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I mentioned awhile back that I was considering writing a short story for a character that had become popular for what probably started as a joke. Marauder Shields has quickly become an icon for those unhappy with the ending(s) but I see no reason why everyone can't appreciate his sacrifice. With that in mind, I wrote this story with ambiguity at it's core to allow the reader his own ideals and interpretations. I hope it works to entice polite discussions and a desire to learn more about this mysterious character. In case it blows up in my face, I'm wearing my flame shield.
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The Short Story for Marauder Shields
Darkness. It was absolutely void of any light. So they weren't kidding about getting your lights punched out, he thought to himself. He realized his eyes were closed and when he attempted to open them he was met with a faint buzzing noise. Not something he was hearing, but a gentle humming inside his head. It wasn't painful, although it was certainly annoying. Despite his best efforts those Turian eyes refused to open.
Awareness. It's important to be aware of your situation at all times. Without it, your chances of survival drop rapidly, he recalled as the Turian military training kicked in. Sight isn't an option, he thought to himself, So I must rely on other senses to identify my surroundings. Just as his eyes didn't respond, neither did the rest of his body. It was as if he was disconnected from it completely and the only thing left was his mind. Perhaps he had lost that too, it was difficult to understand his situation.
What happened to me? How did I end up here? And where in the galaxy is here? Maybe I'm not in the galaxy anymore.
His mind was filling up with questions quickly and it was impossible to find answers. How can I think with that damned buzzing? All of the logical questions kept pouring in just as the answers were always out of his reach. Suddenly he had the urge to ask himself the one question that should've been the easiest to answer.
Who am I?
The fact that he couldn't answer right away resulted in a panicked flurry of more questions that he had previously overlooked. Why can't I remember anything outside of my military training? Where am I from? Where is home? Do I have a family? That last one brought out several emotions that left no doubt that the answer was yes, even though he couldn't remember them. The emotions became his strength as he pushed his mind into the spaces that should store his memory only to be met with louder buzzing.
Something is trying to keep my memories from me, he thought, Well that could be the key. Time to see just how stubborn I can be!
He pushed even harder unwilling to relent to the growing noise in his mind. I will remember who I am. I will remember my family. I will remember how I arrived here and how to get out. I will continue to fight until the end!
The noise in his mind had grown to a deafening roar and was now accompanied by pressure from an unknown source. Something was inside his mind that didn't belong. Aside from the noise was a presence that was exerting control over his thoughts. Fighting for his memories was no longer an option as he now found himself struggling against losing his own awareness. The incredible noise and immense pressure in his mind wasn't enough to overtake him, but the intruder's thought that bubbled to the surface did the trick just fine. It even had it's own commanding baritone and metallic voice that left no doubt that it had all the answers and it was in complete control.
"You cannot resist."
*****
Palaven. That was his home. He could see it clearly from his location on Menae, it was even more majestic with his enhanced synthetic vision. His awareness had been suppressed since his ascension until now, the vision of his beautiful planet jarring his stupor loose. Perhaps the Reaper's hold over his thoughts was weakening. His mind was full of the information necessary to lead his new troops into victorious battle over the organics, yet the knowledge felt alien to him. It wasn't Turian military training that was providing the info, but something else.
Implants. Just like the rest of me, he thought. He could see others just like him ready to launch an offensive against the enemy, as well as many more that were very different from himself. His greatest strengths as a Turian were kept by the ascension process while all of his weaknesses were enhanced from the synthetic pieces that were grafted into him. So is my awareness a weakness that was overlooked or is it a strength? he asked himself. The implants didn't have a response which was fine by him as he had already decided the answer.
The objective was to overtake a base potentially holding some of the Turian Hierarchy. The implants had already laid out a strategy to his fellow "Marauders" (sentient organics' name for his new form and others like him) so that they could effectively control the battlefield from several places while commanding and increasing defenses for other creations such as "Cannibals and Husks". He smiled a bit on the inside. These sentient organics come up with some creative names, he thought. Too bad they will be wiped from history at the end of this cycle. The inner smile didn't last. A part of him felt wrong for fighting against what was once his own kind.
Why was I selected for this operation? he wondered. Did I have useful knowledge regarding this moon base? Perhaps they are simply testing my loyalty. A chill went down his spine as the troops began their deployment. I must understand my enemy, he remembered from his Turian military handbook. Knowing the Turian's strategy and tactics wasn't the problem. The problem was understanding who the enemy was and he seemed to be the only one struggling with it. After reviewing the strategy for taking the base, he realized a potential solution was staring him in the face. He was in charge of the second push and that would reward him an opportunity to watch the battle play out from a distance while he tried to regain control over his own mind.
As the conflict escalated while he watched from afar, he was barely paying attention as his mind tried to rebuild itself. I know Palaven is home, he thought, and I've guessed at some knowledge of this base, yet I don't remember any of it. He knew that he needed something else to rattle his memory, just as the sight of Palaven had done so earlier. At that moment, his attention was drawn to something unexpected. They were supposed to be fighting Turians however he could clearly see a human emerge to repair the communications tower outside this base. He watched in fascination as this human that was accompanied by two squad-mates all worked in perfect tandem as they fought to their objective, defended it while making repairs and made their way back into the base. It was a thing of beauty, from a military perspective at least. These three organics communicated effectively and executed strategy like it was nothing more than a game to them. Flawless was probably the word to best describe this new force that had performed at a level no one expected to see. He should've ordered his team in as support but he held back to study this human wearing Alliance military armor designated with N7.
Who is the enemy? The inner smile returned. The contact war between humans and Turians meant he had intimate knowledge of this enemy known as human beings from personal study. The N7 stood for "Special Forces of the Highest Proficiency" and he knew of one human, before he had ascended to become a "Marauder", that was well known for exploits across the galaxy as a Spectre still donning the N7 logo; the infamous Shepard. The operation to take this base had come to a halt and he chose to wait until Shepard left before he continued the assault to take control of the base and the occupants within. He knew this wasn't the time to face Shepard and the Spectre's team. They would meet again, just as they had met long before today. However, before a memory could be restored in his mind regarding his previous encounter with Shepard, his personal intruder returned with it's own proclamation that reverberated through his mind in a deep, bass filled voice.
"You cannot escape your destiny, Shepard."
*****
Brightness. Staring into the blue beam of transporter light, his awareness returned as his implants filled his mind with relative information. It was simple really. Planet Earth. Humans and other sympathetic beings are attempting a final push to the Citadel. You are the last line of defense. He sat with his weapon in his lap facing the transporter's light and his back against enough debris to hide him from view. If the offensive push made it far enough, it would have to come through a wide open "Kill Zone". There wouldn't be any survivors. At least there shouldn't be, yet he was betting on one making it through.
Shepard. You and I are forever tied together, he thought to himself. This is what it all came down to. The fate of the galaxy rested in the potential confrontation between these two. Hiding behind this barricade lacked the honor his Turian blood preferred, but there was still time before he would rectify that and cross Shepard's path for the last time. For now there was simply time to reflect. Time to remember.
His memories were finally his own again. Whether he was entrusted to them or it was against his design, it did not matter as he simply relished his time to remember. Time flew past as the memories poured through his consciousness. One memory began to unravel his destiny before his eyes and as he began to experience a revelation he was interrupted by the throbbing voice who always stole his freedom.
"I sense your weakness."
Harbinger. The Harbinger of his ascendance. The Voice of control in his head was in front of him in all of his menacing glory. There was no fear being in His presence, simply awe. Maybe I'm wrong about my destiny, he thought as he watched the destructive red energy beam lance forward from Harbinger to obliterate all of those charging through the "Kill Zone." It didn't take long before it was all over.
"Take what is useful, destroy the rest."
With that, Harbinger took off and once again he was simply left alone with his thoughts. Ignoring everything around him, he sat back down behind his cover and tried to reignite a memory that would return his focus. It nearly brought tears to his eyes as he recalled the significance of two simple words.
Adrenaline fueled his body and his skin danced with anticipation as his enhanced eardrums heard the shuffling feet of a wounded yet determined soldier coming towards him. There would be no honor in hiding any longer and his opportunity to help decide the fate of this cycle, this galaxy was finally at hand. As the meaning of two simple words came into focus, he rolled out of cover to meet his destiny head on.
Time stretched out in front of him and slowed to a crawl as he stared down the human known as Shepard. A severely injured human missing pieces of armor, only equipped with a pistol and with no squad-mate in sight, he knew exactly what needed to be done. As they both slowly took aim at each other, he remembered a life that was once his. Remembered his encounter with this human under very different circumstances. Remembered the life he had growing up on Palaven and his service in the military. Remembered the son he last saw when the boy became a man by turning 15 and left to begin his military training. Remembered the promise he made his son every day before to always do the right thing, no matter the cost, he recalled as the memory seemed so real in that moment. I promise that the love I have for my family will forever remind me of what I am fighting for. He remembered the last two words he heard his son speak, intended to always remind him of his promise. Two little words that would ultimately hold the key to his destiny, the fate of this cycle and the life within. Two powerful words that would take on a life of their own and have so many meanings, for so many different minds.
"Never Forget."
Modifié par GrifterCJN, 25 juin 2012 - 04:25 .
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