Mass Effect: Succession
*AUTHOR'S NOTE*
With the release of the Legendary Edition I've decided to return to my Shepard (with some changes here and there). I will be revising, re-uploading, and continuing her backstory but I also have another project in mind, namely this one.
Mass Effect Succession is intended to be my Fan-Fiction sequel to Mass Effect 3, the prologue will serve as something of an infodump to make clear where my ending differs from the game's ending. Then the bulk of the story will take place approximately 210 years after Mass Effect 3 and follow Liara and My Shepard's daughter on a new story I intend to tell.
I plan on doing my best to mix some old characters with new original characters, most of all however I hope anyone reading this will enjoy the story I want to tell.
Final note, it feels amazing to get back into the original Mass Effect Trilogy, I missed all of these characters.
Enjoy!
Prologue
Shepard's mind fogged, what she thought must've been her final moments playing and replaying in her head. The blast from Harbinger nearly killing her. Pushing her broken body down the corridor, pure will and a desire to have a galaxy left for those she loves sustaining her. A pull of a trigger and a quick command bringing the wars end in view. One final act, one last button and her mind goes black.
It replays over and over, an endless loop in a fogged darkness, the fear that she may have failed paralyzing her. The nightmare that maybe all she had left was an endless replay of 'what if…' haunting her for all eternity.
Suddenly a light blinded her…
In the hospital bed Ella lay motionless, her dark red hair matted to her pale scarred skin, the emerald gaze hidden beneath closed lids flitting to and fro as the endless nightmare wracked her comatose mind. Her once battered and bruised form, hidden by the pristine hospital gown, was gently covered by the sterile blanket of her bed. Liara lay beside her bondmate, fast asleep after days of endless fretting, desperately hoping that each and every moment was when her Shepard would return to her.
Ella's eyes fluttered open, the immaculate white room making it difficult for her vision to adjust. Even as her surroundings started to come into focus it was a full minute before she noticed the warm presence beside her. As the waking world came into view Ella finally turned to Liara, fast asleep and snuggled tightly up against her. She felt a wet hot burning behind her eyes as she prayed to whatever deity that would listen that this wasn't a dream. Moments passed in silence, too terrified the slightest provocation would return her to a sleepless nightmare. "Liara?" Her voice cracked, quaking with fear.
The Asari looked up sleepily before her eyes shot wide open "Elle?" Her soft voice, filled with aching relief, threatened to make Shepard's heart burst from her chest. Tears followed quickly and the pair embraced in an eager kiss that would last forever if either had their way.
"If this is a dream I don't wanna wake up" Shepard barely managed when the women finally broke their kiss.
"Goddess…I…I just…I just…." Liara struggled to put her relief to words.
"It's ok Liara" Shepard coughed out, wiping her own eyes. She pulled her love into another quick kiss before attempting to move. "Where? How long?" Ella asked as Liara helped her sit up.
"London and…" She struggled with herself for a moment, "over a year, the doctors weren't sure you'd ever wake up, you were buried under a mountain of rubble." The Asari stopped to compose herself, "it appears as though your implants are the only reason you survived."
"Suppose Cerberus did one thing right after all huh?" Ella laughed briefly before struggling to grip her chest, "God that hurts." Taking a few minutes, almost frightened to ask, she continued, "The Reapers?"
"Dead to the last" Liara answered, "Whatever blast The Crucible produced traveled the Galaxy through the Relays, and...and well, we won. It's over." Laying back down the pair snuggled closer in the bed, "you gave us another tomorrow."
They took time to lay together in silence before Shepard spoke up, "How could the Crucible tell the difference between The Reapers and general tech?"
"EDI had the same concern and voiced it to Admiral Hackett." Liara nuzzled into Shepard's shoulder and absentmindedly started playing with her hair, "you recall that the Crucible's plans were added to over countless cycles? The engineers coded The Reaper IFF that allowed you to assault the Collectors into the weapon."
"There's still too much we don't know about them, why they started the cycle, why they targeted humans, and while the Leviathan have provided some insight I'm beginning to suspect even they didn't really understand the Reapers." Liara paused for a brief moment before continuing. "All questions for another day though, for now it's over." Liara let Ella process the information for a few minutes.
"Casualties?" Shepard asked apprehensively.
"High but manageable, EDI and the Geth we're pretty badly damaged and in need of repair, it was a difficult task but between the Salarians and Quarians both have been returned to full functionality." Liara paused for a moment, "The Relays were damaged but repairable, it was actually quite surprising how easy they were to fix once we had intact Reapers to examine. Ashley has command of her own ship and she's assisting the council worlds with rebuilding. James is still aboard the Normandy with Garrus running the ship while you were in the coma. Tali is back on Rannoch and Javik has been helping my father and I care for you ." The mention of Garrus brought a smile to Shepard's face.
"It seems you all have everything under control" Ella pushed through the pain and struggled to get to her feet falling several times and swearing before relenting and leaning on Liara's offered shoulder, "I do have a question though. Glyph?" The information drone spun up to the Commander.
"What can I do for you Commander Shepard?" The quiet whir of the drone hung in the air as it waited for Shepard to answer.
"Open a channel to the Normandy and get me Garrus." Ella glanced over at an intrigued Liara before looking back at the drone.
"At once Commander." The drone immediately pulled up a com channel and Garrus' image fluttered into existence.
"Hah, I suppose I should have known better to count you out. Death itself couldn't stop you why would a little coma? Though, if you keep doing stuff like this you're going to look more Turian than I do." Garrus let a slight chuckle echo over the com channel. "How can I help?"
"You still have it?" Shepard asked smiling ear to ear despite the pain.
"Right, hang on" Garrus reached around and pulled a ring from his pocket holding it up for Shepard and Liara to see, the same one EDI had presented to her months ago.
Confused Liara looked over to Ella, feeling her drop down to the ground, only to find her on one knee. "Liara T'Soni, marry me?"
Briefly out of breath Liara pulled Shepard into an embrace, whispering quietly into her ear, "of course, yes. I love you Ellanore Shepard and I always will."
Ella nuzzled into the Asari's neck, "I love you too Liara T'Soni, you've always been my happily ever after."
Just then an Asari child, several months old, came stumbling into the room startling the pair out of their embrace. The young child was pale blue with a wide smile crossing her small face. Following quickly after was Matriarch Aethyta, "Liara I'm sorry, damn kid is quicker than a…."
Seeing Shepard awake put a sly grin on the Matriarch's face, "Get enough beauty rest Shepard?"
The comment was lost on Ella however, she couldn't take her eyes off the small child. There was a clear resemblance to Liara save for her bright green eyes. "That's her isn't it?" Was all Ella could muster, recalling the deep meld Liara and her shared just before the final assault.
The child quickly but clumsily made her way over to Ella, reaching up to the Commander. Picking her up she struggled and failed to hold back tears as she held her daughter close, "We haven't officially named her yet, I was hoping you could decide." Liara offered pulling her family into a loving embrace.
"Zia" Ella offered without hesitation, "Zia Shepard"