Miranda's dreams had been strange since the Synthesis.
Well, everybody's dreams had been strange since Synthesis, and it's not like Miranda had normal dreams before.
Still, these were really, really weird. Sometimes she was in a Turians body, scoping, locking and headshoting enemies from a distance and doing a hell of a lot of calibrating. Sometimes she was a tech-savvy Quarian. Others she was a Krogan. Most of the time though she was a human. A human with broad shoulders and a scruffy face and things hanging in different places. In this humans body she felt responsibility. She saw familiar battles through Unfamiliar eyes and images she never thought she would see. Ashley naked and quoting Tennyson. Her own face in orgasm. The loving embrace of Liarra before the Crucible. It was...mindbending. She could feel how Shepard used to feel.
"Miranda!" A voice called.
"What! What is it?" Miranda said turning her head around quickly. The days since Shepard's death...since Synthesis had begun to blur together. Reconstruction was a difficult and tedious process and her dreams, both sleeping and waking, had been a constant distraction.
"We're done here. The citizens have said thanks but no thanks to any more aid. We can move on." Orianna said, looking a bit frustrated and more worried.
"Ok. God. Where next?" Miranda said shaking her head. She felt so tired now. Tired all the time.
"Are you ok sis? We can...we can slow down. Let's go on vacation. Anywhere you want!" Orianna said.
"No! No I'm fine. I need the distraction. Besides, there are too many people that still need our help. Who else needs help?" Miranda said.
"Well...No. We have to take a break sis. Your not right." Orianna said. She knew, Miranda thought, she could feel Orianna near her mind always. Skimming along the surface, sometimes probing deep. Just as she was always close to Orianna's mind. On the bad days, when they leaned on each other in desperation, Miranda was unable to tell their two minds apart. Ideas would have no clear genesis. Orianna knew how drained she felt today. She knew how close to breaking Miranda was.
"Fine. We can go to the Citadel. That place is basically a party palace at this point." Miranda said with a smile. Maybe a week or two at the Citadel would do them some good.
The two began walking back to their ship. It was little more than a glorified transport. They called it the Brittany, a name made up by Orianna as a riff off the Normandy. However armed
guards stopped them before they could get through.
"Hey! What's the deal?" Orianna said.
"What's the meaning of this? We came here for humanitarian reasons and have done the work that was requested of us. There's no reason-" Miranda started when she heard heavy boots behind her.
"It's ok Lawson. There's just one slight caveat before you leave." Said a grizzled man with dark hair fading into grey and a scar over his face. Apparently, the Synthesis had not seen fit to restore his physical age. Though with post-synthesis gene therapy that would be a fairly simple matter.
"Hello, Lieutenant Smith. What exactly is the caveat." Miranda said, her heads across her chest. Smith was good people. He had been defending Tiptree from raiders since shortly after the war. The past couple of days they had been working fairly closely with Smith. He was just about the only person in authority here who was both rational and willing to bend rules to get things done. Sometimes more than just bend.
"A Spectre is here to see you." He said. Miranda's back stiffened. Things might be about to get awkward.
"Could it be Spectre...Williams?" Orianna said with a playful inflection and a raised eyebrow. Miranda sighed.
"You'll just have to find out. The spook is waiting for you at Dock 8." Smith said before marching away, a grin visibly for a split second before he turned away.
Another sigh from Miranda as Orianna giggled.
"You don't have to do that you know." Miranda said.
"I absolutely do. I am your sister remember?" Orianna said with a wide smile. Miranda could only shake her head.
It didn't take them too long to make it to Dock 8. And wouldn't you know it, waiting for them was one Spectre Ashley Williams. Miranda inhaled deeply. She could picture herself between Ashley's legs, giving her pleasure in between running missions on the Normandy. Eking out what joy they could in the hours between one disaster and the next.
But that wasn't her. That was Shepard. Shepard had sex with her. Shepard had fallen in love with her. It was Shepard who had regretted how things ended and still had held a torch before his death. Not her.
Yet she couldn't help but really notice how beautiful Ashley was.
"Greetings Spectre Williams, nice seeing you here." Miranda said. Her voice cold. The connection between herself and Ashley wasn't as strong as her and Orianna's, thus she hoped the Spectre wouldn't feel her nerves hiding just below her surface thoughts.
"Likewise Lawson. I see you still haven't learned to put clothes on." Ashley said, her eyes traveling up and down Miranda's body. The former Cereberus operative tried desperately to conceal her blush. Miranda decided to go for irritated. That should cover up arousal, anxiety and shame well.
"Cut the jealous, catty comments Williams. What did you come to talk with me about?" Miranda said adopting her best sneer.
"Can we talk alone?" Ashley said, her eyes looking more at a nearby pillar then at either of the two Lawson girls.
"Orianna is my closest Bondmate." Miranda said simply. A Bondmate was one whom you had a greater psychic connection to then an average stranger. Generally, the closest Bondmates were involved in romantic and/or sexual relations with each other.
However, a situation like Orianna and Miranda's was not uncommon.
"Oh." Ashley said simply. It wouldn't matter then. Orianna would find out sooner or later.
"Well, we need to talk. About dreams." Ashley said.
"D-dreams?" Miranda said, covering up a nervous catch in her voice by following her question up with a cough.
"Yes. I've been getting dreams. Dreams from other Normandy Crew members. Memories and emotions and thoughts." Ashley said her voice low.
Miranda wasn't looking at her sister but she could feel the giddy laughter of her thoughts. Damn brat. Ashley...well she seemed to be emitting some nerves of her own.
Miranda was glad to know she wasn't the only one feeling awkward about this whole thing.
"Like...what?" Miranda asked, she wasn't looking at the Spectre, instead she was staring at the ground.
"It's...It's not important. What is important is that some of those are Shepard's memories." Ashley said.
"I...I see. I have received some of those as well. Your point?" Miranda said.
"Shepard...Shepard is gone. He died. And yet we have his memories." Ashley said.
"So? I have gotten some of Mordin's and some of Thane's as well." Miranda said.
"Yes, but they lacked color. Those were simply biotic recreations of the memories or some crap. Not their actual memories. Think about it. Do you remember thinking any of Mordin's thoughts? Feeling any of Thane's emotions?" Ashley asked. Miranda thought about it.
No, she didn't. All she remembered was their perspective on events. Camera footage without commentary. It was...a very strange experience.
"Your right. What makes this important?" Miranda asked.
"Nobody dead is supposed to give us memories like this. Shepard...might be the exception because of how he died. He gave his body up for the Synthesis.
How that is supposed to work though is anyone's guess." Ashley said.
"And you came here for me because...?" Miranda asked.
"I need your help." Ashley said. It looked like it took her a considerable effort to get that out.
"With what?" Miranda asked.
"Council business. They want me to investigate Shepard's death and well...when I thought of someone else to help me out on this. You and Garrus were my first thoughts." Ashley said, still looking a bit uncomfortable.
"...I'm out of that game Williams. I am an independent contractor now. No backing big organizations. Not anymore." Miranda said.
"You'll still be an independent. And nothing dangerous should happen. At least on our first leg. We start at the Citadel. You can bring Orianna along. Catch some R&R along the way." Ashley said. Miranda grew even paler. How had she known? Was it really a coincidence? Miranda pushed her connection to Ashley, just a little bit. She seemed utterly sincere.
"...Fine. But if we come into conflict, wisecracks only. No fist fighting. I can back out whenever I want. And if I disagree with you, you can't pull rank." Miranda said.
"It's a deal." Ashley said with an outstretched hand, Miranda took it and shook on it. The glee coming from Orianna could probably be detected by long-range satellites.