After a few days in bed, John was up and moving but with the help of crutches. Even then he was only allowed to stay within the confines of the hospital. He was brought up to speed on his 'condition'. He didn't like the fact that he had machines in his body but there was little the doctors could do about it. For the most part he spent most of his time in the gym, the nanites where still fixing his body but there was no harm in doing a bit of exercise.

The orange web that was on his body had slowly disappeared. On the right right side of his jaw what was left of the web was still there. He wasn't concerned about it, he was more concerned with Ashley. Whenever he asked her about the Warlords she kept quiet and stroked her tattoo. It was a complete personality change, something he never expected from her. John sat on a bench looking over the once great city of London. So much had changed in so little a time, he just couldn't believe it especially what he had seen during the Seren hunt.

The hospital he was in was more or less in decent condition. It had scrap metal from spaceships to cover up the destroyed walls and doors. It had that kind of post apocalyptic style to it, it was kinda Spartan for his liking but then again he did like this kinds of style. And thinking about it the rest of the galaxy maybe like it as well. The Reapers caused so much devastation that it may take years to get back to pre-war advancement.

Pinching the bridge of his nose Liara came up and sat next to him.

"Headache?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm just tying to take it all in." John said. "What's with Ashley?"

She looked to him before turning to face Victoria tower. "During the war, we did things that you might have solved. I have done some questionable things as well. But what Ashley has done… after the war she was in the Terminus systems when the Warlords began to take over. I'll leave it at that, just wait I'm sure she wants to talk to you about it. It's not something that I should say without her permission." she sighed and leaned back. "The passed three years have been problematic for us all."

"What happened?" John asked making the Asari turning to face him.

She spoke again. "It's been so long, when the Normandy went we thought you where gone forever. The crew, we didn't break up as fas as people thought. But during the last day's before the Reapers appeared we began to drift apart but there was mission that we had to do…..

OOOOO 3 days before Arrival.

Hackett sat at his desk as she looked at the resignations letters Ashley, Chackwas and Adams had given him. He looked up at the three who stood at attention in front of him. Sighing he stood.

"I never expected this." he said, "Let alone from you three."

"Sir, with what the Council is doing w… I in good conscious cannot stay with the Alliance." Ashley said.

"The same goes for us two." Adams said.

Hackett nodded as he sat back down and looked at the forms. "Tell you what, take three week off. All three of you, take time to clear your heads. When the three weeks is up come and see me then we'll decide what to do."

The three looked at each other and nodded. "I agree." Chackwas said.

"Good, I'll get the paperwork done. Now you three are officially off duty, dismissed."

The three saluted before leaving the room. Ashley, out of a mix of stress and nervousness slumped against the door and sighed.

"And here I was thinking that we'd become bounty hunters." she said as Chackwas patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, as a doctor myself I would have already sent us on leave for four weeks. But three will do just fine." Chakwas said in her doctor/ motherly tone.

"Well come on, we got a ship waiting." Adams said.

OOOOO

Garrus looked over the weapon system the ship had. Thanks to Anderson's deep pockets they managed to loan themselves a human frigate. Used yes but Tali already made it space worthy and even better before. Anderson gave them the money so that they could investigate the disappearance of a colony in Battarian space. Because of tense Human-Batarian relations where few people could know about this little mission. Anderson was asked by someone in Battarian space to investigate. So he asked some of the old Normandy crew to investigate.

Given their experience in the Reapers they where the best choice for the mission. But they couldn't pilot the ship with the few people they had so Anderson handed them four extra crew members. Two engineers by the names Gabby and Donnelly, a communications officer by the name of Samantha Traynor and a psychological expert by the name of Kelly Chambers. The minimum requirements for the crew for a mission like this.

Garrus wiped his brow as he finished tuning the weapons Joker came over the comm.

"Everyone to the briefing room." he said.

Nodding to himself he walked passed the CIC and into the briefing room where everyone was. Liara, Tali, Chackwas, Wrex, Adams, Ashley, Joker, Kelly, Gabby, Donnelly and Traynor where all sitting down. Garrus took the spare seat as Ashley stood.

"Ok guys, you all know why we're here so I'm not going to go into that. But we all know why we are here. Some of us are the last of the Normandy crew, the passed few weeks have been hard for all of us but after this we can go our separate ways. If anyone wants to leave now is the time to do so."

No one left as they looked at each other for a good few moment's. "Ok, Anderson has placed me in command, and because of his experience I'm having Garrus as my XO. Joker set course, let's find out what happened."

OOOOO 2 hours before Arrival.

Arriving a the Bahak system the frigate came in, inside the ship Garrus, Tali, Ashley, Liara and Wrex where all getting ready for deployment on the colony planet. The Mako was ready if needed. Traynor was monitoring radio chatter but picked up nothing, as if the colony didn't even exist. It was strange, nothing added up. They came up to the second planet Aratoht where the colony was, the team got into the Mako with Ashley at the wheel. The others strapped themselves in as Joker entered the atmosphere.

"Joker to ground team, just a heads up I've detected nothing on the scanners. No activity, nothing, even Traynor cannot find radio signals." Joker said over the comm.

"Not promising." Tali muttered.

"We might find someone but not up here." Ashley said as the bay door opened. "Get ready."

The Mako was released from the ship and fell though the air, the crew bummed around the tank. The air pressure of the planet caused the ship to shake around more so then normal. Reaching the desired hight the thrusters activated and slowed decent to the ground. Ashley had a hard time seeing through the thick cloud cover, it wasn't long before the Mako hit the ground. As it did both the cockpit and bay shook making Garrus hit his head.

"Oof owww." he moaned as the Vehicle stopped. "That was the roughest landing ever."

"Tell me about it." Werx agreed. "Ashley you ok?"

But the marine didn't speak, as she looked at the controls. "No… this cannot be right."

"What?" Tali asked coming up and looked at the control. "Oh keelah."

"What?" Garrus asked.

"Someones alive." Ashley finally said.

Liara already slightly panicking took the med box out and made sure they ha everything and sighed with relief. She looked up and nodded to Ashley.

"Yeah we have them, Joker, Traynor, any sign of other life?" Tali asked.

"Nothing comes up on my LADAR, and Traynor has nothing."

Garrus got up and took the co-drivers seat while Ashley nodded. "Not picking anything up in a 50 mile area. Liara can you get a check on it?"

"Will do." replied the archaeologist as she moved up to a console next to one of the seat's.

Wrex knowing his position took the main gun, he looked around the hole of the sights. "Got nothing visual range but I do see a city up ahead. Might be a good place."

"Agreed, ok hold on." Ash said as the Mako began to move forward towards the city.

While the ride was bumpy but was quick Liara looked over the scanner with the information while she did major in archaeology one of the parts to it was chemistry and physics. This was mostly due to the nature of archaeology in space. The life signs where weak but there, it was only a question of who it was.

The Mako ride was bumpy but for the most part quick. Unlike Shepard who practically jumped off every hill he could find Ashley took a more cautious way to driving. John wasn't a good driver or dancer for that matter but his fighting skills and ability to talk his way out most situations. The thought of him made Ash let lose a single tear, shacking her head she focused back and focused. It was no time to become sentimental. The Batarian city up ahead was much like a human city, just without loads of glass on the buildings.

Moving onto the road into the city the Mako hit something causing the team to slam their head's on their headrests. While rubbing the back of her head Ashley pressed onto the peddle but the vehicle didn't move. She stood to look over the hood of the vehicle, but she couldn't see anything. She moved out of the driver seat with Garrus following her both of them with rifles in hand.

"Wrex keep an eye out." Ashley said.

"Will do." Wrex called out.

The side door opened and the two exited the IFV. Landing the two stood for a moment looking around but saw nothing. Satisfied there was nothing around the two then walked round to the front to see the front end of the Mako. A slave truck had its wheel lodged in the axle of the IFV. Inside the cage where clearly skeletons of some kind, the two looked to each other before moving up to the cage. Ashley got down and took a hold of one of the skulls and looked at it.

"Asari, human, turrian." she muttered. "Looks like their skin was burned off."

"Nuke?" Garrus asked.

"More like a Hydrogen bomb, nukes leave radiation but look at the truck. It's mostly intact, and the bars they're burned, someone took a flamer to these slaves."

"Batarian's don't burn their slaves unless something was wrong. Still…. Horrifying."

The marine nodded before standing and placed her rifle on the mag lock. Garrus did the same as they placed their hands on the truck and began to push it out of the way but it didn't move an inch.

"Tali, take the wheel reverse the Mako." Garrus said.

"On it." Tali said.

A moment later the Mako began to move back but was stuck on the truck. The two then pushed the truck and with the help of the mako they managed to turn the truck back on its wheels and broke the IFV free. Garrus and Ashley then moved back onto the vehicle and closed the door before taking their original places. The door closed and the IFV moved off, this time moving around the cars and trucks in their way. But as they moved one thing was clear the Batarians where trying to escape but failed. Whatever happened here, no one survived.

Up on the frigate Joker looked at his LADAR, something was off. He couldn't place it but something was clearly off. Even now there was sometimes an echo on it that can be caused by something. But he had run a scan at least half a dozen time now, but there seemed to be some kind of pulse that looked like an echo. However it wasn't an echo but something else.

"Ashley do you read?" he called.

"Ashley here go ahead Joker." the radio said.

"I'm picking up something, I'm going to go and check it out, call when your ready for pick up."

"Will do Williams out."

With that Joker set course for the signal in the asteroid belt. It was close, a good 10 minute flight to the location. The ship stopped at over a large asteroid as Joker began to look for whatever was making the signal. Traynor was already checking through comm channels to try and find the signal. After a moment she then found it, the pulsing but something was off, the timing. It wasn't random but getting faster and stronger, something of this seemed familiar to her. Some games that she used to play had something like this.

If the pulses where being like this then something was going to happen, she began to type.

Back on the colony the Mako ploughed through the streets as there wasn't enough room to move around. The life signal was just up a head so Liara and Tali got ready to move out. The IFV stopped just outside of a small outpost. A moment later, Ashley, Garrus, Liara and Tali exited the vehicle and moved round it to the outpost. It was built into the buildings around with turrets on trucks that where used as makeshift battlements. But no bodies, the four moved into the place itself only to find weapon and ammo crates spread about with their contents all over the floor.

But still no bodies, at tank was at the far side of the outpost but half of the side of it was missing. This place had seen some fierce combat, but here was someone was alive and they needed to find that person. The place was small but full of debris, looking at each other they then split up Ashley and Garrus took the right while Tali and Liara took the left. Garrus walked into the armoury section only to find crates. There where also several food crates that where for the most part untouched. Looking around he saw clear signs of battle given the signs of bullet holes on the walls.

Ashley found herself in some kind of morgue, body's where in body bags but some where not. Other body's where in cages clearly slaves who where meant for something. She looked away for a moment, turning back she then noticed bullet holes everywhere with blood on the walls. Walking in she moved up to one of the bags and got down onto her knee. Unzipping the bag she then looked at the face of a dead Batarian but something was off. There where a few blue lines coming from the eyes. It reminded her of the husks but why she didn't know.

Liara walked into the command area of the outpost. A holotable being in the middle but was flickering. She walked up to it and looked at it, while it flickered she could see buildings in the immediate area. But while the hologram itself was blue all around the outpost was red. Just red, and that normal meant trouble as the hologram flickered again she tried to get a good look at where the red was. Something was up.

Tali entered what she assumed to be the power station. A small power generator was attacked to a radio tower that poked out of a hole in the roof. Bring up her omni-tool she detected nothing power wise or signal coming from the two devices. Walking up to it she examined it carefully, there was little power to it, it was charged but the power was dining slowly. Following the cable that went into the neighbouring room, she notice it was attached to a flickering holo-table which Liara was looking at.

"Found anything?" Tali called making the Asari look at her though one of the holes.

"Yeah I think I may have." she said.

Tali got up walked around so that she was in the same room Liara was in and looked at the table. The holes in it where damaged but could be mended. She walked up to it and took one of the panels off. Looking inside she groaned in annoyance as the insides had been more badly damaged then the outside.

"Bosh'tet." she muttered. "This thing is beyhond repair."

"Yeah, Tali look at this." Liara said.

The young Quarrian mechanic looked up as the hologram flashed. Red, she saw mostly red in the hologram.

"Keelah, that's not good."

"Yeah…."

Just then a groan sounded making all three move out onto the street. By the tank there was the sound of scraping metal making the four move over to it. Garrus moved up and moved some of the tank hull off her and looked at a Batarian soldier. Getting him by the arms he dragged the soldier and placed him sitting next to a wall. Ashley came up and placed her weapon down while she took her water bottle. Popping the cap she pressed the tip of it to his lips and tipped it. Water flowed into him, but soon he coughed making her pull away. Opening his eyes he looked up.

"Human?" just then his eyes widened and he grabbed onto her. "HUMAN!" he yelled making the others aim their weapons at him. "GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

OOOOO

While the team where entering the outpost Traynor looked at the results but didn't know what they meant. She shook her head, it made no sense the pulse was getting faster and soon would just be one continuous signal. But for what? That was the question, looking up she noticed the ship flying close to the asteroid. She walked over to the cockpit and looked thought the glass.

"Something up?" she asked.

"I think I'm picking up where the signal is coming from." Kelly said. "Joker's just trying to find it."

A mear moment later Joker found it. Through the window the three looked at a large metallic blue flower, it was pulsing faster and faster.

"That lo….." Kelly tried to say but Joker spoke up.

"That's Reaper tech." he said.

"That thing's given off the pulse… wait." Traynor ran to her terminal and looked at in in shock. "JOKER!" she yelled. "GET THE GROUND TEAM NOW!".

OOOOO

Ashley looked at the Batarian as he breathed heavily. Batarians hated humans and would sometimes pull a gun on them especially in any non slaves in Batarian space. But he didn't, his eyes had the look of fear in his eyes. The came kind of fear a soldier would find in a civilian, pure fear.

"Why?" she asked calmly. "Why do we need to go?"

Shockingly the Batarian let go of her and took off his helmet before handing it to her. "Take it." He said softly. "It has everything that happened here, your Shepard was right. The Battle of the Citadel was only the beginning."

Ashley took a hold of the helmet as his harm fell and died. Looking to the others they just ran to the Mako and climbed on.

"JOKER COME IN!" Ashley yelled as she took the driver's seat.

"JOKER HERE GUYS WE HAVE A PROBLEM." Joker replied.

"I know, we have to get out of here now. Get ready for immediate pick-up."

"On it."

The Mako moved out of the area it was parked and turned heading out the way it came.

"Ground team listen." Traynor said over the radio. "We found a pulse, that was coming from one of the asteroid. It was reaper technology, and the pulse will soon stop. After that there's one thing that will happen I just hope I'm wrong."

"The Reapers will be here." Ashley said as she didn't focus on anything else other then driving.

The main gun then began to fire. "HUSK'S!" Wrex called as red Batarian shaped husks began to fire and jump on them.

"It's a trap." Garrus said.

"I don't care." Ash said fiercely and she put the peddle to the metal.

Reaching the edge of the city the frigate came in fast but made u-turn a head of them. The mako turned to a ramp and moved at speed to it. Joker lowered the ramp, they would have only once chance to do this right. Reaching the ramp the mako soon jumped and the frigate caught the IFV. Landing in the ship the ramp closed and the ground team then left the vehicle and made their way to the cockpit. They left the atmosphere, before they could celebrate at the far side of the system near dark-space something came into view.

It was almost the size of a dreadnought but in the shape of a squid. A second later another one appeared, then another and another. Each moment they stayed two appeared in system. All of the ships crew was filled with fear. They had come, the Reapers had come. Shacking his head Joker took control and headed back to the relay.

"EVERYONE HOLD ON!" he yelled.

As the ship accelerated red beams came into sight but Joker being the best pilot in the Alliance dodged them. They came into range of the relay he punched in the co-ordinates for alliance space. The machine then shot them out as it did Ashley hooked the helmet onto the computer and began downloading.

"Joker as soon as the downloads finished transmit it to the Alliance." Ashley said.

OOOOO

John fell back in his seat. "I don't believe it." he muttered. "I should have been there."

"That's just like you, you haven't changed one bit have you?" Liara asked.

Smiling he looked at her. "I suppose not. But then again I have to change to survive here don't I?"

"Yes you do." she said getting up. "I believe it's time for your check-up."

"Tyrant." he smiled as she walked off.

Liara walked round a wall to see Ashley resting on a wall. "I heard it all." she said strokeing her tattoo again.

"Ash, I love Shepard as well, and I see you as the sister I never head. But if you do not tell him I will."

As she said that the marine just nodded.