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Salvation: Chapter 13

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Salvation: A Half-Life/Mass Effect Universe Fan Fiction


Disclaimer: This fan-fiction takes place after the events of both Half-Life 1 and 2 and its episodes, and jumps to the events after Mass Effect 1 and 2. If you have not played or beaten these games this fiction may not make much sense to you. Characters property of their respective companies, Half-Life created by Valve and Mass Effect created by Bioware.



Chapter 13: Tracks and Tribulations

"There it is Commander." Joker informed Shepard, pointing out of the Normandy's forward windows, as he attempted to find a good spot to set the Normandy down. "It looks to be in one piece."

The Normandy's small Kodiak Shuttle stood out amidst the bright orange sand of Naraan. This desolate, dismal planet had nothing to offer anyone. A landscape of sand dunes splashed against a few rocky canyons, as two nearby suns hung in the sky.

Slowly the Normandy's landing struts extended from the interior hull of the ship, and gently touched down on a flat stretch of stone, laid out on the sand.

"Commander." EDI's voice interjected, as Joker and Shepard looked on at the derelict shuttle, left lightly buried in one the dunes. "I am detecting no signs of life in the immediate vicinity." She informed them. "However, my scanners have detected two sets of tracks, leading away from the shuttle to the southwest."

Shepard was standing on the bridge, behind Joker, already fully clad in his signature dark gray N7 Armor, as he peered outside towards the shuttle. "Is the atmosphere breathable?" Shepard asked, turning his attention to EDI's hologram.

"Yes." EDI responded. "The planet's atmosphere is composed of 78.09% Oxygen, 17.95% Argon, and 3.96% Carbon Dioxide. However, my sensors indicate an external temperature of 115 Degrees Fahrenheit. Most life forms would not survive the arid climate, for more than twelve to fifteen hours, without the proper hydration."

"Guess I better hurry then." Shepard stated as he turned, and walked away from the bridge. "Have Daniels and Donnelly meet us outside at the shuttle."

"As you wish Commander." EDI replied, as Joker manipulated his control panel, to open the Normandy's hangar door, before reclining back in his seat; his hands clasped behind his head.

***

Kenneth Donnelly and Gabriella Daniels were the first ones out of the ship's Hangar door, as it slid open and an access ramp extended down towards the planet's surface. Followed by Shepard, Garrus, Mordin, and two armed crewman.

Donnelly and Daniels rushed over to the shuttle, each carrying large black tool cases, ready to get to work. They were the Normandy's primary engineering officers, and best friends, both having graduated from the same Alliance tech academy.

"This doesn't look too bad Commander." Donnelly declared, in a thick Scottish accent, as he examined the shuttle. "A little elbow grease'll get 'er back in the air in no time."

"Yeah." Daniels added. "The damage looks mostly cosmetic, one of the fuel lines has been ruptured, but that's nothing a little omni-gel won't fix."

"Alright." Shepard began, addressing his crewmen. "Well work as quickly as you can, but be careful, we don't know this planet. You see anything out of the ordinary; you get back on the ship and have Joker radio me. Understood?"

"Understood!" The two engineers, and two armed crewman responded almost simultaneously.

"Don't you worry Commander." Donnelly began again. "We'll have 'er back up and running by the time you get back." He assured Shepard.

Shepard nodded, as he turned and looked down at the sand, spotting the two sets of tracks leading far to the southwest. Shepard drew his rifle, accompanied in doing so by Mordin and Garrus, as the three walked off following the tracks.

"You gonna pout forever Garrus?" Shepard asked snidely, as they walked across the desert, following the tracks. The knot on Garrus' forehead had diminished to slightly more than a blemish, a scowl evident on his face.

"Don't even start with me Shepard..." Garrus replied, clearly irritated.

"Come on..." Shepard said, trying to coax Garrus out of his foul mood. "So you got knocked for a loop. So what? You gonna hold a grudge forever?"

"Shepard..." Garrus replied, as the three continued following the tracks. "A gunship blast to the face couldn't kill me..." He asserted, as he pointed to the large scar on the lower portion of his face. "You think that I'd let a scrawny egghead scientist get the better of me? No offense Mordin..." He shrugged his shoulders, as he looked over at Mordin, on Shepard's opposite side.

Mordin rolled his eyes, as they continued forward. It wasn't the first time he'd felt the third wheel when Shepard and Garrus got into these conversation's of theirs, but he was used to it.

"I dunno Garrus..." Shepard replied. "I did see the security feed. Looked to me like he knocked you right on your ass." Shepard said, as he broke out into laughter. Garrus turned and glared a hole right through Shepard.

"Sorry! Sorry..." Shepard said, trying hard to control his laughter. "But I mean, come on... Can you really blame him? If you were just in a battle, and you suddenly woke up two centuries later surrounded by strange beings, how would you have reacted?" Shepard questioned, looking over at Garrus, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, like you said, he caught you off guard. We're all on the same team here Garrus. There's no reason to hold a grudge."

"Like I said, Shepard." Garrus responded, as he walked forward, looking down the sight of his rifle. "Just keep him out of my way, and we won't have a problem." Shepard sighed, and shook his head as the three continued forth, following the tracks in the sand.



"The Earth Rebellion most notably ended on August 12th 2007 when a rebel strike team, led by Bernard Calhoun assaulted the last major Combine stronghold on Earth, in City 19, formerly and latterly known as Volgograd, Russia." EDI explained, as Gordon listened on intently.

He was dressed in the Cerberus crew attire given to him, as he sat at the desk provided for him, in his quarters. His hair was damp, and a towel hung around his neck, as he looked on at EDI's holographic form.

"Barney..." He uttered to himself, as he recognized the name given by EDI.

"The human strike force, supplemented by Vortigaunt allies, raided a Combine fortress, crippling the remaining Combine regime." EDI continued. "Heavy casualties were suffered by both sides, including Captain Calhoun, but the conflict ultimately resulted in victory for the resistance."

"Aw, Barn..." Gordon uttered to himself, under his breath, as he reclined back in his seat, his right hand placed over his forehead. "I'm gonna miss ya buddy..." He said, shaking his head.

"Wait..." He said to EDI, as a thought crossed his mind. "How come I haven't seen any Vortigaunts on-board this ship? Are there any?"

"The Vortigaunts are an extinct alien race on Earth." EDI replied, as her sphere flashed when she answered.

"Extinct?" Gordon asked, shocked to hear the news of his former extraterrestrial allies, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Once the Combine's Reproductive Suppression field on Earth was deactivated, humans were once again able to procreate." EDI began her explanation. "The suppression field had a more permanent effect on the Vortigaunt physiology, however. Unable to reproduce, the remaining Vortigaunt species on Earth died out in the decades to come."

"But what about on Xen...?" Gordon inquired, a disheartened look on his face. "There still had to be vorts on Xen."

"Xen." EDI replied, scanning her databases. "The border world, used as a relay stabilizer, prior to the Black Mesa Research Facility Resonance Cascade. Once the super portal, utilized by the Combine, was closed on Earth, travel to this planet was made impossible. It's exact location has since remained a mystery."

Gordon sighed, as he sat shaking his head."Everything's changed..." He said to himself. Suddenly he felt a chill run through his body, and his arms became speckled with goosebumps. "Can this be a dream? Can I really be here?" He thought out loud, as he looked out at the stars, through his window.

He turned back to EDI, as he leaned forward towards her, gulping at the ball wedged in his throat. "What about Alyx..." He asked EDI, a despondent expression on his face. "Was she killed in the rebellion too?"

"Please be more specific." EDI requested.

"Vance. Alyx Vance." Gordon responded immediately, with his eyes shut, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

"No." EDI replied. "Alyx Vance was a key figure in the formation of the New Earth Union, the first true form of organized government on Earth since the Seven Hours War. After the fall of the Combine, humanity entered a new technological golden age, reverse engineering the Combine technology left behind. In 2149 the NEU evolved into what is today known as the System's Alliance. Alyx Vance died in her home in St. Petersburg, Russia, due to natural causes, in 2064. She was 85."

Gordon was silent for a moment, his memory flourished with thoughts of her. From the moment he'd met her, when Combine metro-cops cornered him in a dilapidated apartment. To the moment he thought he'd almost lost her. He struggled, fruitlessly, to swallow the ever growing knot in his throat.

"Did she have a good life?" Gordon asked, as he inhaled and exhaled heavily, fighting back the fluid in his eyes.

"I am sorry, but I am unable to determine that information." EDI responded. "Please be more specific."

Gordon shook his head. "Thank You... that's all for now." He told her, as he put his elbows on his desk, resting his forehead in his palms as his fingers clutched at his hair.

Just then, the door to his quarters slid open, as a familiar quarian walked in. "Dr. Freeman?" She asked as she found him huddled over his desk with a look of despair. "How are you holding up...?" She inquired, worriedly.

"Fine, thank you." He responded in a whisper, not turning to look at her, simply keeping his head buried into his palms.

"Is... there anything I can do for you?" She asked timidly, as she approached his side, trying to peer into his expression.

"No..." came his response, a single word uttered under his breath.

"Uh, Look..." Tali began, hoping she wasn't being a nuisance. "I know how hard this must be on you... but if you feel like you need someone to talk to, I'm always happy to listen." She reassured him, hoping to see him crack a smile or at least a slight nod.

"Thank you, but no..." He responded, never moving an inch from his huddled position.

"Oh... alright." Tali replied bashfully, as she slowly started making her way toward the door. "Well, if you need anything, you can have EDI contact me. I'll be back to check in on you, later."

She got no response out of him, verbal, physical or otherwise. He just sat there, a picture of sorrow and despair. She stared at him for a while, wishing there was something she could do for him. She sighed into her face mask, before she turned and prepared to walk out of the room.

Suddenly, without warning, before Tali could make it out of the room. Her omni-tool lit up, and out materialized her playful holographic companion.

It made a series of buzzes and beeps as it gently floated over to the wallowing Freeman. "Chiktikka! Bad girl!" Tali exclaimed, startling Gordon, and causing him to turn his head, and notice the drone for the first time.

"W-What is that?" Gordon asked, nervously as Chiktikka came right up to his face, illuminating the room with her bright white glow. He reclined backwards in his seat, as far as he could go, unsure if this thing before him was dangerous.

"You'll have to excuse Chiktikka..." Tali said, with her hands placed on her hips, shaking her head. "She gets curious around new people."

The drone beeped and whirred, as it floated playfully in front of Gordon. Out of curiosity, Gordon put a hand up, reaching out to touch the mischievous hologram. As he did so, his hand passed right through her illusive surface, before he pulled it back out again.

"I think she likes you." Tali said, with a giggle, as she watched Gordon interact with her drone. "Okay, Chiktikka. Come on, it's time to go."

The drone glided over to Tali, as Gordon sat forward, looking on in amazement. Chiktikka floated up and down, before Tali, emitting a variety of rebellious buzzing sounds. "Don't you take that tone with me, Chiktikka. I said it's time to go."

The drone hovered, as it whirred in defeat, before disappearing back into Tali's omni-tool. Gordon looked on at her, a big grin now on his face.

"That... thing, it's like your pet?" Gordon inquired.

"She's a combat drone." Tali answered. "But yes, in essence Chiktikka is my pet, my friend, and if the situation calls for it, my protector."

"Heh..." He chuckled softly, as he shook his head and looked at her.

"What?" Tali asked, as she fidgeted with her omni-tool.

"Nothing, it's..." Gordon responded, as he reclined backwards in his seat, looking up at the ceiling, before bringing his attention back down to her. "You just remind me of someone, that's all. I guess not everything's changed."

"Who?" Tali asked, as she turned to sit on one of the cushioned chairs provided in Gordon's quarters.

"No one, just..." Gordon began, as his eyes starred off into space. "It was a mistake... a stupid mistake!" He exclaimed, as he sat forward, with his elbows on his knees, clearly frustrated. "I shouldn't be here. If I hadn't stormed off in a rage, I'd still... I shouldn't be here!"

"What happened?" Tali queried, a bit of lament evident in her voice.

Gordon looked up at Tali, as he took a deep breath, recalling the events of that fateful day 179 years ago, releasing a long drawn out sigh.

"Things finally seemed like they were looking up, for the first time, in a long time." Gordon began. "We had just managed to close the Combine Super-portal on Earth, and it seemed like we were close to victory."

Tali listened intently, as Gordon began to spin his tale. He didn't seem like the kind who liked to mix words with anyone, that much was evident to her since she first met him. And she could tell that recounting the events of his past was painful for him, but somehow it seemed like he needed this. Like he needed someone to talk to, as if he hadn't had the opportunity to really express himself to anyone in a long time, amidst his chaotic life.

"Dr. Vance, who I worked with at Black Mesa, had just tasked me and his daughter Alyx..." He paused for a moment as he uttered her name, he sighed and continued. "He had tasked us with finding a marooned ship called the Borealis, and destroying it. It contained something dangerous, a new type of weapon perhaps, that couldn't fall into the Combine's hands. I never was fully clear on what it was."

"The Borealis" EDI interjected, interrupting Gordon's conversation. "Was a research vessel, chartered by the Aperture Science Enrichment Science Center. In 1997, in an experiment gone wrong, the Borealis allegedly disappeared with a large portion of it's dry dock. The experiment was conducted in haste in competition with The Black Mesa Research Facility." EDI continued, as both Gordon and Tali listened.

"The vessel was rediscovered in 2006, by Dr. Judith Mossman, on an expedition into the Norwegian Mountains. It was thought to contain detailed schematic blueprints, as well as an actual working prototype of Aperture's most promising project; The Aperture Science Hand Held Portal Device. A device capable of manipulating space in order to create portals in which matter can pass through two points in space seamlessly."

"My god..." Gordon uttered, as he listened to EDI. "Were they actually able to do it? Did they actually perfect portal travel?" Gordon asked astonished.

"Unknown." EDI answered. "The vessel, and any materials on-board were destroyed in 2006, by a rescue team, sent to retrieve Dr. Mossman's expedition group, led by Bernard Calhoun."

"Atta boy, Barn..." Gordon uttered to himself, a mixture of pride and sorrow stirring within him.

"So anyway..." Gordon, turned back to Tali and continued with his story, feeling somewhat at ease for the first time since he woke up in this strange place. "We were just about to head out, when two Combine Advisors broke into the facility and..." He gulped a bit, as he thought about what happened next. "And they killed Dr. Vance... To me, he had become more than a colleague, more than a mentor. He was the closest thing, to a father, I had left." Gordon said, as he sighed and looked down at the floor, shaking his head.

"But even then, it couldn't have hurt me, as much as it did her." He continued. "He actually was her father, and I remember... seeing her there... huddled over him, crying. And I was powerless to do anything. It tore my heart out to see that, and... I just lost my head."

"What did you do?" Tali asked, completely enthralled by Gordon's story.

Gordon sat back up in his chair, clenching his lips. "I stormed out, determined to get revenge on those responsible. I should have stayed, I never should have left her... After it was all over, I thought I had won, I thought I had gotten the revenge I sought. That's when HE showed up."

"Who?" Tali inquired.

"I don't fully know, the Captain said he was called the G... Man? I think."

"The Captain?" Tali asked, confused momentarily. "Oh, you mean the Commander. And you're referring to Cerberus' operative at the time."

"I suppose." Gordon replied, shrugging his shoulders, a tinge of confusion in his voice. "Whoever he was, he took me... next thing I knew I was in some strange casket, surrounded by a bright orange light."

"The MMRC." Tali answered. "It's what rebuilt your muscular structure. I can't say I blame you for how you reacted, you've been through so much." She affirmed, sympathetically.

"I just... ugh!" Gordon grunted, as he reclined back in his seat, clasping his head between his hands. "I never should have left! You know the funny thing... I never even got a chance to tell her how I felt about her... Or to find out if she felt the same way about me."

"I think she did." Tali assured him in a soothing tone, attempting to comfort him. "And it isn't hard to see why. It must have been very hard on her as well. I lost my own father recently, I can't imagine what it would be like to lose him and John in the same day."

Gordon looked up at her, a despondent look in his eyes, at what she just said, realizing the pain he must have caused Alyx.

"Oh... I... I didn't mean it like that... I just..." Tali stuttered, trying to correct what she said on the spur of the moment. "I guess I'm not helping much am I...?"

"It's okay..." Gordon replied, nodding slightly with his eyes shut. "I'm just having a hard time understanding why this had to happen."

"Look at it this way." Tali stated, optimistically. "Maybe it was fate that brought you here. It has to be more than coincidence that after 179 years, the same enemy you faced on Earth, is the same enemy threatening to wipe out the galaxy. And here you are, again. That is... if you choose to stay anyway."

Gordon looked at her, forcing a smile. "Maybe..." he uttered. "So you and the uh... Commander. You two are an item then? How does that work?" He asked, changing the subject.

She laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. "Well, it's not easy." She replied. "But, we're doing our best to make it work."

Gordon reclined back in his seat, as he listened to Tali. Despite the fact that he was; on-board a star ship, that had just landed on a foreign planet, and he was talking to an alien dressed head to toe in some sort of strange suit, and he had just had a conversation with a computer. He felt normality in his life for the first time, since morning of the Resonance Cascade. And in this strange new reality, he had been thrust into, he was grateful at least, to feel as though he had made a friend.



"It your fault we here!" An enraged Vorcha, shouted at his peer, as the two dredged through the sand.

"Why me fault?" His companion answered back, angrily. "You one who crash ship here in sand!"

"You one told me go this way!" The first one replied. "You stupid!"

"No you stupid! We die here cause you stupid!" His companion added, as the two continued to walk, no particular destination in mind. The planet's two suns, hung suspended in the sky, beating down on the two Vorcha.

"So hot... You have water... give me!" The first Vorcha accused his companion, as he grabbed him by the collar. "I know you have!"

"No, you have water. You give me!" The second Vorcha replied, grabbing the first one in turn, as the two wrestled back and forth.

"I kill you and take it!" One of them yelled, pulling the assault rifle off his back. Seeing this, the other one grabbed it, and tried to wrestle it away from him as they struggled back and forth. "My water! No mine! I kill you!" Was all that could be heard, as the two fought over the assault rifle, and the imaginary water. Suddenly, the assault rifle went off as the two struggled for it, firing wildly into the air.

"Did you hear that?" Shepard asked, hearing the sound of a weapon discharge, in the distance. "It came from over that dune!" He exclaimed, as the three ran, following the tracks over the dune.

The two Vorcha tumbled in the searing sand, vying for control of the assault rifle, as they continued to insult each other, and demand the non-existent water, like two animals competing for dominance. Just then one of the Vorcha finally managed to wrestle the assault rifle away from his companion, and point it at him, as the other knelt defeated on the sand.

"Hah!" The  victor exclaimed, with a growl. "Now you give me water, or me kill you!"

"But me no have water! Me think you have water!" The beaten Vorcha looked up at his compatriot, pleadingly. "No kill me, please!"

The standing Vorcha looked down at his beaten ally, the rusted gears in his miniscule mind slowly began to turn, before shaking his head angrily. "Arrg!" He growled furiously. "I know you lie! I kill you!" He roared, and cocked the gun preparing to fire it.

Suddenly, he heard a second gun cock from behind him, followed by a third, and then a forth. Before he could fire, the armed Vorcha slowly turned; revealing the Commander and his two squad mates, their weapons pointed directly at his head.

His jaw hung open, displaying his needle like fangs, as Mordin slowly approached him and retrieved his weapon. The creature was too stunned to protest.

"You Shepard!" The Vorcha exclaimed, looking on at the gun barrels pointed at his head, as his companion slowly stood up to face the same sight. "You dead! We kill you!"

"Sorry to disappoint you gentlemen, but no." Shepard assured them, sheathing his weapon and approaching their two captives. "I'm alive and kicking, which is more than can be said for you two if you don't answer my questions. Now... Why did you attack the Aurora?"

"Rerrr!" One of the Vorcha growled angrily. "We tell you nothing! You no can make us talk!"

"You better talk!" Garrus ordered, pressing his assault rifle's barrel to the belligerent Vorcha's forehead. "Or I'm going to put a couple' dozen thermal rounds right between your eyes."

"Easy Garrus..." Shepard said with a wink, as he placed his hand on Garrus' rifle, slowly lowering it. He had taken note of how the two stood their with their mouths ajar, panting as their tongues hung out like a couple of thirsty dogs.

"No need to get worked up." He continued, pulling out his canteen. "Now I dunno about you guys, but this heat is getting me pretty thirsty." He said, as he pulled the top off and took a big swill of water. Gulping it down as escaped drops ran down the sides of his chin. "Ahhh! Now that's refreshing."

"Yeah, I'm pretty parched myself." Garrus declared, extending his hand. "Pass that over here a sec, would ya." Shepard handed the canteen to Garrus, as Garrus too pulled his head back, as he gulped down the ice cold water.

The two Vorcha looked on, with a wide gaze, as they licked at their dried lips. The suns suddenly seemed to get hotter and even more intolerable as they watched Shepard and Garrus partake of the life giving drink.

"Yes." Mordin interjected, pulling out a canteen of his own. "I too, am feeling rather dehydrated. Perhaps now would be a good time to indulge in a cool drink of Dihydrogen Monoxide."

"You two look a little thirsty as well." Shepard said sarcastically, as he stepped forward shaking his canteen in front of the Vorcha. "Would you boys care for a little water?"

The two Vorcha instinctively swatted for the canteen, as Shepard pulled it backwards, tilting his head. "Ah... Ah... Ah..." He said, shaking his head. "First you answer my question, and then maybe I let you have a drink."

The two Vorcha looked at each other before looking back towards Shepard. "Master say we set trap for Shepard!" One of the Vorcha started. "We kill Shepard, and master promise to make us strong!" The second Vorcha supplemented.

"What master, where?" Shepard queried.

"Master come out of sky! Promise to make us strong. Give us ships." The Vorcha nodded, as he stood  panting, yearning for a drink of refreshment. "Look like giant Zor'laak in sky!" The second Vorcha added.

"Zor'laak?" Shepard turned to Mordin, and asked confounded.

"Creature native to the Vorcha homeworld." Mordin answered. "Roughly the size of a varren pup, resembling a large elongated spider."

"Harbinger..." Shepard replied, shaking his head. He was already fairly certain who 'master' was, but he was hoping somehow his fears would not prove true. "What's he planning? What is he having you do?" Shepard interrogated the two Vorcha.

They looked back and forth at each other, completely baffled, before one finally responded. "Master say we kill Shepard! Promise to make us strong!" "Master come out of sky, give us ships!"

"Right... right..." Shepard said, putting a hand up to stop them, frustratedly. "I guess they don't know anything past the trap they set on the Aurora." He affirmed to his two squad mates. "Let em each have a canteen of water."

Mordin and Garrus each pulled out an auxiliary, refrigerated water canteen, and handed it to the Vorcha. The Vorcha jerked the canteens out of their hands, biting the tops off and gulping the cold, clear fluid down, as if they hadn't had a drink in years.

"What are we gonna do with 'em?" Garrus asked, lowering his rifle a bit. "I say we just leave 'em here, let the planet have it's way with them."

Shepard looked up at the sky, towards the two suns, as he shielded his eyes with one hand. "I wouldn't do that to an animal Garrus." He looked back down at the Vorcha, as they slurped down the water. "Alright you two, listen up." He called out, addressing them. "I'm placing you two under arrest, by authority of the Council Spectre's"

The two Vorcha licked what little water was left, dripping off the rim of the canteen, as they turned their attention back to Shepard.

"Now I'm no cop, I don't carry cuffs or anything like that." Shepard began to explain his proposal. "But the way I see it, either you two come with us quietly, we take you on-board the Normandy, I drop you off at C-Sec, and you serve your sentence. OR, you two can refuse, run away, and we leave you here to roast." Shepard affirmed, pointing up into the sky at the two suns suspended high above.

The two Vorcha looked up at the sky, in the direction Shepard was pointing, then looked down at each other briefly. "We come with you!" The two Vorcha exclaimed, nearly in unison, as they turned to face Shepard.

"I thought so." Shepard remarked, as he crossed his arms, and cracked a grin. 
Ok, here's Chapter 13. This one's a bit longer than the others, and it's mostly conversation. The next few will likely be like this, primarily conversation. Trying to work in all the tidbits of knowledge and information. :D

So anyway, he're Chapter 13. Hope everyone likes it! :dance:

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Matt561's avatar
It was going well but that stuff about a hand held portal devise was just silly : P

Great read so far glad I found this.