CHAMPION OF DEEP SPACE.
Chapter 1- New Encounters
OK, this is my first story and I'm really nervous. PLEASE give me feedback (if anyone actually reads it!) I really want to continue with this.
Hawke could only stare. His mouth was slightly gaped and his Keening Blade hung limp from his hands. Beyond him, nestled within the ancient rock, was...well, he couldn't be sure.
"Hawke...what in Andraste's name is..." Varric began to steady Bianca as he spoke, and he could sense Fenris shift his bare feet into an aggressive stance.
The strange metal glinted in the fire light and made odd patterns reflect off the stone golems lining the underground hall.
They had only been in the Deep Roads for a few days, when one of their scouting trips was...rudely interrupted. The roof had shaken furiously and they had all run for cover as the walls had given way to this smooth, metallic mass in front of them.
"Hawke!" He ignored Fenris and cleared curiously past the sea of rubble. Hawke put his wide hand to the warm surface and wiped away the dirt.
"It looks like Ferelden lettering. An N?" asked Varric.
"Yes. And the numeral 7. Though this is certainly not of any land I have encountered."
Suddenly the rubble started to shift, they all stepped back and gripped their respective weapons. A part of the metallic structure vibrated and began rising into the air.
"DARKSPAWN! GET BACK AND..."
"NOBODY MOVE. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF FIRING."
Hawke floundered as a plethora of nightmarish creatures crouched defensively at the newly found entrance, holding foreign contraptions. Hawke gripped the hilt of his sword and roared as his legs carried him towards what he could only explain as dark spawn abominations. A loud noise suddenly penetrated the air so sharply that the 3 of them stumbled in shock, as something plummeted into the floor dangerously next to Hawke's foot. They stared incredulously at the beings ahead of them, standing in their strange armour, and the source of the noise stepped forward.
"Do you understand my words?"
Hawke couldn't believe it. The clear slow speech had come from a female, a human looking female, who stood side by side with the evolved darkspawn. Her strong arm was outstretched holding what he presumed was the weapon; she had cutting features framed by red mid-length hair and eyes that seemed to sink into him. Knowing he was out-powered, and also intrigued by the group, he answered. "Who are you?"
"I am the Spectre Commander J Shepard of the SSV Normandy. And I mean you no harm."
…
Shepard had seen a lot over the years, different planets, different species, but this...felt very different. She surveyed the group in front of her, both wary and curious. The hairy one was practically half her size, but looked like a human man, and his aim hadn't wavered off her. The man she assumed to be their leader was tall, had dark features and a scar across his nose (not half bad looking either), but it was the other one she felt uneasy about. She guessed he was male, but Shepard had never seen anyone wielding such a weapon, with so...little protection and of such a delicate stature. His skin seemed to glow almost, in strange designs akin to some sort of tribal allegiance...the soft white hair...but god, those eyes. She felt them watching her, with none of the curiosity of the others, but simply dark pools.
"We mean you no harm." Shepard repeated herself, stepped forward and slowly lowered her Crossfire assault rifle. Garrus shifted uncomfortably but did follow suit. She assumed Mordin would be doing the same.
"Why should I trust a friend of the darkspawn?" Before Shepard could reply a silver flash whipped past the rubble and she was thrown harshly against the shuttle. "Don't fire!" She shouted to her team, and looked straight into those disturbing eyes. He had a thin, elegant dagger thrust close to her throat, and his left arm was firmly below her chest pressing her back. Shepard didn't flinch, but she did have to stop herself from gasping as his warm body pressed up against hers. He looked like he'd never smiled in his life.
"Mordin, go check out what happened to our engines." She vaguely saw surprise on the man's face, he obviously thought her to be in a more vulnerable situation. The thought made her lips curl into a smile, as she slowly pressed the tip of her once hidden pistol into her attacker's stomach, not once leaving his gaze.
The short man called softly to his friend, "Fenris, I do not believe this to be a fight that needs having." The man named Fenris stepped back, seemingly relieved that no one had seen he'd actually been out-manoeuvred by the Commander.
"Fenris is it? I don't appreciate the souvenir you've left me with." Shepard raised her hand and stroked away the blood coming from a small nick in her neck. He merely sheathed his dagger.
She finally turned to the leader. "I don't know what the hell 'darkspawn' are, but these here are my team. They're just as safe as me." Garrus growled slightly in amusement.
"To be fair, they sure don't look like darkspawn." The short man paused. "I'm Varric. You've met our own laid back happy elf man Fenris, and this is Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall." She nodded at the polite introductions, but noticed they all stood ready for action at a moment's notice.
"When you lot have stopped having your cute little get to know each other session, could someone explain where the hell we are?" But before anyone had the chance to reply to the Turian, a low throated war cry began to shudder across the cave walls.
"Actual darkspawn." Hawke began to grin and the 3 of them immediately ignored the space visitors and turned, poised ready for battle.
"Mordin, continue with the engines and shields, Garrus, get into cover and await my instructions." They both sprung into their positions behind two large boulders, twisted slightly so they could just see what was happening. Garrus inadvertently widened his eyes and gaped, as a huge mass of lumbering, malformed creatures came charging round the corner...looking almost as disgusting as the Vorcha...
Some sort of sharp, slow bullet sprang from Varric's weapon, and the other two ran directly at the horde.
….
Hawke had never seen so many darkspawn, not even when running from Lothering, and as he tucked his shield to across his front, his sword plunged into a Hurlock Vanguard, struggling a little with the beast. With a roar he then began to strike at all that came towards him. Genlocks were swarming around the party, he saw Bianca used to bash in one of their heads, and briefly caught of glimpse of burning lyrium from Fenris. An archer caught Hawke gruffly on the shoulder, but he powered forward slashing as he went, and he could almost feel that woman's eyes on him…watching their progress. Out from the cave turning however came something that would turn the tide of battle. "OGRE!" Hawke heard Varric's yell, and looked up from his punctured Hurlock prey to see not one but two of the creatures, followed swiftly by even more of the Archdemon's minions. The scene seemed to go into slow motion, as Fenris was struck across the back by one of the ogres, he let out a controlled grunt of pain and his legs buckled under the force. Eyes widened, Hawke ran forward, only to be overwhelmed by more darkspawn. He barely clocked the flying pieces of metal as Shepard and Garrus joined the fray, "WE NEED TO FALL BACK!" he screamed to the aliens. It wouldn't have been a difficult fight, were it not for a tired party and weapons that hadn't seen repairs since they'd left Kirkwall. Hawke fought off Genlocks and lifted the unconscious and bleeding elf by his arms, only looking up to see the strange woman helping him.
…..
Barely noticing the blood all over her very expensive spectre-class-only armour, Shepard joined in half dragging; half carrying Fenris back to the shuttle, covered by Garrus and Varric. "MORDIN, CAN SHE FLY?" They were close enough to hear his babbling, but she didn't listen and simply moved onto the craft, the strange new species with her. There was a moment of blind panic in Hawke's eyes as he realised how much trust they were putting in her, but she merely nodded and ordered them to hold on as the shuttle began to shift.
"DON'T WORRY, OUR DOCTOR WILL HAVE HIM THREATENING WOMEN AGAIN IN NO TIME!" She yelled over the clash of metal, engines and horrific cries of the attackers…and smirked at her jibe. As Mordin finally got the shuttle going back up its crash landing course, everyone on board began to wonder what they'd got themselves into.