Prequel
11 Apr 2168 17:00hr
Never-wood Manor
Milky Way/ Sitnalta Nebula/ Poseidon System/ Mindoir
Sometimes monsters make the best leaders. Sometimes the cost of survival means forgetting the moral codes that have been set by society and history. Like a snake shedding its skin, mankind must evolve in order to endure what is to come. This was the philosophy that her grandfather shaped. This was the philosophy that motivated the great men and women of Cerberus.
Since the dawn of a new age in deep space exploration, humanity has spread amongst the stars like dandelions in the wind. Their ships voyaging as far and equally as wide into exotic places never before seen by the naked human eye. They colonized numerous worlds, terraforming legions of habitable planets and their neighboring moons. All of it is thanks to the incredible discoveries of the mysteriously abandoned Prothean Archives and the Mass Rely network. These two major breakthroughs would lead to innovation in countless fields and additionally cause the human race to achieve in a short period what would have previously taken them several centuries to accomplish.
Global unity, Earth's sovereign ruling nations had at long last united. A new order was then establish and called Parliament.
Created with the intentions of regulating planetary commerce and overseeing the overall protection of any of its newly found worlds, Parliament was the start of a promising future. At the time, galactic expansion outside the local cluster was on the minds of many citizens. Few corporations actually traversed beyond the Charon Relay and even fewer actually had any clearance to do so. They deemed exploration to be too costly and their backers weren't seeing any probability of a favorable return of their investments either.
For the most part, major interplanetary commercial flight companies were waiting for someone to blame if things didn't pan out well. They basically wanted to be reimbursed for their efforts, should Parliament ever decide to use the gigantic alien machine hovering near Plato.
Thankfully the decision to do so was easily made because the citizens of the Solar System for all intents and purposes were determined to leave. In fact it was only those types of sentiments that were heard during Parliament's seminal discussions about using the Relay. Curiosity had without a doubt been the driving factor for some members to vote yes, whilst others did so because of greed. Regardless of their reasons, Parliament's final ruling passed through the assembly unanimously in twenty-one twenty.
With this historic decision finally made, Earth's new administration was now firmly in place. Mankind subsequently had successfully taken its very first steps towards ascension and entered into a new era.
Led by men and women of valor or so Hannah Shepard was once taught.
In school, the teachers always made a point to tell students how hard it was. She was always told that in the beginning it was very surprising to see each of the heads of the most powerful nations on Earth trying to work together. They all wanted power, money, along with a number of other beneficial things that could help solve the prevailing issues of the times. Yet somehow, someway, Earth's often bickering and egomaniacal leaders had managed to put aside their varying differences to pioneer a vision.
It was a grand dream, one featuring a great human empire stretching across the immense darkness of outer space because there somewhere in the midst of the stars, mankind was destined to find its glorious future and usher in a new age of enlightenment. This was the promise that triggered her forebears, the Shepard family and many others like them to leave the Solar System. They were inspired. The assurance of a better life had spoken to a lot of folks.
Thus began the famous exodus of twenty-one twenty-three, beyond the Charon Relay.
Olden generations like to say that the move represented the chance to change their lot in life. A possibility to start anew, an opportunity to be a new person or reinvent one's self. It also provided a chance for folks to seek their fortunes. Sure enough many had taken great advantage of this opportunity.
Coincidently Hannah's own grandfather and his many sons happened to be part of the small fraction who exploited this situation.
Johnathon Blaine Shepard senior and his bandit brigand of hooligans would become the successful beneficiaries of numerous illicit but fruitful endeavors. The likes of which are still talked about even in this day of age, despite the families pleasant turn around. The Shepard name in the end still bred both respect and fear in many circles. In any case it was a very sketchy period for her family and some believe it still is.
Nevertheless, the Shepard family and humanity as a whole has come a long way since the wild-wild days of their secluded past. Even still it wasn't too long ago that the human race had taken its first formal steps outside their local cluster. A good number of them leaving behind family, friends and the only place they've ever called home in naïve optimism. Filled with hope and complete trust that everything Parliament did was for the sole benefit of its citizens.
This is because most regular folks were too busy trying to find a secure and reliable source of income, rather than worry about the clandestine actions of a cosmic intergovernmental organization.
However since the unearthing and salvaging of the Prothean archives, one thing became certain to those studying the findings. Something of an equal or higher intelligence had once lurked and perhaps lived within the general vicinity of the Solar System. Something had also caused them to suddenly vanish with no legible trance or explanation as to why.
The harrowing evidence that was being uncovered and studied had caused the silent beginnings of two very powerful organizations.
However despite these notable revelations being frequently discovered at the Mars base, the universal consensus from the general public for a time would remain on dated concepts and archaic speculations. Furthermore, the all mighty, all knowing and altogether pessimistic powers that be, were collectively brimming with paranoia. A split within the Parliament's assembly materialized but the continuous selling of the fantasy of a safe and prosperous galactic future was still being vehemently endorsed by both sides.
In contrast however, necessary precautions were quickly and quietly made. The Systems Alliance born and sharpened into a fine tool, one that was sometimes even wielded by the unknown leaders of a devious splinter group.
In spite of that, this emerging militia was initially used as a glorified escort for countless journeying vessels and as the primary explores into the unclassified regions beyond the Relay. From the beginning the general public viewed them as a group of overly trained and paid watch dogs. This is because the only action recruits would commonly see were the occasional pirate raids that happened within Alliance controlled space.
Raids that Hannah's grandfather participated in before becoming a so-called honorable gentlemen and joining the Alliance. There he would meet two other remarkable individuals whose intelligence and affluence in conjunction with his resourcefulness would help build the rising military and later, the covert coalition behind it.
Still no matter how bad the public reception would get in regards to the newborn military, humanity in due time did eventually run into another sapient species. Their violent meeting would launch a half decade long war all across the galaxy.
It was a savage conflict. One covered in excessive amounts of carnage, mayhem and what some would say, unnecessary bloodshed. Hannah saw just how true the latter was after General Williams refused to surrender Shanxi. She was one of the few survivors who had barely escaped with their lives after the planetary bombardment of the colony. It wasn't an easy process to come to terms with. As a matter of fact Hannah still struggles with the memories from the horrors of that day.
She would always remember the heavy fire that had rained down from the skies as a bright red beam erupted from an entity that they were told had long been dead. Hannah saved who she could and buried the rest. History would remember Shanxi as a day of universal awareness. For those who were there and survived, they would remember it differently.
Some days after the assault, Hannah was awarded for her bravery with a choice and given resources to make sure that another Shanxi would never happened again. Throughout the course of the war however the then Lieutenant Commander would find herself bitterly playing soldier on two aligned fronts of the conflict. Like most soldiers, it was the things that Hannah saw and did that would forever leave a permanent mark on her conscious. Fortunately for her, she met a wise-cracking archeologist who could brighten up her darkest of days.
Her wife, the woman was and still is the most exasperating person in the universe that Hannah has ever had the good fortune of meeting. Though originally the two weren't very fond of one another, together with a madcap crew they discovered long forgotten worlds and the peculiar remnants left behind at such places. They saved an assortment of bizarre artifacts and fought their way through a variety of enemies, all whilst defying a few Alliance regulations in the process. It wasn't the most romantic atmosphere at the time but by one way or another they had oddly beaten the odds.
Nevertheless the ruthless warfare waged between the Batarian Hegemony and the Human Systems Alliance would have long lasting effects on all who participated.
Journalist would call it First Contact, though some still dispute the accurateness of the name due to the history behind it being murky at best. Both humans and batarians still agree to disagree on the factual accounts of the war. Nobody knows who fired the first shot or at least nobody wants to admit to being the primary instigators of a half decade long war. A war that has exceeded in violence far beyond the scale of all of mankind's past campaigns.
Entire planets had burned. Some clusters of space are still littered with debris from the battles waged in the area.
In the end however, this brutal conflict was the human race's unofficial welcoming into the galactic community. Humanity now had unequivocal living proof that they weren't ever truly alone in the universe.
On the other hand their introduction to their new neighbors didn't give off the greatest impression, quite the opposite in fact. For a number of people this grudge would be open wound left to continuously fester on between the races. Their outlooks perpetually colored by the experiences that they lived through and their toxic views of non-humans passed down through generations as a cautionary tale. It's view that Hannah doesn't necessarily share but could understand.
Be that as it may, mankind's reputation with non-human members of galactic society had been solidified by this war for quite some time. That reputation being that humanity was simply nothing but a brutish thin-skinned thug with no regard for rules.
Luckily being relatively new to the galactic stage meant that Humanity still has a chance to change this preliminary perception of their species.
For if they're to survive what is to come, then the human race would need to evolve pass the bigotry held within their hearts. Progression cannot be achieved without deviation and those in power who could only focus on their hatred weren't going to be the ones blaze a trail towards it. They were only holding humanity back from what they could accomplish and from what they needed to attain.
Which is why, the recently retired Captain Hannah I. Shepard now sat in her office with Citadel Intendant Donnel Udina and General Oleg Petrovsky.
After her exemplary efforts during the war, Hannah had earned her pick of postings. She chose somewhere far away from the gutless eyes of the Alliance Brass. Twelve years ago when she had first arrived at Mindoir, the planet had been an underdeveloped settlement. Now it is the undisclosed research capital of military hardware. Nestled deep within the Attican Traverse and just barely sitting on the outskirts of the lawless Terminus, Mindoir was publically classified long ago as another backwater colony.
As one of the Alliance's most remote outpost, the aquatic garden world has minimal tourist value. Due to being stuck between two popular destinations, travelers typically preferred to voyage to either the flashy materialistic world of Illium or to the dangerous anarchic world of Omega. Tourist rarely ever stopped by or stayed, unless they were stopping to pick up a shipment of the indigenous food being harvested at the local farms. To the outside world, Mindoir is nothing more than a small farming community and that is the exact perception Cerberus wants.
Hannah had been stationed at the garrison on the moon, captaining her ship under the leadership of General Oleg Petrovsky for some time before retiring a little over a year ago. Officially she had taken up a contracting job in her mother's company down below. Unofficially it's a whole different story, classified but relatively a lot less immoral than what she used to do. Though she could suppose some would argue that the making and selling of weapons to kill was just as bad. Still that wasn't the reason as to why these two men were here in her home.
Donnel Udina had traveled to this backwoods colony accompanied by the distinguished Oleg Petrovsky for one reason alone. That reason was too convince Hannah Shepard be part of the coming change that's happening in mankind's political sphere.
The Captain had only just arrived home when the house VI had informed her that she had two uninvited guest waiting in the foyer. Since then the chatty trio have been in her office politely discussing the weather and drinking thirty year old scotch.
"Sorry again for the intrusion Shepard." Donnel Udina spoke as he sat up and placed his drink on the small table sitting between him and Oleg. "I apologize for popping in out of the blue. I know you're a busy woman. I assure you that the General and I are not here together to simply waste your time, as I am sure you've picked up that this isn't a social visit."
"Yes that much is evident, no offense Mr. Udina but this planet doesn't look like the type of place one of your stature would vacation at, no matter its' obvious beauty," Hannah said as she too finished her drink and set down on her desk. Her emerald green eyes glanced at the grandfather clock that stood at wall behind the two gentlemen. She was going to be late for her daughter's birthday party if they didn't hurry it up. Trying to speed things along the Captain then clasped her hands together and pinned both men with a serious look. "Forgive me for being a terrible hostess but like you've already said I am a busy woman. So what's the reason as to why you are really here?"
Petrovsky tried to speak first Donnel but beat him to the punch.
"Have you been keeping up with the news?"
"Not anymore than the average person."
"Well, three weeks ago a Thessian government vessel was travelling through Alliance space on a goodwill mission advocating for the stop of worldwide slave trafficking. It was carrying the much-loved Matriarch Benezia and her highly skilled huntresses along with a dozen or so acolytes as well as the Matriarchs close friend, Matriarch Zaliya. They were ambushed just outside the Maroon Sea cluster by a crew of Neanderthals. The ship went down with most of the crew destroyed in the crash. Few survived. Unfortunately Matriarch Zaliya wasn't a part of that group."
Hannah merely raised her scarlet eyebrows in mock surprise, so he continued.
"The asari was an important figure in their society and as such it is a great tragedy that she perished. The~"
"Yes I am sure that she was a significantly extraordinary individual…but you see Mr. Udina that does not tell me why you are here, in my home."
"We, I~" Udina began to sputter, his voice and face beginning to take on a heated shade. Perhaps he was surprise that the well respected Captain wasn't allowing him to put on airs whilst waxing poetically about the tragic event. Be that as it may, she was known to be well mannered than most if abet forthright. Or perhaps it's because Donnell Udina simply hated soldiers.
Nevertheless it's Petrovsky who saves the man from his blunt protégé.
"We cannot have alien dignitaries dying in our territory," General Petrovsky says as he interrupts Mr. Udina this time, possibly saving the man from having an aneurysm. Hannah was sure that the General would be the one to finally get to the point. "I'm sure you can understand how bad this looks Shepard. Recent intel gathered from a surviving witness is pointing investigators towards an inside job being the case on the attempt on the Matriarchs lives."
She had to ask. She couldn't help it. She wanted to see if that cool dual faced exterior of his would crack. "And is that Intel in anyway correct?"
"I don't know. It's an ongoing investigation and not in my jurisdiction. If is or isn't true is not the reason as to why we are here, though it does have some part in it. The fact of the matter is Shepard, the Alliance is having an image problem and the Brass wants you to fix it. They want you to fix it as their new S.O.P.D."
To say that Hannah was speechless in this exact moment would be a colossal understatement. Secretary of Planetary Defense, it's a job that many soldiers with high aspirations of prominent military and political office dreamt of. Hannah being one of some who did envision just that for their future, Hannah's mother had raised her and her brothers to have high levels of ambition. Whilst their estranged father had nurtured it from afar, the man had run off when she was young.
Seeing that the retired Captain was still in a state of shock, the two men carried on.
"Your record is exceptional. Your efforts during and after the war are impressive, Humanity needs a hero like you Shepard and Parliament needs someone whose post war interactions with the other species hasn't been blinded by past transgressions." Udina excitedly stated.
"The brass has seen the work we've done when you were serving under me," Petrovsky countered in a quiet glib. "Together we've managed to keep the Traverse safe unlike our brethren who've remained in the safe hands of so called civilized space. Despite having fewer assets, we've thrived. My guess is they need someone with a fresh perspective and a tough discourse to illegal activities. They want someone friendly who has travelled the universe and actually intermingled with the other races and had a pleasant experience doing so. You're just the woman for the job, Shepard."
A variety of thoughts trickled through her mind as the two men talked. She knew she was going to say yes because she wanted too but her brain kept thinking of reasons to say no. She hated politics, left because of it and held the unpopular opinion that there should be more transparency. Then there is her happy wife, whose work was just picking up on a recently excavated Prothean site and her equally happy kid who enjoys the open seas of this world.
Both wouldn't be happy with her wanting to uproot them but then again this is a chance of a lifetime and Hannah felt in her heart that she was truly the best person for the job. No doubt Cerberus thought so as well. Of course she should discuss it and would discuss it with her family. Still this thoughtful acknowledgment of her extenuating circumstances did not stop the proud woman from smiling and uttering the next nine words that would perhaps one day lead to her demise.
"Well, how can I possibly say no to that!?"