The Fight

Garrus had been expecting this. Miranda and Jack had been on track to killing each other ever since Jack had set foot on the Normandy. Simmering resentment had given way to open hostility after the mission to blow up Jack's old childhood prison, and despite his best efforts, Shepard had only managed to delay the inevitable fight, not cancel it altogether.

"You stuck up bitch!" Jack yelled, as she hurled a chair at Miranda, who dodged, but only by an inch. "I should rip out your spleen and feed it to you!"

"Dare you to try," Miranda shot back, hurling a crate of ammunition at Jack. She flung up a barrier and the thermal clips scattered, clattering all over the floor. "See," she added triumphantly. "You complain about Cerberus, but you're all too happy to use the biotic skills they taught you."

"Taught me? Tortured me, you puss-filled cunt!" She sent a shockwave at Miranda, who dove out the way, rolling then springing to her feet as Jack produced a knife from somewhere and tossed straight at her head.

Miranda ducked, the knife embedding itself in the wall.

"Enough!" Garrus yelled at them both. Shepard was off on a mission, something to do with Jacob's estranged father, and he'd taken Tali and Mordin with him. "Both of you, we have a mission to complete that's more important than either of your-"

"Shut up," they both said at the same time – and the fact that they had spoken in sync seemed to anger them both all the more.

"You say I complain about Cerberus, but you spend just as much time whining about your dear old dad," Jack needled Miranda. "Must be hard to be betrayed by your own flesh and blood."

With a angry cry, Miranda threw a biotic slam at Jack, catching her off guard and hurling her into the wall.

Enraged beyond reason, Jack lunged at Miranda… and holy hell, she actually managed to catch her, tackling the woman and taking her to the floor, hands around her throat, choking the life out of her. Miranda punched Jack in the face, but she merely shook it off. Next she thrust a biotic shock wave at Jack, but it had no effect. Her face was turning blue, her eyes bulging, but Garrus hesitated to step in, sure that Miranda would manage to fight Jack off…

"Jack! Enough!" he yelled suddenly, as Miranda's eyes rolled back in her head.

"It's not enough," Jack said through gritted teeth. "It's enough when she's dead."

Garrus moved to pull her away, but Jack sent a shockwave his way, even as she continued to choke Miranda.

"You're going to kill her," Garrus snarled, wishing Shepard was here. He had a way of talking Jack down that had always eluded Garrus.

"That's the idea!"

Suddenly, Jack released Miranda, her body going into a convulsion. She collapsed onto the floor, and Miranda took in a gasping breath, clutching at her throat, crawling away across the floor… and Garrus turned around to see Zaeed in the doorway, pointing a taser at Jack.

"Crazy bitch," he said roughly. "I knew she'd be trouble."

Seems like Garrus wasn't the only one who'd seen this coming.