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[Kel Riever]

“Right here,” Dale said as she halted with the crashed armored personnel carrier in her Revenant’s sights. Arkeer was on her left and Riptide on her right, with the group of soldiers that had fled behind. All had weapons ready, and their suit lights illuminating the vehicle in the dark. One of the troopers behind Dale was shaking so much his armor rattled. 
 
The cries for help and screams of pain from the APC had come from a top hatch which was opened, but which no living person had been able to escape from. There was nothing anyone could do but wait, and after a hollow wail, all went silent. Dale’s heart pounded and she wanted to run like the troopers behind her but knew better. 
 
Then the silence ended with the sound of a rushing wind and a bang. Standing at its full height, the Banshee materialized outside the APC. Blood spattered its form but covered its claws, and the shriek it made chilled Dale to the marrow.
 
“Now!”
 
Dale fired with Arkeer, Riptide and the rest of the troops. But the Banshee was on the move, teleporting away from the concentrated firepower before it could have its full effect. A grenade was thrown towards the Banshee, only to explode uselessly as the Banshee teleported again, closer. 
 
“Move!”
 
Still firing, Dale stepped backwards. Riptide and the other troopers followed suit, but Arkeer did not. The krogan walked forward and further left, his goal to tempt the Banshee towards him. At first it worked, but then Dale saw a soldier who was supposed to be behind her pass to the front of her vision. He was firing, but had unconsciously frozen in place from fear. She called out a warning but he paid no heed, and the Banshee teleported towards him. 
 
Arkeer did his best, moving in to try and protect the frozen soldier with shots from his Claymore. Nothing could be done, though, when the Banshee came next to the doomed man and shrieked. The soldier dropped his weapon and put his hands to the sides of his head instinctively, as nothing could really protect him from the biotic attack that was the Banshee’s wail. Dale knew this is how they killed; once a victim was affected by the psychic torrent that emanated from the Banshee, they were frozen until they were killed.  The Banshee didn’t even need to grab the soldier. It just plunged its claws through his chest.
 
With no comrade to worry about firing around, the troopers unleashed a volley out of fear and hate, but again, the Banshee teleported, and this time closer to Arkeer. The krogan adjusted a setting on his Claymore, and then pulled a grenade from his belt. Covering him as best she could, Dale still knew that Arkeer could only save himself now. Arkeer dropped the live grenade in front of him, and backed straight away, enticing the monster towards him. Heedless of any threat from the explosive, the Banshee came on. The grenade went off, showering it with plasma. Still, the Banshee seemed to shrug off its effects, and it teleported again, to be within grasp of Arkeer. 
 
Arkeer roared and fired. What he had adjusted on his shotgun was the setting for the ammo, and the Claymore belched forth a payload of incendiary fragments. The volatile projectiles interacting with the grenade’s plasma caused a momentary fire burst, and covered the Banshee head to toe in flame.
 
That was as much as it seemed the Banshee could take. It keened again, but reached out, seeking to place a last, lethal claw on Arkeer. The krogan ducked out of the way, switched his Claymore back to its regular ammo, and put the barrel point blank to the face of the Banshee. Arkeer pulled the trigger and the resulting discharge ripped the face off the Banshee. It then disintegrated in biotic energy that consumed its physical form.
 
Barely able to push down the emotions of the moment, Dale nodded towards Arkeer and then focused back towards the rest of the Reaper assault. Her Alliance teem was being pressed in, and troopers were falling to the onslaught. Only a handful were holding the enemy at bay in a line towards the front. But she could see ahead through some of the ash gloom now. There was a rubble heap, down the road, and Dale swore at the top was a towering giant, hewing away with a long handled weapon at a constant stream of Reapers. She pointed towards the scene, directing her squad mates to press ahead. But as she did, she saw another massive figure mounting the heap, striding to meet the towering giant. It had the shape of a man, but its skin was aglow in orange and its eyes shone white.

[Redbelle]

Momma's patience suited her perfectly to the line of work Wyld had assigned her. That, and the near instantaneous computations that she was running as she tracked the patrolling Oculi as they slowly rounded the building Rea and Rothan were hidden in.

Wyld's voice, telling her she wanted the first shot to kill a Reaper fighter slowed as Momma increased her run time speed. Seconds became as minutes that grew longer as the world around the Valkyr slowed. The Big Widow that was a part of her, now frustratingly slow in tracking the craft, shifted millimetre by millimetre as tens of hundreds of microseconds passed. Momma attended to her task.

The Oculi were moving along a fixed path that, barring unexpected complications, would put them at a certain point Momma had selected as the point of intersection of the Big Widow's armour piercing round.

Though the Valkyr was hidden inside the gutted remains of a building, and partially shielded from the outside, visual observation allowed her to gauge wind speed as she simultaneously measured barometric pressure and humidity. The Big Widow made a slight correction that was still not finished as Momma again adjusted for the slight arc that would come from firing at such an elevation from such a distance.

Another micro correction to account for the weight of the round.

The trailing Oculus would be a better target than the one in front she calculated. Assuming that the craft's visual sensors were collected forward. Perhaps adding seconds to the lead craft response time.

Another adjustment.

Number's of variables were calculated that led to a probability curve indicating that under present condition's, the shot would not destroy the craft. Zooming with the optical sight's would take to long to assess the crafts structure. Instead, Momma pulled up archived schematics and turned them so that they were superimposed over the Oculus following the other. Shifting through the schematics she found what Alliance engineer's and medical scientists believed to be the power source.

The Big Widow made it's final correction and the probability curve shifted in favour of the crafts destruction. Momma maintained active and constant updates of all the parameters set as she slowed her run time fractionally to speed up the crawling passage of time.

Wyld was still speaking. “......toooooooooooooooooooooooo beeeeeeeeeeeeeee aaaaaa kiiill”.

The Oculus moved along it's track to the desired point and Momma issued the charge through the circuitry of her on-board CPU that ran into the wire that travelled from the front to the back of the Valkyr, up into the central weapon mount. The surge arrived at it's destination and circuits that had lain dormant suddenly found themselves flooded with power, demanding action be taken.

At the same time, a minor alert program squawked in alarm, demanding Momma's attention. She ignored it. The Big Widow fired.

As the round cleared the barrel Momma's attention went to the data feeding into her. Probability was still good. All indications said the same as before. A minor change to the chance of success had occurred that the earlier alert program had tried to draw her attention to. With event's in motion and no longer within her control Momma turned her attention to the alert program which was chattering away incessantly. Momma soothed it and asked what it wanted to tell her.

The program pointed to the EM sensor and Momma relaxed into the data feed, sorting through the archived feeds till it arrived at the point to just before the Widow had fired.

A massive spike in the high end frequencies had occurred. It had come from the direction of the Oculus. It had sustained for a fraction of a moment before falling again. Momma continued looking through the data until she arrived at real time and discovered the blip had occurred several times before it rose and sustained.

Momma did not know if she could feel dread. But as she brought the EM readout into the equation of the Widow rounds trajectory she saw that the probability of killing the Oculus with one hit was falling. Rapidly.

Perhaps it was bad luck. Momma had never considered luck as being a factor in her equations before. But as she watched the spiralling probability curves in front of her she had to admit..... what was occurring had been something she had not foreseen or predicted.

The round was halfway through it's arc as Momma ran furiously through the sequence of events that had occurred.

As she had sent the signal to fire, the trailing Oculus had activated it's lock on sensor. A device that flooded an area with high frequency waves that looked for interference from different vectors. The Big Widow possessed a high frequency lock-on transmitter that allowed Momma to quickly paint and designate targets for near instantaneous updates of what the widow was aiming at. The Oculi had detected that signal as it had gone through what had to have been a periodic sweep to detect anything that might be aimed at it.

The resulting detection of a high frequency beam had alerted the Oculi to the fact it was being targeted. Even now, as Momma watched, she could detect an increase in temperature flare as it's port thruster assembly altered it's vector while cycling up it's output.

The round was nearly at it's point of interception. The Oculi however was moving away. It would not move fast enough however. Probability was now in total flux leading to random outcomes that presented no confident outcome to the scenario playing out before her. Disappointed, Momma cycled her run time down to the point where she could interact with her crew and watched with them as the round struck.

One of the wings of the Oculi was struck which twisted the metal structure as the round continued through with it's kinetic energy scarcely spent from tearing through the relatively thin metal. It struck the fuselage. Not where the power core was located. Instead it stuck above it and punched through the internal working's of the Reaper designed craft until it exited through the other side of the craft and sped on it's way, out over the war torn London streets.

Momma reported. “Miss”.

Wyld made a strained noise in the back of her throat. “What happened”?

“Detection. A split second before firing. The Oculi manoeuvred which allowed it to survive. It is however significantly damaged and presents a lesser risk due to damaged manoeuvring planes...... I should add. They know where we are and are the undamaged one is vectoring towards us”.

“Time to reload”?

“Forty five seconds if we remain still”.

“What”?

“Reloading is not the issue. Cooling down the barrel is”.

“So if we move..... wind chill might speed up the cool down”?

“That is.....”. Momma started to say before Wyld jammed the pedal to the metal and sent the Valkyr surging forward, bursting out of the building before it hit the steep downward incline that sent it slithering down to the road network that led to the museum.

Momma didn't bother finishing her sentence. It seemed Wyld understood the principal.

Modifié par Redbelle, 22 février 2014 - 06:50 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena grabbed a donut from Bailey’s desk. “I’m Naleena, the one you’ve been hearing all the bad things about. I’m the one who uncovered this plot, granted it wasn’t following police procedure, but then I’m not the police either. You are.”

“This is war time and the station is under martial law. What I say goes,” Bailey said, “And nice coat. I’ll take it that was…”

“Re-appropriated. I have a hole in my web suit.”

“Okay, we’ll look the other way. The last thing I want to do is fill out paper work. Let’s get out of here before any more of those bastards show up,” Bailey said as he holstered his weapon. “The stairs to the Council Bunker are in the lobby opposite the elevator.”

Ereba and Shay entered the stairwell first, followed by Bailey, then Naleena and Marisa. The stairwell was dark like the others in which they’d been, but this wasn’t a long one. There was no door at the bottom of the stairwell. Ereba cloaked and exited into the bunker level.

There was metal platform and catwalk leading to the elevator, and another set of metal stairs going down to the bottom level. Naleena’s coat flowed like a cape from the waist down as she descended. From there they could see the bunker. Ereba contacted Shay and gave the clear signal, and the rest of the team joined her on the main level. Ereba thought that the ruse worked and STG took the bait. Naleena wasn’t so sure. She was paranoid.

There were stacks of long iridium vaults surrounding the open area in front of the bunker. Naleena thought STG could be hiding in that maze. There was some cover in the area near the entrance to the bunker.

“We have the evidence, so Marisa, Bailey and I will enter and make contact with the Council. Shay, you and Ereba keep an eye out for STG…, any STG,” Naleena said, “and cover me when we enter. I don’t know what’s in there either. How big is this thing on the inside?”

“It’s big,” Bailey replied, “I’ve been inside once. It’s real nice. Floor is light marble. There’s a large conference area as soon as you enter. They’ve got a conference table on the left, and a standing area in the middle, and dining area on the right. It’s all open. The Council living quarters in the rear. The living quarters are three steps up from the main level. But before you enter that corridor there is a stage where the Council would stand and receive guests. The guests of course would stand below in the standing area. The Council is supposed to be able to ride out a siege for a couple of months in there. It’s even got its own three day air supply in case someone tries to turn off the ventilation.”

“Nice. So when we enter, we need to spread out. Bailey, you go left nearest the conference table. Marisa you go to the right. I’ll go center, and present the evidence.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Bailey said.

“You don’t happen to know the combination to this thing, Bailey?” Naleena asked.

“Let me see…, unless they changed it this one should work,” Bailey said, and the lock disengaged and the door opened.

The three remaining members of The Council were in the conference area: the Turian Sparatus on the left; the Asari Tevos; and the Salarian Valern on the right. There was a Human woman who looked vaguely familiar standing in the dining area, but Naleena couldn’t place her. The three entered the room following the plan. Naleena strutted front and center to The Council about twenty feet away. The ceiling light behind Councilor Tevos shined directly on her, but the dark glasses and their special lenses made adjusted the lighting to look normal.

“Commander Bailey, what is going on?” Councilor Tevos asked.

“I’ll let the Commandos explain, Councilor.”

“Marisa? What are you doing in Commando leathers? And of sergeant rank no less?” Sparatus asked.

“I’ll let my friend in the black leather explain,” Marisa replied.

“Pardon our intrusion. I have good news. We’ve opened the Citadel, and the Crucible is on its way to the Citadel. The war will be over shortly,” Naleena said, “Now for the bad news. It’s over Valern.”

“What’s over?”

Naleena turned her head to look directly at Valern. “Your plot to seize control of the Council after the war, it’s over.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Valern said, and he moved toward Tevos.

Naleena drew her pistol. “Stop right where you are. I will shoot. I have all the evidence. This plot goes all the way up to the Dalatrass. Play the recording, Marisa,” 

Marisa played the recording on her omni-tool.

“I recognize that voice,” Sparatus said, “Yes, that’s Major Anoern. This is irrefutable proof, Valern!”

Valern gave a signal and two STG agents decloaked and grabbed Marisa and Bailey. Valern grabbed Councilor Tevos and drew a knife and held the blade to her throat.

“You don’t understand,” Valern said, “It’s done. It’s over. The Dalatrass made the decision and we complied. This age of the Council is over. Now put down your weapon, slowly or both your friends and the Councilor die.”

Shayrana had turned to check on what was going on in the bunker. “Ereba, cloak and check this. Sarge is in trouble.”

Ereba scanned the room, and then lined up her scope on Naleena.

Naleena set her weapon down on the floor, then stood up and looked at Marisa.

“Good, now put your hands behind your neck,” Valern said.

Ereba saw Naleena giving a hand signal as she did it. “The b**** knew we wouldn’t be watching the perimeter. She’s calling for a synched takedown. This is going to be tough. We can get two, but someone gets sacrificed. She says to take down the one holding Marisa and the one holding Bailey? She’s sacrificing Tevos?”

“Just do what she says, Ereba,” Shay said, "I trust her."

“Now get on your knees,” Valern ordered.

“You’re not going to get away with this. I’ve already sent the information to the fleet,” Naleena lied, “They know about your Colonel Kreegen.”

“Kreegen was never on Earth. Kreegen is back on Sur’Kesh. And what is a broken fleet going to do against an armada? The Humans are going to go back to their post-First Contact War ‘anti-alien’ ways, and that’s the thanks all of you are going to get for helping them. Armitage’s new Terra Firma parliament is going to demand Humanity take over the Council. The Council will resist, and they will withdraw or be thrown out.

“And Turian idiocy. You dismissed the existence of the Reapers. Your species may be good fighters, but it lacks brain power.

“We’ve had enough of Asari arrogance. You kept that Prothean artifact secret and tried to fool the galaxy into thinking you did all of this on your own. It nearly cost us the war.

“No. This ends now. I said down on your knees Asari, or all of them, including you, die. If you cooperate, you can live under the new Salarian Empire.”

Naleena stood defiantly, and tilted her head to the left showing superiority over Valern. “And be subject to Yahg brutality if we fail to comply with every whim of your government’s genetic manipulation of our species? I think not! That will apply to your species, too, Sparatus. Yes, they’re uplifting the Yahg for this.

“Join us, Sparatus. We will resist your kind, toad. Do you know how many of your top agents I’ve killed? Over thirty. Two hundred years ago I killed the head of your STG. Do you know why I killed him? Because he murdered my sister. I just recently let one of your agents bleed out because your species just isn’t worth the Medi-gel.”

Valern rotated slightly to his left. “Enough! I said on your knees! Sergeant Adola, take the evidence from this creature.”

Another Salarian de-cloaked and began to approach Naleena from the right side wall. Naleena bowed her head forward and began to descend to her knees as ordered.

Ereba smiled. “She’s up to something. I’ve got a clean shot at the lieutenant. How’s yours, Shay?”

“I’m good. I’ve got a clean shot.”

“Don’t miss. On my mark. Three, two, one.”

Ereba fired two rounds from her Black Widow sniper rifle, and Shayrana fired her Paladin pistol. Marisa heard the lieutenant’s head explode and saw his brains splatter against on the floor in front of her, and Marisa dropped to the floor. Shay hit the STG agent holding Bailey in the temple, then in the side.

While putting her hands behind her head, Naleena reached into the collar of her web suit, grabbed a throwing knife, and in one motion let it fly end over end at Valern. The blade penetrated his left eye. The Salarian screamed and dropped his blade. Tevos hit the floor.

Adola prepared to shoot Naleena, but she was quick and back flipped while she prepared a charge of dark energy and used it to throw Adola hard against the wall. The impact sent his gun flying and stunned him. Then Naleena rolled and picked up her suppressed SIG P210 .22LR. Shayrana ran into the room to detain the stunned Sergeant Adola. Bailey and Ereba secured a perimeter.

Naleena walked slowly and deliberately toward the wounded Valern with her gun in hand at her side, the light reflecting off her dark glasses. The clacking her heels made when they struck the marble floor echoed through the room. Her coat trailed her in the air. From where Valern was standing, through his blurred vision she looked like an angel of death. Valern grabbed the knife from his eye and charged at Naleena with it. Naleena raised her pistol and shot the knife out of his hand.

“I told you it was over, Valern. But you wouldn’t listen,” Naleena said, and violently grabbed Valern, lifted him, and shoved her pistol under his neck. “Councilor Tevos, if you think what you heard was proof, reach into my pack and take the three data disks in the pouch on the right side. What is on those data disks is damning. He was lying. Kreegen was on Earth. You and Councilor Sparatus should find them very entertaining, especially the one from the STG Office. Don’t worry, I made backup copies. Anything else you want to tell us, Valern?”

Tevos retrieved the disks.

Valern was afraid. “You won’t get away with this. We will hunt you down.”

“Your kind has been hunting me for 200 years. Eventually they’ll kill me, I’m sure of it. But not today, I think,” Naleena said, “I’d really like to find out exactly what is in that head of yours, and how much you really know. I suggest you start talking. I can get it quite easily, and it’s quite painful.”

“But Asari don’t…”

“Asari didn’t provide all my training,” Naleena smiled, “Councilor, do you mind? We’ll need a chair and some tie wraps. This isn’t exactly an ‘embrace eternity’ meld.”

“Valern was…” Tevos was going to say a friend.

“Is a ****ing traitor who held a knife to your throat and used you for a shield? You remember what the point of that blade felt like, don’t you?” Naleena asked and tilted her head to the right, and then slammed Valern into the wall.

“Yes, I do. Go ahead. Sparatus, get her what she needs. Do what you must, Naleena.”

Naleena noticed the Human with the camera in the room. “Is there a more private place we can do this?”

“Wait Sparatus. Valern’s quarters are in the back,” Tevos said.

The bunker quarters were quite Spartan for all of the Councilors in comparison to their normal quarters. Valern’s was no exception. There was a chair with arms which served the purpose perfectly. Valern was fastened to the chair with tie wraps. His eye still weeped from the knife wound.

Naleena spoke with Tevos privately. “Here’s how this works. I’m going to probe his mind. It’s a technique I learned from my Drell father. Then you and I will do a normal meld, and I will share everything I extracted with you. I’ll do a minor probe to give him a taste, and he might decide to cooperate instead. I doubt it, though.”

“I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around all of this,” Tevos said, “He said that he brought in STG to protect us from the Reapers, and now I find out it was part of a planned coup? Goddess, we never saw this coming. Do what you have to do.”

Naleena removed her shades and approached Valern and knelt on one knee in front of him. “How’s your eye? I bet it hurts. Here’s how this works. It’s very simple. I ask a question, and you tell me the truth. Failure to tell the truth can get quite painful, and it’s futile to lie. Do you understand?”

“Go **** yourself.”

“Well at least that’s an honest answer, but it’s not going to work very well in your favor. We know about the plot on Earth. Are there any other plots in motion?”

Valern was silent.

“Okay, so you’re not going to say anything. I can take that as a ‘yes,’ but I want to verify that,” Naleena began her probe, and Valern screamed.

“Trying to mix up your answer forced me to go deeper to get to the truth, which I extracted anyway. All you had to do was reply a simple yes or no and reply truthfully. Now aside from Earth, what exactly is planned and where?”

Valern tried going into a deep meditative state. Naleena slapped him. “Listen to me very carefully. I’m going to give you one more chance to cooperate, because this is going to hurt a lot. You are going to feel like your head is going to explode, and you will wish it would. The more you resist, the worse it will feel. Aside from Earth, what exactly is planned and where?”

Valern was silent and went into a deep meditative state. Naleena closed her eyes, shook her head and sighed. “Sparatus, hold him down, please. This is going to get rough. Tevos, you might want to turn around.”

Sparatus grabbed the Salarian’s body and held it firmly to the chair. Naleena opened her eyes and they were black. Valern convulsed in the chair for several seconds, and then he went limp. Naleena closed her eyes, broke the meld, opened them and shook her head. She stood, staggered but regained her composure.

“Did you learn anything?” Sparatus asked.

Naleena’s speech was slow. “That was very intense. Salarian minds are like a maze. He was strong, but I got everything. There wasn’t time to search, so I took it all. Sort it out later. I need to share this with Tevos immediately in case anything dissipates. Councilor, would you care to join minds with me?”

Tevos approached Naleena and took her hands. “Are you ready? Embrace Eternity.”

Naleena showed her everything she had seen in Valern’s mind: every secret; every conspiracy; every project the Salarians had planned and were planning; every lie; every truth. It took mere seconds for the sharing to complete. She was exhausted, staggered to the doorway, leaned against the door frame, and lit a cigarette.

Sparatus checked Valern while Tevos and Naleena were in meld. Valern was dead. Everything Valern knew was in the heads of the Asari. Sparatus was beginning to worry about a power shift, and his apprehension showed on his face.

Tevos took Sparatus by the hand. “Don’t worry. I have something to tell you. The Salarians are planning to disrupt the rebuilding of Palaven. You depend upon the Volus industrial complex. They are planning to sabotage it. With Humanity out of the picture, they would go after you next. This isolates us. We need to stand together. When the war is over, I need to see your Primarch. I need to pass on this information. It is too detailed for words.”

“I understand. Thank you,” Sparatus felt reassured. “But what about the Humans?”

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 23 février 2014 - 11:21 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

While Naleena was interrogating Valern, in the main area of the bunker Commander Bailey had put Sergeant Adola in handcuffs and was now speaking with Marisa. Shayrana returned to her post with Ereba securing the perimeter, and awaited further orders from Naleena. However, from her vantage point the lone Human woman was very busy.

 

“Can you read me? You’ve got a clear picture? Fantastic! Going live in three, two, one…. 

 

“This is Khalisah Bint Sinan Al Jilani, Westerlund News reporting to you live from the Council Bunker on the Citadel where moments ago another attempted coup of the Citadel Council was thwarted by Human and Asari forces. You are about to see some shocking footage where the Asari allege that the Salarians had rigged the Terra Firma victory of Prime Minister Armitage. We’ve been isolated on the Citadel since the Reapers captured it and just found out about the T. F. victory.” Al Jilani shows the footage and audio.

 

“The Asari in black alleges that the Salarians knew that the extreme wing of the T.F. Party would eventually force Armitage to take a hardline stance and have Earth go it alone, leaving the weakened Turian Hierarchy and Asari Republics vulnerable to a Salarian takeover. The Salarians even had their eyes on Earth itself. If you listen closely you will hear the Salarian Councilor confirm these allegations. This is followed by some very shocking and violent footage.

 

“The Council and the mystery Asari in black who presented the evidence took the wounded Councilor Valern into the living quarters of the bunker, presumably for interrogation. The mystery Asari must be a Spectre or something like that. Things seem to be under control at the moment. The Turian and Asari Council members are alive, and Asari commandos have secured the bunker. These are the same Commandos who opened the Citadel for Admiral Hackett along with Commander Bailey. Again let’s see that scene. It speaks for itself.”

 

*7*****

 

Admiral Hackett stood on the bridge of his flagship awaiting news that the Crucible docked with the Citadel and news that Shepard made it to the Citadel. The battle situation was fluid at the moment, but unlike earlier, the Allied forces were holding steady.

 

His com officer turned to him. “Admiral, sir, you’ve got to see this.” 

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s a news report. Really you should see it.”

 

“On screen.” 

 

Those two words are the two words Hackett wished he’s never spoken. His jaw dropped as he watched the entire scene. 

 

“Sir, I have Admiral Gerrel on the com.”

 

“Put him through.”

 

“Admiral Hackett, what’s this we’re hearing about Earth telling us to go shove off after all of our sacrifices?”

 

Hackett was fuming. “It’s bull**** Admiral. We need to keep fighting together or we’re all ****ed. I’ll get to the bottom of it after this is over. I promise you.”

 

The com board lit up like a Christmas tree.

 

“Sir, I have incoming communications from all fleets and from ground forces.”

 

“Son of a ******! She just had to broadcast it right now! Put me through to all of them one way only.”

 

“Aye aye, sir.”

 

“This is Admiral Hackett. I can assume you’re calling about the news report you just saw. As far as Earth goes, we owe each and every one of you. Any chance of victory could not have happened without you, and we will not forget that fact. This Alliance cannot fall apart or we’re all dead. I personally will get to the bottom of this after the war. In the meantime, let’s focus on killing Reapers. Hackett out.

 

“I hope that holds them,” Hackett said with disgust.

[Redbelle]

As Wyld ran the Valkyr down the slope before them, the Oculi were coming around to meet it. Or at least one was. The other that had taken the round from the Big Widow wouldn't make the turn as sharply as the other and broke formation as it continued forward, it's control fins vainly trying to overcome the drag that the destroyed ones generated.

 

That left one Oculus coming straight for them. It's red eye crackling as it began to build up for a burst at the oncoming aggressor.

 

Wyld put out the broadcast. “Ready on the roof”! And swerved.

 

The Oculus fired.

 

The beam hit the ground 50 meter's in front of the Valkyr and ran up towards where it's wheels were frantically digging into the ground. Trying to find purchase enough to shift the mass of it's body into the turn Wyld had thrown it towards. The treads spun and grabbed hold of the ground through the ash and loose asphalt, prompting the machine to lurch throwing Lucy and Wyld against their harnesses.

 

Wyld felt her flesh pressed against the hard skin of her armour as the change in direction ran them away from the beam. But by then the Oculus had picked up on the change in direction and shifted both it's eye and it's vectoring.

 

The Valkyr continued to surge forward clawing for ground.

 

The Oculus tried to slow itself as it's beam chewed up the ground and the distance between them

 

The Valkyr made it's turn with scarcely a half metre of distance to spare as the beam shot past. Moment's later the Oculus followed suit as it rushed past so fast that Wyld and Lucy felt the wind blow from it's backwash. Spinning in the air it inverted and climbed with it's nose pointed to the sky. Wyld watched as it covered distances in seconds, that would leave a human pilot a greasy smear on the back of the cockpit. They were outmatched, and had only one option.

 

She called out over the comm. “Kill it! Shoot it down now”! To the two soldiers that stood by with launchers.

 

As the Oculus came around, slowing as it did. It's red eye once again building up for another strafing run at the now fleeing Valkyr. The cloud of ash it left behind in it's wake providing a convenient guide for which to follow, when suddenly, the Oculus juked to the left. Then right. Then broke off completely as it accelerated around in a wide arc.

 

Wyld saw it and realised what was happening. She keyed her comm. “Take the shot”! She called to the soldier atop the tower they had previously occupied. “It's zeroing in on your targeting. Take the bloody shot”!

 

“It's moving around”. Came the reply. “I've got it”!

 

“Shoot”!

 

“Nearly there”!

 

Wyld turned around and saw the Oculus finish it's turn, then accelerate towards the rooftop. “I'm telling you! SHOOT”!

[Kel Riever]

Urdnot Plog knew the sucking wound in his lung was one wound too many, and though he fired his Claymore to keep the Reaper assailants at bay, eventually they would overwhelm him.  If he could get free of the fight, his krogan vitality and regeneration could let him recover.  But the wound left him unable to use his one arm for more anything more than a brace for his shotgun, and he sat where he had last fallen, incapable of standing without aggravating the wound further. 

 

Urdnot Zahn did his best to protect Plog, firing and reloading his Graal with expert precision.  Urdnot Krayder had already given in to his battle rage, blasting away huge holes in the enemy with his Striker.  Krayder screamed and held down the trigger, but the encroaching husks came on in scores, closing the circle bit by bit.  When the Striker overheated, the husks charged, and Krayder, swarmed, beat them with the rifle and his own fists.  Soon he would be down.

 

Urdnot Bruug was already lost.  His body lay face down in blood, the harness of Thanax missiles on his back still attached.   Plog shot a Cannibal nearby Bruug that was attempting to sink its teeth into his corpse. 

 

And as for Clanless, Plog and all the krogan could see him, standing atop a mound of rubble and bodies, screaming the war cries of his past.  Clanless swung his ancient hammer left and right, laying low the Reapers that clambered towards him, whether they were Husk, Marauder or Brute.  Clanless moved only when a Banshee had come for him, and just enough so that it wouldn’t grab him, before he smashed her down in three strokes of his weapon.  It was a sight to behold, watching the Warlord under a rain of ash, lit by the flaring of his biotics when he struck with his weapon, like lightning in a thunderstorm.  If the spirits of krogan ancestors could come back from the dead, Plog could only imagine that they had possessed Clanless and made the Warlord fight with their strength running through him.

 

The krogan had their effect, though they all would be lost.  The Alliance troops who came across the river would never have made it if the full force of the enemy had been brought to bear.  Others would find the Thanax missiles and be able to use them, even if the krogan were dead by then.  And Plog had hope; maybe Clanless would still be alive when the Alliance troops finally arrived.

 

But then Plog saw what he knew was the end of that hope.  Out of the ash cloud walked a figure, glowing in orange fire like light, in the form of a human but standing as tall as the Warlord.  Its eyes glowed white, and it strode up the mound of rubble and bodies to Clanless.  The Warlord dashed it with a full swing of his hammer across the head, and the orange figure simply rolled with the blow.  When the figure recovered, Clanless was already using a back swing, to hit it in its body.  The hammer blow would knock a Brute off the mound, and fling a lesser being into the blackness.  But against the figure, the hammer glanced off, and merely caused the human like form to take one step to the side. 

 

Clanless paused, facing the orange figure whose eyes seemed to glow with more energy, and Plog felt even Clanless knew his end had come.

 

Urdnot Zahn also could not help but witness the two giants face off.  He called over to Plog, “We shall all meet our doom upon the sands of this human planet.”

 

Plog forced himself to stand, using the pain to build his rage.  He felt the slow shift of his bodily system being compromised, and built the last stores of his energy to fuel a final, fury filled assault.  Plog raised his Claymore, approached Zahn, and the two krogan spared a brief moment to smash their heads together.  The headbutt was the traditional show of strength, respect and challenge, and it was likely their last. 

 

Urdnot Plog said to Zahn, “Then let these sands run with the blood of our enemies and the greatest warriors who stood against them.”

 

The two krogan roared with fury and charged toward the mound.

[The Emperors Angel]

Umbral peeked out of cover, and as a reward, felt shots hitting his barriers. “It looks like we are surrounded, Arnout.”

“Heh. That just means we can attack in every direction.”

“They are in to much cover. I can’t jump them. And you can’t get target lock, so there is no attacking anybody, Arnout.”

“It was a joke, Umbral.” Arnout said as he blindly fired a few shots out over the wall he was sitting behind. “A joke. That’s I can come up with now. This was a time to kick ass and chew gum, but I am all out of proverbial gum.”

“Ha!” Umbral shook with laughter. “There is always the Krogan way out, Arnout.”

“Yeah, thanks. Charging headlong into their line of fire is not my thing, Umbral.”

 

Momma received an alert from one of her watchers. This watcher had interfaced itself with the network of a private security company, and claimed it had found something on the remaining functional camera’s. Momma retrieved the footage, and reviewed it. Realizing the watcher programme was right, Momma accelerated to establish contact with a Krogan and a Human, who seemed to be in some very serious trouble.

 

Arnout’s visor signalled that he had a message. “Hang on Umbral. I’ve got a message.”

“Heh. Me too. Who would…” Umbral’s voice trailed off as he opened, and read, the message.

 

 

Unidentified combatants,

 

My name is Momma, and I am the V.I. organising the fighting done by Irregulars done on this side over the Themes.

I have noticed your unfortunate situation, and my calculations say there is a 99,5% chance will both be dead in less than five minutes, unless you follow my instructions. Then your odds increase to a 46% chance of death within thirty minutes.

 

If you agree, just say it out loud. If you do not agree, I wish you the best of luck.

 

With kind regards,

 

Momma

 

 

“What do you say, Umbral?” Arnout looked at his partner trough his visor. “Reaper trick, or true?”

“No Reaper trick. They have us cornered, why would they bother? I don’t like it, but this might just be our best shot…”

“Strange to hear that from you, Umbral. But I guess you’re right. Here we go.” Arnout flipped the switch for his speakers. “Momma, we agree to do as you say, but we reserve the right to remain fighting on own.”

Momma had penetrated the personal firewalls protecting Arnout and Umbral, and came over the speakers. “That’s not I right you get to reserve. For the sake of all brave men and women fighting the Reapers here in London, it might be better for you to link up with someone. If you wish to reserve that right, we are going to have go separate ways.”

Umbral broke in on this conversation. “Arnout, grow a quad. Momma, we agree, no rights reserved. Get us out of here, I can hear ‘em coming.”

“Glad to hear that we are in agreement. Four meters to your south, there is a sewer entrance. You have a minute and a half to get down there.”

 

Staying low, the Human and the Krogan found the hole. Umbral lifted the manhole cover, and Arnout commented. “Tight fit, my friend.” Umbral, ignoring Arnout, slithered through the opening. “That was supple for a Krogan your size, Umbral.”

“Stop trying to be funny and get down here. You’re not the smallest either with that suit on.” Umbral secured his hammer to his back, and pulled out his shotgun. “Change to your pistol, Arnout.” The Krogan commented as Arnout’s boots hit the ankle deep water at the bottom of the sewer.

Arnout activated his helmet light, and exchanged his machinegun for his pistol. “Umbral, put the lid back on. OK, Momma, what now?”

Modifié par The Emperors Angel, 28 février 2014 - 06:05 .

[Redbelle]

Wyld turned her head in time to see the Oculus shoot first. From far away and up high all she saw was a red beam lance out and strike the rooftop. She couldn't see, but she knew the Oculus had scored a hit as the radio was momentarily awash with the sound of a man screaming as he burned to ash. It cut out then. The radio in the mans helmet having been melted along with the rest of him.

 

The Oculus finished firing and then turned once more, at the same time as Momma reported..... “Big Widow ready for action”.

 

Wyld stamped on the brakes and the Valkyr skidded to a halt. “Target”! She ordered and immediately the Big Widow swung around over her's and Lucy's head.

 

As the Widow began getting a fix on the Oculus Wyld looked over at Lucy who was sitting ramrod straight, staring ahead with wide eyes. “Are you okay”? Wyld asked.

 

Lucy slowly turned and looked directly at Wyld. Her voice was soft as she said. “I swallowed a bug”.

[Redbelle]

Lucy was fine, Wyld saw and spun to fling an arm over her seat to look at the Oculus tearing through the sky. It was not coming for them, she saw as it spun along it's axis as it traced a long curve around towards another nearby rooftop.

 

The one the other soldier had taken up position on.

 

Wyld hit her radio. “Heads up! Incoming”!

 

The voice on the other end was tight but resolute. “Orders”?

 

Wyld remembered the scream from the other man before the radio had cut out and she nearly told the other to take cover. Nearly. But didn't.

 

Instead, she looked at the Oculus as it climbed. It was guesswork but it looked like this time the Oculus was going to dive during it's attack run. “Are you targeting? Right now”? Wyld asked the rooftop soldier.

 

“I was but you saw what happened”. The soldier's voice was part anger, part pleading as he waited for Wyld to direct him.

 

“Stand by”! Wyld said as she toggled her comm off. “Momma. Can you make the shot without active targeting”?

 

“I am attempting to do so. Active targeting measures result in high percentiles to miss probability”.

 

“Momma. What will the Oculus do if it detects an active targeting beam”?

 

“Highly probable that it will begin evasive and then charge the one targeting it”.

 

“Which means that you'll know where it will be”.

 

Momma paused before answering. “The cone of movement will sharply diminish if it is given a target. The Oculus can only fire forward. It must be travelling in the direction of attack”.

 

“If that happens, and you know it's happening..... Can you hit it”?

 

“Yes”. Momma said immediately. “But if you are suggesting what I think your thinking...... The one doing the targeting is unlikely to survive. As the danger to the one targeting increases, the chance to hit the Oculus also increases”.

 

Wyld looked up and managed to make out the Oculus engine propelling upwards. The sound was far away but still audible. So when she heard the whine disappear suddenly, she knew what was coming.

 

There was little time.

 

“Momma. Get ready to take the shot”. She ordered as she hit her comm. “Soldier! The Oculus is coming right for you”! She paused as the next order nearly caught in her throat. “Target and destroy”.

 

“Commander”?

 

“You heard me”! Wyld told him sternly, unbuckling and moving to kneel in her seat as she faced the direction where the action was happening. “Target that Oculus. Lock on and fire”.

 

“Aye aye”.

 

Lucy was looking at her she knew. She could feel her eye's on her and despite her being unaware of what was now happening, Wyld felt as if her gaze was scalding her skin. She gave her a quick glance, to make sure it wasn't her imagination and sure enough, Lucy was looking up at her. Wyld looked away. “I don't have a choice”.

 

Lucy blinked. “Why”?

 

“The Oculus is to fast. We can't kill it with the Valkyr. It'll blow us apart once it sets up an attack run. We were lucky before when it missed but it was surprised then”.

 

The Big Widow moved till it's muzzle was pointing above the building the soldier was situated on. Wyld's ears picked up the whine of the Oculus engine as it finished reversing it's course. It's nose now pointing straight down towards the building. As Wyld watched she saw the Oculus begin to spiral.

 

“Targeting data is coming from the launcher”. Momma told them as Wyld watched. “Adding to targeting solution”.

 

Lucy moved so she was kneeling on her back seat with Wyld. “What's happening”?

 

“That soldier is trying to target the Oculus. The Oculus is moving to keep a targeting solution from happening. From where he is he can't kill it before it gets in shooting range. But we can”.

 

“So we're going to shoot it down”?

 

Wyld nodded.

 

“Then why so sad”?

 

Wyld could hear the engine whine turning into a scream. “As long as he keeps an active targeting beam on the Oculus, the Oculus will attack him. We're shooting without active targeting so it shouldn't come after us. We're using him as a decoy to draw the Oculus into a zone where we know it will be. How's it coming Momma”?

 

“I have a solution”.

 

“Is it good”?

 

Momma paused. “The optimum solution falls within the Oculus's long to medium beam range. I am sorry. The Oculus will be able to fire”.

 

Lucy looked confused. “What's happening”?

 

At that point, the Big Widow made one final elevation and fired.

 

Half a second later the Oculus, it's red eye glowing and crackling with energy, unleashed it's destructive potential on the rooftop.

 

The roof became awash with red fire. Then the Oculus spun. It's body rolling over letting the beam rake the rooftop to pour out into the empty air.

 

Momma reported. “Direct hit”.

 

The Oculus, still firing as it's beam weapon spun around, plummeted into the rooftop. The roof seemed to explode as the Oculus hit, then dust and glass showered out of every window from the top down as the Reaper drone fell through every floor till it hit ground floor. The beam shut off half way down as it sliced through steel and mortor. But by then the damage was done and the top of the building began to crumble in after the Oculus.By the time it was over the building had been effectively demolished.

 

Wyld blinked then hit her comm. “Soldier......... Soldier, report”.

 

Hissing static answered her.

 

Lucy sat down in her seat as Wyld did the same. “Did you just sacrifice him”? She asked?

 

“I didn't have a choice”. Wyld told her as she got the Valkyr moving. Above them, the Big Widow moved back into it's travelling position. “If we hadn't the Oculus would have come after us. We were out matched and once it killed us it would have picked off the rest. I saw a chance to take down the Oculus. I took it”.

 

Lucy was quiet for a time. Then said. “Aria would have done the same too”.

 

Wyld glanced at her. Then shifted her palms on the wheel making the leather creak in her grip. “No time to mourn. Rea and Rothan still need us and we've wasted enough time. Momma.....”?

 

“All systems are functional. Big Widow will be reloaded by the time we reach our destination. I suggest joining those inside. Without space to manoeuvre the Valkyr and the Oculi will be on even terms”.

 

Wyld nodded. “Hope those two are okay. I've lost enough people today”.

 

The Valkyr kicked up Ash as Wyld increased speed towards the Museum.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

And just for the hell of it: 20 hrs earlier just because it hadn't been posted or written before. Dates and time periods are using the Asari calendar which was reset upon discovery of the Citadel. 

 

The commandos from Artemis Platoon boarded the two Scythe shuttles on the Asari Dreadnought Tomaros, named after the system of the Asari world of Lusia where a great battle was fought during the Krogan Rebellions 1650 years ago. The Asari had committed four of their best platoons to the operation. Among them: Athena, Athame, Navani, and Artemis. Athena had always been the pride of the Asari military. It was a privilege to be assigned to them. They first made their mark on Lusia during the Krogan Rebellions driving back an assault of a Krogan horde by showing them what these Amazon Warriors were made of.

 

Lieutenant Nasanna Dinouri strapped into her seat in the back of the shuttle with Bravo Squad where she could see everyone. There was a battle map on the bulkhead in front of her that would display conditions in the LZ when they got close enough. Dinouri had an ethereal quality about her like most Asari, white facial markings around her eyes, and deep set dark eyes that could just draw you in. She had the typical blue skin and lack of eyebrows (some Asari have started tattooing them since contact with Humanity), and she had exquisite skin folds on the back of her neck and a beautiful wavy cartilaginous scalp crest, and like all Asari was a natural biotic.

 

Dinouri looked at this squad with pride. Six months earlier at the start of the war in the fourth month of 3073 ACE (Asari Citadel Era), when Artemis Platoon had been formed they were a bunch of recruits and screw ups: misfits. They’d been torn to shreds in their first encounter with Reaper troops, and had gone through a couple of rounds of replacements. 

 

They were sent to Sanves to regroup when the Reapers hit. Then a huntress, Sergeant Nasyra Soniri from an outpost outside of Etheai arrived at a checkpoint. Well, she said she was a huntress. This was disputed briefly, but the Lieutenant Koplanos assigned her to Artemis Platoon.

 

Soniri stood six feet tall with a well-muscled and highly flexible physique. She was determined to survive this war, and that meant her squad had to survive it. She saw that they’d literally been thrown to the wolves, and over the next six months she showed her squad things they had not been taught in their standard commando training. 

 

The Lieutenant was confident her platoon was ready to take part in this battle: Operation Hammer, which might be the only counterattack the Allied Fleets would be able to mount against the Reapers. Her platoon had risen from the joke of the Asari military to become the rivals of Athena Platoon; some people even thought that Artemis was superior. She sat in the shuttle with her legs crossed at the knee and smiled before the shuttle hit Earth’s atmosphere. She looked at Soniri who winked at her and lit a cigarette.

 

“It must be nice to be able to change your facial markings like you do,” the Lieutenant said.

 

“You like the red? It’s a special dye blend. I have to be very careful when I apply it because it doesn’t fade for a couple months,” the Sarge replied, “Sometimes I like purple or white, but definitely red for this. It’s funny really, I’ve been envious of the natural markings.”

 

Nasanna smiled, and then pushed her headset tightly to her ear when a communication came in. “Yes, ma’am. Understood, ma’am,” she said and called to her pilot, “Chief, patch me through to our other shuttle.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“Okay, listen up people! I just got communication from the fleet. We’re about to hit Earth’s atmosphere. We’ll be out of communication for 30 seconds,” Nasanna said, “The LZ is hot. Repeat. The LZ is hot. Go in barriers up. Our fleet will try to provide some cover, but they’re not promising anything. Bottom line is that we are on our own.”

 

“Take it easy, ma’am,” the Sarge said.

 

She took off her headset and spoke in a low voice with the Sarge. “This is just what we ****** need. Our fleet is tangled up with a thousand Reaper ships with Hackett’s hair-brained plan, and we’re landing on Earth in a ****** hot zone?” 

 

“We’ve dropped in bad places before.”

 

“But not with our fleet getting torn up like this,” Nasanna said, “This is worse.”

 

“Don’t worry, L-T, we’ll kick ass when we land. We got your back. Right T?” Ranassa said.

 

T nodded. “T” wasn’t her real name. That’s just what everyone called her. It just fit her. She was the shortest of the bunch, but the most agile. She stood about 5’ 6” tall with red facial markings and green eyes. 

 

Ranassa on the other hand was just nasty. You didn’t want to get on her bad side, but she was dependable if anything. She was built like a middle-weight fighter with purple facial markings and had purple tattoos on her arms and legs.

 

Shayrana snuggled up to Ereba in the shuttle and caught a glare from the Lieutenant. She backed off. “Goddess, she’s a hard-ass,” Shayrana said.

 

Ereba reassured Shayrana in her smoky gravelly sounding voice. “Don’t let it get to you, babe. She’s trying to keep us focused on the mission, and this is going to be our toughest yet.” 

 

“We’re hitting atmosphere in 3-2-1,” the pilot announced.

 

“Elevator to hell, going down!” shouted a corporal on the other side of the shuttle.

 

The shuttles hit the atmosphere and lost contact with each other for 30 seconds. They emerged from the dead zone and into the landing pattern headed for the LZ in London.

 

“We’re in the pipe, five by five,” the pilot announced, “Brace for incoming AA fire; taking evasive maneuvers. Picking up three bogeys over the LZ. Profiles show they’re harvesters and they’re dropping troops. LZ very hot. Lighting them up. Launching missiles.”

 

The missiles cleared the enemy ground troops. The Reaper harvester flapped its wings, turned, and launched a glob of fire gel at the shuttles and hit. 

 

“We’re hit! It’s burning through. I can’t hold it! We’re gonna crash! Goddess!” 

 

The shuttle hit the ground, skidded, hit a fallen steel beam and split. Alpha squad’s shuttle crashed. One commando ran, and the shuttle exploded. Harvesters patrolled the area, and the survivors scattered.

 

Now we return to the present.

[The Emperors Angel]

Sloshing through the ankle deep, murky water in the sewers, Arnout opened his visor, and quickly closed It again. “Blah, that smells just as bad as I thought it would.”

“Idiot.” Umbral looked over his shoulder. “Stop messing around, and watch my back, little payjak.”

“Stop calling me that. I am familiar with your undying love for those monkeys, so don’t try to make it sound like a nice thing. Besides, there’s nobody here….”

 

Momma had used the time between dropping into the sewer and this conversation well. She had completely penetrated the software in the armours worn by the Krogan and the Human, so now she left copies of herself to monitor them. She sped up, activating the internal speaker systems in both suits.

 

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Arnout. May I call you Arnout?”

Arnout swore. “How’d you do that? Are you sure you are just a V.I.?”

Umbral interrupted him. “Arnout, shut up. Momma, who else is down here?”

“Stragglers, native residents of these sewers and of London, friendly ground forces that are using this sewer system for transport or as an escape route, hostile elements. The list goes on.”

“That’s just great!” Arnout exclaimed, while Umbral swept his lights through those dark corners extra careful. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

 

Internally, before Arnout was even finished speaking, Momma was trying to calculate the results of telling the Human and the Krogan about her not being a V.I. but an actual A.I. The conclusion was simple; insufficient data. Looking at what she had learned so far of this strange pair, and what she knew about the Human and Krogan species, she decided to reveal her cards.

 

“Arnout, Umbral, we might have gotten off on the wrong foot.”

“Knew it!” Arnout said through gritted teeth. And hissed at his partner: “Told you so!”

“Well, things can’t actually get any worse, can they? We are not in a position where it matters, little payjak.” In response, Arnout swore, swore, and swore again.

“Ha, you might just learn to swear like a Krogan, my not-so-little payjak.” Umbral said with approval in his voice.

 

“I am indeed an A.I. and I agree with your partner, Arnout. In this situation, my skills and calculative powers can only benefit you. They have helped many others.”

 

As to prove this point, the Krogan’s visual system recorded movement, up ahead, in a part of the tunnel, not covered by the duo’s lights. Momma slowed down significantly, and forced Umbral’s visor to display red letters. MOVEMENT AHEAD. NO CONFIRMED FRIENDLY FORCES IN THE AREA. CHANCHE OF HOSTILE ELEMENTS: 95%.

 

“Arnout!” The Krogan growled. “Contacts!” Umbral gathered his biotic power, and raised his barriers. “FOR….”

“Umbral, no!” Arnout yanked at the Krogan’s armour. “Stay close! This is not the time to charge off! Use your shotgun! I’ve got your back.” Arnout spun round, his lights revealing a number of Husks. “Contacts! I’ve got this!” Arnout’s missile system beeped, confirming target lock. To Arnout, the physical sensation of the missiles speeding past his head had never really gotten old. The missiles pulped the first few Husks, and Arnout emptied his Talon at the remaining Husks, it’s shotgun like function causing massive trauma at this short range. In the meantime, Umbral was faced with only one Husk, which received a full blast of Graal flechettes, ending it instantaneous, and for good. Umbral stomped the head in of the Husk for good measure. “Bah. You good, Arnout?”

Ejecting his spend heatsink and carefully reloading, Arnout checked the bodies for survivors. “Yeah, just dandy. Momma, get us out of here!”

[Redbelle]

Rea and Rothan sat still with the Star-screamer’s engine idling. Having escaped the Oculus pursuing them momentarily, by blasting through the Museum wall, they had met with something neither had been expecting.

 

It might have once been a primitive space craft of human design. Something used by them to throw themselves to the stars back when mass effect fields had yet to be discovered. A white shuttle design atop black ceramic plates with the name, Enterprise, written near the nose cone.

 

It was directly in their path and a collision was imminent.
 

Rea pulled the hardest braking she could while dipping the nose of the Star-screamer down so sharply that both Rea and Rothan were nearly thrown over the handlebars. Rothan's body crushed into her from behind as she struggled to keep her arms locked to resist while she maintained control. Somehow they missed the shuttle, their head's coming within a few inches of it's underbelly and despite everything Rea managed to keep the presence of mind to look around for an escape from the pursuing Oculi

 

She spied the remains of an old rocket. The words, Apollo, written on the side. It was cut into segmented sections and Rea used what little momentum they had left to angle towards it and nestle the Star-screamer inside before kicking in the station keeping thrusters. Then she closed down all but the systems that kept the engine running and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

 

Rothan saw what she was doing, and was about to speak when the wall they had come through exploded once more.

 

The Two Oculus that had been pursuing them blasted through, red beam's cutting through the side's of the building giving them the space they needed to eject from their air frames and soar through the holes. The airframes collided with the building, to big to follow the Oculus and crashed through to fall to the floor many stories down.

 

Rea heard the noise. More than aware. Every sense she had was in overdrive as she took a long, shuddering breath. The adrenaline was still coursing through her and soon the shaking would begin as she began the climb down from what she had termed her 'racing zone'. It was always uncomfortable. Even now she felt the urge to grab the bars and kick the Star-screamer back into motion. She was sitting still and yet felt like she was racing forward. She needed an anchor.
 

Her hand trembled a little as she reached around behind her for Rothan's hand. She found it and interlaced her finger's with his. “Stay Still”. She breathed feeling her jaw tremble. “Let them pass”.

 

Rothan nodded, and feeling the tension in her hand squeezing his own, reached his other around her body to embrace her. Outside the fuselage, red light could be seen casting shadows that ran along other objects that were suspended from the ceiling casting a hellish eerie glow. From off to the side Rea saw something move slowly past, it's armoured body partially obscuring the glow of it's red eye that crackled and arced. Rea's felt cold. Perhaps to the sweat that was rapidly cooling on her body. Perhaps because she was now so tired that she could not hope to escape, even if she tried. Her strength would return, she knew, but right now, Rothan was her support.

As it moved away Rothan let out a sigh and sagged a little, revealing how tense he had been. “Keelah...... That was close”.

 

“It may be still”. Rea told him closing her eye's. “We need to escape. And with those things patrolling out there, it will be difficult to slip past”.

 

“Did you see..... They lost their airframes”. Rothan pointed out. “I read about this. The Normandy SR2. They fought these in space. One managed to slip inside. It ejected it's airframe so it could fit the interior. Now it doesn't have it's speed advantage any more”.

 

Rea considered. “What does it have now then”?

 

“The lower mass makes it's frame more agile in tight quarters”. Came Mommas voice in both their ears. “The Oculus was designed to create breaches in large targets, then take advantage of those breaches to disrupt enemy activities. It is heavily armoured and though it has lost it's power plant on the air frame. It's beam weapon it still lethal at anything but long range”.

 

“I was about to say that”. Rothan said acidly.

 

“My apologise.... perhaps I could make it up to you by turning on your suits nerve stim premium function”?

 

Despite the situation and coming off an adrenaline rush, Rea chuckled. She turned and could imagine Rothan's blush as she said. “Premium?........ Rothan”!

 

Rothan stammered out. “I was curious! I've never actually used it”!

 

Rea turned and sunk back into his arms with a smile. The levity actually seemed to serve to relax her. “Maybe when this is over we can try it together”.

 

“Rea”!

Rea closed her eyes. “I don't know what to do. We could make a break for it but I don't think we would get far. Wyld's not here. Maybe she's not coming”.

 

“Jerry-Ann is on route now. She had to contend with two other Oculus. She is past them now and on her way”.

“When”?

 

“I cannot say. This rocket's fuselage is breaking up my direct contact with my other self”.

 

Rothan shifted behind Rea. “Do we have an ETA”?

“Affirmative”.

 

Rothan tilted Rea so she was leaned into his shoulder, his visor looking at her. “I think she'll be here. She's gotten past two Oculus. She can make it”!

Rea paused. “What are you saying”?

“Let's trap them. Pull them into Wyld's field of fire and let her blow those soulless machines out of the air”.

Rea shook her head. “I don't doubt she could. But we'd have to get through the Museum”.

 

“I already have a map previously downloaded before we entered the building. I have also used the Star-screamer’s scanner telemetry to modify the map data to conditions as they are now. Before the scanning systems were shut down. It is not complete as the scanner's faced many obstructions to penetrate. However, it should give you an advantage in navigating this museum”.

Rea leaned forward. “Do you have a map of the entrance”?

Rothan leaned over her shoulder. “What are you thinking”?

“I saw this building from the outside. It's tall but built like a hanger with lot's of floor space. With a long run and if we're not seen.... we can maybe get enough of a head start to reach the front entrance......”. Rea smiled. “If there are no obstructions to slow us down...... I can smoke those Oculus”.

 

“It would be best if Jerry Ann's Arrival coincided with our exit from this building”.

Rothan cocked his head. “We can do that”?

 

“Leave everything to me”.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena heard Sparatus’ concerns (what about the humans?), turned and walked back into the living quarters. “Marisa seems to be trying to get my attention. If you have an energy bar or a protein bar, I will talk to that reporter out there.”

 

“That irritating ******? I’ll warn you, she has a pro-Human agenda and will try to make you look bad,” Tevos said while she got Naleena’s protein bar and Naleena promptly started eating it.

 

“That doesn’t bother me, Tevos. I’ve actually grown quite fond of Humans during my brief exposure to them. They’re an intense race, yes, but they’re intelligent, and they have a sense of humor. Sorry for eating and speaking.”

 

“All I know is that she kept asking these probing questions, and going into areas that I didn’t like talking about.”

 

“But she’s a reporter. I hope you didn’t expect soft questions.”

 

“True. How can you be so calm after all of this? I’m still shaking,” Tevos commented.

 

“Really it’s a combination of sleep deprivation and years of experience. I’d really just like to do something that’s not work related for a change.”

 

“Wouldn’t we all.”

 

“We should leave this room and join the others.” Sparatus said. He and Tevos left Valern’s quarters and closed and locked the door.

 

Naleena walked back to the doorway and stood in it momentarily. She put her shades back on and looked around the room.  Marisa was still picking pieces of Salarian off her armor. Bailey was puffed up like a hero doing an interview with the reporter which was a surprise considering he hated reporters. Naleena approached Marisa.

 

Marisa noticed Naleena and walked up to her. “Naleena, you look awful. Are you alright? What happened in there?”

 

Naleena smiled and put her hand on Marisa’s shoulder with affection. “Valern and I had a nice ‘chat.’ With great reluctance, he told me everything. Do yourself a favor. Never meld with a Salarian. Their minds are like a maze, especially the disciplined ones.”

 

Marisa noticed that the Councilors entered the room again. She had some business she wanted to discuss with them. Marisa decided to address them. “Councilors, may we speak?” 

 

“We’ve just been through an ordeal, and received some very shocking news,” Councilor Tevos said from the steps.

 

“I’m sorry, Councilor, but this is important.”

 

“Then go ahead.”

 

“Councilors, this is Naleena T’sarius. I am representing her. As her advocate, in light of her service for the Asari Republics and to the Council during the past six months and especially today, I am making a formal request for full immunity for any crimes she has been accused of or may have committed during her life.”

 

“Due to our quorum rules, we need a third member present.” Tevos said.

 

“I guess that makes me the ranking representative for Humanity,” Bailey said and he moved to the position occupied by Earth. Shayrana moved to watch the Salarian prisoner.

 

“Let the record show that Commander Bailey has been appointed Acting Councilor for the Systems Alliance under Council Emergency Act 53,” Councilor Tevos said. “Captain Soniri, I want to ask about that armor. It has a sergeant’s rank, but it has your name on it.”

 

“This was Naleena’s. The decorations on it are hers,” Marisa said, and told about how Naleena used her deceased daughter’s identity during the war. “Naleena earned the decorations.”

 

“What kind of crimes are we talking about?” Tevos asked.

 

“Councilor, this is one time it is worth looking the other way.”

 

Councilor Sparatus looked over at Tevos and nodded in agreement. Tevos nodded and made an entry on the Council database while Sparatus spoke. “I tend to agree. Right now there are things bigger in this galaxy than a criminal record. What this person has done during the war for the Council and for the Asari Republics outweigh her past. Naleena T’sarius you are granted immunity per the request of your counsel.”

 

“Thank you, Councilors,” Naleena said.

 

“I’m curious, though, what put you onto this conspiracy?” Sparatus asked.

 

“It’s quite complicated, and goes back to that record for which I’ve been given immunity,” Naleena said, and then told how it was blind luck due to some curiosity and personal espionage that put them onto the track.

 

Councilor Sparatus spoke, “I would like to make a motion that the Salarian Union be expelled from the Council.”

 

The Salarian sergeant being detained by Shayrana protested, “No. You can’t do this. If Bailey gets to represent Earth, then I’m representing the Salarian Union. We’re still part of the Council.”

 

“We need a unanimous vote,” Tevos said.

 

Shayrana pistol whipped the Salarian and knocked him out. “Oops.”

 

Sparatus gave Shayrana ‘the look,’ then put the measure up for vote. The vote was unanimous. The Salarian Union was removed from the Council.

 

Marisa stepped forward again. “We’ve lost a lot of operatives during the war. We’ll need to replace them. A Spectre’s duty is to get the job done no matter the cost. Naleena T’sarius has the skills and the temperament to do the job. Her first thought after we opened the Citadel was to save the Council. I would like to nominate her for Spectre.”

 

“I’ll second that nomination,” Bailey said, “She saved our asses. We owe her.”

 

Councilor Tevos nodded. “Very well, due to the circumstances, Naleena T’sarius, step forward. It is the decision of the Council that you be granted all the powers and privileges of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Branch of the Citadel.”

 

“Spectres are not trained, but chosen. They are individuals forged in the fires of service and battle; those whose actions elevate them above the rank and file,” Councilor Sparatus stated.

 

Councilor Tevos continued, “Spectres are an ideal. They are the embodiment of courage, determination, and self-reliance. They are the right hand of the Council: instruments of our will and our wrath.”

 

Acting Councilor Bailey added, “Spectres bear a great burden. They are protectors of galactic peace; both our first and last line of defense. The safety of the galaxy is theirs to uphold no matter the cost.”

 

“We have seen you perform your duty once already as a private citizen. Welcome to the Spectres, Naleena T’sarius,” Councilor Tevos said, “This meeting of the Council is adjourned.” 

[Redbelle]

Wyld was so focused on their destination, off in the distance, that the sudden loss in engine power threw her. She brought her foot up off the pedal that governed the engine and jammed it down again. There was a small lurch, but the Valkyr refused to go back up to it's top speed. “Momma”?

 

“My apologises. I am aware of the reduction in engine power. I am limiting the Valkyr's speed at this time”.

 

“What? Why”?

 

“I have been in communication with my other self currently embedded with Rea and Rothan. They have evaded pursuit and are now in hiding. Rothan was able to use his omni tool fabricator to produce a directional antenna which they used to direct a signal in our direction while the Oculi were searching in another”.

 

Wyld gave the pedal under her foot another frustrated pump. “Not helping! Why did you cut the power”?

 

“There is a plan in effect that would take to long to communicate on normal channels. Myself and my other self are co-ordinating the timing of an ambush attempt in order to give the Valkyr the best chance at destroying the Oculi pursuing the Star-Screamer”.

 

Lucy, who had taken the time between the destruction of the last Oculus to settle down in her seat for a nap, suddenly giggled. “Me, myself and I”. She said with a grin. “And people say I have problems”.

 

“I admit..... I never considered the implications of introducing so many of my-selves into the Alliance network. We seem to be attaching to those who are in need and lack suppo.....”.

 

“Momma”! Wyld barked. “I get it! Your programmed with Awesome! But what's the plan with Rea”?

 

“Rea intends to fly out the front building entrance while evading pursuit. It is entirely likely she will be pursued. The cut back in speed is intended to allow the Valkyr to arrive a moment after the Star-Screamer exit's the building. With the Oculus so close behind and moving at speed the Valkyr will have clean line ups to fire on them”.

 

Wyld bit her lip. Then finally. “Okay. Good plan”.

 

“Thank you Jerry-Ann”.

 

“But next time tell me sooner”.

 

“Yes Jerry-Ann”.

 

“I don't want to be blind-sided by event's before they happen”.

 

“Of course Jerry-Ann”.

 

“I thought we were losing the Valkyr for a moment there”.

 

“Perish the thought Jerry-Ann”.

 

Wyld let the silence linger. “Are you condescending me”?

 

“.........would I ever”?

 

Wyld growled. “Mommaaaa”!

 

“My apologises”. Momma said sincerely. “Would you like an update”?

 

Wyld took a breath to calm her nerves. “Yes..... Please. How are Rea and Rothan”?

 

“Most likely they are in peril. The plan went into effect twenty seconds ago”.

 

“Damn it Momma”! Wyld stabbed down on the engine pedal once more. Momentarily forgetting it was not under her control. As this happened, the building loomed before them with the entrance now in view. “We have to get over there now”!

 

“I am receiving telemetry indicating they are indeed moving towards us. I will adjust speed accordingly to time our arrival with their exit. After that, I will cede control back to you that I may focus on targeting”.

 

Wyld gritted her teeth. “Fine”! She said. “But when this is over, you and I are going to talk boundaries”.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Meanwhile.... back on the front....

 

He sniffed the air and pointed. “This way.” Gnish led his men toward Shepard’s position, and then he stopped suddenly and motioned for them to hug the houses along the side of the street.

 

“What is it, Gnish?”

 

“Quiet,” Gnish pointed ahead, “Reapers. I smell them. Break door go into building. Go around them.”

 

Grawl, the Krogan, unlocked the door in the Krogan fashion.

 

“Not good. Now look. Reapers come,” Gnish said, “Now, we fight.”

 

“I wasn’t much for this sneaking anyway.”

 

The approaching reaper group was a dozen cannibals, three marauders and a banshee, and they were closing fast. The banshee began warping toward them. Gnish had the Krogan focus on the cannibals, marauders while he and the other Vorcha focused on the banshee. 

 

The Krogan charged at the cannibals and started taking fire from the marauders. The banshee turned her attention onto the Krogan. 

 

“No! Over here!” Gnish started shooting at the banshee to distract it but couldn’t. It looked like the Krogan were going to be overwhelmed.

 

A door burst open, and two Geth Juggernauts and more Bloodpack came through just as a second group of reapers showed up. The banshee was about to pull one of the Krogan but the Juggernaut grabbed her around the neck and fired its shotgun. She screamed at it until she crumbled in its hand.

 

Gnish screamed, “Attack!!!” and ran with the other Vorcha into close flamer range at the Marauders. 

 

The Marauders reached up as if they were summoning something, and the Vorcha unleashed their flamers upon them. “We kill you! Ahhhh!!!” Gnish shouted and went into bloodfury. The Marauders died. 

 

The Juggernauts made quick work of the banshees, and soon the battle was down to one cannibal. Grawl walked up to it and killed it with a Krogan head butt.

 

“Shepard this way,” Gnish motioned, “We go now. I see them.”

 

“What about that Mako?” Grawl asked.

 

“Good. You check Mako for weapons and thermal clips. Then we move on.”

 

Shepard and his team was pinned down. They’d been stuck in that position for hours and there was no way around. Gnish knew they were running low on ammo. It was probably only Javik and Liara keeping them alive at this point for the most part. 

 

Grawl came back with his arms full. “The vehicle is full of dead soldiers. There’s more in there. Tarek, go grab some.”

 

The Batarian came back with some better weapons as well. “Looks like ammo is not all they have. Check out this grenade launcher.”

 

 

“Now we move,” Gnish ordered.

 

Shepard heard some noise behind him, turned and aimed his weapon. “Reinforcements?”

 

Gnish smiled. Of course that’s the standard expression of Vorcha. “Yes. You need ammo, yes? We find ammo stash. Bring you.” Gnish motioned everyone to take cover.

 

“You’re Aria’s group?” Shepard asked.

 

“Yes, now you tell Aria Gnish here. Aria say she kill us if we not make it.”

 

“So you’re more afraid of Aria than Reapers?” Shepard was almost laughing.

 

“We kill Reapers. Aria tell us she skin us alive. You contact Aria, now!”

 

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” Shepard said and started laughing, “Shepard to Normandy. Joker, patch me through to Aria T’loak. I think she’s on the Citadel, but think that’s closed.”

 

“Right away, Commander,” Joker said, then mumbled to EDI, “Someone should have appraised the Commander of what is going on.”

 

“Why didn’t you, Jeff?” EDI asked.

 

“It’s more fun this way. See if you can monitor this conversation, EDI.”

 

“I will do my best, Jeff.”

 

“Aria, here. Shepard, it’s about time I heard from you.”

 

“Aria? How? The Citadel is closed. Communications have been cut off for a while.”

 

“You’re a bit out of date. I’m in a bunker. Rumor has it that a group of Asari Commandos and a human Biotic Squad made it to the beam just as a giant Reaper landed. They’ve been raising hell up here.”

 

“What? Jack made it?”

 

“It true! We see!” Gnish interrupted as he was passing out the thermal clips.

 

“Is that Gnish?” Aria asked.

 

“Yes, it’s Gnish, and he brought us a resupply.” Shepard replied.

 

“They used you as a diversion, Shepard. They detonated a small nuclear device, then they opened the Citadel. I’ve been monitoring communications. Hackett is bringing in the Crucible. You’d better hurry. And tell Gnish he gets to live.”

 

“Wait, a nuclear device?”

 

“Just a small one. They detonated it somewhere in the Tower. I’ve heard the Reapers lost their unity and tactical organization. Our fleet is holding its own now. We might stand a chance if you can make it, so hurry up. I’m getting tired of this bunker. It’s boring. Aria out.”

 

"So, Shepard, what you want us to do?" Gnish asked.

 

"Take up positions on our flanks," Shepard replied, "We can sure use the help. Thanks."

 

Shepard had a puzzled look on his face. Liara noticed. “What is it, Shepard?”

 

“Can you believe this? While we’ve been pinned down here, some Asari squad and Jack apparently made it to the beam. Gnish confirmed it. They used us as a diversion.”

 

“They might have made our job easier once we get there, Shepard,” Liara replied, “And does it upset you that Asari made it first? You’ve known me long enough to know your media is wrong about us.”

 

“They didn’t conquer 1/3 of the galaxy pole dancing, Shepard,” Garrus said, “Can I be honest with you?”

 

“Go ahead Garrus.”

 

“Anderson’s plan sucked. If someone like Victus were in charge, he would have sent the Krogan down the middle where the resistance was the heaviest and slipped you around the back like that Asari squad.”

 

“But….”

 

“I know he’s your commanding officer, but I was still waiting for you to ask some questions. I wanted to, but it wasn’t my place since I’m technically under your command old friend.”

 

***

 

Joker shook his head. "Asari? Nukes? I'll take back what I said about them after Thessia."

 

"That was a racist remark, Jeff."

 

"I realize that, EDI. It was a joke. And Jack? The Asari teamed up with Jack? All those biotics in one place?"

 

"That is a logical combination, Jeff."

 

"So do you think that's why suddenly the war has taken a different direction?"

 

"There has always been a certain energy signature emanating from The Citadel. It is gone."

[Redbelle]

Rothan sounded worried. “I'm having second thoughts about this plan”.

 

Rea, equally worried, but determined to see it through, replied as cheerfully as she could. “It's the best plan we could come up with. And it's not like that banner isn't your colour.....”.

 

As Rea and Rothan had discussed how they would begin heading for the exit Rea had realised something. If the Oculi found them before they could put enough distance between them to be relatively safe from their beam weapons, they would be cooked before they would be able to make it even half way through the Museum.

 

Rea had decided to approach the problem from the viewpoint of a race. “The longer we delay them from beginning their pursuit the more seconds we can put between them and us”.

 

“Seconds doesn't mean distance”.

 

“It's the same thing. And every second is going to count”.

 

As they threw ideas back and forth on how to delay the Oculi, Rea had looked up and out of the rocket fuselage they hid in. She had seen it then. A giant, garishly painted banner tethered to the ceiling. The words, '20^th Century' written upon it. After explaining her idea they had waited till the Oculi had hovered in search of another section of the building. Then, using the Star-screamer in it's lowest power mode possible, they had floated up to the ceiling where Rothan had stood to untheter the banner, before Rea floated them back down to their hiding place.

 

Now Rothan sat on the back of the Star-screamer with a banner pulled as tightly as he could around him. “Won't this reduce the Star-screamer's top speed”?

 

“A little, but then, the plan is to not have it dragging us down when we need to get to top speed..... Did you get your end ready”?

 

Rothan nodded. “I'm set. I just hope this'll work”.

 

“Oh.... it'll work”. Because if it doesn't, she thought. We're both dead.

 

Rea checked outside. The Oculi, not finding anything, had split up in their search and were now moving independently of one another. On one hand it meant that one was always relatively nearby.

 

But then..... their plan to delay was only geared towards one.

 

Rea ran up the power check-list and allowed energy to trickle back into the Star-screamer's main engine. She kept the throttle low though. No matter what else, stealth was partly the first step of their plan.

 

Cutting the station keeping ad descending through the rockets hollow interior, the Star-screamer eventually reached an obstruction in a airlock. A simple metal door with a wheel handle to lock it in place. Despite the drama playing out Rea stared incredulously, wondering how humans had ever gotten into space with such a primitive and simplistic understanding of engineering. They could go no further down so Rea eased the Star-screamer out of it's hiding place between part of the cut out sections.

 

They were finally in the open.

[Redbelle]

Seeing no Oculus, Rea decided now was the time. She revved the engine into the red before engaging thrust and the Star-screamer leapt forward as if startled. The acceleration pulling both of them backwards. Fortunately they were both used to it and kept their seats, Rothan's banner flapping behind him like an emperors cloak.

 

Then an Oculus appeared from nowhere.

 

The Star-screamer was still high up in the roof space where suspended exhibits and banners partially obscured the view. Perhaps the Star-screamer's power flux had alerted them. Perhaps the sound of the engine. Regardless, they were now in the eye of the Oculus and it had seen them.

 

The Oculus however was off to the side with the Star-screamer's trajectory taking them past it at speed. Impossible, Rea hoped, for it to trace them with it's beam till they were past.

 

It kept coming drawing closer as Rea aimed the Star-screamer to fly right past it and as they flew past Rea thought they were close enough that she might have brushed her fingers across the clear lens that glowed and arced red energy. Then they were past and Rothan called out. “It's coming”!

 

Rea locked the Star-screamer on a straight line course. “Do it”!

 

“Wait....”!

 

“ROTHAN”!

 

“WAIT”!

 

Rea nearly screamed at him when Rothan called out. “NOW”! And with that he threw his hands forward at the same time as Rea took her hands off the handlebars. As Rothan's hands went forward they turned over, palms up. A tether for the corner of the banner in each hand. Rea's came back and brushed over Rothans, her palms closing around the tethers as Rothan's hands grabbed the bars and held them on course. Rea meanwhile brought up her hands perpendicular from her body, hands that glowed with biotics as Rea channelled her energy towards throwing the tethers out from herself

 

The throw effect went off as Rea unleashed her powers. The tether’s shot out either side of where the Star-screamer had been as it shot forward, leaving the banner fluttering in mid air. Rea reached forward for the controls again, sliding her hands over's Rothans who took his cue to release control back to her as Rea put the Star-screamer into a dive towards the floor. She didn't dare look back over her shoulder when Rothan let out a whoop. “He's blind”!

 

Rea felt a feral smile touch her lips as she threw caution to the wind instead of diving into the ground floor exhibit section, threw the Star-screamer into high gear and levelled out to make the most of the empty space between ground and ceiling. The plan had worked it seemed. The Oculus had flown into the banner as it pursued them, blinding it's visual targeting light sensors while several jamming devices, attached onto the banner with suit rupture sealent Rothan had been carrying, was broadcasting white noise into the remaining ones. It had given them the time they needed but it wasn't going to last long.

 

Rothan had pointed out the flaw in the plan working for long, back in the rocket. “It just need to shoot to free itself”.

 

Rea felt Rothans arms go around her once more hanging on for dear life. Felt his hand clutching a metal cylinder. She was still accelerating, getting up to a good speed for the confined space where two death machines would lance them out of the sky.

 

Void take it.

 

“End game Rothan”! She called back over her shoulder. “Do it now”!

 

Rothan didn't answer but Rea felt Rothans thumb move up and over.

 

From behind her, over the Star-screamer's shrill pitch, she heard a boom.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The Human reporter approached Naleena. She had Middle Eastern appearance with dark brown hair with intense deep brown eyes, and an olive complexion. She was quite attractive. Naleena noticed her approaching and prepared herself. 

 

The Human reporter got within speaking distance and her floating camera was over her shoulder. “That was quite impressive, Spectre. I got all of it on disk. It’ll run on my next newscast.”

 

“And you are?”

 

“Khalisah Bint Sinan Al-Jilani, Westerlund News. I was interviewing Councilor Tevos when the Reapers attacked. Commander Shepard had asked me to build galactic cooperation,” she said and extended her hand.

 

Naleena removed her shades, smiled, and shook hands. “That’s good, because we’re going to need it. It sounds like you’re one of those investigative reporters I’ve heard about,” Naleena laughed.

 

“Then you know what I do. I ask the tough questions others are unwilling to ask. However, a lot has happened today.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

“Where is former Councilor Valern?”

 

“He’s unavailable. Are we live?”

 

Khalisah shook her head indicating they weren’t.

 

“Look Khalisah, can we talk about something else? Turn your camera and microphone off for a minute, please?” Naleena asked, and Al Jilani complied, “I’m sure you broke that huge story a few moments ago. I’d rather not have my face plastered all over the galaxy. I know you’re trying to please a core audience of loyal fans. I want to see Humanity remain a viable part of the Galactic Community, and a part of the Council. Do you know that scandal you heard about? How would you really like to blow the lid off of it?”

 

Al Jilani’s eyes brightened. “You mean upstage the mainstream press? You’re giving me scoop?”

 

“Better than that, I’m giving you an exclusive. I’ll give it to you if you erase my face from your camera.”

 

“But…”

 

“I’m news? I’m headlines for the next couple of hours. You’ll be able to milk this for months. It’s up to you.”

 

Khalisah begrudgingly erased the closeup footage of Naleena.

 

“Thank you. How much memory does your omni-tool have? Are you ready for a download? This also has a list of people on Earth you can contact, if they’re still alive. This scandal goes all the way up to your Prime Minister and the Salarian government. Names. Lots of them. Have fun, Khalisah.”

 

Khalisah synched her omni-tool and began the download. “Thank you, Spectre. I wasn’t expecting this from….”

 

“An alien? We’re all on the same side in this war. I hope we stay on the same side after it’s over,” Naleena said.

 

“You sound worried.”

 

“I am. I’ve grown quite fond of your species over the couple of decades that I’ve known it,” Naleena said, and started to walk away.

 

“Wait, Spectre, is there anything I can do for you?”

 

She stopped. “Ereba! Come here a minute, please,” she said, and then turned around to face Al Jilani. “Actually there is. Asari live a long time. Just show us more respect in your media. We’re not all pole dancers and strippers. We have thousands of years of science, art, and culture we’re willing to share. We were hit late in the war. Depending upon how our other worlds were hit, we might be able to help you rebuild Earth. I can't make any promises for our government, however, but you never know. With that Salarian situation a strong union between the Council races would be advantageous. Remember that.” 

 

“But you do pole dance?”

 

“Because it’s fun. Have you tried it?”

 

“No. I…”

 

“You should. It really keeps you toned and limber. You saw that backflip? I’m sure the galaxy has seen it at least a dozen times by now. I learned that dancing. It saved your life.”

 

“I never looked at it that way,” Al Jilani smiled.

 

“And we could help you rebuild Earth. Ah, Ereba, I’d like you to meet Khalisah Bint Sinan Al Jilani. She’s an investigative reporter for Westerlund News. I wanted her to meet someone more representative of Asari,” Naleena said, and then she pulled Ereba close and whispered, “I would have asked Ranassa, but you were closer, if you get my meaning. You’re representing the Asari on camera. Try not to head-butt her.”

 

While Ereba and Naleena were conversing, Khalisah began to look through the list of names that Naleena had given her. One name stood out: Amy Babylon.

[Redbelle]

The remaining Oculus swung out in front of them.
 

The Star-screamer's engine died.
 

The control interface going dark.

 

Rothan, falling off the back of the Star-screamer.
 

All these possibilities, Rea pushed into the back of her mind. She had a straight run and needed to use every second they had bought themselves. The first Oculus, the closest one that had emerged when they made their dash, had been blinded and damaged, Rea hoped destroyed, by some of Rothans ingenuity and explosive charges pasted to an appropriated ceiling banner.
 

That meant one left and Rea was now in a desperate race for the front entrance of the museum, before that one followed the trail of explosions and discovered them. Though if Rea had to guess, the noise from the Star-screamer would be the give away that would give way to pursuit.
 

Funny, the part of her that was not focused on the space ahead, the part that opened her self up to loving the intense experience of flying, noted that the shrill scream of the engine would most likely be their downfall. It couldn't be helped. An engine, especially one as finely tuned as the one Rothan had tinkered with, didn't know how to do anything except announce itself in the shrill, high pitched shriek that came with the thrum of the vibrations through her hands. Few would ever notice that it was there but Rea had always felt them. So sensitive to her immediate and external environment that she could feel gears click into place through the frame. Knew that all the action had knocked a stabiliser slightly out of alignment and that the energy converter's were now pulling more power for extra thrust at the expense of a faster burnout time. All little things. Nothing that would stop the cycle in the long run. Just tiny imperfections that came from hard air biking. Running the cycle hot before slamming her into moves that would leave a lesser flyer a smear on a hard surface if they misjudged the machine beneath them.

 

The Star-screamer however knew who it's master was. It fed into her everything it had, so when there was a slight change in the pitch of the whistling wind flooding around her, she could guess before Rothan called out.

 

“The Second one's here”!
 

The Star-screamer seemed to understand as Rea pressed herself harder into the controls, ducking her head down. They were travelling faster than common sense dictated was reasonable. Beyond reason and beyond the realm of safe flying. Rea had been in this situation before. A time when you had to setup to make a turn or, if you left it to late, you would crash and burn. Rea had the cycle aimed at the light of the entrance. They had to pass through a line of turn styles at just such an angle then pull up hard to keep from plowing into the ground in order to make it through the open doors of the museum. At the speed they were going she knew by instinct it was possible, and that she could do it. If things just went her way for a moment longer......

 

Rothans cry was her only warning. “Lookout”!

 

Rea didn't' hesitate and threw the Star-screamer into a corkscrew. Throwing off her approach but also evading the beam that passed through the space they had just occupied. The beam followed and the Star-screamer spiralled through the air as Rea desperately tried to stay ahead of the beam while finding the best angle for her approach. It was to much. Not enough time, nowhere to manoeuvre and pursuit......

 

The beam's intensity faded as the Star-screamer finally managed to outpace the Oculus's beam range.

 

To little to late, Rea brought the Star-screamer back on course but at the wrong angle. They flew over and past the turn styles and the metal grills that stood up either side. Rea saw they were heading at to steep an angle towards the wall and threw the the Star-screamer into a slide, losing momentum while revving the Star-screamer in the direction of the door. The Star-screamer fell till it was just hovering off the ground and Rea threw a foot down to drag on the ground. Rothan brought his foot down with Rea and added to the drag causing the Star-screamer to slow enough that it's forward thrust caused the Star-screamer's arc to curve further around.

 

The Star-screamer skidded out of the front door side on and immediately faced an obstruction right in front that made Rea cry out even as she kicked the stationkeeping thruster's into high thrust pointing straight down. The Star-screamer leaped like a flea on a hot griddle straight up in the air as it continued forward an over the thing that surged forward. The roar sent a shiver down her spine in both it's intensity and it's familiarity. And barely audible, over the thunderous sound of a unleashed engine, Rea thought she heard a voice crying out something.....like......

[Redbelle]

“Wooooo Hooooooo... Woah”!

 

Wyld felt full control of the Valkyr released to her as it hit the stairs of he museum. Throwing caution to the wind she jammed the pedal down and the Valkyr roared in response as they barrelled up the stairs, hit the top and flew off the ground as their momentum propelled them into the air.

 

That was when Rea and Rothan, both sitting atop the Star-screamer popped into view. Wyld actually ducked as the Star-screamer did something that caused them to pop up and over their heads, the bottom of the cycle scraping the top of the front windshield before they were past each other causing Wyld to sit up. They were still going through the air. The open doors of the museum right there in front of them.

 

An Oculus appeared just then and Wyld screamed a cry from somewhere deep inside of her as the Valkyr's front end barrelled into the Oculus who was moving at speed towards them.

 

The Oculus, for all it's armour and speed, was a machine that still relied on a light airframe and relaively weak mass effect shields to allow it to fly. The Valkyr on the other hand was over two tonnes of brute force and battlefield engineering mounted on a heavy suspension. It was no contest. The Valkyr's front end rammed the Oculus's eye and shattered it before the two frames plowed the kinetic energy they had used into their head on collision. The Valkyr won out and smashed the Oculus back into the Museum, it's grav drives knocked offline as it bounced and rolled inside while the Valkyr moved forward in now close pursuit.

 

The Oculus hit the turn style booths and bounced off, only for the Valkyr to smash into it once more sending both into the main building. Wyld, her teeth set into a feral snarl, finally stamped on the brake and the Oculus rolled off into the building. Wyld breathed heavily, coming down from where she had just been and looked over to where Lucy sat.

 

Lucy was gripping her seat in both hands staring with wide eyes at the sight of the Oculus that had finally come to rest far away in front of them. Wyld reached over. “Lucy”? Lucy didn't answer, causing Wyld to shake her by the shoulder. “Lucy”!

 

Lucy's lips parted and managed. “That.....”.

 

Wyld was reaching for her medical scanner while running through prognosis and kept coming up with shock.

 

“That.....was.....”.

 

“Just take deep breaths”. Wyld told her.

 

Lucy did so and then looked around at Wyld who was filling a applicator with something to help her settle.

 

“That..... was AWESOME”!!!

 

Wyld stopped. Looked around. Her Kestrel hiding her expression except for her slack jaw as Lucy unbuckled herself in a frenzy.

 

“THAT WAS AWESOME”! She shrieked as she grabbed Wyld by the neck collar of her armour. “DO IT AGAIN”!

 

“I can't”. Wyld replied as she slowly put away the applicator and started paying attention to the damage reports Momma was scrolling on her HUD. “We took out all the Oculi”.

 

From somewhere in the building, Wyld heard the thrum of a generator and then from the far of the building, a wash of red as numerous beam's illuminated the back, then disappeared as blackness rolled back in.

 

The Oculus they had rammed then shuddered as it's eye slowly began to glow red.

 

Lucy sat herself back down. “Yay! They want to play some more”!

[Redbelle]

Wyld threw an arm over the back of Lucy's seat as she looked back and threw the Valkyr, in reverse, into the base of one of several upright rockets standing in the floorspace.

 

If the Valkyr was the ball, then the rocket was the skittle. The Valkyr knocked the base of the rocket out from under it with a crunch and the whole thing toppled over towards where the Valkyr had come from.

 

The Oculus they had rammed was starting to float off the ground as it's systems rerouted themselves and managed all of three metres before the combined metric tonnage of a rockets nose section hit it and slammed it back into the ground. When the debris cleared the Oculus was still moving. Trying to free itself from the wreckage.

 

Wyld cursed. “Me Cago en Todo lo QUE SE MENEA”!!! And slammed the Valkyr forward once more. The Oculus pulled itself partially free enough to bring it's front towards their direction and Wyld saw the machine begin charging it's main weapon behind the cracked focusing crystal that was it's eye.

 

The Valkyr hit the Oculus a glancing blow and as Wyld and Lucy were carried away, the Oculus spun free of the wreckage from the force of the blow. Just as it unleashed it's beam. The Valkyr managed to avoid the fire and sped away down further into the museum as the Oculus behind them spun while it fired, it's beam cutting chunks out of the nearby displays, sections of wall and roof supports. Shards flying as it's damaged eye erupted in a gout of unfocused red fire.

 

Lucy heard the shriek of metal and concrete and turned in time to see half the front of the building collapse behind them. Burying the Oculus for the last time as a dust cloud of pulverised brick and morter swept after them.

 

Lucy turned around, a wide grin on her face. “.......SOOOOOO much better than killing Zia”.

 

[Kel Riever]

Clark looked up to the edge of a shallow pit he had taken cover in.  Since the explosion from the crashing Reaper ship, it had seemed like he had been fighting a long time, even if it was only a few minutes in reality.  The turian was nearby, and several others, but many had fallen, either gone in a flash from the explosion, or taken down as the Reapers kept pressing.  Roiling black smoke made normal visual nearly useless, and at times, it was simply worthwhile to poke the barrel an auto-fire gun out of the pit and pull the trigger.  There were so many of the enemy that something was bound to be hit.  And conversely, so many projectiles were in the air that one glance up could end a life.  But sitting in cover would eventually be a death sentence.

 

The turian, Zursuous, said what Clark had been thinking, “We can’t stay put forever.”

 

Shaking his head in agreement, Clark pulled up a tactical readout on his omni-tool.  “It’s madness out there.  We’ve pushed through hardest on the right flank.  Center is rolling forward, inch by inch.  Left flank looks…looks devastated, but is holding.”

 

“We’ve still got assets,” Zursuous added.  “Lost a couple of Primes on the bridge, I hear, but two are across.  We can’t see them but they’re nearby.” 

 

Clark knew what he meant.  The occasional, artificial blare of a Geth Prime was not something Clark would ever think was a morale booster, and yet in this battle it was.  A stream of fire from the Primes’ guns, or the light of a passing drone, help keep his mind in the fight.  He asked Zursuous, “Got a plan?”

 

“Nothing special.  With the group of soldiers and civilians we have with us, our guts are better weapons than our guns.  Especially since the Destroyer next to me got a round through the helmet.”

 

“Destroyer?  What’s his weapon?”

 

Zursuous looked to his other side.  Clark could see the outline of the Destroyer’s body, mostly a shadow in the darkness, beyond the reach of his or the turian’s suit lights.  Zursuous crawled towards it, “Looks like he was carrying a typical Typhoon.”

 

“Haul that over to me.”

 

The turian reached out, and pulled the gun out from under the arm of the Destroyer.  With a clang or two on the rubble, he swung it over to Clark.  “That’s got a hell of a kick, though maybe we could use it emplaced.

 

Clark looked down to the Typhoon, and synced its interface with his omni-tool.  He lifted it as he maneuvered up to the edge of the pit.  Placing the Typhoon on the edge, so the gun shield would protect him as he peered over, Clark took in what little he could see.  A handful of other soldiers and marines were hunkered down behind rubble or low walls, not doing much other than avoiding getting in the crossfire.  Though beyond them the smoke blocked out Clark’s eyesight, a high beam searchlight shone through, indicating a nearby armored personnel carrier.  The searchlight moved and shuddered as the low boom of a heavy gun fired.  Shouts came from further ahead, and Clark remembered what the street had looked like before the ship’s crash.  He pulled back from the edge, and rolled onto his back.

 

Zursuous asked, “Well?”

 

Reaching into a side compartment, Clark pulled out a carefully wrapped cigar, examining it with satisfaction.  Aficionados often swore by their Havanas, but ever since the discovery of other worlds, it was only a matter of time before someone had come up with something better.  A group of tobacco devotees had, for a brief time, been radical enough to attempt raising the plant on the lush but deadly world of Pragia.  It worked brilliantly for a decade, until the whole farm had been overrun by a violent group of short-sighted bandits.  For an astronomical price, Pragia cigars still could be found, and nothing in the galaxy smoked better.

 

The finality of lighting up Clark’s one most prized treasure had him sworn to leave it for after the war was won, if it was, but Clark unwrapped it.  As he pulled a cutter and old-fashioned matches from another compartment, Clark thought if he lived, starting up production again of cigars on Pragia would be a worthwhile way to retire.  And then he thought about Marissa.  He lit up, took a deep drag, and let the flavor linger in his mouth before releasing the smoke.

 

“Typical human,” Zursuous pretended to scold, “Taking a break in the middle of a fight.”

 

Clark glanced at Zursuous and laughed.  Above, he heard the whine of a gunship’s engines, and then a flare through the darkness of missiles being fired.  The impact was close, towards the enemy in the way.

 

“That’s the break I was waiting for,” Clark grinned.  Picking up the hefty Typhoon, he loudly growled his orders as he clenched the cigar in his teeth.  “All right you motley bastards.  We’re going forward.  I’m tired of sitting around.  Pick up your guns and move it!”

 

Grunts and exclamations of agreement went up from those immediately around Clark.  Zursuous sent the orders down the line.  Clark stood up, leaned forward, and climbed to the pit’s edge.  He let loose with the weapon, controlling its kick with sheer muscle and force of will.  As the gun unleashed its hail of death, he stepped out and advanced towards the Reapers.

 

Clark felt his adrenaline rushing. “I’ve got extinction here!  Who wants some?!”

[Kel Riever]

“Nice one, Wyld!”  Rea was ecstatic, shouting into her com as she veered upward and rolled the Starscreamer to the side.

 

Rothan cautiously asked, “Do you think that did it?”

 

“Had to,” Rea replied.  She quickly glanced over her shoulder at Rothan, and saw him through the brilliant lights and displays of her visor.  It felt extraordinary, as if everything between them has disappeared.  She imagined she could see his face, looking back at her with all the fire and illumination of the electronically enhanced world that ran through their helmets. 

 

Then in the briefest fraction of a second, a feeling of horror overtook Rea. 

 

It was a moment where Rea knew something terrible was about to happen, before the display alerts, and before even her normal senses could register the danger.  But Rea felt the horror right before the red lights triggered on her heads-up display, and just as her head fully turned back to face forward.  There was a massive bang, a black cloud that covered the Starscreamer, and then flames.  The jet bike launched to the side with the sound of shrapnel penetrating its frame, and Rothan groaned, shoved forward by the impact to push against Rea.

 

Hard light emitted armor collapsed.  The Starscreamer dropped from the sky.  Rea attempted to pull up from plummeting, and blackness encroached on the edge of Rea’s vision.  One stabilizer fin was clearly lost as instead of responding directly, the jet bike careened and vectored in an unintended direction.  A glimpse of what had shot them passed before Rea.  It was winged and massive; a Harvester.

 

Momma’s voice had replaced the VI, “Harness straps engaged.  Aft thrust is misfiring.  Left stabilizer has been severed.”

 

“Maintain lift!   Kill the aft thruster!”  Rea struggled to bring the Starscreamer under control.  It was impossible.  “Rothan, send out our position!”

 

“Transmitters are out,”  Momma’s voice returned.

 

“Unnhhhh!”  The threat of Rea’s blackout intensified.  “Momma, eject the bike's ammo.  Rothan, whatever you do, hold on!”

 

“Rothan’s suit has been breached.  He is incapable of responding.”

 

Rea changed the course of the jet bike to avoid the side of a building.  The conduit glowed briefly in front of her, and then the Starscreamer curved towards the ground.  Rea couldn’t pull up.

 

“Safety Shield has been compromised.”

 

With nothing but the body of the Starscreamer and armor to protect Rea and Rothan, they descended earthward.  The once melodious sound of the thrusters turned into a shrill cry. 

 

Rea couldn’t stop what was coming next.  “Oh, no,” she whispered.

 

The Starscreamer crashed.

[Redbelle]

“Nice one, Wyld!” The shout came out of the Valkyr's comm as Wyld spotted the next Oculus off to her right. Wyld swerved down an aisle of displays, this one seeming to contain sets of space suits. The turn was to sharp for even the Valkyr to make and the left front side caught several of the display cases sending glass and suits flying as Wyld pursued the final target.

 

Lucy squeeled in delight, her left arm up and pushing against the dash while the other pushed against her seat, effectively wedging herself in. “Faster”! She laughed. “Do go faster! I want to see it bleed”!

 

Wyld's concentration was to wapped up in trying to avoid over a century of mankinds space faring history to pay her much mind as another display case shattered under the Valkyr before she brought them back to the centre. “Momma! Do you have a shot”?

 

“Affirmitive”.

 

“Take it”!

 

The Big Widow swung up and tracked the Oculus when it made a hard turn which Wyld followed. As they entered the new row of displays Wyld saw what wa about to happen and yelled. “NO”!

 

To late.

 

The Big Widow fired just as the Oculus flew behind one of the suspended displays. Banner's either side reading, 'Original Hubble Telescope Lens'.

 

The shot hit the Oculus after it passed through the lens. The Oculus fell and the lens looked as if it might survive.

 

Then it shatttered into hundreds of thousands of tiny pieces.

 

Those in the Valkyr had to cover their faces as thousands of tiny splinters of glass rained down on them. Lucy screetched and rose off her seat, throwing her arms into the air, accompanied by an almighty boom. The rain ceased as a biotic shockwave eminating from Lucy bounced the shards back up into the air, pinging them off the roof before the compressed band of air hit it, blowing tiles and plaster away to expose the metal beams of the ceiling.

 

Wyld, unaware of what Lucy was doing, but hearing the boom, Stamped on the brakes on impulse. Standing in the footwell as she was, Lucy was thrown forward against the windshield and over. She skidded over the Valkyrs bonnet and flew off the end with a wail and another burst of biotic energy.

 

When Wyld brought her arms up from her face, she saw Lucy bouncing down the rows of displays in a bubble of biotic energy that smashed through a display cabinet before coming to a halt.

 

Wyld tried to speak. But found she voice had momentarily fled her. Unbuckling she jumped out the Valkyr, grabbing her rifle as she did. She dashed towards the sound of the Oculus. Rounding one of the unbroken displays she found it resting atop a broken dummy, having destroyed the moon landing exhibit as it had crashed and rolled to a halt atop the form, that had probably once been Neil Armstrong's.

 

The Oculus was making plantive noises coming from it's shell. It's outer casing now cracked and sheared, exposing it's inner core. As Wyld walked up to where it lay it's cries became more desperate in tone and pitch.

 

Wyld looked inside the Oculus. She had expected to see mechanical components, and though the Oculus contained those, what else she saw was both sickening and fascinating to her.

 

Stands to organic tendrils she recognised from medical school as parts of a nervous system crisscrossed and intermingled with bare circuitary. Strands of goo clung in places to the organic components while in others it dripped off where parts of the organic matter had been injured or damaged.

 

This was what Reapers did to others, she realised. Repurposed them as tools, of a war they waged that would never end. Never knowing rest or respite until the final end of days. Wyld looked down at the cracked eye. Under the spiderweb of lines, a little red pin-****** of light remained, seemingly looking directly at her.

 

Wyld switched off her safety, activated the inferno ammo option. Pointed the rifle at the inside of the Oculus. And fired.

 

Five shots were enough. The internal components melted and bubbled as flame consumed everything within and Wyld sighed. The rifle now feeling heavy in her arms. Turning she stowed the rifle away and made her way over broken glass towards where Lucy lay.

 

Wyld saw her legs sticking out form a display, the top part having fallen on and over the top of her at an angle. Grabbing the otp with both hands she wrenched it up and off her to find Lucy. Still alive, but panting rapidly and looking for all purposes like someone who had just received the shock of her life.

 

“Lou”? Wyld said gently as she reached for her.

 

“Sand”. Lucy swallowed after she spoke, her voice sounding hollow. “I think....”. She tried again, sounding more like herself. “I think..... some sand now..... please”?

 

Wyld shook her head. “Your not due some for another half hour”.

 

Lucy looked at Wyld, her face desperate as Wyld pulled her out and supported her with her body so they were standing. Lucy brought her face up to Wylds and brought a gloved hand up to stroke Wylds cheek.

 

“But..... I want to feel.....”.

 

Wyld didn't expect the kiss to come. She was more focused on part carrying, part dragging Lucy out of the wreck she had been under when suddenly she found Lucy's lips pressed to hers. Her tounge probing for her own which, thanks to Zia's influence, gave up almost immediately, Wyld's arm cinching around Lucy's waist while the other came up to support her back.

 

Wyld's mind snapped back and she pulled away. Lucy looked at her with sorrow filled eye's that pleaded with her. For a taste of the red sand Wyld had taken away. “Please”?

 

Wyld hesitated, her mind reeling. Oh my god I just kissed Zia's sister.

 

And it was sooooo good! Her hind brain crooned.

 

It was like licking sandpaper!

 

Forbidden sandpaper is.....

 

SHUT UP BRAIN!!!

 

Wyld stooped and, planting her shoulder into Lucy's stomach, hoisted Lucy over her shoulder as she stood up and marched back to the Valkyr. Lucy kicked a bit but otherwise was remarkably complacent. Jumping up and adhering to the side of the Valkyr, Wyld grabbed hold of the door and dropped Lucy back in her seat before straddling the door's frame. She hit her comm. "Rea? Fights over. We won........". She waited for a response, but only static answered her. "....Rea"? She tapped her comm for more gain. "Rothan"?

 

Momma spoke up. "Something is wrong. My other self attached to them is also not responding".

 

"How are you doing"? Wyld ran her eye's over the Valkyr. "We took a fair beating in that last one".

 

"The Valkyr's damage is largely cosmetic and will not impact it's functionality". She paused. "Though Lucy seems rather keen on impairing yours".

 

Wyld huffed and knocked Lucy's hand off her thigh. "It's all synthetic you know". She told her as she vaulted over her and back into the drivers seat. Glass crunched under her armour from earlier. "Let's see what's happening outside".

[Kel Riever]

“Rothan…”

 

Rea’s eyes fluttered open.  She lay sideways, partially buried in gravel and the wreckage of the Starscreamer. Stinging sensations radiated from every limb and she felt sharp pains in her chest when she breathed.  Rea reached for her pistol and rolled her head to see what was around her.  The Conduit cast its cold illumination across the ruins of London.  All was quiet.  Rothan could not be seen.

 

“Rothan…”

 

Through the pain, Rea pushed herself up to a sitting position.  She felt light-headed.  All her hard light plates, including her helmet, had either collapsed or turned off, but had absorbed her final impact, or certainly she would have been more severely injured.  Still, as Rea tried to stand, her legs were shaky and while the stinging was subsiding, the pain in her chest when she breathed did not.  Rea tried to gather enough strength to shout, but she could only muster the wherewithal to call out in a normal tone.

 

“Rothan.”

 

Standing to her full height caused Rea to stagger.  She fell to one knee, and then stood again.  Slowly, Rea stepped forward, wavering as she went.  There were no enemies she could see or hear within threat range, nor friends for that matter, though the battle raged in the sky above and further away.

 

A flickering on Rea’s left arm caught her attention and she looked down to see her omni-tool activating.  It had been damaged, the display pitted with dark areas.  Partially visible on the readout was a compass and a directional indicator.  Momma’s voice crackled, using what was left of the audio to patch together her words.

 

“T-t-t-tttthi-i-i-iisss w-w-w-wwwa-y-yyy.”

 

Rea’s eyes followed the directional.  It pointed off to the side of the long, raw trench where the jet bike had impacted and ripped itself up along the ground.  There was a mound of rubble blocking the view, though she saw the body of a krogan face down upon it.  Rea moved more quickly, stumbling as she went, desperate to find her love.  Climbing the rubble mound, she ignored the body of the krogan, which was tremendous, ignored the massive hammer shattered next to the body, and failed to hear Momma as she tried to communicate again. 

 

When Rea cleared the peak of the mound, she saw the form of Rothan on the other side.  He laid motionless, blood seeping from underneath him.  Rea ran, but lost her balanced and tumbled down the far side of the rubble.  When she hit the bottom, she tried to regain herself and cross the last few meters to Rothan.  She put her hand on what she initially thought was a beam.  When it gave some, and lacked rigid form, Rea glanced down to where she had placed her hand.  Underneath it, she had grasped Rothan’s severed leg.

 

“Rothan!”