48Disclaimer: I Don't own Mass Effect
Edit: 6/15/17
AN: Yo! Third chapter, some more stuff is gonna get revealed and I've actually gone and brought in the Normandy. Also some more scenes with 'Death', and now Reviewers.
Frankieu: Thanks! I hope it keeps your interest!
Zealous Specter: Ooops sorry about that, I went ahead and put it on my
profile, thanks for the tip.
: I hope you like it.
Now! To the story!
The Relay shined with it's unearthly blue glow, brightening for a second before dimming as it spat out a black and white frigate, small and sleek, it was roughly two hundred meters long with two engines on either side. On its side emblazoned in white, underlined in crimson. Read Normandy and on the wing below it continued SR1.
My heart rate rose, this time unintentionally. This was it! The entire reason I was here to begin with, now the quest tasked onto me by 'Death' truly began. As I gazed blindly at the image of the Normandy before me I felt myself slip back into my own mind without my consent.
I gestured for 'Death' to continue. Leaning forward slightly in my chair, hands still on my knees as a soft breeze blew past. Ruffling my hair and clothes slightly, but leaving 'Deaths' attire untouched.
"You are familiar with the concept of the multiple reality concept correct?" shivers ran down my spine once more at 'Deaths' alien voice, although noticeably less so than previous times. I nodded stoically as they passed, my eyes remaining locked on 'Deaths' 'face'. The multiple reality theory had always fascinated me, the thought of leaving my rather ordinary world for one of amazing technology or magic was one of my biggest wishes, most definitely one of the reasons I loved gaming and reading so much. If 'Death' had brought it up then-! My heart began beating faster, my eyes widened, did 'Death' bring me here to solve a problem in another world?! Another dimension?! Was this my chance to leave my mundane world behind for one of amazing magic and technological wonders?!
"I'm glad to see you figured out your purpose here so quickly." 'Death' interrupted my fantasy, sounding rather pleased, but I could not bring myself to be bothered. My mind raced a thousand thoughts a second, the infinite number of worlds that I could see! I shake my head vigorously, forcing myself from my fantasies. Now was the absolute last time to wrap myself up in my own world. Looking back to 'Death' I saw it looking at me with what I could Feel was amusement.
"So you're sending me off to some far flung world, why?" I asked, trying and failing to keep my eagerness from my voice. 'Death' nodded, flowing robes of void making strange shapes to the eyes as it shifted.
"I need you to break something for me." My eyes narrowed, I didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like 'Death' was dancing around something I wouldn't like.
"…" I kept quiet, allowing 'Death' to continue.
"…" It sat quiet before me, the both off us silent as a breeze once again blew between us. I sighed closing my eyes and hanging my head, breaking the silence. Before snapping my head up to stare piercingly at 'Death'.
"Well, what is it I'm not going to like about this?" my voice was low and dangerous, my earlier exuberance had evaporated quickly at how 'Death' was acting, suspicion settling in. 'Death' sighed as well, but seemed otherwise unaffected at my actions
"I need you to stop Shepard from initiating synthesis within the crucible." The words were said swiftly yet clearly, however even so I barely heard them. The Crucible? Shepard? Fuck! I bowed my head glaring at the sands below bringing my hands from my knees to cradle my face resting my elbows in their position instead. That was the absolute last place I wanted to be booted to. A shit version of the Force that required a chip in the skull, a bunch a racist aliens that were either condescending assholes or treated humans like infants, oh and of course who could forget the insane genocidal robot squids. There was from realistically very little I could do to change anything with minimal gains and very high risks.
"I can tell you're worried, don't be. It's not as bad as you think." 'Deaths' voice calmed me, slowing my racing thoughts, and allowing me to think logically again. Keeping my head bowed, I allowed the glare to ease off my face and began taking deep rhythmic breaths
"Speak" I said evenly as I continued my calming technique.
"You will not be dropped randomly or confused into the 'Mass Effect Verse' as it is. I will be placing you into a position where you can build enough power in order to tip the balance of power significantly into Shepards favor." It was the longest thing 'Death' had ever said and though I was not looking at it I knew it had not moved throughout the entire conversation, nor had it paused for breath. I paused my breathing for a moment to digest this new information. That at least assuaged my initial fears, I would not be dropped ass first into the Citadel nor have to deal with bullshit politics… I frowned slightly, at least I hopped I wouldn't. Sighing once more I looked up to face 'Death' once more, intertwining my fingers and resting my chin on my knuckles.
"Okay so how exactly will I be 'stopping Shepard from initiating synthesis'?" I asked tiredly. Despite this conversation lasting only… I glanced at the sun over 'Deaths' shoulder, it had not moved even budge during this entire conversation. Closing my eyes and mentally shaking my head I put the odd fact from my mind before looking back to 'Death'. 'Death' stared at me for a few moments, as if making sure I want going to zone out on it as it explained. Rolling my eyes I gave 'Death' a pointed look. It didn't show any reaction other than speaking.
"Factorio, a game in which a single person can harvest, research, and create an incredible amount different materials, weapons, and machines. You were playing it when I brought you here." Despite not being very clear, I understood what 'Death' was getting at.
"You're going to give me a factory to build things with?" I grimaced, while I did love Factorio when compared to the Mass effect universe it was woefully underpowered. The only real thing it would have over the technology of Mass Effect was the laser tech, but that only applied to turrets unle-
"I will be providing you with advanced technologies to use, also you will find your factories will be on a much larger scale than in your videogame." 'Death' seemed to follow my train of though and knew what would reassure me. Mollified I turned my eyes down to the sands below me, mind spinning up once more. Depending on the technologies 'Death' would be providing with me it could indeed greatly improve the odds in my favor. Even something as simple as a handheld laser weapon would be an insane advantage in the Mass Effect universe, a weapon able to pierce any shield in the galaxy and something I could mass-produce using a completely autonomous factory would do wonders against anything Shepard came up against. I look back up to 'Death'
"Factories?" I asked. "How much room and resources will I have access to?" I continued before 'Death' could answer.
"I wouldn't worry about that, you'll have an entire solar system at your disposal." My eyes widened and I took a sharp inhale of breath before looking away, to the horizon of this strange place. An entire solar system? That was an insane amount of resources, more than I could use in a lifetime. I frowned once more before looking to 'Death' speaking coolly and seriously
"I don't think the Council would enjoy a human building a huge amount of factories for the express purpose of supplying Humanity for a full scale total war very much." 'Death' Chuckled completely still before answering-
*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*BEEP*
Another alarm knocked me from my reverie, this time signaling the Normandy was beginning to turn away from the system, trying to flee back towards the relay. Shit! I looked to left of my HUD seeing several other alerts, one that sounded when the Normandy began scanning the systems, and a hailing alert. Fuck! I had been caught up in my thoughts for to long, but this wasn't the end of the world. I had been planning to ignore any hails anyways, but I had hoped to do this before they started fleeing. Bowing my head and closing my head, I allowed my persona of anger and vengeance to take over. My pulse raced, adrenaline began flowing, and a viscous snarl overtook my face. Fully immersing myself into the mindset of vengeful warrior a slammed my hand onto the strategic screen below me, manually targeting all my defense systems to the fleeing Normandy, and a sweep of my hand ordered a quarter of the fighter drones in the system to congregate around the Relay, more than a million twenty meter laser firing, missile towing fighters swarmed around the Relay in an impenetrable cloud of death. Mentally triggering my cyber warfare suite, I used it to punch straight through the Normandy's cyber defenses, invading its data banks, I ordered it to copy all the information onboard before creating a language translator immediately. Activating it as soon as it became available, I forcefully opened communications with the Normandy and roared "Do not flee Abomination, Come and let me send you to 'Death' as you did my people. Face me and die!" leaving the communications channel open I slammed my other hand into the console before me, firing my orbital cannon and the others directly around me at the Normandy with a low rumbling thrum, lasers whipping so quickly they reached Normandy near immediately. Deliberately missing the Normandy itself, but hitting their shield allowing them to see how the bright blue lasers passed through their shields unmolested. Pulling my hand back I allowed the cannons to rearm themselves as I waited for the Normandy to respond. I few seconds later the still open comms channel crackled to life "Cease fire! Cease fire! We're non hostile Cease fire!" I internally grinned as Jennifer Hales voice came over the voice channel, not quite desperate, but most definitely distressed. Here it was, the beginning of the end of the Reapers.
AN: Yay! Shepards finally here! 'Death' and I had some weird conversations. I hope this chapter wasn't to confusing (It didn't seem to me) but go ahead and tell me off if it was. It's not very clear, but we're still in the prologue, well we're in the end of the prologue. The next chapter will most likely last off the prologue and the beginning of longer chapters. After all, these first ones had an entirety of Two characters in it. One of which was only in flashback. So look forward to Normandy's perspective next chapter.
A Hui Hoi