Commander Shepard reclined in his chair, reading a short news report on his tablet in the mess hall of the Normandy SR1. It had been two short years since Saren's attack on the Citadel, and Shepard had been left with very little to do. His crew had drifted apart, pursuing their own lives after the battle. He had attempted to keep in touch with them. He had learned that Tali'Zorah had gone on to be accepted onto the Neema, and was working for her people once again. Liara had moved to Illium, becoming an information broker. Shepard had become worried about the asari, as her methods were starting to resemble some of her mother's actions.
Wrex had returned to Tuchunka for some reason. His responses to Shepard's messages were rather Spartan, leaving the commander rather in the dark as to the krogan's actions. Ashley Williams had been transferred to civilian detail on several missions, but remained in rather decent contact with Shepard. Her last email reported that she was going to the world Horizon for classified reasons.
Garrus, however had nearly dropped out of contact. His last message to Shepard was dated over a year ago. He had said he was going to the asteroid city of Omega in order to help the citizens there. That was it. Shepard worried that the turian had gotten himself into trouble—or worse.
Still, the former C-sec officer was stubborn, and it would probably take more than a few thieves, robbers, or mercs to take him down.
The Normandy had also been improved at the Specter and savior of the Citadel's request. The engines had been tweaked, making them more powerful. His quarters had been updated, making them a more comfortable living space. He also had added Thanix cannons into the ship's primary arsenal as per Garrus' request. The turian said that if he ever came back, he would help calibrate the engines for Shepard.
Engineer Adams sat across from Shepard, and was discussing more recent developments with Doctor Chakwas.
"So, you hear about the new drive experiments our new galactic additions have been showing off?" he asked the Doctor, smiling. "It puts some of our element zero cores to shame. I forget what they're using… Phazon, was it?"
The doctor nodded, but was not as enthusiastic about the developments. "I do agree that the substance produces great power, but it has had me studying for two years now trying to keep up with the medical science around it," she replied. "It's poisonous, and parasitic to organic lifeforms. Not exactly something I would want powering my ship."
"I don't know, Doc," Adams said. "What about you commander? You think we should get the Normandy a new Phazon core?"
Shepard shrugged. He had heard of the new technology, an advent of contact with a new race. In mid-2183—during Shepard's mission to take down Saren—a new race had opened a mass relay into Citadel space. The aliens, known as Phrygisians, had provided hundreds of new technologies to galactic civilization. Most of these technologies were based on the radioactive substance they called "Phazon", which was found on many of their worlds. Thanks to the abundant boons to the rest of the galaxy, the Phrygisians had been accepted onto the Citadel.
"I doubt you'd want to adapt the engines to work with Phazon," Shepard told Adams, smiling. "Remember how long the Alliance spent just trying to help with the stealth systems of this drive? No point in making another bleeding-edge drive out of a new substance."
Adams nodded. "I understand that," he said. "I wonder what Joker would think if we got one, though. It sounds like they have quite a kick."
"I still don't know," Chakwas said. "The Phrygisians have had access to Phazon for hundreds if not thousands of years. They may have built up a resistance to it. The rest of us have a rather poor track record with it though. I once observed a case of 'Phazon madness' in a trooper that had been to a mine once. The experience was… unsettling."
Shepard nodded. "Don't worry, Doctor," he added. "I doubt we'll be using Phazon in the Alliance any time soon."
Chakwas nodded. "Which is good, since it's still an unproven technology outside the Talon Spur. I don't think the Council should be so trusting of it."
Adams rolled his eyes. "It's just like any other tech, doc," he said. "It's meant to be used. Nothing more than glowing blue rocks to be plugged into starship cores and weapons to power them."
"Phazon growths are not rocks," the ship's doctor corrected. "It's cellular in nature, and self-replicating. It is a lifeform of sorts. That is why it is so dangerous around organics. It tends to use us to reproduce."
Adams frowned. "True…" He shuddered slightly, imagining what it would be like to have Phazon growing on oneself. He had seen pictures of marines with Phazon corruption on their bodies. Long, blue veins of the substance wrapped along their skin, with blue-colored bruises where liquid forms of the substance was pooling. It was never pretty.
"Commander," Joker's voice came over the intercom.
Shepard looked up. "What is it, Joker?" he asked.
"You have an incoming transmission from Admiral Hackett. You should come up here. It sounds pretty urgent."
Shepard nodded and stood up from the table. "I'll be there in a minute, Joker." He nodded to Adams and Chakwas as a goodbye, and began walked up the stairs to the bridge. The room was crewed sparsely—the Normandy had been operating on skeleton for the past year now. Hunting for geth was rather tedious and uneventful.
Shepard walked up to the large hologram of the galaxy that dominated the rear center of the bridge. The galaxy hologram pinged off.
"Patching in the admiral, Shepard," Joker announced.
A hologram of Admiral Hackett appeared. Even as nothing more than a column of intangible light, the admiral had a commanding presence. His age, uniform, and even his posture showed the authority he held in the Alliance.
Shepard saluted him.
The admiral returned it. "At ease, Shepard," he said.
"You called?" the commander asked.
"Yes," Hackett said. "A situation has developed. One of our colonies developed joint with the Phrygisians has gone silent. We believe it to be an attack."
"Do you think it has to do with the recent vanishings of colonies near the Terminus, admiral?" Shepard inquired.
"No," Hackett responded. "Before the attack, we received a transmission stating that vessels of an 'unknown profile' had appeared in system. Shortly after, a Phrygisian comm. buoy sent a single message: 'Space Pirates'."
"Pirates taking out a colony?" Shepard asked. "That's… unprecedented. It usually takes joint operations between massive groups of slavers for anyone to put a colony silent."
The admiral nodded. "That would be true if these were normal space pirates," he informed the commander. "We believe that the message is referring to the Zebesians, the other race that presides in the Tallon spur. They've been a problem before but they've never attacked a garrisoned human colony before."
"What do you need me to do, then?" Shepard asked.
The admiral answered, "I need you to go to our colony on the planet Norion. There, you need to find out what the Pirates want with our colony. Search for survivors. It is highly possible that the colony is just being jammed at the moment. With any luck, it can still be saved."
Shepard nodded. "I'll do my best, Admiral."
"I know you will, Commander. Hackett out."
The admiral's hologram disappeared and was replaced with that of the galaxy again.
"You heard him Joker," Shepard announced. "Take us to Norion."
"Already on our way, Commander," Joker responded. "ETA two hours. You better suit up. I doubt these Pirates will just lay down their guns as soon as we arrive."
Shepard nodded and walked back downstairs to retrieve his armor. This was his first involvement in the Tallon Spur—the area of space that the Phrygisians called home. He hoped that he wouldn't end up creating some sort of diplomatic incident.
Codex Updated. Transmitting data…
Aliens: Non-council races—Phrygisians: The Phrygisians are the tough, hardy residents of the frozen moon Phrygis orbiting the planet known as Bes. First making contact with the council in 2183, they have provided a rather large wealth of technology to the galactic economy. Due to this, they were swiftly granted an embassy on the Citadel, and have become fairly influential in the politics of Citadel space.
Phrygisians are tall, tough, and honorable aliens. Their society values the individual, but also focuses on the group, enforcing a strict chivalraic code and swift justice. Phrygisians who break this code are often excommunicated from social groups ranging from local to national governments.
The Phrygisians are responsible for bringing Phazon to the rest of the galaxy, as it has proved a vital part of many of their technologies for as long as their civilization has existed. It has proven to be their supplement to element zero and substitute for nuclear power, providing clean and efficient drive cores for their starships.
Aliens: Non-council races—Space Pirates: Although they call themselves 'Zebesians', Space Pirate has proven a much more reliable (and accurate) moniker. An enigmatic race native to the yet-to-be located planet Urtragh, the Pirates are a caste-based collection of species within a large family of creatures.
Space Pirate society seems to be based more or less on two tenets: "For Science", and "For Technology". They often raid starships or colonies for technology, resources, or simply because they can. Prisoners they take are used in the gruesome scientific experiments they perform. It is believed that this experimentation on their own race has produced the many variations of Pirates seen today.
Pirate variants include workers and soldiers; commanders; and leaders, each radically different from the other in outward appearance. Anatomically and genetically, however, the variants are not much different.
Like the Phrygisians, the Pirates have a high reliance on Phazon for their technology.
Technology—Phazon: Phazon is a strange, radioactive subject native to the Tallon Spur. Upon first examination, Phazon resembles blue mineral crystals, veins, and nodules. This appearance could not be further from the truth. Studies have shown that Phazon is actually an exotic, mineral-resembling lifeform. It is capable of self-replication using both inorganic and organic substances to fuel its reproduction. It proliferates faster on organic material.
When Phazon grows on animal life, it begins to consume tissue and replace it with Phazon matter. Eventually, surges of radiation from the substance begin to affect the nervous system, which can cause a type of violent insanity known as 'Phazon Madness'.
Phazon is also capable of mutating lifeforms' genetic codes, and can cause strange alterations to a species' genotype and phenotype within one generation. Oftentimes, these alterations will benefit the Phazon in some way. How the substance controls this is unknown.
Due to its dangerous properties, the Citadel Council has still not warranted its use on non-Phrygisian technology in Council Space.
Authors Note: Yeah, terrible name for a first chapter, I know. Well, at least its a start for the story though.
Yes, I do realize that some edits have been made to both canons before you start talking about that. The space pirates, while referred to as Zebesians are actually the Pirates from the Metroid Prime games (1 and 3, specifically). Other elements have been changed as well.
For instance, its 2185 and Shepard hasn't been gunned down by Collectors! Yeah, they're there. Just, not at the forefront of the storyline. Don't worry, Mass Effect 2 will tie into this storyline eventually.
Anyway, hopefully this crossover turns out pretty well. I've got a good outline and am ready to write. Hopefully I can get a couple more chapters out before school starts.
Anyway, please review and advise! I'll take all the help I can!