Mass Effect Project Renegade
Chapter 22: Death is only the Beginning
Cerberus was redeemed, not just in the eyes of Humanity, but around the Galaxy. When News hit about the Systems Alliance a Human Government saving the Council, but also a Pro-Human Group Cerberus which was thought to be an Anti-Alien Extremist Group saved the Citadel from Sovereign.
Saviors of the Galaxy the role was fitting for the Crew of the Normandy. As Shepard walked to the path of his room he was ambushed by a swarm of celebrating colleagues of the Normandy, came rushing in to congratulate Shepard. Some gave him a pat on the shoulder, while Garrus just popping the cork out of shaken Champagne, spraying it around.
Shepard gave out a real warm smile, for the first time in years. Jack opened up his door entering his room while locking the door behind him. Tali was sitting on Shepard's bed, suit on, legs closed and hands on her lap. Shepard sat by Tali, he removed his helmet placing on the bed, while Tali was eager for him to remover her faceplate.
Jack moves his hands to her mask.
"You know, you can take it off yourself right?"
"I know but it means more if you do it." Replied Tali
Jack removed her faceplate revealing her eager face, with that done Tali sets herself on Shepard's lap and begins to passionately kiss. Shepard broke the kiss and sat up from the bed removing his armor and placing it in to a Shipping crate.
"Shepard what are you doing?" Asked Tali
"Shipping Vigil to Cerberus Command, he's in my armor, Command will extract it and send me back my armor. In the meantime I get to wear this armor."
A Red-Black Camo N7 Armor.
Shepard handed Tali a data pad.
"What's this?"
"I put in a word to the Alliance after the Battle of the Citadel… Its Colonization rights, for the Migrant Fleet Tali… They're giving your people the Captured Turian Worlds."
"I-I, Shepard this could save my people… The Alliance is okay with this?" asked Tali
Tali got up from the bed wrapping her arms around Shepard.
Several Months later, Shepard was ordered continued investigation on the Reaper threat, as Vigil was downloaded no to the Cerberus Database, Thousands of information was gathered for Cerberus Intelligence. Tali continued to stay on with Shepard along with the Rest of the crew. The Alliance separated from Citadel Space becoming a sovereign nation. With Cerberus redeemed, the Alliance hires Cerberus on a constant basis for Black ops assignments. Tali sent the Migrant fleet the Data pad for Colonization rights to Alliance Space, almost immediately the Migrant Fleet began preparation to depart to Alliance Space, The Council was practically foaming out of their mouths, mostly Sparatus. The Migrant Fleet signed on a Defense pact with the Alliance, sort of a partnership. The Normandy traveled on the border of the Terminus Systems, picking up a distress signal.
Cronos Station:
The Illusive Man was siting in his chair, observing the data pad, on Vigil. Operative Lawson was standing by the observation window.
"Shepard did everything right, ordering the Alliance to Save the Council, and directing Cerberus to take out Sovereign, Cerberus is now the crowning achievement of the Galaxy…. But it's still not enough."
The Illusive Man inhaled his cigarette while still looking at the data pad.
"Cerberus may stand redeemed, but Shepard remains our best hope."
Miranda walks through the holo interface in front of the Illusive Man.
"We're sending Shepard to fight Geth… GETH, We both know they're not the real threat…. The Reapers are still out there."
The Illusive Man's eyes strayed off of the data pad and on to Miranda's gaze.
"And it's up to us to stop them."
Miranda crossed her arms.
"The Council will never trust Cerberus, not after everything we've done for the Galaxy…. But Shepard… The Council may be 'leaders' of Citadel Space, but they know the inhabitants in it follow Shepard, he's a Hero a Bloody Icon. If we lose Shepard… Humanity, and possibly the Galaxy might fall without him."
The Illusive Man put out his cigarette and turned his head to the dying star.
"Then we'll see to it, that we don't lose him…"
Mean While in the Terminus….
Operations were busy on the Normandy, a distress signal was given out near the planet of Alchera.
"Four Weeks out here in the Terminus, and we haven't seen any sign of Geth activity nor the distress signals." Stated Pressley.
Joker scoffed as he entered in the commands on the controls.
"Well something happened to the vessels out here."
"My bets are on Slavers, the Terminus system is crawling with them."
On the ensigns scanner, a weird signal was being given off.
"I'm picking up a strange Iff, Cruiser, that's weird it's plotting on intercept course."
Pressley looked at the data.
"Impossible stealth systems are engaged."
Joker's eyes widened seeing the obvious.
"It's not the Geth, evasive maneuver! "
The Cruiser chasing the Normandy, shot out a proton beam striking the hull and hitting near the cockpit, killing Navigator Pressley and Ensign Tunar. In the Captain's quarters Tali's arms were drooped around Shepard's shoulder, they both woke up when they felt the Ship shook.
"What was that?" Asked Tali
Tali was startled again when another vicious shook happened. Shepard looked at Tali.
"Get your suit on!"
Both of them got out of bed equipping their armor. The lights in the room turned to Red, stating an emergency. Shepard got his N7 Black and Red Caomo armor on and all of his equipment on including his weapon.
Shepard ran to the end of the crew deck checking on the status of the ship, it was not looking good, the ship was falling apart. Tali quickly approached Shepard, as he was putting on his helmet.
"Shepard!"
Shepard was tapping in the commands on the console.
"Distress beacon is out."
"Do you think we'll make it?" Asked Tali
Shepard turned around to face Tali, the ship took another hit, pushing Tali in to Jack's arms.
"Don't worry we'll make it."
The fire by the console was causing a problem, Tali got the Fire extinguisher, and started to put it out.
"Joker's not leaving, and I'm not either."
Shepard grabbed the extinguisher out of her hands.
"Tali, I need you to make sure every gets out of here, I'll get Joker to the escape pod."
Tali backed up knowing Jack was right.
"Shepard…"
Jack turned around to look at her.
"Tali, go… now."
Tali shook her head and ran towards the final escape pod on this level.
"Hurry in to the pod!"
Chakwas was the last one in, with that Tali took one close look in the Normandy and closed the hatch. Jack knew it was time to abandon ship; he just needed to get to Joker.
Jack headed towards the stairs of the Normandy hoping to reach Joker in time.
"May Day, May Day, This is SSV Normandy, we've come in contact with hostiles and need evac, send help at once!"
Jack opened the door to the CIC, and the Oxygen in the room behind him was sucked out. The CIC was destroyed, the Normandy didn't have much in her, she was falling apart. Jack moved as quickly as his grav boots would get him before he reached the cockpit of the Normandy.
"Joker we need to get out of here!"
Joker was concentrating on the controls of the Normandy.
"NO! I can still save her, I just need…"
Jack turned Joker's body around.
"The Normandy's dead just like us if we don't get the Hell out of here!"
Joker looked at his controls, seeing the incoming attack.
"Oh no, They're coming around for another attack!"
Jack grabbed Joker's arm putting it over his shoulder.
"Ow! Watch the arm!"
Jack put Joker in the escape pod by them, but unfortunately for Jack the explosion behind him knocked him out of reach of the escape pod, fearing that the explosion would kill Joker he ejected the Escape pod.
"Shepard!" Joker Screamed.
With the Final escape pod gone the blast hit the Normandy sending it to pieces.
[Warning!] Armor punctured, Seal not responding, air tank levels dropping.
"So that's how were going to play it…." Jack said.
Jack grabbed the front of the Normandy and went with it as he went through the Planet's atmosphere. The Fire around him was burning the Metal off the ship, but Jack was surviving through it. Gravity now restored Jack grabbed a hold of the Normandy, Pieces were coming off the Normandy one large piece struck Jack's helmet, breaking it in half while taking his Dog tags and smacking his Sniper Rifle with it.
"My Rifle!"
He could see the approaching ground, how far it was and how it seemed to be getting closer. The Normandy's hull struck the cliff sending Jack flying deeper in to the planet. Jack struck the ground like a bullet leaving a crater, His armor smoking from the atmosphere. His hand unmoving…
Fifteen Minutes Later…
A Cerberus Shuttle came down under the Blizzard's effects. Out of the Shuttle came a squad of Cerberus Soldiers. An Assault trooper spotted a hand coming out of the ground.
"I Found him!"
The Assault trooper took Shepard's hand, while Jack tightened the grip. Jack was pulled out of the Snow.
"Shepard, hop aboard!" Yelled the Centurion
The escape pods came to Shepard's mind.
"I need to get my crew to safety!"
"Don't worry an Alliance Carrier is inbound, the Illusive Man wants to talk to you."
Jack slowly nodded his head as he hopped in the Kodiak. As he got in the Messenger held an Orb. The Orb shot off a hologram showing the Illusive Man.
"Shepard... I'm glad you survived the attack on the Normandy, we'll be investigating on that, but we have an assignment for you. I'd like to inform you that you're being upgraded."
"Upgraded?" Jack asked
"Yes I know you want to continue your hunt for the Reapers, but in order to combat them, these upgrades will help."
Jack looked outside of the Kodiak.
"How long will it take?"
"About Three weeks at the most." Replied the Illusive Man.
Three weeks isn't that bad, they won't declare him dead without looking for him.
"I- Yes sir, three weeks isn't that bad."
The Hologram goes dark, while Shepard Takes his seat in the Kodiak.
Mean While…
Tali found Shepard's transponder signal.
"Shepard!"
To her dismay, She only found a broken helmet with his dog tags, and his Black Widow. Tali instinctively gathered them up and was worried that she would never find her Captain.
"SHEPARD!" Tali Screamed in the Blizzard.
One Day Later…
Shepard was on a medical bench, anxious and nervous for the procedure. His mind was on stand by, it was able to catch a connection through his helmet interface, the one that was on Alchera…
[Connection established Stand by.]
The Helmet loaded the image, Jack could see Tali, she was in the fetal position and crying on her bed. The Helmet was by her bed side he could see this was a live feed coming in and not a recording, then he looked at the date on the right side of the helmet.
June? It was April when I arrived at the Station!
[Command] Restart….
Request Denied/ Clarify…..
Stasis Mode is activated….
/Force Restart…
Command Confirmed Stand By…
Shepard's eyes opened up slowly seeing bright lights and doctors overlooking him, one of the surgeons eyes widened from seeing Jack wake up.
"He's awake…"
Jack Sat up on the table, he looked at his hands and what he saw next was beyond belief. There was no skin, the muscle was falling off. He looked at the Observation mirror and same could be said to his body, they messed up. Jack in a rage grabbed the Surgeons neck and lifted him off the ground.
"What the Fuck did you do?!"
The Surgeon was grabbing his hands around his neck.
"Your Body rejected the implants, we had to start all over, contacted a professional in Cerberus Cell Division…. Miranda Lawson… Lazarus Cell! "
Miranda Lawson came in to the room, and ordered the Neuralizer to be activated putting the Commander back in to stasis.
"Damn it, you cannot complete one simple task, I was brought in to fix your mess."
One Year and Nine Months later…
"I guess I have you beat, first to die and come back."
That voice…
"Leng?"
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Oh and I'm going back to continue Chronicles of Demon Shepard too!