Well, what about Hopps? She grew up in the colonies.

She knows how tough life can be out there. Her parents and most of her siblings were killed when slavers attacked Mindoir.

She proved herself during the Blitz, held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived.

She's the only reason Elysium is still standing.

We can't question her courage.

Mammelkind needs a hero. And Judy's the best we got.

I'll make the call.

In the year 2148, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis of this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time.

They called it the greatest discovery in mammal history.

The civilizations of the galaxy call it...

MASS EFFECT.

The SSV Normandy sped through the Sol system towards the Charon Mass Relay. As it did, Judy Hopps, rabbit N7 made her way to the ship's bridge. Clad in the red and black armor of the elite N7 soldiers. Judy had a warm smile on her face as she greeted crewmates of the Normandy. Eventually, she stood on the bridge, right as the Normandy cleared Pluto and jumped through the Sol system's Mass Relay.

"Thrusters... check. Navigation... check, internal emissions sink engaged all systems online. Drift... just under 1500 K." Joker, the hyena pilot of the prototype ship said as he manipulated the holographic console.

"1500 is good; your captain will be pleased." The turian Nihlus said as he left the cockpit.

"I hate that guy." Joke said bitterly.

"Yeah, how dare the badass alien soldier give you a compliment for your piloting, why if I were you, I'd put his hand in warm water!" Said Nick Wilde sarcastically, sitting across from Joker.

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

"Well Paranoid, if you don't like him. You can take it up with the Council since they funded this project. I mean it just makes sense that they'd have someone to keep an eye on their investment. If this were me, you'd bet your spots and stripes that I'd send someone to keep an eye on what I've spent my money on." Nick said.

"Well that's the official story, and only idiots believe the official story. But why send a Specter either way? This is just a shakedown run." Joker said.

"I don't like it either Joker. But so far he's been a decent guest. So I say we try to give him the benefit of the doubt." Judy said diplomatically.

"Well bad feelings are part of the job. We don't go anywhere without a good reason. So what are we doing out in the boonies?" Joker asked.

"Joker, I want a report." The captain of the Normandy, a cape buffalo named Bogo said.

"We cleared the relay. Stealth systems are active. Everything looks solid." Joker said.

"Good, I want you to patch into a comm buoy, and link into the network. I want mission reports relayed to Alliance brass before we get to Eden Prime." Bogo said.

"Aye, aye captain, be advised, Nihlus is not on the bridge and-"

"-he's already with me Joker. Tell Commander Hopps to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing." Bogo said in his normal stern tone.

"Sir I can hear you over internal comms. I'll be right on over." Judy said as she left the bridge.

"Did Bogo sound... angrier than usual?" Nick asked.

"Then it must be a day that ends with Y, he's always in a bad mood, especially when he talks to me," Joker said.

"I remember when that used to be me... don't miss it at all," Nick said with a wry grin. Judy made her way past the galaxy map.

"I understand your concern, Pressley. But, as I've found I need to remind people this. The turian's helped to design this ship." A high pitched voice said over a comm panel.

"Even so, you see that cockatrice. You find someone to get him out of the engine room! Keep him as far away from the IES stealth system as possible!" Pressley, a graying horse said.

"Something the matter, Charles? Or is it just 'the olds'?" Judy said sarcastically.

"What? Oh, I was just talking with Adams about... well you know, our guest." Pressley said.

"What about him?" Judy asked.

"Well... I don't trust Nihlus." Pressley said frankly.

"What? You're just being paranoid." Judy said.

"Am I Commander? My grandfather fought in the First Contact War. He saw first-hoof how ruthless those turians can be." Pressley said.

"Perhaps, but Nihlus wasn't there. So I say we give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides... you should hear Davies rant about batarians. Get him started about them, and he starts snarling like a savage canine." Judy said.

"Yeah I know... still amazed the little guy is sane," Pressley said, referring to Judy's twin brother who served onboard the ship as a tactical and technical adviser.

"Yeah, he's got a lions heart despite his self-doubt," Judy said.

"A trait he shares with you. I mean I was on one of the ships that reinforced Elysium. What you did down there was amazing." Pressley said.

"I was just doing my job, Charles. And I wasn't going to let anyone else lose their homes to 'batarian interests' like my family did on Mindoir. Now I really should be going." Judy said as she left Pressley and found one of her squad mates and the ships doctor. A deer named Jenkins, and an older bunny named Chakwas respectively.

"Hey, Commander Hopps, are you as excited as I am?" Jenkins asked excitedly.

"Jenkins, a litter of puppies couldn't be as excited as you. All I'm hoping that you don't try anything foolish." Chakwas said.

"Hey, Nick using his biotics on me was awesome!" Jenkins said.

"So we'll be going to your homeworld, Jenkins?" Judy asked.

"Yeah, and before you ask Commander. It's everything that everyone says it is and more. Easily the most peaceful planet in the whole galaxy... and why I joined the Marines. Even paradise gets boring." Jenkins said.

"There are safer ways to find excitement then joining the military," Judy said.

"My mother said almost the exact same thing. But this helps people. Protects them from batarians, pirates and whatever else could be lurking out there." Jenkins explained.

"My thoughts exactly when I joined… seems like a lifetime ago that I just want to be a police officer." Judy said wistfully.

"And look at you, one of the youngest N7s in the Alliance. A bunny and your barely even thirty." Chakwas said with pride.

"I hope I can be half the soldier you are Commander," Jenkins said in admiration.

"Well you're taller than me, so you've already got a head start!" Judy joked the three of them laughed.

"That's a good point Commander!" Jenkins said laughed.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I imagine Bogo is getting impatient," Judy said as she left Jenkins and Chakwas, and made her way into the comms room. Inside, rather than captain Bogo was Nihlus.

"This world, Eden Prime, they say it's a paradise," Nihlus said.

"Only crew on board that I know is from there is Jenkins. So I don't really know personally." Judy said.

"I see. Eden Prime is something of a symbol for the species of Earth. Proof, that your kinds can not only colonize worlds. But also defend them, but let me ask you something. How safe is it really?" Nihlus asked ominously.

"That depends, are all you turians all into theatrics Nihlus? Or do you have an actual question?" Judy asked.

"Well, now's the time to bring Judy out of the dark I think," Bogo said as he entered the room.

"Captain Bogo! I-... what have I been kept in the dark about?" Judy asked, saluting Bogo.

"Short answer, a Prothean beacon has been found on Eden Prime," Bogo said bluntly.

"... and this warrants the prototype stealth warship why?" Judy asked.

"Commander Hopps. You do know that all the technology of our age is based on reverse engineered technology from the Proetheans?" Nihlus asked.

"Of course I do. It's one of the few things my brother cares about outside of me, and penguins." Judy said.

"Well as I'm certain you can guess Commander Hopps. A Proethean beacon could provide a significant boon to the galactic community as a whole... and mammelkind as well." Nihlus said.

"Well that is important... but it doesn't answer the million dollar question that's been going around the ship. Why did the Council send you?" Judy asked.

"They want to see if your Specter material," Bogo said bluntly.

"Well, that's just- wait, excuse me?" Judy said in surprise.

"Yes, the Council has sent me to evaluate you as a candidate for Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. I personally have been watching your military career with great interest, particularly your autobiography. 'From the Ashes of Mindoir: A Hero Rises.'" Nihlus said.

"You skipped to the part concerning the Skillian Blitz and Elysium didn't you?" Judy asked.

"Point is Judy. You're going to be the first mammal accepted into the Specters. This is a great honor." Bogo said.

"Furthermore, it'll provide the Systems Alliance greater say and power in Council politics. Perhaps even lead to mammelkind gaining a seat." Nihlus said.

"Yeah, yeah it could, but... why me? I'm a bunny, we're numerous but we're not exactly the physical powerhouses that bigger mammals usually are." Judy said.

"Don't sell yourself short Hopps. Most mammals would have attempted to lead a safe life after what you've been through. But you... you throw yourself into danger at just about every opportunity." Bogo said.

"Uh, captain? Sorry for interrupting anything. But there's a bit of a... complication." Joker said over the ship's comms.

"What manner of complication Joker?" Bogo asked.

"Well... we received a distress beacon, patching it through to the comms room, also. This isn't something to have popcorn with." Joker said as the video began. Alliance marines were being fired on from an unseen enemy.

"GET DOWN!" A female wolf shouted as she pulled a squad-mate to the ground.

"To any Alliance vessels in the vicinity, we need reinforcements! They came out of nowhere! They've attacked the colony, and we're outnumbered!" The wolf said as a low ominous dirge filled the signal, far off over the colony itself, a strange dark ship loomed, red thunder cracking around it.

"And that's the whole thing; the entire planet has basically gone dark," Joker said.

"Rewind to that ship over the colony," Bogo commanded, and Joker did that.

"What the heck kind of ship is that?" Judy asked, squinting in a vain attempt to make out the squid-like starship.

"No idea, but whatever is going on there. This mission just got A LOT more complicated. Commander, assemble your squad and get ready to deploy." Bogo said.

"Yes sir, I'll have Nick and Jenkins ready within the hour," Judy said as she ran out of the comms room.

"Spirits... what could be happening down there?" Nihlus said.

"I just said I have no idea," Bogo said impatiently.

"It was a rhetorical question captain."

"Alright, your first objective will be to secure the Proethean beacon. Secondary objectives are to save civilians, and figure out what you're up against." Bogo said to Judy's squad.

"What about you Nihlus? You're not coming with us?" Jenkins asked of the turian Specter.

"I move faster on my own! I'll catch up with you." Nihlus said as he ran ahead of the squad.

"Do turians not practice the buddy system, or is that just you?" Nick asked, shouting at Nihlus.

"Nick, save your wisecracking for when the mission is over." A voice said over the squad's comm channel.

"Understood Davies, so will you be providing musical accompaniment for this mission brother?" Judy asked.

"I would, but considering that we don't know yet what we're dealing with. I'd rather not risk distracting you guys. For now, I'll just monitor the situation and make certain that you know anything important. Good luck down there Judy." Davies said as the Normandy took off, depositing the squad on the planet's surface.

"Not the homecoming you were looking for, eh Jenkins?" Nick asked, noting the burning buildings on the horizon.

"Nick!" Judy said harshly.

"No Commander, it's alright, really. Was it... was it like this on Mindoir?" Jenkins asked.

"No... There were batarians everywhere bragging about how superior they were. All I hear in the distance are just gunshots and... And some kind of weird noises, sort of like computers trying to function, or ancient dial-up modems." Judy said as the squad made their way to their objective.

"Well, that is kind of weird. Pretty sure batarians just make you want to punch them till your hands bleed." Nick added.

"Agreed nothing in your immediate area yet, but stay vigilant all the same. The enemy could have cloaking technology." Davies said.

The party made their way through the forested region outside the colony. The squad was cut off guard as drones ambushed the squad, gunning down Jenkins. "DAHH! Jenkins vitals just flatlined! Judy, what just happened down there?!" Davies said.

"Short answer, little flying robots shot him!" Judy said as she and Nick ducked into cover and fired back at the drones.

"Well... that was something. And Jenkins is dead, terrific." Nick said when the firefight was over.

"I'm sorry Nick," Judy said sympathetically.

"It happens... Davies, are your ears still ringing?" Nick asked.

"Yes... now keep moving. So far all we know is that the enemy uses automated drones." Davies said as Judy and Nick moved on, fighting their way through more of the drones.

"Nihlus to Commander Hopps, there... there are a lot of dead bodies." Nihlus said, not sounding as stoic as he had been on the Normandy.

"Is the big badass alien agent scarred of a few dead bodies?" Nick said in a teasing voice.

"Corpses are no laughing matter, Wilde," Davies said harshly to Nick.

"Agreed Specialist Davies, that and I think I stepped on one of the smaller mammal species... a vole I think," Nihlus said.

"We're on our way. Have you gotten a good look at who we're dealing with?" Judy asked.

"No, I haven't gotten a visual, over and out," Nihlus said.

"If I see that raptor again, I'm going to drill into his plates the benefits of a good buddy system!" Nick said as he and Judy progressed. Then they saw as a she-wolf, the same one from the distress signal. She fired on a drone as two flashlight headed figures arrived menacingly.

"We got a live one! Let's keep it that way!" Judy said as she and Nick charged in, shooting at the unknown figures. When the firefight ended she and Nick met with the wolf marine.

"Gunnery Chief, Ashley Williams of the 212," Ashley said, out of breath.

"Commander Judy Hopps, SSV Normandy. This is Staff Lieutenant Nick Wilde. Now that we have basic introductions out of the way, what's going on here? What did we just kill?" Judy asked.

"The attack... it was without warning, Commander, their geth!" Ashley said.

"Geth? The robots that quarians created, and then were driven into exile by?" Nick asked.

"You know any other killer robots in this galaxy with that rep Lieutenant? Yes, it's geth!" Ashley said.

"But nobody has seen them in two-hundred, three-hundred years? Point is why are they here? Why now?" Judy asked.

"It has to be that beacon! It's pretty much the only thing worthwhile on this planet." Ashley said.

"Ashley, I need you to calm down and tell me. Are there any other survivors? Where's the beacon?" Judy asked.

"Not sure, my entire squad was wiped out. There may be civilians, but I was too busy. You know, trying to keep ahead of the killer robots!" Ashley said.

"Then let's get going. That beacon ain't going to recover itself!" Nick said as they made their way to the dig site where the beacon was found.

"And of course they moved it!" Nick said in annoyance.

"Nihlus to Hopps, I'm changing plans. I'm going to investigate a small starport nearby." Nihlus said over the comms.

"Roger, be advised we have a Code: Delta-Epsilon-Schwarzenbarer-1984," Judy said.

"Say again? I have no idea what you just said, Commander." Nihlus said.

"That's the one where we have to deal with killer robots. Geth specifically, you found any?" Nick said.

"I see... might I recommend making such codes easier to remember? Or even excise the pop-culture reference altogether? Spector Nihlus, over and out." Nihlus said.

"Think he knows about that movie?" Ashley asked.

"I like to think that quarians consider it a horror movie... which it technically is. But even more so then it's an action or sci-fi flick." Nick said.

"Wilde, stop chattering. Jenkins is dead, killer robots are running amok down there. And they have their grubby appendages on the beacon!" Davies said in annoyance.

"Davies, I know you're frustrated. But please, PLEASE. Don't take it out on Nick. Now can you track Nihlus?" Judy asked.

"No, some manner of Council tech is blocking my scanners. Not sure why he'd do that. But hopefully, this won't bite us in the tails somewhere down the road." Davies said as the squad progressed. They then found more geth, specifically, they were forcing a hippopotamus onto a device... which then shot an enormous spike through the hippo's chest.

"Okay... that's easily the most messed up thing I've seen since we dropped." Nick said as the hippo in question, as well as a number of other mammals, were turned into cybernetic zombies.

"And that is just wrong!" Ashley said as the spikes descended to allow the zombiefied mammals to charge at the squad. They were fairly easy to deal with as the squad fired on their heads.

"Davies... how much of that did you see?" Judy asked.

"Far... far too much, I mean just killing them I could handle but THAT... I'm going to compile a file on those... zombies and spikes." Davies said in shock.

"It's going to be alright. We'll get the beacon, get out, and tell the Alliance what's happened here." Judy said reassuringly. Eventually, the three arrived at a shack, after a few attempts Judy got the door opened.

"You know if you let me at it. This thing would be opened on the first try." Nick said, Judy just rolled her eyes as they went inside to find two scientists. A raccoon and a horse respectively.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The raccoon said.

"Easy there Dr. Warren. Are you and Manuel alright?" Ashley asked.

"We have beheld an agent of Armageddon, an avatar of woe and destruction, as he led his soulless legions to the bloody slaughter." The horse Manuel said ominously.

"I'm going to say 'no'. No he isn't alright." Nick said.

"Did you see a turian?" Judy asked. "Yes... we both saw the marshal. He descended from his dread ship." Manuel rambled ominously.

"No... Nihlus came down with us. We didn't know about any other turians on Eden Prime before you said so." Judy said.

"No... No, we haven't seen any turians aside from the one leading the geth. I know it sounds absurd. But at the time that's what it looked like." Dr. Warren said.

"Well that's not terrifying now is it?" Ashley said sardonically.

"You should be afraid she-wolf. For fear will soon be the least of your worries" Manuel said.

"Let's not bring species into this!" Nick said.

"And what of the beacon, you have any idea what it is?" Judy asked.

"We haven't had much time to do proper research on it. But we think it might be part of some Prothean interstellar communications network." Dr. Warrens said.

"How can such things matter, when the end of days is upon us? The age of mammals is over and-"

"Manuel! Stop it! I'm sorry for my assistant, he's taken medication... but it only works if he's asleep." Dr. Warren said.

"Well, we need to move. Stay here, and don't move until an all-clear is sounded." Judy said as she and her squad left.

Meanwhile, at the Starport, Nihlus was hiding in cover from the geth. He leaned out, and saw his friend and mentor Saren. "Saren? What are you doing here?" Nihlus asked in surprise.

"I was sent to monitor your mission," Saren said.

"Well to put it simply... it's gone to hell. The beacon is missing, and geth are crawling all over the colony." Nihlus said as he turned his back on Saren.

"Relax, everything is under control," Saren said in a menacing tone as he pulled out a pistol.

"GAH, NIHLUS HAS FLAT-LINED! I repeat! Nihlus has flat-lined!" Davies shouted.

"And how many times have I chided that cockatrice about the buddy system?" Nick said.

"We don't know that for certain. It could be just a malfunction with the software." Judy said as she and her squad made their way to the spaceport. Then a massive ship flew off into space.

"What the?... what kind of ship was that?" Judy asked.

"No clue, but it's what brought the geth here," Ashley said. And then they had to fight their way through geth, and what Davies had dubbed 'husks'. After that was done, Nick hacked into a shack.

"What are you doing?" Ashley asked.

"Hey, there might be something we can use inside," Nick said as the door opened, inside were some farmers.

"Don't shoot we're un-... oh. You're not geth." A moose said.

"No, Commander Judy Hopps. Are you alright?" Judy asked.

"No... Our lively-hoods are gone. We don't know where our loved ones are. My name is Cole... for what it's worth." Cole explained.

"I see... well we've got to go. Save what's left of this colony." Judy said as she and her squad proceeded to leave.

"Come on Cole; let's get the goods out of hiding." An elk said, just loud enough for Judy, but none of her other squad mates to hear.

"What's this about 'goods'... are you smuggling?" Judy asked.

"Really… Commander? We're under attack by homicidal robots, and you think that dealing with alleged smugglers is worth your time?" Cole asked in disbelief.

"Cole... the Systems Alliance was built on the rule of law. Now if you GIVE me and my friends here whatever 'goods' you've got. I might look the other way." Judy said her infamous smile on her face.

"...fine! There in a safe in the back. Just get it and get lost!" Cole said in annoyance as Judy and her squad got the gear and left.

"And if we could get the name of your contact?" Judy asked sweetly.

"Powell! He's a lion named Powell! Just go!" Cole said in aggravation.

Judy and her squad made their way into the starport. And quickly found Nihlus's dead body. "Well, Davies... you were right. Nihlus is dead. Tell Bogo if he want's someone to shout at. Aim it at Jeff." Nick said.

"Noted... also, if you could recover some geth wrecks for me, foot soldiers, drones, whatever. I'd... like to perform some experiments, and not a word out of you Wilde." Davies said.

"What? I didn't say anything." Nick said. "Oh, but I know you were thinking it Red," Davies said.

"Wait! I hear something by those crates!" Ashley said.

"Now don't go stealing my thing Gunnery Chief," Judy said as her squad drew rifles.

"Don't shoot! I'm one of you!" A lion said, sticking his head out from the crates.

"Did you see what happened to this turian?" Judy asked.

"Y-Yes... this other turian just... just shot him in the back! His name is Saren, and I think he was friends with that other tutian. As if my day hasn't been bad enough with killer robots running amok!" The lion said.

"Hmm... tell me. What are you doing back there anyway? What's your name?" Nick asked. "P-Powell. I-I take naps, it's what actually saved my life when the attack started." Powell stuttered.

"Ah... so you'd be the contact of a couple of smugglers? We met Cole and his buddies." Nick said.

"...fine. Do you want my stuff? It's in that crate over there." Powell said.

"Thank you, don't worry. The geth won't be here for long." Nick said reassuringly as the squad progressed. Fighting their way through more geth and their husk minions. Eventually, they arrived at a train car and used that to go further into the spaceport.

"Judy, I've detected a number of heat signatures on the next platform..." Davies said worriedly.

"What kind of heat signatures?" Judy asked.

"The kind that, if not dealt with quickly, WILL EXPLODE... probably with enough force to destroy the entire colony!" Davies said.

"Understood, just ping the bombs... also; what have I told you about shouting into the comm channel?" Judy said.

"Sorry... but the bombs are on a timer! So get your tails in gear!" Davies said.

Judy and her squad wasted no time in shooting geth and disabling the bombs. Eventually the platforms were cleared of geth, and the bombs were disabled with seconds to spare. "Okay... are we done? Are we done here?" Nick said in exhaustion.

"Yeah... I think we're done. Davies, get me a private channel to Captain Bogo. We've found the Prothean beacon." Judy said, as the three of them now we're near to the beacon.

"Is it supposed to be glowing like that?" Nick asked, the Prothean beacon glowing green.

"No, it wasn't when it was dug up," Ashley said as Nick approached the beacon.

"-Alright, ETA in five," Judy said, and then the beacon started to behave strangely, pulling Nick towards it.

"Nick! GET OUT OF THERE!" Judy shouted as she kicked Nick away from the beacon. Then the beacon lifted her up and showed horrifying images to her.

It almost felt like a hammer to the head when she awoke in the Normandy's medbay. "Judy! Doctor Chakwas she's waking up!" Nick said as Judy slowly brought herself up from the bed.

"Easy Commander, we don't entirely know what happened to you," Chakwas said.

"That makes two of us... what happened? The last thing I really remember was knocking Nick away from the beacon." Judy said.

"Yeah... sorry about that Carrots. Curiosity nearly killed the fox... and knocked you into a coma." Nick said.

"Just... don't EVER go near alien artifacts like that ever again. Or I will shave you and make you look like a naked mole rat for your troubles." Judy said, still groggy.

"Promises, promises and before you ask... it blew up," Nick said.

"But we defused the bombs," Judy said.

"Yep... but the beacon... it went 'boom'. So yeah all things considered. The mission failed and we're lucky to get out with our pelts intact." Nick said, and then Captain Bogo entered the room.

"Everyone clear out, I want to speak with Hopps personally," Bogo said. Nobody raised any objections, but Judy's ears drooped at what her commanding officer was going to say.

"So... the beacon is destroyed, Nihlus is dead, Jenkins is dead, and Eden Prime is effectively a ghost town. Its people either dead or hiding" Bogo summarized.

"I'm... I'm so sorry Captain. That mission was just one stupid screw-up after another." Judy said apologetically.

"Yes, Davies's report said as much, but believe it or not... I'm more concerned about a rogue Spector then a dead one." Bogo said.

"What?" Judy asked in surprise.

"Nihlus's killer, that lion Powell said that his name was Saren," Bogo said with a look of clear disgust on his face.

"Who's Saren anyway? I've never heard of him before Eden Prime." Judy asked.

"Turian and he hates mammals, fought on Shearxi during the First Contact War. Has no semblance of mercy or basic conscious, and now he's found himself an army of geth, and a ship larger than even the Citadel's flagship. I don't know what we've stumbled into... but I can tell you this much Hopps. This isn't going to end anytime soon." Bogo said.

"Oh... where are we? The ship I mean?" Judy asked.

"We're going to the Citadel to plead our case with the Council. Ambassador Lionheart will be waiting for us... and with any luck, we'll actually get something done about the steaming pile of horse-pie we've walked in." Bogo said.

"I take it you don't have much faith in the Council?" Judy asked.

"Hopps, if they'd listen instead of sitting on their hands. They could get so much done. But as it stands, probably the only thing they'll even acknowledge would be geth beyond the veil. Everything else... you have to understand something about Specters Hopps. There untouchable to the law. Hell, the entire position exists specifically to do the things to maintain the galaxy that everyone would frown on." Bogo said at length.

"Well to be fair, nobody's really talked about Specters before the mission... heck Jenkins was the most excited and her barely said anything about them," Judy said.

"Well, as long as Specters do what they're told, the Council turns a blind eye to the 'how's' and the 'why's' of how a Specter does there job. Or what happens during a mission, and I could write a book going on at length about this." Bogo said.

"Then why even make me be a Specter at all?" Judy asked, confused.

"Well for starters. You've got a good heart; you'll keep that little nose of yours clean. Furthermore, you're pretty much the soldier's soldier. I had my doubts about you when I first met you, but after what you and Wilde pulled off on Elysium well... well that pretty much smashed any doubts I had." Bogo said.

"Yeah... and I was shore leave when that happened. And I ended up turning a professional con artist away from a life of... ambiguously legal crimes." Judy said, then she clenched at her forehead as one of the visions from the beacon flashed violently.

"Getting those headaches from Davies?" Bogo joked.

"No... No, it's... it's something from the beacon I think. Visions... death, destruction and... I'm sorry but nothing in it makes any sense." Judy said.

"I see... well Jokers ready to dock with the Citadel. He's only waiting for your word." Bogo said.

"I will... but first I have to talk to Davies. Poor guy must be terrified of everything that's happened." Judy said she then made her way to the garage where Davies was working on the remains of a dead geth. "Davies!" Judy said Davies looked in her direction in surprise.

"Judy...? Judy!" Davies said as he tackled his sister into a hug. "Bless you your awake!" Davies said happily.

"Come on Davies! You know I hate that." Judy said giggling.

"Your mouth says no, but your mouth... also says no. Come on, you owe me a proper game session. I'd be mad at you giving me a rain check but. A colony was under attack." Davies said as he and Judy stood back up.

"So, what're you up to down here... with dead geth?" Judy asked.

"Well, you remember that old armature walker we used to have on the farm?" Davies asked as the two returned to his workbench.

"How could I? That thing was the only way mom and dad could get you to do any work outside." Judy said.

"Well with these dead geth as a base of sorts. I might be able to work out how to make a fully functioning combat suit for me to use." Davies said. Judy rolled her eyes.

"Davies... we've been over this. You can't-"

"Engage in direct combat. I heard you the first few dozen times, which is exactly why I'm working on the suit at all! So that I can help you... help my sis save the galaxy." Davies said. Judy merely hoped inside that he wouldn't start ranting about batarians again. "I mean... Mindoir was bad enough. But at least batarians, one MIGHT be able to reason with them, appeal to what little mercy they may have by and large. But the geth... how the heck would they even have the technology to create husks like what you saw down there?" Davies said.

"Davies... I understand you want to help. But... well you remember the one time you did kill." Judy said, gesturing to a strand with batarian eyes on it. A gruesome trophy from Mindoir

"Yes... I was so consumed by my anger... I just... I just." Davies said, shaking like a leaf.

"It's alright Davies... everything's going to be alright," Judy said as she hugged her brother.

"I know... I know... but what if... what if what happened on Eden Prime was simply the beginning? The vanguard to something even worse, than just robots slaughtering colonists, and turning them into cyber-zombies, a war that could consume the entire galaxy, like some manner of a forest fire, something... something that could even kill you?" Davies said fearfully.

"We've survived this far. We'll survive a robot apocalypse." Judy said.

"I'll hold you to that... so... we're going to the Citadel?" Davies said, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, want to come up to the bridge? I've heard the first sight is something to behold." Judy asked.

"Thanks but no thanks," Davies said.

"Davies... one of these days I'm going to get you to enjoy some part of this galaxy," Judy said with a smile as she left the garage.

"Now that, that promise I won't hold you to," Davies said as Judy got on the elevator out of the garage. "Oh, and Garry said that the elevators have been slow lately so you should..." Davies said as the elevator door closed. "...never-mind. You probably already knew anyway… or will know" He said awkwardly to himself.