Chapter 29 Colonials, Cylons and a Reaper oh my

"General Quarters all hands man your battle stations, we have a Reaper inbound." alerted EDI's voice over every speaker on the Normandy as the general quarters alarm went off. All over the Normandy people were rushing to their battle stations as the crew rushed around. Hidden compartments opened up within the walls to revile M-8 Avengers assault rifles and M-3 predator heavy pistols. Crew members who normally didn't carry weapons moved to these hidden lockers to collect the weapons in case of a boarding.

"Joker what are we up against?" asked Shepard as he looked at the map showing the ships locations. They had been luckily the Cylons had appeared on their right and the Reaper was coming in on their left with the colonial fleet behind them.

"Well if you call only one Reaper luckily then we are lucky." stated Joker as the Normandy moved to intercept the Reaper, as they got onto the lift "However the Reaper is the same size as Sovereign."

"Well we wouldn't want it to be too easy." stated Shepard "How long until they are within firing range?"

"Five minutes." stated Joker

"The Reaper is taking it's time then and it hasn't launched any fighters." stated Shepard "EDI has it powered up weapons?"

"No energy spike matching Reaper's main gun is currently happening Shepard." Stated EDI

"What are you think John?" asked Ashley

"That maybe the Reaper is here to talk." explained Shepard

"Talk?" asked Ash

"Yes, I would bet it or rather the Catalyst wants to hear our side before deciding if it is going to send the Reapers back in." explained Shepard "EDI patch me to all ships in the fleet including the Cylons."

"It's done." stated EDI as Shepard took a breath.

"This is Commander Shepard of the System Alliance vessel Normandy representing Earth and all Citadel worlds and races calling the Cylon attack group approaching this fleet." started Shepard as his voice came out of every wireless broadcaster "You probably have already detected the massive ship heading this way, do not fire and do not fire on the colonials or the free Centurion unless you want to die at the hands of a Reaper."

"This is Admiral Adama to all colonial ships do not fire unless fire upon." ordered Admiral Adama "Any ship civilian ships that can jump, jump now."

"This is Athras of the free Centurion Basestar launch raiders into defensive formation do not fire unless fire upon." ordered Athras

Onboard the Cylon Basestars Cavil was smiling as he looked at the readings coming in, the FTLs of half the ships are dark and the Battlestars would stay to defend those dark ships. He could easily destroy not only the last two battlestars and half of the free humans but this Normandy and the Basestar they lost.

"Cavil, I am worried about this ship that this Commander Shepard is warning us about." Explained a three "Dradus has it as the five times the size of the Galactica and it is moving fast."

"No ship that size can move at that speed." Stated Cavil "It has to be just drones in formation."

"It would take dozens of drones to make a ship that size on Dradus." Stated a three

"But possible none the less." stated a four "So let's just go and end this war."

Back onboard the Normandy Shepard watched as Cylons launched their fighters heading straight toward the Colonial ships.

"Shepard should we armor up?" asked James as he looked at his strangely calm friend.

"This isn't a ground fight James and our amour isn't going to do much good." explained Shepard "Our only real hope is to talk."

"What if it doesn't want to talk?" asked Ash

"Then we are all dead." answered Shepard

"Shepard." said a deep voice over the intercom and over every wireless broadcaster it was a voice that sent chills down even Shepard's back and his blood to turn ice cold.

"This is Shepard to which Reaper am I talking too?" asked Shepard

"I am Guardian." stated the Reaper as the Reaper came to a stop.

Outside every colonial who could get to a window was there as they looked out across space at the monster ship which now filled visual space. It had a pure black armor with dark blue lights coming off different spots across the armored haul.

"By the Gods." stated more than a few colonials as they feared that this ship was death itself.

"What is it that you want Guardian?" asked Shepard

"Catalyst demands answers." stated Guardian

"I am sure you already know what is going on." Stated Shepard

"Correct." Stated Guardian "Attention Cylon force stand down or you will be destroyed. The Catalyst demands that you stand down."

Onboard the Cylon flag ship the humanoid Cylons looked at each other for a moment; unlike the colonials they couldn't get any visual feedback from their fighters. They could only get Dradus readings from their raiders.

"What in the name of God is that?" asked an eight

"It's a fake someone broadcasting on the wireless." stated Cavil as he watched his raiders close to within range of the colonial fleet.

Outside sitting in his Viper was leader of red fighter wing wasBrendan Costanza also known as Hot Dog. Like all the other pilots his eyes were locked on the giant ship which was coming toward them fast. He had never seen a ship that large before, yes the colonials had large space stations but none of them could move on their own and none of them gave off a sense of pure evil that this ship was giving.

"Sir the Cylons are within range." stated one of his pilots

"Alright here we go." stated Hot dog as he gripped his stick. As he prayed to the Lords of Kobol a beam of red light shot out from the Reaper mowing though the Cylon raiders destroying everything it touched. Seconds later a second and then a third beam of red light shot out from the Reaper until all the raiders where destroyed.

"What the Frak is that!" yelled a pilot as the raider's designated from the attack.

Little did they know that onboard the Cylon Basestars the humanoid Cylons where saying the same thing as they tried to understand what was going on.

"How could over a hundred raiders disappear in a second?" asked Cavil

"Arm nukes and shot whatever it is out of the sky." ordered a three as the computers reacted almost at once as the nuclear missiles located in multiple launchers in multiple locations along the seven Basestars. The Reaper didn't change course as the 14 nuclear missiles flew toward it. The missiles flew true as 12 nuclear explosions ripped through space causing even the Normandy's sensor systems to go offline for a moment.

"Do you think they destroyed this Reaper?" asked Admiral Adama as he watched the screen.

"Not a chance." answered Shepard knowing that Reapers had taken much worst during the war and lived.

That fact wasn't known on the Cylon Basestars as smiles covered the faces of every single humanoid Cylon believing that they had won however that was far from the truth as the Reaper came out of the nuclear cloud it's barrier shimmering from the blow.

"Dradus Contact!" yelled a six

"What?" asked Cavil

"It's still there. We are also getting a large energy spike building from the ship." answered the six as the Reaper charged its main gun.

"Jump get us out of here!" yelled a three but it was too late as the Reaper fired its main cannon which ripped though the unshielded Cylon Basestars like a hot knife through butter. The Reaper had positioned itself so that its beam could cut though all seven Basestars at once and it had been aimed perfectly.

Onboard the Normandy Admiral Adama couldn't believe his eyes as he watched the display, seven Basestars a force that could have destroyed his entire fleet was whipped off the map by a single attack.

"By the Gods." whispered Admiral Adama

"And that is only one Reaper, thousands of reapers attacked this galaxy and millions are waiting to reinvade if we don't make peace." stated Shepard as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Now that is done what is next?" asked Ash

"We wait for Guardian to talk to us again." answered Shepard

"Shepard." stated Guardian's voice over the communication frequencies.

"Yes, Guardian" replied Shepard "The Catalyst wants to hear your side before making his decision on whether to restart the harvest."

"Alright where to begin?" asked Shepard

"No…he wants to talk face to face." explained Guardian as everyone looked at Shepard

"How can I talk to the Catalyst face to face?" asked Shepard

"You will find out human, we will send a transport to the large ship marked Galactica." stated the Reaper "You have ten earth minutes, if you fail to show we will restart the harvest."

"Understood." stated Shepard as the link was cut.

"We are going to talk to the reapers face to face?" asked Garrus

"If it means stopping them from returning again, then yes I will talk to them face to face." explained Shepard

"I'll get the weapons." stated Ash

"Make sure you grab the heavy weapons." added Shepard

"Will do." finished Ash

"Now shall we get going." said Shepard

"Can we have a moment to contact our ships?" asked Admiral Adama

"Go right ahead but we need leave in three minutes." explained Shepard knowing that the time they spent bringing their commands up to speed was the time he need to put on his armor.

Shepard moved though his ship, he tried not to notice the scared looks on the faces of his crewmembers. They had faced down entire Reaper fleets before but they were still scared, his mind turned to had to be happening on the colonial civilian ships.

Onboard the Zephry everyone was panicking, some of the people of where staring out the windows at the Reaper which was now just sitting there in space while others ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.

"Everyone calm down we don't know what is going on yet." yelled the Captian's voice over the speaker system as he stood on the bridge. "We don't even know what it is."

"It is a Reaper." stated Dr. Chakwas as she walked onto the bridge along with two of the four marines which had come with her followed her in.

"What the Frak is a Reaper?" asked the Captain not realizing that the speaker was still on.

"It's the most feared thing in the galaxy." explained Dr. Chakwas

"What do we do?" asked the Captain

"Apart from trying to get your FTL working all you can do is pray that Commander Shepard can send them back." explained Dr. Chakwas

Meanwhile Galactica's CIC was a scene of control panic as the crew under Karl's leadership was preparing for what was coming.

"Sir I have admiral Adama on the wireless." yelled the wireless operator as Captain Agathon ran over and grabbed the wireless.

"Admiral, what the Frak is going on?" asked Karl "What is that fraken ship."

"According to the system alliance it is a Reaper and if we aren't able to talk them out of it they will destroy us all." Explained Bill "They want to talk on the Galactica."

"Sir, I am not sure that is the best move." stated Karl

"I don't have a say on this." explained Adama, he wasn't used to taking orders from anyone apart from Laura but he knew this Reaper was beyond him.

"Anything you want me to do?" asked Karl

"Get every marine to the flight pod and find out how someone got a hold of a nuke." ordered Admiral Adama

"Yes. Sir." answered Karl

"And one last thing, get your wife out of the brig and put her back in a uniform." ordered Adama

"What?" asked Karl wondering if he had heard correctly.

"You heard me, reinstate her and make sure she gets to the flight pod as fast as you can." answered Adama as he cut the wireless link "Gods know she may be our best shoot at saving this galaxy."

All the pilots in Galactica's air wing was on edge as a small craft left the reaper, the craft was only twenty meters long but it was moving faster than even one of the colonial missiles. At the same moment that the Reaper transport was leaving the Reaper, three transports left the Normandy. It was a strange flight made out of a Cylon heavy raider, a colonial Raptor and the last Kodiak shuttle from the Normandy.

"Shepard the free Cylons have launched another heavy raider and heading toward the Galactica." Reported EDI as Shepard sat on one of the small benches inside the crowed shuttle.

"What are they doing?" asked Ash

"Athras reports they are bringing in some centurions in case something happens." responded EDI

"Let's hope we don't need them." explained Shepard as the shuttle came in for a landing inside the Galactica's landing bay. Seconds later the first Cylon heavy raider landed to their right while the colonial Raptor landed to their left. At the far end of the landing bay the Reaper transport came to a stop.

"How long until the other Cylon raider arrives?" asked Shepard

"Two minutes and the deadline for talking is in three minutes." explained EDI

"John is there anything else we can do?" asked Ash as she looked at her boyfriend who just sat there with his eyes close, gathering his thoughts.

"None that I can think of." admitted Shepard

"Whatever happens we are with you Shepard." Grunted Grunt

"Thank you, thank you all." replied Shepard as he looked at all his friends and smiled.

It took only a few minutes for the second heavy raider to land, everyone waited as Galactica landing pod closed and air was once again pumped into the massive pod.

"We are good." reported Edi as the shuttle door opened up as Shepard's team stormed off.

"Garrus I want you up high." Ordered Shepard as the famous Turian hero pulled out his sniper rifle.

"On it Shepard." responded Garrus as he spotted the best spot he could see.

"James, Jack, Kasumi and Tali I want you to shore up the colonial and Cylons lines, give them support." ordered Shepard "Ash you're in charge of them."

"I will not let you down." reported Ash as the calmer of Cylon centurions and the rushing of Colonial marine feet filled the air.

"You failing you never crossed my mind." added Shepard as he turned to the far side of the hanger at the Reaper transport.

"James head up to those catwalks and take command of those colonials." ordered Ash as she pointed to the large catwalk which ran almost the length of the flight pod. "Tali join up with the centurions. Jack in the center with Kasumi I want you in reserve to help when needed."

"Everyone else with me." ordered Shepard as Miranda, Samara, Grunt and EDI moved to stand in front of the four craft.

The air was tense as Shepard, Admiral Adama and Athras stood on one end of Galactica's flight pod. Behind them and lining the catwalk were members of the colonial marine force along with marines from the Normandy. Even a few heavily armed centurions who had come onboard the Galactica. Sitting at the end of the landing bay was a dark ship with sharp angles with what looked like spikes coming out of the back. The windowless craft just sat there as everyone waited.

"It's been ten minutes." stated Athras as suddenly the sound of hissing steam filled the air as everyone gripped their guns tighter as the front of the craft opened and lowered to form a ramp.

"Remember do not fire!" yelled Shepard "If you want to live don't fire unless they fire."

"By the Gods." stated Adama as he looked at the four figures rushed out of the craft their weapons raised. The creatures which looked like the Turian Garrus only changed into something more machine then flesh.

"Marauders, the front line commanders of the Reaper forces." explained Shepard

"They look like Turians." stated Admiral Adama

"They used to be Turians." explained Shepard as they looked at him "The reapers change victims into their foot soldiers and using them to carry out the harvest."

"They did this too humans?" asked Adama

"Billions of them." stated Shepard as two more figures stepped off the craft, they let out a screech which sent a chill down even Shepard's spin as two Banshees moved off the craft before moving to either side of the transport. The next figure caused cover the marines and Cylons where using as cover to shake with each step as a single brute took up position in the front of the transport.

"I don't think you can really talk to any of them." pointed out Miranda as finally the last figure walked out of the shuttle. Sheppard tensed up as he looked at the husk which was walking out of the shuttle. It wasn't the fact that it was a husk but the fact that it was so small, meaning that it had once been a child.

The husk moved into the center of a box made out of four Marauders which started moving toward them.

"Here we go." ordered Shepard as he moved forward with Miranda, Samara, Grunt and EDI forming their protective ring around him, Admiral Adama and Athras. The two boxes moved across the flight pod until both sides came to a stop around twenty yards apart. Slowly the Husk moved forward stopping in the middle of the two groups.

"Lords of Kobol protect us." Whispered Admiral Adama as the three of them moved forward until they stopped within feet of the husk.

"Now what?" asked Athras as he looked at the creature in front of him.

"Now we talk." stated the husk in a voice which Shepard knew all too well, everyone watched as the husk began to glow as small holographic generators in the husk activated. The husk was soon replaced with the image of a young boy dressed in blue jeans with a white hoodie jacket.

"A child?" asked Bill

"No, this is the Catalyst." stated Shepard "The AI which controls the Reapers."

"It is a child." stated Athras

"It could order the destruction this entire galaxy." explained Shepard as Admiral Adama and Athras looked at him before looking back at the Catalyst.

"You are correct but I am still not sure what road I will take." explained the Catalyst as he placed his hands behind his back "Your actions here just your actions on the Citadel will decide the fate of the galaxy and trillions of lives. I already know about the war between the displaced humans of Earth and the synthetic race called Cylons which they themselves made."

"In reality you come here because you have already made up your mind and you want us to plead or case in hopes that we provide new information." Explained Shepard

"You are correct Shepard." stated the Catalyst "Now do you have anything to say to save yourself? Or should I restart the harvest?"

Well I hope you liked this chapter, I have to admit I rewrote this chapter at least two times and I am still not totally happy with it however I still hope you like it. Now until next time please keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75