The rain had stopped. The skies had begun to clear, and the night was waxing into the new day, but still she wandered. She was hungry, but that didn't stop her. She didn't know why but her steps lured her down narrow alley ways, and empty streets, away from the main drag she had followed just hours ago.
"You went there! I told you never to go back to that filthy place!" A sinister voice echoed down the narrow street hall she was crossing.
"No Please!" A woman cried out.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
A loud crack of a slap echoed out and she began to track it to the perpetrator.
"Who did you talk to! Who saw you? You little blue whore!" The voice screamed again.
"Nnn..Nobody!" The woman screamed again.
She finally found the location of the commotion, and noticed that it was not a human woman crying out, but an Asari. The same Asari she had seen flee from the makeshift temple just hours earlier. Standing over the cringing creature was an albino Truian with black facial markings and eyes. He was dressed in black leathers with a matching trench coat.
"Stop it!" She yelled out, and the Turian backed away from his assault to see who had accosted his moment.
"What do we have here? A little human? Why don't you run along and get lost." He said with venom. He looked back at the Asari lying in the alley. "Did that see you there?" He roared at the stricken creature kicking it.
"No!" The Asari cried out in pain.
The Turian's assault was stopped when a flying brick hit his shoulder. He roared and turned his seething attention back to her.
"Now that I have you full attention. I said stop."
"Why." The Turian growled flexing his talons. They were sharp, reinforced with steel. "She is my slave. I can do as I please with her."
"Slavery is illegal here. It's illegal in Citadel space." She said acidly back, her stance changed, she was getting ready for him. All she needed to do was wait.
"And what are you going to do? Report me to the fucking Alliance?" He laughed. "I would be free in hours, and take my slave with me back to Terminus. Who do you think you are."
She smiled like a viper. "I am your worst nightmare. Let her go." She said icily, narrowing her eyes at him. Her hands glowed blue.
The Asari still moaned in pain laying on the Alley. The Turian turned and looked at the creature as if the Asari was just a waste sack, but then turned his eyes back to her. They flashed like a predator.
"Maybe I'll take you instead. Your pretty good looking, and I was thinking of selling off the bitch to the Batarians anyway."
He suddenly rushed forward making a dive for her throat. She slipped left and swung a biotic punch in to his midsection striking him back. He roared in indignation and came at her with a fist aimed at her head. She blocked the blow and sent a fist in to his.
He stumbled but came rushing in again. But he was getting angrier, and she was tiring quickly. She heaved as she continued to fight him. She would have to end it soon, or he would simply outlast her for energy. But he wanted to end it soon to.
"Watch it! He has a blade!" The now standing Asari yelled out to her. Distracting her.
She felt metal bite in to her arm and she yelled as she backed away clutching the wound.
The Turian's laugh was a demoniac low growl as he raised the blade to his mouth and snaked his long leathery tongue licking off the freshly taken blood.
"Maybe I'll just take your heart instead!" He growled as he rushed at her again. Her eyes were locked on his blade in hand as he dove in. The blade arced in a down swing to her neck and she bolted to the right. The Turian's momentum could not be slowed as he plunged the long blade in to his knee.
He howled in pain as he doubled forward, struggling to take the blade out.
Here's my chance. She screamed in her head as she swung her foot around contacting with his temple. The hit threw the Turian across the alley slamming him in to the side of the wall, the sound of crunching bone was music to her ears, and he failed to get up.
She got up and walked over to the body. The Turian's chest heaved in air as he moaned. She took some near by rope and bound his hands and legs together.
"Are you going to kill him?" The Asari asked, fear in her voice.
She stopped for a moment. Do it...you know you want to...kill him... part of her mind rang. But she dispelled it. "No." She bend over him and yanked the blade from his leg, his screamed filled the alley way. "I have something far better in mind for him." She said.
"You human whore. Who do you think you are...I'll..." His tirade as silenced as she brought the blade to his face.
"You'll stay quiet if you value your ability to speak. And to answer your question; like I said I'm your worse nightmare. I'm the Butcher of Torfan." She said with a ruthless smile on her lips.
The Asari looked at her wide eyed.
She spoke to the Asari while she kept her focus on the now 'paled' Turian.
"Do know where this place is?"
"Yes." Quipped the Asari.
"Do you know how to get back to the Asari Temple?"
"Yes."
"Good. Tell the Priestess to call the Alliance. Have her tell them where they can find Lieutenant Shepard. Go." She said coolly as she sat down next to her taken prey, kicking him as she settled down. He growled in protest, but said nothing further.
"Yes. Yes. Right away!" The Asari flew out of the Alley. Her foot steps ringing in El'Jaid Shepard's ears.
Foot steps...
There was whimpering around her. "Shhhhh.." She said to the young children. She had found seven. Seven children who had escaped the Slaver's notice. They had been cloistered, hiding in the Hotel for the past week. There had been other older kids with her, but they had either been captured while trying to get munitions and food, or killed and burned out right. Now she was the only one left to watch over the kids.
She was alone. But she had made it work for the past four days.
Foot steps... down the hall
But time was up.
She turned to the oldest of the seven. A boy only eleven years old. His face was like everyone else's. Dirty, and his clothes torn.
"Bobby. Take the others and get out through the vents." She said softly.
The young boy looked like he was going to burst in to tears and she shook him. "Bobby, just do it!"
"oooo...okay." He murmured.
She grabbed her father's shotgun and fled like a wraith down the hall. It was pitch black night, but she let her eyes adjust to the dim light.
More foot steps sounded and she held to one of the room walls. The foot steps were heavy. Just one...
Good...
The armed figure walked past and the silently she slipped out behind him. I could use his armor and weapons. Maybe he has food on him... She thought.
She inched closer to him wanting to catch him of guard. Just a little...more... She licked her lips in anticipation, and she had the shot gun still aimed at the figure's back...just in case.
But her hopes were dashed as she stepped down on a piece of broken glass. The sound of crunching glass was her death sentence. The Soldier wheeled around knocking the shot gun with his assault rife. Her hand jerks the trigger sending a round shooting out a window.
"What the...!" The Soldier cried in shock as he comprehended the Wraith that had over taken him. She quickly recovered her ground as she sent a bolt of dark energy in to his chest flinging him to the ground. She charged forward, the audible shachink of her shot gun resonating down the hallway as she aimed it down on the fallen Soldier.
The flash light on his fallen assault rifle shone over him. Its light cascading across his armored chest, splashing the Alliance insignia on the breast plate.
"Alliance?" She said in shock.
The Soldier quickly nodded as he held his hands up. But she was on him sending her foot crushing down on him. Her aim did not waver but she began to tremble. "You bastard...You bastards promised!" Her face was twisted in torment and rage. "You promised, and you failed!" She screeched as she pushed the barrel against the Soldier's face mask.
The sharp hit from a rifle butt struck her from behind and she fell forward. The gun went flying beyond her reach. She soon felt a barrel pressed against her own back. Another hit when to her head as she struggled to get free.
"Back off! What the hell are you doing! Its a kid for Christ's sake!" A Marine yelled as he rolled her over shining a light in to her eyes. She couldn't move, but she could still hear.
"She jumped us! We didn't know if she was a Batarian or what! One of the marines cried.
"Four eyes Batarian, Two eyes human you dumb fuck!" The superior roared back as he roughly pushed the other.
Another soldier picked up her shotgun. "Well Lieutenant. Now we know who has been taking out the Slavers around here. Explains all of the bodies we have been finding with slug rounds in um. Tough little bitch."
"Sir! We have more kids! Found um crawling in to the vents!" Another cried.
The last thing she remembered hearing was, "Admiral. This is Lieutenant Ernesto Zabaleta. We have survivors. Repeat. We have found survivors, and one is a biotic."
Finally the Alliance shuttles came for her as the dawn stretched in to the day...
[][][][]
They peered in at her. Three sets of eyes scrutinizing the worn and weary figure that was seated in a cold metal chair, in the stark white room with her left arm bandaged, and in cuffs. Her clothes soiled.
The oldest of the three beings sighed heavily. "I think I've seen enough. I trust you can handle it from here Captain?"
"Yes Admiral, of course." The Captain replied.
The Admiral nodded, and also gave a nod to the other being, a Turian, in the room. "Specter."
The Turian just simply nodded and the Admiral calmly walked out of the viewing room.
"Tell me what do you think of her." The Captain asked the Turian. He listed back to listen to what the Specter would say. He eyed his old 'friend' curiously. The Turian was armored in a black combat suite, his brown skin sporting white markings.
"I heard that the Alliance is going to do a little reorganizing of their military proficiency levels. That the N7 designation is going away entirely. What a coincidence that it is occurring right after Torfan." The Turian said coyly.
The Captain said nothing at the comment.
"She's perfect for the Specters. But I still need to watch her before I can bring her candidacy in front of the Council." The Turian said simply cutting to the chase.
"Because she is human?" The Captain eyed his old 'friend' curiously. The Turian caught his eye knowing he wanted more than that.
"No. I don't care that she is human. I care that she gets the job done. She's charismatic, resourceful, dangerous." The Turian took in a deep breath." But most of all, she is driven and independent. She won't allow others, including the Alliance, to easily sway her."
The Captain narrowed his scrutinizing eyes on her again. "You don't see that her independent nature could cause more harm than good?"
"You mean like Torfan? No. The Council 'may' command the Specters. But, as you know my good friend, the Specters also need to be able to act on their own. For the Greater good."
The Captain's eyes fell to the floor. "Like Saren?"
The Turian raised his eye then went back to gazing at the woman in the interrogation room. "I would assassinate the entire Turian Senate, or poison a Salarian Dalatrass if it meant preserving peace."
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
"You know, unofficially, I don't agree with what happened on Camala. But you have to let that go."
The Captain heaved in a breath but then spoke. "What about the Turian that was brought in with her?"
"What about him?" The Specter said off handily.
"Are you here to take him?" Anderson asked.
The Specter took in another deep breath. His motive masked. "I'm here to deal with him...yes."
"Alright." The Captain said. "Well I better get in there." He heaved.
And the two parted ways.
[][][][]
She rolled her neck and shoulders to work out the kinks that had developed. And her arm still burned from the cut. But it didn't matter now.
A trial and a firing squad probably wait for me after I'm court-martialed for desertion, and Torfan...
The door opened and in walked a single man. By the way he entered, by his pressed uniform, she knew he was a lifer...and then she read his name tag. Captain Anderson.
Ah shit... She thought.
He sat down across from her, and pulled up his omni tool. "Lieutenant El'Jaid Autumn Shepard. You grew up on Mindoir with your family until you were age 16. After the Slaver attack on the colony, your file states you were taken to an orphanage on Elysium."
He looked up at her, her expression telling him nothing.
For two years I drifted. Then I chose that while the Alliance had failed me; I could do better, I would show them how to do their damn job...
"Two years later you show up in Greater Bangladesh back on Earth and enlist in to the Alliance Navy. Care to explain how you pulled that one?" His tone interested, but she didn't say anything and kept her gaze steady.
The Captain frowned slightly and narrowed his gaze. "Hard ass huh? I can work with that. Initially you were pegged to be an infiltrator. I can see why from your history. But were reclassified as a Vanguard due to your Biotics and weapons experience. In 2176 you were...asked...to take part in the Alliance N7 program, all top marks."
If I didn't score top marks I wouldn't be sitting here, so lets just cut the bullshit already...
"You were picked up two standard hours ago..." He started, but was cut off.
"Will you please cut to the chase Sir, and strip me of my rank now?" She asked her tone cold and empty.
The Captain raised a slightly amused eyebrow. "Lieutenant. Didn't Gunny Ellison also teach you to keep your mouth shut until your Superior is done addressing you?"
She couldn't help the amused smirk forming on her lips, and the Captain continued.
"You were picked up two standard hours ago by a passing Alliance patrol after it was flagged down by you. With you, they brought in a Turian suspected of Slavery and Slave running. Two eye witness accounts state that you had fought him in self defense, and while defending an Asari. This occurred while you were on an authorized two day leave off base, for religious reasons. Does that sound correct, Commander Shepard?"
She looked at him eyes wide open. What the hell... Her mind gagged.
He looked back at her with the gaze that said she had better say yes.
"Ah...yes sir. Everything sounds correct." She quipped.
"Good." He growled and he keyed in to his omni tool. The cuffs disengaged and fell away from her wrists. She rubbed them still unbelieving of what had just happened.
"Now Shepard, off the record, why the hell did you leave base and what the hell happened to you out there?" His stormed in at her. "Wait, on second thought I don't even want to know!"
"Care to explain what is going on sir?" She asked.
He heaved out an annoyed sigh. "Just count your self lucky Shepard, and that you have a damn heart of gold." The Captain leaned back, still scrutinizing her. "The Alliance needs you. Hell! Practically the entire Admiralty is in love with you for what you pulled on Torfan. As a result, congratulations on your promotion, Commander." His tone was not entirely gleeful. "And the Council has seen Torfan as an entirely Alliance matter and out of Council jurisdiction because of what happened at Elysium, and since it was an anti-Slaver/Anti-pirate operation." He said tersely.
Her stomach twisted. I'm the Butcher of Torfan...
"Unofficially, they branded the entire operation as ruthless, destructive, and a power demonstration! They even asked for your court marshal!" He roared.
Again her gut churned. I wanted to make those bastards pay. I had to make them pay...
"Don't even get me started about last night. Half the damn base's worth of MP searching for you, and you suddenly appear like a damn ghost right in the middle of that slum with a hog tied Turian! They call that desertion and vigilantism. Do you understand that Commander." He fired back.
"Yes sir." Is all she could say.
"Good! From now on you are to report to me as you are now my executive officer. Now get out of here. Get some food, a shower, clothes, and a bunk. You look like hell. And be ready to go in three days time."
"Sir?" She raised and eye brow as she got up.
"The Admiralty wants me to look in to Pirate activities in the Hong system. By extension, and by your experience, that means you as well. Besides you need to keep out of the lime light and hunker down for a while. Wouldn't you agree Commander?
"Yes sir!" She quipped.
"Dismissed!" He barked.
As she walked out, she could not wipe the canary eating grin from her face.
Commander Shepard... I like the sound of that...
[][][][]
He heard the beeping of a machine as he strained to open his eyes. The room was large. It could have easily held twenty of the beds he was on. The world still gently spun around him as he lay in the bed. He tried to move his arms, but couldn't. His leg still burned from the wound.
What the... His mind wondered feebly.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkened room he saw that he was strapped to the bed. Rage set in again and he struggled and strained against the straps which clutched him to the bed.
The beeping of the machine matched his heart which was beating faster.
When I get out of here, I will find that human and make her mine! He growled, and continued to strain away.
A portal opened on the far end, and what he perceived as an angel appeared. The door then silently closed shut.
At first he blood started to run cold. Yet as the figure moved closer he could tell it was another Turian like himself, and he relaxed.
"Thank the Spirits your here!" He called out. "I knew the local assembly wouldn't let these filthy humans wrongfully hold me! A Slaver they called me! Can you believe that!"
The other Turian moved closer. "Infact...I can." The other said smoothly. Then his blood did run cold. The beeping of the machine increasing even more.
"Its y...your...Nihlus..." He eeked out and he struggled even more shaking the bed violently. But he was held firmly in place as the Specter in black circled around him like a Great White.
"You know. The prison sentence for Slave running and Slave possession is life."
His stomach started to twist, the machine beeping incessantly was driving him mad. "You can't believe them! I...I was attacked!"
"And so you were. By none other than the Butcher of Torfan. Wrong human to piss off. You know. She has...a thing...against slavers. I must say you really have a taste in finding trouble, or is it that trouble finds you?"
Fear gripped him even more. "Wha...are you going to let her finish me?"
The Specter laughed running a talon along the let side of the bed. He kneeled close and spoke. "No. I am not that cruel. I'm much more merciful than she is. I'm the Angel of death."
With that, Nihlus taking a fallen pillow in hand covered the other Turian's face. The Turian underneath strained, tearing into the bedding as he tried in vein to fight Nihlus off. The machine was going off in panic. Deafly Nihlus took a very thin blade he had been concealing and plunged it in to the neck of his captive. The other Turian let out a muffled scream before Nihlus turned the blade. With that the screaming stopped, and the machine returned back to a normal heart beat. He pulled out the blade. and not a mark could be told from the victim's neck. The Turian in the bed was staring blankly up at the ceiling.
The Specter then walked over to the medication drip machine and punched in a few commands. As he walked out, the beep of the heart monitor became slower, and slower, till it flat lined.
"Such a shame. A good Turian son died so young from a heart attack." Nihlus said coldly as he walked out of the room, and closed the door.