Hey guys Fanboy here, I am having a great deal of fun with this story, truth be told this is the first time the majority of my battles will be fought with guns I can't wait for the challenge.
It has come to my attention that this idea I created was thought of my someone before me a writer by the name of Deathunit. I would just like to say that I had never heard of his story before and would have mentioned it in my first chapter if I had known someone else had already came up with the idea. Anyway all credit for the original idea goes to him as he thought of it first.
Now with that out of the way please enjoy my extremely long chapter, the reason it is so long is that I had to fit in a really good drawn out reason for Shepherd to end up with the alliance.
Please review if you find plot holes or things that don't make sense, SergiusTheGreat's review was the best possible thing that could of happened to my story so please tell me if you have any problems with my tale. Fixing my story to make sense will only make it better.
P.S I apologize in advance for my grammar it has always been a struggle for me and with no one to help me correct it, I have to do the best I can.
Forged in fire
Shepherd opened his eyes, blinking sleep from them a yawn escaped him as he glanced at his alarm. The little bastard was always annoying him with that constant buzzing, but as much as he wanted to complain, it did serve an important purpose, it got him up. He quietly stepped out of his room, his mother was still lying on her bed lightly snoring, a quite sound against the constant thrum of the ship. His farther of coarse was not in bed, he got up even before Shepherd did. When he had asked his farther why, the man had said, "It is a captains duty to take care of his crew, the night watch people are always tired when they are finished. I make sure they get some proper rest and relaxation they deserve."
Shepherd exited his parents home heading for the marine barracks, he had taken his que from them as to the time to get up and arrived just in time to join their morning PT. It lasted only an hour and Shepherd could not think of a better way to start the day. But the best part came after PT ended, thirty minuets of target practice. Though he was not part of the Fleets marines they treated him like one of there own, that was in no small part due to the fact he could do everything they did and without complaints.
He walked in with the others and picked up an Assault Rifle the weapon was an Avenger 1 a fairly standard weapon for the fleet. He took aim at his assorted targets, there were ones behind simulated cover, one floating around as a walking guard would, and there were several long range targets almost outside of the guns normal range.
The instructor gave the word and he opened fire, in his mind a switch was flicked on, adrenaline rushed through his body time slowed, his first shot was for the target at middle one target out of the seven that were before him had shields. That one was considered the comander; it was best if you could take that target out first and sow as much confusion as possible among your targets.
He watched as his bullets were deflected by a blue haze, he continued hammering it until the shield failed and three bullets found there way in.
Two heartbeats had passed since the start.
Time returned in a rush as he acquired other targets, he swiveled to the next one putting three bullets into its head in the space of a heartbeat. Then he did the same to the next one and the next. Then it was over, seven kills nine seconds all head shots, Shepherd heard clapping behind him he turned to see the other marines were the source.
One of them a Corporal by the name of Vestel slapped his back lightly, "That was amazing Shepherd you close to matching Sarge's record."
Shepherd spoke the record the one he knew by heart "Seven kills seven seconds" That was his goal to beat thought he had to find some way to shave two seconds off his own time.
Shaking his head returned to the range one of the marines asked him "How bout you learn how to use a shotgun now, it's the only weapon you have no experience in, and it's the best close range buddy you could ask for."
Shepherd did not allow himself to flinch, how could he descried the memories that flared up when he touched that weapon, the visions of fire and blood, the sight of hooded figures gagging him and his first family in the mist of there burning home. A flash of a orange diamond surrounded by two lines. The…
With an effort of will Shepherd pulled his mind out the old memories, and gave the marine a pained smile, "Sorry, its not my kind of weapon" one of the others an older fellow who had been there since Shepherd was little elbowed the younger marine meaningfully, the man took the hint and dropped the subject.
The rest of practice was uneventful and as it ended the marines and Shepherd headed off to eat breakfast. At least that was his plan but it was interrupted with his Omni tool rang, Shepherd glanced at it pushed a button on the tool. "Yes Gadget?" he said.
"Hey kid, I need you now." He said without preamble.
"Do I need and adult?" Shepherd said in his best little kid voice, there was a collection of snorts and chuckles around him.
"Danmit kid if you don't get down here right now this engine is going to implode in on itself."
Now it was highly unlikely the engine was going to do that Gadget had a habit of over blowing what ever problem he came across….. Well most of the time, with a sigh Shepherd began to make his way to the elevator, and made his way down to engineering.
It took nearly an hour to fix the engine, though there had never been any danger of imploding. It turned out to be the same old problem with a new twist, old parts were failing and needed to be replaced and or fixed. The only problem was that they were in important places inside the large engine and needed the quickest hands and sharpest minds to replace with out breaking anything important. Shepherd remembered the first time Gadget had him fix the inside of the Epsilons main gun battery, not fun.
Shepherd hauled himself out from enclosed space they called the Engineers nest a five by two foot space inside the engine of most ships. It was where the most sensitive and important repairs took place. Gadget was waiting for him having taken care of pretty much everything else that needed to be done.
He managed to glare at the gray visor staring at him, "I still don't see why I don't get paid for this."
He knew the Quarian was smiling at him, "That's because I'm the head Engineer and your not."
Shepherd snapped back good naturedly "What are you going to do when I go on my pilgrimage?"
"My job" Gadget said " I'll just start complaining about working conditions again, and maybe the lack of respect"
"Lack of respect? Next to my dad, mom and Sarge you're the most respected person on the ship."
"Yes" Gadget said with a superior snuff "I should be more respected than Sarge, after all I keep this ship running every single day of the year."
Shepherd sighed "When you manage to single handedly hold of a Geth drop ship and kill a colossus with one arm out of action. I will personally support your campaign to replace Sarge."
"Well maybe I will" Gadget sneered
A booming voice interrupted him, "the day you kill Geth is the day I eat my own hat"
Gadget quick as a whip snapped back "You don't have a hat no Quarian does"
"Exactly that means I am covered both ways" Sarge walked around the corner nodding to Shepherd "The Captain sends his regards Gadget he also tells me to inform you that if you don't allow his son to get a good breakfast that you will be cleaning the windows for a week."
Gadget murmured "That does not seem so bad"
"From the outside" Sarge clarified
Gadget gave a dramatic sigh "Well he's not doing anything useful except bothering me so I suppose that is acceptable."
Shepherd sighed "I hate you so much right now."
"That's the idea kid, I'm preparing you for the real world, noting but disappointment, and hate"
"And women" Sarge added
"and women" Gadget nodded "Their the worst"
"Guys" Shepherd said
"What" they said at the same time.
"Still sixteen"
"O" they both said "Right"
And with that Sarge motion him away and he headed of to fill the endless blackhole known as his stomach.
The day went pretty normally until near evening when his farther announced over the ship comm's ,"new arrivals everyone to the main deck for greeting."
It was his dad's custom for the whole ship to be out and ready to greet the new people, everyone gathered as the as the airlock opened and two people stepped out. One was an older man, Shepherd could tell from his movements that and he had the insignia of a Colonel attached to his breast plate, the person beside him had a slightly slumped posture and moved with a cretin reluctance, it said I don't want to be here and I don't care if you know it.
The older man walked up to his farther and rendered a precise salute, "Former Colonel Kaalo'Jinnat nar Apera, and with your permission vas Epsilon."
Captian Zaal answered back "Granted"
Kaalo gestured to the boy on his left "Zeetor Jinnat nar Apera vas Epsilon, my son."
"Welcome" his farther said nodding at the boy.
The kid barely twitched, Shepherd knew when his farther was frowning under the visor and could tell he was now.
"Welcome to the Epsilon" His farther intoned "The crew Shepherd included echoed "Welcome"
Zaal nodded "Back to your posts everyone," he inclined his head to Kaalo and began to tell him of the room he and his son would be staying in.
Shepherd waited until his farther was finished and the two walking off before he approached his dad, when he was facing him he asked "Will there be time for a chess match tonight farther?"
The frown vanished "Of coarse son, that is unless something goes wrong, then its another late night for me."
Shepherd laughed and turned to walk back to his home, he had a new book to read and it was written by an Aasai writer and was supposed to give the Sherlock Holmes books a run for their money. He made a note to himself that one day he would find someone to teach him how to read and write in Aasai something was always lost in translation as he well knew.
As he passed walked up the stair case a nasally voice spoke out, "I had heard that there was a human on this ship but I did not believe it."
Shepherd glanced over to see the new boy leaning against a steel support beam, he said nothing in reply just watching the boy waiting for him to continue.
"It fascinating that you are here, tell me whose pet are you?"
Shepherd turned and began to walk away, the boy was trying to bait him, the voice followed him through the corridor "Good you are well trained, but you don't belong here my farther will make sure your are thrown back to were you belong."
Over the years of his childhood Shepherd had developed a extremely thick skin to insults and the like, this boy's was no different. But he wondered what was the purpose behind it, yes it had been meant to hurt and insult him but there had been a board quality to it like he was simply stating a fact.
"You will be thrown back to where you belong" he murmured to himself what had he meant? Shaking his head he decided to deal with it the same way he dealt with his childhood tormenters, ignore it as long as it is verbal, strike back with extreme prejudice when it became physical. With that problem solved Shepherd curled up on the small couch and lost himself to the world of a dry but humorous Asari and her Volus companion and their attempt to capture an Elcor catburglar.
The next day he reached breakfast around the same time everybody else did on the ship, normally he ate much earlier but Gadget needed more help, this time with a glitching mass effect drive.
He waved absent mindedly at the group of people his age that were sitting together, there was no room at their table so he moved to the back of the eating area. However strangely at his wave they had all turned away from him, not waving back not even giving him a second glance.
He found himself frowning as he sat down, pulling out a book to read and bury his emotions in as he ate something called Raman Noodles.
It only got worse as two weeks passed the other ones his age began to revert to their old ways, the insults, the pranks, the threats. He had forgotten how painful it was to endure that part of his childhood, but he would do as he had always done endure and overcome after all thought it could get worse, it wouldn't be much worse than before.
As it turned out it could get much worse, just not in the way he expected. He was helping Gadget and moving about the hull when he heard a half chocked sob from a darkened part the main cargo area.
Curious he followed the sound, it was a girl she was standing up on some crates and trying to hold back sobs. Shepherd was about to say something when he noticed to his horror a piece of ships wire tied to a one of the rivets in the rooms ceiling.
Shepherd opened his moth to yell out a warning when the girl kicked the crates out from under herself.
The switch flicked on time slowed, her body was falling the wire not yet taunt, and a rage unlike anything Shepherd had ever known filled him, it was an anger that burned against the solid fact that a life was about to end right before his eyes.
His hand moved on its own, his body rushing forward he made a slashing motion with his hand calling to the power within his body the power of Biotics. What he did was nothing like he had ever read about or tried before. He focused raw biotic power into the heaviest mass he could manage, then he forced it down to the roughly the size of a piece of paper he slashed that force at the wire about to go taunt and it parted like butter.
He slid under the falling body catching the girl using his chest to cushion the fall, time resumed its natural flow to his perception. He wrapped his arms around the girl, who after the shock faded started screaming and crying "Let me go, let me go, I just want to die!" she said this over and over again.
Shepherd managed to get his Onmi tool to his lips pressing a button using the side of his head he activated the emergency comm link still struggling to keep the girl form escaping he yelled into the tool "Mom get down to bay 7 and hurry." He used the voice his farther did during a military exercise. It was loud, firm and absolute, it brooked no descent no questions it was an order, an order to be followed.
After call the Girls struggles became less powerful all strength seemed to leave her body, she still struggled and whimpered weakly "Let me go, Let me go" Shepherd silently held her against him saying nothing, not knowing what there was to say all he could do was keep her from hurting herself until help arrived.
He found himself sitting outside his mothers office as she worked with the distract girl, once they had put some sedatives into her system his mother made everybody leave the room and Shepherd had seen her start to talk to the girl before the door closed.
He did not leave the medical room, he felt responsible for her in some way at least he wanted to know if she would be ok.
Several hours passed as Shepherd brooded over the events that had unfolded; his mother was still talking to the girl and he was no closer to understanding what had happened. It was at that moment his farther walked in with Gadget at his side, he glanced at Shepherd and for a moment the tense angry way he held himself was replaced by a proud stance.
"You saved her life son that was good work."
Shepherd nodded and said nothing, waiting for his farther to provide some insight. He walked over to office and knocked. His mother opened the door her body tense and angry, "She, someone, they" Shepherd had never seen his mother so angry she could not seem to put more than one word of a sentence before trying to start a new one.
His father's Zaal voice was just as enraged as his mothers but his was tightly controlled and therefore more terrifying. "I know what has happened Gadget found the cash of pictures and its site he shut it down."
"Who would do this to their own people" his mother snarled
Shepherd remained silent what could they mean pictures, how could a picture cause someone to want to kill themselves. Stay calm he told himself think what would cause a person to try and murder themselves, answer something horrifying something that caused them such great pain that they felt life was no longer worth living.
Second question what event could make this girl come to that conclusion, the answer was a picture. So the real question was, what was on the picture, it had to be an event some action she took that she wanted no one else to see. There might be other reasons but that seemed the most logical.
So a question within a question Quarian's as a whole were a very close society we share almost everything, space, items, food, water, so what do we place great pride on.
It should have come to him sooner, but he did not have to wear an Enviro suit so it took longer.
The thing we, well they do not share is their bodies I have no need of an enviro suit so everybody knows my face. So the picture could be one of her body, but what could…. it hit him all at once.
A new rage flashed through him threatening to rip his control over his biotics and send everything flying. he would not allow that to happen but it almost did, who ever had posted those pictures was not just a sick person, they were a monster.
"What do we do Zaal" his mother was saying
" I tried to trace it but whoever set it up was good, they left a lot of false leads and traps" said Gadget "One of them must of warned the user because they managed to erase there tracks, but it did get something. The user who created this site they are on this ship."
The entire crew was called to the main area of the ship, his farther stood up and said " I know there are rumors going around about something happening and I am here to tell you what it is."
His father then explained in detail about the attempted suicide not naming the girl but Shepherd had a feeling that many people knew who she was already. His father confirmed what Shepherd had suspected someone on this ship had posted pictures of that girl nude.
Every Quarian in the fleet not on pilgrimage had their suits cleaned and checked once a month. During that time they would ender a clean room wait until the outside of there suit was purified, take it off have it cleaned on the inside then brought it back to them. So somewhere on the ship there was a hidden camera invading the privacy of the Quarian people at there most vulnerable moment. The wrath in his fathers voice had his crew taking steps back from him, it inspired a degree of fear even in the marines. He had finished with the words "If whoever did this comes foreword now I will allow for a degree of mercy. If you do not then I promise that you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law." He voice hardened even further "And if someone dies because of this I will shoot the guilty party myself."
There was absolute silence, in the three hundred years of the flotilla only one execution had ever taken place, and that had been of a serial killer.
Then to Shepherds absolute shock someone started speaking "This is defiantly a terrible event and deserves to be treated as such, however there is another matter that has not been addressed."
Kaalo'Jinnat nar Apera vas Epsilon stepped forward "I am here on behalf of the Admiralty board to investigate the rumor that a human child is being raised on one of the our ships."
Eyes turned to Shepherd, "And since I have found these rumors to be true I call upon you Captain Zaal'Garlar nar Defrahnz vas Epsilon to explain yourself, why have you allowed an active threat to the health of the Quarian people aboard this ship why have you endangered you crew?"
There were unhappy sounds coming form the crowd and Kaalo took that to mean they were agreeing with, had he turned to look he would have noticed that all there focus was on him and not Captain Zaal.
Shepherd watched as his farther visibly reined in his temper "His adoption was approved by Admiral Rael'Zorah according to our laws he is as Quarian as you are"
Anger filled the stance of the former Colonel "You dare compare me with that thing." He said pointed at Shepherd.
His father's control over his temper was fading "That thing is my son Kaalo'Jinna and you are out of line"
"No you are the one who is out of line Zaal you went around the Admiralty board to adopt him, you"
Zaal interrupted him "When there are events taking place that require the Admiralty board as a bodies full attention, individual Admirals are allowed to make choices of law regarding crime's, money, and if they so chose marriage and adoption. So unless the entre board suddenly decides to unanimously declare my son a threat to the fleet YOU ARE OUT OF LINE" he roared.
Kaalo fired right back "And they will make that very decision they know what is best for out people, they will make the right choice.
His farther laughed harshly " I entered a burning ship and dragged the wife and unborn child of Rael'Zorah out of danger. This ship saved the lives ofAdmiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema and Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay when the baterian pirate fleet attempted to sack our people. They will stand with me, not you and if you have not noticed this ship stands with me to."
Kaalo looked around him for the first time since speaking, seven of the Migrant Fleet maries were standing behind and besides him hands o so casually resting on their side arms they carried with themselves. Kaalo looked into the faces or rather the postures of the other adults they were angry but not at their captain they loved him. There were furious at him at the one trying to take away the happiness of their Captain.
He closed his mouth and stormed off silence following his wake, Shepherd had never felt more proud to be the son of Zaal than he did now, but he felt uneasy the hatred for him which he heard in the voice of Kaalo, the absolute hatred, what had ever done to that man, what was his crime? He had no answer to that and found himself not wanting to understand why, he turned and began to move to walk, to do anything that did not let him think.
Two pairs of arms wrapped around him, he looked up to see his mother and farther holing him in between them, like he was four year old again. "We love you son, never drought that not even for a moment."
He hugged them back his suppressed emotional turmoil subsiding for now finally after a small period of time they let go. "I'll go help Gadget find that camera" he whispered "I need to do something, anything to get rid this tension and anger I feel"
His mother gave him a worried look but his farther nodded "I understand"
Shepherd turned and made his way to the safety and peace of the engine room, and found Gadget hard at work, without saying a word Shepherd joined him hands flying, mind racing to find connections and figure this problem out.
As it turned out creating a devise that detected small electronic devisees was not that difficult, the fleet along with every other race in the galaxy had long since figured out how to create such devises. It had been Shepherd's idea to create a program for the Omni tool which functioned as one.
Now Shepherd did not believe for a moment he was the first one to think of this idea but it seemed that on the civilian market there was no such program. It only took a few days to get the bugs out of it and make it fully operational, then came the scanning, they entered the home of the girl who's picture had been taken, she by the way was doing much better with the help of therapy and constant watch and care.
Shepherd entered the clean room to begin the scan, it only took moments, the tool starred beeping red and Gadget reached out with a pair of pliers and plucked it off the wall. It have been coved in some sort of which camo that was see through from the inside. Once he got a look at he quickly surmised several things. First the devise was home made, the parts were manufactured but the placement was inductive of homemade overlapping plates, non uniform wires that sort of thing. Second there was no way in hell the pieces for that had come from the flotilla there were too well made, too top of the line. And finally it was not just a camera it was a video camera, "Gadget were there videos on the site you shut down?"
The engineers voice was grim "No just pictures" "That means the videos are still out there just waiting for the person to activate them" Gadgets rage was palpable through the suit "And that's not all" he whispered "This style, this build its one of my old designs. When I was younger and wanted to help the people I created this design for cameras like this I wanted to have them used by our military forces but it was too expensive to create."
Shepherd frowned "So what happened to the designs" Gadget shrugged "Stuck in some military database somewhere most likely." Shepherd frowned "Military?" "Yes Mili" the engineer froze "You don't think" Shepherd shook his head "There is no evidence or reason we don't think anything, however that fact is very interesting."
With the blessing of his farther Shepherd put out his program to the rest of the crew allowing them to search there own clean rooms already several more devises had been found and disposed off. And the panic seemed to have calmed down, Gadget however was wagering a constant war with whoever was behind this, stopping several attempts to create a new site for the pictures and videos. Shepherd had never seen Gadget so focused and determined, each time that person tried to make used of his data Gadget was their to stop, day and night he fought databite to databite with person. He never told Shepherd how he knew but somehow he was always ready when that person made there move.
Shepherd however had his own problems to deal with, it had spread that the camera was Gadgets old design. And someone had spread the rumor simply saying out of all the people on this ship who would have access to such information who better than his own apprentice. Shepherd never remembered becoming Gadgets apprentice but once things got moving there was not stopping it, the rumor got darker with each telling on the one hand he was just a pervert looking for a thrill, on the other he was a sleeper agent of some organization dedicated to the destruction of the Quarian's. Shepherd had little trouble imaging where that little add on came from. What ever the rumor or its start they succeeded in their goal, permanently severing any link between him and the other people his age.
The boys glared at and threatened him, the girls fled from his very sight. When he entered a room with other his age they would either stay silent until he was gone or left the room themselves. It was surprising how much pain that brought to Shepherd, in such a short time he had grown used to at least being tolerated by the others. And now that it was gone well there was a hole in his life, a painful hole.
In retaliation he through himself at what ever project Gadget had for him, he wore himself to death on PT every morning, released his rage on the shooting range or biotic training. He almost never left his home if he was not doing any of the above mentioned, always buried in a book or simply staring into the void of space. His parents tried there best to help him giving him their endless love and support and for that he was very grateful. But there was only so much they could do his dad had a ship to run, his mother a med bay, he never blamed them for this duty, duty above all else, our survive depends on it every Quarian learned this and Shepherd was no exception.
His seventeenth birthday came during this period, it should have been the one bright spot in his live but was over shadowed by the events of the day. He found himself running an errand for his farther brining medical supplies, his birthdays were always small a simple meal for just the three of them a small present, and an evening they devoted to him, all he could ever ask for really.
He was letting that brighten his day as he approached the med bay, that was when a small exposition ripped through room. Fire alarms when wild, spraying down foam and water onto the sudden fire. But the fire in the med bay was not going out. A strangled cry ripped out of shepherd as he charged the flames, package forgotten had sprinted towards the door the med bay ignoring the pain that seared his skin as he approached the heat.
The flames that blocked the door seemed impossibly hot and viscous but Shepherd cared nothing for that. His mother was in danger he would save her, there was no room for any other ending. As he charged a feeling beyond fear, beyond anger rose through him all the emotion that had he had bottled up over the years sprang to life and crystallized before him.
As he leapt at the flames blocking the area between him and his mother those emotions exploded with power and wrath, and his biotics answered. Shepherd's body suddenly glowed blue, energy flickered of him like a sea of flame itself. He passed through the fire unharmed and found his mother. She was alive, unconscious shields around her flickering as they died but she was alive. Her legs were pinned under a beam of fallen metal, but as Shepherd reached her he let out snarl of anger grabbed the beam, biotics flaring to the point of brilliant and he threw it off his mother like it was made of foam and not two ton's of steel. He pick up his mother and rushed out of the med bay, raw biotic force pushing a safe way through the flames.
The room had before him had been filled with nearly ten feet of foam and Shepherd pushing his way through thought it beyond all reason only wanting to get his mother away to be safe. The biotic power that covered him flickered away and fatigue set in but he was still in the foam, his mother still was not safe, calling upon every reserve his body had he exploded from the foam in a flying leapt crashing to the ground using his own body to protect his mothers. To his elation he landed at the feet of Sarge and Marines foam guns in hand ready to help.
His mother was safe, safe and protected he had completed the mission. Darkness took him was the Marines reacted to his sudden appearance Sarge bellowing orders like he had a megaphone and then there was only black.
Three weeks had passed since the explosion they were still investigating the cause and had no conclusive results. His mother was recovering well aboard the Neema which had been the closest ship that could offer assistant. She had received some minor burns and a fractured leg form her ordeal but before she been knocked out she activated her shields built into her suit by Shepherd himself for one of her birthday presents. They had saved her life, and Shepherd had learned that he had not saved just one life, he had saved two.
They had planned to tell him that evening but as it turned out Shamo was pregnant with her first child. The fleet had recently raised the limit to two children per family due to a slight down turn in fleet population, and his mother and farther had taken advantage of it. And Shepherd, well to know that he had not only saved his mother but future sibling as well, it in a way made him feel like he had made up for the loss of his first family long ago not rational he knew but still it filled something.
He had emerged form the fire unscathed, and if there was not so much chaos surrounding the fire would have raised a few eyebrows but as it was that was largely forgotten in the aftermath. Repairs were currently under way thought no one but workers were allowed anywhere near the area. You would think that this event would have at least put a pause to the rumor mill, to his rage the newest one spread said that he had set it up as a way to prove himself and gain there trust. The first one to say this to his face had received a disproportionate retribution of a broken arm, three cracked ribs and a minor concussion.
After that Shepherd forgone any hope of things returning to normal, every teenager and child on the ship avoided him even the parents were started to encourage this behavior. They sympathized with Shepherd but there own children came first and he understood that. A dark atmosphere of fear and mistrust started to permeate the ship, an that was a the one way the Quarians could not live, that out of all the things in the galaxy would kill them.
So his farther decided to make a bigger deal of the a biyearly event in which the children from the ship at the age of Piligrmare were give instructions, their suit was upgraded, they were given gifts that would be useful in their journey. And the family and close friends of the ones departing would throw a party. What his dad did was make that a ship wide event. Shepherd had been a bit skeptical at first, how could a party make what had happened just go away. So he watched and thought about what they were doing, it took him a while to realize that his dad was not trying to make everybody friends he was giving them work to do. He was taking there minds off the recent events, he said he wanted the ship to sparkle and so a larger than normal group was tasked with cleaning. He wanted the best food prepared so more people were put on mess duty.
Everyone who could have a job was given one, everyone except for Shepherd. His dad had been furious when he had heard about the incident and had confided him to his quarters. Shepherd believed that in some part his punishment was due to his fathers worry about his mother, and the other part was a way to keep him away from the crew until they simmered down. He understood the reasons for it but that did not help with the boredom or the content worrying and brooding he found himself doing quite often.
He was sitting in the dark letting himself soak up the sounds of ship light going off all around him. A woman hummed, a boy ran down the halls the light sound of a marine song drifted down into the dark room. In the that he almost found a peace a tranquilly, … a piercing scream erupted from near his room, he was out his chair and down the hall within a moment. He roared into his Omni tool "Trouble on the upper deck, row alpha near room eight."
It closed as Shepherd turned a corner entering a four way passage, two youths were blocking his path one was a rather large Quarian for his age nearly six feet tall, behind him stood a smaller boy that Shepherd recognized to be Zeetor , he had not seen him nor the boys farther since the falling out that man had with his farther. Zeetor spun pushed a button on his Onmi tool and a smaller less loud version of the scream came of it.
The word TRAP sprang into Shepherd's mind real fast, he glanced to the sides two other Quarian had stepped out into the hallway, and a glance behind him showed another blocking his escape as well. "Be calm Shepherd" he told himself "I called for help and so it should not be long in arriving." But still just in case he readied a plan of action in his mind his body tensing ready to move at the slightest twitch. "Get him talking, get him to waist time" best then to act confused. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded not showing any sign of fear of concern "Some sort of prank?"
The boy Zeetor held his body in a triumphant manner " You should know what's going on Shepherd, I have found evidence that you are the monster that has been invading the privacy of our women and then pretending to be the hero in stopping it."
Shepherd's voice came out low and dangerous "What"
For a moment Zeetor lost his triumphant manner and a hint of fear and tension entered his body, the boys surrounding him seemed to rock back against the force of his voice. "I have the video footage of you placing the camera, I have the messages that you sent wanting to sell the pictures out to on the extra net. Really Shepherd after all we have done for you?"
"Where are the marines or my dad, or somebody they should be here by now"
'O yes and bye the way I introduced a little virus to your Onmi Tool, I'm afraid that help won't be coming until we are finished." With that he snapped his fingers and the four people surrounding Shepherd began to move.
But Shepherd had been planning from the start, at least the first action he would take, he had plans for the others but that depended on what they did. He turned to his right and to a fast step, he was in a confined space surrounded by four people it was time for assault. The person on the right was the furthest away from him and thus would be the farthest away from the others. Shepherd sent a straight jab into his kidney followed by an elbow to the side of the head putting his whole strength into it. The boy went out like a light, Shepherd whirled tucking his chin down into his neck and putting his hands up.
His opponents were not trained, that was obvious they had all gone after him at the same time and were more or less in a line where the advantage of numbers was negated. He caught a glance blow against his temple which he ignored an kicked out with his feed catching the one in front of him right where the joint where the leg bowed backwards, it was one of the weak points of Quarian biology, there was a snap and a cry of pain as he tumbled to the ground. Shepherd step forward never losing momentum, that was his greatest ally in this fight. His next opponent had thrown a wild right hook his way, still in assault mode Shepherd stepped inside the punch leaving himself a bare few inches from his attacker. A three inch punch was not very powerful but on the other hand it was fast, Shepherd unleashed four rapid punches in session "Kidney, Kidney, Stomach Sternum." Were his thoughts, the overload of strikes caused his attacker to stumble back into the one behind him. Shepherd taking advantage took another step forward his elbow connecting with his opponents helmet. That one dropped as well, the other one seeing what had happened turned and ran as fast as he could away from this intended victim. Shepherd ignored him and turned to where Zeetor had been and caught sight of a shadow from around a corner, sprinting over he rounded the corner to see the elevator doors closing.
Shepherd sprinted to the stairs and followed it as best he could it ended at engineering and he reached it only to see the shadow run towards the Ezzio core. Leaping over the rail and down the last ten feet landing in a roll Shepherd followed. He entered the core room, it was a spherical room with a machine holding the glowing blue mass effect core.
There was a small bridge that with railing that allowed the people who needed to check up on the core, There was only one person in the room, he was wearing a all black Enviro suit and stood facing the blue core his hands clasped behind his back. Shepherd heard a sound behind him and whirled to see Zeetor wavering his Onmi tool over the door controls. The door shut and the normally green tech panel was now a dark shade of red.
He turned back to the black suited Quarian whom he was now stuck with. A sigh was heard from him "They were supposed to bring you barely conscious body here not run like cowards from a Geth Colossus."
Shepherd recognized that voice "Kaalo?" he asked.
"Colonel Kaalo!" he snarled turning to face Shepherd.
"What do you want Kaalo, what was the point of all this?" Shepherd asked quietly. "Were those cameras your doing?"
"How dare you accused me of something like that human, I would never do something that would endanger the Quarian people. My son found evidence of what you did, he found the videos and the pictures, he discovered that the shipment parts needed to make the cameras made out to you."
Shepherd narrowed his eyes "Then why have you not brought this evidence forward, surly you would have done that if in fact such evidence was real." The old Quarian gave a bitter laugh, "your father was right about one thing he had a great deal of support in the Admiralty board I gave them my report on the danger you are to the People, I did not have this proof at time but my suggestion that you be put back where you belong was turned down flat."
Shepherd was not sure what to think, this man believed he was speaking the truth, there was not hint of a lie in his body language. His voice was firm cold and logical, " I would on any other ship bring my findings to the captain, but I know that your father will never except it. His love for you blinds him to your flaws and to your vileness. And your mother is covering for you, my son found the footage of her changing the names of the orders for the parts to my son's. She is as much a traitor to our people as you are,"
Shepherds mind raced "What did he mean his mother covered for him", as far as he knew the only interaction his mother had with the Former Colonel and his son was to politely ask if Zeetor would quit bothering her at her work. He remembered his mother saying something to his father about how she believed Zeetor had a crush on her. Later when she had finally gotten fed up with it she asked Sarge to speak with Zeetor and that had been the end of that.
So how did she fit in to this sudden attempt to remove him from his home. When Zeetor had been speaking of the evidence he had found, his poster was full of deceit and a slight tension and baring that Shepherd had come to associate with cruelty and envy, the two often being interchangeable. Kaalo reached down his hand to he side where a pistol holster lie, resting on hand over the gun butt. "So for the sake of the Qurian people you will have to disappear in a tragic accident in the eizo core."
He started to draw the pistol but he had made a mistake, as they had been talking Shepherd had been inching closer, and now moving a single step he was next to the former Colonel and his hand shot out, the pistol was half way up when his fist connected with the wrist holding it, the gun went flying and hit the element zero in the core disintegrating instantly.
Shepherd jabbed out with a left, with Kaalo smacked aside, the Older Quarian moving with speed that belied his older age head butted Shepherd taking full advantage of his visor. He reeled back from Kaalo who approached slowly and carefully, "good move for an someone untrained" he commented.
He was in self defense Shepherd noted ready for a wild rush, an untrained strike, he was not expecting Shepherd to enter the same stance he was. The exchanged blows neither able to land any real damaging strike. Shepherd blocked a left hook and intercepted a right jab, only to find that Kaalo had changed his attack, instead of sliping back to counter Shepherd's return strike he accepted the blow turning his shoulder to take the brunt of the punch and ramming Shepherd with the core of his body.
Quarians had a lot of disadvantages, their immune systems sucked, there were barely stronger than the Salarians, they had no home planet and where distrusted by the galaxy at large. But they were tough, tough as hell, their skin was harder than a Turians, their bones were nearly twice as dense as the average human. Only their evolution which did not allow them to build as much muscle mass as other species prevented them from being as strong as their build might of allowed.
Long story short being rammed by one of them hurt, it jarred Shepherd out of his defensive stance and caused him to stumble back. Kaalo followed by a elbow to the side of his face and a punch to his gut, the pain was intense, but Shepherd had been trained to deal with that. He tucked his chin in and pulled his arms to gather protecting his most vital areas. He received several more rocking blows to the side of his head and arms, but he was in assault now in assault you traded pain for results, so Shepherd closed in managing to encircle the Quarian and get him in a bear hug.
Assault was victory by any means necessary with any advantage you had, and Shepherd had one thing Quarian did not teeth. Well teeth that he could use outside a suit so he bit into the mans shoulder and ripped taking a piece of suit and nearly an inch of flesh. Nothing could have prepared the Quarian for that he reeled back in agony and Shepherd took full advantage, he smash both fist into the Quarian than again, and again.
Then the Quarian used something Shepherd had not been expecting, when he had bitten and ripped the suit it had caused the suit to fill Kaalo with antibiotics and anti pain drugs. It allowed the older Colonel to ignore Shepherd's punishing assault. He grabbed Shepherd spinning him around and shoving him towards the railing of the eizo core.
The small of Shepherd back crashed against the railing adding a new pain to the ever growing list of pain he was feeling. Red lines of appeared in the Colonel's suit as he pinned Shepherd and slowly began to push him backwards intending to send him into the eizo core. Despite the desperate situation Sheppard's mind still thought logically since he was being overpowered in raw strength, the red lines on the suit must have been a non legal mod to somehow increase strength, steroids maybe or tech reinforcing the suit?
Shepherd struggled with all his might trying to push back to fight, but slowly and steadily Kaalo was pushing him back, "I have no choice" Shepherd thought " I have to use my Biotics " Kaalo leaned down close to Shepherd's face and whispered "Next time I won't miss you mother, she will pay for her treachery as well."
Shepherd's dark brown eyes suddenly glowed with ambient blue light, a roar of rage erupted from his body, anger, knowledge, it haven't been an accident someone had tried to kill his mother and by doing so also his unborn sibling. Energy seeped off his skin, suddenly the strength of the empowered Quarian did not seem so great. He threw the man back with the force of his Biotic power, "Murder!" he screamed as Kaalo crashed into the door, before he could even fall Shepherd caught him with his power. Rage and anger driving all rational thought from his mind, with that fury driving him there was not hesitation anymore. No choice, for his mother to be safe this man had to die, Shepherd jerked his had back and Kaalo flew from the door and straight into the ezio core the body vanished in a flare of blue light and suddenly all was silent.
Shepherd slummed to the ground the anger fading and replacing it was a sadness he stared at his hands still glowing, horror replaced sadness he had just killed someone, someone at his mercy. Shepherd leaned forward and threw up on the floor his body convulsing until there was nothing left to heave up. Shepherd collapsed to the floor entire body shaking, and that was where Gadget found him several minuets later.
"This is a disgrace, we should not be having this conversation he should be exiled or shot and that will be the end of it."
Shepherd watched in silence as Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib ranted on and on, before the Admiralty board. He was acting like this was a trial before a great crowd than a simple fact finding meeting between them, himself and his Captain. This Admiral shared the same first name as his farther but that was where the similarities stopped. Where his farther was mostly quite and spoke only when needed this man seemed to go on and on. Where his farther was tall and fairly muscular for a Quarian, the Admiral was average height and skinny.
"I do not for a moment believe that my agent would attempt murder as this human claims."
He was interrupted by Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay "You go too far Koris according to our laws he as one of our people you would do best to remember that."
The Admiral took a breath and then making no effort to hide his annoyence "I do not for a moment believe this child, over a man with thirty years of military service and proven loyalties to the Migrant fleet."
Admiral Shala spoke back quietly "We are all awhere of his service, but we have also heard his views on this boy."
Koris narrowed he seemed to bristle, Shala continued calmly "And we are also awhere that he was acting of false evidence." In the three weeks since Shepherd had killed Kaalo his son Zeetor had left the fleet for his pilgrimage in a great hurry.
It had only been two days after his fathers death that he vanished," The evidence which he had gathered had been examined by several experts form several different ships and they had all concluded it was all faked. Koris said in a snaring voice "So you suggest we let him off the hook, we would have the whole fleet on our ass by tomorrow."
He was referring to the fact that the information of what happened had leaked to the rest of the fleet, no drought a parting gift form Zeetor. He had cast Shepherd in the worst possible light and thousands of people who did not know better were calling for his exile or his death.
Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema spoke up for the first time "And so we let a mob dictate our actions Koris?"
That shut up whatever the Admiral was going to say next, instead Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh spoke up next "Agreed Han we cannot let a mob dictate our actions, but nether can we afford to ignore it. The harsh truth is the majority of the fleet believes him guilty and many of Kaale's friends in the military are out for blood."
She glanced at Shepherd "I truly have no interest in the question you pose or what you represent the only thing that I am concerned about is the fleet." She looked back at the other Admiral's "In light of what is best for the fleet our course of action should be obvious."
Shepherd's farther spoke up "You cannot do this, you don't have sufficient proof." "For either side" Daro countered "We don't know what truly happened in their all we can do is deal with the aftermath."
The Admirals started arguing again and Shepherd needed no one to tell him that it was going badly, considering the situation that had to work with he could understand why. There was a loud rap on the table, and the room fell silent as Admiral Rael'Zorah began to speak "I have a suggestion that should satisfy both parties to some degree" everyone was listening "Shepherd will not be exiled that has never been used for anything short of treason and I will not be the first to start using it to deal with problems. However he is to be sent on pilgrimage as soon as it can possible be managed, he is to not return for ten years at the minimum. When that time is up, he will be allowed to return with a his pilgrimage gift, however he is to present it directly to the Admiralty board and only if every one of the Admiral's agrees it is a suitable gift will he be allowed back into the fleet. Should his gift be deemed unworthy he will be allowed to try again at a later date."
There was a good deal of silence after his proposal, as the admirals began to think it over, his father looked like he was about to let them have it, but stopped when Rael gave him a warning gesture. Slowly the Admiral's began to nod, "That is acceptable" Said Koris, Han seemed relieved and gave his nod . The others gave there approval and that was that.
Shepherd did not know what he was supposed to fell, anger at what they had just done to him? No that wasn't it, a sense of betrayal at the injustice he was going to receive? Maybe later but as of now he was numb, emotionally spent it was a sort of serine emptiness after his maelstrom of emotions over the past few weeks.
The Admiral's began to leave the room, save for Rael'Zorah who waited as well until they were alone. His Father's was trembling with anger "What have you done Zorah?"
"I saved your son old friend"
"You just had him exiled in every way but name!"
"It was the only way Zaal, the fleet is about to tear itself apart with all the events in the past few months."
"Are you telling me that my son defending himself caused the entire fleet to turn into a mob"
"No of coarse not, this is just the breaking point, the batarian pirates are steping up there raid's, we are low on fuel, our population is in going down, the pressure is up to find us a home world or retake our own, which by the way we are nowhere near prepared for." Zorah took a breath "The timing of this could not have been any worse if you planed it, the other Admirals are desperate and this makes the perfect stress breaker. With the fleet focused on your son, his departure will ease tensions and give something to the fleet that will fixate them for months. Koris and Daro were set on getting him exiled, Han was on the fence and Raan stood with me. But I know Han the good of the fleet would have compelled him to approve the Exile that was the only way I could think of to keep him as part of our people"
His father was silent, "I'm sorry, I truly am but that was all I could do," Zorah then turned and walked out of the room.
It was dark as Shepherd sat in his home for the last night he and his farther had not spoken since the trial. It had been strongly suggested by the board that Shepherd should stay within his quarters. His father had walked him back then left to go inform his mother of the events. Something that Shepherd was glad he was not there to see, it was now that the numbness faded and all the conflicting emotions of anger, sadness, rage, hopelessness the boiled and swirled in a sea of conflicting emotions. How long he was there he did not know, the door slid open and Shepherd glanced up, it was the father, and he was supporting his mother. "Mom!" he said in alarm rushing over to her, emotion turmoil temporally pushed aside "Your still recovering, you should not be here."
There was a steel in her voice "And miss my last night with my son, you must be out of your mind?" They sat her down Shepherd sitting beside her, and his father sitting next to him. They both wrapped there arms around him holding him tight, and silently they all wept in the comfort of each others arms and the darkness.
An undefined time later Shepherd finally began to speak "I'm scared, I'm being sent to a universe I've only read about. I have no idea what it is like out there."
His mother laughed a little through her tears "I felt the same way on my pilgrimage, its completely normal my son. We always fear the unknown but we must never let it control us. Fear is normal and will always be, it you deal with that fear that defines who you are."
"Your mothers right son, it's a lesson we all have to lean." His dad was silent for a moment "Do you hate the people now, for what you have suffered?"
"How can you even ask that dad? I love you, I love mom, the love the ways of the Quarians, I love this fleet. I could never hate it."
"You are quite forgiving son."
Shepherd flashed back to his decision to kill Kaale "I'm not always forgiving dad" he said quietly.
His father said nothing well awhere of what had happened to his son and the decisions he had made, "Son if you make a mistake you have to learn form it, to grow past it. Not for a moment do I believe you did the wrong thing, but if you feel like you failed, find the error and rectify it."
Shepherd was quite then said "I don't think I was wrong he would have tried again and possible succeeded, but what scares me the most is that I had him helpless, and I made the decision to end him. It was not in the heat of battle, I was not on a mission, I had him beat and I killed him."
"I don't have all the answer's son but perhaps you will find them on your journey." Shepherd spent his last night with the fleet in the arms of his loved ones, and for that time the pain faded, peace settled and he slept a dreamless sleep.
The next day the fleet paid for his passage on a trade freighter, his entire ship mines the teenagers came to see him off it was the last time Shepherd would see them for a long time. The freighter then departed its destination Earth.
So did you enjoy? I hope you did Fanboy out.