A/N Sorry for not updating in a while, writer's block combined with other stuff limits my time to write, and I was juggling ideas. Anyway, to the story!
Chapter One – Haestrom
Date: 2184
"Ok, so we all know the plan. Get in, plant the scanners, get out before the Geth get here." Kal spoke, trying to ease the tension that was gripping the squad.
"And if the Geth do turn up?" said Bran'jar, the other marksman.
"What do you think? We shoot the bosh'tets."
"What happens if we are overrun?"
"Most probably, you'll die."
"Nice"
"Just shutup, you ass. We're all worried about this mission, so stop making it sound like we're all going to die down there. Bosh'tet." Mek'hal spoke up, voice raised. "It's not like we are going to die. We're going to the drop zone in a shuttle, the Geth won't even know we've been there, and we need to know what, if anything, the geth are doing to Dholen."
That was enough. Kal was on edge, nervous and scared.
"Shutup, ALL of you, this isn't helping. Just keep quiet until we get there, or I'm going to start opening airlocks!"
Silence.
"Thank you. Now keep it that way." Kal said, trying his calm, as the others checked their weapons.
They set the shuttle down in a small out-of-the-way area, that led onto a balcony overlooking a courtyard, the first scanner location. Small boxes and crates, long forgotten, dotted the area giving moderate cover.
"Well, if the Geth do turn up, we'll have some cover." Kal said as he surveyed the area, looking for ambush spots.
"Seems clear, Gharo, set up the scanner and we'll move on, Bran and Mek'hal, cover us from the balcony. Jalro, Hual, Check the perimeter."
"Yes Sir."
"Got It."
"Check."
"You have... supportive hips.. and a nice ass, Mek.."
"Stop trying to flirt with me, Bran, it's not going to work."
"Just trying to make conversation."
"No, you're not. You think you are a gift from the ancestors to all women everywhere."
"Well, I am." Bran smugly stated.
"No, you are a bosh'tet, and an ass"
"Hey, you can't say that!"
"Yes, I can, I outrank you."
Their omni-tools lit up as the team radio started to bleat into life.
"We've got Geth Incoming, cover us if we do-" Kal stopped, as the Geth dropship stopped overhead and dropped a dozen Geth over the courtyard
"Bosh'tet! Cover us while we try to get to your location." barked Kal, as he took potshots at the advancing Geth.
"On It" Mek'hal reassured, as she dropped a Geth trooper.
Every time they nearly cleared the yard of Geth, more would spill in. Kal and the others were slowly advancing up the courtyard, trying to stay ahead of the relentless Geth, as Mek'hal and Bran covered them
"Kal, We've got a problem, we're running out of thermal clips. We've got about five shots each, then we're down to pistols.
"Keelah, We're going to have to make a run for it, aren't we?" Kal realised
"Affirmative"
"Damn, We'll all run at once, give the Geth More Targets to choose from."
"We'll cover you as best we can." Bran assured, piping in
"No, Bran, give Mek'hal the rest of your clips, and warm up the shuttle, Mek'hal is a better shot than you, and I want to get out of here ASAP.
"On it" Bran Affirmed, as he dropped his remaining clips and ran for the shuttle
"Mek'hal, How many Shots?"
"Counting this One? Four."
"Ok, tell me when a good time would be, I can't see shit."
Mek'hal popped one last geth in the flashlight
"Any time now, the are only three left."
"Three, two- bosh'tet, the dropship is back, run for it!" Kal bellowed as he set off for the ramp.
Geth Plasma fire rained down around them as they all sprinted for the ramp.
"Kal, shuttle's ready for take-off, anytime now, before they find it." Bran said with a tint of fear in his voice.
"Acknowledged, Mek'hal, Get to the shuttle and defend it from any geth that find it."
"On it."
Gharo cried out in pain as the plasma hit her lower left leg, ripping through what was left of her already weak shields, and stabbed into her flesh.
"Those bosh'tets, Jalro, Hual, cover me!" ordered as he ran back for Gharo, taking a bolt in the arm.
"Come on, get up, we need to get to the shuttle!" Kal said as he helped Gharo up the ramp.
Kal and Gharo were nearly there, only 20 meters left, but with two geth troopers bearing down on them...
Jalro saw Mek'hal with her pistol, aiming down the sights, at... him? She fired, and the bullet flared past his face, only cementers from his mask. He turned back and saw a geth's head explode , closely followed by the unit next to it, easily a 20-meter shot. With a pistol. For a Quarian, that was a hard shot.
"Keelah" Jalro muttered under his breath, trying to believe what just happened.
"Mek'hal, what are you playing at?! You nearly shot me!" Kal exclaimed as he reached the shuttle.
"She just saved your ass. Show her some respect." Jalro Stated, in a matter-of-fact tone, as the shuttle flew out of Haestrom's atmosphere