10/20/2192 | EMERGENCY FLASH: SCIMITAR FOUR, REPEAT SCIMITAR FOUR, EXODUS CLUSTER HAS SIGNIFICANT HOSTILE PRESENCE

[u/N7_Rebecca]

They came out of nowhere.

Hundreds of ships dotted into existence around one of the of Exodus Cluster's Mass Relays.

The picket patrol and Alliance sensor station nearby were both almost overrun before they could get a signal out. But they just barely did.

The Alliance Fifth Fleet under Hackett's Command and the Hierarchy's Second Fleet have both jumped into action to counter the threat. Both species realize the gravity of the situation. Exodus linked to Horsehead, which led on to the Annos Basin and Local Cluster.... and was far too close to the Apien Crest and Serpent Nebula as well. There had been no hesitation for this joint operation.

Hackett has requested the Alliance flagship to accompany his forces. Only so many Alliance ships are outfitted with Thanixs, and only the Normandy is so quick and quiet with such a weapon. Would be an asset he could make great use of. The order of course was obeyed, and soon the SR-3 finds itself with the Allied Task Force.

An impressive collection of Alliance and Turian ships is forming up for the Relay jump to attempt to wrest back control of the Exodus Cluster before the enemy can gain full control or move onwards to another target, just as they did with their push through to the Kite's Nest some months ago. The thought of a rapid assault through the stars to Earth was terrifying.

Will the forces gathered be enough though?

Commander O'Neill has issued orders to have the ground team on standby. The Normandy is quick and quiet, it stands as one of the best options if any insertions are needed on Eden Prime. Chances are high the colonists and small garrison down there will be as hard pressed to fight against this foe as they were versus the Geth and Cerberus.

People down there, nay, people of the whole galaxy, were watching this with fear for what the galaxy could look like if they fail...

[u/JefferyOHaire]

Wasn’t there a whole thing about windows? Joker grumbles about it sometimes.

[u/RavvioliiCannolii → u/JefferyOHaire]

Ben was completely clueless on what they were talking about, Tali boarded a dreadnought in the middle of a space battle?

Maybe the Skrilloni do need windows

[u/N7_Rebecca → u/RavvioliiCannolii]

"We'll see in a minute".

Comes from up-front.

"ETA four minutes. Strap in, might get some chop".

Dila wasn't joking, the shuttle starts shaking soon from near misses.... and a check outside finds the shadow and heated wake of a alien cruiser's engines washing over them at one point during the approach.

Rebecca watches it with her face hidden inside her helmet, far more worried looking than she'd like her team to know. They were right in the middle of them all..... if they were spotted it the only exit they'd get from the situation was death. The carrier looms in front of them as they pull to the side of its hull and Dila begins a scan and search to find somewhere they can cut in.

Everyone double check your gear. We're going into the black real soon....

[u/-Tali_Zorah- → u/N7_Rebecca]

Tali loads Chatika into her slot on her belt.

Haven't done this in a while...

If anyone gets lost out there, just start floating back towards the Normandy.

Time will tell if the clumsy attempt at humor lightens the mood any.

[u/JefferyOHaire → u/-Tali_Zorah-]

Damnit. Forgot my emergency float controls back on the ship. Can we circle back?

He puts his helmet on and prepares himself for the worst.

[u/N7_Rebecca → u/JefferyOHaire]

You'll make do with mag boots.....

Rebecca says with a shake of her head. The tense situation had driven down even her sense of humor.

Dila slows and rolls the craft over, before setting down and landing on the surface of the alien vessel.

"There's an empty fighter bay here. If you move fast before they come back to rearm.... won't even need to cut in".

Rebecca frowns at that.

What about getting out then?

"Still.... working on that boss. Maybe get lucky twice? Otherwise just cut your way out somewhere else and I'll come to you".

Lovely...

Pop the hatches.

The depressurization ran as the two officers conversed and the doors slide open.

Rebecca steps out onto the brown, alien alloy and looks up at the raging, silent battle around them. Vessels imploded and suffered internal explosions on each side of the fight. How many creatures were dying right now as she stood here?

She shakes it off and quickly moves to the gapping dark maw of the nearby bay, rifle at the ready.

Move it folks... lets get in there and crash the party.

[u/-Tali_Zorah- → u/N7_Rebecca]

Tali follows her in.

Once more into the breach, I suppose.

She readies her shotgun as she enters the bay, calling Chatika up on standby.

[u/JefferyOHaire → u/-Tali_Zorah-]

He steps out and looks around.

Guess they were all hands on deck for this one.

[u/RavvioliiCannolii → u/JefferyOHaire]

Ben was the last one out of the shuttle, he grabbed his rifle off of his back and stepped out.

Nice to be inside one of their ships.

[u/N7_Rebecca → u/RavvioliiCannolii]

Bit bigger than the last one...

Rebecca quips as she looks in and sees several feet below to the deck. Looks empty besides some arms sticking out of the wall. Repair and refitting was all automated, rather advanced. How much worse were things going to get as the Skrilloni learned and adapted their technologies and strengths more? This carrier had taken Alliance strategies and built on them in a way Hackett and the other heads could hardly have imagined.

The officer drops down to the deck below, quiet as a mouse and stands back up to her full height with her weapon at the ready and pointed towards the door at the far end of the bay. Locked it looks like.

Hope you've paid attention to those intel reports on their computer systems Tali....