A day later Inside the shuttle.
"okay, let me get this straight so I am a distraction for you, Liara, Garrus and Tali to sneak in and kill the shadow broker"
Liara chimed in "And rescued Feron"
"And rescue Feron. Look not a bad plan but one problem. Bad guy hide out is going to have more men than usual"
Again liara chimed in "Oh once we take out the outside guards the inside will be much easier and less men to deal with"
Ben coked his head to the rest of the crew "She did not just say that"
Garrus shock his head. Tali snorted. Shepard grinned.
"Why what did I say."
"Ben. Liara has a knack for being naïve and hopeful even at the worst of times. It her best but also her worst trait ever" Shepard explained. Ben snorted in reply.
"Uh hum" Liara who now had her arms crossed.
"Oh come Liara you know it true. Remember the Guards on Noveria?" Tali Ask
"I do"
"wait, wait, what this about" Ben asked. So Garrus explained, heavily point out Shepard choice.
"Dam at least the Queen kept her word." Ben turns to Liara " Why did you think the people in peak 15 where on your side.
"because there where nice" Shepard rolled his eyes. Liara notices and frowns.
Ben moved one decided to get change whistling at the coming storm that raging outside the shadow broker ship " time to give the storm some Feedback"
Garrus muttered something about "at least you're not eating it"
Ben hit his Omnitrix turning into a black and green plug alien called "Feedback!" The shuttle lands, door slides open. Feedback walks out first.
"I start the distraction and meet you inside."
Shepard nodded "Call if they any problems" Feedback two finger waved back heading off to cause some mayhem but before Feedback move another step, lightning surges towards him from the sky. Pulling up his plug absorbers Feedback absorbs the lightning. Smiles and walks off with no scratch on him.
The rest just look at him in awe as they get out of the shuttle themselves. "keel'ah/Spirits/By the goddess/wondering if he can adsorbs a reaper laser?"
All heads turn to Shepard giving him a deadpanned look "what it a valid question"
Liara just rolled her eyes "lets just go" and so they walk off to stop the Shadow broker.
Shadow broker ship outer walls
All four walk of heading the centre of the ship.
Liara walking along side the crew, with SNG in hand sees to electric rod filled with energy, across the bridge they approaching. "Those pillars keep the ship intact, destroying one of those conduits should disrupt the enemy formation and there shields"
"good to know. Garrus swapped to Sniper and hang back. Wait for my signal to destroy those conduits "
"on it Shepard"
"Tali take point with Liara." Liara was surprised by this. She was half expecting to join by shepherd side. So he can talk again.
"on it"
"understood Shepard"
"Ben get ready we about to push" Shepard ask over the coms
"understood shep, urm but forewarn, Those conduits you hit, The storm target me as a replacement so better to choose wisely on those shots of yours" Shepard frown.
"How you work that out"
"I may of tested a theory." Shepard rolled his eyes.
"Alright we cutting coms till we reach the centre. call only on an emergency"
"Roger, Roger" And the coms are cut.
"Alright let's move" and so they did
As they walk across the bridge guards appear from a cover hole. Though there may not be a lot of guards they armour and shields do make it tuff to kill them. Shepard fires off his assault rifle, Tali moving forward shotgun in hand. Liara firing off a singularity allowing Tali to shoot at the enemy in open space. Some of the merc guards got flown out in the wind where the lightning purge they body from existence.
They push forward and as the move towards the centre of the ship Shepard and the gang decided that going around through the side railings and even inside part of the ship. So far they have not met any more mercs only mechs and drones. Then a….
"CrackaBOOOM!"
An explosion appeared on the other side. Garrus chuckled behind Shepard and the gang.
"Seems Ben distraction, is working"
Tali nods "yes, though I am curious what he did to cause that explosion"
Over to Ben (led zeppelin playing in the background)
"HA AH, I'm putting a shock to yours system" Feedback said this while connecting to the conduits near him causing a overload in the shadow broker systems. The mercs are trying to stop him. Very badly.
Back to Shepard
"well whatever it is…." Liara interrupted Shepard after he push the first node passing through the side route they took.
"The second node just over there. On the other side of the ridge. We push that down, then the solar panels will make a route for us"
Shepard nod. "Alright same formation as before" They nod in return.
Garrus walks next to Shepard "what was it you about to say Shepard"
"Oh just that whatever Ben doing is working, we got some breathing room to push forward"
"Oh! I thought"
"you thought what?"
"urm..well"
"you were thinking, I was say about the mission and how it a bad idea"
"well" Shepard snorted.
"I may disagree with the mission, dose not mean I was not going to help. Plus the shadow broker was after Liara because of me. I be lying and say it was not personal"
"right," In front, Liara and Tali heard. Tali under her mask smirk. While Liara frowned.
"So, your"
"No, I am not"
"oh" Garrus was surprised by how Shepard have given up on Liara so easily
Flashback Normandy mess hall.
At the back of the corner Shepard was leaning against the side wall, looking at Liara from afar while she talking to some of the crew.
"You know you need to give her space right. You can't force your way back in" Shepard turn to the voice.
"Ben, I don't think…"
"Trust me I have dated, well was in a… anyway. 2 years of you being dead, you can't come back from that. I meant figuratively by the way. She grieved, mourned, never to expect to see you again. What do you think her reaction was going to be like"
"I just thought, that. I miss the old days. The days were everything I knew was gone and the new thrive."
" and that the problem. These aren't the old days. They grow up, made mistakes becoming new people. Different people. Death does that to a person. It changes you. It change her" Ben patted Shepard shoulder.
"What should I do then? Wallo in self-pity"
"Find yourself first before you find over people" Ben Answered
"No offence, but are we shaw we referring to Liara here"
"Maybe or maybe not, but know this Shepard, death will always haunt you, as you have escaped it"
Flashback End Shadow broker ship outer walls
"Urm" Tali interrupted Shepard thoughts. He turns to look to see more mercs coming there way.
"Alright get ready to charge! Garrus snipe those conduits"
"On it" He does so, electrocuting the mercs. Tali and liara working on the same Strat from last time while walking forward. Shepard started firing, upon the mercs hiding behind corners while also using cryo blast to freeze groups together. Then smashing them with a warp.
As they make they way to the second node pushing past the Mercs. As Shepard push down the node Ben calls Shepard.
"Yo Shep"
Garrus answers through his omni-tool "Shepard busy at the Ben. What up"
"right so good news, Mercs are leaving me alone"
"Meaning now they redirecting there forcers at us. Thanks"
"your welcome. Other good news I am inside the ship. Made a quite big crater back here. Anyway, I heading to your direct point of entry and see If I can open it from my side before you get there"
Garrus nods "right good plan, I let Shepard know"
"Good also one more thing. I landed In one of the security rooms. I know where Feron Is and he is alive but barely. You need to get moving"
"understood Garrus out" He cuts coms. Looking up to see Shepard finishing his task.
Liara pointed out "just across from here they main entrance we need to move fast"
Garrus chimed in. everyone turn to him "not just fast. Ben just called. Shadow broker found out about the distraction and is sending the mercs are way. Ben manged to get inside and is meeting us at the entrance so he can open the door on his side." He turns to Liara "He found Feron and according to Ben he barely alive"
"Keel'ah, We need to hurry" Shepard nodded.
"right lets go. Move it"
They move fast running towards the centre of the ship. Fighting of wave of guards leading there, they made it. The centre was very open with many flanking position that the mercs can reach. They see the door right dab in the middle.
"Alright we here. Ben better get that Door open. This place is open to ambushes" Tali said with a nervous tone.
"well.."
"No time mercs, Garrus cover with sniper fire, Tali right side, Laira left." Shepard shouted. Everyone nodded and mercs started pouring down on them from every corner of the ship.
On the other side of the door
"Come on," Feedback using two of his plug finger to override the circuitry of the door. Then he hears what happening outside.
"Oh great. Shepard better holdout"
Back outside
"Drone flying above"
"Garrus"
"ye, yeah I'm overload them"
"BEN HURRY THE FUCK UP"
Back inside
"Dammit it not working, I need" I lightbulb appeared and open up his omni-tool
"Shepard, I have a plan and at this point it a fairly terrible plan"
"Well what do you need me to do"
"well I am going to plug myself into the conduit power system and you get…"
"shoot the conduit got it. Just send the signal" Shepard sounded very eager as he, Garrus, Tali and Liara fighting of hordes of mercs and drones.
Back outside
"Garrus, snipe the conduit on the left on my signal"
"What signal"
"you won't miss it"
Back inside
Looking around the walls, Ben sees a panel. He opens it up to see a junction for the conduits.
"Alright I am in, Shepard…." Electricity flows through his body as soon as he finishes the word Shepard. He directs the flow towards the door.
Back outside
Shepard got his Carnifex out and shoots conduit on the right, as soon as he heard Ben voice. Garrus sees this and fires the left conduit. Tali and liara are buying time for this to work pulling out every skill they have to hold of the mercs.
They hear a creek. Seeing the door open there rush in and what came out was feedback firing off a wave of storm at the mercs. Then heading back inside after incapacitated them permanently.
Back inside
Tali huffing and puffing within her clear mask. "That was close. Ben what took you?"
"sorry the door has several layers of encoding"
Garrus puff out a breath "Couldn't you turn into upgrade and you know…."
"not with that storm. I get fried the moment I use him here"
Shepard chims in "enough, Ben take us to Feron, you said you know where he is" Ben nods and orders the gang to follow him as they running through the long corridors. Liara asks as they were taking fire from rockets from mercs.
"More of them, How many guard does the shadow broker have?" Feeback snorted
"You weren't kidding about her being naïve" Shepard snorted in retort. Liara sent a Glare at the pair.
Shadow Broker: "Hold your positions no matter the cost"
Garrus fires a sniper shot from his side cover "Ben I think it time for a change"
Tali nodded agreeing hiding on the other side of Garrus "you need something that can help us, cover while pushing forward"
Feedback smirk hit his Omnitrix dial changing to "Mentacle" A light skin green tentacle alien. Using Mentacle powers. Similar to Xyline. He grabs a couple of metal panels and telekinesis moves them in front of the crew leaving small gaps in between.
"I got the cover, lets push"
Shepard smirk "everyone get behind Ben cover and push forward. Time your shots." So they push and push, making hard for the mercs to fight back thanks to Ben telekinesis cover.
Mentacle was smiling "just round the corner we reach Feron. It a two lane corridor. So get ready" everyone nodded
Liara was pouting "I had the base schematics downloaded"
Tali pattered her on the back while she, Liara, Ben, Shepard and Garrus took out the guards.
"It okay. Ben just annoying like that"
"Oii!" Tali snorted
"Tell me I am wrong then"
"did not have to say it though" Ben said this while slamming a merc head against shards of metal.
Garrus comes in "That should be all of them"
Shepard respond "yes but you know how are mission go. Best scout on ahead. Make sure we not spooked"
Garrus nods "got it Shepard" Tali put her hand up "I go. With these tight corridors best if someone with a shotgun goes" Everyone nods and Tali heads of to scout
There walk towards the door that hold Feron.
Shepard opens up his omni-tool "let Me bypass it. Only take a sec" it been a sec. "It done" They walk in guns up. Liara walks in first to see Feron tied to a chair.
"Feron"
"Liara" Feron replied in a groggy voice.
"hold on I'm getting you out of there" Liara tried imputing some commands in console near Feron, for it only to shock Feron.
"AHHHHH"
"Oh god Feron"
"What the hell" Shepard exclaimed.
"The equipment is sensitive to tampering. This chair plugs in the broker info network. You have to shut down the power. Pull me out now and my brain cooked." Feron explained breathing heavily.
Liara pulls up her omni-tool "do you know where we need to cut the power"
"it won't be easy you have to go to centre operations"
"easy or not we getting you out of there" Shepard turns to Garrus. "stay here and make sure Feron alright"
"Got it Shepard" Tali charges in the room.
"Shepard we got company"
Shadow Broker: "I want all teams to outpost C" Shepard nods.
"Tali, stay here with Garrus. Ben charge on ahead create us an opening"
"got it shep/of course Shepard" Ben charges a head holding some metal shards in hand he created earlier.
"Let's go liara." Liara nods to Shepard.
Tali looks to Liara "we keep him safe don't you worry"
Again Liara nods and follows Shepard out.
A few minutes a couple of dead bodies, Both Liara and Shepard Catch up to Ben.
Shepard ask Ben "Any trouble."
"just the ones outside the torture room. This one guard thought it was smart to play dead and hit a rocket in my face. Did not work though, telekinesis was a shock to his syterm." Ben Smirk.
"Let get in there and finish this" Liara said with a cold steel in her voice.
All three walk through the corridor. Seeing a big shadow behemoth behind his desk and computers.
"Here for the Drell, Reckless even for Commander" Ben/ Mentacle snorted
"Got something to say Benjamin Kriby Tennyson" Mentacle stopped cold.
"funny, when Dr. Psychobos explained who you are. He never told me how much of childlike attitude you have" Both Shepard and Liara are a little surprised.
The shadow broker continued "he also told me to tell you. Beware of the rule of three" Now that shocked Ben understanding behind those words.
"yes, your Universe, which is now here, Eon Universe and a third Universe. Was effected by eon singularity effect that cause his world to merge with another. You also get the added bonus of three villains each world weather there be teams or single"
Ben snarled "I doubt Dr. Psychobos told you this willingly."
"oh he did. He wanted out of his partnership with Eon and Zs'Skayr."
"not surprised, both are.. a little insane"
"Agreed, it was me who told Zs'Skayr of the illusive man base location. He related in kind" Shepard eyes bug out when he heard that.
"ENOUGH!" Liara shouted in anger
"That bombing on illum was not necessary. You caged Feron here for two years"
"Dr. t-soni. Your interference cause all this, Feron betrayed me when he handed your Shepard body. The Drell is paying the price"
Shepard argues back "Someone was bound to come after you for working with the collectors"
"It was a mutual…"
"Unknown alien scan competed" Ben Omnitrix stated.
"Neat" Ben chirp out. Shepard snorted.
The shadow broker was not amused.
Shepard continued "Let Feron walk out with us"
"your won't be walking out at all"
Liara lips started tip upwards "you're quite confident for someone with nowhere left to hide"
"You travel with interesting companions Dr, T-soni. Ben here will help with my survival against the reapers"
Ben snorted "Yeah noooo!" letting that no be drawn out
"It's pointless to challenge me Dr, T-soni, I know you every secret. while you fumble in the dark"
"is that right. You're a yarg a pr-spaceflight quarantined to their home world from massacring the council's first contact teams. this base is older than your planet's discovery which probably means you killed the original shadow broker 60 years ago then took over. I'm guessing you were taken from your world by a trophy hunter who wanted a slave…. or a pet how am I doing."
Silence filled the room to the point that pin drop was not even heard.
Ben snorted again "Dam"
The shadow broker stands up from his desk and slams it down with a hard smash down. Pulls out his revenant assault rifle and opens fire.
Mentacle hold the thermal clips in the air using telekinesis from the shadow broker barrage. Shepard opens fire, followed by liara dealing some heavy damaged. Mentacle uses the thermal Clips and redirects them back at The shadow broker destroying his shields. Liara closes in with a warp destroy half of the shadow broker armour, then Mentacle float some shards from the broken table and tossed then to the shadow broker, taking down his armour. The shadow broker heads to the centre of the room and, use the energy above him to restore his shields. Shepard charges in and boxes The Shadow broker losing his focus. Now the shadow broker conjures a shield and walks forward firing off against the crew.
Mentacle grabs one of the pillars using telekinesis and slams into the shadow broker. Liara fires off a warp. Shepard fires a constant barrage. The shadow broker shields are down again and Laiar goes for another warp then followed by a Shepard warp destroying the armour of the shadow broker. Shepard goes in for the box, given the shadow broker the 1, 2 leaving back to the same state frozen while gearing up.
The shadow broker charges us for a third time but this time Shepard fired of a overload. Mentacle toss another pillar destroying the shields. Liara followed up with a third warp exhausting her. Breathing heavily the shadow broker took his opportunity an attack her only. Shepard open up his side arm and rained hell Mary protecting Liara. Mentacle used the rest of the slammed desk and drops it on top of the shadow broker. The shadow broker heads back at the centre to recharge but Liara has other plans. She looked over to shepard who nod in return and started they plan. Shepard box for a third time barley holding down the shadow broker. Liara used as much of her biotics as she could and destroyed the energy grid above them, laying down wave of energy on the shadow broker eradicating him.
Liara panting standing off to the side. Mentacle, leaning against the wall exhausted from the fight. Shepard first check on Liara but saw Ben was struggling and went to help out.
Power fluctuation happen around the ship. Feron free from his cage. Garrus and Tali helping him get out. Liara walking next to Shepard sees the commanded console in the room light up.
"Shadow broker, this is operative Murat. We had a moment ary connection failure. Can you confirm status" Liara walks forward.
"Operative Shora requesting update. Are we still online." Liara walks further forward.
"Shadow broker we lost are feed. We online and waiting for instructions" Liara reaches to the console confused at what she is seeing but in a split second she makes decisions. Calming her breath she press a button.
"this is the shadow broker. The situation is under control" Over where Feron, Garrus and Tali are, now hearing the shadow broker voice pulls out there weapons and charges towards the shadow broker "we experienced a power fluctuation while upgrading hardware, it disrupted communications momentarily. "
Feron, Tali and Garrus walk in to the shadow broker room see Liara became the shadow broker "however we are now back online resume standard procedures. I want a status report on all operation in the next solar day, Shadow broker out"
Feron shocked "Goddess of oceans it you, you're the… How" Garrus and Tali are equalliy as shocked.
Liara responded With "Well everyone who's ever seen him in person is dead so"
"spirits you're the new Shadow broker T-soni"
"Yes Garrus I am" Shepard and Ben who are over on the other side, Seeing this Ben speaks.
"I mean cool extra info and stuff"
"Thanks Ben" Shepard was silent on the matter which was notice by everyone. Tali cough.
"It looks good on you Liara" Shepard remembering Bens words.
Liara smiled "thank you Shepard" though was shocked with Shepard 180 on the matter.
"well we better leave you to get set up. I come back later when your ready"
"yes that be…. Best"
Ben cough muttering awkward. A red light appeared and Ben back to being human.
Garrus comes over putting ben right arm around Garrus shoulder seeing as Ben is exhausted "I got you lets go"
"Thanks Garrus"
Garrus looks back, "We go on ahead to the shuttle, make sure Ben rest up" Tali nods "I go with them" So all three leave. Leaving Feron, Shepard and Liara alone.
"Well, goodbye Liara, hope to see you soon" Liara just nods and turns to the console. Feron feeling awkward heads to the upper deck to rest, Shepard sighs and leaves thinking about what Ben said.
"Everyone has change, haven't there"