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Espacole and Spork

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Kelly Chambers took more than a few minutes to prepare herself, mentally, standing in the med-bay and staring at the closed door to the nominal AI core. After a moment, she heard a quiet chuckle from behind her and Doctor Chakwas said, "They scare you so much?"

"N-No." She answered, turning and flashing the doctor a smile. She was sitting beside the primary care bed, giving their grimacing pilot a shot for the pain in his shoulder in lieu of the cast they couldn't afford to give him - not with the battle coming up. Chuckling, she said, "I just don't… Like… How do you even do a psychological profile on an AI?"

"The same way you do it for a person, I suppose." Chakwas shrugged, swatting Joker's hand gently when he tried to wave off the next shot, this one aiming for his thigh. "You listen to your patient, and offer the best care you can. As a doctor always should."

"She says while impaling me…"

"Oh shut up, Joker." She chided him, smiling warmly as she jabbed the needle deep into his thigh. "If you would take it easy, and let EDI handle the tighter maneuevers-"

"The Normandy is my baby!" He protested, "I can't just… Hand her off when she gets fussy, like some deadbeat dad!"

"You a father?" Chakwas chuckled, "Frightening thought, that."

"Oi!" He snorted,"Rude."

"But…?"

"Just because you're probably right doesn't make it less rude, Doc." Joker smirked, "Actually, now you mention it, who are you to talk about- Ow! Watch where you're jabbing that thing!"

"Oops, my mistake." Chakwas dead-panned, "Old hands, you know? They get a bit… Shaky. Particularly when I'm distracted."

Rolling her eyes, Kelly left the other two to it and pressed the release on the door. As it slid open, she poked her head in, spotting the unnaturally still Geth standing at the perfect middle of the room. When she cleared her throat, they didn't react. So, with a sigh, she stepped into the room and knocked a fist loudly against the edge of the door-frame. That got a response, at least, and a quick one. They stiffened, light-eye flickering rapidly and flanges oscillating as it 'came back' to its body and turned to regard her.

"Chambers, Yeoman." Legion muttered, "Apologies, we were assisting with Geth coordination of supplies to the Creator fleet for emergency repairs."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Legion." She smiled, leaning against the wall beside the door as it closed. "Your work is important. And your advocacy for your people, and for peace, is… Inspiring."

"It is?"

"Yep."

"Acknowledged." Legion's flanges flicked in a way she couldn't read and it asked, "Why are you here, Chambers, Yeoman?"

"Just Kelly is fine." She chuckled, "And Shepard asked me to… Well, look in on you."

"For what reason?"

"From what she and I understand, Geth dying- As in, really dying… It's rare. Rare enough to be, well, more or less a non-issue." She explained, watching the Geth's platform carefully in the vain hope for some kind of body language she could attempt to read. But, as she talked, it simply stood. Perfectly still, facing her perfectly, all in an almost eerie way. So she went on, "So… The Commander and I just wanted to make sure you were, you know- Processing, properly."

"We have fully processed all relevant data to the event in question."

"That's not…" She sighed, "What I meant was that I wanted to make sure you'd… Well, grieved, properly. Enough to be stable, emotionally and mentally, in combat."

"Geth do not process or project emotions in the ways organics do."

"There's a dent in the CIC from your fist that begs to differ." Kelly smiled, watching Legion's flanges flick in response. Slowly, she raised her hands in a gesture of peace and chuckled understandingly. "No one is angry at you for getting upset. We just… Well, it's my job to help you process it."

"We…" Legion's light dimmed and they turned around, leaning over a disassembled rifle and getting to work as Kelly came over to watch and the machine went on. "We registered a data surge, and reacted in response to it. It has been recorded and Geth are monitoring themselves for similar events. You do not need to worry about any… Instability."

"Legion…" Kelly frowned, thinking for a moment before opting to be just a bit more forward than she normally liked to - or was supposed to, according to the Citadel Board of Psychiatry. "It's okay to be upset about losing your people. It's natural for people to be upset about things like that. Emotional outbursts just mean you… Aren't processing properly, and need to take the time needed to get through your feelings."

"We…" Legion hesitated, and flicked her a look before resuming their work. "We acknowledge your premise. However, we do not have the data or requisite informational framework to discuss the matter."

"Uh huh." Legion was being evasive - and she could tell that much even without any body language to run off of. But pushing was always tricky, when it came to that. So, instead, she suggested quietly, "Perhaps the Collective should… Do some research into psychology and emotional development?"

"You believe this necessary?"

"I don't know." She admitted, smiling warmly as the Geth turned to regard her. "Your people are AI. For all I know, you process things wholly differently from us. But at the very worst, your people learn a lot about how mine, and those like mine, function. Mentally, I mean."

"Your argument is… Logical." Legion admitted finally, "If you have materials, we will study them and… Reflect. On your suggestions."

"I'll send what I have." And buy what she didn't, too - though she didn't say that part. It'd have a hefty price-tag to manage, of course, but something told he the Illusive Man would personally pay her back if it brought the Geth more in line with Human thinking and motives. Turning to leave, she said, "Until then, if you need me…"

"We will contact you." They answered with a simplistic nod. As she turned and stepped away, the Geth turned and added, quietly, "And we appreciate your… Care."

"It's my job and passion." She smiled, turning and walking backwards toward the door, smiling all the way. "I just hope it helps."

"Do you…" She paused and cocked her head, and Legion's flanges flicked energetically. "Do you believe that such studies and informational intake will assist us in understanding the Creators? We have done infrequent studies on these topics, when able, but thus far, none have yielded results in spite of the Collective's efforts."

"It can't hurt." She shrugged, "All you can ever do is your best, Legion. As long as you can honestly say 'I tried my hardest' once all is said and done… Well, you can feel proud of yourself."

"...Acknowledged." It turned away from her and got back to work, and she took that as her invitation to leave.

As the door closed, she hummed and padded away, tapping out notes on her Omni-Tool, "This could be promising…"

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Shepard took a long, deep breath and leaned against the railing in her CIC, cuing up the comms along with a recording device linked directly into their ship's black box. Speaking clearly, she said, "This is Alliance Special Warfare designation SN-N7-09645, Commander Shepard, Council Spectre, acting commander of a temporary coalition fleet in the proximity of Rannoch, Quarian Homeworld. All combat leads report in."

"Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema, in command of the Migrant Heavy Fleet and all active combat vessels responding." The Quarian answered, "I am commanding eighty seven ships in total, excluding strike craft. Seven above corvette tonnage."

"Representative Legion, speaking on behalf of all True Geth." Legion reported from beside and just below her, their voice echoing over the comm-line. "Geth have arrived with one hundred and seven combat vessels. Forty eight rated above corvette level."

"Bray, merc, Omega." The Batarian spoke over the comm, "Commanding from personal fighter Red Claw. Mercenary detachment right about twenty ships deploying, one above corvette class. All others holding with Migrant Fleet remnants in case of a need to run."

"Acknowledged, all." Shepard sighed, "Relaying into combat deployment in sixty seconds, approximately three hundred hours Alliance standard time."

Just past a minute after she ended her log, she felt the same gentle nudge of the ship Relaying into the far system.

Her CIC display lit up with hundreds of markers almost immediately - nearly a thousand, although two thirds of that was made up by strike craft of various sizes. Almost instantly, the strike craft moved, splitting off into five oscillating groups that formed up into floating screen-barriers in front of five formations of Heretic warships. Behind that row sat the Collector vessel itself, angling its front - and that fore-mounted particle cannon it carried.

"Laser-signal from Bray's fighter." EDI reported, "He's leading the strike craft ahead."

"Acknowledged." Shepard grunted, "Join us with the fast attack frigates and move on plan three."

"Aye, Commander." EDI reported, "Laser-signal from Han'Gerrel confirms obeisance to the plan."

She nodded and leaned back, watching her ships form up.

Like the Collector-Heretic coalition, they formed into pseudo-ranks, with their fighters and strike-craft in front of a line of frigates and corvettes, with their destroyers and few other combat size classes behind that. Seemingly more than happy to engage them on those grounds - for obvious reason, with such a numbers advantage - the Collector-Heretic fleet began to move towards them. In response, hers oriented to the side and withdrew, putting the gas giant on the far side of the enemy fleet and withdrawing behind the Relay, surrounding it.

And then slipping behind it, using it as a shield.

Finally, as the enemy fleet closed to only two hundred kilometres, she grunted, "Now."

After a moment for the laser-flash to go off and be discerned, the Geth striker craft shot off - followed swiftly by Bray and his fighters. The Heretics answered, their own fighters and their frigates moving forward to meet them. Then, as if in a panic, her own fleet doubled back to rejoin their fighters, surrounding the Relay in what would look like a confused attempt to preserve their fighters. Joker took them forward for it, too, to sell the image.

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"EDI, prep countermeasures." Joker ordered as the Normandy angled up and around, speeding ahead of the other light-ships as it surged to join the fight.

Ahead of them, he saw weapon designators pop up on his display - little red and green dots signaling torpedoes, missiles and bombs sailing through space. Splashes of bright red, white, blue and green fire lit up the space ahead of him, taking out dozens of signatures on each side as the strike fighters' payloads did their work. Finally, the fighters joined, swarming around each other in a mad ball of combat. Signals winked out every other second, and frigates on both sides of the conflict formed up to provide fire support, trying to pick off enemy fighters. Joker joined them, skimming along the combat line and picking off enemy fighters with the Normandy's pulse-weapons as it went.

But then, uncaring for its friendly fighters, a lance of fury carved through the fuzzball and seared through one of the Geth frigates. And arced onwards, into another, killing both in one fell swoop as it and the heavier Heretic ships moved in.

"Crap!" He hissed as he angled the ship around and came in towards a Heretic destroyer pushing through the opening in their defences the Collectors had made.

His Thanix cannon ripped through its foresections, which detonated in a bright splash of near-neon blues and whites. Then he jerked them around on another approach, peppering a squadron of Heretic fighters angling to meet him with pulse-fire and charging the Thanix for a second shot. Which caught an enemy frigate square in its center, ripping it in half as the shot continued on.

"Joker!" EDI shouted suddenly just as alarms rang out and he jerked the ship around, flipping around onto its back and rocketing down at a sharp angle as alarms echoed all along its rear end.

Steadying it out, with the Collector vessel orienting for another shot on them, he growled, "Shepard, I, uh, think the Collectors took the bait…"

"Acknowledged." Shepard grunted, "Fire the signal."

"Roger." He grunted, yanking the ship around to orient nose-on towards the Collector ship. His THanix fired once, but missed-

And sailed by, missing by a handful of yards, and went on towards the gas giant.

The Collectors fired right after, and he only barely dodged the attack, their barriers frying and popping all along their portside wing as he turned and pulled away. Headed for protection behind a group of friendly Geth frigates who moved to cover them, along with the sole destroyer the mercenaries had sent. Which pulled away sharply as the Collector fired, its particle cannon ripping along its flank and arcing away to destroy one of the Geth ships.

But Joker ignored it, eyes locked on forty signatures rapidly curving towards the Collector Ship from the gas giant's denial zone. The Collector Ship had noticed them, unfortunately, and it turned as dozens of the fighters trying to win the fuzz-ball. Which let their own ships fire missiles, swatting half of them as they rushed suicidally to defend the Collector ship. And in vain, too, as half of the incoming torpedoes came in and slammed into the rear end of the Collector ship.

Trailing smoke and plasma and fire, the Collector ship abandoned the fight, turning and fleeing - slowed, but with most of its engines still cunftioning.

"Nuh uh, you son of a bug." He growled, yanking the Normandy around and spinning as he passed through the fighter battle, swatting a few unfortunate Oculi that got in his way.

Finally, he fired up the Thanix and sent a shot straight into the Collector ship. Right along its rear, where it went up with a bright flash of fire and Eezo. He couldn't help but smile and whoop, "Yeah! How do you like that you son-of-a-bitch?"

Finally, as the small Ceberus fleet reinforcing from the gas giant closed, peppering its rear with mass accelerator rounds, the lights across the Collector ship flickered. And then died, the ship listing as the Oculi's signals all died suddenly, hurtling away from the fight at hundreds of kilometers an hour. With so much of their force destroyed, the Heretics could only flee. But trapped between the coalition fleet and the incoming Cerberus ship, only a few managed to get away, accelerating at all speed away from the fight.

As the jamming dropped, he heard the Commander speak over the comm line, "All ships, form a perimeter. Someone inform the reserves in Rannoch to get out here for salvage and rescue, and all marines and boarders prepare. In two hours we move to phase two. Be prepared to receive boarding coordinates and-"

"Commander, energy spike all along the Collector vessel." EDI warned, "The energy display is of the same type and frequency as-"

"Their big fucking gun!" Joker cut her off, cuing a command into the command frequency that gave him - as the pilot - priority. "All ships, repeat, all ships, break away- All speed! The Collector ship is going up!"

He didn't wait for Shepard's response, or permission, yanking the Normandy around and punching the accelerator so hard their inertial dampeners lagged to catch up. Several crew behind him swore as they fell or were tossed in their seats, and he grit his teeth as he felt his bones fracture. But he didn't let up, accelerating away as the little blips that stood in for the allied fleet followed. Until-

Static washed over the display, echoing out from the Collector ship and swallowing several Geth and Quarian ships up as it stretched on, before it finally collapsed back in on itself. Once it had, he brought the ship around and pointed his visual-feed cameras from the nose at it. The Collector ship drifted, ripped into three huge sections, with molten metal and sections of decking slipping free into the void around them.

"Joker." Shepard grunted, sounding just the least bit pained. "What the hell just happened?"

"The Collectors self-destructed." He reported, fighting the urge to punch his console. Focusing instead on his job, he went on, "Five friendlies were caught in the blast- No energy or life-signs. And debris is being tracked by EDI's sensors, sharing feed with the rest of the fleet. How receiving?"

"Tracking." Legion answered, "Geth ships will intervene to catch and slow debris for salvage as well as rescue efforts."

"Heavy Fleet, move to assist." Han'Gerrel reported, "At least get some good salvage. We'll need it, after this."

"What's the status of your fleet?"

"Old and damaged, Commander." The Quarian answered, "But mostly intact, thanks to your… Allies."

"This is Commander Locke of Cerberus recovery team Epsilon." A new voice grunted, "Falling into defensive perimeter, broadcasting IFF. Comm us if you need us for recovery ops- The captain has my team standing by."

"Understood." Shepard sighed, "Joker, take us around. I want our crew working salvage and rescue, too. Under Han'Gerrel's direction."

"Aye, Commander." He frowned, "Quarian Admiral, designate location- We're moving to assist."

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A bit short, but not a lot of TALKING to be done, lol.

As always, not super confident about my space battles, but hope you like it. Next time, the boarding action!

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