The ground was shaking even as the door before her slid open.
Moving forth in a running crouch Tali gripped her shotgun tightly as her head craned left and right to make sense of the scene before her.
She and Garrus had just entered a large room in the middle of one of the long sides, long sides that were at least a hundred feet in length, the width of the room perhaps forty feet, it was hard to tell with the large tanks lining the long sides of the room, yellow-painted tanks covered in warning labels. Opposite their entrance a door stood open, Geth pouring in even as they turned their weapons to bear on the Turian and the Quarian.
The room had no ceiling, nor any wall to the right, which was why Michael had ordered the Normandy to touch down there in the first place Tali remembered. It was also slanted, the floor divided into four long steps running upwards to the right. In the centre of the ledge to the far right there was another, smaller but higher step, almost looking like a wide sort of pedestal, on the floor before it the bomb lay, a sizeable round orb of steel covered in spikes.
And atop the pedestal...
Tali found her breath hitch.
Kaidan's feet weren't touching the ground, the man held up against the sunset by Saren's claws. The Turian's left hand was closing around Kaidan's windpipe, his right buried in the man's abdomen, red blood trickling down the broken armour even as the soldier with a gasp gripped at the wrist holding his throat.
"I'll cover you!" Garrus called out, the Turian's sniper rifle knocking one of the Geth over even as the others opened fire.
Tali was barely aware of it, her feet moving, swiftly carrying her towards Saren even as pulse shots struck the ground around her or whizzed over her head, the Geth too worried about hitting the many tanks to fire too intensely.
Her gaze was fixed on Saren, shotgun humming as she charged it up for a blast, teeth bared in a growl, hatred coursing through her veins.
You have hunted me for too long, you have tried to kill us for too long, you want to sacrifice the galaxy...I will not allow it!
"Alenko." The Turian snorted, looking up at the man struggling in his grip. "Impressive résumé...for a human."
Just a little closer...
She moved forth...and found her eyes widen as Saren's head snapped round, the dark blue orbs within his skull glowing with hatred, fixed on hers...she nearly stumbled, finding her fiery anger turn to watery fear...
No. She found a growl escape her, her feet finding new purchase as she ran. I will not hesitate, you're going to-
Horror.
It squeezed her heart tightly as Saren suddenly moved.
One moment he had been holding Kaidan...
The next the soldier lay bleeding on the pedestal while Saren stood right in front of her, seemingly having covered a dozen feet in less then a second...as his right hand closed around the barrel of her shotgun.
A gasp...and she found him twisting the weapon downwards and to her left, making her take a stumbling step forward...before his left hand closed around her right forearm.
Keelah no!
"And you're the filthy little nomad that started all this..." Saren's voice was low, a poison...and Tali cried out as she was forced onto one knee as her arm was pulled behind her back, her shotgun falling from paralysed hands...
Pain!
A crack of something snapping...and Tali found her breath fail as her arm was wrenched ever upwards, driving her onto both knees, body doubling over...
Her head, forced to move with the unnatural twist of straining muscles...turned in time for her to, through tear-covered eyes, see how Garrus stumbled and fell, his armour smoking with dozens of holes as the Geth troops poured shots into him. No! Garrus...
Agony!
She tried to scream, but no sound left her as an armoured foot smashed into her chest.
Then she was flying, body limp as she was hurled through the air with the force of Saren's kick. I don't understand, what-
A crack, and her vision flashed white.
A thump...and it flashed white again.
Everything swirled for a moment...then she found a moan escape her as the pain returned tenfold. She had been kicked right into one of the tanks, her back now against it, almost as if she was only sitting down to rest...
She couldn't move.
Her head swam, her body hurt...only to suddenly feel extremely light and distant...
Not...good...
The VI in her computer was muttering something, forcing her to focus: "Repeat, warning, injuries sustained. Dislocated...right arm. Hairline fracture...both shoulder blades. Broken...rib. Ligaments torn...neck. Severe concussion. Seek medical aid...immediately."
Aid...would...be nice... Tali agreed, unable to nod, her ears buzzing as she – feeling oddly disconnected from it all – watched Saren turn to march towards Kaidan, or rather, the bomb lying below the injured soldier. Her gaze moved to the glow of the omni-tool in Saren's hand as he moved...it was hypnotic...
So...pretty...
Then there was light, a bright, burning light.
A small gasp escaped her, her gaze torn from Saren to look at the new source of light as the man too stopped to look...just in time to see the tanks to the far light explode into several fireballs, enveloping dozens of Geth as they cried out in warning.
The doorway from whence the Geth had come was now covered with their broken remains, several more falling into charred pieces as the content of the smashed tanks spread over the floor down below, creating a sea of far-reaching flames.
But more lived, turning as one, cold eyes glowing as they raised their weapons...only for a black blur to hurtle into them with a roar, assault rifle tearing a leg of one as he crashed into two others, then three more, pushing them all into the fire, drawing the others along...and hurtling himself right in after them.
What is he...? Michael... Tali felt her heart flutter in fright, despite everything feeling distant, and could only stare as something within the flames flashed, followed by the cry of a dying Geth, then more flashes, pule rifles, an explosion...and another dying stutter.
A loud roar...and Tali saw Wrex come hurtling forward, his armoured feet tearing gouges in the floor as he sent his one ton body rushing at Saren at full tilt.
"Ah, the Urdnot..." Saren hissed, turning to face the charge, hands hanging limp to his sides, calm even as the monster of a Krogan bore down on him. "...fallen from grace."
Two thundering steps away from him...and Saren suddenly rolled to the left, his clawed right foot shooting out towards the charging Krogan in a scything arch...
A howl...and Wrex tumbled forward, orange blood spurting from the inside of his right knee even as his armoured bulk crashed face first into the floor in an explosion of shattered stones.
Saren snorted: "And here I was worried about engaging you, I assume feeling forced to kill those cured from the genophage has upset you?"
Tali managed to just barely turn her head to follow the sight of Wrex tumbling round until he came to a half between two tanks with a crunch. The Krogan groaned...spat...and begun to rise, voice a growl: "You will pay..."
"Perhaps..." Saren replied, calm...even as his body came aglow with biotics. "...but not today."
Lunging out the Turian sent a bolt of dark blue energy hurtling into the wall behind Wrex...which with a crack broke, boulders twice the size of the Krogan crashing down on him, crushing both him and the tanks under their weight. A low groan...and Wrex's head, still above the pile of stone, looked up. "When I get..." A cough. "...out..."
Saren's mandibles opened wide, fangs bared in a grin. "Who says you will-"
A thump of purple power striking his back...and the Turian stumbled a step forward, shields flaring even as his eyes momentarily widened...only to narrow as he turned.
Liara looked...small, the Asari still aglow with the haze of power...but the hateful look on her face was now fading away, her charge petering out...as she with wide eyes looked up at Saren as the Turian calmly walked towards her...
"I'm surprised." Saren spoke so calmly...it was eerie. "I thought the daughter of Benezia, not to mention one trained by Shepard, would know the basics."
Liara took a step backwards, the pistol in her hand completely forgotten as she shook like a leaf, staring at the massive Turian as he marched towards her, a nightmare made flesh...
Then Saren's omni-tool glowed. "First you take out the shield." Liara's shields flashed as it was overloaded. "Then you hit them with the biotics." And then she was covered with a dark blue haze...before she with a shriek was hurled towards Saren.
He caught her throat with his right hand, drawing a gasp from the Asari as she was pulled close, her face a mere inch from Saren's as the Turian glowered at her. "You're not at all like your mother." A sniff, as if scenting her. "You're weak."
His left claw slashed forth...and Liara's head shot back as she cried out, hands clutching the wound across her abdomen...only for her cry to turn into a gurgle as Saren lifted her higher into the air, the grip on her throat tightening...
"I hope this lesson taught you something..." Saren hissed, body tensing as Liara's struggling became more desperate and weak, the Asari's eyes rolling back...
"Like this?"
A flash of Saren's shields...and the Turian dropped Liara – the Asari limply dropping to the floor – as he stumbled with the force of a biotic bolt striking his shoulder...
A snarl...and Saren spun round to face Kaidan, the man smiling where he lay on the pedestal, body still aglow with biotics and his omni-tool glowing amber over his arm even as blood seeped from his ruined abdomen...
Saren's eyes narrowed, a low growl escaping him...and he leapt forth, the Turian bounding over another orb of power Kaidan shot out before jumping atop the pedestal and reaching down...gripping Kaidan by the throat and wrenching him up once more. This time there was no calm in the Turian's stance however, only rage, freezing, hateful rage.
His hiss was low and animalistic: "Yesss...like that." The hands of the Turian squeezed tighter even as they pulled the struggling Kaidan closer, eyes narrowed and mandibles clicking close against his mouth: "So a biotic and using tech? But hesitating when those you care for are in danger, a shame, you should have hit me with your full power when you had the chance..." His left hand moved upwards, gripping Kaidan firmly by the jaw and neck as the right let go. "...and now you'll never have that chance."
"Go...to...hell..." Kaidan managed, the man's body shaking with the shock of his wound and the strain, flares of biotic power around his closed fists showing his efforts to try and fight.
A snort. "Eloquent." Saren's smile was an ugly snarl. "Say, how does a human speak...without lips?"
His right hand reached up...and Tali squeezed her eyes shut as a howl escaped Kaidan, the howl turning to a gurgle as blood began to pour into his mouth...
"Trying to destroy my base, ruin my plans." Saren snarled, the anger in his voice forcing Tali's eyes open, forcing her to watch in horror at the sight... The sight of Kaidan's lips gone, crimson blood running down his chin and throat as with dazed eyes he stared at Saren as the Turian dropped the flesh cut from the human. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? No, of course not, just another sightless fool..."
A gurgle escaped Kaidan, the man kicking back and forth as his head tossed left and right...trying to escape the agony of his flesh as much as the grip of the Turian.
"All the more reason for you not to get involved!" Saren snarled, bloodied claw once more reaching up, fangs bared as he watched Kaidan go very still, wide eyes staring at the claws coming up... "We bear the scars of our mistakes human..." The Turian's grin widened, blood-lust burning in his glowing eyes. "...and you made a severe one..."
Kaidan's stillness ceased, the marine howling through the blood in his mouth as the claws found his forehead and pushing inwards...and then cried out as they drew downwards.
"...a very..." Saren's claws flicked sideways...and then reached up again, tearing, slicing. "...severe one..."
Tali felt her stomach roll with sickness as she watched strip after strip of pale skin covered in blood fall away and drop onto the floor...
"You do not..." Another tear. "...resist..." Another. "...the inevitable.."And another.
Kaidan's struggles had ceased, the man's chest barely moving with his breathing, only that and his shudders of agony showing he was even alive as Saren's claws again and again reached up, his eyes mad with rage, revelling in the destruction as he piece by piece tore Kaidan's face apart.
The claw reached up...grabbing a hold of Kaidan's scalp, one claw digging in. "Is that..." A rip downwards...and Kaidan suddenly jerked with a howl of agony as his scalp was ripped off. "...understood!"
There was no answer, Kaidan's howl gone as soon as it had appeared, the man once more hanging limply as Saren with a cocked head and a smirk observed his handiwork.
Kaidan's head was...skinned.
Fleshy muscles and cartilage lay exposed, covered in blood, blood running down his neck and armour before dripping down upon the strips of flayed skin below...
"Pathetic." Saren's hand reached back, claws covered in gore even as they begun to glow with biotic power. "Consider this a-"
"SAREN!"
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson.