The Cryonic Man
Chapter 1: A Blast from the Past
A bit of foreword
This is my first story so please no flames.
I do not claim ownership to the rights to Mass Effect or its characters (sadly only Bioware and EA can claim that).
I do however claim ownership of the characters I create
Italics stand for thoughts and voices over an intercom
Info on Shepard listed below:
Commander Alex Shepard
Male
Paragon
Spacer
War Hero
No LI from ME
Saved Wrex and Sacrificed Ashley on Virmire
Saved the Council
Voted Anderson as Councilor
Date: June 2185
"It's great to have you back on the team Garrus," said Shepard
"Well, if you're going to go up against suicidal odds, I might as well come along and save your ass when it gets too much for you to handle," joked Garrus.
They both shared a good laugh and walked while Shepard gave Garrus a tour of the new ship, at least until Joker came over the intercom.
"Uhh Commander, you better get up here, there's something you need to see."
"I'll be right back Garrus," said Shepard
"No problem Shepard"
Commander Alex Shepard went to the elevator and pushed the button to call it down and head up to the CIC. While in there he thought about what he had experienced in the past few days. Coming back to life, joining up with Cerberus to stop the Collectors, seeing Tali again on Freedom's Progress. Tali, seeing her again brought joy to his heart. Recruiting Mordin and finally, finding out Archangel was Garrus and saving his life.
The door opened and he headed out into the CIC, walking past Kelly who said he had messages, and headed for the cockpit.
"Okay Joker what was this thing you wanted me to…"
Shepard found himself at a loss for words, as right in front of the Normandy was something he never expected to see in his lifetime. A space shuttle, an old form of space travel from before the Mass Relays were discovered. He had seen pictures of shuttles in historical records before but he had never seen one in person before.
"EDI, can you find out what that craft is?"
"Searching galactic records. Match found, scans show that this craft is from the year 2011, markings show that this craft was created by a former Earth nation known as the United States as a part of a secret government project known as Project Archimedes."
"What's Project Archimedes," Joker asked.
"Project Archimedes was a project by the former United States in which six astronauts were cryogenically frozen and launched in a shuttle so that when alien life was found in the far reaches of the galaxy, the astronauts would be unfrozen and be able to make contact with those species." replied EDI.
"Why were the astronauts frozen?" asked Shepard.
"Records show that since humans only have a life-span of 74 years on average, the astronauts would have to be cryogenically frozen in order to survive the long amount of time it would take to find a planet with sentient life."
"What is it still doing out here," asked Joker.
"Unknown, records on project show that after 5 years, the shuttle lost contact with the United States and the project was classified as a failure."
"Are the astronauts still alive," said Shepard.
"Unknown, preliminary scans show that power is not active on the ship, but there is a slim chance the cryogenic pods are still on board"
"Well if those people are still alive, we need to find them on that ship. Joker tell Mordin and Garrus to meet me at the Kodiak, we need to be prepared for anything we might find in there," said Shepard
"On it Commander," replied Joker.
30 minutes later
The Kodiak flew near the door of the shuttle, and Mordin unsealed it with an Incendiary Blast. The group of Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin stepped into the shuttle and began looking around.
"Fascinating, pre-mass relay space travelling technology of humans very obsolete but also strangely similar to some ships of today. Humans must have made this ship not knowing they were not too far behind from rest of galaxy," Said Mordin.
"What exactly are we looking for Shepard," said Garrus.
"We're looking for a 6 pods containing 6 human popsicles," answered Shepard.
"Commander, you should see this," yelled Mordin who was in the cargo hold.
Garrus and Shepard headed to Mordin in the cargo hold, where they saw something that made them feel horror.
5 of the six pods had been shut down after the shuttle had apparently lost power, and since the reanimation process was one of the functions of the pods, the 5 astronauts who were unlucky enough to be in those pods died from lack of oxygen, while still unconscious. Their bodies were still slowly decomposing, giving the hold a horrible stench of death.
"My god, this is terrible," said Shepard with a touch of shock in his voice.
"Shepard, take a look, there's still one pod still active, must have had enough power to last until the auxillery come on," said Garrus.
"EDI, can we take this pod to the Normandy without any problems," Shepard said over his radio.
"It is possible for transport of the cryogenics tube, but the pod must have power in order to function. Haste is recommended if the human in this pod is to be saved."
"Then we need to get moving, Joker bring in the Normandy, we need a pick-up." Said Shepard
"On it, Commander," Joker replied.
He looked at the pod, and hoped they could save this man before it's too late.