Kaidan frowned as his comm chimed. It was the middle of the night, and he was shaking his head before he realized it was the special signal he'd set up in the VI. He nearly stumbled on his way to his desk, then pulled up the message.

This might be the last chance I have to say this. Thank you for hauling my ass back. I'm sorry we didn't get that coffee. - Michael.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been staring at the message before he realized it was too blurry to see it anymore. Kaidan wiped at his eyes, then typed a response.

We'll have that coffee when you get back. - Kaidan.

His stomach twisted as the VI alerted him that the message was undeliverable.

#

"This isn't how we planned this mission, but this is where we're at." He looked around at determined faces. "We can't worry about whether the Normandy can get us home. We came to stop the Collectors, and that means coming up with a plan to take out this station. EDI, bring up your scans."

"You should be able to overload their critical systems if you get to the main control center here."

Jacob gestured at the holographic image EDI projected. "That means going through the heart of the station. Right past this massive energy signature."

Michael nodded. "That's the central chamber. If our crew or any of the colonists are still alive, the Collectors are probably holding them in there."

"Looks like there are two main routes." Jacob gestured at his omnitool. "Might be a good idea to split up to keep the Collectors off balance, then regroup in the central chamber."

"No good." Miranda spoke before he could. "Both routes are blocked. See these doors? The only way past is to get someone to open them from the other side."

When in doubt... "A few well-placed explosives should clear a path."

EDI broke the bad news. "There is insufficient ordinance on board to create an explosion capable of damaging the interior walls."

Shit. "If we can't blast our way through then we'll use stealth. Someone could sneak in through this ventilation shaft here." He pointed.

"Practically a suicide mission." Jacob pointed out. Then he showed again that he was kind of an idiot. "I volunteer."

Miranda gave him an impatient look. "I appreciate the thought, Jacob, but you couldn't shut down the security systems in time. We need to send a tech expert."

"It's your call, Commander." Jacob shrugged. "Who do we send into the shaft?"

"We need someone with the tech skills to hack that security system." As luck would have it, they had the best tech in the galaxy just a few feet away from him. "Tali, you're up."

She straightened. "I won't let you down."

"Never have and never will." He nodded to her. "The rest of us will break into two teams and fight down each passage. That should draw the Collectors' attention away from what you're doing."

"I'll lead the second team, Shepard." Miranda stepped forward. "We'll meet up with you on the other side of the doors."

"Not so fast, Cheerleader." Jack immediately spoke up. "Nobody wants to take orders from you."

"This isn't a popularity contest." Miranda glared at Jack. "Lives are at stake. Shepard, you need someone who can command loyalty through experience."

And for that, he needed the one person on this ship he'd willingly follow into the breach. "Garrus, you're in charge of the second team."

Garrus nodded, clearly aware the answer was obvious. Miranda, however, sounded a bit put out. "Well, at least he knows what he's doing."

"Once we're in, they're going to throw everything they have at us. If we're weak, if we're slow, if we hesitate, we'll die." He exhaled. "The Collectors attacked our ship. They took our crew, our friends. They think we're helpless. They're wrong. They started a war, but we're not here to finish it. We're here to make them regret, to show them and everyone else what happens when you go too far." Across the table, Jack clenched her fist and flared her biotics. "No more running, and no more waiting. Let's hit them where they live."

#

He took Jack, Grunt, and Miranda with him. Samara he knew would balance Garrus, so he sent her with him despite wanting another solid biotic. Kasumi he sent with Garrus as well, just so someone on that team knew the definition of the word subtle. After a moment of thought, he took Thane and Legion before sending Mordin and Jacob with Garrus. In a worst case, Jacob could take over for Garrus, and Thane could keep Jack level enough that Miranda could take over for him.

Garrus helped Tali into the vent. As much as he wanted to also reassure the Quarian girl, he stayed back and gave Garrus the moment. Then they exchanged a nod, and headed in.

#

"It's hot in here, but it's clear as far as I can tell." Tali's voice came over the comm.

They started forward. He heard Garrus's team start to take fire, but Garrus's voice was calm. He had it handled. Michael pushed back the memory of Torfan. He'd see Garrus on the other side.

Enemies met them just as Tali was blocked by something in the vent. Michael snarled as he fought his way through the release. Tali was not getting cooked on his watch.

He had to clear the vent for her four more times. Grunt sent the last of the Collector forces flying with a headbutt that would have awed Wrex himself. Legion kept the krogan covered. Despite their animosity, Jack and Miranda were working together. Thane moved at his back, not unlike Kaidan had often done. Thane's hand to hand might be better than Kaidan's, but he was nowhere near the biotic. Michael had to switch to his assault rifle a few times.

They reached the doors. "Come on."

He could hear fighting over the comm. "Look out." Garrus's voice came over. "Seeker swarms."

"Got them." Tali's voice was triumphant as the fighting sounds on the comm died out.

Just in time for their position to be hit. That was a lot of seekers. "We need this door open now."

"Go, we'll cover you." He heard Garrus talking to Tali.

"Somethings wrong." Tali's voice was concerned. "The door's stuck."

He was about to respond when a grenade knocked him out of position. Thane moved in to cover him, allowing him to get his rifle back up.

"Got it." The door opened. Grunt grabbed Jack and Miranda, flinging both women through it before heading in himself. Thane and Legion backed in with him, keeping up fire.

"Fall back." He glanced at where Tali was working desperately to reclose the doors.

Garrus came to his side with his team. "Suppressing fire. Don't let anyone through that door."

It closed, and Tali sat back in relief. He touched her shoulder. "Nice work Tali. Knew you wouldn't let me down."

"Never have and never will, Commander." She nodded up to him.

Miranda's voice drew his attention. "Shepard, you need to see this."

#

Garrus helped Tali to her feet before walking over to the others. Shepard was staring at the mass of tubes and pods in the room. It was like something out of one of those horror vids Shepard kept telling him to watch.

"Looks like one of the missing colonists." Miranda walked toward one of the pods.

Shepard touched one of the pods. Jack spoke up from another section of the room. She was standing in front of the yeoman's pod. "There's more. Over here."

"My god, she's alive." Shepard started banging on one of the pods, trying desperately to open it. Garrus's eyes went wide as he realized what was happening to the woman within. Next to him, Tali rushed for the closest pod, searching for a way to open it. The rest of the team followed. They were too late for the one in Shepard's pod. "Get them out. Hurry."

Grunt let out a war cry before smashing the pod nearest him open. The cook fell out, and the krogan caught him. Garrus moved to help Thane with the engineers. "Come on come on..."

Together, they got their crew. It was clear though that everyone on the other side of the room was lost. "Doctor Chakwas?" Shepard was lowering the woman out of the pod. "Are you okay?"

Mordin was already scanning people. A few were getting back to their feet. "Shepard? You..." Doctor Chakwas almost sounded surprised. "You came for us."

"You're my crew." Shepard pulled her to her feet. Garrus couldn't believe the woman was surprised. Shepard had actually died pulling his crew out before. "No one gets left behind."

"Thank god you got here in time." Yeoman Kelly was leaning on Tali. "A few more seconds and..." She shook her head. "I don't even want to think about it."

"The colonists were..." Doctor Chakwas's voice steadied, becoming detached and professional, though her face didn't quite manage the same. "Processed. These swarms of little robots, they melted their bodies into a gray liquid and pumped it through these tubes."

"Whatever the collectors are doing, it ends here." Shepard's eyes were narrow. Garrus put a hand on the small of Tali's back before nodding in agreement.

"We've done well so far. Let's hope we can finish the job." Miranda was looking around.

Shepard got on the comm. Joker would be able to get the crew, but it would be tricky. Not wanting to leave the still injured crew on their own, Shepard sent Mordin with them. A good choice, the salarian would also be able to help Chakwas with any potential complications.

#

"I cannot recommend that." EDI spoke against the next phase of their plan. "Thermal emissions suggest the chamber is overrun with seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasures cannot protect you against so many at once."

"Conventional weapons are pretty much useless." Michael sighed. "They'll tear us apart."

"Maybe not." Samara stepped forward. "I might be able to generate a biotic field to keep them at bay. I won't be able to protect all of us, but I could get a small team through if they stay close."

"I could do it, too." Miranda spoke up quickly, as though she needed to prove something. "In theory, any biotic could handle it. Shepard, who do you want to maintain the field?"

It was Samara's plan, he should choose her. "Jack and I will take a small team through the seeker swarms." He nodded to Garrus. "Garrus, you take the rest and provide a diversion by going through the main passage. We'll open the security doors from the other side and meet you there."

"I'll keep the defenders busy, you slip around back..." Garrus clicked his mandibles. "Wasn't that also your plan for robbing the bank?"

"Details." Michael rolled his eyes.

#

There was something a little different about Jack as she prepared to head in. Her anger was still there, but it was calm, cool, and directed. Like a soldier. He touched her shoulder before going to the door. She nodded to him. "Moving out. Stay close if you want to live."

Samara and Grunt followed. They moved, keeping Jack covered. Michael sniped the ones he could, Grunt smashed the ones he couldn't, and Samara watched their backs while they watched Jack's. She was wise enough not to say aloud that she was there as Jack's backup. Truth was, Michael really didn't think she'd have to be.

They had to pause to deal with some husks, and he could see a bit of strain showing on Jack's face. She met his eyes. "Let's go, Commander."

More husks. He and Grunt went back to back as Samara shielded Jack. How the hell many of these things were there? He really didn't want to know the answer. Every husk was a human colonist they'd already failed.

Jack was starting to pant. "I can see the entrance. Need to..." She kept moving. "Get there..." One foot in front of the other. "Soon."

A few feet from the entrance, Jack started moving faster. They were most of the way there when more collectors started to push. "Hurry, Shepard." Jack yelled.

Samara moved in, getting the door open. Dammit, the collectors were going to follow them through when -

Jack roared, flaring her biotics. The shield expanded, throwing the collectors and seekers back. Then she turned and almost casually strode through the doors.

"That's my girl." Grunt punched his fist into his hand as he followed a step behind her.

Michael let out a small laugh before following. He certainly couldn't fault the krogan's taste in women.

#

Garrus took a hit. Tali rushed to his side as Michael returned fire. The doors closed. Michael turned toward Garrus, only to see the turian on his feet and nodded. He patted Garrus's shoulder before he reached for his comm. "Joker, are you at the rendezvous point?"

"I'm here, Commander. Chakwas and the rest of the crew just showed up." Objective A was complete then.

EDI echoed Joker. "Mordin's group just arrived, Shepard. No casualties."

"Excellent." Miranda smiled. "Now let's make it count. EDI, what's our next step?"

"There should be some nearby platforms that will take you to the main control console. From there you can overload the system and destroy the base."

"Commander? You've got a problem." Didn't he always? "Hostiles massing just outside the door. Won't be long until they bust through."

"A rearguard can defend this position and keep the Collectors from overwhelming us. I'll take a small team with me, and the rest of you stay here with Garrus." This time, he gestured at Miranda to follow him. He didn't need her here second guessing Garrus. He gestured for Jack to follow him as well. "The Collectors blindside their targets. Hit and run. As powerful as they are, they're cowards. They've never had to stand and fight the best of us. That's you. I don't know if they can feel fear, but we're damned sure going to give them the opportunity. Hit them hard. One way or another, it ends here."

#

Part of him wanted to pace. Last time he'd been in anything close to this, his team had all died. He felt eyes on him, and looked up, expecting to see Tali. Instead he saw Samara smiling down at him. "Um..." Garrus clicked his mandibles.

"The Commander shows excellent judgment in leaving you in charge." She inclined her head to him.

The last traces of uncertainty seemed to flow out of him. "There is a reason we follow him."

"Yes." She nodded. "There is."

#

"I'm really starting to dislike these things." Michael growled. The air in front of him glowed blue as Jack created a barrier to shield him. He exhaled, took aim, and put a round through the giant husk.

The platform started moving again. "This is it. All the tubes lead to this spot." He touched his comm. "EDI. What can you tell us? What are they doing?"

There was a pause before EDI replied. "The tubes are feeding into some kind of super-structure. It is emitting both organic and non-organic energy signatures. Given these readings, it must be massive." The thing started to come into view. EDI confirmed his worst fear. "Shepard. If my calculations are correct, the super-structure is a Reaper."

It was an insult. "Not just any Reaper." He narrowed his eyes. "A human Reaper." This was what they had murdered countless colonists to create? It looked like the skeletal top half of a human, though one crafted by a mad sculptor. It was wrong.

"Precisely." EDI's voice replied just as their platform docked. "It appears the Collectors have processed tens of thousands of humans. Significantly more will be required to complete the Reaper."

It boggled the mind. "What do the Collectors gain by turning humans into this..." He shook his head. "Reaper shell?"

"They may be facilitating the Reaper equivalent of reproduction." Okay, that was an entirely new nightmare. "Or it may serve another purpose. I do not have the data to speculate further. However, it is clear that the Collectors are merely pawns. The technology and ability needed to create this Reaper is not their own."

"Creepy as fuck."

"For once, I agree with Jack."

Michael nodded as EDI continued. "It is likely that different species construct each Reaper. In this case, the Collectors provide the labor."

"It's too big for our guns. EDI, find me a way to blow this thing to hell." And the factory with it.

"The large tubes injecting the fluid are a weak structural link. Destroying them should cause the supports to collapse, and the Reaper to fall." As soon as she spoke, shields came down over the tubes. Delightful.

From his left came the sound of more Collectors. "Give us a minute, EDI. We've got to take care of some old friends first."

#

He tossed Jack a grenade. She caught it with her biotics and flung it at some oncoming Collectors. Miranda focused her efforts on bringing down shields, allowing him and Jack to be more effective. Shrapnel exploded near her, but for once her ass was armored. He sniped the Collector that had nearly hit her.

Jack threw the body of a collector at another, knocking it off the platform. "Shepard, how you doing on ammo?"

"Getting low." He fired again, then caught the ammo she tossed him. It had some Collector guts on it, but at the moment, he wasn't going to complain.

The shields revealed the tubes again. "Jack, the tubes." With a shout of rage, Jack flung another dead collector into the tube, causing it to burst. Michael shifted, tossing himself to the left and firing into one of the other tubes. It exploded. Two down, two to go. "Miranda, right."

She overloaded the shields of the large collector, and he shifted his fire, blowing through the heatsink on his rifle. He switched it out for another.

Miranda moved back to his position, letting him cover her as she applied some medigel to where a shot had penetrated part of her armor. When she caught him glancing at her, she nodded. "Just a scratch, Commander." She exhaled. "We're in a bad way."

"Nah, we're fine." When she looked up at him, he shrugged. "No underworld deity is going to risk having both you and Jack come in at the same time."

"Ugh." She rolled her eyes, then nodded. "The tubes."

"Jack." Calling her name was unneeded, she was already unleashing hell. He snapped his rifle to his shoulder and did the same.

They watched as the abomination collapsed and fell into the trench below.

#

"Shepard to ground team. Status report." Garrus, be alive, or I'll kill you.

"It's Thane." The drell's voice responded. "We are holding, but they keep coming. A quick exit is preferable."

"Head to the Normandy. Joker - prep the engines." Michael walked toward where the women were waiting with the ordinance they'd brought. "I'm about to overload this place and blow it sky high."

"Roger that, Commander." A moment later, Joker's voice came again. "Uh, Commander? I've got an incoming signal from the Illusive Man. EDI's patching it through."

Miranda adjusted her omnitool, and a hologram appeared. "Shepard. You've done the impossible."

"I'm not finished here yet." He kept working. "This base is ten minutes from extinction."

"Wait. I have a better option." Oh? This should be good. He kept working. "I'm looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse would kill the remaining Collectors, but leave the machinery and technology intact. This is our chance, Shepard. They were building a Reaper. That knowledge, that framework, could save us."

"I came here to destroy it." And that's exactly what he was going to do. Though it would be interesting to learn the Idiosyncratic Megalomaniac's agenda. "But if you have another idea, I'm listening."

"We've won a single victory. But we're still at war. This base will give us the technology we need to fight the Reapers."

If it were Hackett in front of him, or even Anderson, making the same argument, it might have held weight. His eyes flicked to where Jack stood. TIM couldn't be trusted with this power. "Maybe it's for the best."

"Seriously?" Jack actually doubted him. He was a little hurt by that. "Shepard, he's a user, just like the Collectors."

"Your crew needs to understand that billions of lives are at stake. Leadership means making sacrifices. You'd know that better than anyone, Shepard."

If TIM actually thought picking that moment to remind him of Ash would help, he was laughably and pathetically wrong. Ash would be handing him the grenade right now. "We do understand. Far better than you ever will." He turned back to the mainframe. "We'll fight and win without it. I won't let fear compromise who I am."

"Miranda, do not let Shepard destroy the base."

"Or what?" Miranda's voice was calm. "You'll replace me next?"

"I gave you an order, Miranda."

"I noticed. Consider this my resignation."

God dammit it, it had happened. He was finally starting to like that woman. He should have asked Chakwas for a vaccination against that very occurrence. TIM was still ranting as Jack handed Michael the detonator. "Think about what's at stake. About everything Cerberus has done for you. You -" Miranda hung up on him.

"Let's move." Michael stood. "We've got ten minutes before the reactor overloads and blows this whole station apart."

It was over.

The platform creaked.

Dammit.

He really should have known better.

#

"Find its weakpoint!"

"Does it have a weakpoint?"

"Everything has a weakpoint!" Michael growled. "Shoot it in the childhood trauma or something."

A moment later, one of Jack's grenades detonated, making the thing shake. "The eye seems more effective." She smirked at him.

"Concentrate fire on the eyes." He obeyed his own order, upping the power on his sniper rifle to its maximum and aiming at the eyes. Miranda focused her efforts on keeping him shielded rather than fighting, letting him concentrate on dealing damage.

Flames started to erupt around its head, and then it fell. He had a split second to be relieved, and then it started taking the platform with it. Why couldn't anything be easy? He caught himself and saw Jack start to slide past him. He caught her and pulled her to safety. The platform lurched again, and Miranda started to fall.

Michael dove, sliding, catching her wrist as she went over the edge. He hauled her back to safety and was grateful he was wearing armor as she landed on his midsection. The platform tossed them all into the air again as it crashed into the side of the chamber.

He groaned, then got to his feet, tossing debris off him. He moved to where Jack was laying and saw her start to stir. He pulled her to her feet, then went looking for Miranda. He had to pull debris off her, but she managed to get up too, abet gingerly. "Do you copy? Commander? Come on, Shepard, don't leave me hanging. Do you copy?"

"I'm here, Joker. Did the ground team make it?"

"All survivors on board." He permitted himself a sigh of relief. "We're just waiting on you."

Swarms were coming toward them. Great. He heard a voice. "Human, you've changed nothing." They started running for the exit, shooting as they went. "Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater."

"Why doesn't this fucking place have a volume control?" Michael shot another seeker.

"That which you know as Reapers are your salvation through destruction."

Oops, not that way. That way had collectors. He grabbed Jack's arm and pulled her down another tunnel before pushing her ahead to lay down cover fire.

The Normandy came into view ahead, and Joker fired a couple shots for them. Joker stood in the airlock, actually holding a rifle. He was going to revoke the pilot's leather seat privileges for that. Jack leaped aboard, followed by Miranda.

Below his feet the station lurched again, increasing the gap to the airlock. Michael snarled before leaping. He caught the edge of the airlock, and then Miranda and Jack each had one of his wrists. The two women hauled him into the airlock, then Joker hit the button to close it.

#

Michael looked back at his crew, then moved toward the cockpit just as Joker slid back into the pilot seat. He stared out of the viewport as the Normandy dodged debris, then nodded in satisfaction as he watched the base explode behind them.

#

He had to lift a little debris out of his way to get into the command room. Michael touched the comm.

"Shepard. You're making a habit of costing me more than time and money." TIM crushed out a cigarette. The man no doubt intended it to be a threatening metaphor or some shit.

"I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you." He shrugged. "I'm getting a lot of bullshit on this line."

"Don't try my patience." TIM glared at him. "The technology from that base could have secured human dominance in the galaxy. Against the Reapers and beyond."

It was kind of the man to confirm he'd made the right decision. "Human dominance, or just Cerberus?"

"Strength for Cerberus is strength for every human." TIM stood up and his holographic image walked closer. "Cerberus is humanity." He pointed at Michael. "I should have known you'd choke on the hard decisions. Too idealistic from the start."

He'd been called a lot of things in his life. Idealistic had never been one of them. "I know what you are, and the price of dealing with you." Michael glared right back. "We do things my way from now on. Harbinger is coming. And he won't be alone. I'm going to make sure we're ready when they get here. You can fall in line or step aside, but don't get in my way."

"You sure that's what you want?" For a brief moment, TIM looked like his father. "You're taking a hell of a risk, Shepard."

He'd just come back alive from a suicide mission, and not for the first time. TIM really was deluded. "Joker, lose this channel."

#

He walked through the ship, observing the repairs. It was starting to look good again. His crew looked back at him, nodding respectfully. It took him a moment to notice that Cerberus logos had started vanishing from uniforms.

Joker handed him the report with the information EDI had managed to pull from the platform. It showed different types of Reapers. They still had a lot of fight in front of them.

Michael looked up again. His crew, his family, were watching him. He smiled.