Prologue Centuries after a Human initiative called ArkCon led a group of settlers from the Milky Way to Andromeda to escape the reapers, a scout ship is sent back to the Milky Way to discover what happened to our home galaxy. An elderly Asari Matriarch addresses the crowd at the New Terra Space and Aeronautics facility.
"Greetings my fellow Terrans." she intoned, "My childhood was spent on a planet in another galaxy called Thessia. Long ago, a galactic war threatened the entire Milky Way galaxy, including Thessia, Earth, Tuchanka, Palaven, Sur'kesh and many other worlds."
She coughed, shook her head and continued.
"My parents were part of a top secret project called ArkCon. Designed to whisk away a number of refugees from the Milky Way galaxy to Andromeda, out of reach of the machine devils known as Reapers, ArkCon reached fruition just days before the reaper invasion."
She shuffled her notes, looking down at her omni teleprompter, dismissing pages with a wave of her hand.
"I won't bore you with a history you no doubt suffered through in school. You all know the struggles of the refugees, the Khet wars and our eventual victory. Suffice to say, ancient technology allowed us to whisk away several massive colony ships, and settle a new galaxy."
"Now," she added, her old eyes lighting up, "we have the chance to discover what happened to those we left behind. Through a process I confess not to understand, Remnant technology has allowed us to once again open a wormhole, this time back to the Milky Way Galaxy." She pauses for effect. "Back home."
Murmers and shouts erupt from the assembled guests and dignataries. The Master of Ceremonies, a Turian, called for order and promised a question period after the speech.
"There are dangers in this endevour. We do not know what we will find or what dangers await us. Our brave explorers, selected from all colony races, face unknown trials, and the prospect that they will never see their loved ones again."
She looks down for a moment.
"These intrepid volunteers, they are leaving behind the only home they've ever known. The milky Way galaxy is as foreign to them as Andromeda was for the original settlers, myself included. Once prepped in protocol, and schooled on what they may find there, our explorers will venture on this massive undertaking, and hopefully report back to us the state of our former home."
"Now, are there any questions?" The turian asked. "Please, one at a time, Matriarch Atressia will try to respond to the best of her knowledge."