Dreams of the River
The silence of the cockpit was a lie. Outside the UT-47 Kodiak shuttle , the atmosphere of the unnamed planet was screaming across the hull, a violent thermal embrace. Commander Elhana Shepard exhaled, her breath fogging the inside of her helmet briefly. It was supposed to be a simple recon drop—in, scan the unsettling energy readings in the Terminus systems , and out. Solo. Just how she liked it sometimes, away from the crushing weight of command, the politics of the Citadel , and the looming shadow of the Illusive Man . " Normandy , this is Shepard," she keyed the comms, her voice raspy with fatigue. "Data secured. Coming in hot on vector four. Have Chakwas prep a stimulant package; I think I pulled something dodging that thresher maw last week." Static hissed back. Then, Joker's voice, broken and frantic. "Commander! Read—ou have multiple bogeys on your si—reaking up! Shepard, abort! Abort vector!" The proximity alarms screamed a split second be...