//------------------------------// // Haestrom - Colossus // Story: Mass Effect: Element of Kindness // by CommanderApplejack //------------------------------// Chapter 128 Haestrom - Colossus I should stay here to give them medical attention. 54% “Half of them won’t make it if we leave them now, I’m staying here to close up their wounds and apply antibiotics,” Fluttershy said as she made her decision. “Garrus, I need your backup reserve of medi-gel.” Garrus immediately detached a canister from his armor and tossed it over the Fluttershy who caught it with her wing. Kal’Reegar did not really agree with Fluttershy’s assessment. “To hell with that! We can still fight!” “Stand down squad leader, we can handle these geth. It’s not our first rodeo,” Shepard told him though, pulling the quarian back down into cover as he tried to pop out and take a shot. “We have no need for you to take one for the team!” “Ahh, hell. We’ll do it your way,” Reegar grumbled. “Careful on your approach and keep your flanks safe, the bastards will protect that colossus with vigor.” “We’ll keep that in mind,” Shepard thanked, turning to his own team as Fluttershy went to work patching up the quarians. “Rainbow, you’re with Garrus on the right, Luna you’re with me. No sword this time unless the geth come too close, the colossus won’t hesitate to get you out of the way, clear?” “Crystal,” Luna said, pulling out her assault rifle. “Ready on your mark.” “Good, let’s kill us a colossus!” Shepard grinned, vaulting over the cover they were hiding behind. Luna chased the commander over the left side bridge, knocking out a set of them as they crossed the bridge across a gorge on the left side of the structure. Garrus and Rainbow meanwhile crossed over on the higher overhang on the right out of sight of the colossus. The individual geth armatures stood no chance against the two pairs on either side, though the Colossus did its very best to slow down Shepard and Luna from advancing. “Careful over there, you’ve got a prime incoming from your left,” Garrus warned from his elevated position as Shepard and Luna disappeared behind a large column that blocked their sight. “Copy that. Luna that thing’s yours,” Shepard said, poking out and firing a long burst of fire at the Colossus to take down its shield.  Luna meanwhile sat in cover in the rear, listening carefully to the approaching metal footsteps. A smirk found itself onto Luna’s face as she lit up her sword and swung it right at the moment the large geth came around the corner. Sparks came off the machine’s shield as the sword glanced off, the geth immediately responded by trying to shoot Luna point-blank only for her to roll out of the way of the fire. Swinging again, Luna drove her sword into the rifle of the geth and wrenched it from his hands. The Prime didn’t take this laying down though, kicking Luna away before she was able to press her attack further sending her flying into a wall. BANG! The Geth’s armor exploded outward, sending it stumbling as well. “You okay, Luna?” Fluttershy asked from behind her anti-materiel rifle up at her position with the quarians. The Princess didn’t immediately answer as she first closed the distance and used the now weak point in the armor to pierce it and wreck its internals. “Never been better!” Luna laughed now the big threat was gone. “It’s been a long time since I felt this alive!” “That’s good but heads down everyone!” Shepard called out as he had his heavy weapon in his hands the end glowing brightly as a shining orb flew over to the colossus and detonated in an intensely bright flash. After the dust and smoke cleared all that was left of the massive geth platform was pieces of scrap and the main armature with a massive hole in it. “Hot damn, can’t we use that weapon more often?” Dash said astonished as the remaining geth, now without their heavy support, fell relatively quickly. “Ammo’s exceeding rare, I can also take one shot of this thing with me per mission at maximum,” Shepard said as he walked up to the closed blast door behind which Tali was located. “Heh, I guess that makes sense,” Rainbow chuckled as she and Garrus joined up with the commander at the door. “Give me a second, I locked the door to keep more geth out… There, that should do it.” The blast door slid open to reveal Tali standing a bit deeper typing on a console. “Give me a second to finish this download.”  Rainbow’s eyes fell on the fabrics that made up the quarian’s suit, the swirling white patterns on purple cloth reminding her of cloud patterns. “Are you okay, Tali?” Shepard asked as Luna checked all the geth in the room and stabbed them again for good measure. “Only because of you, I don’t think I’d have ever left this room otherwise,” she said thankfully as she turned around, freezing a the sight of Rainbow and Luna. “Hi.” Rainbow waved with a sheepish smile. “Well, this is a new development. Did Fluttershy finally find her home?” Tali asked as she got out of her stupor. “Not really, they used the same relay I used to get here,” Fluttershy said as she supported the three injured quarians and Kal’Reegar to get into the room. “Reegar! You made it!” Tali exclaimed at the sight of the quarian marine. “Heh, can’t get me down that easily. Your old captain’s as good as you said. Damn Colossus never stood a chance,” he told them. “We can give you guys a lift with the Normandy if you need it?” Shepard offered. “Geth didn’t damage our ship, as long as we get out of here before reinforcements we’ll be fine,” Reegar respectfully declined. “I’m going with Shepard, Reegar. This mission was a mess and if the admiralty board has issues with that then they can go to hell,” Tali growled. “I’ll pass it along to them,” Reegar chuckled. “Keelah se’lai Tali’Zorah.” With that the two groups split up from each other, the quarians headed for their own ship while Tali and Shepard’s group got picked up with the Normandy’s shuttle. Fluttershy took a seat on Garrus’ lap to save some space in the crew bay of the shuttle. “So, the two of you are still together then?” Tali asked, a suggestive undertone in her voice. “We’ve been around, yes,” Fluttershy responded, with a smile as she pulled her hood down. Tali gasping as she saw the scarring covering Shy’s face. “Where did you take her Garrus?” Tali growled, shooting a piercing glare at the turian. “We may have spent about a year on Omega,” Garrus sheepishly said. “Don’t blame him, I was the one who agreed to it in the end,” Fluttershy defended her boyfriend. Tali kept her glowing eyes locked on Garrus’ for a moment longer before her body visibly relaxed. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” Tali then turned and nudged Rainbow on the shoulder. “So this is one of the friends you told me about back on the original Normandy?” “The one and only,” Fluttershy smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. “Fastest flier in Equestria!” Tali chuckled, Rainbow blushing faintly as Fluttershy stole her line. “So you've told. Nice to meet you, miss Dash.” “Just call me Rainbow,” the blue pegasus said, Tali nodding and looking over to Luna. “I don't think Fluttershy ever told me about you. What's your name?” “Luna Morningstar. Princess of the night, diarch of Equestria, title title, bla bla bla,” Luna said, smirking. “Just keep it at Luna.” “Alright, sounds good Luna,” Tali snickered as the shuttle came to a halt in the Normandy's hangar, Shepard emerging from the cockpit. “If you'd follow me, Tali, I'll get you a short briefing after which you can check out engineering,” the Commander told the quarian who followed him out into the ship. “Well, I’m going to check up on the Thanix. See you girls around,” Garrus said, leaving for the cannon soon to be followed by the others. Fluttershy had some more adjustments to make to the dampeners in her new rifle while Luna had to take care of some business arrangements. That left Rainbow who didn’t necessarily had anything to do herself. Well, I could go find Tali after she’s done with the Commander to maybe get some advice on my… issue. Though Luna could definitely use some more pointers on that assault rifle as well… I could also go to that justicar, Samara, to see if she can help me out with biotics...  1. Go to Tali for advice. 2. Find Luna after she’s done with her tasks. 3. Head to Samara for tips on biotics. [Vote link]