Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Warhammer/Mass Effect crossover.
Thank you for the wonderful support that you've show. I greatly appreciate it.
Also, I've been thinking of inserting some answers to some reviews that I've read after the end of each story. If that is fine by you, please let me know. I'm interested in responding to questions and explaining parts of my story.
After this chapter, we're going to be doing some exposition and world building. That way, you can learn more about each of my OC's, as well as why they do the things they do.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Warhammer or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, Games Workshop, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their 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. I do not own any art listed in each chapter. Any art listed belongs to it's original artists and/or designers.
SSV Normandy
Iera System
74.185.M3
The shuttle trip to the surface of Horizon was fairly quiet as the pilots made their way down towards the surface. Inside, Shepard and his team were busy making sure their equipment was fully ready to rock. It was also a fairly tight fit, as Shepard had brought Grunt and Miranda along, while Tyrellus was inside as well. In addition to him, Vladim and Ivan had come along as well, weapons at the ready.
It had taken Mordin a few days, but he had managed to get the countermeasure for the Collector's Seeker Swarms installed into their armor. In addition, he'd managed to get some kinetic barrier generators for Tyrellus, Ivan and Vladim, with the latter of the trio helping him integrate their tech with that of the Imperium's. Now, they had an additional layer of protection, along with the armor plating that they usually wore.
As for why they were bringing six people onto this mission, it was out of necessity. The Collectors are direct servants of the Reapers, he thought to himself. Their tech is more advanced than that of the entire galaxy. However, it is not as advanced as what these people from the Imperium have, hopefully. Today, we get to see what happens when the Collectors face soldiers from the Imperium of Man.
Looking at the team that he'd gathered, he asked, "Are you guys ready?"
"Ready to fight in the name of the God-Emperor!" Ivan beamed. "It is as though my very soul thirsts to see the destruction of the enemies of Man and the God-Emperor." He smiled, though that smile was filled with malice for the very enemies that he'd been sent here to fight.
"While I am not as… enthusiastic as my friend, I am ready to fight as well," Vladim nodded. Looking at Tyrellus, he asked, "What about you, sir?"
"My bolter is loaded, my armor is ready and I have steeled myself," Tyrellus replied. "I will crush these Collectors and show them the mistake they have made in making an enemy of Mankind. They shall not survive."
Grunt, who was still looking at Tyrellus, snickered happily. "Hah! Can't wait to see how you fight," he said to Tyrellus. "That'll be a treat. Hopefully, you are as strong as I am."
"Really," Ivan frowned. "You dare question the capabilities of an Astartes? I bet he could take on a thousand of you without breaking a sweat."
"Relax, Ivan," Vladim admonished his friend. "Grunt is merely curious as to the capabilities of an Astartes as far as I can tell. If that is so, then he will not be disappointed today." Just as he said this, the shuttle landed, with the team quickly piling out.
Looking around, Shepard found that they had landed near the outskirts of the colony they were at. The area was quite beautiful, with the sun setting in the sky, painting the sky in a beautiful reddish-gold hue. The grass was brown, and the trees were shedding their leaves, indicating that it was autumn. Some benches were nearby, as well as a few walls around the colony.
All of that splendor, however, was marred by something that was very visible for all to see. A few kilometers away, towering over the entire colony, was the Collector's ship. To Shepard, it was as though someone had taken some feces, glue and metal, before lazily slapping it all together in a haphazard fashion. The engine was still active, and it was clear that it was heating the air, causing a massive cloud formation to form overhead. The center resembled that of a hurricane's eye, while lighting zipped around on the inside.
Looking around, Shepard could see Tyrellus gripping his Bolt Rifle, though his body language indicated that he was calm. The two Guardsmen, however, were clearly angry, as Ivan had an indignant look on his face, while Vladim's lips were pressed tightly against each other. "Damn xeno scum!" Ivan growled. "They spoil and pollute everything they touch!"
"I know," Shepard frowned, knowing that Ivan meant the Collectors and not the other members of the team. "We'll kick their asses, Ivan. Team, move out. Two meter spread." As his team complied, he said, "We're groundside, Mordin. You sure those armor upgrades will protect us from the Seeker Swarms?"
"Certainty impossible, but in limited numbers, should confuse detection, make us invisible to swarms… In theory?"
"In theory?
"Experimental technology. Only test is contact with Seeker Swarms. Look forward to seeing if you survive!"
"If we get caught, I'll strangle that damned xeno with my damn, bare hands!" Ivan growled.
"We're about to find out if you need to do so," Vladim remarked. "Look!" Just as he said this, a Seeker Swarm flew overhead. For a moment, everyone tensed up, wondering if Mordin's countermeasure was going to work.
Thankfully, it did the trick, as the Seeker Swarm flew by them, completely oblivious to their presence. "It seems as though the Emperor has seen fit to shelter us," Tyrellus remarked. "The technology that the xeno created for our protection appears to have worked."
"Thank the God-Emperor for small mercies," Vladim nodded.
"Stay focused," Shepard replied. "Move out."
With that, the team began moving forwards, weapons at the ready as they advanced. Moving past some walls, they came to what appeared to be an area that cargo had been offloaded at just before the attack. Cargo crates were everywhere, along with what appeared to be a truck of some kind.
"Shepard," Miranda frowned. "You hear that?"
Listening for a moment, Shepard knew what she meant. It's too quiet, he realized. I think those Collectors are trying to ambush us. Motioning with his hands, he had the team get into cover, while he had Tyrellus slowly move up.
Just as he did, Tyrellus, spotting something, fired off two rounds from his Bolt Rifle. Milliseconds later, two explosions of gore marked the death of two Collectors that had been about to attack. The element of surprise lost, the Collectors immediately moved forwards to assault the team. "Open fire!" Shepard shouted.
"FOR MACRAGGE!" Tyrellus shouted as he cut loose. Bolt Rifle roaring, he quickly dispatched five more Collecotrs, their bodies exploding as .75 caliber bolts tore into them before detonating. Their bodies fell to the ground, ruined husks of what they once were.
Nearby, Vladim and Ivan were also fighting the Collectors. One fired at Ivan, only for the Guardsman to duck behind cover, before leaning out and firing his Lasgun. A red-white beam of light cut through the air and impinged on the Collector's head, blasting it apart with ease, while another that was in the way watched it's arm get cut off by the same laser beam. It howled in agony, before it's chest exploded as another laser beam overheated the water inside it's chest.
Firing his Krasnikov Mk. VII, Vladim smiled grimly as the bullets bypassed the kinetic barriers, tearing into the bodies of two Collectors he was targeting. Each one fell over, ugly wounds being torn into their bodies by the powerful Manstopper rounds. "Die, in the name of the God-Emperor!" Vladim roared. "May He burn you all in the fires of His wrath!"
Nearby, Shepard and the others were also doing quite well. Firing his rifle, Shepard shot a Collector that Miranda had yanked out of cover with her powers. After cutting into the Collector's barriers, the bullets tore into it's bodies, though it took quite a few before dying. Grunt, meanwhile, had gotten up close and personal, and was using a weapon that Vladim, after digging through some of the crates, had managed to find for Grunt: a Thunder Hammer.
Grunt roared as he swung the two handed weapon with ease. There was a tremendous KRA-THOOOM as the head of the Thunder Hammer smashed into a Collector, the force field that it generated on impact cracking it's carapace like an eggshell. Liquefied organs and blood weeped out, before the Collector was smashed into the ground by Grunt. Smiling as he looked at the hammer, he said, "I love this thing!"
Eventually, the fighting died down, with the Collector ambushers having been slaughtered to the last one. "That was fun!" Grunt beamed. "Thanks for this hammer, Human! I really enjoy using it!"
"Just don't use it on us," Vladim frowned.
"I won't."
"That was a pathetic rear guard," Tyrellus frowned. "Their weapons and armor were no match for the finest equipment produced by the Imperium of Man. Still, if that is merely their infantry, then I wonder what is in store for us."
"I agree," Shepard nodded. "That was just a small rearguard. As we get deeper into the colony, we're going to face off against much tougher odds. Keep your guard up."
With that, the team advanced deeper into the colony, weapons at the ready. As they did so, Shepard thought he felt an odd sensation, like something was telling him to be careful. He was about to have the team head deeper into the colony when it happened.
As soon as they began to move forwards, he heard it: a loud scream that cut through the air. A headache immediately formed in his head, though he was able to keep his composure. Turning around, he found Vladim rubbing his head with a hand, while he looked as though he was constipated. "What's wrong?" Shepard asked.
"I-I don't know," Vladim replied. "My head hurts for some reason. That scream has something to do with it."
"I know what it is," Tyrellus added. Turning to Shepard, he said, "We must make haste, Shepard! I believe that something else is going on here, in this place."
A moment later, Joker tried coming in over the comms, but his voice was drowned out by the static. "The Collectors are interfering with communications," Miranda informed them. "I couldn't make out his words."
"I could," Tyrellus replied. "He reported an energy signature of some kind. We must expect the worst."
Shepard frowned as he heard that, though he knew from the urgency in Tyrellus' voice that something was going on. We're on our own now, he thought to himself. At least we have some of the best trained personnel I can find.
After proceeding along a dirt pathway for some time, they managed to finally reach part of the colony proper. Tyrellus, who was up ahead, held up a fist and knelt onto the ground, with the others doing the same. "Shepard," he said over the comm. "Come close, and observe."
Doing that, Shepard spotted what Tyrellus had found. Near some benches, and behind a few walls, were a few Collectors. However, he thought he saw something else. When he saw it more clearly, he frowned. "Husks," he growled. "Those Collector's have Husks."
"What are Husks?" Vladim asked.
"They're Humans that have been altered by the Reapers," Miranda explained. "The Geth used spikes of some kind to flood their bodies with nanites that completely reconfigured them on a cellular level. Now, they're just shambling, nanotechnological husks of their former 'selves."
"By the God-Emperor!" Ivan frowned, though there was also grief in his voice. "Such an abomination should not be allowed to exist! We must destroy the Collectors, and end the misery of those they have enslaved. Orders, Shepard?"
"Take cover, and gun them down," Shepard replied. "Don't let the Husks get too close. They're stronger than they look. Grunt, you're on anti-Husk duty."
"Got it," Grunt replied.
With that, the team moved up and launched their assault. Vladim slid into cover, before firing his Krasnikov at a pair of Collectors. Both went down, though one fired at him, forcing him to duck back into cover to avoid being hit. That one was shot by Ivan, his Lasgun blasting it in half at the waist.
At the same time, the Husks began to move in. Grunt, spotting one heading towards Miranda, immediately moved to intercept, bringing down the Thunder Hammer onto it's head. Another blast of thunder sounded as the Husk's head was crushed by the powerful blow, along with it's upper body. "Thanks!" Miranda called out.
"You're welcome!" Grunt smiled.
Up ahead, Ivan had been cornered by a Husk, and was now having to fight it. Pulling the bayonet off his rifle, he dodged a swipe, before plunging the plasteel blade into it's skull. There was a metallic CRUNCH as the knife punched through the remnants of the thing's skull, ending it's life. "Gah," he growled as he pushed it away.
Tyrellus was being swarmed by the Husks, though it was like trying to swat a Kaiju with a concrete pole. Pulling out his Chainsword, Tyrellus began to cut through each Husk like they were nothing but stalks of wheat. Remnants of blood and gore flew through the air with each stroke of the weapon, while the promethium motor roared as Tyrellus swung the blade.
Eventually, all of the Husks were dead, along with their Collector masters. Walking up to one, Grunt said, "Sorta looks human. This one of the colonists?"
"No," Miranda replied. "On Eden Prime, victims were turned to Husks by impaling them on spikes, or Dragon's Teeth as some call them. We haven't seen any."
"So, where'd they come from?" Ivan asked.
"The Collectors must've brought the Husks with them. They're taking the colonists for something else."
"The Collectors must be experimenting on the colonists," Shepard frowned, disgusted by the implications. "What are they up to?"
"Speculation will get us nowhere. It could be anything."
"I doubt that," Tyrellus remarked. "The Collectors wouldn't go through this much trouble to abduct human beings. They must be gathering them for their own twisted ends." His hands clenched into fists as he said this.
"My thoughts exactly," Shepard nodded. "In addition, these Husks aren't the same creatures I fought on Eden Prime. They seem more advanced, or evolved, in some way."
"They still die when you shoot them," Grunt added.
"Either way, the Collectors aren't getting away with more colonists," Shepard firmly stated. "Let's move out."
With that, the team continued to move forwards. As they did so, Grunt said, "Did you guys hear that?" At the same time, Shepard heard a loud rumbling sound in the distance.
"I do," Ivan replied. "Sounds like thunder. The storm above us must be charged or something like that."
"No," Grunt replied. "I hear thunder, but it's much closer than it should be."
"We'll find out more as we advance," Vladim noted.
Moving up, the team encountered a cluster of what appeared to be pods of some kind. They had that same feces-brown carapace-like material on them, while inside, there was clearly metal. "Your people… gone," Grunt said quietly.
"Just like Freedom's Progress," Miranda grimly noted. "The entire colony… gone."
"They won't get away with this," Vladim snarled. "This is a crime against Humanity for which there is no punishment too harsh."
"Stay your wrath, Guardsman," Tyrellus cautioned the younger man. "It will not do well for you to be blinded by it. All we can do now is punish the Collectors for their crimes."
As they moved up, Shepard noticed something odd. Some of the pods looked as though they had been ripped open by some unseen force. In addition, there were no hostiles up ahead, which was something that surprised him. It was when he moved up that he saw a scene that nearly turned his stomach.
All over the ground were the bodies of Collectors, but the scene was nothing short of grizzly. One Collector had been crushed into a ball that was about the size of a tennis ball, while another had it's arms and legs ripped off by some unseen force. Noticing a brown and yellow puddle, Shepard leaned closer, only to throw himself backwards with shock, and horror, when it moved, making a gurgling sound as it did before it went still, with the puddle disintegrating moments later. There was even a Collector that had been turned inside out, exposing it's innards for all to see.
Miranda, seeing the messy sight, threw up, while Grunt stared in shock. "What killed these Collectors?" he asked. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"I don't know," Miranda replied, her face having turned a little pale as she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her jacket. "Whatever it was, it wasn't biotics. My Omni-Tool hasn't detected any traces of Element Zero. In addition, this happened recently; the bodies are still warm."
"I think I know what it was," Tyrellus replied. "Shepard, my Auspex has detected traces of Warp energy. We are looking at the handiwork of a Psyker, and a very powerful one at that."
"One of those people that can use the Warp?" Shepard asked.
"Yes."
"Damn," Vladim frowned. "I've seen a Psyker at work before. What happens to their enemies is not a pretty sight."
"I just hope that Psyker is on our side," Ivan replied. "I actually fought a Chaos Psyker when I was with Vladim before we arrived. It wasn't fun dodging balls of Chaos Energy that were being used as lethal weapons. If we encounter one, get as close as you can, that way, they risk hitting themselves with their own powers."
"Good advice," Shepard nodded.
As they moved up, they found more signs that their mystery Psyker had been present earlier. For one, there were a lot of Seeker drones that were on the ground, their circuitry having been shorted out, while there were more dead Collectors lying around as well.
Spotting movement up ahead, Shepard and the others got into cover, just as some Collectors flew in. One was about to take cover, only for it to stop, before cracks of white energy began to cover it's body. A moment later, a deep, bass voice said, "I am assuming direct control." Moments later, the Collector landed on the ground, but now, it was moving with even greater intelligence than before.
Ivan, spotting that, literally freaked out. "COLLECTOR PSYKER!" he roared, before firing like mad at the creature.
"SHIT!" Shepard shouted. "TAKE HIM OUT!"
The Collector, now greatly enhanced, took cover and fired on the team. "My attacks will tear you apart, Shepard," the creature said in that same bass voice.
"Who are you?!" Shepard shouted as he dodged a bolus of gold-white energy that the creature throw.
"We are your salvation through destruction," the creature replied. "I am the Harbinger of your future."
Just as it said this, it spotted Tyrellus. "You, Human, are not like the others. What are you?"
Firing on the other aliens, Tyrellus killed the other Collectors, before crippling the glowing one and grabbing it by the throat. "I am a Space Marine," he growled, "and you are a creature of Chaos! You will not survive me, a servant of the Emperor of Mankind. Die, xeno, for your crimes!" With that, he snapped the Collector's neck cleanly in half, with it's body disintegrating into ash moments later.
"Shit," Miranda frowned. "Looks like they upgraded."
"That one knew my name," Shepard replied. "What was it?"
"A filthy Collector Psyker," Ivan stated.
"No," Tyrellus replied. "It's energy, while powerful, was not that of the Warp. I believe that a Reaper might have been controlling that Collector."
"Harbinger," Shepard added. "It called itself Harbinger. Either way, this just got a lot more serious." Spotting a large door nearby, he said, "We'll move through there. The door's been locked, so we'll bypass it."
With that in mind, they advanced towards the door. As soon as he bypassed the lock, Shepard opened the door, and got a massive surprise. To his surprise, and relief, there were dozens of colonists inside, with most being men, while there were quite a few women and children inside as well.
"Well, looks like the Collectors didn't take everyone," Miranda noted, relief in her voice.
"Who are you?" one of the colonists asked.
"We're an independent group that was nearby," was the reply. "We're here to stop the Collectors."
""Get inside immediately! You'll lead them here! NOW!" an older colonist shouted. Nodding, Shepard had the others move inside, with the door being closed behind them. Looking at the colonist, he noted that the man was middle aged, had brown eyes and wore a cap on his head, as well as a mechanic's uniform. "You Alliance?"
"Something like that."
"Well, you're sure late on that, boy," the man told them. "Those things attacked us quite a while ago."
"It must've been hard hiding from them," Shepard surmised. "You had to have heard them trying to get in."
"They were," the mechanic nodded. "I thought those Collectors were a made-up story, you know, propaganda to keep us in Alliance space. Now I know they're real, and they tried to take Lilith and Sten too!"
"What's your name?"
"Delan. I'm a mechanic. I came here to check on the grid when the comms went down. Then I heard screaming. I looked outside and there were swarms of those things. Everyone they touched just… froze. I sealed the doors shut."
"We were being trapped by those… things," a colonist told them. "That was when he showed up."
"Who?" Shepard asked.
"Some guy wearing some fancy robes," Delan replied, though this time, his voice was filled with respect, and more than a little awe. "I saw him tearing those Collectors apart without laying a hand on them. He even caused a few of them to explode; scariest shit I'd ever seen. When he looked at me, I thought I was going to die too, but then I heard this voice in my head, telling me that I was going to be OK. He then began leading people to this place, telling us that the Collectors, or xenos as he called them, were not going to find us here."
"He saved us," another colonist, Lilith from the looks of it, beamed. "I thought I was going to die, then this Collector was crushed into a tiny ball in front of me. The next thing I knew, I was able to move again, and he told me to keep moving, that there was a safe place up ahead. He left just before you guys came and sealed us inside. The three of you in that odd armor look similar to how he looked."
"What did he look like?" Tyrellus asked.
"Tall, just a little taller than you here," Delan replied, motioning to Shepard. "Had brown hair and a beard to match. His eyes were hazel in color, and he wore black and red robes that were embroidered with gold. He held some kind of staff in his hands, as well as a sword of some kind. He also had some kind of necklace that had a skull with an 'I' in the center of it."
Vladim, hearing that, frowned slightly. "I think I know who he works for, though I've only heard rumors of them."
"The Inquisition," Tyrellus added. "Even I know a paltry amount about them. That symbol, though, is the sign of their Ordos, and it appears that the Inquisitor is a Primaris Psyker."
"Either way, he saved us," Delan nodded. "Still, it's the Alliance's fault that we ended up in this shit! They stationed that Commander Alenko here and built those towers! It made us a target!"
"That's bullshit and you know it!" another colonist shouted at Delan. "The Alliance built those towers to protect us, and you have the nerve, the nerve, to accuse them of causing all of this?! Shame on you, Delan! Shame! On! You!"
"Enough!" Shepard shouted, just as Delan and the others were about to get into a shouting match with each other. "Now is not the time to be throwing blame around!" Looking at Delan, he asked, "What can you tell me about this Alliance rep?"
"Commander Alenko? Heard he was some kind of hero or something. Didn't mean anything to me, though. Would've rather he stayed back in Citadel space."
"Any idea of what he was doing on Horizon?"
"He was helping us get the defense system up and running," Lilith explained. "High powered GARDIAN Lasers that were designed to keep enemy ships away. The problem, though, is that they weren't shooting straight. We kept on calibrating them, but nothing worked."
"Could it be that the Machine-Spirit was not well?" Vladim asked.
"Don't know what that is, but if you're referring to the calibration software, then that might be the cause of all that frustration. We can't do anything about it, though. Those Collectors would nab us quick as you please."
"I see," Shepard nodded. Looking around, he said, "Stay here, all of you. I don't want civilians being killed on my watch, or in the field of fire. We'll deal with the Collectors."
"The control tower for the batteries is located near the other side of the colony," Lilith explained. "It's pretty hard to miss. You'll know it when you see it."
"Agreed," Shepard replied. "Everyone, move out!"
. . .
As they headed deeper into the colony, more evidence of the Psyker's rampage against the Collectors became evident. In addition to dead Collectors, Shepard could see large scorch marks on the ground, as well as other strange occurrences. There were even a few Collectors that had, strangely enough, committed suicide, with most having holes in their heads that, from the looks of it, were self-inflicted.
"Damn," Shepard frowned as he saw another melted Collector. "Whoever this Psyker is, he's powerful. I'd rather not be an enemy of his."
"That is a wise outlook," Tyrellus nodded. "I recall speaking to a Brother-Librarian about how powerful Psykers are. This one is either a high Beta, or a low Alpha. The former would be safer."
"How so?"
"The more powerful a Psyker is, the more likely the forces of Chaos can drive them to madness, or possess them. Betas are the most powerful class that can remain sane, though there are instances of Alphas that are sane. I believe this is one of those instances, as a possessed Psyker would have killed the colonists instead of leading them to safety. A sane Alpha class Psyker is a powerful asset, but one you must respect. A mere glance from them is enough to turn a xeno inside out, or melt them down completely."
"Remind me not to piss one off then."
With that, they proceeded into another larger area after bypassing the lock on another door. This time, Shepard noticed a large transmitter tower in the center, as well as a control panel nearby. Buildings formed a perimeter around them, and there were cargo crates and vehicles nearby.
"Look out!" Miranda shouted as Collectors appeared out of thin air. Firing their weapons, the team quickly got into cover.
"By the God-Emperor, what abomination is that?!" Vladim shouted, pointing ahead. Looking ahead, Shepard saw a grotesque creature that looked like several Husks had been fused together. Large blue, pulsating sacks were on it's back, and it had an arm that looked like a cannon.
"I have no idea!" Shepard shouted back. "Codename it a 'Scion!'" Just as he said this, the now-named Scion fired it's arm cannon.
While it missed, Shepard watched as a thick metal panel was split in half by the projectiles the weapon fired. "Don't let it shoot you!" he shouted as he fired on the creature.
Nearby, Tyrellus, spotting the creature, blasted it apart with his Bolt Rifle, sending ichor and goo flying everywhere. Spotting a Collector that was about to glow, he fired. "Assuming contro -" Moments later, it exploded as the bolt exploded inside it's body.
"Silence, foul xeno!" Tyrellus shouted. "You do not deserve to live!" Firing his weapon, he shouted. "My armor is contempt! My shield is disgust! My bolter is hatred! In the Emperor's name, LET NONE SURVIVE!"
For the next few minutes, a heated battle was fought between the team and the Collectors in the area. Laser beams, bullets and bolts flew through the air as the team gunned down the Collectors one by one. Eventually, the enemies tapered off, with Shepard reaching the control tower and hacking in. "Normandy, do you copy?" Shepard asked.
"Joker here," came the reply. "Signal's weak, Commander, but we've got you."
"EDI, can you get the colony's defenses online?"
"Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified, but it will take time for the towers to reach full power. I recommend a defensive posture. I will not be able to mask the increased generator output."
"I know what that means," Shepard nodded. Turning to the others, he said, "Everyone, defensive formation! Hold this position at all costs!"
"It shall be done!" Tyrellus nodded.
"For the God-Emperor, and the Imperium!" Ivan shouted. With that, everyone immediately moved into position, taking up position near the entrance they had arrived at.
They were just in time, as more Collectors flew in, weapons at the ready. As soon as they did, Ivan and Vladim, along with Miranda and Grunt, opened fire. Spotting an incoming Husk, Grunt swung the Thunder Hammer, sending the creature flying into a group of it's ilk as the blow crushed it's rubs. He roared with laughter at the sight.
Nearby, Shepard and Tyrellus were firing their own weapons. Downing the barriers on one, Shepard let Tyrellus kill that one, before redirecting his fire towards another. Using his sidearm, he shot one Collector in the head, killing it instantly.
It went on like this for a few minutes, with the Collectors sending wave after wave at them. As he reloaded, Shepard spotted a flicker of moment. "Cover!" he shouted just in the nick of time as whatever it was landed.
It was an ugly, grotesque creature. It resembled a massive, four legged beetle, with three pairs of eyes, dark brown, almost black, skin, and limbs that looked like they came from a Carnifex. It's mouth was filled with the heads of Husks. Spotting the team, it let loose with a howling shriek.
Just as it did, though, something else happened. Shepard thought he saw a flash of light, before someone walked calmly into the area. Peering over cover, he looked to see who it was.
To his surprise, it was the man that Delan had described earlier. The man was tall, roughly as tall as Vladim was, had dark brown hair on his head as well as a beard of the same color. He was dressed in clothes that were dark red and black with gold embroidery, while he wore over those an overcoat that was the same color. There were also cybernetics on his head, though they were not overtly fashioned like Vladim's, but rather had the appearance of having grown into his head.
In his left hand was a staff that towered over his head, and was decorated and shaped in the form of Imperium iconography. In his right was a sword that silver in color, and had gold embroidery on it's spine, though it was clear that it had been forged that way from the start, rather than the gold being inlaid into a cut channel. He had an air of power and authority around him, though there was an air of empathy there as well.
The one thing that had Shepard's attention, though, were his eyes. His eyes were glowing a bright blue-white color, though his iris and pupils were still visible. In addition, Shepard shuddered when he saw the power that was on display. While the man was clearly tired, as he was breathing heavily, he was still a threat.
A moment later, the man spoke to the creature that had landed in the area, his voice cool and calm, though an unmistakable fury lay in it. "You will not be killing any more human beings today," the man said as more Collectors and Scions arrived in the area. "I am Coræven Mortellus, and I am a loyal Psyker of the God-Emperor of Mankind, and you have invited my wrath." A moment later, all hell broke loose.
The Collectors, thinking that they had enough men, charged in, along with the creature, which Shepard nicknamed a Praetorian. To his shock, with a simple gesture of his hand after he sheathed his sword, Mortellus threw the Collectors into the wall. Some were crushed instantly, while others were dazed. More Collectors charged, only for a blast of lightning to erupt from the man's staff. Those Collectors shrieked in agony as their muscles jerked and spasmed, their carapaces shattering from the force of their pain-induced writhing. Moments later, they fell down dead.
A few Husks charged at him, prompting him to pull his sword out, while dropping his staff to the ground. With fluid grace that came from true mastery of a blade, Mortellus cut the Husks into bloody ribbons. Limbs and ichor flew through the air, while the bade was but a mere blur. All the while, Mortellus had a calm expression, with only his breathing indicating that he was hard at work. Within seconds, the Husks were dead.
At that moment, the Praetorian charged, only for Mortellus to sheath his sword and outstretch a hand. Moments later, the Praetorian froze, before it began to scream in agony as it's body began to be crushed as Mortellus closed his hand into a fist. First, it's limbs were crushed into it's body, then it's shell bent before cracking, then it's head collapsed into it's body. Ichor and pieces of armor splattered everywhere, before the Praetorian, crushed into a ball the size of a tire, was dropped to the ground.
It wasn't long before the Collectors were killed, with only one limping away. Shepard watched, with awed horror, as Mortellus outstretched a hand, while using the other to pull the staff into his hands. Moments later, the Collector began to melt, it's body distorting and bending as it melted into a puddle of goo. The Collector, seeing what was happening to itself, roared, it's voice becoming distorted as it's limbs and body drooped to the ground. It's arms drooped off it's body, while it's chest spread out onto the ground. Soon, only it's head was left, with the Collector gurgling as that too began to melt. Seconds later, it's eyes and head melted, the eyes becoming thin crescents of gold-yellow goo. Before long, the Collector had melted into a dead, congealed mass of gelatinous flesh.
Looking towards Mortellus, Shepard found that the man was leaning on his staff, breathing heavily as he did so. Moments later, he watched as the GARDIAN laser towers fired up. Beams of red-white laser light cut into the Collector ship, forcing it to launch and take off. In just twenty seconds, it was a rapidly fading dot in the sky.
Walking over, Shepard told Tyrellus, "I think we found our Inquisitor." Walking over, he asked, "Are you OK?"
Mortellus, after catching his breath, turning towards him, nodded. "I will be fine, Shepard. What you saw was one of my most draining abilities. It is extremely difficult to melt a living organism into a puddle of dead gelatinous flesh. Even with my mastery of biomancy, it is quite difficult. I can also sense horror emanating from you, Shepard. I do not like it as well, but it was necessary."
"How'd you know my name?"
"I read your mind, Shepard. When we are out of danger, I will inform you as to the extend of my capabilities. For now, be content with your ignorance, and know that I am merely a powerful servant of the God-Emperor."
Just as he said this, Delan came out, along with some of the colonists. "No!" he shouted. "Don't let them get away!"
"There's nothing we can do," Shepard told him. "They're all gone."
"Half the colony's in there! Damnit! Someone do something!"
"I didn't want it to end this way. I'm sorry."
"You did all that you could, Shepard," Tyrellus reassured him.
"Wait…" Delan remarked. "Shepard? I know that name. You're supposed to be some kind of big Alliance hero."
Just as he said this, Shepard watched as a man with black hair, hazel eyes and tanned skin walked into view, his body clad in armor. "Commander Shepard," he said a moment later. "Captain of the Normandy. The first human Spectre. Savior of the Citadel. You're in the presence of a legend… and a ghost, Delan."
"All the good people we lost, and you get left behind," Delan grumbled. "Figures. Screw this. I'm done with you Alliance types." With that, Delan left.
"Kaidan," Shepard breathed.
"I thought you were dead, Commander," Kaidan said a moment later. "We all did." A moment later, he extended a hand.
Shepard, shaking it, said, "It's been too long, Kaidan." A moment later, he said, "I'm sorry about what happened. I tried getting into contact with you earlier, but no one told me you were here. In addition, I've been dead for two years. It's… been rough."
"Looks like it," Kaidan nodded. "You're right in that you tried to speak with me as well. Alliance Intelligence intercepted your transmission, but I got it all the same. What happened to you, though? I would've followed you everywhere, Commander. Losing you… it felt like losing a limb."
"That's how it felt for me as well, Kaidan. I was also worried that I would be reopening old wounds too. I didn't want to cause you any pain after you moved on."
"Not contacting me would've caused me pain, Shepard. Besides, you were right about me moving on. I thought I did, then we got reports about you working for Cerberus."
"Reports?" Miranda asked. "So much for security."
"Alliance Intelligence thought that Cerberus was behind the attacks on the colonies. They got a tip that this colony might be hit next. Anderson stonewalled me, but there were rumors that you were dead, and working with the enemy." Looking around, Kaidan added, "Now, though, I know that intel was off."
"Certainly," Ivan remarked. "I wonder what else they got wrong."
"Ivan," Vladim chided him.
"Then he showed up here," Kaidan added, pointing at Mortellus. "Shepard, I thought I'd seen everything, but this took the cake by far. For the first time, I felt legitimately frightened, small… insignificant. Whoever this man is, Shepard, he's not someone you want as an enemy."
"That much I know for certain."
"Indeed. Still, why are you working for Cerberus?! You know the things they've done, so why?!"
"They brought me back from the dead," Shepard replied. "Spent two years working on me. As for why I'm working with them, the Collectors, the aliens you saw, have been abducting human beings. The Alliance turned it's back on them by blaming the attacks on pirates in order to avoid stretching their military forces. Cerberus is trying to stop the Collectors, so they brought me back to stop them."
"You can't really believe that!" Kaidan replied. Turning towards Mortellus, he asked, "Does he, really, believe that?"
"Shepard speaks the truth," Mortellus replied. "He tried to warn the Alliance, but they called him a paranoid fool in a roundabout manner."
"Damnit!" Kaidan growled, pinching the bridge of his nose with a finger and thumb. Looking at Shepard, he said, "I want to help you, but I don't trust Cerberus. They could be using the threat of a Reaper to manipulate you."
"Is that really true?" Mortellus asked. "I have examined the minds of all present, Kaidan Alenko. Cerberus is not deceiving him. I was sent here to stop the Reapers as well, and I am not affiliated with Cerberus."
"That much I know for certain," Kaidan remarked. "You're too... different, to be Cerberus, or any other organization. Plus, you saved my life. Not many would do that." Turning around, he said, "I've got to report this to the Citadel. I won't be on your team as long as you're with Cerberus, but at least I know that you're trying to do what's right. Don't trust them, whatever you do."
"You sure you don't want to come with me?" Shepard asked.
"Any other day, I would. Not while you're with Cerberus. Take care." With that, Kaidan left.
"Well, that could've gone better," Vladim remarked.
"Indeed," Shepard nodded. "Joker, get us out of here. I've had enough of this place."