Earth, 2186 (2 years ago)
Sometimes, the best isn't good enough. Sometimes you need to bring a tank to a knife fight.Rumors of the return of the Reapers first emerged in 2183. Following that was a forced period of reassurance, or as I call it, damage control.They didn't exist,we didn't want them to, they couldn't return now, they were destroyed when we took down Sovereign. Our desperation to maintain our newfound peace blinded us;the story kept changing as the threat grew closer.
The Alliance didn't care much for the false reassurances. The Interplanetary Combatives Training program took off, recruiting more marines than ever before. Fueled by fear of the rumors, many soldiers quickly rose to the ranks of the N7.Thiswas the highest rank a marine could become through the program,achievedthrough along,grueling,limitless testing phase.
The problem with an N7 is that they are trained to be leaders on the field. Usually, one N7 is assigned to a group of lower ranking soldiers. These are the most important squads, and subsequent squads of lesser power are commanded by N6 soldiers, then N5, and so on. The Alliance knew this was an effective use of N7 marines, but not the best.
They decided that one team should be made up entirely of N7's. They chose the top performing N7'sand put them in a squad together. placed ineven more dangerous team scenarios.This is my team.
The first member of the team is Aegis, an N7 Paladin. His protective personality quickly suited his shield bearing suit. Before becoming an N7, he spent his time as a marine protecting his sister, a researcher on Mars.Ever since her death from crossfire in a Batarian pirate attack on her station, the guilt-riddenAegis vowed to protect others.
Second is Kisari, an N7 Fury. She is thesole survivor ofher family, and memories of how they were killed creates a rage that propels her biotics to a dangerous level. They say that some biotics can start to lose their grip between reality and power, time will only tell if Kisari will give in to this fate, or become one of the most powerful biotics in our universe. Manywouldconsider her methods sadistic and unusual, but she gets the job done, and that's all that matters.
The next two members areinseparable, both off andon the field. Epsilon and Zeta, thebrother and sister.They have been together through everything,and both flew through the ICT ranks. Epsilon is an N7 Infiltrator, the best sniper in the Alliance, and Zeta is an N7 Demolisher, known for her skill with grenades andany weapon you'll see on the battlefield. They are a prime example of good teamwork creating massive results
If a war needs to be won, we send in Rhino,a heavily modified N7 Destroyer. Not much is known about Rhino because he doesn't talk, he only growls in low guttural noises. It's unknown if he can't talk, or if he chooses not to, but it's clear that he doesn't need to. What he lacks in personality, he makes up for with inhuman strength, size, and resilience. During training to become an N7, the program had to be put on hold for weeks because he accidentally "broke" the entire facility.
The final member of the team is myself. My real name is Aaron Warrick, but like the rest of our squad,I also have a codename, Dynamo. Funny, I've had this name for years, and have no idea who gave it to me or why. I'm an N7 Soldier,specializingat close quarters combat and tactical planning. When the Alliance put our squad together, I was asked to be the leader, and I laughed. We are N7, we don't need a leader. Or at least, that's what I thought.
Reapers have just attacked Earth. As I ride aboard our personal starship, thePhoenix,I hope these data pads that I write over the next few weeks are remembered. Our superiors have faith that one soldier will bring together the races of our galaxy to fight the Reapers. Until then, Earth must be protected. We are Derelict Squad. When others fail, we do not. Earth will not fall.
Orbit of Neptune, 2188. (Present day)
"Lily! Grab that grappler; we need to bring that shield driver inside." The voice came from a battered looking character standing aboard a large, boxy spacecraft.
His armor and helmet were extremely damaged and dirty, but were still recognizable as the uniform of the mercenary group, the Eclipse. The craft he stood on was stabilized in space, completely surrounded by chunks of debris.
"Yeah hold on, Sabertooth." replied the figure referred to as Lily. The dark blue hue of her armor contrasted with the soft glow of yellow lights. Although it was heavily damaged, it was still recognizable as the old armor of the Alliance. She reached out and grabbed onto 4-pronged claw, pulling it toward a glowing object floating in space. After it latched on, the object was pulled up into the underside of the ship.
"Anything else useful out there?" asked Sabertooth, his voice being transmitted through his helmet.
"Not a thing. Looks like someone got here before us." Another figure replied, flying from around a large chunk of metal. The white clad Turian swept around, surveying the area.
"You think Scavs would leave behind a working Fortex Relay engine, Vione?" Lily asked as the two figures drifted back toward the ship.
"They probably couldn't find a way to get it onboard, these things weigh about 10 tons. Easy to move in space, but once on a ship's normal gravity it could put a hole through the floor." Vione replied.
The two figures entered the ship's airlock. Lily removed her helmet, letting her long, dirty white hair cascaded down her face. One stripe of her hair was colored blue. Her eyes seemed to glow a dim blue, a striking, beautiful contrast against her grease covered face . She glanced to the side as Vione removed his helmet, revealing black marking that surrounded his eyes, connected to a black stripe that began from his upper lip and continued to the back end of his center head crest.
"The engine is a good one, but we are far from a good quota today. I've got a course set for 90377 Sedna, word is a bunch of Scavs are heading that way. Maybe some good catches. We will hit the Ragnarok on the way back. You two- get some rest. You deserve it." replied Sabertooth as he walked off.
"He's in a charming mood as always. Goodnight Lily." said Vione.
"Goodnight Vione."
The two headed off in separate directions. Lily entered a small room near the back of the ship and closed the door. It was her room, and a humble one at that. Wires hung from the ceiling, the lights were dim and hardly working, and her bed was merely a collection of blankets in the corner of the room.
"Home sweet home." She grunted as removed her armor, revealing a thin but well-built body. As she sat down on her bed, she reached for an orange holographic data pad, and began to speak softly.
"Log number 134. I realize now that I talk mostly about my adventures, if they could even be called that. I've never really talked much about the ship or our crew at all. I think now may be a good time to do just that.
Our ship is called Veil. In the old days, it was a garbage rig, tasked with cleaning up space. Sabertooth has been its captain since long before the war. During the war he outfitted it with weapons, turned it into some sort of… makeshift war rig.
After the war, space was filled with the remains of destroyed craft. Many of the garbage rigs went back to their cleaning duties, but some, like the Veil, became scavenging ships. They search the debris of destroyed ships, looking for engines, drives, relays, and other useful parts. The collected parts are then sold to buyers on the Ragnarok, the five-sided, pyramidal structure that serves as a temporary base to the council races and cities. It's not nearly as large as the Citadel, but its purpose will be short-lived. The buyers there are collecting the ship technology to rebuild the Citadel, to the best of their ability. So far, one of the 5 "arms" of the citadel has been copied and rebuilt, though its technology lacks some of the mysterious properties that the old Citadel held.
The problem with offering money for parts is that it becomes competitive. Other scavengers collecting parts are collectively referred to as Scavs. To them, that's exactly what we are as well. Scavs are no strangers to violence, and will kill each other to get the best parts for the highest payout.
Scavs would be no threat to me. I could bring down a Scav ship in one swipe. But I can't. My fellow crew cannot know what power I behold, for surely they would catch on to who I am. There are too many who oppose who I truly am, too many who think I am the reason why the Reapers came.
I'm not a symbol of hope.
I'm not a savior.
I'm being hunted.
I am Commander Lilith Shepard. "