Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or any artists, or their music, mentioned in this story, and make no real-life claim to such.
A/N: Good morning/afternoon/evening to you all! Glad you dropped by. I've got another chapter for you today. A reviewer made an excellent point to me regarding my use of conventional weaponry versus the Mass-Accelerated gear, and this is what I had to say on the subject: I appreciate the realism, and I understand that it would kinda be a screw-up. However, If you were to use a different kind of make-up for the gunpowder, something that humans would not be able to craft normally, it would give the rounds far more power. As for kinetic force, it's a mass times speed sort of thing. So, something with a higher mass but going at a slower speed can theoretically deliver the same amount of force, give or take. The manufacturing process of such a round would be expensive, but would have advantages. At least, that's how I interpret it. The literal function of kinetic shields in game is debatable, and some may interpret this differently but there is nothing concrete that says this is the science behind it. So I'm taking some liberty with it, but I appreciate the opinion :). I think the reasoning behind this is sound enough, and the reason others would stick to the standard gear would be that it's cost-effective. Kudos to Michae1ange1o for an impressive new idea concerning weapons tech. But enough babbling on my part. On to the story.
Systems Alliance Space Vehicle Normandy Stealth/Reconnaissance-1
February 7th, 2183. 7:30 P.M., Earth Central Standard Time.
"You." I look up to find a massive face a mere foot from my own.
"Wrex." I say by way of greeting.
"You're Epsilon then?" I nod. "I expected something more impressive."
"Most think that, before they see my skill." I say evenly.
"Hmph," He grunts. "I've heard some things about you, but I don't believe a word of it now. You'll have to impress me, whelp, before I trust you in battle." I smirk at the testosterone almost dripping off of him in his statement, challenging me. Well, the Krogan equivalent at least.
"I don't need to prove anything, Wrex. You'll see my skill soon enough." I reply, not breaking my cool even as he leans in closer.
"Am I interrupting something special?" Comes the voice of Shepard, hopping out of the Mako, which looks like it's just been through a war, or ten. Wrex snorts and walks away.
"Ah, it's nothing Shep." I reply. "Wrex was just confessing his love for me."
"I heard that!"
"You were meant to big guy." Shepard's next question is interrupted by Kaiden and Garrus clambering out as well, the latter looking extremely unsteady, and the former actually falling over.
"Ugh... Never again." Kaiden moans, still not getting up. I look quizzically at Shepard.
"The beacon was a ruse, but I'm not sure by who." Shepard starts. "It was placed in the territory of a Thresher Maw, to boot."
"Damn," I say. "I've only seen those things from far off. I make a point to stay far, far away from them."
"Me too, but we had to deactivate the beacon before more soldiers were led into a trap." He mutters, eyes downcast. "I had thought I'd seen the last of those things long ago.." I cringe a bit at this.
"Anything you want to share, Shepard?" I ask.
"It's not important right now. It's something I've left in past, and it can stay there, as far as I'm concerned." He looks troubled, though.
"I've learned first-hand that it doesn't always work that way." I say, unconsciously reaching around my neck. "I'm here if you need to get it off of your chest."
"Thanks, Cory." He says with a weak smile, then laughs. "You know, I'm usually the one who says that."
"Hey, the first Human Spectre is still Human." I remind him. He nods.
"That I am. Glad somebody noticed. I'm going to have a mission brief in about a half-hour for when we hit groundside. Process of elimination has revealed the place Ms. T'Soni is most likely at is Therum, and I just want to make sure everyone is combat-ready."
"I'll be there. I'll need a bit of time pre-mission to get my armor on though."
"Don't worry, I'm giving everyone plenty of time to ready up." He responds.
"Good. I'll be there."
"Alright everyone, here is what we know so far." Shepard stands before the assembled ground team, already armored and projecting an image of Therum from his Omni-Tool. The resulting light gives the meeting a surprisingly calm mood. T'Soni is Archeologist who specializes in Prothean ruins. She is on Therum right now at a dig site, and Geth forces are already planetside trying to get to her. For what purpose we're not sure. Our objective is to secure T'Soni and find out if she knows anything concerning Saren's movements, or her mother's. Any questions?"
"Here's one." Ashley starts. "Do we know if T'Soni is hostile or not? If she knows what her mother is up to, then she might be in on it."
"Not for certain." I interject, drawing attention to myself before I can stop it. "She might not have any idea what her mother is up to."
"And how would you know?" Ashley snips. "People keep in contact with their parents."
"Not all of them." I mutter, but Shepard intervenes before Ashley can reply.
"We don't know at this time, so we need to be careful. We're going in quiet and dropping in the Mako a couple klicks from the dig site." At this, Kaiden and Garrus flinch. "Hey, it's not that bad." Shepard mutters. Oh, boy. "Everyone, dismissed. Tali, one moment." he says as people start to file out, but I'm out the door before I catch anymore.
"Woah. Nice armor." Shepard remarks as I finish suiting up. With it, I stand at 6'6", a good couple inches taller than him.
"It's gotten me through a lot." I say, my voice coming out slightly synthesized through the speakers. I look around at the assembled ground team, finding a certain Quarian absent. "Where's Tali?" I question.
"I told her I wasn't trying to bring her on a mission with her just recently shot." He says. "I don't want her pushing herself. And no offense to her, but I want to make sure she is 100 percent combat capable. We're going to get into some serious situations, not just skirmishes."
"She's more durable than she looks, Shep." I mention. "That reminds me." I say, popping off my helmet and going over to my sizable stack of crates.
"Reminds you of what?" Shepard inquires.
"Something that may help."
(Tali POV)
'Stupid Bosh'tet Shepard. I'm , my side hurts a bit, and I'm a little woozy, and.. Oh, who am I kidding?' I look around the engineering bay. 'This is probably the only room I'll actually do anything in.' I'm shaken from my moping by the sight of an armored tank. I almost don't recognize him.
"Oh! Cory, er, Epsilon. I didn't really recognize you." He has short, dark hair, a feature I didn't notice with his hood on.
"Cory is fine, as long as I can call you Tali." He says with a small chuckle.
"Sure, that's fine." I reply.
"I heard you weren't coming on the mission." He says, seemingly concerned.
"That shot I took today." I explain. "Shepard is worried I'm not capable of fighting at 100 percent... And he's right." I sigh.
"Tali, I'm sure he's just concerned for your safety." He reasons.
"It's more than that, though." I argue. "He doesn't really think I'm going to be useful in combat, but I know what I'm doing."
"I'm sure that's not all of it, Tali." He starts. "If you're that eager to help out, I'll talk to him about it. For now, take this". He pulls out a small vial.
"What is this?" I say.
"Just some meds to help combat the unpleasant symptoms of suit breaches." He says cheerfully. "I know you were already treated by Dr. Michel, then followed up by the doc here, but this will keep the fever and sniffles away."
I look at him, shocked that he would get something like this, or even know to. "Thank you." Is all I am able to say.
"Think nothing of it" He says, moving towards the cargo bay. "I'm just glad I can help a crew member." I watch in silence as he leaves. That whole time I spoke to him, there was something... Off. Something in his eyes that contrasted greatly with his cheery disposition.
Like a horror story waiting to be unveiled.
"Cory." I turn to the voice of Shepard as I rummage through my crates.
"Hmm?" I reply, still searching.
"We're ready to drop in a couple of minutes." He explains. "We need everybody on board." I look to the group uneasily boarding the Mako.
"I'm not dropping in that." I say evenly, finding what I was looking for.
"So you're not going?" He asks.
"I didn't say that." I chuckle. "I've just found alternative transportation." I gesture to the pack slung over my shoulders and weapons.
"... What?" Fair question.
"It's made of high-strength fibers and designed with combat drops in mind."
"... It's a parachute." He replies.
"With a Mass- Effect generator that'll lower my weight to a safe number as I get towards the surface." I mention. "It's safe, or safe enough."
"You're seriously going to drop.. With a parachute?" He seems flabbergasted.
"I have a bet with Joker on whether or not I'll hurt myself, so he's agreed to drop me at a safe height." I chuckle.
"You know, if I were more serious, I'd never let you do this." Shepard says with a smile.
"Good thing you're laid back then."
"Alright, we're over the area. You ready team?" Shepard addresses the ground team.
"Yeah, but what about him?" I hear behind me as I stand at the edge of the now-open cargo bay.
"Weston?" Shepard asks, but is interrupted by Joker over the loudspeakers.
"Echo, you are cleared to go."
"Shepard." I call as Rev Theory starts blasting in my helmet. He turns to me fully.
"I LIVE FOR THIS SHIT!" Is the last thing I call before tilting out of the cargo bay.
"... Well then."
The air screams past me as the ground below gets steadily larger. Just as it seems like I'm going to become an armored pancake, the generator kicks in, slowing my descent rapidly before deploying my chute, and I end up dropping to the ground only half a klick away from the digsite.
"Echo to ground team, come in."
"Echo, you alright? We're a ways out from the apparent digsite."
"I've landed fairly close, and am going to scout out the location. Will update as you get closer."
"Roger that. Joker says to check if you're injured."
"Completely fine, tell him he lost his bet."
He chuckles. "Wilco. Ground team out."
As I keep up the jogging pace, I assess the situation. Several Geth units moving about the digsite, moving bodies or heading inside. No sign of units heavier than Primes, but the dropship in orbit could change that in a blink. Snipers setting up in towers.. They'll have no line of sight on me, but I record their positions, as well as what appear to be mounted guns, and relay the information to the ground team for when they arrive. 'This fight will kick off well.'
(Garrus POV)
I watch the display as we reach the impasse in the rock. While the trip here was certainly... Eventful, the skills of the ground team would come into play now. Skills I've been itching to use. Mantis ready, I step out of the Mako gratefully, Shepard still debating whether he can maneuver the Mako over the rocks, much to the two marine's dismay sitting beside him.
Eventually, he gives it up, and we proceed on foot. We near the outpost mentioned by Echo, only to dive for cover as a cannon seems to go off. I'm up and scanning for it immediately, but Shepard puts a hand on my arm.
"It's just Weston. I told him to open fire when we were here." I follow his eyes to one of the confirmed sniper towers, lining up a shot, only for said sniper's head to literally blow into pieces as a second cannon goes off.
"I've got your back, ground team." Comes over the comms.
"Looks like we've got a guardian, then." Shepard chuckles. "lets move."
(Cory POV)
I watch over the rest of the team as they approach the digsite, my nerves afire as I wait for hell to drop from the sky.
"Digsite looks clear. Come on down, Echo, so we can go inside." ... Dammit Shepard. as I make the perilous trip down to them, the team continues their advance. I'm only a few meters away from them when something inexplicable draws me to look up.
"Incoming!" leaves my lips as the Armature rapidly draws closer. I'm the first in cover behind a crate as the world seems to shatter with the force of the Armature completing it's drop. A far more menacing sight in person, I almost don't notice the smaller units converging on us.
"Take them down." Shepard barks out over the sounds of pulse rifle fire. My own weapon is in my hands before I can give them the order, the enhanced P90 rounds stripping shields and metal alike from the Geth forces. And of course, just as I start to feel my first real conflict with the Geth is going well, my cover is turned into a missle by the Armature.
"Oww.." I'm briefly considering changing my line of work before the crate resting comfortably atop me is encased in a bluish glow, then moving off of me. A smirking Wrex moves into my field of view.
"No time to nap. There are more things to kill." He grunts. I shake my head at him as I look at the situation. Apart from a Hopper missing it's legs, only the Armature is still standing.
"Just go beat it to death, Wrex." I mutter. "It'll work fine."
"I'm a Krogan, not a Vorcha. Even I know when something won't work." He replies.
"You sure?" I ask. "I'll even prove it to you." In a flash, I'm up and running.
(Armature Unit 1209473 POV)
Significant damage to Geth forces. Attacking forces showing only minor disruption, but unwilling to face this unit. Alert! Enemy unit moving along left flank. Pulse shot aligned to intercept. Alert! Enemy unit has launched unknown projectile into FOV. Resulting explosion has limited FOV by 64 percent. Cannot locate enemy unit within smoke. Alert! Impact on the back of this unit. Unable to turn towards source of impact. Alret! signicant damge detected to unt's processing sevrs. Ale-
(Cory POV)
"Whew, I didn't think that would work." I stand atop the now-defunct Armature, staring at the mess of wiring and.. Blood? Motor fluid? I created along the armature's back and neck. I look up at the rest of the group, who seem to be slightly shell-shocked. "What?"
"Nothing.." Ashley starts after a moment of hesitation. "Just didn't think that you would have such a dramatic way of killing it."
"It wasn't that dramatic.." I weakly counter.
"You fired your shotgun into it's spine repeatedly and then used Omni-Blades to rip the exposed wiring into shreds!" She nearly yells. "I don't know if it was genius or insanity!" She considers this a moment, then takes an about face at the look of impatience on Shepard's face. ".. What?"
"We can get to his court-martial later, Williams." He says, though the smile on his face suggests another idea entirely. Hopefully something involving Liquor and much partying. "For now, we have a mission." He turns to me as we start our march into the digsite interior. "Quick question: Dual Omni-Tools?" I smile at him as I start to explain my unconventional combat style.
A/N:I am very sorry for the lateness and poor quality of this chapter. I'm learning people :P I promise. For now, let me know what you think and hang in there. I'm not giving up on this story.