Perceptions

Chapter One: The Ghosts of Mindoir

"Commander. We're getting a distress signal from somewhere in the system. Want me to patch it through?"

The rare time he could hear something serious from Joker snapped the weary Commander from his daze. He stared blankly at the galaxy map in the control center for a few seconds more before answering, "You got it, Joker." He hand reached up and rubbed at his mustache, fingers travelling downward to where it connected to his full sideburns. His jaw shifted as the static started to resonate, shaven but stubbly chin descending. He kept his mouth closed as the first voices poured through.

It was nothing unusual. It was the usual Alliance jargon and protocol given by the person sending the beacon, the man's voice shaky but calm. Though, when he had heard the words, "Batarian slavers" was when the pit of his gut lit up and his chest started to heat in reflexive anger. His fingers curled up, stubby appendages bent in crooked angles in his brief moment of cracked composure. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. During his exhale, he opened them and spoke out, "Punch in the coordinates, Joker. I'll be getting ready."

"Got'cha, Chuck." The pilot replied.

Shepard ran a hand through his short, red hair as he walked down the small steps that led to the galaxy map. He continued towards the lift and pressed the button, walking inside as the door opened. He punched in the floor and waited for the lift to take him where he needed to be. Every second he spent idle was dreadful, old hatreds and anxieties bubbling to the surface of his thoughts. The batarians had slaughtered everyone he had loved at one point in Mindoir, his home when he was sixteen. It had been ten years since then, and only now did the wound feel as fresh as it did then.

He kept his stare forward as the lift door opened once more, marching forward towards the armory and his locker. While the burly man donned his armor and equipped his weapons, he looked to the two aliens who also resided in the armory. "Wrex. Garrus. You both are coming with me for this." He simply said, while attempting to hide the change in emotional state.

The krogan and turian either didn't notice or didn't care. Wrex gave a simple, affirmative nod. "Shepard."

Garrus looked up from the screen he had buried his nose in and looked to Shepard. "Of course, Commander."

The Commander snorted. "I told you. This isn't C-Sec. You can call me by my name."

The turian shifted his mandibles before he shrugged. "So, what do I call you then? Chuck? Shepard?"

Shepard shrugged back. "Whichever. Shepard, if you insist on formalities." He slung the last of his weapons on his back and hip before he headed back down to the lift. The two aliens followed. He opened the door and stepped inside, waiting for the other two to step in with him before he closed the door with a push of a button. The lift started to ascend.

Garrus sized up the Commander with his beady eyes, squinting before he spoke. "If I didn't know any better, Shepard, I'd say you were a bit tense. It's unlike you." The turian's accusations, his voice, and his flanging resonated at just the right frequency to tense Chuck further.

The Commander took in another deep breath. There was no reason to break composure, especially before a mission. "I'm fine, Garrus."

The krogan let out a rumble. "I'm sure. I'm guessing the fact we're dealing with batarian slavers is just a coincidence."

The lift door opened. Shepard stepped out without a reply, though his naturally warm face was uncharacteristically soured. The Commander took his steps down the CIC, the knot in the pit of his stomach tightening as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

Joker eyed the approaching man over. "Commander?" The pilot raised a brow at his superior. "You alright? I don't think I've ever seen you look like someone pissed in your cereal."

Shepard thinned his lips. "I'm fine. An old wound got a little more fresh."

The krogan shrugged. "I'm sure you'll handle it." He grunted out.

Joker shrugged, and punched n a few buttons. "We'll be landing soon. We weren't too far from the planet when we got the distress beacon."

The Commander nodded. "I see. Anything you can tell me about the planet itself?"

The pilot nodded back. "Yeah. It's a small planet, with half of Earth's gravity. It's also colonized by batarians, and used for slave labor. The beacon came from one of the mines, at least from what the ship's scanners tell me. We'll be dropping you off at the entrance, surprising enough. It seems whatever sent the beacon was able to clear that much off."

The Commander did not seem very comforted by the news, but he wasn't anymore put off than he already was. He stood quietly as he gripped the pistol as his side, fingers dancing along the handle.

As they approached the atmosphere, Wrex spoke up. "Hah. Haven't seen Shepard itching this much for a fight, before. I kinda' like this."

The commander knit his bushy brows together. "I suppose. This is just a bit personal for me, is all. This brings back thoughts of Mindoir." He shook his head. "But I'll keep my head cool."

Joker spoke up once more. "Alright. We're about to land. Get ready."

Shepard took his steps towards the exit, the other two following him. The mechanical, female voice spoke as the three approached the door. "Stabilizing interior pressure to match exterior pressure." Was all it said, as usual. After a few moments, the door opened. "Logged. The Commander has left the Normandy. XO Pressly has the Deck."

Shepard took his first steps outside. It was an arid planet, and while it's cool enough to seem like it could support water, it was apparent the planet couldn't sustain such a thing. The air was dry, the crust of the planet dark. It looked carbon heavy. The sky was darkened by night, a blanket of stars giving little light. The mine entrance itself look lit, and empty. There were signs of struggle as the three walked closer. Though they stayed near anything that looked like cover.

They could see bodies of both humans and batarians, the latter outnumbered the former considerably. Some looked like they were simple, but ragged civilians. Even fewer were some scattered bodies of Alliance military. The smell was starting to rise, the rotting blood and flesh of the bodies scant, it seems this was a rather recent fight.

Garrus finally spoke up. "These bodies look like they might have only just recently started to go cold. Whatever's going on in there might not be finished yet. We should be ready for anything." He took out his assault rifle from the strap on his back.

Wrex gave a small snort, and then a rumbling laugh. "Good. That means we haven't missed all of the fun." He then reached for his shotgun.

Shepard gave a small shrug. "I hope you're both wrong and right, Wrex. I don't want to see this, but I also want to do something before it's too late."

Silence was had when they stepped into the entrance of the mine. While it was somewhat darker, there were a few lights along the walls giving enough vision to go along the path. Shepard clicked a button as he took out his own assault rifle, a small beam of white light illuminating the path even more so that they could see further in. The mine looked like it had small veins of Palladium.

The silence was tense, the only noise were the shifting of small rocks below them as they walked along the path, looking for signs of activity in the darkness. Soon enough, they could hear a few gunshots. It was then they were more on guard than ever. Shepard clutched his assault rifle tighter, raising it to get ready to peer into the sights.

The gunshots started to get louder, and they came to a corner. Shepard leaned against the wall and peered around the corner. Exposed to the three was a batarian who had not noticed the trio as of yet, shooting at a few of the slaves who had hid under their own piece of cover. Though, only one of the humans had a gun. It looked like a pistol of batarian craft, it seemed they might have stolen it from one of the slavers.

The Commander took careful aim. He lined the sights with the batarian's head. He pulled the trigger and held himself relatively still despite the recoil. The bullet pierced the slaver's head, the limp body crumpling to lie still on the ground.

The man with the gun looked surprised, the other two popping up to look at the three. Garrus bumped elbows, muttering a, "Nice shot." While he stepped to the Commander's side. Wrex followed suit, the three shrinking back at the sight of the two aliens.

Shepard raised his hand up. "They're with me. I'm Commander Chuck Shepard of the Normandy, Alliance Military. What happened here?" The knot in his stomach inhibited him none in regards to his speaking voice, the deep baritone both warm and confident.

The slave with the gun spoke up. It seemed he was a bit newer than the other two. His face wasn't as sunken as the other two, and his hair was shorter. He also looked younger than the other two, surprisingly. The other two were older men. Their hair was matted and greyed, rail thin and ghostly. It wasn't a question as to who was going to lead.

The younger one, one who looked slightly older than voting age on Earth, awkwardly reloaded the thermal heat clip. He took in a deep breath. "My name is Derek Morris. Alliance military found us. The batarians didn't want to release the slaves. Then they started shooting. Some of the soldiers were killed, and now the remaining ones are trying to free the rest of the slaves in this mine. Though they're thinking of extraction and taking who they can if any reinforcements come." His voice was definitely young, but ragged from constant work. He seemed eerily calm with his tone of voice, though his fingers trembled at the trigger.

Commander Shepard nodded. "Then we can't waste any time. The path behind us is clear. Get to the mine exist and get to the frigate waiting." He looked into his omni tool and tapped something on it. "Joker. Path's clear, right?"

The pilot replied. "Looks clear to me."

The young man shook his head. "You two. Harold, Barry. Get to the ship thing." He pointed to the two older men. "I'll stay with the Commander."

Shepard shook his head. "You go, too. We can handle this."

The young man shook his head again. "No. I'm not. I need to help. I don't want to do nothing. I need to help. I want everyone out."

Wrex grunted. Garrus sighed. "Look, Shepard. We need to go. I'm sure he can at least not be in the way. He might even get a shot in."

The two haggard men remained silent. They nodded, and started to head towards the exit. Shepard spoke into his omni-tool again. "Expect two men heading to the Normandy. Let them in."

Joker spoke up. "Copy that, Chuck."

Shepard hefted his assault rifle and beckoned his newly expanded squad over. "You know how many are in this mine, Derek?"

He stared forward, and then closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath and took a few moments. "There are seven slaves and five batarians in this mine. I'll lead the way."

The Commander quirked a brow and continued forward. "Alright, then."

New gunshots barely echo softly, sounding like faint taps resonating through the slaver's mines.