Mass Effect: Each Story Has A Million Tales.
Summary: "There is always more than just one side to a story- and more than one lesson to learn. Follow Garrus Vakarian as he stands by a promise that he means to keep, contemplates the true meaning of life, death, and the ultimate sacrifice, and as he confronts someone who should have been behind him all along. Follow Adelais Vakarian as he mends a broken bond, and as he comes to terms with a terrible loss of his own. Follow Kolyat Krios as he navigates through a very dangerous place, only to find another- under the guidance of someone who may or may not be there at all. And follow Commander Joleen Shepard as she goes through her past and present, only to find herself in the middle of a battle for her future." (Garrus' Story: 'The Promise-Keeper.' Adelais' Story: 'The Old Soldier.' Kolyat's Story: 'The Wanderer.' Shepard's Story: 'The Missing.')
Warning: "This is a heavy one- some swearing, angst, implied adult situations, adult situations, a few character deaths, violence, and blood. All the big ones this time. Remember, this is my Shepard, my feelings on the game and what should have happened and will happen, with my own opinions and storyline, so no nasty comments. Got it? Good." (Commander Joleen Shepard: War Hero, Earthborn. Soldier. Paragon. Romanced Kaidan Alenko in the 1st game, Garrus Vakarian in the 2nd and 3rd. Shot and killed Udina during the Citadel Coup.)
Disclaimer: "I do not own Mass Effect. Don't make me say it again."
Author's Note: "Just so you know, the name 'Adelais,' is Latin for 'Noble.' I thought it fit perfectly. The name 'Carissa' means 'the most beloved one.' Again, I just thought the name fit."
N._.S._.S
Chapter Twenty-One: The Missing III.
Elysium was truly beautiful.
Despite the tragedy that would claim the life of everything she had to live for, Commander Joleen Shepard found that she still dreamed of its white-sanded, clear-water beach and the clean, refreshing air even now.
Perhaps she was merely dreaming of what could have been.
Or of what she lost.
Dreaming of the day that changed everything.
But in the beginning... it was just a day that was supposed to start something else.
N._.S._.S
He was going to marry her.
She didn't even know until she was given the diamond ring as he died in her arms.
After the tragedy, she would find out that he'd been saving scraps of money since she turned eighteen. He'd bought her the prettiest ring he could find on Elysium for the few thousand credits he had, but also one that he knew she would be able to wear under her armor.
The ring was actually elegant- girly, almost. It was a golden band with a real amethyst stone embedded into it. He'd caught her looking at it on a number of occasions as they'd explored the beachfront city on their first day. She'd probably been thinking of buying the pretty trinket herself, wearing it with a chain around her neck...
But now it would have quite a different meaning.
N._.S._.S
"Ranger, where have you been?"
He'd just got back from buying the ring. It laid deep inside his pocket, safe and concealed from her prying, curious eyes, not even the tell-tale bulge in his pocket.
Her dark brown eyes glistened curiously at him for a moment before looking away, suspecting nothing, and not catching the mischievous look in her lover's eyes.
She wore civilian clothes for once, abandoning her proud, shining black armor- new pair of dark blue jeans- bought from a random Elysium store with her first paycheck- that showed off her beautifully toned waist, and a white, long-sleeved shirt that flowed at the color. Her shoulder-length dark brown hair was tied up into a short ponytail and the missed strands held back by a white, cloth headband.
She was barefoot.
She wore no jewelry.
But she would be wearing his ring at the end of the night, if things went his way.
Ranger chuckled at her appearance- this was the Shep he grew up with, beautiful and practical. He knew she had a pistol and round of ammo stashed somewhere on her, and when he gazed at her as she turned around to pick up her Omni-tool, his guess was confirmed.
"You're brining your gun to the beach?" He teased, grinning back.
She nodded, not looking up from her Omni-tool."Yeah,"she says, softly."I've got a bad feeling."
"Relax, Shep," Ranger told her, tenderly, closing the apartment door behind him with a soft snap,"We're on leave, remember? It's all good from here on out."
The tension in her dark eyes melts away easily as he gently pushed her onto her back onto the bed, and slowly rolled up the loose jeans, and pulled off the hidden holster containing her pistol.
"Relax," he said again, as she sits up, kissing her cheek. "Nothing's going to happen. I promise tonight's going to be the best night of our lives," he assured her, as he puts the gun- and, for better measure, her Omni-tool, out of her reach, "Okay?"
She doesn't even reach for the objects he pushes away from her.
"Okay."
N._.S._.S
It all started with a bang.
They'd fallen asleep in the sand together after a night of drinking and dancing together- and were sleeping deeply at that, but the noise was so loud, so unexpected, and so startling, that Shep instantly jerked fully awake beside him and Ranger reached for the pistol that he suddenly realized wasn't there.
They watched in amazements as the Planetary Defense Cannon, usually standing tall and proud, just barely hidden behind the town, suddenly rise tall and angry, as if spikes jerking from the morning-lit ground, before rounding back and sending of huge blasts of azure energy high above the clouds.
In the distance, they heard the blast collide with something.
Shep was up and brushing the sand out of her hair and clothes in a hurry, pulling on her socks and combat boots, forgetting to lace them as she bolted.
"We need to go!" She shouted as the cannons blasted off another round.
"I know!" Ranger yelled back as the cannons reeled a third time.
"What the hell is going on?"Shep called as they began to run back toward the city- which, they could clearly see, was already awake and bustling- with people screaming in horror as a huge ship began to descend down from the sky, bathed in the early morning sunlight.
As if it had been called forth from whatever invisible God existed.
In front of them, one of the Defense Cannons sent off another round at the enemy ship, sending a jet of powerful flames at it as soldiers began to pour from the barracks and the Alarms began to scream.
As the gargantuan ship began to fire cannons of their own, Ranger called back.
"I have no fucking idea!"
As they ran, the two soldiers had no idea that they were running to their separate fates.
One would become an unwilling, broken hero, destined to save the Galaxy.
The other a mere memory of one.
N._.S._.S