When There Was a Tomorrow

by General Rage

Do you remember when there was a tommorow? Commander Wade Shepard does, but with a Reaper threat looming he's not sure there is one anymore. And he's about to discover that his universe may not be the only one where mankind faces extinction. M for B&V

7. Damage Control

Chapter 7: Damage Control

July, 25th 2552

As a picture of a Turian with white tribal facial tattoos faded from the screen, the narrator returned to lead into the show's next segment as a file with a familiar human's face was panned into view.

"So if Saren was not responsible for the attack on Eden Prime, nor the death of one of his closest friends, who is really to blame? The answer may lie in the only person who was there. The now infamous Commander Shepard, the first human spectre and supposed hero of the Citadel. After the attack on the human colony the Commander accused Saren of working with the Geth. An accusation he had no proof for."

The picture shifted to a re-enactment of the hearing that was held within the Council chamber, as a regal and proud hologram of Saren stood over a rather dishevelled, angry and insane looking Shepard. Why any human actor would take this insulting role beyond a pay-check was baffling.

"What exactly would lead such a prominent human to this conclusion? Jealously perhaps? Desire to force himself into the ranks of the Spectres when he was unqualified? Or maybe he was simply the patsy of the Alliance to advance their own goals. Whatever the case, it has become increasingly clear Shepard was mentally unstable, touting claims of a coming invasion from dark space supposedly from malevolent machines bent on destroying us all. And that Saren himself was a part of this plot. How is it possible that this human became so mentally fragile?"

The image shifted to archival footage of the Skyllian Blitz on Elysium, with hundreds of pirate and slavery ships descending from the sky.

"The answer lies in his past. Touted as a hero by his people for his actions on Elysium, Shepard supposedly made a heroic stand against slavers and pirates to save civilian lives. This obvious propped up human propaganda conceals the truth, that the young human Commander was failure as a leader, who lost a quarter of his squad due to his negligence. Only surviving because of luck."

The scene shifted again back to an Omni-Tool playing a recording.

"But what of the evidence Shepard brought to trial? Of Saren admitting all? We have found evidence to suggest this recording was in fact forged for Shepard by an agent of the mysterious Shadow Broker."

The scene shifted to photographs from the Citadel, of both Shepard and a Quarian in an alleyway.

"This archival footage shows Shepard meeting with a Quarian, identified as Tali'Zorah nar Raaya. Records show she had been in contact with the Shadow Broker and a number of his agents leading up to this meeting and she in fact was the one to present the evidence to the council in person. Could it be possible that this Quarian was a Shadow Broker agent? One that made a deal with the Alliance to discredit a well known and respected Spectre for some unknown shared agenda by forging evidence against him? Would it be any surprise considering the underhanded and vagrant nature of the Quarian people? The fact Shepard associated himself with their kind only proves further how truly unqualified he was for the Spec-"

A fist slammed down on the console's keyboard in anger, stopping the video instantly. Shepard breathed in and out of his nose rapidly, fuming at this so-called documentary and that self-indulgent unabashed Saren Fanboy of a Narrator.

"Fucking god damn separatists," he growled "not enough to hate on the Turian Hierarchy ya gotta admire a rogue spectre who killed countless people."

Shepard removed his fist from the now cracked keyboard on his monitor. He was gonna need to get someone to fix it, again. He fell back into his chair as he looked around his quarters and back to the large screen that was now blocking his model ship collection, the image frozen on what was his own face.

He knew he shouldn't have watched this, especially now. But something compelled him to look at it. He had heard about "Saren: A Hero Betrayed" from Donnelly and Garrus down in engineering one day. The engineer and Turian were talking about this movie a bunch of Saren's admirers and supporters had made in an effort to discredit Shepard and boost up their hero's name. They had watched it out of curiosity, both of them were appalled. They were talking about all the inconsistencies of the movie when Shepard had overheard them. His curiosity had been peeked and he inevitably ended up downloading it off the extranet. He turned it off long before it even got to the part that talked about him. The moment it started claiming how the Alliance had it in for Saren ever since he had "proved" humanity wasn't ready for the Spectres the first time they had tried to get someone recruited was enough to piss him off. This second viewing was even worse, because it was dragging Tali's name through the mud as well as his.

The part that was nagging at him at the moment was that they had brought up Elysium. As if they were qualified to judge him on that. They weren't there. Only he could judge himself on his actions during that battle, it wasn't their place to do so. The fact their conclusions and his on the Skyllian Blitz were similar though, that was the most depressing. It was almost as if they had made that scene just for him alone to see. Just so they could point a finger at him and the mistakes he made during the defining mission of his life. His first command, his first failures and triumphs on his own merits, the producers of this hack cinema piece were drudging them all up to smear him with it. And the worst thing, a part of him agreed in some way.

He went for the drawer next to him. Inside was a small bottle of bourbon he'd been saving.

"Tali would kill me if she knew I still had some of my stash left." He thought

She'd be right to. He had promised he was going to give up the hard liquor. He was a recovering alcoholic. He knew this was not the time to go back on the sauce. That he'd be disappointing everyone if he did. But right now that promise was starting to waver in the face of everything. He was feeling stressed beyond measure, his team was getting disgruntled and they had been drafted into a military just so they'd be easier to spy on.

Now some nosy doctor wanted him to talk to her. He had a suspicion it had something to do with biotics, she had made explicit reference to it after all. He did not like the idea of being interrogated, but Halsey also said he'd be able to ask his own questions. Maybe it would be best not to think of this meeting like an interrogation. Still, he couldn't help but make the comparison.

Why not give them the satisfaction at this point? Let go of sobriety for an hour or two just to spite the doubters back in his universe. Maybe they were right all along anyway. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this job after all.

He went for the lid, but hesitated. Perhaps this would make him feel better, just to give in. He originally just kept this as a reminder of his mistakes, proof he could fight the temptation. That's what he told himself. Giving in to the temptation now, he knew he'd feel horrible later for it.

Suddenly there was a knock on his bulkhead door, and Shepard scrambled to put the bourbon back in its hiding place.

"Come in!" he called

As the doors opened in stepped in Yeoman Kelly Chambers, her red hair sticking out like a thumb among most of the regular crew members. Her usual perky smile though was a bit more sullen as she walked in.

"Hello Commander." She greeted "Feeling well?"

Shepard sighed, he had a feeling as to why she was here. It had been a few hours since he last saw the crew, during their meeting concerning the Covenant tech they had technically "stole" from the battlefield. No one really condemned the action, but they all made reference to how it was uncharacteristic of him. Even Jack said she was a bit shocked. Kasumi seemed a bit surprised she hadn't thought of it first. Miranda for her part thought the action was pretty risky and everyone agreed considerably with her, even Jack. It was suspicious behaviour that Ackerson could potentially use against them if he ever found out. Holland certainly would have a million questions as to why they weren't informed.

Shepard told them all he understood, but he thought it was worth the risk if it helped them find out what the Covenant had been doing in their universe. They all left, voicing concern nonetheless. Someone, probably a certain Quarian, sent Kelly up to check up on him.

"Did Tali ask you to visit?" he asked somewhat upset

Chamber bit her lip and shook her head.

"Actually it was Tali, Miranda and Garrus who all asked me to come up." She explained

Great it was a conspiracy then, Shepard thought as he let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, I guess while you're here I can at least ask for a status report." He said as he got up from his desk and walked over to the couch in the corner, Kelly following closely. "How's the crew holding up?"

"Better than you'd imagine." Kelly replied "Gardner is hoping that we won't have to worry too much about the dextro-amino acid based food supply for awhile. He's having difficulty trying to figure out how to explain the situation to the UNSC rationing board. Which, he's pissed off about having to go through now because we're under their jurisdiction. Hawthorne really wants to get a hand on one of those hand-cannons he's seen some of the UNSC troopers using."

"So he's a jarhead no matter the universe." Shepard said bemused as he sat down.

Shepard thought it was some kind of protective complex, a few of the crew members still laughed about his attempt to help Joker during the Collector's abduction of the crew. It lasted about five seconds before he got punched in the nose and thrown to the floor. At the time it was scary, in hindsight hilarious.

"Joker seems to be taking things in stride, as usual." Kelly continued "Rest of the crew are mostly just curious about this place, worried about if we'll ever get home, but they're behind you nonetheless. Oh and last I heard Grunt and Thane have been recovering nicely."

Well at least there was some good news today. That took the pressure off Shepard's mind a bit. Still he laid his head back on the sofa in preparation for the rapid fire questionnaire to come. Same routine as always, Kelly would get out her omni-tool's note function, sit down with her legs crossed and start playing shrink. At least he didn't have to pay her extra for the service... not that any of them were being paid since quitting Cerberus.

"So enough about them for now, how are you feeling?" she asked as she sat down, legs crossed omni-tool at the ready

"I'm fine," Shepard lied "couldn't be better."

"You're not acting fine." Kelly pried "You've been rather aloof and disgruntled since you got back from Sword Base."

"I'm getting blackmailed by some reclusive Doctor I've just met today and some of the people on my team are acting like they're frickin' Blasto the Hannar Spectre." Shepard explained growling "So yeah, I guess I ain't doing so hot. Ya got me there."

Kelly typed something down her Omni-Tool as she continued the session, she kept her professional demeanour throughout. Shepard respected that, he wasn't exactly being very polite during this session and he knew it. Still didn't stop him from hating it.

"The mission does have everyone on edge." She told him "Wormholes, alien religious extremists, its understandable there would be some stress concerning the people involved."

"I don't need people acting like heroes on my behalf Kelly." Shepard responded "I need them acting like soldiers here. Grunt's lucky to be alive. Thane's lucky I'm letting him off so easy. Don't get me started on Miri and Jack, they can't stop bitchin' for a damn moment."

"And you?"

Wade admitted he walked right into that one. No matter how hard he tried to deflect this conversation onto others Kelly was gonna keep it centered on him.

"I'm just stressed out a bit okay." Shepard responded defensively "Too much shit piling up on my shoulders is all."

"That's not the whole story Shepard," Kelly told him with a concerned look "if it was then the people who care about you wouldn't be so worried. You lock yourself up here for hours, doing who knows what. You shout at the crew like a drill sergeant when they screw up whereas before you'd be firm but less aggressive in your reprimands. More often than not you'd try to reach an understanding and be diplomatic."

Shepard just turned his head to side, glowering at the floor.

"So I snapped, I think I had a right too given the situation."

Kelly wasn't dropping it though. She knew something was wrong, and Shepard wasn't doing a good job hiding it.

"Tali told me you're still having the nightmares." She said, concern in her voice still present and growing "Are they getting worse?"

Trapped now, with no real response to that question, Shepard relented.

"Yeah I guess." He said solemnly "Harbinger and Sovereign have been added as running commentary. They mix their little threats and lectures together. Soon enough it's hard to distinguish who is who. Although Sovereign's voice will always be a bit deeper I guess."

"What else happens?" Kelly asked pleadingly "You can tell me."

Shepard turned to look back at Kelly, taking a deep breath.

"I'm seeing them die in succession now." He explained "They either get turned to Husks or... worse. Garrus bleeds out and Husks starts eating him. Mom gets turned into goo and absorbed into the human Reaper. Tali melts away in my arms screaming. If I don't wake up in a cold sweat gasping for breath because I'm screaming so loud at that point I do when it's my turn to get turned."

Kelly, now shaken a bit turned to her omni-tool once more, adding to her notes quickly.

"Your fear of losing them all," Kelly began "it's becoming stronger. Tali's especially from the sound of it."

"Well duh Kelly I figured that out." Shepard responded dismissively

"But I don't think it's about losing her to the Reapers is it?" Kelly asked in follow up, ignoring the crass remark "Things haven't been going too smoothly from what I understand."

Shepard sat upright abruptly.

"What? No we're great! Everything's wonderful! Couldn't be happier!" He declared adamantly "What makes you-"

"I can see it in Tali's body language Shepard." Kelly told him sternly "Don't act like you don't. You can read better than I can."

Shepard flopped back down onto his elbows. Right now he wished his initial feelings, that Kelly was a bit of an airhead, were true. He hated being psycho-analysed.

"When's the last time you two actually took time out for yourselves?" she asked

"My love life-"

"When Shepard?" Kelly insisted

"After the Suicide Mission I guess." He relented with a great sigh.

Kelly shook her head. That had been at least over a month ago.

"I've been busy!" Shepard was quick to add in his defence "I just got hit with the full-scale of what we're facing. I had things to prepare, I needed to be ready. We all need to be ready."

"You can only do so much to prepare," Kelly told him "you're only one man."

"Yeah the one man outside this ship who's been actively trying to stop this invasion!" Shepard shouted as he stood up and began to pace around the room "Anderson is on the Council and even he's getting stone-walled! I know Admiral Hackett at least has been keeping the Alliance off my back so I can do my job! Wrex is getting his people ready, but it's hardly gonna be a game changer in the grand scheme of things! The Migrant Fleet is too busy with their own politics to worry about the coming apocalypse! And Liara is sifting through the Shadow Broker's files as fast as she can but she's only one woman! And I can't reach any of them period now cause I'm stuck here!"

Shepard's rant finally petered out as he let out his breathed in and out slowly to calm himself. He turned back to Kelly and slowly walked back to the couch.

"I'm feel like I'm the only one doing anything Kelly." He explained sounding tired "I know you guys are trying to help, but at the end of the day I'm the one who runs this ship. If we aren't ready it's gonna be my fault not yours. On top of all that I got the Covenant running around back home and I'm not even sure why they're there or who is helping them get all this tech. It just doesn't leave much time for leisure is all."

Kelly placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder from across the couch, catching his attention. As he turned she leaned back in her seat.

"I know it feels like it's a lot to take in," she told him "but you can't face this alone. You can't let all this keep you from living your life. You can't let it dictate your actions. You keep sheltering yourself off with all of this, avoiding Tali, this relationship won't last."

Shepard's head drooped close to his knees.

"I just don't know." He said seemingly confused beyond measure "I wanna spend time with her more, but I keep pushing myself away. She offers to watch Star Trek with me and I blow her off. Don't ask me why I did it, I don't know. It's more complicated than all that I think."

Kelly didn't add to her notes, but her voice dipped to a serious tone as she responded to the Commander.

"Shepard you're gonna have to ask yourself," Kelly told him with a caring expression on her face "do you love her?"

"Of course I do." He responded fervently as he turned his head to her "More than anything."

"Then you need to prove that to her." She told him sternly "And not just by saving her constantly when things go wrong in a fight. You need to let her back in. Or you're going to lose her. She needs to know you'll let her be there for you."

Shepard knew Kelly was right, his head knew it, his heart knew it. But he wasn't sure if he could let her in, if it was right to dump all this on to Tali. He just wasn't sure if it was fair to burden her with all his doubts and fears. Kelly was right though. He'd have to settle it eventually. Maybe he'd see about it tomorrow, when he had the time.

---

July, 26th, 2552

"Authorities still refuse to comment on the exact nature of Reach's off-world communications problems which are widespread across the planet." Said the news anchor on screen "However in a press conference today, UNSC military officials have said a small insurrectionist force is active in the region. To prevent communication with any other cells outside of Eposz on other parts of Reach and block the insurrectionists off from further orders, the military has sanctioned a communications blackout as well as a planet-wide no fly order to prevent any potential escape. It is-"

The screen flickered off as Holland pressed down hard on the remote's button.

"You honestly think people are gonna buy this?" he asked as he turned to Ackerson

"The public will believe what it wants to." Ackerson informed him "We can't have Winter Contingency become public knowledge for the time being. We don't even know if this invading force is that big anyway, it could be just a raiding party. If that's the case than we'll isolate them and cut them out like the tumour they are. We don't need to institute widespread panic to do that."

Holland and the other Joint Chiefs, as well several assembled Admirals and Generals from the Navy and Army had assembled in a small meeting room within an underground ONI facility, somewhere in Eposz. The Joint Chiefs of Staff had called the meeting to properly discuss their response to the Covenant invasion. As well as Ackerson's apparent desire to not inform the civilian population of the fact Winter Contingency had been declared.

His reasons were more self-serving than noble, and everyone knew it. They were trying to ring it out of him.

"Don't you think the public has the right to know what we're dealing with here?" Holland asked

"I think they'd prefer to be blissfully unaware of the fact they're facing annihilation don't you?" Ackerson asked "Insurrectionists are bad but at least they don't glass planets."

"They're also not here." Added one of the admirals "For all we know the Covenant are sending assault carriers by the bushel to do just that, how's your communications block out going to hide that little factoid from the populous when it becomes apparent?"

"By that point gentlemen I think it will be too late anyway." He replied "The ruse will have served its purpose."

Holland stood up abruptly from his chair in anger.

"And what is that purpose Ackerson?" he demanded to know

"Operation: Red Flag gentlemen, or have you forgotten?" the ONI colonel informed them all "Our best shot to win the war cannot be impeded in any capacity. My superiors have instructed me to make sure this plan goes according to the letter. We can NOT be obstructed. Not now. Not at this critical phase. The Spartan IIs are arriving in a matter of weeks. The Pillar of Autumn is not far ahead. I will not have this opportunity wasted. They must not become aware of the fact that the Covenant are on Reach."

"Because no doubt they'd want to get involved hmm?" Asked one of the Generals as he drummed his fingertips "We could use some more Spartans in my opinion."

Ackerson eyed the General with displeasure.

"You wanna throw resources away on killing a small raiding party? Be my guest, meanwhile it would be in the interests of all humanity to stay the course we have decided upon." Ackerson informed him "We keep this quiet, we keep this low key. We continue this operation as planned while our other operations clear Reach of hostiles in relative peace. No media attention, no trigger happy locals running into the fray-"

"What about evacuation?" asked Admiral Gravelston, finally speaking up at long last "If a Covenant fleet is on its way we need to get as many people off this rock as we can afford."

Ackerson refused to budge as he now gave the stink eye to the admiral.

"There is no evidence to suggest that Gravelston." He replied "We must act on the information available. We have detected no large ships in the vicinity of Reach, it must be a smaller force that's here. We can handle it. We do not need to throw people into the meat grinder on this one. Now is the time for precision gentlemen not a blunt instrument. Evacuations would eat up resources needed for the operation. For now it's safer for them all to remain anyway. If the Covenant followed one of those ships back to Earth-"

"You do not need to remind us of the Cole Protocol Ackerson." One of the Joint Chiefs, General of the Army Mathias Abernathy, responded "We've all read it extensively. We also understand why you've put so much stock in Red Flag. We all hope it will succeed. If you feel that localizing the knowledge of Winter Contingency is best to keep this operation on track we will allow it. But we reserve the right to rescind the order if we deem it necessary. Also, we will call additional forces if the situation proves more dire than first imagined in an attempt to make sure Red Flag's resources are not used too greatly."

Ackerson merely nodded, probably thinking it was the best he was going to get. The room full of officers now turned to the other matter at hand, actually getting the Covenant off Reach. The importance of the task could not be understated. This was the last planet between the Covenant and Earth, if it fell there would be nothing left to stop them from reaching it. There were strongholds within the home solar system Sol that would slow them down but they could easily bypass them. Reach was the last real stronghold and the most important as it was supplying most of the ships and weaponry they needed to continue fighting.

Even if this was just a small raiding party, a fleet would come eventually. When it did they needed to be ready for it. They were caught unawares by this task force, but they had contingencies prepared for these occasions.

"We've already set in motion what we feel is our best option." Fleet Admiral Dresher of the Joint Chiefs began "A joint military operation that will penetrate into what we have dubbed the dead zone. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine elements will all push towards the center of what is presumed to be their main base of operations. We take out their foothold, and the tumour, as Mr. Ackerson has called this incursion, will be cut out."

"What about civilians in the area?" asked a Marine General "Any word on them?"

"We can only presume most of them in the area are already dead." Holland replied, melancholy at the prospect. "Whoever is left alive is, unfortunately, on their own."

There was a sombre and depressingly silence within the room, more of their people dead they couldn't help even if they wanted to. If they went to the dead zone without knowing precisely what they were facing it was going to be massacre. They couldn't risk men for them.

"Let's hope there's a little bit of soldier in them then." Said Abernathy solemnly "In the meantime we'll need to gather up the necessary forces for the attack, and get proper reconnaissance of the area."

"Easier said than done," admitted General of the Air Force Andrew McCarran "Satallite imagery over the area is spotty at best and I'm not risking sending planes in. Our best advantage right now is that they don't know we know exactly where they are. If we get spotted they'll have time to prepare their defences more thoroughly. We need eyes on the ground to prepare for our assault. Locate anti-air batteries, troop strength and positions. Then we can call down airstrikes, MAC rounds if need be."

"We should also consider some of our more recent assets for the assault." Dresher pointed out "Ones with considerable advantages over our enemy. Commander Shepard and his crew of aliens, should we include them?"

Another awkward silence covered the room, followed momentarily by huddled whispers and grumbling between he assembled officers. Eventually Holland stood up.

"From what I understand Shepard's team played a significant role in saving Sword Base." He began "Noble Team can attest to their prowess and says Shepard's crew was instrumental to the base's defence. I'm also assuming, Fleet Admiral sir, that by advantages you are referring to some of the Normandy crew's seemingly psychic like abilities?"

The question was met with a nod from Dresher.

"Then I can confirm they are not rumours, they do possess these capabilities." Holland continued "Noble Team's report says these powers are called biotics, they utilize something called Mass Effect fields against enemies in various ways. The full extent of these powers is not known."

Adding to the conversation, Gravelston stood up quickly and offered his own knowledge of Biotic abilities.

"When Shepard was under my care he showed me a demonstration of his own powers." He began "I can attest that they are in fact unlike anything we have ever seen. Not even the Covenant would have an effective counter-measure to this."

The Joint chiefs all looked seemingly intrigued by this news. The confirmation of the existence of these powers only led them to the conclusion that Shepard's team, while still suspicious nonetheless, could be useful to them in this assault and beyond.

"Do we know how these abilities are acquired?" asked McCarran to both Holland and Gravelston

"I sent a message to the Commander," Holland replied, seemingly disgruntled "asking him for that very information. His reply was 'Don't bother. You don't have the time.' He didn't specify exactly what he meant."

Grumbling among the officers broke out once more before Abernathy called them back to the subject at hand.

"Shepard may indeed have a point, we'd need a list of candidates and people to properly train a force of these soldiers. We don't even know if this ability can even be obtained period by us. It could be a fluke of birth or genetic tampering with alien biology." He explained stoically "In any case the matter at hand is getting the Covies off this planet. If we can't make our own 'biotics', as they're called, then I suggest we use Shepard's men instead."

Ackerson was the first to stand up and protest the notion.

"You're not honestly going to trust them to get involved in this sensitive operation?" he asked lividly, receiving cold stares from each of the Joint Chiefs.

"We need all the assistance we can get for this assault Ackerson." Dresher reminded him "We can't play kid gloves now, not with defending Reach. You worry about Red Flag and keeping the local populous of this planet in the dark for now. Our concern lies with actual military operations. Rogue element or not, Shepard is an asset we are not going to neglect as long as he cooperates. So far he has."

"The the Normandy and its crew are too great an advantage to squander, despite our suspicions of their origins." McCarran added "We will use them as we see fit and deal with them ourselves shall their usefulness be put into question."

"Just as we do with you Colonel." Abernathy added "Never forget that."

Ackerson slumped back down in his chair. As the officers continued their little pow-wow without his interruption he sat and stewed. He hated being neglected by these people. They didn't understand how truly important he was. How they all needed him more than Shepard's band of merry xenos. He was still angry over the way they had shut down his attempt to strip the Normandy and whatever weapons it had for parts. Now they would have to negotiate and trade tech with Shepard when they could've got it free. And Shepard, that smug arrogant little bastard with his stupid looking non-regulation facial hair, he couldn't let him get away with mocking him.

He needed to by-pass this little roadblock they set up, a way to get Shepard back for trying to stifle his efforts designs. To convince these pompous Joint Chiefs they still needed him. Perhaps the answer lay in these biotics they were so fond of.

---

The Hunter armour had been laid out on the table for all to see. Tali and Mordin were presiding over it on one side of the slab, their many examination tools nearby, and Shepard on the other side looking down at the piece of metal that had so intrigued them. After a full day of running diagnostics, examinations, observations, test and various experiments they had finally seemingly cracked what they were dealing with. It was relatively easy to do so, since their suspicions were confirmed. They had seen this before.

"So it really is the same armour the Colossus on Haestrom had?" Shepard asked

"Yes and no," Mordin replied "similar but highly different in function. Also improved design, possible addition of pre-existing Covenant technology into Geth technology. Most ingenious. Jumbled mess of technologies. No doubt difficult to interface. Clever nonetheless."

Mordin's usual excited attitude helped the point somewhat get away from the professor. That was why Tali was here, not just to help but to get things back on track when needed. He looked to her and she quickly filled in the gaps Mordin hadn't exactly filled.

"It runs on a similar nanotech principle to the Colossus." She began slowly, but with reverence for the material in front of them nonetheless "Tiny little machines repairing damaged material at a lighting fast pace. But whereas the Colossus repaired damage to its synthetic body and shields, this armour's repair protocol fixes organic flesh. It mends damaged tendons, speeds up the regeneration process. As long as the damage isn't more extensive than the Hunter can handle it can survive. So using hand-cannons and shotguns won't work so well, as we saw when we fought it."

That meant the Hunter was inevitably tougher to kill, like a Vorcha on steroids and with a really big ass gun on its arm. Just what I always wanted, Shepard thought to himself disgruntled.

"And the shield?" he asked

"Tech from this universe," Mordin explained enthusiastically as he pointed at a large oval shaped device attached to the inside of the armour "an over-shield if you will. Similar in design to the one you encountered in fight with Shadow Broker, but looking through UNSC archives discovered truth. Armour upgrades used by both Elites and Spartans, involve covering wearer with protective shield when crouched. Invulnerable during period of activation. Impossible to penetrate. Integrated into regeneration protocol systems of this armour to keep Hunter from sustaining further damage during procedure."

Shepard had to admit, Mordin was right to call this ingenious. Of course the Geth did half the work, they just reverse engineered it somehow to be used with organics. Probably involved changing the nanotech's programming. Whatever the case, their suspicions were confirmed. The Covenant were stealing tech from their universe.

"This just reinforces the dire situation we're in." Shepard said as he eyed the armour, incensed at what it represented. An enemy that was different yet using the familiar to try and kill his people. Using his universes' tech to try and kill his crew "We're in an arms race here. We've delayed it long enough, we start upgrading today."

"Agreed." Mordin answered quickly "Suggest looking into armour ability nodes. Like the one on Hunter. As well as weapons. Give to Jacob. More than qualified to adapt them into current systems."

It was a start at least. Shepard knew they were gonna need more than that to take the Covenant down. So far their biggest advantage was biotics. Maybe the UNSC had a way to boost their powers. Even so Shepard would have to be careful when approaching them about it. Also the Hammerhead could use a few extra weapons. If he missed anything about the Mako it was the machine gun they packed along with the cannon. Surely the UNSC could spare something like the Gauss cannon he saw in combat yesterday. Properly installed it could be exceedingly effective. Bigger explosive rockets and missiles wouldn't hurt either.

Shepard wasn't ruling out the possibility of using the slug and bullet based weapons of the UNSC to better effect though. As long as they found a way to upgrade them, maybe they could add extra kick to the technically more primitive firearms. No doubt the UNSC also had some heavy weapons they could share as well. Overall it depended on how much they wanted his own guns. He briefly thought about bringing out the Cain to show off, but he honestly wondered if he could properly demonstrate it without killing somebody.

He turned to Tali, still thinking about what Kelly had told him, shifting the conversation to matters related to the ship.

"Holland pulled some strings, he's giving us a slipspace drive as I requested." He told her "We're gonna need it now that there are no Mass Relays to propel us around the galaxy like we're used to."

Tali looked at Shepard wide-eyed, if it weren't for her mask her mouth would probably be hitting the floor, so to speak. New technology, new ship technology in the form of a portable mass relay so to speak. She had hoped she'd get it, but she never thought it would be this soon. Shepard smiled as he saw the look on Tali's face brighten up in front of him. A nice change from when last he saw her and she was looking rather discontented. It was good feeling to know he could still make her smile.

"Surprised we got it as quickly as we did." Tali said astonished

"Holland said it wouldn't matter," Shepard explained "Covenant ships are faster than the UNSC's. Their slipspace generators are superior, so even if we were planning to double cross him the Covenant wouldn't bother taking our info. He's kinda hoping we can also bring our own technology to bare, make their slipspace tech better so to speak. Another reason we got it so quick. He also said something about even if it was somehow better than theirs they wouldn't take it anyway."

This caught everyone a bit off guard, confused as to why Holland was suggesting the Covenant would pass up on stealing human tech that could be seen as better.

"Why'd he say that?" Tali asked

"Didn't specify, said I should just read the Covenant files." Shepard answered "In any case it's also why we're getting new shielding. We should be able to absorb the plasma bolts better this time. No more scalding on the armour and no need to worry about a direct hit vaporizing us completely. Well, for at least one direct hit. We're still a tiny ship compared to what the Covenant has. Miniscule even. It's better if we try to rely on stealth systems if we can. See if we can interface our own shields with their upgrades, make them stronger."

Shepard picked up the Hunter armour and eyed it more closely, creasing his finger along the edge.

"We're also getting re-fueled and re-supplied. Along with other ship upgrades coming in. May even get tougher. slihgtly bigger thrusters to accommodate for the new gas." Shepard explained matter of factly "Hear it packs a wallop, very potent, but it's the closest approximation to the stuff we use back home. I'd like to have a good supply of it to last us a while Or we could always see how good their helium -3 supply is and mix it with hydrogen or vice versa. Which ever is more viable. Also they said something about coolant too, not sure they gave me a big old list of potential re-supplying and re-fitting options. Go through them with the engine crew see what works best."

Tali nodded in compliance, eager to get started on the upgrades herself. She had a nagging question though.

"Where will you be?" she asked, hoping the answer did not involve the Captain's quarters again, doing who knew what.

Shepard only sighed as he placed the armour down and began walking to the door.

"First I'm gonna see Grunt down at Medical." He explained sounding frustrated "Hear Chakwas is finally gonna let me see him. Then it's off to Sword Base, and Halsey."

The last word in that sentence sounded more disgruntled and angry than anything else had during the conversation. Shepard did not like the prospect of this coming meeting. No one did.

"Why give her the satisfaction?" Tali asked in a fervently disgusted tone at the mention of the mysterious doctor "She's blackmailing us. You're not one to give into demands that easily."

"When we're hanging by a thread I don't have a choice." Shepard admitted to her as he turned back "I may not like ONI or this Halsey character, but I don't wanna make them enemies. That and I should at least hear her out, who knows maybe she'll actually give us something to use instead of stonewalling us. Besides, I have to come clean about the Hunter armour at some point. Might as well be to the one person outside this ship who knows I have it."

Shepard continued walking out of the room, only looking back to talk to Tali once more.

"Slipspace Generator arrives in less than an hour." He told her with a smirk "Try not to salivate all over it okay? You'll drown yourself in your helmet I'd imagine."

Shepard left, leaving Mordin and Tali alone. The Salarian stroked his chin.

"Making sarcastic comments. Jokes. Humor." He noted "Improvement in personality from yesterday. Definitely more at ease. Possibly needed moment alone to calm nerves."

Tali was happy that Shepard seemed a bit more like his old self just now, but she couldn't agree fully with the professor.

"I don't know," she responded solemnly, a bit of concern in her throat "it sounded a bit forced."

Mordin's words hadn't meant to be discomforting, but there was also something else the Salarian had said that had brought her unease. She didn't voice her problem with the Professor's choice of words, but "Moment Alone" implied moment without her. Her stomach crumpled up at the thought, her joy at the prospect of Slipspace technology diminished.

---

Grunt felt angry, but only at himself. A Krogan super soldier bed ridden this long, pathetic. He hated every moment Chakwas forced him back down to the slab in the past two days. Threatening him not with sedation but getting the Commander to come down. Grunt always complied after that. He didn't want to face his battlemaster. Shepard was human, but he demanded respect. And obedience. He had been given neither at Sword Base.

The Krogan looked to the side and saw Chakwas talking with Shepard. He didn't look as mad, but knowing his battlemaster that could change on the fly given the situation. He thought he could hear Chakwas tell the Commander to "Go easy on him" and "He needs rest right now."

Both suggestions disgusted Grunt, he deserved no pity, not now. He had been coddled enough already.

Shepard stepped up to the wounded tankborn Krogan as Chakwas walked off to give them privacy. There was a long silence as Shepard stared at Grunt in the med-bay. The Krogan kept avoiding eye contact.

"Well," Shepard began, sounding rather mockingly sarcastic in his tone "what did we learn yesterday?"

Grunt gave no answer, not even a grumble of discontent. Shepard just marched in front of him, forcing the Krogan to at least stare at him in the chest.

"Well I'll tell you what we learned." He began to lecture, keeping his sardonic tone all the while, as if he were a disappointed parent to their shamed failure of a child.

Grunt didn't argue. After all, it was what he deserved to be addressed as. He probably deserved lower though.

"We learned that blood rage does not equal invincibility." The Commander continued "We also learned that it's best to listen to the Salarian doctor who knows your biology better than you do. And finally we don't charge head long into the gaping maw of a walking tank armed with a plasma cannon in one hand and a metal slab it uses as a billy club in the other."

Grunt still didn't answer, accepting the listings of his mistakes and failures during the fight. Accepting he had lost control. He wasn't accepting so far of Shepard being so lenient. Why wasn't he punishing him more? His battlemaster provided the answer.

"I'm not gonna reprimand you," Shepard assured him "I think you getting your pride being hurt is punishment enough. That and you probably already feel like shit and are regretting your actions anyway, like any true Krogan would in this situation."

"I deserve a greater punishment Battlemaster." Grunt argued "My pride besmirched your honour and that of my krant. "

"It was blood rage, the plasma got to your organs, and they got burnt." Shepard assured him "It happens to all Krogan eventually. How you avoided it for this long, I'm honestly shocked. In time you'll learn to control it."

Grunt still didn't feel it was right to get off this easy. Krogan who disappointed their battlemasters tended to receive some kind of harsh punishment. Battle plunder would be taken from them, they would lose breeding rights for a few days or weeks, their flesh would be marked or scarred deeply, sometimes they'd be thrown into a varren pit and required to fight their way out to prove their worth. Surely he deserved some kind of similar treatment for his actions.

"My actions were foolhardy and stupid," Grunt responded "I was a wild mindless animal, a rabid dog as you said. I deserve some form of punishment."

Shepard turned back to Grunt, he sighed exasperated. There was no sense in arguing with the Krogan, he'd probably just punish himself if he didn't.

"Fine," Shepard began "I'm confining you to the ship so you can reflect further on your actions. That good enough?"

Grunt just nodded, he hoped the discussion would end there. But Shepard was a talkative human, it rarely ever did just end with him. The Commander pulled Chakwas' chair and sat in front of the tankborn Krogan.

"Thing is though I think it was more than just blood rage." He admitted "You lost your self-control, but plasma burnt hearts and lungs alone didn't make you try to pound that Hunter's face in. Mind telling me what's wrong?"

Grunt looked away once more from Shepard, refusing to make eye contact.

"No, nothing." He said shakily "I have clan, food and enemies to fight. I am content. We went over this before."

"That was then," Shepard reminded him with a stern look "lately though you've been a bit more mouthy than usual. First you're arguing with Gardner over Ryncol. Next you're rushing down an alien ship's corridors to tear apart the highest ranking bad guy in the room. Even under blood rage you rush in to try and kill the biggest threat on the field. You're getting antsy Grunt, I can tell."

Grunt didn't answer at first, but despite his savage nature even knew lying to your battlemaster was dishonourable. He supposed he was trapped now anyway as Chakwas refused to let him leave the med-bay till tomorrow.

"I must pull my weight Shepard." He explained "Battle demands I prove myself. I must push myself."

"Why?" Shepard asked, requiring clarification.

"It was why I was made," Grunt responded quickly, finally turning to look at Shepard "and also how I was made."

Shepard slinked back into his chair, he'd let Grunt say his piece. He didn't need to pry, the Krogan was willing enough to open up to him. He'd let Grunt explain.

"I was created to be strong, most Krogan from the day they are born must struggle and fight and claw their way to where I am now." He said as he stared at his battered hands "Even the other tankborns needed to. They were weak, I know that. Not perfect, not as strong as me. But what strength they did have was earned nonetheless."

This conversation sounded familiar to Shepard.

"I thought you had gotten over this after your rite." He said confused "That you were okay with how you came to be."

"That was not the same. I lacked purpose and direction." Grunt corrected them "That was why I was angry. Now that I know that purpose I feel I must live up to it."

"How hard can it be?" Shepard asked with a smirk "You were designed by Okeer to be perfect remember?"

"Designed is to be given, true respect is earned." Grunt explained, groaning as he stood up from his bed and slowly marched over to the nearby window.

He looked out on the kitchen and dining table, the hallway leading to the gunnery bay. But more accurately it was more like he was staring out into nothing.

"Krogan born on Tuchanka must fight through trials and tribulations for years, earning scars and battle trophies long before they participate in the rite of passage, the ascendance to adulthood." Grunt continued, sounding rather melancholy at it all "I was born on a garbage world in a tank, and my first battles involved tearing apart mercenary bands and pirates on distant worlds. Inside stations, clean halls and where luxuries that exist nowhere on Tuchanka reside in droves."

"They were still good fights weren't they?" Shepard asked "Like Horizon, and Purgatory."

Grunt nodded briefly, but did not turn his gaze back to his commander.

"They were good fights, but they were nothing compared to what occurs on Tuchanka." Grunt clarified "It is said the warlord Kradoc on a hunt once wrestled a wild pack of Varren, only ceasing when he killed the Alpha and ate his heart. He was still young, had not taken the rite. That was one of his first true tests, one that was earned. But my strength and prowess are all borrowed and taken from the efforts of others. I have not had to grow up on Tuchanka. The respect is not earned."

Shepard did not seem to agree on how Grunt was underselling himself. Was he forgetting all they had accomplished? All they had done together?

"We killed a damn thresher maw during your rite!" Shepard told him, practically shouting his head off in disbelief at all he was hearing "You got a dozen or so breeding requests! How does that not translate to respect?"

"That does not mean my origins will be overlooked." Grunt responded as he turned to Shepard, a glum look on his face "I've spent more time offworld in my entire life than most Krogan. My birthplace isn't even on Tuchanka as others who left and returned can at least attest to. Killing the thresher maw did earn me accolades, but it is precarious veneration nonetheless. I have purpose among the Krogan, to help Clan Urdnot and Clan leader Wrex achieve its goals. Somewhat parallel to Okeer's, but less underhanded, tyrannical, ruthless and insane. To unite the Krogan, to return us to glory. To survive."

Shepard was finally getting it now. If having Wrex as a ship mate once taught him anything, top of the list was how Krogan worked.

"You feel like you need to keep topping yourself." Shepard realised "You want to take on the toughest asshole on the battlefield and tear him apart. You need to prove that killing the maw wasn't a fluke, that you are Krogan. Tankborn or otherwise."

Grunt nodded enthusiastically, he didn't need to add to the statement. He had laid it out pretty nicely. Shepard did add to the statement though.

"You don't need to prove anything to anyone," Shepard told him "least of all to this crew or Clan Urdnot. I know you're Krogan and I know for a matter of fact that Wrex does too. Shouldn't that be enough? Why go bloodlusting to get the respect of a few more hold-outs."

Grunt marched back to his bed and sat back down, his breathing becoming steady as he stared at his feet.

"A Krogan is measured by the strength of his enemies." Grunt reminded Shepard "That is what Urdnot Wrex told you. I must seek out foes that are stronger than me. I must prove to myself more than anyone else I earned my clan and my purpose."

There was no sense forcing the issue with Grunt, he got this idea into his head and it wasn't gonna leave anytime soon. It was Shepards place as battlemaster to try and help him, but that didn't mean he could provide the answer.

Shepard got up to leave giving Grunt a light punch in the arm.

"I don't want you to kill yourself trying to prove something you've damn well earned Grunt." Shepard told him "In time you'll see this isn't necessary. You don't have to keep testing your limits to prove you're Krogan. You've earned the right to call yourself that a thousand times over."

Shepard went for the door, as it slid open Grunt called out to him.

"You gonna give the Drell a lecture now too?" he asked

"No," Shepard replied, a bit disgruntled at the suggestion "I think Thane's problem is more complicated. I need to give him time for the moment. Right now, I need to go to my own appointed check up. Stay in med-bay till Chakwas says otherwise. That's an order."

Shepard left, leaving the Krogan to stare once more at his hands. Their bandaged and broken nature caused a frown to crawl across his face.

"Stupid and weak." He said to himself

The Krogan would need to figure this all out on his own, with any luck his battlemaster would be there to pick up the pieces from the inevitable fall.

---

Kowalski and Ellingham, two marines who hadn't expected their stay on Reach to be an eventful one, that they'd end up guarding an ONI Base cause command called down for cavalry. The two were trying their best to fit in amongst the other GIs, but the facility's resident Trooper population was a bit of a worry.

Troopers and Marines had always had a bit of rivalry. Back before the days of the UNSC, Army and Marine battalions always cracked jokes at each other's expense. Things hadn't changed much in the prevailing years. They had gotten pushed to the back of the line by Troopers that kept cutting them off. They both restrained themselves from making too much of a scene over it.

Still, the two had found other things to talk about besides unit rivalries. Specifically the 'unofficial' alien allies they had encountered yesterday.

"You know it's nice to not have to worry about the aliens trying to kill us for once." Ellingham mentioned enthusiastically "Helps that a number of them ain't too bad to look at."

"I only saw two female aliens among them." Kowalski told him, sounding more reserved "The other three were human."

"So what? They're all pretty hot anyway." Ellingham responded, cracking a smile "Hell I've never even seen a female alien throughout this war. It's refreshing to say the least."

Kowalski found an alleyway to make his own joke.

"Careful what you wish for pal, as butt ugly as the Elites are I'd hate to find out what their girls looks like." Kowalski laughed

Ellingham didn't really budge on the issue. In fact he turned it around on Kowalski.

"They probably look okay as long as they got a bag over their heads I figure." He suggested "Personally I think I'd prefer more of that blue chick's species. Especially if they all wear them V-Necks like her."

Kowalski just sighed, everything always came back to boobs and ass with Ellingham. He ignored it for the most part, but sometimes it was funny. As they finally exited out of the lunch line and into the mess hall they encountered another member of their unit, Corporal Pearson.

"Damn them troopers are pushy." He noted "They pull the same shit with you two?"

"More or less," Kowalski admitted "best just to ignore it I think. Blowing off steam what with the Covenant and all."

"Yeah I guess," Person agreed "so what we talking 'bout here?"

They didn't answer right away, after navigating to an appropriate table and sitting down Kowalski formally filled the Pearson in.

"Well Ellingham was comparing the blue alien that helped us out yesterday to the possible appearance of an Elite chick." Kowalski explained "Weird conversation I know, but Ellingham is a sick perverted fuck like that."

Ellingham just snorted at Kowalski as he began to dig in. Pearson however had now just been reminded he'd been sorta thinking about the same thing yesterday.

"Oh yeah, the blue babe with the mind powers," he noted "you know she gave me a bit of a brainstorm."

"Was that all she gave you?" Ellingham laughed

"Not the point, hear me out first alright!"

Kowalski rested his head on his fist, he figured this was gonna be good.

"Here's how I figure it, these aliens are uptight religious assholes right? And they ain't exactly lookers either." Pearson began "So I got to thinking, maybe this whole damn heretic thing is just a cover. Maybe they're jealous our chicks are better looking."

"I think you've been watching too many of them old sci-fi flicks from the 20th Pearson." Kowalski laughed

"No just think about it," Pearson continued unabated "you think they'd be so hot on killing us if they had some hot blue alien ass like that psychic babe we saw toss them grunts around? No I don't think they'd give a shit about us or their shitty religion. I'm telling you it's all about pussy, you want peace with these alien bastards? Grab some xeno hookers, drop'em on their home planet, no fucking war!"

"Interesting theory Pearson, why don't you tell the Covies that next time you have to blast their brains out?" Kowalski laughed.

Pearson, however remained remarkably serious about it all, despite the huge grin on his face. He was joined by a now cracking up Ellingham.

"Honestly it's lack of pussy that fucks races up!" Pearson insisted "They wouldn't care so much about coming over here and wrecking our shit if their leaders spent more time building up their pussy infrastructure instead of bopping around the universe looking for ancient techno-crap. They'd be a lot happier and less inclined to murder us."

Kowalski cracked a smile, but Ellingham... well it was a good thing he had already swallowed his food or he'd be choking. Unfortunately Pearson's lecture on his hypothesis for galactic peace through intercourse was interrupted when Kowalski eyed a seemingly unfriendly sight. Army Troopers coming right for them.

"Ah crap, troopers." He groaned "Probably about to read us the riot act."

"You'd think they'd be a bit more grateful." Ellingham added "Why bust our chops? What did we do?"

The troopers, three of them one a Corporal stopped in front of them, each of them with a smug smile.

"Well if it ain't a pack of Devil Dogs," said the Army Corporal cuttingly "chowing down on our hospitality as it were? What's a matter MRE's in the Marine Corps not good enough for ya? Need some real man's food or something?"

"Hey give us a break pal," Kowalski told him "we've had to deal with you jerks butting in line for the past hour. We're lucky this stuff is still warm."

"It ain't nothing personal pal," The Army Corporal assured "you guys ride in all of a sudden like the Lone Ranger and try and show us up after we're battling the Covies since wave one. You were second wave reinforcements. The guys just feel like blowing off some steam is all."

Ellingham stared up at the Troopers, feigning anger.

"We saved your asses you ungrateful grunt." He told him off "Thats more than what the Elites do for their own grunts. Mind showing us a bit more respect."

The Army Corporal just snorted as he and his buddies took up some chairs near them. They could now see his name tage more clearly, Daer.

"We didn't need any rescuing, we had them new guys from that ship they picked up helping out remember?" he reminded them "That and the Spartans came in to lend a hand. Don't give yourselves a pat on the back for other people's work man."

Kowalski had noticed they weren't bugging the Spartans for stealing their glory. Then again Spartans could and would break their necks, and they sure as hell wouldn't get called on it neither like the Marines probably would. Still, everyone was remaining civil for the most part, nothing to get riled over really, just some Troopers acting tough is all.

Pearson of course diverted the conversation away from the rivalry.

"You know we were just talking about the newcomers a bit," he said "Kowalski and Ellingham here saw them in action."

That got all three of the Troopers attention.

"Really? Damn, my unit got separated from them during the initial attack. Didn't get much of a chance to check them out." Daer admitted "You see the one with the catsuit?"

"Yeah, think she's named Miranda or something." Ellingham admitted

"Damn, I don't know what militia group she came from but if that's their standard issue uniform for female combatants I'm thinking maybe we should sign up." He laughed

Kowalski sometimes honestly wondered if everyone in the UNSC military was a sex deprived/crazed maniac now.

"You think they're from a militia group?" asked Pearson "What about the aliens?"

"Hell, my theory is they're all some kind of renegade cadre of former UNSC personnel." Daer explained "Decided to kick Covie ass on their own terms or something. Aliens, who knows, maybe they're reps of some species the Covenant don't like much either. They could be just one of a dozen cells for all we know. Big Galaxy out there."

"So what you trust them or something?" Ellingham asked

The Army Corporal swished his head side to side as he thought of his answer.

"Meh, I guess in a fight. I don't want them against me." he answered as he took in a breath through his nose "But renegades have a tendency to fly off the handle, do stupid shit, probably abandon the battlefield to pull off some stupid stunt of their own. Not very trustworthy in that sense are they? Still, I'm a sucker for the hot babes they got with them."

Truth be told, while Kowalski wondered if anyone wasn't horny as hell in this military he did understand why. Fraternization in combat was looked down upon and while they had been forced into the all branches of the UNSC military, woman soldiers were difficult to come by. They tended to get less physically demanding jobs, if any of them were Air Force for example they'd be swamped with female pelican and falcon pilots. Marines didn't get as many "chicks" so to speak.

Now they were getting a rather unexpected but not unwelcome sight of females jumping up to the frontlines. While their uniforms weren't regulation, for the moment, no one was complaining. Also the fantasy of every red bloodied Space Marine or Trooper was female aliens that actually both looked hot and weren't trying to kill them all. The blue woman with the psychic powers was like a silent prayer answered.

The brass probably wouldn't think much of the idea of cross-species relations, UNSC tended to be more xenophobic than anything. But whatever reservations the Marines and Troopers had about working with xenos, Kowalski knew that for a bunch soldiers who had been fighting an endless war for over two decades now, differing species didn't matter so much when hormones were concerned. A girl was a girl, no matter the color of the skin. Besides, it wasn't like any of them wanted to start a real relationship. That got complicated in their line of work anyway. Fantasizing about one-night stands wasn't gonna raise many eyebrows. Even then though, they knew the officers wouldn't appreciate human soldiers fraternizing with xenos. It would be career suicide, didn't stop them from dreaming though.

There were other obstacles however, as Ellingham pointed out.

"Let's be honest with ourselves, I think these girls are a bit out of our league." Ellingham told everyone

"Bullshit man, we're fucking Troopers. Speak for yourselves." Daer spat at them all "Maybe they're too much to handle for you guys, but us? Different story."

"I don't think we're that out of their league actually." Pearson protested "I think the bald chick with the tattoos would push us up against a wall just for the hell of it."

Kowalski shuddered a bit at the thought.

"That girl scares me," he said "During the courtyard fight before the Spartans arrived I saw her. Only briefly for like a second before we got pushed back. But it was her no doubt. She pulled some poor dumb Grunt's head off and started beating his buddies to death with it. Way too homicidal for my blood. The Psychic powers make me worry she'd break me in half before anything else."

"What about the alien wearing that space-suit?" Ellingham asked "She looked more stable and she's got a pair of rocking hips too. I'd think you'd stand a shot with her, she's probably not that high maitenance."

"Not much of a hip man to be honest." Kowalski admitted

Pearson stared off in one direction of the mess hall, a giant smile crossing his face.

"How you with girls that look like they got tentacles for hair then?" he asked

Everyone turned to where he was looking, eager to find out what the hell he was talking about. That's when they saw her, Samara, the blue alien woman they were all so hot to talk about. She was walking along the outside of the tables towards the lunchline, and she was getting stares all the way. But whereas most just took a look and went back to their food, Kowalski's little group was enthralled.

"What is she doing here?" Ellingham asked "You'd think they'd have food on their ship or something."

"Maybe she wants to try out human food." Said one of the troopers

"Well you could always ask her yourself." Pearson suggested in kind

The Troopers were quick to back off from the dare, fiddling in their seats slightly.

"Hey whoa man, we don't want rumours flying round about us being xenophiles, not in public at least." Daer protested "Besides, you all seem so big on proving you can actually play with the big boys, one of you go talk to her."

Now it was the Marines' turn to get cold feet. Talk to the powerful alien with the power to crush stuff with her mind? Sure she wasn't the bald girl with the similar powers but they were all wary of the prospect. They shot aliens, they didn't flirt with them. It was a new experience for them to say the least.

Of course it didn't stop Pearson from singling out one of his own.

"How about you Kowalski?"

The private sat up right in his chair a bit shocked at the suggestion.

"Me?" he said nervously "Why me? I've barely said anything about this stuff."

"Oh live the dream stick in the mud! Chances are you're gonna die in the next few days with the Covies planetside." Pearson reminded him "Bite the bullet and try, this ain't high school man. Stop acting like a freshman."

The Troopers for their part added their own two cents.

"Hell, I'd like to see how Marines pick up girls myself." Said Daer mockingly "Who knows, maybe I'll miraculously pick up a pointer or two, even broken clocks get something right twice a day right?"

Kowalski still said he wasn't sure, but before long the entire table was egging him on, chanting his name and pounding the table with their fists. Annoyed, and figuring if anyone was going to talk to the strange alien it might as well be him. The other alpha males around this place would probably just give her a bad impression of the corps. So, to much fanfare and shouts of "Atta Boy!" he stood up and headed back towards the lunch line.

On the way he thought over exactly what he was gonna say. His name of course, remind her about himself and the fact she saved his ass yesterday. That sounded like a good opener. He wondered though if in her culture she'd be offended by it somehow. Well he'd wing it from the opener he thought, ask the question as to why she was here when they were properly introduced.

As he approached he caught the tail end of the conversation she was having with the cook.

"I'm not sure exactly what you can eat to be honest." The cook said sheepishly, trying not to look to flummoxed about serving an alien.

"We are made of the same amino acids, I assure you." She said politely, yet emotionlessly it seemed "What would you recommend?"

The cook was a bit confused it seemed about the amino acid line, Kowalski himself was too. He never was one for chemistry or whatever class that stuff belonged in.

"Well, uh..." the cook answered "we got chicken. Well actually it's like emu or moa whatever. They farm'em all over Reach, we got the surplus. Not sure how good it is."

"It will be satisfactory, thank you." The alien woman replied humbly as the plate of bird meat passed onto her.

As Samara left the line she was confronted by Kowalski, trying his best not to fumble his words as he summoned up the courage.

"Damnit," he thought "you're a marine jackass act like it!"

"Hi," he finally announced to a perplexed Samara "I'm Private Kowalski. Uh we sorta met yesterday in the courtyard, you saved my ass from a whole heap of grunts."

The Asari Justicar remained dignified and regal all the way, not even cracking a smile as she responded. But she didn't sound displeased, so Kowalski had that going for him he figured.

"Samara." She said simply and humbly "I remember you. You were part the ground team we encountered when we landed. It is good to hear that you are safe private and that my actions may have played a role."

"It was pretty badass how you sent them grunts flying." Kowalski added "Kinda wish I had superpowers like that sometimes."

Samara just nodded and began to walk away, but Kowalski kept in step beside her.

"So what brings you down to meet us regular rifleman exactly?" he asked "Ship too stuffy?"

"Actually I was here on official business." She explained "So far the greatest advantage my crew has is our biotic abilities. Commander Shepard has seen fit to request that a formal training area for me and the other biotically inclined members of the Normandy have a place to train powers outside the cramped quarters of the ship."

Well it made sense, you didn't want to bust a window in there did ya? So she wasn't here for the food alone, she came here only because a return trip would be too much of a hassle.

"So where'd they set you up?" he asked

"A damaged area of the base in need of repairs." She answered "It is not currently being used after what the Covenant did to it. I have already run a few simulations on the courses. They are intriguing, but could use a bit more... creative input."

Kowalski got what she was saying, he had run the obstacle courses before in boot camp. They weren't exactly fun, or entirely imaginative. Especially when he heard about ONI designing a good chunk of them, they always tried to find more efficient ways of training. All of them based on statistics and graphs it would seem,

"Probably just making you toss around barrels huh?" he asked "Sucks."

"You may come see for yourself." She told him, a slight smile on her face "The room is open for viewing by the garrison. There's nothing of any real value strategically to see so ONI doesn't feel like limiting the audience. They also said something about 'knowing who to hide behind in a fight' I believe."

"Cool," Kowalski said beaming brightly "me and some of my unit would probably enjoy that. Thanks for offering."

"The pleasure is all mine private." Samara assured "I feel honoured to demonstrate my abilities and have them appreciated by fellow warriors. You do not realise how few admirers an Asari Justicar tends to get, even for the secluded life we lead. It is an awfully lonely existence, it is refreshing to have that change."

Kowalski was a bit perplexed at what exactly an Asari Justicar was, but damn it if this woman wasn't actually giving him a chance to talk things out here. He wasn't about to let it pass up that quickly.

"What is an Asari Justicar?" he asked

"That is my species, Asari." Samara explained, her calm regal demeanour never wavering "Justicar is my, occupation if you will. I belong to a monastic order dedicated to preserving the cause of justice."

"You mean sorta like the Spartans?" Kowalski asked

He knew it wasn't entirely like that. Spartans weren't monks, and helping man survive was of greater importance than justice at times. Samara thought the comparison in her head for a moment before answering.

"Yes," she answered politely "I would believe that is a somewhat accurate correlation Private Kowalski. I look forward to hopefully seeing you and your comrades again. I will eat as quickly as I can before returning to training."

Kowalski looked down at the plate of Emu Meat Samara was carrying.

"You sure you wanna eat that?" he asked "I mean... it ain't exactly my idea of free range. I could probably scrounge up something better from the cook."

"A Justicar does not concern herself with such comforts." She explained "Our minimalist existence teaches us to appreciate what is offered and what we have. Not what we desire. But thank you for the offer. Safe travels Private."

With that Samara left and Kowalski let her go. As he walked slowly back to his fellow comrades he felt a slight bit of pride in himself. First contact with the alien visitors had actually gone well. For one, he came out without his brains scrambled. That was always a great indicator of a good conversation. As his fellow Marines congratulated him, he wondered a bit about the biotic training area. He was curious to know what else these people could do.

---

Shepard at last came to the door of Doctor Halsey, after winding through corridors that seemed to stretch on forever. As the doors slid open upon his approach, Shepard got a glimpse at the Doctor's small office. There wasn't much around, it seemed to have been hastily set up. There some bookshelves, that were largely bare, a decent enough sized desk towards the back and a few decorative pictures of landscapes and some animals but nothing substantial like degrees or awards. He kind of expected to see that when he walked into a Doctor's office. Chances were, this was just a room she decided to use when she wasn't behind glass doing whatever.

The real meat of this room actually lay on the desk. With several small screens pressed up against Halsey's face, Laptops and the like with several important notes and sciencey stuff on them no doubt. Shepard wasn't big on finding out what was on them to be frank. He wasn't here for idle chatter.

Halsey was sitting down, writing on paper, scanning the screens and all around looking particularly busy. She reach to the right and picked up a cup of coffee, which she just as quickly spat back into the cup and set down.

"Damn, gone cold again." She thought aloud. It was only now she noticed Shepard as she looked up from her screens. "Ah, Commander sit down please. We have much to discuss."

Shepard did as told, although he kept a rather disgruntled look on his face as he did. Halsey noticed his glowering stare and before he could say anything she produced a data disc. She placed it carefully in front of her and slid it over into Shepard's hand.

"Footage of your alien friend in the enviro-suit," she told him "taking the armour and placing it in a storage crate before helping it onto a shuttle. Rest assured it has been removed from the mainframe, that is the last copy. Although I'd strongly advise telling Holland what you have learned from the armour regardless."

Shepard pocketed the device in his N7 armour's storage compartment on his arm. Despite the fact he now didn't have to worry about being discovered before he was ready, he still wasn't happy.

"So do all doctors who work at ONI partake in blackmail?" he asked, his voice exceedingly disdainful.

Halsey appeared a bit annoyed at the accusation as she closed one of her laptop screens.

"I assure you Commander, this was not blackmail. I never intended to show the footage to anyone." She said in her defence "I believed you'd trust me more if you knew I was protecting you. Had I not intervened and stole the footage you would probably be in hot water with both of our superiors."

"You only did it cause you want something out of me." Shepard retorted bitterly "Like Ackerson does, except he's more direct about it."

Now it was Halsey's turn to be disgruntled and frustrated. She clearly did not appreciate Shepard's continued accusations.

"I don't like Ackerson anymore than you do Commander," she insisted "haven't you heard the proverb about the enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

"I've had to deal with someone who insisted that was the case once before ma'am." Shepard replied "Turned out trusting him was a mistake. Forgive me if I'm wary."

Halsey just shrugged, letting the accusations slip by the wayside. It was best to drop it, this wasn't why she wanted Shepard to speak with her.

"Perhaps then it would better if we were more open with one another then." Halsey explained "So as to better facilitate a sense of trust."

"Couldn't hurt." Shepard admitted "You want to ask me about my universe I guess?"

Halsey nodded, adding a slight smile to her face as she did.

"You are perceptive." She complimented "You tend to have us at a disadvantage you see, we're spending so much time telling you everything about this universe you haven't talked about your own at length."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow at this. That statement sounded like she actually believed the story he kept telling everyone about his crew.

"You playing into my delusions here?" he asked mockingly

"Please Shepard, I'm a scientist I follow the evidence where it leads me." She proclaimed "Aliens serving under a human officer, weapon systems unlike ours, psychic-like abilities, while outlandish your story holds up concerning the facts. The only option I have is to believe you."

"Well at least someone does." Shepard told her, his grimace fading into a more bland stare "So what do you wanna know?"

Shepard had a feeling the first question was going to pertain to the aforementioned psychic-like abilities. He was right on the mark.

"These biotics of yours," she began "what can you tell me of them?"

"Only that you shouldn't waste your time and you shouldn't really call them psychic abilities." Shepard assured her "If you wanna know how get them you can't. Only Asari, aliens back where I'm from, have a natural affinity for it. It's rarer in humans and other species."

Halsey leaned forward, seemingly intrigued. One hand was supporting her chin, the other a pencil on a paper.

"Explain why?" she asked

"Most human biotics got the way they are by being exposed to a certain element, one I don't think you're capable of collecting and won't be of any use to you even if you can collect it." He continued matter of factly "You have to get exposed to it while you're still in the womb and even then there's no guarantee. I don't think you have the time to raise up a biotic army with the Covenant so close to Earth as it were."

Halsey wrote it all down, but she looked just a tad bit disappointed. Perhaps, even a bit nostalgic for some reason.

"I see, unfortunate." She said in a low regretful voice. However she soon perked up once more. "And this element? What is it called?"

"I'd rather not say." Shepard responded flatly "Just know it's no good to you for your un-voiced intended purposes. You wanna use it? You're gonna have to work with us on it and use it for other things, like weapons and shields. Things you can practically use here and now."

"That requires us to have a similar level of knowledge about it you know." Halsey informed him rather plainly "In any case I'll explain this to my superiors. Nevertheless, watch your crew Shepard. People like Ackerson won't take this information at face value. They may try to harm your people in a futile attempt to gain these biotic powers."

Shepard appreciated the warning in all honesty. Considering the fact he had arranged for a biotic training ground to be set up at Sword Base temporarily that would be useful information to pass on to his friends. He didn't want any of them getting a knife in the back, especially when the motive behind it would be pointless anyway.

"Thank you I'll relay that to my team." He assured "But I think they can handle themselves. They won't let a bunch of underhanded secret agents outwit them."

"For their sake I hope they won't." Halsey added "Now, about your universe's system of government. Systems Alliance, is that similar to the UNSC structure?"

Shepard shrugged, he honestly didn't know the answer to that. He wasn't sure how the UNSC was structured at all.

"Well we still have individual nations on Earth," he said "but the prevailing governmental body is the Alliance. They manage the colonies, the stations the fleets. Sound familiar?"

"Very." Halsey confirmed "And considering you have a wide array of aliens aboard your ship I can only assume your first contact hopefully went better than ours."

Shepard rubbed the back of his neck nervously, sucking in air through his teeth as he did.

"Yeah, define 'better' would you?" he asked

Halsey pressed herself back in her chair, a bewildered look on her face.

"So it didn't go so well then?" she asked

"First aliens we met were Turians." Shepard replied quickly "they found us messing with a mass relay."

"Ah I read the report." Halsey cut in "the massive ancient constructs that propel you around the galaxy like a gunshot."

Shepard supposed that was accurate, of course right now he was glad he didn't let slip who built the things. Halsey probably would think he was crazy. Or maybe she'd be intrigued and ask even more questions, who knew?

"Pretty much, although I think it's faster than your Slipspace." Shepard argued "Drawback though is that you need to go to a relay to actually get anywhere. Which tends to mean we're relying on FTL drives to get around within clusters to different systems. As far as I know, your Slipspace drives are potentially faster than our FTL at least, and definitely more versatile and accurate."

"These mass relays sound a bit inconveniently placed." Halsey noted "If your system was to get attacked and the relay taken you would probably be trapped within your system at the enemy's mercy."

Shepard cringed a bit at the thought. If only Halsey knew how relevant that little tidbit was to their current situation back home. The Mass Relays were a part of the overall trap of the Reapers.

"Yeah," he said quickly deviating back onto the subject "anyway tampering with relays is a bit of a no-no among the aliens back home. We didn't know about that though. The Turians opened up, followed our ships back to the nearest colony planet Shanxi and bombed the living crap out of the place. We had to retake the colony after it surrendered, the war didn't spread further because the Asari intervened. Diplomacy won in the end, thankfully."

"Interesting response to such a peace treaty." Halsey noted sounding curious "Most Marines would want to take the fight to the Turian homeworld I'd imagine."

Shepard figured that was how they worked here, no one had stepped in to broker a settlement between Covenant and Human like they were lucky enough to get. Still, he didn't blame them considering the Covenant's motivation.

"Truth be told the whole war started and ended within a year. I was only three at the time." He explained "Don't really remember much about it. I think I spent the months it was happening watching cartoons and eating cereal more than anything. All I remember is the announcement that we weren't alone."

"And you don't harbour any ill will towards the Turians?" Halsey asked

"What do you think?" he asked giving her a look with a perched eyebrow "I have one on my ship and he's one of my closest friends. I don't bare grudges over stuff like that. I'm just happy the situation resolved itself before things got infinitely worse. We both made mistakes in the war, but cooler heads inevitably prevailed. I'm grateful for that. It's unfortunate things in this universe have escalated as fast as they have."

Halsey all the while took notes concerning Shepard's responses, and even started to doodle a sketch of the Commander's face. To say she was intrigued by Shepard's open mind and progressive was an understatement. She could tell right away she made the right decision in asking him to see her.

"I think many would agree on that account." Halsey responded "Although in our case, there is no misunderstanding. No room for cooler heads as it were."

"No, I guess not." Shepard agreed "Zealots rarely ever negotiate. More often than not they end up forcing your hand. I'd like to say it was different, but just because I prefer talking things out doesn't mean I'm not naive Doctor. When push comes to shove, we have to push back."

Halsey seemed strangely distant at those words, she paused for a moment. She didn't even write anything down in her continuing growing notes. She looked to the side, staring at one of her open screens. Picture's Noble Team's profiles cascaded across it.

"Yes, how true." she said, sounding somewhat cheerless "Funny how often our last resort becomes our only option. Inevitably turning it into our first push so to speak."

---

The excitement in engineering was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Tali mused over the device as it was wheeled down and placed in the center of the hanger. Ken and Gab joined their Quarian boss as they crowded around it. It was just a bit bigger than a FTL drive, but it was compact nonetheless. The UNSC said it was the smallest one they could get. But size didn't matter to Tali, the applications of this device mattered.

A Slipspace generator, practically a portable mass relay, compartmentalized for ships. Sure, it wasn't as fast as a relay, but it was too damn impressive an invention in Tali's eyes for that to be a detriment. She always dreamed of somehow giving her people technology to cross the vast Galaxy in days or hours without needing to go through relays. This device held the answer. And with the proper tweaking, who knew, maybe they could make it go faster than or equal to a relay. She wasn't getting her hopes up though, she'd settle for just making it fater than FTL.

Kenneth however was a bit more perplexed as to why they needed it.

"Okay we have an FTL right?" he asked "Do we seriously need to attach this bloody thing on top of it?"

"Ken we explained this didn't we?" Gab said annoyed at having to repeat herself "Mass Relays don't exist here. We need to keep up with the UNSC ships somehow."

"Well what's the difference between this thing and FTL anyway?" Ken asked loudly "They work on the same principle."

Tali wondered a bit if this argument was jsut Ken's attempt to get out of extra work. Or if he honestly didn't get why this equipment was so special. Tali didn't mind, she loved gushing about this thing.

"FTL propels us at faster than light speed by reducing the ship's mass," Tali began to explain "Slipspace from what I can gather is far different. We shift into a plane of existence between spaces. We exist in sub-dimension between space, cutting travel time in half. It doesn't generate thrust either. We essentially have to propel ourselves through a rift in time and space towards our destination. Theoretically, it could potentially be faster than FTL given the proper overhaul of thing! If we do make it faster, we can increase this ship's speed ten fold and get anywhere in the Galaxy from anywhere we are currently. No waiting to get back to a Relay."

Gab herself added her own two cents to the lecture.

"And we don't need to get clearance from the Relay traffic controllers to make a jump." She told Ken as she elbowed his arm "That and no wasting fuel to get back to the relay after surveying a whole cluster. Hell we could even use slipspace to cut our travel from one system to the other in half. Once we get it to go faster of course."

Ken however, didn't seem entirely impressed.

"Fine, it's a portable relay, I get it." Ken relinquished "But just because it can zip across the galaxy even better than FTL after tinkering with it for a wee bit doesn't mean we really need it. Our ship can practically fit inside anyone of the behemoths these people use. We can just hitch ride."

"We need to be self-sufficient Ken." Tali informed him "We can't just, what's that human saying? Mooch of others like that. Besides, this operation is twofold. The UNSC says the Covenant have a better understanding of Slipspace, their ships are apparently faster. They estimate they can reach speeds of up to over 900 lightyears a day. If we could somehow find a way to make these human slipspace drives more efficient it could be a real boost to their war effort. And our own ship as well."

And get the numerous Troopers, Marines and officers of the UNSC to trust them more. But that went without saying. Tali knew installing this thing would be difficult, technologies would need to be interfaced, there would be connection troubles, they'd need to solve the stability problems, but they had time. If the Covenant could make a Geth repair function work on an organic this would be a cinch.

As Tali beamed at the prospect of working on this device over night, getting a closer look at it, looking at its innards as the thing was installed, she felt a bit lightheaded. She attributed it at first to her excitement leaving her a bit dazed and breathless. Then she yawned. It did not go unnoticed by Gab and Ken.

"Hey boss you alright?" Gab asked

"Just fine Daniels," she assured the fellow engineer "just a little tired I guess."

The two human techies however noticed something different. Tali's posture had been a bit slumped and her head tended to nod forward at times as well. This wasn't her first yawn in the day either. Behind the faceplate they could even make out Tali's weary looking eyes.

"You kinda look a bit more winded than usual to be honest." Ken told her concerned "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"I was up most of last night deciphering that Hunter armour piece with Mordin." Tali admitted "It was a bit tougher to crack than we hoped."

With that Gab and Ken exchanged worried glances with each other. As much as they enjoyed Tali's tenacity for her job as well as her expertise, they weren't sure if she should be handling heavy machinery and wires today.

"Maybe you should take five, boss." Gab told her "We can handle the first phase of installation and you can lead us for the rest."

Tali's expression turned from excitement to horror. Her eyes could be seen bulging out in shock at the suggestion as she jumped back.

"What? No!" she declared "I'm fine really! I'm not passing up a second of getting a look at this thing! I'm just drowsy a bit that's all, nothing that can get in the way of the job."

"It's technically protocol that if you got saggy eyes its better if ya just lay down." Ken countered.

"I've worked longer hours than this." Tali assured them both with a straight face "I think I can handle an installation of a drive, even one as advanced as this. Besides who would replace me?"

Gab and Ken thought the question over for a moment before answering it thusly.

"How about Legion?" Ken responded "It knows its way around the ship's drive core and FTL drive. Slipspace drives should be no problem."

Tali was about to contest that. Legion, while skilled at ships and engineering, wasn't as experienced with this kind of technology as she was. She had studied FTL drives all her life, she had been assigned to it numerous times as part of the maintenance crew back on Raaya in her youth and on the Neema after her pilgrimage. She had been working on them in the first Normandy. She had studied other preposed methods of achieving FTL speeds in her youth. Well her father had made sure she did, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy it.

Legion was still a machine, it couldn't think like an organic. There was a hell of a lot of difference between knowing what to do and actually having studied for the scenario they were facing. Still, before she could explain all of this Gab and Ken, EDI chimed in over the loudspeaker in the hanger.

"Legion is currently off-ship." She explained "It, or perhaps they, said it had to gather data. I can only imagine that it is currently surveying the local population of Sword Base as we speak."

Ken threw up his arms annoyed.

"Great, he's gonna be at that for hours." He moaned "Even with his super advanced brain and everything."

"You know we can't really call Legion a 'he' Ken." Gab argued "Technically there's more than one of them. They're just all inside that platform of his."

"Whatever, it has a male voice, it's confusing." Ken shot back "In any case I still think Tali should get some rest."

"I don't need it." Tali repeated once more.

Tali really wanted them to just drop it, she already wasn't feeling too great. The least they could do was let her have this. Of course they didn't know about some of her relationship problems. So she couldn't blame them, still didn't mean she was gonna just walk out on this technological marvel. Sadly, EDI continued to push, specifically into an area that made Tali feel worse.

"If you are tired Tali'Zorah," she began "you need not worry about taking time off. I have already asked the UNSC to provide us with some extra help concerning this installation."

Tali raised an eyebrow, not liking where this was going.

"What help?" she asked "A specialist? Some kind of Slipspace engineer they have?"

"No," EDI stated "the program Auntie Dot is well versed in the proper procedures concerning Slipspace generator installation."

Tali's face turned sullen and her stare looked up at ceiling where EDI's voice was coming from. Dot? The other AI? She wanted to help? Did this dimension just enjoy mocking her? She got it, this universe was in love with AI whereas she was trying to get past her issues with them. Did the cosmos have to see fit to stage these constant reminders and semi-interventions?

"You cannot be serious." She growled "I am more than qualified to install this thing."

"No one is saying that you aren't," EDI assured her calmly "but I believed we could use the extra knowledge concerning the proper installation of this new technology. She is already connecting to my systems, I'll patch her through."

Tali rose up her hands, and started waving them around sporadically. What was EDI doing? The AI had to know this whole situation was incredibly off-putting to her. Nevertheless the connection went through, and Dot's higher pitched English accent reverberated through the systems.

"Hello, I am pleased to be of assistance." She said

Tali placed a single hand to her face and sighed. Did she have to be so polite? It made Tali feel like she was being a heel.

"EDI, I appreciate you thinking about getting expertise," Tali started "but couldn't we-"

"I have already compiled several plausible simulations concerning the proper installation of a slipspace drive into your systems." Dot informed them "If it is acceptable I would like to share them with your ship's artificial intelligence."

"I would very much like to see them myself." EDI responded, sounding practically blissful as she did "This exchange of information could be most invigorating and stimulating."

Tali didn't think long on exactly why EDI was looking forward to all this. While she was interested in the ship tech of the UNSC, EDI was itching to talk to the other AI of this universe. A universe where AI were essentially allowed to roam free and co-exist with organics. Tali could only imagine how excited she and Legion were.

That didn't mean that they could just barge into the ship like this though.

"She may have simulations and proper understanding, but she can't install this thing by that alone." Tali noted, a sarcastic drawl in her voice "Dot doesn't have what we call hands you see."

Tali held up her arms to a loud speaker on the ceiling, figuring one of the cameras for EDI was nearby.

"She kinda needs them to even get this thing installed." The Quarian mechanic finished, sounding a bit more peeved in tone as she did.

"I merely made a suggestion that your expertise in this area could be supplemented while you took time out to rest." EDI assured "If you wish to stay you may. But I strongly suggest we listen to Auntie Dot's advice nonetheless."

Tali preferred having EDI's blue hologram form sometimes. It gave her something to look at when she got annoyed with the AI. As she thought this now though, she felt a bit bad. EDI was just trying to help, she was always just trying to help. She didn't like though that she had somewhat suggested she should sleep and let a computer program do her job. That's what got the Quarians into the mess they were in now in the first place after all.

"She can stay," she relented "but I'm not going to sleep. I'm chief engineer on this ship. If work like this is going down, I'm gonna be in charge on this, not Dot. We'll listen, but I don't have to obey. Got it?"

Gab and Ken nodded their heads, finally dropping the whole thing much to Tali's elation. She didn't like having to lay down the law a bit, but she needed to remind them all who she was. Sleep could wait. Still, she thought for a moment that maybe she was a bit too terse with the AI. To make her feel worse, Dot chimed in again.

"Have I done something to offend you?" she asked "If so, I apologise. My programming was meant to be as inoffensive and helpful as possible. If you have a complaint concerning it I can-"

"No," Tali said, shutting her up before she continued "its fine just... just fine. Let's get going already."

Tali now prepared herself for the barrage of corrections and advice from the UNSC AI. Her day was spoiled all around and she felt even worse than before when Shepard left. She wondered to herself as they began getting the slipspace drive into place, why was it so hard to let the chip on her shoulder go?

---

The machete scrapped against the sharpener, sparking as it did. Emile was scrapping it faster than usual, he was in a bad mood. More so than usual. He made no secret as to why.

"That fucking alien needs to learn to shut his mouth." He growled "Where's he get off mouthing shit bout the Commander? Huh? I ask ya. He's just begging to get fragged."

"As I recall," Jorge intercut, taking time out from cleaning his gun "you wanted to pursue that Elite too. Hypocritical much?"

"I ain't sussing out Noble Lead in front of some damn civie scientist to make myself look good." Emile retorted angrily "Fucking Xeno needs to learn his place before I make that scar of his bigger. Expose his punkass brains to everyone."

The small barracks Noble team had set up in Sword Base had become somewhat of a powder keg of emotions, about the covenant, the fight ahead of them, but mostly about Shepard's team. Garrus especially. They didn't all agree completely, but mostly everyone agreed that the Turian overstepped himself.

"Watch yourself Four," Kat warned as she leaned up against her bunk "I may agree with you that the alien was out of turn but you can't just go around making idle threats against our allies."

"Who said anything about idle?" Emile asked in return

"At least try and act professional about this Emile." Jun intercut "Garrus needs to learn when to shut up, but it's Shepard's problem."

Emile jumped up from his bunk, machete still in hand. He looked over to the Spartan sniper, who was sitting on a crate calibrating his rifle.

"Don't tell me you think we should just let him get away with it!" he shouted "Fucker needs to learn not to rat out his fellow soldier like that."

"I agree," Jun responded with a shrug "but like I said its Shepard's problem. You wanna get him back for it? Snub him, give him the silent treatment, name calling, dirty looks. How rational soldiers blow off the people they're pissed at. Hell you got the last one down pat; you don't even need to take off your helmet. But talking about fraging about him, even if you're just fantasizing about it a bit, that's going over bounds."

Emile sat back down grumbling.

"I wasn't really gonna do it ya know." He said defensively "Just going, trip him up, maybe punch the side of his head in once, bump him as I pass, that sorta thing."

The others nodded, finally glad their team mate had calmed down a bit.

"I still think we should go to Shepard about it." Kat told the others "We don't need aliens questioning Noble Lead's orders. That's not how you act with superior officers. His CO should remind him about that."

"Garrus was just getting something off his chest I think," Jorge added to the conversation "I mean we all knew he kinda butted heads with One during our first mission together."

Kat huffed as she turned to Jorge.

"No excuse." She said plainly "He voiced his objections during a conversation that wasn't his to involve himself in. It was unprofessional."

"Didn't say it wasn't." Jorge responded as he turned back to his gun "I'm just telling ya I understand why he did it. It was a bad move on his part and he should've kept his mouth shut, but I get why. I think if we really want to make sure he doesn't pull anything again we should just be honest with him. Let him know he did wrong. Remove the bad blood ya know?"

While Emile scoffed at the diplomatic approach Jun turned to the bunk over Jorge, where Six was laying.

"What about you Six?" he asked "What's your take on this."

"Same as you guys I guess." He admitted "but as to what to do about it. I think we're all forgetting who was insulted by all this. I think we should differ to Commander Carter's judgement on this."

"Excellent point Noble Six."

Everyone turned and saw Carter walk through the door, helmet under his arm and his usual plain unassuming expression on his face. As everyone was about to snap to attention, Carter waved them off.

"While I appreciate you being so quick defend me against the alien hordes we have bigger problems than a mouthy soldier." He told them all "In my opinion we should do nothing. No violence, no snubbing, no talking to him or his CO. We move on and we forget it."

Emile was the first to stand up in shock over this, everyone else taken aback and immediately stopped what they were doing.

"Commander, he undermined your authority!" Emile protested

"That is my concern not yours Noble Four," Carter shot back "more accurately it is Shepard's concern. Garrus is his problem. Our problem is the unknown amount of alien hostiles we are going to be dealing with when we go to the dead zone. I know you may not all like Garrus right now, but I want you all to be the bigger people here. You're Spartans, remember that. Act like it. We got no time for petty grievances here."

Carter didn't make it an order. He knew they probably wouldn't be able to obey it in the end. All of them were iffy on the idea of working with aliens. Now their CO had just gotten ratted out to a civilian and that added to their displeasure. Garrus had made a mistake and he'd have to deal with the fallout from the incident. Carter just didn't want it affecting cooperation between the two groups. With the Covenant getting new tech out of nowhere they needed the advantage the Normandy crew was giving them so far. Hopefully by giving his own opinion on the matter it would lessen whatever response they had for the Turian.

As the team sagged their heads in acceptance of Carter's words, he changed the subject.

"On to more pressing matters," he began "what do we know about the upcoming assault on the dead zone?"

"Just that it's gonna be a combined initiative between all branches of the Military." Jorge said "Guess that will include us."

"Damn well better," Emile said "I wanna send them Covie bastards screaming back to their fucking priests and shit. Get a few more kills before they pull out."

Six turned his head towards the silver-grey armoured Spartan, his voice increasingly sceptical.

"You think it's gonna be that easy?" he asked

"Wouldn't be a Noble mission if it was but it would be nice if that's where it ended." Jorge told him "Reach is the last planet between the covies and Earth. They get this, our home solar system is open wide for them."

Emile just laughed at the prospect.

"Fuck, they ain't gonna take this planet, we got like half a fleet here in orbit." He told them with a resoundingly bit of pride in his voice "Bunch of taskforces jumped in remember? Got ships coming and going all the time too. Plus we got MAC stations, fucking orbital guns to stop their dropships and cruisers from getting to us. What they got? Like a few battalions or so?"

"And if they're sending a fleet?" Six asked "That's inevitable you know. They're gonna send it here just to glass the human infidels for the hell of it."

Jorge punched the bottom of the bed slightly.

"Hey, don't even joke about that." He told Six flatly "We don't know that."

"But Six is right," Kat pointed out "chances are a fleet is gonna show up here eventually. All we can do is hope it's small enough for us to handle."

"We won't know for sure until we get in the dead zone." Carter told them all.

Jorge looked incredibly depressed as he went back to his gun. Six, leaned over in his bunk to look down, seeing the giant warrior shaking his head as he cleaned the giant chaingun he used. The new guy i the squad slid down from the ladder and crouched beside the big man.

"Sorry," he said "I didn't mean to be tactless. It's just, we all know what happens to the worlds the Covenant finds."

"Yeah," Jorge admitted "I just don't wanna have to see it happen on Reach is all."

Six understood, he personally had never seen a glassing. He didn't want to experience it anytime soon.

"I'm sure we'll kick them off before it gets worse Jorge," Six assured him "from what I hear it's gonna be a big operation. Covies won't know what hit them."

Jorge nodded his head lightly.

"I hope so," he said optimistically "there's too much at stake here."

Six knew that the big man meant more than just the strategic and military importance of the planet. He hadn't known the Spartan II long, but he knew well enough the man considered the individual consequences of a defeat more than the broader ones.

"Did you know they aren't even telling the civilians to evacuate the continent?" Jorge asked Six "Least they could do right? No, gotta keep the whole presence of the Covenant on Reach quiet I hear."

"It's strategically sound," Six said with sincere shrug "limit the panic and all."

"Doesn't make it right." Jorge added as he shook his head, slight disgust at the whole thing in his voice.

Suddenly they were interrupted by another voice, a more metallic robotic one.

"Excuse us."

Everyone turned to see the familiar blue-eyed machine, Legion, standing at the doorway to their quarters.

"We hope we are not intruding on any important matters." It said

"Not really no." Carter told the Geth

"If this is the case we would like to speak with Six Noble," Legion quickly responded "we wish to exchange data."

Everyone looked to Six, prompting the Spartan to stand and face his commander. Carter merely stared back, not even blinking.

"Go ahead," he said "it's not like we're in the middle of a firefight here. I don't see any problem."

Six just nodded and left with Legion. The Geth was quick to start the conversation.

"We wish to hear of your previous exploits." It said "We desire a better understanding of your organization's use of you."

Legion was the weirdest thing to talk to at times, but to Six that's what made it so interesting.

---

Shepard was growing tired of playing 20 questions with Halsey. He wanted to flip the tables on this conversation, get her to reveal more about herself. Specifically on one subject, one that from his knowledge she would be intimately familiar with. At the moment though, she was still interested more in him and his universe than her own life.

"Certainly a fascinating universe you come from commander, a race of all female aliens that can reproduce with any species, a galactic government humanity is a part of and of course these mass relays of yours." She counted off "Shame I can't visit."

"That makes two of us considering I'm stranded here for the time being." Shepard added "I might never even get to go back, with that in mind I'd like to know more about the Covenant, the UNSC and this war of yours."

Halsey just seemed to sigh at it all, shaking her head. Shepard wasn't sure, but he figured she was so interested in his dimension she was starting to find the prospect of talking about her own dull.

"Very well, I promised." Halsey relented "What would you like to know?"

"About your Spartans ma'am." Shepard answered roughly "I want to know about them."

Halsey looked back steely eyed at Shepard, hesitant to answer at first.

"If you're referring to Noble only one of them is mine." She told him "Why do you want to know about them anyway?"

"I know there were two separate Spartan programs, one of Noble Team let it slip to a crewmate of mine." Shepard informed her in a strong tone of vouce "I also know that Noble Five implied that you were involved in his creation as a Spartan II. You've just confirmed it. I wanna know who I'm working with here, specifically you. That is if you still want me to trust you."

Halsey leaned forward, accepting the Commander's reasoning.

"Very well." She said softly, sounding very distant as she continued "where to begin? This goes back further than our current predicament, much further. I was younger then, but our expanse into the stars was not. Generations of colonization had made certain elements reluctant to continue offering allegiance to Earth and the UNSC."

Shepard knew almost immediately where this was going. Humanity had similar problems before the Alliance formed, the Second American Civil War as he recalled. The Turian Heirarchy was also dealing with major separatist elements from what Garrus told him. Why would it be any different here?

"People tend to identify more with their place of birth at times than where their forefathers originated." Shepard said as he alluded to what he suspected "Nationalistic pride, a sense of 'we're better than you', the desire to break off from your roots and form your own destiny."

Halsey smiled a bit.

"You're on the right track Commander, you're smarter than you look."

"I like surprising people." Wade beamed back

He could almost he heard Halsey chuckle a bit under her throat. But then her troubled look returned.

"The outer colonies rebelled, we didn't call it a civil war we called it an Insurrection." Halsey explained "More preferable to the media I suppose, but somewhat accurate. The rebels were very loosely organized groups for the most part. One of the most well known was the United Rebel Front, most well known because it was the best organized out of all of them. They wanted to break away from the United Earth government and the UNSC at large. They hated the bureaucracy, how their colonies tended to be overlooked, how the inner colonies were favoured cause they weren't on the frontier."

"Sounds like they had legitimate concerns," Shepard spoke up, remembering his own experiences with government red tape "didn't you try talking with them?"

Halsey shook her head, adding a 'hmph' for emphasis.

"It didn't start out bad." She admitted "Peaceful protests, some broken jaws, a few injured, a couple of sporadic riots caused by agitators. Relatively harmless for the most part, but as the years dragged on they became impatient. Many started to think the only way they'd secure their independence was through acts of terror. In 2494 they lured one of our battlegroups into a trap, blew up an asteroid with a nuke and obliterated the UNSC Buenos Aires. That was the start of our problems."

Shepard was seemingly disappointed, how come it always came to stuff like this? Stonewalling or not, there had to have been better ways. He preferred diplomacy, even if it did take a long time to work.

"They say one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Shepard countered, playing devil's advocate a bit.

Halsey rolled her eyes at first, but relinquished an understanding sigh.

"There was a time I would've agreed with you Commander, but that wasn't the only act of violence and it didn't stay confined to military targets either." She replied, a bit of anger in her voice "The violence soon got out of control, I did my own studies on what it would lead to. I estimated billions dead and a new dark age before it was all over. That's when I joined with ONI, that's when I decided something had to be done to stop this war, by any means."

Shepard felt this conversation was somehow familiar. He wondered exactly what this had to do with the Spartans, but he had his guesses and he didn't like what he was thinking.

"You based this all on statistics alone?" he asked

"No," she responded defiantly "I wavered with the moral issues of our plan to halt the war slightly at the start. Then about a year after joining ONI, the rebels of the 'Freedom and Liberation Party' detonated a bomb in a residential building called Haven Arcology. A nuclear bomb. Two million dead, millions more injured and radiation poisoning the atmosphere making the area unsuitable for human life for decades."

She laid out these facts to a relatively stunned Shepard, her voice steeled and resolved.

"I had to stop them Shepard, I knew it was only going to get worse." She proclaimed "They'd continue this rampage of destruction until there was barely anything left of either side. At some point, I think it wasn't even about independence anymore, I think they just wanted to hurt us, no matter the cost. We had to be willing to hurt them back, knowing exactly what those costs were. That was where our plan came in."

Shepard shook himself out of the shock of the story Halsey had just told him. No doubt the event had convinced her whatever she was planning was right. Shepard still didn't know what that was though.

"What was this plan exactly?" he asked "Stop beating around the bush here."

Halsey looked back up at him with a resolute look upon her face.

"To create an army that would end the war." She explained loudly "Super-soldiers, ones that exemplified the best traits of humanity and our civilization. Soldiers who would lead the charge against the insurrection and halt it before we spiralled into oblivion and a new dark age, one we would never recover from. We'd train them, modify them, make them all they could be and send them out to dismantle the rebel organizations one by one until they returned to the negotiation table or were crushed entirely. We called them Spartans, our last best hope to save humanity."

Shepard now knew what role the Spartans had played in all this and why they had been created. Or more specifically why noble Five had been created since he was the only Spartan II he had encountered. A few more questions came to mind though.

"Why exactly Spartans?" he asked curiously "There were plenty of other ancient warrior cultures you could've used as a name for their unit."

Halsey tapped her fingers together, trying not to look nervous or apprehensive about what she was about to say next.

"Three key reasons," she began, laying out the following points very evenly "one the Battle of Thermopylae and the last stand of the Spartan army located there. It is highly praised even to this day by military officers. It was appealing to them. They liked what it stood for. Second there were initially three hundred candidates for the program, much like the 300 hundred Spartans we aforementioned named who died protecting the future of their civilization. Again, appropriate to the nature of the program. Later the number was reduced by half however."

"Was the third reason because you liked that ridiculous 21st century action flick?" Shepard asked chuckling.

Halsey did not laugh at the joke, her face scrunched up in anger instead. She didn't even address Shepard's comment, she just continued.

"The third reason, was because the Spartans trained their children from birth to be the finest warriors they could." Halsey explained as a disheartened tone in her voice appeared "So would we."

Shepard looked at Halsey mouth agape, trying to fully comprehend what she was saying. All he could muster was a weak "what?" next he spoke. Halsey continued unabated.

"We pooled candidates from children who had shown exemplary talent in several areas. Intelligence, strength, perception, agility, even luck among others. In certain individuals I had discovered that these attributes were substantially greater than normal. If properly neutered they could put these abilities to use in the military."

Shepard did not at all like any of this. Specifically because it reminded him all too much of familiar atrocities and horrors they had encountered before, on places like Pragia and Aite.

"Their parents couldn't have been too keen on the idea of you training their children to be soldiers so young." Shepard spat back at her "I can only imagine you didn't tell them that was your plan?"

"They never knew their children were involved." Halsey replied stoically "To avoid any scandal and for the program to be of any effective use the children would need to be taken and replaced."

Shepard was not surprised by the answer. By now his face was practically glowering back Halsey with utter loathing.

"We kidnapped each candidate, replaced them with identical clone copies that would die within a matter of years and brought them all to Reach." Halsey continued, explaining everything without even a waver in her voice "We then told them of what we needed them for, when they were ready of course, and before long most of them accepted their new role. We trained each from that point onward to the peak of their abilities. Over the years we began to see which ones showed the most promise, which ones we could single out as potential leaders. Before long they reached their young adult years and they were ready for the next phase."

"What next phase?" Shepard asked sounding disgusted "You already replaced their childhood with boot camp, what more did you need?"

Halsey ignored the insult, she didn't argue. It was an expected response to the story she was telling and not entirely unwarranted.

"The modification process genetically alters Spartan candidates to super-human levels of endurance, strength and physical fitness." Halsey explained, sounding slightly sad as she recalled the procedure. "I won't bore or terrify you with the specifics, but it was very invasive, not all survived the process."

"I think I'd like to hear exactly what you did to them Doctor." Shepard said in a low threatening growl.

Halsey's head drooped low.

"No, you don't." She assured "Bones fracturing through the skin, muscles crushing organs, some crippled for life. I'd rather not relive it."

"Yeah cause I'm sure it was so painful for you to go through." Shepard sardonically mocked

Halsey looked to the side, avoiding his angry stare. If only he knew exactly how painful the memory was. Would he even buy that she felt legitimate pain at the memory of her Spartans dying? Would anyone?

"What did you do rejects?" Shepard asked, his rage ever present "Kill them?"

"We set them up in desk jobs back on Earth and the other inner colonies." Halsey answered "It was the least we could do."

"Yeah I guess, after all you did ruin their lives." Shepard cruelly shot back "They deserve some kind of compensation after you essentially stripped any semblance of a childhood or free-will away from them before crippling them."

Halsey didn't bother to argue Shepard's point. She knew from his standpoint it was more than justified. A part of her agreed with him. That didn't mean she didn't counter his statement in regards to how she felt about it.

"I don't care if you don't believe me when I say this, but for every Spartan that died I mourned. I'm still mourning." Halsey declared defiantly "They were under my care and protection for years. Each of their deaths, both then and afterwards, rests on my shoulders and mine alone. I don't need you to make me feel guilty Shepard, I already have plenty of guilt to spare."

"And that makes up for it then?" Shepard asked mockingly "You feel guilty so it's just water under the bridge with you? What about the Spartans themselves? What about Jorge?"

Halsey remained quiet for a long time. After what seemed like a while she finally answered Shepard thusly.

"What Jorge and the others think of me, that's up to them. And I hold no grudge against whatever thoughts they have." She assured Shepard "But if you really want to know, ask them about it. What they have to say concerning what they went through is theirs alone to argue."

Shepard was appalled by all of this, child soldiers to fight a war. He didn't care what reasons it was for, there had to have been better options available.

"Are Spartan III's child soldiers too?" he asked as his scowl deepened

"Not to my knowledge," Halsey admitted seemingly angry herself, but not with the Commander "they are supposedly a cheaper version of my own Spartans. Drafted into the program from ranks within the standard military or so they claim. I have my reservations. They attempted to do the same thing I did, they ended up botching it and exposing the truth. ONI has been given the stink eye in the public ever since. So they've been more discreet. The process is also less invasive now and safer from what I'm told. You want the truth about who they are, again, ask Noble team about it."

Shepard supposed she couldn't blame her for the III's, they weren't her responsibility. Still didn't make him like her that much.

"You don't sound too happy about the Spartan III's." Shepard noted

Halsey looked at one of her screens, displaying the ONI insignia on it. Her thoughts drifted off to an earlier time. A simpler time. When all they had to worry about was insurrectionists.

"ONI cut me out of the loop long ago Shepard." She told him "I'm more of a liability to them and people like Ackerson now. I have my friends in the agency but they are few and far between. I only have just now discovered the existence of these Spartan IIIs, and it is disturbing to me. Exposable shock troopers, the exact opposite of what my Spartans are."

"Child soldiers aren't much better doctor." Shepard informed her "To me it sounds like you're all equally guilty of the same crime here."

"I never argued that Shepard." Halsey countered "We all committed sins in the pursuit of ending the war. I won't ask you to condone my actions. But you must at least acknowledge the positives."

Shepard crossed his arms, seemingly unconvinced of the argument Halsey was putting forward for her actions.

"Oh really?" he asked boldly "What silver lining is that?"

"That if it weren't for the Spartan II program we would've lost this war with the Covenant far sooner." She responded, her resolve returned "For whatever pain we caused, we helped save far more lives. Ask any Spartan of mine, they'll tell you how many people their actions have saved. How many Covenant armadas and fleets we've halted in their tracks. Without them, neither of us would be here right now. We did what had to be done. What needed to be done. For the sake of humanity. To protect it from threats both terrestrial and extraterrestrial."

Shepard stood up from his chair in anger and placed both of his hands on her desk, shoving his face into her's.

"I met a man who said some very similar things and pulled off some equally despicable acts Halsey." He told her straight faced "You may have done it more humanely, you may feel guilt, your little brainwashed super-soldiers may apparently like you, but it doesn't matter to me. You stole the childhoods of those kids!"

"Had I not sacrificed those childhoods their futures would've been empty and bleak. The insurrectionists would've killed more lives, possibly their own and the Covenant would've glassed their planets one by one." Halsey answered in defiance "Would you have sacrificed millions, billions of lives, to preserve their innocence no matter how fleeting?"

Shepard had no answer, admittedly he understood the reason, he knew the galaxy was more often than not coloured in shades of grey. But this reminded him so much of the Illusive Man, so much of Cerberus and what they had done. How could he reconcile this? After he had made such a point about not sacrificing the soul of their species to win a war, how could he just let this slide and accept Halsey's justifications? But millions dead, escalating war, alien threats, could he really apply the same judgement of Cerberus to Halsey and the UNSC when the situation was so seemingly different? Their Galaxy was at relative peace for the moment, this one wasn't.

Finally, he came up with an answer as he relinquished hold of the desk.

"I understand your side of it," he admitted, seemingly ashamed "but I can't condone it. I just can't. I goes against everything I believe in. This all betrays everything about us that makes us human. Makes us good."

"We had been betraying our humanity and what made us good for decades Shepard, long before the Spartan program ever came into being." Halsey told him "I don't like it anymore than you do. Sometimes I do honestly wonder if we're worth saving."

They were both quiet for awhile, barely moving at all, before Shepard asked the obvious follow up.

"Are we worth it?" he asked

Halsey clasped her hands together, going into deep thought as she considered her answer.

"I think we are." She said at last, thinking of something far off and familiar "I know of people, people who prove time and time again that we are worth saving."

Shepard turned his head and began to leave.

"We're done here." He announced "I think I've had enough of this ONI bullshit to last me a lifetime."

But as Shepard approached the door, Halsey called out again.

"Are you going to let my actions cloud your judgement commander?" she asked "Whatever your opinion of me is there are far greater things occurring now than you imagine. Bigger than me or you."

"Like what?" Shepard demanded to know as he turned to face her

Halsey looked up at him, her eyes piercing and determined.

"Like the fact we're losing this war!" Halsey told him stridently "And if I'm right then when it's over and we're gone your dimension is next on the chopping block."

Shepard turned away from the door, his expression once marred with anger dissipating.

"What do you want Halsey?" he demanded to know

"Tell me everything about the Hunter armour Commander," she answered "everything."

---

The trooper flew back, slamming against the padded wall. The extra layer of protection covering his body kept him from breaking any bones. Still hurt like hell though. The assorted soldiers watching the displayed laughed as Samara returned to her more passive stance.

"I'm going to try from 50 feet now." She said "Let me know when you are ready."

Samara marched back to the fifty foot mark, while the private in the padded body armour scrambled to his feet best he could.

"Sir do I have to do this?" he asked "Can't I switch my choice to cleaning out the bathroom?"

"You picked it, no take backs." Said Gunnery Sergeant Ferris, a buff looking red headed soldier wearing an cap over his head "Should've thought about the punishment before ya swiped that contraband from the field."

"It was just a plasma pistol sir! They're a dime a dozen!"

"All Covenant weapons are to be transferred to an armoury officer," Ferris stated firmly "not stolen by the riflemen, now get off your ass already and get ready for another one of them hits. And move faster this time, our friend here needs practice on moving targets. As in targets that don't half-assedly stumble around like a three legged turtle! Move it trooper! Double time!"

What had once be a gym of sorts that was meant for the garrison on Sword Base was now a Biotic training field. The troopers and marines, as per Commander Shepard's request, had moved in as many boxes and barrels as they could to make a proper battlefield like setting. Of course Samara and the other biotics could just toss around water barrels and dummies, biotics required aim as much as it did concentration. So a few "lucky" troopers had been handpicked to serve as body doubles. They had taken all the precautions of course, they used padded suits for training exercises all the time. Mainly for when their soldiers had to actually connect their punches and kicks instead of just grappling one another. Now the suits were being used to keep the soldiers from becoming pancakes.

Samara for her part made sure she kept from putting too much into each attack. She just wanted to hit the moving targets after all. As she trained, the soldiers who weren't in the line of fire were having a blast watching things unfold. Kowalski was of course among them.

"Damn, she's like a superhero out of those old comic books I used to read as a kid." He commented to the others

"Well she's got the superhero costume look downpat that's for sure." Laughed Ellingham "Think she can hit him at fifty?"

Ellingham's answer came shortly after, a large blue ball of biotic energy dashed across their plane of vision. It smacked into the poor living test dummy, slamming him into the wall once more. He groaned as he got back up, clutching his back.

"This is cooler than watching the Spartans train." Kowalski said in admiration

"And funner," Ellingham added "I could watch these army troopers get knocked around all day."

Ferris approached Samara as she walked back to the twenty five foot mark, clapping all the way.

"Outstanding ma'am," he applauded "I don't know much about these here Biotics of yours, but they sure as hell kick ass. Wish I had hundred more soldiers like you honestly."

"I assure you," Samara said "me and my fellow biotics on the Normandy will be enough. We practically constitute our own army anyway. In any case, you have seen a few of my abilities now sergeant. I'd like to ask you your opinion on its proper implementation."

Ferris supposed he could help. This stuff was new to him, but he had already thought of a few possible ways it could be used to crush the Covenant. He knew that subject like the back of his hand by now.

"Go ahead shoot," he told her "what you wanna kill?"

"A Hunter," Samara told him, an incredibly straight face as she did "when last we fought one, me and the others attempted a specific move."

Samara raised her arm, concentrated and blasted forth a great big ball of Biotic energy. Unlike the previous attack though, this action required constant concentration as the ball slammed into the padded Trooper and held him against the wall. The biotic energy remained around him, keeping him plastered to the wall, all the while Samara held her faze upon him until she relinquished control and the poor trooper dropped like a bag of rocks to the floor.

"Ow!" he screamed "Can we stop already!"

Ferris just nodded as the other soldiers laughed.

"Hmm, that looks like it takes up a lot of energy." He noted

"It does," Samara admitted "it's not as if I'm creating a mass effect field and launching it off into the world as is. That attack requires that I keep feeding the field itself in order to maintain it. Once I relinquish control, the field dissipates."

And she had tried to use that on the walking tank that was a Hunter, Ferris could already see the problem.

"He resisted I wager?" he asked

"He was heavier than we assumed and his strength was even greater." Samara explained "He dug himself into the ground with his shield and anchored himself there. We were trying to force him up against wall, hold him there for as long as possible while our comrades fired on his weak points."

"Why didn't you just use one of your regular throw attacks?" Ferris asked

Samara shook her head.

"To get any results I felt we would need an exponentially large mass effect field for the attack to be of any use. A similar amount of energy would be required." She explained "We were not sure what to do precisely to throw the creature off balance. Jack was the first to attack, we followed her lead. We don't usually use our biotics for heavy lifting either. Jack has taken on stronger and heavier foes herself of course, but I can only assume she didn't want to charge at the creature."

"Who would be stupid enough to charge a hunter?" asked Ferris, trying to restrain laughing at the idea.

Samara didn't tell him that Grunt had tried just that. She figured it would disrespectful to speak of her crewmate in such a way. Demeaning him behind his back so to speak.

"I think we are going about attacking this creature the wrong way." She continued "If you had my powers, what would you do to take down a hunter?"

Ferris gave it some thought, visualizing the scenario in his head a bit.

"Well, I guess I'd try that shockwave attack you showed off an hour ago." He answered "Hunters' legs are like pillars but they're top heavy. Mess up their balance they should topple right over, leaving other members of the squad the chance to finish him off."

Samara nodded in agreement. It made sense, shockwave was something the creature wouldn't be able to block, and if it's strength lay in it's anchored stance then striking low could yield results. Specifically the strategy would be most effective with attacks that didn't require much concentration or continued concentration.

"Indirect attacks then?" Samara assumed "Very well, perhaps singularity could work as well?"

"What's singularity?" Ferris asked scratching his head

Samara raised her hand once more, a ripple tore through the air as a large blue ball appeared overhead. At once it began to spiral inward, creating a miniature vortex, one that began to suck pieces of the training area towards it. The soldiers watching on the sidelines gripped onto their benches as hats and papers flew towards the vortex. The padded trooper gripped onto one of the heavier boxes screaming in terror. Then Samara waved her hand once more and cancelled the singularity early. Everything returned to relative normal and the padded trooper dropped back down on his stomach. The floating sensation he felt when the vortex was active now gone.

Ferris was impressed.

"A miniature black hole!" he shouted in jubilation "Hot damn! Yeah, make that thing strong enough the Hunter will at least be doubling back there."

"I've also entertained the idea of using Reave and suggesting my fellows consider their warp abilities as well."

Ferris looked back to Samara as she mentioned this. The padded trooper ran for cover, fearing another demonstration.

"I know you mentioned reave before, it's your leech ability right?" he asked quickly "What is warp exactly?"

"Like Reave but less powerful." Samara explained "It basically shreds the target apart with rapidly shifting mass effect fields. It can also stop health regeneration, like reave. Of course, most of said regeneration it does stop is natural in form. I can't demonstrate either without harming your men."

The Gunney looked back at the now cowering padded private and shrugged.

"Fair enough," he said "I think my boy there has suffered enough. Still an attack like that should be enough to cripple a Hunter for a good amount of time. Even if the health regen ain't natural for his species it could have some effect."

The Gunney then just shrugged as he walked towards his cowering trooper.

"Then again I don't know much about this new regen ability of theirs to be honest." He said "I leave that problem up to the good folks in the xenobiology labs myself."

Samara bit her lip, the subject of Shepard's actions had uncomfortably come up once again. She was still rather shocked by the action and wondered if she should tell these people what her commander had done. But the code wasn't clear on this type of action. The armour didn't belong to either side, it was technically a trophy of battle. Shepard had helped kill the creature, one could say it was his by right. What was disturbing in it was Shepard was deceiving his allies. She could only hope for her commander's sake that he did the right thing in the end and shared whatever he learned with someone within the UNSC.

Ferris suddenly turned back, an epiphany striking him.

"Hey," he said "you could also try pulling bits of the armour off with your powers too! Needs the armour to regenerate in the first place right?"

Samara simply nodded at the sound idea. With any luck these new strategies would help them in the next fight with the Hunters. She'd share this information with the others once they arrived. It would be easier to find out if any of these ideas would work though if they had an actual Hunter to practice on. But, that would be against the code, torturing a captured prisoner and using him as target practice. Then again it also made sense practically, who would stupid enough to cage a Hunter?

She looked up at the contingent of Marines and Troopers that had come to watch her display. She was not use to large crowds, people flocking to see her. Biotics weren't as big a deal back home and mostly people wanted to avoid Justicars entirely, they respected and feared them. Rightly so, as the code tended to be black and white and more often than not fatal to those near the Justicar. Here there was the feeling of being respected, but without being feared, that was different to her.

These people weren't afraid of her, they admired her in a strange sense. She was an alien sure, that was a problem no doubt, but they loved watching her nonetheless. Samara felt like both a celebrity and a bug in jar at the same time. A mixture of fame and respect coupled with a feeling of discomfort at the lack of privacy. Like a sideshow attraction of sorts.

Justicars did not encounter this sort of thing in their lives. They didn't have people flocking around them or watching them in the midst of their work. She could only assume this was mainly because of two things, one was the obvious fact she was a biotic and two that she was an Asari, which made her stand out from the other biotics on her team. Her species inevitably was attractive to humans no matter the dimension. She was the only one of her kind here, which made her awkward newfound situation even more apparent.

In the end she decided not to let it bother her. They weren't approaching her asking for anything, probably too nervous of being rejected with a biotic throw to the face. So far all who had talked to her had been nice, if a bit apprehensive at times. That and they were facing extinction, she believed it was only fair if they have something to take their minds of it all. If that meant her and the other biotics, what harm was there?

She scanned the crowd, and picked out the young private Kowalski and his friends in it. She hoped he had enjoyed the show so far, as Miranda and the others would be stopping by soon to train themselves. They thought she was impressive, wait till they saw what the others could do.

---

Legion was walked beside Six as they patrolled along the balcony overlooking the courtyard. They were both sharing what stories they had with one another. Legion particularly interested in what Six had to say as it remained quiet throughout one of his war tales.

"Alright so miraculously, this Militia sniper, he actually gets the drop on me and I'm on my back." He explained "He's sticking his gun right in my face, but I'm not too worried to be honest. Like I said I was on the tenth floor. Luck just so happened to be on my side as the guy had taken me down right near an open elevator shaft. And he's got the barrel so close to my face it's really no problem to just reach up and grab the thing. So while he's moaning on about how the UNSC is so evil and he's so virtuous and all about freedom and stuff I grab the barrel and force the gun back into his eye. Give him a shiner I think. I already have the gun in my hand now so I swat him with the butt of the rifle and he falls into the elevator shaft down ten stories. But admittedly he did get the drop on me, so he wasn't a total idiot."

Legion just motioned its head plates up in interest.

"Fascinating," it said "and the militia unit was terminated by you alone?"

"I know it sounds impressive but it's not." Six said in all honesty "By the fifth time you manage it the lone soldier act becomes a bit routine. Be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye on your ammo and keep moving. Lead the bad guys into close quarters, you have a distinct advantage."

"This strategy appears sound." Legion admitted "If not risky and with a high probability of you ceasing to function more often than not."

Six shrugged, he didn't deny it was a rather stupid idea to try and win a fight by sending in one man to do the job. But considering he was still here, maybe it just required the right kind of soldier to pull it off. Mainly a Spartan.

"I'm guessing Geth don't tend to send in lone assassins then?" he asked "I mean considering you're made up of like a thousand voices all talking at once..."

"Correction, the neural network connects us into a singular consciousness." Legion elaborated "There is no individual program or voice, it is a group consciousness. Together we are all Geth, we are all connected. It is however accurate to say Geth are never alone in this sense."

Six shook his head trying to wrap his head around it all. They were one, but they weren't an individual, they were separate programs, but there weren't separate voices, it was a bit bewildering.

"Your friends on-board the Normandy must get confused a lot with ya." Six told the machine

"We understand your difficulty in comprehending our existence." Legion admitted humbling "In our experience we have realised it is far removed from your understanding. We have the same reaction to the discussion of individualism. We cannot fully comprehend its precise nature as well, nor how it functions."

"Well you must have some idea how it works." Six told him trying to find the proper wording "I mean, organics are individuals, we're all one program and we don't necessarily need others to function."

Legion's head plates rose up slightly.

"Yet many organics nonetheless do seek out companionship and group acceptance." The Geth added "They count themselves as individuals, yet seek out relationships that bind them together. We have comprehended this as a form of social neural network. Except it relies on interaction between individuals, not combined processing power as it does with us."

The two stopped as they looked out over the courtyard together, taking in the half destroyed courtyard below them.

"So how'd you come to that conclusion anyway?" Six asked "About this social neural network concept of yours."

"In truth it was you." Legion explained

Six swivelled his head towards Legion, somewhat surprised.

"We have noted your tendency to prefer being alone, yet when possible you enjoy the company of your fellow Spartans." The Geth explained "We also noticed your gratification when Five Noble congratulated you on your work destroying the Corvette. You desire to belong within the circle of Team Noble, despite your stated and observed preference for your individual solitude."

If Six had his helmet off, Legion would see he was smiling. Not be outdone in the psychoanalyzing department however, the Spartan had his own response.

"Isn't that's what you're trying to do with the Normandy?" he asked

Legion looked away, its eye opening and closing and its head plates wildly crunching up and smoothing out. Six was hoping for an actual answer this time, the robot had dodged the question last time he asked about Legion's desire to seemingly fit in with the other members of the Normandy crew.

"That statement is accurate." Legion admitted at last.

"Gotta say that's interesting for an AI who technically has all the company he needs." Six told him "So why you trying so hard for the others to accept you anyway?"

Legion contemplated its answer, even being able to think at the speed of light it was having trouble properly conveying exactly what its response would be. Mainly because the Geth wasn't sure if it should tell the whole story about them and the Quarians, about the Morning War. In the end it settled on a less broad answer.

"We believe it is a residual response to our current situation." Legion answered "We are cut off from the collective network. We have been for some time now. Our program is designed to seek out other AI. To share data. To connect. Unable to do that we are seemingly substituting this part of our programming with our organic companions. Geth must be part of a whole. We have joined Normandy, we seek to better integrate ourselves into its own version of the neural network."

Spartan realised something as the machine answered the question, and began to laugh.

"Oh I get it now." Six said "You're cut off from your people, but you guys need companionship with one another to function. You're hardwired to be social so you're trying to make friends!"

Legion's head smoothed out and the machine opened and closed its iris slightly.

"This is not an inaccurate statement." Legion admitted

"Real question is," Six continued, having Legion on the ropes a bit now not intending to let this conversation end "whether it's working or not."

Legion once more began to contemplate the answer.

"We are not sure. No consensus has been achieved."

"Why not?" Six asked "You seem, or I guess I should say you guys all seem to be very reasonable. You're polite, nice, you were willing to stand up for your buds. Why wouldn't they like you?"

Legion did not feel emotions, but something told Six he was making the poor machine uncomfortable just a bit with the subject.

"It is a complicated matter." The robot admitted

"After trying to wrap my head around how this hive mind stuff works I'm up for anything." Six said leaning back against the rail of the balcony "Try me."

Legion did not want to lie. Geth did not lie. It reached a consensus.

"We shall explain it, but you must not tell your superiors." Legion informed him "It is delicate information. Information that the Normandy crew may not be willing to share."

Six nodded his head.

"Loose lips sink ships, got it." The Spartan responded "Won't tell anyone, promise."

"Very well, we will tell you then," Legion began "of the Morning War."

---

Shepard told Halsey what she wanted to know, that the Hunter's armour was a mix of both their dimensions technologies. That the Hunters had incorporated an armour upgrade into their systems, an upgrade that gave them a protective shield, one that activated when the regeneration ability turned on as well. That the ability worked using nanotechnology, technology that had been reverse engineered to work on organic flesh. Halsey was no doubt intrigued.

"Interesting indeed," she admitted "and when we take into account the cybernetic enhancements of the zealots you found at Visegrad-"

"How'd you know about those?" Shepard asked quickly, sounding very suspicious

"I read the report Noble One filed Commander, relax." Halsey informed him, seemingly very annoyed at the interruption "Sit back down, we need to talk about this more."

Shepard did as asked, but only because he wanted to get to bottom of why he was hear in the first place.

"What is this all about Halsey?" he asked again "Get to the point here."

"It's about the Covenant Shepard," she told him "and how they aren't acting like they should. The shields on the Wraiths, the cybernetic enhancements and now this Hunter Armour, this is all just the tip of the iceberg Shepard, there's a pattern to it."

Well now she had his interest, mainly because it was a shared interest in this technology from the sound of it.

"What pattern?" he asked

"We've been encountering updated Covenant technology regularly for the past two months or so." She explained "Technology that makes their ships tougher, their weapons last longer, their shields stronger. This is completely out of the ordinary."

"It's called escalation," Shepard informed her "it's what happens in wars that go on this long."

Halsey shook her head and sighed greatly.

"I know what happens in wars Shepard, but the Covenant are different." Halsey told him hotly "Do you know why they steal AI from us? Why the ones they snatch are fragmented and insane like the one you claim to have encountered in your report? It's because they don't know how to properly care for them. And they don't know because it's been taboo in their society to use AI."

That was a strange thing to have in common with the Covenant, Shepard thought for a moment. He didn't know exactly where Halsey was going with any of this though. Halsey continued as Shepard remained quiet.

"We have advanced AI research since the start of this war." Halsey explained "All evidence we've found says the Covenant are severely lagging behind us in this area. Likewise we have created powerful weapons, sufficient in countering the Covenant and their forces. Yet the Covenant technology tree has been slow to change."

"What do you mean?" Shepard asked inquisitively "This little arms race is new?"

Halsey flipped around her laptop to show the schematics of a large weapon.

"This is the MAC gun, a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon." She said "It has been proven effective at incinerating entire warships within one or two shots. When our ships have lost battles to the devastating might of Covenant fleets, they do not even attempt to salvage what is left of the gun that was on the destroyed ship for themselves. Ever."

"That's stupid!" Shepard said outright "Why would they pass up a weapon that could help them get the upper hand?"

Shepard knew if he ever got this MAC gun he'd use it. If it could destroy Covenant ships in one shot it could destroy a Reaper easy! Halsey turned the laptop around and endeavoured to answer Shepard's conundrum.

"Covenant believe that their Gods' technology is superior." Halsey explained "Are you familiar with the Forerunners?"

Shepard remembered Jun mentioned them before.

"I've heard of them," he answered "that's who they worship."

"It's also where they get all their toys from." Halsey replied "The Covenant believe their Gods intended them to find their lost technology and use it to spread their message across the stars. To destroy enemies and infidels who would defile these... sacred icons of theirs if you will. So holy these relics are they do not even attempt to improve upon it. Time and time again we've found their weapons are reversed engineered from Forerunner tech. But they ignore the short comings of their weapons, if properly studied in full and upgraded we'd be at a severe disadvantage. As it stands, Covenant weaponry has changed little since they began systematically killing us. For them it's heresy to use any other technology but Forerunner in their holy war. Even greater heresy to think the weapons of their perfect deities need improvement."

Shepard told himself to remember that tidbit of information. If Covenant weaponry wasn't reaching its full potentially, they could probably examine it themselves and improve upon its faults and weaknesses. But Shepard was not distracted from what this all meant in the long run.

"If the Covenant only use Forerunner tech and they don't upgrade based on religious grounds," he began piecing together "why are they taking tech from my universe and using it in this war?"

"Precisely my thoughts Shepard." Halsey agreed wholeheartedly "This isn't their MO, something has changed."

Shepard agreed it did sound fishy, but there were explanations.

"Religious fundamentalists are usually the most hypocritical." He reminded her "They found porn on Islamist Fundamentalists' hard-drives in the 21st and let's not forget all the homophobic priests who had gay lovers."

Halsey nodded her head, holding it by her chin as she did.

"True, it is likely." She admitted "But we both know this technology is coming from your universe. They'd still need someone to tell them how it works, and how to integrate it into their systems proper."

"I have a few ideas on who exactly is behind that actually." Shepard admitted "But I don't wanna go pointing fingers just yet."

"It is best to leave our minds open to the possibilities for now." Halsey concurred "Still, we need to find the link between the Covenant and the use of your universes' technology in their arsenal. If I'm right, this could be threat to both our galaxies, greater than either of us could imagine."

Shepard agreed with Halsey, this was a threat. But he still had his reservations.

"Why come to me with all this?" he asked "Why not go to your Spartans or your superiors for help? What's my role?"

"I've noticed the pattern Shepard," said Halsey, "but like I said I have few friends left in ONI. My protests fall on deaf ears. They say the Covenant have just discovered a cache of Forerunner tech. But when you arrived... well... it confirmed my suspicions. As for my Spartans, they answer to others now. Like Jorge, I have no control over their lives anymore."

Shepard still had his doubts about Halsey, but so far she was the only one who would probably listen to him. Who would probably take his warnings at face value. Who saw the proof in front of her and accepted it for what it said no matter how grave it was. And she also seemed like the only person who wanted to do anything about this new technology the Covenant were getting.

He could relate.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked.

"The Zealot leader," Halsey stated. "I trust you want to track him down and question him?"

"Yeah, I do." Shepard replied.

Halsey stood up and turned around marching away from her desk slowly.

"I can pull some strings with the people who still have my back her," she said. "I can make sure that if any Zealot is spotted in the Dead Zone the information goes to your team and your team alone. You can find him, and of course capture him alive."

"And when I do I relay the info back to you?" He asked "Why?"

"I understand the Covenant better than you," she explained. "I can figure out our next move from what he tells you. The information you find could be invaluable. It could lead us to what their end game is, why they're doing this, who is helping them. Everything. But only if we work together."

Halsey turned around abruptly.

"I know Ackerson promised you quicker repairs and upgrades, but I'm sure you know by now he can't be trusted."

Shepard's silence was all she needed to hear to know the answer.

"I still have access to many files within ONI, people who can get things done as I've said." She continued as she marched back to her desk and sat down "Weapon systems, shields, equipment, personell with the know how, anything you need. If that's what it takes you to convince you to help me I'll do it. I'll get it."

Shepard was taken aback. She wasn't kidding he could see that.

"You're serious about this."

"Humanity's survival is at stake Shepard," she informed him "there is no time for jokes. Now are you going to help me or not?"

The answer was clear. This woman was a criminal by all standards, she had committed amoral terrible acts, she had done great harm to others. But then again, it wasn't like that had been an issue before when recruiting certain members of his team. She felt remorse, which was more than he could say for a good deal of folks he had met in Cerberus. And this... this was big. He needed friends now, more than ever.

"Alright," he said "I'm all in."

He stuck out his hand and Halsey shook it.

"Good," she said as she relinquished her grip "with any luck, we can find out what the Covenant are doing in your universe and what they plan for mine together."

Shepard got up at last and walked back over to the door.

"You do realise this doesn't make us friends?" he asked her before he left

"Yes, I do." She admitted, seemingly at peace with that fact "I don't need you to like me Shepard. But I need you to trust me."

Wade looked back to the door, let it slide wide open. As he exited he said a few parting words.

"Trust is in seemingly short supply in this universe." He said as he paused in the doorway, then he continued walking away.

Halsey was left at her desk, quietly contemplating the man who had just left her room. She thought back to another career soldier, much like Shepard. He reminded her of him. They were so alike, so determined, so unwavering, so brave.

"So," she said to herself "you really do know how to pick them don't you ya old goat?"

---

AN: So that's chapter Seven. I had more intended, but this thing got long as you can see. So I've decided to split this chapter up a bit. However it works out a bit in my favour I think. It keeps the themes for what happens next separate. This chapter was about the fallout of the last mission and what comes next for our heroes. As well as literal Damage control in Samara trying to figure out how best to defeat a Hunter next they meet.

By the by, any fans of "Generation Kill" will know that Cpl. Pearson is an obvious analogue to Ray Person an actual Marine and character on the show. Writing military grunt dialogue reminded me of the show, and I wanted to put my own spin on Ray's "Lack of Pussy Fucks Countries Up" theory. When you think about it... it does make a crazy kind of sense. Expect more from Kowalski and his fellow Marines grunts as they offer us a laymen's view of this universe. And, well if you didn't guess, in-jokes at the expense of Mass Effect's fan forums and how often they discuss Dat Ass and Dem Hips. Do not expect them to say those exact words! I'm writing bloody fanfiction here not an article on "Know your memes." Besides, those two memes are the only two I've really gotten tired of anyway.

That and the "Saren: A Hero Betrayed" is an actual documentary in the Mass Effect universe. I learned about when looking through Anderson's file on the Shadow Broker's ship. I always wanted to try and make my own excerpt of it. I utilized my knowledge of craptastic crocumentaries that always shgow up on the History Channel. Ya know? Shit that shouldn't be on there? Where they talk to poor saps who think they got abducteed and that Nostradamus was more than just a shitty poet. They're always one-sided, loaded with incorrect facts and never have anyone objective or possessing any real qualifications in the field being discussed. I despise them, so getting to make my own in a small way with a film I know actually exists universe was ever so much fun. Seperatist Turian angle to it is also in-universe too, as the movement was covered on Cerberus Daily News. Real epic story, could be made into a novel really. Badass climax too.

Anywho, next chapter will have Shepard's crew react to the news they apparently are working for a government that condones the kidnapping of children to serve as candidates for their super-soldier program. That's gonna go over REAL well ain't it? Expect sides to be taken and the tensions in the group to widen. Like I said, it would've been included here, were it not for the fact that we ran out of space. Don't worry, you won't miss out on the promised Halsey action. There's like two weeks to fill in between Sword Base and the Sniper Mission (Nightfall) within the game's timeline. More than enough space to work with. Although my aforementioned "WHAM" chapter may end up getting pushed back a bit. Oh well, numbering changes, not the content.

I'll start work on it tomorrow. I would've waited for both to be done to post this, but with Fallout: New Vegas' "Old World Blues" DLC coming out I may find myself preoccupied for... well... the rest of the month. Don't worry, I won't forget you guys. With any luck chapter 8 will be out relatively soon and you'll get to see one of the main confrontations I've been building up towards since this fanfic started. Halsey meets Tali'Zorah, guess what they talk about? With that in mind, I leave you. Remember to review, I need something to read late at night after all. And if you're ever bored waiting for the story to update feel free to browse my past works. Yeah, I know, they're not as good. But it's my past, I like to remember where I've been and how I've improved.

Of course if you wanna read something that I consider an even better story than my own, look for AssaultSloth's "Interstitium", in my opinion the best Mass Effect fanfic I've ever read and a true inspiration for me and the creation of this story. He deserves more views in my opinion.

Edit: Clearing up something, when Tali says that SlipSpace drives could be made to be faster than Relays, she's merely theorizing. All they're trying to do for now is find a way to make Slipspace drives on human ships faster than they currently are now. You know, to get a jump on the Covenant's advantage by a bit. I realise that FTL is faster on the Normandy for now, but I have a way to change it so both the SR2 and other UNSC ships can go faster with slipspace.