Even in the shade the heat was palpable.

Michael's face was grim as the main team deployed under the shadow of a building and Miranda found her gaze moving away from him in favour of the buildings around them.

It was...an eerie sight.

As always, Miranda had studied the planet extensively in preparation for their drop. She knew it was one of the colonies of the Quarians before they had been driven away, in fact it had been a scientific outpost of impressive size...though the lack of military there had made it an easy target during the Geth uprising.

Yet such written facts never quite compared to the reality of it.

All around them the Quarian buildings, largely intact save the odd shattered window or scorch mark, rose up towards the burning sun. A mute testament to the former glories of a race that were nothing but vagrants any longer, a testament...and a warning. EDI wouldn't do this...she's shackled, but if she wasn't... Miranda shuddered at the thought.

Miranda wasn't frightened by the sight of so many empty buildings. Though...it was a scary sight, she could acknowledge that. The city had once held maybe a million Quarians...living, laughing, eating, all without the suits they now were synonymous with...

And now all that remained were the empty husks they had lived in, a quiet tomb.

Miranda shuddered once more.

Yet things weren't quiet any more. Above her the shuttle shuddered, the sound of its engines powering up making the air rush around them as it hurtled up towards space and the waiting Normandy. There was another sound further off, that of the M-fourty-four Hammerhead they had deployed as Jacob flew it low and out of sight.

And then there was the sound of fighting.

There were no screams or orders being shouted, not from that distance, but she could hear the sound of gunfire, intense gunfire, that and the odd mufled explosion.

They had already seen it from above. Though scanning the planet had been impossible because of the radiation, visual scans using cameras had worked...and revealed the bad news.

The Quarian ship was further to the east, guarded by a few Geth sentries, which meant there were no living Quarians there. In fact, the Normandy's cameras had spotted no living Quarians anywhere, but since there was a small horde of Geth massing to the north of their position...there were obviously survivors.

Miranda had argued about the danger of trying to help such few people against so many Geth. After all, Tali might already be dead...but had, as expected, been glared to silence by Michael, and more surprisingly, Garrus.

It was curious, both the Commander and the Turian had been on edge ever since they'd entered the system...Miranda guessed it had something to do with her being their old team mate...but had shrugged it aside, it was just another issue she had to deal with.

Then again, dying due to those two being overzealous was a big issue...

Her gaze moved back to Michael...and found him glaring at the rest of the team. He looked...tense, and eager, unable to stand still as he walked back and forth before them. His voice was hard and tense, reminding her of a drill sergeant. "Listen up! The radiation makes communications off planet impossible! That means that the Geth here do not know that the Normandy has destroyed the cruiser that dropped them off!"

Jack shifted where she stood, the woman shaking her head. "Fuck, you've already told us this twice al-"

Michael's eyes flashed, and the woman's mouth clicked shut. Heh...Miranda smiled even as Michael continued. "But that does not mean that communications on the planet are cut! And as you should know by now, Geth are linked! That means that once we hit them all Geth will know we're here!" He paused, letting the words sink in, yet didn't stop his walking. "So what do we do?"

By now everyone knew, the man had drummed it into them again and again on the Normandy...yet none said anything, rightly judging it better not to interrupt him.

"We hit them hard! We hit them fast! We cause as many casualties as we can as fast as we can! We leave them nothing to fight us with!" The man's face twitched as he came to a sudden stop, voice dropping low. "I expect the best out of you, if I don't see that you will answer to me."

Miranda glanced at the others...and though none swallowed or looked overly frightened by the words...they did look a bit nervous about the threat...and rightly so considering the intent look on Michael's face. At least he's motivated to get the work done... She rolled her eyes.

Michael's glaring was interrupted by a beep, making all of them reach up to their ears or helmets to listen in. "Shepard, Garrus here, Jacob has deployed me at the base of the tower..." Miranda's gaze was drawn to the tall building towering over the others in the area, a good vantage point Michael had picked out as an observation point. "...I am moving up the stairs now, I'll be fully deployed in four minutes." Garrus' voice held the same tension Michael's did, if less angry.

Michael's eye twitched. "You have two."

"Two it is." Garrus replied, a small grunt in the radio as he increased the pace up the stairs.

"Jacob here." The radio continued. "Moving to deploy Kasumi in forward position, but I can already tell we have lots of Geth activity ahead of you, though my sensors are jammed."

"Roger that." Michael nodded, tensing. "Drop her off and then proceed to lower ground, we'll call when you're needed." His finger dropped off the side of his helmet as he focused back on the others. "You heard the man, the Geth are waiting, so we move!"

Without further word the man turned and began to jog, heedless of the way his armour began to smoke the moment he stepped into the light.

The others turned to Miranda, confused looks on their faces.

I don't know...

She shrugged...and moved to catch up.

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Dammit!

Michael leapt, rolled with the impact and felt the pressure wave of the exploding rocket as it struck the wall he had stood by just moments ago.

God fucking dammit!

Moving up to hug the cover two discarded old boxes offered he fired a round at a Geth, the burst of shots from his avenger rifle tearing through what little remained of its shield and ripping part of its head off.

The flailing machine was quickly bashed aside by two others however, the two taking over its cover and continuing the crossfire that was pinning down the team.

Move you sons of bitches! I don't have time for this!

A low growl of irritation emanated from Michael's chest as he ducked in time to avoid a scything salvo from a Geth Prime as the machine slowly moved in on their position.

Around him, the others were mostly ducking behind their cover, now and then throwing the odd salvo the enemy's way. Only Grunt and Michael were stubborn enough to pull up to fire more then passing shots at the enemy...and that was no surprise given how many shots the two Primes ahead were pouring towards them. Together with the three dozen other Geth...the team was being engulfed in a storm of shots.

"We need to retreat!" Miranda shouted from somewhere behind Michael, the woman not even daring to stick her head over her cover as the heavy calibre shots from one of the Primes tore great chunks out of the low wall. "If we move back to the street instead of this crossroad we'll be able to...!"

"No!" Michael snapped, knowing fully well he was being stubborn. It's the best action, but... He bit his lower lip in frustration. Even over the sound of all the Geth firing at him he could hear the battle with the Quarians ahead, louder now...and clearly diminishing in intensity as the Geth tightened the noose. I can't...

"Shepard, you have an incommoding drop ship!" Jacob called in through the radio...and Michael felt his hatred swell. We do not retreat!

"Break cover and engage! Take it out!" He shouted back, then turned his head. "Grunt! Get over here!" The Krogan growled...but moved, quickly rushing over to Michael's cover and just reaching it before his shield shorted out. "I'm going to need your help with this!"

Looking over the cover, Michael was just in time to see the Geth drop ship appear round one of the towers ahead, the surprisingly large ship banking hard as it moved to drop whatever reinforcement it held...

A moment later Jacob's Hammerhead came flying, the small hovercraft flying straight at the flank of the ship like a missile...even as it released its payload of actual missiles.

There was barely enough time for them to make white contrails through the air before the barrage struck the drop ship's side. The blossoming explosions rippled along the length of it...and the ship twisted as the force of the attack forced it sideways...and into one of the buildings it was flying past.

There was a crash, the tower listing as it was torn open...and then coming crashing down upon the struggling drop ship even as the Hammerhead flew away in an elegant arch beneath the crashing ship. Note, Jacob's good with that thing.

A crash...and the top of the tower fell, dragging the drop ship with it onto the street ahead in a cloud of falling debris and dust.

Michael turned back to the grinning Grunt, knowing time was in short supply and that there was no time to be awed by the destruction. "I need you to charge to the left towards those two Geth behind the cover there. I will be right behind you, when the time comes you dodge behind their cover, got it?"

"Protect the squishy one, got it." The Krogan grunted, giving Michael an amused look. "Damn, this is a fight, Shepard!"

Michael grimaced, looking over the cover as he judged the moment, his voice a growl."Not for long, soon it'll be a slaughter..." There! The Prime to the left was stepping forward, moving to eject its spent heat sink. "Now! Move!"

With a roar, Grunt flew forward, his feet kicking aside their mutual cover as if the boxes weighed nothing as he with a barking assault rifle threw himself towards the Geth ahead.

Michael was only a few feet behind him...and watched with narrowed eyes as every Geth currently not reloading turned their guns upon the pair.

Bring it on you synthetic beasts...

As if hearing his thoughts the storm focused on the pair, turning the air around them into nothing but white strobes of light as the shots tore through the air, the ground and shields alike. The rightmost Prime with its large machine gun also brought its gun to bear...and Grunt growled in pain and anger as a stream of heavy shots slammed into him, instantly sending his right shoulder pad flying in a shower of sparks and orange blood.

Ahead, the two Geth had fallen, making the cover Grunt's...if he could reach it. Even as they ran the nearer Prime had reloaded, it too bringing its heavy weapon to bear upon Grunt...a Grunt that was already stumbling with an angry growl as his lifeblood was splashed over the ground.

"Down!" Michael grabbed Grunt's shoulder, fingers digging into a sizeable crater in the flesh...and shoved the Krogan behind the low wall strewn with Geth parts as he himself leapt towards the nearest Prime.

The machine took half a step back, the eye atop it widening as it took in the new target and brought its weapon to bear...and Michael roared as he crossed the distance.

He came up close...and slammed the butt of his rifle into the left knee of the Prime, forcing it to bend...and then the right, repeating the process and nearly bringing the Prime to its knees as it struggled to remain standing. It looked down at him, the lone eye narrowing as it raised the large machine gun in its hand to strike him...and Michael glared back at it as he dropped his rifle."Nice gun."

He leapt...and his foot pushed hard against the left thigh of the Prime as he used it to come level with it. A startled sound of static escaped it...and Michael twisted mid-jump, hands coming to grip the machine gun as his feet slammed into the Geth's chest.

"Let me try it." With a grunt Michael pushed...and the Prime gave in, its hands not designed to grip the weapon tighter than necessary to fire the weapon.

Michael flew, twisted...and his back struck the floor as he rolled with the impact, hands moving to grip the weapon properly as he on one knee brought the Prime into his cross-hair. It was moving towards him, arms reaching out to grab at him...and he fired.

A stream of shots flew forward, thumping into the chest of the Prime and tearing fist-sized chunks of out it, slamming them into the inside of the machine...and making it falter as it dropped onto all fours...and then slumped to the ground.

Recoil is heavy...

Michael noted the fact even as shots tore through the ground and air around him, the Geth responding to the new threat in force...and he responded in kind.

Aiming at the closest Geth trooper, now unable to take cover, Michael squeezed down on the trigger and let the stream of heavy shots tear forth...

The Geth's leg came off almost instantly, its shrill cry interrupted as another bullet caught it in the head and ripped it into scraps. The recoil steadily lifted the stream of shots, letting them fly along the Geth lines...and several more of the machines cried out as they were felled; torn into shreds by the powerful weapon.

I like it.

Michael almost grinned...only for him to fly into the wall behind him as the other Prime caught him straight in the chest with a burst of shots.

A thump...and he slumped down on the ground, gasping for air as he felt rather then heard his chest plate crack from the impacts. More impacts came though, the shots slamming into Michael's torso as he twisted and gasped.

No!

He brought his gun to bear, pushing it steady against the wall behind him...and let loose.

The shots merely bounced against the Prime's shield as it steadily advanced, its own shots steadily slamming into Michael, driving all air out of him as blood suddenly splattered his visor along with a burning pain across his chest.

I...no...I have to save...

Then the Prime jerked, its shields flashing white as they suddenly overloaded. A moment later an orb of orange flew forth...and the machine caught fire. Ignoring the damage it turned its head towards the rest of the team, a team slamming shots into it, adding to the damage of its already broken armour.

A distant crack...and the eye of the Prime exploded into shards of glass, toppling it even as Garrus called out through the radio. "Scratch one!"

Michael smiled...and rolled into cover even as the remaining Geth began to fall; their flank gutted and their heavy support gone, they no longer had the edge...

Moving to reload the heavy weapon in his hands Michael watched Grunt plod past him, the Krogan ignoring the great wounds in him as with a roar he came charging forth, slamming something out of Michael's sight into pieces. Miranda's voice was a bit distant, despite her yelling, but Michael shook his head and cleared it from the shock. "They're retreating, cut them down!"

Hurts...

Michael grunted, reached down and withdrew a syringe to jab into the mess that was his chest, instantly feeling better as the medi-gel did its work.

"All targets down!" Miranda's voice was clear now, and not a little tense. "Commander, where are you!"

"Here." Michael replied, hand coming up and grabbing a hold of a nearby wall as he hoisted himself to his feet. Watching as the rest of the team appeared out of their cover he raised the machine gun in his hand and rested it on his shoulder, ignoring the crimson mess that was covering what was left of his chest plate. "Well done, we move on."

"Sir, you're hurt." Miranda noted, frowning at him, as if it was his fault. Well...it is...but that's not important.

"Medi-gel's already administered, we move on." He replied, gesturing towards the street ahead, thankful it wasn't the one blocked by a downed Geth ship. "If we keep the pace we will reach them in time."

"Sir." Miranda replied, looking cross as she moved closer. "I really think you ought to slow down, this is risking the operation and you're being unnecessarily..."

No!

Suddenly he was close to her, looking down at her, glaring...and for a moment something akin to fright passed her features before that cold veneer was clamped back into place.

Michael barely recognised his own voice. "We move on...now."

"As you wish, Commander..." Miranda simply replied, looking puzzled...and not at all pleased.

Whatever. Snorting, Michael whirled about and returned to the jogging pace he had kept up ever since they'd landed. The pain in his chest, the internal anguish of what might lay ahead as well as that of his injury, simply spurring him on to increase the length of his strides.

Again he heard Jacob's voice in the radio, the man's voice filled with static. "Commander, I have established radio-contact with the leader of the Quarian marines, patching you in."

Michael didn't slow down, the heavy rifle in his hands tracking back and forth as he kept jogging...and his voice a growl. "Talk to me."

The voice was surprisingly calm and to the point. "Commander Shepard? This is Kal'Reegar, migrant fleet marines, we're losing men fast and if you don't show up soon there'll be nothing but corpses waiting for you."

"We'll be there in moments." Michael growled, eyes narrowing as he pushed forward, ignoring the strain in his chest.

I'm coming...

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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for always sparing the time.