[IC] Mass Effect +1

[Eran]

When Shepard took to the guns, Zeto programmed the shields to focus on the upper part of the Mako. She then hopped up to the front and took control to start driving the Mako. Their best bet was to pass the valley and get to somewhere they were both more maneuverable and not susceptible to fire from above. Armatures were slow, hence the need for Drop ships to bring them straight to battle. Once out of their range, they should be okay. Zeto soon came to what looked like a base with two geth turrets guarding the obviously sealed door. Garrus pointed out the obvious. "We'll take a beating if we go straight on. We have to try to find another way..." Zeto spotted a path to the right just as the turret were setting their sights on them. Zeto made a hard turn and gunned it into the side path just in time to avoid the blast from them. But she saw another turret signal on the radar ahead. She went to the side. "Garrus, take the wheel."

Zeto moved around the turian as he quickly took control of driving the tank. "Go forward slowly... and be ready to swing our right side forward on my signal." The quarian went to the side door, getting her sniper rifle off her back yet still not extended. Zeto quickly linked the Tank's radar to her omni-tool and kept an eye on that turret signal ahead. Soon they were just in sight and Zeto opened the door. "Now!" Garrus hit the accelerator and the tank swung to have her pointed toward the turret. Her sniper rifle extended and she quickly pointed it at the turret.... and fired. The shot was not going straight for the gun. It veered to the left to the ammo storage for the gun. Her bullet hit it straight on and the turret exploded in response. Garrus was muttering in the front seat. "Show off..." Zeto closed the door and put her weapon away before going back to her station to put the shields back to normal. "I am reading many geth in the base. Troops, no armatures. We'll have to fight our way to unlock the back door if these schematics I pulled from the base are correct.:

[Merrygold]

It was hell of a ride, she had to admit that. If Zeto didn´t find the path to the right, they would soon have more holes then a sieve. She was still clutching controls of the mass accelerator, feeling adrenalin slowly passing in her veins and prepared to react to any danger that would dare to show its face.
She gave herself a few moments to clear her head, not a second more. It wasn´t the first death trap she survived and it surely wasn´t the last one. Benezia´s daughter was waiting on them and Shepard didn´t want to make her wait longer than necessary. Especially when her only company were Geths.

“Good job, Zeto.” She didn´t specify if she meant finding the way or her marksmanship, both things came in excellent time.
The base looked heavily defended, but Shepard was still glad that the path led them this way. Not that she didn’t like an additional armour and heavy cannon on Mako, but she still preferred going on foot. Only then she could be her own master. She trusted that Garrus and Zeto will do their job, she wouldn´t take them with her otherwise, but experiences taught her that only one she could rally on was herself. It was ironic that she demanded complete trust of her subordinates but she couldn´t really give it back.

“Looks like we´re going outside. Ready your weapons and calm your nerves. The weather outside is little bit more sunny than would be pleasant so be prepared for that.” She quite like a hot weather on short leaves but on missions it was more of an inconvenience. Her armour mostly protected her from external influences, but even armour wasn´t much of a help in condition like this.
She hopped out of Mako, readied her shotgun and waited for rest of her team. After that, they moved toward small metal gate that automatically opened itself when they get nearby. So much for being sneaky…
They carefully entered the base, guns pointing in every direction. “This is another great place for an ambush…” To underline her words, silent humming sound resonated the air and Shepard sa; a small flying object in distance.
“Dropship! Prepare for enemy!” Shepard shouted and hid herself behind the hardest thing she could find.

[Eran]

Zeto carefully moved across the field from cover to cover, making sure to check her exposed spots before moving to the next area. This kind of action was actually familiar to the medical expert. A bit too familiar. Sure, she could fix a wound on the field in no time at all and give soldiers an extra boot in the ass to keep them moving and fighting. However, who would guess that she had the skills of a soldier hidden under that? This was not something you learned while reading up on xeno limbic systems. This was something you only found out through experience...

Years in the past: Zeto's Pilgrimage

Zeto pressed herself against a rock, gunfire blasting at her cover like a relentless heavy hail. Next to her was a Krogan with a scarred up face in an expression of joy firing back. Once her spun back into cover, Zeto gave him a punch in the side. "You Okvug Dreng are the fucking stupidest bosh'tet I had ever met!" His response was a laugh at her comment. "Oh stop being a baby! Its fun! Whats better then being in a battle? I'd get rusty if I did things your way all the time." Zeto growled angrily. "We'd be in less a position to die too! That is an entire clan out there after us because you decided it would be fun to shoot the leader in the foot!" Okvug shook his head. "Aw c'mon, live a little. Tell you what. You kill more than me, and you call the shots." Zeto looked up at the cliff walls around them and at the large clan advancing. "You stick down here and stay alive. I have a plan. Just.. distract them!" The krogan happily obliged.

Zeto carefully went from cover to cover, getting back from the action. Once back, she began an auto targeting system she had recently jury rigged to suit. Not a perfect fit, but it functioned. Displays went inside her visor as she searched for a point on the cliffs and one spot was targeted. Zeto took out her sniper rifle and took close aim. She called on her radio. "When I say to, run for your life back. Don't even worry about them." She held a breath in, steadying her shot before squeezing the trigger and firing. "Run now!" The shot rang out and hit rocks on top of the cliff. The scared Krogan took heed of her words and ran. The clan didn't fire after him. They were preoccupied. The sniper shot had loosen the rocks overhead and had cause a major rock slide. Tons of rock fell on the surprised Krogan, killing most and leaving the rest buried alive. They would not attack again.

Okvug came up to Zeto with a grin on his face, impressed. "You took care of that clan in one shot! I've got a new found respect for y"SMACK went her fist as it slammed into the Krogan's face, knocking him back in surprise. She advanced on him angrily. "Do you relieze what happened?! They are all dead because you were fucking 'bored'! I don't fucking care what your reasoning is. If you ever do anything like that again...!" She threw another punch, harder. He was ready for it, but it still made his head turn. "I will put a bullet in your brain! They are all dead because you were bored. Their blood is on my hands! I'm supposed to save lives and I just killed I don't even know how many! Imagine if I took all you cared about. Your values of strength and honor and stripped it all away from you. Just stomp all over it! That is what I am like now! After we get back to your clan, I am leaving Tuchanka and we are never looking at each other, much less speaking again." She turned away from Okvug and the krogans she just killed, walking forward. She was sick of this planet, wanting to leave as soon as possible...

Present Day

She had earned the name 'Clan Killer' that day. Her story had spread through the Krogans like nuclear fire. About the quarian who wiped out Clan Ganar beyond any hope of recovery. A ruthless killer and mighty warrior. Not typical of a quarian to be thought of as such by the Krogan. Once the dropship came, Zeto readied her sniper rifle and started by shooting the geth as they were coming. Just take care of them one by one. A method battle to take all the enemy out. The less of them, the better.

[Merrygold]

Dropship stopped in the air above the heads of Shepard and her team, spiting soldiers from its insides like some kind of insect queen giving birth to her kind. No less than a dozen of artificial warriors left the safety of their ship with weapons spiting death as soon as their feet touched the ground. Like it wasn´t enough, more Geth appeared from depths of the outpost, no less determined to kill Shepard and her mates.
Those machines were more terrifying than any man she had ever fought. Their actions lacked emotions, their “faces”, if it could be called that name, hadn´t any recognizable features. They were demons. Faceless, nameless, silent and devouted to their programming. Their combined intelligence maybe had some kind of self-awareness and personality, but things that attacked Shepard had none of these things. They were just automatons with single purpose, killing the Commander. But Shepard was determined not to give her life cheaply. She didn´t feel like dying today and no Geth could change her mind. She gave a quick, calculating glance to the enemy forces. There were at least twenty of geth. Shepard, Garrus and Zeto had each almost seven enemies to take care of. Hardly a favourable ratio, but Shepard was still optimistic.
“I am going to charge them. Garrus you make use of your assault rifle and provide me with cover fire. Spray everything that moves and doesn´t look like me. If my shield catches even one single bullet of yours, I will take it as a personal insult of my good look. Zeto, on other hand, place your shots carefully. Your sniper rifle is much more powerful weapon and I trust your aim. I have seen a few rocketeers and snipers and I entrust you with them. Their weapons could shred my shields and that’s something I wouldn´t be too glad for. Plus same rule applies to you. One shot it my arse and I will take it personally.”
She didn´t wait for her mates to confirm orders. She already spent too much time talking. Now was the time of action. She charged her surroundings with biotic energy, hoping it would be sufficient to stop a few point blank shots. She took a firm hold her shotgun and jumped out of cover. She used her powers to accelerate the momentum of her body and rammed the enemy. She was like a fired bullet and she hit the enemy with the same impact. At least five of geth had fallen to the ground and Shepard systematically finished them with fast shots from her shotgun. In the same moment Garrus sprayed machines and soon they had to look for cover. Their deployment was maybe terrifying, but left them in open space and vulnerable to the fire of this kind. Shepard just hoped that Zeto will do her job with the same vigour.

[Eran]

Zeto acknowledged the command and stayed back, her weapon more effective at range. While Garrus and Shepard pulled their focus with their barrage of biotics and bullets, Zeto began to pick off the heavy weapons and other snipers. She started with the rocketeers, taking them out first because even a missed direct hit could cause damage if close enough. Once she started on the snipers though, they caught wind and fired on her. She was forced to take cover. She heard catter in her ear, Garrus talking. "Need some help?" Zeto rolled her eyes. "Oh no, I was just thinking I needed some extra rounds and what do you think?! Could you scatter them? I can take of two or three if you throw a grenade." Garrus confirmed. "Right, be ready. Tossing out."

Zeto closed her eyes and bent down, lowering herself to a crouch. When she heard the explosion, she went around her box and fired at the first target she saw. She quickly moved to the next and fired again, a bullet in his eye. She fired one more time and killed another before her gun overheated and she had to take cover. Luckily, the rest were taken out by Shepard and Garrus as her gun cooled down. Once she did a sweep of the area and found it empty, she called out on their radio. "All clear." Zeto came out and rejoined the other two, pointing to the gate house in the back. "That will open the gate to go forward. I assume T'Soni is there since they put so many Geth in the way. It should be simply to open, just a button."

[Merrygold]

Things went really well. Surprisingly well. Geth soldiers were programed to do just a one single job and that was warfare. They were programed for it. They were specially equiped for it. And Shepard with her team just shot almost two dozens of them without even breaking a sweat. She felt just a little drawback of her biotic powers and wild action but she had no wounds and her teamamates didn´t look harmed either.
They worked well like a team. She had no doubts that Garrus will do what she told him to do best as he can, he had many notches on the barrel after all, but Zeto was the great unknown for her. Shepard already knew she was a strong woman with a backbone and a determination many soldiers by profession lacked, but she still wasn´t sure of her combat prowess. Truth to be told, Zeto´s abilities quite surprised Shepard. She surely wasn´t a newbie with the sniper rifle and her aim was sure and clear. One shot, one kill, even under fire. Shepard was glad that she took Zeto with her. Skilled combatants like her always came in handy.

The stage was clear in mere moments and only reminder of their firefight were the remenants of Geth bodies lying on the ground with wires and electronical parts ripped out by gunfire. Shepard felt somehow disgusted by it. It maybe weren´t organical insides but they still belonged to the living, semi-sentient things. She knew that taking lives was unevitable part of her work, but that didn´t mean that she is completly okay with it.
She shaked her head to clear it. Now wasn´t time for thoughts like this, first T´Soni, then morality issues.
She walked towards the gate and opened it. These metal doors were even louder than the first one and sound they made was even more unpleasent for ears. Bloody things weren´t used to much of traffic. Rusty or not, they still worked and the team was before the last destination. Dr T´Soni was close now, Shepard just hoped they will get to her first. "Let´s move!"

[Eran]

As they advanced, scattered groups of Geth were in the way. Both Zeto and Garrus used their skills in sniper shooting to pick them off as they came within engaging distance and left them easy to just finish off. Weakening them before they actually battle and simply finishing the scraps. A safe and effective tactic for the three man squad against the several groups. Bit by bit they made their way to the exterior of the Prothean Ruins where Dr. T'soni was supposed to be. It seemed unguarded at first, but a geth with high agility jumped from wall to wall, chattering in its language. The dropship came over and dropped off five shock troops and one Armature. They all had to take cover to avoid the coming fire. They were in a bit of trouble, not helped that Zeto had taken a grazing from a shot. Her suit had sealed up quickly, but any number of germs could have entered the small wound.

Zeto had counted the targets and was thinking of a plan. Besides the Armature, the Jumper would be the most trouble. With its ability to stick to any surface, it could fire at a multitude of angles. That would leave them vulnerable. She had to take it out quickly. She had to get it in her sights. She called Garrus. "Force the jumper to hit the ground, fifteen meters to its right!" Garrus nodded and got his assault rifle, firing a burst to make the jumper move. It came down just where Zeto was aiming. Quickly, she fired and disabled a leg. A one shot kill was not possible with it flat to the ground. It rolled, trying to get an angle where it could return fire. She had moved the rifle to the side and aimed her pistol, unloading clips into its body. It fell to the ground, dead. Zeto had to jump into cover to avoid a blast from the Armature. "So Shepard, what is the plan to take that and its friends out without being killed?"