Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect nor Honorverse. I am merely throwing the two worlds together. Any original characters, however, are mine.
You know reading Chapter 7 again made me cringe. I didn't realize how poorly I had written it. Still if I stop, go back and edit it now I'll never get anything done. Oh well. God damn I really made a lot of errors in that chapter, especially misspelling Pinnace. I mean that was just..argh!
Chapter 8: Retaking Faxian
The six Iron Valley Pinnaces flew in a wedge formation as they made their way to their intended goal. Any Turian resistance that came across their way was either met by the squadrons of sting-ships escorting the large craft, or were torn apart by the Pinnaces powerful pulser cannons and missile launchers.
The six powerful ships continued to make their steady way through the ruins of Faxian. Their destination was the beleaguered reproduction center, and with them was nearly a thousand of the best Rangers that the Iron Valley Treecat colony had to offer.
-TED-
"Grenade!" Zaeed Massani shouted as he hurled a grenade at the entrenched Turian position at the other end of the hall. During the last fifteen minutes of fighting the defenders had been pushed from the courtyard and the lobby and were now duking it out on the lower floors. Zaeed himself was in the thick of it, fighting off the major push the Turians were making towards the elevators, the lifeline of the resistance.
There was a satisfying explosion as Turian body parts went flying and Zaeed took the chance to unload his pulse rifle into the Turians who were no longer under cover. With him were several civilians, one of which was a grizzled old woman, supposedly one of the few remaining original Torch slaves, who was blasting away at the approaching turians with every available weapon on hand.
"Gunship!" The elderly fighter called as she continued to pepper the enemy with shots from her flechette gun.
Zaeed grunted as he was given one of their makeshift rocket launchers that the Adams boy had jury rigged for them. It was primitive, chemical propelled, and it took more than one shot to take out a gunship, but it was all they had. Hell Zaeed didn't even want to know where the boy had managed to find the parts he'd needed to make even one of these things, not to mention the other twenty spread out throughout the fighters.
He shouldered the primitive rocket launcher and one of the other fighters loaded the two homemade rockets into the launcher. When the Gunship showed its goddamn face, he fired the two missiles right down the bloody thing's throat. He didn't wait to see if the missiles destroyed it, the damn fuckers tended to back off after being shot at, and shouldered Jessie again, letting the blood thirsty old bitch do her job.
"Sneakers!" the grandmotherly woman, Earnest X, shouted as her elderly eyes strained to keep track of the trio of active camo fighters that were trying to make their way to the defenders position during the lull in the fighting. The Turian's camo was good, but nowhere near as perfect as the stuff that the Manticorans, or heavens forbid the Rangers utilized.
"Molotovs!"
Several of the younger fighters stepped forward and threw the Molotov cocktails that they'd been building ever since the battle for the center had begun. The three turian agents were bathed in chemical induced fire before they were shot down by the weary defenders.
"Zaeed they've broken through the east wing staircase."
"Alright people get into the elevators, we're moving up a floor," Zaeed said as his fighters started to retreat to the elevators. They were steadily losing ground, and Zaeed didn't like this one bit. Sure they were supposed to have received reinforcements, and those reinforcements should be arriving any minute now, but what good would those people be if there was nobody left to reinforce.
-TED-
"Alright ladies you know the drill. We'll be hitting the Turian flank on the west side of the plaza. We've got to save the Sixth's privates." Latoya X said with a grin as her statement was received with a few chuckles. "I want our recon teams to strife directly for the Sixth. Try to draw a bit of their fire and reinforce the Sixth. The assault companies will hit the west side as hard as we can."
"Ma'am what about the Turian artillery?" one of her lieutenants asked.
"We've got a squadron of Claws at our back on this one ladies," Latoya said with a grin. "They'll pick out the heavy stuff, we get to take out the rest." Seeing the Claws in action was probably one of the most destructive things that Latoya had ever seen. It made her itch to either ride one…or ride the gunner of one.
"Hell yeah."
"Enough dawdling. Alright Amazons move out!"
-TED-
Alecto Mraz took careful aim from behind a battered aircar as he fired his pulse rifle at the entrenched Turian position. The Sixth was trapped in the plaza, having boldly, and admittedly, idiotically waltzed into an entrenched Turian position. The Sixth had lost an entire platoon before they had known what had hit them and were now trapped in a stalemate against the entrenched Turian position with no way out. They hadn't expected to come across Turian Artillery at this junction, and apparently they had unwittingly ambushed Turian reinforcements en route to the beleaguered civilian defenders. There was no way in hell the Sixth was going to let them continue.
The intended reinforcements for the Queen's defenders had found themselves engaged in battle all around Faxian. The Valkyries and Amazons trapped in the massive aerial battle overhead, though that seemed to be turning around now that entire wings of Treecat Clawships were pouring in from Iron Valley. Almost all of the aerial battle was taking place in the northern districts were the six pinnaces were making their way with an entire regiment of Treecat Rangers.
Hastily, Alecto ducked back behind cover cursing as he and his squad were being pinned down by Turian fire. The fire lessened as thirty-six recon-configured armored battle suits started to sprint through the plaza at speeds of sixty kilometers an hour. The highly acrobatic combat suits danced through incoming enemy fire and returned fire with their powerful pulser wrist mounts.
Even as these agile warriors distracted the enemy infantry, a squadron of twenty four Clawships screamed down into the plaza, peppering the Turian artillery with kinetic strikes before blasting their way out to rejoin their brethren fighting above Faxian.
Then to compound Alecto's stunned surprise another two platoons of armored suits, this time in battle configuration launched an assault on the Turian's western flank. Their heavier armor, gravitic riot shields, and plasma rifles dealing massive damage to the Turian forces and putting them further into disarray.
With a roar the soldiers of the Sixth charged into the fray, taking advantage of the Turian's confusion and their reinforcements to push the Turians from the plaza. Alecto himself charged forward, he and his squad charging into the fray with pulser rifles firing. Unlike civilian and Marine pulsers, Army military grade darts had the tendency to explode once it made contact, allowing the Sixth to kill a Turian in a two shots where a civilian would have to use four. Once sure the area was cleared he started to make for the rest of the Regiment, until a powerful fist grabbed the back of his uniform and hoisted him up.
Shocked he looked up at the armored Amazon that had picked him up, who had pointedly tossed a rock at the aircar he was going to move near, and he watched as the entire thing exploded. The Turians had left behind boobytraps! He gulped. "Umm..thanks."
"Don't mention it short stuff." Was a gruff feminine reply. He would have said something about how he wasn't short, but this was an Amazon! They were the ladies that nobody messed with, and there was a high chance that he was indeed shorter than the powerful woman holding him up.
He gave the woman a weak smile as he was set down and watched in awe as she moved on. Hell even Shanxi's armored battalions couldn't match the almost feline grace these ladies seemed to have, and they used the same suits! These Amazons were something else.
-TED-
Balin'Reager was a Migrant Marine and damn proud of it. Sure he couldn't take a lot of hits without causing his own death, but that just made he and his fellow marines all the deadlier for it. He was currently crouched down amongst a few of the human civilians as they desperately attempted to stem the tide of Turian forces encroaching on their position.
Initially, Balin'Reager had just been part of the security detail sent along with Admirals Daro'Xen and Shaala'Raan. To be honest the current crop of Admirals were very young for their position, Daro'Xen herself having just returned from her pilgrimage, but they were good people. Although, judging from the actions the two women had done to make sure that the children of these humans survived, they were more than good people. They were Admirals that Balin'Reager was proud to defend.
"Enemy drones. Shoot for the command node in the center," Balin'Reager ordered as he aimed his assault rifle at the incoming spheres the Turian techs had launched. There were several patterns to Turian attacks, and he was rather amazed at how quickly the humans were adapting to them. Instead of ducking into cover, the humans fired a volley of disrupter fire, and those weapons Balin'Reager was eager to bring back to the Fleet. Not only did they cause massive amounts of damage, but being a sonic weapon they bypassed armor and kinetic shields to deal direct damage.
"Balin'Reager, Zaeed's ordered a retreat to the third floor. They've broken through the east wing staircases."
"Alright people, you know the drill. Dead man switches and tripwires. Set them up as we start a fighting retreat to the third floor. Let's move move move!"
-TED-
"Harmony One to Valkyrie leader. We're approaching drop zone. Could you boys give us some cover fire?"
"Roger that Harmony One. Valkyrie flights two and three will give you cover."
"Copy that Valkyrie leader," the pilot of the lead pinnace responded as she and her squadron began to make their way towards the Reproduction Center. She flipped on her intercom to speak to the three hundred and twenty four rangers she was transporting. "Hello boys, we'll be at the drop in five minutes. Get your gear ready and your 'cats situated. We'll be coming in hot."
Her navigator scowled. "Louise prepare for some chop, looks like they managed to cobble together some anti-air turrets."
"It just couldn't be easy now could it," she groused as she adjusted her flight pattern to give herself and her squad enough room to maneuver. "We're going in!"
The six pinnaces and their fighter escorts flew towards the beleaguered facility. Turian anti-aircraft guns and missiles fired, their gunships took to the air and moved to intercept the large craft. Valkyrie flights two and three engaged the gunships, missiles and darts flying as they danced and weaved around each other. The gunship's shields gave them an advantage in defense, but the sting-ships countered that with their higher agility.
Harmony Six took damage to her bridge. The Pinnace began to list as her co-pilot attempted to get her under control. The craft ended up crashing, though luckily the co-pilots attempts managed to save the lives of the troops but the same could not be said for the four people who manned the pinnace.
"I'm in the pipe, five by five. Get the troops ready to drop!" Louise shouted as her pinnace flew into the plaza, laser turrets firing and destroying the nearby AA guns before she cut her gravitic wedge and made to land.
-TED-
Corporal Zawastowski stood at the front of his troops as the passenger bay doors opened. He charged into the fray, gravitic riot shield covering him as his 'cat partner Jumper leapt from his docking bay on his left shoulder to gouge out the eyes of a Turian. "Go go go!" he shouted to his troops as they sprinted their way towards the facility. The pinnace behind them roared to life as it lifted off, drawing some fire before the gravitic wedge could activate. It was soon replaced with the next load of a hundred and sixty two human rangers and their 'cat partners.
His forces took losses. Private Annabelle Lee's 'cat partner Sandrock took a shotgun blow to the chest. In a roar of primal fury Annabelle charge the Turian lines, no longer thinking for herself. The death of a 'cat partner usually rendered a person catatonic. Not so with Rangers, instead the Ranger became an unthinking berserker with only one thought on their mind. The death of the person who killed their partner.
Annabelle's body charged into the Turian position, mindlessly she began tearing apart the opposition, grabbing them in her suit's formidable grip and rending them asunder. She no longer thought to use her plasma rifle, and only thought enough to use her shield as a weapon. The Turians focused their fire on her, peppering her armor before a tech fired a cryoblast to freeze her in place before several others followed up with incinerates, cooking the raving body of Annabelle alive in her suit.
With her raving screams cut off and the building fury of the 'cats in the back of his mind, Zawastowski ordered his troops into the building. They made quick work of the Turians within, what with them not expecting hundreds of armored humans to come bulldozing through their positions. Still Zawastowski could not help but notice the number of Turian bodies strewn about, probably killed by the defenders as they were pushed farther and farther up.
The 'cats started to sneak into the ventilation shafts, to better move throughout the building and ambush enemy positions. It was a risky maneuver, but Jumper was a decent tactician. He wouldn't allow his people to risk themselves unnecessarily. Though he doubted there'd be survivors of those ambushes. Well any that would be alive with their eyes intact. 'Cats seemed to really like going for the eyes.
-TED-
"Take out the biotic!" Balin'Reager shouted as his forces focused their fire on a turian with biotic barriers. The biotics were the reason why they were being overrun. The humans didn't have anything that could counter it, and well there were barely any Quarian biotics, and none of them were part of the Admirals' security detail. The concentrated fire managed to kill the biotic, but not before the Turian had fired a singularity that had several Torchese defenders floating helplessly and at the complete mercy of the Turian forces.
"Bloody bastards," Zaeed grumbled as he threw an improvised grenade into a cluster of Turians. The explosion was lower yield and failed to kill any of them, but the depleted barriers allowed Jessie to get her blood thirsty darts into them.
The fighting seemed to still for a second when Turian screams started behind the Turian positions. The frontline fighters turned back for a moment when a large mech burst through their ranks, in one hand it was wielding a forceblade, and in the other a gravitic shield. It blocked their tech and biotic attacks with its shield as it cut down the soldiers with its energy blade.
The mech whirled around like a hurricane, bisecting any Turian that got into its way. From the vents above the Turians 'Cat horror suits started to drop down into the middle of their defensive positions, grabbing Turians and slicing them apart with their forceclaws. In the enclosed and cramped hallways, melee proved the victor as the fighters clashed.
"Tch, about god damn time." Zaeed said as he looked at the carnage. Blue blood flying everywhere as the Rangers slaughtered the Turian forces.
One of the mechs, splattered in the blue blood of the Turians, walked over once the fighting died down. "Zaeed Massani?" the machine asked as one of the 'Cat suits jumped up onto its shoulder and docked with the suit.
"That be me. What took you so bloody long?" Zaeed said as he glared at the mech.
"We came across some resistance, nothing major. Is the Queen safe?" The mech said, its face plate lifting to show Corporal Jaiden Zawastowski.
"Course she is. Who do you bloody think I am?" he said as he gestured for the soldier to follow him.
"One of the best fighters Lara's Own has ever seen." The man admitted as he followed him. He noticed that hope seemed to blossom on the battle weary fighters as he passed. Though none of them set about cheering just yet. They weren't out of the fire after all.
"So what's the situation out there?"
"The Sixth managed to stall Turian reinforcements and with the help of the Sixth AAB managed to push the Turians out of the shopping district. The Second ARD wiped out Turian forces in the parks and are making their way here to help reinforce this position. Both Valkyrie and Amazon Flights have taken heavy losses but are quickly establishing aerial supremacy with the help of Iron Valley Flight. We have five Pinnaces circling the building ready to evacuate everyone here."
"And what'll happen after the Queen is evacuated?"
"Simple. We'll coordinate for a direct assault on the Turian position in the Industrial district. We're retaking Faxian."
"Good. I've got about a hundred and fifty volunteers that want to see that happen. They fought so fucking hard already, I doubt many will want to bug out before the big show happens." He doubted he'd leave as well, after all Alexis was more than capable of protecting the Queen while she was on a Pinnace heading for the Duke's palace.
"We'll welcome them."
"Not bad for Queen Berry's Militia's first sortie." Zaeed said with a grin.
-TED-
Armored Suits-Battle Configuration: Armored Suits worn by the Marines and Army, the Battle Configuration is the most power draining format of the Armored Suits. Its power source allows it sixteen hours of continuous combat. In Battle Configuration the Armored Suits are equipped with a plasma rifle, gravitic riot shield, and a forceblade sword for melee combat. The suit is capable of maintaining a charging speed of 45 kilometers an hour and are able to jump as high as twenty meters. The suit can maintain active camouflage for ten minute periods.
Armored Suits-Reconnaissance Configuration: Armored Suits worn by the Marines and Army, Reconnaissance Configuration is the least power draining format of the Armored Suits. Its power source allows fourty-eight hours of continuous use. Reconnaissance Configuration comes equipped with wrist mounted pulser cannons and a vibroknife for close melee combat. The suit is capable of maintaining a charging speed of 60 kilometers an hour and are able to jump as high as thirty meters. The suit can maintain active camouflage for forty-five minutes.
Gravitic Riot Shield: Due to the high power drain, Gravitic Riot Shields can only be utilized by Battle Configured Armored Suits. The Gravitic Riot shield is actually a mobile handheld gravity-sidewall that Armored suits can wield in battle. Capable of withstanding everything but directed energy weapons, Gravitic Riot Shields are the primary defense of Humanity's Armored ground forces.
Queen Berry's Militia: A mismatched group of concerned civilians and police forces, Queen Berry's militia took heavy losses during the fight for Faxian in defense of the Queen. After being reinforced by Lara's Own, the Sixth, and the Rangers, Queen Berry's Militia proved vital in the retaking of Faxian.
-TED-
Sorry for the long delay. Just lost the ability to write for a fairly long time. But things have calmed down a bit and I got my desire to write back. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.