Because I'm Kamina-sama!

Liara parked her aircar and took a deep breath. The meeting she'd just had with the dean of Dilinaga University had been...unpleasant. Obviously, no university was happy to see a professor go in the middle of the semester. Particularly if the departee could give no good reason why they were leaving. Liara had been tempted to just take off but that would be doing an extreme disservice to the University that had taken a chance on such a young asari. If the universe does survive, I might have just destroyed my career. Liara smiled bitterly. I suppose I should focus on the 'universe surviving' part of that before I worry about what comes after.

She stepped out of the car and headed for her apartment. She was surprised and a little disturbed to see Viral sitting on his haunches outside her door. "Viral," she said, recoiling a bit. She still wasn't used to him. Particularly those predatory eyes. "I thought we weren't meeting for an hour yet." Shepard had introduced Viral to her yesterday but Liara had asked to put off beginning the mission until today so that she could take care of loose ends. Shepard had gone on her way, leaving Viral in the hotel room they had rented and with plans to meet Liara at her apartment at seventeen hundred local time.

Viral rose to his feet fluidly and Liara had to fight the desire to take a step backward. "I grew weary of the city," he said, disgust lacing his voice. "I don't like this place."

He didn't elaborate but Liara could think of several reasons not to like Illium. She wasn't exactly fond of it herself. "I see. Well, if you'll let me by, I'll let us into the apartment." Viral stepped to the side, leaving her just enough room to open the door. She quickly did and hurried inside. Viral followed at a more languid place. "Make yourself at home," she said, hoping that he wouldn't do anything weird. She went upstairs, trying to make it seem like she wasn't running away from him, and into her room. Once the door was closed, she breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the bed. Really, Shepard, what were you thinking, saddling me with that strange man? Liara had read all of the notes Shepard left her last night and, like Shepard, she was sure there was some connection between Viral and the reapers. It only made her more nervous around him. What was he? What did he know? Most importantly, how long had he existed?

Liara changed her clothes, just to postpone going back down. Finally, though, it was becoming rude. Why couldn't he just wait until the appointed time? She slowly made her way back downstairs. Viral was standing at the large window that made up her western wall. She couldn't tell if he was glaring at something or if that was just how he always looked. "Would...would you like something to drink?" she piped up. "I picked up some human drinks and foodstuffs last night." Even if he wasn't human, he seemed closer to their species than any other.

He glanced at her over his shoulder, one yellow eye spitting her. "Do you have coffee?"

Liara blinked. "Y-yes. I do!" She had remembered that Shepard at the other human crew of the Normandy would often have the strong-smelling drink. She went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator where a couple of cans of coffee waited. She took it back to him and he plucked it from her outstretched hand with surprising delicacy. Then he casually poked a hole in the top with one claw. He took a gulp and then glanced at the can and grunted. Liara couldn't tell if it was in surprise or disappointment or what. Then he turned back to the window without further comment.

Liara was willing to treat that as a victory. She retreated to the couch and sat down. Viral didn't seem like he wanted to talk and Liara was just fine for that. For now. She waited, checking the time every so often and wondering how it was passing so slowly. Then, finally, exactly on time, her omnitool chirped to tell her someone was at the door. Liara hurried over and opened it. The Justicar Samara was on the other side. Shepard had somehow convinced her to be Liara's other bodyguard. Normally, Liara would have decried that as overkill but Shepard had confided that Samara was insurance in case her other bodyguard, Viral, did something unexpected.

"Samara," Liara said, perhaps a touch to excitedly. "Please come in."

Samara gave a ghost of a smile and swept into the room. Liara was envious of the poise in every movement Samara made. Viral gave her a glance but he turned back to the window as if her arrival were of no consequence. Samara had no discernible reaction. "Your apartment is lovely," she said.

"Oh, no," Liara demurred. "I've hardly done anything with it."

Samara stepped up to a display case near the stairs. "Is that a prothean artifact?"

"Yes," Liara said. "I found it on my first ever excavation. My sponsors were gracious enough to let me keep it. It is…" Liara was about to launch into a lecture about the artifact but she caught Viral giving them the side-eye. "Well, it's not very interesting." Samara turned back to her, her face expressionless. Liara sighed internally. You would think I would be able to read one of my own species better but I don't understand either of these two. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" she asked Samara.

"No, thank you," Samara said, firm but pleasant. "I keep to a specialized diet in my old age." The way she said it gave no clue to whether she was joking.

"I see," Liara said. "Well, I suppose we should get to why we're here." She gestured to the couch and Samara sat down, her posture perfect. Liara decided to remain standing. "Shepard wants us to investigate a way to stop the reapers." She let that hang in the air. Saying it aloud made it sound even more impossible.

"A vital goal," Samara said. Once more, Liara didn't know if the massive understatement was intentional. "Do you have an idea of where we might start? I no knowledge on the reapers beyond what Shepard has told me."

"I have a few ideas of where we might start to research," Liara said. "But I was hoping that you had a more concrete lead, Viral," she said, turning to him. She took a breath and steeled her nerves. "Shepard briefed me on the conversations you had and we both agree that you know more about the reapers than you've said. I'd like you to share it with me. This is no time for secrets." Liara was proud she managed to deliver her little spiel without muffing any of it.

Viral chuckled, not turning around. "Research?" he said dismissively, not answering her question. "Finding a way to beat the reapers? A waste of time." He glanced over his shoulder, a wide grin on his face. His shark-like teeth made it terrifying. "All that matters is that your will to survive is stronger than their ability to cause despair."

That left Liara speechless for a moment but she used her annoyance at his condescension to fire herself up. "What are you talking about? It can't be that easy."

"Easy?" He turned all the way around, still smirking. "Easy? Look at yourself. They're not even here yet and I can tell you are already on the verge of despair." He tilted his head back slightly and looked down at her. "Am I wrong?"

Liara's mouth worked but she couldn't really refute him. I am close to despair. "But Shepard," she said. "Shepard will never give in. No matter what."

Viral grunted and crossed his arms. "It's true. The resistance is coalescing around her, suggesting she has a remarkably strong will." He shook his head. "But...tell me this." He lifted the coffee can in his hand. "If I told you that you had to throw this can into orbit from this apartment or everyone you knew and loved would die, could you do it?"

Liara shook her head. "Of course not. That's impossible."

"Do you think that Shepard could?"

Liara thought about it but she had to shake her head again. "I don't see how she possibly could."

Viral stared at the coffee can pensively. "Well, that's the test. Defeating the reapers means having to change a zero percent probability into a hundred percent."

Liara sighed and leaned forward. "Was that all just a long-winded way of saying that the universe is doomed no matter what we do?"

"Yes." Viral crushed the can in his fist. "Your civilizations are doomed, without a doubt." Then he grunted and tossed the can into the air. "Well, that's what I would normally say but with that idiot here, who knows what might happen?"

"What idiot?" Liara asked.

Viral grunted. Then his face exploded in a cloud of red. Liara watched, mind and body frozen, as he slowly fell forward, the crushed coffee can bouncing to the ground next to him. From what seemed to be a long ways away she heard Samara shout, "Sniper!" A second later the older asari smashed into Liara, carrying her to the ground behind a chair. Liara saw a burst of stuffing shoot out of the couch directly where Samara had been a moment earlier. The justicar straightened and created a barrier that warded off the next shot. Samara glanced down at Liara and asked, "Can you defend yourself?"

Liara blinked, swallowed and then nodded rapidly. "Yes." She let biotic energy flow into her body and sat up.

"I will go and capture this sniper," Samara said. Liara was astounded by her casual confidence. The justicar stood and swept a biotic wave forward, shattering the glass of the large window. Then she sprinted forward and leapt out the window.

Liara waited for a moment but no more bullets seemed incoming. She slowly crawled out and toward the window. Viral was laying face down, a pool of blood leaking out from under his head. How am I going to explain this to Shepard? Liara thought bleakly. Viral had only been with her for a day and he was dead. It was too sudden for Liara to wrap her mind around. Who had shot him and why? We just lost our only real lead on the reapers...Then Viral's hand flexed.

Liara barely held back a scream. How can he be alive? His face had literally exploded! Viral gathered his hands underneath him and pushed himself up. Liara stared at his face in both horror and fascination. It was still a red ruin but it was getting better in front of her eyes. The nose grew back and the eyes realigned. Fresh pink skin grew where there had been none. Finally, the hole in his forehead shrank down and disappeared with a puff of steam. Viral wiped some of the blood from his face and stood up. "Feh!" he spat. "It's been a while since somebody got me in the back of the head."

"Been a while?!" Liara snapped. "What...what are you?" Even the best medical science that asari hospitals could offer wouldn't have allowed Viral to recover from that. Much less without a scratch! "Come away from the window. That sniper might still be out there."

Viral laughed. It was more bitter than mocking, though. "What do I have to fear from a sniper?" Still, he came away from the window and let himself be led to the kitchen.

Liara wet a cloth and used it to wipe the blood from his face. Viral didn't thank her but he put up with it. It was clear that Viral didn't like to talk about himself but she had to ask, "How did you do that? It shouldn't be possible to regenerate like that." It wasn't her primary interest but Liara knew enough to know that neural tissue wasn't supposed to heal like that. Even skin wasn't supposed to heal that fast!

"Damned if I know," Viral said.

"How can that be?"

"I wasn't really given a choice when I received this body." He glanced at his hand and made into a fist. "Though I was happy about it at the time, fool that I am." He shook his head, his blonde hair waving. "I don't know how he did it, though."

"Who?" Liara asked breathlessly.

Viral glanced at her. "It doesn't matter. This all happened ages ago. I don't think this body is completely his doing anymore, either." Viral leaned against the counter and glanced down. "The regeneration...the fact that nothing seems to be able to kill me...I think it is beyond what even he could do. I'm being kept alive for some reason. I don't have a choice." He laughed again and it was so hallow that Liara's heart started to ache. "What a joke. I thought I was warrior but now all I can do helplessly watch as the same pattern happens again and again. Probably until this universe collapses in on itself." He was silent for a long time after that and Liara had no idea what to say. For the first time, she was starting to feel empathy for him. Asari knew what it was like to survive while everything around them withered and died. That led her to thoughts she didn't want to have. Thoughts she'd been avoiding. Shepard…

Fortunately, a chime from her omnitool interrupted them. She glanced at Viral and said, "Someone is at the door." He narrowed his eyes and tensed but when Liara dialed up the security feed, they both relaxed. It was Samara, with another asari kneeling down next to her. Liara hurriedly opened the door.

Samara kicked the other asari through and, when she fell face forward, Liara saw that she had handcuffs on. Liara studied the purple-skinned asari and decided that she'd never seen her before. Samara stepped through the doorway and grasped the collar of the fallen asari's armor and dragged her back to her knees. Liara noticed that one of her eyes had a massive bruise that had swollen shut. She also saw that a chunk of armor missing from Samara's left arm. "Are you alright?" she asked breathlessly.

"A scratch," Samara said dismissively. "She was slightly faster than I anticipated. I have already applied medigel to it."

"That's a relief. So this is the sniper?" Liara asked rhetorically, hands on her hips.

"What...what the hell?" The mystery asari muttered. Her good eye was trained on Viral. "How are you alive?" That's right! Liara glanced at Samara to see how she was reacting. There was nothing. Is she made of ice?

Viral smiled, showing all of his sharp teeth. "You missed me."

"No way," the asari shook her head. "I know I hit you."

"Did you really?" Viral asked cruelly. The sniper lapsed into silence. What could she say?

"It does not matter," Samara announced. "Murder and attempted murder are treated equally harshly under the code." She let that linger for a moment. "I am Samara. Identify yourself and explain why you opened fire upon us."

"Justicar bitch," the purple asari muttered.

Samara grabbed her by the collar again and flung her against the wall. She put one red boot on the sniper's neck and pressed her heel into her larynx. "I am well within my rights as a justicar to execute you here and now. If you would prefer to be turned over to the authorities, you should answer my questions." Liara was stunned by the sudden and ruthless violence. Though I suppose I've seen Shepard do similar things…

Samara eased up the pressure and the asari coughed. She glowered at Samara but muttered. "My name is Tela Vasir. Spectre." Tela smiled cruelly. "You are 'within your rights?'" She scoffed. "This isn't some backwater asari world. This is Illium. I am the one within my rights here. Merely executing my duties as a Spectre."

That shook Liara. "A Spectre?" she repeated. "What could we have done to warrant execution?"

"I am under no obligation to tell you," Tela spat.

Samara pressed her boot heel into Tela's throat. "The code doesn't differentiate a Spectre from any other person. Explain to me why you tried to kill us or I will be forced to assume you are mad and need to be put down like a dog."

She eased off an Tela gasped. "Damn," she muttered, breathing raggedly. "What are you even doing here, Justicar?" She considered for a moment. Liara knew what she had to be thinking. Nearly anyone else would bow to the weight of the Spectre title. But not a justicar. They would break the law or die to follow their code. "Fine. It's not you I was trying for." Her good eye cut to Viral. "Or that...thing. Whatever it is." Her eye travelled to Liara. "It's you." An icy hand closed on Liara's heart. "I don't know what you did but the Shadow Broker wants you dead. And he wants it badly."

Part 2

"Shepard," Tali said, spinning to face Shepard as the Spectre entered engineering. "I was hoping you'd stop by. I wanted to thank you again. For saving me from the geth. And for letting me tinker around with another amazing ship!"

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Tinker around?"

"Just making things a bit more efficient," Tali said breezily. "You can tell that this ship was designed by people who don't spend their lives on ships." Tali paused and rubbed her hands together. "Not that it isn't very nice. It's the most advanced ship I've ever been on. A worthy successor to the Normandy."

Shepard smiled. "Worried about offending EDI?" Tali stiffened and Shepard instantly regretted her thoughtless joke. Scrambling to change the subject, she said, "I'm not sure we can call this the Normandy anymore, though. Not with the new paint job."

"I've been meaning to ask about that, Shepard. It was...quite the surprise."

"It was for me, too," Shepard said with a sigh. When she'd rendevouzed with the Kamina, Miranda and the rest, she'd been shocked to see her ship repainted a bright red. There were also now two giant flags attached to the thrusters on either wing of the ship. The flags were white with the icon of a burning red skull with black, sharply pointed sunglasses in the center. The Dai-Gurren logo, apparently. According to a hysterical Joker and slightly miffed Miranda, Kamina had conspired with Wrex to make that paint-job happen. A good prank. I will have to find a way to get back at him. "It was the idea of one of my more...eccentric crew members." Shepard shrugged. "We're not affiliated with the Alliance at the moment and it's not like the physical color impacts the ship's stealth parameters so I've decided to let it be for the moment." Let Kamina have his Gurren Senken. Truth be told, she thought it was kind of cool. Even if she would never admit it out loud.

"Was the crew member Kamina?" Tali asked.

"How'd you guess?" Shepard asked with mild sarcasm.

"It seemed like him. He's very...energetic."

"That's one way to put it," Shepard laughed.

"I've never seen anyone leap on top of a geth Colossus before." Shepard hadn't either and it had nearly given her a heart attack. "He's very fearless...isn't he?"

Wait a second… There was a certain tone in Tali's voice. A tone that concerned Shepard. Is Kamina Tali's type? Shepard shook her head slightly. I don't believe it. But I'll need to keep an eye on it. "He certainly is," Shepard said, quickly changing the subject. "Geth, though, that was certainly nostalgic. Talk about fearless. Going into geth territory was a pretty crazy risk." Shepard forced a laugh. "Though I only rescued you from one suicide mission in order to ask you to go on another," she said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Tali said. "The mission into geth territory was necessary, just as this one is. I can't imagine what is happening to those poor colonists."

I have an idea but it's not something I want to talk about. "Thanks, Tali, I'm glad you could join me. I need the best. I also need people I can trust."

"Because you can't trust Ouroboros?" Tali cocked her head. "I've said this before but I don't think you should be working with them."

"I have my reasons, Tali, and they're good ones," Shepard said earnestly. "I don't trust them but what really matters here is if you trust me."

"Of course, Shepard," Tali said without hesitation. All the tension drained out of Shepard. Everybody, even someone like Ashley, who'd seen everything she'd seen, always seemed to be second-guessing her. It was such a relief to have people like Tali and Garrus and Anderson on her side.

"Thanks, Tali," Shepard said, clapping her on the shoulder. "You have no idea how much that means to me." Tali didn't respond and Shepard could tell she was embarrassed. Shepard grinned and said, "I need to go and talk to Garrus about the refit. We'll talk later?"

Tali nodded. "Sounds good, Shepard."

Shepard walked toward the exit and then paused. "Also, if you have any ideas on how to improve the Gurren Senken, send them my way. Money is no object."

"The Gurr-?" Tali started. "Did you say money was no object."

"That's right," Shepard said with a grin. She left Tali as the quarian started imagining the prospects. Shepard took the elevator up and headed for the forward gun bay. She found Garrus inside, messing with calculations on his datapad. "How's it look?" Directly after rescuing Tali, they'd come to a dry-dock to have the Thanix Cannon installed.

"Shepard," Garrus said by way of greeting. "Things look good. Great, in fact. The Normany's engines are powerful enough that we can fire this almost as frequently as a dreadnaught could. Pound for pound, I don't know if there has ever been a ship as powerful as this one is now."

"So you think we'll be able to punch through the collector ship this time?"

"Like slicing through a charra."

Shepard assumed that was some sort of soft fruit or something. "Great. Now we just have to wait and see of the Illusive Man can get us a way to the collector homeworld."

"We're not recruiting any more people?" Garrus asked, setting down his datapad.

"Nah, I don't think so." Shepard sighed and leaned back against the wall. "This team is already bigger than the one that we had when we took out Saren. If it gets too big it will get unwieldy." Shepard closed her eyes. "Besides, I reviewed the rest of the dossiers Ouroboros prepared. None of them appealed to me, really. Mercs and thieves."

"I see." Garrus paused and then asked, "Are you feeling alright, Shepard?"

Shepard cracked open her eyes. "Yeah, just tired." After getting things set up in the dry-dock, she'd sacked out for twelve hours but she still felt tired. Damn nightmares. She was grateful for the images the prothean beacon had blasted into her brain but she could do without seeing them every night.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Shepard. Won't do anyone any good." Shepard merely grunted in response. "By the way," Garrus continued. "I can have these guys repaint the Normandy back to its original colors if you want."

"Hmm?" Shepard murmured. "Not a fan of the Gurren Senken look?"

"I just think blue and silver look the best." He turned to her, puffed out his chest and gave his best approximation of a smile. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Shepard was so surprised that she almost choked on her laughter. That's such a stupid joke and an even worse smile. "What the hell?" she said, playfully pushing Garrus. He chuckled softly. Shepard wiped a tear from her eye and abruptly, the memory of their conversation in the lounge came back to her. The one about the ways turians liked to blow off steam. She was now acutely aware of how close Garrus was and started to feel a little warm. She'd skimmed through the document that EDI had put together concerning human/turian relations and was surprised at how compatible the two species were.

It was a relief when EDI said, "Commander, there is an urgent call incoming from the Illusive Man."

Shepard instantly switched to business. "I'll be right there," she said, even as she was jogging toward the elevator. Has he found a way through the relay? Shepard took the elevator up and sped into the conference room. She stepped into the entangler and found herself in that same wide room. The Illusive man was slumped on a throne-like chair silhouetted by the giant blue sun behind him.

His bizarre eyes opened and he said, "Shepard. We have an opportunity. We've intercepted communications from a turian patrol that came across a collector ship." Shepard's eyes widened at that. "The turians got lucky and managed to disable it before they were destroyed." His eyes narrowed and he continued, "The collector ship is dead in space at the moment. I want you to go investigate it."

Shepard's mind raced. How could a turian patrol disable that monster? And what circumstances would lead to them being destroyed the moment they did so? "What about the turians?" she asked. "Aren't they investigating?"

"Of course," the Illusive Man said. "But I intercepted the distress call. You won't have to worry about them showing up for a while," he added with an enigmatic smile.

Something wasn't sitting right with Shepard but she realized she didn't have a choice. Getting information from the collector ship was worth just about any risk. "I'll head out immediately then," she said, stopping herself from saluting at the last moment. The Illusive Man merely nodded and Shepard stepped out of the entangler. "Joker," she said over the com. "Are we cleared to leave dock?"

"Uh…" came the slow reply. "They wanted us to stay for another six hours so they could do a final inspection."

"Well, we're leaving now. And I mean right now. Get clearance and get us out of here. EDI has the coordinates, right EDI?"

"Affirmative," EDI responded.

"Shepard...I just got my pants off. It's kind of an arduous project for me," Joker said.

"The current status of your pants doesn't concern me, soldier," Shepard snapped, with mock severity. "I need this bird in the air on the double."

"Seriously...god damn it…"

True to the Illusive Man's prediction, when they reached the collector ship, there were no other ships in the area, turian or otherwise. EDI brought up a hologram of the collector ship and said, "There are no signs of activity from the ship. The cause of this is unknown, however. There is no sign of damage to the ship." Shepard narrowed her eyes at that. It increased her conviction further that this was a trap. But there is still no choice but to go inside. The only thing she could do was make the collectors regret that they caught her in their trap.

She glanced around at the team that was crowded into their meeting room. Kamina, Grunt, Garrus, Tali, Miranda and Thane. How to play this? If they were walking into a dangerous situation-and everything was pointing toward that fact-she needed to maintain as much tactical flexibility as possible. As well as bringing the big guns with me. "We're going to go and see what we can find inside that ship. Kamina and Grunt are with me." The two meatheads bumped fists when she said that, threatening to make Shepard smile. "The rest of you will remain with the landing shuttle as a reserve. Garrus will command."

"Shepard…" Miranda began.

"Miranda," Shepard cut her off. "I am honestly worried that we are walking into an ambush. The teams are designed to reflect that. Trust me, I'm not leaving you here to keep you out of the mission. I am waiting until I see what the collectors do and then I will commit you. The four of you all have a variety of skills whereas these two," she said, gesturing at Grunt and Kamina, "are really only good for one thing." Instead of being offended, the duo seemed rather pleased with her assessment.

Miranda opened her mouth angrily but paused and seemed to actually consider Shepard's words. Then she nodded. "I agree with your plan, Shepard."

Shepard had to bite back a sarcastic comment. Just take the win. "Glad to hear it," Shepard said instead. Then she connected to Joker and said, "Take us in but be careful and ready to bolt if that thing wakes up on us."

"Yeah, sure," Joker muttered. His discipline has really slipped since we left the military. And considering the way he was before...

The Gurren Senken sidled up to the collector ship and they managed to find what seemed to be a docking bay. They all jammed themselves into one landing shuttle and shot inside. Shepard led Kamina and Grunt down into the collector ship while the rest of the four remained just outside the shuttle. As they headed inside Shepard said "Keep your guns at the ready. There is no telling what we'll find in here." The inside the collector ship was bizarre. It was dim and a bit claustrophobic. It also looks like some parts of it are organic. Like a high-tech insect hive. She supposed it made a certain amount of perverse sense.

"I don't like this place," Kamina said, sounding serious for once. "It's too cramped." Shepard had to agree. It was hard to remember that they were in a high-tech ship, with all the winding tunnels.

"Commander," EDI said. "Please see if you can find any nodes so that I may establish an uplink with the collector ship."

"Roger."

"Something else that may be of interest. This is the same ship that we encountered on Horizon." May be of interest, huh? Shepard thought wryly. There were so many red flags going up that she was starting to wonder if it actually was just a coincidence. Maybe we can rescue the colonists that were taken captive, though. Shepard still deeply regretted failing to do something about that. Please be alive!

As if the ship was reading her mind, a pod that looked just the right size to hold a human popped into view. Shepard sprinted up to it and was disappointed to see nothing inside. Am I too late? They continued on, in silence. Even Kamina. There was something oppressive about the collector vessel. After a few more minutes they came across something that made the blood drain from Shepard's face. Human bodies, dumped in a pile like so much trash. How could they do this? Some corpses were intact while others were dismembered but they'd all clearly been dead for some time. Shepard's hands tightened on her gun. She knew the reapers were planning on disposing of all biological life but this was the first time she'd been confronted with it so starkly.

"What is that?" Kamina asked from behind her. She almost moved to shield him from it but realized there was no hiding it. Instead, her heart ached as she watched him go from curious to horrified. He spun around and she could hear him breathing heavily, obviously trying not to vomit.

Grunt, understandably less disturbed, walked up to the bodies and nudged the pile with his foot. "Saw a lot of death in the memories Okeer planted in me but nothing quite like this. This isn't the way you treat an enemy. They were dumped here like garbage."

"But why though?" Shepard asked no one in particular. The collectors had to have a reason for taking humans instead of just slaughtering them where they stood. It has to be something regarding the creature that was piloting that mini-reaper. Viral mentioned mutations. Did it not work all the time, perhaps? Or even most of the time? Were these discarded bodies failed experiments?

Before Shepard could voice her thoughts aloud, Kamina straightened up and shouted, "What does it matter why they are doing this?! All the matters is stopping them! We need to shut these sick freaks down now! We need to blow this ship out of the sky!"

He looked as if he were going to scream some more and Shepard could see sweat dripping down his face. She laid a hand on him and said, "I know, Kamina. I know. Let's keep going and see if we can find a way to do just that."

He jerked away from her and looked like he was about to scream again but then he just nodded. The continued on, passing more corpses. Shepard's mouth tightened into a hard line. This is the price of failure. If the reapers got their way, every human would be disposed of like they were nothing. Where are the collector's anyway? How deep do they mean to let us penetrate before attacking us?

Something akin to a workstation came into view, complete with a computer console. Shepard jogged up to it and activated her omnitool. "EDI, I've found a terminal. See if you can learn anything." Shepard peered into the pod next to the console and was surprised to see a collector inside. "It seems like they were experimenting on one of their own," she muttered. "I wonder why."

"Nothing in the data explains the reason, Commander, but I have found something that may be of interest," EDI said. "The collector has a quad-strad genetic structure. Only one other species is known to have the same: the protheans." Shepard frowned. So Viral was right about the reapers repurposing the protheans. This left little doubt that they were doing the same thing with humans.

EDI continued her analysis but Shepard was only half-listening. She knew what she needed to know. A red gun tossed carelessly on the floor caught her attention. Well, well. Where did you come from? Shepard picked it up and saw that it was indeed a M-76 Revenant assault rifle. She'd once read an article raving about the gun, one of the most expensive on the market. It was extremely powerful and spat bullets at a mind-blowing rate. She also remembered the warning that it was a little too wild unless you were excessively well-built. Or a krogan. A big, messy assault rifle really wasn't her speed so she tossed it to Grunt, who was currently only carrying his massive shotgun. "I think you'll have fun with that." He held it up and studied intensely with this big blue eyes. Then he chuckled softly and gave her a nod. Shepard smiled faintly and waved them on.

They emerged into a wider part of the ship and Shepard glanced up to see hundreds of pods on the ceilings. She blanched. How many? "That's a lot of pods," Grunt said, quite unnecessarily.

"I detect no signs of life in the pods," EDI said. "It is probable the people inside died when the ship lost power." Rage surged up inside Shepard but she instantly controlled it and channeled it into cold determination. I am going to put down every one of the monsters that did this. She didn't think she'd been this angry since Torfan. She turned to Kamina, expecting him to be on cusp of exploding but instead he just seemed heartbreakingly confused and upset. Shepard supposed that he had never seen anything like this. In a perverse way, the horrifying images that had been put in her and Grunt's minds were acting as something of a shield to this madness.

Shepard touched Kamina's shoulder. "Come on. Don't look at it. We have to keep moving." He stared at her for a moment with his red eyes wide, speechless for once. Shepard waved him on. "Let's find the creatures that did this." She turned and walked on, Kamina following behind her, still in a state of shock. They worked there way up and emerged into an even more wide open space. Pods covered the walls and ceilings. There were thousands of them. Hundreds of thousands, maybe. They're not going to stop. They could take every colony in the Terminus and fail to fill all of these.

"Are-are there people in all of those pods?" Kamina asked, sounding on the edge of panic.

"Negative," EDI said before Shepard could. "The humans taken from colonies so far would only fill a fraction of those pods. It may be surmised that they mean to attack Earth at some point."

"We will stop them before they have the chance," Shepard said with steely determination. She spotted what looked like a control station and jogged up to it. Is this the bridge of the ship? Still no collectors. Shepard brought up her onmitool and hacked into the main terminal. "EDI, you should be able to access the collector's data banks now. See what you can dig up."

"As you command."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds and then Joker said, "Shit!"

"Was going on over there?" Shepard demanded.

"Major power surge. Knocked us out for a second but it seems like everything is coming back," he responded.

"I diverted the power surge to non-critical systems," EDI informed them. "However, this was not a malfunction. It was a deliberate attack."

So it's starting. Shepard glanced around as she heard some quick hisses. Sounds like pneumatic tubes. Then she felt rumbling underneath her feet and the platform they were standing on slowly started spinning and raising into the sky. "Get ready!" she shouted to Grunt and Kamina. The krogan already was but Kamina was staring around in surprise. "EDI, it looks like the collectors are springing their trap. Focus your efforts on mining as much information as possible. We'll figure out something here."

"As you say, Commander," EDI responded. "However, I am having trouble maintaining a connection. There is someone else in the system."

"Do whatever you have to do. We can't miss this chance." After EDI's acknowledgement, Shepard connected to Garrus and said, "Garrus, the collectors are attacking. Hold position for now but be on alert."

"Understood, Shepard," Garrus said, the epitome of calm.

The platform they were riding came down hard and Shepard saw two more flying platforms headed their way. Here they come. Contrary to the situation, Shepard grinned wolfishly. After everything she'd just seen, she was aching to take down some collectors. She sighted down the scope of her rifle and ended two of them before the first platform even touched down.

Kamina was even more emphatic. He seized the second platform and spun it all the way upside down, dumping the collectors off of it. Shepard glanced over to seem his wreathed in green energy. "Nice, Kamina!" she shouted. "But conserve your energy. We don't know how long it might take us to get out of here." She could already see platforms three and four headed their way.

""Conserve your energy?''' he scoffed. "I've never heard the phrase. A man pours one hundred percent of his soul into any fight! And it's more than enough to deal with this scum." With that, he charged toward the first platform, now linked with their own. Luckily, Grunt went with him, liberally spraying the platform with his new Revenant.

"Kamina…" Shepard muttered. He was too fired up but she didn't know how to talk him down. I guess all I can do is watch his back.

EDI piped up, "My connection is reestablished, Commander, but it will take a while before I can override any of the ship's systems,"

"Keep me updated, EDI." Shepard put a bullet through the head of a collector taking aim at Kamina's back. "If you could shut down these flying platforms, I'd be grateful."

"Roger, Commander. However, I am currently fighting over eight thousand collector firewalls. I am tasked to capacity."

Shepard cursed softly, taking out two more collectors. She shelved all her N7 learned motivation tactics, since she was dealing with an AI and merely repeated. "Understood. Keep me updated." A flash of light drew Shepard's attention and she saw another collector shoot up and start glowing orange. Harbinger again? Grunt blew it to pieces before it could do anything. That seemed to be the last of them, as well. There were no more flying platforms.

"Commander, I am being blocked from connecting with the main control console. I need your help reestablishing my link."

"Got it," Shepard said, sliding over a barrier and sprinting to the command terminal. Her omnitool flashed to life and she swiftly hacked in and peeled away the last firewall preventing EDI from getting in.

A little VI of EDI popped up on the terminal. "I have regained control, Commander."

"Good work. See if you can get this platform back to its original spot." As soon as she said it, the platform lifted up and started back in the direction it had come from. EDI really is incredibly useful. "Did you find anything useful in the data mine?"

"I did," EDI confirmed. "Information that will help us navigate the Omega 4 relay." She paused and if Shepard didn't know EDI was an AI, she would have assumed she was considering whether or not to say something. "I also found the turian distress call that served as the lure for this trap. The collectors were the source. It is unusual."

"Why?" Shepard asked as the platform settled back into its original spot. "I've been worried from the beginning that that was the case."

"It is unusual because turian emergency channels have a secondary encryption. It is corrupted in the message. It is not possible that the Illusive Man would believe the distress call was genuine."

Figures. "Are you sure about this?"

"I found the anomaly with Ouroboros detection protocols."

"He sent us into a trap?" Joker muttered. "Why would he do that?"

Shepard found that she wasn't at all surprised. This had smelled of a trap from the get go and the Illusive Man was far from stupid. The fact that he knew it was a trap and didn't tell her was another thing. That bastard loves his tests. It was another indication that he considered her beneath him though. Not a true partner. Once this mission is over, I need to distance myself from him. "We can talk about this later," she said. "For now, let's get the hell off this ship."

"Good idea, Shepard," Joker shouted. "The collector ship just started powering up. We need to get out of here before the weapons come online. I'm not losing another Normandy!"

"No worries, then," Shepard quipped. "Since its the Gurren Senken now." She ignored the sounds of Joker's intense frustration and gestured at Kamina and Grunt. "We gotta move."

"I do not have full control of their systems," EDI said. "I will do what I can."

They charged their way back down into the warrens of the ship. They didn't get for before a collector ambush hit them. They flew in from all sides, at least three dozen of them. Grunt roared and poured the hellfire of his assault rifle on them as they tried to land. Kamina also sent out a wave of energy that knocked several out of the air. But two dozen of them landed around the threesome. Since there was nowhere to hunker down, Shepard drew her pistol and shot the closest one through the head. She blasted a second one with a fireball. A third tackled her, carrying her to the ground. Shepard hit hard, losing her grip on her pistol. She swiftly moved her omnitool into place to skewer him but before she could, the collector jerked and slumped. Shepard frowned. That didn't seem like a kill from Grunt or Kamina. It came from a sniper rifle but Garrus should still be holding position.

Shepard kicked the dead collector off her and rolled over, gathering her gun and coming to one knee in one fluid motion. She dropped two collectors that were close by and looked around for where the sniper shot might have come from. When she found the culprit, shock ran through her. It wasn't Garrus or anybody from her crew. Is that a geth? The machine drifted back into the shadows but not before Shepard caught a glimpse of a faded 'N7' painted on a piece of its armor. What the hell? Shepard shook her head and helped Kamina and Grunt clean up the rest of the collectors.

When they were done, Shepard took a step back in the direction of the shuttle and stopped short. There was a closed door where there had not been before. Shepard searched the door but didn't see any mechanism for opening it. She connected to EDI. "EDI, there is a closed door here and I can't seem to find a way to open it…"

"I am sorry, Commander," EDI responded. "The collectors have managed to shut me out of most of the ship again."

A different door opened a little ways away just as EDI finished. Shepard sighed. I guess, they're not going to let us go that easy. Shepard led her companions through the door and into another collector ambush. After taking care of that, another door opened. They're just going to lead us through a freaking gauntlet. How many collectors are on this ship? Thousands? Tens of thousands? Shepard glanced at her team. Grunt seemed raring to go but Kamina was looking a bit winded. Sheer numbers would wear down even the pure krogan though. "EDI, any luck in taking control back? We could really use an exit path here."

"Apologies, Commander. I am making progress, however. I am receiving help from an unknown source."

That geth? Shepard guessed instantly. She decided it was better to keep that to herself until she understood what was happening, however. "Alright," she said with a sigh. She switched channels. "Garrus, how are things on your end?"

"Several collectors have gathered just out of range," Garrus said. "They don't seem to be doing anything for now but watching us." Making sure that they don't come in to try and help us, Shepard supposed. "I am debating whether to sit back or launch a preemptive attack."

"I don't think they plan on attacking," Shepard said. "Leastways, not till I'm in one of these pods. Do what you think is best to protect the shuttle. We're having some trouble getting back to you so I don't know how much longer it will be."

"Got it, Shepard. Don't worry. When you get back, this shuttle will be here."

"Thanks, Garrus." Shepard smiled. She loved that he didn't ask if she needed help. He just assured her that he would do his job. Shepard had been debating whether or not to proceed forward or stay put until EDI got control of the doors in the ship but Kamina and Grunt were already peering into the next room, obviously not content to stay still. Shepard sighed and drew her rifle. "Alright boys, let's get going."

The next room was in the shape of a shallow bowl. They walked out onto a small ledge that looked down on most of the room. There didn't seem to be any collectors in the room but Shepard felt a chill run down her spine and her hackles raise. She gestured with her rifle for Grunt and Kamina to take cover. "Hurry!" Even as she spoke a door on the far side of the room opened and a mini-reaper charged it. The body was in the shape of a skull again but this time it resembled a horse's skull more than a human's. It raised its stubby arms and unleashed two beams from wrist-mounted guns. The beams were nearly as big around as Shepard. She hurriedly ducked all the way down. If that thing hits me, my shields will collapse instantly and I'll disintegrate! She noticed that Kamina was still poking his head over the barrier, staring at the mini-reaper slack-jawed. She pulled him down just as the collector beam passed over their heads. "What are you doing, you moron?" she shouted, her fear at his near decapitation making her meaner than she meant to be.

He didn't even notice. His eyes were far away somewhere. "What is that doing here?" he muttered.

I'd like to know the same thing. The beams stopped so Shepard cautiously poked her head up The horse-head mini-reaper had lowered its arms. Shepard wondered if there was a limit to how long it could fire the particle beams. Then she had no more time to think as a flood of collectors swarmed in behind the mini-reaper. With a roar, Grunt opened up on them, astutely focusing on the choke-point of the doorway. Shepard cleaned up the ones that escaped his barrage. She moved from target to target as fast as possible, not bothering to aim at vital spots like she normally did. She just wanted to knock them down as fast a possible. "Kamina!" she yelled. "Get your ass in gear!"

"Sorry!" he yelped, apparently returning to their dire present. Bullets from his Locust joining the barrage.

The mini-reaper abruptly lifted its arms again and fired, burning through the collectors in front of it seemingly without care. Shepard instantly dived back for cover. The beam merely brushed the top of her shield and it collapsed with a warning tone. She was glad to see that Kamina had ducked down as well. But what are we going to do? Shepard had the collector particle beam she'd salvaged on Horizon attached to her back but it would take time to pierce the mini-reaper even if she kept it focused in one spot. I suppose I could have Kamina hold it while I shoot and Grunt keeps the collectors off us. It could work but it would be very dangerous. "Well, what choice do we have?" Shepard muttered aloud.

"Sukeban," Kamina said. "I have a plan." Shepard glanced at him and the look on her face must have shown how apprehensive his announcement made her. "Really," he said with a cocky smile. "Leave this to me."

"Are you sure, Kamina?" Shepard asked.

Kamina looked her dead in the eye and said, "Sukeban...who the hell do you think I am?"

A shiver ran up Shepard's spine. She nodded. "Let's do it, Kamina."

The red-eyed boy's grin grew even wider. He returned his gun to his hip and stood, still hunched in cover. As soon as the beams stopped, he vaulted over the barrier. Shepard popped up at the same time. The room was rife with collectors. "Grunt," she shouted. "Cover him!" Kamina made a beeline for the horse-head mini-reaper. Shepard and Grunt blew away any collector that got near him.

It worked to keep Kamina on his feet but it left Shepard exposed. A fusillade from her left collapsed her shields again and she had to make a desperate turn and shoot at her attackers from the hip. Amazingly, she kept her rifle steady enough to hit them both. Shepard's stomach tightened and she wondered if she would have been able to make that shot without Miranda's muscle weaves.

When she turned back to Kamina, she was astonished to see him latched onto the front of the horse-skull. Swirling green energy manifested around him and he she watched in amazement as he pried open the mouth of the mini-reaper. That's right. Viral did that as well. Kamina reached in and threw out the brown-furred humanoid inside. Then he disappeared inside and the mouth closed behind him. Shepard was forced to turn away defend herself against a few collectors but a moment later she heard Kamina's laughter resound through the room. It was far too loud to be unamplified and when Shepard glanced back at the horse-headed mini-reaper, she was astounded to see it laughing as Kamina did.

The mini-reaper lifted its arms and swept the beams through the room, frying the last of the collectors. Shepard stared at the laughing reaper, her rifle held loosely in one hand. He's...he's piloting a reaper?!

Kamina lowered the hands of the mini-reaper and then spun in a full circle and threw a few punches. "Oh yeah," Kamina said. "It's no Gurren but not bad! Not bad at all!"

Shepard ran up to him and stared at the Kamina-piloted reaper with her head tilted back. "Kamina!" she exclaimed. "How did you do that? How did you even think to that?"

"How?" Kamina repeated with laughter in his voice. "How? Because I'm Kamina-sama!"

Shepard's heart started hammering in her chest and her face grew a little warm. She'd never been attracted to Kamina-he was too young and pretty for her-but she would've had to have been made of ice not to feel something from that. All of her good feelings were flushed away in an instant when she caught sight of what Kamina had tossed from the mini-reaper earlier. It had been caught in the crossfire and riddled with bullets but she could still make out what it used to be. Like a human with brown fur and floppy ears. Shepard's stomach turned. Was he from Horizon? It was hard to know what was worse, ending up in a pile of dead bodies or ending up like that.

"Haha!" she heard Grunt laugh, bringing her attention back to him. The krogan punched the mini-reapers leg and said, "You should let me have a ride on that."

"We will have to get you one of your own!" Kamina laughed back, his mini-reaper opening and closing its mouth in a mimicry of his speech.

That brought up a whole host of questions that Shepard needed to sort through. Reapers for everyone?! It had to be put on the back-burner for now though. "EDI," she said. "What's your status? I think we can carve a path now, if you just want to give us the most direct route."

"Commander," EDI said, "I have some new information that is of vital interest. The unidentified hacker helping me pointed to it."

That geth? "What is it?"

"Information on how the collectors pass through the Omega Four relay. Apparently they use a specific identify friend foe device created with reaper tech."

A reaper IFF? That was simple but genius. As long as you didn't care about murdering anyone who wasn't associated with you-which obviously the collectors did not-it made passing through the relay all but impossible. Shepard could already see where EDI was going with this. "If that's the case," Shepard said, "then this ship should have an IFF…"

"Exactly, Commander," EDI confirmed. "I can foresee no scenario where you would have a better chance to capture an IFF."

"Neither can I. Do you have the coordinates for the IFF?" EDI confirmed and sent them to Shepard's omnitool. Shepard glanced at the mini-reaper Kamina was riding in. "Can you send them to that machine that Kamina is in? I think I'll have him give me a ride."

The line was silent for a moment and then EDI said, "I am having difficulty. The technology of that machine is not similar to anything I have encountered."

"Don't worry about it then," Shepard said quickly. The last thing we need is for EDI to get infected by reaper programming. Shepard gazed at the mini-reaper with suspicion. The big ones caused indoctrination. Did the little ones do the same? I'll have to keep an eye on it. She walked up to Kamina and said, "Kamina, put your hand out to me."

"Huh? Like this?" Kamina asked. The horse-head reached down so its hand was about level to Shepard's midriff. Shepard climbed onto it and then made her way to the shoulder where she sat down. She glanced down at Grunt and said, "You, too." The krogan seemed hesitant. "Hurry up!" she said, before he could argue. "We need to move as fast as we possibly can."

Grunt grunted sourly and then, complaining under his breath, clambered up the other arm a lot more clumsily than Shepard had. When he sat down, Shepard had to admit that his perch seemed a lot more precarious that Shepard's own. "Alright, Kamina," Shepard said, opening the map on her omnitool. "Carve through the doors directly behind us."

"No problem," Kamina said, wheeling the mini-reaper around. His particle beam flashed at he carved a rectangle big enough to walk through. Then he stomped up and kicked the carved piece out of the door.

"Great!" Shepard said. "Now straight ahead." Kamina charged through the makeshift door and Shepard continued to give him directions toward the location of the IFF. Collectors sprang up but Shepard ordered Kamina to ignore them and run. Speed was the key now. As long as they were running, no collector could draw a bead on them long enough to collapse their shields anyway. Shepard took a few potshots at them when she had a chance but most of her focus was on guiding Kamina and not falling off of the mini-reaper. Grunt had no time for anything but not falling off of the charging machine.

Eventually the reached the part of the ship that housed the IFF. Shepard and Grunt hopped off the horse-head. The entrance to what must of been the core of the ship was much too small for the mini-reaper to fit through so Shepard told Kamina to stay behind and fend off the collectors that were coming after them. She and Grunt headed through the door.

On the other side, a lone geth stood at a terminal near the end of the room. He was surrounded by several other terminals and monitors displaying readings Shepard could only guess at. A handful of dead collectors were littered across the room. The geth's hands hovered over the terminal, with little streams of electricity running between them. I guess that's how a geth uses a console? Shepard instinctively raised her rifle when the geth turned to look at her, its red 'eye' glowing. "Shepard-commander," it said, surprising the heck out of her. It had the same distinctive buzzing audio distortion of all geth but this was the first time she could remember one speaking in language she could understand. "I have recovered the IFF."

So it was the geth helping us! But why? Before Shepard could say anything, Kamina screamed out, "Shepard, watch out!" Shepard turned back toward the door wondering what he was talking about just as the entire wall exploded. Shepard hurriedly leapt away as Kamina's horse-headed mini-reaper was pushed into the room by another mini-reaper of the same size. Unlike Kamina's horse-head, this machine had a face like an old stone monument. The visage was stern, with a huge nose and massive lips pressed together disapprovingly.

The stone-face threw Kamina aside and charged at the geth. The geth managed to fire once with his rifle but the mini-reaper didn't slow, smacking the geth across the room. The geth hit a wall hard and the light on its face went out. "Damn it," Shepard cursed, pulling free her collector particle cannon. She shot at the stone-face, not really expecting to take it out but hoping to distract it. Her ploy worked. The stone-face wheeled around and stomped toward her.

Luckily, Kamina had regained his feet in the meantime and tackled the stone-face before it could get to her. They rolled out of the room through the wall that had been destroyed. Shepard sprinted toward the geth. She kneeled down and rolled the machine over. There was no way to tell if it was okay. Do geth die the same way as biologicals anyway? I'm sure Leeron could get him restarted.

"Shepard," Joker cried into her ear. "The collector ship is fully back online and moving. We need to get lost right now."

"I hear you, Joker. Hang on for one second." Ignoring his panic-laced comment that they didn't have one second, Shepard connected to Garrus. "Garrus, I want the four of you to board the shuttle and get back to the Gurren Senkenasap."

"What about you?" Garrus asked.

"I'll worry about us," Shepard said. "You just get out of here now. Faster you're aboard, the better for us."

"Roger."

"Joker, EDI," Shepard switched back to them. "As soon as Garrus and the other's are aboard, I want you to to get the Normandy as close to our position as possible. We have a way to cut through the hull now, so don't worry too much about that. Just get close and then I need EDI to calculate the fastest path from here to there."

"Your not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?" Joker asked.

"Yup. Once you're in position, open the bay. We're going to leap from the collector ship right into Gurren Senken."

"Shepard, that's insane! And did you just call my ship the Gurren Senken?!"

"What is it Kamina likes to say? 'Kick reason to the curb?' We're a handful against a race of monsters that have wiped out every sentient being that's ever existed since time began. I think 'insane' is the new standard."

Joker was knocked speechless at that. Luckily, EDI chimed it, "I have calculated out the most efficient route, Commander."

Shepard brought up the route and glanced over it. "Looks good. Get into position and we'll be there."

"Roger...Commander," Joker said, still sounding skeptical.

"Kamina?" Shepard said, switching channels.

"Yeah?" he responded, quickly followed by, "Take this, you bastard!"

"Do you think I could fit in that cockpit with you?"

"Um, probably?" Kamina said vaguely. Then Shepard heard a thud and Kamina grunt in pain. "This guy is good," he said, with a note of worry in his voice. And then, as if realizing what he said, he compensated by screaming, "But I'm better! Horiyah!"

Shepard spotted Grunt standing in the wreckage of the doorway, shooting at something she couldn't see. Either collectors or the stone-face. "What about Grunt? Could you fit me and Grunt?"

"Uh...that's might be a bit more difficult."

Well, that's alright. It isn't like a krogan is going to be affected if exposed to a vacuum for half a second. "Kamina, I need you to get back here and pick up me and Grunt. We're running."

"Running?!" Kamina yelled. "No way. I never turn my back on an opponent. I can get this guy, just...damn it! Take this!"

"Oh, we're gonna kill that guy. And this whole horrible ship. But to do that, we need to get off it and the longer we're here, the less likely it is we'll be able to take it out."

Kamina was silent for a long time. "Running doesn't feel right, Shepard. A man doesn't run."

Shepard resisted the temptation to shout orders at him like she would a marine. This is where I miss military discipline. "We're not running to run," she said. "We're running so that we can take down bigger prey. This ship needs to go before it kills another colony. I have a plan to do that but it involves us getting to the Gurren Senken right now."

Kamina was quiet again and then abruptly groaned. "Alright, Sukeban. I'm coming." He sounded like a kid told that it was time to leave an amusement park. But he came. The horse-head sprinted through the destroyed wall and scooped up Grunt like the krogan was a toddler. Shepard straightened up with the geth over her shoulder just in time for Kamina's horse-headed mini-reaper to open its mouth and eat her. Things went black for a moment as she tumbled into the cockpit. Then she blinked and glanced up at Kamina, who seemed to be upside down. After a second, she realized she was in fact upside down but there wasn't enough room to get right side up.

Instead, she opened opened the map on her omnitool and then pointed in the right direction. "That way!" she commanded. "Crash or burn through everything in your way."

"Aye, Sukeban." Kamina smiled and the mini-reaper lurched into motion. Shepard was surprised that she could see right through the front of the reaper as if nothing at all were there. There weren't any readings or sensors or indicators that she could spot either. Kamina seemed to be controlling it using just two yokes that he put his arms through. Shepard was no expert in the field of giant robots but it seemed like there should be more to it than that. Yet Kamina ran ahead, cut a hole in a wall and kicked it out as easy as if he were not controlling a big hunk of metal. This is interesting. If we could get more of these and the rest of the crew could learn to control them as easily as Kamina…

The stone-head soon caught up with them, since Kamina was having to burn through walls. They tussled for a bit, jostling Shepard around. She was initially afraid Kamina would commit to the fight again, but he did a remarkably good job of tripping up the stone-face with only one hand. Grunt, occupying is other hand, made himself useful and blew a chunk of the stone-face's nose off with his shotgun. As soon as the stone-face was on its back, Kamina took off again.

They managed to reach the outer hull of the ship without anymore trouble. Kamina lased a rectangle the size of his mini-reaper and then attempted to kick it out. It barely budged. Of course. The outer hull has to be thicker than the inner walls. "You'll have to push it out, Kamina," Shepard said. "I don't think a kick's going to do it." Kamina nodded and braced the shoulder of the horse-head against the cut-out. The block shifted a tiny bit forward with a horrible screech. Kamina slacked on the controls, breathing heavily. Shepard could see sweat dripping down his face. Maybe I'll need to think of a new plan. Shepard cursed herself for not foreseeing this.

But then Kamina let out a battle-cry and pushed forward again. The mini-reaper shouldered into the block and it shifted another centimeter. He didn't stop pushing this time. Kamina's hand's tightened on the sticks and his jaw jutted out. Green energy manifested around him and the mini-reaper was able to take a small step forward. Then another. Is his biotic energy interfacing with the mini-reaper somehow? Shepard found it hard to wrap her mind around that and yet Kamina seemed to be willing his machine stronger. Just what is reaper tech…?

"We got company incoming," Grunt said, breaking her out of her contemplations.

"This guy…" Kamina said, turning his mini-reaper to face the oncoming stone-face. "When Kamina-sama is gracious enough to allow you to survive," Kamina shouted. "You should realize what a lucky dog you are and run home!"

Kamina swung the horse-head's fist, his body blazing green. The fist hit the stone-face dead on in the lips and the mini-reaper flew back, pieces of its shattered face windmilling through air. Shepard watched, fascinated. Kamina had taken out the stone-face in one blow when they had been fighting fairly evenly just a little bit ago. It was another point in favor of Kamina somehow having made his mini-reaper stronger.

Kamina returned to the block and a couple more shoves knocked it out into space. The Gurren Senken was waiting just beyond, exactly where it needed to be. EDI really is becoming indispensable. "Let's do it, Kamina."

The blue-haired young man nodded and backed up the horse-head a few steps. Then he ran forward and leaped out of the collector ship. Considering there was no gravity to stop them between the collector ship and the Gurren Senken, Kamina actually came in a little too hot. He slammed face-first into the bay of the ship. Shepard crashed first into the front of the cockpit and then bounced up and hit the back, leaving her a little dazed. Grunt flew out of the mini-reaper's hand, rolling and skidding across the floor until he hit the far wall. Alarmingly, the ship tilted backwards before Joker expertly stabilized it.

Kamina tottered the horse-head back to it's feet and opened the hatch. Shepard jumped out and stumbled a bit, still feeling dizzy. She was relieved to see that Grunt was back on his feet, seeming none the worse for wear.

She was about to collect the geth from the horse-head when she heard Joker say, "Okay, EDI, now chart us a course out of here!"

"Belay that!" Shepard shouted over the com, already sprinting toward the cockpit. "We have a chance to take that ship out."

"Have you lost your mind, Commander?!" Joker screeched. "Do I need to remind you what that thing did to us the last time we fought it?"

"This isn't last time!" Shepard snapped back. "This time we have a brand new, state of the art cannon and we also have a big hole that leads right to the center of the ship to shoot it into."

"That's, that's, that…" Joker stuttered, getting progressively less angry with each utterance. "...actually could work."

The ship spun around so fast that the inertial compensators couldn't keep up and Shepard was thrown into a wall. She bounced off and continued sprinting toward the cockpit. She reached it just as Joker fired the first salvo. It was on target, boring right through the hole that Kamina had carved and deep into the ship. They couldn't see the damage it had done so Shepard asked, "EDI?"

"There has been significant damage to the to structural integrity of the ship as well as to its power systems, Commander. I estimate that another blow will cause the ship to cease operation and potentially break its spine."

Shepard shared a savage smile with Joker. This ship had destroyed the old Normandy, killed several of their crew members and nearly killed Shepard. "You heard the lady,'" she said and the pointed forward at the collector ship. "Fire!"

Joker did and the bright blue laser burned through the hole once more. The lights of the collector vessel flickered and then died. Joker swung the Gurren Senken around and the flew up and paused a distance away to watch internal explosions slowly tear the collector vessel apart.

"We did it!" Kamina whooped, startling Shepard. She hadn't even realized he had come up behind her.

Shepard clapped him on the shoulder. "That ship is dead because of you, Kamina. I'm not even sure we would have survived it without you, much less destroyed it."

He looked faintly embarrassed for a moment before he puffed out his chest and gave her his cockiest grin. "Did you expect anything less? It's me we're talking about!"

Shepard laughed. "Of course I expected it. But the collector's sure as hell didn't. Now their ship is gone and we have their IFF. Time to go and see if we can surprise them again."

Author's Notes

That was a fun chapter to write. Finally able to get some mechs into the story. Also pleased I managed to get it out in a relatively short period of time. The next one will probably take longer, mostly because I'm not sure if I'm going to devote an entire chapter to side stuff and Shadow Broker stuff or if I'm going leap right into attacking the collector base. I'll start writing and see how it shakes out. Also, you might have noticed that all the other chapters updated. This was just tidying some typos and cleaning up a couple of scenes. No content changed in any of the chapters. As always, thanks for reading!

Kuragari