Chapter 1:

Royal Canada Plaza

Vancouver, BC North American States

System Alliance Military HQ

Court room 79:

This was a pre trial Hearing. Commander Neso Shepard was back on earth, but instead as being greeted as a hero, he was in shackles her to see if there was enough evidence to proceed to trial. Neso was being represented by his ex girlfriend Commander Alice Krieger who was a jag lawyer and also XO of SSV Alsace, Normandy SR-1 sister ship that was also in orbit around earth.

The military tribunal was assembled and it was:

Admiral Joan Deveraux System Alliance defence command

Commodore Rick Stavros System Alliance Intelligence Department

Captain Alan Richards CO SSV Nikola Tesla

Captain Devon Alain CO SSV Colorado

Commander Nicca Santos System Alliance Criminal Investigations

Prosecuting officer was Commander Mark Dennis System Alliance Judge Advocate General

" Nice bind you got yourself this time, Neso." Spoke Alice.

"Alice you know me, always drastic and have to cause havoc." Neso replied.

Alice smiled "Seems to me that they do not have much of evidence against you for your actions in Bahnak system, but I do not like the look of the judge panel."

" They do have my report to what happened, there." Neso replied.

" Admiral Hackett classified that report." Alice said.

"So what do they have then?" Neso asked.

"The report was redacted and given to prosecutor, but mostly they have Batarian Hegemony claims and threats of war. They seem to have proof that you were there." Alice

"Must be the survivors from the Prison, I was in civilian clothes." Neso responded.

"You were also declared dead and suddenly appeared on a batarian space." Alice smiled.

"To bad council is not aware of the situation." Neso replied.

"Council ha snot acknowledged your actions in Bahnak system as a spectre action." Alice told him.

" Well alice that just plain suck then." Neso replied.

And they waited for the tribunal to start proceedings with the trial.

" Your honours, I am here to present a case for a trial of Neso Shepard, formerly Commander of Systems Alliance Military, in that in his activities with the cerberus he has committed crimes of atrocity against 305000 citizens of Batarian Hegemony exactly four months ago. We only proceeded with the pre trial today as we were gathering evidence." Mark opened.

" What evidence do you present that this has occurred Prosecutor Dennis." Joan asked.

" I have report from Mr Shepard that he filed with the Admiral Hackett, and affidavits of several officers of Batarian Hegemony Prison Guards." Mark continued.

"Objections, Affidavits are hearsay and the report is classified." Alice spoke.

"Overruled, Commander Krieger, report was declassified for the purposes of tribunal, and affidavits are witness statements of guard at the prison Commander shepard Raided, correction Ex-commander shepard that is." spoke commodore stavros.

" Commander Dennis present all your evidence to tribunal, and we will decide in 48 Hours if we will proceed with Tribunal." Admiral Deveraux ordered.

And with that the first day of pre trial was over. Neso and Alice left the court to go to his detention suite on the 8th floor of the building.

" Neso, Batarians do not like you very much." Alice smiles as she told him.

"The feeling is mutual. So how is the situation." Neso asked.

"Evidence is flimsy, but I think due to the politics the trial will proceed." Alice told him.

" Fuck politics." Neso swore.

" Alliance does not want war with the Batarians right now. We still have reports of unknown ships if the outer reaches of galaxy." Alice mentioned.

"Reapers." Shepard said.

"Command does not know yet, and the proof you blew up with the relay." Alice told him.

"Batarians were hiding that relay was alpha relay, I had to do it or they would have been at earth two days after I arrived at the Bahnak system." Neso told her.

"Neso, I know but you have to be very careful, Reapers are still largely classified and general population still does not know that they are real." Alice mentioned.

" Alliance command should warn everybody of the reapers and prepare for a war." Neso responded.

Alice left shepard by himself and she went to her suite on the 10th floor.

Neso was left wandering on what to do.

' I had to blow up the relay to stop the reapers, Alliance finally has the proof that the reapers are real, that he was not imagining them as they speculated like council, if there were attacks on the smaller planets, well even council might believe him to, but for now he had to clear his name and end this farce of a trial before reapers showed up to ruin his and everybody else's day.' And with That he went to sleep