Kodiak shuttle

James is flying the shuttle down to Mars after being told to go there by Hackett. John is standing above him, listening to Joker report.

“I have been trying to reach Mars through secure channels. No one is answering.”

John frowned. “Any sign of Reaper activity?”

“Negative, but I am reading a spike in an unknown energy source, very familiar to our shape-shifter friend.” Jane and Nihlus turned their heads when they heard that last bit.

John smirked, graced his lips. “EDI?”

“They base appears to be online. It’s possible that occupants have evacuated. Though the energy source that Joker picked up appears to match a known watch signal that transmits. It seems that Ben knows we. are here.” EDI responded informatively.

John nods his head and turns back to the shuttle doors. He calls back to Joker, saying. “We’ll know soon enough. Be ready, Joker … just in case.”

“Roger that. Normandy out!”

“We’re almost there.” James called out.

The Kodiak makes a fast descent into the archives, landing on the outskirts of the facility. James gets up from his seat.

He spoke in a firm voice. “Still can’t get a hold of the facility, but there a massive storm heading our way.”

“How long until it hits us?” John asked while everyone was getting the helmets on.

“Half hour. Tops. After that communication with the Normandy is going to get rough.”

Mars Archives: outskirts

“Understood,” John replied, and everyone jumped off the shuttle. All four see the storm heading their way. They all move forward toward the base’s entrance.

“Spirits that huge. How do you humans cope with that,” Nihlus asked.

“The storm usually hits around summertime and lasts for a month or two. The facility director gets the place stocked up when it hits. We get here and there contact, but most of that time they cut it off for safety reasons.” Jane explained.

“I see.”

“I am more worried about nobody reporting in or the war back on Earth,” James retorted.

“Fair enough, Vega, though I am curious about something,” Jane nodded and asked.

“What that?”

“joker and … EDI The VI? Stated that the shape-shifter here. What I am wondering is why is he here,”Jane wondered.

“Yes, from my reports Tennyson should be in the horse's head nebula. Investigating Cerberus activity in the sector,” Nihlus chimed in.

“What?” John turned to Nilus. “Cerberus?”

“Yes?” Nihlus stated, wondering what John was thinking.

John nodded and ordered with a serious expression. “Guns up and ready. I know what happened to the base.”

James was confused and was about to ask till Nilus understood what John was thinking.

“Cerberus has infiltrated your Mars archive.” The Turian spectre openly said. James and Jane blanched.

John nodded, and the group moved on, jumping down a ledge. Once down the group sees a dead alliance solider slouching. Jane crouches down to examine. She pulls out her Omni-tool to scan.

“Alliance. Sargent Reaves . Doesn’t look like he put much of a fight.” Jane puts out.

James gritted his teeth. “Something is not right here.”

Nihlus looks toward John. “Considering that no reaper presence is here, one would assume it’s Cerberus.”

John nodded in agreement. “Keep your heads low, everyone. We don’t want to alert anyone.” James and Jane look disbelieving at each other. John walked on ahead.

“What about any survivors?” James asked.

John stops and turns with a sour expression. “They secondary. we must proceed with the mission.” John turns back and walks on. Nihlus nods and follows John. James gritted his teeth, but followed. Jane frowned and soon followed the three.

Walking on the dusty path, the group hears shots fired in the air. John signalled everyone to quickly follow him, where they reached a clearing. Seeing Cerberus troops, executing falling Alliance soldiers.

James gapes, “Holy shit. They executing them.”

The group ran behind cover to get a clear view of the enemy. John peeked out to see white and yellow armoured forces doing the executing.

“Dammit Cerberus. Jane Vanguard charge in. James, you follow her and flank the enemy. Nihlus Flank from the other side of James. I give cover fire from here.” John ordered, with everyone signalled in agreement.

Jane biotic charge rammed into the Cerberus forces, causing them to falter. James ran down and shot a few Thermo rounds into the enemy with his M-8 Avenger filled up with incendiary rounds. Nihlus did the same with his M-27 Scimitar, which is also equipped with incendiary rounds; burning the enemy force down.

Cerberus was flustered by the attack that they did not notice shots being fired in front of them as well as being shot down on their flanks. They did not have time to react before getting taken down.

“Well, it seems Cerberus is here after all.” Nihlus stated as he examined the bodies. John signal the group to keep moving.

“But what are they doing here?” Jane asked clearly, looking at her brother when she said this.

Unbothered, John simply said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t … know?” Jane emphasised as they walked forward.

" I’m not with them anymore Jane, Hell, I cut ties just before I went on that suicide mission.” John explained.

“Tsk,” Jane clicked her tongue in annoyance. James frowned at her, he was John's primary source of contact within the alliance. He knows who tried to keep in touch with the commander, and Cerberus was not one of them, well at least from his point of view. Jane knew that too, “so why asked that,” James thought.

“Look out!” Nihlus shouted, and Cerberus forces started emerging at their location, hiding behind transport tanks with yellow and black coating. John quickly hit back with warp and Cryo blast, slowing them down and destroying their molecules. James fired off a concussive shot at a group of Cerberus. One managed to dodge, shooting at Jane. Jane lifted up a backlash, deflecting shots being fired at her. Nihlus launch inferno grenades at the opposing Cerberus agent, burning the live husk alive.

Once the enemy force was defeated, John's group dashed into the Archive airlock bay doors. John pressed on the door controls, shutting it.

Jane went straight to John. “I need a straight answer.”

“About?” John asked.

“Do you know anything about this? what Cerberus is doing?” Jane asked pointedly.

“And what makes you think I know what they’re up to?” John snaps back.

“Because you worked for them. Everyone believes you never work with them willing but I know you.” Jane responded with a sigh. Like she believes John is lying.

“We joined forces because the collectors targeted human colonels in the terminus system. You saw the video footage. You knew what they were doing to us. That’s all it was: a team-up, nothing more, nothing less.”

“They built you from scratch, your ship, your resources,” Jane started to put out till John stop her.

“let me be clear then. I cut contact the moment the illusive man back-stab me. He had bombs planted on the Normandy, ready to take me and everyone out. He betrayed his own lieutenant for her father. I had no contact with Cerberus since before and after the destroying the Collectors. So I had no idea why they are here now or what they want.” John openly stated.

James step forward. “Commander Shepard ... urm, your brother has been put under watch since coming back to Earth. No way they communicated since.” Jane narrowed her eyes at James. Which Nihlus notices.

Jane leaned on the railing. Air breathed through the vents, and everyone took their helmets off.

“Sorry, brother … it just.”

John looked back at her. “I don’t have to explain myself to you, Jane.”

Mars Archives

The airlock lifted up into a cargo bay room that appears to have two floors and is filled with crates and transport vehicles. Everyone went in to survey the area. When John said to Jane.

“This is why …” Nihlus had his hand up interrupting John.

“Vents.” Nihlus said, and sure enough, noise was coming from the vents. Everyone pulled out their M-3 Predator and went for cover behind some trucks .John hand signalled for the rest of his team to wait.

The vent hatch opened and revealed Liara coming out of the vent, parkouring down to the ground. She turned back, shooting a singularity at the incoming two Cerberus soldiers. Liara pulled out her M-3 Predator and head-shots the two goons, making them fall to the ground. She strolled up and double tap them.

John smirked when he saw what happened. He put his gun away and signalled to the team that it’s clear and walked up. James decided to charge ahead with his pistol in hand. John grabbed James’ gun; pulling it down and said.

“Easy Vega, she is with us.” James stood down after hearing that.

Liara turned, hearing that familiar, rough voice. She spoke softly, “Shepard, thank the goddess that your alive!”

“Liara,” John smiled softly at her.

She smiled back and spoke. “I was worried when the reports came in … They hit earth hard”

Jane moved up next to John. “Yeah. It was … difficult to leave.”

Liara nodded, though a frown mirrored her features. Then a forced smile popped up. “Jane. I’m sorry, but what are you doing here?” Jane lips forced herself a smile. Nihlus notices the tension between the two. So he decided to speak up.

“The human admiral Hackett had John come here to the archives.”

“The Crucible?” Liara pointed out towards John, who grimaced and nodded. Nihlus also nodded, being aware of the search mission on this base set by the council. Though the reaction of Jane and James became pretty apparent when they did not know what’s going on.

“What the hell are you talking about?” James shouted.

“The crucible was found by Scientist a while back and thought nothing of it other than enhance piece of technology. It wasn’t until Prometheus told Ben that the Protheans found the Crucible in their own time and started to build it or add to it. Anderson made the connection when a file name popped up in the archives a while back,” John explained.

“So I was sent here to examine and understand the crucible before the reapers hit, but Cerberus got here to interrupt that.” Liara further explained.

“And the true reason I was sent to Earth. We needed John’s know how on the reapers to fight back. Your alliance made it difficult to communicate with our own spectre.” Nihlus finished.

“We knew about the archives for decades, so why now? This feels like a Deus ex machina.” Jane asked with frustration.

“Because process of elimination. The human scientist in question, who found this, really did not think much of it other than a container for technology or different types of metals.” Liara expanded on. she turn to John.

“Hackett kept me updated, by the way, I meant to come see but this…” John grabbed Liara's hand.

“I understand. So where do we find this crucible?” John asked.

Looking out a window, Liara points to a long, stretched pathway on the other side of the archives. “It’s just across that tramway. Assuming Cerberus has not locked it down.”

Suddenly muffled sounds are coming from the two dead Cerberus agents. Everyone turn to hear what going on.

“Team 4, are you there? ### Team 4, please respond. ### Team 4, we. fac-Ahhhhhhhh.” A scream ended the call, with another voice cracking through.

“Dammit, Team 4, it’s Tennyson. He’s ######” The radio got cut with screeching sounds echoing in the background.

“Well … Tennyson's been busy.” John quipped, turning to Liara. “I don’t think they’ll be after you anymore!” Liara raised an eyebrow with hands on her hips at John, clearly giving him the yeah no-shit look.

“Seriously?” Jane said incredulously to the pair.

Nihlus chimed in now. “We need to retrieve the crucible and leave. T’soni, do you know the way there?”

Liara nodded. “I know a shorter way through the maintenance hatches. it get us there in half the time.”

“And with Cerberus here. chance are they are here for the same thing.” John pointed out.

James stretched out his arm, pointing to the tramway. “So it’s a race to the archives.” He said.

The room shook when a muffled explosion went off in the background. John's group hears slicing sounds coming from the door above them. Everyone moved around to see the door above them being sliced open.

“Looks like we will be getting company.” John stated factually.

“Bring it on!” James shouted.

“Not this time, James!” John said, looking at James.

James looked at John like he’s crazy. “What?”

John moved back to the airlock controls and ordered. “Get back to the shuttle. If Cerberus beats us to the archives, I need you covering our exit.”

“but … “James started to question when another shack appeared.

“Now, Lieutenant,” John ordered. James looks back at the door and then runs on the airlock elevator; heading back to the shuttle.

Nihlus shouted, taking cover behind generators. “You better take cover, John. They’re coming through.”

John ran next to him to hide behind the same generators. Cerberus forces ran out and as soon as they saw Liara, they said.

“There that Asari bitch.”

“Liara, shoot a singularity at them. I shoot them from here. Jane, you cover Liara and Nihlus you go find a way up there on the second floor. I notice that the platform elevator is not working.” John gave out orders.

Nihlus ran to look for a way up to the second floor when Jane started shooting at the Cerberus goons. Liara fired a singularity, which allowed John to head-shot the Cerberus goons.

“Area is clear … for now.” Jane mentioned. John nodded.

“John, over here.” Nihlus called out. Everyone turned to see the Turian spectre on the second floor above cargo crates.

“I readjusted these crates for us to climb. I scout on ahead, see if I can’t get a clear picture of what is going on.” Nihlus finished and went on ahead while everyone else climbed up and moved on to where the Cerberus goons came from.

Jane wanted to ask the question that had been filling her mind. “How did Cerberus get in? This place is meant to be secured.”

“I don’t know. One moment we got reports of Reapers hitting Earth, the next there was chaos; I did not even know it was Cerberus at first.” Liara responded.

Jane then ask another question with some hesitation. “Do you think they’re working for the Reapers?”

“Doubt it … but I suppose anything's possible.” John chimed in. Jane sighed in relief. John stopped by the door and saw Nihlus taking down Cerberus forces.

John smirked and walked up to Nihlus, as he blasted a Cerberus guard in point blank range with his shotgun.

“You have not lost your touch. I assumed that they had nothing of value to give.” John assumed and asked.

“Thank you, and yeah, pretty much. Just said Protect the asset and some survivors at the archives that holding down the fort.” Nihlus calmly said. Jane gripped her assault rifle.

John nodded. “Let’s go then. I’m pretty sure the survivors are where Ben would be.”. everyone nodded and move to the next room, which holds a reception and waiting area.

Liara spoke up, “We need access to the ped-way. controls should be nearby.”She ran off to get access to the Ped-way through the security console. After few minutes of typing on the console.

“Dammit. Security been tampered.” Liara said with frustration.

“Oh, that Odd. John, see if you can gain access to the Ped-way” Liara asked, with John nodded and went to another security console.

Liara continued. “I can’t seem to unlock the live feed, but…”

“Who is that?” Nihlus asked, interrupting Liara, pointing to the security monitor.

Liara got up from her seat and look at the monitor. it was a woman with a slender figure and tight clothing.

“That Dr. Eve Core. She got here a week ago, and is that a shard on her back?” Liara responded.

John looked up from her monitor to see. Nodding, he said, “That is Diamondhead shard. Ben must've attacked her.”

“But why?” Jane asked.

John shrugged. “She must be with Cerberus Ben does not attack without reason or for a prank. Anyway, Ped-way is lock-down, and we are locked out, but I did notice construction plans are happening outside. We can get out onto the roof and pass through a maintenance airlock through the cafeteria.”

Liara nodded. “It saves time, too. The cafeteria is around the corner from the Labs, which will lead us to the archives.” She said this with a sad expression. If what John said was true about Dr Eve, then see missed it as the new shadow broker, Liara thought.

The group walked through the door to the outside. As they did, they noticed the storm was getting closer to the facility and the Tramway getting closer in view. The group dropped down to a lower level of the construction only to see a firefight over at the Tramway.

“What the hell!” Jane shouted.

“Looks like the Alliance is still putting up a fight.” John mentioned as they continued to walk.

“You think Dad's alive up there,” Jane asked her brother.

“I don’t know.” John said in a flat tone. Jane wanted to argue with him, but Nihlus got in front of her.

Liara quickly said something to avoid an argument between the two. “That tram leads to the archives. Once Cerberus is through, they’ll be at the final checkpoint.”

Nihlus nodded and said. “Then we need to move.”

The team reached a ladder that heads up to another door. John goes up first when James comes through the radio.

“Comm#der do yo# read #e?”

“Barley. Storm’s causing interference.” John replied back. As Liara was coming up the ladder last.

“Y#ah. Te#l me ab#ut. I lost co#tact with the N#rm#ndy. What y…”

“I didn't read that. James repeat!” John ordered. Only static came through from the other side.

“Dammit!” John shouted.

“That airlock should not be opened.” Liara pointed out as she reached for the door to the cafeteria. John looked up to see that the door was in fact opened.

“It does not look like it was forced open either.” Nihlus noticed.

Liara shook her head. “No, you have to override security proctor calls to do so.”

The group walks in to see the room is filled full of darkness. The group switched on their helmet lights to see into the darkness.what They saw shook some of them. Dead bodies either on the table eating or clawing on the floor.

Nihlus spoke up first as he looked around the room. “Someone must've vented the air from this room while they were still here. Could have happened before the attack.”

“Or during!” John concluded.

“Look at their hands. It looks like they were trying to claw their way out.” Jane further added.

“This is brutal even by Cerberus standards,”Liara mentioned as everyone pushed towards the cafeteria main entrance. The moment they reached the main entrance of the cafeteria, shutters lifted up, revealing Cerberus forces on the other side of the windows.

“Flashlights!” John quietly shouted. Everyone did so and took cover behind the tables and chairs.

John knee walked quietly around the tables to the windows. He got his Omni-blade out, grabbed one of the Cerberus soldiers by the chest plate. John tossed him over the window, smashing it and stabbing the enemy soldier on the ground next to him. This surprised the remaining Cerberus forces, but before they can react, Liara shot out a singularity, trapping them in a mini black hole with Jane and Nihlus shooting them dead.

The group makes it to the other side, where John goes to the environment controls to allow them safe passage to their goal. Liara follows behind, getting close to the console.

“We need to pressurise the room first.” She said. Air filled the room and the window shutters shut closed. John took off his helmet when Liara kept on talking.

“There we go. That should give us access to the lab. That will lead us right toward the tram station.”

“Look, they is a recording of what happened here!” Jane pointed out. John went to start the video.

There are two security guards in the video. One standing in the background while the other security guard sitting, spoke up.

“Security station … come in? We’re seeing some odd activity down here. Our security protocols just kicked in. Everything’s been locked down.” Dr. Eve strides in.

The security guard sitting turned his head and said. “Dr. I get you that report.” Dr. Eve pulls out a gun and shoots the two security guards. Dr. Eve went for the controls and vents the cafeteria with the people still inside. Alarm bells went off in the video. Suddenly a familiar voice appeared in the video.

“You bitch!” Lime green shards came from the side, attacking Dr. Eve. Diamondhead appeared to strike, but Dr. Eve skilfully dodges the attack and runs away. Diamondhead wanted to go after her, but couldn't; he needed to try and save anyone from the vent strike. The video cut from there.

“It seems Tennyson knew she was the one who let Cerberus in.” Nihlus said with mild amusement.

“I should have realised it was her, but I was so focused on stopping the reapers I…” Liara started.

John's face turned solemn. “Don’t blame yourself for this. It’s not your fault.”

“But what if we’re mistaken? What if there’s not a way to stop them? What if these our last few days and we’re scurrying around trying to solve a problem we can’t fix?” Liara complained depressively.

“Then we’ll find a way, Liara. I am not going to lose more people if I have to, especially to those I am close to. Besides, I have a lot of making up to do after coming back alive.” John said, smirking.

“Ben has been a terrible influence.” Liara quipped. She turned and pressed some buttons.

“Okay, the door is open. We should be able to make to the tramway from here.” Liara stated as she pointed to the door on the other side. Everyone nodded and ran up to the door to see dead, impaled Cerberus bodies. John lead everyone up some stairs, hearing some alive Cerberus goons up they.

“Why are we pulling back?”

“Sounds like the Alliance sent reinforcements. The doctor wants us to advance on the archives as soon as possible. At all costs.” The Cerberus forces seem to be grouped up, so John went for the strike.

“Jane,” John asked. She nodded back, and she went for a vanguard charge then a Nova blast right after, effectively taken out the Cerberus forces. Jane's smug smile took over till enemy reinforcements appeared with riot shields.

Liara fired her singularity to get those riot shields lifted up in the air. Shepard fired a throw at one of the Cerberus goons, knocking him out. Nihlus charges in and shotgun blasts the second Cerberus goon in the helmet. John ran ahead with Jane following behind. They both see more of the enemy down a corridor. Jane fired a shockwave down the middle of the corridor. John noticed that some Cerberus agents have lighter amour on them with more heavier equipment. These agents fired smoke screen grenades, making harder for the John group to see the enemy. Nihlus decided and take point and went on ahead through the smoke with Liara following behind, John and Jane stayed back to cover the rear.

Nihlus ran out of the smoke on the other side, firing off a concussive blast in front of him, staggering the group of Cerberus. Using her Hornet SMG that’s equipped with warp ammo, Liara shot down the staggering Cerberus. John and Jane came up from behind once the smoke was clear. The group pushed the Cerberus forces back until the leading Cerberus sentinel order a full retreat. The enemy ran behind the last door, closing behind them. Liara pointed another way through which was past inside the labs. She mentioned that they going through laser grid decontamination so the group needed to shut that down. John hacked into the decontamination system to shut it down. Once that was down everyone pass through to the other side and ran up to the checkpoint.

When they get there, they all heard screaming coming from around the corner. John went first to check it out, only to be in front of a familiar face.

“Ben!” Diamondhead turned at the sound of John while slamming the Cerberus he is holding to the wall. He had a smile on his face.

“John, took you long enough. When my watch detected the Normandy IFF signal, I was hoping you be there.”

“So that’s the shape-shifter?” Jane questioned waving her finger at the crystal brute.

“Ah yes, the ginger Shepard. Sucked any souls lately?” Diamondhead joked with a smirk. John just shook his head in amusement.

“Fuck you!”

“Ben. Been a while,” Liara stated, hands on her hip.

“Yes, no offence but was hoping to find you when Cerberus attacked.” Diamondhead mentioned, but Liara shrugged and pointed to John. Diamondhead just nodded in return.

Nihlus walked up. “Yes, I was wondering how you knew about the attack that happened here.”

Diamondhead nodded and responded. “Not now, but later, when we get to the archives.” Nihlus nodded. Diamondhead pulled up his Omni-tool.

“Chef, Zuku. I got our way out. Commander Shepard here.”

“Understood, sending the tram over. Be warned, Admiral Shepard pissed.” Jane's eyes widen in sparkle hearing the news.

Diamondhead chuckled. “When is that Baldy bastard not pissed? We be over soon, Tennyson out.” Diamondhead signal for John's group to follow him to the tramway. They go past a giant turret hanging from the ceiling and down to the lower levels.

John was about to ask Ben something when he heard Jane scream.

“Oh, God!”

John walked over to see a cracked Cerberus helmet. His eyes were shook in despair an the sight he was seeing. Blue veins course throughout the human face. Half the skin is as pale as the sea.

These Cerberus forces are half human, half husk.

“What has the illusive man done to them?” Liara said, looking at the corpse with disgust. Nihlus did not say a word, just shook at what he was seeing.

“That is what I have been fighting for the past year and a half. Come on, Tram here,” Diamondhead said while looking at the group. Putting on their helmets, the group travel across toward the archives.

As they travel, John asks Ben his question.

“Where Ship?”

“With Princess. They were … complications with her father. So Ship went with her and took the Rustbucket. She needed a ride, and my ship does not have a transponder signal. I have been trying to take down Cerberus to make it easier for her.” Diamondhead responded.

Nihlus narrowed his eyes. “So begs the question: how did you know that Cerberus was attacking here?”

Diamondhead crossed his arms. “I was in the Horse-Head Nebula tracking down funding that links to Cerberus operations. Took me to Noveria, found an arms company that calls itself the Hound of Hades Arms.” John, Jane, and Liara's eyes widened in recognition. Nihlus was confused until John filled him in.

“Hound of Hades is another name for Cerberus.” Nihlus mandible twitch.

“So Cerberus is now into corporate. Spirits,” Nihlus spoke annoyed.

Diamondhead nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, No was fond of me being there either. Anyway, I managed to hack into their systems to find out about the attack here as well as Dr. Eve's involvement. I followed the group that was going to attack and ambush them. Well, you saw the results.”

“What about the shard on her back? She should be dead by now.” Liara asked.

“Yeah, you're going to find out when we get there,” Diamondhead replied back.

“Oh. What about the order she gave when she ordered them to push into the archives?”. Jane asked.

Diamondhead rubbed his hard skin. “That was your father's bright idea to take out the remaining forces. Someone used a voice synthesizer to mimic her voice.”

The tram stopped, and the gate opened to allow them in. Once they walk in, the group can hear shouting.

“And I order you to leave her behind!” shouted said a bald face man pointed to a dead Dr. Eve.

“I was given orders by a spectre to…” The guard turned when a shine hit his eye. He sees Diamondhead has returned.

“oh thank fuck you're here. I was about to shoot an admiral”

Diamondhead snorted. “Would not blame you.”

“Dad!” Jane shouted as she went to greet her father. Her father hug backed.

“Jane, I heard from the reports. Once we gather the Navel, we can fight back.” He looked up from his daughter to see John, his other child.

“Son.”

John nodded. “Sam!”

Nihlus went to inspect Dr. Eve's body. His mandibles flared.

“She an AI.”

Liara ran next to Nihlus. “What! Let me check.” She said quickly. She took out her Omni-tool to scan.

“By the Goddess. She has the crucible data.”

Diamondhead growled. “She was a pain, but yeah, she got the data you need. Saw her sneaking in to do it too.”

John nodded and smiled. “Great, we just need to contact the Normandy. Ben.”

Diamondhead nodded and said. “On it.” Then he hit the Omnitrix and a green bubble hit the group.

Suddenly James voice came through the radio. “Commander, do you read?”

John picked up the coms. “I read you, James. I’m sending you our coordinates. Get to the Normandy and be ready to pick us up. We got what we came for.”

“Understood. ETA will be 5 minutes.”

“Roger that.”

“Who put you in charge?” John Dad Sam asked with a hint of anger.

“Anyone with a working brain.” John rebutted. Diamondhead chuckled. Several of the survivors smirked. Liara just looked away. Jane was miffed. Nihlus picked up Dr Eve Body, ignoring the banter.

John shook his head and got Diamondhead to lead them to the landing coordinates.

Normandy SR2: Hangar bay.

Diamondhead lead everyone outside to the landing area as the Normandy came down with the hangar bay doors open. Everyone got into the Normandy when suddenly Dr. Eve work up and grabbed Nihlus by the neck and tossed to the wall. Jane ran up to tackle the AI, but the AI choke hold Jane; lifting her up in the air. The AI hand went to the ear.

“Orders?” she asked.

“Understood.”

John shouted. “Open fire.” And everyone did. Making the AI drop Jane and being put down by a Hail Mary of Thermos.

John sent out orders. “James, get that thing up to the room next to Med bay. Old man.” John’s dad nodded, and Sam went to his daughter, following James to the elevator. Diamondhead slammed his watch, turning back to Ben and stood next to John with Liara and Nihlus on the other side. All of them looking at the fallen sister.

“John, we got Reaper forces in orbit.” Joker said over the radio.

“Get us out of here, Joker. We're going to the citadel.” John stated.

“Aye, aye.”

The Normandy flew out of the systems evading the Reapers raining down on Mars. Liara placed a hand on John’s shoulder as he reaps for the loss of Earth. He will fight, and he will get back to earth and he will win the war.

Ben frowned. He knew what to come and he is ready, whether Princess and Kenny are as well. That's up to them but he just hopes John forgives him when the time comes.