James was hard at work on the computer terminal at his post and missed the soft brushing sound of the elevator doors opening. Sneaking up from behind, Jack suddenly put her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who!"

"What the-? Hey!"

Jack then moved her left arm over his eyes while reaching over for his computer mouse with her right. Just as James unwrapped her arm off of his head, Jack situated herself at the keyboard, typed something in hurriedly and then bounced away snickering. Vega took a look at his screen and discovered an explicit image of a turian and krogan male in intimate position.

"Aw that's nasty, Lola!" said James, clicking frantically out of the window. James left his spot and walked over to where she stood idly in the middle of the room. "And what're you doing down here?"

"I was just plugging some tracks on my playlist," she replied while stretching an arm up overhead, "and got the itch to move around a little bit."

"You mean-" James responded as Jack queued the desired songs Harmonically and began playing the music from her omnitool. "You mean dance. Down here?" Jack winked and started slowly moving to the intro of her first selection. Surprised, James looked around, noting only few other Alliance personnel in the area, most of whom had directed their attention to the two of them. At that moment, James saw a worthwhile opportunity.

"Alright, Lola," he said, "I'm in." James turned to the rest of the crewmen in the room and hollered, "Ey, amigos! Get on the dance floor and get a little loco with us!"

A couple of enthused onlookers joined into the action, and one-by-one, the rest of the nearby crewmen followed them. Jack and James were at the center of this improvised dance-party, getting down to the pounding rhythm of the music, as were the Alliance personnel around them. This was perfect, thought James. Some dancing and some good music together was a great way to work off some stress, and clearly their fellow crewmen appreciated the opportunity to do so…

… and then there was Jack.

James could not keep dancing without sneaking over a glance at her every few seconds. Her body moved so effortlessly, fluid as water while she twisted and turned in flexuous patterns. Losing track of the time completely, Jack's omnitool played the last note of her mix before he knew it. With their party over, the crowd slowly dissolved as the Alliance crewmen left the 'floor and returned to their posts in high spirits, but Jack finished differently, abandoning all gracefulness and suddenly throwing herself into James's arms laughing heartily, almost endlessly. As he felt Jack's petite frame leaning into his larger body and held her, James felt strangely - skin turning hot, gut filling with butterflies and his cheeks flushing while managed an awkward, confused smile. Jack finally pulled herself back together a few moments later and got out of his stiff hold, sighing.

"I love the dance," she said to him. "All the passion, all the emotions, and channeling all that into smooth, rhythmic movement. I love it. I love every second of it."

"Yeah," said James, enthused and fumbling for the words in his response, "nice to just cut loose, blow off a little steam, you know?"

"You know," said Jack, "your dancing kinda reminds me of Shepard's…"

"Ouch!" replied James.

"You're blushing!"

"Heh," James responded sheepishly. "Well, yeah. Pretty girl like you? Can't help myself." Just playful flirting on the surface, but James meant more of it than he let on, and he was well aware of it here.

"Ahh," Jack sighed again, "that was great. 'Really needed it." Turning and walking away, she called out to him. "See ya around, Jimmy," she said, and left as the elevator carried her away. James looked on from afar - hot, sweaty, and energized, though not entirely sure how much of that was from the dance, and how much from Jack.


After spending the first half of his day on mundane Council and Alliance paperwork, Major Alenko planned out and authorized the team's next mission. Chasing their second lead on the batarians' new reigning regime, an assault on a nearby, League-controlled power-plant would be their next move. There, they would restore power to all areas of the island that had been cut off, including the settlements where the resistance had set up camp, and also further investigate the League's movements.

Kaidan sent word, and the squad assembled at his command before they altogether departed via shuttles. On the way to the facility, Kaidan contacted the rebel chief Saheer and gave him an update. Saheer's image appeared on the shuttle comm-terminal monitor.

"Saheer," said Major Alenko, speaking into the terminal, "I'm en route to the local power-plant right now."

"Good," Saheer replied. "As you know, we need you to restore the electricity and running water to our area. Or everywhere, really. Getting all of that back would help us in more ways than one, but it would also mean no more moving around. Once we get our equipment set up, we're holding our position for good."

"Did you read over that report I sent you?" asked Kaidan. "The League knew you were hiding from them and where. All that stopped them from attacking you guys was the mega-krogan experiment, which they were planning to test by unleashing it on you."

"Yes, I caught that detail."

"Maybe our actions at the manufactory caused a hiccup in their operations," Kaidan suggested, "and we might buy you a little more time with this one too, but once they recover, you have to expect that they will come after you guys."

"You're right," Saheer concurred. "And we are preparing for that. However weak we might be, though, they will still send most of their forces in the area over at us, opening up a window for you to get inside their headquarters. Stopping their army will be helpful, but if we really want to finish the League, we need to kill or capture their leadership."

"And then?" asked Kaidan.

"And then we build a new, responsible government," replied Saheer, "… and hope your council will be as reasonable as you have been."

"I'll put in a good word," Kaidan pledged, "let them know how you helped us and took a risk."

"Thank you. We will be awaiting your successful completion. Out."

As the line cut out, Major Alenko heard cannonfire akin to that of the Kodiak's own batteries just before their shuttle pulled over by the power-plant entrance. Kaidan and his team stepped out and met up with James's squad.

"Caught some guards on our approach that spotted us," James explained, "I used the Kodiak's guns to take 'em out, 'case you were wondering what the noise was all about."

Kaidan shrugged. "I'm just glad you're not using the shuttle as a weapon anymore."

"The day is young," a nonchalant James countered.

"Alright. James, I'm sending you up through here, the main entrance, but EDI has also identified a few backdoors we can infiltrate from. My team will enter through one of them and meet you guys somewhere in the middle."

"Two fronts," James acknowledged. "Good plan. See you there, boss."


Armed with his Cyclone machine gun, James and his squad broke in through the front, and the N7 commander probed his headset's ocular-processor Harmonically, which gave him a look at his surroundings in virtual-space, where real time slowed to a crawl. Through this effect, James processed outside stimuli at superhuman speeds for a short time, giving him the effect of time-dilation. In virtual-space, James spotted five armed batarian guards right off the bat as he would in real time, but further examination revealed two more hostiles using advanced night-vision technology, one using a tactical cloak and one hiding behind the cover of a large apparatus for the plant's temperature controls.

With this upgrade in effect, James aimed his Cyclone at the leftmost enemy, fired off shots and moved right with no wasted motion, making every bullet hit as he mowed down all hostiles in sight sooner than they could make a dent in his shields. As the lone remaining survivor stayed in cover, waiting to take him by surprise as he crossed, James carefully approached the hostile batarian's position with his shotgun. To negate the enemy's advantage, James used his upgrade once again to to move into position, line up the perfect shot, and fire. In real time, James stormed the crouching batarian guard's position and blew the enemy's head off before he could get out of his stance.

Commander Vega relished in the effects of his processor and its partner software app, Bullet Time. With its assistance, James felt like an indomitable special-agent akin to those he'd seen in the vids, such as his favorite, Leo, from the sci-fi thriller Digital Rain. What really stroked Vega's ego was that his success with this upgrade was singular. Other Alliance marines trained in basic Harmonics had great difficulty adapting Bullet Time and often the results were messy. It relied on the skill of its user, priming his or her nervous system to move reflexively and thus required nothing less than a true master at firearms to make it pop. Commander Vega was good without the app. With it, he had a huge leg-up on his opponents and was downright lethal.

Ahead of them were the doors that muffled the sound of running engines. "Likely the turbine or generators up ahead, commander," Ninju alerted him.

"Everyone get ready," said James, taking cover beside the door as it opened and Harmonically activating the rest of the upgrade devices in his armorsuit. Once prepared, Commander Vega led the way as they altogether walked in. James saw nothing at first, marching forward into a massive area with large generator engines occupying the middle and narrow paths of concrete floor to walk though, but then he heard movement overhead. On the catwalks above, many an armed guard were scrambling to get down and stop them, including four that leapt off the platform and landed in his immediate area. Just as they hit the ground, James used Bullet Time to react, taking out two hostiles immediately with his shotgun, then taking another one head-on and knocking him out with a powerful blow from his fists - aided by the Pommel upgrades in his suit for added melee-damage - before the effect wore off. The Perception upgrade then alerted James to the fourth enemy attempting to take him from behind. James turned around readily clotheslined him with his forearm, knocking the batarian down hard on his back and affording James time to reload and finish off both fiends.

About a dozen more guards made it down to confront James and his squad. Ninju and Javik took care of half of them, then Jack dashed right up in front of them and brought down bone-crushing biotic power upon them from her lashes' Smash attack, scattering their now-dead bodies about like struck bowling pins while blood fountained out from the center of the impact point. Apart from the steady hum of the generators, the room fell silent again.

"That never gets old," Jack remarked.

"Clear," Javik reported.

"Hey," Jack murmured, picking something off of a dead guard's body. "Got a datapad here."

Jack handed the 'pad to James, who examined its contents.

[Subject: Oculus.

Preliminary results have been excellent. The Oculus is everything we've hoped for and, in time, could be more. With the power of the artifacts, they can now disable incoming spacecraft. I finally understand the League's choice for relocation: Jaxier provides small enough ground to cover with just the dozen Oculi we have flying above. As a result, the island has become nigh-inaccessible to outsiders. Oculi can spot ships using stealth drives, and no modern spacecraft is equipped to defend against what they can do. We've caught all sorts of spy ships trying, but none have been able to get past this invisible barrier, not even those pesky lizards in the STGs. The League has wisely commissioned additional models to be built.

Given more research and development, however, we could actually use them to take direct control of any size ship. An incoming invasion could potentially turn into a massive haul for our growing naval fleet. It's all just theory at the moment, but the theories have bore fruit up to this point.]

James shook his head. "This just gets better and better," he said, stuffing the 'pad into one of his pockets. "I'm sure Major Alenko will want to see this, though."

"Control room at our nine, Commander," Ninju reported. "We may be able to get electric power back online where needed from there."

"Great," said James, "let's check it out."


Kaidan's team broke into an area of the plant with several large blue pipes around the room - protruding from the ground and walls - along with several active pumps.

"Has to be the water pumping station," Miranda surmised.

"That makes sense," said Liara, "we're near the coast."

"I can hear a low hum," said Major Alenko, "gotta be either the main generator or propeller. Or both."

"Or indoctrination," said EDI.

"EDI…" said Liara.

Major Alenko examined the nearby pipes. Some were clearly running, while four others were distinguishably offline. Kaidan reasoned that these were connected to the water lines running outside the League-controlled regions. Spotting the valve on one pipe, Kaidan grasped and turned the rigid wheel steadily until he could feel the water running within, repeating the process again for the other three inactive pipelines. Once finished, he looked back at his squad and shrugged.

"That's it?" asked Liara.

Saheer's voice came in over the radio: "Major Kaiden, the water is running again at our camp!"

Kaidan grinned and nodded. "That's it."

"Kaidan," said Miranda, approaching him with something in her hand. "Another datapad, take a look." Kaidan took the 'pad and looked it over.

[Subject: the artifacts.

The artifacts that the League recovered have proven a tremendous find. We've uncovered vast knowledge from them to create new wonders, but on top of that, each artifact emits some very powerful signal from within as if to keep itself protected from those who may seek to destroy it. What's more, this signal can be paired to other machines, as we've done with the Oculi. You've seen the effects - no trespassers since we've relocated to Jaxier.

But it doesn't stop there. Our science team has found that their effects can be amplified further yet. Instructions on the process were provided through the artifacts themselves. The League has taken most of them back to their headquarters and created small labs where they are being charged to reach extraordinary levels of power. To give you an idea, think: enough power to down Reaper capital-ships entering our sphere… all at once.

The rebels think we've cut off the power just to weaken them, and dampen their morale. Cute, but we can kill them all right now anyway. We need that power in the labs, for the machines charging up the artifacts - they require a lot of juice. Crippling our enemy is just an added bonus.

The Reaper War decimated the aliens' armies. We lost the most, but after tirelessly rebuilding our military while the aliens focused on rebuilding their planets, we've quietly amassed a naval force that could overwhelm the less-dominant species of the galaxy. The artifacts, however, have given us an edge that no other species can boast, and can make up for what our fleets lack next to those of the turians, salarians, and the thrice-damned humans. If they think sending in their new "peace-keeping" army to sit on our planet will pacify us, they've got another thing coming.]

Major Alenko's jaw dropped as he finished reading. "What have you found?" Liara queried, seeing his reaction.

"Those artifacts," Kaidan explained, "the batarians have weaponized it. Or, maybe the artifacts themselves are glorified weapons. Whatever the case, they've been powering them up, and believe they can set up some sort of defense system that could even bring down incoming Reapers."

"*Guardians," EDI corrected him.

"Then the council should just bomb them back to the stone age," said Miranda. "Problem solved."

"Miranda!" Liara responded in horror. "That would kill thousands and thousands of innocents."

"And what will the batarians do with this manner of power on their hands?" Miranda shot back.

"Well it's a moot point," said Kaidan, "this thing isn't planetside. Those Oculi we encountered are part of some elaborate aerial defense system designed to keep intruders out. Any ship in close enough proximity can be disabled and taken down with some sort of signal beam, they claim the effects of which cannot be countered."

"Bullshit," Miranda declared. "Everything has a weakness."

"I believe Miss Lawson is correct," EDI commented. "Standard ships do not typically have an AI on board, and thus lack the complex software suite of the Normandy's. Though the Oculus disabled our ship as we approached Jaxier and almost brought us down, Jeff's improvised backup allowed us to restore some systems and regain enough control for an emergency landing with minimal damage. We now know what to expect and can prepare accordingly."

"Prepare how?" asked Kaidan.

"As you know, Major, the combination of a benign VI in Harmony with an organic can negate mind-control effects like that of indoctrination," said EDI. "Similarly, an organic in Harmony with an AI creates an unintentional barrier that effectively blocks outside forcible-control attempts. Quite simply, I need to be operating in Harmony with another crew member. Jeff would be most appropriate for this role."

"Wouldn't that distract him from piloting?" asked Liara.

"No," Miranda replied. "In our research, we found that Harmonics require negligible amounts of brain activity in real time."

"And what's done in virtual-space takes place within fractions of a second," Major Alenko added, "not even close to enough time to be a distraction. Without access to EDI's systems, the Normandy should be immune to the Oculi's disabling effect - perfect!"

Kaidan couldn't help but smile a bit, and noticed that Miranda was also grinning back at him.


Inside the control room, Ninju stood at a panel with the switches to all power lines on the island's grid, and interacted with a computer console to determine where the electrical current needed to be restored. Jack and Javik were at the door standing watch for hostiles. James was overseeing Ninju's work when his eyes wandered off and spotted another datapad at a desk nearby, which he picked up and examined for further clues. He flipped through its entries and scanned them over briefly, finding little information of significance, save for one entry near the end…

[What the hell happened to Makyrs? Last few times I've talked to him, he would go brain-dead, lapsing in and out of consciousness. One moment, he's normal. The next, he's babbling like an idiot.]

And the final…

[Blatant cronyism, the League getting fat off their power, spreading the wealth only among themselves and their richest sponsors. All of the progressive reforms and government programs they had promised, gone, just to fuel these idiots' own greed. And that's the least of it. Ordering the army to open fire on its own citizens who dare to ask where the money went, leading officials dragging women into their compounds screaming? Seems like Makyrs is not all there anymore. He'd have never stood for this abuse of power, but whatever's wrong with him, his associates have taken advantage of it to run amok.

Not what I fought for. I am leaving this, joining the resistance. This regime became the very thing we sought to destroy. If I die as I am expecting, it'll be worth it for every corrupt Leaguer I bring with me.]

"Huh," James responded, deactivating the 'pad and slipping it into another side-pocket.

"Commander," said Ninju. "I can restore electricity to the rest of the island. Encryption is advanced, but override will just take seconds in real time. Just give the word."

"Go for it," James affirmed.

"… Done," informed the volus.

"Hey, and why don't you cut the League HQ's supply for good measure, Shorty?" James suggested. "Let those bastards get a taste of their own medicine."

"… Done!"

Ninju characteristically inhaled deeply and added: "Also, the power-grid gives us something of a working map of the area, with lines that seem to form a clear path through the indigenous jungle area that the League has hidden their headquarters behind. Downloading the images now."

Commander Vega nodded and notified Major Alenko over the radio. "Rocco," said James, "the power's back online, and we've got a map that we think can help us navigate that jungle you were talking about."

"And we took care of the water issue," Kaidan replied. "Good work, all. Looks like we're done here. Sending you the NavPoint of your nearest exit now. We're heading for the same one and will likely meet you guys on the way out."

"Good news, Major," Joker announced over the squad's radio. "The Normandy's back in flying shape."

"Awesome," Kaidan responded. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Together, Kaidan and his team moved through a dark corridor and into a boiler room where they met up with James's squad just before the exit. Suddenly they were taken by surprise as armed batarian guards appeared from all corners of the room and surrounded them with a force that more than doubled their own.

"That's it, aliens!" said the apparent leader of the pack angrily. "We know you've been helping the rebel scum. This ends now!"

Just before the commander had spoken his last word, Major Alenko had his plan of battle formulated in the virtual space through Commodore's Dashboard app and his squad stood ready with their orders. Immediately, Liara erected her protective biotic sphere around all of them, which was regulated by her VI, Glyph, in Harmony with her mind such that she could draw power from it to attack enemies and protect allies. On the defensive, it imbued party members with weakening kinetic shields with light biotic barriers, reduced the damage of incoming projectiles, and blocked all tech and biotics attacks from without. On the offensive, it had a debilitating effect on enemies that passed through, hit these trespassers enemies with light warp fields that helped open weak spots in their armor, and in so doing could detonate or prime biotic explosions upon these fiends. Additionally, weapons firing from within that passed through the barrier were encases in Warp-fields that granted additional damage. All the while, Liara had her Phalanx pistol equipped and pitched in.

Major Alenko and Commander Vega faced opposite sides and opened fire with their assault rifles, Vega tapping his Bullet Time app to mow down with perfect accuracy and overwhelming responsiveness, and Alenko taking cover behind a hex-shield and weakening enemy defenses while fortifying his own and firing away. Jack and EDI provided aid to James and Kaidan respectively, hitting their enemies' flank as they were distracted. Miranda checked the squad's power usage and helped prime and set off detonating effects across the area. Ninju provided SMG fire while sticking close to his shield-regenerating pylon, and harassed the battlefield with his drone - through which he zapped the enemies, marked weak spots on their armor, sapped omnitools and biotic amps, and also provided volatile electrical bursts by detonating the drone, respawning it again later.

Though the enemy fought to their last breaths and had proven tougher than any other group Kaidan and the gang had faced before, they were simply no match for the combined power of the Normandy fireteam in full force and working in perfect harmony. 9.03 seconds, and the fight was all over.

"Well… he was right about it ending now," Miranda pointed out.

"Yeah," said Kaidan with a wry smile. "It did at that."


Major Alenko patched in Saheer over the shuttle's comm-terminal.

"Major," Saheer reported. "I can confirm that electric power and running water are back on. I cannot thank you enough for that. On top of setting up that automated defense system, the mechs, and recharging the batteries on our electronic devices, getting back the water is no small comfort. It's humid out here and we never felt good about going to the coast with our men, so this is the first time in a long while that many of them even got to bathe. We might all die tomorrow, but today, we're feeling like free, dignified men again."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Major Alenko, a little humbled, though the feeling of victory quickly faded as he realized the end it spelled for his allies. "So… this is it then, huh? The League is probably pissed and will come for you."

"More than likely, major, yes," Saheer replied darkly, but unperturbed. "But as you know, our battle with their army is not the key to our victory. We need someone to storm their headquarters while the army has been drawn away and kill or capture their leadership, cutting off the beast's head to kill it for good. Will I have to send my own men, or can I count on your support to finish them?"

Kaidan hesitated to answer, feeling the weight of this decision as both Saheer and his own squad listened for his ruling. However, Major Alenko was slowly coming to a conclusion on what needed to be done.

"I will tell you," Kaidan answered diplomatically, "but you have to let me talk it over with my squad, first. It would not be fair to them for me to commit to anything without warning, please understand."

"We cannot afford the delay," Saheer insisted. "If we must send in our own, I have to be ready to do it now. For all I know, the League's army is on its way as we speak!"

"Then," said Kaidan, "then do what you have to. Get your own team prepared. Call them back if they're not needed. I am not making a move without going through my 'brain trust' first, for my own good and yours."

"Fine," said Saheer, slightly irked, "but remember, if the League isn't stopped, then any support we'd have given you for removing them goes with us."

"I understand," said Kaidan. "You'll have an answer soon. I promise."

Saheer shook his head and cut the line.

"You hear that, James?" Kaidan asked over the radio.

"We heard," James confirmed. "It's your decision, Major. What's it gonna be?"

"You've seen the intel we gathered," said Kaidan, addressing his squad altogether. "The League's abuses, what they've done to their own people, is one thing. What we've uncovered, though, points to something even bigger than their planet. If we leave this threat unchecked, I think we will all be sorry. When the League moves on the rebels, I want our squad to strike at their headquarters and capture their leadership, hand them over to the council. Let the people start over, and this time, make sure the council gets involved and insures that the next administration is on the same side as the rest of our galaxy. And while I realize our first priority is the best interest of the galaxy, the batarian people deserve better. This is simply the right thing to do for a species that has been neglected for so long."

"And this squad," he added, "you guys have been everything I could have asked for in a team and your support has meant so much to me. Whatever comes next, I want us to be doing it together. I cannot think of anyone else I'd rather be doing this with. … So who's with me?"

"I stand with our Major," said James over the radio, "And, as second-in-command of this mission, I want to see everyone on this squad throw their support behind the man who's done one hell of a job running this show. I am in this thing 'til the end."

"Kaidan," said Miranda, "I'm with you."

"And I as well," said Liara.

"Always," said EDI.

"Definitely," said Ninju.

"HELL yeah!" said Jack.

"And I got a nod from Javik," reported James. "We're behind your decision, Major, 100%."

"Thanks, guys," said Major Alenko, very humbled once more. "Our path ahead is clear: stop the League here and now, before they threaten the peace of the galaxy. We're on standby. As soon as the League army moves on the rebels, our mission is a go. Everyone, go get some rest as soon as we are back on the Normandy. That's an order."

"Understood," James responded over the radio. "Team Vega out."

What lay ahead was perhaps their squad's greatest challenge yet, but right now, Kaidan felt on top of the world.