A/N: This was a class project that turned into a challenge from my teacher. The project was to write a short story based on an Emily Dickinson poem. The challenge was to write a science fiction story to one. Challenge accepted. I own nothing but my own twists to an established plot.

Success is Counted Sweetest by Emily Dickinson

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne'er succeed

To comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host

Who took the Flag today

Can tell the definition

So clear of victory

As he defeated - dying -

On whose forbidden ear

The distant strains of triumph

Burst agonized and clear!

Spartan II Master Chief slid down the embankment almost silently, rolling behind some boulders for cover. He activated his Promethean Vision, and was given a view of everything that moved around him. There was one of those things; not Covenant, but definitely new and infinitely more dangerous. They were large, with an almost squid-like appearance, and were capable of destroying an entire city faster than a Covenant glassing. This one was facing away from Chief, focusing on the soldier rolling around in front of it. He had to admit, he was impressed; the soldier would wait until the weapon was almost charged, then leap off to the side, completing a series of rolls while also aiming a targeting device at the massive being.

Commander Shepard dove again as the Reaper fired at her, aiming the targeting gun right at what looked like a large red eye. It almost completed, before she had to roll again and start over. She growled in frustration; this was going to take all day, and she just didn't have the patience for this shit. She leaped and rolled again, finally locking the signal on the Reaper.

"Joker, NOW!" She yelled into the comms. Jeff "Joker" Moreau passed the order to the rest of the fleet, who all gave everything they had, firing massive amounts of missiles and accelerated projectiles. The Reaper crumpled under the barrage, and fell, dying at last. Shepard stepped in front of it's eye, grinning in triumph.

"Shepard..." Its voice was low and metallic, almost in a growl. Even dying, it was a fearsome sight, but she stood her ground.

"You know who I am?"

"Harbinger speaks of you. You resist, but you will fail. The cycle must continue."

"What are you talking about?" Shepard was starting to get angry. "We stopped Sovereign and the Geth. We stopped Harbinger and the Collectors. We've earned a straight answer!"

"It is not a thing you can comprehend."

"We might surprise you."

The Chief had moved closer after it had fallen, and now he could hear the soldier arguing with it as it lay dying. Her voice was strong and defiant, but the beings voice penetrated his helmet, turning his blood to ice as he listened.

"You represent chaos, we represent order." It continued. "Every organic civilization must be harvested in order to bring order to the chaos. It is inevitable. Without our intervention, organics are doomed." It paused. "We are your salvation." Chief walked over quickly.

"You're killing everyone in the galaxy to save us?" He said, his voice calm and inquisitive. He set his suit computer to scan it, and his HUD glitched. The soldier turned to face him, shocked by his arrival.

"The cycle must continue. There is no alternative."

"Organics and synthetics don't have to destroy each other!" The soldier yelled. Chief snapped off his external speakers.

"Cortana, what is this thing?" He asked quietly, attempting to continue the scan. More glitches occured in his line of sight as she replied.

"It's called a Reaper. One of many." She sounded tinny and far away. "And right now, it's attempting to hack the suit. I can't talk now, Chief. Deal with that thing." She cut off and he turned to look it over.

"Finish your war." It growled. "We will be waiting." The red light faded and it seemed to finally die. The suit returned to full power and Cortana came back, going through a verbal systems check. He turned to the soldier.

"Master Chief Petty Officer John, Spartan 117 of the UNSC Spartan II program." He said, holding out an armored hand. She took it, shaking it with a firm grip.

"Commander Shepard of the Alliance Navy." She smirked as she dropped his hand. "And how can I recruit you today?"

Joker entered the Sol System, leading a massive gathering of ships into the final battle. One by one, the fleets sent confirmation messages.

"Alliance Navy, checking in."

"Council Fleet, checking in."

"Turian Fleet, reporting."

"Asari Fleet, checking in."

"Geth Fleet, reporting."

"Quarian Flotilla, reporting."

"Krogan Fleet, inbound."

That accounted for all of the ships passing through the Mass Effect Relay. One by one, UNSC warships and frigates dropped out of Slip Space, and pulled close to the main attack group.

"UNSC reporting." There was a paused, and Chief's voice came over the comms. "All UNSC ships under SR2 Normandy command." Shepard acknowledged, looking left to see the UNSC Infinity pulling even with the Normandy. She was awed by the six kilometer long ship.

"This is the USS Enterprise, reporting on behalf of the Federation Fleet." Captain Jean-Luc Picard's voice was clear over the comms. The Federation dropped out of warp to the right, adjusting course to join the others. "Federation Flagship Enterprise under SR2 Normandy control." Shepard turned to face Earth, seeing even from this distance the devastation that the Reapers had wreaked on the planet. Around it, smooth ships slipped gracefully from Slip Space; the Covenant. According to UNSC intel, they had advanced weaponry and piloting ability. They had been indoctrinated by the Reapers, but they weren't from around here. Shepard knew that the combined forces of the Reapers and the Covenant would be formidable, but thanks to the UNSC "superships," as Alliance soldiers had dubbed them, and the Federation Galaxy-class Star ships, Shepard had an entire arsenal of live thresher maws to drop on them. She smirked, pulling on her helmet.

"All units, move in. Let's tank these motherfuckers." All ships sped towards Earth.

Shepard faced the two choices, the weight of the galaxy weighing down on her. To control the Reapers would be to make their will her own; to destroy them would be to end the war, forever. She straightened as best she could given her injuries, looking out over Earth. Frigates would light up as they fired their MAC cannons and Federation phasers slicing through Covenant Seraphs. She stepped to the controls she had chosen, and activated them.

"What will be there?" The little boy asked.

"Anything. Each of those stars could have many worlds. Every world could be home to a different form of life. And every life is a special story of its own." The grandfather replied, looking up at the sky.

"Tell me another story about The Shepard?"

"It's getting late...but okay, one more story."

A/N: Well, there it is. I thought it did okay. Thanks for reading!