Hi again everyone, so hopefully with that last chapter I was able to reveal enough about my Shepard to give you all a place to jump off of. So this is going to be an Inodctrination theory story. I'm going to attempt to bring back the themes of the original Mass Effect with this "ending." Fans of Soverign may recognize a lot of the ideas he presented on Virmire are given the proper treatment. Oh and a very special character will be making an appearance. Okie everyone lets what happens once Shepard wakes up.

"Wake up Shepard, wake up!"

He took a single breath, breathing in the dust and ash, and smoke in the desolated Earth's atmosphere. He was alive. Shepard opened his eyes slowly, taking in the sights around him. He was lying in a pile of dirt and stone. Remnants of the laser blast Harbinger had hit him with. It was a miracle Shepard was still alive considering that Reaper lasers can blow a hole clean through a ship. Shepard looked down at his chest, his armor cracked and bloody, yet he was still alive. He had beaten Indoctrination, he hadn't succumbed. He attempted to slowly move, using one limb at a time. First he moved his left arm, and then he moved to his right. Okay, good, I can still move my arms. Shepard then looked down to his legs. They were slightly covered in stone. He first attempted to slide the right leg out. Inching his leg out of the rocks, Shepard was surprised to find full movement. With one leg free he then slid the other one out, just as slowly as the first. Okay, where am I? Looking around all he could see was dust and smoke. His ears still ringing with sound of Harbingers laser he realized he was right near the lift into the Citadel.

As Shepard stood up his hearing started to return to him. He could hear gunfire ringing out, mixed with the shouting of man against the screeching of husks. He could hear ships flying and the sound of the Reapers lasers firing. Surveying the battlefield he concluded that Harbinger had knocked him back about 400 feet. He was flung into a large pile right near the lift. Walking slowly he could see the surviving members of Hammer attempting to retreat. I have to get to them; we can't give up on the crucible. On three I make a sprint for it. One…Two…Three!

Shepard began sprinting towards the survivors. The pain in his leg was excruciating, any second they felt like they would give in. He wanted to, just to fall down and die. Yet he couldn't, he had come so far, he was so close, he had to end it. The Reapers could not, will not win. Come on come on come on come on come on come on. Come on Johnny you can do it, you can do it.

Nearing the survivors he saw a laser whizzing over his head, hitting what looked to be an evac shuttle, causing it to careen into a nearby building. Shepard kept on moving finally catching up to one of the remaining soldiers. The soldier looked at Shepard in shock .

"Commander Shepard? You're still alive?" The soldier said incredulously.

"What?"

"Sir, we all saw you get hit by that laser about twenty minutes ago!"

Okay, so I've been out for twenty minutes, that's not too bad.

"Where is Admiral Anderson?" "He's up in the Citadel sir. When that Reaper was firing at you, the admiral saw a window of opportunity. He saw that the reaper was distracted and managed to get a small squad of six or seven into the lift."

"He got in. That's great! We have to get up there next!"

"How sir? We're pinned down."

"Do you have a radio?" Shepard asked, an idea starting to form in his head.

"Uh yes sir, right here." The soldier handed Shepard his radio. Shepard started tuning the frequency.

"Hello, hello SSV-Normandy, this is Commander Shepard, do you read me, I repeat this is Shepard do you read me?" There was silence for a moment before Jokers voice broke through.

"Commander is that really you?"

"Yes Joker it's me."

"We'd heard that you had been hit and we all feared the worst."

"I'm fine but we need evac now!"

"Okay I'll be there in five."

Shepard turned to the soldier "Alright, we have a ride coming we just need to hold out. How many men do we have?"

The young soldier looked around for a few seconds. "About five of us sir."

"Okay, I need a gun."

"Take my assault rifle sir, I'm better with a sniper rifle anyway."

Shepard took the assault rifle and a few thermal clips the soldier could provide, cocking the weapon into firing mode.

"By the way, what's your name soldier?"

"Corporal Tyler Jenkins, sir."

As Shepard and Jenkins were talking husks began to close in on the group. Shepard and Jenkins popped out of cover, sinking rounds into the faces of the approaching husks. The other soldiers spotted out a group of Marauders setting up flanking points around them. Shepard scanned the filed around them. Noticing strategic weak points he quickly started improvising a plan.

"Does anyone have a grenade?" Shepard called out to the men.

"I do!" "Me too!" "I have three!"

"Fantastic, bring them all here!"

The men handed Shepard all of the grenades that they had on them.

"Ok, now I need a working helmet, someone give me a working helmet!"

"I'll give you mine sir!" One of the soldiers walked up to Shepard, handing him his helmet.

Jenkins walked up to Shepard curiously. "Sir what are you doing?"

Shepard began to break open the helmet, pulling out then reattaching wires, as he explained his plan to Jenkins. "All of these helmets have a radio inside of them. These radios operate on wavelengths. If I could manipulate the wavelengths, I could convert this helmet into a makeshift detonator."

Jenkins began to piece together Shepard's plan at that moment.

"And then you'll manipulate the electric counter in the grenades to delay until given the wavelength, making them into remote control mines!"

"You go it! Now who has an omni-tool?"

Jenkins handed Shepard his omni-tool. "Take mine sir, it's a Polaris VII so it should have enough range."

"Great!"

Shepard attached the omni-tool, activating it and waving it over the grenades. Hacking into their systems he reversed the neutron flow, allowing the grenades to accept the helmet detonation signal. Shepard then took each grenade and carefully tossed them around the little bunker they were all huddled in, effectively creating an explosive perimeter.

"Alright men, take positions around the bunker, try to cover as many sides as possible. We have to hold them off until the Normandy gets her."

All in unison the soldiers replied "Yes Sir!"

The marauders began to attack in unison, covering all possible flanking angles. The soldiers were selective with their shooting waiting until they were able to draw them in, focusing on the gaps in their chest armor. Jenkins began to get worried.

"Commander they're closing in fast, shouldn't you detonate?"

"Not yet, they need to be closer."

The marauders continued to close in, their shields giving them enough protection form the soldiers.

"Commander, I really thin…"

Before the soldier who had given Shepard his helmet was able to finish his sentence he was shot in the head. One of the marauders had gotten off a clean shot on him. His body slumped to the ground, his face completely caved in from the velocity of the shot. Another face for Shepard to remember.

I'm so sorry friend, I really am.

At that moment Shepard decided the Marauders were close enough. He clicked the little radio switch inside the helmet, activating the grenades. They all exploded in unison producing a brief wall of fire that completely enveloped the Marauders. Shepard and the soldiers and took cover under the rubble that they had been using. Shepard could feel the heat above his head. After a few nervous seconds he looked back up. The marauders had been completely disintegrated, but in the distance he could see an even bigger problem, two brutes were making their way towards the bunker. Shepard looked around.

If I could get the men up that hill we could hold out until the Normandy gets here.

"Men we have to get up that hill and into those buildings. We should be able to hold off those brutes until the Normandy gets here."

"Yes Sir!"

"And….move!"

Shepard led the charge up the hill with Jenkins and the rest right behind him. As they were running gunfire started whizzing past from behind. Great, more marauders.

Dodging the enemy fire Shepard and the men were almost to the building when flaming mortar went sailing over their head, striking the building they were running to. The side of the building exploded knocking the men on their feet. Shepard was the first to get up.

"Come on soldiers we have to keep moving!"

Jenkins stood up almost immediately with the rest of the squad following. Shepard led them past the ruined building towards a small row of little shops and cafes. They were all running in a single line in order to reduce the size of the target.

"Move, move, move!" Shepard yelled out, hopping that they had put enough space between them and the brutes in order to regroup and make a plan. As they moved closer to the building a sinister scream rang out. Suddenly a banshee teleported right behind the soldier closest to the back, grabbing him by the throat. Shepard turned around quickly, firing rounds into the banshees chest.

"Let him go!" Shepard screamed, firing wildly at the banshee. The banshee unleashed its signature screech at them men before teleporting away, soldier still in its grip. Shepard stood stunned, knowing he had failed another person. But he had to continue, he had to get to those buildings.

"Keep moving men, if we can get to the roof, we have a better shot of being seen by the Normandy."

Shepard forced open the door leading to the small café, each man filing in one at a time. They checked each room until eventually finding a stair case.

"Alright, let's go up…"

Shepard was interrupted by a shrill screeching noise. The banshee was back. Shepard's heart started pounding in his chest. Shit…damn it where is Joker?

"Okay, everyone up the stairs quickly. Jenkins take point." Shepard then threw Jenkins the assault rifle, Jenkins returned the favor giving him a pistol. Shepard loaded up the pistol with a fresh thermal clip and took position behind Jenkins. The soldiers started making their way up the stairs when another shriek rang out. Shepard stopped moving for a moment, looking around trying to see if the banshee was in sight. This isn't good; Joker needs to get here soon. It has to have been fiv… Jenkins interrupted his thoughts.

"That screaming is getting closer."

"I know."

The men arrived at the top of the building, only a door separating them from the roof. Thankfully it was still functional and opened when prompted. They walked out onto the roof, Shepard looking around to see if there was any usable cover. Seeing minimal coverage, he decided that he would have to arrange the men in a suppressing formation in case the banshee confronted them on the roof. Shepard arranged the two with shotguns up front, Jenkins with an assault rifle about eight feet behind him, and Shepard to the far back using a sniper rifle.

"Hold this position" Shepard said, attempting to keep the men focused. He could hear them breathing heavily. They were all nervous and he didn't blame them. Finally the banshee appeared breaking down the door that led inside. It started screaming, slowly walking towards the squad.

"Open fire!"

The squad started firing in unison on the Banshee. Despite the damage it was taking, the banshee continued closer and closer to the front line.

"Move back!" the front line slowly moved back continually firing at the banshee. The banshee started warping forward, gaining ground quickly until it was directly in front of the front line. The banshee grabbed another one of the marines, impaling him on its hands, instantly killing it. Another that Shepard had failed. The banshee looked at Shepard next, hissing at him. Fine, you want me next? Bring it.

The banshee started walking towards Shepard, hissing and screeching. As it got closer to Shepard it began to generate a biotic projectile in its hand. It fired it at Shepard, almost hitting him if not for his last second combat role to the side.

As Shepard rolled out of the path of the banshees attack, he felt increasing pain in his legs and chest. Damn it Joker, I can't do this too much longer. The banshee warped quickly to Shepard grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up in the air, preparing to impale him to with its hand. As it was about to strike, Jenkins ran up behind it wielding a shot gun blasting the banshee in the back of the head, stunning the monster and giving Shepard enough time to shake free. The banshee then turned towards Shepard again generating another projectile before a loud gunshot rang out, and the banshees head violently rocked to the side.

The Normandy came flying in triumphantly, arriving just in time to save him. Shepard could see Garrus and his sniper standing on the loading ramp. Great, now I'll never hear the end of this.

"Well hello Shepard, it looks like you could use some help" Garrus called out to Shepard with what had to be as a close to a shit eating grin as a Turian could manage.

"Yeah, yeah Garrus I know, you saved my ass again, how heroic." Shepard replied.

"Why I'm just doing my job."

The Normandy floated only a few feet from the edge of the building. Shepard started walking towards it, with Jenkins close behind. He looked around for the other marine before finding him slumped on the ground missing part of his chest. The residual energy from when the banshee warped next to him must have done this. I'm so sorry. That was it, Jenkins and he were the only survivors from HAMMER.

"Jenkins, come on."

Jenkins nodded as he followed Shepard onto the Normandy. Shepard was back home.

Hey guys I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tried to make it more action packed than the last one. Also I wanted to show that Shepard was quick on his feet and could improvise, as he did with the grenades. Anyway the story is gonna really start picking up soon and we should be on the Citadel within a few chapters. I would really appreciate feedback on how the story is going, and reviews are always welcome. Thanks everyone and have a great day.