A/N Welcome to the next chapter and thank you for staying with me. Please accept my apologies for the erratic nature of my posting. A combination of health and work which I'm hoping will improve steadily. Also a welcome and thanks to those of you who have recently joined our journey.
I am not going to regurgitate the missions unless they need a twist or I feel I can add any extra fun to them, or they are essential to our plot here. However, you will get new original missions so hopefully the balance of action and 'fluff' will meet everyone's needs. I also did a 'fix' on the Normandy stealth systems as it irked me a little that the mission on Horizon didn't end, as it logically could have, with the Collector ship just downing the Normandy… again.
Not long now until we see the return of our Liara, but will she be fully recovered, can she take up Shepard's commitment to being together yet? This chapter will get us a little closer to having those questions answered, but for now…
Chapter 37
Normandy – one day post refit
"Come in", Shepard called out in answer to request for entry to her cabin. She knew it would be Miranda.
Miranda walked into the cabin and joined Shepard at her desk, "have you had a chance to review the recording?"
Since Miranda's change of allegiance Shepard now had access to the secure and private transmissions directly to Cerberus and sometimes even to Harper himself from the Doctor's office. This meant she also now had access to Tash's mission reports.
"Yeah, interesting. Tash does seem to have gone out of her way to keep you the right side of Harper's good opinion. Why would she do that?"
Shepard had been struck by the report that Tash had sent in to her handler, which would be directly reported to the Illusive Man, stating quite clearly that Miranda had turned to Shepard not to slight Cerberus. It was, in Tash's opinion, a well-played strategic move to secure a better more trusted relationship with Shepard.
"I have no idea Shepard; she has always been extremely… antagonistic to me. Our first conversation on board consisted of her threats to my sister. Making it clear that she had already visited and that I should be careful as her safety depended on my loyalty. That I was no longer such a great favourite of the Illusive Man."
"But if you turn that around Miranda she gave you a very explicit warning. And one that actually prompted you to start looking into the safety of your sister's situation, uncovering the moves by your father. And they must have been tacitly sanctioned by Cerberus. It just doesn't make sense. None of this with Tash makes sense." Shepard was looking at Miranda, her difficulty accepting the level of betrayal only to apparent on her features.
"Don't get carried away Shepard, I really admire your ability to look for the best in people. To ascribe them the best intentions, but it's also a weakness, to easily exploited by those who know you." Miranda could see the logic in what Shepard was proposing but was far too aware of the Illusive Man's ability to weave multi layers of deceit and lies and false trails.
Miranda continued, "has she told you yet what really happened when she left the Alliance. What she's been doing the last ten years?"
"Not really, we've had conversations over meals, over drinks… but it always ends up with tales of adventure and sex… nothing of substance. And she is definitely hiding something, she won't let me in." But Shepard also understood the need to close off parts of herself, particularly the darkest parts of herself.
"She also seems to have some kind of relationship with the Asari commando captain that was involved with protecting Liara. This would be in keeping with her mission to… keep a close eye on Liara in the event she carries out her threat." Miranda had not been looking forward to raising the threat to kill Liara by Tash on Cerberus orders. Shepard had become murderous when she found out and even though restrained Miranda had felt the edge of the woman's wrath and didn't want to experience it again.
Shepard remained thoughtful for a moment but then turned back to her console.
"Well one way or the other I'll have to get the truth from Tash," Shepard turned to look Miranda in the eyes and the cold hard stare sent shivers down her spine, "but I won't put Liara at any kind of risk and I'll do what I have to when the time comes whether I have my answers or not."
Miranda stood up and made to leave, "everything is ready Commander I only need to give the course heading to Joker."
"Good, set course for Purgatory and let's see if this Jack will be any use to our mission."
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Omega – Aria's office
"Can I expect your full attention to your duties now your little human distraction has left to follow her destiny with Shepard," Aria's voice was dripping with sarcasm and not a little annoyance.
She remained sitting behind her desk studying the data pads in front of her rather than looking at Liselle who had taken up a chair facing her mother.
"Why do you dislike her so much," Liselle needed to be more careful than usual handling her mother, her normal offhand attitude would not get her what she wanted. And if she handled this wrong it would be a death sentence for Tasha and Liselle would probably need to spend the next five years earning back her mother's trust.
Aria left all pretence of working and looked directly at her daughter. She saw something that both interested and concerned her; this was not the response she expected. Much more likely to be told to keep out of her daughters' sex life in abrupt and dismissive tone than a reasonable question.
"Don't play games with me Liselle, you know I don't approve of your getting serious about anyone yet you're too young. And while I recognise humans have a certain attraction your interest in them, in this one in particular, will not end well.
Mikhailovich has an uncertain past, and a too convincing 'history'. Almost as if it had been crafted, and I don't trust people who disappear for months and come back with another 'crafted' story." Aria seemed to have more trouble with the humans who worked for her than any other race when it came to proving loyalty, and the two on her payroll at the moment were no exception.
"She's loyal to you and to me, I've seen it." Liselle was beginning to fall into spoilt child mode but she had to shake herself out of it, this would not win her mother over only confirm her immaturity.
"We'll see. Now to business. The Talons are causing more trouble we need to think about taking them down a bit, remind them who's the boss," before Aria could continue Liselle interrupted.
"I need you to listen to me mother, it's important to me. I never ask you for anything personal and I never trade on our relationship but this once I need to ask for your help." Liselle was looking directly into her mother's eyes.
It was true; Liselle had always stood on her own feet, earning her place in Aria's organisation.
It was far too dangerous for Aria to even acknowledge she had children let alone try to raise a daughter herself. Too many enemies would make the child an immediate target. So Aria had an 'arrangement' with old friends who had 'adopted' her daughters looking after the child and they reached maidenhood and were ready to choose their own path.
Only one had returned to Aria and that daughter stood before her now. The other two had made more usual lives within Council space and although they knew who their mother was the agreement was that no contact would be available either way.
Aria was content that her line would continue and she had been given the gift of one daughter who wished to be with her, but Aria was also determined that eventually Liselle would leave Omega and prosper in a different environment.
"I'm listening," Aria held her daughters gaze and waited.
"I need you to promise me something first, and you'll have to trust that this won't come back to bite you." Aria leaned back in her chair looking as regal as ever with an expression that still gave Liselle pause. But the young Asari took the silence as permission to continue.
"I need you to promise you won't cause any harm to come to Tasha, directly or… allowing it from another source," Liselle waited for her mother's response.
"Don't believe that just because I am your mother that you can control what I may do to anyone who may cause me problems Liselle. You had better just spit out what you want before you really fuck me off." The Queen of Omega still found it difficult to have her absolute authority even vaguely challenged by her daughter.
"This is personal mother, nothing to do with business," Liselle could sense she wasn't going to get the assurance she would have preferred and she couldn't go back so she ploughed ahead.
"Tasha is an Alliance intelligence agent working undercover with Cerberus, who obviously think she's a Cerberus agent," Liselle could see her mother's face darken but she pressed on quickly to get it all out before the explosion.
"She was only meant to be undercover for a few months but the Alliance left her high and dry and now treats her like shit. The only place she feels like she isn't crazy is when she's here with me working for you, and that's what I want you to make happen. Get her out from Cerberus and let her stay here with me." It wasn't anywhere near as logical or elegant as Liselle had practised. In the end it sounded like a teenager's plea but she was failing under the steadily increasing storm of fury that was gathering on the other side of the desk.
"And how long have you known we've had a Cerberus spy within our organisation?" Aria's quiet, cold tone was in contrast to the fire burning in her eyes.
"On her last visit, she showed me it all. Through a meld, no barriers, she really has never betrayed you or me. She works for Cerberus when she disappears. Please mother, join with me and I'll show you?" Liselle kept the pleading out of her voice and remained as strong and firm as she could.
"Does Shepard know?" It was a strange question that knocked Liselle sideways.
"No, and… well," considering how much effort Aria had put into keeping Liara safe this next revelation wasn't going to go down well either, "Cerberus has ordered her to… eliminate Liara if she show's back up on the scene… which she won't do, she absolutely has no intention of doing…" the last two sentences came out in a rush.
"And you're willing to put me at risk, the safety of your half-sister and your own, for the sex you two have… she must be very, very good," Aria's voice was glacial, her words delivered with precision. And her disapproval and disdain was evident in every word.
"I don't care what you think mother; I've asked you for help for the first time. And it isn't just about the sex, which is very, very good though," Liselle couldn't help being a little flippant.
Despite herself Aria felt herself resigning herself to agreeing to help her daughter. And after all she would probably be able to work the whole thing to her advantage. The human's situation also struck a long dead chord with the older Asari but one that she would not allow to influence her judgment.
"I need to be sure she is loyal to you and to Omega. The next time she visits I'll meld with her and make sure she really didn't hide anything from you. For now I'll give the problem some thought, but don't over estimate my abilities Liselle. I have no leverage over Cerberus and would rather not owe them a favour."
Liselle began to smile; it was wide and cheeky and made her even more beautiful than she usually was and Aria allowed it to warm her heart without too much resistance.
But knowing she cared so much for her daughter also caused Aria pain and a little fear; she led a dangerous life and was playing a dangerous game having her daughter with her. For now she was willing to take the risk, there would be time later to think about the future.
"Thank you mother I knew you'd help and you can do anything you're the Pirate Queen of Omega, we all bow before you," Liselle stood and moved to her mother giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Yes well I prefer to rule with fear so if you breathe a word of me being anything other than brutal and uncaring I'll just have to kill you. Now really Liselle we need to decide what to do about the Talons. And was Sanak right to worry about the other human?"
They settled into their business meeting but in the back of Liselle's mind she was already planning her vid call to Tasha to tell her the good news.
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Normandy – six days post refit
Shepard was completing her mission reports in her cabin and they made for interesting reading. The recruitment of the human biotic Jack from the Blue Suns prison facility had turned into a massive fire fight.
The warden had seen an opportunity of making some money taking Shepard into custody and asking for a ransom. Unfortunately for him Shepard wasn't going along with it.
Not only did she kill him but in order to access Jack they had to release all the high security prisoners resulting in riots and destruction that left the prison station a burning wreck. No doubt order would be restored by the Blue Suns but that was not her problem.
Jack had proved to be every bit as powerful a biotic as her files suggested but she was also very unstable with a pathological hatred of Cerberus who she was convinced had abducted her from her family and torturing her in an experimental facility until she was old enough to break herself out.
The tension between Jack and Miranda is palpable and Shepard has given instructions for them to keep away from each other at all times.
The recruitment of Okeer also went sideways. Okeer was using Collector technology acquired by the Blue Suns to clone Krogan shock troops that would be loyal to the Blue Suns commander in charge an Asari named Jedore.
But Okeer was only focussed on perfecting his ultimate experiment of creating the perfect Krogan and in the process misleading Jedore for resources and also misleading her as to the likely success of the experiment. The Krogan clones he was producing were mindless and could not be controlled and Jedore was already losing patience with the old Krogan.
Shepard's attack and attempted recruitment prompted Jedore to destroy the facility and flush the clone tanks thus threatening Okeer's perfect specimen. The Krogan agreed to help Shepard and share his Collector technology if she saved his perfect tank bred clone.
In the end Okeer had been killed but Shepard did decide to bring the clone on board and was still undecided as to whether to release it from its tank or not.
The research and Collector intel had proved a worthwhile addition to their knowledge and both Kasumi's tech team and Mordin's science team were working through it to see how they could put it to good use.
Shepard got up from her desk and rolled her shoulders trying to loosen the knots of tension. She flicked a control on her console and a small running pad rose out of the floor and stripping off her hoodie she began to run at a steady pace.
"Edi can you update me on comms security please," Shepard spoke to the ever present AI and adjusted the speed on the pad slightly.
"I have detected no attempts at coded messages, all crew have been careful not to give away the ship's location or the nature of any of our missions or work they are undertaking. Ensign Carver mentioned how much she liked Asari architecture after our visit to Thessia, and was concerned enough to report it to her section leader who reassured her that it was not compromising.
I continue to hold a 1.2 parsec delay in all live vid traffic to disrupt any mistakes with static but that has not proved necessary.
Commander may I ask a question?"
"Of course Edi," Shepard had now worked up a sweat and her breathing, although still steady, was now under pressure.
"You allow almost complete access to comms for crew, allowing them to speak to family and friends, access the extranet; does this not distract them from their tasks on-board? And would it not be better for them to build relationships within the crew for greater unit cohesion?"
"Well Edi on larger ships with a much more diverse crew, bigger community, people do tend to build longer term friendships and relationships. But we are a new crew, on what most people would see at least as a highly dangerous mission, if not suicidal, and some normality and connection with what we're all fighting for is important.
It's also good for crew on long term space service to be able to keep in touch with those important to them at home, wherever that is or whatever that means to them personally.
I also need to know who we can trust and if you give someone enough rope…" Shepard left the old Earth saying for Edi to finish.
"I see Shepard so the activity has multiple positive outcomes, including offering the opportunity for accidental strangulation."
Shepard smiled, "Indeed Edi."
"Shepard incoming call from Admiral Hackett highest priority would you like me to route it to you private QEC here?" Edi's voice, with a noticeable change of tone, echoed once again around Shepard's cabin.
"Yep," Shepard stopped the running pad and grabbed the towel from the back of her chair, rubbing her face in it, and then hung around her neck.
The QEC sparked into life and quantum fragments coalesced into the familiar, craggy, gruff image of Admiral Hackett.
"Commander, good to see you, but no time for pleasantries," Shepard smiled inwardly trying to remember if she had ever exchanged 'pleasantries' with the Admiral.
"We've just received a scrambled and brief emergency call from our colony on Fehl Prime then lost all communications. Its Collectors, are you anywhere near?"
Shepard did a quick calculation in her head, "we could be there in less than six hours."
"Good, our best is closer to ten. Keep me up to speed with your progress Commander and good luck, Hackett out."
With that the connection fragmented and without a pause Shepard opened a comms link to Joker and Miranda.
"All crew to battle stations, threat level Alpha, comms blackout, engage stealth. Fast as you can to Fehl Prime Joker. Edi call all my officers and specialists to the comms room for a conference in one hour."
Shepard moved to the shower stripping off her sweats on the way, maybe this time they would be in time to make a difference. But this was no ordinary small farming colony, this was a major Alliance facility, why the change of tactic.
As the hot water and steam permeated her senses she was already pulling up the schematics for the colony in her mind and framing a plan of approach.
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An hour later Shepard was sitting around the conference table with Miranda, Garrus, Skark, Mordin, Kasumi and Tash with both Joker and Edi listening in.
"From what I know of Fehl Prime it is well protected, at least a company of Alliance soldiers, two sets of canon, kinetic barriers." It was Tash who spoke but she drew nods from Shepard and Garrus.
"Yeah security was beefed up since that merc attack a couple of years ago; it's a major pharmaceuticals research and production facility. And a complete change to the Collectors normal MO," Shepard noticed a confused look on some of the faces, "sorry 'modus operandi' old Earth speak." The translators coped with the old language this time around.
"Perhaps they are testing their ability to hit much larger and more fortified colonies on more settled worlds Shepard?" this time Mordin spoke and his evaluation came not only as a scientist but also an ex member of the Salarian STG.
"Could be right, but no amount of speculation is going to get the job done," we hit the system in…." before Shepard could ask Joker piped in.
"Three hours thirty Commander, upgrades really boosting our FTL," Shepard could hear the smile in her pilots voice; he had as big a need for speed as she did.
"Good, that's better time than I thought. We'll make ready a full landing party so I want our special operations team and our specialist fire team ready to roll but we'll finalise our battle plan when we are on scene."
Shepard, Tash and Garrus had organised the human, Asari and Turian soldiers into a unified team. They were still working on the rough edges but the combination of the various skill sets and abilities made what used to be her marine squad into a truly devastating unit. The team was training hard to perfect their unconventional warfare, reconnaissance and destruction capabilities.
Her specialist fire team needed more development the latest addition being Jack, but with Skark, Garrus, Miranda, Mordin and Kasumi it was still a formidable force.
As the room emptied and her team began to make their preparations Shepard felt the familiar build of tension and excitement that always began to settle when she headed for battle.
Fighting mercs was one thing but her focus was firmly set on the Collectors and she wanted a chance to test them against her determination to end them, the sooner the better.
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Normandy – on approach to Fehl Prime
Shepard was standing between her pilot and co-pilot in the Normandy cockpit as they approached Fehl Prime in full stealth.
"Here's hoping they don't look out the window Commander…" Joker's voice held its usual flippant and sarcastic tone but the edge they were all feeling was evident. The last time their ship had come face to face with a Collector vessel it had been completely destroyed.
"Collector vessels do not have viewing ports Jeff, it is much more important that our upgraded stealth system withstands their scans," Edi answered.
"Great, so we could still be visible to them," Joker's voice was a little more subdued.
"Scan the planet Edi, life signs, activity and any comms still active. Joker all the time that thing is on the ground we should be ok, but the minute it lifts off be ready to jump us out of here, I'm not losing another ship this early in the game." Shepard's voice was calm and matter of fact. She was already in the zone.
"We are picking up an Alliance channel from the planet, patching you in Shepard."
"This is Spectre Shepard of the Council on responding to an Alliance call for assistance respond please," Shepard's voice rang out loud and strong.
Through some minimal static another voice sparked up in the cockpit.
"This is Lieutenant Vega Alliance marines, I have a squad but the rest of the company have been taken with the colonists and workers up to that ship." The voice was strong with a slight accent and it sounded as if he was moving.
"Sit rep," Shepard responded.
"We were out in the desert investigating some kind of anomalous signal that started transmitting about six hours before the Collector attack. We've just got back to the base and it looks like pretty much everyone is gone.
Some Collectors still on the ground but not in any numbers, we're heading to the two underground canons to try to disable the ship from leaving so we can get our people back."
"Any sign of swarms?"
"No they must have cleared out, but we're in full armour and hard suits."
Shepard thought for a moment,' no advantage in a ground attack if most of the Collectors had already left. Risk to high to try to get on the Collector ship to launch a rescue to many unknowns and variables. Only option available would be to attempt to destroy Collector ship, even if unsuccessful it would provide useful data on Normandy systems'.
"How long till your teams get to the guns?"
"Almost there Commander, we'll charge them to half capacity to minimise damage," Vega sounded as if he was climbing.
"Negative Lieutenant you will hit the Collector ship with all the force available, we'll send you targeting coordinates at the last minute, do you copy?" Shepard would wait till the last minute to scan the Collector ship and concentrate power on its drive core.
"But Commander all those people, my company…" Vega sounded both agitated and angry.
"This is a direct order soldier and I'm here on the authority of Admiral Hackett, do you copy," once again Shepard's voice was calm but it held all the authority that had made her a living legend amongst Alliance personnel.
"Yes ma'am I copy, both teams in position. The minute we open the blast doors they'll know we're here, can you buy us time to get the shots off?" Vega's voice was now the perfect match for Shepard's he would not argue or question any further, he had his orders.
"On my mark you get your guns into place, at that time we'll scan the Collectors and send you the coordinates. Once you're locked on begin firing we'll join in."
Another few minutes passed as Shepard made sure Edi, Joker and Melania were clear about their actions and timings.
She opened a ship wide comm line.
"We are about to engage a Collector vessel in combat, all hands stay alert, all hands remain at battle stations. This could be a bumpy ride, strap in people." Shepard then opened the comm line to the team on the planet.
"You have a go Lieutenant Vega, get those guns operational and hit the shit out of that vessel."
The next five minutes were a frenzy of activity and as the ground side batteries opened up the Collector ship had already started targeting them.
The Collectors were also trying to scan for the Normandy but much to everyone's relief it looked as if the new stealth system was an improvement on the last. But the moment the Normandy started firing she would become visible.
"Fire, fire, fire," Shepard's voice rang out in the cockpit, "keep us moving Joker full evasive action."
The combined efforts of the batteries and the Normandy had broken through the Collector barriers and were causing damage to the ship. The great structure began to lift off from the ground firing its particle beam at one of the groundside batteries obliterating it and the marines inside.
To Shepard's surprise the ship then focussed its fire out into the dessert before aiming once again for the ground side battery. But the continued force of fire from the Normandy was now taking a real toll.
The Collector vessel continued to lift off from the ground but vapour and atmosphere could be seen venting from its sides. The Normandy was still taking evasive action and so far had only received one glancing blow which had caused minimal damage.
As the enemy drew nearer Shepard ordered all weapons to open fire as soon as it came within range and with a final concentrated blast from the Normandy's now considerable arsenal the Collector ship faltered in its lift.
Through the viewing window in the cockpit they could see the ship flash with electrical pulses, fires appeared to break out along its length and it had stopped returning fire both to the Normandy and the planet.
Shepard held her breath as the vessel began a fast decent towards the plant breaking apart as it did so.
"Cease firing," Shepard continued, "special ops teams make ready to head dirtside."
And as Shepard watched the Collector ship hit the face of the planet and explode into flames she heard a cheer run through the ship. Allowing herself a small smile Shepard headed to the shuttle bay to join her teams.
As she passed through the CIC she called out to Miranda, "you have the conn, keep scanning the system and watch that relay. If we get any kind of company your job is to keep the Normandy safe."
"Understood Commander," Miranda's cool business like tone was somewhat undermined by the smile that she and all the others in the CIC were wearing.
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Fehl Prime – two hours after Collector ship destroyed
"Well they made a real mess of this, whatever it was," Tash was kicking over the edges of a huge hole in the ground.
According to Vega this had been the location of the signal and when they had investigated there was a huge plate of some kind of metal covering the area now blasted to molten rock.
"So you only had enough time to locate the signal, take readings and some vid of the area before you got called back to the Collector attack," Shepard was speaking to Lieutenant Vega who had joined them on the shuttle trip.
"Yep, we scanned but couldn't make any sense of the readings. Why the interest Commander, just some more old Prothean junk. The Collectors hit the colony not this." Vega was looking intently at Shepard, there was no challenge in his tone, he was only looking for answers.
"We don't know yet Lieutenant, but they certainly made sure they fucked it up at the expense of shots on either your guns or the Normandy, gotta mean something." She turned to look at the marine officer and continued, "You did a good job marine, I'm sorry we didn't have a chance of saving the people the Collectors took."
He nodded his head slowly and looked back in the direction of the downed ship.
"Yeah I wasn't thinking straight, there were a lot of kids on the colony Commander, a lot of kids," he hung his head and began to move back to the shuttle.
"Right lets head back to the Collector ship and see what our science and tech teams have managed to salvage", Shepard, Tash and Kasumi headed back to join Vega at the shuttle all useful data from the site already uploaded to the Normandy labs.
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The Normandy stayed in orbit until the Alliance reinforcements arrived. Then Shepard ordered her to land close by the wreck of the Collector ship.
She had her science and tech teams work on recovering anything that would help both in their hunting of the Collectors and their masters the Reapers. But the ship was almost completely wrecked, some parts had disintegrated completely.
They stayed dirtside for two days before heading off once again to continue recruiting heavy hitting specialists and now Shepard also wanted to look for scientists who could help Kasumi with the mystery of the Prothean signals.
Shepard knew that the most expert Prothean scholar was who she really needed by her side to unravel the mystery surrounding their finds. She also wanted the Prothean expert by her side for other reasons, reasons too painful to dwell on for long.