A/N: WHATS UP, MUCKACHUNGAS!? It's Travez here and, I've been thinking about a lot of things lately, mostly about how I could create a perfect Team Composition with Shepard and, after thinking about it a lot, I'm thinking that this should also play into the Romance Arcs of this story as well! Now I know many of you are going to hate on me for this, but, after thinking about it objectively, both from a gameplay and a romance standpoint, and after watching XBadgerKnightX's Dichotomy of a Character Series on these 2 particular Characters, I think I'm going to change this story from a pure TaliShep story, to a TaliShepAsh story. Now I know you guys are going to get angry with me, but before you do, please go watch XBadgerKnightX's Dichotomy of a Character Series for both Ashley Williams and Tali'Zorah. These two videos opened my eyes and got me thinking about how their dynamic works out, and, using Cyberpunk Stats, Ashley, Tali, and Shepard would work well off of each other!
So first, the one I'm sure you guys are going to hate me for the most, the Romance part of this. In Mass Effect 3, during a part when Ashley's down for the count, if Shepard, after romancing Ashley and being rejected in ME 2 due to her misunderstanding, pain, and Blind Faith in the Alliance, Shepard goes with Tali instead, out of everyone else, if things are done right throughout the series, reveals that Ashley preferred it to be Tali who is with Shepard rather than her, even taking responsibility for how their relationship fell apart. Not only that, in Canon, Ashley's racism is brought on by her family name being dragged through the mud due to her Grandfather putting the needs and lives of his men before the hate and rage of his race, and how the Military and Political Hierarchy caused all this to happen because her grandfather had been selfless. Ashley's apparent Racism was mostly due to how badly her family got punished because her grandfather cared more about his men than victory. Not only that, she got so absorbed with her hate and rage towards the government, she was blinded by rage and began to go with the flow and focus her blind hate and anger on the other races of the Galaxy, only for Shepard to open her eyes and redirect her anger at the ones responsible.
Tali, on the other hand, her problem is that, like Ashley, she comes from a Military Family, but unlike Ash, her problems are due to the fact her father is a living legend, is absent throughout most of her life, and an Admiral which puts a ton of pressure on her to succeed as her father did, and forces her to choose between what is right for her and what is right for the fleet, often driving her to the point that she becomes indecisive and often makes a bunch of stupid mistakes because she puts the needs of others before her own. The two, throughout the series, develop a strong bond, almost sisterly, and if done correctly, they are almost like sisters as well. They bond over their military families, over some shared interests, and even vent to each other about how they are frustrated with their situations.
Now from the Tactical Standpoint, I already know that I made Ashley show off some Netrunning Skill in Chapter 1, but after thinking about it, Ashley would be better set with a Berserk rather than a Cyberdeck. The Cyberdeck is more Tali's thing, and as such, I will be actively changing that in this chapter. Aside from this, whenever I feel like it, the Primary Squad will be that of Shepard, Ashley, and Tali, with Shepard using his Sandevistan to Blitz the Enemy, Ashley using her berserk to overwhelm them with raw power, and Tali using her Cyberdeck to mess with people and create openings.
This aside, there is something I need to address that somebody brought up in a recent review, a review sent in by someone named Eipok, which reads: "So... This is a HFY story set in a Cyberpunk AU in which you've surgically removed all the "punk?" Gotcha". So for starters, while this story may look like a "Humanity, F*ck Yeah" Story and that I've taken the "Punk" out of Cyberpunk… Yeah I have no defense against that, but I do have explanations.
Explanation #1: This story is supposed to be a Crossover of Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect, namely "What would happen if we brought the Technology of Cyberpunk into the Mass Effect Universe" and "How would the Tech of Cyberpunk change course of History for the Mass Effect Universe". These are the two main questions driving this story. By giving Humanity Access to the Cyberpunk Tech, then we can give humans an advantage that the rest of the Races of the Mass Effect Universe, save the Quarians, have ignored taking advantage of, Cybernetics.
Explanation #2: The Main Reason why I chose to mix these two Universes together was because of the Quarians. I don't know if how many of you do or don't know this, but the Quarians have Medical Cybernetic Enhancements already, in fact, they are the only race I know that actually have these types of enhancements as part of their culture. With this, I came up with the idea that Humans of ME with Cyberpunk Series Influences would not only bond over this love of technology, but would also be able to find partners in the Quarians, who'd help them advance faster than before with the aid of the Prothean Technology.
Explanation #3: You know Cyberpunk's direct meaning is "a genre of science fiction set in a lawless subculture of an oppressive society dominated by computer technology." Now I know I took out the Lawless Subculture and Oppressive Society part in this Story, but honestly, I knew the merging of Cyberpunk and Mass Effect wouldn't be perfect, and, to be honest, I only wanted the technology of Cyberpunk anyway, so this story is leans more towards the Mass Effect side of this Crossover rather than the Cyberpunk side of it. I know this story isn't a perfect crossover, and I admit it, but according to Hekil, there have only been 5 Cyberpunk x Mass Effect stories out there, with my own being the 5th and newest attempt at them, and mine is the only one out of the 5 that actually utilizes the Concept I have done: Cyberpunk 2077 Tech in the Mass Effect Series. So it isn't perfect, but, I think I have a good concept going.
Oh and one last thing, I am bringing in an OC created by my friend BlackDomus500, with his permission, because I actually liked not only the concept of the character, but in the last rp we did, we created a storyline on the side that, while it was a D&D Crossover with Mass Effect, could work here as well. So thanks Domus, I owe ya one!
So yeah, this story isn't perfect, I admit it, but I like to think I'm doing something different, unique, and while yes, it initially starts as a HYF story, I only did that in order to show how Cyberpunk's Technology influenced the story as a whole. So while it isn't what most would expect, i am doing my best to make a creative and fun narrative for you guys. And while I am not using all of Cyberpunk 2077's plot elements, I'm holding onto enough that I like to think I've got something interesting going on! So I hope you guys like what I have to share with you, and I intend to expand more on my base concept as things continue on. Anyway, I think that is enough out of me for now! Please be sure to Follow, Favorite, Review, and Share this story with anyone and everyone you know who likes Cyberpunk 2077 and Mass Effect content! Catch ya on the Flipside! Shepard…
Chapter 2: Special Tactics and Recon
Council Chambers (April 12th 2183)
"Eden Prime was a major victory! The Beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit." Saren's voice via the recording that Udina plays.
"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers." The Female Voice says.
"You wanted proof? There it is." Udina says, pointing to the Council.
"This evidence is irrefutable…" Councilor Sparatus says, looking down with shame, "Effective immediately, Saren is hereby stripped of his Spectre Status, and all efforts shall be made to bring him in to answer for his crimes."
"I actually recognize the voice of the one who was speaking with Saren…" Councilor Tevos says, her voice filled with shock and confusion, "It was Matriarch Benezia!"
"If I may, but who is she, Councilor?" V asks as he walks up.
"Matriarchs are amongst the most powerful Asari, individuals who have managed to survive long enough to enter the Last Life Stage for our race. Their Wisdom and Experience makes them great leaders for my people." Councilor Tevos explains. "Not only this, Matriarch Benezia is one of the most powerful biotics alive and has a great following. If she has turned traitor, she will make a powerful ally for Saren. However, this is very odd, I was trained under her myself, and I know she wouldn't betray the Council or Endanger the Peace of her own free will."
"Could she have been coerced?" Captain Anderson asks, "Could she be blackmailed in some way, like one of her daughters being threatened?"
"Matriarch Benezia only has one daughter, a brilliant young archeologist whom has made a number of discoveries and just as many radical theories that shake the foundation of what we know about the Protheans. It's only due to her age that many discredit her findings, or pay no heed to her theories." Councilor Tevos says, recalling fond memories of speaking with the young woman herself.
"I'm more interested in the Reapers!" Councilor Valern says, "What do you know of them."
"Very little at the moment, Councilor." Shepard explains, stepping forward. "However, I do know that the Beacon on Eden Prime, the one I was sent to retrieve as part of my Spectre Examination, contained information about it… If I may?" Shepard asks presenting his left hand, revealing his USB, to which Valern nods, and Shepard is allowed to jack into the Citadel's computers and holographic images are presented before the Council. They see incoherent images, but with some help, they manage to freeze them when they are at the clearest, to see the Protheans fighting something. The image is too badly corrupted to clearly make out, but they send copies of the images to be sent out to be analyzed and restored. However, Shepard then begins gasping for breath as he holds his neck, the projection of a Prothean appears before the Council, and it grabs hold of Shepard's throat!
"You must stop the Reapers! Avenge us!" The Projection says before cutting out, and Shepard gasps for breath once more, coughing and hacking as he falls to his knees.
"Commander, are you alright?" Councilor Valern asks.
"No… This is the second time this has happened, the first was worse though…" Captain Anderson then goes on to explain what they know of the Reapers aside from what the damaged beacon was able to inscribe into Shepard's Brain.
"We don't know if the Reapers really existed, but if they did, then the Geth worship them, and they believe that Saren has found a way to bring them back, and are helping him because of it." Captain Anderson explains, "That is why he led the attack on Eden Prime, because the Conduit is likely the Key that will bring them back."
"Do we even know what this Conduit is?" Valern asks.
"I have a theory, Councilor." Shepard explains, "I think the purpose of the Conduit is in the meaning of the word Conduit. The meaning of the word Conduit means "A Channel or Tube that allows for the movement of Water or Electricity". When I think of the Conduit, only one thing comes to mind, a Mass Relay of some kind." Shepard says, "Despite my theory, Saren believes that with it, he can bring back the Reapers, and that's bad enough."
"Bah! Listen to what you are saying! Saren wants to bring back ancient machines that wiped out all life in the Galaxy? It's Impossible! It has to be!" Councilor Sparatus says.
"Yet Shepard has presented evidence of the Protehans fighting something terrifying, despite the corruption of the image. Perhaps there is some truth to this." Councilor Valern says, "Besides, thinking back on it, I don't remember Saren ever having any Cybernetic Implants in him at all when we last saw him."
"True but maybe he decided to wise up and did as the humans did and upgraded himself…" Sparatus says.
"Even though he had explained many times before to those who had gotten Cybernetic enhancements that they had lost their pride and dignity?" Councilor Tevos asks.
"Even so, where did the Reapers go? Why did they vanish? And how come we have found not a single trace of them?" Councilor Sparatus asks. "If they did exist, we'd at least have found something that belonged to them."
"Councilor, what you're saying are logical questions to bring up." Captain Anderson says, "But the truth is we have very little evidence to work with right now aside from the images from the beacons, which were clearly designed for Prothean Biology. Not only that, if Saren does know how to bring them back, we might be in trouble if he pulls it off."
"Captain Anderson is right!" V says, "I tried to warn you about Saren before, and look at what has happened because of it. If you can't accept it right now, then give me the time to gather the proof while I go to stop Saren!"
"You stop Saren?" Sparatus asks.
"Why not me? I was already lined up as a Spectre Candidate, not only that, I know Mr. Who right here…" He points to Ambassador Udina, "Will more than likely try to demand you send the combined Counil Fleet out after Saren, and it will turn into an argument about racism against humans." To this Anderson has to turn his head to hold in a laugh as Udina makes such a horrified look that it is hilarious. "So send me instead, with Captain Anderson, who trained under Saren in the first place, we'll at least be able to remain on the down-low…"
"Thus Saren won't bunker down and hide out until he can see an opening to slink out again." Captain Anderson says, "Besides, sending out fleets into the Terminus Systems will likely provoke hostilities, but sending a single ship in will cause Saren to start making mistakes because, despite his Spectre Training, he got sloppy with trying to kill Miss Tali'Zorah here, whose to say he won't slip up again?"
"Captain Anderson and Commander Shepard do have a point! While we don't know anything about the Reapers just yet, aside from Circumstantial Evidence you managed to gather, allowing him to chase Saren will provide an opportunity to reveal the truth behind Saren's motivations, and if the Reapers truly exist." Councilor Tevos says.
"Until more evidence can be presented on the Theory of the Reapers, then we shall consider them a Myth that Saren is using to bend the Geth to his will, and a convenient lie to cover his true purpose." Councilor Valern says. "If you manage to find any proof at all, be sure to present it to us."
"What are you saying, Tevos, Valern? It's too soon for Humanity to be joining the Spectres! They're not ready for the responsibility! And, need I remind you, you're suggesting we inaugurate a Cyberpsycho, to join their ranks!?" Sparatus says, going into hysterics. Shepard cringes at that title, gritting his teeth as he hears what he is being called, and clenches his fists, his fingers creaking under the strain of the amount of pressure he is putting them under. "Out of every other Human Candidate, they put forward the Butcher of Torfan!?"
"Sparatus!" Valern says, "Your fears are justified, but Shepard has already gone through Therapy and Counseling to address his condition, on our orders no less, to be able to continue to serve the Galaxy? Besides, this is not only his chance to prove Humanity is ready to fully join the Council's Ranks, but it will be his chance at redemption in the eyes of the Galactic Community."
"Agreed… Not only that, Shepard's record speaks for itself, he has the drive and will to succeed, and is willing to stain his own hands to get whatever task he is set to done. More than that, if what Valern says is correct, then all those Cybernetic Implants have likely caused Saren to go Cyberpsycho as well, and it takes a Cyberpsycho to defeat a Cyberpsycho…" Councilor Tevos says, smirking.
"Which means Udina gets his Human Spectre, and you don't have to send your fleets into the Traverse, everybody wins, everybody's happy." Shepard says, to which Valern, looking down, submits to the logic of the others and thus Shepard is called forward. Everyone in the Chambers leans in to witness this momentous occasion, in which Shepard's Squad stands at attention, and Tali looks on with a smile hidden beneath her mask.
"It is the Decision of the Council that you will be given all the Powers and Privilegs of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance Branch of the Citadel." Councilor Tevos begins.
"Spectres are not trained, but chosen. Individuals forged in the fires of Service and Battle; those whose actions elevate them above the Rank and File." Valern says, smirking as he says this.
"The Spectres are an Ideal and Symbol; Courage Determination, and Self-Reliance given form." Councilor Tevos says, "They are the Right Hand of the Council, the Instruments of our Will."
"Spectres bear a great burden…" Councilor Sparatus says, almost forcing himself to say it with perfection. "They are the protectors of Galactic Peace, as well as our First and Last line of Defense. The safety of the Galaxy is theirs to uphold."
"You are the first Human Spectre, Commander, which is a great accomplishment for you and your species." Councilor Tevos explains.
"I am honored, Councilor!" Shepard says, bowing respectfully.
"We are sending you after the Former Spectre, Saren, who is hiding in the Attican Traverse. You are hereby authorized to use any means necessary to apprehend or eliminate him." Councilor Valern says.
"Even nukes, Councilor?" Shepard asks.
"Only as a Last Resort." Valern says, almost immediately, as if this has been asked before.
"Alright…" Shepard says, waving a finger in the air as he makes a mental note on that.
"Any relevant information we obtain will be forwarded to Councilor Udina." Councilor Tevos says, "This meeting of the Council is hereby adjourned!" The council turns to leave, and Shepard breathes a sigh of relief.
"I'm proud of you, son!" Captain Anderson says, smiling as he shakes V's hand.
"Thanks, pops…" Shepard says, smiling as he looks at him.
"Wait, the Captain is your father?" Ashley asks.
"My foster father, took me in when my mother got Zeroed on Shanxi." Vincent says, smiling.
"Wait, your mother?" Garrus asks, "Oh… Crap… I wish you told me sooner."
"What is it?" Tali asks.
"Hannah Shepard, the Demon Lord of the Round Table…" Ashley Williams says, snickering, "Shepard's mom is a legend in the Alliance Military, and it's thanks to her my gramps didn't surrender at the battle of Shanxi."
"I knew I recognized the name, you're the Granddaughter of General Williams, correct? I served with him on Shaxi!" Captain Anderson says, smiling as he shakes Ashley's hand.
"It's an honor, sir!" Ashley says.
"Welp…" Shepard says, "I know we have a lot to do before we can Delta after Saren, but…" He looks to Tali, "I have a promise to keep!"
"Huh?" Tali asks.
"I promised to get you some implants, remember? Well you showed your stuff in the Cyberpunk Simulator, and I like what I saw, so welcome to the Squad, Tali'Zorah!" He holds out his hand to shake, to which Tali giggles and takes it, shaking his hand. "I'm sending you a catalog of the Cyberware I managed to pick up that I'd thought you'd like, and purchased them all, I also got some stuff for myself, but here is what I think you would go for!" As he sends this to her, he scans Tali as well, and his Optics determine that Tali has the Following Statistics… Tali, much to V's surprise, has a Street Cred of 40, something he never expected her to have, meaning his instincts were right on the choice of Cyberdecks she could use. Then again, it makes sense to him, as Quarians, as a race, gain Street Cred faster than Humans anyway.
Aside from that, like him she has a High Technical Ability, 18, with a matching Intelligence. Her Reflex and Strength Stats are decent, with her Reflexes being around 12 and her Body being 13. However this also makes sense as Tali has had to have Medical Cyberware implanted into her already before leaving on her Pilgrimage, and her Enviro-Suit is modified to the point it counts as a piece of Cyberware. However, what doesn't surprise Shepard is that her Cool Stat is the lowest, at around 8. He watches as Tali checks through the catalog on her Omni-Tool and seems to make her selection with a smile, before she stops on one of them. She then clicks on it with a smile on her face, and Shepard gets a chance to see what she had chosen, and it seems she is going for a Netrunner Build with only a small amount of Cyberware to start with. He sees that Tali has gone for a NetWatch Netrunner MK. 5, with an Ex-Disk, and a Memory Booster, with a Feedback Circuit, and a Tyrosine Injector. However, what surprises him is that Tali already has a Blood Pump already installed as part of her Medical Cyberware.
Shepard smiles as he looks at her selection, with Ashley taking a peek with her own cyberware, and she seems to sneer a bit. However, Kaiden then nudges Ashley and whispers something into her ear. "Commander!" Ashley says, "I need your opinion on something…"
"Oh what might that be?" Shepard asks.
"I have been thinking about something crucial…" She then shows Shepard her Stats, revealing that she is not so well balanced to be a Netrunner, being more of a Soldier than anything. "I… I know that it's against regulations and such, but I am not built to have a Cyberdeck in my head Commander."
"What? But you saved our asses during the Cyberpunk simulations, what brought this on?"
"It's not something I wish to discuss here, but the gist of it is that the Alliance Brass doesn't want me getting my hands on a Berserk, since, if I did, they think I'll go Cyberpsycho…"
"I won't push now, but is there a medical reason why they think that?"
"You could say that… But I've been working to save up enough money to change out my Cyberdeck for a Berserk and a choice set of Mods to add to it. Unfortunately, no matter what I Ripper I go to, I can't get my hands on a Berserk, not even a low-grade one." Ashley says, to which Tali looks at her.
"Sheesh…" Shepard says, "Talk about rough… Mind if I run a scan?"
"Go right ahead, I have nothing to hide!" Ashley says, smiling. With this, Shepard does as he says, runs a scan on Ashley, and finds something a bit surprising. Ashley's Street Cred is sitting at a nice 30, but considering who her family is, he is not surprised, the Williams have been a distinguished family since the Second Contact War, having earned a lot of cred within the Alliance Military, but, most likely, also earning a ton of Street Cred Combined from all the places she possibly lived and served at. He notices that Ashley's Stats are actually in a whole different ballpark from Tali's with her Body and Reflexes both being 18, whilst her Intelligence is at about a 10, but most likely against her will, whilst her Cool and Technical Ability are sitting at a surprising 13 and 12 respectively. So doing the math she, somehow, her attributes are much higher than her Street Cred, which boggles Shepard's mind.
"How!?" Shepard asks, "I thought Street Cred increased before your Attributes did!"
"That's actually due to how I was raised, Sir!" Ashley said proudly, "I was taught how to fight and prepare for the basic training of the Marines since I was a little girl, and my Street Cred didn't grow as fast as most others would because I didn't stay in one place for very long thanks to the Marine life, so my Street Cred isn't as high as it should be." Ashley explains, to which Shepard nods as he thinks on this. It does make sense, and then Shepard asks her what kind of Berserk she wanted to get her hands on. "There is only one kind of Berserk I want to get, and it's the same one the Williams Family has been using since it was developed, a Militech Mark 5."
"Militech! Now that's some high grade chrome, choom!" Shepard says, shocked, smirking, "But considering what I have and what Tali is aiming for, it's no surprise!"
"V! Since you are now a Spectre, you can request any sort of Cyberware from the Alliance and the Brass can't deny you a request as long as it is within reason and if there isn't a good argument against it. However, since you already paid for Tali, I'll cover the Berserk and what other Cyberware that Gunnery Chief Williams wants to get her hands on."
"Thanks, pops." Vincent says, smiling, to which Ashley salutes the captain and thanks him.
A Few Hours Later…
Having won a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, somehow, Tali is the first one to get Chromed out, and Doctor Karin Chakwas receives all the Cyberware for the Surgery, unlike most Ripperdocs, Karen makes sure her patients are out cold for the surgery, knowing that most others are sadistic bastards who force their patients to remain awake during the procedure as some sort of sick joke. Karin smiles as she carefully brings Tali to a specially set up and sterilized place in the Infirmary, the Operating Room, where she sees Tali for the first time, and can't believe that she herself is Jealous of the Quarian's beauty, as well as her hips that don't lie, and a few other things that would make most men drool over the Quarian woman. "Alright Tali…" Karin says, her mask over her face, "I'm going to start with the Frontal Cortex Implants, these will be the most tricky to install, and I will be using Medigel to seal the wounds in both your skull and your skin to ensure that they are back in their proper places, and I will be taking advantage of your Medical Cyberware that you already have installed once that is done, activating your Blood Pump remotely so that I can perfectly seal cutting of your skull so that it returns to normal." Doctor Chakwas explains, to ease Tali's nerves as she lies down on the table, "Once your Blood Pump has recharged, I will move onto the Tyrosine Injector and the Feedback Circuit, then I'll seal the wound closed with a second use of your Blood Pump."
"Alright…" Tali says, lying down as Doctor Chakwas brings out an inhaler. "Whats that?"
"A Sedative to put you under. Unlike a number of Rippers I know, I like to put my patients under so they don't feel any pain. They claim that it increases the chances of a client dying, but that is mostly because they take sadistic pleasure in their agony as they rip and tear." Karin says, "I find having my patients going under far more rewarding, because it doesn't force me to rush through what I need to do, and I can make little adjustments as things come up. Now take two shots of this and just relax." Tali nods as she takes the Inhaler and takes in the medicine… The Darkness soon creeps on her vision…
With Tali under anesthesia, Karin connects some liquid anesthesia to Tali and activates something she normally doesn't do unless it's a very serious operation: her QianT Mark 4 Sandevistan. With this, and the Cyberware she had added into her body, she can take all the time she needs to get a Ripping done, making an operation that would normally require a whole team be done just by herself alone. She smiles as she takes pride in utilizing a Military Grade Sandevistan to save lives instead of taking them, and thankfully, the operation, which even with a full team, would normally take a couple hours in a hospital, or a considerably long and agonizing hour for more sadistic rippers, takes only a few minutes for her, as her modifications and implants allow her to move at lightning speed, spamming her Sandevistan with little to no side-effects. She smiles as she activates Tali's Blood Pump once the Cyberware for Tali's brain have been finished, then takes the considerable 2 minutes for Tali's Blood Pump to recharge to both catch her breath, and to take a mild stim to allow her to regain her composure before moving onto implanting the Feedback Circuit and Tyrosine Injector.
Once Tali awakens, she notices that, on her body, there are, surprisingly little to no scars on her body, and her Cybernetics Augmentations have been masterfully worked around as Chakwas is sitting down in a chair, whilst Tali's Enviro-Suit sits on a chair, having been properly folded with her helmet on top of it. "Keeelaaah…" Tali says, sitting up. "My head feels like somebody cut it in half laterally…"
"That's the Phantom Pain from the surgery, it will go away after a few hours." Karin says, sitting at her desk as she turns to Tali. "Thanks to the Blood Pump, your body will be back to normal in less than a day, as long as you take it easy for the rest of the day and only perform light duty."
"But…!"
"No buts, Doctor's orders. Trust me, when Shepard disobeyed me once, he didn't like what happened afterwards." Karin says, smirking wickedly, causing Tali to look at bit scared as the young woman gets her gear back on and leaves. "Tell Gunnery Chief Williams that I need about an hour of rest, and then I'll get to her. Also tell her that her "gift" has just arrived too!"
"I will!" Tali says, rushing out, seeing Ashley at the door. "Oh Williams!"
"How'd it go?" Ashley asks, crossing her arms.
"Well my head feels like it's been cut in half, and my guts feel like they have been rearranged, but I'm fine. Doctor Chakwas asked me to let you know she needs an hour to recover from what she did, then she'll get to you."
"I see… Well good thing she took care of your first, since you already had that Blood Pump to keep you in the game. I won't be so lucky." Ashley says.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, and I believe Doctor Chakwas knows what she is doing!" Tali says, giving her body language that denotes confidence. "In fact, I think she might be one of the better Rippers."
"Hm…" Ashley says, looking down. "Before you go, there is something I want to ask…"
"Yes?"
"The way you said, Nar Rayya, I thought I caught onto something when you saying your full name. You weren't born on the Rayya were you?"
"No… I was born as Tali'Zorah nar Earth… I was born in Night City after a member of the Los Lobos Rojos saved my mother from a Cyberpsycho and got her to a hospital to give birth to me." Tali explains, "My parents never got the name of the boy who saved my mother, but they have always been grateful for them, hence why my father, as an Admiral, has been more than happy to work with the Alliance Military." This catches Ashley off guard for a moment.
"Wait, your family's military?"
"Yes, though my father isn't always present. During a patrol, a deadly virus somehow got onto the Rayya and killed a portion of it's crew, my mother being one of those who fell victim to it." Tali explains, "After that… Well, Quarians mate for life, to the point we usually don't take other partners for the rest of our lives. When my mother died, my father was devastated, and it's driven him away from those he cares about. He has recently gone into Therapy to help with this, and he is slowly becoming his old self, but progress is slow due to how much pain he is going through."
"I know what it's like to lose a member of your family…" Ashley says, taking Tali aside to sit down. "My father, after he retired, he went Cyberpsycho…"
"What? How?"
"My father, despite his service record, morals, and beliefs, found out he was in the early stages of Cyberpsychosis, and when he broke the news to us, he told us how proud he was of who we had become, especially me… However, he knew that God was calling to him and that he would prefer to die with his sword in hand, and, as such, he had his old comrades put an end to him." Ashley says, "It was easier said than done because my father had a Militech Mark 5 Berserk as his Operating System with a Beast Mode Mod attached to it. It got so bad that the local MaxTac and a Spectre, who was visiting the Colony on vacation, had to get involved and what should have turned into an honorable suicide became a massacre instead. Because of the number of lives that were lost, my father and I got Blacklisted…"
"They're afraid you'll go Cyberpsycho as well…" Tali says, "That's why they refuse to give you a Berserk."
"Yeah…" She then looks at Tali with a dark look, "Don't tell the Commander…"
"You have my word, I won't tell him." Tali says, not afraid of her, her tone completely serious. "So anyway, what else did you choose for Cyberware?"
"I'm starting off light with the Berserk and it's mods… Though I haven't really thought of what else to get." Ashley says, to which Tali brings up a catalog and the two begin discussing what would fit Ashley's Street Cred and her capabilities, the two hemming-and-hawing over he decisions before finally coming up with 3 other pieces of Cyberware to add to her collection. At Tali's insistence, Ashley decides to go with some Subdermal Armor, and with a Heal-on-Kill, and Bioplastic Blood Vessels. "Quick Question: Why these specifically?"
"Quick Answer: The Berserk invigorates you during a fight, and with the Beast Mode Mod, it enhances your regeneration, but what better way to emphasize the Berserk's abilities than by ensuring you have enough armor to stay alive and can heal yourself both inside and outside of combat?" Tali says, smiling.
"You may have a point there!" Ashley says, looking at this girl, and a small smirk escapes her control. 'This girl knows her stuff when it comes to Cyberware… Perhaps…' She smirks more, perhaps there is something she can use this Quarian for… The two go to the Mess Hall, Ashley smiling as thoughts run through her head.
Citadel Wards…
Deciding to explore the Markets as the supplies are brought to the Normandy, V disappears and reappears as he looks around to see what he can buy, however, that is when he notices something, another Quarian, a male quarian who is making his way down an alley. He doesn't seem that much older than Tali, and he seems to be walking with great care. That is when he notices it, somebody is following him, those with black armor that contain a symbol he recognizes from the day before, and Shepard vanishes once more, activating his Sandevistan.
Groaning as he holds an injury as he retreats down an alley, Dar'Raan nar Rayya had been shot only a few hours ago, Saren's goons finally catching up with him, despite his best efforts to evade them. He groans as he leans against the wall, despite his Blood Pump closing the wound, the injuries had been cauterized by the shot, and thus his wound isn't closed and is getting infected. 'What rotten luck…' Dar thinks, sliding against the Wall to the ground… However as Saren's two assassins catch up with him, two shots ring out from nearby, and a warm sensation flows against his wound… 'Medigel?' Dar thinks, looking to see a beautiful woman looking at him. "Who…?"
"Don't, you're injured and sick, just lie there and relax, somebody is on his way to help you." She says, looking to the alley, in which she and her partner rush off as they hear motion heading their way. Shepard arrives to see the wounded Quarian, and picks the man up, taking him to see Doctor Chloe Michel, moving as fast as he can with his Sandevistan. Knocking on her door vigorously, Shepard hopes she is there, knowing this Quarian might not have a lot of time.
"Oh Shepard!" Dr. Michel says, walking to the clinic, then sees the Quarian. "Inside! Now!" Thanks to Dr. Michel's professionalism, she quickly sterilizes an area and runs a diagnostic scan, finding the bullet wound having been sealed, but the young quarian is having a reaction to an infection in the wound. Thankfully, she quickly tends to his injuries and contacts Tali after remembering something.
It takes Tali a bit to get to the doctor's office, but when she arrives, she is horrified. "Dar!" Tali says, rushing to her unconscious cousin. "Is he alright?"
"He's going to be, Tali." Doctor Michel says, "Shepard found him in one of the alleys nearby, and I managed to stop the infection. Shepard even repaired his suit while I was working and we were waiting for you."
"You did this?" Tali asks, looking st the repair job.
"As I said, some of my friends in Night City were Quarians, and they taught me how to repair their suits. So damage like that wasn't too hard, since I almost always carry materials on hand." Shepard says, smiling as he rubs the back of his head. Tali smiles under her helmet and then they hear a groaning as Dar rouses.
"Where am I?" Dar asks.
"Dar!" Tali says, hugging her cousin.
"Owowowowowowowow!" Dar says as Tali unintentionally, presses against his still tender wound.
"Sorry!"
"Tali? Where am I? Where did that woman go?"
"Woman?"
"She used medicine on my wound and told me somebody was coming to help." Dar says.
"I see nobody there, whoever helped you may have thought I was trouble and delta'd out of there." V explains, to which Tali runs the introductions and reveals to Dar what happened after they got separated.
"I'm so sorry I didn't go looking for you, cousin, I thought, and wrongly so, you were already dead." Tali says, remorsefully, to this Dar just rubs her head.
"It's alright, besides, a few more mi uses and I may have been dead anyway." Dar says, to which Doctor Michel explains that he will need to remain in her office until he is free of any bugs in his system. Shepard, however, gets the idea that Dar could come to the Normandy, Doctor Chakwas could help and, if Dar wanted, could work on the Normandy as an engineer. Dar doesn't even hesitate to agree, but Doctor Michel prescribes Dar a bottle of meds to take for the next two weeks with his meals to deal with the infection.
Back on the Normandy…
Ashley wakes up, groaning as she feels like her insides were, literally, rearranged, the marine sitting up as Doctor Chakwas provides her with a MaxDoc. The Gunnery Chief takes a good few puffs of the medicine as her injuries heal further. "So that's it?"
"Yes, that's it!" Doctor Chakwas says, "but I want you on light duty for the next few days so that the implants can take, and so I can monitor you, just in case any rejection begins to set in."
"Thanks, Doc…" Ashley says, being placed into a wheelchair as she is taken out to a desk where she can work. However, as she is rolled up, she gets a message from her sister, an Extranet Mail.
Hey Sis!
I am so glad I managed to get a message out to you! I heard about what happened to the 212, and we all got worried, but thankfully, you sent the message saying you were alright. Ash, it wasn't your fault, you didn't expect to fight the Geth, I mean, nobody but the Quarians had an idea on what the Geth were like, and they haven't been beyond the Perseus Veil in centuries! Who knows how much they've advanced since the Rebellion! Just know that we're here for you if you need to talk. Also, we saw you on the broadcast for Commander Vincent Shepard's inauguration into the Spectres. He's a Living Legend in Night City, in fact, I heard he's the great grandson of THE Living Legend, V, and the Son of the Demon Lord of the Round Table, the woman who won grandpa his victory on Shanxi. You're so lucky to be fighting alongside him. Oh and just so you know, I got word from a friend that he has a preferred drink that he wants to be placed into the Afterlife Bar. It's a mix of Mocha, Vanilla Mead, and Cherry Torani Syrup! I tried it myself, and it's soooo good! Anyway, send me a message sometime, and if you can, ask the Commander to get you set up with a Berserk. Heck we know you got yourself tested for dad's allergy that caused his Cyberpsychosis, hell, we all did. You're the only one of us who can handle a Militech Mark 5! So go out there make dad and the 212 proud! Godspeed sis!
Love you,
Abby
Ashley smiles as she looks at the email from her sister, and then begins writing back about what happened on Eden Prime, and telling her about how Shepard got her approved for a Militech Mark 5, and Captain Anderson paid for it himself, and the implantation went well, she just need to let it take hold and then she can start training with it. She smirks as she can imagine herself as a badass soldier, a Commander like Shepard, and the moment she goes nuts, her enemies run from her, though, for some reason, she imagines them as Turians.
The Presidium
V, having been called to Ambassador Udina's Office, makes his way to meet with him and Anderson only to notice somebody angrily staring at one of the consoles. "Damn it…!" The man curses, and V walks over to him, the man noticing him and smiling. "Shepard, Congratulations on making the Spectres!"
"Wait, Kahoku-sensei?" Shepard asks, smiling. "Admiral fucking Kahoku! It's been a while, how's it hanging, Choom?"
"Oh it's just been so nova, I tell you…" Kahoku says, sarcastically, He then proceeds to tell Shepard about how a team of his went on a scouting mission to answer a distress beacon. However, now that they have gotten there, for some reason he is being denied access into finding out what is going on there. "It's infuriating!"
"I can check it out if I pass by the system! Mind giving me the detes, Sensei?"
"Thanks Shepard, I owe you one for this!" The Admiral says with a sigh of relief, "Uploading the details now, I'll keep trying to get this done through official channels, but I won't hold my breath on that." Shepard's optics show the details being uploaded into his system and he nods, smiling.
"You got me into N-School, along with Pops and Admiral Hackett, it's the least I can do!" V says, smiling, "Later, Choombatta!"
"Goodbye, Shepard!" Admiral Kahoku says, smiling as he looks to see the man he trained rigorously for so long and who achieved N7 Status. Him and… 'No… He disgraced his ranking with the blood of the innocent… Unlike Shepard…' He turns his eyes back to the console and begins thinking. 'Maybe… Maybe a visit to Barla Von might net me something…'
Shepard, doing a few odd things around the Citadel, eventually happens upon something interesting… "You're Commander Shepard, right?" A Man dressed in an Arasaka suit asks, speaking with a Japanese accent. "Mamoru Arasaka! Pleasure to meet you!"
"A pleasure to meet you too, Arasaka-san." Shepard says, shaking his hand with the current leader of the Arasaka Corporation. "What can I do for you?"
"Well I was simply visiting the Citadel's Presidum when I noticed somebody in the company was posting this…" He points to the Advertisement about something called the "Secure your Soul" Program. "I officially discontinued it after I found out about how my grandfather, Satoru Arasaka was using it to turn people into Organoids and enslave them. Though… I do see the merit in it's use…" He looks to Shepard and brings out a suitcase and opens it, revealing a chip inside. "Unlike most, I believe you when you talk about the Reapers, especially with what had been shown during your inauguration ceremony." Shepard looks at the chip, "This is what I call the Artifact, an improved version of the Original Relic Chip that nearly killed your great grandfather… The Living Legend."
"And why are you offering it to me?"
"It is a bit of insurance against the Reapers… It has been properly tested in creating an Organoid Copy of the one who inserts the chip into their Neuroport. It will take some time, but it will stop recording once the user Flatlines." Mamoru Arasaka says, "All we need to do then is do what your great grandfather did, clone yourself and return your personality to the clone, which, thanks to the advancements in technology, won't have a shortened lifespan."
"Wait, what do you mean by that?"
"Well, your ancestor came up with the idea of cloning his body once the original Relic had done too much damage to his brain and rewrote his genetic Phenotype. If he hadn't come up with that idea, then it would've taken years to find a new host for his personality, since he didn't have any living relatives." Mamoru explains, "His clone was already dying when he was killed, but now, thanks to his ideals, we have focused on making clones that don't eventually rot away before their time, but can now extend them to a full human lifespan." Shepard nods and reaches for the chip.
"Wait, there is one more thing I want before I put that thing in my neuroport."
"Oh?"
"I want a written contract that protects me from Corpo nonsense and bullshit. If I'm coming back, I want to be able to continue fighting as myself, no modifications or control chips." Shepard says, to which Mamoru smiles and brings out a Datapad. "You already had it ready?"
"I'm not as corrupt as other Corpos… I value my word above all others, and, unlike my great grandfather and my grandmother, I recognize what your own did for my family, and the loyalty they held for years. So I am merely returning the favor…" Mamoru says, and Shepard… He can see the man is being honest with him, in which Shepard signs the contract with a smirk, then places the Artifact in his Neuroport. Almost Immediately, Shepard can feel the neurons in his brain being sent into overtime as goosebumps travel down his body and almost energized because of it. "You'll feel chills and energized for the next few hours as it records all of your memories into an Engram inside the Chip, which, when you flatline, will be used to create an Organoid based off you, but unlike other Organoids, your personalities and memories will remain intact. It will also set up a link to your circulatory system so that, when you flatline, we get a Stem Cell rich blood sample to clone your body from."
"I see… Thank you, Arasaka-dono…" Shepard says, correcting his terms as he shows his gratitude to the Japanese Corpo.
"It is no trouble…" Mamoru says, smiling as he walks away, but then he gets a message from the Corpo as he walks off to which Shepard smirks and begins to head back to the ship, when he remembers he has to meet with Ambassador Udina and Captain Anderson, and activates his Sandevistan to get there on time.
3 Minutes Later…
V pants as he arrives at the meeting place, "Sorry I'm late!"
"Where have you been, Shepard?" Udina asks, annoyed.
"Got held up by some stuff on the way here, and almost forgot I was asked to come here!" Shepard says, panting.
"It's alright, son, better late than never!" Captain Anderson says, "I got word from Doctor Chakwas that surgeries for Tali'Zorah and Ashley Williams were a resounding success, but Williams is going to have to be off-duty for a few days, due to her not having a Blood Pump to speed up her recovery."
"That's fine…" Shepard says, "I was planning on getting Militech Brain Dances for the Group to get them synced up for sorties anyway. So, when will we be going, choomba?"
"That's the thing, Shepard, I'm resigning from the Normandy as it's Commanding Officer." Captain Anderson says.
"Wait, what!?" Shepard asks, shocked.
"You're a Spectre now, Shepard, which puts you above Rank and File in most cases. Not only that, you're able to go wherever you need to without restriction." Captain Anderson explains.
"Besides, Captain Anderson and I both know that the Council will try to get in your way when it pleases them, and the Alliance will need somebody to relay messages to you. So Anderson and I will remain here to act as both Liaison for the Council's information and for the Alliance, as well as anything else that pops-up out of nowhere." Udina explains. "I may not look it, Shepard, but I used to be a soldier myself, but I found out my silver tongue is my greatest weapon, which is why I went into politics instead of continuing my military career."
"That is surprising…" Shepard says, "So I'm the new CO of the Normandy? This doesn't feel real."
"You'll get used to it eventually." Anderson explains, "However, I am making sure you get this done right. I nearly had my place in the spotlight, but Saren ruined it for me, and I lost my chance. Now I am proud to see the little Streetkid I raised reach heights I never could."
"Wait, rewind a bit… You were a candidate for becoming a Spectre?" Shepard asks.
"Yes, it was my bad luck that I got paired up with Saren as my observer. During my first test, Saren and I were sent to Camala on a rescue mission to help somebody who had been kidnapped by a Krogan named Skarr, it quickly turned into a disaster as Saren blew up the Eezo Refinery and pinned the blame on me whilst I was busy with the rescue efforts." Anderson explains, "We already had bad blood between us beforehand, though I'll spare you the details. Saren shifting the blame on me for what happened had kept me out of the Spectres, that is why I am proud to see you rise to where I could not."
"Okay…" V says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "At first I was thinking of bringing him i and making him confess about the Reapers… Now I'm more than tempted to just zero his ass."
"Whatever you have to do, Shepard, if you want to make sure to gather evidence that the Reapers exist, and find out why Matriarch Benezia had joined Saren, maybe there is a way to get her to return to our side and help us fight him." Anderson says, "So this is where our part begins…" HE then gives Shepard information about Noveria and Feros, two locations that Saren was recently spotted at, as well as where Liara T'Soni, Benezia's estranged daughter, might be.
"We know from Councilor Tevos that Benezia and Liara have had a falling out, so at best she might still be estranged from her mother, and whatever she finds in the Prothean Ruins she is in may prove useful."
"And at Worst?"
"She may have gotten in contact with her mother recently and they are preparing to mend their relationship whilst she is working with Saren. In any case, try to get to her first, the sooner we find out that T'Soni's recent contact with her mother, or lack thereof, the better!"
"Then I will go to find T'Soni first, if the Conduit is of Prothean construction, then a Prothean Archeologist may have a few ideas on where to look, at worst, she might not know where it is, at best she'll have run across something." Shepard says. "Where is she?"
"Last we heard, she is on Therum, in the Artemis Tau Cluster!"
"Remember Shepard, you're a Spectre now, as long as you have time to get to any of your objectives, you don't have to do things in any particular order, though the sooner you get to something the better."
"And remember, aside from finding the Conduit, you need to find evidence of the Reapers." Udina says, "My instincts are telling me to play along with the Council for now until we've gathered enough evidence to prove them true. Be sure to record anything and everything on your missions, Shepard, you might find something that will help convince the Council. Also, try to keep the collateral damage to a minimum, because I'll be stuck with the cleanup if you so much as sneeze."
"I'll make sure to keep a hanky on hand at all times, Ambassador!" V says, smiling as Udina snorts but shakes his head, exasperated.
"In any case, I need to get to a meeting, Captain Anderson can fill you in on anything else you need!" Udina says, walking off, "As you Streetkids say… "Later, Chooms"."
"HA! BROKEN!" Shepard shouts with joy as Udina growls and walks off, pinching the bridge of his nose, whilst Anderson is just rolling all over the floor, laughing, with snot coming out of his nose and tears in his eyes. At the same time Shepard is doing his patented "Shepard Shuffle" as his little victory dance.
"Oh my god, I'm gonna die!" Anderson says, laughing and trying to catch his breath, his chest aching from how hard and fast he is laughing.
"Ugh… Cyberpunks…"