Gathering
Ventress checked the surroundings. Lieutenant Angeles was on the other side of the camp observing it. The Eden Prime Colony had gone dark. They were now here to check on it. Cerberus presence has been confirmed. They would soon attack and retake the camp. Hopefully they would be able to find anything. She missed Obi-Wan through the connection of the force she could feel him slightly. Not much but enough to know he was alive and missing her.
"Commander, we are ready. Moving in." The assassin jumped down the rock she was sitting on. Scouting the camp she found dead marines. As she checked a terminal someone pressed a muzzle against her head. "Don't move." She didn't wait and ignited her lightsabers. Cutting through the surprised attacker she warned the Rangers. "Cerberus on scene. Stay put."
She began her deadly dance.
On the other side of the galaxy Deviss oversaw the search for an obelisk. The K-Kompany had split up. Two experienced platoons were put under the command of Bly. The missing two platoons were replaced with the Cur'val-Dar clones. They were stationed as scouting the Terminus System while the K-Company under Bly searched the council space. For better distinction they had numbered the unit. Bly had the platoons K1 to K4. Deviss had K9 to K6. K5 was the reserve unit which would remain on the ships.
Bly was busy supporting the turians of the 1st Regiment on Digeris. The heavy walkers provided fire support for the turian ground forces while the 327th circled around and took out the reaper-reinforcements. The AT-TEs' mass driver cannons punched right through the brutes. Two juggernauts transported the wounded back to the evacuation zone.
Bly took a shot to his chest as he shielded General Secura. "Bly!" "I'll live." he coughed. Galle got down next to him and checked the armor. "Shot didn't punch through."
Erik fired another burst at the last brute. The concentrated fire irritated the reaper. It didn't know which one to attack. A sniper round from Ashley ended the beast.
"General Victus?"
"Commander Shepard."
While Jane talked to Victus Rex checked in with Echo. "How's the ship's status."
"Kind of stabilized, Sir. We don't know what happened but we managed to isolate the cause in the AI-Core. Just can't get in there. Also General Tano's Astromech is probably in there. She didn't want to tell us what happened but assured to work on her side." "Tell Arseven to hurry up. We've found the new Primarch and are returning soon."
After Victus said goodbye to his troops he joined them. Fives called Hawk who touched down with open slide doors. As they entered the doors slid shut and the gunship left the moon.
Before they went to the war summit there was one more thing they had to investigate: Eden Prime.
Landing the shuttle they found the team at the digging site. "We found a living Prothean." James said. Jane looked at him. "What? I like Asari and I read their articles."
Liara analyzed the device. "I can't open it. Cerberus has damaged it while extracting it. We need the codes to do so." "We found some files but we can't decipher it. We need someone who can understand the prothean language."
John and Jane looked at each other. "Show us." They said.
Getting the codes was an easy task for the two Commander Shepards. However it was the intensive rush of information that exhausted them.
When they returned the 13th Platoon had already moved out to help the Eden-Prime-resistance. "Torrent-Company" James couldn't help himself but to ask. "Doesn't a company has about 150 soldiers?"
Jesse looked at the marine. "The 501st Legion has suffered a lot of losses during the clone wars. Torrent-Company was nearly wiped out three times. We are what remains of the original Torrent-Company." "We weren't with our brothers when the Company was nearly wiped out the first time. We were still in the medbay. Coric is one of the last survivor from Teth. Kano over there was on Ryloth scouting when it happened the second time. "
"Sorry I asked." "No problem. I overheard your sparring with Commander Shepard. She punched you into the ground when you told her about your loss. If you want to talk, We're always there." Hardcase reassured him.
Suddenly Cerberus forces dropped from the sky. The Atlas mechs began attacking but the AT-AP just shrugged the fire off. The mass driver cannon fired its projectile at the first Atlas, punching through the main armor. The blaster cannon on top needed two shots: One to wear down the shields and one to take out the cockpit. Jane rushed into battle against the soldiers. Her nova catapulted the Cerberus-soldiers apart Throwing out a shockwave she threw the survivors over the cliff.
Kaidan smiled. "Remember me to never piss you off."
With a hiss the pod opened. "Remember for us it has been over 50.000 years. For him it has been..."
"Five seconds!..."
Ahsoka watched as the prothean collapsed. She felt a void in the force. The urge for revenge. She knew better than to stop this one but she would try to direct his rage at the right people.
"Asari, human, turians. I am surrounded by primitives." He looked over to the Cobras.
"Clones? Supersoldiers? Togrutas? What happened to this galaxy?"
John looked over at them. "We should talk somewhere save."
After returning to the Normandy they set course for the war summit. It was a shame that the Asari refused to come. Especially in times like these it was important to stay united.
John went to the AI-Core. Echo and Chief Engineer Adams stood at the door. Both had fire extinguishers ready. Kenny opened the doors. Smoke came out. Fearlessly Echo and Adams moved in. While the chief Engineer turned the sprinklers off Echo looked at the shadow in the fog. He dropped his extinguisher and pulled his pistols out. "Is there a problem, Commander?"John recognized the voice. "EDI? You are in Dr. Eva's body." "Yes. While I tried to download the memory a back-up unit came online and tried to hack me. Thanks to this little droid who connected and confused the AI I managed to regain control. I had to focus nearly all my processes against this AI." John laughed. "Let Adams check the programming. I have to deal with our Prothean guest."
While John took care of their Prothean guest Jane went to the conference room to negotiate the talks. Ahsoka changed into her jedi attire while Erik remained in his armor.
"The krogan is in no position to make demands!" Dalatrass Linron exclaimed.
"The krogan has a name: Urdnot Wrex. And I'm not just a Junkyard-Varren you unleash whenever you're in trouble." He looked at Shepard. "I have my own problems. Reaper scouts have arrived on Tuchanka."
Victus stopped him. "We're under us here. I know war. Tell me what you want in exchange for your help."
"I'll tell you what I need..." He made a dramatic pause. "A cure for the genophage."
Erik disassembled his sidearm while he listened to the following argument between Shepard and the salarian.
Ahsoka tried to speak up but she was drowned out in the heated discussion.
Erik sighed and began to reassemble his gun. Shoving the mag in with a laud smack and doing a brass-check got the leaders' attention.
"This discussion is getting us nowhere. People are dying out there while you talk about formalities. I can sense that although Wrex hates you for the genophage, he isn't going to wage war over it. There is a species at stake and It is my duty as a jedi to keep them alive. If you go against him, you go against me. And with me you go against the Republic." She went for a threatening approach. "We are getting these women and if you try to stop us I'll order every single trooper to shoot salarians on sight. No questions asked."
Victus decided to increase the pressure. "And I'll be the last friendly turian you'll ever see."
Linron hated this young girl. "The females are on an STG-base on Sur'kesh. But I warn you Commander. The consequences of this will be felt for centuries to come."
"And that will still be a better alternative to what happens if the reapers win." A new voice boomed through the room.
John stood next to the prothean. "Meet Jarvis. The Avatar of Revenge of the Prothean Empire. He's on our side."
"We're going now. The Republic will oversee the exchange as a neutral party." Erik declared.
At the same time an emergency call came in. The comm officer, Traynor, analyzed the signal.
"Commander. The Grissom academy is under attack."
"Aren't academies closed during war?" John asked.
"Yes but The Grissom academy is a special one for talented students. Talented as an asset for the military."
"Is there something we can do?" Jan asked.
"Maybe. A turian freighter responded to the call but something didn't seem right. I and EDI checked it and discovered an anomaly."
Before anyone could ask the obvious question a new person entered the room.
"It is the same signal that lured us to the collector's trap."
"EDI?"
EDI lifted a hand and watched it. "Yes. Cortez was so kind to equipme with a spare gun. This little one has modified it for a lot more punch as she stated." She patted R7's dome.
"Are you planning to go anywhere?" Traynor asked.
"The Normandy isn't perfectly equipped for all kinds of Situation. This platform could provide ground support."
"I trust your judgment, EDI. Just don't be surprised if people don't like you. AI, remember?" Jane said.
Ahsoka looked at the galaxy map. "The 13th Platoon could evacuate it. They are close."
John looked at the map. "I send a boy there. David Archer."
Arseven beeped and Ahsoka nodded. "My ARC-170 starfighter is in the cargo bay. R7 could fly you and two squadmates there and later take you back to the Normandy. "
John hugged her. "Thank you!" he and R7 left for the elevator.
Jane looked at the jedi. "You made my brother happy. Its good to see him really smile in this mess."
They dispatched the Kodiak as for a change they entered a peaceful zone. Deciding on the bad condition of the krogan females Ahsoka decided to remain on board the ship and let the medics go with the alliance. Coric, Kix and Erik filled into the shuttle where EDI and Liara joined them.
As they approached the landing pad Wrex told them about the situation on Tuchanka.
He was surprised to meet EDI but was fine with her. Kix and Coric were going through their gear.
The salarians claimed that they had no landing permission. "Let's see them stopping a krogan drop."
Jane sighed as he jumped.
John arrived at the Red Montana. The flagship of Catherine set course for the Grissom Academy. He took Javik and Garrus with him. It had taken him a long discussion to persuade Javic of coming on board of an AI-controlled fighter. Landing on the battleship he had joined with the Rangers.
The NRW had already performed a micro-jump to the Grissom-Academy and drew Cerberus' attention. Now the Red Montana jumped. It reappeared right next to the station. It's large hull shielded it from cross fire. The hangar doors opened as the FV-22s began to release the Rangers.
Kelly landed with her collegues Morgan and McCord in the auxillary hangar and linked up with John. "Commander Shepard? Platoon Sergeant Kelly. We are aour contact to the other Rangers.
Bly went through the reports while Aayla delivered the obelisk to the politicians. After evacuating a Shadow-Broker team from the Krogan DMZ and the turians of the 1st regiment the Republic had gotten quite the reputation. Waiting for the elevator he overheard a man talking.
"Excuse me, Sir. Is there a problem?"
"My son Bilal. His squad returned from a mission on Benning without him. None of them can tell me where he is. I don't know if he's alive or not. Please. I need to know about his whereabouts. We want to know of we can wait for him or should begin grieving."
"I'll look what I can do." Bly checked with his mission log. Indeed there had been a report of attacks on Benning. Alliance forces had been attacked and pulled out. He looked on his map. They could deploy to it on their way to Attican Traverse.
He informed Aayla about it. The Twi'lek agreed with him. She stayed close to him as they proceeded to the Consular ship to get back to their fleet.
Mordin urged Jane to hurry up. Cerberus attacked the base while they were down here talking.
Kix and Erik had decided to go into the transportation area to ensure the krogan's health.
As they activated the elevator there was a surprise. "BOMB!" Coric shouted. They reacted immediately and jumped away. "Everyone okay?" Jane asked.
"I'm good." Liara said. "Fully functional." EDI confirmed. Coric simply stood up and checked his blaster. "Charged." he said.
The headed over to the emergency exit. Climbing up they reached a balcony. Salarians were holding it but suddenly smoke evolved the area. Major Kirrahe met up with them. "Ways blocked."
"Any way to get through?" Jane asked. "You could say so." the Major said as he fired his scorpion at the Cerberus blockade. The bullets stuck to their armor and the ground. The explosion took several of them out. Kirrahe used the distraction to seek cover. A team of Cerberus-techs came and set up turrets. EDI used her skills to hack the turrets. The weapons turned around and killed their surprised owners. "Remember me to never us an electronic device if EDI's pissed." Liara muttered.
"Don't worry, doctor T'Soni. I will tell you if I plan to conquer the galaxy." the android joked.
"Watch out! Cerberus!" Coric shouted and switched to thermal vision. Aiming his blaster he fired at them. Jane charged into the smoke and used a nova to clear it away. A biotic punch threw one into the wall where he splashed into a mess. Liara used a singularity to pull the occupants of the second shuttle out and drop them into the deep canyon. Around the corner two Cerberus soldiers were killed by a Yahg. "Look, there's the next shadow broker!" Jane joked. "Not funny." Liara said dryly. Coric didn't waste time with jokes as he bypassed the fire.
John had led his team to Kahlee Sanders. Now they were passing through the academy. They had met a young student and sent him back the cleared corridors to Sanders. In the next room which looked like a class room he spotted a datapad. The style the teacher used was familiar but he didn't know who it reminded him of. A student ran across and was shot. Garrus rolled over the table and fired at the Cerberus soldiers. As soon as Javik and John secured the room he checked the student for a pulse. "We lost her." In the next room they found another student. They applied medi-gel to her wound which would have killed her in a few seconds. Sending her back to Sander's office they continued towards the Orion hall. In the way they destroyed the Cerberus Computer, giving Sanders a little bit of control back. Storming the hall they were surprised to see Subject Zero: Jack.
The biotic threw the Cerberus-soldier around. When an Atlas appeared she blocked his shot with her powers. John and Garrus used their armor-piercing ammo to shoot the joints, making the mech immobile. Javik fried the pilot with his biotics melting him into a green puddle.
"I knew Sanders asked for help but that the king of the boyscouts would come." She hugged him. "All good. But I have to ask: You as a teacher?"
"What would be a larger pain in the ass of Cerberus as to know that their subject escaped andhelps their enemy and they can do nothing about it." she retorted. Kelly checked the students for wounds while McCord analyzed the computers. "Miss Sanders? Do you have full control?"
"No." He worked on a few wires and connected two others. "Now?"
"Good. I'm in. Okay. I'll try to deactivate the jammers and lock Cerberus out of our repeaters for the long-range communication." McCord tried to reach his fellow Rangers but they were probably too busy to reply. "Miss Sanders what's the status on the 13th?"
He heard tapping on a keyboard. "They have taken the hangar but are now pinned down in the terminal next to it by two Atlas mechs. You need to hurry. Through the garden and up to the tech department. After that you cross two rooms. Go straight to the terminal."
McCord thanked jer before rejoining his team. "Rangers need back-up. We can flank them. Through this set of doors and always in that direction until we hit them."
John nodded. "We go in below and draw their attention." Turning to Jack he said. "Keep them on the balcony. Do as much damage as you can."
Erik worked on the krogan as fast as he could. She was stable but her stress level was abnormal high. It didn't help that Cerberus constantly tried to kill them. Kix was mixing a tranquillizer. They had called for back-up but the Normandy was busy fighting off the Cerberus-cruiser. Luckily EDI was able to tell them about hostile shuttles to come.
Joker was glad John had ordered the new Thanix cannons. They wore the shields down and at the last moment he fired the Javelin torpedoes. Behind him the krogan and salarian ships engaged the fighters. For diplomatic ships they had heavy weaponry. In a short moment they dispatched the LAAT/i with Ahsoka and her boys on it.
Coric fired at the group ambushing the freight lift. A flash grenade had impaired them and Jane was already cutting through them. EDI only used a pistol but her aim was 100%-accurate. He guessed that she would even hit her target if they supplied her with a sniper rifle, outfit it with a larger mag and a full auto mode.
His mag ran dry and he took cover to reload. Next to him Liara took a graze. He dropped his rifle and fired his sidearm into the soldier. While EDI covered them he cleaned the wound and bandaged it. The robot grabbed a soldier hiding behind a table by simply piercing her arm through it and threw him effortlessly into a cage of varrens.
While the four hold Cerberus back Kirrahe used the console to authorize the transfer.
"Last station. See you on the landing pad, Shepard!" Mordin said. Getting to the next level was easy. Climbing up a ladder they arrived on the landing pad. Beating the surprised Cerberus-soldiers there they authorized the release. Just as the shuttle touched down an Atlas dropped out of the sky. The shuttle pulled away but the mech was still there, attacking the pod. Coric stumbled as the shot hit them. "Shields are failing!"
Then a familiar sound filled the air. "Calvary is here!" Out of the open door Ahsoka jumped down from the gunship. Her lightsaber cut through the armor and damaged the reactor. She landed as the mech exploded right behind her.
When the container was set down on the landing pad Kix and Erik helped the krogan down. Wrex offered his hand to her but she ignored him. Then two Cerberus-soldiers landed behind them. Rex immediately fired at them from the gunship making his first kills during this battle.
Jane grabbed the surviving one. "Who told you about the female. How did you slip past the STG?"
The soldier groaned in pain. "Commander Shepard." Jane recognized the voice "Sergeant Gardner?" "Call me Rupert."
"Medic!" Kix and Coric immediately went over to stabilize the man. Different to the other soldier Rupert Gardner didn't receive any visible husk-implants.
The two clones transferred the wounded into the gunship where they took care of him.
After the garden John discovered two Cerberus-soldiers talking to three students protected by an energy shield. He fired his sniper rifle at the one on the right while Garrus took out the one on the left. Javik secured their back as they approached the students. "I'm Commander Shepard. Alliance Navy. I am here to help."
"I didn't believe the first one. Why should I believe you?" the girl retorted. Before Shepard could say anything the second boy in the shield asked: "Square root of 912.04 is...?"
John remembered the mission back then. "30.2"
"Hello, Commander Shepard."
"David, you know him?" the boy asked. David nodded. "He and his sister saved me from Cerberus and send me here. Since then I have been counting." "Counting what?" John asked. "The numbers of days my life has been prolonged by you." David explained. He then recognized Garrus. "I remember you. Normandy Crew. I'm sorry."
"No permanent harm done." Garrus assured him. "Biotic students are topstairs. Join them." Kohn send the students off.
Continuing down the hall. They surprised a Cerberus-technician trying to hack the academy's systems. While Javik took care of him John and Garrus stormed up into the terminal. The took position behind the monument in the middle and fired at the closest Atlas. John's disruptor ammo tore away the shield while Garrus' armor-piercing rounds drilled through the protective plates in the back. The second one budged under the fire of four rockets hitting critical systems. Both blew up in a fireball when the reactor melt-down.
Morgan fired another bolt at Cerberus. The Rangers have finally broken free of Cerberus and had defended the hangar the hangar. Their VTOLs hovered in and took the students on board. Armor flooded the hall and secured their retreat. Of the biotic and the techs everyone survived. He recommended the team to be placed at the frontline. With Jack as the commanding officer it would be a great asset. Joker teased her whether she would wear a uniform or just tattoo the new rank onto her.
After Mordin declared that he needed time to create a new cure for Eve as he called his patient.
While Jane made a social visit with Eve Ahsoka and Erik stood over the galaxy map and coordinated the fleets.
"Bly was on Benning evacuating civilians and beating Cerberus. They are clearing out for the alliance to get in. Deviss has probably finished scanning this side of the Attican Traverse. He will be heading to the other side and continue in the outer council space.
While they talked John established a connection. "Grissom academy is safe. I'll be heading back to the Citadel with the UST-fleet."
"Wait, John. You might stay where you are." Jane came into the room. After talking to Eve and to Chakwas about Rupert she had talked to Wrex and Adrien.
"We have multiple problems. Wrex asked for assistance in a problem. A scout team didn't report back. They were over here on Utukku. John, use the starfighter to get there and meet up with Grunt." Ahsoka looked at the map and updated Commander Bly's location. "Aayla Secura is the closest one we can spare at the moment. She'll meet you there."
Jane continued. "The turians crashed a platoon on Tuchanka. They need exfil and possibly help with their mission."
Erik nodded. "Place is crawling with Reapers. I suggest we go in stealthy and bail them out. I and the clones can take care of it. I am more concerned about the Cerberus activity around this space artillery."
Ventress got into John's line. "I'll be over there soon. How about it Ahsoka. A little girl time? Just us and a few bad guys?"
Jane approved the mission. "So to the matter at hand. When we arrive on Tuchanka the cure will probably be ready. Wrex and the woman will surely come. I'll go down there with Liara and EDI.
Mordin will insist on coming. Can you spare your two medics?" she asked Ahsoka.
The togruta nodded. "Kix and Coric can go. They can protect Eve and take care of her medical needs at the same time. Takes a load off doctor Solus shoulders"
Finally found the old chap. Had to change some plot details I wrote back then so it would fit as a sequel to SWTC:SOF. Please review. Anything is appreciated from compliments to (understandable) complains (with given reason) and constructive criticism. RSC-1995 over and out.