307,846
Normandy Medical Bay
Admiral Hackett pauses for a moment at the doorway "You did a hell of a thing Commander". The door to the Normandy's medical bay seals shut as the Admiral leaves; the harsh number 307,846 seared itself deep into Commander John Shepherds mind. Burying his face into his hands, he lays back down on the medical bed as the cold realisation of what he had become. A mass murderer. Thoughts raced through his mind, his father had taught him from a young age to 'Never start a fight, but always finish it'. It stuck with him as he earned the tag Lion of Elysium in defending the colony from Batarian slavers.
307,846 lives extinguished by the push of a button, that moved the asteroid onto a collision course with the Viper Nebula mass relay.
307,846 Batarians… slavers... responsible for atrocities at Elysium and Mindoir.
307,846 Batarians…families… mates and children
307,846 people that would never see the sun rise again.
307,846 dead…by his hand.
Composing himself, Shepherd rose to his feet and left the medical bay for the lift. Silence descended across the mess hall followed by sideways glances from the crew as Shepherd walked by. The lift doors close behind Shepherd as he punches the button for deck 1.
Deck 1
"Damn cybernetics makes it harder to get drunk" Shepherd muttered to himself as he opened up another bottle. Straight from the bottle, the Serrice Ice Brandy burns its way along his throat.
"EDI set the lighting to 25%."
"Affirmative Shepherd, is there anything else you would like?"
"No…yes, seal my quarters; I don't want any visitors."
"Including Tali?"
"Damn it EDI; I said no visitors! Now leave me the hell alone." Shepherd snapped at the AI.
"Logging you out Shepherd."
"I just want to forget..." Shepherd whispers to no one.
Finishing the bottle, Shepherd picks up the Carnifex from the lounge. "EDI?"
"Yes Shepherd?"
"Does 1 equal 307,846?" An unsteady hand raises the heavy pistol.
"No it does not."
"Yes it does."
A shot rings out.