Normandy Medbay
Abigail Shepard sat in the medical bay by Paul's bed; she was there to chat with the Infiltrator, passing the time before they hit Tuchanka.
"You look better," She said down at him as he sat bolt upright in his bed. "How are you feeling?"
He ran an appraising hand down his legs and looked at them, "I don't know honestly. My legs feel….well like there's a void…numb."
She sighed.
He shrugged, "Nothing can be done about it, I suppose I'm lucky, or at least lucky enough. Could have easily been my life. And during my life I have fought Reapers and Cerberus and their Disciples. So all and all suppose it's lucky that I am even alive at all."
She shrugged, "Sure, I guess. But still it's hard to find anything 'luck' based about this."
"I guess I'm just happy even have this conversation." He smirked.
Abigail nodded and looked around, "Where's Cynthia?
He shrugged, "I told her to get some sleep, some proper sleep, she wasn't doing anyone any good just lying here next to me. You're probably going to need her before all this is over."
She sighed, "Don't know if I want someone who is emotionally crippled to go on a critical mission."
Paul glanced at her sideways and arched an eyebrow. "She's strong, and has proven herself time and again. Sure she might've started out rocky, but everything worked out in the end."
Shepard smirked wryly to herself, "she shot me."
He grinned, "Hell after some of the things you've done I sometimes wonder if I should shoot you."
She snorted, "Ouch."
Paul chuckled, and then gave her another look, "So Tuchanka?"
"Yes?" The human Captain inquired gently.
"I don't know, just seems…you ever get tired of going there?"
"Well it has been on the mission roster for every major campaign except hunting Saren down…but no, it's to be expected. It's the home of a major, though occasionally violent, race. A race which was wronged by the Galaxy, a race that the Galaxy has a lot invested in it, and right now its centrally located and the only free government left in Council Space, by all reports. So no, besides, I rather like the environment."
Paul glared at her, "I am a pale English boy, so I really do not see the charm."
"And I spent my youth on the streets of Southern California. Other than the few times my Rabbi took me to Arizona, New Mexico, and other places. I prefer the heat…as long as it's dry."
The sniper shrugged, "That's good enough I guess."
"It is,"
"Captain Shepard," Joker spoke over the intercom, "we've transited through the Tuchanka Mass Relay"
She glanced skyward, "Thanks Joker, I'll be right there."
"Duty calls." Paul commented.
"Always."
When Abigail emerged into the CIC a few minutes later James and Ashley were already waiting for her. The view outside the windows abruptly transitted from the mass free blue swirl of the Normandy's ftl to the relative calm of hyperspace. In the distance Shepard could make out the yellow orb that represented Tuchanka, home of the Krogan, one of the Geth Cruisers slowly moved just to the side of the Normandy, partially shielding it from any fire from any ships blockading the planet, but also giving the Normandy the appearance of the lead.
Shepard took this in with James and Ashley slowly watching how the universe was unfolding.
"Status?" She asked.
"The fleet has emerged in our wake and is making best speed for Tuchanka. Meanwhile Tuchanka only seems to have one Alliance Ship in orbit."
"Just one?" Shepard echoed doubtfully. "Where's the rest of the fleet?"
"I imagine floating in Omega's orbit." James replied with a predator's gaze.
"Now there's a thought." Abigail smirked stretching her arms above her.
"Shepard," EDI stated her tone growing serious; "they are powering weapons and targeting us."
"What?" Ashley blinked behind her. "They can't be serious."
"They are," Abby murmured her eyes narrowing, "order the fleet to do the same and try not to destroy them, but I know that's hard."
…
The Alliance Cruiser hinged on its maneuvering thrusters rotating to bring its broadside batteries around on the advancing fleet. They boldly targeted them despite being outnumbered and out classed by several orders of magnitude. Their assailants did not react, did not fire, they did not need to. Not yet.
The Cruiser fired, belched off a salvo, missiles rippled off its sides and the rounds of artillery arched into the void.
Only to be intercepted and explode against the onrushing metal, shields and Kinetic Barriers.
The Geth Cruisers responded by positioning their wasp noses at the enemies and firing, blasts of high intensity energy reached out and scoured the hull, hitting weapons, and engines. Two Alliance Frigates moved in firing lasers and their Mass Accelerator Guns, they fired, more explosions, breaching the hull.
…
Abigail smirked lightly to herself as she watched the Alliance Ship now drifting helplessly in space. Debris coating the stars and hanging loosely around the ship. "Nicely done." She smiled.
She opened her mouth to give out a new series of orders, but was interrupted by an explosion ripping through the Cruiser and blotting it out; the entire ship was destroyed before they could stop.
She frowned.
"The explosion was internal; none of our weapons did enough damage to cause that kind of explosion." EDI reporteed
"I know," Abby sighed, "Traynor, open a channel."
"Understood Captain."
"Attention Krogan, we are here in peace, we mean you no harm, and request a leadership conference with the clans. I'm Captain Shepard, curer of the genophage, defender of Krogan civilization, I request a meeting."
Her pronouncement was met by the expected moment of silence. But the moment stretched on and Abby traded a look with her former XO.
"Captain Shepard," A male Krogan voice stated, "we appreciate your presence here, you and your ships have been given authorization to land at your convenience."
The Special Forces Captain and N7 breathed a sigh of relief, and crossed her arms over her chest well; at least we know they are still there, time to get out the dress blues.
Tuchanka-Near the Hollows
Eve looked up at the roar of engines and the rush of air as shadows began passing above her. A pair of Alliance Kodiaks led what looked like a procession of the motliest assortment of ships Eve had ever seen. Batarian, Geth, Quarian, and a few shuttles she wasn't sure the origin on.
The shuttles rotated into a glide and slowly landed, each in a row, their side compartments opening, and their crews getting out.
This could still be a trap, Eve knew, they could be luring her out with messages and promises of Shepard's return after so much death and doubt. But it seemed to her that the risk was worth it, especially upon seeing the familiar red headed human, scrambling out of the lead Kodiak, being joined by some of her squad, some she recognized some she didn't.
…
Abigail looked up, her blue eyes locking in on the familiar sight of Urdnot Eve, standing in the middle of an assembled knot of about twenty Krogan, she also spied Grunt lurking in the background.
The squad filled in behind her, James, Garrus, Miranda, and Cameron Shepard all followed in her wake.
She smiled moving into the gathering, General Beck also joining her in her in the rear, she quickly moved to embrace Eve.
But was cut off by a snarling visage of a Krogan, "who is this woman and why does she dare come before us?"
Abigail felt her body tense up and her hand reaching for her Eagle pistol.
"She is the woman who cured the geneophage, her opinion should be beyond reproof."
"And that has become an excuse for almost any behavior under the sun." The Krogan growled. "When it has been her species and her command that is responsible for bombing us in the first place, for killing even more Krogan, time and time again the Krogan reach out to trust the species of the Galaxy, only to be hated for it well afterwards."
"This was different, someone launched a coup within the Alliance Government to seize power, and then used that power to try and control the Galaxy. To do that he needed to remove the Krogan as a threat or to control them." Abigail explained.
"And for that we have only your word." The Krogan rushed forward.
"She has proven herself time and time again." Eve commented.
That wasn't enough to assuage the Krogan as he continued forward snarling.
James moved to intercept the Krogan putting his elbow into its face, the Krogan jerked up to a stop. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but there are a million ways we could have killed you on the way in, twenty Krogan would've made a lovely grease spot on the stone pillars."
The Krogan blinked at James, then quirked his mouth and snarled.
"I take it that is Krogan for 'we're OK.'" James said not really letting go.
The Krogan hesitated for a second before chopping its head in a confirmation. He started backing off and joining the group of Krogan.
Finally the rest of the alien delegations arrived, all the people who were going to be responsible for deciding the future of Earth, the Council Governments, and quite possibly the entire Galaxy. The Batarians, Geth, and Quarians, hardly the shining examples of Galactic Order and Liberty, were all that stood in the way of the Alliance and the control of an entire Galaxy.
The two sides, with Shepard and her humans in the middle, studied each other, probably wondering the same thing, will we act, and how?
Finally Eve broke the tension, "It is probably for the best if we take this meeting to the hollows. We will be more secure in there then where we are."
"Right," Shepard spoke, the group surged forward, "but first…I have a loss to report."
Eve turned on her and her expression became inquisitive, for a Krogan.
"Ranaak Kurl, he is…dead…he died defending Omega."
"This is," Eve blinked, "unexpected, we have heard rumors about his taking the pirate station and placing himself on the throne. But where is our concern?"
"He was a changed…Krogan." Abigail started, "he cared, and he was trying to find his place in the universe. And he died a hero, not for his personal glory, but for the people of Omega and for his principles."
Eve hissed, "Then his death is a tragic loss for us all."
"Indeed," Abby nodded solemnly.
With that the entire procession moved into the hollows and took up their position around the circular center.
Shepard stood in the center along with General Beck and Garrus, the rest of the delegation maintained a lock on the perimeter. The Krogan who challenged her stood silently next to Eve, staring forward slightly.
She spun around and took stock of her environment, of what was happening around her, the mood of the building, trying to read the darkened faces and whether or not she could build a coalition here, or if it was up to her and her Alliance forces. Finally, she turned back to Eve.
"I now take it the assembled parties know what has happened, and why it has happened. Why the Krogan became a target for the corrupted Governments of the Galaxy, and why we must do everything we can to stop them." She stated simply.
"So, again, this becomes the concern of the Krogan, we must serve and die in place of the races of the Galaxy who will live in comfort." The Krogan snarled.
"No one will be above this duty. Not now, not during the Reaper war, and not when fighting the Rachni. We are in this together, if we aren't, then we will fail."
"As much as I may want to help, the Krogan do not have the military forces, or the soldiers, we have suffered another major attack causing severe casualties."
"The military is not the problem," Beck cut in, "We have ships capable of carrying the Krogan into battle."
"But then our numbers are, forcing a major invasion against a planetary Government, one even weakened in the wake of the Reaper war, is not an easy undertaking, there will be casualties." The Krogan pointed out, as if explaining it to a child.
"We believe we can...mitigate that." Abigail commented.
"Explain."
"Earth and most of the human race is under the control of a race of beings known as the Leviathans. They have deployed spheres on Earth which allow them to project their will and subvert people on the other end. We have developed technology allowing us to block those signals and set our people free."
The Krogan glared in her general direction and grinned, "Then why do you need us?"
"Because we do not know what the reaction of the population will be," Cameron came forward, "they could be confused, uncertain, still following their programming, or any number of reactions. We need to secure the planet and have a viable back up in place. You are not the main part of our plan you are the lynchpin."
"This is still a concern, because either way there is great risk," A Batarian voice muttered off to the side, "we have all suffered losses, we are all still trying to rebuild some semblance of our lives in the wake of the Reapers yet the Galaxy refuses to give us the time to do so. This past century has been the most active time for conflict in the history of the Galaxy as the Batarians know it. And after the recent successes against the Alliances forces we feel we have time to wait, wait them out, and tend to our own wounds."
"While the Galaxy also rebuilds?" James snapped.
"It's the risk we are willing to take."
Abigail and James looked at one another and scowled.
Shepard looked around pointedly, "Right now the Batarians have just one planet. The Geth and the Quarians, despite their industry and numbers, have just one planet. The Krogan for all their ferocity and even though they are waiting to colonize…have just one planet. The Alliance in Exile has just one space station to fall back on, and the Turians in exile have a couple of ships."
She waited for her point to sink in, for the races to reach the proper conclusion on their own without her having to spell it out. But she was going to anyways.
"The Alliance, the Turians, the Asari and the Salarians have, respectfully, dozens of planets, industrial centers, mining bases, and while we have other resources and while some of those planets are in shambles, they can out build us, especially with the current administration."
Abigail Shepard finished her point by stepping forward and glaring into the assembled crowd, they held her gaze with admirable restraint and courage.
"Then we can rebuild, then we can-"
Shepard didn't hear the rest of the sentence as she was knocked down by a gust of wind and a large BOOM behind her. She scrambled to her feet and saw half the podium gone, the Krogan looking skyward with lifeless eyes, and Urdnot Eve having a nasty gash on her head.
As she was looking an object flew in from off to her right as a grenade exploded plowing into the podium, fire burst and cut her off from the center of the crowd and burned her lungs.
"James!" She screamed getting up and deploying her Eagle.
"James, get these people out of here!" She yelled out.
"I'm not leaving you!"
She got her pistol into a perfect two handed stance and fired a couple of shots into the crowd of Batarians which were entering the hollows. Led by none other than Ragaruk, along with a scar and a disfigured part of the left side of his face, about fifteen enforcers followed in his wake. Well this is different, Abby murmured.
"James, Cameron, get the delegates out of here! Get them somewhere safe I will try and hold them off." Abigail ordered firing another burst from her Eagle.
"If you say so." James said sounding uncertain. "But here, catch!"
A folded N7 Valkyrie flew out of the inferno towards her and uncoiled in midair, she caught it one handed and brought it up to her shoulder to aim. The Batarians continued to advance, splitting into two groups, one heading for the delegates, and the other moving to cut her off even further.
Ah I'm touched, she thought, ten Batarians to kill little old me.
They advanced quickly on her, and she took aim going into Adrenaline Rush, aiming with her Valkyrie, carefully swinging around…
And it roared in her hand, snapping two quick bullets as it jerked up into her grip, her shoulder absorbing the impact, and the shots burrowed into the Batarians head and shoulder sixty meters away.
The N7 trained soldier fired in a constant blast, running the Valkyrie down the line, and firing, taking out five of them in the process. Raguruk looked over his shoulder and snarled, taking his Striker and returning fire on her.
She rolled around to the next rock a little ways away and then snapped a new thermal clip into her Valkyrie, bringing the weapon up and around quickly and firing another three bursts taking out yet another of Ragaruk's squad. The Batarian glared at her and snarled rushing forward, she tried putting a few more rounds into him, but his shields held, Shepard cursed the Batarian for his sense of inequity.
The Batarian pocketed a Talon out of his side and began firing at her, the pellets chipping off one solid piece of her concrete duplicate debris slab at a time. She looked around across towards the center of the room and saw a gas grenade canister on the Krogan who was taken out in the initial attack. She aimed across with her Valkyrie, and fired.
A jet of white smoke filled the air obscuring the room, blasts of shot guns and strikers went off towards the center of the room into the smoke, but Shepard took the opportunity using it as cover, firing her Valkyrie, hopefully confusing the enemy even more.
She ran over to a side of a door, and leaned back, aiming with her Valkyrie towards the now clearing smoke. She fired twice, and took out another Batarian guard. A grenade exploded from her launcher taking out the final pair of guards. But she had to reload, and flee again as Raguruk began lobbing his grenades at her over the divide.
Shepard was alone now inside catacombs, reloading, and covering her back side, checking her corners, finding it difficult to move in her dress uniforms yet she was just able to keep moving.
But yet, no Batarian enforcer following her. She breathed and gasped leaning against one of the pillars and glaring down range using the sights on her Valkyrie, daring her opponent to come flying around the corner. Where are you? When there was still no response, she decided to start moving again, toggling her Omni-tool to find James's, when she did, she headed in his direction.
Before moving five steps a rattling noise caused her to jolt, spinning around and bringing the Valkyrie up into a precise hold. She glanced around for a second checking her corners and the shadows, backing up slightly she suddenly wrenched her body around as a noise came from her other side.
The Valkyrie held her weapon in her hands bringing it into a cross position just in front of her face, slowly spinning around in her place, the deep shadows, and the generally dark surroundings made it difficult for her to see anything definite. This is not good, and here I am without support either.
She drove herself into a cartwheel as a grenade went off behind her, followed by several more similar explosions following her fleeing form. Finishing the maneuver she got up and rolled to the side firing her weapon blindly to where she thought the target was, the weapon reports echoing down the stone masonry long after she finished shooting.
But to no avail, no yells of pain, any crumpling bodies and groaning sounds. Nothing.
Abby glanced over her shoulder while keeping the Valkyrie out ahead of her, maintaining good cover on both of her sides.
All she heard with hissing laughter, "What's the matter human, afraid of the dark?"
She challenged back, "Not really, but usually the scary monsters under the bed didn't have grenades, why don't you come out and face me!"
"All in good time Shepard, all in good time." The Batarian mocked.
She hissed and redoubled her hold on the Valkyrie, continuing her search, drawing her attention at every little noise, and jolt that caught her attention, but once she was reasonably sure it was nothing, she moved on, weapon moving, eyes scanning.
A grenade shot out at her from the darkness, she rolled to the side avoiding her as it exploded harmlessly behind her. Another grenade followed it in and this one caught her square in the chest causing her shields to splutter and to blink out. She snapped an explosive shell of her own down range, and then one returned fire on her exploding and causing her to stagger, her Valkyrie to rip from her hands.
She rolled around dazed, and got up into a movement; the Valkyrie was just ahead of her, lying there. Raguruk came up to her, cockily; he aimed his Striker, and glanced to the side. She dove for the Valkyrie but his grenade intersected it, blowing it to bits and knocking it away from her.
The human glared up at her attacker, the Batarian smiled victoriously down at her, taking in his kill. He leaned back and aimed the Striker, bringing it into his shoulder, depressing the trigger in one sold motion…which the weapon then beeped and hissed in his hand, a jet of steam escaping it. The Batarian scowled down at his weapon.
Shepard lunged at him, scrambling up, her Omni-blade swinging out, Ragruk caught it in his hand, spun her around, grabbing her by the waste from behind and yanking back. Her feet came off the ground and he hissed mockingly in her ear. Trying to squeeze the life out from under her.
She coughed and spluttered, but snapped her Eagle out, and fired. Raguruk howled as the blast sheered off most of his foot in the first strike. Abigail swung around elbowing him in the head, and then rolling forward as she was freed. She snapped around and fired off two more bullets which struck him in the chest.
A concussive shot knocked him back and to where he slid down the wall, and fell facing her.
Abigail ran up to him before he could recover and dragged him up, one handed, by the scruff of the neck. The Batarian spluttered and spat at her. She reacted by bringing the barrel of the Eagle pointing at his face. The Batarian soldier snarled at it.
"Just do it!" He snarled.
Her finger twitched and her Eagle came up, nearly into his face. "I would like to." She hissed.
"Then end it, my life, finish what you started! There are other Batarians here, kill them to, or do you like your pet play things?"
"You trying to anger the woman who holds your life and your death in your hands?" Abigail muttered.
The Batarian just glared back at her.
Shepard, don't do this, fight them until you can't or until they are defeated. This thought caused her to freeze. She shoved the Batarian in the dirt and turned around.
Toggling her Omni-tool she pocketed her Eagle and spoke into it, "James, the leader of the terrorist squad has been secured. Send a recovery team down here at once."
"Lola? You ok there?" James asked.
She smiled, but her mind was racing, "yeah James, situation secure."
She heard a grunt and a yell of fury behind her, instinctually she spun around dropping into a crouch, the Eagle coming up in her hand, and she squeezed the trigger, the three bullets slammed into both his shoulders and his head. He rolled over groaning, as his life drained out of his body.
"Lola? What was that?" James's voice drifted out of her tool.
"Nothing James, situation is secure," She slammed her Eagle back into its holster, "Shepard out."
A mechanical roar caught her attention and she turned just in time to see a Krogan Tomkah crawl up to her and assume a stopped position. James was already leading the procession out of the thing followed by the Krogan delegation, General Beck, and the Batarian delegation.
Shepard stalked over to the Batarians and got in their face, "did your government authorize this?"
The Batarian leader sneered, "We did not, if you think you can insinuate and slander the Batarian new Government, then you will be sadly mistaken-"
She slammed her fist across his head, stunning him into silence, "that is not the point. These Batarians were acting against orders, under Leviathan manipulation. This is what they do. They will tear us apart, infiltrate our societies, turn brother against brother, and tear us down. They will keep coming. They will destroy our societies by making them take it out, and then they will come in when we are weakened and take over. That is why they waited for the war. But now we have an opportunity, a chance, we have beaten them, and that gives us time, but only if we act!"
The Batarian scowled, into silence, for a few moments, Shepard wasn't sure if she had pushed the delegate too far, but finally he nodded and sneered at her, "your point is well taken Shepard," he hissed, "where do we sign up?"