Far side of Treyarmus, several hours later…
Joker: -To EDI- Are you sure that they haven't detected us?
EDI: Absolutely, the planet covers our emissions.
Joker: Okay, okay. It's just they are taking too long. -Complaining- Ah, the wait is killing me.
Suddenly, the sensors whistle and flicker. EDI begins to analyze the data that the beacon placed on the other side of the planet sends.
EDI: Colossus presence confirmed.
Joker: -Perplexed- But, it's not alone… It is coming with the four cruisers?!
EDI: I don't understand it, how have they done it?
Intrepid two: -The Trafalgar's pilot takes part- Intrepid leader, the enemy outnumbers us widely, should we continue with the plan?
Joker: We've come for the Colossus, if we leave now we won't stop it at Antaeus. Follow me!
With the Normandy heading the assault, the Alliance ships come out from behind the planet catching the yahg unawares. Protected by two cruisers at each side the Colossus advances over Treyarmus. The assault group goes directly towards it.
Joker: Aim at the first cruiser on the right! While we don't have the shipyard's thrusters in reach we will attack its escort!
They all respond affirmatively. The cruisers open fire on the frigates, but the Alliance's ships maintain their course while making rolls to avoid the shots. The side batteries of the shipyard don't have them in sight yet.
EDI: Enemy in range.
Joker: Fire now!
The shots of each frigate's main battery hit the cruiser on prow, and among the five they make it burst in a shining blaze.
Joker: Be careful with its cannons! Everyone line up behind me!
The assault group changes to row formation in order to cover the right side of the shipyard. The mass accelerators are incapable to hit the agile targets. After going past by the remains of the downed ship the Normandy ascends up to place over the capital ship, while the other cruiser borders its destroyed counterpart laterally. Two gates located in the upper part of the Colossus open and fighters begin to go out, setting the assault leader as their target, but the frigate after the Normandy destroys two and the rest many others.
Pegasus Leader: Advanced fighters keep coming out, Intrepid Leader.
Joker: Understood, stay close to the frigates.
When they have moved away three kilometers the flotilla swerves throwing itself against the fighters which chase them.
Joker: Elude the fighters and concentrate fire into thrusters four and nine!
The ships obey and Thanix cannons fire. Some shots impact on enemy fighters. They too open fire and bring down the shields of the last frigate of the group.
Intrepid five: I'm taking damage!
Valkyrie Leader: We cover you.
Valkyrie squadron relocates and shoots down all enemy fighters which were attacking the frigate.
Intrepid five: Well done, Valkyrie.
After repeated shots from the Thanix both thrusters explode. This time the flotilla goes under the shipyard to avoid the advanced fighters which keep coming out from the hangar.
EDI: We have fifteen fighters on our back and their number is increasing.
Pegasus Leader: Fire intensifies!
Joker: We'll divide in two groups to reduce their pressure! Intrepid three, five and Pegasus squadron with me! Intrepid four and Valkyrie squadron with Intrepid two! We will attack its stronger side!
Intrepid dos: Aye, aye, we go out through port side.
At several kilometers away from the Colossus the Alliance's flotilla divides and each group makes a large radius turn in the horizontal plane of the shipyard going to opposite sides, forcing the fighters which are pursuing them to divide too. However, the enemy keeps attacking steadily, the frigates constantly maneuver to avoid the shots.
EDI: If we follow an optimum trajectory to use the Thanix cannon against the thrusters we'll be an easy target. We have more chances of survival if we use torpedoes.
Joker: -The kinetic barrier deflects several shots- You're right, but we'll have to get closer if we want to hit them! Fortunately they pass through shields too. All ships, we switch to torpedoes!
The Normandy finishes the turn and goes towards the Colossus making evasive maneuvers to keep the shots away.
EDI: Turrets within range!
Joker: Let's use it!
The Thanix cannon opens fire scorching several turrets in a single volley.
EDI: That cruiser is getting ready to block us!
Joker: -With great confidence- No way!
The main gun of the Normandy roars again, and the guns of the frigates which follow it join. However, the cruiser fires its mass accelerators seriously damaging one of the ships.
Intrepid three: I lose my shields!
Pegasus seven: Direct power to them! You have many enemies behind!
In a few impacts more the kinetic barrier yields and Intrepid three is consumed in a violent explosion.
Pegasus Leader: We are within range of their point defenses.
Joker: Don't launch them yet! We need to get closer to avoid interception!
Pegasus squadron and Intrepid five respond in unison.
EDI: Now!
Joker: Torpedoes launched!
Immediately after launching them he swerves towards prow putting the ventral area of the Normandy in parallel to the side hull of the shipyard. The systems indicate that some torpedoes impact but the rest are destroyed by the GARDIAN defenses before they can reach the target. The Normandy draws the heavy fire of the capital ship's side batteries and the shots fully hit their own cruiser. A blaze comes out from inside it, but it seems the ship still resists.
Joker: Wow! They feel the danger! If they don't care about friendly fire to take us down then they're getting desperate!
Intrepid two: Intrepid Leader, we haven't destroyed the thruster, we need other passing to eliminate it. Have you achieved it?
Joker: No, we weren't lucky. Only half of our torpedoes have hit the target. We'll go back!
The Alliance flotilla repeats the previous large radius turn maneuver, but this time a contingent of fighters catch the group of Intrepid two unawares with a frontal attack. The frigates resist, but they lose their escort squadron.
EDI: We're entering the atmosphere. The Colossus is preparing for the discharge, it is retracting sensors and weapons to avoid damages.
Joker: Good, without GARDIAN defenses we have a problem less to worry about. Intrepid two! Let's try to get rid of some fighters! After launching the torpedoes go towards the front of the shipyard and we'll pass each other above it!
Intrepid two: Understood!
EDI: Plotting synchronized trajectory.
Around the Colossus lightning begin to jump.
Joker: Fire!
This time all torpedoes hit their target. Thrusters six and eleven do not resist and explode.
EDI: Do it, Jeff!
Joker waits for the last moment to turn and make a sudden ascend passing over the shipyard. After him his squad follows and they cross above the second team at a very close distance. Several yahg pilots do not see the deceit coming and they crash into each other.
Joker: That's it! Good work!
Both groups turn going to the rear part of the Colossus. Suddenly, a great lightning comes out of the shipyard towards the planet. It will not take much more time to discharge the drive core enough to jump to FTL speed.
EDI: We're running out of time!
Joker: We need more firepower! Regroup!
The two squads join at several kilometers behind the shipyard and thereupon they execute a sudden turn of 180 degrees to charge against it again. The frigates use the Thanix cannons to vaporize as many fighters as they can while they approximate to their target. Even with its propulsive power considerably reduced the Colossus does not seem to lose too much speed.
EDI: It's getting ready to pass to FTL speed!
Joker: Concentrate torpedoes on thruster two!
The discharge of the projectiles eliminates the thruster. Alliance ships pass over the Colossus and it suddenly disappears below them, with the three cruisers and all the fighters.
EDI: I hope that having destroyed five is enough.
Joker: Yes… Let's return with the Third.
-O-
Arnius: That was the last.
The computer beeps demanding attention.
Shepard: Our transport has finally arrived. Let's go.
When the door of the hangar opens Javik meets them.
Javik: Commander. -They shake hands- As no one was waiting for us I thought we had arrived too late. -He finds strange to see only them- And Liara? Did she stay on Thessia?
Shepard: -Frustrated- No, an old enemy has captured her. We have to rescue her.
Javik: Then let's not waste more time. Come.
The four come near the ship, a freighter of somewhat exotic design. Next to the main airlock three hanar are waiting.
Hanar captain: -Trying to hide his excitement- Commander Shepard in person. These ones are captain Oszol and his two officers of the Peaceful Traveler. They hope to be helpful to the great hero.
Shepard: The mercenaries we face have captured my wife. If you could take us to them I would be very grateful.
Hanar captain: It is pleased to collaborate. Where they should set course?
Shepard: Arnius?
Arnius: Let's see it in the cockpit.
-O-
Meanwhile, on board of Tazzik's frigate…
Liara: You fear me. -Tazzik looks at her scornfully, but he passes over the comment-. That's why your sniper drugged me, to capture me avoiding confronting me… -He tries not to pay attention to her, but he is getting irritated- And even so you needed others to do the dirty work.
Tazzik: Silence!
Liara: -Aggressive- What do you want me for?
Tazzik: You will give me the control of your entire network.
Liara: -Defiant- Keep dreaming.
Tazzik: I didn't expect your help, I only need your biometric signals to access to the server. Luckily the mistake my lieutenant made when destroying that refugee's ship didn't end your miserable life.
Liara: As merciful as usual… You'll never find what you are looking for.
Tazzik: I already did it. It's on Lusia. I'll have what I want very soon.
Liara: Shepard will stop you.
Tazzik: I really doubt it, they won't leave that planet. And even though they succeeded… -He observes her carefully- No. Your look betrays you. -He makes a pause- You didn't tell him where you hid the secrets of the Broker… Nobody is going to rescue you.
-O-
Later, on Antaeus…
Admiral Singh: Status report.
Yeoman: The first thermal signals have entered the sector. We're trying to identify them, but thanks to the assault team we know they are not the cruisers.
Gunnery officer: As for the target, the Colossus still has seven intact thrusters. We don't have much margin for errors, but we can destroy them.
Admiral Singh: Good.
Yeoman: It's done. According to the scanners, the enemy ships are… -disconcerted- shuttles.
Admiral Singh: Shuttles? Do you mean Kodiaks?
Yeoman: Yes, but… they emit too much heat, as if they do it on purpose…
Admiral Singh: -He realizes- Cerberus redesigned them as decoys. It fits their tactics, deceive to avoid direct confrontation…
Yeoman: What do we do with them?
Admiral Singh: Shoot them down once they are in range, I don't want them to hinder our sensors in the middle of the battle.
Several ships leave FTL travel not too far.
Yeoman: The enemy fleet has just arrived to the system.
Admiral Singh: It's the time.
Yeoman: Fighters are coming. Half of them leave the fleet, they are going forward to attack us.
Admiral Singh: Send five squadrons of fighters to encounter them. The rest of the Third will hold the position until we have the Colossus' thrusters in range. Remember that it is the main objective.
The assault group appears near the entrance point of the shipyard.
Joker: Well done, EDI. We have them exactly where we want. Attack!
The flotilla pursues the Colossus while the Alliance fighters catch up the ones of the enemy and they get mixed up in a dogfight. Soon they confirm the expertise of the yahg pilots, there are numerous casualties in both factions. For their part, the fighters which stayed to guard the shipyard throw themselves against the team commanded by the Normandy. Suddenly, fifteen Cerberus' cruisers appear through the relay with a large number of fighters.
Yeoman: Enemy reinforcements!
Admiral Singh: That's why they were hiding from us… They were just gaining time… -Staying calm- Reposition the right flank and move it to defensive formation.
The cruisers of the Third maneuver and point towards the relay. Frigates and corvettes place themselves with the ships which form the exterior cordon to stop the fighters. The interceptors regroup round the dreadnought, next to the carriers, while the F-61 Trident stand near the defensive line to use their torpedoes against the yahg cruisers. The rest of the fleet holds the position.
Gunnery officer: The target will be in range in two minutes.
The assault group breaks the formation to avoid the fighters which go towards them while they approximate to the thrusters.
Joker: Get ready to launch the torpedoes!
EDI: Escort cruisers are reducing their speed, they are preparing to defend the thrusters.
Yahg reinforcements begin the attack to the heart of the Third. Many of their fighters can't cross the defensive line constituted by the frigates, but their GARDIAN systems are soon overwhelmed and they succeed. Those which have penetrated go towards the SSV Logan. Quickly the interceptors throw themselves against them before they get too close, but some torpedoes start flying near the dreadnought.
Gunnery officer: The Colossus is in range!
Admiral Singh: Fire at will!
The first projectiles of the Third reach the shipyard, and although its shields endure they will not do it for long. A yahg fighter hits the armored gate of the carrier SSV Christopher Columbus with a torpedo, but the armor resists, and to avoid further risks a frigate places itself before it to operate as an anti-torpedoes defense. Meanwhile, after dodging the cruiser which was interposing between the assault group and the Colossus, the Alliance frigates hit the target.
Joker: One thruster less! Go, go!
The kinetic barriers of the Colossus finally fall and the shots of the mass accelerators of the fleet impact on their target. The Alliance cruisers cause moderate damages, nothing compared to the devastating firepower of the Kilimanjaro class dreadnought. Soon another thruster falls. The yahg understand that they have to eliminate their greatest threat and the reinforcements go towards the SSV Logan. The cannons of the shipyard also concentrate fire on the ship of Admiral Singh.
Yeoman: Their pressure on us is increasing. Our shields are at seventy percent and falling.
Gunnery officer: They've just gone through the middle point of our shooting sector.
Admiral Singh: Begin the pursuit!
The Alliance fleet gets moving to have the Colossus in range. One of the yahg cruisers of the escort tries to blockade the shots, but it falls before the artillery barrage. By doing this it leaves the necessary space to hit another thruster more, which catches fire and explodes. The assault group goes forward the shipyard and turns their course upside down to attack the thrusters again. Suddenly, a seriously damaged yahg cruiser immolates against the flagship of the Third fleet causing a huge explosion. Some Alliance cruisers stop to contain the rest of the enemy ships. Inside the SSV Logan fire begins to propagate but the fire extinguishing systems quickly control the situation.
Admiral Singh: -He stops holding on to the panel on which he had clung so as not to fall- What the hell was that?
Yeoman: A cruiser has crashed on us!
Admiral Singh: -He gets calmness back- Damage report.
Yeoman: -She starts reading the screen of her computer- We have no shields, there's an enormous hull breach which pierces three decks, we are losing power, there is a leak in the reactor, our thrusters are not responding… The ship has not fallen yet, but if they do that again…
Admiral Singh: Understood. Officer, put me with -he interrupts him-.
Communications officer: We've also lost communications. I've already sent technicians to repair the systems, but they will take a long time.
Yeoman: -Frightened- Sir…
Admiral Singh: What happens?
Yeoman: Another cruiser is coming directly towards us…
The yahg ship, a few meters from the SSV Logan, splits in half as it is hit by repeated streams of molten metal coming from the assault group. By seeing the critical situation of the dreadnought Joker decided to leave the pursuit to save the lives which are on board one of the most powerful ships the Alliance has. When they have cleared the surroundings and resume the hunt the Colossus loses the ninth thruster, as some ships of the Third continued the attack, but without the armament of the Kilimanjaro and the frigates flotilla hounding it the ship manages to escape through the relay. After the flight of the Colossus the other yahg ships hurry to leave the sector, suffering heavy losses in the retreat.
-O-
Javik: Yes, I found strange that the ship stopped in the middle of nowhere, so I went to the bridge, where I found out that they had picked up a distress message. Just when I was going to come back to the cabin they managed to make what it was saying understandable and they immediately set off. As I know you they let me contact you.
Shepard: And how have you been on Kahje? I guess that many hanar were surprised to see an enkindler.
Javik: Yes. Many came to talk with me… Too many.
Shepard: What were you looking for there?
Javik: I was trying to reminisce. The remains of my civilization made me remember things… Before going back with Liara I sought to visit more places which belonged to my people, so I got this transport. I wanted to help her as best as possible to write her book.
Shepard: I'm sure she will appreciate the detail.
Javik: We'll rescue her. No doubt.