CHAPTER 36: Hit me With Your Best Shot

I didn't pay all that much attention as we drifted past Omega to the relay. We weren't stopping; none of us wanted to risk the Collectors noticing this close to our goals.

There was a weirdly somber tone on the ship as we approached the relay. There was really nothing more I can do to prepare us in the time we have left, so I decide to check my email instead. The first was from Wrex, and oddly enough it was it was unusually verbose for him.

'Krell,

Thanks.'

He didn't sign it, of course, but I could tell from the email field it was him.

Dear Dad,

Liara contacted me already. Had a funny story to tell. Said she couldn't wait for me to contact her to tell it.

Something about citation. Sound familiar?

Stay alive, okay?

In conclusion,

Fuck You

2185 CE

There wasn't anything from Liara, but I wasn't expecting there to be. The coordinates I'd sent her would take a little longer to get to, and Liara wasn't the sort of Asari to make a statement if she felt she didn't have all the facts available to her first. Honestly I think that's what makes her such a good researcher, and also so insistent on proper sourcing, for that matter.

Suddenly, Shepard's voice echoed from the intercom. 'All hands brace! It's time to hit the relay!'

Time to face the music.

2185 CE

Joker's fancy flying got us past the relay. Everything was going smoothly. Then a giant floating laser eyeball robot broke into my cargo bay.

'Why didn't you warn me about these things?' Shepard groused.

'I warned Joker!' I shot back.

'Joker isn't down here fighting the damn things!' Shepard complained.

'No! I'm up here fighting the things while EDI gives you a hand with those turrets, now stay the hell off the radio so I can think!' Joker shot back.

I ducked behind a console and toggled my radio off before popping up and covering for Shepard while she did the same.

'Does the warning really matter? These defense cannons Krell suggested are stripping the thing's armor very efficiently!' Miranda observed.

'Hah! My idea, my kill!' I laughed when the cannons finally destroyed the damn flying mecha-laser eye.

'I believe, that as the guiding intelligence behind aiming the cannons, credit for this kill should go to me.' EDI corrected, playfully.

'You know what, excellent point. EDI, I now pronounce you a killer robot!' I agreed.

We cleared the debris field easily enough after that, only for the Collectors to finally show up to shoot at us as well.

'I guess Collectors have windows, huh?' Joker quipped at us.

"Fire the main gun!' Shepard ordered. The entire ship spun as we twisted to avoid their counter fire.

'Direct hit! How do you like that you sons of bitches!' Joker announced.

'Great! Now get in close and do it again.' Shepard commanded.

Several seconds later we heard a loud whoop! 'Target destroyed, Commander! '

The entire ship rocked.

'Sorry folks, just got a little rocky there for a second! We're fine. The armor held!' Joker reassured us over the radio.

'Please brace for landing.' EDI warned.

A few seconds later I could feel the gentle yet distinct bounce of the ship landing on a surface and equalizing gravity.

'Check your gear everyone! I want everyone in the briefing room in ten!' Shepard announced.

2185 CE

Ten minutes later Shepard walked into the briefing room with us and strode to the head of the table.

'Alright everyone, we're off to a great start and I want to keep that momentum! We came to stop the Collectors, and that means coming up with a plan to take out this station. EDI, bring up your scans.'

The holoprojector in the middle of the table showed a map of the base.

'You should be able to overload their critical systems if you get to the main control center here.' EDI highlighted on the map.

'That means going through the heart of the station. Right past this massive energy signature.' Jacob explained.

'That's the central chamber. If any of the colonists are still alive, the Collectors are probably holding them in there.' Shepard elaborated.

'Looks like there are two main routes. Might be a good idea to split up to keep the Collectors off balance, then regroup in the central chamber.' Jacob proposed.

Miranda disagreed. 'No good. Both routes are blocked. See these doors? The only way to get past is to get someone to open them from the other side.

'The ventilation shaft.' Shepard realizes.

'That's practically a suicide mission. I volunteer.' Jacob offers.

Miranda, gently, turns him down. 'I appreciate the thought, Jacob, but you can't shut down the security systems in time. We need to send a Tech expert.'

'It's your call, commander. Who do we send into the shaft?' Jacob asked.

'Krell? Your advice?' Shepard asked.

'Talis an expert with tech, Legion's an expert who is tech. Both of them should be able to fit in the shaft.' I advised.

'We need someone with the skills to hack that security system. Tali, you're up.' Shepard decides.

'I won't let you down.' Tali declares.

'The rest of us will break into two teams and fight down each passage. That should draw the collectors' attention away from what you're doing.' Shepard decided.

Miranda immediately volunteered. 'I'll lead the second fire team, Shepard. We'll meet up with you on the other side of the doors.'

'Any advice, Krell?' Shepard asked.

'Pretty much anyone with experience leading fire teams will do. But there's only one person I know here aside from you who built a team of all sorts of aliens and tied them to a common purpose.' I admitted.

'You're right. Garrus -- You're in charge of the second team.' Shepard decided.

Garrus nodded.

'Well, at least he knows what he's doing.' Miranda stated, miffed.

'We only have the vaguest idea of what we're going to find in there, and from all accounts it's gonna be bad. You signed up for a suicide mission, but I expect you all to do your best to live through this. Our goals come first, then our team. We don't know how many the Collectors have stollen -- thousands, hundreds of thousands. It's not important. What matters is this: Not one more. That's what we can do, here, today. It ends with us. They want to know what we're made of? I say we show them, on our terms. This ends today!' Shepard pronounced.

'Mordin, Miranda, you're with me. Tali. Vents. Everyone else, you're with Garrus.' Shepard selected her team.

'Shepard, there's no way in hell I need twelve people just to equal you, Mordin and Miranda.' Garrus protested.

'Of course not, you just need me.' I joked.

'No, you're right. I'll take Zaeed and Samara as well.' Shepard agreed.

With that, we were dismissed.

2185 CE

Garrus stood before us as we prepared to enter the base.

'All of us have different reasons for to going on this suicide mission. What I do know is this. This isn't just a battle for the fate of Humanity. This is a battle for our future too. The Collectors are the remains of the Protheans after the Reapers got a hold of them. They don't just abduct humans; they abduct everyone. That breifing Krell gave on the various Reaper forces out there? That's the Collectors' doing, and it's what they plan for all of us if someone doesn't stop them. Now I've looked around, but I don't see anyone else here willing to step up.'

That got a chuckle out of all of us.

Garrus grinned. 'We might not survive this mission. But let's make damn well sure we don't fail it!'

We cheered.

The doors opened and our descent into hell began.

Author's Notes: I legitimately forgot about the giant mecha laser eyeball fight. Did anyone else remember fighting a giant mecha laser eyeball in the cargo bay in ME2? I promise it's actually in the game. It's a really fun fight, so I have no idea how or why I forgot about it.