Chapter 14

Terran Federation, Skyllian Verge Sector,Elysium, Elysium City 2677GS/2349AD October 19

Sleep would be nearly impossible, even with the sound dampeners in his helmet. John could feel the reverberations as the Citadel continued to fire its cannon to the sky. If one tried to follow the shot, they would occasionally be rewarded with a shooting star, as a ship was hit, destroyed, and burned up in the atmosphere. The longer the war in heaven lasted, the better. But already stars were moving faster than possible, and the battle line had shifted drastically, deviating from a halo of stars, interwoven and connected, to a shifting line that was pushed on, the bright yellow lights of the batarian pirate vessels swooping in as the hour passed, encircling, edging, dogging.

It was a battle of attrition and heat, the former benefited the Batarians, the latter the Terrans, but now he saw it, a thousand specks of light joining together into a gravity formation, tethering one another's gravitic leashes to one another, forming a quickly brightening cluster of stars, impossibly concentrated until they were nearly one giant blob in the sky, and then, a bright white bar swiped across the sky, forming a solid star trail across the nightly heavens.

The fleet had been forced to retreat. Lieutenant Aleksandrovich Petrodes looked over from where he stood beside Shepard, "Well that's it, siege it is sir."

"Status on the evacuation?" Shepard returned.

"From what I can gather, sixtyish percent. Outside in, got the farmers and personnel from the outlying farms and the landing fields on the edge of the plateau, we're now half way done with supporting suburbs and towns." The rumble of the cannon and its high pitched scream came again, "We're moving the people as fast as possible, but with air travel grounded, and surface vehicles banned, well… they're packed like sardines in the subways. Got a friend down there he's..."

"Hey, save the rumors." John took a deep breath, "Right let's look over our positions again." Looking down the wide boulevard street, from which the parade had hours ago gone through, they took stock.

They were about a fifth of the way into the city, approximately 30 miles, they weren't the leading edge, but they also weren't the rearguard, and they would be certain to face heavy assault. It was fortunate then that the surrounding building's armored storm shutters had clattered into position, each a veritable fortress, it'd take heavy artillery and continuous fire to even dent their outer armor, to level them would require deliberate destruction from the inside, or orbital bombardment. Meant to withstand the bi yearly monsoons and hurricanes now native to most of earth's coasts, and which Elysium itself also had to withstand at least four times a year with chronic similar monsoons and flooding.

The city now was a landscape of steel and armor plating, the streets, the buildings, the people themselves if one wished to be poetic. Looking back to the roundabout, the black obelisk still stood, cold as obsidian, his squad and the platoon of Civic Guard had done their best to settle in and get what rest they could before battle.

It being hard to dig in was no matter, the very fortifications of the city would be used when the time came. Thumping his heel into the curb, Shepard sniffed, "So ammo is good yes?"

Petrodes shrugged his shoulders, "As good as can be expected, we got ammo lockers and bunkers scattered all around, at least ten thosuand rounds extra per man. But…"

"But?" John questioned, elongating the U.

Alex sighed, "We likely can't be resupplied, if we're in a position that if we exhaust our reserves it will be Hades in Elysium. We'd be lucky to get a call through because everyone else would be getting plastered. Talking tidal wave of bodies level of overwhelming."

Or translated, a bug level assault.

Falling stars began to streak across the dusky sky. Their white trails beautiful, if not for their hidden meaning.

"Hey boss." McIntire pushed John's shoulder, drawing his attention to a column of Krogan and Batarians who were marching down from the city center, wearing the uniforms of the Foreign Legion.

"Mac, Lieutenant, my flanks." Shepard ordered and they fell in step, counter marching to meet the column's lead. A krogan in full battle armor and standing with his arms crossed as his men walked by.

Noticing them, he turned crisply and saluted, Shepard and his wingmen stopped and returned the salute, "Legio Lieutenant Urdnot Wrex of Silva's Specters, First Legion 4th Battalion, 1st company."

"Second Lieutenant John Shepard, 3rd Marine Regiment, ground detachment to the Blues Dues, and my second Sergeant Major McIntire." Shepard introduced.

"Lieutenant Aleksandrovich Petrodes, 45th Elysium Colonial Guard." The young lieutenant ended his salute.

"Huh, butter bars all around then. Second lieutenant? Than I presume that makes me the senior officer." The Krogan chuffed.

Shepard nodded, "It would appear to be sir."

"Right then." Wrex cupped his helmets chin and then straightened, "I'm not going to act as if I can give your units orders, we're three parts of the same army, but I can trust in you both to do your job right correct?"

"Yes sir, I was trained on Sanctuary and finished top of my class in tactics and combat exercises." Shepard explained.

"Not nearly so prestigious sir, but this is my home and these are my defenses. Me and my men know our way around them. We'll ahhh, try very hard not to hurt your men by accident, sir." Petrodes guarded.

Wrex paused, then tapped his helmet, removing it. Shepard hesitated before doing the same, motioning for Petrodes to do likewise. The Krogan was ancient, his face battle scarred, his crest rust red, his wide set eyes flicked over them, and he nodded, "I don't work under the presumption I know everything," his voice without the helmet was like two plates grinding, "but I've been alive for longer than both your family lines combined more than like. I know my way around the battlefield and looking at both of you, you've likely never seen a real battlefield."

Both nodded that they had not been in real combat, except for McIntire who straightened, "My thoughts exactly, I won't order you boys around by the nose, but when I do make sure you do it double quick since I've seen something you likely haven't. My interest is to make sure as many of us go home to drink about it as possible." Nodding to them both, he returned his helmet to its rightful place, "Now that we got that all squared away why don't you show me these defenses of yours Lieutenant Petrodes."

~[-]~

The boulevard's defenses were nothing to sniff at, the massive storm drains acted equally well as gunpits, and indeed were designed with such an eventuality in mind, with armored shutters and old surplus twin linked Morita Ape specials. Alongside them in the storm drain's ammunition vault were some actually modern Harpoon single use missile launchers, and a few downright ancient Triple Grenade Launchers with a variety of civilian pacification and militarized munitions.

The Legion was better equipped, they wore citadel style hardsuits and armor, with kinetic barriers, Federation derived mass accelerators, and omnitools. They had an undeniable tech advantage, but were sadly just as squishy as their colonial guard counterparts, except the krogan shock group in the unit who were decked out in so much armor they may as well have been exosuits. Indeed they even had a few built in weapons, each fireteam leader had a Mulcher chain shotgun, and their squad riflemen had a heavy machine gun derived from the Pathfinder style squad support weapon.

John had no question as to whether they could rip his power armored body in half if they so desired it.

Speaking of his squad, his marines were the second best armored, the most mobile, and the most heavily armed, He had two squad support guns, a missile launcher, plenty of explosives, and were even graced with the newest edition plasma weaponry, the mark VII plasma PDW, recharging and armor piercing, a significant upgrade from the old mark IVs.

"Right, so here's the plan Lieutenant Wrex," John started, "Some of your men will be on the surrounding buildings, we got rooftops, and can move quickly by maintenance skids. Petrodes, you'll have the gun pits. Me and my Marines will hide in these maintenance accessways, and when the enemy passes, we'll sickle them."

A simple plan. A good plan. Wrex nodded in approval, "Hit them from all sides, the front, the top, the back. I like it."

~[-]~

Everyone was just getting into position, when a fresh wave of shooting stars started to descend from the heavens. A lot of shooting stars. Suddenly triple A turrets across the city started to light up, lasers, guns, rail cannons, first a distant "bwaam" of the lasers, then the higher pitched screaming of the railcannons, and finally the chattering "chunk-chunk-chunk" of guns. The shooting stars were slow, much too slow for orbital bombardment, but also too fast for assault frigates and dropships.

Then what could they be? He saw at first a few dozen. Falling glittering lights, angling towards the city. Then it started to multiply exponentially, soon, the very sky was covered in falling burning metal husks. Many exploded, thousands even, it didn't abate. His helmet computer calculated their landing paths, not all would hit the city, even as huge a target as a 500 mile radius plateau would be.

One angled close, buffeted by nearby anti air, it twirled, spun, flipped even a couple times, before righting, and then, screaming like a banshee impacted the ground a block away. Even now more were raining down, "Alright Marines, we're the reserves let's check out that impact." The ten marines made affirmative noises and then initiated their jumpjets and jumped to the next building over, climbed up and then ran along the rooftops down the block. Shepard radioed their intentions and recieved a go ahead from Wrex.

A voice piped up in John's ear, it was Athena's, "Lieutenant Shepard, the enemy appears to be using orbital drop vehicles to deploy special forces. I've detected one in your area trying to hack into my systems, please deal with the fool before I make a mess." Athena highlighted on his hud minimap the location of the infiltrator. A metro station it would appear.

"Understood advisor, moving to position marked. Move it marines!" Subconsciously they moved as one, having drilled independently at their respective former training centers and almost obsessively on the shipboard combat simulator. The terrain was different, the plan the same.

They'd form into three teams, two of three and one of four, with John leading one group, McIntire leading the second fireteam and Ikersie leading the third, John would breach and flush the enemy out, McIntire would engage in close range, while the remaining fireteam, would remain in reserve as over watch who would snipe and corral the target if it tried to escape.

John found the empty pod, it was an ovaline and stout design, cheap, with airbrakes, and a thick viscous fluid having filled the entire pod before hand, his helmet analysed it and he prodded a puddle, shock absorbing fluid. Crafty bastards. Fill the pod with fluid and your man, send it screaming down, the AA guns could fire all they want, a direct hit would only kill a single trooper at most. A bit more primitive then Terran similar systems, it looked like it lacked pilot guidance, various quality of life features like a bit of extra room, and a few other features, but it was serviceable.

Taking the analysed fluid, Athena routed him to the nearest sub station accessway, where he had entered. "McIntire, get the flank, Ikersie stay on overwatch."

Reaching the entrance they breached it professionally, and proceeded to sweep through it rapidly, but with an eerily quiet that one would have to look for to hear.

Hand signals exchanged, the team moved. Every little breath and sound accentuated by the still air, sounding closer to gunshots than quiet pattering on concrete floor. His hud lit up with directions from Athena. There was no guarantee their target was distracted by his actions, he could have an autohacker or some form of computer equipment to integrate while he merely defends, and he could know they were coming as well.

Every action therefore was a concentrated game of risk and reward, it was a mental game of deception, where one had to think a dozen steps ahead and constantly adjust-

Or Athena could just give him a feed using the subway terminal's security cameras.

That fell a bit flat. Well he could still take a pot shot at them. They formed up on a terminal entrance, then breached into it, he was hiding behind the ticket counter, having used a device to cut open the metal and reinforced glass booth to try and hack into the city's mainframe. Unfortunately its distance foreclosed the usage of a stun or flash grenade, and using some explosives in the city immediately for one enemy would be a bit hard to explain, they would have ample opportunity later to kill multiple targets and scarcely the chance to resupply explosives.

However, his designated marksmen took aim, only to flinch back and return to cover as accelerated splinters the size of pebbles shrieked past. Hughes, his marksmen, cursed out a hissed, "Shite." The team fell back to cover as splinters of concrete and dust were billowed from the walls as the lone gunman laid out covering fire for himself.

Shepard's breath hitched into his throat, his heartbeat accelerated.

Battle. He had been told stories by his parents of what it was like, but they themselves admitted their descriptions were but poor imitations of what his first time fighting for his life would be like. His palms bean to sweat, as he looked to his men, he was in truth their junior, each of them were at least a ten year combat veteran of the mobile infantry, he himself was fresh from academy and had yet to experience true combat. Close and lifelike simulations, but the subconscious knowledge that this was the real deal made them all feel mute.

But he looked to his men and he knew, they were counting on him and his leadership, he could not disappoint them. "McIntire, you in position?" He called out, steadying his breath as Hughs leaned out and fired a burst of plasma projectiles before the assistant gunner fired, and then a much longer burst from his squad gunner using a Yini Mina E-Pulse-88 LMG. They alternated fire with Shepard joining in after the last MG burst.

"One minute boss. Getting a flank on his position." McIntire reported as the steccato continued. Shepard risked a look around the corner as the MG fired and looked for any possible cover. There was a pillar and a few benches.

Firing his burst and laying his back flat against the wall he breathed, "Fireteam cover me, moving to pillar." He ordered. He'd have to get closer to either get a clean shot or flush him from his position.

His men acknowledged, and paused for a second, then when Shepard was ready, the MG fired again, stitching a line of bullets dents into the cover the Batarian had. Shepard sprinted from cover as quickly as possible, nearly diving behind the pillar. The Batarian remained pinned, and Shepard took a deep breath, before repeating the feat to the row of benches, which he then dutifully crawled along as quickly as possible.

He got halfway when McIntire pipped up, "In position boss, we got a good murder hole on your left towards the service accessway."

Shepard grunted with effort as he rapidly crawled, "Hear you loud and clear Mac. Trying to flush or kill him. Far side of the benches." Shepard retorted.

McIntire made a contemplative sound before he spoke, "Ay yup, see you sir. Careful, The bat could have a shot on you."

Shepard held back his pithy riposte as he finally dragged his ass across ten meters of benches. He was out of breath, his heart thumped like a steam train, and bullets whizzed past him. Taking a steadying breath, John fought back his thumping heart and looked past the Bench. His hud analysed the material at this angle and he was relieved to see it was a thin plywood paneling.

Readying his rifle, he took aim, and his snoopers briefly flashed on line, thermals were unreliable due to the gunfire, x-ray also unreliable, that left Athena accessing the camera and his suits making the calculations. After a moment Athena delivered, and his integrated sights told him the optimal trajectory. He lined them up, and squeezed, a burst of plasma spat out, and he waited. The rest of the fire stopped as well, Hughes was undoubtedly scoped in as well, and ready for when he popped his head out, McIntire also having his flanking view.

Shepard waited, when he adjusted his aim as it was updated, and he released a trio more bursts of plasma, then leaping to his feet, he charged to the ticket booth window, taking aim, sighting the Batarian, dead. Hopefully.

Yellowish red liquid poured out of a hole in the upper chest, as well as his pelvis and legs from where the explosive bursts of plasma blew chunks out of his armor and deep gouges in flesh. First impact shattered shields, second smashed tech armor, third pierced the hardsuit.

A Citadel rifle can easily kill as well, if unprotected, it'd lacerate organs, tear flesh, and cause tissue expansion and trauma from its passage, a Federation rifle with appropriate ammo however made such a seemingly painful impact infinitely worse, explosive charges with added weight tore apart armor, flesh, skin, and hide. Medigel would have to be liberally applied in handfuls to halt the bleeding and weeks would need to be spent in the hospital, for a hit that pierced the armor, it was an extremely quick end, as the round explodes in your body, shatters bone, and likely impacts and crushes the heart, in the lower abominable space it would tear apart the intestines and stomach, shock is instant, blood loss substantial, you fall unconscious in seconds, before you knew what hit you, death in under a minute, you'd need to be in a hospital or under the scalpel already to have a chance of survival. Impact in the extre-

McIntire shook his shoulder, and Shepard snapped over, raising his gun slightly before lowering it, seeing who it was. McIntire had a slight smile, before it deformed, it became fake, he called to his gunner, pointing to the body, then he gently, but firmly took his shoulder and lead him away, "you got him boss." He whispered, but Shepard hardly heard him, his heart thumped in his chest, threatening to overtake his throat.

He was so tired, so exhausted, how long did the fight last? An hour? Two? His chronometer read one minute past first shot fired. He looked to McIntire, both his shoulders gripped in his great strength. The broad Irishman observed him, and looked right past his helmet's visor to his eyes. He met those hazel orbs that stared into his soul. Steely and seasoned. "don't worry boss, first time is different for everyone." Again he whispered, why was he whispering?

"just look at me boss, look at the light." What light? Suddenly, like a pendulum a light started to swing, left. right. left. right. The rest of McIntire's words were droned out. Shepard felt something over take him…..

~[-]~

"I asked what it was like?" Shepard started, and looked to and fro. What happened? He was back at the boulevard, it was dark now, the previous dusky sky had fully set and now the primary source of illumination was the falling stars and the anti aircraft artillery firing lasers and rail cannons to the heavens.

"I'm… I'm what's going on?" Shepard asked, confused for a moment and reaching up to his head.

"Oh yeah, you were kinda conked out of here when you and your squad returned from your skirmish. Sergeant McIntire said something about you getting a bit of a blow to the head or something along those lines, told you, quote 'get a couple winks of sleep boss'. Can't blame him, you've been up for what? 20 hours straight now? You just woke up like five minutes ago." Petrodes offered Shepard a cup of something steaming.

Feeling like he had a truck run him over, Shepard looked to the CC who was for the moment helmetless. With slightly shaking hands he removed his own, and now he could hear the thundering of gunfire, ships falling, and aircraft strafing. It smelled of fire and sulfur, cordite hung in the air like a perfume, and his head pounded something fierce.

Taking the cup and smelling it, it was coffee, good coffee. Probably also had a bit of something extra. He inhaled again, nutty, with a slight bitter scent, and the tell tale aftertaste of combat stress suppressants. He took a searching sip, testing the waters, it burned, hot, but he savored it anyways.

"Your sergeant said to drink up." Petrodes smiled as they both leaned against the obsidian pillar, "Been quiet here, so far, nothing yet. Radio's going crazy though, what few reports I got was that your saboteur was not alone." He looked questioningly at Shepard, then lit up like he remembered something, "Oh, and the Batarians have finally landed, took 'em long enough, first reports were they tried landing in the mangroves around the plateau, but they quickly changed their minds when they sank. Started to just ram themselves into the landing fields and farms, our boys there got overrun in 20 minutes, too many ships landing and beaching themselves. Estimates put at least 100,000 bats and counting. With that number climbing by ten thousand every ten minutes." Shepard nodded, from what he saw, there was plenty of real estate you could just land yourself down on, despite the anti aircraft fire, and possibility of squishing your own men, these were inevitabilities when you were restricted to such a small landing zone and forced to land such a number of men in such a short frame of time. Shepard took a long drag of his now cooled coffee, wishing to drink as much of it before it became fouled by ash and dust.

"So… What was it like? Combat I mean." Petrodes inquired.

Shepard paused mid gulp and then retracted the cup from his face, "Well. It's loud, stressful, tiring. If you've ever been in the simulations, like that, except know that if you fuck up, you or your men can die. That kinda…. Make the simulations feel like a cheap imitation. Huh…" Shepard took another long sip, with his cup now mostly empty, he was feeling much better, the building migraine had receded for now.

"What sir?"

"I don't remember who made the killing shot. Hmm." Shepard drummed his fingers on the metallic cup, then he flexed his hand in a gesture of exasperated admittance of giving up, "Ah well, McIntire knows I'm sure." Finishing the cup and handing it back to Petrodes, resealing his helmet, "Thanks for that by the way, I feel… much better now. How long until they reach our line?"

Taking the cup Petrodes checked his timepiece, "Ehhh… thirty minutes if the retreat keeps up, we're pulling back and slowing them as we evacuate. We're keeping ahead, already had our fair share of retreating, wounded, and civilians moving like bats out of hell. Only a matter of time now."

Shepard rubbed the back of his helmet, "Christ, how long was I out?"

"About two hours, Lieutenant Wrex was going to update you and your disposition when you woke up. On the bright side, a lot of the retreating guys left us their spare ammo and explosives, got my men setting up a minefield, the rear guard is set to come up any minute now." Petrodes explained cheerfully.

Shepard nodded and patted his arm, "Good man."

Walking towards Wrex's gunpit, Shepard climbed in and was met by a fire team of Batarian Foreign Legionnaires checking weapons and ammo. Last minute checks before the storm came to them. The sergeant in their group looked up and nodded, "Sir, Lieutenant Wrex is waiting to see you."

Shepard nodded in acknowledgement, and entered the gunpit armory. It was a cramped space the best of times, in good times this gunpit fulfilled its intended usage as a storm drain, with the adjoining door chained shut and hermetically sealed from the public. In times like these, the surprisingly spacious interior of the drain itself could be used as a gunpit, the flush drain would work well enough to throw live grenades down when they inevitably got skipped into the chamber, and the hermetically sealed door would open into a small room with storage lockers, filled with ammo and spare weapons.

Wrex was there, McIntire and a few of Wrex's sergeants as well, his entrance ended the talking, "Ah Shepard, welcome back. Had a nice nap?" Wrex grinned wryly, his helmet removed for now.

"Yes sir." Shepard fought for anything else to say but left it at that.

"Good, come to the table." Reaching it, a laminated map of the plateau was plainly visible, magnetic markers signified the positions of units, and dry erase markers identified the lines, they were getting worryingly cose to their own magnetic unit marker, "Okay now that Sheep Herd is here, we can get to the important stuff. The Elysium Special Weapons and Tactics unit, about 200 men, is currently screening the enemy advance before us, last I heard from Captain Uhlman, who has just departed our dear station, it's made up of an amalgamation of five different units, facing us, will be at least a brigade of a thousand Batarian scouts and fast moving armored vehicles, likely soft skinned trucks and armored cars with some heavy cannons. Now I don't know what they told you before, but I've fought Batarians." Wrex pulled up a tablet and it showed a zoomed in depiction of the city map along their front, "We have a similar make up of troops supporting our flanks, Lieutenant Isaac," The 33rd Elysium Civic Guard coat of arms appeared, "and Captain Shin Huang," The 98th Terran Chinese Divisional Logo spun, "Hold our flanks, and we hold theirs, but we're the widest road by far, which means we're going to get the bulk of Batarian armor and infantry coming down our throats." He looked to everyone meaningfully, "If they're following typical doctrine, the Batarians are using their forward scouts aggressively, they'll have drones, Citadel designed of course, to try and scout our position before using light artillery, likely infantry mortars and motorized light howitzers to suppress us, before infiltrating their infantry as close as possible, then charging the distance."

The tablet simulated the advance, "Shepard, we're going to have to modify the plan, your the most mobile asset I have, so I can't risk your entire unit getting wiped by a few lucky hits, instead I took the liberty and had two of your fireteams dig in on the extreme flanks," this formed a far crescent on the tablet, the two buildings which looked over a perpendicular street about 100 meters down the wide boulevard, recon duty, and to keep the enemy infantry from using the buildings to get closer to the line, in close quarters where the much superior armor, weaponry, and skill of his marines would give their most telling results, "I'm keeping you and your fire team on the roofs. You fine with that." Shepard blinked, and studying for a bit more looked to McIntire, "I believe so, you've got the experience."

Wrex barked a laugh, "Well thank you for that vote of confidence, right, you know those roofs better than I, so get comfortable up there and make a few spider holes, I don't want to lose a good head like yours to some shrapnel Sheep Herd. He smiled a big flat toothed grin, "Okay then," he pulled the tablet away so they could see the full map again, "It's likely the Batarian commander knows that this is the best position to make an armored push up, if he has half a brain cell he'll have a map of the city and know that we're the widest gap and reach all the way to the city center," he traced the line all the way from their position to the Citadel, "We have manned hardpoints along the entire road of course, but we have to hold long enough for the evacuation." He raised his wrist and checked his own timepiece, "Our perimeter line has been evacuated, but the next line is still being pulled out, estimates put it at an hour tops, so we hold for two hours."

Shepard nodded, McIntire, being the more seasoned soldier, asked the question, "After the initial assault by the scouts, what's up next?"

Wrex pulled up the tablet and thumbed through it a bit, "Recon believes the first Batarian armored division is just now being landed and their vehicles will take at least an hour to unload, our intel on their officers isn't very good, but if I know them they'll move what they got up as quickly as possible as they become available. They'll likely be routed to us being the best position for their tanks to move up on, if they wait however we will hopefully have fallen back to the next line before significant armored vehicles can dislodge us. Now thats worst case scenario, best case, we have sighted a sizable formation, divisional strength, of Batarians heading right for us, mostly infantry with self propelled artillery in support, we have air superiority at the moment which is slowing the vehicles, we expect them to reach us in forty five minutes, they're hot on the heels of the scouts. Most of them are conscripts I'd wager, but the scouts themselves are soldier caste, and well motivated, any we don't kill will assume command of the incoming conscripts and lead them forward."

McIntire flashed a smile, "So Lieutenant, when was the last time you fought the Batarian army?"

Wrex tilted his head so that one eye was on him, "One hundred years go, at an independent Asari colony, some no named warlord of about a hundred thousand soldiers wanted to take it over, colony hired me and about a dozen of my clan alongside a Turian PMC. Warlord was a descendent of the soldier caste and was trained in the traditional Batarian military arts."

"Hundred years? Christ, how long are you lived you dinosaur?"

"Ahh, lets just say my father was a major figure in the Krogan Rebellions, and he had me young too." McIntire whistled.

Shepard couldn't help but crack a smile and add, "Makes you a true dinosaur."

"I'm a downright fossil Sheep Herd, I could've met the Habsburgs and am older than the Ottoman Empire." Wrex barked out another laugh, then nodded, "I'll forward relevant information to you and the rest of your men Shepard, if all's good with you I need you in position to greet the-" The door opened again, revealing a powersuited woman, she was covered in ash, blood that was once on the armor was either baked on or covered in so much soot that it was a thick slurry which left black boot prints.

Her IFF identified her as Chief Birdie Brockman.

She removed her helmet, her skin tone was a dark black, sunburned from decades of life and flushed with sweat and her lifeblood flowing in her veins, her greying hair was shaved to a stubble, and she looked to be in her early fifties. Her features were scarred from life as well as sunburn, having that suitable grizzled look that you'd imagine a veteran soldier would sport. She snapped a salute revealing her mechanical arm, if Shepard had to guess she had that mechanical arm since the early Second Bug War, before a bio replacement was a realistic option, and had it long enough that her nerve endings would not accept a new flesh and blood option. That or she wanted the permanent reminder to everyone who saw her. Some military veterans, of who Shepard met quite a few, loved it, since that meant they could get the relatively cushy job of Citizen recruitment, and give said recruits a few good frights with war stories and industrial accidents.

"Chief of SWAT activities Birdie Brockman." Christ, THE Birdie Brockman? Forget Early SECOND Bug War, she was there since the beginning when Rico's Roughnecks was still Razack's Roughnecks. Considering her grizzled exterior, she had aged well for her career choice. She was a living legend.

"Birdie Brockman? Part of Razak Roughnecks? You were on pluto?" John, the military enthusiast, not Shepard the Marine Lieutenant, asked.

"I was with Razak from Pluto to the Gobicahn system in 22, lost my arm there to a tanker bug, if Razak hadn't saved me. But I'm sure a few of you know that from that terrible movie they made a few years ago." Oh yeah, definitely a terrible movie, but still.

"You saw the birth of the whole damn war." John gaped, amazed.

"So have you, the war we're fighting right now kid, the one we're fighting as we speak." Birdie admonished, and Shepard realized the setting they were in right now, yeah keep it in your pants, if you both live through this you'll have plenty to talk about in time.

"You got a report for me Chief?" Wrex asked professionally, "You're ahead of schedule by ten minutes."

Birdie motioned to take one of the Legionnaires chairs, and they stood and offered it with no complaint, alongside a canteen of water and a nutrition smoothie, she took a gulp of water before speaking, "We're doing our best, we had to go building to building looking for stragglers, lot of fools who think they can make a stand or those who got genuinely lost. The Batarians got a squadron of armored cars and hit my men while we finished checking the Izadi Mall, lost half my men in the chaos. Had to fall back."

Wrex made a vaguely surprised look, before updating the TOE, "That brings up our total to two hundred and fifty."

"Set up the last of our charges and collapsed highway Bridge 223, that'll slow their vehicles, not their infantry though, they got varren with them, and some heavy infantry equipment, as well as a few light mechanical mule combat drones that are carrying their supplies, along with some spotting UAV drones, they've run out of rocket and machine gun drones, so unless they get resupplied they're lacking their more mobile assets. My men need to get resupplied, get the wounded out, and we have maybe ten minutes at most to water and eat up while we can." Shepard nodded, and Wrex radioed to his unit.

Birdie finally looked at herself as if for the first time, and then wrinkled her face in disgust, lacking towels or cloth, she settled with standing up and leaving to the storm drain to wipe herself off with her hands. Shepard followed with McIntire leaving, "Mac, relay the information to Petrodes and take the right fireteam, observe and eliminate HVTs."

"Yes sir." He donned his helmet, then placed a hand on Shepard's shoulder, "Hey, boss, keep your head on straight, you're doing good so far, keep it up."

"Oh." Shepard added, motioning for McIntire to stay for a moment longer, "Who ahhh, who made the killing shot?"

McIntire got a pensive look before nodding, "You did sir. First kill I believe, up close, could see the results, you did good under the pressure, just had to give you a little," He made a warbling woo oooh, "to reset you, not the prettiest sight to see for your first kill, were in a bit of shock from the stress and adrenaline."

Shepard could distinctly feel his face curl up, "You hypnotized me?" He asked almost incredulously.

"Old trick I picked up in my years, can do it for most any grunt, except the oldest of the old timers, standard procedure I assure you, besides you needed to get some sleep anyways." It wasn't common knowledge among civilians, but the Federation did employ hypnotherapy and indoctrination among its soldiers, alongside many other methods of the killing arts, perfected in the 20th Century, pavlovian responses, instinct honing, militarized indoctrination, could make you kill on reflex and act without a second thought when given orders, even if it seemed suicidal. Helped the men overcome the fear and uncertainty of action that was common in World War Two armies, the old chestnut "Only fifty percent of the men shot to kill."

The hypnotherapy and indoctrination provided a safety net for soldiers, their instructors would hypnotise the men with prepared stimuli, extreme stress, fight or flight, shock. They taught the men how to meditate in even the most uncomfortable of circumstances, allow them to find peace and calm, as well as access certain portions of their mind, including the ability to shut down parts of their brain for a period of time for resting. It was a useful tool for extending a soldiers "Shelf life", or the time a soldier could remain in the fighting field before entering their combat plateau and decline phase. McIntire had just used some of the prepared hypnotism to "Factory reset" his stress and doubt. An advanced skill, one that only a vetaran would know how to tap into.

"Was I in that bad of shape?" Shepard asked quietly.

"You were in a bit of shock from it all, I could tell, and we need you at the top of your game, don't worry, with the fight we're having you won't see your handiwork up close, I think that was the final straw that made you conk out. Besides, you needed a nap anyways, if you drank that coffee the anti stress stims should be kicking in, and you'll have no qualms shooting a man dead." He smirked, "You work way too hard. Now," He began to check his combat webbing and armor for everything, making sure all it gear was where it should be, "I'm going to take the fireteam, I'll stay in radio contact with you, we'll wait on your call to fall back."

Shepard nodded, "If I didn't know you Mac, I'd kick your ass right about now."

"Aww sir, I love you too. Kisses." McIntire smacked his lips before climbing his way out of the gunpit.

When he looked to Birdie she had her helmet on again and had wiped away most of the blood and ash that she could, "Hey, get my back, and make sure my suits unbreached will ya?"

"Yes ma'am." Shepard assented and did so, cleaning off her system's port and inserted a cable with his diagnostic tool. So far everything was checking out good.

"That sergeant knows what he's doing, keep him close kid. A good Sergeant is worth ten of you new officers." Brockman explained.

"Yeah, McIntire's a good man, just…. Well I didn't realize he could do that is all." Shepard admitted, "Met him in Marine boot, certainly taught me just as much as my DIs. Guess he kept a few tips and tricks to himself." The Batarians in the gunpit had finished cleaning their gear and were now on the fire step, their sergeant was off the step, sitting at his place and chewing on what looked to be a cigar stub, his helmet visor lifted up for him to do so.

The silence was a bit uncomfortable, but the Batarian sergeant broke it, "So how many stayed behind?"

Birdie looked to him, and shrugged, "So far? I dunno, 'bout a thousand. Lot of ex military and police around here, few anti government types who wanted to get as far away from the core as possible, all got a plot of land here. You can only save those who want to be saved, if they're not going to leave their homes there's nothing much we can do about it, now can we?"

The Batarian nodded. Then checked his pockets and pulled out a cigarette case and lighter, offering one to Birdie. Shepard couldn't see her face but she lifted up her visor and took a smoke. He could hear her light it up and see on his diagnostic tool the notice that she was smoking.

"A shame." The Batarian commented, "That may be true but, it doesn't sit right to leave them there to die because they're fools." The door opened again, and the assembled sergeants and Wrex left, going one by one up the ladder to meet their individual squad, one of them patted his shoulder and held up a hand, four minutes.

"We did what we could to get them out, the only thing we can do, but a lot weren't budging, gave them as much time as we could to get out. Very well can't force them anyways, just hope they had the good sense to keep their heads down for now." The Batarian nodded, looking sour on the logic but understanding it.

Shepard was scanning the information before spotting something, "Got a crack in your torso armor." He explained. Birdie nodded her head, "Internal oxygen is good, bio suit integrity holding, battery life set at another 48 hours before recharge necessary. Let's get to that crack before you take another bullet there." A crack was getting off light for the fighting she went through, problem being if another bullet hit the location it may spank off but the force could cause the armor to cave in and cause internal damage, break ribs, harm tissue, that sort of thing.

The sergeant came off his step and offered Shepard a rag, which he used to wipe off the affected part of her chest piece, "So uh… Chief if you don't mind me asking, who's all over you?" Shepard asked in small talk as he found the hidden crack in her right side chest armor, from the look of it an autocannon round had narrowly impacted her at a sharp oblique angle, cracking the armor and even denting the sharp edge out a bit, but by all accounts she was supremely lucky.

She thought for a minute before speaking, as Shepard cleaned off the affected area, preparing it for sealing, "My second in command, Henri Dubois, good man, Batarian armored car just rolled up from behind some trees lining the mall and strafed our position, Henri was to my right. Blew him right apart, the first thing I knew we were being shot at I was on the ground covered in him, his chest exploded with his innards evacuated from the shell is my guess."

Okay less lucky, more meatshield. As terrible as it was to think that. Shepard removed from his back a sealant canister and a mini spot welder, the sparks as he first applied the sealant then welded the crack resulted in his visor dimming significantly, "Not many lieutenants have engineer equipment Shepard." Brockman commented.

"Top of my class ma'am. Parents insisted I take the engineering subcourse instead of yet more tactical and fitness. Said if I didn't like the infantry life the navy could always use more deck engineers and tech-troopers." Shepard explained, "Alright, all good."

"Parent's sound like smart people." Brockmen commented off handedly.

"Both are captains of their own warships. Sister went into the Mobile Infantry, left me to continue the family naval tradition, I can't stand practical physics, but I can work with my hands like nobody's business," he chuckled, "I had at least ten of my parent's friends just about beg me to reconsider the marines and come on as ensign for their engineering crews. But I wanted to do a tour as a Marine before considering a pure naval posting. I uh… Never really liked the idea of a pure naval posting. I think I would feel too helpless on a ship." Shepard patted her shoulder to signify he had finished.

She gave him a look of utter disbelief, "Wait wait wait, you chose being a fucking marine over a naval posting? You're fucking insane." A grin grew over her lips as she threw away her cigarette butt, "I think you'll fit right in Shepard. Now if you'll excuse me kid, I have two minutes to get to my men." She offered her hand to shake and when he took it she chuckled, "Feel too helpless! Hah, helpless…" She trailed off as she began to climb up the ladder.

The Batarian sergeant nodded to him, "Lieutenant." He offered his hand, which he took, "Just remember, us in grey are on your side. We have no love lost for our brothers in the Hegemony." He nodded, giving a needle like half smile.

"I'll keep that in mind sergeant, just keep them off our backs when we close the distance." Shepard returned half smile as well.

"You got it lieutenant, although I'd be more worried about Lieutenant Wrex's home wreckers, he and his Krogan are going to kick serious ass before this is out." Giving one last nod to each other, Shepard rose out of the storm drain and Wrex offered him a hand, which he took and was raised out of the gunpit.

The sound of battle was now undeniably close, Shepard could even see the tracers from both sides down the street as the rear guard SWAT and amalgamated forces were pulling back up the street towards their roundabout circle. Wrex took a firm grip on him and moved him away to the central circle of the roundabout, where the obsidian pillar rose, and a trench was dug out of the earth there to the concrete below it about two meters, pretty big and recent since it wasn't finished when he took his nap.

He had his helmet on now, and Shepherd put his visor down, "Okay, new information, the rearguard has about thirty SWAT officers, twenty members of the Colonial Guard, fourteen militia and former military, and the remaining thirty odd are Federal aligned mercs. He pointed to various men in the trench pit with them, most were wounded, and being tended to by the medics in Wrex's unit, preparing them for evacuation, as well as the few others who were getting some last minute water and chow in before fighting once more, shoveling lukewarm leftovers and sipping from electrolyte packs.

Shepard was glad his visor hid his gawking amazement at how they looked, and were still eating and drinking. He spotted a few who were even laying down getting a few minute catnap.

One of the mercenaries who was formerly napping, an asari sat up and looked to them, "Wrex! Urdnot fucking Wrex?!" She stomped over and butted her helmeted head against Wrex, "So that explains the rumors you were out of the freelance business!"

Wrex had the vague look of pleased surprise and chuckled, "Jurain! It's good to see you still leading, where's the rest of your outfit?"

"All over the colony, we were window shopping for new gear when the alarm went off. I only got five of my girls but I was voted representative of our collected group. Birdie gives good rates!" She explained as the firing got closer now. A burst of rounds went over their head, one impacting the obsidian obelisk, not even scratching its surface.

"As much as I'd love to catch up, we're about to be under fire. Anyone I'd know?" Wrex asked quickly, snapping his head above the parapet sideways, getting a look at the retreating members of the adhoc unit who were now reaching the first lines of gunpits and jumping in.

"We have members of Clan Yurnic, 'bout three Krogan, some of the Forest Company, one squad of turians, and three freelance Salarian techs." Wrex nodded and put his head down.

"Good, Shepard, take one of the techs and keep him breathing, if you're willing Jurain, I want his men to have a biotic with them to give them some barriers and warp support."

She nodded, rolling her shoulder, "My girls are pretty spent, where's he going?"

Wrex pointed to the top of the building to their right, "Top of that building, sniper and flank support."

She looked up, "Good vantage point, he Shepard?" She asked, of which Shepard nodded, "Good, I'll go with you and keep you breathing, we'll meet you up there." She shoved a full protein bar into her mouth and chewed, now speaking with her mouth full, "Awroght, ah'll mave de 'est in a wogical 'ersition," She swallowed hard, even as the road to their right was impacted with a resounding explosion, shrapnel whizzing over their heads. The Scouts were firing their light artillery, "The turians will provide the center of fire. You want the Krogan?"

"No keep the Krogan as a reserve, I want them to make sure we don't get any biotic charges into our center." Wrex finished, "Okay Shepard, get up that building and do your thing. You're my eye in the sky, I'll handle things down here."

Shepard nodded, and when the last shell fell, used his jump jets to just leap out of the trench and started an immediate sprint across the street to the building's lean to support. He hugged the side around the building to an alley, where quick ascension ropes were clipped, he attached his ascendor, and clipped the rope to his harness, he began to rapidly ascend at a brisk pace, the ziiiiiiip of his ascendor nearly drowning out the rising pitches of battle.

Pulling himself over the lip of the armored shutter, he was on the roof for a roughly ten storey apartment spire. His fireteam was here, his Laser gunner replaced with Dodgeson, the anti armor expert, he had a plasma PDW as well as a thermic javelin, a very new piece of Plasma Anti tank kit, that would theoretically be able to fire a hundred superheated charges, capable of punching through most any practical armor before needing to be replaced with an entirely new internal assembly, powercore, and backpack fusion generator. Shepard hoped they won't be confirming that little statistic.

"Sir, looks like we have a company sized formation of Batarians moving up after the rearguard." Hughes relayed as he leaned over the makeshift parapet and fired his Yini-Mina E-Pulse 98 precision laser, a speciality piece of kit for Marines and elite formations of men, they took from the internal powersource of the suit much like the YM LMG and the PDWs they used, giving a practically unlimited ammunition supply, at the cost of range and stopping power. Of course what the Federation considered lacking stopping power is if you couldn't kill a soldier bug in a single burst. For the average Citadel infantrymen their thin centimeter armor and shields were paper to Federal arms.

To be fair the Federation's threshold for overkill was much much higher than the Citadel's, whose biggest bastard they normally had to deal with are Krogan. The federation had to take on creatures that would consider Krogan a prey species, could demolish entire colonies in an hour, and whose psychic prowess could cause entire remigments of men to go mad.

And the price for firepower was not cheap, Shepard had the pleasure to fire Citadel designed arms, they were light, small, their recoil manageable without power suit recoil dampers, and their ammunition supplies essentially limitless. In comparison, Federal arms were heavy, bulky, fired full sized rifle cartridges, relied heavily upon chemical cartridges, and carrying around a fusion generator was considered preferable then the solid ammunition.

The bright translucent beam that came and left with the blink of an eye was Hughes firing, who pulled back and ran down to another firing position alongside his wingman, letting his weapon cool in the meantime. Shepard himself settled next to Dodgeson to act as his loader and target assistant, not like he needed to actually load the oversized cannon, but an extra pair of hands to wrangle the machine and acquire targets was never turned down.

"Hold your fire until they bring up a vehicle, we'll be keeping the harpoons for their big tanks." Shepard ordered as he brought down his snoopers and began to provide Wrex with a better viewpoint of the battle then the ground level sightlines the Krogan had. The street lights were turned off, and the buildings storm shutters blocked any lights they may be producing. The near pitch dark meant that the Federal's snoopers provided another advantage, as they could plainly see the them while the Batarians would struggle to return the favor. The Colonial Guard and Foriegn Legionnaires were doing their duty. The street had an extremely limited amount of cover, while the storm drains and upraised road barriers provided the Federal Forces with an obscene cover superiority, the only cover for the invaders being the building's own crenelations and decorations. Looking at it from a birds eye view, Shepard saw where the leading edge of the Batarians were ambushed, hot on the heels of the SWAT they were allowed to close to the distance of twenty meters where upon they were shot dead where they had been pursuing.

The turn in battle had evidently surprised the Batarians as they were now still pushing, not realising just how big of a force opposed them. Indeed they likely outnumbered the bats right now.

Shepard scanned the Batarian lines, looking for their officers. Hughes found one first, as as soon as Shepard had locked his gaze upon one, the alien's chest wobbled and then evaporated, exploding into a cloud of steamed metal and blood vessels, collapsing to the ground dead. Shepard looked away before he could see the more sickening aspects of his demise, in the simulators the developers took great pains to make it as realistic as possible, with the inclusion of guts schlopping out of a person's body when their upper half had been exposed to the breeze, among other things.

To see it, to know it was real, Shepard fought down the urge to gag. Forget what a video game may show you, even the most graphic of entertainment would struggle to demonstrate just how disgusting it could be.

Jurain chose this moment to collapse beside him and lay flat on her stomach, before overturning and laying down on her back on the gravel roofing, "Mhmmm, I could just take a nap right the fuck now." She swooned, even as Shepard saw her resting her eyes.

"Hey, hey not right now." Shepard scolding and collapsed next to her, shaking her entire body.

"Ahhh," She moaned sadly, "you're no fun... Alright, alright pull me up." Shepard assisted in pulling herself up right. She peeked above the parapet, before ducking back down. Shepard did the same, and saw the Batarians after a few dozen seconds of hopeless fighting, realize they were way outclassed, and retreated. Leaving behind more than half their number dead in their unrealised frontal assault. Shepard and the rest of his Marines took this opportunity to shoot them in their backs, downing a good dozen before they had escaped past the street.

Jurain collapsed back to the ground, laying down and sighing deeply. Shepard did so too, and blinked a menu for his water tube. Dodgeson got behind cover as well and did the same.

"Hey you boys have a spare bottle of water?" Jurain asked quietly, almost as a whisper. The two checked themselves for a spare canteen and Dodgeson came upon his first and tossed it to her. Where upon she uncapped it and used a handful to clean off her blue skinned face and then take a series of gulps. Offering it back Dodgeson, who took it and then took his position as vigilant sentinel.

Down below, Shepard could see his squad's shared feed, the hulking figure of wrex rapidly moving his arm, and the stretcher bearers carrying off the wounded. Shepard looked to the Asari, she was lightly armored, as was the tradition for her people, strong barriers and shields combined to form a lightweight hard hitting package.

"So…. how many did you lose?" He finally asked, to break the terrifying and sudden silence that had descended on the street.

"Seven. Two of the Turians, three sisters, krogan, and Salarian tech. Krogan and Salarian in an artillery barrage, the Turians to assorted enemy fire, sisters to an armored car when trying to flank." She sounded cold about it all, but not entirely without emotion.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Shepard consoled.

"Yeah, well it was going to be one thing or another. Just didn't expect a major war to be it." Her chest was rising and falling, eyes closed.

Shepard searched around his pockets before coming across an MRE. Opening it he removed the desert packet and offered it to the Asari, "Here, get some juice in ya."

She shifted her head to eye it before taking it and ripping it open. From the packaging it was a glazed cinnamon bun. Pretty terrible cold, and not warmed up next to the flameless ration heater, but she had an appreciative moan as she bit into it, "Ah by the Goddess I need this." She chewed a few more times and took another huge bite before she looked at him upside down and asked, "Euw knaw biatics?" Mouth full.

"Yeah, my sister's one. She was always a ravenous little bastard. Figured all biotics have to be." Shepard explained, chuckling at the image of his younger sister when they were kids, eating an entire pale or ice cream and not even gaining an ounce of fat.

"Hah! Ain't that right, can't ever gain any fucking weight. Which I mean, good I can eat whatever the fuck I want. But bad, since having a little fat on your bones gets all the right attention these days." She chewed thoughtfully.

"So whatcha doing on Elysium?" Shepard inquired, seeking to pass the time before the next wave of Batarian's crashed upon them.

"Hiring on new hands, getting new gear, shopping around for some new contracts. Hah, funny enough, was getting harassed by a recruiter for the Foriegn Legion, 'new and interesting opportunities,' he said, 'from here and beyond.' Count me and my girls out, too flighty."

"Any other biters you think?"

"Not that I could see, Mercs don't come to Elysium looking to sign up to the military Shepard, mercs come for the companionship, firepower, and contracts." Jurain shifted on the ground as he looked to the black smoke covered sky, "It's why we grouped up so quickly, we were all at the same place at the space port, I saw about a thousand other mercs suddenly get conscripted into this fight, Chief Brockman was there and declared we'd all get a fat contract if we joined up on the spot, considering our predicament, I don't think anyone turned down free gear and hundred thousand credits per head."

Shepard nodded and took another gulp of water before blinking the menu so the tube retracted. Resting for the moment, he connected to the battle net. Listening into the various squad chats it was typical bable, men calling for ammo checks, others being checked if they were wounded, and the occasional low level side chatter.

After skimming them, shepard moved his channel over to McIntires, "Mac, you see anything good?"

"Uhh, I see a lot of good things sir, you gave them a real beating and they're regrouping, I've identified their officer and he's looking pissed, hopping around mad as he paces around speaking into his helmet. The rest of the enemy column is catching up as now, they got their mortars through, and from what I can see with my drone, they've bridged the destroyed overpass and are moving their armored cars over. I give a few minutes at most before they prepare another assault. They're just taking the moment to eat and drink now, but they're looking ready to give you another shot. I'll paint eh officer and the mortars while they're making their next assault, give Huges and our counter fire some help.

Shepard acknowledged, "Understood, I'll relay."

He shifted the channel over to Wrex, "Shepard reporting for scouts."

"Go ahead Shepard."

"Estimation a few minutes before they push up once more, enemy has mortars setting up and armored vehicles en route."

"Understood Shepard, Keep a clear eye up there." Wrex acknowledged. With that transition of information conducted, Dodgeson tapped him, "Get a few minutes of sleep, sir."

While he doubted it would do much good, Shepard got comfortable against the parapet, and laid back. Jurain joined him and rested right up against him, "Just a few minutes." She mumbled, leaned her head back, and fell right unconscious.

Shepard looked on in a bit of amazement, but tried to do the same.

No matter how hard he tried, he felt the seconds tick by. His heart beat in his chest, and every rumble and crump in the distance only echoed in his helmet. Closing his eyes finally, he was shaken by Dodgeson, "Sir get in position."

Shaking Jurain awake who herself leapt up and got behind them, he moved to assist Dodgeson with the thermic javelin.

Whistling began a second later, and mortars started to fall from the sky and impact the street. Normally protected in their full body powered armor, John and his squad had no fear of shrapnel piercing their armored visors at this distance, but for the Foreign Legion and Colonial Guard down below, the threat of shrapnel was real. Hence why he and his men were keeping a close eye on the Batarians as they advanced, to give the rest of them the perfect time to strike, under the assumption that they were fully pinned down.

He watched as the Batarians poked their heads out down the street, lifted grenade launchers, fired out, and continued to do so, blanketing the streets remarkably well with banks of billowing hot smoke. It would seem the Batarians would use their natural aggression and close range aptitude to close the distance as fast as possible to the Federal forces, and engage them in close quarters battle.

A smart move Shepard thought, they were relying on delaying the Batarians by using the open street. The federal forces began to lay down sporadic pining fire, using pre trained drills to fire into the smoke at likely entry points for the Batarians. A practice that had been pioneered in the twentieth century and made all the more effective with time.

One that was not unknown, the smoke and the covering fire were merely modifiers to an already cluttered battlescape. Hughes fired, and Shepard saw on his hud that the painted target was now dead, or as dead as possible.

That should be their commanding officer… No wait he was still moving. Damn, fired too soon, and if he knew what was good for him he wouldn't peak again.

"Sir, that armored car column is coming down!" As soon as McIntire announced it, his snooper lit up with the fast moving heat signatures in the billowing smoke, trying to rush as close as possible. Hodgeson fired, and was rewarded with an explosion that caused the smoke to swirl mysteriously in the depths, as now the man made canyon filled up with obscuring colors and fiery embers. It was hell down there.

"All units fire at will." Wrex announced, giving up the pretext of any additional ambushes. Right about now the Colonial guard would be praying thanks to their patron gods for the foresight of full body NBC gear, as their position and gunpit flooded with smoke, ash hot and cloying at everything.

"Shepard, come in!" Wrex commanded. Just as Hdogeson fired another eye searingly bright, blink and you'll miss it, beam that impacted another armored car sending it aflame as shrapnel whizzed by.

"Shepard here." John acknowledged, as Jurain flexed forward a purple ball of energy, which splashed dover Hodgeson and covered him in bright purple energy, giving him a barrier.

"Bad news, communique from landlines, We just lost air superiority… And further bad news, we lost it thirty minutess ago. Comms stations across the city are being attacked, we are reduced to landlines and close range radio communications." Wrex explained as he heard the tell tale thunkathunkathunka of the morita ape specials firing and reloading.

That was real bad news, and just as he processed it mentally Shepard looked up as the wind around him whipped into a frenzy, seeing a trio of Batarian gunships about to lend support, "Hodgeson!" He screamed and the man looked up and turned, going to one knee as he fired the massive DEW-lite and speared the leading Gunship as it banked over to get a clear line of sight on the boulevard, hitting the oversized engine pylon, it burst into flame as the fuel line ruptured and then exploded, causing a chain reaction which saw the vehicle gutted and whip around, tumbling to the ground directly below it on the Batarian held intersection.

The two wingmen tried to process just what hit their formation so suddenly and pivoted around, John's visor located one of the vehicle's optical arrays hung below the main cockpit, raising his weapon, he fired an opportunistic burst at one, shattering the camera there, before the other one caught sight of them, and started to fire its autocannon.

Hodgeson fired again after the plasma recycled, hitting it directly on the nose, killing the pilot and gunner and causing it to lose control and then spin out, crashing to the side of a building and showering whoever was down below with debris and a still relatively intact gunship. The third blinded one, taking stock of the situation turned tail, went low at the intersection held by the Batarians and ducked below the skyline, playing it safe and smart. Hodgesons was about to turn to fire back down into the boulevard when chips and flecks of concrete started to spit up as the Batarians fired at their position. They knew they were there now.

"Shepard those armored cars are getting awfully close." Wrex called out, the boom of his shotgun echoing out.

"Taking fire Wrex, we just downed two gunships." He switched channels, "Hughes try and do your best to take out those armored cars." Shepard turned his head upwards, looking for any further aerial assault, letting his helmets computer zoom in and tell him the info he needed. Batarians fighter craft were flying above the sky now, getting buffeted and destroyed by anti aircraft batteries and laser emplacements, but just as they fell more arrived to take their place. They were older variants but they certainly held an enormous amount of them in mothball. It was going to be hard enough without space supremacy, but if the enemy got air supremacy they wouldn't need to fight them for the land they could eventually just bomb them for it.

"Boss!" McIntire called, elongating the 'O', "We got a huge problem, Batarian Varush tanks, coming down the street, I count at least a company of ten."

"Sir!" Hughes reported, "Trying to get a shot on those armored cars but the counter fire is a bit heavy, and I need at least a few shots to breech their engine housing!"

Not good, not good at all, alongside the morita ape specials, the infantry carried one shot AT-28s, which can pierce their kinetic barriers and armor, but it took at least as long burst from a MAS, or one AT for the shields to go down, then a further follow up to put the bitch down permanently. The AT-28s were also one shot only to boot, meaning the more they used now on chaff the less they had for real tanks.

Fuck, right now their thermic javelin was the best anti vehicle weapon they had on hand, and it was too busy being shot at. They'd need to hold onto those Harpoons for the big bastard Varushes. "Shit shit shit shit shit!" He cursed under his breath

McIntire called again, "Sir another tank coming from south!"

"Just one?" Shepard returned, leaning over and picking off a Batarian who was trying to exit his burning IFV, as well as the rest of his crewmates using it as cover in the fire storm below.

"It's not Batarian sir!"

"Well whose is it?!" Shepard snapped a bit testily, not looking to play the game of "Guess the mobile killing machine".

McIntire smacked his lips audibly, "Well sir, I didn't do too well in history, but my computer says it matches the outline of a German Panther circa 1945 World War 2."

Shepard fell back and probably had an amazed dumbfounded look to him, "A german panther… what the… don't tell me they have one of those tank fighting teams on this planet!"

"Whatever it is sir it just fired a modified Citadellian mass driver into the leading Varush tank and just stopped up the whole column! Permission to lend some fire support!" McIntire sounded excited.

"Wrex did you hear that?" Sheaprd asked as he leaned over the parapet once more and fired at a Batarian squad bunched up behind a support pillar for one of the buildings, causing the rest of them to scatter and get gunned own as well.

"I caught a bit, McIntire, what's the damage?"

"Pierced the shields, follow up shot just pierced armor and disabled it. From my reading and information, this panther is about on par paper wise with a Varush. But it's one versus nine and a whole lot of accompanying motorized infantry following up."

Wrex grunted, "Do what damage you can McIntire, but keep breathing and don't let them on your location."

Shepard was still firing into the whirling maelstrom of smoke and fire below, Hodgeson finally got in a new good position, fired again, and was rewarded with another explosion, this time one very close to one of the gunpits. Another from Hughes as he finally pierced the armoured housing of an armored car, causing another armored car to stop dead, only for a Morita ape special to pierce it and detonate the volatile fuel.

Now Shepard could see the human derived tank, well at least its thermal outline, as it moved quickly, much too quickly for a period accurate version of the german panther, firing its coaxial MG and main gun into another armored car, shattering its shield and detonating the vehicle. Hit from all sides, the Batarians were beginning to panic, as the fast moving tank charged forward, uncaring of what or who it ran over, firing again, destroying another armored car, speeding past the ragged frontline, reaching past the first gun pit, and moved ever towards the black obelisk.

By now the smoke was beginning to dissipate, either down the storm drains into the underground, or between buildings, and out down the boulevard, after a further minute of fighting, the Batarians beginning to fall back, this time taking egregious losses, and another almighty kaboom, as McIntire announced he just destroyed the robotic mule carrying the Batarians mortar ammunition alongside several mortars.

The Batarians entered headlong flight now, seeking to protect their rear, to prevent an encirclement, and therefore a massacre. Mauled badly, their armored compliments destroyed, their aerial support dead or gone, their armored follow up halted, an armored vehicle blocking the road, and a fire team wreaking havoc on their organic artillery. All in all it looked pretty bad for them.

This would force them to actually think about how to break this particular nut.

End chapter

Author's notes:

L: Holy fuck were alive… we been busy and let me give you a run down of stuff coming after this chapter, Chapter 15, which used to be the end of chapter 13, the end of 2349 short little tales of that year, chapter 16 which used to be chapter 14, followed by 2350 the year in summer 90% done, and then chapter 17 or 2351 right now there both at 0% done and not sure if it be two diffrent chapter or one chapter.

Off in nowhere land I restarted 7th Fleet Lost to keep me sharp, you can find it on fanfiction as the rewrite, and I may start another side project in the next few weeks, I'm still mulling it over though since it no ware near my normal sci fi meets sci fi fare.

BloodRaven: Okay, six months and a day later, with about twenty of the pages done in 3 days in a car alone, lots of thinking, and a kinda rushed end here where I for the love of god just wanted this chapter done, here we are.

We wanted a more shanxi esque battle, where it would be multiple chapters following shepard, and it presented some challenges, can't use multiple viewpoints to convey information, so logical deduction is more necessary on shepards part, including false logic. Other than that I've worked hard to eliminate the usage of the word "and" as much as possible, so I hope that fits better, any confusion on early events to later events, I have tried to patched up as much as possible but having a gulf of months between getting to the parts means I forgot some stuff (oops) and apologize for that.

For those of your more aware than others, yes the Batarian tanks are the Varush tanks, a reference to an equally good story, Battlefield: Wars of the Systems Alliance.