Mass Effect: The Requiem Saga: Genesis.
Volume 1.
Chapter 2.
Bartender: Hey guys. Some of your friends are here already.
I walked into The Drunken Varren, a bar pretty close to the Alliance base in Elysium with Junior Murphy, a soldier I had just met today.
In case you didn’t know, I’ll give you a quick recap.
For some reason, I’ve been sent into a new universe, this universe happening to be The Mass Effect Universe, where I’m now taking the place of Commander Shepard. And now I’m in The Skyllian Blitz. Yeah. Seriously. I’m not joking,
Junior: Thanks, man. Shep, let’s go sit down.
I followed Junior to a booth where several other soldiers were drinking. We both took chairs and sat at the end of the table, being greeted with some fist pounds.
I looked at a soldier who started talking to me, his nametag said Jervis.
Jervis: So, Shep, what’s been going on with that Asari girl who you’ve been hanging out with.
“Hm?”
You know, now that he mentioned it, I remembered seeing an Asari giving me eyes when I was walking here, and Junior smirked at me when I looked at her.
“Oh. Uh… not much. I don’t think.”
Junior: Come on, you’ve been with her whenever you get the chance.
Jervis: You lay her yet, my man?
“What?”
Jervis: You totally have. Look at ‘im!
Did I? I mean, well, did Shepard? I don’t… I don’t’ think he did. Well, even if he did, I… well… I’ve never even had sex before. Like, I’ve been close once, but never actually done the deed.
Junior: I’unno. He looks like he’s telling the truth.
Jervis: Eh. He might be.
Soldier: Oh leave him alone.
I looked at Jervis. He has an accent. Sounds Canadian. The soldier sitting next to him was named Mark. The soldier who spoke up was a girl named Liz.
Liz: Shep’s telling the truth. He still looks…
Jervis: Like a virgin?
Liz: Kinda.
“I… erh…”
I didn’t know how to keep up with these guys. They were all so familiar with each other. And they expect me to be like that too, even though I’ve known them for maybe a few minutes. Junior for probably an hour or so.
Liz: Junior, you hear anything about that radio chatter?
Junior: That you don’t already know? Don’t think so.
Jervis: Only thing I’ve heard is that The Turians are looking into it more and more.
Liz: How bout you, Shep?
I shook my head.
Liz: Hm. Damn.
The bartender walks over and hands everyone beers.
Bartender: I’m assuming Shepard’s paying?
“Huh? I…”
Mark raises his hand slightly.
Mark: Me, tonight.
I immediately noticed that Mark has a thick Irish accent. The bartender grunts.
Bartender: Right.
The bartender walks away.
“You don’t usually pay?”
Mark: Well, judging how we’ve left you the check the last couple times, it’s only fair we took the check sometimes.
Jervis: Says you.
“Thanks.”
Mark: Don’t mention it.
I didn’t drink, but the four of them drank and drank, talking along until two of them were asleep and the other two were close. It gave me time to think. And that’s something I desperately needed.
I’m in another universe. There’s no other thing it could possibly be. Really. It’s so hard to think about. I’m Commander Shepard now.
How does one even go back to their own reality? I want to go talk to my family again. I want to meet up with my friends. I don’t want this to be it for me.
The next thing I felt was a hand on my shoulder.
“Huh?”
Liz: Shep, wha’s wrong?
Liz was very drunk, but she was still mindful enough to ask me what’s going on. I must not be hiding my concern or confusement well.
“Ah, nothing much, really.”
Liz: You sure?
I chuckled.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
Liz: I’unno man, I’ve heard some crazy shit.
“I can tell.”
Liz: Bu… but you should head back to the base. Get a nap and a shower or something. I’ll take care of these guys.
“You sure?”
Liz: I can handle ‘em. Go.
“Thanks. I’ll see you there.”
Liz: Mmhm.
I stood up and walked out, waving goodbye to the bartender. I caught a glimpse of Liz shaking one of the guys awake.
I tried remembering the path back to the base and was successful. I headed straight for the bed, hoping it was the right one and I wasn’t sleeping in someone else’s.
I took my shirt off, laying back in the bed and looking at the ceiling. Maybe if I go to sleep, all of this will go away and I’ll be back in my soft, cushy bed. All curled up.
I hope so.
~
CHOOMPFH! CHOOMPFH! BRRRRRH-DOOOOM!“Hrhn…?”
CHOOMPFH!Soldier: AAGH!
Female Soldier: No!
CHOOMPFH!“Agh…”
I woke up to the smell of smoke.
Immediately, my eyes noted the darker atmosphere, the lights now flashing red.
“What’s… wh…?”
I stood up groggily, seeing someone run into my room. It was someone I recognize. The girl from the bar.
“L-Liz…?”
I murmured her name as she locked eyes with me.
Liz: Shepard! Shepard, hid-
CHOOMPFH!Liz flew forward after the sound of a buckshot echoed through the room. On instinct, I immediately crouched down, hiding behind the bed next to mine.
“Liz…!”
I whispered her name, crouching down under the bed and looking to see her at the end of the row of beds, gasping for air. I curved my head downwards some more and looked to see a massive hole in her back, blood now pouring out of it and her mouth.
“Ah… L-L…L…”
I’ve never… I’ve never seen a… oh god. I think I might throw up. Oh no. Ohh… oh no.
And I probably would’ve, but I heard footsteps.
“Hnh!”
I tried to slow down my breathing, but only succeeded in breathing quickly and softly. I curled up in what was sort of a fetal position, where, unfortunately, my eyes were pointed directly at Liz. And we locked gazes.
She was terrified. Anyone could tell. But she couldn’t do anything about it. She was choking… oh God… she was choking on her own blood that was pouring out of her mouth.
I almost reached out a hand in helplessness, but then I saw something horrific. Someone had stepped over her and shot her again, this time in the head. Almost all of her face was blown off. It was so quick.
Oh God.
I heard a deep voice yell out something garbled to someone else. I recognized the kind of voice, it was distinctly Batarian. But I couldn’t do much else other than identify the race. I was too busy trying to keep my food down and stay silent.
Batarian: Bartok?
More footsteps. Someone else had come into the room. A different, but similar voice came from whoever this Bartok was.
Bartok: Search the room. I’m heading up to the briefing room.
Batarian: Understood.
Bartok left the room and then the Batarian began to look through the room.
“Hhh…”
I tried to silence my breathing, but it was incredibly difficult. I wanted to hyperventilate. I wanted to throw up. I wanted to cry. But I couldn’t.
Batarian: Hm?
Oh no. Oh God. Did he hear me?
The Batarian walked next to the bed I was hiding under. He walked a bit further and I slowly let a breath out.
Thank Go-
And then suddenly, the bed was ripped right off the ground and I came face to face with a Batarian who was holding a shotgun.
But then, a yellow flash came through my eyes and things slowed down. An… adrenaline rush? Oh. Right. I’m a soldier.
On instinct, I rolled to the side, seeing the Batarian pulling his shotgun at the ready. Hoping my new athletic body would serve me well, I tried my hand at doing a kip-up. I succeeded and stopped for a single instant, thinking on what to do next.
Batarian: Raagh!
The Batarian swung his shotgun to the side as the adrenaline rush wore off, striking me in the stomach.
“Oofh!”
I bounced back slightly, falling onto one knee as I grabbed my stomach. He leveled the shotgun at my head, but I shot back up to my feet, grabbed the barrel of the gun, pulled it away, and kneed the Batarian hard.
“Hyah!”
I brought my elbow of my free arm up and slammed it into the side of the Batarian’s head. He stumbled to the side, allowing me to rip the gun from his hand.
Batarian: Agh!
The Batarian grabbed his head and looked at me as I readied the shotgun.
Batarian: Hrnh?
I faltered, not being able to pull the trigger out of fear. I’ve never killed anyone before. Anything. I… I…
Batarian: Ragh!
The Batarian lunged at me, hands outstretched. And it was over in an instant.
CHOOMPFH!The Batarian’s body flung back against one of the beds, then slumped to the ground. There was no other sounds other than, well, the blaring security alarm. I just breathed.
What had I done?
I fell to one knee, keeping my body up with the shotgun. Immediately, I hurled all over the floor.
I had killed someone.
I wiped my mouth.
I shot a man.
The taste in my mouth nearly made me throw up once more.
Half of his face is on the wall.
“I… I…”
I stood. I didn’t have any more words for what had just happened. I just leaned over the Batarian’s body.
He had several guns on him. An assault rifle, a pistol, and the shotgun I was now holding. Many heat clips.
I took the weapons and threw them on the bed, turning to what I was pretty sure was an armor locker at the end of the room. I walked up to it, logged into my profile, Lieutenant Shepard’s, and they gave me my armor.
I grabbed the chest plate and gave it a long look.
N7.
That is me. I am humanity’s finest. At least… for now.
I’m sorry, Liz. I never knew you. I wish I did.
I began to dress.
To Be Continued…
