The tunnel was wide, steep, and stank of earth.
And it was dark.
So far the tunnels of the dig site had been illuminated by several spotlights dug into the floor, revealing chambers clearly emptied of whatever the archaeologists found interesting before the tunnels continued in a spidery web of interconnecting passages.
They hadn't found many bodies so far, the odd dead mercenary, a few dead scientists, each one checked by a Shepard constantly hurrying them on, intent on finding the apparently still alive Liara T'soni. The number of corpses had dropped as of late though, until there were none, yet the sounds of firing weapons that they had heard echoing ahead had continued unabated, leading the group onwards, and now into a tunnel clearly going far down, making Tali wonder how far below ground they were.
And it was so damn dark...
Tali kept her steps careful as she moved down the steel stair, happy that she had the wall of armour of Ashley, Michael and Wrex ahead of her, if the Geth tried to attack from the darkness ahead they would have found it difficult...
Of course she also knew there were no Geth in the immediate area, her glowing omni-tool continuously scanning the area ahead, searching for any Geth signatures with a program she herself had made.
Then why take out the lights if not to ambush us? She shot a worried glance to her right, past the focused-looking Kaidan and to one of the lamps fastened to the side of the wall, the bulb itself was smashed apart, the shards of glass like small stars as they reflected the light of her omni-tool.
Tearing her gaze off the sparkling reflections Tali looked back ahead, finding nothing but further darkness ahead. How far does this tunnel go!
"I don't like this." Ashley muttered ahead of her, the woman's gun sweeping left and right, stance professional, yet carrying a clear tension in it. "They have to be preparing something, why else take out the lights?" A pause, then the woman shrugged. "Though on the other hand they can't really know we're coming, we took out those at the top without any getting away."
"Actually..." Tali nearly bit her lip, her own voice sounding painfully loud in the darkness. Just a play of the mind, pay it no mind. She still lowered her voice as she continued though: "...they became aware of us the moment Joker took out that cruiser, all Geth within a certain distance are linked." Simplification, but go with it. "So they knew we were coming, and they know we're here after we took out the Geth on the surface."
"Huh." Ashley replied non-committally, her shoulders clearly showing that she was pondering the information, then she shrugged. "So why haven't they hit us yet then? God knows that there are Geth before us."
Tali shook her head and shrugged, then realised that the marine scanning the space ahead couldn't see that. "I don't know..."
Silence, save a thumping sound ahead.
Kaidan's rough voice took over, the pleasant voice lacking some of its usual calm as he muttered: "Well if they know of us, and still have two cruisers in orbit, I wouldn't put it past them to be dropping reinforcements on the ground behind us to pursue. Those ahead...well they might be busy trying to get to Liara..."
Many eyes glanced at Michael, but the man said nothing as he continued, only Tali apparently seeing the answer in the way the man's steps tensed ever so slightly. He already knows all that...Keelah...I hope he has a plan...
"Do you hear that?" Glancing to her left Tali found Garrus holding his sniper rifle close to his body as he cocked his head to the side, listening.
Wrex's voice was but a low growl: "You mean the thumping? Or the lack of gunfire?"
"Both." Garrus replied, the rifle in his hands coming into ready-position, aiming over the head of the three soldiers ahead in a vain effort to spot a target. "I don't like it."
With a growing pit of worry in her gut Tali realised that she too couldn't hear any further gunfire. Did the Geth overcome the defenders? Or are they planing something else? She could also clearly hear the thumping, a dull sound of metal striking metal. A thump, then a three second pause, and then a thump again, like a clock. Or Geth, filthy machines...not for the first time Tali wished she could spit as she had seen some humans do, but she held back the impulse, there was no reason to stain the visor with anything but Geth fluid after all...
Further ahead she saw the ground, the tunnel ending in what had to be another chamber, a dark chamber... Keelah...
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Kaidan muttered, he too seeing the end of the tunnel, his eyes narrowing.
A small snort escaped Ashley. "Of course the jedi had to say that."
Je-di? Tali blinked, the word not one she understood. Kaidan did however, the man glowering at Ashley's back, the woman clearly chuckling under her breath. "How many times do I have to say it? Being a biotic does not make me a-"
"Silence." Michael's order was low, hard, and final.
The entire group, tensing, as if before a plunge, held their weapons tightly as they inched towards the opening ahead...
"Storm forth and into cover on my mark." Michael didn't look neither left or right to hear confirmation, already know the group would do as they were told, and trained, to do.
Ahead the thumping sound was suddenly followed by the groan of bending metal.
"Mark."
As one the group lunged, leaping the final feet to the exit of the tunnel.
Tali felt a rush run through her as she came out into what had to be a large chamber, though most of it was hidden in darkness. Underneath her feet there was yellow sand, and ahead there was a number of low rock formations sticking out of the sand, those further back far larger then those closer to the group. The large chamber was also inclined, the group having entered on the bottom and looking up at a slight hill leading to...
Keelah...
Dropping behind a low stone ridge Tali felt her heart pound as she saw the source of the thumping sound.
While the lights had been killed all around the chamber there was a single one still working at the far end of the chamber, right at an entrance to another area of the dig...that had been blocked by two large sheets of metal leaning against one another and the wall. The thumping sound emanated from the sheets as five Geth, pressing close together as one, rammed into them, only to immediately step back and repeat the tackle, making the sheet to the right slowly bend under the impact as the animated battery ram again and again slammed into its centre.
We can handle five. Tali stretched her arm out past her cover, aiming at the tightly packed group, finding the rest of the team doing the same as they silently prepared to destroy the Geth in one salvo...
And then her omni-tool beeped out a warning.
"Look out!" The shout barely escaped Tali in time as she jerked her arm back, a powerful sniping shot smashing into the ridge before her, just missing her arm.
The wide chamber came alive with scrapping sounds, white lights of activating Geth suddenly glaring out from the darkness at all sides, down at the group ducking low behind their cover as the opening salvo of the ambush nearly tore them apart.
Pressing herself low and against the cover offered by the small ridge Tali glanced down at her omni-tool, mouth going dry as she saw the many dots of activating Geth surrounding them from three sides. Several further back, snipers probably, and to our left... With the loud barking of firing weapons Tali's warning was a pitiful sound in her own ears: "Incoming Geth on our ten!"
She forced herself to rise above her cover, flinching as a stray pulse shot fizzled against her shield, and saw half a dozen Geth break out from the dark outline of a boulder to come charging at the entrenched team, a Juggernaut, its eye glowing red, leading the way with long strides. They're coming too fast! She waved her free arm at the Juggernaut, her omni-tool instantly picking up the order and sending a pulse forth, making the shield of the large Geth explode into white light even as the following shot from her pistol bounced off its shoulder.
"On it!" Kaidan barked, the man rising to his full length from a small boulder to Tali's left, his entire body aglow with dark blue light as he pulled both hands back...and then struck them forth, hurling a ball of energy the size of Tali at the charging Geth.
The Juggernaut was pulled off its feet with a cry of protesting electronics...and hurtled back into the arms of the five following it, sending all six crashing to the ground in an undignified heap.
A roar...and Wrex hurtled from his cover, the shotgun in his hands jerking, making the chest Juggernaut at the top of the pile explode into a gaping hole. A hole the charging Krogan stepped right through as he with storming feet crushed the other five Geth without stopping, his great bulk disappearing into the darkness with another flash of amber light as his shotgun caught an unsuspecting Geth off-guard.
"Vakarian, focus on enemy snipers." Michael, somewhere to Tali's right, snapped. A burst of assault fire...and there was a cry of dying electronics of a felled Geth. "Williams, plug the hole on the left."Another burst of fire. "Tali'Zorah, hack enemy sniper."
Her stomach tightened with fear at the order, but she forced herself to stand, to find one of the distant white lights. Feeling horribly exposed she found the white light of a Geth sniper looking at them from atop a boulder on the still ramming Geth's right. Please don't shoot me... She forced her eyes not to screw shut as her fingers swept over the controls of her omni-tool, drawing up the proper program. It felt as if it was looking right at her. Please don't shoot me... She struck her hand out, trying to aim the pointing finger right even as she felt her whole body tensing with fear. Don't shoot me!
Ahead, the white light of the Geth's eye turned blue. Yes! The red light of the Geth snipers beam weapon turned downwards...and with a crack ended the white light of one of its compatriots ahead as it shot it in the back of the head.
Then there was a second crack of a Geth sniper...and Tali clutched at her chest.
"Kaidan's hurt!" Ashley cried out even as Tali dropped onto the sand, her hand clutching an unwounded chest, trying to get her heart to stop racing after its near stop. Keelah...I thought...Kaidan! Swinging her head round she saw Ashley holding Kaidan's hand with her left hand, dragging him back towards the tunnel as she held her assault rifle with her right, steadying it under her armpit and spraying shots wildly while struggling with the male's weight.
Kaidan's right hand still clutched his pistol, the slow limb moving to fire the odd shot even as blood welled up from his chest.
"Covering fire." There was a strain in Michael's voice, but it remained cold as three quick bursts were fired out from the man inching backwards, covering the bleeding Lieutenant with fire and his own bulk "Williams, treat Alenko, Vakarian, up front."
Ahead something exploded, momentarily illuminating Wrex, the Krogan looking like some ancient monster as his silhouette slammed the barrel of his weapon into a Geth, lifting it of its feet before blowing it apart with a boom of his shotgun.
Next to her Garrus dropped into cover, the Turian looking up at her with a grin. "Having fun yet?"
Fun! Tali blinked at the Turian's insensitive comment, then thought better of commenting and simply leaned past the cover to put a bullet in the far too close eye of an approaching Geth that had scented the blood for a kill too soon. "Just destroy them!" Her omni-tool glowed...and another Geth ahead stuttered as its gun suddenly overheated, looked down at it, then cried out with a wail of dying electronics as Tali's pistol jerked three times, putting a neat line of bullets into its narrow abdomen and severing it in two.
"This sure beats C-sec." The Turian murmured, sniper rifle rocking against his shoulder as he swiftly came up for a shot. "One down." It jerked again as he leaned far to the left and shot round the ridge. "Two." There was something akin to pleasure in the voice, the Turian clearly enjoying his job. "Ha! Two in one shot!"
Ignoring the Turian Tali glanced back, finding Kaidan's foot just sticking out from the tunnel as Ashley knelt beside him, her hands shaking slightly as they moved with lightning speed to treat the other human. Kaidan was pale, but smiling faintly as he muttered something to the woman. He'll be okay, good.
Wait, where's Michael!
Then Garrus grunted and fell down in front of her.
Tali felt her heart tighten as the Turian crawled closer, right hand still holding his rifle as his left held onto a shoulder now covered in bright blue blood. Seeing her stare the man managed a shrug with his other shoulder even as he pushed himself onto one knee. His voice held a tint of pain, but was mostly casual. "Just a scratch, help me up will you?"
Wincing in sympathy Tali reached up, trying to ignore the way Garrus hissed at her hands pushing him against the cover and how his blood dripped over her left hand.
Then he rested the rifle against the ridge and taking aim, smirked. "Now where did you...there." A crack and his rifle jerked against the injured shoulder, making the Turian grimace, but it was a grimace coloured by satisfaction. "Payback hurts, doesn't it?"
Shaking her head at the crazy man – Turians, warriors the lot of them – Tali instead risked a glance past her cover, doing her best to ignore the way a shot struck her shield inches from her visor with a hiss.
There had been a tell-able drop in Geth fire coming their way, primarily on the left where Tali couldn't see any glowing eyes any more. On the right there were a few, but mostly shadows moving away from them, a few of the shadows collapsing as an assault rifle shooting out from the shadows caught the Geth in the flank.
There! Michael's helmet covered head was briefly illuminated by the light of a Geth's eye as he dropped atop the wailing machine – his eyes alight with cold fury, making Tali shudder – then faded into darkness as a swinging assault rifle tore the head off the machine.
Further to the left there was a dark blue light...and a stuttering Geth flew through the air as Wrex's bulk rumbled through the shadows, ignoring the flying Geth in favour of blasting the retreating form of another in the side.
To the right Michael's assault rifle spoke, and the airborne Geth's chest opened up, raining its insides over the ground even as the others retreated backwards.
She could see them now, a full dozen Geth coming together with those that had tried to break through the barricade, all of them now turning and dropping into what cover they could find as they fired away at the two shadows that had flanked and destroyed so many of their brethren.
They were also standing in the light.
Garrus growled in pain as he fired, the shot taking a Geth in the eye before going on through and opening up a tube in another Geth's neck, sending both to the ground with electronic wails and jerky hands moving towards the lethal damage.
From the darkness where the Geth had once launched their ambush Wrex and Michael fired, taking full advantage of the changed situation to drop a further two Geth into the dust, their white blood staining the ground.
Tali moved her arm, ready to shorten what little might be left of the clustered enemy's shields...only to stop as the metal sheets behind the defending Geth began to glow purple.
What the...?
It was as if the two heavy sheets had suddenly become lamps, bathing the large chamber in purple light. The Geth, too busy defending themselves, didn't react to it, pinned down as they were. Not even when the sheets began to move, pushing up from the sand, as if pulled free by an invisible giant, did they turn their heads.
Then the sheets flew forward in an explosion of movement, heavy and curved the steel plates were probably meant to hold up tunnels...resisting tons of weight...and now they came flying outwards as if thrown by an angry toddler.
Tali watched in wonder and a sick feeling of satisfaction as one of the Geth had its head torn off by one of the massive missiles, another losing its legs at they got caught between a rock and the plate pulling the rest of the machine past its cover, a third simply shattering like glass as it got caught between the edge of a plate and a large boulder.
An orb of purple light, its centre nearly black, followed, arching through the air, only to slam to a stop a few feet ahead of the defending Geth, Geth now going up...
Tali watched, stunned, as the Geth levitated over their cover, the machines madly scrambling in the air, vainly trying to get down as the orb of biotic power pulled them away from the laws of gravity and the security of their cover.
Then Michael's assault rifle spoke up...and two Geth were torn open, their blackened innards spilling out and twisting mid-air as they moved towards the orb of energy above.
A groan to her left...and Garrus fired, ending a third Geth even as Wrex and Michael's guns opened up for all they were worth, tearing through the Geth and their electronic wails. Tali, realising she wouldn't even need to fire, holstered her pistol and stood up to watch as the last Geth was torn asunder.
Then the orb of purple energy faded...and the broken remains of the Geth defenders fell to the ground with a crash of broken machinery.
And behind it all, standing in the doorway of a small tunnel revealed by the thrown aside sheets, a single Asari stood.
Moving forward Tali saw Michael and Wrex do the same, the three eyeing the new arrival with confusion.
The Asari was dressed in a tight-fitting white suit that scientists seemed to favour for some reason, over her shoulders a white smock hung, as if trying to comfort her. The woman's eyes were flicking back and forth, glancing at Wrex and Michael as the two came closer. She was tall for an Asari, but at the moment she looked awfully small as she rubbed her shoulders, head bunched low between her shoulders and blue cheeks nearly purple with what could only be an insecure blush.
And she was still glowing with the energy of her biotic attack.
"Ummm..." The Asari's voice was soft, shaking a little, eyes flicking to Wrex, or more specifically, his shotgun. "...hello?"
"Liara T'soni?" Michael snapped, stepping closer with a lowered rifle, lowered, but ready to be used.
The woman hesitated, glanced down at the dead Geth, then straightened and swallowed. "Yes, that's me. And you are...?"
"Spectre, here to retrieve you." Michael replied, deadpan.
The shoulders of the Asari dropped, her body nearly following as she gasped: "Thank you, I thought that I would...thank you, those...th-things..." She gestured for the dead Geth. "...thank you..."
A snort escaped Ashley, the woman shooting a glance up at the Asari before returning to look at Kaidan's injury as she supported him: "Great, another damsel in distress."
A small chuckle escaped Kaidan at that, following by a cough. "Weren't you that before...?"
"Shut up." Ashley harrumphed, hand coming back to smack the man, before dropping as she thought better of it, instead moving to aid her other arm in holding him up.
Michael ignored the two, his voice cold and harsh, making the Asari flinch: "Those are Geth, know anything about them?"
"Wh-what? No I..." Liara looked around, eyes wetting around the edges as she begun to shake. "I-I don't kn-know what's go-going on..." The blush was fading, the woman rubbing her shoulders as she wavered where she stood, voice quavering: "Th-they came out of no-nowhere, we...I...wh-why did they at-attack? We're just di-digging..."
"Right." Michael turned, ignoring the way the Asari begun to violently shake, letting Wrex step up to help her. "Report, Williams, how is Alenko? Vakarian?"
Turning, Tali found Ashley supporting a Kaidan struggling to raise a thumbs up, and also Garrus leaning heavily against the cover they had used, blue blood running down his right arm. Kaidan's voice was weak, but sounded convinced: "Can keep up sir, even fight..." Ashley snorted, making Kaidan add with an innocent shrug: "...somewhat."
"Vakarian?"
The Turian shrugged, only to wince and clutch at his shoulder, body shaking with pain. "It...hurts more then at first...could need some help..." He swayed where he stood, then shook his head and straightened.
Michael's gaze lingered on the two wounded, then turned back to Liara, the Asari looking ready to faint. "Is there an alternate route out of here?"
"Wh-what?" The woman swayed where she stood, a hand coming to her forehead, blue eyes nearly hidden under dropping eyelids. Wonder how long she has been struggling to survive...?
Michael stepped forth, body shaking with frightening intensity as he grabbed the Asari's shoulders...and shook her, then practically glared into the frightened woman's eyes as he spoke: "Is. There. An. Alternate. Route?"
"I...yes..." The woman shook her head again, voice small as she stared back into the Commander's eyes, unable to look away as she pointed back into the tunnel she had been hiding in. "Right through there...goes to behind a mountain...an emergency exit."
"Why didn't you use it before?" Tali asked, surprised.
Liara managed to turn her head to look at the Quarian, looking a bit...tired, the Asari managed a small shrug: "And go where? The Geth are everywhere...seemed...logical...to stay and fight..."
"It was." Michael snapped, releasing the Asari. "Now it isn't." Once more he stepped away from the Asari, this time she didn't look ready to faint however, only small and quiet as she with large eyes looked at the rest of the group approaching, clearly not understanding. Caught in something she doesn't understand...why does that feel familiar? Tali nearly snorted, thinking of what the Asari's reaction would be when all was revealed, Saren was getting good at making new enemies... "Williams, support Alenko, Tali'Zorah, you are to support Vakarian. Urdnot is to bring up the rear." Michael turned back to the Asari, finding the woman looking up at him with wide eyes. "T'soni and I will take point." Hesitation, then the man taking a step forward, voice softening for but a moment. "You will be safe."
The woman's shoulders dropped with a sigh, relaxing with the realisation that she indeed was about to be brought to safety. He's damn convincing...Tali agreed even as she moved to Garrus' side, ignoring his wince – should have thought of that before you pretended not to feel it before – and watched the man wave Liara to move forth with a curt gesture, other hand already moving to his helmet as he activated the long-ranged comlink.
Standing among the broken remains of the Geth, one hand holding a still smoking assault rifle and the other against his helmet, cold eyes glowing through the visor, he looked like something out of a tale: "Ground team to Normandy, objective secure, we have wounded and enemy in pursuit, need hot retrieval, prepare to drop on my position on my mark."
"Roger that, Commander." Joker's voice crackled.
Then the man waved at the two women supporting their wounded comrades. "Move out."
And Tali moved.
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her input and assistance.