Mass Effect II Through the Fire and the Flames

by Tutor Veritatis

Shepard's past as a 10th St. Red comes back with a vengence after receiving a message from a storage facility where he buried his past. He will face the demons and mistakes of his past, with the love and support of Tali, and overcome his greatest mistake.

4. Attero Dominatus

Mass Effect II – Through the Fire and the Flames

Chapter 4 – Attero Dominatus

Shadows hung within the cargo container, but one was distinct: a long object, beneath a tarpaulin. It stood in the center of the container, dominating most of the space between the two walls of the container.

Shepard stepped forward, not looking at the tarpaulin covered machine which lay underneath. He proceeded to the back of the container, where a stand of shelves stood against the wall. Two crates were held on the shelf. Grabbing the crates, Shepard pulled them off the stand and set them on the floor.

Tali walked in, slow footsteps, along the length of the tarpaulin-covered machine. The way she had imagined its appearance wasn't close to the actual machine. It was longer than she had thought, bulkier as well. The way Shepard had described it she'd imagined something lean. This machine, Tali knew without even laying her eyes upon it, possessed great power.

"Tali" Shepard called, gesturing for her to join him. Taking one more look at the covered machine, she joined him. In his hands he held an article of clothing, a jacket Shepard had called it. She'd seen jackets before, but this one was unique. It was made of a material Tali had never seen. She touched it, but her gloves prevented her feeling the material.

"What is this material?" she asked. "It's called leather" Shepard provided "it comes from the skins of certain animals, treated with different chemicals, dyed and sown into jackets, boots, pants, hats. Most leather nowadays is synthetic, mass-produced but still retains the same feel as the real thing". Shepard tapped the jacket in his hands, "this is real leather".

Tali looked at him incredulously "humans kill animals to make clothing". Shepard nodded "didn't Quarians at one time make clothing out of animal skins". Tali stepped back, not because she was offended, but because Shepard was a shoulder and head taller than she was. Shepard was taller than most of the crew, in fact, except for Garrus.

"At one time, Quarians made clothing out of animal skins, but not for centuries before the Exile. It was a practice that died out because animals we're precious to the natural order of our homeworld". Shepard nodded in understanding "Earth has a lot of insect life: animals, plants, insects all work in the cycle of life, but the insects do most of the work. Animals were more for food and clothing, and specialty businesses still use animals. But today, everything is mostly synthetic for humans".

Shepard held the jacket for another moment, then moved his hands and held the jacket open toward Tali. "Try it on" he said; Tali hesitated, then slipped her left arm through the left sleeve and shouldered the right sleeve. The jacket was big for her slight frame, Shepard having been very fit and broad-shouldered when he was eighteen.

Shepard looked around the shelf a little more, but Tali knew he was scared of the motorcycle laying beneath the gray tarp. Resting a hand on his shoulder, Tali said "Jem, you can't hide from your past when its right next to you". Kneeling, Tali took his hand in both of hers "I'm here for you, but I won't take that tarp off that machine. It's yours, and you alone need to confront what happened to your family".

Shepard knew she was right; he was being an idiot trying, and utterly failing, to ignore the veritable elephant in the room. Massaging the bridge of his nose, Shepard stood and turned to face the tarp. Stepping forward, he laid a hand upon the covering, but once again hesitated to move. Turning his head, he indicated the second crate on the floor "open that crate; hand me what's inside".

Tali knelt again, and released the clasps on the crate and opened it. The crate held two foam pads, cradling a helmet of intricate design. The work upon the helmet reminded Tali of the patterns of which were woven into the wrap a Quarian adult adopted after their Pilgrimage. Pulling the helmet out, the design was that of the head of a bird of some kind. Shepard had called it a Phoenix, but hadn't elaborated upon what it represented.

Shepard held out a hand, waiting for the helmet. Holding it in both hands, she placed the helmet in Shepard's outstretched hand. Finally removing his hand from the tarp, Shepard took the helmet in hand, gazed upon its visor with a forlorn and distant countenance, then squared his shoulders and set the helmet upon his head. Something in his demeanor changed once the helmet was securely placed.

His shoulders squared and back straightened. Laying his hand once again upon the tarp, Shepard bunched it in his fist and pulled sharply. Dust rose from the quick motion, but the motorcycle was revealed. The whole of the machine was, in Tali's mind of mechanics and engineering, one of the most elegant, powerful and physically amazing machine she had ever seen. The Normandy was beautiful and powerful, both the new and the old.

But this machine was beyond even the Normandy's seamless beauty of power and elegance combined. From Shepard's description, Tali recognized many of the physical parts of the machine, but her mind went far beyond recognizing descriptions. Her knowledge of machines, a level of cognizance which was done without thought, created a map of the machine and its entire internal structure in her mind's eye. The physical beauty of the machine's exterior was perfection beyond compare, but in Tali's mind she saw the mastery of machinery and craftsmanship which was worked into its creation.

A hand touched her shoulder, and Tali jerked with a yelp; it was Shepard who had touched her. His helmet was open and she could see his face, which held a worried expression at her reaction. "I-I'm okay", she said laying her hand on his. For a brief moment, Shepard still held that worried expression, but hid it behind a smile. "She's beautiful isn't she" he said, and Tali nodded, understanding far more than what Shepard meant; if she told him about her episode, her innate understanding of the motorcycle, down to its smallest part, he might not understand.

Despite their relationship, and Shepard's repeated assurance that he loved her for who she was, there were still aspects which he might find strange. That was her fear: that she would become strange to him and a distance would grow between them. So she had resolved to keep some of her odder traits to herself.

Shepard gazed upon the motorcycle, eyes glazed over again with his memories upon this machine. Focusing back on the present, he turned to Tali "I've closed the lease and account for this storage space. And the only things I hid here were the bike, helmet and jacket, everything else I've left behind." Falling silent once again, Shepard gazed upon the motorcycle. Hesitation held him in place; he wanted to mount his old friend once again, but the memories of the murder of his family continued to plaque his desires.

Violently shoving the memories aside, Shepard swung his right leg over the seat and rested upon the motorcycle once again. The feel of the seat, contouring to his body and caressing, was euphoria to the memories of violence. Exhaling, he let out a laugh tinged with tears, but not of regret. Joy filled him at again sitting upon his motorcycle, the seat still accepting the shape of his body as it had so many years ago.

Turning to look at Tali, "get on behind me" he said. She hesitated and Shepard held out his hand, which she took. Doubled up on the seat, Tali reached around and held onto Shepard's belt and leaned into his back.

Reaching forward, Shepard took hold of the control handles. At his touch, the machine awakened. A smooth buildup of power, the engine turning over and picking up speed; twin lines of light coursed from the back of the machine towards the front, ending in what appeared as a pair of eyes. The light was green, the color for all systems ready.

Slowly, Shepard gave the machine more power, twisting the throttle allowing in more fuel. Releasing the brake, the motorcycle eased out of the storage container into the sunlight. Riding at a speed of ten through the storage yard, they arrived at the front gate. Shepard tapped at his omni-tool, sending a signal to open the chain-link gate.

Out of the yard and onto the street, Shepard opened the throttle further and they sped down the street. The difference of a sky-car to ground vehicle was amazing to Tali. Buildings sped by, speed-driven wind whipped at the jacket upon her shoulders, and the power she could feel within the machine, its potential, sent ecstatic shocks through her body. This sensation she had first felt when Shepard had taken off her mask and she'd kissed him for the first time.

Shepard rode at low speed, not wanting to tax the machine after so long of inactivity, also his worry that Tali might find the speed frightening. For ten minutes, the couple rode easily on their way back to the spaceport and the Normandy. As they rode, Shepard heard a distinctive sound; coming to a break in the buildings, he glanced to his right and saw a form disappear. His instincts told him whoever it was, it meant trouble.

Gradually, Shepard put on more speed, the speedometer moving from thirty to sixty. The engine made little noise as it worked, and Shepard heard again the noise which set his instinct on flight rather than fight. Whatever happened, he would protect Tali in spite of the cost to himself.

Coming to an intersection, Shepard saw six motorcycle mounted riders swerve onto the street opposite him and Tali. Slowing the bike, he looked to his right and saw six more blocking that direction. Without needing to turn, Shepard heard more block the street they'd just come from. He was nearly boxed in; the street to his left was open, intentionally open.

"Jeremy, what's happening?" Tali asked; the appearance of the three groups of riders set her nerves on edge "the one day I don't have my shotgun…" she mumbled to herself, shaking her head. Shepard heard, and held in a laugh; there was little choice for them to go. Revving the engine, he sped down the road on the left.

Throttling up, Shepard and Tali shot down the street, quickly moving past one-hundred miles an hour. A t-intersection lay ahead, but more riders appeared on the left, forcing him to veer right. The tight turn brought his knee dangerously close to the pavement. Activating a radio built into his helmet, Shepard tuned the frequency to Tali's helmet using rotating motions of his lower jaw.

Tali jumped a little when she heard his voice over her radio, "Tali, the riders are using a tactic called herding: they want us to go this way, we're being led into a trap". Shepard veered again as another group of motorcycle riders blocked another route. Whoever was behind this, and Shepard had a deep suspicion, they knew the tactics and methods of the gang when cornering motorcycle riders.

Twisting and turning down street after street, and the other riders kept coming. Shepard surmised this was a very large group, or several molded into one for the purpose of herding himself and Tali. Ahead was a square, a central area where multiple streets meet and branched off into others. Upon entering, Shepard and Tali were swarmed with motorcycles. From all directions, the sound of engines filled the air as hundreds of motorcycle mounted riders filled the square.

The riders formed-up around a central point, a single rider who sat atop a grand motorcycle, larger and more beautiful than the rest. The only motorcycle in the area which could match its beauty was Shepard's Attero Dominatus, created by Tyr. This bike, Shepard recognized, as Steel Charger, the bike Isabella rode.

Atop Steel Charger, sat a lanky figure in form fitting riding leathers; the helmet was also Isabella's, shaped in the visage of a wolf. The figure, man or woman, began removing the helmet. Oily slick hair and a face of a rat revealed themselves from the helmet. Finch, riding Isabella's motorcycle, wearing her helmet, and looking at Shepard with a smirk which boiled his blood was Finch.

Fingers tightening on the motorcycle controls, heart beating inside his ribcage, with his mind narrowing onto a single thought of revenge upon the man who had wronged him so many years ago; "Welcome back, Shepard, been a while hasn't it?" Finch looked around him "whole family's here to say hello". Shepard held back the majority, but a bit of his anger escaped him "you killed my family Finch, I will have justice". Finch cackled in laughter "Justice? That's what your after? Look around you Shepard," he said, indicating the ruined square and beyond. "There is no justice, except your own, in this place. But you're right, you have no family, you have nothing"

It was Shepard's turn to laugh, a high, mocking, laced with anger infused hysteria "it's you who has nothing Finch; these people follow you out of fear, not loyalty". Finch scowled at the insult, eyes burning with hate. "You have no one Finch; I have friends, comrades, people who I would gladly face death with on their word alone".

Moving his hand off the handle of the bike, Shepard took Tali's hand in a strong grip "and I have someone who I love with all my heart". Pointing an accusing finger at Finch, with Tali's hand still in his, he said "YOU have nothing, Finch". Snarling with a primal hatred burning in his blood, Finch shouted at Shepard "SHUT UP!" turning to the hundreds of riders around him Finch screamed "KILL 'EM BOTH! BRING ME THERE HEADS!".

The assembled riders revved their engines in a single massive roar of sound, many bikes spewing flames from their tail pipes as excess fuel burned in the mufflers. Shepard revved his engine, opened the throttle wide, spun around and released the brake. Shepard and Tali shot down the street, racing away from the horde after them.

Tapping a few keys on the console, the bike began its second stage release. A rider came along side, holding a makeshift mace in his right hand. Spinning the head in circles, the rider attempted to bring the head down on Tali. Shepard lashed out with his left leg, a powerful kick sending the rider off-balance and into a building. The bike frame folded and the gas tank ruptured, creating a fireball.

The second stage completed it activation, the LED's along the bike flared with yellow light and the bike accelerated, rising past two-hundred in five seconds. "Tali, call the Normandy, we need back up ASAP" Shepard said over their link. "On it" she said; sliding her right hand off Shepard waist, Tali activated her omni-tool without moving to see the screen.

From memory, she activated the comm link between herself and the ship, "Normandy, this is Tali. Shepard and I are being chased through parts of the old city. We need fire support immediately." Less than a second later, EDI came on over the radio "message relayed to combat-team members, also tracking your current location and reviewing best approach vectors to engage hostiles".

Shepard rode and Tali held on as Finch's gang gave chase; "Tali'Zorah" EDI said over the radio "Gunnery Officer Vakarian along with Specialists Massani, Krios, and Legion are gathering weapons and will be in bound on the Kodiak in approximately one minute". Shepard swore "tell them to hurry the hell up" Tali relayed the message.

"Specialist Massani wishes to inform you they are moving as quickly as possible, and if you want their assistance faster he also informs me where you may secure your request" Shepard shook his head, then throttled the engine to full intake.

Finch's gang could not keep pace with Tali and Shepard, a superb rider using an excellent machine. The other motorcycle fell back, or some tried to catch up but the riders lost control, spun out and crashed. Most of those died from impacting the ground or the sides of buildings.

Turning down a large thoroughfare, Tali spied the Kodiak approaching at their three-o'clock position. The shuttle turned to follow alongside, and the side door opened. Inside stood four figures; through her mask Tali could magnify the image, and saw Zaeed, Garrus, and Thane carrying Vipers and Legion carrying its Widow anti-material Rifle.

The four snipers lay down in the prone position and began picking off targets. They chose targets of opportunity, taking chest shots or targeting the motorcycles themselves. Legion's shots caused his targets to explode, Shepard surmised it must be targeting the fuel tanks and using incendiary rounds.

The sniper attack forced the riders to spread out, taking multiple streets alongside Shepard and Tali, or veering off entirely to circle around and come out ahead. A large group stayed on Shepard and Tali attempting to chase them down, using various maneuvers to avoid the sniper fire "The Normandy is making an emergency deployment; Professor Solus, Jack and Samara are in bound to your position in a taxi cab."

Riding hard, Shepard and Tali kept ahead of the other riders. At times some managed to come within a dozen feet but were quickly dealt with by the snipers. Ahead and above, a taxi cab swung into view. It flew low and stopped; the canopy raised allowing Jack and Samara to step out. "Plan is dangerous. Suicidal…could work, with precise timing" Mordin said to the two powerful biotics. Jack smirked, "hell yeah it's going to work" she said to the Salarian scientist.

Samara nodded "while risky, the outcome far exceeds the dangers". Samara looked to Jack who returned the gaze. While she wouldn't admit it, the young tattooed woman was nervous. "Just as we practiced" Samara said, the voice of a mentor calming her student. Jack tightened her fist and nodded once. "Can see Shepard and Tali ahead…many enemies following" Mordin stated, bringing the biotics attention to their task.

Before moving away, Mordin looked to the two women once more "good luck" he said. The canopy closed and the taxi moved away. Samara and Jack stood in the center of the dilapidated street watching the single machine with Shepard and Tali riding it followed by dozens of others all wielding a myriad of weapons.

Shepard and Tali approached, moving far faster than their pursuers. They passed the two biotics on the right, their passage bringing a breeze from the passing slipstream. With the two passed, Samara and Jack prepared. Holding their hands apart, they began to build a sphere of concentrated biotic energy.

Samara's kept hers perfectly stable while Jack required more concentration; the situation forced the young women to focus far greater than she had ever before. Her sphere grew and she concentrated, decreasing its size but multiplying its kinetic force. Pouring in more power, concentrating and maintaining their size, the spheres turned to solid spheres of white and blue light.

The enemy riders were nearly upon the two biotics. Kneeling Jack and Samara concentrated the biotic spheres into the right hands. Jack unleashed a feral war cry as Samara prayed to the Goddess that this worked. Both women slammed their spheres into the pavement.

The spheres of biotic energy, upon release, unleashed a shockwave of power through the ground. The pavement shook, then twisted and rent, then buckled; pieces of pavement, great slabs of road wrenched into the air, spreading forward in a wave of destruction which engulfed the riders. Many riders fell forward off their machines, others flew into the air and crashed back onto the rent pavement. The chaos swallowed every rider on the road, and none stood again from where they lay.

The power required drained Samara and Jack; while Samara, through centuries of experience, managed to keep her standing, Jack fell to her knees from exhaustion. Slowly, Samara moved to the young woman "So young, yet so powerful" Samara thought sadly. Kneeling next to her, Samara looked at her face. Her skin was covered in sweat, breathing shallow and ragged, but her eyes were afire with triumph at having unleashed such power.

She looked at Samara, and gave a small smile; some would say a smirk, but Samara knew well enough the difference. The taxi bearing Professor Solus returned; Mordin gazed upon the destruction, his mind analyzing and calculating.

The final results, while Mordin had seen extraordinary feats in his lifetime, this one was the latest; the two biotics had unleashed a surge of biotic power nearing one-hundred thousand Newtons. Shaking his head, Mordin moved to assist Jack back into the cab. She waved off his help, but stumbled when she tried to stand. Samara caught her around the waist, and Jack her allowed to help maneuver into the levitating vehicle.

Several miles down the long thoroughfare, Shepard and Tali still rode but their pursuers had been massively thinned. Whatever jack and Samara had done had worked beautifully; when they all were back on the Normandy, anything those two wanted he would see to it. Taking a right, Shepard heard more riders pursuing behind. Along with the whine of the motorcycles, Shepard heard the distinctive sound of Steel Charger.

A great roar of anti-proton engine washed over them. Looking up Shepard saw the Normandy with its hanger bay door open and the Hammerhead jetting out. The hovercraft touched down; the side panel opened and Grunt stepped out. In his right hand, the young Krogan held the M-920 Cain. "Oh Crap, hold on Tali!" Shepard said as he throttled the engine up again. The machine and its two riders shot past Grunt and the Hammerhead.

Grunt smirked at the sight of so many foes about to die. Hefting the launcher, Grunt caressed it as a child holding his favorite toy. His suit radio crackled to laugh and Shepard spoke "Grunt, there's a second rider similar to me: that guy is mine; kill the rest but leave him for me alone" Laughing "by your word, Battlemaster; these foes of your shall die by my hand, and their leader will be yours".

Shifting the launcher to his shoulder, Grunt sort of aimed to the side of the pack of enemies. Pulling the trigger, the Cain powered to its critical mass point. The red light issuing from the barrel grew brighter until the single shot burst from the weapon. The round flew, unseen, until it made contact with a target: a single, unlucky rider and the motorcycle he rode, who was disintegrated from the kinetic energy before the explosion.

The resulting release of kinetic energy shockwave killed the rest of the riders who followed Finch. Finch swerved from the shockwave but managed, if barely, to keep hold of his ride. Looking behind him, none of his followers remained. He sped past the hover-tank and freak alien, and saw Shepard and his alien whore a few yards away.

Approaching, Finch idled down, opened his visor and shot Shepard a death glare. "It's over Finch; I told you, you have nothing and no one". Fury erupted in Finch; reaching into his jacket, he whipped out a pistol and aimed right at Shepard's head.

Seeing the gun, Tali screamed and tried to leap at Finch; Shepard held her back. An instant later, the gun exploded into a thousand pieces, and a loud sniper rifle report rolled from overhead. Shepard, Tali and Finch turned and saw Legion pull the bolt on his rifle, expelling the spent clip and replacing a fresh one.

The geth platform leveled the massive rifle at the man who had threatened Shepard, but held its fire. So too were Garrus, Thane and Zaeed all gazing through their scopes directly at Finch's head; their spotting laser danced across the wolf-head helmet.

Grunt came around the Hammerhead, leveling his Claymore; though his honor demanded he kill the one who threatened his Battlemaster, Shepard had instructed him, all of them to hold their fire to have the honor himself.

The taxi bearing Mordin, Samara and Jack arrived; the two women stepped out, refreshed from a biotic booster, and wrapped their hands in biotic energy, waiting to be ordered to unleash their power.

The turret of the Hammerhaed spun around and locked onto Finch, while the top hatch opened allowing Jacob, Miranda and Kasumi to join in threatening of Finch. Looking around him, Finch knew he was beaten. But he did have one last thing up his sleeve, "Shepard, do you still hold to the tenets and laws of your clan?" Finch said, a mocking sneer on his rat face.

Rage coursed through him at such a question being asked by such a lowly and beaten scum as Finch, but he replied. "I have never forsaken the tenets and laws of my family or my clan". A triumphant grin spread across Finch's face; raising his fist and extending his index finger, Finch said "then I challenge you Shepard to an Honor Ride"

Shepard's breath caught in his chest and Tali gasped; the others were simply confused. "What basis do you challenge me for an Honor Ride, traitor" Shepard spat with venom. Finch triumphant smirk "you have killed every member of my gang; I challenge you for reparations of their lives". Shepard, snarling, knew Finch was in the right.

The Kodiak landed nearby and the four snipers stepped out; as with the rest of the assembled combat team, they had heard Finch's challenge to Shepard, but none of them understood. Garrus had a suspicion, however "Shepard, this 'Honor Ride' consists of what?" he asked.

Shepard glanced at Garrus; dropping his scowl, his face became stoic and from his lips fell the laws which governed the Honor Ride. He said them in much the same way as Billy had said them years ago. The reaction of the members of Shepard combat team varied, but shock and horror were predominant.

"Shepard, you'll get yourself killed" said Miranda; "It's bloody suicide" growled Zaeed; "probability of success minimal" Legion iterated; "Dangerous, unnecessary" Mordin said; "We should kill the bastard and go" Jack called out. A few of the others agreed, except for Garrus, Grunt and Samara. "Enough!" Garrus shouted for everyone to hear

Everyone stopped talking and turned their attention to Garrus. The Turian strode to Shepard, placed his hand on the man's shoulder and bent forward to speak. "I understand what this means to you Shepard, but think carefully: what about Tali?" Garrus said, glancing at her. Before Shepard could speak, Tali said "I told Shepard I would stay with him through this; I will stay with him, even to face death"

She made her point by tightening her grip on Shepard, almost tight enough to compress his stomach. Garrus turned to face her fully; he said nothing, and Tali gave a short nod. Resigned, Garrus stepped away "We'll follow close by; spirits watch over you, Shepard" he said. Turning towards the Kodiak, Garrus called "move out and follow". It was and order, one several of the team wanted to object with.

Shepard revved his engine, as did Finch, and both sped away leaving the combat team to follow behind. Without argument, the members of the team reentered their vehicles and sped after the two racing motorcycles.

Shepard and Finch raced down the street, Tali holding tight onto him. Despite her company, Shepard had hoped Tali would leave him so he could deal with Finch alone. He didn't know whether to be happy that she was with him or not. If he failed…"Jem, I believe you will win" she said. He felt her helmet on his back; she had laid her head between his shoulders and held him tight in a lover's embrace

Shepard banished the uncertainty in his mind, and believed what Tali had said. He will win, because this ride was not just about his honor or his gang, but his and Tali's life. He would give her a full life. He would win this Honor Ride and go on to defeat the Reapers and he would fight any who stood in their way.

Throttling up, Shepard pulled in front of Finch, down the streets of old Los Angeles until the extensive system of elevated highway came into view. The twisting, turning and overlapping roadways stood as they did eleven years; at the very top, the great gap awaited.

High above, the members of the combat team saw the extensive roadway and the gaping maw at the center peak. A few cursed, some prayed, most of them said nothing.

Riding hard and fast, Shepard, Tali and Finch approached the on-ramp to the towering network of highway. Turning the two motorcycles mounted the roadway. They corkscrewed up a short distance and came out on a level area which lead to another ramp and corkscrew.

Higher and higher the two motorcycles and three riders rode, racing neck and neck. As they ascended, Shepard prayed 'Odin, father of the Gods, watch over me and my beloved in this hour of peril as I face death with a clear heart and conscious. Grant me strength to see me through this trial. And should I perish, may my life be payment for my clan and beloved to have a place at your side in Valhalla'

Without his touch, the built in music player in Shepard's bike began to play. The song spoke of victory in battle, of being reunited with all who had passed before, rebirth and triumph. The words, slow drum beat and guitar filled his heart with courage.

The song ended and changed to a faster one, this one of crushing his enemy's and claiming victory against all who opposed him. Shepard twisted the throttle hard and pulled away from Finch. One final corkscrew upward and they reached the top; ahead lay the gap.

Thumbing the third stage activation, Attero Dominatus and Steel Charger sang as power built within their cores. Both motorcycles extended their thruster manifolds, which glowed as the power built. The light intensified as the status bars on the consoles of the motorcycles slipped past sixty-percent.

Shepard, Tali and Finch waited for the penultimate moment as the gap approached and the third stage built to critical mass. Five feet from the edge, the consoles sang with alarms as the power reached one-hundred percent. Simultaneously, Shepard and Finch activated the third stage release.

Fire eschewed from the thruster manifolds, a great torrent of flames, and the two motorcycles with their riders jumped. Shepard, after eleven years, felt the enveloping presence of the phoenix spirit. It surrounded himself and Tali, carrying the two across the gap upon its fiery wings.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shepard saw Finch; the Wolf spirit of Steel Charger charged across the gap, but it was enraged at the presence of Finch. This was not its mistress and so would not bear him across to safety.

Reaching over, Shepard grabbed Finch at the neck of his jacket and hauled him off the motorcycle. The Wolf and Phoenix spirits intertwined, recognizing each other; their embrace ended as the opposite edge of the gap approached. The Wolf spirit lifted the Phoenix and its riders the remainder of the distance. Steel Charger impacted the edge of the gap; its frame twisted, engine torn asunder and the fuel tanks ruptured creating an inferno. Shepard and Tali, with Finch hanging off the side by his collar, landed safely on the pavement and skid down the road.

Finch fell out of Shepard's gripped and hit the pavement hard. Twisting the motorcycle with the ease of old practice, Shepard activated the deceleration thrusters mounted on the right side of the bike. The opposing thrust slowed and stopped the motorcycle. Breathing heavily, Shepard and Tali sat atop the bike, adrenaline draining from their systems.

A short distance away, they heard screaming; a high wail of pain. They looked up and saw Finch on the ground, his leg twisted horribly. Overhead, the Kodiak, Hammerhead and a taxi cab descended and came to rest on the old roadway. The other twelve members of the combat team stepped out and gathered around Shepard and Tali, either looking at Finch on the ground with hatred or at Shepard and Tali with awe and admiration

"Why did you save him?" Samara asked with her gaze upon Finch apathetic. Shepard turned to the Asari warrior and then back to the pathetic wailing man on the ground "I will not grant him death; he shall die as he is, a coward".

Shepard dismounted the motorcycle, walked to the Kodiak and retrieved a pistol. Strolling to Finch, the members of the combat team merely watched as Shepard aimed the pistol and fired. He fired until the clip was nearly spent, but Finch was not his target. Shepard fired into the pavement three inches from Finch's head.

"There is a single shot left in this gun Finch; nobody knows you're here, and I don't care whether you die from exposure or if you take your own life" Shepard said, dropping the pistol onto Finch's chest. Reaching down, Shepard removed the helmet from Finch's head.

Shepard walked away from Finch, the helmet under his arm, and the man started screaming "why did you save when you weren't going to kill me?" Shepard turned and looked hard at Finch "you didn't deserve that death; you lost your honor when you sold out Billy, Isabella, Sebastian and the rest of the gang. You took Isabella's motorcycle and helmet when it was not yours to take. You are an honorless coward, a thief, murderer and usurper."

The members of the combat team watched as Shepard spoke; none of them, not even Tali or Garrus had ever heard Shepard speak with such passion in his voice. "You did not deserve a death in the Honor Ride, for you had no honor to reclaim in your death. Now you shall die a cowards' death, by your own hand or cooked alive by the sun".

Shepard remounted his motorcycle, placing Isabella's helmet before him to lean against it as he rode, the engine roaring to life at his touch. He turned to his assembled teammates. "Follow close; we're going into the desert east of here" Shepard said, his tone conveying he would hear no argument. The team nodded; Samara, Jack and Grunt entered the Kodiak while Mordin sent the taxi cab back and entered the Hammerhead in Grunt's place.

"Shepard, you can't leave me hear, please!" Finch called out piteously. Shepard ignored him, revving his engine to drown out the man's screams. The Kodiak rose into the air a short distance and followed Shepard as he rode away from the gap. The Hammerhead followed behind Shepard down the ramps and corkscrewing roads. "Where are we going?" Tali asked, a slightly worried tone in her voice.

Shepard took her hand in his, held it running his thumb against hers "we're going to the ceremonial hall, where I took my first trials for the gang. I need to do something there I should have done before I left eleven years ago". Tali nodded, not knowing what to say. Instead, she wrapped her arms around the waist, holding onto him a little tighter.

Author's Note:

And so ends another. This chapter was a little more difficult to write due to the context; it looks so much cooler when I see the action in my mind, as if I am playing a movie clip in my head.

For any curious, the songs which have inspired my story so far are:

Through the Fire and the Flames – Dragonforce

Hands of Doom – Manowar

Die with Honor – Manowar

Swords into the Wind – Manowar

Today is a Good Day to Die – Manowar

Battle against Time – Wintersun

Death and the Healing – Wintersun

Citizen Soldier – Three Doors Down

Into the Fire – Sabaton

Wish I Had an Angel – Nightwish

Any Means Necessary – Hammerfall

Something For The Ages – Hammerfall (This song is true to its name. EPIC)

All rights reserved by Bioware and the music which has brought such creation to life. I own nothing and claim nothing as my own; read, review, comment if you wish with the same rules as the last chapters.

Arrivederci,

Tutor Verum