Chapter 1

My comments :

Hello all! My name is Espie and I am an actual writer. This is my first fanfiction. I absolutely love the Mass Effect trilogy. I've beaten and re-beaten it. This particular story will take place after the events of Mass Effect 3. Anything that happened is up here, so, spoilers are evident. Within this, Shepard would have made the following choices. Shepard's history is an Infiltrator and Sole Survivor Colonist (in other words, her life sucks). Shepard took control of the Reapers.

I will not mention Shepard by her name! There will also be a few Reapers I mention by name other that Harbinger and Sovereign. These Reapers hold no significant importance to the game, but are merely there to help give names to 'faces'.

Now that, that is out of the way, I just have one more thing to say. Reviews are welcome! They will definitely convince me to write more. Otherwise, I want you to review or PM me to just tell me what you think!

The Story :

Joker sighed as he looked over the controls. The Normandy was currently docked at the Citadel. No one had wanted to touch it, because it was one of the few memories on the late Commander Shepard. Joker was the only one who remained on the Normandy, aside from EDI. He had been there for three years since the final fight. The one he lost Shepard in.

Joker shook his head. Despite what everyone had said, he still felt responsible. He should have stayed and picked her up. Instead he had left her. After that, even the crew dispersed. If it wasn't for the SR-2 still being around, Joker could've sworn that he was back during that first Collector attack.

Garrus had been alternating between Omega and Palaven. Even then, he barely talked to anyone. Kaidan was as silent as Garrus, but he was on the Citadel. He wouldn't even visit the Normandy because it hurt him too much. Tali had gone back to the Flotilla, but at least she still talked to him. No one really knows where Liara went. Every once in a while though, Joker would receive a message from her. Apparently, Javik had gone with her. James had left for his N7 training, and was usually too busy to message anyone.

EDI's calming voice sounded from behind him, "Jeff? You have a message. It seemed urgent."

Joker sighed, but found himself smiling a little. He turned and stared at EDI's platform. "Alright. Thank you EDI. Did you read it?"

EDI took her normal place at the co-pilot's seat. "No. It was addressed to you."

Joker laughed, turning back to the controls. "Alright. Though I can't see why you didn't." He pulled up the message.

"It was addressed to you," she repeated, looking at him in confusion.

Pilot Jeff "Joker" Moreau,

While scanning through Commander Shepard's memories, we saw you as a trusted ally and friend. I am referred to as Monarch. One year after the end of the war, I retrieved a part of what your people dubbed 'The Crucible'. This specific piece had frozen everything inside and would not allow entry to any being other than a reaper. Inside was the previously mentioned being, Commander Shepard.

Joker froze. He looked at EDI. "The Commander was inside the Crucible that whole time?" He looked down. "Dammit."

EDI merely turned to Joker. "I am assuming you have not yet finished, Jeff."

Joker sighed, taking a second to glare at EDI before returning to the strange message.

When we reviewed what memories we retrieved when the Commander melded with us, we saw that the subject in question greatly revered those around her. She wanted nothing more that to stop the Reapers that terrorized her friends and the ones she began to see as family. We believed that the subject in question deserved to see how it all turned out. This could be because the subject's views and emotions joined our own. I will provide a list of people I believe that the subject would like to see when she awakens.

Joker almost fell out of his seat. "What?!"

EDI turned to him. "Jeff? What is it?"

Joker swallowed carefully. "Shepard's alive again. Whoever sent this message is saying she is alive."

EDI nodded carefully, probably going through the numbers on whether that is possible or not. "Is there more?"

Joker nodded, looking back to the message.

You have two weeks to gather the people before coming to the coded location at the bottom of this message. With EDI's processing power, it should be easy. If you fail to arrive at this time, Shepard will be awakened anyway. As we cannot allow this information to get out, you must keep the reason for the meeting secret. It is also asked that you delete this message from all databanks once the list is copied. We eagerly await your arrival.

Monarch

Joker quickly copied down the list of people. "EDI? Can you decode the location, write it on this paper, then delete everything about the message?"

EDI nodded, grabbing the pen and paper. Within a few moments she copied the location down, handing the paper to Joker. "Any mention of the message was deleted, as well as the voice recordings of what was inside the message."

Joker nodded, looking at the paper. "I'm going to need your help to track these guys down, EDI. We have two weeks."

~ Break ~

Garrus stared at the wall of the elevator. He had been helping with recovery on Palaven when Joker had sent him an urgent message. The message had said that the Alliance were planning to dismantle the Normandy.

Garrus punched the side of the elevator. "How could those bastards do such a thing? That is all we have left of her." Garrus' arm dropped, remembering Shepard. "All I have left of her," he muttered. For the third time since he had received the message, Garrus had to hold back the tears.

When the elevator opened, Garrus stormed off towards the Normandy. He waited impatiently as he was decontaminated. He stepped into the Normandy, still fuming

EDI's platform stood in front of him. "You are the last to arrive, Garrus. Jeff asked me to bring you to the mess hall."

Garrus nodded, his mandibles flaring in anger.

~ Break ~

Joker sighed. Everyone in the room was yelling at him, asking him what was going on. He sighed loudly. Garrus was taking the longest since he had come from Palaven, but the rest of the group had arrived on the ship about an hour beforehand. They refused to listen to his 'wait for the rest group' line every time he gave it.

"EDI? Is our last member here yet?"

Everyone fell silent so that they could hear EDI. "We are exiting the elevator now, Jeff."

Joker turned. "Perfect timing, Big Guy. Take a seat."

Garrus sat down, obviously tense. Joker sighed, turning to look at the group in front of him. Everyone from the list had assembled in the make-shift circle EDI had helped him put together in the Mess Hall. Dr. Chakwas, Garrus, Kaidan, Tali, Liara, Javik, Miranda, and Grunt. Admittedly, they were an odd group.

"Joker!"

Grunt's shout shook Joker out his trance. "Right. Sorry." He took a deep breath. "Listen. We have two days left to make it to our coordinates. This will be a last attempt at making sure the Normandy stays just the way it is."

Kaidan sat back, obviously unimpressed. "Wouldn't we just meet on Earth?" Being a Spectre and a member on the Alliance, even Kaidan found this situation unlikely.

EDI covered for the Normandy's obviously flustered pilot. "Our scans indicate that the meeting is meant to be a secret."

Javik grunted. "This would be a clever way to get all of us in one place for a trap."

Joker sighed. "We don't have any other choice, and we have to leave now. Anyone who isn't willing to come doesn't have to, but speak now. We aren't making any stops."

No one moved an inch. EDI stepped forward. "Jeff? We should return to the cockpit immediately."

Joker nodded, grabbed EDI's offered arm and made his way to his familiar chair. "Let's go get her back, EDI."

"Confirmed. Taking off."

~ Break ~

Joker took one more breath. They were almost in viewing distance of the ship that the Commander was on.

Kaidan looked out the window, leaning against a wall behind Joker. "What aren't you telling us, Joker?"

Joker sighed again. That was all he would ask. That was all anyone would ask. Lucky for him, he hadn't left his pilot's seat. "I'm not hiding anything. Why would I- Holy crap." Joker fell back in his seat at the sight before him.

A ship larger that the Geth Dreadnought they had taken down shadowed before them. Several Reapers surrounded it protectively. The ship itself was a very simple design, similar to a bunch of cubes stuck together. It looked like parts of it could be ejected if needed.

EDI looked over at Joker. "We have an incoming transmission from our contact, Monarch."

Kaidan gripped the back of Joker's seat. "What the hell have you gotten us into?!"

Joker sighed for the hundredth time. "Patch her, er, him, er, it, through, EDI."

"Right away, Jeff."

The transmission was static at first, but quickly adjusted by EDI. A soft feminine-like voice entered the cabin;

"Greetings, Pilot Jeff 'Joker' Moreau. This is Monarch. You are cleared to dock. I shall be waiting to greet all of you."

Joker took a relieved breath. "Right away, Monarch." He carefully pulled the Normandy into the docking port.

"Jeff? The air inside the ship has been prepared. It is possible to breathe in the ship."

Joker nodded at EDI, activating the comm system. "Everyone prepare to board the other ship." He took another deep breath. Things were about to get interesting.

~ Break ~

The group stood in front of the air lock, waiting for the pressure to equalize. Joker and EDI stood at the front of the group. A very confused Liara and Kaidan whispered to each other behind them. Behind those two, Tali was trying to calm the still upset Garrus. Miranda and Chakwas were even farther back, talking about the likely hood of this being a trap. In the back, Jack and Grunt were arguing over who would kill more if they got attacked.

The door opened very slowly, though that could have been their nerves. When it did open, a robotic figure similar to a human female stood in front of them.

"Hello. I am the AI form of the Reaper Monarch. I thank you all for your haste in coming here. Please come this way."

She stood in the middle of the entrance, a smile on her face.