Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. Thank you all for your wonderful support. I greatly appreciate it.
I've begun posting this fanfiction as a literature deviation on DeviantArt. If you want to go check it out there, you are more than free to do so.
Either way, thank you for your wonderful support and feedback, and I hope to continue receiving that support as this crossover evolves.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the MechWarrior/BattleTech and Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Electronic Arts, BioWare, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's respective composers and/or artists.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries OST - A Second Life
New Avalon
Lycomb-Davion Introtech Plant
January 22st, 3020
Standing in the heated waiting room of the factory they were in, Shepard was quietly reading a book he'd brought from the Normandy. Around him, Vega, Garrus, Wrex and Nyreen were also waiting for the DropShip that was going to be arriving today. Garrus was catching up on some sleep, courtesy of the twins waking him up in the middle of the night. Nyreen, however, was fully awake, and was currently breastfeeding Nihlus, her cooing and purring being the only sound that was in the room.
There was also something else that Shepard had brought along, something to remind him of his obligation to the Systems Alliance. Opening up the only other case that he'd brought along, he looked down at his N7 armor, or rather the chest plate that he'd brought along. Even though it had been used quite heavily, it gleamed as though it was brand new, courtesy of his excellent care of it. Idly, he ran a hand over the advanced armor plating.
Hopefully, it won't be long before EDI and NAIS can work out how to manufacture this equipment, he thought. It'll be a happy day when the technology used to manufacture the Normandy is available for all to use. Maybe then, we'll be able to get some much needed support for the Alliance.
Still, he knew that the possibility of finding a way back home to the Systems Alliance, and the galaxy he'd been fighting so hard to save, was distant. According to EDI, the chances of finding a Prothean artifact in this reality was, quite literally, slim to none. "If they did, somehow, cross into this universe, then they have likely hidden their technology quite well," EDI had surmised. "Either way, we should not consider the possibility until we have evidence that states otherwise." It was a prospect that was discomforting, but one that had to be faced.
There was another decision he'd made, even though it was a hard one. Before the crew had gone to bed, he had talked with them about what to do with the Normandy, since it was likely going to be years, if not decades, before it could be used again. Wrex had voiced the opinion that, since it wasn't going to be used, it was to be handed over to the scientists at NAIS for study. "They'll put it to better use than we can now," he had argued. "So why horde it, when we can give it to the scientists there and eventually benefit everyone?"
Shepard had to admit, that kind of logic was extremely difficult, if not outright impossible, to argue with. As such, while it was a decision he'd rather not make, he had decided to hand the Normandy over to NAIS. That also meant handing over EDI, as her AI Core was built into the ship as well. EDI hadn't minded; in fact, she felt that it was an opportunity to help the scientists there begin reversing the Inner Sphere's technological regression at a much faster pace.
I just hope she'll be OK, Shepard thought as he picked up the book he was reading and continued to read some more. EDI is a hell of an AI, but I'm still worried that something might happen while we're gone. It played on his mind, even as he tried to banish it from his thoughts.
Nyreen, having finished breastfeeding Nihlus, looked up at Shepard once her armor was fully back on. Spotting his worried expression, she asked, "Are you OK?"
"I don't know," Shepard replied, deciding that honesty was the best course of action. "I'm worried about the Normandy and EDI. I know I shouldn't have reason to, but I can't help but do so."
"She'll be OK," Nyreen reassured Shepard, walking over and sitting down next to him with her child. "EDI is probably the most valuable resource at NAIS right now. If I know the guards there, they'll fight like mad to keep her safe if ComStar, or one of the Great Houses, tries to attack the place. Plus, none of them would want the Normandy to fall into any other person's hands."
"I know. I guess I'm just worrying for no reason at all."
"That's perfectly normal, Shepard. I was worried about my men when I led the Talons back on Omega. I was worried about the civilians when the fighting got intense. It's a natural part of command, but I fully understand your feelings. Everything'll be fine." Even Nihlus seemed to agree with Nyreen, as the infant Turian reached out with a talon and touched Shepard's right cheek.
The action caused Shepard to smile, before he let out a long sigh. "Thanks," he said to Nyreen.
"Don't mention it," she replied. "It's the least that I can do for you, after what you did. I still remember when you charged those Adjutants and saved me. I can't repay that ever, but I can do what I can to help you out." With that, she returned to caring for Nihlus, while carrying Celicia in a hand held crib.
Putting his book down, Shepard got up and decided to walk outside. Moving through the automatic doors, he felt the cold wind of New Avalon's winter biting at his skin, though he paid it little attention. Walking up to the railing nearby, he leaned against it, ignoring the snow that he dislodged as he did so.
The sky was still quite dark, even though it was around 6 o'clock in the morning. While he could see the dim, pre-dawn light beginning to emerge in the sky, the stars still shone bright and clear overhead. Looking up, he began looking for familiar constellations, as well as new ones that were present.
There was one star cluster that he did spot, albeit just barely. Looking to his right, he spotted a cluster of five stars that twinkled in the night sky. The Pleiades, he thought to himself. They're in Fed Suns territory if I recall correctly. I always wanted to visit them at some point. In fact, I might be able to get the chance someday, if all works out.
He then glanced over at the sole 'Mech that was standing near the factory. True to form, Quintus had made sure a Marauder was ready to go for him to use. While Quintus hadn't told him what armaments the 'Mech had, since he already knew, he had hinted that they were better quality than what it usually came with. I don't mind either way, Shepard thought as he looked at the iconic war machine. The Marauder is a good 'Mech, and I wouldn't want it any other way.
His thoughts were interrupted when Garrus came outside, having woken up from his nap. "Sleep well?" Shepard asked.
"Twins woke me up during the night, but nothing a little nap couldn't fix," Garrus nodded. Looking at the DropPad, he said, "I wonder when they'll get here. I'm not complaining, just curious is all."
"They did say they were going to get some equipment, then they'd be here as soon as possible," Shepard replied. "They're probably flying to our location right now. They also did have to make sure everyone signed their NDA's."
"True. That's basically what people have to sign in order to even be able to get near us. I don't mind the extra caution, but I feel a little… pampered, to be honest. Turians aren't meant to be pampered. We're meant to get out there, get beat up while completing the mission, then return to recover before doing it again."
"I know what you mean. Before we went on that mission to Helm, I felt like I was a fifth wheel. Now, though, at least we'll be able to put our skills to good use. Besides, we'll need to see how these things fare in actual combat. It'll give us a good idea of how effective these 'Mechs will be against Reaper ground troops."
"You think that we'll find a way back eventually?"
"I can't give up hope on that, Garrus. If I did, I'd be turning my back on the Systems Alliance and everyone back in our universe, and I'll be damned before I let that happen."
"Relax, Shepard. I was just curious is all. I feel the same way too, given that I won't know for a long while if my father, Castis, made it out alive from Palaven with my sister."
"I know. We'll find a way home. I'm sure of it."
"That's how it is with you anyways. Whenever someone says something is impossible, you go ahead and do it anyway. You've built a career on doing that kind of thing, Shepard. I wouldn't be surprised if you did manage to find a way home. That's kinda expected of you." With that, the two friends fell silent, though they continued to admire the stars of an alien, yet familiar, sky.
They were about to head back inside when Shepard heard a sound that he'd grown accustomed to. "Looks like we've got someone coming in for a landing," he noted as he spotted a series of lights that were moving through the air towards them. "I think this might be them."
"Agreed," Garrus nodded. "I'll wake Wrex and Vega up and make sure their ready. Once they are, it's time to… What's that Human expression?"
"Get the show on the road," Shepard replied.
"Yeah, that's what I was trying to say." With that, Garrus went inside, while Shepard remained outside to watch the DropShip come in for a landing.
The noise of the DropShip's fusion thrusters quickly grew from a quiet rumbling, to a loud, thunderous roar. Turning as it descended, it quickly landed on it's landing skids, with the ground shaking as it came to a complete stop on the DropPad. A few seconds later, the powerful engines fell silent, with the DropShip's doors opening soon afterwards.
Getting up, Shepard went inside and grabbed the two crates he'd brought with him before moving back outside and towards the DropShip. Looking towards the aft section, he spotted a symbol on one of the rear stabilizers: a cyan colored horse's head that had a red broadsword that pointed down. At the tip of the sword was the corner of a triangle that intersected the horse's ears, with a circle that passed outside of the triangle to meet at the same intersection.
Pulling out a piece of paper in his pocket, Shepard compared the symbol on it to the symbol on the stabilizer. It's an identical match, he confirmed. These are the mercenaries that we'll be working with for the duration. Having correctly identified the merc group, he proceeded forwards, cases in hand, to the 'Mech Bay doors, which had fully opened.
It was clear that someone was expecting him, as he spotted a man wearing a uniform proceeding towards him. The man was tall, around the same height as he was, and hard dark brown colored hair that was neatly trimmed. Both of his dark green eyes looked around the place with the careful gaze characteristic of a soldier. His cyan and red colored uniform fit his frame perfectly.
Spotting Shepard, he walked over and said, "I heard we were getting some new 'MechWarriors, though the NDA's we had to sign confused me." Smiling as he extended a hand, he said, "Commander Jake Mason of Mason's Cavaliers."
"Commander John Shepard," was the reply.
"Commander?" Mason asked as he and Shepard shook hands.
"I'm military," Shepard replied, "but I was put in the Reserves since I wasn't needed. I did recently qualify for BattleMechs, and I performed well during training."
"I can see that," Mason remarked as he looked at the Marauder standing near the DropShip. "My dad always did like the Marauder, though he preferred an Atlas himself. Still, it's good to see something historic like the Marauder. They're really good 'Mechs, though only as good as the MechWarrior that controls them."
"Very true," Shepard nodded. "Also, do you know why you had to sign the NDA's?"
"No. I figured that I would find out soon enough."
"You go that right. So, you have a chief technician?"
"That would be me," a British accented voice called out. Looking behind Mason, Shepard watched as a man wearing a technician's uniform walked out of the DropShip. The man was slightly shorter than him, though his uniform made it clear that he had some authority; his hair was closely shaved to his head, and his brown eyes seemed to hold a lot of knowledge. "Fahad Arazad, at your service."
"And I at yours," Shepard replied, shaking the man's hand.
"Bloody hell," Fahad remarked as he looked at the Marauder. "Looks like you got yourself a nice piece of kit. The Marauder's always had a reputation for taking severe damage while still kicking arse. Still, given the work that it's made for, I wouldn't be surprised if it returns from a mission half fucked."
"I'll try not to make life too hard on you, Fahad."
"That's nice to hear. At least someone appreciates the hard work I have to do around here, keeping these bloody 'Mechs up and running."
"We all appreciate the work you do," Mason replied.
"Well, you sure don't express it like that," Fahad mock complained. It was clear, though, that he knew that having BattleMechs return half-destroyed was part of the job. "Still, I wonder why we had to sign those NDA's."
"You're about to find out why," Shepard remarked as he spotted four familiar people walking over to the DropShip.
The moment Garrus, Nyreen, Vega and Wrex came into view was one that Shepard would remember for some time. To his credit, Mason didn't immediately pull out a pistol, or give a startled shout. Instead, he gazed at the three aliens, and the sole Human with them, as they came into the light.
Fahad, on the other hand, did nothing to conceal the surprise that washed over his facial features like a wave at the beach. I can't blame him, Shepard thought as Garrus and the others approached. It's not every day that you meet aliens that are from another universe. The good news is that they seem to be taking it rather well.
"Bloody hell," Fahad gasped, breaking the silence. "When I signed that NDA, along with every other bloody nob on the 'Ship, I thought we were picking up former military pilots, not aliens. Who the hell are these bloody people?"
"That's what I'm wondering," Mason agreed. Turning to Shepard, he said, "I take it you've got some explaining to do."
"Yes," Shepard replied. "These are my friends. Mason, Fahad, these four here are Garrus Vakarian, Nyreen Kandros Vakarian, Urdnot Wrex and James Vega. Friends, meet Commander Jake Mason and Fahad Arazad."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Garrus nodded as he extended a talon.
That simple action broke the ice quite nicely, as Mason started out of his surprised stupor and shook Garrus' hand. He noted that the grip was firm and strong, causing him to wonder how strong Garrus really was. "The pleasure's all mine," he nodded.
"Same here," Fahad nodded. "Bloody hell. Of all the people to meet, we run into aliens. Are we sure this isn't some kind of hoax or something?"
"It's not," Shepard replied. "We proved it to the scientists at NAIS."
"Then that's good enough for me," Fahad remarked. "I met one of those blokes at NAIS when I was a young lad. Talked so much about 'nucleotides, telomeres' and other things that my head was swimming." Looking at Garrus, he said, "So, you know how to pilot a 'Mech?"
"All of us do," Garrus nodded. "I qualified for the Rifleman. Wrex here is good at anything heavier than that, and Vega's a 'jack-of-all-trades.' I also spent quite a lot of time calibrating my 'Mech."
"Really?" Fahad asked, dubious. When Garrus, and Shepard, nodded, he said, "Well, at least I've got someone that I can talk shop with. Something tells me we're going to get along swimmingly."
"Mind if we come inside?" Shepard asked. "It's a bit cold out here."
"Not at all," Mason nodded. "You're part of my merc company now." Turning to Fahad, he said, "Tell Ryana that we've got some new employees, and to have some of the crew prepare some bunks for the new pilots. Also, make sure the other 'Mechs we got are ready to rock. I recall picking up a RFL-3N sometime ago."
"You got it," Fahad nodded, not quite taking his eyes off of Garrus.
As he left to carry this out, Mason happened to spot the bundles that Nyreen was carrying. He was about to ask when Shepard said, "Garrus and Nyreen are married. They've got twins."
"Are you certain that bringing them aboard is a good idea?" Mason asked. "This isn't a daycare or a civilian DropShip after all."
"We talked about it last night," Garrus reassured him. "She wanted to come and wouldn't take no for an answer. She also wanted to bring her kids along, and I don't blame her."
"Alright."
"Should I bring my 'Mech inside?" Shepard asked.
"No," Mason shook his head. "I've got people for that. Fahad's getting that done." As he said this, a few technicians were already clambering up the Marauder's chain ladder, with one quickly hopping inside as Mason and the others left for the DropShip's briefing room.
Once inside the briefing room, Mason said, "So, mind if you tell me how you found those aliens?"
"Probably at a latter time," Shepard replied. "We did just get here after all."
"Fair enough. This is probably a big change for you, so I won't push it." Looking around, Mason noticed someone wasn't present. "Ryana? You there?"
"Just took care of the request Fahad sent along," came a woman's voice. A moment later, Shepard watched as a woman, presumably Ryana, walked into the room. She stood a few inches shorter than Fahad, but the armored uniform she wore made it clear that she was Mason's XO. Both her green eyes swept the area, while her dirty blond colored hair shone slightly in the lighting of the room.
As soon as she spotted Garrus and the others, she stared at them for a few long seconds. "Well," she admitted, "when we and the crew signed those NDA's, I never expected something like this. Are they our new pilots?"
"That they are," Mason nodded. "Ryana, meet Commander Shepard, Garrus Vakarian, his wife Nyreen, Urdnot Wrex and James Vega. They're our new MechWarriors. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Ryana, the Captain of the DropShip and our contract manager."
"Nice to meet you," Shepard nodded.
"Likewise," Ryana nodded, though her eyes didn't drift away from the aliens for a second as she shook hands with Shepard. "Looks like I'll have to get used to the idea of working with actual aliens, if that's what they are."
"No tricks here," Shepard reassured her. "Each and every alien here is the real McCoy. If you want reassurance, you can talk to the geneticists at NAIS."
"Already did," Mason nodded, holding up a noteputer that had the results on the screen.
"Then that's good enough for me," Ryana decided. "If you'll follow me, Shepard, I'll assign bunks for you and your friends."
As the team followed Ryana into the bowels of the Leopard-class DropShip, Mason turned to see Fahad coming inside. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"No," Fahad replied. "Just came to tell you that someone hooked Shepard up really nicely. That 'Mech's got a Imperator-A AC/5 installed in lieu of the GM-Whirlwind that comes as standard issue. We're also looking at a pair of Intek Medium Lasers and two Donal PPC's. I don't mean to be rude, but who gave him such a nice piece of kit?"
"Don't know yet," Mason shrugged. "I'll bet that Shepard will tell us in good time. Still, that's top-of-the-line equipment, outside of any LosTech."
While Fahad and Mason were talking about Shepard's 'Mech, the man himself was following Ryana through the cramped confines of the DropShip. Wrex was having the toughest time, since his wide frame meant that he had to walk with his upper body turned either left or right. Any doors that he encountered, he had to squeeze through, something that wasn't comfortable at all.
A moment later, they came to the bunks in question. Just like everything else on the DropShip, they were cramped, but utterly necessary for habitation. "There you are," Ryana informed the quadruple. "Pick whichever bunk you like, though we'll have to find larger ones for Garrus, Nyreen and Wrex."
"We'll manage," Shepard replied.
"Don't worry," Wrex replied. "A cot in one of the storage rooms will suffice for me. Just make sure that it's secured to the wall and we'll be fine."
"We'll make do with the bunks in here," Garrus nodded. "Nyreen?"
"It'll work," came the reply as she sat down on one of the bunks, before extricating Nihlus from the blankets that had sheltered him from the cold weather outside.
"Is that one of yours?" Ryana asked.
"Yes," Nyreen nodded. "Nihlus is my son, and the one in the crib is Celicia." Just as she said this, Celicia began to cry, the infant's loud cries reaching a shrill volume. "Looks like I've got some business to tend to," she admitted. "I'll be with you shortly."
"Very well," Ryana nodded. With that, they continued the tour of the DropShip.
. . .
It wasn't long before they finished their tour of the DropShip, though Shepard quite liked the tour. He had to admit, despite the fact that the Inner Sphere was, in many ways, less advanced than the Systems Alliance, they had still managed to build something quite impressive. Not as good as the Normandy, but still very good, he thought. The DropShip though does have one thing over the Normandy: it can transport 'Mechs.
As he began to walk back to the crew quarters, Fahad came up to him. "Hey, Shepard?" he asked. "Where'd you get such a nice 'Mech?"
"Quintus hooked me up with one," Shepard replied.
"Quintus? You mean the -?"
"Yep. That Quintus."
"Bloody hell. He hooked you up with some top notch kit. Your Autocannon/5, for instance, is an Imperator-A, and that's a top notch Autocannon/5, especially for a burst-fire Autocannon."
"Why is that good?"
"The standard one that comes with the Marauder is the GM-Whirlwind. No offense to General Motors, but that Autocannon can be bloody temperamental at times. I once had to work on one that would jam every ten bursts or so."
"That temperamental?"
"Pretty much. Fortunately, the Imperator-A's don't have that problem, and they're more accurate with a spread of around 1.6 meters in the burst. They've also got a farther effective range and more damage output. Effectively speaking, someone took the main Autocannon/5's for the RFL-3N and stuck it on your MAD-3R."
Even Shepard had to appreciate that. "Very nice," he nodded. "Anything else?"
"You've got top-of-the-line PPC's and Medium Lasers. Beyond that, it's your standard Marauder BattleMech, though I can say that it's in far better nick than any that I've seen thus far."
"Good to hear. I'm eager to give it a spin when we've got a mission to do. What about that RFL-3N Mason mentioned earlier?"
"We're still fixing the bloody thing," Fahad replied as he motioned to the 'Mech in question.
Shepard whistled as he looked at the 'Mech. From the looks of it, the right-center torso had been blown cleanly off the 'Mech, while one of the legs looked as though it had been a chicken leg that had been cooked for far too long. "That's one fucked up Rifleman," he admitted.
"Story of my bleeding life," Fahad agreed. "We got it as salvage from one of our missions, but whoever had it took good care of it. It's also got top-tier weaponry, which we were able to repair and salvage since they weren't directly hit. From what I hear, Mason had to butter up our employer in order to get it, and I don't blame him. You don't see many 'Mechs like this anymore."
"True. I hope Wrex and Vega have 'Mechs to use as well."
"They do. Judging from what Garrus said about Vega, I've got a Shadow Hawk lined up for him. Wrex and Garrus, though, are a bit trickier. The size of the cockpits is one concern, but I'm really worried about the ergonomics."
"Let me guess: the cockpits were designed for human use, not for aliens?"
"Pretty much, Shepard. I'm already feeling sorry for those blokes, especially Wrex. He's so massive that it'll be a challenge for him to use those cockpits. We'll have to do a custom rework of the cockpits so that they can use them comfortably."
"We'll find some way to make it work," Shepard nodded. Looking around, he said, "It's been nice talking with you, Fahad. You remind me of Chief Engineer Adams. He would get along especially well with you."
"Sounds like an alright fella," Fahad nodded. "It's a shame we won't be meeting for some time. Well, Shepard. I've got work to do. Catch you later?"
"Sure," Shepard nodded. As he walked away, he thought, Well, welcome to your new life, Shepard. It's about to get interesting.