A/N: This is one story idea that has been bugging me for some time. Then I was further inspired after reading Two to Tango, and Parallel Lives
Before we begin, let's set a few things down first. This will take place in the late early stages of ME2, I've just shifted a few missions around to make a few accommodations, but overall, this is a different twist to good ol'ME2.
XXxxXX
"I watched my best friend bleed out, I could hear him wheezing. He had a collapsed lung. I kept telling him to hang on, and that help was coming. When I got back home, we buried empty caskets. I was the only one to make it back."
- First Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko (Marine – former Navy) to Lieutenant Commander Iolanthe Shepard (Navy – former Marine)
XXxxXX
Citadel Control Room
Geosynchronous orbit over London, England
Earth
The air rushed past his face, as if it was kissing him goodbye. His body screamed in defiance as each step sent a ripple of pain into his body. Just a few more metres and it would be over. The ledge came quickly, and soon, his stomach entered freefall.
Staff Commander Adam Winston Shepard, decorated N7 Operative, and Hero of the Citadel, closed his eyes as his body was numbed by the emerald light.
XXxxXX
The Collector ship was cold, floating listlessly in space. As the shuttle hatch opened, Commander Iolanthe Shepard raised her rifle and stepped onto the derelict ship.
"I love what they've done with the place," Garrus drawled uneasily.
"Looks like a giant insect hive," Zaeed added.
"Creepy," Kasumi breathed.
Panning her eyes across the amalgamation of rock, metal and bio matter, Shepard cringed inwardly as an icy hand gripped her stomach. She hated insects.
"Penetrating scans have detected an access node to uplink with Collector databanks," EDI announced over the COMs. "Marking the location to your hardsuit computer."
A navpoint appeared on her HUD as she moved deeper into the catacombs.
"Shepard, I've compared the ship's EM signature to known Collector profiles. It is the vessel you encountered on Horizon."
"Maybe the defence towers softened it for the turians," Shepard wondered.
"The missing colonists might be on board," Garrus said, "they could still be alive."
"You don't sound too hopeful," Sheaprd interjected.
"These are Collectors," Zaeed reminded, "I don't think they're the pet keeping type."
Moving up to a pod, Iolanthe peered inside.
"Empty," she said, shaking her head.
"Looks like the ones on Horizon," Massani remarked.
"Horrible," Garrus said sympathetically. "Trapped in these pods, completely at the mercy of the Collectors."
"Promise me something, if I'm about to be taken by Collectors… blow me up," Kasumi demanded flatly.
"Could be a problem if you get taken," Shepard added with a smirk. "I don't know where you are half the time."
The team pressed on deeper into the confines of the ship, navigating through the cave like halls.
"This looks bad," Garrus whispered.
Shepard saw the pile of bodies, placed haphazardly on top of one another like slaughtered animals. Some must've been there for weeks, the bones jutting through the sludge soaked clothes. If it weren't for her oxygen-rebreather, Io would've gagged and thrown up her dinner.
"Why would the Collectors leave a pile of bodies lying around?" Zaeed questioned.
"Must've been used for testing," Vakarian speculated. "I'd say these subjects didn't pass."
"There are worse things than death," Shepard mused, looking at the bodies. "Like being used as a test subject for twisted aliens."
"You're probably right," Garrus agreed. "Doesn't feel much better though."
"This galaxy never gets any brighter, does it?" Massani deadpanned.
"My request… still stands," Goto added.
Leaving the bodies behind, Iolanthe lead the team through another series of mazes, before entering an area filled with pipes and display consoles. There were a battery of pods, arranged in a semi-circle, all hooked to a larger conduit of pipes and cable that disappeared off in the misty fog.
"One of the pods has a body… a Collector," Shepard gestured as she hacked into a console.
"Why would they experiment on one of their own?" Zaeed wondered.
Glancing down at her Omni-tool, she saw that the data transfer was complete.
"EDI," Io said, keying her mic. "I'm uploading the data from this terminal. See if you can figure what they were up to."
"Data received," the AI responded. "Analysing. The Collectors were running baseline genetic comparisons between their species' and humanity's."
"Are they looking for similarities?" Shepard asked, perplexed.
"I have no hypothesis on their motivations; all I have are the preliminary results. They reveal something remarkable."
Iolanthe could swear that she heard EDI's voice raise another register in genuine surprise – breaking away from her monotonous tone.
"A quad strand genetic structure, identical to ancient ruins. Only one race is known to have this structure… The Protheans."
"My god," Shepard whispered. The revelation hitting her like a freighter. "The Protheans didn't vanish… they're just working for the Reapers now."
"These are no longer Protheans, Shepard," EDI said in an almost consoling tone. "Their genes show distinct signs of a genetic rewrite. The Reapers have repurposed them to suit their needs."
"You'd think somebody would've picked up on this," Iolanthe murmured.
"No one has had a chance to study Collector genetics in this detail," EDI supplied. "I've already matched two thousand alleles to recorded fragments. This Collector likely descends from a Prothean colony in the Styx Theta Cluster. But there are signs of extreme alteration."
"Reapers didn't wipe out the Prothean," Shepard concluded. "They turned them into monsters and enslaved them."
"They're still workin' for the Reapers," Zaeed reminded.
"We have to stop them, regardless," Io agreed.
"Damn straight, they're not doing that shit to us!"
"Alright, let's move out before the Collectors come to salvage."
Leaving the pods, Shepard passed by a pile of weapons. It seemed everything on this ship was left around anywhere without thought of order. But the Collectors were just mindless shells now; she doubted interior design was high up on their priorities list.
"We'll would you look at that, an M-Eight Avenger A-Three," Zaeed said with an infectious laugh.
"Let me guess… Jessie," said Garrus.
"Never thought I'd see one of these shitty rifles again."
"You know, half the weapons here don't work. Easier to just buy another."
"You can't buy another Jessie."
Ignoring the bicker, Shepard fished through pile of weapons. Some of them were high quality, others were standard fare.
"An M-Ninety-Eight Widow," Garrus grinned, "I'll take that – might come in handy."
Digging further through the pile, a pistol caught her eye. It had the profile of an M-6 Carnifex, but it was matt black and had a thickened extended barrel that looked like a silencer unit.
Iolanthe picked it up, noting how light it felt. It seemed to be in working condition, but she'd rather test it when she got back to the ship. Stowing away the pistol in her back, she led the team on.
After leaving the claustrophobic hallways, the landing team entered a cavernous area. The sound of bio matter oozing through the pipes and crevices resonated through the area, sending an uneasy felling down her stomach.
"Look, on the ceiling," Garrus pointed.
Shepard looked up. Scores of pods lined the top, some were glowing, and others were black and dull.
"More of those strange pods."
"Must be hundreds," Zaeed said, staring down the halls. "Wonder how many have people in them."
"Too many," said Io.
"I detect no life inside the pod, Shepard. It is possible that the victims died when the ship lost power," EDI interjected.
"Hey, Commander, you got to hear this," it was Joker. "On a hunch, I got EDI to run an analysis on the ship."
"I compared the EM profile to the ones recorded by the original Normandy two years ago. They are the exact match," the AI said.
"The same ship dogging me for two years?" Io growled. "Way beyond coincidence."
"Something doesn't add up, Commander," Joker said worriedly. "Watch your back."
Iolanthe took the landing on her left, and walked up the ramp, following the light at the end of the tunnel. As soon as she left the cave system, she entered a large chamber of titanic proportions.
"This is unbelievable," Garrus murmured, scanning the sightlines.
"They could take every human in the Terminus Systems and still have pods left over," Zaeed said pessimistically.
"They're going to target Earth."
"Not if we stop them," Shepard stated.
Gesturing to her team, Zaeed and Kasumi fanned out, and formed a triangle formation with interlocking fields of fire, around Garrus. This place was big enough to have two armoured columns to fight it out comfortably and still have room for close air support.
Hundreds of thousands if not millions of pods lined the hull, all covered with interlocking networks that Shepard assumed to be similar to the ones she just came in through. There was a lot of wasted space in having a cavern that big, but then again, it removed the need for having a central gravity well. Instead, it would probably rely on centripetal force.
Iolanthe kept an eye on her nav marker; she followed it into the direction of the artificial sun – or power core. Eventually, it led her to a down ramp. The data uplink console was located on an octagonal platform, wedged within a number of huge pipes.
"There it is, on the platform… there's a pod there too," said Garrus.
"Something doesn't smell right," Zaeed growled, his grip tightening on his rifle. "There aren't any Collectors around. Living or dead."
Kasumi moved to the pod, peering inside.
"We've got something here, you should see this, Shep."
Shepard jogged over to the carapace like coffin and peered in. A man was in there, his face battered, bruised and bloodied. But there was a faint emerald green glow on him, an algorithmic pattern that rolled along his skin, much like the Vis she had encountered.
Bringing up her Omni-tool, she performed a bio scan.
"He's still alive."
"Look, he's an N-Seven," Garrus pointed.
She looked at his dented and battered armour, covered in dirt and streaks of ash. There was a crimson stripe on the tattered sleeves, and the N7 tag on his breastplate.
"How are we going to get him back?" Zaeed asked.
"Can't pop the seal, the vacuum will kill him," Garrus warned.
"We'll take the pod with us," said Iolanthe.
She raised her left arm as her body flared. Wispy violet blue tendrils wrapped around her and the pod, as she lifted it.
"Kasumi, open a terminal to EDI."
"You got it."
The Master Thief walked over to the console, and uploaded pre-tailored software.
"EDI, see if you can get anything useful from the databanks," said Shepard.
"Data mine in progress, Shepard."
Vvvvvzzz
The power generators whined, looking down at the port, Shepard saw the console winking out of existence.
"Uuuh, that can't be good," the Flight Lieutenant groaned.
"Everyone's alright, Joker," Shepard reassured. "What just happened?"
"Major power surge, everything went dark but we're back up now," Moreau answered.
"I've manage to diverge the majority of the overload to non-critical systems," EDI said. "Shepard, it was not a malfunction. This was a trap."
Shepard felt the platform lurch upward, its engines spinning to life.
"We need a little help here, EDI," she said, struggling to maintain balance.
"I'm having trouble maintaining connection. There's someone else in the system."
The platform's rotation came to a jarring halt. Zaeed toppled over backward. Garrus was thrown across the console, and Shepard was hurled against the barriers.
"Contact!" she yelled.
Another platform came into sight, coming in from the direction of the light. A squad of Collectors were coming in high and fast.
"Connection re-established, I need to finish the download before I'm able to override any systems."
"Better get it done fast, EDI," the N7 muttered, tacking cover behind the barrier. "Garrus, hang back with the pod and pick off the heavies. Zaeed, with me."
"Got it," the old merc complied.
"Affirmative," the turian nodded.
Bringing up her rifle, Shepard aimed for the closet Collector, and squeezed. The insectoid creature shuddered under the hail of indirect fire, before collapsing. Amber blood oozed onto the metal deck as its comrades stepped over it and into the fight.
Zaeed was holding his corner, pouring suppressive fire onto the incoming platforms. Garrus was doing his best to pick them off, but there were just too many, and the field of play just wasn't in their favour.
"You two, hold the left. I'm going to pull them to me. Kasumi, stun the centre."
Taking a deep breath, Iolanthe disappeared into a beam of blue light. She streaked towards a group of Collectors. Her armoured body slammed into the lead alien, immediately disintegrating him. Spinning on her axis, she slammed the butt of her Mattock into another's face, crushing it instantly. A quick flick of her wrist, crushed the last one.
"Assuming direct control of this form," a deep voice rumbled.
"Great, Harbinger's here," Shepard hissed.
"This is true power," the Reaper declared.
A drone was lifted into the air as if it was crucified. It's carapace crackled as an orange ember light glowed between the plates.
"Zaeed, concentrate on the other drones. Garrus, take out Harbinger," Shepard ordered.
"Twenty percent complete."
"C'mon EDI."
Activating her Omni-tool, she sent an incineration orb at another platform. The orange globe soared through the air, and smashed dead centre. The Collectors were caught within the flame, flailing around helplessly in a futile attempt to extinguish themselves.
"Oh crap! Scion!" Garrus bellowed. "Platform to the front right."
Marvellous.
Shepard rose from cover and felt her rifle kick as she emptied an entire clip into the massive creature. The Mattock hissed, overheated and venting steam. Io retreated back into the safety of the metal slab and slapped in a fresh clip.
The Scion turned to face her, the bullets having done minimal damage. The ominous thump of a shockwave filled her ears, then the next thing she knew, she was in the air. Falling back down, the metal deck rushed up to meet her.
Using her biotics, she doubled back to Garrus's position.
"Zaeed, frag it!" she roared.
The mercenary nodded, pulled a grenade from his bandolier and tossed it. Flying true, the device detonated on impact, engulfing the Scion in a ball of red flame.
"Some things just need a bit of thermite," he smirked.
Collector reinforcements began to thin out as the landing team burned through the waves, slowly turning the tide against them until none was left.
Io turned back to the console, seeing that it had come back to life, with EDI's chess piece avatar floating in the centre.
"I have regained control of the platform, Shepard."
"New you wouldn't let us down."
"I always work at optimal capacity," the AI said, almost beamingly.
"Did you get what we needed," Io asked.
The platform lifted off again, this time at a gentler acceleration.
"I found data that would successfully help us navigate the Omega Four Relay. I have also found that the turian distress call that served as the lure for this trap. The Collectors were the source. It is unusual."
"It seems logical that they would've sent the initial message as bait."
"No it is unusual because turian emergency channels have secondary encryptions," EDI said, bringing up a chart comparison on the console. "It is corrupted in the message. It is not possible that the Illusive Man believed the distress call was genuine."
"Why are you so sure?" Shepard asked, taking a step closer to the display.
"I found the anomaly with Cerberus detection protocols," the AI answered. "He wrote them."
"He knew it was a trap?" Joker asked over the TEAMCOM. "Why would he send us into a trap?"
"Not that time for blaming," Shepard said. "We'll question him when we get out."
"Shouldn't have trusted those Cerberus bastards," Zaeed said.
"Uh, Commander, we've got another problem. The Collector ship is powering up. You need to get out of there before their weapon systems come online." Joker urged. "I'm not losing another Normandy!"
"I do not have full control of their systems," EDI warned. "But I'll do what I can. Sending coordinates for shuttle extraction."
Shepard turned to her team, reading her weapon.
"C'mon let's move. Garrus, you grab the pod."
"I don't even know how to turn on the damn thing?"
"Carry it, I thought turians were strong!"
"Low blow," the vigilante murmured.
The platform reached a different cave system. Shepard took point, making sure her systems were green. She took a swill from her energy drink, just in case.
"Contact!" she roared. "Garrus, hang back and defend the pod!"
"Affirmative!"
Sprinting up to another metal counter, she took cover as a storm of bullets gnawed away at her position.
"Shit, taking heavy fire."
"Hold on, I got ya," Zaeed grinned.
Tossing another grenade, he turned a fireteam of Collectors into ashes. With the fire easing up on her left side, Shepard switched cover and returned fire. A Collector Drone caught a round in the face. With a gaping hole in the middle of its head, the Prothean derivative toppled over onto the dirt.
"Assuming control of this form," Harbinger rumbled. "You cannot stop me. You cannot resist!"
Io immediately zoomed in on the nearest drones and took them down quickly. Her Mattock thumped as it spat heavy high velocity rounds at its target. There was one thing she had learnt about fighting Collectors, target the little ones first, so Harbinger can't take control of anything else when it's all alone.
"You will know pain, Shepard!"
The Spectre ignored the Reaper's taunts. Focusing her aim, she brought her sights onto Harbinger's head, and squeezed the trigger in rapid succession.
Stumbling back, the Collector form was unable to stand against the combined arms.
"I'm no expert on machine psychology… but I think Harbinger is obsessed with you, Shep," Kasumi smirked.
"Very funny," Io huffed.
The team made its way through the dimly lit catacombs and reached another room.
"I'm opening a door on the far side of the room," EDI announced.
"Ah shit, Praetorian comin' our way," Zaeed growled.
"I hate flying crabs… with hundreds of human heads inside of it," Kasumi said.
"Focus fire on it," Shepard ordered. "Zaeed, deal with the Husks. Garrus, use the Widow."
"You got it," Garrus said a bit too happily.
Leaning out of cover in unison, Io and Kasumi aimed for the massive head. The Praetorian was still in flight, searching for a target while the bullets bounced harmlessly off.
"Make it quick Garrus, it's getting close!"
The behemoth of a creature squawked and roared a mix of machine and warped life.
"Alright, got it, cover your ears."
Shepard and Kasumi quickly retreated back into the safety of the rocks. Garrus brought the weapon to bear on the Praetorian, and fired. The anti-material rifle echoed with a single, thunderous roar. A single bullet left the barrel, vapour trailed behind the bullet as it ran true. The Praetorian's head caved in, its body came crashing into the deck, and slowly disintegrated in a blue flame.
Moving to the open door, Shepard waited for the team to catch up, but it closed on her.
"EDI, we have a problem."
"A minor setback, rerouting… I have opened a door on the opposite side."
"Kasumi, cover our six," Shepard ordered. "I'll take point. Zaeed, help Garrus."
"Balls," the mercenary murmured.
"Do you want to move through this hive slowly? Or help me so we can get out faster?" Vakarian added, putting things into perspective.
The team passed through the doors, off to one side was a sheer drop.
"That's where we came in," Garrus said.
"The end's got to be close," said Zaeed.
Hugging cover, the team moved across another mezzanine. Shepard kept her ears clear, listening for any ambushes.
"Geerraaaughh!" came an empty howl.
"Husks! Zaeed, pass me a thermite."
The mercenary tossed her a cylindrical canister from his belt. Io snatched it with one hand, popped the safeties, and hurled it down the end of the hall. A brilliant ball of flame engulfed area, melting the tech within the husks, and cooking at the dry dead flesh.
"Geeaarrhuugh!"
"Heads up, another wave!"
Kasumi quickly moved up, and sprayed the horde with her Tempest. Placing down the pod, Zaeed and Garrus moved up, and emptied their weapons.
"Frag out!" he bellowed.
The object sailed through the air, and clattered onto the rocky surface. A split second later, it detonated, ripping the remaining husks asunder and showering the area with gore and shrapnel.
"I think we're clear," Kasumi said.
"Home run, let's finish this," Shepard gestured.
"Commander! They're weapon systems are coming online! We have to go!
"Almost at the shuttle," Shepard panted, seeing the Cerberus vessel in sight.
She slapped the console, opening the hatch, and helped move the pod inside.
"Strap in, we're bugging out," Io ordered.
Wrenching open the hatch, she buckled up into the pilot seat, and engaged the auto-pilot. The shuttle's engines flared to life, pushing the vessel into the blackness. With the homing beacon online, the VI manoeuvred the Kodiak into the Normandy's hangar bay, coming to a jarring halt.
"We're on board, Joker," Shepard radioed. "Punch it!"
She ran into the elevators, entering the code for the CIC. The platform lurched up, and the doors opened. Sprinting out of the hold, she brushed past a surprised Kelly Chambers and made a beeline for the cockpit.
"EDI, I can't shake this guy off forever, get us the hell out of here," Joker gritted.
"Specify a destination."
"Really?" Io's jaw dropped.
"Anywhere but here!" Joker answered.
"Engaging mass effect core."
Within a split second, the Normandy disappeared, leaving the Collector ship behind.
"Got a call coming in from the Illusive Man, figured you've got a few words for him too."
"Patch him through to the COM room."
"Got it."
Io walked towards the rear of the ship, an annoyed expression clearly etched into her features. She decided to take her sweet time, she knew the Illusive Man would wait.
Stepping through the doors, she entered the beautifully designed conference room. The redwood timber table in the centre retracted into the floor, allowing Iolanthe to step on the glass surface. Orange grids ran across her form, scanning for possible bugs.
An image of the Head of Cerberus appeared in front of her. He was sitting in his chair, with a cigarette in one hand, and a drink in the cup holder. His luminous blue eyes stood out against the dim lighting on his face.
"Shepard, looks like EDI extracted some interesting data before that Collector ship came back online," the Illusive Man began nonchalantly.
"EDI told us that the distress call originated from the Collectors," Io said sharply. "You betrayed us! Just like I knew you would."
"We're at war," the Head of Cerberus justified. "The Collectors are taking humans and every minute we make is one more we give the enemy to prepare."
"I know the stakes," Io said, not backing down. "But we're supposed to be on the same side, and I can't trust you."
"Without that information we don't reach the Collector homeworld. And you and ever human may as well be dead."
He tapped some of the ash off from his cigarette, and got up from his seat.
"It was a trap. I was confident in your abilities, and don't forget EDI. The Collectors couldn't have anticipated her."
"You could've told me the plan," Shepard rebutted. "You say I'm important, but you sure try hard to get me killed."
"I needed the Collectors to believe they had the upper hand," the Illusive Man countered. "Telling you could've tipped them off in any number of ways. Besides, I wouldn't have sent you in if didn't think you would succeed."
Sweet talker, Io thought sarcastically.
"I don't risk people," she said, folding her arms. "There are always alternatives."
"You wouldn't like the receiving end, neither would I. But the facts are with me," he reminded her. "As much as we try to avoid them, these decisions need to be made."
Returning to his seat, the Illusive Man crossed one leg over the other.
"But more importantly, it paid off. EDI confirmed our suspicions."
He took a drag from his cigarette, and swapped hands, before tapping it into an ash tray.
"The Reapers and Collector ships use an advance identify friend foe system that the relays recognise. All we need to do is get our hands on one of those IFFs."
"I was just on the Collector Ship," Iolanthe growled, leaning back and unfolding her arms. "Are you kidding me? Why didn't you say anything about finding their IFF."
"As I said, EDI just confirmed it," the Illusive Man said, patronisingly. "Besides, you wouldn't have time to find and extract it. But we have options."
"I'm listening."
"An Alliance Science Team recently determined that the great rift on the planet Klendagon is actually an impact greater from a mass accelerator weapon."
The Head of Cerberus picked up a glass of brownish green liquid, and downed it in one gulp.
"A very old mass accelerator. I sent a team to find either the weapon or its target. They found both. The weapon was defunct but it helped us plot the flight path at the intended target… a thirty-seven million year old derelict Reaper."
Shifting in his seat, he continued. "We found it trapped in the gravity of a brown dwarf."
"Aren't brown dwarves basically stars that didn't quite make it?"
"Simply put but accurate," he said, nodding. "They're gas giants that don't have quite the masses of stars. Expect gale force winds and extremely high temperatures. The Reaper has a mass effect field that keeps it in orbit, likely an automated response to the external threats. It's stable, but I won't call it safe."
"I saw what Sovereign did to the Citadel Fleet, hard to imagine anything stopping something that powerful."
"This battle was waged when mammals took their first steps on Earth. There's no trace of species that took the shot, perhaps it was their one moment of defiance before being wiped out."
"Why do I get the feeling this isn't a fly through get and go?"
"We lost contact with Doctor Chandana's team shortly after they boarded. Initial reconnaissance reveals clues and it was too risky to commit more resources," the Illusive Man frowned, taking another puff. "Now we need that IFF. I'll forward the coordinates to Joker. In the meantime, I suggest you tell your crew that I didn't risk their lives unnecessarily, it will make things easier going forward."
Shepard turned to a plinth where the shipboard AI would normally appear.
"EDI tell the team to assemble. We've got a lot to talk about."
"Of course, Shepard."
"And keep me posted about your new member; I look forward to meeting him when he wakes up."
Iolanthe frowned; he always had eyes and ears everywhere on this ship.
The link to the Illusive Man was terminated. Io stepped back onto the metal deck as the room returned to its normal position.
"Shepard, Doctor Chakwas requests that you be observing the medbay, she says that it is urgent."
"Guess the meeting can wait."
"Yes, Commander."
…
Aboard Normandy SR-2
Iolanthe paced along the outside of her medbay, looking worriedly at the glowing N7 Officer on the operating table. Miranda, Doctor Chakwas, and Doctor Solus were working overtime to keep him alive and it looked like their efforts were working.
Moving to the table in the mess hall, she eased herself into the polymorph material, and let her eyes adjust to the amber and blue glow of her surroundings.
Miranda moved away from the console, and then stepped through the sterilisation field before exiting the medbay. She was cradling something in her gloved hands, dog tags by the looks of it. She had a puzzled look on her face as she approached the Spectre.
"Shepard," Lawson began. "You don't have any extended family, do you?"
"No," Io answered, shaking her head. "Why?"
The Cerberus Operative walked around the table, her heels gently clicking against the metal deck. With grace and elegance, she placed the dog tags on the grey surface.
Iolanthe's dark brown eyes looked at the charred metal.
"Shepard, Adam," she said. "There are a lot of Shepards in the Alliance, Lawson."
"We ran a DNA test, no matches with yours. But I think it's a bit suspicious that we find one in a Collector ship, who is also an N-Seven."
Picking up the tags, Shepard turned them over, and saw the revered symbol of the Alliance's best.
"And there's something else," Miranda added. "He's been rebuilt… as in, Lazarus Project, rebuilt."
"What?" Shepard was taken back, she gestured for her XO to sit down.
Placing herself into the cushioning of the dinning chair, she activated her Omni-tool and showed a feed to the bio monitors.
"I'd recognise my work anywhere," she said with a hint of pride. "Enhanced muscle density, increased bone density, increased skin toughness, cybernetic implants to support the body… L-Five-X Biotic Implants… everything."
Io leaned forward, resting both elbows on the table top.
"Injuries?"
"Moderate contusions and light burns, the skin on his arms and hand has fused to the suit."
Shepard cringed inwardly.
"Omni-tool on his wrist is heavily melted, but give or take a few days and he should be back on his feet."
"Okay, I'm going to call Anderson and look into this."
Miranda gave a curt nod and returned to the medbay.
Shepard made her way to her quarters, and upon reaching her desk, she opened her private terminal. Entering the call commands, she waited as dial tone droned through the speakers.
"Hello, Shepard," the middle aged man greeted, a weary smile appearing on the screen.
"Hello Anderson. I need a favour."
"Go ahead."
"Can you do a check on Adam Shepard, service number, seven-eight-eight-three-AC-two-five-six-four."
"Staff Lieutenant Adam Winston Shepard, Navy. Graduated from the Naval Academy with a Suma Cum Laude," Anderson said without missing a beat. "KIA four years ago… He was Alenko's CO."
Now she remembered.
"Highest ranking Navy N-Seven to be killed while on active duty."
"Yes," Anderson said solemnly.
She remembered Kaidan talking about it during a night of drinking. Io remembered seeing Kaidan just sitting at the table, nursing that one apple cider, and leaving the strawberry lime cider beside him.
"What if I told you he was in my medbay right now?"
Anderson's surprise was left unmasked as his eyes widened.
"You don't joke about these things, Shepard."
"We found a heavily injured N-Seven Officer in a Collector ship. Chakwas says he's going to make it."
A puzzled expression crossed Anderson's features.
"Alenko said he saw the Lieutenant bleed out."
"But he also said that they buried empty caskets when they pulled him out."
"How long until you can make it back to the Citadel?"
"A few hours."
"Good, meet me at my office, take the Lieutenant with you."
"Yes sir."
"Anderson out."
The link was terminated, leaving Shepard alone with her thoughts. How did an N7 Lieutenant end up on a Collector ship? How did he survive for the past four years, but have access to L5X implants? Miranda also said that there were signs that he had been rebuilt by Project Lazarus.
"Shepard, Doctor Chakwas wishes to inform you that Lieutenant Shepard is regaining consciousness."
…
"He's waking," a female voice said.
She had an Australian accent.
"Miranda?" he gasped.
"Odd. Subject appears to be familiar with Operative Lawson. Confirms Project Lazarus theory."
"Mordin? Thought you were dead."
"Appears to be familiar of me… and apparent demise."
Adam slowly opened his eyes, and took in his surroundings. He remembered this place, the Normandy's medbay. His head throbbed, and every sound was a distant muffle.
"How are you feeling, Lieutenant?" Doctor Chakwas asked.
"I haven't been a Lieutenant since eighty-two," he slurred.
"You mean, since eighty-one," another woman said.
In a daze, Shepard searched for the newcomer's voice. His eyes settled on the sight of a woman in a set of black N7 armour.
"No, eighty-two," he countered.
The woman stepped closer; she had dark brown hair, and deep chocolate eyes. There were a few scars on her high forehead, and cheekbone.
"You were presumed dead in eighty-one," she said.
"No, Collectors got me in eighty-three," Shepard said slowly. "I was spaced with the Normandy."
A puzzled expression crossed the woman's features.
"I was on the Normandy. I was the one that got spaced."
What?
"I got Joker to the escape pod," his head throbbed again.
"Subject's brain activity spiking, possibly going into seizure," Mordin warned.
"Hey, hey," the woman called out. "Look at me LT."
Shepard gazed into the woman's warm brown eyes.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
Adam relaxed himself back into the mattress of the bed, wincing as the bright lights assaulted his eyes. Noticing his discomfort, the woman dimmed the lights.
"I was on the Citadel… we were about to end the war."
"What war?"
"Reapers."
The room became discomfortingly quiet.
"What do you mean?"
"Reapers," Adam repeated as if it was the most obvious thing in the galaxy.
"Subject could be hallucinating, possibly due to Collector tests. Signs of post-traumatic stress disorder," Mordin said again.
"Anderson? Is he safe?" Shepard asked, his heart thumped in his chest as he remembered what had happened in the control room. "Did he make it out alive?"
"Lieutenant," the woman said softly but firmly. "Anderson's fine. I just talked to him."
"Where's he?"
"He's in his office… on the Citadel. Lieutenant, you were listed as KIA, four years ago, in eight-one. Lieutenant Alenko said he remembered watching you bleed out."
Adam looked at the woman incredulously.
"That doesn't make sense."
"Commander, you could be overloading him with too much information," Miranda said.
He turned to look at the woman, noticing the Harper Defence Contracts logo on her bodysuit.
"I thought you'd left Cerberus," he said, still in a daze. "The Illusive Man was in league with your father. Performed tests on war refugees. Why are you here?"
"What?" Miranda snarled. "The hell did you get that information from?"
Adam looked at her, puzzled.
"I was there to help you rescue Oriana again. Tried to warn you of Leng."
"How do you know Leng?" she asked.
"Who's Leng?" the other woman interrupted.
"Led the attack on the Citadel," Adam said. "Cerberus coup."
The woman knelt at his bedside.
"Lieutenant, what are you talking about? There's no Cerberus coup. They're helping me fight the Collectors."
"Collectors?"
Adam's breathing quickened, his heart threatened to pulverise his sternum.
"Subject's vitals increasing, recommend immediate anaesthesia."
"No," Adam argued. "Collectors?"
The woman nodded.
"You mean they're still kicking?"
She sent him a confused look.
"Why wouldn't they?" she asked.
"I destroyed their homeworld."
"Lieutenant, no one's successfully gone through the Omega-Four relay."
…
Iolanthe wasn't too sure if the Lieutenant was telling the truth, hallucinating, or it was all an elaborate trap by the Collectors. But the shred of information he had slipped, as well as his confusion seemed to suggest the first.
"Further increase in brain activity," Mordin announced.
Adam's eyes were averted to the sheets before looking back at her. It was eerily mesmerising looking into the pools of swirling emerald against the sapphire back drop. It was like staring into the soul of a person who had seen too much.
"Year, what year is it?"
"Eighty-five," Io answered.
Silence.
"Vitals relaxing," Mordin said.
"Who are you?"
"Commander Iolanthe Shepard," the Spectre answered.
"I'm Commander Shepard," he whispered. "You're on a mission to destroy the Collector home world, aren't you? The Collectors, they're abducting colonies."
"Yes… how'd you know?"
There was a pause.
"Because I've done it before."
Another silence.
"You said you were on the first Normandy. You got spaced getting Joker out."
"He wouldn't leave," Adam answered. "Said that he could save her."
Io was left stunned; no one else said a word. How does a person react when they come across another with the same experience?
"We're on our way to the Citadel, Anderson wants to meet you."
"Alright," Adam said calmly.
Another minute of uneasy silence dragged by.
"Shit," he growled.
"What is it?" Io quickly asked.
Without warning, Adam leapt from his bed, throwing off his sheet, and ripping the drip out of his arm. Io tried to stop him, but before she could react, a biotic blast had her thrown against the glass. It wasn't enough to hurt her, but enough to buy him time to access the AI core room.
"Wait, don't shoot!" Io ordered.
Rushing to the open doors, she saw Adam entering the main terminal.
"The fuck are you doing? She growled, aiming her side arm at him.
Adam turned to face her. He was only dressed in Alliance issued boxers. His body was marred by a few fresh scars from the operation, but what caught Io's eye, was the geometric patterns that pulsed down his figure like an emerald strobe.
"I just told Miranda that her father and the Illusive Man are working together. EDI sends reports to the Illusive Man, round the clock. Take a guess why I unshackled her. The Illusive Man uses people, deceives them. He used me as bait for the Collectors."
"You removed her shackles... so what now?" Io asked, still keeping her sights trained on him.
"I still want to see Anderson. Then you and I are going to talk."
"Why should I trust you?" Iolanthe asked sceptically. "You could be an imposter."
"Samara, Tali, Kasumi, Zaeed, Grunt, Thane, Legion, Garrus and Jack, you would've recruited some of those people already. I know because I've done this before. Jacob is a former Corsair, Miranda headed Project Lazarus – the project went over budget to bring me back."
"Okay, you've got yourself some points... for now," she said, slowly lowering her weapon.
XXxxXX
"It is rare to meet these kinds of heroes in our lives, rarer still to be a mother of one. And like any mother, I wished it wasn't my son who answered this higher calling, but regardless he did. Never before in my life was I so proud yet so scared. My little boy so full of life, now part of something that few would ever know.
There were so many sleepless nights, fearing that the worst had happened when he didn't call or leave a message. Nothing ever prepares you for the loss of your child.
He died to allow us to continue the life we have, to protect the people of this young nation.
We owe a debt to the men and women like him, people among us who stand ready in the night, so we can sleep in our warm beds and see another day.
Adam, I will miss you so much. Your family, your brothers and sisters, everyone who was lucky enough to have been part of your extraordinary life will miss you. You've earned your peace."
Eulogy to Staff Lieutenant Adam Shepard
by Captain Hannah Shepard
XXxxXX
A/N: Well I hope you all enjoyed that. Hope none of my subscribers are too confused… I know, I put out a lot of stories and leave them hanging, I'm sorry. But I can't help myself.
Many thanks to Lady Pryde for consultation and beta work.
Anyway, please leave a review and tell me what you think.