Shadow Broker Log: Cmdr. Jane Shepard
2154: Jane Shepard born on Mindoir
2170: Batarians attack Mindoir. Alliance Soliders John Shepard and Hannah Meer-Shepard KIA.
2173: Jane Shepard enlists in the Alliance.
2177: Alliance Unit on Akuze destroyed by thresher maws. Jane Shepard sole survivor.
2180: Jane Shepard accepted into the N7 program.
2183: Geth attack on Eden Prime. Jane Shepard stops Geth. Saren Arterius rebels against council. Jane Shepard tracks Saren to Ilos. Geth attack Citadel. Jane Shepard leads Alliance against Sovereign. Battle of the Citadel ended in Alliance victory.
2183 addendum: Collectors attack Normandy SR-1. Jane Shepard declared KIA.
2185: Jane Shepard sighted alive in the Terminus Systems. Reportedly working for Cerberus.
2185 addendum: Collector Base destroyed. Geth Heretics rewritten.
2186: Reapers invade. Shepard sent to unite all fleets in the galaxy. Genophage cured. Krogan-Turian alliance forged. Quarian-Geth war ended in truce. All thanks to Shepard.
2186 addendum: Crucible activated. Reapers ally with organic forces. Shepard declared KIA.
"Staff Lieutenant Mason, please report to the Captain's Cabin. Repeat, report to the Captain's Cabin." the synthesized voice of the ship's VI droned over the intercom.
"Hear that? The Captain wants to see you." Flight Lieutenant Derrick Lowe spoke up, looking away from the ship's window for just a moment.
"Careful, luv." Service Chief Alfred Montgomery commented. "He looked angry last time I saw him."
"That's because he was looking at you." Lowe said.
"Not my fault he can't handle my charms." Alfred quipped.
"Thanks for that, now he's going to take it out on me." Staff Lieutenant Alexandra Mason stood with her hands behind her back overlooking the stars beyond the cockpit. The flight lieutenant sat in his seat making sure the ship flew steady, and Montgomery leaned in the doorframe overlooking the situation casually.
"Pleasure's all mine." Montgomery said, smiling. Mason scoffed before heading out of the cockpit.
"Do you make it your mission to piss off everyone you speak to?" Lowe asked, flipping a few switches above the front window.
"Well, when you're good at somethin'..." Montgomery trailed off before heading off to his post.
Staff Lieutenant Alexandra Mason strode through the CIC, nodding to the navigation crew as she approached the elevator. "Lieutenant." Navigator Jean-Paul Clerico spoke up as Mason pressed the elevator button. "Get in trouble with the Captain?"
Mason turned to glance at the balding man overlooking the Galaxy Map. "I hope not." she said. "We all know how he can get when he's flustered."
"Some of us more than others." Clerico said, glancing at Montgomery heading downstairs. "Well, I bid you the best of luck."
"Thank you, Navigator." Mason said, smiling as Clerico returned to the Map. A small "ding" announced the arrival of the elevator and the doors swiftly opened. Mason moved to enter but was bumped aside by a dark-skinned woman overlooking a datapad.
"Delpratt." Mason greeted.
"Lieutenant." Engineer Maisie Delpratt addressed Mason without even looking up from her work as she walked away.
Mason shook her head as she proceeded into the elevator and pressed the appropriate button. The doors closed, locking her in the tiny metal box she knew so well. She glanced at herself in the polished metal of the doors, making sure she was presentable. She tucked a loose strand of pale blonde hair behind her ear and straightened her uniform. She was a professional, after all. She had to look the part.
She noticed that her eyes were looking a little less blue and bit more red of late. She definitely needed a good night's sleep, and a chewing out from the Captain wasn't going to help her with that. She'd have to worry about that later, as the elevator had reached the Captain's Cabin. With another "ding" announcing her presence Mason strode into the room, her boots clomping on the floor as she stood stock straight, ready to greet the Captain.
"Staff Lieutenant Mason reporting, sir." She said, saluting. The Captain's Cabin was nothing spectacular, though more glamorous than the crew's quarters. A single bed sat in the middle, covered in white sheets with a plastic bedside table holding an orange holographic alarm clock. Over the bed was a window peering out into the vast blackness of space, the stars dotting the massive blank canvas. Off to the right was a door leading to the Captain's private restroom (a feature that inspired the jealousy of the entire crew) and grooming quarters. A simple working desk covered in datapads and a single computer alongside a small photograph was installed off to the left. Everything a Captain needed to be a solitary commander was present in this captain.
"Lieutenant Mason." The man himself was hunched over his desk, looking at an image on the computer. "Do you know why I called you up here?" he asked.
"No, sir." Mason replied, her face stoic.
"C'mere." The Captain beckoned her over and she made her way next to him. Captain Harold Tsu was a grizzled old war horse of Chinese descent with a stony face bearing a bushy moustache of pure white. He was almost never seen without his cap, so the crew had a betting pool about whether or not he had hair on his head. Mason didn't know his exact age, but she estimated he was at least 110 years old. Just by looking at him she could tell he's seen a lot in his day, but he very rarely opened up about his days before reaching the rank of Captain.
"You know where we're headed, Lieutenant?" The Captain asked, turning to look at Mason.
"Nefrane, sir." Mason answered. A primarily Asari colony and mining community.
"Do you know why we're going?" The Captain asked.
"We're going to recover some sensitive cargo and deliver it to the Citadel, sir." Mason said. "We went over this in briefing, sir."
"Yeah, that's the 'official' story." The Captain said. "But what do they say about the 'official' story, lieutenant?"
"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Mason asked.
"Granted." The Captain allowed.
"'Only an idiot believes the official story.'' Mason recited what she'd heard from her crewmates countless times.
"That is correct." The Captain said. He picked up a datapad and handed it to Mason. "Take a look at this." he instructed.
Mason held the datapad and examined the photograph on the holographic surface. The photo was of a bizarre sphere sitting in a sealed container. The sphere was coloured various shades of black and murky green, as if it were a window into the deepest depths of the ocean.
"What am I looking at, Captain?" Mason asked, still looking at the datapad.
"Hell if I know." The Captain said. "All I know is that the Council wants it on the Citadel ASAP. I want you to go retrieve it."
Mason's brow furrowed. "Why send an Alliance vessel, sir?" she inquired, looking at the Captain. "Why not just send a Citadel ship?"
"Apparently they want to keep this as hush-hush as possible." The Captain explained. "They don't want this operation tracked back to them."
Mason looked back down at the mysterious orb. "Must be pretty important." she stated, thinking. What qualities could this artifact have that have the Council so desperate to have it?
"Must be." The Captain agreed. "We've got a Citadel representative meeting us there to make sure everything goes smoothly. They said we'll find her by the dig site."
"'We', sir?" Mason asked.
"We're bringing a crew along to load all the 'cargo' onto the ship." The Captain explained. "You're gonna be a part of it."
"With all due respect, sir," Mason said. "I'm a soldier, not a supervisor."
"I trust you, Alex." The Captain said, causing Mason to raise her eyebrows at the use of her first name. "But I don't trust this situation." He looked her dead in the eyes as he said that.
"...Don't worry, sir." Mason stood straight up, saluting. "I'll be ready for anything."
"At ease, girl." The Captain said, prompting Mason to relax her shoulders. "I think my last comment made that clear."
"Right. Sorry, Captain." Mason said, clasping her hands behind her back.
The Captain scoffed, a ghost of a smile appearing on his face.
"Captain Tsu." The voice of the ship's VI rang out. "Flight Lieutenant Lowe wishes to speak to you."
"Patch him through, Lena." The Captain ordered.
"Captain? Lowe here. We're about to touch down on Nefrane." The pilot's voice sounded over the intercom.
"Roger that." The Captain said, turning to Mason. "C'mon. Let's go meet the locals."
"Aye aye, sir." Mason agreed, following the Captain to the elevator.
"Watchpoint Kylos, this is SSV Shambhala requesting permission to land." Lowe spoke over the radio.
"You ever been to an Asari colony, Lieutenant?" The Captain asked.
"No, sir." Mason said.
"Nice places." The Captain replied. "The Asari keep their streets clean...and the company's always nice."
"I'm sure they are, sir." Mason replied. "The Asari spare no expense when it comes to keeping their cities clean."
"That they do." The Captain agreed. "Makes you wonder what lies beneath the surface."
Mason rolled her eyes at her Captain's bait-and-switch comment. He was a cynical man, always expecting the worst in everything. She always wondered if that traced back to a bad experience, or several bad experiences, he'd had in his early years. She knew he fought in a war before, but he wouldn't say anything else. She didn't pry. He was her superior and it would be rude.
"We read you, Shambhala. You're clear to land." A female voice sounded over the radio, giving the ship its landing co-ordinates. "You'll be greeted by a landing party when you reach the co-ordinates. Prepare for inspection upon...wait a minute."
"Watchpoint Kylos, is something wrong?" Lowe asked. "Do you read?"
The voice returned, interrupted by occasional static. "..Fall back! Repeat! Do not la..."
The Captain moved forward and activated the radio. "Watchpoint Kylos!" He shouted. "Kylos, do you read!?" No answer came and the Captain stepped back. "Goddammit."
"Should we pull back, sir?" Lowe asked, looking back.
The Captain's eyes narrowed. "Lowe! Stay on course. If things get hairy, take evasive maneuvers." he ordered. "Mason! Report to the armory. We need to get ready for trouble."
"Aye, sir!" Both Lowe and Mason shouted, saluting. The Captain made his way swiftly to the elevator, barking orders over his radio to whomever he needed. Mason followed him, joining the Captain in the elevator on their way to the armory. Upon reaching the desired floor the two soldiers briskly walked out of the metal box and into the gun-filled area right next to the shuttle bay.
"Gear up, Lieutenant!" The Captain orders. "I have a feeling we've got a fight in our future."
Mason nodded and strode to her armor locker, pressing the button and watching the door slide open. Inside the locker was her light-grey Alliance Armor. To some, it would just be another combat hardsuit given out to nearly every Alliance soldier, but to her it was special. That suit of armor had shielded her from certain death time after time and there was no protection she'd rather wear. She reached into the locker and pulled out the suit, marveling at it for just a moment before getting dressed. She pulled on the gauntlets, the greaves, the breastplate, the boots and then finally the helmet. She smiled as she activated her tactical visor, bringing up her heads-up display. Whenever she stepped into her hardsuit she felt ready. She was ready for whatever would come her way. She'd trained her whole life to serve the Alliance, and she would do so with pride and honor.
"So, looks like we've found some trouble already." A heavily accented voice pulled Mason from her thoughts. A tanned, bearded soldier was suiting up next to her. "Shoulda known this was more than a bloody transport mission."
"We didn't expect trouble, Service Chief." Mason said. "This is a surprise to us all."
"Yeah, I'm sure." Service Chief Montgomery retorted. "I'm also sure the Captain didn't tell you what was really going on upstairs." he pulled on his boot and walked up next to her, leaning on a nearby locker. "So, what'd he tell you?"
"What the Captain tells me is on a need-to-know basis, Montgomery." Mason said. "If you don't need to know, you won't."
"Aw, c'mon." He prodded. "You know you want to share."
"For the last time, Service Chief, I'm not sharing the Captain's secrets with you." Mason insisted.
Montgomery and Mason stood in silence for a moment, trying to read each other as best they could. Montgomery then pushed off the locker and walked away. "OK. I tried." he said.
Mason's eyebrow raised. "Really?" she asked, somewhat bewildered at his giving up so easily.
"I think we've got more important things to worry about, luv." Montgomery explained. "'Sides, you referring to me by my rank is enough to tell me you don't feel like talkin'."
Mason smiled again. "Alright." she said. "Thanks, Monty."
Their conversation was halted by Engineer Delpratt walking between and past them, fiddling away with her glowing orange omni-tool.
"Lieutenant. Chief." She addressed the other soldiers.
"Maisie." Monty said. "Will you be joining us on Nefrane? Odd seeing you out of the engine room."
"Trust me. I would much rather be there." Maisie replied, not looking up from her tool. "But the Captain said we might need a tech expert so...here I am." Maisie spoke with a light accent that Mason always had a hard time placing. Her best guess was Jamaican, but she wasn't entirely sure.
"Huh." Was Monty's only response.
"I look forward to seeing what you can do, Delpratt." Mason said, smiling.
Maisie looked up from her omni-tool (much to the mock surprise of Monty) and met Mason's blue eyes with her own black ones. "Well...thank you." was all she said before returning to her omni-tool.
The three soldiers strode to the weapons locker to collect their wares. The large metal shelf held Alliance-grade weapons of every flavor one could imagine. From tiny sub-machine guns to massive rocket launchers, anything a soldier could need in a combat situation was present and accounted for. Mason chose an M-11 Avenger assault rifle, a somewhat generic, yet reliable weapon, alongside an M-9 Phalanx heavy pistol. Monty decided to grab an M-32 Katana, his usual weapon of choice for close encounters, before grabbing an M-7 Predator pistol. Maisie decided to be a tad more conservative with her weapon choices, grabbing an M-9 Phalanx pistol alongside an M-14 Tempest sub-machine.
Soon enough several more crew members made their way to the armory, suiting up and arming themselves. They didn't know what they'd be facing, so they made sure they were ready for anything. Some soldiers grabbed assault rifles, others grabbed shotguns, and others grabbed sniper rifles. One particularly enthusiastic individual lifted the ML-84 Missile Launcher. The way he chuckled as he held the RPG disturbed everyone near him.
"ATTEN-SHUN!" A loud shout carried across the room, grabbing the attention of every soldier in the armory. The Captain stood before the M-1200 MegaMouth Tank, clad in jet-black armor clashing horribly with his pristine-white captain's cap. One hand was held behind his back while the other grasped an M-17 Carnifex pistol, a pistol known for putting a proverbial ton of force behind each and every shot.
"Listen up, troops." The Captain said. "We're about to touch down on Nefrane. We don't know what we're up against, only that they were able to overpower the security forces of Watchpoint Kylos."
"To be fair, sir," A soldier spoke up. "it is just a small mining community."
"Yes, it is." The Captain responded. "A small mining community protected by Asari Commandos and, as of this morning, a Council Spectre." That shut the soldier up. "Rule number one, son: never underestimate the enemy. You'll get yourself killed that way."
The soldier gulped, saluting. "Yes, sir." he said.
"Now, back to the briefing." The Captain continued. "Watchpoint Kylos is a recently-discovered Eezo mine under Asari control. It's on a popular trading route so it's grown fairly prosperous in its short lifespan. They're likely here to steal the supplies we were here to transport, so be wary."
Mason listened to the sitrep like every other soldier, taking in the information relayed to her. The Captain looked directly at her when he spoke of the enemy stealing the supplies. A silent order to make sure the artifact wasn't the target. She gave the subtlest of nods.
"Once we touch down we'll get a hold on the situation and assign everyone a position." The Captain ordered. "Now-"
*BANG*
The ship suddenly shook violently, knocking a good portion of those on board right over. Something had impacted Shambhala, and the Captain made a rush to activate his radio.
"Lowe! What the hell just happened?" He shouted.
"We got enemy fighters in the air, sir!" Lowe called. "They're on our tail! Taking evasive maneuvers! Hang onto something!"
The rest of the crew took Lowe's advice and grabbed onto whatever was closest, Mason and Monty found a set of lockers to grapple while the Captain and Maisie clamped onto the MegaMouth. The tank was immovable when in lockdown (something the crew was very thankful for.)
Back in the cockpit, Lowe's efforts to avoid the enemy ships proved to be a herculean effort. The enemy ships were unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and he'd been around the proverbial block in his time. The ships were much smaller than the already-slim frame of the SSV Shambhala. The enemy ships seemed more like escape bods and full-on vehicles, with an absolutely tiny, grey, spherical center with wings in the shapes of x's. Each of these wings had a plasma cannon built into it, allowing them to pepper Shambhala with high-intensity blasts.
Lowe checked his radar. Two fighters on his tail. One right behind him, and one under the wing. Both were rallying up for another blast. He had an idea, but it would be risky. Then again, it was either risk the maneuver or die in the sky anyways. It was worth the risk. His hands flying across the holographic interface, Lowe grit his teeth as he commanded his ship. With great speed, the Shambhala performed what could only be described as a barrel roll, spinning 360 degrees. In this maneuver, the enemy ship underneath the wing was smacked away by the very part of the Shambhala it was using for cover. The enemy fighter hurtled to the ground, ejecting a panicked pilot as it fell.
There was only one fighter left, and after the loss of its friend it seemed to be flying a bit more cautiously, keeping its distance from the Shambhala as it peppered the wings with plasma volleys. Shambhala's cyclonic barriers were barely holding up. The enemy fighter kept the Shambhala in its sights, focusing all its attention on taking out its means of mobility. It was so focused on its task at hand that it didn't notice the ship's hanger open up to reveal a massive tank aiming right at it.
*BOOM*
The MegaMouth's turret fired a high-impact shell directly at the enemy fighter, shredding it on impact. The husk of the fighter fell to the ground and exploded.
"Good shot, Lieutenant." The Captain praised.
"Thank you, Captain." Mason radioed from inside the tank.
"Good work, guys." Lowe praised over the intercom. "We're in the clear...for the moment. I'm gonna put her down. Hang on."
With that, the ship began its smooth descent. "Watchpoint Kylos, come in." Lowe attmpted to make contact with anyone still alive at the base. "Kylos, do you read me?"
"...SSV Shambhala? Is that you?" A feminine voice called over the radio.
"Affirmative, Kylos." Lowe said. "We're landing now. Tell us where to go."
"Affirmative." Kylos responded. "We'll brief you on the situation when you touch down." Watchpoint Kylos transmitted landing co-ordinates and Shambhala made their way to the landing zone.
It wasn't long before Shambhala touched down at the landing zone, as designated by several distress flares sent up by the miners. The community had set up a sort of refugee camp outside the watchpoint, surrounded by security forces. As soon as the ship hit the ground the Captain and Mason exited the hanger to be greeted by a group of well-armed asari, one walking ahead of the others. All of them were armored in sleek black uniforms, though the primary asari's armor was an indigo color with white shoulders and kneepads. She stood noticeably taller than the other asari, and was carrying a very large shotgun. Her skin was a pleasant sky blue color and her eyes were a sea-green. They were fixed on the Captain and Lieutenant as they made their way out.
"Captain Tsu?" The asari asked. As she approached an insignia on her chest became more visible. It looked like a broken-up "v" rising from a circular door.
"Yes, that's me, and this is Lieutenant Mason. She's my number two." The Captain confirmed. "And you are...?"
"Call me Kelyrnea." The asari said. "Special tactics and recon."
"Spectre..." The Captain acknowledged. "So, you're our contact?"
"That I am." Kelyrnea confirmed, nodding.*
"So now that they're here, are you going to tell us what the hell is going on?" One of Kelyrnea's compatriots asked her, clearly annoyed and frustrated.
"We were wondering that ourselves." The Captain added. "We were told this would be a simple pickup operation. Weren't expecting a fight."
"That why you brought a tank?" Kelyrnea asked in a sarcastic manner. The Captain was not amused, though Mason couldn't help but smirk at the response. "In any case, the attack just began. There was no warning, no sign beforehand...they just appeared out of nowhere."
"They don't look like any merc band I've ever seen." One of the asari commandos said. "Markings and colors are all wrong."
"What are they here for?" Mason asked.
"Eezo." One of the asari replied. "What else?"
Mason, the Captain, and Kelyrnea all traded looks. They knew exactly what else, but said nothing.
"Miriar, you and your squad head back to base, keep watch." Kelyrnea ordered. "I'd like to have a word with the Captain."
"And why can't we hear this, spectre?" The asari, presumably Miriar, asked.
"For one, it's official Council business." Kelyrnea replied. "Two, you've got civilians to protect. Three, I said so. Now move!" she pointed to the camp and the commandos reluctantly walked away.
As soon as the commandos were out of earshot Kelyrnea turned back to the Captain and Lieutenant, rolling her eyes. "Some people, huh?" she said.
"Tell me about it." The Captain responded. "Anyways...the artifact. What do we think?"
"Almost definitely the target." Kelyrnea said. "As soon as the attack started they aimed for the storage facilities. Specifically the one where we were keeping it."
"Could be a coincidence." Mason suggested. "How would they know where to look?"
"A mole, most likely." Kelyrnea said. "We were well-guarded. They couldn't have pulled this off without insider help."
"Do the commandos know that?" The Captain asked.
"They suspect." Kelyrnea answered. "That's the other reason I sent them away."
"Hmm..." The Captain put a hand to his chin. "What's the current situation?"
"They've got fighters patrolling the facilities alongside foot soldiers." Kelyrnea informed. "They aren't attacking us, so they must be focusing all their efforts on finding the artifact."
"We can't let that happen." The Captain said.
"Agreed." Kelyrnea said. "We're launching an assault on the facility in 2 hours. Care to join?"
"2 hours?" Mason asked. "Wouldn't they have found the artifact by then?"
"Don't worry, Lieutenant." Kelyrnea said. "I'm the only one who knows where it is. They'll never find it."
"We'll see." The Captain said. "It's a good thing we showed up. We'll lend you our troops for the assault, though I will personally be commanding them, if you don't mind."
"Of course." Kelyrnea agreed. "Get your people briefed. We move in 120." She turned around and headed back to the camp.
"Mason." The Captain said. "Pick out a team. You're going to find the artifact while everyone else gets these maniacs off this planet."
"Understood." Mason said. The Captain nodded and proceeded back into the ship. Mason paused. "Sir?"
The Captain stopped. "Yes?" he said, looking back.
"I have a...contact in the area. Non-Alliance." she said.
The Captain's face hardened. "Is this 'contact' who I think he is?"
"Aye, sir." Mason confirmed. "I'd like to request permission to get in contact. We could use the help."
"...Fine." The Captain agreed before walking off.
"Thank you, sir." Mason saluted (even though the Captain had his back turned) and went off to a secluded area to make the call...