Prologue
-Soundtrack-
Epic Score- "I Still Have a Soul"
Several days before the mission on Horizon.
John Shepard peered around a Citadel transit station, restlessly tapping his boot as he sat on one of the benches as he waited for his shuttle. Destination; New Hope Hospital. The former Spectre hated hospitals. Hell, he could just barely stand the med-lab aboard the Normandy at times. He sighed visibly, running a hand through the brown soft buzzed fuzz atop his head. He reminded himself why he taking this trip, and steeled his nerves as he boarded onto his shuttle. John found a seat and settled in for a long ride, next to an asari whom was too busy reading something from her data-pad. There was a certain comfort in the anonymity he had for the day. Often donning his combat armor and weapons with almost equally armed company in tow, it attracted a stare or two and the occasional 'Commander Shepard, I thought you were dead!' bit. Today it was simply plain old civilian clothes. Admittedly he felt a bit naked, but he did have a blade tucked away in his boot, a small comfort. The Commander didn't think he'd need it. Least, he hoped he wouldn't. The universe had a funny sense of humor when it came to him and trouble. They always seemed to find one another.
It wasn't long before the fidgeting began anew. Leaning forward, John flicked his finger over his omni-tool implant, prompting up a note. Room directions, to be exact.
Patient: Shepard, V.
Floor 5, Room 536
He already knew the information by heart. It wasn't exactly hard to remember but still his eyes read it over and over, conjuring memories from only a few weeks before as he did.
"I don't know Shepard. We already have dossiers on individuals whom are best suited for this mission." Miranda replied coolly as she sat behind her desk, seemingly unruffled as always. John sighed, standing from the leather chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Hazel met blue for a moment, the silence stretched out before the Commander spoke.
"I understand your concerns, Miranda but I can't do this alone. With all the people we're acquiring, having two squads will help."
"Of course, but it would be easier to simply have myself or even Garrus lead the second team." Commander Shepard frowned, giving a shake of his head.
"I trust you in combat, but I don't trust you and your dealings with Cerberus. I don't trust you to tell me the whole truth." The Cerberus operative frowned, eyes slightly narrowed. "Garrus just had his whole squad die. While I know he's capable, I don't think he's ready mentally to take up that mantle again. I need someone brought in under my terms."
"But you're talking about a significant investment here-"
"Please, Miranda. At least send the file I've given you on her to the Illusive Man." Perhaps it was the please, but the expression on the Cerberus ice queen softened only for a moment before conceding defeat.
"Very well. I'll see what I can do." She straightened herself, eyes flicking over the file once more. "I will say this; it's an impressive service record. She was even one of the choices, along with yourself and the 'Butcher of Torfan', for Spectre status. Still her current medical history is...problematic." John gave a sad nod, looking out one of the windows in Miranda's office.
"It's rather intriguing that she has the same last name as you though, Commander." she said evenly, looking expectantly at John.
"You know exactly why she does. A simple extranet search would give you that information." He replied.
"And yet you failed to put it in your report. The fact that she is the widow of your deceased older brother seems-"
"God damnit Miranda, I know!" She promptly shut her mouth, icy blue eyes watching John as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. "I know," He said evenly as he sat down in black leather chair once more. "The memories are still...fresh. I couldn't." The Commander rubbed his face with both hands, taking a deep breath. He finally looked up with a tentative hand touched his shoulder. John looked up then and met the sad eyes and the sympathetic smile of Miranda.
"I apologize Commander." And she watched a grateful smile form on his lips before she saw him take his grief and emotion and put it back under the mask of the man whom was the Savior of the Citadel, Hero of Ellysium, and former Alliance N7 marine. She removed her hand then and returned to her desk, her own mask firmly in place.
"Thank you Miranda. Please keep me informed."
Now here he was to recruit his next team member against the Collectors and, ultimately, the Reapers. So engrossed in his own thoughts, it was almost a surprise that he quickly came upon Room 536. John just stood there, finding himself unable to walk into the small room. Deciding to delay no longer, he made himself take the first steps.
"John..." a weak voice rattled. "You're looking good for dead." The Commander smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. There she was, wasting away on a hospital bed, fragile and completely defeated. It was such a morose thing to see. A fighter, that's what she was, but no more it seemed. It had been hard for her to get over the death of his brother to lead some semblance of a normal life. They'd both been deployed at Akzue. Only she had lived out the 50 soldiers that sent. She retired from the Alliance only a few months before the Battle of the Citadel and had immediately gone into C-Sec, one of the few humans to earn the privilege. After the battle, that's when the accident happened. Debris had fallen, headed right for her partner. She'd pushed him out of the way, and spared him a fate that she now endured. Paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a bed for the rest of her life.
Valkyrie Shepard.
John needed people he could trust and no one in the entire galaxy ranked as high as she did. His team needed her but she couldn't do it, not like this. Not as she watched him with dull chartreuse eyes.
"Hey Val, you look like shit." The comment bought him a small smile.
"Yeah, I've seen better days." Val turned somber a moment, looking at him intently. "It's really you, huh?" John mentally kicked himself as he saw her eyes start to water. He knew this would be a hard reunion, but it didn't make it any easier knowing. He tried to smile as reassuringly as he could but ended up rubbing the back of his head in discomfort. Taking a deep breath he launched into his story, telling of his time eliminating the geth resistance, of destruction of the Normandy and his death, his dealings with Cerberus and the Illusive Man and finally with the threat of the Collectors. All through this, she remained silent, lost in her own thoughts. The silence stretched on uncomfortably as John saw Val process what he had told her.
"Let me get back to the point." John moved to stand at the end of her bed, feet slightly apart and hand clasped firmly behind his back, a soldier's stance.
"I need you on my team," Valkyrie simply stared at him incredulously before shaking her head.
"John, I don't know if the fact that I'm paralyzed from the neck down has escaped you, but unless you're going to wheel me around and have me shoot lasers from eyes..." She trailed off, shaking her head.
I've taken care of it. We can have you up and fighting in a few weeks I'm told. Are you in?" Though the outside was confident the inside chanted 'Please' over and over, praying to any gods or goddess that would listen. John watched a myriad of emotions cross her face and finally she looked at him.
"Alright, tell me what I need to do." Triumph swelled within him, as he saw the resolve and determination fill her face. They might just have a chance yet.
Author's Note: Hello, and thanks for reading! =D This is my first published fanfiction and I've tried to edit and revise it as best as possible but, sadly, I'm a horrible self editor. Any corrections and constructive critque would be welcome and what not! This is a story revolving around Valkyrie but will include side plots for John as well as the others in the Mass Effect universe. Val is my orginal Shepard but I decided to give it a little twist in this story.