Mass Effect Andromeda Series II: Chapter 36
"Bosh'tet! I will not work with it," Tali grumbled loudly as she stood outside the medlab, ringing her hands nervously. "Keelah. This is an insult to my people. I can't."
Garrus was heading down to the elevator to check in with Joker when he noticed the troubled Quarian. "Tali? You okay?" He pretty much knew the issue. When Shepard, Jack and Miranda arrived back from acquiring the Reaper IFF, they also brought a very interesting item. Ironically, it was a new crew member and squad mate that Shepard branded. The decision however did sit too well with Tali.
"How can I face my people after being faced with treason and then work side by side with a Geth? Why is Shepard doing this? I thought I trusted him."
Garrus noticed from the med lab window that the Geth known as Legion had exited the AI core and was being scanned by Dr. Chakwas as it was being prepped for their next mission. While EDI was scanning the IFF to implant it into the Normandy's systems, Shepard decided it would be best to help Legion address these "heretic" Geth that were still following the "old machines" or Reapers. He kind of saw Tali's point, they faced numerous Geth in the last two years with Saren. Why would Shepard turn and completely put his trust in one? It wasn't like Cerberus was calling the shots. In fact, Cerberus expressed opinions on spacing it or even handing it over to the Illusive Man for further study. This was completely Shepard's call. An interesting one. "I trust, Shepard, Tali. He has not stirred us wrong yet."
"How can you say that?" Tali sniffed. "My father died trying to find ways to get back our homeworld from the Geth and now I am supposed just work beside one?"
"He seems different," Vakarian noticed that Legion had turned his head to look over at them at the window as if he was trying to find out what they were talking about.
"Bosh'tet. 'It', Garrus." Tali sighed hard seeing Legion make his way out of the med lab to where they were.
The bipedal machine halted its course when it was near them. "Creator Zorah, this unit is to accompany you and Shepard Commander."
Placing her palm in her face, Tali groaned. "This way, Legion. Don't try anything. I have a shotgun." She led him to the elevator.
Legion complied with the request. "This unit has no hostility towards Creator Zorah."
Shaking his head, Garrus chuckled lightly, "That should be an interesting mission."
Moments later after he reached the Forward Battery, Joker spoke through the room's comm, "So, Garrus, want to get in on this?"
"On what?"
"Zaeed and I started up a bet. How long will Legion survive before Tali spaces it?'
"I got a better one," Zaeed blurted out, surprising Garrus at the room's door. When did he get there? Startled, Garrus jumped back.
"Hey, you can't change the bet now. They left."
"Shepard wants the rest of us to track down a signal in the shuttle while they deal with those machines."
"The crew to stop the Collectors. You, Samara, Thane, Zaeed, Grunt, Mordin, Jacob and Kasumi," Miranda further explained as she walked up behind them.
"You forgot, Jack," Joker teased.
Ignoring him, Miranda continued with a huff. "We could leave her here. Shepard wants us to go together so we can make sure we all ready to take down the Collectors. Work out any issues we have left. We have to be united as a team."
"So you and Jack?" Joker egged her on.
"I know my duty, Joker. I will work with her," Miranda fumed.
Zaeed laughed, "I give you five minutes before you tear each other apart."
"Take pictures!"
In the lower level where the shuttle was stored, Garrus stood outside with Miranda as the others climbed in. Jack glared hard at the brunette before following Mordin. "So this signal?" Garrus asked the Cerberus operative beside him.
"It's probably nothing, but it's located in a sector near her. ETA sixty minutes. Shepard wants us to discuss anything we need to get off our chests before go into the Omega 4 relay."
With a nod, Garrus entered the shuttle and took a seat near Grunt. Miranda was the last one in and closed the vessel's door before sitting at the control panel. "Joker, all accounted for. Heading out now."
"Roger that. Good hunting."
Hearing the shuttle's engine come to life, Garrus looked over at Grunt. "So, anything you want to, uh, talk about?"
"Yeah. When we do kill something? All this waiting is making my blood cold."
"No shit, right?" Jack looked over at the pair.
"Pfft, figures," Miranda rolled her eyes overhearing Jack put in her two cents. "That was expected."
"You got something to say to me?" Subject Zero leered over at her.
Turning her chair around to address the shuttle's occupants, Miranda's perfect eyes fell upon the hardened criminal sitting just feet away. "Clearly, you were a mistake. I don't know why the Illusive Man wanted you out."
"Maybe to replace you," Jack mocked as she stood up from her chair. "He was tired of a cheerleader.
"Um, ladies. Perhaps we should uh talk about the mission. How much further to the signal?" Kasumi became uneasy in her chair as she looked on.
"Forty minutes," Miranda quickly answered without looking back at the console. "Shepard said we needed to work things out. I don't mind doing it here."
"Go ahead," Jack crossed her arms. "You have nothin' on me. You don't know what Cerberus put me through. Too bad, you didn't come with me to Pragia."
"To watch you nuke it? You solve all your problems that way? Just blowing it up?" Miranda scoffed.
"Makes me fuckin' feel better."
"Well, Shepard did nuke the breeding facility on Virmire," Garrus added, trying to make light of the situation. He knew it wouldn't go well for the shuttle if these two biotics went at it. There was nothing to throw around, except for its passengers.
"Shut up, Garrus," Jack huffed.
"Just fight already," Grunt seemed to enjoy watching the display of tempers.
"We have a job to do. Shepard made it clear that we do not let our personal feelings get in the way," Jacob stood up. The only brave soul to get between the two women.
"Fuck your feelings. I just want her dead," Jack seethed through her teeth.
Seeing that the dark skinned man was going to have trouble controlling them, Garrus stepped forward to add more to the voice of reason. "Jacob's right. There's a lot more at stake right now than past grudges. Miranda, Shepard helped with your sister and Jack, you dealt with Pragia. We need to work together if we are going to take down the Collectors.
Miranda shrugged as she stood up from her chair to address them, "I can set aside my differences….till the mission's over." Her eyes never leaving the angry woman before her.
"Sure," Jack sat back down as she smiled up at Miranda. "I'll do my part. I'd hate to see her die before I get to filet her myself."
Seeing that the imminent disaster was aborted, Jacob took his seat as Garrus stood there and eyed the rest of the shuttle's crew with his avian eyes. "Glad that's over with. Anyone else?"
"Good to see common goal for all. Can't wait to continue work analyzing the samples off the Collector ship," Mordin spoke up after a few seconds of silence.
"We near that signal, yet?" Zaeed called out to Miranda after suffering endless time of silence on the shuttle.
"Just up on it… That can't be right," Miranda muttered to herself as she tapped the monitor.
Garrus saw Jack raise up to say something, hurtful most likely, and held up his hand to stop her. "What is it, Miranda?"
"The signal…it's gone."
Becoming alarmed, Jacob walked back to where she was. "We were about five minutes away," He took the co-pilot seat next to hear and began to decelerate. "It doesn't make any sense. Try a thermal scan."
"I already did that," Miranda was becoming frustrated. "I know what I saw. The signal was good strength when we left the Normandy and clearly was a beacon from distressed ship of some sort. Radar is showing nothing out here."
The shuttle became awkwardly quiet as the two Cerberus agents desperately tried to regain the signal or any explanation for its disappearance. Concerned, Garrus stood up and hovered over their chairs. "What kind of signal was it?
"A Turian distress signal. Similar to…" Jacob's voice trailed off as he lifted his head to stare at the monitor in shock.
"Similar to what, Jacob?" Miranda asked.
"Shit! Get back to the Normandy!" Jacob plotted in a new course. The shuttle made a sharp right causing its passengers to be pinned in their seats. Garrus grabbed hold of the back of Miranda's chair to prevent from being slammed up against the wall. He gritted his teeth feeling the inertia.
"What the bloody hell is going on?" Zaeed yelled over to them.
"It's a trap. They fooled us twice," Jacob punched the throttle as hard as he could make it to go. "The signal. It's fake. Just like what the Illusive Man sent to us when we found the first Collector Vessel."
"The first time they were wanting Shepard, but Shepard isn't on the Normandy," Garrus spoke out as she looked around at the monitors. "Radar is clear. No sign of a Collector vessel."
"You think they wanted to lure Shepard away from the Normandy?" Jack got up from her seat as well.
"I'm alerting the Normandy now," Miranda slammed her first, "Damnit. I can't reach them."
Worried, Garrus stepped away and sat back down beside Grunt. Mordin looked over at him. "Can crew take care of themselves?"
Jacob shook his head, "The Normandy is equipped with armory for assault against pirates…but no kind of fire power to stop Collectors.
"Normandy, this is Miranda. Prepare docking. Acknowledge?" Miranda's voice filled with worry as she sat at the helm of the shuttle with all eyes looking at the panel for any sign of life on the other side. Deadly calm could be heard. "I repeat. This is Miranda. We are inbound to your location. Damnit, Joker. Answer me!"
"Miranda! Normandy's opening the cargo bay door for landing," Jacob noted a moment later.
"How come nobody's answering us?" Jack asked.
"Stay sharp. Could be an ambush," Garrus took out his hand cannon.
Miranda guided the shuttle in and initiated the landing protocols. Once landed, she opened the main door. Garrus had he and Grunt position on the sides with everyone else standing to one side or the other. If it was an ambush by the Collectors then they would be ready. Garrus gave a nod to Grunt and whispered as the door began to open, "Open fire on my mark…."
First the cargo bay was empty. Garrus and Grunt exchanged looks but then Joker came around, startling all of the occupants. His face filled with dread. "Guys….glad you're back."
"Why the hell did you not answer us, Joker?" Miranda snapped as she pushed her way out first.
"Yeah, I sort of had to defend the Normandy from the Collectors…but glad to help," Joker shot back coldly in a sarcastic manner.
Garrus stepped off the shuttle next. "Where's the crew?"
"Gone."
"What do you mean 'gone'?" Miranda whirled around to confront the pilot with her finger pointing right at his frail chest.
"Gone," Joker repeated himself. "The IFF broadcasted our location to the Collectors. As soon as you and Shepard left, they were on us. All crew was taken. EDI helped to keep them from taking the Normandy completely."
"And they left you," Miranda threw up her hands in disgust.
"Calm down, cheerleader," Jack angrily glared at her. "Joker did the right thing."
"Don't get me started."
"Everyone calm down!" Garrus raised his voice. "Joker, try to alert Shepard and his team right away. We need to make sure the Collectors don't double back. If they are still around, they may have detected the shuttle."
"So we sittin' ducks?" Zaeed grumbled.
"Just go," Garrus tried his best not to shove the brittle bone disease pilot along to the bridge. "Make it happen. Change course to get us away and alert Shepard and his team for immediate pickup." Everyone else parted ways to check out the rest of the ship for any Collector stowaways. Once they were gone, Garrus went up to the CIC level and saw all the empty desks that once were occupied with dutiful crew members. "Spirits, what are we dealing with? Andromeda…"