Birth of a Legend

Chapter 3

Location: Elysium

Year: 2176

“Come on, maggots! Move move move!”

Hundreds of Alliance soldiers poured through the door of the SSV Pandora, geared up and ready to fight. Giers’s squadron was divided up into different sectors depending on the class of soldiers. Engineers worked in the back ranks, sending out drones and traps to weaken shields and barriers. Infiltrators were sent to higher ground for better vantage points and the sentinels were spread throughout the battlefield to provide support for the injured or incapacitated and escort civilians to safety. The soldiers and adepts were the main fighting force, but it was the vanguards who led others into battle. It just so happened that Ana herself was a vanguard, taking up the front lines with the others that had already arrived beforehand. She stepped out of the SSV Pandora gingerly, taking in the scene before her. Bullets whizzed through the air causing shields to light up a bright purple when the bullets made contact with them. The Alliance had set up a good defensive perimeter around the colony, but the Batarians were a relentless bunch. Suddenly, Ana found herself being pushed to the ground right behind a small mound of dirt.

“Are you crazy? Don’t just stand there like a deer in the headlights!” she heard someone shout, though everything seemed blurred. Even the soldier screaming at her was just a faded image, noise with no clarity. What was she doing there?

                “Do you hear me, soldier?!” the voice interrupted again. She came to, shaking her head to rattle her brain from the temporary immobilization before nodding at the vanguard that had saved her. He frowned at her, bushy eyebrows furrowed with concern and a bit of fury. It looked like he had been pierced quite a bit with bullets, but he was still fighting. “You’re not well,” he concluded, tapping his finger against his ear where a nearly invisible communication link was located. “Sanders—“ he started before Ana interrupted him.

                “No! I’m alright, sir!” she protested, reaching behind her to unclip the assault rifle from the mounted multi-gun holster on her back. Before the sentinel he contacted was able to reach her, she had darted onto the battlefield, shields flaring as she activated her barrier defenses. Oh she was afraid, that much was for certain, but if she received a dishonorable discharge because she had stage fright, she would never be able to face Anderson. Being the adopted daughter of one of the most phenomenal soldiers in Alliance Navy history put her under a lot of pressure. She didn’t want him to think she was a failure.

                When she caught up to the front lines, they were already advancing on the enemy. The Batarians scattered as the ruthless vanguards pelted them with biotics. Something about the strategic placement of the soldiers on the battlefield didn’t seem right. It was segregated. None of the different classified groups were working together. In fact, the vanguards completely disregarded helping the soldiers who, without any special powers, couldn’t defend themselves properly. They hid behind buildings and crates, but the war beasts the Batarians had brought to battle could sniff them out easily. Scanning the area from behind the smoldering remains of someone’s house, she noticed a group of soldiers pinned down near a Batarian cruiser. One of the enemy biotics had lifted a large pillar and thrown it at them, catching one of the poor soul’s legs under it. He cried out for help but his fellow soldiers couldn’t get close enough to rescue him.

                “Chek! Chek!” the Batarians roared, unleashing the war beasts from their cages. With maws of that size, the poor soldiers wouldn’t have a chance.

                Not on Ana’s watch.

                “Aghhh! Help me!” the soldier cried, trying to grab his pistol that was just out of reach. Just as the war beast leaped into the air for the kill, they were caught in mid-flight by a purple aura. Confused, they began flailing their legs about trying to reach the ground only a few feet below them. One of them whined. Before they knew it, they were sent hurtling through the air back at their masters, slamming into them and causing the Batarians to fly back into their cruisers. The injured soldier looked stunned, wondering if he had some unknown biotic potential. He was distracted by an immense pain originating from his legs when the pillar began to move and levitate into the air. He screamed, writhing in pain but it was clear that he was paralyzed from the waist down. Two of his comrades began dragging him away towards the nearest sentinel.