This story is after the events of Planetside 2 and during Mass effect 2 right before Shepard is awakened and goes to investigate the missing colonists. The Auraxis war ends in a stalemate when random scientist make a wormhole and FTL drive, making travel way easier, making the war a waste of material and lives. Most factions claim victory except nanite systems who disappear amongst other corporations, and PMCs. Because of the weird technology that makes people re-spawn after being shot, most people live until their bodies grow so old that reanimation is torture and pointless and unless Auraxis is destroyed they can keep reanimating. Or the very few who are important get re-installed in to robotic bodies. Most factions tolerate each other to explore the wider galaxy and get back to earth, if earth is even in this reality.
Mass effect 2 timelines, Shepard is currently been awoken from death and overall, nothing has changed. The Citadel is getting its strength back up and ignoring most problems, because of the endless bureaucracy leaving most of the galaxy to fend for its self and unknowingly or willingly ignoring most big problems. They try to cover up a lot of the heroes of mass effect, not wanting to acknowledge humanity's accomplishments.
Recap over:
A few Planetside things to address for the lore:
TR: TR are in AVA armor because it looks cool and are basically looking like their art on the loading screens. The TR has been busy fixing stuff and trying to be the socialist utopia it was on earth, leaving the military to do their own shenanigans. They have been busy exploring their own system and making bases, fortresses or space stations on every piece of land they could find asteroids, Moons, random floating rocks. As a consequence, their colonies are sort of domes or even underground cities that are evolved from those bases, leading most of the people to be militaristic. Another thing they are trying is to become the space police in the Luminaire system. The main problem for them is because of the over colonization, a lot of the colonies turn to the NC willingly, forcing them to slow down to a craw. They enforce everything and try to bring order and do what they promised.
NC: They get the Nomad armor as their default look again because it looks cool. The New Conglomerate no longer a group of corporations has become a democracy, in a way, with most of its territory being like the wild west. A lot of the soldiers became PMCs or adventurers to find and help explore the galaxy, in fact, their military is almost entirely of volunteers encouraging their exploration. A lot of their colonies are of traders and retired military from the Auraxis war. Because of that freedom, most would go and answer the call if the New Conglomerate asked. But also because of this freedom, their organization leaves they vulnerable to organized attacks. The NC is mostly policed by outfits and squads of the Auraxis war who don't want to fight anymore, but also don't want to leave their jobs or what they created in disorder.
VS:They get their art armor as default, but I don't think any stile fits them perfectly, so we will see. Their Alien look won't be translated in everything like the Galaxies, Bastions, so on with the few exceptions with things I might add in the future to expand the lore a bit. All of them have the Zealot or Sentinel voice effects because it fits them perfectly and is funny on an infiltrator. They are a Technocratic faction colonizing Isolated areas and using their stealth technology to delete them from existence. Their cities are more like labs than cities, and everyone is working to advance technologies. The Vanu armies have because an army of explorers and at the helm stand the scientist who think actions do better than siting in a lab and exploring the galaxy with a bunch of numbers theoretically. Still a big presence in the Luminaire system even with their cloaking technology, they lead the 3 factions forward in to the unknown.
NSO: They won't be here, maybe I will bring them back as a big cheese corpo type of faction. They have basically no lore, they don't make any sense or reason lore wise, and so they don't exist for now.
Ship stuff : So the Bastion will be 1000m and the Galaxy will be the size of the Halo drop-ship 30.7m by 25.7m or something like that because Planetside has no sizes. A lot will be noted later on.
The Luminaire system: Luminaire ... Shiva ... Devi ... Auraxium Belt ... Doramir moons TAuraxis and Auraxis ... Dosojin ... Shangdi.
PS: I own Nothing.
Shangdi: Terran Republic Observation and refueling station orbit.
A Vanu Sovereignty Bastion next to the station is moving out and a group of 8 Galaxies are landing on it, as it moves further in to space. In the Bastion, a small number of Scythes are landed and ready. A lot of the ship is full of surveillance and exploratory equipment, as well as batteries and fuel. In the Hanger, 2 New Conglomerate Galaxies are loading up. Meanwhile, on the bridge, Ha-Yoon the captain of this mission is giving orders and preparing the ship for Teleportation. He is loading as many ships in the Bastion as possible to make the wormhole smaller, take less energy and to be more stable. Ships are landing inside or on top in open space.
The Commander of this mission and the captain of this ship is an Infiltrator called Ha-Yoon, she has a hood and a scarf covering her knight like visor, on her back a sword and a pistol on her thigh.
Bert Reeves swung the automatic sliding doors open in to the bridge. He was the NC leader. He had standard heavy Nomad armor and no visor, he had welding goggles on and a riot shield looking shoulder guard attached to his elbow for more control.
Bert's smile shined as he opened the door. " Reporting that my platoon is ready to kick any squid like son of a bitch the galaxy has to offer ."
The organized chaos and Ha-Yoon ignoring him or too busy to acknowledge continued to give orders as she turned around and picked up a data pad a book with an attached pen from a long table in the middle of the room." Well, at least you are reporting. Do not shoot any squid unless it shoots acid at us so keep your war band on a tight leash, understood? Also, I will be joining you on this mission and commanding the expedition personally. " As she said that, she walked out and speed walked to the hanger.
Bert smiling as he followed. "Ha, you dorks keep being all high and mighty until you need help."
As they left the bridge, a silence fell. The only movement coming from the teleportation crew flicking switches, and as the final switch was flicked an eye like hole started opening in front. From the hole you can see a sun and a dark side of a dead looking planet instead of darkness. Soon the Engines of the Bastion roared at full speed through the hole as the bridge started to prepare to scatter the ships off them.
Freedom's progress: After the abduction.
Veetor is gathering all the security systems around him in a panic while looking at all the cameras frantically." Monsters are coming back. Hide from the swarm. Hide hide" Looking at a Telescopic camera the colony had for security against pirates or criminals, looking outside in to space picks up an anomaly. A Giant eye? Veetor was horrified, thinking it was the swarm out to get him. It didn't help when a Giant Dreadnought flew out and had ships spring out of it like flies towards the planet.
Thinking fast, he set up the Loki security around houses and in to ambush positions, Kei-9s next to corners and the Ymir mech close to him as a last resort.
Freedom's progress: Closing in to orbit.
The Galaxies escorted by the scythes spring out of the Bastion to loosen up their tight formation. Going at the planet at full speed, they notice a weird light on the dark side, almost like an outpost.
The Galaxy Ha-Yoon and Bert are on, a rough voice from the speaker. " Looks like this planet ain't dead. we have lights."
Shocked Ha-Yoon ordered " Deploy me and the Infiltrators first, keep our distance. Try to find any radio frequency or anything to contact them." From the speaker, " Copy that."
Unloading on top of the cliffs, the infiltrators popped their heads and looked into the colony. Not noticing anything, they started going closer and closer, until they were right at the door of a house. A VS Infiltrator looked at the weird holographic circle and the door with no visible handle ?
VS Infiltrator" So how do we open this" VS Infiltrator 2 "
VS Infiltrator 2 "I don't know, try to move that hologram or something"
Flicking at it suddenly Bleeped and glowed green, opening the door. Going in slowly and clearing the house fully, they radioed back. "This is the first contact squad, we have a very human looking house with a coffee machine and some fake looking plants over."
Bert "So these aliens ain't so alien, huh? Ha, they even write in English. "
Ha-Yoon " It appears so, we still need to be cautious to move in look in every house be at your best behavior."
NC light assault " We will be the most polite burglars, madam, copy that " as they launched forward off the cliff deeper in to the town.
Vanu and NC troops start clearing house after house, suddenly a couple of heavy assaults open a big door to the next area. Shots ring out at them as humanoid droid people shoot at them.
VS Heavy Assult " What the HELL" as they take cover a big dog with a plug as a head charges at them. The heavy assaults took some shots at their normal shields, but they quickly used their Heavy shields and charged in, smashing the dog in to peaces and the cyclops looking tin cans had their heads turned in to Swiss cheese.
Team 5 lead "This is team five. We were ambushed by some droid looking machines and weird looking, I think dog" As they sent their message the Light assaults shouted on the radio " Good for you (shots ring out) we found tripods out for blood (A rocked was heard as the coms cut out) "
Hearing that Ha-Yoon turned to Bert "Lieutenant Reeves, we are going to lead the charge, get your men and prepare for combat. "
Bert loaded his shotgun, " Didn't I tell you about the squids. " Laughingly, he waved for his other 2 heavy assaults to follow him.
Front line Light assaults a scorched charred armored NC Soldier next to an equally wounded VS troopers. The only thing distinguishing him is his rank of Sargent and name tag, Nelson Lopez (tag N-Lopez). Next to him, privates Feiyu and private Nam. There were others taking cover in the houses and dragging people in to cover, but he can't see that far.
Lopez shouted " Are you ready to die boys." As he threw a grenade in the general direction of the tripods.
The VS soldiers looked horrified as the explosion of the grenade rang out, " We nearly got killed they had the drop on us. "
Lopez looked at them sternly " Listen up boys, dying ain't the funnest activity I can tell you that, but I can also tell you that these goddam toasters on legs shooting you will not end until they perforate your cowardly existence, it will only jeopardize our mission to kick ass and take names, or explore and whatever you lizard folk do " Pules out Rocklet Rifle " Get your big ass rifle and let's show them what Auraxis has to offer. "
Still unsure if he was insane or not, they still acknowledged his rank and that he was correct, dying here will only slow them down, they grabbed their Rocklet Rifle and got ready to jump. Lopez started counting " 1.2.3 Show em hell " .
They jumped at the turrets, 1 of which was pointed at their direction. Unloading their Rocklet rifles and switching to assault rifles. Luckilly the blind burst knocked them off balance, making them miss their shots. Mopping up the last turrets quickly, he turned to his men, " How many of you are dead or dying ". After the quick silence, " Good now group up on that door.".10 of the light assaults all with different bullet ricochets and chipped off armor line the big door taking cover anywhere they can find, another 10 are left behind in a building tending or been wounded.
Before he could give the order, 3 Infiltrators uncloaked and Ha-Yoon interjected " Re-leave your troops to make a perimeter, you and your 3 men will join me and Lieutenant Reeves " Bert Jumped down from the railing with is bodyguard close to follow. N-Lopez " Copy that (saluted) do as she said ".
The 9 got ready and opened the door. Clearing the first houses and crossing the bridge, Feiyu and Nam see something in the shadows. Lopez saw they were distracted, followed close. Getting closer, suddenly Feiyu got a machine gun burst at his guts and Nam was pulled by Lopez nearly getting blasted to bits by a grenade launcher. Uncloaking, the Infiltrators shoot the mech with a combination of SMG Pistol and Sniper rifle, taking his shields down because of their Laser weapons. Unfortunately, the Giant Robot had a lot a armor they couldn't get trough quick enough. Bert dashed out a house with a rocked launcher and, together with his guard, shot a salvo hitting the Mech making quick work of him.
Nam looked at his dying comrade dashing to him " Hold on we can get a medic here " Feiyu whimpered " It hurts, and I see a darkness what is happening"
Lopez knelt next to the soldiers "You're bleeding out boy, and we don't have a medic near us, I have to give you the unfortunate news that you won't make it. "
Feiyu shocked looked up, " The end, huh?" Trying to fight the pain and accept his death, he layed there bleeding with Nam almost shell shocked. Giving him a moment, Lopez pulled out his pistol and blasted the soldier's head open. Nam jumped out of shock " What the hell did you do " Confused Lopez put back his pistol "Put him out of his misery what's the problem. Anyway, congratulations on the mission accomplished and you and your friend's future promotion, I hope I don't know how your coo coo Vanu cult stuff works" N-Lopez walked to the others and got ready to check the last building.
Opening the door, Ha-Yoon was surprised to see a very human looking man with only his legs and hands giving him away. Taping a holographic keyboard and looking at 9 screens of the base. He was frantic and talked in a unknown language.
Bert walked in looked around the messy room. " Looks like a crack head." hearing his voice and frantic taping, "A alien crack head. Who knew that knowing English didn't translate in to language"
Lopez looked at him closer and Ha-Yoon the other side, " This man is more shell socked than most of the lads in the actual trenches."
Thinking a bit, she tried to find a port somewhere, Ha-Yoon found some but couldn't plug in, who knew that standardization is not a thing with aliens. " We should set up surveillance and I guess find out what this swarm can do and If it might be any threat to the Luminaire system."
Bert asked " Why should we leave him here like bait?"
Ha-Yoon " We can't talk we don't know his biology, by Vanu if we take his suit off he might die ."
Lopez giggling, " Hehe Give him space pox like the good old days of exploration."
Ha-Yoon "Scan the rest of the system, set up satellites with stealth systems, and we go back, we are not equipped to face any kind of fleet, one torpedo or rocket, and we're fireworks, also this is more of a diplomat's work and you barbarians should not be our first impression to this unknown race."
Bert " I guess we might need to sweet talkers for this " looks at the babbling mess no longer with a smile and jokes " And a linguist with a PHD in the PTSD department ." You can see pitty in Bert's face.
Ha-Yoon "The Satellite will tell us if he is in any trouble of if his race rescues him. It will also give us a idea of who and what they are, and maybe help us figure out how to communicate." She opens a com link with all the troops on the planet and gives the order to return to base.
They walk out and the order to board the Bastion is given. A couple of satellites that were on the Bastion were deployed and probes sent in to nearby planets rocks and asteroid belts to scan for resources. A few of the Galaxies were also deployed to the bigger planets to scan and analyze the flora and fauna as well as the minerals deposited if they had any.
After a day or two, they loaded up and teleported back to Luminaire.
Freedom's progress: 2 days after the space eye event and the visit.
Veetor continued to activate whatever drones were left during that time and repair the ones that can be repaired.
A Quarian ship started landing, making hum run in to the same house, lock the door and activate the security again.
The Quarians manage to get past the first gate and the security of their but are halted and take cover in a nearby house.
Freedom's progress: Shepard landing zone.
Shepard, Jacob and Miranda are sent to investigate the colony because of a string of abductions. After landing they find the colony like it was abandoned not abductad and everything was left intact. Just like the other colonies.
Jacob " Looks like everyone got up and left just like in the middle of dinner."
Miranda " Strange. No bodies. No structural ... " As she was about to say no signs of battle scorch marks appeared near the big metal door and on it.
As the opened the door and analyzed the area, the people shooting at the door used standard mass accelerator-based weaponry. While people hiding behind it and leaving massive ground, cover, property damage used the old cartridge and gunpowder as wheal as some deep scorch marks almost like a laser melted was more scorch marks than bullet holes.
Miranda " This is more information that we have found on all of our reports combined."
Jacob "Look like they fought against the mechs they left them in to pieces " points at the mech who have their heads full of holes.
Shepard " There might be survives we should keep going. "
After they went deeper in a couple of mechs poped from a corner and started shooting at them some where visibly repaired with spare cover and making quick work of the mechs they continued.
Jacob " These mechs should have recognized we are human, someone reprogrammed them to attack everyone. Also I don't remember the original models having tape or cracked parts."
After walking through another house or two and killing a few more mechs. Shepard stumbles into a not so uninhabited house with a not so unknown face.
The Quariens checking their map and gear jump up and yell, " Stop right teir!"
Tali jumps up and makes him put down his weapon " Prazza ! You said you would let me handle this !"
She turns around " Wait ... Shepard? "
Prazza " I am not taking any chances with Cerberus operatives !"
Tali "Put those weapons down. Shepard ? Is that ... You're alive ?"
Shepard "Remembe when I gave you that data, Tali ? Did it help you complete your Pilgrimage?"
Tali " Yes, it did, Prazza weapons down. This is definitely commander Shepard."
Prazza " Why is your old commander working for Cerberus? "
Tali " I don't know. Maybe we should ask "
Shepard " I nearly died Tali, Cererus spent 2 years rebuilding me. They want me to investigate attacks on Human colonies."
Prazza " Likely story. No organization would commit so much resources to save 1 soldier"
Tali "You haven't seen Shepard in action,Prazza . Trust me. It was money well spent. Perhaps we can work together. We are here looking for a young Quarian named Veetor. He was here on Pilgrimage."
Shepard " Isn't that a little strange? A Quariian visiting a remote human colony ?"
Tali " Quariens can choose where they go on Pilgrimage. Veetor liked the idea of helping a small settlement. He was always... nervous in crowds."
Prazza " She means that he was unstable. Combined that with his damaged suit CO2 scrubbers and a infection from open air-exposure he's likely delirious."
Tali " When he saw us landing, he hid in a shed warehouse on the far side of town. We also suspect he programmed the mechs to attack anything that move including whatever attacked."
Shepard "Veetor is the only one that can tell us what happened here. We should work together to find him."
Tali " Good idea. You will need two teams to get past the drones, anyway."
Prazza " Now we are working with Cerberus?"
Tali " No Prazza, you are working for me. If you can't follow orders go wait on the ship. Head to the warehouse trough the center of the colony. We'll circle around the far side and draw off some of the drones to clear you a path. "
Shepard " You really don't like Cerberus. What did I miss ?"
Prazza " They killed our people. infiltrated our flotilla, and tried to blow up one of our ships."
Miranda " That's not how I'd have explained it, exactly. It was nothing personal."
Jacob " We can argue over who killed who later. Right now we have a job to do. "
Tali " Agreed. We work together to get to Veetor."
Shepard "Make sure to keep in radio contact."
Tali " Will do. Good luck, Shepard. Whatever happens... It's good to have you back. "
Whit that the 2 groups split up.
Tali " Be careful Shepard. Their is a squad of security drones up ahead."
Jacob "thanks for the warning. We will take care of them."
As they walk in a building. They see that the floor's are covered in blood, bandages and their foreign packs litter the floor, and a few weird injectors are around.
Jacob " Obvious signs of a makeshift infirmary. "
As they walked on the balcony, the railing was ripped off and scorched there were scorched holes, bullet holes mass accelerator marks all over the place. The square cliff was torn off by a series of explosions. On the ground and other houses, blood marks can be seen of people being dragged in to cover. The obvious catalyst of this was the tree destroyed Drones.
Tali " Shepard! Prazza and his squad rushed on ahead. I tolled them to wait, but they wouldn't listen they want to find Veetor and take him away before you get here."
Miranda "We should have expected this."
Jacob "Come on! We can still catch them."
Going down to the bay door.
Tali "Hurry Shepard! We are inside the loading reconstructed the heavy mech! it's tearing Prazza's squad apart!"
Miranda " They did want to get to Veetor first. "
Tali " Get your squad in to cover and I'll open the loading bay doors."
Miranda " We'll take cover by the doors. Shepard you take point."
As they get in to positions Tali opens the door. The YMIR Mech is more of a sentry now and has most of it's part missing. 3 Assault drones go around push Quarines out to cover in to it's firing line.
Jacob " That mech's got heavy armor plating. Those Quariens never stood a chance."
Miranda " This is gonna be one tough son of a bitch to take down."
Taking cover and knocking down the Assault Drones buzzing around Shepard did quick work off the stationary mech.
Tali " This is your chance to go find Veetro while I tend to the wounded,Shepard."
Going in to the warehouse Veetor stands at the other end looking at 9 cameras and frantically tapping buttons again absolutely ignoring reality around him.
Veetor "Monsters coming will protect. Safe from swarms. Have to hide. No monsters. No swarms. no no no no no no no no no no."
Shepard "Veetor? "
Veetor " No Veetor. Not here. Swarm can't find. Monsters coming. Have to hide."
Shepard " Nobody's going to hurt you anymore." (silence)
Jacob " I don't think he can hear you, commander."
Shepard waves his omni tool. Shutting down the screens.
Veetor " Your human. Where did you hide? How come they didn't find you?"
Miranda " Who didn't find you."
Veetor "The..the monsters. The swarms. They took everyone."
Shepard "We are not survivors,Veetor. We just go here."
Veetor "You don't know. You didn't see. But I see everything."
He clicked on the screen and security footage plays.
Miranda " Looks like security must've pieced it together manually."
Jacob " What the hell is that."
On the scree a pod like thing floats alongside a bug like creature, with no discernible face, almost like they are entirely armor. Dumping bodies in the pods, arranging them at the entrance and moving the out. One of the collectors looks like he is on fire, but not in a panic or any distress.
Miranda "My god I think it's a collector."
Shepard " Is that some kind of alien?"
Jacob "They're a species somewhere beyond the Omega 4 relay. Only a few have seen them in person."
Miranda " They usually work trough intermediaries, like slavers or hire mercenaries. If they're involved with the reapers somehow, it would explain what happened to the colonies."
Jacob " The collectors have advanced technology. They could have a weapon that disables a entire settlement at once."
Veetor " The seeker swarms. No one can hide. The seekers find you. Freeze you. And then the monsters take you away."
Shepard " Why didn't the collectors find you ? "
Veetor "Swarms didn't find me. Monsters didn't know I was here."
Jacob " The collectors aren't aren't known to be careless. Maybe his enviro suit kept him from showing up on their sensors."
Miranda " Or they were using technology specifically to detect humans. Only human colonies have been hit."
Shepard " Tell me more about the swarm"
Veetor "It's how they find you. Seeker clouds. machines like tinny insects. They everywhere. They find you and then they sting you. Freeze you."
Miranda " Sounds like miniature probes, maybe. Find victims, Then immobilize them with a stasis Field or never toxin."
Shepard " I want to know more about the collectors."
Jacob " No body knows much. They are so rear, a lot of people don't even believe they exist."
Miranda " More importantly why are they abducting human colonies ? What are they after? "
Jacob "Maybe the Illusive man can figure it out "
Shepard "What happened next?"
Veetor "The monsters took the people on to the ship, and then they left. The ship flew away. But they will be back for me. No one escapes!"
Jacob " What about the signs of battle and all the wreaked mechs. On the video there is no combat or commotion."
Veetor pressed a button on his omni tool and the video changes to Purple soldiers with a Cyan glowing visor behind them. A blue person out of focus also rushes to them. They were shooting at the mechs taking shots and deflecting. They were obviously using an ineffective and out dated laser, the lasers were not losing their energy and were destroying the mechs effectively.
Shepard " Who are these people? "
Veetor " Don't know. Got inside. Didn't do anything. Didn't get anything. Left through an eye-opening in space the same way they arrived."
The camera changes to the space pointed in the sky, showing them the dreadnought arriving.
Miranda "Space pirates or mercenaries ?"
Jacob " They are packing a lot of firepower, if that's the case might be a problem."
Shepard " I don't know anything that looks like that, got any ides what or who they are ?"
Veetor " Heavy mech wounded one of them. The one with blue armor executed him. He is to the side"
Jacob "I think that's all we are getting from him, commander. "
Shepard " We appreciate what you told us. You were very helpful."
Veetor " I studied them. The monsters. The swarms. I recorded them with my omni tool. Lots of readings. Electromagnetic. Dark energy. "
Miranda "We need to get this data to the Illusive man. Grab the Quarien and call the shuttle to come and pick us up."
Tali waks in " What? Veetor is injured! He needs treatment, not a interrogation!"
Jacob "We won't hurt him. We just need to see if he knows anything else. He will be returned unharmed. "
Miranda " Your people tried to betray us once already. If we give him to you, we'll never get the intel we need. "
Tali "Prazza was a idiot, and he and his men paid for it. You're welcome to take Veetor's omni tool data, but please. Just let me take him."
Shepard " You don't have to take Veetor and go. We could work together. Just like old times."
Tali "I want to but I can't. I've got a mission of my own. It's too important for me to abandon, even for you. When it's over, and I am still alive, we'll see what happens."
Shepard " That sounds dangerous. What are you doing?"
Tali " I don't think Cerberus needs to hear about it. But it's in Geth space. That should tell you how essential it is. "
Shepard " He's traumatized and meeds medical care. Tali will give us the omni tool data and take him to the flotilla."
Miranda "Understood, Commander."
Tali " Thank you, Shepard . I'm glad you're still the one giving the orders. Good luck out there if I find anything that could help you I will let you know"
Jacob " We should check the body and we are ready for pick up "
Going outside Tali take Veetor to the other Quariens waiting for their own ship. Shepard, Miranda and Jacob check the unknown body. His weapon is missing and a lot of his equipment. The Cyan glow all gone and lifeless.
Jacob " No known equipment armor or insignia. "
Miranda " Could it be that the Collectors are using mercenaries to cover up their tracks . Having Human bodies will make the Council just ignore it like most problem the alliance faces."
Shepard " Take his body for analysis. We might be facing a bigger threat then anticipated."
Jacob "I am guessing that a group that executes its own soldiers won't be on good therms with us, we should keep an eye for any space anomalies."
