Shepard's Return
Sequel to Mine Effect
Chapter 1
I don't own mass effect.
There, the start of my new story. The next chapter might be a bit longer. I've gottrn back into Rising of the Shield Hero so might write part of a chapter for one of those stories.
I also have a few ideas on a couple of mass effect stories, be a long time before their seen though.
The first thing Shepard experienced as she awoke was the blaring of alarms, the smell of fire and smoke and the distant sounds of gunfire, explosions and screams.
"...Sh..p..rd...Co..ander Sh..pard...Commander Shepard can you hear me?" called out a voice a feminine one
Forcing herself to fully wake Shepard gave a quick scan of her surroundings. She was alone in some kind of medical room which meant the voice came from over the speakers.
"Shepard your life signs are telling me you're awake. If you can hear me you need to get out, they're coming for you and I don't...FUCK!" swore the voice suddenly as multiple gunshots went off and only static was heard.
Climbing off the bed, Shepard stumbled and nearly fell when her feet touched the ground. For some reason, her body felt unexpectedly heavy. Heading to the nearest closet she found an undersuit, armour and weapons. Shepard normally could get fully dressed and armoured within ten minutes, which included triple-checking to make sure her helmet seal worked. Now though she barely got it done in twenty.
Grabbing an assault rifle and pistol she headed out the door after checking them over and seeing both a catch for heat clips and a venting switch. The pistol was solid and non-folding and aside from an adjustable shoulder brace, so was the assault rifle.
Immediately after leaving the room, she encountered signs of battle, on the ground in front of her were multiple bodies. From the looks of things, there were two sides, one side was well-armed and armoured with a white paint job, with black liner and a red triangle-like symbol on the front of the armour. They also seemed to be from multiple species, the bodies on the ground included a turian and a human. The other side was decidedly less armed and protected, all were human in white, black and grey uniforms with an orange hexagon on the shoulder. All but one had only a pistol to defend themselves and their armour was even more scarce. From what Callum said the second group were Cerberus, but she had no idea who the other group belonged to. Callum said that a man hacked into the mechs and turned them against everyone, that obviously did happen..so what did and more importantly...why?
By the looks of things, they were attacked out of the blue and had barely been given enough time to arm themselves before they were under attack. The only thing they had in their favour was a mech of a make she didn't recognise. It looked like someone had taken a Loki mech and made a new and improved version, the armour was significantly thicker, around medium armour level, and the front was especially thicker. An inch-thick plate was welded onto the front and there was a thick ring around its neck.
Taking a thermal belt from one of the deceased individuals she checks to see if any are compatible with the weapons she's carrying...they are. It seems that, at least from what she could see everyone went along with the hybridisation that Callum started. On the positive side, this meant she had good weapons...on the negative, it also meant that the people shooting at her also had them. Picking up a couple of grenades she continued on.
Heading up the nearest set of stairs she made it to the next level. As the door slid open Shepard found herself in a new room, in front of her was another door or hallway on the left. As the door behind her closed the one in front of her opened and a single asari wearing armour bearing the red triangle stepped through.
The second the asari saw her she raised her assault rifle and opened fire.
Ducking into cover Shepard was able to avoid most of the fire.
"I've got eyes on Shepard! All teams convene on me!" shouted the asari before throwing a warp at her.
Letting the warp hit her cover, Shepard responded with her own throw. Instead of sending the asari flying back she merely stumbled. Either she had a high-quality barrier or her biotics were weaker than normal.
Responding with her own fire Shepard managed to drop the asari's shields before she erected a barrier around herself.
"Give up Shepard, we've already killed most of the people on this station. Drop your weapons and we'll let you live." said the asari
Shepard didn't believe her for a second, first because she immediately opened fire on her as soon as she saw her and nobody who says 'we've already killed most of' can be trusted to let the survivors live. That and she doubted very much she would like anything this asari or her bosses had planned for afterwards.
That still left her with the problem of how to deal with the asari. Normally a single asari wouldn't have been a problem, not unless they were an exceptionally skilled or powerful huntress. Now however she was weakened, her muscles, body and biotics weren't responding how they should. It was like she was putting in double the effort for a third of the results. She wasn't even sure she could manage an extended jog for a long period of time. She could use the grenades but she wanted to save them for later, that and with the asari's full attention on her, she could react quick enough to deflect the grenade or even worse, send it flying back at her.
Whatever she did, Shepard needed to take her out soon. It would be hard enough to take her out without reinforcements. Spotting a canister Shepard got an idea. Using her biotics she sent it flying into the asari.
"Bitch! Fine have it your way." said the asari opening fire.
Shepard returned with her own fire, not at the asari but at the canister near her feet.
If the canister was explosive it wouldn't have worked. The asari recognised it as a fire extinguisher, disregarded it after it hit her and that was a mistake.
As the bullets hit the canister it exploded causing little damage but obstructing the asari. Charging forward without the use of biotics took more out of her than she'd like but her kinetics were able to handle the few rounds that the managed to hit her with the asari firing blindly.
By the time Shepard got close, the white smoke around the asari had dissipated enough for the asari to see her...as she plunged a red-hot omni-blade into her neck.
The asari died with a look of surprise and shock on her face. As the body dropped to the floor Shepard moved to continue, before she could get anywhere however three new opponents bearing the red triangle symbol came from the halfway on the left. By the looks of the armour, one of them was turian while the other two were either batarians or or humans.
Throwing a grenade into the middle of them she opens fire at the first target. She held the trigger down until it overheated, crunching down behind cover she pulled out her pistol and continued firing. Holding the forestock of the rifle in her other hand as it vented. The front of the rifle opening up.
When the first figure fell, she holstered her pistol and opened fire with her cooled assault rifle. When the next figure fell she quickly reloaded her assault rifle with a fresh thermal clip to take out the last hostile.
Approaching the fallen hostiles she searhes them and procures two large heat sinks which she adds to her collection, a collapseable shotgun which she holstered on her back. Asside from that she found a few more grenades and a credit chit.
Leaving the room behind she came to a hallway full of windows, on the otherside of one of them was an extremely large, well armed and armoured mech with its back turned to her.
It was also heavily damaged and was firing at some unseen target. As she watched, three rockets hit the mech, denenating it with such force the glass fractured in large and web-like pattern.
Deciding not to stick around lest the people who just took out that mech decide to see if they can take out the window Shepard continued. The first door was locked shut, but the next wasn't. Passing through the second door Shepard saw the body of other man with the orange hexagon symbol, slummed near the console to an open elevator. Again she assumed the logo to be Cerberus's. Unlike everyone else bearing that symbol however, this person was equiped in heavy armour and a grenade launcher plus the same assult rifle she was carrying.
From the looks of the blood trail he bled out. Either the wound was too serious for medi-gel or he didn't have enough of it. He must have come here either for a final stand or trying to make it out alive. Taking the grenade launcher she checked the ammo count. Eight rounds, it could have been better, it could have been worse.
Typing in commands, the elevator started to descend at a reasonable speed, aka about three times faster than the elevator on the Normandy.
About halfway down the door opposite the elevator opened and four new hostiles entered. Aiming the grenade launcher at them, Shepard fired. The first grenade stripped them of their shields, the second stripped them of their armour and the fourth stripped them of their lives.
Switching back to her assault rifle, Shepard fired a short burst into each body to ensure no one was playing possum. After making sure it was safe, she continued on encountering a lot more doors, most of which stayed shut and the broken remains of more medium-sized mechs. She could only hope she was heading the right way to get off this station...backtracking would be a bitch.
Coming across what looks like an office or private lab, Shepard took the time to have a quick look inside. There might be some information there she could use. Seeing an active console she started the last recording left open. When it did, the face of a woman appeared. A woman named Miranda, proving to her that this was Cerberus.
"Progress is proceeding as expected. I hoped the subject would recover faster than we had planned but it is not to be. Despite this, the Illusive Man is more than happy with how things are proceeding. All major and most minor organ systems are functional and we are also picking up signs of neurologic activity. In order to insure that the subject has fully recovered we've moved from simple organic reconstruction to bio-synthetic fusion. I would hate for the subject to suffer from organ failure after she has left us, or that her organ are doing anything short of working at their optimum levels."
Aside from the recording all else she got from the room was nearly 2000 in credits. Every other console she tried activating just wouldn't respond.
Leaving the room Shepard came to a set of stairs, on the top to one side was a window with someone running past, he stopped when he saw her.
"Shit Shepard! Shepard I need you to open the door! I can't..." whatever the man was going to say next was cut off as his side exploded.
As he fell a krogan in heavy armour stepped into view, large shotgun the size of a machinegun stepped into view. His armour was jet black with the image of a varren's skull carved into it.
Seeing her he gave a blood thirsty grin, holstered his shotgun on his back and pulled out an even bigger krogan hammer. Raising it up he held it over the body of the man he just killed...before letting it go. It hit the ground with a sickening splatt. The entire time he kept his eyes locked onto Shepard's. Picking up the hammer Shepard got a good look at it, on one side of the hammer were two wickedly sharp and curved spikes. Raising the hammer up the krogan the blunt end, covered in blood and brain matter towards Shepard the krogan drags a finger across his throat.
The threat was obvious...you're next.
Thankfully, as with the man he just killed, the door refused to open. Much to her relief, dealing with the asari was hard enough. Dealing with a krogan in her state was not a good nor safe idea. Especially one that looked as experienced this one did. Whoever he was he clearly wasn't a ordinary battlemaster or warlord.
As the krogan continued to glare at her, Shepard tried not to react, a show of fear, anger or any sign of weakness would have the krogan chasing after her with even more determination. Like a shark or komodo dragon smelling blood.
In the end the krogan gave her one last snarl before walking away. Noting his direction she did the same. It was less than minute later she heard more gunfire.
"We've got more of them pushing Jacob!" called out a voice from ahead
"Hold them back Hayden! Forbe! Overload their sheilds." ordered a second voice.
Coming into view, she saw three men crouched behind what she hoped was bullet proof glass. One had heavy armour while the other two wore light to medium armour. Infront of them was a wide drop with more of the red triangle on the other side hiding behind their own glass. All except for one who was in a biotic lift halfway between the two groups. As she watched, the field faded and the individual fell to their death. Or at the very least was removed from the fight.
Shortly after she saw them, one of the saw her.
"Shit, Shepards up!" shouted out one of them.
"What?" asked one of them before spotting Shepard "Shepard get to cover, we'll cover you." said middle one
As the three kept those on the apposing side busy, she ran over to them crouched over.
"Commander, it's good to see you. I didn't expect to see you up and running so soon. Name's Taylor, the one's next to me are Forbe and Hayden." said Taylor
"Where's Bob?" asked Hayden
"Who?" asked Shepard
"Your using his grenade launcher." answered Hayden
"I passed him a few minutes ago, I'm sorry but he didn't make it." said Shepard apologetically.
"Fuck." swore Forbes
"I sent him back to check that you were secure. The station's being overwhelmed and we hadn't heard anything from that area in a while. I was afraid that they might have found a way around us despite everything being locked down." said Jacob
"You were right, while I didn't have to fight many some did break through. I'm sorry but you three are the only people I've seen that are still alive."
"Damn, I knew it was bad but I didn't think it was this bad." said Jacob, pausing to throw out a singularity. "Forbe get a drone on those guys!"
"Well it is, now I'm going to need to fill me in." ordered Shepard
"You might have not have noticed commander but this isn't the best time for a chat." remarked Jacob
"No shit." agreed Hayden, pausing between shots
"Well I need to know who's shooting at us and why I should be shooting at them instead of Cerberus." said Shepard making the others freeze
"How'd you...nevermind. Yes we're Cerberus, I know you've had dealings with us with in the past but this is different. We're trying to do some good." said Jacob "The one's that are shooting at us are Shadow Broker agents, they're after you and trust me you do not want them to get you. Now can we deal with these guys before I tell you anymore?"
"That's fine with me." said Shepard
"Good, now Hayden's our heavy, Forbes is our engineer and I'm a biotic. Drop their shields and I can do a lot of damage." said Jacob
"You have to drop their sheilds?" asked Shepard
"A lot has changed since you've been gone, kinetic barriers are better than they used to be. Unless their stock or basic standard then they're going to at least have some resistance against biotics. They're still susceptible, but you have to put a heck lot more energy into it to do anything." said Jacob "Now we really need to finish up here and get a move on to the shuttle."
Pulling out her assault, Shepard fired short bursts at each of the targets. Hayden fired much longer bursts with a heavier rifle. Forbes used his pistol and omni-tool to take out their shields making them vulnerable to everyone else.
Half a dozen of enemy reinforcements latter and it seemed like they we're finished...at least for now.
"Alright, it looks like we have some breathing room. For now at least, if you have any more questions I suggest you ask us now before we have to make a run for the shuttle." said Jacob
"How did I get here? Last thing I remembered is getting spaced and the Normandy blowing up." said Shepard
"You were. For nearly a year, when I first saw you, you were stone cold. Anyone else would have put you in a coffin and called it a day. But Project Lazarus was different and it wasn't run by just anyone. Cutting-edge technology and one of the finest minds out there. Plus Miranda is stubborn as hell."
'Nearly a year?' thought Shepard 'What happened to it being two years?'
"Miranda, does she have black hair? When I first woke up I heard her voice ordering me to get up before the sound of gunfire cut her off. I later found a vid recording of her later." answered Shepard not voicing her other questions
"That doesn't sound good, but I know Miranda. She's tough as nails, if anyone can make it out of this mess she can." said Jacob
"Do you know what happened to the rest of my crew?" asked Shepard "Or why the Shadow Broker is attacking this station?"
"I can't tell you everything about your old team. Most of them went their own ways but I'm sure someone can tell you where they are now. As for the Shadow Broker, this is just rumours but apparently a couple of months ago the Illusive Man got a hit on his location and tried to take him out. Whether it succeeded or not I don't know, but ever since their forces have been after us. Either they took him, her or them out and they're trying to get revenge or it failed and they're trying to get even.
What's odd is that he even went after the Shadow Broker in the first place. The Shadow Broker and Cerberus have butted heads in the past. Both veing for the same information, opposing sides in a conflict but nothing ever this big. Both sides don't like each other but they both know that trying to wipe out the other could result in their own destruction. If the Illusive Man sent people after the Shadow Broker then he must have had one hell of a reason or information he thought could take him out."
"Understood, now you said something about shuttles?" asked Shepard
"The station has a few shuttles onboard. Hopefully they'll still be one for us, all we have to do is get there." said Jacob "There's probably going to be more fighting ahead so I'll give you our frequency so we can talk over comms."
Moving on down a hallway, they came to what looked to be a maintenance area with glowing red lights. There they came under fire from more Shadow Broker agents.
Pulling out her shotgun, Shepard fired two quick shots before performing a weak pull. The target barely stumbled but that's all she wanted. A third shot at near point blank range finished him off. Ducking behind a piece of machinery, Shepard let her kinetic barriers recharge.
When they had done so, Shepard continued firing. Instead of fighting, the last hostile made a run and got away.
"That's not good, he'll warn the rest of them we're coming." said Forbe
"There's only so many places we can go. They would have known someone would be heading for the shuttles sooner or later. Shepard, if I tell you why we brought you back...why we did all of this. Will you trust us?" asked Jacob
"Lieutenant, I'm not sure we have time for this." said Hayden
"We won't make it if the Commander keeps expecting a shot in the back." argued Jacob "We'll Commander?"
"It might help." answered Shepard
"As you've worked out we're Cerberus. It took a lot of work but we recovered your body for one reason and one reason only...to fight the Reapers. A lot of people don't think they're a threat but we both know that's not true, we need you at the forefront to ensure that there is a future for everyone.
However, the Reapers aren't the only threat out there. The ship that attacked you...we worked out who it is, its from a race called the Collectors. Not much is known about them other than they have a love of collecting hence the name. Ships of the same make that destroyed the Normandy have been spotted numerous times since you've been gone and a number of colonies have gone dark.
There's little to no definite proof that the Collectors are behind them, and maybe they weren't. Not all of them, the Terminus systems are full of slavers and pirates after all. But the Illusive Man believes that they are after human colonies and that they're working for the Reapers, we don't why but a good theory seems to be the Saren route. Aka, we serve you and you don't wipe out our race. Another one is that the Reapers created them, a combat version of the Keepers that maintain the Citadel if you. Either way we need you." finished Jacob "There's more but the Illusive Man could fill you in better than I can."
"So in other words you need me to save the universe...again. Well since I can't do that here, lets get a move on." said Shepard
Continuing on the red light returned to white as they returned to a hallway. Passing more bodies and scaring on the walls.
Coming to a door, Jacob motioned for her to stop.
"Right past this door is the entrance to docking station two. Thanks to the one the one that got away they'll know this is the dock we'd likely head to." said Jacob
"So in other words they could have anything short of a mako parked in the next room." said Shepard "Alright, Hayden you and me will go in first to deal heavy damage. Jacob I want to take care of anyone with weakend shields. Forbes I want you focusing mainly on sabotages and overloads, keep them distracted and worried about their shield strength. Also be careful, I saw a mean looking krogan that looked like he meant business before and he might be in here." ordered Shepard getting her grenade launcher ready.
Nodding their understanding, they breached the room.
It was divided into multiple sections and two levels, first was the cargo area which was outside the docking bay itself and was on the upper level. In front of her was an open space, the two areas connected by a staircase. It also looked like there was more on the left side of the room, it could be an office or it could be something else.
Said space in front of her however had three turrets. Turrents, that had already started shooting at them. They however weren't the only threat, spread throughout the room where a number of hostiles. Two near the turrents, two much closer to her, three on the stairs and more on the second level and probably even more out of sight to the left both up and downstairs.
Leveling the grenade laucher, she fired a single grenade at each of the turrents taking them out, they were just too dangerous not to take out first. The next two grenades she fired at the stairs, wounding but not taking out those on the stairs. Instead of wasting time collapsing and holstering her grenade launcher, Shepard threw it at the nearest hostile, using her biotics to add extra force to the throw.
The grenade launcher hit him in the face and even with the helmet it still would have hurt. Grabbing her shotgun she fired twice into their chest before turning it towards her next target. With Hayden having already fired a number of his own shots, it wasn't long before they too fell.
Crouching behind a barrier while Hayden fired short bursts, Shepard let her weapon cool and her shields recharge. About to raise her head, she immediately dropped when she saw a glimmer. "Sniper! Watch out!" shouted Shepard
Sure enough, a round pinged off against the structure she was hiding behind.
Hearing her shout, Jacob and Forbe stopped at the door she and Hayden had just walked through.
"Anyone got an angle on him?" asked Shepard
"Afraid not Commander, also at this range he'll have the advantage as all our weapons are close or medium range." answered Jacob
"Hayden, you have any grenades?" asked Shepard only to get a head shake
"Unfortunately no, used the last of mine just before you found us." answered Hayden
"Take mine." said Shepard, passing over all her grenades but three "I want you and Jacob to circle left while I keep the sniper busy, Forbe you're with me. When they start turning their attention to you I'll come up the right, pining them in between. Forbe you'll keep them looking this way as I climb the stairs."
As Jacob and Hayden moved left, Shepard switched to her assault rifle and fired short, controlled bursts at anyone she could see. Forbe doing the same with his pistol and using a drone to terroise them. They didn't take anyone out, but they did cause at least one of them to start bleeding, when Shepard heard gunfire to her far left as well as the sounds of grenades going off she knew it was time.
"Stay here and keep those drones coming." ordered Shepard
Climbing up the stairs at a half-crouch, Shepard saw a turian aiming down range to her left. Letting loose a full burst she took him out, quickly swapping out a fresh thermal clip as she reached the top of the stairs.
Looking to her left Shepard saw a number of targets, all of which where either aiming at Jacob and Hayden or at Forbe, who kept up with overloads, drones and pot shots with his pistol. Annoucing her presence with a grenade, Shepard kept up her fire. Even though the number of Shadow Broker agents far outnumbered them, they had them in a pincer and nothing short of a all out push to one side would get them out of it.
Continuing to advance, it wasn't long before Shepard saw Jacob and Hayden on the far side from her. Soon they were significantly closer, as Shepard, Jacob and Hayden closed the distance between them the remaining hostiles became more and more desperate as they became more and more pinned. One of the last hostile tried to rush her...he didn't succeed.
After the last hostile fell, they surveyed their surroundings to make sure there wasn't any remaining hostile left unnoticed.
"It looks like that was the last of them Commander, we should leave now before any more get here." advised Jacob
A second after the words left his lips, a nearby door slide open, making everyone ready their weapons instantly and point them in that direction.
Stepping through the door was a well-endowed, black-haired woman clutching her side, a very well-endowed woman. How she could function with clams that big Shepard had no idea, if they were any then getting someone into a headlock would be impossible.
"Miranda?" asked Jacob
"You're still here, good I was afraid I would get here too late." said the identified woman "Now I suggest we get out of here while we still can."
"What about everyone else? You just joined us, there could more survivors on their way." asked Shepard
"I only just made it here, the only people that will be heading this way anytime soon are those wanting to kill us." answered Miranda
"Don't get cute with me. You made it, so could someone else." retorted Shepard
"If someone else is alive, I doubt they are anywhere near us. Even if we knew the numbers and locations of any survivors we wouldn't be able to do anything, not only are we woefully unprepared for any rescue attempts but you are now you're not combat-ready. You've spent the better part of a year on my table, and despite my best efforts your muscles and skills have atrophied. You're nowhere near where you would usually be, going back there as you are is only going to get you killed. It's actually a credit to your skill that you made it this far.
Everyone here has been working tirelessly for one reason and one reason only...to bring you back. Getting yourself killed here will be spitting on their sacrifice, even you succeed in finding anyone alive the chances are remote that we would be able to get them, let alone ourselves out of here alive. However, if we leave they won't have a reason to stay. Not only is this station already almost destroyed but you would also be gone. Anyone who's managed to survive up until now will have a chance to make it to one of the remaining shuttles and get out of here alive."
"She's right Commander, with you gone most of the attackers will have no reason to stay. They will either try to follow us or pull back and call it a day." confirmed Jacob
"...fine let's get off this station." agreed Shepard reluctantly. She didn't like it but they had a point.
Heading to the shuttle bay they found a shuttle and boarded it.
"Get us out of here." ordered Miranda to Forbe "I want you to put as much space between us, the station and more importantly the ship they boarded it with before they notice us. The shuttle has stealth tech but if we don't get far enough from the station when they start looking that won't matter."
"On it ma'am." answered Forbe as he headed to the pilot seat, Hayden joining him. In the back Shepard, Jacob and Miranda took their seats.
After a few tense minutes, Miranda finally spoke. "It looks like we're clear, their ship's moving but we're too far away for them to pick us up and we're heading in a completely different direction. Now before we go any further I have a few questions to evaluate your condition."
"Is that really necessary Miranda? I was fighting side by side with her, despite her rough edges it's her. The fact that she could perform so well despite the fact she only just woke up should speak for itself." argued Jacob
"It's been over a year since she died. The Illusive man needs to know that her memory and personality has survived." argued Miranda
"Fine. Commander, records indicate that your ground crew was made up of various individuals. Please list their name and the order and situation you found them in."
"Kaiden alone with Jenkins were the first to be among my 'ground crew'. Unfortutnely, Jenkins ended up being seriously injured soon after we landed and needed to be picked back up. After that Kaiden and I ran into Ash and Callum. Ash, or Ashely Williams was a soldier assigned to the colony while Callum was a simple farmer who wanted to help out...both were added to the Normandy crew by Captain Anderson. I had my doubts, especially for Callum but they both proved themselves.
After that I ran into Garrus, a C-sec detective who wanted to bring Saren down. With his help we managed to find Tali Zorah, a quarian who had information on Saren that we needed to prove Saren's guilt. Along with Tali we also found Solana, Garrus's sister as well as Callum who had somehow gotten himself mixed up in another bad situation. The next person who joined my team was Urdnot Wrex, a krogan who was hired to take out Fist, Wrex annoyed that we took out Fist without him. After Wrex, Liara was the next to join our cause. An asari scientist with a lot of knowledge regarding the Protheins, the last to join us was Gamora. She was an unexpected addition, an asari clone from the Thorian. While the rest of my team were busy fighting off plant monsters Callum somehow came to an agreement with the Throian to get it to listen." answered Shepard
"There, is that enough?" asked Jacob
"For now. However there might be more questions later, I suggest you get your rest while you can." suggested Miranda
After two hours of travelling they reached there next destination, another space station. Hopefully her visit on this space station would go better than her last.
"Our leader will speak to you in the next room." advised Miranda after they docked
"And you will be?" asked Shepard
"Elsewhere." answered Miranda "The Illusive Man has something he wants me to do, I will see you afterwards."
Ignoring the new surroundings for the most part Shepard found her way to the next room, walking down a staircase Shepard found herself standing inside a circle. After a few minutes the room started to darken before a figure appeared. A very familar figure..
"You?...How is this possible?" asked Shepard surprised. This wasn't what she was expecting at all