A Soul Too Many - a garrusthaneshep love

by IAmElvie

A story about how two men come to grips with loving the same woman. This is rated M for language and sexual content. Please note I'm not a writer, editor, or English major - there will be mistakes. It will not always follow the canon game.

2. Ch 5,5-9 Interim to Illium

Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle

Chapter 5.5

The 2 Year Interim

Legion

They had come to a consensus. The geth had been watching organics since the Morning War, monitoring and decrypting data channels. Of late one organic had become legend to the geth. A unit needed to be sent outside the Persius Veil to search for the organic that fought the heretics, the one that brought down the Old Machine, Nazara. Finding this organic was a top priority and maybe the only hope they had to survive the coming of the Old Machines.

The platform created was stronger than a standard trooper, but not large like a destroyer or a prime. It needed to be able to communicate directly with organics if it had to do so. It also needed to be able to operate on its own without having to be networked, since it would be far from any networked hub. Within this platform they installed 1,183 programs. Normally only 100-200 programs were installed per unit. This unit would be strong and be able to function independent of the collective.

The geth Unit's prime objective was to explore the trail of Shepard Commander and try to discover what happened to her. Its first stop was Eden Prime, where Shepard Commander fought many heretic geth and according to data found, had interacted with a working Prothean beacon. The Unit knew the colony had been terrorized by the heretic geth and stuck to cover as best it could. It did not wish to start an altercation with any remaining colonists or the Alliance guards sent to protect them. It put up a field dampener to help hide its synthetic signature from military radar, and used its optical camouflage. It moved at night and kept any telltale lights off, relying instead on infrared lighting and a form of sonar to find its way. It made its way to the beacon and scanned the shattered remains. Very little data was retrievable, but it would decrypt what it found later.

The Unit boarded its small vessel and departed the planet and routed a course to Therum. Therum, it discovered was a destroyed Prothean dig site. As such it could not make its way into the ruins to find any further significant information in regards to Shepard Commander or the archeologist T'Soni Doctor. It only had the encrypted report Shepard Commander had sent the organic Council. It touched down on a few worlds Shepard had stopped, but located nothing of significance.

The Unit programmed its next stop at Feros. Its ship was too tiny and insignificant for most military radars to pick up. Still, to be safe, it dropped from its ship directly onto Feros near the Exo-Geni facility. It would call its ship down to it when it was ready to leave. It dampened its signature, camouflaged itself, hacked into a side door, slipped into the facility and darted into the first unoccupied room it could find. It located a terminal and hacked into the Exo-Geni mainframe and uploaded the files on the Thorian and Zhu's Hope. It slipped back outside the facility and signaled its ship for extraction. It did brief recon on a few more worlds with little new information turning up.

Next stop along Shepard Commander's Journey according to reports sent to the Council was Noveria. It dropped from its ship just outside of Peak 15. It made contact with the station VI Mira. It hacked the VIs interface and discovered the route Shepard Commander took. It also found further information on the rachni, the queen, and several deactivated geth bodies that were being held in one of the labs for examination when the labs opened back up.

After arrival it maintained its dampening and camouflage, slowly made its way past the guard station and into the facility. There were no organics about. The labs had not yet been reopened after the rachni infestation and subsequent neutron purge. It made its way through the secure labs and hot labs, scanning everything it came across. It then made its way to the secret, top security labs, hacked his way in, recalibrated the drones and placed several grenades in the room housing the geth bodies. It set detonation for 20 minutes. It hacked into one more room and placed more grenades around the remaining rachni eggs. It hoped it hadn't missed anything, but it had no more time to explore. It vacated the labs and signaled its ship for a pick up. It stopped at another couple of worlds, found nothing of relevance and plotted a course to Virmire.

Unfortunately, Virmire, like Therum, at least the part he needed access to had been damaged by an explosion. This explosion had been massive. The reports that had been decrypted did not mention the extent of the damage caused by the explosion. There would be no information obtainable on Virmire.

According to records that had been accessed, Shepard Commander's next stop had been the Citadel. While valuable information might be attained there, at this time the Unit did not deem the stop a viable option, as it would be a severe risk to the platforms' hardware.

Its next destination would be Ilos. No enemy signatures could be picked up on Ilos. Since its ship was small it flew it through the archive doors and followed her route along the waterway passages in its ship. It stopped and accessed the Prothean VI known as Vigil. Vigil was unwilling to answer any questions at first due to the Unit's synthetic nature. It explained to the VI that it sought to join Shepard Commander in her fight against Old Machines, the Reapers. It then agreed that it would supply answers, but it would not allow direct interface. Legion accepted the VIs protocols and did not do a force hack. Once it obtained information the VI had given Shepard it returned to its ship and reversed it trail back through the archive doors. It knew it would never be able to travel the Conduit to the Citadel, to do so would culminate in its extermination.

It plotted a course to Alchera, the Normandy SR1's crash site. It located the ship's memory banks, used its own energy to power it up long enough to upload information concerning the attack. It found nothing more of value and signaled its ship for a pick up. As it was set to leave the planet behind the ship picked up a channel being used nearby while it was doing its constant frequency scanning. Unit tuned into the channel and heard Shepard Commander's name. It programmed a wide search pattern and his scan located a ship's signature on an orbiting asteroid. It landed away from the ship, dampened its signature and enabled its optical camouflage. It approached the ship and heard the organics talking about finding Shepard Commander's body. Unit was not sure if the target was functional or not, but it had found what it had been looking for. It entered the ship through the cargo hold door, found a mostly empty cargo crate and folded itself inside.

From within the confines of the crate it could hear the organics speaking and felt the thump of something heavy being placed nearby. As the talking faded to nothing it could hear the thrum of the ship's engines. It scanned the room, no life signatures; it unfolded itself from the crate and placed a small locater button on the container that had just been delivered. It folded itself back into the crate and began its wait. It felt the eerie quite as the ship sped through the mass relay and the return of the engine as it shot out of the destination relay. It heard the scraping as the ship docked with a larger one. Then it heard a closer scraping noise as they hauled away the large container they had deposited near him earlier. If that was indeed Shepard Commander, then it needed to acquire her. If Shepard Commander's platform was no longer active, it needed to bring her back to the collective, where we would attempt to bring her platform back online or provide her a new one.

When it grew quiet again, Unit opened the crate and unfolded itself. It unsnapped its gun, dampened itself. It left the ship and scanned the larger ship. It was on the Shadowthrone, a Shadow Broker courier frigate. It checked the locator signal and then camouflaged itself and headed for the last location of the signal. While camouflaged it could not accurately scan. I ascended a staircase to the second level. It could hear gunfire.

"Red Alert - All troops to the second level, I repeat all troops to the second level. Hostile intruders - shoot on sight. I repeat – shoot on sight."

Unit proceeded down a corridor and entered a room on the right. It needed to scan the area, since it could not effectively do so camouflaged. It popped into view and started its scanning sequence. The door burst open and an asari rushed in and closed the door behind her. She must have heard its movements because she spun around gun drawn.

They faced each other, guns raised. Unit recognized the organic as T'Soni Doctor. "T'Soni Doctor, Normandy crew." Unit stated.

"You can speak?" She asked, stating the obvious. She shook her head. "Forget I said that. Why are you here and what do you want?" She asked it.

"We presume we are here for the same purpose you are. Retrieval of Shepard Commander's platform." It told her.

"Shepard was my friend; I know why I want her body, why would a geth want her body?" Liara asked.

"Shepard Commander fought the heretics; Shepard Commander destroyed Nazara. The geth want to join Shepard Commander to stop the Old Machines." It stated.

"What are the heretics ? What is Nazara? And by old machines do you mean the Reapers?" Liara questioned.

"Heretics were geth that chose to leave the collective and fight alongside the Old Machines. Nazara was the Old Machine Saren Arterius named Sovereign. Correct the Old Machines are what the Protheans called Reapers." It explained.

"Even if you wanted to ally with Shepard, it is moot, Shepard was killed when the Normandy was attacked and destroyed by the Collectors." Liara said.

"Shepard Commander's platform will be given to the Collective. We will reactivate her platform or provide her a new one." It said.

"I don't think so." Liara said angrily. "Shepard is coming with me. Cerberus has agreed to use the best scientists, the best doctors and all the credits needed to bring Shepard back." Liara told it.

"Cerberus? That is conceivable. Shepard Commander is human. Cerberus is a human organization. Computing consensus. 78.2 % agree Cerberus would be an acceptable means to reactivate Shepard Commander's platform. This unit would aid in retrieving Shepard Commander." It told her.

"You want to help me? You will let me take her body?" Liara clarified.

"Correct." It stated.

"I do not trust you. I will be watching you. But I will not turn down help right now. I also have a partner, his name is Feron, he's a drell." She told him, putting away her gun.

"Acknowledged." It said.

The door burst open again and slammed shut. The drell's gun aimed at Unit.

"Feron, No! This geth is on our side. It wants to help find Shepard and return her to Cerberus." Liara told him.

"Are you crazy? Why would a geth want to do anything more than kill us all?" Feron asked incredulously.

"We want to join with Shepard Commander to fight the Old Machines. We will provide assistance with the platform recovery. We have agreed to allow Cerberus to reactive Shepard Commander. Shepard Commander is needed to defeat the Old Machines." It told him.

"It talks too?" Feron asked, his mouth agape. "I don't trust it." He said decisively.

"I don't either, but we are not in a position to be picky here. We need her body and it is willing to help us."

"Fine. But I'll be watching it." Feron grumbled.

"We know where Shepard Commander is. Her platform is located on the third floor en route to the cargo bay hold." It stated.

"How do you know that? We just came from there. That is where our ship is." Liara said.

"We infiltrated the ship that found her platform. We placed a locator beacon on the container transporting Shepard Commander's platform." It explained.

"They must have taken another route to the hanger bay. We need to get there before she is moved to another ship!" Liara exclaimed.

"Automatic flight weapon deployed," Unit said as it launched a drone. They unsnapped their guns and proceeded out of the room; they hooked a right and entered a larger chamber, where they were ambushed by a large contingency of mercenaries. Liara shot out a singularity lifting several into the air. The drone attacked anyone in cover, making them easy targets to eliminate. When they cleared the room they continued down the corridor at the opposite end of the room. They took the stairs up to the third floor and headed for the cargo bay. The signal was accurate. When they entered the cargo bay they ducked behind some nearby crates.

A large collector and a large salarian, Feron said was named Tazzik, stood next to Shepard's container. They were surrounded by several mercs. Feron told Liara that no matter what happened she must escape with Shepard's body and the data OSD. He tossed his gun to her and ambled over to the salarian. He informed them that he just came from the Shadow Broker and the collector was not to have the body until he paid in full.

The collector was furious. Its master jumped into the body of another collector that had been stationed near another port that could communicate with the Shadow Broker. It learned Feron was the traitor. When it told Taz what had happened Taz turned on the Feron. Feron yelled for Liara and the geth to attack.

While Liara was throwing around biotics, the geth unit camouflaged and carried Shepard Commander's platform to the ship. It activated the small ship and wondered where it was to place the container; it was too large for the ship. Legion pulled his sniper and began laying cover fire for Liara. Liara ran to the container, opened it, removed Shepard's armor and put a stasis field around her to keep her body preserved. Liara turned to the geth and yelled, "Now!" She began discharging her biotics again to give the geth cover while it picked up the body and carried it into the ship. It secured it in a containment field and returned to cover Liara.

Taz saw what was happening and charged for Liara's ship. Feron yelled for them to leave now while they still could. He attacked Taz, who sent him flying into a far wall. He didn't move. The Geth unit moved in closer to the large salarian, spraying bullets at it. Taz pulled his rocket launcher and fired at the geth. The rocket punctured the geth and detonated against the far end of the cargo bay. The unit screamed and went down. Liara looked sadly at her two helpers and closed the hatch of the ship. When the cargo bay doors opened, she flew out of the ship's belly. The injured collector had been sucked out into space before the cargo door could close again.

The geth had dragged itself to a corner behind a crate; it watched Liara leave with Shepard Commander before it shut itself down to do some internal scanning and repair.

When it was functional it reactivated itself. It scanned the cargo bay. It was alone. It noticed Shepard Commander's armor. Its face plates flapped. It needed to feel close to her and it did not know why. It used parts of her broken armor to cover some of its damage. It knew it could find better materials to cover all of its damage, but it also knew it could not part with Shepard Commander's armor. It knew it was illogical and an inefficient source for repair, but it kept it anyway.

Unit dampened its signature and camouflaged itself. It moved from floor to floor eliminating the crew aboard the ship. By the time it completed its grisly task, the ship was too damaged to be used as transport. It proceeded through the other two cargo bays and located an acceptable escape vehicle down at cargo bay one. When he exited the Shadowthrone, its search began anew, to find Shepard Commander and Cerberus.

It searched for nearly two years before it found an encrypted communication between Cerberus agents mentioning Shepard Commander and Freedom's Progress. It located a Cerberus vessel signature and dropped down from its ship. A wave of electricity hit it and it darted behind the shuttle. "Shepard Commander we come in peace. Please hear us out. We will then surrender our platform to any restraints you deem necessary." It said. It had finally met its objective.

Liara

Liara was devastated with the loss of her best friend and secret love. Shepard had been so easy to love, but so hard to let go of. In fact, she couldn't let go. Finding Shepard's body became her sole mission in life. Even if her friend was dead, she still needed that closure. She'd sent feelers out everywhere. She'd finally found an information broker that was willing to give her information on Shepard. She had arranged to meet him on Omega. She knew only that he was a drell and that his name was Feron. There was a wee bit of trouble with the mercs she paid to take her to Omega, but nothing she couldn't handle. Being with Shepard had taught her so much about who she was and what she was capable of. Being without Shepard taught her just how far she would go for the people she cared about. Dead or alive.

Figuring the best place to root out information would be the bar, so she made her way to the Afterlife bar. She asked an elchor at the bar if he knew anything of Commander Shepard. He was miffed that she would think he did and sad that Afterlife wouldn't allow the elchor to be dancers, as they were very good at dancing. A hooded drell told her talking to the elchor was like talking to a tree. Liara recognized him and he told her they needed to speak somewhere more private. Once they were outside, Feron grabbed her and pulled her behind a partition. He told her they were being followed. He also told her that Shepard was dead. She was devastated anew, but wouldn't accept it until she saw the body with her own eyes.

As they began their journey they were attacked by a group of blue sun mercs working for the Shadow Broker. An unknown sniper took out the krogan next to Liara and she sprang into action sending biotic waves at the mercs. She followed Feron down a few passages until they ran right into another armed group. This group, however, did not wish to kill them. The woman introduced herself as Miranda and told her they wanted to find Shepard's body and bring her back from death. Liara and Feron followed the group to a more secure area of Omega, because Miranda's boss wanted to meet with Liara. The Illusive Man (TIM) told her that the Shadow Broker wanted Shepard's body to sell to the Collectors. Since Liara had been so close to Shepard he knew she would stop at nothing to get the body. So, he wanted her on his team. She was horrified to learn about the collectors and agreed to work with him on the premise that he would indeed do everything he could to bring Shepard back from death…just as she had been…but she made it clear she was doing it for Shepard - not for him.

Between TIM's and Miranda's play on words and the weird coincidence of Feron being the only one who knew she was looking for Shepard and suddenly a whole gang of thugs knew…she put the facts together and realized he was an agent of the Shadow Broker. While she was pissed at him and showed him the hard way just how pissed she was, she decided he was still her best chance to get to Shepard.

They talked to Aria, the Boss of Omega, and discovered Shepard had been taken to the bowels of Omega, in the old mining processing plant. They hopped his ship and flew down to the lower levels, since that was the fastest way to get there. After they landed another ship came in to dock. Feron was shocked to see it was a huge salarian, Tazzik, that worked for the Shadow Broker. Feron said he would use a defense turret to take out Taz's ship, but missed with his aim. Taz shot off a grenade at them and flew out the airlock when they were distracted by its detonation.

They made it back to Feron's ship and headed out after Taz and Shepard. They would be hitting the Omega 2 relay. Feron knew just where they're going. The Shadow Broker had a large freighter, the Shadowthrone, stationed near the relay. The Shadowthrone asked what business he had and he informed the operator that he had immediate information he needed to relay to the Shadow Broker. The operator acknowledged his credentials and allowed him to dock. They put down in cargo bay three.

He was able to get Liara through the security checkpoint by passing her off as a prisoner. He took her to the Shadow Broker's hub, where they were able to converse with him through an interface. He was angry that Feron arrived without an invitation. Liara took over the discussion with the Shadow Broker as Feron used a terminal to upload all the Shadow Broker's business orders that he could onto an OSD. As soon as the upload was complete Liara detonated the interface in a biotic fury. She demolished the hub center. They took off at a run; they ran into a door on the left and discovered a geth unit who sought to help them recover Shepards' body. They didn't trust it, but help was help right now. The geth had planted a bug on Shepard's container and it led them to her body. He'd aided them in a couple of battles against the Shadow Broker agents and helped her load Shepard's body onto the small ship, but like Feron, he fell before the ship could fly out of the hangar. She had Shepard and the data, but she lost her two helpers in the process.

She contacted Cerberus and arranged a meeting to give them Shepard's body.

"The body is not in as good a shape as we had hoped, but the boss is hopefull about Shepard's prospects. We are pouring everything we've got into this project, but I fear it will take a very long time. There is a lot of damage we must overcome. Find something else to focus on; we will alert you when we have success." Miranda told her.

Miranda was right, she couldn't sit around here forever waiting…she had another friend and a geth to rescue…or vengeance to enact…hopefully both.

Time and research led her to Illium. It was the best place to get or do just about anything. She used the information on the OSD and began slowly gathering more intel. Her goal was finding the Shadow Broker. Her new job as an information broker was going to pave the way. She discovered she had a knack for information gathering. At times she missed the thrill of an archeological dig and the privacy it awarded her, but too much was at stake now, her life had turned a corner, and she wasn't sure she would ever again be the girl she used to be before the Normandy blew up and took Shepard with it.

After nearly two years, Cerberus finally contacted Liara and told her of their success. Shepard was alive. Liara sat stunned. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. It had been too long. She wouldn't…couldn't believe it until she saw her for herself. She was stubborn like that. A couple of months later when the port officials notified her that the Normandy SR2 was docking and Shepard was aboard, she paid all their fees and waited eagerly for the ghost of her friend to walk through her door. When her door did finally open, Liara turned around; her mouth fell open in surprise. "Shepard," she said and they embraced. "My sources said you were alive…but I never believed…it is so good to see you again."

Garrus

Garrus was a shell of the man he'd been. Watching the woman he loved die, unable to help her or join her destroyed him. He didn't care about anything anymore. When the pods were collected he boarded the ship without saying a word to anyone. The ship took them to the Citadel and on automatic pilot he did the only thing he knew anything about. He went to C-Sec. Anything else…going home… training for the Spectres… was more than he could even comprehend right now. He performed the duties expected of him, did his paperwork and went to bed. In some ironic way, during the next 16 months he became the prime example of a C-Sec officer. Even his dad was proud of how much he'd changed. If his dad only knew the truth he'd blow a gasket.

Garrus had fallen in love with a human…and worse she was a Spectre. The loss of the woman he'd claimed as his mate left him this morbid, empty shell that his father was so proud of. Some distant part of him sparked. The spark grew to a crescendo of anger, fury. He wanted to scream the truth to his father. Rub his nose in it. He wanted to grab the stick from his father's ass and beat him with it. But he didn't do any of that… after that initial burst of anger, it subsided.

But there was one thing that spark did for Garrus…it didn't go out.

Over the next four months that spark gradually grew. Garrus started to feel again. To him that was not necessarily a good thing. He felt the pain over her loss. He felt anger that the Council…even the Alliance swept everything related to Reapers under the rug. They didn't want them to exist, so they didn't. Everything Shepard had worked to accomplish had been undone. Everything his woman did for the galaxy…for the Council all but forgotten. More than anything…their casual dismissal of his mate, a woman who gave everything she was for them…fanned that spark into a flame. Once the flame burned bright the red tape he faced in C-Sec began to bother him again. It was getting harder and harder for him to go along with C-Sec rules and regulations. They had bothered him in the past and he'd chafed under them. Working with Shepard had changed his outlook; he had become a more rational and level headed man. But, her loss tore a hole in him he could not recover from. The beast within him had a new outlet and it becoming harder to keep it locked away…because it really wanted to come out and play.

He began roughing up the criminals harder than he used to. C-Sec could no longer turn a blind eye. His record started to tarnish and eventually blacken.

A local drug dealer his father had released several years ago was once again a prime suspect in several crimes. C-Sec had nothing on him and it looked like he would walk again. Garrus had enough. He submitted his resignation, walked out the door of C-Sec HQ and didn't look back. He walked straight down to the lower wards, grabbed the drug dealer by the throat and slammed him to the ground.

"You can't do this…you're C-Sec…I have rights!" The man screamed.

"Not anymore, Kishpaugh. I'm free to break the law just like you…and I'm looking for a reason to do it!" Garrus growled. "That poison you push – where do you get it?"

"Omega! It all comes from Omega!" he cried out.

Garrus slammed his head into the ground and walked away. The scum was lucky all he'd have was a headache.

Omega was where he was going. When he arrived at his destination and entered the port door he was immediately greeted with a vorcha holding an elderly woman at knife point demanding more money or he would kill them both. The old man pleaded it was all they had, but the vorcha didn't care. Garrus stepped up behind the vorcha and snapped his neck. The vorcha fell at his feet, he bent down and retrieved their savings and he kicked the vorcha away from them.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" He asked gently as he handed them their money.

"Thank you…thank you so much… we came here to find our son…You are an angel, sir. A real-life angel."

"Something like that." Garrus said as he watched them go.

Garrus walked into the Afterlife bar. He had just sat down for a drink, when a turian was thrown to the ground by a bloodpack krogan, who threatened to drink out of the turian's skull. Garrus charged the krogan, slammed into him and sent him flying. He helped the turian to his feet. The krogan wasn't so pleased to be tossed on his ass, so he rounded up a few friends to teach the blue armored turian a lesson.

Garrus' mandibles spread wide. Things were just starting to get fun. The turians took down the four thugs, grabbed a drink and headed to a nearby room to talk about Omega. They discussed the crime problem on Omega and decided they would band together and create a team to take out the gangs.

"We start hitting the gangs where it hurts, Sidonis…prove we can get things done, and people – good people – will want to join us." Garrus told him.

And that is just what happened. As the reputation of Archangel spread, the squad grew. He had a salarian explosives expert, a batarian tech expert and various others: former C-Sec, security, and military, as well as mercs that wanted to atone joined up. There were twelve in all.

They were careful to take the fight to the mercs and gangs, no civilians were to be harmed. He did not want to become who he hunted. He would do that much for his vela.

They spent months cleaning up Omega…taking the trash out and raking in the credits while doing so. The three major merc bands started working together to end the Archangel group. Unfortunately, between the money and the increased danger, the team was burning out. They'd taken down a lot of evil people, felt they'd done their share of good deeds and just wanted to live the rest of their lives without death.

But, the beast was loose and Garrus couldn't reign him in. He wanted more…needed more…wanted it all. Omega purged of all crime. The one thing that he couldn't comprehend was that Omega would never be free from crime. It was crime…its heart and soul black with it. He pushed his team harder, demanded more. Refused to listen to what they needed. Their moral was faltering, but Garrus couldn't see it. Wouldn't see it.

Garrus received a comm from Sidonis. The bloodpack was running guns and he needed Garrus to come down to the Kenzo District and help him clean it up. Garrus, always eager for the fight leapt at the chance. When he arrived there, no one was about. Not the bloodpack and not Sidonis. Something was dreadfully wrong. He hurried back to his headquarters, by the time he arrived the mercs had bombed his headquarters and swooped in to kill any of his team left alive…there were only two surviving at that point, but there were too many mercs to save them, no matter how many he took down. He tore into the mercs that had slaughtered his team. Those that got away from him he hunted down. Then he began to hunt down the rest of the mercs, but his luck couldn't hold out forever. Eventually they found his new base.

He had no place left to run. The bridge that kept him relatively safe from the mercs also kept him from leaving. He was trapped. He thought back to all the things Shepard had tried to teach him, all the things his dad had tried to drill into him, things he hadn't wanted to hear. Things he wished he'd taken to heart. Lessons he'd learned too late. What happened here was his fault. He couldn't apologize to his vela; it was too late for that. But he could call his father.

"Dad."

"Garrus? Is that you? What's that noise?"

"Target Practice."

"Then call me back later." His father said briskly.

"I don't think I'll be able to…too many targets." Garrus admitted. "I just wanted to hear your voice. And I wanted to tell you that you were right about things…a lot more than I gave you credit for." Garrus said.

"Forget about that. These targets…they're moving fast?" His father asked.

"Not yet, but they're learning." Garrus told him.

"No matter how bad things are falling apart around you, as long as you have one bullet left you can still get the job done. Understand?" His father asked. "You finish up what you need to do there and then you come on home to Palaven. We have a lot to sort out."

"Yeah, we do. Thanks, dad. For everything," Garrus said. Garrus sighted down his gun for another shot. The N7 logo popped up in his scope. N7? Alliance? He raised the scope up until it rested on the face of a ghost. No, it can't be her. She's dead. He was just seeing what he wanted to see. But N7…that was Alliance and he might just make it out of here alive after all. "I have to go now. Don't worry about me…I'll make it home when I can. The odds just go a lot better." Garrus said and disconnected from his father. When he peered back through his scope he could not find the N7 armor again. He wondered if he imagined it all. Then he heard her voice and his world stopped for just a second. He needed a moment to get himself together. He held his hand up and sighted down the barrel and took the head off a merc that had sneaked in.

"Archangel?" She asked.

He removed his helmet and turned to face her. He had to see her. He had to touch her. He had to know she was real. He walked up to her, studied her face. She smiled at him and he was lost. No one had a smile like that. This was his vela. Somehow. Alive. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I thought you were dead." He said, barely able to squeeze the words from his tight throat.

Tali

Tali was heartbroken after the destruction of the Normandy. She had stayed on with Shepard longer than she had planned because she had grown close to those she served with and more specifically to Shepard. She also wanted to see the rest of the geth that supported Saren wiped out. If she could find out anything about the Reapers while she continued her journey with Shepard, it would be all the more she could return to the flotilla with.

When she saw the Normandy explode in a fiery mass of shrapnel and found out that Shepard had not survived after their pods were recovered, she went home to the flotilla with a heavy heart.

She had wanted to join the Neema, so she presented her information concerning the geth to Admiral Han'Gerrel, the captain of the Neema. Han'Gerrel was her father's best friend and he was so proud of what she had accomplished during her pilgrimage. Not only had she found badly needed information on geth upgrades, but she was also part of the team that defeated Saren and his geth, saved the Citadel from Sovereign, and stopped the Reapers from invading the galaxy. Han'Gerrel had been ecstatic to welcome her aboard his ship.

Tali was given a coming out party of sorts, where she was presented with her new, adult environmental suit. Her name was on everyone's tongue. Everyone knew of her exploits and what she and the rest of the Normandy crew had done for the galaxy. She often found the attention too much and sought out a quiet place. She had come to love the quiet aboard the Normandy as much as she loved the hustle and bustle of the flotilla.

With her newfound respect she was allowed to lead missions to help the flotilla and it denizens. The latest mission she had been given involved Veetor'Nara, a young man who had gone missing on his Pilgrimage. He was last seen on Freedom's Progress, where he had been helping the colonists. Tali and her team arrived to find the colony eerily deserted. They quickly discovered the security mechs were active and hunting them. Something was seriously wrong for the mechs to turn on non-hostile people. She did not believe they were alone.

She briefly caught sight of Veetor in the distance. He appeared injured. She called to him but he ignored her and ran off. They lost him amongst the buildings. She suspected Veetor had programmed the mechs to attack. But why? And what were they protecting him from?

They moved into one of the buildings to coordinate the search for Veetor. The doors burst open and a familiar face with two armed Cerberus soldiers stepped in.

"Shepard…but you're…is that really you?" Tali asked in shock.

Wrex

After the destruction of the Normandy, Wrex - in honor of Commander Shepard, returned to Tuchanka to do the one thing she'd asked of him. To return home and help his people. She had told him his people needed to be united under a single, strong ruler that could lead them into a new era. An era where krogan could be respected again as they had first been after the rachni war. An era based on growth… not fighting…not war. It was time for the krogan to be a part of the galactic community rather than apart. He would do this for her, for himself, and for his people.

Despite the loss of the genophage cure, he had come home a hero. He saved the fate of the krogan, stopped Seran, defeated Sovereign and saved the galaxy. Not to say that taking control was easy, taking control is always bloody…but the favoritism and respect that he earned for the part he played went a long way in the hearts and minds of the krogan.

Once he had control of his own clan, through the disposal of the worthless current clan leader, his clan opened their arms and hearts to him. The first thing he did as the ruler of Clan Urdnot is get word to the female clans that he wished to garner treaties with them. One by one the female clans joined up with Clan Urdnot. They were impressed with his forward thinking plans and they wanted to be a part of the new krogan society. A society Wrex was willing to let the females have a say in…help build it. He listened to their ideas and incorporated many of them into his restructuring plans.

After he won the hearts and minds of the female clans he began to slowly spread out his control. He began with the smaller clans, many of which fell in with him with little to no carnage simply for his protection and the fact that the female clans were in favor of him.

Within 24 months he had at least 85% of the clans backing him and his new ideals. Some of the clans were grudgingly there, but there nonetheless. He was deep in discussion with a disgruntled clan leader when he'd received word that Shepard was alive and wanted him to join her and Garrus on Palaven. When he arrived on Palaven he was stunned to see her. "Shepard!" He grunted and laughed in pleasure. "Shepard! My friend!" He pumped her hand enthusiastically unable to believe she was alive and before him. "It seems even the void can't hold you!"

Kaidan

After the pods were recovered and Kaidan was debriefed he was promoted to Staff Commander for his duty aboard the Normandy and helping to bring down Seran. But he was devastated over the loss of his Commander. He should have stayed behind. He should have saved her. He should have been with her in the end. He had loved her with all his heart and he had walked away from her, saved himself…leaving her to die alone. It didn't even matter that she'd ordered him to go. The woman who had given everything to everyone every day of her life was tossed from the bowels of the Normandy into a living nightmare, endured alone…suffered alone…died alone. He didn't even have her body to mourn. It was like she never existed. The Council and Alliance were shoving all her warnings under the rug, even her name was gathering dust. It wasn't right.

Kaidan spent the next 3 months in counseling, trying to get over his survivor's guilt…to move on with his life. Shepard was easy to love…but a hell to get over. When he was ready the doctor signed off on his active duty release he was assigned to the SSV Trafalgar. He spent 14 months in service on the frigate, throwing himself into every mundane mission, like he didn't care if he came out of it alive. He didn't take stupid chances, he tended to be cautious by nature, but he was driven now. He had to keep working, the tougher the mission the better. He had to use his brain…he had to use his body…he had to give 125%...he had to. Maybe it was his way of eradicating his demons. Maybe in some way he was trying to be Shepard…his way of trying to hang on to her memory…keep it alive. Hard to know for sure, the mind was a slippery thing.

After more than a year of service aboard the frigate, Councilor David Anderson recalled him to the Citadel. For the next seven months he was given more difficult missions, eventually classified missions. He earned many commendations. During this time some of Kaidan's friends finally talked him into trying to get out there and start dating again. He eventually began getting to know Dr. Michel on the Citadel. She was not adventurous…she was not Shepard, but he was beginning to feel that maybe there could be a life after Shepard. Not the life he imagined, but a life he could at least be content with and perhaps even happy with.

After those seven months Anderson assigned him to an undercover classified mission on Horizon to find out if Cerberus was responsible for the colonist abductions. He was on Horizon overseeing the building of the Guardian Turrets to protect the colonists as part of an outreach program. Within two months of being on Horizon he discovered two things in a single day. One, it was the Collectors that were abducting human colonists... and two, that his world tilted on end when he saw Shepard alive and well.

He had to touch her…had to know she was real. He walked up to her and wrapped her in his arms. Feelings he hadn't felt in years hit him like a ton of bricks. The woman he had loved more than life itself was alive and had never bothered to contact him. Not only that he had discovered she was working with Cerberus, a terrorist group, a traitor to the Council and the Alliance.

He was torn apart, anger, fear, love, fury at her betrayal, tore through him like a whirlwind taking reason along with it. He couldn't…wouldn't hear what she was saying. There was nothing she could say to him right now. He had to get away. He had to. He couldn't think when he was around her…and right now the woman that he loved more than anything repulsed him and that didn't sit well with him. After he'd had time to think about how he treated her, the things he'd said, he sat down and composed an email to her. He still loved her; he just didn't know what to make of her if he would ever be able to trust her the way he used to. Perhaps time would see them through this.

When Kaidan returned home with his report he was promoted to Major and put in command of the 1st Special Operations Biotic Company, a covert operations unit. After 6 months training the operatives, the squads were sent out on their independent missions and Kaidan was recalled to the Citadel. It had been just over 10 months since Horizon and his heart flipped over in his chest when he saw her walking with Anderson. She wore her hair different now, but other than that she hadn't changed a bit. His heart still yearned for her.

Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle

Chapter 6

A New Life

Time ceased to have any meaning. Darkness engulfed her. That in itself wasn't frightening, but this darkness clung to her. It was dense. It enveloped her and pushed against her. There were no sounds. No variations of light…just the thick, clingy dark. She tried to garner her power, but she had none. She ran…ran until exhaustion brought her to her knees. She gathered all her frustration, her anger, her fear, tilted her head up and screamed out into the dark expanse. The dark rolled around her, licked at her, filled her mouth, slowly forcing its way down her throat. She gagged and spit it out. There were no words to describe the taste…she shivered…but she knew she never wanted to taste it again…and feared something monstrous might have happened if…if she had swallowed.

No matter how many times she had died or lives she had lived she had never experienced this dark before. Was this what true death was? Is this what happened to people when they truly died? Were they trapped forever in this dark morass able to feel everything, know everything, but see nothing? Perhaps it was only her true death…a hell she deserved for having the gifts …or curses…that she had been given. Perhaps a hell she had to face because she had stolen the lives of so many just so she could selfishly survive, like some kind of vampiric monster of old.

She knew she was a monster. Butdscer she would like to think she'd done far more good in her life than evil. She had to believe that…though the dark seemed to belie her belief.

She felt an odd pull. The dark gripped her and held on…but the pull was too strong. She was being pulled…no, that was not right…it felt like being heaved or pushed with great force…up through a long, dark corridor...she was moving too fast to see anything…the dark began to lighten...she was hurtling towards a bright light that threatened to blind her.

She crashed into the light and was slammed by an overwhelming pain that ripped through her chest. She flung her arms out, gasping, screaming. Faces swam in and out of her vision…a man…Wilson someone called him…a dark haired woman…Miranda she thought…she could hear their words but couldn't make them out clearly. Brain activity…not ready…another dose…The pain that wracked her body gave no quarter …there was nothing but the pain...the light…then there was nothing once more…nothing but the dark, which greeted her with waiting, open arms… She shivered in fear as the dark embraced her once more….

Something shook her. Her body rocked again. The dark clung to her, but she was hurtling away. She crashed into the light and lay there a brief moment. She was stiff and sore, but the pain was gone. She moved...Ow…for the most part anyway. Her body shook again…she could make out someone talking to her. She concentrated on the voice.

"Wake up Shepard…you need to get up. We are under attack." The bodiless woman said. A voice she had heard before. The name Miranda came to mind.

She rubbed her sore face. "Your scars aren't healed yet, but you need to get up. Now. We are under attack." The woman's voice pushed at her.

She sighed, swung her legs over the side of the table and heaved herself up. Ah…she grabbed her ribs…that was not so pleasant.

"Grab the pistol from the floor and your armor from the locker," said the voice.

She looked down at her little gold dress. If she was in a hospital why in the freak show was she wearing her gold dress instead of an open back door, hideously ugly hospital gown?

"You need to hurry Shepard. Grab the pistol and your armor." The voice scolded her.

She went to the locker, retrieved her gear and suited up. She picked up the pistol, cocked it. It had no clip. Great. "What the hell am I supposed to do with it? There is no clip." She asked.

"Don't worry about that, I can see one beyond the door." A camera zoomed in on the door. "There are canisters by the door that are going to blow. Get behind cover. NOW." The voice said.

Shepard ran over to a glass partition and ducked as an explosion rocked the room and sent shrapnel flying.

"Someone has hacked security and is trying to kill you." The voice warned. "Grab the thermal clip for your gun and watch out for mechs. Any you see will be hostile."

She followed the voice's instructions, ran through the doorway, grabbed the clip, loaded the gun, turned left up the stairs…flung the mech against the wall, and headed up another set of stairs. When the door at the top of the stairs opened she could hear the clanking of mechs coming towards her. She ducked behind another glass partition, blew the head off the first mech and flung a singularity and warp bomb at the 4 that entered through a side door. Mechs flew in every direction, shattering against the walls they slammed into.

She ran through the door ahead and could see through the window a YMIR mech gunning people down. She looked around, but couldn't find a way into the room. Then it didn't matter, for no one was left alive to save.

"You don't have time to play hero, Shepard...I'm trying to keep the mechs off you, but we are running out of time." The voice admonished.

She sighed…seems her life would be forever filled with bossy people…herself included, truth be told… she chuckled, turned right and headed through another door.

"I can see a grenade launcher on the ground, grab it and take out the advancing mechs."

She picked up the grenade launcher; only 3 grenades left, and snapped it to her back.

"Use the grenade launcher on the mechs." The voice said in exasperation.

"It's almost empty. I won't use it unless I have to. There may be bigger threats ahead." She told the voice. Shepard ducked behind the glass railing and tossed a singularity followed by a warp bomb, and watched the exceeding polite mechs fly to their doom. Now that was more fun than a grenade launcher. One of the mechs exploded causing a fire to erupt below.

"Take the elevator down…your shields should hold if you're quick enough getting through the fire."

Really? She thought to herself. Why was the woman treating her like she had her brain up her ass? She ran through the fire, past the door and through another door on her left. The voice crackled and sputtered...something about mechs after her…and then nothing. She hoped the woman was ok. Bossy or not, the woman had awakened her and probably saved her life.

She entered the first room she came to. She accessed a computer and a holo of Miranda popped up talking about a how a subject's organs were functioning and they were starting synthetic repair. Poor sot, thought Shepard.

She knew a lot of soldiers chose to be implanted to improve themselves both biotically and mechanically. But it was not something she would ever do herself. Perhaps her views were biased, because she didn't need implants. In fact, she felt like having them would hurt her. They were unnatural and she needed to connect with the energy and life around her. She was an instrument of that energy and life and synthetics stood apart from the very energy that made her who she was.

The military doctors had tried to force her into the L5x or L5n implants, saying it would improve her ability to harness dark energy and produce stronger singularities or biotic charges. She had tossed a singularity at them, watched them get sucked into it. She pulled the energy back into herself, winking the singularity out, and lifted the staff into the air. She flipped the lead doctor upside down, amped up…and charged them. She pulling up a hair's breadth from the lead doctor's face, shook her head, flipped her right side up again and deposited them gently back on the ground. She turned and walked out of the room…laughing her ass off at their expressions of shock. Thankfully, she did not get reprimanded…thanks to David Anderson she was sure… nor had they bothered her again.

She moved to a safe on the wall, cracked it and accessed another computer that she found. The logs were of a man, Wilson maybe, griping about money. Nothing that would help her find out where she was, why she was here and where her crew was.

She turned left out of the room and ran up another set of stairs. She could hear an alarm going off. Someone yelled her name; she turned to see a man gunned down by a YMIR mech on the other side of a permaglass window. Is there no one on this hell hold she would be able to save?

She spotted another access terminal. There was talk about some project, Miranda being an ice-queen and me being the next favorite. What the hell did that mean? Favorite of what? She was used to people she didn't know knowing her… but this was starting to get ridiculous…and not the good kind.

She turned left out of the room she had entered and towards the only door open to her. When it slid open she heard a man yelling and bullets flying. She ran up and ducked behind the permaglass railing next to him. She tossed a warp bomb at the mech shooting at them, taking it down.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her.

She took in his very dark skin, his white, black and gold form fitting suit. He had a swimmers build…broad shoulders and slender hips. Odd; he acted like he knew her too. Her eyes fastened on the emblem on his suit…a warning bell went off in her head. She knew she had seen that logo before…but where? "Why don't you tell me?" She said. "I only just woke up."

He cocked his head. "Right…I'm Jacob Taylor, a biotic and Miranda's top lieutenant; she must have been really worried to wake you up this soon."

"I'm aware this isn't the best time, but I have a few questions…I'm tired of running around in the dark." The dark…she shivered. She would never forget the dark.

"Help me get rid of these mechs and I'll play 20 questions with you all day long."

She nodded and together they made quick work mopping up the remaining mechs.

He looked at her intently. "What would you like to know?"

She looked at the man trying to gain his measure. She focused her sight. He didn't have an aura. That couldn't be right. She looked down at herself. No aura. What the hell was going on. She tried to push her aura out to connect with his…Nothing…She felt a freak coming on and took a deep breath…Calm…she told herself…Stay calm. She removed her armored glove and rested her hand upon his cheek. He started to pull back, but a hard look from her kept him still. Nothing but silence greeted her. She felt…She didn't feel like herself…she felt…alone…unable to connect with anything…anyone. She knew her powers still worked, she was as strong as ever…but this other part of her was gone.

"What the hell happened to me? To my crew? Last I remember is watching the Normandy fall."

He explained how the Normandy was destroyed and she was brought to this private space station dead as dead could be and they had spent the last 2 years putting her back together. She was the Lazarus Project…their only priority was to bring her back exactly as she had been...only with a few more bits and pieces used to drop-kick her back into life. Most of her crew survived, but it had been a long time, they moved on with their lives; no one knew where the non-alliance crew members were. To the Alliance and the rest of the galaxy she was killed in action.

2 years. Her heart constricted. So long…It was difficult to wrap her head around everything. For her it seemed no more than days, for time had been suspended in the dark. For Garrus it had been two years and he had moved on with his life…as he should have. But it still tore her heart to pieces. Garrus…I'm so sorry. I hope you have found the happiness that you deserve.

Another worry surfaced. Bits and pieces? Implants? Cybernetics in her body? No! She would have healed; she could recover from anything if given the time…at least she was pretty sure that was the case. Either way, these parts were coming out. They were messing with her chi and that was not ok. She had to get back to the Alliance and find Dr. Chakwas. Fast.

"What is the fastest way off this station?" She asked.

Jacob's omni-tool went off; an SOS distress call came through. Wilson, one of the scientists who had worked to bring her back to life was in need of aid. They headed out through a side door, turned left down a corridor and through a far door. A few mechs were taking shots at them, but they fell quick enough. They worked their way around some piping, through a door and around the corner to another door.

Wilson frantically commed in; he was under attack...he'd been shot. She quickened her pace. Jacob yelled that we needed to head up the stairs, so she hung a left and ascended them. At the top of the stairs she swung to the left and into a small office. She accessed the computer and a halo of Miranda explained how the Lazarus Project would be deemed a failure if Shepard wasn't brought back exactly as she was. It felt weird to hear these things about herself. She departed the office and headed through a door to the right on the other side of the stairs.

They found Wilson lying on the ground; he had been shot in the leg. A dose of medi-gel got him back on his feet. He was strangely defensive. He also thought to call Miranda a traitor…odd traitor indeed considering Miranda saved her…but that could all wait, they needed to get to the shuttle bay and off this station. And she had people to find.

As they began to head out Jacob stopped her. He told her this was a Cerberus station. That Cerberus was responsible for bringing her back from the dead. He wanted to be honest with her; because, they had to work together to stay alive and for that he needed her trust. She shook her head. Cerberus. Damn it all. A terrorist group? She had come up against them several times in the past and they were never up to any good. What did a terrorist group want with her? She was Alliance…She was a council Spectre…both avowed enemies of Cerberus. What were they thinking?

Jacob promised he would take her to The Illusive Man, who ran Cerberus, and he could answer any questions she had. Yeah, sure…Only what he wanted me to know. "Well," she said, "If I'm not going to get any more answers here, let's go."

They went down a hall; she hacked into a datapad, received a few credits for her trouble and headed to the right down a small set of stairs. She turned right at the base of the stairs, went down a short hall and through a door on the left. Three polite mechs jumped out to greet them; she flung them against the wall and proceeded to the left and through another doorway on the right. She ran up a ramp and ducked behind a container. Mech bullets flew around her. She flung a singularity to the right and warp bombed it; leaving Jacob and Wilson to mop up the rest. She amped and charged the left doorway where more mechs were coming from. She slammed into two mechs, throwing them back twisted and broken, and sent a wave of power towards the remaining mechs, smashing them against the wall.

She hacked another datapad and a wall safe. This was just too damn easy. She turned around and headed to the right where the first group of mechs had come from. When they passed the door Wilson took over a console to open the way to the shuttles.

When the doors opened Miranda stepped out and shot him point blank. Shepard leveled her gun at her, not quite knowing what to expect next. Miranda said she'd shot him because he was their betrayer. He'd hacked the mechs to kill them all.

"Did he really deserve that? You can't even bring him in for questioning!" She said, scowling at Miranda.

"I wasn't going to risk it. I've put too much time and money into bringing you back. You are the only thing in this whole damn station that matters. Everyone, everything else is expendable." Miranda explained.

"She's right," said Jacob. "We all knew that signing on."

She took her gun off Miranda and put it away. "I had a bad feeling about Wilson. He was too defensive, something was off."

"Very smart, Commander, not too many people could have seen through him. We need to go, my boss will want to know that you're up," said Miranda.

"Look, I know you work for Cerberus," she told Miranda.

"Ah, Jacob…you're conscience got the better of you." Miranda said, mocking him.

"I needed the Commander to trust us and she's not going to be able to do that if she thinks we betrayed her," Jacob intoned.

"We need to do some more tests," Miranda stated as they settled into the shuttle. They grilled her about her past and decisions that she made.

Apparently they need to make sure that her brain was intact and functioning. She settled back for the remainder of the journey. She thought back on her time with Garrus. She had kissed him…perhaps devoured him would be more accurate. But what didn't happen was the pictures. Whenever she got another's dna mixed with hers, usually via a fluid exchange, pictures would flood her head. The experience was always painful, sometimes delayed…if she was very distracted, but they never failed to come…The only thing different about that night was that she had died. Apparently, death was the only way to escape the pictures. She'd have to keep that in mind…not that she had any inclination to use that escape.

The shuttle landed at a new Cerberus station and she was directed down the stairs to meet The Illusive Man.

Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle

Chapter 7

Freedom's Progress

She passed Jacob and Miranda and turned right at the end of the room and descended down the stairs to meet The Illusive Man. She looked around the empty room. TIM was nowhere to be found. Figures. As she stepped forward onto a circular pad a holo-grid rose up around her. TIM's hologram popped into view. He was seated in a chair, cigarette in hand.

He explained that they spared no expense bringing her back to life, because she was the only thing standing between humanity and the Reapers. She was a symbol for humanity. If the Reapers didn't fear her, he felt they respected her since she brought down Sovereign. He also explained that while she was sleeping hundreds of thousands of humans, entire colonies, have been harvested.

"I brought you back," he said. "It's up to you to do the rest."

On the shuttle en route to Freedom's Progress she learned that no evidence of any kind had been left behind to explain how the colonists vanished.

After landing they progressed through an eerily empty home, down some stairs. Her lootdar went off, she located the salvage and then on through another door where they were immediately besieged by security mechs.

"Someone deliberately set them to attack...we are not alone here," Miranda stated.

They proceeded up another set of stairs and through another empty house. Nothing had been disturbed. It was like they just vanished. As they headed out the back door, her lootdar went off and more credits jumped into her eager hands. They took out the mechs that attacked and proceeded into the next building.

A small group of quarians were already there…with Tali at their head.

"Shepard…but you're…is that really you?" Tali asked in shock.

Shepard smiled at her friend. "Did the data I gave you concerning the geth help you on your pilgrimage, Tali?"

Tali froze, shook her head to clear it, and assured the other quarians that she was indeed Shepard. She explained how they were there to find Veetor, one of their people here on pilgrimage. He was injured and delirious. He'd run off and programmed the mechs to attack.

They agreed that since he'd survived the attack on the colony that maybe he would be able to tell them what happened and that working together would be the best course of action to find him.

Shepard's team headed out the side door, down the stairs and into another home. She spotted a safe that begged for her attention and took out the mech protecting it. They headed out the backdoor and were attacked by a squad of flying drones. While Miranda was busy overloading them, she and Jacob decided to find out who was the best at target shooting. She won…of course. Tali notified them that her team splintered off; the other group was intent on getting to Veetor first.

As they cut through another home, she found some credits hidden in a medical kit. They proceeded out the back door and through a home across the landing. They exited through the rear and headed down another set of stairs. Before they could get to the bottom another squad of flying drones ambushed them, and another round of skeet-shoot ensued.

Tali commed warning them that Razza's group had stumbled upon a YMIR mech that was making short work of his group and that her team should get in cover before she opened the doors. Shepard grabbed more credits from a medical kit as they headed down the stairs. They took cover, commed Tali, and the doors opened. She and her team ran through the door and took cover on the other side as a YMIR was taking out the last of the splinter group.

Miranda worked on bringing down its shields while she and Jacob rained bullets into it. Miranda yelled "Now!" Shepard started casting warp bombs while the other two peppered it with more bullets. She saw Miranda fall out of the corner of her eye. Shit! She amped up, charged, slammed into the YMIR, rolled away, threw her arm up, lifting the YMIR in the air and then threw a stasis bubble at it, capturing the mech in the air. Shepard grabbed her mattock and started pouring incendiary ammo into the suspended mech.

Shepard saw Miranda, out of the corner of her eye, get shakily to her feet. Miranda sneered at the YMIR, pulled her shuriken and gave the mech a taste of her anger. "It's gonna blow!" Miranda said with satisfaction.

They all dodged into cover and she poured more energy into the stasis bubble to try to contain the explosion. She smiled weakly at her team, who gazed on her with amazement, while she panted with the exertion. When only smoke remained in the bubble, she absorbed it back into herself and the debris rained down in a heap on the ground.

Shepard fell to one knee for a moment while the world swayed around her. Jacob and Miranda raced to her side and helped her up.

"I've never seen anything like that before, Commander, are you ok?" Jacob asked in concern and more than a little bit of awe. Shepard winked at him and nodded.

"I think we should have a little talk later, Commander. What you just did shouldn't be possible. I'm one of the strongest biotics there is, for a human, and I couldn't have done what you just did." Miranda said matter of fact.

Shepard rolled her eyes…Ah, Miranda my sweet, how do you always manage to sound so bloody arrogant? She looked around and felt a pull…loot was nearby. She ran up a short ramp and into a home on the left. She found some power cells and a safe…she ran back out and into a home that had been to the right of the ramp, she grabbed some credits that had been stashed in a medical kit , nodded at Tali who rolled her eyes, and ran back out, heading for the last remaining building in the area. She grabbed some salvage from a broken YMIR and some Iridium then headed up the stairs.

She pulled up as she entered the building. There sat who she assumed was Veetor. He was rambling to himself about monsters and swarms, staring intently at several monitors.

"Veetor?" Shepard asked him.

"No Veetor. Must hide. So the monsters can't find him." He said continuing to ramble.

She frowned sadly, programmed her omni-tool and shut down the monitor feeds.

He turned around to face them. "Humans?" He asked in shock. "Where did you hide? Why didn't they find you?"

"We only just arrived, Veetor. Can you tell us what happened?" Shepard asked kindly.

He explained about the seeker swarms, tiny robotic bugs that stung you and froze you and about the monsters that took you away. Then he showed them the footage depicting the swarms and collectors. He said he took a lot of readings with his omni tool.

Miranda said," Grab the quarian and let's go."

Tali walked into the building. "Are you crazy? Veetor is injured. He needs a doctor not an interrogation."

Shepard sighed. "Tali is right. Veetor needs help. Tali will take him back to the flotilla and send us the data on his omni-tool."

"I'm glad you are the one still giving the orders." Tali said smirking at Miranda.

Shepard turned to her squad. "I need a moment with Tali."

The quarians and humans fidgeted in discomfort as Tali and Shepard walked out the door. Miranda walked over and replayed Veetor's vid to give them all something to do. They all crowded around the monitors hoping to find something useful...anything that might help.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance Tali and Shepard hugged.

"I thought you were dead. We all did." Tali said. She shook her head. "Damn, I can't even wipe my eyes."

"I was dead Tali...or mostly dead. Cerberus somehow got hold of my corpse and Miranda," she cocked her head in the direction of her squad, "spent 2 years putting me back together."

"Cerberus? But why are you still with them?"

"I only just woke up. They took me to meet TIM, The Illusive Man, and he explained how hundreds of thousands of humans have been abducted and no evidence was ever left behind. You know me…ever the nosy one… I had to find out what happened…and so here I am."

"What about the Alliance?" asked Tali.

"There hasn't been time. I'm still Alliance. I'm still a council Spectre…at least I think I am…but right now I intend to use Cerberus and their vast resources to stop the Collectors and their attacks on human colonies. I have to follow these leads, Tali, while they are still fresh and hot. Please trust me in this."

Tali looked at her friend and gave her a weak smile. "I do trust you, Shepard. But I worry. Cerberus cannot be trusted."

Shepard winked at Tali. "I know. Cerberus is a terrorist group. When the time comes I will take them down. But right now I need their resources. I'm sure the Alliance was devastated after their losses fighting Sovereign and the geth." Tali nodded in agreement. "Besides," Shepard said. "Any intel on Cerberus I can scrape together I will send to the Alliance and the Council."

"A spy, Shepard?" Tali asked in worry. "I hope you know what you're doing." She paused. "Please be careful." She said, giving Shepard another hug.

"Tali," she asked grabbing her friend's arm. "I need to ask you.."

"Garrus?" Tali interrupted. Shepard nodded her head.

Tali looked sadly at the ground and then back to her friend. "Garrus lost it when you died. We all took it badly…but he…he couldn't handle it. I've never seen him like that before, Shepard…it was scary. He became someone I didn't know…and then…he just disappeared. No one knows what happened to him."

Tali looked at Shepard sadly. She knew her friend was doing her best to maintain control. Tali wanted to hug her, but knew that's not what her friend needed most right now.

Shepard forced the tears back and thanked Tali for telling her. "It's been 2 years now. I hope he has found some peace, and -" her voice cracked, "been able to move on with his life."

"Have you moved on?"

"Not yet, Tali, it's only been a few days since the Normandy fell for me. I am going to send out feelers on all my old crew, at least the non-alliance crew members…if they will join me...great…if not, I will at least let them know I survived. I owe them that much."

"I will join you soon, if you'll have me that is…I just have a mission I need to finish for the admirals, then I'll request leave to join you. And…I think we both know that nothing in this galaxy would stop Garrus from joining you if he finds out you're alive. I hope you find him. He needs you." Tali said wistfully.

"Of course I'd love for you to join us. I was hoping you would. It would be nice to have people I trust at my side. Do you need help?"

"No, your mission is of far more immediate importance than mine. It shouldn't take long…I will join you soon."

"As far as Garrus goes… It's been two years, Tali…I'm sure he's moved on by now…he better have." She said unable to bear the thought that he might still be in pain over her.

"Do not be so sure that he has moved on," Tali said sadly. "Two years is not so long when your heart is shattered…and you," she sighed and looked away uncomfortably…"are a hard one to get over." Tali turned and walked back towards their squads a distressed and thoughtful Shepard followed slowly.

As her team approached their shuttle, something fell and landed heavily nearby. A geth, wearing N7 armor stood up. Miranda overloaded it and it darted behind the shuttle.

"Shepard Commander we come in peace. Please hear us out. We will then surrender our platform to any restraints you deem necessary." It said.

Shepard held her hand up. "Stand down," she told her team. "Who are you and why did you come here?" She asked it.

"We are geth and we need to speak with you." It answered.

"Geth have always sought to kill me."

"We are geth and we have not tried to kill you." It responded.

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Other geth have tried to kill me."

It stood up and walked towards them, arms raised. "You have not faced geth, Shepard Commander, you have faced heretics. The heretics allied themselves with Nazzara…Sovereign…Geth build their own future…the heretics asked the old machine to give them the future. We oppose the heretics. We oppose the old machines. Shepard Commander opposes the heretics. Shepard Commander opposes the old machines. Cooperation furthers mutual goals."

"You are asking to join us?" Shepard asked incredulously.

"Yes." It stated simply.

"Fine," Said Shepard, and held out her hand. "Welcome to my squad."

The geth held out its hand and just stood there. Shepard grabbed its hand and gave it a firm shake before releasing it.

"Shepard…do you really think this is wise, I –" began Jacob.

"Cerberus has never had the chance to study an intact geth." Miranda broke in. "I know they would be very grateful for –"

"No," interrupted Shepard. "I am not turning it over to Cerberus. It came to us for help and in turn it may be able to help us against the Collectors. I will not turn down help no matter the package it comes in."

"Thank you, Shepard Commander. Your defense of this platform has been noted." It stated.

They briefly went over the swarm and Collector information, but for the most part the ride back to the Cerberus station was quiet and thoughtful.

TIM thanked her for Tali's info and she responded with," You should try playing nice once in awhile."

"Diplomacy is great when it works, but difficult when everyone already perceives you as a threat," He countered.

They discussed the Collectors and their connection to the Reapers. Their use of the Omega 4 relay that no one but them has been able to return from. They agreed that the Collectors have most likely turned on humans due to their significant role in bringing down Sovereign, the sleeper Reaper they had left behind when they returned to dark space after harvesting the Protheans.

"I will take down the Collectors. But I can't do it alone… at least not very easily," she quipped. "If this is to be war then I will need an army…or at least a very good team."

"From what I've been told you have already begun to build your team. I am concerned, but will trust in your judgment about adding the geth, as far as other possible recruits… I've assembled dossiers on the best. Go over them and decide who will best fit your squad. You have full discretion over who joins you. Some have already agreed to join and some will need to be found and persuaded…you are a natural leader; many will want to follow you. But I suggest you consider heading to Omega to pick up Dr. Mordin Solus first. He is your best chance at being able to counteract the Collector's seeker swarms. And…I've found a pilot. I hear he's one of the best…someone you can trust." He said as he winked out.

"Hello, Commander. Fancy meeting you here…I saw you spaced."

She turned around in shock as Joker walked through the door.

"Joker, what are you doing here?" She asked, surprised at seeing him aboard a Cerberus station. She followed him as they conversed.

"Things all went to hell when you died Commander. The Alliance broke the team up, swept the Reapers under the carpet, and benched me. Hell yes, I jumped at Cerberus' offer to fly again."

"You trust Cerberus?" She asked.

"Hell no...I don't trust anyone that makes more than I do…but they brought you back and they let me fly…and…there is this…" he said in awe in front of a large window. He slapped a pad and lights came on illuminating a beautiful, new ship; similar in look to her old Normandy, but much larger...The Normandy SR2 was berthed and ready…and hers. Made specifically for her. The thought was both humbling and heady.

Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle

Chapter 8

The Normandy

As she walked the CIC deck of her ship Miranda brought up the importance of getting the Salarian, Dr. Solus first. A soft, automated voice agreed. And, that was how she first met EDI the ship's A.I.; its main function was to offer advice and operate the cyber-warfare suite during combat.

She entered her cabin, accessed her computer terminal and began entering search feeds to find her former teammates.

EDI chimed in, "I can help you with those searches commander Shepard. I'm much more efficient that standard computer software."

"Good to now EDI. I am looking for my past squadmates that served aboard the previous Normandy with me."

"Scanning." She paused a brief moment. "Staff Commander Kaidan Alenko is still with the Alliance. My records show that he is currently on a classified assignment; I will attempt to uncover further information. Urdnot Wrex has returned to Tuchanka where he has become the leader of clan Urdnot. Liara T'Soni is currently on Illium. My records show she is an information broker and may be in some danger. Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya is currently out on a classified mission. I will look into this further. I have been unable to locate any information on Garrus Vakarian. He disappeared from C-Sec about a year and a half after the Normandy crew was disbanded. I will continue to search data bases for any sighting of him. Dr. Karin Chakwas is in our medbay."

"Wow, EDI, that was impressive. Thank you." She said. "And, please…just Shepard is fine. I'm a Spectre and Commander seems a little militaristic when I'm currently dead to the Alliance. Besides, this is not an Alliance ship."

"Understood Shepard…and you're welcome."

"EDI…have Joker set a course for Illium." She instructed.

"Right away…Shepard."

Shepard picked up the dossiers and settled down on the sofa. She knew she should pick up Dr. Solus first, but if Liara was in trouble, Solus could wait. They were arranged by location. Since she was supposed to pick up Solus first, the Omega files were on top. She skimmed through his dossier. The old Salarian professor was impressive. She picked up the next dossier. Archangel. There wasn't much in his dossier. He was apparently a turian and an amazing shot and currently on a merc extermination crusade on Omega. A turian…her thoughts turned to Garrus, her heart squeezing painfully. He would have to wait. She wasn't ready to see another turian on her squad yet; it was just too painful…too raw.

The next dossier was for a merc by the name of Zaeed Massani, a more colorful dossier she'd never seen. She wasn't too sure this was the type of man she wanted on her squad, but she would at least talk to him before making the call.

She sighed…she was going to Illium first, might as well see if there was anyone she needed to pick up nearby. She sorted through the dossiers and found a couple for Illium. The first was an Asari by the name of Samara, she was a Justicar according to the dossier and a powerful biotic. Shepard wasn't sure what a Justicar was, though the picture of the woman was striking.

"EDI…what is a Justicar?"

"A Justicar is a member of an ancient monastic asari order following a strict honor code. Justicars protect the innocent and punish the guilty; they rarely leave asari space."

"Thank you, EDI."

"My pleasure, Shepard."

She wondered what would bring a Justicar so far from asari space. Whatever the reason, she was thankful for it, for Samara would make a wonderful addition to her squad.

The next dossier was also for Illium. Thane Krios. Her heart seized and then slammed painfully back into rhythm. What the hell? Why did that name sink pain and fear so deep in her that she was nearly catatonic? She shakily looked over the brief dossier. He was a drell and infamous assassin. The picture was blurry, obviously taken on the fly. From what she could tell he was a good looking man and in superb shape. But her heart quelled and her mind recoiled at the mere thought of him. Why were her instincts screaming at her to avoid this man?

Nothing good ever came from ignoring her instincts. Perhaps, this assassin would prove to be a danger to her or her mission. She would not be picking him up. They would have to make do without an assassin. Probably for the best. Assassins had no honor. They were cowardly, cold blooded killers. There was no honor given to the marks, no chance for the victims to defend their selves. Not the kind of man she wanted on her squad. She needed to trust every member of her team and she could not trust an assassin…especially one that set off every warning bell she had.

She got up, tossed the dossiers on the table and headed for the shower. While toweling dry she picked over her closet, undecided on what to wear. She felt armor and guns were too…impersonal…for a first meeting with Liara after 2 years. She wanted to face her as a friend, not the Commander. She chose a black leather dress with an attached platinum choker and a pair of small black pumps. The choker was the only thing holding the top of her dress up. She made sure it was fastened securely. Public wardrobe malfunctions were not something she needed.

She turned to the side and looked at herself in the mirror…the dress was rather flattering she admitted. You could actually tell she had breasts. Unfortunately, so many of her outfits tended to make her look…flat…sexless. Today, she wanted the confidence looking good would give her. She wrapped a magbelt around her waist and snapped her pistol to it. She wished her dress had maglocks like her armor did, the belt made for a lame accessory…totally clashed.

She looked at herself in the mirror and saw the pistol bulging at her side. It ruined her lines. It simply wouldn't do. She unsnapped the pistol; her favorite laser sighted Phalanx, went to her closet and exchanged it for her Carnifex. She wanted a pistol that collapsed when not in use, something that went better with her dress. She snapped it to her back where her shotgun would normally sit. She smoothed her hands down her sides and smiled. Better. Synergy…

She headed out of her cabin to get to know the rest of her crew and check in on Dr. Chakwas.

Her first stop was down to Engineering where she met Gabby and Ken. They were a neat pair, reminded her a lot of her and Garrus. She hoped they would get their shit together and realize what they meant to each other before much longer…if they didn't she would see that their eyes were opened. Time was too short to be wasted. She had learned that the hard way.

She took the elevator up to the CIC…where she got to know her new Yeoman, Kelly Chambers; a sweet girl. That she was also a psychologist would be a boon…with the mission they were heading into the crew was bound to need her. She moved on to the mess hall and met Gardner…the cook and custodian…she shivered…that thought was rather repugnant. She promised him she would look into getting him some better ingredients while she was out. This was perhaps a one way mission and she felt the crew deserved something better than slop.

She moved on to the Armory and checked in on Jacob. He had nothing to report, but was glad to be here to serve under her. She hopped the elevator down to the crew deck and checked in on Miranda. Miranda was eager to talk, filling her in on Cerberus to make her feel more comfortable and then she proceeded to tell her an interesting story of her designer genes…her father had actually designed her to be perfect. No wonder she was so arrogant…it was in her genes. Shepard stifled her laughter and thanked her for her input. One final stop…the medbay.

As she entered the medbay she nodded at the doctor and said she'd be right back and headed through the connected door to the AI core. She wanted to have another chat with the geth. She was able to learn a bit more about the geth, how they interacted with each other and the problems that caused their initial split.

She felt an odd, innate trust for the geth. She was excited to have it on her squad and was eager to spend time getting to know it better as their mission progressed. "What do I call you?" She asked the geth.

"We are geth." It replied.

"What do I call the individual in front of me?" She tried again.

"There is no individual, we are geth. There are currently 1,183 programs active within this platform." It corrected.

EDI piped in, "My name is Legion, for we are many."

"That seems appropriate." Shepard said in relief. "Is it acceptable to you?" She asked the geth.

The geth processed a moment and then said, "Christian Bible, the Gospel of Mark, chapter five, verse nine…We accept this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion, a Terminal of the geth. We will integrate into Normandy. We anticipate the exchange of data."

Shepard held out her hand to Legion, who took it immediately this time. "Welcome aboard the Normandy Legion, we are happy to have you as part of the crew. Let me or EDI know if you need anything."

"Acknowledged," it replied as she headed out the door to return to the medbay.

It was great seeing Dr. Chakwas again. They talked about old times and what was expected on the current mission. Dr. Chakwas said she was set up well…just missed her private stocks. Shepard laughed and promised to pick her up a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy.

Karin Chakwas could see that something was bothering her friend, though she hid it well. "Tell me what I can do for you. I can tell something is bothering you."

Shepard gave the doctor a long look; then looked around the room. "EDI ban all surveillance of this room until I leave it."

"Understood Shepard."

"Dr. Chakwas…you know there are things about me that are…different." Karin nodded for her to continue. "When my corpse was picked up by Cerberus they implanted me with cybernetics to bring me back to life. They didn't know I would heal. I need those implants removed. Immediately."

Karin frowned. She flipped on her omni-tool and carefully scanned the commander's body. "I know how much you hate the idea of implants. But several of them seemed to be bored into key organs. The removal of them could prove fatal." She chuckled and shook her head. "What I mean is that it would be highly invasive and you might be down for some time."

"Understood. I still want them out. Now."

"Right now?" Asked Chakwas.

Shepard nodded. She laid down her gun, removed her clothing, hopped up onto one of the med-tables…and counted backwards as the meds took effect and the world slipped away. Awareness jumped up and bit her in the ass. She processed through meds too quickly to keep her down for long. She blinked and sat up. She grabbed her ribcage. Shit! That hurt.

The doctor came to stand beside her, her yellow-green aura swirling around her. Yes…sighed Shepard…I'm back. "Well?" She asked the doctor.

"It was surprisingly simpler than I imagined. The implants literally jumped in my hands. It was amazing to watch… as soon as you were opened up your body expelled the implants. No muss no fuss. I stuffed you full of medigel…though I'm sure I didn't need to and closed you back up. By the looks of things even the scars will fade in a day or two …if not sooner. If I'd had a moment longer I'd have had them processed and removed." Chakwas said pointing to the machine behind her.

"How long was I out?" She asked the doctor.

Before Chakwas could say a word Joker commed in and informed her they had clearance to land at the Illium port. Shepard's mouth fell open and Chakwas chuckled…"Not too long at all."

She gingerly got down from the table, looked down at the scars, pale pink and puckered. Nope, that wouldn't do…perhaps she was shallow and vain…well; ok…she was shallow and vain. She walked over to the machine the doctor had pointed to.

Karin smiled and programmed the machine, which began scanning her charge.

Shepard felt a strange tingling throughout her chest and and face. It wasn't unpleasant exactly, but it was creating a deep itch as it healed her flesh.

"Hold still, Shepard," the doctor chastised her.

She chuckled and put her hands at her side. She hadn't even realized she'd been scratching…scratching at an itch too deep to reach. She gritted her teeth and waited as patiently as she could for it to end...which, of course, wasn't very patient at all.

"For a woman who is used to taking so many bullets, you sure do gripe a lot about a little itch." Karin said when the machine finished the procedure and turned itself off.

Shepard gave her a crooked smile and slid back into her French cut panties and leather dress. She thanked the doctor and headed out the medbay door.

"EDI inform Legion and Jacob to meet me topside." Time to check in on Liara.

When Jacob first caught sight of the Commander near the airlock in her tight black leather dress he came to a stop and just stared.

She looked innocently at him and asked, "What?" She saw him shake his head and she smiled. "I don't always wear armor you know. I can be a woman too." She said waggling her eyebrows.

"That you can," he replied and cleared his throat. "Sorry Commander, no disrespect intended." She had been an icon to him. That she was also a woman hadn't fully registered with him. Well, that fact was glaringly obvious now and he was all too sure it was not something he would ever forget.

"No worries Jacob…none taken." She replied.

Legion looked from one to the other. "Is something wrong with Shepard Commander?"

They both laughed, and Jacob replied, "Nothing at all Legion…," he paused to think for a moment. "I just needed to reboot my system after a…umm… system overload." Jacob admitted, a blush creeping into his face.

Legion cocked its head and said, "Acknowledged."

Shepard burst out laughing then Jacob joined in as they headed into the airlock.

Legion just shook his head over the idiosyncrasies of organics.

Garrus-Thane-femShep love triangle

Chapter 9

Illium

As they exited the airlock and stepped onto Illium proper a mid-riff bared asari trailed by two armed mech units approached them. Odd, she thought. She was pretty sure they hadn't broken any laws…yet.

When the asari reached them she introduced herself saying that she was the concierge instructed to help them in whatever they needed. She also told them that all docking fees were waived, Liara T'Soni had already paid them.

She learned a great deal about Illium from the concierge, including the fact that slavery, or indentured servitude, was legal here. Just about everything was legal to purchase here, trade restrictions were lax due to their need to compete with the Terminus systems. Finally, the concierge let her know Liara's office was over by the trade center.

When they entered the port's main doorway she paused, she felt an odd sensation. Was someone staring at her? Her hand touched the gun at her back as she scanned the room. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary. She felt a strange pull and started moving towards the shadows near the access terminals. EDI commed in, jerking her back into reality and refocusing her on their purpose. She turned back around, ignoring the odd sensations and mentally chastised herself for being jumpy.

EDI provided her with information concerning the Justicar Samara and the Assassin Thane Krios. A shiver went down Shepard's back. She had not informed anyone yet about her decision to avoid Thane. For now it was a personal matter and she needed time to sort through it. EDI suggested seeing Liara T'Soni for further information on the two. She headed up 3 steps to a landing and turned a corner and walked into the trade center.

Thane Krios was at an access terminal researching his latest assignment, when he felt an odd pull on his senses. He stepped to the side and into the shadows next to the terminal and scanned the area. He saw a woman enter into the room with a geth and man at her side. He turned his focus to the woman. She was wearing what appeared to be a tight black leather dress that flattered every part of her body. He wasn't attracted to humans, so he was uncertain why this woman was affecting him. There was just something about her. That and she was stunningly beautiful. He knew he had not met her before, yet there was an odd familiarity. He was drawn to her and he couldn't fathom why.

The woman stopped and turned around, he could swear she was staring right at him. He was feeling a bit weak as she started to head in his direction and realized he had been holding his breath. It was intriguing that he would have such a response to the human.

An automated voice began speaking to the woman and she turned her back to him. He heard his name mentioned and curiosity began to burn in his gut. Why was she concerned with him? Was she a threat to him? He needed to find out more. He blended into the shadows and followed her.

Shepard tried to ignore the annoying itch centered on her back. It felt like someone was watching her, but every time she turned around there was nothing to see. She was not one given to paranoia, so this troubled her.

She didn't get too far into the trade center when an asari woman stopped her. The woman drifted into a memory message from a friend she'd made in Noveria. The friend turned out to be the rachni queen that she had set free on the condition that she disappear forever and cause no harm to the galaxy. Apparently, her friend was doing well, was very grateful, and promised to aid her when the time came to go after the Reapers. That was good news to Shepard's ears…she was more than sure that when the time came she would need all the help she could get.

The woman continued to look uncomfortable and occasionally turned around to survey the room behind her. Odd. Most beings never realized he was there…until it was too late. He listened to the asari woman who stopped her by calling out her name. Commander Shepard? Thane was stunned. He had never seen her likeness before, but he knew her name nonetheless. The woman before him was a legend…and a supposedly dead legend at that. What would a dead legend, a dead Spectre, want with him? He could not understand her interest in him. Did she somehow find out his intensions? Was she here to stop him? Kill him? And why did he feel this pull when she was around? He knew he did not have time for this, but he also knew he was powerless to walk away with so many questions as yet unanswered.

Heading further down the trade floor Shepard was once again stopped. Gianna Parasini, whom she'd help with a case back on Noveria, waved her over. Gianna was shocked, considering she thought Shepard was dead and asked her what she was doing now. Shepard responded that she was unable to go into detail at this time, her mission was currently classified. Gianna nodded her understanding, she had expected no less. Gianna looked nervously around and jumped up. She instructed Shepard to drink the beer she owed her and took off.

Shepard took the note from under the beer. It was asking her to ask a local asari vendor at Serrice Technologies about some illegal schematics she had available. Easy enough thought Shepard and she headed over to the vendor. She was able to manipulate a preferred rate from the vendor's kiosk before she asked about any special items not displayed. Parasini jumped in just as Hermia was telling her about the schematic she had available. The disgruntled vendor rushed off to talk with her lawyer and Parasini invited her back over for a talk.

Shepard headed back over to Parasini's table for a brief, friendly chat. Sometimes it felt good to think of something besides the next mission…To let go and just be able to forget about everything…if only for just a moment.

Moment's up…she sighed…time to go check on Liara. She headed up the stairs under the Administration sign. She was greeted by Nyxeris, Liara's assistant. The woman's oily smooth voice made Shepard's skin prickle. Her aura boiled with mottled reds and blacks. It was an ugly aura that screamed deception and it worried Shepard. She wanted to touch the woman to get a sense of who she really was, but the woman was wearing gloves and that negated her abilities. Shepard turned and headed into Liara's office.

Upon entry she heard Liara tell a man she would flay him alive with her mind. That did not sound like the Liara she knew and it concerned her.

Liara turned around; her mouth fell open in surprise. "Shepard," she said and they embraced. "My sources said you were alive…but I never believed…it is so good to see you again."

Shepard asked Liara to join her in taking down the Collectors, but Liara refused. She said it had been a long two years since Shepard died; there were things she had to do…debts she had to repay. Shepard sighed. She missed her old team…her friends…her lover…but they had moved on…without her…and as sad as it was, she knew she had to let go and move on too, lest she drown in misery.

She asked Liara if there was anything she needed before she left. Liara asked if she would be willing to hack into some systems to help her get information she needed badly. Shepard agreed to help her friend. Why not? In for a penny in for a pound…

She headed back down the stairs; she was hit again with the sensation of being watched. She shook her head and continued through the door at the bottom of the stairs and followed it up to another trading center on the floor above.

As she was hacking the computer terminals for Laira she saw an asari that appeared to be in distress over a krogan spouting bad poetry at her. The asari confided to her their story. Shepard considered her dilemma and then explained to the asari that it was rather simple…either she trusted the krogan in which case she should believe in him or she didn't and her mind was already made up and she should let him go. The asari thanked her and gave her a discount at her kiosk. Shepard nodded and smiled as she watched the asari make up with her boyfriend. She wished everything could be that simple.

As she made her way to the other side of the trading floor another asari waved her down. It was Shiala, a woman she had saved from being the Thorian's thrall on Feros. She was here trying to help the people of Zhu's Hope. The colonists were having health issues due to the Thorian's spores and they hired a company to do some medical scans. The small print of the contract allowed the company to do invasive procedures, and if they refused they would be sued for breach and be forced to pay full price for the medical scans. Shepard assured Shiala that she would talk to the company's representative and try to help.

Shepard headed over to the representative and quickly discovered the representative had a burning hatred for aliens. Her wife and daughters were killed by the geth; her wife during the original geth uprising against the quarians and her daughters during Saren's battle on the Citadel. Shepard managed to talk the representative around by explaining that her wife and daughters had been where they were, because they treasured aliens and asked how they would feel about what she was doing. The representative hung her head in shame and said she would amend the contract.

Shepard felt bad for her. She did. That kind of loss was unbearable. But sometimes it's hard to see the whole picture when you're drowning in bitterness and pain. She headed back over to Shiala, who thanked her profusely and hoped that someday soon they could both be free of their responsibilities and perhaps get the chance to know each other better. Shepard wished her well and they parted.

That was a bit awkward…she thought. Not just because Shiala was a woman…Shepard…well, Shepard liked men… a lot. But, too, she admitted it was the whole live for a thousand years thing. She didn't want to become intimate with anyone who could live that long. She didn't want to be just another notch in someone's belt…a faded memory…if that made her selfish and shallow, so be it…she wanted to grow old with someone and die when they do. Did that make her an age-ist, a romantic, or just a selfish bitch? She wasn't sure and she didn't want to look too closely at it. A selfish bitch was just not how she cared to see herself…it was a tad…unflattering.

She completed the terminal hacking and Liara commed her to head back. When she got there she sat across from Liara and took her hand. "I need you to listen to me for a moment."

"Of course, Shepard."

"I want you to be wary of Nyxeris. She is not what she seems. Her aura is mottled...tumultuous. It screams deception. Her voice oily…I do not like what I am getting from her. Be careful." Shepard warned her friend.

Liara studied her friend for a moment. She had never known Shepard to be wrong, but Shepard had died. What if that had affected her…abilities? She'd known Nyxeris for some time and she'd never been anything but helpful. No, she would put her faith with Shepard. Better to be safe than sorry. She patted Shepard's hand and agreed to keep an eye on Nyxeris.

They then discussed a shadow broker operative known only as the Observer that Liara needed to track down. Liara called Nyxeris in and Nyxeris explained that the Observer was likely one of 5 operatives. Shepard needed to hack some datapoint terminals to find out which operative was the Observer. Shepard agreed to help and headed downstairs again. Having friends could sure be exhausting work at times, she mused.

She hacked the first 4 terminals and headed for the final one located at the Eternity bar. She was about to head into the bar when a screaming asari decked her. She straightened up and gave the woman a cold stare. "That one I will give you for free because you apparently suffering from head-ass-itis. Know this, I am a Spectre and I do not suffer idiots well. Explain yourself…and do so calmly…lest you piss me off." Shepard gritted out. The asari hung her head contritely. She quietly explained that there was a human inside, a close friend of Shepard's, who was trying to steal her bar. Shepard sighed and said she'd take care of it.

Once inside the bar she hacked the final terminal and commed Liara to let her know that she had discovered none of the operatives could be the Observer because they were male and she had learned that the Observer was female. She asked Liara where the tip came from. Liara called for Nyxeris and told Shepard to come back and see her this evening.

Shephard heard someone yelling and looked across the bar to see Conrad Verner, of all people, demanding the deed to the bar and was dropping her name to try to get it. Oh stars…crazy Verner…what next. She walked over to Verner and asked him what he was doing. He was shocked she was alive, but proceeded to tell her that after her death people needed someone else to look up to, so he purchased N7 armor and stepped up. He was here today to stop a red-sand drug ring and needed to give the deed to the bar to the undercover cop downstairs to help her put an end to it. Shepard looked at him with a sincerity she did not quite feel and told him she would look into it.

Exhaustion bitch slapped her and she stopped for a moment to take a deep breath. Shit…some days she just wanted to bury her head in the sand and let life pass her by. Hell, she'd be content to just bury her head up her ass for awhile…Garrus would have…she pushed that thought away. He was gone. She had to let him go. She took another deep breath, bucked up and headed back down the stairs to the second floor trading center.

The weapon's merchant, aka undercover cop, was eager to greet her and find out news about the bar's deed. Shepard explained to her how she had softened up the bar owner, but that the merchant needed to go in strong to finish the deal. The asari thanked her, gave her a discount on her kiosk and hurried off to confront the bar's owner.

Jacob gave Shepard a long look. "Did you really need to do that?"

"Perhaps not," said Shepard. "But it sure as hell felt good." She bought what she needed from the kiosk and headed back up to the bar to talk to Conrad. She arrived in time to see the weapon's merchant being hauled away by the authorities. She told Conrad that he was a hero, that the undercover cop had actually been a terrorist agent. She thanked him for putting her onto the agent and then told him to go home and let her take care of things. He said he would do that and she hoped like hell he did, for there was only so much Verner she could take in her life.

She made her way to the asari bartender who thanked her for getting rid of Verner. Shepard discovered she was an asari Matriarch with an interesting life. The woman told her about her past, her parents, her true-blood daughter, her general philosophy and how the other asari didn't care to hear her wisdom so she served drinks here at Eternity. Shepard thanked her for the intriguing story, downed a drink and headed back to the Normandy to wait out the remaining time before she would meet up with Liara again, find out how things went with Nyxeris and perhaps where Samara was.

Thane was in awe of the woman. No matter what task she was on she stopped to help everyone along the way before going back to her task. She didn't appear to care how far out of her way she had to go make someone's life better, she just did it. He knew she lived a hard, violent life and could understand her need to make the world a better place. He'd heard a lot of stories about Commander Shepard. He knew she was a hero, a warrior, a survivor, a diplomat, a peace maker and a legend; a woman that gave up her life to ensure the safety of her crew. But he hadn't known she had the patience of a saint, though she clearly suffered no fools, and a heart the size of an ocean.

A blind rage had fallen over him when he saw the asari outside of Eternity strike the woman he was stalking. He grabbed his sniper, sighted down, and then forced his finger from the trigger when he heard the Commander talk the asari down.

He had to stop himself from going to her when he saw her turn from the crazy man. He could see the exhaustion weighing heavy upon her and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her and protect her. But...why? Why did this human have that effect on him? He continued his vigil.

He'd grunted in satisfaction trying hard not to laugh his ass off, something he'd not done in a long time, when he saw how she chose to handle the crooked weapon's merchant. Fitting he thought and gave the Commander a bow of acknowledgement…though he knew she wouldn't see it.

He was even more intrigued by the woman than before and he was still no closer to finding out what she wanted with him and why he was so drawn to her. He made his way to the bar after she left, asked the bartender what she drank and purchased a bottle of it. Only one way his questions were going to be answered. He was going to drop in on her and pay her a visit.