Chapter 1: A Distress Call
John Shepard was standing inside the prototype vessel, the Normandy SSR – he was looking out of the window towards dark space. He practically wasn't observing anything, he was just standing there staring at the dark space deep in his thoughts. The words of his superiors – Captain Anderson, Admiral Hackett, and Human Ambassador Udina were still ringing in his ears.
"Well, what about Shepard? He grew up in the colonies." said Udina
"He knows tough life can be out there. He lost someone very close to him there when the slaver attacked Mindoir." said Anderson
"He proved himself during the Blitz. Held off enemy forces until reinforcements arrived." said Hackett
"He is the only reason Elysium is still standing." said Anderson
"We can't question his courage." said Udina
"Humanity needs a hero and Shepard's the best we got." said Anderson with pride in his voice.
"I'll make the call." said Udina.
He still didn't know what to make of that conversation but of course he understood what they wanted him to be. A Spectre. He really didn't need this, he is fine working under Captain Anderson as his XO of the Normandy. But he will accept the Spectre status for humanity's sake and of course for her. He knows that she would have been happy for him if he became a Spectre. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. They work directly for the Citadel Council. They usually work alone or in small groups. They don't have official power, though. They are a shadow organization with a mandate to preserve and protect galactic stability. Protect it at any cost. Spectres operate above the law. Then Joker's voice broke his thoughts.
"The Arcturus Prime relay in range. Initiating transmission sequence." Shepard heard the voice of Jeff Moreau commonly known as Joker, the pilot of the Normandy in the comm. He got salutes and nods from Corporal Jenkins, Navigator Pressly, and other marines in the Command Deck as he was walking towards the bridge to talk with Joker and Major Kaidan Alenko. "We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination. The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit. The board is green. Approach run has begun. Hitting the relay in 3,2,1…" Joker was still taking on the comm. Shepard was standing behind Joker's seat and watching the process of jumping mass relays.
"Thrusters…check. Navigation…check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift…just under 1500k." Joker gave the status report.
"1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." complemented Nihlus, a Turian Spectre. Then he turned around and left.
"I hate that guy." Exclaimed Joker
"Nihlus gave you a compliment…so you hate him?" asked Kaidan
"You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on your way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit the target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible!" And there was that arrogant side of Joker when he wastes no time in pointing out his prowess to others but he was indeed an exceptional pilot. He continued, "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."
"You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to keep an eye on their investment."
"Yeah that is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."
"You always expect the worst." Shepard said.
"Well, bad feelings are an occupational hazard. We don't go anywhere unless there's a good reason, so what are we doing here? Joker defended himself. He was about to say something more when Captain Anderson's voice interrupted his bickering.
"Joker! Status report." Ordered Anderson in the comm.
"Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."
"Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."
"Aye, aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. Nihlus is headed your way."
"He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing." Said Anderson.
"I am on my way." Shepard said.
"Pff. Is it me or does the captain always sound a little pissed off?" Joker asked to no one in particular.
"Only when he is talking to you Joker." Kaidan joked. Shepard turned around and left Kaidan and Joker with their argument and headed towards the comm room. On the way over there, he found that Navigator Pressly and Engineer Adams were talking about having Nihlus on board the Normandy. He approached Pressly and talked with him and found that he wasn't too happy to have a Spectre on board. The reason Pressly gave for his attitude towards Nihlus was because Nihlus is a Turian and he hates Turians because his grandfather lost a lot of friends in the First Contact War when the Turians attacked. Shepard made him see that he can't blame Nihlus for that, because it was thirty years ago and a lot of things have changed now. But he had no complaints regarding Captain Anderson. Shepard had none either. He respects the man. He is his mentor and like a father whom he never knew. Then he heard Corporal Jenkins was talking with Doctor Chakwas, the Normandy's Chief Medical Officer.
"I grew up on Eden Prime, Doc. It's not the kind of place Spectres visit. There is something Nihlus isn't telling us about this mission." Said Jenkins
"That's crazy. The Captain's in charge here. He wouldn't take orders from a Spectre." Replied Doctor Chakwas
"Not his choice, Doc. Spectres don't answer to anyone. They can do whatever they want. Kill who ever gets in their way."
"You watch too many spy vids, Jenkins."
"What do you think, Commander? We won't be staying on Eden Prime for too long, will we? I'm itching for some real action!" Jenkins asked Shepard.
"I sincerely hope you are kidding, Corporal. Your 'real action' usually ends with me patching up crew members in the infirmary." Chakwas joked.
"You need to calm down, Corporal. A good soldier stays cool, even under fire." Shepard advise Jenkins.
"Sorry, Commander. But this waiting is killing me. I've never been on a mission like this before. Not one with a Spectre on board!"
"Just treat this like any other assignment you've had and everything will work out." Shepard said.
"Easy for you to say. You proved yourself in the Blitz. Everyone knows what you can do. This is my big chance. I need to show the brass what I can do!"
"You are young, Corporal. You have a long career ahead of you. Be careful in the field. I don't want to lose anyone on my squad."
"Don't worry, sir. You won't lose me." Jenkins smiled and walked away.
"How are you fairing Doctor?" Shepard asked.
"I am doing quite well, Commander. It's you I am worried about."
"I am fine, Doctor."
"Commander, I know this is a very personal matter. But there is no need to hide it from me and if I am not mistaken, you had that dream again?" Chakwas asked. Shepard hesitated for a bit.
"You know me well, Doctor." He sighed as he rubbed his hand over his forehead.
"Commander, I don't know want to say this, but I think it's time for you to move on."
"I can't do that Doctor. To tell you the truth, I even tried believing that maybe I will never find her. But I couldn't."
"Commander…"
"I know you mean well Doctor, but I can't forget about her. I failed her before, but I will not fail her again."
"Stop blaming yourself Commander. You were only 16. There was nothing you could do. But if my memory serves me right, I think you told me that you let yourself get caught so that she could save herself. You put your life in danger for her and I think she is grateful for that."
"Still…"
"No Commander. You can't think of yourself like that. You did more than what was expected of you. And if she loves you like you do, I believe she is out there somewhere, waiting for you or trying to find you."
"Yeah. You are right Doctor. I should clear my mind." As Shepard tried to clear his mind, old memories of his childhood and of the one he loved came back flooding his mind.
[/\]
19 YEARS AGO, MINDOIR COLONY ATTICAN TRAVERSE
The day was pretty boring for an 11 year old John. Heck, to him everyday was boring. He has no friends, or family. He was all alone in this world. Sometimes when he laid in his bed at night, he would cry silently. He also doesn't know the identity of his parents. This made him even more depressed that he doesn't even know who he is. He would of died of hunger if the man named David Levinson hadn't found him and let him work in his shop. David was also kind enough to help him rent an apartment. At first, he was living in an orphanage, which was destroyed when the slavers attacked. Most of the children died, and those who survived were taken away as prisoners. He somehow managed to hide himself from the slavers. And from then on, he wandered in the streets, tired and hungry. Then one day, David found him when he was crying due to how hungry he was. From then on, he was working in David's shop.
John was walking along the street unmindfully thinking about his heritage, and how he survived his encounter with the slavers. He just got out from his job in David's shop and was walking towards his home. Then he heard a faint sound of someone crying. He looked around but couldn't see anybody. So he started walking in the direction he thought the sound was coming from. After looking for a bit, he found the source of the sound. A girl, her face hidden in her palms, was crying. She was sitting at the end of a dark alley. He slowly approached her, trying not to frighten her. At the sounds of his footsteps, the girl looked up towards him. He was stunned. He was a child himself, but when he saw the girl's face, only a single thought came to mind, she was stunningly beautiful. She has shoulder length dark hair, a pale face with a pair of blue eyes and the skin of her face was flawless. As soon as the girl saw him, she cringed away in fear. He sat down on the street in front of her and gave her a big smile.
So he started walking towards the direction he thought the sound was coming from.
"Hello!" he greeted her. The girl seemed confused at his actions because she didn't say anything. He continued, "Hey, I am John. I am not going to harm you." He extended his right hand towards her for her to shake it. The girl looked at his hand but never took it. Realizing that she won't take his hand, he retracted it away from her, but never dropped his smile. He said again,
"Hey, I am John. You are?" Still she didn't say anything. He continued, "Why are you crying? Tell me, I can help you." He smiled at her. Now the girl seemed hesitant. It looked as if she was thinking about weather to trust him or not. But she spoke at last, "Why do you want to help me?" She asked with suspicion in her eyes. Wow1 She has a great voice. He thought. Then he saw that she was looking at him expectantly and realized that he hasn't answered her question yet, because she was too busy thinking about her voice. His cheeks turned red from embarrassment, but thankfully, the ally was dark and she didn't see it. He cleared his throat to speak.
"I know the feeling of being alone and helpless. I don't want anyone to suffer what I have faced in my life. So…"
"I am hungry." The girl quickly stated.
"Come with me. I will give you food in my apartment." At the mention of taking her to his apartment, she jumped away from him immediately. "I don't believe you. " She said. Now he couldn't understand how he will convince her that he meant well.
"Well, you are justified not to trust me. I am a complete stranger to you. But I assure you that…" He stopped as he could see three boys enter the ally and were approaching them. When they came near, he recognized as bullies who beat up other children around.
"Well! Well! Look what we have here." Said one of them. The other two sniggered. He approached the girl and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Well isn't she pretty?" The other two had evil smiles on their faces. She tried to move his hand away from her chin, but she was unsuccessful as he was much stronger and bigger than her. Still, she struggled to get herself free.
"Stop it girly, or the consequences will be bad." Said the boy. John was fuming in anger. He always hated bullies.
"Leave her alone." John stated in a cold voice. The three boys looked at him surprised. The one who was bullying the girl smirked, "Ohh, we are so scared. Let's run or he will beat us to a pulp for touching his girlfriend." The other two laughed out loudly. John glared at them.
"Leave her or I will…" John warned.
"You'll do what, kid? said one of them. Without answering them he punched the boy who was holding the girl, straight in the nose. The pain made the boy release the girl from his grasp.
"Damn it! He broke my nose! Get him." The boy ordered his companions. The other two immediately lunged at him. One grabbed him from the back and the other punched him in the stomach. He screamed in pain and fell to the ground clutching his stomach. They began to kick him mercilessly. Blood came out of his mouth, nose and ears. He was helpless to do anything. But what happened next was beyond anyone's imagination. One of the boys beating up John suddenly flew away and smashed into a wall. He fell to the ground unconscious. The other two were dumbfounded. Then they looked at the girl and saw that she was glowing with dark energy around her. There eyes bulged. John took the chance, even though his body was aching in pain from the beating he just took. He grabbed a stone that was lying in the streets and hit one of the boys in the back of his head, rendering him unconscious. But the other one with a bleeding nose was quick. He punched John square in the jaw. Blood spluttered from his mouth as he was thrown away. He laid on the ground seeing stars in his eyes and a throbbing pain on his chin. The bully turned to the girl. She was lying on the ground breathing heavily, exhausted from using her biotics.
"Now you deserve a punishment little girl. I thought I would go easy on you, but now you will see the consequences of messing with me." He sneered. Then he grabbed her and tried to tear her clothes. She screamed and struggled to get free. "No one will hear you girly, scream as much as you want." He said with an evil smile. John was watching the whole scene. Seeing what the boy was trying to do to the girl, a strange sense of protectiveness for the girl arose within him and something burst inside him in his anger. The boy was still laughing as he attempted to tear her clothes. But his laugh didn't last long as he received a punch in the jaw, which almost shattered it. The girl and the boy both looked up and both of their eyes became wide. Standing in front of them was John. His entire body was glowing blue with dark energy much brighter than the girl and the cornea of his eyes were no longer there. Instead, his eyes were glowing bright blue like his entire body. The girl's jaw dropped. John grabbed the bully and easily lifted him up with one hand by his clothes.
"Please let me go! Don't kill me please!" said the bully trembling in fear. John gritted his teeth in anger. He turned towards the girl and saw both amazement and fear in her eyes. He faced the bully once again.
"Never do this again." He said in a much colder voice than before. The bully just nodded. Then he threw him away. He fell to the ground and ran away. As soon as his anger dissipated, the energy surrounding him vanished and he felt exhaustion like never before. He fell to the ground. Before he become unconscious, he saw with his hazy eyes that the girl was hovering over him and looking at him with concern in her eyes. After that, he saw blackness.
When John regain consciousness, he felt his entire body was aching in pain. He then suddenly realized that he has his head on something soft. He became confused and opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on the ground with his head on the girl's lap. She is still here. He slowly sat up. The movement awakened her from her sleep.
"You alright?" She asked him immediately.
"I think so…"he replied. He flinched as pain shot through his abdomen. He saw that she was looking at him with gratefulness and concern in her eyes.
"I don't know why you saved me, but…thank you. If not for you, I would…"She was cut off by John.
"It was nothing. Besides you were in need and I helped. It's nothing to thank for. Anyone would have done the same thing. But you are welcome as you said 'thank you' to me." He stated simply and flashed her a smile.
"Miranda…" she said quietly.
"Sorry, I didn't get that."
"Miranda. My name is Miranda Lawson, but you can call me Miri." She said with a smile.
"Well you said your name at last. Phew! I get you to speak your name. That's a success. You have a nice name, but I like the name 'Miri' more." He grinned at her. She laughed at him and blushed. He continued, "So I presume you trust me somewhat now?" She nodded in agreement, still blushing. He laughed, but stopped immediately from the pain in his jaw. She immediately came forward and touched his face. As soon as she touched his face, they both flinched as an immediate shock went through them. She retracted her hands from his face. "Your jaw is bruised." He pouted. But immediately changed the mood with his joke, "I bet the girls will like me now if they saw this bruise."
"What?" She seemed confused.
"Well some girls like bad boys. Maybe this bruise will prove that I am a bad boy and you know…" He stopped as she laughed out loud at his joke. He grinned at her.
"You are so silly." She said in between her laughter. Then her stomach growled.
"Looks like someone is hungry." He said while chuckling. She pouted. "What?" he asked seeing her reaction.
"Is your offer still open?" she asked him.
"Yes, of course." He smiled brightly.
"Good, because I am starving." She stated and helped him up. She ordered him to lean on her as they walked towards his home.
[/\]
"Clear your mind, Commander. You are going on a mission. You should stay cool–headed as you told Jenkins."
"I know Doctor Chakwas. It's getting late and the Captain is waiting for me." Chakwas nodded as he walked towards the comm room.
COMM ROOM
"Commander Shepard, I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk. I am interested in this world we are going to – Eden Prime. I have heard it's quite beautiful." Said Nihlus.
"I've never been there." Said Shepard.
"But you know of it. It's become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it really?"
"Do you know something?"
"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy is a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"
"I think its about time we told the Commander what is really going on." Said Anderson.
"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run." Interjected Nihlus.
"Is someone going to fill me in, Captain?" Shepard asked.
"We are making a covert pick–up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth system operational." Said Anderson.
"There must be a reason you didn't tell me this, sir." Said Shepard.
"This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need–to–know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."
"I thought the Protheans vanished 50000 years ago."
"Their legacy still remains. The mass relays, the Citadel, our ship drives – it's based on Prothean technology." Said Nihlus.
"This is big Shepard. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study." Anderson stated.
"Obviously, this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in Council space." Nihlus stated.
"Why didn't we keep the beacon to ourselves?" Shepard asked.
"You humans don't have the best reputation. Some species see you as selfish. Too unpredictable. Too independent. Even dangerous." Answered Nihlus.
"Sharing that beacon will improve our relations with the Council. Plus, we need their scientific expertise. They know more about the Protheans than we do." said Anderson.
"The beacon's not the only reason I am here, Shepard." Nihlus said. Shepard looked confused.
"Nihlus wants to see you in action, Commander. He's here to evaluate you." Anderson cleared his confusion.
"What's going on Captain? he asked.
"The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come." Anderson answered.
"You held off an enemy assault during the Blitz single–handed. You showed not only courage, but also incredible skill. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres." Said Nihlus.
"Why would a turian want a human in the Spectres?" asked Shepard.
"Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy…and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It's rare an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that you are human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job." Nihlus explained.
"Just tell me what I have to do." Stated Shepard.
"I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together." Nihlus added.
"You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission." Said Anderson.
"Why is the beacon so important?"
"All advanced galactic civilization is based on Prothean technology. Even yours." Said Nihlus.
"If we hadn't discovered those Prothean ruins buried on Mars, we'd be still stuck on Earth. That was a small data cache. Who knows what we can learn from this beacon. What if it's a weapon archive? We can't let it fall into the wrong hands." Answered Anderson.
"Like who?" Asked Shepard.
"The Attican Traverse isn't the most stable sector of Citadel space. There are plenty of raiders and criminal groups active in the region. They might figure a Prothean beacon is worth the risk of attacking an Alliance ship. Plus, Eden Prime is right on the boarder of the Terminus Systems." Answered Anderson
"The Attican Traverse is under Citadel protection. If the Terminus Systems attack, it's an act of war." Shepard stated.
"Technically, yes. But some of the species in the Terminus might be willing to start a war over this." Nihlus agreed.
"The last thing the Council wants is to dragged into a major conflict with the Terminus Systems. We have to keep this low–key." Said Anderson.
"Just give the word, Captain." Said Shepard.
"We should be getting close to Eden…" Anderson was cut off by Joker's voice in the comm. "Captain! We've got a problem." Said Joker.
"What's wrong, Joker?" asked Anderson.
"Tranmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!" said Joker.
"Bring it up on the screen." Ordered Anderson.
When the screen turned on, they saw that Eden Prime was under chaos. Soldiers were screaming orders and reported heavy casualties and asking for reinforcements. Then the screen focused on a huge, strange ship. It had four tentacles and red lighting was sparking in it's entire body and people screaming. Then the transmission cut off. Anderson asked for a status report and Joker reported that there is no Alliance ship near Eden Prime. Anderson ordered Joker to fly towards Eden Prime. He stated that Nihlus will accompany Shepard.
"Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold. Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up. You are going in Commander…" said Anderson.
