Mass Effect 2: Humanity's Only Hope
**Please review. I do not own any of the original characters from BioWare's Mass Effect 2 and I own my OC, Sage Koyama.**
~CHAPTER ONE: The Priestess~
Nebula clouds silently hovered in the vast emptiness of space as the Normandy gently glided across the void of space. The crew of the Normandy kept up with their jobs as a soft hum ringed through the air from the ship's thrusters. Stars raced past the windows like beams of endless light, guides to the Normandy's next destination. The metal tips of boots clanged against the metal flooring of the hull as a tall and handsome man with short cropped brown hair walked down the hall in his fighting gear suit, his gun holstered at his side. Several of the crew smiled as they nodded their head towards the man as he kept his pace as he aimed for the cockpit, where a very bored pilot softly sighed as he randomly pressed buttons as the Normandy cruised on auto-pilot. Joker sighed gently as his hat was a little crooked on his head as he kept pressing the buttons gently. The man with short brown hair smiled as he chuckled a little at his pilot as he leaned a little on his seat.
"Bored Joker?" he asked with a large smile as Joker quickly gasped and spun around as he sighed, placing a hand on his chest at realizing it was his commander.
"Shepard, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that," said Joker between breathes as he sighed and shook his head in slight frustration at his commander being so stealthy. "And by 'people', I really mean me..." he added.
"I'll keep that in mind," smiled Shepard with a gentle chuckle as he then looked more seriously to Joker. "Everything alright though up here?"
"Yeah, we're coming into the system smoothly. Although EDI has been giving me nothing but shit about how I operate my baby," said Joker bluntly towards the end.
On a small panel beside the main controls to the left of Joker's chair, a bleeping sound signaled the approach of a hologram of an orbed figure.
"I must correct you on your statement, Mr. Monroe. I am merely helping you to prevent from taking action that would promote serious consequences from violating the terms of the contract with Cerberus with using the Normandy for the mission," said EDI in her monotone voice.
"Yeah, thanks Mom..." said Joker in a grumble as Shepard smiled and nodded.
"I'll leave you two alone," smiled Shepard as he started to make his way out of the cockpit back towards the star map to the galaxy, leaning over the railing as he furrowed his brow a little as he kept looking at the progress of the Normandy making its way towards the planet port of Omega.
"Shepard," said a woman's voice as Shepard looked up to see Miranda, with her bouncing black silky hair rest on her shoulders, walk towards him and the star map.
"What is it Miranda?" he asked gently, leaning up from the railing as he walked a little towards the Cerberus official.
"I was hoping to give you a little more of a detailed roster for our next potential teammate we are acquiring," said Miranda reportedly as she looked over a small datapad in her hand as she used her hand to touch the screen and scroll a little through the report. "The woman's name, as we already know, is Sage Koyama, a priestess from a small Buddhist temple in the general region of Okinawa, Japan. The temple has been known to take in children and other people that have been left to die in the world with no family support. Her family was part of the Alliance Military, though their association with them is not known. She was disowned however from her family for reasons that have not been documented. Interesting...her health records have also been sealed off as confidential. She was recently stationed in Omega no more than half a year ago as part of her pilgramage as a healer for the sick."
"Great...going back to where I am most welcomed," said Garrus with a sarcastic tone as he walked up towards Miranda and Shepard as Shepard chuckled a little at his old friend's remark.
"Who knows Garrus? They could have a welcome party for you," joked Shepard as Garrus smirked and laughed heartily.
"Yes, that is a good possibility," agreed Garrus with a shrug of the shoulders and a smug smile on his lips, the scarred side of his face still showing signs of healing.
"Hey Commander. We're coming in close on Omega," reported Joker over the intercom.
"Be ready to dock, Joker," called back Shepard in response as he started to head towards the airlock door.
"Shepard! Wish to come with you," called out a familiar hyperactive voice as Shepard looked over his shoulder to see the Salarian doctor, Mordin Solus, rush down the hall towards him as Shepard rested his gun over his shoulder.
"Sure Mordin. Any particular reason? Your assistant Daniel already has the clinic under control," said Shepard curiously as he looked gently to the professor.
His eyes darting a little from side to side as he looked down to the ground for a moment, Mordin fiddled with his three fingered hands a little before looking back up to Shepard to speak. "Wish to get better medical outlook of new recruit. Data provided on roster not very efficient due to medical information being held back," said Mordin quickly as he looked a little timidly at Shepard.
Shepard frowned a little as he thought for a moment and nodded at Mordin as Garrus took a step forward too. "I'll come as well. I could use some of the time to stretch out my legs a little bit," said Garrus with a rolling of his shoulders and a small crack in his neck as his head laid side to side.
"Alright, be ready to move out soon," said Shepard seriously as he fixed up his weapons while Garrus and Mordin nodded, reloading their guns with thermal clips as they placed them in their holsters.
"Docked into the boarding station of Omega, Commander," said Joker over the intercom as Shepard nodded and walked towards the airlock door as it slowly opened to the dumpy hanger of the Omega docking bay.
Mordin and Garrus loyally followed after Shepard as they looked around the familiar hangers of Omega's docking bay as they entered the main hub of the port planet. Music boomed from the glowing entrance of the club Afterlife as a long line dragged from the front door around the corner.
"Perhaps Aria would know something of Miss Koyama. Being the ultimate source of common and local information," suggested Mordin simply.
"Let's hope Aria has a little heart for the ailing in the community," said Shepard a little bluntly as he started to enter Afterlife as his two crewmates followed suit.
The music boomed through the club as people of all species danced seductively to the music as their body heat surged through the room as Shepard looked around and started to weave his way through the crowds towards a set of stairs as he walked into the private drinking suite of the club as he gazed up to see a tall seducing Asari with skin tattoos on her face sitting on the lounging couch alone as her guards stood around her. Aria blinked as she looked up from reading over a datapad in her hands as she smirked at seeing the sexy Shepard coming back to her.
"Well, well, come back for more I see. Just can't get enough of me can you, Shepard?" smirked Aria with a chuckle to herself.
"I actually came for more information. I am looking for someone else that is stationed here on Omega. Someone else in the medical industry," said Shepard simply as Aria's face grew blunt as she nodded towards the seat next to her and watched Shepard walk over and set himself down.
"What do you need to know?" she asked simply as she scowled and looked over to Shepard.
"I am looking for a priestess named Sage Koyama. Know where I can find her?" he asked as he leaned forward on his knees.
"Ah yes, the little blimp...she's in the poor suburbs of Omega, giving free medical care to the families over there of all races," said Aria simply as Shepard blinked a little surprised.
"Blimp?" he repeated as Aria simply waved her hand towards him.
"She'll be wearing some soft colored priestess clothing and wearing leather sandals. The nomad type of look, you know," said Aria simply.
"Thanks for the information," said Shepard as he stood up and walked back up in front of Aria as she grunted in reply.
"She'll probably be more than willing to help with your big cause or whatever it is you are fighting for, but she's a bit of a softy so I suggest you choose your words carefully," said Aria simply.
Shepard nodded as he turned and walked back down the stairs as he caught back up with Garrus and Mordin.
"That 'blimp' comment has got me curious," said Garrus honestly as he gently scratched the scarred side of his face.
"Should find Sage soon. Should get there quickly to convince her of joining our cause," said Mordin quickly.
"Yeah, let's go," said Shepard with a nod of the head as he slowly walked down the stairs to the lower level of the club as they eventually made their way towards the poverty district of the planet.
The trio slowly came upon the poor ghettos of the planet Omega as they heard babies crying out for food to fill their little bellies as people also laid in the streets with no home to call their own. Children played in the streets happily without shoes on their feet as they chased one another giggling carelessly. The air smelled heavy with smoke and the air was thick with a heavy smog like substance. People coughed and wheezed from disease as they lingered in the streets and alleys weakly, begging with their pleading faces for help as Garrus, Mordin, and Shepard looked on grimly.
"So much disease. Not enough cure," said Mordin sadly with a heavy sigh.
"One of the main reasons I became Archangel...to let these people have another day to live," said Garrus sadly.
"Let's keep moving..." said Shepard grimly as he started to walk again down the main road of the neighborhood as Mordin and Garrus hesitated for a moment and soon followed.
The three kept walking down the pathway as they looked from side to side, seeing no sign of a priestess, let alone a religious figure as they soon reached a large market square of sorts. Garrus let his eyes wonder as he curiously caught the site of some bright natural colors amongst all of the dark and shaded pastels of the district as he pointed.
"There she is," he said as Mordin and Shepard blinked and soon caught the direction Garrus was pointing to with his finger as they started to walk slowly towards the young woman.
The target subject had long black hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail as it ran down to the middle of her back as her skin was of a soft white hue gently tanned by the sun as her body looked strong from behind. Her robes were of a soft pale white and blue color combination as some yellow also resided here and there in the cloth. She was kneeling in front of a turian family consisting of a father, mother, and small child as she was fixing a small gash in the child's leg.
"There we are. It's nice and clean and ready for more adventures for a certain boy," smiled the woman as she chuckled gently and the parents smiled warmly and the father ruffled his son's fringe.
The woman gently wrapped the wound with a soft clean cloth with her idle and skilled hands as she soon tied it off and stroked the boy's face. "There...all better," she smiled.
"Thank you Sage. You are a true saint," smiled the woman turian as she stood up with her boy in her arms and started to walk as the man nodded humbly to Sage with a smile and followed his family as Sage gently sighed at the family walking off with a smile.
"Sage Koyama?" asked Shepard curiously as he looked over the woman's back profile gently.
Sage blinked as she looked up and turned to face Shepard and Garrus and Mordin as she smiled gently.
"I am she. Do you require some medical assistance?" she asked softly, turning only a little to face the trio.
"No, we actually came here to ask you to join us," said Shepard simply as Sage smiled and nodded softly.
"I see," she replied as she gently used her hand to grab a hold of a small railing as she slowly stood up and faced Mordin, Garrus, and Shepard as their eyes slightly widened at seeing Sage's stomach being very large and round. Sage smiled as she placed her hands on her expecting belly as she rubbed it with a sigh of relief of finally standing up as she turned to face them, her dark blue eyes gazing into theirs. "What, might I ask, is it that you wish for me to join?" she inquired curiously.
"I see where the 'blimp' comment came from..." said Garrus simply as he blinked for a moment as Mordin swallowed a little, saying nothing as Shepard gently shook his gaze from Sage's belly as he walked a little closer towards her.
"Are you aware of the Collectors?" asked Shepard as he extended his arm to Sage as she blushed softly at his gentleman like manner and took his arm as he started to guide her towards a small crate to sit on.
"The Collectors? Yes, I know of them. A very silent group of beings that exchange their technology for various odd jobs assigned from whoever hires them," said Sage softly as she kept walking with Shepard before she slowly started to sit on the crate as Garrus helped Sage to sit as well. "Why do you ask, sir? And who are you by chance since you already know me?"
"I am Commander Shepard. This is Garrus Vakarin and Mordin Solus. They are only two of the team I am trying to build to stop the Collectors. They are invading on human colonies and they are kidnapping everyone without a trace. We are trying to stop that from happening," explained Shepard.
"Hmmmmm...that would be a very logical explanation to the disappearances. I don't know if I can simply leave though. I am here on Omega as part of my pilgrimage as a healing priestess...I can't leave all of these hurt people," said Sage softly.
"They might not be here if you don't join," said Garrus seriously as he tried to explain to Sage the severity of the situation.
Sage sighed softly as she looked down to her belly and rubbed it lightly before she blinked when she heard commotion in the distance and slowly forced herself to stand up again as she looked down the road a little to see a bunch of Vorcha terrorizing a few families.
"Great, these guys again," said Garrus with a growl as he started to move his hand towards his gun.
"Numbers greatly declined after administering cure for plague. Yet still Vorcha live," said Mordin confused as he grabbed his gun as well.
Shepard took his gun from its holster as he cocked it ready with a new thermal clip as Sage started to march slowly towards the Vorcha with her hands on her belly as the Vorcha aimed their guns at the turian family Sage tended to before as the child was pulled away from his mother and father as other spectators watched fearfully against the walls. The father was pinned against the wall with a gun pointed at his throat as the mother sobbed softly and reached for her son and husband as the Vorcha snarled.
"Pathetic turians! Stealing food from Vorcha! Leave Vorcha to starve for selfish needs! Will consume child as compensation!" hissed the Vorcha as the young turian wailed for his mother and father, reaching for them as the male turian growled and tried to charge forward only to get hit in the stomach by a gun and pinned to the ground with a foot on his neck as turian struggled to get free.
The Vorcha sneered at the male turian as he aimed his gun at his face as the turian panted in fear, his eyes wide as the Vorcha suddenly tensed and fell dead on the ground, blood pooling under its dead body from a gunshot right through the head. With their guns at the ready, Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin blinked confused and traced the path of the bullet to a smoking gun in Sage's hands as she narrowed her brow, her finger over the trigger.
"Let them go..." she warned firmly as her blue eyes were shockingly cold, immune to feelings at this moment.
The leader of the Vorcha snarled as he grabbed the young turian boy's fringe firmly in his large hand and hoisted the boy by the fringe up into the air and held him right beside him as the boy wailed and reached for his parents, shaking in fear.
"Another shot will bring death to the boy and a feast for Vorcha tonight!" warned the Vorcha leader as he placed his gun to the child's head.
Sage sighed as she lowered her gun slowly, only to furrow her brow more and raised her hand as it glowed at deep blue. The child glowed softly as well as he was pulled right from the Vorcha's hand by an unseen force and floated towards Sage as she caught the boy softly in her arms, holding him close to her as he clung onto her fearfully. Taking her gun back up again, Sage quickly fired at the Vorcha holding the female turian and watched the bullet land right inbetween the Vorcha's eyes as it landed dead on the ground as well. The sidekick Vorcha in the rear quickly hissed as they drew their guns to fire at Sage as they only shrieked in pain from a volley of shots coming from the guns of Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin as their guns aimed right for them. The Vorcha fell like lead sacks to the ground filled with holes from the bullets as their lifeless corpses bled heavily onto the street. The leader struggled to escape as the father turian snarled and grabbed the Vorcha's head angrily as he snapped his neck right in half as the leader fell dead to the ground.
"Mommy! Daddy!" cried out the boy sadly as Sage slowly set him down and the little turian boy raced towards his parents' arms, hugging them tightly as the boy's parents sobbed softly at seeing their son safe in their arms.
Sage slowly stood up again with her hand resting on her belly, her gun back in its holster as Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin put their guns away as well as Shepard walked up to Sage's side and looked on at the family silently.
"I see now, Shepard, that the Collectors pose a great threat to all life...not just to the human race. I can only ponder on how long it will be until the other species of this galaxy come to the same grim fate. I realize that although they are small, my services and skills are needed elsewhere. What point is there is saving these people if they will only die in the end? I shall travel with you Shepard, and may the power of the universe guide us..." said Sage softly, turning to face Shepard only after she was done speaking.
Shepard nodded gently as he softly took Sage's hand into his as he was ready to guide her. "Do you have things you wish to pack to take with you?" he asked lightly.
"Yes, but...I have one more task to complete before we depart..." she said softly as Shepard nodded and turned to walk towards Garrus and Mordin as she drew from a side pocket a long Buddhist prayer bead bracelet and wrapped it around her wrists. Lowering her head as she stood over the bodies of the Vorcha, Sage slowly ran her fingers over the beads and whispered silent prayers as the turian family remained nearby, comforting and holding each other close.
Mordin blinked softly as he cocked his head to the side as he observed the soft moment of silence.
"Hmm...Pray for the dead that were killed by her hand that wished to harm others. Very peculiar," analyzed Mordin with his hand at his chin.
"Very religious," commented Garrus gently as he looked down at Shepard. "Something we will be needing for this mission, huh, Shepard?"
"Yeah, and we are going to need a lot of it..." sighed Shepard deeply as the three men turned to face the back of the Priestess, Sage Koyama, as she kept praying silently.
TO BE CONTINUED...