Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect.
Chap. 2: This is not my day.
As the Normandy is being readied for its shakedown run to Eden Prime from Mala Station over Earth. Shepard is found speaking to Anderson. "When will the addition be here?" "I got a message from him saying he will be here in 10 minutes." Anderson said as they are walking to the airlock to see the addition as soon as he gets there. "Who is he sir?" Shepard asks as they went up the stairs. "I will tell you who he is when he gets here."
They had reached the airlock and exited it when the door to the bay opened to admit a turian. "I hope I didn't leave you waiting for long. Got lost a bit on the way here." He said as he walked forward to them. "No you didn't, Shepard this is Nihlus Kryik he's a Spectre. He is here to watch over the shakedown run." Anderson said as he looked at Shepard. "No offense but why is a Spectre here to watch over the shakedown run." Shepard said as he looked at the two of them. "The reason is that while the Alliance and the Hierarchy did the work and used resources from both the Asari and the Salarians did supply money for the project so they have a vested interest in this as well." Nihlus said as they turn to enter the Normandy.
"Well then, Shepard will you show Nihlus here were his room is." Anderson asks him. "I will need to speak with Pressly for a minute to see if we have all of the supplies needed and tell Joker to start the pre-fight checks and tell him where we are going." "Yes sir. If you will follow me please." Shepard said as he starts walking to take Nihlus to his room. As they went Nihlus was asking about the ship and how it was manned. "So what if a group of boarders take control of the Armory?" "We have parts if the ship were the walls are hollow and hold a rack of 8 guns to be used in the event we are boarded whatever or not the Armory has been taken are not. We like to be prepared just in case." Shepard said while not telling how many there are or were. "We also can lock down parts of the ship to delay or detain them." They came to a stop at the room for Nihlus at the deck between the CIC and the Hall deck.(note: there are 5 not four decks (there is the Captain's Cabin on the 2nd Normandy so why not the 1st one.) in my version of the Normandy besides there has to at least a couple of rooms for VIPs on board.) "Here is your room. If you need something ask one of the crew." Shepard said as he left the room after showing it to Nihlus.
Time skip 5 hours later
"All crew members we are now going on our shakedown run for the Normandy. We will be heading to Eden Prime and then back." Anderson said over the pda system of the ship. Shepard started heading to the cockpit as Joker started speaking over the ship wide comms. "Heading to the Mass Relay, all crew members prepare for transit through the Relay…calculating mass and destination... beginning approach run, hitting Relay in 3..2..1." Then the ship shook slightly as the Relay launched them to the next system. Just as Shepard entered the cockpit. "Transit successful all systems green drift is 14½k." Joker reported. "14½k is good the captain will be pleased." Nihlus said before walking away.
"I don't like him." Joker said as he worked on the halo panels. "Nihlus gives a compliment so you hate him?" Kaiden asks. "Remember to zip your jumpsuit up on the way out if the bathroom?" Joker said ."That's good, I jumped us halfway through the galaxy that's fantastic. Besides, Spectres are trouble. I dislike having him on board. Call me paranoid if you want to or not." " You're paranoid. Besides if you didn't hear him answering me earlier he said that he is here to keep an eye on how the ship went for the Council and they did help fund it, so they have the right to do that." Kaiden said to Joker. "That's the official story, but only a idiot believes that unless it's proven true.""He has a point Kaidan." Shepard said. Then Anderson came on the comms. "Joker report." "Stealth systems engaged. Everything's solid sir." "Good look for a com buoy and link us to the network. I want mission reports sent to Alliance high command before we reach Eden Prime." Anderson ordered. "Yes sir. Heads up I think Nihlus is heading your way." Joker replied. "He's already here Lieutenant." Anderson said before saying. "Tell Shepard to meet me at the comms room for a debriefing."
"The captain sounds angry something got him in a bad mood." Shepard said as he turn to leave. "He's like at whenever he speaks to me." Joker said while Kaiden rolled his eyes and said. "I can't image why." Shepard hear before walking out if hearing range. As he walked to the comms room. On the way there he heard one of the younger marines asking. "Why are we heading to Eden prime. There's nothing there, when are we going to get some real action." He asks, and while Doctor Chakwas was answering Shepard decided to speak with him for a minute. "I hope not Jenkins, your idea of real action has me patching up crew members in the Med ba- oh Commander what brings you here?"asks Chakwas. "Sir"Jenkins said. "You should listen to the Doc. Besides you should be careful of what you wish for. Because it may bite you in the ass later." "Yes sir, sorry it's just I never been on a mission like this one before, not with a Spectre on board." Jenkins said. "I understand Jenkins but a soldier must keep his cool went ever he may be under fire or not. Just remember your training and all will be fine." "Easy for you to say, you proved yourself at Elysium. This is my chance to show what I can do to the brass." "Maybe so but if you do something dumb it will not go well for you. Now if I were you I would check my gear. You never know if something will happen. Take this you may find it useful, I did when I started." Sending him a guide called "How to Manage your Gear and Upgrade it". "Yes sir, I'll do so now." Jenkins said before heading to the cargo bay to check his gear.
Shepard went to the comms room only to find Nihlus there. "Where's captain Anderson?" he asks. "He will be here in a few of minutes. I wish to speak with you for a minute." Nihlus says. "I'm interested in this world we are going to, I heard it's very beautiful" "They say it's a paradise." Shepard said. "But why are you asking me?" He asked. "Because it's become a symbol for your people hasn't it? A sign that not only you can build colonies but also defend them." Nihlus replied. "But how safe it really is? The galaxy is a dangerous place, after all your people are still newcomers it. There are many things that you all have not encountered yet. Is the Alliance truly really for this?" "I believe it's time to tell commander Shepard what is truly is going on." Anderson said as he walked to them. "This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run."Nihlus told Shepard "I thought there may have been more going on." He said. "We are doing a convert pick up on Eden Prime. That's why we are having the stealth systems operational." Anderson told Shepard. "So what is it that we are picking up that needs the secrecy Sir?" He asked. "Listen Shepard, this comes from the top on a need to know basis, a research team on Eden Prime unearthed a beacon of some sort during an excavation. It's a Prothean beacon." Anderson said as he spoke to them. "The find is unprecedented the last time something happened like this it jumped our technology by 200 years. However Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to study something like this. We need to take it to the Citadel for a proper study." He said. "Of course it goes beyond human interests, this could affect all of the races that uses Mass Effect technology in the galaxy." Nihlus said. "Besides the beacon's not the only reason I'm here."
"Nihlus wants to see you in action commander, he's here to evaluate you." Anderson told Shepard. "Evaluate me for what sir?" he asks. "To become a Spectre, the Alliance has been pushing for this for years. If they accept a human to their ranks it shows how far we came." "You showed the skills to hold off and defeat a large force while defending a colony at is why I put your name forward as a candidate for Spectre." Nihlus said."This will be the 1st of several missions we will be doing together." "You are in charge of the ground team." Anderson told Shepard. "Secure the beacon ASAP and bring it to the ship. Nihlus will go with you to observe how it goes." "Yes sir, just give the word."
"We should be getting close to Eden-" "Captain! We have a transmission coming from Eden Prime you need to see this ." Joker told them with a voice that means business. "Put it on screen." Anderson ordered. Has it came on there was a video of a helmet cam showing soldiers and a mako firing at something when one of the soldiers ran to the person saying "Get down!" before pushing him down. Explosions started happening with the smoke making it hard to see who were firing at them as then a officer came and started speaking. "We're under attack. Taking heavy casualties! I repeat heavy casualties. Air support has been taken down. We can't hol-hem off-need evac. They came out of nowhere! We need-" Before something tried to drag him away before it was shot by the Cam holder. Before the gunfire went down some with him looking at some of his fellow soldiers before looking at something coming down the sky, and then a sound of some sort happened causing the soldiers to grab their heads and tried to run before the recording stopped.
"That's it no more after at it just cuts out. No other comm traffic just goes dead sir." Joker told them. "Reverse and hold at 38.5" Anderson told him. "Status report." He ordered. 17 minutes out. No other Alliance ships in the area." Joker replied. "Take us in fast and quiet Joker. This mission just got a lot more complicated." Anderson told him."Will do sir." "A small strike team can get in and out fast. It's our best chance at getting the beacon." Nihlus said to them. "Grab your gear and meet us it the cargo hold." Anderson told him. "Shepard tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up commander. You're going in."he ordered. Before he walked away. "Shit. This is not my day." Shepard said as he used the comms. "Alenko, Jenkins suit up we got a job to do."
To any who asks I my sometimes use them name of the chapter in a sentence but I don't plan on doing so for all of them.
To those who are wondering why I added added a Mako and the words air support to the video is because it seems odd to me that these were not there, I'm not saying Bio ware did anything wrong it's just I don't see any idea why there were none there. If there were companies of soldiers (not that I know how many there where on Eden Prime, but to me that least 5 or 6) are defending the planet and from where they meet Ashley and how close they were to the spaceport (a airfield would be near by) they should have gotten at least one gunship. And for the Mako they should have 2-3 of them for a company of soldiers. I mean why not?
sorry for the min rant needed to get it out.
And for Jenkins from most Mass Effect fanfictions I read he dies so I feel like letting him survive this one.