Well, this is my attempt at a fanfic. Finally got enough motivation from Raxus and the like to actually try this. How it goes is completely up to anyone really. Just to get some things out of the way though, I should clarify a few things;
The Shepard I use here, Clyde Shepard is a lot less of the cannon Shepard. He is quite a deal less serious in out-of-combat situation's than a lot of Shepard's While predominately Paragon, the amount of attitude he has you could probably shape him to be a bit Renegade.
Tali will be the romance of choice for Clyde. I thought about it and Tali's stern nature I find would be incredibly amusing with that of Clydes jackass-ness. And Tali, yknow. Tali.
Also, the first chapter is a bit short. I didn't want to deviate too much from the original ending here besides some word choice. The next chapter will be much longer.
One last thing; There are some grammar issues I'm trying to sort out. I suck at editing outside of spellcheck. Sorry!
Chapter 1: The Fantastic Commander Shepard
A Man. One man. One brave, incredibly stupid in his own right but crazy man had done what few ever could have even begun to fathom. The collectors, responsible for tens of thousands of lives being pumped into paste were meeting there very untimely end at the hands of a small crew led by this crazy bastard. This said crazy bastard, Clyde Shepard, had done something unthinkable. How many people would know about this accomplishment? Who knows. This was something so insane Shepard wouldn't have mattered if it had only stayed in his circle of other crazy incredibly stupid men and women that had joined him in this destructive war he waged. Clyde Shepard, Hero of the Citadel, Destroyer of the Collectors? It sounded good in theory. Probably looked amazing on paper. How many people would question thi-
"Why am I thinking about that now?" Shepard said loudly. He had just come too after the fight with that.. thing. The human reaper larvae. It was one hell of a fight and an incredibly awkward one for him Thane and Garrus. Unable to connect with it as much as he'd like to, Shepard mostly stuck to clearing out any reinforcements that came too while Thane and Garrus ruined the creation.
Insane. And the Illusive Man wanted this technology?
Head whirling, he slowly made it onto his knees before he finally started to come to understand the situation he was in. Something large and very heavy was pinning him into the ground. He managed to lift his arms up and push the piece of debris off his back with a bit of a cry of pain. His shoulders were screaming. Wincing as he stood up Shepard heard a very loud crack in his ears.
Fucking ow.
Before he could really process the pain he was in his head whipped. to the side. He could make out the form of Garrus rolled over on his side not moving. Shepard's thoughts immediately ran to the worst case and in his mind most likely scenario. They had fallen a pretty long way down.
"No. No. NO!" Shepard groaned. He started towards Garrus and yanked him over by the shoulders to roll him on his back forcibly. "Not Garrus, Come on. Someone so tough."His mind plagued his brain. Garrus was one of his closest friends, more akin to a brother since them reuniting on Omega.
"Easy.. Easy.." A Turians voice echoed throughout the air. Shepard breathed a large sigh of relief. Garrus was alright. Well, maybe not alright, but as good as he was going to get at the moment. Shepard's hands reached down and grabbed the Turians, yanking him up to his feet. "Shepard, damn.." Garrus grunted. "Next time, you are not allowed to help me up."
Shepard was about to spit out a retort when he realized they were missing someone. His eyes opening wider, he twirled his body around to see Thane unmoving under more debris.
"He just met his son again..." Shepard's pessimism roared out again as his legs sped towards the fallen Drell. Thanes issue with Kolyat was the last thing he did before the crew got kidnapped. Had he even managed to message him again?
"I hate myself sometimes." Shepard said again out loud to nobody. His hands were already throwing the piece of debris off of Thane.
"Thane, come on." He muttered quietly. He groaned as the piece of debris caved. His hands pushed the metal to the side. His eyes looked down and he saw the form of Thane immediately sit up. Shepard couldn't help but let out a hysterical chuckle. Thane was alright.
He pointed a finger at both of them.
"Don't make a habit out of that." Shepard said scornfully. Before they had time to say anything, Shepard heard his radio yell out the voice of his pilot Joker. Another breath. He wasn't going to be able to breath a sigh of relief ever again after this.
"Shepard? Shepard, do you copy? Come on don't leave me hanging, do you copy?" Joker's panicked voice was one of the best things Shepard had heard all day. A smile managed to work its way over Shepard's face. The most out of place, wrong, and not necessary smile ever but the excitement of managing to keep everyone alive through this mess was starting to build up inside him.
"I'm here Joker." Shepard replied eagerly. "How did the ground team go? Did they make it?"
"All survivors on board commander, were just waiting on you."
Shepard felt a massive knot clinch in his stomach. All survivors? Who had died? Did Tali fall to the heat in the vent after she got out? Did the suits do that? Did Miranda cave under the pressure of leading the fire squad? What happened?
No. They were fine. All of them were completely fine when he left them to hold the line. Nobody had shown any signs of weakness. Shepard's mind was in a panic again. He didn't want Virmire to happen again. He promised all of them they were going to get off this place alive!
"All-" Shepard started but before another word left his mouth a familiar noise of clattering bugs filled his ears. Turning around, his eyes shot open and his mouth dropped as he saw a massive swarm of the collectors bugs swooping after Him, Garrus and Thane. Shepard didn't really know what order to give or what to do at that moment except one thing.
Run. Run very, very fast.
"Go!" Shepard roared. Turning around, Garrus and then began to jog towards the only exit they saw fast enough.
"NOT FAST ENOUGH! GO!" Shepard bellowed. His hands rammed against the shoulders of Thane and Garrus. They got the hint pretty quickly. They both sped off and ran straight towards the only path they saw.
Shepard started behind them, his entire body screaming in physical agony from the ongoing fight that had taken place in the base of the Collectors. A couple of times he thought that his body would cave and he would sink. God knows what the swarm would do to him-
"No!" He cried out. He saw about 3 collectors up ahead of him chasing Thane and Garrus. They had put a crazy amount of distance between them and Shepard.
He was going to live. He had way to much waiting for him this time. A crew. A relationship. Everything was waiting for him!
Shepard felt his biotics surge. He leaned back and arched his hands forward and his entire body was flung into the collector pack. The one he collided with was rocketed forward into the wall, a sickening thud echoed throughout the chaos. He pulled out his shotgun and blasted one to his left and then brought the end of it with a crack against the skull of the other.
"Too heavy.." Shepard puffed. He threw his shotgun onto the ground. The rest of his weapons soon followed. His feet started moving again. Afraid that the mini skirmish had coated him precious time, new intensity moved in his legs.
Pain. So much Pain.
Shepard heard a familiar voice ring out across the base. Shepard, for some ungodly known reason, smiled at the fact that Harbinger was now speaking.
"Human.. you've changed nothing." The arrogant deep voice sounded out. Shepard cringed a bit, but the smile was winning on his features. He was running for his life without knowing how many people survived because of Joker from an exploding base of death and chaos. And damn he was smiling. Smiling his cheesy stupid arrogant smile.
And it was good.
"Your species now has the attention of those infinitely your greater." Harbinger sounded out again. Shepard let out a involuntary chuckle.
"Oh?" Shepard huffed, his legs speeding, getting faster and faster as his desire to live at the moment was insane. Especially with Harbinger talking.
"That what you know as Reapers will be your salvation through destruction."
Shepard saw a large clearing and his eyes widened when he saw the Normandy fly up from the depths. His mind was now strangely positive this time. Forcing him to keep going. He almost wanted to biotic charge the closer Garrus but he realized that he could probably be knocked out for a good long time.
"You want to charge Garrus? What is wrong with you?" Shepard's mind blared.
The Normandy was getting out of reach. This wasn't going to be pretty. He saw Garrus and Thane make it across with Joker out of the ship. His assault rifle firing at the collectors he knew were behind him that Shepard did not even remotely care about at the time.
"Joker so help me god if you get to far I will rip you an asshole so deep you'll be considered a galactic disaster!" Shepard screamed in an almost high pitch screech. Joker seemed a bit taken aback. Shepard heard him say something but Shepard couldn't hear him. The collapsing chaos around him was getting worse and worse. He wouldn't be able to just hop, it got too far.
"Damnit!" He yelled. He knew what he would have to do. He ran. Oh god did he run. He got up to as much speed physically a human could probably go. Shepard was going to do the biggest leap of faith of his life.
And it happened.
Shepard crashed against the Normandy, his jaw smashing against the edges and his chest smacking against the armor. He felt blood spew from his lip and the wind knocked out of him at the same time.
He was flailing. The Normandy was moving and he was not inside the ship. TERRIBLE!
Shepard groaned. He felt his hand finally grab hold of something. Garrus.
A Torrent of bullets were reigning on the Normandy now. Feeling himself heaved into the Normandy he pushed up with all his strength with his other arm.
The door closed.
Shepard had never heard a better sound then that door closing.
He almost thought it was over. For a brief second, everything was stopped. The revelation that he had survived coursed through him and the smile that he had when Harbinger was talking rammed back with force against his features. Until..
"Detonation In 10.. 9... 8..." EDI Had started a countdown. Shepard had forgotten that the entire base was set to blow.
"Yeah I get the gist of it EDI!" Joker yelled in a panicked and annoyed voice. "Hang on!"
Shepard did what he was told. The first thing that he came into contact with came in the form of a Drell. His hands grabbed his jacket and he felt the Normandy speed forwards as far away from the base as they could possibly take it. He could hear the explosions, the fire was roaring across space, engulfing everything it could. It wanted the Normandy too.
And then another surge. Shepard grabbed tighter against the jacket of Thane until there was silence.
Shepard breathed out the biggest sigh of relief ever. He was about to let go before Jokers words raced through his mind.
"Joker! What did you mean survivors? Who didn't make it?" He gripped Thanes jacket even more so, not even looking at the Drell.
"All personnel accounted for, Commander Shepard." EDI Said politely.
"What?"
"Everyone survived the Ordeal, Shepard." Thane said calmly. Before Shepard said anything else, Thanes voice sounded much more amused.
"Now.. I appreciate the gesture, Commander. However I do not think Tali'Zorah will find this very amusing."
Shepard looked down at his hands crushing the fabric of Thanes jacket.
"Joker, you bastard!" Shepard said against a laugh. A hearty, relief laugh.
"I didn't have time to check! I didn't think—"
"I know!" Shepard yelled. The realization had just dawned on him. They had all made it out alive. The collectors base was gone, the threat of humans being turned into goo and turned into another Reaper was gone.
The worries of the world seemed to leave Shepard's face. All the complaining his mind did seemed to cease and forget. The pain in his body seemed to disappear. Rushed with an insane amount of Adrenaline, Shepard's hands crunched into fists. His hands coming together under his face. He pressed it against them. They had won.
"We WON!" He yelled. He stood up and his fists raised in the air. "Wait.." He said quickly. "How damaged is the Normandy?"
"The upgrades to the Normandy's armor and shields have prevented any critical disasters, Shepard. However, it is highly recommended we stop at the Citadel and repair all breaches from the collector machinery we suffered coming to the base and other problems." EDI's synthesized voice said. Shepard smiled.
"Crew gets to work with the quickness. We'll decide to do with the Citadel. Celebration? I think so. I demand so." He said with a laugh.
"The Illusive Man wishes to speak with you, commander." Joker said smugly. "Probably pissed you blew up his property."
"Awesome. I cannot wait to talk to that smug shit about this. Citadel on the double." Shepard said sternly with a pang of sarcasm. "Championship celebration waiting for us Joker. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into.. well, anything."
"Yes sir!" Joker mocked. "Good to see you always remain professional."
"Thane. I think it would be best for both of us if nobody ever figured out that I gripped your jacket into submission. I almost want to make it an order." Shepard said turning towards the Drell. If Thane had eyebrows, he knew that they would be raised.
"Do not worry Shepard." Thane said. "I won't reveal anything about your, um, strong grip to Tali'Zorah."
Shepard swore he could see a smile etched across his features. He found it hard a lot of the time to tell what Thane was thinking. Ever. He always seemed either too serious or always seemed to be laughing at him. More likely the first one. Thane didn't seem like the type to laugh. Interesting guy though.
Shepard turned towards a cheering crew. All of them pausing to clap there hands towards Shepard as he made his way down the bridge towards the com room. Shepard tried to pretend that he didn't hear it. Wouldn't be right for a commander to be egotistical at this situation.
Shepard was not like other commanders.
Laughing, he turned around, his face looking mostly at the galaxy map. He briefly raised his arms over his head. He couldn't help it this time.. his crew, the ones just a bit ago who were trapped in those pods ready to be processed were now cheering at him. So many emotions were running through him at the moment. Anger at the Illusive Man, Joy that they had survived and an insane amount of Relief.
"Thank you, everybody." He said over the cheers. "I'm here all night. Or, well, forever in your case. Lucky for you."
"Anyways, Have to go get yelled at. We're heading to the Citadel people, Captains orders to go out and live a bit when we get there."
It had been no secret that Shepard did not like The Illusive Man. Shepard had been livid when they sent them to the abandoned collector ship. He almost wanted to fire all the people he talked to that said they liked working with Cerberus. Illusive Man sending him and his friends into possible death because he didn't want to tip them off. Garbage.
Although, Shepard knew, he had not given Illusive Man any kindness what-so-ever. Shepard had been his normal jackass self and loved trying to see if he could get rouses out of the old man. He was let down time after time though, he seemed fairly stable unfortunately. Shepard never got any backtalk or arrogance that he was expecting. Shepard really had to give it to the old man, Shepard could barely handle his own bullshit half the time.
Shepard was going to enjoy this. He had a raging Illusive Man waiting to talk to him, An insane adrenaline high and an insane ego boost. Illusive man really should not have asked to talk to him.
"This place looks like shit." Shepard mused. The place looked like his cabin did after he let Mordin try and "Modify" the fish tank to drop fish food automatically.
Never again.
Shepard took in a deep breath and put on the biggest smile he could force and stepped into the device. A few seconds later he was looking at a very unamused Illusive Man.
"I really need to get a place up here." Shepard said politely.
"Clyde, You are making a habit of costing me more than time and money." Illusive man said angrily. His blue eyes bore holes into Shepard. He swore that he was trying to rip his heart out with his gaze.
He was pretty mad.
"I'm sorry, I can't quite hear you. I get a ton of bullshit from this line." Shepard mused.
"Don't try my patience, Clyde-
"Who said you could use my first name?" Shepard asked curiously.
"The technology from that base could have done wonders for humanity. The reapers and beyond." Illusive Man continued like he didn't even hear him.
"Human dominance, Aye?" Shepard said questioningly. His hands slipped behind his back. "Sounds like just Cerberus dominance to me."
The amusement in his eyes was not helping the situation. Shepard was confident. He had just done the unthinkable and this asshole was not going to take away his good mood. He worked his ass off and this was what he got? Shit from this old nut because he didn't return him a bonus paycheck after doing the job he asked him?
"Strength for Cerberus is strength for every human. Cerberus is humanity. I should have known you'd choke on the hard decisions." Illusive Man spat at him. Now insults?
"Really now? I wasn't aware of that. Pretty sure most humans consider Cerberus as trashy as the rest of the galaxy. You should make your opinions more widely known." Shepard said coldly. His eyes narrowed at the Illusive Man.
"Some people need protecting, Shepard. Even from themselves. I figured you of all people would know that." Illusive Man spat.
"You wish to protect the species you wish to better from themselves? That is the biggest load of shit I've ever heard." Shepard said airily. He had an awful tendency to move. He didn't like standing still, so his legs began to move. Stepping forward, then back, then to the side all in a very uneven pattern.
"You have gone far enough to cross me Shepard. All I've wanted was to better humanity, when I have ever hid that? I have one goal; To better our species. I brought you back from the dead for that reason. And this is how you repay me? Why didn't I see this coming." Illusive Man shot back at him.
"I did exactly what you wanted, hate to break it to you before you start to pull out the poor me bullshit. The collectors are gone, humanity is safe for now. What more did you want? You wanted me to gift wrap you the means to become the next Reapers? Are you insane?" Shepard said hysterically. This man was serious! He couldn't believe it. He honestly wanted to pull this crap out on him because of the people he wanted dead's base?
"Don't you start talking like I owe you, Shepard! Humanity needed that base-"
"Humanity doesn't need some old fuck telling them what to expect and believe. Any one of these people on my ship; If you had to kill them for the possibility of it bettering humanity, you would do it a heartbeat. Humanity doesn't need a leader like that. Humanity needs a leader who would never kill someone loyal for there goals. Someone with dark hair and amazing good looks." Shepard said.
Shepard's smile was still visable. His chest was breathing a little harder, unfortunately that last part did make him a bit mad, but he couldn't help all of it. Sometimes even the clown got mad.
"How much of your crap have I lived with here. I give you it, you brought me back to life. I'm grateful, but are you honestly surprised by this? Of course I wouldn't give you that base and you are completely out of your mind to have even asked me that, and even stupider to get mad at it. Come on. Don't be a fool. " Shepard said with a bit of a shrug. His smile ever present, he turned around and waved his hand in the air.
"Gotta hand it to you Illusive Man, been quite awhile since I've cared about pissing someone off so much."
"Don't turn your back-" Illusive had started but Shepard could not hear. Shepards smile did not fade. His adrenaline didn't disappear like he thought it might have by that little confrontation. Grinning broadly, reaching his hands to the back of his head he let out a quick sigh before running full steam back to the bridge.
He turned a corner to see Kelly staring at him. Kellys eyes seemed to be moistened, her hands shaking slightly as she started to move towards him. Shepard was happy, She had been very helpful during the mission. Really friendly too. He still remembered the amusing conversation when she told him her opinion on Tail's feelings for him.
"Something wrong, Kelly?" He said curiously.
"I..." She started, but a cough and a hiccup escaped her before she managed to finish what she was going to say. Before Shepard could make a joke about her being sick, she had thrown herself onto him. He hadn't seen this coming and he almost fell. His right leg hit air and he stumbled backwards a few feet before looking down at her fuming.
"You Know." He said mock-angry. "If I had fell down and smashed my head against the floor and died, what would you have done?"
Kelly looked up with a frown on her face. Shepard immediately panicked. He didn't want to actually make her upset! Was she.. emotionally unstable from being trapped by the collectors? An emotionally unstable therapist. Great.
"I'm.. sorry commander.. I-" She stammered but another hiccup and a sob escaped her. Her arms were thoroughly wrapped around his body. Shepard turned around a couple of times to make sure a certain someone wasn't watching this.
"I was joking, Kelly." He said with a small roll of his eyes. "I told you I'd catch you, didn't I?" He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Kelly grinned a weak smile.
"No, actually, I think you joked about how you'd let me fall. I thought you were serious then too." She said with a bit of a laugh, tears still raining down her features. Shepard cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh. That doesn't sound like me at all! That's fucked up." He chuckled.
"You know, I think a certain mechanist would disembowel you if she saw this though. So.." Shepard said quickly. Immediately she let go, her head quickly looking at the empty hallways to make sure Tali wasn't there. Shepard laughed at her expensive before slowly turning around.
"So..." He said turning around. He was facing an empty hallway. "This.. is what they mean by Cloud 9."
"What do you mean, sir?" Kelly asked with a somber voice, her hands coming up to wipe her eyes.
"My body is screaming. I have a huge headache, my nerves are rattled and I'm going to have to ask a bunch of good people soon if they are going to stay on this vessel or continue working with Cerberus.. and I don't care. I feel.. so.." He cut himself off, looking down at his hands. He scrunched them into fists for what felt like the hundredth time today.
"EDI. Pull up the intercom. Need to say something."
"Right away, Shepard." EDI's hologram popped up briefly before he heard the noise signaling the intercom was indeed open.
He knew what was going on. The entire crew had stopped doing what they were doing. Everyone could hear the intercom was opened. Garrus, Grunt, Tali, Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Thane, Legion and Samara were all waiting for their Commander to make some big announcement. To make some large announcement regarding their plans for the reapers or something huge. Shepard had no such plans, oh no. If they knew him at all...
"Firstly.." He said, slowly walking towards the galaxy map. His voice sounded slightly strained. He was struggling to not shout and start singing into the intercom. They had done it. To think.. Oh why was he thinking about that again? It was obvious to them all now. He just..
"Well.." He said, leaning his back against one of the rails leading up to the galaxy map. "I would like to say a couple things."
"I would like to say that really you are all gossip whores. their have been.. certain rumors above the ship that have come to my attention.. About me and a certain quarian on the ship." He said with a bit of playful spite in his voice. The crew around him laughed. Shepard was honestly talking like nothing had ever happened.
"You get em, Shepard!"
"Let us know whats under the suit eh?"
"I wonder If cough medicine would be a good present for you."
Shepard let out a chuckle and then a sigh.
"Yes. Very funny everyone. I am here to dispel these rumors that me and Tali'Zorah vas Normandy are in a relationship." He said. Everyone seemed to be rather shocked and taken aback. That was around the ship as common knowledge. Immediately, Shepard heard rumors start right away. He could hear them wondering what had happened or if anyone knew. Shepard's grin grew wider.
"However, on a completely unrelated note, Tali should immediately come up to the Captains Quarters for.. ahem. Immediate suit repair and quarian study.. for.. academic purposes, of course."
The crew around him had started again. Everyone laughed. Kelly seemed to be doubling over, her hands coming to her sides. Shepard couldn't even help but laugh. Somewhere, Shepard was sure he was being called a bosh'tet repeatedly.
"I can hear you blushing from here." He said once more. Another jeer.
"You are so mean to that poor girl." Kelly called over to him.
"Besides that..their is just.. one thing."
The room was silent. The tension was rising. Shepard had a small reputation for making everything over-climatic and a bit more over-the-top than necessary. Shepard's hands reached down his body. His fists ready to punch the air.
His head turned around to glance at the crew on the Combat Center part of the ship. Many beaming faces, many grins and happy faces. Many lives. Many lives that would have otherwise been turned into liquid for something horrible. Kelly looked at him still, a sad smile on her face, her hands clasped together below her stomach.
The amazingly happy and fantastic feelings he had earlier all seemed to explode from his body in an instant.
"WE DID IT!"