A/N: Back by popular demand. I've received numerous reviews/PMs asking me roughly the same question. Why haven't put this fic in the Crysis/Mass Effect crossover section? The answer may sound a bit odd, but even though that there are strong elements of Crysis in this story (Strong may not be enough to full grasp it) this story is mostly based in the Mass Effect Universe with an OC insert. Had I been doing a fic where Alcatraz/Prophet entered Mass Effect it would be a different story.
Like I said, it sounds odd but that is how I feel about it.
Anyway, with the rest of the story mostly being action I decided to focus a bit on the building relationship between Alex and Shepard. As well as a little interaction between everyone on the ground team. So I won't leave you waiting any longer.
I own nothing
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
SSV Normandy - Gym
August 10, 2183 - 05:01 hours
Alex walked into the ship's gym that was located on the cargo deck wearing black under armor and basketball shorts. He had went back to his exercise regiment not long after he let the squad know about his identity and assumed control as a new 'Servicemen'. Since then he went to the gym at roughly 5 o'clock every morning for about an hour.
Things aboard the Normandy had been going smoothly since the mission on Feros. As the crew waited for their next lead on Saren they had received several other missions depending on what sector they found themselves in.
From taking down a group of biotic cultists, to putting down the remaining Thorian Creepers that Exogeni had in hiding in another system. They had even found Wrex's family armor being held by a Turian collector that had stolen it.
All in all it was good so far. But Alex knew that it was only a matter of time before they went to either Noveria or Virmire. But he was more than ready to make sure things didn't fall apart in either mission.
Heading over to the bench press in the corner of the room. The nano soldier put multiple weights on either end of the bar before laying down on the bench and started doing reps.
The handful of crew men that had been in the room at the time watched in awe as the new 'Seviceman' lifted over 400 lbs. of weight repeatedly as though he were moving an empty cardboard box.
When he reached 100 reps, Alex set the bar back down before hitting the floor and started doing push ups. Reaching 150 he flipped over and did the same amount crunches before moving over to the heavy bag and started a regiment of kicks and punches.
The three female crewmen that were in the room gaped at the man. Eyes drifting over the muscles that were exposed by the tight under armor he wore as sweat poured down his face and neck.
It was then Jane and Ashley walked into the gym dressed for their own work out when they saw Alex at the heavy bag. "Oh...wow..." Ash said looking the Post-Human over. "I don't know if it's the nanites in his blood or if its natural talent but it's working for him." she whispered to the Commander.
Jane's eyes were glued to the nano soldier, swallowing hard as she saw every muscle tense with each punch and kick he threw at the heavy bag.
Alex's movements started getting faster, each hit echoing through the room like a thunder clap with each strike. One final punch snapped the chain holding the heavy bag in place and sending it across the room into the far wall with a loud 'clang!'.
Everyone's mouths fell open stunned. Alex took a few deep breaths before walking over to the rack against the far wall, picking up a new heavy bag and putting it back where the previous one had been before going back to punching and kicking again.
Ashley shook her head before looking at Shepard who hadn't moved or blinked the whole time. "Skipper? Hay Commander you still in there?" she asked waving her hand in front of the red-head's face snapping her out of it.
"Yeah...uh. I'm still here." she said blinking a few times.
The Gunnery Chief grinned, "Does the 'brave Commander' have a little crush?" she teased making the other woman blush a little.
"Watch it Chief, chain of command still holds even during down time." said Jane stiffly while trying to control her blood pressure.
Ash shrugged, "I'm just saying. I mean look at him." she looked at the Post-Human again. "Who wouldn't want that bod within arms reach 24/7? Hell I wouldn't mind having it." she said licking her lips.
Jane eyes narrowed as a strange emotion over came her. Lately her emotions had been all over the place when she was close to Alex. The only time they weren't was when they were on a mission together. By that point it was all business; but the moment they got back on the ship that went right out the window and she felt like a girl in high school again.
Jealousy had been one of the emotions she hadn't had the thrill of having before. And she wasn't liking it now.
"Commander, Chief." both women looked up and saw Alex approaching them, wiping the sweat from his head with a towel before snapping a salute to both of them to keep his cover.
"Serviceman." both said at the same time. "Sticking to your regiment?" asked Jane. She looked at the damaged heavy bag laying against the far wall, "And apparently destroying property." she said not being serious.
Alex shrugged, "Sorry, got a bit carried away. I'll cover the damages the first chance I get. But without people to spar with I have to settle for what I have at the moment." he said wrapping the towel around his neck.
Jane crossed her arms under her breasts, "You wanna spar? How about sparring against me?"
Everyone shot her a look. Alex couldn't help but look the Commander up and down. Wearing a pair of tight dark-blue bike shorts and matching sports bra with the N7 logo on the right breast. Her hair done up in a pony tail making her very hard not to look at.
"...Alright Commander. Let's get to it." he said tossing the towel aside and heading toward the boxing ring that was set up in the far corner of the gym.
Shepard looked a little stunned, "That's it? Your not going to go off on some wierd speech about not fighting women?"
Alex paused and looked back at her, "Shepard, I've had Asari attempting to beat me to death with biotics and several female mercs trying to blow my head off. I'm pretty damn sure I have nothing to say on that particular matter."
Ashley raised an eyebrow, "He's made a good point there Skipper. Bout damn time a man realized us girls can kick serious ass."
The two Spectres climbed into the ring and stretched a bit before they began to circle one another like lions in a cage. "You wanna start Shepard?" asked Alex cracking his knuckles.
"Oh, after you. I insist." said Jane grinning ferally.
They circled one another for another few minutes, both getting a read on each other and trying to find a weakness in defenses. After one last lap around the ring the two sprung at each other.
Jane swung a wide roundhouse kick aimed for the nano soldier's head which was blocked by a wide forearm. Alex struck back with a right cross and uppercut combo that the Commander ducked and dodged around before launching a straight jab that Alex was barely able to lean back from.
The Post-Human brought his knee up to strike the red-head in the stomach only for Jane to twist out of the way using her natural flexibility. She spun around and managed to slam her elbow into Alex's ribs catching him by surprise and making him take a step back.
Alex grinned, "You got first strike. But I think I got this won." he said getting ready again.
"So you say. Just remember, strength and power can only get you so far." replied Jane grinning just as much.
"You forgot stealth." without warning he leapt into the air and swung his right foot around. Jane had just a brief second to duck under the attack before her head was knocked off from the powerful foot.
When she got back to the ground she found her arm in his grasp before it was twisted behind her back. "Give up?" he asked in her ear making her fight a shiver.
"Not a chance." she said twisting in an unexpected way and getting out of the hold and delivering several rapid punches to his solar plexus before doing a double drop kick that knocked the nano soldier back two steps.
Alex was naturally surprised. Jane was fast, agile and very flexible. He shook his head, "Head. Out. Of. Gutter. Kick her ass." he chanted mentally as they went back to trading punches and kicks back and forth.
The sparring match had started to gather a lot of attention. A crowd had started to gather around the ring wanting to see the Servicemen standing toe to toe with the Commander. The ground team was in the crowd wondering which of the two Spectres would come out victorious.
"Anyone seen Maverick? I'm sure he would get a kick out of watching his fellow Spectre fight." said Engineer Adams passing bets with a few other crewmen.
"Who knows, the guys a ghost 80% of the time. He could be here already and we just don't know it." said Garrus covering for his friend as they all continued to watch the match.
Jane stumbled back when a right cross managed to nick her chin. Her tongue snaked out and licked the bit of blood that had leaked out before grinning again. Alex brought his arms up and was barely able to block the flurry of punches aimed for his head and neck.
Alex caught her right fist, spinning around and tossing the Commander over his shoulder. But the red head bent at the right moment and landed back on her feet and swinging her left foot out in a haymaker.
The nano soldier blocked the kick and swung out his own leg to trip Shepard only for her to leap over it and throw a wide punch that connected with the side of his head.
Recoiling, he came back with wild combo and managed to strike her in the chest and knocking her back. "Evenly matched?" Alex asked readying for another attack. Jane shook her head before going back at him.
Alex grabbed her around the middle and flipped her over his hip slamming her down on the mat. "Game over Commander." he said smirking.
Jane smirked back before wrapping her legs around his waist and used the momentum to flip them over so that the Post-Human was on his back with her straddling his waist, right forearm against his throat and left fist cocked back to knock his lights out. "Now, it's game over." she said breathing a little heavy.
Everything was silent in the gym. The gather audience just stared as the two combatants kept their eyes locked on one another not truly knowing the compromising position they were now in.
For his part, Alex knew full well that he could keep fighting. But with so many people around he'd give away who he was. And to be honest...he kind of liked seeing her from this angle.
"Alright, fun's over everyone out." said Ashley ushering everyone out of the gym. When everyone was cleared out she gave one last look at the two Spectres as they got up. Casting a knowing grin in their direction as she went off to change.
"Well that was fun." said Alex wiping his face and head with a towel.
"You could have kept going couldn't you?" she asked Jane letting her hair down as they headed for the locker room.
"Yeah, but with so many people around I couldn't risk being exposed. If you want me to go all out Jane We're going to be somewhere private." said Alex stripping off his under armor and headed for the men's showers.
Shepard was about to reply when she got a good look at the man's back.
His whole upper body was riddled with scars. Some criss-crossing over one another like a road map of various lengths and depths. Pock marks in various places signified old bullet wounds and smaller marks that looked to be from shrapnel discharge.
Alex could feel Jane's eyes burning into his back and knew she was looking at his old wounds. It wasn't a surprise that she was staring. The amount of scars he'd collected were a bit hard to miss considering the number of them.
What did surprise him was the soft hand running along the tissue on his back. Tracing a couple of scars gently as they moved along.
"Are all of these...?" Jane asked unable to finish.
He nodded, "The nano suit protects from a lot of damage and can regenerate quickly like my body can. But it can't stop anything. CELL and the Ceph were relentless, and I didn't walk away from every firefight without a scratch."
Jane ran her hand over a particular scar that went from his right shoulder down to the right side of his lower back. "Ceph Stalker. Got the drop on me when I was dealing with a squad of Troopers." he said pulling out a pair of dress blues for the end of his shower.
"You know where you got each one?" she asked a little shocked.
"That's one of the downsides to having a mind that can work like a computer. I have a slight photographic memory." Alex replied turning to face her. Jane's eyes shot down and saw even more scar tissue covering his chest as well. Including a few deep ones that went across where his heart was.
"Like I said before Shepard, victory costs. Some more than others. And at times it's worth paying." with one last smile he headed for the showers.
Jane watched him go and couldn't keep her mind from wandering back to what she had seen and heard from her fellow Spectre.
Alex finished undressing and stepped into the shower stall, turning the cold dial all the way on and letting the water wash over him. "That woman's gonna kill me." he said trying to fight down his arousal.
X
With the mission going so well, the ground team had agreed on having a movie night once a week in the crews rec room if they were unable to have shore leave. And tonight was that night.
Alex walked into the room wearing his suit since he had just gotten off his rounds. Garrus, Tali and Kaidan were already there waiting as he flopped down on the couch in front of the large view screen. "Where's everyone else?" he asked turning off his voice filter since they were the only ones in the room.
"On their way. The Commander's trying one last time to get Wrex to come." said Kaidan after making sure the screen was fully hooked up.\
"I bet 20 creds that he doesn't leave the cargo hold." said Garrus.
"I'll take that bet." said Alex leaning back in his seat as they waited for the others.
15 minutes later Jane walked in with Ashley, Liara, Joker and surprisingly Wrex. Garrus grumbled and sent 20 credits to Alex's omni-tool before they all sat about the room and got comfortable. "So what the hell are we suppose to be watching?" asked the Krogan leaning back in the easy chair by the couch.
"Thought we'd let our resident dimension jumper decide tonight." said Jane looking at Alex as he sealed the door to the room and pulled his helmet off.
"Really, well wouldn't the movies I consider good be old classics to you guys?" he asked looking to each of them.
"Yeah, weren't vids in black and white back where your from?" asked the pilot making the vigilante glare at him a bit. Telling Joker like he told the others may have seemed like a bad idea to some. But the pilot knew how to keep a secret when the chips where down. And Alex knew he could trust him like he did the others.
"Watch it gimpy. Or I'll break your legs off and beat you with them." said Alex.
Joker held up his hands, "Easy there grandpa. Wouldn't want you to have a heart attack or anything from all the excitement."
"Enough you two." said Jane making Joker sit in a chair next to the couch. "We're suppose to be relaxing right now." Both men raised their hands in surrender and back off.
"Come on Alex, you gotta have some tastes. Spirits, even the music you listen too from over a hundred years ago isn't that bad." said Garrus.
Alex rolled his eyes, "Christ, you turn a Turian into a Linkin Park fan and all of a sudden everyone thinks you know good entertainment." He stood up and pulled out his omni-tool as he started scrolling through vid listings. "Alright," he looked at each person in the room and thought about what would be a good choice for everyone.
He smirked, instead of going with one vid he went with three as he set it all up and started the first. "What vid is this?" asked Jane as he sat down on the couch next to her.
"A three vid series that was famous back where I'm from. I think you guys will like it." he said as Batman Begins started.
Throughout the first movie the whole team was enraptured. Granted it had what many in this universe would consider 'primitive technology'. But the storyline alone and the way the main character went from a traumatized child to vigilante that struck fear in the hearts of the criminal underworld is what got them. And all without taking life with his own hands.
By the end of the vid they were ready for the next one. "Gotta say, the classics do hold some merit." said Ashley impressed.
"The technology he was able to have his company make is unbelievable for that time. It was impressive." said Tali thinking about the crusader's gadgets.
Garrus clicked his mandibles, "The fight against Ra's Al Ghul was my favorite part. Master against student, classic cliché confrontation."
"I liked the car." said Joker getting odd looks. "What? It looked awesome. Could definitely put the Mako to shame. And I bet it has leather seats..." he had a far off look in his eyes. "If only the Normandy had leather seats, then everything would be perfect."
Jane looked at Alex, "You said this was part of a three vid series? I say start up the next one." The others nodded in agreement. Alex smirked as he started The Dark Knight and they all settled back in.
The beginning alone was a shock to them. "I was under the impression that what Humans consider 'Clowns' would be comedic." said Liara a little disturbed at Heath Ledger's interpretation of the Joker.
"At least you don't have the same nickname as a psychotic clown with an ego bigger than a mass relay." said Joker. "I mean, damn that guy is messed up doing have the shit he does to others."
"Heh, bad guy with a sense of humor. It's not bad considering he's batshit crazy." said Wrex.
When they reached the hospital scene and Harvey Dent turned his head Alex heard several gasps when the horribly burned half of his face was exposed. "That's flat out disturbing." said Kaidan cringing.
When the movie came to an end, the team took a moment to collect after seeing the last scene. "That's a load." said Jane crossing her arms, "He saves the city and they hunt him because he took the blame for someone else's actions."
Alex shrugged, "He believed it was the best course of action to keep the city from falling apart. Making sure the one who did more than he did remained the 'white knight'."
"It was stupid." said Garrus. "I can understand not wanting to kill to prove your better than them. But facing criminals like that who kill like it's a sick game isn't worth just throwing in jail. They're obviously not going to change their ways."
"How would C-Sec handle someone like the Joker, Garrus?" asked Jane.
The Turian mulled over it. "With all the red tape and regulations in place I can't be too sure. Personally, I'd have put a bullet between his eyes if given the opportunity." he looked over at Alex, "I gotta ask, did these vids set the ground work for your roll as 'Maverick'?"
The team all looked at the vigilante also wanting to know.
"I idolized Batman when I was a kid. Guess you could say that it did leave a bit of an impression. But like you said Garrus, some people are beyond redemption. And at those times killing is needed. And after the time I've spent as a soldier, in and out of the nano suit, well Joker said it best; 'It's a funny world we live in'."
"Or two in your case." said Jane smirking.
"Touche." replied the other Spectre as the last movie in the trilogy started.
Much like the first two, everyone was focused on the movie and the new plot that left a couple of them speechless. Wrex seemed to be interested in how Bane could garner so much strength and power in such a small amount of time. Able to bring the city to its knees with a few threats and well thought out plans.
Alex leaned back and felt like he was back home again, hanging out with friends. It was a moral boost that he had been in short supply of for a while now.
A slight weight on his shoulder drew his attention. Shepard leaned into him and was resting her head on his shoulder. Smiling, he reached his arm back behind the couch to give her better room as she curled in a little more.
He had no idea what was going on between the two of them, but he really didn't mind whatever it was. And he liked where things were going even if neither knew how things were going to turn out.
For now they'd just enjoy the moment and see what happens.
X
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
SSV Normandy - Briefing/Comm Room
August 11, 2183 - 12:38 hours
"Noveria?" asked Jane as she and Alex stood in the comm room speaking to the three Councilors.
"Yes, it appears that Matriarch Benezia had been spotted checking into the main port with an armed escort and several large crates." said Tevos.
"Can we assume that the local authorities are aware of her partnership with Saren and the acts he has committed thus far?" asked Alex already knowing the answer.
"Unfortunately, no." said Valern. "Noveria is a highly buisness and corporate based world. Anything and everything they do is for the sake of earning credits quickly and efficiently. It is also where the most white-collar crimes can take place."
"Saren is still a shareholder with Binary Helix. He could have just as easily set it up so that Benezia would be considered someone speaking on his behalf. Thus giving her access to a number of secure locations and a small level of immunity." said Sparatus.
"Then it's safe to say that Noveria is our next stop. Maybe Benezia will have the answers we're looking for on Saren and what the Conduit could be." said Jane.
Alex nodded in agreement, "We'll get it done, Councilors. But you may want to send our credentials ahead of time. If Noveria is all about regulations as you say, then an unexpected arrival could put the locals on high alert. Having mass panic in a place like that wouldn't bode well for a lot of people."
"Understandable, Maverick." said Tevos nodding. "We'll make sure that everything is in place long before you arrive. Good luck, both of you." The holograms faded soon after.
"Joker, set a course for Noveria. We got a new lead." said Jane as they headed out of the room.
"Awe, why so serious Commander?" asked the helmsmen. Alex shook his head wondering if letting Joker watch those vids with them was a good idea.
Jane was also shaking her head before she looked at her partner, "With any luck we can get some answers to what's going on." she said as they headed for the CIC.
"And maybe stop whatever Saren's plans are. But considering what we've faced so far, I think we should be ready for whatever could be waiting for us when we arrive." replied Alex.
Knowing what they were facing, Alex knew they had to be.
A/N: Seems to be the start of something good. And like I said before I'm trying not to rush into forcing them together. Just let it flow evenly throughout the mission. Noveria is next, and I can honestly say that there are going to be a few changes to what happens there.
This has been my slowest update thus far, but I know with a lot of you it's worth the wait and I never let my readers down. So stick around and I'll have the next update ready in no time.