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Commander Shepard
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The sound of ice against the metal cup gave a delightful clink. Months gone after the Reaper known as Sovereign had fallen. Months flying by so fast. Allies gone, going to their respective people - the only one that remained was her Gunnery Chief. Liara to Ilos, Wrex to his kind, Garrus to the ... to the Specters. Tali went back to her flotilla after that gorgeous expanse of data plopped into her lap. And now... Commander Shepard was formally recognized to be removed from the general chain of command. Not replaced, not higher, not lower, in the Alliance. Just... beyond it - but then again, maybe that was for the best. No more crew than she required, and in time she wanted to get the entire ship replaced and humans gone. Every face reminded her a little too much of Alenko. The world flipped around whenever those migraines hit; accompanied with the weight of the events of the past and graves unburied on worlds beyond the horizon were just a bit much. Quite the hero.
"Commander Shepard?"
"Joker, what is it this time?"
"We've arrived at the Relay, Commander..."
"Good. Keep the bearing steady. Let me know of any incoming comm traffic from these colonies."
"Aye-aye Commander. Joker, out."
Commander Shepard placed the glass back on the table, watching the vid screen again, watching the movie shot on this very deck. Mindoir, Torfan, Eden Prime, now Vermire... Had to push past it. Simple thing to do. Brace up, get going. Though she hated going through those Mass Relays. The feedback flared her implants. It was getting close to that time she counted, watching Alenko laugh on the screen. She'd have to go under the knife and change out those implants before things got worse. Could end up paralyzed, but as is when those waves hit it she was helpless. The knock on the door slipped her out of her thoughts. "Who's there?" She slurred quietly. Overhead, she listened to the voice of Joker counting down.
Before she heard the response, the finality of the count reached its perishing point and the world exploded - rendering all in her vision to black.
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Disclaimer - I dost not owneth that game diggity do-dad that is Mass Effect. The game is an amazing game, and here is simply my musing of a homage to a well written, well developed game.
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"Doctor, she's waking up." That voice... Alenko? Was it something that simple? Was she really back? In that momentary lapse, the data of the Protheans slipped across her memories, their cryptic message and desperate call for help. All of it, the entirity of their hope and salvation dying almost as fast as she woke up. Then that feeling, that slow sick feeling of the universe bending around her snapped her into awakening. "Doctor, the Commander's back up again." It... wasn't Alenko... Couldn't be Alenko. "Had us worried there Commander... Really saved me back there."
She had to be dreaming. "Kaiden?" The whisper moved out. In his glory, the dark haired marine gave a bashful smile as he moved from leaning against the wall. It was then, that the migraine hit. A sledgehammer to the back of her head, with explosions of lights as the L2 implant fired off thousands of readings a second. She heard things slam against the wall and felt the room creak and groan in response to the sudden aftershock as she screamed to herself. The world broke and reconfigured itself, slowly working its reality back to its own devises, and the Commander found herself bound to the medical table. "Shepard! Come on Commander! Commander please, calm down! She's not steadying - get we need sedatives here now!" The voices shouted back to each other. It was like she could feel the ship. She could taste the metal as she writhed, feeling her mass effect fields wrapping and demanding, arguing with what crafted stability there was.
"D-doctor Chakwas, what's g-going on?" Her message slipped out as she felt her fingers squeeze and fit on the table. With a plunge of a needle, and a concerned shush, she began to feel a dreamless sleep move into her veins. She saw him... she knew it... he was there... right there...
Sleep... quiet.. Dreamless.. Faceless sleep. The hours succumbed to eternity as slowly she felt the permission to wake again. The polite gunmetal ceiling of the medical bay greeted her eyes and offered no reassurance. What was going on.. Was it all a dream? Her thick tongue tasted a coppery essence, and it made her try to move. Kaiden.. She saw him.. Didn't she? Never got the chance to tell him... Vermire.. "Shh.. Doc.. Is she going to be alright?" The voice spoke. She felt fingers against her head, caring and tender. Ash.. Maybe? A quiet groan moved in response as the Commander tried to open her eyes, only to find a thick gauze to block her view. "Oh shit!" The person jumped. "Wow that was creepy..."
"Please Williams... don't speak too loudly. The L2 implants may have fried a lot of her nerves. We aren't certain yet what senses are still in tact."
I'm fine. She tried to respond. Only to find that she couldn't speak for the moment. Her throat refused to move and those precious muscles couldn't work. She tried again, tried harder, till finally a croak moved out. "Commander Shepard... the Mass Effect field triggered your implants to flare... I would have to guess the shielding of the wires is wearing thin. We have to schedule you for a transplant.. You're ... Can you hear me, Commander?" The doctor... right? That's who was talking? Everything felt so heavy. "Pending repairs... we are currently derelict... I.. Have come to the conclusion that the shielding of your L2 implants have corroded and... the Mass Effect field of the Relay ..." The words drifted off in a growing sound of ringing and then of something wet coming from her ears.
From what she could tell, that caused another panic, and she was muffled and pushed around a little more before things subsided. Alenko...
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Ashley Williams
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"She's bleeding from her ears again..." The Gunnery Chief whispered. She tried not to cry at this moment. Tried so hard. The result were pressed lips anc clinched jaws. "Shit... I thought she was better... what's going on Doc?" She looked back at the doctor. The greying woman however, offered no real possitive answers. Only more theories. Not the Commander. Couldn't loose her like this. After a few more moments she had enough, and left the medical bay. The ship was a ghost of its former glory now. The famous ship almost imploded from the inside. As a result, everyone wore their suits inside and helmets on, in case of another catastrophe. It was enough to make her want to hit something. Unlucky for Joker, she was headed his way for answers.
The woman popped her knuckles as she walked up the stairs. Time and again, the a-grav gave out, fighting to stay stable. Why did everyone have to leave? If Tali were here the problems would be fixed by now. If Liona were here they might have answers about biotics. Hell if Wrex were here she'd have someone to hit. But no! They were all gone and now its burden saddled on her. Ngh... Even Garrus left. That was... that hurt. She pressed the pad and opened the door, watching the rest of the crew salute her accordingly. The LT was supposed to be asleep right now, but in general people didn't question her authority. Not after the stuff she went through.
"Joker, you better give me some good news."
"I think I may have some for you soon."
"Is that so? Does it include a ride out of here?"
"I think so.. Listen to this."
She continued walking up and finally reached to where she didn't need to raise her voice. "Normandy? This ..." the static broke the message. ... "... floatilla, we received your distress call and are..." Despite the white noise... that voice, it sounded familiar. Sounded very familiar.
"Now this is what I call good news."
"Yeah, you can add it to the list of medals the Commander already owes me."
"You get us out of here and I'll get you a bottle of non-alcoholic Scotch."
"Non-alcoholic?"
"That's what it says anyway."
"I knew there was a reason I liked you."
"Save it for shore leave. Send the Floatilla the clearest message we can that -"
"Yes yes yes, I know. I'm the pilot remember, please."
"I'm going to cap you one day."
"And that's why I don't leave this chair."
Easy Commander... help is coming.
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Fin
A short introduction to the story. The story itself will change points of view around once a chapter. Eventually it will settle down to being the Commander alone if everything works out that way. As is, everything is quite up in the air.