24 hours ago, the Coalition declared their independence from the Citadel Council, forming the Coalition of Galactic States. While this move was anticipated, it is still unprecedented. The Council ordered the Citadel Defense Force to secure their borders but did not authorize an invasion of Coalition space. Instead, they opted for diplomacy, opening negotiations with the Coalition in hopes of resolving tensions with member nations and brokering a ceasefire between Earth and its colonies with the Coalition. Delegates from all parties have convened on the Citadel to attempt to bring an end to the conflict that has engulfed the galaxy.
The Systems Alliance has fallen back to the last remaining planetary systems still loyal to the Alliance. After the Higharchy's betrayal, Parliament put forth another no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister Darrell O'Hara. This time, in an overwhelming majority, the Prime Minister was removed from office. His successor, now Prime Minister Andrew Croft, quickly laid charges of sedition, conspiracy, and treason against the former Prime Minister. Despite this, the Alliance remains willing and determined to continue the fight against the Coalition. However, the Alliance is also open to seeking a negotiated peace. The Coalition, on the other hand, has issued a directive stating that they will not negotiate with terrorist organizations. Only their unconditional surrender or their absolute destruction will satisfy the Coalition.
Unknown to the galaxy at large, many do not see the fractures within the Coalition. Mainly between the organization known as Phoenix and the other nations making up the Coalition. Prior to the independence announcement, the Turian Republic, under the leadership of Solona Vakarian, attacked a secret Phoenix spaceport in hopes of capturing valuable information. What this information is remains unknown to Phoenix or the rest of the Coalition. However, the continued support for Phoenix is dwindling. Commander Shepard is still a heavy supporter of Phoenix. Phoenix is currently being tolerated simply because they need the continued support of the savior of the galaxy.
--
Onboard the Enterprise, Shepard's presence elicited wary looks from her crew, particularly from Katherine. Undeterred, Shepard made her way to the QEC to speak with the Phoenix Director about the state of the galaxy and her new empire. She had lost so much in her short life - friends, crew, family, and the Turian she once loved. But despite the losses, she gained a new lease on life and the opportunity to shape the galaxy into something greater. And perhaps, even find new love, though the current circumstances made it complicated.
As Shepard entered the QEC, she saw Gibson talking to Karen, who had been cleared to return to the Enterprise. Karen claimed that Sara had forced her to take the shuttle to the Flotilla, but Shepard knew better. For now, she kept her thoughts to herself. Shepard inputted her code to contact the Phoenix Director and awaited a response.
After a few moments, the blue hologram of the Phoenix Director appeared before Shepard. "Shepard, good to see you safe. The Republic will answer for what they've done," Director Harper said as Shepard looked on.
"At least we know who Sara works for. I'm surprised she would work for them. She has no love lost for Turians," Shepard remarked. She recalled telling Sara before the final battle in the Reaper war that she was seeing a Turian. Sara had wanted to say something, but she had kept her tongue.
"Yes, well, she's not the only one who doesn't trust Turians, but that's beside the point right now. We're currently putting out fires your 'friend' started. The Krogan and Quarians are not happy. We need to find a way to get them back on our side," Director Harper explained, prompting Shepard to ponder on it.
"I don't know, Director. I'll think on it. What about the Alliance? Any news on them?" Shepard inquired.
"The Alliance has fa back to four planetary systems: Faros, Eden Prime, Benson, and Horizon," the Director informed Shepard. Shepard recognized these planets, having visited them during her previous missions, in a former life.
"Where is their main garrison?" Shepard asked, leaning against the wall.
"Their main garrison is on Horizon," the Director replied. "The Coalition plans to attack Faros and Eden Prime first. Then, we'll target Benson. Horizon is heavily guarded and remote, so we'll pool our resources and strike there last. The Alliance has refused to surrender, and the Coalition won't negotiate with them." Shepard listened closely to the Director's plan, knowing that Horizon was a planet she despised more than any other in the galaxy.
As she prepares to continue with her plans, Shepard's mind races with anticipation. She addresses the Director, "Understood Director. What do we plan to do in the meantime?" The Director responds, "The Higharchy's decision to abandon the Alliance has given us the advantage. We now have the resources, mass, and logistics to invade Alliance space. The Coalition leaders have agreed that waiting is no longer an option. We must head for Alliance space. Our negotiations with the Citadel Council have proven to be a waste of time. We need to attack before the Council decides to launch their own invasion." Shepard considers her options.
The Director continues, "I need you to head for Eden Prime or Faros and disrupt any and all Alliance operations. And be wary of the Republic. We still don't know what information they stole or what they are planning. There is nothing we can do about them right now. Good luck, Commander." The Director's holo disconnects, leaving Shepard to ponder her next move.
Shepard is ready to leave the QEC and begin her mission. She thinks about what needs to be done and decides to return to where it all began with the beacon and where she first met Javik. Heading to her private terminal, she reviews the current operations being planned by her allies. The plan for Eden Prime is a straightforward invasion, with the objective of taking the orbital station and leading ground operations. But the objectives for Faros are more complicated. Zeus Hope, the main Alliance holdout, is heavily defended. In order for Shepard and the Coalition to have any chance of success, they need to take a few areas around the settlement. Shepard knows that she has mountains to climb and that Sara, one of the most dangerous individuals in the galaxy, will be out to get her. Though not right away, she will be after her. Shepard would rather fight a Reaper on foot than face Sara when she's not forced to hold back.
Shepard heads up to the main deck to set a course for their destination. On her way, she notices that something seems off with Gibson, and she can see questioning looks from other crew members. When she reaches the cockpit, she sees the woman she's falling for, Kathie. She never thought she'd fall for anyone after Garrus, let alone another woman, but she knows she owes Kathie an explanation and will give it to her when the time is right.
"Kathie!" Shepard calls out, catching her off guard.
"God damn it Shepard! DAN, why didn't you warn me?!" Katherine practically shouts at both Shepard and DAN.
"Sorry, I was just checking in on you. We haven't had the time to talk," Shepard tries to explain their situation.
"Yeah, we haven't. So where are we off to?" Katherine asks, not lookin at Shepard.
"Eden Prime," Shepard says as she looks at her.
"We'll talk later tonight, Kathie. I will explain everything. And I mean everything. OK?" Shepard says as Katherine inputs the coordinates into the computer. Katherine looks at Shepard skeptically.
"You better, Shepard. And it better be good," Katherine says as she turns to look at the screen, and DAN updates her on the status of the Enterprise.
--
2 Weeks Later
As Shepard and her team prepare to storm an Alliance Orbital Station, they gear up for battle. Just a few days prior, Shepard had confided in Katherine, sharing her plans to rebuild the galaxy into a more equal and just society. She acknowledged that her plan wouldn't be perfect, but it would be a vast improvement over the current state of affairs, which was being hindered by various factions such as the Coalition, Phoenix, the Citadel Council, the Higharchy, the Republic, and especially the Alliance. Shepard wasn't quite ready to put her plans into action, but she wanted Katherine by her side when the time came. Katherine was taken aback by Shepard's revelation and needed time to process everything but promised to tell her answer to Shepard soon.
Shepard stood on the deck of the Phoenix shuttle, observing as Gibson and Aubree grabbed their rifles while Karen was already onboard and ready to fight. Their objective was straightforward - take the station and eliminate any Alliance forces in their path, then clear the way for the ground troops to land.
Ten hours prior, the Coalition had withdrawn from the peace talks, stating that all parties involved were merely stalling for time and did not truly desire peace. The Coalition had made it clear that once they were finished dealing with the Alliance Remnant, they would withdraw to Coalition space and rebuild with or without the other parties present. If the other parties wished to engage in war, then the Coalition was more than willing to fight. Even the Quarians, who had been the primary advocates for the peace talks, had grown tired of the constant posturing with the Citadel Council, the Turian Primarch, and the representatives of Earth and her colonies. After making their position known, the Coalition representatives had left the talks.
As Shepard watched the rest of her group climb into their shuttles, she donned her helmet and sealed it, preparing to once again enter the fray. She was tired of fighting, but it was all she knew. The galaxy had dubbed the conflict "Shepard's War," which she had only just learned a few minutes ago. Karen sat beside her, rifle at the ready, while Aubree occupied the seat across from them and Gibson remained standing.
"You're cleared, Shepard. Good luck and God speed," Katherine's voice came through over the comm as the shuttle left the hangar. DAN updated Shepard on the objectives - Alliance fighters were preventing most of the fleet from reaching the station, while Geth fighters were engaging the Alliance.
The shuttle shook violently, and the light turned red, prompting Shepard and her team to stand up and prepare for battle. Shepard loaded a magazine into her rifle, ready to take on whatever lay ahead.
As the shuttle door opened, Shepard was greeted by a hail of gunfire from Alliance soldiers. Along with the group of Phoenix and Republic operators under her command, she returned fire, taking out an Alliance marine with a well-placed shot. The operators pushed forward, causing the Alliance to fall back. Shepard took cover behind some crates and radioed Enterprise.
"This is Shepard! We're encountering heavy resistance in the hangar! We're pushing forward slowly!" Shepard shouted into her helmet's mic.
"Solid copy, Commander. Take the hangar so we can drop off reinforcements," came the response from Coalition Command.
Shepard saw one of her Phoenix operators get hit. She and Karen continued to fire their rifles, while Gibson set up a turret. Shepard moved over to the fallen operator and grabbed his grenade pouch, tossing one to Aubree and keeping one for herself.
As Gibson's turret starts firing at the Alliance soldiers, Shepard and Aubree pull the pin on their grenades and throw them near the enemy soldiers who are taking cover. The explosions force many of the soldiers to stand and run, but they are quickly mowed down by the turret and other small explosives. Shepard and her team move up with their rifles raised, ready for more action, but the Alliance quickly retreats and locks the doors behind them.
The medics rush to attend to the wounded soldiers, and Shepard gives the all-clear signal for the hangar. A few minutes later, Geth reinforcements arrive, and the shuttles take the wounded back to the Coalition fleet. Shepard stands by, watching her team prepare to take the station in hopes of establishing a beachhead for the Coalition invasion of Eden Prime and the rest of the Alliance-held space.
--
A few hours have passed since the Coalition captured the Alliance orbital station. Shepard is in the command center, assessing the situation on the surface. An hour ago, the Coalition began their ground invasion. Surprisingly, they found the Alliance already engaged in combat, not with Coalition forces but with a remnant from the Reaper War—the Eden Prime Resistance (EPR). It seems the EPR has been in rebellion since the war's start, but the Alliance had imposed a complete media blackout on the planet. Now, the invasion of Eden Prime has transformed into a battle for liberation.
Shepard watches as Coalition forces join forces with the EPR. To her knowledge, the EPR is the first large-scale, open rebellion of human forces on a planetary level. Other planets might be in rebellion against the Alliance, but none have displayed open hostilities on such a scale. Lives are being lost by the minute, by the hour. On her view screen, Shepard observes a group of Geth landing on the surface. She recalls the first time she encountered Geth—it was on this very planet, and the Geth were the enemy, not the Alliance. However, the situation has shifted dramatically since then. This time, the Geth have arrived not to conquer, but to help liberate the people of Eden Prime.
Shepard's omni-tool beeped, indicating an incoming message from Wrex. Shepard had been dreading this conversation but had been putting it off as much as possible. She can only hope that she'll make it out of this meeting alive. Wrex had requested a private meeting with Shepard, with Tali also present. Shepard excuses herself from the room and quickly sends a message to DAN, instructing Aubree to be ready to intervene if needed. After a brisk walk to the hangar, she sees the imposing figure of Urdnot Wrex standing alongside Tali'Zorah. As she approaches them, Shepard can't help but feel apprehensive about what they might have to say.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" Shepard asks, already aware of their intentions. Wrex's expression is a mix of frustration and anger as he looks at his 'friend.'
"You know exactly why we're here!" Wrex bellows at his old friend. Shepard simply meets his gaze.
"What Wrex means is, we have questions that need answers. First, about the video Sara showed us. Is it true? What you said...is it true?" Tali inquires, torn between wanting an answer and fearing the truth. Wrex growls lowly at Shepard, who looks at both of them, unsure how to respond to their concerns.
"Yes...I won't lie to you. I meant what I said, at least the first part...the bit about not caring whether my friends or their people die. I was angry at my friend, so I said things I never intended to say, nor did I mean them," Shepard explains. Wrex's anger subsides a bit, but he remains upset. Tali, on the other hand, is perplexed and unsure how to feel.
"Tali, I didn't know it was Phoenix who attacked your orbital station until after it happened. Honestly. I was furious they used me, but...I understood why they launched that raid," Shepard says, looking at Tali.
"How did they convince Sara that the conversation videos were real?"
"They didn't. Sara only claimed they were real so she could dig deeper into our database. The operatives are hers, but the videos they used are old," Shepard clarifies. Tali leans against a crate, while Wrex seethes with anger.
"What about the Alliance forces that were on my world?" Wrex inquires, his voice dripping with venom.
"They were actual Alliance forces. No Phoenix involvement. The threats were indeed from the Council," Shepard reveals. Wrex's anger lessens, but Tali trembles with rage. She had believed in her 'friend,' and how she's fighting Shepard's war—a war that's killing her people.
"You bosh'tet! We're fighting your war! My people are dying for your war! I trusted you!" Tali screams at Shepard, Tali never imagining she'd be yelling at Shepard like this.
"Tali...please. I had no idea..." Shepard begins, only to be interrupted by Tali, her voice stern and hurt.
"No...not this time, Commander," Tali says, using Shepard's old rank. "I'll fight your war...but our friendship is over." With that, Tali walks past Shepard. Wrex looks at his former 'friend' and says while snarling, "You're lucky the Council is an enemy of the Krogan, or I'd kill you," before following Tali. She waits for the old Krogan to join her.
Shepard feels hurt that her friends won't let her explain her stance, saying, "So, this is how it ends? After everything we've been through, you both want to end it like this?" As Tali takes something out of her belt pouch and drops it on the hangar floor, Shepard wonders why they won't let her share her plan.
She watches as Tali leaves with Wrex, and after a few moments, Shepard walks over to where Tali had dropped the object. She sees that it's a rock, the same one she had given Tali from another life, a memento from another life. Shepard picks it up, moves it to her cybernetic hand, and crushes it. Letting the fragments fall back to the floor. As she gazes at the dust, she feels nothing. Months ago, losing Tali and Wrex's friendship would have devastated her, but now she's numb. Not long after, she leaves the hangar were she sees Aubree standing by the door. Shepard returns to her war.