Sorry about the long wait; had a bunch of stuff going on at home, some big writer's blocks, a new translation project, Naruto UNS Revolution, and doctor stuff as we & they all tried (and failed) to determine what caused my allergic reaction or whatever-it-is and how to make it stop (started on September First, it's STILL going, and I am wholly convinced that it is, in fact, permanent and I'm going to have swelling, sensitive, itchy, blotchy hands, feet, and neck for the rest of my god-forsaken life…)
SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR DISCLAIMERS
PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE PAGES
-CHAPTER START-
Realm EQ-G4
Several DDF warships emerged from trans-dimensional slipspace into the realspace of this Realm. While most of them went off to join the battles around the planet and its moon, one immediately engaged its stealth drive and made a silent beeline for the planet itself. Slagged ships and wrecked Reapers polluted the space around Equestria, and the Normandy II quietly slipped around them, heading for the endangered world.
"What's the situation so far?" Shepard asked as he came up into the cockpit.
"Reaper forces attacking this world have been less in number than those which attacked the other outer-Realm targets" EDI reported. "However, there are still enough of them that our defending forces have been hard-pressed to keep them at bay. C.O.G. and Equestrian forces have put up a solid fight, but the Reapers will eventually bleed them dry. The capital city, Canterlot, is still standing, but has been subjected to frequent assaults since the invasion began. Furthermore, I have confirmed the presence of a Command-subtype Reaper, identified as 'Executor', coordinating the invasion."
"Do we have any DDF big-names groundside?"
"Let's see…" Joker checked the reports. "Yeah, we've got the Heart-Catch girls and Sonic down there as of a few days ago, and… Holy crap. Commander, remember that chaos spirit Discord, caused some trouble a couple months back? He's out again, and he's helping against the Reapers!"
"It makes some sense" EDI chimed in. "The Reapers seek absolute order – cold, still, unchanging. Such a state of existence is anathema to a being like Discord."
"Yeah, no kid… Uh-oh"
"What is it, Joker?" Shepard asked.
"Reaper forces are starting another attack on the capital. Looks like a big one, too."
"Get us in as close as you safely can; I'll have the ground team ready for Cortez to drop us in."
-Break-
Canterlot
The Kodiak shuttle used its forward guns to wipe out a dozen Husks in the middle of a small plaza, and then set down there to drop off its passengers. Shepard, Garrus, Liara, Ashley, and Kaidan piled out, weapons ready and looking all around.
"It looks like the immediate area's clear for now" Liara reported.
"That could change any minute" Kaidan replied.
"Then let's move" Shepard said.
"It's too bad Wrex couldn't come along and we haven't heard from Tali yet" Garrus said as the team moved out. "We could've had the whole Old Guard back together."
"Guess we'll just have to tell them what they missed later" Ashley replied.
"Team Two, are you on the ground?" Shepard asked.
"Affirmative" James replied. "And no, I didn't crash the shuttle this time. The seven of us will sweep through the marketplace and meet you outside the castle gates."
Sounds of battle were close and far, and occasionally a flight of pegasi, a DDF fighter craft, or an Oculus drone would zip by overhead. Pockets of fighting were scattered all over, most at or near the west edge of the city where the bulk of the current attack was coming from but with a few elsewhere as a result of ground forces getting past city limits, 'leftover' Husk packs from previous attacks, or enemies being brought in by air via Harvesters or drop-pods. The two teams would take wide, 'curving' paths through the city that carried them through some of the fighting, to meet up just outside the royal sisters' castle. Moving through the streets along their assigned path, the team passed various signs of battle – bullet holes, bloodstains, scorch marks, and at one point a quartet of dead Husks unceremoniously dumped into a pile out of the way of foot-traffic paths.
After about five minutes of relative inactivity, as they rounded a corner they almost literally walked right into a squad of around a dozen Cannibals led by a Marauder. Team Shepard reacted first, the three Biotics unleashing Throw attacks that staggered the Turian Husk and sent two Cannibals flying, and they & the other three dove into cover just as the cyber-zombies started shooting. Shepard sent out a Combat Drone, the little construct drawing some of the enemy's fire and using its shock-blaster to wound and stagger them. Garrus stripped the Marauder's shields and took it out with a Mantis headshot, while Ashley used her assault rifle to quickly bring two Cannibals down before she was forced back into cover. Liara and Shepard used a Singularity/Warp combo to destroy three more of the Batarian Husks, and Kaidan froze two with a Cryo Blast for Garrus to shatter with a Concussive Shot. Incinerate blasts from the combat drone and Shepard brought most of the remainder down, with the last Cannibal being killed by Kaidan's Biotic Slam.
Moving on down their assigned path, they soon came across a store that had been made into a decently-defensible position, a handful of C.O.G. and Equestrian soldiers set up with sandbags, barricades, and even a tripod-mounted turret. After checking on them, making sure they were okay for a while, Team Shepard moved on. After a few minutes they reached another small plaza, and as they started through it they heard the groaning of Husks nearby. A pack of pony-Husks – two unicorn, two pegasus, and two earth-pony – emerged from behind the decorative fountain in the center of the plaza, the unicorn-Husks immediately firing concentrated bolts of energy; Shepard blocked one with a Biotic Barrier, while Garrus rolled to the side to dodge the other one.
The two pegasus-Husks flew fast and low over the ground toward the team, their wing-edge blades readied, and as they got close their bodies crackled with electrical energy. James rolled out of the way of one and blew its head off with his shotgun when it tried to come around at him, while Ashley used her Omniblade to block the other's wing-blade strike and then staggered as the electric discharge near-totally drained her shields. The pegasus Husk tried to slash its wing-blade across Ashley's throat, but Shepard Biotically grabbed and slammed it to the ground, killing it. As Garrus gunned one of the unicorn Husks down with his assault rifle, the earth-pony Husks' charge was interrupted as Liara tossed a Singularity in their path, snatching them up; a Biotic blast from Kaidan then violently destabilized the Singularity, tearing the Husks apart. The other unicorn Husk tried to fire another shot at Shepard, but a Concussive Shot from Garrus blasted it back, and an Incinerate from Shepard finished it off.
Suddenly, something huge leapt down from a roof behind the team, its feet cracking the stone pavement as it landed right behind them. Shepard immediately spun around, activating his Omniblade to block a downward swing from a plasma blade, the strike nearly overpowering him, and his eyes widened as he got a look at his attacker. It was around eight feet tall, with large and powerful muscles converted into synthetics for even more power, and a glowing plasma blade emerged from its palm, pressing down on Shepard's blade and slowly but surely outmuscling him. Upon seeing the familiar four-mandible structure of its jaws, Shepard quickly realized what it was: a Sangheili Husk.
Ashley fired her shotgun into the Sangheili Husk's side, but the monster's durable energy shields withstood the shot, albeit weakened. Shepard used the brief opportunity to twist to the side, avoiding the downward swing of the plasma blade that had been pressing down at him. The cyber-zombie activated another plasma blade from its other palm, and it lunged blade-first at Garrus, who cursed and threw himself backward, barely avoiding a stab to the neck. Kaidan hit the Sangheili Husk with an Overload, draining its weakened shields the rest of the way, and Shepard then Biotically hoisted it into the air, its arms and blades flailing as it tried and failed to hit someone. With the Husk helplessly hoisted, Ashley unloaded half a dozen close-range shotgun blasts into it, and soon the Biotic Lift dispelled to let the now-lifeless body drop to the ground.
"As if the Reapers didn't already have enough super-dangerous new Husk variants…" Kaidan murmured.
"James, this is Shepard. We just encountered a new Husk type made from Sangheili. Watch yourselves; these things are tough, strong, and have some nasty weapons."
"Yeah, we ran into one, too; damn near took Zaeed's head off. At least they seem to be lacking in long-range attack ability, but they can move fast enough to close into melee range quickly so I guess that makes up for it. Stay sharp, Loco."
"You, too. Shepard out."
Moving onward, after several more minutes free of fighting, Team Shepard found themselves passing through a small park, not too far from the castle. Suddenly Shepard signaled for everyone to hide, and they all moved behind trees, rocks, or benches. Up ahead a few dozen meters, a mixed pack of Husks – three Cannibals, one unicorn-Husk, three human-Husks, an earth-pony Husk, two Marauders, and a Sangheili Husk – was moving through the park, perpendicular to Team Shepard's path. Garrus and Shepard readied their sniper rifles, aiming at the Sangheili-Husk and one of the Marauders, respectively. Garrus fired first, his Mantis' round blowing the former Elite's head off, and a split-second later the Marauder fell to Shepard's shot. The Husks didn't even have time to figure out what was going on before Garrus sniped the other Marauder, leaving the other cyber-zombies without any leadership-type units. The remaining Husks finally spotted Team Shepard, the melee-types beginning to charge while the Cannibals and ex-unicorn opened fire. The human and earth-pony Husks were caught in a Singularity from Shepard and then torn apart by Liara destabilizing it, while sniper rounds from Shepard and Garrus took out the shooters.
The trip through the rest of the park and the area beyond was uneventful, and soon Team Shepard neared the castle's main gates, which had been heavily fortified with at least a dozen well-armed soldiers stationed at it, with cover and turrets set up. Upon seeing the team approach, they flagged them over.
"Commander Shepard?" a COG Sergeant greeted. "Wasn't expecting to see you & your team on this world, sir."
"We came to help" Shepard replied. "We've got another team coming from a different direction, and then we need to get inside the castle, speak to the higher-ups."
"Heads up!" one of the lookout pegasi called down. "We got a Husk Rush incoming!"
The local defenders immediately took their positions, and Team Shepard joined in, spreading out a bit and plugging 'holes' in the line. Within half a minute, a force of Husks – mostly basic melee-type ones made from humans and earth-ponies – emerged from around and within a building that sat across the 'street' from the castle gates. The human and earth-pony soldiers manning the two tripod-mounted turrets opened fire, shredding some of the approaching cyber-zombies. A few Cannibals started taking shots from the back, but Garrus and Ashley took them out with his Mantis and her Indra. Then, however, a Sangheili-Husk came out, charging full-speed right toward the defensive line. Everyone immediately focused all their guns on the beast, chipping away at its shields and armor. Finally, it fell dead, only a handful of feet away from the forward defenders.
A second wave of Husks entered the battlefield, this time with Marauder support. Shepard, Garrus, and Kaidan used Overloads to drain the Marauders' shields, leaving them vulnerable to precision shots from Ashley & Garrus and a heavy Warp from Liara. As the gate-guarders' guns chewed the charging Husks up, however, a Brute emerged from the structure, moving slowly but inexorably closer as rounds bounced off its thick armored hide, trying to get close enough to pull off a charge, But then, it was hit with an impressive amount of fire from its right side, signaling the arrival of the other team – James, Javik, Zaeed, Thane, Kal'Reegar, Eve, and EDI. A Warp from Thane, an Incinerate from EDI, and Carnage shots from James and Kal did significant damage to the Brute, blowing chunks out of its armor and injuring it quite a bit. A 'Dark Channel' attack from Javik did more damage, and then a charged energy bolt to the head from Eve finished the monster off. The rest of the Husk wave was quickly dealt with, and after another minute it seemed that they were done for now.
"All right," the COG Sergeant said, "check ammo, patch any holes, and grab a bite. Commander, you and your people will wanna check in with the big-wigs; we'll let you through."
The gate was opened, and the 13 people of Team Shepard hurried through as it closed behind them. Inside, the castle courtyard had all sorts of things set up – a field hospital, hardened bunkers, artillery cannons and tanks set up for direct- and indirect-fire defense, a vehicle depot, and plenty of soldiers along with some civilians. Many of them saluted as Shepard and company moved through, approaching the large main doors guarded by four elite Royal Guards clad in advanced armor and wielding spears with electric-field generators in the blades. As they got close, a horizontal plane of light shot out from magitech devices along the door's sides, running across and over the heads of the team.
"Your minds are your own" the guard said as he looked at the readouts. "You may proceed."
"Scanners that can detect the neurological 'footprint' of Indoctrination?" Garrus observed. "Now that's damn useful. Maybe we can get some installed on the Citadel…"
"Such technology could have saved many lives during our cycle" Javik agreed. "We could still tell if someone was Indoctrinated by 'reading' them, but that required physical contact, which put the 'reader' well in an Indoctrinated agent's reach; you can imagine how that generally ended. To check for that from a distance, with a machine…"
Inside the castle, people and ponies moved about. Apparently the fighting hadn't actually reached here yet, the décor being totally unblemished, but there were still manned turrets and barricades set up facing the doors, just in case. Team Shepard continued deeper into the castle, soon reaching the throne room. It had been turned into a command center, with machines, terminals, holo-tables, and the like set up, and armed guards along the walls. Celestia, Shining Armor, Col. Hoffman, and Bernadette Mataki were gathered around the largest holo-table, at the foot of the steps leading up to the thrones.
"Shepard" Hoffman greeted. "Damned if you aren't a sight for sore eyes."
"Colonel, Princess… How are things going so far around here?"
"Better than we feared, worse than we hoped" Celestia replied. "The defenses in orbit have been able to give the Reapers pause, and we've managed to get all the other races of this world, including some of the dragons, to contribute and cooperate against the invaders. But civilian casualties in some areas have been significant, and our armed forces have taken enough losses that it's starting to show in the greater strategic picture. Sooner or later, they'll bleed us dry. The reinforcements sent by the UNSC and the Sangheili have been a significant help, but so far they can only halt the Reapers' advance, not actually push it back."
"Where are the Element-Bearers, and Delta Squad, and Cadence & Luna?"
"Or the Cures and Sonic?" Garrus added. "Or Gamma-6 and her little friend?"
"Twiley & her friends – that includes Trixie and Sunset – are helping set up a covert outpost in the old castle in the depths of Everfree Forest. Delta Squad and Luna are helping repulse the current attack from the west. Mai and Kizuna are currently part of Canterlot's east-border defense forces."
"The Cures are working with the gryphons," Mataki said, "makin' life hell for Reaper forces trying to get through the birds' mountain territory. Sonic's moving from trouble spot to trouble spot, helping wherever he can; last I heard, he was near Manehattan."
"Cadence, meanwhile," Celestia added, "is in orbit. Remember how I mentioned that the members of my family each had an old warship, a 6000-meter battleship, from the ancient-human civilization in the UNSC's home Realm? Hers, the Harmonia, is fit for duty and is aiding the battle against Reaper forces over the planet. …Mine, the Solaria, is still undergoing maintenance and refitting; it was mothballed for over 3,000 years, remember. And Luna's, the Crescent Shade, was left behind when she and I came to this world and set up The Veil."
"So, what have you folks accomplished since we last got updated?" Hoffman asked.
"We cured the Krogan genophage, got the Krogans and Turians to make nice, repulsed a Cerberus invasion of the Citadel – Udina's dead, I'll give you the full story later – and found & recruited the last living Prothean, convinced The Fallen's disciple to help us, and got EDI a mobile platform" he gestured to Javik, Eve, and EDI.
Celestia's and Hoffman's eyes widened a bit as they took it all in.
"Well… Sounds like we've all been busy…" Celestia remarked.
There was a sudden flash of blue light a short distance away, as the Princess of the Night teleported in.
"Sister," Luna reported, "the attack from the west has been repulsed with minimal casualties and… Oh, Commander Shepard. We were not aware you had arrived."
"Your Highness…" Shepard bowed his head slightly. "Nice armor."
"Thank you" Luna said, looking down at the silver and dark-blue armor she wore. "It has been a while since last I needed to wear it. …We have, in the past, faced foes that bore a paltry few similarities to the Reapers in doctrine or capability, but nothing close enough for us to be truly prepared for what faces us now. And their numbers…"
"Enough to darken the skies of every world," Javik chimed in, "as they boast. I know that sight well."
"…Who might you be?"
"I am called Javik, the last Prothean soldier, found in stasis on the world the humans call Eden Prime. The Commander is this cycle's best hope against the Reapers, so I fight for him."
There was a flashing red light from the holo-table's display of the orbital battle. A Sangheili Councilor-class assault carrier had been ganged up on by Reapers, taking out a fair few of them but being overwhelmed and destroyed; the killing shot had come from Executor. Oculus drones were being dispatched from the metal titans to track and destroy what starfighters and escape pods they could find.
"Damn it" Mataki pounded the edge of the table with her fist. "We can't keep this up forever. …We need a game-changer – something, anything, that can throw those squids for a loop, let us push back a little more."
Princess Luna looked around, uncertainty in her expression. She looked over at Shepard; if anyone could get to 'them'…
"There… may be something…" she spoke up, hesitantly.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"Whatcha mean?" Hoffman asked. "…Don't tell me you've been holding out on us, Luna. Why would you hide something that might give us an edge?"
"…Because I am ashamed of it."
"Luna…" Celestia spoke up, deducing. "Whatever it is, it's something that was originally made by Nightmare Moon to use against me, isn't it?"
Luna nodded, not quite able to look her sister in the eye. She took a deep breath.
"On the far side of our Moon," she said, "there is a massive subterranean complex, the vast majority of it devoted to a series of docks for the construction and storage of… a fleet of large and advanced space-warships."
"How advanced?" Shepard asked.
"As much as Celestia & Cadence's dreadnoughts; they are reverse-engineered from Forerunner designs. Though capable of operating under an independent crew or by synthetic intelligences, by default I can remotely control all of them from the command bridge of the flagship. It took me… It took Nightmare Moon centuries to construct them in secret, using raw materials harvested from all corners of this star system. She would have awakened and assumed control of them to wield against and crush Celestia's forces, but I was purified before that could happen."
"And now they might be just what we need to give the Reapers more to worry about…" Kaidan said.
"I'm guessing there's a reason you haven't gone for them already" Shepard said.
"More than one" Luna replied. "The first – and perhaps greatest – was my shame over the original reasons behind the ships' construction. The second is that, though not aware of exactly what is there, the Reapers know that something is on the Moon. They have forces scouring the surface even now. I could have gone to get the ships already, but my talents have been far too desperately needed planet-side; many battles so far could have been lost without my assistance. …But you, Commander, have changed things. You can deploy onto our Moon's surface, and make your way to the above-ground portion of the facility. Once inside, you can send the activation signal to the ships; I will then be able to teleport into the command bridge of the flagship, and bring the vessels out of their docks and into battle against the Reapers. But be warned; the Reapers' minions may have already reached the facility."
"If you do choose to undergo this endeavor," Celestia spoke up, "it will not be unsupported. Corona Agent Gamma is available; I will send her with you."
"…All right" Shepard said. "We'll do it. But we'll need a way to traverse the lunar landscape; it'll take too long and be too risky on foot."
Celestia smirked. "I believe we can take care of that."
In a flash of golden light, the two sisters and all of Team Shepard were teleported into a vehicle bay built into the side of the castle. Lights came on, as a lift delivered a certain, familiar vehicle.
"Aw, hell yeah" James said, grinning.
"Oh, Goddess…" Liara said with dread.
-SCENE BREAK-
Equestria's Moon
The Normandy II, its stealth systems engaged, flew low over the dusty grey lunar surface. As it briefly slowed down, its front hatch opened, and something came shooting out. The M35 Mako engaged its belly jets and its eezo core to slow its descent, bouncing a little as it landed.
"Okay," Shepard said, looking at the readouts, "our objective is a few clicks away. We've got some hills and some hostiles between here & there, so everyone buckle up."
"Ready when you are, Loco!" James said, manning the gun. "Let's go for a ride!"
"Just try not to get too crazy with this thing, Shepard" Garrus said. "I'm not sure the insurance covers rentals."
"His driving can't be… that bad, can it?" Golden Tiara asked, softly so only Garrus could hear her; she was remembering Liara and Ashley being particularly vehement in their refusal to come along.
The Turian's response was a low, ominous chuckle. Gulping, GT hooked one hoof around a handle on the wall near her.
The Mako started forward, rolling across the grey dust and rock as it followed the nav-point. The next few minutes were uneventful, moving up and down small, gentle slopes and along a flat plain, keeping an eye out for any activity. Suddenly, Shepard brought the Mako to a halt, looking through the 'scope'. Up ahead, far enough that they hadn't noticed the Mako yet, a group of Husks were being overseen by a Marauder. It looked like they were digging.
"They really think they can dig their way to it?" Shepard said. "Vega, if you please…"
James nodded, aiming the tank's main gun with help from a scope. He pressed the button, and the Mako rocked lightly as a high-explosive shell was propelled outward. The shot went off right in the center of the Husk cluster, kicking up a plume of moon-dust and blowing the vast majority of the cyber-zombies to bits, the blast sending the remainder flying in all directions. Shepard floored the accelerator, quickly bringing the Mako in close, and James used the coaxial machinegun to take out the few survivors, including the Marauder.
The Mako continued on in the direction of the objective. Seeing a 'small' hill/mound up ahead, Shepard accelerated, and GT yelped lightly as the Mako used the hill as a ramp, getting some respectable air. It happened to come down right on top of a small Husk pack, crushing the cyber-zombies and continuing on. Soon, a new obstacle presented itself: a fairly high, jagged rocky hillside with a moderately steep angle. Looking through the vid-screens showing outside, Agent Gamma spotted a gentler, smoother slope upward a few hundred meters to the right. But Shepard kept going straight.
"Wait…" GT said. "You're not gonna climb the cliff-face with this thing, are you?"
"Yep, he is" Garrus replied, one hand grabbing the 'panic handle' nearest him. "Hang onto something, Agent Gamma."
"Relax" Shepard told her. "I've made plenty of climbs like this in a Mako before…"
"Hell yeah" James added. "There's almost no slope a Mako can't handle."
The Mako jerked as it started driving up the rocky slope, using the momentum from its flat-ground approach to make it a good ways up fairly quickly. Rocks and dust tumbled down in the tank's wake as it determinedly ascended, the six tires digging into whatever they could. Golden Tiara looked rather worried, Garrus looked calm but was still clutching the 'panic handle', and Shepard & James looked to actually be enjoying this a little. The ascent angle steepened as they neared the top, and the Mako's climb began to slow; Tiara was actually worried they'd stall and slide or tumble back down.
"Come on, old girl…" James murmured. "You can make it…"
Shepard decided to use an old trick he'd figured out back during the hunt for Saren. Without letting up on the gas, he carefully angled the Mako so it was now climbing diagonally. This gave it a bit more traction, and just enough extra speed to make it the rest of the way. GT let out a sigh of relief as the tank was finally again on level ground.
"Told you I could do it" Shepard called back to her.
After another half a minute or so of driving, the Mako suddenly came under fire. A quick look-around found the culprits to be a trio of Ravagers, their heavy guns chipping away at the tank's shields. Shepard kept the Mako in motion, zigzagging and going back & forth to minimize the hits they took, while James used the big gun to sequentially destroy the three Rachni Husks. Once they were dead, the Mako rolled on. The next several minutes were quiet. Finally, they reached a cliff edge overlooking a lower area down below, and in the middle of that was a small structure.
"That's gotta be it" James said. "The part of the facility that sticks up above ground."
"I think I see a slope shallow enough for us to drive down a few hundred meters to the east" Golden Tiara observed.
"That might take too long" Shepard replied. "Every minute we spend is a minute more people are dying against the Reapers."
"…Wait" GT's eyes widened. "Y-You're not going to…"
The Mako started moving forward.
The Corona agent went pale. "Oh, sweet Fauna Luster…"
"Aw, yeah," James said, "time for a shortcut."
"This is worryingly familiar…" Garrus muttered, tightening his grip on the 'panic handle' as GT did the same.
'Tipping' over the edge, the Mako began picking up speed as it drove/slid and bounced down the steep rocky slope. About halfway down, it hit a rock with enough speed and angle that it lost all traction, and Golden Tiara screamed as the multi-ton tank became completely airborne, plummeting down, its wheels spinning as its engine roared. The Mako was about to land belly-first on a big rock jutting upward, when Shepard suddenly hit the thrusters for the underside-mounted jets, propelling the tank outward and getting even more air. The jets and the element-zero core worked to slow the vehicle's descent, but its landing was still hard enough that the occupants were very nearly tossed out of their seats. Golden Tiara panted for breath with eyes wide, holding a hoof to her heart, and she was pretty sure her grip on her handle had bent the metal a little.
"Yeah…" Garrus said. "Definitely just like old times…"
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" James said. "Better than any rollercoaster!"
"See?" Shepard said to the Corona agent. "That wasn't so bad."
GT could only give him a look of astonishment (and a few other emotions) as the tank rolled on. Finally, it reached the outside of the facility, parking by the 'front door'. Everyone donned their helmets and made sure their suits were sealed, and then the air inside the vehicle was quickly shunted into storage tanks. The hatch opened, and everyone piled out, boots kicking up bits of dust as they walked across the lunar surface. Very faint flashes of light were visible in the starry sky, signs of the battle still raging. The team made their way to the structure, passing through the outer airlock door.
Once inside, oxygen was pumped into the airlock room, equalizing pressure. A chime sounded, and Shepard, James, & Garrus removed their helmets, while Agent Gamma kept her helmet on but deactivated the vacuum seal. Passing through the door and into the facility proper, they kept their eyes sharp and weapons ready. Lights came on, distant from each other and moderately dim, making enough light to see and move by but still dark enough to add to the atmosphere.
"Listen for anything out of place, and keep an eye on your motion trackers" Shepard said, readying his N7 Eagle.
Cautiously, they advanced further into the facility. After a few minutes of skulking through dark corridors, they still hadn't found any resistance, and that stillness and silence unnerved them. When, several minutes in, they encountered the first Husk pack, it was almost a relief. The formerly-human cyber-zombies emerged from an alcove, rushing toward Team Shepard. Agent Gamma made the first move, tossing out a green-hued Biotic Shockwave-Chain that sent about half of the Husk pack flying in different directions, killing all but three. As she then drew and fired her SMG, James used his shotgun to blow away two Husks that had gotten too close. Garrus' Phaeston rifle made short work of the survivors of GT's attack, while Shepard tossed out a couple Incinerate blasts and then brought his N7 Hurricane to bear. Between his and Agent Gamma's fire, the remaining Husks were quickly slain.
Moving forward, they reached a lift that brought them a floor down. The moment they stepped off the elevator, they were attacked by a squad of Cannibals. Immediately Shepard and Golden Tiara tossed out Singularities, the blue and green spheres of Biotic energy snatching up all but three of the Batarian Husks. They then used Warps to destabilize each other's Singularities, the explosions ripping apart the Cannibals caught up in them. As for the three remaining, assault rifle fire from Garrus and James took care of them easily enough.
Another stretch of peace & quiet followed, as the team made their way toward the control room. As they arrived, the door silently slid open to reveal a Marauder with its back to them, looking over a terminal and trying to figure out how to activate it. Before it could even turn around, Garrus took out its shields with an Overload and Shepard immediately then put two rounds into the back of its head. After the corpse was moved aside, Shepard quickly got the terminal online and transferred the program Luna had given him into it. Soon, the readings showed as the flagship's reactor came online, with other ships beginning to 'check in' soon after. Then, his omnitool chimed as it received a message – Luna had successfully teleported onto the bridge of the flagship.
"Excellent work, Shepard" she said over the comm. "I shall be able to take it from here. You and your companions may wish to return outside so as to witness my ships' emergence."
Shepard and his team turned to leave, the door sliding open as they approached… and revealing the Brute that had been waiting right there on the other side. James cursed in Spanish as he threw himself to the floor, barely dodging the claw that had been swung at his head. The other three leapt back, GT Biotically pulling James to safety as Shepard fired an Incinerate. The blast began burning away through the Brute's armor, but the super-Husk didn't just sit still for that. It charged, forcing Garrus and GT to roll out of the way, and as she came out of the roll GT lashed out with a Biotic Push that knocked the Brute off-balance mid-charge, leading it to crash into a wall.
The Brute groaned and shook its head, fighting off the daze, while everyone started pouring rounds intro its back. They managed to do some damage before it spun around, snarling, and charged at Shepard, swinging its huge claw. The Commander ducked and threw himself to the left, dropping a Combat Drone as he did, and the little drone started zapping the Brute in the face, making it bring its big arm up to shield its head. Agent Gamma got in close, unleashing a point-blank Warp right into the Brute's gut, and the beast roared in pain and anger, pounding its big fist down at her but missing. This, however, left its head vulnerable, and a shotgun blast from James blew half its face off. The super-Husk staggered, its remaining eye glaring death at James, but then Shepard moved in with an Omniblade stab from its blind side, impaling the glowing blade through the Brute's skull. The beast's eye lost its light, and it fell to the ground dead.
With the way clear, Team Shepard made their way back outside unmolested. As they walked across the lunar surface toward the parked Mako, the ground began to rumble. Motion caught their eyes, as several hundred meters away the grey ground shifted, two doors of an enormous subterranean hangar sliding open. Soon, something began to emerge upward from it – a ship, with sharp angles and sleek curves, black and midnight-blue in color, the word "AMALTHEA" on the side. It was nearly 1,000 meters long.
"Ma'am?" Shepard radioed. "Is that your flagship?"
"Nay, Commander" Luna replied. "That is one of the smaller vessels."
More motion sprang up, as all over the area for several kilometers around more hangars of varying size opened up, and more ships began to emerge. Team Shepard watched in awe as the titans rose up over the next minute, culminating in two gigantic vessels – one bearing numerous launch bays and the size of the Harmonia, and another bristling with weapon emplacements including the 'barrel' of a massive main gun poking out from the bow that was even bigger.
"Behold! The Eclipse Fleet!-!"
11 COPERNICUS-CLASS CORVETTES (Aegaeon, Anthe, Kale, Cyllene, Kore, Herse, Mneme, Pasithee, Sponde, Orthosie, Euporie) – 400M
9 APOLLO-CLASS FRIGATES (Phoebe, Larissa, Sycorax, Janus, Galatea, Himalia, Namaka, Amalthea, Despina) – 985M
7 HERTZSPRUNG-CLASS DESTROYERS (Enceladus, Miranda, Proteus, Mimas, Nereid, Hyperion, Dysnomia) – 1200M
6 ARISTARCHUS-CLASS CRUISERS (Oberon, Iapetus, Umbriel, Ariel, Dione, Tethys) – 2200M
4 HUMBOLDT-CLASS BATTLECRUISERS (Europa, Triton, Titania, Rhea) – 2750M
2 TYCHO-CLASS BATTLESHIPS (Callisto, Io) – 3100M
1 IMBRIUM-CLASS ASSAULT CARRIER (Titan) – 6000M
1 AITKEN-CLASS DREADNOUGHT (Ganymede) – 8500M
"Holy shit…" James breathed out, his jaw dropped inside his helmet.
"Now that's a fleet" Garrus remarked.
"Joker, you seeing this?" Shepard radioed.
"Hell yeah, I am! They're enormous! Man, the Reapers won't know what hit 'em. Anyway, I'm coming to pick you guys up and bring you back planet-side."
"Roger that."
As Team Shepard climbed into the Mako to wait for the Normandy II, Shepard looked up at the sky as the Eclipse Fleet took to the stars, heading for the main orbit battle. Aboard the bridge of the Ganymede, Princess Luna took a slow, deep breath to focus herself.
"This fleet of mine shall protect our world from those who would do it harm" she murmured. "The Reapers will know fear…"
-CHAPTER END-
Next Time: Equestria, Part 2