Foreword: Just as a note, this is not intended to follow canon perfectly. There will be some differences, hopefully all minor, between what happens in the story and what has been proven to be able to happen in-game. If this is a problem with you, you would probably be better off with a different fanfic. However, if you notice something huge that goes completely against something major in-game, rather than something that was mentioned in one line in the game, please do not hesitate to inform me. Also, I do not own the rights to Mass Effect. If I did, this would probably be a lot truer to the games. Also, I'd be a lot richer than I am.

Trouble in Paradise

The year was 2285. It had been more than 100 years since the famed human Spectre Shepard had visited Eden Prime. He was retired, no surprise, his age considered. "But still his legacy remains on this place," thought Sera. He had saved Eden Prime, as few failed to realize. But most of the colony had left the planet long ago. The tragedy that struck was too much for them to get over.

"Shame, that," Sera murmured. "Still, had they not left, we would not be here." No one was around to listen, but she didn't care. She liked it like this; alone, no one to bother her. She sat down, looking at the sunrise. She was on patrol. She knew why. No enemies were expected, but patrol was still a handy way to get someone out of the village. Why they wanted Sera out today, who knew. They just gave her a pistol, food supplies, and told her to get lost. They did it politely, of course.

Shrugging, she stood up again with an irritated sigh. Well, it was time to "patrol". Patrolling basically involved Sera, walking around in her black armor and helmet like an idiot, her body getting hot in the sun. It was fall. Early fall, in fact the first day of fall, but there was still no reason for the day to be this hot! She would walk out 18 miles east, then another 18 back. It would take all day. Well, no time like the present to get started.

She headed out east, walking through the green grass growing up to her knees. Not many trees. There was just grass, the blue sky, and yellow sun. It looked just like Earth. Or so Sera assumed, seeing as she had never been to Earth. She had only heard about it through word of mouth. After 6 hours of walking at 3 miles an hour, she sat down underneath one of the few trees. She removed her helmet to ingest the food she had been given, eating carefully, but not wasting any time, either. Her black hair flowed around her face briefly, her glowing light blue eyes looking over the landscape. Finishing with her rations, she put the helmet back on. She wasn't supposed to keep the helmet off for too long. Regulations and personal safety were both part of it. Besides, her pale skin sunburned too quickly to expose herself to the air too much.

Turning back to view the village, she stood there for close to half an hour. She couldn't help it, not really. The view was…well, beautiful was the only word that described it. Even in the hot noon sun, she couldn't help but stand and look out. All that green grass, blowing in a weak wind. The blue sky was shining bright with the sun's rays, without a single cloud for at least 20 miles. Her village was just a distant black dot, barely visible despite holding close to a million inhabitants. It was a village only in architecture, a city in population. About 100 years behind the rest of the galaxy, that described her city-village perfectly. Still, if it meant a view like this, she wasn't complaining.

Shaking her head, she started walking back. There was no time for her to reminisce. They would want her back before dark, and with a 6 hour walk, she needed to hurry. She could admire the view later that night. But right now, she needed to go back and report the obvious. "No disturbances, sir. We can sleep safe tonight," she said to herself, mocking the report she knew she would give, complete with a mock salute. "Thank you, ma'am. Dismissed," she said in a baritone voice. The chief of the village acted like they were in the military sometimes. He wasn't serious about it, though. At least, she hoped he wasn't. If so, it was only a matter of days before her "court-martial". She chuckled at the image.

Heading back to the village, she went through the path she had made for herself earlier. While she wouldn't get lost as long as she saw the village, she still wanted to make sure she hurried back. And the quickest way back was the way she had come from. Even then, however, she barely made it back while the sun was still over the horizon. Still a bit out of breath, she looked back. Why did she look back? There was nothing. There was always nothing, no one.

Still, something bothered her, something out of the ordinary. Why she felt like this, she didn't know. But something was wrong. She knew it. She stared at the horizon. To her surprise, she saw a figure standing there… a lost clan member, perhaps? She couldn't tell, with the sun at the figure's back, but she aimed to find out. She walked toward the figure, but after only ten steps, she saw more figures, running toward the colony. Many more figures, in fact. Her eyes widening, she ran back toward the colony, heading to the chief. "Dad…I mean, sir!"

He looked at her. "What now, Sera?"

"I think we are being invaded!" she panted.

"Listen to me, Sera. There is no reason for anyone to invade us. We haven't bothered anyone for 25 years, other than getting supplies from the Citadel."

She tried again. "But-"

"Sera!" He said sternly. "Stop this nonsense!"

She turned around, leaving the building in frustration. She suddenly felt searing pain in her stomach. She grunted painfully, grabbing her stomach and feeling wet warmth spread across her palm. Only then did the sound of the pistol held by an invader reach her ears. She reacted quickly, falling to the ground in feigning unconsciousness. As expected, the invaders left her alone. She heard screams, gunshots, then crackling flames and explosions. She didn't dare move, though. If she moved…who knew what would happen to her?

Cracking open her eyes, she looked around carefully. The invaders were leaving. Obviously, they had done what they came here for. She stood silently, holding her stomach as the bloodstain slowly spread. She stumbled into the city center, and then headed to the communications center. The person in charge there was dead, she saw, shot in the chest. But the radio was still intact. She switched it on.

"Hello, can anyone hear me?" she gasped. "I…we…need assistance. Please, if any ships are around, please bring medics. We are on Eden Prime, the colony of Rayya. We were invaded…" she could feel the blackness closing around her, but tried to ignore it. "…We were attacked…I think…the others are…in serious need of…medical... medical assistance. If you can spare…spare any help…" She slipped to the ground. If they couldn't hear her…she shut her eyes and lost consciousness with that last thought.

After what seemed like an eternity, Sera heard voices in the darkness. Concentrating hard, she forced her eyes open. Looking around, she saw a gray-haired, young man standing over her in a lab coat. "Doctor, where am I?"

The doctor looked at her. "Good, you're awake. You are on board the Paradise. We heard your distress signal and picked you up. You know, you are one lucky quarian."

"Did the others make it, Doctor?" She shut her eyes, knowing what the answer would be.

"I'm afraid not. Looks like you were the only survivor. What happened there?"

"It was them, Doctor. It was the geth."

The doctor looked at her steadily. "Are you sure you didn't hallucinate? Maybe your infection made you see something other than what was there."

Sera got up, holding her stomach and looking around, trying to get a hold of her temper before she opened her mouth. There was lots of gray metal around in the form of sinks, counters, and trays. What wasn't gray was a clear glass window looking out at the elevator on the ship, or a mirror to see just how horribly scarred the patient was, she guessed. Those trays seemed to hold every tool for operations that may be necessary. Obviously, they valued functionality over looking good. And where the hell were those damned pain meds?! "My infection is minor. Our immune systems have made great progress in the last 100 years. I'd expect a doctor to realize that. Just because we still wear suits doesn't mean we get infections serious enough to hallucinate mere minutes after we get shot." Ah, under the sink, in a locked cabinet. Well, the doctor might have a key. Would have a key, but let's see if she can convince him to give her something.

The doctor looked at her, now a bit annoyed. "You have no idea who I am, do you? My name is Doctor Cha-"

Sera looked at the doctor in annoyance, locking eyes with him and silencing him. "I know exactly who you are. Your name is on your desk. And I know exactly who your mother was as well. Take me to your commanding officer."

The doctor looked at Sera. "The commanding officer is busy, and she can't make time for a sick quarian. If you know who I am, and who my mother was, than you should understand that my commanding officer cannot just take time for anyone."

Sera breathed deeply repeatedly, trying to calm herself down. "Doctor Chakwas, take me to CO Shepard, the Spectre. This is important. The fate of the galaxy may be at risk. Just like it was a hundred years ago with the Reapers. What happens if you cut off a snake's head, Doctor?"

He looked at Sera. "Then it is unable to fight, but writhes around trying to anyways."

Sera nodded. "My point exactly. The geth are a one million strong army, writhing about. How much damage do you think that writhing could cause?"

Doctor Chakwas stared at her for several minutes. "…I can only give you five minutes, guaranteed."

Sera nodded. "That's all the time I'll need. Send her here. But first, I need one thing."

He looked at her. "And what would that be?"

Sera smiled behind her mask. "Pain meds. My stomach is really starting to ache."

Doctor Chakwas nodded, taking out his key and rapidly opening the locked cabinet, grabbing the pain meds and relocking the cabinet before she would be able to grab anything by force. Clearly, he was a professional, she thought. Walking over, she took the meds, injecting a dose into her arm. Rapidly, the hot flare in her stomach was subdued into a dull ache.

She shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll live. Now, take me to Shepard. We only have four minutes."