In Infinitum

Chapter 28
Operation: EAGLE

Jager shuttle, Space over Earth. 1800 Hours.
The lead Commando stood upright by the door next to the cockpit of the shuttle as it rocked again and the windows flashed with the light of another fiery explosion as they gunned it through the chaotic space battle that was taking place around them.

The Normandy had taken some flak from the Reapers the moment it entered the fray and had dropped them off early. A risky move, but the Commandos agreed it was for the best. The Reapers really had a thing for Shepard and if they Normandy SR2 continued further trying to dodge their fire it would have met its original's fate.

So now a lone shuttle was currently rolling, flipping and otherwise blurring through the largest Reaper Fleet towards the planet below. Peaking out the window one could see the large blue oceans, the green was small, but still there. However, on the dark side of the planet there were fires, large fires. Some smaller ones bloomed as well.

Some just appeared in large explosions altogether.

The Commander looked down at his wrist mounted computer. It had been mounted into his wrist armor, since Omni-Tool gave off light and since this was a night operation. They didn't need that sort of thing. They'd be dropping near the England HQ of the Alliance.

Another ship, the SSV-Victorious, exploded beside them as three Reaper main guns sheared and crisscrossed over its frame. It's barriers doing almost nothing to save it from fate. The Commando stared at it through his V shaped visor a moment. The scene reflected in it.

The shuttle rocked once again and his wrist computer pinged an alert.

He looked down at the screen. It read 12:00, then 11:59...

He turned to his team. Gave them a single nod and they all lifted their own wrist computers. They synchronized their timers and the mission had begun officially. EAGLE was underway.

They cleared the atmosphere and the inner temperature cooled.

"Red Commander, you've got twelve minutes. Get it done, once you're down there. You're on your own until you activate the signal beacon. Godspeed." Came the Captain of the Normandy's voice, strained and concentrated.

Red Commander, now Red for short, hefted up his M120-Conviction assault rifle. The weapon had been designed from the ground up from HARVEST base and so far, he and his team were the only ones allowed access for this mission. They were expensive and well worth the cost for their capabilities.

Like the Banshees. The Conviction used Thermal Magazines, allowing three thermal clips to be used at once for fewer reloads, it was a double barrelled weapon as well. Relatively heavy by assault rifle standards, but not so much as the Revenant or Saber. More on par with the Mattock. What separated this weapon though was the lower barrel acted as a Falcon grenade launcher, it fired 30mm styled slugs that exploded on either contact or airburst depending on the selected. It used thermal clips, in fact a single grenade used 20 units of the weapons 80 ammunition count. So prolonged use wasn't advised.

But it packed punch, the Conviction was "weaker" than the Banshee in terms of sheer stopping power, but its accuracy and firing speed made up for it in the longer range combat.

Three more of his Commandos also sported Convictions. However, the two on the far right of the shuttle, each looking out the same window. M201-Dragon launchers attached to their backs. The M201 Dragon were shoulder mounted rocket launchers that carried a total of four anti-armor 40mm HE rockets that exploded on contact. They had lock on and tracking abilities for air units and flew faster then most conventional missiles. Weighty, but the two could handle it.

The last member of Red's Commando team was their sniper. He carried a M55-Linear sniper rifle. This thing was a treat, first of its kind and damned expensive, almost as much as a suit of MJOLNIR. The weapon fired single, high energy output slugs that melted through damn near every sort of armor in the galaxy. It used plasma, not the knock off flash electrocuted air that Geth weapons used, but true, shaped plasma bolts.

The weapon heated fast between shots and required thermal clips to keep its temp down. One clip per shot. The scope also used advanced Heat/EM field sensors and targeting systems to allow the user to see through light cover, the best part was if it could be seen through, then the Linear could pierce it and get to the target. A true Marksmans gun.

Their shuttle descended to the city. The HQ was in sight and the doors hissed open and revealed the hellish landscape, the taller buildings had been destroyed and knocked over, debris scattered the once clean streets and signs of heavy fighting could be spotted in every direction. Blast scoring, craters and spent thermal clips.

He checked the timer.

11:47

He snapped his hand up and made a sharp "chop" gesture with his hand twice for the silent "Go! Go!". His team piled off the shuttle and formed an offensive half circle around the shuttle with their weapons scanning the terrain. The Dragon wielders were now holding their sidearms. Phalanx pistols upgraded with high caliber barrels and scopes.

Red stepped off the shuttle, turned to the pilot and gave a thumbs up. The pilot nodded and got out of the shuttle with him, they didn't check their timers to know they still had eleven minutes to make it to the bunker, defeat the local enemy presence and secure the pickup site then signal the Normandy. So they sprinted towards the city and left their shuttle.

It wasn't long before they covered five blocks in their sprint, they each feel the strain on their legs. Red stopped short of an intersection, raised an open palm and the rest of his team skid to a halt and raised their weapons and listened to the sounds around them.

He frowned behind his visor and his dark eyes narrowed. Footsteps, a few feet out. Heavy, metallic. Red knew it was Reaper forces, there were more footsteps and soon, one could hear the guttural growls of Cannibals.

He looked to his sniper.

The man gestured to the Northeast road of the intersection. Right where they needed to go, so, now he had a choice. Try to circle around slowly and hopefully avoid an unnecessary firefight while possibly using more time then what a firefight demanded. Or set a quick ambush and take them out before they call for backup.

His palm became a fist.

His team spread out quickly and took various forms of cover. He himself ducked behind a turned over truck and raised his Conviction, readying a grenade shot. The first strike had to be the last.

They waited roughly four seconds before the first Cannibal cleared the corner of the buildings and walked into the center of the intersection. Followed by four more, then a Marauder and two Ravagers.

Red waited until they were all in view. Then, his weapon flashed and the 30mm glowing blue slug flew forward and landed between the first and second Cannibals, it rolled twice and detonated with enough force to send them flying to the side with shrieks. The rest of his team fired their own weapons.

A missile streaked by his shoulder and impacted one of the Ravager's dead center, reducing it to organic and cybernetic bits and pieces. Another impacted the second as it turned towards their position.

The Marauder roared, then crumpled over when a beam of blue cut through its forehead. The remaining Cannibals didn't have time to return fire before they were cut down by Conviction fire.

Five seconds, the ambush cost them five seconds and time wasn't their friend today. Red stood, gave the all clear sign and sprinted forward down the street the patrol had come from. His team followed after him in a loose V formation with him at its head.

They ran for five minutes, avoiding two more patrols and removing a single snipers nest of Marauders along the way before they stopped at a relatively intact hotel. They chose a large room and Red checked their coordinates.

They were four blocks away and the sounds of gunfire were evident. He stood, looked out the window towards the park where the bunker was located beneath, his visor zoomed in to 12 times and he saw several dozen Cannibals laying down fields of fire while Ravager support guns pounded the position from behind them. He could make out several shapes of human returning fire on their enemy.

No good, they were outnumbered ten to one. This also posed a hard problem for Red and his team too, they had to extract Hackett and Anderson from that war zone within the next five minutes and twenty-two seconds before their window closed overhead.

He stood, grabbed his Conviction and jumped out the second story window. His team fell in behind him onto the paved streets. They took off towards the park, they would see how their initial plan played out there before making any hard decisions.


Anderson ducked low and watched as a Raveger round tore through the barriers of the marine behind him. Tearing the man in two as he screamed in agony a moment before he died of the trauma his body just suffered. Blood oozed from him and the Admiral fought back his revulsion to return fire with his Avenger. Taking down an advancing Cannibal.

"I'm out!" yelled a marine hiding behind a metal blockade in the hallway to the bunker entrance below ground where Hackett was being held. He was injured and receiving medical attention by the medic that Anderson had brought, he would make it. Hackett was a tough bastard.

Another shot rang out and Anderson flinched when dirt and blood splattered his face as a body beside him was shredded by the too wide thrown grenade from a Cannibal. He leaned out of his cover when his shields recharged and fire a three round burst into the Cannibal who through the grenade.

It fell over and two more took its place.

Where did they come from? He knew Reapers liked to drop hundreds of ground troops. But this was just ridiculous!

"Make it count!" Anderson tossed a spare thermal clip to the marine. The seven remaining marines he had under his command were all running on low ammo since they had managed to get a communication out through an old dish array and some mobile battery platform. Then the Reapers tracked the signal and here they were.

"Thanks sir!" The marine peaked over his cover and fire a long string of shots. A Marauder's shields dropped and the Cannibal in front of it fell unmoving to the ground. The Marauder fired a revenge burst that carved the Marines neck and sent the man gagging and gurgling to the ground clutching his neck with frenzied eyes.

Anderson knew there was nothing to be done for him and instead finished the Marauder off who killed his man. He watched it fall a moment too long before his shields pinged, flared and fell and a round tore his shoulder apart.

He stumbled back into cover and looked at his bleeding wound. It burned in pain a moment before it dulled to a soft throb like the rest of his aching and tired body, fighting for hours without end on little sleep was a helluva fight and he didn't want to keep at it too much longer.

He'd kill for a miracle and some tequila right now.

One of the seven rear cover Ravagers exploded in a show of blue and red blames along with the bits and pieces. Then the two others beside it with their own spectacular show of explosive prowess. Before the bits even cleared gunfire erupted from another direction in a flanking blanket of fire.

Cannibals and Marauders fell over as they were caught unaware of the new enemies that were now laying them down with incredible accuracy as heads were tore in two from precise single shots or torso mangled with accurate, savage center of mass sprays.

The Ravagers lumbered around to take aim at the new targets that had yet to reveal themselves.

Two more rockets streaked from the rubble of the nearby corner store. One struck the ground between two close Ravagers and took out their left and right legs, they fell over onto their sides and struggled to rise. The second hit another center of mass and reduced it to paste.

Anderson was awed by the execution of the attack that was taking place that he almost forgot he was part of his firefight too. "Marines, we got some backup! Return fire!"

His men cheered and with renewed confidence they fired upon the enemy who was now being hit from three fronts.


Red watched the attack go off without a hitch, the enemy had been so focused on the marines at the entrance to the bunker they'd hadn't expected an outside attack from their rear. Their snipers had been dealt with swiftly and their team's sniper had taken their place and was waiting for the order to begin his own terror shooting.

He had instructed his rocket Commandos to take out the Ravager line while he and the others blanketed the Cannibal and Marauder lines with their Convictions. It had been pure gold when the first rockets struck their target and it took them time to realise the attack had come from behind them.

And it was also gold when they were cut down by he and his teams combined field of fire with their automatic weapons.

He paused, then let loose a five round burst and took down a Cannibal trying to feast on one of its fallen brethren. He traced another, then took it down before his ammunition counter pinged empty. His thermal magazine automatically ejected when he lifted another one up to the feeder. He slid it in, his weapon clicked full and he resumed fire.

Red fired a grenade and it soared across the road into the park and detonated beside a Marauder hiding behind a makeshift barrier made from several welded metal benches. It was in three pieces now. He watched as they returned inaccurate fire, confused as to where they were shooting from. He stood and did a half crouch, half run to a new position as his old one was pelted with fire.

He had also instructed his team to keep mobile and not stick to one place too long. Keep the enemy guessing and off balance, when the marines joined the shooting it made the whole play all the better.

He stopped, watched the last Marauder fall when their sniper took it. Then he stepped into the street and his fellow Commandos with him, side the sniper who would still be perched on the three story building overlooking the field and providing overwatch for their approach.

Red stopped short at the entrance to the bunker hall and waited, holding up his had in the Alliance signal for "all clear". To say Red was surprised when Admiral Anderson poked his head up from behind another barrier was an understatement, he expected the Admiral to be with Hackett. Then again, Anderson was an N7 soldier and likely felt more at ease fighting then sitting and letting others fight.

"Admiral, sir!" Red snapped off a salute. His voice rough, professionally so.

"Commander," Anderson saluted and saw the ranking bars on his left shoulder. "What's a Commando doing here?"

Alliance Shock Commandos weren't common by any means, they were more rare then N7 troopers and far better trained, few made it their status and they were only under the command of the top brass. "Humans who rivalled Spartans" their instructors wanted them to be.

"Extracting you and Hackett, sir." Red replied simply and raised his wrist computer. "We have only two minutes and twenty seconds left in our window before the fleets pull back to the relay." he added with some urgency.

Anderson frowned. "Understood, we'll get Hackett out here, he's been injured and will need a medic when he's extracted. Signal for pickup, Commander." he turned and marched into the hall towards the Bunker.

Red frowned behind his visor. He reached into one of his many pouches, withdrew the small grenade sized beacon and clicked the button. It pinged once and he knew the signal had been received.

He tossed it down and turned to his team. He gestured sharply with his hand and they reloaded and spread out a bit around the park, covering all sides until their ride came down for them from the space battle over the planet. He looked up and several fireballs were already falling through the atmosphere, most would burn up. But the larger pieces would make it to ground.

Moments later Hackett stepped out from the hall with Anderson at his side. His head was bandaged and he was using a crutch to support himself while his left leg was in a support sling to keep pressure off it. The bandages were slightly bloody too.

"Commander," Hackett saluted quickly, still protocol. "Glad to see a friendly face."

"Admiral, sir," Red nodded and gestured to the beacon. "Normandy is incoming for extraction. You, Admiral Anderson and the rest of your men will be taken off planet and-"

Anderson cut in. "I'm not going, Commander." His voice was firm and his stare too, he meant it. "Neither are my men, we've got friends and family here."

As if to affirm this claim, the surviving marines clustered together, tightened their holds on their rifles and stared right back at Red. He was impressed, Anderson knew how to command loyalty.

"Sir, I have direct orders from Alliance brass to see you both to the Citadel." Red countered simply.

"And as an Admiral, I am overriding those orders, your new mission to extract Hackett and get him to the Citadel, I'll stay behind and organize the local packets of survivors into a resistance force." he explained. He gestured to his men, "See these men? Ten hours ago they didn't have the uniforms, blondie there was in a bathroom stall huddling in the dark with his wife when I found him. She's waiting for him back at the hideout. There's hundreds more like him all around the city." he shook his head. "I'm not leaving them without leadership."

Red looked to the marines. Indeed, only a few carried the stances of trained combatents, the others were slouched, loose and holding weapons too loosely. They were civilians in combat armor, nothing more. But Anderson had a point and he had to agree the man made a good point.

"Alright, Admiral sir, mission parameters accepted," Red nodded.

The beacon pinged again and Red turned to the sky. Sure enough, the Normandy was steadily approaching, a gaping gash on the left side of its upper hull indicated the ferociousness of the battle overhead. The hanger opened and out flew a new shuttle, two of them. They came down and hovered a few inches off the ground wand opened their doors.

Red gestured Hackett to one. Soon, Red and his team joined Hackett in one shuttle while the other took civilians and children. All that they could, soon filled. The second shuttle closed its doors and took off, then, Red opened his door and called.

"More room for civilians." he said to Hackett's questioning stare. He paused, then turned to Admiral Anderson. "Admiral, good luck, sir!"

"You too, Commander!" Anderson replied over the roar of the engines.

He could tell the Admiral approved, he nodded and "hmm"ed thoughtfully before they got twenty more people on board then they took too off, there were about fifty civilians now safely off Earth. A small victory.

Red felt a tug on his gauntlet and he looked down to see a small boy, no older than eight, looking at up him with a smile. "Did you save us mister?" he asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I had help too," he gestured to his fellow Commandos. "From my team."

"Thanks, to yous too!" the boy said, turning sharply to look at the others. They nodded back at the child and the ride continued on in silence.


End of chapter 28

There they are, I love to think I did my "Commandos" well, gave them that whole "I'm a quiet badass and show it by kicking everythings ass" feel, but I don't know. I think the overboard lack of naming and speech might have hurt that a bit, but. I tried. Anyways, thoughts on these new charries? Would ya like to see them again in the future? Leave them out for a long while? Hmm?

Oh, and review pleeeease! They give me happy feelings!