A/N: As some of you may have noted this story was originally rated M. I believe that this was an overreaction. It has been revised to T to more accurately reflect its content. Per the suggestion of one of my reviewers I have distilled the prologue down from 30,000 words to 800. This is but a pale shadow of the prologue but it will bring you up to speed if you haven't read it. This work is significantly AU, if you haven't already guessed. Enjoy the show.
Our Story So Far
Commander Emma Shepard died over Alcherra, the victim of a surprise attack by the Collectors. Her corpse was recovered by Cerberus and its shadowy leader the Illusive Man. Believing her to be the only hope for humanity he invested a fortune in her rebirth. Little did he or his trusted Lieutenant Miranda Lawson know they were being aided an unseen force. This force makes direct contact with Commander Shepard as she nears the end of her reconstruction.
Weeks later Shepard awakens to find the station under attack by its own force of security mechs. Fighting her way out of the medical ward with only a uniform, a pistol, and Miranda Lawson's guidance she makes contact with Jacob Taylor. During a pitched battle in a server room after having rescued Wilson, the doctor who reconstructed her, Jacob is killed. Miranda also disappears. Stricken by the loss of her only two contacts Shepard is surprised to find Miranda still alive. The surprise is short lived as Wilson shows his true colours by shooting Shepard and drugging both her and Miranda.
Awakening hours later Shepard and Miranda find that her father, Augustus Sinclair has arranged their kidnapping. He intends to use Shepard to make a deal with a Reaper that he found within an asteroid field. Miranda is reserved for brainwashing.
Left in the bowels of the Reaper Shepard is contacted by the unseen force once more. It persuades her to undergo a joining procedure in which Shepard is cybernetically enhanced to link directly with the ship. As it turns out the force is an ancient Prothean AI that required Shepard's mind as a means of making itself whole once more. It turns out that the 'Reaper' is actually a Prothean dreadnaught of considerable power named the Voice of Memory. Christening her AI counterpart Sira, Shepard undertakes a daring rescue mission to recover Miranda. During the mission Sinclair almost gets the drop on her only to be crippled by Miranda. Also during the chaos the Collectors return still intent on capturing Shepard. Shepard manages to get Miranda back to her ship and they escape unharmed.
Sira confides in Shepard that she requires repairs and rearming and that the only place to accomplish this task is in an asteroid field near Ilos. She also tasks Shepard with the recovery of a quantity of volatile materials which could be utilized to create weapons of unparallel power. When they reach Ilos Shepard finds that mercenaries and perhaps the Geth have already struck at the planet. Shepard successfully drives off the mercenaries, allowing them to leave unharmed. Landing on the planet she and Miranda attempt to locate the materials but are ambushed by Geth. During a pitched battle Shepard is caught in a cave in and is abducted by a Thorian which apparently made its home on Ilos. Threatening the Thorian with complete dissolution by nanites Shepard secures her released and that of an archaeological team as well as the volatile materials. In exchange Shepard must provide the Thorian with new thralls.
Released back to the surface Shepard has a run in with a talking and peaceful Geth. Apparently the Geth have split with some following the Reapers and others electing to find their own path. This particular Geth has been tasked with following Shepard and eliminating the 'heretic' Geth. Forming an unlikely alliance Shepard and the Geth find Miranda and eliminate the remaining heretics on the planet.
After returning to the ship Miranda is exposed to an alien energy source. It turns out to be an alien lifeform from the race that came before the Protheans. The lifeform goes by the name Persphone, and seeks to stay in Miranda's body, sharing her consciousness. In exchange she agrees to provide insight into the Reapers and advice on defeating them. Shortly thereafter Shepard makes contact with Andersen in order to secure a crew. Andersen requests an in person meeting.
Returning to the Citadel by stealth Shepard and Miranda make contact with Andersen and succeed in negotiating a crew transfer. During the meeting Shepard notices that their position has been compromised. In a desperate attempt to escape Shepard runs into another Spectre with orders to bring her in for questioning. Defeating the Spectre in single combat Shepard manages to escape leaving with the Spectre's promise to hunt her down still ringing in her ears. The Citadel Council believes that Shepard is another Saren and that Sira is another Sovereign. Shepard is alone and almost friendless in a hostile galaxy. Now she and her crew must attempt to stop the abductions as well as averting the complete eradication of all sentient life. Her worst enemy is the Council that she once served so loyally and their desire to capture her and her flagship and the secrets that both hold.