Shepard found Chakwas in her office, asleep, in her chair. A bottle of brandy stood next to her feet on the desk, half empty. With a gentle knock on the doorframe, the doctor awoke, blinking at the bright lights of the Normandy, a few unlady-like curses slipping from her lips.

"What…? Oh, it's you. Morning Shepard. Did you have anything better to do than deprive a poor old woman of her sleep?"

"If you're working for Cerberus, you're certainly not poor. And actually, I came here about our new arrivals."

"The Imperials?"

"The Imperials."

"I see. Let me just… ah, here those files are. Now then, let's begin. The girl, Amelie, is fairly normal. She appears to have some implants, but I've been unable to determine their purpose. There's a few surface similarities to biotic implants, but the bio-tech is just to advanced. You told me these people are from the 41st millenium. I'm surprised we can interface with anything at all."

"What about the soldier? Sigismund?"

"He's a veteran. Some of his scars have patterning to them, and I would guess torture as the cause. Add that to the age of some scars compared to the freshness of others… Sigismund's been fighting for a long time. It's hard for an old soldier to learn new tricks. It's probably best to keep him off of diplomatic missions."

"Understood. Now, the red-robe, Isidor. Is he an alien, or a human, or….?"

"I don't know what to call him. He used to be human, at the very least. I don't know how much of him is human anymore. His limbs are all robotic, most of his respiratory system as well. Around 30% of his brain is something else. The scan showed traces of almost every element we know of in his body, and a few we don't. You'd need an engineer to take a look at him, not a doctor. Even then, I don't know how much it would help. "

She sighed, rubbing her brow. Glancing at the bottle, Chakwas took a second to see if it was empty. Upon discovering that it was, the doctor sighed again, setting it down, looking up at Shepard with a tired look in her eyes.

"I'm not as young as I once was, Shepard. But more importantly, you aren't either. Be careful out there, and be careful around these Imperials. We need you Shepard, and Cerberus can't raise you from the dead every time."

"Don't worry about me, Chakwas. I'll be alright. Thanks for your advice, God knows I'll need it. And, with luck, we'll have an engineer back aboard soon enough."


The Communications room was finally getting filled, and Shepard could not help but feel some pride at the fact. They were gathering the Galaxy's best and brightest, and few extra-Galactic allies, if that gigantic red-robe was to be believed. Garrus was in the chair to her right, Miranda on her left. The three soldiers stood in a clump near the entrance, Jacob trying, and failing, to initiate a conversation with Zaeed and Sigismund. Mordin was furiously writing down notes, taking quick glances at Isidor, muttering to himself like he usually did. For his part, Isidor stood like a statue, his head the only moving part of his body, constantly swiveling back and forth, as if he was scanning for something. That creepy floating skull of his hovered nearby, one socket empty, the other eye curiously dull, seemingly on standby. Jack was leaning back in her chair, flicking spitballs at Miranda, who did her best to ignore it. Amelie was sitting quietly, looking around with curiosity. As Kasumi finally de-cloaked, announcing her arrival in the room, it was time to begin.

This was Shepard's team. These were the men, women, and aliens that would save the Galaxy. But, for now, they were to save one of Shepard's best friends. Slamming her hand on the table, Jane finally got the attention of her crew.

"I can see that we're finally all here. As you know, we encountered something other than the Collectors on Horizon. Allies. They claim to be from a different future. If you really want to know more, talk to Mordin. I know he's trying to figure out the science behind it all. I don't exactly know what to believe myself, but they're willing to help. That's all that matters. Our three new crewmembers are sent as representatives of these new arrivals, these 'Imperials'. Sigismund, Isidor-7, and Amelie, meet your new team."

"After Horizon, I've also been given some dossiers by the Illusive Man. One on Tali'Zorah Vas Neema. She's been sent on a mission to Haestrom, deep in Geth space. Joker's taking us there now. We don't know much else. Sigismund, Isidor, and Garrus, you're with me. EDI will coordinate from above. While we're working on this, I need someone to keep an eye on the news. The Imperials might be revealing themselves soon, and I'd like to know what happens. Miranda? You're on it. I'll meet the team in the Hangar bay in fifteen. The rest of you, take some time for yourselves."

Shepard let out a breathe she did not know she was holding, the crew filing away. She hated speaking to a group like that. It always came off as so awkward. Garrus stayed behind, the rest of the crew leaving the two in silence.

"Shepard? Are you sure taking along these Imperials is the right idea? There's only so much I can do if they can't pull their weight."

"Thanks for the concern Garrus, but I'm sure they'll do fine. I fought with them on Horizon. They're competent."

"If you say so, Commander. Just remember, I'll be there to watch your back. And Tali's, once we find her."

"Looking forward to seeing her again?"

"Of course, she's a very proficient engineer, and a bonus to the crew. Plus, with all these changes, it wouldn't hurt to see some old faces. See you in the bay, Shepard."

"See you later, Garrus."


"Shepard, our Data indicates that Tali is somewhere in these ruins. There is considerable Geth activity, and an environmental hazard. Solar output has overwhelmed Haestrom's protective magentosphere. Exposure to direct sunlight will damage your shields."

The Kodiak Shuttle touched down in a shaded area, the crew deploying immediately. Sigismund was equipped much the same as he had been on Horizon: that strange sword, and his oddly effective pistol. Isidor had seen fit to bring a gigantic rifle, almost six feet in length. Like most of the Imperial's equipment, it was a strange mix of parts that should belong in a museum, and technology beyond this Galaxy's comprehension. He had claimed it would help against armored foes, though Shepard felt that it may be a little more than they needed. Garrus brought his Viper sniper rifle, the same he had fought with last time the SPECTRE knew him. Why change what worked?

Jane was the first into the sunlight. Alerts started going off as her shields were depleted, as she sprinted into the shadows, Garrus close behind. The radiation didn't seem to bother the two Imperials, though one of the odd machines attached to the red-robe began to emit soft chimes, stopping only in the shade. The robotic voice of the cyborg began to speak, reaching down to fiddle with it for a moment.

"My Rad-censer. Though my robes are enough to protect me from this foul planet's sun, the censer will still warn me of radiation levels. The Guardsman's coat is similarly treated: we will survive."

A nod was all the response the red-robe received, as the group approached the entrance to the ruins. The gate was shut, the gatehouse damaged by battle. The gatehouse door opened easily, triggering a broadcast and revealing a dead quarian.

"Emergency Log entry: the Geth are here. I've stayed to buy the others time. Anyone who gets this, find Tali'Zorah. She and the Data are all that matters. Keelah se'lai."

The switch was pressed, and the gate to the ruins was opened. Her squadmates readied their weapons, as the Commander led them onwards. The quiet, unnerving silence on the abandoned Quarian world was broken only by the sound of heavy footsteps on stone and rubble. Through the gate the group marched, into the ruins. Into the battlefield.

"DROPSHIP INCOMING!"

Shouting the warning, Garrus ducked into cover, along with Sigismund and Shepard. The red-robe deployed his oversized rifle instead, resting it on a crate, moving faster than humanly possible. Before Jane could realize what Isidor was doing, a loud noise was heard, the ancient looking weapon bucking slightly with the shot. As the dropship deployed its cargo, it buckled in on itself, almost folding in two from a shockwave. A massive hole had been punched in the side, the ship spinning out of control, crashing nearby. The responding fire of the deployed Geth covered Isidor's firing position, the red-robe ducking under the crate, but not before catching several shots in his armor. The already scarred and pitted armor took these shots on in stride, the robes gaining a few more holes from wide shots.

That antique, wooden rifle was an anti-tank weapon. Given how that Sigismund wielded a sword that could cut through shields like butter, the redheaded SPECTRE was hardly surprised anymore.

Jane was already hopping her cover during the Geth response, dashing to another set of cover, taking as many opportune shots as she could. While none of her shots destroyed the alien A.I, each controlled burst wore out a different Trooper's shields. Like a well-oiled machine, Garrus followed up, his sniper rifle picking off the depleted Geth. This was nothing new to the two. They had been allies against Saren, and with Garrus by her side again, it was just like old times.

The skull-masked Sigismund crouched and sprinted from crate to crate, his death-ray of a pistol barking out suppressing fire. Apparently, the Imperial version of 'suppressing fire' meant burning fist-sized holes into whatever the laser hit, but again, there was no kill like overkill. As she reloaded, Jane watched the soldier take cover behind a tall concrete barrier, a Geth trooper stalking on the other side. His sword glowing with a baleful blue light, Sigismund plunged it straight through the barrier, bisecting the Geth behind.

Isidor rushed forward with blinding speed, leaving his rifle strapped across his back. Shepard watched as his augmented legs flexed, springing the red-robe in a jump over half the field, crushing a Geth's head with his claw-like feet. As he landed, she pulled her trigger, hosing down the remaining 'bots with her Vindicator.

It had been over quickly. Entirely too quickly for her liking. The rocket troopers had not even had a chance to send off their shots, the regular troopers' remains spread out across the ruins. As Jane strode down to the larger area, she saw Isidor systematically tearing each Geth part by part, the metal skeletons bending, breaking under his robotic arms.

The normally emotionless cyborg was almost in a frenzy, blue biotic eyes flashing with hatred. As Shepard approached, she could hear a repeated chant.

"destroy destroy destroydestroyde.-.-.-.-.-.-...-.-.-"

The chant devolved into random bursts of static from his speaker-like mouth, Isidor moving from body to body, ripping them down to their base components. Garrus approached beside her, glancing at the nearby soldier.

"Does he always act this way?"

Sigismund shrugged, watching with disinterest.

"The two greatest sins one can commit in his religion are being an A.I. and being made by xenos. He's probably been itching to do this since we got off the dropship."

Shepard stored the medi-gel she had found, the red-robe stopping almost immediately once the destroyed Geth had been rendered into nothing more than a pile of small, twisted bits of metal. Rising from his hunched over position, Isidor unslung his rifle, looking to her.

"Are we to proceed?"

"Yes. And I don't care how much you hate those things, we have move quickly if we're to save Tali. No more of… this."

The blue lenses on the red-robed flashed once, before dimming to their usual luminance. She wasn't sure how to guess the emotions of a cyborg with metal plate for a face, but Jane would have guessed this killing machine was disappointed.

Whether he was or was not did not change the mission, and Shepard gestured the group onwards. As they explored the area, she managed to find some valuable research and salvage, sending the information up to the Normandy. Soon, they came across several Quarian corpses, the stench of death only made worse by the world's oppressive heat. An abandoned radio was broadcasting demands for help, as Jane approached it.

"Break-break-break. OP-1, this is Squad Leader Kal'Reegar, do you copy? The Geth sent a dropship to OP-2. Tali'Zorah's secure, but we need backup. We're bunkered up here, can you send support? OP-1, this is Squad Leader Kal'Reegar, come in, over!"

"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. Can we provide assistance?"

"Patch your radio into channel 617 Theta. We were on a stealth mission. High risk. We found what we were after but the Geth found us. They've got us pinned down. Can't get to our ship, can't transmit data through the solar radiation."

"What's the status of your team? How many of you are left?"

"We were a small squad, dozen marines, plus the science team. We're down to half-strength now. Made those synthetic bastards pay for it though."

"What brought you this deep into Geth-controlled space?"

"You're asking the wrong person Shepard. I just point and shoot"

Behind her, she could hear Sigismund snort quietly in his mask.

"Something about the sun. It's going bad faster than it should. Some sort of energy problem."

"Any idea where the Geth came from?"

"One of their patrol ships found us. Dropships started rained down Geth on our heads before we could get off-world. System's under Geth control. We knew they made planetary sweeps periodically. We'd hoped going low-emissions would hide us."

"Do we have to worry about the Geth sending in reinforcements?"

"I don't think so. Their patrol ship hasn't lifted off again, and the radiation blocks all off-world communication."

"How are you holding up? We can be there in a few minutes."

"Take it slow and careful. Direct sunlight fries your shields all to hell. We're bunkered down at base camp across the valley. I left Tali'Zorah at a secure shelter, then doubled back to hold the chokepoint. Getting Tali out safely is our top priority. If you can extract her, we'll keep them off you."

"You're going to throw your life away for research?"

"Negative. I'm going to give my life for the Migrant Fleet. All the difference in the world. I'm no tech-expert Shepard. I'm a marine. They tell me to shoot, I shoot. They said to protect Tali and the data. If you get them out safe, I've done my job."

Again, Jane heard Sigismund behind her, muttering to himself: "Admirable, for an alien." Garrus's response came in just as loud and clear: "I'm standing right here, you know."

"You've got confirmation that the Geth haven't reached Tali yet?"

"Affirmative. Left my best men with her. When you get here, you can talk to her on the comm. Every marine on this rock is sworn to protect Tali'Zorah. Long as one of us is still drawing air, she'll be safe."

"Hold position. We'll hit their back ranks."

"Wait! Watch your ass, we've got a dropship coming in!"

Isidor once again unslung his rifle with blinding speed, snapping off a shot at the incoming dropship. The anti-tank round, made for the 41st millienium, not for the 3rd, tore a gigantic hole through the Geth construct. The impact forced the ship off-course, crashing it against the ground before the bunker, Geth pouring from inside. It was time for battle, yet again.

Garrus set up position on the ledge, his sniper instincts taking over. Shepard carefully, but quickly, made her way from pillar to pillar, crate to crate. Kal'Reegar came in again, his voice crackling through the radio.

"What the hell was that? We're getting pressed back in here. Hurry!"

A look to her side, and Shepard saw Sigismund approaching with her, the sounds of combat echoing from the quarian held bunker. He moved faster than her, seemingly not caring if he was shot at, or if he was hit. Thankfully, his armor held against the scattered Geth rounds thrown his way, the grey carapace shrugging them off. His sword activated, glowing with its soft blue light, Sigismund charged ahead, ignoring Shepard's cry of surprise.

"GARRUS! Cover him! What is he doing?"

She popped out of her cover, spraying down covering fire, as the man charged forward. She saw the object of his attack: A Geth Prime. The twelve foot monstrosity emerged from the downed dropship, turning it's gigantic frame towards the running mad man. His sword blade flashed, embedded in the chest of the robot, Sigismund's feet propped against it. With an upward pull, the sword cut through the chest, through the head, the Prime falling back. Sparks flew from the destroyed Geth, as the three nearby troopers turned, targeting this new threat. Two of their heads exploded in scrap and sparks, the third's chest shredded by the full auto of Shepard's rifle, as she attempted to yank him back to cover. The two crouched behind the shell of the Prime, chests heaving.

"What the hell was that? I need you alive, Sigismund."

"And you needed that construct dead. I've been in combat longer than I've been at rest, Shepard. I can handle myself."

Her angry response was cut off by a cloaked Geth Hunter's head exploding into shrapnel nearby, a shot by Garrus's overwatch

"We're not done with this, Sigismund."

The soldier nodded, before jumping back into the fray, Geth still pouring in from around her. She did not have time to talk down the near-suicidal soldier, having to fend for her own life as Jane retreated to better cover. Garrus's voice sounded in her ear.

"I can't believe he used a damn sword. Who does that?"

"Not helping, Garrus."

"Sorry, Commander."

Another explosion was heard, the red-robe's over powered rifle firing into a stone pillar. With a crack, it broke, the length crashing down, obliterating the nearby Geth beneath its weight. As Shepard opened fire once again, she heard her rifle-fire supplemented by others. Ducking back behind her crate, Jane saw the surviving Quarian marines advancing, gaining ground beside her. She was glad for the reinforcement. Despite Isidor's best efforts, much of the Geth had survived the landing, and the ruins were now crawling with them. Hunters snuck around, only to be shot down by either Garrus or Isidor, the two snipers watching over the infantry below. Sigismund was an army of his own, his sword rising and falling, slicing through whatever it hit. Kal'Reegar's voice crackled in her ear once again, the other marines falling in beside Shepard.

"I'm cut off, alone back here! They're coming in through the side, I've got to fall back!"

After the frantic shouts of the Quarian, the familiar robotic tones of EDI filtered through.

"Shepard. I have scanned the area and located two demolition charges, should you wish to use them."

"Put it on my radar"

"Done. Both sets of charges are marked out for your use."

"Marines. It's good to see you."

The one in the forefront responded, his voice surprisingly young.

"It's better to see you, Shepard. We will do what we can. For the Fleet!"

This cry was met by another, roared out from nearby.

"FOR THE EMPEROR!"

The horde of Geth was thick, dozens of the metal monstrosities firing shots from every side. As the marines and Shepard rounded a corner, they saw Sigismund. The soldier was surrounded on all sides by twisted metal corpses, each hacked or blasted apart. His armor was burned and pitted, though it had held against the Geth attacks. A Quarian behind her muttered a curse in surprise at the sight, and Jane could not help but agree. What kind of soldier charges in suicidally, and lives to tell about it? More importantly, what kind of modern soldier fights with a sword?

A shot from Garrus destroyed a nearby Hunter, it's body decloaking and falling, Sigismund spinning about from the noise. She could hear him panting from the effort, pained breaths coming out from his gasmask's respirator.

"Shepard."

"Sigismund."

"Are you alright?"

"Scrapes and bruises. Who are these xenos?"

"Our allies are the Quarians that were guarding Tali."

Shepard put a slight emphasis on the word. She hated the xenophobia of Cerberus, and it was more than a little disturbing to see these Imperials following the same ideas.

"Our... 'allies'. Are the xenos. The aliens are our allies."

Sigismund looked more than a little confused. He stood there, switching his gaze from Shepard to the marines, then back again. Raising his sword arm up, as if to gesture to something, he let it fall again.

"As you wish, Commander. What's the plan?"

"The Geth are swarming, but with those demo charges, we could clear this area quickly. Sigismund, you're with me. Let's get this over with."

If the gasmasked soldier had any complaint, he did not voice it. The seven cut their way through the Geth, easily reaching the first charge. Tali had left a journal, detailing her worries about the sun's radiation. While Jane was not one for science, the Quarian engineer seemed troubled by the information. Perhaps this mission was more important than she had believed. Whatever the case, the demolition charge seemed to do it's job, clearing a large area in the Geth forces, the scattered fire from the marines, Sigismund's pistol, and Garrus cleaning up the rest.

The squad regrouped at the destroyed dropship, Isidor bounding from rubble to wreckage, after everyone else. Shepard did not know what the red-robe had been doing, but given his effectiveness so far, she was willing to let his disappearance during last part of the battle pass. After all, he had shot down two of the dropships so far. That anti-tank rifle of his was stupidly over powered.

In silence, the group passed through to the building, several dead Quarians lying about the froom, and many more destroyed Geth surrounding them. Kal'Reegar and the other marines had given a good account of themselves, and thanks to her new allies, some still lived.

"Tali'Zorah to basecamp. Come in basecamp. Hello! Is anyone there?"

"Tali, it's Shepard. A few of the marines survived, but I'm sorry. Most are dead. The others must have fallen back."

"We knew this mission was high-risk. Damn it. And what are you doing here, Shepard? We're in the middle of Geth space!"

"I was in the neighborhood. Thought you might need a hand. Brought an old friend as well."

"Thanks for coming Shepard. It means a lot to hear your voice."

Tali paused, her image flickering on the viewer. Sounds of gunfire, explosions, and shifting rubble could be heard through the link. The Quarian seemed to be distracted by the noises, indistinct voices crackling along with the static. She turned back to Shepard, sounding a bit more worried by the moment.

"Kal'Reegar and the surviving marines got me into the observatory. From where you are, it's through the door and across the field. I got the data I needed, and I'm safe for now, but I've got a lot of Geth outside."

"Would it help if I brought in the Normandy?"

"Doubtful. These buildings are centuries old. If you bring down heavy fire, this whole place could collapse on us."

"Is anyone else still with you? Or are you alone out there?"

"Reegar had the marines cover me when I ran for the observatory. I think I can still hear them firing outside."

"It looks like somebody sealed the door against the Geth, and the console is damaged. Can you get it open on your end?"

"Let me see… Yes, I can do it. Here. Should be unlocked now. Be careful Shepard… And please, do what you can to keep Reegar alive."

The holo cut out. Motioning the marines and her squad forward, Jane lead her rag-tag team on. An alarmed cry from one of the Quarians was cut short, as he was shot by the Geth recon drones hiding behind the door. His comrade dragged the wounded marine behind cover, as Shepard began, once again, to fight the Geth.

The quick, reactive fire from the Quarian marines, Sigismund, and Jane herself destroyed the recon drones, the Geth constructions falling to the ground in clashes of sparks. The two snipers began to unload and check their weapons, the others reloading and preparing for the inevitable assault.

"Sigismund! Focus on the big ones. The marines and I can take out the infantry. Garrus, I need you on overwatch. Make sure nothing touches us. Isidor? The skies are yours. No more Geth need to land here. Let's go."

Moving from cover to cover, supported by covering fire, Shepard made her way forward. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sigismund charging onwards, burning holes in everything he aimed at. Thankfully, this wave of Geth reinforcements seemed to be mostly troopers, the Quarians making short work of them. Thudding, clanking footsteps announced the presence of a Prime, its rifle primed for a shot. A shot that it would never take. It staggered, Garrus's rifle fire drawing the attention of the Geth, before it toppled forward, legless. Sigismund stood behind it, striding forward to decapitate the fallen robot.

The second Prime never got a chance to fire, its synthetic body ripped apart by Isidor's rifle. More drone fire tore around her position, forcing Jane to duck back into cover, away from the fight. The wounded Quarian from earlier seemed to be alright, his suit self-sealing the best it could. The others were a competent bunch, snap-firing from cover, taking down Geth by Geth. Nowhere near the level the SPECTRE usually had on her team, but competent.

A few minutes later, and rubble, ruin, and shipping container covered field was empty of opponents, and full of broken metal. The wounded marine was helped to his feet, and the group progressed onwards, deeper into the Quarian ruins.

Rumblings sounded as the door before them opened. The ground itself shook slightly, a Geth Collosus slowly turning around at the noise. A panicked cry of "GET DOWN" later, and the group was huddling behind cover. Two of the marines had been hit, their suffering cut short by the strength of the blast. Rushing from column to column, cover to cover, the rag-tag squadron reached the ramp below. Hiding behind the stone wall, firing when he had the chance, was another of the Quarian marines.

"Over here! Get to cover! Squad Leader Kal'Reegar, Migrant fleet marines. We talked on the radio before the dropship arrived. I suppose I have you,and whoever these people are, to thank for saving my marines? Still got no idea why you're here, but this ain't the time to be picky."

An explosion rocked the wall behind them, sending dust and bits of stone flying about. Miscellaneous rifle fire peppered their cover, but thankfully, no-one was hurt.

"Tali's inside over there. The Geth killed the marines with me, and they're trying to get to her. Best I've been able to do is draw their attention."

"Are you sure she's still alive?"

"The observatory's reinforced. Even the Geth will need time to get through it. And it's hard to hack a door when someone's firing rockets at you. The Geth are near platoon strength, but the colossus is the worst part. It's got a repair protocol. Huddles up and fixes itself. I can't get a clear shot when it's down like that. I tried to move in closer, and one of the bastards punched a shot clean through my suit."

"How bad's the suit damage?"

"Combat seals clamped down to isolate contamination, and I'm swimming in antibiotics. The Geth might get me, but I'm not going to die from an infection in the middle of a battle. That's just insulting."

"Any ideas on how to deal with the Colossus?"

"Standard protocol on armature-class units is to sabotage the shields and whittle it down. Y'know, kill it with bug-bites. But the repair protocol blows that plan to hell. You try to wear it down, it just huddles up and fixes itself. So whatever we have do has to scrap that bastard fast. Probably means getting up close, past that cover."

"Understood. Isidor, you need to get a clean shot on that Colossus. Reegar, stay here. You've done enough, you don't need to throw your life away."

"I've still got a launcher the sun hasn't fried yet. Wasn't asking your permission. My job is to keep Tali safe. I can distract it and maybe kill its shields, while you go down to finish it off."

The Quarian stood up, aiming his missile launcher at the Geth. Almost immediately, Shepard stood up with him, pushing him back into the wall, back into cover.

"We have enough people at the moment! I can't let you just take one for the team. Stand down!"

"I'm not going to stand here while you run into enemy fire! They killed half my squad!"

"And the other half needs you alive! If you want to honor your dead, watch my back! I need you here in case they bring reinforcements."

Kal'Reegar glanced at his surviving squad members, each one of them looking to him for leadership. Each one of them ready to follow his commands. Each one of them willing to die for him, and for the mission. With a sigh, he turned back to Shepard

"Alright Shepard, we'll do it your way. Hit them for me. Keelah se'lai."

With that, battle was joined. The remaining Quarian marines laid down covering fire, Shepard and her squad continuing down the staircase. Once back in cover, Jane caught Isidor's attention. Pointing to the left, towards the sniper nest, she gestured him onwards. His rifle should be able to heavily damage the Colossus, if not take it all together. The only problem was providing the red-robe enough cover for him to take the shot. His rifle was huge, and though Isidor's reaction times were inhuman, the sheer volume of fire from the Geth infantry below would take its toll. The troopers and Primes must be distracted. Garrus set up his rifle, ready to provide overwatch. With a nod to Sigismund, Shepard prepared to charge down. The Quarian marines, while well-trained, simply were not equipped to face this many Geth, or the Colossus. They stayed up on the top of the staircase, periodically firing downwards, keeping the attention of Shepard's squad, and off of the bounding Isidor.

The red-robe was leaping forward, from cover to cover, his limbs a blur. Within moments, he reached the left side of the field, taking refuge in the sniper's nest. The Colossus barely took notice of him, preferring to fire down onto Shepard's position. The concrete barrier was barely holding against the fire, shuddering with each shot. To make matters worse, the Colossus was out of sight from Isidor's rifle. They had to lure it forward.

Sigismund and Shepard charged down to the center field, Garrus picking off any Geth that came to close. The veteran's pistol barked with each shot, burning the air before it, vaporizing a fist sized hole wherever it hit. While only a few shots actually managed to make their mark, the sheer volume of fire forced the nearby Geth to duck into cover. However, the Prime that was leading the group did not take cover, simply taking the shots, marching onwards. The scorching holes in it's body were ignored, the 13 foot monstrosity shrugging them off. Return fire from the Prime hit Sigismund, the impact tossing him to the side, though he seemed not to be badly hurt. Shepard dived behind the barrier next to him, helping the soldier back to his feet. A simple nod was all the thanks she received. Sniper fire from Garrus distracted the Prime, the massive Geth turning to the new threat, preparing to return fire. It never got the chance.

Isidor's rifle hit it, the round passing through the Geth's center, igniting the circuitry, flames bursting in the man-sized hole. The flaming Geth paused, before it fell over, clanging against the ground.

There was no time to celebrate. The troopers nearby had emerged from cover, peppering Sigismund and Jane's position with fire. A few bursts from her assault rifle, punctuated by the sound of burning air from Sigismund's pistol, and the Geth lay dead.

Surprisingly, the battle was going fairly well. The Quarian marines stayed by their wounded commander, keeping the Geth on the back foot. Garrus's sniper fire decimated the trooper's ranks, and Isidor's ridiculous rifle continued its campaign of vengeance against the various Geth Elites. Sigismund and her had cut a swathe through the main field, though her shields were now stripped by the sun. Despite all that, there was a nagging sense of something she forgot.

The ground shook, and a loud boom was heard, tossing the commander like a ragdoll. The Colossus.

Shepard felt a trickle of blood running down her face, as she lay on the ground. She had been tossed against a wall, the concrete behind her cracked with the force of impact. Jane could still feel her legs, which was always a good sign, but all she could hear was a high-pitched whine, the world looking blurry and out of focus. The sky slowly came into focus, Jane turning herself over, getting on her hands and knees. She blinked, not sure if what she was seeing was real.

Sigismund stood alone on the field. One arm was bent at an odd angle, the pistol discarded on the ground. In his other hand, his sword crackled, lighting running up the blade. His helmet had been knocked free, only his mask remaining. She could hear him yelling.

"FACE ME! FACE ME, YOU XENOS SAVAGE! FACE ME, AND LET THE EMPEROR DECIDE MY FATE"

The Colossus turned its attention away from her, the ground shaking as it moved. It almost seemed curious, wondering how such a small, insignificant creature could challenge it. Not bothering to charge up its main weapon, the Colossus brought its huge foot down, intent on squashing the soldier like a bug. Rolling to the side, he dodged, slicing off a foot. With what sounded like a roar, the Colossus stumbled forwards.

Right into Isidor's line of fire.

A boom sounded. The Colossus's head was gone, shrapnel raining down. Still, it stood upright, teetering on it's three feet. A second boom, and its body folded inwards from the impact. The Colossus fell, crushing Geth reinforcements with its body. A cheer went up from the Quarians assembled on the staircase, as Shepard felt herself be helped up by Garrus.

"Shepard. Shepard, can you hear me?"

Jane nodded, taking to her feet, brushing the Turian off.

"I'm fine Garrus, I'm fine. Let's finish this."

With the Colossus destroyed, and the majority of the Geth's elite units joining it, the battle was over quickly. The troopers were no match for Garrus and Shepard, the two forcing their way to where Sigismund was seen last. They found him sitting, back against a barrier, useless arm held to his chest. His helmet and pistol lay next to him, quick, pained breaths coming from the mask's filter.

"Shepard. Xenos. You survived."

It was a simple statement, but Jane thought she could hear surprise in his voice, and perhaps, a bit of admiration. She helped the trench-coated soldier to his feet, his sword powering off and sliding into his scabbard. The Quarian marines descended from the ramp, picking off the damaged Geth survivors one by one, Kal'Reegar with them. Isidor appeared nearby, as silent and strange as he always was. Shepard and her squad made their way towards the locked door, entering into Tali's hideout.

The door hissed open, Tali turning around at the sound.

"Thank you, Shepard. If it were not for you, I would never have made it out of this room. This whole mission has been a disaster. I wish I'd joined you on Freedom's Progress, but I couldn't let anyone take my place on something this risky."

"A lot of Quarians lost their lives here. Was it worth it?"

"I don't know Shepard. It wasn't my call. The Admiralty board believe the information was worth sacrificing all our lives for. I have to believe that they know what's best."

"I didn't ask what some Admiral thought. I asked what you thought."

"A lot of people died here. Some were my friends. All of them were good at their jobs. That damn data better be worth it. The price was too high."

"What can you tell me about your research here?"

"Haestrom's sun is destabilizing. Back when it was a Quarian colony, it was a normal star. It shouldn't change that quickly"

"Any idea what's causing it?"

"If I had to guess, I'd say it was Dark Energy affecting the interior of the star. The effect is similar to when stars blow off mass to enter a red giant phase, but Haestrom's sun is far too young for this to be natural."

"Whatever the reason, I'm glad I could help. Once you deliver that data, I could use you on the Normandy."

"I promised to see this mission through. I did. I can leave with you and send the data to the Fleet. And if the admirals have a problem with it, they can go to hell. I just watched the rest of my team die."

Kal'Reegar came limping in, supported by one of the marines. There were only 4 left, including Reegar, but they had survived.

"Maybe not the whole rest of your team, Ma'am."

Shepard could swear the old marine was grinning beneath that mask.

"Reegar! You made it! And your squad as well!"

"Your old captain's as good as you said. Plus, his new friends aren't bad either. Damn colossus never stood a chance."

"If need be, the Normandy can get you out of here, Reegar."

"The Geth didn't damage our ship. Long as we get out of here before reinforcements show up, we'll be fine."

"Actually, I won't be going with you, Reegar. I'm joining Commander Shepard."

"I'll pass the data onto the Admiralty board and let them know what happened. She's all yours now, Shepard. Keep her safe."

And with that, the mission was complete.


Shepard waited in the Communications room with Jacob and Isidor, waiting for Tali. Sigismund had gone down to the hanger almost immediately after they had arrived back on the ship, seemingly upset about something. She would have to talk to him after this debriefing was over, thank him for saving her back there.

As Tali entered, Jacob was the first to speak.

"Cerberus saw footage of you in action, Tali'Zorah. We're looking forward to having you on this team. Your engineering expertise will really benefit the mission."

"Query: We are having this xenos work on our ship and equipment? That is complete tech-heresy. It would profane the holy Machine Spirit! It would be inexcusable!"

"I don't know who either of you are, but Cerberus threatened the security of the Migrant Fleet. Don't make nice"

"That's why you're here Tali. I need people who aren't Cerberus. People I can trust."

"You willingly consort with a xenos heretek, and trust her over your fellow humans?"

Jacob stretched his arm out, holding Isidor back, the red-robe's blue lenses glowing brightly in anger.

"Stand down, Isidor. I wasn't… We weren't part of what happened to the Migrant Fleet-"

"Unfortunately."

"-But I understand your distrust. I hope we'll get past that as we work together."

"You might. I refuse to work with a heretek, especially one whose race is responsible for thousands of Abominable Intelligences. "

"Will you shut up? It is in Cerberus's best interests to work with the Quarians, and Tali'Zorah."

"I am not of Cerberus, meatbag. I am of Mars, and I will not allow my sacred tech to be profaned. Unless the Arch-Magos commands me to, I will not operate in the same room as a heretek."

The last word dripping with hate, Isidor marched out of the room, Jacob looking helplessly after him. Tali turned back to Shepard, spreading her arms wide, as if the exchange had just proved her point.

"I assumed you were undercover, Shepard. Maybe even planning to blow Cerberus up. If that's the case, I'll lone you a grenade. Otherwise, I'm here for you. Not for them."

"I know Tali, I know. If it helps, check out the Normandy while you're here. We've gotten a few upgrades."

Sighing, Jacob gestured weakly after Isidor, before letting his arm slap uselessly by his side. Looking to the Quarian, he began to pull something up on his Omni-tool.

"I'll get Tali'Zorah the necessary security clearance to access our systems."

"Please do. I can't be part of your team if I don't know how the ship works. Just remember, Shepard. Cerberus wasn't our friend when we went up against Saren. I'll be engineering."

"Don't forget to introduce yourself to EDI, the ship's new artificial intelligence."

Tali glanced over her shoulder at Jacob, before turning away without a response. The Cerberus officer opened his mouth as if to offer further advice, before closing it, letting out another sigh. Jane followed Tali out, leaving the soldier in the Communications Room, heading down to the Hanger. It was time to talk to Sigismund.


She found the Imperial in the bay by noise alone. The man had managed to find a training dummy, and was in the process of beating on it with his de-powered sword. His shirt was soaked with sweat, the sword tied to his wrist with a short length of chain. The trenchcoat and mask were tossed in a corner, as Sigismund continued to slam his sword into the dummy, taking out chunks with each hit. It was the first time Shepard had seen him without his gloves, and she was a little disconcerted at the sight of Imperial prosthetics. Metal climbed up his arm, stopping just before the elbow. An iron hand held the sword, the chain connected to his wrist, leading the hilt. His scarred muscles bulged, short grunts exhaled with every movement. The Imperial did not notice Shepard, completely focused on his task, his sword weaving back and forth, flickering like a snake's tongue. With a strangled yell, the blade was plunged into the dummy's chest, impaling it on the metal blade. Panting, Sigismund looked up, noticing Jane for the first time.

Pulling the sword free, he rested it on the ground, giving a nod of acknowledgement.

"Commander."

"Sigismund. Impressive display."

"If you say so."

"Sigismund, I have to talk to you. You've made it clear you don't like aliens, and Isidor seems to share your opinion."

Shepard sat down on a crate next to the wall, crossing her legs. She glanced at her omnitool, pulling up a picture of her and Liara. The only picture she had left of the two of them. She needed her. She missed her. With a sigh, Jane looked back up at Sigismund.

"Garrus and Tali are old friends, and I trust them a hell of a lot more than I trust you. We're going to be encountering hundreds of more non-humans throughout this mission, and I can't let you insult them all. I don't know if this sort of hate was tolerated before, but on my ship, I will not allow it. "

"Do you know why I hate the aliens? Why Isidor-7 despises them? It's not because we believe that they're inferior. It's not because your two xenos friends have made particular slights against me or my beliefs."

Sigismund turned away, unchaining his sword from his metal wrist, reverently wiping the blade with a cloth. He refused eye contact with her, staring intently at his work, his voice growing harder and bitter.

"We hate them because they hate us. We hate them because it is in our nature to hate. The first thing every Imperial child is taught is that it is Mankind's destiny to rule the stars. The second is that our destiny is to rule them alone. I hate xenos for dissecting my squad like animals. I hate the xenos for torturing me until I begged for death. I hate them for cutting off half my arm. I hate them for forcing me to kill my friend."

Sigismund's voice broke. He was still cleaning the already shining blade, his eyes glued to his hands, his remaining knuckles white from gripping the handle.

"I hate the alien. You are my Commander. Orders issued are to be obeyed. I tolerate the xenos you have aboard simply because you wish me to."

Standing up, Sigismund took his coat and mask, leaving Shepard in silence.


AN: It's back! So, sorry about not updating in so long. I was on a vacation and didn't have the best internet, plus this chapter is longer than most. Hopefully that makes up for the last one's shortness. Next Chapter will focus on Rogue Trader Pollux, the Mysterious Magos, and Colonel Miriel meeting the Council. Lots of fun planned for that one. There wasn't to much of Amelie in this chapter, not because I didn't want to include her, but because a Telepath can only do so much against the non-psykic, non-biological Geth. She's going to be the focus of the next Shepard and Co chapter.

Also: In case you folks were wondering: Isidor's weapon that he uses in this is a Transuanic Arquebus, and Sigismund's list of xenos he hates are, in order, Dark Eldar, Tyranids, and Genestealers.

Now, on to your reviews!

Abbadon953: Thanks! Culture clash will also be the main point of the next chapter, so stay tuned! And you are right about the flagships. I'd forgotten just how big the Imperator Somnius was.

Manwithaplan112: The original plan was to have Sigismund be from Catachan, actually! And as much as I love the Death Korps, they do get a lot of focus on this website, and the Steel Legion, despite being absolutely amazing soldiers, barely have any. However, you will see some Ogryn, maybe even in the next chapter!

RabidArmenian: Well, although Isidor probably is missing some parts, stuff like that has never stopped Shepard before... :p. On a more serious note, if you were wondering, Shepard romanced Liara for this story. As for Andromeda, I'm probably going to use either a Great Crusade era fleet, or perhaps one of the Primarchs(Dorn? Russ? Not sure yet.) Anyways, it is a bit to early for that, we have plenty to go for this story.

timgr: Thank you! And I agree, it can just get boring to write it sometimes. But, it is necessary for the plot, so don't worry about not getting those kinds of chapters.

edboy4026: Space Marines will definitely be in Andromeda when I get around to it. But, for the now, they won't be in this one. I love 'em, but for the size of the Imperium compared to how many Space Marines there are, the Astartes get involved in way to much.

Carre: Actually, that book is a canon book in the 40k universe, referenced in "The Carrion Throne." Apparently, Krieg counted as a Paradise world, once.

grey: Well, he's not that angry that they were created, Isidor's more angry that they exist. Plus, Skitarri are made to be more aggressive, so his anger is not really as controlled as a normal person's might.

Mira: Thank you so much! I try my best to proof-read, but I do miss a bit. If you see more errors like that, PM me and I'll try to fix them up. As for why Amelie didn't get a scene with Chakwas, well, that was because she's fairly normal. She doesn't have PTSD and hundreds of scars like Sigismund, and she's not a horrific cyborg like Isidor. She's just a young woman with some small implants, which are kinda odd, but no where near as strange as the others.

blackcomet1124: Thanks! Amelie is a romantic, but I don't know if she'd go as far as a xenos. Who knows, though

And as for everyone else, thanks for the support!