Seattle/Vancouver-Alliance Facility
"Anderson." Shepard spoke evenly looking at the elder Admiral, his former Commanding Officer. "What's up?" He continued curiously.
Admiral Anderson had invited Cameron to a junction in the middle of the Alliance Facility that was holding him and his trial. He didn't state the reason just that he wanted to see Shepard. And since he could currently walk about anywhere in the base itself he had obliged, not really having anything better to do.
"Ah good Shepard, glad you could make it." Anderson turned to him clasping his hands behind his back.
"What's all this about?" Shepard asked again.
"I decided that since you are technically on house arrest, and since you can walk through the facilities whenever you wanted, I decided to be your chaperone for the day. Give you time on the firing range." Anderson explained.
Shepard smiled crookedly, "you sure you want to give me, a terrorist with extensive weapons and combat training, access to a gun?"
"You keep on bringing that up." Anderson remarked turning to walk down the corridor.
Shepard followed him and shrugged. "I just find the whole situation ironic. Almost as ironic as those protesters outside." Shepard jerked his thumb at the wall in the general direction of the aforementioned protesters. "That I went from hero of the Citadel, first human Spectre, savior of the galaxy, and most famous human to have lived in quite a while…by name certainly…to dead, then resurrected, then working for a terrorist cell, then to actually committing an act of mass murder to save the universe from genocidal machines that the galaxy still believes doesn't exist. I doubt one of those old video game writers on Old Earth could have come up with a plot so outrageous."
Anderson smiled sympathetically, "I see what you mean."
They arrived at a door and Anderson held out his ID badge for a scanner, an electronic whir scanned it in before a synthetic voice greeted, "welcome Admiral Anderson, please enjoy the facilities."
The door then clicked open allowing Anderson to enter, beckoning Shepard to follow him.
Inside the room was a pretty typical firing range. Six wooden framed stalls set up in a row overlooking a concrete enclosed range with targets extending out to 150 Meters. The room was currently empty except for the sergeant at arms who regarded the two of them with a certain suspicion, but said nothing.
Shepard followed Anderson to one of the bins and regarded the weapons inside; he smiled at them seeing they were a fair mix of Pistols, Hand Cannons, Assault Rifles, and Sub Machine Guns.
He picked up the largest rifle in the bin and checked it over its smooth frame, running his hands alongside it and admiring it's obvious lethality. He had seen Zaeed use this weapon from time to time. On it was the label "Revenant."
"Well shall we begin?" Anderson asked breaking Shepard out of his ministrations, Shepard turned and saw a cold smile plastered on the Admiral's face.
Shepard returned the look with a nod before taking two long strides over to the firing booth.
He settled the weapon against his shoulder letting it rest semi-comfortably in the nook and aimed down its sights.
A deep breath steadied him as he began to center on the target down range set for about one hundred and ten meters.
With that accomplished he squeezed lightly on the trigger causing the bullets to fly down range.
Shepard gritted his teeth as the weapon threatened to shake out of his hands feeling just like he imagined a jack hammer would. His teeth began to clatter and his aim began to pull from center mass to the left hand corner. Spraying the target, and eventually the back board, with a full spread of fire, Shepard could barely make out concrete chips fly off the material behind the board as its support and back drop seemingly disintegrated.
He grunted feeling slightly impressed and respectful of the weapon, noticing that he had drained the thermal clip.
He turned over to Anderson watching him over the wall in the other booth as Anderson quickly finished off the targets he was aiming for with small mechanical pops from his pistol.
Finishing Anderson activated the pulley system on the targets as they rushed forward back to their respective owners.
"Nice shooting." Anderson remarked with a slightly sarcastic twinge as he examined Shepard's target.
"Not used to this weapon." Shepard volunteered with a halfhearted shrug.
The target silhouette was ripped right along, starting around its midriff and moving out towards its shoulder. The amount of fire against it caused half of it to hang off the rest of the paper by the thinnest of threads. This would be 'nice shooting' indeed if all he was expecting to face was a paper target in perfect conditions, but not against a wave of Husks, when conditions were barely perfect by any stretch of the imagination.
Shepard proceeded onto something more his style, the Phalanx hand cannon. He picked it up and examined it carefully before aiming down range.
He squeezed off another thermal clip, the weapon threatening to jump from his hand every time he pulled the trigger, but when he got the target back he was quite satisfied with the grouping he made along its centerline chest and just under the chin.
Cameron turned to Anderson twisting his head, thinking for a second. He shrugged it off when Anderson stopped firing.
"You know I've been meaning to ask you for a favor." Shepard finally managed to choke out.
"Oh what is it?" Anderson asked his face stiffening.
"During the mission to Omega, the one before I came here," Shepard started trying to keep his hands from fidgeting behind him, "one of my crew was captured, by Cerberus. I want the Alliance to go look for her."
Anderson sighed, "Look Shepard it's been weeks, we do not even know where they could have taken her!"
"We have resources Anderson, you know that as well as I do." Shepard insisted.
"This is cold turkey. After the weeks you have been here, and the lack of any leads on current Cerberus operations in the first place there is little we can do. And I doubt anyone can really help us with this right now." Anderson explained.
"Damn it we have to do something!" Shepard felt his fists clench behind his back.
"Look Shepard I know she was part of your crew but you are military, you have to know that these things happen. Especially to you, your squad on Akuze, Kaidan Alenko. This is not an easy life." Anderson arched his eyebrow.
"I know that, but I don't want it to be her. I made a promise that I would try. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her." Shepard muttered.
Anderson paused before responding, a look of comprehension playing across his features "I see. Look, I don't know what I can do on my end but I will make a few discreet inquiries."
"Thank you Anderson." Cameron nodded with a slight smile.
"Shall we get back to our relaxing day at the firing range?" Anderson inquired with a smirk.
Cameron shrugged, "Sure, it's been a while since I've really been able to blow off some steam."
He went over to the bin again and picked up the next weapon. It looked like a small suitcase really, tan in color with a sighting attachment. He unfurled it expertly and went through the pre weapon checks.
Finding the weapon easy and smooth, he aimed down it. He squeezed the trigger and the round went down range with extreme velocity, and precision, nailing the target just by the abdomen.
Shepard grunted to himself impressed.
The weapon responded well to his touch. Easy trigger, good accuracy, and it fit more securely in his hand and shoulder arrangement then the 'Revenant' did. He proceeded to open fire.
Each time the weapon jerked violently in his hand slamming into his shoulder making it hurt after a while. But the rounds still went right where he wanted them to, right on target. .
Shepard loaded another thermal clip and began to fire getting into an easy rhythm with the weapon making the shots more accurate, and somehow his shoulder hurt less.
He grunted surprised as he safetied the weapon and looked it over.
Anderson finished with his round.
"Why didn't we ever train on these weapons before? It seems kinda silly not training elite Special Forces in the most advanced weapons, or any weapon really." Cameron inquired. "I don't think I've ever fired this weapon before in my life."
Anderson nodded. "I agree with you but that wasn't really the point of the N7 program."
"It wasn't the point of the best special forces program known to man to not make us into the best soldiers possible?" Shepard asked with a slightly amused lilt.
"No, the N7 program was for specialists, not generalists or combat leaders. It was tailored specifically to help find and exploit a soldier's unique talents and capabilities. Since you were a biotic Vanguard it was necessary to help you in areas which would be beneficial to that specialty. Close Combat, recon, advanced guard." Anderson explained matter of factly.
Shepard nodded appreciating the subtleties in his former Commander's explanation. "But that would suck if one of these Special Forces were on a solo mission and it required skills from one of the other…classes if you will."
Anderson frowned. "It was thought that whatever training we provided you would be more than enough to get the job done no matter the situation. And under most circumstances you would have a team backing you up, like you did. Consisting of Adepts, Vanguards, Soldiers, Engineers, Infiltrators, or Sentinels."
"But I lost my team on Akuze." Shepard reminded his friend.
"Yes, and you survived. Ironically that event simultaneously proved that you were the perfect candidate to be the first human Spectre, and a starship commander, but it was those very qualities that got you blackballed as far as the N7 program was concerned. The loss of your team, no matter how much circumstances were beyond your control, meant you could never lead another N7 team. For the N7s, team is everything." Anderson finished.
"I see." Cameron frowned being reminded of those tragic days. The gut wrenching agony of watching his team die, the people who had entrusted him with their lives, but also having to fight for his own survival, not having enough time for the grief and agony to hit him until long after those events were over.
"Admiral, Commander." An aide stepped into the room breaking Shepard out of his reverie. "The panel has convened and would like to see you."