Second chapter
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On with the chapter
I'm falling, flailing around in nothingness. I can see but my eyes are closed? Well this is disconcerting to say the least, the second time I've been rushing downward in a black chasm. I can actually make out something beneath me! marble like, black, flat, shiny, rushing towards me at high speed. wait what! oh Christ! I slam into at breakneck speed... I expected that to hurt more? In actual fact I can feel nothing, a sorta of strange numbness falls over me as I unsteadily manage to stand up.
In front of me their is some sort of rectangle. It's edge less, almost like a hole cut into the darkness, and I can see things beyond it! Some sort of interior, large windows looking into space, Alliance personnel walking by. Well it's a portal that much is obvious, I cautiously edge towards it, I tentatively touch it with my fingers. Then my whole hand, an arm. I guess it seems safe enough, or stable should I say. As lightly walk against it before fully passing through.
"Ah Lieutenant Campbell, sir" Some Official in Alliance blues turned towards me, data pad in hand. "All the necessary documents have already been forwarded for the transfer, Captain Anderson has given you full permission to come aboard."
"Um.. what?" I've obviously missed something somewhere. The hell? What station even is this, and where the did I just come from? I'm just freely warping reality now?
"Your transfer sir? You were recommended for the position of Second Lieutenant aboard the Normandy SR1." I just gave him a blank look, did I just jump through time? An Airlock opens behind me.
"Ah you must be Lieutenant Campbell, correct?" I turn to see Pressly approaching me. "Captain Anderson would have come to greet you personally but he is busy at present, a Council Spectre has just come aboard."
"Um.. Is this Arcturus?" Pressly stared for moment, confusion written on his face
"Well of course it is?" Wow lucky guess. "Where did you think it was?" He shook his head suddenly. "We haven't got time for this, your expected aboard immediately, we're to make our departure to Eden Prime in fifteen minutes."
"Uh right.." I just stared forward, processing everything. Well no use dilly dallying, got to be convincing. I stood to attention as best I could "Ready to come aboard sir!"
Pressly nodded to the ensign behind me before leading the way inside the airlock, we waited a few moments while we were decontaminated before walking on board. And there I was, on board the Normandy, My mind was blown a third time in one day. To think here I was, on the SSV Normandy SR1, It ain't no SR2 but it was damn fine all the same. I stared around in awe at the cockpit, the CIC, it was all there perfectly replicated from the computers to the ceiling panels.
I quickly regained composure as I realized Pressly was staring at me like I was a gawking idiot. "Well here it is, your gear is already on board in the cargo bay, you'll be able to find your sleeping pod in the crew quarters, it is marked with your surname and rank" He paused for a moment obviously in thought. "Um I think that's it." He picked up a data pad from his station by the Galaxy Map and tapped away for a few moments before turning back to me. "Welcome the Normandy Lieutenant, if you need to know where anything is just ask me" Oh I doubt I'll need to ask Pressly, I know this place like the back of my hand. "Oh and don't be too nervous at this new assignment, this ship is brand new so no one is an old hand aboard yet"
"Acknowledged, thank you sir" He nodded
"Commander Shepard will give you your duties, she is current XO on board. She's probably down in the mess." I nodded "Carry on lieutenant" I threw up a shoddy salute before walking by him, he turned back to his station, locking in coordinates or something.. Whatever it is Pressly does. I looked down at myself to realize I was in Mass Effect 3 style Alliance Blues, I had one black ranking bar on either shoulder and an Alliance insignia sewn on the front, I always did like these uniforms. I walked down the left hand side steps into the crew quarters, a couple of marines saluted me as I walked by. I turned the corner and stopped dead.
I saw before me for a second time Caroline Shepard! the feeling you get when you see her, the savior of the galaxy, first human spectre, destroyer of the collectors, in the flesh, not on a TV screen. It's indescribable, and she doesn't even know she is going to do any of this now.
I took in her appearance I noticed she'd cut her hair, it was now similar to Doctor Chakwas' style. She looked up from her data pad and whatever it was she was eating to see me, her eyes widened and a grin formed on her lips. I quickly snapped out of my daze as I realized I was staring and probably looked like some drooling perv.
"Oh if it isn't Sergeant Aaron Campbell" She said standing and walking towards me. "Oh my mistake it's lieutenant now" She said taking in my uniform. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, I heard you were on Torfan, hope you gave those slavers one from me" I stared blankly at her. "Oh sorry, I imagine that's a hard subject to talk about, a lot of good marines were lost that day." She smiled solemnly
"Anyway welcome aboard, I was damn glad when you name crossed my desk."
Should probably say something uh.. "Happy to see you again Commander" What was that? That was weak, you have to act like a total hard ass to Impress Shepard. To my surprise however her grin returned to her face. Then to my astonishment she enveloped me in a hug, not a bear hug like I had expected but a gentle more womanly hug.
"It's good to see you again Aaron" She said with a small genuine smile now. "We need to go out for drinks and catch up, like we did on Elysium after we kicked those Batarian bastards asses."
She released me and took a step back... Was she blushing? Nah probably my imagination. "Can you believe they're building a memorial, for us?" My eyes widened, I know they built a memorial for Shepard but I'm included as well? "We made the Alliance damn proud that day, you know my mum even mentioned you when she was congratulating me about it, saying I'd done the Shepard's proud." Hannah Shepard, the mother of Commander Shepard... Mentioned me? Am I famous? I need to remember, I've lost whole years!
She just seemed to stare off for moment, reminiscing. She snapped back to reality "Anyway you can just sit back for the next hour or so. You haven't got any duties yet until we reach Eden Prime, be ready though." She said her face taking a more serious look. "Anderson hasn't given me the full details but I know this is more than just a shake down run for Normandy, what with the Council Spectre on board." I just nodded.
"Before you do go however doctor Chakwas wants to see you, she wants to check your biotic implants, apparently you missed your last checkup or something along those lines" Right I'm a biotic aren't I, oh please don't be an L2, please don't be an L2. "You okay?" I turned back to her realizing my worry had shown on my face.
I made my expression more stoic. "Aye Aye ma'am"
"Dismissed Lieutenant" She said saluting, her grin returning to her face
I saluted back before swiveling on the spot and walking to the med bay behind me, goddammit Aaron learn to speak more! Your gonna make her think your a total pansy, well maybe you are but she doesn't know that. Wait no your not! You've been in combat against Aliens! Time to man up I thought as I walked into the med bay. Then I took in the huge array of surgical equipment. Needles, scalpels, even drills. Oh Christ!
"Ah you must be Lieutenant Campbell" Doctor Chakwas said looking up from her station, in that beautiful, soothing British accent, ah reminds me of home. I smiled slightly at that "Have a seat" She gestured to a chair by one of the beds
"Before I begin, is there anything you want to tell me now" She noticed my fidgeting as I glanced around the med bay.
"Umm not that I can think of Doc" I said eyeing the huge knife on a hydraulic arm next to me
"Oh relax lieutenant, I won't be cutting you open today." She said with a warm smile "I just need to scan your implants, if you would just sit still for a moment" She opened her omni tool and scanned me up and down. " Vitals seem are fine, no sight of rejection from the implants, yes your L3 seems it perfect order" L3, oh thank god for that! I let out a bated sigh.
"Thanks Doc, um would that be all?" I tried to use my eyes to will her into letting me leave. She just chuckled
"That will be all Lieutenant, your dismissed"
"Thank you ma'am" I gave a quick salute before walking out
I walked around to the eating area and sat down, Shepard had gone somewhere so it was just me. I checked to make sure I was alone before I said forward and put my head in my hands, trying to focus. I was on Torfan? I'm a Lieutenant? Somewhere along the way I have lost a lot of memories... That or I just bypassed time entirely. Either way for some reason I'm only being placed in times where it's relevant. I was on Elysium where Shepard first makes a name for herself as a soldier, that is an important time in her career and now I have jumped forward to the first Mission of Mass Effect. But people obviously remember things I don't, especially her. I must have these memories locked away somewhere.
I sat for a moment there tapping lightly against my temple, well no use thinking about it now, Soon we'll be at Eden Prime and I have to ready.
I'm going to be fighting Geth, but we'll pick up Ashley on the way so that's a plus, but this is where it begins.. With Saren, I thought that name with contempt. Suddenly I heard footsteps and I looked up to see Nihlus walking by, he glanced at me for a second as he passed before he disappeared around a corner.
My eyes widened on their own as he departed. Shit! Nihlus is going to die! Christ I forgot about that! That's my first order of business, to save Nihlus before Saren blows his brains out across the floor..,.. But how am I going to manage that, I can't attack Saren directly, he'll just whoop my ass before I have a chance to get a shot off. Damn it, I'll have to think of it as I go. Crikey this isn't gonna be easy, but I suppose it would be naive for me to expect as much. This is no casual mode.
This is it... This is where it truly begins.
Thank you for reading
as always. Next chapter is
going to be the beginning of Mass Effect
as we all love and remember it
so stay tuned for that and again
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