"How bad is it?"

"Bad: we just lost contact with two of our deep outposts. There's something massive on our long-range scanners."

"Is this what Shepard warned us about?"

"I stake my life on it."

"..."

"How long do we have?"

"Not long. I sent word ... The fleets are mobilizing."

"..."

"God help us all."

In 2157, humanity discovered it was not alone in the universe.

Thirty years later, they have found a peaceful place among dozens of galactic species. This idyllic future is overshadowed by a dark past: Reapers, a sentient race of machines responsible for the cleansing of the galaxy of all organic life every 50,000 years, are about to return. The leaders of the galaxy refused the truth at first, but a new human with the powers of a shape-shifter made the leaders paralyses by indecision, now accepting that Reapers as fact. One soldier has seen the legend come to life.

And now, the fate of the galaxy depends on him.

An SX3 Alliance Fighter silently flew in the air as a child's hand, running around happily, appeared to grip it, flying it like the toy the fighter is.

On the far side, a man was leaning against the window, watching the boy play with the toy fighter jet. While reading reports on a tablet in his free hand. A door slide open and the man turn from the window, seeing a bulky man walk in.

"Commander Shepard," the bulky man saluted. Commander Shepard old bald cut was gone with a slick spiky look. He is also wearing an alliance uniform.

"James, your not suppose to call me that anymore."

The now known James retorted. "I am not supposed to salute you either ... Come on, the defence committee wants to see you."

James walked out with Shepard following, but not before he tossed his tablet on the bed.

"Sounds important."

When both of them walked out into a hall, Shepard saw several alliance soldiers scrambling around, some bumping into each other, some running for the exit. Shepard caught up to James and asked..

"What is going?"

James shrugged as he walked-run forward. "Couldn't say. Just told me they needed you ... now."

Walking forward, both James and Shepard were met up by an old Turian.

"Nilus?" Shepard shouted. Nilus is an old-looking Turian with a scar that reaches his eye. His Armour incorporates a black coat with maroon red line-work.

"You look good, Shepard ... for a dead human. Maybe a bit softer around the edges."

"Spectre." James saluted. Nilus mandibles flared.

"So now you show me respect ... Come, Shepard, your human leadership is sitting scared." All three continued walking to the committee. As they walk Nilus spoke.

"How your holding up since being relieved from Alliance duty?"

"It has not so bad once you get used to the warm beds and the hot food. What you doing here?"

"The council wanted updates on your arrest. You are still a spectre, Shepard. So by rights we should have been informed." Nilus informed Shepard. James's face cringed hearing that. Which Shepard took notice of but ignores for now.

"What is going on, anyway? Why is everyone in such a hurry?"

"Your Admiral Hackett is mobilizing the fleets. I'm guessing word's made it back to your alliance command ... Something big heading towards this galaxy."

"The Reapers?" Both stop at stairs as Nilus looks back at his human apprentice.

"We don't know, but ... it certainly fits with what you describe."

Shepard shook his head. "We're not ready to face them ... not by a long shot."

"Tell that to your sister and the Human Defence Committee." Nilus and Shepard continued their trek with James following behind.

Shepard rolled his eyes. "Unless we are planning to talk the Reapers to death. The committee is a waste of time."

"You are not wrong, but right now we need to get you out of here, and the committee agreed if you satisfy them, you get to leave."

"So they're scared?"

"And none of them glimpsed what you have seen. You faced down a reaper, in the form of Saren. Sprits you spoke to it ... then blow it up! You saw how they harvest humans through the collector ship. You have more knowledge about this enemy than anyone else," Nilus explained.

"I'm guessing my sister's none too happy about that."

"Yes, well, the destruction of the alpha relay propelled them to ground your ship and grounded you. Anderson tried to stall, but your father is very persistent." Nilus gave Shepard a hint to who warranted his arrest.

"So it was not Hackett?" Shepard asked, giving an exasperated sigh.

"No, he and Anderson explained to the council that the mission was alliance approved. Your father found ways around it." Nilus further explained. All three walked through doors that leads into a reception area. A woman in an Alliance formal uniform, looking at a data pad looks up.

"They're expecting you Shepard but not you, Spectre."

Nilus chuckled. " Last time I checked. You're dealing with a crisis. come Shepard, they are just through these doors."

James, who was still behind them, called out. "Good luck in there, Shepard." Both him and Shepard shook hands.

A familiar voice calls out to Nilus. "Spectre."

"Major. Captain."

Shepard turns around to see Kaidan and Jane, his sister. Her red hair and scar dominate as her standout features. He calls out to his friend.

"Kaidan."

"Shepard!"

"Major, how did it go in there?" Nilus interrupted the reunion.

"Okay, I think. It's hard to know. I'm just following my orders now."

Shepard smirked. "You got promoted, like I knew you would."

"Dam straight." Kaidan chuckled.

"Tsk. Save the talk for later, Kaiden. He is a traitor, and traitors don't deserve respect." Jane ordered out.

"Sorry, ma'am." Though his tone was everything but sorry. The women from before walked up to the group.

"They are ready for you, Shepard, Kaidan. Spectre, you are allowed to observe."

Nilus mandibles twitch. "How kind of them. let go!"

James gave a glance at Female Shepard. "you know the commander?" He asked.

She frowned. "I used to.."

Alliance HQ: Committee assembly

Three important figures are in front of Shepard, Kaidan, and Nilus. One reading a data pad that an Alliance soldier has giving her. One looking out the window, viewing the city skyline, and the last was sitting waiting. When they noticed that Shepard's arrived, all three of the committee members sat at a high table looking down on the three who entered the room.

"Major Alenko, Shepard ... Spectre." The middle committee member spoke up first.

Shepard raised an eyebrow. "What's the situation?"

The middle committee member responded. "We were hoping you tell us."

Shepard was giving a data pad. He read through as the right committee member continued. "The reports coming in are unlike anything we've seen. Entire colonies have gone dark. We lost contact with everything beyond the Sol relay."

The left committee member finished. "Whatever this is, it incomprehensibly powerful."

Shepard put down the data pad, looking up at the three committee members with pity. "You brought me here to confirm what you already know ... The Reapers are here!"

The right committee member asked the most prominent question. "Then ... then how do we stop them?"

Shepard and Kaidan look at each other. Then, turning back to the committee. He basically shouted. "Stop them? This isn't about strategy or tactics. It's about survival. The Reapers are more advanced than we are. More powerful. More intelligent. They don't fear us and they'll never take pity us."

"But ... there must be some way." The left committee member stated.

Shepard started striding across the room, back and forth between both sides. "If we're going to have any chance of surviving this, then we must stand together."

The middle committee member felt frustrated with the answer and shouted. "That it ... that are plan?!"

"Major." A random Alliance soldier shouted. Kaidan turned to them. "We lost contact with Luna Base."

"The moon? They that close already."

"How did they get past our defences?" The right committee member nervously asked.

The same random Alliance soldier was tapping her screen when she called out. "Sir, UK headquarters has a visual."

Everyone turn to the huge monitor above and watch as it filtered in a UK Alliance soldier. The video was scrambled, but everyone can make out that they were under attack. An explosion hit the UK soldier, cutting the video. Everyone stood and witnesses more scenes that showing reapers descending onto different cities around the earth. News playing video clips of attacks on civilian life.

Nilus stepped forward. He was silent throughout the proceedings, letting Shepard take on the military politicians. "Major, any word from your admiral?" The major shook his head. Nilus nodded and turn to Shepard.

The middle committee leaned forward. "What do we do?". he asked quickly.

Shepard's eyes lost his focus on the screen above him and turned to the committee. "The only thing we can do, we fight or we die?"

Nilus smiled at Shepard and spoke. "We should get to the Normandy."

Major nodded. "He is right that. it is the best place for us right now is on that ship."

crackle.

A noise piece from the heavens. Everyone looked out the window, eyeing the Reaper's descent into the civilian population. A red beam descended downwards. Shepard's eyes widened and shouted.

"MOVE!" Nilus and Kaidan took to action immediately, running back followed closely by Shepard. The red beam shot towards the committee assembly, destroying everything in its wake. The desk the committee sat was tossed in the air, heading towards everyone in the room. Shepard collapses from impact.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"There is no war; there is only the harvest"

"Everyone you know and love. Everyone you have ever met."

"We are the end of everything."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"She ... pard ... Shepard." Commander Shepard's eyes awoke from his collapse. He eyes darted to his name being shouted. Nilus was looking around to see Shepard on the floor. The Turian ran over to help his apprentice up.

"Come on, we need to get to the Normandy. Major Alenko being trying to contact them for the past hour." Nilus explained as he would pull Shepard up and handed him a M-5 Phalanx heavy pistol.

"An hour?" Shepard asked: shock evident in his voice.

"Yes, come on!" Nilus ran ahead, shouting. Heading towards the destroyed window, since the door they came in from is a block from heavy debris. As Shepard move he heard a groan. His face turned to the sound to see a female ensign under a heavy load of debris.

"Nilus! Another survivor?"

"What, Shepard, we..." Then Nilus looked in Shepard's direction and nodded to help. Both went to pull off the debris of the ensign, and Shepard pulled her up.

"You're okay?" Shepard asked, concerned.

"Yeah! Thank you. Where..." The ensign did a quirk look around the room. "Oh ... Oh god!" he hands cover her mouth.

"We don't have time. Do you have a weapon on hand?" Nilus asked quickly.

"Uh, yeah. Standard issue."

Shepard nodded in relief. "Good. We don't have long, so we are moving to the Normandy. Let go!" he ordered and started moving with Nilus. The Ensign nodded and followed behind, pulling her M-3 Predator.

Earth 2186 CE

On the edge of metal scaffolding, Kaidan stood trying to contact the Normandy through Alliance channels. Looking out at the cityscape, he eyed the reapers destroying everything in sight. loud, deafening explosion can be heard, and screams of death rage across the area.

"Major." Kaidan turned to see Nilus, Shepard, and an Ensign walk out of the committee room and out in the deathly air.

"Good to see you make Shepard. Ensign," Kaidan said, then finished with. "We need to move. I got in contact with Jane and James. There are heading to the Normandy as we can't seem to raise them. They'll pick us up at the spaceport"

Shepard nodded. "Got it. Lead on major."

"Yes, sir."

So they run forward across the railing with SX3 Alliance Fighters flying overhead. A reaper laser strikes close by, causing the railing to shake. The group continues on with the ensign asking.

"How can we stop something so powerful?" She stopped when Kaidan shouted out to the group.

"We need to take a running jump. It's farther than it looks." Everyone nodded and did so; continuing their trek to the spaceport. Reaper drones fly overhead, attacking and destroying SX3 Alliance fighters. The group made it a side roof of the building they were in. All of them got to cover when Nilus went to check the surroundings and called out.

"It's clear. Let's move." So all vaulted over the cover and walked across the roof to another building.

Kaidan's radio lights up. "Lieutenant, do you read me? I am patching through the rest of the group."

"Vega here, we are almost to the Normandy. I got my crew and Captain Shepard with me, but we are taking heavy fire."

Just then Husk swarmed the building there now on, climbing on top of the roof.

"Don't waste your ammo. Hit them with your tech, soldier, or biotic abilities." Shepard shouted. The group went to work with Kaiden using his newly acquired reave, damaging the climbing husk. Shepard warping the husks. Nilus fired off overloads at the enemy and the ensign, hitting the human zombies with a concussive shot. While some escaped; most of the horde died. So after that, the group climbed down to a balcony where more husks were trying to claw their way into the building. Shepard went in to melee only for Nilus to stop him, grabbing Shepard's shoulder.

"If you're going in; you need this upgrade. It's called an Omni-blade." Nilus started downloading the program into Shepard's Omni-tool. He continued explaining. "It scans whether you use biotic or tech skills. Unfortunately, the blade has a slow cool-down, and by doing so, your omni blade becomes your last resort in a melee fight."

Shepard nodded and ran forward to the husks, taking them out with his combat melee skills. Suddenly a random husk jumps on Shepard. They were bashing against each other till Kaidan came in and slam his biotic punch into the now dead zombie. He picked Shepard up when...

Crackleboom!

A reaper laser came crashing down on the building. Shepard and Kaidan were flown backwards hitting the floor. The laser destroyed the inside of the building, but it also created an opening for the group to move forward. Which they did, and when the group reached for the door that leads to the overside. Shepard heard an echo sound coming from a vent off to the side. He went to investigate while Kaidan and Nilus were trying to get the door open. He knelt down and saw a pasty white child in a grey oversize hooded jumper and dark Grey jeans. It was the same kid from earlier.

He reached out his hand. "Hey. It's okay..." he said calmly.

"Everyone is dying!" The kid exclaimed. A loud clunk was heard, and Shepard turned to see a reaper foot stomping past. The kid gasped. Shepard was thinking how Ben would handle this. A thought stretched in Shepard's brain.

"Ensign," Shepard called. The ensign came over and kneel down. Her eyes widened when she saw the kid. She instantly went to help.

"Hey it okay. We help you get somewhere safe." The Ensign said calmly and smoothly.

"You can't help me!" The kid exclaimed.

"We can. Trust me, trust Shepard here. We want to help you." The ensign responded patiently; opening her hand to the child. The kid hesitated before reaching out; leaving the vent and into the ensign's hands. Shepard smiled when he got up and watched the scene unfold as he got up. He will admit to himself that he was never good with children.

"Shepard!" Nilus called. which made the kid flinch and hold the ensign tightly. Nilus notices and bows an apology to the child. He does not say anything as he turns back to Shepard.

"in here. We have found a way to the spaceport." Nilus explained; pointing to the back room. Shepard and the ensign nodded. Following Nilus, with the kid in tow to meet up with kaidan; who is clearing out debris. Kaidan turned and explained that they needed to cross the on a short ledge. He notices the child and lets the ensign and the kid go first. Then it was Nilus, then Kaidan, who bristled out.

"This is a goddam mess. Every minute these machines are here, thousands of people die. I won't be responsible. "

"It's hard enough fighting a war, but it's worse knowing no matter how hard you try ... you can't save them all." Shepard replied; agreeing with Kaidan as they were crossing the ledge.

"Yeah, exactly." Kaidan shook his head. "They hit so fast. I thought ... I thought we had more time."

Shepard nodded. "We knew they were coming."

"But they cut through our defences like butter." Kaidan shouted, then finishing by saying. "We need to go to the citadel. Talk to the council."

Shepard agreed and stated. "They were more on board with the idea of reapers since the collectors attacked council space. that and evidence were becoming harder to ignore."

"You sure?" Kaiden asked. He was at those meetings and he noticed a few were still reluctant.

"Yeah, positive." The room started to shake, and Shepard nearly fell if it weren't for Kaidan's timely save.

Shepard smiled. "Thanks, I owe you."

Kaidan chuckled and smirked. "More than one."

They reached the over side where the others were waiting for them. Nilus spoke up.

"Come, I can see the spaceport ahead. ensign, take hold of that child as we be flicking."

Everyone nodded and ran towards the spaceport. Kaidan contacted James over the radio.

"Lieutenant Vega. We're in sight of the spaceport. ETA 3 minutes."

"Got it, Major. We made it to the Normandy. We are taking heavy fire ... Dam it, Milque, take cover. They're going to take down that dreadnought! Taking evasive maneuvers!"

Everyone looked up to see an Alliance Dreadnought having a sky battle with a Reaper.

Kaidan shouts out. "Lieutenant Vega! James! Damn it. They're in trouble." They kept on running when a reaper laser hit the Alliance Dreadnought, which caused a resulting explosion that sent a blast wave to the group; destroying the floor below them. All of them slid down the collapsed floor and fell on the ground.

Kaidan went to help the ensign and the child up. While Nilus tried to contact the Normandy.

"Normandy, do you copy? We're going to reroute." A scrambled mess was heard on the other side. He looked over at everyone and ran ahead to see for signs of trouble. Kaidan, ensign, and the child followed behind. Shepard quickly got his bearing and followed as well. They all met up around the two survivors at the crash site. When Shepard jumped down towards them as one of the survivors called out.

"Get down, they see you." A bunch of Batarian looking Reapers appeared from the ground, firing off from their hands. The group returned fire, shooting the reapers down. The child stayed in cover with the survivors as the ensign was firing back at the reapers. After the shootout concluded, they asked the survivors what happened to them.

"Our gunship got shot down by those flying reaper worm things."

"Do you have a radio? We're trying to contact our ship," Nilus explained.

"No, but our gunship did. It'll be going to be crawling with those ... those things." Kaidan and Shepard nodded. Both went to either side of the collapsed support beam.

"Stay here. We'll get you out of here," Kaiden stated. Both he and Shepard pull up the support beam to let Nilus and the second survivor pull out the first one. The collapsed support beam fell into the water but floated since it was caught on debris.

Nilus nodded. "Come on, we have got to get to that gunship." The group ran up to the gunship. The child was told to stay behind because it was dangerous, but following his child like instant, he followed anyway.

The group fought a group of Batarian reapers before making their way to the radio. Shepard picked up an M-8 Avenger. Kaiden went to the radio and called out for the Normandy.

"Normandy, this is Kaidan Alenko ... do you read?"

"Kid, what are you doing here? We told you to stay behind with the other Soldiers." Nilus said as Shepard turned to see the child followed them here. The ensign was already kneeling down to help the kid because it looking like the kid was having a bit of a panic attack.

"Major, what's your location?" James Vega asked over the radio. Shepard turned his head back to the major and the radio.

"We by a downed gunship by the harbour. I am activating its distress beacon. Send support, we have injured and a civilian down here." The radio became static.

"Lieutenant, do you copy? ... Damn, it lost the signal."

"Then we have to hope the beacon does its job." Shepard explained. He turned to the kid. He knelt down next to him and asked him.

"With all this running around, we never asked your name, did we? What's your name, kid?"

"Jake ... Jake Gatward. My parents, they .... they were going to some committee, I think." Shepard raised an eyebrow and looked at the ensign. Her face showed that she knew who Jake's parents were.

The ensign's eyes were wet. "Were your parents, Sarah and Cole Gatward?" Jake nodded. The ensign showed a look of sorrow. She went in for a hug.

Shepard went up to Kaiden who was next to Nilus. Kaidan knows what Shepard was about to ask. "I don't know them personally, but I do know that they have advocated for your release. They were old friends of your father ... I don't think they like what he is planning. Whatever it was."

A horde of red gas meteors launch down from the Reapers, and a bunch Batarian looking Reapers appeared in front of the group. Everyone was up in arms and took cover. The ensign stayed close to Jake making sure he does not run off. The fight was a firefight of attrition as most of the group's thermal clips were running out . Using all their skills and powers, the group had to fight wave after wave. Shepard was mainly using his sentinel Armour to protect him and cryo blast to slow down the reaper forces. Kaidan barrier up and shot out some of his own cryo blast with Nilus timing his shots. More red meteors came down, releasing more reaper forces.

Through the radio, a recognizable voice emerged. "The cavalry has arrived." It was Joker and his timely arrival of the Normandy SR2, but with Alliance blue colours. Joker rained down missile fire on the Reaper forces as he drove the Normandy around to hover next to Shepard's group. The hangar doors bay open up; revelling James, Jane, and more Alliance soldiers giving the ground team cover fire.

Shepard gritted his teeth and shouted. "Move! Ensign, get Jake on the Normandy now!" The ensign nodded and grabbed Jake by the waist; running to the Normandy. As she got they an Asari came forward and picked the child up from the ensign, bringing him up to the hangar bay. The Ensign nodded in thanks, started to climb up the hangar bay, only for the world to turn black. Nilus was not far behind when he heard Jake shout.

"No!" The Asari holding him was now struggling to pull Jake up.

Nilus turned to see the Ensign get shot by a reaper, falling down into the sea. He shot the reaper in vengeance. He climbed up the Normandy and ran to help Jake. No one should see death that young. Shepard was the next to jump on. He saw what happened and felt bad. He really wanted to save all he could.

"Welcome back, Shepard," James said as his M-8 Avenger was pointed at the enemy.

"Thanks." Shepard said back to James. Shepard turned to see Kaidan back on the ground. looking like he is contemplating in his mind.

"Come on, Kaidan." Shepard shouted to him. A shuttle flew past and its doors opened, seeing Alliance soldiers looking around.

"I am not coming, Shepard. You saw those men back there. There are a million more like them, and they need a leader." Kaidan explained. He said this as James and the rest of the Alliance forces ran back into the Normandy.

Shepard looked pained hearing Kaidan say that, but simultaneously ... "You were always a protector, Kaidan. Always have ... always will."

"Damn straight, Commander." Kaidan said smirking.

"Last I checked. I lost that rank." Shepard replied, smirking.

Kaidan took something out of his pocket and tossed it to Shepard, which he caught. "Consider this your reinstated ... commander. You know what you have to do." Kaidan said.

"I'll come back, old friend." Shepard said sombrely

"I know you will ... Now go!" Kaidan replied sombrely.

Shepard turned and walked into the Normandy; standing next to Nilus. Shepard eyed Kaidan run back in the distance as shuttles flew past landing in evacuation zones. He sees people getting into the shuttles as a reaper slowly walks towards them. The shuttles leave quickly only for them to be shot down by a reaper laser. Shepard and Nilus turned from the destruction and into the Normandy hangar bay.

Normandy SR2 hangar bay.

Jane Shepard was by the weapons bay on the hangar checking equipment when she heard shouting. She turned to see Shepard, James, Nilus, the kid, and James's Asari friend Treeya. walking up to weapons load-out.

"What the hell is going on? Where's Kaidan? Where are we going?" James asked, shouting at Shepard.

"We're heading to the Citadel," Nilus explained.

"No one asked you." James angrily retorted.

"No, but it's the answer you're getting. We need to work with the other species, or else we have lost before we even started." Shepard ordered.

Jane stepped in. Her face filled with annoyance. Now asking. "Brother, what's going on? Last I checked, you were stripped of your rank."

Shepard faced her. His face was blank. "Kaidan is staying on Earth to fight. Create a resistance movement against the Reapers. He also reinstated me as commander, so we're going to the Citadel; get help for the fight."

"Bullshit," James angrily muttered to Shepard.

"James Language. There is a child present." The Asari named Treeya shouted as she covered Jake's ears. James's cheeks tinted red, embarrassed.

Nilus came forward. "I understand. I would want to stay and fight for my home world, but they will come a time and place where we must make sacrifices."

"We're going to the Citadel. If you want to catch a ride from there," Shepard finished explaining. Going back to the console in front of him. Treeya put a hand on James to calm him down.

"Commander!" a familiar voice shouted over the radio.

"Joker? ... Is that you?" Shepard commented.

"Alive and kicking. I got an emergency transmission for you from Admiral Hackett," Joker explained seriously.

Shepard nodded. "Patch it through!"

Admiral Hackett's face appeared on the screen in front. Face all blurry and static. Shepard can barely hear what the admiral was saying. "Shepard ... we sustained heavy losses ... force was overwhelming. They no way we can defeat them conveniently ..."

Shepard grimaced and spoke. "I'm already heading to the citadel."

"First, I need ... lliance outpost on Mars ... ore we lose control of the system."

Shepard nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir."

Hackett continued, "Been researching the Prothean archives with Dr'Tsoni. Found a way to stop the Reapers ... only way to stop them ... in contact soon Hackett out" The call was cut.

Shepard ordered out. "Joker set a course for the Mars Archives. I hope you don't mind the detour, Nilus."

Nilus chuckled. "If it means ending this war. You have my blessing. You're in charge now."

Joker retorted. "Mars? Roger that." The shuttle that was hanging up in the air started slowly coming down.

James's eyes bugged outed "This is loco!" Shepard turned to Treeya.

"Can you take Jake up to the crew quarters?"

Treeya bowed in respect. "Of course, Shepard. Come on, little one." Jake tried to stay but agreed to leave once Shepard promised he would come back. So they left in the elevator. Shepard went to check out his N7 gear, getting ready for the mission.

Jane came up behind her brother. "Why mars? what do you think he thinks we would find down there?"

"A weapon of sorts. I did not think much of it until now. Honestly I nearly forgot," Shepard explained calmly.

"Dad down there. I never knew why," Jane said.

Shepard faced his sister. "Look, you and I. We always disagreed, but we have a job to do, and I need to ensure you won't jeopardize it."

Jane huffed. "Fine, you're in charge. For now. I don't like it and I don't like you but you know the enemy best."

"That's all I ask," Shepard retorted.