Author's notes: Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and all related characters and trademarks are property of EA/Bioware. Rated M for language, violence and suggestive themes.
Chapter 26: En Route To Bekenstein
"Kasumi!"
The entire crew on duty on the Command Deck turned at Kelly's squealed greeting. The chirpy little yeoman rushed forwards to embrace Kasumi, the pair laughing joyously.
"Kelly! Its good to see you again!" Kasumi laughed.
"Oh we've been so worried about you." Kelly sighed
"Really? Even you Shep?" Kasumi asked with a smirk. "I guess Cerberus gave you a heart when they rebuilt you after all."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't get too confident." Shepard grumbled good-naturedly. "I was getting tired of Jacob moping around the place. Figured having you around might cheer him up a bit."
"Jacob's here?" Kasumi asked happily. "I'd better go say hi…"
"Cloaked?"
"But of course, Commander. Is there any other way?"
Shepard smiled widely as the little thief stalked off through the CIC, receiving jubilant greetings right left and centre from her old shipmates. The Commander turned to his yeoman, still smiling. She returned his grin.
"It's good to have her back on board, Commander."
"I'll admit, it's not been the same without her."
"She's a bright little soul, good to have around. No offence, but most of the crew you acquire tend to be… a little intense, to say the least. It makes a pleasant change having someone who knows how to lighten the mood."
"And what about me, Kelly?" Garrus asked, walking up behind the pair. Behind him, Delexia was undoing the collar fastenings on her armour. As he spoke, she slapped him around the back of the head.
"You idiot. You couldn't lighten the mood if you were filled with helium. Now come on. I wanna get this armour stowed and swap my shotgun for a shot glass."
The Commander chuckled as the two Turians wandered off, squabbling among themselves.
"They seem to be getting on well together." He commented.
"I'd put it down to Human nature, but… you know. Turian. Individuals of the same species tend to gravitate towards one another."
"You don't think they're… uhh?"
"Honestly? No, I don't." Kelly answered. "They act more like a brother and sister. It's good for Garrus. He hasn't spent much time with his own kind lately. And Delexia's coping with a lot at the moment. Frankly, were it not for Garrus, I'd be worried for her."
"Really? How so?"
"She lost her ship, along with pretty much everyone she was close to. I know I'd be having trouble dealing with it. At a time like that, just having someone around is better than anything a therapist could do."
"I see." Shepard nodded. "I guess I'll make more of an effort to make her feel welcome."
"You always do, Commander. No matter who steps aboard, you always greet them with open arms. I guess that's part of what makes you such a great leader."
The yeoman saluted before turning to walk away. About halfway down the corridor between the CIC and the cockpit, she paused.
"Oh, by the way Commander. While you were out I went for a little shore leave. I was wandering through Zakera's markets when I found something I thought you might find interesting. It's in your cabin."
"Thanks, Kelly." Shepard smiled, intrigued.
As Kelly walked away, Shepard turned to look back into the cockpit. He could see Joker there, bickering in an animated fashion with EDI.
"Oh come on! Best five out of nine." He pleaded.
"I must return to my assigned duties, Jeff."
"You're just scared that I'll beat you this time."
"Accumulated data from previous attempts suggests that this would be highly unlikely."
"Yeah, you're scared."
"Joker, EDI? Something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, Commander!" Joker straightened up in his seat, tapping controls busily, although Shepard noticed he wasn't actually doing anything other than looking busy.
"What's going on here?" Shepard asked suspiciously.
"Jeff and I were competing in-"
"Hssht!" The pilot hissed, trying to silence his ship.
"Jeff, do you have something stuck in your throat?" The AI asked with concern. "Should I alert the Med Bay?"
"Ahh… Let him choke, EDI. Now, what were you saying?"
"Judging from Jeff's reactions, I believe answering your query would violate an unspoken confidence between us. I cannot say any more."
"EDI, I'm in command of this ship. Now, do I have to go down to the AI Core and start pulling wires?"
The cockpit was silent a moment longer before Joker sighed, slumping in his seat.
"Spectre Justice Five."
"What?"
"A new game. They hold tournaments every now and then where you can win credits. I've been playing it in my downtime, and EDI got curious. So I figured out a way to hook her up, and she's an absolute machine!" He chuckled only to quail before Shepard's stern expression. "Sorry, bad pun."
"You used an AI to rig an online tournament?"
"Only once or twice! I figured we could use the money. Its not like anyone got hurt."
"And how do you go from that to bickering about it?"
"Last tournament we ended up against one another. Total stalemate. So, we've been trying to settle it ever since. Except now she's in the lead, she doesn't want to let me have a chance to settle the score!"
"You have had multiple opportunities to do so, Jeff. If you were capable of besting me, you would have done so." The AI's tone was just slightly smug.
"You see!"
"Okay, first of all…" Shepard said, pacing from side to side as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "No more using an AI to illegally fix online tournaments, clear?"
"But…"
"No buts. Only a few people outside of this ship know about EDI. The Galaxy's not ready to deal with an unshackled AI yet. Can you imagine if word got to the Quarians that a Human ship was host to an AI? Even Tali didn't tell her people about EDI. She knew their reaction would be visceral. You using her to make a fast buck on some game will only draw attention to her."
Joker's mouth worked silently, unsure of what to say next. Finally, his head drooped.
"Alright." He said reluctantly.
"Good." Shepard said firmly. He turned to walk away, but paused. "Oh, one the other thing?"
Joker's head lifted, his expression wary.
"Off-duty pursuits stay off-duty, understood?"
"Yes, Commander."
~o~0~o~
Shepard yawned as he stepped out of the elevator into his cabin. He stretched his arms far above his head, popping the shoulders as he walked past his 'office'. He paused as he noticed a small package on his coffee table, a black box-shaped object. Remembering Kelly, he smiled as he stepped over and sat down, leaning his elbows on the table as he inspected the item.
It's sides were glass, and the top whirred with some unknown machinery in it. A little note had been placed next to it.
It's from Thessia. should go with the rest of your collection.
Kelly.
He reached out and touched the box, which suddenly lit up. The sides, which had previously been dark, slowly turned transparent, their opacity fading to reveal what was contained inside.
A small blue light flickered on inside the lid of the box, illuminating the diminutive fish that swam within. Large fins fanned out on either side, glimmering the faintest reds and oranges. Its sides were golden, tinged with the tiniest hint of turquoise. As it looked at the Commander, its outline suddenly flashed a brilliant, angry red, a defence mechanism.
Shepard smiled at the tiny fish, lifting the box carefully. The reflective glass dimmed again at his touch until he found the switch on the top. He carried the new pet over to the large glass tanks that covered half of one wall of his cabin, gently opening the top of the tank and tipping the fish in to join the others. This done, he stepped back, watching as the new arrival explored its latest home.
As he stood there, drinking in the calming scene of the fish going about their day-to-day lives, he heard the door to his cabin hiss open. Heavy footsteps clanged across the deck, a familiar presence stepping up next to him.
"Nice one." Jack commented. "Thessian Sunrise Ruby. Who got you that?"
"Kelly." Shepard explained, staring at the fish as it hovered in front of him for a second, it's flickering red display warning him to keep back. His brow creased as he spotted something wrong with this picture. "Wait a minute… how do you know so much about fish?"
"What? Just 'cause I'm a bitch it means I'm not allowed to know shit? I like fish. Always have. They don't need much, they don't give you no trouble, and they're pretty."
"Its just… odd trying to picture you interested in something like this."
"So I'm only allowed to think something looks nice if it's painted in someone's blood?" Her tone was growing more defensive. She didn't like having to explain herself, and yet the more time she spent around the Commander the more she found herself doing so. "That's the problem with you, with everyone. They always assume they know me after one look. Well I'm-"
"Hey, it's okay." Shepard said quickly, putting his arm around her shoulders. She pushed for a split-second before allowing the embrace. "I'm glad you like it."
Jack sighed, leaning her head into the Commander's shoulder. She stared at the fish, swimming around in their simple world. She drank in the calm joy of just being, the purity of the moment. Finally, reluctantly, she pulled out of the embrace.
"I'd best let you get back to work." She said quietly. "No doubt the great Commander Shepard's got a lot on his plate."
"No hurry. I was actually just planning on taking it easy tonight. Care to join me?"
"Sounds like heaven." Jack smiled.
The pair moved over to the couch. With a sigh, Shepard leaned back, holding the slight woman tightly in his arms.
~o~0~o~
"Hey Shepard."
The Commander smiled as he walked into the Port Lounge. The smiling thief was sitting on one of the chairs, her knees held against her chest as she looked out of the viewport. He stepped over and sat next to her.
"Kasumi. Just checking in, seeing how you're taking to life back aboard the Normandy."
"I was wondering when you'd drop by." She smiled. "It's one thing we can always count on you for. You're always looking out for your crew."
"Our job's tough enough as it is. Me being a jackass doesn't help."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. But it's more than just knowing how to inspire your troops. Being a nice guy comes naturally to you." She looked out of the viewport again. "Hardly feels like I left. There's still a few faces missing around the table at breakfast time, though we've acquired quite a few new ones. That Revenant's a little creepy. Considering the last time I saw a Collector I was shooting at it on their station, I think it'll take a little time to get used to having him around."
The thief turned from the viewport to look straight at the Commander, her eyes glinting brightly under the hood.
"But, with times like they are, I guess any willing ally is a welcome one, am I right? Earth's on the line here, and after that, the rest of the Galaxy."
"Way to lighten the mood." Shepard grumbled.
"You know me, I call it like I see it. But I'm not worried. I know how you work, Shepard. The Reapers have one hell of a surprise waiting for them."
"Let's hope so." Shepard smiled thinly. "Anyway, how've you managed to dodge Cerberus for so long? They've been doing a pretty good job of rounding the whole team up."
"Look who you're talking to, Shepard." Kasumi grinned. "If there's anyone who can stay out of sight, it's me.
"I'll admit, there have been a few close calls. For the first month after the Normandy was captured, they pursued me from one side of Council Space to the other. The Illusive Man must have made sure that every last one of his agents knew my face. You'd be amazed about how far Illusive's network spreads, or how deep Cerberus' influence goes.
"After a while, I learned how to spot Cerberus agents, learned how to spot who was trustworthy and who was a threat."
"Really?"
"It's not that hard. There are certain tells you've got to look out for. Anyone who's hiding something has them. It's incredible how much you can learn about a person's secrets from what they're not revealing."
"So how'd you go from running for your life to putting a stop to Inutech's smuggling activities?"
"It's actually Cerberus you've got to thank for that. They were one of Inutech's principal buyers. It was while I was gathering information on one of their agents tasked with tracking me down. He thought he had been tailing me, but I gave him the slip and began following him."
"I'd have thought you'd use the opportunity to get out of there."
"Evading an organisation like Cerberus is a lot more complex than jumping on a shuttle and heading through the nearest Relay. I needed to know how he thought, what his methods were, if I were to properly get rid of him."
"So then what happened?"
"I followed him to one of his meetings with an Inutech representative, an arrangement for the transport of a large shipment to a Cerberus facility."
"I take it you made sure the shipment never arrived?"
"Unfortunately, no. It was too soon for me to make my move. My work takes time, and a plan. I had neither at that point."
"So you shifted your focus from Cerberus to Inutech."
"Pretty much. I made sure I could avoid any more Cerberus agents first."
"How so?"
"I acquired certain Cerberus communications frequencies and passcodes. Used them to keep tabs on any agents active in the system."
"Those would be incredibly useful. Do you think you could-"
"Give a copy to EDI? Did it the second I stepped on board. I figured Illusive would have changed the codes to keep EDI out. After all, an AI with access to information on all of Cerberus' current operations would be potentially devastating. They won't get you into the Illusive Man's personal files or anything, but they'll give EDI somewhere to start."
"Right." Shepard said, pleased with her initiative. "Thanks."
"I'll let you get back to things, Shep." Kasumi grinned. "Wouldn't want to waste the day gossiping like a pair of Salarian Dalatrasses."
"Alright. See you around, Kasumi."
Shepard stood and made his way out of the lounge. He walked along the corridor towards the Mess Hall. As he rounded the corner next to Life Support, he almost bumped into Kelly. The yeoman was heading for the elevator, on her way to her station on the Command Deck. She jumped at the sight of the Commander, brushing at her lips to erase the remnants of her breakfast. In spite of her efforts, a smudge of chocolate remained at the corner of her mouth.
"Oh! Shepard!"
"Kelly." Shepard greeted. "How's Rupert's cooking today?"
"Better than ever. I think he stocked up on some better supplies while we were on the Citadel." She widened her eyes as Shepard lifted a finger to the corner of his mouth before scrubbing at the smudge on her face. "The eggs are especially good today. I think he said they were from Elysium."
"Sounds good. I'm just on my way to try it out."
"Alright." Kelly nodded before pausing. "Oh, by the way, Commander?"
"Yes?"
"I was wondering where our next destination is? I'll pass the co-ordinates on to Joker so we can get going."
"I figured, seeing as we're in the neighbourhood, we might as well head to Bekenstein. We have a powerful Cerberus supporter we need to pay a visit to."
"Alright. I'll tell Joker."
The yeoman nodded before turning to head towards the elevator. Shepard moved past her, making his way into the Crew Mess.
The Mess was bustling with activity. The night shift, just going off duty, were busily securing themselves some food before they bedded down for the rest of the day. A few members of the day shift, running a little behind schedule, hurriedly gulped down the remnants of their first meal of the day before rushing to their stations. Overseeing the melee, Rupert Gardner was handing out plates of steaming food to each crew member that approached his station. He saluted the Commander as he approached.
"Commander, what can I get for ya?" He asked helpfully.
"Whatever you'd recommend, Rupert."
"Alright," The sergeant replied enthusiastically, enjoying the challenge of picking something Shepard would like. "Got some poached Jabor eggs from Elysium, some bacon and sausages, vat-grown, but I guess that can't be helped in this day and age, along with a glass of Minnibarr juice. Perfect way to start the day."
"Sounds perfect. Not sure what a Jabor egg is, or Minnibarr juice, but I'll try anything once."
"They're genetically modified chickens, grow to about double the size of the normal breeds. The eggs they lay are enormous, about four times as big as regular ones. Damn tasty, too. Unusual for genetically modified stuff. Normally you end up with something bland and boring compared to the real thing." He said as he plated up the Commander's meal. "Minnibarrs are a kind of fruit, native to Mannovai. One of the few Salarian foodstuffs that actually tastes good to Human tastebuds. They're a queer purple colour, and the juice isn't much lighter. Normally the appearance can be a bit off-putting, but the flavours are worth it."
"Thanks, Rupert." Shepard said as he accepted his tray. "Keep up the good work."
"Can do, Shepard. Managed to get a hold of a bunch of fresh supplies while we were on the Citadel. Should keep the crew from grumbling for a while yet."
Shepard smiled as he turned and sought out a seat amongst the crew. He scanned the tables for a free spot to see Ken and Gabby enjoying their breakfast. Ken noticed the Commander and shuffled over to allow Shepard room to sit.
"Commander! Come join us, why don't you." He offered. Shepard graciously accepted his offer, setting down his tray before him and tucking in. After the first few cautious mouthfuls he ate with gusto, thoroughly enjoying the meal Rupert had picked out for him.
"Ease up, Shepard!" Gabby chuckled. "It ain't gonna disappear if you take your time over it."
"Mmph! It's good." Shepard managed with his mouth full.
"Aye." Ken acknowledged. "The ol' sergeant can cook up a storm wi' that wee kitchen. You'd hardly credit it to the same man who spends the rest o' the day cleanin' out the bogs."
"Kenneth!" Gabby said sharply. "We're trying to eat here."
"Just statin' fact, hon."
"Not at the table." The spunky engineer said sharply. "It's almost as bad as your jokes."
"Jokes?" Shepard asked curiously.
"Don't encourage him, Commander. They're not fit for sharing in public."
"Come on, Gabs. You know you love my jokes. You wanna hear one, Commander?" Without even waiting for a reply, Ken plunged straight into one. "Okay, an Asari Matriarch, a Salarian Dalatrass and a Krogan Broodmistress all walk into a bar-"
"No! Definitely not that one!" Gabby almost shouted, cuffing him on the back of the head. "Come on, you. Finish up and get moving. We've got a long day ahead of us."
"Trouble?" Shepard asked.
"Nothin' a few hours of hard graft won't cure." Gabby said dismissively. "The primary magnetic containment coils have been playing up. We've got backups, but they're not as powerful. We don't want to run without 'em in case the core's output spikes and we all get a healthy dose of gamma rays."
"We won't need to shut down the core again will we?"
"Nah. The backups should hold long enough for the repairs to be completed. If we take any longer than that it'll be because we need new parts, in which case we'll run with what we've got until we get to somewhere where we can find what we need. Don't worry, Commander. The Normandy's not gonna drop outta the sky because of it."
"Well, let me know if you need anything."
"Will do, Commander." Ken said as he stood up to leave. "Ask me again sometime and I'll get 'round to telling you the rest of that joke."
"You will not!" Gabby said sternly. "That's your commanding officer!"
Shepard struggled not to laugh as the pair scuttled off, bickering among themselves. He turned back to his food, tucking in with relish.
A shadow swooped across the table, causing the Commander to look up. Clutching a box of specially-prepared food, Delexia sat down opposite him, popping the lid on her meal and picking at it cautiously.
"Commander." She greeted.
"Delexia," Shepard nodded in return. "How are you today?"
"I'm alright." She smiled around a mouthful of repulsive-looking blue goo. "Though I'll have to make sure to get myself some dextro supplies when we make our next stop in civilised space. Forgot to stock up before we left the Citadel."
"We can always make a detour." Shepard offered.
"Don't bother. Garrus was kind enough to share his stash with me. It's not like we're gonna drop dead from starvation any time soon. And we're not gonna let ourselves get to the point where our combat abilities are affected."
"Alright." Shepard said, genuinely wanting to help. "But if you need anything, just let me know."
"Will do, Shepard." The Turian dug into her food.
"So, how've you been keeping busy these past few days?"
"Been helping Vakarian out with the guns. He's always looking for ways to get an extra ounce of power out of them. But he won't let me help him calibrate the things. Always insists that I go do something else. So I've been getting to know the crew a bit better. You've got a fine team here, Shepard. Though I can tell there's a few faces missing."
"Yeah, there are. How can you tell?"
"You're forgetting I had a crew of my own. It's easy to see when there's someone missing. Everyone sort of… leaves a gap where they belong, as if waiting for them to return."
"I guess you're right." Shepard admitted. "But we'll get them back, don't you worry."
"I have no doubt. You go to such lengths for your crew. And I've been hearing all sorts of stories from them about how you dove into the heart of the Galaxy to save them from the Revenant's people."
"Not alone. I had one hell of a squad to back me up."
"But they wouldn't have followed you unless they believed in you. Nobody signs up to an impossible cause unless they really trust the person leading them."
"You sound like you've had your share of impossible missions." Shepard commented.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. You do when you're a Huntress."
"A Huntress? That some kind of Turian organisation."
"Yeah. Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime." Delexia's tone discouraged further inquiry.
"Alright." Shepard said as he scraped the last few morsels off his plate. He stood up, collecting his plate before nodding to the Turian. "See you around, Delexia."
"Take care, Commander."
~o~0~o~
Shepard moved up to the CIC, stepping up to his terminal at the foot of the steps leading up to his post. His eyes flicked to the blinking light that represented the Normandy's progress through the system, glad to see she was well on her way towards Bekenstein. He looked back to his terminal and noticed a flickering image of a sealed envelope on his screen, indicating a new message. He input his password and opened his inbox. His eyebrows shot up upon noticing the messages waiting for him. He shuffled through them, quickly weeding out the spam with an irritated grimace. One message, however, caused him to laugh out loud.
Have you been injured, at work or on the go, in an accident that wasn't your fault? You could be entitled to up to four hundred thousand credits in compensation! Our team of fully trained legal representatives could get you the money you deserve.
Don't take our word for it, just ask Jezeria:
'I was travelling through Tayseri Ward when a load-lifter carrying rubble from the Geth attack ran into me. My arm was broken, and I couldn't return to work for three weeks. Compensate-4-U managed to get me almost seventy thousand credits to cover medical fees and lost earnings. Way to go, Compensate-4-U!'
Our team of qualified lawyers operate on a no-win no-fee basis. So if you don't get your compensation, you don't have to pay all the legal fees. Call now to find out just how much you could gain.
Compensate-4-U. We look out-4-U!
Shepard struggled to contain his laughter, drawing curious stares from the crew on the Command Deck. Some chuckled, finding his mirth infectious.
"I wonder how much they could get for someone who's been dead for two years." Shepard muttered as he deleted the message. The last message sobered him up, as he noticed it was from Liara's office. He opened it swiftly, enduring the expected security sweep.
Shepard,
Well done on the Citadel. Not only did you remove one of the rising influences in the market on stolen Prothean relics, but you secured one of the most valuable finds of our time. Securing this Prothean fighter is as significant as finding the beacon on Eden Prime.
I have already mobilised teams of my own operatives to study the artefact. They are very hopeful for what can be retrieved from the remains. It is a shame it was so heavily damaged, but we've already uncovered several facets of Prothean ship design that will further our own knowledge immensely. The technical side of things is a little beyond my capabilities to explain like this, but suffice it to say that this discovery will enable us to build smaller, more powerful Mass Effect cores to power our starships.
Incredibly, it seems as if this fighter was capable of faster than light travel, and even traversing the Mass Relay network. This is an incredible discovery, as the fighters we are capable of building these days could not survive the strain. This durable structure will prove to be a significant technological advance for us.
But the most important discovery we have made was locked within the ship's onboard computer. Although we have only just begun to decrypt the data locked within, it would seem that we have found a fully functional navicomputer. Before now, all data held within Prothean navigational devices discovered by our scientists has degraded beyond our ability to decipher it. But with this, we'll be able to fill in gaps in the Mass Relay network, discover ancient settlements that until now have remained beyond our reach.
My operatives will continue to extract what they can from this treasure trove of information. Until then, continue your activities against the Reapers.
Look after yourself, Shepard.
Liara.
Shepard closed down the terminal, pondering the consequences of the discoveries the fighter was yielding. With the Mass Relay network fully mapped out, the Galaxy would open up to the Council races, allowing travel to every corner of the Galaxy. As any military commander would agree, mobility was important in any battle, on any scale, and this advance provided an incredible amount of mobility to the Council races, cancelling out the advantage the Reapers gained from their intimate knowledge of the network.
His mind buzzing, Shepard walked through to the armoury. The terminals buzzed quietly, running various diagnostics Jacob had set. On one bench, a shotgun sat in a cradle, beams of light caressing it as a variety of scanners absorbed every last detail about the weapon. Another bench was home to a minifacturing plant, busily churning as it worked omnigel and various metal alloys into the components necessary for what appeared to be a new chest-plate for Grunt. The massive size of the object could not be used for any other member of the team, although at a stretch it would have served as part of the Kodiak's armour plating.
Behind the whirring machinery, a pile of disorganised equipment sat waiting to be maintained. Shepard stalked over to the pile and pulled his armour from the pile, noting that Mordin had been right when he had commented on the cleanliness of the equipment. With his thoughts still churning, the Commander laid the armour out on an empty workbench and set to work.
He started by scrubbing the armour down. Dust and grime had collected in the joints of the greaves and the gauntlets, as well as in the treads of the boots and in between the fingers of the gloves. He worked to get the muck out of every groove and awkward corner. After that, he tended to the chest and back plates, cleaning them vigorously. He wondered at the dirt that had collected in the space of one mission, but then realised that his journey through the vents of the Citadel couldn't have been kind to his equipment, as he would have been bombarded by all of the dust and dirt in the system. As he worked, he realised that Jacob had to do this for the squad's armour after each and every mission.
Finally, the armour was clean. He then set to work on the myriad scratches and dents in the surface of the armour. The task was tiring, but Shepard found it satisfying. It had been a long time since he'd maintained his own armour, having spent the past few years letting the ship's quartermaster do it and, after the loss of the first Normandy and his subsequent resurrection, Jacob. At long last, he was ready to start reapplying the non-reflective coating to his armour. This coating would dull the armour's natural shine, helping him to move about in the field unnoticed.
As he finished his work, putting the armour away in one of the armoury's equipment lockers, the door leading to the CIC. Jacob strode in, eyes widening as he noticed Shepard.
"Commander!" His eyes turned to the Commander's armour, sitting in his locker. "I was gonna get round to that. Just went out to get myself something to eat."
"Oh, don't worry about it." Shepard said, closing the locker. "It felt good to do it myself. I needed something to work on. Had a lot on my mind lately."
"I hear that. There's more shit hitting the fan these days than you'd find in a Krogan toilet."
"Hah! You got that right." Shepard chuckled. "So how've you been keeping, Jacob?"
"Honestly? I'm doin' pretty good. I know that the Humans on the ship have been down about losin' Earth. But we're getting things done here. It feels good to be a part of the solution, you know?"
"You're a good man, Jacob. I get the feeling that, even if you hadn't been assigned to the Normandy, you'd still be out there doing something to help."
"Damn straight. I can't understand how so many people just sit on their hands and wait for someone else to fix things." The young soldier smirked. "Got me into trouble more than a few times back when I was in the Alliance."
"Really?"
"I remember one time, during my first year out of the Academy. We were on patrol on the frontier. Got a distress signal from a small colony. Batarian slavers. The bastards had already made off with half the colonists."
"Odd that they'd hit such a big target." Shepard commented. "Normally they only target lone ships between destinations, or a handful of prefabs at most. How'd they make off with so many colonists?"
"The colony wasn't that big to start with, but this was more than a simple raid. It was a large gang of slavers, and they'd taken their time planning this. They paid a bunch of Quarians on Pilgrimage to get in and disable the defences, and then they hit all the military installations. By the time anyone knew they were under attack, every last member of the militia was dead, the guns had been destroyed, and the squints were pouring off their ships, gunning down anyone who tried to fight and incapacitating those who didn't."
"Wow. They meant business."
"By the time we got there, things were looking pretty hopeless. We arrived in orbit just as the first few ships tried to make their escape. We could kept them grounded, but our commander was too afraid of causing the deaths of any more colonists."
"I can't imagine you let them get away."
"Not a chance. I saw an opportunity to get in close to the cargo ship they were using to move the colonists, took a fighter and plunged right in."
"Something like that could have got you court-martialled."
"I suspect it woulda done, had I failed. I managed to take out the squints' engines, left 'em drifting in space. The other ships were all small, too small for transporting prisoners. So once the main ship had been dealt with, they ran, and we followed. None of the slavers got away that day."
"And the colonists?"
"Alive and well, for the most part. Some got hurt in the firefight, and of course we were too late for the casualties of the initial assault. But a damn sight more came out of that free and alive than if I had listened to my commander."
"But I'm guessing that wasn't what your commander focused on?"
"Of course not. He claimed my actions endangered more lives than they saved. Made it his business to make sure I was sent home in disgrace. Damn near got me thrown out of the Alliance. I was sent back to Arcturus for another couple of months, until I got stationed on Eden Prime." He smiled grimly. "I guess its true what they say, huh? No good deed goes unpunished."
"The brass has always been full of uptight assholes, Jacob." Shepard said. "Don't let it get to you. You did the right thing, and a lot of people have you to thank for being free."
"Yeah, I guess." Jacob seemed less than convinced. He turned to the pile of discarded armour on his workbench. "Hey, listen. Thanks for stopping by. Its been good to chat, Commander. I'd best get back to work."
"Okay. I guess I'll see you later, Jacob."
"Shepard."
The Commander nodded a farewell to the earnest young soldier before he strode out of the Armoury and into the CIC.
Shepard began to walk around the Galaxy Map when he noticed Samara. The Asari was standing at his station, leaning on the railing as she pondered the map before her. Her graceful features were utterly serene, a tranquillity emanating from the core of her being.
Curious as to her unexpected presence on the Command Deck, Shepard approached carefully. Even though he was certain he made no sound, the Asari turned to face him, smiling warmly.
"Samara? What are you doing here?"
"Shepard." She dipped her head in greeting. "I apologise. I am in your way."
"No, not at all." Shepard said hurriedly. "It's just a little strange to see you up here. Is everything alright?"
"Perfectly. It is just… there is only so much meditation one can do. I so rarely explore the ship beyond my living quarters that some parts of the Normandy may as well be another planet to me. Aside from that, I like to examine maps of the Galaxy." She pointed over her shoulder at the holographic representation of the Galaxy. "This reminds me a lot of the Observatory back on Thessia."
"Wouldn't have thought you'd appreciate being reminded of that place." The Commander commented.
"Not all my memories of my time in the monastery were bad, Shepard. Being close to my daughters gave me a sense of peace I have not been able to achieve anywhere else."
Shepard looked over her shoulder, noticing that the Map had been zoomed in on Thessia.
"Been thinking about Falere and Rila a lot lately?"
"I suppose it is obvious." Samara said, her voice tinkling with a quiet chuckle. "It is hard not to be concerned for your loved ones in days such as these. I worry that even Thessia is not safe from our enemies."
"Your daughters will be safe, Samara. We're going to stop the Reapers before they take any more worlds, I promise."
"A bold vow in these uncertain times, and one that will be nigh impossible to fulfil." The Asari said grimly. "And yet… I believe you, Shepard. If there is one person in the Galaxy who could lead us to victory, it is you."
Shepard ascended the steps next to her, leaning his elbows on the rail as he watched the stars whirl before him. Samara turned and leaned forwards next to him, the pair watching the Map together.
"My thoughts have been drifting back to my maiden years." Samara began after a few silent moments. "So long ago, and yet not dissimilar to my time as a part of your squad."
"Really?"
"Oh, not in the foes I faced or the tasks laid before me, but similar in the spirit of camaraderie I find amongst the crew. We rely upon one another, day by day. It is exhilarating to be in the company of those whose hands you know you could lay your life in, and that trust would not be misplaced."
"You've told me a little of your maiden years before." Shepard said, thinking of her harrowing tales of rescuing slaves from the Collectors, and her years as a mercenary. "You served as a merc, but frankly, with your combat abilities you could have been a Commando. I'm amazed nobody considered recruiting you."
"Who is to say they did not?" Samara smirked. "I was asked, but I was too young and impulsive at the time. I considered such a post to be restrictive, not for me. I wished to be free to travel the length and breadth of Asari Space, not required to obey commands. Later on in life, I realised how impetuous I had been, but I was too old to begin the training."
"They have age restrictions on being an Asari Commando?"
"Of a sort. They do not wish to recruit maidens approaching the matron stage. Our overbearing urges to settle down and begin a family are too strong to be ignored, and are not in line with the attitude expected of a Commando. The Republics recruit Commandos at a very young age so they may be trained before their desires to find a mate and settle down manifest. They are conditioned ruthlessly to suppress their desire to mate, to put the welfare of their people above all else, and to follow orders without question."
"That wouldn't work. You can't suppress all that instinct, no matter how hard you make someone train."
"Of course, but it can delay their resignation from the Commandos, giving the Republics several more decades of loyal service in exchange for the investment of their training. Of course, it is the unquestioning obedience that is valued above all else. This is not something that can be imposed upon a matron of three hundred years of age."
"Wow. I had no idea."
"Indeed. It is not viewed as the most appealing aspect of the Commandos, so it is not widely advertised."
"Seems there's a lot your people keep to themselves."
"It is the way of every species we have encountered to withhold some information about themselves. Of course, for species like the Krogan or the Batarians, shame does not affect them to the same degree as Humans or Asari, so their secrets tend to be of a much darker nature."
"Hmm. So what did you do after turning down the Commandos."
"As I told you before, I danced, I fought, I mated. I lived a full life before meeting Notana." She smiled as he mind drifted back several centuries. "I recall the first time I met an alien. A Quarian mercantile vessel visited the planet I was currently living on. This was before the Geth uprising occurred, so they were still in possession of their home planet and semi-functional immune systems. They still needed to wear suits for fear of contamination, but they could remove their helmets and interact with other species for a limited time."
"You've seen a Quarian without his helmet on?"
"Indeed." Samara smiled knowingly. "They are a beautiful people, although they do not appear as most would expect. It is hard to describe."
"I take it you became friends with them."
"Indeed. And in one case, much more than that. Tayo'Jolan. We became… very close. Not lovers, but given time I imagine that may have been a possibility. He was with the merchants as a bodyguard of sorts. He belonged to the Wardancers."
"I've never heard of Wardancers before."
"It is not surprising. They were rare, even before the Geth uprising. They are a monastic sect that believes in purity of the soul through purity of the body. They are expert martial artists, constantly training to achieve physical perfection. Quarians have long been known for their grace and beautiful dancing form, but that is only a shadow of the fluid movements of a Wardancer."
"So what happened then?"
"Tayo… went home. We had intended to meet again, but two months later the Quarians began attacking the Geth, and the Geth fought back. Rannoch was engulfed in civil war as machine and flesh struggled with one another. I heard nothing from Tayo, or his kin. Still hopeful, I waited for him at the time we had agreed to meet, but he never arrived."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." She said stiffly, though there was a softness at the heart of her words. "Quarians live such short lives, I would have had relatively little time to know him anyway. In the end, the Galaxy continues to spin."
"Even so, any time we can have with the ones we love should be cherished, no matter how short it may seem."
"But we must not allow our grief to cripple our hearts." The Asari said stoically. She sighed, straightening up. "You have other duties to attend to, Commander. I have taken up enough of your time."
Shepard was about to contradict her, but the lithe Asari was gone, swiftly striding over to the elevator and vanishing before he could utter a word.
The Commander considered following her, and pulled away from the Map to do so, but a beep from his omnitool made him hesitate. He looked down to see his 'tool notifying him that Joker was trying to get his attention.
"Go ahead, Joker."
"We have arrived in orbit around Bekenstein, Commander."
"Good. Have Rolston get the shuttle ready."
"Aye aye, Comm-" The pilot suddenly paused.
"Joker? Everything alright?"
"Got a transmission coming through on an encrypted channel. Someone asking to speak to you by name."
"Any sign as to who it is?" Shepard asked, knowing he had too many enemies around to be careless.
"None." Joker replied simply.
"Hmph." The Commander grunted. "Put it through. But make sure EDI's braced for any hacking attempts. Get ready to engage the stealth systems if there's any sign of someone trying to lock onto our location through a signal trace."
"Patching it through."
Shepard caught himself standing up straight, chuckling at the thought that he'd stand to attention for an audio transmission. He shrugged and returned to his relaxed slouch over the rail above the Map.
"This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy."
"Commander Shepard. A pleasure to finally meet you." A heavily modulated voice filtered through the comms.
"Who is this?"
"I hope you'll forgive me for not sharing my name at the moment. You never know who might be listening. But you can call me Agent Delta."
"Agent?"
"A mutual friend told me to be ready to render assistance as you required.. I hear you're interested in Victor Lawson."
Shepard tensed at the mention of Miranda's father. Only one of Liara's agents could have known about his interest in the former Cerberus supporter.
"Okay, Delta. You have my attention. What can you do to help us?"
"Not like this, Commander. Not when someone could be listening in. We need to speak face to face."
"Alright, but you've got to come see me. You'll forgive me for not trusting you yet."
"Understandable. I can be in orbit within the next few minutes."
"We'll send you co-ordinates. Shepard out."
The Commander turned from the Map, stepping down from his post. He turned to Kelly, the yeoman waiting for his instructions.
"Assemble the squad. We need a plan."
Author's notes: Alright, here we go. Chapter 26. Sorry if it took a little longer than usual, just been a little busy is all. Anyway, enjoy. I'm looking forward to the next chapter, as it' s one of the concepts I've been looking forward to writing for a while now. Anyway, leave me some feedback, let me know what's going down well and what's not doing so well. I'd be interested to know which characters are resonating with you guys the most. I'd like to know which ones would be the best to write inter-mission dialogue for. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter while I get to work on 27. Can't believe I'm almost at 30 chapters already! And now we find ourselves with the majority of the squad back. There's only Miri, Tali and Thane left of the ME2 crew, plus a couple more of my own original characters.
One other thing. Are there any side-characters you guys want to see turning up? They can be ones mentioned in my story in passing, or minor characters from the games/comics/books. Anyway, see you later.