A/N: Ok people, new chapter inbound! Sorry it took a bit longer than usual, life got in the way. Good news though, it was fun times! I went out to a two day concert of great Canadian rock bands, and a few American ones. The Trailer Park Boys were there and announced each band. So I spent over 32 hours listening to some of the best rock around (the Canadian kind) and drinking the best beer around (the Canadian kind) and smoking the best cigars around (the Cuban kind… Canadian cigars aren't that good). My fellow Canucks reading know what I'm talking about, Canadian rock is generally underappreciated despite being great music, and to my American, British, and Aussie friends (and the rest of you guys out there) you are missing out. In fact, I'm on such a rock kick that after the Review Response I will put in a list of great Rock and Roll from the Great White North, if you're interested. Fun fact, the word Canuck (common slang for a Canadian) was actually a derogatory term made up by the Americans. Who knew? Anyway, enough ranting about the greatest country in the FUCKING WORLD! Let's get on with the show!
Chapter 17
-Surprise-
"I'm sorry?"
"What the fuck." I whisper to myself as my eyes dart around under my visor. I have no idea what to do, why the hell are these people here?
I look at Ian and my memory kicks into overdrive. He was in an SI I read, I think it was called Masses to Masses. Where did that leave off? I remember he fucked with Garrus's timeline, I think. I guess it's not important now.
My eye is then drawn to Dylan, what the fuck was his SI called? The family? Welcome to the family? Yeah, I think that's it. Fuck, he must have been the hunter the news was talking about! What the hell did he do in his book?
I look to my right and look at Art, he came here because he played some song on the piano, yeah that's it, his SI was named after it. Mass Vexations, shit he changed a lot. There's a lot of shit that he does to fuck up the timeline, not to mention his dream world.
I turn my shoulder and look at Alex, I remember him or I remember reading about him. Massed up, I don't think he finished it yet. He looks really confused too, looking at Ian and Art. Did he do anything crazy in his book? Shit I can't remember that far back, fuck you memory.
"Are you sure it's not Maverick?" Shepard asks, confused at my behavior.
"What?" I ask, turning back to look at her.
"Your helmet." She says, taping her jaw. "It says Maverick."
"Oh." I forgot about that, but can you blame me? I just figured out that not only am I just in the Mass Effect universe, but I'm not alone. There are other people like me on this station, well Dylan didn't get sucked here but the rest of us did. "Yeah."
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm uhh…" I take another look around, still baffled that these guys are here. "I'm fine."
"Alex, are you ok? And, Art was it?" Shepard asks, looking between the two of them.
"Yeah I'm good." Alex nods
"I'm ok, thanks." Art chirps as he walks forward.
"Well thanks for helping, but we need to talk to Miss..." Shepard thanks before turning to Tali, waiting for a name.
"Tali'Zorah nar Rayya." She answers before looking back at the dead hitmen. "Fist set me up, I knew I couldn't trust him."
"Were you hurt in the fight?"
"I know how to look after myself." Tali says confidently. "Not that I don't appreciate the help." She adds, shying away from her previous confidence. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"
"I'm looking for evidence to prove Saren is a traitor."
"Then I have a chance to repay you for saving my life." She says, cheering up a bit. "But not here, we need to go somewhere safe."
This time Garrus speaks up. "We should take her to the human embassy, your ambassador will want to see this anyway."
"What do we do with them?" Ashley asks in a snarky tone, looking at Art, Alex and myself.
"You can leave him Shepard." Garrus jeers at Alex, who looks immediately upset by this but I get that, I'd be pissed too. "He works for Fist, he's just a criminal."
A low chuckle seeps out from Wrex as he smiles. "Not anymore." I notice Ashley send Wrex another glare but he doesn't seem to notice and if he did, he doesn't care.
"Come on!" Alex suddenly shouts, throwing up his arm at Garrus. "I told you, I didn't blow up that damn building!"
"It's true!" I add. "I was there."
Shepard and her crew look amongst themselves as Alex gives me an annoyed look, saying shut the fuck up with his eyes.
"You were there?" Garrus asks, confused as if he's missing a piece to a puzzle. "Who are you again?"
"My name's Maverick, well my nickname anyway." I say as I unseal my helmet. I tug the helmet off and twirl it in my hands before tucking it under my arm. "My actual name is James Matticks." I smile proudly as Garrus leers at me.
"You know these two?" Shepard asks as she turns to Garrus.
"Yeah." Garrus seethes, wow he's actually mad that he knows us. "Alex Engelstein, worked for Fist and is suspected in the killing of fourteen turians and blowing up the building where they were found. Unfortunately there is no evidence to prove his involvement, yet." He says accusingly before turning to me. "James Matticks, he was charged with the assault of eight batarians, the death of one batarian, one turian, and one human but got off on a technicality. There are other multiple deaths he contributed to, roughly eight of mixed races. He is also suspected of foul play in the suicide of Frank Haynes, his former employer, to assume control of his company and apparently is now an accomplice of Engelstein's bombing."
"Allegedly." I roll my eyes, making Garrus angrier and making me laugh inside. Wow Broadway was right, I do love agitating people.
"Well I'm going with you." Alex almost orders as he crosses his arms. "I already helped Shepard and came here to risk my ass to save her." he nods at Tali. "I think I've earned the right to see this out."
"What he said." I say thumbing at Ivan, Alex, whatever. I notice he finally recognizes me without my helmet and seems to be having a really tough time deciding to be mad at me or not. "Hey man, what's going on?" I smirk at him.
"Alright, you two can come." Shepard says. Really? That was actually easier than I thought, then again Shepard basically will take on anyone who asks in the first game.
"Shepard you can't be serious." Garrus immediately protests. "They are criminals!"
"High five!" I say excitedly as I hold out my open palm at Alex who immediately slaps his hand down on it, he then looks at me and remembers I threw him out a window and starts to glare again.
"They seem eager to help." Shepard comes to our defense, somewhat regretting it because I said high five to being criminals…
Holy shit I'm a criminal… I… I don't... ahh fuck it. I'm a good criminal, like Robin Hood…
Holy shit I'm Robin Hood.
"Besides, the same could be said about Wrex." Shepard continues, interrupting my inner ramblings.
At the mention of his name Wrex takes a few steps forward towards Alex. "Did you really kill those turians?"
"Yeah, I killed all of them." He says proudly in his Russian accent. "Including six others that I cut into little pieces, just don't tell Garrus." He whispers, though making sure it's loud enough for Garrus to hear.
Wrex huffs a smile at this before turning to me. "And you? Did you kill all of those people?"
I'm about to joke along with Alex but instead I'm reminded about every one of those kills, every little detail. "Yeah." I sigh grimly, almost ashamed that I did. No, I am ashamed I did it, it had to be done but still I… I can't take pride in that.
"I'd like to come too." Art says, shit I almost forgot about him.
"Why do you want to come?" Shepard asks, putting him on the spot.
"I…" he hesitates. Now he can talk about how he needs to stick with Shepard because Sarens going to come after him for helping Tali… aww shit he never helped Tali! Now he's got nothing to get him on the Normandy! He better think of something, I can't imagine how he'd feel if he was passed up for this, knowing the adventure but not being able to experience it. Come on man, say something! "I can tell that you guys are going off to do great things. I know I can't exactly do much right at this moment, but this sounds like an opportunity that's to incredible to pass up. And… I don't know ma'am. But I'd like to help you guys anyway I can."
"Commander, he doesn't have any combat training." Ashely speaks up. "At least these two," She gestures at Alex and me with distain causing me to cock my head and Alex to scowl. "Have some sort of experience, he'll just be a liability."
"That might be." Shepard nods as she eyes Art up and down. "But he has a strong will, just like you." She now looks to Ashley. "And all of you." She motions to the rest of the squad before turning to Alex and me. "And our new friends here. I didn't pass a single one of you up, I'm not going to pass him up." Art seems to perk up at this, we all do actually. "We all have strengths, we can find his. There are plenty of non-combat roles on the Normandy."
Art almost seems to deflate when she says non-combat role, shit I would too. I know he can be something better but he didn't get a chance to prove it, because of me. I gotta help him somehow.
"I don't really want that though." Art shakes his head. "I want to be on the ground with you, I can learn to fight." He says, desperate for more.
"Commander we have a mission, we don't have time to train him." Ashley points out, clearly angered by the multitude of things going on.
Shepard mulls over what Ashley said before looking back to Art. "It's too dangerous, I'm-"
"I'll train him!" I speak up, causing everyone to look at me. Why did I say that? I wanna help the guy but I don't know if I can train him. I guess I can teach him how to shoot, and I know how to clean my weapons. Yeah, I guess I might be able to train him.
"You will?" Says too many voices for me comprehend.
"Yeah, sure." I shrug. "I'll have nothing else to do on that ship."
"Then it's settled." Shepard says as she looks between Art and me. "Art can join the ground team after James has trained him."
"Commander…" Ashley protests as she rolls her eyes.
"I will approve of Arts readiness." Shepard says sternly, quieting Ashley down. "Until then, Art is your responsibility."
"What do you mean?" I ask, cocking my head at Shepard and Art.
"You will teach him everything you know." Shepard's says, a wicked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "And he will follow you around until he does."
"Is this a joke?" I ask as I shake my head, Art equally unamused.
"No." she smiles. "You will train together, eat together, you'll do everything together until you're trained." She nods at Art. "Fastest way to learn."
"Fuck." I curse under my breath. This is horse shit, I wouldn't mind training the guy but I didn't want to babysit him! Art doesn't look impressed either, he probably thought he'd get Kaiden or Ashley to train him, not me, the guy he just met who is technically not supposed to be here. "Sure, whatever."
"Good." Shepard smiles, clearly enjoying herself. "Now let's get to the human embassy, the sooner we do that the sooner we can start tracking down Saren."
Everyone starts to follow Shepard out of the alley, a huge group of people you would definitely not want to fuck with. This is awesome, after the embassy we can go to the Normandy and then get after Saren. I gotta get my stuff too, shit how am I going to that? There won't be time to get it later.
"Hey Shepard." I say as I jog forward next to her, matching her determined stride. "I have some things to take care of on the Citadel first, do you mind if I skip the embassy?" Not only do I not want to see Udina I also don't want to have to sit through that whole encounter, I've seen it enough from my many Mass Effect runs I've also heard it enough from the fanfictions I've read.
"Ok, it shouldn't take long." She nods. "The Normandy is docked outside of C-Sec academy, just meet us there."
"Thanks." I smile before I snap my helmet over my face and start to split from the group. I turn down a street away from the crew but am stopped when Shepard calls out.
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
I turn around and see Shepard standing there with a devilish smirk on her face, what is she talking about? I start to pat my hands around my pouches and on my back, checking to make sure I have all of my weapons and explosives. My hands finally finish their pat down on my helmet and fall into a shrug.
"No." I answer slowly as I shake my head at her. Her smile grows as she looks over to her side, right at Art. "No." I say again firmly, pointing at Art and Shepard. "I thought that was starting on the ship!"
"The sooner you teach him the better." She says, trying to be innocent about her not funny 'prank'.
"I'd much rather go to the embassy." Art brings up, trying to get out of going with me.
"There's nothing I can teach him where I'm going!" I plead. "I just have to grab some stuff!"
"The faster you train him the faster this stops." Shepard smirks, loving every moment of her absurd form of torture. She turns to Art and nods for him to follow me, and he hesitantly walks over from Shepard's squad.
Man the Shepard in the game didn't have this cruel sense of humor, then again the Shepard in the game was pretty emotionless. Femshep was ok but the male Shepard was pretty bland if you weren't renegade. At least this Shepard is more alive, well technically she actually is alive but still.
Art stops next to me and looks back at Shepard and her crew longingly as they disappear into the streets.
I sigh and turn to Art, tapping his shoulder before I start walking home. "Let's go."
"Alright, lead the way." He answers as he walks next to me.
"I have to." I shrug as I spy a rapid transit terminal. "You don't know the way, do you?"
"No, but you never told me where you're going." He comes back. "Did you?"
"Touché." I nod as I type in Aila's apartment and wait for a car to arrive.
As the car lands I remember something, Arts author never said what his full name was. He just used a bunch of little stars to fill the gap in his name, and it always bugged me. Now I can actually learn his real name!
"So, what kind of a name is Art?"
"Just a nickname." He shrugs. "What kind of a name is Maverick?"
"Just a nickname." I reply back. "But it means something."
"What's it mean?"
"Well I really like the movie Top Gun." I say as I climb into the skycar.
"God that movie is cheesy."
"Yeah." I chuckle. "I loved it. Anyway my friend got a cold one day so I started calling her Goose, mainly because she sounded like one but then she started calling me Maverick. And I guess it just stuck!"
"Huh." He nods, only half interested in my story. It's not really a good story to be honest but I like it.
"So where'd the nickname Art come from?" I ask, fishing for an answer to my long asked question.
"Just a short form for my actual name." he says before looking back out the window. Oh no you don't, you're not getting out of this that easily.
"What's your actual name?"
"It's Arturo Rodriguez."
"Really?" I ask in disbelief, that's actually a cool name. It's catchy, something that just flows together nicely. "That's a pretty cool name man."
"Thanks!"
"Arturo has a lot of history behind it too." I say, turning to face him as we talk. "Lots of famous Arturo's out there."
"Yeah, but not all of them were good." He points out.
"Yeah there were more good than bad though." I counter as I slouch into my chair. "Rodriguez is a pretty badass last name."
"Yeah my friends would always joke about that." he smiles. "They'd use that action movie trailer voice every time they said it."
"I don't get how Rodriguez isn't your nickname." I say as I shake my head. "It's way cooler then Art, no offense."
"I think it was just because it was shorter."
"Yeah, Rodriguez is a bit of a mouthful." I nod. "Still cool though, Arturo Rodriguez." I repeat as I look out the skycar window.
I finally know his name, and I'm not disappointed either. It drove me crazy when his author would put in asterisks, now I can finally say I know his real name. Arturo Rodriguez, it's just catchy, I can't stop saying it. Arturo Rodriguez, I'm so happy I figured this out!
"So what is that logo?" he asks, pointing at the Icarus logo. "Is it a mercenary company? I can't say I've seen it before."
"I'm an Icarus Contractor."
"A Contractor?" he asks, still looking at the logo. "So you're a mercenary?"
"No." I clarify. "A mercenary's loyal to a paycheck, I'm loyal to Icarus. I'm more of a soldier." I clarify.
"Oh." He nods slowly, it doesn't seem like he's convinced I'm not a merc. "Why are you loyal to Icarus, what do they do?"
Shit that's a hard question, I can't really tell him that it's a company devoted to fighting the reapers. Hell, I haven't even told Aila and them that that's what the company is for.
"It's hard to explain." I say, trying to pick my words carefully. "We are attempting to… make a better future. We try to acquire as many resources as possible, that way we can use them to protect people."
Art nods at this and then I see him freeze, pondering what I just said. He looks at me and then at the logo on my helmet, narrowed eyes looking me over suspiciously. "Who are you trying to protect, who's future are you trying to better?"
I cock my head at the odd question. "Everybody, if they need help we'll try to help."
Art keeps looking at me, he seems suspicious, like he doesn't quite believe me but he wants to. He eventually looks away when the skycar comes to a stop and blossoms open.
"Are we here?" he asks as he looks around at the buildings, in awe of the Citadel. I recognize that face, that's the same face I had when I saw it.
"No, it's about five blocks that way." I say, pointing down the street with my outstretched arm.
Art turns back to me, not understanding why I stopped us this far away. "Why didn't you bring us closer?"
"Do you want to be on the first ground op?" I ask as I lead him off the platform and into the crowd. He nods his head at this and turn back to face him. "Good, then we have to start training you now. I don't want to miss it because I'm stuck on the Normandy with you, so we start now. Get running."
Art kept pace for two blocks, he started to trail after that. Once we hit the fourth block I started to trail behind, I tried to play it off like I was waiting for him but I think he knew I was tired. Once we got to Aila's Art was panting like a dog, I was tired too but I cheated so I was nowhere near as tired as he was. On the third block I started to lower my mass so running wouldn't be as hard, plus my armors gel suit absorbs sweat to keep me cool. But I'm not telling him that.
"Please tell me this is it." Art pleads as I stop at Aila's building. I walk up to the door and open it for him.
"Yeah, this is it." I chuckle. Art looks up at me with a scowl of disbelief on his face.
"You said that last time, and the time before that." he sneers.
I just giggle as I walk up to the elevator. "Yeah, I did didn't I?" Art is less than impressed as I wait for him in the elevator, as if he expects me to jump out and keep running down the street. "Come on!" I say impatiently and Art finally walks in.
"So what are you getting?" he asks as we watch the elevator climb up the building on the display.
"Armor cases, weapon cases, other necessities." I shrug. "Just stuff I need on the Normandy, I didn't think I'd have a chance later so I thought I'd grab it now."
The elevator door opens and I'm greeted by a dark apartment, almost black. The shades are pulled back and every light is out, even the emergency lighting that makes sure the room is never this dark. Art starts to walk into the apartment but I reach my hand over his chest to stop him. Something isn't right.
Art's about to talk but my hand whips up over his mouth, stifling his words. I press my finger against the plate over my mouth, telling him to be quiet. I grip my assault rifle and pull it from its holster, I click off the safety and ready it to fire before handing it to Art.
"Stay here." I whisper. "Don't shoot unless you're about to be shot."
Art nods his head and I'll give him some credit, he looks more determined then afraid. I slowly draw my shotgun and level it of before creeping into the apartment. I can't see a damn thing but I don't want to put on my Omni-tool light and give them, if there is anybody, an advantage so instead I slowly drag my eyes around the room to see if my HUD registers weapons.
I think I'm in the clear until I look over the curtain hanging next to the window, a small icon twirling around as it scans the weapon. It's an assault rifle, I don't know who's got it but they are behind that curtain.
Who is it now? More psychopaths, Blue Suns, C-Sec, Cerberus? I don't want to wait to find out so I grip my Katana in one hand and increase its mass to deaden the recoil. I let out a breath as my finger hovers over the trigger, maybe I should give them a warning, what if it's C-Sec? No, C-Sec wouldn't hide like this.
Suddenly the lights all flick on, blinding me and ruining my aim. I force my eyes open despite the bright lights but I can't make out a target. Then my whole body relaxes as I hear people shout.
"Surprise!"
My vision clears and I see Pac and Broadway raise from behind the couch, Aila and Saylem walk out from the kitchen and Lorin walks out from the curtain, his assault rifle strapped to his back. I let out a sigh and tilt my shotgun up to the ceiling, away from Lorin.
The clapping and smiles fade away when everyone sees me standing in the middle of the apartment with a shotgun in hand,.
"Told you this was a stupid idea." Lorin says as he walks forward and sits in a chair. "I don't know why humans do this, I almost got shot."
"I agree with Lorin." Pac nods before looking at Broadway. "It doesn't make any sense."
"I liked it!" Aila smiles.
"What are you guys doing here?" I ask as I slap my shotgun onto my back.
"We thought we would give you a proper send off." Broadway says as he takes a sip of his drink. "Even if you've got to go soon."
I take off my helmet and toss it onto Aila's bed on the far side of the room and walk over to everyone, we start to talk about this and that. We talk for about a minute until Lorin speaks up.
"Why is there a guy in the elevator?" he asks as he points to Art.
Oh shit, I forgot about him. "Hey, come here man!" I shout at the elevator. Art slowly walks out, not sure what to do with the rifle I gave him. I walk up to him and wrap my arm around him after taking back my Lancer. "Everyone, this is Art. Art this is Aila, Saylem, Broadway, Pac, and Lorin." I say as I point each one of them out.
"Um… hi." Art waves as he looks around at everybody.
Everybody waves back, except for Saylem and Lorin.
"What kind of name is Arch?" Lorin asks, shaking his head slightly.
"It's Art." He clarifies. "Spelled A-r-t."
Lorin shrugs and goes back to his drink, fidgeting with the straw-tube for a moment.
"So how do you know Mav?" Broadway asks, motioning for Art to sit down.
"Well, we kinda just met." Art says as he takes a seat. "He's actually going to be training me on the Normandy."
I hear a weird muffled grunt-sputter and turn to see Lorin ripping his tube from his mask, coughing and pounding his chest with his fist. His coughing slowly turns into laughter as he points at me. "He's training you? For what?"
Art looks confused as the rest of my friends smile at Lorin. "Umm, he's going to teach me how to use weapons and how to fight." He replies slowly, put off by Lorin's laughter.
"NO WAY!" Lorin yells as he covers his mask with his hands as he laughs his way out of his chair and onto the floor. "Keelah, you're so fucked!"
Art turns to me with a very worrisome look, I wave my hand at him and I thumb towards Lorin. "Don't listen to this asshole, you'll be fine."
"Mav has saved each of us more than once." Broadway says, tipping his glass to me so I nod back.
"Really?" Art asks, his faith in my ability to train him bolstering ever so slightly.
"Not me." Lorin scoffs. "In fact I've saved his ass more times than I could count on one hand."
"That's four." I shoot back. "Four times, and three don't count because you left me in a building rigged to explode."
"That was you?" Pac suddenly perks up. "I thought that was Blue Suns."
"It was." I nod, putting Pac at ease. "He just left me in that building to, you know, explode." I say, shooting an accusing glare at Lorin.
"Because you threw me off of a five story building!" Lorin counters, shouting with his arms raised.
"Wait, you threw him off of a building?" Art asks in disbelief.
"No of course not." I scoff in derision. I reach over and grab a drink, taking a sip as I lean back in my chair. "I tackled him off it." I say nonchalantly as I swill my drink around.
"It's the same thing." Lorin seethes, leaning forward on his knees as he stares.
"Night and day really." I say to Art as I ignore Lorin and take another sip of my drink.
"Bosh'tet." Lorin mutters as he jams his straw into his mask.
"Ass." I shoot back.
"Do they always act like this?" Art asks, pointing at Lorin and me.
Everyone nods in agreement as Lorin pouts and I give him the finger. We all talk for a bit more until Art turns to me and waves to get my attention.
"We should leave soon, wouldn't want to keep Shepard waiting."
"Yeah you're right." I agree as I get to my feet. "Thanks for the get together guys, but duty calls."
"We have something for you." Aila smiles, she looks over and Broadway grabs a few bags and sets them on the coffee table.
"Guys you didn't have to get me anything." I smile as I eye the gifts.
"That's what I said!" Lorin announces as he points his open palm at Aila.
"You're always there for me man." I smirk as I snap my finger into a gun and bob it at Lorin.
"Anytime." He salutes back.
"It's just two things." Aila says as I walk up to the gifts. "One's for you."
"And the other is for your enemies." Pac says with a turian smile, his mandibles spread wide.
I open the first gift and see it's a new jacket, a futuristic version of my old bomber jacket. I hold it up and look at it, it looks a lot like my old one but has sharper lines and seems, the collar reminds me of Thanes jacket but it's nowhere near as big.
"You never got your old one fixed so we got you a new one!" Broadway smiles
"Thanks guys!" I smile as I fold up the jacket. "It looks really nice, can't wait to wear it!"
I reach over to the next one and shake it. It has a hard thud to it and is much smaller than the jackets box, maybe two feet long and half a foot wide. I take the lid off the box and smile as I pull out the gift.
It's a new kukri knife, and it looks way newer then my old one which is now technically over a hundred years old. But this one is different, where my kukri is shiny with a curved blade for slicing this blade is flat black with sharp angles like a cleaver leading up to a wicked point.
"We had this blade made a few days ago." Pac says, clearly this was his idea, I don't think anyone else would think of this. "Your old blade was made for slicing which is useless with most people wearing armor now, this one's weighted for hacking through thin plates and stabbing through thick ones."
"How does a knife go through armor?" I ask, still twirling the blade around in my hand.
"Well your knife couldn't, I don't know here you got it but I've never seen a forged blade before." He shakes his head. "This was fabricated, made from a dense material that was hardened and pressed with mass effect fields. I read that biotics can increase the mass of objects, if you do that to this then you'll have no problem with armor."
"Awesome." I smile as I pull out the sheath. I notice it has an attachment so it can go on your calf, instead I wrap it on my left bicep and position the knife so the handle is pointed at the inside of my elbow and the point is pointed up behind my shoulder. "I hope I don't have to use it, but I'll be glad I have it when I do."
I make the rounds, saying my goodbyes to everyone. I grab all of my cases, weapons, armor, scotch, and cancer meds. Thankfully Art is there to help because there is actually quite a bit of stuff, I made sure to hold my meds though. Once we get to street level I enter in the Normandy's location outside of C-Sec and we pile my shit into a skycar.
"You friends seem nice." Art says, trying to make small talk.
"Thanks, they were always there for me." I nod. "Especially Aila, she took me in and gave me a place to stay."
"Huh, sounds nice. You have an… interesting friendship with Lorin." Art says, slowing to find an appropriate word.
"Yeah." I chuckle. "Friends are always there to pick you up when you fall, best friends will make fun of you for falling. I guess that's what Lorin and I have, it's all just merciless ribbing and taunting but I know he'd have my back because I would have his."
"Who was your salarian friend? I don't think he said anything the whole time we were there."
"That's just Saylem, he's the opposite of Lorin but I know he'd have my back just as quick as Lorin would." I tell him. "Besides, he owes me. I had to stand up to that krogan bastard for him, I can't remember his name though but it was the one with Shepard." I say, playing dumb.
"I think it was Urnog. Something like that," Art says, playing dumb just like I am. Good to know we're on the same page, even though he doesn't know I'm reading it over his shoulder.
"Sounds right." I smirk.
The skycar comes to a rest outside of C-Sec and once we head inside we get into the elevator, cracking jokes about how slow it is. Then we walk outside and see a sight we both thought we would never see in the flesh. Gleaming like nothing else could and inspiring courage into us like no speech could.
The SSV Normandy.
R/R
general-joseph-dickson: Far from no name people, those guys are some of the biggest names in Mass Effect self inserts. Check em out.
Michae1ange1o: That it is, but they won't always all be together, their conversations will be spread out like any other characters.
OBSERVER01: He has no idea how hard it will hit, not by a longshot.
V-rcingetorix: I had this idea from the beginning, before I even wrote the first word of Mass Anomalies. I think I can make it work, if I can't and it proves too much I suppose I can always kill some off! ;) Yeah, Mavs far from perfect, but aren't we all? I think it's more a rarity then unrealistic, like you said, nobody would know weapons like a krogan! You can't always play things safe, it's just too damn boring for me, I'm always a bit of a thrill seeker! Thanks, it's staying down for now!
Kaiya Smith: TIM is a hard headed bastard, even without the indoctrination.
Spiritstrike: What the fuck indeed! The other two were mentioned in the A/N, definitely check them out. I loved Left 4 Dead, one of my favorite co-op games of all time! Haha, I thought it was good, I've seen way worse fics then that, trust me!
XRaiderV1: Haha, thank you sir!
CrimsonKnight117: Thanks man, I take pride in a nice action scene, I think theyre just as important as the others. Possibly, though if she did her ship has sailed, Mavs on the Normandy now! Yeah, it's hard to change TIMs mind. Thanks man, I'm excited about all of the OC's, it makes things more open.
masterdude94: Glad you didn't see it coming, I tried to keep it under wraps. Here's some more for yah!
In caverns dark: Don't worry, I'll figure it out. I already have a few ideas. Yeah not a lot of them do, but neither did Tali or Liara. Yeah none of them stopped Shepard from dying but I don't see why you would, it would screw up the timeline beyond repair, and knowing the timeline is an SI's only weapon. I hope I can make it work too, I don't see why I couldn't.
toprichie97: Thanks, I loved Welcome to the Family (sad it was never finished) so I thought I would try to expand on a good idea! Haha, thank you my friend!
ForgottenPrince: Thanks, glad you're liking it!
Lfan8: Thank you. I thought "justice" was funny but then again I am surprisingly immature. Mav didn't crush any bones because he lowered his mass (though I didn't say it) if he didn't he would probably break a few of his own bones! I think I'll have Mav keep his secret for a while, and I think his friends haven't questioned him is because he hasn't given them a reason to doubt him. Yup! Mav knows everybody's story and everything about them, so that adds a bit of depth and opportunities for some pranks!
Yurei Hanatsuki: Glad you like it. I love the demolisher, if you build her right you can have nine grenades! Boom indeed! Oh man, once you get the krogan vanguard, build him for melee and recharge, and you're unstoppable!
DelVarO: Woo! Yeah, I'm pumped! Thanks man, I love writing fight scenes! Sorry I never messaged you about the chapter, but most of your lines were taken from your story (hope you don't mind) so no new lines were needed. Next chapter though, definitely count on it!
Niras91: So generous, thank you! Glad you thought it was funny, I was chuckling when I was writing it! Sorry about the sunburn, I know that hurts. I've read stories that are just banter and silliness, it's fun at first but gets boring because there is no depth, I don't want that to happen to my story. Don't worry about the pressure, it's all good! And I did drink one for ya, it was pretty good! Of course you can use the "charge" bit, I don't mind at all!
.77: I think it will be interesting, I'm hoping you think it will be too. Thanks, I will try!
Guest1: I for sure said it out loud! Thanks, I love my twists!
Guest2: You definitely missed out, go check out those fics my friend. they have my seal of approval!
new reader: Definitely read them, without those I wouldn't have written this story!
Kalikedeshi Terminal Velocity: In my mind it's rated T, but it'll probably hit M by the time it's done. The only thing that makes things M (in my mind) is graphic sex, nudity, and constant cases of gore. Playful innuendo and swearing is T for me, but we are all different eh? I thought it would be cool to have all of the SI's together, SI-inception if you will. Yeah, that damn "life" always getting in the way, hopefully it will be the good life and not the bad!
A/N: If you're reading this then you are here for one reason and one reason only, to rock. The bands will be in italics and the song will be in bold, each band has the same "sound" but sometimes they branch out so if you have the time give them all a listen.
Rival Sons
Pressure and Time
Keep On Swinging
Glorious Sons
Mama
White Noise
Ruby
Baby
Head of the Herd
We Could Get Together
By This Time Tomorrow
HEADSTONES
Tweeter and the Monkey Man
When Something Stands for Nothing
Smile and Wave
longwaytoneverland
Absoulutly
farawayfromhere
The Trews
Tired of Waiting
Sons of Revelry
Born With a Bigga Goal
The Sheepdogs
I Don't Know
The Way It Is
Feeling Good
Danko Jones
Bounce
Monster Truck
Righteous Smoke
Seven Seas Blues
Sweet Mountain River
Old Train
The Lion
Black Collar Union
As I Lay Me Down
Sam Roberts Band
We're All In This Together
Tragically Hip
Blow at High Dough
New Orleans
Twist My Arm
There you have it, every great Canadian rock song I can think of off the top of my head, I've left out more obvious ones because it's likely you've heard of them (Neil Young, Rush, Nickleback, Simple Plan, Sum 41, Billy Talent, Finger Eleven, and so on) and I just wanted to get out some of the less known ones. In fact, Sons of Revelry and Black Collar Union were just discovered a month ago! Enjoy!