His Most Supreme Exalted Glorious Excellency(Mass Effect/Bionicle) Self Insert

[Pridakarbiter]

Author's Note: I wrote the beginning of this story a long time ago and have been sitting on it. It started out as a generic Self Insert Fanfic crossover but quickly spiraled out of control when my sibling took over and turned it into a comedy that really kind of germinated into a crackfic where Commander Shepard was arrested for tax fraud and other absurd things like that happened. Here is the inglorious beginning.

Neither Mass Effect nor Bionicle belong to me. Yet.


Chapter 1: Death and then…life

Yeah it was like any other day.

Well on that day I was just walking around minding my own business. I turned on the computer, an XP, and waited for the thing to boot up. Not that it was particularly slow just it never went quite fast enough. I hear a mechanical whistling noise.

What the?

I thought as I looked at my computer briefly thinking that it was a problem with the computer.

Then I looked out the window. Wow, that speck is moving awfully fast. That was when I noticed the whistling sound was coming from it. Abstractly, I wondered whether it was a plane, or something like that.

Nah, maybe it's a missile. Nope, could it be a meteorite?

The thing drew closer every second that passed. I began to be able to make out it's features. Hmm, I thought detachedly, its headed straight for me…it looks like a…

"F-22," I scream diving behind my desk even as I think. This is a completely absurd situation. I also thought, this could never possibly happen in real life, my life is never this exciting!

I peek over my desk in a moment hoping it missed my house. All I see is the F-22 about to impact the window. It was headed straight at me.

Blackness…


"Where am…"

"Choose." A Voice said. The voice was masculine standing and sounded very old, scratch that, ancient sounding.

"What? Where are you?" I said glancing around. All I was able to see was a very bright light which was blinding me. I checked around me with my hands. I was floating in empty space.

The sound of laughing was heard then it spoke, "I am a 'Great Being."

"You mean I am talking to a giant Bean?" I said not quite fast enough on the intake.

Wait I should be dead as well…

It started laughing again, "Of course not. Not that type of Bean, the other one. As in a sentient entity."

"Am I dead?" I asked the Great Being.

It somberly replied, "Not entirely."

That was just plain confusing. And as a result, "Why aren't I dead?"

"The higher Up," the Great Being said.

"Huh?" I said. Now I was really confused.



"Well," the Great Being said, "There is an alternate reality…"

I grimaced as I remarked, "This ought to be good."

The Great Being chuckled then continued, "Where there is an army of sentient artificial intelligences. They are determined to carry out a cycle of genocide that has been going on every 50,000 years for a long time."

That's strange, I thought. Wait a moment that is the Mass Effect universe!

I cleared my throat, "Uh, by any chance do these machines go by the name Reapers?"

The Great Being replied, "Yes, why yes they do."

"Then kill me right now! I doubt I would be able to make a change in the outcome, they are stopped. By the way you have Commander Shepard, why would you even need me," I told it.

It started laughing, laughing like a madman. It continued on for what seemed like two minutes. All I could think the entire time was whether 'this guy' was sane. Yeah, I had decided I would refer to the Great Being as a he.

"Of course," he the Great Being spoke, "I am well prepared to give you the powers of any being from any reality."

"Uh, Okay…" I said thinking, what or who should I choose?

"You will also be granted a companion from the universe you gain your powers from; His or her purpose will be to guide you in the use of your powers."

"Any restrictions?" I asked.

"I wondered when you would ask," the Great Being said. "Your companion must be deceased in the universe they come from. Also I refuse to grant you any entity's powers that will make you un-killable. You can be immortal but not un-killable."

"I see," I said thinking furiously, before offering up my response.

"What about a Makuta?"

The Great Being response was almost hesitant, "That is a powerful entity. Unfortunately it is allowed," the Great Being continued, almost morosely.

My view changed from the bright light to a dimly lit cave. There was an eerily shining and moving green and black liquid filled pool.

"The birthplace of the Makuta," the Great being narrated in a narrator voice. As he said this I looked down. I was hoping to see my feet. Unfortunately I appeared to have no feet.

The Great Being laughed. Which was when I noticed he had noticed me trying to find my limbs.

"You are merely a spirit now," he told me then a hand formed in thin air it pointed at the pool.

"Behold! There is your body."

Indeed there was a body it rose out of the liquid covered to bio-mechanical servos and real flesh joined together. It stepped out of the pool showing that it was easily seven feet tall. The flesh quickly seemed to grow becoming pure muscle. The metal parts stretched out just as quickly forming armor that once it had formed into armor, gradually thickened to form armor that looked nearly impenetrable.

"Its all yours," the Great Being said.

I willed myself to enter the body and not surprisingly I felt my mind entering the body and I shook my head.

Yes! I have a head again! Well then again I hadn't realized I had no head…

I looked down at my hands and the armor that covered them. I smiled then raised my hand and pointed my hand. I willed a small bolt of pure shadow into existence and willed it to strike the wall. With a sizzle a bolt of dark energy stretched out of my hand and struck the wall. Unlike the blue glow of Mass Effect biotics this dark energy had a red tinge to it. It left a sizeable crater. I smiled again, I focused on absorbing all the light in the chamber with my Makuta power of Darkness and I noticed it growing darker. Or in other terms, the light disappeared and I felt my energy growing for I was feeding off the light.

The Great Being spoke again, "Your powers are the forty-two Rahkshi powers: Accuracy, Adaptation, Anger, Chain Lightning, Chameleon, Confusion, Cyclone, Darkness, Density Control, Disintegration, Dodge, Elasticity, Lightning, Fear, Resistance to Fire, Gravity, Heat Vision, Hunger, Ice Resistance, Illusion, Insect Control, Invulnerability, Laser Vision, Magnetism, Molecular Disruption, Plant-life Control, Plasma Generation, Poison Generation, Power Scream, Quick Healing, Rahi or Animal Control, Shape-shifting, Silence, Sleep, Slowness, Sonics, Stasis Field, Teleportation, Vacuum, and Weather Control."

I couldn't help the insane smile that sprang to my face.

The Great Being continued, "Also in thirteen weeks your body will evolve to the antidermis virus state that all the other Makuta have become. Which means as antidermis you can activate any of your powers with only your mind so in theory you can destroy anybody without anything but mental exertion. Second to the last is the ability to absorb materials into your body via use of a shadow hand. As a note of caution if you absorb a sentient being be prepared to crush their mind immediately or they can take over your body."

I racked my brain for other abilities that Makuta had to make sure I had all the powers.

Wait a minute! Am I missing something?

I spoke, "What about Kraata?"

The Great Being made an annoyed sound before answering, "You would have no protodermis to make them."

"Yes, but what if I took some with me?"

"All right," the Great Being said. A large metal container or urn full of a metallic liquid appeared, and then a cover materialized on top.

Okay, that must be protodermis.

I reached out with my magnetism power and floated the container over to myself. Once it arrived near me I magnetically attached it to my armor's back.

My insane smile was back and I asked. "What about a mask? All Makuta have a mask."

"Which one do you want?" the Great Being asked suspiciously.

"Preferably one that would not be redundant to my powers, Mask of Shadows?" I answered and asked in one breath.

"Nope," the Great Being said, "that's kind of redundant, anyhow."

"It would amplify my existing powers," I protested halfheartedly.

"Absolutely not."

"Mask of Corruption?"

"No, you would knock the Geth out of the fight too quickly."

"Water Breathing?" I queried.

"Idiot, Makuta don't even need to breath."

Good I didn't want water breathing anyways.

"Speed?"

"To mediocre, besides you can teleport."

"Repulsion?"

"Nope, you won't need that."

"Why not?"

"Too powerful."

"I would need that," I suggested.

"Next one," the Great Being said, sounding quite annoyed.

"Mask of Life?" I requested hopefully. Yeah right I will never get that. However, it is worth at least a token effort.

"I am starting to think you are more insane then me." The Great Being said.

"Mask of Creation, then?"

"Nein! You imbecile! You would win!"

Isn't that the point?

"Why not? Then I do less work." I told him in a faux distraught voice.


After twenty more negatives I finally decided on a mask. I chose the Great Mask of Regeneration or Kanohi Kiril. This mask would allow me to repair inorganic substances, including armor. After brief consideration I shape-shifted it to look like Makuta Antroz's Kanohi Jutlin or Great Mask of Corruption. Which means my face now was red colored, had six mandibles and dripped venom. My armor I also changed to match making it mostly red with some black. I left out the wings that Antroz had possessed though. They were a little too tacky looking.



The Great Being then said, "Now we are almost done, you only need to choose your companion, and then I will pronounce your limitation."

What limitation? He never said anything about that before.

"Let me see," I said as I thought, "What about Makuta Krika, you know I always felt sorry for him especially you know when he was betrayed and…"

Here the Great Being cut me off, "All right your companion will be Makuta Krika he will be intangible though so he can only use the mind-based Makuta powers. He also will only rarely be visible to all. You will still be capable of hearing him through telepathy."

That's not good. Not good at all. I was kind of hoping he would be tangible. Probably should agree, maybe then the limitation won't be so bad.

"Okay I guess that will be all right," I said trying to convey a grimace unto my now metal face.

"Now for your limitation," the Great Being said trying to make himself sound like an evil genius.

"What?" I said warily.

"I diagnose you with the FYT syndrome."

What? I wonder what that is.

I glanced around still seeing nobody. Then I asked, "And what is that?"

The Great Being said evilly, "Forget Your Thingies Syndrome."

He then proceeded to laugh evilly sounding like an insane maniac.

Thingies? What the?

"Thingies?" I asked.

"Thingies as in Powers!" The Great Being said, "So at the most you will remember only two to three at a time."

"What if I write out a list?"

"Then everyone will think you are crazy if you constantly take a list out of your pocket to remember your powers."



The world faded to white again…


And just as quickly…


The whiteness faded away.

Now where am I? I thought.

I stood up slowly, the servos in the Makuta body groaning in protest, while the muscles exerted themselves.

Great. I didn't know Makuta bodies were so heavy.

"You know you could just decrease your density," a deadly sounding voice said.

I whipped around my arms out in a guard position.

Who is that?

The entity standing there was white with a nimbus of blood coloring along hundreds of little blades sticking out of its armor. The entity was supported by four extra long blades that stuck into the ground their ends colored the same blood red color. The effect of it being it made the entity look like it had stabbed numerous people with them.

Krika?

The entity glanced at me. His face jutting out quite a distance to support his mask, the Great Mask of Repulsion or Kanohi Crast, now rendered powerless through his intangibility. His mask had three set of small blades running down its length. One on the top parallel to where the spine would be situated in a human and the two other sets ran horizontal down the sides of Krika's face.

~That is me, and you are the new Makuta I presume? ~ The entity, Krika, said in my mind.

"You're talking in my mind!" I said startled.

What almost seemed to be a confused look came over Krika's face.

"Yes, Telepathy is one of the Makuta powers," Krika said. "You are a Makuta. You should know that."

"Do you know where we are?" I asked this oh so benevolent entity.

"Yes, the Great Being told me our mission, and our starting place."

"Where?"

"Something called…the Citadel."

(Oh, should have noticed with what the sky looks like, well hopefully we are here before the Eden Prime incident.)

~Yes, approximately three weeks before the incident you know as Eden Prime~

"Good then I get three weeks to build myself a reputation." I told Krika.

I looked around just then and realized that I was in an alley-way. (Hmm even in the Citadel there is some, albeit very little, trash.) I glanced around and noticed that Krika had faded into in-tangibility.

~A fleshling approaches~ Krika told me telepathically.

Uh Oh

A Batarian stepped out of a door that led into the alley and took one look at me. I was in full bio-mechanical glory, blood red armor, and a six-mandibled face which dripped poison. He blinked then let out a blood-curdling scream while fumbling for his gun. I stared for a second realizing it was the first alien I saw and he was very strange looking seeing in real life.

I raised my hand and hit him with all the shadow energy I could muster. His body ended up being almost pulverized into mush smashing against the wall and leaving a big stain of blood.

Um, I guess he's dead

~Yeah couldn't have done a better job myself~

To bad I had to kill him.

~Is anything he possesses valuable? ~ Krika asked me telepathically. He seemingly wasn't at all bothered.

I glanced over at the alien I had just killed. Then it dawned on me that I had killed him. I blanched a little mentally but then remembered something.

Oh I don't have an omni-tool, and, uh, he went for his gun. Yes, that justifies everything.

I walked over to the Batarian's body and looked at it. Yep, there is an omni-tool, heh, heh, well it's now mine!

I removed the omni-tool from the Batarian's body and slid it over my arm. Using a small amount of shadow energy I absorbed the omni-tool.

~What are you doing? ~Krika asked.

Acting on a theory, I replied.

Well, just what I thought would happen did, 'my' omni-tool integrated with my mind allowing me to access everything on the omni-tool, by just thinking about it.

~I see, I am guessing the device you took was the 'omni-tool'? ~

Go do something useful while I fabricate myself an identity.

~ Warning, more fleshlings approach. ~

Are they in uniform?

~Uniform? Ah yes~

Great, must be C-sec.

~What is great about it? ~

Tell you later.

I focused on shape-shifting. I rapidly decided to change to a human in armor. I willed myself to change. I felt my body began it. The metal proto-steel parts moved outwards turning more into an exoskeleton. My flesh remained on the inside. My face began to sag a little and I realized I had no bones so I sent some metal back inwards and built myself a skeleton of metal. I gave myself a muscular build while retaining many of my facial features. My face having short brown hair in a buzz-cut, hazel colored eyes, and pale only slightly tanned face.

Krika how soon till C-sec get here?

~Thirty seconds~

I focused on my omni-tool. After a few seconds of concentration I moved into the extranet and hacked customs. There I set up a fake identity as a visitor from one of the System Alliance's colonies. My name being after a brief hesitation became Pridak Makuta.

~They are here~ Krika's voice sounded in my head.

A Turian in a C-sec uniform turned the corner. He was closely followed by another Turian and an Asari. The lead avian looking Turian yelled something out I didn't understand.

I don't have a translator.

"I lost my translator," I lied putting my hands into the air.

The Turians kept their guns pointed at me but the Asari nodded and pulled out a small earpiece looking thing which she tossed to me.

I caught the translator and put it in my ear.

Just then I heard the lead Turian who had just looked at the Batarian say, "He took down Tarkol!"

The other Turian that had a look on his face that must have been surprise said, "The bounty we had on Tarkol was immense, half a million credits!"

I started in surprise. Then fought to keep my grin from showing. Just my luck! I did an insane evil laugh in my head.

"All right," the Asari said, she had just been whispering into her communicator, "We are authorized to forward the reward money to your account after we ID you of course."

I showed my identification then quickly created an account via my omni-tool then she transferred the money to me. Then after the Turian that was in the lead held out his hand, "My name is Officer Orakus Guaran, not bad for a human."

I shook his hand careful not to exert too much pressure with my Makuta super strength.

"Call me Makuta," I replied to Officer Guaran. I inwardly smirked at his mention of 'human.' For no longer was I human. I also smiled at my new-found codename, Makuta, which was also my legal name here.

The Asari held out her hand, "Officer Nihli T'la"

"Pleasure to meet you," I told her.

"Are you a biotic?" She asked.

Me a Biotic? Um, I guess it is good to have some cover.

"Yeah," I said.

The last Turian who had been in the back said in a gravely voice, "Nice that you removed that scum from the Citadel."

"Always happy to perform a duty for the community," I said finally, "Do you know a place I can stay? I plan to see the sights on the Citadel."

The last Turian spoke up, pointing to the left, "Yeah, eleven blocks down that way there is a bunch of apartments that are moderately priced.

I thanked the Turian and headed off in that direction. I heard the officers behind me start up an animated argument.

I heard the last part that the gravely voiced Turian was saying, courtesy of my Makuta senses, "-What is C-sec coming to if we have to resort to vigilantes?"

Then I heard the reply of the Asari, "Now Garr-" at that point I had turned the corner of the alley-way.

~That went well~ Krika said.

At least you didn't interrupt when I was talking.

~Well you are welcome~

I carried out a pointless conversation with my fellow Makuta for several, or seven, blocks before Krika told me, ~there is two fleshlings coming up behind you, my probing of their minds has deduced that they have hostile intentions~

Great, I reached out with my mind and deduced that it was a Krogan armed with a shotgun and a Turian with a pistol.

~They are really close now~

Then I heard an angry, Turian sounding voice behind me, "Hey you, Human! Stop right there."

I stopped. Mentally I thought, activate invulnerability power.

"Now human," the Turian said, "hand over your credits."

"Why?" I asked while running through the possibilities on how to render them an 'un-threat.' Then I realized that I had to make it seem as 'normal' as possible. Precisely because people would notice if I fried them with a massive blast of electricity or used my red shadow energy. Or, I could act too fast for witnesses to see anything.

"Because," the Turian said drawing out the word. "You don't have a gun and you don't have a barrier."

Oh yeah the kinetic barrier thing looks like a box on someone's back, Doesn't it?

"And human," the Krogan said. "Open up that urn! I want to see what's in it."

At that I felt the Turian put his gun up against my back. Krika suggestions? I asked the Makuta.

~Silence~

OK

I activated Silence and stepped out of the way, reached out a hand and grabbed the Turian's gun. Both the Turian and the Krogan were startled when confronted with their sudden loss of smell, hearing, sight, and touch, or otherwise true Silence and failed to react to anything. I sent a small jolt of electricity up the Turian's arm, disarmed him, and then teleported four blocks away or one block from my objective.

Perfectly done! It was so fast I bet nobody understood what I did. I tossed the gun from the Turian into a dumpster.

~Not bad~ Krika told me, ~I would have killed them~

Just then I thought, Why did I get rid of the gun I could sell or use it? Needless to say I walked over to the dumpster and retrieved the gun.

Then I entered the apartment's lobby and noticed an Asari sitting behind a desk, "Um excuse me, and do you know where I should go to get a room here?"

The Asari looked at me, "Yeah, me," she said.

Oh "Well I would want the largest one you have."

"That would be room #516 on the seventh floor," the Asari told me, "One month will be 15000 credits."

"All right here you go," I said transferring the money over for two months. She looked at the amount and my ID, and then she smiled and produced a key.

"Have a nice stay Mr. Makuta," she said as she handed me my room key.

I glanced at an extranet terminal on the wall as I made my way to the elevator. The terminal lit up with a 'Breaking News' report.

"Just today the bounty was fulfilled on the notorious crime lord, Tarkol." A human news reporter said as a picture of the Batarian I killed when I first got to the Citadel showed, "The bounty money was given to a new-comer to the Citadel."

Great. Now they are going to show my face. I thought a little fearfully.

Needless to say they did show my face, "Someone that called himself "Makuta" collected the bounty money," the news reporter said doing finger quotes while saying my name.

~Now you have your reputation…~ Krika said into my head.

(….)

"Now back to other news," the News Reporter said and I turned to leave, "A Krogan named (Generic Krogan) and a Turian (Generic Turian) were just found wandering around the Citadel aimlessly, they appear to have lost their sense of sight, smell, touch, and hearing. We are still in the dark on what happened to them."

I inwardly let out an insane laugh, pretty sure that Krika could hear.

~They found those idiots rather fast~ Krika said confirming my suspicions.

Deactivate Silence I thought with an insane smile.

I noticed that the Asari landlady just looked at me rather curiously after the report showed my picture and I made a beeline for the elevator. Once inside I pushed the button for…

Um Krika did you by any chance catch the floor my room is on?

~Yes, seventh floor. ~ Was Krika's quick reply.

Whew, I thought I would have to go back down there.

~It isn't that bad down there. ~

Let's see seventh floor here we go, anyways people are going to wonder what I am doing with a huge urn on my back.

~Of course… By Karzahni these elevators are slow~ Was Krika's reply. I immediately started laughing.

~What is so funny? ~

Everyone thinks these elevators are slow.

~And I agree, you better stop laughing insanely though~

I had stopped laughing by the time I got to the seventh floor. I realized I was quite tired. I asked Krika about it, Um Krika?

~Yes, all Makuta did sleep before they evolved. ~

Does that mean I have to eat to? And you just read my mind again.

~ Get used to me reading your mind, you have no block, and I think Makuta feed of the light and shadow. ~

Why? You think? Are you not sure?

"Good-bye I will leave to explore this 'Citadel'," Krika said aloud instead of answering. The sudden noise of his voice caused me to jump.

I have to learn to put up a mental block when I don't want him to read my mind. I thought as I walked over to the door of my room. I looked at the door. Hmm, no scratch or gnaw marks, So far so good.

~Why should there be? ~

I thought you went exploring?

~Yes I just finished exploring your room~

I put my room-key into the door and set it to open syncing it with my omni-tool as I did so. I stepped into the room.

It had a central room that contained a couch and a small table. The floor was tiles synthesized to look like stone. There was a small fridge for presumably storing drinks. There were four rooms that branched of from the central room I was currently in. I walked into the left most room which was a kitchen. I only briefly examined that room as I was pretty sure Makuta don't eat normal food.

I returned to the central room placing down the protodermis container as I did so. I'll need this to make Rahkshi armor later. I glanced down at it and thought some more, Maybe I should make some Kraata now?

I sat down on the couch not because I needed rest but to think, So if I want a Rahkshi of Teleportation I would make a Kraata of Teleportation. I looked down at my arm and started to focus on making a Kraata.

A Kraata is made by a Makuta taking some of their mass and turning it into these slug-snake creatures that can be given one of the 42 Makuta powers. They are blindly loyal to whatever Makuta made them. After careful consideration I narrowed my choices down to three, Gravity, Teleportation, and Shape-shifting.

Teleportation is probably my prime choice, a Stage 6 Gravity Kraata could collapse the whole Citadel.

I was just about to start when there was a knock on the door. (Who?)

I got up off the couch and walked over to the door. I stopped right in front of it using my telepathy to search who or what was outside.

An…Asari…from downstairs.

I opened the door and said, "Can I help you Miss..?"

The Asari shifted nervously, "I am here to give you a discount on your room for killing Tarkol."

"Oh, um Thank-you?"

"Here is the discount of 5000," she said then continued, "I am Lirie Y'loni."

"Thank you very much," I said relieved that she wasn't here to kill me. With that after receiving the discount I closed the door. Then I went back and sat on the couch.

That was weird.

I started to concentrate again and this time a Kraata started to form. I put up a sonic barrier around this room anticipating noise when the Kraata is done.

A second later I am proved right in the assumption to put up barrier for the second the Kraata takes shape it lets out an un-earthly screech as it mentally separates from my mind.

Though Kraata has to wait to be a Stage 2 before gaining true sentience as of know mine is acting purely on instinct. The Kraata being a teleportation variant is a bright red with a metallic lemon like head. It screams as it feels the light and I put a shroud of darkness over it.

Great I forgot it has to be a Stage 4 before it can withstand direct light.

I walk over to one of the bedrooms and deposit it under the bed. I mentally instruct it to stay there and be quiet. I then flop unto the bed and fell into a deep sleep the moment my head touched the pillow.

 

[Pridakarbiter]

Chapter Two: To save a life

~Wake up~

I drifted into consciousness slowly. I also realized I had not dreamed at all.

"You finished exploring?" I asked Krika groggily.

~Yes~

Did you find anything? I asked in my mind.

~Yes, I found the stuck up leaders of this place~

I sat up and realized that my body had reverted back to the original bio-mechanical form. The same form that walked out of the Makuta pool yesterday. Quickly I shape-shifted back to my 'human' form while thinking. I will have to learn to keep my shape-shifting active while asleep or I run the risk of shape-shifting to my biomechanical being when I get on the Normandy After this consideration I walked into the central room.

"I probably should find something more to gain a reputation," I said out loud to Krika who I knew was around.

Krika shimmered into existence facing me, "Nice Kraata," he said.

"I have protodermis so we can make Rahkshi," I replied almost happily.

"Ah Rahkshi, Makuta's sons," Krika said."Or that was what the Matoran called them."

"Well, I should go and explore the Citadel," I told Krika.

I sat on the couch and fiddled with my omni-tool. I briefly considered looking up Commander Shepard but decided to leave it a mystery. I found that Tarkol had a fourth of a million credits in his account which I transferred into my account.

Then I walked over to my door and stood in front of it.

Density control, I thought meaning to check out this Rahkshi power. I decreased my density to nothing and stepped through the door into the hallway beyond. I returned my density to my original density.

I walked over to the elevator and keyed it for the ground floor.

Now I need a good cover for when I use my powers I thought knowing that I will have to use them at different intervals. I decided to find things I could explain away my powers as.

All right, Chameleon can be explained as cloak, Lightning and Chain Lightning can probably be explained as the omni-tool's overload ability, I mused. I will have to say it is modded into the armor and that is why my omni-tool doesn't light up. I determined that the powers of Anger, Fear, Confusion, Hunger, Fire Resistance, Ice Resistance, Silence, Sleep, and Slowness will not have to be explained as they are not visible when used.

Ok that is good. I will not have to explain those ones, they would be difficult too… At least without revealing that I was a different species.

Accuracy can be explained as good marksmanship, albeit an uncanny knack for hitting things, Elasticity as long as the way I use it isn't to drastic can be explained as…really good flexibility. Yeah, that should work. Dodge can be explained as simply dodging, though eventually if used to often anyone will guess that there is something more to me.

Have to be careful with Dodge, quick note that down. I instructed myself.

Stasis Field can be explained as biotics. I will need to be careful using Gravity and Magnetism just the same as Dodge. Then I came to another realization Uh, Magnetism, Stasis Field and Gravity don't give off a biotic glow. I wondered briefly whether I would have to do without them when I remembered, Illusion! That is it! I could project an illusion to everyone's brain that sees me.

Just have to watch out for cameras. I thought with a grin. By this time the elevator had reached the ground floor and I headed out.

Whew! I need a way to memorize which ones I can use and which I can't. After giving this issue some thought I turned my omni-tool on and started listing on it the powers I could use and the ones I could use if their was no witnesses.

Weather Control can always equal coincidence. Adaptation cannot be used as that utilizes shape-shifting. Invulnerability I can use but will have to be cautious as I believe it is limited somehow. Otherwise the Makuta wouldn't have died so easily. I concluded with Invulnerability being the last power on my 'explainable' list.

As Cyclone, Darkness, Density Control, Disintegration, Heat Vision, Insect Control, Laser Vision, Molecular Disruption, Plant-life Control, Plasma Generation, Poison Generation, Power Scream, Quick Healing, Rahi or Animal Control, Shape-shifting, Sonics, Teleportation, Adaptation and Vacuum all went in 'really hard to explain.' At least until I think up excuses for the remaining powers. Maybe teleportation can be explained as biotic charge? Though I have no idea how many know about that.

I had been walking in the general direction of the Presidium or center area of the Citadel. I spotted an Arms shop and headed in that direction.

I entered into 'Jarel's Weaponry' and headed to section that appeared to be devoted to kinetic barriers. I looked around and spotted one that looked decent. After glancing at the price tag I whistled. 6500 credits? Well, must be good, I thought.

I jotted down the serial number of the Kinetic Barrier and turned to walk to the cashier just as a voice sounded in my head.

~I have been researching biotics~

A little startled I replied out loud, "And?" A Turian and a human gave me odd looks. They probably thought I was talking to myself. Krika heard me though and answered.

~By absorbing this element zero you may be able to gain biotics~

And where will I get eezo? I mentally asked my companion.

~Ask the guy behind the table~ Krika replied.

I answered, "Actually hold off on that purchase, can I look at your guns?"

"Yeah right over there," the cashier said pointing to the back of the store.

I walked to the back of the store. I quickly noticed the word Jormangund on a sniper rifle and thought. A rifle named after a mythical Norse sea serpent should be all right. Scrutinizing the rifle closer I realized that Jormangund Technology had made the rifle which was actually a 'Helix' line of sniper rifle.

I jotted down the serial number for the level X version and turned to the assault rifles. There I just jotted down the serial number of the M-8 Avenger rifle. I likewise jotted down the number for a shotgun made by Jormangund Technology as well just because I liked the name, Jormangund Technology. Then predictably I grabbed a pistol of the same company. I took a pistol from the display stand instead of just the serial number. Having finished this I returned to the cashier where I had to wait in line behind a Turian buying a sniper rifle that was different then the one I was planning on getting.

I waited in line then showed the guy my list which he took and jotted down on his data-pad then turned to me, "Anything else I can help you with?"

I reluctantly asked, "Do you sell element zero here?"

He looked surprised but said, "No we don't carry it here."

"Know anybody that does?"

"No, not to my knowledge."

"All right how much will this stuff cost me?" I asked the Cashier.

He looked down at his data-pad to check, "20311 credits."

If I had still possessed my human body my eyes would have bulged out of my head. Instead, after a millisecond of internal surprise I waved my omni-tool over the counter to pay him.

I set up with the cashier to deliver the majority of the items to my apartment. The minority of the items, Kinetic Barrier and pistol, I took and carried out of the store.

One outside I attempted to put my gun on my thigh. I didn't stay put until I activated my Magnetism power and stuck it there. I also quickly looked up Kinetic Barriers and figured out how to connect and turn it on. After doing this I continued on downward towards the Presidium.



Day Three:

Days before Eden Prime: 18


I awoke to the sound of something hissing. Even though I was a Makuta I still was afraid of the same things humans are and as a result my half awake mind thought, Snake!

I jumped out of bed and smashed straight into the wall near my bed. The whole room shook and probably the apartment as well. Groggily I looked at the huge mark in the wall as insulation gel leaked down on me.

Then I turned to the bed. There was a small little slug-leach-snake creature sitting on my bed. Not like a creature without legs can actually sit but more like laying there.

"Oh, hi Bob," I said naming the creature, which after a few seconds of thought I had deduced to be my Kraata. It looked at me with small, beady, evil looking eyes and teleported under a chair that was in the corner of the room.

I scowled at the evil little thing and headed to the central room where the urn sat uncovered in the middle of the room. I magnetically summoned the lid and attached it to the top of the urn. I briefly considered hiding it but then decided not to.

Following this action I sat down on the couch and let my thoughts overwhelm me; I realized that all my family was gone.

As I thought more along this line I grew more and more frustrated until I walked to the door, opened it up, got in the elevator and descended to ground level determined to walk the feeling off.

I reached the apartments lobby and continued to the door. Pausing briefly I manufactured myself a helmet, something in between the Crysis Nano-suit helmet and Master Chief's MJLONIR helmet, except in blood red.

After this brief respite of rational thought, I continued walking rapidly noticing almost nothing consumed in my own grief.

I came to a stop in a section of the Citadel I had never seen before. Considering I had only seen one Ward in game and I had been here all of two days and a half I had no clue where I was. Thankfully I remembered my address, but no idea where it was.

Krika? I asked mentally. I received no answer. Great must be too far away for me to send a message.

My Makuta hearing picked up the sound of someone talking off to the side down an alley. Even though I could not pick up the words I recognized a threatening tone. Then I heard a frightened voice and I moved over in the direction of the alley the voices were coming from.

I moved closer, also forgetting to use any of my powers. Reaching the entrance to the alley way I made out voices.

The threatening one was an Asari, and the frightened one was a…Quarian probably female by the voice. Hmm that would be the first Quarian I have seen on the Citadel, or heard, I haven't actually seen any… My thoughts died out as I focused more intently on the conversation.

I heard the Asari say, "We know you know you have the money, hand it over and we won't kill you."

The Quarian was staunchly denying that she knew, or had, any money. I decided to intervene and stepped around the corner stepping on a piece of trash as I did so.

The Asari, Quarian…and three guards for presumably the Asari turned to face me.

The guards were a human with an assault rifle, a Turian with a shotgun, and another Turian with an assault rifle and a pistol.

"Um, what is going on here?" I asked making a show of mock politeness.

"None of your business," One of the Turians said, this one had a scar over his eye, and he said this as he swung his rifle towards me.

The Quarian turned towards me and pleaded, "I don't have any money."

The Asari s turned to her, "Yes you do, and you stole from us."

"No! I didn't!" the Quarian replied.

"How much did she supposedly take?" I asked.

"A million credits," the Asari said.

"Idiots," I said. "Why would she still be here if she had a million credits? She would be back on their flotilla."

The Asari turned purple with rage, "Kill him," she screamed to her guards.

"You first," I said.

The Turians opened fire; I used Dodge to well, 'dodge' all the shots then teleported to the scarred Turian and grabbed his arm while activating Disintegration. He screamed as his body disintegrated into dust. Startled I realized I used one of my difficult to explain powers. Oh well the cat is out of the box. I turned and mustered my shadow energy hitting the human who was standing there in surprise with all of it I could.

The force of the shadow energy blew him apart as it impacted his chest splattering blood and organs onto the wall behind him. I also forgot to put up an illusion that it was biotics. As a result the shadow energy was red.

The last Turian got over his shell shock and opened fire at me again. This time he used full auto shredding my shields and sending me to hit the wall as the rounds dented my proto-steel armor. I stepped up groaning as his gun overheated just as the Asari hit me with a biotic warp smashing me against the wall even more, making the building shudder. I activated Invulnerability as the Turian opened for the third time. I activated Gravity and Illusion and manifested a black hole inside him surrounding him in an Illusion of a biotic glow as I did so.

His body crushed inwards, as the flesh compressed and the armor bent inwards. A few seconds later their was nothing left but a metal ball dripping blood I released Gravity and let it fall to the ground. I turned to the Asari, and the Quarian who were both staring at me with a look that had to be horror.

The Asari spoke, "What are you?"

I glanced at her. I decided to let her live and instead of speaking to her verbally I did so mentally.

"I am a monument to all your sins," I told her using my power of Fear to amplify the effect as much as possible.

She screamed and tried to run further down the alley. She stumbled a few times but made it around the corner.

"What are you and what did you do to her?" The Quarian asked looking in the direction she had taken.

"Oh well I am a powerful biotic…," I began but she cut me off.

"How did you disintegrate that Turian like that? Is it a new omni-tool function?"

"Um, yes," I said.

"What is you armor made of?" She said already jumping to the next question.

"Many different metallic alloys." I told her, "It makes it really heavy but effective."

"Not even a thank you," I mumbled sarcastically after that.

"Oh, I forgot, thank you."

"Who were they, anyways?" I asked.

She glanced away then back to me, "They thought I stole all their money, they are part of a gang that exhorts money from people in exchange for protection," She explained.

"Did you?"

"Um, well," She began then let out, "It was only a hundred credits, I needed the money."

"Hmm," I said. "Is your pilgrimage not going well?"

"Wait how did you know of the pilgrimage?"

How do I explain this? "I met other Quarians..."

"Really, who were they?"

"I can't remember. It was a long time ago. On that matter, what is your name?"

"Tari Zorna vas Leera," The Quarian said dropping the subject of the other Quarians, "What's yours?"

"My what?" I asked forgetting.

"Your name."

"Um, Makuta," I answered.

"Oh, you took down Tarkol!" She said.

"Yeah, did you know him?"

The Quarian shook her head, "No."

I let a lot of thoughts run through my head then decided. I can take care of my 'lost' problem.

She had started to walk away while I was thinking I called after her, "Hey wait."

She turned and I said, "Do you know where this address is?" I rattled off the address.

"Yeah," she said, "Why?"

"I forgot to pay attention to where I was going and I am sort of lost," I told her. She looked like she was seriously considering excusing herself from this task so I continued, "I can pay."

"All right, I'll do it," She said.

 

[Pridakarbiter]

Interlude: C-sec Investigator Officer Garrus Vakarian

It all had started out as a normal day. If any day was truly normal. C-sec Investigator Garrus Vakarian had been investigating a crime ring when he came across a massacre scene.

"Great," He muttered as he looked at the crushed and smashed bodies, "Insanely powerful biotic…"

His mandibles twitched slightly in mild irritation. He glanced towards the wall where they had evidently been firing towards, "Spirits!"

Garrus's mandibles proceeded to drop in shock. There was a silhouette of a human or Asari's body. The body of their attacker had been smashed two inches into the solid metal. Garrus walked closer to the wall to scrutinize it further.

He put his hand into the dent sizing it up. That is when he noticed something.

One was a sliver of armor which he picked up and scanned with his omni-tool. The result came up as, "Unknown Metal." Garrus forwarded the results to a C-sec employee that specialized in this sort of information.

He then saw something green, a liquid on the ground near the armor sliver. Garrus stooped down and touched it with a talon.

"What is this?"

Garrus promptly dug out a small vacuum device and vacuumed the Makuta blood, as that is what it was, up.

Garrus walked over to one of the dead people, the one crushed into a ball, "Insane biotics..." he muttered again under his breath.

He moved over to one of the dead people, this one looked like he was killed by an uber powered warp blast. He decided on a hunch to run a scan for eezo over the body.

He hummed a tune as his omni-tool initiated the scanning process. It chimed as it finished.

Garrus twisted his mandibles into a frown, "Negative that can't be right then proceeded to look at the scan details."

"Not eezo," he muttered as his eyes narrowed then widened in shock. "A new form of dark energy?"

Garrus sent the data to C-sec headquarters then glanced back down at the body, "Wait a minute."

Garrus thought furiously trying to remember where he had seen another body like this.

His eyes narrowed even more, as he suddenly remembered and then muttered, "Tarkol, the guy who took down Tarkol!"

 

[brainlessdragon]

I am liking this so much, keep on going.

 

[Pridakarbiter]

Author's Note: This interlude is kind of a rehash of canon but I felt I needed it to introduce Commander Shepard's character. Regardless next update is back to the main character so stay tuned.

P.O.V Commander Shepard

Colonist and War Hero

Trained as a Biotic Vanguard, additional training with Sniper Rifle


I, Commander Shepard, walked down the dull grey hallways of the SSV Normandy. I could feel the comfortable weight of my sniper rifle and shotgun on my back. Likewise the weight of the heavy pistol on my left hip was reassuring.

I heard the pilot of the Normandy Jeff Moreau's aka Joker's voice proclaim. "The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence."

I headed towards the cockpit, passing Corporal Jenkins on the way; he spoke, "Commander."

I simply nodded to him and continued onwards. I heard Joker's voice again, "We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination." Then Joker paused then continued, "The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector." Joker's voice paused again for a second then continued, "All stations secure for transit. The board is green. Approach run has begun."

Coming up behind the pilot of the Normandy I stopped. Glancing through the view-screen I could see the Mass Relay we were using. The sight was awe-inspiring. Truly the Protheans were geniuses.

Joker's voice broke me from my thoughts, "Hitting the relay in 3…2…1…"

The relay sucked us in and slingshot us out on the other side. Joker began a status report but I wasn't listening instead I wondered idly where the Protheans had gone if they were able to build such marvels. At least a trace of there race should exist somewhere? Living ones of course, not artifacts those abounded aplenty.

I heard an alien voice next to me, Nihlus the Turian Spectre, Special Tactics and Reconnaissance, "1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased."

With that said he turned and proceeded out of the cockpit area. Joker turned to the person sitting in the co-pilot seat and said, "I hate that guy."

The co-pilot, Staff lieutenant Kaiden Alenko, turned to Joker a grin on his face and replied, "Nihlus gave you a compliment….so you hate him?"

I walked up behind Joker as he replied to Kaiden; I zoned out for the first half of his reply but caught the end, "Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."

Lt. Kaiden glanced back towards Joker then replied acting the voice of reason. "The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye of their investment."

Joker quickly replied to Kaiden with, "Yeah that is the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."

I couldn't contain myself any longer and butted in with, "You always expect the worst."

Joker replied a little too quickly with. "Well, bad feelings are an occupational hazard. We don't go anywhere unless there's a good reason, so what are we doing here?

Joker glanced towards Kaiden then moved his head back forward as the voice of the captain came over the intercom. "Joker! Status?"

Joker replied to the Captain, David Anderson giving him the details. Which consisted of, "Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

Anderson promptly replied with, "Good, Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."

Joker his hands moving swiftly over the holographic controls of the Normandy replied, "Aye, aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. Nihlus is headed your way.

Anderson replied to Joker's warning about Nihlus with, "He's already here lieutenant," Joker silently shook his head before Anderson continued, "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."

Joker then said to me, "You get that Commander?"

I replied in my best no-nonsense voice, "I'm on my way."

I strode out of the room hearing Joker whispering to Kaiden the moment I turned my back. I headed down the central walkway of the bridge.

I heard Navigator Pressly discussing the Turian Spectre Nihlus with Chief Engineer Adams but I passed them by rapidly, paying no real heed to their conversation, or more accurately debate.

As I approached the door leading out off the Bridge I passed Dr. Chakwas and Cpl. Jenkins they also were discussing why Nihlus would be on a routine shakedown run to Eden Prime. There defiantly must be a reason Nihlus was here, Spectres don't visit Eden Prime, and I probably didn't want to know why he was.

By this time I was just coming up the door to the comm room. I grimaced slightly wondering what I would find within. I ran down the walkway to the center. My eyebrows lifted in surprise as I wondered where in the world Anderson was, he was supposed to be here.

Instead Nihlus was. He turned from the display that he was scrutinizing and said, "Commander Shepard. I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk.

I ground to a halt; previously I had been somewhere in between jogging and walking. I opened my mouth; you can't ask something when your mouth is closed, and stated, "The captain said he'd meet me here."

Nihlus promptly replied as if he predicted my response, "He's on the way."

Nihlus quickly continued giving me no chance to speak, "I'm interested in this world we're going to…Eden Prime. I have heard it is quite beautiful."

I cautiously replied, "They say it's a paradise."

Nihlus continued on, "Yes…a paradise. Tranquil. Serene. Safe. Eden Prime has become a symbol for your people, hasn't it?...Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies throughout the galaxy but protect them as well. But how safe is it really?"

As he said the last part about the safety of the colony he turned away, my head crept to my pistol almost by instinct, "Are you trying to scare me Spectre?" I asked.

Nihlus replied easily, "Your people are still newcomers. Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place." Nihlus turned back to face me and said the last part, "Are you truly ready for this?"

As he finished saying this I heard Captain Anderson's voice and immediately turned to face him as he continued speaking, "I think it's about time we told the commander what's really going on."

Nihlus nodded a surprisingly human gesture and said, "This mission is more then a simple shakedown run."

I replied easily to the Turian Spectre, "I already figured out that part."

Captain Anderson turned to me, "We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

I quickly replied, not missing a beat, "What's the payload, Captain?"

Captain Anderson glanced towards Nihlus, "A research team on Eden Prime discovered a Prothean beacon during excavation."

I turned quickly to Anderson as he walked over to stand next to Nihlus, "What else can you tell me?"

The rest of the conversation passed in a blur. This included, Nihlus expected trouble, we were here to get some alien beacon that might jump technology forward again, and I was being evaluated for Spectre! Out of everyone else in the Alliance I had been chosen to be evaluated for Spectre. A small part of me said, it's because you are the best. But I pushed those arrogant thoughts to the back of my head with the thought, if I mess up…

Then I learned I was in command of the ground team that would secure the beacon and get it onto the ship ASAP. Nihlus would accompany me as the start of several missions, evaluating me for the Spectres.

I was broken out of the blur when Anderson said, "We should be getting close to Eden-"

Joker's voice cut the captain off though with the words, "Captain! We have a problem."

Anderson turned to the display in the center of the room while saying, "What's wrong Joker."

"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!"

Captain Anderson replied to the pilot with, "Bring it up on screen."

The transmission started to play. Anderson, Nihlus, and I, turned to watch it as it. I opened up with blue plasma fire zooming past the camera or cameraman. A marine in pink armor pushed the guy down yelling at him to get down. The camera turned to an officer who said, "We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: heavy casualties! We can't… argh…--eed evac! They came out of nowhere. We need," the camera showed the officer get shot down then the camera falling. As it landed on the ground it showed two other marines firing then it turned straight up showing some cephalopod like ship. Then the camera view became increasingly chaotic until it cut to static.

The realization hit me. Eden Prime was being attacked. The colony was under attack. The beacon was there…were they after the beacon?

Joker's voice came over the intercom, "Everything cuts after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing."

Captain Anderson grimaced but said, "Reverse and hold at 38.5."

The picture reversed to the cephalopod like ship this time around I could distinctly see red energy crackling around the tentacles.

I heard Anderson's voice again, "Status report."

Joker replied saying that we were seventeen minutes out with no other Alliance ships in the area.

Captain Anderson replied, "Take us in Joker. Fast and quiet," then he spoke to both me and Nihlus, "This mission just got more complicated."

I muttered under my breath, "That's an understatement."

Thankfully neither the captain nor Nihlus heard me as Nihlus continued, "A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention and still secure the beacon. It's our best chance."

Anderson turned his head towards Nihlus, "Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold."

Then he turned to me as Nihlus departed, "Commander, tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up. You're going in."