AN: Thought I try this idea. Rated-M for future Violence, blood, gore and possible lemons.
"blah blah blah."-Normal speech
"blah blah blah."-Thoughts
:blah blah blah.:-Radios comm links
{blah blah blah.}-Mental communication
Disclaimer: I own nothing this purely for entertainment and for all those famous 'what ifs'
Chapter 1:
Awakening
Shepard awoke in an unknown place. She looked around at the surroundings noticing the burnt buildings, fire and what looked like charred human remains and bones on the ground.
This didn't make sense.
She was supposed to be on the Normandy she remembered the unknown ship attack it, and the crew rushing into the escape pods. But Joker was still in the cockpit, that's when she ran their to save him and help him to the escape pod. However her luck wasn't with her that day as an explosion separated her and Joker and threw her away, knowing that he would die she ignored his shouts and ejected the pod.
Then she was spaced.
And she couldn't breath her suit had been damaged. She panicked and clutched her chest and throat while they tightened from the lack of oxygen, and the pain increased before the darkness took her.
"Is... is this Hell?" She thought then looked around. It could certainly pass off as Hell but somehow she wasn't convinced.
But that wasn't enough not to piss her off.
"What the fuck!" She screamed mentally, she didn't deserve this. Yes she may have been a bit of a bitch but she had her paragon moments. She spared the Rachni Queen and her children for Gods sake. But it appeared that whomever was in charge of her fate didn't give a damn.
Cursing loudly she stared/glared at the ground before sighing and raising her head before freezing. There stood before her a bit away stood a little black haired girl wearing a red coat. Shepard couldn't see the child's face her hair obscured it.
Shepard blinked not sure how to handle this thinking this was Hell then why would a child be here? Deciding to figure it out another time the Commander kneeled down so that she was roughly-eye level with the child.
The girl didn't move a muscle she just stared at the older woman, Shepard wouldn't admit it out loud but this child unnerved her. Knowing that the kid won't speak first she decided too.
"Hey, hey what's your name?" She asked hoping to get an answer. None came but the girl did tilt her slightly. Shepard sighed and rubbed her head she should have known this would be difficult. She looked around at her surroundings trying to find out where the child could've came from.
Then the girl spoke: "You need to wake up."
Shepard's head snapped back to the girl. "What do you mean?" She asked frowning.
The girl only repeated the question. "You have to wake up."
"So I'm not dead?" The commander asked, the girl shook her head and as her hair moved Shepard caught a glimpse of her yellow eyes. "Creepy."
"Only the body and mind. But not your spirt." Shepard tried very hard to piece that together.
"So I'm a ghost right now?" When the child nodded she exclaimed. "Well that's fu-screwed up." She corrected herself quickly trying to show some manners.
"You may be a ghost but if you awaken now you'll return."
"You sure?" When the girl nodded she asked. "Well before I... wake up. Can you tell me your name?"
The child shook her head sadly. "No I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about me... yet."
Shepard stood up and rubbed her temples and decided to wake up. But she didn't how. "Uh how do I..." She trailed off but when she looked over to where the girl was she was gone.
However she heard the girls voice close-by. "Just close your eyes and follow the voice. And don't fear I'll always be with you."
With no other option the commander did as she was told.
Unknown Place
:Commander wake up! Shepard!: This was the first thing Jane heard as she opened her eyes.
She was greeted with a room coloured white, an infirmary. It was then she noticed the voice over the speaker. :Good your awake. Listen I know you have questions but were under attack there's a pistol in the locker grab it.: It was a women who was talking.
Deciding that she had no choice and she could hear the sounds of gunfire, she hopped off the operation table and went over to the locker. She found the pistol and said. "This gun doesn't have thermal clip."
:It's an infirmary. Look don't worry you'll find one just head out the doors there.: The women instructed.
Shepard sighed and went out the doors however she stopped as she saw the girl in the red coat standing behind the small barricade. But what really caught Shepard's attention was the thermal clip in the child's small hands, she helping it was for her.
But there was danger as the canisters overhead began to shake violently and rupture, they where going to explode. Before Jane could warn the girl the canisters exploded she ducked quickly shielding her face from shrapnel. Pulling her hands away from her face she looked at the spot the girl was but she was gone. No body or blood. The only thing that proved that she was even their to begin with was the thermal clip that the child held.
Shepard was spooked.
She didn't understand the girl wasn't dead since they're was no body, but she appeard to her in her dream but she said that Shepard was a ghost does that mean she was?
At that moment the women from over the speaker brought her back. :Oh good you found a clip. Quickly put it in the pistol and take cover there's a mech coming.:
Believing it better to think on it later Shepard took cover and sure enough a security mech wondered in. It scanned the room before finding the her, it raised its weapon and began firing. Shepard ducked down as the mechs shots hit her cover their was a pause as the mech reloaded, taking the chance she raised herself up from cover and fired three shots.
The first shot hit the mech arm destroying it, the second and third hit the mechs chest blowing it's circuits causing it to fall before exploding violently. Jane sighed then quickly reloaded before heading through the door it came through.
She encountered two more mechs she quickly took them out with well placed head shots and continued on. She entered a corridor with windows and on the opposite side of them was the girl. The commander ran up to the glass and kneeled to face the young girl. "Don't worry dear I'll get you out of here." Shepard said then started banging on the glass trying to brake it.
However it was reinforced and it simply absorbed the blows thrown at it. Jane only stopped hitting it when the child placed a hand on the glass Shepard did the same placing it over hers. The moment was interrupted when down the corridor behind the girl through the flames appeared a large mech. Shepard's eyes widened and she stood up trying to figure out a way to save the girl. It was then that two men ran into the corridor armed with assault rifles, when they saw the mech they opened fire. Jane looked down to where the girl was.
But she wasn't there.
Again she began to think trying to understand her head was starting to hurt. She jumped when one of the men was thrown into the window killing him. Looking ahead she seen the other man dead and the mech stalking it's way forwards.
She decided to continue on ignoring the bodies laying around and headed through another door where a guard lay dead with a grenade launcher next to him.
:Grab the grenade launcher!: The women shouted.
Shepard did as she was told and picked it up then from below on the other side of the room entered a squad of mechs. As soon as they spotted her they fired, Jane raised the grenade launcher and fired at the group. The explosion hit them perfectly destroying them all with ease however it caused a gas pipe to explode and shoot flames.
:Excellent work now down the elevator.: Jane holstered the grenade launcher and went over to the elevator and activated it. When she was at the bottom she got off and stopped when she realised that the only exit was blocked by the flames.
However the women spoke again. :Just sprint through the flames don't worry your shields will hold.: Seeing no other way through she did sprinted through the flames and sure enough her shields held and continued on her way.
The woman's voice was heard again however this time it was accompanied with heavy static. :Commander... m-mechs... c-c-close-...:
The line then went dead.
"Hello? Can you hear me?" Jane asked stopping for a moment. "Hey?! You there?!" Their was no reply other than static. "Shit!" She yelled then started jogging ahead.
Awhile later she ended up on a walkway where she saw a dark skinned man having a firefight with the mechs on the other side. The man then used a biotic pull on a mech and quickly shot it while it was defenceless, Shepard rushed over fireing a few shots off at the remaining security mechs before ducking down behind cover besides the man.
The man raised a brow. "Shepard?" He asked when she nodded he went on. "Huh thought you where still a work in progress. Guess your better now eh?"
"Yeah. Hey listen can you fill me in on everything I woke up as a blank slate." She decided to get answers now rather than later.
"Well do you think we could deal with the mechs first?" He said tilting his head towards the security mechs, seeing no other way Shepard nodded. "Good oh and by-the-way names Jacob."
Together Jacob and Shepard with a deadly mixture of gunfire and biotics easily destroyed the mechs. When they where finished Jacob said. "Right thanks now those questions."
"First: Who are you?" Deciding to learn more about the man.
"My names Jacob Taylor I'm ex-Alliance." He said formally.
"Ok. Now where am I? And what did you mean a 'work in progress'?"
"Your on a research station built for The Lazarus project it was all about bringing you back. Man I remembered when they first you in hear you where just tubes and wires. Miranda did great work." He said looking at her from top to bottom.
Shepard's ears perked up at the name Miranda. "Their was a women who helped me was that Miranda?"
Jacob nodded. "Could be she was in charge of the project." Before Jane could ask anymore questions a voice came from over the radio.
:Check. Check can anyone hear me?: It wasn't Miranda it was a man.
Jacob responded first. "Wilson? That you?" He asked sounding surprised.
:Jacob? Your alive? Oh thank god man you've got to come get me.: Wilson said with fear clear in his voice.
"Calm down where are you?"
:I'm in the network control room where are you?:
"Me and Shepard are in D-Wing."
There was a small pause. :Shepard? How the he-Never mind you have get her out of here. Go through the server tunnels from D-Wing from their you can get too the control room.:
"Will do."
:And Jacob. Be quick I...don't think...I'm alone it's like there's someone watching me and it ain't mechs.:
"Understood where coming stay on this frequency." Jacob said grimly.
Shepard decided to ask. "What was that last part about?"
Jacob looked at her for few moments like he was trying to gauge her reaction before he answered. "I won't lie Shepard things on this station have been... spooky."
Shepard frowned. "Define 'spooky'."
"Well people have been... seeing things. It's mostly the scientists but there's been a few guards here and there. And it's not just seeing things they've been hearing things too and on occasion they felt like they where being watched by someone." Jacob said looking down deep in thought.
Jane took the information with mixed views. On one hand it explained how the little girl kept disappearing on the other it scared her since it meant she could be going mad.
"But I think it's because people have been working on you and since you where dead they must have been... uncomfortable with playing God." Jacob reasoned.
Deciding to go along with it she didn't feel comfortable about seeing a little girl who keeps disappearing. Shepard agreed and they both went on their way.
If they had taken the moment to look back they would have seen a little girl and a man watching them before the lights flickered and they where both gone.
They went into server tunnels as instructed and found some mechs that where powered down. "Perhaps we could sneak past them." Jane said.
As if on cue the mechs powered up and went on the attack, taking cover Jacob yelled. "Or we could just shoot them!" And they did.
They took out the mechs easily and moved on but Wilson shouted over the comm. :Dammit! I've been shot the mechs are inside the room. Hurry up!:
"Let's move." Shepard ordered feeling like her old self leading a squad.
They both soon entered a large room thankfully their where a few mechs but they dealt with them easily it was then they found a man with blood coming out leg, Shepard him assumed to be Wilson. "Oh you made it. Great now help me my leg." He ordered.
The commander rolled her eyes at the man and turned to Jacob. "You got any Med-gel?"
He shook his head. "No. Check the med station mite be some left." Nodding she went over to the wall mounted med station and found some Med-gel.
She came back over and applied it to Wilson's bleeding leg. "Thank you." He said standing up although he didn't sound thankful.
"Wilson what the hell is going on?" Jacob asked him hoping to get answers.
Wilson just shrugged. "Don't know someone hacked all mechs and caused them to turn on us."
"Have you seen Miranda?" This time it was Shepard who asked.
"She's dead." Wilson said.
{He lies.} A voice whispered to Shepard who nearly jumped. "W-what?" She found herself asking.
Wilson looked at her like she was an idiot. "I said. 'she's dead'" His eyes then narrowed but it wasn't at Shepard or Jacob. No he was looking behind them he then pointed. "And who the hell is th-"
He didn't finish the sentence as what Jacob and Jane could only describe as: A red ball of biotic energy. Struck him in the face throwing him off his feet and falling heavily on the floor.
Both quickly unholstered their weapons and aimed from where the ball came from. But there was nothing their.
"Shepard is he..." Jacob motioned to Wilson not taking his eyes off from the doors. Jane went over to Wilson and looked at the damage, and was shocked when she found that the mans entire face was blown off showing his grinning blood red skull.
"He's dead." She confirmed. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be it wasn't your fault it was..." Jacob trailed neither of them knew what had happened they didn't even know they where being followed. "Come on the shuttles arn't far from here." He then began heading out with Shepard slowly following behind.
However Jacob suddenly stopped then turned to her and said. "Look I feel like... I should be honest with you right now."
Shepard frowned. "What do you mean?" He shifted feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Well right now do you trust me?"
She shrugged. "Truthfully? I don't know I thought hiding something earlier but seeing as your about to tell me I think I can trust you some more."
Jacob nodded at that. "Well ok here's what I have to tell you: This station and project Lazarus it was both owned and funded by... Cerberus." He then braced for the hailstorm. But none came. He noticed that she was confused.
"Cerberus? That's sounds familiar." She honestly didn't remember them but she was sure that she came across them.
Jacob rubbed his head and chuckled a bit. "Yeah it should be. When you where hunting Saren you ran across some of our projects and caused some grief by shutting them down."
"Well why Cerberus bring me back if I was being a pain?"
"I don't know. I'm just a grunt I take orders your gonna have to ask the Illusive Man for answers."
"I see." Jane said more to herself. "Well thank you Jacob for telling me the truth."
The man smiled a bit. "Your welcome now c'mon let's get to the shuttles." Shepard nodded and they both went on their way but watching their backs.
They entered a large docking area swarmed with mechs. They quickly took them out before heading to the door for the shuttles. Shepard opened the door and jumped when it reviled a woman standing their, she heard Jacob say. "Miranda! Your alive."
The woman Miranda nodded. "Yes thankfully. Have either of you seen Wilson?" She asked.
Jacob nodded. "Yeah we ran into him but... He was killed."
"Good." Miranda said coldly.
"Bit harsh. I know the guy wasn't nice but he didn't deserve that." Shepard said.
The other woman just looked at her for a moment before saying. "He was the one who made mechs go rogue and attack everyone."
"What?!" Jacob shouted surprised and angry.
"It's true." Miranda went on to explain what had happened and how she survived.
When she was finished Shepard spoke. "Well guess he deserved to die." Jacob nodded not speaking still feeling upset. It was then Shepard decided to say thank you. "Hey Miranda forgot say. Thank you for helping me out if it weren't for you I wouldn't have made it."
The woman just shook her head. "Think nothing of it you would have probely found a way. But your welcome."
Jane allowed herself to smile before asking. "So where's everybody else?" Jacob shrugged and Miranda replied. "Shepard this is the e-vac point. If they arn't here then their dead."
"But what about the little girl?" Shepard blurted out without thinking.
The Cerberus members looked at her confused before Jacob asked. "What girl?"
"The child." When they didn't say anything she went to describe her. "She's white skinned, long black hair that covers her face, wears a red coat and disappears without a trace?"
Jacob and Miranda looked at each other. "Commander this is a military station there's no civilians especially children allowed here. Perhaps your hallucinating it's most-likely nothing to worry about jus a small side affect from the medication."
Shepard rubbed her head. "A hallucination? So the girls not real? Or where I met her? No. No Miranda's right it's all in my head."
Jane sighed and said. "Yeah your right must be just side affects."
Jacob didn't look convinced but said nothing, Miranda nodded and gestured for them to follow. "Well lets be on our way the Illusive Man is waiting." And with that they bordered the shuttle.
AN: That's that so tell how I did with Alma. She's not supposed to be violent but that will be explained later.
So next chapter the Illusive Man and Tali should be fun.
Oh and I'll be writing another story for Familiar of Zero, it's a crossover between that and Call of Duty.
Review. ^_^
