Chapter 29 Now that is an Army
Character Gaige
"You've gotten in contact with who," Ax was asking Mordecai over the omni-tool that Shepard had given them. Gaige and he were in the mess-hall of the Normandy with Grunt and Brick, all of them were listening to Ax's call. "Well he helped us before, kinda," Ax said. "No that is fine, he is with a who? Ah never mind if it can kill a Reaper then let it help us. Ok later."
"So what did Mordi want," Gaige asked.
"Seems that Torgue is going to be joining us and he brought friends, one is even capable of killing Reapers," Ax replied.
"You mean Mr. Torgue," Brick corrected, "He got real mad last time I forgot to use his full first name."
"Wait his first name is Mr. Torgue," Grunt asked, "What a strange title."
"His last name is Flexington," Gaige added.
"Humans are odd," Grunt remarked, "But what is this about killing a Reaper?"
"Some creature he picked up calls itself Doug," Ax said, "Killed a Reaper above Sanctuary by beating it to death."
"Did I hear that right," K asked over the Omni, "Did you say Doug? Wow I figured it would take him at least four months to get big enough to help out on a large scale. Little guy always did surprise me though."
"Hey while you're on you mind telling us what this Doug is," Brick asked, "Cause it sounds pretty cool to kill a Reaper by punching it."
"Oh Doug is the Flood," K replied, "A parasitic life form that assimilates the bodies of organics to increase in his power and size. I left him on Sanctuary so he could feed off of the demons that still roamed the planet and the Eridium probably didn't hurt his growth."
"Well that is different," Grunt said, "C sure does know some strange individuals you sure you're her mate?"
"I'm pretty sure," K replied with a chuckle, "Now we need to get this crucible built. Harold is putting us on course for Thessia so we can capture the Reaper's attention there and give Admiral Hackett time to finish the crucible. He is also calling a meeting in the war room so lets go head there."
"Great another meeting," Gaige remarked sarcastically, "Why did we decide to stay on this ship?"
"Because it is really to small for K and all of his friends to hang out in the loading bay so we got to replace his three Prime friends," Brick said, "Heh I don't mind though, Grunt here is the only one I can spar against without punching their face in."
"Same goes for you," Grunt replied as the four got up to head to the war room. When they got there Shepard and Tali were arguing over the holographic display in the middle of the room.
"Harold these are my people we are talking about," Tali said, "Please we have to help them."
"Tali I know but if they fight the Geth both sides will incur heavy losses which we can't risk right now," Harold or Shepard or whichever, Gaige didn't care, replied, "And if we get involved it is going to result in all out war. We can't have that not now not with the Reapers so close."
"And if we don't resolve it neither side will even think of helping you," Tali retorted, "Damn it Harold can't you see how much this means to me?"
"Tali I can and if it only affected us you know I would rush off without a second thought," Harold said, "But the entire galaxy is in trouble and as much as I love you the Quarians attempted genocide against the Geth then blamed them for all their issue and now want to risk their lives trying to destroy the most powerful fleet in the galaxy. I... well shit I guess you all heard that."
"Yeah just a little," K said as he came up behind Gaige and her friends, "Sounds like there is trouble."
"It sounds pretty bad," Brick added.
"You could say that," Tali replied with a sigh, "My people are determined to genocide the Geth, our AI race that was accidentally created. Thing is the Geth have the biggest and strongest fleet in the galaxy as Harold mentioned. So it is a stale mate right now, my people have the tech but not the force, the Geth have force but not the tech."
"And they have asked you to help them I take it," Celantra said, "A rock and a hard place situation."
"Exactly," Harold said, "I've got no idea how I'm supposed to resolve this and draw the Reapers attention away from the defenders on Thessia."
"Easy, you don't," said a gruff voice from the other side of the room. Walking over to them from where the long range communication system was a buff man in blue-jeans and a vest with astounding chest hair and a killer beard. "I'll resolve the Geth-Quarian war you all go to help Thessia."
"Who the hell are you and how did you get in my ship," Harold exclaimed.
"None of your business," The vest-man replied, "K good day." Then he walked to the communication room and sent himself on his way via the holocom.
"Ok now that guy is really starting to creep me out," K said, "That is what now seven or eight times that he has just appeared to help out."
"Something like that," C replied, "Harold, Tali don't worry about that war it will probably be over in oh about now." Just then the communication system pinged a hail. Gaige went over to look at it.
"Its from an Admiral Gerrel," Gaige said.
"Oh crap," Tali said as she ran into the comms room, "Let me take it. Admiral Tali Zora vas Normandy here what do you need?"
"Tali who was that man that you sent us," Gerrel said, "He single handedly Ended the Reaper threat that was controlling the Geth, gave them true AI status and convinced us both that fighting each other was not a good idea and how does he travel with the communication arrays?"
"Admiral I can honestly say I have no idea," Tali replied, "Out of curiosity did he get the same cure for our weak immune systems to you all that I have?"
"I don't know," Gerrel said, "He mentioned something about the obsolescence of the suits but I would want to make sure before we go to such extremes as you have."
"Of course Admiral Tali out," Tali said as she ended the call.
"K explanation please," Gaige asked.
"I'm just as confused as you," K replied, "but that person, whatever he is, seems to be unlimited in his power, or at least God has given him significant gifts if he can cross universes, end wars and kill Reapers, not to mention break the laws of nature as if it was no more difficult than eating popcorn."
"I like popcorn," Brick said.
"C we love you and all but every time you show up I seem to lose control of events," Harold said, "This happen a lot to you all to?"
"Oh yeah," Ax said, "Xeiver shows up stuff blows up things get messy and we all end up looking like badasses. All in all not bad, and this K guy here seems to be dragged along for the ride this time."
"More or less," K said.
"So to Thessia then," Gaige asked, "I'm sure they could use our help."
"True," Harold said, "Go tell Adams that we are ready for take off if he is done with the cleaning of the drive core."
"On it," Gaige said, "Ax come on."
The two ducked out of the war room and headed back to the elevator that took them between the levels of the ship. Gaige was playing with the controls for Deathtrap on the way down and Ax was checking his turret decks to make sure they were functional.
"Nervous," Gaige asked.
"Mr. Torgue is on his way here with a Reaper killing friend and some smugglers, there is a man on the loose who can change the laws of nature and we are in the company of angles, demons, and Xeiver no sounds normal, today is Friday right?" Ax remarked.
"No today is Monday," Gaige said, "But you have a point... Still these Reapers seem powerful think that they might have any good loot on them?"
"Probably hyper-advanced weapons," Ax said as they got out and went to the back of the engine room where Adams was working.
"Hey Daddy," Gaige greeted, "Shepard says he is ready to leave when you are done with your checks."
"Almost done Pumpkin," Adams said as he looked over at them, "Ax."
"Gregory," Ax said, "How is the core doing?"
"Running a little differently since you and your friends arrived," Adams said, "I can't seem to find what is causing it. The difference is minimal and seems to be for the better but best to be sure with these things."
"What is different about it," Gaige asked.
"It seems to be storing some of the power from the Mass Effectors when we make jumps. Can't say what for or how but it doesn't lose all the energy that it accumulates during the inter-stellar flights," Adams replied, "From what I can tell eventually we will be able to make jumps with the core alone, no outside boosts or brakes needed."
"That sounds like Xeiver's doing," Ax said, "Gaige what do you think?"
"She never did anything like that when she was with us," Gaige replied, "K may have a hand in it though."
"Hmm I'll ask them but the core is ready to fly," Adams said, "I'll stay here to monitor it you two can stay here and watch it if you want."
"Wait why didn't we have EDI relay the message to you," Ax said as he realized what Adams had done.
"Shepard probably just felt like he needed to assign something to someone," Adams clarified, "He needs to do that sometimes."
"Dad your boss is a dick," Gaige said.
"Now I'm sure I didn't teach you language like that," Adams said sternly.
"No that would be Maya and Lilith," Ax said, "Both think of Gaige as their a little sister."
Adams visibly looked beat as he sighed and remarked, "All the careful planning of parenthood beaten by girl talk."
"We are all thinking it," Gaige said in her defense.
"That doesn't mean one should voice it," Ax said, "Especially when it is about a superior who has an AI that can hear what you are saying."
"I try to maintain the privacy of the crew Axton," EDI's voice said.
"Yes thank you EDI," Adams said, "You two run along now before you get me in trouble. James Vega is in the loading bay I'm sure he could find something for the two of you to do that would be entertaining for you."
"Yes Dad," Gaige said in mock disappointment as the two left Adams in the engine room and headed for the elevator and the brawny Vega. They found him white shirt and baggy jeans doing pull ups at his workout station, Brick was there as well doing one handed pushups.
"Hey Slabs," Brick greeted.
"Hey... you... two. What... brings... you... here," Vega said between pullups.
"Dad said you would have something for us to do," Gaige said.
"Dad... oh right," Vega replied as he dropped down to the floor, "Adams is your father Spitfire."
"Spitfire," Gaige remarked, "I like it."
"So can I call you that," Ax asked.
"No but you can call me sexy," Gaige replied, "Seriously though, got anything fun for us to do?"
"Depends on what you consider fun," Vega began, "But I think so. You just got those omni-tools anyone show you how to use them as weapons yet?"
"Used as whaaaa," Gaige remarked, "No! Why didn't anyone show us that?"
"Well we have been busy and you've only just got here," Vega reminded them, "Here let me show you. These things have several settings that you can go into and edit, one is the omni-blade. As I'm sure you have figured out from the name it refocuses the energy at the end of the device into a blade or other weapon of some type. Tali for instance prefers to use the tongs shape which explodes on the target, I like the heavy fists option where it surrounds your fist with a metal crunching energy field."
"Haha I like that one too," Brick said as he switched to his other hand and began his hundred count of pushups again.
"So it uses digi-struct tech but on a more advanced level," Ax said, "Gaige your claws are basically the same thing."
"Oh ok," Gaige said, "I'll have to play with this thing for a bit then and see what else it can do."
"Why do you two look worried all of a sudden," Vega asked as Brick and Ax both looked at Gaige.
"Uh she's the Mechromancer," Brick said, "Mass destruction is her thing."
"Ha with an omni-tool," Vega countered, "I'd like to see that."
"Ok your on," Gaige replied, "Just let me switch this and that and..." Gaige continued mumbling as she picked at the controls for the new device. "Ok so that one can change the energy that it gives off... probably how Tali gets her's to explode. Amp up the power funneled to this from my arm and I could get a bigger explosion. That might hurt though so something else. Ah the blade's power is directly related to the energy it draws; I reroute the energy to that setting from the other functions and..." Gaige looked up at Vega replying, "I got it."
"Yeah," Vega commented, "Lets see."
Gaige powered up the Omni and opened the blade. The 'blade' was no longer the foot and a half dagger though it was a full fledged sword that extended five feet from her wrist and carved a grove in the floor."
Vega looked at the sword then at Gaige then back at the sword before simply stating, "Wow."
"Yeah and that only took her three minutes," Ax replied.
"Is it safe to let you have this thing," Brick asked, "What if you punch a hole in the ship?"
"Oh I'm sure I won't do anything like that," Gaige replied as she turned the Omni off. Hey I bet I can make the one for your fists get really big."
"I don't think we have time for that," Ax said, "We've slowed down probably arrived at Thessia."
"We actually get to fight the Reapers now," Gaige remarked, "Ready for this?"
"Oh I owe them for what they did to Earth," Vega said, "Lets do this."
Character Kalathanon
They had arrived in Thessia space to find the Reapers already in the area. The Normandy's state of the art cloaking system kept the monstrous machines from detecting them and allowed them to slip past the blockade of the planet to land in one of the few safe zones left. The Hyperion factory however had to stay back to avoid detection, electing instead to find another way of getting its crew on the ground.
They landed around a religious and residential section of the planet where few people were in relation to the larger cities. As the Reapers were focused on harvesting the populace of the cities first this area had seen little Reaper presence for now. The residences had been hit from orbit and were mostly damaged and burning, many of the walkways were knocked out as well but travel was still possible albeit at a slower pace. The temple however that was at the heart of the area had some sort of shield around it and was untouched. K and C were in the cargo hold waiting for the doors to open, Liarra and Javik were there also.
"What did you expect to find," Javik asked Liarra who looked like she was either going to crush something or cry.
"I... I don't know," Liarra replied, "Just, The Reapers are not even here and they mostly leveled this area. No care for anyone or thing just the destruction, their harvest."
"Their Harvest will end with me," K said, "If this crucible turns out like I'm hoping and Scooter's plans say it should then this will be... dramatic."
"Either way that is the future and uncertain," Javik added as the door opened, "We have the here and now and that calls for us to kill Reapers."
"True," C replied, "Shall we?"
"Allow me," K remarked as he left the Normandy to Shepard's greeting. K was waved over to the renegade commander and the Assari he was talking to.
"K this is Thailla she's on the line with what is left of the Thessia Home Guard," Shepard said, "It's bad, they are spread out across the planet and can't formulate a..."
He was cut off by Thailla who interjected, "We need reinforcements and lots of them if we are going to hold any of our areas with the fleet deployed in the protection of the Crucible we didn't have the strength to hold the Reapers off to begin with."
"I see," K said, "Well I may be able to help with that. Provided you don't mind monsters fighting monsters."
"You could open hell itself up to aid us and I wouldn't say no," Thailla remarked.
K quirked an eyebrow before looking at C and giving her that grin he always got when he was about to do something either incredibly stupid or brilliant. C contemplated his expression before nodding her understanding and backing up. With a roar that knocked everyone around him back K opened the rift to his dimension in the Prime Worlds allow for his army of demons to pour forth onto the planet. "Well Thailla tell your command that you have your army."
Javik admired the display of force, Liarra was just laying on the ground where she had fallen after K's roar, Shepard was helping Tali up and Thailla was calling her command. Then the Primes landed after being mortared in from orbit by the Hyperion factory-ship.
"Ah K a most impressive display," Diablo rumbled, "Brought all the Reapers in orbit down to the planet. But on the plus side our orbital friends can now use the cannon to deploy Hyperion bots to anywhere on the planet in a moment's notice."
"And the three of you," Tyreal said as he and Auriel landed next to them, "You didn't think that we would let you head down here alone? The rest of our friends are coming in on the barges as we speak."
"Shepard I must admit you don't disappoint," Thailla said, "When Liarra said you could help I didn't think she meant you could bring in two entire armies to support us."
"Damn I wish we had this for Earth," Vega remarked as he and the Vault Hunters, Gaige, Ax and Brick, walked over to them.
"Harold," C said, "I'm sorry I wasn't here for when Earth fell."
"Yeah or Palavin," Garrus added as the rest of the Normandy commando team assembled.
"What matters is they won't take another world," Tali said, "With this sort of force... we can finally take the fight to them."
Thus started their week on Thessia. Over the course of the next few days they had secured all of their military strong points and then over the rest of the week pushed the Reapers out of Thessia space. While the victory was a massive boon for them it also meant that there were now another six of seven hundred Reapers that were going to be searching for the Crucible. Hackett called after the tenth day to inform them that the device was ready and that escorting it to the Citadel was all that was required. However the Reapers had also made the connection to the Crucible and the Citadel and their entire force was heading there to secure the space station. Shortly after DC was mobilized and heading for the Citadel as was the rest of the fleets in the galaxy, Assari, Human, Batarian, Silarians, mercenaries of all kinds, Krogan, Turian, Doug, Quarian and Geth, every space faring race in the galaxy was heading right into Reapers.
K was finishing up reviewing the layout of the crucible with Scooter as they left hyperspace and the battle began. The Normandy was going to head in to the Crucible and escort it to the Citadel, K's demons would provide cover for it by taking lasers and projectiles for the massive device as would the Human fleet. The other fleets would try to draw the Reapers away from the Crucible, which was not visible since it was surrounded by a cloud of demons.
"You ready for this," Scooter said.
"Oh yeah," K said, "and you?"
"Hey I say what I always say man," Scooter replied, "Catch-a-Ride!"
They joined up with the Crucible and dove straight for the Citadel. The only issue was if they could get the space station closed once they were inside it. The fleets Reaper and other wise had engaged and the fire was denser than a black hole but thanks to the Human fleet diverting the oncoming Reapers K's demons were reserved until they got into the Citadel.
"Hackett is breaking off with the fleet," Shepard informed them, "K its just us and your demons now."
They got into the Citadel but as it started to close several Reapers headed their way. The Hyperion ship changed its course so they the DC crew on it could intercept the Reapers allowing for the Crucible to dock. Once it did K sent his demons out to help their friends as he, C, Tali and Shepard headed out to the Crucible. Once on it Scooter got to work on getting the controls online and hooking the power up.
"Ok its ready," Scooter said after he had clamped and switched everything that he could, "Only thing is the option you want to use is... well it may be a one way trip."
"What," C asked.
"To control these Reapers you've got to encode them with your brain pattern," Scooter said, "I don't know of any device that does that without killing the user."
"Then I'll do it," Shepard said, "No reason for any of you to die, K I think I owe you all that much."
"No," Tali said, "There must be another way."
"There is," K said, "C don't stop me in this. I know what I'm doing."
"K," C started but then she realized that the last part was thought to her alone.
K nodded and walked over to the controls. He placed his metal and bone hands on the controls and was lit up with current that coursed through him. He roared as his body was blasted apart from the current reacting with the metal composition of his demonic form, then the Station started to open again. It charged up a massive beam that fired out in a stream along with releasing a pulse that covered a hundred thousand light years in every direction. After the pulse went off K was thrown back against C, except he wasn't in his Prime form anymore, he had reverted back to his Leviathan form. He stretched his body back out and shook off the effects of the electricity before turning to Shepard and Tali.
"I have control," He said, "The Reapers are retreating on all fronts they had open. All are coming back to here. They are mine, now we need to get back to the universe we came from, there is a threat there that if not stopped will be far worse than the Reapers when it gets here. I came here to help you because C wanted me to, so you don't owe me anything, but I ask you will you help us?"
"What can be worse than the Reapers," Shepard asked.
"Hell," K replied flatly.
While Shepard and Tali talked it over C walked up to him and kissed him on the snout, "Good to have you back to your old self, your much cuter like this."
"And it is good not to be stuck in one form," K said as he morphed down into his half then human forms then back to the Leviathan form.
"We're with you K," Shepard said, "So you can change forms now too?"
"No I could do that before," K said, "Now I can use it in this universe since I'm not stuck in a Prime form."
"We need to get the crew and inform the various leaders of our plans," Tali said.
"Yes and..." Shepard was cut off as someone yelled over the station wide comms system.
"What the - did we miss all the action, why is nothing fighting, we wanted to blow up some stuff, this is - BORING!"
"Torgue how did you get on all the comms at once," that was Gaige.
"Gaige did you blow up everything without me again," Torgue yelled.
"Enough with the yelling," another man said or maybe pleaded was more like it.
"What was that Wash I can't hear you," Torgue said.
Tali adjusted some setting on her omni-tool and the conversation cut off, "Scooter know anything about this."
"Uh yeah I may have set the Crucible to be able to send and receive on all wavelengths," Scooter replied, "Purely an accident of course."
K laughed before saying, "C why didn't you take me to this universe before now?"
"You were out of touch if you recall, and Sanctuary is in this universe," C replied.
"Oh right," K said, "Guess I was so wrapped up in trying to get to you that I didn't... I'm... sorry."
"You think we can convince Mr. Torgue to help us," C asked.
"Yeah he probably would," Scooter said, "He is kinda crazy like that." Everyone looked at Scooter. "What," he asked.
"Nothing," Shepard said, "Come on lets go."
"Hey look who is working for us," Garrus said from the back of a Reaper that landed next to them.
"I know," Tali said, "You've got K to thank for that."
"We know," Garrus said, "We heard all that."
"Oh well we don't need to tell everyone then," Shepard said.
"No you don't and the Normandy and Vault Hunters are with you K," Garrus said, "C it is nice to be working with you again."
"Doug you there," K asked.
"Yes," Doug replied from above them, "I can form a portal back to the rest of us in a few minutes so everyone has time to get ready to go."
"Thank you," K said, "Shepard, I'll do all I can to keep the threat that is over coming the other universes from reaching here, but I can't protect it from the threats that might arise from within."
"Neither can we," Shepard said, "They will have to look after themselves for a while."
"I'll take the Reapers of course," K added, "Doubt that anyone will be sad to see them go."
"Yeah no," Garrus replied, "The sooner they are gone the better I think."
"K get back to the ship unless you want to fly your friends through on your backs," Doug said, "The portal is open."
"How about it," C said, "Flying on our backs into a new universe?"
"I'm in," Tali said, "Harold come on."
"I'm riding the Reaper," Garrus said.
"Scooter get on," K said as he picked the man up and dropped him on his back, "Well hold on actually."
K, C, and their friends took off for the portal through which had already vanished a large gun-shaped ship and through which the Hyperion ship was going through. The Normandy pulled up beside them and followed them through.
Character Rayon
They had all mobilized and were flying through space to intercept the rouge planet-ship and the Covenant fleet that guarded it. Rayon liked the new suits that they had gotten from Sarge, anything that allowed them to fly through space on their own was, in his book, awesome. He adjusted course and caught up with his sister and Geyser.
"Kris, Geyser," Ray called on the inter-suit communication array.
"Ray good to have you," Kris said, "Looks like that planet thing is getting ready to make a hyperspace jump, with our friends on it."
"Not while we are here," Ray replied, "What do we need to take out to keep it here?"
"Doug and Adam are on that," Geyser informed him, "Information should be coming up on your display now."
Sure enough the HUD pulled up an overlay on his FOV which highlighted the main power conduits and where they were weakest. It also gave instructions on who was to go where. He, Kris, Geyser, Ignitus, Fame and Ember were going to hit a power junction on the top of the sphere. Then they would join up with Terrador and Zora and hit the gravity well generator thus releasing the hold that the sphere had on the ships, Infinity and Pillar II.
"Ok looks simple enough," Ray remarked after he reviewed the specs.
"Yeah except that these power junctions are the size of mountains," Flame said as he and Ember joined their channel followed shortly by Ignitus.
"So," Ignitus countered, "We've taken down bigger things before. Besides Ray, Kris and Geyser are Leviathans, and we are getting close to being Leviathan. The longer we are around them the stronger the effect seems to get."
"Fair enough," Ember said, "Even so I dislike this idea of messing with the gravity on the sphere, there is just so much that could go wrong."
"True," Ray added, "If we caused a massive power spike the generator could overcharge and start ripping the planet apart. In which case the Didact, or something like that, would escape anyway and we want to prevent that."
"That is why they are sending us to take it out," Kris said, "After all we are the cleverest bunch left since the Doctor is already on the sphere, and we are precise."
The general nodding of heads ensued as they all inevitably decided that Kris' logic was once again reasonable. Ray thought it was great fun, watching the elder dragons bow to his sister's steel trap of a mind. They spotted the generator as they cleared the northern horizon of the sphere. They adjusted course to head for it but three Covenant cruisers started for an intercept course. Additionally there were a host of the flying robots that Cortana had sent them information on heading up from the planet.
"Hang on to your scales dragons, let the Freelancers clear the way," Tex said as she zipped past them in a Saber fighter followed by the rest of the Spartans and Carter and Cloak.
"Thanks Texas," Ray said, "Nice to have some back up every now and then."
"Don't we know it," Tex replied as her squad engaged the fliers and Carter and Cloak slammed into the cruisers.
They dove through the gap that their friends' intervention opened up and hit the power junction with their most powerful attacks. It ignored all but Ray's, his lightening inferno overloading the lines and causing the junction to short out.
"Glad they sent you with us," Ignitus said, "It would have taken us a while to melt through to the inside."
"This is Doug to all DC members on the sphere watch your heads," Doug said across their comms, "The shields around the planet just dropped and I am moving the fleet in to open up a hole in it."
Looking back towards Doug's fleet Ray saw the Pestilence moving into position. "Hold onto something looks like Doug plans to MAC his way inside." As Ray finished saying that the flare of the cannon heralded the explosion that followed soon after wards. Doug sent four more MAC blasts into the Sphere's shell before a huge chunk of it fell inwards allowing him to pilot the Pestilence into the Sphere. As the massive devastator class ship headed for the opening Cortana broadcast a directive to intercept a smaller sphere and destroy it if possible. This sphere was heading towards the Pestilence and even though Doug had every gun on the ship trained on the orb it was agile enough and sturdy enough to avoid damage.
"Come on lets see what we can do," Storm said as she, Terrador and Zora landed beside them.
"Don't you already know," Ray asked as he followed them towards the sphere.
"Eh more or less," Storm replied.
"That is so disconcerting," Zora remarked, "Useful no doubt but still... disconcerting."
"Tell me about it," Storm replied as they came alongside the Pestilence.
Ray and Blitz broke off to the right of the orb and hit it from its back. Blitz's earth and poison attacks did little to the orb and Ray's did only a little more than his.
"What is this thing," Blitz huffed, "Its almost impervious to our attacks.
"DC back off now," Doug exclaimed as the Pestilence started to pull out allowing the sphere to get closer to the hole in the planet.
"Doug what are you doing," Cortana called, "The Didact is on that ship we can't let him escape!"
"He won't," John said on the same channel, "Main take me in."
As Ray watched a Saber with a man on top of it hurtled past them. The man must have been John but he was different, taller and more glowing where the cape didn't cover his new armor.
"Well blarg," Blitz said, "I guess Cortana was right he does look more impressive in that."
"Yeah," Ray agreed, "And riding on the back of a saber helps the look."
"Master Chief," K's voice rang out as a portal opened up above them that covered a huge area, "Do not get on that vessel."
Through the portal came a fleet of massive proportions, not only were the crustacean-like ships massive but the sheer number of them was almost incomprehensible. At the head of this vast armada was K, C, four humans in space suits, one of the crustacean ships, an H shaped ship and a gun shaped ship.
"Reapers," K said, "Kill."
The mass of ships all powered up laser weapons and hit the orb causing it to explode.
"Now that is an army," Blitz remarked.
"No blarg," Ray added, "Lets go see what K and friends have been up to."
They flew over to K and C who greeted them and introduced them to their human and alien friends.
"Turian huh," Zora remarked to Garrus, you look a lot like the Arbiter."
"There are Turians here as well," Garrus asked, "C you didn't say anything about that."
"He isn't exactly Turian," C said, "Arbiter is an Elite, or Sangheili, they've got more jaws than you do."
"What like a split jaw," Garrus replied, "How odd."
"K," Doug greeted as he pulled alongside the dragons, "Storm it seems you were right again."
"Keeping a record I hope," Storm said, "It might be useful someday."
"So you already knew all of this," Ray asked.
"Eh pretty much," Storm admitted, "Oh Doug Lord Hood wants to speak to you and K the Sentinels want to talk to you. You've got your army, and events are moving but we have friends that we need to gather first, and some unfinished business in a particular city."
"Kirkwall," K said, "I know. Terrador you have Qui-gon and friends I assume."
"Yes we do," Terrador said, "K I'd like to introduce you to Zora, my wife."
"So that is who you are," K said, "Ace mentioned you but I could not remember where I had heard your name before. I do apologize for having to cut you all off but if the Sentinels want to speak to me then I should see what they have to say."
"I to should meet with Hood I am sure he is wondering why I have him on rout if you all showed up," Doug added as K, C and Doug all left to go to their meetings.
"Well how do you like that," Scooter said, "not even going to introduce us to the crew."
"Hey we can handle that," Blitz said, "Come on Ray lets go meet the new guys then show them around."
"Right behind you," Ray said, "Later everyone." They followed Garrus' reaper back to the two ships that weren't Reapers to start the process of integrating these new DC members to the crew.
Character Sparks
"Doug," Sparks said as Doug landed next to his ACU. The heavily modified commander unit was barely recognizable as Seraphim anymore, other than the four spikes that jutted from its back. Sparks had taken control of it through a Flood that Doug had given him and now was the leader of his own personal army, which was sweet.
"Hood I know," Doug replied, "What is the subject?"
"Arizona," Sparks replied.
Doug looked at him before asking, "The?"
"I believe so," Sparks replied, "And after living inside your head for a while... she could make things complicated."
"Hmm... yes considering that K and the others never knew about her," Doug agreed, "Still I am responsible to her and will uphold my promise."
"Spoken like a dragon and less like you," Sparks said as he moved the ACU up to follow the now moving Doug. They had arranged to meet Hood outside of Gondor since they were still in orbit around the planet and Gandalf assured them that Aragorn wouldn't mind.
"Blame K for that," Doug jibbed, "He gave me morals."
"Yeah which is odd for him," Sparks commented as he thought back to what he learned from his visit into K's mind, "He seemed like the type of being that would rather harness you for your raw power then leave you to die once you were of no use to him."
"He was," Doug said, "The morals was an unintended consequence and was quite annoying to him at the time. He was focused on only one goal, retrieving Celantra, at the time."
"He does seem slightly obsessed with her," Sparks said as Hood's ship touched down a few hundred yards away, "Much like you seem now."
"I bet you were single your whole life," Doug remarked as he lumbered over to Hood who was exiting the Pelican.
"Huh true that," Sparks muttered as he followed with a step.
"Doug, Sparks," Hood greeted, "A Spartan requested to be brought to you, Doug, I think she has something to ask of you."
As Hood finished speaking a Spartan with a deep, crimson sheen to her armor landed next to the Pelican. She, Arizona, was in a super suit. Tall as Spark's ACU and twice as maneuverable the suit was impressive, what was more impressive was that Arizona took off her helmet to reveal that she was as big as the suit.
"Hey Doug," she said in a cheery voice, "Still remember me?"
"How would I forget you," Doug said, "We both made each other what we are now. I have to ask though, twenty years are we still?"
"Just cause you weren't there doesn't mean you were gone," Arizona said, "Yes I'm still yours."
"Uh guys not to make this awkward but we are holding up an entire army while you have your little reunion," Sparks said, "Just say your stilled married to each other and get it over with."
"Hold up what," Hood interjected, "Arizona your married to it, uh I mean Doug. Sorry still find you to be odd."
"And I you," Doug replied, "We get along well enough despite that. Yes your Spartan is my wife, by her own choice mind you. We were the only ones who could save each other in may instances after you left her for dead on Harvest."
"What did you think made me so large," Arizona added, "That was Doug's handiwork."
"I see," Hood said, "Well what did you want to ask him?"
"Oh right," Arizona said, "I was out scouting a new planet when I came across some odd readings much like the ones your robot friend is giving off."
"Hey I'm a ghost dragonfly Flood," Sparks said, "Name is Sparks."
"Well my apologies then, geez touchy for an undead," Arizona retorted, "Anyways there seems to be two conflicting readings some detect massively advanced tech and the other shows relatively primitive infrastructure, I figured if anyone would know about this it would be you or whoever you are with."
"You would be correct," Storm said as she landed beside them and lowered her visor so her eyes showed, "The world you found is Tamerial our friends are the source of the readings you found. We are going to pick them up soon then stop Satan from spilling Hell forth into this world. You would be welcome to join us and I know Doug wouldn't mind having you around."
"Which of our friends," Sparks asked, "The ones who are supposed to be there or all of them?"
"Not all of them," Storm said, "Sparta and Alexandria are still on Avalar and Delta has found their way to Grishnake and his friends."
"Hold up," Doug interjected, "When we left Delta on Serra it was a pretty bad situation you're saying it got worse?"
"Much," Storm replied, "We will deal with that later, now we need to get them and head for Star's universe before Satan moves from there to here."
"Hood get back to your fleet," Arizona said, "Your coming with us."
"And who will be left to defend Earth if we all go charging in after you," Hood argued, "No you go with them I will coordinate Project Vacancy in case you all don't return."
"Wow that sounds bad," Sparks said, "What is this contingency you have planned?"
"Insurance," Hood replied as he boarded his Pelican and left them standing in the field.
"He is such an ass," Arizona remarked, "But pretty easy to get rid of if you know how to push his buttons."
"So Doug you going to try and keep Arizona a secret still or is it a little late for that," Storm asked.
"Storm, your creepy. You know that right," Sparks said.
"So who all have you told about me," Arizona asked, "You said you would keep 'us' quiet."
"And I did," Doug said, "With the cooperation of some friends, like Sparks there and K."
"And the dragon here," Arizona continued, "Its Storm right?"
"Yes," Storm replied, "I can see time it is hard to hid anything from me."
"I see," Arizona stated as she put her helmet back on, "Well then next stop the gates of Hell."
"So it would seem," Doug remarked, "Sparks you want to beam us back up?"
"On it," Sparks said as he got the lock from the Pestilence and teleported them back to the trans-mat room in the ship. The room was the larger portion of the middle of the ship with the exception of the drive core. Enough space was allocated to it so that even Cortana's ACU could use the room, in fact it was parked in its charging station now since she had yet to return to it. Sparks look the unit over with respect, it was faster, stronger, and much more agile than any other ACU. Enough so that it was more like a giant Spartan suit that could build its own army.
"Who drives that," Arizona asked as she pointed to the commander.
"That would be Cortana who you will meet shortly," Doug said, "She and Master Chief are in the corridor to our port and heading this way. I assume she is coming in to test the ACU and make sure it is still in top condition."
"I don't even see where the paint has been knocked off," Sparks said, "Her Sentinel abilities must really be something to avoid every attack made against her."
"In a suit that big impossible," Arizona remarked.
"Oh really," came Cortana's voice from their left, "And I bet you think John is a Human Spartan."
"I recognize that armor," John said as he walked into the room behind Cortana, "Arizona?"
"Well that is new," Arizona remarked as she saw John. Sparks just stood there for a moment stunned at how similar the two, Cortana and John, looked now.
"Ok I've heard of facial reconstruction but genetic remodeling is way to advanced for you guys just yet," Sparks said after the initial shock.
"But not for the Forerunners," Doug said, "I can still feel their influence rolling off of him."
"That is because I am Forerunner now," John said as the mask turned off to reveal his not quite human face.
"Oh," Arizona breathed as even Doug stepped back.
"Hmm so you are," Doug rumbled, "Then not all of them were destroyed after all?"
"Well they are not now," Cortana clarified, "John is officially the last, since K just blew up the Didact."
"Did he now," Doug pondered, "I will believe it when I see a body."
"Hey Cortana," came a resonating voice from down the hall, "Where did you two go?"
"In here Kris," John called, "Well we've got new friends too."
In walked three robots that looked a lot like Spark's main infantry units but were more geometric than his usually conical shaped ones. The bi-pedal bots looked around before walking over to John and Cortana.
"So who are these," Kris, the largest of the three, asked.
"Well Doug is the Flood, Sparks is in the big robot, and Arizona there we just met," Cortana said, "Everyone this is Kris, Allen and Lona."
"Nice to meet you," Lona said in a more feminine voice than Kris'.
"Your robots," Sparks asked, "Like AIs?"
"Nothing so simple," Cortana said, "They used to be people before the Didact composed them. These bodies are what they can exist in in the physical world though I suspect an electronic architecture is more to their liking."
"Interesting," Doug commented, "But from what I can gather not quite as interesting as K's new friends. Shall we go meet them?"
"I think some are on their way to meet us," Cortana said, "We passed them in the hall and they said they would follow us once they were done talking with Arie."
"Now that is a big gun," came a voice as two men walked into the room.
"Yeah, can you imagine driving that around," said a man in a brown coat.
"Heh, oh I could imagine more than that," the other one who had a piece meal combat suit and a toboggan. Both were in their late thirties early forties and had obviously seen their fare share of combat.
"You know I originally didn't think that this whole thing would be a good idea but now its not so bad," replied the brown coat.
"Uh guys hello," Sparks said drawing the two men's attention to them.
"Oh hey sorry about that but that giant robot suit there is just really impressive," Brown coat replied, "Name's Malcolm or Mal, this is Jayne."
"Hi," Jayne said, "I don't guess there is a chance that I can get to see that big suit in action?"
"And for once we are not the oddity," Sparks said, "Your not even phased by us are you."
Mal and Jayne looked at each other and shrugged, "Eh... no," Mal said, "You should meet Torgue, then you would understand odd."
"Well you two seem normal enough," Arizona said, "I'm Arizona this is Doug."
"Who is the driver of that mech," Jayne asked.
"That would be me," Cortana said.
"Ah yes the electric chick," Jayne added, "Right we met you and those three robots in the hall."
"We are not robots," Allen corrected.
"You're close enough for him," Mal said.
"Well I'm Sparks," Sparks said, "what brought you two here?"
"Torgue," they replied.
"It sounds like we should meet this Torgue," Spark stated.
"Lets wait on that my ears are still ringing since he said hi this morning," Mal said, "Why don't you show us the way back to the hangar, our ship is there with the rest of the crew."
"You have your own ship," Doug said, "That is impressive."
"Wait until you see her, most agile ship in the universe," Mal replied.
"Which universe," Sparks asked as they walked out of the trans-mat room.
"Good point," Jayne commented.
