Jupiter Brains All Over The Wall

Actions comin'. Hopefully I don't suck at writing it like I do lovey stuff.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Raider looked as if no one had touched it. The metal plating that housed the biomechanics inside was smooth and glossy. Kenn was wiping the blood off his suit when she came in.

I have never seen biomechanics lie that before, Layla.” he replied reverently. “It amazing that you let me look at it.”

“I'm glad you learned from such activities.” she replied coming closer to the Raider. Layla laid her hands on the Raiders hull and ran her hands over it lovingly. “You'll do great. I know you can do this.”

The ship was alive, she always thought of them as hounds, ready to hunt and kill for its masters. Given some love it could perform above what it thought it could do. How many times had this one Raider been resurrected after being killed by Colonial fighters, learning how to stay alive longer, learning its enemy's tells. She stepped away from the Raider and left the launch tube that would propel it from the baseship.

The membrane-like hangar doors shut the tube off from the bay and she pressed a few buttons on the launch console. It beeped steadily for a few seconds and then glowed a steady green as the Raider was flung from the ship. Kenn stood next to her and she gave him and nod.

“Come on I'll show you the Command Center.” she replied and waved for him to follow. “It will take the Raider a couple of hours to get to the base and back. Might as well show you where you'll be for the assault.”

“You mean I am not going with you to the base?” he asked and it sounded like he was pouting.

“No, I need someone at the CIC to vocalize information for Morinth and myself. I wanted you here to build the IFF and help on the home front. You still have too much to live for to be getting yourself killed with me.”

“What about Morinth?”

Layla chuckled ruefully. “I'm taking her with me. She's very experienced at fighting and I'll need her biotics. Never fought with a biotic before so it will be a learning experience for myself and the Centurions.”

“Will the Centurions mind that I'm up there?”

“Kenn, as long as you don't do anything that could harm the ship intentionally or harm anyone else you'll be fine. The Centurions need to learn to work with other races and you are a good starting point.”

“I see.”

They climbed the last leg of stairs into the heart of the baseship where the CIC was located. The three Centurions stationed there looked up from their work but did not approach them. Layla looked around to see if they had their attention.

“Kenn will be stationed here during the assault to give Morinth and I updates and useful information.”

Kenn slowly raised a three fingered hand and waved. “Hi.”

The Centurions looked at each other and then looked back down at their work. Layla guided him to central console where two of the Centurions worked. He studied the trough of clear liquid that lined the bottom and tentatively brought his right hand down to see how it would react to him. He looked up at Layla who stood, smiling next to him.

“You can access the controls through your omni-tool and be able to see the readouts on the screens at the bottom of the console.” she replied.

“Is that how you control the ship? Through your omni-tool?”

Layla's smile dropped a little and he noticed the softening in her gaze. “No... I can directly interface with the console through the conduction fluid.”

She slipped one hand into the liquid and used her other hand to tap his omni-tool to life. The young quarian did as she asked and activated his omni-tool. It hummed to life and he watched as the holographic readout change without him doing anything. He watched the impromptu tutorial conducted by the human. The scope of what could be seen by him through the baseship was amazing. This singular piece of technology could change the way the galaxy evolved in a hundred different ways. The trust she was showing would not be betrayed however.

Layla's face creased in a frown and then it smoothed over. “That was quicker then expected.” she straightened. “The Raider is back and he's sending in his reconn data.”

The screens on the console flashed picture after picture. The vast amounts of wreckage that spanned most of the area of view from the relay. Strange pods coming at him as he used his speed to climb above the debris until he caught full view of the base and where it sat near the singularity. Hundreds of images that slid together seamlessly to show exactly what they were up against. The last batch of data housed the coordinates that the baseship needed to jump for the assault. Layla removed her hand from the console and took a deep breath. She felt the adrenaline surge through her body at the thought of finally going to the base.

Kenn put a calming hand on her shoulder. “Everyone knows the plan. We'll do fine. Go get suited up for the drop.”

Layla chuckled at his voice. “Right. Thank you.” she turned to the nearest Centurion. “Lets get prepped. Spool up the FTL I want to be at that base in one hour.”

The Centurion nodded and she left the CIC. Centurions were moving quickly through the corridors but they made way for her. Silently she prayed to God to make sure everyone returned from this mission safely. She wanted to see Nef again and she wanted to see Earth and the Citadel and she wanted to know the Children of Humanity.
Entering her room she saw her armor laid out on her bed. One of the Centurions must have come in and set it out for her and they had cleaned it. She let a wistful smile cross her lips and she started to change. The armor smoothed over her body like a second skin and she felt thankful for the protection it gave her. Morinth was waiting outside her room in shiny black armor her face serious and deadly.

It seemed that the exchange in her room earlier was forgotten and the asari followed two steps behind her. The corridors leading to the main hangar bay were filled with Centurions readying themselves and their brothers for the fight ahead of them. Nearly all of the Heavy Raiders were prepping for launch, their sleek bodies thrumming like wildcats waiting to be let loose into a new hunting ground. One of the Heavy Raiders would carry her and Morinth along with seven other Centurions. Inside of it held their weapons, locked and loaded and ready for their hands.

With simple movements of her wrists and bending of elbows she attached her weapons to the magnetic holsters on her back and hips. She slipped on her helmet and tuned the comm frequency to receive Kenn.

“Kenn, do you hear me?” she asked.

“Loud and clear, ma'am.” he answered. “ETA to Collector base in five minutes.”

“Understood, the Secondary Hybrid will hack into the systems once we exit FTL.” Layla reminded him. She looked over to Morinth. “You ready?”

“Yes, Layla.” the asari nodded and went to take a seat in one of the few benches available.

Layla looked up at her brothers and nodded to them. She took the nearest seat she could to the pilot and the cockpit's viewport. Time ticked by slowly and zoomed past her all at once. The helmet hid her clenching jaw and flinching brow.

“Jumping in 3...2...1.” Kenn's voice called in her ear. “Jump complete. Commencing Hacking.”

The Heavy Raiders lifted off their pads and one by one they launched. Around her the Heavy Raider rumbled and she stood coming over to watch their approach. The flaming orange and yellow being swallowed by the gaping hole in the universe was awe inspiring. The Raiders flew about them like death bringing swallows and the few external defenses the base had was overwhelmed by the number of fighters.

“The Secondary Hybrid has broken through their firewalls. Opening all ports for entry.” Kenn's voice was a calm reminder of what needed to be done. “First wave is go.”

The Heavy Raiders accelerated their approach the base quickly overtook the viewport. The shipboard pilot slipped them through the base's over-sized airlocks and landed smoothly against the curved walls of the base.

“I'm seeing two ways to to reach the main chamber, Layla. I'm sending a squad of Centurions through that way to meet yo there. The way should be open by the time you get there.”

“Copy that, Kenn.” she stalked out of the Heavy Raider pulling her assault rifle from its holster.

Morinth and the Centurions followed her their weapons out and ready for enemy contact. They turned the first corner to receive the first of the Collectors' defenses. Collectors were landing in arcs of threes and fours with one coming in glowing yellow and reciting words like a sermon. One of the Centurions with a heavy weapon always took down that one before it could expound on what it meant. Like a well oiled killing machines they descended her brothers; slaughtering their opponents. She barely got any shots in but relatively smaller frame made it easier for her to wind between them and take shots at stragglers.

“We are the Harbinger of your doom.”the menacing voice echoed from the bodies. “Kill one and a hundred will replace it.”

“The first wave of Raiders are uploading their gun cam footage now.” Kenn's voice crackled. “Keelah... they were using the humans to make a humanoid machine. There is no way we can destroy that and the base.”

The Raiders' engines screamed overhead and pierced the snap bangs of firing artillery.

“What about the pods?”

“Empty, Layla.” he replied sadly. “You must have cut off their supply when you took out their ship...There's no one left to save.”

Relief washed through Layla like cool water from a waterfall and she looked back at Morinth who nodded her reception of the new data. This was going to be a short hit and run.

“See if you can't find a way to self-destruct this motherfrakker.” she bit out as she took out an incoming Collector.

“Right.”

She looked over at Morinth who nodded in acknowledgement of the situation. “Maybe blowing up the thing inside will cause a chain reaction and destroy the base.”

Layla looked up her Centurion squad mates. “Start signaling for the other groups to fall back to their landing zones!”

“Layla, one of the Raiders is being outfitted with a remote trigger nuke. It will be there in ten minutes!”
Kenn paused. “The Raiders will do one last sweep through with the nuked Raider. The baseship should be a safe distance from the base and the Hybrid should be done with her final data sweep.”

A Centurion dropped to the ground next to her, his chrome head sizzling and breaking from a direct hit. The rest of the squad scattered getting as much cover as they could find. Ten minutes sounded like a short time but getting to the Heavy Raider and watching out for her brothers to get onto the ship stretched for an eternity.

“The Raiders are starting their final run, Layla! Get out of there!” Kenn's voice was full or worry and anxiety.

“Lets get out of here!” she yelled and the Heavy Raider's airlock slid shut in front of her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Layla's legs were jelly when she stepped off the Heavy Raider. Morinth was the first one off along with a few of the Centurions but Layla pushed off her helmet and wobbled over to the edge of the Heavy's landing pad. She flopped down onto the deck and let her legs dangle over the edge. Around her Heavy Raiders were landing and offloading their occupants.

“All Heavy Raiders are aboard, Layla.” Kenn buzzed from her omni-tool.

“How many did we lose?”

“Five Heavy Raiders, nineteen Centurions and twenty-seven Raiders.” Kenn whooped suddenly. “The last Raider has just exited the base and I've triggered the nuke.”

10...

9...

8...

7...

6...

5...

4...

3...

2...

“One.” Layla whispered let a small smile crack her lips.

“You should see the view, Layla.” the quarian's voice carried his smile. “It's soo pretty.”

“Jump us out of here, Kenn.” she breathed.

“Where to?”

“Omega.”

“Aye, aye.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------