Location: Unknown
The room was cold, dark. No artificial lighting in the room except for the Sun overlooking the station. The interior looked like your average office, except it was anything but. The silhouette resembling a human in a chair cast a deep shadow over the entire room. Remarkably dressed, elegantly seated, every movement calculated. Smoke coming out of his mouth, the repulsive smell of cigarettes overtaking the entire room.
The Illusive Man, as he was called by Alliance Intelligence, and various other Intelligence Communities in the Galaxy. There was no name, nobody knew the true identity, or the background of the man. The leader of Cerberus. Only the highest officials in the Cerberus hierarchy even had the chance of meeting him face-to-face.
As The Illusive Man was reading various intelligence reports. The screen in front of him was showing the picture of one man. Commander Shaun Shepard. The first Human Spectre, Savior of the Citadel. The Commander was reported to be dead after a tragic attack on the Normandy SR-1.
He heard the door to his office hiss, followed by the sound of clicking of heels.
"Ms. Lawson" greeted the Illusive Man without looking away from the intelligence report that the Alliance has filed regarding Commander Shepard's death.
Miranda Lawson quietly walked into the Illusive Man's office. She knew that it was only on occasions of utmost importance that anyone within Cerberus gets to personally meet the man himself.
She quickly figured out that her mission would be involving Commander Shepard, as she looked away from the monitors with pictures of Shepard's face. She looked at the star overlooking the station.
"Shepard did everything right, more than we could have hoped for... saving the Citadel, even saving the Council. Humanity has the trust of the entire Galaxy." she said this as her head turned towards her superior. She continued, "and still it's not enough".
Tapping the cigarette with his left hand, Illusive Man began to speak. "Our sacrifices have earned the Council's gratitude, but Shepard remains our best hope".
Fully turning around to face him, Miranda began speaking in a frustrated tone. "But they're sending him to fight Geth, Geth! We both know they're not the real threat, the Reapers are still out there."
While still reading the data pad, he took a puff of smoke from his cigarette, and began speaking. "Then it's up to us to stop them" exhaling the smoke out of his mouth as he finished talking.
Crossing her arms, "The Council will never trust Cerberus, they'll never accept our help. Even after after everything Humanity has accomplished" turning around to face the star. "But Shepard, they'll follow him, he's a hero, a bloody icon". Turning her back to face her boss. "But he's just one man, if we lose Shepard, humanity might as well follow".
Exhaling the smoke, "Then see to it, that we don't lose him".
Giving Miranda a holopad, she began reading it. A daunting realization came to her, the project she was about to undertake the most ambitious project in Human history. Deep down it flattered her very much that she was chosen for this. But another small part of her wondered if what she is about to begin is even possible.
Quickly pushing that doubt out of her mind. She nodded at the Illusive Man, and walked out of his office. Mind fully focused on the task at hand.
The Lazarus Project
Location: Milky Way, Omega Nebula, Amada System, Normandy SR-1
Navigator Charles Pressly, 2nd in Command and the Executive Officer of the Normandy SR-1. Serving under Commander Shepard. He was an older man, but carried himself with dignity and grace, he was highly respected by everyone on the crew, and was trusted by Commander Shepard to oversee the operations of the Normandy while the Commander was on the ground.
Pressly walked past Dr. Chakwas, making his way towards the pilot's cockpit with a datapad in his hand.
"Disengaging FTL drives, emissions sinks active, Board is green, we are running silent" said Joker. The Normandy's illustrious and self-proclaimed "Best Pilot in the Galaxy".
Walking down the ship, Pressly was telling Joker "We're wasting our time, four days out here and there's been zero signs of Geth activity".
Glancing at the XO, Joker retorted "Three ships went missing here in the past month, something happened to 'em".
"My money's on slavers, the Terminus Systems is crawling with them" said Pressly, with a particular disgust in his voice. Whether his vitriol was at the slavers, or the fact that ships disappeared without a trace, was anyone's guess.
Their discussion was interrupted by Ensign Monica Negulesco. "Picking up something on the long range scanner, an unidentified vessel. Looks like a cruiser".
"Doesn't match any known signatures" added Joker.
With a troubled look on her face, Monica quickly started typing away at her monitor and said "Cruiser is changing course". quickly typing away at a few more monitors, she added, "Now on intercept trajectory".
With a grim look on his face, Pressly checked his own monitors, and then quickly reviewed the Ensign's findings one more time. "Can't be. Stealth systems are engaged. There's no way a geth ship could possibly—"
Interrupted by Joker's shocked voice "It's not Geth..." typing away on his monitors as quickly as he could. He yelled "Brace for evasive maneuvers!"
Pressly, trusting Joker's judgement, quickly disengaged the stealth systems, and put the ship on Red Alert.
The unknown cruiser kept following the Normandy, following its every move, never lagging behind, like a perfect predator, never letting the prey out of it's sight, never letting it get comfortable. The cruiser shot a yellow beam from its weapons systems. Just barely missing the Normandy, but keeping the continuous pressure on the ship.
But, like a perfect predator. The cruiser kept shooting at the Normandy. Never letting it catch her breath. It hit the portside of the ship. Tearing through its shields and armor like a child tears through paper.
The explosion of the critical systems put the crew on high alert immediately. Every crewman was scrambling to somehow contain the damage.
Pressly's console exploded right in front of his face, immediately killing the XO.
With pure desperation, Joker was trying every piloting trick in the book to save the Normandy. Through all the screaming, explosions, chaos, Joker tried his best to remain calm and keep the ship out of harm's way.
Wonder if this was what Akuze was like for Shepard
Kaidan Alenko was blitzing through all the explosions, the smell of smoke clogging up his nostrils, in an effort to find his Commanding Officer.
Seeing the figure in N7 armor, standing calm and tall amidst all the chaos reminded Kaidan why Shepard is considered the best of them.
In a calm voice Shepard said "Distress beacon ready for launch"
Kaidan putting on his helmet. "Will the Alliance get here in time?"
Yet another explosion caused the Normandy to rock like a sea ship back in the 15th century.
As yet another fire broke out, Shepard grabbed the fire extinguisher and tossed it to Kaidan. "I'm not doing this so they can find our frozen corpses, get everyone onto the escape shuttles."
As Kaidan was trying to put out the fires "Joker's still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship." Turning to Shepard "I'm not leaving either."
Grateful for his loyalty, pissed off by his stubbornness. Shepard grabbed Kaidan by the shoulder.
"Get to the damn shuttle! I'll haul Joker's crippled ass outta here."
Looking back at Shepard, trying his best to say something, Kaidan could only say "Commander..."
Looking back at Kaidan, Shepard pointed at him "Get the hell out of here!"
Kaidan was seriously thinking about disobeying his orders-but the levelheaded side of him won out.
"Aye, Aye" and ran back to the escape shuttles, trying to find as much of the crew as he could.
Once Shepard was done working with the fire suppression system, he pressed the Evacuation button. The one that he hoped he would never have to use. A loud alarm started ringing throughout the entire interior of the Normandy. As the alarm was blaring, a dark joke crossed Shepard's mind.
A blind deaf, comatose, lobotomy patient would probably realize we're under attack right now.
Finding and gathering as much people as he could. Kaidan led the way to the escape shuttles. The smoke making it harder and harder to see which way to go. Luckily, with the help of his helmet HUD, he was able to see clearly.
Stopping in front of the hatch, he barked out the order "Go! Go! Go!". He watched as Dr. Chakwas, Tali, Liara and other surviving crewmen quickly got inside of the escape pod.
As the last crew member was making way, a console exploded right in front her. Forcing himself to ignore her dying screams, Kaidan got inside the shuttle and sealed it closed. He activated the system which ejected the pod from the Normandy. He watched as the Normandy was crumbling from the outside of his window.
Tali, while watching what happened from the window. Asked, "Did Shepard make it?"
Looking at her "He went back for Joker".
Swallowing air, Tali quietly started praying to the Ancestors that Shepard would make it out alive.
Relieved that the pods ejected safely, Shepard turned away from the console. He noticed that the explosion tore through his shields. Luckily, they had already regenerated.
Running through the corridor, doing his best to avoid the explosions, and praying to whatever deity is out there that his shields would be able to take the impact. His radio picked up Joker's message. "Mayday! Mayday! This is SSV Normandy! We've suffered heavy damage from an unknown enemy!"
Ignoring his message, Shepard made his way up the stairs that led up to the CIC. He heard Joker pleading to the Normandy. "Come on, baby. Hold together, hold together!"
Reaching the top of the stairs, Shepard felt gravity go completely out the window. He was now completely in the vacuum of space. The mass effect fields that gave the ship its artificial gravity were gone, which meant so was the gravity. Only sticking to the surface thanks to his magnetic boots. Walking down the hall in zero-G is child's play compared to the shit they put us through at Arcturus. Thought Shepard.
Pushing through the chairs that were floating in front of him, Shepard saw the planet that the Normandy was orbiting, as well as all the stars, this was the abyss, and it was staring back at him. Nice view.
He saw Joker at his pilot seat, protected by a barrier. Still desperately trying to save his girl. The sight of Pressly's and Negulesco's dead bodies saddened him. But he forced himself to be laser focused on the task at hand. He ran up to Joker and told him. "Come on Joker, we have to get out of here!"
Pushing off his arm, Joker told Shepard "No! I won't abandon the Normandy, I can still save her!"
You absolute moron. Thought Shepard
"The Normandy's dead! Just like us if we don't get the hell out of here."
"No! We just have to--oh no"
Looking at his monitors, Joker had a feeling of dread inside of him. He knew he would have to abandon his beloved ship. As the cruiser that had attacked them has caught up with them. He vocalized what they both already knew.
"They're coming around for an another attack!"
The cruiser fired at its weapon at the Normandy. Completely obliterating the CIC.
I keep tolerating his bullshit and we're both gonna get fried
Shepard came to Joker, and violently grabbed him by the arm.
Joker crying out in pain "Ow! Watch the arm!"
Shepard took his friend, and helped him walk to the escape pod. The door automatically opened, ignoring Joker's grunts of pain. He threw Joker inside the pod. The explosions outside of it became harder and harder to ignore as Shepard tried to set up the systems to eject the pod.
"Commander!"
The lost ground caused Shepard to lose his footing with his magboots, now floating in the vacuum of space. He pressed the button to seal Joker's pod. Trying to hold onto the railing. But the shockwave forced him to let go. Fully sending him out into the vacuum of space.
Guess I'll swim.
Watching his ship being torn apart by the enemy, helpless to stop it, angered Shepard more than anything.
An "oh shit" feeling went through his body. As he felt a chill down his suit. A hardsuit regulates everything, including temperature, if he can feel a chill down his suit, that means something malfunctioned. A choking feeling quickly came down his neck, a feeling that can only be associated with asphyxiation.
Desperately fighting to stay alive. That's what he has always done. "Survive and Thrive" as he likes to call it. He survived the harsh and brutal streets of Earth, he graduated N-School at the top of his class despite all the disadvantages, he survived and killed a Thresher Maw all by himself on Akuze. This was just another situation that he had to survive. Right?
In his last moments, his thoughts went back to Kira. The love that he lost on Akuze. Maybe I'll get to see her again. Thought Shepard. Then... everything went black.
Author's Notes:
What's up everyone, this is the 1st chapter of my Mass Effect 2 Novelization. I realize that something like this is not new at all. But I still want to give it a hand.
This is the first time I'm ever writing a fanfic. So if you can spare the time. Please review it, give me criticism. Be as brutal as you like, I want to know what you think I can do better. If any of you wish to be a beta-reader? That's great! I'm doing this without one. Just me and a free spell-checking software. So it would be great if you wished to be one.
For anyone that cares, the Shepard that I'm writing about is a Custom Male. His name is Shaun, and he also has a custom face. I would post what he looks like, but I play console and can't take a screenshot on there.
He's Earthborn/Sole Survivor. He grew up on the streets, he was a gang member, orphan, and generally had a pretty rough upbringing. This made him tough, and gave him a pretty good view at how the world works. Reliance on himself generally also made him pretty distrustful of others, and slow-to-warm up.
For Service Record. I picked Sole Survivor. I think this very much fits him, as he has always been a survivor. Surviving the streets of Earth was something that he did. I think it was natural that he survived Akuze. And came out of relatively sound mentally. It's a testament to his strength.
Class, he's a Soldier. I always imagined Shepard to be remarkable because of his leadership and mental grit/strength. Soldier makes Shepard more relatable in my eyes, like he's someone who you can be like with enough hard work and determination. He's nothing special, he just earned his greatness through blood, sweat and tears.
Morality, he's a Renegon. Mostly Renegade with Paragon major decisions and nice to the crew. He's abrasive, blunt, often distrustful and disrespectful of authority, cold and calculating. But ultimately he's a kind person, and would walk through hell for anyone in his crew. Loves them all as the family he never had.
He doesn't have it in him to commit genocide in the Rachni. Saved the Council because humanity needed to prove itself. Intimidated Wrex on Virmire. And saved Kaidan on Virmire because the bomb needed to be secured.
This will be a Shepard/Tali fic. But I want to take it slowly. One of the most fascinating parts of the Mass Effect games was imaging how the crew would interact with each other. Who would be friends, who would hate each other, who would have a grudging respect. That's what I intend to explore in this fic.
I want to give a big shoutout to other fellow authors on this site. Their work has inspired me to write my own. You guys are amazing.