Chapter 1

"What about Shepard? Earthborn… but no record of his family." The conduit Ambassador, Donnel Udina, suggested to Captain David Anderson, who was aboard his state-of-the-art Frigate, "The Normandy," as well as Admiral Steven Hackett, Head of The Fifth Fleet of the Conduit Systems Alliance.

"He doesn't have one. He was raised by the streets. Learned to look out for himself. That's part of the reason that his abilities are so advanced, there's hardly been a moment when he wasn't pushing them to their limits and beyond." Anderson said as he stood with military-esque posture, looking into the monitor in the Comm. Room aboard the Normandy.

"4th Tier Electrokinesis and one of the finest soldiers to come out of N7, it's a shame he isn't more level headed. Or did you forget what happened on Torfan?" Hackett stated, having read that report several times.

"He gets the job done, no matter the cost. I'll admit his methods were… excessive, but he did it to prove a point to the Batarians. He showed them that conduits are not to be trifled with. That our victory against the Turians wasn't just a one-off. If you ask me, there is no one else besides MacGrath himself that should be heralded as the first Conduit Spectre." Anderson said with passion in his voice and absolute faith in Shepard and his abilities.

Udina looked conflicted as he thought over what the Captain said, he couldn't deny that there were certainly very few people as capable and skilled as Shepard, and it's not like the other Council Spectres are necessarily stable. "Fine. I'll make the call."

A Few Days Later…

The Normandy flies through space heading towards one of the first Conduit colonies established beyond the Charon mass relay. Aboard said ship a man walked briskly toward the cockpit. The man in question is a light-skin man of African descent standing at around 6'1 with all the strength and imposing authority expected of a walking WMD. A boot camp buzzcut atop his head and a thin stubble on his face. His eyes are purple, forever changed by the power running through his veins.

Unlike most of the other soldiers aboard the ship who only wore armor out on the field, this man wore an N7 issued leather jacket with a purple stripe going up the right arm instead of the standard red, a pair of black jeans and combat boots. All of this was worn over his light N7 Mark X Onyx armor from Aldrin Labs. The reason he wore civilian clothes over his armor was to distinguish himself from his squad members to draw the eye of the enemy towards himself, preferring to take the brunt of attack rather than risk his allies' lives. Unfortunately, after Torfan most people just figured he was a show off. The man's name is Damian Shepard. Commander Damian Shepard, "The Butcher of Torfan."

He arrived at the front of the ship just as it approached a massive ancient object floating in the void. Shaped like a dual pronged blade with a swirling ball of blue energy at its center. It is called a Mass Relay, an ancient device built millenia ago by an ancient alien race called Protheans before they disappeared from the galaxy without a trace. As The Normandy neared the relay it sparked to life, a cone of mass effect energy covered the ship. The pilot, a snarky and sarcastic young man by the name of Jeff "Joker" Moreau. Despite his casual disregard for authority that skirts the line between witty banter and blatant insubordination, Joker is easily one of, if not the, best pilot in Alliance Navy. Joker began the countdown from 3 as power began to hum all over the ship, settling at the Tantalus Drive Core down below.

The ship barely lurched as the relay shot it forward at a velocity far beyond the speed of light, heading towards the distant planet of Eden Prime.

"Thrusters… check. Navigation… check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift is… just under 1500 K." Said Joker as he went over his checklist.

Standing behind him was Nihlus Kryik, a highly respected Turian Spectre. "1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." He said dully, turning on his heels and walking deeper into the ship. He may not have intended to sound so condescending but it certainly came off that way to Joker.

"I hate that guy." He mumbled under his breath when he was sure the Turian could no longer hear him.

"You hate him because he gave you a compliment… how does that work?" Said the man sitting in the copilot's seat, though he was far from an actual pilot. Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko is what is called a Biotic Conduit. His mother was exposed to Element Zero whilst pregnant during a stay in Singapore and when he was born he managed to beat the odds and survive what many others could not. He was given a Biotic Implant and while in "Brain Camp" decided to join the Alliance Navy like his father. He still suffers from the occasional severe migraine, as is common in Biotic Conduits, but he has never let it stop him from accomplishing his goals.

"Remembering to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom is good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. That's incredible!" He boasted. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."

"You are paranoid. The Council helped fund this project so I think they have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment." Kaidan rebutted.

"Right, that's the 'official' story. But you know good and well only an idiot believes the official story."

Shepard had been listening in the entire time and he agreed that the circumstances surrounding this seemingly innocuous mission hinted at a larger plot. "You've got a point, Joker. They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs. Especially not one as decorated as Nihlus."

"Exactly! There's more going on here than the captain's letting on." Joker said.

"No reason to expect the worst, I don't think." Replied Shepard.

"Well bad feelings are an occupational hazard. I'm just saying, we don't go anywhere unless there's a good reason, so what are we doing he-"

He was cut off by the smooth baritone of Captain Anderson's voice over Comms. "Joker! Status Report."

"Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. We're solid."

"Good. Find us a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime."

"Aye, aye, Captain. Should brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way." Joker said, throwing needless shade at the Turian.

"He's already here, Flight Lieutenant." There was no missing the tint of annoyance in Anderson's voice when uttering Joker's rank. "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing." The call ended.

"You get that, Commander?"

Shepard rolled his eyes. "Wonderful, you pissed him off and now I gotta suffer the consequences." He turned on his heels and headed toward the comm room at the back of the ship.

"Pfft. Don't blame me. Captain's always in a bad mood." Joker shrugged.

"Only when he's talking to you, Joker." Kaidan quipped.

Shepard walked through the ship, passing right by Navigator Pressly and all of his "subtle" racism. There were times when he was certain that if they existed a few centuries ago Pressly would be much less accepting of having him on the ship based solely on the color of his skin. He did stop to talk to the wonderful Dr. Karin Chakwas, always a light shining in the darkness, and the naive and enthusiastic Corporal Richard L. Jenkins.

"Take it from somebody who grew up on Eden Prime, Doc. It's not the kind of place Spectres visit. There's something Nihlus isn't telling us about this mission." Jenkins said.

Chakwas scoffed. "Nihlus? The only one in charge here is Captain Anderson. He wouldn't take orders from a Spectre."

"But it's not up to him. Spectres are above the law. And since the Alliance chose to follow the Council's laws, Nihlus is officially above Anderson. Spectres can do whatever they want, kill anyone who gets in the way. If Anderson pisses off Nihlus we could have a war on our hands."

"The Council wouldn't wisk war with conduits. They know they'd lose." The two turned their attention to Shepard as he walked up to them.

"What do you think, Commander? You don't think we'll be staying on Eden Prime long, do you? I'm itching for some real action!" Jenkins said with the kind of naive bravado that only a rookie can muster.

"I hope you're joking, Corporal. The 'real action' you're talking about usually ends with a full infirmary and many sleepless nights for me." Chakwas said, a lighthearted glare pointed in Jenkins direction.

"You gotta calm down, Jenkins. Only an idiot goes looking for a fight. Rushing into the field looking for trouble is the best way to get gunned down." Shepard advised the young soldier. He'd learnt that lesson the hard way long before he became a soldier. Back when he was running with the gangs in Empire City. Yet another piece of his past he wished he could take back.

"Sorry, Commander. It's just that I've never been on a mission like this before. Especially not one with a Spectre on board. It's got my nerves going haywire."

"Hopefully you get them under control before you counteract the ship's artificial gravity." Chakwas quipped.

"Just treat this like you've treated every other assignment and you'll do fine."

"That's easy for you to say. You proved yourself on Torfan. Everybody knows what you're capable of when you're pissed off. This is my big chance to show the brass what I can do!" His enthusiasm could almost be amusing if it wasn't so damn foolhardy.

Needless to say, Shepard was not amused. "This mission isn't about personal glory, Corporal! We have a job to do. Don't do something stupid and fuck it up!" He reprimanded the rookie before storming off toward the comm room.

He stepped into the room and was met with the sight of Nihlus standing alone in the middle of the room staring at a slideshow on the screen that showed images of Eden Prime. He turned around and addressed Shepard as he neared. "Commander Shepard, I was hoping you'd get here first. It'll give us a chance to talk."

"About what?" Shepard asked, getting a suspicious vibe from the Spectre. He couldn't deny the fact that Spectres are not always the most trustworthy of people.

"I'm interested in this world we're going to, Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful." The Turian said, casually pacing back and forth.

"Beyond beautiful, apparently. They say it's a paradise."

"Yes… a paradise. Serene, tranquil, safe… Eden Prime has become somewhat of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that conduits can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?"

Shepard didn't like the way he said that. He took a step toward the alien and let a dangerous edge seep into his voice. "If you've got something to say then I suggest you say it."

Nihlus was not threatened. "Your people are still newcomers, Shepard, and the galaxy can be a dangerous place. Are you certain the Alliance is truly ready for this?"

"I am certain. In fact, I seem to remember we beat your asses in the First Contact War. A war that you started and were too proud to let end. You had to be bailed out by the Asari with a peace treaty before MacGrath could finish blasting your ships outta the sky. You can doubt us all you want but it doesn't change the fact that conduits are the most dominant force the galaxy has seen since the Protheans." By this point the two of them were staring each other down, standing so close that Shepard could smell the fresh paint on Nihlus' face while the latter could feel the electricity coursing through the former's veins. Before violence could break out they each inexplicably found themselves lifted off the ground by an invisible force and placed at opposite ends of the room.

"What the hell is going on here?" Anderson's booming voice called out, his disappointment evident in the childish actions of both conduit and turian.

Nihlus cleared his throat and promptly stood at attention, moreso out of respect for the man himself than for rank. "My apologies, Captain. That was very unprofessional of me."

"Pussy." Shepard mumbled under his breath.

"What was that, Shepard?" Anderson questioned darkly.

"Nothing, sir." Shepard responded, standing at attention.

"I thought so. At ease, the both of you. Nihlus, I think it's about time we told the commander what's really going on."

"I agree." The Turian said, turning back toward Shepard. "Commander, this mission is far more than a simple shakedown run. We are here to make a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we need the stealth systems of The Normandy."

"I figured as much. Why all the secrecy, sir?" He turned to Anderson rather than Nihlus.

Nihlus continued to speak regardless. "This comes down from the very top, Commander. Information on a strictly need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. A Prothean Beacon."

The weight of this revelation hit Shepard like a truck. "What else can you tell me?"

"This is big, Shepard. The last time conduits made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. Unfortunately, Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to get there and bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study." Anderson explained.

"Obviously, this goes beyond mere conduit interests. This discovery could affect every species in Council space."

"Why did we have to tell the Council about this? I think it would've been better to keep it to ourselves." Shepard suggested to the captain, ignoring Nihlus.

Nihlus still spoke up regardless. "That's exactly the problem. You conduits are seen as selfish. Too unpredictable and independent, dangerous even. Frankly you share a lot of similarities with the Krogan, and we all know how well liked they are. If the Alliance wants to remain a part of the galactic community then this discovery must be shared with everyone."

"He's right, Shepard. Sharing that Beacon will improve relations with the council. Plus, we need their scientific expertise. They know more about the Protheans than we do."

Nihlus stepped forward. "The beacon is not the only reason I'm here though, Shepard."

Shepard cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Anderson to continue. "Nihlus wants to see you in action. He's here to evaluate you as a potential Spectre."

"I guess that explains why I see him every time I turn around." Shepard said.

"The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Conduits want a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Council and the Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a conduit into their ranks it shows how far the Alliance has come."

"I have to admit, Shepard, I was impressed when I read the reports from Torfan. Even for one of your kind the power you put on display was nothing short of incredible. It was grim business but you got the job done. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres."

Shepard was surprised at this. Not only because it was a turian that recommended him, but Nihlus specifically. He thought the man resented him. "Why would you, of all people, want a conduit in the Spectres?"

"Despite what you may believe, I hold no resentment for you or your people. Myself and many other turians see the potential of your species, see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy… and to the Spectres." Nihlus explained, catching Shepard slightly off-guard with his sincerity.

"The Spectres are an elite group and as such we only accept the most elite into our ranks. That's a rare find. To put it simply, Shepard; I don't care that you're a conduit. I only care that you can get the job done."

Shepard was silent as reworked his opinion on Nihlus almost entirely. "Hmm… and I assume you support this, sir?"

"Absolutely! Earth needs this, Shepard. We're counting on you." Anderson answered immediately, pride shining in his eyes for his young protégé.

"I need to see your skills for myself, so Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together." Nihlus said.

"You'll be in charge of the ground team. Secure the beacon and get it onto the ship. Nihlus will accompany you to observe the mission."

"Understood, sir. If I may, do we have any idea what might be on the beacon?"

"We aren't entirely sure, it could be a collection of lullabies or blueprints to make more Mass Relays. To put it into perspective, the beacon we found on Mars was only a small data cache and it gave us the tools necessary to explore the galaxy. Hopefully whatever is on this one can do something similar. If so, we can't let it fall into the wrong hands." Anderson explained.

"The wrong hands? Like who?" Shepard asked though he did have a few ideas. Some parts of the galaxy are home to violent gangs and warlords who have no love for the Council and especially for the Alliance. They'd jump at the chance to get a leg up on the competition and wage a one-sided war on the rest of the galaxy.

Anderson unknowingly corroborated his thoughts. "The Attican Traverse, for one. It isn't the most… stable sector of Citadel Space. With plenty of raiders and criminal groups in action out there, they may figure a Prothean beacon is worth the risk of attacking an Alliance ship. Plus, Eden Prime is right on the border of the Terminus Systems."

"The Attican Traverse might be wily but it's still under Citadel protection. If the Terminus Systems attack, it's an act of-" Shepard was cut off before he could finish by Joker's voice coming in over comms. He sounded worried.

"Captain! We got a problem!"

"What is it, Joker?"

"Transmission from Eden Prime. You need to see this." Joker said.

"Bring it up on the screen." Anderson ordered. The screen at the end of the room changed from the peaceful stills of popular tourist spots on Eden Prime to a video of war. Loud and violent, a far cry from the paradise that was advertised. Explosions, gunshots, and Conduit abilities lit up the screen, causing the person recording to stumble. A female soldier wearing Skin-tight Phoenix VI armor from the Sirta Foundation ran with incredible speed across the battlefield, toward the person recording. "Get down!" She yelled, pushing them to the ground as shots fired overhead. She bent at unnatural angles to avoid them and returned fire as another explosion rocked the ground.

Another soldier, this one male and wearing Duelist armor, grabbed the camera and began speaking, dodging fire all the way. "We are under attack and taking heavy casualties! I repeat: We can't - shit! They came out of nowhere! We need-" He never finished what he was saying as just then he was peppered with enough shots from behind to completely negate his natural healing factor and cut his life short. Just then a sound rang throughout the battlefield, stopping the soldiers in their tracks as they looked up to the sky.

It was the angry roar of a god, strong and booming. Rattling the bones of every soldier and feeling them with dread. The camera panned up to the sky and falling through the black clouds was a massive claw. Massive wasn't even the word for this monstrosity. It was impossible, incomprehensible that anything alien or man made could ever match the size of this anomaly. Red electricity arced off of it, lighting up the sky and the claws opened up exposing the glowing red palm as it increased in brightness, roaring all the while. A building sized beam of red energy shot towards the ground and that was where the video cut out.

"Everything cuts out after that. Zero comm traffic. Just goes completely dead. Nothing." Joker said, his usual snarky tone was completely gone and in its place was a somber emptiness.

The room was silent as Anderson, Shepard, and Nihlus tried to rationalize what they just witnessed. One thing they all could agree on was that they would never forget that sound for as long as they lived.

True to his nature, it was Anderson who regained his senses first. "Joker, reverse and hold at 38.5" Joker did so and on the screen was a still shot of the mind meltingly massive monster claw that descended from the sky like a fallen god.

"Status report." Anderson asked.

"Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area." Joker answered.

"Take us in fast and quiet, Joker." The comms cut out and Anderson turned to the two other occupants in the room. "This mission just got a whole lot more complicated."

Nihlus spoke up next, the first to come up with a plan. "A small strike team can move quickly without drawing attention. It's our best chance to secure the beacon." Shepard nodded in agreement.

"Grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold." Anderson said, prompting Nihlus to turn on his heels and walk off. "Tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, Commander. You're going in." Shepard couldn't explain it, but for some reason he felt a deep foreboding in his heart, as if the galaxy had just grown a thousand times larger. Whatever was coming… he knew it was only the beginning.

Twenty Minutes Later…

The Normandy flew across the skies of Eden Prime, the setting sun turning the sky a dark orange that fit well with the somber turn that the mission had taken. Shepard, Alenko, and Jenkins stood side by side in full combat gear as Anderson briefed them. Alenko and Jenkins both wore Light Onyx X armor but without the tell tale arm stripe of the N7 program. They also carried various weapons magnetically attached to their backs while Shepard only carried an Edge VIII on his hip. He preferred to stick mainly to his versatile Electrokinetic talents, only using the pistol when he needed to recharge. On missions where he knew there wouldn't be many electrical sources he would pack full gear, but Eden Prime was a colony with plenty of power running through it.

"Your team is the muscle of this operation, Commander. Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site." Anderson said.

"What about survivors, Captain?" Kaidan asked with his bleeding heart.

When Anderson replied he had to yell over the sound of rushing wind as the hangar bay door dropped open. "Priority one is securing the beacon. Save any survivors if the opportunity arises but do not let it stop you from getting to that beacon. Whoever or whatever is attacking is most likely after it and that means we're on the clock."

"Sir, yes, sir." Alenko saluted.

"Nihlus? You're coming with us?" Jenkins asked, noticing the Spectre securing his gear.

"Not exactly. I move faster on my own." He said almost smugly as he lightly jogged to the edge and dropped to the ground below.

"Nihlus will scout ahead and provide mission support; otherwise, I want radio silence." Anderson explained.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, sir? Just before you came into the comm room Nihlus was questioning me on the safety of Eden Prime. Now, all of a sudden it's under attack. Seems shady if you ask me." Said Shepard, still not fully trusting of the turian even if his first impression had been proven wrong.

"I assure you Nihlus is on our side, Shepard. It was his recommendation that started the talk of a conduit in the Spectres. He's just as serious about this as we are."

"Understood, sir."

"The mission's yours now, Shepard. Good luck" And with that Anderson headed back deeper into the ship, leaving the three man squad to jump out of the ship and into whatever was waiting below.

….

Thanks to their Conduit Physiology the fall from The Normandy was like jumping off a swing at the playground. They landed in a crouch and Shepard sent out a Radar Pulse to see if anything of note was nearby. He sensed several powerful electrical signals moving around a few dozen yards up ahead. The output was immense, like a small mobile generator. "Heads up squad, I'm picking up energy sigs up ahead. Output is huge. Could be mechs of some kind."

"Mechs? Maybe a merc group? Don't know enough about them to guess which one though." Kaidan said, sweeping his rifle across the landscape.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough. Eyes on a swivel, team. Let's move out." The trio continued down the path toward the electrical source. They passed by a pack of what Jenkins called "Gas Bags," A strange, indiginous species that was completely harmless and utterly useless. As they continued forward, up a short incline lined with rocks, the electrical signals grew closer and closer until they were right on top of them but still they saw nothing.

"Anyone have eyes on?" Shepard asked his squad.

"Negative, Comma- JENKINS, WATCH OUT!" Kaidan yelled as a massive robot rounded on the young corporal with a bladed arm. The warning from Kaidan gave Jenkins enough time to put up a Gravity Shield above his head that blocked the blade from slicing his head down the middle.

"FUCK!" Jenkins exclaimed and shifted gravity to pull himself several feet away. Shepard's body turned to pure electricity as he lightning dashed forward and sent a shockwave attack that knocked the robot on its back. His fist charged with purple lightning as he brought it down hard on the robot's chassis, cracking it and causing the light of it's singular eye to blink out.

"We got more, Commander! They're using siphon rounds!" Kaidan yelled, ducking behind cover as shots streaked across the field.

Siphon rounds are projectiles specifically made to combat Elemental and Energy Conduits. They are larger than the sand grain sized projectiles, resembling the bullets of old. Once inside the body they slowly drain the energy or element inside the conduit's body. The more projectiles, the faster the drain.

Seven more robots came out of the woodworks, guns blasting. They attacked with expert precision, much more efficient than any standard mech should have. In fact, as Kaidan got a closer look at them, they almost looked like… "Shepard! THEY'RE GETH!"

In the middle of blasting away at the robots with enough electricity to light up a city, the commander actually took a second to evaluate them and sure enough these robots held many aesthetic similarities to the Quarian race of aliens. "What are geth doing outside the Perseus Veil?"

"Not sure." Alenko responded, throwing out a pull attack to lift a geth into the air helplessly where he turned its chassis into swiss cheese. "But at least now we know why the colony couldn't handle the threat." He focused energy into his legs and leapt high into the air, he hovered for a few seconds and rained down shots from above, taking out three more geth. Right before he dropped he sent one last geth flying with a throw attack.

Meanwhile, Jenkins was fighting off a swarm of Geth Shock Troopers led by a Juggernaut. By decreasing his mass similar to the way a ship does, he was able to zip around the battlefield, attacking the geth from all sides and herding them into a circle. He threw a condensed ball of blue energy into the middle of the pack that lifted the entire group into the air and then slammed them back down with the same gravitational force of Jupiter. They were turned to scrap metal upon impact, their bodies twisted and crunched as sparks flew from the metal scraping against itself.

Jenkins then turned his attention to the Juggernaut. A Geth Juggernaut is much bigger than the standard Geth, standing at around 7" with very durable armor and shields. Juggernauts are built with strength and speed in mind, making them a threat to even the most skilled Prime Conduit. The Juggernaut blasted away at Jenkins with its pulse rifle putting him on the backfoot as he narrowly dodged its shots by tracking where it was aiming and making sure he was not there or that he got a gravity shield up in time. Unfortunately, the corporal was so focused on this one assailant that he failed to notice when a second Juggernaut intercepted him and, using his own speed against him, shoved its blade deep into Jenkins' chest, completely bypassing his shields, and out through the otherside. Blood immediately began falling from his mouth as fear and pain marred his young face. The Juggernaut grabbed Jenkins by the throat and yanked its blade out of his body, letting him slump to the ground.

Shepard, in the midst of slicing and dicing geth troopers with an electric katana, noticed Jenkins go down and rushed to his aid. He threw a lightning hook at a Juggernaut taking aim at the prone corporal and disrupted its shot. That turned its attention to Shepard. It fired on him and Shepard brought up a polarity shield to block the shots as he continued to charge forward. The second Juggernaut turned to him now and fired a salvo of distortion rockets. They weren't as fast as mass accelerated projectiles but he was heading directly toward them and running out of time. His perception slowed considerably as he overcharged his body, he shot them out of the air just as he came up to the first Juggernaut. Its arm shifted into a blade and Shepard conjured his sword to block. They traded several blows before the Juggernaut capitalized on an overswing and scored a hit across Shepard's chest. It didn't pierce the armor but he certainly felt it.

The second Juggernaut then entered the fight with a sword arm of its own. Now Shepard was firmly on defense, fighting for his life against the deadly war machines. He dodged what he couldn't parry and tanked what he couldn't dodge. He couldn't keep it up forever though, he might be one of the best soldiers to ever come out of N7 but he was still "human," as the old adage goes. Eventually he'd slip up unlike the Geth whose movements were always executed perfectly, so he decided the best course of action was to get away. After parrying a few more strikes he rolled to his left and threw a swirling mass of electrical energy on the ground and stood above it. He channeled the energy back into himself and leapt high into the air causing a sizable electrical explosion that caused the Juggernauts to spasm wildly.

He used a lightning tether to pull himself over to Kaidan who was taking cover behind a waist high cluster of rocks. "Need a hand?"

Kaidan chuckled. "Not really. You?" He said as he fired from cover.

"Not at all. I just didn't want you to feel lonely." Shepard popped out of cover and tossed an electric grenade at the group of Shock troopers taking cover down range. The ball of electricity multiplied into eight and attached themselves to three of the five geth. They exploded, destroying the three geth that were directly attached to them and heavily damaging the others. Kaidan capitalized on this and dashed over to finish them while they were down. Kaidan opened up on the first Geth with his rifle, blasting several holes in its chassis and causing white fluid to leak out onto the grass. He then charged Biotic energy into his legs and leapt high into the air where he then dropped from above like a purple colored meteor and crashed his fist through the chest of the final Geth Shock Trooper sending a wave of Biotic energy rippling across the ground.

While this was going on, the Juggernauts were back to harassing Shepard. They pulled their Geth Plasma Shotguns off their backs and fired on Shepard who was ducking behind cover. The Juggernauts were slowly but surely closing on him, using their constant fire to keep him stationary. "A little help here, Kaidan." He yelled as plasma soared over his head.

Kaidan sent a throw attack at the closest Juggernaut and knocked it off balance. This small reprieve in the steady flow of shots allowed Shepard to dash out of cover and fire a Megawatt Hammer right into the headlight of the same Juggernaut that sent it flying slowly through the air as it was affected by the reverse polarity effect of the attack. As it floated, Shepard yanked it towards him with a lightning hook, grabbing hold of it by the neck and chest and drain every ounce of electricity from it's body, finally putting the murder bot out of commission, as well as recharging his energy stores.

Meanwhile, Kaidan, covered in a thick Biotic barrier, ran full tilt into the other Juggernaut, tanking his way through the flurry of plasma. He placed his rifle on his back and tackled the Geth to the ground, he grabbed it by the neck and continued to drag it across the ground and slammed it hard into a boulder, cracking its chassis. Kaidan finally finished it off with a thunderous punch wreathed in Biotic energy that obliterated its head, chest and a good chunk of the boulder behind it.

With the danger out of the way Shepard and Kaidan turned their attention to the fallen corporal, their faces crestfallen. As they walked up to him they could see that his face stuck in a ghastly visage of pain and horror, blood pooling beneath and around his body. "Goddammit." Kaidan whispered as he kneeled beside the young man's body. "Blade pierced right through his shield. I tried to warn him about speed blitzing, if you get hit, then you get hit just as hard and fast as you were moving." The lieutenant reached down and closed the young man's eyes for the final time.

"We'll make sure he gets a proper burial when this is all over, but right now we have to find that beacon and keep any colonists we come across safe." Shepard said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Right… let's go." Kaidan finally relented with a sad huff.

They marched on, easily dispatching a few geth drones hiding in a small cropping of trees.

"Shepard." Nihlus called out over comms. "I see some burned out buildings up ahead. A lot of bodies. I'm going to check it out. I'll try to catch up with you at the dig site."

"Copy that." Shepard replied.

When they entered into the clearing they were immediately met with the sounds of gunfire. Up ahead they watched a woman in white and pink armor running across a field as a dozen Geth Shock Troopers and three Geth Drones were hot on her heels. She was avoiding their shots for the most part but every now and again her shields would flicker as shots pinged off them.

Alongside this woman was another, much more powerful, woman with brown skin that could pass for red. Her long flowing dreadlocks had red highlights sown within and intricately styled, silver colored clips. She wore a long black leather trench coat, red leather pants with stylized rips on the legs and black steel toe boots. On her chest it seemed she only wore what appeared to be a half opened red vest that left her abdomen exposed.

This woman fought with incredible tenacity, teleporting about the battlefield and decimating the Geth with fire and napalm. Even from here it was obvious to Shepard and Kaidan that this woman was 6th tier and an ancient one at that. It seemed that the geth were aware of this as well as they fought her with everything they had.

"You fucking robot bitches took my man! Thought I'd just let you get away?!" She roared with a Caribbean accent as she trapped a dozen geth in pillars of a tar like substance before combusting them with a wave of fire. She teleported behind the back of a Geth Prime, a twelve foot tall platform that was meant to be the pinnacle of what a Geth could be. The woman blasted the Prime in the back with the same tar-like substance that she trapped the earlier Geth in. The substance wrapped around the Prime's chassis and began to burn away at its shields. Even still it would not go down without a fight. Its arm shifted to a massive sword and it swung back at the woman who just barely ducked out of the way. The Prime pulled a shotgun loaded with siphon rounds off its back with incredible speed using its other hand, then fired point blank at the woman's chest. The rounds entered her body and immediately began draining her powers.

While a 6th Tier Conduit does not need to recharge their abilities, they can still be drained of their power with siphon rounds. It just takes an incredibly long time and a large amount of rounds. Knowing this, the Prime continued to fire blast after blast into the woman, zapping her of more and more of her power.

The other woman, a shapeshifter by the looks of it, was too preoccupied with her own Geth squadron to notice the plight of her impromptu partner. Her fists grew to the size of boulders as she smacked and crushed every Geth in her way. She was a Biologically Enhanced Prime Conduit and as such siphon rounds had no added effect on her other than stinging like any bullet would. She grew to the size of a small building and sent a dozen Geth flying with a powerful swing of her foot before shrinking back down and sharpening her hand like a blade and stabbing a Geth through the chest. Her arm stretched and pierced the chassis of several more Geth before whipping back to her side. Yet still more and more Geth poured in and the shapeshifting woman was unable to break off to help the napalm wielder.

Luckily, she didn't have to as Damian and Kaidan were already moving in to assist. Shepard tossed a Lightning Tether onto the Prime's gun arm and yanked himself as hard as he could towards the Geth, simultaneously throwing off its aim. Shepard collided hard with the Prime and tackled it to the ground. With barely a lull in motion, the Prime responded by flipping the pair of them over and attempting to drive his blade arm down through Shepard's chest. Before he can, however, Kaidan comes in with the save and traps the Prime in a Stasis field. Shepard takes this chance to crawl out from under the Prime and back to his feet. "Much appreciated, now get her to cover and until we can see about getting those siphons out of her. Then get back here, I can't take this thing out alone."

"Aye, sir." Kaidan scoops the woman into his arms and dashes away to cover. Meanwhile Shepard turns back to the Prime as it breaks free of the stasis field. Immediately it's back on the offensive, swinging its blade arm right for Shepard's neck. The commander ducks low underneath the blade and sends a shockwave blast that sends it stumbling backwards. Shepard then fires a dozen rockets into the air past the Prime. The Geth quickly recovers from the shockwave and lashes a hand out and snatches Shepard up by the throat and begins slowly crushing his windpipe.

Shepard only grins smugly while staring into the Prime's one eye. "You should pay more attention." He chokes out before hitting the Geth with a single bolt of electricity and just as he is about to pass out from lack of air the twelve rockets he fired into the air swing back around and collide into the Primes back with thunderous applause. The Prime drops Shepard to the ground as the electricity from the rockets wreaks havoc on its systems. It begins to spasm and rattle as Shepard does his best to refill his lungs with precious oxygen.

It was at this moment that Kaidan returned and Shepard wasted no time in utilizing his skills. "Kaidan! Grav Stomp! Now!" Kaidan immediately performed a Biotic Leap 20 feet into the air and then came back down on his right foot, sending another wave of biotic energy rippling across the ground that passed under Shepard and sent him flying 30 feet into the air. Shepard began charging himself up with electrokinetic energy, purple lightning rippling across his form as he lit the sky up like the living lightning bolt he was. He shot back toward the ground with a crack of thunder and burst clean through the Geth Prime's body leaving behind a conduit sized hole. The Prime began to spasm and jerk even more radically before he dropped to its knees and exploded in a fiery inferno.

Miraculously just as they finished up with the Prime, the shapeshifter finished up with her squad of lesser Geth. She immediately made her way over to Shepard and Kaidan who were looking over the pyro-oleumkinetic woman. She was being less than cooperative. "I said I'm fine! Just get me a knife or something and I'll yank them out myself."

"Ma'am that wouldn't be wise. You could end up doing too much damage to yourself and bleeding out before your healing kicks in." Kaidan said, try to reason with the woman. "If you'd just lie still then Commander Shepard here can get the rounds out with just a few Magnetic Pulses."

Shepard rolled his eyes at the woman's stubbornness and turned to the approaching woman. "Name and rank soldier." He ordered more than asked.

Immediately the woman stood at attention. "Sir! Sergeant Major Ashley Williams, sir!"

"At ease, sarge. I'm Commander Damian Shepard of the SSV Normandy, this is Staff Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. Is this woman a part of your unit?" He asked even though he knew the answer already.

"No, sir. Nix is one of the colonists. She and a few 2nd and 3rd Tier colonists helped keep the other civilians safe until units 212 and 314 could arrive and provide support. Once they arrived she insisted on going after that giant ship you see looming in the distance, stating that she was going to 'Get her man back even if she had to burn this whole planet to the ground.' Needless to say, I asked permission to follow her along."

"And why is that, Sarge?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"We've built up a bit of a rapport since I was stationed here and," She stepped in closer so that only Shepard could hear her. "While I won't divulge her whole history, I will say that Nix is a very important historical figure that got swept under the rug, and so is her husband. I just wanted to keep her safe, though honestly a 6th Tier like her didn't need it."

"Historical figure? What does that mean?"

"It's not my story to tell, Commander. You'll just have to pry it out of her in your own time."

"I'll just take your word for it. Where's the rest of your unit?"

"That'd be the 212, sir. They're back at the colony, watching over the survivors. At least what's left of them. We put up a good fight until that giant ship came down and started lighting us up with it's giant laser. Never seen anything like it." She was silent a moment as she mourned the loss of her brothers and sisters in arms. "...The other reason I left, sir, was to secure the Prothean Beacon that was unearthed a few days ago. I think that's why the colony came under attack. Well that and because of Nix' husband."

"Alright, this is the second time you've mentioned her husband. Who is he and why is he so important to have the Geth come out of hiding after 300 years just to kidnap him?"

"His name's Delsin Rowe." This came from Nix who shoved off Kaidan and stood to her feet.

Shepard raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

Kaidan, being the history buff that he is, relieved Shepard of his ignorance. "Jesus, Shepard, didn't you pay any attention in history class? Delsin Rowe is the man who single handedly apprehended President Augustine way back in 2020. He stopped the UCSA from becoming a dictatorship under the hands of that mad-woman."

"Least someone appreciates my baby's work." Said Nix with a small smirk. She spoke too soon, however.

"He also massacred the town of Marblehead, Ohio in a fit of rage. Killing over 900 innocent civilians. That earned him 5 life sentences, which I guess at the time no one thought he'd actually manage to outlive." Kaidan added much to the annoyance of Nix.

"My baby did his time and even left the whole planet behind. He feels so much worse about what happened than you could ever know. So next time you got some slick shit to say about him I suggest you say it far away from me, you greasy haired motherfucker."

"Alright, everybody simmer down." Said Shepard, sensing that they were losing the plot. "If they came for him just because he's a 6th Tier then why didn't they take you too?"

"Rowe has an incredibly rare power that makes him easily one of the most powerful conduits. Maybe even on par with MacGrath." Answered Kaidan. "He can absorb the powers of others, regardless of Conduit Type. I think that by the time he turned himself in he had around 20 different abilities."

"So in the hell did they catch him?"

"This ugly fucking turian with a robot arm came strolling into town and siad that if Delsin came with him he'd let everyone else go. Delsin wasn't about to let nobody get hurt because of him so he went without a second thought. They slapped those big ugly cuffs on his hands and almost immediately the turian turned around and ordered the robots to fire. I tried to get him back but I knew he would've wanted me to stay with the people. Always was too nice for his own good."

"Well then there's not much we can do for him now. Besides, we're only here for the Prothean Beacon, anything else is secondary. What can you tell me about it, Sergeant Major?"

"Honestly, not much. It was dug up a few days ago and the eggheads have been losing their minds ever since. Almost immediately they ramped up security around the colony, if it wasn't for that we probably would've been wiped out in the first wave."

"And where is the Beacon now?"

"The dig-site is just up ahead, sir. I can take you if you'd like."

"Gladly. But first," He turned back to Nix, "We have to get those siphons out of you. Are you gonna be cooperative?"

Nix leveled a withering glare at Shepard. "You don't come near me with those lightning powers. Don't trust 'em. Not anymore. Just light something on fire so I can-" She didn't get to finish as Shepard hit her with three quick electromagnetic pulses and yanked three dozen siphon rounds out of her body, allowing her natural healing to speed up and heal the damage caused."

"AHHH! YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" She screamed in agony. "I should fucking kill you!" She roared as her fist lit up with fire and napalm.

Luckily, Ashley stepped in before the two could come to blows. "Nix, relax. He was just trying to help. Let's just forget about it and move on."

"Whatever. This ain't over though, Sparky." The look in her eyes would've burned a lesser man from the inside out but Shepard just took it in stride.

"I'm shaking in my boots. Sergeant, lead the way."