The Refuge system was, according to Jo'Kar, a dust choked radiation hellhole.

"With determination, at least we'll be even more difficult to detect."

"Works both ways," one of the sensor technicians buzzed in annoyance. "There's so much particulate mass, even the Human Sat-Scanner is having difficulty getting us clear readings."

Garrus clicked from behind Jo'Kar. "I'm willing to bet that's intentional; if Nazara or its kind did come to this system, they'd have the Titan's luck trying to find anything hidden here.

"Doctor 'Tsoni," he glanced over his shoulder to where the Maiden was sitting, "you're up."

Liara nodded, but frowned as she began scanning the planet they had just begun orbiting. "I'll do my best, but we still don't know what this 'Conduit' is. It may take some time to find any... that's odd."

Garrus came up behind her. "What?"

"According to these scans, there's a dormant Mass Relay on the surface of the planet." She focused a telescope on a very familiar shape, sitting upright at the bottom of a canal.

Garrus was about to speak, when the Relay's core began to glow and spin up. "I thought it was dormant?"

"It was," Liara began frantically typing. "I wonder if it is responding to our presence? Could you forward this to Doctor Solus and Hecatonchires? Protheans are my area of expertise, not their technology."

Garrus did as asked. Over the next several hours, they remained in geosynchronous orbit over the mini relay. Everyone was surprised when the relay returned to dormancy after an hour.

Everyone was, once again, gathered in the communications room.

"Alright everyone, what do we know?"

Kaidan leaned in and squinted at the image of the Ilos object. "It reminds me a bit of the Relay Monument on the Citadel."

There was some scoffing from several of the Council crew, though not from Mordin. "Correlation is worthy of note. Relay Monument atypical among Prothean artifacts. Ilos object only other example of relay-themed construction anywhere."

"Except," Liara brought up an image of the Monument on the Citadel, "that the scale between the two is significantly different, and the Relay Monument has never shown any signs of activity."

"Maybe," Kaidan steepled his fingers and glanced at the Maiden, "but it is active. You've been near it before, Liara. There's a power coming off it that makes my teeth buzz. And how much do you really know about the Monument? The various races of the Council don't seem too eager to truly study anything on the Citadel."

Ashley chuffed. "Yeah, I got read the Riot-Act by the station's Dumb-AI when I poked one of the Keepers."

Garrus clicked his mandibles to get everyone's attention. "Focus. Say for a moment that the two are related," he looked at Doctor Solus again.

The Salarian hummed and typed on his Omni-tool. "Possible correlation. Hecatonchires, would you-"

"Calculating orbital intercept between Ilos Object and Widow Nebula." The two Relays were replaced by a galaxy map, with two points and a line. "Calculations complete. Periodic alignment between Ilos Object and Widow Nebula confirmed. Calculating. Alignment coincides with last observed Ilos Object activation. Calculating. Next projected activation window in one-hundred-seven hours, fifteen minutes. Calculating. Following projected alignment in one-thousand-six-hundred-twenty hours."

Jane arched an eyebrow. "That's a hell of a window. Why?"

"The star will be in the way," Tali focused on the refuge system, as Heca played out the orbital and rotational paths. "Even with the interstellar Relays, you need a clear path between points. If a star is between the two Relays, they can't form the Mass Effect Corridor."

Wrex harrumphed. "So what's that do to our theory? The Monument's inside the Citadel. Anything sent between the two would just splat against the Presidium."

"Not necessarily," Mordin co-opted the map to project a swath of math. "Always substantial interstellar debris between stars; does not affect relay operations. Possible that mass of star is the issue. If so, mass of Citadel would not be sufficient to prevent formation of Mass Effect Corridor."

Jane leaned forward. "So you're saying these two mini-relays could, theoretically, form one of these Mass Effect Corridors: a back door into the Citadel, if you will, or perhaps more poetically-"

"A Conduit," Garrus sighed. "It definitely makes sense. Saren wants what Nazara wants, and that is apparently to conquer and murder the galaxy. Taking control of the Citadel would be a major defeat for all Council races."

He looked around at the team. "We have to assume Saren will find this system in the next four days. We need to keep him from taking control of the Conduit. The Piper and her escorts will arrive in three days, so we need to hold out at least that long. Let's get to work."

...

The initially proposed plan to just bombard the Ilos object, while distasteful to the Council crew, proved unviable. A scan of the surrounding area showed several armored kinetic barrier generators; each was as powerful as those found on Turian cruisers, and together would render the object impregnable

The site did not, however, have air defense systems. The team landed and began studying the massive artifact.

They were a day into their investigations when Hecatoncheris discovered something.

"Anomalous signal detected!"

Tali poked the Geth box with a finger, while everyone came over. "Don't leave us in suspense; what did you find?"

There was a slightly discordant blast of digital noise that almost sounded exasperated. "As stated, We have detected an anomalous signal. As such, it defies immediate classification. Signal locus appears to be the structure five point three kilometers northwest." There was a short pause. "Signal protocols appear to be Prothean in origin."

Garrus tapped his chin in thought. "Tali, Liara, and Jane are with me in the MACO. We head up the hill and find this 'anomalous signal'. Mordin, keep seeing if you can find an off switch for this thing. Everyone else, find or make defensive positions for when Saren finally gets here."

The drive up the hill was a winding path through ancient tree roots and cyclopean masonry. They needed to dismount near the base of the massive structure when they reached a waterfall. Once everyone was above the falls, they continued on foot, until...

-BWOOM-

"Shit!" Both Jane and Garrus pointed their weapons helplessly at the two barrier walls that had sprung up, boxing them into the entrance of the building.

"Anomalous signal origin confirmed, twenty-five meters west."

Everyone looked to the western wall, and saw a door slide open.

Garrus glanced over at Jane. "I wonder what human literary quote Ash would say here?"

Jane tucked her Stryker into her shoulder. "Something poetic yet ominous. Head on a swivel, people."

The four stepped into a small room that turned out to be an elevator. The ride was tense, as no one knew what they would find. The doors finally opened onto a ramp, leading towards a platform over an open shaft. At the center was a single holographic interface, and a fragmented avatar.

"You are not Prothean. This eventuality was foreseen. Optimizing interface for non-Prothean communications."

Jane leaned towards Liara. "You get any of that?"

The doctor shook her head. "Only 'Prothean' and 'non-Prothean'. No one has ever found an example of the Prothean spoken language; not even on the Citadel itself."

"The Reapers took great pains in the last cycle to expunge all records of the Prothean people," the avatar spoke in the more common Citadel Trade Tongue, "save that which they could use to perpetuate the Cycle."

Garrus glanced back and forth among the rest of the team before lowering his gun. "Uh, yes, the Cycle. Nazara mentioned that."

The avatar gave a particular wiggle. "We are unfamiliar with designation Nazara. Please elaborate." The request was met with a blast of compressed digital noise from Hecatonchires. While everyone winced, the avatar wiggled again. "I see, Nazara is a reaper: the Herald of the current Cycle. Thank you, Hecatonchires, for this information."

"Yes, and while we are all being so generous,"Jane glared at the box on Tali's chest, "maybe you'd care to share some: for instance, what is this place, and do you have a designation, or are you a simple user interface?"

The avatar shifted slightly. "I am Vigil, a data analysis construct using a cognitive pattern map of Ksad Ishan, final operations director of Project Ilos. I have monitored your progress from the Conduit, so I can assume you are aware of the general purpose of the Project."

"Not its purpose," Liara stepped forward slightly, "only its outcome: the construction of a miniature Mass relay which leads directly to the Citadel. What we do not understand is why it was constructed, or how to disable it."

The avatar shifted again. "Project Ilos was initiated in the year 18326 of the Imperial Era, at the height of the Metacon War. The Prothean Empire sought to construct new mass relays, in order to circumvent Zha'Til forces. We had only finished the proof of concept between here and the Citadel, when the Reapers invaded."

Garrus buzzed sullenly. "I take it they hit the Citadel as soon as possible?"

There was another flicker of the avatar. "This is an incorrect assumption. The Citadel was not their objective, rather it was their beachhead."

The team murmured uncomfortably as the avatar continued. "We learned too late that the Citadel itself is a mass relay. A single Reaper, possibly this Nazara, transmitted a signal to the Citadel that caused the Keepers to activate the Citadel's relay function. The Imperial Throne, as well as tens of millions of Prothean citizens and subjects were killed when the relay activated."

Jane spared Garrus an 'I told you so' side-eye. "I take it you never looked into the Keepers either?"

"It was...discouraged, with harsh penalties levied against any who interfered with them."

Garrus buzzed in annoyance and concern. "That sounds very familiar. So Nazara gets left behind to jump start this 'Cycle' by turning the Keepers against everyone. Why haven't they done it this time?"

"Because of Project Ilos. Once the invasion and extinction were in progress, several programs were initiated concurrently to preserve the Empire, including Project Crucible and Project Victory. One of those was here in Project Ilos. This facility was erased from all records, while warning beacons were distributed throughout the galaxy. The hope was that any survivors would come to reinforce the research team's numbers, and help rebuild after the Cycle concluded. This did not happen.

"After the Reapers retreated back through the Citadel, the research team, which had placed themselves in stasis to wait out the Cycle, awoke and began working to disrupt the next cycle. We devised a method of circumventing the Keeper signal that would activate the Citadel relay. Once the system was complete, the last surviving researchers traveled through the Conduit. As you have implied Nazara has not yet opened the relay, we can assume they were successful."

Liara stared at Vigil for a moment. "Nazara's diatribe back on Virmire makes more sense now. The Protheans, like us, built their Empire off of the relics they discovered; likely intentionally planted by the Reapers to coax you into following their chosen path. But why," Liara stepped towards the avatar. "Did they ever give indication as to why they were doing this?"

Vigil flickered for a moment. "There are no records within my archive of any communicative encounters with any Reaper. Your recent interactions as transmitted to me are atypical. We do know that some worlds were completely destroyed, while others were depopulated. We do not know where those Protheans were taken, only that they were."

Jane huffed and rested her rifle on top of her shoulder. "Well, at least we know Saren's endgame now: hop the Conduit into the Citadel, then open the relay manually. The Relay Monument is right outside Citadel Tower. Avina said the tower also housed the Keepers and Citadel control. I'm betting Nazara gave him the secret decoder ring to turn the damn thing on, and that's the best place to start."

She dropped the rifle into a ready stance. "So, how do we turn the Conduit off?"

There was a moment of hesitation in Vigil. "You cannot. The device was designed to ensure the Protheans could eventually rebuild their empire. As such, it was designed and reinforced to ensure it could never be disabled without destroying this continent."

Everyone started yelling at the avatar, when it changed color. "Alert, indoctrinated forces detected on approach."

Garrus readied his rifle. "What; where!?"

"They have just transited through the Relay, and are on approach towards Ilos. You must depart. I will endeavor to delay their progress through the complex."

"Or we take you with us, and you do all that remotely. Heca, give me the Handshake Protocols for Vigil." A light blinked in her HUD, and Jane removed the crystal matrix chip from the back of her helmet.

Garrus grabbed her shoulder. "Jane, what are you doing?"

"Salvaging Vigil, and denying Saren access to it." She tapped the chip against the holographic pedestal, and all the lights in the room dimmed as the avatar disappeared. "Karibu nyumbani (welcome home). Touch anything other than the comms, and I will force-feed you Jo'Kar's porn collection."

"Intriguing, this virtual space is more advanced than even those of the Metacon."

"Yeah, we've got some experience with AI architecture. Get to the elevator."

The team moved back out onto the canal. The barrier curtain closest to the MACO lowered just long enough for them to leave, before springing up again.

The moment they were out of the interference of the barrier curtains, Garrus was on the radio.

"Nierra, Nierra Actual, Saren is inbound from the relay. Drop a comm beacon for the Piper, then launch for survival back to the Citadel. I'm having Hecatonchires send you a record of what's happened. The Council needs to know!"

The radio was drowned in a blast of compressed digital data. Once the noise stopped, and they made their way down the falls to the MACO, he was on the radio again. "Relay Team, Nierra Actual. Saren's inbound. Pull back inside the relay's K-Barriers, then dig in; we're on our way!"

They made it back under the barrier curtain, and put the MACO hull down in a tank scrape near the base of the Conduit. Once it was covered in camouflage netting, everyone else divided into battle-buddy teams, with one biotic and one combatant. By unspoken order, the Spartans and Wrex divided up among the rest of the people.

Therris gave a weak chuckle as she settled in beside Jane. "One last fight, huh?"

Jane glanced at the Matron. "What, you plan to retire after this? Write a best selling vid and live off the royalties for the next few centuries?"

Therris stared for a moment, then started laughing. "Oh HELL no! Boredom would kill me quicker than any combat mission!"

Everyone remained quiet as they waited for the first signs of Saren's approach.

Jane's helmet squawked, as Vigil spoke. "Indoctrinated forces are now in orbit. Activating planetary defense batteries." Several bright yellow lances of light lashed into the sky, followed by the distant sound of thunder.

Jane glanced around. "Why nothing around here?"

"Relay operation interferes with weapon systems. Small arms should be unaffected, but capital defense batteries will lose collimation, and targeting is compromised. Additionally, ground batteries will draw attention away from this position."

The teams watched and waited as the Hanar and the ground batteries traded fire. Several Hanar ships plummeted from the skies before all the guns were finally destroyed. Then a lone Hanar frigate descended, on the far side of the building Vigil had been housed in.

"I sense them making their way through the commons. I have locked all lifts and doors. This will only deter them for a time."

"Every minute helps," Garrus called from his sniper hide with Liara. "Any idea how many are coming?"

"I detect close to one hundred mobiles, though half of them seem... distracted."

"The Hanar and the Drell," Thane called from one of the shadows. "This is a Prothean world, a place inhabited by their Enkindlers. Even in their Drala'Fa state, the impulse to venerate and admire the 'works of the Enkindlers' remains strong."

"Analyzing," Vigil whirled just on the edge of Jane's senses. "Discharging all stasis pods."

"The area just beyond my former post, is the bio-archive. There are, or were, some seventy-five thousand Protheans in stasis to help rebuild the Empire." Vigil's voice became distant. "Perhaps they can yet serve to confuse and delay our foe."

The team began to relax some as they had Vigil's constant reports on Saren's progress. Wrex told a story about a mission that went ridiculously sideways; it helped relieve a lot of the tension that had built up.

"They have breached the bio vaults." Everyone quieted as they waited for the next report. "They appear to have stopped. The one you call Saren is attempting to move the force forward. The Hanar are...singing. Saren has begun shooting the Hanar and Drell. They do not resist, but also do not cease."

There was another moment's pause. "Saren is continuing on through the complex. The remaining Drell, Hanar, and a small number of additional indoctrinated are creating... something with the Prothean remains."

Garrus glanced up the canal. "What are their numbers now?"

"Fifty-three, including Saren. He will reach the first curtain barrier in five minutes."

It took another hour before Saren managed to breach the two kinetic walls.

"At his current rate of approach, Saren will arrive in ten minutes."

Garrus heaved a sigh. "Here we go, people."

Saren was the first down the sluice, standing on a hovering platform. He paused to stare at the relay in front of him.

This was the first time any of them had seen the fallen SPECTRE in-person. Like Benezia, much of his flesh was torn open, with synthetic muscles and circuits glowing from within. His scales, what few remained, had a metallic sheen. There was little resemblance of the once proud Turian in the cybernetic monstrosity, save for the contemptuous look in his eyes.

-BAM-

Garrus' shot knocked Saren off of the hovering platform. The rest of Saren's couterie descended the canal in a pell-mell charge-

-BRTRTRTRTRT-

-BOOM-

Right into the gun sights of the MACO. Saren snarled, his augmentations giving the natural Turian subharmonics an eerie electronic reverberation. He pulled his platform towards him to-

-VWOOMP-

Jane stepped out of cover behind Saren, and yanked the platform with her Brute hammer. The sudden acceleration caused it to slam into Saren's chest, knocking him back into the mud. The platform continued to drift towards Jane, who then joined the rest of the team in whittling away at Saren's force.

Saren lurched to his feet with an electronic roar, launching a fireball from his shotgun at Jane. The shot hit a barrier thrown up by Therris, but it didn't stop Saren's charge into Jane.

She swung her Stryker's stock into his shotgun's muzzle, deflecting another incendiary blast, but he managed to pin the rifle against her chest. He tried to swing the shotgun back in line with her, but she grabbed his arm. He in turn grabbed her other arm to prevent her from going for her Brute hammer.

They strained against each other, his biotics and cybernetics against her genetics and powered armor, with neither gaining advantage. Then there was a blue flash behind Saren, as his chest began to glow red. Jane stepped back when his grip slackened, only to find her Stryker stuck, and partially melted to Saren's chest. Behind him, Kaidan had his Doru driven into Saren's back.

The biotic Spartan widened his grip on the shaft, with one hand placed against the former SPECTRE's spine. "Do you remember Shanxi?"

Saren twisted his head around to look at Kaidan, just as the Spartan rapidly cranked the haft of his Doru. The superheated head of the spear shattered and reformed over and over as it swirled around inside Saren's chest.

The light from inside Saren went out, and Kaiden allowed the corpse to slide bonelessly to the ground.

When he looked up, the remainder of Saren's forces were retreating back up the canal.

"Huh," Wrex lumbered over to Jane and Kaidan, "that was anticlimactic." He picked Saren's shotgun up off the ground, and fired it into the corpse's head.

Jane had just rolled Saren over to inspect the ruin of her Stryker, when Vigil called out across their radio network.

"Alert, the Hanar and Drell have amalgamated the Prothean biomass into a single composite entity. I am detecting multiple cyber intrusions within the Project Ilos network. Attempting to re-establish control."

"Shit," Ash glared up the canal, "you mean they pulled that Homunculus trick with all the Prothean dead?"

"Yes, and they have somehow integrated somatic memory into their amalgamation. I am detecting all command access authorizations being used to circumvent security protocols. Alert, the amalgamation is aware of the relay activation cycle. I am detecting transmissions towards the Refuge System Relay. Additional Hanar reinforcements are imminent."

Ashley stormed up and dope-slapped Wrex. "This is why you never say a fight was too easy: Murphy will hear you!"

Garrus hissed and slung his sniper rifle. "Alright, Plan Besh: Ash, Wrex, gather as much ordnance as you can carry. Rig the canal walls to come down. Maybe we can buy ourselves some time by blocking the path."

He looked around at the sophonts around him. "We still have some time before we get our own reinforcements, and until the Conduit opens up. If we can hold the Hanar off until the planet is out of alignment, it'll be months before the next Conduit window. Let's give the galaxy at least that much time."

...

There had initially been some concern in regards to demolition: not out of concern for "priceless Prothean artifacts", but rather their lack of sapper charges. Then Thane pulled Tali aside to one of the Walking Gun corpses. Their five minute whispered consultation resulted in converting the semi-organic biotic nodes on the corpse into improvised Warp-bombs. Only two other Walking Gun corpses were intact enough to scavenge, but Wrex was confident it would be enough.

As he and Ash were getting into the MACO to find a suitable choke-point, Vigil piped up. "Please be advised; the Amalgamation appears to be complete. The remainder of Saren's forces have... joined the mass. It is now making its way to my alcove. Once there, I fear I will no longer be able to counter its attempts to subvert my control."

Wrex grunted and climbed into the vehicle, while Ash paused. "How fast is it so far?"

"I believe you could out run it at a brisk walk, however I have observed it extending pseudopods as far as ten meters. Those move substantially faster than the main biomass."

She nodded, then climbed in. As she was strapping in, Wrex projected a map of the canal network. "I want to start here," he pointed to a switchback two thirds of the way to the falls. "Lots of tight turns real close to each other, plus this arch here. We might not even need the warp-bombs."

Ash eyed the map, then pointed at a joggle only a third of the way there. "Let's hedge our bets and set some here too. Drop off a drone to survey the area, then roll to your site."

Wrex nodded, then thumped the hull to signal Peebee. The MACO was about to roll out when the hatch opened up, and Liara climbed in. "I know the arguments both of you might have against me coming, but I have spent more than fifty years at various ancient Prothean sites. I am well versed in Prothean architecture, especially the structural weak points one may wish to shore up or exploit."

Once the hatch was closed, they rolled up the canal. A drone was dropped off at the first switchback without stopping. They had just arrived at the second, when the radio lit up with Garrus' voice. Vigil says the 'Amalgamation' is done in his alcove, and is already on the move.

Ash popped the hatch and jumped out. "Then let's get this done quick!"

The trio began placing incendiary charges against several of the roots that seemed to be holding the retaining walls upright, as well as a pair of warp-bombs to ensure the walls came down.

They were climbing back in when the radio came back on. It's over the falls and on its way to you now!

Wrex tapped Peebee on the shoulder. "Roll us around the corner. I want to get a look at this thing." He stared out of the forward monitor. "I don't want any more surprises than can be helped."

The vehicle rolled up to the first major straightaway, and they focused the turret camera up the sluice. It took five minutes for the creature to come into view.

The mass of flesh and circuitry filled the entire canal and was formless. The exterior was an ever shifting mural of alien faces; they pressed against the outer layer as if to break out and looked around before sinking back in. When it extended a pseudopod to pull itself along, the mass broke into a fractal of individual arms and hands.

"Goddess," Liara squeaked out, "it's a Shoggoth!"

Wrex looked oddly at her, while Asley choked on her tongue for a moment. "Where'd you hear that name!?"

Liara was pinching her eyes closed as she locked herself into the harness. "While we were aboard the Piper at the Gates of Dawn, I availed myself of the ship's library." The other two were strapping in as Peebee tore out back to the first switchback. "I was trying to distract myself from what had happened on Therum."

Ash scoffed and shook her head. "Bet you regret that right about now."

They arrived at the last switchback, and began evaluating the site. The walls were in largely better condition, so they opted for enhanced cryo grenades, and all of their remaining warp-bombs.

Wrex placed the last charge when they heard a rumble, followed by an unintelligible wailing.

There was no banter as they piled into the MACO and raced back to the rest of the team. Once back in front of the Relay, they all dug in at its base; there was no more need of subterfuge, only survival.

Once everyone was in position, Garrus looked around at the team. "Alright, we don't know how long the Amalgam-Shoggoth-Thing is going to take, but we'll definitely know when it hits the second trap. Everyone, get something to eat and some rest."

He turned towards Tali as everyone shuffled to take care of themselves. "Heca, I want you back in the tank maintaining overwatch. If the Shoggoth decides to take another route, you have the best bet of detecting it."

"Yes, Vakarian Commander."

Tali stood up and took the Geth box over to the MACO, then bunked down in the troop compartment for a snack and a nap.

It was five hours before everyone was startled out of their rest by a rumbling explosion, and an eerie wailing. They were all tense as the sound of a slow avalanche echoed down the canal.

"Alert," Jane jolted slightly as Vigil barked over the radio. "Multiple unidentified radiation events detected in orbit. Alert, Mass Relay activated, multiple indoctrinated signatures detected."

"Yes," Ash pumped her fist from her foxhole, "Piper's here!"

Jane gave a relieved sigh, before linking into the comm beacon in orbit. "Piper-Actual, Sierra-Bravo-183, over."

Sierra-Bravo-183, Piper-Actual, over.

"Piper-Actual, Sierra-Bravo-183, require immediate reinforcements to this position. Be advised, Op-For inbound from Relay, standby for contact. How copy, Over?"

The Piper's response was a blast of bagpipe music. All of the Council races flinched at the onslaught of sound.

"What did you say to piss them off," Therris yelled while rubbing one of her ears.

"She didn't," Kaidan yelled back while chuckling. "That's the Quick March of the Royal Gurkha Regiment. It means we're about to get support from an Air Assault Battalion with nearly 900 years of battle honors!"

Garrus grinned at that. It was always interesting to see how similar the Humans were to his own people. "Ensign Bubo, transmit our records in full. Let them know what they're dropping into."

The team settled in for another tense wait. After an hour of the slow grinding approach of the Shoggoth, the approach to the Ilos Object was filled with UNSC drop pods. Swarthy humans in green armor clamored out, each one hoisting a twin tubed rocket launcher out after them. Most of the Gurkhas moved to the flanking walls of the approach, and quickly set up defensive energy barriers, while others worked to rig something into the dozens of pods littering the ravine.

Everyone finally got their first look at the Shoggoth as it crawled out of the last arch of the canal. Its bulk was now encased in both a biotic glow, and a layer of masonry rubble. As it bunched up to move, the pieces came together to form a protective shell.

"Well, that's just great," Wrex groused, "it's learning. Jane," he tossed something to the Spartan, "I'll want that back!"

She examined the weapon now in her hands. Like the Stryker she had lost, it was clearly a Krogan long arm, though she had seen Wrex put surprisingly accurate shot groupings with this 'Grall Spike Thrower'.

"No promises," she hooked in a disruptor ammo mod she had gotten from Therris.

"Tali," Garrus sighted in on the bulbous creature dragging its way forward, "light it up!"

-BOOM-BRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRTRT-

The Shoggoth flinched back and wailed as the first shell slipped in between several blocks, and exploded against the biotic barrier. A ripple of energy, stone and flesh washed across the monstrosity as the MACO continued to pour fire.

Garrus pointed at the Shoggoth. "Biotics, Warp!"

The team's five Biotics all launched an attack as one, followed by the rest of the team opening fire with Disruptor shots, and in Ash's case a Plasma shot from her HY/MARS. The Gurkhas closest to them joined in the rifle volley, while the bulk of their troops waited with rocket launchers at the ready.

The warps and disruptor shots managed to strip the Shoggoth of its barrier, while the onslaught of plasma burned away portions of the stone shell.

-BOOM-

Tali put another cannon shot into one of the armor gaps, this time penetrating the fleshy mass itself. The point of impact blossomed like a grotesque lotus blossom, into which the Gurkhas poured rocket fire. The lead mass of the Shoggoth collapsed under the weight of the stone shell.

The defenders cheered for a moment, until the Shoggoth bulged again. A portion of the creature tore free of the main body, curled into a stone covered ball, and rolled into the ravine. Several of the SOEIVs detonated, both arresting the Shoggoth's momentum and stripping it of some of its stone armor.

Once at rest, it rapidly projected pseudopods bristling with the guns of Saren's former foot soldiers. It lashed out with fire at the Gurkhas on either side, causing them to bunker down behind their shields. Return fire was sporadic, though the smaller Shoggoth was less robust. Its barrier rippled, broke and reformed as it tried to advance towards the relay.

The big mass is trying to push forward, Tali yelled out over the radio as she fired at the top of the sluice, where the remainder of the Shoggoth was.

The lesser Shoggoth shrieked from hundreds of mouths, before a portion of the shell pulled back. The flesh was torn open to reveal a maw bristling with the weapons from the Walking Guns. The barrier collapsed just before the Shoggoth unleashed a massive warp blast into the MACO. The vehicle's shields shattered, as the driver's compartment crumpled and twisted like putty, and the MACO was tossed onto the Relay platform like a child's toy.

The Gurkhas took advantage in the momentary lapse in the Shoggoth's shields. They launched a second rocket volley from both sides of the ravine, while Garrus' team savaged the creature with biotic and disruptor attacks.

Wrex rushed over to the ruined vehicle, while bits of viscera and masonry rained down around everyone. He had just ripped the troop door off, when Vigil spoke again.

"Alert, Ilos/Citadel alignment in thirty seconds. All unshielded organics are advised to maintain a minimum ten-meter safe distance from the relay while active."

Garrus spared a look up the ramp. "Wrex!"

"I heard," the Battlermaster bellowed back, as he pulled a single body from the wreckage. Once he was out, he charged back down the ramp.

Moments later, the relay activated. A bolt of static electricity touched down against the MACO, and the ruined vehicle was flung out of sight.

"The rest of the creature is making a push," Liara yelped out as she threw a warp at the Shoggoth. The final mass was devoid of stone armor, and moved erratically but with surprising speed. The mass tore itself into dozens of pieces to weave between the SOEIV minefield, only to reform as it absorbed what remained of its former bulk.

Shots went wild the closer it got to the relay, until it made its final mad dash up the ramp. A tendril of electricity touched the creature, and it was drawn up into the relay like taffy.

Garrus stared dumbly at the relay for a moment before shaking his head. "Piper Actual, Nierra Actual, I need a pickup for pursuit; preferably one without a slipstream core."

He looked at the rest of the team. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not done with that thing by a Titan's length!"

...

-Three days prior-

...

Aethyta had just settled her duffle bag onto the bed in her temporary cabin, when an alarm rang out through the Turian flagship.

All hands, set Condition Two and rig for maneuvers. All hands, set Condition Two and rig for maneuvers.

She was out and on her way to the bridge in a second. She arrived to the controlled chaos of a Turian control center. "Admiral, what's going on?"

Orinia looked up at the intrusion, then waved off the security detail. "We just received a priority transmission. All currently unassigned Citadel Council and Associate military ships are being recalled to the Widow Nebula, to reinforce the CDF."

Aethyta boggled for a moment. "Who would attack the Citadel?!" She had a momentary nightmare vision of a Covenant fleet lashing out at the Citadel with plasma lances and torpedoes.

"It's most likely Saren and the Hanar." The admiral returned her focus to the task of organizing her formation for rapid deployment. "Venius, transmit to the carryall force at Gleise 1061 to make their way to Eden Prime. Assist in redeployment of any relief assets that can be spared."

Aethyta choked for a moment. "The Hanar?!"

Orinia looked at the Matriarch oddly for a moment, then grimaced. "My apologies; I'd forgotten you were behind the UTSG communications blackout." She pointed to an adjoining office. "If you would wait in my ready room until we are underway, I'll try to explain."

She turned back to her duties. "It's been a hell of a year for everyone."