Post by supes on Jan 18, 2014 4:13:00 GMT
Commander Jane Shepard was bored.
With the Reapers gone for seven years the Galaxy seemed free of any lasting conflict. Each civilazation from the Alliance, Council space, and even the Terminus Systems seemed to have ended many of the hostilities that had plagued them for years. The Quarians and Geth had settled Rannoch together. The genophage no longer hindered the Krogan and they had reached new levels of prosperity under Urdnot Wrex. And so much more. It seemed like nothing could go wrong.
So why was Shepard bored? Sure, she had activated the Crucible, stopped the mass genocide of all organic life, and had a family with Liara but Shepard felt like she still needed an adventure. Nothing involving explosions or certain death, just an exciting cruise to find something new and exciting. A new planet to discover. A new species to meet.
Shepard pondered over these thoughts while she watched the sunrise over the new London. But her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar pair of blue arms wrapped around her waist. "Good morning, darling." Shepard smiled and turned to see Liara looking radiant, if not something tired. "Morning. Are the kids up yet?" Liara smiled sheepishly. "Well, Miranda is actually looking forward to school. Hard to believe, I know. Benezia didn't get out of bed with much enthusiasm, however."
The two went back inside while their their older daughter Benezia eating her cereal with a look of complete dejection on her face. The younger one, Miranda, had already finished and was pacing nervously while clutching her book tightly. "Miranda, please calm down. We still have more than half an hour." While Liara tried to get the four year old to relax, Shepard sat down with Benezia, holding her close. "Hey. I thought you would be more excited." Benezia finished her cereal and snuggled closer to her. "I know mom. I'm just a little worried." Shepard turned Benezia to face her and tried to cheer the young Asari up. "Worried? You weren't worried last year." Benezia rolled her eyes and whined "But this year's different. None of my friends are in my class, I don't like the new teacher and everybody going to keep asking about my famous mom."
Taking her daughter's hand, Shepard led her to the door and helped her ready her backpack. "Benezia Ashley Shepard, if anybody can handle this, it's you. If anybody bugs you about me, just tell them you're proud of who you are and that's all that matters. If you don't like the new teacher just keep to yourself about it. I'm sure you'll make plenty of new friends too. That one little Krogan boy from your last class seems to like you, I'm sure he'll keep in touch." Benezia blushed and smiled in embarrassment. "Mom! Kruge is just my friend!"
"Just teasing, sweetie. By the way, just to celebrate your first day back... Auntie Jack is coming over!" Benezia was silent for a moment before laughing and giving her mother the biggest hug in the world.
*****
Shepard and Liara had just arrived home when they saw two familiar faces wating for them. "Auntie Jack!" Benezia and Miranda ran over to hug the tattooed former criminal. Shepard smiled at her old squadmate before greeting the other visitor, Miranda lawson. "It's good to see you. I knew Jack was coming over but this is a nice surprise!" Miranda rolled her eyes. "Shepard, you don't have to be so formal. When Jack said she was visiting our old Commander, I had to come too." The two looked as Miranda's roommate carried the two children out to the backyard for an afternoon of what surely involved creative use of biotics, ideas for tattoos for when the girls were old enough, and who knew what else. "Shepard, I didn't just come to say hello. I thought you and Liara would be interested in a mission the Council is offering."
Shepard looked at Liara, half expecting her to immediately refuse. But instead Liara asked, "Is this mission safe? I don't think Shepard and I are looking for anything too dangerous." Miranda shook her head. "No, it's not very dangerous. Just an anomaly that the Council wants Liara to observe, given her background and knowledge. And for security reasons I suggested that you and the Normandy accompany us. You won't be gone for very long, I promise."
*****
3 DAYS LATER
THE FAR RIM
Liara examined the data and was flustered. "So an unprecedented and theoretical cosmic event occurs up near the Galaxy's outer rim with no explanation, and we are supposed to be the experts?" Beside her stood Shepard and Javik the Prothean. "Hm. Even in my cycle, concepts such as 'wormholes' and time travel were only barely understood. Now I know how you and your peoples must feel every day." For three days the Normandy and it's crew had been analyzing an exploded star at the edge of the Galaxy that had suddenly collapsed into a spiraling mass that did not match any known records. So far nothing significant had happened and they were not even close to knowing what had caused it. Even Javik, who came from a civilization more advanced than any that had come since was clueless.
They only knew that time and space were fluctuating in the space around the event, and it fit the theoretical concept of a wormhole. Shepard returned to the starmap with Liara and Javik. Unless they had more analysts the Normandy's report on the anomaly would go nowhere. Feeling even more frustrated and bored than she had in a long time, Shepard was about to give the command to leave with whatever data they possessed and return to the Citadel when Joker's voice rang over the speakers. "Hey Commander, I think you're going to want to see this." Walking over to the cockpit Shepard stood next to her pilot and old friend. "Well, Joker?" He pointed near the edge of the wormhole.
"EDI, could you tell us what that is?" The ship's AI and co-pilot, who sat next to Joker, cocked her head while she observed. "Judging by the velocity of the two objects, I believe that one is a spaceraft of some sort, and the other is a large mass of... an element I cannot identify." Shepard squinted and sure enough she saw a crude, rusted ship half the size of the Normandy floating away from the wormhole. It followed a large black rock that twisted in a spiraled shape. EDI cocked her head again. "Shepard, I am receiving a transmission from the ship. Putting it onscreen."
On the monitor to Joker's right, an image appeared of a grizzled, dark haired man in what looked like an armored suit meant for maintenance and engineering. The image was riddled with static "This is Commander Jane Shepard of the SSV Normandy SR2. State your name and..." The man interrupted Shepard frantically, apparently delirious. "Stop! Listen to me. You have to destroy the object I'm following! You have to destroy the Marker!" Shepard continued. "Give us your name and then we can talk!" The man stopped to take a breath. He was clearly exhausted. But as Shepard watched, the rock the stranger referred to suddenly split into several pieces, each flying towards a different nearby star system.
The man did not seem to notice. Shepard realized he was becoming increasingly faint. "Hey, stay with me! I need you to tell me who you are. We're coming to pick you up. Just give me your name." Before the stranger collapsed, he rasped his name.
"Isaac Clarke..."
****
"TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR,
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE!
UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH,
LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY!
WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE,
WHEN THE NOTHING SHINES UPON,
WHEN YOU SHOW YOUR LITTLE LIGHT,
TWINKLE TWINKLE ALL THE NIGHT.
THEN THE TRAVELER IN THE DARK,
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR LITTLE SPARK.
HE COULD NOT SEE WHICH WAY TO GO,
IF YOU DID NOT TWINKLE SO.
WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE,
WHEN THE NOTHING SHINES UPON,
THOUGH I KNOW NOT WHAT YOU ARE,
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR..."
Coming soon...
MASS EFFECT/DEAD SPACE
With the Reapers gone for seven years the Galaxy seemed free of any lasting conflict. Each civilazation from the Alliance, Council space, and even the Terminus Systems seemed to have ended many of the hostilities that had plagued them for years. The Quarians and Geth had settled Rannoch together. The genophage no longer hindered the Krogan and they had reached new levels of prosperity under Urdnot Wrex. And so much more. It seemed like nothing could go wrong.
So why was Shepard bored? Sure, she had activated the Crucible, stopped the mass genocide of all organic life, and had a family with Liara but Shepard felt like she still needed an adventure. Nothing involving explosions or certain death, just an exciting cruise to find something new and exciting. A new planet to discover. A new species to meet.
Shepard pondered over these thoughts while she watched the sunrise over the new London. But her thoughts were interrupted when a familiar pair of blue arms wrapped around her waist. "Good morning, darling." Shepard smiled and turned to see Liara looking radiant, if not something tired. "Morning. Are the kids up yet?" Liara smiled sheepishly. "Well, Miranda is actually looking forward to school. Hard to believe, I know. Benezia didn't get out of bed with much enthusiasm, however."
The two went back inside while their their older daughter Benezia eating her cereal with a look of complete dejection on her face. The younger one, Miranda, had already finished and was pacing nervously while clutching her book tightly. "Miranda, please calm down. We still have more than half an hour." While Liara tried to get the four year old to relax, Shepard sat down with Benezia, holding her close. "Hey. I thought you would be more excited." Benezia finished her cereal and snuggled closer to her. "I know mom. I'm just a little worried." Shepard turned Benezia to face her and tried to cheer the young Asari up. "Worried? You weren't worried last year." Benezia rolled her eyes and whined "But this year's different. None of my friends are in my class, I don't like the new teacher and everybody going to keep asking about my famous mom."
Taking her daughter's hand, Shepard led her to the door and helped her ready her backpack. "Benezia Ashley Shepard, if anybody can handle this, it's you. If anybody bugs you about me, just tell them you're proud of who you are and that's all that matters. If you don't like the new teacher just keep to yourself about it. I'm sure you'll make plenty of new friends too. That one little Krogan boy from your last class seems to like you, I'm sure he'll keep in touch." Benezia blushed and smiled in embarrassment. "Mom! Kruge is just my friend!"
"Just teasing, sweetie. By the way, just to celebrate your first day back... Auntie Jack is coming over!" Benezia was silent for a moment before laughing and giving her mother the biggest hug in the world.
*****
Shepard and Liara had just arrived home when they saw two familiar faces wating for them. "Auntie Jack!" Benezia and Miranda ran over to hug the tattooed former criminal. Shepard smiled at her old squadmate before greeting the other visitor, Miranda lawson. "It's good to see you. I knew Jack was coming over but this is a nice surprise!" Miranda rolled her eyes. "Shepard, you don't have to be so formal. When Jack said she was visiting our old Commander, I had to come too." The two looked as Miranda's roommate carried the two children out to the backyard for an afternoon of what surely involved creative use of biotics, ideas for tattoos for when the girls were old enough, and who knew what else. "Shepard, I didn't just come to say hello. I thought you and Liara would be interested in a mission the Council is offering."
Shepard looked at Liara, half expecting her to immediately refuse. But instead Liara asked, "Is this mission safe? I don't think Shepard and I are looking for anything too dangerous." Miranda shook her head. "No, it's not very dangerous. Just an anomaly that the Council wants Liara to observe, given her background and knowledge. And for security reasons I suggested that you and the Normandy accompany us. You won't be gone for very long, I promise."
*****
3 DAYS LATER
THE FAR RIM
Liara examined the data and was flustered. "So an unprecedented and theoretical cosmic event occurs up near the Galaxy's outer rim with no explanation, and we are supposed to be the experts?" Beside her stood Shepard and Javik the Prothean. "Hm. Even in my cycle, concepts such as 'wormholes' and time travel were only barely understood. Now I know how you and your peoples must feel every day." For three days the Normandy and it's crew had been analyzing an exploded star at the edge of the Galaxy that had suddenly collapsed into a spiraling mass that did not match any known records. So far nothing significant had happened and they were not even close to knowing what had caused it. Even Javik, who came from a civilization more advanced than any that had come since was clueless.
They only knew that time and space were fluctuating in the space around the event, and it fit the theoretical concept of a wormhole. Shepard returned to the starmap with Liara and Javik. Unless they had more analysts the Normandy's report on the anomaly would go nowhere. Feeling even more frustrated and bored than she had in a long time, Shepard was about to give the command to leave with whatever data they possessed and return to the Citadel when Joker's voice rang over the speakers. "Hey Commander, I think you're going to want to see this." Walking over to the cockpit Shepard stood next to her pilot and old friend. "Well, Joker?" He pointed near the edge of the wormhole.
"EDI, could you tell us what that is?" The ship's AI and co-pilot, who sat next to Joker, cocked her head while she observed. "Judging by the velocity of the two objects, I believe that one is a spaceraft of some sort, and the other is a large mass of... an element I cannot identify." Shepard squinted and sure enough she saw a crude, rusted ship half the size of the Normandy floating away from the wormhole. It followed a large black rock that twisted in a spiraled shape. EDI cocked her head again. "Shepard, I am receiving a transmission from the ship. Putting it onscreen."
On the monitor to Joker's right, an image appeared of a grizzled, dark haired man in what looked like an armored suit meant for maintenance and engineering. The image was riddled with static "This is Commander Jane Shepard of the SSV Normandy SR2. State your name and..." The man interrupted Shepard frantically, apparently delirious. "Stop! Listen to me. You have to destroy the object I'm following! You have to destroy the Marker!" Shepard continued. "Give us your name and then we can talk!" The man stopped to take a breath. He was clearly exhausted. But as Shepard watched, the rock the stranger referred to suddenly split into several pieces, each flying towards a different nearby star system.
The man did not seem to notice. Shepard realized he was becoming increasingly faint. "Hey, stay with me! I need you to tell me who you are. We're coming to pick you up. Just give me your name." Before the stranger collapsed, he rasped his name.
"Isaac Clarke..."
****
"TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR,
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE!
UP ABOVE THE WORLD SO HIGH,
LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY!
WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE,
WHEN THE NOTHING SHINES UPON,
WHEN YOU SHOW YOUR LITTLE LIGHT,
TWINKLE TWINKLE ALL THE NIGHT.
THEN THE TRAVELER IN THE DARK,
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR LITTLE SPARK.
HE COULD NOT SEE WHICH WAY TO GO,
IF YOU DID NOT TWINKLE SO.
WHEN THE BLAZING SUN IS GONE,
WHEN THE NOTHING SHINES UPON,
THOUGH I KNOW NOT WHAT YOU ARE,
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR..."
Coming soon...
MASS EFFECT/DEAD SPACE