Mass Effect's story is tailored to the choices you make in the game. This tale and all tales I publish will be tailored to a specific playthrough.

Saved M.E.1 Council

Cured the Genophage

Geth and Quarian Peace

Romanced Tali Zorah

The story diverges from the canon to allow creative freedom. Enjoy.


Prologue

The Illusive Man is dead. Shepard opens the Citadel arms and the Crucible docks. It begins to power up. Lightning and static pulsates throughout the structure. The 5th fleet still desperately trying to defend it. Shepard and Anderson were barely alive and standing at the Citadel arms control. They collapsed beside one another onto the floor. With both of them mortally wounded they believed it to be all but a matter of time. They sat up looking onwards in to space.

Chapter 1

"Commander".

"We did it" claimed Shepard.

Anderson smiled, looking out at the Earth. "Yes, we did.

It's uh, quite a view".

Shepard coughed. Blood dripping from his mouth. "Best seats in the house".

"You ever wonder how things would've been different? How our lives would have been - different if this - hadn't happened?" Anderson asked.

"Sure" said Shepard.

"I never had a family, Shepard. Never had children", he said.

"They'll be time enough for that now" said Shepard.

Anderson chuckled under his breath.

"I... I think that ship has sailed. What about you? Ever think about settling down?"

Shepard stared out upon the Earth. He smiled.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that. Not sure I'd be much good at it though".

"Sure you would. I think you'd make a great dad".

Shepard coughed again, still staring at the Earth out the window. "Uh-huh".

"Think how proud your kids would be" Said Anderson "Telling everyone their dad is Commander Shepard".

Shepard's gaze dropped to the floor. His war torn mug became the face of a mournful soul. "I don't know about that... not everything I've done is something to be proud of".

Anderson frowned "God, feels like years since I just sat down".

Shepard turned his head to face him. "I think you've earned a rest. Anderson?"

Andersons head dropped. He could barely keep his eyes open. The hole in his gut stole every ounce of energy he had left. He groaned in strife against the pain. "Mmm".

Shepard comforted him. "Stay with me. We're almost through this".

In his dying breath, he turned to Shepard.

"You did good son. You did good.

I'm proud of you".

His head hung from his shoulders, the last breath drawn from his mouth.

"Thank you sir. Anderson?"

No reply.

Shepard looked back, out to space, to the Earth. He knew he was next. The blood on his hands said it all. Suddenly he heard something. A small com unit was wrapped in Anderson's hand. Shepard reached over to it. Releasing it gently from the dead mans grasp. There was nothing at first. Only static, then.

"Hailing on all channels. This is the SSV Normandy to the Citadel. Does Anyone copy".

Shepard instantly opened the com. "Joker?"

"Shepard!, Oh thank god your alive".

Joker leaned back in his pilots chair on the bridge of the Normandy. Garrus Stood to one side of the bridge silently treating his wounds. He raised his head to what he could hear. Tali ran up beside Joker shouting. "Shepard is that you?"

Shepard paused for a moment. Sharp pain covered his body. He grit his teeth and mustered enough strength to reply.

"Yeah, its me Tali".

Shepard took a quick glance out the window, as he did two Reapers flew by shaking the whole room as they tore through a cruiser in seconds.

"Hang in there Shepard we're coming". Said Joker.

"No!" shouted Shepard. He coughed. Each time spiting out more and more blood. "Its to dangerous, get out while you still can...Go".

Tali was on the verge of tears. Her heart pounding. "Shepard no".

A tear fell down Shepard's cheek. "Tali, I-"

"I'm not leaving you!" She cried.

Shepard's eyes began to drop. His wounds sucking the life out of him. He pleaded with her. "Please, I love you".

The com went silent. "Shepard... Shepard!" shouted Joker.

Tali froze in terror. Garrus could do nothing but watch. He knew it might come down to this. Everything had been building up to this. Tali's pale eyes dotted back and forth before she turned and run back through the ship. Garrus's eyes followed. He ran after her. "Tali, wait!"

"I'm not loosing him!" She shouted.

Joker sat forward. He stared up in to the carnage above. Reapers swarmed left and right. EDI only just managed to steer the Normandy clear. She turned to face him. "Jeff!" She cried.

"Damn it...Damn it all to hell. Hackett!" he yelled. He pulled up the com. "Requesting permission to break off and retrieve Shepard".

Hackett replied instantly. "Request denied. The crucible is powering up. we must fall back beyond the relay.

"But"

"No buts. That's an order!"

Jeff fell back on his chair. EDI still poised over the controls dodging wreck after wreck. "Jeff we're still hailing on all frequencies!" She shouted. Suddenly another voice came over the radio.

"This is admiral Han Gerrel of the Quarian Heavy fleet, we are prepared to assist the Normandy with Shepard's evac". Hackett's ship began to pull away from the fight, taking hits one after the other. Explosions ruptured through his command centre, flinging crew members across the room. Hackett's face turned stiff with the cool, cold, grit of a true admiral commanding with authority. He grabbed the hand rails in front of him with the smallest amount of concern for the fires spreading around him. "Han Gerrel, What are you doi-".

"I don't answer to you Hackett but with all due respect, the commander has done more for my people than anyone ever has. Hell he saved are lives even. I… We owe Shepard a debt that can never be repaid but I'll be damned if I'm not going to start by saving his life".

Then out of no were voices hailed in from all ships. "Patrol Fleet standing by. Turian Sixth Fleet ready to assist. Geth Fleet standing by. The Destiny Assension is standing by". The amazed expression on Jokers face slowly changed in to a confident smile.

"Its suicide if we stay here. Stand down NOW!" shouted Hackett.

Joker sat up in his chair ignoring Hackett's cry's. "All ships rally on me".

"I'll have your head for this Joker".

"Then feel free to court-martial us once we've saved the galaxy". Said Joker.

The com went quiet. Hackett paused for a moment. A glum expression fell upon his face. He only wanted to save as many people as he could. The battle had gone on for too long already. Too many brave men, women as well as children had died before the battle had even begun. Yet so many more would have died if it wasn't for Shepard. Just one man. One man who'd carried the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. One man who had rallied so many to the cause. If Shepard was to die now, he'd die a hero Hackett thought but it seamed the galaxy wasn't willing to let him go just yet. So many willing to fight and sacrifice themselves for him as to just simply run would dishonour everything Shepard had done for them. Hackett's ship was in a bad state already. He was responsible for the lives of his crew.

Joker leaned forward. "Sir?" He waited for a reply.

"I'm pulling my fleet out. Hackett signing off... Good Luck".

"Thank you sir".

Joker quickly flung his hands back on to the controls. "Form up on me".

Hackett and the rest of his fleet veered off on course for the relay. Leaving the remanence of Sword fleet to aline with the Normandy. They created a near seamless, spear headed formation with the Normandy at the tip.

Meanwhile in the hanger James and Cortez were tending to the wounded soldiers they picked up of the battle field, most of them seamed too tired to even speak. The room was near silent. Only the muzzled booms of explosions cut through the dead air. The elevator door at the back of the hanger opened. Tali ran out and the doors slamed shut behind her. She brushed a control panel with her hand, activating the shuttle launch sequence. The shuttle hatch opened but before she could step aboard Garrus came running out of the elevator. "Tali!" he shouted.

"You can't stop me Garrus".

"I know, I'm coming with you".

She looked back at him tilting her head slightly. If a quick smile crossed Tali's face no one could tell. They stepped on to the shuttle. James and Cortez ran over.

"What the hell are you doing?" shouted James.

"We're going after Shepard". said Tali.

"Want are you nuts, That's a suicide mission".

"Wouldn't be the first" said Garrus.

Tali looked over at him.

"Just like old times Garrus?"

"Hah, Yeah,

Just like old times".

Cortez Stepped on board the shuttle. "Well you'll need a pilot, coming Vega?"

James paused for a moment in thought. He stood there in the shuttle door, conflicted, looking down at the floor.

"You know damn well he'd do the same for us". Said Garrus.

James shook his head. "Screw it, lets go nab ourselves a commander". Said James sounding pumped and ready to fight. Cortez took his place at the controls.

"Suit up. I'm not risking decompression if the hull is breached in this firefight".

They put on their gear and fired up the shuttle.


Back on the citadel, Shepard was at peace lying on the control room floor. These were to be his final moments, he closed his eyes hoping to drift away in to the long good night, free from the pain, the hardship and most of all, free from the Reapers. Or so he thought. The earie noises in the room began to grow louder. The sound of electrical sparks crackling all around him. The muzzled booms as explosions ignited out in the cold dark of space. A loud ring pierced Shepard's ears. He grit his teeth. With his head lying on the hard, cold floor he raised his blood covered hands over his ears, trying to block out the deafening sounds that grew louder by the minute. Soon enough he could hear whispers. Like the ones from his dreams. Too faint to understand. Shepard's eyes were sealed shut. He was trying desperately to keep out the sounds in his head, trying desperately to minimize the pain. He twist and turned on his back, about to yell at the top of his voice but before he could, he opened his eyes to the sound of a reaper's growl. It pulsated through the walls and corridors. Shepard's vision began to blur. His tired and acing body was failing him. He could barely move. Shepard was so distracted by the sounds and agonizing pain that he almost didn't notice the tall dark figure looming over him at his feet. The dark figure looked down at Shepard with its menacing eyes, its blue dotted eyes. Before Shepard could do anything the figure dove down with its left arm out in front. Grabbing Shepard by the neck, it lifted him up in to the air with immense force. Shepard's eyes widened to the sudden and violent motion. He grabbed his attackers arm only to find it cold and stiff like metal. He stared at him in horror. The Illusive man?