A/N: Hello again everyone, and apologies for how long this chapter took to come out. My job had sucked up virtually all my available free time, but I'm happy to say that's no longer the case Word of advice. If you work for a small start up, and your boss suffers from a deplorable excess of unfounded ego and is running said start up into the ground don't call him on his bullshit. Just quietly do your job until the paychecks stop coming. However that being said despite losing that job, it opened the door to something dare I say a thousand times better which still affords me time for my hobbies like this story. Anyway enough about my life story. I'm happy to be back, and hope you all enjoy the continuation of Revenants: Vol II
The Invisible Pretender: Yeah I kind of thought given that she's Quarian, and they have to literally share EVERYTHING with one another to survive it would make sense that she would be a bit more possessive with her romantic interest lol
*HUMAN COLONY - FREEDOM'S PROGRESS*
"Fan out, and find cover!" Shepard barked to his companions as they burst into what remained of a courtyard the YMIR mech was in the process of defending. He was keenly aware of the danger this adversary posed and while is eyes didn't waver from the enemy at hand, his was anywhere but.
His mind was still having a hard time wrapping itself around his predicament of being returned to the land of the living by a terrorist organization. Not to mention agreeing to a tenuous alliance with said organization in order to save colonists that were presumably being abducted by the Reapers. All this information had been dumped on him mere days after coming to in an unfamiliar medical facility, and finding out that he had been nothing but "meat and tubes" for the better part of two years. Then to make matters worse he had been informed that his crew had scattered to the four corners of the galaxy with no means of locating them. Adding to that loss and confusion was his efforts to figure out the new body his jailers had grown for him with the various upgrades they'd deemed necessary to install.
It had taken some time being back in a combat scenario again to really drive it home, but he was definitely starting to notice how much sharper his senses had become, and how much faster he was moving with less effort. His quickened reflexes and stronger muscles meant he had to completely relearn how to use his own body, and regain the old rhythm he'd been operating in for the bulk of his professional career. Constantly tripping over his own feet coupled with the gradually growing ache behind his eyes told him the massive influx of new sensory information was beginning to overwhelm his already racing grey matter.
Than as if to compound on his already overtaxed brain, a chance reunion with one of his most beloved crew mates now dominated his thinking space. Even discounting his considerable attachment to the friendly faces of his team, whom he thought of as his "family", this one in particular occupied an incredibly valuable place in his heart. One that he still didn't exactly know how to quantify, and yet would be utterly lost without. Even just hearing the initial disbelief, and hurt in her voice had nearly broken his new ticker. That tone still echoed through his beleaguered psyche even after the pain it represented seemed to have been replaced by a euphoric embrace he would have given anything to prolong.
He was a hot mess of swirling emotions, barely controlled limbs, and utter confusion. Fortunately for him the mechs his Cerberus team had encountered thus far hadn't posed much of a threat, but YMIRs were something else entirely. In his N7 days he'd had to endure tactics, and battlefield awareness exams that centered around less lethal variants of the walking tanks. He wasn't keen on squaring off against them then, and he sure as hell wasn't looking forward to dancing with one now. Especially given his current state of mind. He knew all of his uncertainty, and revelation without being provided proper time to process it all was a recipe for disaster, but also knew he didn't really have a choice except to soldier on and seek clarity later.
That feeling only swelled as his new eyes swiftly assimilated every detail of the unfolding scene in front of him. Several Quarian already lay in bloody heaps scattered across the snowy terrain as a mechanical behemoth thundered after those that still lived. Rockets jetted from it's launch tubes to blast into the fleeing humanoids, sending them flying in all directions while torrents of bullets ground through what little cover still remained to shield them. One brave woman attempted to fire feebly into the monster's "face" to draw it's attention while her brethren escaped, but did little more than stall it's advance. As she turned to flee herself she slipped on the icy concrete, and tumbled to the ground. With murderous efficiency the mech planted one massive metallic foot on her back, crushing it completely in the process, and sent a quick stream of slugs into her hood.
In that instant some switch was flipped inside Kraven. He wasn't sure if it was some byproduct of the cybernetics in his neurological system, or a holdover of only just waking from being dead, but whatever it was caused his eyes to see something. Instead of witnessing the massacre of an unknown Quarian girl, his brain told him he was watching the grisly demise of his Tali'Zorah. The unfortunate woman's cry of agony, followed by the pulpy smack of bullets shredding soft tissue before embedding in cement was enough to set his blood ablaze.
He heard Miranda shout something to himself and Jacob as she crouched behind a wall of shipping crates, but he didn't comprehend what she said. His vision went red and started to tunnel as blood pounded in his ears to drown out all other sound. His fingers released the grip of his rifle before balling into tightly clenched, armored fists. His teeth clenched so hard they almost started to crack as an azure inferno blazed around his trembling frame. As the YMIR's sensors detected the sudden spike of energy, and it turned to assess the new threat he suicidally launched himself toward it.
The robotic titan started to take a step back to brace for the incoming impact, but was still rocked backward by the man sized mass effect field crashing into it at nearly the speed of sound. It planted it's heavy treads on the slick, blood stained tarmac and hunkered down to keep from being bowled over. It's arms came up seeking a targeting solution on it's relatively puny assailant.
With zero conscious thought, and combat training completely cast to the wind Shepard recklessly threw himself at the giant in front of him. His lashed out in blind fury trying to pummel his enemy to dust with only his biotically charged fists. Even a sledgehammer swing from the mech's massive right arm connecting with his shoulder wasn't enough to shake the blood lust haze clouding his mind. In fact the pain only served to intensify it. The force of the blow was enough to completely dissipate the Commander's barriers and sent him spiraling into a stack of loading equipment, yet his wrath raged unabated despite the damage his armor, and the flesh underneath had sustained.
Bullets started to pepper the twist of steel he wrenched himself from before he once again launched himself at his foe. Rockets sailed past only inches to either side as dark energy propelled him onward into contact with the living engine of destruction. However this time his trajectory was higher causing him to impact the YMIR's upper chest plate. As it staggered back from the force of his biotic charge he reached out to snag it's upper arm.
At first he planted his feet on it's chest to rip the arm off, and beat it's owner to death with it, but was swung away before he could make good on the thought. As his eyes locked with the mech's view screen a new goal became the priority. He wanted it's head. With a single minded berserker's focus, he ripped and tore at the reeling construct as it tried to shake him off or crush him with another hammer blow. Somehow he managed to find enough purchase to claw his way up to stand on the YMIR's shoulders, and hooked his fingers under the protective cowling surrounding it's "skull".
He screamed with inarticulate rage while his tortured body heaved against the resistance that kept the machine's head in place. Just as the muscle fibers in his legs, back, and arms started to tear apart the head came loose. He nearly toppled over with the sudden lack of resistance, but miraculously maintained his footing as his prize went spinning off into the darkness. He looked down into the sparking cavity he'd created as arcs of electricity started to writhe and snake onto his legs and the ground. Before his rage soaked brain could comprehend what was happening a mass effect field enveloped him before roughly yanking from his perch to toss him clear of the dying machine and it's drive core that was rapidly going critical. He tumbled, and rolled end over end before skidding head first into one of the vertical supports under a prefab's front porch. In an instant his scarlet stained world went dark.
After some time he finally started to come around to the sounds of someone calling his name. "Shepard? Hey Shepard you still with us?"
As he slowly opened his eyes he recognized the almost amused looking face looking back at him. "J-Jacob? Guh what happened?"
The Cerberus operative extended a hand to help him up. "You don't remember?"
Kraven started to reach for the offered help, but his hand immediately went to his throbbing temple as a dagger of pain seared through his skull. "Ngggh. No."
Jacob reached out farther to grasp the Commander by his elbow, and extricate him from under the prefab's deck. "Well Commander let's just say I've heard stories about how crazy, and borderline unstable you could be but… damn." He looked back toward the lazily rising plume roiling into the ash choked night sky. "If Miranda hadn't pulled you off that thing before it blew there wouldn't have been enough of you left to fit in a coffee cup, and I doubt she's up for rebuilding you a second time."
"I'll keep that in mind." Shepard scoffed trying in vain to recall the last several minutes between the time his team entered the courtyard, and he woke up under a porch. 'I can remember the days when the only time I ever blacked out was a night drinking with the crew' He thought glumly. As he did a lithe feminine figure came stalking out of the snowy gloom.
'The crew… Tali…' His heart sank as a wave of inescapable loss tugged at his soul. His body suddenly felt incredibly heavy as he slumped against the man holding him up. Despair gripped him as the image of her being crushed, and gunned down by the out of control YMIR played through his mind.
As the woman neared he noticed she was a Quarian. "Glad to see some of you are…" He started to say trying to inject false levity into his voice before a long finger stabbed at his face.
"You!" She practically shouted. "I told you to be careful! I told you to take care of yourself! Look at you!" She gestured at his ruined armor and bleeding scalp.
"I-I'm sorry ma'am I… I don't… Wait… Tali?" Recognition finally dawned before being replaced with utter disbelief and joy. With renewed vitality he pushed away from Jacob to enfold a very confused, and startled Tali in a bear hug. "I watched… I watched you die. Over there you… You were dead."
Without knowing what else to do she wrapped her arms around him. "I didn't. I'm right here see? I'm fine." As she held him close trying to understand what was happening her gaze alighted on the Cerberus agent awkwardly standing nearby. He couldn't see it, but her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as she imagined what the terrorists had done to her Commander to cause him to become this unhinged. "Can you give us a minute please?" She asked trying to keep the icy venom from her voice.
"Um. Yeah sure." Jacob agreed. Gladly excusing himself from the bizarre, and uncomfortable interaction.
Once he was far enough away Tali pushed the Commander back enough to cup his wrecked face in her hands. She was taken aback to see a single tear glittering on his cheek, and asked herself if that was on her account. "Keelah Shepard what is going on with you?"
"I- I don't know." He admitted. "I was convinced… I watched that thing kill you. Everything is all just a blur after that." He shook his head lightly to clear, but quickly stopped as a fresh wave of pain was the only result. "I'm just so confused. Turned around. I barely know who I am… Where I am… I can vaguely remember the attack on the Normandy and… Dying. But it just feels like it was all a nightmare… I can't figure out if this is all just a dream. I mean two years? Is everyone really gone?"
Her chest ached to hear her normally unwavering Commander's uncertainty, and vulnerability. She gently brushed the tiny bead of moisture from his face, and stared directly into his crimson tinged eyes. "As much as I wish I could tell you it was all a dream I can't. You did die. You have been gone for two years. And yes our team was disbanded." She could feel his shoulders slump, and his arms relax even while maintaining her grip on his face. "But. I missed you, and words can't describe how happy I am to see you alive after all this time."
That seemed to breathe a small amount life back into his tired frame as he gave her a squeeze. "Can you come with me?"
Her breath caught in her chest as her initial reaction was to blurt out a yes. Especially after seeing the jackals he was now in company with. However her duty to her people couldn't be so easily cast aside. "I-I would like nothing more, but I'm on a mission for my own people. One I can't ignore."
She expected him to react gloomily to her rejection, but was pleasantly surprised by his answer. Especially because his tone betrayed his disappointment. "I understand. I'm stuck with Cerberus for the same reason."
She snaked a slender finger under his chin to lift his gaze and look into his eyes again. "But I'll come join you as soon as my mission is done."
"I'm going to hold you to that." He stated firmly.
"Please do." She replied sweetly as they stood staring at each other until realization dawned that she was holding, and flirting with her old Commander.
He must have come to the same realization as his eyes started to widen before they both moved to disentangle themselves from one another. He awkwardly cleared his throat as he stepped away keeping his gaze away from hers. "So… *ahem* any luck finding your man?"
She wrung her fingers nervously trying to ignore the warmth his face had left in the palms of her gloves. "Um yes. We found him in one of the buildings in front of a bank of monitors. He's running a mild fever, but we should be able to stabilize him."
Kraven Shepard gestured back the way they'd come. "Then time's a wasting, and I hear it waits for no man."
She shook her head at his comforting use of a baffling idiom as she pushed past him. "It's good to have you back Shepard."