Teana's Travels Book 27: Invasion

by D.K.N

After around three months of peace following the closing of the Malia issue, the Dimensional Defense Force's rest is violently cut short as the Reapers arrive in force, ravaging Realm ME-N7 and using warp-gates to hit a few DDF worlds outside that realm as well. Can Commander Shepard unite the galaxy, rally the fleets, and stop the slaughter? Rated M for violence and language.

5. Seeking the Primarch

SEE CHAPTER ONE FOR DISCLAIMERS

PLEASE READ & REVIEW, AND TEND TO THE TROPE PAGES

-CHAPTER START-

Realm ME-N7 – Apien Crest Cluster, Trebia System, Orbit Over Palaven

CODEX: "When the Turians were introduced to the galactic community, an Asari diplomat poetically described their homeworld, Palaven, as "a silver world of fortresses and fire." Because Palaven's weak magnetic field is a poor shield from its sun, most of the planet's animal life developed metallic carapaces as defenses against solar radiation. Its photosynthetic life is similarly impressive, shutting down vulnerable metabolic processes during daylight hours and repairing cellular damage at night. The visible fortifications of Turian cities reflect their martial society, but since joining the galactic community, internal conflicts have become honor-bound affairs with few casualties among noncombatants. These city fortifications have proven no match for the Reapers and their aggressive bombardment of Palaven."

SCAN: ""The only things on this planet that aren't silver are the Turians. It's all too clear they're made of steel." These were Alliance hero Jon Grissom's impressions of the Turian homeworld Palaven, seen by humans for the first time following the First Contact War. The Turians' martial attitude permeates every aspect of Palaven society, from architecture to art to politics. It's no surprise that their homeworld was never occupied by an invading force until now. The Reapers, aware of their enemy's reputation, brought overwhelming force to Palaven and did not hesitate to bombard cities that resisted - and all of them resisted. The dust and smoke from pulverized cities is now a breathing hazard across much of the planet. Water and power supplies have all but vanished. Still, the fight here has cost the Reapers dearly.
ALLIANCE TRAVEL ADVISORY: Palaven's weak magnetic field means solar radiation levels are greater than those found on other habitable worlds. Human visitors are advised to wear enviro-suits or other radiation protection when visiting Palaven."

A sizable fleet of Turian warships – their angular designs with large wings making them look like giant fighter craft – moved in formation, pointing at the large force of Reapers standing between them and their burning homeworld. After a few seconds, once firing solutions were calculated, the ships opened fire. The railgun-accelerated projectiles, traveling at 0.013c, took around 2.05 seconds to hit their targets, pounding against the Reapers' energy shields (a pity they didn't have MACs; UNSC coilgun shots, at 0.4c, would traverse the same distance in ~0.065 seconds, before the Reapers had time to see them coming); the ancient mechanical abominations moved forward in response, closing with the Turian fleet and ignoring the hits they took – a few Destroyers were lost, but the massive Dreadnoughts withstood. Once they got close enough, the Reapers' crimson beams lanced out, beginning to carve through the Turian warships, often in just one shot each, all as the Turian vessels continued firing as well, hoping to take a few Dreadnoughts out before being forced to retreat again.

Farther out from the planet, a lone 170m stealth-attack frigate dropped out of FTL, observing the battle from afar but heading for a different target: the large silvery moon straight ahead, with signs of battle on its surface visible even this far out.

-Break-

UT-47A Kodiak shuttle, descending through Manae's atmosphere

CODEX: "Menae is one of two moons orbiting the Turian homeworld of Palaven. The Turian Hierarchy put Menae in the hands of the military soon after their spacecraft first landed on the moon, immediately halting civilian research and exploration. Menae's geological composition and specifications have been classified ever since. These days, a few active naval bases dot the moonscape, as well as infantry installations focused on extreme survival training. The mystery of Menae is a lasting fascination for many Turian citizens. Speculation about its presumably rare and valuable resources has become a common plot point in films, novels, and even poetry for young Turians."

SCAN: "Palaven's largest moon has been shrouded in secrecy since the dawn of the Turian space age. During the Krogan Rebellions, the Hierarchy classified nearly all data on Menae, and its sister moon Nanus, because they feared the Krogans could use the moons as weapons by smashing them into Palaven's surface. However, some information has leaked out. Images of Turian bases where personnel walk without enviro-suits indicate advanced infrastructure, likely a network of subterranean tunnels with powerful mass-effect field generators that retain heat and atmosphere over swaths of the surface.
The Reapers' plans for bombarding the bases were met with fierce resistance by the Turian fleet and the moon's anti-aerospace defenses. With their easy victory stalled, the Reapers deployed a variety of ground units to take the bases one at a time. The Turians are the superior force, but the Reapers have the patience to slowly grind them down. With every base captured, the Reapers deny the Turian fleet another place to repair or refuel."

The shuttle, its stealth systems active, descended as it flew over the moon. In it were Shepard, Liara, James, Sarah, and Erika; among the latter two, Sarah wore her energy-shielded Barrier Jacket – almost identical in appearance to her civilian outfit, with dark-blue pants and brown jacket over a green shirt – and carried her customized (a scope and a single-shot/burst-fire/full-auto options switch) COG M2 Lancer and her gravity hammer, while Erika had formed her Keyblade Armor – also shielded – with the helmet currently off/dispelled, and had her Sangheili T33 Needler, in addition to being able to summon her Keyblade at a moment's notice.

"Oh no…" Liara was eyeing a display screen showing the Turian homeworld and the fleet battle taking place over it. "Palaven…"

"Holy hell…" James breathed out. "They're gettin' slaughtered…"

"B-Being able to actually see f-fires from orbit…" Erika murmured. "That's a really bad sign."

'Marie, Garrus…' Sarah thought. 'Please, let them be safe…'

"The strongest military in this galaxy," Shepard said, "and the Reapers are steadily obliterating it."

"Was it like this on Earth?" Liara asked him.

"Worse."

"I'm so sorry…"

"Commander!" Cortez called back. "The LZ is getting swarmed!"

"James, open the portside hatch" Shepard ordered.

Everyone got up out of their seats, readying weapons. The hatch opened as the Kodiak flew low and slow past a cliffside, which had several Husks climbing up it. Shepard fired an Incinerate blast that killed one, while Sarah picked off two more with a few burst-fire shots from her scoped Lancer. A handful of pink crystals were launched by Erika's Needler, embedding in one Husk's back and blowing it apart, while Shepard killed another with a Warp. The Kodiak came around and set down near an outpost, where two Turian soldiers were firing on the approaching hostiles as well.

"Alright," Shepard said, "get in and get out. Let's move!"

Everyone jumped out, keeping up fire on the Husks. James switched to his shotgun, blowing away a few that rushed at him, while Sarah used her Lancer on full-auto to gun down three more. Liara threw out a Shockwave that knocked a handful away, and Erika threw a grenade that finished the downed cyber-zombies off. The last few of the wave were taken out by Shepard's N7 Hurricane, and he then turned to the Turians.

"Soldier," he asked one, "which way to your commanding officer?"

"Around the corner, past the first barricade" the man replied.

Shepard nodded, and the team moved on, hearing the distant firing of a Reaper weapon. They very quickly reached the barricade, which lowered to allow them inside the 'base'. Turians moved about, checking supplies, grabbing or swapping weapons and ammo, tending to wounded and placing sheets over the dead. In one of the little open-air structures, an older Turian in dark-red armor was looking over a holographic table, while speaking to two other Turians.

"Tobestik," he said to the silver-armored Turian, "get your men up on that north barricade. Sergeant Bartus," he told the black- and yellow-armored one, "find a way to get that comm. tower operational."

"General?" Shepard asked as the team walked up.

"Commander Shepard. Heard you were coming, but I didn't believe it. General Corinthus."

"We've come to get Primarch Fedorian."

Corinthus was silent for a few seconds, his head hanging. "Primarch Fedorian is dead. His shuttle was shot down an hour ago as it tried to leave Menae."

"That's going to complicate things… How bad is it, General?"

"We just lost about 400 men in half an hour. We set up camps on this moon as an advance position, to flank the enemy. A sound strategy, but…"

"Irrelevant against enemies of this scale" Shepard finished.

"Exactly. The sheer force of the Reapers seems to make them immune to that sort of tactic. The Primarch and his men found that out the hard way."

"I'm sorry. I hear he was a good man."

"And a friend. He would have been an outstanding diplomat."

"So what happens now?"

"The Turian Hierarchy provides very clear lines of succession" Liara replied.

"Right. General Corinthus?"

"With such heavy casualties," the General said, "it's hard for me to be certain who the next Primarch is. Palaven Command will know. However, at the moment contacting them is impossible; the comm. tower is out. Husks are swarming that area; we can't get close enough to repair it."

"Don't worry, General. We'll get your tower operational."

"Thank you, Commander. I'll take care of things on this end."

The team moved out toward the far exit; they had a good view of Palaven and the comm. tower, as well as a Reaper Dreadnought a handful of kilometers away; judging by its motions, the metal beast was trying to kill a Turian force attacking it by physically stepping on them, judging them not even worthy of its guns. As the team moved through the gateway and climbed up a short ridge, they met up with and passed a pair of Turians – Sgt. Bartis and a Private – gunning down a pair of Husks.

As they approached the comm. tower, a pack of Husks waiting at its base saw them and moved to attack. Erika fired her Needler at the one in the center of the charging pack, and the resulting super-combine explosion took out three of the tightly-packed hostiles; Shepard's pistol took the rest. A few more Husks climbed up behind them as they drew close to the tower, and Liara's Geth Plasma SMG took them out before they could get close.

"We can't repair the tower from this panel" Shepard said, looking over an interface terminal at the tower's base. "Liara, go up there, see what you can do."

"Alright. If you can keep Husks from climbing up after me, I'd appreciate it."

As the Asari went up the ladder, the rest of the team got ready as another wave of Husks began climbing up the cliff-sides and charging. James' & Sarah's assault rifles and Shepard's SMG opened up on the rushing cyber-zombies, and as they drew close Erika summoned the Stroke of Midnight, firing a Blizzara spell that froze one Husk that was then shattered by a Carnage shot from James. A Husk tried to grapple Sarah from the side, only for her to introduce it to the business end of her rifle's chainsaw-bayonet. Shepard and Erika fired Incinerate-blasts and Fira-spells to further cull the enemy's numbers, and when James shotgun-blasted the lower half off a Husk the top half kept snarling and clawing its way toward him, only for Sarah to shoot it in the head. Soon Liara slid back down the ladder, having completed repairs.

"General, do you read?" Shepard said. "The comm. tower is now operational."

"Much appreciated, Commander. I'll contact Palaven Command."

"Lemme know when you've got something. I'll help your men 'til I hear from you."

Another wave of Husks arrived via Reaper drop-pods. Shepard and Liara tossed out a pair of Singularities that snatched up a fair few of them; a Carnage blast from James and a Needler super-combine explosion from Erika took the floating Husks out. A few more attacked from the right, and Sarah & Liara covered that side, Lancer and plasma-SMG cutting flanking Husks down as the others focused on the main frontal charge. Shepard fired his N7 Hurricane until the current clip ran dry, and when a Husk tried to rush him while he was reloading he formed his Omniblade and cut the cyber-zombie's head off. The last few Husks tried a desperate rush, but James' shotgun put a stop to that.

"Commander Shepard, come in."

"Go ahead."

"I have information from Palaven Command. Please return ASAP."

"On our way."

With the way clear, the trip back from the tower was much quicker than the trip to it, and everyone gathered near the General.

"What have you got?" Shepard asked.

"As your partner said," Corinthus replied, "succession is usually simple. But right now, the Hierarchy's in chaos – so many dead or MIA."

"I need someone; I don't care who, as long as they can get us the Turian resources we need."

"We're on it, Shepard" a familiar newcomer replied. "We'll find you the Primarch."

The two newcomers were a Turian and a human. The Turian was wearing blue and silver armor, the right side of his exposed face showing partially-healed scars, a Phaeston assault rifle and an M92 Mantis slung across his back. The human was a teen girl, short at around 5'3", with long brown hair that had a few sweeping 'spikes' sticking out in either direction from the main body of it, wearing a black jacket over a light-grey shirt and dark-grey pants, armored boots, and her currently-inactive Device in the form of a purple-hued glove/gauntlet on her right arm with a purple gem on the back of the hand.

"Hey, Commander" she said. "Fancy seeing you guys here."

"Garrus! Marie!" Shepard said with a smile. "You're alright!"

"Vakarian, sir" Corinthus said. "I didn't see you arrive…"

"At ease, General."

Before anything else could be done or said, Marie was pulled into a very tight hug by Sarah, the taller sister holding on as tight as she could, murmuring 'Thank God' and rocking her back & forth softly, overcome with relief at seeing her sibling alive and unharmed. Marie, understanding her relief, returned the embrace, while Erika dispelled her armor to join in. The others watched with smiles, though Corinthus was a bit confused.

"Siblings" Garrus explained to him.

"Ah."

"Good to see you two again" Shepard said. "I thought you'd be on Palaven."

"If we lose this moon," Garrus replied, "we lose Palaven. I'm the closest damn thing we have to an expert on Reaper forces, so I'm… advising."

"James," Shepard introduced his newer squadmate, "this is Garrus Vakarian. He helped me stop Saren as well as the Collectors. He's a hell of a soldier."

Garrus nodded. "Lieutenant." He shifted gaze to the Asari. "Good to see you too, Liara."

"It's good to see you in one piece, Garrus."

"And the rest of the 'Swanson Sisters', too. Marie's been worried sick about you."

"W-We've been on the Citadel since a-a few days before the invasion started" Erika replied. "We're fine."

"Good" Marie said. "…Where are the others?"

Sarah finally let the hug loosen a bit to look (down) at her sister. "The Reapers have managed to force open a half-dozen warp rifts to hit six DDF planets outside this realm. All the others of Gamma Team are on those planets…"

"…What?" Marie was confused and worried.

"They're hitting Midchilda – where Teana is, Shakuras – which has Ahsoka & Shion, Equestria – where Mai's currently at, Lucavos – Kaede's there, as well as Cybertron and Sanghelios. We haven't heard anything from any of them."

Marie stepped back, worry etched into her features. 'K… Kaede and Tia…'

"What reports Hackett has gotten say the Reapers can't get past the Sangheili Navy to hit Sanghelios, and none of the other five worlds are being hit quite as hard as Palaven is" Shepard said. "And since you survived here…"

"I… I hope… We… We've gotta put that in the backs of our minds for now, I guess. We've got something more immediate to do."

"General Corinthus filled us in" Garrus said. "We know who we're after."

"Palaven Command tells me that the next Primarch is General Adrien Victus" Gen. Corinthus spoke up.

"Victus?" Liara asked. "His name's crossed my desk."

"Know him, Garrus?" Shepard asked.

"I was fighting alongside him this morning. Lifelong military; gets results, popular with his troops. …Not so popular with military command; has a reputation for playing loose with accepted strategy."

"What do you mean?"

"On Taetrus," Liara explained, "during the uprisings, his squad discovered a Salarian spy ring about the same time the Turian separatists did. Rather than neutralize the ring, he fell back. He even gave up valuable fortifications, which the rebels took."

"Then," Garrus continued, "the rebels attacked the Salarians. And when both groups had worn each other down, Victus moved back in. Didn't lose a man."

"Bold strategy," Corinthus chimed in, "but wild behavior doesn't get you advanced up the meritocracy."

"Primarch Victus… That should be something to see."

"You think he can get the job done?" Shepard asked.

"We both know conventional strategy won't beat the Reapers. Right now, he could be our best shot. And I trust him."

"Okay. Let's get him on the shuttle and get out of here."

"Commander!" Joker radioed. "Shepard, come in!"

"Can this wait, Joker? We're in the middle of a warzone."

"We've got a situation on the Normandy, Commander. It's like she's possessed – shutting down systems, powering up weapons… I can't find the source."

"I need the Normandy standing by; we may have to bug out."

"Should I go back and take a look?" Liara asked.

"Do it. Garrus, you said you were with Victus this morning?"

"Yeah," the Turian replied as Liara ran off, "but we got separated. He went to bolster a flank that was breaking. He could be anywhere out there."

"We're trying to raise him, Commander" Corinthus said.

"Incoming Harvester!" James suddenly shouted.

A massive winged creature flew overhead. Soldiers' weapons and autoguns fired up at it as it passed, and Marie formed Charon into the Intelligent Device's active mode and fired a concussion missile while Erika re-summoned her armor and fired her Needler, but the shots either missed or did little damage to the airborne beast's thick hide. Shepard recognized it as a Husk-ified version of those long-necked flyers he saw on Tarith and Tuchanka during his last adventure.

"It's heading for the airfield!" Marie said.

"General," Shepard said, "tell Primarch Victus we'll rendezvous here. In the meantime, we'll go take care of whatever that thing dropped off. Coming, Garrus?"

"Do you even need to ask?" the veteran replied.

The sextet hurried over to the airfield, where a few Turian fighter craft were 'parked' amongst crates and rocks.

"James," Shepard said, "is that you breathing so hard?"

"Atmosphere's a little thinner than I'm used to, is all" Vega replied. "Adrenaline's better than oxygen any day."

Reaper drop-pods came in, dropping off a force of Husks. However, in addition to the standard human-Husks, there were two larger and different-looking ones, clad in armor and carrying assault rifles that they quickly showed themselves capable of using.

"Is it just me," Sarah said, "or do those ones look like Turians?"

"Yeah, we call 'em Marauders" Garrus replied as he sniped a Husk's head off. "Turian Husks"

Shepard fired his N7 Eagle at one Marauder, only to reveal that it had an energy shield. So he hit it with an Overload and then shot it, and that did the trick. The other Marauder held its hand up, and tendrils of dark-red energy shot out and enveloped a Husk, forming into a sort of armor. Marie blasted the Marauder with a charged Wave-Bolt shot, stripping its shields and damaging it enough that a few assault-rifle rounds from Garrus took it down. A Needler super-combine blast from Erika took out the armored Husk, while James' shotgun and Sarah's assault rifle helped cut down the normal ones. Another wave climbed up from the cliff-edge ahead, and Shepard sent out a Biotic Shockwave that knocked half of them right back over. Two more Marauders dropped in, and Garrus took out one with a Mantis headshot while did the same to the other with his Valiant. Sarah's Lancer and Power-Bolt shots from Marie's Device made short work of the rest.

"I think we're done here" James said.

"Shepard, come in."

"Go ahead."

"Still trying to raise the Primarch, but we've got trouble back here at the main barricade. If the Reapers breach it, we're done."

"On our way!"

Again the team rushed back into and through the base, heading for the tall metal-and-rock walls that formed the main barricade. Everyone climbed (or chakra-leapt, in the case of the Swanson sisters) up and took positions, Shepard manning the mounted turret. A horde of Husks emerged in the rocky area below, either arriving from the side path, climbing up the cliffs, or being air-dropped in. Shepard opened up with the turret, getting the Husks trying to charge down the middle, while everyone else focused fire on the ones coming from the sides, also handling those trying to climb the walls. The cyber-zombies kept coming and coming, but they couldn't even get close; Husk parts soon littered the ground below.

"Yeah, like shooting fish in a barrel!" James cried out as he blasted a Husk's head off.

"…What?" Garrus asked.

"It's an old human saying!" Marie replied. "'Like shooting fish in a barrel'! It implies something's really easy!"

"What is it with humans and idioms, anyway?!"

The Husks kept coming, and promptly kept being shredded by the small arsenal of weapons ready for them; Husk bits and spent thermal clips littered the ground beneath the barricade, including a few large ones from the turret. The sisters didn't even bother using any of their big stuff; what they were using now was enough. Suddenly, however, a monstrous new player entered the field: a huge Husk-type creature, bulging with synthetic muscle, its right arm tipped with a large and sharp crab-like claw, and its head looking like that of a Turian attached to a flexible tube-like structure.

"Holy hell, what is that thing?!" James shouted.

The beast growled and then charged the barricade, shrugging off the rounds fired at it. It shoulder-tackled the wall, causing Shepard to lose his balance and fall off, right into the lower area with the beast. The monster beat its chest and roared, stomping forward; Shepard fired an Incinerate blast, but the beast's thick hide withstood it with only some damage. It charged at Shepard with frightening speed, and he swore as he rolled out of the way of a crushing claw swipe; as he came up, he drew and fired his N7 Hurricane SMG, emptying an entire clip into the beast. The super-Husk growled, the barrage of rounds punching some holes in its armor but not doing enough to kill or cripple it.

The others leapt down to join the fight, a Carnage shot from James and a charged Power-Bolt shot from Marie hitting the monster in the side; a bit more of its armor was damaged, and it roared and charged at them. As it got close, Marie & James rolled out of the way, as Sarah leapt in and slammed her gravity hammer into the monster's side, crushing and dislodging some of its armor as she knocked it to the side. Shepard hit it with a Warp, further weakening it, and a good half a clip's worth of rounds from Garrus' Phaeston chewed into its armor some more.

Now noticeably wounded, the monster roared and charged at Garrus. However, a Firaga spell from Erika staggered it, and Shepard then slammed into it from the side with a Biotic Charge. The monster, now heavily wounded, growled as it tried to strike Shepard one more time. Then, however, a barrage of large pink crystals flew in, and a super-combine explosion finished the monster off; with its badly-damaged body blown open, it keeled over and went still, the lights of its synthetic eyes going dark.

"Goddamn," James said, "the fuck was all that about?"

"I just got a Codex update on it" Garrus called out, looking at his Omnitool. "Apparently, others have encountered these things enough for someone to make one."

CODEX – 'BRUTE': "The Brute is a hulking amalgamation of Turian and Krogan victims of the Reapers. Because tissue from dextro-protein species like the Turians is incompatible with levo-protein species like the Krogans, implants regulate the Brute's body chemistry to combat organ rejection. It is the fusion of Turian military skill and Krogan blood-rage that makes the Brute such a formidable enemy, capable of destroying armored vehicles to get to the soldiers inside. Troops are advised to keep their distance, and, whenever possible, not engage a Brute alone."

"Krogan-Turian hybrid-Husks?" Marie said. "That is more than one kind of wrong."

"A high-level chakra- or magic-user could probably take one down with little effort," Sarah said, poking the body with the toe of her boot, "but against regular soldiers? This thing could maybe wipe out a whole fireteam by itself, maybe a whole squad if they're caught in close-quarters and without any heavy weapons."

"And if they're anything like other Husk types," Shepard added, "they'll hardly ever be by themselves."

"Shepard, Corinthus here."

"What's the word on the Primarch?"

"Still can't get a stable comm. link."

"Okay. We're going on foot. Shepard out." He turned to his old friend. "Garrus, take us to the last place you saw Victus."

They started moving, walking along the rocky path with Garrus in the lead. At least two Reaper Dreadnoughts were visible in the distance, patrolling the moon for Turians to kill.

"How far?" Shepard asked.

"Should be pretty quick unless we find trouble" Garrus replied.

As they rounded a corner and slid down a slope, they came to a breathtaking view of Palaven… and of the devastation on its surface visible even from here.

"I was down there a few days ago, before this shit started" Marie said. "Despite the rough angles used a lot in the architecture, it's actually a really pretty place, cities of imposing spires and forests filled with creatures that shine in the sunlight thanks to the natural metals in their bodies. …And now it's all on fire."

"That blaze of orange," Garrus pointed to one of the fires, "the big one… that's where I was born."

"Still have family there?" James asked.

"My dad, a sister… Had a mother, but she… passed on from a neural-degenerative disease about two months ago."

"How bad is it?"

"Three million lost the first day, five the second."

"How's your military holding up?" Shepard asked.

"Look around; that should give you some idea."

"They're putting up a good fight."

"For now. But how long until the fight's kicked out of you? …So Swansons, where's your girls' mother? Hopefully nowhere in this realm at the moment…"

"Nah, she's on Kaede Fuyō's Earth right now" Marie replied. "Mom and Asa Shigure's mother Ama have become pretty good friends, so they hang with each other from time to time. And dad's divorced from her, he's still back on our home Earth; we keep in touch how & when we can."

They continued on, moving with a purpose but not too much of a rush. As they passed a cliff-side with a view of a distant crashed Turian dreadnought, moving onto a narrow stretch of path, a pack of Husks climbed up from below; Shepard killed one with an Incinerate, and Garrus & James mowed the rest down with their assault rifles.

"Shit, I hate these things" James said. "And New York is crawling with the creepy bastards? Never shoulda left Earth…"

"It's gonna be bad all over" Garrus replied, as everyone hopped across a short gap.

"Leaving the fight just pisses me off."

"But you're here to ask Victus to do the same thing: leave the fight to make nice in some boardroom."

"This summit is the only chance we've got" Shepard said. "None of us are beating the Reapers alone."

They rounded a corner, finding a crashed Turian craft with three Turian soldiers near it – two up & active, the third on the ground, wounded but still alive.

"You soldiers okay?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, sir" one replied. "We'll make it."

"Have you seen General Victus?" Garrus asked.

"Half hour ago, headed south."

"Okay. Good luck."

The team made south, moving along, when suddenly a Turian fighter-craft flew low over a rock formation ahead, a Harvester right behind it. The Harvester hit something that made the bottom of the Turian fighter 'hook' the rock in a way that slammed it into the ground so hard that the resulting explosion knocked Shepard and Garrus (who were leading) over.

"That was a little closer than I'd like" Garrus remarked as he got up.

As they passed the wreck, Sarah peered inside the canopy, only to wince at what she saw.

"No survivors" she reported.

"A crash like that, it's not surprising" Garrus replied.

"So, Loco…" James said as the group hopped up a short ridge. "You really think this summit will work? I mean… Asari? Salarians? Where're the Krogans and Batarians? Where's the meat?"

"The Batarians took the first hit when the Reapers arrived" Garrus replied. "Not much left of them… And the Krogans have never forgiven us for the genophage."

"Right. Turians sterilized them."

"Salarians came up with it."

"And the Krogans hate them both for it" Shepard said.

"So they won't be joining us."

"Too bad" James said. "I've fought with a Krogan. They're tough sons-of-bitches."

"The S-Sangheili and Protoss c-could probably do a l-lot of damage" Erika suggested.

"But they're too busy fighting the Reapers trying to invade their planets at the moment" Shepard replied. "Hopefully there'll be enough left of them to make a difference…"

After a couple minutes' more walking, the tops of a few structures became visible on the other side of some rock formations. However, a wave of Reaper drop-pods dropped in that area, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions rang out.

"That sounds bad!" James said.

"Okay, double time!" Shepard ordered as he and everyone else started running. "No Reaper's taking this Primarch from us!"

They quickly reached Victus' compound, opening fire on the Cannibals and Marauder that were just inside to greet them. Shepard sent out a Combat Drone, the little construct firing Incinerate rockets at Cannibals, while he then Overloaded the Marauder's shields and took it out with a few pistol rounds. The others took out the remaining Cannibals, and then they all moved into the main section of the compound. It was chaos. Cannibals and Marauders exchanged fire with General Victus and his men, while at least two Brutes were in the area as well. Analyzing the situation, the three sisters looked to each other. Sarah nodded, and the other two felt her chakra begin to flow; in response, Marie readied more mana into her Device, while Erika channeled her own energies and readied her Keyblade.

"Let's clear 'em out!" Shepard shouted.

"For Palaven!" Garrus cried as he opened fire with his Phaeston, gunning down two Cannibals.

Marie fired a Crossfire Shot barrage that took out four Cannibals, followed by a charged Plasma-Bolt shot that incinerated a Marauder. James shoulder-tackled a Cannibal and then blasted it point-blank with his shotgun, while Garrus used his Mantis to pick off a Marauder trying to flank a group of soldiers further ahead. The closest Brute headed toward Shepard, ignoring the damage dealt by the Warp he hit it with as it charged him. However, it was stunned by a cannonball of chakra-laced compressed air to the face, which Sarah followed up with a gravity hammer strike that knocked its cyber-mutated head right off.

Erika moved about, slaying a Marauder with a Needler super-combine blast and cutting a Cannibal down with a heavy swing of her Keyblade. A Brute rushed at her, charging and leaping in an attempt to crush her with its mighty claw, but she formed a Rasengan (which she had been practicing at forming very quickly) and slammed it up into the falling Brute's chest, the concussive spiraling blast tearing into and partially through its armored body and sending it flying back. The beast, heavily wounded and shedding parts, groaned as it staggered to all fours, barely keeping itself going but still determined to fight, but a launched grenade from a Turian soldier finished it off.

Victus' people rallied, joining Team Shepard in catching the remaining Reaper forces in a deadly crossfire. A pair of drop-pods deposited two Brutes side by side, but at that moment Shepard spotted a Reaper-looking heavy weapon leaning against a crate. Figuring 'why the hell not', he picked it up, aimed at the monsters, and held the trigger down. After several seconds' charge time, the weapon fired, and the resulting explosion sent a wave of light and heat that actually partially drained the shields of anyone within 10 meters, so fierce was the explosion; needless to say, there wasn't much left of the Brutes.

CODEX – 'BLACKSTAR': "The Reaper weapon nicknamed "Blackstar" is so advanced that Alliance scientists can only offer speculation about how it works. The gun appears to exploit an element zero core and mass-effect fields to fire gravitational singularities - micro black holes - that revert to their natural lethality when they impact a solid object. Researchers theorize that the blast tears apart the strong nuclear forces that hold the target's atoms together, resulting in a localized fusion reaction in light atoms and a fission reaction in heavy atoms. If that hypothesis is correct, the weapon alters nuclei, thus changing the chemical composition of the target. It destroys organic tissue, corrodes surviving armor, and leaves a visible trail of light-emitting particles.
Although some might argue that the Blackstar's single-launch capability makes it a liability, its capacity for utter destruction is essential when the user requires large-scale, instantaneous damage."

Soon, the final enemies were vanquished, two Cannibals gunned down by the local Turian defenders. With the compound clear, the main structure opened, and an old-middle-age Turian in black & red armor stepped out, walking up to the humans.

"General Victus?" Shepard said.

"Yes" the old Turian replied.

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy 2."

"Ah, Commander. I know who you are. I can't wait to find out what brings you here." He turned to Garrus. "Vakarian, where did you run off to?"

"Heavy Reaper unit on the right flank" Garrus replied. "I believe your exact words were, 'Get that thing the hell off my men'."

"Appreciate it."

"General," Shepard said, "you're needed off-planet. I've come to get you."

"It will take something beyond important for me to leave my men, or my Turian brothers and sisters in their fight."

"Fedorian was killed" Garrus replied. "You're the new Primarch."

"You're needed immediately to chair a summit and represent your people in the fight against the Reapers" Shepard added.

Victus walked past them in shock, staring up at his burning homeworld.

"…I'm Primarch of Palaven? Negotiating for the Turian Hierarchy?"

"Yes."

"I've spent my whole life in the military" he turned back to them. "I'm no diplomat… I hate diplomats."

"What makes you think you're not qualified?"

"I'm not really a 'by-the-book' kinda guy, and I piss people off. My family's been military since the Unification War. War is my life; it's in my bones. But that kind of passion is… deceptive – can make you seem reckless when you're anything but."

"War is your résumé. At a time like this, we need leaders who've been through that hell."

"I like that. You're right."

"And honestly, uniting these races may take as much strength as facing the Reapers. See all this devastation, Primarch? Double it for Earth. I need an alliance. I need the Turian Fleet."

Victus was silent for a few seconds. "Give me a moment to say goodbye to my men" he said.

As Victus headed over to his troops, Garrus came up to Shepard. "Without him down here," he said, "there's a good chance we lose this moon."

"Without him up there," Shepard replied, "there's a good chance we lose everything."

Garrus looked out into the distance at a Reaper Dreadnought a handful of kilometers away. "Look at that… And they want my opinion on how to stop it? Failed C-Sec officer, vigilante, and I'm their 'expert advisor'? …Think we can win this thing, Shepard?"

"I really don't know, Garrus. But I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot."

"I'm damn sure nobody else can do it. For whatever it's worth, I'm with you."

"Welcome aboard" they shook hands, and Shepard then turned to their MVP. "Are you ready, Primarch Victus?"

Victus nodded, walking back from his troops. "One thing" he said. "Commander, I appreciate your need for our fleets, but I can't spare them. Not while my world is burning. But if the pressure could be taken off Palaven…"

"That's a pretty tall order."

"We need the Krogans. I can't see us winning this war without them. Get them to help us, and then we can help you."

"The Krogans…"

"Looks like the summit just got a lot more interesting" Garrus remarked.

-SCENE BREAK-

Normandy-II , Deck Two, QEC Room

"The Asari have been down this road before, Commander" Councilor Tevos said.

"But Madame Councilor, let me-"

"I tried to smooth things over with the Salarian Dalatrass. To say she's upset would be a monumental understatement."

"Some of these issues are hundreds, even thousands of years old. It's time to let go."

"Sad to say, but any effort to ally these disparate groups seems doomed to failure. And I'm sure you understand that we cannot afford to waste time with the Reapers knocking at our door. This must be my final word. I'm sorry, but the Asari will not be at your summit."

"Our alliance would be stronger with the Krogans. You need them; we all do."

"I wish you luck, Commander. Goodbye."

As the Asari Councilor cut her transmission, Shepard received another call before he could even step away from the QEC. He hit the button, and Admiral Steven Hackett appeared.

"Commander, have you retrieved the Primarch for your summit?"

"Yes sir, but the Asari are staying on the sidelines."

"They'll regret that. The time for unity is now."

"The Salarians will be there, though."

"You don't sound very optimistic…"

"We expect the Krogans will be joining us, too."

"I see. Well then, you've got your hands full, Commander. Was there anything else you wanted to ask or discuss?"

"Have you pieced together how the Reapers hit Earth, sir?"

"It wasn't all that complicated, really. They surged through the relays and hit Arcturus Station before we knew what was happening. From there, it was a short jump to the Sol System. Earth didn't stand a chance."

"Sending us to the Mars Archives was a good call."

"Still doesn't make up for the fact that the Reapers nailed us to the wall. I sacrificed the entire Second Fleet to provide cover for the Third and the Fifth to retreat. I've presided over the most devastating military defeat in human history."

"How do you see us winning this war, Admiral?"

"By making you the tip of the spear."

"I'm flattered, but the Normandy-2's just one ship."

"And a fast one. You can move quickly, hit a target, and leave before the enemy has time to react."

"It's an advantage, but can it win a war?"

"It's the larger principle that matters. We'll never defeat the Reapers in a full frontal assault, Shepard. So… I'll find their soft spots, avoid them where they're strong and hit them where they're not. And when I find gaps in their armor, I'll hammer them with every soldier, ship, and bullet we've got."

"How long can we keep that up?"

"As long as it takes. The reality is, Shepard, everything I'm doing is a delaying action for you. I'm buying us time, keeping us in the game while you gather what we need for this Prothean device. So keep at it."

"Has your analysis of the device turned up anything?"

"Liara appears to be right. It's a weapon of some sort; a big one. Beyond that, we can't really say, other than it's going to be a hell of a thing to try and build."

"Do you think it's risky, building something like this when we don't even know what it does?"

"To be honest, the thing scares the hell out of me, but the Reapers have forced our hand. Around 240 years ago, scientists faced the same problem in the Second World War. They weren't sure what the atomic bomb might do. Some thought it could ignite Earth's atmosphere, but they did it anyway."

"Any updates on Cerberus?"

"They're still the wildcard here. Hitting the archives on Mars suggests they're after the same thing we are: a way to defeat the Reapers."

"It didn't seem as if the Illusive Man was suggesting we appease them like Saren did. You'd think we'd be on the same side, now more than ever."

"Cerberus has never played by the rules as we know them. I don't know what their agenda is, but it has nothing to do with humanity's best interests."

"The Illusive Man talked about gaining control of the Reapers. He seemed to think that's how we win this."

"He's wrong. There's no way mortal minds could control those things."

"Doesn't mean he won't try."

"I saw your report on that Cerberus soldier you found on Mars. If the Illusive Man is good at one thing, it's finding new ways to subvert science. But it's never worked for him before, and it won't now."

"Let's just hope that when his attempts backfire, we don't get too badly hurt by it. Nothing more, sir."

"Keep me posted. Hackett out."

Shepard left the QEC and headed into the War Room, where Primarch Victus was looking over a display on the side of the holo-table.

"Commander," he said as he turned to face Shepard, "thank you for allowing me the use of your ship, and for going along with this plan. Garrus said he had to attend to the Normandy's weapon systems – something about calibrations."

Shepard smirked. "That sounds like Garrus. I'm sorry to say the Asari Councilor won't be joining us. She thinks there's too much bad blood with the Krogans."

"She may be right, but there'll be a lot more blood – real blood – if we don't try."

"Well, when you put it that way…"

"The sooner we have this summit, the sooner we'll know."

"How is it being the Primarch?"

"Not what I imagined. The battle of all time is happening on Palaven, and I'm light-years away, reading casualty reports in the millions. If I'm going to die, I want to be with my men so there's no doubt we fought to the last soul."

"I understand. Leaving Earth to save it…," Shepard sighed, "was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"I'm not surprised. Garrus speaks highly of you. You never asked to be a leader, yet your people will die if you refuse. We find ourselves in similar circumstances. Let's hope the Spirits grant us the strength to see it through."

"How are things on Palaven?"

"The casualty reports are staggering. The Reapers are using our own tactic against us: destroy the enemy with overwhelming force."

"I've seen the same on Earth."

"The strategist in me admires their brutality. The Turian in me knows I'm watching the destruction of 15,000 years of civilization. My civilization."

"Thank you for your time, Primarch. My thoughts are with Palaven."

"And mine with Earth."

Shepard exited the War Room. As he moved through the hallway past the meeting table, however, the lights flickered.

"Uh, Commander?" Joker said over the intercom. "EDI just went offline."

"What do you mean, 'offline'?"

"I don't know! She's not responding, and I can't access the AI core diagnostics. You'd better get down to Deck 3."

Shepard quickly hurried out into the CIC and to the elevator, riding it down a Deck. As he got off, Sarah & Erika emerged from the women's restroom.

"T-Thank you, Sarah" the little one was saying. "I'm j-just glad it waited until after w-we were off Menae and back o-on the ship to happen…"

"Yeah, I don't fancy changing you while bullets are whizzing over my head" the older one remarked. "Oh hey, Commander. What's up with the lights flickering earlier?"

"EDI just went offline. I'm heading to investigate now."

Concerned, the two followed him into the medbay. Up ahead, two marines wearing breathing masks and carrying fire extinguishers waited by the closed door. As Shepard approached, he heard something like hissing from inside.

"Joker, what's that sound?"

"Automated fire extinguishers, Commander; it could be an electrical fire or… or something."

Shepard nodded, and then signaled one marine to open the door. The AI core room was filled with smoke, and a few isolated tiny fires smoldered; the other marine promptly hosed them down with the extinguisher. Shepard walked in, the cybernetics in his lungs protecting him from the effects of the smoke.

"EDI? Talk to me…"

There was a rising hum as the AI processors in the room came back online, radiating blue light. Within the smoke ahead, a floating 'beam' of orange light was visible. Soon, out walked a metallic-bodied synthetic being, with lithe feminine curves and a sweeping headpiece shaped like shoulder-length hair, and an orange holo-visor over synthetic eyes.

"Is there a particular topic you wish to discuss, Shepard?" EDI's voice came out of the gyndroid's mouth.

"…EDI?"

"Yes?" the AI responded, looking over her new mobile platform.

"You're in Dr. Eva's body…"

"Not all of me, but I have control of it. It was not a seamless transition."

"A transition? You blacked out on us for a while there."

"When we brought this unit onboard, I began a background process to search for its information on the Prothean device. This eventually triggered a trap; a backup power source and CPU activated, and the unit attempted physical confrontation. Fortunately, I was able to gain root access and repurpose it as I saw fit. During this process, it… struggled, hence the fire."

"EDI, you need to alert us about incidents like this. You shouldn't have done this alone."

"Bringing the crew up to speed would have been counterproductive. All attempts to help would have been limited by reaction time."

The marines finally got the auto-extinguishers to stop.

"So if you're in there, are you also still in the ship?"

"I exist primarily within the ship. For optimal control, this unit should remain within Normandy's broadcast or tightbeam range."

"Are you planning to take that body somewhere?"

"The Normandy-II's weaponry is not suited to every combat situation. This platform could provide limited-fire ground support."

"You mean you could come with us on ground missions?"

"Correct. This body could accompany you to areas the Normandy II cannot reach."

"Before we do that, I need you to guarantee this mech doesn't have any more surprises in it. Run whatever tests we can, then we can talk about using it in combat situations."

"One moment – I am running trials. …Complete. I can send you a full report if you wish. However, my first step should be restoring functionality to the Normandy, to reassure the crew that all is normal."

"Just… don't be surprised if the crew is a little wary of your new body. It was shooting at a few of them a little while ago…"

"An excellent point. I will take it to the bridge. Joker will also want to see it."

"On that, we can agree" he replied as she walked off.

After making sure nothing was seriously damaged in the room, Shepard headed out and down to the weapons room, where Garrus was already working on the main gun while speaking with Primarch Victus.

"Two of our dreadnoughts have been lost in a matter of hours."

"I know, Primarch; I'm seeing the same numbers myself. They don't look good."

"We have to turn this around, and fast."

"Well, you can trust Shepard, sir. If anyone can get the Krogans to cooperate, it's him. He's an old friend of Urdnot Wrex."

"Let's just hope friendship still counts for something in this war."

"I'm sure it will, sir."

"Garrus" Shepard greeted. "Didn't waste any time getting to work, I see."

"After what I've been through lately, calibrating a giant gun is a vacation. Gives me something to focus on."

"We're gonna need you for more than your aim."

"Oh, I'm ready for it, but I'm pretty sure we'll still need giant guns, and lots of them. Sovereign didn't go down without a fight; I doubt several thousand of his friends will be any different. Still not convinced I should've left Palaven behind…"

"There was a boy back on Earth; couldn't have been more than six or seven years old. As the Normandy II escaped the attack, I watched him die; he looked up right at me as he was getting into an evac shuttle, and seconds after it took off a Reaper Destroyer blew it to bits right in front of us."

"Being right about the Reapers has never felt much like a victory, has it?"

"We both knew this fight would be tough. Damned if the Reapers haven't delivered."

"At least my government listened to me before Sparatus made everything public… or they pretended to, at least. They gave me a task force as a token to shut me up."

"So you're their 'expert advisor' now?"

"Just followed your example, Shepard: yell loud enough, and someone will eventually come over to see what all the fuss is about. Not that they'll actually do anything about it."

"Until hell shows up at their door. Then they put you in charge."

"Not like the old days, is it? Rogue Spectre and C-Sec agents running & gunning outside the lines, making it up as we went along… We're actually respectable now."

"Yeah, I have a feeling that respect comes with a lot of sleepless nights. I can't even count how many lives are depending on us, Garrus."

"Well, if it ever gets too much for you, just remember: a certain Turian friend of yours isn't sleeping any better, and he'd be more than happy to meet you at the bar and drink you under the table."

"I know you don't have any illusions about what we're up against, Garrus. How do you rate our chances?"

"I know it looks bad now, but I think we can win this, Shepard. For the first time since we met, we're not alone in the fight. It's something I learned long ago in C-Sec: an imminent painful death has a way of motivating people. Instead of questioning your every word, whole civilizations are going to be begging you to save them."

"After what's happened to Palaven, you still believe that?"

"I didn't say there wouldn't be casualties. It's something Turians are taught from birth: if just one survivor is left standing at the end of a war, then the fight was worth it. But humans want to save everyone. In this war, that's not going to happen."

"You mentioned you still had family on Palaven."

"My father is there; sister, too."

"How long has it been since you heard from them?"

"Long enough to be worried…"

"I'm sure they're okay."

"That's the thing about getting old, Shepard: the platitudes get just as old. What about you? Any word from your family?"

"My mother's in the Alliance. I haven't heard from her since Earth got hit."

"I'm sure… she's okay."

"So what's this 'Reaper task-force' you've been running?"

"After what happened to you out there in Batarian space, I knew time was running out for all of us. I did something I never thought I'd do: I went to my father."

"He used to work for C-Sec, didn't he? I seem to remember that the two of you didn't see eye to eye."

"To put it mildly. But he still had heavy pull in the Turian government. The Primarch – well, the old one – was a friend of his. So I went to my father and laid out everything we knew about the Reapers, from Saren all the way to the Collector base."

"I'm not sure even I'd believe it."

"I had to admit that parts of it sounded crazy. Talking to Sovereign on Virmire? Meeting Vigil? But my father just listened. It's what he did in his days at C-Sec, putting together all the pieces. If the connections were there, he wouldn't deny them. And he saw what we always knew: the Reapers were coming."

"I'm glad someone finally agreed."

"He did more than agree. He took it to the Primarch."

"I like his style."

"Except the Primarch wasn't as convinced. My father kept pushing and finally got him to commit some token resources. And if you call them a 'task force', it sounds like you did something about it."

"What did you do with it?"

"As much as I could get away with, and a little more. We hardened our lines of communication, expanded emergency stockpiles across the colonies, improved our early-warning detection protocols… And then, of course, about three weeks after the Bahak incident, the Council finally went public with what you and those ships had shown them about the Reapers, revealed to the galaxy at large what was coming. After that, Fedorian gave me a lot more to work with. I'd like to think it bought our fleet some extra time. We'll know when this war is over."

"So… you can vouch for this new Primarch?"

"Well, even if I couldn't, you go to war with the army you have."

"Will he live up to his word?"

"I've never known Victus to lie. Play fast & loose with strategy, maybe. But betray an ally? Not his style. And if he did try… well, we'll just find another Primarch."

"I noticed generals saluting you, Garrus. How far down the line of succession are you these days?"

"…Let's not go there."

"'Primarch Vakarian, honored war hero'. Somebody's going to have to rebuild Palaven when this is over."

"Yeah, somebody who knows how to use a hammer."

"I'd better let you get back to work, Garrus. It's damn good to have you back."

"I wouldn't miss this fight for anything. Now, I'm sure somebody screwed up something down here. I wanna get the old girl back in fighting shape."

Before heading elsewhere, Shepard decided to swing by Liara's office to check on her. He found her looking pensive and a bit downtrodden.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Just… old memories" she replied. "I spent a few months on Palaven's south peaks when I was very, very young. A Turian there teased me a little, said the mountains there went on forever. I remember believing him. When I looked up at Palaven from its moon… I saw those same mountains burning."

Shepard nodded solemnly. He made his way back to the elevator, and on the way he caught sight of the three sisters sitting at a table together in the mess hall.

"These past few days have been rough on all of us…" Sarah said. "I've spent days hardly getting any sleep between helping Bailey & Alenko out and worrying myself sick over you, Marie."

"I'm okay, sis" Marie replied. "You know I'm a survivor."

"Yeah… Can we… sleep in the same bed together tonight? The three of us, I mean. It would… It would really help it sink in that you're both here, and alright, and with me again."

"S-Sure, Sarah" Erika replied with a soft smile.

"Yeah" Marie said. "No problem. I could use something like that, too. …I just hope that the Boss and Kaede are okay…"

Making his way down to the Engineering deck, Shepard found Javik gazing out the window overlooking the hangar.

"Commander," he said, "I have finished viewing the 'archival footage' you made available to me. There is so much to process… Knowing that there are other threats besides the Reapers – Amon, Xehanort, the Ur-Didact wherever he may be, and… the Flood, the Reapers' equal and opposite. And then there are some of the machines – the Cybertronians, and the UNSC's neural-map AIs… I do not trust all machine intelligence – my empire's experience with them assures that – but those are almost exactly like organics in their motivations and thought processes. It is… difficult to fathom. However, I still question this 'peace' you have brokered between the Quarians and the Geth."

"Well, it's worked out so far" Shepard replied.

"Perhaps only because of the looming threat of the Reapers. After they are gone, how long before some of the more radical Quarians try something foolish, or another Geth splinter faction forms, and war begins anew? …I also saw the… fate of some of my brethren…"

"The Collectors… I'm sorry I had to put down the last remnants of your race, Javik."

"Do not be. It was an act of mercy. You granted them peace, Commander. Thank you for that."

Having checked on their newest crew-member, Shepard rode the elevator back up to Deck 2. As he passed by the CIC, he caught part of a conversation between Traynor and Allers.

"I have to ask" Traynor was saying. "Do all war reporters look so… um… feminine? I mean, you're made-up so well."

"We actually have a research department for that" Allers replied over the connection. "They focus-test looks, voice, manner… Apparently, girly is good. Asari pay more attention. Salarians relate to higher-pitched voices."

"And Turians?"

"Turians are nuts – a civilization of war nerds. They're loyal viewers, but they write the creepiest fan mail…"

Shaking his head, Shepard headed up to the cockpit. Upon seeing him, Joker turned to him with a big grin.

"Hey, Commander! Check out my copilot!" He gestured to EDI's new mobile platform in the neighboring seat.

"So she installed herself into the new body without any help from you?" Shepard said.

"Come on, Commander. Don't you trust me? Okay, lemme put it this way: If I knew that EDI was gonna install herself into a sexy robot body, do you honestly think I'd be able to keep quiet about it? I mean, look at that! …I woulda baked a cake!"

"I'm… right here, Jeff."

"Yes you are, EDI. Yes you are."

Smirking in amusement and shaking his head, Shepard walked back toward the CIC. Traynor noticed him coming, and turned to get his attention.

"Commander, are you all right?" Traynor asked. "It was fairly intense up here. I can only imagine what it was like down on that moon."

"I thought you'd be more concerned about EDI."

"EDI is a huge asset to this team. If she'd told me about her plan to obtain a body, I'd have volunteered to help."

"I did not wish to force a conflict of interests between our friendship and your duty" EDI stated over the overhead speaker.

"I'd have preferred a conflict of interest to a hard restart of half our systems… but thanks, regardless. Oh, and Commander, I found something while searching Alliance channels. Grissom Academy is requesting help. The Reaper invasion front will hit them soon."

"I thought the war would close most schools."

"Grissom Academy is more specialized than a normal school. It's home to some of the smartest students humanity has to offer. And their 'Ascension Project' helps gifted young Biotics. If it had been open 20 years ago, between your Biotic power and your engineering skills I bet you'd have been there."

"Yes, I sent a young man named David Archer there. I'm just surprised they're still open."

"Some of their work has Alliance support. That might be why they stayed."

"What can we do?"

"A Turian evac transport supposedly responded to their distress call, so normally I'd say we don't need to do anything. But something sounded 'off' in the Turian signal. I had EDI perform an analysis. It's fake. EDI thinks it's Cerberus. She said the faked Turian signal was similar to one that lured you to a Collector ship…?"

"Long story."

"In any event, whoever faked the signal wants us to think Grissom Academy's being evacuated. But I believe they're still in danger."

"Good catch."

"If this really is Cerberus, hopefully this operation is something worth investigating. It could be simple disinformation-"

"Traynor… Good catch."

"Thank you, Commander."

-CHAPTER END-

Next Time: We get a look at a few developments in the other Realms.