Prologue

"This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening." The young girl huddled in the corner kept repeating the mantra, over and over, hoping, praying that it would come true. Her long hair was slipping from her pony tail in dark wisps around her pale, heart-shaped face. She was young, but beautiful. Her eyes were framed by long, dark lashes that made their light green color stunningly vivid. Her Romanesque nose would have looked severe with her soft features if not for the slight upturn at the tip. Her full lips did not need makeup to enhance them - her radiant smile had always done that. Her sun kissed skin now showed the sickly pallor of shock; grey and pale beneath the normally healthy glow. Pressing herself further back into the shadowy safety of the corner, she clutched at the small boy by her side. She had known this would be a bad day, but this is not what she had expected. Not at all.

"Mom! Leiny has been in the bathroom for an hour! Make her get out!" Peter yelled as loudly as he could, hoping his sister would respond before their mother. His soft brown eyes squinting with each wail of frustration, he banged on the door once more.

"Pete, stop being such a brat. You know that this is Leiny's first date since turning sixteen. The least you can do is give her some time to get ready." Edward spoke calmly to his little brother, ruffling his dark hair as he walked past. "It looks like you need a haircut anyways." Stooping suddenly, he picked up his 12 year old brother with only a slight grunt and started carrying him towards the kitchen.

"Put me down Ed! You can't make me cut my hair! Lemme go!"

"Edward," came a stern reply. Glancing quickly, Edward's dark blue eyes looked down into the warm brown ones of his mother. "I seem to recall another 12 year old who also refused to get his hair cut. I didn't force him to. Why would I allow him to force his brother?"

"I wasn't gonna force him Mom. I just wanted him to stop screaming for a minute. He's giving me a headache."

"I don't care if you are 18 and a foot taller than me Edward, I can still put you over my knee. I will not permit you to manhandle your younger brother. Put him down - GENTLY."

Looking at her stern expression, Edward knew that she would find some way to do it. At forty-two, Hannah was still amazingly fit and very quick. Though only 5'4", he knew that she was still a force to be reckoned with. Slowly, he lowered Peter to the ground. The same stern expression shifted immediately to Peter.

"And I will not allow you to harass your sister. This is a big day for the colony and an even bigger one for her, so I expect you to mind yourself and treat everyone with respect. Am I understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Peter stated softly. He hated it when his mother berated him. It was the tone, not the words that made him want to mind. It was never loud or cruel; just disappointed.

The stern expression lifted from her face immediately. A smile spread on her lips, making her seem much younger, in stark contrast to the grey filtered throughout her short chestnut hair. Her boys were so handsome, she thought as she turned to walk down the hallway. They look more like their father everyday. Though Peter did at least have her eyes.

Stopping short at the bathroom door, she gently rapped against it. "Aleina, it has been a while. Please open the door." She could hear a slight commotion, as things were being knocked around by sudden movement. The door burst open and mass of dark hair hurled itself into Hannah's shocked arms.

"I can't do this. I knew this was a bad idea. I don't know what I'm doing and I look ridiculous!" Aleina sobbed into her mother's shoulder, her slender 5'6" frame shaking from the force of them. "Can I please call Joshua and tell him that I have to help Dad in the fields? Please?"

"Aleina, you gave that young man your word you would accompany him to the Harvest Festival and you know you must keep your word. Let me take a look at you."

Hannah pulled back from her only daughter. The dress had been an inspired choice. Dark blues and greens swirled throughout the silky material. It was longer than it had looked in the store, brushing against her calves. Though Hannah had been concerned that the v-neck would be too low, she was relieved to discover that it was not. The capped sleeves hung a little loosely around her shoulders, but allowed for freer movement. Then Hannah looked at her daughter's face. Struggling not to laugh, she noted the smudgy blue eye shadow, the bright pink blush and the extremely red lipstick. Noting her daughter had her trademark pony tail in place, she was pleased to see that at least the long, straight tendrils had been curled into soft waves.

"All is not lost, Leiny. I know exactly what to do." Hannah quickly grabbed a cloth and dampened it. Holding her daughter's heart-shaped face in one hand, she gently wiped off all traces of makeup. Reaching over to the makeup on the counter, she deftly plucked a single tube of lip gloss and handed it to Aleina. Looking at her mother as if she had grown a second limb, Aleina held the colorless lip gloss lightly, confused.

"You are beautiful as you are. You don't need anything else." Hannah smiled and kissed Aleina's cheek. "Hurry now, it sounds like Joshua has just arrived."

Aleina had to admit, she was actually starting to have a good time. When she had gotten up this morning, she had a slight headache. In getting up to get some medicine for it, she had promptly become entangled in her covers and fell out of bed instead. "This is gonna be a bad day" she'd muttered as she stumbled into the hall, rubbing her shoulder.

Now, here she was in the Mindoir Colony Center, with possibly the most handsome boy in the colony as her date. She had always loved the Harvest Festival growing up, but today, she was very excited. Today, she would finally get to stay later, when the games, activities and rides would give way to dancing. She couldn't wait to dance with Joshua.

Thinking of Joshua, she stole another glance at him. He was only a few inches taller than her, but that wasn't unusual with adolescent boys and could change quickly. He was nicely tan, with the sun having bleached his already blond hair even lighter. His bright blue eyes were so fascinating, like looking into heaven. Oh no! He's looking at me! Aleina quickly glanced away and felt her face burn with embarrassment. Real smooth Leiny.

Looking for anything to take his mind off her embarrassing ogling, her attention was caught by a sudden red flash out over the fields. Stopping, she felt as much as heard the distant rumble that followed closely after. "Did you see that?" she asked her companion.

"I didn't see anything," Joshua replied. "But I heard that rumble, Kinda felt it too." He laughed a little sheepishly. "Must be a storm blowing in."

"I don't think so," Aleina replied. "I've never seen a storm with red lightening before." As she finished speaking, several other red flashes appeared, spaced out across the fields. The rumbling following was louder and stronger than before. Looking around, she saw that people were starting to focus on the fields. Hannah rushed over to Aleina with Peter in tow. "Aleina, keep Peter with you. I'm going to try to contact your father…" More flashes and rumbling cut her off. Whatever was happening, it was coming ever so swiftly closer.

Hannah's heart sank. She had heard the sound of weapons fire before. She gripped her daughter's shoulders tightly and force Aleina to look at her. "Aleina, I need you to listen." More flashes and rumbling. "Aleina! Listen to me!"

"Mom, what's happening?" Peter was scared and grabbed his mother tightly. The adults were starting to rush around and the children were starting to cry.

"Aleina, take Peter. Get to the shuttle hangar. Don't stop. Don't look for anyone. Just take him and run. Do you understand me?" Seeing the glazed look of terror in her daughter's eyes, Hannah shook her roughly. "Aleina promise me you'll take Peter and get on the shuttle!"

"I….I…" Aleina gulped hard. This isn't happening. Her mother shook her one more time. "I promise Mom."

Seeing her eyes clear and the determination come over her daughter's face, Hannah knew that Aleina would keep that promise. "I love you, my babies" Hannah said as she grabbed her youngest children in a quick hug. "Now go. Go!"

Aleina grabbed Peter's hand and ran. The flashes and rumbling was so close now. People were screaming and running everywhere, knocking each other over. Though getting pushed and bumped around, at one point even falling, Aleina held tight to Peter's hand.

There, across from the park, the shuttle hangar. Only little further.

"Where are you going?" A deep voice cried out. An instant later, a sound like a whip cracked.

Aleina screamed in pain as the electrified whip wrapped around her waist. The four barbed ends separated, slicing through the silky material of her dress like water and digging into the flesh of her back. Pain like nothing she'd ever felt tore through her and blackness crowded her vision.

"Let her go!" The distant voice sounded very familiar, but the pain pushed back the memory. Was she dying? More sounds. A gun shot. A scream. Another familiar voice, "Leave them alone!" Suddenly the pain stopped. Someone was pulling the whip off her. She opened her eyes in the familiar blue ones of Edward. He was bleeding from his head. "Aleina, you have to get up. Quickly, they're coming." Dragging herself up, she struggled through the pain of drawing breath. Her ribs hurt. Edward yanked her to her feet. "You'll have to help Peter. They shot him. Leiny, they shot him."

Aleina looked around and saw Peter on the ground. He was holding his stomach, but the blood was still spilling between his fingers. This is a nightmare; this isn't happening. "What's happening Edward? What's going on?"

Edward could see the blood leaving Aleina's face. Grabbing her quickly, he shook her hard. "You have to get to the shuttle Leiny. Peter needs you to be strong. Get him there. Now!"

Aleina looked back to Edward and screamed. An alien was coming up behind him quickly. Edward whipped around and lunged at him. "Run Leiny! RUN!"

Not stopping to think, Aleina grabbed Peter and started dragging him towards the hangars. Around her, she saw people dying. Aliens were everywhere, some merely shooting anyone they could see. Others grabbed people, usually children, with electrified whips. Screams of terror, of pain, of dying surrounded her. Aleina promise me kept repeating itself in her head. The darkness of the hangar loomed ahead and Aleina plunged right into it.

Opening the shuttle door, Aleina heaved Peter into it. She refused to look at how pale he was, at how much blood covered him. Closing the door behind her, she hopped into the pilot's seat. She had always wanted to fly, to go out into space. Her father had showed her how to pilot a shuttle once, when he'd taken her on a trip out into space to meet up with a ship. She could do this. She had to do this. Powering up the shuttle, the interior took on an orange glow as the displays came up. She didn't think of the hangar doors she forgot to open. She only thought of the promise. She punched in the instructions she had learned and pressed the panel. The shuttle jerked and swayed as it crashed through the doors, the lights dimming from the impact. Just keep going, she thought as the colony of Mindoir faded from view.

A low groan caught her attention. "Peter!" she sobbed and raced to his side. He was so very pale now. "Hang on Peter. We're in space. We'll get you help. Just hang on."

"So….cold…" he muttered.

"Here, I'll hold you. Just hold on." Aleina pulled him to her and they fell back into a corner of the shuttle. "You'll see, everything will be all right. Just hold on."

"Mom…" he whispered.

"Shhh, it'll be all right. It'll be all right. " Aleina gripped him tightly to her. The shuttle was sputtering now. Glancing through the window, she could see nothing but space all around them. Hopefully, help would come soon.

"Leiny….." Peter wheezed. He had to tell her. It was important. He was so cold now, so tired. The shuttle suddenly went quiet and the lights blinked out. They were engulfed in darkness now, with only the distant stars as points of light.

"I'm here Pete. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Just hang on." Aleina ignored the pain in her ribs and her back and clutched him tighter.

"I….love…you…." he managed.

"I love you too Pete. Just hang on, please hang on." Aleina held him tighter. She felt the shudder that coursed through him. She heard the soft rattle in his chest. And then, she was alone, drifting in the cold, lonley emptiness of space.

Commander Alex Dewey actually liked patrolling. The Attican Traverse was a fairly peaceful place. Especially compared to the Skyllian Verge. Damn Batarians anyways. He enjoyed space travel. Of course, he did miss his wife and kids, but he still considered it an honor to due his duty for The Alliance and for humanity. He knew that they were getting close to the Mindoir colony. He rather liked the place. It was quiet and peaceful; even considered retiring there one day.

"Commander, we're picking up a shuttle just off Mindoir. It belongs to the colony, but appears to have some damage and is just drifting. Scanners are picking up one, maybe two, life forms on board, Sir."

"Lieutenant Stevens, lets bring the shuttle on board and see what's happening with it, shall we? Maybe we'll get lucky and just catch another pair of amorous and clueless teenagers again."

"Aye, aye Sir."

Chuckling to himself at the prospect, Commander Dewey led a squad of marines to greet the shuttle. This should be interesting, he thought. Looking it over, it looked like the shuttle had just burst through the doors of a hangar. Teenagers and their hormones, he chuckled. "All right Chief. Open the doors."

With a soft hiss, the shuttle doors opened. Not seeing anyone immediately, the Commander poked his head further in. There, in the corner, he spotted a young woman. "All right sweetheart. You need to come out now." No movement from the girl. Stepping into the shuttle, Commander Dewey noted another set of legs. Teenagers.

Using his most authoritative voice, Commander Dewey again addressed the kids. "All right now. You've had your fun, but playtime is over. Come on, time to get out."

Slowly, the girl lifted her head. Commander Dewey felt like he'd been punched in the gut. The girl was pale, her dark hair in bold contrast to her skin. Her cheeks were tear-stained; her mouth grim. There was a streak of blood down her cheek. Her eyes were distant, like the life had been sucked out of them.

Rushing forward, he shouted out to have a medic come. She pulled back and clutched tightly to the boy at her side. "It's all right sweetheart. We're here to help you." He spoke to her as if he were soothing his own daughter after a nightmare. Tears started to well up in her eyes.

The medics rushed into the shuttle, and she gasped in surprise. "It's all right. They can help you. They're medics."

"No," her voice was quiet. "Please, help Peter first." She pushed Peter towards the medics. "Please hurry," she pleaded.

The medics started checking him, but within seconds the doctor looked at the Commander and shook his head. "There is nothing we can do for him."

"No, you have to….he's only twelve….please do something!" she sobbed.

The doctor moved over to her. "Let me look at you. My team will take care of him, all right?" Not waiting for an answer, he quickly determined the blood on her head was not coming from her. "No head trauma," the doctor told the Commander. She watched as the other medics lifted her brother onto a carrier. His trained eyes quickly started assessing the rest of her. "Slave whip," he noted. "I don't know how she got free, but it did a number to her. Several cracked ribs and four severe lacerations with scorching. We'll need to get her into Med Bay."

Commander Dewey was hating his job now. He didn't want to pressure the girl - she looked about ready to crack. He had a duty though and she had the answers he needed.

"Did you come from Mindoir?" he asked. She nodded.

"From the outskirts or the center?"

"The center."

He swore under his breath. That meant a large attack force had struck.

"Did anyone else get away?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

"Lieutenant Stevens, get me connected to the Alliance ASAP!"

"Aye, aye Commander!"

Turning back to the girl as the doctor helped her move towards the shuttle doors, he asked one last question. "What is your name?"

She turned her head. Her shockingly green eyes met his. "Aleina Shepard."