Okay, I know I said that I would do missions in one go. Well I'm conscious of the fact that I'm not going to have much time to write much, half term just ended, and I'm back to doing my A-levels. I ended up having to do a two year course in one. So I have more than enough work to do, not to mention a three hour English exam just after Christmas.

I also like to note, I mention Hurricane Sandy, and I hope everyone affected is okay, I have a Friend lives in New York, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Now the RL stuff is done, please leave more reviews! I'm not the best writer, I read through and noticed a ton of simple spelling mistakes. If you read a chapter, just leave a review of your thougts :3 it makes me feel good :3

Oh! And if I leave something unexplained, if you ask about it, I'll try and answer it in the story itself, as I do with the first paragraph.

Thanks.

MacDii

\m/ (-_-)

The Twisting Dragon

"How come you're … taking your wound so great? I don't know how I'd feel if I lost my good looks …" That was Garrus … with a sense of foreboding that shows you have no idea. I hope Shepard romances him. He was my favourite male romance. And how cute was he with his awkwardness? And when Mordin says, 'Don't swallow any tissue', Pah, I was in stitches.

But to answer his question, I'm not entirely sure. You'd think I'd be … mildly distressed at losing my face. But I've simply accepted it. Like how Garrus takes it ME2, surprisingly well. For me, it's just another thing in this universe. Back home, this could have had easily have happened, but I'd most likely had died. I'm counting my blessings here. And this mask! I feel like a bad ass. And my prior, well, let's just say, he might look like me, but he's well shaven … off topic time.

"Have you ever been tickled so much you nearly fainted? That's much worse. I just think of the things that could make me feel worse and been tickled is the biggest one." I say with a grin. I run a hand over my mask. The doctor said I can remove it in a few weeks, and I probably will, my face feels … grimy. I hear Wrex chuckle behind. Good. I like Wrex. Too bad he wasn't a romance option … doesn't life make you wonder about the Krogan physiology.

"That's an … interesting look." Garrus is contemplating now, I hope my advice helps when ME2 comes around. If everything follows the story, then it should all be happy pickings.

But anyhow, we're currently docking at Feros, the … corporate world … that company … shit, I can't remember the name, with the mind control plant, the Thorian I think. I hated this mission on the game. Its long, with the side missions at the camp and the corporate tower, then back to camp, not/happily killing the survivors/zombies and then trudging in a giant circle full of zombies and Asari clones. Oh and the creepy plant. That looks like the Head of Bo in doctor who. Been a huge fan, that amused me.

On the ground team, it consists of me, Wrex, Garrus, Tali and Sheppard. A team of five is much more versatile than a three man. Many a time on the game, in all of them really, two men simply wasn't enough. I mean, let's say, Ash stands back with a sniper, and Kaiden to stand with you using powers, but if you were any class other than a soldier, you'd have problems, mainly with not having enough firepower, especially with Krogan Battlemasters.

"Logged; the Commanding Officer is ashore. XO Pressly has the deck." Normandy VI informed us, with her … blood curdling monotone voice. I'm glad EDI was added. She simply has more personality. This VI gives me the creeps.

"I have a bad feelings about this … Wrex, take point, Tali, stay with me, Mack, Garrus, keep us covered." Shepard gives her orders. Calm, precise. No room to misinterpret. The game doesn't capture her amazing leadership abilities like working with her does. I can understand why everyone would risk everything just following her into hell and back. A chorus of 'yes ma'am' comes from our team. A very mixed species team, may I add. Each of us moves in a particular way, Wrex, practically storming forwards, Tali and Shepard moving, almost creeping behind him, and Garrus, the professional, moving forward with a confident stride.

Of course, as in the game, the creepy guy, whose name I can't remember, been such an obscure character, who dies after this dialogue. I ready my rifle, as does Garrus, although he doesn't know about the Geth about to kill the poor fellow who already shows the indoctrination, with his blank expression. Creepy fucker.

"They're making another push. Please, up the stairs, past the freighter." The creepy guy says.

Exo-geni! That's what the corporation is called.

"Look out!" Tali can't say it quick enough. The poor man is blown to smithereens, covering Shep and Wrex in human gore. "Geth!"

Garrus and I act immediately, Garrus taking out the rocket trooper who pulverised the indoctrinated welcome committee, and I take down a sniper. Wrex and Shep take a moment to realise what happened, while Tali brings out Chitika van Paus. I take down the shields of a Geth trooper, and Wrex finishes him, the same happens for Garrus and Shep, while Chitika downs the shields and Tali round house kicks it in the torch. If that doesn't kill it, the shotgun round to the head does.

As Wrex finishes the last of them, Shep and Tali enter the first staircase. Two Geth Hoppers ambush them. Tali's shields deplete at she's hit by the first one. The second one aims at Shepard, but jumps away as Shep hits it first. I switch to my assault rifle as Garrus and I jog towards Shepard. Its not as fancy as my sniper rifle, but it's better than the standard issue Ash and Kaiden use.

Shepard's shields deplete as we get into cover, the first hopper jumps away before Wrex can get a shot off, whilst the second one lets off a sabotage on Shepard's gun. Garrus gets a hit on one of them but I miss with my burst. Christ these fuckers are fast.

A burst of assault rifle fire from both Garrus and I suppress one while Tali and Wrex take out the other one. A biotic attack from Wrex removes him from the wall, and a shotgun blast from Tali kills him. To my surprise, a concussive round from Shepard rips apart the last one, a Soldier Shepard. Cool. But I didn't think that was available until ME2 … not that I'm complaining. It was one the best powers in the game, minus throw. In my opinion.

As we turn the corner at the top of the stairwell, we see survivors aiming guns at us. Shepard salutes them and asks for directions to Fai Dan. As we walk through the camp … its more … desolate than the games can capture. The feeling of … I'm not sure how to put … everyone just seems … defeated. The giant freighter just … sits there …I know what's under it … I could tell them … we could lift the freighter up … everything would be fine… but simply explaining myself … not until I know. Not until I have some … idea of how this happened to me.

"Oh Commander! I'm glad they finally sent someone to help us!" Says Fai Dan as we approach him.

"You're a bit late, aren't you?" Comes from the ice queen next to him. I forgot about you. But I remember disliking you.

"Arcelia!" Snaps Fai Dan, he glares at her before turning back to the commander, "sorry Commander, everyone has been on edge since -"

Click Click

"Watch out!" Shout Arcelia, we draw out weapons and look at the tower behind Fai Dan and Arcelia, I spy a Geth sniper and a trooper, but I know there's more filling that tower.

I dive – literary dive, forward roll and all – getting a raised eyebrow from Shepard and an amused grunt from Wrex. Being the professional that I am, I smirk, and blind fire towards the tower entrance. My suppression allows Tali and Garrus to get into cover, and Shep joins me. Wrex tries to fire his shotgun but it jams and he says some Krogan curse that my translator doesn't translate.

As Garrus fires his sniper rifle, I pop out of cover and aim down my sights. About three Geth troopers are trying to aim at us, without avail, the rocket trooper gets hit by Garrus' second shot. I fire a small burst and take down the shields of the sniper before he lines up his sights. As he fires, I move, and I see the bullet trail where my head was. Shit. It's only just dawning on me what's happened … I've killed … I've nearly been killed … this is dangerous …

"Mack, are you okay?" I feel Shepard's reassuring hand on my shoulder, and I instinctively put my hand on it. Something flashes in her eyes. I then proceed to flinch as I realise what I just did. My girlfriend … my love back home … a hundred and seventy years ago … would do that to reassure me … and to show I appreciated it, I would cover her hand with mine and kiss her. Shepard also flinches at my reaction and looks away from me. I have an annoying habit, as it turns out, of trying to keep eye contact during a conversation. And I must have been making her uncomfortable with my gaze.

"Thanks Kia, just … moment of reflection." I say, flashing her a smile.

I pop out of cover to shoot, and realise … everything's dead.

"Okay … let's move to clear the stairs" Comes Shep from next to me … I hope things don't get awkward … I mean … shit. What was that back then?

Before I can recover from my … lapse … a hopper overloads Wrex's shields, while two more suppress Tali and Garrus. Shepard drops to one knee … and expertly takes down a hopper with just a small burst. Trying not to look so impressed, I fire at the suppressers, depleting bother their shields before a shotgun blast takes them both out.

Cool, we're getting better.

As we reach the top of the stairs, we see a female colonist dead, recently … extremely recently … her burns are still fresh. Before we can take this in, a drone flies past us, almost taking Tali's head off. I go to shoot, but it flies around the corner behind I can get a good shot.

We follow it. Well … Wrex follows it. By the time I turn the corner, there's four dead Geth and a happy Krogan.

I sigh, and for some reason, I take point. I'm too fussed … but someone has to do it. I look to my right and see the lift that takes us to where we start our Mako journey to Exo-Geni. I think the way to go is straight onwards though …

"Mack, go back and inform Fai-Dan we're almost done."

You have to be fucking kidding me. My face must show what I'm thinking.

"Reassure them. Something about them …the colonists …nothing but a gut feeling. Just see if they need any help." Shepard looks stern. I can understand her reasoning … but I don't like it.

"Aye aye, Commander." I say, spinning on my heel. And you have no idea Kiara Shepard.

I march past my team, I ignore them all, making my displeasure known. They have a huge fight coming up. If I'm not mistaken a Juggernaut is there. I'm confused as why she chose me to stay though …

"We must protect the heart of the colony." Fai-Dan says to his colonists.

"Fai-Dan," I call out, "The commander is finishing the last of the resistance in the tower."

"Thank the heavens." He was obviously shocked … strained … even terrified. But he's a good man, and I like him.

"Is there anything I can help with?" I say with a smile. They need help really badly … its almost like how I imagined New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, or New York and the Caribbean after Hurricane Sandy.

He stares blankly at me. And so does … his ice queen of a guard. I also … the air has stopped … nothing is moving. A man lowering his gun has stopped mid-motion …

"Hu … Humaaan …"

I turn in horror.

I turn to see … the Vorcha … the fucker who removed me from my own time. My family. Everyone I had ever loved. Everything I had ever known. And he's here. I start to see red. Anger … I've never … ever felt before … all of my pent up emotions … I lunge at him. Snarling. All my terror dissipating. I want to kill him.

He is quicker than me. He grabs my arm and almost dislocates it. I moan in pain, but I use my free arm to deliver a right hook to his face. He releases my arm, but growls at me.

"We are … we are not your … enemy humaaan" the rational side of me tells me to listen. But I ignore it.

"You destroyed my life." I state simply.

I lunge again. This time, the Vorcha doesn't hold back. He does … some weird jujitsu style move that involved kicking and grappling. By the time I realise what the hell happened, he's speaking again.

"This is bigger than just you humaaan. All will be revealed … in time. But there is something that mussst happen." He pauses for effect. For a vermin race, they sure know melodrama.

"Do not change events. Some things must always happen. While there are choices, there are set events. If these events change. The future … my future will happen."

And just like that … he's gone.

In the words of Captain Anderson – 'Things just got a whole lot more complicated.'