The thunderclap of a mass-driver filled the air and a high-explosive shell struck the side of a building, shattering the facade and killing maybe half-a-dozen Batarian infantrymen inside. It was a grindingly slow advance through the planetary capital. Though the Suburbs had fallen quick and most of the people had been advised to stay inside, some light enemy resistance still persisted. They hadn't found any slaves either.

Major Reegar peered through a pair of rangefinder binoculars at the building one of their Scorpion-II tanks had just hit. Above, a UH-217 transport dropship swung in, moving to the rear-line with supplies. Sat atop one of the roofs of a local grocery store of a sort, or whatever passed for one on Batarian colonies, the Major sighed as she lowered her binocular. Her perch was gonna be moved again if they secured any other high-rise nearby, but this was good enough for now.

She radioed, "TALON One-Actual to CHIMERA Two-Two, be advised:Marine platoon, callsign 'SINGER' is egressing from nest and moving to secure building. Watch your fire," as she watched a platoon of Quarian and Human Marines pushing down the road, past barricades erected by Batarian 'Police', Slave-Owners and the actual Batarian Military. Batarian corpses lay splayed out amidst the remnants of their own light vehicles, their jeeps and wheeled cars. Burnt corpses lay even farther ahead.

Moving two blocks forward and into the building they'd struck with the rail-cannon of their tank, SINGER Platoon kicked the already-rotting door in, metaphorically speaking, then advanced inward. She could see the flashes of gunfire, their MA40B rifles and M327 LMGs, probably. A Batarian flew out of the building's damaged sixth floor, caked in purple light as he 'gently' floated down onto the road.

She could swear she heard the crunch from here when he hit the ground headfirst. A second and third platoon, fellow units of SINGER, moved in to support them from the rear. Radio chatter, coordination between the platoons and all. It was nice, seeing an operation like this go so well. Still, they were experiencing casualties here and there. The random mine left by a Batarian soldier, one of their Gunships making an appearance out of thin air, or just random chance and catching a bullet.

"Ma'am," She heard someone call out. Turning her head left, she saw a UNSC Marine, clad in a standard enviro-suit. Word of mouth was the UNSC wanted to keep the fact they were 'human' secret from the greater population of the Galaxy, though she felt like they only wore environmental suits with armor like that to mostly look cool. And she did have to admit, they looked great. He saluted when he saw he'd been noticed.

She stood up and saluted back, then said, "At ease, Marine. Gimme your ID and tell me what you've got for me."

"Private Custer, ma'am, with the Ninth Battalion near Sector Echo-3. Outer defensive holdouts in the City have broken completely. Com's getting a bit spotty due to the high-rises, so I got orders from Colonel Holly to tell you your flank's secure and the 501st can move up at their leisure," The Marine replied calmly. The radio beside the Major crackled to life and she turned toward the building, watching SINGER and their buddies waving at them from the building ahead.

She nodded approvingly, then said, "Tell Holly Major Reegar sends her thanks. We'll mount up and move it out," and turned to the young Marine. She saluted him and said, "Dismissed, Custer. Get back to your unit," and she watched him leave. She pulled up her own Radio and spoke, "All TALON Elements, this is One-Actual. We're oscar mike deeper into the city. Armored support from the Ninth should be joining us within a few minutes."

Picking up her own MA40B, the woman racked the bolt back and checked the weapon, then hefted her shoulder-mounted plasma launcher up as well, activating the helmet tracker and watching the three-prong magnetically-enhanced weapon's laser sights activate. She scanned the area ahead with the weapon on, ensuring the SmartScope and targeting features were working properly, then turned it off and let it fold back into its casing in her backpack.

Descending from the top of the ruined building and through the broken front windows, she saw a platoon from her team already boarding an Oryx, one of their tracked IFVs, armed with a thirty-mil Autocannon and twin anti-tank guided missile launchers on each side of the turret. It was a wide fucker, sloped at the front and slightly at the sides and armored enough to withstand enemy Anti-Tank weapons. Tanks, though, could probably peel it wide open.

The Military had adopted energy shielding for that reason. No Kinetic Barriers, just dispersal fields based on old alien tech, meaning they had a defense bolstered both by ERA and shielding. She looked over to her right, watching as Ethan and his platoon of fellow Bots stepped forward, then smiled and said, "Glad to see you and your boys are up and ready to rock, Ethan. Saddle up, you're with me in the front Oryx."

"Yes, ma'am, with pleasure," Ethan nodded, then showed his bots to follow along to the leading vehicle. As they mounted up and entered the dimly-lit hull, Ethan and the Major were now sat facet-of-ace in the tight quarters of the transport. As the vehicles started up, the inner hold glowed with light from the outside. Holographic screens displayed the live feed taken by dozens of cameras attached to the transport. Ethan spoke, "Heard through the grapevine there's gonna be some chop up ahead, ma'am."

"How bad did the Scout Battalion have it?" She asked as she leaned her rifle against her shoulder.

Ethan mimicked a human smile somehow, replying, "Bastards were firing missiles at them from the windows of a couple schools. They fell back and said they're leaving the hell to us and the tanks," then let the Major watch as scout Mongoose four-wheel ATVs rolled past them, a couple of them carrying wounded. The more lightly-armored Scouts in their own suits were probably glad for the redundant reinforcements to their armor now, despite all the previous complaints of 'oh, it's gonna weigh us down!' and 'Scouts are supposed to be fast and mobile, not armored!'

She swore to the Homeworld, that was the first time someone was angry about more armor...

Sighing, the Major slammed her fist three times into the metal wall separating them from the crew compartment and said, "Get us rolling!" only to hear an affirmative reply and the roar of the engine as the transport lurched on its tracks. Debris and dirt audibly crunched inher the tracks as they rolled over the barricades and the piles of broken building around them, moving up a few streets.

Ethan said to the Major, "Y'know, there's this drone I think they assigned to us. Geth-run. Little bastard's apparently temperamental, 'bit' a couple of the Techs workin' on it, ma'am," and that got a short chuckle out of the Major. That was an image to think on, but Ethan truly only meant that the machine probably zapped them when they were tending to its wires.

"Must've been poking and prodding where the bird didn't like," The Major replied, then looked at the Automata attached to Ethan and asked, "They gonna be a problem?"

"Nah, ma'am," Ethan himself shook his head, "They're dumb, but they can shoot straight. Just point me and them at the enemy," and he hummed as he looked at one of the live feeds. Around them, there were maybe half-a-dozen buildings collapsed by Drones and missile fire, plus anti-air guns that would've been used to shoot down the main invasion force, now laying as wrecks, their barrels twisted and broken and magazines detonated.

"Hang tight back there! We're entering the Ambush Alley the Scouts got hit in!" The commander of the vehicle spoke as the audible sound of the vehicle's haptic interface echoed through the PA. The Major pressed her left hand against the ceiling and watched as the 30mm autocannon turret traversed. The muffled thump of the gun filled the hull of the tank as their defensive systems kicked in.

Enemy rocket-propelled grenades flew from the buildings and the transports and escorting tanks replied with High-Explosive shells clean through the windows, with 500 rounds per minute coming out of the barrel of the Oryx. The Quarian woman and the Synthetic Marine watched as the buildings ahead were cratered by the thirties of the vehicles, infantry sweeping in in support to clear out survivors to protect the vehicles' rear.

Above, their escorting fighter drones launched HARMs at enemy Anti-Air positions. Whatever was left of the enemy's defense network in the city exploded time and again when they turned on their 'advanced' Radars. The two drones peeled off and let the larger Longsword Fighter-Bombers sweep in, firing high-caliber autocannons and massive missiles toward fortified enemy positions up ahead.

One missile struck the base of one of the brutalist Batarian skyscrapers, detonating within and causing an explosion that destroyed the interior superstructure. The tower tilted left slowly, then began to collapse under its own weight, dust and debris rising high in a cloud that overwhelmed a section of the city and blinded the Batarian forces inside. It also killed whatever Batarians were in there.

The Major watched the smoke clouds billowing out, wrapping them in their thick haze. The vehicle commander reported, "Switching to thermals..." with a hint of annoyance in his voice. The Major snorted at that, then checked her Omni-Tool. The UNSC had started issuing these things out in limited numbers to COs, meaning they got access to information they needed wherever they needed through specialized Data-Links.

"ETA to dismount is two minutes, ma'am," Ethan said as he watched her check the map of the sector they're in. He put a hand up to his ear in a mock 'listening in on coms' move, then told her, "Looks like they won't way to move us outta this city after we're done! UNSC Sarajevo reports complete destruction of the few ships the enemy sent to reinforce and the Admiral believes that's an open road to Kar'shan, the Hegemony's capital."

"I'd heard our most hopeful estimates were hinting at around a month before we fully clean the Batarians out," She smirked behind her own helmet. The thunder of the autocannon caused her to go quiet for a second. When it ceased firing, she said, "It'll probably be less than that if we're lucky!" then the green light in the hold hit. The vehicle ground to a halt and the main door in the rear opened, to which the woman stated proudly, "This is our stop! C'mon, Ethan!"

"With you, ma'am!" Ethan replied as he grabbed his own rifle. His mechs dismounted first, forming a perimeter around the vehicle while he and Zeva exited last, weapons drawn and scanning the area. He spoke, "Activating VISR systems!" and hit a switch in his programming. A veneer of whitish-green light covered his vision, clearing out some of the settling dust thanks to EM scanning systems embedded within his visor suite. He pulled up the images of the dozen or so mechs in their platoon and activated FLIR on them to give him a clear sight picture, but, with the VISR sights they all had, he saw friendly troops and vehicles in a green outline.

The major chopped a hand forward and rallied her platoons, stating, "Alright, our job is simple! Sweep and clear the roads ahead, let the tanks advance safely! Eyes up and fingers on your triggers and if you spot some fuck with an RPG, gun him down! We secure this road while the Ninth and Twelfth get our flanks and we've got a clear shot at the mayor's palace, or whatever the fuck passes for it! Forward, men! Keelah va'shar!"

The men chorused her words, raising high their rifles, then formed up into their respective platoons. Ethan led the strike squad of mechs, forming into a diamond around the Major. He asked her, "That's a new one, ma'am. Isn't the line usually Keelah se'lai? By the Homeworld I hope to see one day..." and Ethan soon realized that he had no real 'home world'... Well, he did, but he wasn't sure if the place he was assembled counted as a Homeworld.

"We changed it when we became Marines," The woman replied, scanning the windows they were passing by with her rifle as the transports and tank rolled up with them, deeper into the city. Their boots crunched against glass and some stumbled against the corpses of Batarian soldiers as the woman explained, "... It means 'By the Homeworld I now defend'. Rannoch is ours again and the Geth are brothers in arms. Though the scars are still healing, that's become our common war cry."

"Noted, ma'am," He quipped after 'clearing his head' as the organics said, "Fitting, too."

As the sun finally started to break through the thinning blanket of dust and debris, the Major ordered VISRs off and chopped a hand forward for Ethan to see. He and his mechs nodded in unison and pushed past her, advancing unto the road under the cover of the tanks and behind overturned flatbeds, cars and barricades. A sniper shot rang out from a nearby building, obviously fired too early.

The ODSTs' own sniper pushed forward, shouldering her rifle and zeroing the enemy sharpshooter in. Methodical and quiet, she aligned the crosshair and squeezed the trigger, the spent 14,5mm casing hitting the floor with a muffled clink. The corpse in the distance fell out of its perch and hit the ground with more noise than that. The Sniper then gave the all-clear to the Major, who pushed up beside her with another platoon.

Through pointing, either with just her fingers or her whole, open hand, she spread the teams out evenly to scour enemy buildings, then tapped the Sniper on the shoulder and showed her to follow. The two, Ethan and his mechs pushed forward down the road, toward the enemy corpse. Taking cover by a pillar next to one of the buildings, which the woman assumed used to be some former company HQ, she peered through the SmartScope at the corpse.

"Movement," Ethan reported, "FLIR marks fourteen unknowns approaching from the building."

She caught sight of them as the dust cloud finally settled:A dozen women, perhaps children, too. Some were Batarian, obviously, but others looked like those blue women they'd recovered from the previous planet. Namely, they were Asari, all of them clad in rags and tattered clothing, approaching with their hands raised. The Major looked to Ethan and tilted her head, stating, "Don't trust surrendering slaves. Some of the poor bastards might've been strapped with bombs. Scan'em."

"Sending forth two mechs. Everyone, please stay clear of the possible blast radius," Ethan requested. He watched the Marines, ODSTs and Vehicles veer onto the road, taking cover behind rubble and overturned vehicles as two of his drones advanced, step-by-step, toward the Civilians. He broadcast through them, "Please, stand still. You will not be harmed..."

He linked his mechs' visuals to the Major's helmet. In turn, she broadcasted it to the rest of the team so all could watch. Ragged, tired and terrified, but hopeful, the Asari and Batarian women and the children holding onto their tattered skirts stared up fearfully at the two machines as they performed an EX Residue and Element Zero remnants scan, accounting for the fact the Asari were apparently loaded with the stuff in generally the same level in their blood.

When everything came back clean, including scans for weapons, Ethan gave the thumbs up. The Major radioed, "BASEPLATE, this is TALON, requesting MEDEVAC for freed slaves, ASAP," before standing up and barking, "Alright, people! Get those girls out of the road and into cover before they wind up in the crossfire! Ethan, move it up with the Mechs and a pair of Oryxes to secure that road!"

"Ma'am!" The force replied. Troops, Corpsmen and machines moved forward, the Oryx transports rolling over the enemy's overturned and destroyed vehicles while the infantry pushed up. Those that went in to secure the buildings filed out, too, joining the Major's advancing party. Once they reached the T-intersection, the platoons secured the corners, peering down the roads.

The civilians were guided toward safety, behind the cover of buildings, by Marine and Mech alike. Some of the civvies gave hugs, kisses and other forms of thankful affection to the human and Quarian troops, with Zeva noting, "Keelah, what did they do to them...?" as she finally saw the bruising on all of them. She shook her head, "Actually, I don't wanna know..."

The Citadel

Sparatus found the silence of being alone in the Citadel's Tower recomforting, especially at times like this. It allowed him to think straight and consider their options, which meant it allowed him time to conceive some sort of plan. His Omni-Tool glowed orange as he held it in his hand, staring at the readings coming through the secure intelligence network he had courtesy of a combined Turian-Salarian effort.

The Front Line had moved faster than he'd anticipated. He'd estimated the point where the Black League had first made contact with the Batarian Hegemony's raiding ships at somewhere around the midway point between the main Terminus Systems area and the Perseus Veil. He didn't know the exact system, but he knew that that was where the main force had pushed out from. Three prongs of attack appeared on the Galaxy map, showing the advance of the Black League's military forces into the Batarian Hegemony's territories.

Prospects about the Batarians were worrying. Worrying enough to warrant keeping spy probes in any system where they could conceal them to watch the fighting. The Skyllian Verge and the Batarian Hegemony's territories had become one of the bloodiest battlefields in the past two centuries. It was scary, watching the Hegemony's Fleets being reduced to nothingness, but, then again, they were raiding forces, meant to combat light defenses like Frigates, not wholesale battleships and other dreadnoughts.

Still, the Black League was not taking this fighting lightly. He saw pincer attacks, maneuvers to surround enemy fleets, surprise reinforcements and tactical withdrawals to other systems to fool the Batarians, dragging away naval assets. The Admirals of this new faction knew what they were doing, their tactics almost Turian in nature. Almost, obviously, there were some refinements here and rough spots there that differentiated them.

That and the use of Carrier ships. Surprisingly well-armed and armored, the vessels carried squadrons of their fighters and even legions of troops. The largest, what the intercepted communiques called Moscow, seemed to be the League Fleet's command vessel. He pulled up a picture of her on his Omni-Tool and saw it. Though it was blurry, the Probe had caught sight of the massive vessel, surrounded by its escorts, against the background of a nebula.

He could see the mass driver barrel poking out of the front. It could probably fit one of their Frigates in there, wings and all.

"Sparatus," He heard a familiar voice call to him, taking him out of his thoughts. Turning off his Omni-Tool, he turned toward Tevos, only to see a grave look on her face, her face tattoos morphing with the frown. As she climbed up the stairs, she asked him, "How's the Batarian war effort going?" only to get a light scoff out of the man. Pulling up a

"The Black League has control over fifty percent of Hegemony systems," He replied just as gravely, causing the woman to stagger. He continued, "Intelligence and retrieved communiques told us that the Batarians lost almost all of their fleet in the initial raiding attacks that kicked off the League's offensive. Right now, it's just piecemeal units holding the line or retreating to their last defense positions."

"... Goddess..." The woman murmured, then looked up at the map, noting the Front Line. She asked, "How far until they hit Kar'shan? How much time?"

"Two weeks? Maybe three, per our estimates," The Turian breathed a sigh, crossing his arms to his chest. He put his hands together, then slowly moved them apart, zooming into a specific area of the Galaxy Map. A Batarian system. He told her, "The last of the Batarians' dreadnoughts are here, in the Balahok System. It's what we'd normally call a Fortress World if we're being generous. Their two surviving Dreadnoughts, about a dozen frigates and maybe six cruisers are all that's left. Once they break Balahok, the League will have a clear shot at Kar'shan."

"And the war will be over," Tevos murmured. She seemed twitchy, uneased. More so than usual at the appearance of new aliens. Turning to her, the Turian attempted to mimic a raised brow, asking without asking. The woman licked her blue lips, then they turned thin as razors. He faced him fully and stated with little else but fear in her voice, "The Asari Republics have made a decision... It's why I'm back."

"From the way you're staring at me, I don't think the Turian Hierarchy's gonna enjoy hearing of it," The man replied honestly, turning to face her, too, arms crossed to his chest. Asari were emotive aliens at times. He could tell whatever the decision was was going to be a horrifically stupid one. The Asari didn't know of any form of War but light deception and mental gymnastics. Their warships might've been mighty and their Commandos strong, but their military was light, small, fast. Well and truly useful for defense, but lacking in offense.

She smiled almost apologetically at Sparatus, before breathing in, sighing deeply and scratching her chin. She gathered her wits and spoke with authority, "By the request of the Republics, the Turian Hierarchy is to prepare to engage in a military operation against the Black League in order to pacify the threat, lest they finish with the Batarians and invade Council space..."

Sparatus's eyes grew so wide she could swear she saw parts of his face plates crack. He demanded, "Are your Matriarchs insane!? They want us to go to War with these people?!"

"I'm afraid so," The woman replied. She raised her hands and said, "Look, Sparatus, I don't like this anymore than you do. Your leadership's already in talks with us about deploying a strike fleet into their territory. They think taking one planet's gonna force the Quarians, Geth and whoever unified them to the negotiating table before they decide to swing our way."

"And what if they don't?" Sparatus barked, "What if they decide that the Hegemony alone wronged them and they want actual peace with the rest of us...?"

She shrugged, "I tried telling them that. Benezia was surprisingly vehement about engaging in battle with them... Benezia, of all people," then, she laughed, though the disbelief in her voice was obvious. She continued, "I even suggested getting Spectre Arterius in on the job, to try and engage in starting talks with the League before they swiveled about and hit us."

"Saren's a soldier, not a politician or negotiator," Sparatus sighed, pinching the bow of his nose, "And the Salarians?"

"Their Intel, as light as it is due to the League's port into the Extranet being shielded by self-adapting firewalls, tells that the League's entire heavy fleet might be focused on the Blitz," The woman shrugged, "They promised they'll keep trying to provide intelligence as the war continues, much like your own Wartime Security Agency is doing right now to you."

He balked, then asked, "And your Matriarchs want us to go to war with little to no information on if the enemy doesn't have a Heavy Fleet held back for reserves. They want us to go in blind, because of what?"

"Because we even allowed you into the Council," Tevos actually seemed even more disapproving of that line. While Sparatus was about to chew her out, she said, "Look. That was their line. Their excuse. It and threats of sanctioning the Turian Economy's how they're strongarming your officials into War. They're keeping it hush-hush, though. Making it look like the Turians are doing it of their own volition for the sake of Galactic Safety."

"Like the War with the Rachni, or the damned Genophage..." Sighed Sparatus. He rubbed his mandibles, then shook his head and said, "I'll talk to one of my contacts in the Military. General Fedorian has just finished a tour, training a regiment of new recruits on Palaven. He's one of our most decorated officers. If they're gonna send anyone, it's gonna be him."

The Asari blinked, then asked, "Isn't he slated to become a Primarch?"

Sparatus nodded, "The Citadel isn't the only place with political intrigue. Some opposing parties in the Hierarchy think he should stay an officer," then he sighed deeply, "Others want him dead. I personally support the Old Man becoming a Primarch. Gonna need some privacy, Tevos. I wanna talk to him. Get him ready mentally in case he does get sent out to fight these bastards."

"Sure. I'll get out of your plates," She nodded, then left for a lower portion of the Tower.

The Turian Councilor activated his com system, linking himself to the wider Extranet with as many security layers as he could put on. He also put on a brave face, watching as Septimus Fedorian, General of the Seventh Legion, appeared in his military garb and armor, his face tattoo a V that extended from the midpoints of his mandibles onto his nose and upper lip. Septimus saluted, stating, "Councilor Sparatus. Been a while."

Sparatus saluted and said, "Indeed, old friend... I assume you've heard the word from the Hierarchy and Republics, right?"

"That we're gonna go to war with a possibly highly-advanced hostile force?" The man replied, terrifyingly calm. It surprised Sparatus, who stared at him with wide eyes. Septimus spoke, "I know, my friend... It's been talk of the Military for the past four hours and we've already started recalling Reserves. They're planning to mobilize the Seventh Fleet and Legion and send two Dreadnoughts to support us, detachments from the First and Twelfth, when we're fully manned."

"You seem awfully calm about this. This won't be just another pirate hunt or pacification mission for some upstart species," Sparatus warned. He sent some encrypted files to his friend, which he received immediately. Once he heard his friend's hums of concern, the Councilor continued, "They've been in the Terminus for years. Built up enough strength that they're currently rolling over the Batarians. They are presumed to have the Quarians and Geth with them..."

"That's going to be one hell of a fight, then," Fedorian mumbled. He said, "I'll use these files if you don't mind, wrench a bit more support out from under the hands of the Hierarchy's Admirals while we rally up our forces. We'll probably need a good chunk of the Fifth to follow us in. Vakarian's probably raring to go for another fight, too..." and he paused. 'Though this one would be too rough, even for him', was the unsaid part.

"Good old Sextus. How're his grandkids?" The man asked, affection in his voice toward another of his old friends.

"Garrus and Solana are fine. Their dad's still on the Citadel, I think, so go say hi to him for me, too," He shrugged, then looked back as a PA announcement, mixed with the Anthem of the Hierarchy, played in the background. Fedorian sighed deeply, "Drat. Have to go, old friend... Muster. See you when I get back from this little campaign, aye?" and he waited to see the answer. Sparatus felt a pit in his gut. Would this be the last time they spoke?

"I'll buy first drinks at the Flux if you score a good enough kill," The Councilor, however, offered, wary. His friend understood the look. The two men gave each-other appreciative nods, goodbyes, more than anything, before the com link cut. Sparatus wasn't sure his friend was going to survive this outing, this War that the Asari were forcing them into. Bastards were using Spirits-damned threats of sanctions to push them into fighting a War nobody was ready for. It was gonna be a massacre at worst and Sparatus was willing to believe it was gonna be worst-case.

Were the Asari really this blind, or did they just want to keep their place in the Galaxy as the 'most advanced' species? Tevos seemed to understand the plot, but both of them and Valern knew they had the Turians as their enforcers and the Salarians as their snitches anyway. Who cared if some other major faction was gonna come into play now? Why not befriend them and bring them in?

Asari... Sometimes they seemed like they wanted to end their long lives prematurely...