After a three day long transit from Tuchanka, the Normandy had recently exited FTL having arrived from the Vetus System relay about an hour earlier. The Normandy had already established contact with the Second Fleet Task Force sent to the system to evacuate the civilian population from Elysium, and the Normandy would begin to deploy several of its stealthy reconnaissance Tactical Operations Satellites across the system to monitor it from any incursions, as this would give the Task Force time to muster a defense if Reapers showed up.

But as things go, the real world was a fluid place, and Shepard had to answer an emergency call from Councilor Esheel of all people in the QEC-room as the Normandy was about to start its mission. Shepard wasn't in mood being berated by the salarian Councilor because of curing the genophage but had reluctantly agreed to take the call.

Shepard stepped up to the communications console and accepted the call, the holographic figure of the ageing Councilor was quickly processed.

"Commander Shepard. I'm grateful that you answered my call," Esheel greeted evenly.

"Hmm, yes. We're about to embark on a mission so we have to do this fast," Shepard informed

Esheel sighed, "The salarian government's stance is well known and now I find myself in a galaxy where the krogan is cured from the genophage. Neither the Dalatrass or myself are exactly happy about what happened there, re-writing history and all."

Shepard suppressed a snort, "Must be nice being isolationistic while turians and humans are dying in the war. And as much as I love being second guessed by the Council I've other things to attend to then discussing what happened on Tuchanka right now."

Esheel continued annoyed, "Commander, I'll make it clear; my position here on the Council is thanks to you and it's not something I take lightly. Without your actions over three years ago the weak-minded Valern would have been in my place instead, leading the salarians down the sewage-pipe. The genophage cure is like saying we need a hurricane to put out a wildfire."

Shepard pressed strongly, "It's not a wildfire Councilor; it's the genocide of our civilizations. That is what you should tell your people."

"It's a short term solution Commander...but a short term is maybe all we have. Has a ring to it," Esheel pondered before she continued evenly getting things back on track. "Commander, the genophage situation is not only the reason I'm calling Commander. We've had some...revelations on the Citadel, and it's something I'd like to discuss with you face to face. You have a mission you say? You don't happen to know when you'll be back on the Citadel?"

"We're currently engaged in a mission to support the continued evacuations of Elysium. This might take several days unless we're relieved earlier."

Esheel sighed, "If you could get back to the Citadel as soon as possible and come see me in my private chambers I would appreciate it. This is something I rather discuss in person."

Shepard nodded, "Alright Councilor, I'll be in touch soon." He didn't like the apparent secrecy, but he was used to it from dealing with the Council on numerous occasions.

Esheel nodded, "Thank you Commander."

Esheel reached for the communications console on her end and the call was terminated.

I wonder what they want now, Shepard thought. It sounded important.

Shepard's thoughts were cut short when EDI's voice was heard over the intercom, "Commander. Specialist Traynor and myself has found something and she wishes to talk to immediately."

What now? Shepard pondered.

"I'm on my way," Shepard replied.

"Logging you out, Shepard."

Shepard hurriedly left the QEC-room and crossed the War Room and passed by the staff as he left trough the corridor to the guard post. The two guards rendered quick salutes but Shepard elected to ignore them this time after their earlier transgressions.

The door to the CIC opened and he stepped outside and approached Traynor at her station.

"What is it, Specialist?" Shepard asked evenly and stopped at her side.

Traynor turned to face Shepard and explained, "I've found a communications signal from a lone cruiser at Grissom Academy while scanning communications channels. Apparently the cruiser is evacuating the students and personnel from Grissom, and the IFF identifies the ship as the SSV Montevideo of the Second Fleet, but the curious thing is what imbedded within the signal. EDI performed an analysis and it's fake. I did a quick search and the Montevideo isn't supposed to be part of the Second Fleet's Task Force at Vetus. EDI told me about an incident last year with a Collector ship...Cerberus had altered a turian distress signal and lured you there."

Shepard nodded unamused, "Yeah, I remember that."

EDI chimed in, "Shepard, I believe that Cerberus is using that faked signal cover up what they're doing there. My sensors have picked up the cruiser as well as twelve fighters on blockade duty. The fighters identify as F-61 Tridents, probably reversed engineer from Alliance specs."

What are they doing here? Shepard asked himself. Grissom Academy served as prestigious academy for students excelling in math, science and the liberal arts. It also offered classes to students with biotic capability so they could integrate into society or to receive guidance to apply for civilian and military jobs within the Alliance.

Shepard gritted his teeth as a dark feeling washed over him as he quickly realized that Cerberus was after the biotic students.

Shepard orderd, "EDI, tell the team to suit up for a rescue mission. Cerberus is at Grissom Academy in order to kidnap the students there, very likely the biotic ones. Relay the information to the Task Force and inform them we're heading there now. How fast can we get to Grissom."

"ETA Thirty minutes, Commander. I will relay your orders at once."

"Tell Joker to punch it."

"Understood."

Shepard faced Traynor and praised, "Good work, Specialist."

"Yes, sir, thank you," Traynor replied grateful

EDI announced, "Shepard, I've picked up an emergency transmission. Patching through."

A distressed woman's voice was heard, "Mayday, Mayday, this is Kahlee Sanders, director of Grissom Academy. We are in need of immediate assistance. Cerberus is attacking the facility and they're after my students. Does anybody hear me?"

Sanders? Didn't Liara once say Anderson had worked with one with that name?

Shepard shook away those thoughts, "Grissom Academy, this is Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy. There's an enemy cruiser and fighters between us and the station. Alliance forces are in the system evacuating the Elysium population."

"I know. Cerberus is in control of our docking bays. Send help immediately."

"Sanders, the Normandy is on the way to Grissom as we speak, ETA 30 minutes. I will lead a strike force to get you out of there. If the docking bays are under enemy control is there another way inside the station?"

"There's an auxiliary cargo port I could probably open. I don't know any other way in."

Shepard nodded, "Alright, we're coming in to extract you and your students."

"Thank you Commander."

Shepard called out, "Joker, when we've cleared the Normandy, give us a distraction."

Shepard heard Joker's jovial voice, "Ha, you bet Commander! I'll give them a run for their money."

"Shepard, I've relayed the information to the Task Force commander, she acknowledges and tells us to aid Grissom, she will scramble any support that is available but it will take some time. The team is suiting up."

"Copy that, EDI," Shepard replied and rushed to the elevator.


Thirty minutes later the Cargo Bay on the Normandy opened and the Kodiak shuttle slid out and the Normandy accelerated away. Turning to its right, the Normandy pulled an inverted roll downwards towards Grissom Academy kilometers below them. The Jon Grissom Academy resembled a dagger but past it's "hilt" there was a wing on each side and in the middle a spherical construction which connected with the rest of the station and the kilometer long station was also adorned with a tall tower with a communications antenna on top of it.

The Normandy fired its thrusters and descended rapidly with its tail first and sped through the formation of fighters near the cruiser. Joker disengaged the stealth system and rolled the warship around and pushed forward on its nose as the Cerberus interceptors and the cruiser pursued the invading warship. The attacking Cerberus vessels fired their anti-ship mass accelerator autoannons while Joker turned and jinked hard to avoid the incoming fire. Dozens of kilometers away from the station the Normandy accelerated to FTL and was gone; the Cerberus task force used their scanners to hunt and waited for the Normandy if it would drop out of FTL.

Clear of the enemy ships and interceptors, Cortez steered the Kodiak towards the auxiliary cargo port on the station.

Inside the shuttle Shepard's team was seated and readied themselves for combat. They were basically going in blind and that was not to Shepard's liking. They had no intel on the enemy composition beyond what the Grissom Academy director had told him earlier. After that Sanders had cut communications as she was hunted by Cerberus troopers and needed to hide.

Their first order of business was undoubtedly to secure Sanders so she could brief them on the situation.

In his seat Shepard did a final check on his rifle and turned to the assembled team, "Watch what you shoot at, there are civilians here. Understood?"

A plethora of positives was shot back as the team readied themselves.

Shepard gave his team an approving nod and rose from his seat; he had forgone his helmet this time and instead relied on his shields, as did the others on the team as well. Shepard walked up to the cockpit and stopped behind Cortez.

"Steve, we'll be back as soon as possible. Keep the shuttle by the cargo port and wait for us."

"You got it Commander," Cortez answered. "We're docking now."

"Good," Shepard replied and turned around to the passenger compartment as the others rose from their seats with their weapons ready.

Cortez flew the Kodiak through the barrier curtain into the small cargo port and steadied the shuttle at an auxiliary docking station. The shuttle door opened and Shepard's team dashed out and secured the small cargo port as Cortez closed the shuttle door. In front of them there was an airlock leading further into the station.

Shepard walked up to the airlock and swiped his hand over the interface and they proceeded through the small chamber and through another door into a hallway with a door at the far end of it.

Shepard radioed Sanders, "Kahlee, this is Shepard. We're inside now. Where are you?"

Sanders were under a lot more stress than earlier and spoke rapidly, "Commander, I locked myself inside a server room past the corridor near the cargo port. A Cerberus squad is right outside trying to get in!"

"We're on our way," Shepard reassured her and ran down the hallway with his team, "Stay put."

"Yes Commander."

"Stack up!" Shepard ordered as he slid up next to the door with Liara and Zaeed right next to him and on the opposite side of the door the others stopped with Garrus on point. Shepard spoke rapidly, "Garrus, when the doors open flash the corridor."

"You got it," Garrus responded and reached for a flashbang grenade from one of his pouches.

Shepard glanced at his team, "Ready?"

"Let's fuck shit up," Vega spoke enthusiastically behind Garrus.


"Get ready, I've almost got the door!" One of the troopers in the corridor shouted.

Kahlee Sanders had darted behind a sturdy workstation in the middle of the server room. Earlier she had been able to break cover and find her way down to the server room so she could open the auxiliary port for the Normandy shuttle. She had been hunted by a Cerberus squad the whole time but managed to evade them but someone somewhere probably noticed the computer activity coming from the server room and now the troopers was right outside in the hallway. They had managed to pry open the door with a shaped charge but it had thankfully not been able to open the door completely.

At age 47 she was a very attractive woman, and had barely aged in 15 years, all thanks to the advances in nutrition, gene therapy and medicine, and she probably had another 30 years ahead of her of a healthy and productive life. That people still looked like 30 in their fifties and sixties was the norm. But only in civilized space. In the Terminus Systems it was different, there were no modern medical sciences so humans there had to look forward to a shorter lifespan and die frail with disabilities, infections and diseases much like humans had in the early 21st century.

Kahlee was a smart woman in addition to being a beautiful woman. Twenty one years earlier she had been one of the Alliance Navy's top computer and system technicians, and after the incident with Saren, Sanders had continued her career with the Alliance Navy for a decade and had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 2175. She had become a civilian consultant to the Navy, but three years later, in 2178, she had been offered a position on the Ascension Project's board of directors and now worked as a civilian contractor with the Navy.

And now the blonde was gripping her shotgun behind a desk, hoping that Commander Shepard would show up sooner rather than later.

She and her students had been fighting the Cerberus invaders since they attacked, it had been relentless. Thankfully she had an extensive knowledge of the computer systems and had been able to slow down the Cerberus attack, locking doors and even entire sections of the station until Cerberus unfortunately had managed to circumvent her attempts. And since then the Grissom Academy survivors had been on the defensive, running for their lives. Cerberus had even managed to shut down station-wide communications, it was something Sanders was trying to fix so she could get in contact with her students.

The troopers on the other side of the door had taken potshots at her through the gap after the door had been damaged by the explosion but they hadn't been able to hit her. She glanced at her Crusader shotgun, it was fully charged but she had no other thermal clip except the one it was loaded with.

Thank god for the Normandy! Hopefully Shepard-

Beyond the door she heard the frantic voice of a trooper, "Contact!"

A loud bang was heard outside and the troopers screamed in pain and then she heard short bursts of gunfire.

Sanders peered out above the workstation and looked out through one of the two large windows and saw a six man team of several humans, an asari and a turian rush through the hallway with weapons at the ready.

She heard an American male voice call out, "Clear!"

Which was soon followed by an Australian woman's voice, "Clear!"

Through the gap of the two door halves a man in black armor and the unmistaken N7 logo on his chest-piece walked up the door. If the N7 logo hadn't been enough she quickly recognized the face.

"Kahlee? It's Shepard, all hostiles are down, and we're in the clear."

Sanders rose from behind the workstation and darted over to a computer on a table near the window and with the press of a few buttons the damaged door slid open.

Shepard walked in followed by a dark haired woman as the rest of his squad remained in the hallway and covered them.

Sanders turned to Shepard and smiled gratefully and took a deep breath to calm down, "Thank you Commander. Admiral Anderson always said you were the best." She grimaced sadly, "Cerberus is capturing my students and I need your help."

"How many of you are there left?"

"We're under twenty remaining. Sadly all the remaining guards and all but one teacher were killed in the initial attack. There are only we left as everyone else had either left shortly after the Reapers attacked Earth or was captured by Cerberus. We had volunteered to stay behind as we were testing new prototype tech for the Alliance."

The Australian chimed in bleakly, "That's going to cut it close to get everyone into the shuttle with the six of us as well."

Shepard nodded, "Yeah, but let's worry about the finding students first."

"Understood."

"You knew Anderson right?" Shepard asked.

Sanders nodded, "Yes. We've known each other for…twenty years now. He was a Spectre candidate. I was there when Saren betrayed him and he saved my life that day. He's a good man." She sighed, "I haven't heard much from David in a couple of months. And that was before the war."

"Last I heard he was on Earth. London to be precise, leading the resistance." Shepard answered.

"He is? We've been cut off from most news lately." She shook her head somber, "Most of Alliance Space is in a mess since the Reapers invaded, planets and systems are on their own. Is he alright?"

Shepard spoke glum, "The Alliance hasn't had much contact with northern Europe." But he smiled reassuringly, "I'm sure he is fine, Anderson can take care of himself. He is tough."

Sanders smiled weak, "He is. He is very resourceful."

She hoped they would get out the station, and that she would at least be able to speak to David at least one more time. Before this mess they even had plans together. That apartment on the Silversun Strip was one of them. That felt so long ago.

Sanders snapped back to reality and pulled up a chair and sat down at the computer and turned to Shepard, "Most students here are biotis training to prepare themselves for boot camp to become Marines. Working together to use their skills as biotic artillery."

"Going up against crash dummies won't prepare them for the realities of war," Shepard said evenly.

Sanders nodded, "I agree. But with the war going on we've been busy for quite some time. The Alliance needs any resources they can find to throw at the Reapers. And our students...are those resources." She sighed, "Plus, the Alliance asked us for help and how could we turn them down with the Reapers already here?"

The sudden and rapidly beeping coming from the console in front of her drew away everyone's attention.

Sanders snapped her head and her hands quickly found themselves to the holographic keyboard.

Finally! My automatic hacking program is finished!

She explained quickly as she was typing feverishly on the keyboard, "Cerberus took control of all the communications channels during the attack. I've been trying to get it working again."

The beeping stopped and an alarmed young male voice was heard over the intercom, "Ms. Sanders? This is Froeberg, we're in the Orion Hall and Cerberus has us boxed in! We're trying to-"

The communication was cut off.

Sanders snarled, "Damn it!"

"Orion Hall?" Shepard asked.

Sanders turned to him, "Head out through the hallway and the door on the right. I'll get it open. Then just follow the directions. It's not very far."

"Okay, we'll head there. You got our radio channel, keep in contact. We'll get your students out of there and we'll double back here and head for our shuttle."

Sanders said thankfully, "Thank you Commander - all of you. I'll stay put and try and get at least some of our systems back and running, I might be able to at least warn you of incoming enemies."

Shepard and the woman darted out and Shepard shouted back, "Lock that door behind you when we've left!"

"I will Commander!"

Sanders turned to the computer again and began typing on the keyboard and opened the door in the hallway. Outside Shepard rapidly explained the situation and the team soon ran off through the door. As the last member of Shepard's team disappeared from the hallway she locked the door. Hopefully that door would hold of any potential Cerberus squads as the damaged door to the server room would probably not be enough.


Shepard led the team through the doorway into a spacious corridor with large windows giving them a view of a hallway outside. According to a big sign outside they had apparently entered the 'Ascension Wing', the part of the station which housed the Ascension Project.

But what was happening on the other side of the large window made Shepard's guts wrench in dread and he stopped in his tracks, as did the others. They saw a Cerberus squad of three walking through the hallway with one of the trooper's dragging a helpless male student by one of his legs, the two troopers was trailed by an engineer preoccupied with his omni-tool. Shepard and the others could hear the muffled cries of despair from the teenager as he was trashing around with his free arms and body in a futile attempt to stop being dragged away.

"Fuck! They got a kid!" Zaeed snarled behind Shepard.

"Goddess," Liara mumbled sorrowfully.

Sadly Shepard knew they couldn't do anything to help the teenager; the thick reinforced glass was nigh impenetrable, and shooting at the glass wall would only draw the attention of the Cerberus squad.

"We're not going to do anything?" Vega spat disgusted as Shepard hadn't done anything.

Shepard turned and said dejected in seeing a teenager being hauled away, "There's nothing we can do James. That glass is reinforced and we can't shoot through it. It's designed to seal in areas in case of emergency if the atmosphere is vented."

"Son of a-"

"Let's move and see that they don't haul away anyone else," Shepard ordered.

The Cerberus squad didn't take notice of Shepard's team as they exited the hallway through a door on the opposite side of the hallway.

Shepard noted a sign on the wall nearby with directions throughout the Ascension Wing and followed the arrow which pointed to the right. He led the others through the corridor past a door as they darted forward through a long hallway.

In the wing's loud speakers they heard a voice broadcasting evenly, "Attention all students. Cerberus troops have taken control of this station. We've no intention to hurt you. Surrender and you will not be harmed." The speaker ended with an ominous warning, "Resist, and we can't guarantee your safety."

"Those bastards," Miranda snarled.

Shepard opened the door on the other end of the hallway which led into a large lobby of 'crossroads' leading to other areas of the wing. The area was riddled with tables, cabinets and couches piled on top of each other at the doors to try and slow down the Cerberus troops invading the station.

Shepard's attention was suddenly drawn to the voice module of a Cerberus trooper shouting an order.

"Reiley Bellarmine, drop that barrier now!"

Shepard gestured with a hand signal for the others to stop and stay quiet. His eyes was quickly drawn to the blue shimmer of an biotic barrier bubble and two troopers standing in front of a male student holding it up in a hallway, the Cerberus troops had their backs to Shepard's team and hadn't noticed them.

The other Cerberus trooper spoke, trying to persuade the student to surrender, "No one's going to hurt you. Our file says we need you alive." The trooper chuckled foreboding, "But your sister on the other hand...she's expendable."

"Yeah, give us trouble and we'll find her."

Shepard called out an order under his breath, "Garrus take the guy on the right on my command."

Shepard gestured for the others to stay behind and for Garrus to follow him quietly. Thankfully the Cerberus commander broadcasting orders and the troops attention elsewhere made the team's entry into the hall unnoticed as Shepard and Garrus moved for a better line of sight.

The Cerberus commander continued talking over the intercom, "We understand that you are scared. Your teachers have filled your heads with Alliance propaganda."

Shepard and Garrus snuck through the hall and stopped less than ten meters behind the troopers. Shepard raised his rifle and opened fire at the trooper on his left and Garrus quickly raised his rifle on Shepard's 'command' and killed his target with a burst. The take down was clean and precise.

The voice on the intercom continued, "But Cerberus can keep you safe, we're the only ones who can."

"Clear!" Shepard turned to the others behind him and ordered, "Fan out and secure the hall!"

The rest of the team fanned out as Shepard and Garrus advanced towards the fallen troopers and the student. Shepard and Garrus lowered their rifles after they made sure that the troopers were dead.

The student looked up terrified and stammered, "Who…who are you?"

Shepard stopped near the teenager, "Commander Shepard, from the Alliance Navy. We're here to get you and your friends out of here. Do you know where the server room to the auxiliary cargo port is?"

The teenager lowered his biotic barrier and nodded, "Yes."

"Good, Kahlee Sanders is there. We've cleared the area from there to here, head over there."

Reiley spoke frightened, "I was separated from my sister, and she's on the other side of the wing." He pointed past several lecture rooms at another lobby on the far side of the wing.

Shepard spoke reassuringly, "I'll try and find her. Now go."

Reiley nodded and ran away towards the door which Shepard's team had entered through.

Shepard radioed Sanders, "Kahlee, I'm sending a kid back to you now. Reiley I think his name was."

Sanders was relieved, "Great Commander, thank you. Sanders out."

Shepard ordered the others, "On me, we're pushing forward."

Shepard turned to his left and gazed upon the large hall, it was composed of several lecture rooms and hallways. One such lecture room was to his left, dotted with several tables and workstation. As the team joined up with Shepard they headed over to a door and they cut through the lecture room and exited it through a door on the other side.

"The Alliance has failed you, Earth has fallen." The Cerberus commander broadcasted. "Resisting us only dishonors your family, your friends."

"What I wouldn't do to shut him up," Vega snarled, getting annoyed at hearing the voice booming out over the wing.

They had entered another hallway and walked across it into another lecture hall.

"You are the best and brightest humanity as to offer. Cerberus can give you the tools you need." The Cerberus commander tried to sound pleadingly, "You need us...and we need you if our work is to succeed."

Shepard opened the door and walked in but suddenly heard gunshots from the other side of the large lecture room. He quickly darted back and hugged a wall near the door they came through, the others stopped as well in the now cramped doorway, keeping a low profile to remain unseen.

A Centurion snarled at one of his companions, "Watch the headshots! Orders are to take them alive!"

Shepard peered past the corner of the wall and saw a student lying dead on the floor on the far side of the room; he had tried to flee his pursuers. A squad of four troops entered the room.

A second trooper asked annoyed as they stopped around the dead teenager, "Check the file! Who was it?"

Another trooper, presumably the one that killed the student, spoke devoid of emotions, "Honaker. Some kind of math genius. Low priority."

The Centurion reprimanded forcefully, "You're lucky that wasn't a high priority target. Don't do that again!"

Bastards, Shepard thought and grimaced resentfully.

Shepard turned back to his team and issued his orders under his breath, "Looks like four, I'll provide cover fire; Garrus, Miranda head over to the second row of workstations on the far side of the room from our position. The rest of you, push through to the middle of the room as we provide cover fire. Understood?"

The team nodded in agreement.

Shepard looked at Garrus and Miranda, "Ready?"

"Yes." - "Let's do this."

Shepard nodded and leaned out of cover again but this time aiming with his assault rifle down range and fired several bursts and killed one of the troopers with well placed headshots.

"Taking fire! Engage!" The Centurion screamed as the surviving troops darted for cover behind workstations on their end of the room. The Centurion radioed a warning over the Cerberus radio channel, "Cujo Actual, this is Gryphon 2-7, we're being engaged! Probable Alliance reinforcements!"

From behind Shepard, Garrus and Miranda rushed out towards the second workstation from their position and as soon as they were behind cover they joined Shepard in firing at the direction of the enemy.

Vega was leading the others, he tapped Shepard on his shoulder with his hand and Shepard stopped firing and lowered his rifle. Vega ran past the corner with Liara and Zaeed and kept a low profile past the workstations and took up position one row of workstations ahead of the others.

Liara unleashed a singularity behind a workstation where two troopers was taking cover, the biotic energy pulled them of the floor and kept them floating in the air helplessly and they were quickly killed in the crossfire. The Centurion was soon overwhelmed by the incoming fire and a grenade hurled by Zaeed detonated behind the cover and killed him.

As the gunfire died down, the Cerberus commander's voice was heard, "There's an Alliance team on the station now. They claim they want to help you. But all they're doing is threatening your safety." The man implored, "Please don't get caught in the crossfire, surrender now."

"Oh just shut up," Shepard spat annoyed before he asked evenly, "All clear?"

"Think so," Liara said.

Vega acknowledged, "Hostiles down."

Shepard left his corner and walked past the rows of workstations and was soon joined by the others as they swept the room with their weapons. Indeed, the Cerberus squad had been defeated.

"Poor kid," Zaeed said bothered of the sight of the teenager lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood and brain matter. Even the gruff and battle hardened mercenary had trouble seeing non-combatants of that age killed. "He 'ad no chance."

"A small comfort is that he died quickly," Shepard said glum. "Let's move out."

The team left the lecture room and entered the lobby, very much resembling the other lobby where they rescued the student. The team fanned out and moved deliberately and cleared the hall.

The voice on the intercom broadcasted again, "Holly Merizan, can you hear us? We found your mother and father. They're safe at a Cerberus sanctuary. Surrender and you can see them again."

"Those fuckers, why are they takin' kids in the first place?" Zaeed snarled.

"They seem to be after biotics, probably to indoctrinate them and use them as troops," Shepard said disgusted.

Shepard stopped at a corner and heard a faint sob coming from the other side of the hall. Shepard cleared the corner and headed down the short hallway leading to another hallway running parallel and he turned around a corner and he saw a red haired teenage girl lying on the floor near a couch at the far end of the hallway, she tried to sit up and use the wall for support. Her shirt around the right shoulder was soaked in blood.

Must be that kid's sister!

"We have a civilian down!" Shepard shouted and rushed down the hallway.

The girl stammered frightened and was out of breath, she was clearly exhausted by the loss of blood, "Stay...back...I'll..."

Shepard slid down on his knees near her and dropped his weapon on the ground and quickly glanced at the girl's injury. She had been shot and the bullet had passed clean through her shoulder and now she was on the verge of bleeding out. Shepard reached for one of his medi-gel injectors and quickly mashed it into her wound, the girl cried out in pain as the medical salve was injected. With medi-gel she could have enough time to survive until they got back to the Normandy and Doctor Chakwas.

"I'm sorry," Shepard said softly to the young girl, "But I have to do that so I can stop the bleeding."

Miranda rushed up behind Shepard and knelt down next to him and discarded her rifle on the floor as well. She brought up her omni-tool to scan the injury. The rest of the team fanned out and covered Shepard and Miranda.

The girl sighed alleviated as the medical salve closed of the bleeding and the anesthetic began to spread through her limb.

"The medi-gel is constricting the wound," Miranda said relieved and glanced at her omni-tool.

"Good," Shepard said and threw away the injector. He didn't think he would need another one. Shepard asked, "What's your name?"

"Seanne Bellarmine," she answered. She leaned on the wall and appeared in marginally better shape but she was still exhausted.

"My name's John, Seanne. What happened?"

The girl was sobbing, "Those soldiers chased me, my brother and Robert, but we got separated from Reiley. Then Robert ran off to find Reily and they shot me as they chased after Robert."

And Robert probably was the kid who got shot in the head, Shepard thought dejected.

Shepard spoke softly, "Seanne. I found your brother, Reiley, on the other side of the class rooms. He's alright. I sent him to Kahlee. She's at the server room near the auxiliary cargo port."

Seanne wiped her hand over her tearful eyes and cleared her throat. She smiled weakly, "Reiley is alright?"

Shepard nodded with a smile, "Yes. Can you get to Kahlee? We've to push on to Orion Hall to get the rest of your friends."

"I just...I just need to catch my breath. Have you found Robert? I heard shooting."

Shepard decided to lie, or at least bend the truth. She was young and in her current state she would likely break down. And as callous as it was Shepard couldn't linger to comfort Seanne. They had to push on to Orion Hall.

"We didn't see anyone else alive except your brother," Shepard explained.

Seanne said hopefully, "Maybe he got to Ms. Sanders as well."

Shepard picked up his rifle and stood up, as did Miranda.

Shepard said, "Don't wait too long Seanne, head to Sanders."

She nodded, "I will sir, thank you."

Shepard smiled reassuringly and turned around with Miranda and radioed Sanders, "Kahlee, I found Reiley's sister and she'll head to you soon. She was shot in the arm but I used some medi-gel to patch up the wound."

Sanders radioed worried, "Is she alright?"

"She appears exhausted but is lucid."

"I understand. Thank you once again Commander."

Liara walked up to him and said glad, "Thank the Goddess you got to her in time, John, too many young has died here."

Shepard flashed a quick smile, "Yeah." He quickly glanced at a sign on the wall with directions; Orion Hall was apparently past the doors down the hallway opposite the direction which they came from. "Alright, we've to move that direction and take a left," Shepard gestured.

Once again the Cerberus commander's voice was heard, "We're the only hope you have of retaking Earth...and saving your parents. We would prefer your willing compliance. But this is war, and our patience is limited."

The team retraced their steps and soon found themselves in the hallway leading to Orion Hall.

Sanders radioed, "Commander. I just got a message from the students in Orion Hall, they have their teacher with them but Cerberus troops are pushing through and they can't hold on much longer."

"We're on our way Kahlee, just one more corridor," Shepard informed her.


Orion Hall was a spacious lobby with couches and lounge chairs in place at the walls surrounding the lobby. In the middle of the hall was a tree planted in an elevated plant box, there was even spots of planted grass near the entrance. Several pillars dotted the hall and there was a floor overlooking Orion Hall with two separate staircases on each side leading up to the level. Below the floor there was a small staircase leading down to a corridor with an exit on the other side leading to the Atrium outside.

Jack had just killed two Cerberus troopers with her biotics, she had used a warp attack on one of them and sent one flying with a shockwave. The second trooper had still been alive but Jack had charged up her dark energy in one of her fists and smashed in the faceplate of his helmet, crushing the man's skull.

The satisfaction of killing Cerberus troopers made a warm tingling sensation spread through her body.

That left two others still alive. They had cut through the hall and engaged the students, but Jack had turned away from the killed troopers and rushed up to two of her students who were exposed, they had erected a biotic barrier bubble around them to deflect the incoming small arms fire.

I won't let anyone hurt them, they're my kids.

MINE!

The kids were doing alright, they were certainly getting better, but their attacks were not as powerful as Jack had hoped. They were not ready for front line combat.

She rushed over to her students and quickly reinforced their barrier with a much stronger one of her own. The woman mustered a violent biotic force and knocked the two troopers into a wall behind them, and the biotic force killed them.

Fuck yeah.

A familiar, but surprised male voice cut through the hall, "Jack?"

The voice drew Jack's attention from her two kills and she turned to the direction of the voice. She was equally as surprised when she saw a six-man armed squad led by Shepard enter the hall.

What the fuck? Shepard? So Sanders was right...

"Shepard?" Jack asked dumbfounded.

But their exchange was cut short when an Atlas-mech made its presence know when it squatted down to move through a doorway on the left side of the hall that was too low for it to walk through standing tall. Two squads of Cerberus troopers and Centurions followed in its wake further down the corridor.

Jack turned and cursed, they have another one? Fuck! And everything I had to go through to damage the first one.

Her students were spread out through Orion Hall and had hidden behind various covers, but one of the students was only a few meters away from the entrance and the Atlas. He quickly rushed to cover behind some crates as the troopers opened fire in his direction.

Rage, adrenaline and electric impulses spread through Jack as she quickly hurried over to the lone student and generated a biotic bubble around the two of them which deflected the incoming fire including a rocket fired from the Atlas.

The mech cleared the doorway and stood up tall, hovering above Jack whose biotic barrier now was gone. Her body flared up as she was poised to keep the Atlas away from her student who ran off to save himself.

Shit, this is not good!

She absentmindedly heard Shepard call out orders to his team and a barrage of small arms fire and biotics was fired at the mech and the troopers in the corridor. The pilot inside the mech turned the Atlas around towards the new threat as Shepard's team split up into two groups of three with intent to flank the mech and the infantry accompanying it.

As the Atlas was pre-occupied with Shepard's team, Jack quickly turned around and ran away.

Jack shouted to her students, and Shepard, "This is too much for you to handle! Get upstairs! Shepard, keep them off us!"

Jack and her students ran up one of the staircases leading up to the upper floor and they entered the alcove above which was stacked with workstations, computers, monitors and server farms. Jack and the students attacked the mech and the infantry which emerged through the doorway with warp attacks.

Down below, Shepard's team flanked the Atlas and the troopers and caught them in the crossfire. Several grenades exploded all around the troops, killing some and injuring others. Soon enough a screeching sound was heard and a missile guided across the hall, fired from one of Shepard's team members, and impacted the Atlas in the cockpit. The explosion shattered the protective glass and killed the pilot, the mech stumbled over and fell to the ground and detonated. That left the surviving Cerberus troopers and Centurions without mechanized support and they tried helplessly to find cover amongst the pillars but were quickly killed. The Orion Hall echoed of the last gunshots and the dying gasps of the Cerberus troopers before there was nothing but silence.

Shepard and the others assembled in the centre of the hall, sweeping the fallen troops and the Atlas one last time to make sure they had all been killed.

Jack leaned on the balcony barricade and chuckled, "Kahlee said she had put out an SOS and that an Alliance team was here led by Commander Shepard...but that the King of the Boy Scouts would be that Shepard I couldn't really believe at first."

Behind her the students walked closer to gaze upon their rescuers down below.

Jack turned to her students, ten of them, and barked out orders. Tough love was her way of teaching, "Alright, amp check!" She turned to one of the male students closest to her and jabbed a finger into the air towards his face, "Prangley, those fields were weak...Cerberus isn't going to lie down out of pity like the girl you took to prom!"

Jason Prangley grimaced on being on the receiving end of their teacher's scolding as his fellow students chuckled in glee. Behind him a student, a young woman, Ensign Rodriguez, shoved his shoulder aside teasingly and with a mischievous grin.

"Grab some juice and an energy bar. Be ready to move." Jack ordered.

She turned and vaulted over the balcony barricade and jumped down, her biotics flared up as she controlled the descent to the floor.

Shepard holstered his rifle and grinned as he walked over, "Fancy finding you here Jack."

Jack's blue shimmer of her biotics vanished. She was angry at the idiot standing in front of her and had a target already selected. She took into account all of his upgrades and summarized that the softest part of the cheek would be best spot to hit for her to avoid injuring herself.

She swung her right arm about to hit Shepard but he saw what was coming and grabbed her right hand swiftly and wrapped his fingers across the fleshy part of her palm below her little finger, then he twisted her hand to the right against his torso and rotated 90 degrees so the palm was facing left. With his left arm he pushed her shoulder and upper body forcibly downwards and applied pressure by leaning forward to use his body weight to add additional pressure to Jack's petite frame.

She hissed in pain and clenched her teeth and snarled under her breath, "Fuck you, Shepard!"

Shepard chuckled devilish, "Marine hand-to-hand." He released her and sighed annoyed, "What the hell is wrong with you, Jack?"

Jack straightened herself from the wrist lock and heard a woman's voice call out in disapproval not too far away, but she didn't bother with it and instead focused on Shepard.

"Damn it Shepard!" Jack snarled. "How many times didn't I tell you not to trust Cerberus?"

Shepard shot back annoyed, "Don't you think I have told myself that already, Jack? I did what I had to. Someone had to defeat the Collectors as the Citadel and Alliance did nothing."

A scowl formed on Jacks' face and she said sardonically, "Oh yeah? Well shit, I bet that's a big comfort to all the people Cerberus have killed."

Jack noticed movement to her left as a woman in black armor walked up with a scowl on her face. Jack turned and noted who it was.

Oh great, he's still dicking the Cerberus Cheerleader, Jack thought annoyed.

"What the hell are you doing Jack?" Miranda sneered.

Jack gestured dismissively, "Take it easy Cheerleader, your toy is still functioning for your daily fucking."

Miranda frowned, shooting daggers at Jack for her remark.

Shepard sighed, "Let's focus on what's important here, shall we?"

"Right," Jack said and regained her composure. She turned to Shepard, "All I care about is getting my kids out of here."

Shepard glanced up at the balcony where the students was standing, "Your kids?"

Jack smiled and turned around to look at them proudly, "Yeah...I guess so."

"Well, I don't think you could find someone better to care for them," Shepard said friendly.

Jack turned to Shepard and shrugged, "Well, I had some free time after I left the Normandy. Some Admiral tracked me down and knew I had been part of your team and offered me this. And apparently the students respond well to my teaching style."

Prangley shouted from above, "The psychotic biotic!"

Rodriguez chimed in and clenched her fist in front of her and mimicked Jack, "I will destroy you!"

The other students laughed at their antics.

Jack turned and countered, "Drink your juice Rodriguez; you can't even destroy a wet tissue paper."

She turned to Shepard again but he appeared busy, someone was contacting him on the radio.

"Send traffic, Lieutenant." Shepard said.

Jack turned to Miranda and glared, "So you're back? I couldn't even get a year off before seeing you and your double Ds again?"

Miranda drawled annoyed, "The feeling is very mutual Jack. How is that victim act going for you?"

"How much time do we have?" Shepard asked, not taking note of the bickering being played out in front of him.

Jack chuckled tauntingly and gestured at Miranda's chest, "Well Shepard must be happy like a kid in a candy store playing with your tits again."

Miranda shook her head annoyed but didn't bother with responding.

"Understood, return to the Normandy. We'll figure something out." He turned his attention to Jack and Miranda, "Okay, it seems the Normandy's not a prime target for the Cerberus ships anymore and they're returning. Cortez is getting out of here with the shuttle so we better figure something out. The Alliance Task Force has detached a couple of cruisers and fighters, they are on their way."

"So how are we getting out?" Jack asked.

Shepard radioed Sanders, "Sanders, the shuttle is a no-go, the Cerberus ships are being called back."

Sanders transmitted on Shepard's radio channel as well as on Jack's, "Understood Commander. I might know a way out of here, but I will need station-wide camera access."

"And how do we do that?" Shepard asked.

"Not far from the Orion Hall there's an operations center where you can override it. But it was taken over by Cerberus, I think the broadcasts are originating from there."

"Directions?" Shepard asked.

Sanders explained, "Take the eastern exit and follow the directions, it shouldn't take longer than five minutes getting there."

"Copy, I'll take a squad there. Shepard out." He turned around to the others who were assembling near them, "I'll take Miranda and James with me and we'll take control of this operations center. The rest of you stay here and guard the hall, understood?"

Garrus nodded, "You got it Shepard."

Shepard turned to Jack, "These are all your students?"

She shook her head dejected, "No, we got separated from a bunch of other students, including David Archer and two others."

"Well, we found two siblings in the hall we came from, I sent them to Sanders."

Jack smiled faintly, "Good, at least that's something."

Once again the Cerberus commander broadcasted over the intercom, but this time the students omni-tools activated automatically.

"Students of Grissom Academy, the station is sealed. The Alliance can't save you. All they can do is get you killed. Surrender peacefully and you won't be harmed."

Jack turned to look at her students above them and snarled, "Asshole."

"Maybe this jack off is in that operations center Commander. It would be good to shut him down," Vega said angrily.

Sanders transmitted, "Damn it, they're messaging everyone. Students, switch your omni-tools to privacy mode so they can't track you."

Up in the alcove the students began to access their omni-tools.

Ensign Rodriguez stared at hers and spoke alarmed, "What if...what if they're not lying."

Some of the other students shook their heads in disbelief while others remained silent, terrified of what had happened and what was going on. They had trained for combat, but this was their first taste of it, and some of them worried what was to come. They just wanted it to end.

Shepard called out reassuringly from below, "They are lying. And you've stood your ground against them so far, you can do this." He glanced at Jack, "And you've been trained by one of the best."

Jack spoke up to Rodriguez, "Come on Rodriguez, they're only asking nice because you've scared them." She continued tauntingly, "So take your balls out of your purse and kick some ass."

"Uhm...yes ma'am," Rodriguez responded cautiously looking down at her teacher.

"Alright then," Shepard said and reached for his assault rifle, "Now when that's been cleared up, let's go."


Shepard led Miranda and Vega through a long corridor, following the directions from a sign earlier. They were making good time and were heading towards the operations centre further ahead. So far they hadn't encountered any enemies.

James asked from behind Shepard and Miranda, "So...eh you know that tattooed chick?"

Miranda mumbled, "Yes..."

"We found her on Purgatory - the prison ship, not the night club - and she do not have much love for Cerberus at all." Shepard explained.

"Prison ship uh? Man, what kind of people do you associate yourself with Loco?" Vega asked curious.

"One wonders sometimes actually," Miranda said uninspired.

"So, this Jack doesn't like you Miranda?"

"No," Miranda said evenly.

Shepard chuckled, "That's putting it mildly. Miranda being Cerberus once didn't make things easy."

"Well...that explains a few of her...chosen words I guess," Vega pondered.

Miranda sighed but said nothing.

The squad continued through the corridor and took a left at a crossroads of corridors leading to other areas of the Ascension Wing. After a few more minutes of trekking through corridors and hallways they reached a staircase and a blue sign on the wall nearby which read 'Operations Centre'. Shepard slowed down and hugged the wall with his back as did the two others. He carefully walked forward with his rifle at the ready and at the corner he slowly peeked out and glanced up the stairs leading up, he saw no guards. He gestured with his arm and Vega and Miranda followed him up the stairs to the door. The interface was red, the door locked.

Shepard's squad staked up at the door and Shepard ordered, "James, take the other side and ready a flashbang. I'll hack the door and when I open throw it in."

"Yes Commander," Vega said and quickly rushed over to the other side of the door and pulled out a flashbang grenade from a pouch.

Shepard leaned in with his arm and the omni-tool's advanced hacking program went to work wirelessly, hacking the interface. 15 seconds later the interface flashed green.

Shepard returned to the wall. "You both ready?"

"Yes." - "Flashbang ready."

Shepard nodded and swiped his hand over the interface and the door opened. With a swift throwing motion Vega tossed the grenade into the middle of the room. It soon detonated with a loud bang and a bright flash, the Cerberus troops inside screamed in pain.

The room was about the size of a lecture room but filled with rows of computers and workstations and a wall filled with large monitors showing security camera footage from the entire station. A very plain looking operations centre by the look of it.

Shepard rushed in first and opened fire at the closest guards and killed one. He had counted four troopers, one Centurion and what looked like an officer who was seated at a workstation. The officer wore nothing more than a Cerberus uniform. The officer covered his ears with his hands and screamed in pain. He fell of the chair and tried to crawl to cover behind the workstation.

Miranda lunged her arm forward and unleashed a biotic warp attack on the unarmored officer on the floor who cried out in pain before she ended him with a burst from her rifle. After quickly verifying that the officer was no threat she targeted the Centurion with an overload attack from her omni-tool, draining his shields and he spasmed in pain. She fired a burst of fire to the head, the bullets penetrated the helmet and the Centurion was overwhelmed and killed before he knew what had happened.

Vega took a right past the doorway and fired several bursts at the two remaining troopers who were still dazed by the effects of the flashbang. Both Miranda and Shepard quickly turned to engage and the two troopers were quickly killed.

Shepard's squad pushed forward and swept the room and made sure that the hostiles had been killed.

"Clear." Miranda said.

"Clear here." Vega responded.

"Clear." Shepard called out and walked slowly towards the workstation the officer had been seated at, most likely the main computer for the cameras Sanders needed access to. Shepard put down his rifle on the table. He glanced at the computer's monitor and began typing on the keyboard and took back control of the cameras.

"That should do it," Shepard said evenly and he radioed Sanders, "Sanders, I got control over the cameras."

"Stand by," Sanders transmitted and was silent for a few moments. She continued relieved, "Yes Commander. That seems to have done it. I'm in control again. Thank you."

"Alright, we'll return to Jack and the students."

"You do that; I'll try and figure out a way out of here. Sanders out."


Shepard and the others returned to Orion Hall. Jack was leaning her butt against a block connected to the wall next to the steps leading down to the corridor beneath the second floor. The students had remained on the second floor and were recuperating after the fighting while the remaining squad loitered around, Garrus and Zaeed and exchanged a few words with the biotic as they stood near her.

Shepard noted how Jack had changed her appearance significantly since she left the Normandy. She was sporting a black pony tail and what could pass for actual clothes and adorned a brown cargo pants and a black long-sleeved leather jacket which ended just below her torso, it was open and she wore a white top of sorts which revealed her cleavage - but her outfit could be considered quite conservative taking into account her previous attire. The sides of the 25-year old's head were shaved and her entire body were as always decorated with tattoos, top to bottom.

Jack turned around as Shepard and his squad stopped nearby, "We're all set to leave now?"

Shepard nodded, "Likely." He radioed Sanders, "Sanders, we're back in Orion Hall now."

"The easiest way out is through the Atrium, but Cerberus has sealed the doors. The magnetic lock can be disabled from the second floor where you are now."

Jack had heard Sanders' voice in her own earpiece and she turned away from the others and looked up to the second floor and shouted, "Prangley! Unlock the door to the Atrium!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The student said and disappeared into the alcove.

A few moments later Prangley was seen leaning over the balcony, "All done."

"Sanders, the doors open," Shepard radioed.

"You should be able to force the doors open now Commander."

"So what's the plan on getting out of here?"

"We commandeer one of the Cerberus shuttles in the docking bay and fly out."

"Easier said than done."

Sanders said evenly, "Yes Commander I know, plus Cerberus is moving forces towards your location now. The Atrium is swarming with troops supported by one mech."

"Oh great," Vega said sardonically.

"I'll get to the shuttles and prep one to fly."

"One of my guys can fly Kodiaks as well, I say we take two if we're this many."

"Understood Commander."

"Did the two students I send to you arrive?"

"Yes Commander."

"Good. Shepard out," Shepard said relieved and turned to Garrus and Zaeed and ordered, "Force that door open."

"You got it," Garrus said. He and Zaeed ran down the stairs to the door further down the corridor.

"My team will go through first and draw their fire, whither down their defenses," Shepard said and turned to Jack as the rest of the squad began readying their weapons.

Jack straightened herself from the block and nodded, "Sounds good. We'll shadow you from the top floor and hit those fu...I mean guys from above."

Vega said approvingly, "I like it, it keeps them safer too."

In the corridor the door had opened slightly and created a gap. Garrus and Zaeed each grabbed on to a door-half and pushed each into their respective door socket to create a wider gap to get through.

"Time your shots and stay safe." Shepard told Jack.

Garrus shouted from the door, "We can go through anytime now!"

Shepard reached for his Phalanx-gun and asked, "Do you need a gun?"

"Sure," Jack said and grabbed it, "Got any spare thermal clips?"

Shepard reached for a handful from his pouches and handed them to Jack who stuffed her pants pockets with them.

Jack nodded gratefully, "See you on the other side Shepard." She turned for the stairs leading up and barked out brusquely to her students, "All right, I didn't bust my ass training you so you could die now! Keep low and pick your targets!"

Vega chuckled, "I love a military pep-talk."


The Atrium, a cupola-like structure with a large open space inside, had artificial sunlight and sky above in the ceiling. A shallow pond was located in the open courtyard with a large rock outcrop close by. The courtyard itself was dotted with flower boxes, plants and trees. Several couches and sitting areas were present throughout so students, employees and guests could find a calm and relaxing moment to enjoy the peaceful environment. The Atrium was compromised of the ground floor with a long ramp on the side opposite the rocky outcrop. The ramp was divided by a huge wall with a passageway through which separated the courtyard in two halves. There was a floor above which was connected to Orion Hall through a series of doors and corridors.

Jack led her group of students through a corridor and emerged on the upper floor. Below them they saw Cerberus troops and the Atlas battle Shepard's team who had taken cover behind barricades near the entrance below. Jack and her students had already heard the muffled sounds of combat from inside the corridor before the door opened.

Jack radioed, "Shepard, we're above you!"

"Ready for action?" Shepard asked coolly in her earpiece.

"Hell yes!" Jack answered enthusiastically.

"Good, we're pinned down by turrets supporting the infantry, see if you can't take out a few turrets so we can push through and destroy that Atlas."

"We're on it." She turned to her students and barked out orders, "Alright, remember what I taught you! We've to destroy those turrets below and these things aren't holos like the one you trained on so give it all you got!"

Jack and her students swarmed the upper balcony near the guardrail and spotted the turrets and the generators supplying power to the protective shield. Once they had oriented themselves they unleashed barrages of warp attacks, ripping through the shields and damaging the turrets. Shepard's team had fanned out below amongst the barricades, and Jack noted that Shepard was leading Miranda and Zaeed up the ramp, keeping a low profile while attacking Cerberus troopers and Guardians which tried to flank them. Behind cover at the entrance, Garrus was leading Liara and Vega against an onslaught of Guardians as best as they could while taking heavy fire from the turrets which dotted the courtyard and the Atlas.

As Jack and her students had destroyed several turrets, Garrus' squad was now able to defeat the Guardians massing at their position as Shepard's squad opened fire from the ramp down the courtyard. At the barricades, Vega reached for his missile launcher and fired the last remaining missile at the Atlas which destroyed it, killing the pilot in the explosion as the missile struck the cockpit. Vega discarded his disposable missile launcher and reached for his assault rifle and joined his squad to engage the ground troops.

The two squads continued fighting the remaining Cerberus troops, trapping them in a coordinated crossfire of small arms fire and biotics. As the last trooper fell dead, Garrus' squad pushed forward while Shepard's squad headed down a long flight of stairs and the two squads rendezvoused near the edge of the large wall separating the courtyard.

Jack and her students dashed onwards on the second floor to get into a better firing position. From upstairs Jack had a much better view of the Atrium and could see a large contingent of Cerberus troopers, Centurions and engineers massing at the far end of the courtyard.

Panting as she ran Jack radioed Shepard, "More on the way on the other side of the Atrium, Shepard! Watch it."

"Copy that. We're heading for a corridor here to circle around. The door past the ramp was disabled."

"We'll make it difficult for them in the meantime." Jack replied.

Jack stopped in her tracks with the students in tow and they began bombarding the troops and turrets below with biotics.

Jack waved her arm and pulled a trooper of the ground below them, sending him floating in the air helplessly before Prangley unleashed a warp which detonated Jack's biotic power and sent the trooper screaming before he slammed into a nearby concrete pillar and died.

Jack grinned and praised, "Nice one Prangley!"

Prangley, standing near Jack, gave her a quick nod before he unleashed another warp attack at a trooper which was followed by an attack by Rodriguez. The trooper was overwhelmed and couldn't reach cover and spasmed by the dark energy which engulfed and killed him.

The contingent of Cerberus troopers below opened fire at Jack and her students, directing a barrage of small arms fire at the second floor, sending the students scurrying for cover. Jack darted behind a pillar near the guardrail.

Fuck! Where's Shepard?

She reached for the Phalanx-pistol at her side and leaned out and opened fire as rapidly as she could at a Centurion. His shields absorbed the rounds but Jack continued her firing and unleashed a warp for good measure when the pistol was depleted which killed the Centurion. Jack quickly returned to cover to reload.

The Cerberus troops continued firing at her and the rounds tore away chips of concrete on the pillar.

Jack called out, "Shepard! Where are you? We're taking heavy fire here!"

"We're here." Shepard radioed.

The gunfire intensified in the courtyard as Shepard's team pushed through and spread out over the area firing at the enemies and the turrets.

The Cerberus troops were slowly being overwhelmed as they tried to counter the attacks from above and in front of them. They soon found cover amongst the pillars, barricades and sitting areas. Two engineers darted away from cover with no regard for their own life and tried to set up additional turrets but were quickly killed by Shepard's team.

The Centurions leading the troopers and engineers counter-attacked, spreading out their squads as half of them attack Shepard's team and the other half attacked Jack and her students.

A concentrated barrage of small arms fire was directed at the second floor and Rodriguez got overwhelmed as she exposed her body from behind a pillar, the rounds drained her barrier. She fell on her back by the kinetic energy of the rounds and gasped in pain.

Jack turned to her and rushed to her side and slid down on her knees and dropped the gun on the floor, furious at the Cerberus troops below trying to kill her kids. She ripped apart the shirt around the shoulder to examine her wound and scolded the student, "Damn it Rodriguez, this isn't dodgeball. Keep your barriers up!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Rodriguez gasped.

At least one bullet had penetrated the Ensign's barrier and gone right through the shoulder and blood was pouring down her arm.

Jack turned to Prangley, who was attacking the Cerberus troops below with the rest of the students, and shouted, "Prangley, slap some medi-gel on her!"

Prangley darted away from cover towards Jack and Rodriguez, "Yes ma'am!"

Prangley slid down on his knees and reached for a medi-gel injector from his cargo pocket on his pants and jammed it into her shoulder which made Rodriguez grunt in pain. The medical salve closed up the wound and Prangley quickly discarded the injector.

"I'm okay!" Rodriguez cried out and winced as the medi-gel spread through her wound.

Jack snarled, "Like hell you are! Stay down! If you die on me I will kick your ass!"

"Everyone okay up there?" Shepard asked worried.

"Yeah yeah, Rodriguez got sloppy and took one in the arm because she didn't watch her barriers!" Jack radioed back in her usual brusque manner. She picked up her gun and left Rodriguez's side.

Jack stopped at the edge of the balcony and aimed her pistol down range at a trooper behind a barricade busy with shooting Shepard's team.

Jack fired several rounds hitting the trooper in the upper body and called out resentful, "You come after my kids? You are dead, you hear me!"

Fuckers!

The trooper fell dead to the ground and Jack bunkered down behind a pillar to reload her pistol.


Down in the courtyard, Shepard ordered Liara and Garrus to follow him as they ran up a long staircase leading up to the ramp above them, from there they attacked the remaining Cerberus squads from an elevated position as the second squad pushed through the courtyard. The Cerberus troops were caught in the crossfire of biotics and small arms fire and were defeated.

Shepard breathed a sigh of relief as he reloaded his assault rifle, overlooking the carnage and dead Cerberus troops down in the courtyard.

"Everyone okay?" Shepard shouted.

"We're fine down here." Miranda shouted back from behind a wall.

"Good. Rendezvous on me." Shepard responded. He turned to Liara and Garrus, "You good?"

"Fine here Shepard, just the usual bruises and whatnot," Garrus responded deadpanned.

"I'm alright." Liara said out of breath.

Shepard led Liara and Garrus down the ramp near the exit of the Atrium, an open door leading into a short corridor, as Miranda's squad walked up the stairs and joined them.

Shepard radioed Sanders, "We cleared the Atrium. Sanders, what's the situation on your end?"

"I've reached the Cerberus shuttles without being detected. I don't know how long that will last, you need to hurry."

"Yeah, we're on our way. Shepard out." He then turned and shouted up to Jack, "We're pushing forward and will try and support you guys the best we can."

"You got it." Jack called back.

Shepard gestured for the others to follow him and they ran through the corridor towards the door on the other side. Shepard swiped his hand over the interface and walked through with the others as the door opened. They rushed through a passageway leading to a hallway of angled walls with artificial waterfalls in front of them.

Nearing the hallway they heard the unmistaken voice of a Cerberus trooper further down.

"That's an impressive barrier you got there Octavia. Our files say you've been working on shield technology."

Shepard gestured for the others to keep a low profile and they hugged the wall following Shepard as he moved slowly at the wall leading up to the hallway. Shepard peered around the corner and saw two troopers with their backs to him as they confronted three students surrounded by a shield bubble and on the floor between the students was a shield generator.

One of the students sneered, "It's a handheld multicore solution based on cyclonic barrier technology, jackass. And it's pronounced Oc-tah-via."

Shepard brought up his rifle and opened fire at the two troopers in quick controlled bursts at the back of their heads, swiftly shifting between the targets. They fell dead on the floor before they had time to react.

"Clear," Shepard said and rose from cover with the others in tow and cut the distance to the students.

The student in front, Octavia, stood her ground and held up her hand with her omni-tool activated, controlling the shield generator. She watched Shepard and the others cautiously but didn't move nor did she lower the shield.

Shepard stopped nearby and explained, "I'm Commander Shepard with the Alliance Navy, and we're here to get you out of here."

Behind Shepard his squad spread out and covered the hallway.

From behind the barrier Octavia snorted, "Yeah right. You think I'll fall for that? That other guy said the same thing."

Before Shepard could say anything more a young male student in the back with shaved head, down on one knee on the floor and hunched over the generator spoke up, "The square root of 906.01 equals..."

Shepard clearly remembered the soft voice and filled in, "30.1."

The young autistic mathematical savant looked up and greeted friendly, "Hello Commander Shepard."

Shepard smiled, "Hello David."

"You know each other?" The second male student, Issac, standing near Octavia asked surprised.

"Yes. He rescued me from Cerberus. Sent me here. He made it quiet," David Archer explained.

Issac looked at Octavia and she gave him a nod and the two of them tapped their omni-tools and the shield generator shut down.

Shepard praised, "You kids did a great job keeping yourself safe."

"Uh...Thanks Commander," Octavia said with a faint smile.

Shepard continued, "Jack and the other students are on the floor above us heading for the shuttle bay where Kahlee Sanders is waiting. You should head up to them."

Octavia nodded, "Alright sir. We'll go to them."

David rose to his feet and walked up to Shepard.

"He seems to have recovered well," Garrus observed next to Shepard.

He has, Shepard thought. He could swith aversion remember the contraption which Gavin Archer had strung up David in. The younger brother's naked body had appeared grey and deathlike with wires connected to his skull and tubes shoved down his mouth, his eyes had been forced open with hooks and the eyes had been moving around frantically. Shepard had been fuming with hatred towards the Cerberus scientist and only the presence of the helpless brother had stopped him from beating the man to a pulp. Thankfully it seemed that David was feeling better and had regained his natural skin tone and appeared at ease.

David glanced at the armed team around Shepard; he recognized some of them and gave Garrus an acknowledging nod, "Normandy Crew. I remember you." David looked glum and turned his eyes to the floor, "I apologize for what I did." He looked up again at Garrus.

Garrus shook his head and said friendly, "No need for that."

"Has Grissom Academy treated you right?" Shepard asked.

David nodded, "Yes, I've been counting."

"Anything in particular?"

"The number of days you lengthened my life."

Shepard smiled, happy for David's well being.

Octavia chimed in, "We better hurry."

"Goodbye." David said as he and his friends rushed away to a staircase leading up to the second floor to the left of Shepard.

Shepard looked at the shield generator on the floor and called out to the students, "What of this thing?"

Octavia turned around at the edge of the staircase, "We need to hurry and it's too cumbersome to carry, Commander."

The three students disappeared up the staircase.

Shepard radioed Jack, "We saved three other students from Cerberus troops. They're heading up to you now." He looked around, "We're...eh...in some junction near a security station just past the exit from the Atrium."

"Great job Shepard. Yeah, I know where that is, we'll be waiting for them."

"Good, Shepard out." Shepard turned to Garrus, "Mine that shield generator. It'll give Cerberus a surprise of they come here."

Garrus grinned, "You got it." He reached into one of his pouches and brought up a couple of proximity mines.


Shepard and his team cut through a corridor and pressed on to the shuttle bay. They came up to a new door and Shepard swiped his hand over the interface and as they walked through the doorway they entered a hallway with a large staircase at the end leading up. They stopped in the tracks as they stumbled upon a Cerberus engineer tinkering with a battle damaged Atlas mech near the wall, the canopy had been shattered.

The engineer heard the disturbance and turned to the door, seeing Shepard and his team he tried to reach for his weapon but was quickly killed by a short burst from Shepard's rifle.

Vega walked up and gazed at the mech once the threat was dealt with, "Wow...I call shotgun on that thing."

"Eh, no you don't LT, I'll commandeer it."

Vega sighed and relented.

From behind Shepard, Garrus murmured, "Crap."

Shepard walked over to the mech and holstered his rifle.

Liara chimed in, "I think we should stay far away from the mech with Shepard in it, even if the Atlas has potential to support us."

"Agreed," Garrus said.

Vega looked at the two aliens bewildered.

Garrus explained, "You don't want to be in or near a vehicle with Shepard at the controls."

Shepard turned and protested, "Hey, it's not my fault the Mako handles like it does!"

Garrus turned to Shepard and deadpanned, "It's not just the Mako you know? You just can't drive."

Shepard gestured dismissively at Garrus and climbed up one of the legs and took a seat inside the cockpit of the Atlas.

Miranda chimed in with a devilish grin, "That's why I never let him drive when on a date with him."

"Whatever. I'm hardcore and you all are just a bunch of wussies. And you Garrus, you and your ugly, scaly ass can't take a few bumps? What you call torture, I call a massage." Shepard deadpanned and adjusted to the seat and closed the canopy. He examined the central console and started up the machine with the press of a button. The element zero core on the back of the mech spooled up.

Liara called out apprehensive, "Do you even know what you are doing, John?"

"This is child's play," Shepard explained, "Control stick on the right and the weapons control stick on the left." He grabbed both controls and took command of the mech.

Being the first time he controlled one he tried to get used to the controls and the mech walked around the spacious hall in a wobbling motion while the others watched in both amazement and anxiety. But it wasn't long until Shepard got the hang of the controls and steered it towards the stair case leading up to the waiting hall off the shuttle bay.

"Let's let Shepard take care of the enemies and we'll mop up the remnants." Garrus observed

"Sounds like a good idea," Liara responded.

Shepard steered the Atlas through the wide stair case and emerged on top in the spacious waiting hall; on each side there was an overpass above held up by several glazed walls, there was a several story high atrium, giving the already large waiting hall a feeling of space and light. In the middle of the hall there was a raised statue and memorial wall of the station's namesake, Jon Grissom. On the right side of the hall there the wall was constructed around a large window and beyond it was the shuttle bay itself and several Cerberus Kodiaks could be seen parked there.

The hall was already populated with a dozen Cerberus troopers and Centurions moving towards the entrance to the shuttle bay at the far end, having figured out what Sanders was up to. The troops were already darting from cover to cover to shield themselves from the biotic attacks from Jack and her students on the second floor above the entrance. They were shielded by a biotic barrier. Shepard flickered of the Master Arm switch on his weapons control stick and opened fire with the slow firing but devastating mass-accelerator cannon.

The Cerberus squads were taken by surprise from the attack on their rear and most, if not all, were quickly defeated as they were unable to take cover before being cut down.

The rest of the team split up in two squads on each side of the hall and flanked the enemy with Vega following Miranda, and Garrus taking the others with him. They pressed on and engaged the few surviving hostiles as Shepard's Atlas pushed on in the middle. They quickly cleared the waiting hall.

In Shepard's earpiece he heard Jack's amazed voice, "Holy hell Shepard! I thought that was a Cerberus mech and that we were done for. That thing can come in handy."

"Oh yeah," Shepard responded in glee before he commanded, "Sanders prep the shuttles, we'll cover you."

"I'm on it Commander."

Shepard took up position in front of the shuttle bay entrance and turned around, covering the rest of the hall while his two squads bunkered down behind nearby walls.

The remaining Cerberus units on the station amassed on the hall, they emerged from various entrances across the hall, both on the ground level and on the second floor, poised to stop the students from fleeing Grissom Academy. But with the superior firepower possessed by the Atlas the squads of Centurions, troopers and engineers was duly defeated while Jack and her students provided support with their biotics.

Even with the overwhelming amount of Cerberus squads converging on the hall Shepard and his allies managed to keep them away from the shuttle bay; while Shepard's team attacked the troops on the ground floor Shepard focused his attention on the second floor where a dozen of troops pressed on despite the barrage of biotic attacks from Jack and the students. Shepard bombarded the enemy with rockets and cannon fire, ripping apart the oncoming onslaught of troops, stopping their attack.

Having sensed that their troops could not push forward, Cerberus had directed an Atlas towards the waiting hall as a last ditch resort to defeat Shepard's commandeered mech. The Cerberus Atlas emerged from the staircase and engaged Shepard, and with a broken canopy Shepard had to be even more careful then when he was engaging the ground forces. The Cerberus Atlas fired several rockets at Shepard's mech but he managed to steer the lumbering Atlas behind a wall for cover and the rockets detonated on the other side, blowing away chunks of concrete.

Shepard's squad opened fire at the mech to draw its fire from Shepard who emerged from behind the wall and launched several rockets and opened fire with the Atlas's mass accelerator autocannon. A few well placed rockets and heavy slugs from the cannon and the enemy Atlas was soon reduced to debris as it exploded.

Sanders' voice was heard in their earpieces, "Commander, the shuttles are ready."

"Copy, we're coming to you now." Shepard radioed and steered the Atlas behind the wall again for cover.

Jack called out in her usual manner, "We're clear, now move your ass before backup arrives!"

Shepard opened the hatch of the Atlas and climbed out of it and jumped down on the floor. His team rallied around him and he ordered, "On me!"

They acknowledged and rushed over to the door. The rest of the team fanned out and provided cover in case more Cerberus reinforcements would turn up and Shepard opened the door. Moments later they all had poured into the lobby and the door shut behind them. Shepard quickly accessed the interface and locked it from their end.

From one of the stairs in the far end of the lobby Jack and her students emerged from the second floor.

"Everyone with you?" Shepard turned from the door and asked Jack.

She stopped and turned to her students as they ran past her to the shuttles and made a quick head count and turned back to Shepard, "Yeah, we're all here."

Outside the lobby in the Cargo Bay two Cerberus shuttles were ready to go, both shuttle doors were open and the students piled into them. Sanders were standing near one of the shuttles and ushered the students in.

Shepard ordered, "James, take the lead shuttle."

Vega nodded and rushed up to it, "Yes sir!"

Muffled gunshots were heard from the waiting hall and bullets struck the windows of the lobby but didn't shatter them. Cerberus reinforcements converged on the hall and rushed through it in a last ditch effort to stop the evacuation.

"And we're leaving now!" Shepard barked as he ran towards the second shuttle.

Shepard's team split up and entered the Kodiaks, Vega was at the controls of the lead Kodiak while Sanders quickly rushed into the cockpit of the second Kodiak and readied it for flight. When the shuttle doors of both Kodiaks closed and locked the two shuttles lifted off and moved in close formation towards the exit, the airlock opened and the shuttles sped through the barrier curtains and away from the station.


Inside the second shuttle the students was in the seats while Shepard, Zaeed, Garrus and Jack was standing in the cramped passenger compartment, holding onto handrails at various points on the walls. The students were visibly shaken but relieved of getting out of Grissom Academy alive. They sat in silent trying to calm their nerves; facing combat for the first time in their young lives had its toll. They all knew not everyone had come out of the station alive and that several of their friends had either been killed or taken by Cerberus, but they were all grateful for the arrival of Shepard and the Normandy.

Shepard radioed the Normandy, "Joker, we're leaving in two Cerberus shuttles, do not engage!"

"Copy that Commander, I got you on my scope."

"Any troubles with Cerberus?"

"Negative, they don't know I'm here. I'm sending our location to you now. I'm a few minutes out."

"Roger that. Cover our exfiltration and as soon as we've docked with the Normandy head to the protection of the Alliance Task Force."

"You got it. Joker out. The Alliance ships are closing in on Grissom right now."

"Good," Shepard replied.

From the cockpit Sanders called out relieved, "Thank you Commander. We'd never gotten of that station without your help."

Shepard turned around and strolled into the cockpit, "Your welcome."

Behind him in the passenger compartment Jack spoke up and praised the students, "Fu-forget that. You kicked ass! Next civilized place we dock you are all getting inked. My treat. What do you guys want? Ascension Project logo? Glowing fist?" She looked at Rodriguez and continued tauntingly, "A unicorn for Rodriguez?"

In her seat with her hand pressing on her wound Rodriguez protested, "Screw you ma'am."

Shepard chuckled before he turned his attention to Sanders again, "Where to after this?"

"We can leave for the evacuation Task Force with the shuttles as soon as we've dropped you off." Sanders said.

Shepard shook his head, "Not happening, you got two wounded students who need medical attention, and the Normandy is the closest and Doctor Chakwas has the capability to care for them. We'll see to the students and then we'll figure out what to do with you."

Sanders turned to Shepard and nodded grateful, "Thank you Commander."

Enthusiasm filled the students in the passenger compartment; none of them had ever been aboard an Alliance warship and became exited of the prospect of touring the famous Normandy.

Shepard turned from the cockpit and walked over to Jack and stopped.

Joker's voice was heard in the intercom, "We got visual on you now, preparing to dock."

Sanders responded, "Understood Normandy. Initiating docking sequence."

Joker spoke up again, this time tauntingly, "Hey Jack, now that you're military, are you gonna wear a uniform or are you just going to tattoo officer's bars on your shoulders?"

Jack snorted, "Screw you, you f-." She reeled in herself and sighed, "Lieutenant."

Joker chuckled, "Uh, what was that?"

Sanders explained with a faint smirk as she piloted the Kodiak the last kilometer, "Jack made a promise to watch her language in order to maintain the professional behavior we require from our teachers."

Shepard laughed good-naturedly but Jack didn't appreciate it and turned to him and mustered a viscous glare. Zaeed and Garrus joined in as well, finding it all very hilarious considering the former convict's behavior in the past. Jack looked away from Shepard and sighed and shook her head. She didn't bother reprimanding her old team mates.

Joker chimed in, "So, you guys have a swear jar? Fill it up with credits every time she lets an F-word fly? I bet we could afford a cruiser or even a new Normandy with all that money."

Jack mumbled a warning to the students, "Cover your ears kids." She called out annoyed, "Hey Joker! Fuck you!"


Edited 2013-10-01, added Shepard's wrist lock of Jack. Lifted from US Marine Corps Martial Arts manual.

Edited 2014-01-26; added some minor depiction and backstory for Sanders. Inspired from the book "Mass Effect: Revelation."