On the planet Antibaar, part of the Tereshkova system deep within the Skyllian Verge, a squad of Alliance marines found themselves pinned down behind a pile of boulders. A snowstorm billowed around them making visibility difficult as they avoided the pulse rounds that chipped away at the large rocks protecting them.

"Damn Geth, they got us pinned down!" one of the marines shouted, another on his left blind firing over their cover attempting to land a hit on the synthetics firing on them.

"Radios are jammed, we're on our own, sir!" the comms specialist reported, pistol in hand and shaking either from adrenaline or the cold no one could tell.

The squad leader wracked his brain, trying to come up with a plan for him and his team to survive what should have been a recon mission on Geth activity in the area...that's when they heard it.

A deep hum filled the air, the Alliance soldiers looked up and saw a ship flying low over them. Not three seconds later, something slammed into the ground in the direction of the Geth with enough force to stagger the marines.

"What the fuck...did they just get backup?!" They peered around their cover and saw a small crater several meters away from their position. Through the small blizzard, the marines saw something rise up from the impact point.

They could make out a large humanoid shape stand at near seven feet in height with thick armor. A small turret was attached to their left shoulder, and a blocky-looking rifle was held in their hands.

Pulse rounds started firing again, now directed at the new arrival who seemed to brush off the barrage with indifference as they began walking forward, raising their own weapon and unleashed a salvo of blue bolts in return.

Explosions of electricity could be seen somewhere in the distance and the number of pulse rounds flying began decreasing. A Geth shock trooper came running, weapon firing at the armored human. Only for its target to swing their left arm, a long blade extending from their left gauntlet that cleaved the synthetic and its rifle in half with one pass.

"What the hell is that Lieutenant?" asked one of the marines.

"Don't know, Private. But it looks like we got reinforcements!" the squad leader replied as they moved out of cover with weapons ready.

X

A Geth Hopper leapt at Flynn with the intention of catching him off guard. The slayer stored his plasma rifle and grabbed it by the neck, and in the next moment broke the synthetic over his knee.

Tossing away the remains and bringing out his heavy cannon, he blew the head off a Geth sniper with a precision shot. A salvo of pod rockets followed, finishing off the last two troopers that were still standing, leaving nothing but sparking salvage laying in the snow.

It was a couple days after the Normandy's last trip to the Citadel when Admiral Hackett contacted Shepard. Informing her that the Geth were amassing in the Skyllian Verge and setting up outposts on various planets. With the threat of a possible invasion, the Commander had Joker set a course with the intent of helping put an end to the synthetics' plans and assist any Alliance personnel in the area.

"Thanks for the assist." the slayer turned to the squad of marines he had just helped. "Don't recognize your armor, you a merc?" asked the team leader.

Flynn tilted his head just before a loud rumbling could be heard closing in. The team spun around, weapons raised only to see a mako approaching them. Pulling over a couple feet away, the hatch opened allowing Shepard, Ashley and Tali to step out.

"Lieutenant Avers?" asked the Commander as they approached them.

"That's me, ma'am. Didn't think our rescue earned attention from the first human Spectre." said Avers with relief.

"I'm still Alliance at my core, Lieutenant. What's the situation here?" asked Jane.

The Lieutenant adjusted the grip on his rifle, "The Geth are dug in a couple clicks from here. We were supposed to observe and report back our findings, but the bastards shot us down and kept us pinned. Lost one from the crash, another from a stray pulse round."

"We'll get back at the Geth for their deaths." said Ashley strongly.

"Before we went down we got a good look at their units. Mostly troopers and a couple heavies. But they got a Colossus guarding their main encampment. That's what brought us down, and the biggest threat." one of the other marines reported.

Shepard nodded as Flynn stomped over to join them, "Think you can take down a Colossus?" she asked.

The slayer grinned before spinning on his heel and sprinting into the snow storm at a speed that was unbelievable to those who didn't know him.

"...Who was that, Commander?" asked Avers, he and his men in disbelief at seeing someone so large move so fast.

Jane smirked, "That's our heaviest hitter, Lieutenant."

Tali shook her head, "I cannot believe that he jumped out of the cargo hold from that altitude."

"Knowing him, that was a small hop." Ashley threw in as they all got back into the mako.

X

Finding the Geth encampment wasn't difficult. And the synthetics noticed his arrival within moments and immediately opened fire.

Flynn dashed around the barrage of pulse rounds, his super-human speed making him almost a blur before he clotheslined a Geth Juggernaut with enough force to nearly split it in half. Pulling out his rocket launcher, he fired several missiles into the towers built around the encampment, destroying them and the Geth snipers that were set up at their highest points.

The ground shook beneath the slayer's feet and he spun to see the Colossus making its way toward him. For a machine, it was decently sized. Roughly half the height of a Titan if he were to estimate, and a dangerous enemy to go up against on foot…

For anyone else, anyway.

Smirking, Flynn switched to his plasma rifle and opened fire. The blue bolts hitting the massive Geth's barriers and quickly wearing them down. The Colossus made a series of loud, deep clicks and charged its head cannon, a blast of blue/white energy leaving its optic and burning a path to its target.

The slayer dashed twice to the left and again forward to avoid the attack, keeping the pressure on as he moved in and around the Colossus. His rifle beeped loudly, the lights covering its frame glowing red. Flynn fired the weapons heat-blast mod, hitting the large Geth's leg and making it stumble before he started shooting again.

Only this time the bolts were red. The Colossus' barriers shattered, its armor began to burn and melt under the assault until the plasma changed back to blue again when the 'overheat' had died out.

The Colossus fired its main cannon again, taking a step back trying to keep the powerful human in its sights. Flynn switched to his super-shotgun and fired the meat-hook at it, the prongs pierced the armor of its upper-front left leg and catapulted himself up onto its back. Switching again to his combat shotgun, full-auto mod in place, and fired into the base of the Geth's long neck.

Screeching, the Colossus began to shake and buck, trying to dislodge its passenger as the buckshot at close range began to chew through its armor. Once it was weak enough, the slayer stored his weapon and grabbed the damaged plates. His enhanced strength easily tearing an opening before reaching inside and grabbing a fistful of wires and components.

Sparks and synthetic fluids sprayed through the air as he ripped out whatever he could reach. The Colossus screeched louder, its optic flickering before going dark completely. It's struggling became more desperate as it was blinded and disarmed at the same time.

With the Geth disabled, Flynn reached into his quantum backpack and brought out another weapon. This one having been benched for some time now, but was finally ready to be wielded once again.

In his hands, the slayer held his now upgraded chainsaw. The old, rusted paint it once had replaced with a futuristic chrome finish. The part where the motor was housed had a couple blue lights in it courtesy of the new mass accelerator engine Tali had helped him install.

And then there was the blade, the same finish as the rest, but the new teeth were made of tungsten. One of the hardest metals known and capable of cutting through anything. And on the side of the blade, his mark had been painted in red, a little customization he made himself once it had been finished.

Gripping it in both hands, Flynn squeezed the trigger on the handle. The old ripcord completely replaced as the chainsaw roared to life, its new teeth whirling to life before he jumped. Bringing the weapon down on the joint of the closest leg, the shriek of metal on metal pierced the air as the chainsaw cut through the Colossus' limb.

The massive Geth screeched as it's leg crashed to the ground, its upper-half soon following given it no longer had the support to stay up. Flynn landed in the snow, chainsaw still in hand as he stalked toward the crippled synthetic.

Revving the weapon, the slayer drove the blade into the Colossus' darkened optic. The teeth ripping through its head as he pulled downward, nearly dissecting it from optic to neck, spilling wires and fluids everywhere.

Planting his boot against the machine, Flynn yanked the chainsaw free as the Geth platform collapsed. Turning, he saw three remaining Geth troopers, a rocket trooper, and a Juggernaut. The synthetics all clicked, seeming to be planning something, but the slayer didn't give them a chance as he dashed straight at the heavier Geth first, his chainsaw piercing its chest and cutting upward and nearly halving it completely.

This snapped the rest of the platforms into action as they started shooting, only for an explosion to go off scattering body parts in different directions. A salvo of rounds followed, finishing off the rest as the mako pulled up.

"Couldn't wait for us, could you?" Shepard asked rhetorically through the radio from inside the tank. Flynn shrugged as the Normandy made its descent to pick them up.

X

"That was the last outpost, Skipper." said Ashley as she and the Commander stood by the galaxy map with Garrus and Kaiden. The small squad of marines they had just picked up being situated in the med-bay for treatment.

"The Geth have to have a primary base somewhere. Did the data collected from the target locations reveal anything?" asked Garrus.

Shepard typed a few keys in the terminal in front of her and the galaxy map zoomed in on the nebula the Normandy was currently in. "Each outpost was transmitting a signal somewhere in the system. If we piggyback the signal, we should…" the map zoomed in again to a small system among the ones they had been jumping to the last few days.

"There. The signals originating from the Grissom system." said the commander, reading the information their ship had on it. "It's on a moon orbiting planet Notanban."

"A lifeless rock housing lifeless machines, almost poetic." said Ashley. "I say we bomb the place from orbit."

"Not so fast, Chief. The Geth might have invaluable data stored on sight. Any advantages we can get against them would be useful." said Kaiden.

Jane nodded, "Kaiden's right. If we have a chance to gather intel, it's best to get it before we scrap them. Joker, set a course for Solcrum in the Grissom system."

"Aye, aye." the pilot replied while setting their next heading.

While half the team began preparing another offensive against the invading Geth forces, the other half were in the cargo hold. Flynn, Tali and Wrex stood around a table as the young Quarian scanned her omni-tool over the slayer's upgraded chainsaw.

"No damage. Mass accelerator stable. Everything's in working order, I'd say it was a perfect test run." said Tali after shutting down her omni-tool, "Though I think using it to cut through a Colossus was pushing it more than a little."

"You kidding? If this thing can cut down one of those big rust buckets then I want one too." said Wrex with a wide grin.

Flynn picked up his chainsaw and sent it to his quantum backpack. It worked perfectly, Tali. Thank You. he signed to the young engineer who beamed with pride at her achievement.

The elevator opened and Shepard stepped out with Kaiden, "Wrex. Gear up, we're hitting the Geth's main base in 15."

"Finally." replied the merc, his red eyes turning back to Tali. "I'm serious about that request, little one."

"I'll add your name to the list, Wrex." replied the engineer before she headed to the engine room, stopping after a few steps to send a glare at the older alien. "And don't call me little." she growled before disappearing around the corner.

Wrex chuckled, "A lot of fire in that one." he said before heading to his locker to get his weapons.

Flynn turned his attention to the Commander, "Sorry, Flynn. Can't let the rest of the crew get rusty. I gotta rotate you out for this one." she explained.

The slayer shrugged before stepping on the elevator and riding it up to the crew deck. Even though he wasn't looking forward to the coming boredom, he understood Jane's reasoning in wanting to make sure everyone else was at their peak.

With no leads on Saren since the Noveria mission, the Normandy and her crew were doing what they could to be prepared for when the former Spectre slipped up.

Of course, Flynn knew exactly where Saren was hiding. But without the Council giving the heads up there was no plausible way to pass the information along. So for now, they all had to wait.

The door opened and the slayer stepped out and entered the mess hall. Grabbing a tray and throwing together something quick, he took a seat at the main dining table and removed his helmet before digging in.

A good portion of the crew complained about the rations offered, but Flynn had eaten far worse...to this day he wondered how it was possible for Pinky's to taste like steak and pork at the same time.

"Hey, Flynn." the slayer looked up as Ashley sat across from him with her own tray. "Skipper left you out of the mission, huh?"

She said she didn't want the rest of the crew to get rusty. He signed back.

The Gunnery Chief nodded, "Yeah. No offense, but you are kind of a kill stealer." she said honestly.

Flynn shrugged, I'm good at what I do. They ate in silence for a while. Ashley occasionally would glance at him a time or two, the slayer noticing it easily but deciding not to bring attention to it until they were almost finished.

Something on your mind, Chief? He asked.

Swallowing the sip of water she had just drank, Ashley took a moment to gather her thoughts. "There's been a few things on my mind for a while now. I just don't know how to really explain." she admitted.

Pushing her tray away, she brought all her focus on him. "I'm...sorry. I've been more than a bitch since you and Liara joined the crew. I've always been a by-the-book kind of soldier, and my trust in other species hasn't always been positive. But you...you honestly scare the shit out of me. The way you first looked my way...I swear I felt as though I was going to die. And after everything you showed us, I'm pretty sure I would have in the wrong situation."

The slayer tilted his head as she continued. "It's no surprise that I'm a religious person, raised Christian and God fearing. I was always taught about Hell and how best to avoid going there when my time comes...but...after seeing what Hell really looks like, and how it is completely different and infinitely worse than anything I've ever learned…" the Gunnery Chief trailed off, a shiver going through her.

"It's not a place where 'bad people' go when they die...it's a realm of monsters who only destroy and consume everything they invade. Who torture innocent people just to harvest their souls for energy and their flesh for their numbers and food."

Ashley's fists clenched tightly, "And 'heaven'...was just another corrupt realm that uses those same monsters to collect that energy for them. While offering salvation to a select few to make themselves look like divine beings come to save them. It's...it's wrong...all of it's wrong!"

"EVERYTHING I EVER BELIEVED WAS WRONG!" she roared, slamming her fists on the table and rattling everything near her. A couple of crewmen that were around jumped and looked at the angry woman who was breathing heavily through clenched teeth.

Flynn remained motionless, eyes still centered on Ashley as she came down from her moment of rage. Though he couldn't blame her, to learn that everything she was raised to believe turned out to be an illusion was a hard pill to swallow.

He watched as she slumped into her seat, reaching into her shirt and taking out her dog tag chain and looking at the cross she always kept on it. Gazing at the religious symbol with a lost look in her eyes. "I just...I just don't know anymore…" she said in almost a whisper.

A solid knock on the table brought her back and looked toward the slayer who began signing. You're having a conflict of faith. He summarized, getting a hesitant nod from the Gunnery Chief. To be honest, after everything I've seen, I've given up on anything remotely religious.

"Did you ever believe in anything? You know, before…" The Gunnery Chief wondered.

Back before I discovered Hell was real. Hard to believe in a God when they allow abominations like that slaughter innocents by the thousands. It didn't change when I joined the Argentians, they worshiped the Maykrs like Gods when they were only using them for slave labor in the end.

Like I said, I lost my faith long ago.

He saw the troubled look pass over the woman's face. But that doesn't mean you should give up on yours.

Ashley blinked, a little surprised by what he had signed. Just because you learned certain things were far worse than you first believed, doesn't mean that all of it was wrong. And trust me, I'd hardly consider Urdak as 'heaven'.

He pointed at her cross, Don't give up on your faith. Only you can decide what to believe in. So stick with what you were always taught if it brought you peace, don't let certain truths change that.

Looking back at her cross, Ashley thought over what he had said before smiling and slipping the chain back into her uniform. "Thanks Flynn."

The slayer waved it off before standing up and collecting his helmet. Don't mention it. He signed as he made his way back to the elevator. Leaving behind the Gunnery Chief who had finally got some clarity to her shaken faith.

X

It would be another day after putting an end to the Geth invasion attempt before the Council contacted Shepard with information they'd been waiting for.

After dropping off the Alliance recon team at Arcturus station. The Commander immediately had Joker set course to their next destination as she called everyone to the briefing room.

"Alright people, here's the situation." The Commander began, "The Council told me about a Salarian STG team that went missing recently. Their mission was to look into a possible lead on Saren on the planet Virmire before they went dark."

"If Saren's involved, then it's pretty obvious what happened to them." commented Garrus.

"Can we be sure that this intel can even lead us to Saren?" asked Liara.

Jane shook her head, "Unknown. But it's the only thing we have to go on for the time being. With him still out there hunting the conduit, anything is better than nothing at all."

"Mission parameters, Commander?" asked Kaidan.

"Find the STG team first and foremost. We'll play it by ear once we establish what's going on." replied Shepard.

"Coordinates to Virmire are locked in, Commander. ETA; two hours." said Joker.

"Thanks Joker." Jane said before turning back to the team, "I want everyone ready for when we get there. No telling what we'll find once we make landfall." Everyone filed out of the briefing room and went to their usual corners of the Normandy.

Flynn began checking his arsenal when he got back to his corner of the cargo hold. Knowing what they were going to find, he was intending on putting a massive dent in Saren's forces.

Taking out his BFG-9000 to run a quick diagnostic check, he couldn't help but smirk at the fleeting thought that the team probably wouldn't need the nuke by the time he was done.

"Flynn?" The slayer paused in his task and looked over his shoulder to see Liara standing behind him. "I was wondering if you had a moment to talk?", she asked, her posture tense.

Nodding, Flynn set the large weapon in his hands down on a crate before removing his helmet and setting it down next to it before turning to address her fully. A small habit he had gotten into whenever they spoke together.

Something wrong? He signed.

"No. It's just we haven't really spoken since the meeting with the Asari Councilor. I was wondering how you were doing after everything she revealed."

The slayer shrugged, A society wishing to control me? A doomsday prophecy centered around my being here? A bunch of random women trying to bear my children? It's not the first time and probably won't be the last.

Liara actually looked gobsmacked at his casual dismissal of such things. "N-None of that bothered you? I mean...I know you are more than capable of handling whatever comes your way, but it is troubling that there are members of my species willing to go to such extremes for the sake of gaining power. Especially against someone I've come to care about."

The young Asari immediately clammed up and blushed a deep purple when the words slipped out before she had a chance to think about them. Both of Flynn's eyebrows rose at the unintended declaration. You care about me? He signed.

Liara sighed deeply and nodded, "I do. Ever since we met you've gone out of your way to ensure my safety. You've listened whenever I needed someone to talk to, and even helped me through my mother's death."

She stepped a little closer, feeling a bit more courageous. "I will admit, your legend caught my attention. But it was the man you are that kept it. You are powerful beyond understanding, and endured many great battles, but you are also caring and compassionate when you need to be. Despite being an immortal warrior, you still have a heart, even after all of the betrayal and bloodshed you had to endure for countless years. To have a chance to get to know you, and not just the slayer, it is an honor and privilege."

"However, overtime, I started seeing us as friends...but then, things started to change. I don't know when or how...but they did. And I can't help with how I've come to feel after everything that has happened."

Flynn felt the odd stirring in his chest again, a feeling that he had come to expect whenever Liara was involved. For the longest time he wondered what it had been, he couldn't remember the last time he had any kind of emotions other than rage. But the longer he was around the young Asari, and everyone else on the Normandy, he couldn't help but think he was beginning to regain the humanity that he had thrown away when he first started his campaign against Hell.

At first he was unsure if that was a good thing. Especially with how Hell would stop at nothing to take him down, he needed to be cold, ruthless and indomitable in his war.

But looking at Liara, the sapphire blue eyes that always seemed to catch his attention, changed those thoughts. It was hard to believe that someone so naive, so innocent, could affect him on such a level. Somehow, someway, the archeologist had slipped beneath his impenetrable armor, his rock hard skin and the burning inferno of his unyielding rage...and settled into his heart.

Taking a deep, calm breath, Flynn began to sign. I don't know what to say. It's been so long since I've felt anything but rage and vengeance. I don't even know if I remember how to feel anything else.

A crestfallen look began to form on Liara's face, but the slayer wasn't finished.

But, ever since I arrived in this universe, ever since you and I met, something changed. Whenever you and I are together, I started to feel something other than rage. Like the humanity I long since threw away was coming back again.

He moved toward her, the difference in height completely ignored as their eyes remained locked, grey on blue.

I don't know what this is between us. But I'm willing to see what happens. He finished with a smile, not his usual smirk or sadistic grin, but a genuine one that had the Asari Maiden's heart racing.

"R-Really?" Liara asked, with equal parts hope and hesitation.

You are the first one I don't know in even how long who bothered to try and get to know me as something other than the Doomslayer. I am many things, Liara. A fool is not one of them. Flynn signed honestly. I'm not saying there won't be a few problems here and there, though. I'm pretty out of practice with this kind of thing.

The Asari reached out and took one of his armored hands in her two small ones, "Well then, it is a good thing archeology taught me patience." she said smiling.

On the other side of the cargo hold, Wrex watched the little moment between the slayer and the young Maiden. "Heh, bout time." he rumbled to himself. "Good luck, Taggart. Bullets and bare hands won't help you through this one."

A/N: It has been too long. Between work and things getting back to some form of normal, you gotta appreciate life while you can these days.

I know a lot of hardcore Doom fans are kinda pissed that I'm giving the slayer more and more emotions, but I have to remind everyone that my OC is so much more than a unstoppable wrecking ball of fury, but everything that made him essentially 'human' was locked down tight in order to fight Hell and the Dark Lord's hordes. Which was why I made this chapter the way I did, having Flynn realize that his humanity is slowly coming back the longer he is around Liara and the rest of the Normandy crew.

It's good character development, but at the same time he's not going to turn in to a pussy. Flynn is still the Doomslayer, and everything that entails. And in the next few chapters that will be proven in spades.

The mission on Virmire is going to change in big ways. Like it was mentioned in the chapter. Shepard and the others might not even need the nuke (Insert evil laugh here).

Till next time readers!