Welcome to the Longest First Chapter I've ever written. Not gonna lie this story is a bit different from what I usually write, considering the character. Either ebay, strap in folks, and welcome, to Prove Yourself Worthy. A Mass Effect 2 Fanfiction.
I'd been alive almost two and a half thousand years. I stood at Thermopylae when the Persians came, and I crawled from beneath the bodies of my brethren days later...I stood on countless battlefields, France, Bethlehem, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima, Korea, Vietnam, Korea again...Shanxi. I've lived countless lives, I've been a king, a blacksmith, a poet...but more than anything else I've been a soldier. Now...didn't know what the fuck I was when the plauge hit on Omega. I'd been slumming around the station. Slaver-hunting. Drinking. Mostly drinking. Then all of a sudden, Bam. non-humans are dying. Humans are getting blamed, and I have blood pack vorcha coming in to try and torch everything that moves. I took a gig helping out Dr. Solus pretty early on. I was there when the blue suns stopped by. Even they avoid the damn near seven foot tall 'fuck off' security guard with a shotgun. I racked into its 'ready' configuration on sight.
"Fuck around, find out." My voice echoed through the speakers in my helmet. "Doc we got mercs outside. Blue suns. I gave them the warning, Opening dialogue." I relayed via my internal comm.
"Advise caution, Axios. Will have countermeasures ready should they become hostile." Solus replied promptly, I stepped forward. The one that looked to be in charge spoke up.
"You're a big fucker aren't you." Turian, closed helm and quarantine suit. I shrugged
"I ate my vegetables. Whadd'ya want. We've got sick folk getting treatment here. We don't need anymore trouble. Vorcha are annoying enough." I stated bluntly.
"Well, I'm sorry to be the one to inform you of this pal, but you're out of a job. We'll be taking over the clinic...and who's getting treatment. Now start running, so i can shoot you in the back." Well. At least he wasn't mincing words. My response was planting my foot in his breastplate and jumping back behind cover.
"Engaging Hostiles, Doc. Lock it down." I relayed through the comm before flicking my wrist. A large circular light expanded from my omni-tool, convalescing into a translucent orange round shield. I popped out of cover and pressed forwards. Bullets peppered the shield, but it held. They always held. My shotgun barked and sent a slug that took a human blue-sun's head off. The N-7 Crusader was a beast of a shotgun, a slug firing hand-cannon. One would be a fool to fire it one handed...without modifications. I was a spartan. I was born with a shield in one hand, a spear in the other. My crusader was fitted with a brace that clamped onto my forearm and allowed me to maintain some semblance of steadiness as I advanced into the fray. My shield, blocking me from the microscopic shards of lightspeed death that the leader's SMG pumped into it. I slammed it into his chest, he staggered, when he righted himself he found the barrel of my shotgun about half an inch from his nose plate. My spear. His head disintegrated and his buddy behind him found a new hole in his chest I could fit my arm through. I pumped another slug into their ranks before I hunkered back a bit, curling behind my shield as I ejected the overheated thermal mag...When these things first came about I hated guns. I refused to use them for almost a millenia and a half. Now I collect the damn things. Anyways, getting sidetracked. Three hostiles left, a human, a batarian, and another Turian. I activated my speakers again.
"Listen, son. I've been in more battles than you've had hot dinners." I spoke, facing the turian speakers making my voice echo across the area. "You take your boys home and no one else needs to take a tungsten slug. Keep coming at me and mine, I won't hesitate."
"You think you can scare the Suns, old timer?!" The human spoke up, I let my gun barrel drift his way.
"I was at Shanxi, son, you lot definitely ain't the Hierarchy. The real question here should be: do you lot think you can scare me...and you're definitely doing a crap job at both scaring me and giving me a reason not to pump holes in all three of you. Make your decision. Stop wasting my time." With that I cut the speakers. Two seconds of tense silence. Then gunfire peppered my shield once more. I let out a silent sigh before I charged. The Crusader barked twice. Human and Batarian dead. Turian was on the defensive. Backing away from the clinic, too slow. I caught up and slammed my shield into his chest. Knocking him to the ground. I placed my boot on his chest and leveled my gun. I could see his eyes glaring at me from under his helm.
"You gonna get it over with, human?" He asked. I shrugged, activating my helmet speakers once more.
"That depends. You gonna get outta here and come back? Or are you going to get gone and tell your boys to leave well enough alone? Whether or not I pull this trigger is up to you son. Now or later doesn't matter to me. It's up to you." I removed my boot and stepped back. Deactivating my shield and taking the shotgun into both hands. The turian got up with a huff. Brushing himself off.
"Most of your brothers in arms would have shot me first."
"I'm an old man, son. Holding a grudge for Twenty-Six years is too much work. Get outta here. Do me a favor and find a better line of work. Merc work's fine, if your boss isn't actively trying to get you killed." I walked back to my post at the entrance to the clinic and collapsed my shotgun, leaning against the wall. The Turian trudged away, even leaving behind his weapon. Doctor Solus buzzed my comm.
"Saw battle through camera. Also heard. Was moving to assist, then you began speech. Expected continued violence. Didn't expect efficiency of your takedowns. Spry, for older Human." I cracked my neck a bit. Keeping my eye on the pathways leading to the clinic.
"I keep myself active enough. I'm a lot older than I look under all this armor. Doc."
"Speculations are in the late fifties to mid-sixties. Would like to perform a checkup, make sure you haven't sprained yourself."
"It'll have to wait until after this fiasco, Doc. we can deal with the plague before any issues come up."
"Axios, a moment?" It was Doc Solus, buzzing me again. I accepted the call.
"What's up doc?"
"Come inside, would prefer to speak privately." I shrugged and walked in, trading posts with a batarian guard. I met up with doctor solus in his office. He was tapping about on a data console and referring to something on his omni-tool at the same time.
"What's the deal doc?" I asked, removing my helmet to get a good look at the Salarian.
"When we first met, weeks before plague, you were drunk, brought in for possible concussion. Had to administer sedative in order to get you to sit still, invigorating day."
"Sorry about that doc."
"No worries, no one harmed. Had to get replacement scanning lens. No matter. Ran scan. Needed to check for skull fracture or possible TBI."
"I had a bottle broken over my head, I remember doc."
"Ran deep tissue and bone scan. Wanted to be sure. No damage was found, what you said earlier, 'older than i look' curiosity peaked. Pulled scan results, studied, between working. Interesting. Biology unique, Size alone impressive for human male. Wasn't expecting further excentricities. Lots of scar tissue. Brought up record of Alliance service. Caught in explosion in Tuiran bombing run, Thresher Maw acid burns on Akuze. Medals for bravery. Surprised you left. However, military and medical records inconsistent with scar tissue. Here, and Here." He spoke pulling up a holographic display of a 3D body scan, my body. He pointed at my upper left rib cage, two of my ribs. "Scar tissue indicates wounds consistent with pre-mass-effect weaponry of human and turian designs. Wrote it off as childhood roughhousing and good self-care. Then went deeper." The scan zoomed in more. Bone structures. Looked like my damaged ribs, then zoomed again, cells, the view was altered and a black speck was highlighted against the rest of the organic matter. "27.6 micrograms. Metallic cells, Iron. scans induced procedure similar to carbon dating, comparing age of metal to that of surrounding material. Estimates time of foreign material entering your body. Two thousand, Six hundred, Sixty-seven years. Assumed fluke. Ran tests again. Two dozen times. Axios Harrison, you are much, much older than you look."
I stared at the salarian. Eyes wide before I felt the laugh bubble up in my chest. I damn near keeled over. Honestly. An off-handed remark, one I'd said a million times before to a million other doctors, and this one figured out what no one else had in almost two millennia.
"Two Millennia, Doctor Solus." I coughed out, regaining my composure.
"Yes, two and a half millennia, to be precise. Data doesn't lie."
"No, Doc, that's not what I'm saying. Two millenia. Exactly. Since someone figured it out. In two very different ways, I'll admit. Both from my being careless, but it doesn't matter. You still figured it out."
"Explain please."
"That. is the remains of a Persian arrow that cracked through my rib and pierced my heart at the battle of Thermopylae. I collapsed to the ground that day. With a smile on my face. I was going to die a glorious death...or so I thought. Until I woke up, months later. Buried in the bodies of my brothers and those I killed. I clawed my way out of that heap of rotten flesh and bone. And the three hundred became two hundred and ninety nine."
"Battle of Thermopylae, Earth conflict, combatants, Sparta and Persia...three hundred men against an army of ten thousand...Axios...ancient greek."
"'He who is Worthy' of Sparta. Father thought it was hilarious, as did King Leonidas. I don't think they were aware of the curse I was inflicted with when they named me."
"Two millenia, Asari elders boast such ages, rarely true...data doesn't lie...soldiering for two and half millennia?"
"I am a spartan, Doctor. I was bred to fight. It's what I do best."
"Why hide?"
"I didn't. My people tried to recreate my lifespan. Thirty years in a lab is enough for me. I'm an anomaly. A result of a mother who prayed for a strong child by a particularly warm stone in a garden." I laid eyes on the salarian. Kept his gaze on mine. "You're a decent man, doc. Believe me when I say that immortality is a curse. I've watched my sons, my daughters, and their sons and daughters grow old and die. A dozen times over. I'm no primordial wiseman. I'm an old man, foolish and angry. I wander from battlefield to bar and back. Just looking for a cause to believe in, or a lucky sonofabitch to finally put me in the ground so I can tear Hades a new asshole."
"Interesting. Have offer. Allow me to run scans, study your condition from time to time. Won't keep you from your work. But unprecedented opportunity. Couldn't call myself a scientist if squandered." Solus spoke, powering off the projectors and returning to tapping about on his datapad. "Still, probably best to discuss after cure is distributed, in final testing phases. Few more hours and airborne distribution viable."
Shepard showed up on the doorstep not long after. Looking like a red-haired Helen of Troy in combat armor. I still did my job.
"We've got folk undergoing treatment, Commander Shepard. Keep your weapons holstered, I'm keeping an eye on all of y'all." I said, stepping forward.
"We're looking for Doctor Solus. Can you take us to him?" She asked, her companions were both humans, an older man, scarred in yellow armor, mercenary by the looks of him. The other was a woman, black-haired in a white catsuit, cerberus emblem on her chest, I brought up my finger to my ear and comm'ed Mordin.
"Doc we've got guests, a dead spectre, a merc and a cerberus operative, you clear to talk a bit?" I asked. Mordin's voice came through promptly.
"Patient is stable, bring them in, curious to see." He spoke, line cut off. I holstered my weapon and gestured over my shoulder with my thumb.
"Follow me, we've got two rules in the clinic. 'Fuck around, find out'. Please abide by it." I stated.
"What's the other rule?" The woman, cerberus operative, asked. I let out a chuckle.
"We're on Omega, lass. Take a guess." I guided them through the clinic, we got to Mordin's office fairly quickly. Place wasn't huge. I walked in and removed my helmet once more. No need for it.
"Doc! Your cousin Dala's here to see ya." I called, the response back was quick.
"Unlikely, would be a firefight. Commander Shepard, see you've met Axios. Mordin Solus, at your service." I stepped away, just observing the proceedings. I browsed the extranet on my omni-tool idly. Keeping an ear open.
"We've come to acquire your services, Doctor Solus. Whole colonies are going dark. We need your help against the collectors." Shepard spoke, collectors? I powered off my omnitool and paid more attention. Mordin spoke next.
"Curious, cerberus working with aliens, unprecedented. Nevertheless. Need to distribute cure. Too much work to be done." I decided it would be the best time for me to throw in my two cents.
"We've got a cure for this plague all set up, issue is, one of the assistants, Daniel, ran off to try and get it to some batarian folk that broke away from the clinic before it was ready. Doc's prepping another sample for airborne deployment but there's another issue. The area where the ventilation fans is under control of the Blood Pack...more specifically, the Vorcha. They've been raiding from the area. My best guess is that they're either holed up in or trying to find the Ventilation controls." I explained, activating one of the displays and pulling up a readout of the area. "I've been preparing to make a move out there to try and secure the area and get Daniel's dumbass back here, but the area's been too hot to go alone and Doc Mordin still has people that need periodic treatment."
"Cannot go on rampage against Blood Pack, as much as I want to at the moment. Rolling blackouts due to occupation, very annoying." Mordin stated, continuing to tap on a datapad, before the lights flickered once more, and the ventilation for the area shut down with a groan. Mordin instantly brought up his omni-tool and began speaking a mile a minute. "Ventilation shut down, whole sector will choke in a matter of hours...most concerning. Shepard, go with Axios. Find Daniel, get cure sample and reactivate ventilation, ventilation system will distribute the cure throughout the area. Secondary option no longer viable. Take this." He spoke, handing a Carnifex heavy pistol to the red-haired woman. Not a bad gun, not bad at all.
"We'll continue talking about our proposition once we've saved the space station." And with that I got my helmet back on and we got moving. Once we were outside Mordin chimed in through all of our comms.
"Made a separate channel for voice communications between the unit. Thank me later." he spoke and his line cut off. It was Shepard who spoke next.
"Acknowledged...So. Axios was it?" she asked, I nodded, stepping over a small patch of rubble.
"Aye, Axios Harrison, Former Alliance, retired." I explained, "Been hopping bars and security jobs in my twilight years."
"Twilight years?" It was the cerberus woman this time, I let out a chuckle, as did the merc.
"Let the old men have their fun, Miranda. Zaeed, ever heard of him?" Shepard asked. The merc spoke next, Zaeed, now that sounded familiar.
"Can't say I have, Shepard."
"Zaeed...zaeed...Your last name wouldn't happen to be Masani, would it? The merc?" I asked, if it was Masani I was gonna laugh, man had become a legend amongst the up and coming mercs on omega. A sort of bogeyman that you didn't want coming after your bounty.
"You got a problem if it is?" yeah, that's him.
"Nah, just curious, I've met a lot of legends. Few of them last as long as you have, and I'm speaking to both you and Shepard when I say that." I explained.
"What do you mean?" Shepard this time. I elaborated.
"I've been soldiering a long time. Served under a lot of folk. Some good, some bad, some great. At Shanxi, I was under General Williams...they call him a coward for what he did, but ask any man who served under him, he did what he had to to get his boys home alive. Admiral Hackett's another. His fleet was the only one at Shanxi when the fighting started. And they stayed until it ended. Now look where they are...one disgraced and buried, the other buried in political bullshit up to his eyeballs. The powers that be don't like legends. It disrupts their status quo, human, turian, asari, salarian, doesn't matter who. Those in power care only to maintain said power until a threat is on their doorstep. That's when they appeal to the legends they buried for help. By then, it's too late." I was going to continue when the motion sensors in my helm went off. Shepard identified the threat before I did.
"Blood Pack, Dead ahead!" She sounded off, I activated my shield and moved forward. Deflecting enemy fire and drawing their attention. Idiots, this thing could stop a cannon shot from a mako. "Axios, Break their line! Miranda, Lay down a singularity on their flank, Zaeed, cover fire!" Heh, yes ma'am. I charged forward with a roar.
"HA-OOOH!" Echoed across the battlefield as I made contact with their vanguard. A vorcha pyro. Flames broke around my shield as I closed the distance and slammed it into him, he flailed as he fell, sending flames hurling towards his brethren, I planted a slug into his fuel tank and ducked back, curling my whole body behind the shield as the fuel canisters exploded. The singularity pulled the vorcha into it, gunfire peppering their floating forms, and a second biotic flare disintegrated some, and sent others flying. Most of the Vorcha were taken care of, some were regenerating. Zaeed activated an incendiary mod to mop them up...I was focused on a more..reptilian issue. A Krogan merc. Likely the squad leader. I pumped a slug into his plates, it only pissed him off.
"Concentrate your fire!" Shepard again, the staccato of gunfire roared to life. Bullets slammed into the Krogan as he roared, an SMG, a Heavy Pistol, an Assault Rifle, and a shotgun...blew a hole in the sumbitch so big I could see through him and he still charged. I met him halfway. Shield met charging Krogan. Unstoppable force, immovable object. Feet planted, shield braced.
"You're up against the wall, and I AM THE FUCKING WALL!" Left my mouth as I entered the lock with the raging Krogan.
"I'm going to rip out your spine and EAT it, Human!" Yeah that's blood rage. I took the opportunity of his mouth opening to shove the barrel of my shotgun into it and fire. An image flashes into my head.
A line of men, backed by their brethren. A wall of bone and bronze. I stand at the front. Another persian charge. They called themselves the Immortales, his battle cry is cut off as my spear catches him in his leaping lunge. In through his open mouth, I see bits of what I later learned to be his brain on my spearhead as I retract the spear and go back into the fight.
"Axios!" A commander's voice. Drew me out of the flashback. Shepard. I deactivated my shield and collapsed the shotgun, placing it in it's spot at the small of my back.
"You green, Commander?" I asked, pulling up my omni-tool and idly going over the map of the area. We were close to Daniel's last known location.
"I should be asking you that, old timer...you met a Krogan charge and stopped it dead. I'm surprised you didn't slip a disk." She remarked, I let out a chuckle.
"I'm made of some sterner stuff than most, Commander. The 'fuck off' armor also helps."
"We'll have a better talk about all this later. C'mon, I smell batarians." welp...didn't expect that. I followed Commander Shepard further into the quarantine zone. We picked up activity in an alley, heard it before the blips on our hud came up.
"I'm just trying to help you all! This is a cure for the plague, please, let me help you!" That's Danny-boy alright. Always the optimist.
"You're lying! You humans caused this!" I remember that voice. He was one of the first patients we got in...he was damn near dead. Never trusted Mordin or Daniel. Only ever let Varek, our Batarian nurse work on him. He got worse before he got better. Blamed us.
"If we started all of this why am I here and not looting? I'm a doctor, sir. I'm here to help you!" Daniel pleaded. We turned the corner and bore witness to the kid staring down a barrel of a handgun. We had the Batarians in a standoff in seconds.
"Let the kid go." Shepard ordered. I stayed quiet, kept my shotgun trained.
"So you can kill us, Human? I know what that emblem on your friend is." Well then.
"So we can keep all of you from dying you idiot! If we wanted you dead we would've shot first and asked questions never." Shepard growled out. Her finger twitching toward her own trigger. I kept my sights on a batarian in the back, armed with a mattock assault rifle. Goddamn these guys were dead on their feet. I could see blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. "Let the boy go, and get to the clinic so you can get medical attention. You won't survive a firefight in your condition."
"Better to die with my honor intact than to take help from you." The batarian spat.
"Is that what they're gonna tell your kid his pa didn't come home when he could've been home that morning because he wanted 'honor'? How 'bout your wife? The man she loves died because he declined help when it was offered?" I cut in. I turned my head to face one of the other armed batarians, this one a youngster, Kalen, kid wasn't even eighteen years. Stubborn, but smarter than this. "That what I'm supposed to tell your mother, Kalen? When I have to knock on her door and tell her that her boy isn't gonna come home?"
"They don't play the Stars of Khar'shan for a funeral, Sir." Shepard stated with finality. The Batarians took a few moments, they seemed to actually think it over, before the leader finally holstered his weapon.
"No...they don't. Go. We'll gather our strength and head to the clinic." With that Daniel walked over to us. He spoke with Shepard.
"Thanks, for saving me, and not shooting first." he said with a relieved sigh "Since Harrison's with you i'm guessing Doctor Solus sent you? What's going on?"
Shepard stepped up and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder.
"We need the cure sample you have. The Vorcha have damaged the ventilation system, we're gonna fix it and dispense the cure in one fell swoop. Do you still have it?" She asked, Daniel nodded and handed her a small containment unit...a special vial to prevent microbial contamination. We got moving not long after that. The ventilation control center was crawling with Vorcha and commanded by Krogan. We huddled behind cover around the entrance, comms buzzing. Shepard again taking charge.
"Zaeed, Axios, you two flank right. Hit them hard, break their lines. Axios, you're our anti-Krogan vector. Do you have incendiaries?" She asked.
"I'll do you one better, Armor Piercing Incendiaries." Illegal in council space, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
"I'm starting to like this Codger, Shepard." Zaeed chuckled as he activated his own incendiary mod.
"Focus. Flank right, Break their lines. Miranda and I will provide biotic support and covering fire. Zaeed. Use Axios for cover. How much can that shield of yours take before it deactivates?" Shepard asked,
"As long as they ain't packing explosives I can tank it. Rockets or grenades I'll have to hunker down. We moving?"
"Advance. You know what to do." Shepard ordered. We were off. I deployed my shield and waited for Zaeed to tap my shoulder before advancing. Gunfire numbed my arm. I plugged a few slugs downrange. I saw a Vorcha's head explode, and I could hear Zaeed sending bursts of fire over my shoulder as we pushed.
"How much did that piece of hardware run you, New guy?" Zaeed asked as he sent a burst of incendiary rounds into a Vorcha Pyro, igniting it's tanks and popping them in a napalm fueled fireball. I put two slugs into the skull of an approaching Krogan before replying.
"Couple years of trial and error after I modified the omnitool's manufacturing suite. Couple thousand credits, a few favors. Lost track being completely honest." I responded before pushing forward with a roar, vaulting over a fallen pillar and firing of a string of shots from my shotgun, the vorcha were scattering. Gunfire and Biotic blasts flying all around. My mind once again went to Thermopylae...Focus Axios. Krogan, coming up the ramp. Zaeed started pumping rounds, I joined him. The krogan charged, roaring in it's blood rage. We stood fast. Pumping round after round of fire into him. He skid to a stop in front of us a hole-ridden corpse. Quick scan of the area. No more enemies.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
It was quiet for a moment while Shepard went to work activating the ventilation system and dispersing the cure. Two fans. Area cleared, at least so we thought. We ran into a pair of vorcha prepping was seemed to be some kind of bomb behind some crates. Issue was they were arguing over who got to hold the detonator, until Shepard put a bullet through it.
"Now why would you want to go and do something like that huh?" She said, her voice sickeningly sweet.
"Stupid human, collectors paid blood pack to break fans, all of you choke and DIE!" He shouted, a bullet was promptly put into his skull, as was into his co-bomber. I deactivated my shield and collapsed my shotgun, making a show of cracking my neck idly.
"For an older gentleman you're awfully spry, Harrison." Miranda commented, I let out a laugh.
"I get that a lot. I ate my greens growing up. Avoided taking too much shrapnel in my career, the little things help." I replied with a shrug. "Not much use in letting myself waste away in some dusty old house somewhere." It was true...I'd tried the quiet retirement thing a few dozen times. It never felt...right. I always ended up starting over a few years in. Shepard spoke up next
"Y'know, I'm curious, how does a human vet end up working for a Salarian doctor? Especially here of all places, you don't seem the Omega type, if you don't mind me saying, Harrison" She stated, as we began to make our way back to the clinic. "And yet you're known by most of the people we've come across, and seem right at home."
"Omega's been my home for oh...fifteen years now. I retired from the Alliance after my stint on Akuze. Shepard, you may be a goddamned war hero… but you've never felt the fear of Hades until you've seen a Thresher Maw decide you're it's next meal. I got one man out of there...he wasn't even breathing by the time we were in the air. I spent ten years doing freelancer work. Small things to pay the bills, keep the blood pumping. I stumbled into omega after the citadel for some dumbfuck reason outlawed quintuple distilled vodka." That earned me a few laughs from our companions. "You think I'm kidding but I'm not, swear to Hera. I docked my ship here in '75 and have only gone out for jobs since. Afterlife has a supplier for a brand that's been running out of Poland since the twentieth century. Same Family still runs the distillery. They're a personal favorite of mine and this was the only place I could get it without needing some freakin medical license. Anyways. I come here. First thing that happens? Fucking batarian bartender tries to poison my drink. Thing is...its fucking vodka. It's not supposed to smell like anything. Cup he slides my way smells like a fucking bio-weapon. I make a show of explaining that whatever he's poured me sure as shit isn't vodka, and throw it in his face. Got it in all of his eyes, and turns out he even swallowed a bit. That was the last time an afterlife bartender poisoned anyone on Omega. I've been doing some security work and some...personal projects ever since." I finished right as we got to the clinic, Daniel had already arrived before us and was talking animatedly with Doctor Solus. Mordin spotted us and waved us over.
"Commander Shepard! Good to see you back, Daniel and I stabilized Batarian patients, personally wouldn't have taken the risks. Still. Cure administered and vaccines are ready. Daniel will be taking over the clinic. Do have a request-" he was gently cut off by Shepard
"I'm guessing this has something to do with the 'Wall' you had escort us?" She asked with a smirk and a cocked hip. Mordin simply nodded.
"Yes, Axios is an ongoing patient, alongside that: a friend and capable bodyguard. Believe he'd be an invaluable asset. Wasteful to leave his talents behind." Mordin stated, I felt a bit of pride at his praise, but I knew he was puffing it up for the commander. It was Miranda who spoke next, obviously she wasn't planning on having me along.
"Doctor Solus I assure you we have more than enough security staff for your persons.-"
"Axios has been soldiering for over sixty years, Commander. More than twice the average Salarian lifespan. Definitely longer than most human military men. Served in Shanxi, Akuze, and alongside yourself in the Blitz. Unique viewpoint, wealth of experience...alongside connections within multiple armor manufacturing conglomerates." Mordin continued, cutting off the Cerberus XO, I raised an eyebrow,
"I never told you about those." I muttered, he shrugged
"Custom power armor, top grade shield tech, not hard to deduce. Did some research during lunch...Doctor Harrison." Smug bastard. It seems Shepard was holding in a laugh as well.
"You're telling me this big bugger has a doctorate?" She snorted out, I crossed my arms with a huff.
"Doctorates in kinetic engineering. Thessian Technical Institute. They offered the best scholarship. Minored in Archaeology. Prothean Studies." I grumbled out with another huff. "I get it, I'm the big guy. Can't have big, without dumb, heh. Anyways. I'm with the Doc. Your crusade against the collectors. I want in." Things got serious once more. Shepard spoke again.
"Doctor Solus, you said that Axios was an ongoing patient. Is he sick?" She asked, Mordin for one looked sheepish for a moment before explaining.
"Not per se, Axios has a unique constitution, have been studying to find any genetic abnormalities or if simply stubborn. Personally have witnessed him eat both dextro and levo foods with no allergic reaction. Fascinating." He stated, I let out a sigh as I shook my head and rubbed the bridge of my nose.
"It's not that interesting. Tastes are different between species but outside of some allergic reactions there's no reason to treat it like we do."
"So, a scientific study specimen, and a walking shield wall. You're willing to fight against a technologically superior enemy that we have little to no intel on?" Shepard asked, I smirked and pounded my fist on my chest plate over my heart.
"You're goddamn right I am."
—
The Normandy was a hell of a ship. Upgraded redesign from the original. Fully stocked armory, managed by a man named Jacob Taylor, Cerberus man, ex Alliance, but a huge gun nerd. I didn't blame him. I bunked in the standard crews quarters but I spent most of my time in the starboard observation lounge. I spent a lot of time on my Omni-tool, making calls, sending messages. Pulling strings with folks that I knew in the armor industry. I wanted to get the crew outfitted in black dragon armor and it's variants. Or at the very least the shields it used. I was making some progress. I was owed a few favors. Either way, I got called over to Mordin's lab, I was surprised to see shepard there, and EDI's construct was also on the pedestal when I got in. Mordin, to his credit, looked a little sheepish.
"Wanted to clear the air with Shepard. Concerning your constitution. Full disclosure reccomended." He stated, waving a hand over to Shepard. I let a small nod before turning to face the Commander. I straightened up a bit before deciding to drop the bomb. I reverted to my mother tongue.
"Προετοίμασε τον εαυτό σου"I stated, oh lord her eyebrows shot up. I could've sworn EDI's avatar flashed red for a few seconds.
"He said 'Prepare Yourself' Commander Shepard." The AI spoke "In a variant of Ancient Greek...with no discernible accent." We pulled up the diagram that displayed the arrowhead. I began explaining everything.
"This black speck, is the remains of an Arrowhead that pierced a Spartan Hoplite at the battle of Thermopylae, at the age of fifteen years old. He fell that day. I fell that day. Fully expecting to die. If only it was that fucking easy. My name is Axios, son of Leandros. I was born to a woman named Helena, who prayed by a particularly warm stone in her garden, and I've walked life after life for two and a half millennia. I've fought in every major war in human history. I've seen. Some. Shit." I stated simply. Mordin spoke up, elaborating.
"27 micrograms of foreign material, Iron, surrounded by the tissue of Axios' Ribcage. Carbon dating simulation calculated age of material to match Axios' testimony. Only discovered this myself a few days ago. Scans check out. Wanted to keep Axios nearby for further study and assistance with any issues that may come up due to his condition. Unprecedented opportunity." He stated. Shepard turned to face EDI.
"Care to double check their math, EDI? This...isn't something you see everyday." She stated simply, crossing her arms, EDI's avatar flashed a few times before solidifying again, Miranda walked into the room. Spook.
"Simulations and math are correct, commander Shepard." She stated simply. The two women in the room turned to me. I shrugged.
"Two and a Half millennia of life. It's...not as fun as you might think. The last fifty years have been the most exciting, outside of my childhood. I'm a soldier. A spartan Hoplite. I've never been in command. I've never led armies. The most I contributed to the world was helping my wives bring our children into it. I watched my children grow, then their children, and so on and so forth, until the Korean incursion. I've only gone to war with rage in my heart twice. The first was Thermopylae...the second was when I stormed Pyongyang...and burned that fucking palace to the ground."
Miranda was wide eyed. Shepard stone-faced, which was unusual, before she spoke again.
"So...you meet anyone famous?" She asked. I let out a laugh.
"It took watching John Moses Browning work to get me to start using guns, he became one of my closest friends. Ben Franklin was a madman. Leonidas was...the best man I could've had the honor of fighting alongside." I said simply. I turned to Miranda. "Operative Lawson, I will not allow myself to be a lab rat. You tell your boss those exact words. Your predecessors tried for a century and a half. My kids haven't inherited my...condition yet."
Archangel turned out to be Garrus Vakarian. Personal friend of Shepard, member of the original team that took on Saren. Issue is, he was wheeled in on a stretcher for taking a fucking missle to the face. Doctor Chakwas and Mordin were there working on him, I was waiting. In the Mess hall, chatting up with the few folks that were about. Miranda Eventually showed up.
"How is he doing?" She asked, I gave a shrug.
"By all accounts he's one tough bastard. They've been working on him for a few hours now. I've a feeling he'll pull through." I replied with a shrug.
"And yourself? How are you adapting to everything?" She asked, I raised an eyebrow
"You actually sound like you care when you ask something like that." I shot back with a chuckle before replying. "Thanks, though, for keeping it between us and Shepard for now. I'm doing alright. Knowing what I know about life throughout time, you'd be surprised how little things have changed. Sure we're no longer chewing on dried bison but the rations still taste like crap, ship's still cramped, I still bump my head getting out of bed if I'm not careful. I maintain my shield and my weapon, my armor. I talk with our crewmates, those not scared by the seven foot tall two-hundred seventy pound sumbitch. I'm not a loner, Operative Lawson, I like talking to folk."
"In ancient greek?" She shot back, I let out a laugh,
"Eh I avoid using dead languages. Translators don't pick them up and that tends to set off alarms. I've told some stories of old battles to the crew, they just think I'm some sort of history buff, and that's fine with me. Turians like the stories of the Romans. I've had more than one tell me 'humans were smarter a thousand years ago'. We weren't. Hell we're still stupid now, in my opinion."
"Why do you say that?"
"For all of our progress, for all of our discoveries, when confronted with something we don't want to believe, a majority of folk will still bury their heads in the sand, rather than learn from their history and face it with courage."
"You're referring to the reapers? I don't think it's just humans avoiding the subject there." The XO replied, I shrugged
"Oh it isn't, but I'd expect folk who've, y'know, had similar issues cause two world wars to be wiser about listening to this shit."
"People are afraid, you can't blame them for it." It was the redhead, Chambers I think her name was.
"People were afraid of the Hierarchy thirty years ago. Yet that didn't mean we denied their existence. In the 1930's people tried to deny what Hitler did, and six million people died because of it. Don't even get me started on 2020."
"I guess willful ignorance is an immortal flaw."
I wasn't a regular on the ground team. I spent more time helping upgrade armor and shields than on the ground fighting. Garrus and Miranda went to recruit Jack. One firework of a woman with biotic abilities that even made me watch my step. She'd been hurt by a lot of people...bastards from what I could hear. Experimented on her as a child, practically from birth...heresy, in my eyes. If it was Cerberus...The Illusive Man and I would be having words. I didn't realize my fists were clenching until the fork in my grip bent. I was once again in the mess, it had turned into the place I'd spent most of my time in after I'd completed my tasks. Rupert made a hell of a Gumbo. Garrus ended up taking note.
"Hell of a grip you got there, Harrison." He commented, taking a seat across from me as I chuckled. "What's got you making abstract art?" He asked, popping open his own rations. I liked Garrus, we talked guns and shop around the ship. I let a small smile grace my lips as I let myself think of better times. A farm, teaching a little girl how to aim a crossbow, the same farm, years later, teaching that little girl's grandson how to put on a proper suit of plate.
"I ever tell y'all about my kids?" I started, oh man you could've heard a pin drop.
"Uh...no, you haven't. What about them? Forgive me for saying...you don't exactly seem like the 'fawn over his kids' type." Garrus replied, coughing a moment before continuing to open up his rations.
"Oh believe me I am...I just hide it good. I was blessed with a daughter. You think Shepard's a firecracker, HA, oh no. When you take a look at that little one, doesn't matter how tough you are, how many wars you've fought...you see that child, you'll do anything, to keep them safe. Joan...did everything humanly possible to make me work at that job. Jumping into the bog, hunting snakes, soooo much shit." I let out a chuckle as I took a breath. Should've expected the firecracker I mentioned to show up. She took a seat next to Garrus.
"Tell me more about this little firecracker." She said with a smile, I let out a sheepish cough but continued.
"Little Joan, I would say would be my one contribution to the world. She had so much...light to her. Nothing could keep her down, and she would find the strangest things...she went into a church once and found a fucking sword buried there. Of course, first thing she does is run home to the farm and force me to teach her how to use it." I explained with a laugh
"Did you? Teach her how to fence I mean." Garrus again, I sent a smile his way.
"You're goddamn right I did. More than just fencing, I taught her how to turn someone like me into a filet. In full armor." I explained with a chuckle. Garrus joined me,
"I'm starting to get a picture of what you're like, Harrison. People were telling stories." He explained, I waved a hand in a 'eh whatever' gesture.
"Eh I'm an old man, people can say what they want." I said, I let things calm down a bit. I stopped talking a bit and just reminisced as I ate. Things were okay after that, a little lighter. Just after, Shepard called me over to the conference room. Just us, it seemed.
"We're heading to the Citadel, we're gonna be picking up one of our crewmates, a thief, Kasumi Goto, alongside that, we're gonna be meeting Anderson and the Council. I want you on the ground with me." She stated, "You got experience with catching thieves?" She asked, crossing her arms.
"Shepard you know my story, I've done a bit of everything. Hell I robbed the Mob in a fucking clown mask. Admittedly I got shot in the back but I did it." I replied
"How about talking with politicians." ah that's the kicker.
"You want me to tell the Council." I let out a sigh as palmed my face lightly.
"I want you to remind them that the humans have seen things like the Reapers before and paid dearly for their ignorance. You don't have to explain your condition." She stated with a sigh "We need to pull out the stops for the Reapers. Every chance we have to show the galaxy that we can't ignore this threat. I know this is asking a lot." She reached over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." I gave a nod with another sigh.
"I know that you wouldn't, Shepard, but if they want to go into detail I'm gonna either bullshit my way through four politicians or have an asari get in my head, and that's not a good Idea unless they're as old as I am, I'm warning you now." I explained a bit before letting out a deep sigh. "Look, I'll do it, but I got a condition. Donnie Hock. He's taken something of mine. Something very old, very personal. I'll track him down...I want your help getting it back."
-Citadel, 3 hours later-
I hadn't really ever visited the Citadel. I avoided this place as much as I could. Reminded me of Athens. A den of snakes. Still, I was impressed by how fast the rebuild went. Unfortunately, we had barely left the shuttle when things got weird.
"We have the perfect choice of companions for you, Shepard, perhaps something smart, petite, and Japanese would be your style?"
One of the ad kiosks, the ones that read your biometrics to give you a 'personalized experience' A hooded woman, black eyes and hair, her face dominated the Kiosk, shepard nodded to me and I moved to lean against the wall as she approached the Kiosk. I watched the skycars pass by and listened to Shepard work her magic on the Thief.
"Silence is golden." She stated simply, "Why all the cloak and dagger?"
"I'm the best thief in the business, not the most famous, I've worked hard to keep it that way." "I'm the best thief in the business, not the most famous, I've worked hard to keep it that way." huh, she's within earshot at least.
"I can get behind that...did they tell you the details of what we're up against?" Shepard continued.
"Technologically advanced bug people kidnapping colonists and doing unspeakable things to them. Have our mutual friends told you about my fee?"
"I guess they forgot to mention that."
"Figures, Donovan Hock. He killed my partner, and stole his greybox. I want it back." I almost did a spit take as I heard that and damn near started laughing, my shoulders shook visibly.
"What's with big and chuckley over there?"
"Hock took something of his too. I guess he's laughing at life's coincidences."
"Oh goody another partner in crime!"
"Keep your hands clean while we're here at least, Kasumi. Take a walk with us to the presidium. I've got to let them know that I'm still a pain in their collective asses." Well that was fun. I stepped away from the wall and joined Shepard's side. At this point she had dropped down, cloaked, sure, but I could see her breath waving Shepard's hair. I shot a finger out and poked where I figured her shoulder was.
"Dibs on breaking Donnie Hock's nose." I snarked with a laugh as she de-cloaked.
"I prefer to aim for the squishy bits, big guy. You can take his fat nose." Kasumi shot back, I let out a laugh.
"You're fun. Alright, let's get the politics out of the way." I grumbled as I straightened up and popped my shoulders, putting on my best 'angry old coot' face. We made our way through customs, not even through the scanning gate before alarms went off… "Di immortales" I grumbled.
"I didn't touch anything!" Kasumi squeaked, even Shepard seemed annoyed. The guard at the station up front was working hastily.
"Sorry ma'am, our sensors seem to think you're...dead. Probably just a malfunction." The turian remarked. Shepard took it in stride.
"I was marked MIA two years ago, its my first time back since." She responded.
"That explains it, talk to my captain outside, he'll get you sorted out." And that was that. We went through and approached the desk marked 'Captain Bailey' A human fella.
"Look if you're not comfortable or worried about getting reported I'll handle the interrogation." He called out to another human officer, a woman, working in an adjacent desk.
"No, Sir, I can handle it." and she was off. The captain turned to us.
" Ah, that explains it, Commander Shepard, welcome back, I've heard rumors but we didn't have anything solid." He explained, Shepard leaned forward with a smirk,
"I like to keep the suits guessing, think you can help me out with the scanners and the funeral adverts?" She asked, the captain shrugged,
"Normally you'd have to talk to registration, get your citizenship reactivated, then wait while that reprocesses, followed by a visit to the tax office, spending a year dead is a popular tax dodge...or, I can press this button right here and call it thanks for saving all our asses two years back." He explained, pressing said button and waving us off with a nod and an 'enjoy your visit to the citadel. We didn't waste much time. Straight to the presidium. Our first stop was Anderson's office. David Anderson, heh, I remembered when he came through basic. Shepard went in first, obviously, greeted with a hug.
"Goddamn it's good to see you Shepard." The human councilor spoke, stepping back and giving Shepard a once over, I could understand why, the man was practically a father to the woman.
"The feeling's mutual Anderson, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, things have been hectic out in the Terminus Systems." She stated, "But I've got some things you all need to hear." She spoke firmly, always maintaining eye contact, Anderson always was able to understand those looks. Sharp lad, always was. "Also have someone you need to meet." I guess that was my cue, I stepped in quietly, no helmet on this time. Grey Hair, grey beard, green eyes on white skin.
"Been a long time Rookie." I said with a smile, Anderson simply shook his head with a laugh as he stepped forward and I shook his hand.
"Gunny Harrison! Still kicking. Shepard, you do realize you're dragging around a senior citizen right?" Anderson asked, I let out a laugh,
"I volunteered, Councilor. That senior citizen thing...that's part of why I'm here. I've got to tell you some shit." He shot Shepard a look at that, she nodded and we retreated further into his office, Kasumi scanned quickly for monitoring devices. She disabled a few and nodded when she was done.
"So, what's your status?" Anderson asked simply, I took a deep breath before bringing up my omni-tool and sending Anderson a dossier. It had the diagrams of the arrowhead, the studies that Mordin had been doing on me...and a folder with pictures of me taken through time. Didn't expect him to put them on display. Middle Age era depiction of a Knight in full plate, dated 1337, Renaissance Era depiction of a minor duke of France, dated 1512, jump forward four hundred years, 1914, American Lieutenant wounded by a 9x19mm round tearing through his cheek, still had the scar. 1941, 5th Marine division, the same lieutenant, a different name, same scar under his left eye, the same one under my eye. More pictures followed, but the man put things together rather quickly.
"My God…"