A/N: OK, First real update, yeah! Now, after a painstaking amount of time with Paint(I know, but its the best program I have available), I have created my cover image(well 2 but one keeps getting the sides heavily cut). I'm not entirely sure if I'd be able to keep it up(seeing as how LucasArts is about their stuff). Now it's time for the movers and shakers to take the stage and duke it out!

As squadrons of starfighters openly engaged Reaper forces, clearing the air for troop transports to deliver men onto the moon, a lone shuttle accompanied by five ISF interceptors diverted from the main forces as they flew directly to what appeared to be the turian's main base of operation on the moon.

Two of the interceptors broke off to engage a massive mechanical flying creature that fired at the shuttle. The remaining ISFs circled the command center as the shuttle touched down in one of the few openings in the area. One of the pilots looked back, "Remember Revan, in and out. Dyonix is giving you ten minutes."

Surrounded by five guards, three of which were Sith Juggernauts, Revan politely acknowledged, "It should only take five." With prior scans, the Sith and Revan, learned the this moon was given an atmosphere somehow. Without fear of the vacuum of space, one of the troopers activated the entry ramp. The two fully armored troopers exited first as the turians showed them a 'warm' welcome of at least eight Phaeston assault rifles staring them down.

One of the turians started to speak but none of the Sith could understand a word of it. The troopers raised their rifles in response as the Sith were about to draw their lightsabers. Revan quickly lowered the two rifles by their cambers, "Remember, you're here to kill Reapers. Nothing more."

The two shrugged Revan's hands off their weapons, one of them even hissed to him, "You're lucky Dyonix is willing to commit to your deal, Jedi scum."

Revan walked out alone now as he raised his hands into the air. "Please, I need to speak with your commanding officer."

"That would be me." A brown scaled turian with light brown tattooing on the sides of his head in black and red armor walked out of one of the bunkers to meet with Revan personally. "General Corinthus. I assume I have you to thank for all of these reinforcements?"

"Close." Revan sidestepped the general as he felt a couple of familiar presences. "It seems the Force does have something special in mind for you, Commander. Going so far as finding a way back from death's doorstep I see. Dr. T'Soni, Officer Vakarian. What's it been, two, three years now? My, I'm sorry about the scars there Vakarian."

"Revan?" Shepard, Liara, Garrus and another human in heavy armor walk over. "So how'd you manage to whip up an army in three years?"

Revan glanced back to the shuttle behind him, "I didn't. They are Sith," lowering his head as he said that. He looked back up to the fleet as they started to engage the Reapers themselves, "I made a deal with them. Part of that deal involves me remaining on their ships until a certain point and time. Until then, they will fight against the Reapers, but I'm not certain how successful that will be."

He watched as the fleet brought down one of the large Reapers just as one of the smaller ones used its destruction to breach the fleet's perimeter, landing on the hull of one of the smaller support ships and started to tear holes into the vessel with its claws so it could use its primary weapon on the inside. Shepard pulled the human in heavy armor with a faux-hawk hair forward, "James, this is Revan. We encountered each other a few times back when I was trying to stop Saren."

Revan bowed, "A pleasure, Mr. Vega." Revan placed his hand on the man's shoulder, "You burden yourself with thoughts more than you let anyone realize. That's good. You aren't just another gun running about the battlefield."

"How do you…?"

"No time for that. I'm only here to convey a message for Darth Dyonix, the commander of the Sith forces you see now." Revan returned his full attention back to General Corinthus, "General, advise all turian forces to say out of the Sith's path. They will decimate anything in their path, if need be, even their own. I recommend providing them secure channels for coordination purposes. I also advise you use a channel that your people have no plans on using after this war is over. The Sith are not to be fully trusted with every secret."

Corinthus activated his omni-tool, "Understood. Here are a few channels we still hold that the Reapers haven't cracked."

Revan's omni-tool activated as he received the data. "May the Force be with us all. And to you, Commander. May our paths cross once again." With that Revan returned to the shuttle as the Sith surrounded him again. With the ramp closed the shuttle was back in the air. The three starfighters continued to escort the shuttle as the two that broke off before now returned to formation.

"Impressive, it used itself as a distraction and a shield for that little one. All ships, target that little bastard. Show it no mercy."

Several cannons from Vendetta's keel turned onto the frigate as a few others around it also aimed their cannons on the Reaper pest. With targeting solutions, all of the cannons fired freely. The little Reaper valiantly attempted to dodge or take the barrage of laser. The frigate finished it off as its cannons had a clear line of fire on its underside. The frigate's cannons seemed to affect it the most with the holes blow into it by Vendetta's cannons. The Reaper's claws lost their grip, an opportunity the frigate did not waste, providing a clear kill for the rest of the fleet to deliver. The massive amount of fire power used against the Reaper ripped it to shreds as the debris drifted off aimlessly.

"The area is clear. Deploy the next wave to troops." Roughly forty dropships deployed from the fleet as they all travel to the moon below them. Passing the dropships, Revan's shuttle had returned.

On the ground of Menae, General Adrien Victus and his men were fighting valiantly against Reaper forces on top of their mobile bunkers instead of within. Without so much as a notion or a call out, an armored hooded humanoid in dark red and black jumped over Victus' head before landing in the middle of the husks forces. With only two metal cylinders in the humanoid's hands, Victus didn't expect much. "Men, try to keep this fool alive."

"Let me show you how it's done…" The female humanoid pulled hers arms in as one of the husks' claws was about to be brought down on the woman's head. In an instant she threw her arms out as all of the husks around were sent flying away from her. Activating the two cylinders, two tubes of lights emerged with a red outline and black core. The female let out a bloodcurdling scream before slaughtering every husk, cannibal, marauder and brute that dared to face her. The turians, including Victus, were slightly awed by the sight of a brute falling in two with a single swipe of her blade and the inhuman speed of which she continued to do this and moved from target to target. Blinking caused them to miss her killing five targets as trying to keep up she'd already kill another three.

Single handedly, this lone fighter disposed of over thirty of those monstrosities. As the fighter took a moment to herself to calm down and deactivated her weapons, Victus tried to offer his thanks. "Warrior. Forgive my earlier remark. At first glance, you didn't look like much of a fighter."

Now Victus had a clear view of the female's face, and she seemed to look very much like a human in many respects, except for the armor and weapons. The woman turn away from him, as though she couldn't understand a word he just said. The woman finally turned back to Victus, "Listen lizard breath, I don't care what you just said, but don't think I save your scaly hides because I care. I did it to secure this area and clear a way for my troopers to land."

Just as she finished a boxy black ship flew overhead as it set down in a crater below. Without hesitation, the woman ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped off. She was in full control of her fall as she landed near the transport to greet the platoon of soldiers that walked out of the ship.

As Victus watched them move to retake a captured turian outpost he heard a voice calling, "General Victus?"

"Yes." Victus turned to find two humans and a fellow turian walking toward him.

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy."

"Ah, Commander, I know who you are. I can't wait to find out what brings you out here." Victus turned his full attention to the turian flanking Shepard, "Vakarian—where did you go?"

Garrus pointed off, "Heavy Reaper unit on the right flank. I believe your exact words were, 'Get that thing the hell off my men'."

"Appreciate it."

Shepard pulled Victus' attention once more, "General, you're needed off-planet. I've come to get you."

Victus looked off to the woman from before as she and her troops decimated the Reaper stronghold, "It will take something beyond important for me to leave my men, or my turian brothers and sisters, in their fight."

Garrus stepped up again, "Fedorian was killed. You're the new primarch."

"You're needed immediately to chair a summit and represent your people in the fight against the Reapers."

The news seemed surreal. Victus walked past the group as he gazed up upon his burning homeworld, "I am primarch of Palaven? Negotiating for the turian hierarchy?"

"Yes."

Victus returned to Shepard, slightly opposed to the news, "I've spent my whole life in the military. I'm no diplomat…I hate diplomats."

Shepard understood, holding the same stance himself. But he also knew, Victus would be great at it, "War is your resume. At a time like this, we need leaders who've been through that hell."

Victus smiled at the notion, "I like that. You're right."

"And honestly, uniting these races may take as much strength as facing the Reapers." Shepard moved so he was in front of a downed turian cruiser, "See this devastation, Primarch? Double that for Earth. I need an alliance. I need the turian fleet."

Victus walked up closer to the Commander, "Give me a moment to say goodbye to my men."

With Victus speaking with them, Garrus took this time to note how bad the situation may degrade, "Even with the Sith, without him down here, there's a good chance we lose this moon."

"Without him up there, there's a good chance we lose everything."

Garrus walked over to a Reaper stomping across Menae, "Look at that! And they want my opinion on how to stop it? Failed C-Sec officer, vigilante…and I'm their expert advisor? Think you can win this thing, Shepard?"

"Yeah, I don't know, Garrus. But I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot."

"I'm damn sure nobody else can do it. For whatever it's worth, I'm with you."

Shepard and Garrus shook hands, "Welcome aboard." With his friend back, Shepard called out, "Are you ready, Primarch Victus?"

Victus returned, "One thing. Commander, I appreciate your need for our fleets, but I can't spare them. Not while my world is burning. But if the pressure could be taken off Palaven…"

"That's a pretty tall order. What about the Sith? Aren't they helping?"

Victus looked back out to the woman from before, preventing turian forces from entering, "We need the krogan. I can't see us winning this thing without them. Those people, Sith as you called them, may be killing Reapers but that doesn't mean it's for our gain. I fear the moment the Reapers are gone, the Sith might turn their weapons on us." Victus turned back to Shepard, "Get the krogan to help us, and then we can help you."

"The krogan…"

"Looks like your summit just got a lot more interesting," Garrus smirked as he knew of an old friend he and Shepard knew was in charge.

With Revan's return to Vendetta, Benezia was waiting for him. "Revan, we need to go to Thessia."

"But why?"

"Because," Benezia gave Revan a datapad, "there is something there that requires someone with your talents if we are to find a solution to the Reapers."

Revan turned to his escorts who could not understand a word Benezia spoke. "I will speak with Dyonix about the matter post haste." Benezia watched Revan enter the turbolift. With the lift's doors closed, Trossk urged the matriarch back within the confines of the Ebon Hawk.

"How astounding, we hold ground on this moon and are pushing these Reapers back with relative ease, and yet you wish for us to leave to chase what exactly?"

"A new weapon, of sorts. One guaranteed to put an end to the Reapers once and for all."

Dyonix moved to the holodisplay, "We have that weapon. Us," as he replayed videos of his forces cutting down the Reaper ships and their ground units.

"Yes, but for how long do you thing conventional strategies will work against a foe that has already stretched across so many star systems? Eventually your forces will be depleted and the Reapers are willing to wait us out." Revan could see his words hit true. "We need a weapon that will wipe the Reapers out in a single blast, one that transcends the stars themselves. So we need to move to Thessia. We don't have to leave your men stranded. I can take the Ebon Hawk and we will be back shortly.

"No. You are still my guests. You shall take one of the Furry transports with a full crew and guards onboard. And you should leave at least one of your companions with us. To ensure your return."

Revan bowed, "As you suggest, Dyonix. We will return shortly."

With Revan gone, Dyonix walked over to Scourge, "I want you to accompany them. Make sure they aren't deceiving us."

"Dyonix?"

"We are now in a state of war. At this point, Revan might decide we need more motivation to fight. I want you to be there as a precaution. If Revan does decide to abandon us to these Reapers you are to strike him down."

"Do you not believe the security you send with him will ensure that?"

Dyonix smiled, "I do. But I always like having a trump card just as a precaution."

With everyone up to speed on their next move, there was much distraught among them. Many wanted to go with Revan, if not to at least protect him or to leave the Sith warship. They fell silent about who should stay, until Cina spoke out, "I'll stay."

"Cina you don't…"

She stopped Trossk, "No offense, but both of your species aren't exactly known not to fall for dark temptations occasionally. I'm not saying I wouldn't trust either of you, I'd feel safer knowing their corruption couldn't affect you two. Besides, I'll have T3 with me. Won't I?"

The little utility droid rolled up beside her as he affirmed his stance. Revan wasn't entirely thrilled with the plan, though he knew he'd have a hard time fighting against either of them. "Alright. Just try to keep yourselves safe until we return."

As Revan left the Ebon Hawk on of the Sith was waiting for them. "Greetings Revan. I am Scourge. I will be escorting you to your destination." The red-skinned Sith walked alongside Revan and his companions as they found the Furry transport prepped and ready for their departure.

Within the SSV Normandy SR-2, Shepard conferred with Admiral Hackett about their unexpected allies. "Revan? Isn't he the one you reported about during your hunt to find Saren?"

"Yes sir. And the Sith he mentioned on Feros. They look ready for a fight, though I wouldn't want to rely too heavily on them."

The hologram of Hackett nodded in agreement, "Having seen file footage from their forces on Palaven, it looks like they're fighting their own battles. We're getting reports that these Sith are recapturing lost territory but not allowing anyone to cross them. Even with the marginal casualties they seem to be getting, we won't last long with them trying to run this war. Do we know anything about the situation of Revan's companions?"

"No sir. It's possible to assume they're 'guests' of the Sith right now. It's too early to tell with certainty admiral. But whatever Revan's planning, it's defiantly in our favor against the Reapers."

"We'll have put some faith into that. Now we just have to deal with getting the rest of the galaxy to work together. Good luck, and god speed, Commander."

After another conference call with the Asari Councilor, Udina was at his wits end. He has spent a few sleepless nights trying to pull in every favor Councilor Anderson had established with the other races, though many were rather reluctant to offer their support. His face was buried deep in his hands as his assistant arrived with tea he placed onto his desk. "Query: Master, why do you even attempt to reason with these pathetic specimens? You know as well as I, the only Citadel race that are good for a fight, besides your own, are the turians."

"If you haven't been listening to the past few days or so, the Reapers are here and our fleet has just been decimated outright! As much as I may not wish it, we can't win this war without the other races backing our fleet. If nothing is done soon, I fear Earth will be lost, if it already isn't."

The unsympathetic machine retorted, "Rhetorical: Maybe a change in leadership is necessary?"

Udina slowly lifted his head, "Maybe your right…"

The Councilor started sifting through his files desperately looking for something. "Weary Statement: Master, must I ask as to what it is you are doing or what you are looking for."

"I'm following your suggestion, or rather your observation. There's going to be a shift in political power, but we can't do it in our normal fashion. We need help from people with lots of power and who care about humanity's future. People who aren't afraid of the consciences…"

HK-47 quickly ran through all dossiers of organization with human-centric goals with the kind of power Udina was talking about. "Assessment: Cerberus."

"Yes," Udina held up an osd as he inserted it into his computer. "Normally I might ask you to do it, but given the recent security changes, I have doubts you'd be able to kill all of them so discreetly. No offense."

HK-47 moved aside to close the shutters behind them, "Objection: Master, my skills should never be questioned. If you wish for the other members of the Citadel Council terminated, you simply have to ask. Evaluation: I would then start with the Salarian. His species are too inquisitive for their own good. Next would be the Asari and finally the Turian. Clean and efficient. I would also ensure their death seemed like accidents."

"But you don't have a means of assuring who would succeed them. We need puppets to take their places, puppets who are willing to follow us to Earth without question or bickering about it. And I'm nearly certain Cerberus can do just that. Besides, Captain Garen and his people still don't seem to like you, though I can imagine why. Now stand back while I contact their leader. We wouldn't want you ruining anything."

A/N: Now that the Sith have a foothold on Manae, can they really turn the war around in the galaxy's favor? How will Cerberus factor in once the Sith begin mobilizing in other star systems? We'll just have to wait.