AN: Well perhaps surprisingly here we are again, Abigail Shepard is back for at least one more adventure.
Honestly the genesis for this idea probably started right around the time I was writing Shards, but between that and Galaxyfall, well I can't spend all my time writing Mass Effect fan fiction especially when I also hope to be a serious writer. And well that is still the dream.
But with the Mass Effect Legendary Edition coming out next month it did put me in the mood again. And well it also occurred to me that usually I write these things to sort of do pre work for upcoming RPGs…and I never really got that chance with Abigail in the past as my other fics were pretty much post ME 3. So here we are, what I imagine her story to be pre Mass Effect 1, and how she became the soldier she did by the time the trilogy came about.
Major Kyle
The wall on the CIC of the Carrier Hawking that usually showed the Galaxy Map was instead overlaid with a series of graphic representations of their target...the pirate planet Torfan.
It had been two weeks since the assault on Elysium and the Alliance was still attempting to seek justice and neutralize the gathering threat, tracking the gangs of mostly Batarian led pirates to the spinning ball of rock sitting about two million kilometers away from where they sat in space.
He scowled at it, at the amount of resources which had been utilized in their operation because the Batarians had to know they were coming. Stealth wasn't an option so the Alliance had to deploy a sizable task force in support of their objectives and in order to not risk the Carrier from any potential ground based defenses they had to deploy the strike teams far from the planet.
If we could only figure out a way of hiding our emissions we could sneak two Frigates almost near atmo and deploy our assault teams before they could even react.
The door behind him opened and he could feel more than see the Carrier's Captain Debrah Chang stand behind him.
"How much longer?" She asked innocently.
"Our teams are about two minutes from atmo. No sign of any major countermeasures." He replied with a grim note. Almost expecting at any moment missiles to streak up and wipe out the entire force of assault shuttles.
She nodded, "at last we can finally put an end to this. Finally we can see justice done for Elysium."
Kyle sighed "maybe. Intel does say there are more potential targets out there, this could only be the beginning of a much larger campaign."
"But I thought the Alliance was trying to avoid war with the Batarian Hegemony in general and just keep it to those directly responsible for Elysium?"
"That is the idea," Major Kyle grunted, eyes narrowing at the screen, a lot depends on this operation.
The Captain was silent for a moment before grunting, "Forty Eight Alliance Special Operations soldiers...that is a lot of people we are throwing at this meat grinder. You think it will be enough?"
His only response was a noncommittal grunt.
A tone sounded off to the right before Chang could press the issue any further causing both of them to turn around.
"Sir we are receiving a message from the moon's surface. Audio and video."
"Put it up." Kyle ordered before turning back to face the screen.
It flickered for a moment, the tactical displays were replaced by the resolving picture of your typical four eyed Batarian.
"You are surrounded, if you surrender now I am sure we can discuss-"
Major Kyle was cut off by a sneer, "you should know, human, that we have taken hostages. We will not hesitate to kill them should you attack our compound. These include human trade delegations that your media has reported missing."
Major Kyle felt his back stiffen in shock, the cluster of dots in the center?
"Recall your shuttles and turn around, this is your only warning, then maybe we can discuss terms." The screen flickered back to its original setting without preamble.
"Do we continue the mission?" Captain Chang asked.
He sighed and laid his hands along the railing in front of him, making his decision in a snap. "They won't kill their hostages unless it is an absolute last resort, that will lose them their advantage." I hope. "Charlie Mike...but let Shepard know what she is facing."
Master Chief Petty Officer Abigail Shepard.
The M-28 Bruin buffeted around them, the sudden burst of turbulence as the shuttle began to transition from space to the upper atmosphere of the moon of Torfan… what little of it there was.
"Two minutes to target!" The co pilot announced looking back into the troop bay.
Abigail nodded to herself before beginning her final equipment checks, first looking over the Crossfire Assault Rifle cradled in her lap.
A trilling in her ear interrupted her checks and she pressed the button accepting the com call, "Valkyrie, message from Hawking control. Just received a message from the leader of the terrorists, they have taken hostages including humans down there. Check your fire."
Great, Shepard frowned. "Acknowledged, we'll be careful, Shepard out."
Outside the small window which provided the only look out the outside as they went by. She could see at least a few of the shuttles in the distance staying in tight formation from the one she was in, off the right flank.
Bursts of tracer fire broke out and one of their fellow Bruins took a hit to its port engine pylon and lost control spinning down out of sight, losing altitude rapidly.
Her own shuttle shook with a near miss or a hit on their shields. She had to grit her teeth.
"Digger 2-2," Came over her comlink. "This is Vulture 2-1 and Vulture 2-2, beginning planetary defense suppression."
About time.
"Roger that Vulture, we'll be beginning landing in thirty seconds, give us cover." The Pilot's voice answered.
"Get ready!" Abigail shouted back into the troop bay.
She could feel the deceleration thrusters fire as the Bruin and its fellows both dove towards the planet surface. Five troop ships, two assault shuttles, and the two Tridents worked as a unit, all working to the same ultimate goal.
The side doors opened as the shuttle settled about five meters off the ground and the door gunner began firing long streams of molten metal down the range trying to clear the LZ and provide suppressing fire as the squad had to get off the shuttle.
"Come on!" Abigail waved. "Get off this ship! Come on move!"
She stepped off just as the Bruin took a hit behind them which caused it to dip before it was able to regather and begin limping skyward.
Without their cover and since they were the first one down Abigail laid down a stream of fire as she tried to maneuver, they had no choice but to keep moving.
The Batarians began to focus on them, their shields took the hits as they ran, high stepping it to any cover. One then two of their opponents went down from her rifle fire as the members of her squad armed with Snipers or shotguns had little opportunity to fire.
One of their Assault Shuttles made a low pass, their guns engaging and explosions dotted the map which provided them at least a second of relief.
This gave them just enough time to crash down behind a rock formation which provided them with some coverage against their opponents.
Taking a moment to look around she saw the surviving shuttles begin to deposit their squads on the ground as they all began moving out, some of them firing up into the air.
"Shepard!" Someone in her squad shouted, drawing her attention as she wrenched her head around.
Great, they have the high ground. Batarian Enforcers had mounted the slopes above them and were firing down on the squad.
The whistles of mortar fire broke out followed by rippling explosions between them and other positions.
"Echo squad," She shouted into her com while at the same time beginning to fire up at the groups of Batarians, "begin suppression and eradication fire, Batarians in the open, commence sniper sweeps."
From off to her right, near another group of rocks, single booms of repeated sniper fire broke out. Three shots rang out, waited a moment, before they swept out again.
The Batarians were chased back by the combined fire, as they doubled their own efforts and explosions rained down upon their position.
"Taking fire." Echo's team leader came over the net.
She toggled her omni tool and switched her frequencies, "Vulture Vulture, take out that mortar position."
"On the way!" Vulture leader called over the net.
Abigail craned her hearing as she heard the turbines of a Trident Fighter begin roaring overhead, it would be just a second before they could strike…
A large explosion broke out from Echo's position and Shepard ripped her eyes around as a few more ripped from her sight picture to see them.
Screams punctuated the com.
A second later the Trident fired its payload and another explosion rocked over towards them, smoke rose from just over the ridge.
"This is Echo 3...requesting medic...teammates down...help."
Shepard wished she could break off and go to them, give them some additional cover fire up close but instead of being dissuaded more Batarians then ever seemed to pop up out of hatches in the mountain and was pouring down out of them, heedless of their lives.
Abigail Shepard depressed the trigger of her Crossfire sending a constant stream of metal up towards the oncoming Batarians, their shields flared and then they died. The overheat warning blared and the weapon hissed as she dived back for cover.
The rest of her squad had followed her example and then she rejoined her team on the line. The Batarians had started returning fire and bullets began to plink off the rocks around them. The team stood strong in front of.
Abigail took more careful fire but found it difficult to kill them throug \h their shields as they closed in on them.
A burst of blood launched over her and she looked up to see her decapitated heavy weapons expert and his body stayed standing for a second, before gravity did its work and he toppled over...across her,pinning her and laying her on her back.
Yet the Batarians kept coming.
She flailed out and pressed her weapon's stock into her shoulder and fired from her splayed out position, taking out two Enforcers as she yelled out in pain. A beeping noise drew her attention and she twisted around to see another one of her people pulling the corpse off of her.
She pushed herself up then took out another Batarian, they were almost on top of them.
Pressing down once more in a long pull waving her weapon around, more trying to suppress them or anything she yelled out, "Grace get us some damn Airsupport!"
Her team sniper went off the line and toggled into her omni-tool as Abigail returned her attention to the front. "Alpha Team requesting immediate C-A-S, repeat Vulture requesting immediate CAS, grid coordinates 2-2-3 by 5-4, eight hundred meter spread, fire for effect. Danger Close."
As she continued to intone into the coms Abigail and the rest of the squad continued their fire, pressing her weapon and pushing it to the limits of its heat dispensation trying to thread the needle between the two as the Batarians continued their relentless pursuit, once more trying to get in range before they crouched down and fired on them.
At least they themselves do not have much cover, they likely suspect what we are doing.
The roar of a turbine overhead wrenched her head around for just a moment before she chastised herself and returned to keeping the proper attention to where it belonged. The Trident did a barrel roll before launching a spread of rocket fire and then a burst from its cannons.
Explosions raced through the ground around them, some of them just kicking up dirt while others being met with a wave of flame and sound.
Some of the Batarians who were just in front of the line were knocked down by the impact and others still ripped their heads around as their support had dissolved behind them.
"Come on!" Shepard shouted, chopping her arm forward.
Her hands returned to her weapon before she stepped into the fire. The Enforcer's shields flared but fell as he took a burst to his chest and the second one was defeated by a carnage blast from one of her shotgun wielders.
She crossed her Crossfire across her chest and finished off another target that was starting to get back to his feet. Then swung it around to the other side as a couple more opponents had mounted the slope in a final effort to stop them.
The squad crashed into the steel door separating them from the internal bunker they were after. Shepard was aware of the time, she was beginning to sweat even underneath her helmet.
"Tech, get this door open, we'll cover you."
The five of the other squadmates spread out on her command without trying to protect their cyberwarfare specialist from doing their job. He attached a lead from his Omni-tool and plugged in as more Batarians appeared in their site picture.
She was aware that they also had no cover as some of her enemy's shots burst in through her shields. But they returned the fire and it seemed like the terrorists and pirates were finally starting to run out of bodies...they were still enough to give them trouble.
Every second seemed like a minute as their squad traded fire here and there, they took out five more of the enemy. Her shields failed for a brief moment and a slug buried itself in her shoulder causing her to wince and be forced against the wall.
"Why is it taking so long?!"
"It didn't let me open it with omni-gel, trying secondary hacking methods." The tech's hands raced across his omni as Shepard was at least gratified to see sweat break out across his brow.
The enemy soldiers made another desperate attempt to stop them, Shepard flung a grenade at them and exploded it taking out two more of her targets.
"Got it!" The tech whooped and the door opened with a hiss of equalizing pressures.
The squad dove in behind them, laying down a last bit of suppression fire...but then the tech screamed and Abigail looked around to see her teammate who got the door open bleeding from the head, staring through his helmet with lifeless eyes.
"Bravo to Alpha, we can be right behind you and help you clear the bunker, just give us the word." She didn't respond at first, too involved in her own thoughts. "Alpha come in."
Her head snapped up and she brought her Omni to her mouth, "Negative Bravo, keep an eye on our backside as we move to clear the bunker, maintain our beach head."
A click came over the net in response.
"Charges!" She shouted as the airlock pressurized.
The bunker was divided from the outside by two more pressure doors at the other end, but they had just enough room.
It only took seconds but Abigail was beginning to feel her emotions go raw from the stress and from losing two of her squad in this battle so far, it was becoming an angry torrent pounding in her ear. She checked her omni-tool one last time, just to try and give her time to distract herself.
It didn't work.
"Cover!" The man with the explosives shouted when he finished, the squad obeyed and flattened themselves against the wall.
Two long gouts of flow blew a hole in the doors, even through her helmet the concussive force still knocked into her ear drums causing them to ring and her head to wrench in pain, bringing her out of her environment.
Things went to automatic on her as the surviving six members of her squad all rushed into the breach, fanning out in a 'V' formation, Shepard of course had the lead.
The bunker beyond was shaped like a long street which led off to what could've been a market or bazaar. Stalls made of wood were repositioned for cover and the Batarians were using them as the squad came in.
A part of her mind registered that they were outnumbered but didn't care, the only way they were going to get through this was if they maintained their moment.
Her and her squad fired, the terrorists tried to retaliate laying into them.
Weapons fire, the sounds of bullets hitting walls and shields, the screams of men, the flashing gouts of flame, everything assaulted her senses in the dim lighting of their surroundings.
Yet she maintained enough of her composure to keep going forward. Her weapon swung up and put a long burst into one Batarian and then vaulted over one of the carts before firing again, and again, still more bullets as she lost track of the number of people she killed.
Her weapon beeped and clicked, not in the sound of an overheat but with the sickening click of a no ammo report.
Someone rushed ahead of her and they took what looked like a shotgun or carnage blast to the head, blowing it apart and getting blood all over her. She had to wipe it with the back of her hand, clearing her face plate but kept moving forward, drawing her side arm instead.
She took a pair of hits and her shields failed on her, and they didn't come up from another overload.
Heedless of her own life she continued to push on, her and her squad mate combined to take down a Batarian and then she grabbed his corpse by the waist and spun him around using him as a meat shield and his technology restored itself allowing the bullets aimed at her to bounce off.
She shot the next target over the shoulder of her fallen opponent taking him out, then a double tap right through the next Batarian in line.
With that they reached the end of the corridor, the Batarians were throwing their weapons down, about five in total.
She looked first right and left, only three of her squad had survived the assault and one of them looked like he was in pretty bad shape with most of his head missing.
"Please we surrender! Have mercy on us!"
Abigail felt herself come down a bit, her sense of duty taking over, the adrenaline beginning to wear off just enough…
But then she saw them.
The fallen people, the trade delegation which had been taken hostage. They had been killed, but not just killed, mutilated beyond recognition. The Batarians didn't even grant them a quick death, they didn't use their weapons but butchered them.
She looked over to the prisoners groveling at her feet, and a part of her knew that is what they were, knew what regulations demanded she do. But the sight only fed into her rage.
"No." She breathed out.
She brought her pistol around and her squad followed suit...and fired. Blowing holes in the chest and the heads of each one of her charges with ruthless and pinpoint precision.
She felt cold, a thrill had spread through her, but also she knew her body was beginning to shut down, that she had pushed herself too far.
Pride and satisfaction rose in her bosom, a sick pleasure which made her smirk to herself. Well how about that, that did feel pretty good.