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Mass Effect: Nova Snippet I

Writer's picture: The Novelist DarioThe Novelist Dario

INT. NORMANDY OBSERVATION DECK - NIGHT

Leonard enters the empty observation deck and looks at Earth. He can still see much of the debris in space along with the fleets of the many nations that have been stranded there for the past two years. He also sees that Citadel is under construction. Shepard enters limping.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Startled)

Should you be awake?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

It's hard to sleep with these injuries.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Observes his limp)

The limp is new... But the only way to heal is to rest.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Frustrated)

Yeah... The hip comes and goes...

LEONARD MITCHELL

Hmm... Unfortunate... (Hesitant) Do you ever come out of that suit?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

I have to on occasion, it’s not like I like smelling all the rotting- well- body odor.

LEONARD MITCHELL

I was gonna say-.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Yeah, it smells.

LEONARD MITCHELL

So you clean like-?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Once a week. It’s a pain, because- you know-. (Points to his hip)

LEONARD MITCHELL

Yeah, yeah. Just curious... (Turns to stare at Citadel) Should they be rebuilding that?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Sits in a chair)

Probably not, but that's not going to stop them. When I was on that thing... an AI warned me that humanity would make more synthetics. I figured we would, but I just wanted the war to end... It said our children would make them, but at this rate... our children will be fed to synthetics. The cycle repeats, but it’ll be because of what we create. I was hoping we would learn, but it doesn't seem like that's the case.

LEONARD MITCHELL

We have learned the dangers of synthetics with too much power. It's what we haven't learned that’s the issue.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Curious)

What's that?

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Turns to Shepard)

We haven't learned to be humble. The galaxy continues to prove that our existence is less and less significant, yet we continually believe we are special. That arrogance is sometimes an illness. Rarely does it ever benefit. It’s one thing to be confident, and a whole other thing to be arrogant.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Is it so bad to believe we’re special?

LEONARD MITCHELL

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” It’s a scripture written by King Solomon of Israel from the Bible. I’ve always been fascinated by “Ecclesiastes”. It continues to put things in perspective. We aren’t special. If we’re special, that means someone else isn’t. If anything, the Reapers showed us that even our creations have the capacity to become greater than us.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Pondering)

Well that’s a way to look at it.

LEONARD MITCHELL

There is evil in all of our societies, yet we continue thinking we can make something good. How can something evil make something good?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

I don’t know, but you really think everyone is evil?

LEONARD MITCHELL

Who hasn’t dons something rebellious, selfish, or to the depravity of someone else? You don’t even have to teach a child to lie for a child to lie to their parents. You don’t have to teach them to be sneaky or selfish... We are innately evil creatures.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Then who is good?

LEONARD MITCHELL

God... Jesus Christ specifically.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

So you’re Christian?

LEONARD MITCHELL

I am. Do you believe in God?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

As many times as I’ve dodged death... someone’s gotta be looking out for me.

LEONARD MITCHELL

I believe that someone to be Jesus Christ. It’s hard to imagine with all this life out here in the galaxy... but I still believe in Him. I’ve had visions of Him before.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Visions?

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Nods)

I have seen His face and heard His voice. The first chapter of Revelation is completely accurate. And when the rest of His Word in that book becomes truth... it’ll be a crazy time.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

Even crazier than this?

LEONARD MITCHELL

I imagine it making the Reapers look like little children...

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Chuckle)

Crazy.

LEONARD MITCHELL

The Bible in itself is crazy, but that’s a whole ‘nother conversation.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

You’ll have to tell me sometime. But right now, we need to worry about the Reaper tech going around.

LEONARD MITCHELL

Should we really be going about it this way? Should we be hiding from the Alliance?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

There’s evil in all of us, right?

Leonard remains quiet.

COMMANDER SHEPARD (CONT’D)

We’ll be going there to see what they’re doing with the Reaper tech. We want to know if they’ve had any convoys robbed or if they even have a track on all the Reaper tech period. There’s also a chance that someone on the inside is trying to line their pockets with credits. I’m sure it’s a big profit these days. You’ll run point for Biggs and Wedge. All three of you are Alliance soldiers. You’ll draw less attention than the rest of us.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Thinks aloud)

They’re Alliance? Makes sense.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

They’ve integrated Reaper tech into all of the technology so familiar faces work best. EDI hasn’t been fully restored so it’s not a good idea to rely on her.

LEONARD MITCHELL

What kind of AI is EDI?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

She’s an AI that was created by Cerberus for defense measures against the Collectors and the Reapers. You’ve probably noticed, but she has more freedom than the standard AI. It was strange at first, but she’s shown herself to be a valuable part of the team.

EDI (V.O.)

Thank you, Shepard.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Startled)

Ohhh... Okay. She listens in on conversations?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Chuckles)

She’s embedded into the ship. Wherever there’s cameras or microphones, she’s listening. She can read lips also.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Troubled)

Ugh. Technology.

Shepard laughs. Shepard goes into a coughing frenzy.

LEONARD MITCHELL (CONT’D)

You okay?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Recovering)

Yeah...

LEONARD MITCHELL

How bad were you injured?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

I was basically burned alive... I don’t know how I even survived... but then again, that’s not the first time that happened.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Confused)

Really?

COMMANDER SHEPARD

(Chuckles)

Yeah... Long story.

LEONARD MITCHELL

(Sits on a couch nearby. Observes space)

I guess we’ll have some things to talk about. I’ll tell you about Jesus and you can tell me about how you came back from the brink of death.

COMMANDER SHEPARD

I look forward to it.

Shepard and Leonard stargaze.


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