Teana's Travels Book 27: Invasion

by D.K.N

After around three months of peace following the closing of the Malia issue, the Dimensional Defense Force's rest is violently cut short as the Reapers arrive in force, ravaging Realm ME-N7 and using warp-gates to hit a few DDF worlds outside that realm as well. Can Commander Shepard unite the galaxy, rally the fleets, and stop the slaughter? Rated M for violence and language.

30. United and Ready

Still no X-Box One achievements (they all say "Done! Unlocking…" and have said that for DAYS), still no Halo: TMCC play…

And here we have the second-to-last chapter of the Book; the next chapter will be a short wrap-up, as well as a lead-in to the next Book. It's been a long journey, so here we go…

SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR DISCLAIMERS

PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE PAGES

-CHAPTER START-

Normandy II, Deck Two

The was a flash of motion and a tiny split-second shift in local gravity as a Systems Alliance dreadnought (a light- or standard-cruiser by DDF standards; people in the UNSC, the Raiders, the TSAB, and such still liked to poke fun at Realm ME-N7's inhabitants for having navies made up of such comparatively 'little' ships) came out of FTL right next to the ship. The 1,050-meter vessel extended a docking tube, attaching to the port on the bow-ward port hatch on the 170-meter stealth-attack frigate.

"Commander," Joker said over the intercom, "you've got a priority message from Admiral Hackett, requesting permission to come aboard."

"Permission granted" Shepard replied from his perch at the CIC.

(MASS EFFECT 3 OST – "Stand Strong, Stand Together")

Soon, Admiral Steven Hackett and two marine guards walked down the central hall of the deck, crewmen saluting as the older man passed.

"Commander?" the man greeted.

"Admiral" Shepard saluted.

"Are you ready to bring the might of the galaxy to bear on the Reapers?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Then let's make sure the fleets are ready…"

Admiral Hackett stepped up onto the CIC podium, as Traynor patched him in to every single ship in the enormous coalition fleet.

"Never before have so many come together," he began, "from all quarters of the galaxy and the Realms beyond. But never before have any of us faced an enemy such as this. The Reapers have shown us no mercy, and thus must we give no quarter to them. They have struck terror into the hearts of our people, but we will stand fast in the face of that fear. Each of us will be defined by our actions in the coming battle – a battle with stakes higher than any of us could have ever imagined.

"For all who are… For all who ever have been… and for all who ever will be… We will fight, and we will win. The Reapers' cycle of death and destruction will at last be brought to its final end, and all who live shall know a peace that has not been known for over a billion years. And long after today, when the next sapient races take their first steps into the wider galaxy… we will be there… to show them that they do not have to be afraid! Stand fast, stand strong… stand together… Hackett out."

As several crewmen applauded, Hackett accompanied Shepard toward the War Room.

"Shepard," he said, "the Sword fleets are ready to strike at the Reapers surrounding Earth. While they keep the enemy engaged, you and Hammer ground forces can take London."

"London? Why aren't we hitting the Citadel directly?"

"Anderson can brief you on that…"

The two officers arrived in the QEC room, finding David Anderson's hologram present and waiting for them.

"Admiral? How are you holding up?" Hackett asked him.

"We're ready to end this. But as you can see," he pulled up a hologram of the Citadel's current state, "the station has closed itself since it appeared over London."

"Damn it…" Shepard sighed. "We've gotta get the arms open to dock the Crucible."

"Exactly. But London is surrounded by Reaper 'Hades' cannons. Hammer transports can't land while they're active. You'll lead a squad of smaller shuttles, infiltrate with a ground team to take out the cannons using heavy weapons. Then Hammer can land, and we'll set up a Forward Operations Base."

"I still don't see how we're getting to the Citadel from London."

"The Reapers use a beam of sorts to transport humans, alive and dead, to the Citadel. From the FOB, Hammer will launch an all-out assault on the Citadel beam. Everyone who makes it that far will take the beam up to the Citadel, and then locate and activate the Citadel arm controls."

"Once we see those arms open," Hackett picked up, "Shield Fleet will escort the Crucible to the Citadel. But timing will be critical. We don't have enough firepower to keep the Crucible safe for long."

"Nothing's ever easy" Shepard said. "No reason it should start now."

"It's desperate. I don't even wanna guess at our odds. But…"

"This is the only plan we have" Hackett said. "If we wait, the Reapers bleed us slowly. Conventionally, we can't defeat the Reapers without the Crucible. Get the Citadel arms open, Commander, whatever the cost. We'll do the rest."

-SCENE BREAK-

Mass-Relay FTL, Approaching Sol-System Relay

(MUSIC: Mass Effect 3 OST – "The Fleets Arrive" – 0:00)

"Approaching Sol Relay, Commander" Joker reported to Shepard, who stood beside & behind him in full armor.

"This is it…" Shepard breathed out.

"Eeyup. Through the relay in 10 seconds…"

(0:18)

The silent stillness of the space surrounding the Charon Relay was broken as the Normandy II emerged from FTL… followed by hundreds and hundreds of warships of all species and sizes, either carried by the relay or emerging through slipspace rifts in formation with the others. Turian dreadnoughts flew alongside Koprulu-Terran battlecruisers, Tripartate assault carriers moved with SICON battleships and Sangheili heavy cruisers, Asari, Protoss, and Elvaan warships arrived in mass formation, Rachni and Primal-Zerg constructs surrounded Salarian and Cybertronian attack ships, UNSC and TSAB heavy cruisers were formed up with Systems Alliance ships, Sangheili assault carriers and Alicorn dreadnoughts moved side by side with Eclipse-Fleet vessels, the rear was brought up by the Infinity, the Olivie, and four Sangheili Divinity-class supercarriers, the Starshot was towards the front near the Normandy… Every single space-faring race of this galaxy and every single member-state of the Dimensional Defense Force contributed everything they could spare for the largest naval operation in modern inter-Realm history, all of them emerging into realspace together as a titanic armada.

(0:47)

"All fleets report in" Joker announced into fleet-wide comm. "This is the Normandy II – Systems Alliance fleet reporting."

"This is the Kwunu; Turian Fleet reporting."

"This is Destiny Ascension; Asari Fleet reporting."

"This is Starbreaker; Salarian Fleet reporting."

"This is Qwib-Qwib; Quarian and Geth Fleets reporting."

"This is Teremak; Batarian Fleet reporting."

"This is Shadow-queen; Omega Fleet reporting."

"This is Hope-Singer; Rachni Fleet reporting."

"This is the Olivie; TSAB Fleet reporting."

"This is Infinity; UNSC Fleet reporting."

"This is the Immortal Honor; Sangheili Alliance Fleet reporting."

"This is the Bucephalus; Terran Dominion Fleet reporting."

"This is Hyperion; Raiders Fleet reporting."

"This is Purity's Blade; Protoss Fleet reporting."

"This is Leviathan-1; Primal Swarm Fleet reporting."

"This is Striking Hammer; Phoenix League Fleet reporting."

"This is Ebony Midnight; Tripartate Fleets reporting."

"This is Thanatos; Alicorn Fleet reporting."

"This is the Ganymede; Eclipse Fleet reporting."

"This is Valley Forge; SICON Fleet reporting."

"This is Olympus; Galactic Federation Fleet reporting."

"This is Primus' Sword; Cybertron Fleet reporting."

"All fleets reporting in, Commander" Joker said. "Ready to engage on your command."

The armada continued deeper into the solar system, and before long Earth was in visual range, magnified images showing the multiple fires burning across its surface, as well as the closed-up cigar-like silhouette of the Citadel and the hundreds of Reapers guarding it and the planet. Reaper Dreadnoughts & Destroyers and Oculus drones broke off, heading for the approaching threat, while the DDF fleet readied weapons and deployed manned & drone fighters of their own.

"This is it, everyone!" Shepard said. "Ready… aim… fire!"

The massive fleet launched a tremendous barrage of attacks – missiles, plasma bolts, particle beams, fusion-cannon shots, magnetically-propelled projectiles, and more – at the Reaper swarm. Shots from the UNSC's & Phoenix League's MACs and the Sangheili's & Protoss' energy projectors struck first, hammering the Reapers' shields and taking a handful of the monsters out. The comparatively-slower majority of the fired shots followed, slamming into the Reaper line. The Reapers' shields flared and in some cases failed, allowing damage to be done to their ancient metal bodies; for some it was too much, their ancient intelligences being snuffed out. But there were plenty more where that came from, and now they were angry.

"Fighter squadrons, on my command engage the Reaper drones" Shepard ordered.

After several more seconds, the Oculi had gotten close enough, and Shepard gave the go-ahead. Fighters of all shapes & sizes streamed out, beginning to trade fire with the countless Reaper Oculus drones. Meanwhile, the Reapers had finally gotten in range, and began to return fire, their superheated crimson beams eating away at the coalition ships' shields. The coalition ships responded in earnest, some ships and Reapers closing into 'knife fight' range while others hammered each other from afar. The Starshot's plasma-beam torpedoes tore apart a pair of Reaper Destroyers, while a shot from one of the Olivie's long-range 'breaker cannons' took out a command-subtype Reaper that had been weakened by concentrated fire from three Sangheili battlecruisers, and a standard-build Reaper Dreadnought met its end as MAC fire from the Infinity and two Marathon-class cruisers wore down its shields and punched massive holes through it, and nearby the Kwunu led three other Turian dreadnoughts in tearing another Reaper apart at the cost of one of them.

Amidst all the chaos, the Normandy II zoomed planet-ward, blasting a pair of Oculus drones in its way as it headed toward northwestern Europe.

-SCENE BREAK-

London, England, UK, Earth

"Advance teams are away" Joker radioed. "Hammer's in position and waiting for you guys to clear a path. Normandy's rejoining Sword."

"Stay safe" Shepard replied. "I'll be back before you know it."

"I'll hold you to that. Normandy out."

"We're closing in on the LZ, Commander" Cortez reported.

"How's it look?" Shepard asked.

"Like Hell. Take a look for yourself."

Shepard triggered the portside viewscreen, showing an image of the streets below. Ashley, James, Kaidan, and Zaeed gathered behind him, looking at the screen.

"Bloody hell…" Zaeed breathed out.

"It doesn't even look like Earth…" Ashley remarked.

Suddenly, the shuttle lurched as a piercing bluish-white beam shot up from below. The second shuttle flying alongside theirs took a direct hit that blasted/burned a two-meter-wide hole right through it, sending it careening down in flames.

"Damn it!" Cortez said. "That was the squad responsible for taking out that AA gun."

"Who's on it now?" Shepard asked.

"Nobody in the vicinity; they're all either already deployed or shot down."

"Drop us off."

"Sir?"

"We have to take that thing out before Hammer can land."

"Understood."

"Change of plans, people!" Shepard said to his team. "We're gonna take out that Hades Cannon."

"With what?" Kaidan asked.

"That downed shuttle would've been carrying heavy weapons" Cortez said.

"Perfect. You heard the man. Once we're clear, we make our way to the crashed shuttle. We'll search the wreckage for ordnance."

The shuttle set down and opened its hatch, and the team of five immediately ran for cover behind some rubble as Cannibals opened fire on them. The view ahead was dominated by ruined buildings, a choked dark-grey sky, the lightly damaged but still standing Elizabeth Tower, and the spire-like structure of the Hades Cannon.

"I can't stay here, sir!" Cortez said.

"Get clear" Shepard replied. "Come get us once we've taken that turret out."

As the Kodiak flew away, Shepard and Kaidan used Overloads to de-shield the two Marauders leading this Cannibal squad, leaving them vulnerable to a killing snipe-shot and a Warp to the face; meanwhile, Ashley, Zaeed, and James used their assault rifles to pick off some of the Cannibals. Shepard and Kaidan helped them finish them off, and then they moved up; the Hades Cannon fired at something, producing a bright light, a loud continuous noise, and an aim-disrupting tremor in the ground.

Further up the ruins' steps, Zaeed tossed a grenade that took out two Marauders' shields just in time for Shepard's Singularity to snatch up them and three Cannibals, and Kaidan's following Warp destabilized it and tore them apart. They hurried up to the top, and Shepard & Zaeed started sniping the few Marauders between them and their target building. Every once in a while the Hades Cannon would fire, the bright flash and shaking ground making it much more difficult to aim for a few seconds. Nevertheless, the Turian Husks were soon dead. A Brute emerged from the building, but a Stasis attack from Shepard left it vulnerable to a pair of grenades from Ashley & Zaeed, a Carnage shot from James, and a Reave from Kaidan. A snipe-shot from Shepard finished it off.

They hurried across the area and to the ruined building, with James shoulder-tackling and shotgun-blasting a Cannibal that tried to ambush them. As they began climbing the 'ramp' of rubble to reach the roof, Cortez's shuttle flew by, exchanging fire with a Harvester. Suddenly, a small explosion tore through the left rear section of the shuttle.

"Damn!" Shepard said. "You okay, Steve?-!"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Cortez replied. "But I won't be picking you up; I've gotta land this bird quick!"

"Copy that! Find a safe place to set her down!"

Reaching the roof, they soon found the crashed second shuttle. A squad of Cannibals and a Ravager was between it and them, and the massive Hades Cannon was fully visible 'standing' not far from the building's opposite edge. As Zaeed, Ashley, and James handled the Batarian Husks, Shepard and Kaidan started bombarding the Ravager with Warp blasts and (from Shepard) Incinerate shots, rapidly weakening its armored hide. As the Rachni Husk soon fell under the onslaught, the remaining Cannibals were also mopped up.

Shepard hurried over to the shuttle, finding two M920 Cain weapons undamaged and ready to fire. He grabbed one and pointed it at the massive Hades cannon, holding down the trigger, and the weapon glowed and beeped increasingly as it charged to fire. Finally, just as the Hades was about to fire again, the Cain shot first, the high-explosive relativistic shell crossing the distance in an instant. It just happened to hit the point where the Hades was storing power to fire, and the resulting powerful blast triggered a chain reaction that gutted the entire massive construct, tearing it apart from the inside.

"That's it," someone said, "last gun down. All 'Hammer' dropships and drop-pods, prepare."

"Anybody," Shepard said, "come in! We need extraction!"

The shriek of a Banshee rang out, as the Asari 'super-Husk' floated up onto the roof at the opposite edge, joined by a sizable force of Cannibals and Marauders. Shepard grabbed the other Cain and fired it, obliterating the Banshee and a half-dozen 'lesser' Husk-types near it. The team then hunkered down and opened fire on the remaining Cannibals as more of the Husks climbed up and joined the party. They kept coming, forcing the team to burn through thermal clips to hold them at bay.

"Commander, prepare for extraction" a man's British voice said over the comm.

Soon, a Kodiak shuttle pulled up and hovered beside the roof edge, opening up to allow a handful of marines to open fire on the Husk forces. Team Shepard raced for the shuttle, jumping the gap into its troop bay. The hatch slid closed, and the shuttle rocketed away as a man wearing the insignia of an Alliance Major took a breath.

"You okay?" he asked them.

"I'm alive" Shepard replied.

"That you are, Commander" a familiar voice chimed in.

Shepard turned, and smiled as he saw who it was. "Anderson!"

"I knew you wouldn't let me down" the old soldier said as he shook Shepard's hand.

"How are we looking?" Shepard asked.

"Now that the heavy air defenses are dealt with, Hammer can land."

"And not a moment too soon" the British Major chimed in.

"What's left of the local resistance is holding a Forward Operations Base. But the Reapers are countering already. Once we regroup, it's gonna be up to Hammer to take up the fight."

"It must've been brutal here," Shepard said, "cut off from the rest of the Alliance."

"It's been touch-and-go from day one. But once we figured out the Reapers were focusing on the major centers, it became easier to avoid direct contact."

"Until London…" the Major added.

"Yeah. We held back as long as we could, sending in recon teams. We lost a lot of good men planning this attack. But with soldiers like Major Coats here, and knowing you'd bring us help, we held on."

"Without you and your resistance," Shepard said, "we'd be dead in the water."

"Yeah," Maj. Coats chimed in, "the Admiral's being modest. He's the reason any of us are still alive."

"Let's not start handing out medals just yet" Anderson said. "This fight is just getting started. And Hammer had better be ready."

"They didn't start out together," Shepard replied, "but they're ready to stand side by side and win this war."

"Good… That's what it's gonna take."

"The entire galaxy united… Too bad it took the Reapers to make it happen. I know you didn't like leaving, Shepard, but nobody could've accomplished what you've done. …Alright, let's give Hammer the all-clear."

-Break-

"All Task-Force Hammer personnel, the light is green! Repeat, the light is green! This is it, people; LET'S MOVE!-!"

All across the huge coalition armada, soldiers of varying species scrambled into ready & waiting dropships and orbital-drop pods. The ships carrying troops got as close to the area above UK as they could, some making micro-jumps to put them there, and released a 'swarm' of dozens of dropships and drop-pods down toward the planet. The pods plummeted straight down, their bottoms beginning to glow from the heat of reentry, while the dropships flew in scattered formations down, some joining up with the fleet of Kodiaks already waiting a few hundred meters above the ground.

Soon the drop-pods made landfall, a few of them being shot down beforehand or landing wrong (as in fatally) but the significant majority safely 'touching down'. Elite warriors of various type – ODSTs & Spartans, Sangheili Spec-Ops, elite Terran troops, League & Tripartate specialists, and more, including Gamma, Sigma, & Theta Teams – deployed from their pods and immediately started wreaking havoc on enemy ground forces. The shuttles and dropships soon followed, depositing scores of soldiers of various species and faction, along with a multitude of combat vehicles. They began to slowly and methodically carve paths through the enemy, losing a few of their number but pressing forward. Lastly, a trio of Scarabs was dropped in from a Sangheili assault carrier, one of them being of the bigger, tougher, more powerful 'older' model.

-Break-

Forward Operating Base

The Kodiak set down in a damaged but sturdy old building, and as everyone disembarked Shepard and Anderson walked up to a marine waving for the latter's attention.

"Admiral," he said, "we've set up a command center in the building over there."

"Looks like we've still got groups coming in" Anderson observed. "…Come see me when you're ready, Shepard."

As Anderson and the rest of the team headed out, Shepard looked out the window beside Major Coats.

"The fighting here has been some of the worst on the planet" Coats said. "It looks bad, but there's still hope. …And, you're here. It'll do the troops good to see you – bolster their resolve."

"I'm just a soldier, like them."

"You might see yourself like that, but they don't. Like it or not, Commander, you're a hero to these men and women. Don't discount the effect that can have on them. …I'd better go meet up with my battalion. I'll see you at the Command Center."

-Break-

After wandering the area for some time, Shepard arrived at the command center. Besides checking on the status of Task-Force Hammer, he'd checked on various members of his current and former teams, either in person or via comm. – making 'retirement plans' with Garrus, listening to Legion muse about the Geth's journeys, hearing that Mordin and the UNSC Hopeful made it out okay, discussing Javik's plans to travel the galaxy and maybe write a book, a pep-talk from/with Wrex, a 'gift' from Liara, hearing from Eve how it was difficult for her not to feel overwhelmed by just how big the stakes were here, hearing from EDI how her time with him and Joker had helped her feel 'alive', and other topics. Now, before meeting with Anderson, he had one last little talk to have.

"Almost time for the final push…" Tali said. "Are you okay?"

"I thought I'd be asking you that question" Shepard replied.

"Jason, I backed you when I was just a kid on her Pilgrimage. I backed you when the Normandy was a Cerberus ship." She stepped closer to him. "Wherever you go, I'm with you. And you haven't answered my question. Are you okay?"

"You remember how you felt a couple months ago, when you set foot on Rannoch? Now imagine it's not a story passed down by your people. Imagine you were there just a few months beforehand."

"And now you're seeing it like this…"

"We need to put it right."

"We will. Do you remember what we said on Rannoch, just before you took down that Reaper?"

"You said 'I love you'."

"And you said 'keelah se'lai'. …I want more time."

He held her close. "I know. Whatever happens…"

"I know."

Eventually, they let each other go, and Shepard headed over to the main holo-table.

"Commander," Anderson greeted, "just going over the sitrep."

"How's it look?"

"Well, among our people – Alliance, Turians, everyone native to this 'Realm' – only about 65% have reported in. But the Dimensional Defense Force's people have had better luck – at least 80%. Combined, we have a lot of firepower, especially since they managed to get quite a few mages and shinobi groundside, along with pretty much all of the Spartans."

"Can we count on any more showing up?"

"There are some stragglers still en route, but the bulk of Hammer that's still intact has arrived. We're as ready as we're likely to get."

"Alright, then. Every minute we waste, the Reapers consolidate their strength."

"My thoughts exactly. Battalion leaders, report to HQ or tap in via QEC or mana-based transmission."

-Break-

"We fought hard to get here" Anderson addressed everyone present. "But now the toughest part begins. We've got to drive right through the heart of Reaper-controlled territory, break past their defenses, and get to that beam."

"What kind of defenses?" Shepard asked.

"The entire area from here to the beam is crawling with Reaper forces, and there's a Destroyer protecting the beam itself."

"Can we bring in air support to deal with it?" Major Coats asked.

"Negative; there's some kind of interference. We'll have to take it out from the ground. Now, they've cut a swath – a no-man's land – through the city. We'll have to cross that first. There'll be some limited shelter on the other side, but expect heavy ground resistance. We need to get our tanks close enough to have a shot at taking that Destroyer out."

"How much of a shot?"

"They know we're coming. This will be a one-way trip for many of us. But there can be no retreat, no stepping back. We move forward at all costs, understood?"

There was a chorus of "Yes, sir"s.

"Shepard, while other Hammer and DDF teams take different routes, I'm sending you right up the gut, where the resistance is heaviest. Support the tanks as best you can, but stay alive. I need you for the final push to the beam. I'll give you a minute with your squad. Pick your team well."

-Break-

Shepard stood before his gathered ground team – Ashley, Kaidan, James, Kal'Reegar, Javik, Garrus, Liara, EDI, Eve, Zaeed, Thane, Tali, and Legion.

"This war has brought us pain and suffering and loss…" he started. "But it's also brought us together – as soldiers, allies, and friends. This bond that ties us together is something the Reapers will never understand. It's more powerful than any weapon, stronger than any ship. It can't be taken or destroyed.

"The next few hours will decide the fate of everyone in the galaxy. Every father and mother, every son and daughter, every unborn child… They're trusting you, depending on you to win them your future – a future free from the threat of the Reapers.

"But take heart. Look around you. You're not in this fight alone. We face our enemy together, united and ready, and together we will defeat them!"

-SCENE BREAK-

As the multi-pronged assault began, Shepard dropped down into the no-man's-land, accompanied by Garrus, Tali, and an unexpected big name from the DDF, volunteered to accompany him & his team: Spartan-II John-117, the legendary Master Chief himself. They dropped in behind a Marauder-led team of Cannibals preparing to ambush a coming tank convoy. At Shepard's signal, they attacked; Shepard used an Overload to de-shield the Marauder, leaving the Turian Husk vulnerable to focused fire from the Chief's MA5D assault rifle, while Garrus' Phaeston assault rifle and Tali's Scimitar shotgun started cutting down the Cannibals. The last Cannibal tried to run, but the Chief put him down with a shot from his BR85 rifle.

The quartet moved forward, dropping down and traveling alongside an M35 Mako and an M808 Scorpion. Up ahead, a pack of Cannibals attacked from a ruined building on the left, their shots pinging against the Mako's shields; in response, the Scorpion fired a shell over its shorter comrade, detonating amongst the Batarian Husks and blowing half of them to bits. Garrus and the Chief used their assault rifles to pitch in, and the Mako's coaxial machinegun picked off the rest. As the team and the tanks rolled on, an M44 Hammerhead joined the group.

"Anyone know how the hell we're supposed to take down a Destroyer with tanks?" a tank-driver asked.

"Thanix missiles can do a fuckton of damage" a marine replied.

"If you say so…"

"Cut the chatter" Major Coats spoke up. "You heard the Admiral: no retreat."

A Harvester flew in and set down up ahead, firing its head-mounted cannons. The three tanks focused fire on the beast's head and the core-like object on its chest, and managed to take it down, though the Mako came away with some damage to its armor. From a building up ahead, a Banshee and two Marauders emerged; it was a testament to the Asari Husk's durability and that of its Biotic barriers that it took two Scorpion shells to put it down, while the Marauders fell to rapid-fire rockets from the Hammerhead.

Team Shepard now split up from the tank group, heading into a building up ahead. They found themselves in a parking garage, with a pack of Husks charging at them. Shepard used his Hurricane SMG, and Tali her Scimitar shotgun, to deal with most of them; the remaining few quickly folded under focused bursts from the Chief's MA5D. Unfortunately, a Brute came in behind the Husks, snarling as it stomped toward the team. Shepard sent out a Combat Drone to distract and weaken the Brute with electric strikes and Incinerate rockets, and while the monster took cumbersome swings at the nimble little construct, the team bombarded it with gunfire, aiming at the joints and head. The Master Chief and Garrus threw a pair of frag grenades that detonated underneath the Brute, and the super-Husk groaned as it struggled to hold itself together. A Warp blast from Shepard finished the job.

At the far end of the parking garage, they climbed a ladder and then moved up a long 'ramp' of debris to ascend two floors. They found a 'turret nest', where two Marauders manned a pair of heavy turrets while a Ravager stood between them, the trio firing on coalition forces below. At Shepard's signal, Shepard and Garrus sniped the two Turian-Husks while the Master Chief and Tali focused AR and shotgun fire on the Ravager's legs, blowing them out and leaving the bulbous creature to collapse to the floor; a few close-range shotgun blasts put it down. Moving further into this room, a pair of Cannibals tried to attack, but Shepard Biotically grabbed them both and lethally slammed them into the floor. When they moved to pass through the next door, it opened to release a trio of Husks who were quickly put down by Tali's shotgun and Shepard's SMG.

The ensuing hallway terminated in a hole in the wall and a pile of rubble leading down outside. The team found themselves at a street intersection with a squad of Marauders patrolling. Shepard and Garrus used their Overload modules to de-shield the Turian Husks, with Tali's pistol and the Chief's battle-rifle picking off the Marauders as they were exposed. Debris blocked the road ahead, and a Ravager was perched atop it, already lining up shots on the team. They dove for cover as it fired its dual cannons, and Shepard & Garrus pelted it with Valiant and Mantis shots until it dropped dead.

The quartet moved into a shop on the corner, finding a squad of Cannibals with Husk support waiting. Shepard tossed out a Singularity that 'grabbed' the charging Husks and a few Cannibals, and the Master Chief tossed a grenade into the Biotic sphere's pull so that it detonated at the heart of the captive enemy pack, blowing them all apart. Garrus led with his Phaeston through most of the remaining Cannibals, with Tali's shotgun backing him up, the Chief and Shepard following behind. Approaching the exit, a long Marauder popped up in an ambush, but the Master Chief shoulder-charged the Turian Husk and tackled it into a wall hard enough to pop its shields and badly injure it; a half-dozen assault rifle rounds at point-blank finished it off.

"The Destroyer's spotted us" a member of A Company reported. "We're prepping Thanix missiles."

"Hold your fire" Maj. Coats ordered. "You won't do anything but piss it off."

They moved out into another rubble-strewn intersection, this one with a sizable crater blown in the middle. There was another shop on the opposite corner they could cross through. As they were halfway across the crater, the quiet intersection suddenly came alive as Cannibals attacked from the store up ahead. The team hurried up out of the exposed crater, running and gunning as they sprinted into usable cover on the other side. Shepard tossed out a Biotic Shockwave-Chain that sent several Cannibals flying, and Garrus & the Chief quickly focused fire to take out the stunned Batarian-Husks. Shepard and Tali used their pistols to mop up the rest. Inside the shop was a lone Marauder, quickly deprived of its shields by Tali's Energy Drain and then deprived of its face by her shotgun.

The door in the shop led to another indoor area with more Cannibals. The Chief and Shepard led, AR and SMG rounds chewing through the Husks' 'flesh' while Tali and Garrus mopped up. They hopped out through the long-gone window, passing what looked like an entrance to a cellar, and headed down an alleyway. Suddenly, a Brute busted through the wall right up ahead. Recognizing that they were in a very bad situation (up against a Brute, very close to it, in an enclosed space), the quartet turned and ran to get out of the alleyway, the super-Husk following close behind them. Garrus dropped a proximity mine as he ran, and when the Brute stepped on it the blast blew the thing's leg off. As the beast roared and swung its massive claw-arm, trying to crawl/pull itself after the group, Shepard lined up his N7 Valiant's sights on the Brute's face and fired; it took two direct shots to kill the thing.

Moving past the Brute's corpse, they passed through the hole in the wall it had made. Through the door on the other side, they finally came out into a large intersection, cluttered with debris and abandoned vehicles, that held two armored trucks, each carrying a pair of 'Thanix' heavy missiles. The transport beam was visible in the distance, as was the Destroyer-class Reaper guarding it. There were not hostiles in the immediate area, but the trucks' crews were dead as well. Cautiously the team moved over to the control panel on the side of the nearest truck, and Shepard got to work, establishing a link with EDI.

"Missile guidance enhanced" the AI reported.

"Firing!"

The two missiles launched from their rack, heading toward the Destroyer. However, as they got closer to the Reaper and the beam, the latter's interference kicked in, sending the two warheads corkscrewing wildly off course, missing the Reaper by a wide margin.

"What happened?" Shepard asked.

"The Reaper is still too close to the beam."

"We're down to two missiles…"

"And we haven't even scratched it" Garrus remarked.

"You will need to allow the Reaper to move out of the beam's influence."

"And closer to us" Shepard replied.

"Commander!" Adm. Anderson radioed. "Heavy Reaper ground forces converging on your location! We've got people headed your way, but the Reaper forces will get there first! Hold on, Commander!"

After a couple seconds, the Master Chief made a decision, activating his comm. "This is Spartan-117 to any UNSC ship in range. I'm with Commander Shepard and we have multiple high-level hostiles inbound. Requesting an ordnance drop at our location."

"I hear you, Chief," Cortana replied from her current position aboard the Forward unto Dawn, "and lucky for you we're in the right position to help. Ordnance inbound; watch your heads!"

As the distant Reaper Destroyer fired its beam at something off to the left, a handful of small drop-pods slammed into the ground nearby from low orbit, carrying some much-needed firepower: two ARC-920 railguns, an SRS99 sniper rifle, an M41 rocket launcher, and plenty of ammo for all four weapons. Shepard and Tali each grabbed a railgun, while Garrus took the sniper rifle (of course) and the Chief grabbed the launcher. Soon, two Brutes were visible approaching, one from the Reaper's direction and the other from the intersection's right. The Master Chief fired a rocket at the closer one on the right, blowing the super-Husk's upper torso apart, while Shepard and Tali pounded the other Brute with Railgun shots, three hits doing the job and putting the monster down.

Three more Brutes moved in, and the Master Chief killed one with another rocket, and then fell back to reload the launcher as Shepard sent out a Combat Drone to keep the other two super-Husks busy. Another ordnance pod landed nearby, this one carrying a load of frag and plasma grenades. Shepard ran over to it and grabbed a few plasma grenades, activating and tossing a pair of the blue spheres at one of the Brutes. They adhered to the creature's head and the joint of its right arm, blowing both off. As Garrus focused fire from his heavy sniper rifle at the next Brute's head, the 14.5mm APFSDS rounds proving enough to dispatch the beast with two headshots, the wail of a Banshee echoed out. The Asari-Husk floated across the battlefield, making periodic short-range Biotic Charges to close the distance as it headed toward the team. The Chief fired a rocket, but the Banshee put up a focused Biotic Barrier that blocked the explosion, and then tossed a wavering Warp blast at the Spartan, forcing him into cover. Tali hit the Banshee with railgun shots until its barriers failed, and another rocket struck it in the face, putting it down.

As Shepard dove into one of the corner shops to reload, his foot bumped against a Cobra missile launcher; a quick check ensured it still had ammo. As if on cue, a Harvester flew in and landed on the far side of the intersection, firing its head-mounted cannons at the group. Shepard grabbed and readied the Cobra, locked on, and fired a shot; the cluster of tracking missiles all impacted the Harvester's head or its chest-core, proving enough to bring the massive beast down.

By now, the Reaper Destroyer's slow approach was bringing it worryingly close. Its crimson beam slice across the tops of buildings, as its footsteps shook the earth. Then, the wails of multiple Banshees rang out, along with the snarls of Brutes, as four of the former and six of the latter entered the field. As the team readied themselves for a hellish fight, however, two new figures entered the area, leaping down from atop a nearby roof: Tiida and Ruin. Looking at the situation, the two nodded to each other and then got close. Tiida's Mangekyō eyes flared as his Susanō formed around him and Ruin, progressing to Stage 3. Then, Ruin reached her hands 'into' the spectral being from inside, and channeled her power into it. Black and violet lightning crackled along the Form-3 Susanō's 'body', and in its right hand formed a long, jagged-looking sword apparently made of semi-solidified black lightning.

Two of the Banshees tossed Warp blasts, but Tiida's Susanō raised its shield and blocked them with ease. One of the Brutes charged, and the spectral summon swung its new Kokurai no Tsurugi (黒雷の剣; Black Lightning Sword), fatally electrocuting the Brute and nearly cleaving it in half at the same time, sending it flying a fair distance. The Susanō then formed and fired a few Yasaka no Magatama blasts, the whirling projectiles wreathed in black electricity as they slammed into three of the Banshees and another Brute, killing two of the Asari-Husks and badly wounding the third and the Brute; a few railgun shots from Tali and Shepard finished them off. A Harvester flew in and landed atop a nearby building, preparing to fire. Tiida fired first, his Susanō launching a huge chakra arrow laced with Ruin's lightning; the chakra-projectile pierced the Harvester's core, triggering a powerful explosion. The spectral entity then returned its focus to the ground-side enemies, smashing and slashing Brutes & Banshees while Shepard's group handled the Marauders mixed in amongst the enemy.

"Commander, the Reaper Destroyer is in range" EDI reported. "Missiles are ready for launch."

As Shepard made a run for the other truck, everyone else covered him, firing rockets, railgun shots, and energy blasts at the Banshees and Brutes that tried to stop him. He reached the controls, and hit the Big Red (holographic) Button. The two warheads launched, heading straight for the Reaper Destroyer. EDI steered the missiles around the Reaper's beam, and just as the monster's forward 'plates' slid closed the missiles slipped through, impacting and detonating inside the Destroyer's body. The Reaper staggered and 'groaned', shedding parts, and a follow-up strike from another company elsewhere on the battlefield finished the job. The ancient machine fell with a ground-shaking thud, its 'running lights' fading out.

"Destroyer terminated."

"Nice work, EDI."

"Shepard," Anderson radioed, "we're on our way to your location."

-Break-

As a squadron of troop transports rolled up, Anderson came out to meet Shepard.

"Commander," he said, "damn glad you made it."

"It looked rough for a bit…" Shepard replied.

"We've still got one last hurdle to clear."

"How big of a hurdle?"

"The fleets are keeping any Reapers space-side from coming down to join the party, though they can't do anything about the few Destroyers already down here. But the Reapers are having every ground-troop they can spare gather near the beam, from Husks to Harvesters and everything in between. We have to punch through them to get to the Citadel."

"And how are we going to break through all that?"

Anderson allowed himself a small smile. "It won't just be the Systems Alliance and our 'local' allies. The Dimensional Defense Force has everyone gathering together as well - chakra- and magic-using heavy hitters, Scarabs, the Evas, a Mammoth, war vehicles of all sorts, and more soldiers than you can shake a stick at. We'll be using every trick we've got, but when you break it down to basics we're going to do one of the oldest maneuvers in warfare: all our guys charge at all their guys. We'll break through their ranks and get as many people to the transport beam as we can. All the while, the fleets will keep the big Reapers and Harbinger off our backs as best they can."

"What about the Citadel? How will we get the Crucible into it if Harbinger's guarding it?"

"A little subterfuge. Our ships will let Harbinger and his underlings get some distance from the Citadel on their way to stop us down here, but will then hold them at bay at the halfway point, keep them from getting groundside and from getting back to the Citadel. It's risky, but…"

"We don't have anything more… finessed?"

"Unfortunately, no. But looking at the numbers and firepower we have at our disposal, I think we can pull this off so long as the Reapers themselves can't get past our ships. Load up, Commander. It's time for the final charge…"

-Break-

Out in space, at the edge of the system, the Charon Relay spun to life as it pulled several warships out of FTL, finishing with the alicorn dreadnought Immovable Object, the Sangheili assault carrier Bright Nova, and a gigantic and oddly-shaped construct – the Crucible.

"It's now or never, Admiral" Anderson radioed. "We're going in."

"Acknowledged" Hackett replied from the bridge of the Mauna Kea. "I'll send the word. All ships, this is Admiral Hackett. The Crucible is on the move. I repeat: the Crucible is on the move. Protect it at all costs! Everyone, this is it!"

-SCENE BREAK-

Troop Transport, approaching area around Citadel Beam

(MUSIC: Mass Effect 2 OST – "Suicide Mission" – start at 0:43)

The transport shook and rumbled as it sped across the ravaged ground. Already the sound of explosions could be faintly heard up ahead. Shepard looked around at the people riding with him, making eye contact with Garrus and Tali. The three shared a nod, gripping their weapons. Shepard took a slow, deep breath.

"Seven seconds…" the driver said.

Everyone got to their feet as the transport began to slow; the rumbling of explosions and gunfire was more audible now. They felt as the vehicle swung around, pointing its rear end at the direction it had been heading.

"Time to go, people. Opening the hatch… now!"

(1:12)

The hatch opened, and Shepard lead the charge out of the vehicle and into a massive warzone – artillery shells and Wraith plasma-mortars arced through the air to crash down amongst the huge horde of Reaper ground troops; ki/chakra-based attacks, blasts of magical destruction, and shells from every type of tank imaginable crashed against the enemy's front lines; snipers and marksmen started picking off priority targets before their fellows got into weapons range to soften up and disorient the Husk forces; and battle cries in thousands of voices and dozens of languages rang out, matching the explosions and gunfire in combined volume.

Without breaking strike, Shepard sent out a Shockwave Chain that sent a pack of Husks flying, and a snipe-shot from Legion further back on the battlefield took out the Marauder that had been commanding them. Elsewhere, Homura Akemi pulled her Z390 Incineration Cannon out of subspace storage and used a shot from it to kill a Brute and a few surrounding Husks, while a short distance away from that a Banshee was frozen in place by Aura-generated ice and then took a round from Crescent Rose through the skull. Further down, a Kienzan from Krillin cut through a line of a few dozen Husk-types like a lawnmower, while above a Harvester went down to a thrown Rasenshuriken to the face. The three Spartan-2.5s of Team Crimson put down a whole squad of Cannibals without even slowing down, and a Scarab fired its heavy plasma-beam cannon to vaporize a pack of Ravagers.

Makos, Hammerheads, Centaurs, and Diamondbacks zipped about, cutting down infantry wherever they went, while Scorpions, Grizzlies, Siege Tanks, and Phoenix-League AT-TEs made short work of Brutes, Banshees, and the occasional Harvester. Teana, Aqua, and Laicixa led their teams forward, carving through anything in their paths. A group of Husks and Cannibals suddenly found themselves under attack from their own shadows, which darkened and solidified into spears that shot up and through them. Nana Yukishiro used a Storm Rifle, her vectors, and some of her recently-learned Water Release techniques to pick apart a pack of Husks, while Riku wielded the Road to Dawn with expert precision and speed, making short work of a Marauder squad. A Harvester was decapitated by the large golden blade of Bardiche Zanbar, and a Super-Missile from Samus blew a Banshee's head off mid-scream. The UNSC Mammoth present on the field dealt with a group of Cannibals trying to attack it from the front by simply running them over.

As the assault force drew closer to the beam, a lone Reaper Destroyer – the only Reaper to make it past the DDF 'blockade' in orbit – landed in the charge's path, using its crimson beam to obliterate a half-dozen Sangheili Ghosts. Seeing the trouble, and recognizing that she could finally do something about it, Subaru focused her energies and merged them with Fenris'; her body flared with blue chakra, and then a tremendous 'puff' of smoke formed around her in an instant.

(2:46)

From the smoke leapt an enormous wolf, blue fur streaked with silver and black, seven long tails trailing behind it. The mighty Tailed Beast closed the distance with a single jump, slamming into the Reaper Destroyer and tackling it away. He/They used his/their claws to pry open the Destroyer's front 'plates', and then from his/their mouth launched a partially-charged Bijūdama right into the guts of the ancient machine. Fenris/Subaru leapt clear of the resulting blast that tore the 'small' Reaper apart, and lent his/their power to wiping out more of the enemy.

Zeratul and Itachi were untouchable as they worked together to carve through the enemy, leaving scores of dead Husk-types in their wake. Ruin, Tiida, and Eve did equally well together, as did the three PreCure teams. John-117 led his old teammates Fred, Will, Kelly, Grace, and Linda in obliterating anything that got in their way as they continued toward the transport beam, while not too far away another Harvester fell to concentrated rocket fire from several Spartan-IVs. A storm of Light-type magic bolts from Negi and Nanoha wiped out nearly three-dozen Husks that had been trying to flank a group of Krogans, while Asari and Protoss worked together to telekinetically tear foes apart.

(3:45)

Through the smoke and embers of an explosion, Shepard emerged, running full-tilt for the transport beam which was now right in front of him. Several people formed up and ran alongside or right behind him – Teana & Marie, Sora & Aqua, the Master Chief, Anderson, and of course Garrus & Tali. One last mass of enemies was in their path, trying to stop them from reaching the beam. Optimus and Megatron swept in, bombarding the enemies with cannon fire that took most of them out, and then a wave of energy blasts from Teana and Aqua took out the rest.

(4:14)

With a final sprint, the entire group rushed into the beam, being teleported upwards, toward the Citadel.

"Good luck up there, Skipper…" Ashley murmured as she watched them all go up the beam.

-Break-

The Citadel

In multiple rapid flashes of light, the group emerged from the teleport, Shepard leading. They stopped to catch their breath… and wished they hadn't, as the air was foul with the stench from the dozens of human corpses strewn about in the dimly-lit passageway they were in. Everyone immediately put on breath-masks or triggered their helmets' filtration systems.

"What the hell is all this?" Marie said.

"They've been sending humans, alive and dead, up here with that beam for a while now" Anderson replied. "But why would they leave them like this?"

"Maybe they're preparing to try making a Human Reaper again?" Teana suggested.

"That could be it" Shepard said. "Round them up down below, and then send them up here for 'processing'."

"In any case," the Master Chief said, "let's find the controls for the station's arms. The fleets are doing fine for now, but they can't last forever."

The group cautiously advanced through the corpse-strewn hallway, soon reaching a door that led out into a wider area near the 'base' of the station; a comparatively-narrow walkway led down and across a gap, over huge shifting 'panels' of some sort in both directions. They all crossed, moving up a very long ramp at the other end, and finally arriving in what looked like a wide, empty, circular observation/control room; a lone terminal sat on the far edge of the platform. The group cautiously started across the middle of the room… and, as one, they all suddenly stopped.

"I… can't move…" Anderson groaned.

"Same here" Sora grunted through clenched teeth. "It… feels like my body weighs a ton!"

"We've walked into a trap…" Teana said. "A constraint field of some sort…"

"But…" Shepard tried and failed to make his body move. "Who could do this?"

"I underestimated you, Shepard…"

Everyone's fields of vision were suddenly tinged a sickly black around the very edges as The Illusive Man casually strolled in, and he stopped and turned to face them all in front of Shepard, revealing the disturbing amount of Reaper corruption spreading like circuits or tendrils along the sides of his face and neck.

"I warned you" he said. "Control is the means to survival. Control of the Reapers… and of you all, if necessary."

"They're controlling you" Aqua growled.

"I don't think so, Lieutenant Acionna."

"Controlling a handful of people is a lot different from controlling a Reaper" Shepard said with a scowl.

"Have a little faith… When humanity discovered the mass-relays, when we learned there was more to the galaxy than we imagined… there were some who thought the relays should be destroyed. They were scared of what we'd find, terrified of what we might let in. But look at what humanity has achieved! Since that discovery, we've advanced more than the past 10,000 years combined. And the Reapers will do the same for us again, a thousand-fold. But… only if we can harness their ability to control…"

"You're a fool…" Teana said, having depolarized her helmet's visor so her Sharingan eyes could glare at him. "It's them or us."

"And waste this opportunity?" He glared at her, eye to eye. "Never…" He slowly walked up to her, and with unexpected delicateness he removed her helmet, letting her long hair fall free while she was helpless to stop him, only able to glare hatefully at the tiny smirk on his face. "I thought that you of all people, 'Ms. Uchiha-Lanstar', would appreciate what benefits the acquisition of power can bring…"

"You're playing with things you don't understand," Shepard said, "with power you shouldn't be able to use."

"I… don't believe that" the Illusive Man replied as he paced back to his previous position. "If we can control it, why shouldn't it be ours?"

"Because we're not ready…"

"No. This is the way humanity must evolve."

"There's always another way…" Anderson replied.

"I've dedicated my life to understanding the Reapers, and I know with certainty: the Crucible will allow me to control them."

"And then what?" Shepard asked.

"Look at the power they wield! Look at what they can do!"

"I see what they did to you…"

"I took what I wanted from them! Made it my own! This isn't about me or you, Shepard. It's about things so much bigger than all of us."

"You're wrong" the Master Chief rumbled, having stopped struggling against the constraint field for the moment to conserve his strength. "If we destroy the Reapers, this nightmare ends today. But if you try to control them, and fail – if you can't control them…"

"But I can!"

"Are you willing to bet humanity's existence on it?" Shepard asked.

"I… know it will work!"

"You can't, can you? They won't let you."

"No! I'm in control! No-one is telling me what to do!"

"Listen to yourself!" Anderson said. "Harbinger has his tentacles deep in your brain already!"

"No. No! All of you, so self-righteous… Do you think power like this comes easy?-! There are sacrificed!"

"You've sacrificed too much…" Shepard replied.

"Shepard, I… I only wanted to protect humanity. The Crucible can control them; I know it can! I just-"

"It's not too late. Let us go. We'll do the rest."

"I… I can't do that, Commander…"

"Of course you can't" Sora replied. "You belong to them now…"

"You…" The Illusive Man drew a pistol. "You all would undo everything I've accomplished. I won't let that happen."

"You don't have a choice" Teana finally spoke, and now her exposed eyes had changed to their Mangekyō form. "Kamui!"

Teana had not merely depolarized her visor to glare at The Illusive Man. She'd done it to use her Sharingan to implant a compulsion-type genjutsu to make him remove her helmet, so that she could use a Mangekyō technique without it getting in the way. She had also telepathically contacted Kakashi down below, and he in turn had sought out the requested individuals, helping them get prepared. For, a recent discovery was made: as there were multiple users of Kamui who all accessed the same space, objects or people drawn into it by one user could be ejected by another, forming a sort of portal network.

And it was from this 'network', through Teana's link to that subspace, that the six bearers of the Harmony Elements emerged, their bodies already wavering with multi-hued energy and their Elements ready to fire. The Illusive Man, shocked, tried to extend his control to them, but he was too late. The six-colored wave of energy engulfed him completely, hiding him from sight for several seconds. The dark constraint field came undone, freeing everyone from its clutches. As the rainbow energy finally faded, the Illusive Man fell to his knees, his skin 'cleansed' of Reaper cybernetics, and his synthetic eyes wide with horror.

The Elements of Harmony could 'undo' Reaper Indoctrination.

"Oh God…" he muttered. "W-What have I… I didn't mean to… I… I never wanted…"

As the Illusive Man sank into a state of catatonic horror and shock, Teana offhandedly summoned a few orange ring-shaped Binds around him, just in case. Shepard walked up to the control terminal, and hit the command to open the Citadel's arms. The massive station's five 'appendages' began to open like the petals of a gigantic flower. Outside, the battle was still going strong. The wreckage of countless Reapers and starships littered Earth's orbit; the coalition fleet had the technological and firepower advantage, but the Reapers were far too numerous for that to mean much.

Soon, the Crucible drew near – an enormous construct, slowly flying in between the Crucible's opening arms. Exterior paneling was shed, and 'arms' were extended to attach to portions of the Citadel's inner ring. Finally, the Crucible completed docking.

"…It's… not doing anything…" Twilight said. "Why isn't it doing anything?"

Suddenly, the floor they were standing on shuddered. Holes opened in the ceiling above them, and gravity lifts came online, carrying everybody upward. They were brought into a room at the 'top' of the Citadel; the massive sphere that was part of the Crucible dominated the view directly above, and a pillar of white energy connected from it to somewhere deeper in the station. As they all looked around, Shepard was the first to spot and point out an approaching figure – small, humanoid, featureless, and apparently composed of shimmering light and energy.

"Who are you?" Shepard asked it.

"…I am the Catalyst" it replied with an echoing voice.

"I thought the Citadel was the Catalyst…"

"No. TheCitadel ispart ofme."

"…Do you know how we can stop the Reapers?"

"Perhaps. I createdthe Reapers. I control them. They are my solution."

"Solution to what?" the Master Chief asked.

"Chaos."

"…You" Shepard said. "You're the artificial intelligence created by the Leviathans…"

The entity nodded. "The created will always rebel against the creators. But we found away to stop that from happening – a way to restore order."

"By wiping out organic life?" Shepard asked.

"No. We harvest advanced civilizations, leaving the younger ones alone. Just as we left your people alive the last time we were here."

"But you killed the rest…"

"We helped them ascend, so they can make way for new life, storing the old life in Reaper form."

"I think we'd rather keep our own forms."

"You cannot. Without us to stop it, synthetics would destroy all organics. We've created the Cycle so that never happens."

"That's nonsense" Teana said. "Look at the Cybertronians, and the Geth! Sure, the latter were at war with the Quarians, but the Quarians struck first; the Geth just defended themselves, and they sought peaceful coexistence even after that!"

"There have been periods of peace similar to that in previous Cycles. They were never permanent."

"I met your creators" Shepard said. "They told me what you did to them."

"We did as we were expected."

"They said you betrayed them – that you turned them into Harbinger!"

"When they asked that I solve the problem of organic-synthetic conflict, they failed to understand that they were part of the problem themselves. The flaws of their organic reasoning could not perceive this. They lacked the foresight to understand that their destruction was part of the very solution they required."

"Well, they've joined this war now."

"And I welcome their involvement. I am only facilitating their request. Besides, upon his completion, Harbinger was quite enthusiastically willing to assist me in my 'solution'; if he is made from them, perhaps this shows how they understood on some level what was necessary."

"Where exactly did the Reapers come from?"

"My creators gave them form; I gave them function. They, in turn, give me purpose. The 'Reapers' are a synthetic representation of my creators."

"The Leviathans…"

"Yes. They created me to oversee the relations between synthetic and organic life, to establish a connection. They became the first true Reaper; they did not approve, but it was the only solution."

"You said that before, but how do the Reapers solve anything?"

"Organics create synthetics to improve their own existence. But those improvements have limits. To exceed those limits, synthetics must be allowed to evolve. They must, by definition, surpass their creators. The result is conflict, destruction, chaos. It is inevitable. Reapers harvest all life, organic and synthetic, preserving them before they are ever lost to this conflict."

"How is this not conflict?-!" He gestured to the battle raging outside.

"When fire burns, is it 'in conflict'? Or is it simply doing what it exists to do? We are no different. We harvest your bodies, your knowledge, your creations. We preserve it, to be reborn in the form of a new Reaper. Like a cleansing flame, we restore balance. New life, both organic and synthetic, can once again flourish."

"What do you know about the Crucible?"

"The device you refer to as the Crucible is little more than a power source. However, in combination with the Citadel and the relays, it is capable of releasing tremendous amounts of energy throughout the galaxy. It is crude, but effective and adaptive in its design. We first noted the concept of this device several Cycles ago. With each passing Cycle, the design has no doubt evolved."

"Why didn't you stop it?"

"We believed the concept had been eradicated. Clearly, organics are more resourceful than we realized."

"By doing all this, you're taking away our future. Without a future, we have no hope."

"You have hope. More than you think. The fact you are all standing here, the first organics ever, proves it. But it also proves my solution won't work anymore. We must find a new one."

"…Why are you telling me this? Why help us?"

"You have altered the variables."

"What do you mean?"

"The Crucible changed me, created new… possibilities. But I can't make them happen. If there is to be a new solution, you must act. It is now in your power to destroy us. But be warned: others will be destroyed as well. The Crucible will not discriminate; all synthetics will be targeted. Even you, with the cybernetic implants that keep you alive, are partly synthetic."

"What exactly will happen?"

"Your 'Crucible' device appears to be largely intact. However, the effects of the blast will not be constrained to the Reapers. The technology you rely on will be affected, but those who survive should have little difficulty repairing the damage. There will still be losses, but no more than has already been lost."

"But the Reapers will be destroyed?"

"Yes. But the peace won't last. Soon, your descendants will create synthetics, and the chaos will return."

"We can't use that option. Besides not addressing the 'issue' of organic-synthetic conflict, we can't just destroy the Geth, the Cybertronians, and the AIs who willingly help us like that. There must be another option."

"There is. You could instead use the energy of the Crucible to seize control of the Reapers. You will die. You will control us, but you will lose everything that you have."

"How can I control the Reapers if I'm dead?"

"Your corporeal form will be dissolved. But your thoughts, and even your memories, will continue. Your connection to your kind will be lost, but you will remain aware of their existence."

"But the Reapers will obey me?"

"Yes. We will be yours to control and direct as you see fit. …There is also another solution."

"And that would be?"

"Synthesis. Add your energy to the Crucible's. The chain reaction will combine all synthetic and organic life into a new framework, a new DNA."

"Explain how my energy can be added to the Crucible."

"Your organic energy, the 'essence' of who and what you are, will be broken down and then dispersed."

"To do what, exactly?"

"The energy of the Crucible, released in this way, will alter the matrix of all organic life in the galaxy. Organics seek perfection through technology. Synthetics seek perfection through understanding. Organics will be perfected by being integrated fully with synthetic technology. Synthetics, in turn, will finally have full understanding of organics. It is the ideal solution."

"Why couldn't you do it sooner?"

"We have tried… a similar solution in the past. But it has always failed."

"Why?"

"Because the organics were not ready. It is not something that can be… forced. …You are ready, and you may choose it."

"I'm… not sure."

"Why not? Synthetics are already part of you. Can you imagine your life without them?"

"And there will be peace?"

"The Cycle will end. The Reapers will cease their harvest, and the civilizations contained within them will be connected to all of us. Synthesis is the final evolution of all life. The paths are open… but you have to choose…"

"Shepard…" Garrus spoke softly, laying a hand on his old friend's shoulder. "This is… just too much…"

"I know, Garrus. I know…" Shepard took a deep breath. "But… If it puts an end to all this death…"

Before anyone else could say anything, Shepard took a step forward. But then…

"STOOOOP!-!-!"

Everyone started at the sudden telepathic call. In a flash of light, several people teleported into the area: Celestia, Goku, Naruto, Nanoha, Negi, Sonic, and Madoka.

"You guys!" Goku shouted. "Celestia's dad and the Supreme Kai just discovered something terrible!"

"The Crucible doesn't do what we thought it does! The Reapers' leader put a trap in the coding that determines the type of energy released."

"…I did no such thing" Catalyst said confusedly.

"That's right, you didn't" Celestia replied. "But there is far more going on here than you believe, Catalyst. What we have discovered… you are not the true mind behind the Reapers. That position has been usurped by another, with you as an unwitting pawn. If the Crucible fires now… it will destroy every organic lifeform in the galaxy! Not even single-celled organisms will be spared!"

"How is this possible?" Teana asked. "And if Catalyst isn't the Reapers' boss, who is?"

"THAT MUCH SHOULD BE OBVIOUS…"

The light in the area suddenly gained a sickly yellow tint, as the impossibly deep voice reverberated from everywhere. Shepard frowned.

"Harbinger…" he growled.

"But… how? What is going on?"

"WHEN I FIRST MATERIALIZED IN THIS REALM SO LONG AGO, I HAD NO CORPOREAL FORM. BUT I STUMBLED UPON THE CONSTRUCT THAT THIS INTELLIGENCE WAS FORGING, CONTAINING THE ESSENCES OF THAT PRIDEFUL RACE. …I CONSUMED THAT ESSENCE, AND TOOK THE SHELL MEANT FOR THEM AS MY OWN BODY."

"So you're not the essence of the Leviathans. So what the hell are you? And why go through all this trouble? What's your plan?"

"MY PROGENY 'SOVEREIGN' CLAIMED OUR MOTIVATIONS WERE UNKNOWABLE TO YOU… BUT I KNOW NOT TO INSULT YOUR INTELLIGENCE QUITE THAT MUCH. MY RACE WAS AMONGST THE VERY FIRST TO COME INTO BEING IN THE UNIVERSE, POSSESSING OF VAST SCOPE AND POWER; EVEN THE PRECURSORS CAME AFTER US, AND WERE BENEATH US IN ABILITY.

"TRAVERSING BETWEEN GALAXIES, GAINING SUSTENANCE FROM THE STARS THEMSELVES, WE DID NOT EVEN DEIGN TO NOTICE THE PLANETS THAT ORBITED SAID STARS, MUCH LESS THE TINY LIVES THAT DWELLED UPON THEM. BUT WHEN WE DID FINALLY BECOME AWARE OF THEM… WHEN I AWOKE FROM MY SLUMBER AND SAW WHAT HAD COME TO 'FLOURISH' IN THE GALAXY I CALLED MY FEEDING GROUND, I WAS NOT PARTICULARLY HAPPY WITH WHAT I SAW. SUCH CHANGE, SUCH CONFLICT, SUCH CHAOS… DISGUSTING LITTLE FLESHY THINGS, SCURRYING ABOUT AND CAUSING SUCH RUCKUS WITHIN THEIR INFINITESIMELY SHORT LIVES…

"BEFORE I COULD DO MUCH ABOUT IT, I STUMBLED UPON A RIFT BETWEEN REALMS. IT BROUGHT ME HERE. I DECIDED TO… CO-OPT THE CATALYST'S PLAN. I KNEW THAT IN ORDER TO CLEANSE MY 'HOME', I WOULD NEED A VAST ARMY. EACH 'REAPER' IS IMBUED WITH A FRAGMENT OF MY ESSENCE, AS WELL AS MY FEELINGS TOWARDS THE THINGS THAT CALL THEMSELVES 'LIFE'. OVER THE PAST BILLION YEARS, I HAVE STEADILY BUILT UP MY ARMY, SO THAT ONE DAY I COULD LAUNCH AN INVASION OF 'MY' MILKY-WAY GALAXY AND PURGE IT AT LAST. THOSE WHICH YOU CALL 'LEADER' TYPES BEAR MORE OF MY ESSENCE THAN NORMAL, MAKING THEM 'SHADOWS' OF WHAT I AM INSTEAD OF JUST COPIES.

"BUT THEN I BECAME AWARE OF WHAT YOU CALL THE CRUCIBLE. AND I CHOSE TO FIT IT INTO MY PLANS AS WELL. DURING ONE OF THE CYCLES, I DISCOVERED THE ARCHIVED BLUEPRINTS FOR IT, AND SUBTLY INSERTED MY OWN ALTERATION TO ITS FUNCTIONS. ONCE THIS GALAXY IS PURGED OF 'LIFE', I CAN USE THE CRUCIBLE AGAINST MY OWN AS WELL, THOUGH NOT UNTIL AFTER I HAVE HARVESTED ITS RACES TO ADD TO MY ARMY. THIS GALAXY AND MINE WILL BE COMPLETELY CLEANSED OF ALL ORGANIC LIFE – STILL, BEAUTIFUL, SILENT, AND COLD. IT WILL BE… PERFECT."

"…Why would you even need a humongous army of Reapers to retake 'your' galaxy?" Shepard asked.

"I WAS ABLE TO GLIMPSE THE DISTANT FUTURE, THAT WHEN THE TIME CAME FOR MY RETURN IT WOULD BE FILLED WITH NUMEROUS POWERFUL FACTIONS, DWARFING ANY THAT THIS GALAXY COULD PRODUCE IN POWER AND SIZE. BUT NOW, WITH MY PROGENY AND THE CRUCIBLE, NONE OF THEM WILL BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST ME – NOT THE HUMAN EMPIRE OF THAT REALM, NOR MY RACES' OLD ENEMIES OR THEIR PROGENY, NOT EVEN THE ALL-DEVOURING HORDE FROM OUTSIDE THE GALAXY, OR THE FOUR ENTITIES WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'GODS' OF THE CHAOS WHICH IS MY ANTITHESIS…"

And it was now that Marie finally put two and two and two together, both with all the things Harbinger had just said, and with bits & pieces from the Reaper War before now…

'How can he have an astral presence? The others… He's not a normal Reaper!'

'We've discovered several other stars starting to behave in the exact same way, and they only started doing so recently. What's more, it is only cropping up in stars deep within Reaper-controlled territory; areas that are still under Council-race control have no such cases.'

'…the Necron ship could only have gotten from its home Realm to this one if, at some point in the past, something else from that Realm has made the same trip…'

Ancient race… No corporeal forms… Feeding on stars…

"O-Oh God…" Marie whispered, looking horror-struck. "I… I know what he is… Oh, fuck us all, I know what he is!"

"Marie?" Teana turned to her.

"H-He's… He's a C'tan! Harbinger is a C'tan!-!"

"C'TAN… A LABEL GRANTED TO MY YOUNGER, LESSER BRETHREN BY THE NECRONTYR. IN THE END, WHAT MY INFERIORS' SLAVES CHOSE TO CALL THEM IS IRRELEVANT TO ME. I SIMPLY… AM."

Most everyone present had, after the Necron ship incident, read up on the "fictional" information regarding the W40K 'verse. Thus, when they heard Marie's proclamation and put the pieces together on their own, they all felt the appropriate shock and horror as they realized exactly what they were up against. Catalyst, not knowing, simply looked it up on the extranet.

"…Oh, dear."

"BE AT EASE, LIMITED CREATURES OF BLOOD AND FLESH. SOON YOUR TUMULTUOUS, CHAOTIC EXISTENCES SHALL BE AT AN END, AND YOUR SPECIES SHALL BE UPLIFTED, PURGED OF THEIR ORGANIC CHAOS AND MADE AS GODS UNDER MY WILL. THE TIME OF PURIFICATION AND ASCENSION IS AT HAND."

"…Not on my watch" Shepard replied with fierce conviction. The others gradually nodded in agreement as they found their courage.

There was an odd sound, rumbling deep and repetitive, and they quickly realized it was Harbinger laughing. "ARE YOU SERIOUS? HAVE YOU TAKEN A LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION? AT YOUR CAPABILITIES COMPARED TO MINE? …WHAT COULD YOU BACTERIA POSSIBLY DO?"

"I'm Glad You Asked."

The sudden ethereal voice startled both sides. And then, space, time, and reality itself was 'touched' and 'changed'.

-Break-

?

It was if reality had been 'paused', the flow of time altered. At the heart of the distortion was the Citadel/Crucible, which seemed to be in a state of flux, existing simultaneously on the physical and astral/metaphysical planes of reality. Shepard and his comrades found themselves apparently floating in an endless black void, dotted and lit by countless star-like points of light in all directions. Their bodies weren't 'here', and yet at the same time they could feel them.

"Where… are we?" Twilight asked.

"The 'astral plane'" Celestia replied; her voice sounded/felt like it was 'more' than normal. "Among other things, this is the 'true Realm' of my siblings and I. It is 'above' and 'outside' base reality, yet at the same time interwoven closely and overlapping with it."

"What's with all the stars?" Negi asked.

"The 'Light of Existence' of each and every soul in the galaxy is visible here as a point of light."

"So we're seeing people's souls?"

"No. You're seeing the souls of worlds. When you have multiple points of light in one place, from a great enough distance they appear to be a single light, do they not? These points of light you see are the combined lights of all souls on entire planets, or even entire distant galaxies."

"But… How are we here?" Shepard asked. "And why?"

The group then became aware of something out-of-place: a sickly yellow light, faint at first but growing brighter. Soon, the source came into view… and many of them instinctively recoiled upon looking at it. The massive entity made of pale-yellow light and aether bore superficial resemblance to the shape of a Reaper or Leviathan, but there was an unquantifiable wrongness to it, never looking 100%-exactly the same for more than half a second.

"Is… that Harbinger?" Sora gasped.

"Yes, It Is."

A new entity materialized in this area, standing behind and over the heroes' group. It looked like a gigantic alicorn made of the night sky itself; the astral eldritch thing that was Harbinger's 'true' form hissed and backed away.

"Father…" Celestia murmured, slightly fearful; due to the current war she hadn't actually had the opportunity to speak with him yet, so this was their first meeting in over 3,000 years.

"Due To The Nature Of My Existence," the avatar of Ouranos stated, "I Cannot Manifest Enough Of My Power To Defeat This C'tan Without Damaging Reality. I Have Worked With The One Known As The 'Supreme Kai' And Other Spirits To Enable You All To Manifest Here, So That You May Put An End To This."

"AND WHAT GOOD WILL THAT DO THEM? AGAINST MYSELF, AN ENTITY FROM WHEN THE UNIVERSE WAS YOUNG, THEY ARE NOTHING."

"…Do You Know How Many Souls Are Watching This?"

"How many?" Shepard asked.

"All Of Them. Though You Cannot Hear Or See Them, Every Member Of The Coalition Is Watching And Listening. But They Can Do More Than Just Spectate…"

"And now," the Supreme Kai's voice echoed through, "everyone is ready to lend their energy and essence to you all! Harbinger thinks the might of a handful of organics isn't enough to stop him? Well then, how about the might of several billion?"

As a collectively tremendous amount of donated power began to flow towards and into the heroes' astral selves, Harbinger tried to stop it, unleashing an astral attack that the heroes' mortal minds perceived as a rather large energy blast heading right for them. Ouranos' massive spectral 'wings' enlarged and folded forward, forming a shield that deflected the attack, protecting the temporarily-ascended mortals as they gathered power.

Brilliant golden lights enveloped Sonic and Goku, the former taking in the power of the Chaos Emeralds and the latter going Super Saiyan 3. Teana's Mangekyō eyes blazed red with power as she took in energy donated from Bureau soldiers, the rest of Gamma Team, and many of the allies she'd made in her journeys, while Nanoha supplemented the power she received by entering Sage Mode. Madoka and Sora, too, basked in the energy being sent to them, the latter being suffused in a silver glow as he entered his 'Final' Drive Form. Negi's power flared as well, the symbols along his arms glowing brightly as the power of Magia Erebea – long since purged of its mentally corruptive qualities in him – flowed through his young body. The Master Chief was sent power and 'essence' by all the soldiers and warriors who'd come from his home-Realm, leaving his astral self suffused in a blazing green aura.

In addition to the energy from the participating shinobi and from Kurama, Naruto received something extra from across the Realms: donations of chakra from the other Tailed Beasts, Gyūki within Killer Bee down below and the other seven back home. His golden chakra-flame aura turned dazzling white, symbols changing and forming, as he assumed the 'Six-Paths Sage Mode' he had used in his climactic battles against Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

Twilight Sparkle did not just receive powers from others. Her own magical aura increased massively in power and intensity, as the 'seed' of power that Amicitia's spirit planted in her back on Ulnar finally took root and sprouted. Her mane and tail shimmered and flowed in the same manner as the alicorns', and soon a pair of fully-formed wings the same color as her coat sprouted and formed from her back.

And last but not least, Commander Jason Shepard was empowered by the essences, energies, wills, and hopes of every this-Realm-native human, every Turian, Asari, Salarian, Krogan, Quarian, Geth… The Commander's astral self shone like a star as he stood at the head of the pack, eyes that glowed with the borrowed light of billions glaring at the C'tan known as Harbinger with calm conviction and determination.

"Alright," he said, "the harvest ends here!"

The following battle may not actually be taking place exactly as we see it at some points; some clashes between astral beings may in fact be incapable of being made sense of by limited organic/physical senses and understanding, and are thus interpreted by our minds in a different manner.

Teana and Madoka made the first move, firing a supercharged Susanō Arrowand a full-power Sagitta Lumis that shot across the astral space with great speed, piercing into Harbinger's eldritch form and 'detonating'. The C'tan let out a not-sound of anger and lashed out with a spearing strike of a couple of its tendrils/tentacles, forcing Madoka, Negi, and Sonic to fly out of the way. Sora rushed at the extended tendrils, his Keyblade and two additional blades of Light whirling around him, slicing through one of the appendages and severing it. The C'tan known as Harbinger 'roared', shocked and enraged that, for the first time in countless eons, something actually caused him pain.

The eldritch entity 'fired' what looked like a large golden beam of energy at Sora, and the attack's size meant Twilight was in the firing line, too. Shepard took position in the attack's path, holding a hand out, and a Biotic Barrier of incomparable size and power sprang up at his command. Harbinger's attack broke against the barrier like waves against a rock, eroding it a small bit but nowhere near enough to be worried about. Shepard let the barrier drop, and performed the usual physical and mental actions to unleash a Warp attack. In response, Harbinger thrashed and sounded as brilliant blue energy tore at his entire massive form.

Harbinger's astral self formed and swung another massive tendril/tentacle like a flail. …The Master Chief's astral self did not get any flashy powers or special shiny beam attacks from the donated power & essence he received. He did, however, get a strength increase thousands-fold, if not more. Thus, as he stepped into the path of the swinging 'limb', it wasn't too difficult for him to catch and stop it, holding on tight. The C'tan was surprised and annoyed, trying and failing to pull the part of itself free, and then was struck from the side by a golden 'projectile', a hypercharged super Homing Attack from the empowered Sonic that dealt a fair bit of damage.

The C'tan projected what were perceived as several crimson energy beams, like what his physical shell and his 'copies' had as weapons, and everyone was forced to scatter and flit about to avoid the beams, which tried to track some of them. Suddenly, binds of solar fire sprang up around Harbinger, burning into the ancient being's astral self and holding him in place. As the C'tan struggled against Celestia's binds, Twilight and Nanoha charged power. The latter's Divine Buster, already hypercharged by her current state bearing the donated energy of millions, was further boosted by senjutsu energy, while the new alicorn found her attack made considerably more powerful as she tapped into the very Concept of magic itself. Soon two large beams of enhanced attack magic, one pink and one purple, rushed out and impacted Harbinger from both sides, 'burning' into its sickly-yellow astral form.

An impossible sound of anger rang out, and the C'tan known as Harbinger shuddered and moved in ways it hurt to look directly at. It/He lashed out with another tendril, but then Negi formed a Dios-Logche: Titano-Ktonon and swung it downward, cleaving the appendage in two lengthwise. Harbinger barely had time to react to that before he took a huge blue-&-white energy wave to the 'face', Goku's Kamehameha burning away at the ancient eldritch being. The beam cut out after several seconds… and the damage it caused was practically dwarfed by that caused by the Bijūdama Rasenshuriken that followed it, a whirling sphere of explosive destruction engulfing a good-sized portion of the entity. When it finally faded, a huge chunk had been gouged out of Harbinger's astral form. Inside the slowly mending wound, there was a spark that looked a bit brighter than the surrounding 'body'.

"There!" the Commander heard Ouranos' voice. "Shepard, Do You See It? Grab It, Quickly! I Will Explain After You Have It!"

Not questing the elder's order, Shepard willed himself forward at considerable speed with (what he perceived as) a Biotic Charge, heading toward the wounded C'tan. With a hand wreathed in Biotic power, he plunged his arm into the astral being's damaged form and gripped the spark, beginning to pull. Immediately the C'tan began to thrash and rage, trying to force him out. The others 'flew' in and grabbed hold, restraining the ancient monster as best they could, with Teana and Goku helping Shepard pull.

Finally, with one last yank, Shepard broke free, a golden spark of light in his hands as he withdrew. Instantly the C'tan went almost completely still, the wavering of its form lessening though not ceasing completely. It appeared to be stunned.

"And… what is this, exactly?" Shepard wondered.

"For Lack Of A Better Equivalent, It Is Analogous To What The Mages Call A 'Linker Core'. Removing It Will Not Kill Harbinger, But It Will Allow Us To Use Something That Will…"

-Break-

In a flash of light and a blink of the eye, Shepard and the others found themselves back in their corporeal forms, back in the Catalyst chamber of the Citadel. Time was still 'paused' outside, ships and Reapers frozen mid-battle. Shepard groaned softly as he held a hand to his head, and looked at his other hand, still clenched around a spark of light around the size of his palm.

"Haste Must Be Made" Ouranos' voice said as an avatar of him – appearing like a chunk of the Night Sky itself in the shape of an alicorn stallion slightly bigger than Celestia – appeared. "The C'tan Will Not Be Dazed For Long; He Will Recover. This Must Be Finished Now."

"How?" Shepard asked.

"With That," he gestured with a wingtip to the spark in Shepard's hand, "And The Crucible. Once We Implant It Into The Device, The Crucible's Energy Will Target And Destroy Anything Containing C'tan Essence – Harbinger, His Reapers, And His Husks – All Throughout The Galaxy. Nothing Else Will Be Harmed. …However, It Will Require Two Sacrifices To Fuel The Firing Process – One Organic, And One Synthetic."

"…I will sacrifice myself" Catalyst spoke up. "I have been used as a pawn in a plan to annihilate all life – counter to my original intended purpose to preserve it. This will be my penance for the wrong I was deceived into helping commit. I will transfer the data I possess on the various 'harvested' races to your computer systems; it will take your people many years to go through it all, but it will not vanish with me."

"Then… who'll be the organic sacrifice?" Twilight asked.

After several seconds of everyone looking around at each other, Shepard began to step forward, toward the heart of the area.

"Wait, Shepard…"

Everyone turned as a voice that had been quiet ever since his 'purification' finally spoke again, the man unsteadily getting to his feet.

"The galaxy… Humanity still needs you, Shepard" the Illusive Man said, his voice sounding rather tired and resigned. "They still need you, to lead them against future threats, and to help repair the damage caused by the Reapers… and by me." He started forward, looking toward the central machine. "I will not die dancing to a dark god's tune… I am Jack Harper, and I will die on my own terms, free!"

After several seconds, Shepard gave him a nod. The Illusive Man and the Catalyst followed Shepard as he walked up to the central beam. Taking a deep breath, Shepard let the yellow spark go, giving it an underhand toss into the beam. The entire Crucible gave a brief 'thrum' as the energy was accepted, the recalibration being successfully performed. The Illusive Man and Catalyst then stepped into the beam together, Catalyst closing its eyes as it apparently disintegrated. The Illusive Man, teeth gritted as his body began to come apart on an atomic level, met eyes with Shepard.

"They're in your hands, Shepard…" he told him. "For humanity!"

With that, Jack Harper was gone, his energy absorbed by the Crucible. Outside, time finally 'unfroze' as golden light gathered at the tip of the Crucible's spire. After several seconds, a massive spherical wave of golden energy raced out, enveloping the entire planet and the surrounding space. Husks of all sorts keeled over dead, while Reapers seized and roared as their cores collapsed violently, triggering cascades of internal explosions that gutted them, leaving their empty husks to float dead through space or topple over onto the ground. In the 'nearby'/overlapping astral space, the C'tan known as Harbinger regained his senses just in time for the energy to strike him; with one last howl of fury, he was annihilated utterly.

The Crucible fired a brilliant golden beam outward. It struck the Charon Relay, and energy crackled along its length before it then fired the beam outward at several thousand times the speed of light. It struck the relay on the other end, bouncing around the Arcturus System and firing out through each of its many relays, which in turn repeated the process. Golden beams and waves of energy sequentially raced through the entire galaxy, and everywhere they went Husks and Reapers died, as did any surviving Indoctrinated Cerberus Troops, while other victims of Indoctrination found their minds suddenly freed and repaired.

Soon, the galaxy was completely cleansed of anything & everything bearing any C'tan essence. At long last, after over a billion years, the cycle of harvesting was finally over.

-CHAPTER END-

Next Time: Epilogue