Author note - This was originally meant to be a very very short story. Just about Akuze and a bit more, a peek into the aftermath of the Reaper War. However, I found myself wandering farther and farther down the road and it kept on going. Hence, the beginnings are very brief. I have no written blueprint. Whatever I put down here, are just images that comes up in my head. There will be parts that won't gel correctly or sound very stupid (I'm not that good a writer), though I will try my best to keep it straight. To those who drop by, thanks for taking the time to read. Cheers!

Additional notes for this story spin. The Reapers were destroyed after Shepard triggered the Crucible. In the aftermath, everyone began to pick up the pieces, to rebuild their ruined homeworlds and forge a future with new allies, the Geth and the Rachni.

Characters and events that do not exist : The Catalyst, the Leviathans, Nyreen. Retake Omega occurred differently, taking place after the war.

Revision of fic is constant.

Akuze, 2177 CE

"It's a damn ghost town."

Erial spat at a tick bug crawling near her boot before stamping down hard on it. It was not really called a tick bug but it looked like an Earthy large tick to her. The kind that got on people's nerves, just as the planet she was standing on was twisting hers at the moment. The wet smear on the floor when she lifted her foot brought about a grim satisfaction.

Bugs, she hated bugs that looked as if it was about to have a good bite and draw of your blood. Akuze bade fair to spawn a nest of them right at her feet the moment she saw the surroundings. The thought of that moment brought about a sudden itch beneath her left shoulder blade. She swore irritably under her breath. It was impossible to get to it at the moment. Cocooned in a undersuit and hardsuit, she would have to wait until her duty shift was over to do something about it. She tried any way to scratch the spot, wriggling and swiveling about.

Her companion said nothing, seemingly not to hear as she stared out at the encompassing darkness. Her posture was relaxed. She sat tilted back in a chair, booted feet propped up against the railing of the roof of the fabricated habitat, a hand bracing her head, her other hand draped over her thighs. One would assume her attention was wandering. Were Erial observing closely for the past minutes, she would have noticed that the eyes hardly moved. Was she dreaming? But no, eyes twitched in the direction of a barely discernible flicker of shadows in the distance.

"You'll have the old man up here in a minute if you keep at it," she said after the huffing, puffing and struggling beside her refused to cease after several minutes.

"He hates bugs more than I do. I'd bet he's drenched top to bottom with that special cream he likes to tote about so often." Erial gave a last ineffectual wriggle before sitting down with a heavy thump on a crate next to her companion. "'sides, he's squirreled away at admin. He hasn't got eyes here," she sighed. "Why is it nothing seems to bug you?"

"Because all bugs are drawn to you. You are a very effective bug shield," came the teasing reply.

"Damn it, is that why you dragged me out here?" Erial demanded in mock anger.

"Damn, busted."

"Busted my ass, Shepard."

"Anytime, anywhere?"

"I would be so lucky," Erial returned drolly.

"Leon would have a fit."

"You just have to bring him up." Erial grumbled as the memory of her recent furlough with her other half flashed to her mind, bringing a wistful smile to her face. It was a great three weeks moving along the European coast. "How am I to sleep now?" she sighed.

"Dereliction of duty is not allowed," Shepard murmured as her head turned slightly in the direction of the distant mountains. The tree covered slopes a wavering movement in the darkness.

"Not with the LT in my pocket," Erial said smugly.

"Really? Since when?"

"Hey, who footed the last bill at the bar?" Erial returned indignantly.

"Someone who was underfoot at the end of it." Shepard chuckled when Erial punched her shoulder in mock anger.

"Damn you Shepard, no one can ever drink you down. I don't think anyone can. I'd pay good money if I know a clear winner." Erial propped her chin on curled fists as she tried to remember how many bets she had won every time someone challenged Shepard to a drinking match.

"Not going to happen," Shepard said confidently.

"Thus speak the ultimate pukka tosser. Damn, I can use a shot of that asarian whiskey right now." Erial licked her lips longingly, thinking of the shots she had that night. The barkeep said it was wine from Thessia but it tasted too much like top prime whiskey to her.

"No drinking on duty."

"You're no fun," Erial grumbled.

"You itching now?"

"No," Erial sighed heavily. "I know, doc would say it's all in the head. It's not really there."

"You're not the only one." Shepard brushed away a strand of red hair that flapped teasingly into her eyes in the breeze that sprang up.

"What do you think happened here?"

The question had been squirming silently in everyone's mind ever since they touched down on the planet to find not a single soul roamed the colony. Fields of ripened crops bent in the breeze, farming machines stood silent in barns, half-eaten meals rotted on tables, someone's music streamer had whirled music for who knew how long. The only things moving about were cleaning bots.

Shepard ran her eyes over the multistorey prefabs set in a rough circular pattern around the administrative buildings. Lights glimmered brightly through some of the windows. Off duty marines could be seen sitting in the lounge area, talking or drinking but not one had taken off his or her hardsuit. With the disappearance of an entire pioneer colony, who would dare to relax?

There were no bodies, no sign of violence. There were several days old logs by the colony administrator that held nothing but reports of daily routines. Everything was as it should. Fields were carefully cultivated, the rich growth awaiting harvesting portend a viable establishment for a bigger population eventually. Water was running, power was readily available. Every machine was in place and working properly. The only missing items were people and cargo trucks.

"Some of the medical supplies are missing," she said aloud, startling Erial who was lost in her own thoughts.

"You think they went somewhere to rescue someone? Everyone? All of them?" Incredulity laced Erial's slightly raised tone. "But wouldn't the logs...?"

"Overlooked or they were in a hurry to tend to people injured in an incident. The logs would be dealt with eventually except that no one came back to do it." Shepard was sure she was right. "It's a good thing there aren't any children listed," she added.

Erial grimaced. Yes, it was a good thing there were no children. She'd hate to handle casualties of that kind.

"But what kind of..," she began to say and stopped when Shepard's suit comm beep. A cough, hastily muffled, followed by a low voice that she recognised as Pfc Saben Santino's, their newest recruit manning the OP at the administration building.

"LT? Report to admin."

"Copy that," Shepard said and got to her feet. "Want to bet we're going to beat feet?" she said, thumping Erial's shoulder gently with a fist as she picked up her helmet on the floor.

"No way," Erial declared. Betting against Shepard was always a risky business. She only did that when she was absolutely sure the odds were in her favour.

"Not betting or not beating feet?"

"Both!"

They chuckled, lightly striking each other's fists before Shepard put on her helmet and turned away to climb down the ladder at the side of the prefab.

"Stay frosty, kiddo."