Ch 36
Smoke on the Water
Turian Hierarchy Forward Command Center: Menae
Gathered outside, all four of Shepard's crew mates stood waiting for his orders. He stood there looking them up and down, wondering himself on what to do. After mulling it over, he finally decided on what their plan of action would be. Already the Turians seemed close to being overrun, General Corinthus had made it clear he couldn't promise them a safe path back to their original LZ. Not wanting to leave anything to chance, Shepard was forced to split his squad for now, though happy that Garrus had finally managed to join them again. At least now he had more to work with.
"Arbiter," Shepard said, looking up towards the taller alien, "I need you and Liara to stay here and help with their defense until we can extract Victus. We can't run the chance of losing our only escape route."
"It shall not fall, Shepard," the Sangheili said, giving a small bow of his head, before dashing towards the gate they had first entered. Liara started to follow, but stopped quickly and turned to Garrus. Standing on her toes, she pulled him down gently by his collar, bringing his ears to her mouth, whispering something only meant for them before charging off after the Arbiter.
For a moment, Shepard looked towards Garrus puzzled, mulling over whether he should ask about it or leave it be. "Ready to find this new Primarch?" Shepard asked finally, deciding to bring up the matter later.
"Right behind you, Shepard," Garrus confirmed, as he and James followed Shepard as he sprinted towards the gate on the opposite side.
They were stopped by one of the soldiers standing guard, who gave a loud audible knock on the metal door, signaling for his comrades on the other side to lower it. "We haven't been able to get a stable comm link with General Victus or his platoon. You'll have to travel on foot," he said, looking over his omni-tool the whole time. "Normally we'd provide you with an armed squad as back up, but we've got our hands full over here."
"It's quite alright," Garrus said, as the barrier dropped down for them to leave. "I remember where I was fighting with Victus this morning, it should be pretty quick. Unless we find trouble."
Snickering, James couldn't help but interject, "I think you mean 'when trouble finds us.'"
With that they trio left, jogging down the narrow trench that cut through the moon's surface. Despite James's concern, they managed to travel the first few minutes in relative silence, the sound of far off munitions fire kept the area alive with sound.
"I never quite caught your name," Garrus said, still leading them from the front.
"Lt. James Vega," James responded. "It's Garrus right? I've heard a lot about you, it's quite an honor."
Scoffing, Garrus couldn't help but chuckle at the perceived politeness. "It seems the Commander forgot the pleasantries. He didn't even introduce me to your new big alien friend."
This caused Shepard to smile now. "Sorry, Garrus," he said sarcastically, "something must have caused it to slip my mind"
"Oh I'm not upset about that, Shepard," the Turian continued, "I'm just a bit jealous that the second I leave, you go out and replace me with the biggest, ugliest, alien you can find." Again the trio laughed, breaking up the uneasy dread they were all feeling. "Seriously though, are they all so tall? Is that how you Humans feel looking up to Turians? I've never felt so small."
"Don't worry about it, Garrus," Shepard chided. "He may be bigger, but you are most definitely uglier."
Their conversation cut short, as the group turned around a bend to find a squad of Turian soldiers waiting for them, all with their guns raised. "Thank the Spirits," the lead one said, "we thought you were more Reapers." His voice cracked as he lowered his rifle, his body visibly shaking as he bent over to catch his breath. It was difficult for Shepard to make out, but the soldier that spoke seemed extraordinarily young, even by Turian standards.
"At ease, son," Garrus said, helping the obviously shaken Turian to sit down. The rest of the squad, all appearing to be in different states of shock and distress, took the same cue and found themselves somewhere to rest, taking up seats on various crates or rocks. "Now, what's your name?" he asked
"Lt. Sandonis, 8th Infantry Training Legion."
"Training Legion?" Garrus responded, sounding almost dumbfounded. "What are you doing on the front lines?"
Sandonis flinched, as if he had done something wrong and was about to be reprimanded. "Our training was postponed. We got orders to Menae three days ago."
This took a moment for Garrus to process, the expression on his face Shepard could clearly tell was one of horror. "Where's your Commanding Officer?" he asked finally. There was an uncomfortable silence that followed, prompting one of Sadonis's squadmates to speak up.
"He's dead, Sir. Sandonis, is the highest ranking one here now."
Unable to look Garrus in the eyes, Sandonis stared at the ground, looking as if on the verge of tears. Shepard couldn't recall ever seeing a Turian cry, and if rumor was to be believed, none of them ever went into shock on this caliber.
"I just arrived at the academy a month ago," he stuttered, trying to maintain his composure. "I was supposed to have a maintenance job. They only put me in Infantry because my class had just finished the weapons portion."
Kneeling down next to Garrus and Sandonis, Shepard tried looking up at the younger Turian. "You need to stand up, Lieutenant," Shepard ordered, attempting to sound as authoritative as possible given the circumstances.
Blinking, Sandonis looked up at Shepard. "Wha... what?" he stammered.
"He said, you need to stand up," Garrus answered, standing up from the kneeling position he was in. "You are now a Turian soldier. You'll stand on your feet, or you'll end up dying on your back. It doesn't matter what was supposed to happen, the only thing that matters is that deal with what is happening."
"I um." Again Sandonis struggled to find the words, but, without any argument or complaint, he stood up from his seat. "Yes sir." This time he spoke with much more clarity, though his wavering confidence was still visible through a small crack in his voice.
Gripping his shoulder, Garrus looked the Lieutenant in the eyes. "Good," he started, "now have you seen General Victus. He was somewhere around here this morning."
"About a half hour ago, he was headed south."
Smirking, Garrus released Sandonis. "Thank you," he said, now looking over the rest of the squad. "You all need to stick together and follow your orders. Good luck." It was all he managed to say, as the trio started to take their leave.
"Yes sir," the soldier from before answered in the Lieutenant's place. "Stay safe."
Looking back as they left, Shepard watched as Sandonis stood there silently, starring off into the empty space ahead of him. He was only awaken from his trance by one of his subordinates violently shaking him back to reality. Acting without hesitation, Shepard looked on as the Lieutenant started giving orders and preparing his troops to move. It was easy to tell he was still hesitant and filled with self-doubt, nevertheless he persisted.
"Damn," James whispered once the Turian squad was out of site. "I didn't think Turian Soldiers could even break like that."
Stopping suddenly, Garrus looked down, obviously taken aback by what had just transpired. "They're not soldiers, most of them are barely grown. They're teenagers. Shouldn't even be able to smell the front lines, let alone be fighting in them."
"Is your military stretched so thin already that they started sending in cadets?" Shepard asked.
The response came in the form of a head nod. "It's impossible to think we've already been beaten so badly," Garrus answered. "But it's hard to train soldiers when the planet's on fire. They were probably brought here as a precaution for the inevitable. Who knows how long our standing force will be able to last."
"Hierarchy seems to be putting up a pretty good fight to me," James said, trying to lighten the mood."
"For now. But how long's it take before the fight's kicked out of you?" Garrus answered, turning now towards Shepard. "If they only listened to your warnings, Shepard. Then we might have been ready."
Shepard's response was drowned out by a loud unnatural roar that reverberated into the solid rock below, almost shaking the moon's crust beneath there very feat. Looking up, the squad watched as a Reaper descended from the heavens, it's dark blue body emphasized by the blackness of space behind it. With a resounding shudder of energy, it landed on Menae's surface, kicking up a small dust storm that managed to reach the trio gawking before it. Still, it landed far enough away that they could remain undetected, like ants beneath a giant colossus's feet.
Speaking up in the ghostly silence that followed the Reaper's entrance, James sounded almost flabbergasted. "It's hard to figure how you could be prepared for something like that."
Turian Hierarchy Forward Command Center: Menae
Each time Liara was forced to watch Shepard leave, she always grew more anxious. She was unsure of why exactly she always felt that way, but there wasn't a doubt on when it began. Almost three years ago, Liara was forced to watch as the Commander had died on the original Normandy, being the last one to see him alive before he rushed off to rescue Joker from the cockpit. Ever since then, something within the pit of her stomach told Liara not to let her eyes off of him again. Of course, this was next to impossible to achieve. Luckily, she trusted Garrus even more than she trusted herself. He would at least see Shepard home safely.
"Doctor," came a deep and rough voice, snapping Liara out of her thoughts. Suddenly, she was back on Menae, far away from the frantic fire of the Normandy all that time ago. Before her stood the now familiar shape of the Arbiter, looking down on her as if trying to console a small child. "These aliens have informed me there are more Reapers approaching. I would suggest finding somewhere more well suited for you to take shelter."
Blinking wildly in surprise, Liara stared up at Arbiter. He couldn't be blamed for underestimating her, every species had done that at least once upon first meeting an Asari. Liara had only become so used to more familiar faces relying on her in combat, rather than telling her to hide.
"I beg your pardon, Arbiter," she started, attempting to take a cordial tone with the Sangheili, "but Shepard intended for me to fight, just as well as you."
As if ignoring her, the alien turned his back and started walking past the Turians that had taken up position around the gate. They all had their rifles aimed towards a vast opening from which was the only way for the Reapers to advance. An easily dependable position, so long as they managed to hold it against the coming hordes.
"I met no disrespect, Mistress," the Arbiter shouted, stepping well into the open. This caused an unusual uproar among the Turians who Liara could hear shouting for the alien to come behind their line of fire. "I understand the Shepard takes your skills into high acclaim, and indeed as do I. No Asari, it is not your safety that I fear for."
A sudden clamor was heard of the Arbiter's voice, interrupting the growing questions Liara now had for the Sangheili. Acting on instinct, she dropped into cover behind a large boulder, squatting next to a bulky Turian woman.
"Commander," she heard the Turian say into her omni-tool's radio, "Is that thing supposed to be on our side?"
"That's affirmative Sergeant, he came here with that Human Spectre Shepard. Just try not to shoot it."
"No promises sir," she grumbled, deactivating her omni-tool and bringing her rifle up to rest on top of the rock. "Hey Asari," she whispered, taking note for the first time of Liara next to her. "I don't know why you're here, but is this big alien guy a friend of yours?"
"You could say that," Liara answered crossly.
Without any warning or fanfare, a sudden wave of blue bodies descended upon them. Husk were surging through the bend around the far end of the clearings wall, clambering over each other to get on top of the slight incline that separated the Turian squad and them.
"Let em' have it," the Sergeant shouted, followed immediately by a hail of bullets that dropped the first line of husk descending upon them. A few rounds grazed the Arbiter, causing his shield to flicker blue on the areas that were impacted. And yet, he stood fast, unflinching and unwavering as chaos descended around him. He merely stood there, as if in some kind of trance or deep meditative state. Then the first of the husk reached him.
It seemed as if every Reaper husk was affected all at once, the entire horde flinched away from the Arbiter as one. For as soon as they were within an arms length, the Sangheili drew the metallic handle from his waist and activated a blue glowing energy sword. In one swift motion, the first fave husk were caught in half, and the Arbiter roared a furious battle cry that caused the mandibles on his mouth to flare open, like a predator in the middle of its killing blow.
"Spirits," Liara heard one of the Turians exclaim. All of them had a momentary lapse in their firing, one not caused by a lack of thermal clips.
"Watch your shots and stay out of his way," Liara shouted, herself shocked by the pure ferocity of the alien's attack. With every swing of his arm and stroke of his blade, another group of the husk fell, split almost cleanly in half. It only took the Arbiter a swish of his arm, and almost a dozen enemies were left at his feet. And yet, even then, they still started to surround him.
Something seemed to activate in the husk. Instead of their normally straight forward attack pattern, they suddenly changed strategies. Now, a few were struggling to surround the Arbiter. One managed to cling to his back, climbing up his torso and attacking his neck. Without so much as flinching, the Arbiter threw the comparatively small monster from its back to the ground, shattering it upon impact. There still remained more husk surrounding him, clambering to avenge their own dead with seemingly no regard to bodily harm.
Thinking quickly, Liara activated her biotics, a familiar buzz of power enveloping her mind as a blue energy surrounded her. Firing a singularity, she aimed just far enough away from the Arbiter that he would remain unaffected by the gravitational well. The husk clinging to his back, were now dragged towards the dark energy sphere, as were several other husk, many of which dragged their fingers into the bedrock as their legs were lifted from above them.
Seemingly unfazed, the Arbiter charged further still into the now thinning mass of husk, where gaps could now be seen. Unfortunately, where there were once only husk, now stood enemies of a different caliber. Cannibals had used their weaker pawns as a distraction as they set themselves into cover around the opening, some using the piles of husk body to shield themselves. A pair of marauders could be seen farther behind, giving orders throughout what ever psychic means the Reapers had instilled upon them. Something worse still approached.
A massive monster of mutated flesh and machine barreled through the remaining husk, slapping them away as if they were ants beneath it. Liara could vaguely make out the face of a Turian on top of its shoulders, attached by a neck made of wires and hoses that seemed to struggle to support the rather small head. The entire beast looked like it was suffering a long and protracted death, as if movement itself brought pain.
"Arbiter!" Liara shouted over the clamor of gunfire. The Sangheili was in such a frenzied state, he had somehow remained unaware of the brute's presence, his back turned as he stabbed one of the cannibals through its skull. Jumping up over her rock, Liara charged the brute as it barred down on the Arbiter. Her biotics would be noneffective against such a massive creature with its thick armor, and her gun would never be able to even dent it before it reached her squadmate.
Instead of hesitating to think her plan through, she sprinted forward, dodging every husk she passed with ease. Activating her omni-tool, Liara drew the omni-blade, and used her biotic skill to send her flying into the air, straight towards the brute. She landed on its backside, gripping at one of the bones that ejected itself from the armor that covered its shoulder. Using her omni-blade, she stabbed at it repeatedly, twisting and turning her wrist as she drew blood, causing the wound to grow and deepen.
Giving off a roar of pain, the brute tried to toss her aside, but failed miserably as she swung her self up to rest now fully on its back. Desperate, the Reaper monster bucked and kicked, eagerly grabbing at the small blue Asari on its back. Gripping on for dear life with her free hand, Liara continued stabbing through the brute's armor, causing a sickly combination of blood and oil to splatter her white armor and face. With one final and exasperated swing of her arm, Liara cut the neck of the beast, almost severing its head completely. It held on by a miracle of chance, swinging from side to side as the brute staggered around the battlefield dying.
By now, most of the Turians had moved farther up from their original positions, trying their hardest to provide Liara with covering fire. Once the brute fell to the ground, and as Liara fell with it, she managed to see that what few Reapers remained were now retreating, a rare sight to see husk actually running away from a fight. Dazed and confused, she tried to stand, her knees buckling under her own weight. Looking over, she found the Arbiter was holding her by the arm, helping to steady her weight.
"See, Doctor," he said, giving off what Liara could only imagine was a smile. "I knew you would be just fine."
AN: Explanation time. I realize that just writing down what happened in ME3 would be real fucking boring. But, I also can't just leave everything here empty and skip straight to the end. So, I'm changing it, just like I did with the halo series. It'll be little things here and there, editing some military things from the game to make more sense (bioware wasn't in the military, I am. so yeah things need to be adjusted) Also trying to make things a bit more realistic, such as the base camp from last chapter. It makes no sense for them to have open windowed containers with a big ranking general dude making very important tactical decisions. So hence the base now has enclosed bunkers in the rockside. I'm mostly trying to use this medium to better expand on the little things that always bothered me in Mass Effect due to the technical limitations of the game. Or the game play limitations like only ever bringing in two squad mates at a time. So I'm changing it a bit, keeps it interesting.
Plot wise, most of what I want to kind of focus on is the changes that have happened because of the Arbiter being there and the halo story lines.
As always thanks for reading, and please feel free to review.
Shout out to the few of you still reading this story and apologies for it being dead for so long XD. Won't happen again