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Chapter 1- Mindoir
A/N-
Changed the setup of the main story missions in Mass Effect 1, since I imagined getting most from the get-go was for game-play purposes and for sake of choosing which you want to do first. So I imagine a week or two passes before Hana Shepard gets her first 'main-story' mission: finding Liara…
Takes place after helping with the Luna incident involving the facility and 'rouge VI'.
Hana Shepard sat on her bed in the Captain's Quarters of the Normandy SR-1, red hair shoulder length hair combed down, blue eyes focused on the datapad, dim blue light on her light brown skin, and dressed in her warm white and gray Normandy SR-1 uniform.
Alliance News Network
Marking the 13th Anniversary of the Raid of Mindoir.
In one Galactic Standard Week, the capital city of Mindoir, Aion, will be holding a remembrance ceremony for those lost and still missing following the Raid of Mindoir by Batarian slavers thirteen years ago.
In a public statement, governor Geri Clarey stated, "All are welcome to this ceremony, Human or Alien. We must remember those lost. But at the same time we must share love, not hate, for those different from us."
Hana closed her eyes.
A warm sunny day, wet grass, the smell of an early morning rain sweet as honey. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Until they came, the four-eyed Batarian slavers. They hit hard, ruthless and merciless, destroying what little there was of their defense fleet. Decimating the Alliance marines stationed planet-side and pinning down what few survived, who could only helplessly watch the suffering of the colonists.
Screams. Fire. Smoke. Mom screaming for her to run, while father cried out as the slavers gunned him down. Fleeing the prefab house, screams ringing in her ears, not even looking back out of fear the slavers would catch her.
Days on the run, scrounging what food and water she could find, avoiding sight. Seeing suffering colonists in cages, being shackled, having tech placed in them to control them; and unable to help them.
The Alliance navy and marines arrived and destroyed Batarian warships, crippled those carrying slaves. Unfortunately others escaped with their captives in tow, so many were never seen again.
The marines found her, hiding still, and gently coaxed her out.
Tears in her eyes as they confirmed the death of her family. Her cousins, mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles; all gone.
Taken aboard the SSV Agincourt, and asked where she wanted to go. She chose the Citadel, many chose colonies closer to Earth, or Earth itself.
A knock on the door snapped Hana back to reality, and a Quarian's voice, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. "Are you okay in there?"
Hana stood up from the bed, datapad in hand, and walked to the door. She pressed the holographic panel on the door, unlocking and opening it.
Tali stood in front of the door and Hana could tell, even with Tali's blue environmental suit all Quarians wore, her body language had a sense of alertness in her posture. One hand rubbing her arm. A Quarian body language expressing concern. "Not really. Been thinking about Mindoir, and those who weren't as fortunate."
Tali looked down slightly, an Quarian expression of sympathy. "Keelah..." she shook her head. "I heard, was only nine. Shala'Raan, I call her 'auntie Raan,'" Her tone spoke of her fondness for her. "she saw the first news vids of the attack, and was horrified. She always had a special distaste for slavers, and a special sympathy for their victims." She paused, sighing. "She organized a group to help the victims in whatever way they, and she, could." She looked at the Human female. "I've only heard how bad it was, never saw it myself."
Hana slowly shook her head. "It...still haunts my nightmares from time to time."
Tali looked to the bed. "Would it help to talk about it?"
Hana nodded once. "Yes, with me." She turned and walked to her bed, sitting down. The Quarian sat next to her. "What do you know?"
"Many killed or missing." Tali looked at Hana, purple face mask hiding her sadness for those who suffered. "And there were those, like Raan, who helped the survivors in any way they could."
Hana nodded slowly, placing the datapad on the bed. "It was a normal day. Clear skies, happiness in the air, not a clue anything dreadful was going to happen." She gripped her knees. "Then they came, Batarian slavers. Destroyed the defense fleet, and decimated the marines planet-side. They poured all over the planet, descending upon population centers and farms."
She paused to steady her voice. "Even in my dreams, I hear my mother screaming for me to run, the Batarians killing or dragging off my friends and family." Her voice wavered and she felt the Quarian place a three-fingered hand on her shoulder. "And I heard her scream out as they gunned my father down, and I was told she tried to put a fight, and they killed her. I just kept running, not looking back." She sighed heavily, a shudder running through her body. "For days, I was on my own, couldn't help anyone. Even when I saw them caged, shackled, saw the slavers put implants into them to control them." Her voice was nearly cracking. "Worst...were the children. Torn from their parents. Crying and screaming. Saw parents try to fight back, and suffer or die for it." She shook her head slightly. "The captives...they were treated like animals, or worse. My biotics at that time hadn't manifested in a strong manner until a year later. If they had—I'd have..." Words failed her and she gritted her teeth.
If Tali didn't have her face mask on, one would see the horror on her face. "Keelah...those bosh'tets..."
"Days after the attack began, the Alliance came and ousted the invaders, saved the marines, and any survivors they could. A team had found me, and I headed to the Citadel on the SSV Agincourt." She looked at Tali. "Next week will be the thirteenth anniversary of the attack, to remember the dead and missing." Her eyes appeared glassy with unshed tears. "We're close to Mindoir currently, going to tell Joker to take us there, so I can visit my family home and pay my respects."
Tali stood up from the bed. "Want me to come with you when we arrive at Mindoir?"
Hana stood up. "Yes, would be appreciated."
"Gladly." Tali's eyes laid on the picture atop the bedside table. "Is that…?"
Hana looked at the picture and walked to the table to pick it up. "Yes, my parents. This is all I have left of them, was all I could grab when I ran." This time the tears did escape. "Slavers destroyed everything, and left the survivors with next to nothing." She placed the picture stand on the table.
Tali's hand was on her shoulder. "I-I am so sorry...I don't have words..."
Hana sighed. "Saying I am okay would be a lie. But paying my respects, and fighting the good fight, that will give me peace." She headed to the door with Tali close behind.
Jeff 'Joker" Moreau, dressed in his black pilot's uniform inclusive of a black cap on his matching hair, sat in the pilot's seat in the cockpit of the Normandy SR-1. "Where to next, commander?"
Hana looked out the front observation window. "Mindoir. Have some respects to pay."
Joker's voice was subdued, lacking its usual volume. "Yes, ma'am." He input the course to Mindoir into the orange holographic display, the Normandy sped towards the Charon Relay.
The six light years between the nearest Mass Relay and the Caelestis system took half a day for the Normandy. Decades ago, Humanity's Faster Than Light drives weren't as efficient, so it took much longer to transverse the distance.
There were seven planets in total orbiting a yellow star remarkably similar to Sol.
The first planet, Mania, was an airless and lifeless rock like Mercury, and was tidally locked to the star. One side 'forever staring into the face of Caelestis for eternity'.
The second planet, Njord, was a lot more livable than Venus, but wasn't hospitable without extensive terraforming. With an atmosphere full of carbon dioxide and temperatures that reach the triple digits but still survivable with gear, it was a world not very high on the list of worlds to colonize. Not helping matters were the constant hurricane force winds which lashed the surface.
The third planet, Mindoir itself, was so similar to Earth in many ways. Maybe why it even attracted the Batarian slavers in the first place, to strike a planet they knew was important to Humanity. The planet, unlike the others in the system which were named after ancient deities, was named after the first family that found and settled on the planet. In a cruel twist of fate, Batarian raiders took every single one of them alive, children included, presumably for some fate too horrible to imagine.
The fourth planet, Vichama, was considered a 'sister' planet to Mars. While it could be terraformed, it had an atmosphere of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and was cold and barren.
The fifth planet, Aether, was a Helium-3 rich gas giant larger than Jupiter, and was theorized to have cleared much of the system of debris that would have become an asteroid belt.
The sixth planet, Tempestas, was a ringed gas giant whose rings were even more impressive and larger than Saturn. This was one of the drive discharge points, and had Helium-3 refueling stations. Any Helium 3 on the stations have to be imported from Aether.
The seventh planet, Itzpapalotl, was called by the first observers a 'lifeless, atmosphereless ice-ball no one in their right mind would visit'. There was nothing of interest found on the planet.
With a hand resting on Joker's chair, Hana looked out the observation window at Mindoir, growing larger as the Normandy approached. Blue oceans, green land mixed with tan deserts near the equator, and white clouds.
She closed her eyes. It looked pristine, unlike thirteen years ago...
Mindoir grew smaller as the Alliance frigate SSV Agincourt flew away from the scene of devastation. Tears clouded her vision when she saw the fires burning planet-side, whole villages and cities gone.
The wreckage of the defense fleet strewn in orbit, a cold grave for hundreds of brave men and women who attempted to defend the colony and were overwhelmed.
The wreckage of Batarian warships left by the Systems Alliance navy's retaliatory strike.
The Alliance navy starships which arrived to liberate the colony. Some were unscathed, while others were damaged.
Then the blue tunnel of Faster Than Light travel.
She heard footsteps, opened her eyes, and turned around.
It was Tali. "Engineer Adams told me we were close to Mindoir, so I thought I'd come up here for support."
Hana nodded. "Appreciated." She turned to Joker and the Normandy's comms indicated an incoming transmission.
The 'incoming' symbol on the holographic display lit up and a male voice. "This is Aion space control. There's a landing pad available in the city, do you desire to land there?"
"Let me talk." Hana stepped forward beside Joker. "Negative. We're heading to..." she paused to keep her voice steady, "the place my home used to be, thirteen years ago."
The man on the other end didn't reply for a few moments. "I understand, wasn't here for the raid, but the things I heard...shit." Another pause. "All clear."
"Thanks." Hana turned her attention to Joker. "Take us in."
"Yes, ma'am." Joker deftly piloted the Normandy into the atmosphere.
Hana walked to the side observation window, the flames of re-entry visible.
They were soon flying over scattered clouds. Far below were farms, small towns, verdant grasslands stretching for hundreds of miles, and large pristine lakes.
Lowering to a few hundred feet over a large lake rivaling that of the Great Lakes on Earth, sunshine gave way to the gloom of iron-gray clouds, a fitting weather for the location's history.
Eventually they came upon a patch of land near the shore of the lake. Hana could make out, with the Normandy aligning itself with the landing pad, ruined prefab buildings overgrown with thirteen years of unchecked vegetation growth. And other structures built after the prefabs were placed, some more overgrown and in worse shape than others, a few were barely recognizable after thirteen years.
Joker carefully guided the Normandy to a landing on the old landing pad. Judging by the view from the external cameras, it was a surprise it was still there recognizable. Shattered from the attack and covered with thirteen years of dirt and vegetation, enough was intact for the landing struts to find stable ground. Upon landing, Joker kept the mass effect field active at full power to keep the ship light.
"Heading to the cargo hold." Hana turned and walked down the passageway to the elevator with Tali following.
Hana adjusted her blue and white armor, it was lightweight, allowing her to use her biotics more without the armor weighing her down if she overuses them. While not thick, it was Asari-designed armor made to fit a Human, lightweight yet can take a beating.
Ashley Williams stood by the weapons workbench, green eyes on Hana. "Your weapon is ready, commander." Ashley's skin was fair, black hair tied into a bun, and dressed in white and pink armor. A new meaning to pink and deadly.
Hana picked up her weapon, an M-1 Lancer assault rifle. "Thank you, Ashley. Glad to have you on the team." She attached the weapon to the attachment magnets on the back of her armor.
Kaidan walked out of the elevator with Wrex. "Big guy wanted something to eat." Kaidan's black hair was cut short and neat in the Alliance military style, fair skin, brown eyes, and dressed in a black Alliance-issue SR-1 uniform.
"Ship food ain't half bad, but I'm getting some real food when we stop by the Citadel next." Wrex, a Krogan, made Kaidan look small next to him. Bipedal, red wide-set eyes and matching battle-scarred armored plate on his head, large shoulder hump, and wearing red armor which showed signs of seeing more battles than she would ever see in her lifetime.
Hana smiled, though weary. "I figured." She turned her attention to the Turian, Garrus Vakarian. Bipedal, metallic carapace, purple eyes, a visor over his left eye, and his blue armor which showed signs of past battles.
He was working on the M35 Mako, a six-wheeled vehicle with a machine gun turret and mass accelerator cannon.
"Everyone is welcome to come if desired." Hana paused. "And Garrus, try to make the Mako...a bit better to drive. With the way it is, Tali was completely freaking out and even Wrex was unnerved."
Wrex looked in their direction. "Shepard is right. Whoever designed the Mako drank too much Ryncol."
Tali cleared her throat. "I'm standing right here."
Garrus sighed. "I will try, Shepard. The Mako needs...a lot of calibrations."
"Thanks." Hana placed a finger on her earpiece comm. "Joker, lower the ramp, I'm ready."
"Yes, ma'am." The landing ramp lowered and Hana heard the thud of it touching the landing pad.
Hana looked out onto the ruined settlement. Thirteen years…
Tali stood by Hana, noting the ruins. "Time has not been kind."
"True. And I wouldn't be surprised if people have went through the ruins, but considering the history..." Hana walked to the ramp. "Let's go."