//------------------------------// // ...of the... // Story: Mass Effect: Element of Kindness // by CommanderApplejack //------------------------------// Chapter 118 ...of the... The shuttle rocked as it descended through the planet’s atmosphere. Dash leaning into her seat as she mentally got ready for the upcoming operation. Across from her Grunt and Jack sat relaxed in their seats, while Liara was glancing out of the front window of the shuttle. Rainbow was reminded of the few words of comfort Fluttershy had given her before setting off that she’d do fine as Shepard walked out of the cockpit and joined them. “Sixty seconds, get ready to move out. The shuttle will return to the Normandy the moment we’re out, it wasn’t designed with this kind of punishing weather in mind.” Shepard picked his assault rifle from the weapon’s rack and walked up to the door waiting for it to open at the Shadowbroker’s vessel. “Rainbow I want you to assess our surroundings the moment we’re out, clear?” “Crystal,” Rainbow replied as the doors opened and the ship came into view, lines of lightning rods covered its exterior and other types of capacitors and plates to make it resistant to the constant strikes it was receiving. The five jumped down onto the catwalk and immediately crouched down low, waiting for Dash to give the all clear. “What’s the word, Rainbow?” Shepard shouted over the roaring wind as the pegasus took a couple more seconds looking up at the system of lightning rods. “We’re good! The lightning rods should keep the walkways clear!” Rainbow shouted back in reply. “Perfect! Liara, got anything?” Shepard asked the asari who was fiddling with her omni-tool “Radio signals coming from the back of the vessel, that’s what might be our best bet!” Liara said, pointing at the massive heat shield that was making sure the blazing sun on the hot side of the planet didn’t mess with the equipment on the ship. “Copy that! Let’s get a move on, the sooner we’re under the better!” Grunt took point along with Rainbow as the strike team swiftly moved over the walkways, a couple of maintenance droids coming out which Liara theorized was because the ship’s systems saw them as debris. “Careful near those lightning rods, the storage right after the strike is extremely dangerous! I can feel it in my feathers!” Rainbow warned as she felt the static charge wash over her feathers as one of the lightning rods was hit. A bit further up, after passing the set of the lightning rods, a hatch opened up to reveal a set of the Shadowbroker’s mercs. Within the blink of an eye, Grunt was among them and had planted his shotgun in one of their faces. A loud blast and a couple of crunches later the mercs were gone. “Hehe, they’re just as squishy as everything else,” Grunt chuckled, tossing one of the corpses off the edge of the ship. “Focus grunt, they know we’re here now,” Shepard said as the group sped up their speed, finding stiffer and stiffer resistance until they reached a large door above the radio signal Liara had detected. “It’s locked, though I have a bypass shunt program that should get us through!” Liara said as she started the program at the door. “How long will it take to get through?” Shepard asked as he took a defensive position in front of the door. “I don’t know, Shepard. I don’t exactly break into the Shadow broker’s base every day… well, not this one at least!” Liara said as the first of the Broker’s mercs attacked their position in an attempt to stop the squad from opening the door and getting into the vessel. “Hold them off until that door opens!” Shepard growled, opening up with his assault rifle at the attacking forces. Multiple waves of enemies crashed into their position, biotics lobbing attacks, and techs sending drones into harass the group of five. “Remember the days where we could just slap omni-gel on locks and be done with it?” “A lot of people were really unhappy with that upgrade!” Liara laughed as she flung a singularity at a group of mercs, nicking one of the lighting towers and bending it slightly. A second wave of scattered mercs hit the group, this time using rocket drones as well. Rainbow mainly stuck behind cover, using her shotgun and SMG interchangeably as she engaged targets at close range and a bit further away to prevent flanks. Her feather tingled constantly at every lightning strike but something felt off about each strike. “Commander, there’s something up with the weather!” Rainbow called out eventually as she felt electricity arc between her feathers, only being kept in check by her magic as she grounded it into the ship itself. “Are we in danger in this position?” Shepard immediately asked as the fighting momentarily lulled. “I’m not sure it’s just-” That moment Rainbow felt the charge in the air spike, her wings tingling as she looked up into the swirling clouds above. Without a moment of hesitation, spurred on by instinct built up in her weather control work, she jumped into the air, spreading her wings and launching herself up. A lightning bolt slammed into the little pegasus’ form as she intercepted the bolt that would have crashed down in the middle of the group, her inherent magic allowing her to direct it away further towards the front of the ship. The four towers that were protecting the area around the door slid away, allowing the weather to start striking the ship. “I hope that door is going to open soon!” Dash shouted, her breath ragged and her feathers slightly singed. “I don’t think I can do that again and get away with it!” “Almost there!” Liara shouted as a final push of mercs tried overrunning them, only for lightning to destroy their cohesion as the aft no longer enjoyed the protection of the rods. Rainbow remained vigilant, more focussed on the air above them to make sure they wouldn’t be hit. If I have to catch another one… well, so be it. Better that they get inside and make sure Shy won’t ever have to deal with the broker again. “It’s open!” Liara exclaimed as the large door opened up into a passageway. Liara, Shepard, Jack, and Grunt steadily advancing into the ship while making sure that they wouldn’t be followed, Rainbow bringing up the rear as she didn’t want to take any chances of a lightning strike… Which happened right before she could get into the safety of the ship itself. After a flash of light and followed by an ear-deafening boom Rainbow felt herself fall to the ground with twitching muscles. Her magic completely depleted as it was wholly used up in trying to re-direct the shock. Dash’s ears bled as she faintly heard someone say something and being grabbed and pulled into the ship before seeing the door close and feeling something enter her blood that returned her hearing and removed some disorientation. “Rainbow, can you hear me?” Shepard was leaning over her as Dash fluttered her eyes. “I’m good,” Rainbow groaned, her entire body feeling dull as she could see on her omni-tool that medi-gel was coursing through her body. “We should get moving before more of those bastards show up.” “You’re right about that. Stay at the back, Grunt can handle point on his own for now..”