Darcy's Starry Sky

by Theodore Daniels

  - Their task - to not let strangers into position. And yet we are still only on the way. - The captain took the binoculars, translated it into a passive mode, peered. - We will not hurry - our ships out of reach, and to shoot at their ... haskolyudy will not.

  Half an hour later the group has taken a position among the rocks, was very convenient for observation.

  - Ready. - Shepard said. - Apparently, we found out that we are approaching. - Captain saw combat engineers "Cerberus" unpack containers with turrets. - Before we go. It is necessary to allow these engineers to install a turret, and then - to crack it. While she will shoot for her - break through the position.

  - Too much flare purposes, the captain. - Nihlus sent the captain instrumentron The specified card. - Comb?

  - Have to. We do not want interference in the attack on the cruiser "Cerberus". - Captain to monitor finished, packed with binoculars. - Stand by.

  The first three tserberovtsa - simple infantrymen saw running toward strangers, at first taken aback, then reached for the weapon, but too late - the sniper rifle brought down on their site already lifeless plate. At the sound of muffled shots they responded two centurions - had tried to get out of their attacking bursts shturmvintovok. Yavik as it might seem, without taking aim, fired short bursts and centurions fell like ninepins. Tserberovtsy awake. From different sides sounded shots. Sheltered, teammate Captain fired back. Shepard activated instrumentron, looked at the map and gestured in the direction of the central fire control panel.

  Combat engineers began to move faster, but keep up with professional snipers still could not. Soon, in the district there is not one rantsenositelya - those who still retained viability, tried to stay in shelters. But the simple foot soldiers and centurions with stormtroopers climbed on Shepard's position with relentless obstinacy.

  - They are the Husky Husky. - Prostrekotal Yavik. - Carry out a program and do not worry about the rest. - It would seem, would like to add that seen enough of these hundreds of years of resistance Reapers, but restrained himself. - Well, these warriors turian not yet penetrated.

  - Can not drive a wedge. - Shepard killed another centurion and reloaded the rifle. - If you will do the smart thing. It is necessary to move to the fire control post.

  - Right into the jaws of the beast. - Nihlus said.

  - Maybe. - Said the captain. - Forward.

  Nihlus was right - feeling, perhaps, and having considered, where strangers are directed, tserberovtsy formed around the post several rings of defense, on the breakout of which the group took more than an hour. By collecting ammo from the bodies of the fallen tserberovtsev Shepard and Yavik destroyed enemies short bursts of shturmvintovok and turians snipers proteanina insured person and from afar, taking positions on high points among the walls and passages gun positions.

  - I expect meanness. - Shepard muttered when the front collapsed last defended the control room fire control post, tserberovets. - It can not be all that easy.

  - Not easy. - Yavik, who has studied the remote pointed at one of the screens drawdown sinewave power. - They cut off the remote control power. Now I must run to turn the shield breakers. - Proteanin moved away from the console. - I think ...

  - Nay, Sar, stays here. - Shepard said, it is absolutely not a commanding tone, knowing that the rest turians think out themselves and think out properly. And so it happened - Saren remained at the helm, and Nihlus cat climbed the almost vertical wall higher and disappeared in the wreckage, taking the position of covert surveillance. Waving his hand, Shepard pointed out the direction, the read the map screen and a minute instrumentrona Console left behind.

  The position was based purely kroganskim scale. Man wall thickness and roughness of the processing of stone blocks unpleasantly impressed, but it was necessary to remember that this was the most that neither is a dangerous planet's surface, several times going through a nuclear carpet bombing. On the number of wars, which are usually used weapon was terrible even to think - krogan voobshe loved to fight, and only when they began to fight among themselves - the number of conflicts soon exceeded the boldest and most pessimistic expectations.

  Now had to find two old switchboard, which, of course, have been marked on the maps available to the Shepard.

  The first encounter with tserberovtsami occurred within a few minutes - five marines and two centurion had tried to block the way, but Yavik in seconds validate their helmets with heads, eliminating the need to carry out the "control" - it is very difficult to carry out such a "control" in the absence of not only helmets and head. Explosive charges shturmvintovki proteanina - he is likely to considerably pokorpel on its modernization - tserberovtsam did not leave any chance to survive. Is that the Reapers will take the brains of his servants in the body, in which, as he knew any rookie videoconferencing, there is always lighter than the head.

  Passing corpses zagradotryadovtsev Shepard and Yavik up the vertical stairs. There had to endure a short battle with a dozen tserberovtsev - three-headed dog servants really do not want to miss normandovtsev to the panel. The captain and warrior Elder Race have finished with the second detachments ten minutes. Mostly I tserberovtsev punch Yavik - Shepard longer looked after the rears and flanks, and proteanin great pleasure to take part in actual combat. Spectrum does not know whether it is possible to call the state Yavika familiar term "remember the youth", but acted proteanin skillfully and extremely professionally.

  The third, consisting of only a dozen tserberovtsev infantry detachments, and earthling proteanin destroyed four minutes a fierce firefight. By collecting ammunition with headless corpses, Shepard routinely suggested that the Turian under the command of Lieutenant, most likely will not have to come to help in the battle with normandovtsam tserberovtsami - too precisely worked turians spectrum and their companions. From the control room could not hear the shots - so tserberovtsy more on something hoped for, because without power tools will not be able to receive target designation. Yes, a huge installation is powered from other schemes and other generators, but no target designation that would be shooting for nothing, and each charge of such a facility cost oh how much.

  Captain, going down behind proteaninom on another vertical ladder and already paving in mind the route to the second circuit breaker - the first they have incorporated very quickly, smashing shots hinges and locks the communication box cover, I thought that these ten tserberovtsev third detachments could be a gesture of despair by the command amphibious forces "Cerberus" - if Shepard and Yavik cope with much larger forces, the commanders had hoped, exposing the third barrier ... could only guess.

  Crossing the wide area position - usually are dumped containers with charges for guns - proteanin noticed jumped out to an open space engineer, tried to install the turret. Set something he found it - it is impossible to deny the enemy of preparedness and professionalism, but to activate - have not had time. So lay down beside the broken fragments on the turret. Proteanin stabbed charges tserberohaska first in the head, and then the exact trёhzaryadnoy queue spread and turret. However, Svetlana said - Shepard thought - "And not to get you to anybody!".

  Going almost ran to the vertical ladder, just a hundred meters from where it was before the second distribution Shield power, Shepard inescapable thought fondly about Svetlana. How still good that it is in kroganskom camp, guarded by professional paratroopers his cruiser and protected-krogan warriors, quickly learned that the pregnant woman dugout nevertheless remains a professional soldier and a fighter, and even the commander of the cruiser vpechatlyavschih any krogan sizes. Shepard was hard to think right now about Svetlana, as an officer - for him it was first and foremost a woman, the mother of his children and his only wife. Wife is not under contract, not on a stamp in ah di map, and by mutual agreement.

  The ladder was left behind. Tserberovtsy, realizing his mistake, threw intercept proteaninu man and three dozen zagradotryadovtsev, including ten centurions. "Accustomed to fight the number." - The captain thought, destroying heavily armored haskotse
rbov. - "Maybe they have and there is no other choice.".

  No more detachments tserberovtsy not exposed. Customarily breaking cover Shield power distribution, the captain turned the switch to "on". From the control room came a rumble earned servos.

  - Go back. - Shepard recorded a switch in switching position - at least temporarily it will not allow tserberovtsam again deprive food panels. - Now the main dust- will have a console.

  - Snipers there will be little space. - Noted Yavik. - We ought to run.

  - So we ran. - Just Shepard said.

  And they are really the way to the control room have been run. Of course, not running at breakneck speed, and prudently and steadily, however - did not go, and fled. And ran on time - both of Turian, putting aside the sniper rifle, shoot from the pursuing vengeance tserberovtsev. The appearance of Shepard and Yavika was greeted share spectrum with ease, especially as the man and proteanin, taking shelter immediately involved in a gunfight with advancing in the control room tserberohaskami.

  - Yavik, let's get to the console, the fight is delayed. - Shepard looked at proteanina. - It is necessary to destroy the cruiser or make them at least unable to fly or fight.

  - Or both, and more. - Prostrekotal Yavik intercepting rifle comfortably. - Okay. - He leaned for a moment, assessed the situation. - They regroup until I have time to run the sequence.

  - Proceed. - Shepard reloaded his rifle, looked at his watch - they fought a half hours, and tserberovtsev power and did not think to melt.

  Proteanin darted to the console and immediately tserberovtsy intensified onslaught - they seem or feel, or just know that arrived at the position of the enemy without fail take advantage of a console, which captured with such persistence and with such constancy defending.

  After a few minutes the huge trunks of three guns groped goal away in orbit Tuchanka. Three cruisers "Cerberus" turned into a game. Without giving the captain tserbohaskov extra time to react, Yavik checking data of sight, immediately gave the order to open fire. Hearing ryavkanie guns advancing on Shepard and Turian tserberovtsy for the first time even ceased fire - so it was an unexpected revival of heavy guns FFP. Minute, it took to reload the automation was used on advancing tserberovtsami desperate attempt to assault, bumping into extremely precise and fast return fire. The assault has choked - tserbohaskam was difficult to compete with professionalism reasonable organics. Yavik punched in the side of the three cruisers and the third volley, then grunted in satisfaction, turned off the panels, finally looking at the inscriptions on three screens "target amazed and inefficient by 90 percent." Jokers-technology have changed the system message, following the tastes of the krogan - a straightforward and effective.

  Increased fire from defenders of panel showed tserberovtsam that now they have nowhere to return to. Even without the messages from the ships was obvious detachment - heavy guns PKO Tuchanka caused incompatible with the normal functioning of the damaged warships servants three-headed dog.

  - They allowed the Avengers, Captain. - I reported Saren, changing shturmvintovku on the sniper rifle. Nihlus did the same, realizing that now Shepard and Yavik will shoot simple tserbohaskov and them two Turian, care should be taken that none of these polunindzya not penetrated the perimeter of panel.

  Seeing the sights in one of the avenger, Shepard thought of Liara. It is such a creature, only the male almost did not send a young asari for Edge, where a reasonable return can not be organic unchanged. The captain knew that a lot of the Reapers attacked azariyskih worlds and colonies, moving toward Tessa, squeezing the space around azariyskogo encirclement. Standard Practice dozhimaniya opponent. Standard, but if you look at its application detached, but thinking of Liara, Shepard could not think of a soulless machine. He understood that Liara, barely recovered from a heavy injury, will not sit still. It is in any case find application of the talents it, if necessary, will be at war. Azari created something like a militia and now there were recruited mainly civilian blue-skinned maidens.

  Sniper rifle shot sounded on the stones knocked avenger. The creature no longer rose: the sniper did control shots are strictly guided by the rule - to beat the enemy only in the head. Who exactly killed her - or Nihlus Saren, Shepard, opened fire on the approaching "normal" tserberovtsam not interested. The main thing - the creature is dead. About her captain could no longer think, as a woman, even the former - it is Husk Husk. Pure "it". Asexual. Automated to the limit.

  At this point in the rear of the advancing tserberovtsev heard concerted volleys.

  - It turians. The lieutenant could not resist. - Prostrekotal Yavik first kerf in the situation. - Not in time, but it is useful. Prichёsyvaem further.

  They continued to shoot, is now having the opportunity to fully collect ammo from the bodies too had come up to the control room tserberohaskov. Turians, breaking through the battle formations tserberovtsev from the rear, the firing volleys, then bursts. Caught between two fires, tserbohaski not swept up, but the pressure on the control room significantly weakened.

  The battle lasted for another two hours. During this time tserberovtsy lost several hundred paratroopers. Only later, after the shooting, from the brief report Alenko Shepard found that people Lieutenant-biotics destroyed almost six hundred tserberovtsev - the paratroopers who were to deprive krogan most FFP guns in this part of the world. Failed. And the death of cruisers in orbit showed haskotserbam that Marines no longer be released from the planet.

  - Good morning, sir! - Is authorized dry and clearly welcomed Lieutenant Shepard turian. - The area of tserberovtsev cleared.

  - Hello, Lieutenant. - Shepard said authorized greeting. - Now you can enjoy our problem.

  - Yes, sir. - Viktus nodded. - I and my soldiers are ready.

  - Well, they are ready. Thank you and your soldiers for their support.

  - Thank you ... - Viktus obviously wanted to say more, but restrained himself. Shepard also did not translate the situation in the direction of the front of familiarity:

  - Check the arms, let his men a chance to rest. Half an hour later we stand. - Ordered the captain of the spectrum.

  - Yes, sir! - Saluting, turian Lieutenant retired.

  - It seems, Captain, you're it "built" - Saren came to Shepard, checking charges his sniper rifle. - And I still ... it'll put the ring.

  - You decide Sar. - Shepard looked at Yavika about something talking to Alenko. - Half an hour - to rest and go to deal with the bomb. Last it or not the last - another question. And she must be silent. Forever. Time just such ... Presents has not come yet. - At this point, Shepard thought that such a bomb could be cruel greetings to the invaders from the planet's last defenders. But where then go krogan? - This question Spectrum did not know the answer. Anyway - I do not know right now, here in this very moment.

  Saren departed. What he wanted to try to force lieutenant-turian Shepard did not bother at all - each race has its own ways of solving all sorts of problems, no matter how common these problems are. Now, in that half-hour of silence, not even want to think about human analogs of these ways to solve, so the captain just sat down, he leaned against the wall and tried to enjoy the time when no shots are fired and when not to shoot either, nor change its position under heavy fire. Closed his eyes, Shepard tried to forget.

  - Commander. - To communicate with Svetlana, at the insistence of the commander of his group protection Back on board the "Volga", was released was in the control room of the cruiser Titov. - Normandovtsy Tuchanka managed to destroy several hundred tserberovtsev. Losses in Shepard's group there. Now half an hour according to radio intercepts, they are going to do the last bomb.

  - Well, Stanislav. - Svetlana, knowing that Titov turned the relationship with her PHONES Speaker, named her first mate's name. - Thank you. Half an hour, you say?

  - Yes. - Confirmed the senior assistant. - Now the area is too small tserberovtsev to stop them. - Stanislav knew that the bomb will still digging. And thus also the need to explain the krogan time work to leave the dangerous area
outside the radius of destruction. Although, what's the range, if the bomb is able to split the planet. I really wanted to believe that normandovtsy have time, because doctors Squad - Chakwas and Michelle were so far in the female clans, in hospitals. There were two nurses from the medical service frigate, cruiser. - It's not like here tserberovtsy send more cruisers.

  - Maybe not send. - Agreed to Svetlana. - Thank you. Before connection.

  - Before connection. - Titov returned to work with the received instrumentrona screens and remote data.

  Children Streltsov pushed and hurried to sit down in a chair in the lobby. Going into the bedroom did not want to study - even more so. Listen to yourself, Svetlana saw that really "goes ahead of schedule" - by all indications it appeared that she was already five months pregnant. Now she did not want to delay the process of gestation, she wanted to give birth as soon as possible and return to the central position of a full commander. Yes, I have a long time to bring up children, but it is still better to be than to bear. Yes, and sleep in a quiet cabin commander guarded Zirda careful and wary Zorda and Gray. - Svetlana stroked approached her shepherd and allowed her favorite sleeping beside, rather than on the mat - Zirda firmly spelled out in the commander's cabin, rarely left her, apparently accustomed to the fact that it in the future,

  Zord and Grey slept, they still had to accompany the owner of the ship, and they did so with gusto, clearly and fully. Svetlana felt that both of them are lacking in John - they are used to hold with him a bunch of little, easy to push and barely noticeable bite. Men ... they are.

  The main thing is that John does not hurt that he was again a little bit, but to war on Tuchanka. Krogan respect the strong and experienced warriors, and John - it is precisely this. For them, lizards, enough that he - a warrior. Maybe they respect him not only for military skill and commanding status. It may even be.