E.H.

Thank you for the reviews! Indeed, Jane has big boots to try and take on. And this is just the beginning. I know this is kind of boring opening crap…so please forgive the long introduction stages. The actual struggle will begin to be introduced after most of the introductory stages are complete.

I am at least enjoying writing this myself. If it fails, I am terribly sorry. But I'll be honest…this is a special challenge to myself and also a special story I want to write for my husband. He's the one who got me into Mass Effect and this is kind of my way of giving him a special tribute. Enough blathering from me! Chapter two!

Veil of Sorrow:
Unexpected

"Please tell me that's not what I think it was?" Joker asked, un-necessarily. EDI cast him a glance that was entirely too human.

"I believe the Reaper has…attached to our hull, Jeff."

No words could honestly describe how those simple words set his very teeth on edge. A reaper was wrapped around the ship. No biggie. It wasn't like they were blood thirsty killers intent on wiping out every life form it deems necessary in the galaxy. Oh wait.

The communication it had made with them was still disturbing him. Didn't Shepard stop them? Then why is it still here? And what the hell did it mean that Shepard had become part of the 'one'? Rubbing his temples to stave off the headache pounding in his head, he honestly couldn't wrap his head around what was happening. Did Shepard…found a way to take control of the reapers? But wasn't that exactly what the Illusive Bastard had been trying to achieve?

"There is just no break for us, is there?" Joker asked no one in particular.

…..

Space was something that Jane could completely understand. It was vast and cold. But even through the chill, there was still a beauty veiled beneath the detachment of the cosmos. Her green eyes stared out of the one window at the back of the ship. Sure, she should be up debriefing her crew on their mission. But she'd never been the same level of leader that John was. With her arms resting on her knees, she ran her fingers over the holo-image locket John had given her when she'd graduated her cadet years to take on a more official title. The stars outside seemed like they were within reach although, like her brother, they were so far away.

"Thought you'd be here."

Jane looked up to see Cadet Rasmussen standing over her with a steaming mug in hand. Shooting the girl an apologetic smile, she accepted the mug. The aroma of coffee hit her with a soothing familiarity. Turning back to the stars that flew by, Jane took a sip. Rasmussen sat beside her.

"I'm…I'm really sor—"

"You don't need to. And…please don't." Jane sighed. "What's done is done. It's over. This mission is what matters."

"…I know." Rasmussen sat in silence for a long while before she took a deep breath. "Were you two close?"

Jane paused, a snort escaping her. "No."

Rasmussen nodded and looked to the window awkwardly. "Oh."

"And yes…in some ways." Jane drew a steadying breath. "We…had a large difference of opinion. He was always the golden boy. I was…am…the more asinine child."

"How so?"

"John followed the book to the letter. That's why when he came back from the dead before and was with Cerberus…I…I didn't know him." Jane glared out the window. "I'm still not sure I ever did. We fought. Before he hit the Collector base. I called him up to…bitch at him. I had to show him. I had to just…try and fix his path. Like the idiotic little sister I was. When he refused to listen to me, I told him that he was dead to me. I swore him off. I never answered another call from him…"

Rasmussen looked over with sadness in her eyes. "Not even before…?"

Jane smiled in a way that was anything but happy. "He called me. I didn't answer. He left a message."

"Oh…"

Jane shook her head and stood. "Enough blubbering. How are we doing?"

"Well, so far the read-outs come back blank. But ten minutes before I came down here, a strange blip appeared on the screen."

"Show me." Jane nodded for Rasmussen to lead the way. The girl led them back up to the main deck. The screen showed the blip. "Could be space debris…"

"That's kind of what I thought."

"Or…I could be something else." Jane turned to Rasmussen. "Go tell Harking to set course to these coordinates."

"Yes ma'am!" Rasmussen saluted and turned to rush off for her task. Jane looked back to the screen.

"Please be it…for John's sake…"

…..

"So what you're saying is…a reaper…is attached to our hull?" Garrus stated from where he sat.

Joker put his hands up. "Look, I didn't expect this either."

"No, no. Just wanted to make sure I heard you correctly." Garrus replied.

"But…I thought Shepard stopped them? And why is it…well…here?" Tali inquired, her tone reflecting her confusion and discomfort.

"Considering it has yet to cause us harm, perhaps we are safe for now." Liara spoke up hesitantly. However she looked ill. Ashley nodded and shifted in her seat while beside her, Vega was shaking his head.

"So, what? We wait for the loco maquina to just…squeeze a bit too tightly?" Vega spoke up, visibly upset.

"It would appear that it is sharing a non-lethal conscience, similar to the Geth singular mind. It referred to itself as part of the 'one'. It also referred to Shepard as joining the 'one'." EDI stated as she looked to Joker.

"Look, all I know is that whatever the hell that…thing is doing, I don't think it intends to kill us. Yet." Joker sighed.

"Great." Garrus dragged the single word out. "In the meantime, we continue going on as though a reaper isn't dragging our sorry asses through space. Got it."

Tali shifted uncomfortably but didn't say anything. Liara stood quietly and excused herself to her chambers.

…..

"Uh, Commander? You're going to want to see this…" Harking's voice came in over the intercom overhead. Jane moved toward the cockpit. Once besides Harking, she leaned down to get a better look.

"Just what exactly am I looking at, Harking?"

"Well ma'am…it…it looks like a reaper. But, that's not the interesting part." Harking moved the controls around until he brought up the visual and enhanced it. "Look at what it's clutching."

Jane felt her pulse quicken. "Damn."

"How do you want to proceed?" Harking glanced back at her. Weighing the options she finally nodded.

"Let's send an encoded message to the ship and see if there's anyone still alive. We'll then take it from there."

"Yes ma'am…" Harking set to work, prepping an encoded channel. Once set up, he nodded at her.

"Normandy SR-2, do you read me?" Jane paused for a few moments. She exchanged a glance with Harking. "I repeat, Normandy SR-2, do you read me?"

A strange noise came over the com briefly. "This is Normandy SR-2. You are coming in loud and clear."

Harking seemed to lose a little tension in his shoulders. Jane didn't let her guard down yet. "Who am I speaking with?"

"Jeff Moreau, ma'am. Alliance pilot of the Normandy."

"Are you aware that there is a reaper wrapped around your vessel, Mr. Moreau?"

"Uh, yes ma'am. We are highly aware."

Jane shifted, "has it made any moves to harm, damage, or even destroy any piece of the Normandy?"

"No ma'am. Not as of yet. In fact, our engines have been running smoother than since we took off of whatever planet we crashed on. To be honest, I have no idea where we even are or what system."

"Well, the good news is, you're just outside the Sol system. We were tasked with finding you. The bad news is, without the relays up and running just yet, it will still take us a good couple of weeks before we can make it to earth." Jane sighed and looked to Harking. "How is your fuel?"

"We are running at just under seventy-two percent capacity." Another voice, feminine and robotic answered.

"Ma'am? We have something moving up on us. Fast." Harking stated quickly, showing her the marker as it moved closer.

"What is it?"

"The only thing I know of that can move that fast is a reaper." Harking replied.

"Shit."

"Our scanners over here just showed that it is a reaper moving up on you guys." Moreau stated over the comm.

A beeping noise sounded, causing Harking to reach over and activate it. He barely touched the console before their ship was rocked by something. Jane stumbled into the wall, catching herself with a grunt.

"What the hell was that?" She demanded. Harking shook his head in dismay.

"I-I don't know ma'am! I can't…the ship won't follow my commands!"

"Well, I hope you guys weren't the only cavalry. The other reaper just attached to you as well." Moreau's voice was anything but helpful. Jane glared at the console.

"Now what?"

"I guess we all just sit tight and wait for the reapers to kill us." Moreau stated before the com line went dead. Jane was about to comment when the entire ship seemed to launch into a travel speed that shouldn't have been possible at the moment. The momentum caused Jane to forcibly take a seat.

"Harking, tell me that is you."

"Sorry ma'am, I wish I could! I think the reaper is…carrying us." Harking turned to Jane with obvious worry in his eyes. He turned back to the cockpit consoles and began trying to make sense of the screens. "Commander? I-we're almost to Neptune."

"How is that possible?" Jane asked as she rose from where she'd been forced to sit.

"My best guess sound too crazy to be even be considered but…I think the reaper is carrying us home."

…..

Garrus came up into the cockpit alongside Joker and EDI. His blue eyes scanned over the screens out of habit before turning to Joker. "Any news?"

"Well, besides the fact that some big ass reaper has us clutched in its…whatever you wanna call 'em? There's another vessel out there. Unfortunately, another reaper decided to play touchy-feely with it too. That's not the craziest thing though." Joker turned to Garrus. "We're not only in the Sol system, but we're nearing Neptune as we speak."

"We've only been floating in space a week." Garrus couldn't help but be at a loss for words. How the hell had they gone from somewhere obviously within another system to the Sol system in a week's time without the relays? Was that how the reapers managed to get just about everywhere so quickly? It sure as hell would explain a lot.

EDI spoke while her hands continued to flow over the screens before her. "It would appear the reaper is aiding us in our travel back to the Sol system. Thus far, we have hardly used any fuel and all systems are holding at a maximum capacity."

"Beats the hell outta me. I'm just happy to almost be home." Joker sighed and sat back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey, Garrus…you…you think maybe Shepard…?"

"We'll find out soon enough." Garrus sighed, clapping a hand on Joker's shoulder before turning from the pilot. That was a question neither of them really wanted to know the answer to at the moment. Garrus didn't exactly have the highest level of hope for his friend. Who knew what Shepard faced up in the crucible? The bitter truth was that it would take more than a miracle for their commander and comrade to live through that explosion.

Once Garrus reached the elevator, he pressed the button for the crew deck. As the doors slid shut, the turian general leaned back against the cool metallic wall with a sigh. Rubbing his eyes, his mandibles spread with a low yawn that escaped him. He would be surprised if any of them had gotten much sleep since they were lifted by the reaper. Leaning his head back, he glared at the ceiling. Something EDI had said back when she'd mentioned what the reaper's message had conveyed troubled him. How could Shepard have become part of the 'one' this machine mentioned? That didn't make any logical sense. Then again, Shepard hadn't ever been known to make much sense period. After all, the man had come back from the dead once already. Now that defied logic. A short chuckle came from Garrus as he shook his head. "Always quite the controversial personality, huh John?"

The doors slid open and Garrus moved to exit only to stop. Liara stood with her back to him, staring at the wall of the fallen. He took a deep breath before exiting the elevator.

"You okay, Liara?"

The asari turned to him with slight shock in her expression. She recovered quickly and nodded once before looking back at the names. "So many lost…"

Moving up to stand off to her left, he scanned the names as well. Though they weren't in his natural tongue, he could still read them fairly easily. "They knew what they were dying for. They would have done it again too, if it meant defeating the reapers."

"But did we?" Liara's voice was soft and nearly trembled. "Was it all…truly worth it?"

"The reapers haven't attacked and killed anyone since. I'd say that is enough of a victory for now. Wouldn't you?"

Liara turned to him with a small smile. "Yes. You're right, Garrus. Forgive me." She bowed slightly before moving around him and onto the elevator. Garrus waited long enough for the doors to start closing before he made his way to the main battery. In times like this, he was honestly reminded that he just wasn't the same kind of leader that Shepard was without trying.

…..

"Commander?" Rasmussen's voice filtered in before a light shake to her shoulders woke Jane fully.

Sitting up, Jane blinked the haziness of sleep away from her eyes. "What is it, Rasmussen?"

"Sorry, I thought you'd want to be updated."

"Go ahead." Jane stated, coming fully awake.

"We've just begun to come alongside Jupiter." Rasmussen shifted. Her voice was full of awe.

Jane didn't exactly feel comforted by that fact. "How long has it been since Neptune?"

"Almost fifteen hours. At this rate, we might be to earth in two days." There could be no mistaking the excitement in those brown eyes.

"Are we still being carried by the reaper?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's amazing, isn't it? Being carried by a reaper and making great time! It's almost hard to believe it took us a week to get out the edge of the system."

"There's an expression my father used to use," Jane sighed, setting her hands on her knees. "'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.'"

Rising from her seat on the small foldable cot, Jane moved to the com in the wall. "Harking. Status report."

A small static came before Harking's voice. "Just coming alongside Jupiter, commander. Normandy SR-2 is only a few clicks off starboard. Our fuel tanks are sitting a little under three-quarters. Not much less than when we were picked up by the reaper."

"Open a com-link with the pilot of the Normandy for me."

"Yes ma'am."

A few long minutes dragged on before the com-link stabilized. "Normandy, this is the Wilhelm, do you copy?"

"Reading you loud and clear, Wilhelm." Moreau's voice came over the com. It was odd how it sounded stronger and clearer than the com system from one point to another inside her own ship.

"How are you holding up over there?" Jane asked, leaning on the wall and resting the back of her head against it.

"Well, we're not dead. I'd say that's one thing to be pretty damn chipper about."

Not able to fight it back, Jane snickered. "Agreed, Moreau. Agreed. Are all systems running well?"

"So far so good."

Jane nodded. A part of her gnawed at her gut to ask about John. But that had nothing to do with this mission. She had to keep a clear head. There would be a time and place for that. "Good. Wilhelm out." Ending the com-link, she looked at Rasmussen who stood wringing her hands together. "What is it, Rasmussen?"

The girl hesitated before she opened her mouth. "With all due respect, ma'am…why didn't you ask? I mean…the Normandy was your brother's ship. Wasn't it?"

Jane nodded, signaling for the cadet to continue.

"Don't you…want to know? More about them? The crew? Your brother…?"

"That's a can of worms I'd rather not pop open right now. There's a mission to finish. And a report that I'm most certainly not looking forward to giving. Until those are dealt with? I can't afford the time or effort to try and figure out my brother's crew." Jane tried to sound calm and level but unfortunately came off a little coolly. Shoving away from the wall, she moved out of the crew sleeping quarters and out onto the main deck.

The Wilhelm was barely a third the size of the Normandy. Something small with a big fuel tank. At the time, it seemed necessary. Now, to Jane, it seemed a big inexplicable waste. Not that they could have predicted their current 'help' to carry them quickly from point A to point B. None the less, she was certain there would be certain…councilors who felt this mission a bust. Running a hand over her face, she was certainly not looking forward to talking with them.

…..

The next two days drawled on in a manner that had everyone on edge. The moment they were within sight of Earth, it seemed the crew grew antsy. Not that Jane could blame them. How were they going to explain away the strange, squid like machines attached to their hulls? They were literally within hours of being able to enter Earth's atmosphere when without warning the reapers detached themselves. One moment the crew was moving around, the next they were all grabbing onto something to steady themselves with. There was a palpable hush before Jane rushed to Harking.

"What was that?"

"From what our sensors are picking up, the reapers just let go. They're currently flying away from us back toward where the citadel is being repaired." Harking stated while setting the engine back completely online. A beep on the screen to Harking's left drew Jane's attention. "Normandy is trying to establish a com-link."

"Patch them through."

"Aye, aye, commander."

"So…you guys get a heart-attack from the sudden reaper release?" Moreau's voice came in. For the first time in the last couple of days, it wasn't as clear as it had been before.

"You could say that." Jane stated. "Normandy, once you reach Earth's atmosphere, proceed to docking bay 35 in the Alliance Military Vessel Hub. Wilhelm will be docking in bay 36. Have your crew prepped to meet me there."

"Got it." Moreau replied before the line went dead.

"Harking, take us in. I want to be in port within the next three hours."

"Yes, ma'am." Harking nodded as Jane turned and walked away from the cockpit.

…..

The swish of doors opening and closing had the effect of annoying the very living crap out of a certain woman. It seemed like the only sound to permeate her office more often than not. Looking up from her screen with a less than friendly glance, Hannah Shepard rose an eyebrow in question to whoever had decided to interrupt her now. A slightly flustered receptionist came bustling over to her desk. If Admiral Shepard hadn't already been in a foul mood, she would have possibly taken pity on the girl.

"What is it?" She tried not to snap but feared it wasn't as…successful as she'd hope. If the flinch on the girl's features was any indication then she fell short of her mark.

"S-sorry to bother you Admiral Shepard. I was told that the moment we heard from the Wilhelm I was to immediately inform you." The girl spoke almost too quickly for Hannah to understand. Luckily, she was more than accustomed to speaking with Salarians.

"What have you heard?" Hannah stated, sitting back from the desk to lean in her chair. Good heavens did her back ache. How long had she been bent over this infernal device?

"The Wilhelm is docking in bay 36."

Hannah's attention snapped up. "What? I said communication of any sort! When was their last message?"

"W-well…you see, there wasn't any. Up until moments ago when they requested permission to dock in bay 36. As well as docking another vessel in bay 35…"

Hannah's chair rolled backwards with force as she stood up quickly. "They found them already?" Without waiting for an answer she rushed from her office and headed for the elevators. As she neared the glass structure she glanced out at the sight they were all still becoming accustomed to. Reapers throughout London and from what several messages indicated, all over the Earth, rebuilding. It was the concrete proof she'd needed to show the council. Everyone was still reeling from the initial shock of seeing them land once more. To say they honestly believed it was round two would have been an understatement. But when the mechanical beings began to build, it was surreal to say the least. Shaking her head and refocusing, she stepped into the now awaiting elevator. The ride was long and obnoxious as usual. News blared overhead that made her want to roll her eyes. Reporters loved to embellish. Especially on anything that had to do with the Alliance.

The moment she reached the docking bay floor, she could have practically pried the doors open. Rushing through the random Alliance crews and section toward the bays, Hannah didn't pause until she came up alongside a familiar face. Admiral Steven Hackett turned to her with the same expression she wore.

"How is it possible that they succeeded this quickly?" She burst before she came to a complete stop. Hackett returned her look.

"I'm guessing that will be in Commander Shepard's report." Hackett stated as the swishing sound of the doors opening greeted her ears once more. This time, however…it brought a sense of excitement and trepidation as both vessel's crews began to disembark.

It occurs to me that it's probably confusing as to why this is rated M at this point. Here is my reasoning…I NEVER write ANYTHING (at least not easily) without mature themes. Mature themes throughout this will be violence, gore, language, and probably some romantic scenes. However, most of this is rated M for the fact of the violence. Just my way of covering my ass.

In any case! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I think it's about time our favorite crew meets our new commander!

Erika Hearken