Jazz Shepard looked into the mirror and touched the pink scar on the left of her upper lip. It was something of a comfort to her. The memory that she was still human in the new world around her. The flashy biotics, the crowds of aliens, and of everything else the humans that weren't human anymore. She had finally gotten over the fact that she was biotic.
She turned and walked from the tiny bathroom to her room. The water from her shower dripped onto the ships automatically cleaning floor. Her armor lay on her twin sized bed waiting for her to put it on. Closing her eyes she put her palms over the lids and tried to rub her headache away. She could see Anderson and Nihlus spilling the secrets about Eden Prime and her nomination to be a Spectre. Of course she kept cool and sweet with a smile but inside she was scared. One thing Commander Shepard did well was keeping her face smiley and bright while inside a storm waged.
Jazz picked her armor up and fingered the fabric. It was perfect, crisp, and new looking but it was over two years old. She wanted to throw it and scream. Where was the burn mark from her last mission. It should have been on the right shoulder. She looked down at the flawless skin on her right shoulder. Jazz cried out in frustration. Everything around here was too perfect, "E.T.A to Eden Prime three minutes Commander." Joker's voice broke her from her rampage and switched her brain into Alliance combat mode.
Quickly she slipped her nude body into the armor and felt the shield power up around her. The gentle hum around her cells made her feel safe. Jazz walked over to the dresser and brushed her short hair into place before pressing a button and feeling a breeze that came from the walls. The hot air dried her hair in seconds as it lay flat against the sides of her face. Once she was done she made her way down to the Captain and her team.
Captain Anderson watched Jazz Shepard approach the two men standing ready. She had her helmet clutched in her palms and attached it before finally reaching them, "Ready Commander?" Anderson asked as she took her place in front of Jenkins and Alenko. Kaiden blushed as he watched the Commander stand in front of him and was glad his helmet was attached. Jenkins was jumping out of his skin to get onto the ground.
Nihlus walked up and nodded to the Commander, "We've got your back." she said and he nodded in return before jumping at the first landing zone. Anderson stopped Jazz from jumping, "Be careful out there, Commander." he said as Jazz gave a cocky grin behind her mask, "When am I not?"
Jazz looked down and swallowed her fear of heights as she jumped. Jenkins jumped early and Alenko watched as the poor boy went on a coarse to slam right into the Commander before jumping himself. Jazz could feel her suit tightening around her body and readying for impact. She put her foot out for a graceful one step two step land. Kaiden cringed as he watched Jazz descend. It would have been graceful but the second her foot hit the ground Jenkins hit her.
They toppled over as Kaiden landed. He couldn't help but smile as Jenkins took his helmet off and saw a face full of red, "Oh Commander, I'm so sorry, I.."
She stood and also took her helmet off, "Jenkins right flank Kaiden left." Kaiden nodded and took his own helmet off, "Yes Commander."
Each drew their assault guns and walked ready to fire, "What are those?" Jenkins asked as they passed a few floating bits, "Gas bags, Harmless." Jazz said off hand. The team continued on their way unaware of what was ahead. The next few moments would haunt Shepard for a long time. Nightmares would come to her and yet there was no stopping it.
Jenkins ran ahead of the team to take cover, "No WAIT!" The Commander reached out for his armor but her fingers grasped empty air. She watched in bottled horror as the boy ran out and fell in one swift motion. The red light surrounded his body in a moment as he fell to the ground. He felt no pain, only surprise as his body stopped responding to him. He fell into a warm hug of blackness that seemed to get extremely hot before freezing over and then there was nothing.
Alenko pushed energy from his body and pushed one floating attack drone into another. The fire took Jazz's attention from the dead boy as she raised her rifle and took the shot to end the final drone. She pushed the boy from her mind and let the cold shell of Commander Shepard fall into place, "Commander, what do we do?" Kaiden asked and she kneeled shutting Jenkins eyes for a final rest, "We carry on and make sure he gets a proper burial when we return." Kaiden nodded and returned into position as Jazz ran forward.
"More Drones ahead, take cover!" Jazz yelled overly loud. Neither soldier noticed the quiver in it. Kaiden watched as Jazz pulled her arm back and gave a hard grunt as she threw a blue serge of biotic energy at the drones. The energy hit one drone as the push forced it into a tree. Three more appeared and Kaiden gunned one down before throwing his own serge of energy. The Commander raised her gun and finished the last drone in a shower of bright lights and the crackling of broken machinery.
They both watched as the manufactured weapon fell from the sky so easily. The image of Jenkins graceful death burned into their memories. The biotics felt as if they were fully energised. Jazz nodded ahead where both watched a woman running to them. Two mechanical robots were running after here, "Are those Geth?" Kaiden asked as the woman jumped behind cover. Jazz gave no response as she gave cover fire. The woman looked up with a hard expression and nodded before standing and firing with the Commander. Kaiden felt the energy in his right arm build before he targeted the second Geth before throwing the energy to land under the drone and lifting up with his arm. The energy followed his command and the Geth floated as the energy crackled and drained it's lifeforce away.
"Good shot, Kaiden." Shepard offered as the two went to meet the woman at the bottom of the hill, "State your name." The Commander ordered and the woman nodded, "Ashley Williams, Ma'am. I'm a soldier stationed to guard the dig site. Those Geth decided to show up and create a great party for me. Been surviving on my own." Shepard gave a half smile, "Good job, Williams. I'm Commander Shepard." Ashley nodded and pointed her gun up the path she had just been running down, "Any orders for me Commander?" Jazz nodded, "Follow and stay tight on my right flank. Let's go." Ashley nodded and pointed the team to the dig site.
Once the geth had been dealt with Jazz turned to Ashley, "Where is the beacon?" Ashley nodded to the path that lead up the hill, "Moved it for better extraction." Alenko rolled his eyes, "I love playing fetch." Jazz looked to the biotic, "Alanko." she warned and he gave a sheepish smile. The team continued the path to find their beacon.
Jazz opened her eyes, "What happened?" she asked rubbing her head. Dr. Chakwas looked up from her pad, "You were picked up my the beacon, I stepped in front of it and you rescued me. I am so sorry." Jazz turned to see Kaidan Alenko standing to her right with a black eye and split bottom lip, "All I can remember was meeting Ashley and it gets broken. Rescuing people, seeing those husk creatures, disabling bombs, and the horrible vision the beacon burned into my mind. So much red. Fire everywhere."
Dr. Chakwas nodded and wrote something onto her pad, "Saren... something about Saren." Kaiden crossed his arms, "You sure you're okay Commander?" he asked and the woman stood with a hard look on her face, "Positive Alenko, Help me stand. What's with my right leg?" Jazz looked down to see a massive bruise on her leg. The pain was intense but nothing she couldn't handle, "Where's Captain Anderson?" she asked as Kaiden helped her walk, "Giving Joker the commands to go to the Citadel." Jazz looked to Kaiden, "Saren?" she asked and he nodded.
Jazz took secret comfort from the touch of another person as Kaiden fought to keep from turning red again. The Commander had been in his lap, in his arms, and was now leaning on him for support. Today was a good day for Kaidan Alenko.