It's been ages since I've written anything so go easy on me. I just finished the Omega DLC and had to write something. This will be a bit of a long one, but I'm not gonna stop until it's done. Excuse any of my grammatical errors, it's late here and I just wanted to get this first chapter out of my head and onto some paper. Anyway, you know the drill, like, follow, review it, do all the things!
Of course I don't own the characters or anything, that all belongs to Bioware :) (much like my soul).
It was dark, dank, dirty and most of all, it smelled of sweaty vorcha. Yes, Omega was the last place Shepard wanted to be, but the dossiers said what the dossiers said. The commander ran her fingers through her short auburn hair, visible air particles rustling around with each movement.
"Isn't Omega lovely in the springtime?" Garrus moved up next to Shepard, his mandibles twitching as he took in the same sights and scents as his friend.
"If I didn't know any better Garrus, I'd say you were actually happy to be here. Sure you don't miss all the infamy and mystery… Archangel?" Jane shoved him with her shoulder, their armor clacking together with a satisfying noise.
"Nope… well, I mean it is rather nice, was rather nice to have people know me as more than that Turian who hung around the first human Spectre." Jane grinned, moving forward through the corridor, letting the red lights guide her to the entrance.
"What about you Miranda? Miss this place?"
The XO shook her head vehemently. "Not in the least… the more time we're here, the more I wish I wore layer after layer of armor, if only to protect me from… this." She motioned to the hordes crowding outside of the Afterlife, each one barking at the Elcor doorman to let them in, begging and pleading, practically offering their first born just to get a minute inside easily the dirtiest club in the galaxy, a place that in Shepard's opinion put Chora's Den to shame.
"Make way, Spectre coming through!" Shepard shook her head at her tall Turian friend. At least people moved when he spoke.
The crowd parted like the Red Sea, some simply standing and gawking others whispering, their hushed tones creating quite a cacophony. The commander hated it. She didn't like being the center of attention. She was just a soldier with a ship, nothing more nothing less. All of the fame was just her doing her job.
"Easy Garrus, no need to alert the whole station."
They entered Afterlife, the smell of liquor smacking them straight in the face as the doors slid open. At least it was better than Vocha sweat, Shepard thought, pushing through the mindless crowds, bodies writhing against each other as awful music blared through the speakers. She was here on a mission, no time to partake in the festivities even if she wanted to.
"No one speaks to Aria unless she summons you." Shepard shoved the Batarian out of the way with ease, Miranda flaring her biotics as the man raised his gun in protest.
"Commander… you know I hear it's human tradition to knock before barging in on someone. Or is that too old fashion for the Great Jane Shepard ?" Aria stood, looking out over the floor of Afterlife, never once turning to physically acknowledge the Spectre's presence.
"Sorta hard to knock Aria…. No doors." Shepard stood tall, firm only a few feet away from the Asari, arms crossed confidentially as she let her weight slide to one side.
"What brings the famous human to my domain this time? A search for yet another assassin? Or do you simply enjoy risking your life by pushing my buttons?"
"We're looking for a Salarian doctor, Mordin Solus." Miranda spoke up, voice cold, deadpan, her chest puffing out slightly as if she and the Asari were alphas about to compete for a piece of meat.
"Ah, yes, I know him. Interesting man, the doctor, I like him. Heal you with one hand, shoot you with the other. Quite respectable. You'll find him in the clinic, through the plague infested apartments. Thought he could cure Omega's disease by throwing himself right in the middle." Shepard glanced down at her omni tool, lighting up the location Aria was speaking of.
"Perfect. Thanks Aria." Shepard didn't even look at the Asari as she turned towards the stairs to leave.
"You won't be thanking me when Vorcha are ripping out your insides… but." Aria paused when she observed how nonchalantly the commander had essentially used her for information and then tossed her aside like an old toy with one simple motion. "Whatever." Shepard didn't even hear the last word, the sounds of Afterlife drowning out all noise as the Vanguard moved down the stairs and out the back entrance. "Bray. Follow them. I want to know everything." The batarian nodded, heading after the small party as they exited.
"You know, Shepard, Aria isn't someone you want as an enemy." The commander looked at her XO, cheeky grin on her face.
"She's also not someone I want on my side either, Miss Lawson." Fair point, Miranda thought as she followed the two old friends through the winding corridors of Omega. She hadn't been with Shepard very long, but it was obvious the soldier was very adept at judging character, seeing in someone what most people don't. Maybe that's why it felt so easy to trust her so openly.
Mordin didn't take much convincing and it was understandable. The chance to fly on one of the most advanced ships in the galaxy with unlimited resources to study a race few had even met.
"Commander, before I come with you, must stop the plague. Reason I'm here. Can't leave job undone, someone else might get it wrong. Yes, disperse antidote, then onto Collectors, both equally important. One before the other, no time to waste. Go."
"Fine Mordin, give us the cure, we'll do the dirty work."
"Shouldn't be too dirty, most batarians dead, some may think quite an improvement." The commander shook her head, taking the vials and heading in the direction of the vents. The vanguard was used to these sort of missions, everyone wanted… needed something, hardly anyone willing to give without asking for anything return. It was natural, why do something for someone else if you gain nothing from the exchange. Shepard just wished her part of the bargain was less bloody from time to time.
"Aria, they're headed towards the vents past the apartments, looks like they're doing the lizard's grunt work. According to the pretty human they won't be here much longer. Bray out."
Aria tapped the toe of her boot against the steel floor. If one looked closely enough, they'd see the gears rapidly turning in her brain. Shepard was one that needed a closer inspection. Aria was both glad and a bit sad to hear of the Commanders planned departure. One less famous person on Omega meant more attention for her, but it also meant that she wouldn't be able to really test the savior of the Citadel, a task she was looking forward to doing. "Next time Commander… you'll be back, they always come back."