Mass Effect: Desperado
Blurb: Carter is on the edge of a big score. An ancient Prothean Artefact is hidden on an isolated planet and the Earth Systems Alliance is willing to pay a small fortune for it. The problem is that everyone in the known galaxy wants a piece of this prize. It is a race against time to retrieve the Artefact and get the cash prize. It's race that could prove fatal for Carter and his team.
No Shepard in this story. I just had the urge to write my own spin off fanfic. I hope you will enjoy it. This story is set during Mass Effect 2. Between Shepard's death and resurrection
Prologue
Transcript taken from the desk of Admiral Hackett of the Alliance Navy on Artaurus station.
Admiral Steven Hackett: "So who exactly is Alan Carter? It isn't a name that I am familiar with".
Captain Toby Saintly: "Born in 2155 on Armstrong Outpost on the Moon, Alan Carter was a recruited by the Alliance Marines in 2168. His high aptitude and physical tests were just above average. We put him through Hostile Environment Assault Training on Titan and he got some interesting results. Carter was no good at soldiering and is terrible when it comes to authority but he did have some redeeming features. The man had a collectic knowledge of a dozen different subjects and had a genius for destruction"
Hackett: "Destruction"?
Saintly: "During a live exercise Carter managed to beat the team of professional Marines by dropping a building on their heads. It was quite an achievement considering that they were using practice rounds. It was there that he earned the nickname 'the Butterfly'."
Hackett: "A curious nickname for someone with such a high aptitude for demolition. Why the 'butterfly"?
Saintly: "It was originally a joke, based on the old Earth theory of the butterfly effect. Carter flaps his wings and shit tends to happen. It was after boot camp that we offered him an invitation to join N-school in Rio as an Engineer".
Hackett: "An unusual choice for an untried rookie".
Saintly: "Quiet, but Carter exhibited all the necessary traits and skills. The decision seemed to be justified. Carter quickly rose through the ranks and became N7. He was one of our best N7 Engineers, successfully completing over 50 missions in the Skyllian Verge. That was until an incident occurred during the Skyllian Blitz. Batarian saboteurs hid a 50 megaton bomb in a city on the planet Gagarin. There were over two million people in the city and no time to evacuate. Carter was sent in as a part of a team of N7 specialists' codenamed Echo Bravo; to neutralise the situation. They got to the Batarians but they committed suicide before they could reveal the location of the bomb. So the N7 team found the next best thing. An out of work Quarian named Zeet Reegar. The Quarian had unwittingly made some of the bomb parts. Echo Bravo tried to torture the location of the bomb out of him"
Hackett: "Against regulations, orders and every law in Alliance Space".
Saintly: "Yes, they were excessive. Everything was riding on them finding that bomb and there Commander panicked. They committed an act which shamed N7 and the Alliance. I imagine that they thought that they could justify torture if they found bomb. Carter fortunately had a conscience. While they beat Zeet senseless with a rusty crowbar, Carter continually questioned his Commander and argued with his team. It got to a point where Carter drew his weapon and threatened his team and a superior officer. They refused to stop torturing the Quarian, so Carter resorted to deadly force. It didn't end well for Echo Bravo, most of them were killed by Carter, with the other half seriously wounded. Carter then, with the help of a Turian Spectre managed to find the bomb in time and defuse it, without the need for torture. Alliance Command court marshalled Carter all the same. The judges couldn't justify death or a penal sentence considering the circumstances, so they slapped Carter with a dishonourable discharge"
"Hrmm, how has Carter been employed since his discharge".
"A freelance mercenary. He owns an antique Frigate called the Nova 9, from which he runs his operations from. Mainly smuggling and thievery. Carter specialises in retrieving objects or people from hard to get places. He'd be perfect for the operation you have in mind Sir".
"A lot rides on the success of this mission Captain. Can Carter be trusted"?
"The thing about Carter is that becoming a mercenary didn't change him. People may feel the urge to kill him every time Carter opens up his mouth but he's a good man with morals and principles. Once Carter gives his word, he'll do the job or die trying. We just need to offer him enough money"
Hackett: "Then interview him; see if Carter wants the job before offering the bounty. See that Carter is made aware of the stakes he's playing for. I don't want to send a lamb to the slaughter"
Saintly: "Yes sir. Will that be all Sir?"
Hackett "For now. Hackett out".