Earth: Alliance HQ.
Ashley walked into the Alliance courtroom, where an Admiral said, "Williams, after having thoroughly reviewing both yours and Shepard's reports on the Horizon incident, we have come to the decision that it would be best to re-assign you to the Normandy crew. Shepard has cut all ties with the Illusive Man, and is the best humanity has to offer. We need an Alliance officer on that ship, and Shepard is a Spectre first and foremost. We doubt the Council would appreciate us trying to reinstate her to the Alliance. You are to report to the Normandy when they arrive on Illium which is their next destination."
"Sir, are you sure it is safe to trust Shepard? She worked for Cerberus, and, for all we know, still is." Ashley said.
"That is enough, Lieutenant Williams. As of now, you are to prepare to work on the Normandy as you did before Shepard's death." The Admiral said, and Ashley nodded, before walking out to gather her supplies.
In her quarters she picked up the picture of the original Normandy. In front of the ship stood, Tali, Garrus, Kaidan, and herself. She grinned thinking of how on Therum Shepard had insisted on keeping Legion, and the young quarian's response. The geth had been incredibly helpful, but now, she was the only one of that group that wasn't back on the Normandy. Except for Kaidan, who had sacrificed himself on Virmire.
She sighed, the idiot biotic had always been a bit rough around the edges, not to mention didn't think much of her beliefs. But, he had never thought less of her because of her grandfather surrendering on Shanxi. She smiled as she looked at the old ship. Remembering Pressly arguing with Shepard over letting Garrus and Wrex stay on the Normandy. The Commander had been damn near throwing the XO into the galaxy map. Ashley snapped out of her reverie, and began packing up her possessions. When she was done, she went to the ship port, and got on the first shuttle heading for Illium.
The Citadel: Zakera Ward.
Jessica walked out of the Dark Star, followed by Miranda and they quickly reached the food market, where she picked up some more premium food supplies for the Normandy. They then went back to the Normandy, where Kasumi stood waiting for them. "What's up, Kasumi?" Jessica inquired.
"Shep, I just thought you should know that the crew are pretty restless. And, since the upgrades Thane, Tali, and Javik offered would take a few days to apply that it might be smart to offer them the time off." the thief replied.
Jessica said, "That's a good idea." while they walked into the frigate, "EDI, tell the crew that while the upgrades are being applied that they have the time off. But, they're under no circumstances allowed to get drunk. We'll need them in top form when we leave for Illium."
Illium: Three days later.
Samara walked forward, and was greeted by an asari, who said, "Ma'am, this is a police investigation. We can't let you in here."
Samara said, "I am not interested in that specific crime, but I am hunting an Ardat Yaktshi."
"Oh, my apologies, Justicar." the officer said.
Samara didn't respond, but instead continued moving towards the crime scene. There were several Eclipse Sisters there. Whom she immediately engaged in combat. Flaring her biotics, the justicar quickly dispatched the first two mercs, and asked the third, "What is the name of the ship that you smuggled her off world on?"
"She would do far worse to me than you ever could, Justicar." Spat the young merc. When she crushed the young asari's neck with a silent 'crack' noise, she noticed that there were humans in the area. The leader, a woman with long, red hair, black armor, and eyes that showed more experience than such a young face should have had, asked, "Are you Samara?"
"Yes, and you are?" Samara inquired.
"Commander Shepard, Normandy SR2. We've come to get your help for a suicide mission. At least that's what most people would call it." the leader replied.
"I am afraid that I cannot assist you, there are other matters that I must attend to."
"Maybe we can help you." Shepard offered.
Samara was surprised by the human's offer, but before she could respond an officer said, "Sorry, Justicar, but I have orders to take you in to prevent an incident."
Samara replied, "Very well. But you should know that the Code dictates that I must fight way out if I am detained for more than a day."
"It is foolish to let yourself be detained for a day then fight your way out. It would be quicker to simply kill your foes immediately." a four-eyed alien said.
Shepard replied, "Javik, enough! We don't go questioning your methods, so why don't you quit questioning the ways of the asari?"
"Very well, Commander." Javik replied.
"What are you?" Samara asked.
"Prothean." Javik said.
Samara looked surprised, but followed the officer back to the precinct, where Shepard asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I am hunting an incredibly dangerous individual. She has killed hundreds of people in the last few hundred years."
"And she was smuggled off world by Eclipse, so you need to find a way out the name of the ship that this woman escaped on."
"Correct, I believe that the volus- I think his name was Pitne For- whose partner was murdered would be an excellent place to start your investigation on how to get into the Eclipse base." Samara said.
When the Justicar finished saying what she thought would be the best way to find a way into the Eclipse base, Shepard, Javik, Jack, Tali, and Zaeed exited the building. After looking around for a few minutes, they found Pitne For standing by his turian guards. When they approached him, he said, "I have nothing to say to you. Whatever it is you are investigating, I am in no way involved."
Shepard pulled out her pistol and shot one of his guards in the head. She said, "I'm a Council Spectre. I can do what I want. So, you'll either tell me what I want to know, or you'll lose that suit of yours."
"That would be equal to murder!"
"Only to you. Remember, above the law. So why don't you tell us how to get into the Eclipse base."
The volus replied, "They use key cards to get into the elevator behind the precinct. If you take it up, you'll reach the base. Now, can I please go?"
"No, stay right here. Tali, make sure he doesn't go anywhere. I doubt he'd appreciate us leaving anything other than an enviro-suit wearer with him." Before taking the others with her to the Eclipse base. After what seemed like an hour (But was really just 38 minutes) the elevator opened, and Shepard said, "Jack, Grunt, you two take point. Zaeed and I will provide you two covering fire, but I expect you to watch each other's back. Understood?"
"Yeah, I got, don't let the big lizard get hurt." Jack said, and Grunt merely nodded. They moved into the first area of the base where there were no guards, but were several vaults that Shepard insisted on opening. After she had finished hacking the systems, and had gathered all the credits inside, they found a hallway where several Eclipse sisters were. Jack and Grunt charged into the group of asari, while Shepard and Zaeed pulled out their snipers and lined up their sights with the skulls of the enemies. Shepard pulled the trigger of her Widow, and the asari's head exploded with the force of the round's impact. Jack's looked back at Shepard, before ducking a kick from one of the asari, and using her biotics to fling the asari out of a nearby window, and watched the asari fall a hundred stories to her death.
Grunt had pinned an asari who was begging for mercy, saying, "I only pretended to pull the trigger!"
Shepard said, "We'll let you live, under one circumstance. You tell us about the person that Samara is looking for. The one Eclipse smuggled off world."
"You mean the Ardat Yaktshi?"
"Shit. We never get simple jobs." the Commander growled, "Yes, the Ardat Yaktshi. What can you tell us about her?"
"Nothing more than she is one. Now can I go?"
"Yeah. Just don't try to kill anyone again." Shepard said as the young asari ran off. A while later, deeper in the base. They were suddenly attacked by a gunship. Shepard managed to dive out of the way, but Grunt was riddled with bullets. The krogan's armor managed to block most of it, but a single round slipped through, hitting one of his primary organs.
When he switched to the secondary organ, he went into a blood rage and charged the gunship. Clearly, the pilot had never seen an enraged krogan, and when Grunt charged, was so shocked that she didn't pull out of his range. So, the glass was shattered when Grunt headbutted it with all his might. The glass flew inward, flying right through the eyes of the asari pilot. As they flew through her skull, they tore her brain apart from within her skull, killing her instantly. The gunner tried to take control, but the body had landed right on top of the controls.
The ship flew into a wall, exploding, and destabilizing the structure. Grunt looked like he might charge the next thing he saw, so Shepard was the first to stand up. She said, "Grunt, you okay?"
The krogan roared, and charged at Shepard, but was stopped by her biotics. She asked, "You okay?"
The Krogan growled, and tried to attack her. But he couldn't move. A few moments later, he had come out of his bloodrage, and said, "This is fun, Shepard." but before they continued Shepard applied medigel to his wound, hoping that would keep him ok until they got back to Chakwas. After a few more rooms where Shepard went looting, they saw a volus wobbling about on his little legs. Clearly having used far too much of the chemical in the containers that were littered throughout the base. He said, "I am a biotic god! I will toss Wasea around like a ragdoll."
"What the hell's wrong with you?" Shepard asked.
"I am a biotic god! When they first began to pump so many chemicals into me, I was afraid. But then, I began to realize my own greatness. I am biotics made flesh."
Javik said, "Volus have always had limited biotic potential. We deigned them too weak to be of any use to the empire. His assumption is wrong."
"You, heathen, will be the first to die when I have drank Wasea's biotic rich blood, and completed my ascension to godhood!" The volus said, while he turned to walk into the next room.
Shepard pushed him over and said, "Maybe you could use a nap."
The volus seemed to suddenly crash, hard, and said, "Yes, I am tired. First I'll take a little nap, destroy the universe later."
Javik said, "Only a fool assumes to be a god."
Shepard nodded, and walked into the next room, where the head of Eclipse on Illium was ranting about how they shouldn't have smuggled the Ardat Yaktshi off of Illium. When she noticed Shepard, she drew her pistol and opened fire. Shepard was lucky that the asari's first shot was slightly off, so she only heard the bullet whiz past her ear, before she could pull out her Reegar carbine, and charged the asari. When she was in range, she held down the trigger, and grinned as the weapon fired lightning right into the criminal.
As the shields vaporized, and the murderer began to spaz out as the millions of volts of electricity ran through her, Shepard said, "I love this thing!" before she popped out the thermal clip and replaced it. She then grabbed the datapad the asari had been using, and quickly read through it. After gleaning the name of the ship she was looking for, she also noticed that there was a file on it that showed the asari who they'd let go confessing to murdering Pitne For's business partner.
Illium: Precinct.
Shepard walked up to Samara, and said, "We've got the ship that the Ardat Yaktshi left on, and Enyala, this datapad also contains information relating to the murder of Pitne For's partner."
The cop replied, "Thanks, Shepard."
Tali sighed, making sure this volus stayed where he was told was the most boring job Shepard had ever given her. Just standing here, making sure he didn't try to leave. She could feel her heartrate slow to a crawl while she watched. She was barely breathing, hardly moving, she was just there. Most people would guess that she was a very lifelike statue of a quarian that Pitne would try to sell. But the volus also didn't move. Then, Tali began to freak out. She barely managed to move, and realized that she'd been hit by a Collector swarm.
Shepard looked out the window, and what she saw was horrifying. The Collectors had come to Illium. And she knew it was for her. She saw that Tali was perfectly still, while a Scion walked up to her. Shepard swore, and ran out of the building, while she activated Mordin's counter-measure. She fired on the Scion with her Harrier. After firing two clips into the monstrous thing, it fell down dead and she was able to drag her back into the Precinct. Inside, she contacted the Normandy and said, "Joker, get the Normandy moving now! The Collectors have hit our current location. We need backup."
Joker's voice crackled through her radio, but even through all the interference, he sounded frantic, "They've hit the entire planet, Shepard. They've got more than just that one cruiser now. We're barely able to stay alive as is. We can't get you out of there."
"Is Miri alright?" Shepard asked.
"Don't worry about me, Jessica. I'm fine. Just find a way to get out of there." Miranda replied.
"I'll try, but it won't be easy. There are easily a hundred Collector Troopers and abominations here. Not to mention captains."
"We'll try to get to you, but there's just too many enemies in between where we are and where you are."
Shepard sighed, and said, "I know. Just stay safe. We'll find a way to get to the Normandy without getting killed. I promise that we'll make it back."
Grunt and Jack were firing on the Collectors, and Javik was using his biotics against them, but they were being overwhelmed. Shepard fired with her harrier, and Samara was using an assault rifle on the enemies. Enyala had taken cover behind her desk and was using her pistol on the Collectors, but it wasn't enough. The Collectors were surging into the building faster than the group could kill them.
A\N: Mwahahahahahahahahahahaha! I bet none of you saw that one coming. (At least I seriously hope you didn't. If you did, please let me know.) Anyways, thanks for reading and please review.