Mass Effect: The Requiem Saga: Genesis

Mass Effect: The Requiem Saga: Genesis.

Volume 1.

Chapter 1.

Season 1: Part 1 of the Requiem Saga – Genesis

Commander Samuel Shepard.

Odd. Eccentric. Shy. Self-Conscious. Young. Naïve. Brave. Strong. Fearless. Indomitable.

All those words have been used to describe me.

Yeah, that’s me. Commander Sam Shepard. But… my story is an odd one. Not the one you might know.

My name, in fact, is not even Commander Shepard. No, that was a name that people started calling me when I came to the Mass Effect Universe. But I have become Shepard. So my old name doesn’t and won’t really matter. You will know me as Shepard.

I came from a universe where Commander Shepard was my favorite video game character. I played and went through every game as renegade and paragon, went through a variety of romances, and loved every bit of it. Hell, I met my first serious girlfriend through Mass Effect.

But after… a confusing and depressing day, I was in an accident on the road. A device fell out of a truck and I was shocked with a blue energy. After that… I found myself in a different place. One very similar to the world I knew through my TV Screen but different in so many ways too.

I found this world is not as easy to approach with a paragon or renegade attitude, as much as the game made it look. This world is dark and confusing. Filled with love and happiness. Built with sadness and attrition. So much has changed since I came here. So much.

This may be my story, but in many ways, it’s not. It’s everyone’s story. But, at least for now…

I’m Commander Shepard. And this is my story.

~

BRIIINNGGGG! BRRRIINNNGG! BRRIIINNGGGGG!

????: RISE AND SHINE, GENTLEMEN!

I hear a loud voice screaming for people to get up. But… I don’t recognize it. It belongs to an older man, you can hear it, but it doesn’t sound like my Dad.

Older Man: DID YOU HEAR ME, MAGGOT? GET YOUR ASS UP!

I felt the presence of someone standing right over me and my eyes fluttered open to see an older man with a buzzcut and a military uniform yelling at me. And upon realization of that, I realized some other things. This wasn’t my room. My room is small enough, with a skyblue paint finish.

“Hrgh?”

I grunted and felt around. This wasn’t my bed. My bed was soft and spongy with black and brown sheets; this one was hard and springy with white sheets.

Older Man: DID A RACHNI CRAWL IN YOUR HEAD AND DIE, SOLDIER? GET YOUR FUCKING DUMBASS UP BEFORE I RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!

I groggily sprung to my feet and surveyed the room. There were five other men in the room next to their beds, excluding the older man. They were trying not to stare.

Older Man: Lieutenant, I swear to God, if I have to raise my voice like that one more goddamn time, I swear, I will be throwing you into the airlock. Do I make myself clear?

I stared at him. I didn’t know who he was. And I sure as hell wasn’t a Lieutenant. This wasn’t my room. I didn’t know these people, but they all seemed to be… familiar with me. I looked at the older man’s nametag on his clothing. Colonel Marcus Hackett.

Hackett? I knew that name… it was from that game, Mass Effect. Captain Daniel Hackett. Probably not of any relation, since, ya know, he’s from a video game, but he did look a little like him. But still different, younger, and without the scar. He looked like… a little brother.

Daniel Hackett: Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?

I answered with what I thought was appropriate. I straightened myself up, stared straight ahead as if I was in a war movie, and yelled…

“Sir Yes Sir!”

Daniel shook his head and turned away from me, standing at the middle of the room.

Daniel Hackett: Lieutenant Shepard is your bad example of the day, gentlemen. Now get your asses to The Briefing Room on the CIC.

Shepard? What?

The whole room nodded and yelled ‘Sir Yes Sir!’ before he left the room. Everyone relaxed and began to get into new pairs of clothes. A soldier touched me with his hand.

Soldier: Hey Shep. Didn’t get much sleep, did you?

Why is everyone calling me Shepard? My name’s not Shepard.

“What?”

Soldier: Pahaha! You were hitting up The Drunken Varren last night, weren’t you?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Soldier: Uhuh. Sure you don’t. But seriously, let’s head upstairs. Get your blues on.

The soldier began to walk away.

“No but seriously, I don’t get what… dude I… okay. See ya.”

I watched as everyone else began to get dressed in new clothes. It reminded me of gym class. I looked around and saw that they were reaching into lockers behind their bunks. I looked behind my bed to see a locker of my own.

“Hm…”

I open my locker and I see three pairs of clothes that I recognize as well. These are the usual uniforms that you get in Mass Effect 3. The default version.

“What the fuck is going on…?”

This is not a dream. I’m not that much of an idiot. You can’t feel like this in dreams. You don’t get disoriented like this. Hell, you don’t even realize it’s a dream. All of this is… real in some way.

I grabbed the uniform and began to peel my clothes off, changing into my ‘blues’ as that guy called it. But I stopped as I began to change and looked at my body. Muscular. I had the physique of a soldier. And the blues? The nametag said…

‘Commander Samuel Shepard’

Samuel is my real name. Shepard is not.

What in fucking hell is going on?

I finally fully changed, feeling a bit odd in the uniform. And just as I was getting accustomed, the last soldier was heading out of the room. The guy I was talking to earlier. I decided it’d be a great time to follow him.

“What’s going on…?”

The soldier turned to me and I saw his nametag. Junior Murphy.

“Uh… Junior?”

Junior: Hey Shep. Not really sure, but it might have to do with the radio chatter.

“Radio chatter?”

Junior: Heh. Still out of it? Well, if you recall, we’ve been getting some reports of radio chatter going on in the forests outside of Elysium.

What have I gotten myself into? Elysium? Is this… this couldn’t be…

“Oh. Do we know from who?”

Junior: Nah. Some say it’s Batarian, but I think that’s stupid.

“Pffh. Batarian. Right.”

This guy must be a Mass Effect fan too.

Junior: You think it’s stupid too, huh?

“Well… yeah, who wouldn’t?”

Junior: Well, some of the boys have been saying the Turians around here have picked up its Batarian.

“Turians…?”

Junior: Yeah. Don’t know if that’s legit though.

Holy shit. Turians? Batarians? Elysium? Mass Effect Soldier Uniforms? Hackett? People are calling me Shepard?

I’m in The Mass Effect Universe. And I’m Commander Shepard. Or… Lieutenant Shepard now.

Junior: Shep?

I realized I had stopped in my tracks as I realized where I was.

Junior: You all right?

“Ah… yeah. Yeah I think I’ll… be okay…”

Junior: Uhuh. All right, come on, let’s get into the elevator.

The two of us head into the elevator and I’m ready to throw up. How is this even possible? How did this happen? It has to be a dream but it isn’t!

Okay… all right… think this through. What happened lately that could even somehow justify this?

I remember… I remember heading home one day. And there was a crash. Something fell out and I tried to pick it up but… damn it, it all goes black then. I just remember being shocked by an energy and feeling like I was disappearing.

Maybe I was. I don’t know.

Junior: Think you’ll be okay today?

“Huh?”

Junior: You look sick.  How hard did you go last night?

“I… I don’t know. I really don’t.”

Junior: Huh. Must’ve been damn hard then. Don’t worry, stick next to me, you’ll be good. I think we’ll finally be getting some action today.

I nodded and followed him out of the elevator through a command room. Its layout was different from what I remember, but the technology remained the same. The next thing I know, I’m standing in a briefing room with about twenty other soldiers, and Daniel Hackett is entering the room.

Daniel Hackett: Hello gentlemen. I have some good news. You’re all on leave as of now.

Junior: What?

Daniel Hackett: Yep. It’s been a long time since you guys got some time to settle down, I figured now was a great time. We’re on Elysium and all; it’s said to be one of the crown jewels of The Alliance and all that, right?

The Captain clears his throat.

Daniel Hackett: Well, you’re excused. Have fun, gentlemen. You have four days, so the rest of the long weekend.

We all say our goodbyes and walk out of the room.

“Didn’t we get reports of chatter? Shouldn’t we just… I’unno, stay here?”

Junior: I’m a bit confused too. This… shouldn’t happen. At least not now. But… I guess we could use the time.

“Huh.”

Junior: Well… I might head to The Drunken Varren and get a few beers. A couple of the guys will probably be there. Wanna join me?

“Ah… I’ll tag along.”

I don’t really drink all too much or often, but, I don’t know where I am, where anything is, and don’t want to get in trouble or in people’s way, and this guy seems to know me or… Shepard… well enough to hang out with him. Might as well.

Junior: Cool. Let’s go then.

I follow close behind, still feeling sick. I can barely keep up with what’s happening. I was just dropped into this world and I don’t know what the hell is going on. And it doesn’t seem like it’ll change. I guess… this is me now?

Ugh. I can’t think about this right now. I’m just going to go to a bar for a little while.

But I guess, for now, whether I like it or not, I’m Sam Shepard.

Eeesh.

To Be Continued…