"Doctor." Admiral Hackett greeted, flickering into existence in the Normandy's comm room. "I've just recieved the report you sent me. Are you serious? You found an actual, living Prothean, Javik?"

The Doctor nodded. "Indeed we did. His presence was the reason why the Cybermen chose to invade Eden Prime in the first place."

"I see." Hackett then frowned, and rubbed his chin in a contemplating gesture. "Although, it does make me wonder what interest the Cybermen have in Javik. Conversion, maybe?"

"Maybe." The Doctor shrugged. "Although, invading a planet seems like a lot of effort to go through just to convert a single person. There is something that may give us a hint to their motives." The Doctor brought up his omni-tool, entered a few commands, and watched as a planet was projected next to him.

"Is that Earth?" Hackett questioned. Indeed, the planet looked identical, only upside-down.

"Close." The Doctor stated. "This is Mondas. Earth's twin planet, and the homeworld of the Cybermen. Well, one of them."

Hackett frowned. "I don't follow."

The Doctor took in a breath, and began explaining. "Think of it as parallel evolution. The Cybermen are the product of countless different races, all with the technology and the lack of restraint to eventually turn into the Cybermen. I've seen it before. Telos, Marinus, Planet 14, Mondas, your version of Earth, all of them inhabited by vastly different organisms that all gave rise to the Cybermen... All roads lead to Rome if you'd like."

"I understand, but what's the significance of that now?"

"Admiral, I believe that the Cybermen we fought on Eden Prime weren't the Cybermen created by Cybus Industries, but Mondasian."

"But they were indentical to the Cybermen Cybus created. How can you be sure?"

"Ah, that's where you're wrong." The Time Lord began. "You said you recieved the initial descriptions from the colonial garrison of Eden Prime. They missed a vital detail. The Cybus Industries logo was entirely missing. If they were the Cybermen created by Mr Lumic, that logo's written into the schematics, every Cyberman ever created would have it. Instead, the part of the chest where the logo ought to be was blank."

"So they're not the Cybermen humanity created. That's a tremendous relief. The last thing we needed were the other races refusing to work with us because they were attacking." Hackett stated. "In any event, I'm pleased to report that the Cybermen have completely withdrawn from Eden Prime. And they left most of the population intact as well."

The Doctor just shook his head. "You may think that's a victory, but you know as well as I do that they won't rest until they have what they want."

"I do, and that's why, until further notice, I'm authorizing Javik to be posted on the Normandy. With its stealth systems, and how often it moves around, the Normandy is the safest place for him to be right now."

"You think he'll agree to that?"

Hackett nodded. "He's a soldier, and the last of his kind. Right now, the only familiar experience for him is likely fighting the Reapers. The Normandy can, hopefully, give him a chance to integrate."

"I'll tell Shepard, then."

"I'll leave you to it. Hackett out." With that, the Admiral flickered out of existence, and the Doctor headed down to deck four, where Javik was waiting.

The Doctor strode into the port side cargo hold, where apparently, Javik had drawn a crowd.

Two marines stood, blocking Liara from approaching the Prothean, and Shepard stood further back, simply watching. As the Doctor walked in, she turned to face him.

"So, a living Prothean." Shepard began. "And I thought I found the wierd ones."

"I tend to have a habit of bringing home strays," The Doctor shrugged, "the missus hates it. What's the issue?" He asked, watching Liara angrily argue with the two marines.

"Liara wants to bombard him with questions, but first contact protocol says 'don't attack, but assume hostile intent.' Guess we have Shanxi to thank for that." Shepard shrugged. "Is he safe?"

The Doctor looked over to Javik, who was kneeling on the floor in some sort of meditative state. "He's fine. If he was actively hostile, he could've turned everyone in the room into a fine red mist by now."

Shepard nodded, and she turned to face the marines. She gestured without speaking, and the two marines saluted, before clearing the room.

Shepard stepped forward. "I'm Commander Shepard, captain of this ship. You are?"

Javik did not answer at first, but he opened his eyes, and stood up. He seemed to sniff at the air, and began speaking. "I can smell your fear, your anxiety. The Reapers are winning."

Shepard stepped back. "What do you mean?"

"All life provides clues for those who can read them." Javik said, looking away. "It is a skill that even you may master someday, gallifreyan."

Hearing that last sentence, the Doctor stepped forward. "You said back on Eden Prime that my race was 'formidable.' What did you mean by that?"

Javik blinked. "Your race stood against us when none others chose to do so. We thought you to be easy pickings. The sight of a dozen worlds burning in retribution told us otherwise."

"I see." The Doctor said. "You also said your people had legends of the Cybermen?"

"Yes." Javik nodded. "Though my people knew them by a different name: the metacon. The empire fought a long and bloody war with them, pushing them back to their homeworld. We were victorious, but the war left us drained, when the Reapers arrived, we were easy pickings."

Liara then chose that moment to approach. "We found the archives your people left behind on Mars. They told of how your people surrendered to the Reapers, but not why. I was hoping you could explain?"

Javik looked away from all of them, staring out into space. After a few seconds, he began speaking. "The Silence."

"'Silence will fall when the question is asked.'" The Doctor quoted.

That got Javik's attention, and the Prothean stared, wide-eyed. "You know... How do you know?"

Shepard and Liara looked at the Doctor, almost expectant.

"I've... encountered them before." The Doctor explained. "They're an order, almost fanatics, dedicated to making sure the question is never answered. But that was in my universe... It has to mean something different here."

Javik inhaled. "The Reapers told us it was the end."

"The end?" Shepard frowned. "Of what?"

"Of everything." Javik answered. "All forms of life, all civilizations, not only in the Milky Way, but across the entire universe. All matter in the universe would become dust, the dust would become atoms, and the atoms would become nothing. The Reapers offered us survival, a chance to escape. Some accepted, the rest chose to fight."

"Like you." The Doctor concluded. "So why did you choose to fight?"

"I was born long after the message was sent." Javik explained. "We knew what had happened to those that accepted the Reapers' offer. We refused to let the same fate befall us."

"Hold on," Shepard butted in, "Vigil, the VI on Ilos, said that no offer of surrender was given."

Javik stayed silent. "VI's are not infallible." He waited for a few moments. "Commander, if you would have it, I wish to stay on board this vessel, and continue to fight the Reapers."

Shepard, however, frowned. "You just came from watching your species go extinct, and you want to keep fighting so soon?"

Javik turned away from them, facing the odd little object he'd brought with him, now floating above a table. Javik ran a finger along the strip of light on the tiny object. "This is the echo shard. It holds the combined knowledge of all Protheans, the voices of a trillion dead screaming for vengeance. The Prothean empire will have retribution, I will fight the Reapers, whether or not I am on board this ship, and the only thing the final Reaper hears as it dies, will be the voice of the last Prothean singing victory."

"Well then," Shepard straightened out her uniform, and held a hand out for Javik to shake, which the Prothean took. "Welcome aboard."

Javik nodded, and released his grip. "I look forward to fighting the Reapers alongside you. Now then, I believe I have taken enough of your time."

Shepard nodded. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"I will not. Thank you, Commander."

With that, Shepard nodded, and left the room, with the Doctor following close behind, and Liara staying to ask Javik some more questions.

While the Doctor was walking past the medbay, however, he caught a glimpse of someone inside. Someone he hadn't seen since the Collector base.

He rushed inside, and a smile broke out on his face. "Mordin!"

The Salarian turned around in startled surprise, and he smiled pleasantly. "Doctor! Was wondering when you would appear."

"How have you been? I haven't seen you since that business with the Collectors."

"Returned to Sur'kesh, resumed work with STG." Mordin answered. "Shepard looking to cure genophage, came along to help."

"I'm happy to hear that." The Time Lord nodded. "The genophage was a terrible mistake."

"No." Mordin denied. "Genophage correct course of action at time, but current situation requires..." The salarian inhaled, "course correction."

The Doctor frowned, but quickly hid it by changing the subject. "Well, I'm glad you're back. The Normandy was lacking seriously in salarian scientists-turned-stage actors."

Mordin smiled once more. "Should put on production of Pirates of Penzance. Will be good for morale."

"We should. Although, it might be hard to find EDI a part."

"Not necessarily. New body produces plenty of alternatives."

"Wait, wait, wait." The Doctor held up his hand. "EDI has a body now?"

"Yes." Mordin nodded. "Currently on bridge with Joker."

"Alright, this I have to see. It was nice talking to you again, Mordin."

Mordin nodded, and turned back to his work. "Should come back soon, could use help."

"I will." The Doctor responded, and he rushed out of the medbay, heading up to deck two.

The Doctor proceeded down the hall, keeping a brisk pace, and entered the bridge.

Joker had already turned in for the night, it seemed, but was a gynoid sat in the co-pilot's seat. Her skin was gray, and her hair looked to be one solid piece. Noticing the entry, she turned to the Doctor.

"Hello, Doctor." EDI told him, standing up to face him.

"EDI." The Doctor greeted, "Mordin told me you got a body, but I needed to see it for myself." He looked her over, examining the finer details of her construction. "Oh, wow. I've not seen an infiltration unit this well-built since Kamelion."

"Thank you." EDI smiled. She was quick on the uptake when it came to human gestures, it seemed. "I am looking forward to testing it in the field."

"I should certainly hope so." The Doctor responded. "You've been cooped up in the Normandy's systems for too long. Although, it seems to be a bit ill-suited to infiltration now..."

"This unit had an artificial skin-sheath." EDI explained. "It was burned off during the crash that disabled it."

"That's a bit unfortunate..." The Doctor frowned. "Although, we could just grow you another one. The TARDIS's medical bay has the equipment for it."

EDI raised one of her eyebrows. "You could grow me organic skin?"

The Doctor nodded. "Sure. It's not hard. Your body would just have to be shut down for a few hours, like an organic being put under anasthesia."

"It would allow me to integrate with the crew more efficiently..." EDI contemplated.

"Take all the time you need to think about it." The Doctor said. "When you come to a decision, just let me know."

"Thank you, Doctor. I will return to my post." And she sat back down in her seat.

With that, the Doctor had finally decided to turn in for the night as well. He walked back into the TARDIS, seeking out his bedroom, and he layed down. The clutches of sleep took him within minutes, and he fell into dreamland...