Here it is hope this does well, I would like to say that there may be a chance I could give Shepard powers or not so we'll see how it goes, anyway enough talk...enjoy!
Chapter 13
The Normandy was now exiting their solar system on their way to rescue the captured Avengers and save Earth from the Skrulls.
Tony was in the armoury along with Jacob and Grunt preparing weapons and armour.
Hank was in the labs with Mordin, Legion and Tali making final preparations for any tech counters they could offer.
Jan and Carol were on the lower decks with Garrus, Jacob and Kasumi as they were checking out the Thanix cannons and the Mako.
Jack was with the Skrull prisoner trying to get more out of him but truth be told it was just Jack getting ready for a fight using a training dummy, unfortunate for the Skrull it was him.
Thor and Kolyat were still in conversation with one another.
Shepard however was having a very stern word with his XO in her office.
"Miranda…what was that all about in there?" Shepard asked about her small outburst in the comms room.
"Don't you see that they're not soldiers Shepard…they're misfits playing dress up!" Miranda said insulting The Avengers.
"Their superheroes, men and women who put their lives on the line to protect the innocent from evil." Shepard said defending his fellow Avengers.
"Shepard you can't seriously believe they would stand a chance against The Reapers let alone these Skrulls?" Miranda questioned her Commanding Officer.
"They can and they will, I've seen them in action and with us backing them…the Skrulls and Harbinger won't stand a chance." Shepard said trying to make Miranda see what he sees.
"I'll trust your judgement Shepard, they better not make a farce out of this mission." Miranda said convinced by her Commander.
"Thank you Miranda, now if you'll excuse me I have to check on some things." Shepard said leaving her office.
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Shepard was headed to check on Hank, Mordin, Tali, and Legion who was readying weapons and Tony upgrading his armour.
"John good you came I just finished the upgrades on my suit and now I believe we'll have an edge on those Skrulls." Tony said as his armour looked different.
It was the same colour only it looked more robotic than his last as his main power cell was round but was in a diamond shape and it seemed he used the power armour that the Normandy crew uses to modify his own.
"Shepard, myself, Tali Z'orah and have managed to create hacking program that would allow easier access to Skrull ship." Mordin said in his quick voice.
"Also we can use this program to locate the other Avengers and even use it to learn more on their technology and ship designs which was courtesy of Tali here." Hank said giving some credit to the Quarian and she put her hand up to not mention it.
"Once we're in it's radius we can detail the ship's layout and possibly disable their shielding and it's power core." Tali said explaining how the hacking would work to their advantage.
"I actually had one idea before we decide to head on into battle." Shepard said. "EDI." he called.
"Yes Shepard." EDI answered.
"Have everyone assemble to the comms room in ten minutes." Shepard ornered.
"Of course Shepard." EDI said.
"Jack? Can you bring our guest up here, he's needed." Shepard ordered.
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Everyone for the second time was assembled in the comms room with Miranda and both Jan and Carol exchanging dirty looks to one another as Shepard was at the front of the room and had their Skrull prisoner with them.
"Okay I have a plan in which we could resolve this peacefully without anyone getting hurt." Shepard said as he was about to tell them his plan.
"Do you really think you can peacefully stop our inevitable victory?" the Skrull asked.
"I can try…I was thinking that we could trade him for the others and in an effort to show some goodwill towards a possible diplomatic solution and that we are not savages." Shepard suggested.
"That actually sounds like a good idea John and as you said we show them were not savages we may be able to settle this without any violence." Hank said liking the plan.
"The plan can work but what if they don't respond to that?" Garrus asked.
"We try to reason with them by asking for an immediate surrender or we use force to take our friends back and stop the invasion." Shepard said.
They all nodded in agreement to that plan but then the Skrull just lightly chuckled at that plan.
"You are all doomed, your friends will perish just as your Earth and other planets will fall under the might of The Skrull Empire." he proclaimed.
Shepard was getting tired of this guy's predictions and looked like he was going to silence him but then he put his arm on his shoulder and looked to Jack.
"Hey Jack want some more alone time with your friend here?" Shepard asked as Jack smirked in that devious way.
The Skrull looked in complete fear at that thought of it happening again.
"I have more information! Just no more! No more! That female is a savage beast!" the Skrull begged for Shepard to not let Jack near him.
Shepard motioned for Jack to back off as she crossed her arms and had a pout on her.
"So what else do we need to know?" Shepard asked.
"This invasion…it was not the wish of our Queen, she was given information of a great power on Earth." he said.
"What is this great power on Earth?" Shepard asked.
"I do not know only my Queen knows the answer to that." he said.
The entire of both teams were now questioning what the Skrulls were after on Earth.
"Who told you about this great power?" Shepard asked.
"A being calling themselves The Informant." he said.
"An information broker huh? What did he want in exchange?" Shepard asked.
"Technological designs of our ships, weapons and a database of all planets in the known galaxy." he said as the exchange did not sound as simple as Shepard thinks.
"Strange that an information broker wanted all that instead of currency, we'll track this Informant later." Garrus said.
"Alright we stick with the original plan, if not we got to plan B and hopefully we don't get killed." Shepard said.
"You will fail, my Queen and our glorious empire will triumph!" the Skrull exclaimed.
"Jack." Shepard called as she grinned and dragged the Skrull out of the room kicking and screaming.
"Alright everyone clear on the plans?" Shepard asked.
They all nodded in agreement.
"Okay we're all set then." Shepard said.
"Commander…we're two hours away from the location, what're your orders?" Joker asked over the comms.
"Switch to stealth mode and be careful, they may be waiting for us." Shepard ordered.
"Aye-aye Commander switching to optic camo." Joker said as he cloaked the ship.
"This could be a really hard battle but I am hoping for a more peaceful resolution but I gotta feeling it won't be so everyone we meet all suited up in the cargo hold in 0200 hours…dismissed!" Shepard said.
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As that hour passed everyone was in the cargo hold all in armour and geared up ready for the battle as Iron Man arrived and both Avengers and Normandy crew were ready.
"Okay Shepard's on deck attempting negotiations if it works, then we're good if not then it's party time." Tony said.
As Shepard was on deck he was at the CIC and awaited to open comms with the Skrull Queen.
"Commander…we have an incoming transmission." Joker informed.
"Bring it up Joker." Shepard asked as a video comms of a Skrull was shown.
"Whoever you are identify yourselves."
"This is Commander John Shepard of The Normandy, we come in peace." Shepard announced.
"What is it you want human?"
"First off, you have several of our comrades prisoner on your ship and would like to offer a trade them for him." As Shepard brought up on split screen the Skrull prisoner in a cell.
"Ah yes our wayward agent, we will need him back but here are the conditions of this "trade" firstly you come aboard alone Commander with our agent and second you come unarmed."
Shepard thought about it and gave an immediate answer.
"Alright I'll do it." Shepard answered.
The entire crew on The Normandy including The Avengers were shocked by that deal Shepard had just made.
"We'll send a craft to bring you to us, our agent unharmed and yourself unarmed as asked."
"I hope this can be settled peacefully, I'll see you soon." Shepard said.
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Shepard went to address the two teams in the cargo hold and knew what they were going to say.
"Are you out of your mind?" Tony said.
"This isn't a good plan Shepard." Miranda said.
"It could be a trap." Carol said.
"This is crazy even for you Shepard." Garrus said.
"I don't like this, it's a stupid idea." Jan said.
"This is a fuckin trap." Jack said.
"John you cannot be serious?" Hank asked.
"Oh keelah this is bad." Tali said.
"Thou does not trust these Skrulls nor their words." Thor said.
"My battle master is falling into a trap." Grunt said.
"Shepard this is suicide." Jacob said.
"You shouldn't do this alone Shep." Kasumi said.
Kolyat looked on at it all and stood silent.
"I know it's a high risk situation but I said I would and anyway maybe this is the opportunity we need." Shepard implied to them as he then approached Tony. "I need a quick favour." he asked him.
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"Commander…a small craft is requesting to dock." Joker said.
"Give it clearance Joker, we're going aboard." Shepard said as he was in his N7 gear and had the Skrull prisoner with him.
"You really think my Queen will listen to the likes of you?" he said.
"There's always a chance of settling this without violence, you and your people have a lot to learn about us humans." Shepard said as they entered the air lock.
The airlock then disengaged as the door to the craft was opened with two Skrulls awaiting them as Shepard and his prisoner went on board and the craft's door shut on their arrival as they disengaged from The Normandy and went to the mothership.
"So what's the Queen like?" Shepard asked trying to start a conversation with the Skrulls as they stayed silent. "Uh well I'll see when I meet her." he said as he stayed silent the rest of the trip.
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They had srrived after docking inside the large ship and landing in the docking area as the two Skrulls escorted the Commander and his prisoner to the Queen as Shepard looked around and saw platoons of Skrulls awaiting their arrival as he entered the area he was met by a dozen soldiers and all pointing their weapons at him.
"I told you human…you cannot win." he said as they released him from Shepard's custody.
"Commander Shepard…you are now a prisoner of The Skrull Empire!"
"I came here to talk with your Queen upon the negotiation of releasing my friends and stopping this invasion before blood is spilled now I will ask you once and only once…surrender before I get angry." Shepard warned them.
They all looked at the Commander and just laughed as they thought it was hilarious he still was willing to fight a losing battle.
"Then you will die a thousand deaths Commander."
Getting their weapons ready to fire Shepard just looked at them with his hand behind his back as then darkness engulfed the place and the sound of blasting was heard in the dark.
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"Mothership defences are down begin the hacking sequence!" Hank said as he and Tali went to work on knocking down the other ships in radius.
"Get the Dropship ready, we're going in." Iron Man said.
They all entered the ship as the cargo hold opened up and they made their way through the now disarmed ship's while they had an opening.
"Shepard do you read me?" Garrus tried to contact him over the comms.
"…" only static was heard.
"John come in?" Tony tried to use his card communicator to contact him.
"…" again just static.
"Dammit! I knew it was a trap." Miranda said.
"We can't stop now, John gave us the opening to do this even if he has been…then we do what he asked us to do." Tony said as they all agreed on that.
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The darkened room was then lit up with the backup power coming on as all Skrulls were down and all that stood was Shepard as he looked to his hands and saw the pulse blasters were still functioning after he used the EMP shockwave but he needed to get in contact the others.
"Shepard to Normandy." Shepard called over his comms.
"…" only static was being heard.
"Shepard to Iron Man."
"..." again nothing was heard.
Guess I'm on my own…better start moving there could be more on the way.
Shepard knew without any communication or backup he was vulnerable but that never stopped him as he grabbed a Skrull rifle as he quickly made his way through the door and began his exploration of the ship.
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The dropship finally made it in one piece as The Normandy would provide covering fire before the battle ships came back online as the ship landed in the mothership's docking bay as both teams exited the ship and kept their guard up looking around to see it was empty.
"Looks like we're in time but where's the-
Getting cut off as gunfire engulfed the hangar as they took cover as Miranda and Jack used their Biotics and sent a double shockwave right into a group of Skrulls sending them flying everywhere.
"Avengers attack!" Iron Man shouted as they went on the assault.
Iron Man just went full force at them blasting anything that moved, Ant-Man went giant and started swatting them away, Wasp shrunk down to size and avoided gunfire to hit them with her stingers, Ms. Marvel and Thor also followed Iron Man in to the fray.
"Give them hell!" Garrus shouted as the Normandy crew followed The Avengers into battle.
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Shepard was travelling deeper into the ship and was first looking to locate the prison level and free his fellow Avengers from captivity.
Looking around he heard footsteps and quickly hid from view behind a corner letting them pass as he then went to the direction they came from and peeked behind the corner and saw there was a Skrull standing guard at a door as he knew he needed to know what was behind that door.
A noise was heard as the Skrull guard checked to see what it was and saw nothing…
"CLACK" and knew it was the sound of a rifle's safety coming off.
"Okay now tell me what's behind that door?" Shepard asked him.
"The prisoners of Earth, but you'll never leave here alive." he said as Shepard swatted him across his head with the end of the gun and led him over to the door and he opened it for him.
"Thanks but I already had that speech from your friend and let's just say he's got respect for humans now." Shepard said and just knocked him out with a fist to his face as he fell to the floor.
Shepard entered the prison and saw cells and saw in the first one…
"Steve!" Shepard said as he bashed on the cell window.
It was Steve Rogers, the real one and he awoke to see it was Commander John Shepard and he was happy to see him.
"John! How'd you get here?" Steve asked.
"No time, it's a full assault going on, how do you get this thing open?" Shepard asked.
"Shepard?" as he heard the voice of Hawkeye and looked to see the rest of The Avengers all locked up.
"Just hang on and let me try and get these things open." Shepard said looking around and saw a control system guessing it was what he was looking for and went to it but had no idea what to do and connected his Omni-tool to hack it and hopefully it would open these cells as the program began.
"Don't worry I'll have you all out on a second, it'll be ok." Shepard said.
"Not for you." as Shepard turned around and he was met with a huge fireball to his chest which sent him flying backwards hitting a wall hard behind him.
"You should be concerned with what will happen to you human…bow down to The Skrull Empire and bow to the SUPER SKRULL!"
Shepard was faced down with his annihilation at the hands of this Skrull.
Oh now it's looking bad for Shepard as he's facing the Super Skrull will he win? Will the combined efforts of The Avengers and The Normandy crew be enough to stop this inavsion?
What you think? Reviews please!