Darcy's Starry Sky

by Theodore Daniels

  When the last "bastion" rested a handful of melted metal, the field went out and go for a few seconds left unmanned Atlas with a heavy machine gun and a rocket launcher. "Heavy music" tried to get ready to shoot, but this time acted too slowly - perhaps at the time of the passage of the line shield of the robot systems have been briefly moved to "sleeping" state and their subsequent withdrawal in the battle mode has demanded additional several tens of seconds, that for cyber become fatal. Destroying heavy music, the band put out of action grenades field generators and broke through to the next elevator.

  Group trip on a cargo platform was interrupted after only two minutes. Extinguished light with all certainty have - tserberovtsy tried to de-energize the sector, not wanting to facilitate the promotion of the group Shepard and Aria on its rear.

  - Guess. - Alenko said. - Guess what we clearly an ulterior motive walk them in the rear. Late in the day we woke up.

  - May be. - Shepard, illuminating a path tactical lantern, fortified on the rifle, moved to the technical ladder. - Next to the emergency exit from the mine. We are going to the transition area. - Having said that, the captain of one of the first to climb the narrow stairs to the vertical.

  - First climb, then descend. - Jenkins muttered, trying to keep up with the captain. - Tortuous path is obtained. Too tortuous.

  - But relatively safe. - Alenko said, without turning around. - We were waiting in front of a powerful barrier, which, if I understand correctly, one order: to destroy our group.

  Having overcome two more staircases, the group went to the place where previously was located militia outpost.

  - "Cerberus" noticed our appearance. - Alenko reported listening to radio communications. - Soon there will be visitors here.

  - Prepare for battle. - Shepard, looked around, saw that all normandovtsy and Aria had already taken place at the shelters. - And here is the first wishing to measure contact forces. - Appeared on the catwalk the stormtroopers with up to a dozen and two centurions. - Obviously with shuttles. - Said the captain, opening aimed fire.

  - Phantoms captain. - Alenko reported.

  - Keep a distance. - Shepard saw flexible figure of the former women dugouts, trying to hide behind the fence and restore bridges on normandovtsev your sniper rifle. - To beat them in the first place.

  When all three phantoms with broken dolls sverzilis with bridges down, we stepped into the doorway, two more stormtroopers with centurion. These fifteen seconds - Shepard said it automatically, firing stormtroopers - joined by two avenger. Without giving a flexible approach Bestia - Alenko helped his sniper slow down their combat order slip to the group - Shepard has made control shots in their head and suffered a fire at Centurion.

  - It seems exhausted, Captain. - Alenko cautiously poked his head out from behind cover, looking around the bridges and openings. - On the radar screen - clean. I do not think tserberovtsy mastered the technology suddenly cap of darkness.

  - We will see. - The captain looked at Aria to get up. - Moving.

  Azari has confirmed the correctness of the order curt nod and walked forward, which has left two policemen and Alenko paratroopers. Jenkins is the sign of the lieutenant asked Aria slow down and return to the center of the battle formations of the group. Azari obeyed.

  As soon as the group stepped onto the bridge, from different sides of the centurions fell and stormtroopers. Although Lieutenant soothing report normandovtsy were ready to repel sudden attacks, so after a few minutes alive and more or less combat-ready were only heavily armed centurions, of which accumulated on the upper bridges no more than five. Lined up in snap fire box-polucherepahu, normandovtsy went to the middle of the bridges, destroying three of the centurions and seriously injuring the other two. When Alenko stepped onto the platform, the two centurions were already dead.

  - The door is jammed. - I reported to the lieutenant. - You can blow up.

  - Blast. - Shepard looked through the scope shturmvintovki upper walkways. - We otoydёm. - Captain noticed that Aria normandovtsy and almost simultaneously reloaded the rifle.

  - There again attack aircraft and two "Atlas". - Alenko pointed forward to the next "ligature" bridges. - They lost their minds, bringing here unmanned heavy music. The same walkways, platforms instead. Flimsy - to horror.

  - The best thing for them - to fall down. - Aria said.

  - We will try to provide them with the flight. Will explode ... colorful. - Said Jenkins.

  Corporal word and deed are not dispersed. Both heavy robot disoriented after a few volleys of impact and collapsed down, knocking on the way downstream bridges. Stormtroopers, losing fire cover, tried to move away, but the group was already in the middle of the path and the paratroopers, policemen repeatedly beat more and more new haskotserberovtsev. Some of them were hanging on the railing, some fell on the catwalk and is no longer rising, several stormtroopers fallen down.

  - Front door is open. - Alenko reported. - I never thought that cross the center of the station. But I had to. - Lieutenant was at the aperture, reloading once again checking the weapons and sniper rifle. - I heard something vzhiknulo the trunk, but apparently not hurt very much. - He said when approached Shepard.

  - Ahead - the next, yet the existing outpost. - Aria said, consulting the instrumentronom.

  - Moving. - Shepard said, examining supply in Asari on his instrumentron card. - They will be able to clarify the situation in this part of the station in more detail.

  Once within the outpost, Shepard alert after listening to several conversations - it turned out that with the aide in this part of the station omegovtsy already faced.

  - I do not believe in what aides had gone or were completely destroyed. - Said Alenka, realizing apprehension and discontent commander. - I do not believe that's all. The next dirty trick somewhere cooking. If the case - Peter, you should wait for the big and serious dishonesty.

  - Outpost - under attack! - I heard a cry for broadcast sentinel. - Tserberovtsy climb! Centurions, attack and "Ramparts"!

  For a few seconds - and the main room outpost cleared. Hiding behind the container, Shepard had noticed that the watchman was right - tserberovtsy outpost tried to arrange the environment, but does not take into account that within it are managed to pass the flimsy bridges normandovtsy. Attack three-headed dog of servants once again failed. Alenko and his men carried out the control bodies of the attackers then gathered ammunition, return to a regular room. Aria ordered to replace patrol and announced a personal thanks to militias who first noticed approached the outpost tserberovtsev.

  At this outpost both former prisoner "Cerberus" were left. Half-hour rest went normandovtsam benefit - they could eat rations, and even a few minutes to take a nap.

  - Shepard. - To the captain who was sitting near the wall came Aria. - You continue to insist?

  - Yes, Aria. You need Petrovsky as a dead victim or as a captive. There is no third. While I do not understand what Peter is securely destroyed or taken prisoner - I can not let you out from under the protection of the group. We have plenty of time to move around the Nizam station Petrovsky, quite possibly, know about our promotions abound, and somewhere ahead prepared an ambush to try to either capture you, Aria, or - destroyed. Both me categorically not satisfied. So long as you're under our protection. - Shepard looked at the inhabitants of the outpost. - The militia are strong, they are brave and skillful, but for your protection of their forces is not enough. And getting your prisoner ... - this is absolutely not what we need right now inhabitants of "Omega".

  - Do you think that the siege - a temporary phenomenon? - Aria sank to the floor slab beside the captain, put on his knees rifle.

  - Yes. As we expected, the Reapers do not always enjoy repeaters. But they use them, which is not surprising. A few star systems have worked "fragments" Leviathan, killing up to two dozen "shrimp", a few - have worked space defense system, disrupting attempts polutorakilometrovy Reaper husks to make a landing on the inhabited planets. "Cerberus" is not everywhere can
put enough ships and bring enough troops, though, considering haskizatsii, its capabilities in this area have increased dramatically.

  - Implies the need to capture the Reapers and their henchmen some habitable planets?

  - Reapers are intelligent enough to understand - without internal support, they can not stand a long time, and many do not reach. So the capture of several inhabited worlds in order to ensure the continuation of haskizatsii process - a matter of time. Perhaps - several hours.

  - And "Omega" ...

  - Yes, Aria. One of these worlds - the station. Collected here is not the last in their capabilities, abilities and level of reasonable organic and Reapers that seek to take full advantage. I do not think they will be able to achieve great success at once without the support of "Cerberus". For us it is essential to destroy all tserberovtsev who managed to break into the station. And destroy their future.

  - Let's kill Shepard. We will. - Aria instrumentron included, read the latest reports. - We are trying to hold back. There near the gate. "Cerberus" has managed to pull back, "atlas", not to mention the attack aircraft with centurions and robots. If they hit here ... the problem is. - Asari stood.

  - All - lifting. - Shepard stood behind him. - Check the guns. Two minutes - we stand.

  The outpost was left far behind. A few hundred meters go through the corridors and carved in the rock holes. At the gate really hosted a fight with tserberovtsami. Here, fortunately, there were plenty of shelters and Kaidan found ancient turret, went up to her and help her quickly killed up to a dozen tserberovtsev, was set out to go to the rear normandovtsam.

  - Returns unnecessary Shepard. We must move forward. Level with my club ... captured by the troops of Petrovsky. There are continuous fights, but tserberovtsam managed to concentrate in the vicinity of many combat-ready units. I do not understand. Are they in fact decided to neutralize me?

  - As has always been there and will, Aria. - Said the captain. - Knock especially the leaders, organizers, instigators. Few people can resist after such cleaning and keep the desire to fight.

  - Suggests a trap? - Aria looked at the captain, recruited instrumentrone short text.

  - I'm sure. Peter wants skaknut even higher in the hierarchy of the Reapers, "Cerberus", its scope for it, even if it has become a general, already narrow. He did not Husky, but wants to climb higher. If it does not you will face an open confrontation, then move forward and up, he can not. Maybe the Reapers and not original, but they need a strong assistant. A force will have to prove and confirm the decision of the really complex tasks.

  - I'm not his damsya. - Angrily said asari.

  - Aria ... Peter is not one of them - the Reapers and meanness he had prepared, confident, first-class. He is well aware that a simple form you catch the impossible. - Shepard continued to type commands on instrumentrone.

  - Suggests that the club he took an ulterior motive? - Aria literally hissed this phrase.

  - It is not without reason. - Confirmed the captain, not looking up from a set of commands. - It's good that the station control center - in a different place, and before him Peter hardly will reach. Forces from him enough to take the whole station. But he tries to decapitate the Resistance.

  - Suggests that Nayrin why did not want to follow along with us?

  - Perhaps, it may very well be. - Said the captain.

  - In recent years, Shepard, you often say this phrase.

  - The situation of choice, Aria. - Said the officer. - Do not underestimate the enemy and overestimated themselves. The balance is unstable.

  Approached batarian-militia undertone Arias reported that the source with which Cerberus feeds the bulk of the new protective fields found. It proved to be one of the main reactor, "Omega", located deep in the mine belt. The way there, of course, already blocked "Cerberus" the same new fields, but there is a chain of so-called de-energized sectors, in the first place - through plant processes ore coming from one of the main, continue to work until the beginning of the siege mines.

  - If you do not disable or reconfigure the reactor tserberovtsy their new fields will try to shut down the entire plant. Then it will be difficult to resist. - Aria said softly, studying the map on your instrumentrone. - We can not beat tserberovtsev from the station, if you do not deprive them of the technical advantages. We'll have to go down again. Long time I have not been in the local mines. All the more in a civilized and semi-civilized levels went. And it was necessary to mine and visit. So now we have to see these mines. - Asari reloaded the rifle. - Captain ...

  - Finish the rest. - I ordered Shepard. - Moving. The task - to your instrumentronah colleagues. I will not sound.

  Making sure that all normandovtsy acquainted with the contents of the file forwarded, the captain nodded toward the stairs. A few minutes later the group already came down the corridors, passages, bridges and narrow winding passages.

  When he reached fifty minutes to a level where it was located processing plant element zero, the group stopped for a short while.

  - It's dark there. - I reported Alenko returned from another razvedvyhoda. - Lighting cut down, we heard a few whispers adjutant, saw - Lieutenant opened his instrumentron, turned on the small screen - several bodies of soldiers "Cerberus" torn to pieces. I do not know, but I suspect that it is done out-of-control tserberovtsev adjutant. Sooner or later this was going to happen and that's happened. If it goes up - tserberovtsy lose their strong support.

  - I suppose that it is necessary to look for the control panel. They are few, since a large plant, but we will approach any serviceable. - Aria slammed his instrumentron. - In several places, the fields are already set, but I have a way to overcome them. At least once, I want to try this technique, try to apply it.

  - Aria. - In the voice of Captain proskvozilo Faithful are the wounds.

  - Shepard, the leader himself must be strong. - Said the matriarch. - You can not sit for months on "Omega", your help and your presence would be reasonable to wait for organics in dozens of star systems and hundreds of planets where it is necessary, beyond any doubt, now the break with fights. I have to be very strong and rely primarily on their capabilities. In peacetime, it was not necessary to apply such techniques. Now once again came the war and the need to use them. We need every advantage over the enemy.

  - Then - it is necessary to go. - Shepard said.

  A few minutes later the band began to climb the stairs to the bridge, where you could walk to the elevator.

  - Technical platform. - Alenko reported. - Serviceability. Well, that does not stall - many would not fit, and make two trips ... - lieutenant did not look back and finish the phrase - and so it understood correctly.

  - To the elevator does not go, it is dangerous. - Shepard said, consulting the plan. - We go to these pipes and climb on them. They are big, are hollow and lead to the same level as the elevator. At the cabin we can expect a hot encounter, and we zaydёm from the flank and get an advantage.

  Aria, looking at the map on instrumentrone, just nodded.

  Almost twenty minutes it took to climbing and jumping from the pipe to the pipe. Aria, orient, shows the way. Alenko reported that haunting whisper a few adjutant begins to subside, but Shepard ordered not to relax, recalling that this creature is able to deal with a platoon of armed soldiers.

  - Ahead - complexity. - Lieutenant said softly, walking up to the captain and opening instrumentron. - It's - what we already noted. Control Room. If we activate the lighting - it is necessary to wait for an attack haskotvarey "Averno". And if more and activate the elevator, the adjutant of attack can not be avoided in any case. I support the idea to take the risk and deal with these adjutant until we fulfill all the tasks here and Let's go to the "afterlife".

  - Keep. - Shepard map overloaded Lt. Statement on instrumentron, convinced that all normandovtsy Aria and got its instrumentrony its copy. - Preparing for up to five minutes, then - begin to attack.

  In the control room Alenko and Jenkins quickly activated the panel
s, including lighting and elevators. Siganuvshego down from vysokoraspolozhennogo window adjutant noticed, not all members of the landing party, but reacted to pure reflexes commendably quickly - getting a few dozen charges in a bag on his head, adjutant howled bad voice, tried to jump to the entry portal to the control room, but was there a corporal with two paratroopers cops-almost point-blank shot back wrap bag and mutant creature sank to the floor, spilling into parts.

  - That's the first we have destroyed in the melee with Husk "Averno". - Said Alenka, avoiding the remains of the creature. - At least a few of us waiting to come. This is - a kind of intelligence. Anyway, I understand his appearance so.

  - Strong ... thing. - Aria spat angrily. - I will destroy this Petrovsky. He - not a man, when trying to protect the Huskies. Even more so - so.

  - The nobility he never really has not been noticed. - Shepard said. - We need to move freight elevator, it is no wonder we have come here, and everything that can be turned on from the useful - included. Moving.

  On the way to the freight elevator on normandovtsev and Aria I tried to attack one more adjutant. The creature was shot from several sides - this time even a moment's stupor, none of the members of the landing party was not observed.

  - Whisper not subside, Captain. - Alenko reported. - I assume that the elevator control panel We are waiting for a few aides.

  - Stand by. - Shepard commanded, going to the playground. - Fire! - Captain's eye noted the creature jump from the top of the transition area and drove the five-shot of all the head dive bag on him mutant. He howled, committed incredible somersault in the air, clutched his paw for some pipe, pulled himself up, and a few seconds later he tried again to jump down, but was stopped by several sights bursts in the head bag and the rest of the way to the ground before the elevator did already dead. The remaining two adjutant dobila sighting biotics Aria supported by Jenkins and Alenko. The lieutenant, by the way, again skilfully took advantage sniper.