Mass Effect: Direct Control

In the end, the Reapers never came. When the countdown to arrival hit zero, it was an anticlimax of galactic proportions. They had vanished. Their technology remained, dead Reapers remained scattered throughout the galaxy, and the damage they had already inflicted through their incursions did not suddenly heal, but when scouts reported back from the galactic shore, they told the same story. They were gone.

Commander Jane Shepard and her crew were just as surprised as anyone. Shepard herself was more than a little embarrassed, but also more than a little relieved. Life, it seemed, would go on. In time, some of her crew moved on, while others elected to stay on as part of the Spectre's retinue. Though unintentional, eventually her crew was entirely female, with Joker being the last to depart, returning to active service with the Alliance military. An upgraded EDI now piloted the ship in a synthetic body provided by Cerberus, with whom they maintained a détente after handing over the Collector Base.

Her always loyal lover and ruthless master of information, Dr. Liara T'Soni, was by her side, serving as science officer and window into the comings and goings of the criminal underworld. Through her, Aria T'Loak of Omega was never out of contact, nor was Tevos of the Citadel Council.

Miranda Lawson and Lt. Commander Ashley Williams served as liaisons for Cerberus and the Alliance respectively, keeping an eye on things for the ones in charge. On board the ship, Miranda was heading up logistics as XO while Williams handled all things weapons. Rarely did the two see eye-to-eye and neither trusted Shepard's loyalties.

Dr. Chloe Michel and Dr. Karen Chakwas managed the medical needs of the crew. Chakwas was training the younger doctor to take over for her one day when she finally retired. For now, however, there was still a long way to go.

Specialist Samantha Traynor joined the crew to take over the duties of Yeomen Kelly Chambers, who now served as the ship's psychologist, helping everyone aboard through their daily struggles. Both were very good at their jobs, though rumors persisted that Miss Chambers in particular provided more... intimate support to some of her patients.

Subject Zero, "Jack", remained on board as muscle, as too did the Asari Justicar Samara, sworn in the service of Commander Shepard, though thief Kasumi Goto had her own suspicions about Samara, and had ever since the asari had come back from Omega after confronting her daughter Morinth. Was she still herself? Did Morinth really die on Omega? Or had Morinth replaced her mother with Shepard's blessing? Or was it all just in Kasumi's head? She couldn't be sure. All she had were suspicions...

Finally, Engineer Gabriella Daniels and Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy kept the ship afloat in engineering. Tali secretly longed for a way to return to the good graces of the Migrant Fleet, and this presented her best chance of finding it. If she could find something compelling to present to the admiralty, there might yet be a chance.

So here they are, the finest crew aboard the finest ship in a galaxy filled with adventure and excitement.

Unfortunately, it is also filled with danger. There are things in the dark seeking to make the cosmos their own, and they'll start with the unsuspecting crew of the Normandy...