Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or Bioware.

A/N:

Now that the set up is out there, lets get down to it. Got much to do, asses to kick, and fluff to attend to ^.~

Chapter 11

*Five years later*

Kate took a trip down memory lane as she stood in the observation deck on the Normandy. Thane Krios had fallen from his disease. Kate held a service for the Drell. Though it was small, the whole crew was there for it. Even Liara and Feron came for the funeral. Kate made sure Thane's son, Kolyat was there as well. They gave him a hero's farewell to say the least. But that was four years ago.

Things in the galaxy had actually fell silent. Kate ran a few missions here and there, but never quite as many as since this whole Reaper business started. She felt a little overwhelmed by the lack of anything to do. She had stopped a few mercenary bands from causing too much trouble, took down a pirate ship or two, the Geth had disappeared and... She couldn't forget David.

She checked in on him every now and then. She had found him on what she figured was a routine mission. She went to a Cerberus base to put a stop to a virus gone wild, one that supposedly could cause a technological apocalypse. What she found instead shook her down to the core.

Here was this poor man, suspended in the air held by large and long needles, tubes in his mouth, and wires. His brother strung him up this way, and all in the name of to control the Geth. She should've shot Archer for what he did, but instead she took David, and left him to deal with his own hell.

Currently the Normandy was docked at the Citadel. Her crew was enjoying some good old fashioned down time while they had supplies delivered to their cargo hold. Food, various items, some hardware upgrades. It was all for Liara back on her own ship high in the skies back on Hagalaz. Kate was the Shadow Broker's personal errand runner. Kate didn't mind it though. Beat doing nothing at all.

Kate looked out at the large space station. She watched the people do their daily routines as they zipped about in hover cars over the large city below the Normandy. She sighed as she closed her eyes. With every year that passed by she tensed up further. She knew the Reapers would be here any time now. It was too quiet.. The quiet in the eye of a storm about ready to come back at full force.

Only this time everyone would realize Kate had been right the whole time... And many would die for their ignorance.

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"Commander, the Council says they need to see you, they say it's urgent." Joker's voice played over the intercom. Shepard raised an eyebrow. The Council had pretty much left her to her own devices years ago, what did they need from her now? She stood from the mess hall table as she looked up at the ceiling's security cam. "Did they say what was so urgent?" she questioned grudgingly.

"No Ma'am, but they sounded... a little on the panicked side." Joker replied. Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly. She could only think of one reason as to why the Council would be calling for her after so long. She then nodded once. "Thanks, Joker tell them I'm on my way." She heard the intercom system click off as she made way for the elevator.

The Reapers. She just knew it had something to do with them.

So she got herself into her gear, new and improved of course. Five years was a long time after all. Tech got better every year, this was especially so for combat related gear. The Terminus systems grew heated in the last year alone. It was only a matter of time when their infighting broke out into council space. That was if the galaxy survived long enough to get that far.

Once she felt ready, armor locked in place, her weapons checked, and even double checked, and in place on her back she made way for the docking bay. "Joker, have the crew ready to set out, just in case." Shepard said as she got near the cockpit to head out the docking bay door. "Aye-aye Commander. Do you think..?" He questioned as his chair slowly turned to face her.

Shepard gave him a knowing look and a nod. "I have a feeling, Joker. We'll be ready for them, time has proven a bigger ally then I'd of expected." she replied. He smiled at her feeling more confident. If she was confident something could be done, it was enough for her crew to feel the same. After all, she lead them all through the fight with the Collectors, she saved the Citadel, she conquered Saren and Sovereign. She even rewrote the Geth, what's more she conquered death itself.

Whatever doubt Joker had, he put it behind himself as the Spectre, Commander, and savior of the galaxy marched out of site and out onto the Citadel. It was time to kick ass, and the Reapers were about to regret ever picking a fight with one Katelyn Shepard.

VWVWVW

On the Presidium Shepard stood at her full height of nearly 6 feet. She was tall for a human female. "Agent Shepard... We recently picked up a coded transmission." The Asari councilor began. Shepard raised one black eyebrow as she watched the four before her. Even David Anderson fidgeted slightly. She shook her head as she grew impatient. "What is this about?" Shepard asked.

Here she was, armed to the teeth, ready to finally take the fight to the Reapers.. for who knows how many lives they've taken over the millenia. She was ready to put an end to it. But now she wondered if this was even the case. She folded her arms over her chest impatient.

"You may just want to hear this for yourself, Shepard." Anderson said as the rest only gave him silent agreement. Katelyn watched him as he brought up his omni tool, typing in a few commands. Finally the loud speaker over the council chambers clicked and came to life.

The audio was full of static. It flickered in and out, but Kate could get the gist of it. "They're everywhere! N- Backup!" More static interrupted whatever the male voice had said next. "Fringes of the - can't - out!" There was the sound of an explosion and heavy breathing, more static filled the audio. "They're massive!" the transmission cut out.

From the sounds of the voice, it was a Turian. He sounded panicked, and he was shouting over multiple loud noises that sounded like explosions. Shepard felt her heart pick up a beat. Was this really it? Were they finally here? "Shepard, we've had multiple reports in the Terminus of ships resembling Sovereign..." Anderson said for the rest of them.

Shepard glared at the rest of the council. They all held an awkward silence, the Turian wouldn't even make eye contact with the human woman before them. She let out of a scoff. "I tried to tell you! You know how many lives are threatened out there? How many might already be dead?" Shepard barked at the three alien councilors. She knew Anderson had tried, but he himself gave up in the end. She shot her most heated glare at him last.

The Salarian spoke up now. "Spectre Shepard, you are here by ordered to the Terminus systems to assess the situation. We will begin sweeping council space. As of now council space is under martial law. We will ground side as many civilian ships as possible, Anderson will contact the Alliance." Shepard huffed at them all waving a hand in dismissal. "You've had 7 years to prepare for this. Whatever you do now wont save the lives you could have." Shepard said angrily as she turned to walk away.

"Fortunately for you, I never gave up, I may be able to stop them." She then added as she made her way down the steps for the podium leaving the council behind. They could do as she wished, she'd be on the front line. As long as they sent her the back up she'd need, the galaxy could stand a chance. But not before billions had to lose their lives when they didn't have to.

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The Normandy was on it's way to Hagalaz. Kate had to get Liara away from that ship. She needed Liara where she could see her at all times.. somewhere she could keep her safe. Alone on that planet she wouldn't stand a chance when the Reapers found her.

"ETA Mass Relay, 3 hours commander. It'll take at least another two before we reach Liara." Joker said over her ear piece as she made her way for the briefing room. "Best possible speeds, Mister, I want no excuse." Kate said sharply as the man fell silent a moment. He knew Kate wasn't in the best of moods. And when she wasn't she didn't like excuses. "Yes ma'am." he said before the line was cut off.

Once she was inside the briefing room, which doubled as a com room she watched as the table slide into the flooring. Edi knew exactly who she was about to make a call to. She stepped onto the platform as the holo projector began to rise around her. "Come on, Liara.. pick up." Kate muttered as she waited half a minute. Finally Edi spoke up. "Communication established, Commander."

Liara's image flickered into life as she rubbed her eyes lightly. She must've fallen asleep again at her desk. Something Kate usually found cute, but right now she had one thing in mind. Getting the Asari to safety. "Kate..?" she asked with a groggy tone as she looked at her through the holo projector.

"Liara I'm coming to get you." Kate said sharply as Liara gave her a puzzled expression. She didn't understand why Kate was so firm when she spoke this to her. "What's going on?" She asked as she pushed her sleepy state aside. She could tell by her lover's expression she was serious and in no mood for argument.

"Liara, it's happening. They're here." Kate said and Liara instantly understood what she meant. "Kate I can't leave, whatever info is forwarded to me could be useful against-" she was cut off by an agitated Katelyn Shepard. "Liara, this isn't a debate! I'm not leaving you there alone and unprotected!" Kate yelled. Liara looked taken back and cringed a little at the tone in the now angry woman's voice. "Not when you're pregnant." Shepard finally finished.

Liara had been pregnant for the past two months. Normally an Asari pregnancy wasn't accidental, it was planned, and deliberate, but on one night the pair had gotten a bit carried away in their passions for each other. Their meld grew beyond what it normally did during their love making, and unknowingly Liara had conceived Kate's child.

Kate had initialy been upset. Not because she didn't want to have a child, but because she wanted for them to wait until the Reapers were no longer a threat... She didn't want their child to grow up without one, or both parents. She also didn't want something to happen to Liara during such times while pregnant. But it happened, and Kate had grown excited with it.

"Alright, I'm sorry..." Liara said as she sighed heavily. She knew Katelyn was right. The base was fortified enough for any normal situation, but the Reapers weren't a normal situation. "I'll let Feron know you're coming.. We'll get as much info as we can onto OSD's we'll be ready when you get here." Liara said lightly as Kate visibly relaxed at Liara's agreement. It went easier then Katelyn had planned.

"Good.. We'll be about five hours, if anything unusual comes up, call me right away. We'll try to be sooner." Katelyn said as she watched Liara nod her head lightly. Kate reached up as if to touch Liara's cheek but stopped as she let her hand fall back to her side. She would only hope Hagalaz was the last stop for the Reapers. Until then she was going to be stressed to the core. "Liara, I love you." Kate said.

Liara smiled at the human Spectre. "I love you too. See you soon." Liara said before she cut off the communication link. Kate sighed as she stepped off the platform as the table rose back into it's proper place. "We'll get there before anything happens, Shepard." Edi said as assuringly as her electronic voice could allow. Kate nodded. "Thanks, Edi." She said as she turned to leave the room.

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Liara stepped away from her com's terminal as she turned around. "Feron, get some OSD's. Start downloading everything you can, Kate is coming to get us." She said to the Drell over her own ear piece. There was a short pause. Feron must've been asleep too in his room. "Why the pick up?" he asked with his own hoarse tone, one that proved Liara's assumption true. "The Reapers are here. She doesn't want us here alone and unprotected." Liara replied lightly.

She had already gathered up the drive chips as she began to download what she figured was most crucial onto them. She heard no further comment from Feron. He was probably gathering himself up to get the large task at hand done. They had five hours, but when you had information on almost everything in the galaxy it wasn't much time at all.

Liara had began the data transfer as she let her hand run over her slightly swollen belly. Kate was truly concerned for Liara and their unborn child's safety. The human had changed so much over the past years, Liara had to smile on the thought. She knew that Kate would keep them safe at any cost.

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Yaaaay surprises. ;

Anyways, end of this chapter. I hope this new little idea I have is thrilling. xD Next chapter should come soon, but not right away. But no fears, I have such plaaaans.

See you all next time 3