45: Scapegoat

The new Grissom Academy was now fully operational and in rotational orbit above Eden Prime. Repurposing much of the old Cerberus base, the Alliance made much use of refugee labor from their own colonies to make what would have been a nearly six month transformation occur within two months.

A slew of skilled and unskilled labor from displaced colonists of harvested colonies focused on one bright spot to showcase humanity after the war, and in return these individuals and their families were given land and housing on the planet below. Orbiting above Eden Prime the station was now seen as a bridge between the primarily agricultural colony and the now-limitless future of human ingenuity. Or at least this was the PR message intended by the Alliance.

Waiting in the appropriate docking bay was Jason Prangley, excited and nervous at the arrival of the girl he had taken a fancy to since the war ended. He had wanted to propose the idea of a date or meeting were it possible, but the nearly ever present and intimidating aura her older sister exuded made the young man back down before even trying. He had seen how she treated her allies, and how she fought against a battle hardened marine and Spectre, no less, over something as simple as the XO position. While it would be uncalled for to react that way to something as innocent as the proposition of a date, he had heard the stories during his time aboard the Normandy of what she had done to protect her sister since Oriana's infancy. Despite fighting husks and cannibals he had yet to gather the appropriate amount of bravery necessary.

The senior student activated the hangar door for the furthest dock, the one used for the routine delivery of supplies from Eden Prime and also located closest to the quarters of the Ascension Project students. The shuttles had yet to reach an approximate, clockwork schedule, allowing for Oriana Lawson and Dr. Karin Chakwas to deliver the surprise they intended for the Normandy's former crew.

Perhaps that'll get the Psychotic Biotic off my back for a bit, Prangley thought as he held a freshly made chocolate shake in his hand. He even decorated it with two straws, just like the pre-Alliance custom dictated on Earth. Synced to the time of Eden Prime's capital, Constant, the Academy was quiet as lights-out occurred an hour prior. New students were under strict curfew by their teachers, though to the veterans of the Reaper War, staff afforded them much more leeway. Quite a few of the new staff were among the soldiers who fought in London, being protected by the biotic barriers the students jointly created out of necessity.

"Prangley! What the hell are you doing in here?!" Jack's shout startled the student as his momentary daydream was broken and replaced with the panic of being caught. No one noticed him creating the milk concoction and sneaking away, making the student proud of his accomplishments. Or so he believed.

She's always watching me! Turning around with eyes that gave way to the terror he felt he saw his teacher cracking her knuckles, igniting a brief flare of biotics above her skin with each crack of a digit.

In a complete reversal of perceptions, Jack's former look of barely hidden tattooed skin partnered with her pilfered cargo pants was a less intimidating sight than the new attire she wore. Still not fully compliant with official Alliance regulations, the blue leather jacket she wore along with much more professional, if the term could be applied, blue leather pants seemed to only emphasize the remaining tattoos that were still visible along her neck and hands and, at this instant, her knuckles.

Jack could tell the student was trying to develop an excuse, pretending to take a sip of the shake while taking a look at the hangar's construction. Prangley believed it looked like nothing out of the ordinary for an enthusiastic student to do. He had been aboard the former Grissom Academy since he was six, after all. But the other straw in the glass made it look otherwise as it slowly turned counterclockwise in the slushy liquid to graze his cheek and diminish his improvisation.

He stammered to speak after a long sip to steady his nerves yet Jack held her left hand up, a biotic glow appearing as one of the many ratchet guns in the hangar found its way into her hand.

"Spit it out, Prangley, before I drop this on your foot."

"It's-it's a surprise! From Doctor Chakwas!" The manic smile on the young man's face attempted to save him from whatever his teacher was threatening, and sometimes going through, with the mechanical tool.

The Alliance shuttle he believed to contain the beloved doctor had passed through the station's mass effect field and was making its landing with standard VI assisted control. At first glance nothing about it seemed abnormal, leaving Prangley to slowly step toward the ship as Jack believed what her student had said. It was the rather long time between landing and the opening of the shuttle door that gave the biotic teacher a slight pause.

A few knocks on the shuttle door in a playful manner, as though Prangley was attempting to enter a speakeasy from centuries past, was met with the door finally opening, the student going along with the idea this was all part of whatever plan existed.

His face changed as the door opened, as if he was caught red handed stealing something, a look Jack immediately took notice of as she dropped the tool and dashed over, using her gifts to speed up and close the distance rapidly.

"Jason, get out of the way!" Protecting her students was paramount as she pushed the student out of the way of what she feared was a possible attack by a rogue group, perhaps coordinated with the upheaval on Virmire that had reached news reports earlier that day.

Charging up her biotics the snarl on her face remained as she saw Miranda holding her outstretched hand right at Jack, her own biotics glowing and building. In her other hand was a Hornet SMG, aimed lower at the teacher's stomach.

Like Jack had seen so many times before the former Cerberus "Cheerleader" looked upon her with a slightly raised nose, daring the younger woman to make a move. Compared to all but one of their previous interactions, this look showed she wanted a fight, as though it would be a respite from what she had been dealing with, her hair disheveled and face showing fatigue reminiscent of the war.

Both sides shored up one another, looking for weaknesses. It seemed like a reversal of two years before: the ragged outlaw now on the side of an authority while the genetically perfect woman attempted to encapsulate the rage Jack exuded constantly when freed from Purgatory, her own attire making her once perfectly manicured look seem like a much more distant memory.

"Bitch, if you're showing your true colors now-" Jack said before bracing her left boot, looking to charge directly into the shuttle, only to stop at a voice that commanded respect no matter where it was uttered.

"Miranda. Please."

Jack's eyes tried to focus on a figure for Shepard's voice, realizing he was standing next to Miranda all along. Looking no better in appearance than she did, he slowly placed his right hand atop hers to let her cease her actions, gently rubbing to try and bring her away from another fight. The Grissom teacher believed she might have been the root of the problem but there seemed to be something else going on. Miranda's biotics ceased and her body noticeably relaxed, though her eyes wouldn't meet Shepard's. It appeared like she was too good for him, something Jack noticed as she also stopped the biotic standoff.

"I'm confused, Shepard. And pissed off, so you need to explain yourself right now."

Ignoring the woman's demand, Miranda's need for answers led her away from the two in search of a nearby terminal. Jack initially wanted to stand in her way, but a raised hand from Shepard told her to still herself.

"Jack, I'm sorry about this, I'd be confused too if this was brought to my doorstep. But we need help. The Council's suspended my Spectre status. They tried to detain me and arrest Miranda."

Jack attempted to laugh away the words but caught herself as she saw the loss in his face. "You're...totally being honest here."

"Our omni-tools are gone," Shepard said as he raised his right hand to showcase the clotting cut that had removed the sub dermal device, "we've been in the dark for hours, and we have no idea why the Council decided such a thing. We're on fumes here looking to gather our senses."

Shepard's usual persuasive yet impartial tone dipped at the mention of the Council's decision, underlying the belief he knew perhaps a reason for their actions. Jack displayed the same knowledge as she folded her arms, tilting her own nose up with a scoff.

"I knew she was gonna be a problem for you, Shepard. Too much maintenance, probably a bad lay on top of that." Her attempts to draw any kind of emotional response was met with a stern look.

"Alright, alright, no jokes right now," Now was not the time to continue the usual banter from each side, something Jack accepted as she led Shepard over to Miranda's terminal.

"The Alliance might have notices about us, has any of it turned your way? Are other soldiers here going to be a problem?" Miranda asked without looking up to Jack from her terminal, causing another sneer from the teacher. A firm hand on her shoulder from Shepard told her to let it go.

"Haven't heard a thing. The fighting on Virmire is what has everyone worried."

This time Miranda did stop what she was doing. "Elaborate," she said as the words were barked from her, though her eyes showed concern, along with Shepard "...please."

Accepting the additional use of manner from the woman, Jack softened a bit while still having to speak uneasily about current events. Before she could start, the young man responsible for letting the two Normandy members aboard shuffled closer to the conversation, unsure of his presence being necessary. "Um, ma'am, shouldn't Captain Sanders be notified?"

"Prangley," Jack gritted as she pulled the shake from his hands with her biotics, taking a long suck of the straws to indulge in the treat, "keep quiet and go get some clean clothes for these two. Make sure no one follows you, we clear?"

"Crystal, ma'am." The young man didn't make it five steps before a snap of her free fingers caused him to stop. "Just make sure to add another size up to whatever you think Lawson wears."

The use of her last name was something new that both Shepard and Miranda briefly looked to each other upon hearing. As if waiting for another order, Prangley looked on, wondering if now was the time to leave.

"Well get a move on, kid! And stop thinking with your dick, you could have gotten us all killed!"

As the student moved away, Jack spoke more freely, bringing up her omni-tool as she spoke in a more serious tone.

"About five hours ago Virmire went tits up. Reports are something like those blue alien things you fought on Eden Prime. It seems to be planet wide, those that could escape are in orbit trying to figure out what happened."

"God..." Shepard whispered in the split second between shock and anger that cycled through his body. He quickly glanced to Miranda, thinking back to her reassurances after Santelli uploaded the serum.

"That...that can't be. Even if the extranet scrubbing wasn't successful, the formula that existed couldn't be put together so soon."

"It's not a coincidence it happens the same time as the Council's decision."

"Which means this was coordinated. Whoever got into the Broker's system is behind all this. Oh god, Ori.." Miranda's hand rested on her forehead as she began to think of what could happen. Reason slowly crept into her head as she realized no matter the crews attitude towards her, they would keep her safe. If anything for Shepard. Besides, they were the only crew on the planet that knew how to fight the beasts, they would be fine. She had to believe that. She had nothing else.

Springing back into his soldier mindset, Shepard was already turning for the shuttle they confiscated. "We have to get back there. Jack, where's the armory? The fuel line?"

"You shittin' me, Shepard? You guys aren't in any condition to fight."

"We've been through worse."

"Stop tryin' to show off. You're on my station which means you follow my rules. You said it yourself, you aren't a Spectre anymore." It seemed Jack's greater responsibilities shifted her attitude to planning and preparation instead of reckless mayhem. Her connection on the omni-tool activated, a familiar sound from an ally was heard before she could even speak.

"Jack, it's late. Erin's going to wake up and we just put her to bed."

"Hey, get down to Hangar Five, Taylor. Something big kinda came up. No danger or anything, I think. Just something you need to be aware of."

"If it's no danger, then handle it yourself. I already covered for you when you went down planetside last week, you owe me."

Miranda rolled her eyes at the impasse, stepping closer to Jack to make her voice more clear into the omni-tool. "Jacob, it's Miranda. And Shepard."

"Miranda, how are you-" the ex-Corsair ran the scenario through his mind quickly, realizing the two's presence on the ship unannounced when the Normandy was reported on Virmire, "I'm on my way down."

Despite all that happened so far, Shepard commented on the news that seemed to slip by so nonchalantly, "Brynn gave birth?"

"Yep. Erin. pretty much the perfect kid so far. Then again, both parents fawn over it all the time when they aren't teaching, there's no reason for the thing to raise a fit." Jack's face dipped slightly at the other information she was about to tell, her own past being recalled, "she's a biotic too, tested and confirmed."

The information Jack received about her mother after Liara took over duties as the Shadow Broker, it came back in a wave of emotion she forced down into her stomach.

Not so much for her own life, the torture, the pain, but for the feeling her mother must have felt from the lie that she was stillborn. It seemed her own interactions with the former Corsair and his partner in the midst of raising their own child easily brought those feelings to the forefront.

"What better place to raise the kid though. And you can teach her to be better than you and all the other students."

Jack smiled slightly with her own scoff, touched by the encouragement Shepard gave. "Could give her first tattoo, too."

"Jacob, that bastard, he should have told me." Miranda was clearly upset. Perhaps she was using this revelation to focus her anger about her own situation. Yet a glint in her eye showed a desire to see the newborn in person, and throughout their time working together and even their brief romantic relationship, she considered Jacob a friend, one of the few she had.

The brief happiness on her face disappeared as she returned her attention on the terminal nearby. It seemed the real world was too much of a pull once again. Jack shook her head. "He was keeping it a surprise. Brynn only gave birth four weeks ago and they wanted to surprise you guys on Virmire. Too bad about that."

"We can still make it work." Hollow words, Shepard knew, he just needed to say them, maintaining his role as leader at all costs.

"ANN reports are claiming it started in the batarian portion of the planet, and shuttles full of infected landed in the colonies," Miranda noted as a news article hung in holographic form above her terminal.

"Those damn batarians. Always seems to start with them." Jack's eyes tracked the entrance doors slide open, expecting Jacob but seeing Prangley instead, with the clothes requested. "If you said copying the formula was impossible too soon, think they stole it off another Cerberus lab somewhere?" She asked as she pulled the items into her grasps with her biotics.

Miranda looked up with a stare to freeze hell itself at that swipe, the look being returned with an fiery look of Jack, begging her to respond. When nothing was said between the two Jack tossed the clothes to the Ice Queen with as much extra force she could get away with while still maintaining innocence. Her toss to Shepard's was far lighter in care.

"Cerberus derived, they could have found it via the black market if other samples were out there. But another formula means this might have been an attack on the batarians," Shepard said as he un raveled the bundle of clothes.

Miranda connected the dots, "And the batarians are just stupid enough to take it as an attack by humanity. They retaliate on instinct because they believe you're about to finish them off." What was once a tenable truce Miranda had with the Alliance, working for them via Shepard's proxy, had only naturally disappeared in light of recent events.

"And when the Alliance defends itself they'll wipe out what's left of any unified batarian front in the galaxy."

"Seems like a Cerberus plan alright. You and Princess here being on the run was a distraction. You'd try to talk everybody down and have s'mores or some crap."

"That's what Shepard does best, besides shooting things."

Heads turned as Jacob arrived in the hangar, donning a pair of sweatpants and jacket that had a few spots of spittle on them. He knew Jack had seen the sight before, but the other two were used to the more detail oriented man.

"It's not that bad, no need for that look," he lightly joked as he first went to Miranda, the two initially shaking hands but expanding the shake into a hug, at Jacob's behest it appeared. A firm and rather loud clap of two locking hands between the man and Shepard showed the respect the two maintained, no matter the circumstances that currently existed for the Spectre.

"Looks like you two just arrived from fighting on Virmire."

"You're not far off," Miranda quickly said, cutting off Shepard from saying anymore, at least at this time.

"And there's the cryptic answer you've always been known for, Miranda." Jacob seemed out of all among the Normandy crew to enjoy his post-war life, no doubt due to the birth of his child. What would normally be the silhouette of a stern soldier, much like Ashley, had been replaced by a man who had finally gotten what he wanted out of life. Deep down both Miranda and Shepard harbored a slight jealousy at the look, the life, realizing they were literally on their way to that same destination only a day ago.

"These two left paradise before all that shit came down. Stole a shuttle too, the amateurs," Jack deferred to Jacob as she stuck her thumb out at the standard Alliance carryall. "Something about the Spectre status being revoked, but nothing's showing up on our feeds."

Jacob had clearly taken in the information yet still needed to voice his confusion. Before he could say anything he caught himself, eyes looking between the two once again. His own relationship with Miranda allowed him a greater understanding of her without her walls up, and was one of the first to know of her relationship with the then Commander. As their relationship grew and became public knowledge aboard the Normandy it only appeared stronger in the way they looked at one another. In short it was based on trust. The former Corsair saw very little of that on Miranda's face.

"Before we go any further, let's get you guys cleaned up and taken care of. Those just can't be bruises, Miranda."

"I'm fine."

"We're good, Jacob. We just need to resupply and we'll head out."

"Like hell, Shepard. The hair on your left arm looks like it was singed off. Who tried to shock you?"

"Another Spectre." Miranda bluntly said.

"You keep fighting other Spectres, and now you aren't one," he replied without much emphasis on the joking aspect of the words.

Jacob dipped his head over to Jack, "Too close to bring them over to the housing wing for the faculty, how about the third floor Ascension dorms? Just for a day or two, and it's a quick access to this hangar."

"Makes sense. The little punks don't go up there other than to try and get past second base, but I caught O'Hare and Landau up there yesterday. They aren't dumb enough to try it again for another day or two. Ain't that right, Prangley?"

"Yes ma'am!" He said quickly to make sure she realized how attentive he was in order to make whatever punishment he had yet to receive be less severe.

"We don't need anything more than ten minutes in the armory and some new omni-tools."

"Miranda, drop the tough girl routine. Your eyes show biotic fatigue and you more than anyone hate going in to a situation blind."

"The idea of docking here was Shepard's, not mine. We're surrounded by the Alliance, people who tried to take Oriana and were more than willing to shoot me. Forgive my 'apprehensive' state," she replied sarcastically.

"Oh shut up, you persecuted Princess," Jack said in a fed up tone, "We might not be friends but we trust everyone else here in this bay. So let's get through this like it's another suicide mission, ok?"

Miranda glared once again at the woman, upset more that she was told to be quiet than anything else.

"You're right, Jack. We trust you."

Shepard spoke up, asking one of his friends to lead the way with a gesture of his hand. "Let me get what we have out of the shuttle and you can lead the way."

"And Jason will make sure the shuttle is fueled up while we get you settled in."

"Yes sir!" Prangley realized he would never trust another extranet messaging system again.


Oleg Petrovsky sat at a small table, reading in his prison cell as he did every day at this time. Not necessarily a cell, it was filled with accommodations much like John Shepard received during his house arrest on Earth following the destruction of Bahak.

The former Alliance official's cooperation in weeding out former Cerberus areas of operation was rewarded handsomely. Even those ordered to guard and escort him around the Alliance prison facility would admit in private to finding the man charming and not at all like they perceived others in Cerberus. They might have even been open to the idea that a man as intelligent and respected, despite working for the terrorist organization, was a better caretaker of a station as important as Omega than it's current steward, Aria T'Loak.

The door to his room opened as two Alliance marines stood at the ready, an older woman stepped through with datapads and a separate device for recording conversations in audio and video format. Petrovsky was accustomed to the seconds it took for the woman to start up and focus the device before she sat at the other end of the table, placing the datapads equal distance apart from one another and donning her glasses on her creased beige skin.

"Hello, Oleg."

"Commander Mihari. I appreciate a visit from a lovely woman such as yourself but this isn't our regularly scheduled time for meetings."

The small woman shrugged off the warm yet apparent flattery and immediately leapt into why she was present. "Oleg, I believe you have had experience with these creatures, have you not?"

The datapads showcased the Adjutants the Cerberus General had encountered previously on Omega and beyond the Omega-4 relay.

He nodded in the affirmative, gently stroking his beard as he recalled the beasts. It was an act, an attempt to show a wizened and humbled man in order to garner the trust of his captors. It had worked well so far, his living quarters being evidence of that.

"There is currently a...situation on Virmire. These beings appeared on the planet at approximately 0400 Citadel time from unknown origins and have nearly destroyed colonization efforts there. They seem to infect any beings they come into contact with, and possess tremendous biotic potential."

"Yes, yes. Adjutants, they were called. Vicious monsters found from beyond the Omega-4 relay during The Illusive Man's scouring of the Collector Base, a previous species' attempt at creating weapons to fight the Reapers, derived from Reapers."

"Yes, that information is what we have gathered and collaborated from other sources."

"Captain Shepard, I presume? Or has Omega opened up information channels to the Alliance now?"

"The information was received from the Normandy, yes."

Petrovsky noticed the lack of identifying Shepard as the bearer of this news. Normally the Alliance made sure to acknowledge his involvement for even the most mundane, using the name as a limitless cache of credibility.

"My dear Commander, if the Normandy is still on Virmire then I assure you those capable soldiers will subdue these beasts. I am not a man of hubris, my own confrontations with Captain Shepard were met with resounding defeat."

"Be that as it may, the information the Alliance presently has with concern to these 'Adjutants' is proving to be ineffective and costly. Given the large presence of civilians the joint military venture has focused on evacuation and establishing a line of defense."

"I take it the batarians are not as accepting of this course of action as our salarian allies."

Mihari looked at the man with an annoyed look. "You should not have that information available to you."

"My dear," Petrovsky chuckled as he folded a page of his paper book to mark his place, "you cannot fault me for providing conversation with the Corporals. They get just as bored with their job as I do."

The older woman looked at a list of names on one of the datapads until her finger stopped at the roster duty for the floor. "Stevens. Jackson. These are the two you speak to?"

"I cannot say." It was them, yet for his attempts at manipulation he respected the rank and file soldiers who were simply the pawns of what he considered Alliance incompetency and inefficiency.

Their mundane duty escorting prisoners on a near endless basis was something better used for true enemies such as Adrien Victus, a man praised for his tactical genius and currently resided as the Primarch of Palaven. But he was a turian who decades prior was known among the soldiers Petrovsky fought with as a soldier who mercilessly led his company to slaughter multiple human platoons on the outskirts of Shanxhi.

The JAG put her glasses down on a datapad as she rubbed her eyes. "There's more pressing matters, Oleg, so let's get right to the core of my visit. I am here to offer you an opportunity to expunge your record working for Cerberus if you would cooperate in assisting Virmire forces against these unknown enemies."

Petrovsky knew this was the reason for her visit the moment he saw the creatures appear onscreen. Still, he feigned a near instant acceptance of the term. "Yes, Commander, I will gladly help. As I have always told you, my work with Cerberus was never to instigate confrontation with other species but to protect humanity from them. They are our brothers and sisters now, and any remnant of the Reapers impedes this unity."

"Yes, we have been through this in previous meetings. You refused any operations that might have endangered humans unless absolutely necessary-"

"As Ms. T'Loak attempted to do when I occupied Omega. I regret ever causing them harm."

"It seems now is your chance to prove it," Mihari scribbled notes on military forms as she moved to another datapad. "Sign these forms and I will have Private Quan here begin transcribing your reports for Adjutant countermeasures."

A quick signature was generated as Petrovsky noticed the other datapad contained video he had yet to be see. Mihari noticed his eyes and quickly spun the device around for his eyes as she continued on the paperwork. She played the videos showcasing the experiment data of failed adjutant test subjects, all purportedly coming from the logs of a woman Petrovsky knew well.

He knew Miranda was not part of the science team sent by Cerberus beyond the Omega-4 relay. By that time she had already resigned, choosing to follow Shepard and the crew of the Normandy SR-2. Others in the organization also resigned at that time, yet it was hers that caused substantial problems in the hierarchy of Cerberus endeavors.

The video was not Miranda Lawson, yet at the same time was. Those were also the adjutant test procedures initially done before further experimentation occurred on Omega proper. These were not doctored images, the detail and mannerisms had yet to be mastered by even advanced VI programs. As screams echoed from the small tablet Petrovsky was more concerned with understanding who created such realistic images. It could have only been one person. A man who reports indicated had perished just before the Reapers were defeated, who was busy working on his own measures to combat Reaper forces.

"Miranda Lawson. Cerberus Operative. Your reports about Cerberus were lacking in information about her. Would you care to explain why, Oleg?"

The former general sighed in a depressed tone. Pretending to be visibly shaken by what he saw, he held back the volume of his voice ever so slightly to show regret. "Henry Lawson was a dear friend of mine. Miranda Lawson is his daughter. Raised to be the best, she was a valuable asset to Cerberus, doing the deeds The Illusive Man needed to be done."

"Such as create monsters?"

"...Have you heard of Project Lazarus, Commander?" The question drew a surprised nod, the kind used by someone who was already expecting to mention the same topic themselves moments later.

Petrovsky smiled inside, realizing the scapegoat given before him. For whatever reason Miranda had become the scapegoat for what remained of Cerberus' activities, and would become the albatross around Shepard's neck as well. It was a revenge he never expected to receive, and was going to make sure he got all he could out of the opportunity.

On the outside, his face became more distressed, "She is a brilliant but deeply troubled and narcissistic individual. Since her connection to Captain Shepard may be problematic, allow me to provide what I know about Miranda Lawson."


"I don't know what to do with her," Miranda's enhanced hearing notified her of Shepard's quiet talk down the hall. She had just finished a shower, something she used to enjoy, using the brief minutes of peace to collect her thoughts, even though they continued to revolve around the last day in a near endless loop.

The bathroom was only a few feet away from the entrance to the room she was residing in, yet the door remained open. That indicated Shepard had been in the room until recently. Then again, once they were escorted to their temporary quarters she immediately excused herself to the shower, taking a packet of medigel to reapply to her gunshot wound without any assistance.

"She gets testy sometimes, but it's best to let it go. She's smart and can figure things out without being talked to."

I don't need you to butt in, Jacob, Miranda thought to herself as she pulled her wet hair over to one side. Her head rested slightly against the metal wall near the open door, taking in the coolness it gave off after her hot shower.

"It's just, and I'm not joking Jacob, the first time in a long time I've had this chance."

"You're doing just fine, Shepard. I know you want to be the perfect man but she can see right through that."

"I feel like you're overselling this compared to what it really is."

"Captain, I assure you it's just fine. This is nothing like you've fought before, but you'll learn so much from it."

Brynn? What is she doing here, now?

"I see the way she looks at you, Shepard. You have it made. Just be a man."

Jack, still here, now being relationship coach? Shoot me, I won't even put up a barrier...

"Jack's infatuated with her, no matter her tough girl attitude. Take what she says to be the truth."

Miranda physically recoiled at Jacob's words, and realized the only way to end this talk about her relationship and other revelations is to let her presence be known. She strolled into the open lounge just meters away with an angry look, upset at the feeling of being the root of something so personal.

"I think this talk about my personal affairs has gone on...long..."

Miranda's tight grip on her wringed hair softened as she saw the four look at her in a confused manner.

Jacob and Brynn sat on a couch behind Shepard and Jack, relaxed and giving the aura of an elderly couple that had been together for so long. The biotic teacher, always one to skirt customs sat on the metal table in the center of the lounge, using her gifts to float objects around Shepard's orbit: a bottle and a small blanket.

Her former Commander stood there, his body wearing the new clothes, cradling a small infant in his hand. He continued his gentle bouncing as he looked at Miranda with a face of a child who had learned how to ride a bike for the first time.

"Hey, Miranda, look," He said quietly as he showed the child cradled in his left arm while Erin gently pawed as his right index finger. Her own sense of fascination at the human digit brought the child to smile as best a four week old child could, the spurts of sound coming when her tiny fingers found the round calloused underside.

Miranda's ego was put on the backburner as she looked at how the child refused to let go of the finger, bringing a quick bout of embarrassed laughter to her face as she moved closer to her lover to get a better view of the child.

"Her eyes are amazing," Miranda said honestly as she smiled back at the child's own upturned face. Her hands still held on to Shepard's finger, yet looked at the newcomer in her midst with trepidation. It could be coincidence, but she almost appeared to lower her eyes as though she was trying to shore up the former operative.

"Did she just-" Miranda whispered.

"I think so. Or it's fun to think so," Shepard lightly joked as the child seemed to approve of the brunette looking down at her. A small strand of wet hair lost its fight with gravity and fell into contact with the existing finger. This new object to study now had her undivided attention.

"Do you want to-"

"Is it alright, Jacob?" Miranda asked, looking to both of Erin's parents for approval.

He nodded. "Miranda, we trust you. No need to ask," he hugged Brynn a little tighter with his arm, her own nod cementing his decision.

Shepard effortlessly moved the infant from his arm to hers, the two sharing a smile between them that seemed to be on the same pattern. The only mistake came as the marine, still bouncing slightly, raised the child up ever so higher than needed into the smaller waiting arms. This caused the child to momentarily lose grip of the hair, resulting in pouting coming any second.

"No don't do that, you little angel," Miranda replied in a pleading tone as her eyebrows raised in worry, while also smiling at holding the infant no matter its manner, "It's ok, see?"

She hummed a song slightly to distract the child from going through with her cries, the child stopping immediately to listen to the high hums as she moved around. A slight shake of her hair let another strand of hair return for the infant to occupy its time.

"Erin's you name? It's because of your green eyes, isn't it, you precious thing."

"Astute as ever, Ms. Lawson," Brynn said warmly as she saw how enraptured Miranda was with the child. After a second of remaining still she gently rotated in place for what seemed like hours enjoying the sight of the infant. In reality it was only a minute or two yet the others, even Jack, honored the silence Miranda craved as she cradled the little girl.

"I'm going to hit the shower while an aunt meets her niece," Shepard said as he gently kissed Miranda's forehead and made his way past. She didn't look up at him, yet she didn't tense up at the gesture of affection either.

Jacob nodded to Brynn, the two uncoupling and rising from their seats. "Shepard told me about the omni-tools, we have some downstairs I can rustle up. Polaris amps, if you're wondering."

Not missing a beat Miranda's voice became more professional, yet she still focused on Erin. "Kassa is good, I know workarounds to shore up security." It took a moment but Miranda realized the child's mother was patiently waiting for her child to return to her arms.

"I'm sorry, Brynn, we must be keeping her from her bedtime."

"It's ok, Miranda. Erin's always fascinated by new people, and a good judge of character, isn't that right dear?"

The baby smiled warmly at her mother as she was passed around for the final time. "You can see your friends in the morning, isn't that right? Just don't wake mommy up tonight."

"Ugh, Brynn, your voice is going to get stuck like that," Jack chimed in as she rolled her eyes in disgust. Her biotics brought the blanket and bottle from her sustained orbit and into her hands for the mother to take back with her but not before the self appointed godmother kissed the child on the top of her head. "Good night, cutie."

The two remaining women stood in the lounge with a silence until no one was in the area. Both had realized they were the only ones remaining, leaving an uncomfortable annoyance that the first to leave would be seen as running away. Neither wanted to be that person.

Seconds passed before someone spoke or either recognized the other was there. "Shepard told us the whole story while you were getting cleaned up. It's a pretty crap thing they're doing," Jack looked down at the ground as she spoke, moving a few feet away, "them using you to mess with him."

Miranda didn't know if she was being sincere or not. She went along with slight trepidation. "I wasn't there for the entire conversation, but it was clear the moment they saw me that I did something to force their hand."

"Didn't you?"

A glare met Jack's eyes. The younger woman didn't intend for it to be a dig but she responded with her own harsh look in response, "you shot first, Princess, don't try and deny it."

"Ah, so this is the response you wanted, isn't it, Jack?"

"I'd have done the same thing, so save it."

The two looked away from staring one another down to regain their composure. Still, Miranda couldn't help but feel like she snapped too soon at that rather truthful response from Jack.

"I'm...sorry. You're right. I threw the first punch, even if they knew one of my weaknesses and provoked me."

"Having soft spots sucks."

Miranda smiled slightly, a lone chuckle lost in her throat amplified Jack's words, "I'd drink to that."

The two paused at the agreement, wondering where this sense of understanding was coming from. It was unsettling to both of them.

"Your sister will be fine. I'm not saying this just to be nice, either. The Normandy's the only place I've ever felt safe."

Another thing we agree on, Miranda thought. What is going on here?

"I just want to clear our names. Or rather, John's name. He doesn't deserve this, not after all he's been through."

"Ha!" Jack laughed at what she just heard. Before Miranda could offer an offended word she held up a hand to apologize as she rested against another wall. "That's almost word for word what Shepard said earlier."

"He did?"

"Don't act surprised, it makes you look stupid. The guy gave up everything to help you."

As was common when she was flustered, Miranda gently grabbed her shirt just below the collar. She caught herself just in time to see her counterpart smirk as she popped her neck. "You gave up everything to be with Shepard. He gave up everything to be with you. It's poetic or some kind of similar shit."

"It doesn't have to be that way. He nearly died a second bloody time to save us all, especially those pompous fools who stabbed him in the back yet again!"

"And they're getting exactly what's coming to them." Jack's early time aboard the Normandy two years ago showed a penchant for being dark and macabre, and it seemed she still harbored some of that anger. "I'd love to blame what's happening on Virmire on Cerberus, and on you, but it's on the Council. And don't forget to tell the boy scout that tonight when you apologize for being a bitch earlier."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I deal with this teenage crap all the time now, I can spot it a kilometer away. Shepard was saying something about the Shadow Broker's data being compromised, but the guy's a terrible liar when it comes to his friends. There was something else."

"There was something else."

"He cheat on you?" Jack asked in a dismissive tone, knowing the answer.

"No."

"Then there you go."

"Yes, if only life were that simple." Miranda shook her head at letting the conversation get this far. She didn't need any advice, let alone her relationship, to be dissected by Jack.

"I don't have all those degrees like you do, but I do know the guy doesn't have the balls to do something like that. Hell, he turned me down twice in my more, heh, free-spirited days."

The former operative closed her eyes to try and get that picture out of her head, "Ugh."

"One of the nice things about Sanders running things here was all the files she got from Anderson. Then again the Alliance will basically hand out everything on Shepard's past to show him off." Miranda nodded heartily at that sentiment.

"He had a pretty rough life early on. Hell, we all did, and each of us reacted differently. I'm just saying when you get into his circle of trust he's got to have a pretty good reason for kicking you out. Separation issues or whatever, I'm not into the psychobabble like Chamber was. The thing that happened with Liara didn't seem to be her fault. At least see it from his side."

"The woman couldn't separate business from pleasure."

"No one can."

"I could."

"No, back then you were all business. And, surprise, a bitch. Ignoring is different than separating."

Miranda wanted to object to the point by mentioning her sister. Keeping her safe was the reason she joined Cerberus in the first place, believing they would protect the Lawson siblings from their father. Though her desire to never speak to her genetic flesh and blood until the Collector mission only seemed to highlight Jack's point. Inside, Miranda was sick about all those years being focused only on missions, objectives. Giving up so much to an organization too far gone from what she believed in. Staying busy, focusing on external matters was better than taking stock of her own life, what little she seemed to have.

"So Liara's always had the hots for him. Half the galaxy does at this point. You're letting your own insecurity get in the way."

"I am not insecure," Miranda stated firmly.

"And I don't have a tattoo of a krogan on my butt," Jack joked. Or was she. That would seem so fitting for her.

"This has been a riveting conversation, Jack." Miranda pushed off the wall and began to head for her room, but not before Jack would say one more thing.

"I hate saying it, but you two are good together. All the messed up stuff the two of you've been through, it fits together like eezo and electricity." The confused look from the raven-haired woman at the choice of words undercut her analogy. "Hey, whatever. When I heard Donnelly and Daniels talking about engines all the time it stayed in my head."

Despite the weird attempt at encouragement Miranda nodded slightly in appreciation of the kind words. This woman, who she truly wanted to maim years before, had matured, no thanks in part to Shepard's influence and, ironically, her students.

Jack simply smiled in return as Miranda went into the room, taking the omni-tools Jacob had just arrived with. She meant what she said, no matter how hard it was for her to believe she was trying to be nice to that former Cerberus cheerleader, but she was also glad she was the last one to leave in their conversation. As far as she was concerned, she won this round. Time for a drink.


Miranda bit the inside of her cheek slightly, trying to figure out how, with Jack of all people, a rather personal conversation began. Even worse, gave knowledge for her to reflect on.

"New omni-tools, good," Shepard interrupted her thinking as he stepped out of the shower into the yet-to-be-used dorm room. Modest in size considering the inhabitants would likely be in their teenage years, the room already consisted of four beds, each area designed for an open-space concept while allowing the individual student some area of privacy. The not-so-subtle use of blue and white in the room made Miranda mentally gag. Alliance overcompensation was one of her pet peeves, though at least the formerly dim lighting of the Normandy was not in attendance.

Despite being clean, Shepard's face hid worries among the creases that reappeared. It was as if he once again switched to his war-mode. His newly shaven face, forgoing the light beard he grew since Virmire, conveyed the message even more.

His body lacked the bruises she had on display, yet the electric burns that struck his chest were now red, second degree at best. Seeing how quickly Bau could strike, she wondered if he didn't have a cracked rib or two, perhaps more. Due to training or not wanting to show the pain he continued to move with little hesitancy.

He moved closer to Miranda to take one of the small boxes containing the omni-tool sub-dermal nodes for placement under the skin. As he reached for a box his hand touched her own. She felt cool to the touch, the sensation exemplified after his own hot shower. He let it linger, slowly dipping under to the back of her hand. With that Miranda looked up, remorse in her eyes triggering his own. For being adept at a variety of tasks they weren't the best at apologies.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You had to find Oriana, she had no idea what was coming her way. I was being selfish."

Miranda smiled slightly at the completely unnecessary gesture. "No, you're right John. If I was with you things would have been easier. For both of us."

"It wouldn't have been hard for EDI to generate a crew roster for you to get the Alliance off my back."

"Or myself."

"Or yourself, yes," the Captain replied dryly. "We didn't find one prothean, we found two."

"Ass."

She went and took the box from his hand, removing the round omni-tool sensor from the packaging and prepping the area of skin just below Shepard's right wrist. "I should have been more honest about wanting you aboard then. I just didn't want to feel like I was forcing you to pick me or your sister."

The two looked each other in the eyes. Miranda's eyes raised slightly as she injected the device into the skin, watching Shepard's eyes refuse to wince, though his hand flinched quickly at the inclusion of the new device. He knew she enjoyed doing that.

Flexing his wrist he watched as the system came alive around his arm. Omni-tools were so synonymous with living in the modern age the past day or two seemed to be much longer.

"It's going to take a few hours to acclimate to you before I can encrypt it."

Miranda nudged Shepard to do to her what she had done to him. In this reflection it was her turn to offer an explanation. "I'm sorry about accusing Liara of such a thing. She's been a loyal friend to you, and no matter her intentions you're the one person I should never doubt. You keep your promises."

Shepard smiled contently at her words but he hesitated to inject the omni-tool into her wrist. Miranda took her other hand and placed it over his own to let him know it was alright to do so. With that extra push the injection caused Miranda to hiss and her eyes winced.

"I can kiss it if you want."

"You ruined the opportunity by saying that."

Miranda was disappointed how quickly he conceded the moment had passed, expecting Shepard to give her that look that seemed to exist only for her. That undivided, adoring attention that made the world stop. It was something she would gladly retreat into at the current time, much like holding Erin, if only for a brief respite.

Before she could get lost further in her memory he spoke in his all too common collected manner. "If we have to wait for these things to get adjusted, we've got a few hours to get some rest before we figure everything out." He had made a movement to leave this area of the room, to give Miranda the space he believed she still wanted, but her small slender hand reached out and gently touched his wrist. A slight squeeze encouraged him to stay, her eyes cementing the deal. The intimacy they were accustomed to providing one another was certainly an option, yet they resisted the urge. Instead Shepard smiled back to her, making his move to be comfortable on the bed before she found herself entwining with him like was done so many times before.

"It really won't be easy for us."

"We'll make it work. No matter how hard it gets. Trust me."

"I will. I do."

Miranda accepted the words as they left her mouth, finding peace with the decision as Shepard gently kissed the top of her head. A much needed moment of rest quickly followed as they remained embraced.


It was late, well beyond lights out. Jack, sitting in her own room in the teachers quarters, finished the bottle of beer she was nursing as she looked over what little existed for Grissom's daily schedule. She was still classified as a biotic abilities adjunct, bureaucratic speech for teacher. The title didn't bother her but the lack of access to manifests and schedules did.

A rotating display of photos from a portrait sized frame caught the former pirate's eye that sat on her desk. It was one of the few personal items, outside of her studded jacket that Jack could still claim as her own. It was a gift from Tali after the mission to reclaim this very station. Uploaded to it were images EDI had taken aboard herself from that time and other instances after Joker had unshackled her. Even photos from that party, that contained moments Jack could hardly remember were on the digital frame, though nothing considered incriminating (as far as EDI was concerned). As the synthetic system attempted to become more human these photos were what she had classified under "friends."

The one that caught Jack's eye presently wasn't anything memorable and the most recent one she knew of. It was from the Port Observation deck. At one end of the couch sat Jack, wearing her usual annoyed face as she looked intently at whatever the datapad displayed, balancing the device on her crossed leg as her other hand supported her tired head. In the middle sat Kasumi, pointing her thumbs out from her midsection as discreetly as possible in opposite directions. And finally, on the other end sat Miranda, a mirror image of Jack. There was a sense that this was beyond coincidence, Shepard's N7 jacket that Miranda wore only established how surreal this image was. Jack recalled that day, looking for any reports she could find about her students protecting HAMMER forces in London, wanting their exploits to be known by the rest of the galaxy. Some of those students were in the same room at the time, talking to Traynor and ensign Copeland about their service on the famous ship. Yet no one but Kasumi seemed to notice the pose each biotic possessed during that time. Even more commending of Kasumi's skill was that neither Jack nor Miranda were aware of the thief snapping the picture without the assistance of any students.

Jack wondered how many people knew this picture even existed. EDI, naturally. Kasumi, of course. But did Miranda know? It wasn't something she wanted known.

Stretching out and realizing this time could be better spent for sleeping, Jack removed her blue jacket and tossed it to one side, letting the bottle sit on her desk as she landed on her mattress to allow sleep to make a shorter appearance. But before she could close her eyes a high priority message beeped repeatedly at her terminal, then her omni-tool.

"You stupid..." Jack went to dismiss the beeping as she rolled off her bed in frustration, though seeing title of the message sobered her up.

Spectre Captain John Shepard AWOL: Considered Extremely Dangerous

Oh hell, Jack thought as it seemed the Council and Alliance was no longer keeping the information about Shepard on lockdown. Any attempt at her former commander trying to resolve the situation in a more discrete manner had past, seeing the string of other Alliance officers and officials receiving the message before her. Still, she wasn't at the bottom of the ladder, possibly because of her own experience with the man before the war.

Skimming the information it seemed much of what Shepard had spoken of regarding his situation, as out of the loop as he had been, was confirmed. Notification of revoked Spectre status, identification number of the Alliance shuttle the two had obtained to make their escape, and a detailed report on Miranda Lawson. In fact, despite the title of the message it seemed to largely focus on the former operative.

And then the attached files were opened.

Videos of experiments, test subjects, these naturally struck a deep chord within the former guinea pig. Any logic and cynicism she would have felt was replaced by a growing rage at the callous nature these individuals lost their lives for. And at the forefront of every portion of the compilation consisted the woman who was sleeping a just meters away.

Purple haze and rage, the emotion of betrayal, covered Jack's eyes as the video showcased something that was repeatedly denied by Miranda, seeing the back of Shepard's skull open as a control chip was placed. For all she knew, for all anyone aboard the Normandy knew, their relationship was created naturally. Yet the woman was trained to adapt to any situation. If she knew a romantic relationship would protect her, it seemed she would go to those lengths. It wasn't just Jack's distrusting nature about the woman from their very first meeting, these videos and her own experience seemed to confirm it. She was playing both sides to suit her own ends. Even trying to win her over, using Shepard as a shield.

Jack then had a stark realization: this was a Cerberus station, what if there was something here she needed. Manipulating Prangley, pointing a gun at his head, if she wasn't there to protect him...

The bottle that sat on the desk had been contained in a small field, growing smaller as the glass broke into smaller and smaller pieces, finally becoming a powder that fell to the metal floor as Jack marched out the room in quiet fury.

That bitch can't be trusted.

I like Jack, always wanted to give her more time but those darn kids got in the way. It's simple but I like the relationship she and Miranda had growing from enemies to something hovering around respect but must still keep up antagonistic appearances.

What happened on Virmire with the adjutants to cause all this will appear next chapter, this was an attempt at trying to see things through the character's eyes being still out of the loop.

Apologies for not getting this out sooner, but you're getting almost a whole extra chapter, so everyone wins.