(Eden Prime, Exodus Cluster, Milky Way Galaxy. Year: 2183)

Kaidan: Ship perimeter is secure, Commander.

Shepard alongside subordinates Kaidan Alenko and Richard Jenkins, take a look around serene planet of Eden Prime, or at least that what the surface was indicating. After the Commander, the Normandy's Captain David Anderson and Spectre Liaison Nihlus, a turian had saw what appeared to be nasty gunfight between soldiers and an unknown entity, it was decided by the soldier from the First Contact War times that his crew would help those who were now at threat by the mysterious to secure a Prothean Beacon for extraction and to also be brought back to the Citadel for further analyzing and discovery. Which brought us to a new crisis. Just where was the beacon on this besieged human settlement? Shepard looks at the corporal of the trio, speaking through the communication portions of his helmet.

Shepard: All right, you know this planet better than Alenko and I, show us the ways of Eden Prime if you'd be so kind Jenkins.

Richard Jenkins: Of course, Commander, Sir!

While the skies were blood red for a majority the Alliance soldiers stared, there was the rare occasion they'd spot the Exodus Cluster's sun known as Utopia before happening some rather unsightly creatures, which unnerved Kaidan.

Kaidan: I'm sorry but what the heck are those things?!

Jenkins: They're called gas-bags. Don't worry Lieutenant, they're harmless.

Kaidan: Sure, but the air itself.... it smells like nothing but death and smoke.

After they cautiously wade their way through a lake and the gas bags organisms, traveled due west up a short hill, looking at all the massive towers in the distance away from them. Waiting to sense if any danger was on the way but proven wrong, Shepard assigns Alenko and Jenkins to take point.

Shepard: All right, move up men.

Kaidan: Copy that, Sir.

Jenkins is the first to move, making his way towards a giant boulder to grant himself a little more cover in the event of a firefight but before he could.... a couple of drones pop out from nowhere and immediately begin to spit out rapid-fire beams of hot white lasers, cutting right Jenkins' armor and producing a blood-curdling scream, before he falls silent.

Jenkins: GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Kaidan: JENKINS!

Shepard: Return fire, return fire!

Quickly after the command was given, Shepard and Alenko drew their weapons of choice, the commander for his Lancer assault rifle and Kaidan his trusty sidearm the Kessler semi-automatic pistol in which they killed the machines responsible for their fallen Normandy soldier. Kaidan quickly shelves his pistol and immediately begins resuscitation efforts toward bringing back with Medi-Gel, an all-purpose medical salve which could heal any and all wounds no matter how grevious they were but unfortunately by the time the biotic could use it on Richard... he was far too gone with Alenko checking his vitals to confirm his death and then doing the respectful in closing the Corporal's eyes as he relayed the unfortunate passing to his direct superior.

Kaidan: Damn it, those beams ripped right Jenkins' shield, he never stood a chance.

Shepard: Damn. We'll see that Jenkins receives only the best and proper services once the mission's complete. But right now, I need you to focus, Alenko. Let's catch up with Nihlus and get to that beacon. I'll notify the Normandy about Jenkins.

Kaidan: Of course, Commander. Lead the way.

They trudge their way up the same mountain where the machines were able to catch Jenkins on his worst day without any preparation, immediately destroying two more drones along with a gasbag which too unfortunately got in the way.

Nihlus: I'm seeing a lot of burnt out buildings here, Shepard. Lot of bodies too. I'm going to check out some moving forward. I'll meet you, Alenko and Jenkins at the dig site.

Shepard: Jenkins won't be joining us unfortunately. KIA'd.

Nihlus: My condolences then, Commander. We'll complete this for his sake.

Shepard: Indeed. Going dark for now.

They enter a forest and yet again after cutting more drones down that had attempted to sneak and kill them like they had Jenkins, the two biotic humans escaped pretty much unharmed but before they could carve their path once again, another scream is heard.

Kaidan: Did you hear that, Commander?

Shepard: Yes. Sounds like a woman in distress. Come on, let's move, on the double!

And true enough to their wonderment, a female soldier, clad in her own armor though her color arament was light red and beige. She was on the run from something and it's soon discovered she too is doing her best evasion tactics, the same drones responsible for Jenkins' death firing several high end beams at her general vicinity. After being slipping and falling, the woman still has enough survival instincts to draw her weapons and destroy the drones after firing six rounds a piece into them but this wasn't the end.

Female Soldier: What in the entire fuck?

She narrows her eyes to see what appears a human sized android-machine hybrid, holding down a human male.... she isn't sure what's going on but she figured it couldn't be anything good based on the day she was having... and then it happens. A giant spike suddenly rushes into the captive male's spine, penetrating all vital organs in a bloody display and as his life force begins to drains.... she notices more of the same as he's not the only person dead or currently dying on these hellacious foreign objects. And realizing she'd just be throwing her life away if she stupidly interfered, she bolted for more cover so that this... THING didn't come searching for her. Drawing her assault rifle out, the soldier steadies her already rapid breathing and doing the absolute best she could to slow down her heartbeat.

Female Soldier: Calm down, Ash. Calm down.

But just as she prepared to fight for her right to survive, assault rifle armed and ready dump thermal clip after thermal clip into her metallic yet very sentient pursuer, the platoon soldier wouldn't get the chance to fire off her weapon as gunfire flew past her, a clip of thermal zooming past her helmet and had it not been for that, Ash mostly certainly would've suffered a graze wound but this wasn't the case and soon the blinking metal assassins with flashlights for heads found their tops getting blown off. She beckons to the firing origin, revealing in her eyes, two unknown men locked and loaded with the slightly lighter toned individual glowing an intense purple. Ashley approaches the Akuze survivor and his surbodinate.

Ashley: Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212! Are you in charge here, Sir?

Shepard: At ease, Williams. Are you injured at all?

Ashley: Outside of enemy fire hitting my shields, being substantially exhausted with a few scrapes and burns, I'll live. Thank you for asking..... Oh God, I don't even know what happened to the last few surviving members of my unit.... we were keeping a watch over the beacon and then just after I rotated back in, the attack happened. I just know my second in command told me to make a break for it while he drove off the invasion. I haven't heard from any of them since then, I fear they might be all dead. I tried hailing for backup but our communications were entirely jammed.

Shepard takes a gander at the beautiful soldier, her voice ragged, blueish-white blood soaking her armor in various regions though its none of her own, the timid shaking of her own assault rifle evident by the trauma she endured but she does her best to recount the harrowing moments of her former Dog Squad known as the 212.

(Hours before Shepard, Alenko and the Normandy received the distress call from Dog Squad.)

Donkey, a fellow 212 member alongside Ashley had received an reconnassince mission from one of their direct superiors to handle a Prothean Beacon. Scorning one of the few female soldiers of the squadron in Ash, who many had expected to take the lead on this, the 212's direct superior intercepted the team known as Dog Squad while on shore leave and announced the new intel and blatantly pissing off Ashley, he would issue command of the mission to Donkey, lovingly known to the team as Donk who he himself had a very one-sided relationship with his fellow Alliance soldier, as he would continuously hit on her in the hopes he could sleep with her and while he was turned down at every crossroads, he did have an inordinate amount of respect for her despite his ineptitude in wooing the marine. In these moments, they received a transmission from their allying Bravo Squad after stumbling upon several deceased bodies.

Bates: That's all the remainder of Bravo.... I count all fourteen of them.

Radio: Taking... fire.... HELP! BEING ASSAULTED BY AN UNKNOWN ENEMY! WE ARE AT THE BEACON, OH GOD, OH GOD, SHOCKER! NO, STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME- GAHHHHHHHHH!

A solider nicknamed Penny does her best not to cry or vomit just as the communications die out.

Penny: Oh God... what the hell do we do now?

Donkey: I- I- don't know at this point.

Penny: What do you mean "You don't know."?!

Donkey heard all of the voices the timidity, the downright fear, and shock after the transmission died but he remained steadfast in his next decision.

Donkey: All right, listen up everyone. Ash is taking over the squad, effective immediately. This mission right here, it just became fucking serious and as such, we need a real serious leader.

They all look towards the self-professed military brat who then stands on a rock, thanking Donkey for once going against the grain in his own way.

Ashley: All right! We can't do anything for Bravo despite how tough they fought... but we can and will help the others! Right now we're gonna double time our speed and effort to that beacon! Strike passionate but this time we need to be calculated, ruthless and strategic about this. Our approach has to be determined, deliberate and disciplined!

She stops before looking and gauging all of the steely reactions of her fellow armed forces members....

Ashley: With any luck we can catch the enemy off guard and lacking, but either way, these sorry bastards are gonna learn the hard fucking way that Dog Squad also known as the 212 are the baddest sons of bitches and the MOST dangerous squad on this rock!

HOOOOOAAAHHHH!

But despite her plans and moxy.... everything would soon hit the fan in the worst way. Early in the day, while doing some preliminary scouting in regards to the beacon site, Ashley and Donkey saw something in the distance.....

Donkey: They look like mechs....

Ashley: Yeah.... I think they're geth, Donk.

Donkey: I'm sorry but what the fuck? What would geth be doing all the way out here, they're most known for being in the Perseus Veil, right?

Ashley: Just look at the way they're moving. Their actions are far too consistent to be mechs gone rogue..... They definitely have to be A.I. and they makeup matches right online with that of geth....

They continue to investigate a rogue geth dragging its unfortunate and very unwilling human soldier as it was placed on a stand of sorts.... BEFORE..... the victim is suddenly skewered through their chest.... blood squirts all over the place, the life in their eyes draining rapidly and this alone forced Donkey and Ashley to stomach the rising bile rushing to their mouths but there would be no rest for the scouts as a drone raced over to them, in the effort of catching them offside.

Ashley: OH GOD, GET DOWN THEY'RE ON TOP OF US! DOG SQUAD GET TO YOUR POSITIONS, JUST LIKE WE PROPOSED AND TALKED ABOUT! RASPUTIN, CIRCLE BACK UP THE HILL AND WAIT FOR MY ORDER! DONK, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TO DO!

Rasputin: YOU GOT IT, CHIEF!

Ashley: Give em hell, Sarge! Draw their attention and fire!

Despite the sudden uptick in violence and gunfire launched by Dog Squad, it wouldn't be nothing in terms of time for the Geth to quickly re-adjust, launching their own vicious counterattack which proved effective and deadly.

Donkey: Hey uh, Chief, think you can speed up? We're taking quite the ass kicking down here- SHIT!

Ashley: Just a few more seconds.... NOWWWWWWW! LET THOSE METAL FUCKERS HAVE IT!

Donkey: RAHHHHHHHHHHH!

Ashley looks towards another of her subordinates, a man by the nickname Jenner and then shouts her next order out to the private.

Ashley: Jenner, I need you to get on a radio. I don't care who it is, but we need to warn somebody, hell ANYBODY WILL DO!

Jenner grabs a radio from the now deceased Penny, riddled with thermal clips wounds looking like the human equivalent of Swiss Cheese.

Jenner: Come in, COME IN! THIS IS DOG SQUAD AKA THE 212, WE'RE SUFFERING HEAVY LOSSES, I REPEAT! WE ARE SUFFERING- HRKKKK!

Ashley watched in slow motion seemingly as a blast of thermal energy races past into his body, blood spilling from Jenner's massive chest wound, swearing she could've saw his intenstines flying out and then.... IT appeared. A massive black and purple shaded mechanical monstrosity appeared in the sky, crackling with menacing red energy....

Ashley: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?

Another solider simply nicknamed Viper, stresses to Ashley about their dire situation but he too is cut down before finishing his sentence.

Ashley: GODDAMNIT! BATES, I NEED SUPPORT! Do you copy!? Damn it, we can't keep this up.... these flashlights are relentless! EVERYONE GET BEHIND THOSE ROCKS! I ORDER US TO RETREAT!

However, the geth continued their onslaught, plucking the 212 down in every direction until soon.... Ashley was the last woman standing. Despite a graze wound to her left thigh, her determination in wanting to avenge her squad was evident and only continuing to mount.

Ashley: Ultimately, I found myself unwillingly engaged in a game of cat and mouse.... that was... until they found me. When all was said and done, I was the only one remaining, my entire squad... my friends all killed. All in all, I believe I'm the only one of the 212 left.

Shepard: And you haven't heard or seen the rest of your squad since then?

Ashley: Yes. We tried to double back over to the beacon, but that's when they ramped up their attacks and brutality.

Shepard: Don't blame yourself, Williams. Nobody less would be able to survive the type of hell you went through, and I'm sure you did everything you could to help out.

Ashley: I guess. It doesn't make it any easier though. Fighting geth is not for the faint of heart, they're so soulless, without any emotion.....

Kaidan: Hang on there, did you just say geth? They haven't been seen outside the Veil in over 200 years... why are they here all of a sudden?

Shepard: Shit's really going to be more complicated if we've got geth running around on Eden Prime. The lieutenant and I just sniped some of their drones and we lost one of our own because of them.

Ashley: They have to be after the beacon! The dig site is close, I can take you two there now, but be warned.... these geth? They're relentless.

Shepard: I hear you, but Alenko and I could use your insight and help, Williams.

Ashley immediately snaps a steely gaze, acknowledging the Akuze survivor's request with her vengeance the foremost thing on the brunette's mind.

Ashley: Aye, Sir. It's time for some payback on these flashlight headed bastards!

Shepard: Before we depart, have you by chance seen a turian Spectre around here?

Ashley: Unfortunately, I haven't come across any turians on Eden Prime. None that I would've met, so I wouldn't be able to tell if one was a Spectre or just a regular citizen anyway.

Kaidan: Trust me, if you saw this guy, you'd know. He's packing a shit ton of firepower, enough even to wipe an entire enemy platoon. Luckily, this turian is on our side.

Ashley: Sorry, it's like I said. I haven't seen any turians.

Shepard: Can you tell us what you and your squad were doing leading up to the attack?

Ashley: Well, we were sent on assignment a couple nights ago from the main colony to secure the area from potential harmful sources. Everything seemed normal until the damned geth attacked us... none of us saw it coming at all.

Shepard: What can you tell me about the researchers that were observing the beacon?

Ashley: I wish I could tell you, Commander. I do know they set up camp near the beacon, and the 232 was with them the entire time. I'm praying that their unit fared a whole lot better than mines.

Shepard: All right, enough questions. Let's move out and recover that beacon!

Ashley: Aye, aye, Sir! The beacon should be over at the far end of this trench.

Shepard: Right.

They weave through the dig site, finding more geth swarming. After taking this group of metal invaders out with their variety weapons and a couple of grenades.... they found no beacon which confused Y/N, Kaidan and Ashley.

Ashley: That can't be right, I know for a fact the beacon was right here! It must have been moved not too long ago.

Kaidan: Can you tell by who though? Was it by our side or the geth?

Ashley: That's the thing. I can't tell by who honestly. We'll probably have more clues once we come across and check out the dig site, hopefully the geth haven't hit too hard.

Shepard: You hoping anyone got out of here alive? Chances could be slim....

Ashley: Shit, if they were lucky, perhaps. But for now.... it's safe to assume that they're holed up somewhere in the camp. It's just on the top of this ridge, up these ramps.

They follow the suggested path Dog Squad's lone survivor detailed, finding the researchers camp absolutely obliterated beyond repair with their trailer shelters the only thing left intact.

Ashley: Looks like the camp wasn't spared by any stretch either.

Kaidan: Great place for an enemy ambush. Stay on your toes-

But he's cut off from speaking when they endure shrill screaming in their ears, and spikes begin to lower with their impaled human victims, only this time... there was nothing human about them. They had the internal composition of a human being but..... their skin was gone, legitimately every and anything that suggested they were human to begin had been stripped away, leaving nothing but... wired husks in their aftermath.

Kaidan: Oh my God... They're still alive!

Ashley: What did the geth do to them?!

Shepard: There's nothing we can do for them except end their suffering.... kill them all.

Outside of the fact these new bastards could take down shields if the trio got close to them, Alenko, Shepard and Williams managed to carve right through them like a Thanksgiving turkey. They spot two shelterized trailer cabins and once they loot it, they found the other door locked but after Shepard quickly undid the lock sequence, finding two scientists paranoid to no end, believing it was the geth.

Dr. Warren: Humans! Oh my, thank the Maker!

Dr. Manuel: You must act with haste, close the door before they come back!

Shepard: Easy, the both of you. You're safe now. We're here to protect you.

Dr. Warren: We appreciate you, but I'll think we'll be safe. It looks like a majority of the aggressors are gone though.

Ashley: Hang on, I remember you! Yeah, you're Dr. Warren, you were in charge of the excavation, do you know what happened to the others, what about the beacon?

Dr. Warren: Yes, I believe it was moved over to the spaceport earlier this morning. Manuel and I stayed behind to continue in packing up the camp site. When the attack came in, the Marines held them off as long and best as they could, but the numbers proved too much for all of them. They gave up their lives to protect us-

Dr. Manuel interjects, conjuring up complete sentences, but he seems completely out of it though very conscious and able-bodied.

Dr. Manuel: Nobody is saved, the age of humanity has ended! Soon, all that remain will be corpses and ruin!

Shepard: You want to tell me what's wrong with your assistant, Dr. Warren, was it?

Dr. Warren: He's always been brilliant, but Manuel's always been a bit... unstable. Genius and madness just happen to be the two sides of his coin.

Dr. Manuel: Is it madness, to see the future? To see the harrowing destruction that blindly rushes towards us? Understanding there's simply no escape or refuge? No hope or mercy? I am not mad, Dr. Warren. I am the only one who is open to seeing the truth, and sane enough to acknowledge it!

Dr. Warren: I gave him an extra dose of his medicine after the attacks occurred but as you can see, they haven't settled in.

Shepard: You know... I can always shut him up for free.

Ashley: Commander, you actually wouldn't.

Shepard looks at her with a "watch me" expression and looks back at blithering and understandably traumatized researcher, knowing what he was going to do next.

Shepard: Say nighty, night, Manuel.

Dr. Manuel: You fool, you cannot silence the truth! My voice must be heard by the masses- UNGHHHH!

Yet with one swift uppercut to the jaw, Manuel began seeing stars crumpling the ground in a heavy thud.

Dr. Warren: Why the hell would you do that?!

Kaidan: I'm not going to lie to you Commander Shepard, that wasn't your best moment.

Shepard: Oh please, I hit him to put him to sleep, not kill poor Manuel. Plus a heavy right hook is the perfect remedy to being traumatized.

Dr. Warren: Your friend is right, you can't just go knocking people upside their heads like that!

Shepard: Trust me, it was for the best. One second he could be talking nonsense like he was, the next he could be putting a bullet in any of our heads. So yes, I definitely had to. He would've done something extremely crazy or dangerous, and I can't have that especially when lives are already at stake.

Dr. Warren: Okay... I suppose you're right in that aspect. Are there any more questions you wish to ask of me? I'll try my best to answer. I suppose Manuel's meds will have kicked in by then.

Shepard: All right, have you seen a turian running around these parts? Had a red lining suit with white markings, and was carrying a shotgun and Lancer assault rifle.

Dr. Warren: No. I'm sorry, I don't recall a turian of that makeup around here. We actually haven't left the bunker since the attack began.

Shepard: Okay, what about what happened leading into the attack? What other information can you shed to me?

Dr. Warren: Goodness it all happened so fast.... I remember one second we were gathering up all the equipment, the next we're being holed in the shed while the geth we're ripping everything apart and swarmed all over the camp. We could hear the horror from the windows... the shooting, the screaming, the gurgling. And then everything just went silent. Manuel and I just sat in here, too afraid to do anything, that was until you and the Chief came here. We thought the nightmare would never end.

Shepard: Lastly, can you tell me anything about the beacon?

Dr. Warren: From what the crew..... and I understood, it's a data module of sorts from a galaxy-spanning communications network. Somehow it's been remarkably well-preserved. It honestly could be the greatest scientific discovery in any of our lifetimes! Who knows what secrets could be possibly locked away in there? Miraculous new technologies, groundbreaking medical advances, the possibilities are just endless!

Shepard: Williams, take us to the spaceport.

Dr. Warren: I wish you the best of luck, Commander. All three of you, please stay safe.

Shepard: And the same to you. Please apologize to Manuel for me whenever he wakes up.

They bid her adieu, looking to then not only to regroup with Nihlus, the turian Spectre, but ultimately recover the Prothean beacon. Sadly however that reunion and in turn, Shepard's analysis for potential Spectre status would be cut short. Let's check in with Nihlus shall we? He was situated a few hundred feet in terms of distance away from Ashley, Kaidan and Shepard, having actually managed to reach the main entrance to Eden Prime's spaceport having cut down his fair of geth and husks. At this point he had been waiting on Shepard, Alenko and unknowingly their replacement for the deceased Corporal Jenkins. Hiding behind some crates in the event more geth showed up to catch him in an unfortunate spot, Nihlus soon got out his covering spot ready to walk down the intrusive machines but instead found another wayward turian.... one he was very familiar at that in..... fellow turian Spectre Saren Arterius. Shocked by this new development, Nihlus holstered his rifle and confronted his colleague.

Nihlus: Saren!

Saren: Nihlus.

Saren doesn't to look like your typical turian, the years seemingly have not been kind to Nihlus's fellow Spectre... he appears malnourished, weathered down and beaten by the mistress known as fate.... he has several tubes originating from the backside of his plate with almost soulless blue eyes piercing into Nihlus.

Nihlus: This wasn't your mission, Saren. Tell me, what is your purpose being here on Eden Prime?

Saren: The Council.... thought you could use another Spectre as some aide. We all know we really can't trust humans... to get the job done, now can we?

Nihlus: Well, I won't turn it away.... I wasn't expecting to find geth here, it's a bloody mess. Just a bad situation all around.

Saren: Oh... you won't have to worry about it much longer, Nihlus. It'll all be over soon, I've got it under control.... friend.

He whips out his Carnifex Power Pistol and before Nihlus could turn around or even register what was going on.... BOOOOOOM! was all that would be heard throughout the planet.

Bang!

Obviously concerned by what they knew to be wayward gunfire, our human trio immediately bolted over to the origin of the sound before that same massive ship the three had unknowingly stumbled upon had once again appeared, this now in real time burning its massive octopus like structure into their memories for the second time as it rushed into deep space far away from Eden Prime.

Kaidan: LOOK! OVER THERE! WHAT IS THAT THING, OFF IN THE DISTANCE!?

Ashley: It looks like that same spaceship I saw before the geth attacked, only bigger!

Shepard: Lock in, the both of you. I count several geth and husks coming at us!

They proceed to mow down the entirety of the geth and human drained remains of their vitals, the destruction still very evident, they found yet another shelter with a security locked engaged. After Kaidan and Shepard both disarmed the lock's automatic feature, they heard shouting on the other side.

Man: Everybody stay calm out there, we're coming out right now! We're not armed, okay?

Woman: Is it safe, can we go now?

Shepard: You can relax, no one's going to hurt you now. You're safe.

Man: Thanks a bunch, those things were crawling all over the fucking shed. They would've found us for sure if you three didn't show up just now. We owe you guys our lives and then some.

Woman: I-- I still can't believe what the hell I just saw. When we all saw that massive ship land on the planet, I thought it was over right then and there!

Man: She's not kidding, we're literally talking the second it landed, shit started hitting the fan. We knew trouble just had to naturally follow it. Once we saw those machines slaughtering everyone, we bolted right for the shed and hit the lock. Figured that would buy a little bit of time.

Shepard: What else can you tell me about the giant ship you just saw?

The man, who introduces himself simply as Cole talks to the Commander calmly as he details the harrowing moments of witnessing the massive alien ship carving its path of destruction all over Eden Prime.

Cole: I wish I could tell you, but the others and I were too busy trying to run away to get a good look at it. What I can tell you is that it landed near the spaceport.

Woman: Tell them about that awful noise, Cole. Oh God, I still can't get it out of my head!

Cole: Right.... it had this massive bull horn level sound coming from its mouth or maw I wanna say. It sounded like it was emitting some sort of signal. Something you'd only in high budget horror videos, like straight out of hell! Only the noise would come from your own head.

Shepard: Do you think it was a jamming signal or something along those lines? It could've been trying to jam up signals, so no one could figure out what was going on planetside.

Cole: Could be, all I know is that it felt like it was ripping through my damn skull.... I could barely think and the one time I could, it was just as it was leaving the planet.

Shepard: All right, tell me everything you remember about the attack, Cole. From start to finish.

Cole: All right..... the three of us, we were tending to the crops when that behemoth of a ship showed up here.... we saw it and just bolted. I don't think any of us had ever been so scared in our lives. I don't even want to begin to think as to what happened to the rest of our crew.

Male Farmer: They were over near the garage, just near the spaceport.... the ship landed right on top of them, no way they could've survived that.

Woman: BULLSHIT, HOW DARE YOU!? WE SURVIVED, IF THEY MADE IT TO THE GARAGE.... then they could have survived.... right?

Shepard: We need to get going-

Farmer: Hang on a second. Cole, listen man... we're just a bunch of farmers, these guys are soldiers to the bone and armed to the teeth. Maybe we should give them the good shit.

Cole: Blake, you need to learn when to shut the fuck up sometimes, Goddamnit man!

Shepard: I beg your pardon- what're you talking about? As a matter of fact, keep talking, Blake was it? If there's something you three aren't telling us, let's just say.... I'm not going to be a very happy Commander Shepard right now.

Cole detects the intensity starting to tighten in the face of Shepard and realizes the thresher maw survivor doesn't like his chain being pulled around. Looking for mercy but only finding sympathetic faces in his cohorts, Kaidan and the slowly mounting frustration out of Ashley and Shepard, Cole finally relents.

Cole: Okay, okay. A couple of the guys were performing a smuggling ring, nothing too big or major, ya know? Simply for an exchange of the profits, we let these.... customers store packages in our sheds. For said nominal fee-

Shepard: So what I'm hearing is.... you're breaking the law here, Cole? That about right?

Cole: Whoa, whoa! We're not hurting anybody here- hell most of the time, I don't even ask what's in these packages, I just figured y'know, there could be something worthwhile in them. I can say that I found a pistol, I figured it would come in handy if whatever those were came back to get us. But you'd most definitely get more use out of it than any of us could. We can admittedly not shoot for shit.

But see the Commander wasn't willing to let him go so easily....

Shepard: Cole, I'm only going to ask this once and I ain't gonna repeat myself.... Think LONG AND HARD before you try to lie to me again. Are you sure all you got for my crew and I is one lousy ass pistol?

Cole: I- uh- oh geez.... I just happened to remember, I just had something in my pocket.... you can take it too. But I swear that's everything I've got on my person. I'm not lying to you anymore.

Ashley: Who's your contact at the spaceport, Cole? What's their name, damnit?

Cole: I can't do that to him, I don't want to get him in any unnecessary trouble. Besides I ain't a snitch, momma raised me better than that!

Shepard: He could've had something to do with this whole attack, Cole. Think about your next couple of actions. We need a name, it's vitally important to our mission.

Cole: Okay, okay, if it means that much to you three. The guy's name is Powell..... He works at the spaceport in the docks. I don't like his chances of still being alive though.

Shepard: All right then. You all go back in the shed, we'll try to have our ship come and secure you all. Just let us worry about the heavy load.

Cole: Good luck, you guys.

Ashley, Kaidan and Shepard continued to wade their way through the brimstone, fire and carnage of the warzone of Eden Prime but when Shepard stumbles across a gruesome sight....

Shepard: Shit..... not you too, Nihlus.

The humans discover the Turian Spectre sprawled on the floor, brains and parts of his brownish-black carapace splattered on the floor. Kaidan, obviously knowing Nihlus was dead, still checked on his vitals to gauge out his temperature before closing his eyes, but then some thumping and shifting was heard from behind the crates and in front of the three Alliance soldiers.

Ashley: In front of us, something's moving behind the crates!

Powell, Cole's contact emerges from behind the crates throwing his arms up in a surrending fashion.

Powell: Wait, wait! Don't shoot me, I'm unarmed!

Ashley, immediately recognizing the turban-covered man and his two associates who were hiding out from the geth attacks gains a sour look on her rather young and beautiful features as the 25 year old knew who they were dealing with at this very moment but Shepard played diplomat among the group completely unaware of what was going on.

Shepard: Sneaking up on us like that nearly got you killed. Pick and choose there, man.

Powell: I'm sorry... my name's Powell and I didn't mean to ambush you guys like that. I was just hiding away from those creatures that were killing everyone, but I can tell you right now.... they didn't kill your turian friend. No it was... it was... another turian.

Shepard: What do you mean "another turian"? The honest to God fuck are you talking about right now?

Powell: I remember it vividly, yeah. There were two turians here, the one you were hunched over, Nihlus was his name, right? Well he called the other one Saren. They talked to one another as if they knew each other. I guess seeing Saren must have relaxed your friend, and that was his undoing. He had his back turned and everything.... and just like that, Saren took advantage and blew his brains out in cold blood, I'm just lucky the freaky bastard didn't see me hiding behind all of these crates.

Shepard: All right, it fucking sucks knowing how Nihlus went out.... but what about the Prothean Beacon? We were told it was brought to the spaceport, do you know what happened to it, Powell?

Powell: Yeah it's over on the other platform. It's probably where that Saren guy is headed to. He hopped on one of the cargo trains right after he offed your friend... Shit, shit, shit.... I just knew that beacon was trouble the minute we uncovered it. Everything's turned into a living nightmare since then, from the damned mother ship, then the attack. They killed everyone, man fuck! If I hadn't been napping behind these crates, I'd be right along with them, dead as a doornail!

Shepard: That's right, Cole mentioned you were his contact now that I remember it, from that smuggling ring.

Powell knew at this very moment he was caught, and he stumbling on his words wasn't helping at all.

Powell: Wait, what? No, no, you got it all twisted, man! So what if I'm a smuggler, what does it actually matter now if I'm the lone survivor now? My supervisor's dead, my entire crew? D-E-A-D!

Shepard: Answer us this.... is there anything hidden behind there we can use to crush the geth with?

Powell: Yeah, yeah. A shipment of highly volatile grenades came through last week, I'm sure no one's gonna notice if a few small pieces are going to go missing from the military surplus.

Ashley: Fuck you, you greedy ass piece of shit! We're out here busting our ass to the last strain and all you're thinking about is how you can rip us the fuck off?! I should put a bullet in your damn head for your cowardice but that'd be too kind!

Powell: Keep her on a leash before she bites my head off! I didn't actually think you'd need those grenades, Chief! Who'd actually want to waste time attacking Eden Prime, we're literally just a bunch of farmers who mind their own business! How was I supposed to know?!

Shepard: Let's all just calm down a bit. Considering our Chief here has gone through a harrowing ordeal in her own right, it'd be most kind of you not to say that shit again. You can just give me the grenades and we'll call this even, you hear me? And don't let me catch wind of you smuggling again, Powell.

Powell: Here! They're all yours man! Take 'em and I promise all three of you, my smuggling days are behind me. No more of that shit.

Shepard: All right, Kaidan, Ashley, let's get to that beacon. For Nihlus, Jenkins, and your unit Williams!

Kaidan: Of course, Commander.

Ashley: Like you even needed to say something, Sir!

Powell: Here, you can take my access card to the cargo train. I won't be needing it at all.

They acquire his employee card and not even within the first few seconds between the transaction and Powell, a new swarm of geth appeared but just as quickly as they spawned, the trio of humans obliterated with Shepard blasting one through its lens, Kaidan pulling another one to him before throwing it an obscene distance with Ashley herself just pumping thermal clip after thermal clip into the last two geth. After making their way through the train depot more geth appeared with Shepard taking the brunt of his shields being damaged but he quickly returned the favor by applying an armor piercing round augmentation onto his Avenger Sniper Rifle, he quickly murders two geth, one big and bulky with an automatic machine gun and another attempting to adjust and kill Shepard with a well timed sniper shot. After rapidly disposing of more geth, they use Powell's key card to activate the train car's control panel and the ride while agonizing in its bid to catch up with Saren was a rather quick one..... meanwhile with Saren, he had already reached the Prothean beacon.... geth squadron flanking him on all sides. He looks at one emotionless machine, and another who had been setting demolition charges to leave no evidence behind.

Saren: Set the charges. I want no trace of my being here. Destroy the colony in its entirety and leave no evidence we were ever here, understand?

Saren then stalks menacingly over to the beacon, black in its design while it glowed a subdued greenish tint.... it was more less slender and it only took Saren looking menacingly at the obsidian stone tablet into being forced to levitate in the air, arms stretched and everything. The trio had arrived finally, train car screeching to a halt before Ashley heard a beeping sound and realized-

Ashley: No.... we've got demolition charges, Commander!

Shepard: Sounds like Saren's thought of just about everything. And now he wants to obliterate Eden Prime completely. All right, we stop the geth, disarm the charges and get to Saren! Count them out too if you can!

Ashley: Roger that!

Kaidan: You've got it, Sir!

Despite being scattered throughout the spaceport at Saren's behest, Ashley, Kaidan and Shepard managed to cut through the geth squadron and disarm the four long and nuclear-level demolition charges. From there on, there was only one thing left to do..... Securing the Prothean Beacon.....

Shepard: Normandy, Joker, Captain Anderson. I'm in sight of the Prothean Beacon and we need a pick up. Requesting immediate evac of it along with the bodies of Nihlus and Corporal Jenkins-

However as he had been conversing with Normandy and her staff, Kaidan and Ashley got a little too close to the Prothean Beacon and it was a mistake that almost proved fatal.

Kaidan: I can't actually believe it.... we're standing in front of actually working Prothean technology! This is insane!

Ashley: This is too weird, it wasn't doing anything let alone glowing like this when they dug it up- did Saren maybe do something to it? Did something off-handedly activate it- HRRRRRK!

Shepard: I hear loud and clear, Normandy. We'll be standing by for your word once you pick their bodies up-

Kaidan stalks over to the Commander, his excitement evident but the jovial mood was replaced by that of horror when Shepard himself saw Ashley being forced uncomfortably all sorts of ways by the beacon!

Shepard: ASHLEY!

Going the selfless route, Shepard quickly grabs a hold of the 212's Lone Survivor by the waist, Ashley clearly discombobulated from the initial beacon's energy surge on her body when he rashly chucks her into an unsuspecting Kaidan!

Shepard: Alenko, take her! AHHHHH, FUCKKKKKK!

But much like Ashley, Shepard wouldn't be spared any mercy as his limbs are stretched out painfully to their full extensions.... and that's when... he sees several thousand images being burned into his head at a breakneck pace.

Ashley: SHEPARD!

Kaidan: No, don't do it Williams! Touching him is too dangerous!

His head becomes too heavy to process all of the images but what he does see in hyper-speed are bloody images of what appeared humanoids praying to a spiritual essence, more humanoids fighting an unknown enemy, a jaw being unhinged very slowly and painfully.... and then suddenly.... the Beacon explodes, knocking Shepard unconscious after throwing him the platform on his back no less very harshly.

Kaidan: Commander Shepard! Shit, not good! He's not responding!

The beacon, now completely incinerated with its green light both dying out completely with Shepard being tended to by Alenko and Williams, the latter who precociously cradles the Commander's head in her lap while the talented biotic assumed lead of the mission with his direct superior out of commission.... just as this was happening however, the same mother ship that took the appearance of a giant squid which terrorized Eden Prime and was now in deep space held Saren aboard in its tentacled maw..... Saren sits in a throne of sorts when a blue skinned alien in fancy clothing approaches the Spectre from behind to give an update on his mission.

The Matriarch: Ahem.... We've identified the ship that made the emergency landing upon Eden Prime... it was called the Normandy SR-1. An Alliance vessel. It was under the command of a Captain David Anderson. They managed to stop the demolition charges and save the colony.

This visibly causes Saren to twitch his mandibles. He in the prime of his Spectre days had his fair of run-ins with the First Contact War soldier and decorated veteran of the Alliance Navy.

Saren: And what of the Prothean Beacon?

The Matriarch: One of the humans may have.... used it.

And this what causes Saren to fly off the deep end. He thrashes around like a mad man around the mothership's main room....

Saren: ARGHHHH! RAHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DAMN IT ALLLLLL!

He suddenly grabs the Asari by her cowled headgear..... as if ready to snap her neck just because she delivered the unfortunate news but he relents, letting cooler heads prevail.... before settling on one new task on the fly.

Saren: Play time is over, Benezia. This human is to be eliminated before he destroys our grand design.

End of Chapter Two!