[ Standard Human Date: August 9, 2552.
Citadel - Military Apartments Complex.
When Garrus Vakarian opened his eyes in the morning, the first thing he thought was that it would be just another ordinary day, with nothing special about it.
He got up as usual as soon as the alarm went off at 5:30 AM and went to freshen up in the bathroom. He put on his uniform and prepared breakfast while sending a good morning message to his mother, thanking her for the gift she had sent him the day before. After eating and tidying up the kitchen, Garrus left his house at 6:40 AM, just like every other day, and began his morning run to work, taking the longer route to avoid arriving too early.
As he passed through the park, he saw other people starting to exercise and train, and some even waved to him, recognizing him for always passing by. He also approached the commercial districts and noticed that many shops were already open or opening, so he stopped at a café and bought some Dextro cupcakes for himself and Levo cupcakes for his colleagues. After running for nearly an hour, he finally arrived at work at 7:28 AM, just before his shift at 7:30 AM.
Garrus worked in the Citadel's C-Sec Investigation Division, a job he enjoyed but often felt trapped in. Whether it was the rules and regulations that often prevented him from taking action and apprehending the culprits or the lingering shadow of his father that hung over his head with many of his co-workers comparing them.
As soon as Garrus entered C-Sec, the first thing he did was greet Turi, the Salarian receptionist.
"Good morning, Turi. I bought some cupcakes from that shop we ordered for Iravi's birthday last month. Want some?" Seeing his agreement, Garrus opened the box of cupcakes he was carrying and handed one to Turi, who thanked him and enjoyed it.
After talking to Turi, Garrus headed towards his desk, passing through the C-Sec corridors where his colleagues were already busy with their morning tasks. He waved to some of them, exchanged brief greetings, and distributed cupcakes to his colleagues as he made his way to his workstation.
Upon arriving at his desk, he found his teammate, Nyreen, already reviewing some documents. Garrus enjoyed working with Nyreen; she was new to C-Sec and was paired with him until she got used to how things were done. She was also an intelligent and efficient Asari, unlike many others of her kind, she didn't treat anyone as children, despite being old enough to be the great-grandmother of many of her colleagues. He placed the Levo cupcakes on their desk and said, "Good morning, Nyreen. I brought some cupcakes to start the day right."
Nyreen smiled and thanked him, taking one of the cupcakes. "You're always so considerate, Garrus. What would I do without you around here?"
Garrus chuckled. "Probably be surrounded by even more regulations and paperwork than I already am."
While they enjoyed the cupcakes, their boss, Captain Adrian Corvus, entered the room. He was a highly respected and experienced Turian in C-Sec.
"Garrus, Nyreen, we need to talk," Adrian said with a serious expression.
Garrus and Nyreen exchanged concerned glances as they made their way to Captain Adrian's office. The door closed behind them, and Adrian invited them to sit at his desk.
"Nyreen, you and Garrus make a great team, and you've done good work on recent investigations. However, I'd like you to take on a new ongoing investigation on your own to assess your performance," Adrian said.
"Of course, Captain," Nyreen nodded.
He provided her with the details of the investigation, which involved a series of disappearances of credits from various corporate bank accounts. After receiving the reports, she left the room.
"As for you, Garrus, I have another assignment," Captain Adrian turned his attention to Garrus. "While I believe you and Nyreen make a good team, I want you to return to working on investigations independently and pick up where you left off with your last case before teaming up with Nyreen."
Surprised by the news, Garrus wondered what his Captain had in mind, as when he had previously worked on this case a few months ago, Captain Adrian had been adamant that it would lead to nothing. Many of the suspects were Spectres, and nothing he did could be used against them unless he found something truly dirty.
"Sir, I thought this investigation had been closed, and you and Executor Pallin were so adamant about it that you forbade me from mentioning anything about it when you took me off the case."
"That's true, Garrus, but Executor Pallin and I have noticed some suspicious activity deep within the Citadel. It seems there's some group out there that may be related to our investigation regarding possible Entropy members infiltrating the Citadel, and this may finally lead us to uncover if we indeed have Specters working with them," he responded seriously. "The only reason we removed you from the investigation was that we hit a dead end, and you were acting recklessly by going after information that nearly led to your demise. Don't forget that. But now that some time has passed, they seem to have relaxed their guard, and they don't expect us to investigate their operations again."
"Understood, Sir." With a clear mission in mind, Garrus nodded in agreement and rose from his chair. He was determined to resume the investigation that had been his obsession before being taken off it. The prospect of finally exposing any connection between Spectres and Entropy motivated him.
Captain Adrian continued, "Garrus, remember, stay on course, and don't act impulsively. If you discover anything relevant, report it immediately to me or Executor Pallin."
Garrus nodded once more and left Captain Adrian's office. He was eager to dive back into his investigation and prove that his suspicions were well-founded.
As he walked back to his desk, he began to plan his next steps.
…..
[ Standard Human Date: August 23, 2552.
Garrus stared at the information he had gathered on Entropy.
For the past two weeks, Garrus's mind had been abuzz with theories and possibilities as he compiled a list of witnesses and sources of information that could help him in his investigation, which had intrigued him for so long. He knew he had to be shrewd and careful, dealing with Spectres was no easy task. To proceed in recent weeks, he had to pursue all the resources he had accumulated since the last time he had worked on that case.
As minutes turned into hours and soon into days and weeks, he delved into his old files, reviewing notes and searching for old connections he had made. He began to see patterns that had eluded him before like pieces of a puzzle finally falling into place.
With a serious look, he internally reviewed all the information he had up to that moment.
He knew that Entropy was a terrorist group that had first appeared in 2536, shortly after the failed assassination attempt on Volus Ambassador Venta Tox in Shanxi.
The culprits were arrested and sentenced to life in prison, but shortly after, they were found dead, and the only information they had provided was the name of the organization to which they belonged. After the first attack, Entropy carried out many others, which unfortunately were almost always successful.
Garrus remembered the notorious attacks carried out by Entropy. Among them, one of the most impactful was the bombing at the Peace Conference in Elysium, three years ago. This biennial event brought together all Citadel species, and the explosion that killed Matriarch Bylsenn and wounded diplomats shook intergalactic relations.
They became increasingly audacious. One of the boldest attacks was the kidnapping of Turian Ambassador Supti in 2549. Ambassador Supti was a strong supporter of an attempt at reconciliation between the Hierarchy and the Alliance, and in an attempt to undermine diplomatic relations, Entropy was behind his abduction. However, the successful rescue ultimately strengthened relations between humans and Turians and revealed Entropy's involvement in many other incidents, such as the invasion of the Belan colony. A Hanar colony known for housing many ancient Prothean constructions guarded by the Hanar who considered these constructions invaluable throughout the galaxy.
Entropy launched a surprise attack on the Belan colony, resulting in the massive destruction of the ancient structures and loss of life.
The massive cyber-attack on the recently established Alliance Communication Network, which was designed to enable the Alliance to communicate more quickly and efficiently with other races without using old radio lines, as their method of communication involved using Chakra and the other races had no access.
Entropy spared no acts of murder, including Salarian scientist Valkar, known for his pioneering research on possible alternative FTL methods that wouldn't require element zero, but his murder occurred before any major discovery was announced, and his research was stolen. And the attacks on the Quarian Migrant Fleet in 2540. Garrus realized that behind these actions, powerful figures were manipulating the system from within, seeking to sow fear and chaos throughout the galaxy.
Which made him spend most of his morning working, trying to find something, until he felt hungry and decided to take a break from his research and headed to the C-Sec cafeteria.
There, he found Nyreen, sitting with other colleagues, discussing her latest investigation where she had uncovered a group of hackers stealing from many wealthy companies in small amounts to avoid detection, but Nyreen had managed to unmask them and arrest the entire group.
Approaching, Garrus said, "Nyreen, good morning. How are your latest investigations since you received that one from Captain Adrian? You're getting better and better, but don't forget that if you need help, know that I'm here."
Nyreen smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you, Garrus. I know I can count on you, and since you brought it up, I have something to discuss with you. Can you meet me in my office after the lunch break?"
"Of course, I can."
After a quick lunch, Garrus returned to Nyreen's workstation, curious about what she might want to talk to him about.
Garrus entered Nyreen's office, where she greeted him with a friendly nod and indicated a chair in front of her desk.
"Please, Garrus, have a seat. There's something I think you'll find interesting," Nyreen said as she pointed to the screen on her desk.
Garrus settled into the chair, looking attentively at the screen. Nyreen began to explain, "As you know, in recent weeks, I've been investigating cases of hacks targeting bank accounts all over the Citadel. Something caught my attention. While tracing the trails of these attacks, I noticed that not all the affected companies were victims of the same hackers I arrested. There was something else, a smaller, more discreet group."
Garrus nodded, absorbing the information. "And what did you find out about this smaller group?"
Nyreen continued, "I examined the information I had gathered and began to notice something unusual as I tracked these attacks. Unlike the other cases, the hackers from this smaller group didn't leave many digital traces, making them hard to trace. However, after a series of successful intrusions, I noticed a pattern. This smaller group seems to be somehow linked to your investigation. The attacks of this smaller group appeared to be mainly targeting technology companies, pharmaceuticals, and banks. They stole small amounts of money, just enough to go unnoticed, but they did it repeatedly. When I delved deeper, I began to notice some company names that recurred in the attacks, and I also noticed that they almost always had the same shareholders, which I found to be too much of a coincidence. That's when I made the connection."
Garrus was impressed. "That's a keen observation, Nyreen. You noticed that they were consistently targeting the same companies, albeit subtly. And then you found evidence that these companies were somehow connected."
Nyreen smiled, pleased with the compliment from the person who had practically taught her everything.
Garrus furrowed his brow, thoughtful. "This is intriguing. If these companies don't care, maybe they can work together. We need to delve into this connection. You mentioned that many of the shareholders are my suspects, right? I investigated many of their businesses, but they were all clean without any front companies. But maybe the way they use this money is through the hackers' thefts, and since I didn't know about it, I didn't find this answer before."
Nyreen agreed, but before she could say more, Garrus leaned over the desk and opened his
...
[ Standardized human date: October 18, 2552.
Arcturus System – Arcturus Station
Arcturus Station is one of humanity's largest buildings, measuring 7 kilometers in diameter, and can support 75,000 humans because of its space-time jutsu.
It also acts as the headquarters of the Alliance Navy and command center for the human fleets and shipyard, as the Alliance First, Second, and Third Fleets were stationed there, conveniently Arcturus Station was located where there were previously several relays that were retired at the behest of the Kages. Additionally, it protects the entrance to the Sol system, which makes Arcturus an ideal choke point for defense, as well as a starting point for future exploration.
Aboard the station, the Kages were discussing with the navy's defense committee about new prototype ships and the latest discoveries made regarding the new version of the FTL Flying Raijin that was in development.
The Kazekage began the discussion, "We have several qualified candidates in front of us. The Normandy is ready for takeoff, gentlemen; and Anderson will take command of the ship, but our candidate has not yet been chosen. Any suggestions?"
The committee began to whisper among themselves about who it should be; until Admiral Kazama, the one in charge of all military forces residing in Council space, spoke up, "Well, what about Miss Jane Shepard?"
A silence fell over the room as everyone considered the option. Kazama continued, reading Jane's dossier" Jane Uzumaki Shepard, born on Earth, raised in the capital of Konoha. Her parents serve in the navy, her mother is captain of the Ukita-class cruiser 'Sun Link', her father was a captain in the Marines naval personnel, and her stepmother is one of the greatest medical Ninjas we have... And I don't even need to talk about the rest of the family, just her being part of the Uzumaki Clan already raises her reputation with civilians and her immediate family having such a high ranking also helps with military morale. She has an incredible record of military service."
Admiral Yamamoto added. "She is a Jounin, just 23 years old, and is part of the N7 division. During our campaign against the attacks by pirates from the Terminus Systems on our ships, she and her team managed to successfully capture and without casualties, an entire pirate military base recovered every scrap of technology, and even consiqio recovered captured civilians from hijacked ships. Jane is an exemplary soldier and her family does not define her; she has built her career on her merit"
"Well, you seem right gentlemen, Jane is perfect for this. And what do you think, Yusuke?" The Mizukage asked his colleague.
Yusuke made a thoughtful expression and agreed. "She is perfect not only for her abilities but also for what she stands for. She is a Uzumaki, but her success is based on her merit, not just her clan name. Her mother, Hannah, came from Kiri, and his family has no ties to influential clans. This is admirable and resonates with the idea that success is achieved, not inherited. And I can say that this pleases the whole family, especially Kenji, who at all family gatherings never tires when he talks about how proud he is of his daughter."
The others in the room nodded, satisfied with their choice. Then the Tsuchikage spoke up "Very well, it seems we are all in agreement. Miss Jane Shepard is the appropriate choice to be our candidate. Now, what do you think the next step should be?"
...
[Standardized human date: October 20, 2552.
Normandy Frigate
A ship twice the size of a normal Citadel frigate was heading towards the Relay that would take them to their destination, but on the way, an obstacle was in front of the relay.
On the ship's bridge, the pilot announced over the intercom: "We are approaching the Relay, a warning to all crew members to return to their work stations. We will cross an asteroid cloud, I repeat, we will cross an asteroid cloud, all crew at their stations." The warning echoed throughout the ship and soon the entire Normandy tribulation was at their posts. Crossing the relay in 3... 2... 1..." Normandy ran the relay until moments later crossing the relay.
In space, the crew members who were close to a window could see a large purple nebula in the System in the distance.
On the Bridge, a human man was sitting in the pilot's chair checking the ship's systems. "Thrusters... Navigation... Heat sink... Engines... Shields... Ship hull... Enzzo cores... All systems are online. It appears nothing was damaged."
Besides the pilot, a Turian with white facial markings and wearing black and red armor commented. "You can get through the asteroid cloud without trouble, that's good. Your captain will be pleased." In Turian a man named Nihlus Kryik, a Citadel Specter, commented and turned around leaving the bridge of the ship.
"I don't like this guy." Said the pilot called Joker when he saw the Trurian moving away.
"Nihlus praised you... so you hate him?"
Another human who was sitting nearby asked when I couldn't understand why he would say that.
"Kaidan you can hit a target 3,850 meters away THAT'S GOOD what I did going through that asteroid cloud without a single scratch is incredible! And besides, I said I didn't like him, not that I hated him. And I am not very happy with his presence on this ship." Joker replied, still fiddling with the ship's controls.
" Just so you know I can hit a target 4,050 meters away, and because you're so worried about our Turian guest do you think he's going to try anything?"
Joker just smiled and said. "Yes, I'd like to see him try something; I'm sure some disguised Anbu would probably kill him before he draws his weapon. And stop talking like my problem with him is that he's a Trurian. My problem is why a SPECTER is on an Alliance ship. As far as I know, they have no authority over us."
"We're on a ship made in collaboration with the Turians so in a way it's not JUST an Alliance ship. We're also going to Eden Prime which is on the Citadel's territory even though it's our colony it still has a large number of colonists who are part of the Citadel races and we are on an official mission to pick up a package that the Council wants so they sent a Specter to make sure everything will go as they want." Kaidan explained the situation. "Even though I also find it strange since the Specters are the Council's most important agents and they don't send Specters to do jobs like receiving orders."
Joker let that thought sink into his mind and asked as he looked at the ship's controls. "So there's more to this story that hasn't been revealed yet."
Before anyone could continue the conversation Anderson appeared on the Bridge, slightly scaring them both. "Lieutenant Joker, I want a status report."
"Everything is in order, captain, all systems are working without problems and we are already approaching our destination."
Captain Anderson made a sound of satisfaction upon hearing this. "Perfect. Officer Kaidan opens a comm link to the alliance. I want mission reports to be transmitted as quickly as possible before we reach our destination on Eden Prime."
"Yes, captain. And sir, Specter Nihlus left the bridge, I think he's going to see you." Kaidan replied
"Okay, Officer. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in my office immediately." Anderson said and turned off his hologram ending the conversation.
Joker as soon as the captain disappeared sighed in relief. "The Captain almost caught us gossiping. Hey, do you think the Captain suspected our conversation?"
Kaidan let out a sigh because he was a little worried that Joker would get into trouble because of his pranks. "Only you Joker can still make jokes after almost getting caught."
...
Normandy - Command Room
Jane walked down the halls towards the Command Room, where she was informed that her Captain was waiting for her. Standing at the door, she waited for permission to enter after announcing herself, until she heard the confirmation and entered the room. There was Captain Anderson with Nihlus at his side.
"Shepard, we were waiting for you to start the conversation," Anderson said as he saw his XO enter the room.
"Sir, why do you need my presence?" asked Jane, curious to know what her former Sensei could want.
"Jane, as you know, we are on a mission heading to Eden Prime where we will retrieve a package and take it to the Council. I'm sure you feel there is something strange about this mission, as does the entire crew since we have a Specter to accompany us on the mission. Tell me, Jane, what do you think of the situation?" Anderson asked, wanting to know how much his former student had found out about everything.
"I think the Council is hiding something really big behind all of this. After all, just the fact that they asked us to bring something directly to them is suspicious, but the presence of a Specter on this mission puts even more suspicion on it. After all, the Specters are elite agents, the top secret agents of the Citadel Council. Why send a Specter and still one of the best they have? That means that whatever we picked up on Eden Prime, it must be really important." Jane said, expressing all her doubts, looking directly at Captain Anderson and then looking at Nihlus as shared his thoughts on the Council's actions.
At the end of Jane's speech, Nihlus had a smile on his face, and his expression seemed to indicate that he was happy about something.
"You were right, Anderson, she has discovered almost everything, just not the real reason for everything. Tell me, commander, do you know what a Prothean beacon is?"
"Prothean? Aren't they an extinct species? From what I remember, the reason everyone in Council space used Ezzo was that you discovered ancient Prothean constructs and started using that technology."
"Even though the Protheans disappeared 50,000 years ago, everything they built, like the Mass Relays and the Citadel, that technology still exists. And any discovery of Prothean technology is very important in Council space. A few days ago, a research team on Eden Prime found a Prothean beacon during an excavation and recovered it. Bringing the Beaconback to the Citadel is our mission. That's one of the reasons I'm here," Nihlus explained about the situation.
Jane was a little confused about the mission. 'Why would the Alliance hand over the Beacon so easily to the Council?' she thought.
"Captain, why don't we study the beacon ourselves, since it was found in our Colony?"
Nihlus was a little irritated by the question but tried not to show it. "The Alliance uses almost no Prothean technology. At best, all you do is some experimentation with Enzzo, since all of Citadel space revolves around it. And Citadel laws also dictate that any Beacon found must be shared with everyone."
Jane realized that the situation was getting tense and decided to change the subject. "You said that was one of the reasons you were here. What was the other?"
Nihlus noticed the attempt to change the subject and agreed. "Your species has made great achievements in the last 16 years since it was discovered. The Alliance has proven itself, unlike the other races, to be a constantly growing power in the galaxy. For this reason, the Council feels that your species is ready for a Specter."
Nihlus noticed Jane's confused expression with the revelations and began to explain, choosing his words carefully.
"Commander, Although the Alliance has a more isolationist approach, you are still part of the Galactic community, and considering your achievements and your growing influence in the galaxy you should not be so surprised by the Council's decision. It is true that perhaps this decision was made very earlier than in other races but I think you are ready. And you, commander, are the candidate chosen for this, that is the second reason for my presence here, I will evaluate you."
Before anyone could say anything, Joker's voice spoke over the ship's intercom.
"Captain! We have a problem, we received a transmission from Eden Prime and you must hear it, it's urgent!"
"Joker put on the massage, now!" Anderson ordered.
Soon a holographic image of a woman appeared and the message began.
Emergency Broadcast*
[For anyone who may receive this message.
From: Eden Prime Colony
[Standardized human date: October 20, 2552. ]
To those who can hear us,
We are facing a desperate crisis. Eden Prime is being attacked by Geths. They cut off all communications half an hour ago and only Chakra transmissions are working so I'm sending this message. Our situation is deteriorating rapidly. We are struggling to maintain control of the situation but we don't know what we are dealing with and we need help quickly to end the invasion.
We ask for any help you can provide. The lives of all colonists, men, women, and children, are in imminent danger.
Please, if you are seeing this message, contact us as soon as possible.
End of Transmission*
"Why did the Geth attack us? They haven't emerged from the Veil in eight centuries. Why now?" Jane asked.
Anderson looked at the others in the room. "No matter the reason, we must act quickly. Joker! When was this message sent?""
"Less than an hour sir, it seems we are the first to hear it," Joker replied over the intercom.
Anderson laughed softly before responding. "Of course, us being the first if the Geth have cut off all communications and only our Chakra base is working makes sense since no other race could hear the call for help and any nearest human presence is a relay away. " Anderson thought about his next decision. "Joker notified the Alliance that I want reinforcements in less than 5 minutes."
"Captain, I disagree with that decision. A small strike team can move quickly without attracting attention. It's our best chance of protecting the beacon. Don't forget what our mission is." Nihlus protested.
Anderson was irritated with Nihlus. "If this were a Turian colony, would you have proposed this same decision?"
Nihlus did not respond.
Then Anderson picked up where he left off and turned to Jane. "Commander, call all teams to prepare and tell Alenko and Jenkins to suit up, we're going in."
...
Normandy - Hangar
As soon as The Normandy approached Eden Prime, several golden portals appeared around the colony with an intense golden glow from which thousands of Alliance ships emerged.
In the Normandy Hangar, all teams were ready and waiting for orders. As Captain Anderson approached, he was accompanied by his team.
"Everyone already knows that Eden Prime is under attack at the moment. We know that the colonists are resisting fiercely down there. They managed to destroy most of the ground troops, but they are still struggling against the ships surrounding the colony. However, don't worry, the Alliance has already sent reinforcements, and as we speak, they are destroying all the Geth ships around the colony. Our job is to head to the colony and help with the invasion of their capital. The priority is to eliminate as many enemies as possible."
"Yes, sir!" The screams of all teams echoed through the hangar.
After that, he went to the team of his former students who were already prepared with Jane in front, waiting for orders. "Commander Shepard, your mission will be different from all the other teams. Your team is in charge of retrieving the beacon; once we can get ashore, head straight to the dig site."
Alenko did not like the orders he received and decided to express his dissent. "Captain, Eden Prime is being attacked; shouldn't we deal with that first?"
Help has arrived, and the Alliance has sent the Fourth Fleet to crush the Geth. Ships are already in the Colony with the sole objective of rescuing the colonists. Therefore, your team's mission remains unchanged; the beacon is still your primary priority.
The team, though they didn't like the orders so much, understood the situation and accepted it. Then Jenkins weighed in.
He asked Sensei, "Won't you go with us on this mission?" when he saw Anderson addressing Jane as the team leader.
"Jenkins!" Alenko exclaimed, scowling as he glared at his teammate. "How many times have I told you to stop calling Captain Sensei? We're no longer Genin; show some respect." Jenkins grimaced at being scolded.
Anderson laughed. "Don't worry, Alenko," he said. "We are all alone now. You can call me Sensei." He laughed at their confusion and ended with a kinder tone in his voice.
Soon after, the Joker's voice sounded through the speakers. "We are approaching the destination for all attack teams. All attack teams, please be prepared."
"You heard him get on the ships and wipe out any Geth you see!" Anderson shouted, and all the strike teams climbed aboard the small ships that were in the hangar. Soon, everyone was in the middle of the battle for Eden Prime.
Author's note: As you know, Alliance ships are bigger on the inside than on the outside due to space-time manipulation, which is why the Normandy can house smaller ships that can fit teams of up to six people.
Sensei, aren't we going with the other teams?
Jenkins asked.
Jane asked, "Were you paying attention to the explanation of our mission?" Seeing that her friend looked away, embarrassed, she sighed and repeated herself.
We'll be heading to the Beacon located at the excavation site, far from the capital, so we won't go with the other teams.
"Exactly, Commander," Nihlus said, approaching them.
You're going too? asked Alenko.
"This mission is also mine. And I hope you're all ready because we're reaching our destination."
The Joker's voice announces the next destination. "We are approaching the excavation site; I repeat, we are approaching the excavation site."
...
Edens Prime
As soon as they stepped onto dry land, everyone was able to closely observe the destruction caused by the Geth attack on the colony.
Jane said, "Listen, the excavation site is ahead. Be careful; there may be Geth in our way. Let's proceed with caution." Everyone started walking, noticing that along the way, several Geth bodies lay scattered on the ground.
Halfway there, Jane stopped and signaled everyone to stop too, indicating danger and pointing to some buildings ahead. Before anyone could take any action, the Geth drones exited the building and began firing in their direction. However, everyone quickly hid among the rubble. Alenko, once he found a safe location, charged his biotics and released a wave of biotic energy that destroyed most of the Geth. Those who remained did not have time to react, as they were hit by wind blades launched by Jenkins, which eliminated the remaining Geth.
"Slippery bastards, they hid well, just waiting to surprise attack us," Jenkins complained as they approached to check that everyone was dead.
After confirming the deaths, the entire team continued onward. They soon came across a battle between dozens of Geth and a small group of soldiers protecting some colonists. Upon witnessing the scene, the entire team rushed to join the soldiers and, together, managed to repel the Geth. A soldier approached them.
"Thanks for your help. They came in large numbers, and we had to protect the civilians, which made the fight more difficult until you arrived." The soldier stopped in front of them, and they could see that it was a woman.
"Don't worry about it. We couldn't deny help," Jane said, watching everyone to see how they were doing. "Is anyone injured? Jenkins is an expert in medical procedures and can assist."
"My squad and I are not seriously injured, just minor cuts and burns. However, if you could check on the civilians, I would greatly appreciate it."
Jane then turned and gestured for Jenkins to check on the civilians. "understood, ma'am."
"I'm Ashley Williams, chief of artillery and responsible for rescuing any civilians still in danger. What about you?"
"Commander Jane Shepard, this is my team: Alenko, Jenkins, and Nihlus."
Ashley greeted everyone, but when she arrived at Nihilus, her face darkened slightly. Despite this, she still greeted him.
"It's a pleasure, Commander. I sincerely thank you for the help you've given us. I wonder if I could also help you in some way.*
" Your offer of help is greatly appreciated. We are on a mission, and as you can see, we have faced some challenges along the way. I trust you can help us get to the dig site?"
Ashley nodded with a smile on her face. "Of course, it's the least I can do to repay you. We have a safe foothold not far from here where we will take the civilians. There, I can provide you with detailed information about the terrain and what you will be up against. Additionally, I can personally take you to the dig site you are looking for."
Jane thanked her and turned to her team, signaling for them to follow Ashley to the support point. When they arrived at the support point, they left the civilians and soon followed behind Ashley and her squad.
As they approached the excavation site, the tension in the air became more palpable. The rough terrain and debris left behind by the Geth indicated that they were approaching a dangerous area. They were constantly attacked by Geth patrols who opened fire as soon as they saw the group. Bullets whizzed through the air, and when they hit something, they created small explosions. But this did not stop the group, who immediately sought shelter and soon began to counterattack. Ashley showed off her artillery expertise, throwing several paper bombs and firing her assault rifle, where the symbols glowed with each bullet fired, accurately hitting targets and taking down several Geth with her squad firing alongside her.
Meanwhile, Alenko concentrated and fired powerful biotic blasts, sending Geth flying and disrupting their formations. Jenkins, leaving nothing to chance, fired more and more gusts of wind blades, cutting with deadly precision at his enemies. Jane attacked them closer with her sword, cutting everything in front of her.
Nihlus, in turn, remained at a distance, using his finely honed aim to eliminate enemies with precise shots. His training as a Specter was evident in his ability to handle combat situations.
Although they managed to repel the Geth patrol, Jane's team noticed that the number of enemies increased as they advanced toward the beacon location.
"If we continue like this, we won't make it to the Beacon. We're making ourselves easy targets, and the Geth are encountering us more frequently as we advance," Jane said with concern. She looked at Ashley and asked, "Do you think your team knows the way too?"
Ashley nodded determinedly. "Yes, they know."
Jane made a decision. "I'll go with Ashley, Alenko, and Siri on one side. Jenkins, Nihlus, Carlos, and Lin-yu, continue the other way. We'll stay in radio contact. If we find any clues about the Beacon or the technology, we'll let you know immediately."
The Commander said, "Commander, I think my experience as a Specter allows me to act more effectively alone. Let me investigate further on my own. If I find any significant threats or crucial information, I will report it immediately." Nihlus expressed his willingness to proceed alone.
Jane shook her head. "No, Nihil. I understand your confidence in your abilities, but we cannot afford to divide ourselves further. It's too risky. We will remain in constant radio contact to ensure everyone is safe."
Nihlus sighed, accepting Jane's decision. "Understood, Commander. We'll maintain open communication."
With everyone agreeing to the division, they separated to follow their designated paths.
...
- Nihlus -
Nihlus wasn't having a great day.
As he walked silently, keeping his senses sharp, he tried to understand how he had gotten himself into this situation.
First, he was assigned by the Council to a mission: to recover the Prothean Beacon on Eden Prime, a human colony... Humans.
Nihlus, despite being a Turian, had no problem with humanity. He found them very interesting. Humans resembled Asari in some ways, but that wasn't their only characteristic. They also demonstrated audacity and intelligence, similar to the Salarians, and strength and organization, like the Turians. All of this made humans fascinating.
It was a shame that humanity didn't seem to share the same enthusiasm for the other races. Humans had kept their distance from the Council since they were discovered, and for nearly two decades, their interactions with other species were, for the most part, minimal and few. They seemed to prefer isolation in their territory, avoiding contact, which made knowledge about them highly desired by other races.
Nihlus believed that this attitude was one of the main reasons for the Hierarchy's distrust of the Alliance. As an old Turian saying goes: "If you do not know the strength of another, you can be easily defeated." This summed up most Turians' thoughts about mysterious humans. The conflict that occurred when they met didn't help either, since many of the soldiers who returned from Shanxi became high-ranking officials in the Hierarchy, and their opinions of humans were not positive.
Another factor that complicated everything was the strange ability of humans called Chakra, which seemed to have infinite potential. This ability was one of the reasons that led them to their current situation. The Council sought to obtain new technologies from the Prothean beacon, believing it would give them an advantage against the Alliance.
As he walked across the land, he finally saw the Beacon. As he approached, he noticed a lone figure among the ruins. He approached cautiously, signaling to the humans who accompanied him to hide to prepare an ambush. His hand remained on the handle of his weapon until he got close enough, but stopped when he saw a familiar face.
Turning around, the figure revealed himself to be a Turian, although his look indicated that he was not someone to be trusted.
"Nihlus, you have finally arrived," said the figure to his fellow Turian.
"How did you get here, Venix?" Nihlus asked.
"I have a mission, Nihlus," Venix replied in a cold voice.
"This is my mission, Venix, not yours. Why are you here?" Nihlus repeated.
"The Council thought you might need help, Nihlus, so I came."
"Even if it's true that the Council thought I needed help, why did they send you?" Nihlus questioned. As he spoke, Carlos, one of the humans accompanying him, approached Venix from behind. "Everyone knows what you think of humans, Venix. Besides, the Council can't send a Specter to an Alliance world without permission. Even if Eden Prime is on Council territory, that doesn't change the rules." Nihlus pointed his gun at Venix. "Now, you're going to tell me what you're doing here, Venix, or I'm going to pull the trigger."
For a moment, Venix looked surprised, but quickly changed his mind, and a smile of arrogance and contempt formed on his face.
"I'm a little impressed with you, Nihlus, for not letting your guard down at any point, but also disappointed for not figuring out everything and the reason I'm here. I thought you were smarter."
Venix's words made Nihlus visibly disgusted, as they meant that he was involved in everything that was happening.
"You're behind this attack, aren't you? You somehow allied with the Geth to attack humans! Do you have any idea what you did? Your hatred has blinded you to the consequences of your actions. You could start a war with the Alliance because of this. You could cause irreparable disaster by unleashing the Geth on the galaxy!"
"War?" said Venix dismissively. "I don't see the problem with going to war with humanity. From the beginning, everyone talks like it's a problem like we won't win. We'll crush the humans. And yes, I released the Geth into the galaxy. Sometimes, we need a plague to eliminate a greater threat, a plague that doesn't fit any pattern, a plague that won't stop the Cycle from completing, as it always does. It's inevitable." Venix said. "It's a real shame, Nihlus, that you won't see the end of this. You can't join us, as you'll die here."
Before Nihlus could react, shots were fired from somewhere and hit his right shoulder and arm, knocking him to the ground due to the impact. Before Venix could fire another shot in his direction, Carlos, who was behind Venix, attacked, drawing Venix's attention away from Nihlus. Jenkins took the opportunity to approach Nihlus and pull him away from the fight he had started.
"Be still, Nihlus, I'll take care of you," Jenkins said, treating Nihlus' wounds.
"No, Jenkins. You should help others. Don't worry about me."
"There's no way I'm leaving you here to bleed to death. Now be quiet, I'm saving your life."
"The mission! You shouldn't worry about me and communicate with others and accomplish the mission."
"Listen, I'll tend to your wounds, and in the meantime, I'll send a message to the others. Now stay still, you won't die in my hands." Jenkins turned on the communicator.
"Commander, do you hear me?... I'm at the Beacon, but I have bad news... As we approached the Beacon, there was someone there... It was a Turian, a Specter named Venix... He is responsible for the Geth... We need reinforcements. Nihlus is injured... Okay..."
...
- Jane Shepard -
As Jane and her team followed Ashley, everyone became increasingly nervous. With every step they took, they had been attacked. Now, when they separated and took a longer route, nothing had happened. No group of Geth emerged from hiding to attack the team, which made the situation increasingly stressful.
In the distance, they saw figures that looked human, simply standing still. Like any well-trained ninja, everyone's instincts began to warn them of possible danger.
"Commander, what should we do?" Ashley asked, waiting for orders.
"This situation is very strange. Why would a group of humans be here, especially considering that the path here is full of Geth? I think we better not let our guard down," Kaidan said suspiciously.
Jane didn't like the situation either. "Let's get closer. Any suspicious movement and we'll attack." Everyone agreed.
When they got close enough, they noticed that the humans' movements were strange. Suddenly, everyone ran towards them, some shooting during the frantic rush. Kaidan used biotics to deflect some bullets, while Ashley fired concentrated Chakra projectiles, this time with the lightning element, trying to keep some distance between them. Jane released a fireball that burned those who came close.
When everything was over and they approached to examine the situation, they noticed that one of the burned bodies was still moving, despite its condition being impossible for any normal human.
Kaidan and Ashley started arguing.
"That's impossible! How is he still alive?"
"Is he alive? His body is completely burned, and there are very large and deep puncture marks as if he had been impaled several times."
"I agree with Ashley, Kaidan. This is very suspicious, and whatever it is, this thing is no longer human. I will send a message to Normandy asking for an extraction for this location."
Jane turned on her communicator and sent a message to Normandy asking for an extraction on-site. But before hanging up, he received a message from Jenkins.
"Jenkins, I'm listening. Where are you?... What happened, Jenkins?... Anyone? Who was Jenkins?... A Specter? What was he doing? Is he involved?... This is serious, very serious... We're heading there immediately. Hang in there, Jenkins, and take care of Nihlus as best you can... Stay tuned, we're coming to help."
...
Jane and her team finally arrived at the Beacon, where no fighting was ongoing. Only the shattered remains of Geth awaited them, and in their midst were Jenkins and the others, waiting.
"Guys, you're here!" Jenkins exclaimed.
Kaidan approached and, seeing that only Jenkins was uninjured, questioned, "Where is the Specter you spoke of, Jenkins? What happened here? Tell us everything about the fight and the Spectre," Kaidan asked with concern in his voice.
Jenkins sighed and began to report, "During the combat, he managed to escape, leaving us to deal with the Geth. However, we managed to defeat them all. Unfortunately, Nihlus, Carlos, and Lin-yu suffered injuries, and I did my best to take care of them. It seems that the Specter did not intend to confront us directly; he used us as a distraction for his escape. Before he left, he messed with something in the Beacon."
"What did he do with the Beacon?" Ashley asked.
"He messed with some controls, and the beacon started emitting a bright light for a while. It was almost like it was activating something, but I'm not sure what it was. After that, he ran away," Jenkins responded.
Kaidan, worried about what this would mean, turned to Jane. "Commander, I think we should see what Sprecto did and order an extraction for the Beacon and Nihlus, Carlos, and Lin-yu. Their wounds could have been treated by Jenkins but it's always better to have certainty."
Jane nodded and communicated with Normandy to organize the extraction.
While waiting, they approached the Beacon.
"Is this the Prothean technology everyone talks about?" Ashley asked, moving closer for a closer look.
Jane, worried, also approached and said: "I don't think that's a good idea, Ashl..."
His words were abruptly interrupted when a mysterious force pulled Ashley towards the Beacon.
"Ashley!" Everyone screamed, but Jane, who was closest, made a supreme effort and pushed her back, deflecting the mysterious force towards herself. She was pulled towards the Beacon, her body floating in the air.
As she floated, Jane heard distant voices that seemed to call her name. He felt an intense headache, as if his skull were going to split, and flashes of almost incomprehensible images projected themselves in his mind. Voices spoke in a strange language. Then she was thrown violently to the ground, as abruptly as she had been lifted.
The Beacon, which was shining brightly, stopped emitting light. The last thing Jane saw was a large ship in the sky and a light that seemed to take over everything until all that was left was...
Darkness.
...
Eden Prime Orbit - Reaper Ship
Moments before the Beacon is activated.
Aboard the ship, Venix headed to his command post, delving into his thoughts as he tried to decipher the information projected by the Prothean beacon.
The images that appeared before him were cryptic and fragmented as if parts of the message were obscured by intense darkness. As he tried to understand the meaning, Venix felt goosebumps and splitting headaches.
He knew something crucial was hidden in these images, and he was determined to uncover it to complete his mission.
"Sir, I have the report you requested regarding the attack," a voice interrupted Venix's thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He gestured for the Salarian to continue.
The Salarian sighed deeply and began to report, "Unfortunately, sir, the attack was a failure from the start. Even before Alliance reinforcements arrived, we were at a disadvantage. The humans' defense response was quick and effective."
Venix frowned, indicating to the Salarian to continue.
"We were unable to enter any of the humans' emergency shelters, nor destroy their protective barriers. They are incredibly strong. Our attempts to capture the colonists and turn them into husks were also unsuccessful. All the colonists fought, and many of our forces were destroyed. Those we managed to capture also had problems. Only a third of them turned into husks, and the process took much longer than with any other known race."
"And with the arrival of reinforcements?"
"The situation has worsened drastically, sir. In a short time, we were defeated. They managed to save the colony, sir."
Visibly dissatisfied, Venix asked, "Do any of our forces remain on the planet?"
The Salarian, fearing his superior's reaction, flinched but replied, "Yes, sir, but they are severely damaged. We will not be able to retake the planet."
Overcome with hatred, Venix heard a voice whispering in his mind, and then, with a coldness that didn't seem to belong to him, he ordered: "All ships still in orbit, bomb the planet. I don't want anything to survive. We'll see how the Alliance deals with it."
Voices echoed in the command room, relaying the order to the remaining ships that had survived the counterattack. All eyes turned to Eden Prime, and a devastating volley of gunfire lit up the planet.
An intense flash took over Eden Prime.