Force Effect: A Star Wars/Mass Effect Crossover

Bonus Chapter 1: Attack on the Endar Spire

A/N: So about 3 years ago, I was just getting primed to really put some effort into this fic and then... I got Covid. I mean, eighteen months of dodging the bullet and being careful and I still ended up getting it. Suffice to say, Covid Delta or whatever kicked my butt for two weeks and when I was finally recovered, I was in the mood to work on some of my other fics and even though I meant to get back to Force Effect I just ended up not doing it. So this chapter is meant partly as a way to assure you that this fic is not dead. As you'll see, this chapter is set just before the Normandy arrives at Taris and shows what happened to Matthias, Carth and the others before they met Shepard and crew... although if you've played KotOR, you'll be pretty familiar with the tale. Actually, these "bonus" chapters are the part of the story from when it was originally a pure KotOR fic and as such, they will be placed at the end of the chapter list. Hopefully you'll enjoy this meager offering while I work on the meatier, crossover parts of the story.

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The space near the newly conquered Sith world of Taris lit up with flashes of red and green light as squadrons of Sith starfighters dive-bombed the Republic cruiser Endar Spire. Sith capital ships stayed at a distance and fired occasional shots into the damaged ship, but the fighters were doing the grunt work now. With a noiseless fireball the port engines on the Spire flamed out leaving the ship dead in space. As it began to drift, a series of landing craft darted in under the anti-ship laser batteries, escorted by a squadron of fighters and approached the ailing cruiser.

On board the Spire, in one of the crew quarters, Matthias Starseeker was thrown from his bed as the ship lurched hard to starboard. The young man, dressed in nothing but his underwear stood up, rubbing a bruise on the back of his head and looked out the window. Matthias was a very handsome young man in his late twenties, with brown hair. He had high cheekbones, and green eyes.

"Sithspawn, this is what I get for being able to sleep through anything," he groaned. He was just about to get his clothes out of his footlocker, when the door to his quarters opened and in rushed a bright-faced young Republic soldier. He was a bit taller than him and had blond hair as opposed to his own darker locks.

"We've been ambushed by a Sith battle fleet! The Endar Spire's under attack! Hurry, we have to find Bastila!" Matthias regarded the unknown soldier a little warily.

"Hang on, who are you again?"

"I'm Trask Ulgo, your bunkmate. I work the opposite shift from you, remember?" he replied, "Now hurry up! We have to get to the bridge and defend Bastila! I've heard all about you; trained, long-range hyperspace explorer. It's no wonder you were hand-picked for this assignment."

Matthias half-smiled to himself as he thought about that. Bastila herself HAD picked him for this mission. He often wondered why, out of the hundreds of thousands of grunts in the Army of the Republic had Bastila chosen him. Matthias's initial impression of the Jedi when they'd first met had been of a cold, haughty demeanor that didn't quite go with what he had seen of other Jedi.

"Bastila's gonna need men like you at her side during the attack. So let's go!"

Nodding, Matthias ran over to his footlocker and quickly grabbed his combat suit, blaster rifle, vibroblade, and medpacs. Slipping the suit on with the ease of a veteran soldier, he checked that the rifle's tibanna gas cartridge was full and then turned to face Trask.

"Let's do it."

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They had just run into the main corridor when their comlinks activated.

"This is Carth Onasi. The Sith are threatening to overrun our position, we can't hold out against their firepower. All hands to the bridge!"

"Lieutenant Onasi is one of the best pilots and soldiers in the fleet. If he says things are bad, you better believe it!" said Trask as he jacked open a jammed door. Matthias recalled the gruff pilot from when he'd boarded the Endar Spire. They had just stepped through the door that Trask had managed to lever open just in time to see a lone Republic soldier in his red and yellow combat armor get shot by two Sith in their silver armor with faceless helmets designed to inspire fear in their enemies.