A/N: Chapter 5, Therum, lava lots of Geth an armature, collapsing caves, let's see what happens shall we?
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MERRY FREAKIN CHRISTMAS! AND HAPPY FESTIVUS!
Chapter 5: Lava and rocks
"Why would anyone build anything on that godforsaken rock?" Says Kaidan looking at the planet out the window.
"Only half of that planet is rock, the other half is lava." Says Shepard.
"Of course it is." I say.
"Alright in the Mako, let's go people." Shepard ushers us towards the scout vehicle.
He's bringing Tali, Garrus, Ash, and I, Wrex and Kaidan are stuck on the ship, limited space and all that. We pile in Garrus climbing up into the turret Shepard and Ash up in the front, leaving me and Tali in the back, there's surprisingly little room in here.
"Have you ever done one of these drops." Tali asks nervously.
"No, should be fun, jumping out of a space ship in an armored car, why not?" I say sarcastically.
"Jumping out of a spaceship in a tank." Garrus corrects me.
"I refuse to call this a tank, tanks have treads, and really big goddam guns, and more armor, and principally you don't drop tanks out of spaceships." I reply.
"Buckle up we're almost to the drop point." Shepard calls back from the front.
"3…2…1… DROP!" Joker yells over the comm.
Shepard hit the gas and we lurch forward, then we're suddenly hit by a weightless sensation followed by falling, falling, slowing slowing, BUMP. I grunt as we hit the ground and bounce once.
"That wasn't so bad." Says Tali.
"No not really, Jump out of a spaceship in an armored car, check that one of the to do list." I reply sarcastically.
Tali seems confused by this.
"It's a human idiom, the 'to do list' is an imaginary list of crazy things to do before you die." I reply. "I feel like I'm going to be checking off allot more around Shepard."
Well we go a driving along kill a few Geth, and its been a while me and Tali are sitting in the back and its really kind off boring…
"Not much to do back here is there?" I say to Tali.
"No not really, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing though." She replies.
I chuckle. "Yeah, although I'm sure Garrus is enjoying himself." I reply looking up to the turret.
"Oh, Hell yeah." Garrus replies from the turret.
Me and Tali chuckle. Well we eventually reach the point where the Mako can go no farther.
"Everyone pile out." Shepard puts his finger to the radio on the side of his head. "Joker come and pick up the Mako don't want to leave it behind." He nods presumably to Joker's unheard response through his mic. "On me everyone."
I stretch a bit after hopping out and pull out my sniper; I pull the action back to check the clip before ramming it back into place. I hear Tali cock her pistol behind me, and Shepard, Garrus, and Ash all action there assault rifles.
Lock-N-Load
We move forward scanning the area as we go; I see the area where I know the Geth are waiting and get ready. We round the corner and Geth start opening up on us, everyone quickly piles into cover. Ash Shepard, and Garrus near the front while me and Tali are in the back. I set the bipod down on the rock Tali and I are hiding behind. I scan the upper cliff and the towers.
CRACK!
"Rocket trooper down." I say calmly, and action the rifle.
Tali's firing her pistol beside me with surprising marksmanship, but a pistol is still just a pistol and it's not doing much at this range. I plug another Geth in the chest, and scan for another target, seeing none I stand up and regroup with Shepard. He simply nods and we move on.
"Stupid Bosh'tet pistol." Tali grumbles, angrily reloading her pistol.
"Not enough range?" I ask.
"Yeah, it's fine in short and mid-range but I can't do anything at long range." She sighs exasperatedly, it comes across sounding slightly odd because of her helmets filter.
"I could teach you to use an assault rifle if you wanted." I suggest shrugging.
"Really? You would teach me?" She asks shocked.
"Sure, why wouldn't I? If I can help someone be more effective in combat, that increases the chances of everyone else making it out alive." I reply. "Besides it's a good idea to know how to use a variety of weapons."
"Thank you I would appreciate that." She replies.
We kill a few more Geth but nothing much then we reach the tunnel entrance…
"Oh, Fuck isn't there an ar-"
THUDTHUDTHUD!
Several Geth and an armature hit the ground a hundred yards away.
"Oh, SHIT!" I dive into cover as the Geth open fire. We all open fire and quickly take down the troopers but the armature is too tough. I start looking around for some way to get an advantage. I run over to Shepard's position.
"Hey Commander I think it's time we tested out these demo charges." I say.
"You got a plan to get close enough?" He asks reloading his rifle.
"Yeah, I'll climb up that refinery over there and run along the catwalk, I should be able to get close enough to get a charge near it." I reply pointing to the structure made of smokestacks and scaffolding.
He seems to mull it over for a second, ducking as an explosion hits our cover. "Ok, be careful, we'll cover you."
I nod and run off towards the scaffolding. As Shepard orders everyone to open fire. I quickly climb up the scaffolding and roll onto the catwalk, about 15 feet away a Geth trooper is looking out over the battle. He turns and sees me and I have no time to pull a gun.
"LEROOOOOOOOY!" I shout as I charge strait into the Geth bashing him with my shoulder and over the edge of the catwalk.
"I'm gunna feel that in the morning." I jog down to the part of the catwalk that goes over the armature and as I start walking onto it the armature turns and fires a shell at me. I dive forward and the shell hits behind me but causes the catwalk to collapse forward. I slide down it trying to get a hold, grabbing the side as I slide off the end, I find myself face to face with the armature.
"Take this you goddam piece of scrap!" I pull a charge from my armor with my free hand and smack it right onto its optic, and then drop falling about seven feet to the ground, I hit and clumsily roll to spare me some of the impact and book it back towards cover. I dive over and activate the detonator via my Omni tool.
BOOOOM!
I glance up over cover to see a headless armature stagger and the collapse.
"Hehe, Boom Headshot."
"That is not how I planned it but whatever works I guess." I say standing up and looking over to a bemused Commander.
"You ok?" He asks.
"Yeah I'm fine." I say quickly looking over myself, and patting my chest stomach then sides. "Yup it's all still there."
"Alright, let's move." Shepard walks over towards the tunnel entrance.
Tali comes up next to me. "You're crazy."
"Thanks." I reply smirking.
"You're an odd one, are all humans like this?" She asks.
"Nope, Knight here is special." Ash says clapping me on the shoulder.
"Yes yes, I'm perfectly capable of telling Tali that I'm crazy all by myself Ash, Ima big boy." I reply sarcastically rolling my eyes.
"You admit to being crazy?" Tali asks confused.
"Of course! Who wants to be normal? Normal is boring, I like crazy." I reply throwing my arms up in the air for affect.
Tali just giggles and shakes her head. "I wish I knew more people like you."
We're silent again as we get into the bowels of the tunnel. I swap my sniper for my shiny new shotgun and pull the action back and flick on the laser pointer. Two drones suddenly come up over the catwalk and I let loose with the shotgun. The shotgun barks seven times ripping the drones too shreds.
I pull the action and slot another clip in. "I like this thing." I say glancing over the catwalk too where the drones fell.
We ride the elevator down until it dies with a metallic screech. We hop out and see Liara hanging there.
"Doctor T'soni?" Shepard asks.
"Yes, who are you?" She asks.
I turn my attention elsewhere scanning the area. I spot the mining laser and its controls, as well as some Geth that haven't seen us yet. I pull out my sniper and rest it on the railing, I hear a clink next tom me and see that Garrus is doing the same thing. Shepard turns back to us.
"What do you two see?" He asks.
"Several Geth." Garrus replies.
"Take em' down." He replies pulling out his assault rifle.
"I'll get right you get left?" I ask quietly.
"Sounds good." He replies.
CR-CRACK
We both set of explosive canisters killing several Geth, as everyone else opens fire, and… it's pathetic, there all destroyed in a minute.
"Never understood why people leave that kind of hazardous stuff lying around." Garrus says referring to the explosive canisters.
"I'm not complaining, makes our job easier." I reply.
"And more fun." Garrus adds.
I chuckle and nod. As me and Garrus rejoin the group Shepard is fiddling with the lasers controls. After a moment it comes to life and carves a path deeper into the ruins. We move through and shortly come up behind Liara.
"Oh, you got around it! That console over there will release me." Liara says excitedly.
"How do we know she's not working for Saren?" Asks Ash.
"Well, the Geth trying to hill her would be my best hint that she's not." I reply sarcastically, giving Ash a stupid look.
"I'm not my mother! I would never work for Saren!" Liara replies angrily.
Shepard goes over to the console.
"Uuhh… What do I push?" Shepard asks looking utterly lost. I walk over and look at the console too.
"Look for something to deactivate the energy field." Liara replies unhelpfully.
I put my hand over the holographic display and get a sharp shock.
"OW!" I shout pulling my hand back and shaking it, but I see the panel changed and then the energy field cuts out. Shepard gives me a questioning look to which I just shrug. He has a look that says 'whatever crazy shit happens all the time' before rushing over to Liara.
A minute later the ruins start to rumble and we all run over to the elevator, we finally get up to the top, aannnd there's that stupid Krogan, I pull out my shotgun. I just frown as he goes through his stupid rant before attacking us.
I start spraying shotgun shells randomly in their direction as I move to cover. I glance around the corner and the Krogan shooting at Shepard with his shotgun. I pop around the corner and open fire, seven rounds leave the barrel and he turns to me, I pull the action as he starts charging towards me, I duck back behind cover as he runs by, opening fire again with my shotgun this time he has no shields and Ash and Tali start shooting him too. The krogan finally slumps over riddled with holes, I get back behind cover and reload.
"THAT'S ALL OF EM" MOVE!" Shepard yells.
We all start running. "Shit! Shit! SHIT!" Rocks are crumbling all around us, one hits another section of the catwalk and It crumples instantly.
"GO, GO, GO!" Shepard yells.
I take a sharp turn around the corner and start running up the tunnel Tali is in front of me, Shepard and Liara behind, Garrus and Ash up farthest. There's a big shake and Tali stumbles, I grab her under the arm and pull her up.
"Come on no dawdling now!" I say as we run out the end.
The Normandy is waiting nearby Garrus and Ash are already jumping up into the cargo bay, we follow them soon after and I collapse against my workbench, Tali is hunched over next tom me, breathing heavily.
"Whew, We *Huff* made it!" She says still recovering.
"Yeah, escape an exploding volcanic ruin, check." I roll my head back against the cool metal as Tali giggles.
"Thanks for helping me up." She says with a more serious tone.
"Hey no problem, Shepard was behind us he would have gotten you if I hadn't." I reply looking over to her.
"Yeah, I guess I'm just not used to being around people that willingly help me." She replies.
"Everyone in the briefing room in ten." Shepard says moving towards the elevator.
I give him a thumbs up. "Ok boss."
I pull myself to my feet and begin putting my armor and weapons back in my locker, and then head up to the briefing room. They go through the standard spiel and I kind of just block it out in favor of nursing my bruised shoulder. "I guess it wouldn't wait till morning." Liara goes down to see the doctor and I'm about to follow when Shepard stops me.
"Need something boss?" I ask raising an eyebrow.
"What did you do to that Prothean console?" Shepard asks looking me over.
"I have no idea, I was about to touch it then it shocked me, and then it turned off." I reply shrugging.
He seems satisfied that I'm telling the truth and dismisses me, as I walk down towards the med-bay I think to myself "What did I do to that console?" I stop my musings as I step into the med-bay, Garrus and Ash are here as well. Garrus is wrapping his forearm in a bandage, and Ash getting some pain meds from the doctor.
Doctor Chakwas walks over to me and scans me. "You've got a bruised shoulder, and shins as well as a menagerie of other small cuts and bruises." She sighs and motions to a table, I gingerly sit down on it and Ash throws me the bottle of pills. I take a couple Doctor Chakwas hands me a roll of bandages, I've learned that these aren't just ordinary bandages they have medi-gel in them that lasts longer and helps heal injuries faster after battles. I wrap my shins which hurt like a bitch from that fall, and then my shoulder. I say my thanks to the doctor and limp out into the mess, heading over to the 'Vendetron' I press a button for tea, not really my drink but something hot feels right. The beverage the machine produces is a liquid that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea. I also grab some food and sit down, shortly after Garrus comes over with… something on a plate, as well as a bottle of orange liquid that says 'Tupari sports drink'. Hmmm must be some Turian drink.
"So how are you feeling after your first mission?" Garrus asks.
"I feel like I just got run over, you?" I reply.
"Bout the same, what are you eating?" He asks.
"I've got a sandwich, some chips, and tea." I reply.
"What is tea? I've heard humans talking about it but never found out what it is."
"Well its hot water with tea leaves in it, the water saps the flavor from the leaves, it's good for your health, natural and all that, I don't usually drink it but felt like having a hot beverage." I reply taking a sip of the liquid.
"Turians have something similar; strange how all these different race have parallels with each other isn't it?" He asks.
And so me and Garrus have a pleasant conversation about the nature of civilization and space, and eventually come to the conclusion that the universe is a very weird place and that it's much simpler to be crazy and just accept it, than to try and figure out why things are the way they are.
"Well that was an odd conversation, I think that's a good thing though, I'm going to go sleep now, see you around." The Turian replies walking off towards the rooms.
"You know what me too." I reply quickly catching up with him, I climb up to the top bunk and Garrus lies down in the bottom.
"Ok, one mission over and I'm still alive, next will probably be Feros… Yay." I black out into sweet oblivion soon after that.
A/N: Whew I can't believe I finished this today; well consider it a Christmas present.
Next will be Ferros, Feros? However you spell it, but crew interaction chapter first.
Well it's a bit shorter than my chapters have been but I couldn't think of much for this mission hopefully my chapters will get longer as we go.
If you've got questions or whatever PM me or leave a review, I'm open to suggestions and WILL reply to any and all reviews.
Virtual cookies to anyone who caught the Hitch Hikers reference! :)
Thanks for reading and Happy holidays whatever they may be!