Chapter Two: Space Cowboy
With one Geth dropship decimated by the SSV Normandy, a lone shuttle could only watch from their weaponless craft as the second dropship docked at their outpost. From what they could make out, the skeleton crew aboard outpost 202 was mounting an admirable defense, however overpowered they might be.
The remaining fighters that helped the Normandy take down the first dropship fell back to patrol the area in the event more hostiles appeared. While Arcturus was notified, the Normandy took charge of the escalating situation.
Samantha Shepard stood in the armory, suiting up alongside Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko for their away mission on the outpost.
"Alright team, look alive." Shepard called out. "Joker's going to find us a spot to park so we can climb aboard and help out gun the Geth. Comm chatter shows most of the fighting is by the hangar so watch your fire for friendlies. Any questions?"
Wrex scoffed as leaned back to the lockers, "You sure you don't want to me along, Shepard? No take backs once you're neck deep into Geth."
Ashley stepped forward, rifle lowered. "Alliance soldiers are just as likely to shoot you as the Geth, scuttlebutt... no offense."
Wrex let out a low chuckle. "If they had enough firepower to take down a Krogan, they wouldn't need our help."
"Hey Commander," Joker piped in over the intercom. "I think I found us a way into the outpost."
"I'm all ears, Joker."
"That shuttle pilot hanging around the outpost says she can carry you guys in but it'd be on the other side of the outpost with who how many Geth between you and the survivors." Their pilot explained.
"Is that our only option?" Shepard replied.
"Geth sealed the hangar bay behind them, so yeah." Joker continued. "Unless you prefer ramming the Mako into the station; wouldn't recommend that one though, just putting that out there."
Shepard stared at the floor, clicking her boot heel on metal. The knocking sound repeated in her head until an idea sprouted from her pilot's quip.
She spoke from under her helmet, "Actually, that might work. Garrus, prep the Mako for a drop. Joker, you think you can fastball us through the hangar opening?"
"Uh, not saying I can't, Commander but there's still the little issue of slamming into the sealed hangar. Mako's a tank, not a battering ram."
"So, let's have our new friends get ready for when we come knocking. Patch me through, Joker."
Back on the shuttle, Andy and Ryder had just docked at the outpost. With little in the way of firepower, the marines saddled up a set of assault rifles and went about the commander's plan.
Andy stepped through the airlock as it pressurized, rifle raised to check their corners. "For the record, I have very little faith in this plan."
Ryder brought up the rear, stacking up behind her. "The faster we get to the hangar bay, the faster we can get the situation under control."
Andy followed two meters behind Ryder, speaking in hushed tones. "The first human spectre wants to launch her tank through space at our outpost. You don't think this is crazy?"
"Only if it doesn't work..." He remarked.
The two continued, opting to avoid the service lift and take the stairs. It wouldn't do well to get caught in a tight space if the Geth spotted them. Especially when the point of the plan was to keep the Geth from spreading out.
They arrived at the armory, signs of battle all along the floor, walls, and ceiling. Ryder moved in first, creeping along the right wall. Andy took the left as they inched along, hoping to remain unnoticed. From his sight line, Ryder saw his comrade take a knee and gesture ahead.
Scott froze, crouching down to get a better look. A Geth drone hung high behind one of the doorways opposite them. To their left and right a pair of Geth troopers stood guard.
"I count three." Andy reported over their comm.
"Same." Ryder confirmed. "Drone's fast enough to get away if we don't wreck it first."
"I got you covered." She said as she backed up into position behind a pillar.
Ryder readied an overload charge. "Take the one on your left. We'll regroup on the one to my right once we're clear. Sync?"
"Synced."
The marines confirmed their timing with a simple phrase. As they did, Ryder sprinted towards the drone. The Geth to his right blared as it caught sight of him. Scott dropped the charge at his feet and began firing at the drone.
Back at Andy's position, the left side Geth rushed into place. It barely raised its weapon as Andy crept up behind it and blew at least a dozen shots through its head at point blank.
Simultaneously, Ryder's charge and gunfire dropped the shields of the Geth behind him and drone in front of him respectively. Scott triggered his thruster, bolstering his speed as he slammed into the drone. It smashed into pieces before it even realized combat had broken out.
The remaining Geth was still stunned when both marines regrouped to open fire on it. The Geth collapsed into a pile of fiery sparks.
"Clear." Andy announced.
Ryder went to one of the gun racks, replacing his avenger with a mantis sniper rifle. "You should head on over to the others, get them ready to push. I'll make my way to the hangar controls."
"Scott..." Andy spoke with her helmet having been taken off. Her quiet expression was sculpted like stone against her blonde hair. She waited for him to face her before saying, "Don't die, okay?"
Ryder removed his helmet as well, holding it by his fingertips. "We're gonna be fine, Andy."
"You've said that before."
Ryder felt his chest swell from a memory he had long since pushed away. He secured his helmet back on, speaking through the comm. "Then you know I'm not just saying it. See you on the other side."
Back aboard the Normandy, Shepard and her squad had climbed into the Mako. With the loading bay emptied, they waited for the signal.
"I'm not going to say it's been a honor, Shepard." Kaidan called out from his seat. "Mostly because I really hope this doesn't kill us."
"Have a little faith, Alenko." Ashley chided him.
Joker snapped over the comm, "Hangar doors are open, Shepard! I'm bringing you in!"
Shepard fastened herself to the wheel. "They're playing our song, people. Hang on tight!"
The Normandy surged toward the station, clearing a flight vector for the Mako. With the hangar doors fully open, the frigate began to turn off from outpost. Joker reversed their engines, letting the momentum carry the loosened tank into space. From there, the Mako had all the speed it needed to make it to the target. Shepard peppered the thrusters, slowing their approach.
Aimed dead center at the opening, the Mako bounced through the air pressure field and into the loading bay as it spun on its wheels.
"Alright," Shepard announced, almost astonished the plan went without a hitch. "Time for target practice."
The Mako began mowing down armatures with its heavy cannon and crashing into troopers along the way. On the far side of the hangar, the surviving soldiers pushed to form a perimeter. The battle closed in from both sides, moving in on the colossus equidistant from them.
The Mako rammed the colossus along its front, sliding up its neck and stalling at a forty-five degree angle. The colossus kept the tank locked above it, unable to fire down.
From up and afar, Ryder had a view of the battle through the scope of his rifle. He had picked off over a dozen Geth since the Mako arrived, leaving the bigger ones to the tank. While zoomed, he spotted the tank trapped above the colossus as it peppered the Mako undercarriage with staccato fire. Ryder magnified his view, spotting a loose mechanical joint at one of the colossus' feet.
Ryder radioed the tank from his vantage point. "Shepard, this is Ryder. I can get you a shot on the big guy."
Shepard's voice grunted over the frequency, "Tell me what you need!"
Ryder settled his rifle and squinted through the scope. "Aim that cannon about a meter to your left..."
The Mako did just that and soon after Scott let off a single clean shot. The shot tore through what remained of the joint, causing the Geth to buckle and drop the tank from its clutches. From there Mako bounced until its cannon lined up, point blank with the metal monster's head. With a thunderous boom, the Geth's head was gone and its body crumpled from the blow. The colossus fell onto the Mako, keeping it tied down as the fighting died down throughout the hangar.
"Ryder, we're climbing out of the Mako. Cover us, will you?" Shepard requested.
"I got you covered, Commander." Ryder confirmed. "Your closest safe spot will be on my end, pinging my location now."
Shepard and her squad poured out of the tank, firing and moving towards the hangar control station. They kept a tight formation, letting Ryder pop any Geth straggling behind them for breathing room. When they were too low to cover, Ryder left his post and hurried to meet them by the lower doors.
Ryder readied his pistol as the doors slid open. The three of them rushed through the opening, leaving behind the battlefield of Geth wreckage.
"Everyone okay?" Ryder prompted as he locked the door.
Shepard spoke for the team, "Just some scrapes. Thanks for the assist back there."
"Hey, it was your big plan. I just helped." Ryder admitted.
Ashley chimed in, "Damn, Ryder. If your definition of help was shooting off a colossus' leg then you're gonna make the rest of us look bad."
"Don't sell yourself short, kid. That was some great shooting back there." Kaidan added.
"Commander, are you still there?" Shepard's comm unit blared.
"Major Adams?" Shepard responded. "We fell back to the hangar control station with specialist Ryder."
"Good, we're cleaning up what's left of the clunkers. I need you to secure a data access point the Geth were trying to get into and make sure they didn't get their shiny hands on anything. I'm sending you the coordinates, Ryder can escort you."
"Understood, Major. We'll get it done."
Ryder shared the way point on his display. After a quick check of their weapons and gear, Scott led them through the outpost. Thanks to Shepard's plan, nearly every Geth infiltrator was kept focused in the hangar once she arrived to wipe out them out in mass. The halls were quiet, with only minimal traces of the fighting that was already dying down.
A number of Geth corpses were strewn about the hall outside the data access point. Ryder scanned the door with omni-tool, relaying the codes to open it up. With one final chirp, the doors slid apart.
"Williams, Alenko, cover the entrance." Shepard instructed as Ryder led her in. Pistol at the ready, the two scanned the room for hostiles. "What kind of data do they keep here?"
"It's mostly archived research data the science team uses as reference for their projects."
"Is it anything worth attacking this close to Arcturus?" Shepard asked as she approached the terminal.
"You're asking the wrong guy..." Ryder stood at her side. "Check the entry logs."
The Commander tapped away at the console until she retrieved the most recent log. "Here; about an hour ago. An unauthorized user brought up something called... the Pathfinder Project... what's that?"
Ryder strode over to a corner of the room. "You got me, Shepard... but I think I know how they got in." He picked up a broken off ventilation hatch. "Drone must've flew through the ducts and got what they came for."
Joker came up over the comm unit, "Commander. Major Adams just cleared the outpost. He wants an update on the access point."
Shepard paced the room, "He's in for some bad news then."
"Your think the guy would be grateful he's got the outpost at all." Joker murmured. "Any luck finding out Saren's interest in this place?"
"Not yet." She glanced over at Ryder. "But I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough."
