2143 CE, Tau Ceti system

Chief Science officer Phetha Tsasis could precisely pinpoint where everything fell apart.

Her team had been exploring the Orion Arm aboard the 80 meter science ship Fragrant Beauty in search of long lost Prothean artefacts in the hope of finding out why the mysterious precursors had disappeared so abruptly. Like many previous expeditions her initial findings had been fruitless until they had come across an Anomaly on the edge of the known Relay network after dropping out of FTL.

"Chief Tsasis" Communications officer Keria Vasir excitedly spoke up. "We have something on our sensors... i think"

With a small inclination of her head Chief Science officer Phetha Tsasis turned towards the young Asari Maiden.

"Something?" she replied with a hint of a smile at the eager look on the communication officers face.

"We have a faint sensor readings of what seems to be a Dreadnought"

Tsasis did a double take before spluttering out a reply. "A Dreadnought!? Is it of Turian make?"

"No maam, it matches no known designs and appears to be…. by the goddess it's almost 2 kilometres in height!"

The military part of Chief Tsasis' brain now took over, barking out orders to her crew.

"Is it reacting to our presence?"

"No maam it seems to be dead in the water and has been that way for some time, it could be Prothean" the communications officer replied.

Her crew let out a relieved sigh as they realised they were in no immediate danger, while Chief Tsasis' mind was whirling at the scientific advancements this could potentially bring the Asari people.

Her next set of order's were obvious as she turned to her crew with an excited grin.

"Well my noble crew, we are scientists aren't we? Lets go explore the unknown"

After that point, nothing went right As the away team was in the process of sending the first data packet from the ruins of seemingly derelict the Behemoth, power levels began to skyrocket and all communications with the away team abruptly cut off. That was the least of Tsasis' worries however as dozens of spherical fighters emerged from the dreadnought and began assaulting the Fragrant Beauty. If it had been a turian frigate, such an assault would have been easily repelled with the help of GUARDIAN lasers. Yet as the name would suggest, the Fragrant Beauty was a not a military and therefore unarmed, with only minimal kinetic barriers for protection, only allowing the ship to withstand the fighters assault for a brief moment before being forced to emergency FTL an unknown star system, but not before sustaining heavy damage.

"Chief Tsasis… Chief Tsasis!...CHIEF TSASIS!"

The final exclamation roused Chief Tsasis from her slumber as her eyelids fluttered open which immediately regretted. The bridge of the previously immaculate Fragrant Beauty was now ruined. The bodies of numerous young asari maidens were strewn about the room amongst the wreckage of what had been the bridge consoles. Tsasis quickly reasserted herself and attempted to assess the situation.

"Vasir, how long have I been out?"

Keria hesitated a moment answering her "About 2 hours from what the ship logs are telling me, I myself have only been conscious for about 10 minutes".

"And what is the state of the crew?" Tsasis asked with some trepidation.

At this the young maiden seemed to blanch as she tentatively replied "Those fighters and the crash did a real number on us, from what I can tell we are the only ones who have survived re-entry"

Tsasis paused for a brief moment as she pondered her the loss of her crew before noticing a discrepancy with what the communications officer had said. "What do you mean 're-entry'?".

"Let me show you" Kiera stated as she tapped on one of the relatively undamaged monitors on the bridge.

"After we came out of FTL we became trapped in the gravity well of a nearby planet which is remarkably similar to Thessia in terms of size and atmosphere. The damage we sustained meant that a crash landing was unavoidable, from what I can gleam from the sensors we landed somewhere on a small island off the main continental mass."

Tsasis noticed Kiera biting her lip as if she was questioning something.

"What is it Vasir?" Tsasis intoned

Kiera nervously fidgeted before speaking her mind "There was one more thing… the planet seems to have numerous artificial constructs in orbit and dozens of terrestrial settlements."

"Are you saying that we have a first contact situation on our hands?" Tsasis nervously asked as she began to imagine the horrors creatures with barbarity similar to the Yahg could inflict upon herself and her communications officer.

"Yes, though as evidenced from the satellites in orbit it seems that they are at least civilised enough to achieve rudimentary spaceflight" Kiera reassured her superior.

Just as Tsasis was about to respond, the distinct sound of ripping of metal was heard as the front section of the bridge was ripped from its hinges only for a seemingly ….asari like creature to appear with what appeared to be a cybernetic eye and … turquoise hair?

2018 ATB, Tokyo Settlement Administration building

Emperor Lelouch vi Brittania was a dead man walking. He knew it and had accepted it. However that didn't stop him from getting increasingly irritated with his greatest opponent yet. Paperwork.

"I am the Emperor of the world, surely I can have someone executed and be done with it" he complained to his loyal Knight of Orange Jerimiah Gottwald. With a rare smile Jerimiah Gottwald responded in a dry tone.

"Your majesty, I am your sword command me as you will and shall strike down those who would so burden you with paperwork?"

Lelouch was prepared to continue his banter with the knight of orange before a helmeted member of Lelouch's royal guard approached and kneeled before the young Emperor.

Lelouch rolled his eyes at the action and with a dull expression spoke to the royal guardsman.

"What is it that you require?"

The guardsman replied in a swift an emotionless manner befitting that of a geassed slave

"Your highness, an extra-terrestrial craft has crashed approximately 40 Kilometres due west of the Tokyo settlement and seems to have remained in-tact"

The dull expression on the Emperor's face was quickly replaced with one of alertness and a hint of excitement as he rapidly replied.

"Did you say exterestrial?"

"Yes your highness, approximately 20 minutes ago our orbital observation stations, that were previously used to manage EU troop movements, detected a pulse of energy when an 80 meter ship seemingly appeared out of nowhere where it then careened towards the surface before crashing 40 kilometres west of the Tokyo settlement"

Lelouch's tactical mind immediately went to work, coming up with 5 possible scenarios on the spot.

1. Remnant forces from the EU space program? Unlikely the EU did not have the technology to stealth an 80 meter vessel

2. Britannian nobles pet project? Impossible, all nobles had either been killed or geassed.

3. Alien invasion? With one ship it seemed very unlikely, all the more so considering it had crashed.

4. Failed attempt at opening diplomatic contact with Earth? Not probable as he would have been informed if communications had been received

5. That left only one option, mechanical failure/ combat damage forcing emergency landing.

"Jeremiah!"

A resounding "Yes your majesty!" was his response.

"Ready the Sutherland Sieg and the Shinkirō, I think it is apt to welcome our new guests" Lelouch proclaimed with a gleam in his eye.

Jerimiah hesitated as he asked "Shall I inform the knight of zero of this development?"

Lelouch pondered this a moment before realising that Suzaku's zealot like qualities meant that he was unlikely to allow anything interfere with the coming zero requiem.

"No Jerimiah, please keep the fewest number of people informed as possible"

"As you command it your highness" Jerimiah intoned.

Gleefully tossing the unfinished pile of paperwork to the side, Lelouch stood up readied himself to meet with the unknown, oh this would be fun.