Unexpected
"We're five minutes till drop off" the pilot yelled.
"Where are you dropping us off at?" I asked, knowing the answer.
"Nice try LT, this is for you" he said, handing me a data pad and turning towards me. "It unlocks as soon as your groundside, and I don't know where I am, I'm just following the flight details they gave me" he barked, turning back towards the cockpit.
"He's in a good mood" the Gunny quipped, and I just sat there in silence, waiting till we reached, well, until we reached wherever the hell we're going. Of course, marines being marines, there was a lot of trash talk going around.
"Alright, everyone out, secure the perimeter!" I ordered as we landed, and the Marines snapped to. I walked out seeing the three Mako's that they gave us, and the shuttles that brought us took off. With a ping I look down at the data pad, finally about to figure out what's going on.
*Lt Jarrett, your mission is to find and recover any survivors of a marine expeditionary unit from the 75th Scout Flotilla, Sixth Fleet. While charting this newly discovered system, they received odd signals coming from the planet you're currently on, and once they landed we lost all communications, with the exception of a radio burst that was too scrambled to understand. This is your currently location, and the location of the radio burst is 1KM north. There are three shuttles in orbit, scheduled to pick you up in one hour.*
"Alright" I said to myself, "Gunny, our target area is 1KM north from here, we'll split into 3 groups, 7 in each, 3 in the Mako, 4 on foot."
"Yes sir!" she yelled with a salute, moving over to the marines and ordering them around. I jump into the Mako, gunny on the wheel, one Corporal Jason on navigation, and grab the guns control.
"Alright everyone" I said over the radio, "We're here searching for survivors of a marine expeditionary unit from the 75th Scout Flotilla. Command lost contact with them 24 hours ago as soon as they landed. Survivors are the number one priority, and the signal that lured them here is secondary." We started moving, and kept moving, taking about 30 minutes to get there over the rough terrain. We ended up in a valley, flanked on two sides by some steep mountains. Thinking about the mission, this doesn't warrant all the secrecy.
"Sir" Corporal Jason started, "We have a sighting on a Mako, about 300 meters west of the mountain."
"Is it moving?" I asked.
"No sir, it's stationary" he replied.
"Alright, let's move in, have someone on the ground inspect it, have everyone else stay in formation, all Mako's on high alert" I ordered, and the Gunny sent some Corporal to check out the Mako. This all seems weird, something 'déjà vu' about this.
"Uh, sir, this thing is absolutely destroyed, and there's a lot of blood, but no bodies." He claimed.
"How is it destroyed?" I asked.
"Uuuhhh, it's melted?" he replied.
Did he just say melted? That's unexpected, "Okay, Corporal…."
"Toombs"
"Corporal Toombs" I lead on, I feel like I know that name. "I need you to describe it in more detail."
"Sir, multiple hull breaches, some sort of projectile, looks like bone. All the breaches seemed to be melted, acid maybe?" he asked, and it all clicked. Missing marines, secretive mission, acid, TOOMBS!
"Everyone!" I started yelling, but before I could say more, three dust clouds exploded from the ground around us, shaking the ground so hard that the marines fell to their knees. Looking around, the dust clouds quickly dissipate, revealing three massive thresher maws.
"Mako's engage, don't stop moving. Ground teams, fall back towards the mountains, start climbing as high as you can!" I yelled immediately, and everyone started moving, and we kept laying down fire at the maws. Looking over at the ground forces, I see one of the maws taking an occasional shot at them.
"Mako 1-3, fall out and cover the ground teams, 1-2, stay on my tail, and aim for the head."We kept fighting for what seemed like hours, but really it was only minutes. Looking over at the ground teams, only half made it to the Mountain alive, along with the crew of 1-3, but their Mako's out of commission.
"1-2, we're falling back to the mountain, stagger formation" I ordered. We started falling back, but it's 2 against three, leaving us open season for one of them, and the small arms fire from the marines on the mountain isn't really affecting them. Looking around, we have multiple hull breaches, given the fact that the acid ignores the kinetic barriers, and I know our navigator, Corporal Jason, is dead. Suddenly, one of the thresher maws popped out of the ground, sending 1-2 into the air, towards the mountain. I guess Thresher maws don't know that Mako's are designed for landing's just like that, lucky for 1-2.
"Gunny" I yelled, "floor it!". Now it's three against one, and they're all coming for me and the gunny. I keep firing, aiming for their heads, but it's to no avail. We're being slagged with acid and their teeth projectiles, and one pierces into the hull, hitting the gunny on her leg, causing her to jerk the wheel, making us flip over. Slowly, and yet as fast as I can, I crawl over to the gunny, see she's still breathing, and throw her over my left shoulder, which is bare and burning from the maw's acid.
Getting up, with a pistol in my right arm, I run as fast as I can out the hatch of the Mako, running towards the mountain, which is about 20 meters away. I look up and see the main gun of the 1-2 on the mountain firing, as well as some small arms fire from marines, and a couple of them descending the mountain towards us. I reach the mountain, and as I start climbing up, I felt a sharp pain coming from my left leg, immediately making me collapse. I threw the gunny about 2 meters above me, just as I felt a sensation of extreme heat come over my back, and my vision fades to black.
I'm awake, and to be honest I'm scared to open my eyes. I'm pretty sure I'm dead, because I don't have any sort of headache or pain at all. I open my eyes, and it's all white, I knew it, I'm in heaven. Well, that's what I thought at first, until I noticed all the bandages on my chest, and arm, and all of the medical equipment in the room. Looking down I see my knee as well, wrapped tightly together, I'm barely able to bend it, it's extremely tight. Someone walks in, going straight to one of the machines, checking her omnitool.
"So, how bad is it?" I asked, startling the girl, probably an ensign.
"Wha-what? You're awake?" she exclaimed.
"Well, I'm pretty sure this isn't a dream" I deadpanned.
"Hang on lieutenant, I'll go grab the doctor" she said, running out the door.
"Okay" I muttered to myself. I sit up, getting dizzy, grabbing the railing for stability. I pull out my omni-tool from the dresser next to my bed, slip it on, and check the time. Two weeks, I've been out for two flipping weeks.
"Ah, good morning Lieutenant" I look up to the oddly familiar voice, not expecting to see her. "I'm Dr. Chakwas, I've been your doctor since you arrived here on Arcturus."
"What's the damage doc?" I asked.
"Well, you had third degree chemical burns on your back and left shoulder, two broken ribs, three cracked, nearly had your left leg severed from some sort of massive tooth, and a concussion" and I just whistled at that. "Your burns will be healed in a few days, and your leg in a week, and your ribs and concussion have already healed."
"Wow" I said, "could've been worse."
"And how's that?" she asked, angrily.
"I could be dead" I said, and she couldn't help but grin. "So, what's the deal with my leg?"
"You can bend it as much as you want, but that bandage has to stay there until it's fully healed, you'll have full range of motion, it's just there to make sure you don't move too fast and tear off your leg" she claimed.
"Great" I groaned.
"Well, someone's been waiting to see you" Chakwas mentioned.
"Who?" I asked.
"A pretty little marine" she said with a wink.
"Shepard?" I asked, "I thought she's on tour with the 7th fleet."
"I was, I had some strings pulled to get me stationed on Arcturus" Shepard said, coming around the corner. She rushed me, grabbing me for a hug.
"Hey Cass, you okay?" I asked.
"No, I thought you were going to die Chase, you're all I have left" she exclaimed, tears coming down her face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think it was that bad." I said, wiping her cheeks.
"It wasn't, it's just they wouldn't tell me anything at first, only that you were in critical condition. The only way I could find out about you was through that Commander Anderson of yours." She said, and I just nodded, "You know the news got wind of this, and it's spreading like wildfire. You know what they're calling you?"
"Oh god, what?"
"You're the 'Hero of Akuze', and the media is just eating it up. You managed to save 13 of the marines under your command." She said.
"Only thirteen?" I asked.
"That's more than half, you should be proud. Any other officer would have frozen, but your reaction and quick judgement saved them" she barked, "at least that's what I've been told, I don't have clearance for this" she said with a shrug.
"Thanks for trying to make me feel better" I said, patting the bed for her to come sit, "so, 'Hero of Akuze'?"
She immediately shot her hands up. "It wasn't me, but it's a little too late to avoid it" she said, and I just grumbled, falling back into the bed.
"I was just doing my job, and I doubt the seven families of those dead marines would agree to me being a 'Hero'" I muttered out, Shepard falling into the bed beside me, giving me a concerned look. "How'd you get transferred to Arcturus?"
"I had some favors called in" she claimed.
"Anderson?" I asked
"Anderson" she nodded
"What do they have you doing?" I questioned
"Security, boring as hell. But, it gives me plenty of time to prepare" she said
"Prepare?"
"Oh my god, I didn't even tell you?!" she exclaimed, "they offered me a shot at ICT, in a little over 8 months we'll be the same rank" she grinned, ear to ear.
"One" I said, putting up my hand, "I'm currently a First Lieutenant, secondly, you have to pass it first"
"Worried?" she asked
"Nope" I replied
"So, what's new in the personal life of Corporal Shepard? I already keep tabs on your professional career." I said
"That's a little creepy, but I think it's cute that you worry about me. And nothing on the personal front, like usual."
"No one special?" I asked,
"What can I say, I have a high set of standards" she said, "you spoiled me"
"Me?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"If I find a guy who makes me feel the same as I do when I'm with you, I'll consider him" she commented, making me blush, "till then, I'll wait"
"Wait for what?"
"You" she deadpanned, putting up her hand, "I know, I know, we've had this talk before, but once I pass ICT, I'll be an officer, so we wouldn't be braking any rules. And, I know you have feelings for me."
"Shepard, I'm not denying that I have feelings for you, but it's just,"
"What?" she interrupted, "I know it wouldn't be practical, we'd be lucky to get two weeks together"
"That's one thing, but not it" I interrupted her, "if we were together, and something happened to you, I don't think that I'd be able to live with myself"
"Okay, selfish, but okay" she said, and I just gave her a questionable look, "I'm already in that boat Chase, if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able live with myself." And I just started giggling, getting a confused look from her.
"Now that I think about, I'm in that boat already" I said, looking down.
"I'm sorry, didn't mean our first conversation after Akuze to be so serious, or make you sad." She claimed.
"It's alright, it was bound to happen eventually, and for the record, I am interested" I said, getting her attention, "but now's not good, the timing's off."
"Okay, that's fine" she said, laying her head on my chest, "I'm a patient person." and Dr. Chakwas walked in, holding some new dressings.
"Okay lieutenant, we need to change your dressings" she stated towards Shepard, and she got the message.
"Alright Chase, I have duty in thirty minutes, so I'll see you later" she said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek and left, and Chakwas just gave me a raised eyebrow.
"We're currently just very close friends who both admitted feeling towards each other, nothing out of the ordinary" I claimed, holding a poker face, and she just put up her hand.
"I didn't say anything, and that's not ordinary" she quipped, removing the bandages on my shoulder and knee, showing a gnarly scar on my knee, and a cool looking one on the shoulder.
"That's a scar" I stated,
"Yes, the shoulder scar it about as healed as it'll get, it got treated last, prioritizing the leg. The leg scar will heal for the most part, but without cosmetic surgery, you'll still have a small scar there. Your back will heal fully though." She finished wrapping my injuries, and Commander Anderson came in.
"Anderson" I said, "fancy meeting you here", and Dr. Chakwas finished, and then walked out.
"Jarrett, good to see that a near death experience didn't kill your humor" he said
"It'll take more than that" I chided back, "What the hell happened? Who dropped the ball?"
"I don't know" he responded, "I can't even find who ordered the OP, it's way to sketchy, I don't know who could have been behind this, or why, but they are covering up and cleaning house, I've got nothing."
"Me neither" I lied, Cerberus.
"I do have some good news" he claimed, and I signaled for him to continue, "The boys back at the villa recreated your little picnic down there in a simulator, and almost everyone who tried completely failed, everyone dying. Some people were able to make it out alive, but every one of their teammates died."
"Who participated?" I asked.
"Only N6 and N7s" he replied, "You know if command didn't delay your N5 training, you would've been an N6 while that happened, and be promoted to N7 right now for how ell you performed. If you were given this OP."
"You just know how to make someone feel better, don't ya?" I deadpanned.
"That's not the only good news, I finally got you your N5 training, and I just happen to know who you're pairing with." He claimed.
"Well don't leave me on the edge of my seat"
"Alec Ryder, he's an Infiltrator Specialist, but like you, he's quite adaptable, able to fill almost any role." He said.
"Yeah, I know who he is." I said, surprised by what he just said.
"Thanks for Shepard" I said, changing the subject. "It means a lot."
"Not a problem, I got to go, commands on my ass on trying to find a way to counter those maws, I suggested orbital bombardment, but that didn't like that answer." He deadpanned.
"Commander" I nodded.
"Staff Lieutenant" he said, catching me off guard.
"What?" I questioned
"Oh right, you got a promotion, congrats, you should have a message on your omnitool about it" he said, walking out.
"Hey" I said, stopping him at the door, and he looked at me. "I take it that you were the one that got Chakwas as my doctor." He just grinned and shrugged, and walked away. I pulled up my omnitool to check that message, but a little hologram of a lady popped up.
"Cortana" I said.
"Chase, it's good to see you well, Mordin and Thane were worried about you" she said.
"You couldn't just hack my medical records?" I asked
"Not without permission from all three of you, that was our agreement." She said. "I take it that you weren't expecting to be at Akuze."
"No" I said, "but there's a few events that will go down that I don't know the dates of."
"I'm aware of Akuze, and I'm monitoring Cerberus now, Thane thinks that they're a threat, but won't do anything without the four approvals." She said, if you didn't figure it out, Cortana is the A.I. Mordin created, based off of Eliza and prothean V.I.s. We made her equal to us, making it four in our little group now. "Any other events that you don't know the date of"
"Yes, but don't try to interfere. Me being here has already gummed things up a bit." She nodded, "There's the Skyllian Blitz, when Batarian pirates attack the colony of Elysium, and Torfan. That's when the Alliance attack the base where the pirates attacked Elysium from."
"I see, what else has been gummed up, because as far as we can tell, everything's going to plan." She stated.
"Alec Ryder, he never got caught experimenting with A.I., so he never got discharged." I said.
"One moment" she said, "I've looked into the personal messages of Mr. Ryder, he plans on retiring in a years' time, and join the Andromeda initiative. Interesting."
"I figured, I'll talk to you later, I've had an exhausting few hours. Give Mordin and Thane my regards, and give them an update, I'll be fully healed in a weeks' time." I said, laying down.
"Okay, I'll see you around" she said with a wink and blew me a kiss, and disappeared. She's very flirtatious, Mordin finds that part of her personality very interesting, that and how she rewrites her code.