Chapter 44c: The Geth Dreadnought pt3

The Neema

Gerrel was waiting for the signal, that perfect chance to make his move. The wait was long and he had lost many men, but it would all be worth it in his mind. The ship was rocked hard and the alarm sounded throughout the ship. The crew members on the ship, were visibly worried they would not last long, but Gerrel held fast looking at the sensors. "Keelah, there's a fire in the engine room!"

"Activate the extinguishing system!" one of the crew said.

"They're not responding!" another said. "A team is heading down there now!" The sensors beeped, another ship went down this time from the Patrol Fleet. The geth were doing the same thing to them that they were doing to the Civilian Fleet, divide and conquer. Shepherd's ship the Normandy had to break off from helping the Civilian Fleet to help the Patrol Fleet, the Admiral was impressed the human's ship…if they had more ships like the Normandy they would have won this by now. The Science and Tactical Fleet were relatively unscathed as the geth were only going after ships active in the battle. The Heavy Fleet still stood however like the Civilian Fleet they were taking the brunt of the geth's assault.

"Admiral, we have to retreat, we're losing too many ships!" a Quarian woman said.

"Tell everyone to hold their ground until the code is disabled" Gerrel said calmly.

"But sir, any longer and we'll join Koris and his people!"

"That's an order! We are not losing this chance, hold position until the signal is disabled"

"Ye-yes sir…" The woman said reluctantly.

"You'll see, soon we'll turn the tides" Gerrel said. "Tali and Shepherd won't disappoint us…"

The Dreadnought

Meanwhile on the dreadnought, the team made to the core and found the source of the reaper signal. To their surprise, it came from their old friend Legion however before they could question it they were met with the geth guarding the core. The rocket trooper fired on the team, and they rolled out-of-the-way. Joining them were hunters and a prime. "Wipe them out!" Shepherd said. Tali hacked the rocket troopers and summoned her drone, while Javik and Shepherd blasted them with biotics. The rocket troopers attacked the hunters while Shepherd overload their shields, Tali's drone timed out and exploded wiping out the hunters and rocket troopers. A prime unit summoned a turret and fired wildly at the team locking them in cover, while the prime's drone flanked them in the cover.

Tali drained the prime's drone and Shepherd overloaded the turrets, allowing Javik to get a clear shot at the prime. However it was not going to go down easy, as it's armor was much tougher than the other geth not to mention it kept summoning it's turrets and drones to keep the team on the defensive. Shepherd got out his Arc Projector and fired damaging the geth while destroying its drone and turret. Tali summoned her drone to keep the prime busy while chipping away its armor, Javik joined in blasting away with his particle rifle. The fight was too much for the prime and it exploded finishing the fight, the team went back to Legion. "Okay, Legion, it's done. What the hell happened?" Shepherd asked. "Why does the geth have reaper code?"

"This networking architecture is used to broadcast the old machines command signal to all geth at the same time" Legion explained. "This platform is used as signal, due to its unique configuration"

"So getting you out will stop the broadcast" Tali said.

"Yes" Legion stated. "We are secured via hardware blocks; nearby there is a terminal to shackle our operating protocols"

EDI's avatar appeared in front of them. "I am familiar, I can walk you through it" She said.

"Greetings EDI, We are glad you are doing well"

"Likewise, Legion"

"Hang tight, Legion, we'll get you out" Shepherd went to the elevator and saw a console next to them. Shepherd went to free Legion until Javik spoke up.

"I don't trust this machine, if it is working with the reapers, we should destroy it" he said.

"I know Legion, it wouldn't do this willingly" Shepherd said. "The reaper hacked the geth"

"They did not…" Shepherd looked Legion.

"Excuse me?"

"The creators attacked, we were losing ground, geth wanted to live…" Legion said. The way it said it, was almost like it was ashamed. "The Old machines made an offer…"

"So what was the point of destroying the heretics, if the geth was going to join the reapers?" Tali asked.

"The decision to ally with the Old Machines was difficult….."

Javik scoffed. "Apparently, not that difficult" EDI spoke up.

"The geth did this to live, it is not their fault" she said. "Had the Quarians not attack, this would not have happened"

"She's right, this is my people's fault, no matter how much I want to deny it" Tali said.

"Like a machine would know anything about living…"

"The geth are ostracized by all organic races, what choice did they have but die?" EDI said angrily.

"Better for them to die than to become the next enemy down the line" Javik said. "You can't trust synthetics"

"Enough! We don't have time for debate, we're freeing it" Shepherd said. EDI instructed Shepherd on how to free Legion. There was a click and the wires that were holding the geth were removed allowing the geth to free itself. Legion landed on the platform below and then it lowered to the ground. Legion looked up at the team and Shepherd nodded. " Tali tell your people they're in the clear" Tali opened her comm.

"Tali'Zorah to fleet, the signal is about to go offline"

"This is Admiral Gerrel; we're in your debt" The team went down to meet Legion, the core started to shrink and then it was gone in an explosive burst.

"What happened?" Shepherd asked.

"As a gesture of cooperation, we have disabled the dreadnought's drive core. All weapons and barriers are offline" The team then heard a rumble. "Alert: geth reinforcements incoming!" Shepherd threw Legion his pistol.

"We're going to need some help"

"Acknowledged!" The team got to cover as the geth flooded the room. Javik marked the geth with his dark channel, while Shepherd shut them down with a warp field. Tali and Legion summoned their drones.

Perseus Veil

Meanwhile outside the dreadnought, Quarians looked on as the geth cruisers were crashing into each other. "The geth fleet is destabilized. The signal is offline!" Xen said.

"Understood, Civilian Fleet, prepare to withdraw. The Patrol fleet will cover once the Heavy Fleet is in position" Rann said. "Whenever you are ready, Admiral Gerrel"

"Understood, all fleets move out" Gerrel said. The quarian fighters moved in as the geth fighters were confused and disorganize. The geth might have had superior numbers, but with them handicapped, the fight was going to the Quarians. Soon the path was cleared; the Mass relay was no longer obstructed. But then the Heavy Fleet's fighters started to fire on the dreadnought.

"Admiral Gerrel, what are you doing?!" Rann asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? We have a chance, the dreadnought is helpless!" Gerrel said. "No barriers, no guns, we can remove their flagship if we strike now!"

"Damn it, this is our chance to withdraw the civilians to safety!" Rann said.

"Gerrel stand down, Shepherd and my daughter are in there, stand down!" Rael said.

"We can't waste this chance, old friend. Heavy fleet, all forward, take out the dreadnought!" Gerrel said.

"Patrol Fleet, hold position!" Rann said. "Do not engage!"

"You do that and the Heavy Fleet gets wiped out!" he said. "If we die, a simple retreat won't save you from the geth's response"

"Damn you Gerrel! I'll see you tried for this!"

The Dreadnought

The battle was done; the team had defeated the geth reinforcements. "Okay let's get the hell out…" The dreadnought then shook hard, almost sending the team to their feet. "What the hell was that?" Shepherd's comm opened.

"Commander, you need to get out of there fast!" Joker said. "Gerrel's gone mental, he's attacking the dreadnought!"

"What?! But we're still in here!" Tali said. "He wouldn't!"

"Well he just did, move your ass now!" The dreadnought was rocked again, and this time the place coming apart. The first thing to fall was the drive core, Legion rolled out of the way when it almost crushes it.

"Shepherd-Commander, we must move, this vessel will not last" Legion said.

"I know. Where are the escape pods?"

"Geth transmit via remote signal, we don't use escape pods"

"Damnit, then what do you use?!" Shepherd asked.

"Geth fighters are docked in the port-side fighter bay. We can pilot a fighter to safety"

"Okay, let's go!" The team ran out of the core room and headed for the hangar, the team was almost hit with an explosion from the side. The next room they were in exploded, a large stream of fire was coming towards them but it was stopped when debris collapsed on the fire snuffing it out. Shepherd opened his com. "Shepherd to fleet! Hold fire, I repeat holds fire!" All he could hear was static.

"They're not responding!" Tali said.

"Shit!" The team went ahead to the next room, they had made to the hanger a straight shot and they were out of here.

"Shepherd-Commander, we have taken control of docking protocol" The team went to crossed the bridge but they quickly jumped back when the ships pillar fell and smashed the bridge in half. Luckily the gap between was jumpable, Legion was the first to jump, then Javik and Tali. Shepherd was the last to jump, but the ship rocked again causing debris from above to fall on top of the spectre's head. Both he and the debris fell below.

"Wayne!" Tali said panicked. Legion held on to her. "Let me go! I have to help Wayne!" She then heard a voice.

"Get to the fighter, I'll be fine!" Shepherd said. "I'll catch up!" Tali reluctantly went with Legion and Javik to the docking bay. Shepherd pushed away the debris and got to his feet, ship shook again and more debris fell. This time Shepherd rolled out the way before he could be hit, he went up the ramp to meet up with the team, the explosions were more frequent. Shepherd met with the team as they were about to board the geth fighters, the team felt light on their feet.

"Commander, the environmental controls are off-line!"

Another explosion happened and Tali started to float away. "TALI!" Shepherd tried to grab Tali's hand, but another explosion pushed them further apart. "NO!" Shepherd hit one of the geth fighters and grabbed on to the ship. The spectre could only watch in horror as the woman he loved floated away, possibly getting spaced.

"WAYNE!" Legion activated its magnetic legs and ran towards the floating Quarian and grabbed her before she could move away anymore. "Legion…" They moved back to Javik and Shepherd as they went in the fighter, Shepherd grabbed Tali's hand and embraced her tightly.

"I thought I'd lost you," Shepherd said, close to tears. Tali grabbed his face and pulled it towards her head.

"Never…"

"Does the storage compartment have adequate room, Shepherd-commander?" Legion asked.

"I'm fine, and Legion, thank you for saving Tali…."

"No thank you necessary, Shepherd-Commander" Legion said. The fighter fired up and flew out of the dreadnought as the dock collapsed. Shepherd opened his comm.

"Joker, we're in a geth fighter, watch your fire"

"Roger Commander, Just waggle the wings or something so I know which one is you" Once the fighter got cleared, the rest of the Heavy and Patrol fleet opened fired on the exploding dreadnought, finishing it off.

The Normandy

The geth docked with the Normandy, the ride back was tense, Tali could understand, both times her and Shepherd almost lost each other. She was nervous, Shepherd's eyes were intense, and not the good kind. It looked almost murderous. The team got out of the dreadnought, and Garrus, Kaiden and Kasumi and the others rushed the team.

"My god, are you guys okay?" Kasumi asked.

"Yes, thank you"

"You sure, Sparks?" James asked.

"Yes, I'm fine" Tali said. She looked to her left and saw that Shepherd was not there. She quickly paled. "Where's Wayne?"

"Wayne went to the war room"

Tali's eyes went wide. "Oh Keelah…" She ran to elevator, hoping to her ancestors that Shepherd would not do anything rash. When she got in, she saw the Admirals with a look of fear in their eyes as Shepherd held Gerrel up by his biotics with a look of absolute rage on his face.

Shepherd spoke up. "You son of a bitch!"

Uh-Oh! Gerrel's going to get it, will Tali be able to talk Shepherd out this one?

Review and Comment