Three weeks have passed since the Liberation of Eden Prime began. As Shepard gazes out onto the battlefield, she witnesses Coalition gunships launching an attack on the last Alliance stronghold before the spaceport. Despite the Coalition and EPR forces making progress and pushing the Alliance back, Shepard can't help but reflect on the losses she has suffered in this war. She thinks about what the Alliance has taken from her and what Harbinger, has stolen from her. While the Alliance is still trying to negotiate peace, the Coalition remains steadfast and determined. They will only be satisfied with the Alliance's unconditional surrender or their absolute destruction, and Shepard shares this sentiment.
After seventy-four hours into the invasion, the Citadel Council condemn the invasion of human space. The puppet government of Eden Prime, which is loyal to the Alliance, has demanded that the Coalition withdraws from the planet. They are now turning to the Alliance and the Citadel Council for assistance. The Alliance is doing everything it can, but its resources are stretched thin. The Council has agreed to provide aid, but the exact form and arrival time are still uncertain.
As Shepard gazes out onto the battlefield, she notices an explosion in the distance. She reflects on how far the Coalition has come in such a short time, from a group of rebels and rogue nations to a professional military force. This transformation is largely due to the Turian Rebels, now the Turian Republic, and the organization known as Phoenix, which is quickly standardizing and professionalizing the Coalition. Shepard believes that they may even be able to threaten the Citadel Council in the future, although that is still many years away. For now, the fall of the Systems Alliance will suffice. Without the Alliance, Shepard can secure her new empire from any internal or external threats.
Suddenly, a Geth trooper approaches Shepard and delivers some news, "Shepard, commander. Coalition forces have taken the Alliance FOB." As the Geth trooper walks away, Shepard realizes that she was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the fighting had stopped.
Shepard turns to her team, consisting of Aubree and Gibson, and motions for them to follow her. They grab their rifles and make their way to the Phoenix shuttle that will take them to the former Alliance Forward Operating Base (FOB). Along the way, Shepard witnesses the destruction caused by the battle and the loss of many lives, including Quarians, Turians, Krogans, Human, and Geth platforms. The desperate nature of the Alliance's fighting is evident.
As her shuttle made its final approach, she caught sight of Alliance prisoners being led out of the base and onto waiting transports. She felt a surge of happiness at the progress her forces had made, but her thoughts soon turned to her old friends: Tali'Zorah, Urdnot Wrex, and especially Sara Anderson. Despite the ongoing war, she is surprised that her former crewmates - Ashley Williams, James Vega, and Garrus Vakarian - had not confronted her yet. They seemed to have vanished, but she had a feeling that they were still out there, watching and waiting.
As the shuttle landed and the hatch opened, she stepped out and surveyed her surroundings. More Alliance prisoners were being guarded by Geth Primes and Krogan, and in the direction of the main command center, she could see Phoenix and Republic operators talking. Inside the FOB, the bodies of Coalition and Alliance soldiers still littered the ground, as the Coalition hadn't had time to police them.
A Phoenix operator approached Shepard and informed her that they had many wounded Alliance soldiers and personnel. The operator asked her what she wanted to do with them. Shepard and the rest of the Coalition agreed that they would treat the Alliance with respect, something Shepard wasn't particularly fond of and reluctantly agreed to. Despite this, she gave the order for the medics to aid the wounded of their enemy.
Shepard headed to the command center and removed her helmet upon entering. Lately, she had been wearing a helmet more frequently to prevent the enemy from recognizing her so easily. As she surveyed the room, she saw that a fierce firefight had taken place here. The bodies of both Alliance and Coalition soldiers had already been covered with tarps. Additionally, two Geth Primes were connected to the Alliance's mainframe, attempting to recover any information from the wiped servers and database. Shepard made her way over to the workstation and activated it, revealing the image of the Phoenix Director.
"Shepard. It's good to see you're safe," the Director said as Shepard looks around the room. "The Alliance has withdrawn from the planet. As planned, the EPR attacked the spaceport during your assault, and they managed to destroy many of the ships and transports. However, many loyalists, the loyalist government, and many Alliance ships were able to evacuate." Shepard looked over and noticed the Prime platforms coming back online.
"How many?" Shepard asked. The Director thought she knew what Shepard meant, but she was wrong.
"Unknown," replied Director Harper. "We haven't had the time to police the dead..."
"I mean the Alliance ships and personnel, Director," Shepard interrupted.
The Director was taken aback, along with the rest of the Coalition operators. "Unknown," she replied. "The EPR has not reported yet, but they will soon." The Director then asked if there was anything else.
Shepard had one final question. "Have you received any updates from the Normandy? It's been a while since we heard or seen them."
"As of now, the Alliance has reportedly put a hold on their movements," the Director responded. "We'll make sure to keep you updated on any developments regarding your former crew." The communication then signed off, leaving Shepard to ponder about the fate of the Normandy and its crew.
--
Shepard was at the Eden Prime Space Port, surveying the wreckage of the destroyed ships and transports. It was unclear how many were lost in the attack by the EPR, but it was obvious that the damage was significant to the Alliance.
In a few minutes, the new provisional government of Eden Prime was set to make an unprecedented move - they were going to declare their independence from the Citadel Council and the influence of Earth and request to join the Coalition of Galactic States. However, the Coalition leaders had not yet convened to discuss this matter, and if they agreed, Eden Prime would become the first human world to join the Coalition.
The Coalition has been engaged in discussions and negotiations over the past few weeks to establish a charter that will unite them in a common purpose while retaining independence. Shepard has reviewed the proposed charter and can't help but notice its similarity to the old NATO Charter of Earth, particularly in Article 5 which stipulates that an attack on one member is an attack on all. Despite this, Shepard has been advocating for a more cohesive approach than just a defense pact. However, the current Coalition leadership remains opposed to the idea, arguing that the defense pact is sufficient. Even Director Harper, whom Shepard respects, has voiced her opposition to greater unity.
As Shepard considers the situation, she can't help but feel that the mistakes of the past have not been heeded and that history is repeating itself. Looking down at the pad on the table, Shepard sees the announcement that Eden Prime is declaring its independence and seeking membership in the Coalition.
As Shepard watches the announcement, the provisional government of Eden Prime accuses the Citadel Council of repeatedly failing them time and time again. They also claim that the Alliance has spread a deceitful and malicious lie about Shepard's supposed death, telling the galaxy that their savior, hero, and Shepard had died fighting for them. This, they argue, is evidence of the government's willingness to manipulate the galaxy's perception of reality. They further argue that they can no longer support the governments that are part of such a massive conspiracy, second only to the cover-up of the Reapers' existence. That last part made Shepard smile.
The Coalition has been forced to pause and re-evaluate the situation with the entrance of the Citadel Council into the war. The leadership is uncertain how to proceed since they don't know the size of the force the Council will send. Phoenix spies and the Shadow report that the force is relatively small but still significant. However, the Council forces seem to be heading towards Faros rather than Eden Prime. Moreover, the Council has made it clear that they are not allying with the Systems Alliance. The UN wants the Coalition out of human space and the "rightful" government back in power on Eden Prime.
With the Citadel Council forces now involved, the Coalition faces the same problem it did before: they lack the mass, numbers, and logistics to fight both the Alliance and the Council. The odds are that the Higharchy, Asari Republics, and Salarian Union will intervene militarily. While their intervention was not unexpected, Shepard had hoped that they would stay on the sidelines.
The war has now spread across most of the galaxy, but so far the actual fighting has been limited. Most of the defectors and deserters from the Alliance have returned to Earth, where the UN has welcomed them with open arms. However, the UN's military forces are small and limited, and no Alliance Dreadnought or Normandy has defected yet. Shepard doesn't believe they will, especially with Ashley and James commanding the Normandy and Hackett still leading what remains of the Alliance military forces.
As Shepard watches the screen, the Coalition leaders hold talks to discuss whether to allow Eden Prime to enter the Coalition. Some members have reservations about admitting Eden Prime while the Coalition is at war, but they ultimately agree to let the planetary system join. While the current draft of the principal Coalition charter forbids admitting new members while at war, it is still being drawn up and has not yet been ratified by any nation.
As Shepard surveys the data techs from Phoenix and the Coalition, she senses their fear. The entire Coalition is shaken by the Council's entry into the war. They have been placed on death's ground. They know they have to fight to survive. Suddenly, a message arrives on Shepard's omni-tool with a new battle plan: she's being ordered to Faros. Her mission is to wipe out the Alliance before the Council forces arrive and prepare for their arrival. The Coalition is unsure whether the local populace will assist them, but they must deal with the Alliance no matter what it takes or what the cost may be. Time is not on their ally.
—
Shepard stepped onto her ship, immediately sensing an atmosphere of fear that permeated the surroundings. Turning her attention towards the helm, Shepard noticed Katherine engrossed in reviewing reports from Phoenix command. As Shepard approached her, Katherine's eyes caught sight of a report detailing the Republic and its forces. At that moment, DAN interjected, alerting Katherine to Shepard's presence. A flicker of worry crossed Katherine's face.
"Shepard, what's the matter?" Katherine inquired, her concern evident. Shepard simply met her gaze, offering a reassuring smile and assuring her that everything was fine. Though unconvinced, Katherine chose to let the matter rest. Shepard then issued the order for the Enterprise to set course for Faros, a location where the Alliance had a significant but concentrated presence. Dislodging them from their strongholds would prove to be an immensely challenging task. The ExoGeni headquarters stood as the primary source of the Alliance's military power, while the strongholds served as vital lifelines for their operations.
Before Shepard departed, she leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Katherine's cheek. Katherine responded with a smile.
—
Two Weeks Later
Shepard found herself aboard a Phoenix shuttle, descending towards the surface of Faros. The Coalition had decided to press on with their offensive campaign. Leading a group of operatives from the Republic and Phoenix, Shepard faced reluctance from the Quarian and Krogan to collaborate with her and Phoenix due to obvious reasons.
As Shepard waits for the light to shift from red to green, her team comprising Gibson and Karen stands ready. The shuttle is jolted by the intense anti-air fire unleashed by the Alliance, illuminating the sky with a barrage of anti-air fire. The radio communication within the Coalition becomes increasingly active. Shepard listened attentively, realizing that Faros would not be an easy battle like Eden Prime.
Amidst the chaos, the shuttle pilot's voice screamed from behind, "Thirty seconds!" Shepard gripped the bolt of her SCAR, loading a fresh clip, as she prepared herself. The shuttle's doors swung open, revealing a nightmarish scene. The sky was ablaze with anti-aircraft fire, fires raged below, and numerous shuttles were being lost in the air, crashing down in a devastating display.
As the shuttle neared Shepard's designated drop point, the sky erupted with a barrage of anti-aircraft fire, illuminating the surroundings. Gripping the edge of the door, Shepard peered out, assessing the situation. In a sudden, jarring impact, an anti-aircraft round struck the shuttle, sending it into a chaotic spin. Shepard desperately clung to the shuttle's floor and door, attempting to maintain her grip. However, the intense turbulence proved too overpowering, causing Shepard to lose her hold and plummet towards the unforgiving ground of Faros.