Shepard, Liara, Jack and Miranda made their way from the carpark to the entrance of the Vancouver convention center. It had been an interesting week spent living with her former crewmates and a welcomed reminder of what life was like on the Normandy. Jane had missed her friends. For as much as she loved Liara, she had spent nearly two straight years seeing hardly anyone else but the asari.
Jane eyed Jack in her dress blues as the convict fidgeted awkwardly with the high collar of her uniform jacket. Miranda moved to adjust it. "Just sit still and i'll fix it, Jack."
"Why the hell do I have to wear this crap? I look ridiculous." Jack said. Miranda hooked a finger under Jack's chin to tilt her head up before continuing to adjust her collar.
Shepard chuckled. "It is pretty strange to see you in a uniform, Jack." Jane wore her old uniform proudly but Liara had slipped in to a comfortable blue dress after trying on several and not being satisfied with how any of them looked on her pregnant figure.
"Well I figured Jack's usual attire wouldn't be appropriate for an event such as this." Miranda said as she finished fixing her lover's collar.
Jack glanced at Miranda's catsuit. "Look who's talking, Cheerleader."
Lawson crossed her arms. "It's comfortable!"
Liara and Jane laughed. "Do you ever wear anything else, Miranda?" Shepard asked.
"No. No she doesn't." Jack answered.
Miranda licked her thumb and wiped away a spot of dirt which had somehow found it's way on to Jack's cheek and the convict flinched like a child and batted her hand away. "You're my girlfriend, princess. Not my mom."
Lawson shook her head and rested one hand on her hip. "Then stop acting like a child." she teased. "I need to find Kaidan inside. See you three in there. Behave while i'm gone, Jack."
"When do I not?" Jack asked with a smug grin.
Miranda rolled her eyes and after giving Jack a quick peck on the lips before she was away.
Jane smiled at Jack. "Has anyone ever told you that you two are adorable together?"
"We are not!" Jack protested sounding like a child.
"You really are." Liara agreed.
"Shut up." Jack said but she couldn't help but smile at their compliment.
Shepard crossed her arms. "It's nice to see how you've grown, Jack."
"Do you imagine we'll have trouble getting inside?" Liara asked.
"Are you kidding me? We'll be lucky if the people working the entrance don't piss their pants when they see Shepard. You'll get in easy."
A large crowd had formed outside the convention center and Jane hoped that they wouldn't spot her before she could slip inside.
Liara looked to Shepard. "Have you been to something like this before, Love?"
"The birthday ball? Yeah, a couple of times actually. What about you, Jack?"
"Yeah. Nothing but a bunch of ass kissing and political bull."
As the trio moved in to the line they passed a man with blonde hair shouting something that Shepard couldn't make out but Jane instantly recognized his voice. She turned and saw that the man was wearing a set of fake N7 armor and was horribly unshaved. "Take a picture with Commander Shepard!" he cried out to the people who passed by and didn't give him a second glance. A fresh group approached and he ran towards them "Would you like a picture with Commander Shepard, only a few credits."
One of the group laughed. "The Commander's a woman, dumbass." they all laughed and moved passed Jane who they apparently didn't recognize.
The man's shoulders slumped and he turned to Jane. "Would you like to take a picture with..." His eyes widened and his jaws dropped. "COMMANDER SHEPARD!"
Jane buried her face in her hands. "For crying out loud."
"It's me, Conrad! Conrad Verner!"
The Commander sighed. "Conrad, what are you doing here?"
Conrad stiffened his posture and tried to put a serious face on. "Oh, just Spectre business. Just like you. I'm righting the wrongs of the galaxy, Shepard!"
Jane glanced at the man's shabby appearance and his battered N7 replica armor. "Uh-huh. So you're not trying to take pictures with people while pretending to be me?"
"Well...yes." Conrad sounded defeated. "But only because I need some credits for an important mission. The Reapers are still out there and they need to be stopped. Maybe we could team up?"
Jane's eyes softened. "Conrad, are you homeless?"
"Oh no! No, no, no. Well yes. After the war I found a charity that said it was for all the refugees and I just did what I thought you would."
"Which is?"
"Gave them all my credits. I guess I really screwed up again, huh. I was just trying to help. But it's not so bad."
Suddenly Jack approached them with Liara in tow. "This asshole bugging you, Shepard?"
Jane shook her head. "This is Conrad Verner, we...go way back."
"I can't believe it's really you, Shepard. Some people said that you were made up but I always knew the truth." Conrad said.
Jane looked to Liara and the asari nodded to her. "Conrad, open your omni-tool. You still have one right?"
"Oh yes." he opened his tool and it stuttered a bit before the old device's display popped up. "But why do I need to?"
"Because I'm sending you something to help get you back on your feet."
"You don't nee..." Conrad's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. "A million credits!" he cried.
Jane shushed him. "Keep it down."
"Commander, I can't accept this."
"You deserve it, Conrad. Just promise me that you'll take care of yourself this time."
"Oh wooooow." Conrad said in awe.
"Really it's nothing. Just stay off the streets and...take a shower."
"I will! Thank you, Commander. I won't forget this!" Conrad scurried off and Jane couldn't help but smile.
"What the fuck, Shepard?" Jack said.
Jane turned. "What?"
"A million credits for that guy?"
Liara jumped in. "We have more credits than we know what to do with." It was true, between Matriarch Benezia's inheritance and Liara's Shadow Broker dealings Shepard and Liara had more money than they or their daughter could ever spend. She donated an impressive amount to charity every month and even helped support some of her former crew, Joker in particular and Garrus and his family back on Palavan. The turian had been reluctant at first but Jane had insisted.
"Why? You need some?" Shepard asked Jack.
"What the hell do I need credits for? Besides the cheerleader is rich as shit too. But she doesn't go around handing out a million creds to every homeless guy on the street...or any homeless guys."
"Shall we go inside?" Liara said.
The trio traveled to the entrance now that the crowd outside had thinned out and left an open door guarded by a thin and youthful looking officer. "I know this guy." Jack said before they were within earshot. "He's obsessed with you. We'll get in easy." She approached the boy. "Simmons."
His face lit up when he saw Jack. "Good evening, Jack!" he greeted her. "Where's Miranda?"
"Already inside. I'd like you to meet my friend." She gestured to Shepard and Jane extended her hand.
"Holy crap!" Simmons shouted as he trembled a bit.
"I seem to be getting a lot of that these days. Hello I'm Shepard."
Simmons' gripped her hand tightly and shook it a little too hard. "I-I know! I'm a huge fan! It's an honor, Commander! You're the whole reason I joined the Alliance."
"I'm flattered." Shepard said sincerely. "Glad I could be an inspiration."
"An inspiration? You're a hero! A legend! A..."
Jane cut him off. "That's really sweet of you to say but it's really not needed."
He kept babbling on. "I have every action figure ever made of you, I..."
"Simmons, Shut the hell up." Jack said. "They don't have passes so let us in."
"Of course!" he stepped aside and the three women took there first steps into the convention center.
Kaidan Alenko sat alone at one of the various tables set up with a glass of wine in his hand and his head hung low. It had been a few days since his break-up and in retrospect he was glad Alice was gone and felt like an idiot for ever dating her. But that didn't make him feel any less lonely.
"Mind if I join you?" Miranda asked making her friend turn around from his seat.
Alenko gestured to a seat across from him. "May as well."
Lawson sat down. "I know we haven't had the chance to talk just the two of us about what happened."
"Miranda, as far as i'm concerned you did me a favor. Alice was out of her mind. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Neither do I." she teased. "But I still owe you an apology."
"You're forgiven." Kaidan finished his drink.
Miranda sat in awkward silence trying to think of what she wanted to say. "Kaidan, I know i'm probably not the best friend. I wanted to tell you that I appreciate all you've done for us. Both of us do."
Lawson was a difficult woman to be friends with. But Kaidan always found her well worth the trouble. "Don't mention it. You know I love having you around."
Miranda had spent a great deal of her life alone so she recognized loneliness when she saw it. But she had no idea how to help her friend.
Shepard had braved the swarm of admirers who flocked to her when she first stepped inside and she, Liara and Jack had found their way to the main show floor. A massive gathering of Alliance Admirals, Soldiers, Researchers and even a few non-humans mingled in the large room. To her left Jane admired the large stage that had been built and to her right Shepard could see a second story that overlooked the main floor and stage.
"By the Goddess, I had no idea so many people would be here."
"Let's just hope I don't have to deal with any more...fans." Shepard said.
"These people are gonna eat you alive, Shepard. Half the people in our department never shut up about you. Why the hell did you want to come to this anyway? You've been a ghost ever since the war ended, kinda weird you come out of hiding for this."
"We had our reasons." Jane said.
"Whatever. I'm gonna go find them." Jack vanished into the crowd.
Liara scanned the faces of everyone in sight. "Do you see him?" she asked.
"I don't know what he looks like." Shepard said.
"Me neither."
"That feels like something we should have figured out before we came here."
"Probably." Liara agreed.
"So what do we do? Just ask someone to point Shaw out?"
"That won't be necessary." A smooth voice said from behind the two women causing them to jump. Jane and Liara turned and a tall man with a healthy head of black hair and a chiseled jaw line filling out his traditionally handsome face. He appeared to be in his late 40's and he extended his hand to the Commander. "Admiral Charles Shaw."
Liara and Jane exchanged a look before Shepard firmly shook the man's hand. "Hello sir. I'm Shepard and this is my wife Doctor Liara T'Soni." she said hoping Shaw hadn't heard much of their conversation beforehand.
"I'm well aware of who you are, Commander. Of both you and Doctor T'Soni." his lips curved in a kind genuine smile as he shook Liara' hand. "It is a true honor to finally meet you both. There are no words I could say that would be enough to state how much you've done for this galaxy."
"Um...Thank you, Admiral." Liara said.
"Please call me Charles. Everyone else calls me Admiral." He laughed a strong hearty chuckle that Jane and Liara awkwardly joined him by forcing a laugh. "It's a damn shame that the Alliance didn't listen to you sooner, Commander."
"Oh?"
"Absolutely. You were the only one talking sense back in the day and nobody wanted to hear it. Hell, if the Alliance had put you in charge sooner we might not have lost so many good men and women to the Reapers."
Jane never would have expected Shaw to be the man she saw before her. "I appreciate that."
"I tried to get them to listen to you back then but they were all too busy denying the truth. I knew you had to be right though. A woman like you with N7 and Akuze in your belt, not to mention saving the Citadel. No way you were just blowing smoke, I said. But you know how things are with bureaucracy and the Alliance always trying to play nice with the council. Still I did my best to prepare my men any way I could. I'd like to think you saved my life, Commander. Well shit, you save the whole galaxy."
"You tried to get the Alliance to prepare for the Reapers?"
"Sure did." His eyes softened. "Didn't try hard enough. It's a miracle how well things have turned out given that we were facing the end of the damn world almost two years ago. I guess that's a testament to what we can achieve when we work together."
"I-I couldn't agree more." Liara stammered.
Shaw smiled at the asari. "Looks like there's a baby on the way."
"Yes." Liara said.
"Boy or girl?" he joked and threw his head back in laughter.
Suddenly a familiar figure emerged from the crowd and approached them with an extended hand that Shepard eagerly shook. "I had to see it to believe it myself when I heard." Admiral Hackett said in his gruff voice.
Jane smiled. "Good to see you, sir."
"Shepard, Doctor T'Soni." He nodded to both of them. "I see you've already met Admiral Shaw."
"Yes..." Shepard said.
"Just discussing their daughter actually." Shaw filled him in.
Hackett eyed Liara. "I hadn't heard. Congratulations."
"Thank you." Liara and Shepard both said.
"Feels like yesterday I was marrying you two." Hackett said.
"How have things been, Admiral?" Shepard asked.
Shaw jumped in. "Great. If you ask me Hackett is the sole reason Earth has been able to recover so quickly."
Hackett shook his head. "I can't take credit. And you've certainly done your part, Shaw."
"I had heard rumors that you were working on measures to deal with the rise in attacks in the Terminus Systems." Liara said to Hackett.
Hackett nodded. "We are. Sure could use your help though, Commander."
Jane chuckled. "Sorry, Sir. But i'm afraid that ship has sailed." she said as she took Liara's hand.
Hackett nodded. "Of course."
Shaw's omni-tool buzzed and the tall man checked the message. "Looks like duty calls." He looked up to Jane. "It was an absolute pleasure to meet you at last, Commander. You as well Doctor T'Soni. I hope you'll stick around for my speech." Then Shaw walked away in the direction of the stage.
"We heard he was in line for a council seat." Shepard said to Hackett.
"He is."
"I find it odd you were not selected." Liara said.
"They tried. But I refused. My place is with the Alliance, not the Council. Shaw is a good man. He'll do a good job." he checked the time on his tool. "I better join Shaw." He snapped a salute which Shepard returned. "Good to see you again, Commander."
They watched him follow after Shaw and waited for the old Admiral to be out of earshot before one of them spoke. "Shaw's not exactly what I expected him to be." Jane said.
"Indeed."
"I don't understand. Liara, I think you better tell me what evidence you saw."
Liara sighed. "Shepard, he knew about Sanctuary. He knew about Udina's coup."
"Maybe he thought he had a good reason? I know I did when I worked for Cerberus."
"There's no reason good enough."
Jane nodded. "You're right."
Suddenly Liara winced and clutched at her belly. "Ah!"
Shepard's voice was panicked. "Are you alright?"
The asari forced a smile. "Just another kick. Goddess, she's been handful today."
Jane wrapped her arm around her wife for support. "Let's find Miranda and Kaidan and get you off your feet."
"Are you sure, love?"
"Yeah. I can handle it. This will be easy."
Corporal Benjamin Simmons guarded the entrance to the convention center outside in the cold Vancouver night. he still had a grin plastered across his youthful face. He had met Commander Shepard! The Commander Shepard. He'd always dreamed of shaking her hand and having actually done so was surreal.
He had always heard Jack and Miranda knew the Commander but he never thought the day would come that he got to meet his hero. He was so lost in thought he hardly noticed the tall dark haired man with stubble on his face and a spring in his step as he approached the now empty entrance.
"How you doing, Hoss?" the man greeted him.
"Fine. Do you have a pass?" Simmons said.
The man chuckled. "Me? Nah. I was just looking for a gentleman such as yourself to lend me a hand."
"I'm sorry sir, but I need to guard this entrance."
The man looked around at their otherwise abandoned surroundings. "Yeah I can see that. Come on, bud. I just need some help."
"I'm sorry I can't. And I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises if you don't have a pass."
Victor Reed frowned. "You could have made this quick on yourself."
"I'm sorry?"
"No. I am." In a flash Victor's fist smashed into the boy's gut and he leaned forward into the force of the blow. Victor wrapped one of his muscular arms around his neck as he began to strangle the terrified corporal.
Simmons gasped for air and threw desperate but weak punches at his attacker. "S-Stop!" he managed to rasp out before Victor tightened his hold.
"Sorry, Hoss. But you're between me and a shit load of credits." Victor said before he mercifully snapped the boy's neck.
Simmons' body went limp and Victor dragged him out of sight before he started stripping the body of his Alliance uniform. He had intended to lure him away so he could kill the poor kid when he wouldn't have see it coming. Victor might be an assassin but he wasn't a monster and he had wanted to spare his victim any unnecessary fear and pain. He finished changing in to the uniform and reached in to his bag to attach a few weights to Simmons' body before dumping his corpse into the Vancouver harbour and letting it sink to the bottom of the icy water.
His comm rang and he answered it with a smile. "Hello, beautiful."
"Did you get one?"
"Of course I got one! It's me. You in position?"
"Yep. There's an ass ton of people here though."
"Have you seen Hackett?"
"Not yet, but he's here somewhere. Get inside so we can get this show on the road."
Victor smirked. "This will be easy."
Notes- Sorry for the delay but I had writer's block! As always I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things are going to start heating up real quick! So what did you think of Admiral Charles Shaw? Is he what you expected? Tell me what you thought of him and this chapter in the reviews.