Hello, everyone, I am IX404 and welcome to my newest Mass Effect - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. This will be the pilot chapter of my newest crossover between the worlds of BattleTech and Mass Effect. This story was deeply inspired and influenced by the BattleTech SI called 'This Was Easier on The Tabletop.' If you haven't looked at that story yet, I thoroughly recommend that you do so.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Mass Effect or BattleTech/MechWarrior franchises. They are the respecitve properties and trademarks of Electronic Arts, BioWare, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to it's respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
SSV Normandy
Deep Space
September 12th, 2186
The first thing that Shepard did when he woke up was gasp loudly, his heart hammering as he looked around for a moment. For a moment, it seemed as though the nightmare that he was having was overlaid with the real world around himself, as though the real and imagined world were one and the same. Scrambling for the light switch, he flicked it on, with the imagined world fading away to reveal the Captains Quarters of the Normandy SR2.
Breathing in and out, he slowly calmed his racing heart down, until it was calm enough for him to be comfortable. Where did that nightmare come from, he thought to himself. Is this going to go away, or is my mind finally starting to fracture from what's been happening recently? What the hell is wrong with me?
As he got up and began to get dressed, he couldn't help but frown at Humanity's current predicament. We're at war with the Reapers, and the only way we'll win is if we complete the Crucible. Sitting down, he thought, Why me, of all people? I'm not a leader. I'm just a soldier doing what he can to help the people around him, and the races of the galaxy survive. Shaking off the dark thoughts, he began to get up and get himself ready to go for the day
As he did so, he heard someone walking inside. "Come in," he replied, turning around to see who it was. He was surprised to see that it was Liara, as she rarely came up to the Captain's Quarters, as she usually monitored her information network. "Liara," he asked, "It's good to see you here."
"It's good to see you as well," Liara replied. Looking at Shepard, she noticed that he had slight bags underneath his eyes. "Are you OK?" she asked.
Sighing, Shepard sat down on his bed, rubbing his eyes as Liara sat down next to him. "Officially, yes," he replied. "Personally... no. I've been having... nightmares since we were forced to abandon Earth when the Reapers arrived."
"What kind of nightmares?"
"They always involve a young boy I saw on Earth. I… I tried to rescue him, but he was too afraid to let me do so. I... I watched him die when a Reaper fired on the Kodiak piloting him. Since then… I've been having these nightmares. Every time I fall asleep, I see him running through this burnt forest, playing with a toy. When I catch up to him, he looks at me, and then he starts to…" He trailed off when he reached that part of his memory of the nightmare, unable to bring himself to describe the final part of his nightmare.
"It's OK," Liara replied, putting a hand on Shepard's back. "I think I know what you're suffering from. I think your kind calls it 'Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.' I think what's happening is that your mind is punishing itself for letting that child die."
"You think so?"
"Yes," Liara nodded. "And there is a cure for that. If I were in your position, I would examine those memories and ask myself if I had done everything that I could in that situation. If the answer is yes, then there is no need to punish yourself for what happened. It was beyond your control anyways. Meditation usually helps as well, as does slow, regular breathing. If it helps, let me know."
"Thanks, Liara. Anything else I should know?"
"Admiral Hackett would like to speak to you when you've got some time," Liara replied.
"OK," Shepard replied. With that, Liara left the Captain's Quarters, leaving him alone in the room. Taking her advice, he got onto the floor and crossed his legs, sitting down and closing his eyes while resting his hands on his knees. Slowing his breathing down, he began to think back towards the memories, asking himself the question that Liara had recommended he ask.
He was surprised to find that his gut had been knotted up somewhat, with the knots vanishing as he continued to meditate and think back on what had happened. His eyebrows stopped becoming furrowed, and he felt better than before. After a few minutes, he got up and began making his way towards the Mess Hall. I'll need to thank Liara later, he thought as he pushed the icon on the elevator panel for the Mess Hall. That really helped out.
When he got out of the elevator, he was just in time to hear a loud 'S'KAK' being hurled across the room, just before a fist hit a table. Walking out of the elevator, he walked around the shaft to see what was going on, with the cause of the shout coming into view moments later. Looking at the table, he was surprised to see James Vega, Nyreen Kandros and Garrus Vakarian playing some kind of holographic board game, complete with a set of holographic dice and holographic miniatures. Vega had a megawatt smile on his face, while Garrus was scowling, idly scratching his head with a talon as he tried to figure out how he lost. Nyreen, however, had a serene expression on her face.
"Hi, Shepard," Vega beamed. "Wanna play?"
"Not right now, no," Shepard replied, "though I am kinda curious as to what you're playing."
"Some kind of human game," Nyreen remarked. "Vega, can you remind me as to what we're playing?"
"That's easy," Vega replied. "This is Classic BattleTech. It's a board game that's popular with new recruits in the Alliance Marines, myself included. As for why Garrus is scowling, it's because I just won a 'Mech battle against his last 'Mech. Critical hits are a bitch, I can tell you that."
"There's no way a 'Mech with an AC/20 can penetrate that much armor like that," Garrus scowled.
"According to the lore, it can do that," Vega countered. "AC/20's are the most damaging Autocannon against armor, and can one-shot a lighter 'Mech within it's effective range. Your 'Mech, a Shadow Hawk if I recall correctly, suffered a critical hit to the cockpit, since I rolled a 2d6. As a result, your character got turned into paste, and I won the game. Still, you were a good fighter. You destroyed the left arm and left center torso of my King Crab."
"I think that was from my Hunchback," Nyreen corrected.
"Details, Nyreen," Vega shrugged. Looking at Shepard, he said, "Garrus challenged me to a board game that was popular with Humans. I told him we were going to play one round of Classic BattleTech, and he agreed."
"Sounds like you got beaten by a professional," Shepard remarked to Garrus. "You probably should've picked something a little less well known to Vega."
"That's true," Garrus admitted, his scowl fading slightly. Looking at Vega, he said, "Well, you won the game. I guess those fifty credits are yours now."
"Yep," Vega replied. While this was going on, Shepard walked over to the mess hall and grabbed himself some rations. "Still don't want to play," he asked Shepard.
"I'll think about it a little later," Shepard replied. "I used to enjoy board games all the time when I was a kid. Perhaps I've still got it." With that, he stopped talking, as he began to shovel food into his gullet. As he did so, he noticed Nyreen and Garrus walking along, though he noticed something odd: Nyreen and Garrus had their right and left arms, respectively, caressing each other's waists. I'll have to ask them about that at some point, he decided. They have gotten along remarkably well since they came aboard.
. . .
The War Room of the Normandy was well lit in the center, though the edges of the room were somewhat darker. The entire room had a series of chairs built into it, so that the crew could all attend any briefings that were held here. In the center of the room was a holographic projection of a map of the galaxy, with major sectors being lit up in varying colors. Those colors represented the readiness level of each sector, with most being orange to orange-yellow. A few of the sectors were green, indicating full military readiness.
Areas that were being held by the Reapers were marked by zones that had red and black diagonal lines running through them, and there were quite a few of them. Off to the side of the War Room was a small booth that held the Quantum Entanglement Communicator, which was used for long range communications. Walking into the QEC room, Shepard pulled up the COM call for the day. "Connection pending," a computerized voice said moments later. "Please wait."
I'd best make conversation with someone then, Shepard decided. Almost immediately, he spotted someone that he usually didn't see in the War Room. "Javik?" he asked, surprised. "I didn't know you were up here."
The individual in question turned around to look at him. If one had seen Javik personally, they would've been slightly repulsed by his green tinted skin, twin pairs of eyes, as well as his reptilian appearance. Shepard, however, knew what Javik was: a member of a long extinct alien species known as the 'Protheans.' They'd been credited for building the Mass Relays, but Shepard knew the truth. They only found the Mass Relays and Citadel. The Reapers built all of that.
"Commander," Javik remarked, looking at Shepard. "I was merely curious about the War Room, as you call it. We Protheans gathered in places like this to discuss strategies and attacks against the Reapers. It is remarkably similar to what we had back then."
"I see," Shepard remarked. Looking around, he spotted another person in the CIC. "Wrex," he beamed. "You doing alright today?"
"Fine," Wrex replied. The old, but strong, Krogan turned to face Shepard, both blood-red eyes gazing at the N7. "Your Salarian doctor needed some 'samples' from me."
"I see where this is going," Shepard remarked. "Still don't trust Mordin?"
"How can I?" Wrex remarked. "His kind built the Genophage, and the Turians used it on us. It's not something that'll disappear overnight. Plus, the female isn't taking it well."
"You mean Eve?"
"Yes, Shepard. She tolerates him, but she told me she sees a lot of pain in him. Hard to imagine that he'd want to reverse the Genophage."
"Would it help if I told you he helped me defeat the Collectors, and that he saved the data from Maelon's experiments?"
At that, Wrex's brow scales went up in surprise. "Really?" When Shepard nodded, Wrex said, "Damn, Shepard. You didn't tell me about that. When you've got time, tell me more."
"Certainly," Shepard nodded. As he said that, he heard a loud, beeping sound coming from the QEC. "I've got a call to take," Shepard said to Wrex. "Speak with you later?"
"Sure, Shepard."
Heading for the QEC, Shepard pressed the call button, with the QEC establishing a full connection. The hologram of an elderly man wearing an Alliance Dress Uniform appeared moments later, indicating the QEC was fully active. Though the hologram of the man was tinted blue, Shepard recognized who he was immediately. "Admiral," Shepard replied, saluting a moment later.
"At ease," Hackett replied, his husky voice still carrying it's authority, even though the Normandy was halfway across the galaxy from him. "I called to check up on your current progress in this sector of the galaxy. I take it all is going well, yes?"
"Yes. We helped recover some of Wrex's missing scouts. We'll be moving towards Tuchanka soon."
"Good," Hacket beamed. "That'll help with bringing the Krogan on board. I came because we've got a problem, Shepard, and you're the only one that can keep things from escalating."
"And that would be?" Shepard asked, curious.
"We detected an unusual energy burst coming from the Terminus Systems," Hackett explained. "According to probes we launched, we found that this energy burst was coming from a planet you've visited before. According to the readings we got before the probe was destroyed, it appears as though Cerberus was studying some kind of Prothean artifact on the surface of the planet. An agent we had on the inside was able to provide more detail before she was forced to self-terminate when Cerberus uncovered her identity."
Shepard frowned at that. Ever since the Reapers began to invade, Cerberus had gotten unusually aggressive and hostile towards the Systems Alliance and the rest of the galaxy. They had attempted to prevent the construction of a weapon that the Protheans created in order to destroy the Reapers, known as the Crucible, and they had attempted to kill or kidnap high ranking officials throughout Council and Terminus Space. As a result, when he heard that they were interested in a Prothean artifact, that immediately got his attention.
"That's not good at all. If Cerberus is attempting to interfere with a Prothean artifact, then I can say that it will not end well."
"That's what I was thinking. As a result, I've re-prioritized this Prothean artifact to the highest level possible. I need you, Shepard, to go to that star system and find out what it is that Cerberus is so interested in. If something is happening there, and Cerberus is responsible, I need you to shut down what they're doing immediately. Given their track record thus far, it's likely that they do not have any good intentions with what they're doing."
"Understood," Shepard nodded. "We'll get it done."
"I know you will, Shepard," Hackett nodded. "You haven't let me down before, and I have every reason to believe that you will not let us down. Hackett out." With that, the COM link ended moments later.
As he walked out of the QEC room, Shepard considered what was going on, even as he got the information for the star system. I had a feeling that something was off there, he thought to himself. Apparently, there was more to that planet than I thought there was when we visited it last. Either way, I intend to find out what's going on there, and put an end to what Cerberus is doing. Looking up, he keyed the PA and said, "Commander Shepard to all ground team personnel, report to the War Room immediately."
. . .
A few minutes later, everyone that was on the ground force was inside of the War Room, a total of roughly twenty people. Half of the people inside were members of his old crew, while the other half was made up of people that had come from Omega, after he helped Aria retake control of the space station from General Petrovsky. Even as he looked them over, he had some concerns about them. I hope the new additions will work alongside the older members of the team without trouble, he thought. The last thing we need is for rivalries to get in the way.
A moment later, another person walked inside. Looking up, Shepard watched as a female Turian wearing body armor walked inside. The armor was heavier than what Nyreen wore, but not as heavy as what Garrus wore. Both of her slit blue eyes examined the room with a predatory intelligence that only a Turian could have, while her dark facial plates seemed to absorb any light that touched them. Spotting Shepard, she saluted and said, "Commander Shepard, names Xavora. I'm reporting as requested."
"At ease," Shepard replied. Looking around, he said, "Bray, you good?"
"I'm fine, Shepard," Bray remarked, the Batarian looking directly at him. "Just some jitters is all."
"Make sure it's only that," Shepard nodded. "Take a seat, all of you."
Once everyone was seated, he cleared his throat and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Admiral Hackett called in just now. According to him, we've got intelligence that Cerberus is up to no good in the Terminus Systems. We need to head to this location in order to find out what they're up to." Pulling up an image of the planet, he asked, "Look familiar?"
That's Ilos!" Liara realized, shocked.
"Correct," Shepard replied. "According to probe readings, Cerberus has set up a base in an area near where we were able to access the Conduit during our previous visit to Ilos. A mole inside of the base was able to send Hackett valuable intelligence before she had to self-terminate in order to avoid capture." Zooming in on the planet, the hologram now showed a roughly circular region on the planet, with a number of buildings located around what appeared to be a large crater of some kind.
"According to the mole, Cerberus has set up a number of research stations here on the planet. There's a dormitory located next to the lab, along with a high security control center on the west side of the crater." The aforementioned buildings promptly lit up in red. "In addition to this, most of the research buildings are concentrated around something in the center of the crater, which is about a mile wide. Pictures of the area showed what appeared to be a series of gyroscopic rings that are connected to a series of emitters located at the rim of the crater.
"This is what the plan will be. We'll be splitting up into two, six man teams. Fireteam Alpha will assault the control room and research labs, while Bravo will assault the area near the edge of the Prothean Artifact. Once we've secured those areas, we'll head for the Prothean artifact and determine what is going on. Should Cerberus send reinforcements, we'll hold near the artifact and prevent them from taking it back. Once we've reported in, we'll call for an Alliance fleet to secure the region, since the Reapers are not present yet." Looking up at the team, he asked, "Any questions?"
"Do we have any estimates on the enemy's strength?" Xavora asked.
"Expect between eighty and a hundred personnel at the base. Most of the guards are Centurions and standard Soldiers, but we've also got a few Phantoms in the area as well. We also believe they have armored walkers as well."
"That'll be fun to destroy," Grunt remarked, a wicked grin on his face. "Big things make big explosions."
"Hold it now," Bray remarked. "I didn't sign on to get my ass blown up."
"Grunt," Shepard admonished the younger Krogan.
"Alright, Shepard."
"What about biotics?" Kaidan, who'd recently come along from the Citadel, asked Shepard.
"Unknown at this point," Shepard replied. "If any do crop up, however, you and Liara will take them out. Grunt, Wrex, you'll take out any walkers we encounter. Understood?
"Got it, Shepard," Grunt beamed.
"Bray, I need you onboard the Normandy managing comms. Things are going to get dicey down there, and we need someone that can handle keeping the channels clear."
"You got it, Shepard."
"Xavora?"
"I'll be on hand if we need explosives."
"Good. Any more questions? When no one else asked any questions, he said, "Alright. We'll be arriving at Ilos in about four hours. I recommend that you get some R&R before gearing up and heading out. That's all. Dismissed."
. . .
A few hours later, Shepard and the others were gearing up for the mission on Ilos, with everyone making sure their equipment was ready to rock. He could tell that his orders for them to get some R&R had been the right call, as everyone on each Fireteam was bright eyed and bushy tailed, and more than ready to make a mess of Cerberus. During this time period of R&R, he'd decided who the team leaders would be. Garrus would lead Fireteam Alpha, while Wrex would lead Fireteam Bravo.
During this time, he'd also taken up James offer of playing some Classic BattleTech, of which there were two kinds. The first involved the original storyline, which excluded the presence of aliens and advanced nanotechnology, while the second not only included the Council Races, but also advanced nanotechnology and AI. Shepard had to admit, it felt good to have a throwback to some of the brighter times of his childhood, which included board games. While Vega had beaten him during the first and second rounds, his skill with that genre of games had quickly shaken off all the rust, as he dominated Vega during the third and fourth rounds.
I must admit, playing around with huge, robotic war machines does sound kinda nice, he thought to himself. If only we had WarShips similar to what the Star League had. Then we would be crushing the Reapers with ease. Still, he knew that it was all pointless conjecture, as it was just that: a game to be enjoyed.
As they finished their checkup, they began to head towards the hangar/cargo bay, where a pair of Kodiaks were ready to go to take them to the surface of the planet. Most of the area they were heading to was within running distance, so they wouldn't need to use a vehicle to get there, a fact that was compounded by the fact that much of Ilos was littered with debris, making travel using wheeled and tracked vehicles impossible. In order to prevent Cerberus from getting the drop on them, they would land near the research facility and travel there on foot, while the Normandy would be on standby in order to provide fire support runs if necessary. Having already re-briefed the team, Shepard knew he didn't need to speak this time, and he knew he would be going with Team Alpha on the mission.
As soon as everyone was loaded into the two Kodiak troop transports, the cargo/hangar bay doors opened, with the transports quickly flying out of the bay and into the vacuum of space. As they descended, Shepard could still see the area that he had traveled through with Tali and Wrex all those years ago. It's been so long, he thought, but at the same time, it feels as though it was yesterday since we came here. Time is a rather fickle thing.
As he settled in, he could see the interior of the shuttle being filled with an angry red-orange light, the result of reentry into the atmosphere. Soon, they were coasting through the atmosphere of Ilos, with the shuttles quickly arriving at their destination. Once they arrived, everyone piled out of the vehicles, regrouping for a moment before moving out to their mission destination.
Getting to the facility wasn't easy, as they were having to work around piles of debris, massive holes in the ground, as well as the occasional fauna that proved to be hostile. As they moved through the area, Shepard could feel a sense of foreboding. Something feels off, he thought to himself. I don't know what it is, but something feels off. Apparently, he wasn't the only one, as other crew members were feeling nervous as well.
Eventually, they reached the site that Cerberus was so interested in. To his surprise, Shepard found that there were actually two craters, with the Cerberus facility located in the first crater, while the second crater had the actual Prothean artifact. As a result, there was very little, if any, cover between them and the actual base itself.
The Cerberus base was well protected, with meter high walls of solid metal and composites, as well as floodlights that were arranged at regular intervals. An electric fence was located around the inner perimeter, and Shepard guessed that there were probably regular guard patrols in the area as well, if the mole's intel was correct. He could see that the main base was connected to the area with the artifact via a security checkpoint that led into a dome that had been constructed, most likely to hold the artifact.
As he examined the area, Garrus said, "S'kak, this is not going to be easy. Cerberus has the area locked down tight."
"I agree," James nodded, a frown on his face. "Looks like they've really beefed up their security measures since we hammered them last time. We'll need explosives to get inside."
"I can arrange for that," Xavora nodded. "I was trained to use demolitions during my time in the Hierarchy Defense Force. I can get an explosive charge primed and set on the gate, and then we'll be inside."
"Why not use me?" Grunt suggested. "I can smash through the walls with ease. Not much stands in the way of a Krogan."
"That might be," Shepard nodded, "but I don't want to risk the walls being booby trapped. Cerberus is clever like that." Turning to EDI, he asked, "What do you think?"
"I can use my cyber warfare software to open the gate," EDI, the Normandy's AI replied. "Once we are inside, I will disable the communications relay and any defenses located inside of the base. Once I have disabled the defenses, we will be able to proceed to the artifact."
"Javik?"
"I can interface with the artifact my people created. It is not a device that I am familiar with, as it was probably constructed by a splinter faction when the Reapers destroyed my people. Still, we cannot allow this 'Cerberus' to acquire the device. Many of the things my people built are hazardous to non-Prothean primitives, as you no doubt know."
"More than I care to," Shepard agreed. "Alright, people. We can't waste anymore time waiting outside. Let's get in there and teach Cerberus a lesson they won't forget any time soon."
Nodding in agreement, the teams split up and began to move towards the facility, weapons at the ready. Reaching the gate, Shepard watched as EDI, with the Cerberus designed AI quickly interfacing before beginning her hacking routines. So far, thanks to tactical cloaks that Kasumi had installed into their armor systems, they hadn't been detected, though that wouldn't stay like that for long. Moments later, the gate opened up, allowing the teams to move in.
As soon as they did, all hell broke loose. As soon as they were in, Garrus' team went on the offensive, opening up on the Cerberus personnel immediately. A number of guards fell to the ground dead before the security realized that something was wrong. "We've got incoming!" a Cerberus soldier shouted. "Fall back! Keep them away from the artifact!"
"I don't think so," Garrus snarled, before firing off a round from his rifle, ending the life of that particular soldier. Moving through the area, his team quickly moved towards the control center, while Bravo Team moved towards the dormitory, where most of the personnel were located at. Hacking into the door controls, Kasumi managed to crack the door open, allowing Garrus and the others to move inside. Weapons blazed as the team opened fire on the personnel inside, with Centurions and other soldiers falling to the ground quickly.
"Watch it!" Kasumi shouted, pushing Garrus to the side. Moments later, a Phantom's blade appeared where his midsection would've been if she hadn't pushed him. He was about to act when James barreled through, smashing the Cerberus Phantom to the ground before firing a round through her head, killing the Phantom instantly.
"Thanks!" Garrus called out.
"Least I can do," Vega shouted. "Oh, man. What I wouldn't give for Elemental Battle Armor right now."
"Still going on about it?" Garrus asked as he nailed an Engineer in the head.
"Why not," Vega remarked. "Besides, the Clans would mop the floor with these assholes. Those guys are basically bred to fight. Cerberus wouldn't hold a candle to Clan Jade Falcon."
"Clear the channel!" Shepard barked out. "Vega, I need you focused right now, not on what we did earlier!"
"Got it, Shepard." Spotting a group of soldiers, James said, "Hey, pendejos! HEADS UP!" With that, he took out a frag grenade and hurled it through the air, with the grenade detonating on impact. Limbs and shrapnel flew everywhere as the grenade ripped apart the Cerberus personnel. "WHOOOHOOOOOO!"
"Does he always act like this?" Kasumi asked Shepard, the latter of the two having gotten inside moments ago.
"Yep," Shepard replied. Keying his COM as he took out a Centurion, he asked, "Wrex, what's the status of the dormitory?"
In response, Shepard heard a loud, thunderous BOOM as something detonated explosively. "Doing just fine," Wrex replied. "Grunt's been tearing through the enemy like a cheese grater through cheese. Xavora just blew up a few of those assholes and our other new recruits are doing well. They're making me feel old over here."
"I thought you were old," Shepard teased.
"I know I am," Wrex replied. "Just wait. I'll show these smartass kids a trick up my sleeve."
"I see," Shepard nodded. "Anything else?"
"We're doing fine," Nyreen reported. "We've got a lot of resistance, but it's not something that we can't handle. We're already at the doors to the artifact dome, but the door's locked off. We need you to crack it open as soon as possible."
"Roger that," Shepard replied.
He was about to continue when Bray called in. "Shepard, we've got trouble," the Batarian reported, a hint of worry in his voice. "I think they've got Special Forces inbound on our position. We'll need to get to the artifact as soon as possible."
"EDI, can you confirm?" Shepard asked as he walked over to a control console.
"Affirmative," EDI replied. "Cerberus has sent a high ranking soldier to our position. One 'Xi Jeng Long.'"
"Who's that?"
"Fuck me," Zaeed, one of the older members of the crew, deadpanned.
"You know him, Zaeed?"
"Of course I do. Ran into him after we destroyed the Collector base. Fucking arsehole's a fast bugger. Nearly gutted me twice in a row. I managed to fight 'im off though. Still, word of advice Shepard: be extremely cautious."
"Noted. EDI, when does this 'Long' arrive?"
"Two minutes," EDI replied.
"Fuck," Shepard growled. "Alright people, change of plans. We're moving on the artifact now. Neutralize anyone that tries to get to our position. Joker, get the Normandy as close to the base as you possibly can!"
"Aye, aye, Commander. ETA: Two mikes."
As soon as he said that, everyone immediately went into overdrive, tearing through the Cerberus personnel as quickly as possible. Eventually, they reached the artifact itself. Up close and personal, Shepard could see that it was similar to a Mass Relay, only he noticed the conduits leading to the emitters outside, as well as the modifications to the gyroscopic rings. "What the hell is this?" he asked.
"I do not know," Javik replied. "I can say that it is Prothean in origin." Looking around, he noticed what appeared to be a Prothean Artifact, only it was built into the machine itself. "This is an interface," he told Shepard. "The operators of this device would use this interface in order to activate whatever it was connected to. If I interface with the artifact, I might be able to determine it's exact function."
"Are you sure you want to take the risk?" Shepard asked.
"I must," Javik stated adamantly. "There is no other way."
"Alright. Just remember, if you need me too, I'll pull you away from it."
"Understandable." With that, Javik walked up to the device, with the Prothean device activating moments later. Suddenly, he was hoisted up into the air by the device, which projected a green glowing field around his body. It was clear that Javik had successfully interfaced with the device, as his eyes were closed and he seemed relaxed.
While this was going on, Shepard heard the door to the dome opening up. Getting into position with the others, he watched as a number of Centurions, Phantoms and Engineers began to enter, all of whom were led by a single individual of Asian descent. Most of his gear was black, with accents of gold and white, but his eyes were hidden by a visor he wore. "Who are you?" Shepard asked.
"Your doom," Long sneered. "You've been quite a bur in the Illusive Man's plans, enough to warrant him to have me take you down. I intend to do that here and now."
"Easier said than done," Shepard replied. "Still, whatever it is you want with this artifact, you're not getting it."
"Really," Long remarked. "Because your Prothean will give us whatever it is we want, once we've killed you." Turning to his men, he said, "Kill Shepard and the others. Spare the Prothean." Just like that, the fight was on.
Gunfire erupted throughout the dome as Shepard and his team fought back against Long and his men. Almost immediately, Long rushed in to engage Shepard, with the Spectre quickly rolling to avoid the powerful blow. Firing his weapon, he peppered Xi with bullets, forcing the Cerberus Agent to roll and juke in order to avoid being hit.
Long fired his weapon moments later, forcing Shepard to take cover when his barriers shattered. As he waited for his barriers to recharge, he could see that the others were doing quite well for themselves. He was about to move when Long tackled him to the ground, intent on driving a knife through his side. Rolling fast, he threw Long to the ground before getting up, arms and fists ready as he prepared to fight.
During his time as a Spectre, and before he was arrested, he had worked on improving his CQC abilities, as he only knew basic self-defense strategies in that regard. Garrus had been particularly helpful in that regard, since he was an expert CQC expert, along with Kasumi, both of whom had taught him how to fight without a weapon.
As a result, now that he was face to face with Xi, Shepard knew he wasn't helpless when it came to fighting the Cerberus agent. He had also upgraded his cybernetics, making it easier for him to fight as well. Both men began to trade blows with each other, with their fight looking more like a dance between two dancers than an actual fight between two soldiers.
Fists were hurled through the air, along with feet and legs, but both men weren't able to touch each other, not for a while at least. While Xi was younger and faster, Shepard had more experience, and the fighting and training he had greatly extended his endurance. Plus, he knew how to pull a few dirty tricks now and then. Shouting loudly, Shepard closed the gap between himself and Xi, with the younger combatant unable to react in time.
Before he could react, Long was hurled through the air by a precise and powerful kick from Shepard, with the man stumbling backwards into the artifact. A loud CRACK filled the air as he landed; despite whatever injury he had, the young Cerberus Agent continued to fight on, though it was clear that the blow had winded him.
All the while, Javik was still interfaced with the Prothean artifact. He was still aware of what was going on, but he was having to concentrate on the matter at hand. I cannot allow Cerberus to gain the upper hand, he thought to himself, and it's only a matter of time before Cerberus drowns us in bodies. Concentrating more deeply, he extended his access towards a part of the device he hadn't examined yet.
Suddenly, something happened. Everyone stopped fighting as the gyroscopic rings in the artifact began to rotate around and around, with an intense, humming sound echoing through the dome. The rings began to rotate faster and faster, before they began to shift, with powerful Mass Effect fields precisely moving the rings until the gaps between each semi-circle component were pointing straight up and down, with the rings rotating left and right inside of each other. At the same time, a bright blue glow began to form inside of the device.
"What's happening?" Shepard asked as he and Bejong stared at the device, having forgotten their feud with each other. "Javik, what's happening?!"
"I don't know!" Javik shouted, having opened up his eyes. "The device is activating! I must've triggered some kind of activation sequence!"
As soon as he said this, the metal and composite dome sheltering the artifact shattered like glass, with pieces being sucked skywards towards something. At the same time, the emitters activated, surrounding the entire inner crater in an ethereal blue-white dome of energy, with the barrier being transparent. Just as the Normandy entered the dome fully, there was a brilliant white flash of light, so bright that anyone near the flash would've been blinded immediately.
A few seconds later, the dome of energy and the light faded into nonexistence. Everything seemed normal, but with one major difference: the Normandy and those around the artifact… were gone. What none of the people in the dome or the Normandy knew, was that soon, they would be involved in the adventure of a lifetime.