You are right Sarah-Andr3ws in thinking I've written more and am posting bit by bit. I have in no way finished the story granted but going back over and reading it before posting I'm finding inconsistencies that I'm correcting as I post, links I missed and clues that needed to be made clearer and such hence only a couple chapters a day are going up. I'm glad you're finding my story interesting. Everyone has their different takes on the characters in Mass Effect and this is merely one of mine, sure there will be people who don't like it but hey, I'm sharing my Shepard and she's had a very different beginning to life. She told Miri in ch 2 that her childhood has a far greater impact on things to come but not even Seph realizes just how much yet.
Nightbrainzz, Zorya will be interesting indeed. Seph and Massani go way back with some of her black ops missions but as you're about to find out in this chapter Seph has a very strong... opinion towards people who murder the innocent. Deciding which way she'll go on Zorya will be quite the quandry for her.
Fair warning. This chapter has some darker aspects to it.
Shepard had seen Garrus delivered to Chakwas alive at least and stood for a few moments at the window watching as the good doctor fought to keep him alive. She was torn. She wanted to stay there and wait to find out how he was going, to be there if he didn't make it. But even she knew whatever needed to be done was going to take hours. Hours they didn't have.
"Miranda, Jacob, Kasumi and Massani regear and meet at the airlock ASAP. We've got someone else to pick up." Shepard hadn't realized that Miranda was right behind her.
"Commander your hand..." Miranda began.
"Is good enough for biotics and I can shoot left handed. I'll refrain from further right hooks." She managed a small smile, "I'll leave that up to Massani should it be required."
"You're not going to wait?" Miranda knew better than to argue and nodded towards the window.
"It'll take hours. Hours I'd be pacing getting more and more worried. This way I can distract myself and get done what needs to be done." she held up her left hand and crossed her fingers, "Fingers crossed we'll be back before he's even awake."
Shepard and Miranda were pinned down by a squad of Blue Suns who were hunting down every single human in the district and killing them simply for being human and not being affected by the virus. The common consensus among the non-humans were that it was a human weaponized disease trial and were taking it out on the humans with a vengeance.
"What was it you were saying about getting back to the Normandy before Garrus wakes up?" Miranda called over to Shepard.
"Did you cross your fingers Miranda?" Shepard shot back, smirking at the fact Miranda had just made what sounded like a joke.
Miranda's expression answered the question, 'why the hell would I do that?'
"So this is all your fault." Shepard continued, waiting for a pause in the oncoming fire while Jacob and Massani worked their way around to catch the mercs by surprise while they were concentrating on the two women.
"My fault! How do you figure that!" Miranda growled in annoyance.
"Clearly you didn't cross your fingers." Shepard was grinning from ear to ear and lightly poked Miranda's shoulder.
"Childish." Miranda muttered, but she was smiling.
"I like to think of it as more distracting my mind from darker thoughts. For example, why I don't want to be on the ship right now." The smile waivered and the moment the gunfire was paused she was up and sending what would be a gut wrenching shockwave through the enemy lines, scattering them and making them easy pickings for her elite team, especially Jacob and Massani who now had the high ground and were starting to pick them off like ducks.
Miranda felt a little bad about calling her childish in that moment, the levity had been started by her own comment after all, but then Shepard had obviously appreciated it.
With this batch of Blue Suns down Massani, Jacob and Kasumi kept watch as Shepard searched the locked apartments for survivors or humans that had been trapped in their own homes. Most were empty, some had dead bodies of various races who'd died of the plague or starvation from being locked inside by the Suns. The mercs in their fear had tried to stop the spread of the disease by limiting the movement of people meaning dozens had been locked in their own rooms, solitary, alone in their final moments and many not even sick. Finding the bodies of children was the hardest but even more sickening were the human children who'd been slaughtered just for being human.
Shepard's eyes were red with rage. "Miss Lawson, the Blue Suns and Blood Pack are officially on my shit list." she growled, her husky voice low, tightly controlled and colder than ice, so cold in fact that Miranda shivered.
"Normally I would point out that Mordin Solus is our mission," Miranda began and flinched as Shepard's face snapped towards her, "however, given the circumstances. I agree with your assessment, they must be stopped."
Shepard didn't have it in her to smirk at the quick change of heart. Instead she nodded and continued moving through the apartments.
No one really commented when Shepard blitzed through the mercs damn near ripping them limb from limb with her biotics. She didn't yell. She didn't threaten. She didn't curse. She didn't speak. She snarled at them. She was death itself and even the vorcha knew it. It was all the others could do to fall in with her style as even in her rage she communicated with them through sharp hand gestures, guiding the team through the hostile terrain like commandoes. She expected them to keep up or she'd leave them behind. She was not just an N7, not just a powerful biotic, she was something else.
That wildness within her had surfaced through the broken and mutilated bodies of children butchered like animals. The beast Aria had been so invested in unleashing was lashing out though not entirely out of Shepard's tight control as she in turn butchered the mercs with the predatory instincts of a hunting animal.
It was fucking impressive even for Massani who usually spent just as much time watching her arse as killing enemies. He'd been just about giddy with delight at the sight of Shepard and Lawson. Right now however, this was the reason she was both respected and feared. The infamous shit list. Anyone on it died. Painfully. As these mercs were finding out as she ripped them limb from limb.
It was this wildness that had gotten Shepard through Akuze, through Elysium and her team through the Batarian's on Torfan. She'd been called the Butcher not because she'd lost her unit, though a few of the greenhorns had been left behind by her, but because of how she'd carved her way through the Batarian Slavers regardless of whether they'd surrendered or not. Every Batarian knew Shepard's name. They knew it and along with it knew that should ever they come in contact with her to run in the other direction as quickly as possible.
Shepard was butchering her way through the mercs. Blue Suns, Blood Pack, vorcha, all fell before her fury, before the beast they'd brought to the surface and her elite team.
Many would look upon Shepard as a hero, a paragon of humanity... until someone fucked with innocent people, especially kids. Would those same people look upon her now they would turn and flee in terror.
Massani had already seen her like this before.
Miranda had been prepared for it given her research.
Jacob and Kasumi, however, had never dreamed she could be like this.
Kasumi shuddered as a shockwave threw a Batarian merc into a wall so hard he wasn't just embedded he was crushed like a watermelon, orange blood spurting from joints in his armour with a sickeningly wet crunch.
Shepard had already turned her attention to another unfortunate merc, a Turian this time who shortly found himself impaled on debris. If her hand hadn't been broken she'd have been up close and personal with the hostiles who were no longer sentient beings in her minds eye. No, these Blue Sun and Blood Pack coloured beings were cowardly pack animals that preyed on the weak and those who couldn't defend themselves. If she'd been able to she'd be sinking her fists into their stinking corpses and ripping them apart. It was probably a good thing her hand was broken and her mind subconsciously registered that fact as she attacked driven by highly trained instincts honed through the blood and fires of a thousand battles... of which Shepard herself would never be aware of.
Outside the doctors clinic Shepard came to a halt. She had to restrain herself, to force the wildness back into its cage but she knew she needed a little help. Ordinarily she would have locked herself away and lost herself in her music to soothe the savage beast but right now there was no time for that. "So Miranda I didn't get to finish my list."
Miranda thought quickly in regards to what list she was talking about then frowned slightly, "Oh please, do continue." she rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Shepard glanced to her, "White? I mean really, white?"
"What's so distracting about white?" Miranda crossed her arms and glared at her, though she sensed there was more to this conversation than what first met the eye.
"How are you supposed to sneak around the battlefield in a colour that screams 'look at me'? It's like you're wearing a beacon to attract enemy attention." Shepard gave a little smile, not looking away from Miranda's searching gaze.
Miranda could hear something in her voice, could see the pleading in her reddened eyes and she realized what Shepard was doing. She shifted her posture to become seductive and smirked, "Well someone's got to try and draw their attention off your expensive arse. I mean you just go flying in with a dozen guns pointed at you and you really think your shields are the only thing keeping you alive? Please, this distracting white suit is the only reason you're not filled with bullet holes." she gestured offhandedly to Shepard, her tone slightly mocking.
Shepard's smile widened and the red in her eyes faded a little.
"Surely you've got more than that on your list. Come on then, hit me with it, what else do you find so distracting about me?" she gestured a 'come on' with the flick of her wrist.
"The belt." Shepard looked down at Miranda's hips.
"What not her boobs or arse? Shepard I thought you were more fucking observant than that." Massani suddenly interjected.
"Massani you have no imagination... wait... I take that back you have a one tracked imagination." Shepard put her hand on her hip, "This isn't about Miranda's gorgeous physique, she's most likely heard how sexy her arse is from every drooling fool like you and probably finds such observations offensive, tiresome or just bloody boring. This is about why I find her clothes distracting you arse." she punched him in the shoulder with her left hand. The red fading from her eyes even further.
"What, you think I don't know what you're up to? You're dissing her clothes to get her outta them and in your pants." Massani scoffed back at her, he knew this drill, the light hearted banter that dragged her mental processing out of her savage instincts.
Shepard gasped in mock shock, "You filthy old pervert! That's why you kept bagging my armour! Oh I'm so on to your wiley ways now old boy!" she waggled her finger at him and grinned. "Get your wrinkly old arse over there and keep watch for mercs who might've taken cover or something." she pointed to a good scouting position.
Massani rolled his eyes and strode away, grinning as he did.
"Jacob, Kasumi make sure the clinic's secure, Miranda and I'll deal with Mordin." she instructed them with a smile.
The duo moved inside, Kasumi looking up at Shepard from under her hood a touch warily.
Shepard turned back to Miranda, "Thank you." she lowered her gaze, not looking at Miranda but rather the ground shyly.
Miranda nodded, "Anytime Commander." she smiled, "Even should you wish to comment on my other assets." she winked.
"I may need a little humour to keep the inner beast at bay, but I would never..." she huffed, "What could I possibly say to make light of your... assets. You're gorgeous, you know it end of discussion." she turned quickly, a little too quickly but not fast enough to hide her blush.
"Are you blushing Commander?" Miranda sauntered behind her confidently.
Shepard sighed and looked up as though searching the heavens with a 'why me' moment, "Yes."
The simple honesty surprised Miranda and she chuckled, "And why would you be blushing over me Commander? Unless of course there are other assets you need to list as distracting." she murmured over Shepard's shoulder now.
"Fine, fine, turnabout's fair play." Shepard braced to suck it up after all she had been teasing Miranda about her attire, "Just so long as no weapons are involved... wait, you've got some pretty damn impressive weapons right there I surrender already."
"And what weapons could you possibly be referring to?" Miranda practically purred, she'd had her 'assets' referred to as weapons before, it wasn't anything new to her.
"Your superior wit and intelligence of course, what else could I possibly be referring to?" Shepard returned as they made their way through the overcrowded clinic. There were no mercs within these walls but plenty of humans and other races who were reasonable enough to not blame the humans for the plague.
"What indeed." Miranda smirked, finding herself both fascinated and pleased with Shepard.
They found Mordin Solus in a back room finishing up with a patient.
"Professor Solus?" Shepard greeted the Salarian in a friendly manner.
Mordin glanced at them, "Not refugees. No scanning equipment, not here for plague. Too well armed. Soldiers, not scientists."
Shepard smiled and held up her hands in a gesture of faith, "Relax professor, we're here to see you. I'm Commander Shepard, I'm on a critical mission and I need your help."
"Mission, what mission? Wait no time for mission. Must cure the plague first. Cure already made just need to get in the ventilation system." Mordin shook his head and turned back to his work.
Shepard thought quickly, "How about this. My team and I get your cure in the system then you accompany me on my mission. Human colonies are being targeted by Collectors all across the Terminus, hundreds of thousands of men, women and children just taken from their homes. All security systems bypassed and not a shot fired. I'm going to get them back and I need your help to do it."
Mordin considered it. "Hmm interesting. Collectors one of few groups who could engineer plague as this. Could be connected. Yes, yes you insert cure, I'll join your mission." Mordin walked over to his work station and began quickly rummaging, putting together an appropriate kit of plague treatments as well as the aerosolized version for the ventilation system.
Shepard and Miranda paid close attention to his clipped instructions. Both were able to follow his hamster on souped up coffee Salarian voice as he raced through it all. Miranda noticed that Shepard didn't use her translator VI and recalled she could fluently speak Salarian as well as a number of other languages. For all Shepard's downplaying of her own intelligence she was a remarkably smart woman, not in Miranda's league of course but definitely far closer than the average citizen.
As they were about to leave the Professor there was a loud clanking sound and the district became awash with red warning lights.
"What the hell is that?" Miranda frowned, a very bad feeling in her gut.
"Environmental controls down. Must restore them or whole district will suffocate." Mordin informed them in no uncertain terms.
"Consider it done." Shepard nodded, "EDI what's the fastest route to the environment controls from here?" she asked the AI.
"Without having information on hostile activity or damage to the district I calculate this is the most direct and quickest route for you to take." EDI responded, sending it to Shepard's omni-tool.
"Thank you EDI, you're a gem." Shepard smiled and with pack over her shoulder she led Miranda out of Mordin's back room.
"I am not sure I understand what you mean." EDI returned, almost hesitantly.
"It means I value your opinion and the insights you share." Shepard answered with ease and sincerity.
There was a momentary pause, "Thank you Commander, I believe you are a gem as well." came the soft, genuine response.
Shepard grinned, "Thanks EDI. Now how about you give Joker a little spin in his chair and tell him from me to stop watching asari porn and check on Garrus."
"But he is not watching... ah, I understand, I will relay the message." EDI's tone was clearly amused.
"Ground team fall in, we've got to get the environmental systems back online." Shepard ordered softly so as not to alarm the sick or those seeking refuge in the crowded clinic.
"Goddamn your voice's so sexy even when giving orders." Massani chuckled.
"Can it Massani." Shepard growled and rolled her eye at his chuckle.
"Excuse me." A little voice piped up in front of her belonging to a small human child she'd almost bumped in to. A little girl to be precise.
"Ellie!" A frantic mother hissed, terrified her little girl would piss off the heavily armed mercs.
Shepard looked down to the girl and smiled.
The girl beamed and was emboldened, "You're Commander Shepard aren't you."
Her voice suddenly seemed to carry as everyone in the clinic went silent and stared.
Miranda was instantly on edge, hand hovering by her weapon.
Shepard nodded to the girl, "Yes I am, your name's Ellie right?"
Ellie's jaw dropped and her eyes widened, "How do you know my name?"
Shepard chuckled, "I think your mum might be a little worried for you. It's not usually a good idea to talk to strangers."
"But you're not a stranger, you're the first human Spectre!" Ellie countered.
"Who happens to be very busy right now." Miranda growled, she received a pout and a bemused smirk.
"My pretty but grumpy friend is right. I've got to get the environmental systems back up and running and get Dr. Mordin's cure in to get rid of the plague." Shepard smirked, she could feel the glare from Miranda on her back.
"Is it true what they're all saying? Did humans really make the plague?" Ellie asked softly and everyone was listening.
"No. Humans did not make the plague but for some reason whoever made it purposefully didn't want it to kill humans. Whether that's because they..." Shepard stilled as a dark thought dawned, she turned to Miranda, "Could it be possible the seeker swarms only work on humans?"
Miranda's brow furrowed a little, "Possible but more than likely given their technology..." she thought about it some more before finishing the sentence, "We don't know enough about the swarms to make any valid judgement on what they can or cannot do. But I can see the logic in what you're suggesting, eradicate the non-humans to make it easier to abduct the humans."
Shepard clenched her jaw and fists, "Bloody bastards, what the f... hell do they want with our species?" she quickly remembered the kid and censored herself.
Ellie was baffled as the two most beautiful women she'd ever seen talked to each other suddenly and momentarily forgetting she was there.
"Shep we've got Blood Pack incoming." Kasumi's voice cut in suddenly.
Shepard's demeanour darkened immediately, "They still haven't got the message that they're on my shit list have they." she growled, her biotics flaring, causing those around them to gasp and pull back. "Ellie, go sit with your mother it looks like she needs an Ellie shaped hug." she lightly patted the girl on the head as she strode passed her.
Ellie giggled and bounded over to her mother who did indeed look like she needed a hug. Not long after Shepard and her friend left muffled gunfire and explosions could be heard.
I'm not going to say overly much about the beast in Shepard just yet as you'll find out more about it as the story progresses.
I'm very interested in your thoughts on this one! Oh and you'll get the other half of Mordin's recruitment mission by tonight (Aussie time that is).