A/N: I'm on a serious roll here folks! And I have you guys to thank. Your reviews are what keep my fics going so keep it up!
I don't own Mass Effect
The colony was a mess. Shadow Army and the colonists had began clean up a day after the battle. Needless to say, the colonists weren't too pleased that their homes were destroyed, but were greatful that Eric and his men had stopped the Collectors and offered to help with the clean up.
The battle had literally destroyed over a third of the colony. The bodies of the Collectors and Husks had been loaded up and dumped a few clicks outside the colony and were burned after Terran had collected samples from everything.
The wounded and the dead were taken back to Shadow Nebula with a good portion of the small fleet for treatment and burial. At the end of the fight; a total of 47 had died in the fight, 22 wounded, and 5 who were perminently crippled and could no longer fight.
Among the casualties, was Rez Kingston.
X
Eric whipped the sweat from his brow as he used his biotics to lift heavy debris out of the way. "Working hard?" asked Ashley walking up with two water bottles. Eric accepted the bottle offered to him and downed half of it in one gulp. "Gotta help where I can." he said looking at all those who were helping.
His troops and the colonists worked side by side in good harmony, talking, laughing and enjoying themselves. The colonists didn't even seem to mind that some of the soldiers were mixed species.
"You've been working non-stop since the fight ended. You need a break." said Ashley. Eric sat down on a crate and sighed, "I can't, theres so much that needs to be done." The Alliance marine sat down next to him, "Your no good to anyone if you become the walking dead. Take a few minutes off. You owe me some answers anyway."
Eric chuckled, "Guess I do huh?"
They spent the next two hours talking. Eric explained everything that had happened since their team was split up after Shepard's death leading up to coming to Horizon to stop the Collectors. Ashley had been shocked by the turn of events that had occured to Eric in such a short amount of time.
"Sooo...working for the new Shadow Broker and making your own army to stop the Reapers. Sounds like a busy schedule." commented Ashley. Eric chuckled, "Yeah, but I've managed."
The Alliance marine shook her head, "Can't believe Shepard's working with Cerberus." Eric held his hand up, "First of all, he's not, trust me on that. Second, hes helping me take them down along with a few others on the inside." Ashley smirked, "You really are planning several steps ahead." "Knowing's half the battle Ash. You should know that."
Ashley looked up at the sky. "I got a transmission from Alliance Command. Their sending a ship out in a week to check over the colony." Eric nodded, "We'll be long gone before it arrives." He looked at the woman next to him, "We could use your help out there Ash."
She hopped off the crate, "Sorry Eric, but I'm Alliance through and through." She looked up at him, "But I'll give you help where ever I can." Eric nodded, "Thanks."
Ashley walked away and Eric went back to looking at the sky, his mind drifting to Liara. Wondering what she was doing right now.
X
Later in the day, Eric stepped out of the makeshift command post in full armor as he went over a datapad given to him.
Three ships including the Shadowed Light stayed behind to explore the wreckage of the Collector ship. Terran was leading the science team and had already uncovered many secrets about the humanoid bugs. One of them being that the Collectors were the remnants of the Protheans.
"Horrible...to know that our people were reduced to mindless slaves for the Reapers."Commented the Elder spirit. "I know. But I'll make sure that they are laid to rest. I think they would be better off in the land of the dead than living as monsters working for the ones who destroyed their race." Eric thought back. "You think correctly Eric. We would have wanted the same."
Eric shook his head as he kept walking. It was also reported that the bodies, weapons and technology collected would prove to be valuable for upgrading their own weapon and armor systems. Possibly even modifications for their ships.
"High Commander!" shouted a Quarian soldeir running up to him bearing the Shadow Army symbol on the left arm of his envirosuit and the sign for Corporal on the other. "Yes Corporal, report." The Quarian saluted, "Sir, we are all packed up here on the ground. Once the debris of the enemy vessel is disposed of we will be able to leave."
"Excellent. As much as I love helping these people, staying here when the Alliance shows up would prove to do more harm than good." said Eric. He looked at the Quarian and smiled, "Get some rest Corporal, you and the others diserve it after all that has happened." The Quarian nodded, "Thank you sir, Keelah Se'lai." "Keelah Se'lai Corporal." replied Eric as he continued his walk.
He walked through the colony, getting many waves and smiles from the people he passed. Eric couldn't help but smile at all the positive attention he was getting. He wrote it off as him and his troops stepping up where the Alliance could not.
He felt someone pulling on his hand and looked down to see three children standing next to him. A little girl and two little boys.
The girl had a blush on her face and looked down at her feet for a moment, before looking up at him and handing him a slip of paper. Eric took it gently and looked at it.
It was a drawing of him, or what looked like him, standing proudly ontop of what could have been a dead Collector. Above his head was written 'Our Hero' in big bold letters.
Eric smiled and kneeled down to the kid's eye levels, "It's beautiful. I will cherish it." The girl and two boys smiled before running of to do something. Eric folded the paper and placed it in his armor. He watched the kids running and couldn't help to think of what his own daughter would be like when she was born.
Continuing his walk, Eric came across a young man trying to lift a crate. He couldn't have been no older than 14. "Here, let me help you with that." he said lifting the crate up onto another one. "Thanks, been trying to get that up there for a while now." said the kid.
Eric smiled at him, "No probl-" Eric froze in mid-sentence.
He got a lot better look at the teen. He was a foot shorter than him and had sandy blond hair. But what got the young Commander was the green eyes that were almost exactly like his own.
The boy had frozen too when he saw Eric's face. "No...it...it can't be..." he whispered. "Eric?" "K-Kevin?" Eric asked in shock.
To Eric's utter astonishment...his little brother Kevin Lachance was standing right infront of him.
Kevin launched forward and tackled Eric to the ground, "ERIC! I thought you were dead!" Eric laughed with tears leeking from his eyes, "Its good to see you little bro." Kevin sat up, "How did you get here?" "I could ask you the same Kev." Eric replied.
"Kevin? Whats going on out he-" Eric looked up and saw a middle-aged woman step out of the nearby house. She had shoulder length brown hair and a pair of blue eyes. Once again, Eric was shocked to the core.
"Mom?"
Carol Lachance dropped the box she was holding, covering her mouth with her hands as she started to cry. "Eric?" she said around a sob. Eric stood up and ran forward wrapping his mother in a hug. She wasted no time returning it with vigor.
She leaned back and looked into her eldest son's eyes with her red puffy ones, "How...How are you alive? Your CO reported you MIA after the ambush. How did you get here?" Eric chuckled, "Like I said to Kev, I could ask you two the same."
Carol just hugged Eric again, "I'm just glad your alive...and here with us."
"High Commander!" Eric turned around and saw one of his Sergeants running up to him. "Report Sergeant." Eric said seriously. "Our scouts have reported that a Cerberus vessel is heading this way. They should be arriving in 6 hours." Eric nodded, "Have the remaining ships put on alert, I don't want any surprises." The soldier saluted before running toward the command post.
Eric looked back at his family and saw them looking shocked. "You lead that army that stopped the Collectors?" Kevin shouted. Eric smirked, "Damn straight." Then he looked solumn, "Lost a lot of good men too...one of them was a good friend."
Carol placed her hand gently on Eric's shoulder, "I'm sorry, but they died fighting something that was terrorizing everyone. Their all heros." Eric smiled, "That they are. And I was proud to lead them."
He looked at his brother and mother, "I think we need to have a long talk. Perhaps we should do that on my ship." Kevin looked ecstatic, Carol mearly smiled as they headed to where the dropships had been stationed.
X
"So...how did you guys end up here?" asked Eric. He, his brother and his mom were sitting in his private quarters hoping for some peace while they talked about what had occured.
"We honestly do not know. We were sitting at home one day when there was this bright flash. We woke up on a different colony being looked over by an Asari and a Turian." said his mother. "Mom freaked out, but I managed to calm her down enough for us to ask where we were." added Kevin.
"When did all of this happen?" asked Eric. "About a year ago. Kevin spent the whole time teaching me about this universe and the different species involved. Along with information about the Collectors and the Reapers." Carol looked at her son, "When we were told that you were missing in action after the attack on your squad we thought the worst...I thought I had lost my son..." She said as she started to cry again.
Eric hugged his mother, "I'm okay mom...better than okay now that I have you two in my life again." After releasing the hug, Carol wiped her eyes and looked up at him, "How did you get here?"
Eric told them about how he woke up on the Citadel after the attack, how he joined Shepard's crew and stopped Saren and Sovereign, falling in love with Liara and the two of them killing the old Shadow Broker and creating their own army to stop the Reapers.
The two other Lachances had to take a few minutes to absorb everything that they were told. Kevin spoke first, "Wow..." was all he said.
Carol looked proud, "You've done so much...your a hero to the people out there in the Traverse, as well as our friends on Horizon." Eric looked bashful, "Shepard's the real hero, but I do what I can." Carol nodded before giving him a sly look, "So...when am I going to meet my future daughter-in-law?"
Eric sputtered and Kevin laughed.
After regaining himself, Eric grinned back, "Soon...she's carrying your grand-daughter afterall." His mother's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. Kevin stopped laughing and looked at him, "I'm...going to be an uncle?"
Eric ruffled his hair, "Of course little bro."
Carol snapped out of her stupor and shook her head, "Christ, I'm getting old." Eric chuckled, "Your not old mom." Carol smiled at her son's words.
'Yo boss! That Cerberus ship has entered the system and is hailing us." said Cat over the intercom. Eric rolled his eyes, "Whats it's IFF transmitting?" Cat was silent a moment, then she chuckled, 'You won't believe me.' "Try me." Eric replied.
'It's the Normandy.'
Eric grinned from ear to ear then looked at his mother and brother, "You guys wanna meet Commander Shepard?" Kevin practically lept out of his chair and ran for the elevator. Carol laughed at her youngest son's actions, "Why not. I have to meet the one that kept my son out of trouble before meeting his other half." she said as she and Eric followed the younger man.
A/N: Plot twist...plot twist...and plot twist...Eric just keeps getting surprises huh? Now the Normandy is heading his way, how will it all go down? Tune in and find out next time.
