1.) to lazy to log in & uhhh - Yeah, but I wanted to give the impression that they were facing a challenge. I think I made it where they were hitting center mass and not the weak points. Plus, in Mass Effect series, when people's shields are destroyed (blue bars), they take anywhere from 2 – 3 rounds/bullets from a pistol to die (red bars). Plus, deathclaws are very heavily armored and Shepard's group didn't equip the armor piercing ammo power that, if they had equipped, would result in what you two are stating. I'm not saying you're wrong.

2.) Dark demon619 – I have Zaeed, because I had him in my game, but didn't have that thief girl. I could try to incorporate her in the story, but I don't know much about her.

3.) Also, I have some people wondering over Tali's romance. Some want her with Shepard, and some want her with the Courier. So, in my profile, I'm going to have a poll which will decide who Tali chooses.

Shepard was confused by what the stranger Mike had said, "What do you mean? What's a deathclaw?"

Mike chuckled, "Those things. The ones I just killed. Don't you know what deathclaws are? You might have not seen them before but everyone in the Mojave Wasteland know what deathclaws are."

"What do you mean Mojave Wasteland?" Zaeed asked, "Don't you mean the Mojave Desert?"

Mike seemed confuse by his question, "I guess you can call it that if you want but almost everyone calls it the Mojave Wasteland. No one has really called it the Mojave Desert since the Great War."

"Great War? What's that?" questioned Garrus.

This time, Mike looked at him in disbelief, "You're joking right? The Great War? The one that ended the world?" Shepard, Garrus, and Zaeed looked at Mike with confusion. Mike sighed, "You aren't from around here are you?"

Shepard shrugged, "We don't know where we are, but we're not from this world."

It was Mike's turn to be confused by their statement, "That would explain a lot," said Mike, "The Great War was a war between the United States and China that lead to nuclear apocalypse. The entire world is a ruin. Destroyed by the bombs."

Mike looked around the briefing room of the Normandy. Never before had he seen so many species in one room at the same time. After being introduced to the crew of the Normandy, and learning that some of them were aliens, Shepard had brought him, and his companions, to the room so they could explain the events of what had happened. It had been long in telling. Mike began with the history, starting a few years before the war, then moving on to tell about it and the events that had followed, all the factions that had risen to power, and everything else.

Once he finished his tale, which took about an hour, the woman named Miranda stood up. "So you're telling us," she inquired, "That it's the year 2281, a nuclear war has devastated Earth, humanity has no organized governments, and technological development is at a standstill?"

Mike smiled weakly, "Hard to take in, but, yeah." There was nothing else to say.

"But that's impossible," stated Grunt, "Before we arrived, it was the year 2164. Now you are saying it is 2281? How is that possible?"

"Traveled to Earth we did," said Mordin, "But not the same Earth we know."

"Are you saying that we're on another planet named Earth that happens to look and have a somewhat similar history as ours?" Questioned Shepard.

"No, no, no. We are on Earth, your human's home world, we're just on that Earth in this universe," stated Mordin.

Now Shepard was even more confused, as was everyone else, "You'll have to expand on that because I don't get what you are saying."

"This is theory only but that black hole we entered may have actually been, what some would call, a wormhole. Taking the Normandy, it carried us to its opposite, which delivered us on Earth. An Earth in this universe. A parallel universe if you could say."

"What about aliens?" Asked Miranda, "Your friend doesn't look human," she said motioning towards Raul.

Raul was offended at her comment, "Oh thanks. Remind me about what I am. Not enough to look like a zombie that I'm now being thought of as an alien race." Raul crossed his arms and frowned.

"My friend here, Raul, is a ghoul. Ghouls are humans, just not true humans." Mike took a breath before continuing, "The radiation from the bombs changed many things. Mutation being a major one. Before they looked like they do now, ghouls were like any other human. However, the radiation caused their bodies to deteriorate and rot, thus becoming what you see before you. The radiation also affects the brain. Over time, the ghoul starts to lose their humanity and go crazy. Once they do snap, they're referred to as feral ghouls, who attack any non-ghouls."

"That's horrible!" Exclaimed Tali.

Raul grunted in reply then turned to face Shepard, "Ok, so now, if we're done taking about pretty old me, would you please tell us your story? You know about us, but we barely know anything about you."

Shepard nodded in agreement then began to tell the long story; how humanity had discovered Prothean ruins, the First Contact War, all the other alien species, the state of the galaxy, and finally the Reaper threat. Once he finished, which had taken about the same time for Mike to tell his story, Raul turned to Mike, "Sounds like a wonderful place compared to ours. Makes you wish that all of that had happened to us as well, eh boss?"

Mike nodded in agreement, a smile forming on his face, "If only we would've been so lucky." Then Mike remembered their current situation. Turning to Shepard he said, "Look, we need to get you all out of here. Your ship landed in Quarry Junction, which is overrun by deathclaws, and I don't fancy spending any more time here than we already have."

Shepard nodded, "I guess you're right. Do you have anywhere my crew can stay?" However, before Mike could answer, Miranda interrupted, "I don't think that's such a good idea. So far, those… deathclaws have not made their way inside the Normandy and as long as they stay out there, we're safe. Also, what about food? Garrus and Tali don't eat the same food as any of us."

Mike thought about that for a minute before responding, "The Lucky 38 has several rooms for all your people. It was, and is, a casino and hotel, though a large influx of people into the Strip will surely cause problems there, not to mention in Freeside. As for food, take whatever you have with you. I'm sure my friend Arcade Gannon can find a possible substitute to give your friends once their food runs out."

Mike looked around the room, "And as for the deathclaws getting in here, they will. They're stubborn creatures that'll find a way in eventually. If not them, then probably radscorpians. Either way, you don't want to stay here."

Miranda sighed, "Whatever the Commander says, I'll follow."

She turned to Shepard who shrugged, "Our best bet is to follow Mike and his friend."

Mike nodded, relieved that they had agreed with him, "Once you all have everything you need, we'll head off." Turning on his heel, Mike left the room with Raul and ED-E close behind.

Once they were out of hearing, Raul hurried over to Mike, "Hey boss. You know how earlier I said about how you were trying to gather a group of freaks and rejects."

"Yes." Replied Mike.

"Well, looks like you really achieved that goal." Mike only shook his head and chuckled as he made his way around the ship.