Calm before the Storm.
"Good to see the Normandy back to her old self" Garrus said as he looked around the relatively familiar settings, "though I see you have made some upgrades, care to explain what makes the SR-3 better than the SR-2?"
"Wait! before we get into that, Wrex, Grunt, take our guest to the cargo bay and lock her up, also could you two look after Miranda, something is wrong, and I'd like to know what" Shepard said as she nudged Miranda towards Chakwas and Michel, who had signed up when the Normandy landed on Earth. Wrex and Grunt carelessly carried the still weak Aria towards the lift, followed by Chakwas, Michel and Miranda.
"Now what about these upgrades, what has been done to my ship?" Shepard asked turning back to the pilot and communications specialist.
"Well from what I've been told," Joker replied, "the armour and weapons are now Reaper strength, literally, and they've improved the engines, fuel storage and power supply, basically its equal only to the Reapers, in everything except the indoctrination stuff, but then people want to follow the great Commander Shepard."
The final statement from Joker caused a smattering of chuckles from the still gathered crew members.
"I'm not sure indoctrination is something to be laughed at" Javik said coldly, he was the only one who hadn't laughed; Shepard sighed and looked at Traynor, expecting her report as well.
"Well I err…" Samantha said, visibly shrinking under everyone's gaze, "including what Joker said, the technology has also been improved to near Reaper strength capabilities, the QEC system is now so powerful it can't be blocked by any signal jammer, natural or artificial, basically we will never be isolated from command, apart from that, the interior is relatively the same, though the war room and security area has been repurposed for an on-board firing range, capable of withstanding biotic, tech and all non-nuclear personnel weapons." Garrus and Jack couldn't contain their excitement and rushed off to try it, "and what was once the armoury when it was a Cerberus ship, has been converted into accommodation for our extra crew members" Samantha said finalising the debriefing on the SR-3.
"Thanks for the update, everyone dismissed, I've got to contact Hackett and give him an update, I'll check up on the others afterwards" Shepard said, impatiently marching towards the CIC, quickly followed by the rest of the crew.
Shepard watched Garrus and Jack destroying dummy after dummy as she passed through the firing range, to the QEC, which she was happy to find hadn't been moved. As she entered, Hackett's holographic form appeared before her, clearly Traynor had made the call for her.
"Shepard" he said in his usual tone, "what's the status of Aria's campaign?" Shepard stared solemnly at the Admiral. "I understand did you at least weaken their forces?" he said in reply to Shepard's stare.
"We successfully spread chaos amongst the Talons, but that only really weakens Omega, not the fleets that were under Aria's control" Shepard's report to the Admiral caused him to raise an eyebrow.
"Were?" he said, confused by the Commander's choice of words.
"I captured Aria, but whilst forcing her to submit, her minions left before we could catch them, they are now uncontrolled by Aria, and we don't know who has taken her place." Shepard reported, and she was clearly proud of her achievement.
"And where is Aria now?" Hackett said, still with an eyebrow raised.
"Weakened and imprisoned on board the Normandy, she's being watched don't worry" the commander stated before Hackett could object. Hackett gave her a stern look before speaking.
"Alright, I'll send word to all fleets to gather together again, do we have any idea where they will strike?" Shepard was about to speak before a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.
"I might have information for you, but you won't like it." Aria stood in the entrance, fully recovered, but still in her torn clothes, now Shepard raised an eyebrow, "what, you didn't really think two Krogan could hold me, please, remember who you're dealing with." Aria smiled wickedly and stepped forward, so Hackett could see who had spoken.
"Ms T'loak, if you have information on this threat I suggest you speak now" Hackett said, his eyes trying to read the expression on Aria's face, which remained icily composed.
"Well normally information from me would cost a great deal, but after your Commander 'interrogated' me, I will give it to you more willingly, but I don't want to be imprisoned whilst you destroy the traitors, I…" Aria paused and Shepard could tell she was in an uncomfortable position, "I want to join Shepard's crew, consider it a means for me to make right by Shepard." Shepard burst out laughing at the idea.
"Aria T'loak? Wanting to do right by me? I'll believe it when I see it, there must be more to this offer than…" Shepard's gloat was interrupted by Hackett.
"That'll be enough Commander, we are still recovering from the Reaper war and we could use any help we can get; besides unsavoury companions like Ms T'loak seem to make up most of your crew." The commander fell silent, "now Ms T'loak, you must understand I cannot risk you running free aboard the most advanced warship in the galaxy, but neither can I turn down an offer of your inside information, a compromise must be found." Hackett said, "Might I suggest some form of control device be placed on Ms T'loak, to keep her under Shepard's command." A smile crept across the pirate queen's face, and she shot a glance sideways at Shepard.
"Me as the commander's bitch, I'll agree to that" Aria said, an edge of enjoyment in her voice, Shepard clenched her fist out of sight of the other two, before regaining her composure and speaking.
"I believe my XO knows of such a device, I'll speak to her after this, and we'll implement it as soon as possible, for now what are your orders?" Hackett raised his eyebrow at Shepard again, and smiled slightly before he spoke.
"Ms T'loak would you excuse us" Aria shrugged and walked out of the chamber, as the door closed, Shepard saw Jack, Samara and Liara restrain her in a combined biotic field. "For now we wait for the pirates to strike out, but I suggest you make your way to the new Citadel, what reinforcements I could contact are meeting there, along with a small contingent of Reapers, which were constructing it." Hackett paused, "uploading the new Citadel's coordinates, I'll…"
"I know where the Citadel is" Shepard interrupted.
"It's not where it used to be, that was deemed to exposed, it's in a much more secure location, you've been there before." Again an odd smile crept across Hackett's face.
"Admiral, I've been to every corner of the galaxy, you may need to be a bit more specific" Shepard said, mocking the admiral's vague statement, the admiral didn't share Shepard's humour; his reply was stern and humourless.
"Commander, the Reapers know the galaxy better than anyone, they had a shielded, well positioned fortress in a location no one would find, and the Reapers have built the new Citadel at the galaxy's core, where you once attacked the collector base."
Shepard was stunned. "But the Omega Four Relay is the only means of getting to it, and… I see, very clever of them, but wasn't the relay destroyed?"
Hackett smiled. "The reapers built a relay capable of sending ships to the core, it's the relay in the Citadel's old system, but it looks like every other relay, ingenious for them to give so much care to the details."
Shepard took a moment to consider the facts, "acknowledged Admiral, Shepard out."
Hackett nodded and his hologram vanished, Shepard turned and left the QEC chamber, and found Aria biotic wrestling with Samara, Jack and Liara, she growled with frustration, walked behind Aria and grabbed her by the collar, dragging her to the lift. When Aria realised who was dragging her, she subsided in struggling.
"Got more 'fun' in mind commander?" Aria said playfully, without looking, Shepard punched Aria across the face, knocking her out.
"Not exactly" she replied coldly, as she hauled Aria into the lift, and descended to the crew deck.
Once there, she continued to drag Aria across the floor to the Medical Bay, dumping her on a table, and strapping her down before speaking to the doctors who were caring for Miranda.
"How is she?" Shepard asked as she moved from Aria's table to Miranda's side, holding her girlfriend's hand.
"We've looked over her medical records, and listened to what Liara told us" Michel said, reviewing Miranda's chart in her hand,
"We think we've solved the mystery of Miranda's abdominal pains, we think that somehow you've cured her sterility, that much we can be sure of, but how baffles us." Chakwas finished her partner's sentence and looked deep into Shepard's eyes, "care to tell your part of the story commander?" Chakwas' question cut through the commander's listless staring at her girlfriend and brought her back to attention.
"I would have thought that Hackett had told you about my second return from death?" Shepard replied coarsely.
"Actually, the admiral was rather secretive, told us only what we needed to know, which was very little it seems" Doctor Michel said, placing the chart down on a table and folding her arms.
"Now is not the time, besides the more pressing matter is the pirate queen, knocked out in the next bed" Miranda said sitting up in bed, still clutching her stomach, "I assume you made a deal between you, Hackett and Aria, care to tell me the terms." the XO stood up and looked over Aria's unconscious form.
"Hackett has ordered she be fitted with a control device, and allowed relative freedom to serve in the Normandy's crew, I'd hoped you would be able to help" Shepard said hugging Miranda.
"Oh Shepard please let us forget that matter, but you're right I can help, EDI, do we have any control chips on-board?" Miranda said reciprocating Shepard's hug, EDI responded quickly.
"Affirmative, second draw from the right in the desk."
"We'll get to work right away, now if you'll let us get to work," Chakwas said ushering the pair out of the room and locking the door behind them.
"Well aren't they eager" Miranda said as she took Shepard's hand and walked with her to the lift, "I see the Normandy has changed since I was last here, care to give me the tour Commander" Miranda continued, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend and resting her head on Shepard's shoulder.
"Alright then" she replied, kissing Miranda on the cheek and leading her to the lift.