Author's Note;

I only just realised that the page-breaks I added in previous chapters were removed. I have now added them back in.

Anyway, on with the carnage.

"Jackpot," she exclaimed suddenly. "I win." She smiled at the disgruntled looking pair of men in front of her, proceeding to swipe her winning chips off the table.

"You're too good Wendy," said one of them, raising his hands in mock defeat. "I still think you cheat though," he said smiling.

She shot him an accusatory glare. "I'm just better than you. That. Is. All. Don't like it don't play." The confident young woman put the chips into her footlocker and climbed up on her bunk.

At this time of night, most of the beds were full in the crew quarters. Only the night shift workers were still awake on the ship, seeing to their usual duties. The three young marines were happily enjoying a game of small time poker. Playing for bragging rights more than credits. Wendy happened to beat nearly the entire crew, with relative ease. Serving on an alliance vessel forced them to play poker using a basic hologram display.

The other two climbed into their bunks, one above the other, next to hers. A long day being custom on the Normandy, tiredness being the single biggest killer of marines. They each worked long ten-hour shifts during the day. Working in engineering took its toll on the shipmates. The poker and mild banter nothing more than a good way of releasing stress at the end of the day.

Wendy closed her eyes, resting her head back against the soft pillow. It surprised her when she first came aboard the Normandy, the ship had a far better quality of living compared t other ships she had served on. The food still tasted rotten, though that came down to ship regulations on room for supplies and not the resident cook. The ship didn't exactly add anything when it came to the close quarters and horribly cramped feel of alliance ships. She would happily take a comfortable bed and good nights sleep over good food and a wider berth to work any day of the week.

Another problem Wendy had with the ship. It's near silence, even when running at full power. Being used to serving on bustling, noisy and unpleasantly crowded cruisers, the quiet of the Normandy felt strange. She would get used to it over time. She certainly had time to get used to it, Captain Anderson had no clear idea when the crew would need a rundown.

"Say...Tom," she said in the dimly lit room. She heard a low grunt in the darkness, Tom nodding off into a peaceful sleep. "Didn't Jenkins go ground side with the Commander?"

"Yeah. Did good to apparently. Fucking Jenkins...always a lucky son of a bitch." Tom disliked the private, a hot head and a loudmouth. Always bragging to them on how he became a foot soldier, subtly implying his absolute bravery, whilst they remained on the ship. Tom wouldn't even consider swapping places with him. Getting shot at hadn't been in his job description when he signed on.

"Maybe he's just a good soldier," said Ronan, lying below Tom. "Some people are born for it. Look at the Commander, he's a-"

"What?" A deep voice spoke from the doorway. The three hadn't even realised someone had entered the room.

Um...a...um," stuttered Ronan. He heard a pair of footsteps approach a bunk near the door, followed by the bed creaking from the newly added weight sat on it.

A throaty laugh could be heard in the dark. "You think you know everything worth knowing about serving? Huh Private," asked the voice, like a deep boom in the dark.

"No Commander...sir. Just talking...you know, having a laugh...sir," replied Ronan. The last person he ever expected currently occupied the same room as him. Commander Shepard, engaging him conversation. The feeling surreal...to say the least.

"Having a laugh," said Shepard almost disapprovingly. "Tell me, have you ever seen a fight Private Delahunt. Ever seen someone die?"

"No sir." Shepard knew his name, who he was. He always tried his best to avoid the Commander. Shepard must know all the crew, every person by name. Ronan never took into consideration that the Commander might be as interested in the crew, as they were in him. Maybe he enjoyed keeping tabs on people, seeing whether they were fit to serve.

"Then you've not seen anything." Shepard laid down in his bunk. He rested his head on the pillow.

Ronan spoke up again, unsure whether his next question would be appropriate."Sir...if you don't mind me asking. How many people have you...um-"

"Killed?" Shepard finished. "A number so high...I lost count years ago." Shepard closed his eyes. He hoped that his sleep tonight would be free of nightmares. Of pain and screaming.

Ronan stayed silent. Knowing a cold-blooded killer slept across the room, mere feet from him, unnerved him. He lay there, frightened of his own Commander, the ship's executive officer.

"Commander Shepard to the bridge." Shepard awoke to the sound of Anderson's voice loudly blaring through the intercom.

He pulled on his under armor, consisting of a black shirt and black shorts, not exactly alliance regulations. He tied his long-hair into a ponytail. He grabbed a piece of tape and used it to secure the hair to the back of his neck, tucking it underneath his shirt. He still couldn't recall how his hair had become so long. More important things to think about, being an XO and alliance marine. He grabbed a piece of copper wire from underneath his pillow. Gripping it tightly in his arms, he whispered something that only he could hear. He placed it in his short pocket.

He took off the necklace that hung around his neck. It still shone as brightly as when he first wore it. The rider sitting eloquently on the horse. It still held the same meaning to him that did all those years ago. He placed it in his footlocker, locking it away safe.

His armor lay next to him, resting on a small chair in a dark corner of the crew quarters.

He began to equip it, years of practice dictating his movements. Once he clasped all the pieces in place, he sat back down on the bed. Grabbing his boots from under his bunk, he put them on. He made some last-minute adjustments, combat boots always had a way of mysteriously becoming uncomfortable after one use. He clasped them tight and stood up.

He held his hand against the small N7 insignia on his amour. A small reminder of past tribulations. Being one of the few N7 rank personnel in the alliance, Shepard always felt a small sense of pride when he donned his armour. It gave him a firm reminder of all the hardships he endured to earn it. He would always wear it with pride, knowing full well the honour he had being part of such a special group of alliance marines. To him, it signified the ability to stay calm in any situation. Combat or otherwise. He excelled at the former, the latter never had been his forte.

He grabbed his helmet and walked out of the crew quarters. The crew bristled in activity. Marines, engineers and communication officers all working at the highest order. These people had to respect the position they were in, serving on one of the most advanced ship's in the galaxy. Shepard expected nothing less from each and every one of them.

Some of them stared at Shepard has he strode to the bridge. In awe of the sight before them. The living, breathing Commander Shepard, right here in the flesh. The thought of some of these people worshiping the very ground he walked on repulsed him. None of them knew the first thing about him.

He detested the very idea of being treated as a military icon. The fucking alliance brass thinking he fought wars and battles for them. Fucking bunch of hypocrites, always fueling their bullshit political agendas at the expense of honest men and women's lives. Shepard despised the very sight of the old useless...well he didn't really know how to describe them.

Shepard reached the bridge. From the window, he watched the ship approach the massive mass effect relay, before it was flung to another system. The turian that stood in front of him, Nihlus Kryik, he didn't trust him. Shepard overheard a comment made by the turian.

Nihlus fixed Shepard with a cold stare before walking past him. Shepard watched as the turian headed off down the deck. He didn't like him.

"I hate him," said Joker, his hands pressing controls at a near impossible rate, from the pilot chair.

"He just paid you a compliment and you hate him. Nice Joker," responded Kaiden, his tone clearly amused.

"What I just did? Yeah...doing good. That's an understatement." Joker noticed Shepard standing behind them. "Hey Commander," he said politely. He didn't feel so intimidated by the man anymore, getting to know him more over the last few weeks.

"Joker. Where's Anderson?" As if someone had read his mind. Anderson spoke through the comm.

"Joker...tell the Commander to come to the comm room?" said Anderson, his tone its usual even self.

"You got it sir... and watch out. I think Nihlus is heading your way."

"He's already here Lieutenant," said Anderson. The annoyance in his voice clear for the three to hear.

"Joker. Can you not speak to the Captain without pissing him off?" Kaiden quipped.

"Hey...its why you love me Alenko." Joker gave a cheeky grin to Kaiden, causing to him chuckle lightly.

Shepard smiled at the pair. He liked both of them. Kaiden he respected as a soldier well before the Normandy. Joker had grown on him. He could get tiresome after a while...but his skill as a pilot...completely unmatched. Shepard could see why Anderson chose him. He took back his earlier opinion of the pilot only days after meeting him.

"Great...now I've gotta go deal with your mess again Joker," Shepard said, his smile still etched across his face.

"See ya Commander. Have fun." Joker laughed as Kaiden shook his head beside him.

The sun felt hot. The once blue sky, now blood-red, gave a harrowing feel. Eden Prime...once a beautiful and prestigious colony. Turned into a bloodbath by the demons who had come to settle here.

The faint sound of gunfire echoed in the distance. Flashes of light peppered the sky like fireworks. A small reminder of why they were here.

Shepard checked his lancer, turning his head slightly gaining the others attention.

Jenkins noticed Shepard incline his head toward a strange-looking creature in the far distance. A harmless non-sentient creature. A formless looking thing, used to do something that held no particular interest to them. The colonists named the gas-bags because of their appearance.

Shepard appeared larger in his suit. He looked imposing enough without it, easily dwarfing Jenkins in height and build. The armour made him look like an enhanced super soldier, ready to unleash a hail of fire at any second. The way he wore it, only years of battlefield experience could explain his almost still and firm posture. A sense of pride carried itself on his shoulders.

Kaiden readied his weapon as Shepard headed down the small hill, Jenkins following closely behind.

Dead, all the grassland surrounding them lifeless. Destroyed by the mayhem taking place. Beautiful red and blue flowers lied on the embankment, before the carnage began. Now it appeared formless...devoid of life.

"The fuck you doing Jenkins?" Shepard eyed Jenkins sternly. He approached him with a few small steps.

"Wha-"

Shepard grabbed his weapon. The sun made Shepard's eyes look demonic as he stared at Jenkins through his visor. "Keep your fucking gun ready...at all times," he said, chastising the young marine.

Jenkins nodded. His mistake basic. Knowing full well that the basic mistakes, led to the mistakes that meant life or death.

He silently cursed himself.

Kaiden nodded at Shepard. At least the man respected Jenkins enough to stop him from getting himself killed in the first fire fight. Kaiden looked up at the haunting sky. Eden Prime, a safe haven for humans. Why would someone do this. That...it made him feel helpless momentarily. How easy a good life could be ruined by one awful day.

Shepard slapped him on the arm. "Pay attention Kaiden," he said firmly.

The three continued toward the group of large rocks, standing strong at the end of the embankment. A distant clearing appeared into view as they reached them.

Shepard peered round the corner with his lancer. Too quiet. Far too quiet.

"Jenkins...what the fuck are you do-"

"Contact," Kaiden said aloud. "Jenkins."

They watched, helpless, as the drones weapons shredded through Jenkins' shields. Kaiden watched in horror as the young marines crimson blood splattered against the rock in front of him. Jenkins' agonizing scream echoed in his ears before all hell broke loose.

Shepard opened fire on the drones. They weren't shielded. Basic scout drones. One of the deadly scouts exploded as it received multiple shots. Shepard ducked his head back round the corner as metal fragments shot out from the downed drone, almost as a last laugh.

Kaiden took another down with a well placed burst. They both hit the last drone with two quick bursts, sending it flying into the nearest rock surface.

Shepard waited a little while longer. The zone appeared clear. He gave a signal to Kaiden, giving him the all clear.

"Jenkins," Kaiden said softly, a horrified expression on his face as he approached the dead marine.

"Drones...never had a chance." Shepard bent down and ripped Jenkins' tags off his neck. "Idiot could have gotten us both killed," Shepard said angrily, placing the tags in the back pouch of his armour.

"Yeah, it's just-"

"Pull it together." Shepard grabbed Kaiden by the shoulder, eyeing him sternly. "He's dead. We have a job to do. You want to fucking carry him...go ahead. I need your head in the game Alenko. Copy?"

Kaiden felt a pit of guilt in his stomach. "Copy Shepard."

The pair headed up the long path, into the small patch of wood in front of them. Leaves once green, now stained with the blood of innocents. Like a scene from a horror film. Everywhere they looked, blood.

Kaiden couldn't recall feeling so guilty about a decision. He cautiously weaved through the light wood, following the path Shepard took. Over his service, he had become accustomed to bloodshed. Seeing friends die, unfortunately is par for the course as an alliance soldier.

Leaving Jenkins' body like that, it didn't sit well with him.

Shepard crouched as the clearing came into view. The sun blinding, a distant fire warming the blood in his veins. "More drones. Alenko...get ready," he said.

Quietly, they pressed forward. Eliminating any hostiles that happened to notice them.

The path may have once been beautiful to a visitors eye. Now it just meant a clear way to the carnage that lay ahead.

"Shepard..."

"Nihlus," Shepard said, touching his earpiece.

"Shepard...it's bad here. Dead bodies scattered everywhere. Watch yourself," Nihlus said.

"Copy that." Shepard signalled Kaiden toward a rock on the left side.

Gunfire could be heard, coming from a small valley.

"Kaiden...survivor?" Shepard asked.

"Could be...we should move further down into the clearing Shepard. Get a better view," he said.

A distant explosion increased the pace of their movements. A marine ran up the long winding path. Taking cover behind a large stone near the bottom of the valley. The marine seemed experienced, sliding towards the cover with trained precision. The marine hadn't escaped her pursuers, the tall machines slowly stalking the path behind.

Gunfire broke out around her. Startled she pulled her assault rifle from her back. Attacked from both sides, a clever ploy. She didn't think the machines knew tactics. The fire didn't hit her, instead striking the predatory machines behind her. Two marines appeared into view, rounding the corner with a purpose.

Shepard swept forward checking for hostiles. A larger group moved up the slope in the distance. In a formation. Damn things knew formation.

"Kaiden, cover," Shepard spat.

His gun barked loudly as he released a haze of bullets at the machines. High pitched screams could be heard as the strange-looking machines fell to the ground. Another barrage of fire hailed toward the oncoming hostiles. That unmistakable squeal released again by the dying machines, followed by complete silence.

For the first time since they landed, Shepard could hear the breeze whistle in the trees.

"All clear Commander," Kaiden said.

Shepard pointed at the unknown marine as he approached the dead figure on the ground. Machines. Sparks spat out from the holes in its body. It's blood white and puss-like. He noticed its vaguely familiar appearance. Synthetic. Shepard touched the figures body. It was soft like flesh. It's muscle tissue surrounded the cauterised bullet hole in its abdomen.

Looking around Shepard noticed the female marine speaking with Kaiden. Walking over he removed his helmet. His eyes looking black as night from the sweat and dirt.

The female marine weakly raised her arm, saluting the approaching soldier. "Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212 sir."

"You hurt Williams?" Shepard asked. He wiped the sweat from his eyes.

"No sir. My unit weren't so lucky. Those things...massacred them." Ashley wiped her brow, the anger clear in her eyes.

"You fit to help Williams? Could use another soldier," Shepard asked, her anger or story interesting him.

"Fit and ready sir." Ashley saluted again. A flash of annoyance in Shepard's eyes caused her to lower her arm. "May I ask your name sir?" she asked, swallowing a horrible mixture of dirt and saliva. Her dry throat ached.

"Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy." Ashley stared at him wide-eyed. "This is Lieutenant Kaiden Alenko." Shepard gestured toward Kaiden.

Ashley gave him a friendly, if forced, smile. Kaiden nodded knowingly.

"Come on let's get a move on. We need to find the dig site. I'm guessing you know where it is Williams." Shepard hated standing around in the open. Any decent sniper could land a clear shot.

"Yes si-"

"Commander," Shepard interrupted. "Call me Commander. The dig site?"

"Just over that hill, further up the road...Commander" she said, pointing off down the path.

"Good. One more thing." Shepard looked at one of the dead synthetics. "What the fuck are these... things?"

"I think they're geth sir," Ashley answered honestly, not entirely sure herself.

"Geth?" said Kaiden. "The geth haven't been seen outside the veil in centuries. Why would they show up now?" he asked the pair.

Shepard shot him an annoyed look. "How am I supposed to know? We're not going to find out standing here. Let's get to it." He re-equipped his helmet and headed down the path.

Kaiden gave Ashley a small smile. The look on her face evidence enough of the sheer surprise she felt.

"Come on. The faster we get this done, the faster we go home." Kaiden squeezed her shoulder.

She let out a breath, put her helmet back on and followed after him.

"Look Shepard...contact."

The strange long spike that Kaiden pointed to seemed to pulsate. Electrical energy began to envelope it. The dead human that lay a top of it received a surge of the energy. The impaling device dropped back into the machine with a shriek.

Shepard watched as the human...the creature... pushed itself off the pod. It turned toward them, it's face a horrifying mix of organic and synthetic flesh. Eyes as blue as the sky.

A loud shriek erupted from its disgusting form. It swept toward them at unnatural pace.

Shepard put it down with a few shots. Aggressive but not intelligent, these things would only be a problem if in a large group.

Great!

A dozen more screams rang out in their ears as a large group ran at them. The group sent shots at the running forms, barely slowing their movements. Too many.

Shit.

Shepard raised his gun, striking one in the face as it tried to claw at him. It stumbled back before resuming its charge. He kicked it in the stomach...at least where it should have been. Seemingly unaffected...it charged back at him. He quickly side-stepped the charge and swiped a leg out, causing the creature to fall to on its back.

His pistol barked as he finished it off.

"Report." Shepard barked at the other two, further up the path from him.

"All clear Commander," Ashley responded.

Striding over Shepard looked down at the lifeless creature on the floor. He gave it a quick scan with his omni-tool.

"This shit just gets better by the second," Shepard said bitterly.

"These were human once." Kaiden kicked the creature. "I wouldn't do this to my worst enemy," he said, speaking to himself more than the other two.

Shepard slapped him on the back. "You obviously haven't met some of mine then Kaiden," he said, his smile made it's way to his eyes.

The three checked their weapons before heading further into the colony. Shepard stopped and cranked his head as a loud shot sounded in the air. He carried on, increasing his pace, the two behind him doing their best to keep up.

"Oh my god...look at the size of that..." Ashley suddenly gasped.

A ship took off in the distance, a huge ominous leviathan as tall as a mountain. The earth beneath their feet shook as the ship began to leave the floor. A bellowing rumble rippled through the air as it entered the sky.

"Let's move," Shepard said, slowly turning his head toward the others. A ship that large should have had great difficulty landing on the surface of a planet without causing mass destruction

He saw the spaceport, only a few hundred feet away. A small unit of geth and those disgusting creatures blocked the path. Shepard swept forward, his weapon ready.

Shepard slowly approached the dead form on the floor...at least he thought it was dead. With what he'd seen today he couldn't tell.

A grim reality set over him as the form revealed its identity.

"It gets better," Shepard said turning toward Kaiden and Ashley.

"What's a turian doing on Eden Prime?" asked Ashley. She glanced around the area, checking for any sign of the killer.

"Nihlus," said Kaiden quietly. He knelt beside the turian. He didn't know him well...but he knew for damn sure that this fate wasn't warranted.

"He was a part of our team. Someone got the drop on him. Bullet in the back of the head, " Shepard stated. He holstered his weapon on his back and sighed in annoyance.

He knew today wouldn't be easy, but now he felt like everything that possibly could have gone wrong, did. First Jenkins. Then the geth. Then those...husk like creatures and now Nihlus. Fucking perfect. He wanted to thank Anderson for throwing him into the meat grinder.

It wouldn't be the first time the alliance had dropped him straight into the fucking meat grinder.

"Must have been someone he knew," Shepard said. A loud thud behind him gained his attention. He pulled out his pistol and slowly approached the origin of the noise.

Powell silently prayed that he wasn't spotted by the three heavily armed soldiers. He sat silently on the floor behind the stacked delivery crates of the spaceport, his feet pulled up in front of him.

A startled scream left his throat as a strong hand pulled him over to the other side of the crates.

Shepard slammed him down on one of the boxes, eyeing him dangerously.

"You're human...thank god. You gotta help me...I-"

"Shut the fuck up," Shepard interrupted, slamming him down again. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"My name is Powell. I work here at the spaceport...I hid behind these crates when the shooting started," he said, avoiding the glare Shepard gave him.

"How did you survive?" Kaiden asked standing behind Shepard.

"I...hid behind the cra-"

"Don't lie to us," Shepard said angrily. "How?" His eyes sparkled with a hidden promise, unnerving Powell.

"I...was sleeping on my shift. It gets boring...I...I'm sorry. The shooting started and I didn't move. I saw people being shot by those machines. There was blood everywhere." Powell glanced at Nihlus' dead body.

"You sleep on the job and survive. Typical. Cowards like you make me sick," Ashley said with disgust.

"I know what happened to him. The turian," he said desperately, hoping they didn't suspect he had anything to do with it.

"Speak up," Shepard grunted.

Powell recalled the events as best he could. "A turian did it. The dead one...your friend, he arrived after the other one. They seemed to know each other...recognised each other I guess. Your friend dropped his guard and turned around...then the other one shot him in the back."

"Did this other one have a name," Shepard said, slamming him down again.

"Saren...Saren...that was his name," Powell said in panic. The pain in his back becoming unbearable.

Shepard studied his face intently. "Anything else?" he said, his tone reverting to a more friendly one.

The shift in his mood startled Powell. "Uh...that's all I know...I swear to god."

Powell's breath hitched as Shepard leant in dangerously close. He pressed his pistol against his temple. "Tell me now. Unless you want to be twice as ugly as you already are."

"What...I," Powell stuttered.

He pressed it tighter, leaving an imprint on his skin. "

Stop fucking bullshitting me...Powell," he said, his voice low. He emphasised his name to get the point across. "Don't you think I know a criminal when I see one."

"I..." Powell surrendered to Shepard's interrogation. "I run...a small smuggling ring. Nothing major...just to make a little profit...on the side."

Shepard's eyes flashed with something Powell couldn't recognise.

"You got one thing wrong Powell." Shepard put the gun in Powell's mouth. "You ran a smuggling ring."

Tears ran down his cheeks. Small high-pitched squeaks escaping his mouth past Shepard's pistol.

He released his grip then removed the pistol.

"Get the fuck out of here. If I see you again...you're dead," Shepard said. Powell glanced at the other two marines watching intently. He ran as fast as his feet would let him...crying like a baby.

"Was that necessary Commander?" asked Ashley, approaching Shepard.

"No. I enjoyed it though." Shepard holstered his pistol, flashing a smile under his helmet. "Let's move. Getting sick of this place enough as it is."

The group headed toward the spaceport. Hopefully the docking port wouldn't be as bad.

"Last one Commander. Cover me." Kaiden knelt beside the bomb. He unscrewed the control panel exposing the bundle of wires.

The language that escaped Shepard's mouth when they realised the intentions of the geth could have shocked even the most ruthless of marines. Not that Kaiden or Ashley blamed him. The geth had placed four bombs in the docking area. The combined explosion of these bombs would be...catastrophic.

The only one who had any bomb disposal training, Kaiden, got given the task of saving the entire colony. Being a sentinel, a lot of pressure suddenly got dropped on his shoulders. Shepard and Ashley provided adequate cover fire while he worked on disarming the explosives. The group moved from bomb to bomb, picking off targets and defusing.

Having reached the last bomb, Kaiden had become accustomed to the routine and didn't hesitate to begin his work.

Gunshots and explosions rang in his ears as he found the correct set of wires. He gave a quick scan with his omni-tool, double checking they were correct. He cut them, disarming the bomb. The timer remained stuck, mere seconds remaining. A pathetically weak noise could be heard, the bomb being denied its sole purpose.

"Bomb disarmed Commander," Kaiden said, joining the others in eliminating the remaining hostiles.

After a short fire fight with the surrounding geth, the area appeared clear.

Shepard didn't stop moving forward. From where they were, any geth with a launcher or grenade could easily dispatch all three of them. He rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks as he looked upon the docking bay.

"What the hell? The beacon is still here," said Ashley.

A device could be seen at the end of the docking floor, unmistakably alien. A green aura surrounded it, the large device pulsated. The unusual thing looked alive. The blue sky and evergreen fields in the background gave a picturesque look.

The group reached the docking station. Shepard took off his helmet, finally feeling the weight of it on his neck.

He wiped his brow and took a deep breath. At least they had recovered something worth noting, the entire mission wasn't a complete fuck-up. He contacted the Normandy through his comm.

"Shepard to Normandy."

He cringed as a high-pitched crackle rang in his ears.

"Shepard...this is Anderson. Did you recover the beacon?"

I'm fine, thanks for asking thought Shepard as he turned around, his back facing the other two.

"It wasn't doing that when I last saw it. It almost looks alive," said Ashley. She unconsciously inched toward it, the aura slowly pulling her in like a magnet.

"Ash!" shouted Kaiden as the beacon dragged her toward it. She flailed her arms around in a panic.

Shepard heard Kaiden shout and turned. Instinct kicked as his helmet fell to the floor. He jumped in the way, throwing Ash backwards from the beacon.

He tried to pull away but it was too late. The beacon ensnared him, hoisting him into the air like an offering. A lamb to the slaughter.

A pair of red eyes stared at him from the dark abyss.

I told you something a long time ago kid. The eyes vanished back into the abyss.

A beautiful woman sat by his window smiling at him. Her blonde hair hung loose down her back. She reached out and touched his face. Her sweet voice calming.

Sweet boy. No one will ever harm you. I'll always keep you safe. Monsters don't exist, they're in your head.

A deep bellow replaced her voice. It felt like the depths of hell opened up around him, swallowing him whole. Red eyes shone in the dark background.

Come darling...I have something to show you.

He watched his mother smile at the voice. The look in her eyes showed fear and remorse. She kissed him on his forehead. Her fingers crumbled against his skin. Her smile never-fading, radiant in the dark.

Go to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up sweet thing.

He awoke in an unknown room. One light shone brightly hanging from the ceiling. The stench of blood, urine and alcohol filled his nostrils. A raging storm filled his mind.

He let out a strangled cry.

You belong to us now. The resistance is only temporary. You will break.

That voice again. The room fell away like dust.

What the actual FUCK do you think you're doing in my squadron.

The Drill Sergeant's shout echoed in his ears. His eyes an emerald-green.

Here to train sir. Be the best sir.

The emerald sank back in to itself replaced by crimson red.

You'll never be the best. You're just like her. A plaything used by those smarter than you. Those STRONGER than you. You never could protect her.

A strong wind took away the eyes. The room crumbled around him. A black machine loomed over him, it's tentacle-like appendages reaching for him.

A screaming vision pierced his head. The pain unbearable.

Machines..synthetics.

Chaos.

A planet... lost in time.

Destruction.

Death.

Darkness.

"Commander," Kaiden shouted as Shepard dropped to the floor. His eyes closed, blood pouring from his nose and ears.

He knelt beside the Commander and checked his pulse. He activated the comm in his helmet. Ashley stood beside him, looking exhausted and weary.

"Normandy, we need a medevac now. The Commander is down."