Mass Effect Betrayal Act 1- Shepards Revenge

Chapter 32

It's been a week since the Coalition, under the command of Commander Jane Shepard, seized control of an Alliance stronghold. The Alliance has relentlessly started attacking along the line yet has kept from attacking the stronghold directly due to the problematic defense provided by the Geth walker platforms.

Once Shepard was deemed fit for duty, she was able to witness the rapid advancements her troops achieved since landing on the planet. They had successfully commandeered Alliance weaponry and equipment, capitalizing on the fact that the Alliance's standard thermal clips were compatible with their own weapon systems. Striding into the CIC, Shepard reviewed the latest updates. All her commands along the front now had access to radios, although unencrypted, necessitating careful communication. For highly sensitive information, they relied on Geth Communications. The radios, however, proved invaluable for the Coalition remnant. Shepard learned that her old outpost was finally decommissioned, and all personnel and resources were now consolidated within her base's walls.

Shepard felt a minor sting of pain on her left side, a mere echo of the crippling injury she'd previously endured. The Coalition's leadership planned to use the Enterprise to transport supplies and equipment to their base and, in the process, get Shepard off-planet. Shepard, however, very vocally refused to leave, promising to see the mission through to its end. Many among the leadership advocated for her withdrawal as a preventive measure in the event of a critical situation before reinforcements could arrive. Shepard stayed resolute, unwilling to abandon her troops. When word spread about the leadership's willingness to abandon the troops on Faros without their commander, it sparked outrage among the military hierarchy and soldiers of the Coalition. Even Chairman Vakarian, Director Harper, Tali, Wrex, and a few others expressed their shock and disapproval.

Looking out over the landscape, Shepard saw a planet still ablaze. While the Alliance maintained aerial superiority, the Geth walkers effectively limited their air support's effectiveness. Many Coalition ground commanders expressed a desire to launch raids behind enemy lines to gather food, equipment, gear, and medical supplies. Shepard, although hesitant, recognized the need for such actions and authorized them. On the ground, however, the situation was grim. The Coalition's ground forces sustained heavy losses with each firefight, destroying precious equipment and the death of numerous soldiers.

Despite the never-ending pressure, they manage to stand their ground and repulse the Alliance on multiple fronts. Shepard, however, has refused to authorize any further advance for the time being. Their resources are stretched to the limit; they are operating at full capacity. Shepard makes her way down to the main concourse, patiently awaiting the arrival of the Enterprise.

Karen is intently examining some commandeered Alliance crates. During her time being injured, Karen had clearly risen to the challenge. Drawing on her experiences from the Reaper War, she produced an effective resistance force. It was Karen who backed the use of guerrilla warfare tactics against the Alliance, strategically avoiding their strong points and capitalizing on their weak spots. The deployment of snipers has sent waves of fear through the Alliance ranks, particularly among their officers and have been given full operational freedom. Once she regained consciousness and could grasp the state of affairs, Shepard gave her authorization for their continuation. To her surprise, there was no shortage of volunteers. The soldiers followed her team with unwavering trust and discipline. Shepard found herself craving for her old crew. Her current team was outstanding, perhaps the best in many respects, but she couldn't help but crave the familiarity of the past. As she approached Karen, her radio buzzed to life with DAN's voice addressing her.

"Commander, we are five minutes away," DAN informed. Shepard directed Geth and a group of Turian soldiers to prepare for the arrival of the Enterprise, which needed to enter the atmosphere to unload its cargo. Using shuttles posed a risk of detection by the Alliance and following destruction. As a result, the Enterprise had to land in person. Fortunately, the designated landing zone was spacious enough to accommodate the massive ship. However, they needed to act quickly before the Alliance discovered their location. As she waited, Shepard watched as her ship came into sight. For a moment, she mistook it for the Normandy, but the Normandy was no longer hers. It had been taken from her a long time ago.