October 13th, 0600. October 13th was a mystical day in the Catholic Calendar. In 1917 one of the great miracles had taken place, one which defined the entire 20th century and who's repercussions were not fully sorted out until after the fall of the West. Like today, the day had started out overcast, but it had been a natural overcast, the sort that came with a rain. But then the sky had cleared, the sun had come out, and danced . . . Literally. John looked up at the boiling clouds with the transport beam shimmering in the distance, the clouds boiling about it. A single shaft of light which all the darkness of the Reapers could not extinguish for darkness, like evil, is merely the absence of it's opposite. It is not a thing which exists in and of itself. Pure evil can not exist, for existence itself is good. To become completely evil is to cease to be. So even though that light was the tool of the Reapers, it's very presence seemed to promise their eventual defeat.
"Today's the day we do it," concluded John. "By 2400 tonight, we'll have either won or lost."
A quarter of a million men had invaded London. Casualties were already measured in the tens of thousands. For every single dead alliance soldier, there were ten dead Reaper soldiers, but the Reaper forces numbered in the millions. And more were pouring in. The rattle of the heavy anti-infantry guns were once again sounding. John found himself taking a few moments to walk through the rubble, and muse. He found himself standing next to Major Coats.
"The fighting here has been some of the worst on the planet," began Coats. "It looks bad, but there's still hope. And you're here. It'll do the troops good to see you."
John sighed to himself. He really had a hard time with the foibles of celebrity status. He felt so fragile, so insignificant. There were suns out there that swallowed planets ten thousands times the size of earth and yet he was bigger than that in the eyes of so many ordinary soldiers. And what he found so ironic was that some of those soldiers had killed as many as he had, had saved as many lives as he had, and yet . . . They would pass into obscurity and be forgotten.
". . . Bolster their resolve," continued Coats.
"I'm just a soldier like them," he replied to Coats.
"You might see yourself like that," said Coats. "But they don't. Like it or not Commander, you are a hero to these men and women. Don't discount the effect that can have on them."
He paused.
"I had better go meet up with my battalion," he finished. "I'll see you later Commander."
John continued to wander.
"Hey Commander," began James.
"What? No Loco?" asked John with a slight touch of smile.
"Yeah, sorry," replied James. He shrugged and the image he had of St. James on his shoulder came into prominence. One of the twelve who had followed Christ, James had gone to Spain and died there. He had become the Patron Saint of Spain and during the Reconquista, had been known to fight alongside the Knights against the Moslems. The last time the Spanish had seen him do that was when they were charging up the steps of the great Temple of Technocticlan and put an end forever to the human sacrifices of the Aztecs. So naturally, St. James was portrayed on a knightly horse in armor charging with a lance.
"You okay?" asked John. No one was quite sure what sort of feelings James was experiencing, especially given what had happened to Myra, and even though she was alive, she was at death's door from malnourishment and exposure.
"I don't know what I'd feel coming back to earth," replied James quietly and softly. "I was ready to fight, ready to die. But seeing everything like this . . ."
"I know it's hard to see," replied John looking once more down the road at the beam in the distance. "This is only temporary. But first we need to win this thing. Stay focused. Don't let them take your will to fight."
"I know . . . I know," said James. "I'm in." He paused. "So! I guess this is it? No? One more push . . . One last fight."
"Not necessarily our last," observed John. One never knew how it would play out.
"It's been an honor serving with you Shepherd," James finished.
"You're a good man, and a deserving soldier," commented John.
"Thanks."
"What ever happens out there," finished John. "I know you'll make me proud. Oh, Tali will be on my six, but I want you on my nine."
"That means a lot to me sir, and Loco? Good luck!"
John resumed his walking. More and more activity was heard as more companies were calling in and reconstituting. Makos were driving by, shuttles were flying overhead, and off in the distance, the grinding roar of reaper transport depositing more troops could be heard.
"Shepherd?" queried Kaiden as John walked up to him.
"How are you holding up?" asked John.
"More or less. Everything is depending on this. Do you think we have a chance?"
"There's always hope," answered John. "It's how we got this far."
"You made it happen you know."
"Doesn't matter. We're here now. Ready to fight? Ready to die? No second chances."
"It always comes down to this doesn't it? Every battle? Feels like a thousand years since we landed on Eden Prime. So much has happened. It's really a surprise that we're here you know?"
"You'll survive Blue," said John. "Always have."
"I hope you're right."
"I'm right. You're a fine soldier. I've always been lucky to have you on my teams."
"Thanks Commander."
"One more hill to take brother Specter, I'm putting you on the left flank with EDI. You ready?"
"Sir? Yes sir," replied Kaiden with that soft whiskey tenor voice.
John continued his wandering. He heard Garrus arguing with another Turian who was complaining that the Krogan were not willing to share supplies. Garrus dismissed that as Wrex playing hard to get and proposed putting a crate of beer into the mix which would make him more amenable. Then Garrus turned around and saw John leaning on his right leg, arms crossed, and grinning.
"Shepherd?" queried Garrus. "So I guess this is . . ."
"Just like old times," interrupted John.
"Huh? Eh? Hmmm," suggested Garrus. "Might be the last chance we get to say that."
"Suggesting we're going to lose?" asked John.
"No," replied Garrus firmly. "I think we are about to kick the Reapers back into what ever black hole they crawled out of. Then we're going to retire to somewhere warm and tropical, you and Tali, me and Liara, and live off the royalties from the vids while our respective wives go shopping every afternoon."
"Sounds like a plan. I think my days of saving the galaxy are over with after this little job."
"Be sure to leave enough room for all the autographs," suggested Garrus.
"All we have to do is beat the Reapers don't we?"
"James told me there's an old saying that the Irish like to say, 'May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead.' Not sure if Turian heaven is the same as . . ."
"It is."
" . . . But if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there. Meet me at the bar. I'm buying."
"I know just the bar," said John. "It's this French Cafe . . . Never mind . . . But as it is, we're a team Garrus. There's no Shepherd without Vakarian. So you had better remember to duck."
"Sorry, Turians don't know how," replied Garrus. "But I'll improvise. And Shepherd, forgive the insubordination, but this old friend has an order for you." And his voice was almost whisper, trembling in emotion. "Go out there and give them hell! You were born to do this! Or if not, you were definitely brought back for it."
"Goodbye Garrus, and if I'm up there first, in that bar and you're not? I'll be looking down and watching. I'll always have your six."
Then Primarch Victus came up. He had been the general which John had rescued early in the war. He had been leading the Turians since then. His presence here clearly signaled to all the Turians, as well as the allies races that this was the seminal battle for the war. Likewise, when the leader shared the danger, the men would follow.
"Primarch?" asked John.
"I wanted to return the favor in person," replied the Primarch. "Though I'm sorry to see your world looks as bad as ours."
John nodded. He left Garrus and the Primarch to coordinate Turian maneuvers in Hammer and he went back to wandering. Then he looked into a room and there was Liara . Her omni-tool was out as she was busy collecting yet more information.
"What's the news?" he asked.
"They are making another push. A lot of soldiers are wounded and won't make it."
"The Reapers are closing in," repeated John, half to her and half to himself.
"This is it," she sighed. "Isn't it?"
"Yeah," answered John. "This is it."
"I don't know what to say," she continued. "History will be disappointed that I didn't have a speech."
"You, me, and especially Garrus will make up a good story for the records," suggested John.
Liara smiled in spite of the circumstances.
"I do have one thing for you, and the rest of the team. I'm still tracking everyone down. It's a gift which will only take a moment."
"What kind of gift?" asked John.
"Do you remember when I first joined my consciousness to yours? When we went through the Prothean visions? I can show you something we Asari all share in common. Asari some times do this with good friends, or lovers. Garrus has already received his. It can also be a way to say . . . farewell."
John nodded. "I will accept this."
Liara reached up with her hands and placed them upon his face, as she had twice before . . . Once upon a time it seemed.
"Close your eyes," she said.
Suddenly, from John's perspective it was all dark, and then the galaxy seemed to spring into view and he saw it, the entire starry universe, spinning in harmony, a cosmic dance which seemed to stretch as far as his eye could see. There was, even now, order and unity.
Then he was back on Earth.
"Thank you," she said. "For everything. Now, let's do what needs to be done."
John turned and walked away. He was pondering. And then suddenly, he missed Tali. Where had she gone? It was that curious phenomena, that aching longing which came from someone who was so familiar that there was nothing about them that surprised you save their timing, and yet you missed them at the strangest times and so wanted them to be there for you. He missed her face. Even if she was there with him, he wouldn't be able to see her face. But if he could see the glow of her eyes through the visor, he could imagine the smile, he could imagine the little sparkles in her eyes, he could imagine that blue-black hair flowing over her face and spilling upon her shoulders. Hair so soft that it was like holding a breath of air in your fingers. He began to look for her. And he walked out of the building and he heard the booming voice of Wrex. Wrex was speaking to a crowd of Krogan, but likewise he was speaking to a set of hovering cameras. He was the Lord of Tuchanka, giving his final orders to the Krogan force. He was of course, building up the Krogan psyche, but at the same time, John realized that what he was saying rang true.
"When there were monsters!" cried Wrex. "When the galaxy thought they were doomed! There was one word that drove back the darkness. There was one word which brought safety to the frightened masses. One word delivered the killer blow. There was one word which the monsters feared! And that one word was KROGAN!"
A thunderous cheer came up from the assembled Krogan before him. And John nodded in agreement. It was as if the Krogan had been created for one thing and that was to fight the really scary bad guys.
"And today, that word is spoken again! Today, the Krogan rise again! Today, we forge a new path! And join the galaxy as allies in victory! Today, we win our future!"
There was more thunderous shouting. John smiled. That was a cry that would have put fear into the hearts of more than a few opponents. Would the Reapers even notice? The more he thought about it, the less he wanted them too. While ancient folk tales spoke of those who had no fear as those who were the most dangerous, he knew better. Fear was the thing that enabled you to not be hit when you were fighting. If they never strike you, they will never kill you.
"Shepherd!" said Wrex looking back at John. He was grinning like he had back on the first Normandy. "You did it. No matter what else happens today, you did what no one else could. You united a galaxy. That's a victory right there. And don't worry, I know why you're going to win, because you brought the Krogan."
John chuckled in spite of himself.
Wrex looked about. "Now that I look over it. Earth reminds me of home. Guess you'll be needing a new planet too. It's okay, Tuchanka has room to spare, and a guard dog named Kalros." He was referring to the great Thresher Maw which had pulled down a reaper as they struggled to get the genophage cure distributed through the shroud. "We're ready, just say the word."
John continued his search for Tali. As he reached an open window, that is, one who's glass had been blown out, he found Javik looking out of it next to a human sniper.
"Commander?" he began.
"Was it this bad in your time?" asked John.
"Worse," replied Javik. "I have been listening to the Krogan speak to his men. In our cycle the races never came together. There was no rallying cry. I am jealous of you."
"Really?" asked John. This was the first time Javik had found something about this time which he regarded as better than his own. "There's not much left out there." He gestured to the rubble and ruin that once had been called London.
"The future is still out there," observed Javik. "It is something my people could never say, 'There will be a tomorrow.'"
"Only if we win today," said John.
"No one else has ever made it this far," replied Javik.
"You came a long way Javik. Further than any one else here."
"And I look forward to fulfilling my mission. But you are now the avatar of this cycle. The exemplar of victory. Not just of Humanity, or Turians, or Protheans. But for all life. Every soul that has ever existed is watching this moment."
"Well . . . No pressure if you put it that way," replied John. He smiled. It seemed that Javik was beginning to grasp the essential elements of the supernatural, but more importantly, incorporate them into his thinking.
"Do not waver. Victory is never won without difficult choices."
"I know. I've had to make a lot of those."
"There maybe more," continued Javik. He turned and looked into John's eyes. For a moment, John found himself gazing into the four eyes of Javik. "But I know you will see this through for all of us. No matter the cost."
And then, for the first time since John had woken him up. Javik reached out and grasped John's hand. Then he handed John the memory shard.
"Take this, and add to it. The progeny of this cycle will study it and know that this was the day that the Reapers were no more. That you brought about the victory."
John left him and continued to wander about, looking for Tali.
Then he found her, next to EDI, and to the right by about twelve feet from where Anderson and Coats were arguing out where the final push to the beam would be. She was looking out and so he signaled EDI who replied, "Commander Shepherd."
Tali turned and walked up to him and embraced him. She was trembling a little. He wasn't sure if it was just fear or just the high state of emotions. He looked into her visor and she looked back to him. Her eyes were just a faint white. He continued to just look at her. What was there to say?
Finally she spoke
"I . . . Want . . . More . . . Time," she whimpered.
He did too. If only he could do this knowing she would be safe. But she would be by him, as she had been since she had first volunteer to assist in dealing with Saren. Before he had fallen in love with her. Before she had fallen in love with him. Before . . . everything.
"I know," he replied. "What ever happens . . . remember, I love you."
They simply held each other for another moment or two.
"You going to be okay?" he asked.
"I thought I was going to have to ask you that first," she sighed. "Looking at this city of London . . ."
"For you, it was a story told by your parents. For me? It was just two years ago."
She reached up and with one hand linked on to his shoulder. With the other, she gently caressed his face.
"It seemed so easy for you to bring me back to my home world," she said. "Though I know it was crazy hard. If anything I can do helps bring Earth back for you, you know I will do it. Because I love you."
"If only we were genies, and when we rubbed our noses, wishes were granted," he said with a slight smile.
Tali promptly gave his nose a little tweak. He smiled.
"I wish . . ." she began. "I wish . . ." she tried again but her voice was cracking. So she leaned her helmet upon his shoulder and quietly cried for a moment.
"Hey," whispered John. "You going to be okay Mrs. Tali'Shepherd vas Normandy?"
She giggled through her tears. As she looked up he could see the sparkles from the tear drops on her cheeks.
"I remember," she said. "The name vas Normandy was given to me by the Admirals as a bagh of shame. And it was the Normandy which was the reason why we were able to return to our homeworld. Now, it's a bagh of honor. That sudden flip, unknown and unaccounted for, that swift shift and reversal. It . . . It makes me think we'll be okay. Yes, Yahn. I'm okay. Now I'm okay."
He looked at her for another moment. Then EDI, who had been standing by silently observing, judged that sufficient time had passed.
"Shepherd?" asked EDI. "I have a question."
"Is it a big or small one?" asked John.
"It is important," answered EDI. "It's relevance would be diminished at any other time."
"Ask away," said John. He felt Tali's hand upon his shoulder. She was standing behind him, gently touching him. He was glad for the contact.
"In this battle, the Reapers are employing their full capabilities against us. Even though we started with an advantage, that advantage is rapidly diminishing as Harbinger brings in more and more fighting forces. This is consistent with every single major battle we have fought against them. It is consistent because we have never known just how many forces the Reapers can bring to bear on us. My question is this. What makes you think we can reach the Conduit at all?"
"The Reapers have the Citadel. They think they've won. In fact, they never had doubted they would win. That's always the best time to attack," he answered.
"But the Reapers have spies and other intelligence, we have lost the element of surprise. In such a case, we will likely loose."
"Are you afraid?" asked John.
"Our probability for success is greater than any other plan brought to date."
"That's not what I asked," answered John. "Are you afraid?"
"I do not understand the purpose of the question."
"There's no room for doubt any more EDI," elaborated John. "You understand what we have to do, or you don't."
"I am clear on what we must accomplish, Shepherd. The Reapers have destroyed civilization after civilization." EDI paused. "But they have never destroyed ours. Nor will they!"
"Couldn't have put it better myself," said John. "It's just about time to move out."
"Shepherd?" continued EDI. "There is something I want you to know." She waited for John to turn back to face her. "The Illusive Man ordered my creation years ago. Jeff was the one who allowed me to think for myself. But only now do I feel alive. That is your influence."
"Thanks EDI."
"And he made me feel loved," said Tali behind him.
"And she, me," added John smiling.
"Commander?" asked Anderson walking up. John turned and headed over to the table where Major Coats was waiting.
"Our final review of the sitrep," said Anderson.
"How's it look?"
"We've lost a lot of Hammer, and what we haven't is being tied down by more and troops landing and pushing back. We're at 50% of what we hoped to be able to bring for the final push."
"Can we make any minor adjustments? Pull a few extra out from multiple areas and concentrate them here?"
"A few, but not in an appreciable speed. We don't have leisure. Harbinger seems to be pulling in troops from all over Earth. He clearly knows why we are here and he's willing to let other resistance forces push a ways into other cities. We're pretty much at the strongest we're going to be for this last push."
"Then every minute spent here makes the Reapers stronger," concluded John.
"Exactly my thought," replied Anderson. "Everything has already been set up. Shepherd? You will be the center point of the advance. Behind you will be the English 42nd Brigade and then the 2nd Zulu."
"The African Lads," acknowledged Shepherd. That was the nickname of the 2nd Zulu from from South Africa, Zulu-land in fact. They had a martial history which went back several hundred years, but they had won their greatest laurels during the Black Russian Crusade. There wasn't an African boy who did not imagine marching with them in his daydreams of adventure. The 42nd English was likewise a unit with a long history. But their chief laurels had come from the First Contact War.
"To your left will be Wrex's Krant and the Krogan Expiditionary Force
"If I know Wrex, he won't be beside me for long," chuckled John. "That's going to be a very extended flank before he's done."
"On your right, the Turian Wing and Asari Commando forces, and 4th Quarian Combat Engineers."
"The Luonai," added Tali regarding the Quarian unit. "They are well known."
"We anticipate the Turian and Asari will be the nuisance flank," said Major Coats. "Their methodical hunting and biotics will be a constant drain on Reaper forces seeking to keep them from advancing. The Quarian Engineers will act to demolish any serious blocks to their advance. The right will be handled by the Krogan and anything stupid enough to get in their way will be simply crushed. Your job will be to lead the 2nd and 42nd forward for the beam. If everything goes well, units of all the united species will close on the beam at the same time and we'll all go up."
"Of course this is war," added Garrus who was just walking up. "Nothing ever goes well in war."
"We've got no other options of course. We have to drive right through their units and get to that beam," said Anderson. "We have everything nasty and rotten in there which the Reapers have begotten so far in this war. But our real problem will be that Destroyer which is protecting the Beam itself."
"Air support?" asked Major Coats. "Can we bring in Air Support to take that big bug out?"
"There's some sort of jamming frequency which scrambles the panels on the fighters. Makes them impossible to pilot. We're going to have to take it out with ground forces." Anderson began to show specific parts of the city. "Since they were able to re-establish control of the last mile around the beam. They've been methodically tearing down all the buildings to give themselves a free range of fire, a 500 yard no man's land between them and us here. We're going to have to cross that. Petrovsky has come up with a solution for that.
John turned around and saw Oleg coming up. Petrovsky adjusted his Omni-tool and a large shield structure appeared. It looked a bit like a flat metal wall about six meters wide and three meters tall, evenly spaced were small cross slits, perfect for shooting rifles through.
"These are being shipped in as we speak. They are light but generate a collection of very small shields which when combined become far stronger, thus they'll act to fool the Reaper forces. If we advance behind these, along with Mako support, we should be able to cross with minimal casualties," finished Oleg.
"I remember something like that on Omega," observed Garrus. "Didn't Cerberus troops have smaller individual shields they would advance behind?"
"Yes," replied Oleg.
"Those were a challenge to snipe through," added Garrus. "You really made me improve my shooting skills."
"I don't know if I should say, 'You're Welcome' since it was my men you were learning on," chuckled Petrovsky.
"This crazy thing called war," observed Garrus.
"If they're scrambling up the air fighters," observed John. "Do we know where that interference is coming from? If it's the Reaper, we need to take it out with Mako and Arty fire. If it's something else, we take that out and we have fighter support."
"I can start analyzing immediately," suggested EDI.
"And we'll be bringing up the Makos regardless," added Anderson. He sighed. "They know we are coming, and they are piling them in as fast as they can. For many of us, this will be a one way trip. But there's no other option. We advance until we reach the beam. We can not retreat. Is that understood? Coats? Shepherd?"
Both men saluted.
"Shepherd? I'm putting you on point. You're going right down the gullet. I need you for the final push to the beam," added Anderson. "You know the psychology of war. If the men see you press forward and not turn back? They'll follow you right into the maelstrom."
Celebrity status can be a real bitch sometimes, at least in the military.
"I understand," replied Shepherd.
"Your team good and ready?"
"The best, and willing to go."
"You have a minute with them now," finished Anderson. "We meet at the deploy point in five."
John nodded and turned to face his team gathering. His eyes slowly traveled from the left to the right. Liara was standing there, next to Garrus. Then came Kaiden, and Javik. Then there was Tali, and EDI, and then on the right was James. He took a second to think. How many times in the history of man had a commander like him looked at his forces and prepared for an attack like the one they were about to make?
"This war has brought us pain and suffering and loss. But it's also brought us together. As soldiers, allies, and friends. This bond that ties us together is something the Reapers will never understand. It's more powerful than any other weapon, stronger than any ship. It can't be taken or destroyed."
Tali began to edge up to the front, John knew she was wanting to reach out to him.
"The next few hours will decide the fate of every one in the galaxy, every mother, every son."
Now the entire team was gathering around him. He was in the center of a circle, walking past each one of them, looking into their eyes.
"Every unborn child. They are trusting you. Depending on you to win them their future. A future free from the threat of the Reapers. But take heart. Look around you. You are not in this fight alone. We face our enemy together. And together? We will defeat them."
Each member of the team came up and clasped hands with John, and then Tali came up and gave him one final hug. He lingered for a moment, experiencing that unique Quarian style of embrace, where her arms were around his back, and her fingers wrapped around the tops of his shoulders. The first experience he had of her when they had discovered their love for each other and now perhaps, their last. Every one silently and respectfully waited for them to finish.
"Always remember I love you," she whispered to him.
"And never forget my love back to you," he replied.
"We're in the center, leading the point of the V," began John. "Tali is on my six. Javik is on my three, James is on my nine. To the left? Kaiden and EDI, Flank Recon. To my Right? Garrus and Liara, Flank Sniper. Got it?"
"Boo Yah!" cried James and Kaiden.
They moved out, and got behind the cover that marked the start off point. Ahead, the clouds continued to boil and seeth around the beam. He looked at his Omni-tool. It was 0758. It was only October, the sky above should have been several shades brighter for the sun should have been up. Yet it remained dark, the streets were filled with deep shadow, and as John suspected deeper malice. In that mess of rubble were reaper troops, silently waiting. Knowing they had the numbers and fields of fire. But few of them had armor, and fewer still armor and shields. And finally, this was not their home, and moreover, they had nothing to lose.
At 0800 the flairs went up, the Mako artillery opened fire, and there was a deep throated roar from the troops as they charged.
"St Michael!" screamed John.
"San Diego!" shouted Vega.
"Prothea!" cried Javik.
"Rannoch!" cried Tali.
"Thessia!" cried Liara.
"By the Spirits above and below!" shouted Garrus.
"Merry England!" cried the 42nd.
"Zulu!" cried the 2nd.
As for EDI she simply did a quick microsecond calculation as to the sort of screaming noise most likely to sound frightening to a Reaper troop and imitated it. It's fear factor was more than a little successful as Liara literally cringed for a second as EDI uttered it and Garrus stole an open mouthed glance at her before they leapt over the cover rubble and charged forward using Rolling Thunder as a fighting tactic. Behind them, they could hear the English shouting and the 2nd's chanting. John found it fascinating that the Zulu force could maintain a constant chant as they pressed forward. "Zulu!" over and over again. It clearly told the foes they were fighting that they were fully cohesive.
Somewhere in this advancing wave of forces, Anderson was leading a wing, Coats was leading another. John didn't know where either of them was, but he was glad they were there. Then slowly, John became aware of another noise in the battle. It was on his left. It was the advancing Krogan. And it was the most fascinating noise of them all. It was the cheer not of a fighting force, but a fighting force which was happy. A force which was deriving a curious sort of joy as they advanced. John found himself musing that should battle fail. Tuchanka would be the last to fall, for the Krogan would fight tooth and nail down to the last child.
The reaper forces, like the great ships, were various shades of black and thus blended in well with the darkness and shadows of the stricken city. There were ambushes a plenty, but thanks to the shields of the advancing forces, few of them produced lasting damage. John was grateful that his team was so well trained. There were no mistakes being made. As the initial surge slowed down to the block clearing crawl, every last one of them was moving carefully from cover to cover, listening to the sound that marked a reaper gun, honing in on it and taking it out. As they advanced, shooting, ducking, throwing grenades, hearing the screeching screams of banshees and the gargling roar of the cannibals, John would give little glances at his team mates. Of course Garrus, Liara, Kaiden, and EDI were out of visual range. But James was there, looking grim, nodding when their eyes met. Javik's four eyes, simply blinking at him, yet seeming to convey a certain determination. But Tali was the hardest. He could not see her face, and they dared not come in physical contact with one another. They both had to remain focused. It was hard to see her behind him.
Two hours into it, they reached the No Man's Land. John did a quick analysis of the situation. While it was flat and rubble, the Reapers had failed to take scale into account. There was tons of rubble large enough to hide behind through the entire area.
"All units," came Anderson's voice over the public com. "Move through under cover, Engineers, blow pathways for the tanks."
"How the hell are tanks supposed to take out a Destroyer?" cried one voice.
"Thanix missiles can do a fuckton of damage," replied a woman either bragging or slightly annoyed.
"Did you think up that adjective all by yourself or did you have help?" asked another man's voice.
"Cut the chatter," ordered Anderson.
"Concentrate the fire," thought John. "Like the fleet is doing up top."
"Wait two minutes for us to get the shields deployed," said Oleg.
So for a couple of moments the team remained along the edge of the no-man's land. Garrus kept busy however, Liara kept noting targets and the crack of a Widow would remind John that his Right Wing was still fully operational.
Then John turned around and almost panicked. A fire team of men in Cerberus armor was bringing up a set of long shields. John, catching himself, motioned to the left and right.
"Shields in place," said Oleg two minutes later.
"Proceed" ordered Anderson.
And a wall of white, with gold and black trim began to advance forward blazing like Rolling Thunder while John's team moved from cover to cover crossing the 500 meters of no man's land which the Reapers had hoped would give their units fields of fire.
"My analysis of the disruption interference which is keeping the fighters at bay seems to be concentrated near the beam," reported EDI. "We won't be able to use them until we get close enough to the beam to narrow down the location."
"Never thought it would be that easy," replied John.
The Reaper forces, realizing that the shields and cover were negating their fields of fire, decided to employ their usual tactic, and charged forward by the thousands. As they came out of the buildings, they looked like a boiling black wave. The Krogan cries of enthusiasm were so loud that John could hear them over the chants of the Zulus.
"Spiders!" whimpered Tali.
John looked forward, and there were thousand of those small little rachni skuttlers moving like a black shadow in front of the boiling advance of the reaper troops.
"Shotguns out!" ordered John, and the team lined up behind cover and began to blast them away.
"We're killing Rachni children," snarled John.
"Did I not say this was a Reaper trick?" replied Javik.
"Yeah you did," answered John. "It just hit me though right now."
The husks hit the shields first, though the rolling thunder withering fire took out thousands of them before they had reached that line. And then John saw the most amazing sight. The 2nd suddenly materialized Omni-spears of a curious wide teardrop bladed shape and pointed oval shields which they employed with gusto on the fighting husks, still crying Zulu over and over again.
"The 2nd's washing their spears," commented Major Coats over the public com.
A set of explosions behind the team marked the clearing of several sections of rubble which enabled the makos and tanks to push into no man's land and begin to provide artillery support for the advancing teams.
"Front Freeze!" commanded Anderson.
And the entire advancing line of shields and teams in cover held their position while the Makos and Tanks opened up. Suddenly the entire area between the team and the line of buildings which marked no man's land was filled with explosions and bright flashes of light. Reaper forces were caught in the firestorm and died by the thousands. And then through the explosions, the cheering of the 42nd could be heard.
"Yeah," said James. He turned to John and grinned. "San Diego's rain!"
"Gonna need one hell of an umbrella then," commented John.
The smoke cleared and all that was left in no man's land between them and the buildings was a smoking layer of green slime and goo.
"Forward," commanded Anderson.
And they pressed on into the buildings.
"We have fields of fire down the streets!" cried one forward company. "Our vehicles can't advance without getting drilled!"
"Front teams advance and take out those anti-tank guns before the tanks advance," ordered Anderson.
"That's us," suggested Shepherd to his team. And they moved into the first building. But not before John stole a look at the beam. It seemed to be only a few blocks away.
"Don't forget," advised Major Coats. "The buildings are giving us cover but giving them places to hide."
It was room to room, ducking down hallways, looking around corners with omni-tool periscopes. John and his team spotted a battery of Anti-tank rapid fire guns and took them out. He signaled from the position and a platoon of vehicles came rolling up the streets.
As they pressed closer and closer to the destroyer, different teams began to get more pressure. Several companies simply ceased to exist, getting overwhelmed in a crossfire situation before their support companies could extract them. But they were close enough to the destroyer now that it could lend it's support fire. But even with the losses, even with the sudden cries of terror, the overall atmosphere was getting more and more jubilant. Everyone, from all angles of the approach, was seeing the beam down the streets. No matter where Hammer was approaching from, be it north, south, east, or west, they were down to the last few blocks. Then the first tank barrage took out a landing transport full of Reaper troops and John knew it was down to the last push. The Destroyers response was to line up it's beam and it proceeded to melt two of the three tanks in that platoon but it seemed a mere gesture of futility. The Thanix missiles were now being deployed. Two fired and promptly flew out of control, crashing nearby. Suddenly it seemed as if the Destroyer wasn't going to be an easy target after all.
"EDI any more analysis on what's interfering with the tracking?" asked John. He and his team were on the third story of what had been a skyscraper, but was now just a concrete shell with floors and some functioning stairwells.
"The Reaper keeps jamming my frequencies," answered EDI. "It seems to be aware that I am present and is targeting me personally. I am returning the consideration but it seems to be better at me than this. However it is also trying to indoctrinate me and I am mocking it's efforts which is causing it to divert more and more of it's functions towards that goal."
"Be careful EDI," advised John, somewhat worried.
"I will Shepherd. I have free will and am free of all Reaper nanobots. In addition I have adapted Mordin's nanobots from his inoculation serum into my physiology and that has proven most advantageous since the nanobots are independent of my core functions but are able to spot and correct any deviations in them."
"Bless you Mordin, even now you still fight for us," commented Shepherd.
"I miss him too," replied Tali. "Except for that time he dangled that spider in my face."
"He liked your chocolate though," replied Garrus.
"Not funny Garrus! That's my favorite kind of chocolate and Yahn had gotten it special for me."
"Then why did you shove it into his face?"
"How else was I going to get rid of that spider? I didn't have my shotgun out!"
"Battery Seven, the Destroyer has spotted us, firing missiles!"
"Hold," replied Major Coats.
"Negatory, beam just destroyed battery, firing second!"
"Any damage?"
"Negatory, missiles flew out of control!"
"Battery Twelve here, we're being overrun!"
"Company Bravo on it's way! Status?"
There was silence. John pushed towards the last reported location of the battery, and ten minutes later his team rounded a corner and saw what was left of the Thanix battery being chewed apart and eaten, literally, by about four dozen cannibals. John's team opened up with a rolling thunder and in three minutes there was nothing left of the cannibals.
"Cannibals explode in a very satisfactory manner," observed Javik while Tali dashed up and began an examination of the two missile batteries.
"They are ready to fire, commander," she chirped over her com.
"Shepherd here, we are at Battery Twelve, unit was overrun with no survivors, but equipment was recaptured intact. Waiting for EDI's analysis on reason for missile failure."
"It's calibration I'm sure of it," commented Garrus over the com.
"Commander?" began EDI. "I've found it. It's the beam. The beam is what distorts the tracking and piloting. So long as the Destroyer stays within 250 meters of the beam, nothing can hit it. I am reporting this information across all bands now."
"All companies are prepping Thanix missiles," reported Major Coats.
"We have to pull him out then," muttered John. "Major Coats?" he called on the Com, "Can you get the tanks to make a Cantabrian maneuver on the streets according to the coordinates I'm uploading? If you can do that I think we can pull the Reaper towards us and get him out of the interference radius of the beam. I've got four missiles here ready to go."
"Broadcast the points," replied Major Coats.
Calling up a map of this section of London, John did a quick analysis and put down the points.
"Got it," reported Coats. "Give me three to get three platoons in position."
"We have reapers forces closing in," reported Liara.
"Form a perimeter!" shouted John.
The team rapidly circled around the battery throwing down what light cover they could before a wave of reaper troops and one banshee came out of a nearby building. It was a nasty fight for about three minutes. Banshees were brutal and Liara in particular hated them. But no Banshee had ever survived three direct head shots from Garrus and this one got five. John checked his omni-tool, it was 1217. They had spent a total of four hours approaching the beam. And yet, it wasn't any lighter. The sun was supposed to be overhead. But the cloud cover was just as black as it had been at 0800.
"Platoons in position!" reported Coats. "Commence Cantabrian."
Cantabrian was a very rare maneuver in modern warfare, but it had it's origins back in ancient fighting when calvary would ride by a stationary target, throw slings or javelins or fire bows, crossbows, or later on, wheellock pistols and keep riding by in a wide circle using the time away from the enemy to reload. The constant motion made it hard to hit the horse or the rider. It was an excellent counter to the phalanx or maniple. The tanks did essentially the same thing, but they were depending on the cover of the buildings for the effect. What happened was this, a tank would cross the street which the reaper was down, about 100 meters. The tank would fire it's main gun at the Reaper as it drove by and by the time the Reaper could get it's beam into position, the tank had already crossed the line of fire and was back in cover behind another building. Then another tank would roll by one block further down and fire into the Reaper, and again be in cover, then a third tank would roll by one block closer, and so one. The Reaper didn't know which tank would pop out or from which direction they would be driving. Likewise, since every tank was being driven by a human there was no way that the Reaper could know when the next tank was going to pop out since there was that random human element being introduced. Each tank simply drove across the street, down a block, turned to the left or right, and lined up to cross another street. It was a very deadly type of whack a mole. These moles were shooting big guns with very large rounds. There was only one thing that the Reaper could do, and that was to come down the street and take those tanks out. After all, when you are big and bad and can't be hurt by anything, you simply go to where the annoyance is and incinerate it with your big red hot reaper beam.
Problem was EDI knew exactly when the the Destroyer left the radius of the beam and Team Normandy was there to launch the four Thanix missiles which proceeded to go right for the Destroyer's beam orifice. There was an awful lot of damage. And then everything else in the vicinity opened up and in a matter of seconds, the Reaper, making those electronic rough grinding shrieks that came from suddenly discovering that it was in fact, just as mortal as any other material being, was rendered a smoldering ruin on the ground.
"No fair, Shepherd," shouted Wrex over the public com. "Hogging all the big booms! That was my Destroyer!"
"You get the next one," promised John laughing.
Cheering and shouting, the tens of thousands of soldiers of Hammer charged forward, riddling with personal weapon's fire what was left of the Reaper forces in the thin band of buildings around the great wide ring which the Reapers had constructed to ease transfer of men and materials from the citadel to London in which center was the beam.
"Yahn! We're going to make it! We're going to win! We're going to go home to Rannoch!"
And then everyone stopped in stunned silence.
"I'm not going to hold you to your promise Shepherd," said Wrex over the com. "'Cause I don't think we have a big enough Thresher Maw handy. But it was a very nice gesture on your part to save the biggest one for me."
For suddenly, it didn't matter that there were tens of thousands within a 100 meters of the beam. It didn't matter that there were dozens of makos and tanks. It didn't matter at all.
For a 100 story tall Reaper named Harbinger had just landed by the beam.