Mass Effect: The Requiem Saga: Genesis

Mass Effect: The Requiem Saga: Genesis.

Volume 1.

Chapter 8.

Vahan: Get the fuck down!

Shots fire over my head as Vahan rips me from in front of my chair and has me take cover behind a table.

“Holy shit…”

Vahan: All right, you listening to me?

“Yeah…”

Vahan: See that corner there?

Vahan pointed to a corner of a turn of the walls, where there was cover and we could possibly get to the rest. Maybe help them out.

Vahan: You go when I say. And you fucking run. Got that?

“Uhuh.”

Vahan: All right, y-shit!

Vahan had to duck under a shot that ricocheted off the table. He could feel the presence of people moving in closer.

Vahan: Go! Now! Right now!

“Hnh!”

I shot out of the cover of the table and felt Vahan follow close behind, taking shots. I swear I could see the blue glow coming out from behind me as well.

Vahan: Argh!

As I slid into cover, I turned my head to see Vahan stumble forward into it. His face was clenched up as he grabbed my shoulder.

Vahan: Keep fucking moving!

I was ripped to my feet and we both ran towards the actual hangar of the docking port where we saw about six starships stationed here. We immediately saw people were confused, as they probably could only hear echoes of screaming and gunshots. Vahan sealed the door behind us as everyone came out from what they were doing.

Jervis: Shep? Vahan? What’s up?

Galen: Is everything all right?

The gunshots end, but the screaming continues.

Civilian: Wh-what’s going on?

Vahan: I’ll tell you what’s fucking going on…

Vahan walks straight up to the civilian, grabs him by the shirt, and pulls him into the air, looking at him in the eyes. I could see dark blue blood coming out from his side. Oh no.

Vahan: The fucking Batarians are here!

Anderson limped out from cover.

Anderson: They broke through?

“Yeah.”

Anderson grabbed the railing of the walkway he is on, holding it so tightly that his knuckles turn white.

Anderson: We need to get ready. Now.

Vahan: How many weapons do we have?

Anderson: Enough for everyone who can hold a gun, will hold a gun.

Vahan: Then get them on those damn weapons.

Anderson: Right. People! Follow me!

Anderson limped down the walkway and people began to follow him until they got to a stockpile. Galen and Jervis immediately ran to us when the mob of people moved by.

Jervis: Well this all went to shit quickly.

Suddenly, our eyes turn to the sealed door as a line of melted metal begins to appear.

Vahan: Shit. They’re trying to take the door down.

We all took cover quickly and readied our weapons. I had to take a few deep breaths. Am I going to die?

Jervis: Shit… well... It’s been fun guys.

“Don’t say that.”

Jervis: Hm?

“We’re not going to die here. I promise.”

Jervis didn’t say anything back, but Galen piped up.

Galen: Well, Lieutenant, Gunnery Chief… How about after this, we all go out to get a few drinks?

Jervis: Yeah… yeah, that sounds fun.

“I’m down.”

Galen: Good.

Vahan: Quit your fucking sentimental shit, let’s take out these assholes, grab a bite, take a nap.

A few seconds later, Anderson returned with all of the colonists armed. I took a look at them. Teenagers holding guns, a mother holding a pistol as a child holds onto her leg…

War is hell.

Anderson: All right, everyone’s armed.

“Let’s get them covered, all right?

Anderson: Right. Everyone! Get into cover!

Anderson turned to us.

Anderson: I’ll see you boys after the fight.

I had to smile at Anderson and nodded.

“Roger.”

Anderson saluted and then limped as quickly as he could into decent cover. We turn back to the door and it’s nearly broken through.

Vahan: Men! Ready your weapons! Aim…

And then suddenly, it stopped.

Vahan: Hm? Wha-

BOOOOOOOMMMMMFFFFHHHH!

Suddenly, the door exploded. The door shot out and fire spread through the area. We all fell down from the shockwave as the door flew overhead and lodged itself into one of the starships.

“Oh my-“

BOOOMMFFHHH!

Before I knew what was happening, I turned back to see someone had thrown out what looked like to be a lift grenade in the area of us four.

In a single second, I looked at everyone here. Galen also saw a lift grenade and was about to react, Jervis hadn’t even noticed it yet, and Vahan was just turning around. I thought about grabbing one of them, but before could even move, the grenade had exploded.

“AGH!”

It’s an odd thing being thrown away. You try to stay on the ground, but it is literally not possible. It’s not easy to describe, as there’s not any feeling like it. I flew through the air, landing on the walkway and tumbling over the railing.

“Sh-!”

I grabbed the railing, my legs swinging wildly as my body stopped abruptly. Using the momentum of my legs, I pulled myself over the railing and back onto the walkway. My ears were ringing, but it began to cease as I surveyed the battleground. It wasn’t in slow motion or anything… but it was… picturesque.

The colonists shooting, some of them are so scared that they’re just blind firing. I looked back at where Jervis had taken cover to see Vahan with his leg facing the wrong way. He had gotten onto his knees. I tried to yell out but the sound couldn’t come out of my mouth. The next thing I saw was a shot going through the back of his head and out of the forehead. He immediately fell over the railing and down into the bottom of the hangar.

“Ag… agh…”

I got more into cover and grabbed my head as the ringing ceased. I realized I was in pain. I was looking at the ground when I looked to see Galen in cover, yelling at me.

I stood to my feet, hearing a plethora of screaming and gunshots. I watched as Batarian grabbed the mother I saw earlier and threw her over the railing, then one of them killing the loud civilian with a boot to the face.

I then heard coughing.

????: Sh-… ugh… Shep…

I turned back to see Jervis with a huge hole in his stomach and part of the broken railing stabbed into his upper body.

Jervis: Rgh… h-hey man…

“Oh no. Oh please no…”

I kneeled down and kept my hands hovering over his body, not knowing what to do.

Jervis: C-could… rgh… oh god, please. Shep… take the b-bar out… please…

I looked at the railing stabbed into him and grabbed it. I began to pull, but he yelled in pain.

“Oh God. I’m so sorry, Jervis. I’m sorry.”

So I went with a Band-Aid policy. I ripped it out quickly and abruptly.

Jervis; AAAAGHHHH!

Jervis screamed in pain, but I threw the bar out. He breathed quickly, but was able to calm himself down.

Jervis: Sh…shit…

“Jervis…”

Jervis: H-how bad… is it?

“I…”

Jervis: Pretty bad, huh?

Jervis tried to take a deep breath but ended up coughing.

Jervis: I uh… Shep… Shep, I need you to listen t-to me.

“What?”

Jervis: I… I know I’m not g-gonna… you know. Make it.

“No no, yeah you will. We’ll get some medigel on you and-“

Jervis: Shut up, Shepard. Do…do-don’t bullshit me. I know what’s going on… so I need you t-to do something for me.

Tears were welling up in my eyes.

“What?”

Jervis: R-remember… I have a fam-family… please… please tell them I died a soldier.

“I will. I swear.”

Jervis: Thank you.

Jervis coughed.

Jervis: You’re gonna go… go far, Shep. I know it. I just know it. Y-you’re gonna… you’re gonna head up the Alliance one day. I swear. I’l-hrngh… I’ll be watchin’ it go down…

“I…”

Jervis: You’re a good guy. I know. You’re… you’re a great leader. Jus’… jus’ remember something for me, a’right?

Jervis coughed again, blood trickling down.

Jervis: Don-don’t let… don’t fall. Don’t fall like the rest of them. Pleas…please… stand… strong.

“I will. I will.”

Jervis: O-okay… goo-good…

Jervis let his head down.

Jervis: Heaven b-better be… real nice…

And then… he stopped talking. He stopped moving. He stopped breathing.

I kneeled there for what seemed like an hour, but it was just a minute. Maybe less.

I stood up and looked around at the death and the fighting.

What am I doing here? What the hell am I doing here? I’m not a soldier. I’m not… I’m a video game nerd who didn’t really know what he wanted from life. I had a family back where I was from. I had a comfy bed and a safe place. Mass Effect was my favorite game and now… now I’m in the game.

But… what am I really supposed to do? I’ve been taken to a new place and there’s obviously no way back. I was trying to think of ways to get back when I went to bed earlier, but it’s not going to happen. I’ve been given Shepard’s place in the world now.

So… yeah. Yeah, I’m not a soldier. I’m right about that. I’m a video game nerd. I am afraid. I’m so, so afraid.

But I have to become one. I have to become a soldier. No… I can’t become one, I have to be one. There’s too much on the line.

I am Commander Shepard.

I looked down and grabbed the assault rifle that fell from my back and immediately moved forward.

Anderson: Shepard? Shepard! What are you doing?

I turned back to Anderson as shots flew around us.

“Sir… Finishing this fight.”

To Be Continued…