"We've found another group of survivors."
"Good. Let Joker know and-"
"I took the liberty of doing so already."
"Going over my head?"
"Only when it's in your best interests. Speaking of which, have you gone over the information I forwarded you?"
"Yes, but... I was never that good with tactical use of an omni-tool."
"I know. We don't have much of a choice... We need flexibility and..."
"I'll work on it, that's as much as I can promise."
.
.
Shepard keyed his Omni-tool and the Marauder's shield erupted in a decidedly disappointing burst of energy. A moment later, a tell-tale flicker pulsed around the creature and it continued to fire at him as if nothing had happened.
The Vanguard frowned and eyed a Husk charging at him with a critical eye, glancing from it to the group of Marauders he had been trying to push from their fortifications.
Blessed with sudden inspiration, the Vanguard willed himself towards the charging monstrosity and seized it by the hip and shoulder. The Husk surged with power in response, but Shepard was already hurling the withered pseudo-corpse through the air at its allies. As the Husk approached the Marauders, Shepard once again keyed his Omni-tool and sent its energy into the makeshift projectile.
The combined energy of the Husk and his overload ripped through the Marauders and drained the entirety of their shields.
"More than one way to fry an egg," Shepard muttered under his breath.
As if in response, he heard Liara's shout and a small blue-white orb rocketed into the middle of the Marauders and slammed against the ground, causing an eruption of ice that enveloped the unshielded Reaper forces and froze them instantaneously.
Grinning, Shepard poured energy into his biotic barrier and willed himself towards the fortification, appearing in the midst of the Maruaders and slamming his fist to the ground with the power of his overcharged barrier behind the blow. The shockwave ripped through the Reaper footman and sent their frozen pieces skipping across the battlefield.
"Or freeze it, I suppose..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. What's the status of the survivors?"
"We've lost contact, but from the last information we received they were in the clear."
"Good. Let's get out of here."
.
.
Joker managed to maneuver the Normandy between the swarm of Harvasters and a transport, taking the brunt of the Reaper flier's attack while the Normandy's weapons responded in kind. A second transport was not so lucky. Nor was a third.
The remainder, however, managed to avoid destruction. Seven ships and their escort broke through the blockade and engaged their FTL drives, vanishing into space.
"Good work, Joker."
"Damn right. Did you see that Reaper barreling down on us? I'm surprised to see one in the middle of nowhere."
"They do have a way of showing up without reason these days..."
"They've probably have had a lot of practice."
.
.