Chapter 3: Eden Prime

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Eden Prime

Life can change immensely in a matter of days.

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams was learning that the hard way. A few days ago her biggest issue was that Sargent Donkey was still trying to get her to sleep with him. She always turned him down of course, but what she wouldn't give for that to be her biggest problem again.

Because right now, she was running through the Colony, just trying to stay alive.

It was burning. Everywhere she looked she could see dead bodies, flames and those dang synthetics. Everything was fine until that ship landed, then everything went to hell. Her whole body hurt, lungs on fire and her legs felt like they were about to give out.

She kept moving anyway. She could hear the drones flying after her and shooting at her. One shot hit her kinetic shield causing her to trip and fall. She hit the ground hard but immediately grabbed her pistol, turned her body so she was in a sitting position and with elite accuracy shot down the two drones. Before she could get up she saw two of the humanoid synthetics.. Geth?

Holding a barely alive colonist and putting him on some type of circular device. She leaned in to get a closer look and was greeted by the unholy sight of the colonist being impaled by a spike that had come out of the device.

At that moment, she got up and ran to the nearest cover she could find. She found a boulder and slid behind it. This is it. This is how I die. She thought to herself, exhaling heavily.

Ashley took a deep breath and steeled herself. If I die, then I'm taking all these flashlight heads with me. She pulled out her Lancer assault rifle and took another deep breath. But before she could start shooting, one of her asilant's heads blew off. At the same time this was happening, the other one was enveloped in a corona of blue energy, she took advantage of the situation and sprayed the Geth in the air with bullets.

After the two Geth were dead, Ashley turned around to see who had saved her. She saw two men walk towards her. The one on the left looked to be around her height and was crackling with biotic energy. Well that explains the floating Geth. The one on the right however, was taller and was holding an Avenger sniper rifle and had a red stripe going down his right arm. An N7. "Thanks for the help. I didn't think I was gonna make it." She said with gratitude. The Chief then saluted and introduced herself. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. Are you the one in charge here, sir?"

The N7 answered. "I'm Lt. Commander John Shepard." he then pointed at the biotic with his right thumb. "This is Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko." He then looked at her cautiously. "Are you wounded, Williams?"

"A few scrapes and burns. Nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky." Ashley spoke, allowing Alenko to look over her wounds as she continued. "Oh man…. We were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. I've been fighting for my life ever since."

Shepard nodded as he asked. "Where's the rest of your squad?"

"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others…. I think I'm the only one left." She answered, shaking her head.

"This isn't your fault, Williams. There's nothing more you could've done to save them." The Commander spoke in a reassuring tone.

Ashley held her head a little higher as she made her reply. "Yes, sir. We held our position as long as we could. Until the Geth overwhelmed us."

Kaiden spoke up. "The Geth haven't been seen outside the Veil in almost 200 years. Why are they here now?"

She shrugged. "They must've come for the beacon. The dig site is close. Just over that rise." She said, pointing to her right. "It might still be there."

Shepard looked at her. "If you're up for it, we could use some help, Williams."

The Chief took on a look of determination. "Aye, aye, sir. It's time for payback."

He nodded once. "Move out."

"Yes, sir!" Ashley and Kaiden responded simultaneously.

While they were walking, Shepard asked the Gunnery Chief they picked up more questions.

"Have you seen a Turian Spectre named Nihlus anywhere?" He asked, turning to look at her.

Ashley was confused. A Spectre? Who are these guys? "Sorry. I haven't seen any Turians." She then smiled. "I don't know if I'd be able to tell if he was a Spectre anyway."

The two men she was walking with both chuckled. The Biotic answered. "Trust me, the guy walks around with enough artillery to take out a platoon. You'd know. Luckily, he's on our side."

"Yeah, sorry. Like I said, no Turians."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

In the hour and a half since Ashley had gotten picked up by Shepard and Alenko, they had built up a solid attack formation. With her and the N7 rotating between taking point, getting up close and personal with their shotgun or assault rifle while the other hung back with the biotic and handled sniper duty while Alenko worked his biotics. All in all, she thought they made a formidable trio.

She had also gotten to know the two a little bit when they weren't trying to shoot their way through Geth and Husks. Shepard had told her that they came here on an Alliance Frigate called the Normandy. He also told her that the distress call that she thought failed to get off, didn't in fact fail to reach anyone as the Normandy had gotten it.

"So, how long have you been stationed here? Seems you know the area too well to have just gotten here." The biotic spoke up.

"Eh, a few months. With nothing really to do around here most of the time, leaves you time to explore the area." Ashley answered, trying to see what Shepard was looking at in front of them.

She walked up next to him and saw it.

The thing responsible for this whole mess. It was huge. The Gunnery Chief looked to her left when she heard the Lieutenant speak. "What…. Is that?"

The Commander then said his piece as she looked to her right. "Is that a ship?"

Ashley then felt the need to state the obvious. "It is a ship! Look at the size of it! It looks like a giant robot squid hybrid!"

The other two nodded in agreement, dumbfounded, as they watched the ship depart.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Commander, it's Nihlus." Kaiden spoke in a solemn tone.

"That was the Turian you guys asked about earlier?" Ashley asked quietly.

She looked up when the Commander answered. "Yeah…. That's two. First Jenkins now-"

"There's something moving behind those crates!" Ashley interrupted the N7 when she saw movement.

He then looked to where she was pointing and yelled. "Show yourself!"

As the three Alliance marines drew their pistols, a frail man stood up and started frantically shouting "H-Hey! I-I'm one of y-you! I'm human!"

The three slowly lowered their weapons as Shepard started. "Sneaking up on us is how people die! You need to be more careful." He paused for a second before continuing. "Now who are you and why the hell were you behind those crates?" Shepard arched his brow while he asked his question.

Words started flying out the man's mouth at a mile a minute. "I-I'm.. My name's Powell. I-I work here a-and I was hiding when your f-friend got killed by the other Turian!"

"Other Turian? What are you talking about?" Shepard asked, narrowing his eyes.

"T-There was another one. Your friend knew him. Called him S-Saren I think."

"You think? I'm gonna need you to think long and hard. This is a Council Spectre right here, so unless you know for sure…."

"Y-Yes! His name was Saren. Your friend let his guard down and Saren killed him. Shot him right in the back. Then he left, probably to go find that beacon on the other side of the port. Everything's gone to hell since the scientists dug up that beacon."

Ashley, who had visibly been thinking about something, spoke up. "What'd you say your name was, again?"

"Powell! My name's Powell." The other man said quickly.

The reason the name sounded familiar suddenly popped in her head as she began. "You're Cole's contact here on the docks. For the smuggling ring."

The other man was immediately flustered as he spoke. "W-What? No! I mean.. What does it matter now? So I'm a smuggler? Who cares? My supervisor's dead. The entire crew's dead. It doesn't matter now, does it?"

The Lieutenant piped up. "Anything hidden around here we could use for the Geth."

"A shipment of grenades came through last week. Nobody notices if a few small pieces go missing from the military orders." He remarked, trying to defend his actions.

The Gunnery Chief was irate. "You greedy son of a b*tch! We're out here trying to protect you guys and all you can think of is how to rip us off?!" She immediately regretted her words, fully expecting the Commander to rebuke her. So when he responded, it was not what she was expecting.

"You b**tard." He began in a low, menacing tone. "These soldiers gave their lives to keep worthless garbage like you alive. How many would've survived if you hadn't stolen their supplies? Hand over the grenades. Now."

The man was visibly shaken as he handed the grenades over. "T-They're yours. Take them. My smuggling days are over. I swear."

Ashley should've expected that reaction based on how he had told Manuel to "Say goodnight" but something about a superior officer coming to her defence felt gratifying. Still didn't stop her from being surprised by what happened next.

Shepard looked at the man for a few seconds then pulled out his shotgun and pointed it at him. "Too many people died here for you to start jerking me around!"

The man flinched and put his hands up in surrender. "Okay! Alright. T-There was something else. Could be worth a fortune. Experimental tech, top of the line. Take it! I don't need it. I didn't want anyone to get hurt, I'm sorry."

Shepard nodded and remembered. "We need to find that beacon before it's too late."

The man realized he could be helpful and added. "Take the cargo train. That's where the other Turian went." He shook his head. "I…. I can't stay here. I need to get away from all this." He walked away.

"After you, Commander." Kaiden voiced.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

A little while later, the three marines made their way to where the beacon was. Upon getting there however, they saw something they were not expecting.

"My god…. It's like someone dropped a bomb." The Chief said, disgusted at the ruins that lay before them.

"That must be where the Geth ship landed." The Lieutenant added softly.

The Commander just shook his head and led his two companions to the beacon. While he notified the Normandy that they had secured the beacon, Kaiden and Ashley decided to get a better look at the thing that caused this whole mess.

The biotic was obviously astonished at the sight. "This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology. Unbelievable!" He gawked.

The soldier walked around Kaiden to get a better look. "It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up. Something must've activated it." She said, stepping closer. Suddenly the beacon started pulling her towards it.

She didn't know how. She didn't know why, but next thing she knew she was on the ground being helped up by Kaiden. It wasn't until she looked up that she realised what happened.

The Commander had taken her place in the beacon's thrall, levitating in the air. She called out to him.

"Shepard!"

His body jerked around in the air. She tried to go help him but Alenko stopped her. "No! Don't touch him! It's too dangerous!" He yelled.

His body continued to spaz, then the beacon exploded, with him being launched and hitting the ground. Hard.

Ashley ran over to make sure he was alright while Kaide tried to radio the Normandy again.