This is the first chapter to my series, "The Arrival Has Come". Reviews are welcome and encouraged. The story is set after the Arrival DLC and leads into Mass Effect 3. Not sure how far into the story I will go.

*There are some spoilers ahead for ME3.*

As with all disclaimers, I do not own Bioware or Mass Effect, but I certainly wish I did.

The Arrival Has Come
Chapter One: Summons

"Do whatever you have to do out here. But when Earth calls you, you make sure you're there with your dress blues on, ready to take the hit," said Alliance Admiral Steven Hackett.

That conversation had been months ago, seemingly in another lifetime to Commander Tiberius "T" Shepard. And he even knew what it was like to have another lifetime. Literally.

But in this lifetime, the one that had him resurrected by Cerberus, he was once again answering to the Alliance.

Commander Shepard,

It is the responsibility of the Systems Alliance to maintain peace and harmony throughout the galaxy and to lay to rest any threats against such ideas. As such, your recent actions against the batarian race, particularly the former colony of Aratoht, have dismantled the core of what the Alliance stands for.

Action has been demanded from the Admiralty Board. In order to maintain galactic peace, and peace between the batarians and the Systems Alliance, you have been called to Earth for a hearing on the subject of your decisions.

Despite your Spectre status, which exempts you from Alliance command, you were on assignment from Admiral Steven Hackett, Fifth Fleet, and were therefore an extension of the Alliance.

As such, your hearing will be held on Earth at the Systems Alliance Headquarters at Vancouver Central Station. You have three days from the date of your receiving of this message to attend your hearing. If you fail to answer this summons and arrive at the hearing, you will be in violation of Alliance protocol and a warrant will be sent out for your arrest.

You will stand before the Admiralty Board. This is only a hearing, not a legislative trial. You are allowed to bring witnesses to bear testimony to your actions, but keep in mind that anything you or a witness says can and will be held against you.

Sincerely,

Major Caleb Antella

Department of Naval Internal Affairs

Shepard sighed, aggravated. There was no mention of the impending arrival of the Reapers. He was sure that Admiral Hackett had done his damndest to get the admirals to listen to him, but it hadn't been enough. While the Systems Alliance and the Council were worried about galactic peace, they should have been worried about the galactic destruction of every organic life form.

"Shit," Tiberius cursed under his breath.

Yeoman Kelly Chambers snapped her head around to look at Shepard.

"Something wrong, Commander?"

Shepard rubbed the back of his head and stormed off towards the cockpit without answering Kelly's question. He heard Joker and EDI bantering about FTL drives and the Normandy's capabilities, but upon his arrival in the cockpit, all talk ceased.

"Joker, set a course for the Local Cluster," Tiberius said.

"The Local Cluster?" asked Joker, scoffing. "As in…Earth?"

"Yup. That would be the one."

"Something going on, Commander?"

"I've been called to Earth by the Alliance for a hearing."

"Right, right," said Joker as he uploaded the course to the Normandy's interface.

"Commander, what is the nature of this visit?" asked EDI's synthesized voice.

"The Admiralty Board wants me to pay for upsetting the galactic peace."

"Was there any mention of, 'Hey the Reapers might be coming, so hurry it up'?" asked Joker.

"None."

"God, I hate these guys already."

"We'll just see what happens when we get there."

"Commander, I'll go with you," Jacob volunteered. "I was an Alliance soldier. I'll speak for you."

"Thanks for that, Jacob," said Tiberius, "but since you joined Cerberus, I don't think it's a good idea for you to speak on my behalf."

"I suppose you're right," the former Corsair nodded.

"What about me, Shepard? I was in Citadel Security and I've known you a long time," said Garrus.

"But you quit, and then went vigilante."

Tiberius sighed as he looked at the members of his team – or what was left of it since the departure of a few after they hit the Collector base.

There was Jack. No way in hell am I letting her speak for me, Tiberius said to himself.

Miranda? No, she had been a Cerberus loyalist, up to the point that the Illusive Man had told her to stop Shepard from destroying the Collector base. Her change in heart and motivation had been a turn for the better in Shepard's eyes, but the Admiralty Board would only see an attractive pair of breasts and a Cerberus stain on her record.

There was Thane. A drell. An assassin at that. Alliance Command thought assassins equal to mercenaries.

Grunt, Mordin, Samara, Legion… They were all gone. They left after the mission was over. Tali left but promised to find Shepard once she straightened things out with the flotilla. Liara? She was still busy adjusting to her life as the new Shadow Broker. Too busy keeping tabs on everyone else and monitoring the underworld of the galaxy to assist an old friend.

No… What Shepard really needed was an Alliance soldier to speak for him. Someone like…

Kaidan. Or Ashley.

But Kaidan had been blown to pieces on Virmire. Shepard still woke up sweating in the middle of the night seeing the lieutenant's face in his dreams. Along with the dead men from Shepard's squad on Akuze, Kaidan's ghost still haunted him.

And Ashley.

God, he wished things had been different. He wished she didn't see Cerberus as the enemy back then all those months ago on Horizon. He thought they were a bunch of sick bastards, but they were the only ones doing anything to stop the Collectors and the Reapers.

If she were still here – or even if she just communicated with Shepard at all – she'd speak on his behalf. But as it was, her only message to him had been a curt apology and a wish that he didn't die in his upcoming mission. Any hope that Tiberius thought that they had together in the future flew out the window when she called him a traitor. But it didn't stop him from losing hope altogether.

He was a firm believer in second chances.

Thinking back to the situation at hand, he realized that not even Chakwas or Joker was in a good position to be a witness for him at the hearing.

Damn, Tiberius thought to him. He was screwed.

"Let's just get there first," he said to his team. "Let's see what the plan is and then go from there."

"Will there be time for shore leave?" asked Jack. A devilish grin displayed itself upon her pouty lips. He imagined that she was already formulating her sinister plans. For what? Damned if he knew.

"Afraid not," Tiberius replied. "Those of you who don't come with me to the hearing should stay put on the Normandy. I don't know how Alliance Command would feel about having ex-Cerberus operatives run amok at headquarters, and I don't want to risk any unnecessary confrontations with people who've heard that the Normandy housed Cerberus' people. Are we clear?"

Jacob saluted. "Yes, sir, Commander."

The rest of the team nodded and acknowledged their understanding.

"Five minutes from headquarters, Commander," said Joker over the comm channel.

This is just the warm up. Reviews please!