AN: This is the updated version of the first chapter that I posted and I've included a explanation to whole picking up a signal in dark space from Andromeda problem.

Mass Effect belongs to Bioware and EA.

Chapter 1

Undisclosed location

Jackson sat at his station looking at the holo screen for the past five hours, his break ended thirty minutes ago. Looking away from his screen for a moment to let his eyesight readjust, looking to his colleagues he noted that all of them were staring at their screens monitoring the systems for the Defense Network. Stretching his arms above his head before he went back to staring at the holo screen.

Jackson wondered why he even took this job; sure he was good at analyzing data but still staring at holo screen for days was not his idea of fun. 'tick-tock' he thought to himself as he sighed, little did he know that his day was about to get interesting.

Jackson was going through a systems check on satellite 258-CE when his screened turned red just as an alarm sounded overhead. "Unknown Signal Detected" the words appeared on his screen.

"Report!" Serana who was in charge, shouted to the room as everyone went into overdrive.

"Unknown signal has been detected by satellite 258-CE," Jackson said as he worked to analyze the signal. "Where is satellite 258-CE?"Serana asked the other analysists from her perch overlooking the analysists.

"Satellite 258-CE is in sector 6, ma'am." One of the other analysists said. "Sectors report in," Serana asked

"Sector 1 clear."

"Sector 2 clear."

"Sector 3 clear."

One by one the sectors reported "clear" save for Sector 6. Serana brought up the holo keypad on her perch. "Sector 6 report?" she asked.

"The signal appears to be an…" Jackson paused as the signal became clear. "What is it?" Serana asked, worry evident in her voice. "It's an audio file ma'am," Jackson said which caused the entire room to be on edge. An audio file from dark space where the only known race to survive there are the Reapers.

"The signal is weird though," Jackson said which didn't help the tension in the room. "What do you mean weird?" Serana asked already on edge, 'could this be another Reaper attack?' she thought.

"The signal is on an encryption we haven't used in 600 years." Jackson said which caused Serana to be confused, 'why use a 600-year-old encryption?' she thought to herself. She supposed the Reapers could have copied some encryption during the war. "Can we play the message?" she asked.

Jackson played he transmission for the entire room, after the message ended the room was silent as they processed the transmission.

"As of this point we are on threat condition one. Continue to monitor all sectors." Serana told the room before she left. Making her way to the QEC room that had a direct communication to the council, she had to hope that they weren't in a session or a meeting. Finally making it to the QEC room she sealed the room behind her. Thankfully the council were available as they immediately answered.

"Report?" The asari councilor asked in a no nonsense tone.

"Ten minutes ago a satellite picked an unknown transmission from dark space." Serana answered, bringing up her omni-tool she replayed the message for the councilor. When the message was over the council remained silent for a minute before the asari councilor spoke.

"Send the transmission to us. We'll have our analysists look at it." The asari councilor said before the call ended.

Serana sent the transmission and went back to the situation room

The Citadel

The presidium bustled with life, various people of different species mingled with each other, among the crowd a man wearing an Alliance uniform wove the crowd making his way toward the Citadel Tower. Stepping into the elevator he pushed the button for the top floor and began the long wait as the elevator slowly made its way up.

"And in other news, preparations for 600th anniversary over the defeat of the Reapers continue as decorations line the Citadel in anticipation for the upcoming event." The news reported over the speakers in the elevator. "Speaking of anniversaries tomorrow marks 5 years since the end of the Terminus Wars." The man sighed as he leaned against the wall of the elevator, removing his hat and tucking it under his arm all the while listening to the news.

After 10 or 30 minutes later the doors to the elevator finally opened signaling that he made it to top floor. Exiting the elevator, the man made his way up the stairs to the council chambers, when he reached the top floor he was surprised when the council seats were empty.

'Typical, the council summons me and when I show up they're not even here.' He thought to himself. Caught in his own thoughts about the council's inadequacy he didn't notice the asari standing behind him until she spoke.

"Captain Shepard?" the asari spoke, startling him.

Shepard turned around to face the asari that said his name. Her skin was a light shade of purple with blue designs that decorated her face and her crest; she wore a light grey outfit that showed her curves not that he was staring.

"Yes ma'am" Shepard said as he straightened himself to look like the military man that he was, his hat still tucked under his left arm. The asari raised a data pad and typed something down.

"Follow me, please." She said as she started to walk past him to the doors that the councilors used to enter and exit the council chambers, two council guards always stood watch. "Not until you tell me who are" Shepard said as he slowly reached for the knife he always kept on his person behind his back, if the Terminus Wars have taught him one thing it was always be prepared and vigilant of threats.

"Va'alor Mendoza, assistant to the council" Va'alor said she turned around, "Now please follow me the council is expecting you." Va'alor said as she resumed walking, "And please put away your knife, you won't need that" she said over her shoulder.

Shepard re sheathed the knife as he relaxed and followed Va'alor to the council doors that led to the councilors private offices. Va'alor stopped in front of the doors. "Captain Shepard has a meeting with the council; I'm to escort him to the meeting room." Va'alor said.

The guards looked from Va'alor to Shepard which immediately set him on edge, not that he backed down. Shepard stared right back at them, based on the armor they wore he could tell that one was turian and the other human or asari it was hard to tell since council guards never removed their helmets their faceplates tinted black so no one could see inside which made sense. Don't know their identities can't kidnap, blackmail, or extort them into killing the councilors, their armor also made them stand out in a crowd, top of the line armor manufactured by Kassa Fabrication, along with a custom paint job black and silver with red highlights in certain areas.

"Does he have authorization?" the turian asked, his voice slightly modified, another security measure. Va'alor showed him the data pad that Shepard only assumed has the necessary clearance; the turian looked at the data pad for only 30 seconds before he handed the data pad back to Va'alor. "He's clear" The turian said to his partner as he turned and entered something into the keypad behind him.

The doors parted for them and once again Va'alor took the lead as Shepard followed her down the hallway, once they passed through the doors they closed behind them. The grey walls of the corridor stretched out before them as Va'alor turned left to another corridor. 'Good thing, she's leading otherwise my ass would be lost in this place,' Shepard thought as he continued to follow the asari.

"Was your father human?" Shepard asked as Va'alor turned down another corridor. "Yes he was, my mother always did have a thing for humans," Va'alor spoke over her shoulder; a slight smile graced her face. "She thought I should have his last name a memento to remember him."

Corridor after corridor they went, offices passed where the occupants would stare at them, another corridor with more council guards patrolling. "Where are you taking me?" Shepard voiced his thoughts, his frustration noticeable by his tone," Va'alor looked back at him for a second before looking forward "the council private meeting room." She said as they passed another group of guards.

"Is there a reason why I get the special treatment?" Shepard asked, his frustration dying as his curiosity was now peaked. The council usually held all meetings in the main council chambers, their private meeting room is where they gathered to discuss issues in private or meet with other delegates in the galaxy. "I do not know" Va'alor spoke, "all they said is to bring you to their private meeting room, and here we are." She said as she stopped in front of two silver and grey doors with the sigil of the council on the doors, five planets with the Citadel above them along with a two hands cradling them in its palm, once again two guards stood at attention on both sides of the doors and once again Va'alor showed them the data pad, within seconds the doors parted for them.

Va'alor ushered Shepard inside, once inside Shepard got a decent look at his surroundings the room was large enough to accommodate the councilors and their aids, a large table sat in the middle of the room chairs lining the sides of it. The councilors were scattered among the room, some talking with each other while others checked their omni tools for messages and missed calls. Their attentions soon went to Va'alor when she announced her and Shepard's presence in the room.

"Excuse me councilors, Captain Shepard as requested" Va'alor said as she straightened under the gaze of the councilors. "Thank you for bringing him here Va'alor" the human councilor said, "you may go." Another councilor said. Va'alor bowed then left the room leaving Shepard at the mercy of the councilors.

"Take a seat Captain, we have much to discuss," the krogan councilor spoke as she took her seat along with the other councilors. Shepard followed suite, placing his hat on the table in front of him as he sat down.

"We'll be frank with you Captain," the human councilor said as he clasped his hands in front of him on the desk. Derek was the human councilor's name Shepard recalled from memory, "what do you know about the Andromeda Initiative?"

Of all the questions Shepard was expecting that was not one of them. "Just the basics I'm afraid" Shepard said as he looked straight ahead, "it was an ambitious plan to launch thousands of colonists to the Andromeda galaxy." The councilors looked at each other then to Shepard before speaking, "yes the plan was proposed in 2176 by Jein Garson, an eccentric human billionaire when images from a deep space satellite were taken from dark space surfaced." The salarian councilor said, "The satellite in question was geth. I don't need to tell you what the geth were interested in beyond the borders of our galaxy."

No one needed to be told, they all knew the answer. "The Reapers" Shepard spoke softly almost as if by saying the name they would return, "yes, but Miss Garson didn't know that at the time. She saw an opportunity" the salarian councilor continued, "the plan was immediately shot down by the council who saw not benefit to the plan, so Miss Garson decided to fund the project using her own money. Hiring the best engineers, shipyards, and people for what was dubbed the Andromeda Initiative." The salarian stopped for a breather and a glass of water.

Shepard was still confused as to why the council summoned him here, "that's great and all but what does this have to do with me?" Shepard asked.

"Massive ships designed to carry the colonists to Andromeda which were dubbed Arks, were constructed in privately owned shipyards purchased by Miss Garson. These Arks left our galaxy in December of 2185, three months before Commander Shepard was brought back by Cerberus, a year and half before the Reaper invasion." The salarian councilor continued, apparently Shepard's question was unheard by him, "they were originally scheduled to launch sometime in 2188, but for reasons unknown the time for the launch was pushed up. Four Arks left, the Hyperion, the Leusinia, the Natanus, and the Paarchero. The human, asari, turian, and salarian arks. While the filth, the KeelahSi'yah which is the quarian ark was delayed due to mechanical issues but still managed to depart two months before the Reapers arrival." The geth councilor spoke, its mechanical voice easy to identify.

"One hell of a coincidence don't you think Captain?" the human councilor spoke looking a Shepard, who processed the information. The Initiative pushed their launch up by three years, 'did Garson know that the Reapers were coming, is that why they launched early?' Shepard thought to himself.

"You think that the leaders of the Initiative knew about the Reapers arrival and said 'fuck it, this galaxy is screwed, let's find a new home in Andromeda'" Shepard said. The councilors once again looked towards each other then back to Shepard; "We believe so" one councilor spoke up, "it's apparent that Jein Garson believed Commander Shepard's warning."

Shepard couldn't believe what he was hearing thousands of their people just left them to the mercy of the Reapers, 'did the Initiative really feel that the galaxy was done for?' he quietly thought to himself. He saw the combat and news footage in the museums that commemorated the Reaper war, if he was alive back then shit he would've thought that there was no hope of victory. 'All of this occurred 600 years ago, why do they need me here?'

"Again, I ask what does this have to do with me." Shepard once again asked.

"17 hours ago one of the satellites from the Defense Network picked this up." The krogan councilor spoke as her omni tool was brought up, she typed some keys. The holo projector in the center of the table came to life as it projected the message.

"Mayday Mayday this…xus control, we ran into a…dark energy…son is dead…Ark con…ost…ny us… dead…na try…outposts…survive…help…"

"Are we able to clean this up?" Shepard asked as the message replayed in his head, 'xus control? Dark energy? Who's dead? Garson? Casualties? What?' so many questions ran through Shepard's head. "No, the data is too corrupted" the geth councilor spoke, "we are extremely lucky that the message is even to play given the state it's in." The quarian councilor spoke up.

"The nature of the message is clear, the Initiative is in need of assistance," the turian councilor spoke as he rose from his chair and walked over to where Shepard was sitting, his hands clasped behind his back as he spoke. Shepard eyed the grey turian councilor like a prey would a predator ready to flee at the first sign of danger, afraid of where this conversation was headed.

"And seeing as how we received their S.O.S it falls to us to help them." The turian spoke as he neared the Captain.

'I don't like this, I don't like this' Shepard repeated the phrase like a mantra in his head as the turian councilor neared him.

"This is where you come in Captain Shepard. We would like you to head up the relief fleet to assist them"

'Fuck' Shepard thought.

Codex

Defense Network

After the Reaper War the people of the Milky Way feared that more threats might be lurking beyond the borders of the galaxy. To quell the fears, the remaining government and military officials launched numerous satellites into dark space to observe and detect any possible threats.

These satellites were launched from various points around the galaxy to cover all angles from dark space. The satellites surround the galaxy, each satellite are linked to one another and if one goes dark for any reason beside power failure, an alarm is sent to the other satellites which is then sent to a monitoring facility placed at different points around the galaxy.

Two rows of satellites are now in dark space. The first row is the farthest from the Milky Way this doubles the detection range, while the second is closer the, this serves as a backup in case the first row is destroyed. The second row also serves as a relay for the first to transmit data back to the monitoring facility without a delay.

These satellites are equipped with hypersensitive multi-spectrum 'listening' technology that were developed to preform long range scans of dark space. These satellites form an early warning detection system. It should also be noted that each satellites is equipped with a nuclear device, only to be used as a last resort.

AN: A quick thank you to Jimbo Jones for the idea of the Defense Network. Hopefully this explains how the Milky Way species are able to pick up a distress signal from Andromeda.

I have a feeling that this is going to come up later but when the Initiative left for Andromeda they were using what I believe to be a frequency encryption of their time and fast forward 600 years later the encryption would have been outdated and not recognizable by the Milky Ways recognition system. This would have caused the distress signal from Andromeda to appear as an unknown signal. (in my opinion)

Thank you for reading.