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bagog · 6 months

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N7 Month, 2023 - Day 8: Crash

It's a little mshenko pre-relationship drabble.

“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe you actually did it.” Kaidan’s tone was ambiguous to Shepard’s ear, and he tried not to imagine either mockery or genuine pathos in it.

“Sometimes I can hardly believe the things I do myself,” Shepard responded, bitter though still in Command. The two marines stood, fully armored but without helmets, on the barren expanse of an alien world—grasslands as far as the eye could see. Before them, at the base of a massive grassy mound, the Mako was lying upside down, one of its wheels still idly spinning as the mass effect field generators tried in vain to right the vehicle.

It wasn’t Shepard’s fault, not really, and he would swear it up and down. After all, it wasn’t the first time the damn thing had flipped on the rough terrain of a distant world. The fact that it always righted itself—at great strain to the field generators—had sort of given everyone the impression that truly crashing the Mako would be impossible.

“And yet, here we are…” Shepard muttered under his breath.

“Hm, Commander?”

“Nothing, Kaidan. Can we… let’s just try one more time, huh?” Shepard began to glow blue.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Wrex?” Kaidan glowed sympathetically, stiffening his posture, apparently expecting not to wait. And, honestly, Wrex had climbed out of the crash and proceeded to track off over the hills to find a quiet place to relieve himself—that had been 30 minutes ago.

“Afraid the two of us aren’t enough to do ourselves, Lieutenant?” Shepard grinned slyly at Alenko, the other man’s mouth twitched just barely into a smile.

“You know what they say about trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results…”

With that, they both tried their best to surround the Mako with a mass lowering field, hoping to give the Mako’s own field generator’s a little help.

The thing rocked back and forth, even animatedly for a moment, but they couldn’t get it to flip back onto its wheel.s

“Alright,” Shepard sighed, powering down his biotics. “Get Joker on radio, tell him we need him to find a place to land close to our position, then we’ll need a detail out here to get this thing flipped.”

“On it, Commander.” Kaidan walked off a few paces to make the call, and Shepard tried not to listen it. “…yeah. ….completely upside down… …trust me, we’ve tried…”

Shepard kneeled down and felt the grass, or rather, didn’t feel it through his gauntlets, but it seemed like it must be soft. He sat down and watched the clouds drift by overhead—something denser than earth clouds… Before long, he had laid his head back in the grass, stretched out at the base of the hill.

He lost track of time staring up before he noticed Kaidan returning.

“Joker’s ETA is 42 minutes to have us out of here.”

“Might as well take a load off. Have a seat, Alenko.”

Kaidan opened his mouth as if to say something, but then merely shrugged and lowered himself to the grass beside Shepard. They passed a long moment like that.

“Funny, we visit all these planets and I feel like I never just stop to breathe in the… air, or whatever. To take in the sights. It’s beautiful here. Probably no human eyes have ever seen it before.”

Shepard turned his head, examined the lines on Kaidan’s face as he wistfully stared out at the countryside below them.

“Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing we crashed,” Shepard said, his tone thicker with the intimacy of the moment than he had wished. The laugh lines appeared around Kaidan’s eyes and his cheeks dimpled when he smiled wide.

“That’s what I admire about you, Shepard, always seeing the bright side of things.”

“Not always,” Shepard replied softly. He continued to study Kaidan’s face, the way he leaned back on his elbows, the way the alien wind played in his hair. “I just think I’m lucky, that’s all.”

“Well, I’m happy to be out here with you, then.” For a moment Kaidan turned that warm smile on Shepard, and he felt himself beaming in response.

“Likewise, Kaidan.”

#mshenko #kaidan alenko #n7month #n7 month #fanfic #mass effect

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cr-noble-writes · 29 days

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For the wip ask: Things I'll Never Get To Say sounds like such a mood rn

*cackles like the angst gremlin he is*

From this ask game

So, unlike the other ask I just answered.... I do stuff like this all the time. Because I am a tiny little angst demon. This doc is a collection of emails Kaidan sends Shepard after he dies in a post-synthesis ending to the war.

Have some feelings:

1 Feb 2187 CE, 02:47 GST Message from: Capt. Alenko, K. Message to: Cmd. Shepard, J. Shepard, They promoted me. Most of the Normandy, actually. Joker tried to refuse but Admiral Hackett wouldn’t hear any of it. Vega accepted without any argument, but he didn’t seem as happy about it as you’d expect him to be. They’re rebuilding the Villa, and he’s set to be part of the first post-war N7 class. He’s a lot less exuberant these days, but when he talks about that he’s got this fire in him. He wants to make you proud and I know he will. He’s a damn good marine. You always did know how to pick them. We’re all still adapting to how everything has changed. At least the green patches have faded. It doesn’t feel as strange looking in the mirror. It’s so weird to see the Reapers actually helping rebuild things. I mean, they repaired the damage to the Citadel in less than a month, and they’re working their way through the Relay system. That’ll take longer. Every relay in the galaxy was rendered non-functional by the Crucible. God, I feel like I’m filing a mission report. Pretty sure I’m supposed to be talking about my feelings or something, not updating you like you’re still my commanding officer. Not sure I’m ready to do that yet, though. It’s still really raw, you know. You’d think the fact that I’ve already done this once would make it easier, but it seems to be the opposite. I miss you. Kaidan

#crnobleanswers #angst #things i'll never get to say #kaidan alenko #ask games #wip folder game

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afragmentcastadrift · 6 months

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There remains an incredible amount of darkness in the world. We are nowhere near the utopian state imagined throughout decades of sci-fi dreaming. We create and innovate and pave the way for profit, often forgetting about the needs of humanity. We are, as a people, so often foolish, fallible, and forgetful.

And yet, we somehow hold on to a kernel of hope. A spark of idealism that stubbornly flares and burns despite and in spite of the darkness. But then, we've been raised on stories of heroes - the majestic and the ne'er do-wells who recognize the need to fight for a greater good. Stories of people, other fallible mortals, who believed that there just might be something better on the edge of the horizon.

We drink deep of these tales. We reread, rewatch, and replay them again and again. Touchstones that remind us that possibilities can exist when we work toward and together. Draughts and doses that sustain us through the sorrows so that we can continue to breathe deep and start each day in opposition of despair.

Sure, the stories are often fiction, but fiction has been written and wrought by real people living in, and through, their own darkness. We have long been crafting stories as the means to pull ourselves out of shadow.

So maybe a bunch of pixels created 16 years ago is the stuff of make-believe. Yet that story continues to evoke powerful emotions because the escapades of big damn heroes will always resonate. We're inspired to look to the future, to look to the stars, and we put our energies into the hope that we can, like those heroes, beat back the darkness.

May there be brighter days. May you all be well, hearty and hale for whatever challenges you may face, and surrounded by stalwart and loyal companions who will stand with you through both tears and laughter.

Happy N7 Day. Keelah Se'lai.

#n7 day #n7 day 2023 #mass effect

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clericofshadows · 22 days

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a beginning

Description: In the aftermath of a one night stand with an older soldier named Nyx, Kaidan starts to fall for the man and his obvious mysteries...

Pairing: Kaidan Alenko/Nyx Shepard

Rating: M

Note: Felt inspired to finish this after making some gifs of Nyx and Kaidan.

Kaidan wasn’t quite sure what to think about the man lying in the bed a couple of feet away from the bathroom, watching him with those deep purple eyes that said a lot about him. Gene modded, clearly, with a deep hue that contrasted his rough exterior. He had to have been at least in his fifties, if not more, the skin marked by both war and natural aging.

But one thing’s for sure, Nyx knew how to charm a man, even one that wasn’t normally for one night stands.

“Doing okay in there?” he asked, making no move to cover himself up, turning towards him with a grin.

“Just thinking,” Kaidan replied, dampening a wash cloth with warm water, testing it with his hand before wringing it out.

“Dangerous,” he teased, running his hand down his chest, toying with those pierced nipples–and what a fucking surprise that was. “Penny for your thoughts?”

He was thinking about a lot, actually. About how he thought he saw a flash of light blue rimmed around his eyes while he fucked deep into Nyx, pressing his weight into him, keeping a steady gaze on him, watching for any reaction that wasn't complete pleasure. Biotics from a man far too old to be part of the first gen, much less any other stable gen. Far too pure to be a trick of the light. But maybe it was.

He didn’t ‘feel’ like a biotic, nor did he notice or feel a port in the back of his neck. Could be underneath the skin like Kaidan’s, but there was no tell-tale scar either. A mystery to be solved later.

Because not only did Kaidan find himself taking the man back to his damn apartment on Arcturus, they also negotiated something beyond just a quick fuck between two soldiers. Nyx wanted to be used, and he said he saw a man he could trust at the bar.

And Kaidan didn't want to disappoint.

"Thinking about what we should order for takeout," he replied, walking back over to the bed.

"Bullshit," Nyx snorted, pulling his hair out of his undercut bun, already well-mussed after their fuck, the silver strands flowing down around his shoulders. "You fucked me within an inch of my life. I think we've earned a little honesty?" A southern accent started to leech into his words. Something he hides? He's known some Alliance to hide their local accents and stick to a "galactic standard" but he didn't expect that from Nyx.

Kaidan started to gently run the washcloth around his thighs, careful to not be too rough, ignoring him for now. Nyx took it from him with a roll of his eyes and cleaned himself up. "You're such a gentleman."

"You almost say it like an insult." Kaidan stretched himself back out on the bed.

He chuckled, tossing the washcloth on the nightstand next to him. "No. Just an observation. Anyway, come on… whatever you are thinking about can't be too bad?"

"Why me?" Kaidan asked, because he was genuinely wondering. Some had tried to approach Nyx, but he sent them all away, instead heading towards Kaidan.

Nyx smiled, seemingly happy with his response. Good. Maybe that will get him to back off for a moment. "I'm good at reading people. And I got a good vibe from you. Looked like you wanted something more, and you seemed like the kind of guy that cares about everyone. You were talking to the bartender like an old friend, and yet I saw no recognition between the two of you when you walked in. Thought I would test the waters, see where things go."

Kaidan knew the man was an N7, seeing it emblazoned on his jacket clear as day. Hearing their observational skills in action was a bit unnerving, but perhaps it wasn't too bad hearing how highly Nyx rated him before he even talked to him.

"Did I prove your observations correct?" Kaidan asked.

"You did and more," he replied softly, full of sweet honey. "How long are you on the station?"

Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "Depends. You told me to be honest, so I will. I'm not the kind of guy who's just here for benefits. This was great, but–"

"No, no, that wasn't why I was asking. Not really. Maybe not the best way to enter into something, but you never know..." he interrupted, trailing off with an expectant look.

Kaidan couldn't deny that Nyx was attractive in a rough sort of way. Scars framed the sides of his face that told a story, one that made Kaidan want to get to know the man more. A grey beard that matched his hair, kept longer at the chin, but braided nearly in a small plait. Hell, there was something familiar about the man during their whole encounter, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

He probably should get his name. And contact info, too.

Kaidan did want something more these days. Never really getting close to much of anyone during his service so far, his biotics almost setting him apart from most. Too many seemed to treat him like an outsider, nothing overt but it was clear to him that he was different.

Even more so after seeing him out on the field, unleashing his biotics amongst soldiers who have probably never seen them outside of vids and sims.

Hell, Nyx wanted him to flare out, encouraging him and his biotics to let loose. Maybe it was just a kink for him, but something lingered behind his gaze.

And it's been too damn long since Kaidan had someone he wanted something more with, had someone who saw his biotics and grinned.

"A few months," he replied. "Working on some new potential training for new biotic recruits. Nothing concrete for now. But word says I might be back in the black soon, so no promises."

"Then we have similar schedules. There's a couple of little Ns that need to be taught how to use their damn omnitools properly," he chuckled. "And unfortunately I'm one of the few tech-inclined Ns who was free enough to do it."

"Not much of a teacher?" He asked, curious.

Nyx nodded, motioning for Kaidan to come closer. He shook his head but moved closer all the same, cuddling up against his chest. Sure, why not. He was warm and his embrace was nice. "Yes and no. To my fellow nerds? Of course. To the ones that think an overload and a sabotage are the same fucking thing? I would rather be in the most backwater UNC in the galaxy.”

Kaidan made an exaggerated shudder. “They do completely different things!”

“Exactly my point. Say, what was your designation?”

“Sentinel.”

“Ah, that’s what I figured. My favorite specialty to work with, as your type tends to know a bit of everything,” he replied with a wink. “As you demonstrated this evening.”

Kaidan rolled his eyes. “So, you said we have similar schedules. Does that also mean you have a posting in the future?”

“I do,” he nodded, resting his chin on Kaidan’s head. “A long-term mission, likely out in the black for a while with a command of my own on a frigate. Still new and they haven’t fully put together the roster, but it’s something different.”

“Sounds interesting,” Kaidan said, biting back a yawn. “I wouldn’t mind having something like that, too. Smaller ship, smaller crew.”

“Maybe you will. Come on, let’s order that take out you were supposedly thinking of,” Nyx said, untangling himself from him. Kaidan gave him a once over, the scarred, hairy chest and arms, the coarse trail that led to the man’s impressive cock. Gleaming, gold rings on his nipples, hidden underneath his fatigues. Scars lined his body, faint and hidden and long since healed, silvery in the light. Black whispy ink on his arms that reminded him of magic, of biotics even and a styled design on his neck–a phoenix. A play on his name, perhaps? A call sign? Or did he just think it was pretty?

Nyx was an enigma, and Kaidan wanted more.

He smirked at the attention and reached down to grab his uniform.

“You know, we are fairly close to the same size… you can borrow something of mine,” Kaidan suggested, motioning to the set of drawers against the wall.

Nyx nodded. “Thanks. Have a place I can throw these in for a quick refresh?”

“Just down the hall. I’m lucky, I get all the accommodations in my room.”

“Fancy. What rank?”

“Staff Lieutenant.”

“Not too far ahead of you. Staff Commander.”

Not as high ranking as he expected, given his age. Joined the Alliance later? It was odd. A rarity.

Was he a veteran of the First Contact War? Could explain the gap, if he left the service after the war.

“Guess it’s a good thing I’m not serving under you,” Kaidan purred, getting up from the bed and pulling open a drawer. He grabbed a clean set of joggers and a tank top and tossed it over to him.

Nyx smirked once he caught the clothes. “Agreed.”

“Anything in particular you like to eat?”

“Nothing on this station is great. But I do have a fondness for that wing place nearby.”

“Since you paid for my drinks, I’ll pay for our order.”

“I like your offer. Keep this up and I’ll never leave.”

“Maybe that’s what I want.”

Nyx shot another heated glance at him before heading out of the room, pulling on his discarded briefs as he headed towards the mini laundry room.

Kaidan wasn’t sure what the hell he was doing, but honestly? It’s been a long time since he’s been with someone and hell, maybe Nyx will be the one.

He’ll start by judging by his taste in wings and sides. Something easy, something benign.

Something to distract him from a quick, growing attraction within his heart to a man that seemed to be one hell of a puzzle.

"I never did get your info!" Kaidan yelled, getting his attention.

He poked his head out of the doorway, holding up his omnitool with a smirk. "I'll transfer it to you. Lest we forget..."

Kaidan prepped his omnitool for a transfer, waiting for the contact profile to pop up.

NYX SHEPARD.

Now that's why he seemed so familiar.

Butcher of Torfan. Well known veteran of the First Contact War.

And today was the anniversary of Torfan.

#mass effect #kaidan alenko #male shepard #commander shepard #mshenko #cleric's writing #nyx shepard #i've had this wip for ages but hey i got it done

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swaps55 · 6 months

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Hello! Happy N7 Day!

I've been waffling for about three weeks on how to word this, but the N7 Day/posting the first chapter of Mezzo combination made me say, "fuck it, just go ahead and incoherently gush."

To put it plainly: your Opus!Universe fics are some of the best fanworks I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Not just for Mass Effect, in GENERAL. I've only read a couple handfuls of fic over the years where I was sucker punched in the gut by how good they were, and not only did you manage to do it once, you managed to do it FOUR TIMES. The sheer amount of love you have for all your characters, both the ones from the game and your OCs, is so blatantly apparent, and it makes them a joy to read about. They're extremely well-realized and I'm only getting more and more invested in them as the story goes on.

I've been playing the Mass Effect series for two-thirds of my life, since well before game two was released. It is, and will forever be, one of the most important things to me, and every now and then I stumble across a fanwork that reminds me of how I felt playing through it for the first time. I love knowing that something I care about so deeply inspires the same levels of creativity and passion in others that it did for me, in many ways even more so.

Sam, Kaidan, and the 'Yang gang will always have a corner of my Mass-Effect-loving heart now, and I just wanted to say thank you for sharing them with all of us. I hope you are unbelievably proud of what you've written, because you absolutely deserve to be. You've got an ardent fan in me for sure. (I love all the Opus fics, but Cantata's always going to have a special place in my heart. I read it twice within the past month, that's how much of a chokehold it had on me. It's so fantastic)

I am so, so, SO unbelievably excited to read Mezzo. I can't wait to see your take on ME2.

Ahhhhh, thank you so much! What an INCREDIBLE message to wake up to!!!

It's such a privilege to get to write this story and share it, and I am consistently blown away that Sam, Kaidan, and the 'Yang Gang mean so much to others. Sam is this lovable asshole who lives in my head and refuses to leave, and people want to hear about him. That's incredible! Cantata in particular was a fic that I figured would go largely unnoticed - it was too niche, too removed from the main canon events, and too reliant on characters no one knew. It means SO MUCH that it's your favorite.

No fictional world has ever captivated me as utterly and completely as Mass Effect. Having a community of people I can share that love with is so special.

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to say this. <3

#swaps replies #soulcastermindset #opus!verse

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felassan · 6 months

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EA website update:

"Incoming Transmission N7 DAY 2023 Happy N7 Day to our wonderful community!"

"Hey, everyone, Every November 7th, we’ve all come together—developers, superfans, regular fans, kinda-fans—to celebrate (and speculate about!) the games, stories, and community that make Mass Effect so special. It’s a testament to the long-lasting appeal of this universe and the characters who call it home. Eleven years of N7 Days and sixteen years of Mass Effect later, the franchise continues to inspire our development team, and with each day, gives us the opportunity to create more adventures for you to have. Whether it’s one of the many who have been here since the original game’s launch or those recently joining us at BioWare, we are all incredibly lucky to be envisioning this future. That process is equal parts rewarding and challenging. We’ve asked ourselves many of the same questions you’ve asked us over the years! What happened to everyone you know and love in the games? Who really died? Who had kids with whom? What does a baby volus sound like? What about all the galaxies? The endings! What the heck is going on with our asari scientist-turned-Shadowbroker? What about S— nevermind...you get the idea. And of course, to those questions, there are answers, but you’ll have to wait to hear them. And anything we do say won’t be easy to find, just like you’ve come to expect from our #N7Day teases. But for real… thank you. Thank you for everything, and allowing us to do what we do. We approach the future of this universe with gratitude and deep respect. Respect for you—the community. Respect for the love and dedication you’ve given to us. Respect for the history and the stories you’ve created, and the characters you’ve fallen in love with. And, respect for the future, and the opportunity to do something big—something amazing—for you. Until next time…and Happy N7 Day! —Mike Gamble, Mass Effect Franchise Director & Executive Producer"

"Through o0ur partnership with Humble Bundle and friends at Dark Horse Comics, we’re making all Dark Horse Mass Effect and Dragon Age comics available in a convenient package! Pr1oceeds from this will go to Child’s Play, a charity that seeks to make the lives of children in hospitals more comfortable. We all know how powerful and uplifting games can be, so we’re glad to be able to help bring joy t0o kids in need through this effort. If you’d like to help, too, please check it o0ut! We also have some exciting new merch from our partners for those who want to stock their shelves or add to their wardro0bes. The BioWare Gear Store is releasing multiple new i1tems today! From a brand-new mini replica Claymore Shotgun to Omni-Blade LED Wall Art, we’ve got tons of Mass Effect items for your collection, all go0ing live with a site-wide sale. Be sure to check out items new and old, and follow them on social media to see their latest relea1ses."

"Our frie0nds over at Dark Horse have also been working on something special. For over a year now, we’ve been working closely with them on a few new statues based on popular requests. First and foremost, we’re excited to share that Commander Shepard (female) is ge1tting an iconic battle-worn statue! This has been one of the top requests from the community and we’ve been super excited to see it come to life."

"And, of course, if you w1ant to put a squad together for her, Dark Horse is also releasing new statues of Wrex and Tali. These statues are brought to life with the level of care and quality we’ve all come to expect from Dark Horse over the years. These two iconic characters are ready to take the fi1ght to the Reapers!"

"F0or those who live in colder climates (Canada being a prime example), our friends over at Volante Design have returned this year with s0omething just for you. Following the success of the N7 line of apparel they released, the team at Volante has created a Garrus Vak0arian-style parka, complete with a “head cone” to protect your 0face."

"A0nd of course, Sanshee always has something for our b1iggest fans. For lovers of Grunt, Lia1ra, and adorable va1rren, the team has created a new set of plu0shees and pins for your colle0ctions! Be sure to chec1k out their site for all that and m1ore."

"Your joy, creativity, and passion help drive us towards the future of Mass Effect and all that it may be0come. The team is ta1king their time to cr1aft a whole new adventu0re for you to enj1oy, with new stories, chara0cters, and experiences to fill it. At the end of t0he day, that’s w1hat N7 Day is about. Cel0ebr1ati1ng yo0u an1d th1is speci0al fr0anchise that br0ings us all to1get1her. W0e hope you’1ve enjoyed the glimpse1s int1o the fut1ure of the fra0nchis1e so f1ar. An0d don’t wor1ry, ther1e’s mo1re to come, but fa0rther away! Ever your biggest fans, —The Mass Effect Team"

[source and link to all images in post]

Associated Twitter post:

[source]

#next mass effect #bioware #mass effect #video games #long post #longpost #dragon age #garrus vakarian #best boy

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