirates have had their asses handed to them and that it's been abandoned for a few years, but I figured she'd at least try and message her boyfriend or something." Montoya casually remarked.

"What makes you think she has a boyfriend?" Allie asked curiously.

"The same thing that leads me to believe that her boyfriend is your little brother. I'm not blind Shepard. I saw how they were looking at each other back on Virmire and I'd be remiss if I didn't pick up on the chemistry between the two. Relax, I won't bother invoking the infamous regs against fraternization. If I did, this entire unit would end up being dissolved along with most of the Alliance military." Montoya joked.

"Oh, that explains it then." Corporal Gowa interjected. She appeared to have finally recovered from her own loss against the Lieutenant Commander. "We were all listening to Galaxy Gossip earlier." she added casually.

"How can any of you pay attention to that trash? Especially you Shepard, they've been hounding your family for years and they still do from what I hear." Montoya remarked in an annoyed fashion.

"I overheard by accident, so did Zoe, I mean Private Taylor, ma'am." Allie quickly replied with a note of embarrassment.

"Fess up, Shepard. You wanted to know what your little brother was up to, just admit it." Corporal Gowa teased.

"I can already see where this crap is headed. Let me guess, they've got some doctored footage of him with another girl. Is it another frame up with that asari consort, Sha'ira?" Montoya inquired in a blasé manner.

"Nope and the footage is genuine. The young Mr. Shepard was caught red-handed with Councilor Castlebrook's niece. Apparently they were strolling the wards together, she even kissed him." Gunnery Chief Smith cut in from her usual seat near the window.

"Not you too, Chief." Montoya replied in exhaustion. "Two-timing her with a politician's brat, huh? He's got balls I guess. Not much brains though. It's funny because I've heard otherwise." she added curiously.

"If he has any sense at all he'll avoid coming home during his next leave. I'm personally planning to kick his ass and so are our mother and sister. I just hope there's enough left after grandma gets through with him." Allie remarked viciously. "Um, sorry ma'am." she quickly added.

Montoya simply laughed. She knew full well who the corporal's mother and grandmother were. Commander Ashley Shepard and Captain Hannah Shepard. They were both famous in their own right and not simply because they were Captain John Shepard's wife and mother, respectively. "Don't hold your tongue on my account, Corporal." she said jovially. "I guess we'll all have to pitch in and cheer her up later. And maybe you can get that mercenary boyfriend of yours to beat a few manners into him." she added mischievously.

"I doubt it, he and Mal are really tight. He'll probably have a serious talk with him though. Mal cares about Zoe as much as-Wait, how did you know about-"

"The Alliance has been keeping an eye on that guy for awhile now, The Terminus Hunter is definitely not someone you should lose track of, especially when he goes around wiping out pirate bands and obliterating dreadnoughts. And like I said before Corporal, I'm not blind. I did arrive on Virmire before he left." Montoya cut in as a devilish grin spread across her face. "The two of you were the source of a lot of rumors. I can't say I know as much about him as you, but I will admit that I like him. He pisses off Xuen, so he's okay in my book." she joked.

Allie found herself laughing and as she and her CO prepared to reveal their hands, they were promptly interrupted by the unit's lead engineer, Lieutenant Ellis. "LC, we just lost contact with one of our surveillance drones." she said urgently.

"And?" Montoya inquired sternly.

"And I think it may have been shot down." Ellis added anxiously.

"You think?" Montoya said in a severe tone.

"We lost contact with it near an abandoned mine, but the strange thing is we can't get a visual of the area." Ellis continued.

"Explain, now." Montoya ordered. She was officially on alert and the entire unit would soon be responding in kind.

"We know for a fact that the mine is there based on the preliminary information that we have on this planet. Over two decades ago it was occupied by deranged rachni that Captain Shepard ended up killing. Despite that, our instruments can't get a visual and the drone's final video feed showed a...ghost." Ellis continued further.

"A ghost, Lieutenant?" Montoya asked seriously.

"It was most likely an unknown hostile who was utilizing an optical cloak, ma'am." Ellis elaborated.

"Much better answer, Lieutenant." Montoya replied.

"Alright, Chief get the girls in gear and out front in five. Shepard, we'll finish this later." Montoya announced before departing the barracks. Several minutes later, the entire unit was prepped and ready to receive orders in the center of their base camp. "Listen up ladies! We've got possible hostiles who may have set up shop in an abandoned mine west of our current location. Chief, I want our turrets online and ready to fire. Ellis, triple check our field monitors and keep me posted. If a pyjak manages to take a piss twenty yards near our position, I want to know about it. I'm taking a team to investigate, Corporal Watley maintain communications and be ready to send backup. Shepard, Taylor, Gowa, you're with me. The rest of you take up defensive positions and keep your eyes peeled. Move!" she ordered.

The unit reacted instantly as everyone scrambled to their assignments. "Alright girls, it's the Hammerhead for us." Montoya eagerly announced before leading the way towards an M-44 Hammerhead that was equipped with reinforced armor plating.

"Dad would've loved having one of these. Now that I think about it, he's probably got one now that he's back in the field." Allie pondered out loud.

"You're not worried?" Zoe asked curiously.

"Of course I am, but mom and dad have always been soldiers. It's part of who they are and I'm pretty sure they have a good reason for returning to active duty. I just hope that Will and Hannah haven't given them a hard time about it." Allie replied sincerely.

"So you've got another brother?" Corporal Gowa inquired.

"Two actually, so does Zoe. My youngest brother, David is actually planning to join the Alliance after he graduates." Allie explained.

"So the Alliance is getting another Shepard? That'll turn a few heads. Another hot shot biotic prodigy, every unit within arm's reach will be fighting over him." Gowa speculated.

"Actually, David isn't a biotic. Ethan and I are the only ones in the family who are aside from dad." Allie explained. After noticing Zoe's dour look upon mentioning Ethan, she quickly shifted the focus of their conversation back to David. "But he's really tough and hardworking. He's also getting pretty big from what I can tell based on the last holo he sent. I'm guessing that those training tips from Mal, Vega and your dad are paying off." she added while facing Zoe.

"I'm glad, David's always been sweet. Not like his lying, worthless-"

"Alright, hop in." Montoya ordered after they all finally reached the Hammerhead. Afterwards, they immediately took off towards the location of the abandoned mine. The journey didn't take long, the Hammerhead was after all a fast vehicle and their destination wasn't far. They weren't sure what to expect, but what awaited them shocked everyone.

A massive, black mech that was shaped like a centaur and armed with enough firepower to wipe out a small battalion was patrolling the perimeter around the entrance to the mine. It quickly took notice of the Hammerhead and opened fire. "Hang on ladies!" Montoya shouted before speeding the vehicle out of harm's way. The mech may have had the advantage in artillery, but the Hammerhead was far more mobile and Montoya was quick to exploit the advantage. She repeatedly opened fire on the giant while circling the battlefield as the mech struggled to target the vehicle. After shooting one final missile that promptly destroyed their enemy, the Lieutenant Commander swiftly parked the Hammerhead in front of the mine entrance.

"Was that some new kind of geth?" Gowa asked incredulously.

"No, it wasn't. My brother told me about these things and what usually accompanies them. LC, this is bad." Allie replied darkly.

"I know, Shepard. The intel that your brother and father have gathered has already been relayed to all commanding officers. If we run across a you know what, I'll deal with it. Understand?" Montoya added seriously.

Allie quickly nodded while Gowa appeared to be confused. Moments later they proceeded into the mine where they were greeted with a dangerous welcome. A small army of unidentified soldiers in black armor immediately opened fire along with several strange mechs. To make matters worse, a small squad of bizarre looking female hostiles armed with swords and bearing the strange insignia of a sun bearing a shadow on its surface began to agilely close in on the group. They immediately began to return fire after taking cover behind several large, antiquated mining utilities.

"Such nimble little bitches, aren't they?" Montoya remarked before opening fire on the advancing assailants with her N7 Valkyrie. "Our namesake, you know." she said calmly while winking at her subordinates. "Alright ladies, I'll deal with those ninja wannabes. You three cover each other and take out those synthetics and work your way to the soldiers." she added while grinning. Moments later she initiated a biotic charge, slamming into the sword wielding females and scattering them in all directions. Afterwards, she drew her own sword and charged it with biotic energy. "I'll show you how a real warrior uses one of these." she said while smirking before unleashing a biotic slash that cut through the entire squad of foes. After the last mystery female fell, she then erected a barrier before focusing its energy into a barrage of phase disruptors that quickly tore through the enemy soldiers and blew up several areas of the cavern where they were positioned.

"So that's an N7 biotic." Allie remarked in awe.

"We've got a lot of work to do if we want to get to her level." Zoe added quietly.

"Um, HELLO! Anytime you two want to jump in here!" Gowa remarked irritably as she continued to exchange fire with the mechs.

Both Allie and Zoe quickly snapped back to reality and diverted their attention to the synthetics. Allie reacted first by hitting them with an overload that destroyed many of their shields and outright obliterated even more. She immediately followed up with an incredibly powerful throw field that sent the remnants of their synthetic foes crashing into the wall of the mine. With the mechs down, Zoe went to work on the enemy soldiers, sending several into the air with a pull field and triggering a biotic explosion after releasing a throw. Gowa quickly gunned down the remaining opposition and before long, the mine appeared to be clear.

"Nice work, ladies." Montoya said appreciatively after regrouping with her team. "I think Equinox will think twice about screwing with The Valkyries.

"Who?" Gowa asked in confusion.

"Oh, right. The brass haven't released the info to the general troops yet." Montoya remarked leisurely. "Well, basically they're what's left of Cerberus. Except for the fact that they've rebuilt and renamed themselves and made an army of genetically enhanced humans and biotics." she casually added.

"What?!" Gowa asked in shock.

"I just explained it as simply as possible, Corporal. Try to keep up." Montoya replied in a cavalier manner.

"I don't blame her for being surprised, I still can't believe they're back myself." Zoe said sympathetically. Both of her parents had worked for Ceberus at one point in the past and that fact still bothered her.

"That's not even the worst of it." Allie replied. She proceeded to explain what she knew based on what Ethan and Mal had discovered.

"That's...really not good." Gowa finally managed to sigh after hearing her explanation.

"You have quite a way with words, Corporal." Montoya teased. "But you're right, this whole situation could be a problem for everyone. Most species have just barely begun to recover from the war with the reapers, we damn sure don't need another one. Especially one with the yahg, Equinox and another race of synthetics. The salarians had better get their shit together soon, otherwise someone else will." she added dangerously.

Afterwards, the group began investigating the area for clues. It didn't take long for Allie to locate and hack into a computer console. "What do we have Shepard?" Montoya asked sternly.

"Hang on a minute, I can't believe this!" Allie exclaimed. "LC, we have to get back to base camp, NOW!" she shouted urgently.

"Why? What did you learn?" Montoya asked seriously.

"They knew that a detachment of Alliance soldiers were being stationed here to monitor possible pirate activity, in fact they were counting on it. They're planning to deploy some of their own forces here to fight us." Allie explained.

"Why? Nepmos doesn't hold any significant strategic value." Zoe inquired.

"It's not about the planet Zoe, it's because we're here. They want to test some of their new weapon prototypes on actual Alliance troops." she continued.

"They wanna use us as guinea pigs?" Gowa replied indignantly.

"And test the effectiveness of some of the ZEN's new platforms, we've got to hurry back!" Allie shouted.

"Cocky sons of-Alright ladies, move out!" Montoya angrily ordered.

Within minutes they were back inside of the Hammerhead and speeding back to their base camp. "Ellis, Watley, Chief, come in!" Montoya shouted as she tried to establish communications with their allies. "Damn it! Those bastards had better not have anything less than a battalion if they want to wipe out my unit." she furiously added before accelerating the Hammerhead. As they made their approach, they quickly took note of several destroyed drop ships on the outer perimeter of the camp as well as the damaged remains of their own rocket turrets. Another drop ship was already depositing enemy forces while the rest of their unit was engaged in various skirmishes across the camp. "First things, first. That drop ship has to go." Montoya announced irritably before driving the Hammerhead towards the airborne nuisance. After closing in she quickly fired several missiles, promptly destroying the drop ship and its remaining occupants. "Alright, Shepard, Taylor, with me. Gowa, take the Hammerhead and mop up any oversized mechs that show up. Let's move!" she ordered.

Allie and Zoe quickly departed the Hammerhead and accompanied Lieutenant Commander Montoya as she fought her way into their base camp. As they made their way inside, Allie erected a biotic barrier, deployed her tech armor and drew her Phalanx while Zoe erected her own barrier and modified both their ammos to fire warp rounds. They were going to have a tough fight ahead of them. "Shepard, I want you and Taylor to find Ellis and work on getting at least one of our rocket turrets back up." Montoya ordered.

"Story of my life." Allie replied somewhat sardonically.

"Good, then you shouldn't have any problems pulling it off." Montoya added sternly. "Now go!" She yelled before disappearing into a biotic blur as she charged into a squad of soldiers who were closing in on several of their allies.

It didn't take them long to locate Lieutenant Ellis, who was already fighting her way towards the turrets with her combat drone in tow. The drone was doing an admirable job of keeping her enemies at bay with a steady flurry of electrical pulses that stunned anyone who got close while Ellis set them ablaze with incineration blasts released by her omni-tool. Unfortunately for her, she had become a target for more of the mystery 'ninjas', who were already closing in on her. Allie reacted quickly by hitting them with a reave quickly followed by a warp, triggering a biotic explosion that not only killed the aggressors but also several nearby enemy soldiers.

"Thanks for the assist, Corporal." Ellis said appreciatively as Allie and Zoe approached.

"No problem LT, but we've still got our work cut out for us. The Lieutenant Commander wants us to get at least one of the rocket turrets back online and based on their condition, I think we're going to need a miracle." Allie replied in exasperation.

"Well, turret one is down for sure. But I might be able to get turret two back up, but you two will have to cover me while I make the repairs." Ellis explained.

"Then let's get to it." Allie said confidently.

Moments later, Lieutenant Ellis was feverishly attempting to resurrect their one viable defensive turret while Allie and Zoe both gunned down every hostile who tried to close in. Ellis' drone was also aiding in their efforts and proving to be a useful distraction for their foes. After slaughtering several squads of soldiers, they began to attract the attention of a more dangerous enemy as a trio of large and heavily armed hostiles who appeared to be utilizing biotic whips, closed in on them.

"Damn it, Mal mentioned these guys!" Allie shouted while opening fire on the newcomers.

"Did he happen to mention how to kill them?!" Zoe shouted back while evading one of the enemy's attempts at lashing her.

"He's Mal! Enough said!" Allie replied in frustration before stunning all three of their attackers with an overload followed by an incineration blast that triggered an explosion.

As the mystery biotics fell, they were quickly followed by a four more biotic ninjas who quickly closed in. Allie immediately dodged and countered their sword strikes before retaliating with her omni-blade, killing a pair of the agile assassins in rapid succession. Zoe had already taken down her own attackers by detonating her barrier and following up with a few shots from her M-27 Scimitar shotgun.

No sooner had they finished off their latest assailants, when several roars began to echo throughout the base. "No, not now damn it!" Allie whispered angrily. But her worries were soon justified when a pair of yahg stormed the base and immediately split up to commence their rampages. They were both heavily armored and wearing what appeared to be omni-gloves. They were also each carrying an enormous gun, completely exotic in appearance and obviously dangerous. Lieutenant Commander Montoya wasted no time before closing in on one of the brutes with a biotic charge. Afterwards, she drew her sword and promptly severed the creature's gloved arm with a biotic slash before firing several phase disruptor blasts at close range. The monster immediately fell to her assault, which seemed to trigger a massive and frenzied response from the synthetic enemies who were on the battlefield.

"Kill Her, Kill Her, KILL HER!" they roared in unison.

A few seconds later, Montoya found herself being targeted by every synthetic in range while the remaining yahg advanced on Allie and the others. "Your dad killed one, so did Mal and Ethan. I guess it's our turn now." Zoe said resolutely.

Allie nodded her agreement before turning her attention to the monstrous foe that stood before her. "Damn you both for fighting something like this on your own." she quietly muttered before sending a cryo blast at the beast.

The yahg reacted by transforming it's omni-glove into a shield and blocking the attack. "So that's an omni-gauntlet, huh? Well mine's still better." Allie remarked derisively before blasting the creature with an overload. The yahg was thoroughly unfazed by the attack and proceeded to draw its strange gun and fire. The result was a concentrated beam of energy that Allie barely managed to avoid as it obliterated an entire wall of the base camp.

"What the hell was that?" Zoe said in shock before sending another wave of approaching soldiers into the air with a pull field before gunning them down with her Scimitar.

"I don't know, but he's trying to use it again and I'm not about to let that happen!" Allie shouted furiously as she bolted towards the giant. It was already preparing to fire another shot at Lieutenant Ellis and the damaged turret that she was still struggling to get back online. After making it within striking distance, Allie was nearly caught off guard when the yahg suddenly transformed its omni-gauntlet into a massive claw and took a swipe at her. After narrowly avoiding the attack, Allie quickly retaliated by detonating her barrier and then her tech armor as well. The two enormous and successive blasts quickly brought the yahg to its knees after decimating its armor and severely wounding the creature. Without hesitation Allie unleashed a reave that further ravaged the giant. Before the yahg could initiate any further struggle, she unloaded her Phalanx into its skull, finally dropping the monster for good.

"NO!" several nearby synthetics shouted in outrage before targeting Allie. She promptly tossed them all across the battlefield with a colossal throw field just as Lieutenant Ellis completed repairs on the rocket turret.

As the turret came online, it began targeting the gargantuan synthetic enemies who were engaged in battle with Corporal Gowa who was still driving the Hammerhead outside of the base camp. After being blasted by the turret, the mechs struggled to target it and Gowa who was quick to take advantage of their vulnerability. In a matter of minutes she succeeded in destroying the towering synthetic centaurs while the rest of Valkyrie Unit finished off what remained of the enemy incursion. Less than an hour later, Lieutenant Commander Montoya was surveying the damage to their base.

"Casualties?" she asked cautiously.

"None, we're all present and accounted for." Gunnery Chief Smith replied cheerfully.

"The base camp is pretty much wrecked though." Zoe added while scanning the area.

"Well at least my Hammerhead is okay. You did a good job out there, Gowa." Montoya said appreciatively. "In fact, you all did a good job considering who it was that we were fighting." she added proudly.

"About that LC, just who the hell were we fighting?" Gunnery Chief Smith asked seriously as she and the rest of the unit turned to face Montoya.

"Officially, that information is supposed to stay classified until Alliance Command decides to release it to everyone. But screw them. My girls just got a taste of what's to come and you all deserve to know how big this shit is. You've earned that much and more." Montoya replied defiantly. "So listen up, cause this may not be easy for a lot of you to hear..."

That day marked the beginning of a chain of leaks that would eventually lead to every Alliance soldier becoming aware of Equinox, the yahg, ZEN and possible rogue salarian operatives. It may not have been a very dignified way for word to have spread, but it did help disseminate information across the galaxy as the soldiers within other militaries quickly caught wind of the situation. The result was increased pressure on the salarian government to investigate its own and a decrease in Equinox's ability to move in the shadows. Neither party was very pleased with the outcome and they'd very soon be facing another difficulty in the form of a determined young mercenary and his equally tenacious crew.


As Mal stared into the blank and unreadable eyes of the old krogan sitting before him, he began to contemplate whether or not he'd made the right decision. Since their encounter with Equinox on Ilium, he and his crew had begun a furious string of preparations for their inevitable confrontation with the nefarious organization, the ZEN and the yahg. TED's expertise had helped them a great deal in modifying and upgrading the Apex. His talents along with Zade's would pretty much insure that the ship was in prime condition when the time finally came for them to engage in a few starship battles. They had also begun gathering what little intel that they could, but most importantly they'd spread word of Equinox on Omega. Aria had NOT been happy to hear of Cerberus' survival under a new moniker and was preparing accordingly. But even with all of their ship upgrades, weapon modifications and restocking of equipment, there was one fundamental thing that Mal knew he had to improve. Himself. It may have hurt his pride, but he had to admit that he wasn't confident that he could face the superhumans of Project Zenith and win. He wasn't sure that he could actually beat that Aries bastard.

And so, he decided to do what he'd always done whenever he felt weak. Train until he wasn't weak anymore. He decided to head to the most dangerous planet that he could think of, a planet in which every native life form engaged in some kind of predatory behavior. A planet that would either forge him into an even fiercer hunter or simply claim him as another nameless victim of its harsh environment. The krogan homeworld of Tuchanka, would be his training arena this time around and he wasn't alone. Brix and Mason had both decided to tag along in order to get tougher. So Mal found himself in the company of friends as he set out to gain guidance from someone as old and vicious as the planet itself. It had taken them weeks of pursuing leads from Wrex and every other krogan who'd managed to live for a few centuries, but they'd finally managed to track down the man they were looking for. A shaman who was rumored to be as old as the planet itself. Mal was certain that was an exaggeration but the old krogan sitting before him was at least older than Wrex. He was also undoubtedly elusive, Wrex had put it best when he said, "You'll only find him if he wants you to find him." Sure enough, the old krogan had seemingly appeared out of nowhere during one of the trio's numerous excursions into the desolate regions of Tuchanka. Minutes later, he'd beckoned them towards a small cave where they were all currently sitting.

"Two humans and a brat that smells different from the rest. Actually, this human..." the old man seemed to trail off as he examined Mal.

"Listen, uh-"

"Just call me Ra'Gen. It's served me well so far." the old man cut in as he continued to observe Mal.

"Ra'Gen, my friends and I came here to-"

"To get stronger. I wonder why though? You're already stronger than most humans, the other one is too and the brat is easily more capable than most of my people." Ra'Gen took a moment to laugh at his own words. "My people...my people, indeed." he added casually.

"I can't really explain why, just understand that we all have damn good reasons for being here." Mal said seriously.

"Of course you do. You seek to kill your broodbrothers. They share your origin, but the paths you walked have been vastly different. You were raised by one my kind and they were brought up by overly ambitious fools. It's an old story, human. The same premise with a few differences. We krogan have seen it play out for centuries, I've seen it play out for..." Ra'Gen stopped himself before turning his attention to Mason. "Vengeance, now that's a simple one. A goal and motivation that I can understand. But you won't be able to fulfill it, not as you are now. Your enemy is standing at the pinnacle of a powerful clan, surrounded by his students. His very powerful students. And part of you still clings to the notion of dying, pathetic." he added with a slight note of disgust before turning to face Brix. "Then there's you. A krogan who fights for everyone but himself. You're an anomaly, brat. Similar to Wrex but not quite. You also have a measure of control over your blood rage that's practically unheard of. Interesting." he remarked curiously before finally standing. "Well, this was entertaining but I'm bored now, so I think I'll go." he finally announced.

"Okay, we all get it. You're a really old, mystical sage and you can see into all of our souls." Mason said in false tone of amazement. "And now we're supposed to kiss your ass and beg you to stay and help us." he added sarcastically. "Fuck. This. Boss, we don't need to take this crap." he said irritably.

"He is kind of an asshole." Brix grumbled.

"Good point, see you later, Ra'Gen" Mal said casually before standing. It was one hell of a gamble, but somehow he was certain that the old krogan would take the bait.

"You are far stronger than an ordinary human and your biotic power could take you even further, if you learn to focus it inward that is. Your barrier is also a source of great strength. It protects you and devastates your enemies, but it can be more." Ra'Gen suddenly remarked serenely. "I can show you how to unlock its true potential and how to amplify your physical strength, if you aren't afraid to die, Terminus Hunter." he added darkly while smiling.

"If you really know half as much about me as you think you do, then you should already know that I don't fear death." Mal said resolutely.

"Then come." Ra'Gen ordered.

Without hesitation, Mal began to follow the old shaman and so did the others. They followed him for hours while traversing the most barren and dangerous areas of Tuchanka. Oddly enough, none of the planet's native and normally hostile life forms attacked them. The presence of the old krogan seemed to keep them at a distance, he definitely wasn't a typical krogan or even an ordinary shaman. There were plenty of stories about him: that he was older than Kalros, possibly insane, more powerful than an asari matriarch and that he didn't actually exist. The last one had at least been proven wrong. After hours of trekking across the forgotten recesses of the planet, they finally reached their destination, another cave.

"I hate this old guy, I seriously fucking hate him." Mason announced in between breaths as they all scanned the eerily mundane cavern.

"We're here, Hunter. Now get in." Ra'Gen promptly demanded.

"What?" Mal asked in confusion.

"This cave leads into the darkest depths of Tuchanka. It is full of creatures that even my people are unaware of and they will kill you without hesitation. You are free to defend yourself, but the only biotic talent that you are allowed to use is your barrier and any powers fueled by it. I also suggest that you practice focusing your power internally, otherwise you'll die for certain. Once you go inside I will seal the entrance. If I feel like it, I'll return later to see whether or not you're still alive. Does that sound agreeable to you?" Ra'Gen asked in a cavalier manner.

After several awkward moments of silence Mal asked the first question that popped into his head. "What exactly would stop me from using my other biotic abilities?"

"This." Ra'Gen replied casually as he struck Mal with an immensely powerful biotic strike that seemed to pass through his chest. Moments later, he was stunned to discover that he couldn't use his biotics, not even biotic strikes. He could only erect a barrier, just as the old krogan had commanded.

"Bastard! What the hell did you do to me?!" Mal angrily demanded.

"I answered your question, now quit wasting my time." Ra'Gen replied tersely before blasting Mal into the cave with a throw field. He then sealed the entrance by using his biotics to cause a small avalanche that brought half of a nearby mountain down.

"That's it, time to kill this asshole!" Mason declared before drawing his Raider while Brix drew his Evicerator.

Before the situation could devolve any further, several tremors seemed to shake the ground and Mal's voice could be heard echoing in the distance. "He says he's fine and that we shouldn't piss the old man off." Brix commented irritably.

"They know he's there now. Will he be the hunter or the hunted I wonder?" Ra'Gen pondered before laughing in a slightly maniacal manner. "Alright, now for you two." he calmly remarked before turning to face Mason and Brix. "Human, you possess a remarkable quality that krogan admire and strive for. Survival. Despite your pathetic attitude, you have succeeded in surviving horrors that would have killed lesser beings. If you were to completely dedicate yourself to survival, you would be even more formidable." he explained before facing Brix. "You are actually capable of much more than you've demonstrated up until now. As I said before, you possess a level of control over your rage that could prove invaluable. It gives you a distinct advantage and if you were to push it further, you could become unstoppable. Or close to it, anyway. Now, both of you follow me." he added leisurely.

Mason and Brix found themselves once more traversing the wilderness of Tuchanka as Ra'Gen led the way. After another ungodly amount of walking they eventually found themselves near the remains of the stroud facility.

"Why did you bring us here?" Brix asked curiously.

"To do this." Ra'Gen replied curtly before sending both men flying into the center of the wreckage with a throw field. "This was not only the location of the stroud facility but was and still is Kalros' territory. I plan to summon her and set her loose upon both of you. Afterwards, I will seal the boundaries around this area and leave. She will hunt you relentlessly and force you to cling to survival. She's a far more appropriate challenge then those threshers they set you against during the rites. I may return if I find myself becoming curious about what has become of you. Or I may forget about you entirely, who knows?" Ra'Gen once again pondered before laughing as a mad glint appeared in his eyes.

Moments later, the old shaman had disappeared just as Mason and Brix managed to get to their feet. "What the hell were we thinking? He's beyond nutty and-Wait, Kalros?! Isn't that the giant thresher maw that killed a reaper during the war? The one you all call-"

"The mother of all thresher maws, yeah she's the one." Brix cut in gravely.

Seconds later the sound of two maw hammers could be heard in the distance and an earthquake soon followed. Kalros was coming.

"Shit!" Mason cursed as he and Brix began the first of many desperate runs for survival.

After effortlessly shifting the entire region surrounding the ruins of the stroud facility with his biotics and effectively trapping Mason and Brix inside of Kalros' domain, Ra'Gen found that he was quite famished. He honestly had no idea what would become of the three children that he'd likely just doomed, but he did know where to get a few good ingredients for a stew that he was rather fond of. He would perhaps check on them after a few dozen sunsets, but only if he failed to find another means of amusing himself. They were rather interesting and the krogan would be needing their assistance quite soon.

"These wars are always so boring." the old shaman muttered before disappearing once more into the ancient and forgotten corners of Tuchanka while the trio of warriors that he left behind took the first steps in their collective ascents to power.