Author's Note
Wow, a Mass Effect story? This is actually the first time I'm actually doing something serious. Ok, I'll admit there will be some humor in it, but I swear to you my fellow readers, this story won't be fourth-wall breaking like my other stories. No parodies. No shenanigans. None of that. In fact, I'm actually going to focus this story more heavily than my other stories. Yes, this story will involve other people's original character, but it'll be quite different. I won't accept everyone's character that easily. This is meant to be one of more important projects I'll be working on here in the FFnet.
So why Mass Effect? Why not focus on the Pokémon story or the Yugioh one that I constantly delete and rewrite? It all started when I actually began to watch a random Mass Effect video on youtube. I kept hearing about Mass Effect during my highs school year, and ignored it mostly. I was thinking to myself it was going to be lame like Star Trek. I never taken that franchise seriously. I thought to myself back then that I wouldn't be one of those Star Wars nerds. I instantly labeled Mass Effect as another sci-fi motif bull crap. It took me two whole years to actually give it a shot. My friend, for Halloween, disguised herself as Tali. I didn't know at the time so when I typed up Tali on google. The first thing that popped out was "Tali Romance Mass Effect 2".
That was the day I became a Tali/Shepard fan. Before long I began to watch videos after videos of Mass Effect. Now many of you are wonder, why not just buy the game? I wish I did, but at the time I did not have a driver's licenses, and my parents were adamant of me to quit playing games. So I had to suffer the joys of missing out Mass Effect and watch everything on YouTube. It took me another two years to finally get the Trilogy package and a month to get my XBOX360 back from my friend (who, at the time, was using it to finish the Insanity Challenge). I'm still on the first Mass Effect, but make no mistake, I'm making it one of my goals to finish this arc of a story.
So, what will make my story different than the others? What will make my story pop out in the readers eyes? To be honest, that is for you to decide. I'm starting this story to satisfy my hunger for writing. This drill that's been drilling my head for quite sometimes. This inner voice telling me to "drop that controller and get on that laptop!" I'm actually worried about what everyone will think about this story. I'm worried about what other people will say about this story. I won't lie, I thought that my idea was stupid. That's when my English Professor's voice echoed in my mind.
"Nothing is ever stupid."
He said this when I made connections with a book that we were talking about. I was hesitant to raise my hand and tell him about the connections I made with the book. I thought that my opinion was something small. Something insignificant. Something out of context. I even used Sparknotes to find some back-to-back references to make sure that what I was about to say was not stupid. Instead, he flourished my idea. He made it something big. He made something so simple sound so important for the topic of discussion that we were having.
That's when this connected with the movie that Christopher Nolan wrote, Inception. That everything begins with an idea. The book 1984 began with the idea of what would happen if we lived in a dystopian society where totalitarianism reigned over us. Newton formulated his idea, the theory of gravity, when an apple hit him on the head. This idea to write a Mass Effect story was born when I opened up a New Game on the title screen.
If anything, I have to thank my English Professor for giving me the courage to become more confident to accept the ideas that formulate inside my head. I need to realize that sometimes my ideas will flop. They're not perfect, but nevertheless, still something that has potential to become great. I hope I can reflect that level of enthusiasm here on this story and beyond.
As Shepard slowly made way to the Power Conduit, he remembered a scene from a book. From his childhood, he didn't do much but read. Both his parents served in the Alliance military, and because of that his family were always moving from one station to another during most of his childhood life. There wasn't much to do at the time, and at his age most of the places were off-limits to him. Make no mistake, that did not deter him from becoming a Space Marine, but he wasn't the usual army brats. Instead his mother would bring him books after books to keep himself busy. His favorite, to this day, was Life of Pi.
Limping his way to the core the scene played on in his head. The scene was where Pi's father fed a live goat to a caged tiger to teach him and his brother, Ravi, about the danger posed by wild animals. However during that chapter, where the finale kicks in the zoo, Pi's father asked the crowd what are the most dangerous creature alive. It was a show. The curtain covered this so called "dangerous" creature, and everyone was screaming one animal after another. Finally the father pulled the curtain, and what was behind it? A mirror. A reflection. On top of that was a sign, "the most dangerous animal alive".
What was reflecting off the mirror were themselves.
Raising his modified Paladin up in the air, Shepard fired. Bang. Bang. Bang.
At the time. He didn't understand the message. How were we the most dangerous? How about the Krogan's and their war-like lifestyle? What of the Asari's and their awesome Biotic powers? What of the Turians and their militaristic and disciplined culture? Of course, he needed to remember that this book was written almost a hundred years ago. However the message quickly sunk in after he thought about it. Humanity, the definition itself, that's what makes us the most dangerous creatures of the planet. What makes us "human", human nature. The power of choice.
Shepard held the butt of the gun with his other hand as he continued to fire at the conduit. Flames burst from the wirings of the conduit, finger still pulling on the trigger. This is what makes humans so dangerous. He could have chosen to spare all Synthetic life, he could have chosen to move the Reapers away from the battlefield, he could have chosen to not do anything. Instead he chose to finish it all. This is what he chosen to do. He has chosen to crush all synthetic life form. He decided to make Legion's sacrifice in vain and shut down every single Geth. He decided to destroy EDI.
Shepard has chosen to save, to guard, to herd his sheep safely from the wolves; he has chosen to do so at the cost of his life. That was his decision and his alone.
As he continue to fire off round after rounds, images of those that were sacrificed began to flash in his head.
Jenkins...
Bang.
Kaidan...
Bang.
Mordin...
Bang.
Thane...
Bang.
Legion...
Bang.
Anderson...
Bang.
With one last shot, the conduit finally exploded. Sea of flames crashed down onto Shepard as he shielded himself from the blast. He first felt heat. An unbearable heat that consumed his whole body. Then pain. His nerve fibers shocked into his brain. Screaming at his sensory lobes that the pain he's experiencing is unbearable. Then he was enraptured. The flames seared his skin, yet it felt so good. It felt refreshing. It felt amazing. Then nothing. There was peace. There was nothing else to feel. There was...
...no. There was something else. An anchor that weighed down his mind, his soul, his heart. Something that lingered in his body. It's not regret. He felt it plenty of times. This was nothing close to remorse. No it was something else entirely. It was pulling him. Tugging him. Something latched onto him, and was dragging him away...
That's five...
From the Company That Created Dragon Age and Star Wars The Old Republic
From the Author that Created Shameless Amount of Incomplete Parodies
Joshua Y Chung Presents
A Fan-Based Story
Hounds of the Galaxies
"The Arcturus Prime relay is in range," Shepard could hear Joker's voice throughout the intercom as he briskly past by Dr. Chakwas with a nod. Cpl. Jenkins politely moved to the left as he respectfully greeted Shepard with his commanding title. "Initiating transmission sequence." That means Normandy would have pass Neptune by now. Quickly checking Navigator Pressly's screen proves to be the case; of course he did this while walking.
"Calculating mass transit and destination." meaning they're almost close to the Kuiper Belt and close to the Mass Relay. Better get to the cockpit soon, or else he might just miss out on the show. "The relay is hot, acquiring approach vector."
Shepard briskly made his way to the cockpit. Nobody on the ship was new; this ship was operated by veterans that we're with Anderson and the First Fleet before stationed onto the Normandy. Some say it was because of a "sorry" for the First Contact War, others say it's a joint project that both human and Turians worked on to show peace with one another; in the end, this ship was the latest to be operated by the Alliance. The SSV Normandy is operating on state-of-the-art technology.
The Turian's aren't the best military force for nothing.
"All station secure for transit."
When Shepard made it to the cockpit, he descried a turian standing behind both the pilot and Kaiden Alenko, who was sitting in the seat next to Jeff Moreau. "The board is green. Approach run has begun." Jeff announced through the intercom as Shepard looked out the cockpit's window and saw an image similar to a large tuning fork.
The Mass Relay.
Shepard, and the three other occupants in the room, watched as the Normandy approached the object while the Relay's axis turrets kept spinning at a counter-clockwise motion surrounding a bright blue glow in its core. It's not the first time Shepard had seen the Mass Relay, but no matter how many time he seen it, it always takes his breath away to see such a colossal device in front of him. This device, this thing has so much power, it allows them to travel to different part of the Milky Way, different part of the nebulas, different part of the galactic system.
And yet, the design looks so...simple.
"Buckle up ladies and gentleman. We're hitting the relay. In Three. Two. One." Suddenly a blue stream emulating from the Relay's core danced around the Normandy's hull. With a defining BOOM, the Normandy was nothing more than a blue streak across space and possibly time.
Jeff "the Joker" Moreau began compiling the numbers of their latest jump into space, as the turian standing behind him observed over his shoulders. The turian naturally made the human crewmembers nervous, especially when this turian was in all accounts a Spectre. Short for Special Tatics and Reconnaissance, are agents entrusted with unlimited authority by the Council. They're, in short term, judge jury and executioner; and by galactic law, they are allowed to do whatever it is necessary to protect galactic space from harm, even if it means to blow up a planet or two. The last thing anyone wants in front of their doorsteps is a Spectre; and a Turian Spectre on a human vessel is asking a fuse to be lit.
Shepard didn't get his name yet, but he saw the turian colonial face tattoo. It was white and covered mostly his face. For some reason it is customary for turians to place some ink on their faces to identify the ethnicity among their own species.
"Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emissions engaged. All systems online. Drift, under 1500 K." Joker breathed out with a grin. "1500 is good." the Spectre nodded, "Your captain will be pleased." with that, he turned around and escaped out of the cockpit. As soon as it was safe to speak, Jeff said quietly to Alenko, "I hate that guy."
Shepard bit his lips to refrain from laughing outloud.
"What's the problem?" Kaidan asked, almost regretting on what he was about to receive.
"1500 drift isn't good, it's amazing! It's like hitting a elcor between the eyes from orbit with a hanar; and trust me, trying to hit them eyes of the elcor is a pain in the ass." Joker made a disgusted sound at the back of his throat. "And I don't like the way he's been looking over all our shoulders non-stop, either. Something's up."
Alenko sat in the right-hand couch, with a half-dozen displays circling his hands. His concentration didn't waver from his work. "He gave you a compliment, so he has some nefarious agenda?"
"It wasn't a compliment," Joker protested. "It just doesn't feel right. Why is he here? This mission is boring. We're inside Alliance space, the ship passed all the ground tests with flying colors, and it's just a shakedown for the rest of the hardware. The absolute most exciting thing that could happen is we lose power or something and drift out here all of half a day before the Alliance scrambles a rescue."
A chuckle escaped from Shepard's lips while Luitenant Kaidan shook his head, "Unbelievable, I'm starting to wonder if that head of yours is big not because of the Space Academy but because of your ego."
"Hey! FYI, chicks digs the giant bobble head that's me." Joker joked. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."
"You're paranoid." Kaidan responded without a second pause.
"I was being rhetorical." Joker muttered under his breath.
"The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment." The pilot glanced over at Kaiden for a moment and snorts. "Investment, my ass. No offense Kaidan, but only an idiot believes that as the official story."
Joker swiveled in his chair. "What do you think, Commander? There's more to this mission, right?"
As much as Kaidan was trying to see the rational for having the Spectre on board, Shepard couldn't help but to agree with Joker on this one. They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs. If that was the case, then they would have just sent Nihlus alone and not a whole team.
"You're overreacting." Shepard began, "but Joker's got a point. Out of anyone they could have sent us, they sent a Spectre. They could have sent an engineer who helped on the project or someone else, but instead they send someone from their special forces. It's almost like there's something they know that we don't that needs extra firepower."
"Exactly," Joker said, "Meaning there is probably more going on here that what the Captain's letting on!"
"If there's something more going on here," Kaidan gazed at the beauty of the Arcturus Prime system, "then what are we doing here? I mean-"
"Joker, Status Report!" Anderson's voice came through the Comm, cutting their conversation short. "Just cleared the Mass Relay Captain," Joker professionally replied back, quickly getting back to work. "Stealth Systems engaged, everything looks good so far."
"Good." Anderson said, "Try to find a Comm Buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports sent to alliance Brass before we reach Eden Prime."
"Aye aye, Captain." Joker said, "Best brace yourself, sir. I think Nihilus is on his way down."
"...He's already here, Lieutenant." Anderson said with a lower toned voice. Kaiden's shoulder shook, and Shepard's mouth twitched to a small smirk while Joker just shook his head. "Sonuva..."
"Also, tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the Comm Room for a debriefing."
"Did you get that, Commander?" Jeff asked, as Shepard glanced down at Joker with a worried expression. "He sounds angry." Shepard began. "Something must have gone wrong with the mission."
Jeff immediately scoffed at the idea. "Captain always sound like that when he's talking to me."
Kaiden didn't bother holding his laughter any longer. "I can't possibly imagine why."
"Up yours."
Shepard was broken out of his train of thought as he passed the galaxy map and spotted two people standing near the door to the CIC chatting. "I'm telling you doc, you're gonna love it. It's absolutely beautiful, they call it Eden Prime for a reason," a man in work clothes and a combat vest, explained excitedly to a woman with silver hair and white medical suit. "I understand that you're excited to see your home Jenkins but we're only going to be there for only a week," Dr. Chakwas chortled with amusement.
"Oh I know, but a week on Eden Prime is a week that you're never going to forget. How come you've never been there before doc? You've traveled almost all systems of the galaxy during the First Contact War, and while you were hopping around the galaxy you never went there?"
"That's an over-exaggeration," She shook her head, "I only traveled in the Earth Alliance and some parts of the Inner Council Space. Besides Eden Prime is a relatively peaceful and prosperous place. I haven't gone there before because no one there needed my help."
"Oh. Yeah, when you put it like that I'm glad that you never went there...wait I didn't mean it like that-"
The woman laughed. "It's quite all right Jenkins, I know what you mean."
"Dr. Chakwas, Cpl. Jenkins," Shepard interjected politely, stopping in front of them and prompting both of them to turn and face him (Jenkins saluted).
"Captain, I didn't see you there," Chakwas said. "Hey Cap, is it really true that we've got a Spectre on board?" Jenkins asked.
"Yeah, he's going to come with us during the shakedown."
"Wow. They're really going all out aren't they? I know they don't really like us but...a Spectre? You think that we would be enough. What? Do they think that we're going to try and ambush them at the camp or something?"
"I don't know Jenkins, but everyone's worried about Eden Prime and that someone is going to try something, so just make sure that you're ready for anything. Weapons loaded and sharpened. Including that museum piece that you have there."
"Hey, this thing has saved my rear more times than I can remember," Jenkins said, grabbing the army trench knife at his side.
"That may be true but I just want you to remember that you've also got a gun and I'd prefer it if you stuck to it if you could."
"I'm not stupid enough to charge people with this. It's pretty much our equivalent of a combat knife. Last resort and CQC only. I have to admit I'm not that great with it but I at least know how to use it without killing myself."
"Well I'm glad you know what you're talking about," Shepard said, smiling slightly, "stay safe Jenkins. You may be a little green now but I know you have a lot of potential and one day you'll tap into it. I'm looking forward to that day."
"Really?" Jenkins said, sounding excited. "Wow I...thanks commander."
Shepard nodded at the young greenhorn. "The captain's waiting for me."
The comm room was state of the art design, as befit a ship intended to specialize in infiltration and reconnaissance. Aside from the obvious- high quality displays and audio, multiple channels and terminals- there were the tech that weren't known throughout the galaxy, encryptions so bleeding-edge half the protocol book still had editorial notes from the coders. The communications system on the Normandy could get a hook in a comm buoy half a system away, and deliver that signal straight back to Earth if necessary, on a beam so tight Shepard bet the whole ship against its interception.
When the commander walked in, Nihlus was using all that brilliant tech to screen a commercial tourist vid of Eden Prime.
"Planning a holiday?" Shepard asked dryly. "Ah, Commander." The spectre turned and clasped his hands- claws?- behind his back. He was wearing his hard suit, as he had the entire trip, despite the discomfort. "I was hoping to speak with you privately."
"Regarding?" He folded his arms and leaned back against the terminal rail.
"This world of yours, Eden Prime." the Turian gestured at the vid. "Lovely, isn't it?"
"Wouldn't know, never been there." He tilted his head. "What's this about?"
"Like every race, humanity is of limited resources. Yet you pour so many of yours into this jewel of a garden world, this colony, right on the border of Council space, with pirates, slavers, mercenaries, and worse just waiting to spill over from the Terminus the moment you let down your guard." His mandibles flared.
Shepard was no expert in turian body language, but he sensed displeasure. "What do you care? It's an Alliance territory."
"Your aptly-named Alliance is still young. Humanity is young. You're still used to thinking in terms of disparate nations, not as one people, of intertwined concerns." Nihlus paced before the holo stage. "This is why you don't have a good foothold on the galactic stage. And you have no idea of the true dangers the galaxy can present. None."
Shepard's eyes began to narrow in line at Nilhus. "Are you trying to scare me, Spectre?"
"Enough." Shepard drew himself to attention automatically as Anderson entered the room. "I think it's time we told the commander what's really going on."
"Indeed." Nihlus turned to him. "This is not a simple shakedown run, commander."
"Why am I not surprised?" Shepard muttered under his breath. He glanced at Anderson. "I assume there is a good reason I wasn't informed earlier, Sir."
"This came straight from the top. Strictly need-to-know. We couldn't chance an information leak." He paused. "Scientists on Eden Prime have unearthed a Prothean artifact. Our job is to go in, quick and quiet, and retrieve it for further study on the Citadel."
Shepard took a moment to absorb that. There wasn't a human alive who didn't appreciate the magnitude of how the Prothean archives on Mars changed the course of their race. Other than the relays, they'd found no other technological remnants in forty years. "Protheans? I thought they disappeared fifty thousand years ago. What are the odds the thing still even works?"
"Right now, it appears to be intact." Anderson was quite serious. "Shepard, this is big. What if this time it's not just ship technology, but something even more dangerous, like a weapons cache? We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands."
Shepard considered Nihlus' concerns in a new light. If Eden Prime was an old Prothean colony, it was uncomfortably close to Terminus territory. Suddenly, he was worried too. "Sir, why are we bringing it to the Citadel? This is a human colony, a human ship. Is it really a good idea to make this information so public?"
"We need to spread a little goodwill among the other races, and the sanctions for concealing Prothean technology are among the harshest in the galaxy." Anderson's expression was severe. Then he admitted, "And we'll need their help to crack its secrets. They have more expertise with this kind of scientific work."
"This goes beyond human concerns, Shepard, regardless of the need for secrecy. That's why we want to extract it with a stealth ship." Nihlus tossed Anderson a significant look that left him puzzled.
Anderson cleared his throat. "But this so-called beacon isn't the only reason Nihlus is here. He's come to observe you."
"I guess that explains why I've been bumping into him every time I turn around." Shepard fiddled with his thumbs behind his back. "Why?"
"We've been petitioning the Council for years now to inaugurate a human spectre. Nihlus has put your name forward. They've been watching you for some time."
"Nihlus put my name forward? Why would a turian care about a human presence in the spectres?" His surprise was obvious. Shepard didn't have a knee-jerk reaction of distrust for turians like Pressly. He knew they were just people, like anyone else, good, bad, and indifferent, but the hierarchy wasn't exactly a friend of the Alliance, either. Just like the Alliance still remembered the affront to their sovereignty, the turians recalled the staggering reparations they were ordered to pay when the asari brokered peace, for what in their eyes was simply enforcing galactic law.
"I don't care about species representation." Nihlus was frank. "I do care about the defense of the galaxy. People who possess the skills required of a spectre are rare in any species, and I suspect you may be among them. There's too much work to ignore any candidate. I care if you can do the job."
"He will observe your next several missions and forward his recommendation to the Council." Anderson made it sound like a done deal.
Shepard's mind was racing. This was the last thing he'd expected, and he found himself floundering a bit. "I assume this is good for the Alliance, sir?"
"Very." Anderson watched Shepard closely.
There were a dozen questions that immediately sprang to mind. Was it even possible to be both Alliance and a spectre? Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest? He signed up to defend humans, human space, against any and all threats, and moreover He liked being enlisted. At the same time, the offer was alluring, in the same way as ICT before he understood what that really meant. It was a chance to be recognized as one of the best of the best. Shepard was no more immune to that than the next soldier. And god knew he chaffed at the restrictions placed on him, sometimes.
In the end, it didn't matter. He'd ceded a portion of control of his life when he signed up, and a great deal more when he was promoted to N7. This was nothing new. Shepard saluted smartly. "I'll do my best, sir."
"Good." He sounded pleased. "We should be making our final approach soo-"
"Captain." Joker's voice filled the room. "I just received a transmission from the surface. I think you need to see this."
"Put it up on the screen."
What filled the room next was nothing less than hell.
Nihlus checked the last of his weaponry while Anderson explained the plan. "Nihlus will scout ahead and relay information back to your team, Shepard. Your mission is to assess the situation on the ground and extract the beacon."
"Survivors, sir?" Alenko asked from behind his right shoulder.
"Survivors are secondary to recovering this artifact. We can't allow it to fall into enemy hands."
Shepard saluted. "Understood, sir."
Joker dropped her squad away from the combat zone, so as not to draw unwanted attention. Back here it was hard to remember there was any fighting at all. The only sight for miles was rocky green pasture, dotted with large, jellyfish-like gas bag creatures. Even the gunfire was too distant to hear.
At least, until he turned around, and saw the devastation below the ridge where they stood, spreading out in waves towards the heart of the colony. The network of valleys looked like bloody scars running through the land. Smoke occulted much of the landscape, glowing faintly from the fires beneath as the fields burned, the whole agrarian economy of Eden Prime disappearing before her eyes beneath an ochre sky. A stiff breeze blew the ash up into her lungs, choking her.
"Ship perimeter secure." Alenko called, turning as Shepard coughed out the smoke. The luitenant's eyes went wide, and he breathed, almost to himself, "What happened here?"
Shepard gave himself a little shake to stop staring and deliberately turned his back on the scene. "We've got a hike ahead of us. Move out."
Jenkins was still looking blankly out over the destruction. Shepard touched Jenkins' shoulder briefly, grounding the corporal, and he turned away from the vista with a look of determination. Shepard recalled belatedly that Eden Prime was Jenkins' home world, but perhaps it was for the best. Nobody would fight harder for it.
She pressed the com link buried in his ear. "Nihlus. We're in."
"Good." The line crackled with static. "I'll scout ahead and meet you at the dig site."
"Roger that. Shepard out."
Eden Prime for all its stature only had one colonial site. Various missions and corporations had scouted locations for additional settlements, but so far no money had come through. Instead, the primary settlement sprawled, after thirty years covering tens of thousands of acres, counting the farmland. That centralization made the colony only more vulnerable. Shepard still could not imagine who would have the audacity to wage an attack on this scale with no warning whatsoever. His thoughts naturally ran to the batarians, but this had none of the hallmarks of their style of combat. The invading ship from the vid message, if that was what it was, was certainly not of the Hegemony.
They'd been walking for fifteen minutes when he heard the first shots and signaled a stop to their advance. Peering around an outcrop, Shepard couldn't make out the enemy, but signaled they should proceed with caution. The three of them picked their way down into the valley from cover to cover, tensed, weapons drawn, and Shepard could tell already that Jenkins was struggling a bit. His movements were sloppy, and his crouches left the top of his head exposed. Typical kid stuff. These guys came out of basic without ever having experienced real fighting, or real fear, and they just didn't watch themselves like they should.
Shepard's attention was torn between scouting ahead with his eyes and constructing the ear-stinging lecture Jenkins badly needed once the immediate danger was past. His nose twitched at another gust of smoke hit them. Shepard knew he'd heard gunfire. But where the hell was the shooter?
Then a flash of metal caught her eye, and before she could do more than open his mouth, Jenkins shuffled out of cover and was halfway to his new location before he was -
In a flash, an orange like tech shot out from the south as it quickly flew past Jenkins' and the field around them. Shepard watched dumbly as the brightly colored projectile struck the Recon Drone with full force. Sending it crashing onto the second drone before combusting into flames. The third still tried to hail down Jenkins, but Shepard threw his gun over the top of the nearest boulder, braced it against the stone, peered down the sight, and pulled the trigger in one fluid motion. Over the years he'd learned to all but do surgery with his assault rifle, and it paid off. By the time the turret and its companion fell, Jenkins was on the ground breathing heavily.
Eyes dialating, the corporal slowly turned his head to his commanding officer, visibly shaken. Shepard took a deep breath, and blew it back out- before quickly turning around. Assault rifle aimed in the trees. Peering through his scope, Shepard shot a warning fire in the woods. Alenko shot a glance at his commander. They weren't alone.
After a moment, Kaidan was able to speak, "Commander, we need to finish the mission."
Shepard slightly lowered his gun to squat beside the corporal, his face invisible to her at this angle. He touched his shoulder lightly. "You alright Jenkins?"
"I-I thought I was a goner at that second..."
"I know it's a lot to take in," Shepard began, "But you have to get up, like Lt. Alenko said, we need to keep going."
"I-" He glanced again at the fallen Recon Drones that laid in front of him, jaw clenched, then back at Shepard. "Right. Yes, sir."
Shepard watched him a few seconds more, to be sure he'd hold together, but if anything he seemed more resolute. That was good. It was the only way grief, or regret, served any purpose on a battlefield. They picked up their gear and set off again towards the colony, leaving behind whatever was behind them...
If Shepard would have stayed for another few seconds, he would have seen something suddenly shimmer into existence. The figure was definitely male, from his armor and build. His face masked with dark ballistic-mesh fabric with ceramic plating. Green optic glared through the shadows of the wood as the figure stared at the squad of trio. Grey colored plating which complements his surroundings, the Armax Arsenal logo faded with grey, as the figure manually extracted the termal clip from his sniper rifle before chambering a new one. Gazing through the scope, he observed Jenkins...
The figure finally lowered his sniper rifle before moving towards his omni tool. The back of his left hand illuminating "II" as he activated his Tactical Cloak. A second later, he shimmered away. Invisible to the naked eye, the cloaked figure followed the three behind.
Author's Note:
I think my first Mass Effect Story is doing alright so far. Now for those who are interested in sending their OC, review me or PM me about your interest, I'll PM you the skeleton. I hope I can make a trilogy out of this, and I hope I can make it as original as it can get. So fingers crossed.
Wish me luck.