What?! Hutt! The Reaper fired again, aiming strictly at the pesky gnat – that is, at "Starkiller-I." Dangerous. Hellishly risky, but avoiding a hit is possible. I performed a maneuver around the scarlet laser, unthinkable in its complexity, since dodging by simply flying away was impossible. Successful... Phew... We almost burned. And how, one asks, do you fight such a creature within planetary limits? Bad business, if you think about it.
Space is dominated by a pure vacuum, meaning there is practically no matter capable of retaining or transferring heat. If a laser hits a ship or other space object, its energy is absorbed by the surface, causing heating. Which leads to melting, evaporation, or explosion. However, after a hit, the beam's trajectory becomes "safe" again, as in a vacuum, the laser leaves no traces of heating – it doesn't interact with empty space. On planets where there is an atmosphere, the situation is different. The laser heats the environment, creating a zone of high temperature, and in some cases, shock waves. Hutt! Reaper laser weapons are particularly destructive in atmospheric conditions. Better to fight them in space than to remember where they shot!
— Miranda, assess losses, - I transmitted over the internal comms, flying close to a couple of ships that survived the whole massacre. Not ours. Geth... Using the turrets, I began shelling them at close range. Those further away were attacked by the long-range pulse cannon. However, until we destroy the heart of the enemy fleet, it's all useless.
The Reaper began charging the laser cannon again, but now I used absolutely all remaining missiles in the launchers. They all rushed in a swarm toward Sovereign, inflicting... No way! How?! Did its shield seriously just absorb all the damage? What kind of energy shields are those? And then the vile laser struck again...
— Sovereign... Sovereign... your mother was a Jedi... - using the best insult from my Sith collection, I spent even more energy launching the mass accelerators.
But there was no happiness, as Tali'Zorah contacted me and reported that the ship had less than forty percent energy left. Liara supplemented the report by saying there was nothing to shoot with; all missiles were gone.
— Well then, - I muttered, feeling the Force pulsing around. Closing my eyes, I released all accumulated energy to encompass every screw and detail of our ship. In essence, I became EDI – an all-seeing and all-knowing being, capable of even sensing Saren's face sweating from tension.
— May the Force be with me! Ramming speed!
— Requesting confirmation. Ramming? Analysis... dinghies do not ram battleships, - EDI asked again, as if doubting the sanity of the meatbag on the ship. But, one way or another, in any unclear situation, it is best to trust the Force.
— Use maximum acceleration. I'm responsible for defense, - I insisted, but for some reason, this didn't help much to make the AI decide on such a risky venture. Only after five seconds, having calculated all options, did she agree to trust this plan. Probably, the trigger was another laser strike, which took another ten percent of the ship's energy. There were only two paths to choose from: flight or attack. But since it's better not to postpone the inevitable, we decided to test our luck here and now.
The ship rushed at insane speed straight at the giant squid, which had wrapped itself in a field of impenetrable energy shield. Ha, not bad, but my ram is much better! The Force enveloped "Starkiller-I" in the thinnest web, and its greatest concentration was focused on the bow – the very part that cut through the protective field like a knife through butter and went further, straight into Sovereign's hull.
Our entire ship shuddered, but the Reaper experienced far greater pressure. Its hull ruptured, after which we passed through its interior and flew out the other side. Yes! Pierced through!
— What? - I asked myself, sharply turning our ship around. The Reaper was still functioning, even after a hole in its hull? And was slowly retreating to the nearest planet, like a wounded hare crawling into its burrow. Hmm...
Extending my hand, I tried to envelop at least the partially ruptured part of Sovereign with the Force. Not to patch it up, but on the contrary, expanding the area of damage more and more, penetrating further and further, closer to the core. Had its energy shield been activated or its hull intact, I would hardly have decided on such a step, but now luck favored me. Probably...
I squeeze my hand with all my might, finally forcing the Reaper's scarlet eye to go out. But I didn't destroy the ship itself – even the core remained intact and unharmed, except for a couple of cracks that caused an emergency system shutdown. This means we have a chance to study Sovereign's technologies – the ship's structure, to, ahem, borrow the laser and energy shield operation system, which is beyond our current capabilities. In short, as in any war, we will improve ourselves at the expense of captured technologies.
And yes, we won. Sovereign is not functioning, and sensors detect only weak radioactive emissions. But we can deliver the captured ship to some isolated planet to begin research. Bring it to the Citadel? No, too dangerous. What if the Reaper has protocols allowing it to take control of living beings' minds even in this state? Or a self-destruct system...
— To all Citadel fleet, this is "Starkiller-I." The Reaper has been neutralized. Organize a team to transport its remains to an isolated research base, away from inhabited planets. We must study it, - I gave the order, which no one argued with. Dangerous, but we only encountered one combat unit, and it already managed to press us hard.
Leaving the narrow and cramped captain's bridge, I immediately headed to the personnel zone. They were sitting in special chairs, strapped in. And judging by their faces, they were one step away from emptying their stomachs. It's a miracle the crew didn't vomit all over my ship because of my complex piloting skills.
— I made a mistake... not switching to the "Normandy," - Saren unstrapped himself. — do you even know the pressure exerted on the crew? If there were ordinary people here, they would... - he looked at the two Alliance soldiers who were passed out. — Kaidan and Ashley are a prime example of what happens. And we don't have a doctor. No one to provide first aid.
— I can help, - Liara raised her hand somehow. Miranda was the most normal, just pale as death. Samara and Matriarch Benezia, like Saren, successfully got to their feet. Shepard was playing the strong and independent woman, but her eyes were glassy. As for the others, they were in a state between Ashley and Shepard.
— I, mhhh, will step out, - Tali struggled toward what appeared to be the restroom.
— Are you serious? - I spread my hands. — I tried as hard as I could to use my piloting skills to a minimum to keep the crew fully combat-ready. And it wasn't that easy when a laser beam the size of an Alliance merchant vessel was flying a few meters from the ship.
— What the... you mean to say you were holding back too? I like humans less and less, - Saren turned away, as if his warrior pride had been crushed. — You reek of trouble.
— Humans are amazing creatures. Better to stay away from them, like volus without their suits. And... if they also wear dark robes and hide their face behind a helmet, then even more so.
— Samara, - I crossed my arms in displeasure. — You were supposed to fight Saren's opinion, not join it. He's swaying you toward... a dark opinion of my person. Judge for yourselves. We handled a Reaper. We lost the Citadel assault squad, of course, and almost died ourselves... about ten times, but we handled it. Everything went perfectly. Except for the fact that an entire flotilla of Reaper ships is heading toward us... in no way inferior to today's enemy. Well, could be worse.
— For example? - Shepard inquired dryly, having recovered from the shock.
— The Reapers got stuck in a cosmic traffic jam and are a little late... And while they're not here, we'll examine the captured Sovereign for anything useful. Prepare properly for their arrival, - I looked closely at Miranda. — Not a bad test of your intellectual skills during my absence.
— And where are you heading? – Benezia asked.
— To the geth planet, as soon as I replenish ammo and energy for "Starkiller-I." Oh, yes, Saren, Tali and... - I carefully examined the crew searching for someone useful in combat or technical terms. — Garrus. You're coming with me.
— I'll pass.
— Never thought I'd agree with Saren, - Garrus almost snorted.
— Well at least Tali agrees, - I stated with relief.
— Agrees to what? - the quarian asked, swaying as she returned from the restroom, having missed the conversation.
— A twenty-minute adventure. Everything will definitely be fine! - I showed the "OK" symbol with a gesture, trying to convince the quarian of the safety of flying to her home planet for negotiations with hostile geth.
— In your place, - Saren stared stupidly at the floor. — I wouldn't believe him.