Chapter 1: Beginnings
Arcturus station - presidential situation room - 2183
"Who are they sending?" asked the president of the United Systems of Humanity, John Henry Eden, a tall and well built middle aged man a combat veteran of the first contact war.
"Nihlus Kryik, Mr. president" answered a slim, olive skinned, short man in an expensive three piece suit, the ambassador of the USH to the citadel council, Donnel Udina.
"What do we know about this... Nihlus Kryik?" asked president Eden.
Instead of Udina another person replied, Director Jane Lynce of the DIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, an extremely average looking older women in a non-disciped black suit picked up and placed a simple black briefcase atop the highly polished hardwood table that the gathered men and women were seated around and pulled out an actual paper folder.
"Nihlus Kryik, aged 49, veteran of the FCW, former Centurion of the Hierarchy, a heavy weapons specialist and an agent of the office of special tactics and reconnaissance, protege of Saren Arterius, he's earned the name 'wraith of glory' amongst the Citizens of the citadel"
"Sounds fierce" President John Henry Eden chuckled.
"A SpecTRe's trouble, definitely one trained by the bloody talon" snarled a dark skinned USIN captain and former N7 David Anderson.
"Anderson, settle down" Rear Admiral Steven Hackett, a scared faced white haired veteran of the United Systems Interstellar Navy and the first contact war, warned.
"Sorry sir, I..." Captain David Anderson replied.
"The bloody Talon? What do you know about him captain" John Henry Eden asked.
"Well sir, I, along with an N7 heavy team and Kahlee Sanders, were tracking a rogue scientist by the name of Shu Qian who was selling our tech to Batarian interests on Camala."
The Captain took a deep breath.
"Well the bloody talon, was also tracking the deal and Saren hates us and are 'blacktech' as the council, which the council calls illegal even though their agents use it"
"That's a bit... unfair ain't it?" interrupted the president.
"Yes sir, as I was saying, Saran was tracking the deal and decided to stop it and he did. He killed the doctor, the buyers and the rest of my team"
"How the hell did one turian kill an entire N7 power armoured team" the president.
"Well sir" director Lynch said before David
"From our intelligence reports, SpecTRe armour and weapons are light-years ahead of anything else in the galaxy, even ours"
Ms. Lynch sighed and continued "The only advantage we've had so far is our micro-fusion tech, unfortunately it's only a matter of time before everyone else catches up"
"Goddammit *sigh* please continue Anderson" the president turned back to the captain.
"Not much more to say really sir, after the bloody talon killed everyone else, me and Sanders blew up an eezo, escaped Camala and it was covered up by all involved"
"If i may interrupt?" Rear Admiral Steven Hackett asked.
"Carry on" John Henry Eden replied to Steven Hackett.
"From every report we've seen, agent Arterius is the council's best operative and one of the bloodiest in the entire history of the organisation" after Steven had finished Lynch added.
"And if rumors are to be believed He also has a tendency to be in the vicinity when humans killers disappear in citadel space"
"So in other words, the council is sending a secret agent with a licence to kill. Trained by a human hating monster into are space" the legally elected leader of humanity said.
"Yes sir" Nodded Lynch.
Before anybody else could say anything, admiral Steven Hackett said "Well maybe we should send a killer of our own"
"I know just the person, a rather infamous N7" Captain David Anderson replied.
"You don't mean" ambassador Donnel Udina gasped
"I do, lieutenant commander Shepard, who just so happens to be here on Arcturus enjoying a little R&R" The former N7, looking smug.
"Captain, you are hereby ordered to retrieve Shepard and brief the commander on their new assignment" the most powerful human in the galaxy ordered.
"Yes sir!" after the captain stood, saluted and left the room, the President turned to the Admiral and said.
"I would suggest we move to DC4 Steven, my guts telling me something bad's going to happen"
"Me too sir, me too" Hackett replied.
Arcturus station - USMI barracks - 2183
The halls of the united systems mobile infantry barracks where almost deserted this late in Arctursus night cycle, except for the guards posted at regular intervals, a United Systems Interstellar Navy captain / retired N7 and a person singing to music blaring from the armoury.
To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day.
Hardly spoke to folks around him,
didn't have too much to say,
No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip.
The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
Just as the singer was about to launch into the next verse, captain David Anderson turned off the holotape player.
"Who's the dead man, that turned my music off..." an N7 spun around from the pet project the marine was working on, a highly customized Z-3 triple barreled heavy plasma SAW (squad automatic weapon)
with a look of murderous intent that change to a blinding smile upon seeing the gently smiling face of the former N7 and current USIN captain.
"Evening kid" the captain and former N7 greeted the younger N7 with a firm handshake.
"Anderson, long time no see" lieutenant commander Alyx "the amazon" Shepard, N7 marine and the butcher of torfan replied.
As the two N7 faced each other, captain David Anderson couldn't help but remember the first time he'd met the younger N7
Mindoir - 2170
'This isn't a warzone, it's a bloodbath' lieutenant commander David Anderson, N7 thought to himself as he tightened his grip on his Wattz 3000 DMR (designated marksman rifle) laser rifle, led a small scouting team towards the last burning farmhouse on this small frontier colony.
The United Systems Interstellar Navy and the United Systems Mobile Infantry had arrived too late to stop the slavers that had raised this small, almost defenceless colony to the ground.
The raiders that attacked the colony had capture nearly all one thousand humans on the planet, but the ones that hadn't had been killed, brutally. Many of the MI's had been shaken at the horrors they'd seen. One Lieutenant Zabaleta, had discovered an old man that had been skinned, had broken down and needed to be returned to the ship.
Even as all of this played through the N7's mind he, and his team, meticulously and systematically cover the ground leading to the farmhouse. As Anderson and his team reached the building, they all heard what could only be called wailing. It was a sound of sorrow, pair and heartbreak.
The lieutenant commander signalled for team to 'sweep and clear' the building as he approached the location of the sound, upon finding it David Anderson would never be able to forget the image.
In the corner of the farmhouses' living room a teenager, a barker skinned girl but probably no older than 15 or 16, sat with her back against the wall cradling two bloodied boys in her arms, both looked similar but a few years younger than the girl.
A quick glance around the room reviled two pieces of information to the N7, one was a framed portrait of the three children all smiles and laughter the second. The second was a dead batarian, a kitchen knife buried to the hilt in the slavers neck, most likely the slaver had been killed by the kid in front of the marine judging from the angle of the blow.
The N7 slowly approached the child and spoke quietly, softly "Kid, it's over, you safe now"
"He, he killed them... just shot'em... no rhyme nor reason...I couldn't... I couldn't" words failed the girl as tears overtook her.
Anderson realising that the girl was close to being lost to her grief forever made a mistake in his haste that he would wish for years he could take back, if only too save the poor girl's soul.
"Use it, use it. Don't let it consume you turn it on the monsters and let it consume them"
The tears did not stop, but a new sound replaced the crying, it was howling. A sound of pure rage and hate that would one day send raiders and slavers running for the hills in fear from the butcher that there savagery had birthed on that fateful day.
Arcturus station - USMI barracks - 2183
"Sir, Anderson you still with me" lieutenant commander Shepard asked, concern lining her face.
"Yeah kid, got lost in thought is all" Captain David Anderson replied, shaking the memories from his mind, the former N7 cleared his throat before continuing.
"Sorry kid, gotta gut R&R short, I've got a job for you"
The smile and response the older man received from the younger women was bloodcurdling,
"Really? Who needs killing?" Alyx 'the amazon' Shepard asked with murderous intent.
"No one, just a need to send a message." the captain replied he took a breath before continuing
"How would you like to be my new XO"
The expression on the young women's face changed from one of murder to one of joy
"Really sir, I would be honoured" the N7 marine took a step back, saluted and continued
"When and where sir"
"Tomorrow, 1300 hours, docking bay 76"
"Anything else I need to know sir?" Shepard asked, still smiling.
"Yes kid, my new ships name" Anderson replied, he too was smiling.
"And that is sir?"
"The USS Normandy"
A/N:
Well hello readers, what brings a nice person like you too a place like this?
Sorry, LOL, does anybody actually read these notes?
Anyway, I'm probably more surprised than anyone else that this got an update, but you know when the winds of inspiration take you you might as well ride them.
Well not much more to say really, but thanks for reading tell us what you think if you'd be so kind. Just please remember that there be no beta to double check this, I'm all on my lonesome here.
A special thank you to everybody that's has already followed/Favorited/reviewed Quantum, I may see you all again in the future.