This is more like it. A ship, a crew, objectives and Illusive Man has given Verity a set of dossiers on potential squad members. Their varied reports look impressive enough, but can she trust or rely on them? A mercenary? A thief? A convict? Will they be committed to the cause, willing to put their lives at risk to get the job done? The Normandy is travelling to the Omega mining facility to recruit salarian scientist, Mordin Solus. It's almost like the old ship, not quite, but close enough to be familiar. And with Joker as pilot, Verity feels a lot more comfortable.

"Good to be home eh, Commander?" says Joker in his pilot's seat.

"Sort of. It's not quite the SR-1 but I've got to take what I can at the moment."

"Oh come on, give yourself a break for once."

"Mr Moreau is correct, Shepard. Undue stress is not good for your well-being or the mission."

"EDI, when I want an AI's opinion on emotional matters, I'll ask for it."

"Yes, Commander."

"You tell it, Commander. I just wish it'd respond like that for me but no, it has to point out every little thing about everything I do."

"Your disregard for procedure is dangerous, Mr Moreau. Shepard is the commander of this vessel, I am required to follow her instruction."

"See? Bah, you're right, this isn't quite the same. Hey, wait a minute. EDI, are you saying you outrank me?"

"I have no rank, Mr Moreau."

"Hmm, not sure that actually answered my question."

"I'll leave you two to it."

"See you, Commander."

Verity tours the ship, familiarising herself with the differences from the SR-1. She heads first to the CIC to meet her team. The red headed, youthful Yeoman Kelly Chambers leaves her station to greet Verity with an enthusiastic bounce in her step. She explains she will take care of any communications or information that the Commander should be aware of. When Verity questions why the Yeoman fills this role rather than a VI, Kelly admits she is also there to assess the stress and mental well being of the crew.

"Hm, well. You'd have your work cut out with me at the best of times, Chambers. Unfortunately, I have just risen from the dead only to be forced into a pact with Mephastopheles, or 'Illusive Man' as he likes to be known, to work with the devil that is Cerberus to stop the abduction of human colonies. On top of which, I have no idea where my girlfriend is now and I'm desperate to find her. So as you can imagine, my stress levels are pretty darn high right now."

Kelly laughs nervously, unsure how much her new Commander is joking.

"Don't get me wrong, Chambers. It's good that you're here, I'm just going through a lot right now. I'm going to inspect the crew deck, I'll see you later."

"Later, Shepard."

A little informal from the young Yeoman, but Verity expects it from someone in her position and this isn't technically a military vessel. Upon reaching the infirmary on the crew deck, she is surprised by the familiar face that greets her.

"Commander Shepard. I watched the Normandy crumble with you on board. It's good to see you alive." Doctor Chakwas says, dramatically spinning in her chair to face Verity.

"Nice to see a familiar face, doctor. What are you doing here?"

"I'm the doctor, where else did you expect to find me? Engineering?"

"No. Tsk. Here on a Cerberus ship?"

"After the council disbanded the old crew, I was at a loss without a ship to fly on. Did a few postings here and there but it wasn't the same as serving on a ship such as the Normandy. When Cerberus contacted me, told me about you and this ship, I had to come. I mean come on, I couldn't let you loose on the galaxy again without keeping an eye on you now could I?"

"Hmm." Verity says, still embarrassed at how Chakwas had found her distraught.

"And how are you? Really, I mean. This must be strange and disorientating for you. Are you coping?"

"I'll cope better when I can find Liara."

"Yes. Hmm. I don't suppose you've had a chance to catch up with all that's been going on."

"What's been going on?"

"Liara didn't cope well when you died. Well if I'm honest, that's an understatement. Oh you should have seen her on the rescue ship when she heard. I'll never forget that... Inconsolable. Awful. She was admitted to a secure hospital unit on the Citadel with post-traumatic stress, near catatonic for the first couple of weeks but then became increasingly confused and violent by the medical records. She broke out with the assistance of Gunnery Chief Williams, then pretty much disappeared off the radar for me after that."

"Violent? But how is she now? Where is she now?"

"I'm sorry, Shepard. I have no idea where she is now."

A look of frustration and rage comes across Verity's face as she feels helpless to help her love, or even knows if she needs help.

"Commander...?" Chakwas frowns as she scolds.

Verity lets out a long breath.

"Do you believe in fate, doctor?"

"Hmm, why?"

"I always have this feeling that events take place just to mock me. Every turn I take, there's my past laughing at me. This feels just like that."

"I'm not sure that's a very healthy view to take. But regardless, my offer of help still stands if you feel overwhelmed."

"Thanks, doctor. I'll be okay."

"Hmm. Very good then."

"You got everything you need?"

"I believe so, this medical bay seems very much like the sick bay on the original Normandy. Only thing missing are my private reserves. I even had a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy that I was saving for a special occasion."

"I'll keep an eye out for a replacement bottle."

"Oh you needn't, it's expensive and we have much larger concerns ahead."

"I'll see you later, doctor."

"Commander."

The doctor can see that Verity is far from 'okay', especially after discovering about Liara's distress.

No sooner has Verity and her squad of Miranda and Jacob arrived at Omega, they meet their first recruit: mercenary and bounty hunter, Zaeed Massani. He mentions the mission he recently picked up and would like help accomplishing, as promised on Verity's behalf by Cerberus. He explains about Vido Santiago and the Blue Suns and she agrees, welcoming him to the crew. Leaving Zaeed to make his way to the Normandy, the squad head to the Afterlife club to speak with Aria T'Loak for any information on the whereabouts of the salarian scientist. After a difficult introduction, and much bravado from Aria, they discover the location of Mordin Solus, in a residential area currently quarantined. With the information they need, Verity is about to leave when Aria continues to talk.

"You caught up with Doctor T'Soni yet?"

"Uh, no? You know Liara?"

"Oh yea, she and I go waaay back. Well if you see her, tell her I said 'hi'."

"Umm, yea, sure. You know where she is?"

"Not right now, no. She just pops up here from time to time."

"Hm, okay. If she 'pops up' again, let met know."

"Sure thing."

Verity starts to walk away when she looks around the club at the familiar movements of the asari dancers and the penny drops.

"Wait a minute, did you teach Liara to dance?"

"Haha! Yea! She told you about that? She's quite the little mover. Took nearly all the alcohol in my apartment to get her going though. Something you might consider, if you catch my drift."

Aria gives out a dirty laugh.

"Hm. She was right too."

"About what?"

"She said you're my kind of asari, I'm glad it's you I have to deal with here."

"Oh." Aria isn't quite sure how to respond to a genuine compliment, she is only used to the sycophants who shower her with false praise. "Thanks, I guess. But don't get too comfortable, my business and my facility come first. But yea, I can work with you, you seem straight up and no nonsense. Just try not to bring any of your 'goings on' to my facility like Liara."

"Like what? When was Liara last here?"

"That was a while ago now. Probably best if you hear that one from Liara."

"Right. Okay. Thanks again."

Verity also thinks that Liara was right about something else. This asari is indeed 'powerfully attractive', but she thinks better of mentioning this part.

It's been quite an adventure in itself gathering the squad thus far. First of all, battling through bands of mercenary factions to reach Mordin Solus, only to be sent on an errand to assist in curing a mysterious disease targeting turians and batarians. A cocktail party heist with Kasumi Goto, a human and so called 'Master Thief'. Battling deranged krogan and Blue Suns mercenaries to recruit a battlemaster but instead gaining the tank bred but powerful krogan youth Grunt. Not to mention a near prison break to get Jack, a troubled and unusually adept human biotic. The master thief Kasumi and krogan Grunt Verity can handle, but Jack is another matter.

Jack reminds Verity of her own youthful self before she threw herself into her training and the Alliance with the help of Captain Dumas; she was a loner, uncontrolled, violent, without direction. Nothing can be said to Jack without her trying to shock or offend, littering her language with expletives, always with a look of 'and what?' It all seems almost pretentious to Verity but she is eager to break through this wall and help Jack where she can. Verity also likes Jack's nickname for Miranda: 'Cerberus Cheerleader'. She briefly ponders Miranda's 'girl squad' status with such a nickname, and a backside to challenge Tali.

The latest recruit is a happy surprise. It turns out that the vigilante 'Archangel' they had been to recruit from Omega is former Normandy squad mate Garrus Vakarian. He took some heavy fire from a mercenary gunship during his rescue but surprises again when he quickly arrives at the Normandy briefing room straight from the medical bay, ready for action. Jacob comments that Garrus is one "tough son of a bitch", then salutes and leaves, leaving Verity and Garrus alone.

"You make your crew salute you? This isn't Alliance is it?"

"Oh Jacob? He just does that himself. He's former Alliance career, as am I now I suppose. That's my reckoning anyway. I let him do it. Seems to give him a little pride. You know, like he hasn't abandoned his values completely. If the council and the Alliance were doing something about all this, he knows where he'd rather be. The odd ex-Alliance crew member salutes, I think it's good for morale."

"Hmm."

"Yea. It is good to see you though, Garrus. I've been going crazy since... well since I woke up."

"You heard from Liara yet?"

"I was hoping you might fill me in there."

"Williams would be your best bet there, from what I hear."

"Hm, maybe it's about time I visited Councillor Anderson, find out where Ashley is, build some bridges with the council. They can't ignore the attacks on the colonies, not the scale that these are on."

"Ahem. Yea, good luck with that."

"Hmm. We have to try. Even Illusive Man said if we can raise their help, he wouldn't be opposed to it."

"I know but... we've been here before."

"Joker?" Verity calls over the comm.

"Yes, Commander?"

"Set course for the Citadel."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

"And Garrus? After everything we talked about on the old Normandy, tracking Doctor Saleon, and you end up a vigilante? 'I just point my rifle and shoot'? What's that all about?"

"Hey, come on. You're not so clean yourself. Wrex and me, we never said anything about Feros. You couldn't let Liara know that one, eh?"

"Gah, I know. I'm just disappointed that I made no difference to you at all."

"Oh you did. That was part of the problem I suppose. After the freedom of flying with a Spectre, I couldn't go back to the procedural nightmare of C-Sec. Omega was perfect. No local law enforcement to stop someone like me actually trying to help. I've made a difference."

"The ends justify the means?"

"I think so."

"Despite my mistakes, I still can't agree. I'll always strive for perfection, be satisfied with excellence but prepared for failure. And boy, I can't disagree with you that I've failed at times. Shiala is like a haze. I still had Benezia's words ringing in my ears, that she'd never be free of indoctrination and was willing to die for us to stop her. They were just extensions of Sovereign. I dunno, it all still feels wrong."

"War is dirty. When the mistakes involve killing innocents, it never feels right. When you don't know who the innocents are, well... You just said yourself, you have to be prepared for failure. It's inevitable at some point."

"You can be prepared for it, but it doesn't make it feel any better. Well we'd better get on. I suppose you're itching to get your hands on our cannons."

"I'm intrigued to see how Cerberus calibrates theirs. All that funding to throw at their projects, should be interesting."

"Hm. If you say so." Verity jibes.

"Oh you're so looking for a hiding, Shepard."

"Hey! I'm spoken for."

"In your dreams, 'Blonde Bombshell'"

After having their request for assistance with the human colonies dismissed by the council, Verity, Garrus and Miranda walk back onto the Normandy. Not only that, but also the notion of Reapers has been dismissed by the council. Garrus stands and stares at the floor of the corridor.

"I'm stunned. Truly stunned."

"I know." Miranda agrees. "But the air quotes. Was that really necessary?"

"Well if nothing else," Verity says, "some things haven't changes while I've been away."

"Small comfort, Commander. Now you see why Cerberus had to step up." Miranda says with an air of smugness, before marching off to her quarters.

"Ditto." Verity calls back at Miranda, who stops and faces back towards her.

"What?"

"Cerberus. Small comfort."

"Hm!"

Verity sits in the crew deck canteen. She slots a thermal clip into her pistol, then pops it out again. Then back in, then out again. She continues to do so while she just watches the crew going about their business. She is disappointed that Anderson could provide no information on Ashley's whereabouts, stating she is on classified assignments. A quizzical look comes across Verity's face and she places the pistol on the table.

"Hm. Ummm..."

She picks up the pistol and presses the thermal clip release one-handed, sending the clip flying out of the side of the pistol with a 'ping'. She then holsters the pistol grabs a spare clip and slaps it into the slot while on her hip, then pulls the pistol out again ready for action.

"Ha!"

"Well you look like the cat who got the cream, if you don't mind me saying so, Commander."

"Not a problem, Gardner, just getting the hang of the new equipment. Things changed a lot in two years. I was just working out how to reload if I only had the use of one hand. Wouldn't be the first time, I can tell you."

All the while during their conversation, Verity continues to pop the clip in and out of her pistol, now with both hands.

"Aw dang, just give you a stick and you'll beat them reapers to death with it! The equipment don't matter, it's you that matters."

"I dunno, that's a lot of weight."

Realising he is in deeper now than he intended, Gardner placates with general support.

"Well, you just keep doing what you're doing and things'll work out. You'll see. We've all got faith in you, Commander."

"Thanks, Gardner."

"Well, no rest for the wicked. The lunch time crowd will be here soon enough."

"What's on the menu today?"

"Let's just call it 'food' shall we? It's edible and has balanced nutritional value."

"Just as well we got those supplies from the Citadel."

"Yea, can't wait to see what's in the stores, just been too busy to take stock yet. Maybe I might even be able to have identifiable dishes. Oh! And a menu board."

Gardner spreads his hands out towards the large fridge as he speaks, as though showing the location of his intended display.

"Hm, nice meals for morale are one thing. Opening a greasy spoon aboard my ship is another."

"Sorry, Commander, just got a bit carried away there. You gonna do that all day?"

"What?"

"The whole 'clip in, clip out' routine you're doing there."

"Muscle memory. I've got two years of catching up to do. I need to be able to do this without thinking, be able to focus all my powers on the task at hand."

"Just remember, they come out hot."

"What?"

"It was a joke. The clips come out hot. You're catching that one there... never mind."

"Oh, yea. Ha. Hm."

"Well don't let me interrupt you, I've got plenty to do."

"Later, Gardner."

"Commander."

Gardner always likes to vocalise his busyness, ever fearful that he would be hoofed off the ship at the first opportunity for not pulling his weight. He feels the myriad of jobs he does are trivial, cleaning toilets and domestic duties, preparing meals, minor repairs, and indeed they are not the most important tasks aboard the Normandy. But they are essential tasks and someone must do them. Gardner is always first to offer his services if any task comes up unallocated, at times overreaching his abilities and requiring saving from disaster by one of the engineering team. That he is contributing to this great cause is enough for Gardner no matter how mundane the task, and every cog, however small, turns the machine.

"Commander?" Yeoman Kelly Chambers comes over the comm.

"Go ahead, Chambers."

"The Illusive Man would like to speak with you in the briefing room."

"Acknowledged."