SITTING DOWN WITH SHEPARD
By Farold Timson, Staff Writer
ARMALI, THESSIA- As my taxi dropped towards the sprawling and beautiful city of Armali, the first thing I noticed was the surprisingly nondescript nature of one of Thessia's industrial centers. Known for being the birthplace of the influential Armali Council manufacturing guild, Armali is home to some of the highest-quality Omni-Tools and Biotic-Amps in Council space.
Yet there is another place of note in Armali; the current home to the galaxy's most revered hero and quite possibly the most famous and widely-respected human to exist thus far; Rear Admiral (retired) Sarah Shepard.
For obvious reasons, Admiral Shepard and her bondmate, Doctor Liara T'Soni, preferred to keep their exact address secret, but even so, I noticed several people lingering outside of their modest home, hoping to catch a look at the woman who many consider the savior of the Milky Way.
Despite a generous pension from the Alliance military and a near-constant stream of diplomatic gifts, T'Soni and Shepard live in a relatively modest two-floor house with their two daughters, Xaisha and Kaida.
As many are no doubt aware, controversy arose amongst the Hanar last month regarding the so-called "Church of Shepard", a relatively minor sect that reveres Shepard as the 'Prophet of the Enkindlers'.
The notoriously humble Admiral expressed her embarrassment when I brought this up during our interview.
"Don't get me wrong," she said, "I'm very flattered, but I just did what I had to during the War. If anyone deserves to be worshiped, it's those that didn't make it through those dark times."
As many point out, however, Shepard's tale is one that is more than incredible. Following an incredibly costly assault on London by Alliance and Council ground forces, then- Commander Shepard and Admiral David Anderson both made it to the Citadel, eventually allowing the top-secret 'Crucible' weapon deploy, ending the Reaper War. While initially thought to have perished during the catastrophic explosions on the Citadel, Systems Alliance and C-Sec officials later discovered Shepard in the ruins, barely living.
While the specifics of Shepard's fight on the Citadel itself are largely unknown, it is known that she sustained heavy wounds, physical and psychological, during the process. Admiral David Anderson was later found dead by a gunshot wound, though no official explanation was ever offered by Alliance officials.
After retiring from military service in 2190, Admiral Shepard largely disappeared from the galactic stage, retiring initially to a temporary home on Rannoch before moving to Thessia with her bondmate.
While a vocal minority of humans protested her decision to 'abandon Earth', Admiral Steven Hackett vehemently condemned such criticisms, famously stating that "We owe all of our lives to Shepard- I'd say she deserved some down time."
Admiral Hackett subsequently pushed Commander Shepard's promotion to Rear Admiral through military channels before graciously granting the Commander an honorable discharge on account of the injuries she sustained. Though reports are sketchy at best, the Admiral's bionic leg and arm, as well as a veritable host of scars that she wears proudly, are a testament to the commitment that Shepard showed during the final days of the Reaper Wars.
Yet the Admiral recently reemerged from her mostly silent retirement, playing an essential role in the conclusion of the Salarian Civil War that started a year and a half ago.
"One of my best friends gave his life for a race that he considered a threat. He didn't hesitate then to sacrifice himself for the Krogan, and I know he would be disappointed in his people if he were alive today. The Salarians that I have known- the ones that I have respected, were always willing to sacrifice everything for what was right, regardless of the consequences. The Salarian people have been instrumental in galactic reconstruction, but fighting amongst yourselves is pointless and saddening. Think of all we sacrificed during the war so that our children could live on in peace. Think of all those who fought and died fighting the Reapers- would they be happy to see you at each other's' throats? I'd hope not."
In response, former Asari Councilor D'naria Tevos came out in a rare show of support for the Admiral.
"I've made the mistake of not trusting Admiral Shepard in the past. I've learned enough to know that her judgement is far better than mine, and so I support her peacekeeping initiative wholeheartedly."
Shepard's reappearance on the galactic stage revitalized interest in the Admiral's whereabouts, something that the Admiral is very grateful for.
"I appreciate all of the support and love that has been sent to me; I only hope that I truly deserve it."
On behalf of the Alliance News Network and the galaxy as a whole, Admiral, you more than deserve our love and support.
So this is my first Mass Effect fic, and it was really just inspired by my first playthrough. I had known about the series since my best friend played it religiously, but I played the series for the first time this summer when ME1 went on sale on Steam. Despite my biases and doubts, the trilogy proved to be without a doubt one of the most emotionally impact and immersive games I've ever played. I even was okay with the ending (though to be fair I got a perfect Destroy ending with the Extended Cut, so that no doubt changes things).
Anyways, I just wanted to write a few short snippets about my play through. Enjoy!