Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or any of its characters. Those belong to Bioware and EA.

Thanks everyone.

I stood next o Miranda and Arisa as we watched the funeral proceedings. Almost everyone from the SR-2 made it... well except for the SR-2 and Shepard. Thinking about it made my skin boil.

~I can't believe what those bastards are trying to do to her~

"Eric. Are you ok?" Arisa asked. I then noticed that I was clenching the back of the chair in front of me so hard that my knuckles had turned white.

I sighed and turned to my wife "Yes... It's just that.. god damnit Shepard needed to be here right now.. we just lost one of the bravest members of our family and those damn Alliance idiots want to make her stand trial for everything that's happened." I said angrily.

Arisa paused a moment before she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Regardless of what's going on now just be thankful that you as well as almost everyone that called Thane friend is here to see him off." She said as her hand slid down to caress my cheek.

I smiled as I felt my spirits lift. I glanced at a holo pad a little ways off and saw Liara with her head bowed in respect. It sucks that she couldn't be here to attend but that's how it rolls for the Shadow Broker ya know.

I saw Kolyat standing off to the side with tears flowing freely down his face. I felt bad for the guy. First his mom and now his dad.

The holy man finished and Kolyat walked over to the wall next to the platform. He paused staring at the button on the wall. After a few moments he closed his eyes and let his hand press the button.

A hole in the wall appeared and the casket slid into it before the hole closed. We than turned to a large viewer that showed the exterior of this part of the station. We watched as the casket was jettisoned into space.

~Farewell Thane... my friend~

Suddenly the door opened and in walked "Cerberus" Garrus yelled jumping to his feet as nearly a dozen Cerberus personnel swarmed the room.

Everyone pulled out their own guns as the Cerberus group aimed at us. I glanced at Miranda who had her own locust trained on one of the individuals.

"Now Now that won't be necessary." A voice said.

An individual stepped out from between the soldiers. "Hello again Miranda" The Illusive Man said.

"You've got a lot of balls coming here" I said spitting out the words.

He chuckled "As much as you may hate me were going to need to work together"

I laughed "And why is that?" I asked.

His frown disappeared "Becaus..." He didn't get to finish as Vid screens came to life all around us.

"I repeat this is a state of emergency.. From what we have been able to discern a fleet of unknown warships have appeared over Earth and are in the process of laying siege to the planet." The news reporter said.

Suddenly her transmission cut out and was replaced with an all to familiar voice. "I am Harbinger. Do not try to resist. We are end.. The Humans will be first... than you shall all know our wrath." The screen cut out leaving only a fuzzy image.

"Dear god! What about my family" Those cry's were heard as people broke for the exits. I stayed rooted in my spot partly in shock but partly trying to figure out why? And how did this happen so quickly when it should have been years before the Reapers invaded.

"How did they get here so quickly?" I answered out loud to no one in particular but TIM was listening intently.

"The Reapers managed to move to another system quickly that was connected with a Relay. Thus we have our current situation." He said taking a drag of his cigarette.

I stared at him perplexed "Ok! So why the hell isn't Cerberus helping the Alliance fight Earth. After all isn't Earth part of the Human dream for Cerberus to rule the galaxy. If it falls than so does mankind." I said coldly.

He watched me for a moment with his glowing eyes "Your very perceptive... I give you credit for that." He paused taking a drag of his cigarette "But the reason I came here is because Earth will fall... There is no stopping that" He said.

This caused quite a few gasps from those around me... even Garrus was staring wide eyed at the scene unfolding.

"What... what do you mean?" I stuttered.

He took a long drag before taking a seat in one of the chairs that we had set up for the funeral. "Earth was practically defenseless. You know as well as I do that the Alliance forces were already stretched thin and were in the process of rebuilding after the attack with Sovereign. No... I think the Alliance will issue an evacuation order for those remaining on Earth.. The heads of the Alliance will than try to regroup before forming a counter attack." He finished.

"That still doesn't explain why you are here?" I said coldly once again.

He smiled "Isn't it obvious... you know a way to stop them.. and I'm the only one that can help you right now."

"What about Shepard?" I countered.

He sighed "If she makes it off Earth alive than she will try to pull the galaxy together to destroy the reaper threat... and quite frankly were running out of time.. the more time we waste the more lives will be lost."

I contemplated this.. He was right.. Shepard would try to unite the galaxy

costing valuable time and millions of lives.

"Very well... what do you suggest?" I asked.

"What the hell Eric!.. Your not going to seriously trust him are you?" Miranda screamed coming up to me and getting dangerously close to TIM. His body guards immediately tensed up preparing to raise their weapons at Miranda when I placed a hand on her shoulder.

She turned to look at me and I could see the hate and anger in her eyes.

"I know you don't trust him. I don't trust him either. But were running out of time and right now he has a ship that can get us to where we have to go" I said hoping it would calm her down.

I held her in a firm grasp as I could feel her body shake slightly. "Fine... but I'm going with you" She said sending a glare at TIM.

"As shall I" Garrus said stepping forward.

"Me to" Kasumi said stepping out of the shadows. I raised an eyebrow at thief but she just shrugged as if to say 'I have nothing better to do'

As I was about to turn back to TIM I heard another voice "I'm coming to" I turned to Arisa as she glared at me.

"If you think your just going to leave me here than you got another thing coming." She said.

"I'm coming as well piss ant" Jack said throwing me a smile as she stepped from out of the shadows.

What was with these women and shadows?

I turned to Arisa again "Baby... I don't think its safe for you to be going into the witches maw so to speak" I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me "And just how safe do you think it'll be if I stay here and watch as the galaxy is consumed around me.. It's more dangerous to just sit idly by and do nothing."

I stared at her until finally I sighed and nodded. "But do me a favor and stay on the ship when we get there." I said.

She nodded before quickly giving me a kiss than returning to stand next to Miranda.

"I shall come as well" Jacob said stepping forward.

I turned to former Cerberus soldier "No... Shepard's going to need help right now.. I don't want to take her whole team away. You need to coordinate with the others that are staying here so that she'll have a fighting chance." I said.

The man seemed to brood for a moment before he nodded. I turned to TIM "So when do we leave?" I asked.

He smiled as he took a drag of his cigarette. "One hour.. be ready. I'll forward you the location of where were docked at. Until then" He said nodding his head forward before turning and heading out the door with his bodyguards.

"You do realize that he's going to turn on us right?" Garrus said stepping up next to me.

I smiled which seemed to shock him some "Of course.. it's in the Cerberus handbook remember.. let's see Chapter 1 befriend them and Chapter 2 betray them" I said pretending to read a book.

He gave me a look that plainly said 'smartass'

"So how many ships do you think he's going to send with us?" Arisa asked.

"Two.. because he'll be on one of those." I said causing Miranda to cast a curious glance at me.

"Why would he risk that?" She asked.

I smiled once again "Think about it.. this is the first time anyone's really seen him in person.. what does that implicate?" I asked.

There was silence for a moment before Miranda's eyes lit up "He's desperate" She said and I nodded "Precisely... whether anyone realizes it with Earth gone his primary support is gone. Now he'll only have the colonies to rely on and it won't be long before their consumed as well by the Reapers." I said.

"So I'm assuming you have a plan to deal with the fucker when the time comes?" Jack asked.

"I do indeed.. and I'm going to need your help for this" I said looking at Kasumi.

The thief raised an eyebrow before a smile spread out on her face "This sounds like fun"

…...

After getting our gear and heading for the docking location that TIM had given us my mind wondered to Earth. I mean sure I was born like 200 years ago but it was still my homeworld... I just hoped it was still there when I got back.. if I got back...

"Are you ok?" Miranda asked as we entered the docking back. "Yeah.. just hoping that big blue is still there when I get back" I said.

She gave me a puzzled look as if meaning 'what the hell is big blue?' but our thoughts were interrupted by the intercom to the docking bay.

"We have just received word that all communications from Earth have ceased.. we can only hope for the best now and fear for the worst... god help those poor souls." A voice said over the com.

I gritted my teeth.. those bastards would pay.. I would make sure of it.

I glanced up as we approached the ship that TIM had sent us the information on. It was indeed huge but it looked like it could match the SR-2 for speed. That got me wondering if this ship had been built to hunt the Normandy down. After all we knew it was only a matter of time before Cerberus came after Shepard and us.

I sighed as I walked into the airlock. ~I really hate making a deal with the devil~

As the airlock closed little did I know that another figure had decided to join our party as he silently boarded the ship from another entrance.

A/N: So Earth has been attacked and possibly fallen.. TIM has gathered the support of our hero, his wives, and a few of his comrades... but everyone knows when dealing with the devil you'll get burned right? So what does everyone think will happen at the end of this? Leave a comment telling me what you think will happen and I'll include your response in the next chapter. Also I just want to say that this story is almost concluded. It's been an amazing ride for so long that I really enjoyed every bit of it... even the headaches caused from writers block. Till next time...