Prologue: Earth

AN's: Well, here we go. Part Two of A New Battleground. I have nothing more to say, so right into it!

Earth. Vancouver, Canada. Systems Alliance Headquarters. March 27, 2186.

The former Commander John Shepard stood at the window of his small 'apartment' overlooking the city. A small child was playing with a model of an Alliance fighter craft below, and that made Shepard smile a bit. The door opened behind him, and his 'guard', Lieutenant James Vega, stepped in, saluting.

"Commander."

"You're not supposed to call me that anymore, James."

"Not supposed to salute you, either. Come on. The Defense Committee wants to see you."

"Sounds important." Shepard said as he tossed the datapad he was reading onto the bunk.

"Did they say what they wanted?" He asked James.

"No. Just that they wanted to see you. Now."

Shepard noticed a friendly face heading towards him in the sea of Alliance officers: Admiral Anderson. The former Councilor had stepped down amidst a Cerberus plot to kidnap one of his close friends, and his advisor, Donnell Udina, had taken over.

"Anderson." Shepard said.

"Admiral." James said.

"You look good, Shepard. Maybe a little soft around the edges. How are you holding up since being relieved from duty?" Anderson commented.

"It's not so bad once you get used to the hot food and soft beds."

"We'll get that sorted out."

"Why's everyone in such a hurry?"

"Something big is coming, Shepard. Whole systems have gone dark."

"The Reapers?"

"We don't know. Not for certain."

"What else could it be?"

"If I knew that…"

"You know, we're not prepared for them if it is."

"Try telling that to the Committee."

"Unless we're planning to talk the Reapers to death, the Committee is a waste of time."

"They're just scared. They haven't seen what you've seen. You faced down a Reaper. Hell, you talked to one, and then you blew the damn thing up. You've see how they harvest us, what they plan to do to us. Hell, you know this enemy better than anyone."

Shepard stopped dead in his tracks. "That why they grounded me? Took away my ship?"

Anderson rounded on him. "You know that's not true. The shit you've done, any other soldier would've been tried, court-martialed and discharged. It's your knowledge of the Reapers that kept that from happening."

"That, your good word, and my bringing them the best damn soldier this side of the Orion Arm?"

"I trust you, Shepard, and so does the Committee. But leave Andrea out of this. She had nothing to do with the decision."

"What would've happened to her if she hadn't enlisted?"

"It wasn't my call, Shepard, so I don't know."

By now, the trio had reached the waiting room for the Defense Committee. They were immediately directed in, and as they walked through, two very familiar women were walking back.

"Lieutenant-Commander. Staff-Commander. How'd it go?" Anderson asked.

"Hell if I know, sir. I still think they hold a grudge because I helped defeat the Collectors with Cerberus, but that's just me. I'm just waiting for orders now." Alliance Marine Corps Staff Commander Andrea Bartus responded.

"Me too." Lieutenant-Commander Ashley Williams added.

Andrea looked over and noticed Shepard.

"Shepard!"

She walked over and shook his hand. She still looked exactly the same as the last time he had seen her, which had been ten months before.

"Good to see you again, Andrea."

"You too. Feels like a god's-age since our escapades on the Normandy, huh?"

"It does. How's the Alliance treating you?"

"Pretty well. I got a transfer back to the Normandy, so at least I'm back on familiar turf, and the marines hold a lot of respect for me, even if I helped you with the Collectors."

"Heard anything from Jacob?" Shepard asked.

Andrea and Jacob Taylor had grown very close on the Normandy while it was a Cerberus ship, but after the crew's assault on the Collector base, the two had gone separate ways.

"Nothing. He's silent."

"Shepard. The Committee is ready. Come on. Staff-Commander, report back to the Normandy, make sure everything is ready for a quick takeoff. We may need it." Anderson called.

"Yes, sir. We'll catch up more later, Shepard. Good luck in there. I hope they don't tear you a new ass."

"Thanks."

Anderson and Shepard entered the Committee chambers, which was bustling with activity.

"What's the situation?" Shepard asked.

"We were hoping you would tell us." One answered.

An attendant handed Shepard a datapad.

"Whole systems have gone dark. We've lost contact with everything beyond the Sol Relay."

"You've brought me here to confirm what you already know:" Shepard began.

"The Reapers are here."

The room went silent as everyone there took in what he said.

"Then how do we stop them?"

"Stop them? This isn't about strategy or tactics, this is about survival. The Reapers are more advanced than we are, more powerful. More intelligent. They don't fear us. And they'll never take pity on us." Shepard told them.

"But… there must be some way."

"If we're going to have any chance at surviving this, we have to stand together."

"That's it? That's our plan?"

"Admiral, we've lost contact with Luna Base." An attendant told Anderson.

"The moon? They couldn't be that close already."

"How'd they get past our defenses?"

"Sir, UK headquarters has a visual."

The vid screen nearby came to life, showing the assembled people images of the monsters as they landed and started destroying everything in their path.

"Why haven't we heard from Admiral Hackett?" Anderson asked.

"What do we do?" One of the Committee asked.

Shepard turned and stepped forward a few steps.

"The only thing we can." He began.

"We fight…"

He pointed at the screens.

"Or we die."

"We should get to the Normandy." Anderson told Shepard.

Then they all heard a terrifying droning noise. The clouds overhead sparked with red lightning, and a giant claw came through, followed by the rest of the gigantic Reaper. It shot a red beam out, and Shepard knew what came next.

"Move!" He shouted as he took off.

The windows behind them shattered from the force, and the room was thrown into chaos as the gigantic desk where the Committee sat was flung towards the other side of the room. Shepard took a running slide away, and was thrown back as the Reaper fired again. He hit the wall and rolled to the ground, nearly out cold.

When he came to, everything was muted.

"Shepard!"

He began to get his hearing back, and sat up.

"Shepard!"

Then he noticed Anderson running over.

"Shepard! Come on, get up." He said as he helped the former Commander up.

"Here, take this."

Anderson handed him an M-3 Predator heavy pistol.

"We've got to get moving."

The pair took off for the hole where the giant window had been.

"This is Admiral Anderson. Report in. Anyone?"

There was a slight pause as Anderson searched for frequencies.

"Staff Commander, is that you? What's your status?"

Andrea was alive. That made Shepard feel better. They would need the Spartan at a time like this.

"I can't raise the Normandy, you'll have to contact them. We'll meet you at the landing zone. Anderson out."

"Let's move." He told Shepard as they ran for the spaceport where the Normandy was docked.

As they ran, Anderson established another link to Andrea.

"Staff Commander, you read me? I'm patching in Shepard."

"We're almost to the Normandy. I've got Lieutenant Vega and Lieutenant-Commander Williams with me. We're taking heavy fire. Lieutenant, concentrate on those Husks!"

"We're about five minutes out." Anderson reported.

The link went bad as they kept moving.

"Husks!"

The soldiers shot the walking corpses as they climbed the building next to them.

"I'm out of ammo!" Anderson reported.

They went down a ladder, and three more Husks ran to the building, oblivious to the two humans. Shepard killed one before he too ran out of ammo.

"Looks like we're gonna have to take these things out the old-fashioned way." Anderson said.

Shepard vaulted the low wall he was behind and smacked each of the Husks with the butt of his pistol, killing each with a single blow. A final Husk climbed the wall nearby, and Shepard beat it down as well.

The Reaper nearby made that distinct droning sound and launched a beam straight at the building. Shepard took a few steps back, and then ran and slid to evade the shattering glass.

In the next room, there was a sealed door, but when Shepard opened it, a Husk appeared on the other side. A blade materialized on Shepard's left wrist, and he drove it into the Husk, killing it. He then opened the door the rest of the way and kept it open for Anderson.

"This way."

Anderson ducked through, and Shepard heard the vent duct nearby rattle, as if someone was in there. Upon investigation, he found a small boy in the duct, the same one he had seen playing with the model Alliance fighter before.

"It's okay…" He began.

"Everyone's dying."

"Come here. I need to get you somewhere safe. Take my hand."

"You can't help me." The boy said.

"Shepard." Anderson said from the door.

"In here."

When Shepard turned back to the kid, he was gone. He followed Anderson through the door, and into a mess of supports and flames.

"This is a goddamned mess." Anderson said as he lifted up a fallen beam.

"Every minute these machines are here, thousands of innocent people die. I won't be responsible."

"It's hard enough fighting a war. It's even harder knowing no matter how hard you try, you can't save them all." Shepard told him.

"Exactly."

Shepard followed the Admiral through the wreckage.

"They hit so fast. I thought we'd have more time."

"We knew they were coming."

"And they still just cut through our defenses. We need to go to the Citadel. Talk to the Council."

"The Citadel? The fight's here." Shepard retorted.

"It'll be everywhere soon enough. You said it yourself: The Reapers will destroy everything if we don't stop them. The Council has to help us." Anderson explained as they navigated the rubble and found a small ledge to navigate the building from.

"You sure about that?"

"No. But you're a Council Spectre. That has to count for something."

The room shook, and Shepard nearly lost his balance, until Anderson caught him.

"Gotcha!"

Thanks. I owe you one." Shepard said as they kept inching their way across.

"More than one."

Shepard grabbed a few thermal clips and loaded one into his pistol.

"Staff-Commander, we're in sight of the spaceport. ETA: three minutes."

"We've made it to the Normandy. Taking heavy fire- Oh, shit! They're gonna take down the dreadnought! Evasive maneuvers!"

Then, said dreadnought was shot by a Reaper and blew up, the shockwaves taking Shepard and Anderson off their feet, and tipping the platform they were on, sending both hurtling down onto a small landing.

"Normandy, we're going to reroute, do you copy?"

Garbled.

"Normandy, come in." Anderson hailed.

Down below was a pair of marines, with one trapped under a piece of metal. Shepard and Anderson dropped down and walked over.

"You two all right?" Shepard asked.

"Get down! They'll see you!" One said.

Too late. The Reaper creations known as Cannibals roared and opened fire, but Shepard killed all three with lethal precision.

"What happened here?" Anderson asked as Shepard walked over.

"Our gunship was shot down… we barely made it." One said.

"You have a radio? We're trying to contact our ship." Anderson said.

"No. There's one in the gunship, but it's gonna be crawling with those things."

"Stay here, son. We'll get you out of here." Anderson said as he and Shepard lifted the piece of metal, allowing the trapped soldier to move, and then dropped it, forming a bridge.

"Come on, let's get to that gunship."

They crossed the makeshift bridge and found more Cannibals around the gunship wreck. Shepard cloaked and went around behind them, opening fire when he got to position. He found a fallen M8 Avenger on the ground, and as he picked it up, Anderson found the radio.

"Normandy, this is Anderson… do you read?"

"Admiral. What's your location?" Andrea asked.

"By a downed gunship in the harbor, I'm activating its distress beacon. Send support. We've got wounded down here."

The next transmission broke up.

"Staff-Commander?"

No response.

"Damnit! I lost the signal."

"Let's hope that beacon does its job." Shepard said.

"And fast, we've got company!" Anderson said as more Cannibals swarmed their position.

"Hope they get here soon." Anderson said as Shepard slapped in his last thermal clip.

"You and me both!"

As Shepard used up the last of his clip, a familiar ship swooped in.

"Cavalry's here, gentlemen!"

The ship fired a pair of missiles, which eliminated the rest of the Cannibals.

"About time!" Anderson said as the ship turned and hovered near a large piece of metal.

The Normandy SR-2 had gotten a repaint since Shepard had last been on it. Instead of the white and orange Cerberus colors, it now had a silver and blue paintjob, and now sported the Alliance insignia where the Cerberus logo had once been.

"Let's go!" Shepard shouted as he slid over the cover he was behind.

As they ran up the piece of metal, the ship turned and opened up the shuttle bay, with Andrea and Ashley leading a pair of Alliance Marines to cover Shepard and Anderson. Shepard took a running jump in, and Ashley stabilized him as he landed.

"Welcome home, Shep." Andrea said.

"Thanks."

Anderson didn't jump.

"Shepard, Andrea!"

"Come on!" Shepard shouted back.

A shuttle flew in and landed.

"I'm not going."

Shepard gave him a confused look.

"You saw those men back there. There's a million more like them, and they need a leader."

"Anderson, I swear to God, if you stay, I'm-" Andrea began.

"No. You need to help Shepard. He'll need you more than we will."

"Admiral-"

"Don't make me make that an order."

"Okay. Stay alive, Admiral." Andrea said as she shook her head and walked back inside the ship.

"We need every species, and all their ships, to even have a chance at defeating the Reapers. Talk to the Council. Convince them to help us." Anderson told Shepard.

"What if they won't listen?"

"Then make them listen! Now, go! And that is an order."

"I don't take orders from you anymore, remember?"

Anderson pulled out a pair of dog tags and threw them to Shepard.

"Consider yourself reinstated."

"Commander."

Shepard looked at the tags, and then back at Anderson.

"You know what you have to do."

"I'll be back for you, and I'll bring every fleet I can."

"Good luck." Shepard finished.

"You too, Shepard. Take care of Andrea for me."

"I will." He said.

The bay closed as the Normandy took off, heading for orbit and the Charon Relay, which could take them to the Citadel.

Shepard and Ashley, along with James, followed Andrea into the bay, with James practically interrogating the Commander as they went.

"What the hell's going on? Where's Anderson? Where are we going?"

Shepard ignored his questions.

"Hey!" The Lieutenant shouted.

"We're leaving." Shepard answered.

"Leaving?"

"What's going on?" Andrea asked.

"Anderson's ordered us to the Citadel, to get help for the fight." The Commander explained.

"Bullshit! He wouldn't order us to leave." James argued.

"We don't have a choice. Without help, this war's already over."

"Forget it, drop me off someplace-" James started.

"Cut the shit, Lieutenant! Don't you think I'd rather stay and fight?" Andrea cut in.

"We're going to the Citadel, you want out, you can catch a ride back from there." Shepard added.

"Commander!"

"Joker, that you?"

"Alive and kicking. Got an emergency transmission from Admiral Hackett for you." The helmsman responded.

"Patch it through."

The terminal in front of Shepard showed the Admiral, but the video was breaking up, and the audio was cracked in places.

"Shepard… sustained heavy losses… force was overwhelming…no way we can defeat them conventionally…"

"Anderson's already ordered us to the Citadel, to talk to the Council."

"First, I need you to…iance outpost on Mars…ore we lose control of the system."

"Yes, sir." Shepard said, saluting.

"…been researching the Prothean Archives with Dr. T'Soni… found a way to stop the Reapers… only way to stop them… in contact soon. Hackett out."

"Joker, set a course for the Mars Archives."

"Mars? Roger that." The helmsman replied.

"This is loco!" James said to Andrea and Ashley.

"Why Mars? What does he think we'll find there?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know, but if it helps us win this war…" Shepard said as he grabbed his pistol and his N7 armor.

"Grab your gear." He said.