Back in the fight
John Shepard looked out his window to see a young boy, no older than seven, playing with a model Alliance ship. It reminded him of the Normandy, and it brought a bit of warmth into his heart, something he'd been lacking for some time. The endless interrogations of his dealings with Cerberus had taken quite a toll on him. Sometimes he wondered about humanity's place in the galaxy. On one side the kowtowing politicians of the Alliance, always trying to get into the Council's good books, like a neglected child trying to impress an unruly mother. On the other side Cerberus, which always justified their actions by "Strength for humanity. At any cost". Fine, until you start to see through the veil of deception and delved into biotic kid death camps, experiments on intelligent life and the type of people who strung up their own brothers like puppets, essentially frying their minds inside out, all in pursuit of "results". All led by the Illusive Man, who used "humanity's best interests" every time one of his fucked-up "experiments" arose.
He was shaken out of his thoughts as the door opened to reveal the young Alliance marine in charge of him. "Hey James, what's going on?" The young man saluted and said "Commander the defence committee wants to see you right away".
"You're not supposed to call me that anymore, Lieutenant". James Vega smirked. "Yeah, and I'm not supposed to salute you. Or listen to you. Just watch you and stay out of your way".
Shepard chuckled. He'd grown fond of him and he saw aspects of himself within Vega. The Alliance needed more like him. Getting back to business, Shepard asked "What's it about?" Vega shrugged. "Dunno. Didn't say. Only that they needed you. Urgently".
"Sounds serious, let's go". Tossing the data pad in his hand onto the bed, he followed him out the door.
Shepard briskly walked alongside James. "You don't have any idea why they want me?" he said, getting straight to the point.
"None. Only that they wanted you. Other than that, I don't have a clue. Might have something to do with everyone rushing around though".
Shepard looked around and noticed what Vega was on about. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry to see somebody or get what they had to do done. "Must be big" he commented thoughtfully. Immediately a terrifying prospect formed in his mind.
They're finally here.
He could see it now, the anxiety. Worry. Fear. "Shepard!" The man in question looked up to see the owner of the voice approach.
"Admiral Anderson. Good to see you" Shepard said in a friendly tone. Anderson smiled, though there was something else. A look of a man who thought his worst fears were about to come true. Not scared, but ready in grim anticipation.
"How's retirement treating you?"
"Not so bad when you get used to the warm food and soft beds"
"Hope you don't get too smooth around the edges" he replied. However his words took a more serious tone when he next spoke. "The committee want's to talk with you. Luna Base just picked up something headed our way on the long range scanners. Whatever it is, it's huge".
"The Reapers?"
"We don't know for certain"
"What else could it be?" Shepard remarked angrily. He'd known for years this day would come.
"Don't know, but if it is the Reapers then we're definitely gonna need you. The committee needs you to verify the threat so we can prepare".
"Unless we plan on talking the Reapers to death the committee is a waste of time"
"They're just scared. Don't want to make rash decisions"
Shepard snorted. "Rash decisions. Like when they detained me, took my ship and dispersed my crew? And now they expect me to save them because the shit's hit the fan?" Assholes.
Vega took this all in. Unlike most of his comrades who'd dismissed Shepard's claims he had always thought there was truth in them. A shame the Alliance seemed more like politicians now instead of soldiers. Meanwhile Shepard and Anderson continued. "When you destroyed the Alpha Relay hundreds of thousands of batarians died!" Anderson rebuked him. Shepard didn't stop though. "It was either that or the arrival of the Reapers. I stood by my choice then and I stand by it now. I tried to warn them and I would have saved them if I could. But I did the right thing" Shepard stated resolutely.
Anderson nodded, like he accepted the answer and agreed with him. "I know that Shepard but that was the excuse the batarians wanted so they could declare war. I believe we narrowly avoided a repeat of the Skyllian Blitz"
"Shouldn't have kept me here then. Give me a sniper and some shore leave and I'll happily fight the bastards" Shepard said with a hard edge to his voice. Before he'd had no hate for them. Just another race. But that was before Elysium. A harmless colony hit just because it housed human colonists. His distain for them only further hardened when he had to stop them crashing an asteroid into Terra Nova. Another harmless colony.
"Any other soldier would have been court-martialed immediately. Your knowledge of the Reapers prevented that"
"And your good word?" Shepard rhetorically asked
"Yes. I trust you. So does the committee"
They entered the offices. A female Alliance officer walked up to them and told them the committee was expecting them. "Don't keep them waiting" she said as she left. "Well, good luck in there" James said to Shepard, shaking his hand. "Thanks" came the reply. With their few words they failed to see the woman walking in their direction.
"Admiral" Ashley Williams acknowledged Anderson. "Lieutenant-Commander". Tilting her head to the side she saw the men who were accompanying him. One was just an ordinary marine. James Vega. A good soldier. But it was the other man who caught her rapt attention. The Hero of Elysium. The Saviour of the Citadel. Hell, The Saviour of the Galaxy-Twice. But despite being in awe of his achievements, there was only one big fact she cared about.
He was the man she used to love.
"Shepard?" The shock in her voice was clearly audible.
"Ash?" he replied, fully aware of her presence now. He hadn't seen her in several months. She looked pretty much the same, proud and tall, with the exception of her dark hair, which was grown longer than he'd last seen. However, these thoughts brought back the memory of their last encounter, a short five minute "conversation", in which her initial loving embrace quickly turned into suspicious doubt about his involvements with Cerberus. She then proceeded to berate him and call him a traitor to the Alliance. To her. He'd tried, in vain, to placate her but it came to no avail. Not even with their old friend and squad mate Garrus Vakarian to back up his claims. That soon led to the end of his affections for her.
Anderson either didn't notice their surprise or he did and simply ignored it. "What's going on in there?" Getting back to the point she answered "Same old, same old. I'm just awaiting orders"
"All right, Lieutenant-Commander"
"Lieutenant-Commander?" Shepard spoke up. He seemed surprised and… impressed.
"Yeah, looks like the old Williams family curse is losing it's grip. Was sure I'd top out at Gunnery Chief"
"All right, enough chatter" Anderson intervened. "Time to go in"
Giving both of them a tight nod, she stood aside as the two men entered the next room. Shepard seemed to turn slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then kept walking into the room. "You know the Commander?" James asked, shaking her out of her thoughts. "I used to" she stated sadly.
Shepard and Anderson walked into the offices, with the committee already in session. The looks of their faces showed astonishment… and fear. Daniel Shea, the balding chief was the first to speak. "Shepard we-"
"All right, what's the situation?" Shepard cutting him off. Normally, if spoken to like that, Shea would have angrily rebuked him and demanded respect. Not today though. Not yet. "We've… we've lost contact with everything beyond the Sol Relay. Something massive seems to be distorting all of our sensors. Whatever this is, it's…incomprehensively powerful". A second Alliance official spoke up, her name Marina Thompson. "What… what is this, Shepard?" The shock in her voice was clear.
"You called me here to clarify what you already know. The Reapers are here". The whole room seemed to gasp in terror at his words.
What a difference two years make, Shepard thought. The brass of the Alliance were more than happy to go along with the Council's geth cover-up story to explain Sovereign two and a half years ago. Now they were trembling in fear. The supposed madman of the Alliance was right all along.
"How do we stop them?" Thompson asked. Her voice had gotten quieter. All eyes looked at Shepard.
"The only way we can. Stand and fight!"
Shea looked at him in disbelief. "That's it? Your master plan is fight them like any fleet? Do the words 'extinction' mean anything to you?
"Maybe you should've thought about that when I first warned you two and a half years ago!" Shepard shot back. "I warned you what would happen and the Alliance did nothing! No, you did worse than nothing! You removed me from service and proclaimed me delusional!" Shepard roared.
Shea bristled. "Shepard I"
"Listen to him Shea. Not an ounce of his words are lies!" Anderson interjected, breaking his silence. Shea looked ready to continue, but before he could, a tech communicator in the room cut in. "Admiral, we've lost all contact with Luna Base". Her voice was filled with worry.
"The Moon? They can't be here already!" Anderson muttered, mainly to Shepard. Before everyone could digest that piece of news however, the communicator spoke again. "Um, Admiral? We've got a message from the UK. London"
The projection was crackled, making it difficult to see. However they saw enough. Giant machines rained down from the sky, destroying anything in their path.
Shepard thought he saw a slight bit of shock off Anderson's face however he schooled his features back to their original neutral state. "Why haven't we heard from Admiral Hackett?" His voice was laced with concern.
"Commander… how'd they get past our defences? What can we do?" Thompson asked. She seemed to say it to herself. Her voice had become a whisper now.
Shepard knew how little time they had. If they'd reached London, it was only a matter of time before they reached Vancouver. No point in illusions.
"Stop them? We can't stop them! Not like this, and not alone. They're stronger, more intelligent and they show no pity or remorse to anyone. They outgun, outmanoeuvre, and outnumber us and their tech far outweighs ours. The asari, turians, salarians, even if there was no genophage the krogan would fall against them. We need to unite every species, every race, to even stand a chance. Otherwise we're all dead".
Every person in the room, except Anderson, stared at him in stunned silence. If Commander Shepard said they were unstoppable, what chance did they have?
Shea looked contemplative. "All right, we can try and-" Once again he was cut off, by the communicator, who seemed absolutely terrified.
"Something's entering our atmosphere!"
The whole room turned to the window to see four giant 'legs' touch down in the middle of the vista. They stood there, paralysed, as it's beam rushed towards them, threatening to bring the whole building down.
"Move!" Shepard was the only with the state of mind to run. He barely dodged the desk flipping over his head, having to throw himself to the ground to do so. Getting back up to avoid the rubble falling from the ceiling, he was ill prepared to face the Reaper's second blast.
"Shepard!"
He heard a voice. A familiar voice. Looking up from the floor he noticed a gaping hole where the window used to be. Thankfully, the Reaper had turned it's 'back' to him. It was enormous, and reminded him of Sovereign.
"Shepard!" Looking for the voice's owner he saw Anderson run up to him. "No time for bed rest now!" he said as he hauled him up. "Here, take this" he said, handing him a Predator pistol. Shepard took it and examined the casualties, looking for any survivors, while Anderson tried to contact Ash.
"Get to the Normandy! We'll meet you there! Come on Shepard!"
Hopping out of the former office they kept a brisk pace as they ran over the various walkways over the vista. As he looked around all Shepard could see was the Reaper destroying Vancouver. Several Alliance fighters were attempting to take it down but they were woefully outmatched. Anderson followed his gaze.
"How do you fight something this powerful?"
"You read my mind. We'll find a way. Otherwise we're doomed"
As they made their across the vista to a former office they heard ominous moaning. A sound Shepard had heard all too often.
"Husks!" Anderson exclaimed. "Take 'em out!"
Jumping down they engaged the Reaper creatures. The first set that charged were cleanly dispatched as the two men went to work. However their pistol's were only loaded with their starting ammunition, plus whatever they could scrounge as they got there. This meant they had to make every shot count.
"I'm empty!" Shepard shouted, as a husk charged at him. Time to test the new toy. Utilizing his omnitool, he selected the melee setting.
"Hell, yeah!" he exclaimed, as the husk fell from a stab of his Omni blade. Using it as a sword he killed the remaining creatures. The last one fell from the blade as it tried to jump on him while he was disposing of another.
"Nicely done" Anderson said, the remaining husk corpses on the ground indicating his handiwork. There was no time for congratulations however as the Reaper's beam narrowly missed them, wrecking the office beside them.
"C'mon, we'll go through here" Shepard said, as he ran through the decimated office. Using his Omni blade again to clear out the last husk he pried one of the doors open. Anderson went through and he was about to go through when he heard something. Looking around, he noticed a little boy crawling in the ducts, trying to hide.
"Hey" he called out in a soft voice, peering into the ducts. "It's okay". He looked into the child's eyes. He was completely terrified, like everything he thought he knew was crumbling around him. "Everyone's dying" he said in a scared little voice. Shepard reached for him when the room jostled. The boy gasped as he saw the Reaper through a crack in the opposite wall.
"Come on. I promise I can get you someplace safe. Take my hand".
"You can't help me" he whimpered.
"Shepard!" He looked to see Anderson calling his name. "In here" he said, pointing to the door. Shepard nodded and looked into the duct again.
The boy was gone
Shepard followed as they navigated their way through the fallen debris and rubble. Anderson spoke up.
"This is a goddamned mess. Every minute these machines are here thousands of innocents die!"
Shepard understood how he felt. "Bad enough fighting a war, but it's worse knowing no matter how hard you try… you can't save 'em all"
"Exactly. I mean, they hit so fast. I thought we'd have more time"
"We knew this was coming"
"Yeah, we did, and they still just effortlessly cut through our defences. The only way we stand a chance now is to go to the Citadel. Talk to the Council"
"What? The fight's here!"
"You saw them. It'll be everywhere soon enough. The Council has to help us!"
"Really? You 100% on that?" Shepard said as they made their way across a ledge overlooking a chasm.
Anderson frowned. "No, but you're a Council Spectre. And you saved their sorry asses before. Has to count for something"
They eventually made it across, albeit uncomfortably. They grabbed some ammo as they ran across a roof while Anderson tried to radio Ashley.
"Here, I'll patch in Shepard. What's your status?"
"Me and James have made it to the Normandy but taking heavy fire… Oh god!" A Reaper touched down precariously close to the men, causing interference.
"Evasive manoeuvres!" she yelled into the radio. "Damn it, they're in trouble" "They're not the only ones" Shepard remarked, as an Alliance dreadnought was taken apart by the Reaper. The resulting shockwaves hit the two of them like a hurricane, and they slid down roughly onto the remains of a gunship floating on the lake. "Gonna have to reroute" Shepard said as Anderson looked around.
"Look, friendlies!" He exclaimed as they jumped into the ruin. Two Alliance officers were there, one tending to the other's wounds.
"You two all right?" Shepard asked.
They looked up and said "Get down! They'll see you!" Looking around he spotted several creatures skulking around. They looked horrible, with fat upright bodies and short stumpy legs. They stood as tall as a man and had blood red skin. What looked worse most of all was that it's face, apart from the glowing mouth and the four bright blue eyes, resembled a batarian. One screamed a primal roar as it saw Shepard and raised it's right arm, revealing a gun attached to it's arm. Worse still, they opened fire.
Using the fallen debris as cover Shepard quickly pumped adrenaline into his system, enhancing his aim and vision, giving him the ability to make several precision shots to take them down. With little cover and no powers, most of the beasts fell. What was most disturbing was that the last straggler was eating the flesh of it's beaten allies. It rose, looking meatier than ever. It took Shepard and Anderson's combined firepower to take it down. With the immediate threat neutralised, they turned back to the two marines. "What happened here?"
"Our gunship was shot down. We barely made it" came the shaken reply.
"You got a radio? We need to contact our ship"
"No. There's one in the gunship but it's gonna be crawling with those Cannibals"
"Cannibals? Fitting name, I suppose. All right, stay here son, we'll get you out of here"
Together they lifted a column of debris of one of the soldiers. As it fell it created a makeshift bridge. They rounded a corner only to see more of the force they encountered earlier. With his shields protecting him from immediate damage Shepard managed to get to cover before he was vulnerable. Activating his Tactical Cloak he ran forward to flank the enemy. Anderson used a Concussive Shot to knock the bulk of the force while they fired from both sides. The Cannibals eventually fell from the onslaught.
"Shepard! I've found a radio!" Anderson yelled as he contacted the Normandy. "Ashley, sending you our coordinates!" Anderson turned round to Shepard.
"Looks like we're gonna have to hold out here. You ready"
"Always"
"Ah shit!" Shepard yelled out. The cannibals had converged on their position and were starting to overwhelm them. They were starting to run out of ammo too, making that each move they made had to be clearly thought out and executed. While lacking in tactics apart from "point and shoot", the cannibals had something the humans didn't: Numbers. Every time Shepard or Anderson popped out of cover to take a shot, four or five rapid bursts of gunfire were there to greet them. So much so that Anderson had suggested trying to swim away in the lake.
"Didn't think this was the way I'd go!" Anderson exclaimed.
"I did!" was the reply. Reloading, Shepard failed to see a Cannibal that had got to his position. As they tangled a slash of Shepard's omniblade killed it, but in doing so he'd gone out of cover.
"Oh shit" was all he could say, as the cannibal's guns trained on him. He knew his shields wouldn't last long under prolonged fire. They were on the verge of failing when an explosion ran out ahead of him. The Cannibals looked back to see a Thanix cannon blast them into a puddle.
"Gentlemen, the cavalry's arrived!" Joker's voice yelled into the radio, as the Normandy came into view, destroying the rest of the Reaper ground forces.
"Well, even in detainment, you find a way to get yourself killed. Again. Impressive" Joker chuckled. Shaking his head in amusement, Shepard took a minute to admire the Normandy. He'd heard Alliance R&D had taken it apart and made it better, and the results were spectacular. So different, but still the same ship. Still his ship. The Cerberus logos had long been removed and replaced with the Alliance's symbols. The hangar bay ramp opened up to allow Shepard to jump in. On it were Ash and James.
"Good to have you back, Shepard" Ash said. "Good to be back" was his reply. They could go to the Council now, get help for Earth and come back to finish the Reapers. His thoughts were broken as he glanced down to see Anderson still on the wreckage.
"Anderson, come on!" The man in question shook his head.
"I can't leave. I need to help set up Earth's defence. Go! Speak to the Council! Get us as many fleets as you can!"
"If you're staying, then I'm staying!" was Shepard's prompt reply.
"The hell you're not! Get support for Earth! Now go! That's an order!"
"I don't take orders from you anymore!"
Tossing a set of dog tags up to him Anderson said "Then consider yourself reinstated, Commander"
Nodding his head in acceptance, Shepard's parting words were "I'll be back! And I'll bring as many fleets as I can! And Anderson… good luck"
Acknowledging Shepard's words Anderson turned around, presumably to help the two soldiers still in the wreck of the gunship. As the Normandy prepared to leave, he saw two Alliance shuttles prepping for evac. Scared families, mothers, fathers and children were all pressed together inside, hoping to escape the war zone Earth had become. As Shepard looked down, he spotted a boy running to the shuttles. He was the child Shepard had encountered in the ducts. The boy looked right at him, even from a distance, as a Reaper Destroyer came into view. The little boy ran into the shuttle, terror etched on his features. Shepard's sigh of relief turned into a gasp of horror as the Reaper's red beam destroyed both shuttles, each with a single blast. As the ramp started to come up, Shepard's last thoughts before it closed were why the hell he was alive, and why that child wasn't.
Well, that took me a while. This is a rough draft, if there are any mistakes let me know, as it's going to happen because I'm human. Also having problems uploading every word, bear with me on that. I decided to give Shepard wide knowledge of weapon and tech skills that an N7 would have. No biotics though, I want him to have his limits. Read and review!
