Chapter 20: Edge of the Map
When she heard Joker announce over the ship's comms that The Illusive Man was online and wanting to have a SitRep, Shepard was disinclined to acquiesce that request and tell her pilot to lose the channel. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen with a quantum entangled communication array. Besides, the Spectre told herself it was a good tactical sense to take hold of how the Dictator … Director of Cerberus thoughts on what lay ahead. It would make handling situations with him further down the line that much easier.
As always the man had a burning cigarette in between his left index and middle finger, its embers burring as red as the center of the sun behind him. It was strange to think just at that moment that the red dwarf behind TIMmy reminded Shepard of a cigarette; the blue halo was the paper, the center the glowing ember of the death stick.
"Shepard, I wish I had more information for you. I don't like you heading though that relay blind, but we don't have much choice."
We? So we are 'we' now? You were never apart of this crew, never apart of the dangers we faced, never hit boots to the mud. There is no WE, Timmy. Not with you, there isn't.
Shepard's face was stone cold, her voice almost devoid of its inner rage she felt for this man's arrogance for inserting himself into her crew and her life. "I'm not going alone; I've got some of the best working with me. If we stick together, we'll make it."
"I knew we brought you in for a reason. I've never seen a better leader."
Shepard ground her teeth. You didn't bring be in old man. I'm not Cerberus, I will never be Cerberus.
The Illusive Man continued his monolog. "Despite the danger, it's a great opportunity. The first human ship to make it through the Omega Four Relay…and survive."
This isn't a field trip, TIMmy! Shepard took a step forward, her inner rage slipping through the cracks like scars. "I'm going to destroy the Collectors. To stop their attacks on humanity."
Just as cold and detached was TIM's response. "Understood. It's still impressive" he pointed at her with his cigarette holding hand. "I just wanted you to know I appreciate the risk you're taking. Regardless of your opinion of Cerberus. Of me. You are…a valuable asset. To all humanity. Be careful Shepard."
Do not try and stroke my vanity TIMmy. It won't work. I'm on to you Cancer Man. Staying true to professionalism the Commander said nothing more in retort; her only answer was to log off. There was nothing more to be said; besides she wanted to be on the Bridge when the Normandy made the jump.
She drew in a breath. and then another. by the third breath, she was standing on the bridge.
"Ready when you are, Commander," Joker said in hearing her footfalls behind him.
"Let's make it happen," she answered.
"Aye aye Commander." came a pure answer. He knew even without looking his Commander, his Captain was standing just behind him, hands on her hips. Standing tall. Proud. Powerful. It gave him courage. He would not fail her or the Normandy or the crew. "Approaching the Omega Four Relay. Everyone standby.
*Reaper IFF activated.* EDI announced. *Signal acknowledged.*
Outside the viewer the large once silent Relay began to swirl and come to life. The orange glow differed from the smaller Mass Relays readying to sling the small ship into the space beyond.
From over the comms, came Tali's voice. * Commander the drive core just lit up like a New Life Celebration display.*
*Drivecore electrical charge at critical levels.*. EDI warned.
"Rerouting." Joker's said- his fingers dancing over the amber guai interface.
The Normandy shuttered under the outer strain but maintained its flight trajectory through the chop of the Omega Four Relay. Dark Energy wrapped and coiled the frigate grasping hold of its hull pulling it into its mass effect envelope.
*Brace for deceleration.* EDI announced in a voice that could only be described as vanilla.
The Normandy shot out of the opposite of the relay directly into a ships' graveyard.
"SHIT!" Joker exclaimed. His fingers danced preternaturally against the Normandy's helm controls just barely keeping the ship from becoming the newest addition to the floating detritus of decrepit hulls and twisted chunks of metal.
The Normandy shot straight up through the nebula's clouds almost like a submarine losing its ballasts and breaking the surface of the water. She leveled out and sored evenly between the wrecks.
A breath of relief slipped out of Joker's lips. "That was too close."
Shepard looked out the window of the bridge in astonishment at thousands of ship hulls hanging in their own gravity wells.
"They must be all the ships that tried it make it through the Omega Four Relay. Some look thousands of years old." Joker uttered.
*I have detected an energy signature near the edge of the accretion disk.* EDI informed the crew.
Like asteroids of ringed planets the countless hulls floated out before them and there in the center was the black orb of the accretion disk. This place, the dead ships the black planet. It was so much like the visions swirling in the Specters mind of the Reapers. It was all connected. Of course, it was, this…this place…she had seen it before.
"Has to be the Collector base. Take us in for a closer look. Nice and easy." Shepard ordered staring directly ahead at the window her eyes fixed upon at the great dark center.
*Careful Joker. We have company.* EDI warned her typical mechanical voice carried the inflections of true concern. The LADAR pinged a trio of bogies coming up behind the ship's stern.
"Taking evasive maneuvers," Joker exclaimed
The enemy opened a barrage of fire; the Normandy pitched and yawed, out-flying the volley, destroying much of the debris around them. Explosions of ancient metal showered on the frigate's port side.
"Now they're just pissing me off." the pilot growled.
Another blast-closer now.
"EDI - take these bastards out!" one of the blasts struck Normandy's hull if it hadn't been for the upgrades in the frigate's armor she would have been lost.
"As long as the new plating holds," Miranda said from behind Shepard trying to maintain her hold on the tactical station's chair. "We should survive."
Another blast.
"They want another round?" Joker seemingly scoffed "Come on girl let's give it to them." No one was sure if Joker was addressing EDI or the Normandy or they were one and the same.
One blast from the oculus and a second from its partner. Normandy barrel-rolled, spiraling in and out of the debris field. From behind them, four more bogies picked up on the trail, synchronizing their attack patterns with the oculus. These were different constructs made for boring into a ship's hull. As soon as it got in yards of the Normandy it broke apart sending out smaller satellites of detritus.
The ship shuttered. That was definitely a direct hit.
*Alert! Hull breach on the engineering deck.* EDI flashed a holographic display of the site of the breach.
"It's in the cargo hold." Joker recognized the area instantly.
Shepard reacted immediately. "I'll take a team and deal with the intruders. You get the rest of them off our tail."
"Aye aye, Commander," Joker responded to his CO's retreating form. By the time the refocused his attention on the helm interface Shepard and disappeared taking the more direct route to the cargo hold via the duct tunnels in Mordin's lab.
Below decks, both Grunt and Zaeed and Jack were already on point down in the shuttle bay. The ting-tang of slugs hitting the metallic hull of a ship. The armor of the oculus was dense, their sidearms all but ineffective against the orb.
"We need heavy weapons to take this thing down," Zaeed called out from behind several fragile-looking crates that contained MREs.
"Watch your back," Jack warned watching as the oculus come around where the old man was rooted. Her warning came a shade too late.
The oculus spun around firing at the origin of the sound. The crates shattered on impact, pieces of ration packets and shards of shrapnel rained down into piles of detritus. Zaeed let out a grunt of pain laced with a snarl of frustration. His armor's kenotic barriers took the shot but they were swiftly depleting.
"On it." Grunt barked firing several rounds of his M-33 Claymore. The shotgun had been modified with a microphysical pulse that encased each slug with a phasic envelope before being fired at an enemy, disrupting any mass-effect field protecting the target. But even the heavy shotgun was not nearly as powerful enough to destroy the oculus's armor.
The orb's eye brightly flared crimson once- a beam of plasma raked across the hold's deck striking several more of the crates and destroying them. It had abandoned its hunt for the old merc, zeroing in on the primary target pinning Shepard down behind the consoles. Zaeed was right their weapons weren't touching this tings armor.
"Jack, you heard him. We'll keep this thing focused on us; you get the heavies from the lockers."
"Got it! The younger woman shouted and did as ordered. Her body brimming with a blue glow of dark energy as she sprinted from cover. One moment she was there then the next she had phased through the bulkhead into the armory lockers having used a biotic charge.
She didn't even look to what she grabbed; Jack just snatched the four closest heavy weapons within arm's reach. Two launchers one that fired grenades the other missile. The yellow M-622 Cain and the weird-ass icicle gun the Professor came up with.
*We're sitting ducks out here. I have lost them the in the debris field!* cried out Joker over the comm.
*Our kenotic barriers were not designed to survive impact with debris that size, Jeff.* EDI informed.
On the Bridge, Joker commanded the ship to dodge in and out of the graveyard. "Then I guess it's a good thing we upgraded. We're going in.* Joker commented off-handedly.
Chunks of destroyed ship hulls rammed into the side of the Normandy causing almost everyone not seated to lose their balance. Grunt was flung back against a cargo container with a loud clang that it rattled his teeth and left an imprint of his armored body in the side of the container. Normandy's hull scrapped another dialect ship like the Titanic against the iceberg that sunk it. Sheets of mettle flecked off the dead ship, sparks sprayed up along the artful frigate
"Come on. Find some room." Joker prayed.
*Kenotic barriers at forty percent.* EDI announced.
"Reroute none critical power! This is going to hurt." His hands flew over the controls. He flew the Normandy through the dead dreadnought, the hull screaming in inorganic pain
From within Engineering Kasumi looked up from her station and gritted her teeth. Since the abduction of Gabby and Kenneth, she had decided to lend her considerable technical talents to Tali. It struck her then that if the ship hadn't been upgraded that daring maneuver would have caused a breach in the hull that would have cost the thief her life.
"Damage report," Joker demanded.
"Kenotic barriers at thirty percent. No significant damage.*
Joker signed. "Take the helm EDI. Keep it slow. See if we can avoid any more attention..." He had suffered no significant damage. Well, he had three fractured fingers but hey wasn't that what medi-gel was for?
The alarms blared to life once more. *I have detected an enemy breach in the cargo hold.* EDI announced
"That thing again? This one's up to Shepard," he said suppressing the pain that riddled his already fragile and broken body.
From outside the oculus, energy weapons tore into Normandy's keel, ripping into plates.
"It's baaaaccckk!" Grunt seemed pleased to rise to the challenge once more. This was just like his Rites of Passage! He would protect his crew…his krant. ..his Battlemaster…his mother.
"Where are those heavy weapons?" Zaeed piped out.
"Here!" Jack cried out, using a biotic push to 'toss' the old man the icicle gun, keeping the M-622 Cain from herself.
Zaeed snatched the weapon as it zipped towards him with the grace that belied his age. In a single fluid movement, he tucked the heavy weapon against his shoulder, locked on target, and fired. Air around him—cooled instantly striking the oculus dead center causing the red-eye to frost over.
Jack took the opportunity now open to her tossing the grenade launcher to Grunt then and the missile to the QotGS.
Shepard nodded her head in gratitude. She did not hesitate just as Zaeed rose up and struck the oculus, she got off three shots before having to duck back into cover. The missile's IFF locked onto the oculus—detonating upon contact.
It did not destroy it.
"What the hell is this thing made of?" Jack called out not actually expecting an answer.
Looming above her like a demonic omnisentient eye, it fired a blast shattering the Commander's shield. Another blast would kill her. Using the dark energy in her cells Shepard pushed that energy outwards into a biotic charge, phasing through the crates and ships' heat sinks and turbine fans until she was at the far end of the hold. Ducking down behind the new cover gave her suit time to recharge the shield compositors.
"Focus. Stay frosty. Triangulate on the target." Ordered Shepard.
Grunt bleated out. "I. AM. Krogan!" Adrenalin surged through him and he ran for the orb that nearly destroyed his battle master. No one touched, his 'mother'. No one! His grand laughter fired, and fired until there was a very distinctly click of an empty magazine.
Darting from one point of cover to another Shepard fired the ML-77 missile launcher. then dashed to another hidden spot to fire again, again and again, she fired and biotically charged to another spot not allowing the oculus to get a fix on her.
From the other side using the hold, Jack used the microsecond Sheppard's darting had bought her and fired the M-920 Cain. A mass-effect-based heavy weapon that used 25-gram explosive slug. Accelerated to 5km per second the round was devastating. Jack had always loved the 'nuke-launcher.' She and it had a lot in common.
At the same time from his vantage point, Zaeed used the M-622 avalanche. Might not be a nuke but the Bose-Ernestine concentrated mass of super-cooled subatomic particles snap-freezing the oculus's armor making it extraordinarily brittle, the next time Shepard's missile hit it, the thing all but shattered.
"Son of a bitch better stay down this time." Zaeed grouched approaching the now-defunct orb. And shot it again with the M-622.
Shepard opened her mouth to say something in response but was interrupted by Joker's voice coming over the ship's comm systems. *Better get up here, Commander.*
*We're about to clear the debris field.* Miranda added
"On my way." Shepard acknowledged she then turned to her rag-tag misfits. "You three did well. We need to seal those breaches and secure the deck. Once that is done assemble with the rest of the crew in the war room."
"I'll see it done Battlemaster." Grunt answered for the others.
Shepard nodded once and left.
"That was fun," Jack said with surprising candor after the Specter had left. Her dark brown eyes sweeping over the mess within the shuttle bay. Carbon scoring, shattered creates, chunks of mettle and ship stores, and not least the destroyed hull of the oculus.
"What are we going to do with this thing?" Grunt kicked and the spherical remains.
"The Professor may want to have a look at it once we get our people back. Might be something clunking around inside it to help take down the Reapers." Zaeed commented.
"And risk it sending out some sort of fucking homing beacon or indoctrination mind-fuck shit? No way. We jettison it." Jack intoned forcefully.
Almost as soon as Shepard stepped onto the Normandy's Bridge, Miranda spoke nodding her head towards the forward operation: "There it is, the Collector Base."
Looking out, the Base looked before them not unlike a giant malignant all-seeing eye, almost right out of Tolkien.
"See if you can find a place to land without drawing attention." Shepard said, standing her normal claimed spot just behind Joker's chair- hand on the headrest."
"Too late." Joker shook his head. "Looks like they are sending out an old friend to greet us."
All eyes were drawn to the Ships Ops' display. Old friend indeed… it was the same Collector dreadnought that had gunned down the original Normandy SR1, that hit Horizon and the Flagship team had infiltrated. It sailed directly for them, its magnificent size easily dwarfing the small frigate a hundred times over. Like the maw of some Lovecraftian creature, the enemy's forward cannons blasted outward. They did not strike home. Joker dove the Normandy under the blast zone avoiding the strike.
"Time to show our new teeth," Shepard said without missing a beat. "Fire the main gun."
With the Collector ship's maw still, open it was the perfect opportunity to strike back. Normandy's main cannons side out of from under the keel and blasted. blue ionized plasma jetted outward.
KAFFOOOM!
Direct hit.
Joker raised his hand's in the air, fist curled into victory pumps, "How do you like that you sons of bitches?!
"Get in closer and finish them off," Shepard commanded. Her face implacable
"Everybody hold on, it's gonna be a wild ride." Warned Joker.
The Collector ship fired.
Normandy dodged.
Joker hit the firing button on the amber interface. "Give them hell girl."
Normandy's main cannon fired again and again with a continuous barrage, the Collector ship hadn't been expected such a direct assault even after the last volley. Their shields could not withstand the massacre blast from the Normandy. Blue plasma fired striking the Collector's maw blasting it apart
"Look out!" Miranda cried out as ginormous hunks of Collector hull spiraled outward in the explosion. Normandy's guns must have caused a chain reaction in the enemy ship's gun battery going all the way into their mass effect drive core.
The blast waved tossed the Normandy aide like a tiny bathtub toy. The only reason Shepard didn't lose complete balance is the fact her hardsuit's maglock boots automatically engaged, freezing her feet to the deck. Miranda wasn't as lucky as her boots were not magnetically charged; she toppled over into the copilot's chair bruising her side as she found herself slumped haphazardly in the chair. Joker felt his wrist snap as he tried to catch himself before Normandy internal dampeners kicked in.
Even with the sprained wrist, it didn't stop him. His hands continued to dance over helm control. "Mass effect field generators are offline! EDI! Give me something!"
*Generates unresponsive.* the calmness in the AI's synthesized voice belied their situation. *Brace for impact.*
Miranda had just righted herself from the copilots chair when the Normandy bucked and bounced sending her towards Navigation. Even Shepard was rocked and tossed to the deck plates. Joker was slammed against the arm of his chair and felt two more ribs give way.
The screech of hull scraping against the metal skeleton of another lost ship echoed deafeningly throughout the Normandy as it slammed down and skidded along the surface. It came to a sudden rocking halt. The Normandy was down.
The Butcher's bill was going to be high on this one. The Specter picked herself up off the deck as did Miranda. "Joker, you okay?" She asked quickly, her eyes giving the other woman a once over.
"I think I broke a rib." He grunted, pain flooding his mind. "Or all of them."
"EDI. SitRep." Shifting her attention from her wounded pilot to the ship. Not out of callous indifference to his plight, but out of the need to know where they stood now. Joker broke ribs whilst sneezing and he always had a ready supply of medi-gel at hand. The Normandy would not be so lucky no matter how much Omni-gel they had to patch the hull breaches.
*Multiple core systems overloaded during the crash. Restoring operation will take time.*
Miranda sighed. "We all knew this was only a one-way trip." She was now standing her arms folded over her chest wither holding back pain flaring in her bruised side or the need to keep some measure of composure it was difficult to tell.
"Our primary objective is to destroy the station and stop the Collectors at any cost. That hasn't changed."
"Well, then we are off to a good start," Joker said sardonically. "What's next?"
"How long until the Collectors find this landing zone?" Shepard inquired. This addressed to EDI.
*I do not detect an internal security network. It is possible the Collectors did not expect anyone to reach the base.*
"Huh. If we're lucky their external sensors were hit just as hard as ours in the crash. They might hot know we are alive." Joker offered.
"If we're that lucky. Joker shoot up with Medi-gel and then work with EDI on getting the Normandy operational again. And open the ships Comms for me."
"Aye Aye Commander." Joker obeyed.
"I know it was a rough landing, I want everyone kitted out and ready to hit the dirt. Assembled in the war room on the double." She looked to Miranda, nodded, and headed out of the Bridge down the long neck of the Normandy towards the CIC and the doors that lead to Lab and the War Room beyond that.
As soon as she arrived Shepard saw some over her flagship team had already assembled and others were coming in all centered around the oblong oak and teak table.
"This isn't how we planned this mission but this is where we're at..." Shepard began without preamble. She leaned forward and continued "We can't worry about whether the Normandy can get us back home. We Came to stop the Collectors and that means coming up with a plan that will take out this station. EDI bring up your scans."
The center of the table's holo-imaging table blinked to life. What showed as an amber outer hull structure and a more elaborate blue core
*You should be able to overload their critical systems if you to their main control center here.* she pointed out the necessary nod with a helpful blue dot and line
"That means going through the heart of the station, right past this massive energy signature." Garrus said using his Omni tool to access the display on the table and mapping a course in the blue core."
"That's the central chamber," Shepard observed. "If our crew or any of the colonists are alive, that's where they will be."
"Looks like there are two main access points," Garrus said using the same point presentation marks as EDI had used. "Might be a good idea to split up to keep the Collectors off balance and regroup in the central chamber."
"No good." Miranda shook her head. Her lighting fast calculation brain pulled out a detail in the display before them. Booth roots are blocked." She actually pointed to the display rather than use a holographic pointer. "See these doors; the only way past is for someone to open them from the other side."
"It's not a fortress." Shepard's voice became sharp. "There's gotta be something." She studied the display. She might not have a genetically enhanced brain but she was no mental slouch. Then she saw it. "Here" she used the table's interface to point out to the others what her eyes clicked on to. "maybe we can sneak some other through this ventilation shaft.
"I can go." Garrus volunteered without hesitation.
"I appreciate the thought Garrus, but you couldn't shut down the security systems in time." Miranda shook her head even before Tali could offer her own protests about her husband climbing though the shafts like some duct rat. He might be good at tech but he was no expert. "We need to send a tech expert." Miranda words echoed the quarian's thoughts.
Shepard looked down at the table. There was a very good reason why the Master Thief had been selected and vetted by Liara and more importantly accepted by the Specter Looking up Shepard looked on the young Japanese woman. "Kasumi, you've got the tech skills to do this."
It was a suicide mission within a suicide mission. The thief didn't bulk. "I won't let you down." the thief vowed.
"The rest of us will break into two teams and fight down each passage. That should draw the Collectors attention away from what you're doing." The Specter's words were directed towards Kasumi.
"I'll lead the second fire team Shepard." Miranda stepped up. "We'll meet up with you on the other side of the doors."
"Not so fast Cheerleader." Jack interrupted. "Nobody wants to take orders from you." At her side, even Garrus shook his head.
"This isn't a popularity contest." Miranda waved away the ex-con's protest. "Lives are at stake. Shepard, you need someone who can command loyalty through experience"
Shepard knew that as well and that left out the lone wolves: Samara, Zaeed, and Thane, and no one would follow a geth or even a newly bloodied krogan. That left the old STG professor and Garrus. Tali might have been the Normandy's Chief Engineer but she had no battlefield leadership experience. But there was one. One who was trusted, the Normandy's EXO indeed he was Shepard's true Trusted.
"Garrus, you're in charge of the second team."
He stood a little taller, a little prouder but did not comment. Miranda however did, her voice was clearly not pleased she has not been chosen but she did accept the orders. "Well at least he knows what he is doing." a bid of snugness laces her words. Shepard chose to ignore it. It wouldn't do anyone any good pointing out that only a moment ago Miranda has side it wasn't a popularity contest.
"I don't know what we're going to find in there but I won't lie to you, it's not going to be easy. We've lost good people. We may lose more." She stood before them proud, determined, her hands behind her back, not at parade rest but as a true commander leasing her troops into almost certain death. "We don't know how many the Collecters have stolen. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. It's not important. What matters is this. "Her hand came around from behind her back one curling into a fist and slammed into the other as her next words fell. "Not. One. More. That's what we can do here today. It ends with us." she paced back and forth and pointed at her people. "They want to know what we're made of?" the pointed her thumb back at herself. "I say we show them on our terms. Let's bring our people home!"
ME~ME~ME~ME~ME~ME
The hull of the Normandy was badly scarred, scorched wounded. The port access door groaned in having to open but open it did. The teams would have to jump down from the ship proper to the Base's deck.
Shepard was the first to land boots on the deck. Behind her was Team Maco comprising of the Specter, Samara, Miranda, Mordin, and bringing up the rear was Grunt.
Behind them were Garrus, Tali, Thane, Zaeed, and Jack. Making up Team Hammerhead. Behind them was Team Shadow—comprising of its single member: Kasumi. With practiced ease, the teams diverted into their attack approach.
* I'm inside the ventilation shaft Shep. It's hot in here, but it's clear.* Kasumi reported in
"Second team. Are you in position?" inquired Shepard.
Garrus's voice came clear and sound over the comm systems. *In position. Meet you on the other side of those doors.*
Shepard turned back to her team and motioned them forward. Weapons raised, fingers flagging the triggers and at least half the team had already summed the dark energy of mass effect fields for biotic deployment.
Nothing of the scale of a starship could be resolved, except of course for the Collector's ship, catacombs of living stone, and steal. A hive of wandering whimsy of a single awful termite. The higher they progressed within the fortress—and progress is not the correct word the deeper the sense of undisciplined decay eveloped them. The Collectors had for the last fifty thousand years spent their time building useless follies throughout the decks, above and below, draining the base's recourses and perverting its original design.
Octagonal deck-plating and bulkheads grew upwards like muscle tissues made of metal carapace. Much of the space was no more functional than the empty vault they had first encountered and the Normandy's LZ.
Within were structures made of organic substance and metal, some quite large, and all wrought with a grace and skill that was evident whatever the subjects might have been—abstractions or representations of who could tell? If there was anything left of the Protheans, it was here. It was a defiant bastard child of Ilos and the Collector ship.
Along the decking were half walks of what looked identical to onyx and amongst their geomantic settings were several floating platforms each holding three to four Collectors.
"We've been spotted," Shepard warned diving for cover behind a bulkhead and watched as her teammates did likewise.
*Garrus here, we're taking heavy fire but we're moving forward.*
"Understood." Shepard acknowledged.
"Shepard, reinforcements coming from at nine o'clock" Samara announced, just as she sent out a warp pulse. "Threat neutralized."
Shepard sent her own flare followed by a pull causing a biotic explosion Miranda's target was hosted into the air from her pull then as it hovered she shot it down with a clean shot to the head. even before the body splat dot the queer deck plating the team were already on the move leaping over and unto the next platforms.
Over and up, over and up, over and up until they hopped a ramp and saw Kasumi in the ventilation duck, her agile body maneuvering as swiftly as was able.
*Something's blocking the pipe. Gotta find a way through that gate up ahead.*
"They're over by the ventilation shaft." Miranda pointed out a green octagonal guai interface
Shepard nodded her head and without comment hit the flow though commands allowing the ventilation shaft to clear.
*That did it. Through the gate now.* Kasumi sounded winded.
Shepard was mid-leap over another half wall when her shoulder took a direct hit. Grunting in pain she somersaulted down taking cover but not before her chest took another shot, fortunately, her suits shields held, but they were losing their integrity, she'd have to stay down if she wanted them to recharge to full. On either side of her was the rest of her team
They took turns using biotic and tech assaults and gunfire, Samara lifted and slammed, Miranda, sent shockwaves even as Mordin blasted with cryo shots, snap-freezing the bodies in place just as the dark energy struck shattering them into a thousand prices. Miranda looked to Shepard and back to Samara and without actually voicing the command all three biotics lashed out pooling their powers together in a multi-sphere singularity
The four Collectors were caught up into the vortex, their bodies wringing like dishrags.
ASSUMING CONTROL OF THIS FORM, Harbinger announced lifting the sole survivor of the assault into the air. Its body glowing gold as it lost is the will to the Reaper.
Even as the body hovered in front of them, no one hesitated to act before Harbinger had seized full control. Weapons fired at will, each with warp enhanced shot. The Collector fell to the deck destroyed.
WE FIGHT AS ONE.
Harbinger dismissed the death of one his soldier—his minion as if one small piece was insignificant next to the power of the collective.
*Damn it. I'm blocked again. There's gotta be another value out there!* Kasumi shouted desperately.
Kasumi's voice crackled over the headsets dislodging the Reaper's hold for precious moments.
To her left Shepard spotted the glowing emerald panel and rushed for it, ignoring the fact her shields were failing and more of the flying insures war swarming in.
"Overload deployed," Miranda announced allowing her teammates to target now the vulnerable enemy troopers.
Copy that," Mordin echoed and sent his tech assault into the glowing bugs' kenotic barriers. "Shields destroyed"
They had given Shepard enough time to kit the valve thus allowing Kasumi freedom.
"Overhead! Hostiles to the right." Samara said when she spotted more of the bugs were swooping in. Using a biotic leave the Justicar leached the life-force energy from the insectoids weakling them, leaving them vulnerable for flares and warps. "Enemy neutralized."
Shepard ducked down behind the half wall as did the others, peeking up, talking her shots carefully but swiftly she saw another six meters from her position. She knew she'd have to get to it before the shafts cooked the thief.
*Garrus here we're almost there. Meet you at the rendezvous.*
OUR POWER IS UNMATCHED
Two more possessed troopers. This was not going to be easy. The bugs had created a firing line making it nearly impossible to get to the next valve without a drawing out the firefight. Kasumi did not have that long.
Fueling her body, Shepard prepped her body for a charge. It would get her to the target but leave her six and flanks wide open.
*It's getting hot in here, Shep.*
Needs must.
"Cover me," she ordered and charged—her asari forged sword and omni-blade drawn. Her body fueled by the swirling power of a mass effect field Shepard became a streak of pure dark energy. She phased through the half wall and with her blades cut down the possessed Collector just in time to strike the guai interface.
* All clear moving on.*
Behind Shepard were the footfalls of her team, down around the length of the corridor, up another ledge Shepard struck yet another green interface perhaps even before the thief arrived at its blockage before pressing forward.
*I knew I could count on you Shep. I'll let you know if I need any more help.*
Kasumi was able to move on but Team Mako was pinned down. Shepard was forced to take cover at the bend in the tunnels elbow. Grunt and Sumara across from her at her three o'clock had taken shelter along the half bulkhead partition; at the Spectre's six were Miranda and Mordin.
They were pinned down but not helpless.
Harbinger's words echoed throughout the corridors load and relentless. Though the eyes of his own Commander the Reaper witnessed the assault. This Shepard was driven, fury incarnate, a blazing flame of dark energy. She refused to end her common state of pointless fugue. The gull! Her existence was a grave insult. The indoctrination had not been completed but for the fact, she heard his words were proof enough that code was written within her subconscious.
More of the Collector Guardians and Assassins were deployed. The Drones had fallen pitifully by the invaders. Even those he had taken over had fallen before full Control had completed. This would not do.
The Guardians barriers and more powerful weapons to stand against the invaders and the Assassins' partial cannons ripped through the protections of Shepard and her disciples. He had them hemmed in
YOUR EXISTENCE IS AN INSULT.
"So is yours, you son of a bitch!" Shepard snarled. She was getting real tired of Harbinger's continuous prodding and goading, the constant baiting.
Negotiating the next section was proving too much more difficult the Collectors started to amass and the deck went form the octagonal ledge upward to a steel archipelago of octagonal platforms. Just beyond was another of those valves.
Now was the time…
WE ARE ASSUMING CONTROL. YOU WILL REGRET THIS SHEPARD.
Harbinger sent the code along with the integrated minds of the Assassins, fusing his consciousness with theirs in perfect synthesis. It was not just one mind took this time.
"I don't have time for this," Shepard growled under her breath, she had reached the next valve but once more the Collectors had her and the team pinned down. A biotic charge would not work this time, there were far too many bulkheads, half walls, leveled platforms, and open spaces
WE ARE THE PENICAL OF EVOLUTION
*Dammit blocked again. There's gotta be another valve somewhere.*
Like an ancient Viking shield wall, Miranda and Samara closed in on Shepard's position, creating barrier bubbles thus allowing the Commander Shepard time and movement she needed to get to the next valve session. Shepard charged-dashed-leaped over three of the half walls making to the raised platform was the vault was located and used her omni tool she had with all the others to force it open.
*There it goes. Moving on."* Kasumi announced
Up over, up over, down. Another valve, that was five out of eight.
*Nice work Shep continuing down the tube.*
"Roger that," Shepard responded, she switched out form her assault rifle to her Locast SMG the spray was more widespread but in the close quarters of the oncoming assault the weapon was more effective. The Collectors broke off seeking s form the onslaught of the crew of the Normandy's attack.
The Collectors assault stuck the Spectre directly in the chest rendering her shields almost void she was down ninety percent, another direct hit, and her shields would fail altogether. Her only choice was to bunker down behind one of the half walls separating the two floors of the forthcoming section of the corridor.
She threw a barrier around her and then flung a warp-singularity over her shield as if it were a grenade.
At her flanks both biotics Sent out shockwaves as Mordin assigned the enemy with cryoblast and over it, all was the din of Grunt's Claymore shotgun.
KaBlam!
KaBlam
KaBlam!
Then came the young krogan's deep throaty laughter. Grunt was having a blast. He had lost himself in the battle. His adrenaline rising high and uncontainable. It was better to allow the krogan to work himself out of blood rage than force the boy out of it. Besides, it was an effective distraction that allowed Shepard those precocious seconds to open the valves that blocked Kasumi.
Speaking of the thief: *Just waiting on you again Shep. Don't leave me hanging here!* Kasumi was growing desperate, the heat around her feeling like she was being poached alive.
The team was only able to advance three meters before the Collectors returned fire with a volley of their own. Shepard was beginning to feel like jack-in the box, popping up firing and ducking back down only to hit another control interface.
"Reinforcements coming towards us." warned the Justicar. "One o'clock."
Shepard fixed her attention towards where Samara had indicated. It had to be an entire battalion headed for their direct position. "Barrier Wall!" Miranda roared, instantly erecting a bubble around herself and Shepard. Samara extended her bubble overlapping the younger biotics. At their flank, Mordin and Grunt laid continue cover fire. They were being pushed back hard.
*That's got it! Moving on.*
THIS IS WHAT YOU FACE. SUCH A BEING WILL NEVER KNOW PAIN.
The bugs didn't stop. More and more of them were swarming in. It was easy to see why they had waited until now before in the enclosed corridors the Normandy teams were being bottlenecked; now here on the right were vast cavernous chambers.
*One more to go Shep. You know the drill.* even Kasumi's voice sounded sweaty and drained.
So was Team Maco. There seemed to be no end of the insectoids. They continued to press against the intruders, profusely barricading the Spectre's path with aerial assaults. There were only three half walls to leap over, the panel was right there! Shepard could see it. But she could not reach it. Three and a half metes away seemed leagues away. Getting to it was nigh on impossible. The one thing the Collectors hadn't counted on was that if there was thing Shepard excelled at—it was achieving the impossible.
*Feeling a little cooked in here Shep.*
Rage trembled throughout Shepard, from her it lashed out in what reversal of Reave. She has done this a few times before infusing those around her with passion—her rage. On other rate instances Shepard has always been linked to her wife, and their bond a result of a gestalt washed out over others –tugged by dark matter into novel aliments, a perturbed prelude to a Tsunami.
In her mouth, Shepard felt the tang of blood. In her chest, she felt the monster rising. Contorting her into something fearsome, just short of revealing itself to the world
Knowing what was what transient storm coming; Miranda and Sumara spun on their heels and expanded their barrier bubbles to surround not only their Commander but the others and themselves as well.
One could only act on instinct; grab hold of an intuitive perfect moment and spring into action—one heartbeat late and the universe would have recomposed itself. No imposition of will sufficient enough to forestall the currents, one could only observe and react. The balance of the battle was shifting irrelatively.
*Shep!*
Shepard darted past the enemy slamming her omni tool into the interface commanding the green panel to open freeing Kasumi. But was it in time, She rushed forward banging on the double doors that had been baring their path, the doors Kasumi was to open.
Behind Shepard her team continued to fire, to hold the line.
"Kasumi! Come in" Shepard demanded
*Got it!*
On her side of the door, Kasumi dropped out to the ventilation shaft into the now open left-wing chamber.
"Look out Seeker swarm! Garrus warned as he pushed further into the interior of the chamber behind him the rest of his squadron flooded in past the thief.
"We're in position," commanded Shepard. "We need this door open now!" She slammed her fist into the door as if the very action alone would hasten the actions on the other side of the door.
"Go," Garrus pushed Kasumi towards the amber glowing interface their repetitive firing coruscated down the long corridor. "We'll cover you."
Swift fingers typed over the interface panel. Behind Kasumi, Team Hammerhead was keeping the incoming seekers from overrunning their position in heated desperation.
"Something's wrong. I can't get this door open!" Kasumi was growing desperate. She had never had so many lives depending on her, counting on her. "Come on come on Goto you got this." panic laced Kasumi's voice, less she make mistakes. "Almost there…"Got it."
Miranda, Samara, and Grunt rushed in, Shepard holding position until they were safely passed before she darted in.
"Here they come," Shepard backed into the new chamber continuously firing at the enemy as the corrupted infects surged forward on their positions.
Kasumi now had to hotwire the door to close.
"Fall back!" Shepard urged the enemies were overwhelming, a flood.
"Precision fire!" Garrus ordered. "Don't let anyone through that door!"
Both teams covered and unleashed volley after volley keeping Kasumi protected and buying her enough time to work her tech-magic, the bodies of dozens upon dozens of insectoids were piling up like so much cordwood before the doors before the heavy metal clammed shut.
Shepard bracing her hands on her knees breathing in deep gulps of much-needed air and smiled as she glances towards the Japanese woman. "Good Job Kasumi. I knew you wouldn't let me down."
"Shepard. You need to see this." Miranda said from somewhere behind her sounding grave.