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Mass Effect: The Helldiver Saga, The Collector War	By : Veyron722skyhook Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 6240 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or it's characters. They belong to Bioware and EA. No money/profit is made by me from this.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. Got it done before the planned deadline (Saturday) and even managed to include in more content than planned.
So a few things that this Chapter will cover, over than Illium.
The start of another romance couple
A very well written fight scene between Shepard and Shadow
And also the introduction of the character who is taking Liara's place as an information broker. I'll bet some of you have been wondering how that will work out. I'll at least say that the character in that role was mentioned in the first story and also had a brief speaking part, but never actually made a physical appearance, until now.
Please do enjoy, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter!

Chapter 13
Illium
Ashley looked down at where the bullets should have been in her chest. There was nothing there and she felt no pain.
"What?" said Shadow.
The Phantom's thoughts were interrupted however as Griffin uncloaked right in front of her and punched her hard in the face.
Almost immediately a massive brawl broke out as the rest of Alpha Squad uncloaked and started fighting with the other Cerberus soldiers.
Miranda reacted quickly and reached for her SMG, a plasma blast from Griffin's cannon however shot it out of her hand.
"Oh no you don't!" said Griffin.
Austin meanwhile was still offline. True to what Shadow had said, the device was preventing his systems from turning back on. It hadn't hacked anything, so the security was still intact, but he couldn't turn anything on. In fact, he couldn't even move because his suit needed to be on in order to move.
At that moment however, Liara uncloaked in front of several of the mechs and cut them down with her sword. The rest of the mechs were too busy trying to fight the rest of Alpha Squad that they were too busy trying to fight the other Helldivers.
Liara knelt down in front of her bond mate and removed the small device from his chest. Almost immediately, all the armour's systems came back online and he stood up.
"Thanks, love." he said.
Right at that moment however, he saw Shadow get up from where she'd been knocked down earlier and she charged right at him.
"Move!" he yelled as he pushed Liara out of the way and allowed Shadow to charge into him knocking him right into one the nearby buildings.
The impact of smashing right through a wall caused both opponents to separate for a moment. They were quick to get back up on their feet though and were now ready for a fight.
"This is between you and me, Shadow." said Austin as he readied for what would no doubt be a very violent fight.
"I'm going to enjoy this!" said Shadow as she cracked the knuckles on her left hand. "You're going down, Shepard."
"Well then, what are you waiting for? I'm right here." said Austin challengingly as he and Shadow slowly walked toward one another.
Austin was the first to attack as he delivered a very hard punch to Shadow's face. Shadow quickly attacked back with her own punch and then a quick second one as well. She then followed that with a blow from her elbow as well. She went for another swing but Austin dodged this one by ducking under it. He delivered a swift punch to Shadow's stomach as he did so. This was then followed by a haymaker blow but Shadow employed an elbow block. Austin's other strike was also blocked by Shadow crossing both her arms and pushing his arm away.
Austin reacted fast to this however and charged Shadow right into one of the walls. Both the Phantom's arms were free however and she managed to get a hold of Austin's arm. Twisting the two around, Shadow used this to slam Austin's face, or helmet rather, against a nearby table. Due to the excessive strength of Shadow and Austin, the Helldiver left a massive dent in the table as his helmet smashed into it.
Shadow did her best to keep him there, but the Helldiver still managed to push himself away and then gave violent push against the table that sent both of them against the wall again. It only hurt Shadow though and Austin felt the Phantom's grip on his arm loosen a bit. Seizing the opening, Austin smashed his elbow into Shadow's face and then followed this with a full blow from his arm. Shadow lost her grip and Austin's arm was now free again.
Back up to fighting speed again, the Helldiver attempted another haymaker with his left arm but Shadow once again used her arm to block the attack. Austin swung another punch at her, but she dodged under this one and gave Austin a sharp kick, sending back against the table he'd been smashed on earlier.
Not wanting to give Shadow a chance, Austin charged her again, smashing her against a nearby plant which shattered upon contact with the Phantom's armour. Shadow tried the same maneuver she had used last time and attempted to get ahold of Austin's arm again. The Helldiver had counted on this happening though and he once again pushed her against a stack of shelves. Like the plant, they too got smashed to pieces.
Using her strength, Shadow managed to flip the both of them around and she now had Austin's against the wall instead of her. Austin however reacted fast and pulled up one of her thighs, causing her to lose her balance and fall on her back. Before Austin could deliver another attack, Shadow used bother feet to kick him away. With the Helldiver knocked back Shadow used a flip to get herself back on her feet. She then jumped at Austin, punching him as she did so. Austin took another swing at Shadow, but she dodged under it again and used this to get behind her opponent. Before Austin could react in time, Shadow wrapped both her arms around him and flung him through the glass window they'd been fighting in front of. As Austin slowly got up, Shadow followed through the window.
By the time she'd climbed through, Austin had managed to get back up again and the two charged each other. Austin had more strength and mass than Shadow and so he ended up pushing her, smashing her head hard against a locker in the process. Taking advantage of the head knock, Austin whirled Shadow around and gave her another hard punch causing her to step backwards and hit her head on another window. There were glass shards all over the floor now.
With Shadow still dazed, Austin took the opportunity weaken her while it lasted. He took her head and smashed it again against another locker and then punched her again. By this time though, Shadow regained her senses and grabbed Austin's incoming wrist. She attempted her down punch but Austin did what she'd done and grabbed her wrist.
The two opponents wrestled with one another violently as they tried to shake each other's grip. An idea then came to Austin when he noticed the wall behind them. He brought his head back and then thrust it forward giving Shadow a violent head butt. The Phantom released her grip over Austin's wrist and attempted another swing at him.
Austin quickly let go of Shadow's wrist and ducked under her attack. Summoning up all his strength he then charged Shadow and the two smashed right through the wall and back into the courtyard where everyone was still fighting. All the mechs had been destroyed now, but the soldiers were still putting up a tough fight.
Both opponents were slow to get up due to their tiredness and dizziness form earlier. Just as Austin managed to stand up though, Shadow noticed this and swung both her legs at his, causing him to fall on his back. Next, Shadow got back up as Austin rolled onto his front. He could see Liara noticing the fight. She was running over to help.
"No! I got this! Help the others!" he said.
Liara did as she was told and ran back to help Griffin who was struggling with Miranda's biotics.
Austin noticed Shadow's gun at her feet and went to reach for it, but the Phantom was just as fast as he was. Shadow quickly kicked the gun away and delivered a swift punch to his helmet with her cyborg hand.
The punch was way harder than Austin had anticipated and he lost his footing again. Dazed slightly, he tried to get up again but Shadow delivered another blow in the form of a kick.
As she went for another however, he was ready for her this time. Just before her foot made contact with him, he grabbed it in his left hand. Shadow only had a few moments to notice this before Austin brought his other hand around her leg and twisted it.
Shadow lost her balance as her whole body twisted with her leg. Landing on the ground again, she had just enough time to notice Austin's next attack as he attempted to use the blade on his elbow to stab her. Shadow instantly rolled to the side and Austin's elbow blade made contact with nothing but dirt and rocks.
Seizing this opportunity, Shadow grabbed Austin's helmet with her left hand and began using her cybernetic wrist to wrap around his neck and choke him. Shadow had fought Austin enough times to find a few chinks and weaknesses in Helldiver armor. The necks necks were armored, but the user could still be chocked of you squeezed tightly enough.
Austin desperately grabbed at Shadow's arm as her strong cybernetics contracted around his neck. Realizing that it wasn't doing any good, he felt around hastily for anything to use. Just as his vision began to blur he found something hard, a rock. Without even hesitating he smashed it against Shadow's helmet.
The left side of Shadow's helmet was smashed in as the rock connected hardly with her left red eye optics. Now only the blue ones one the right side were working and she was once again left dazed by the attack.
Austin got back up for another attack and readied a punch for Shadow while she was down. The Phantom however counterattacked with a swift kick to Austin's helmet. It only knocked him back, but it was enough time for Shadow to swing herself back up onto her feet. Austin was still getting his bearings back from the kick and Shadow seized that opening. She charged at full speed and punched Austin right in the stomach with her cyborg hand. The sheer force of the punch left Austin very winded. However, the Helldiver never gave up that easily and he charged Shadow with as much strength as he could. Shadow failed to react fast enough and was hauled off her feet as Austin charged right into her and smashed her on the ground.
Once again though, Shadow readjusted her strategy and rolled on top of Austin. She only managed one punch though before Austin managed to swing a leg around, pushed her off him and slammed her on the ground, hard.
What happened next took Austin by surprise. Shadow suddenly glowed with biotics and charged Austin very hard. The sheer force once agains ent the two flying. They both crashed against the tower.
Austin had really had enough of this and he kicked Shadow off of him. The two continued to wrestle violently amongst all the other Cerberus soldier who were fighting Alpha Squad. Tiredness and exhaustion eventually got to the two and the fight soon turned to simple punches again. After several hits, Austin mistimed one of his and Shadow grabbed his arm. Before Austin could react in time she grabbed his head and smashed him right into a massive rock.
At the sound of this, the fighting seemed to cease. Shadow simply looked at everyone. Had she really one this time? Her answer however can in the form of a massive rock as Austin picked it up and smashed it against her.
Shadow staggered before she fell and her mask ended up in a nearby fire that was still burning from the missiles. Her mask kept her safe from the flames, but it still pissed her off big time. She clambered back up to see Austin standing a few metres away from her. She wasn't delaying the inevitable any more. She raised her cyborg arm and a small plasma cannon appeared out of her wrist. Austin immediately reacted to this and his down plasma cannon activated.
"Put your hand down." he said calmly.
"I don't take orders from you, Shepard!" Shadow replied.
"You don't have to do this, Shadow." said Austin, trying to diffuse this.
"You want to try be a hero, take your shot!"
"Put it down."
"You gonna take a shot?!"
"Put it down!"
Both plasma cannons charged up. This would not be pretty.
"You put it down!"
"Drop it, Shadow!"
Both cannons fired at the exact same time. As the two shots met the set of one massive explosion which sent everyone in the courtyard flying. All was silent for several seconds.

Austin slowly got up. The field looked just the same as it had done, except more wreaked than ever now. The rest of Alpha Squad had also recovered and were slowly getting up.
"Any sign of them?" he groaned as Liara helped him up.
"No. I think it go then all." said Alaara.
"I don't think they're gone. Shadow's survived worse than that. She'll be back!" said Austin. He then looked around urgently as he suddenly remembered. "Where's Ashley?!"
"I've got her right here!" said Griffin as he came into view carrying Ashley in his arms. "She's badly hurt, we need to get her to the Normandy immediately.!"
"Joker, send the shuttle to pick us up. We've had enough of this colony." said Austin.

Ashley was immediately rushed to the med bay as Austin went to talk to the Arkane Council. He would join the others in a minute.
Griffin gently laid Ashley on one of the beds as Doctor Chakwas examined her. She was still conscious but didn't look in the best shape.
"Dr. Chakwas? What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.
"Long story, Miss Williams. Good to see you too." Karin smiled.
"How are you feeling?" Griffin asked as his helmet retracted.
For a moment, Ashley was left a bit speechless as she saw the demolition expert's face. He was rather handsome looking and it was no secret that she always loved a man with a lot of muscle.
"I've been better." Ashley groaned as Chakwas began dabbing at Ashley's forehead with a small wet cloth.
"You'll be alright." said the doctor.
"Are you new to Alpha Squad? I don't remember seeing you before." Ashley asked.
"I only joined about a year ago. I'm the demolition expert." Griffin replied as he sat down next to the bed. There was something about Ashley that he really liked. He could see why she and Austin were good friends.
"What's your name?" Ashley asked.
"Griffin."
"That's it? Just "Griffin"?
"No, that's my call sign on the team. My real name's Alex Wilson." Griffin replied.
"Well, nice to meet you, Griffin." Ashley smiled.
Griffin couldn't help but smile back. Chakwas also smiled when she noticed. She could already tell where this was going.

"Shepard, good work on Horizon. Hopefully, the Collectors will think twice before attack another one of our colonies." said Councillor Spartan.
Austin was currently in the comm room. He'd needed to let them know that the Collectors weren't the only enemy they'd have to be careful with.
"It's not a victory, Councillors. We interrupted the Collectors, but the still abducted half the colony." he said.
"That is deeply regrettable. But it's better than an entire colony, and more than we've been able to accomplish since the abductions began." said Tarnack.
"The Collectors will be more careful now that the know we're on to them, but we think we can find other ways to lure them in." said of the unnamed councillors.
"Whatever those plans are, we need to make sure they don't abduct any more of our colonies." said Austin.
"We want the Collectors stopped for that very reason, Major. That's why we sent you after then. We're devoting all our resources to finding a way through the Omega 4 relay. We have to hit them where they live." said Spartan.
"Fight 'em in their down home? I like the sound of that." said Austin confidently.
"I might sound simple, but it's not. Your team will need to be strong... as will their resolve. There's no looking back." said another Arkane.
"What do you mean?" Austin asked.
"Shepard, once we find a way through the Omega 4 relay to the Collector homeworld... there's no guarantee you'll return. To have any hope of surviving, you, Alpha Squad - and your entire team - must be fully committed to this." Spartan explained.
"So it's a suicide mission. Don't worry, Councillors. Alpha Squad and I have face missions like this before. We can do this." said Austin.
"Good to hear that, Shepard. Even from the beginning we never have doubted you." said Tarnack.
"So what happens now?" Austin asked.
"For now, we wait until the Collectors make another move. When the do, we'll be ready for then this time. Until then, we've forwarded three more dossiers. You keep building your team while I find a way through the relay." said Spartan.
"Before I go Councillor, there's something you should know. The Collectors may not be our only problem." said Austin.
Austin explained everything that had happened to the Council. They were rather surprised to hear that Cerberus had got involved in this.
"Even if Cerberus are against us, what makes you so sure the just as big a problem?" asked one of the unnamed.
"They weren't alone. Shadow's back." said Austin.
Some of the Council murmured to one another at the mention of Shadow's name. Some even fell silent.
"Shadow? The Cerberus assassin? Impossible! She's supposed to be dead." said Spartan.
"She's made a habit of cheating death, Councillors." said Austin.
"If Cerberus seem this determined to try and stop us, them we will indeed have to be careful." said Tarnack.
"Agreed. We will have to adjourn this meeting. Be careful out there, Shepard. The Collectors and Cerberus will be watching for us." said Spartan.
The holograms disappeared and Austin stepped off of the table. Alaara and Liara were waiting for him.
"So we're really going to do it? Take the fight to the Collectors in person?" asked Alaara.
"Yes. They're powerful, but we've got what it takes. We've faced many missions like this before and we've still got plenty of tricks from then. If anyone can stop then, we can." said Austin.
"I know. I'm not saying we can't do this. I'm looking forward to the action in fact after seeing what those monsters did on Horizon. Still... it makes you think." said Alaara.
"What do you mean?" Austin asked.
"Horizon just made it hit home. What we're doing. What we're up against. Sandra and I are gonna go take care of a little unfinished business. I imagine some of the others are too - getting some closure." said Alaara as she left the room.
Austin turned to Liara.
"You gonna be okay? Things got intense down there." he asked.
"I'll be fine, Austin. Your strength gives me strength. I am with you until the end." Liara smiled.
Austin smiled back and gave Liara a kiss on the cheek.
"Come on. Let's go check on Ash."

As the couple entered the med bay, they found that Griffin was still sat next to Ashley and appeared to be keeping her entertained by telling her about some of the past missions he'd done with the squad. Austin hadn't seen Ashley this happy in a long time. He couldn't help but notice they way they two looked at one another.
"And them he said "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" Griffin laughed as he finished recounting one of the events on the Purgatory. Ashley laughed along with him.
The Chief looked much better now. Most of her wounds had been cleaned now and her arm had been popped back into its socket. Her ankle didn't look too bad either. Them again, Austin had expected that Ashley would be alright. She always had been a tough girl.
"Hey, Ash. How you doin?" Austin asked as he sat down next to Griffin.
"Doing well, thanks. Stings a bit, but it's nothing i'm not used too." Ashley smiled. "I feel I should apologise for doubting you. Alaara was right. You shouldn't have to explain yourself to me."
"It's alright, Ash. I don't blame you for being cross at me. I'd probably feel the same sort of way in your position. It's hard when you haven't seen anyone for two years." said Austin.
"Still, i'm sorry. I was wrong to even think for a minute that you were working for Cerberus. I know you better than that." said Ashley.
"I feel I should tell you, we need to head to Ilium first, so unless you're okay with booking another passage to the Citadel you may be staying for a while. I know you will probably still decline, but they offer is still open." said Austin.
"Trust me, Austin. I really do wish I could join you, I really do." said Ashley.
"Well, since you're okay, we should leave you to get some rest." said Austin as he and Griffin stood up.
"See you soon, old friend. It's good to have you back." Ashley smiled.
"Same here, Ash. Same here." said Austin.

Illium was definitely what Austin would call a beautiful city. Built by the Asari many years ago, Illium was a classic garden world developed to serve as entrepot between the Terminus Systems and the Asari Republics. It was popular place for some Helldivers as well since it was one of their best places of operations, trading and many other things in the Terminus Systems. To abet this trade the normally stringent customs laws of Council space on product-safety-proscribed materials and sapient trafficking were more relaxed that many other places in Asari and Council space. Officially, Illium was not an Asari world and was only colonized and operated by asari corporate interests. This gave it the same legal latitude enjoyed by the human corporate research enclaves of Noveria. Illium was one of the youngest Asari colonies settled during the 7th Expansion Wave. The first child born on the world was only now reaching her middle age. The world was hot and massive; ground settlement was only possible at the higher polar latitudes. In more equatorial locations the population was housed in arcology skyscrapers to escape the heat of the surface.
It was still a marvel to behold for him though. He'd only been here once before and that had been in the lower, darker, regions.
Austin decided on taking Liara, Sandra and Alaara for the small tour. He just hoped that they two would behave themselves and not sneak off somewhere to have sex while he wasn't looking. Not that he wouldn't mind some time alone with Liara. A world like this was the perfect place to have a dinner date with her. That reminded him in fact that he and Liara still had yet to do something like that.
As they Helldivers disembarked, Ashley also followed then. She had decided to leave early and book passage to the Citadel on another ship. As the airlock opened they found themselves greeted by and Asari and two mechs with guns. They Asari had several gold tattoos on her face and was dressed in a surprisingly revealing dress. So revealing in fact that Austin had to remind himself that her eyes were up there and that he had to stop staring at her smooth hips or her breasts.
"Welcome to Nos Astra, Major Shepard. We've been instructed to waive all docking and administration fees for your visit. My name is Careena. If you need information about they area, it would be my pleasure to assist you." said the Asari.
The eyes of the mechs changed from red to white and Careena bowed her head in greeting.
"Who instructed you to waive the fees?" Austin asked. It seemed a bit strange.
"The order came form Zhi Shang Ren, or Xun as she likes to be referred to. She paid all fees on your behalf. She also asked that I direct you to speak with her at your convenience. She's near the trading floor." Careena replied.
"Xun's here? What's she doing?" Austina asked. It was quite a surprise, but a very welcome one to hear that they Helldivers information broker was here. She and Alpha Squad went back a very long way.
"She is here on behalf of the Helldivers to try and improve trade relationships between the Helldivers, Nos Astra and the Terminus systems. Nos Astra is based upon trade. Information is aluablecurrency , and Xun seems to feel right at home here. As I said, you'll find her near the trading floor. She has been looking forward to seeing a very old friend." said Careena.
"Well, thank you very much for the greeting, Careena. I hate to cut this conversation, but I have a very busy schedule ahead of me." said Austin.
"I understand. Again, welcome to our city, Major. Please enjoy your stay." Careena smiled.
"I'm sure we will." said Alaara seductively as she and Sandra eyed up Carrena. The Concierge Asari couldn't help but blush a bit.
Two of the three new dossiers they Arkanes had provided were here on Ilium. A Drell assassin, Thane Krios and an Asari Justicar named Samara. The third dorrier had been Tali, but the had already been closer to Ilium, so Austin had decided to get those two done first.
"Customs records indicate a justicar named Samara is visiting this port, Shepard. The information broker, Xun, may have more information. Her office overlooks the trading floor. You may also wish to speak with her regarding Thane Krios, the assassin on your dossier, as well." said EDI.
"So... I guess this is goodbye." said Ashley as she turned to Austin and the others. Griffin had also disembarked in order to say goodbye to Ashley.
"Not completely. I'm sure we'll see each other again, Ashley." said Austin.
"Yeah, I guess so. Just... don't do something stupid, like die again." said Ashley.
"And put you through the same misery again? Not on your life." said Griffin.
"Thanks Griffin. It was good to meet you, and thanks for saving me." said Ashley as she planted a small kiss on Griffin's cheek. Unknown to the others, she handed something to Griffin.
"Call me." she whispered.
Griffin quickly regained his composure and smiled at Ashley.
"Goodbye, Miss Williams. May the lord watch over you." he said.
"You believe in God?" Ashley asked, surprised.
Griffin simply nodded.
I know you do as well. Shepard told me a lot about you." he said.
Ashley just smiled at the Helldiver and then turned to Austin.
"Good luck against the Collector's, Austin. Come back in one piece." she said.
"Goodbye, old friend. Stay safe out there." Austin smiled as he and Ashley shook hands. They Alliance marine them left and disappeared into the crowd. Austin them turned to Griffin. "Now, what did she give you?" he asked.
"What?" said Griffin trying to sound surprised.
"Don't try to hide it, Wilson. I saw her give you something." said Austin as he indicated to Griffin's hand. They Helldiver reluctantly handed it to him.
"Her contact number?" Austin asked, slightly surprised.
"I guess you could say that we've... got an eye for each other." said Griffin bashfully. "We'll keep in contact and see how it goes.
"Have you ever had a girlfriend before?" Sandra asked.
"Yes. She was a Blue Sun. As you can probably tell, that didn't work out." Griffin replied.
"Just be sure you treat her right. I won't take kindly to you if you break her heart." said Austin sternly. Ashley meant a lot to him as a friend.
"Don't worry, Sir. I'm not gonna screw this up. I really like her." said Griffin.
Austin handed the small datapad back to Griffin and the demolition expert headed back to they Normandy.

As the group left the docking area they became mesmerized by the sight of Illium's various skyscrapers. This was interrupted when Austin heard an Asari calling his name.
"You're Major Shepard? I saw your.. I guess you would say your aura. Id recognise you anywhere." said they Asari.
She was dressed in a white dress with a red line down the front and red on the arms. She had purple skin, like Aria and Councillor Tevos and white tattoos.
"Do I know you?" Austin asked, slightly puzzled.
"You do not, but I know you form a... friend of yours. I was asked to give you a message if I saw you. It is from this friend. A friend that you made on Noveria." said the Asari.
"I met a lot of people on Noveria, Miss. Could you be more specific?" Austin asked.
"I believe the message itself should make it clear." they Asari replied.
She then walked up to Austin and her eyes turned white.
"Shepard. We hide. We burrow. We build. But we know that you seek those who soured the songs of our mothers. When the time comes, our voice will join yours, and our crescendo will burn the darkness clean. Thank you, great warrior. The Rachni will sing again, because of you." she said, her voice echoed as she spoke.
"I'm glad to hear that you're rebuilding, your majesty. Are you somewhere close by?" Austin asked.
Normally he would be concerned that they Rachni was controlling the Asari without her permission. But they way this message had been sent, it sounded as though that wasn't the case.
The Asari stepped back and her eyes returned to normal.
"The Rachni queen is not here. That message is one of many memories I carry from her. I encountered her on an uncharted world. She saved my life. More than that, she gave me a purpose. They are an amazing people, Shepard. They galaxy owes you a great debt for giving them a second chance." she said.
"How did you encounter the Rachni?" Austin asked.
"I was working as a courier. Pirates ambushed my ship, and I was forced down on an uncharted planet. I was badly injured, alone... and near death... then they found me. They saved me." the Asari replied.
"You obviously got off-world again. Did they Rachni give you a ship?" Austin asked.
"No, countless workers repaired my ship. It runs better now than it did before. They remind me of the keepers on the Citadel in a way. All working together, each with a purpose." said the Asari.
"What happened to the pirates who attacked you?" Austin asked.
"They were obliterated. As the should've been. The Rachni are not aggressive, but they do what they must." the Asari replied.
"Thank you for giving me that information. I'm glad that my friend is doing well." said Austin.
"Be well, Major Shepard. Perhaps one day we will see each other again." said the Asari as she left.
Austin and the others continued their walk through Nos Astra. Them, as they neared Xun's office, Austin saw a familiar face sat at a table.
"Well well well, look who it is!" said Austin warmly as he walked up to the woman.
"Holy crap, Shepard? I thought you were dead!" said Gianna Parasini. "What happened? No, wait, probably classified. Forget I asked. You'd just have to lie."
"Nice to see you too, Gianna Parasini. It's been a while." said Austin.
"Yeah. Two years in fact since you helped me nail Administrator Anoleis." said Gianna.
"Always happy to help. What to Anoleis anyway?" Austin asked.
"He made the one mistake Noveria won't tolerate: he got caught taking their money. He's doing a few years in white-collar prison. More importantly, he won't work in the field again. Sit down. If I remember right, I owe you a beer." said Gianna.
Austin sat down while Liara simply stood against a nearby doorway and Alaara and Sandra went to have a look at one of the circular holographic shopping kiosk.
"What brings you to Ilium? You know, that you can talk about?" Gianna asked.
"You ever heard of they Collectors? They're attacking human colonies. I'm going to stop then." Austin replied.
"Damn, Shepard. For me, a tough job involves more paperwork." said Gianna.
At that moment, she suddenly looked at and Asari that was stood near to one of the kiosks that Alaara and Sandra were looking at.
"Hey, listen, I just remembered something. I've got to go. Talk to you later? And don't forget to drink your beer." she said as she left the table.
As Austin reached for the drink, he noticed a small noted underneath the drink. He took the drink in one hand and they note in the other.
"Shepard. Had to leave. Target saw me. Couldn't break cover. Asari merchant smuggling schematics form Noveria. Can you talk her into showing you good stuff?" said the message.
Austin tucked the message a way into one of the pouches on his belt and activated his comm link. He then explained the situation to Alaara and asked her to talk to the Asari. Alaara was very good at undercover work. Alaara simply turned to Austin and nodded in acknowledgement. Them, she went up to the Asari.
"Excuse me, sweetheart." Alaara greeted.
"Welcome! You look like someone who needs high-quality equipment! Feel free to look around. My store has the best tech and biotic equipment on Ilium." said the Asari at the kiosk.
"Do you have anything else? Anything not listed on your main merchandise kiosk?" Alaara asked. She flashed her well known persuasive look that somehow seemed to work all the time. They Asari Helldiver had become very well known for using it.
"Well, there is one thing. Very advanced design. Not publicly available yet." said the merchant.
Alaara gave a very suggestive smile before she noticed that Gianna had been listening in. She knew that they Asari was working for Austin because she was a Helldiver, so there wouldn't be any confusions.
"That's because it's still in development on noveria. And illegal for export. Hello, Hermia." she said.
"Parasini! You set me up! But this isn't Noveria! You don't have the authority to arrest me!" Hermia objected crossley.
"I don't care whether you go to jail. I've got all the evidence I need to fine you out of business." said Gianna.
"Word of advice, babe. Never try to operate above the law. It always manages to bite your pretty little ass eventually." said Alaara smugly.
"I... I need to go. I have to talk to my lawyer." said Hermia as she rushed off.
"Talk fast, Hermia! When they fines hit, you won't be able to afford him!" Gianna shouted after her. She then turned back to Alaara. "Ah, that was good. Thank you for your help. I've got to go file a few papers. Shepard, if you're listening through her, come by my table when you've got a minute."
Austin sat back down at the table as Gianna came back.
"Hermia is going to be a very poor woman very shortly. Thanks for the help, Shepard." she said. "I love nailing Asari. So ageless and superior - them you get then, and the squeal like schoolgirls."
"Careful what you say, Gianna. I have an Asari girlfriend." said Austin. "Still, it must be nice having a job that you really enjoy."
"I wanted to be a cop, or C-Sec, but my family had bills. I needed the money a corporate job brought in. Besides, in this job, you don't see things that make it hard to sleep at night. White collar crime is nice and clean. Hell, at least this time I didn't have to wear heels and a dress." said Gianna.
"It's been a pleasure, Gianna." said Austin as he got up from his seat.
"You too, Shepard." said Gianna as she too got up from her seat. She then walked right up to Austin. "Before I go, would you mind removing your helmet for a minute?"
"Oookay..." said Austin suspiciously as he retracted his helmet.
Gianna looked at his face for a few seconds before speaking again.
"Ah, hell with it."
To Austin's slight surprise, she then planted a kiss on his cheek and smiled at him.
"Much better than an autograph." she said. With that, she disappeared into the crowd.

With that dealt with, Austin, Liara, Alaara and Sandra headed for Xun's office. Sat outside the office at a desk was a purple Asari. At first, Austin thought it was Xun's Asari assistant, Oranna, but this one looked and sounded different.
"Hello Major Shepard. Xun will be pleased to see you." she said as she stood up and greeted then.
"What happened to Xun's usual assistant, Oranna? I don't remember seeing you here before." Austin asked.
"Oranna is currently away on a very important mission for Xun. My name is Nyxeris. Xun relies upon me to acquire useful intelligence. I don't have her network of contacts, but I supply her with supplemental data. It's really an honor to work with her." Nyxeris replied.
"What's Xun's reputation here on Illium?" Austin asked.
"She is greatly respected. In a few short years, she's amassed a sizeable network of connections. She could have even more political power than she already wields if she weren't so focused on her personal goals. But I believe she should tell you about that, not me." said Nyxeris.
"I'd like to see her now, please." said Austin.
"Of course, Major." said Nyxeris.
The Asari led the group through the door as it opened.
The whole room was finally dressed in several different Chinese decorations and furniture. There was a desk in front of the large window that overlooked the rest of Nos Astra. Behind that desk was a large podium, the top of which was surrounded by hundreds of holographic screens. Stood on top of the podium, was Xun.
As a reward for her various services, they Arkanes had given Xun a Helldiver suit of her very own. Like all other Helldivers, the helmet still had the familiar triangle shape, but they similarities ended there. Unlike the others, Xun's helmet was more smoother and more angular, which gave it a very elegant and smooth look.
The rest of Xun's suit was a fine coloured silver. Despite that Xun had seen many battles, she always kept her armour in near perfect condition. Xun's arms, chest and part of her helmet were decorated in several different chinese tattoos. Xun also had a very clear tattoo of a chinese dragon painted on her helmet.
Other additions included a katana strapped on the back of Xun's waist, lack of a plasma cannon, and few Samurai armour pieces accessorizing her armour. Another noticeable feature was that Xun's suit design did in a way resemble a business outfit, a small difference though was that the split dress at the back extended all the way down to her ankles rather than usual stopping at the end of the thighs, so it now looked more like a long cloak or a battle dress. The skirts were also made of a very light chainmail rather than the usual material for suits.
Xun currently appeared to be in call with someone. She had a datapad in her right hand and a large metal fan in the other. This was one of Xun's most treasured possessions. Surprisingly, the fan could also be used in combat for distraction purposes. However, they fan could also be used as a weapon. Although it didn't look it, that fan was just as sharp as Xun's katana and could slice through things with no trouble. It also somehow concealed Xun's ability to throw knives at her enemies when in combat.
"Look sir, I am not an unreasonable woman, but my services are not free. The information you want was not easy to acquire. Besides, we both agreed on the price. How dare you try to pay me at one tenth of it!" she said angrily.
There was a brief pause as Xun's client replied.
"Really? Well guess what, you don't have the information, I do!" she said.
There was another pause.
"This argument is getting us nowhere, and I have better things to do with my time. I'll make this simple, either you pay me or you won't see that information."
The communication ended and Xun turned to several of the other holo screens she was surrounded by.
"Excuse me, mistress." said Nyxeris.
"What is it, Nyxeris?! I told you I do not want to be disturbed!" said Xun. They Helldiver information broker didn't turn to look at Nyxeris and still continued with her work.
"You have visitors, mistress. I believe you were expecting then." said Nyxeris.
Xun slowly turned around and looked down at then. Her expression was unreadable through her helmet, but she looked pleased to see Austin and the others. They holo screen that she was surrounded by vanished and they podium slowly descended into the ground.
"Shepard! Nyxeris, hold my calls." she said. The information broker then walked up to Austin and embraced him warmly. Austin hugged her back.
Once they two had finished, Xun walked behind her desk. She put down the datapad she'd been holding earlier, but she still continued fanning herself with the metal fan. It was a very common habit of hers.
"My sources said you were alive, but I never believed... it's very good to see you." she smiled under her helmet.
"It's good to see you too, Xun. How're you doing?" Austin asked warmly.
"I'm doing well. As you've probably been told, i'm here on a trade mission to improve trade relations between us, Ilium and the Terminus systems." said Xun.
Austin sat down and Xun quickly did the same.
"And now you're back. Gunning for the Collectors." she said.
"That's not exactly public knowledge." said Austin.
"Neither is you being alive again, old friend. Information is my business, remember? And if you need if you need help finding people, i'm more than happy to help." said Xun.
"What about you, Xun? We'd love your help on this mission." Austin offered.
"I wish I could, Shepard. But I can't I'm sorry. I have commitments here. Things I need to take care of." said Xun.
"What kind of things? You're not in trouble, are you?" Austin asked.
"No. Of course not. It's very complicated, and I understand the mission you are on. I don't want to waste your time." said Xun. She took a moment to consider something however. "Although, if you want to help. I need someone with hacking expertise, someone I can trust. If you could disable security at key points around Illium, could get me information I need. That would help me a great deal." said Xun.
"If it will help you, i'll take care of it." said Austin.
"When you hack one, a server will open somewhere nearby for a short time. You can download data from there. If you hurry. Thank you, Shepard. This may help me a great deal." said Xun gratifyingly.
"You're welcome. Now, you said that you could help me find people if need be?" Austin asked.
"Of course. Name the person, i'm happy to help out an old friend." said Xun.
"There's an Asari warrior named Samara here in Illium. Do you know where I can find her?" Austin asked.
"Samara... Yes. She arrived recently and registered with Tracking Officer Dara. You can find Dara at the transport hub." said Xun.
"Thank you, Xun. That's all I need to know for now." said Austin.
"Of course, if there's anything else I can help you with, let me know." said Xun.
"I'll talk to you later, Xun." said Austin.

Now that they knew who to look for, Austin and the group headed to the transport hub to look for the Tracking Officer Dara. As they neared were Xun had told her she would be though, Austin saw an Asari who looked very familiar. She was wearing a green lab coat and had a green skin pigment.
"Shepard! I... I don't suppose you'd remember me. I'm Shiala. We met on Feros during the Geth attack. Saren had given me to the Thorian creature as a slave, and you killed it... and saved me and the colony. I promised to help Zhu's Hope recover. I'm actually here on Ilium for just that purpose." said they Asari.
"Good to see you again, Shiala. How is Zhu's hope doing?" Austin asked.
"We've done a lot of rebuilding. We even salvaged some useful material form the Geth ship you destroyed. They ExoGeni researchers got called back to their headquarters, however... along with what was left of the Thorian." said Shiala.
"Is there something I can do to help?" Austin asked.
"I'd appreciate it. I've reached the limits of my diplomatic abilities, and i'd prefer not to start trouble. Some of the colonists had health problems as a result of the Thorian control. We hired a colonial survey group to do some medical scans. But the medical contract apparently allows the company to perform invasive procedures without our consent. That's why i'm here." said Shiala.
"If you don't mind me asking, Shiala, why are you green? You were only green when the Thorian made clones of you. The real you was purple." Austin asked.
"Those health problems I said were related to the Thorian control? This is mine. A few months after they Thorian died, my skin pigment changed. My biotic abilities are unstable as well. I'm also having vivid dreams... about my time with the Thorian. It is... disconcerting. Something else happened as well, but I really cannot talk about it. It is deeply private." Shiala explained.
"I understand. I'll talk to the survey group." said Austin.
"I appreciate it, Shepard. The Baria Frontiers representative known about the issue." said Shiala.
Austin and the others walked up to the Asari that Shiala had told them about, Erinya.
"I saw your conversation, human. You're here to complain about the medical contracts those colonists signed. I suggest you leave. Your life is short enough. Do not waste what time you have bothering me." she said.
"What's your problem with humans?" Austin asked crossley.
"Not just humans. It's all of you. They Salarians and Turians are no better. They galaxy would be a better place if nobody but they Asari had ever dragged themselves out of the primordial muck." said Erinya.
"Why are you so prejudiced against aliens? What have they ever done to you?!" said Austin.
"Where do I begin? With Salarian explorers unleashing the Rachni upon us, them unleashing the Krogan to correct their mistake? Or they Turians, so eager to bomb every problem away? Or humans, they new arrivals who already think they should be in charge?" said Erinya.
Austin's hand clenched into a fist at this.
"Every war that plagued this galaxy has been caused by your people. My people's deaths are on your hands." said Erinya.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Austin asked sternly.
"The mother of my daughters was killed on the Quarian homeworld during the initial Geth uprising. My daughters died on the Citadel when the Geth attacked. One worked in the Embassy. The other was a greeter for the Consort. I am not speaking in hypotheticals, human. The aliens will never be my allies. They best they can do is give me useful medical data." said Erinya.
"Your bondmate was with the quarians. Your daughter worked with aliens every day at the Embassy and the Consort." said Austin.
"And look what happened to them!" Erinya replied.
"You've suffered. I get that. But these colonists were trying to live peacefully! They've suffered, too! They lost family to the Geth and the Thorian creature. What makes you think you can add to their suffering?!" said Austin harshly. He didn't remember being this angry and a long time.
Erinya was deeply hurt by this and fell to her knees crying. Austin did not go to help her up. He simply waited until she calmed down and stood up.
"I'm... sending an amended contract. No more tests. No fees. There's enough grief in this galaxy. I don't need to add to it." she said.
"Bitch." said Alaara as Erinya left. Even she was appalled by this, regardless of whether Erinya had changed her mind.
With the job taken care of, they went back to Shiala.
"You did it! I just got the revised contracts. Thank you, Shepard. You've saved Zhu's Hope again. I don't think I could have... Is it always like this? Yesterday's problems lingering in some new from? Isn't anything ever just fixed?" asked Shiala.
"You've got the power to make a difference, Shiala. Not everyone does." said Austin.
"You're right. You gave us a chance by saving the colony. I can't let them down. I won't. Thank you for what you've done here, Shepard. I'll keep doing what I can." said Shiala.
"Good luck, Shiala." said Austin. He then ultimately decided that he should do it and he took a small datapad out of one of the small pouches on his combat belt and handed it to Shiala.
"What's this?" the Asari asked.
"A contact number for some top Arkane scientist." Austin replied. He then moved closer to Shiala and lowered his voice. "My suit shows me everything. I know about your... private problem." he said.
Shiala knew what he was talking about. At around the same time her skin pigment had changed, Shiala had also ended up growing a phallus form out of her Azure. It hadn't bothered her too much though since she and her lover Lizbeth Baynham had had a lot of fun with it.
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I won't tell anyone." Austin added.
"Thank you again, Shepard. It does embarrass me slightly, but with any luck, they medical scans will take care of that." said Shiala.
"If it doesn't, call them. They're bound to be able to help." said Austin.
"I hope we meet again, Shepard." Shiala smiled as she and Austin shook hands.
"Same here, Shiala. Take care of yourself." said Austin.
Officer Dara's office was right next to where Shiala had been, so the group moved on to her next.
"A Helldiver? What a surprise. We don't see your kind around here a lot. Can I help you with something?" she asked.
"I'm looking for an Asari warrior name Samara." Austin replied politely.
"Wait. Why? Do you have a problem, or... Did she kill somebody already?" Dara asked, horrified.
"Relax - I just need to speak with her. I'm outfitting a special team for a mission and she's on the list." said Austin reassuringly. Dara calmed down after that.
"Good. Samara's they first Justicar I've seen on Ilium. If i'm lucky, things will stay peaceful. She went to the commercial spaceport a few hours ago. If you want to get there, the pedestal on that balcony will summon a cab. Just be polite when you meet her. Justicars embody our highest laws, and the usually stay in Asari space. She's not used to dealing with aliens, especially Helldivers." said Dara.
"Thanks for thy help." said Austin.
"Good luck with the Justicar. Try not to piss her off." said Dara as she went back to her work and Austin and the others headed to the pedestal to get a cab. Their next stop, the commercial spaceport, and hopefully Samara...

Shadow stood looking out of the window. Just like her last encounter with Shepard, she felt disgraced and humiliated. Shepard had managed to win once again. This fight had really taken it's toll on her. They medics who had treated her had said that some of her wounds would never fully heal.
Unknown to the Phantom, a figure appeared behind her form out of the Shadows.
"Still in regret?" asked the Illusive man.
Shadow didn't say anything, nor did she stand to attention. She was far beyond caring whether this was her boss.
"I know things didn't go well, and that you don't feel like talking, but I have an offer for you." said the Illusive man.
Shadow slowly turned to face him.
"Go ahead them. I've got nothing else to do." she said.
"Recent studies of new technology we've uncovered from the dead Collectors you brought back from Horizon have unlocked new possibilities for out cybernetics division. If you'd be willing, there may be a chance we could give you the edge you need so that next time you encounter Shepard, the outcome will be in your favour." said they Illusive Man.
Shadow simply smiled. She was beyond caring now. If this meant she could have her revenge, she was game. Not matter they cost, they Helldiver would pay...

And there you have it!
This will have to be my last chapter before my holiday. I seriously doubt I can get the next one finished in one day before Saturday. Hopefully though, when I get back in two weeks, I'll have plenty of new chapters for you all.
Until then, it's been real good fun. See you all in two weeks, and keep up those good reviews!
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Mass Effect: The Helldiver Saga, The Collector War