Choice and Consequences

Earth, Ireland
February 21st, 2227
Alliance Gatol Memorial, 0300 Hours

Darkness had swept across the quiet memorial, situated away from one of the larger urban centers as a sign of respect, all was quiet, save for a singular figure moving through the field, before stopping at a grave, the armored soldier staring at it before kneeling down, running her hand across the stone, gently taking the Silver Star that was placed upon it and putting it in one of her waist pouches. She sighs, producing the shovel she brought with her as she begins to dig up the grave, fully pulling the casket out of the ground and resting it to the side. She knew the body within was in the same condition it was put in, a ‘nicety’ added by the Alliance for it’s fallen, all she had to do now was meet with her contact to leave.

“I thought I’d find you here.” The german accented voice spoke over the darkness, the armored woman turning to the source as she narrowed her eyes “Wilhelm. I thought you were still with the 2nd MSRC.” The marine walked into view, his blue recon armor covering his body, his captured Ion Sword and M-97 Razor mag locked to his back, and a carnifex holstered on his side. “I was. However something came up and I requested some leave in order to take care of it. That being you haven’t been responding to any messages I’ve been sending to you since Emma died. When I heard that the Tokyo had unexpectedly returned to Sol, I had a feeling you would be here. What are you doing Major?” The woman stared down her former soldier, sighing “I think we both know the answer to that Osborne.”

The biotic crossed his arms, standing opposite of his former commander “You defected, you spoke to him, didn’t you? What did he promise you? To bring Anne back? To stand by his side once again? He’s mad, Major. He’s not the sam--” The major held up her hand “I’ve heard it all before. I’ve made my decision. I understand that you might feel betrayed by all this Osborne but this is the decision I’ve made. The Alliance we both stood for no longer exists it’s been replaced by a corrupt, tyrannical dictatorship, and my place is with my husband, and my family.” Osborne stared at the woman as his biotics flared “You know I can’t let you leave Ma’am.”

Elizabeth nodded as her armour pulsed orange, her omnitool activating “I know.”

The biotic threw his hand up, a whip of energy shooting out towards the engineer as an omnishield flared to life, blocking the strike as her pistol came up, three of the Talon’s shotgun blasts barking out at the Biotic, two striking his barriers and the third striking a pillar next to him as he fell back, reaching to his back and drawing his Razor.

The biotic rounded the corner, firing into the shield as the major deployed an overload, a burst of electric energy hitting the weapon and overheating it as he discarded the weapon, reaching to his back and drawing his Ion Blade as biotic energy ran across it, the Major firing off the last shot of her Talon before holstering the weapon and deploying a pair of Omniblades.

Osborne brought the glowing blade around, swinging and slashing at Elizabeth who parried each strike, sparks of purple and orange light clashing off as the weapons collided, the Omniblades cracking and beginning to break thanks to the Ion quality of Osborne’s weapon.

The biotic brought his hand up, a blast of biotic energy striking the Major in the face and launching her back, smashing through one of the stone crosses behind her and breaking her tech armour as Osborne rushed forward, bringing his blade around and trying to stab the Major on the ground. Elizabeth rolled aside, bringing her omnitool up as she did and firing off an Incinerate directly into Osborne, who took the blast head on, his biotic barriers flaring and shattering as heat washed over him, knocking him prone before he rolled to his feet, raising his sword yet again as he rushed the Major, who brought her mechanical arm back, raising an omniblade with the other.

Osborne brought his blade around, striking the Major’s omniblade which cracked and shattered, the blade leaving a gash in Elizabeth’s helmet as she brought her mechanical arm around, a metal combat knife in her hand as she slashed upwards, dragging the blade through Osborne’s chestplate and across the side of his helmet, shattering the glass visor, staggering him for a moment as she activated her omnitool, aiming it at Osborne’s chest and firing off another Incinerate.

The tech ability smashed into the biotic, throwing him back, searing and charring his armour, his underbody protecting him from serious damage as he crashed against another gravestone, his blade clattering to the ground next to him. Elizabeth sighed, slowly walking over as Osborne pushed himself to his feet, drawing his Carnifex and opening fire as Elizabeth’s omnishield came up, blocking the shots as she sprinted forward, Osborne raising to his feet as his biotics flared, tossing the empty pistol to the side as the omnishield vanished, her fist brought back as Osborne brought his arms into an X, the mechanical arm slamming into Osborne’s block as he staggered back, coming back around with his biotics, using them to enhance his punches as he took swings at Elizabeth, who deployed her omnitool around her arms, using it to protect them as she blocked Osborne’s heavy strikes, blasts of Biotic energy causing her to stagger back with each blow.

Elizabeth ducked under one of his swings, throwing a punch into the biotic’s gut and causing him to cough out, the air rushing out of his lunges as Elizabeth brough another fist around, slamming it into the side of Osborne’s helmet and throwing him to the ground, his helmet clattering off the ground nearby. The biotic spat out blood, pushing himself to his feet as he flared his biotics once again, several biotic orbs forming into the air around him as he threw the miniature Warps towards Elizabeth, who narrowed her eyes, her omnishield reforming as she ran forward, blocking two of them before a biotic detonation sent her flying back through another tombstone, shattering it and taking her shields out. She shook her head briefly, seeing the other two still incoming as she rolled to her side, avoiding them and bringing her arm up, firing off a pair of Incinerates at the Biotic who threw up a barrier ahead of him, blocking the attacks before throwing a larger Warp at his former commander.

Elizabeth grabbed a stone off the ground, rushing towards Osborne as she chucked it ahead of her, the Warp striking it and exploding, missing the Major completely as she ran through the blast of energy, bracing behind her Omnishield as she ran at Osborne, who brought his fists around, wreathed in biotic energy as he took a swing, his fist smashing against the shield and shattering it, leaving him wide open as Elizabeth took advantage of it, slamming a hard-light covered fist into his gut again, forcing him to a take a step back before grabbing his shoulders, slamming her knee into his gut and throwing him back, rushing forward and taking a leaping punch at her subordinate, striking him in the chest and throwing him to the ground, skidding for a few feet before he lay there, panting, bleeding and beaten.

Elizabeth walked over, her omnitool switching modules as she looked down at him, the biotic weakly meeting her gaze. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand now, but I hope you do realize why I made this choice, and maybe even make the same choice yourself one day when you realize I’m right.”

Osborne went to speak through bloodied teeth, but the Major fired off an Overload into the biotic adept, his biotic implants flaring as electricity coursed through him, knocking him unconscious. Elizabeth sighed, breathing heavily as she walked back to the gravestone, hauling the casket onto a hover transport she brought with her before departing the area, heading to a rented out truck near the perimeter of the memorial, before heading off into the countryside to meet with her ride to Omega, the distant sounds of sirens approaching the site echoing through the air as she drove wordlessly away.