Mass Effect: Element of Kindness

by CommanderApplejack

Feros

Chapter 10

Feros

Follow Garrus 75%

The door of the airlock shot open the moment a docking tube had attached itself to the side of the Normandy. First out the door were Tali and Wrex who both wielded a shotgun. Closely following them were Liara, Kaidan, and Ashley, the two biotics ready to put up barriers when required, while Ashely was scanning the surroundings for any signs of hostile activity. Then, at the back of the group, Shepard with Chakwas and Garrus with Fluttershy were bringing up the rear.

The group took defensive positions at the bottom of the docking tube signaling an all clear to Joker who immediately detached the Normandy and flew off, he would drop off the MAKO at the colony's hangar but wouldn't be hanging around. If the stealth frigate were to be discovered in the dock it would be easy picking for any Geth ships in the area. As the Normandy left, a human colonist came running down the stairs towards the group of soldiers who immediately took aim at him.

"Whoa, calm down! We're all friends here, right?" He said as he held up his arms.

"Stand down everyone," Shepard ordered allowing the man to step forward, "How's the colony holding up?"

The colonist shook his head, "Bad. We've been holding out at our main tower so far but the casualties are piling and soon we won't be able to hold them back. Fai Dan, our leader, can tell you more when you get to him." He told the Commander, but before anyone could say anything else a wall exploded outwards revealing a squad of Geth.

The reaction from the squad of soldiers was immediate, Shepard pushed Chakwas into cover just as Garrus was doing the same for Fluttershy. Ashely, in turn, pulled the colonist behind her own cover just as the bullets started flying. With the three most vulnerable members of their group safely behind cover, the squad was free to fire every round in their weapons at the opposing robots. Three Geth that had breached the wall were quickly dispatched as the overwhelming firepower ripped through their shields and tore their bodies apart.

Throughout all of this Fluttershy was cowering behind the cover Garrus had pushed her behind, the Turian had protectively positioned himself above the pegasus to make sure she wouldn't get hit, while firing his sniper rifle at the opposing geth who were now also pouring from the stairwell.

Don't panic Fluttershy... don't...

Her breathing rapidly increased as she felt a panic attack coming up...

...A hand on her back snapped her back to reality for a moment. Garrus was crouched beside her and had put his rifle on the ground next to the pair. "Fluttershy, I need you to take a deep breath right now." He calmly told the pegasus who nodded and took a deep breath, "Good now keep focused on my voice. There's nothing going on around us, just you and me. So remind me, what is it you were going to do here?"

"I-I'm here to help the colonists who got hurt while fighting," Fluttershy stammered, Garrus nodded.

"And if you're panicking, can you still help the colonists?" the turian asked, Fluttershy shaking her head. "In that case, you're going to have to try and avoid panic right?"

"Y-yes, you're right," Fluttershy said as she got her breathing under control, Garrus smiled and pulled his heavy pistol from his hip and put it in one of Fluttershy's bags.

"That can punch through a Geth with ease. Just make sure there isn't a friendly standing on the other side of that Geth," Garrus told her as he picked up his sniper rifle again, the gunfire had stopped as the squad had taken out all the enemy robots. Fluttershy looked at the weapon that stuck out of her bag just far enough that she could quickly pull it out in trepidation, she didn't want to use one but if she could save someone from the Geth with it then maybe it was worth carrying one? Doctor Chakwas for one was also carrying a pistol on her hip for that very reason.

"Now, we should get moving. This place isn't safe from the Geth and they might return," Garrus told Fluttershy, pulling her back to her hooves and moving over to where the rest of the team was. The turian and Shepard nodded to one another before they moved on again. They encountered no resistance on the stairs up to where the colonists were making their stand. The humans who were defending the faltering defensive barricades looked relieved as the armed soldiers approached them.

"Thank the maker, we could use some professional help," one of them said relieved at seeing anything other than Geth.

"We'll kick those bosh'tets from this colony, I promise," Tali growled as she looked at the colonist.

"Glad to hear it. You guys should get to Fai Dan, he's on the other side of the colony at the tower entrance," The colonist told them, Shepard led the squad around the barricade and through a prefab-building to where the current leader of the colony was located.

"Chakwas, can you set up in one of the prefab's rooms?" Shepard asked the Doctor who nodded, "Good, Fluttershy, Ashley, and Garrus will stay here while the rest of us will go find Fai Dan and the thing the Geth are after."

"Try not to ruin the main cannon's calibration with your driving, Shepard," Garrus told the Commander with a smirk.

"No promises," Shepard shot back with a smirk of his own, the group splitting up in two as the doctor quickly began unpacking her own and Fluttershy's backpack, neatly laying out all her equipment so she could easily get a hold of anything she might need.

"I want the three of you out there getting the wounded in here, I'll be fine right here." She told the others.

"Got it, Doc," Ashely replied, Fluttershy quickly put on her saddlebags again that now only contained the heavy pistol, a couple of bandages, some medi-gel for first aid use and a few other items that could be used for frontline first aid. Ashley made her way to the rear barricade while Garrus and Fluttershy moved to the back of the building where another barricade was set up. A couple of the colonists were sitting against the barricade while clutching what looked like wounds that were patched with makeshift bandages.

"Status report," Garrus said as Fluttershy immediately went over to check on the wounded. The colonists looked a little shocked at the arrival of the turian agent but one stepped forward.

"After the last attack we lost ten men, seven killed and the other three severely wounded." He told Garrus, "One or two more pushes and we won't be able to hold them back any longer."

Fluttershy meanwhile had redone the bandages and applied some medi-gel, "Garrus, they need to be brought to Chakwas. I can only stabilize them, I'm not nearly as good as the Doctor."

"Got it, we'll get them back there," Garrus said before turning to the colonist he had been talking to, "We'll be right back," He told them as he picked up two of the wounded humans and carried them back to Doctor Chakwas who immediately went to work on them. Fluttershy and Garrus immediately made their way back out of the building and towards the barricade. Just as they reached the humans' position a Geth ship appeared above them and dropped off a couple of squads of the robots. The sheer amount of them intended to overrun the reinforced position.

"GET DOWN!" Garrus shouted at the colonists manning the barricades. Most of them followed the turian's order but one of the unlucky bastards was still standing as one of the geth pointed its weapon at him and fired, the bullet hit him in the upper body and ripped right through the colonist, killing him instantly. "Damnit!" Garrus cursed as he pulled out a grenade and tossed it at the Geth. Fluttershy meanwhile was looking at the dead human that was just violently murdered next to her.

Deep breaths Fluttershy, stay calm. You can't help him anymore and if you panic you can't help anyone.

Fluttershy swallowed and closed the eyes of the dead human before pressing her back against the barricade. "They're making a push!" One of the colonists shouted just before getting hit in the arm, he screamed in agony as he dropped to the ground. Fluttershy immediately reacted and opened her wings, using them to cross the gap between the barricade which she was hiding behind and the one where the human had just fallen.

The wound on the colonist's arm was pulsing out blood as a piece of bone was sticking out of the wound, the pegasus immediately identified the wound as a catastrophic bleed and pulled out a tourniquet to cut off the blood supply to the arm. She considered using medi-gel but if she did that now it would fuse the bone in the wrong position and the man would have to get surgery to re-set the bone.

Looking back at the barricade where Garrus was positioned her heart sank, the Geth had managed to get past the barricade and one of them was moments away from firing at Garrus at point blank range.

1. GARRUS WATCH OUT!

2. Freeze in fear

3. [No-one hurts my FRIENDS!]

[Vote link]

Author's Note:

You know I really hoped that you guys would pick one of the renegade options. When I said that sometimes you've got to take risks to get results, I meant it.

Let's see what option you pick this time.

[Paragon] or a [Renegade] Are colored when available, though normal options might also contribute to one or the other
When an option is not available due to various reasons it will be colored [Grey]

https://www.strawpoll.me/17759772

Remember that comments are like authors' food, we gain energy from them. Constructive criticism is welcome.

Comments

[Enderdragonslayer1]

I have the feeling a good deal of people just want to do a full Paragon run without doing Renegade options....

[dvdspires]

Personally, I always try to avoid renegade actions on my playthroughs and go for pure paragon. That's what Fluttershy needs.

[CommanderApplejack]

9551960
And I've been doing my best to push them in the opposite direction

[gerandakis]

Okay ... there was a lot here ...
A general thing first: Make up your mind on whether you want to capitalize names of races and species or not. Generally you do capitalize them, but on FimFiction the convention is usually not to capitalize them. Either way is fine, but choose one and stick with it. If you're gonna capitalize Geth, you'll also have to capitalize Human, Pegasus and Asari. Similarly, if you're not gonna capitalize pegasus, you shouldn't be capitalizing geth, salarian or turian either.

to put up barriers when required while Ashley

required, while Ashley

Then at the back of the group Shepard

Then, at the back of the group, Shepard

The colonist shook his head, "Bad, we've been

head. "Bad. We've been

and soo we won't

soon

wouldn't get hit while firing

wouldn't get hit, while firing

breath, "Good now keep focussed on my voice there

breat. "Good. Now keep focused on my voice. There

us, Just you and me

just

The turian asked

the turian

ease, Just make sure

ease. Just make sure

pulling her back on her hooves

to

nodding to one another before they moved on again, they

nodded to one another before they moved on again. They

were having their stand

making

barricades looking relieved

looked

help," One of them said relieved

help," one of them said, relieved

told them, Shepard leading the squad

told them. Shepard led the squad

with a smirk,

smirk.

promises" Shepard shot back

promises,"

set up, a couple

set up. A couple

After last attack

After the last attack

barricade, just as they reached the humans' position a Geth ship

barricade. Just as they reached the humans' position, a Geth ship

if you panic you can't help anyone if you panic

redundancy, remove one

barricade, "They're making

barricade. "They're making

Fluttershy Immediately reacted

immediately

which she was hiding behind to the one

and

wound, the pegasus immediately identifying the wound

wound. The pegasus immediately identified the wound

it would fuse to bone

the

[gerandakis]

9551962
One thing to realize as far as that is concerned though, is that Fluttershy isn't starting out neutral. She's starting off pretty heavily leaning towards paragon, so a few renegade options would only shift her further towards neutral. It'd be a while yet before she could even dip into renegade.

[CommanderApplejack]

9551972
I know, that's also why I don't see her becoming a rampaging warrior. That doesn't mean I can't get her to be a bit more agreeable to violence

[Silentwoodfire]

9551996
But its kind to put down someone who would only go on to harm numerous others

[gerandakis]

9552081
Indeed, but that is a deliberate decision, something I'm told rampages generally don't have very much of ...

[CommanderApplejack]

9551964
uhm... oops?

Fixed, and I've retroactively removed the capitalization on all the species.

[MDCommissioner]

You know I really hoped that you guys would pick one of the renegade options. When I said that sometimes you've got to take risks to get results, I meant it.

For some reason.....I sense you'll get what you want. ....unless you're wanting Fluttershy x Liara.

[CommanderApplejack]

9552238
I'm not letting my prefered ship slip yet, though I'm probably going to add a [Romance] option for whenever it's an option instead of [Renegade] to encourage shipping
I kind of missed the opportunity last chapter

[MDCommissioner]

9552267
Well my preferred shipping for Flutters be outside the ME universe.....though I'd be open for her to perhaps.....dabble into having a harem.

[Stevanater]

Nobody hurtz my freinds (RENEGADE) theres my vote

[AdverseFlower95]

Guys remember this is Mass Effect 1 so the Renegade and Paragon bars are separate so choosing one option won’t decrease the other.

[RDDash]

9622273
Good advice, I would say pick whatever you want not what the karma tells you to pick.

[Black--Soul]

1 or 3 there is no 2.

Fluttershy makeshift medic at the case!

[Black--Soul]

Rambo-Shy incoming! ♤
9551937
Very entertaining story indeed!
9551960
Than again Paragon isn't always the right way. Just like Kindness has it's time...
9551961
I disagree, what if not driving the Reapers action is Paragon!?
9551962
Fluttershy on war path... Very entertaining
9551972
The galaxy isn't Sunsine and Rainbows...
9551996
Especially if the time and occation call for it...
9552081
Joker vs Batman situation indeed. Some need to be put down like the lunatics they are...
9552267
Fluttershy Herding would be awesome
9552291
Kinda pointless in a crossover story... Herding might be a thing...
9552375
HU-RAWWW!♤
9622273
I love the attention to detail

[Black--Soul]

Sometimes a little kindness runs a long way as a result.
Time for the unkind to be terminated so kindness has space to kind where it is needed and appreciated.