Welcome to Chapter 10 of Guns and Poems, a Femsheply Fic! Continuing on with the Mass Effect 2 half of the story. If you were attentive, then you noticed the pairing changed to Shepard/ Jacob T. that is because I'm contemplating Changing Kallen's ME2 LI from Miranda to Jacob, or keeping her loyal to Ashley. Only time will tell who she ends up with (or doesn't!) Anyway enjoy the adventures of Rockstar!Shep
Kallen, Jacob, and Miranda walked through the airlock and down the bridge. It was just as Kallen remembered from the old ship, except it was much brighter. There were crewmen at their stations doing whatever it was that they were assigned to do on the ship.
"Welcome to the new Normandy Commander." Jacob said as they reached where the bridge met the Galaxy map.
"I suggest we go and get the professor first his knowledge could help us counter the collectors technology. Omega should be at the top of our check list." Miranda sure was bossy, at least to Kallen.
"Miranda, what exactly is my position on this ship?" Kallen asked, sounding as clueless as possible.
"You're the commanding officer Shepard."
"And what is your position on this ship?"
"I'm the XO"
"Don't forget that. Joker await my orders on a destination, I'm gonna tour the ship"
"Operative Lawson raises a good point" a voice filled the CIC and stopped Kallen in her tracks.
"Who are you?"
A blue ball popped up on the console in front of her, "I am EDI this ships artificial intelligence."
"What the hell is this thing doing on my ship? I guess it's a spy program The Illusive man set up so I stay on script?" Kallen massaged the bridge of her nose to keep herself from lashing out at her new crew.
"Have I offended?" EDI asked.
"It's alright EDI, the commander has extensive experience fighting rouge AI most notably on Luna at the Hannibal training facility."
"I assure you I am not threat, I just observe and operate some of the ships systems and even so most of my functions are blocked."
"Alright, now that that's out of the way, touring the ship." Kallen continued her walk to the elevator and looked at the console.
"Would you me to explain the ships layout for you Commander?" EDI asked.
"I'll find out myself EDI." Kallen selected the first deck and about thirty seconds later she reached it. "Captains Quarters? You mean I get my own deck?" after pressing the holographic interface Kallen was blown away by what was in front of her. The blue glow of an empty aquarium was the first thing her eye caught; the second thing was the massive bed down a small staircase. "This is all for me?" Kallen's question prompted EDI's avatar to pop up on the wall.
"This deck is entirely yours Shepard, when constructing this level, the team called it "The Loft". Your primary private terminal is here as well as an aquarium, your medals, armor locker, personal closet, and a fully functional bathroom."
"Wow, now I see how much I really mean to Cerberus. "Kallen walked down the stair case and plopped down on the bed. "So soft!" she hadn't sat down for at least three hours and realized that most of her tour of the ship would be right here in this bed; although she did start to feel a bit sad knowing that Ashley wasn't going to come through her door and slip under her covers. This started to make the realization that she'd been dead and then comatose for two years. "Snap out of it Kouzuki" Kallen sat up at the foot of her bed then walked up to her terminal. "I'll see what I've missed during my rest." She clicked her extranet browser and was immediately taken to her email "" her old spectre email. She had one new message and it was from Councilor Anderson. "He wants me to meet him on the Citadel."Kallen searched through her contacts and found Jokers email in her files as well as Jacob, Miranda, and a lot of other names she didn't recognize, probably the rest of the crew. She sent Joker a message to take the ship to the Citadel. He responded a minute later with the ETA of 3 hours.
When she walked back into the elevator Kallen pressed 3 for the crew deck figuring that she'd need to get to know her crew if they were going to be working together to stop the collectors. The door opened to a hallway with doors on both ends that led to rooms marked "observation decks" since both doors had red HI's Kallen figured they weren't available for use just yet so she walked around the corner into the mess hall. A few crewmen were standing by the water cooler and both saluted her when they saw her. "at ease, touring the ship. Is that?" Kallen walked towards the port side of the ship after a familiar silhouette caught her eyes. She looked up to see it was the medbay. She couldn't help but grin ear to ear when she saw her favorite doctor sitting at the desk in front of her.
"Commander Shepard, the Hero of the Citadel. Died in a surprise attack and yet you're standing her in front of me."
"Dr. Chakwas. I didn't think you'd ever serve on a Cerberus ship. How are you?" Kallen pulled the doctor into a long embrace.
"Forget about me, how are you? I can't imagine it's been pleasant dying then coming back to life. As a Medical professional, just saying 'coming back to life' is a little unbelievable to me, but, the proof is squeezing me so it's hard to deny it."
"Yeah, I'm pretty stubborn. Ain't no grave can hold my body down. I've got a ship to explore so I'll see you later Dr."
"I'll be here if you need me commander." Chakwas sat at her desk while the Commander went back to the elevator to check the 4th deck, engineering.
"You came all the way down here to see us?" the Man in front of her asked as he and a woman turned to her.
"You're speaking to our commanding officer!" the woman hissed and the pair saluted.
"Shape up, I run this Ship military. Do you think this is all a joke?"
"Yes M'am-I mean no M'am." The man stammered incredibly when put on the spot.
"At ease. Names."
"I'm Ken Donnelly and this is Gabby-"
"That's Engineer Gabriella Daniels."
"How long have you served with Cerberus, I don't want any objections if I ask you to do anything they normally wouldn't want you to do."
"Not a problem, we've only served here a few months, to this cell specifically" Kenneth said in a yes sir no sir fashion.
"A few months? Where'd you serve before this?"
"We were in the alliance, served on the SSV Perugia, witnessed the battle of the Citadel first hand. We jumped ship to Cerberus when the backslide started against the Reaper threat by the Alliance and Council." Gabriella shook her head.
"Backslide?"
"Yeah." Ken answered this time, "When you died The Council labeled Sovereign a Geth ship and an isolated threat. We couldn't stand it so we quit. Cerberus gave us a call and asked if we wanted to serve on the most advanced Ship in the Galaxy to stop the Reapers and we couldn't sign up fast enough. They told us a few days ago that you were in charge of the mission and we couldn't be happier."
"I don't believe this!" Kallen punched the wall. "They labeled it as a Geth threat? After I… You know what, never mind. Back to work."
"Yes M'am"
The three hours crawled by, Kallen spent most of it trying out different colors on her N7 armor. Oh the hell she was going to raise when they got to the Citadel. Someone was going to get her first in their face. When Kallen changed her armor's main color the black and the secondary and pattern red she finalized her decision so she could put it on. "Five minutes out for the Citadel, Jacob and Miranda are up here waiting for you." Joker called on the intercom in the loft. Kallen armored up and walked the airlock in time for the SR-2 to dock at the citadel.
"What is this?" Kallen asked as they exited the air lock to a platform with a sky car on it.
"Whenever new arrivals come to the citadel their ships are searched while they're on the station. We've got nothing to hide so I wouldn't worry" Miranda said as they filed into the sky car. After a few minutes they arrived at a customs desk and were told to proceed. In the corridor that followed Shepard triggered an alarm.
"Looks like securities tightened up since you were last here." Miranda said offhandedly.
"Shut it down" the turian at the terminal said. "Sorry for the inconvenience M'am, but our readings show your dead."
"I was only mostly dead." Kallen shot back sarcastically.
"Our captain can help you with that, he's past the door and on your right." The turian pressed a few more keys and the door to the Zakera ward opened into the C-Sec offices.
"You'll have to make him scream a little, he won't sell out if you just ask politely" a man with short dirty blond hair shouted at a woman across from his desk.
"I think I like this new C-Sec" Miranda whispered to Jacob.
Kallen cleared her throat at the man when she arrived at her desk. "Yes? Ah I see the problem already Commander Shepard. The system says you're dead."
"You know who I am?"
"Of course, you saved this entire station, who doesn't know who are? Anyway I can fix this little issue with a press of a button, how does that sound?"
"Sounds perfect." Kallen responded.
"Done. You might want to head up to the presidium, though, the council will want to know one of their Spectre's is still alive and kicking."
"I will, thanks for the help…um…"
"Captain Bailey. If you need any help on the station, come find me and I'll see what I can do." Bailey and Kallen shook hands before she walked over to one of the rapid transit terminals and called for a cab to the presidium. Twenty minutes later she strolled through the embassy lobby with various people staring at her and her team. "Is that Shepard?" "I thought she was dead, I knew it was a cover up!" "My god, it's her, I wonder where she's been"
"You're awfully popular" Jacob chuckled.
"This meeting would be more productive if Udina was here." The Asari councilor said from the holo projector.
"My advisor is unavailable. As councilor I speaking for humanity and the Alliance." Anderson turned to the projector to face his fellow councilors. "Shepard will be here any- Commander! We were just talking about you."
"Good to see you old friend" Kallen bypassed his outstretched hand to pull him into a hug. "I hope the last 2 years have treated you right."
"There've been some rough spots her and there. It's good to have you back" Shepard could tell Anderson wasn't lying. He looked more than 2 years older from when Kallen last saw him at the medal ceremony she and her crew had when he was first inducted to the council. It was almost like he'd started to erode under the stress being on the council brought.
"We've heard many rumors surrounding your unexpected return. Some of them are…unsettling." The Salarian councilor spoke first looking as shady as ever in his cloak.
"We called this meeting so you could explain your actions Shepard" Kallen's eyes squinted out of annoyance at that statement, "We owe you that much, after all, you saved our lives in the battle against Saren and his Geth.
"What actions? I died. Nothing to explain. Anyway, the collectors are attacking human colonies and abducting the colonist in the terminus systems. They might be working for the Reapers."
"The terminus systems are beyond our Jurisdiction" The Turian councilor responded, "your colonists knew this when they left council space."
"You're missing the important part, Councilor. The Reapers are involved." Anderson clearly backed Shepard in this. It was nice to see that someone believed the Hero of the Citadel.
The turian councilor raised his hands and made what looked like air quotations, "Ah yes. "Reapers". The immortal race of sentient starships waiting in dark space, We have dismissed that claim."
"You sonuva-!" Kallen blurted out before Anderson interrupted her.
"Shepard. No else encountered the hologram on Ilos that told you about the Reapers and only you and your team ever spoke with Sovereign." Anderson looked down for a moment, showing the regret in his next words, "I believe you, but without proof from another source, the others believe it was Saren behind the geth attacks."
"Oh right, like you couldn't send a team to speak to vigil or examine the wreckage of Sovereign." Kallen was furious. It was true what her crew was saying, the council backslid on everything she found out two years ago.
"the hologram on Ilos is no longer functional and we have found nothing to suggest that Sovereign was not a geth creation." And Kallen thought the salarian councilor was the reasonable one…
"The Geth are capable of remarkable technological achievements." The Asari councilor agreed, "That is probably why Saren recruited them."
"This Reaper theory just proves how fragile your mind really is." The Turian Councilor jumped into the fray now, "you have been manipulated, by Cerberus, and before then by Saren.
"Saren was organic, why the hell would a race of synthetics follow a lesser being like him? It was because he was the agent of Sovereign." Kallen was trying her best to not lose her temper, but it was increasingly difficult with these closed minded idiots. She could start to feel a twinge of regret for telling the 5th fleet to save the Destiny Ascension.
"Saren was a compelling and Charismatic individual. He convinced The Geth the Reapers were real and he convinced you."
"No. The vision from the Prothean beacon's convinced me that the Reapers were real. Not Saren." Shepard shot back at the Asari Councilor.
"It was part of his plan to attack the Citadel; the Reapers are just a myth, one you insist on perpetuating."
"We believe that you believe it, but that doesn't make it true."
"This is how you repay me for sacrificing human lives to save you, when I could have just as easily let you die? All I ask for is a little faith, but you can't see beyond your own fear to give it to me."
"We are in a difficult position Shepard. You are working for Cerberus-an avowed enemy of this Council. This is Treason, a capital offense."
"That's too far!" Anderson shouted, "Shepard is a Hero. I'm on the Council and I won't let this whitewash continue."
"Maybe there is a compromise" the Asari councilor said to defuse the situation. " Not a public acknowledgement, given your ties, but something to show peripheral support."
"Shepard, if you restrict your actions to the terminus systems the council is willing to offer you reinstatement as a spectre." The Turian Councilor offered in his official voice.
"Fine. I'll take it. Even if this is a crappy compromise." Kallen was furious and couldn't believe that she had to put up with this foolishness from the council.
"Good luck with your investigation, Shepard. We hope for a quick resolution and a quick end to your ties with Cerberus." And the projection ended.
"Those Assholes!" Kallen's new Biotic Corona flared for a second before disappearing, Anderson hadn't seen it because he was now leaning on the balcony of the embassy.
"That went better than I expected" Anderson sighed, "You realize this means nothing."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
The embassy door slid open and in walked the most obnoxious person Kallen had ever met. "Anderson, we need to talk about… Shepard, you're alive?"
Kallen realized this would be the perfect time for get back at Udina for all the crap he put her through. "Yeah I came back from hell, we've got a seat for you to fill down there, you're coming with me."
"Don't even kid about that. Anderson is it wise to have Shepard here now that she's working for Cerberus?"
"I'm just here to see Anderson."
"You don't have to cover for me. Udina I called her here. We've just finished meeting with the Council and they've reinstated her as a Spectre so she can work in the terminus systems looking into the attacks on the colonies."
"Yes… that does seem like a good plan."
"You seem to think I answer to you, why don't you sit in your office until you realize that I don't."
Udina grumbled something under his breath before leaving. It was nice to see that something could go right for the commander today.
"Why don't you just fire him?"
"I think about it at times, but he's always working hard and he goes to those black tie functions I can't attend. But enough about me, how are you doing?"
"Well if coming back from the dead counts as good, then I'd say I'm doing well. I have a new ship, new crew, and my new "boss" has the makings of a megalomaniac, but at least he doesn't bullshit about the Reapers so I can't complain for now. I've been meaning to ask you something. The Illusive Man had information on everyone on my old squad except for Ashley Williams. Where is she?"
"I'm sorry Shepard, her mission is classified and with your present company I can't in good conscious tell you that. They might serve under you but I can't trust that they wouldn't let it slip to The Illusive man."
"Can't you send me an Email or something? Whisper? Throw me a bone Anderson, the woman I love is out there thinking I'm dead when I'm not, anymore, and I want to see her."
"Like I said, I'm sorry. Once her mission is over I'll let you know, but right now it would compromise it if you got involved."
"Fine. Well I'm heading out, I've got colonies to save."
"It was good to see you again. My door is always open if you need it. Oh and be careful, you can't trust Cerberus"
Kallen stormed from the embassy to the cab and directed it back to the Normandy. She couldn't believe that even Anderson was keeping her away from Ashley. The anger n her face was painfully obvious to Jacob and Miranda, who could only exchange looks that said "I'm not talking to her" which Kallen preferred.
Once they arrived at the ship Kallen walked straight to the elevator."So, I'm guessing you guys shared milk and cookies and they handed over information on the Reapers?" Joker called to Jacob and Miranda. Miranda rolled her eyes at him and stormed off, but Jacob gave him a dry laugh before heading back to the armory.
"Those bastards, bullshitting me like that!" Kallen threw her shoulder pads into the armor locker at full force, she repeated this pattern with the rest of her Black and Red armor. Now that she was just down to her underwear she decided to find this fully functional bathroom EDI mentioned. She scanned the room like a hawk, but saw no door. "Dammit EDI where's the bathroom?"
"It is located behind your desk, the door is fully automatic it will open when you get close." The AI informed her. Kallen ascended the stairs and stood behind her desk, she inched closer to the wall behind her desk and the door shot open to reveal the bathroom. On the corner directly in front of her was a shower head with a drain underneath, next to it was a toilet with a sink and mirror on the opposite wall.
"EDI, are there camera's in here?"
"There are several surveillance devices in the loft." EDI responded.
"Are there any in my bathroom?"
"…Yes." EDI said, after a slight delay
"Camera's?"
"…Yes"
"And who does this video go to?"
"to the Illusive Man, the angle will hide most of your body if you remain still." Kallen didn't know if that was an intended tip, but from what EDI said she could only guess that the Camera was directly above the shower head, and sure enough there was a small dot in the corner of the ceiling. After retrieving her pistol Kallen aimed for said dot and fired a bullet at it, leaving a scorch mark in its place. "Shepard one of the surveillance devices has gone offline."
"Success, now I can shower in private." She tossed here pistol onto her desk, removed her underwear and turned the water up to 75 degrees letting out a sigh of relief.
"You wanted to see me Councilor Anderson?"
"Yes. I figured you should be the first to know. She's alive." Anderson turned to face Operation's chief Ashley Williams.
"How do you know?" Ashley asked immediately.
"She was just here a few hours ago. She's been reinstated as a Spectre and is investigating the human colonies that are being attacked. She's being funded by Cerberus, they recreated the Normandy and scooped up a few former alliance members to work with her. Jacob Taylor was with her at least."
"Jacob, but he served on Eden Prime. Why would he be with Cerberus?" Ashley was full of questions, but she held back just so Anderson wouldn't have to keep stone walling her.
"Who knows? Maybe they promised him he'd be working under Shepard. I just wanted to let you know since you were the closest one to her." Anderson turned back to the presidium.
"What about Hannah, she'd want to know as well."
"She'll find out. If Kallen hasn't already contacted her, I'm sure she'll see the reports when they're sent out to the Alliance Brass. Now, you've got a colony to help out."
"I hate these assignments, feels like I'm being blacklisted again." Ashley huffed, turning to leave.
"The offer still stands Williams. She's back now, I'm sure you don't have those "planet sized boots" to fill." Anderson called, stopping Ashley in her tracks.
"…I'm not sure right now."
"Same as usual. When you're ready, the Spectre status will be waiting for you. Dismissed."