Author's Note: (IMPORTANT READ) Here's Chapter 4! I hope I can get this published today, I'm sorry to make you all wait. Give this a read, after this point, we will move from Mass Effect 2 to a period between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 to give Isaac a time to bond (Even though I will be doing the Citadel DLC in the Mass Effect 3 part) with the squad members who have not been included yet. If any of you would like to request a character for Isaac to spend at least a few pages or maybe even an entire chapter with, put it down in the comments. Who and for how long, also why. If you guys have some kind of scene or scenario you'd like to see happen, just request it and I'll see if I can slip it in. enjoy this chapter!
Isaac gasped suddenly, everything was dark at first but as his eyes adjusted, the scene before him was revealed. He was behind some kind of glass capsule, it looked like the Ishimura but larger. He started hitting the capsule, feeling weaker than her normally would, "GET ME THE FUCK OUT!" He started screaming, hitting his fists against the glass, "OUT! OUT! OUT!" HE shouted as loud as he could. He had never acted like one of those crazed survivors before, but this was different. He wasn't going to have a repeat of the past. Not again.
He started smashing his fists now, eventually the glass started cracking. He leaned back and began kicking too, and eventually the whole thing shattered, and he fell through. He coughed for a bit, the fall having been hard on him as he was still weak. He picked himself up and looked around. More capsules, all over the place. On the walls, the ceiling. Everywhere. The necromorphs were storing them now? Who knew how many humans were put in all these. Shepard had told—Shepard? Who's Shepard?
Isaac walked aimlessly, trying to find his way out. Besides the strange echoes and sounds that were around him, he could only hear his heavy breathing behind his helmet. There had to be a way, some kind of ship, or escape pod. He wasn't going to be trapped in a place like this again, he'd always found his way out and escaped but this place was massive. Where the hell was he going to go?
He grunted and groaned, falling to his knees as the strange sound of static started up. He held his head in pain, hearing soft whispers and voices talking to him. "There's a ledge! Jump, jump off! Jump now! No, no don't! Don't do it…" A voice said in his head.
"Stupid. You're so stupid. Found yourself trapped here again. Stupid… so stupid."
"Stupid."
"idiot! You've gotten us all killed!"
"Kill yourself before they do it."
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, so, so, stupid."
"You're so stupid."
"Stupid."
"Idiotic!"
"Fucking idiot!"
"Stupid."
"ISAAC!"
He gasped suddenly, the voices disappearing. He looked all around himself. No one was there? Was he going crazy again? No, no, the dementia was gone… Or at least he thought it was. What is it now? Paranoia? Anxiety? What could be his issue now?
Growls again, coming closer. They were almost here…
Isaac looked around, no weapons anywhere, what was he supposed to do? He noticed his utility belts were still strapped on to his suit. It had a heavy buckle made of metal. Hmm… There's a spot to hide, he thought.
The enemies came closer, those wretched disgusting necromorphs were here now. Isaac jumped out, slamming the buckle against ones head, smashing it in. screaming and shouting as he swung it around and bashed their heads in, they still quivered and crawled, trying to get back up and fight. He lifted his heavy boot and stomped their bodies, their heads, turning them into mush. Shouting, screaming as he did it, slaughtering the monsters.
He panted when he was sure they were all dead, he quickly left the scene, continuing his search for a way off.
He just walked and walked unsure of wherever he was going. It had to be better than back there… it had to be.
(Character Change.)
"It's only been…" Shepard sighed, "A long, long time. Everyone's okay, but where the hell is Isaac?" He turned to look at his crew and the remaining survivors.
"We're not sure, Commander. We weren't conscious during that time." Chakwas held her sides and limped as she explained the situation to Shepard.
"How come he was awake then? How did he manage to escape? Obviously he smashed his way through. This doesn't make much sense." Shepard sighed again, "Come on, we've got a mission to do. But keep an eye out for Isaac, we're not leaving without him… I hope."
"You hope? That's not seriously an option, right? To leave him?" Tali walked up to him, looking up with a worried voice.
"We have a mission, Tali. Isaac could be anywhere on this giant ship, maybe even dead. He's my friend as much as yours, but there's more at stake here. I'm sure everyone here today knew what this was. Isaac certainly did. It was called a suicide mission for a reason, and he said he'd be a part of it." Shepard had a grim look on his face as he said all of this to her. It would be tough for him to leave Isaac behind if they couldn't find him.
"Garrus, get the crew back. Joker will swing around to pick you all up. Everyone else, let's move." Shepard commanded, then left.
(Character Change.)
"RAAAGH!" He grunted and shouted, lifting the heavy belt and smashing its buckle against more of those heads. He was entirely covered in blood, staining his engineering suit all over. He panted, taking apart the gun on the necromorphs (Author's Note: No, they aren't necromorphs, it's mentioned that way because that's how Isaac sees it, in case anybody got confused.) arm, and again with another, putting some of the pieces together to make a new weapon. It worked. A single shot power rifle. This could wipe out shields and deal massive damage in case he ran into more trouble.
He started walking again, forward, never left or right, just forward, forward, forward. He didn't know the way to anything, it was all so confusing. A gigantic maze with enemies at every turn. Dangerous enemies. Good thing he was able to fix himself a weapon, he might've soon become defenseless carrying around a belt buckle and his foot. But he managed to survive for this long.
There were… other sounds now. Not growls or other strange echoes… it sounded like, the fast beating of wings. Like flies, quickly buzzing around his ears but big enough to make a sound from a long ways away. It was coming from behind him. He turned and looked to see strange creatures, like humanoid bugs flying in his direction and landing behind a couple of barriers. Isaac dove behind one too, the firing of their assault rifles quickly raining upon his cover.
His heart was jumping, what were these things? Unitlogists trying to make themselves look even more like fucked up monsters created by the Markers? Isaac slowly started raising his gun up over the cover, and fired, three loud explosions were heard, but the firing of the weapons of the enemies were still there.
He held his breath for a moment, rolling off to the side, time seemed to move in slow motion as his eyes quickly scanned around, trying to see who was where. Most of them out of cover, as they outnumbered him. Without any hesitation, Isaac shot his rifle at them, one explosion taking two out, their bodies splattered into bones and bits of flesh everywhere. Second explosion took three, having the same effect as the others, third explosion took care of the rest, also turning them into a pile of mush. After those explosions it became surprisingly quiet. Their blood and bits scattered the floor. "Holy shit," Isaac got up and put the weapon on one of the latches on his back. Only one rifle remained from all that, barely in a condition to work, but it could still shoot. He picked up a couple thermal clips, and pressed onward.
Not too long after, he heard more buzzing. They were coming back, and it sounded like tons of them. Isaac started running, making way for a clear place that had all sorts of cover he could use. He stood behind one, and the enemies dropped down by the tens. Ten there, ten more to the left, ten others in the back and twenty more waiting behind. They pinned him to where he stood, their guns firing at the only side he could lean out of. Isaac moved over to the other side, pulling the power rifle out, and quickly leaning out of the opposite end, shooting it into a big group of them.
Their bodies flew up and scattered as the impact of the gun blasted them away or reduced them to piles of flesh. He shot one more time before they finally took notice, and started shooting both ends. What was he going to do now? In a few minutes, they'd probably storm this section and shoot his whole body into pieces.
Maybe he could confuse them? He looked over on one end, this was a risky thing to do. He took a few steps back, then started charging one end, jumped high enough to be just above the gunfire and set stasis on himself.
They stopped firing, watching Isaac slowly move in the air. What's going on here? They stood around, waiting for him to come down or float up and up and up until he reached the top only to die in the end.
Slowly, very slowly, the barrel of the gun was being aimed toward them. And even more slowly, Isaac's finger started pulling the trigger. It was quiet, and they decided they'd keep shooting, taking aim, a couple bullets from a few uncertain enemies hit him in his leg, shoulder and rib, but he completely pulled the trigger, and three explosions, wiping them out. Stasis ran out, Isaac hurdling to the ground, as he landed with a loud thud, he pressed the trigger again, wiping even more out.
"Assuming control."
Isaac coughed and got on his fours, his hand clutching his rib where he'd gotten shot, "Fucking stupid idea…" It worked perfectly, but it caused him to be injured. He looked over at one last enemy. Glowing with yellow marks everywhere. Walking toward him, he gasped, not another regenerator right? He stood up, weakly aiming his rifle with one arm, but a yellow orb quickly was shot in his direction, blowing him back about thirty feet. He shouted and grunted as he fell, landing harshly on the solid ground beneath him. He coughed and moaned in pain. He started standing again, put could only get on his knees, aiming the gun. The monster was already close enough to him, kicking the gun back behind Isaac, and grabbing him by his throat, choking him. it tore off his helmet, seeing his face.
"You are not Shepard." It said, its intense eyes staring into him.
Shepard?
"Part of his crew? You escaped your pod. You've caused a lot of trouble." It threw him backward, his gun hitting his pained shoulder.
Isaac gasped and rolled over, grabbing his gun.
"Stop trying. You're already dead." Its dark voice got closer and closer.
Isaac took the barrel off, and pressed a couple of buttons, messed with a few wires, and out where the barrel should be, a blue light emitted. It looked like the plasma from his plasma cutter, but in a shape, like some kind of energy sword. Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and pulled up, "NO!" He yelled, swinging the 'sword' back.
Isaac opened his eyes. it sounded like a battlefield. He coughed and suddenly his whole body jolted and he started screaming, it was painful! It was extremely painful! he gasped and looked at where his left arm should be. WHERE IS IT?!
"Give him Med-Gel!" Tali leaned over him, "I'm completely out, hurry! He won't make it with the pain!"
Thane ran over, crouching near Isaac and applying medi-gel to his wound.
Isaac's right arm gripped where his left should be, "What the fuck happened to my arm!?" His heart was pumping fast, it felt like it was about to jump out of his chest. Finally everything came back to him, getting abducted, his friends, the mission. But did that even matter anymore? His arm was missing!
He was breathing unevenly and heavy, the pain was gone but he just looked, the whole thing, gone. Just blood and a half broken bone. He leaned over on his side and gagged, throwing up. He'd seen people mutilated, torn apart and cut up into bits, but for it to happen to him? it made him sick for some reason, to see himself this way. The pain amplified the nauseating feeling as well.
"What the fuck is happening?" His voice was breaking as he panted, sweating. It felt so hot here…
"We're holding off the Collectors to save Shepard some time to destroy this place!" She explained to him.
"So we are all just going to die?" Isaac grabbed her arm with the only one he had left.
She looked down at him, but resumed fighting, "Thane, take care of him! I have to concentrate on this right now!"
It wasn't long before Isaac simply just passed out. He couldn't feel the pain, but it still caused him to knock out. He had been through shit only to wake up with his arm missing. he had been stabbed, shot, beat up, and injured severely. But he lost an entire limb. The thought was actually kind of funny to him. he spent so long shooting limbs off, only to lose one himself.
"Isaac." He heard someone calling his name again. Why? How come everytime he passed out he heard that familiar voice calling his name repeatedly?
"Isaac. Can you see me?" This time it was more than his name. what did that mean?
"ISAAC!"
He woke with a start. His eyes looked around the room. It was the Med-bay. He tried sitting up, extremely weak, "Oh, fuck…" He groaned, and grunted. But he noticed something different. He looked over at his left arm. He raised it, it made sounds of mechanical whirrs as it moved. Not just some robot hand, it was Geth. Why would they give him a Geth arm?
He heard other sounds coming from the AI Core. A bit of soft speaking as well. He got up, even weaker than before. He groaned and slowly walked over, opening up the door. He saw Tali and Legion. Legion was sitting down on the bench, his left arm, gone, and another took its place, but halfway built. Tali was building Legion a new arm.
"How?" Isaac asked in a loud voice.
They both noticed and looked over, "Isaac Clarke." Legion simply stated upon seeing him.
Tali stopped working on Legion's arm and walked over to Isaac excitedly, "Isaac! I'm glad you're awake, I was starting to get a bit worried…" Her voice trailed off in shyness, she cleared her throat, "You've been asleep a few days now, almost a week. We had a lot of time to give you a new arm. Instead of starting from scratch, Legion offered his." She looked back at the Geth unit.
"Why?" Isaac looked puzzled. Legion hadn't shown some kind of pity or generosity, right? He understood he was sentient, but to have emotions? It couldn't be.
Legion took a moment to reply to him, "There was a hole." It said.
Isaac smiled, that answer was good enough for him. What was that synthetic robot hiding from him?
"I appreciate it, Legion. But, how was this… I don't know, possible?" He asked Tali. He had to ask.
"Well, you aren't all human, that's for sure. Technically you're part synthetic, but only from that limb. Chakwas and a couple of other doctors, and me as an engineer, as well as Legion helped in configuring it to work for you. We managed to change it as best as we could to work as well as an actual arm. Feeling and all that." Tali explained to him.
"I have to say, thanks, guys. Uh, I'm guessing the mission went all right?" He asked, seemed kind of obvious.
"Success." Legion answered in the back, "Shepard-Commander destroyed the Collector base. The entire crew and Shepard-Commander's teammates were all brought back alive."
"That's great, I'm going to make my way up and uh, see Shepard." Isaac turned to walk away but suddenly stopped and looked back, "Hey, who saved my ass back there?" He asked, there had to be someone who saved him. They must've passed by his unconscious body or something.
"Samara went to investigate the explosion. She came back with you." Tali told him.
Isaac stood there for a moment, then nodded his head, "I'll make sure to thank her. And thanks again to you guys." He smiled, leaving the AI Core and back out. Some of the Normandy crew greeted him and were happy to see him still standing.
Isaac was up at Shepard's Cabin. He knocked on the door before coming inside, "Commander?" He called.
Shepard stepped up, greeting him at the door, "Isaac," He held his hand out, Isaac taking it and both giving a firm handshake. (Yes I meant Isaac, not Shepard. I know it's a common mistake I make.) "Nice to see you back on your feet."
"Thanks, Commander." Isaac gave him a friendly smile, "Heard the mission was a success. And my arm replacement." He held up his arm, having been Legion's at one point.
"Legion volunteered. You thanked him?"
"Yeah, I had to." He chuckled, "Gotta see Samara after this too, thank her for saving me back there. Tali told me she found me."
"Yes, she did. I think she'd appreciate a thank you from you."
"So, what're we going to do now, Commander?"
"What do you mean?"
"The mission's over. Is everyone just going to leave? Am I going to have to go?"
"I don't know.' Shepard sighed, "Maybe, we'll keep working for Cerberus or cut ties and do our own thing. I let the Illusive Man know it's up to me now. He wanted to talk to you after Miranda told him about our finding of you. I spoke on your behalf. You don't have to go, no one has to. We'll see what happens first."
"I understand. It's been an honor… No, it is an honor to serve under you, Commander." Isaac held his hand out one last time.
"Glad we found you out there, floating in space."
Isaac chuckled.
Shepard took his hand, and shook it firmly again.
Isaac went down to where Samara usually stayed, in the observation deck. (Author's Note: was it there?) he opened up the door, watching her meditate for a second. He cleared his throat.
"I know you are the, Isaac. I was aware of your presence when you woke up." She stood, turning and facing him, "I felt life come back to you. You weren't dead, but you certainly weren't alive. Not yet, but now, you are back. And I am happy to see you that way." She held her hands together and bowed lightly.
Isaac walked forward, hands in the pockets of his jacket, "I just wanted to thank you for finding me and saving me." He said.
"Well, I found you, I did that. But I did not bring you back, I did not give you my arm. I did not save your life."
"But it was your doing as well," Isaac walked up, directly in front of her, faces close, "It might as well be all of it, actually. You probably deserve about all the credit. Sure they used medicine and science to help me and bring me back, but if you hadn't found me none of that would have happened." He took her soft and gentle hand into his own, holding it, giving her a sincere look.
Samara was practically backing up, but something drew her to him. She couldn't help but stand still.
"Thank you." Isaac said finally.
Samara closed her eyes and gave him a small nod, opening her eyes again.
Isaac couldn't help but notice the beauty of her face, her eyes were just as beautiful as the rest of her. He'd seen plenty of asari, but no one like her. He started leaning in, lips barely apart from hers. But just before they touched, she pulled from him, and faced in a different direction.
"I'm sorry, Isaac Clarke. I can't do that. I cannot break my justicar code." She said simply.
Isaac stood there for a moment, before speaking, "No, it's okay. My mistake, Samara. I'm sorry." He felt embarrassed and stupid, walking out of the room.
Samara looked back and watched him go, a gentle sigh escaping her lips.
Isaac stopped by the elevator, "Fucking stupid," He muttered, then remembered Ellie. Samara was able to stop herself from breaking her justicar code. But he was weak enough to almost break his own vow to her? He practically already did when he almost kissed her. He was willing to do it, he wanted to do it… What was Ellie now then? He sighed, there was a lot to think of. Ellie gone, he gone from her world. They'd probably never see each other again. The only thing that vow would do is stop him from living anymore. Ellie wouldn't care, right? She'd understand if she knew. Maybe it was time to move on… For his own good. He hoped Ellie would do the same.
That vow could no longer exist. Isaac rushed back to Samara's room, "Samara." He called out to her, his voice loud.
She suddenly turned and looked at him, "Isaac, what—"
Isaac grabbed her by the side of her arms, pulled her forward and pressed his lips against hers. Samara accepted it. Both closing their eyes and holding each other. Isaac broke the kiss, and held her close, "We can't be together. I can accept it. But, let us just have this one moment?" He asked her.
"Yes, Isaac Clarke. Let us have this one moment together…" Samara leaned against him. they held each other for a while.
Isaac later exited her room. His vow was broken, and never to be mended. Samara freed him from this, of course it was his doing as well. But she helped. He wouldn't be with her, but if he ever fell in love with anybody, at least he'd be able to be with them, guilt-free. But in the back of his head, the broken vow will sit and linger. Gnawing at him every now and then as well as the thought of Ellie. But he had to forget it, and move on. He shook it off, going up the elevator and to his own room.
He didn't know what would happen beyond this point. With his friends, Shepard, The Normandy, his own future. But he'd stay here as long as he could. He liked this life. Sure as hell beat killing necromorphs all the time. Isaac smiled as he sat on his bed.
What will the future bring?
Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed this short chapter. Unfortunately, they can't be too long. they'll get longer, they will, especially when we drift off into Mass Effect 3's plot. This is promised and guaranteed! Also, remember to review, follow and favorite this! Share with fans of both game series' and PM for requests! That's an important bit! If you don't know what im talking about, look back up at my first Author's Note as the start of this chapter. Also, special shoutout to Sirpokesalot. He's going to become my new editor, most likely as of Chapter 5. So don't PM me about being an editor. The only PM's I want to receive are about requests (less you put it in the reviews.) and opinions, critiques etc. thanks, DerelictGeth out! Chapter 5 may be posted later, deep in the night so look out for it!
