so, re-reading this, and i forgot about the part where you gave Shepard a sibling. whatever happened to them?

I absolutely adore this story. It's exceedingly rare to find such high quality among fanfics and thrice rarer still for I to deem one fit for reference material.

Hands down one of the best. Period.

Though the Yagg will be sorely disappointed. :D

Spirits, yes!

Did you set up that poem just so you can make a MiracleOfSound reference? Lol

This is such a great way to use Liara, I'm astonished they didn't do this. (Although I wonder how optimistic they were of getting a second game when it was first published - I didn't get into the series until ME2 was out.) Love it.

I'm really enjoying the series so far. Off to read more!

honestly when I first heard of the comissariat I just thought of like Soviet KGB and hell maybe they really are that big of terrifyingly tyrannical assholes but I love how they also seem to be glorious trolls, notably from the bits I've seen here and also from that bit in the STG report on Shepard

so like I've just began reading this today and am still obviously in the process of doing so since I'm reviewing this chapter and normally I dont leave comments as I read along but holy shit for one thing I feel like an idiot for avoiding this fic before. I'm not normally a fan of the darker type stuff but this has definitely been awesome and I really love how your world works. The reason I'm leaving this review here on this chapter is that the last bit with Wrex legitimately made me shiver like damn awesome writint.

I'm only this far in so far, but I'm pretty sure you're going to break my damn heart at Virmire, aren't you?

Lol burned 80 something chapters. And an old ass review!

But I just wanted to say: "Praise the Emperor, and pass the ammunition."

It's weird that Shepard described her injury on Feros as being shot through the "tummy." Seems a little childish and out of character for her.

Alenko scores! But of course that sets up the virmire arc for a sad lost

And now the title of the story makes sense...sort of XD

I haven't reviewed any other chapters because this is an already-completed story, but now that I've finished it I have to leave one.

This is the best fanfic I have ever read. Admittedly, I only read Mass Effect fics, but I've read several and after I got into OSaBC nothing else seemed up to par. The deceptions of places and people felt more real than I'm used to in fiction, the combat was more content than violent filler (especially towards the end), the world was more detailed and real-feeling than most ME interpretations, and your characters were rich, made sense, and changed for the better instead of staying static or falling into despair.

The ending was glorious and I have no idea how you're going to top it at the end of ME3. I'm very curious about the big picture you're painting and this "Darkness", and I love how many layers and factions there are all interacting, and all the perspectives from people who only know so much or who think they understand things: the Reapers, the Old Ones, the Broker, the Illusive Man, Maxwell Manswell's people, the SA President... The list goes on.

Your version of the canon characters is great. Kaiden was, for once, not boring: he was a man living his last days and trying to do well with them. Ash was more than some chick who has an annoying poetic streak: she seemed like someone at once a solid soldier and a fun, comfortable person to be around. Wrex was still a kind of funny, bitter old killing machine, but gained a great role as (reluctant) counselor, and his more understandable motivation and relationship with Shepard through his son.

I'd write more but this review is so long now I can't actually see what I'm typing through my phone's keyboard

I wish I had the time for another hobby so I could take you up on the final author's note and try to write my own story.

Great to see you working into Tali and Garrus. I always felt ME was the weak one when it comes to squad banter and I never got what I wante

Great fluff piece on how and what Shepard works. Even surprise that Ashley is the one to help with the process given how most folks set up to be.