A/N: Greetings! I can't believe this is finally here! ME1 story arc. I didn't think it would take a year to write the prequel, I will try to get this one updated faster and better. In case anyone missed it, the prequel to this story is Butterfly Effect: Cocoon. It shows the story of how Melody came to the Mass Effect world and what she experienced in the year or so before this. Thank you to everyone who read that one, and I hope everyone enjoys this story.

Starts at Shepard POV, then switches to Melody. Please review and tell me what you think, I would greatly appreciate it! I of course, do not own Mass Effect.

A quick sweep through his quarters, snapping the last latch of his armor, and putting his two pistols in their slots and Shepard is out the door. He hadn't been able to talk to anyone after the hasty introductions the day before the launch. Too many meetings and preparations. Talking extensively with Anderson, a longtime friend of his parents, about the shakedown run made him suspicious that something was being withheld. Hopefully whatever it was wouldn't hurt them in the long run or slow them down.

Then there was Nihlus. He hadn't yet seen or talked to the Turian Spectre but he was incredibly curious as to why he was here for a shakedown run. He didn't pry, nor let his curiosity overcome him, knowing he would get his answers soon enough.

Shepard made his way over to the cockpit, wanting to see the jump and to see if he could gather any more information before the mission. The jump through the Mass Relays had gotten old by the time he was sixteen. Too many Starships and so many jumps can make any once magnificent feat become mundane.

Seeing Nihlus standing in the cockpit surprised Shepard, only because the Turian had yet to come out of his quarters. The glow of the Mass Relay blinded Shepard and he felt the familiar pull and throw. Then new space, different constellations filled the sky and he must admit that this pilot is above the others in the Alliance.

"Drift, just under 1500k," Joker relays the information.

"1500 is good. You're captain will be pleased," Nihlus says and Shepard realizes he looks like he means it. Shepard crooks an eyebrow as the Spectre leaves.

'What kind of a pilot does he have that he is relieved after this jump?' Shepard thinks to himself and then turns to Joker when he snarks off.

"I hate that guy."

"Nihlus gave you a compliment, so you hate him?" Kaidan asks from the copilot seat. What in the world is he doing there? He doesn't know how to fly a ship.

"You remember to zip your jumpsuit on your way out of the bathroom, that's good; I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. Now that's incredible," Joker looked like he would keep going so Shepard cut him off.

"No, I think he really meant it. You didn't see his shoulders loosen themselves when we came in perfectly," Shepard says and chuckles a little bit.

"What? Where did his pilot train to not be able to make a jump smoothly? You'd think the Council would give Spectres top notch pilots. Not that any of them could compare to me, Kaidan why are you laughing?" Joker irritably snaps.

"Ah, nothing sorry. Go ahead," Kaidan answers but still has a knowing smile on his face. Shepard and Joker stare at him a moment longer before Joker gets bored and starts talking again.

"Why is he even here? Spectre's are trouble. Call me paranoid."

"You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project, they have a right to investigate their investment," Kaidan reasons back.

"Yeah, that is the official story. Only an idiot believes the official story," Joker snarks back.

"They don't send Spectre's on shakedown runs," Shepard tries to explain his Lieutenant.

"See? They're not telling us everything."

Static comes over the intercom and all three men turn their attention to it. Captain Anderson's voice comes over the comm, "Joker, find a comm buoy and link us up to the network."

"Will do Captain. Also, better brace yourself sir, I think Nihlus is on his way," Joker says, his position clear.

"He's already here, Lieutenant." Shepard can't tell if Joker is embarrassed when he shakes his head and Kaidan gives him a 'told you' glare. He finds it funny, but he guesses that Joker doesn't keep his mouth shut. "Tell the Commander to meet me in the Comm room. Anderson out."

"Did you get that?"

"I'm on my way. Wonder what's gone wrong with the mission," Shepard leaves and smiles at the snark coming from the cockpit on his way out.

He hears Jenkins and Chakwas bring up the presence of a woman, whom he only caught a glimpse of in the elevator, before the door closed in his face. Shepard hasn't been introduced to her either, she came later and only Anderson knows why. Hopefully that would be resolved soon, he doesn't like unknown factors.

Walking through the automatic doors and only seeing Nihlus makes him weary, but gives him time to introduce himself properly and make a good impression.

This was not turning out how Shepard wanted. This mission has been one he'd been looking forward to for months when he was first approached by Cpt. Anderson. A simple shakedown run on a prototype, first class ship to Eden Prime. He'd thought that something was wrong when he was introduced to a full staff and learned that a Spectre would be joining them. Why would a Spectre need to be on a shakedown mission, staffed by the Alliance?

He'd soon gotten his answer when, after being properly introduced, Nihlus and Cpt. Anderson explained what the real mission was. He knew there was something more, but this big? The news of the Prothean Beacon and what it meant for the galaxy excited him, but when Joker patched that video feed from the ground on Eden Prime, all Shepard had left was a deep pooling dread.

Now he had one mission, to secure the Prothean Beacon and keep it out of enemy hands. All while being watched and observed by Nihlus. Hearing that he was a candidate for becoming the first human Spectre made him elated, but it shifted his world too. He had a lot to live up to, a weight placed upon his shoulders, and he could only be himself while on the battlefield. He thought himself a good Commander, but it wasn't up to him to decide that. Nihlus would be his judge.

After reciting the orders to Jenkins and Alenko, and gearing up for the mission, all they could do was wait to be dropped in the hot zone.

"What about survivors Captain?" Alenko called out after Anderson gave them a rundown of their orders. Shepard had to agree.

"Survivors are a second priority. Securing the Beacon is Prime Priority," the Captain yells back and Shepard nods in understanding. We can help the survivors, but we need to secure that Beacon before the enemy. He is unsurprised when Nihlus joins them, priming his gun for battle.

Jenkins however, does seem surprised, "Nihlus, you're coming with us?"

"I work better on my own," the Spectre replies and he jumps down when the hatch opens.

'Then when are we actually going to work together?' Shepard wonders as the Turian disappears.

"Bloody Turian," a female voice comes out and he sees a fully armored, weird armor, short woman running toward the hatch. "I work better on my own," she mocks Nihlus' voice. "Not this time you stup-"

Her voice dies down as she jumps out. "Who was that?" Shepard asks and Kaidan starts laughing again.

"She's with Nihlus," Anderson sighs and Shepard decides to ask if Kaidan knows since he seems to be in on some joke no one else knows. "Good luck out there." Shepard nods as they approach their drop off.

"Timult can you get a lock on his position?" I ask my VI companion. Nihlus got a head start and he is incredibly fast, leaving me in the dust.

*I can show you where the Beacon is being held Melody, but that is all. I could also look up the dock before the tram station if you like.*

"That works out so much better. Pinpoint the dock. Thanks," I say and run. There is fire and smoke everywhere. A once paradise world, now a desolate death field. I tell myself not to look down because I don't want to see the Civilians staring into the dark depths of the void. "We don't even have his comm channel because he didn't give us the Alliance code. I am so punching him in the face."

*Good luck with that*

I just roll my eyes and follow the markers Timult lays out for me on our interface. I hear the familiar click and whirr and immediately drop behind a tree. Peeking out, I can see two Geth, their weapons pointed toward my spot and coming toward me.

*Our first real battle*

'You're incredibly chatty today.'

*I'm excited*

'I'm not.'

I swing out from behind the tree, my pistol firing at the heretics and taking out one of their shields. Excellent. Summoning two greenades, I throw and hit them both, the one without shields exploding. I drop down behind a rock as my shield falls, but not before I see the other Geth's arm fly off from the impact of my exploding biotics. Its shield is down and I take the opportunity and risk of coming back up.

I aim my pistol for its chest and shoot three shots, its shots missing me as it accommodates its unbalance. A final shot tags my arm and I grimace in pain and surprise but fire twice more, ending its synthetic life. Timult applies a tiny application of medigel while I scan the surrounding area for more Geth.

"Nothing," I get back up and run, praying I can get to Nihlus in time and also, to not run into any husks.

The terrain is hard to run in, the rocks just waiting to twist my clumsy ankles, the patches of smoke that haze my vision, and the trees I have to weave through. Luckily, my helmet keeps the smell of burning flesh out, but I know I'm getting close when I hear screams and a few things of quickly silenced gun fire. I wish I could save everyone, but I can't. I've accepted that but their screams tear a little bit of my heart out.

I climb out over a ridge and the sight that greets me, sends me falling to my rear in fear. Sovereign. The Vanguard of Destruction is just sitting there, probably deploying Geth still and giving Saren orders. The size of it is imposing, and I don't see how anyone can think that it is just a ship. Red lightning surrounds it and I know it could obliterate this world with just a few strikes of its laser. Never have I encountered anything so terrifying in my life, even though I expected to see him.

I hear some commotion on the ground and manage to wrench my eyes away from Sovereign. A few civilians are being dragged by the Geth. Oh hell no.

I jump and roll down the big hill, hoping to land close to and grab the attention of the Geth. Rollin up to my feet, I see I already have the attention of two, the third one still dragging the man in its grasp. My bracer lights up and sends a shock to the closest Geth, my pistol firing at the other one. The energy of the shock streams over the Geth and the person in its hold drops to the ground, and crawls into the bushes. I fling a greenade at it and it falls to pieces.

'Timult, try to shock the other two. We need to get their captives free'

He sends a shockwave from the bracer to the furthest one and I try not to hit the closer hostage as I shoot my pistol. Exploding biotics won't do anything but hit the innocent, and I won't have their blood on my hands. Not while they are still human.

*Melody, your shields* Timult warns me and I realize I haven't even been paying attention to those. The furthest drops the man and tries to recapture him, but I send a 'bodypulse' its way, and the Geth goes flying backwards into a crate. The last one has let go of the woman in favor of getting rid of the threat, me. I try to keep its attention while dodging its fire. More fire comes from my left and I turn to look as the wielder lets out an angry bellow.

The first man has found an assault rifle and it emptying the entire clip into the Geth. Or, when he can aim, not being trained. But it is enough to get its shields down and I pop up from my hiding place and throw a final greenade. It falls in an explosion of sparks.

I don't check to see if the victims are ok, I just run and yell out to them, "Find somewhere safe and don't let go of that gun!"

A bleep on the interface in my helmet and I give Timult the words to message back. I finally locate the building I've been hunting this entire time and jump onto the roof. The two below don't seem to have heard me, and Saren lifts up his pistol as Nihlus turns his back.

"NO!" I scream and send a 'bodypulse' at the senior Spectre. I hear a shot fly before it gets there, Saren dodging my attack, only jumping away as it still explodes by his feet. Nihlus goes flying forward, my attack a little more volatile because of my emotions.

I know I can't win against Saren, and this was probably stupid, but I can't just let Nihlus die. Not after he saved me. I his shots quickly take down my shields and all I can do is jump down and hide behind the crates with a cowardly man. Oh, I forgot about him.

I send a succession of greenades at the Turian, my energy stores running low. Saren dodges a few but the last three hit and send his shields low. He looks at me like I'm an abomination and my shields finally go back up, but he hits me hard with a biotic pull and my shields are gone, me suspended in the air.

"GAH!" I cough out as a 'throw' slaps me in the chest and I slam into the ground. I am paralyzed, pain wracking my body and blood spits out of my mouth. I think I broke a couple of ribs. The world is doubled and I can't hear anything. Panic erupts as I realize Saren is still there and my shields are down. I am completely vulnerable.

Nothing happens and I finally start moving, though it is strained. My left side, the ribs hurt and I cough up a little more blood.

'Timult?'

*You're ribs aren't broken but they are fractured*

I finally move over enough to take a peak over the edge. Saren isn't there. Why isn't Saren here? Is he hiding? What does he want? I start to hyperventilate and bring up my gun when I see movement to my right.

"He- he ran toward the Tram," the dock worker trembles and I stare at him. I slowly lower the weapon and nod. He goes back to hiding. Ok, now I have to get to Nihlus. Who still hasn't moved. I gingerly make my way over, pushing myself over the crates and flopping over to the other side.

"Nihlus… Nihlus!" I strain out and try to run to him. "Why aren't you moving? Please, please move." I drop to my knees beside him and see his blood pooling around him. "No. No, no, no, Nihlus wake up." I try to keep the tears in check since blurry vision and wild emotion won't do me any good here, but it is difficult. Timult disperses some of the medigel to get my own pain numbed.

I'm already getting out my stores of medical equipment I packed for this mission and look at the blood pouring from Nihlus. "Nihlus. Nihlus. Come on, give me something."

I look over him, trying to find the source of the bleeding since it isn't at the back of his head. 'Thank goodness Saren missed.'

*Melody, under his cowl by his neck base* Timult says and I change my position so I can take a look.

"Oh God no," I squeak out and I can see now he is bleeding from there. I place my hand under his chin, beneath his mandibles and look for a pulse. "How did the bullet do that?"

*The angle of the shot, coupled with your explosion changed the trajectory of the bullet.*

I want to cry. I tried so hard and I helped make this happen instead. "I'm going to kill Saren."

*Please do*

I turn Nihlus over slowly and get him resting in my lap, a small cry of pain still escaping my lips. The earth trembles beneath my feet and I cover him instinctively. Peeking up, I can see Sovereign taking off and I curse its very existence. I can hear the man still hiding behind the crates whimper and I wonder if I can get him to help me move Nihlus. Before I can say anything, I hear a whir and click. The signaling of Geth and I just want to curse luck and life.

I manage to move us against a crate and out of sight as shots fill the air, this time able to keep my pain silent as I grind my mouth shut. A groan fills the air close to me and I see a husk making its way toward me. I try to get my pistol out but Nihlus is too heavy. Thinking I might join Nihlus soon, I am shocked when a single bullet and takes out the husks head. It falls to the ground and I feel sorry for whoever it was before.

Shepard, Kaidan, and Ashley come running up, guns still up and Ashley points hers at me when she sees me. Normally I would jump up and down in excitement, and I hadn't planned on speaking to Shepard yet. But today I'm mourning my friend. We all have someone to mourn today.

"Melody! Oh my gosh, Nihlus." Kaidan says and kneels beside me. I can't even begin to comprehend how relieved I am to see him and have the comfort of a friend.

"I know! I tried to help him, but…" I trail off.

"You know her Kaidan?" Shepard says and I look up at him. He's wearing a helmet so I can't see his face. Katsuya Shepard. I let my helmet recede back into my other armor so they can see my face and intentions.

"Yeah. She was a part of my last operation. She's also Nihlus' pilot. Melody, this is Commander Shepard of the Normandy," Kaidan answers and stands by his CO again.

"My name is Melody Winters. Wish we could've met under different circumstances," because I just want to cry.

"Can I ask what happened?" Shepard asks and I point over by the crates. Ashley looks over and, with her gun out again, finds the man still hiding there.

"Please don't shoot me," he cries out and comes out from behind them.

"What are you doing back there?" She demands but puts her gun down.

"He was hiding from the onslaught. I jumped onto the roof, trying to find Nihlus and indeed found him with Saren pointing a gun to his head. This man saw the whole thing, so maybe he'll be a good witness. Saren shot at Nihlus and I attacked Saren with my biotics. Saren ran away."

"He probably thought the Beacon was more important than dealing with you," Shepard said exactly what I had been thinking.

"I think he knew you were pretty much right behind him," I say helpfully. He would've been able to kill me if he'd stayed, but then Shepard might have seen him.

"Why wouldn't he have killed you anyway?" Ashley asks and I grimace.

"I don't count. He's probably looked me up and thought I would be no threat as a witness. The Council thinks I'm insane," I say and Kaidan can only nod. The other two just exchange looks and Shepard turns back to me, even as I keep putting pressure on Nihlus' wound.

"I'm sorry about Nihlus, but we have to go," Shepard says.

"Just kill Saren please," I growl out. "I'm staying here. Make sure nothing does that to his body," I point at the husk.

"Will do," Shepard says and the other three head off. I've gotta say that the dock worker sure got lucky since I was here. He didn't get an interrogation this time.

I clutch Nihlus close to me and smile when I hear the familiar sound of a small ship. I look up as the dirt around me starts to blow away and it lands behind me.

Smol, my Salarian Doctor friend, runs out with his assistant, "Did not tell me it would be this bad."

"I didn't think this would happen," I yell back at him but he helps pick Nihlus up and run him into the ship. I limp after them. We take off once we get in and Smol shoos me out of his med bay after I show him where Nihlus was hit.

I slide down the wall, the pain now too much to bear. My armor now completely locked inside the bracer. Watching them through the see-through doors is making me even more anxious so I close my eyes and pray.

Nihlus can't die, not after all he's done for me, I can't have been too late. Memories flash across my mind. Nihlus showing up on that uninhabited planet I was stranded on, along with a whole colony and my two best friends, Naryk and Davix. He helped us raid the Cerberus base that had caused the colony transport ship to crash land there. That was, of course after I'd randomly popped into the ship as it went down, from my universe. Nihlus had rescued us. He was fine with Timult, the VI that had taken me from my own universe, dumped me here, changed my DNA to save my life, and had accidently melded to me and my mind. And then he believed me when I told him where I was from and how I knew him. I mean who does that?

'Yeah, I'm from another universe and another time. Nice to meet you.' I've always thought he was crazy. Then… then he got us safely to the Citadel and months later came back and made me his pilot. What we went through together after that, me learning how to adjust to his advanced ship systems, the slaver fight, and then him rescuing me after I was captured and beaten by his enemies.

He saved me too many times for this to have gone wrong and he dies no matter what I tried to do. I am crying now. He's my friend and I care about him, trust him with everything.

An hour goes by until Smol comes out, his assistant doing some last minute checks.

"Smol, please tell he's going to be ok," I whine out.

"You managed to put medigel on fast enough for him not to bleed out but…" he trails off and I wait patiently. "he is in stable condition. Will need extensive surgery, cybernetics, and therapy. Spinal cord severed and needs repair," he clarifies when I give him a confused look. I am horrified. It is going to take a while to do all that.

"It will all succeed right? He's going to be the same Nihlus right?" I ask Smol, desperate for a yes.

"Yes. Should be. He has money so can pay for all cybernetics. Will keep him in an induced coma until finished. Is also safe, do not worry."

"Ok. Ok. So we're going to the Citadel right?" I ask and he nods. Good. "He'll be ok. After a long while, he'll be ok." I feel my body finally giving in and he picks me up and takes me into his other medbay.

Apparently moving Nihlus finally broke a rib, but the others are still just cracked. I also have some internal damage and bleeding, Saren hit me so hard. I'm going to be staying in here tonight. Another Salarian brings me food and I tell Smol to wait before he drugs me so I go to sleep.

I must make a call. He just nods and gives me 20 minutes before he comes back to administer the drug.

I use my private line, the comm in my bracer and call Naryk. He picks up on the first ring. I give him a rundown on what happened with Nihlus since they are cousins. So, there is some information for an Information Broker, but we decide to keep quiet about his being alive. So now, I can ask him to do something for me.

"There is something here on Eden Prime that could change the galaxy as we know it."

"We already know about the Beacon. Besides, you've already given me information. Why are you telling me this?"

"No, my friend, this is one of those top secret things. It is still buried. Sad thing is, I don't know where it is. You'll know it when you find it though. Think Davix could give you a hand with that?"

"Melody, Eden Prime is a human planet. They would not appreciate a Turian Information Broker and a Salarian Spectre digging it up. Especially after what just happened," Naryk counters and I realize he is totally right. My brain takes a little bit to think of something but Timult quickly gives me an idea.

"See if Davix can convince Shawn and Kroger. They just got released from the ward right, not on watch anymore?" I ask. Shawn and Kroger are old friends (well Shawn is but Kroger owes me) that were trapped on the planet Davix, Naryk, and I were all stranded on. They were quarantined and then watched when an element made their emotions and inhibitions go crazy. They've been doing great and haven't gone crazy long enough that they are deemed fine and can go back to their normal lives. They could be just who I'm looking for to dig this up. They'll also keep it secret.

"That could work. I'll give Davix a heads up and see what he thinks."

"Once we dig it up, put it in our base. Tell them not to mess with it at all. It will destroy it," I sigh as I think of all the repercussion this could cause. "Thanks Naryk."

"I'll tell them. Thanks for telling me about Nihlus. I'm glad you're safe. Please stay that way," he says.

"You too Naryk," I say goodbye and we hang up. I scarf my food down and Smol comes back in just like he said and gives me clear instructions. Then he drugs me so I sleep without moving.