The girl leaned against the pre-fabricated steel shack with a sigh. She was extremely strange even for the relatively cosmopolitan colony of Eden Prime. Neither the pale translucent skin that revealed the pale violet spirals of veins underneath, nor her ice blue eyes flecked with gold were her oddest feature. That was her wings.
Ava Enyo Ardnot was not human.
Ava sighed again, day three on the protection detail for the dig site on Eden prime. The big shot archaeologists thought they had found something prothean, whatever it was it must be very important, after all she mused with a smile you didn't hire Black Hand "private security force" for nothing. Eden Prime was a paradise, something out of a vid green rolling hills stretched on for miles giving way to sapphire blue oceans and emerald trees, the sky was filled with perfect white puffs of clouds. Ava hated it. It was too peaceful, it made you let your guard down and if you let your guard down you died. A tall lanky Turian with grey plates and violet slashes along his jaw approached. "Report, Andos" her light trilling voice cut through the silence of the dig site.
Andos Sharkian saluted, he'd had a hard time casting off his militaristic tendencies "all clear in all sectors commander Ardnot, it's quiet"
"Too fucking quiet" her eyes glided across the dig site. Tapping next to her left eye she activated the prosthetic, she'd lost her real eye in a fight with a Drell assassin, using the haptic interface she flicked on infrared, she could see the researchers laboring below, and her men hidden around the rim. The dig itself was a harsh brown scar against the verdant earth it was exposed and open a security nightmare.
"Nothing" she deactivated infrared in favor of normal vision. She turned to her second in command "it's too quiet, too easy I don't like it."
"Your not the only one ma'am" Andos made the Turian equivalent of a frown his mandibles pulling together and his brow plates furrowed.
"Tell everybody security level 5 I want two people on every position every shift, I want snipers on that hill, damn something's not right." Ava paced her wings stretching itching to fly.
"I'm on it ma'am" Andos paused "you really need to rest how long has it been since you last slept?"
She waved the question away "I'll sleep when I'm dead."
His eyes pierced her "that's what I'm worried about Ava"
()()()()()
Two days later the artifact was unearthed a prothean beacon. A communication blackout was put into effect. Ava broke it to send a message to Zaeed Massani her adoptive father and leader of the black Hand. Little did either of them know that another was listening in.
A:"They finished the excavation, it's a beacon"
Z:"when are they moving it."
A:"tomorrow"
Z:"good double the protection on it for the move."
A:"Will do, if everything goes off with out a hitch you owe me a drink."
Z:"if everything goes off without a hitch I'll give you Jessie."
A:"why would I want that piece of shit?"
Z:"shut up kid...come home safe alright?"
A:"I always do"
A barefaced Turian sat in a twisting room of red and black, an Asari matriarch standing behind him resting her hands upon his shoulder.
"We strike tomorrow."
In the corner of the room a small light bobbed and vanished.
"I'm so sorry" the Turians form collapsed upon its self.
()()()()()
Andos stood next to Ava at the space port the beacon safely in place waiting for pickup. Both were tense. No mission ever went this well. The local garrison had relaxed, the Black Hand hadn't. Shifting her weight form foot to foot uneasily Ava waited, not for long. She was picked up off her feet and thrown backwards by the sonic boom caused by a massive dreadnought shaped like a Terran cuttlefish, or a giant hand entered atmosphere. Off balance and with wings out stretched she didn't stand a chance her 65 pound form was tossed backwards like a rag doll. She knew she was going to break something so she twisted around in the air to protect her wings. The sharp "Crack" and searing pain in her leg was all she needed to know that her leg was shattered. The pain ebbed away replaced by a surge of adrenalin as medigel flooded her suit and a splint was micro-fabricated around her leg allowing her to regain her feet.
"Black Hand! Protect the Beacon!" Ava screamed as she reached over her shoulder to grab her rifle, her men all slid into cover. Turning to the local soldiers she screamed "protect the colony we've got the beacon, go, go, go."
As Ava turned to look at the dreadnought a red light began to gather.
"To cover! now!" She barely heard her own voice as she dove for cover and mustered what little biotic power she had to form a barrier. A flash of light and half the platform and what used to be a house were gone. Along with three of her men.
"Damnit, who the fuck fires a dreadnought in atmosphere?"
"My thoughts exactly" replied Andos from behind her.
Dividing her attention between the tram station and the dreadnought she waited. The screams coming from the colony were bad...it was worse when they stopped. Then the Geth arrived in what seemed like an endless tide. The black hand fought valiantly but there were too many to be stopped. Ava watched as one by one the vitals for her squad disappeared from her visor. Eventually only Andos and she remained. They were pinned down because a Geth prime had cornered them, with the prime there the Geth were too damn smart. Andos turned to her and slid his wedding knife out of its sheath and handed it to her "give em' hell commander" with that he stood and charged the enemy firing wildly until he got close enough to tackle the prime of the edge. Tucking the knife into her armor Ava fought back tears, those had to wait. The tide of the battle was slowly turning without the prime in play she managed to hold the Geth back and even slowly inch by inch push them back. Then the Turian arrived. At first she saw the pale grey plates and had the irrational hope that some how her second command and friend had survived. That hope and all hope of rescue was quashed as the bare-faced Turian began to order the Geth around. Ava broke cover and fired at the Turian until her rifle burned her hands.
"Ah, your the Raloi, guess you won't be coming home safely after all." The Turian said with a low chuckle as he threw her against a wall with a flick oh his hand, his barriers had absorbed every last bullet she'd fired. Ava's eyes widened in horror, no! It couldn't have...she couldn't have been the reason they found the beacon, the reason...her men...Andos...died.
"No!" She screamed fury welling up inside
"That face that sudden realization, I love the face. I admit your encryption was impressive it almost took Sovereign half a second to break it" he frowned eyes becoming clearer for a second. "I truly am sorry, I will ensure your species is spared" then he brought his hand down slamming her broken form against the metal platform.
()()()()()
"Wings...shouldn't even be alive...Shepard...beacon...exploded...Saren" Ava drifted in and out of consciousness as she was picked up and carried to a bright room. A mask was placed over her mouth her last thoughts before darkness consumed the world were "I don't see a light, I thought there would be a lig-"
()()()()()
7 hours and two emergency surgeries later Ava opened her eyes surprised to even be alive, she tried to sit up but was unable in equal parts due to the pain that lanced through her chest and due to the straps that secured her arms to the table. Next to her bed stood two stone faced marines with lancer assault rifles pointed at her. Glancing herself over she noticed a cast on both her right arm and left leg, surgical padding stretched across her abdomen. And her ribs were wrapped in a medigel wrap. Noticing the obviously hostile environment towards her she began to do as Zaeed taught her name number rank attachment.
"Ava Ardnot, serial number 56163, rank commander, Black Hand private security forc-" she was cut off by the medbay door sliding open to reveal a grey haired doctor and a tall imposing dark skinned human.
"I'm captain Anderson System Alliance Navy, who are you what are you and what were you doing on Eden prime."
Alliance she thought, thank the void for that. I am Ava Ardnot commander in the Black Hand private security force we-"
She was cut off by Anderson "so your a mercenary"
"Yes, as I was saying, the archaeologists hired us to provide extra security for the dig site as they thought it was pretty important." She looked down feeling the tears suppressed before rush back, choking back a sob she continued. After we move the Beacon to the space port we were attacked, I ordered the local garrison to protect the colony and we attempted to protect the spaceport, we were overrun and my entire squad was killed."
"But not you?" Anderson raised an eyebrow.
"My second in command, Andos Sharkian" she choked on the name, "he sacrificed himself to destroy a Geth prime. That changed the game, then a barefaced Turian showed up, was working with the Geth, most powerful biotic I've ever seen, easily matriarch level"
Anderson's composure snapped, he turned and slammed his fist upon the counter, "Saren" after a moment he turned around, I have one more question then we can get those binds off, "What are you?"
Ava threw back her head and laughed despite the pain, it was half hysterical "I am a Raloi, from the planet of Turvess, I was captured by STG to look in to uplifting our species to increase the salarians economic power, I escaped"
Anderson flicked his hand and the marines undid her bonds saluted and exited the room. Anderson made to follow but stopped and turned around. "I am sorry for your loss."
Ava let a harsh broken chuckle escape her lips. "You know he said that too?"
"He?" Anderson asked.
"Saren" he said "I truly am sorry, I will ensure your species is spared" tears of anger welled in her eyes "what the fuck is that supposed to mean 'ensure my species is spared' I mean what the fuck."
Anderson gave her a knowing look. "Get some rest we are heading to the citadel, I'll have someone wake you when we get there."
Ava laid back against the pillow and let the tears she had been hiding fall. The world grew dark again.
"Yo, bird girl the captain says wake up." A disembodied voice came onto the intercom.
"Joker!" The doctor snapped. "You could be a little more sensitive"
The voice apparently joker, came back on "sorry Chalkwas"
Chalkwas turned in her chair to Ava "sorry about that he's our pilot, one of the best-"
"The best" cut in joker.
"-but he has an attitude. Anyways you really better get up, the medigel and nanobots took effect, internal bleedings stopped bones have re knit, scarring minimal, your are cleared for duty Miss Ardnot"
"Thanks doc" Ava groaned as she pulled herself out of the hospital bed. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea where my kit is would you?"
Chalkwas pointed to a curtain and Ava changed into her armor gingerly avoiding the still bandaged areas, as she pulled the breastplate on she noticed someone had made repairs, she would have to thank them later, noticing the fact that the patches were grey not black she mentally added after she painted her armor. "Where's the captain want me" her voice wasn't It's usual high trill, instead it was horse and strained she'd been screaming in her sleep.
"Up in the bridge, front of the ship one level up, hard to miss" the doctor smiled wryly at her own comment.
Ava nodded her thanks before moving towards the stairs to the upper level. Upon entering the CIC she noticed something odd about the layout, it was Turian in design. "Hmm" she mused as she walked gears turning in her head, Turian designs, cutting edge tech all over the ship, Anderson the first N7 as its captain. Suddenly it clicked, she was on The Normandy. Walking up behind the bridge she immediately recognized Ashley Williams from Eden Prime, must have been another survivor, the red head woman was unknown to her, and she recognized the male, he'd been the one to pick her up and carry her on board, she guessed she owed him. The pilot, Joker? Turned to the red head "see I told you she was a bird lady commander"
The commander turned around and offered her hand "commander Shepard, Alliance Navy."
Ava gripped her hand "commander Ardnot, black hand mercenary group."
The two gave grim smiles and then turned to watch the approach to the citadel.
()()()()()
Anderson had pulled Ava of into a small alley on the way to the human embassy. He'd made it clear that the Normandy. Was going after Saren with or with out the councils blessing and that Ava would be, if she wished a welcome addition to the crew. That offer was why she was currently in Choras den. Biggest shit hole upon the citadel. But she wasn't there for the Asari wigglers or illegal red sand deals. She was there for the drinks that could knock a Krogan off its ass. She was remembering her squad. Melarssae, a 200 year old Asari who had managed to keep her innocent happy out look on life, she'd been killed by the dreadnought. Ava slammed the empty shot glass on the counter signaling for another round of whatever the hell she was drinking. Lia'Telli nar Qwib Qwib, a quarian pilgrim and a genius with tech. She'd been burned to death by a Geth pyro. Another shot burned her throat. Thomas and Urdnot Kanar, a hulking human and Krogan, best friends who were always trying to rope together a game of skyrillian five. Two glasses slammed onto the table. Sara, a quiet introvert, deadly with knives and with cards. Calish a salarian weapons expert. And Andos...god damn it Andos...her best friend a street rat from omega who had joined the black hand at the same time she had, and now he was dead. Because of her. No! She screamed at the quiet voices in her head that whispered that it was her fault her failure. How could I know? How? You wanted them to die whispered the voices. Never. No never. You killed them all.
Ava threw the glass against the wall and slammed a credit chit on the table before sprinting out and collapsing against a wall.
()()()()()
One word echoed over and over in her head, vengeance. She picked her self up of the ground and raised her clenched fist activating her omni tool to punch in a com code. Turning to look over the presidium she raised it to her ear. "Yes, Anderson, I want in. Chora's den? Well I just happen to be in the area."
authors note: please read and review. likes dislikes suggestions, what you loved what you hated, leave it as a review ill see what I can improve azreal out-