Sol Relay
The fleet popped out of the relay at maximum speed and instantly was pounded by the flanking members of the fleet still loyal to the Alliance Government. Normandy pitched dramatically and swung around with full engines as the lasers flashed past them, and artillery swarmed around them heading for the other ships.
The Normandy and its fleet returned fire quickly, firing with Thanix canons and missiles which devastated the enemy task force, hulling their ships, and knocking their weapons off line. The fleet continued to fire on, making their presence known, but the fire was somehow less, on both sides.
Normandy-Bridge
Shepard's stomach dropped and then rose up into her throat as Joker pulled the Normandy into a radical left turn and then corrected by jutting the ship full on to the right. Lasers flashed by the cockpit as they swerved through space, making it difficult for the enemy to gain a target lock.
"Joker!" She cursed trying to keep her lunch down.
"Yeah, I know!" He slammed a free hand into the com panel and activated the link, "Garrus, you know what I'm doing!?"
"Yes," even through the distortion Abigail thought that the Turian's voice sounded kind of, sick. "I think so, getting the weapons ready now."
"Oh I get it," Ashley remarked as a gray blur flashed by the screen then did so again.
I think I do too, Abby thought, keeping her mouth slammed shut to keep the bilge from spewing out all over the deck floor.
The blur flashed by once more, this time closer, Joker keeping his pivots and dodges completely random, tuning the stealth drive just a little bit, to keep them from getting hit.
And with that Abigail nearly lost her lunch, she could feel the ship straining underneath her, but Joker probably knew the limits of the ships and the technology.
Finally a burst of light and fire roared from the blur in front of them, and Abby's eyes shot to the scanners, blips appeared and rushed past them on the way through. The artillery barrage and missile salvo missing the Normandy by inches as Joker just managed to maneuver past them.
Nice flying Joker.
Space
The Normandy fired its main weapons, a full spread of Disrupter Torpedoes at close range, each missile slammed into the Cruiser knocking out its barriers and ripping the Cruiser apart.
The Cruiser yawed heavily to port, and exploded. The enemy lines rapidly began to dissolve as their flag ship was reduced to charred metal and ions. They were pushed back, and some of them reversed directions and proceeded to the maximum velocity towards Earth.
The combined allied fleet regrouped and went into a more stable position and began consulting with one another.
Normandy-Bridge
"Status?" Abby asked.
"Two ships destroyed," EDI began to report, "all others have suffered minor damage and are standing by to jump, and secondary fleet is on the other side of the Mass Relay."
"Alright, commence phase two of the operation."
"Jumping in 3…2…1…" Joker replied
Space
The fleet went to FTL only to reappear on the other side, popping up on the 'dark side' of Mars facing away from Earth and any intelligence drones or scanning beams which may've been looking for them. Without them being under observation the ships went to work.
Each of the ships capable of launching such things fired off three probes; the probes began transmitting radio and energy signals and rapidly crested mars and swung around towards Earth at high speed.
The fleet orbiting Earth rapidly picked them up on their sensor nets, confirmed their identity as the fleet which they were assigned to stop, and acted accordingly. To their sensors they were facing off against their intelligence estimates of what they were facing, confirmed by the skirmish their relay forces held. None of them stopped to wonder why they would be heading straight in, employing no counter measures, but making no secret about their approach.
Their targeting sensors lanced out through the void trying to confirm the existence of the ships and their identities, but were met with only silence. Still they went though, completing their turn quickly, and arming their weapons, accelerating to intercept the enemy somewhere out amongst the stars, thinking it was the jamming keeping them from achieving hard lock.
But suddenly, behind them, new targets spit themselves from FTL and made their turns to engage the enemy from behind. Their opposition was caught unawares.
Precise blasts from Thanix Canons and lasers lanced out into the darkness, seeking out engine pods, sensors, shields, and weapons, effectively crippling anyone who got in their way, effectively reducing their combat reaction times, making their turning arcs slower and sluggish.
This gave the allied fleets time. Most of the ships continued to engage the Alliance fleet, while others peeled off, led by the Normandy.
Three more ships dropped out of FTL in the midst of this firefight, three large freighters, crammed to the gills with Krogan intent on avenging their losses and bringing stability to the Galaxy.
Normandy-Bridge
Abigail Shepard watched the sensor boards as the fleet perfectly engaged the ambush of the Alliance forces. But the Alliance ships, mainly the picket ships and Frigates, were rapidly turning to reengage the fleet which suddenly appeared behind them, but which the Shepard fleet could not engage them back.
Abigail sighed, but there is little I can do right now, "Joker, take care of her; keep her safe while we're gone."
The pilot nodded, concentrating, as the squad made their way over for the lift, and further danger.
They arrived in the shuttle bay, Shepard, Cameron, their respective squads, EDI, and a few of the other representatives, crowded around. Abigail quickly dressed into her armor, but Cameron eyed her for a minute as she was flexing her fingers.
"Why Los Angeles?" The male she said.
"It's my home for one, and it makes sense, will be the perfect lure to Nathan and whatever is left of his forces, but this time we will have the advantage."
Cameron took that in stride and nodded, "Makes sense that is if you can get Nathan to show up."
"He'll be there," Abigail stated confidently.
"Why so sure?" James asked.
"Again, it's only logical."
They stepped slowly into the Kodiak, cramped from the other squad, Cortez turned to give them an uncertain look but sealed the door for them, and away they went, the Kodiak breaching the Normandy's containment shield and puttering along through to the planet.
Space
The Kodiak shuttle dove through the battle, the ships providing a good shield as they continued to engage the enemy. But some of them, including the Normandy started to peel off and launch a series of spherical discs. Hundreds of them exploded towards the planet, following, then rapidly eclipsing, the shuttles and transports streaming towards the invasion corridor.
As soon as they hit atmosphere they burst, shredding their armored shells, the main assemblages speeding towards the planet and breaching the atmosphere with breath taking purpose.
Each of them slammed into the outskirts of a city, a town, where it would be hard to gain a precise transmission lock on them, and began transmitting.
The effect throughout the planet was slow and profound; people woke up for the first time from a bad dream and observed their surroundings. Some in the middle of intercourse, some in the middle of their working on a vital Alliance military initiative, and some from literal sleep, the only break they had in this enduring nightmare.
And yet others stayed asleep.
Los Angeles-Earth
In the middle of a long road, on the top of a bombed out building, a woman looked up at the stuttering sound of engines. She clinched the Avenger Assault Rifle on her back as suddenly her mind cleared, a dark blue shape moved above her.
…
Abigail Shepard led the procession of squad mates off the Kodiak's deck and onto the bombed out street. Abby sighed, still hasn't changed. At least this part of the planet hadn't, or it could have been the resistance doing their thing.
Suddenly a woman came up out of the shadows, her black skin making it harder for her or anyone else to see her. Abigail drew her Valkyrie and aimed down it.
"White Knight," the woman said simply.
"Red King." Abigail agreed, putting the weapon in a less threatening position.
The woman blinked, "Regards from the Earth resistance Abigail Shepard, welcome to Earth."
"Thank you, I take it your command center isn't far?"
"Right this way."
She led them back towards the building where she emerged from; they stepped on through the door into a cramped, dusty, and full off three rows of three computer consoles and a desk behind it.
Abby looked around the room, the squads quickly filled in, the room nearly breached to capacity, the confines feeling cramped, the shadows they cast drowning out most of the light that remained in the small room. The screen at the edge of it finally lighted.
"What's the situation?" Abby asked.
"We can't be sure, but there are reports throughout the planet. Something is happening, our instruments are detecting an energy signal which seems to be blocking out the Leviathan control signals." One of the technicians reported.
"Is it working?" Miranda asked.
"Riots in Paris, an assault on an Alliance 'facility' in Moscow, and reports of multiple Alliance facilities disarming, but, there are a few blank zones."
"Oh?" Abby replied.
"We're working on it." The technician replied.
"Alright," Abby nodded, "tell your men any fighters you have to secure the capitol complex and also put a guard on the probe."
The Woman who escorted them nodded, Abigail turned to leave, but was stopped, "Captain, Jason sends his regards. He was taken and converted by the Leviathan signals, and nearly brought down the entire North American resistance."
Abigail felt her stomach drop out, "I am sorry to hear that."
She shrugged, "our new boss had to put him down."
"New boss?" Abigail asked.
"Yeah," the woman said nodding, "said her name was Jack, and said that she wanted to be put on as soon as you arrived here."
"Jack!" Shepard yipped surprised, "why yes, put her on."
The woman nodded to a technician who manipulated her controls in front of her for a second. The screen blanked out, whined, and then came back to life. When it did Jack was peering out of it, with a full set of long black hair. Her mouth quirked into a smirk.
"Hey Shepard, good to see you again."
"Jack!" Shepard greeted happily, "nice to see you too, so what, you running the resistance now?"
"Yeah, I made it out of Grissom Academy and made my way to Earth as soon as I thought something was wrong. Kahlee was acting…strange." She down cast her eys.
"I'm sorry," Abigail muttered.
"Meh, hopefully now we can reverse the process. But that is not really why I called, we can do short talk later."
"Very well." Abigail nodded appreciating the straight to business attitude. They could always get to more later if they survived.
"Where do you need me?" Jack said simply.
"Where are you?" Abby asked by way of reply.
"Right now? Hunkering in a safe house in Boston, trying to get a read on the situation, trying to see where to go."
Abby nodded, "the fourth division has landed in New York, try and get into contact with them and meet up, if you manage it that means we have virtually the entire North Eastern Seaboard under our control."
"Well, except for Pennsylvania." Jack teased.
"Right, let's worry about them later." Abigail stated.
"Right," Jack shrugged, "moving out."
"Speaking of which," Abby said to the woman turning back around.
"Yeah, I know," She shrugged and looked at her people, "OK people this is it! Move out we leave in five!" She turned back to Shepard, "and where are you going?" She asked.
"We are taking a Kodiak down town." Abigail replied cryptically.
Their Kodiak swept over the low buildings, Tenth Street, smack dab in the industrial district in Los Angeles. The personal stomping grounds of the once powerful and feared 'tenth street reds'. Now just an empty husk of what it had been. The Reds, despite their claims, and their gains into extraterrestrial markets, suffered the same fate as many people did when Earth fell to the Reapers. Annihilation. Becoming scattered across the Galaxy and the Alliance, looking for honest work, or a chance to strike back at their oppressors.
Abigail leapt off the Kodiak along with the two squads following her, James and Garrus huddling by her, and Cynthia and Miranda standing dutifully by Cameron.
"Cortez" She called into her head piece, "go get some distance and hide, if we need you we'll call."
"Right away Shepard," The Kodiak dutifully powered up and lurched skyward away from the docks.
"Nice and homely place you got here Shepard." Garrus purred behind her.
She grinned, "You've seen nothing yet. With a little red drapery, a flag, and a wall painted with racist slogans it can get downright cozy."
"The Shepard child hood home, funny, I was imagining more explosions, guns placed everywhere." James cut in.
"Oh, there will be explosions James…"
"Sweet!"
"As for guns…" She studied the three buildings which flanked the street, the two apartment complexes, one of them holding the interior sanctum of the reds, the other just a random place she had visited, and the complex of now abandoned businesses. It held a machine shop if memory serves. "Alright, Cameron, I want you somewhere in the back, fan out over the lower levels, I know it sucks but right now I want someone watching the door. I will be there." She pointed to a balcony and fire escape on the nearest apartment. "James, you will be on the other apartment, and Garrus, the roof of the shops, got it?"
"Yeah, who would be stupid enough to come down that street?" Cynthia asked.
"Why I want you watching the back." Abby pointed out.
"Right." Cynthia grunted following Cameron who was already moving.
"Now what Shepard?" Garrus asked.
"Now we wait, and if Nathan is still under the Leviathan's thrall he'll be here, if not, then we'll move to secure the rest of the planet."
"Right," James nodded, and then scrambling up the stairs.
Normandy-Bridge
"Our friend is back." Joker reported tightly.
"Huh? Friend?" Ashley asked.
Lasers flashed by the cockpit and Joker put the Normandy into a radical left hand turn trying to maneuver away. Their duplicate flashed by the cockpit.
"Oh," Ashley blinked, "them, well you know what to do."
"Yeah thanks," he hissed pulling the Normandy into another maneuver, "easier said by the Captain then done by the pilot."
"Why so touchy Joker?" Ashley asked.
He grunted, "Well…shoo, let me fly the ship and I will tell you later."
"Alright, alright." Ashley said settling down.
Joker pulled the Normandy into a tight loop; the enemy fired a spread of torpedoes at them which flashed by them as they completed the arc and went down on the turn. But the Frigate powered away from them, Joker taking off in pursuit.
Los Angeles- Tenth Street
Abigail Shepard crouched in the living room of one of the 'main' apartments where they had stayed as a girl. She shivered, this was the home of one of the gang bosses, a burly, strong, ancient kind of kid who could just knock them silly and led by fear.
But, she escaped that, thanks to the police, a banker, and a Jewish Rabbi who took pity on her.
Her head snapped around as a mechanical roaring happened on the street, an air car with a flatbed popped down. She aimed down the Valkyrie and stepped out into the cool air, staying low, keeping out of site. About thirty men fanned out wearing black suits, and carrying Revenants, Harriers, and even a few Lancers. After they had fanned out the side door opened and Nathan stepped out closing it behind them, the headlights obscuring all of their features.
"Oh Shepard!"
She tensed up and hissed.
"I know you're here Shepard! And I know why you came! I read your file, I know your personality, and it's all there, your flare for the dramatic. For picking an obvious battle ground, somewhere where you would know I would find you." Nathan explained.
"Nice trick with the spheres by the way," Nathan continued, "Soren wasn't expecting you wouldn't be able to do that, of course, we should've known better."
She continued to watch, and glanced over towards Garrus, she just saw the ripple of movement from his perch, and he was in a good position. She looked to see James too.
"But now, we've come to the end, and you are outnumbered, if I know you, surrender now Shepard, and I will make sure that my people save the Normandy and I promise you a fair trial."
She placed the Valkyrie into a guard position across her chest, snuck back into the apartment, and placed herself on her Omni-tool.
"Me? Surrender to you?" Her voice boomed and reverberated down the concrete walls. "Your world is falling, your ideology, the things you have stood for and protected. People are rioting, they are tired of being manipulated, it is your days that are numbered."
"Well then let's have it out then Shepard, to the death."
"Don't be so dramatic." She said crawling up to the window and aimed back down her Valkyrie targeting one of his guards.
They began advancing and scanning the roofs and their surroundings with their weapons. Abby opened fire sending two bullets down the realm and slamming directly into the neck of the guard, one burst through his shields and the other through his flesh. He toppled over. Garrus from the one side and James from the other engaged with automatic weapons fire, the enemy scattered, but they were well in the ambush of the squad.
A grenade went off behind her as one of the troopers had a Falcon; he fired off two more rounds hitting them into the balconies around her. She responded by putting three bursts into his chest knocking him down.
Somewhere to the side Nathan rushed up and charged into the balcony behind the ambush, and scrambled up the side, can't worry about him now, Abigail muttered concentrating on killing the people she could see.
Suddenly from both sides of the square engines roared and people descended down on wires from Kodiak shuttles onto the roof tops around the square. Another truck slammed through the back of the street and deposited troopers. The Kodiaks lifted off and the men they deposited began to head down through the roof access down to the lower floors.
Garrus began taking fire, his shields flared as the accelerate shards of metal plowed into him, he hunkered down, fired off a burst, and then went through the door securing the room behind him.
That was all Abigail had time to see as she was forced to retreat through the open door, waving her Valkyrie around, through the cramped apartment, and out into the even more cramped hallway beyond.
Over her she heard rushing boot steps and turned around on the spot, towards the end of the hallway there was a door which Shepard knew led to a stairwell winding all the way around to the upper levels of the building. She got around in a crouch, aimed down the Valkyrie, and waited.
The door burst open, the first guard rushed through, and she instinctively toggled him in her sights, and fired. The Valkyrie roared, long flame flashing in the almost pitch darkness to spite all the foes. He fired a burst from his weapon, but still fell to the side, and died.
She instantly rebounded and put two grenades into the door way beyond, causing two giant explosions, and screams to meet her ears.
She smiled to herself and then retreated, making sure to cover the door before diving out back into the rain and out onto the service path connecting and sprawling along the apartment building.
The rain was now rushing down instantly coating her and drenching her hair, she glared out into the night as lightning flashed and she could hear the sounds of battle. The rain was dampening everything, but strangely sharpening it. I just hope my technology still works when this is all over she grunted continuing to clear through the perimeter.
Nathan's blade flashed out from the darkness, swinging for Abby's mid section. She responded by flinching back and flaying her arms out. Nathan rushed through trying to skewer her; she dodged deftly to the side and swung her elbows up knocking into his nose and driving him back. He countered by kicking her in the stomach and pushing her off back onto another section of the balcony.
Nathan smirked, "you may have won the day, but you won't live to see your ideology become supreme!" he dove after her.
She leapt up and scrambled up the ladder, "Which is a real shame, considering that is not what I want!"
He charged up at her and knocked her into the railing causing her back to slightly flinch and ache, she swung her Valkyrie around parrying his next slash, which he took the opportunity to counter and spin around slashing for her head from her high left.
Shepard flipped over the side and onto another balcony.
She glared up at him and he wrenched around to join her, but the Balcony he was on exploded in shrapnel and flame. Shepard wrenched around drawing her Eagle and putting into her two handed hold, glaring at it, James aiming up with a Falcon. He fired again and another gout of flame cut Nathan off from her.
"Thanks." She said coming up to join him.
"Sure, don't mention it." James shrugged.
She smirked and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
He blushed, "In the middle of a battle?"
"Sometimes the best time." She winked.
"Right," He muttered to her, "Somehow I doubt that is the last we are going to see of Nathan and his merry band."
"No, me to."
Her Omni whirred at her. "Abby, we are being pushed back here, we need help!" Cameron yelled.
Abigail sighed, "What is your situation Cameron?"
Cameron responded stained with static. "Taking heavy fire, heavy mechs, tanks. We could really use the help."
Abigail shot a look at James.
"I'm on it." He said tearing back off in the other direction.
She smiled, "Help is on the way Cameron." Now to find Garrus.
Normandy-Bridge
Ashley Williams was slammed into the side of the ship as Joker had nearly completed another maneuver. She felt her head, and blood coated her hand, she grimaced dramatically trying to regain her concentration. Everything seemed blurry and distant, but she was snapped back to reality by the twirling star scape just outside the main viewer.
"We've been hit." Joker said grimly, "left side support pylon number 2 engine. We're hit and out of control, Earth's gravity is pulling us in, trying to reroute!"
"Well that explains the spinning." Ashley remarked grimly.
"Yeah, they picked the perfect moment to strike us." Joker replied, "Hull stress is increasing beyond the red line. I don't know if we'll even survive descent."
"No witty come back for our situation Joker?" Ashley asked, the retort sounding hollow and on edge even to her.
"Well I'm sure our impact will set off enough fireworks to make one hell of a display…" the pilot grinned, "or not."
Ashley glanced at him as the pilot's console lit up and made several tones at him, his fingers raced along the display panels and he knocked the ship into a radical engine splitting climb, slowing the Normandy's descent rapidly.
"We've got power!" He whooped. "Thank you engineering!"
"Don't mention it." Adams's voice drifted over the com in answer, "it's our butts on the line too…though could you maybe finish this fight soon? We're red lining down here as well."
"We'll do our best chief."
As she spoke Joker had virtually eliminated the Normandy's roll and flipped the ship around, away from Earth, flinging them star ward. The Market Garden quickly responded with a full blast from its forward CIWS weapons systems, splashing the Normandy's armor lapped up the energy. Then they responded with their own blasts, scouring the enemy's hull. The two ships passed each other with barely a kilometer to spare.
Los Angeles-Tenth Street
Abigail Shepard dove from a burst of weapons fire which whooshed over her head. She found a piece of rubble, a grenade crater, and put several Valkyrie bullets into the advancing Alliance forces. They crumped before her; she cinched her weapon and continued on.
"Shepard!" Garrus's voice roared in her earphone. "Being overrun…can't hold out…." Stuttering of weapons fire broke out over the line.
Hold on Garrus.
"Lola!" James's voice spat, "Can't get to Cameron, forces in the way, taking fire, and I'm hit, used up the last of my medi gel."
Abigail dove into cover but otherwise froze. Two of her friends. At the opposite ends of the battlefield from her, and she probably couldn't go back from either one. My best friend, or my husband, the person I am closest to and can get to easily, or the man who is dying and is surrounded by enemies.
A bullet pinged off the concrete and she spun into action returning fire at her assailant who dared interrupt her in what she was doing, in her decision.
What am I going to do? She sighed, nothing is easy, not going to be giving a break, just like Kaidan and Ashley, same as Virmire…and I will probably make the same choice, the logical choice. "I'm sorry James…"She whispered, gripping her weapon, and looking at Garrus's apartment.
"Thank God there are two of you." A voice spoke over the intercom next.
Cameron!
…
Cameron Shepard, hearing the reports over the intercom, immediately searched the battlefield, for James, since he was intercepted.
He toggle James, saw someone swinging up an Omni-knife to impale him, and leapt into a Charge. In mid swing he slammed into the Alliance guard and knocked him into the opposite wall, his Revenant swung up and he fired a quick burst, killing him with five bullets to the chest.
The Vanguard turned and offered James a hand.
"Thanks," The young soldier grunted taking it and getting shakily to his feet, "If you hadn't."
"Hey," Cameron cut him off, "don't mention it, you need medi-gel." He made the application himself using the technology to heal his comrade in arms.
"Alright, that's more like it." James nodded. "Come on, together."
He leapt over through the window and Cameron grinned swinging through the door and bringing his Revenant up. He charged back close to his position and finished off his opponent with a biotically assisted fist to the chest. His Light Machine Gun roared out, cutting a swath out of the advancing money, figuring that they had an advantage they started charging, only to suddenly be out flanked.
Miranda's overload cut a swath out of the enemy, causing several of them to jerk from the electronic blast. Cynthia's Black Widow boomed in the night cutting one of the turret Captains in half.
This gave the squad the advantage and Cameron took it, aiming down his weapon, and advancing dramatically to clear out the end. Then after this, we'll rendezvous with Abigail, she is back to being all alone out there.
…
Abigail rushed down the hallway and saw Garrus collapsed against a door frame, favoring his arm, she head a crunch through the room next to her and turned to ace it, Valkyrie snapping into her shoulder, and facing a wall.
She smirked as the crunching continued and the popping of a thermal clip. She fired, the Valkyrie stuttering in her arm, the weak plywood came apart before her barrage. And she heard a grunt followed by a thump. She moved to clear the room and saw that her target was dead; she smirked, and then moved to finish her ministrations of Garrus.
"Garrus!" She called out, going to him, instantly applying an application of medi gel.
"Hey Shepard," he sighed, "I'm getting too old for this."
"Nah Garrus," She smirked, "you're still in the prime of your life."
He snorted and coughed, "oh no, five galactic altering crisis is my limit. I could really go for tanning on a nice beach somewhere, or doing some climbing, yeah, that sounds nice."
She waited for him to get up, and frowned, "come on, parties over."
"Just five more minutes." The Turian whined.
"Come on Garrus," She offered him her hand and together they pulled him up. He picked up his Phaeston and muttered at her.
"Together." He said.
"Together." She agreed marching off.
Normandy-Bridge
Ashley grunted as Joker pulled the ship through yet another jarring turn to port he cut the thrusters this time and the enemy went shooting past them at high speed.
"Now!" She yelled into the intercom hoping her intended recipient would hear the message, and obey.
The Thanix canon raged to life almost instantly spewing its jet of light and metal into the stars, connecting the two ships, as if on a bridge. The Market Garden's reactor took the first general shot, stuttered, flamed, and then over compensated as it started yawing hard to port, tumbling out of control.
Joker, following his own example, stayed on the enemy. Torpedoes and laser blasts harrying the Market Garden, making its mission harder, its repairs more difficult.
"How do you like that?!" Joker thumped his console and pumped his fists.
"Very good," Ashley complimented the soldier, "but could you please watch out for the planet surface?!"
The Normandy began skimming the upper atmosphere of Earth, its hull rising in temperature quickly, Joker made an "oops" noise and put the Normandy on a heading away from the planet. Into the rapidly receding space battle.
Los Angeles- Tenth Street
Abigail Shepard rushed forward under a burst from Nathan's Locust Sub Machine Gun. Cameron rushed forward onto the right flanking Nathan and spraying him down. Nathan went into a tight roll to the right dodging the bullets in real time.
Shepard took her chance and charged in intersecting with his path with a shoulder shove to the stomach flaying him back. Nathan bounced up recovering into a pull, drawing his sword into a chop, intending to open Abby up vertically. She dove in front of him, and Cameron whirred into a charge, slamming into the bad guy above her, knocking Nathan back.
Nathan tried recovering, but Cameron flew up into a nova blast slamming him into a wall, but still he maneuvered, trying to get away, holding his sword up into a guard, limping.
Abigail approached swinging wide of Cameron, aiming down her Valkyrie, "Come on Nathan, it's over, our forces are wrapping yours up. You can't escape, you are beaten."
Nathan Burke grunted and used his sword bringing it up and around with a feral yell, a rage induced spat of fury as he charged in. She snapped up the Valkyrie and fire, the concussive shot ripping into his chest and slamming him against the very same wall which he was against, he slid down the wall.
"Come on Nathan, there has to be something of you in there, you are an old Alliance Officer, loyal to the cause, and this cannot be you."
"And how do you know?" Nathan hissed. "They showed me, we need order to survive, strong leaders, and guiding humanity, rebuilding it, providing for it, only then can we use the golden age."
"At what cost? Our liberties? Our minds? The ability to choose what we are going to do with our lives?"
Instead of answering he flung his arm out showing his hand blaster, Abigail's eyes widened and she was slammed to the side by Cameron, knocking her out of the way and taking the 'bullet', his shields were stronger.
On the ground she arched up to Nathan, he was bringing his hand around, she cursed and fired the Valkyrie, four bursts, all landing in a perfect cluster across his chest and armor, his body flinched back crumpling into the wall, and a blood stream began leaking off of him down the street.
Abigail cursed, got up of the ground, and winced as her ribs felt like they were giving out. She covered Nathan, expecting any surprises, as Cameron moved in on her left.
"Damn it." She cursed lowering her Valkyrie and approaching the fallen N7, Cameron still covering her. He looks dead.
She got down into a crouch, studying the man, his closed eyes, his frozen features. She reached out for him, and before her arm could quite reach for his, he gasped, his eyes looking around, and she leapt back.
His gaze found her, and he looked both confused, and enlightened. "Shepard?" He asked.
"Yeah…Nathan?" She asked, having no fear with Cameron, and now James, watching her.
He glanced down at his chest, and noticed the very distinct Valkyrie like holes in it. "You shot me." He said.
"Yeah," Her eyes narrowed, "you were kinda out of control."
His head snapped back snapping against the wall, his eyes darting about his skull, looking around, he looked as if he were trying to remember something. "I remember." He stated.
"What?" Abigail asked.
"Everything." He choked, his eyes watering. "The war, my corruption, how they used me, my body….Amanda." His eyes turned towards her again.
"She's dead." Abigail stated simply.
"I know." Nathan shuddered, and then started spluttering. "I think I'm about to join her."
Abigail frowned, "don't say that, I have an application of medi-gel."
Nathan shook his head, "No, too late for that, Leviathan fail safe…same thing my sword is made of…you just got me." He smiled at her. "But I die free. Just promise me something Shepard."
"Anything."
"Just make sure you get them." He coughed, blood dribbling on his chin, he smiled, grunted, and his eyes grew distant.
She closed them with her hands.
Then stood up, going to join James and Cameron. "We will." She said to the corpse, holding a moment of silence. "Come on, we aren't finished yet."
So where's Soren?