A/N: Let's meet the Collecters

Chapter V

Horizon

"You got balls to just tell people off like that." Jack said referring to Ahsoka's earlier treatment of Zaeed.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Ahsoka said tinkering with the piece of metal again.

"What are you working on?"

"A lightsaber."

"A what?"

"It's a weapon I used to have. A blade of super-hot plasma that can cut through anything, but I'm still missing a few key components. Mainly a crystal."

"If you tell Shepard what you need he could keep a look out for items you need."

"I want to do it myself, but I have placed a requisition order for a sword."

"A sword? You're gonna take a knife to a gun fight?"

"In my hands a sword is just as good as a gun."

"Miss Tano."

"Yes EDI?"

"Your order has arrived. It is waiting for in the Armory."

"Thanks EDI. Talk later?" Ahsoka asked Jack.

"Maybe."

The Armory...

"Ahsoka. Here's the weapon you ordered. An odd choice for this kind of work." Jacob said handing her a case.

"Maybe," she said opening it and picking up the contents, "But it suits me."

She now held a 3 foot long one-sided Monomolecular Blade in her right hand. She twirled it before holding it in reverse grip.

"You know those can easily be broken by gun fire." Jacob said.

"Not this one. I had it custom made sending specific instructions to the Illusive Man. It's heavier than the ones used by your Phantom soldiers, a side-effect of the blade being reinforced. It's a tad heavier then what I'm used to. But it'll work."

"You think it's ready for a field test?"

"Yes why?"

"One of our colonies in the Lera System just went dark. We think it's the next target. It would make sense seeing as how Ashley Williams is there."

"Williams? Gunnery Chief Williams?"

"She's an Operations Chief now."

"Garrus told me about her. He said she was a damn good soldier."

"Maybe you'll get to see for yourself."

The Shuttle…

Ahsoka fastened on her armor and hooked her sword to her belt along with two M-12 Locust SMGs, an M-92 Mantis, and a brand new M-22 Eviscerator shotgun. Several were sent to the Normandy as compliments of Cerberus.

"Us against impossible odds. Just like old times." Garrus said testing the scope on his sniper rifle.

"Pretty much." Shepard says putting on his helmet.

"Do you always fight an enemy you know almost nothing about?" Ahsoka asked.

"More often than not." Shepard said cocking his M-8 Avenger before the shuttle landed.

"Mordin, you sure these armor upgrade will protect us from the seeker swarms?" Shepard asked drawing his M-8 Avenger as they ventured into the colony.

"Certainty impossible. But in small numbers should confuse detection, make us invisible to swarms… in theory."

"In theory?" Ahsoka asked.

"That sounds promising." Garrus said.

"Experimental technology. Only test is contact with seeker swarms. Look forward to seeing if you survive."

They saw several winged creatures approach.

"Take cover!" Shepard said.

"What the hell are those?" Ahsoka demanded. She was surprised when one shot a particle beam at her. A laser?

She drew her sword and tilted it at an angle, deflecting the beam back at the Collector cutting it in half.

Then she jumped out from cover deflecting bullets back at the Collectors.

"Okay that was awesome." Garrus said.

"Don't get comfortable." She said sheathing her sword on her back and drawing her SMGs as they made their way through the colonly.

"More bugs!" Ahsoka said as more flew in and she began shooting.

She suddenly heard a "RAAAGH!" before something grabbed her.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" she screamed looking at a grey monstrous face before half of it was blown off by Garrus.

"Holy shit! Was that…a Husk?" Ahsoka asked, visibly shaken.

"Sure looks like it." Garrus said.

"So the Geth really did get those spikes from Sovereign. But we haven't seen any which means they aren't using the colonists." Shepard said.

"Living victims?" Garrus said, "That's grim."

"This Husk is different, more advanced."

"That's not good." Ahsoka said. "We better stop the Collectors. Hey look." She said as they came to a staircase outside one of the bungalows and saw frozen colonists. "There in some kind of stasis. Oh my…" she said as her eyes widened.

"Ahsoka?" Shepard asked.

"They can't move, but they're completely aware of everything else."

"You mean?" Garrus asked and she nodded.

"They can see, hear, smell, and feel everything. That's just…cruel."

"We need to stop this." Shepard said.

They fought their way through the colony soon arriving at a bunker.

"Hm… someone locked this from the inside." Ahsoka said.

"I'll override it." Shepard said.

"No need." Ahsoka said and flexed her hands so the knuckles cracked. She held up one hand and the door opened. "I still got it." She said with a smile.

Clang!

"Company." Shepard said and drew his gun. "Step out slowly."

A civilian stepped out from behind some machinery. "You're… you're human. What are you doing!? You'll lead them hear!"

"You hand to hear them trying to get in." Shepard said.

"Collectors don't like to leave anyone." Ahsoka added.

"Those things are Collectors? You mean…they're real? I always thought they were made up you know, propaganda. To keep us in Alliance space. No, no! They took Lilith! I saw her go down! Sten too! They took damn near everybody!"

"What's your name? What do you do here?"

"Name's Delan, mechanic. I came down to check on the main grid after we lost our comm. Signals. Then I heard screaming. I looked outside and there was swarms of… bugs. Everyone they touched just froze. I sealed the doors. Damn it! It's the Alliance's fault! They stationed that Chief Williams here and built those defense towers! They made us a target!"

"Defense towers?" Ahsoka asked, "Would they work on the Collector ship?"

"Maybe." Shepard said.

"You'd need to calibrate the targeting system first. It's never worked right."

"Just tell us where." Ahsoka said.

"Head for the main transmitter at the other end of the colony. Pretty hard to miss. The targeting controls are at the base."

"Stay here." Shepard said.

"Don't have to tell me twice. I'm letting you out but I'm locking the door behind you. I'm not taking any chances. Good luck, I think you're gonna need it."

"Let's save this colony." Ahsoka said.

"There's the tower." Ahsoka said when they found it. She started to relax for a second, but then she said. "Wait." She looked around a slowly drew her sword. Then they heard a terrifying moan. "Husks! And those big ones!" she said.

Ahsoka grabbed an incendiary grenade and threw it at the Husks before she threw another the Scions. She stuck her sword in the ground and drew her SMGs mowing down the Husks with inferno ammo.

Shepard and Garrus took down one Scion and Ahsoka threw her sword at the last and it went right through its skull.

"I think that's an improvement." She said as she removed her sword from its face.

"Normandy do you copy?"

"Joker here. Signal's weak, Commander, but we got you."

"EDI, can you get the colony's defense towers online?"

"Errors in the calibration software are easily rectified. But it will take time to bring the towers to full power. I recommend a defensive posture. I will not be able to mask increased generator output."

"Oh that's fine. We'll just sit down and have sociable drink with the Collectors." Ahsoka said.

"Got any other helpful tips?"

"Just one, enemy reinforcements are closing in. I suggest you ready weapons."

Ahsoka drew her sword and held it in a reverse grip, Garrus drew his sniper rifle, and Shepard cocked his assault rifle.

"We got a glowing Collector here!" Ahsoka said as the Collectors began to land.

"Stay sharp!" Shepard said.

They managed to hold their own against the Collectors until the towers were ready.

"Towers at 100%"

"FIRE!" Shepard shouted.

As the towers barraged the Collector ship they sent out something new to greet them.

"What the Hell is that?" Ahsoka demanded before it shot at them. "Whoa!"

"That thing's got barriers and is heavily armored."

"I'm really starting to hate the Collectors!" Ahsoka said.

When they managed to drop its barriers she threw the last of her inferno grenades at it and it disintegrated.

Ahsoka let herself fall down, breathing heavily. Suddenly they felt the ground shake as the Collector ship took off. I need a drink when we get back to the ship.

"No!" Delan said appearing. "Don't let them get away!"

"It's too late. I'm sorry." Shepard said.

"Half the colony's in there! They got Edgan and Sten and… and Lilith!"

"What do you want me to do? That ship is huge!" Shepard said.

"You did all you could Shepard." Ahsoka said as she sat up, still breathless.

"Shepard…I know that name. yeah, your some kind of big Alliance hero."

"Commander Shepard." Ashley said walking up to them. "Captain of the Normandy. The 1st human Specter. Savior of the Citadel." She turned to the mechanic. "You're in the presence of a God Delan. Back from the dead."

"All the good people we lost and you get left behind, figures. I'm done with you Alliance types." Delan said walking away.

"I thought you were dead Shepard." Ashley said holding out her hand. "We all did."

Shepard shook her hand. "I was. Cerberus spent the last two years and countless resources to bring me back."

Ashley looked shocked and took a step back. "You're working for Cerberus? Garrus too? I can't believe the reports were right."

"Reports? You mean you knew?"

"We thought Cerberus might be behind our missing colonies. We got a tip this might be the next one to be hit. I went to Anderson but he wouldn't talk. But there were reports that you weren't dead. Worse, that you were working for the enemy."

"They're just funding my mission. I don't answer to them!"

"Do you really believe that? Or is that just what Cerberus wants you to think? What if there working for the Collectors?"

"Damn it Ash!" Garrus said, "You so focused on Cerberus you're ignoring the big picture!"

"I can see you won't listen to reason." Shepard said.

"You show up after two years and tell me your working with Cerberus? Sounds like you left reason behind a long time ago. Doesn't matter, I still know where my loyalties lie. I'm an Alliance soldier it's my blood."

"She's Ashley Williams? You sure?" Ahsoka asked.

"What the? Who the Hell are you?"

"Ahsoka Tano. And if you're really Ashley Williams, I'm disappointed."

"What the Hell? You don't have the right to judge me!"

"And you don't have the right to Judge Shepard!" Ahsoka shouted, "He just saved half this colony!"

"That doesn't mean he needs to work for Cerberus!" Ashley countered. She was shocked Ahsoka burst out laughing.

"Sorry," she said breathless, "Let me… breathe. Now, last time I checked the Alliance and the Council has decided," she cleared her through and continued in a very good Sparatus imitation, "Colonies really are disappearing. Let's just sit here on our asses and pretend nothing's happening. Look," She continued in her normal voice, "I know what Cerberus has done, we don't trust them, but we don't have choice. Any good soldier would keep an open mind."

For a second Ashley didn't say anything then she started to walk away. "I'm reporting back to the Council. Let them decide if they believe your story."

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" Ahsoka asked, Ashley ignored her.

"Goodbye Shepard."

Normandy bridge...

"I expected her to be at least a little understanding." Ahsoka said not looking away from her monitor. She had talked Joker into letting her copilot.

"Yeah well, she was always solid in her beliefs."

"So was I once. Until the people I believed didn't believe me and threw me to the wolves. So I'm very careful about who I trust."

"Who do you trust?"

"Currently? Garrus."

"Just him?"

"He has had my back for 2 years. But I'm starting to trust you, Shepard, Chakwas, and a few others."

Suddenly he Omni-tool beeped, "Oh, excuse me." She said and went to the starboard observation room and called up the video-phone. "Yes?"

"You called me asking about a certain type of crystal?"

"Yes, have you found anything?"

"I can tell you where to find them, but you'll have to retrieve them yourself."

"Deal."

A/N: Sorry about the crappy battle scenes