The name's David Shepard. I serve onboard the SSV Hastings which is the Frigate that the now Captain Anderson had removed five of her crew. I served as one of the grunts within the crew. Basically I sat at a computer and monitored my station. My particular station that I monitor is the heat sinks within the core. I won't bore you with the details but if it weren't for me this ships engines would blow in less than three minutes. I had a buzz cut for my brown hair and had dark brown eyes. I wore the usual alliance navy attire while on duty which is a blue shirt with blue pants. The blue shirt had long sleeves but it was too damn hot on this ship so everyone just rolled their sleeves up. Captain Balliard was the captain of the ship as you could probably tell by the title. He sat in a chair in the middle of the bridge while us grunts worked on computers around him and the pilot sat in front of the chair with the window right before him.
It started out as a normal day. Everyone was back to normal after a couple of months of cheering that the geth invasion of the citadel was over. I sighed quietly to myself as the heat readings remained within the green zone.
"Yes sir." Captain Balliard responded to his superior who had contacted him on his communications earpiece.
"Halsey! Plot new course to the citadel!" The captain barked to our pilot Halsey.
"Yes sir!" He replied. The citadel? We don't have shore leave scheduled for at least a year. This was indeed strange the only reason we'd be going to the citadel is if it was under attack and after the geth were beaten back I really doubt anyone would attack the citadel.
"Shepard!" I blinked back to reality.
"Yes sir?" I asked looking at my monitor.
"Heat report?" He asked as I looked at the readings.
"Green across the board sir." He never said anything back once he asked you a question he expected you to answer and not be required to say anything further unless it's to criticize you.
I typed on the holo keyboard. There was a quiet hiss as heat was vented from the core to space. The heat on the chart drained down. And this was my job. Sit here for at least twelve hours until I was relieved by my bunkmate. He slept in the bed then once my shift was over I went in to wake him up and he'd go man my post. It worked well but this job was just...boring. I always felt that I should be doing something more.
I wish I could do what my brother did. He was the famous one. Commander John Sheperd, first human specter and the pride of the family. Meanwhile his brother is sitting on a ship watching heat readings. I sighed silently. I got the ass end of the gene pool it would seem.
The ship shook as we dropped out of warp. Everyone looked out the window as we passed through the nebula until finally we saw the citadel glowing brilliantly. It was covered in lights from the city and ships all over, it was beautiful.
"Captain! We're now requesting permission to dock with citadel station sir!" Halsey reported. We all wanted to ask just why we were here but we knew better. From what I could tell of the captain he didn't want to be here at all. He seemed to do a bad job of hiding it too.
"Sir! Now flying to docking bay 15!" We started flying towards the citadel as traffic zoomed past us. Wow! Amazing! Believe it or not after floating through empty space for a year and being lucky just to see a gas giant makes seeing this pretty damn amazing. Once we were in the docking bay the ship shuddered as the magnetic clamps clamped onto the wings and held us. There was a click as the captain turned on the intercom.
"All crewmembers are to remain at your posts. Shore leave is not granted!" He shut it off as everyone sighed quietly so he didn't hear. I could feel the air got heavier.
The captain stood up and began walking towards the airlock to the left of my console.
"Shepard! With me!" He ordered as I jumped up saluting and followed him. We got to the second door as the one behind us closed. The one before us opened and I followed the captain as he walked outside onto the citadel.
The first step I took the air hit me like a wall. I took a deep breath. This was the first mildly fresh air I'd breathed in years.
"Sheperd!" Captain ordered as I jumped and ran into the elevator beside him. He pressed the button as the door closed behind us and we began our decent. It was a long and quiet ride as halfway down the news chimed on.
"This just in breaking news! Reapers fact? Or fiction? Catch the report lead by Emily Wong tonight at ten!"
The elevator came to a stop as the door slid open and we stepped out. We were inside of c-sec with cops everywhere.
"Where is that little..." Captain muttered as suddenly the elevator in front of us opened up. Captain Anderson walked out with two Alliance soldiers beside him. My eyes went wide as I saluted. He walked up to us and nodded. I stood at ease.
"Captain Anderson. Or is it Councilor Anderson?" Balliard growled.
"It's Councilor now. Is this him?" He asked looking at me.
"Yes Councilor Anderson. Now if you don't mind I have a ship to lead." He growled and walked back into the elevator leaving me there baffled.
"Sheperd." I heard Captain Balliard behind me. I turned as he stared me right in the eyes.
"You've been removed from my crew. Once Anderson's finished come clean out your locker. I don't have time to waste so make it quick." I stood there with wide eyes as the door closed and the elevator began to ascend.
"I know you may not like it but trust me this is for the best." I turned to Anderson.
"The best? Sir I was just basically disowned by my family." He nodded.
"I understand son but trust me, it'll get better later but first..." He took a moment.
"You were the brother of Commander John Sheperd?" I narrowed my eyes at his word choice.
"I am the brother of Commander John Sheperd of the SSV Normandy sir." He sighed.
"There's no easy way to say this..." He brought his hands from his back and handed me a folded alliance flag with a medal of honor. I slowly reached out and grabbed the flag then the medal and looked at it closely. 'For rising above and beyond the call of duty we award this medal of honor to Commander John Sheperd' was engraved on it. My knees gave way as I dropped down on them staring at the medal.
"My...My brother is...dead?" I whispered as my eyes began to fill up with tears so my vision blurred.
"We don't know. His ship was brought down and crashed on the planet Alchera while he was investigating missing ships. We...couldn't find the body or his tags. We did however find this." I looked up as he held out a black glove. I took it shakily.
"Th...This is all that's left of him?" Tears fell down my face.
"I know this is difficult. You can get your things off the ship and come to my office. I have some news that may help you." He said patting me on the shoulder as I nodded holding the three items close curled on the ground.
I stood up at last wiping my eyes and taking the elevator up. I took deep breaths as the elevator went up and up. Once it reached the top I stepped out with a sigh.
"This is ridiculous!" I heard an accented voice that sounded slightly electronic. I looked up and saw a c-sec officer who was blocking a female quarian. She had the regular female quarian wear with black cloth and white armor.
"Excuse me is there a problem?" I asked walking over. The officer looked over.
"Not at all just this quarian stole my omni tool glove right out of my pocket. I looked at his back pocket and nodded.
"Do you mean that?" He looked down and cursed quietly.
"Well she could have. I'm letting you off with a warning quarian watch yours-" I sat my stuff down and pushed him to face me then grabbed his collar dragging him close to my face as I glared.
"What the hell's wrong with you? She's proven innocent and you say she could have stolen it?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Unless you wanna be charged with assaulting an officer you'll release me." I let him go glaring as he dusted his shirt off.
"If you're gonna charge me with something I better give you a reason!" I yelled and punched him in the jaw. He fell to the ground unconscious. I picked up my stuff and looked at the quarian.
"Are you alright?" I asked. She looked down at him then me.
"I...Yes...Thank you." I nodded.
"Are you always hassled like this?" I asked as she rubbed her face plate.
"Yeah quarians aren't necessarily welcomed here." I sighed shaking my head.
"That's bullshit. Well listen if people treat you differently because you're a quarian wait here for a minute and I'll accompany you to where you're going. I guarantee you won't have any problems." She thought a moment.
"Well...I wouldn't want to impose and I-" I cut her off.
"It's alright I insist." I said with a smile.
"I...Thank you...Not many people would do this for a quarian." She said quietly as though she were embarrassed.
"It's not a problem and I don't get a chance to talk to people much. Just wait here I'll be right back." She slowly nodded as I went inside the ship.
The crew was dead silent and stared as I went past. I held my breath for fear that if I breathed they would hear. I reached my locker and cleared out my formal wear and pistol. I looked at the holo-pic on the door of John. I sighed and grabbed it. I closed the door and looked down at John's glove. It was completely undamaged. I slipped it on as suddenly an omni tool covered my forearm. This was his omni tool! It should have recordings of what he was doing! I was about to look through it when I remembered the quarian. I quickly grabbed my stuff and walked outside.
The moment I walked out the clamps released the ship. I walked over to the quarian as she waved. I waved back then turned and watched as my family had zoomed off to the stars leaving me behind.
"They left you behind?" She asked as I slowly nodded.
"I...understand. I am on a pilgrimage I didn't even want to go on. I was kicked out from my home to find something of worth to the fleet then find a new ship to live on..." She said looking down. I put my hand on her shoulder as she looked up.
"Hey we both got thrown out maybe we can get our own ship." I said laughing. She chuckled.
"At least then I wouldn't have to worry about finding some place to go." I thought a moment.
"Speaking of which where are you planning to go?" She shrugged.
"I have no clue where to start looking to be honest." I began walking to the elevator as she walked beside me.
"Well I'm heading to councilor Anderson's office. You can come with if you want." She looked down and twiddled her fingers as I pressed the button.
"We...Well I wouldn't want to impose on either of you and-" I chuckled.
"Don't worry about it. It's fine." She slowly nodded.
"Well...alright then." She looked up as I smiled. I faced forward as her glowing white eyes had studied me carefully.
"Do I have something on my face?" I asked looking over. She shook her head back to reality.
"No it's just...you humans are so strange. You're all so very different and...unpredictable." I chuckled.
"I guess you're right. Talk to three humans and you'll meet six kinds of people."
The quarian and I stood outside of Councilor Anderson's office as I took a deep breath and opened the door.
"No I refuse! The last-" The hologram of the turian councilor suddenly stopped as he looked over at the doorway. The other councilors did the same.
"Ah David! Come in." Councilor Anderson welcomed as I nodded and walked in. I looked back and saw the quarian wasn't coming.
"Come on." I waved. She slowly began walking in. The moment the council saw her the air got five times heavier. I could feel the glares piercing through her as she looked down to avoid their cruel stares.
"So this is the human, councilor?" The salarian representative questioned as I stood beside Anderson facing the three holograms of the turian which stood on the left, the asari who was in the middle, and the salarian which was on the right end. The quarian went and sat at the table of to the side.
"Yes this is him." The three looked me over as the turian scoffed.
"Yet another human is put up for spectreship when humanity shouldn't even be eligible for a spot on the council." I narrowed my eyes and pointed at the turian.
"We earned that spot! We earned having a spectre as well! It was a turian that betrayed the council and attacked the citadel and it was a human who beat him and saved your asses!" The turian clicked his mandibles.
"You humans and your tempers. Are we really going to accept someone whose as hot headed as Sheperd? And besides he isn't even a soldier!" I growled.
"My brother saved your scaly asses you should be worshipping him! And I am a soldier who serves the alliance I just…do it by monitering heat readings." I sighed. "Enough!" The asari councilor stepped in. "John Shepard is not the subject of this meeting or David Shepard's combat training." The turian grunted looking to the side as I stood up straight. "Now Shepard. You have been suggested for spectrehood and vouched for do you accept this role?" The asari asked. I thought a moment. "Um, who exactly vouched for me?"
The door to Anderson's office opened up as we looked over.
"I did." A tall turian walked in. He wore black and blue armor and had a dark red skin with a white tattoo which was around his eyes. His nostrils (all six of them) flared as he showed his distaste of the smell in the air.
"Never much liked artificial air." He explained.
"And you are?" I asked as he looked to me and began walking over.
"Commander Vyrnnus. At least I was a commander." My eyes widened as I remembered that name.
"You were the teacher at Jump Zero!" I exclaimed as he nodded.
"Yeah a whole big shitstorm that was. One of the damn kids nearly broke my neck! I taught him well it seems." I blinked.
"But I thought you did die though that's why the whole place was shut down." He shook his head.
"No they just wanted an excuse to shut the place down I think, the turians that is. I was stripped of my rank and place in the military and practically exiled from my own home." He explained while shaking his head.
"And that's why I'm wondering what you're doing here Vyrnnus. And also why his recommendation means anything to this council. Furthermore once again Shepard has no combat experience!" The turian councilor growled looking to the asari councilor.
"Vyrnnus has been inducted into the spectres and has also recommended Shepard here. Also once again his combat service is not in question." The asari explained looking to the turian councilor.
"The spectres? Why was I not alerted to this?" The turian councilor yelled.
"We may settle this matter a different time councilors. David Shepard do you accept this role in the spectres?" The salarian councilor asked as I looked down a moment thinking.
I finally stepped forward.
"It's not like I'm ungrateful for this opportunity but…he's right why am I being drafted for the spectres? You could pick from so many others." I said shaking my head. Something's really not adding up.
"Shepard humanity needs another hero. And seeing how you're the closest to John we have…" I shook my head.
"So you're recruiting me because I'm related to John? That's your reason? Something's not adding up here councilers." The turian narrowed his eyes.
"If you do not wish the position Shepard I will gladly deny entry." He said almost too eager.
"I…I'll take it but there has to be something you're all not telling me." They nodded.
"Your concern is noted Shepard. But on behalf of the council I welcome you to the spectres. Since we have other matters to attend to Councilor Anderson shall explain your mission good luck." The holograms flickered and died as I turned to Anderson.
"Congratulations." He said with a smile as I shook his hand.
"Thank you sir...But please at least give me a hint of why I was suggested? There are so man more candidates." He shook his head.
"Just Anderson. You're above military rank now. And as for that…well you'll just have to trust the council." I looked down.
"Shepard?" He asked.
"Si...Anderson I...my entire life I've always been below somebody. My brother, my boot camp sergeant, my captain. But now..." Anderson patted my shoulder.
"I understand it's quite a thing to get used to it all. I'll give you some time before I give you your mission. You can rest here you and your...new companions. I have a matter to attend to so I'll be going now congratulations Shepard." He finished and walked out the door.
I went over to the balcony and leaned on the ledge. Vyrnnus walked over along with the quarian and leaned on separate sides of me.
"Vyrnnus, I thought you hated humans." I remarked. He was quiet a moment as he looked down.
"I did. Hell maybe I still do but during the war...it's not healthy for everyone to hate each other and expect a stab in the back. We need to trust each other and work together." I chuckled.
"Never thought I'd hear a turian say that. No offence." I added in quickly. He gave a light chuckle.
"None taken. Shepard, whatever's out there waiting for us, know this; I've got your back." I nodded.
"I've got yours Vyrnnus, no matter what we'll trust each other. We're all we've got." He nodded and walked off to the table at the other end of the room.
The quarian was silent.
"I never caught your name." I said looking over. She looked back.
"Me? I'm Lia'Vael nar Ulnay." I nodded.
"And I'm David Shepard." I said with a smile. She chuckled.
"Pleasure to meet you." She walked over to the table where Vyrnnus sat and introduced herself.
I turned on John's omni tool and began looking through it. It had a running log of his entire time in the spectres starting from before he became one which was his mission on Eden Prime all the way to his final transmission. I scrolled to the first entry and pressed it. A holo screen popped up and bega to play. It was from the point of view of his visor from his helmet. "It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up...something must have activated." There was a swoosh sound as the woman in white and pink armor was being drawn in towards the prothean beacon. John looked over and immediatly grabbed her and threw her aside. He was then lifted in the air and held in place. for a long while before it exploded and he laid on his back. I narrowed my eyes. Why did it just hold him in midair? what was the point in doing that? I pressed play and continued watching.