A/N: This is a reunion scene between Commander Novinha Shepard and Kaidan Alenko, during Mass Effect 2. They have not seen each other in two years. Major Spoiler warning, if you do not want to be spoiled about Mass Effect 2, then please don't read until after you have played the game. Please review, I'm always looking for feedback. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy it!
A final Collector fell, the yellow glow of its eyes faded to a dull, ochre color, indicating its death. The last shot it fired into Shepard's knee struck true. She immediately applied pressure directly onto her kneecap where the shot ripped a gash three inches long. Peeling back the armor that clung painfully to the wounded area, she swabbed it with medi-gel, grimacing slightly, and replaced the kneepad. Testing her left leg on the ground, Shepard found she was able to put full force on her leg, despite the pain, which had dulled significantly.
Shepard's breathing had returned to normal. She retied her short ponytail, gathering the few strands of dark red hair that came loose in the fray. She strode over to where Tali stood, studying the husks that used to be human.
"Shepard. These husks are much stronger than the husks the geth created," Tali sighed. "This situation is bad."
"Not to mention smarter, faster and tactical. The Collector's must have based them off of the geth husks," Novinha Shepard's tone was grim.
"C'mon, let's see if we can find any survi-"
"Shepard! We've got another one!" Garrus' voice called out. Shepard immediately readied her weapon, turning around and spotted a giant Collector that looked like a cross between a jellyfish and a squid. It hovered over the area, rotating towards Shepard and Tali, revealing six yellow glowing eyes, and a mouth full of husks. It seemed like several Collectors were gathered together into one massive being. The Massive Collector fired a steady string of a plasma-like substance, ripping right through the two women's shields.
Shepard uttered a low oath, sprinting behind a large army green storage container, conveniently placed. She cocked her shotgun.
"Tali, flank this sucker, see if you can bring it's shields down!"
"On it, Commander!" The Quarian dashed off towards the other side of the storage container, using her Cipher tool to jam the enemy's shields. Garrus, meanwhile began sniping from behind the massive Collector, hidden among the sheds.
Shepard fired a couple of cryo-rounds into the Collector's face, while Tali fired away with a heavy pistol.
"Shepard, you cannot fight evolution! If necessary, I will destroy you," The deep voice rumbled, hovering closer towards where Tali and Shepard were.
Ignoring the voice, Shepard unleashed a mass of biotic energy, pushing the creature back wards a bit. It was barely more than a nudge. Damn it, she thought to herself. Tali took the opportunity to jam its shields again. The Collector fired back at Tali, who had begun ceaselessly firing a pistol at its unprotected side. The Collector then re-shielded, blasting Tali full on with a wave of plasma, bringing her temporarily down.
Shepard tore to the right, unleashing a biotic warp field, and fired a few more rounds into the Collector's middle section. It refocused, and unleashed a devastating blast, catching Shepard's left arm, burning right through her shields and part of the armor.
Shepard ducked behind a stack of tires, breathing heavily. She biotically charged, zipping over to the other side of the open area, re-shielding and gaining better cover and a more apt position to fire. Taking out her pistol this time, she fired away.
Tali, meanwhile rose, also firing, reloading, firing. The Collector paused, weakened from the attack. It's gaping mouth widened, and four husks dropped down from inside, one charging straight at Tali, the other three converging on Shepard.
Garrus took one down with the sniper fire, and resumes targeting the huge Collector. The one charging Tali caught her off guard, but soon went down. Shepard threw on of the husks into the air, rushing backwards, shooting it, until it fell lifelessly on the ground. The other husk grasped at her, it's corpse-like hand ripping at her throat. Shepard shoved the husk to the ground, and fired a few shots into its head.
Meanwhile the Collector had blasted Tali to the ground, where she lay motionless. Garrus jammed the huge enemy's shields, and between Shepard and Garrus, the two whittled away at the remaining health left in the jellyfish-like creature. Stepping out from behind another container, Shepard switched to her shotgun, and pummeled in with a few final rounds. The Collector gave a final shudder, collapsing to the ground, the light in it's eyes fading out.
It was over.
A loud, screeching noise drew Shepard's attention to the sky, while Garrus rushed over to where Tali lay, helping her up, and giving her some desperately needed aid. The tower-like Collector ship slowly ascended, departing the atmosphere of the colony.
A surge of urgency washed over Shepard, but she knew it was pointless to pursue that ship. Still, the sense of failure gnawed at her. If she had been quicker . . .
An angry voice tore through her thoughts. "You-you can't just let that ship leave! The entire colony is on that ship!" The mechanic Shepard, Tali and Garrus came across earlier, rushed over to her, his face twisted in shocked rage.
"What are you waiting for? Go after them!" he shouted right in her face.
"There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry. We did all we could for this colony. They'll be gone by the time my ship catches up to them," Shepard apologized.
"Alliance," the mechanic spat bitterly. "How did I know we couldn't trust them. There was a command unit here to protect us, and they did nothing," he shouted this last word.
"I'm not with the Alliance," Shepard snapped.
"Commander Alenko did nothing, no point in them being here." The mechanic shook his head, the anguish clear in his eyes, anguish Novinha Shepard knew too well. She swallowed hard.
"Alenko?" Shepard's thoughts rushed to Kaidan, a warm, happy feeling flooded her chest. "Did you just say Commander Alenko? Where is he?"
Garrus and Tali walked over to where Shepard and the mechanic stood.
"Shepard, we should return to the ship," Garrus said. "There's nothing more we can do here."
The mechanic scrutinized Shepard's face. "Shepard? Wait, I know you. You're the one who saved the Citadel two years back. I thought you were dead."
"Commander Shepard," A figure emerged from the shadows behind them, a familiar husky, melodic voice, gripping Shepard with a happiness she had not felt since waking up,
"N7 officer. First Human Spectre. Novinha Shepard, it really is you," Kaidan strode up to her, ignoring everyone else. He walked right up to her, his face inches from hers, taking that face he hadn't seen in two years in his hands. He kissed her softly, and embraced her for a long moment. Stepping back, he released her.
"I heard rumors, and wanted to believe they were true. Cerberus. They revived you?"
"Yes, Kaidan. They have. We're working to figure out what's happening with the human colonies. The Collectors-"
"Wait, Novinha," Kaidan held up his hands, "you're working with Cerberus?"
"Yes, I am. We're trying to uncover the reason why the Collectors are targeting humanity-"
"You can do that with the Alliance. Why are you, of all people, working with them?" Kaidan stepped back, in angry disbelief. He had never given Shepard that look before.
Shepard swallowed, not knowing what to say, or how to explain this unlikely partnership.
"I didn't really have a choice. The Alliance, the Council would work too slowly if I worked with them to find out what's happening. Cerberus is able to work behind the scenes. With them I'm able to do this as quickly as possible."
"I know the Council didn't listen to you about Saren, but things are different now, they would listen to you. You would be able to do this work the right way. How could you work with that hate group, after what they did to your unit on Akuze? After what they did to Admiral Kahoku? You, of all people, Shepard, should know better," he hadn't called her Shepard in a long time. Reverting back to calling her by her last name stung. His angry expression stung. She knew Kaidan could be very stubborn. It was something she admired very much about him, but now it placed a wall ten thousand feet high between them.
Shepard was resigned, "What's done is done. I can't work for the Council at this point. We're too close to closing in on this."
"I can't believe this," he muttered, backing away further. "I thought I knew you. I'm Alliance through and through, and I thought you were, too. Guess I was wrong."
Tears stung Shepard's eyes, "Humanity needs this. I'm not going to trade our survival in for a set of principles that would get us nowhere."
"See you Shepard. Take care of yourself," Kaidan's eyes briefly softened, revealing how much he missed her, but quickly resumed it's steeliness. He walked away. Novinha Shepard stared at his retreating back, feeling betrayed.
"Shepard," Tali said softly, "Let's go." The Quarian placed a comforting hand on Shepard's shoulder, the three walked back to the ship. There was nothing Novinha could do about it now, but if she returned from the Omega-4 relay, TIM would have it, right before Kaidan would.