(I'm keeping the authors note the same as they were when I first started writing this, even if just for me as a way of reminding myself how long it took to get off my ass and finish/upload this chapter)
(Wow this has been in development for nearly 2 and a half years, fuck. At this rate I'll have completed Andromeda before I finish writing ME1.)
LW: Hi guys, I got the Mass Effect series as an awesome crimbo present so I decided to do a fic with it. I decided to make the council as a whole less of a bunch of arses (Except the salerians; they are all, Mordin excluded, a bunch of dickheads), as well as a mostly Renegade Shepard, because I felt like it. There was some inner hemming and hawing about Shep / Femshep but the pairing decided for me, and it's Male Shepard (Sorry, though Fem/Liara is my joint favourite couple with this fics eventual one)
From Out Of The Dark - Chapter 1
'Well what about Shepard? Earthborn but no record of family' 'Doesn't have one, he was raised on the streets, learned to look out for himself' 'He got most of his unit killed on Torfan' 'He gets the job done, whatever the cost' 'Are we sure we want someone like him protecting the galaxy?' 'He's the only one who can' 'I'll make the call'
Chapter 1
In a bar not far from the Alliance Headquarters many marines were drinking heavily, either having just gone on shore leave or for one last drink before setting off again. One person in particular was N7 James Shepard, who's time off was cut short recently for a mission to test a new system on a ship; the 'Normandy', which was heading to Eden Prime. Shepard knew there was something he wasn't being told, sure Eden Prime was on their furthest border and therefore most vulnerable to batarian raids, a thought that made his hand unconsciously clench on his glass of whiskey, but they didn't need someone like him, nor did they need to go that far out to test a stealth system, somewhere closer like Terra Nova would do just as well, in fact even better as they had better facilities and equipment. Still it wasn't his place to complain or question his orders especially as they would have to tell him the truth in order for him to do whatever they needed him for. So with that thought he drained the glass and headed for the ship.
Upon arrival he met another man by the name Kaiden Alenko, a fellow marine and an L2 biotic. There was a time when Shepard himself had wanted to be biotic but after being found negative for the ability worked harder in his weapons training coming to prefer the efficiency and reliability of most guns to the constant migraines and erratic abilities biotics possessed, not that he didn't see there use, or respect those with the skills, he just preferred his own. He had yet to meet Commander Anderson, but did see something he hadn't expected to see on an alliance ship; a turian, and not just that a turian Spectre. That confirmed his thoughts that there was more going on than they were told.
The trip through the Sol relay was rather short, their pilot Jeff 'Joker' Moroe James didn't mind admitting was highly skilled as their jump landed them within a few hundred kilometres rather than several thousand kilometres of the relay nearest Eden Prime. 'Good work flight lieutenant' the turian whose name was Nihlus said as they entered the system, before heading for the conference room 'God I hate that guy' Joker mumbled once the spectre was out of range 'Nihlus paid you a complement, so you hate him?' Kaiden asked confused and James zoned out, until he heard Anderson over the intercom 'Watch out Sir, Nihlus is on his way' 'He's already here lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm. Room for a debriefing' 'Crap. Well you heard the man off you go Shepard' James sighed 'Just great you piss him off and I get bolocked out of it' 'Hey Anderson's always like that' Joker defended 'Only around you he is' Kaiden retorted. James shook his head and headed towards Anderson passing his XO as well as Chakwas the ships doctor. Reaching the com centre Shepard found Anderson hadn't arrived yet, though Nihlus had. The brown and white turian turned to face him as he entered.
'Ah Shepard, glad you're here, I was hoping we'd have a moment to speak' he said 'Sure, I suppose' James answered nodding 'This colony we're going to; Eden Prime, I've heard it's quite beautiful' James shrugged 'I wouldn't know, I'm not the sightseeing type' 'That I know, but you've had to have heard of it, it's become a symbol to your people, proof humanity can establish and defend territory within the terminus systems. But how safe is it, really?' Nihlus asked his face stony 'Is that a threat or a prediction?' James asked annoyed 'Merely an observation, some think humanity is over stretching itself in its bid to appear powerful. It will work, until it's shown they're unable to defend their colonies, at which point they will be seen as weak and their world's easy pickings' Nihlus answered flatly.
The conversation ended when they heard the door open and Anderson entered. 'Well it's nice to see you two have got acquainted, lets get down to business, Nihlus' 'This is more than a simple shakedown mission Shepard' 'I'm glad to hear that, I hoped I wasn't pulled off shore leave for a mission any idiot could do' 'Yes well, recently a team on Eden Prime discover a valuable artefact, it was Prothean' 'Prothean?' James asked surprised 'Yes, they unearthed a prothean beacon, no telling what secrets could be contained within. It needs to be taken to the Citadel for study; I'll also need to get in contact with Dr. T'Soni when we get there' Nihlus continued, the last part more thinking aloud than actually taking to the 2 marines.
'There is one other reason Nihlus is onboard Shepard, he's here to evaluate you' James' eyebrows raised 'Why?' 'It's simple commander, you were put forward as a possible spectre, as the one evaluating you I've seen your files and I can say with confidence that if you were a turian you'd already be one' Nihlus answered his mandibles splaying in a turian smile 'your work on Torfan especially, turians are all willing to die for the hierarchy, but even someone like me couldn't have taken out all the batarians as effectively as you...'
Their discussion was interrupted soon after by Joker's voice over the intercom 'We're getting a transmission from the surface. 'Patch it through Joker' Anderson ordered. What was received was horrible; fire and destruction, glimpses of metallic entities firing on humans and a large ship reminiscent of a cuttlefish, crimson energy jumping from it's tentacles. This fact was only noticed when the feed was stopped on the unknown vessel. 'Damn it, the colony's under attack, they must know about the beacon. Shepard, we're sending you down to sort this mess out, try to minimalize casualties and get that beacon' Anderson ordered 'It seems we'll be working together much sooner than I'd expected' Nihlus commented offhand as both soldiers headed for the cargo bay and shuttle, meeting up with Lieutenant Alenko and Jenkins on the way.
'You're coming with us Nihlus?' Jenkins asked cheerfully and Shepard chuckled 'No, I work better on my own. I'll scout ahead for the beacon as well as any threats, you can clear them out and assist your colony if necessary' Nihlus answered pulling out and calibrating (seems like a turian thing) his assault rifle 'Oh, okay then' Jenkins said disappointedly before getting angry 'Eden Prime is my home, lets take these fuckers out!' James laughed 'That's the spirit Jenkins' he said as they were dropped off.
TBC
Well that's it for part 1; hopefully all the other parts don't take this long to write (considering how long Mass Effect is if it did, I'd be dead before I finish this)