It had been a long day and Commander Shepard wanted it over.
Grunt had passed his initiation rite into Krogan adulthood and 'all' it had taken was killing a Thresher Maw. Shepard was hot and sweaty. Her scars still burned and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed.
But when she entered her cabin she found it was already occupied.
The man was impeccably dressed in a black suit, black tie and white shirt. He was clean cut and his black hair was slicked back, not a single strand out of place. He was looking into her fish tank, watching the brightly coloured specimens within swim about with idle curiosity.
Restraining herself from giving a frustrated sigh Shepard drew her pistol and pointed it at the intruders' head.
"Alright, who are you, how did you break in and what do you want? You better have a good answer for each, and make it quick before I decide to repaint the walls with your blood."
That little outburst, in her best drill sergeant tone, sent most people into a panic. Not this one. He kept his cool very well indeed. Especially since, as far as she could tell, he was completely unarmed and un-armoured. He stood up straight, turned to face her and stared right into her eyes.
"I go where I will, and no security system has ever stopped me before, or ever will."
"Very cryptic," replied Shepard in an angry and scornful tone. "Despite your fondness for breaking and entering I assume that you're not a friend of Kasumi's."
He smirked, "I am not. Your pet thief is good at what she does and your AI's defences are formidable but both are outclassed."
He paused and added, "Which is one of the reasons you need me on your side."
"You're here to join us?" Shepard asked incredulously. "I don't remember the Illusive Man sending me your dossier."
"I have no dossier. The Illusive Man did not send me."
By now Shepard's short fuse was well and truly lit.
"Then who did?"
"By your actions, I am here."
"Enough with the Riddles!" roared Shepard, cocking her pistol.
He looked surprised for a second, as though he was not used to being questioned or yelled at. But face returned to a blank expression quickly enough.
"Very well, I am a god and you need divine intervention."
She couldn't help it, she laughed.
"Congratulations, you've just knocked Conrad Verner off the top of my crazy people list. I suppose you could count that as a miracle."
And with that she dealt with him in the same way she dealt with Conrad; by putting a bullet in his foot.
Except the bullet caused no damage, no blood, no yell of pain, even the smart looking, black leather shoes were still immaculate. She didn't miss and the bullet had definitely fired.
She stared at him, he grinned. She tried again, and again, same result.
"Finished?" he asked casually.
She emptied the clip and then threw it at him to make sure he wasn't a hologram.
He wasn't.
"Okay," said Shepard trying to figure out what the hell just happened and deciding that her best option was to play for time. "If you're a god, which one are you?"
He looked genuinely puzzled by that question.
"Given your profession I would have thought that was obvious."
She stared at him.
He pressed a finger against the fish tank, as one every creature in there stopped moving and floated to the top, as though they were puppets whose strings had been cut.
Shepard found her voice again.
"Who are you?"
His smile become very skeletal: first metaphorically then literally as skin, hair and muscle rotted away. His black suit seemed to flow into robes.
"Can you not guess? Oh Shepard, there may not be a one true God but I am the one, true, Reaper."
A now fleshless finger idly stroked the scythe that had materialised in his right hand. She watched, all her years of military training being pushed to the limit to keep her calm.
"Are you here to kill me?"
He laughed a laugh that made the Commander feel like she was being plunged head first into an icy lake.
"So many times I have been asked that question and my answer has always been, 'No, for you are already dead'. But fear not, my child, you are still very much alive."
Shepard licked her dry lips.
"Then why are you here?"
"I already told you. I am your newest recruit. You have been my most devoted acolyte for so long. It seemed pointless for me to stay in the shadows when you stand at the centre of the maelstrom. The sacrifices you made in my name; criminals, warriors and your enemies by the hundreds, the Thorian, the last Rachni Queen, Benezia, Saren, one of the so called Reapers and only today you've added a Thresher Maw to your devotions. And I know that this is only the beginning."
For a moment Shepard felt she could see her own future, the battles to be fought. The war that she knew was coming.
"You have kept me so very busy, so very strong. I'll even forgive you for cheating me."
Beneath all the fear and awe Shepard felt a twinge of indignation.
"How did I cheat you?"
He looked at her for a long time.
"No, I suppose you had no control over your resurrection. I shall have to have a word with Ms Lawson. But that is of little consequence right now; you know what you face. You need all of the help you can get. Let me join the army you have made. We will do such good work together."
And they did.