This is a work of fan fiction from all Mass Effect games owned by EA and Bioware. I do not claim any ownership of the characters or the Mass Effect universe. My thanks to Bioware and EA for creating an amazing story with characters we have all come to know and love.


Chapter 28: Infiltrate

Pressing the back of her head to the wall across from the debriefing room, on the verge of sweating, Ellure paced her breaths as the metal chill seeped through to her scalp. She was Commander Shepard. She had to keep telling herself that. No one wanted to see a frightened and anxious leader.

She adjusted her breastplate till it fell straight across her chest. Get it together, Ell. You've got family in there. It's more than personal now. Harbinger can take his Collectors and shove them right up his chicken-shit, synthetic-bug ass. She snorted. Jack would have liked that one.

The door panel's green light held heavy as she touched the marks in her wrist guard. Every muscle in her body begged to quiver, but she wouldn't let a single one have its way today. Her crew, her love, and humanity were at stake. This was no time for selfish "instincts".

Entry doors hissed aside, and she absorbed the sight of her team gathered around the table. No other group in the galaxy would be able to get this done. This was the best, and they were ready.

"Alright. Listen up. This isn't how we planned this mission, but this is where we're at. We can't worry about whether the Normandy can get us home. We came to stop the Collectors and we need to come up with a plan of attack. EDI, show us what you've got."

A holographic image of the collector ship's skeleton decorated the center of the table as EDI's steady voice carried out, "You should be able to overload their critical systems if you get to the main control here."

Everyone's eyes locked onto the highlighted zone. Jacob brought up his Omni-tool. "That means going through the heart of the station. Right here past this massive energy signature." he said, pointing toward a brightened cluster deep in the belly of the beast.

"That's the central chamber." Ellure paused, then added, "If our crew or any remaining colonists are alive, chances are good that's where we find them."

"Looks like there are two main routes." Jacob said, continuing to lead her gaze through the holo. "Might be a good idea to split up. Keep 'em off balance, then regroup in the central chamber."

Miranda interjected. "No good. Both routes are blocked. See these doors? The only way to get past them is to have someone open them up from the other side."

She winked to Grunt. "A few well-placed explosives should clear a path."

He bumped his fists together and shook out his arms in enthusiasm. "I like this human."

EDI said, "There is insufficient ordinance on board to create an explosion capable of damaging the interior walls."

Grunt frowned while Ellure crinkled her brow and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Thank you, Buzz Killington... Fine, we'll use stealth. Someone could sneak through the ventilation shaft here." She said, showing them the tubular trail weaving parallel between the two passageways.

"Geth do not infiltrate."

Jacob folded his arms contemplatively rocking back on one heel. "Practically a suicide mission, I volunteer."

Miranda said, "I appreciate the thought, Jacob. But we need a tech expert, you'd never shut down the security system in time."

Legion stated to Kasumi, "Geth do not intentionally infiltrate."

"Miranda's right. No offense, Jacob, but stick to your biotics and guns." As much as she hated to put anyone at risk, they had a monumental task ahead. "Tali, can you do it?"

"Keelah, I'd thought you'd never ask." Tali's eyes narrowed as she spoke with a set tone. "I won't let you down, Shepard."

"That's my girl." Ellure swallowed the soured fear back down and plowed ahead. "The rest of us will break into two teams. That should draw the Collector's attention away from what you're doing."

Miranda stepped forward. "I'll lead the second fire team. We'll meet up with you on the other side of the doors."

Jack slapped two palms to the tabletop violently. "Not so fast, Cheerleader. Nobody wants to take orders from you."

Ellure caught Garrus' glance from behind Jack as he shook his head subtly.

Miranda fired back, "This isn't a popularity contest! Lives are at stake. Shepard, you need someone who can command loyalty through experience."

She rubbed her temples and sighed. As much as she wanted this go differently, she knew Miranda was right. They needed someone with experience that could be trusted by everyone. Her chest constricted as she made her choice. "Garrus, you're in charge of the second team."

Garrus gave her a light, respectful nod.

Jack pushed off the table and peered up to him with a wily grin. "Hell, yes."

Miranda shifted her hips and shrugged. "Well... at least he knows what he's doing."

Hopefully, Miranda would calm her own nerves. Soon. "Listen up. I don't know what we're going to find in there, and I'm not gonna lie to you. This won't be easy."

"No shit."

She couldn't help but stare at Jack in astonishment. "Please, don't interrupt."

"It's rude." Garrus smirked mischievously as he observed the rifle in his hands.

Trying to ignore his clever quip, she laid the groundwork for their final preparation. "We've lost good people, and we may lose more."

Patrolling the head of the table, she watched the way everyone was looking to her for guidance. Even trained killers were finding apprehension at a time like this. With a dismissive hand, she tried to rally them. "But we can't let that sway us. It doesn't matter how many the Collectors have stolen. Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? It's not important. Only one thing matters now."

She halted and pierced with the resolve of her words. "Not. One. More. That's what we came to do, here, today. It ends with us." Slamming her fist into her palm, she took one last glimpse of the individuals around her. "They want to know what we're made of? I say we show them, on our terms."

Glances were shared and nods of agreement followed as they straightened their shoulders. With no voice of retort, Ellure closed for the last of her debriefings on this mission. "Let's bring our people home."


The CIC bumped, rattled, and clicked with the final measures of the crew's armor and weapons. Garrus squeezed around Grunt and dodged a collision with Samara as he weaved to the bridge. It seemed risky to leave him with the ship unguarded, but what other choice did they have? "Good luck, Flight Lieutenant."

"You too, man." said Joker, maintaining a fix on the controls. "Wish I could be there for the final push… Give 'em hell for me."

"Always." His mandibles contracted with the tension lying just under the surface. Striding into the opened air lock, he primed his Viper as he stopped at the edge of the Normandy. Looking out at their fate, he leaned toward her and whispered, "You sure it's a good idea only taking two?"

"Yes."

"And... you're sure about taking them?"

"Look, I know what I'm doing. You've got your hands full as it is, and I just made that easier."

"I would rather I kept my eye on those two myself."

"This isn't the time, Garrus. If you can't trust them, then trust me."

"You're right..." Garrus viewed as she attuned her visor down over sternly locked eyes. He admired her level of determination. It kept him at ease. With Shepard's mind ready and set, there was no way the Collectors stood a chance. Gesturing toward the vital path ahead, he watched as she set her sights. "Ladies first."

With an encouraging smile, Shepard touched his arm before tossing the first command back over her shoulder. "Miranda. Thane. Move out."

He could do nothing but watch as Shepard jumped down out of the ship. Lawson gave him a faint smile as she passed. She was probably bitter over the decision. He worried that would be a problem for Shepard. It should have been him by her side, but Lawson couldn't seem to hold her tongue.

Krios dipped his head in a slight bow before dropping in pursuit of the women. He fought to keep his concerns at bay. Whether it was a comfort or an irritation, he knew that at the very least Krios cared enough to watch out for her.

Checking behind him, he realized that this was his purpose. Shepard valued nothing more than her crew and her mission, and she depended on him enough to place them both in his hands. Garrus stole a solemn breath. They had a job to do. "Here we go!"

His armor grew heavier with each step. To his right, Shepard led her squad to descend the hill. She did this with some type of intent. He could bet on it. As the three disappeared from visual, he approached the ventilation entrance with Tali.

Shepard said, "Mass communications are linked and synced."

Masking his anxiety, he replied, "That's cute. You come up with that all by yourself?"

"You liked that one did ya'?"

"Not really, but I can pretend."

"You'll have to take up acting after this. Maybe then I'll be willing to go see a movie with you again."

"Nah, I wouldn't be good in the lead role. I'm better as support."

"Well, you know all about things that are supportive..."

"Why didn't I see that one coming?" Garrus held out a hand to Tali at the ventilation shaft, giving her stable assistance up. "Good luck, Tali."

She pushed off his shoulder with a large stride. Capable of standing upright comfortably in the window lined tube, she said, "Thanks, Garrus. I know you will miss Chiktikka."

"What? That annoying little toy you play with? Nah, takes all the challenge out of it for me." Tali smiled hesitantly behind her mask before striding deeper into the passage. There was a slight uneasiness about it. Shepard could have sent Legion, but he knew she didn't believe in anyone as much as she did that fidgety little quarian they'd run across so long ago. Motioning to the rest of his squad, they started their journey forward.

"Shepard, I am in position. Keelah, it's hot in here."

"That's just me."

"Let's get serious, Grumpy. Thane, take right. Miranda, help me clear to the console. Second team, are you in position?"

"In position. Meet you on the other side of those doors."Garrus leveled his scope for the corridor ahead. They had company. "Solus, slow them down. Samara and Jack, do your thing. Goto, you can… Where did she go?" he said to Taylor.

"Now you see me..." Goto reappeared behind the foremost husk at the front of the pack and slit its throat.

Garrus sighed. "You can just do what you want."

"Ha-Ha."

"Grunt, Taylor, and Legion, let's try to have our own fun."

"Heh, Heh, Heh."

"This unit does not experience fun."

Taylor said, "Just let me know when you want me to hit 'em with the good stuff."

"What good stuff?" chided Lawson.

"Not now, guys." Shepard firmly ended the spat.


Garrus switched to the assault rifle, finally able to see their goal in the distance. Peering down to the movement at his side, he shouted over the wailing of gunfire and groans. "Husks, Jack!"

"I got ya' covered." Jack circled around to six with shoulders hunched.

The fire team moved together through the hive-like tunnels of the vessel. He was impressed with their textbook level of coordination. If someone told him this assortment was going to take down the collector base, he probably would have had a good laugh about it several months ago. He'd carried his doubts when he first signed on for this, but hope sprung from the scene he was witnessing.

Legion stated, "Unusual design. Chaotic."

Taylor replied, "That's for sure."

Grunt had faded with Samara into another twisted turn ahead. "Shepard, you're missing it! It's goddamn glorious! I'll climb out on their bodies!"

Remaining calm and keeping his shots steady wasn't easy. The sudden consciousness he hadn't heard from her in the past five minutes was creeping in. Tali was still keeping him informed, whether she knew it or not.

"Shepard! I'm starting to sweat in my suit. Please, hurry!"

Goto dropped back and shook mechanical blood from her blade. "These things are disgusting."

"Stick to shooting then."

"That's boring. I like the element of surprise."

"Yeah, I picked up on that."

Samara said, "The door is cleared."

"I can see the last one, Shepard." Tali cut in. "Just one more valve."

With Taylor, he followed Solus' pace as they shattered his frozen targets. Curving into the bend, they kept focus on the collectors swooping in from flight to swarm around them.

After clearing enough of a path, the group rejoined Samara and Grunt at the doors. A foot overhead and to his left, Tali stood at the end of the ventilation shaft connected to the safe room, waiting, wavering, and voice trembling. "Shepard?"

"Come on, Shepard. Where are you?" Garrus was legitimately disturbed now with the lack of any response. "Shepard, do you copy?" Raising his voice over the roar of gunshots around him, he responded to his inner need for action. "Legion, is there any way we can open it?"

"Negative. Opening mechanisms are only attainable within the interior."

"Shepard!"

The terror in Tali's vocals twisted his stomach. "Spirits..." Garrus cocked his rifle as he pressed his back to the massive doors.

"It's so hot, Garrus."

"Hang in there, Tali."

Krios' throaty tone came over the communications. "We are almost there. Shepard cannot respond at the moment. She is having some difficulty... She's cloaking."

Lawson said, "Bloody hell! How many are there?"

Tali placed a gloved palm on the glass, leaning forward, and shook her head. With her other arm wrapped around her waist, she said, "I can't. My suit... it's too much."

Garrus kept the group tight knit as collectors and husks gushed around the bend and down the corridor they'd cleared. "Come on, Ell..."

"Fuck! Someone do something!" Jack monitored with the rest of team to drive back the encroaching onslaught.

Garrus shot down another scion and again checked on Tali. He didn't need to see her face to know what sort of panic was behind it. Air steamed over their heads as the valve popped. Tali dropped out of sight. The doors cracked apart, and everyone backed in giving a shower of bullets to the next wave surging toward them.

He surveyed the section of wall between the two entrance points to see Tali collapse to the ground in front of the panel. Things just went from bad to worse.

Krios said, "Is she out?"

"We've got her, but there's a complication."

"Affirmative. We need these doors opened. We are cornered."

A droning flickered, and Goto suddenly appeared, holstering her gun. "I'm on it."

"Go! We'll cover you!" Striding backwards alongside the cunning human, Garrus felt his pulse sprint. His shields dropped off. Bullets chinked against his armor. "Samara, grab Tali and pull her back. Jack, with me. Legion, get these doors closed."

"Acknowledged." Legion hurried to the controls as Samara hooked her arms under Tali's shoulders and dragged her toward the back of the chamber.

Goto reached the outer edge of the door and dropped to her knees, typing into the panel frantically. "Come on, come on... Something's wrong, I can't get the door open!"

A distressing shared glance with him and Jack flared one arm with biotics while he popped in a fresh heat sink. "Keep trying!" he urged.

"We are running out of time." Krios sounded like he was breaking a sweat for the first time in his existence.

The rumbled closing of the heavy doors beside them shook the ground as he watched Kasumi's fingers blur with her frenzied hacking.

Legion stated, "Complete."

A finger ready on the trigger, he said, "Let's get it open..."

Goto cried, "There!"

Garrus motioned for the fire team to line up. The doors unfastened with a flurry of ammunition. Krios ran in first and circled to the side as Lawson lowered her shoulder and charged in past him. Shepard marched backwards giving cover fire with her pistol and barked, "Here they come! Close it, Goto!"

"I'm trying!"

Shepard glanced over her shoulder to him. "Fall back!"

Never gonna happen, he thought. "Suppressing fire! Don't let anyone through those doors!" Garrus dropped beside her hip, shots well-placed, as Jack levitated and thrust a collector from entry.

"You will know pain, Shepard."

Garrus flinched at the glowing crackled creature as it sent out a sphere of dark energy. "Harbinger..."

Shepard's voice was rattled. "Goto!"

"Got it!"

The wisp forced slithered closer as the doors began to converge. The gap sealed shut with a solid pound, preventing Shepard's connection with sphere.

"You have delayed the inevitable. Releasing control."

Garrus accepted the clawing and screeching on the other side of the door to be a welcome sound. He reloaded his rifle and holstered it, inspecting Shepard as she braced one hand on her knees and wrapped the other around Goto's shoulders. "Nice work, Kasumi. I thought you were going to give me a damn heart attack there for a minute."

"Have a little faith, Shep."

Garrus abruptly remembered. "Where's Tali?"

Samara called out. "Over here." The justicar reabsorbed a small barrier from around her and the quarian. Shepard knelt down, concern pulling on her brows.

With a quick jog, Solus joined them, immediately scanning with his Omni-tool. "No signs of infection. No suit ruptures. Temperature is very high. Hate to see that."

Shepard said, "What do we need to do?"

Solus frowned and shook his head. "Nothing. Her suit will take a moment to alter itself. Shows signs of high stress. Possible she's just fainted."

Shepard spoke softly and rubbed Tali's arm. "Tali? Can you hear me?"

The rest of the group prepped their weapons, checked their armor, and appeared to be catching a breath or shooting Medi-gel into their suits. Lawson was scouting ahead.

Jack placed her shotgun to rest at the small of her back and put a hand on Tali's shoulder. "Tali?" Teary eyed, she glanced to Shepard and smirked almost wickedly. "Shepard, I think when we get back to the ship I'm going to send Kal a nice long message. He needs a little incentive... This whole bubble baby thing is taking way too long."

"Bosh'tet."

Shepard exhaled with a slight laugh and smiled brightly as she looked up at him.

Garrus said, "Glad to see you're back, Tali."

Shepard rubbed Tali's shoulder while she sat up and leaned forward to rest her helmet in her hands. "Keelah, I think I am going to be sick."

Lawson said, "Shepard, I think you need to see this."


Ellure secured the tempo for the next leg of their journey with Miranda guiding her through the dank tunnel-like passage. Ceiling arched a few feet overhead; the walk space provided enough width for three to proceed with shoulder room to spare. There was no banter or chatter to distract from the heavy shuffle of armor. Even in this place she found reason to smile. They passed the doors with no injuries and Tali on her feet.

Garrus' voice finished the quiet. "What's wrong with your visor?"

"I don't know. Maybe just too much gunfire, but you guys were breaking up pretty bad. I had to fall back and tell Thane to keep you informed. Almost lost Tali in the process."

Garrus grasped her elbow and extended his palm. "Give it to me." She slipped it off and handed it to him. Scrutinizing with a careful eye, he said, "Probably a loose connection."

Miranda slowed as they exited into a brighter section of the base. Ellure waited for her eyes to adjust, wondering just exactly how she was supposed to find the main control room in this maze. The roof had ascended into a cavern… of pods. A large network of cables and tubing lined the inner peaks above.

"Shepard." Miranda called, indicating to the chrysalis behind her. "It's one of the colonists."

They were still alive? Stunned, she approached. The bronze-haired girl remained completely motionless, eyes closed as thought sleeping. Ellure looked over her ashen complexion. Maybe they weren't.

Grunt said, "There's more, over here."

She observed the lineup along the wall while her team began checking each of the compartments. A gusting sound of pressurized steam hissed across her left arm. Snapping to the colonist, she linked with the frightened emerald eyes of the girl inside the pod. "My god… She's still alive!" She grasped the front to pry it open. The scent of hell filled the air. Horror intensified. Ellure tugged as the young woman clawed at the glass. She was disintegrating.

Muffled cries of terror filled all her senses. She kept trying. Kicking. Pulling. Pushing. Nothing was working. Too much pressure built up inside.

She backed up as the girl collapsed with a bloodcurdling shriek. Every muscle in her body felt as though it was dissolving with her. "Get them out of there," she ordered. "Now, damn it!"

The shattering sound of the girl's torture finally ceased. The only evidence she existed was the blood splattered over the inside of her tomb.

Everyone rushed to open the pods. Thane used the butt of his rifle to bash. Grunt used his krogan muscle to rip. Miranda and Garrus set to work wedging. She hurried to Thane's side and helped the man as he fell out. Gardner.

Lowering him to the ground, she dashed to the last pod with Mordin and passed them. Kelly. Donnelly. Gabby. Burt and more.

Mordin hammered the side with the grip of his pistol. Feeling a crack on the tips of her fingers, she dug them into the seam. Together, they peeled the top away to find Chakwas.

Ellure caught the fair-haired woman as she fell forward. "Doctor Chakwas? Are you okay?" Dragging her to sit with the others, she stepped back in staggered silence.

Chakwas planted a palm to her forehead. "Shepard? You... you came for us?"

"Absolutely." Assisting Chakwas to stand, she found solace in this first true accomplishment.

Kelly limped closer, clutching her side. "Thank God you got here in time. A few more seconds and... I don't even want to think about it."

The doctor nodded in agreement. As everyone gathered around, she said, "The colonists were... processed. Those swarms of little robots, they - melted their bodies into grey liquid and pumped it through these tubes."

Scowling at the network overhead, Garrus then passed back her visor. "At least you're all okay."

"Thank you, Garrus." Ellure finished securing the visor to its rightful post. What the hell would the Collectors want with human genetic material? Why were they doing all this? Glancing at her crew, she slammed her fist into her palm. "We are putting a stop to this. Today."

Chakwas smiled to Gabby. "I'm just glad you got here before it happened to us."

Miranda said, "So are we. But we still have a job to do. We've done well so far. Let's hope we can finish this."

Ellure studied the haunted faces before her and patched in to the Normandy. "Joker, can you get a fix on our position?"

"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."

EDI said, "I cannot recommend that. Thermal emissions suggest the area is overrun with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasure cannot protect you against so many at once."

Hands propped on her hips, she pondered. What else could stop those things? As her gaze crossed Samara, it hit her like a bolt of lightning. "What about biotics? Could we create a biotic field strong enough to keep them from getting near us?"

Samara hinted a smile. "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."

Miranda said, "I could do it too. In theory, any biotic could handle that."

Better play it safe. "Samara and I will take a small team through the swarms. The rest of you can create a diversion by going through the main passage. We'll open the security doors from the other side and meet you there."

Miranda swept strayed black tresses behind her ear. "Who should lead the diversion team?"

She looked over her carefully. It was time for her to pull her shit together. "Lawson."

Blue eyes flitted in shock. "Me?"

"Yes."

"What about Vakarian?"

With an amused snort, she tried to calm everyone's nerves. "I need him to cover my ass."

Silence and shared glances washed through the group. Kasumi peered from under her hood. "Since no one else wants to take this obvious opportunity, I will." Fist to mouth, she coughed in unrealistic fashion. "I'm sure Garrus is more than willing to 'cover your ass', Shep."

She shielded her eyes. "Damn it, Goto."

"Sorry, but some things need to be said."

Tali touched the top of her mask and shook her head. "Keelah, I didn't need that mental image."

Garrus lowered his rifle to rest across his waistline. "Juvenile..."

Kasumi turned to him sharply. "Oh, please! You were already thinking it!"

"Yeah, but I knew enough not to say it."

Jack said, "How does that even work anyways? I mean... he's a turian."

Mordin cleared his throat. "Turians and humans share some-"

"Mordin! For someone who has no sexual interest, you put an awful lot of time and effort into sex talks…" Ellure said, "Now then. Enough about my personal life and my ass. Let's try and refocus here."

Miranda grimaced. "Yeah, really."

"Now we've saved our crew, but we still have to finish kicking these asshats-"

"Right in the daddy-bags!"

"Exactly. Thank you, Donnelly."

Jack parted from the group and approached, speaking in a hush. "Shepard. I'd rather not have to follow Cheerleader."

Ellure looked down at the intense brown eyes before her. It was time for this girl to grow up. "Jack, I need you to put this aside. You two have got to work together. I expect you to follow any and all of Miranda's orders."

Miranda said to her, "I won't let you down."

Jack paused with regard to her forearm, turning it over as if in contemplation. She trailed her fingers over the intricate tattoos. With a one shoulder shrug, she said, "Fuck. All right."

It was tough to resist a smile as she observed the sharp-tongued, tattooed woman before her. "You good?"

Jack wound her fingers and lifted her hand. "I'm good."

Ensuring the pact with a solid fist bump, she noted Chakwas' worried expression as she said, "What about the rest of the crew, Shepard? We are in no shape to fight."

Joker interrupted, "Commander? We have enough systems back online to do a pickup, but we'd need to land back from your position."

Miranda said, "We can't afford to go back, Shepard. Not now."

Ellure crossed her arms. Certainly, they could spare at least one of her team. Filtering options, she found her target. She hated to send away their only medical help, but firepower was in high demand. "Mordin, can you take them back to the Normandy?"

Mordin signaled a yes and brought up his Omni-tool. "Joker, need location of landing zone. Will meet you there."

While the still shaky victims of their crew gathered around him, she said to Samara, "Think we can fit one more?"

"Yes. I should be able to shield the four of us."

This was the easiest part of the day. Spotting the most willing participant. "Grunt." Happily thumping his fists together in celebration, he lumbered to the front of the pack and nodded. Ellure patted Miranda's shoulder. "Good luck, Lawson. You've got your work cut out for you."

She beamed with resolve. "Duly noted."