Chapter8

Spectres Unite

Miranda Lawson brought the Normandy into her berth at Arcturus. The ship was barely functioning and the inside was a literal wreck. She had to admit that if they decommissioned her after this, she wouldn't be surprised. But Normandy had made it. She was still space worthy. Miranda had a feeling that the old girl still had some more left in her. As she disembarked, she was greeted by Vega and Cortez. Vega's arm was still in a sling and he wore a leg brace. She could only imagine what Garrus had done to him. Cortez wore a protective glove, but seemed to be fine otherwise. Both men greeted her with a crisp salute.

"Good to have you back, ma'am," said Vega with a weak smile. His normally dark skin was pale. He still hadn't recovered enough to resume his duties.

"How are you feeling, ma'am?" Cortez asked the question warmly. Unlike Dr. Chakwas, he had no ambivalence towards Miranda. He and Vega had seen Leviathan's indoctrination methods first hand during the reaper war.

"I'm doing better," she said. "Getting back out and back to work helped, but the Normandy . . . she's a mess." Miranda fought back tears looking at the once beautiful ship. "And her crew will never be the same again."

"We'll get through this, ma'am," said Vega.

"I know," she said. "But it's just . . . fresh right now." She shook herself out of it. No more self-pity, she thought. "Shepard should be back within a day or two, assuming the mission was a success. I'm expecting an update from him anytime. And what are you two doing here?"

"Because we're alliance personnel, we were transferred here. Dr. Bryson and Grunt came as well. We're doing well, though James is bummed that there's no casino here," said Cortez with a smile, "I'm cleared for duty and ready to get back to it. Not so sure about James."

"Nah," he said. "I'll be out another week."

As they spoke, they felt slight tremors in the dock floor. A scent that was a mixture of machine oil and the unique scent of Krogan scales accompanied it. They turned to see the eight foot giant of a Spectre candidate, Urdnot Grunt, lumbering towards them.

"Lawson," he said with his usual curtness. His voice was like low rolling thunder. Ten years had allowed his skull plate to fully develop and he now had the prominent bone crest that Krogan were known for. He'd also gotten even larger. Miranda was always taken aback when she saw him. She could not imagine any single human being a match for Grunt, even in full armor and armed to the teeth. But Shepard had taken him down, largely by hand. She had to wonder how the fight would have gone if Leviathan had not been in control of the three of them at the time. She theorized that Liara would have been killed, that Vega would have been even worse off, and that Shepard and Grunt would have had the hand to hand fight of the millennium, with Grunt in full blood rage. But she'd still have put her money on Shepard. Of course, had they not been under Leviathan's influence, the fight would never have taken place.

"Grunt," she said in return. Then she looked at the three of them.

"Joker, Ken, Gabriella, and Samantha. How are they?"

Before they could answer, Joker's voice responded from behind Grunt.

"Joker's doing alright, but I'm piloting this chair for the time being." He came up the ramp alongside Grunt, riding a lift-chair. Mass effect fields kept it afloat, much like a miniature skycar. "This thing's fun! I think I'll keep it even after I'm walking again!"

Miranda leaned down and gave him a hug.

"What is the prognosis? You will be able to walk again, right?" Miranda was hopeful.

"Hard to say, but they think that they can get me back up and running," he said. "Maybe I'll talk to Tali about building me one of those suits." Then he looked up at the Normandy. "As long as they can get my baby back up and running again, I'm good."

"And as long as you're the pilot," added Miranda. "And I'll insist on it."

"I appreciate that," replied Joker, relieved to know that his place wasn't in jeopardy. Of course he also knew that Shepard would fight for him. His thoughts were interrupted when Miranda's communicator chimed. She put on speaker and answered.

"Commodore," she said, "I've got Cortez, Vega, Grunt, and Joker patched in. What's the good news?"

"We're Citadel bound," he said. "The mission was a successful, but all of the staff are dead. While it looks like Leviathan may not be the enemy here, another wrinkle has developed. I'll brief you tomorrow when I arrive. Transport to the Citadel is prepared for you. Be ready. How is our Normandy crew recovering?"

"So far so good," she said. "Grunt and Cortez have been cleared for duty."

"Good," replied Shepard. "We may need them on this one. How are the rest of them doing?"

"Vega is up and around but not cleared for duty, as is Joker, though he's in a lift chair."

"Donnelly is up and around, commander," said Vega, as he hadn't brought Miranda up to speed on the rest of the crew yet. "Samantha is stable and has regained consciousness. Gabby's still in the fight. The other six of the bridge crew all were released."

"Good to hear, Vega," said Shepard. "I'll pass on Samantha's status to Kelly. Get yourself up and running as soon as you can. After this is over, I'll be back in the weeds again and I'll be making some recommendations to Admiral Hackett."

"Yes sir!" Vega paused and then continued. "Commodore, I hear you've scored an SR-3. You sure you're not gonna want to stay active with that bad boy?"

"I'm sure," said Shepard with finality.

"Yeah, why?"

"I was raised on ships," Shepard replied. "My mom did a fine job, but it's no place to raise a family."

Cortez and Joker exchanged looks. Miranda realized that they didn't know, but too late to stop James.

"Yeah, but you'll have Ashley with you," he said. "She can take . . ."

"Vega, Ash was killed," said Shepard cutting him off.

"Oh," said Vega softly. "Sorry."

"It's alright. You didn't know," replied Shepard. "Just heal up, soldier. The Alliance needs you back in action.

"Yes Sir," said Vega.

"Commodore," said Miranda, "they're sending us to the Citadel on the Agincourt. We'll see you soon."

"I'll be waiting for you," said Shepard. "Shepard out."

The Agincourt pulled into the Citadel berth where the Normandy had once been docked, pulling in alongside the Yorktown. It was quite a sight and still drew onlookers and gawkers. Commodore Shepard was waiting, greeting Miranda, Grunt and Cortez as they disembarked.

"Steve!" He shook Cortez's good hand and slapped his shoulder. "Damn good to have you back!"

"Glad to be back, sir," replied Shepard's Reaper war shuttle pilot. "Can't imagine you in the field with anyone else flying you down."

"Yorktown's pilot has done well, but you're my first choice."

"Shepard," Grunt greeted in his low growl. "Ready to go knock some heads?"

"More than ready," replied Shepard. Grunt nodded approvingly.

Shepard just hugged Miranda. She held him for a long moment. He whispered, "Thanks," in her ear before letting go. She smiled and nodded.

"Alright people," he said. "I'm going to see my daughter. We ship out tomorrow morning at 05:30. I've sent all of you the mission brief. Read it. Know it. Dismissed."

Shepard went to the rapid transport station and was joined by Miranda. He was surprised, as he had expected her to stay with her sister.

"Ori went back home, Shepard," she volunteered. "Steve and Grunt went with family and friends. I had . . ." She paused and her eyes cast downward, ". . . hoped that you might have me as a guest." She could even look him in the eye as she spoke. "Shepard, I have nowhere else to go. I could get a hotel, but . . . I don't want to be alone. I … I'm afraid, Shepard. I need to be around people. Around friends."

Shepard contemplated her request. He had seen this side of Miranda only once before; after Nicket had betrayed her and Shepard had helped her rescue Oriana. She had been emotionally lost and her tough, confident exterior dropped. This was even worse. She had at least retained her inner fire. But this time, she was a beaten, fearful woman. Being controlled by another was her greatest fear, and she had been completely controlled by the Leviathan sphere and used to attack her friends. Now, she mistrusted her very being and people who had been longtime friends were openly mistrustful of her.

Of course, Miranda had always wanted a normal life with a family and friends, but she had no clue as to how to carry on such a life. She had remained single for the past decade, married to the Normandy, though Shepard suspected that her reasons went deaper than simple love her ship. Now the ship was in tatters and most of her crew dead, with the remaining survivors unsure of what to make of her. It reminded him of when he had first awoken after being nearly killed by the Collectors. Miranda had given him back his life, but he didn't fit in. His old crew was suspicious of him, and the original Normandy had been destroyed. He looked at her again and was surprised to see tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Miranda, what's wrong?"

"Shepard, I have nobody. Ori isn't here. I … could go to a hotel, but … I just feel so alone. I … I need to be around friends. You've just lost your wife, your daughter needs you and I . . . I am imposing on you. Shepard, I'm scared and I have no friends. I have colleagues and crew. They were like family, but after those damned artifacts, they look at me like I were still a Cerberus operative. It's as if the past ten years of my life have been flushed down the toilet. And for you, it must be as if the past ten years have been ripped away. I'm sorry."

Shepard gently pulled her close and held her.

"That's not true, Miranda," he said. "You have me. You've been my friend from the day you woke me up. Through thick and through thin. You trusted my judgment while longtime friends and colleagues questioned my every move. Even Ashley didn't fully believe in me again until after I stopped the coup. You're always welcome."

Miranda lost her remaining composure and broke down in his arms.

"Thank you . . ." she said repeatedly between sobs. He had seen her emotionally unsure, but he had never seen her like this. Even after Niket's betrayal she wasn't this emotional, and that was as emotional as he'd ever seen her. Without Cerberus, without her command, and without her crew, she really had no life to speak of. It was sad, really. He had always had close friendships to fall back on, but he knew what it was like to have your entire life ripped away, only to return to a suspicious group of people he had thought he had known but who now seemed to resent him for things that happened while he was unconscious. Garrus and Liara were the only ones from his old life who did not second guess him.

The cab arrived and they got in and headed for the Silversun Strip and his apartment at Tiberius Towers. Miranda sat quietly next to him as the skycar flew. Automated, like the Aveena system, the taxis had no drivers, so he and Miranda had a measure of privacy. They sat in silence. There was nothing to be said. Each was mourning, grieving, over the death of a phase of their lives. The company of a friend was a comfort, no conversation needed. At some point, Miranda leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and the two rode in silence for the duration of the trip.

Jan sat with Sarah, Urdnot Bakara and Urdnot Wrex playing cards. Normally, she loved cards. She and her mom played all kinds of card games together. But without her, the games had no spark. Even with Wrex trying his best to cheer her up. Suddenly, she just began to cry. Sarah pulled her over and onto her lap.

"I know," she said. "I miss her too."

"It's not fair," protested Jan between sobs. "Mom was unarmed. She didn't even get a chance to fight back."

"I know," said Sarah, now crying herself. "Thomas didn't either. His shuttle was destroyed in the air by the Reapers before he ever had a chance fight."

"Jan," said Wrex in his deep, thundering voice, "your mom fought all her life. She fought for the galaxy we have now, right alongside your dad and I. Even when she put down her guns, she fought. It wasn't with guns anymore, but she was always making the galaxy a better place. She died because she was right where she wanted to be."

Jan looked up at Wrex with puzzlement. She didn't understand.

"Jan, your mom was there with Shepard, flanking Kasumi and keeping her away from you and from Sarah. She went down, but like a real soldier, she went down fighting. Fighting for you. You lived. That's what she wanted. She loves you, and while she may not be here physically, a woman with that kind of fighting spirit doesn't just go away. She's here, keeping an eye on us, keeping an eye on you. You've just got to look for her. You'll find her."

It was very profound. Jan had never heard Wrex speak on spiritual matters. His words seemed more like something Bakara would have said, but coming from him, it seemed to have more impact. She reached over from Sarah's lap and hugged Wrex's arm. The massive Krogan clan chief reached over with his other hand and gently patted her on the back.

The moment was interrupted when the door opened and Shepard walked in, Miranda Lawson behind him.

"Daddy! Aunt Miranda!" Jan jumped up and ran to him, being scooped up by her father and carried back over to the sofa.

"Shepard," said Wrex, "you made it back. Looks like Miranda made it too. How are you feeling? I hear Shepard and you knocked heads. Yours, hehe."

"Much better," said Miranda. "My ribs only hurt when I move. But I won't let that keep me from duty."

"That's the spirit!" Wrex raised his glass to her.

"How's my beautiful lady doing?" Shepard looked into Jan's eyes as he asked. She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. They had ceased to need words to communicate their feelings years ago. "You know, you look just like your mom."

Jan buried her head in her father's jacket. Miranda leaned in and gave her as much of a hug as she could.

"Your mom and I corresponded periodically," volunteered Miranda. "Mostly girl talk, but she liked to keep up with the navy and the Spectres. And she gave me more than a few words of wisdom. I'll miss that a lot."

Jan smiled at her, but reburied her head. Her father was home and she knew that it was only for a short while. She wanted to treasure every second.

"Thanks for being here," Shepard said. "All of you. It means a great deal."

"It is our honor to be here for you, Shepard," said Bakara. "Sarah has been a pleasure to get to know and Jan is a kindred spirit to me, as her mom was. And as you are to Wrex."

"So, what's going on with the mission?" Wrex' question was on everyone's mind. Ashley had died because of Kasumi being controlled by one of the spheres and Miranda had nearly killed her crew.

"We knocked out the ones that Miranda first encountered," he said, careful not to tip the conversation into Miranda having been controlled. "We head out in the morning to deal with the ones Riley found on Dobrovolski. Hopefully, that will be the end of it, but then the question of Kasumi still remains; how did she get involved? The fact that they seem to be targeting people who I've worked with or am close to is both troubling and pointing away from Leviathan."

"How do you mean, Shepard?" Miranda perked up at this.

"Leviathan, the race as a whole, used the spheres to control large numbers of thralls who paid tribute and served them. Me? Without the Reapers to fight, I'm of little consequence to them. People close to me even less so. It just doesn't add up to Leviathan."

"Then who?" Sarah looked somewhat panicked.

"I don't know, but I'm betting it's someone that bullets can deal with," replied Shepard, his tone darkening, his eyes narrowing. Jan abruptly hid her head again. She hadn't seen her father in the capacity as a soldier until a few short days ago. It was very unsettling to her. Wrex on the other hand seemed encouraged.

"Damn straight, Shepard," he said approvingly. "Find them, break them, and kill them . . . only not too fast. You wouldn't want them to die without appreciating the vengeance that's due."

"Vengeance doesn't interest me," replied Shepard. "But insuring the safety of my daughter? I'll kill them all if that's what it takes."

Jan had gone to bed and Wrex and Bakara had left for the night to enjoy the Krogan comforts of their own apartment. Shepard, Miranda and Sarah sat by the fire.

"I wish you were staying longer," lamented Sarah.

"The longer I'm here before this is solved," countered Shepard, "the more danger you and Jan are in. Kasumi didn't come here to kill you and Jan, or Ash. She was gunning for me. She only took out Ash to facilitate that. If I'm not here, you're not a target and neither is Jan."

Miranda nodded.

"He's right," she said. "They targeted me in order to get to Shepard. Until they're dead, anyone near Shepard is in danger."

"Wrex and Bakara will be back in the morning," said Shepard, "so you'll be safe, but with me out of town, I suspect that the real danger is minimal."

"Then solve it quickly," said Sarah, "and come home to us safely."

"You have my word," he said.

"After the Reaper war, I believe it!" Sarah then stood. "It's been a long day, so I'm going to bed. I'll be up with Jan to see you both off."

"Good night, Sarah," replied Shepard, standing. He embraced his sister in law. "And thank you."

Sarah returned his embrace and smiled.

"I'm just glad that I can help. Good night, Shepard. Good night Miranda."

And with that, Sarah went upstairs, leaving Miranda and Shepard alone.

"So here we are together on the eve of another dangerous mission for the first time in over a decade," noted Shepard.

"It does feel like old times," Miranda remarked nostalgically. "Only sadder than old times."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything was so hopeful then," she observed. "Even before going through the Omega 4 relay. You were back from the dead, leading our dirty dozen and our Cerberus crew, the Normandy had been reborn and . . . Ashley was still out there, waiting for you. Now, the Normandy is likely to be decommissioned and sent to the breakers yard, I'm more unsure of myself than I ever was, and Ashley's gone. It feels like the last ten years of our lives ended in the punch line to some cosmic joke at our expense."

"You can't let this get you down, Miranda," said Shepard. "This is the worst I've ever felt in my life. So close, so damn close to that happily ever after ending. But Ash taught me that it isn't about the ending. It's about the journey. And so did Garrus, Jacob, and you."

"Me?" Miranda was shocked. "I barely manage to muddle through my own life when I'm not on some mission. I can't teach anyone anything of value."

"Not true," countered Shepard. "You've never given up, even now. You didn't give up on me. When everyone thought that my end had truly come, you knew better. You brought me back. There's no ending that isn't also a new beginning. I don't know what the future holds for us. For me, Jan, or for you, but I know I have the best friends anyone could possibly have. My marriage was ten years of paradise. Yeah, it's gone. But it was so sweet, so very, very sweet, while I was living it. Be thankful for what we've had for the past decade. But we can't make our happiness, our very identities, dependent upon it. The very nature of the galaxy is that it is always in flux, always changing. And we're not immune to it."

They sat silently for a few moments, Miranda pondering his words. Finally, she spoke.

"I'd never really thought of it that way," she confessed. "I spent so many years running from my father, and after you helped me on Horizon and the war was won, I finally began living my life as myself. I guess that I just thought I earned that stable life I'd dreamed of but could never reach, let alone grasp. I thought I'd finally grasped it, but in reality, I'd only touched it."

"Normal life." Shepard mused for a moment. "Normal life? Wouldn't know what to do with it."

Miranda laughed. It was clear laugh, unfettered by the events of the past few days. Shepard smiled. He hated to see anyone miserable. He had to laugh himself. This precipitated more laughter from Miranda. Soon, the two were laughing for no apparent reason. Finally, they got a hold of themselves and reigned in their moment of levity. They just looked into each other's eyes for a brief moment. A smile passed between them, then she and asked a question he wasn't expecting.

"Shepard, does anyone call you by your first name?"

He was silent for a moment.

"Not many," he said. "Only Ashley did, and sometimes Bakara. Everyone else just calls me Shepard." He laughed and continued. "Dr. Chakwas actually told me that she'd never call me by my first name because doing so would disrespect everything and everyone that I was fighting for."

"Now that makes no sense," laughed Miranda.

"Exactly what I said," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"I . . . I just . . . ," she stammered and then paused, looking down at her knees to try to hide a blush. "I'm sorry, Shepard. I . . . I . . . never mind. I shouldn't have brought it up."

He looked at her and was surprised to see that she was trembling. He knew what she was asking. A fairly simple question really, so he wondered why it caught her up emotionally.

"Yes," he said.

"What?" Miranda didn't follow.

"If you want to call me by my first name, you can," he said. "Honestly, I wish more people would."

She looked into his eyes for a moment. He could see a mixture of emotions in her expression, but her eyes were not conflicted at all.

"John . . . " She said his name softly and a slight smile came to her face. It was the look she had had when he'd awoke while her team was still rebuilding him. They held each other's gaze for a few moments, then she looked away suddenly.

She loves me, he thought. Miranda looked flustered now. She had shown her emotions and was again unsure of herself.

"Miranda, thanks. It was nice to have someone here to talk to this evening. But we ship out at 05:30," he said. "I should probably show you to your room."

"Of course, Shepard," she said. As they stood, she looked into his eyes again and smiled before blushing and looking down at the floor.

Shepard walked Miranda to one of his guest rooms and gave her a brief embrace. Miranda could not help herself. She looked up and kissed his cheek.

"Miranda . . ."

"Good night, John," she said. "And thank you again for believing in me. It means, well, everything."

"Good night, then," he replied. "Sleep well."

"You too, John. I'll see you in the morning."

As Shepard went to check on Jan and then to bed, Miranda softly closed the door. She changed into a night shirt and got ready for bed. After brushing her teeth, she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked closely at the face that looked back at her. It was familiar, but at the same time, she did not recognize it. Her fancy genetics and fastidiously taking care of herself had kept the years from showing in her face, but the eyes that stared back at her were haunted, empty. She wondered where the confident, indomitable eyes that had once looked out had gone. She undid her hair, letting it down for the night and slid beneath the covers. She was tired, but sleep did not come. She could not believe herself. Her own behavior. Shepard was grieving for the loss of Ashley, and Miranda was truly sad for him and was truly sad that she had died. She liked Ashley. But she could not help herself. All of the thoughts of 'if only' about John Shepard suddenly had become 'maybe now.' She was ashamed, but at the same time, she loved him. I always have, she thought. Her display of affection; had it made him uncomfortable? Had he even noticed? God, I hope not, she thought, though being a masterful politician, he probably had. It was way too early for her to consider a relationship with him. Ashley was less than a week dead. They had not even had her funeral. The thoughts raced through her head, but eventually, she a thought came to her.

Shepard had waited for Ashley, had loved her through the fight against the Collectors, even though Ashley had let him know in no uncertain terms that considered him to be a traitor. He'd loved her through the Reaper war, during most of which she was highly suspicious of him, even to the point of pulling a gun on him during Udina's coup attempt. But when all was said and done, when she finally realized that he had always been true to the Alliance and had always been true to her, Ashley came to him. If he could do that for Ashley, who second guessed him at every turn and been suspicious of him, then I can do the same for him. Unlike Ashley, Shepard never second guessed me. He never was suspicious of me. He believed in me. Even when I was with Cerberus, he believed in me. I can be there for him. Even if romance never blossoms, I can love him. He is my most loyal friend. Love is about wanting what is best for someone else, and I want the best for him. No expectations, no conditions. Peace came to her as she articulated the thoughts in her head and she fell into a deep and peaceful asleep.

Jan was awake and crying when Shepard went to check in on her. Little sobs came from her bed as he entered the room. He sat down next to her and put his hand on her arm.

"I miss her too," he said.

Jan sat up and threw her arms around him, clinging to him.

"Don't go, daddy," she cried. "I missed you so much, please don't go on the mission."

He hugged her tightly. If only I could stay, he thought.

"Jan, I want to stay with you," he said softly. "But if I don't go on this mission, you, your Aunt Sarah, Aunt Miranda, and others will be in danger. I can't rest until I know that you're safe. If it was not so potentially dangerous, I'd consider taking you on the ship. But I love you too much to do that."

"But I'll miss you," she cried. "I love Aunt Sarah and Aunt Bakara, but they're not the same. Uncle Wrex is fun, but he's not the same."

He scooped her up held her close, carrying her with him.

"I can't stay," he said, "but why don't you spend the night where your mommy slept? She'll be with us tonight, watching over us."

Jan nodded and her sobs quieted. Shepard laid her in the bed where Ashley had slept, tucking her in and pulling the blankets around her. He kissed her and then went to the washroom to change into his pajamas and brush his teeth. He finally settled in with his daughter. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She snuggled in with him and fell asleep. It was probably the best sleep either of us will get until this is done, thought Shepard as he drifted off to sleep.

Miranda woke up at four in the morning. Not unusual for her. Miranda had always been a get up, get out, and get it done kind of girl, not wasting any of the day. As she got dressed, she wondered how John had ever made the transition to civilian life, particularly in the political arena. She had kept regular correspondence with Ashley and John, and she knew that he still hated politics and politicians. He hated even more being one, but that was where he had been needed, so that was where he went. She had to laugh. The Illusive man had always touted himself as having "Humanity's best interests" at heart, but that wasn't true. He was just a power hungry xenophobe who used Cerberus as a means of striking back at what he was afraid of rather than confronting his fears head on like John did. It was John who had humanity's best interests at heart. He did not like working with Cerberus, but the colonies, and ultimately all Humanity was in danger, so he took command of the then new Normandy and embarked on a suicide mission, Miranda at his side. He had wanted to stay on Earth and fight with the resistance, but that was not where he was needed. So he did as he was asked and took the Normandy out and united the galaxy. He had not wanted to serve in politics, but that was where he was needed. So when Prime Minister Osoba called on him, there he was, serving as Humanity's councilor.

Ashley had messaged her shortly before she died, ecstatic that John had told her that when this mission was over, he intended to not only resign his commission, but to resign from politics to be with her and with Jan. She suspected that he would do that now out of necessity. Jan needs him, she thought.

Miranda smelled coffee and bacon and the aroma drew her down the stairs. As she made her way to the kitchen, she heard voices. John's low rumble was punctuated by Jan's high pitched soprano. She heard the little girl laughing. She had been so sad the night before, but John had her laughing. It brought a momentary pain to Miranda. She could never have kids. Apparently, her father's fancy genetics had one fatal flaw; his masterpiece could not pass its perfection onto future generations. It was a bittersweet irony. Perhaps that was why she had thrown herself into her career. She had desperately wanted to be a mom years ago, but the medical prognosis she had received put an end to that dream. But her sadness vanished as she turned the corner and stepped into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Shepards," she said. Jan laughed.

"See daddy? I'm Shepard too!"

John put a plate down in front of Miranda and poured her a cup of coffee.

"I saw that the first day you opened your eyes to the world," he said, kissing her on the head. "Good morning Miranda," he said without missing a beat. Then he turned and put his hands on Jan's shoulders.

"Remember, if you want to be called 'Shepard,' you have to be strong for me while I'm away," he said. "To be a Shepard, you have to be a protector. You need to protect your Aunt Sarah. Keep her safe. Be there for her. She lost her big sis, who had helped to raise her. She's hurting a lot and needs your support."

Jan stood and saluted her father.

"Yes sir!"

It was very cute, but at the same time, Miranda knew that there was a gravity to the situation that Jan did not fully grasp. John was embarking on a very dangerous mission and as tough as he was, he was still only human. He had been clinically dead once, only alive because of Miranda's efforts in the Lazarus Cell.

John returned his daughter's salute and she returned to her breakfast.

John was dressed for the mission, wearing his light armored uniform that she remembered him wearing during the Reaper War. It was scarred, battle worn, still wearing the stress it had been subjected to during the war. But the man who wore it looked like a family man, a normal civilian. She knew not to be fooled; John was no civilian, no matter how at home he seemed to be in civilian life. Perhaps that was what enabled him to keep his sanity with the Council.

But, for the next forty minutes, she was a guest of the Shepard family, not a soldier with a superior officer. Sarah eventually joined them and the four talked about everything but the mission. A normal life, she thought. He really had found it. Maybe she could too.

It was 05:00 and John and Miranda stood at the door, bidding Jan and Sarah good bye. Jan saluted her dad, and then broke down in tears, throwing her arms around him.

"I love you daddy," she cried. "Please come back!"

"I will, Jan," he said. "I'll find whatever it is that did this to your mom. And I'll stop them. I promise."

He hugged her tightly and kissed her.

Sarah hugged him, then looked at Miranda.

"Bring him back, Miranda," she said. "Ashley once said that if Shepard had been a woman, he'd have been you."

"I promise, Sarah," replied Miranda. Sarah hugged her tightly.

"Thank you."

"Alright people," came John's command voice. "Time to move out. The morning is getting away from us, Jan, so I should go." He turned to Sarah. In that moment, he transformed from civilian into soldier. "And whatever it is that took Ash from us I will find and kill."

Sarah and Jan hugged him again. Jan then stood and saluted him one last time. Sarah followed suit. John and Miranda saluted them back. Time to move out.

Shepard and Miranda arrived at the Yorktown fifteen minutes early. Lee Riley was waiting for them. She fired off a crisp salute to Shepard who returned it.

"Good morning, Captain." Shepard's greeting was professional, but not conversational. If Riley had something important on her mind, she was free to speak, but Shepard was not entertaining anything that was not of great urgency.

"Sir, we have a serious problem."

"Is there any other kind?" The three of them boarded the ship as they spoke.

"Dr. Bryson and Dr. Tsoni were attacked while leaving their apartments this morning."

"Oh my God!" Shepard stopped walking. "Are they okay?"

"They're alive, sir," replied Riley. "Dr. Tsoni suffered gut wound but killed her attackers. Dr. Bryson was shot up pretty badly and is unconscious. Thankfully, Lieutenant Vega was on his way over to escort her to the ship. He was able to take out her would-be killers. None of the gunmen survived. I assume that Ms. Lawson can be accounted for?"

Miranda had had enough.

"It's Commander Lawson," she interjected, "and I was with Shepard."

"Your wife isn't even buried and you're shacking up with her?"

Shepard did not respond immediately. His eyes narrowed and he held Riley's gaze. It was that tiger staring down its prey look that Shepard would get when he was about to go kill something.

"Hardly," said Miranda tersely. "I've been a friend to the family for over a decade and stayed in the guest room."

Riley started to open her mouth but Shepard beat her to the punch.

"Get off my ship." His voice was a low, guttural growl.

"Sir?" Riley didn't seem to believe that this was happening.

"Something wrong with your hearing, Captain?" Shepard's voice was raised. He was not shouting. But he had the tone of a drill sergeant dressing down a private. Riley went silent. The confident look fled her eyes, replaced by fear.

"I'm sorry sir," she stammered. "I was out of line."

Shepard wasn't having it. He dropped his duffel on the floor. He was going to physically throw her off if she didn't leave.

"Sir, you need me on this mission," Riley protested. "Admiral Hackett wouldn't have assigned me otherwise. This mission is too important."

Shepard reached out with one hand and slammed Riley into the forward bulkhead. Riley's eyes widened. Shepard did not simply push her. In striking, he'd profiled his stance. Riley was a skilled fighter, but Shepard was in combat mode and well prepared for any counter offensive she might mount. His left hand was dangerously close to his sidearm.

"Then get you stow your goddamn attitude and act like the soldier you claim to be. Step out of line again and there will be consequences. Dire consequences."

Miranda had no doubt that there would already be consequences. Though she doubted that Shepard would push to revoke her Spectre status, she would likely see some kind of disciplinary action. Shepard's report would likely be fairly negative as well.

"Understood, sir!" Riley stood at rigid attention. Shepard leaned in close.

"If I wasn't already short on manpower, I'd kick your sorry ass from one end of this ship to the other and have you on a shuttle back to Arcturus so fast you're head would spin for a year," he hissed. "Now, let's get one thing straight. I haven't shacked up with anyone. And if you spread rumors to that effect, I will not only put you down hard, but I'll have your Spectre status revoked, have you assigned to the worst shit assignment in Alliance space and insure that you never serve in the fleet again. Do we understand each other?"

Riley gulped. Shepard's threat would be a decorated soldier's worst nightmare and worse than any libel suit. And as the Human Councilor, he could do it. His threat was also backed up by his open threat of physical force should Riley prove troublesome on the mission.

"I said, do we understand each other?" Now he was shouting. His left hand was now a clenched fist. Oh my God, thought Miranda, he's going to flatten her right here in the airlock.

"Yes, sir," she said, her voice almost a gasp.

"A wise decision." Garrus' duotone voice startled Miranda. She had not seen or heard him arrive.

"Get settled in," barked Shepard. "Conference room in an hour." He then looked towards the cockpit. "Edi," he called, knowing that he could communicate with her from anywhere in the ship. "Are we ready for take-off?"

"Yes, Commodore," she replied over the loud speaker.

"Is everyone on board?"

"Excepting Dr. Bryson and Dr. Tsoni, Garrus' arrival completes our crew compliment."

"Then get us out of here in five minutes."

"Yes, sir."

Riley walked off at a brisk pace. Garrus shook his head.

"She means well, Shepard," he volunteered, "but on a Turian ship, that would have been one of those pre-mission sparring matches you and I discussed prior to going on the Collector Base mission."

"No, it wouldn't," replied Shepard. "I'd just have to explain to Hackett why I'd just killed one of Humanity's Spectres."

Miranda went to her cabin, which unfortunately, was shared with Riley. She saw Riley putting her things away. Miranda simply began getting herself settled in. No conversations with Riley if it could be avoided. Riley, still pale from her encounter with Shepard, seemed to be on the same page and the two kept a respectful silence. Once Miranda was settled in, she got up to leave. She was not going to stay in the room with Riley until the briefing.

"Lawson." Riley's tone was not conversational but it was not hostile.

"What?" Miranda tried not to be terse. She was only partially successful.

"That was unprofessional of me," she said. "I don't like you, but I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. I'm sorry."

Miranda was surprised. It was not the most heartfelt apology, but it was matter of fact and it was accurate. And it was likely the most she was going to get out of Riley. The fact that it was volunteered was promising for the mission.

"Thank you," replied Miranda. "I appreciate that."

Miranda left the room as quickly as possible without being rude.

Shepard was in his cabin going over last minute details when his door chime sounded.

"Come in," he called. To his surprise, Riley stepped into the room.

"Sir, I want to apologize." Riley stood at rigid attention.

Shepard did not speak, though he motioned her to be seated. Riley sat down nervously.

"Sir, you saved my life during the war and I've always had the highest respect for you," she explained. "Miranda makes me very nervous and I let those feelings cause me to second guess you."

"So what do you want?" Shepard appreciated the apology, but Riley seemed to want more.

"I . . . I suppose I'm asking for a do-over, sir," she replied. "Can we start the morning fresh? I was careless, sir. I'd like for us to go back to being friends."

Shepard was silent for a moment. Actually, I'd like that too, he thought. But he could not let this go that quickly; it would set a bad precedent. He contemplated long enough to make her nervous and then spoke.

"Don't just tell me, show me," he said. "We get through this without any further drama, and I'll forget this ever happened. I don't expect you to brown nose or behave in artificially and I won't be keeping score or evaluating you. You want normal and professional relations with me, with Miranda, then behave normal and professional. If you want to actually be my friend, do what the rest of my friends do and just be my friend. Understood?"

"Yes sir," she responded. Riley relaxed a little. Of course, Shepard was not threatening to toss her off of the ship or to flatten her. And he was not barking at her like a drill sergeant.

"Permission to speak freely sir," she said.

"Always," replied Shepard.

"Really?"

"Riley, you and I are both Spectres," he said. "I don't run my ship on a speak-when-spoken-to basis. The chain of command is a tool to facilitate unit cohesion and smooth operation of the ship, not a straight jacket through which the skipper imposes his will. I don't want automatons. I want people. Maintain professionalism. If you have a concern, you voice it to me professionally. But I will not tolerate flippant behavior or schoolyard sniping. And speculation about my personal relationships is off the table. That clear things up?"

"Yes sir, thank you, sir."

"So speak freely."

"Well sir, I question the wisdom bringing Miranda on this mission."

"You've said that. And I addressed the concerns you raised. Does it go deeper than that?"

"I don't know, sir. Maybe because she was Cerberus."

"I was Cerberus."

"Yes, but not by choice. You also were only with them to stop the Collectors. Then you screwed them by blowing up the base, taking their best ship and brightest people and bringing them to the Alliance. Not to mention all that intel you were sending us on them while you were with them. It was damned useful too, by the way."

"I get that, but how is Miranda different? She was as responsible for blowing up that base as I was. In fact, she disobeyed the Illusive Man's direct order to interfere with my destruction of the base. And was running from Cerberus assassins from that moment on."

"I … didn't know that, sir."

"Then there was the Phoenix Cell, which was with Cerberus through the Collector missions, but came to the Alliance after the Illusive Man was indoctrinated and lost his mind. Oh, and let's not forget Commander Taylor, my XO who also blew off Cerberus after the Collector base and spent six months as a guardian of people who blew off Cerberus. Top scientists who were immeasurably helpful on the Crucible project."

"Perhaps I've misjudged her. Thank you, sir. That gives me a new perspective."

"Anytime, Lee."

Riley stood and saluted him. He returned the salute. Maybe this will work out after all, he thought.

Shepard called the Spectres into the conference room an hour after take-off, just as he had said he would. The meeting was more spirited than he had hoped. Riley and Miranda disagreed at every turn, and both seemed determined to prove their worth by making the suggestion or insight that he might find most valuable. Both were disappointed when he gave more weight to Garrus' opinions than to either of their own. Finally, he had had enough.

"Will the two of you knock it off?" He shook his head. Garrus just stared at the two ladies, shaking his head as well. Then he brightened as an idea crossed his mind.

"The two of you need to find some way to relieve the tension between you," he said. "I remember one mission, this specialist and I were just at each other's throats. We had it out, ten rounds of fight with no clear winner. Finally held a tie breaker in her quarters. I had reach, she had flexibility. More than one way to break the tension."

Miranda and Riley looked at each other, staring into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then they just started laughing.

"You wish, Garrus," said Miranda.

"Yeah, Garrus," Riley chimed in. "Besides, she's not my type."

"Oh?" Miranda cocked her head and looked at Riley. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Too bad that Traynor girl is mixed up with Shepard's communications specialist," said Riley. "Now she's my type."

"That's enough," said Shepard tersely. "No rabbit trails please. This is serious."

Shepard brought up the schematic on the mining facility and the four of them got down to actually planning the attack.

The heavy bag shuddered as a pair of feminine fists pummeled it repeatedly, joined by the occasional kick. The Yorktown had a small gymnasium and Miranda was determined to make the most of it. It wasn't a fully separate room, of course, but a corner of the shuttle bay with a pull up bar, a heavy bag, a speed bag, a single weight bench, and enough space for up to four people to engage in calisthenics, sparring, or general exercise. She found the workout to be therapeutic, almost meditative. As she punched the bag, Lee Riley walked in and began warming up for her own workout.

"Lawson," said Lee in greeting.

"Riley," responded Miranda.

Miranda watched her from the corners of her eyes, focusing on the bag but keeping aware of what Riley was doing. Lee stripped off her sweat shirt and pants to reveal gym shorts and a sport bra. Lee Riley was tall, six feet, and looked like she hadn't missed a workout since birth. If there was an ounce of fat on her, Miranda couldn't see it. Even her breasts were small, secondary to her muscular pecs. Miranda couldn't help admiring her.

Riley took to the pull up bar, doing pull ups the way Miranda expected that Edi would: like a machine. Even with her genetically perfect body, Miranda had never been in that kind of condition.

Miranda continued her workout as Lee undertook her own. Lee did not seem interested in conversation so Miranda simply lost herself in the Zen of her own workout, the rhythmic sound of her fists striking the bag becoming almost meditative for her. After about another half an hour, she felt pretty good about herself. As she hooked the bottom of the bag to its hook on the ceiling, getting it out of the way, Lee, who had switched to jumping rope by now, spoke up.

"Hey Cerberus, how would you like to train against something that can actually hit back?"

Miranda shook her head. It was not a friendly invitation to train, but more of a challenge. She had been on the receiving end of those before. Her beautiful, genetically engineered appearance masked the hard, deadly training she had received and the years of hard duty in the field.

"Sure," she replied. "Could always use a round with a good partner."

Riley nodded and put her rope down. Each movement sent ripples through her skin. Riley was like corded steel wrapped in leather. She's strong, Miranda thought. Riley didn't play around. She got out on the mat and stood with her feet planted and her guard low, but ready. Miranda simply strode onto the mat, her whole body relaxed. Profiled, but not crouched or in any kind of fight stance.

"Get ready," warned Riley.

"Oh, I'm always ready," replied Miranda confidently.

"Then go!" Riley began dancing and moving, feeling out Miranda. Miranda moved gracefully, like a dancer, giving away nothing. She moved elegantly and quickly, but was not drawn in by any of Riley's invitations. Some of the shuttle bay and armory crew gathered around to watch the two Spectres spar. The inevitable betting started up almost immediately and the group quickly split off into the respective corners of the two fighters. Miranda could not help but notice the contrast between them as she watched Lee. At nearly six feet in height, Lee probably weighed 185 pounds, all of it muscle, sinew and bone. Miranda on the other hand was only about five foot eight and weighed around 140, sporting curves that Riley would never accomplish no matter how much training she did.

Riley launched the offensive, her swift strikes powerful enough to take the fight out of any N7 marine except Shepard himself. Riley almost landed several quick blows to Miranda's ribcage and one aimed at her face. A sweep came seemingly out of nowhere. But Miranda barely moved, just bending enough to allow Riley's blows to miss. She gently stepped over Riley's sweep. She could sense Riley's frustration as Miranda effortlessly avoided Riley's blows. And Riley was fast and agile, perhaps more than Kai Leng had been. Lee Riley stepped it up a notch. Suddenly, she was a whirlwind of kicks and strikes, but Miranda simply smiled, deftly avoiding each and every blow, either by dodging or gently slapping them away. With all her power, speed, and training, Riley could not land a blow on Miranda.

The crew was hushed, none of them believing how tremendously skilled Miranda actually was. Finally, Miranda redirected a right jab from Riley and caught her wrist, twisting and locking out Riley's elbow and pressing down just enough to catch Riley. Then she gracefully pirouetted counter clockwise, twisting Riley's arm back and bringing her down with a loud thud. Then, slipping her right foot under Riley's right armpit and wrapping Riley's right arm around her own shin, she locked the trapped arm out. Miranda bent Riley's hand and twisted her wrist around, inducing rapid and frantic tapping from Riley. Miranda gently released the lock while helping Riley to her feet.

The shuttle bay was dead quiet. Few had ever seen Miranda in action. It was impressive.

"Nicely done, Miranda," said Riley with a smile. "You've got some serious chops."

"Thank you, Lee," replied Miranda, smiling back. "But I didn't actually use any."

"Serious moves?"

"No," laughed Miranda, "serious chops. You know; karate chops?"

Riley laughed.

"Well, I guess we 'broke the tension' between us," observed Riley.

"Indeed," agreed Miranda. "No tie breakers in our quarters, but yes. You fight well, Riley."

"Thanks," replied Riley, though she wondered why Miranda was being so magnanimous; Miranda had won. Handily.

Miranda extended her hand. Riley accepted and the two shook hands. And then Miranda left.

Lee watched Miranda saunter away. She felt more than a twinge of jealousy as she watched the achingly beautiful woman seductively walk out of the shuttle bay. Perhaps it was not Miranda's potential to be a liability that bothered her, but the fact that Miranda was so damn beautiful and so self confident. It reminded Riley of the snobby girls in school who had made her childhood miserable. Riley had always been too tall, too straight, too socially awkward and too much of a tomboy to fit in with them, and the one girl who had been the de facto leader of the clique and not surprisingly head of the cheerleaders, had gone out of her way to make Riley the butt of every joke and to make sure that every social gaff that Riley made was spread all over the school. She had gotten into athletics when cheerleading was not an option and her dad, a former boxer, had given her boxing lessons and encouraged her in the martial arts. Her academic scores and skill in science had gotten her noticed by the Alliance. Riley was offered a full scholarship and she went to West Point. Suddenly, she was wanted. Everyone wanted her on their team, everyone treated her like she was one of the cool kids. And dating was no longer a problem; she had her pick. Men, women, it did not matter. Her days as the awkward new girl were gone for good.

Ironic, she thought. Now, she had become the snobby cheerleader and Miranda was the awkward new girl. Riley had become the very thing that she despised. She shook her head and had to laugh. Lesson learned, she thought.

And Miranda beat me at my own game, she laughed to herself. Miranda had not even used her biotics. She had never seen Miranda in action before, but she knew from reports that her biotics were top notch, on par with any Asari commando, and that she had combat engineer skills on par with Riley's own as well. But Miranda had clearly not neglected her martial training. Riley hated to admit it, but Miranda was a far more skilled hand to hand combatant than she was. She suspected that Miranda's skill on the firing range was equally impressive. Shepard's statement that Miranda had spent months successfully thwarting Cerberus' top assassins took on new meaning. New perspective, she thought to herself. Any doubts as to Miranda's skills were laid to rest and buried. Prior to the incident on Gei Hinnom, Miranda's reputation as a commander and as a Spectre was Sterling as well. Shepard was right. It was time to realign her views.

The Yorktown came through the Hekate relay and dropped into FTL, heading for the Paymat system and Dobrovolsky. If all went according to plan, they would locate and destroy the artifacts and then head back to the Citadel before shipping out for Despoina. Shepard chose his squad carefully. He decided to bring Miranda, in spite of the presence of the spheres. She would be safe with the new shielding and could rebuild her self confidence for the final push, where it would be all hands on deck. Not to mention that if Riley's fears came to fruition, Shepard could deal with Miranda without killing her. Riley was his other choice, as she had already been here and discovered the presence of the artifact. After they went in and signaled, a biotic and medical team would go in and tend to survivors.

Before long, the Yorktown was in orbit around Dobrovolsky and they were ready to head out. Shepard noticed that Miranda and Riley had indeed broken the tension between them. They hardly looked like best friends, but they were engaging in the same pre-mission banter that squadmates typically did.

"Everything alright, you two?"

"Yeah," said Riley. "We took Garrus' advice and did some sparring."

Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"No tiebreaker in our quarters," laughed Riley, "but we cleared the air."

Miranda just smiled sheepishly and finished making last minute adjustments so that she could grab her weapons and board the shuttle. Shepard smiled and boarded, waiting for her to join him. He could not help but feel nostalgic about his time working with Miranda and Jacob. This brought back those memories. Good memories, he thought.

The shuttle landed a few clicks west of the Altai Mineral Works facility, just as they had at the EAM facility, without any incident. Like Gei Hinnom, breathers would be needed until they got inside. Also like on Gei Hinnom, Shepard was loaded for bear. In addition to the three Spectres, he had brought along a squad of biotics and a complement of N7 marines. On the shuttle, they were jubilant about working with Shepard on an actual field mission, but now they were all business. Shepard thought of Ashley and her days in the 212. What a team he and Ashley would have made back in those days! Between the two of them, they probably could have saved the unit on Eden Prime. But those days were before they'd met. By the time she and Shepard were finally to meet, the 212 had been literally killed to the last man, or in this case, woman. By the time they had met, Ashley Williams was all that remained of that unit. Being a literary and history buff, it always bothered him to hear people say that, "the 212 was decimated." If only. That would have left 90 percent of the unit alive. Could have used them during the Reaper War, he thought. Of course, the term had not been used correctly in a long time and he doubted that anyone knew its original reference to the Roman military practice of killing one in every ten soldiers in a unit in order to punish the group as a whole. Ashley had been a serious ground pounder. Could have used her during the Blitz too, he thought. This mission's for you, Ash, he thought.

The shuttle touched down, breaking his reverie.

"Alright people," Shepard said, "We've got three teams. Team Mako, Team Hammerhead, and Team Normandy. Marines, you're Team Mako. Danvers, biotics and search & rescue people, you're team Hammerhead. Team Normandy is Lawson, Garrus, Riley, and myself. I've sent the schematics to your omni tools. Team Mako will secure the entrance and exits. Once Team Normandy is inside, we'll open the gates and Mako can bring in Team Hammerhead. We'll secure the facility and sweep the area for survivors and wounded. Remember, keep your helmets on. At all times, period! Understood?"

The marines shouted, "Oorah!" The rest responded with a hearty, "Yes sir!"

"Then move out!"

Damn, this beats the damn Council any day of the week, he thought.

It did not take long for them to circle around, find a back door in, and make their way into the station. Shepard sent a contingent of marines to guard the entrance and kept a few on hand to guard the back door in, this time a literal back door. Riley set to work. After a few moments, she pronounced the door free of any traps. Miranda knew that Riley had been an N7 combat engineer prior to her earning Spectre status. Her skills were impressive. Better than my own, she thought. And her own engineering skills were top notch.

"It's weird," said Riley off handedly. "It's like they aren't even expecting anyone"

"Or it's a trap," observed Shepard.

They entered the facility, guns drawn, and made their way around to the main lobby. So far, no resistance. Not even any encounters. Once they made their way into the main facility, they found it much as Shepard had found the T-GES Mineral Works facility; people working on all manner of things that had nothing to do with mining. But this time, there was a distinct difference: one of the spheres was out in the open and they had constructed set of pods that had people inside of them. Shepard, Garrus and Miranda knew exactly what was going on. They'd seen those pods on Horizon when they were after Kai Leng. The possessed workers were turning people into husks. A Cerberus logo on some of the containers and equipment radically reframed the nature of the threat.

The workers continued on in drone-like attention to their tasks. Shepard signaled to Garrus, and the two of them brought their sniper rifles to bear on the sphere.

"Cover us," he said to Miranda and Riley. But before they could pull the trigger, a voice they had thought dead shouted, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Henry Lawson stepped into the room. He walked with a limp and the help of a cane, no doubt due to his injuries at Miranda's hands on Horizon. He wore an eye patch over his left eye and scars covered the left side of his face. He confidently made his way towards Shepard.

"No!" Miranda lost her composure. "You're dead! I killed you, you bastard!"

The last time they had met was on Horizon in a Cerberus lab that used refugees for test subjects in an effort to unravel the mystery of indoctrination. Henry Lawson had hidden behind her sister, Oriana, holding a pistol to her head while trying to negotiate for his life. Shepard had convinced him to let Oriana go, but Miranda had thrown him through the glass of the lab with a powerful display of biotics as soon as Ori was clear. He was good and truly dead.

But now, Henry Lawson looked very much alive. Aside from the need for a cane, he was as she remembered him; tall, confident, and in control. The squad of marines and the presence of four Spectres did not seem to bother him in the least.

"And Kai Leng most likely thought the same of you," he replied calmly. "And yet, here we are. You're not the only one with tricks up your sleeves. You learned them all from me. Nothing you have, nothing you are, is anything of your own. You know that."

"That's not true," cried Miranda. "That's not true!"

"Of course it's true," he spat. "I made you. I trained you. I raised you."

"Yeah," interjected Shepard. "And then she escaped and spent the rest of her life undoing the damage you'd done. Everything Miranda is, everything Miranda has become, she is by her own hand."

"And what would a grunt like you know of such things?"

Shepard laughed at the comment.

"I hold humanity's highest political posting," laughed Shepard, "while you're digging in the dirt to resurrect a dead terrorist organization. Besides, I know a thing or two about raising daughters. We give our children life, but they are God given gifts, each with talents and abilities that they bring into the world. Our job is to help them cultivate those talents, not turn them into some monument to our own fragile egos. Miranda is everything that you're not. What she has, you could never have given her."

Miranda could not believe herself. Drawn into one of her father's scolding sessions as if she were twelve and breaking down like a little girl. But Shepard had given her back her confidence. God, I love him, she thought.

Shepard's eyes narrowed and his face hardened. Small talk was over, she thought.

"Now let's cut to the chase," he growled. "Why not?"

Shepard had not lowered the gun and still had the sight trained on the sphere. Riley had quietly trained her pistol on Dr. Lawson. Marines were flanking the workers and Garrus had disappeared. Which meant that he was sure to be somewhere bad for Dr. Lawson.

"If you destroy that sphere, not only will it emit a pulse that will render your equipment and weapons useless, but it will kill the drones and the husks will be released, with all of you defenseless." He seemed confident, and normally, he would have good reason. But about the only part of his statement that had any significance was the possibility of the AMW staff being killed. The team was outfitted with equipment that ignored the sphere's pulses.

"How did you survive?" Shepard asked the question, but Miranda knew him well enough to know that he was likely only mildly curious. The real goal was to keep Dr. Lawson talking.

"Miranda is not the only one who plans for every contingency," replied Lawson with pride. "She's made from my genes. Designed by me to be perfect in every way. And if it wasn't for her rebellious streak, she would be."

"So what's all this?" Shepard looked about the room expansively to indicate the entirety of the project. Lawson took the bait.

"I'm glad you asked," he said cheerfully, relaxing his posture. The bastard never could resist the opportunity to pontificate and brag, she thought. "During the reaper war, we worked to solve the question of reaper indoctrination. You've read my notes, listened to my audio logs, so there's no point in being coy. We discovered that the reapers used nanides that were injected into a host and spread throughout the host's body. They took control of the host and rewrote the genetic code, turning them into husks. We adapted the use of the nanides, injecting them directly into the brains of test subjects, including Paul Grayson."

"Shepard, Miranda," came Garrus' voice in their helmets, "these people are loaded with reaper tech. They may look human, but they're like the Cerberus troops we fought against during the war."

Shepard made no visible acknowledgement. But Miranda knew that he and Garrus shared a brain when in the field.

"We were able to co-opt the reaper signal and control our subjects," continued Lawson, unaware that Garrus was even in the room at this point, let alone communicating intel to Shepard. "But that kind of thing is time consuming, so after reading your report on Leviathan, courtesy of the Illusive man, I concluded that large numbers of people could be indoctrinated and controlled quickly and easily without the need for an invasive procedure. This gives us the time do the more thorough work we need to do for functional shock troops."

"Wait," interjected Miranda, "you mean you're trying to build an army?"

"You remember what the Illusive man said, Miranda." Shepard looked right at Dr. Lawson as he spoke. "Cerberus is an idea and that idea is not so easily destroyed."

"Correct," agreed Dr. Lawson. "We had operatives and moles all over the galaxy. Your destruction of our base, the reaper war, and fighting against you certainly crippled us. But we were only down, not out." Lawson paused for a moment and then looked at Shepard with a welcoming smile. "You know, Shepard, you worked with us before to take down the Collector base. You were fair with me when we last met. We could use a man like you. I'm not indoctrinated like the Illusive man was."

"Which makes what you're doing all the worst," replied Shepard calmly. "But if you want my answer formally, here it is."

Before Dr. Lawson could even formulate an objection, Shepard squeezed the trigger, unleashing an armor piercing explosive round. The sphere shattered in a mist of glittery dust. Lawson was caught in it, but managed to stay up. True to Lawson's assessment, the staff was killed and the husks released.

And true to Shepard's predictions, the shielding in their equipment kept them safe from the pulse. Shepard's marines mowed down the husks in short order, and the few that got through the gunfire were quickly dispatched in hand to hand combat. Miranda fought the husks effortlessly. Compared to Riley, they were slow, ponderous. Miranda just had to be careful not to let them swarm her. Riley was fast and graceful, reminding her a bit of Kai Leng. Shepard was his usual self. Swift and to the point. He gunned them down and when they were close in, he activated his omni blade and cut them to pieces. One came in from his right and was met with an elbow strike to the chin so hard that its jaw not only broke, but its neck folded over backwards leaving its upside down head looking back at Riley. Henry Lawson thought he would make a quick exit, but Garrus came out of nowhere and planted his open palm right on Lawson's nose. Lawson went down clutching his nose in pain as Garrus grabbed his collar and hauled him over to Shepard.

"Team Mako, secure him, get all the data from this place and then wipe the machines," ordered Shepard. The marines quickly set about carrying out his orders.

"Hammerhead, sweep for survivors. Normandy, come with me."

Team Normandy went further into the mines and found the remaining spheres and destroyed them all. The remaining drones were unfortunately killed as well due to the implantation of reaper tech. Team Hammerhead found no survivors and Team Mako had no difficulty in securing the site. Henry Lawson, bereft of hostages and tech, was reduced to a quivering coward. This ended the Dobrovolsky mission successfully, but it also meant that the direction forward wasn't as clear. Despoina was still on Shepard's radar, but now more for information gathering. Cerberus still in operation was another matter. But one thing at a time, thought Shepard as the shuttle flew back to the Yorktown. The mood was more subdued on the trip home. Nobody was jubilant that the entire staff of the mining facility had been implanted with reaper tech and was then killed. And nobody was happy to hear that Cerberus was still around. But the big question remained: Was Lawson the mastermind or was there another, bigger fish behind it all?