Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams
Ashley had never run so fast or for so long in her life, her legs burned as she struggled to stay ahead of the pursuing robots. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer and as such began to look for a place to make a stand. She would be damned if she, a Williams, would die running from an enemy threatening a human colony. She rounded a corner and spotted a large rock jutting out of the ground next to the path a few meters ahead. Perfect now if I can just reach it before they get around the corner. She mentally cursed herself for jinxing it when she heard the sound of the strange machines' weapons firing behind and saw her shields flare as they stopped the projectiles. "Well, here goes nothing", she muttered to herself as she dived for the meagre cover provided and, after taking a deep breath, drew her sidearm. She carefully peered around the edge of the rock, feeling despair threaten to overtake her as she saw a large group of the synthetics spreading out to flank her. She leaned out of her cover, firing a precise volley of shots at the head of the nearest synthetic, sending it tumbling to the ground as the rest of the robots opened fire, forcing Ashley back into cover. I guess this is the end Ashley thought to herself as she prepared for a second volley, knowing that it would be the last before the robots reached the rock. Suddenly, the retort of a sniper rifle rang out from somewhere to Ashley's left, followed by a thud as the lead synthetic fell to the ground next to Ashley's rock. Or not. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth Ashley immediately leaned around the edge of her cover again shooting at the nearest robot as the unseen sniper fired again, dropping another of the synthetics, this one holding what appeared to be some kind of sniper rifle. Ashley fired at the remaining robots, the report of her pistol accompanied by the deeper, less frequent boom of the unseen sniper's rifle until the last of the synthetics fell, its head a mess of wires and leaking hydraulic tubes. Ashley stood up and turned towards the ridge the sniper shots had been coming from, hoping that another member of the garrison was on the other end of the rifle. She was mildly disappointed when the sniper stood up, revealing a small figure in black armour that didn't match the phoenix model issued to the garrison, oh well, thought Ashley, at least they're human. She was just about to begin making her way towards her newfound ally, when the sniper raised her rifle and fired a shot over Ashley's shoulder, startled she turned to see another squad of synthetics, almost twice as many as before, round the corner. The robot at the front of the group toppled with a gaping hole in its head. There's too many of them Ashley thought as she fired a few shots at the nearest synthetic, not piercing the machine's kinetic barriers, before diving back behind the rock as a hail of return fire impacted her shields. I guess there's no escaping it this time- Ashley's thought was interrupted by a pair of blue orbs arcing over her head from the path behind her to impact the tightly packed synthetics, followed by the rattle of assault rifle fire and the crack of a heavy pistol. Ashley risked a look at her assailants only to see the synthetics reduced to a pile of wires and scrap metal. I really should stop writing myself off so soon. Ashley thought as she turned to see a pair of armoured men approaching her down the path with their weapons still smoking from recent use. Two of them, standard fire team is three, so they must be with that sniper. Ashley snapped the two men a salute, noticing the officer's markings on both their hardsuits, as well as the N7 Insignia on the larger of the two men. No need to be rude to the superior officers who saved my life.
"What's your name, soldier?" the man with the N7 and commander's markings asked in a tone that wasn't unkind.
"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212th." Ashley replied, "Thank-you for the help commander, that sniper of yours must have saved my life half a dozen times over"
The Commander's head jerked up "what sniper?"
"The one covering me from the ridge over there just before the two of you arrived." Confused, Ashley looked over to the ridge once again, searching for a sign of the increasingly mysterious sniper.
"Not ours" replied the Commander, also turning to scan the ridgeline. "Whoever they were, I certainly wouldn't want to be in their crosshairs," she said to the Commander, "I don't think they missed a single headshot the entire time."
"Of course not" said a female voice from behind Ashley, "I never miss." Acting on instinct Ash whirled around towards the source of the voice, drawing her pistol, only to have it forced down when the Commander's massive hand came bearing down on her forearm.
"Stand down, Alenko!" the Commander shouted at the other man, who had reacted in a similar manner. The pistol in his right hand was levelled at the newcomer unlike Ashley, however, his left hand was wreathed in blue energy. At the Commander's order he lowered his pistol and closed his left hand, cutting off the blue glow. Ash took a moment to study the sniper as she collapsed her rifle and clipped it onto the receptacle on the back of her armour. Despite the armour, Ashley could see that she was a small woman with a slim athletic build and despite the seriousness of the situation was wearing a massive grin on the exposed portion of her face.
"Lieutenant Shepard reporting for duty, sir." The sniper said in a tone which, to Ashley, sounded downright insubordinate. She added to this impression by giving the Commander an exaggerated salute. Huh, Shepard, I wonder if she's related to the hero of Elysium. Whoever she is, she's in for it now, no officer I've met would take that kind of crap even on a battlefield. However, to Ash's immense surprise, the Commander responded to the insubordination by stepping forward and enveloping the woman in a bear hug that looked like it could have cracked the small woman's ribs if she hadn't been wearing armour.
"It's good to see you, Cass. I was worried." The commander said to the woman in a quiet voice that Ashley barely heard before he released the Lieutenant.
"Worried?" the woman replied in a mocking tone, "You don't feel fear, remember? All those news reports on the blitz said so." Both the commander and the lieutenant laughed, and Ashley even more confused now than before turned to the other man, whom the Commander had addressed as Alenko. "Sir, do you have any idea what's going on here?"
"I'm afraid not, Chief. Shepard's been unusually quiet since we received the transmission about the attack, even more so since..." he trailed off, "Say, wasn't that you in the video?"
"Yes, it was and I'm surprised you got it at all, the trouble we were having with our radio's when the attack started…" Ashley trailed off. "I thought Lieutenant Shepard wasn't a member of your team. I mean you did point your gun at her." And some freaky space magic too, but I probably shouldn't mention that.
"What? No, I meant the Commander" said Alenko
"Wait" said Ashley "that's the Commander Shepard? As in faced down a thousand angry Batarians alone with nothing but a pistol, hero of Elysium Commander Shepard?"
"It was only five hundred." interrupted the Commander, who had finished talking with the other woman and was now standing with his arms crossed in front of him, obviously waiting for her and Alenko to finish speaking. Next to him, Lieutenant Shepard stood in exactly the same stance.
"The official report said seven hundred." The female Shepard piped up in a tone that seemed to Ashley to be almost proud. "And if you ask him to sign your chest plate I will have to kill you, him too if he actually does it."
"So are you Mrs. Shepard?" Ashley asked, still trying to get over meeting her hero, the great Commander Shepard in person and not paying particular attention to the need to keep her foot out of her mouth.
"Ew gross! I'm his sister" said the woman, making the Commander chuckle.
Nice going Williams you really put your foot in it this time, saying something like that to the Special Forces sniper who saved your life and in front of the hero of Elysium no less
"Okay." Said the Commander "enough of this. Williams, do you know where the Prothean beacon is?"
"The dig site is just up ahead, sir. It should be there." Ashley hesitated. She was more than a little intimidated by both the commander's reputation and by the way he towered over her but she wouldn't let that stop her. "Sir, with your permission, I'd like to come with you."
The commander stared intently at her, not looking her in the eye, but rather at a point just over her right shoulder. "If you want to accompany us then you need to answer one important question first." Ashley nodded "Where's your damn rifle, marine?" He shouted in a voice that would have put most drill sergeants to shame. Ashley flinched and looked down at the ground, embarrassed "I threw it at one of the robots, sir"
"And what in the galaxy possessed you to do such a thing?" Shepard growled.
"It had overheated and the synthetic had a shot lined up on one of my squad mates' back, sir. I threw it at the thing to throw off its aim and give myself time to draw my sidearm", she replied still feeling absolutely mortified that she had lost her rifle before meeting the greatest living hero in the Alliance military. To Ash's surprise Shepard didn't immediately berate her for the gross mistreatment of her weapon.
"And what happened to this squad mate?" he asked in a softer voice.
Ash held back the tears threatening to well up in her eyes, "Dead," she said sadly, her eyes still fixed on the ground. "We were ambushed further down the road a few minutes later. I was the only one to make it out alive."
Shepard reached over his shoulder and pulled out his own assault rifle. "Here, Take this."
"But sir" Ashley objected, "what about you?"
"I've still got my shotgun and…" The Commander's hand wreathed in a bright blue glow for a moment. "So I'll be fine."
"Yes Sir." Ashley replied, her hands tightening around the rifle.
"And Williams," Shepard added, "Try not to throw this one at any synthetics."
"I'll do my best" Ashley responded wryly. Joking about breaking the hero of Elysium's gun, way to go Williams "I mean sir yes sir"
The Commander turned to move out, "Chief, you're on point with me, lieutenant…." Shepard paused as both lieutenants came to attention and then looked at each other. "Okay. From now on Lieutenants, you are Alenko and Shepard at all times. Likewise you will all need to call me Commander rather than Shepard" he said looking at Alenko, "or anything else" he added turning his gaze towards his sister who nodded with a grin. With the possible sources of confusion cleared up the four of them moved down the path, eyes searching for the slightest hint of danger.
After walking in silence for a few moments Ashley's curiosity got the better of her. "Does anyone know what the things attacking the colony are?"
"Geth" Shepard replied without hesitation. The Commander turned to look at his sister, "there was a photo of a Geth attached to the entry on Quarian history", she explained, "and you were right. Reading the codex's more obscure entries is definitely a good way to pass time on long trips."
"No learning is ever wasted." the Commander said with a smile as they continued.
These 'Geth' are going to get what's coming to them Ashley thought grimly as the group continued towards the dig site.