Chapter 1 - The Enemy

Date : 1.21.2183

Location : SSV Normandy - En route to Eden Prime

Jane

The vibrations in the deck plates stirred a deep sense of nostalgia as she walked towards the cockpit. She hadn't set foot on anything more substantial than transports and shuttles since Torfan and it was good to feel the familiar rumble of a truly powerful eezo core again. It even felt similar to her old ship, though as a technological successor to the core from the Pale Horse the tantalus was a huge improvement, producing a slightly different vibration, just enough for her to tell through the deck. Despite that, it made her smile to know that some part of the Pale Horse lived on in the Normandy, conceptually at least.

She was still smiling when she reached the cockpit, just in time for them to hit the relay and be thrown across the galaxy. Emerging from the FTL corridor, Joker said, "Thrusters… check. Navigation… check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift… just under 1500K."

Joker was an odd one, to be sure. Jane met him in a bar on Arcturus not long after Torfan and after drinking enough alcohol to poison a small village, she learned about his flight record and phenomenal skill at the helm in between bouts of drunken laughter. Doing a bit of research while nursing her hangover the next day, Jane realised that he hadn't been exaggerating. He really was the finest pilot to come out of the Alliance academy in decades. In spite of his disability, his record was incredible and demanded respect. While putting the crew together, Anderson had him on the shortlist for the Normandy's pilot, and his little stunt on Arcturus, stealing the Normandy out from under security's nose and flying circles around the Alliance's supposed 'elite' fighter pilots, sealed the deal.

"1500 is good, your captain will be pleased." And with that, her smile vanished, replaced by a deep scowl. Nihilus, the Spectre assigned to the retrieval job by the council, turned on his heel and marched out of the cockpit.

Joker waited until the turian was a fair distance away before muttering, "I hate that guy."

"Nihilus gave you a compliment… so you hate him?" Jane saw Kaiden sitting in a seat to Joker's right, watching diagnostics scroll by on his screen. She was overjoyed when she arrived at Arcturus and found him waiting for her on the dock. They hadn't seen each other or even spoken directly for almost two years at that point. Her work in the Terminus and his position with the Ascension Project didn't leave a lot of time for catching up. It was good to be with an old friend again, with a new job to do.

"You remember to zip up your jumpsuit after using the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible!" Joker replied. "Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid."

Kaidan noticed Jane's reflection in his screen and gave a nod, choosing not to argue. Given the trouble they'd had with Spectres before, neither of them had any reason to gainsay Joker. "Still, the council helped fund this project, so they have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."

Joker scoffed . "Yeah, that is the official story, but only an idiot believes the official story."

Jane nodded, glad that Joker was showing a healthy degree of skepticism. "True enough," she said, "Spectres are the council's left hand. Nothing good happens when they get involved."

"You see?" Joker jabbed a thumb at Jane. "The commander agrees with me! I'm telling you, there's more going on here than the captain's letting on."

"Joker!" Captain Anderson said over the comm. "Status report."

Joker sat up a bit straighter in his chair to check his readouts. "Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

"Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to the Alliance before we reach Eden Prime."

"Aye, aye, Captain." Joker smirked as he said, "Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way."

"He's already here, Lieutenant." Joker cringed at Anderson's tone as Kaidan shook his head. "Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."

There was a muted click as the internal comm shutdown and Joker leaned slightly to the side to ask, "You get that, Commander?"

"Yes. Maybe there's been a development." She turned to leave, only to stop just before walking away. "And Joker?"

"Ma'am?"

"Keep your ears open and eyes on the Spectre." Jane never forgave the council for the investigation, and Nihlus being on the Normandy only made her even more wary of the mission. "If he does anything suspicious, I want to know immediately."

"Understood."

Jane left Joker and Kaidan to their work and headed for the comm room. The bridge setup was built similar to a modern Turian vessel. Where her old ship had every control console and the helm station in a tight space around the captain's chair, the Normandy had everything spaced out, either in the hall leading to the cockpit or in a semi-circle of consoles around the navigation station.

She nodded politely to each member of the crew that made eye contact. A few nodded back, though most visibly shied away from her. Jane couldn't blame them. The marks on her face didn't exactly give her a very friendly or cheery look. The angry red scar running from the tip of her lips back to her right ear itched as she thought about it. Her old crew never flinched at it, or the nasty claw mark that showed off why her left eye was mismatched with her right. Miri had once said they were beautiful, though Jane didn't know why. To her, they were a reminder of darker times.

Jane was so distracted by the thought that she nearly bumped into Navigator Pressly as he argued about Nihlus over the ships comm with Adams in engineering. "He shouldn't be allowed free reign through an Alliance ship." A sentiment Jane was more than happy to share. "I'm telling you, I just saw him! Marched by like he was on a mission."

"He's a Spectre, they're always on a mission." Adams answered.

"And we're getting dragged right along with him!" Pressly pinched the bridge of his nose, a deep scowl darkening his face. "There's no telling what he's keeping from us. It's ridiculous to just let him waltz around like he owns the place!"

"Relax, Pressly." Adams said with a bit of humor in his voice. "You're gonna give yourself an ulcer. As long as the captain's here, there's no reason to worry about the Spectre."

Jane didn't interrupt, continuing past him and finding a familiar face. Doctor Chakwas was standing near the stairs leading to the lower deck. They'd actually arrived at Arcturus at about the same time, spotting each other while going through customs. There hadn't been much time to catch up before the briefings started and Jane was hoping they would be able to sit down for a while after Eden Prime and have a drink.

"Hello Commander." The doctor said with a slight smile. "I'm glad to be back on mission with you. It's been too long."

Jane nodded, but before she could say anything, the young marine standing at attention next to the doctor asked, "You've served with the commander before, Doc?"

"Of course. I was assigned to her vessel years ago, all the way until the battle on Torfan." Doctor Chakwas chuckled. "Knowing her, this mission will certainly prove far more interesting than just a simple shakedown cruise."

Jane saluted back at the marine so he'd give it a rest. "At ease corporal. Jenkins, right?" The young man barely relaxed as he tried to obey, but it was obvious he was too excited.

"Yes ma'am! I can't believe I'm gonna be going groundside with you. It's an honor to serve with you. I've never been so excited before!" Jane hid the cringe easily enough. He wasn't the first Alliance soldier to say something like that and he probably wouldn't be the last.

"The captain picked candidates for the marine detachment very carefully. As young as you are, you must have done something special to impress him." Jane already knew everything there was to know about him. His aptitude scores, service record, the reason he was inducted into the N-program, despite being so young, it was all more than enough to earn him a place on the Normandy.

Jenkins fidgeted a bit before giving a half-hearted shrug. "I'm not really sure what it was ma'am, but the captain said I was right for the job, so here I am." He managed to stand up even straighter than before, though even then he was a few inches shorter than Jane. "I promise, I'll prove him right, commander."

"Easy there, Jenkins. If Captain Anderson says you're qualified to be here then there's nothing you need to prove." Jane would rather not have the corporal trying to prove himself, especially if things got as heated as they tended to around her. "Just relax, stick to the mission, follow my orders, and everything will be fine."

He let out a sigh and seemed to calm down a bit. "Right, right, I guess. I'm sorry for being a bit too eager, but… I mean…" he gestured to her with a toothy grin, "I'm going groundside with you. I've read all about the war with the Red Wake. You were there! Right in the thick of it all, from beginning to end. They wouldn't send someone like you on a mission like this unless they're expecting some serious action! And Nihlus being here makes this even bigger. I can't wait to get going." Jane winced at his tone. He looked at her with wide eyes, more excited than a newborn puppy or Spits when he saw his next meal.

Doctor Chakwas, having known her long enough to notice, tapped Jenkins on the shoulder and said, "I think we've taken enough of the Commander's time. Come on, corporal. Before you deploy with the commander, I think you need to be introduced to Sergeant Spits."

"Sergeant Spits?" The comical look on Jenkins' face as the doctor led him away was priceless. The young marine had probably never even seen a varren, let alone met one. Spits was resting in the infirmary, recovering after minor surgery. He'd eaten a few pieces of the mercs they'd killed on their last mission and one of them had some bits of cybernetics that managed to survive his garbage disposal of a stomach and gotten stuck in his intestines.

Jane watched the doctor lead Jenkins away, quietly thanking her for the intervention. Hero worship made her queasy, especially when it was aimed at her. Shaking it off, Jane moved on. The marine standing guard outside the comm room saluted as she passed by. Inside, she saw Nihlus with his back to the door as he watched a data feed with information about Eden Prime.

As the doors slid shut behind Jane, he cleared his throat and said, "Shepard, good. I was hoping we'd have a chance to talk privately before arriving." The Spectre turned around and nodded genially to her. For her part, Jane crossed her arms and glared at him. Nihlus took it in stride, fully expecting it. "Given what happened the last time we met, your discomfort at me being here is understandable."

"Discomfort?" Jane raised a single eyebrow and sneered at the Spectre. "I suppose that's one way of putting it."

Nihlus' mandibles flared in a turian smirk. "Heh, I guess I should be happy that you're even willing to speak to me. So, as you may have noticed," he gestured to the screens behind him, "I am curious about Eden Prime. What can you tell me about it?"

Jane tapped her foot on the ground, impatient for the captain to arrive and end her little talk with the Spectre. "Not much beyond the basics. It's an agrarian colony with several decent arcologies. Peaceful, prosperous."

The Spectre nodded. "Indeed. It's supposed to be a model colony, something for your people to take great pride in."

"I know a few friends that have settled there over the years," Jane said, "They say its a paradise."

"Paradise… Yes, I suppose that is a fine way to describe it. An idyllic world in this often cruel and spiteful galaxy. A shining symbol of what your people can achieve despite only joining the galactic community a few decades ago. Serene and safe. Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy but also protect them." Nihlus turned away from her to watch the screens again. "But how safe is it really?"

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Do you know something, Spectre?"

"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. You of all people know that the galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this? To reach beyond the cradle of humanity and earn their place amongst the stars?"

Footsteps drew Jane's attention back to the door. Anderson marched into the room with a grimace. He looked at her and Nihlus, briefly hesitating before saying, "I think it's time we told the commander what's really going on."

Jane felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as Nihlus stepped closer. "This mission is far more than a simple shakedown for the Normandy."

"I already know about the beacon." She said dismissively. "I wouldn't have wasted time on a joy ride in the Alliance's newest toy unless there was some actual work to do."

Nihlus let out a discontented rumble in his chest, just low enough that most people wouldn't hear it. "That is supposed to be classified, need to know only. I find it shocking that Alliance high command would share the information so easily."

Jane rolled her eyes. "They didn't. All the admiral told me was that they found something left behind by some long lost friends." Anderson nodded, much to the Spectre's confusion.

"That was all it took for you to figure out there was a beacon?" He idly scratched his left mandible.

"No. That only meant that the situation involved the protheans. At first I just assumed it was a data cache, like on Mars." She glared at the Spectre and pointed. "Then I saw you onboard. A data cache would attract a prothean expert with experience in information retrieval, probably a salarian or asari scientist. A beacon though? Citadel history has made it very clear how much the Council is willing to invest in their recovery, and how far they're willing to go to make it happen. A Spectre being here means that it could only be a beacon, or something even bigger."

Nihlus was quiet for a moment before letting out another rumble, this time loud enough for the captain to hear. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." He relaxed and let out a chuckle. "It looks like my recommendation is worthwhile after all."

"Recommendation?" Jane asked.

Anderson cleared his throat. Jane looked his way and a vague feeling of discomfort settled in her gut. He seemed to be reluctant to say what he was going to say. "While our primary objective is to recover the beacon, it isn't our only one, nor is it Nihlus' only reason for being here. He's here to observe you."

Jane narrowed her eyes at the Spectre. "Another investigation? Think that's a good idea?" Her hand twitched towards the gun hanging from her belt, though the Spectre didn't make any hostile move.

She was taken aback when he laughed at her. "Ha, good to see you're as ready for conflict as ever. No, this time I'm not looking for evidence of wrongdoing. Quite the reverse actually. Over the course of this mission and a few that we'll be working together in afterwards, I'll be observing your skills firsthand. Reports are all well and good, but I won't know if you'll be a good fit until I see it for myself."

"Good fit?" Jane looked between Nihlus and Anderson, not sure what was going on. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, at least I know some things can be kept secret from you." Nihlus gave her a turian smirk before standing up straight. Shifting his voice to a more officious tone, he said, "Commander Shepard, I am here to observe you and determine your fitness for induction into the ranks of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance division of the Citadel."

The room went utterly silent as Jane slowly turned to glare at Anderson. He barely breathed as her eyes bored into him. "A Spectre? The Alliance wants me to be a Spectre?"

She saw the captain almost take a step back. "Yes, Commander. It's a great honor, and a massive step forward for the Alliance."

Her hands clenched into fists. "Is this the Admiral's idea?" Her tone was low, almost a growl.

Watching from the side, Nihlus interjected, "Actually, it's mine. The council will occasionally ask Spectres for recommendations for new recruits. I put your name forward and the council has approved a series of missions to test you."

Jane eyed the Spectre and spoke through clenched teeth, doing her best not to explode. "And why would you do that? Weren't you the one that spent six months trying to find something to arrest me over?"

"All that means is that I was in a fine position to realize the possible benefits of recruiting you." The Spectre leaned against one of the seats in the comm room as he continued. "I know about your long list of accomplishments. Your tactics, training, reputation, and much more. While you are a bit… excessive at times, your successes speak for themselves. Having you as a Spectre would be a great boon to the Citadel."

"Earth needs this Shepard," the captain said earnestly, "The Alliance wants a larger role in the galaxy, more say with the council. As the most elite force of operatives in the galaxy, Spectres represent the council's power and reach. If they accept a human into their ranks, it'll show just how far the Alliance has come and will open doors for us that some species could only dream about."

Jane was about to lay into him, and by proxy the admiral, for not telling her about this sooner, but she was cut off by Joker over the comm. "Captain, we got a problem."

"What's wrong joker?"

"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this."

The captain stepped up to the bank of monitors nearby and said, "Bring up on screen." The data feeds were replaced by a scene of utter chaos, courtesy of the feed from someone's helmet camera. A small detachment of Alliance soldiers were trading gunfire with an unknown force out of sight.

As they watched, a soldier in oddly colored armor ran from her spot in the line to the one with the camera. "Get down!" She shoved the camera wearer to the ground, and let loose with her rifle at something they couldn't see. Marines were being gunned down wherever the viewer looked, some by precision fire and others under an indiscriminate barrage. The sound of the unseen enemy's weapons in particular drew Jane's attention as the massacre continued. She recognized it, though it'd been years since she'd heard it.

The view suddenly shifted as a marine grabbed the one with the camera and shouted into it. "We are under attack, taking heavy casualties! I repeat, heavy casualties! We can't-" The soldier was thrown forward by an explosion behind him. As he forced himself up, they saw the remains of several men behind him, most of them burned beyond recognition. "We can-... -eed evac. They came outta nowhere! We need-"

A sniper's shot came from behind the camera and pierced the speaking marine's helmet. He fell to the ground as a mechanical roar that stirred a nauseating sense of dread in Jane echoed through the transmission. The camera panned around, showing several other marines left dumbstruck as they looked into the sky, costing many lives as the enemy took advantage of the distraction. Eventually, the camera was aimed up as well, and that's when they saw it.

Jane's entire body went rigid, her muscles refusing to move as her heart thundered. Her throat was dry and a migraine exploded behind her eyes. It was a sight straight from her oldest nightmares, something she'd desperately hoped would never actually prove to be real. There was nothing else on her mind as she watched a shape descend from the heavens, like a vast black hand wreathed in red lighting, bellowing like a mechanical demon as it came down. It looked to her as if it was reaching out to grab hold and crush everything and everyone she held dear.

All at once, the voices in her mind, having spent years in a relatively quiet state, began to scream and roar in hatred. Her vision was tinted red as over ten thousand generations of beings like her frothed madly, demanding vengeance for crimes older than life on Earth. With a supreme effort of will, Jane maintained control of herself, restricting her reaction to nothing more than a quiet snarl. "Finally…" She whispered, unaware that she'd said it out loud.

The transmission stopped, the source having been obliterated by an explosion near the camera. "Everything cuts out after that, no comm traffic at all." Joker's voice was somber as he said, "It just goes dead. There's nothing."

Anderson raised a brow and said, "Reverse and hold at 38.5." The video spooled back to the point where the dark hand began to descend from the sky. The captain and the Spectre stared at it as Jane stepped closer.

She reached out, almost as if to touch the image. "Finally…" She said again. This was it. The thing that had tormented her since she was a child. An entity that had butchered countless civilizations and left the galaxy drowning in an ocean of blood since time immemorial.

"Shepard?" Nihlus rumbled, "Do you know what this thing is?"

Jane quickly reigned herself in. She didn't have enough information on what exactly the thing was, beyond the insanity of ancient memories bouncing around in her head. It wouldn't help right now. "No, but now there's finally something to do." She put a hand to her ear, switching the comm channel to a private line she used for her old crew. Kaidan was the only one on it aboard the Normandy. "Kaidan, grab Jenkins and the rest of the marines. Eden Prime is under attack. Load for heavy assault conditions."

There was no hesitation from him as he answered. "Copy that. What's the opposition?"

Jane reversed the transmission even further, back to a point when she could hear the discharge of weapons other than the Alliance soldiers'. After running through it once more, she was certain of the identity of the attackers, aside from the hand. "It's the geth."

"Geth!" Kaidan said in utter disbelief, "But they're part of the treaty with the Coalition. Why would they attack the Alliance? It would just trigger a war!"

"I know." Jane couldn't figure it out. The geth were driven by logic, not emotion, and this move was anything but logical. Even if the geth were to devote their entire military might to such a conflict, the combined forces of the Citadel would strike back and crush them, probably exterminating them in the process. "It doesn't matter right now. Get everyone kitted out for battle with the geth. Phasic, armor piercing, and EM rounds especially. Make sure everyone's armor is fitted with heat dissipaters and reactive modules. Geth plasma will cut through standard shields like they aren't even there."

"On it. We'll be ready."

While Kaidan was headed to the lower decks, Jane turned back to Nihlus and the captain. Anderson said, "This mission just got a whole lot more complicated."

Nihlus nodded. "Yes. If what you say is true and it is the geth, then it could be a sign of a greater conflict to come. Perhaps they've finally gathered the strength to attempt war with the council."

Jane shook her head. "Not a chance. The geth aren't stupid and they don't care all that much about council space."

He raised a brow plate. "And what makes you so certain?"

"I've encountered geth before, even spoken to them. Believe me, they don't care about the Citadel nearly as much as the Citadel fears. Whatever happened to drag them out of the Veil, it's nothing so simple as 'Oh no! The evil AI boogeyman!' Once the beacon is secure, it's critical that we find out just what has riled them up. Get ready Spectre, this isn't going to be pretty." She marched past the Spectre, heading down for the lower decks.

Sorry about the long delay, but life keeps getting in the way.

Next one should come along faster than this one.

There is a Discord for Project Delta and Fulcrum (Same location for both of them). Information is in my profile.

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