Decided to do a replay of my original character. Starting off with the best part of 8 million credits and lvl 48 is nice... and I could do with some boosts if I'm going to finish within a reasonable time of ME3 coming out
Cause and Effect JournalName: Holly Shepard
Pre-Service History: Earthborn
Psychological Profile: Sole Survivor
Military Specialization: Soldier
Most children born onto the streets tend to become hard cases, looking out for only themselves. Holly Shepard was different - the hardships and scarcities that she suffered through childhood and gang life seemed to only make her more determined to look out for others. She enforced the bonds of comradeship everywhere she went - but she was more than willing and capable of beating the crap out of anything that threatened her surrogate 'family'.
Such things cannot last forever, however, and when a police raid shut down gang activity across most of her home, she realised that this was not a way to live. Signing up for the Alliance Military and passing basic training with flying colours, her first assignment was investigating a remote colony that had gone dark.
The Akuze incident became infamous. The final death count, between the many soldiers and the colonists who were wiped out by the Thresher Maws, was close to three hundred. Only Holly survived through guts, ingenuity, a fair share of luck, and rescue by a passing Asari frigate. Her after-action report is still used as a prime example of tactics for evading Thresher Maws without additional ground support.
Shepard herself went through extensive therapy; the loss of many friends, including some from her gang days who had also joined up, was a harsh blow. When she was finally returned to active duty, she threw herself into her work even harder. Her blend of combat savvy and what some might call 'the common touch' made her an excellent commander, while her largely neutral or positive stance on aliens made a good impression during combined ops, and her promotions were swift. Eventually, she was assigned to a shakedown run on the SSV Normandy...
Mass Effect 1Eden Prime[spoiler]My head feels like a Krogan's been using it as a drum kit - shattered into small lumps of agony and goo. 'Routine mission', my ass. The whole crew knew something was up from the start... and it seems like we knew more than the bloody spooks. Waltzed right into a Geth attack. Fifteen minutes later and the colony would have been a crater when we arrived.
And Nihlus is dead. Didn't know what to make of him. Turians are always... a little off to me. But he seemed like a capable soldier, until one of his own shot him down. I've never heard of this Saren before, but he's clearly bad news. So many dead... don't care what the Captain says, we screwed up big time.
Including Jenkins... poor sucker. It looked like he froze up for a moment when those drones swooped in, and that's what killed him. I thought he could handle it. Just goes to show how good my calls have been lately.
At least Kaiden handled himself. The guy seems all right, it'll be good to have a teammate that I can rely on. And the girl we picked up on Eden, Ashley... well, we'll see how she turns out.
My gut tells me we're in for a rough ride.
Or maybe that's just the nightmares that damn beacon has been putting me through. I need more sleep... don't like the idea of facing the Council like this...[/spoiler]
Citadel[spoiler]I hate politics. The first hearing was a nightmare... kind of lost my temper.
I really should have got more sleep before going. Weird as that sounds after how long I was out. But watching the Council just stand there, obstinate and without a scrap of initiative or curiosity made me sick. Especially after how easy it was to put the pieces together when I went looking.
Honestly all I needed to do was lend a trigger finger. Garrus did all the work, I just rode shotgun on his investigation. I have to admit, Turians give me a twitchy feeling, but Garrus seems all right, the kind of guy I can get along with. He's straight as an arrow, determined and a damn good shot. I'll be glad to have him on the team.
As for Wrex... we'll see. I've never dealt with Krogan before, and I'll admit it - he scares me. There's more muscle in one arm than on my entire body, and he's ruthless as hell. The way he shot down Fist... still, I've got some idea of where he stands, and after seeing him in a fight, I'll be glad to have that kind of backup.
Part of me feels a little sick about the whole business, though. I know there are places like Chora's Den, people like Fist and Harkin everywhere... but that doesn't mean I can't wish them away. The grand interstellar dream, all united on a place like the Citadel... and it's still reduced to sleaze. Guess people will always be people.
At least thanks to Tali'zorah we got the Council to convict Saren. Nice girl, she'll probably find some use, as a Geth expert if nothing else.
Then it all went a bit fast... yet here I am now, sitting in the Captain's quarters, blasting off for the Artemis Tau cluster. It feels strange.
Still. Finding this T'soni woman feels like the right first step. Either she's in on it, in which case we should track her down while we have an idea of where she is... or she's innocent, in which case Saren might be going after her. If nothing else, a Prothean expert will be useful to have on board.[/spoiler]
Exploration[spoiler]Standing Alliance orders are to survey worlds without any official records in our databanks. Since Artemis Tau is almost nothing but... ended up running into a planet with several unidentified readings, so decided to go down with the Mako. Tali'zorah begged to come along, and I didn't think there would be any trouble, so I agreed. There seemed to be some wreckage that she could help to analyse.
Ran straight into a pirate outpost. Garrus and I sniped out the outer sentries, and we went inside - where Tali went head-to-head with a Krogan and blasted it down with her shotgun. I think I misjudged her - she wears an environment suit all the time, and yet has the guts to do that?[/spoiler]
Therum, Artemis Tau[spoiler]I called it. Geth crawling all over the ruins. Between Tali, Kaiden, the Mako's cannons and my assault rifle, we blasted through the perimeter and into the underground section itself. This place is registered as an Alliance holding - doubt the brass will be happy to know that the Geth have taken over. No trace of any of the workers in that sector, and with the volcanic eruption, a lot of infrastructure will have been trashed. Ambassador Udina will love that. Still, the capital seemed intact, so the Geth didn't do an Eden Prime job. Thank god for small mercies.
Anyway, we managed to find Liara T'soni. She's kind of cute in a bookish way, got very intense discussing the Protheans when we got back to the Normandy. She seems to be able to handle herself - got through that Geth ambush comfortably, and between her and Kaiden, that Krogan was last seen floating through the upper rafters. Was probably still there when the volcano blew.
The Council seemed positive, though the Turian chewed me out for blowing up the ruin and tried to imply that I couldn't do my job. I can tell that dealing with them is going to be a real pleasure in future...[/spoiler]
Exploration[spoiler]My heart is still thudding.
I've faced down a charging Krogan, I've wiped out an entire platoon of Geth, and I've disarmed explosives under fire. I can take out a sniper threatening our position with one shot, and I can even deal with Joker's sense of humour. I thought I could deal with anything.
Turns out a Thresher Maw isn't one of them. I felt like I was back on Akuze... I tried to hide it, but my aim was way off. Tali kept throwing looks at me as she tried to dodge the monster - then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and Liara started talking. I don't remember what she said, something about biology and evolution, but suddenly I could focus again. Took the thing down, and Liara went back to her post. I don't know why I decided to bring her along on this trip, but... it was worth it.
We're heading back to the Citadel, got some things to clear up there. Just picked up a message from Terra Nova, though... should probably check it out, something about a rogue asteroid...[/spoiler]
Asteroid X57 (Bring Down the Sky DLC)[spoiler]Batarians.
Salarians I can deal with. Turians I've got a thing about, but really, after the First Contact War, who doesn't? I
like Asari. Hanar are weird but harmless. Elcor are cute, though I'd never say it to one's face. Krogan are scary bastards, but I can respect them - or maybe I should take out the 'but' there.
Batarians are just whiny, stuck-up four-eyed assholes. I just saved a heavily populated planet from a terrorist group, and their leader had the nerve to suggest that we're the ones in the wrong. A lot of people dead, and there would have been even more if I hadn't let them go. Soldier or not, I don't often seriously want to kill someone, but him...
Still. I'm done, and the Alliance will be hounding him. Just wish I'd got there sooner.[/spoiler]
CitadelHad a few matters to deal with, so went to the Citadel for debriefing. Ended up doing the run around while the Normandy was resupplied.
A lot of random things. A disgruntled admiral, an annoying journalist - who I wiped the floor with, thank you - and a C-sec informant that I had to rescue. Not hugely interesting.
Apart from one incident. Sha'ira. I was hearing everywhere about 'the Consort'... poked my head in, and suddenly she asked me to come up. Four month waiting list jumped. She just needed me to help with a small situation with a Turian General, but still... interesting woman.
Time to be going. Something about a rogue VI on Luna.[/spoiler]
Feros[spoiler]Well, that'll give me nightmares.
The Thorian's dead and good riddance. Maybe that Asari Saren gave to it was right, and it was an ancient and unique being... but I've read the files that say Thresher Maw can live practically forever, and I don't hesitate to shoot those. Unless I freeze up. Though I haven't lately - taken down two more recently, and just knowing Liara's at the driving seat is enough to make me calm. Part of me doesn't like it. We're in the middle of a battle that could mean the fate of the galaxy, I can't afford distractions...
I can't help it, though. My brain is on fire, zapping between those confused visions from the beacon and the Cipher, and I can't help remembering the fact that I've had telepathic contact with two Asari now. Doesn't help that Liara mentioned earlier that Asari sex is telepathic.
As if that wasn't enough hassle, Kaiden's been making eyes at me. The guy's kind of cute, but... I don't know. Complicated.
At least I can talk with Wrex and Garrus without worrying about whether they're about to start flirting with me. Though knowing my luck...
I'll be glad to get back into a firefight. At least there you can just aim at something that's marked red and pull a trigger.[/spoiler]
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Topic: Cause and Effect (Read 14779 times)