Mass Effect 3_Ari'iaana(Infiltrator)-Vancouver_Reapers_James_Ashley

Mass Effect 3

It's been six months... six months since Commander Shepard, formally of the Alliance Navy (before she died... and was resurrected), defeated the Collectors in an unprecedented suicide mission through the treacherous and unmapped Omega 4 Relay.

She was formally "Relieved of Duty", but at least no longer locked up in the Brig.

In the time she had handed herself over to the Alliance, she had been kept away from all contact, all news, all people. She saw virtually no-one but her handler -- Lt. James Vega. The young and... very... strapping soldier clearly suffered a serious case of hero-worship and was certainly in awe of her.

To him, she was an idol, a living legend, the First Human Spectre, an awe-inspiring soldier who had achieved the impossible so many times it was as if she was almost inhuman. She was "The Commander Shepard"... words that had now become a deeply respected moniker; no longer was it just simply her rank and name. With his exceptional respect, excessive formality, and excessive use of - unwarranted - protocol around her - it hardly took one to be Mordin Solus to work out that was just what he thought of her... but he was nice, and she liked him, so she's humoured him with it and let him be.

She had been away from everyone since she surrendered the Normandy to Admiral Hackett after the Collectors were destroyed. She missed them all, but especially Garrus - her best friend, her battlefield brother-in-arms, her best sniper (if you didn't count her...), her love. After losing Kaidan... killing him, sentencing him to death, to save others... she never guessed that she would not only die but then live to love again. 

She hadn't been softened by him, but she had become more slightly tolerant. Just about. She was a tough girl from the street, and she remained so - especially now. 

On this specific day, nice and pleasant, watching an adorable young boy"flying" his Normandy toy about on the roof of his building, she was surprised when her door opened unexpectedly. Everyone kept regular times with her, so this was a slightly unusual visit to be having.

The overly-respectful Lieutenant Vega is back, this time with a request for her to see the Defence Committee. Leaving quickly, they run into (now) Admiral Anderson... and the expression on his face tells her everything she really needs to know about this abrupt summoning:

The Reapers were here.

Before facing the Defence Committee, she is faced with something far more daunting - in fact, she would have absolutely prefered to take on a hundred Reapers before facing this... Before facing Ashley. Or Lieutenant Commander Williams, as she was now.

At least she was being pleasant - which was more than she expected from her, after what happened on Horizon. She isn't quite sure what to think or how to behave, except professionally. Her former Gunnery Chief had been under her command, had respected her, had eventually been her friend. But now... now she didn't know what Ash thought of her.

She then just about overhears Vega asking Ashley about her as she leaves... First, her thoughts were of affectionate amusement, that her awe-struck handler was almost just as surprised and honoured to meet one of her friends and former crew. But then... she heard Ash'es answer. After that, she once again just didn't know what to think.

But at least she didn't have to think about it much longer - this Defence Committee would now distract her instead with their twittering - something she could barely tolerate, and she wasn't interested in their politics, bureaucracy, and debates when real life went on beyond their closed doors.

Unfortunately, she received a rather bigger distraction than she had anticipated... This was the very moment the Reapers landed on Earth, in Canada, in Vancouver, and quite nearly in their office too.

It was only a moment before one of their lasers tore into the office. Realising what was happening just a fraction of a moment before it did, it gave her time to make it just out of the way of the worst of it. Around her and behind her, the Committee's large podiums went flying through their air, with the Committee still attached to them. She and Anderson were the only survivors because they were standing and over by the door.

Now it was starting.

And now... Now she was going to damn well finish it... 


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