Hello again, and welcome back to my Gears of War/Mass Effect crossover.

My deepest apologies for taking so long to write this chapter. Part of it had to do with life in general, and the rest had to do with family and other things going on. Nevertheless, I've got a plan worked out now, and we're going to be seeing some really good action at work here.

As always, leave a review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Gears of War or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Studios, The Coalition, Epic Games, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.

Virmire

STG Camp

March 20th, 2183

It as clear to Marcus, as they walked back, that his pep talk with Wrex had calmed more than just Wrex's nerves. Everyone else in the camp seemed to be much more relaxed, now that the impending crisis had been dealt with, allowing them to get on to the real task at hand. Even Cole, who did quite well under pressure, was relaxed, if the quips he was making on how he would flatten Saren's ass were anything to tell by.

Shepard, spotting the two coming back over, walked towards Marcus and said, "Thanks for talking with Wrex. Since he's coming back alive and well, I take it he listened to you?"

"Yep," Marcus replied. "He did."

"Good. I was worried for a moment there. Now I'm happy that we've gotten that out of the way. We've got a traitorous Spectre to deal with." After a moment, Shepard asked, "You think you can handle Krogan that have been enhanced with Imulsion?"

"We went through hell back at Sera," Marcus retorted. "If we can handle a planet trying to kill us, then we can handle some Krogan that are becoming Lambent. If they do mutate, it's why we have guns."

"That's a good answer," Shepard admitted, a ghost of a smile on his face.

"I've got my moments," Marcus remarked. Moving along, the two spotted Kirrahe talking with Baird, who was crouched over some kind of device that the Salarians were treating with caution. Walking over, Marcus asked, "You guys alright?"

"Yes," Kirrahe answered. "Thank you for speaking with the Krogan. The assault on Saren's base will be difficult enough as it is."

"Assault?" Shepard inquired. "Something tells me you've come up with a plan. Let's hear it."

"Of sorts," Kirrahe confirmed. "Damon Baird?"

"Hang on," Baird rejoined, tightening a bolt before standing up. Walking over to the others, he said, "The Salarians got clever and decided to convert their drive core into a 20 kiloton nuclear bomb. Kirrahe asked me to make a few adjustments, and I've been able to squeeze 10 more kilotons out of the drive core."

"Sounds a little crude," Shepard noted.

"True, but I've made do with less," Baird admitted with a shrug. "Besides, this isn't the first time that I've pulled a plan out of my ass."

Ashley and Kaidan, who had walked over during this point, came inside. "Did someone say nuke?" Ashley asked. "If so, then we can drop this thing from orbit, and Saren can kiss his Turian ass goodbye."

"Not exactly," Baird countered. "I'm bettin' that Saren's got some AA defenses set up at his base. Am I right?"

"That's correct," Kirrahe confirmed. "The facility is too well fortified for that. We'll need to place the bomb at a precise location."

"All right," Shepard decided. "Where do we take the nuke, and how do we get it there?"

"The bomb must be taken to the far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first."

"You want us to go in on foot?" Kaidan asked, worried. "We don't have enough men."

"It does sound a bit risky," Shepard admitted. "Is there no other way?"

"No," Kirrahe conceded, "but I think we can work around that. I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we've got their attention, you can sneak your 'shadow team' in through the back."

"Its a good idea, but your people are gonna get slaughtered."

"We're tougher than we look, Commander," Kirrahe reassured him. "But it's true. I don't expect many of us to come back alive, and that makes what I'm going to ask even more difficult." Then he said something that Shepard hadn't expected. "I need one of your men to accompany me. To coordinate the teams."

Hearing that, Shepard knew what Kirrahe meant. "We'll need someone who knows Alliance comms protocols," he noted. "It's a good idea."

"I volunteer," Kaidan said a moment later.

"Not so fast, LT," Ashley rejoined. "Shepard will need you to arm the nuke. I'll go with the Salarians."

"Not exactly," Baird countered. "I've made explosives in the past. I can arm this nuke. Plus, it kinda ain't your place to decide who goes. Let Shepard decide. He's the CO, he makes the decision." Ashley, upon hearing that, opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it, as she began pacing around.

"Who would be better suited?" Shepard asked.

"Either of these two will do," Kirrahe informed him. "Both are willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary, though if we are lucky, such sacrifices won't be required."

With that in mind, Shepard began to ponder his choices. Its obvious that either Kaidan or Ashley will do, but we're going to be going up against Krogan infused with Imulsion here. With that in mind, he said, "Marcus, Cole, Baird, Carmine, come over here." Once the Gears came over, he asked, "Have any of y'all led a squad before?"

"Yeah," Marcus replied. "Baird here was a Lieutenant during the Battle of Halvo Bay. The only reason why he was demoted to Corporal was because of some political bullshit. Cole here led a squad of his own too, and I've been in charge of Delta Squad ever since I got out of the Slab. Carmine's the only one that hasn't in an official capacity, but he's led other Gears in scavenging parties before."

"OK," Shepard mused. Pacing back and forth, he walked back to Kirrahe and said, "I've made my decision. I and the rest of my team will help coordinate the teams. Marcus and his team will infiltrate the base and wreak havoc on the inside, while Liara and Kaidan will accompany them. They'll be given the designation Delta Squad as well."

"Are you certain?" Kirrahe asked.

"Yep," Shepard replied. "Between Wrex and the rest of my team, we'll have the firepower to provide assistance where possible against the Imulsion enhanced Krogan, while Marcus and his team will cause a lot of problems for the enemy."

"That's… quite reasonable," Kirrahe conceded. "I'll have the ordinance loaded onto the Normandy and brief your crew on it's detonation sequencing." Looking at Shepard, he asked, "Do you have any more questions before we go."

"The Normandy's picking me up. How will your teams escape the blast?" Shepard queried.

"We will engage the Geth as long as possible. Once the bomb is in place, we will fall back and try to escape the bomb's blast radius. If we move quickly, we should be able to escape with acceptable casualties. If not, then our memories will live on as martyrs to a greater cause."

"You talk like this is a suicide mission," Shepard noted.

"I won't lie to you, Commander. There is a chance none of us will survive this assault, even your team. But we do what is necessary."

"Fair enough," Shepard conceded. "The designation for my team's clear enough. What will the other teams be called?"

"Aegohr, Mannovai and Jaeto. They were the initial settlements of our first three colony worlds. They are at the heart of Salarian territory to this day. These names will remind my men what they are fighting for. They must have a personal stake in the fighting if they are to have any chance of success."

"Noted," Shepard replied. "Well, that covers it for me. I'm ready whenever you are."

"Excellent," Kirrahe decided. "Then if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare my men."

"Go ahead," Shepard remarked. "Don't let me stop you." As Kirrahe left to prepare his men, he turned to Marcus and the others. "Once you're inside the base, do what you can to make things easier on the Salarians and my team. I'll arm Wrex, Garrus and Tali with some of your weapons, given that y'all have been training them to use those guns."

"Good plan," Marcus agreed. "Tell them to bring enough ammunition for an extended engagement. JACK will also bring ammunition to them in case they don't have enough." Turning to Cole, he asked, "Can you donate your Boomshot to Wrex in case they run into any Imulsion enhanced Krogan?"

"Shit yeah, baby!" Cole eagerly agreed, eyes glinting. "We gonna be seeing a lot of glowie gravy!" With that, he quickly ran back aboard the Normandy to grab the gear that Shepard had requested.

"All right," Shepard decided. "I'll do what I can to save as many as possible. Oh, and Marcus? Come back alive and well."

"You got it," Marcus acknowledged with an emphatic nod. Turning to the others, he said, "All right. Get your gear together and bring enough ammo for an extended engagement. Once we begin, there's no turning back. We go in, help Shepard and Kirrahe, then rain hell on these bastards."

"Hell yeah!" Carmine shouted. "That's a plan I can get behind!"

"We'll make that fucking bastard regret ever causing this kind of shit!" Baird added.

"Haha!" Cole laughed as he came back out. "We're going back to the old days! Number 83! THE COLE TRAIN!"

Even as Cole's enthusiastic declaration echoed across the water and into the forest, Marcus grimly a throat clearing, Marcus turned to see Kirrahe addressing his men. "You all know the mission and what's at stake," Kirrahe began. "I have come to trust each of you with my life, but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns.

"We are trained for espionage. We would be legends, but the records are sealed away. Glory in battle is not our way. Think of our heroes: the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. Those giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleets. Before diplomacy, we were soldiers.

"Our influence stopped the Rachni, but before that, we held the line. Our influence stopped the Krogan, but before that, we held the line! Our influence will stop Saren! In the battle today, we will hole the line!"

With that, a cheer erupted from the soldiers, their morale restored as their Captain reminded them what they were fighting for. Turning to Marcus and Shepard, Kirrahe said, "Good luck, Commander, Sergeant. I hope we will meet again."

"You bet," Marcus agreed. Even as they moved to where they needed to go, Marcus knew that the drums of war were beating. Soon, the fate of the galaxy would be changed, and it would be this assault that would help decide that fate.

. . .

Vaulting over some debris and a wall, Marcus and the rest of Delta Squad landed on the other side. Looking around, Marcus could see more of the sandy ground and limestone formations that the region was filled with. Looking behind, he could see Cole, Baird and Carmine ready to go, their weapons locked and cocked, and their helmets on and sealed. Even Liara and Kaidan were ready, with Liara's innocent expression having been replaced by one of grim determination. Everyone knew the stakes, and everyone was committed.

Here we go, Marcus decided deep down. We're about to have a fight that will push all of us to the limit, he knew deep down. But I know we're ready for it. We've been through hell and back, but we're going to end this fight, and we'll make Saren and Sovereign regret ever crossing the wider galaxy. With that, he made sure he was ready, and began to head out.

As he did so, his comm crackled. "Delta Squad, comms check," Kirrahe reported. "Do you read me?"

"Loud and clear," Marcus confirmed.

"Good. We'll start our push. We'll try to make it to the AA guns, but it might be up to you to finish the job. And Sergeant? If you see any way to undermine their defenses, we could definitely use the help."

"Copy that," Marcus agreed. As the comms closed, he turned to the others and said, "Cole, Baird, you two will take point with me. Liara, Kaidan, Carmine, provide support and neutralize any HVTs before they get too close. My guess is that the Krogan will be the commanders that we'll have to terminate. Above all, neutralize any advantage that the enemy has over the other teams. Understood?"

"Completely," Kaidan acknowledged.

"Alright. Let's get to work raining hell on these bastards." With that, Delta Squad moved out, weapons ready and aimed at any alcove that could hold an enemy.

The comms crackled as Kirrahe used the second frequency they used for addressing all of the squads. "Delta Squad is on the ground," he reported. "I repeat: Delta Squad is on the ground. Chief Williams, with Aegohr Team. Commander Shepard with Mannovai and Garrus Vakarian with Jaeto. Move out! Time to get some attention!"

"It's go time, baby!" Cole added. Moving through an arc, he team took cover just as Cole said, "Two Geth up ahead!"

"I've got 'em!" Carmine replied. "They're toast!" Pulling out his M-99 Longshot, he quickly took aim after resting his rifle on a nearby rock. Pulling the trigger, he watched as the barriers on one of the Geth failed, allowing a follow-up shot to blast it's head into a million steaming bits. The other one turned to engage them, only for Marcus to pelt it's barriers with bullets, tearing them down and tearing apart the machine in the process.

"There's a structure up ahead!" Kaidan reported, pointing at a structure that had a single deck connected to a ramp, as well as a tower-like structure the deck was built around.

Just as he said this, the comm crackled to life. "Commander Shepard to Delta Squad! We're under heavy coordinated crossfire! Check for long range communications that are helping the Geth target us!"

"Copy that!" Marcus acknowledged. "Baird, Cole, with me! Carmine, take out any snipers you see! Kaidan, Liara, suppressive fire!" Just as he said this, a bullet whizzed past his head. "SNIPER!"

"I GOT 'EM!" Carmine shouted. Taking aim, he fired the Longshot. The high velocity bullet speared through the Geth Sniper's relatively weak barriers, with the bullet causing it's head to explode. "Oops!" Carmine teased the now-dead Geth. "You lost your head!"

As he said this, Kaidan and Liara opened up with their weapons, forcing the hostiles sup ahead to take cover. Sprinting forwards, Marcus, Baird and Cole made it to the bottom of the ramp. Spotting a Geth Destroyer, Marcus was about to fire when Liara hurled said Destroyer into the air, allowing Kaidan and Carmine to pick it off. Firing his Assault Lancer, Baird gunned down a Geth Saboteur, while Cole, getting inside a Geth Sniper's guard, used his Battle Lancer's Bayonet to decapitate it.

Moving forwards, Baird spotted a control console. "Gotcha!" he growled as he walked over and, kicking open a maintenance panel, reached inside. A few seconds later, he grunted as he pulled out some cables and said, "Got it! I've just disrupted their comms system by taking away the power supply! They won't be able to cause any more trouble for Shepard!"

A moment later, the comm crackled. "Commander Shepard to Delta Squad! Whatever you did, it scrambled their targeting! Team Aeghor is coming to provide assistance, and we're having a much easier time. Keep the pressure on!"

"Good work," Marcus acknowledged. "Keep up the work and keep heading forwards!" With that, the team quickly moved up, firing their weapons at any hostiles that were in the ravine network.

"Light resistance so far," Liara noted. "They must have the rest of the soldiers at the base."

"You know what," Marcus told Liara, "that's just what I was thinking."

Just them, Carmine fired his Longshot, while Baird followed up with a few shots from his Fusilier. "Geth Drones!" he reported. "They've likely got a control station and a refueling station nearby!"

"Roger that," Marcus agreed. "If we find it, do what you can to scramble their systems and destroy their fuel depot. Keep moving!"

Just then, the comm crackled again, "They're calling in sat-strikes!" Kirrahe reported. "Jaeto, watch for comm stations! Williams, can you seen anything?!"

"Not yet," Ashley replied. "Will report if we see anything."

"We might find where they're calling in those strikes too," Kaidan informed Marcus.

"My thoughts exactly," Baird added.

"Keep moving," Marcus ordered.

Rounding a corner, Marcus spotted something up ahead. To him, it looked like another structure, only this one had what looked like a relay antenna on the top. There was also another walkway up ahead, and it was clear that it was fortified. "Carmine, see anything?" he asked.

"Wait one," Carmine replied, setting up and aiming down the scope. "I could five Geth over there, as well as a Krogan leading them. He's definitely glowing, so that intel's solid."

"All right," Marcus decided. "Liara, Kaidan, if we get close enough, send that Krogan son of a bitch flying! Carmine, take him out from a distance if you can! If he's glowing, then he'll explode when we shoot him. Understood?"

"Got it," Carmine replied. "I'll get at the Geth first. They'll give you the most trouble." With that, the team advanced, while Carmine began targeting the Geth, as a loud KRA-THOOM resounded every few seconds.

Reaching the ramp, Marcus advanced up and fired his Assault Lancer at one of the Geth, cutting it down just as Carmine neutralized the third of the five Geth up there. Spotting the Krogan he fired, forcing the Imulsion infected alien to take cover. "Frag out!" he shouted, pulling the pin on a grenade and hurling it to where the Krogan was.

There was a loud KA-BOOM as the grenade detonated. True to form, the Krogan's body, enhanced by the Imulsion, survived the blast, though it was clear he was injured. Spotting the Krogan, Marcus watched as the Krogan's right arm, which had been severed, regrew from the stump in a matter of seconds. "FUCK!" he snarled. "They're regenerating faster! Gotta take him apart!"

"I've got an idea!" Cole shouted. "Shoot 'im!" With that, everyone began pumping lead into the enhanced Krogan, who charged at them. Roaring, he hurled a fist at Baird, who ducked under the blow. Liara wasn't as lucky, as she was promptly sent hurtling down the ramp. Kaidan, acting fast, caught her in a biotic stasis field, though he could clearly tell that she was lucky. A dent the size of a dinner plate had been hammered into her chest armor.

The Krogan's actions, though, allowed Cole to put his idea to work. Before the Krogan could recover, he smashed it's face with a powerful right hook, before shoving another grenade down the Krogan's throat. Kicking it away, he taunted, "Gobble, gobble, gobble, motherfucker!" just as the Krogan exploded from the inside out. The detonation, combined with that of the frag grenade, was powerful enough to stagger Cole slightly.

Spotting the antenna relay, Marcus fired at it, sending it toppling to the ground in pieces. He was about to turn around when a gunshot rang out. Whirling to his right, he watched as another Krogan slumped to it's knees, a hole in it's head, before Cole, taking no chances, chopped it's head cleanly off with his chainsaw bayonet. When it's head didn't regenerate, he said, "Whew! Good thing they can't grow back their heads!"

"Nice shot," Marcus said to Carmine.

"Thanks," Carmine replied. "I've always wanted to shoot a Krogan in the head."

"Yeah," Marcus agreed. Seeing Liara getting up, he asked, "You alright? That krogan hit you real hard in the chest."

"I'm fine," Liara replied, taking off the damaged armor plate. "If it wasn't for that armor plate, he would've punched right through my chest. As it stands, I think my ribs are cracked. I'll stay in the rear. I don't want to get killed."

"Solid thinking," Marcus concurred. "Regroup and keep moving up. There's bound to be more nearby." With that, they advanced forwards, weapons ready, while Liara followed as best as she could, her chest aching from the blow.

Spotting a walkway connected to where they at, Marcus and the rest of Delta Squad continued to advance. Again, resistance was sporadic, with only some Geth, and the occasional Geth Destroyer, coming to molest them. Liara's right, Marcus noted. The real trouble is at each of these outposts and the main base.

His thoughts were interrupted when Garrus said, "Hostile drones are leaving to recharge! Hunker down before they come back! Delta Squad, if you can hear me, take them out before they can get to us!" Marcus nodded in reply, even as the team moved up.

"Got another Krogan!" Baird shouted as he fired, peppering the barriers of said Krogan. Getting into cover, he pulled out the Torque Bow, having asked Carmine to use it. "This should even the odds!" With that, he popped out of cover and fired the weapon.

True enough, the blast from the bolt blasted off half of the Krogan's upper body. Now, they could see the tendrils of Imulsion that had woven itself throughout said Krogan's body like a fungus. Instead of falling down, though, the Krogan roared as the flesh knitted itself back together before, much to everyone's horror, a large bladed arm erupted out of where the old arm used to be, with the other one mutating into the same.

"TAKE IT OUT!" Kaidan roared, with everyone firing at one. The mutated krogan roared, charging at them as a massive horn grew out of the top of it's head. Kaidan threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the charging Krogan as it swung it's bladed arms at him. He watched with shock as the blades easily cut apart a shipping container that had been nearby, while the Krogan's single horn carved a large hole into a nearby rock column the platform was built around.

Again, Baird fired the Torque Bow, blasting apart the Krogan's back, and allowing Marcus to get in close with the chainsaw bayonet. The bayonet roared as it bit into the mutated Krogan's back, severing the spinal cord and cutting it's flesh apart. The Krogan screamed as the blade tore through the nexus of Imulsion that was inside it's body, causing it's glow to begin to rapidly brighten. Sensing the impending detonation, Marcus kicked the corpse away, rolling backwards before the alien exploded, tearing apart a nearby walkway.

"What the hell was that?!" Kaidan gasped.

"Whatever the hell that was, it was a new world record in ugly," Cole teased in his usual enthusiasm.

"Whatever the hell Saren did to the Imulsion, it's big," Baird noted, a frown on his face. "Looks like he might've tweaked it's genetic code. Fucker doesn't know when to quit."

"Yeah, we got it Baird," Marcus quipped. "Keep moving up. We've got more trouble to take care of." With that, they continued advancing forwards. Spotting a massive blip on his motion tracker, he said, "Hold up." Leaning around a corner as the others stopped, he saw the source of the blip. "Looks like we've got a a horde of drones, and a fuel tank near them. Cole?"

"Baird?" Cole asked. Sensing what Cole was getting at, Baird lent him the Torque Bow. "Aw yeah! Time for the Cole Train Special, ladies!" With that, he jumped out of cover and, just before the drones could fire at him, fired the torque bow at the fuel tank Marcus spotted.

There was a loud KRA-THOOM as the fuel tank exploded, with the blast being powerful enough to destroy the drones, while Cole was roughly shoved onto his ass. "AAHHH!" he gleefully shouted. "The Cole Train's still got it, baby! That reminds me of when we blew them bitches up at Hanover Stadium!"

"Yep," Baird agreed. "You still got it, Cole. Now let's head to the fucking military base."

"Same here," Kaidan agreed, even as the team continued to move.

(Author's Q&A)

Guest: Yep, he's a dumbass. The Gears are going to definitely be working overtime on this one.

ZombifiedTeen: Yep. That there is a nod to the first Gears of War game. Plus, that's good advice, and I'll definitely be making edits as time passes.

THATS1I3ntGUY: Yep, and this is the first of them.

edboy4926: Yep, though the nuke will sterilize the area quite nicely. As for the Halo/SW rewrite, I won't spoil anything. That would ruin the surprise.

IDYGOFENIKS: That would be amusing, morbid and terrifying in one combination.

Blaze1992: That's a lot of reviews that I'll have to go through one at a time. As such, you'll likely see replies to all of them in future chapters.