Shepard, Garrus and Brooks got back from the casino, the mission a total failure. They got passed all the cameras, guards etc. But someone got in before them and killed Khan. The mysterious person came through on Khans tv. They wanted Shepard and her life. Promising to take everything from her.
As they walked through the door it woke Kaidan and Gemma up. They jumped out of bed and went to see how it went. Shepard was in a foul mood and not in the talking mood. She pushed past everyone and went to her room, leaving Garrus to explain everything to them.
Soon the rest of the crew made their way back to Shepard's apartment. Tali was sobered up and was able to join in the next meeting on what to do. Liara was able to get some data that needed to be decrypted, Edi was left to do that.
Garrus waited until everyone was doing their own thing and went to find Shepard. He walked up the stairs and saw her feet hanging off the bed. As he walked in, Shepard laid across the bed, her arm over her forehead. She looked up at the ceiling, her face scrunched up and frowning. "You okay?" Garrus asked quietly.
Shepard sat up, her elbows holding her body up. "I'm pissed off. Every time shit hits the fan, we are steps behind on whoever wants me or us dead. Same shit different day"
Garrus chuckled and sat down at the end of the bed. "You are Commander Shepard. Cerebrus, Reapers, Batarians all want you dead and that is just a shortlist. We may be sometimes behind, but we have always come out on top"
"I guess your right. Just really wanted this to be a shore leave we could all remember. Me and you spending it together" Shepard pushed her body to the edge of the bed and placed her head on Garrus shoulder, holding hands with him.
Garrus turned his face to look at her. "Well once we said fuck you to the Reapers and Cerebrus. We will go away together, back to Earth if you like. And have a proper holiday, just me and you" Shepard smiled at him.
"Thank you" Garrus leaned in and kissed Shepard. Placing his talons through her hair and Shepard got a good feel of his suit, she loved it when he didn't wear his armour 24/7.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Commander. We are ready to get the plain in motion if you are?" Liara said as she peeked her head around the corner. Garrus shot up and cleared his throat, moving past Liara to nearly running downstairs.
Shepard shook her head laughing as Liara gave her a little smirk. "Well done for scaring him off, Liara" Liara laughed, for a sweet voice she has, her laugh is very deep.
Kaidan and Gemma were stood in the kitchen, listening to Vega complain about being hungry. "Well, why didn't you get some food when Shepard left?" Gemma asked as she leaned against the cabinet, Kaidan making them some coffee.
"I didn't think I ended up drinking a little. Now I'm really hungry" James said in a protest. He thought back to the other shore leave he has had before. He would usually be hungover and eating Chinese food by now.
"You are always hungry" Gemma said laughing. Kaidan passed her a cup of coffee. She didn't always drink it, but with what might happen in the next few hours, she knew she needed it.
"Are... Are you calling me fat?" Shepard walked past James patting his belly, making him giggle. No one knew how ticklish he was. He'd rather keep that to himself. Gemma didn't answer the question she just smirked and walked off with her coffee.
"Come on Vega. I promise afterwards we will get you some food for that big belly of yours" Kaidan said punching him playfully in the arm. James grunted in the reply and followed them to the table.
"Commander, Edi and I have been analyzing the data Liara got. I think we have found something if you are ready to move on this?" Brooks asked. She was working on one of the data modules, trying to sift through it.
"Okay. I am ready to get all this behind us. Is everyone here?" Everyone nodded and Tali tried to nod. But the hangover made her head feel so heavy. "Ah. Tali it is good for you to finally join us. How was your sleep?"
Tali rubbed her hands together, embarrassed. "Think I could do with another hour or two" She said feeling woozy and rubbing her hand over her helmet.
"Though most of the data were wiped. We were able to find some logs that are still intact" Edi said. She was watching Brooks as she decrypted everything.
Brooks stood up straight. She seemed much more relaxed than before. "Edi is really good at this type of stuff. She is an AI after all, but still" She looked back down at the data in front of her. "We have found an encrypted communication from a few days ago. I just need another minute to crack it"
"A minute? Edi could widdle that down to a few seconds" Joker said mockingly. Edi gave him a sideways glance, wanting to tell him off.
"I thought it would be a good idea to give Brooks this to decrypt. It would help improve her hacking skills" Joked frowned at the idea.
"Well, you just gave up your chance to show off" He said with a smirk. Edi smiled at him, she loved Jokers humour and carefree attitude. But it could sometimes get him into trouble with his superiors.
Brooks stood back whilst she waited for it communications to come through. "Like she needs to do that. You are the crew of the Normandy. You are living legends and some don't always believe what you have accomplished could be possible"
"Well, legends can go either way. Are we good or bad?" Shepard asked, not really wanted to know the answer.
Brooks looked over to Shepard, across the table. "You are the ones we look up to. We owe you our lives for what you have done for us"
"Well, why is everybody trying to shoot at us?" Wrex asked in disgust. He couldn't go far without someone wanting him dead. He felt too old for this life he has right now.
"I think it is mostly just you, Wrex. The bigger the target, the bigger the ... uh... Target" Tali said from the far side of the table. She instantly regretted what she said.
"Are you saying. I have gained weight?" He asked in a low rumbling voice. Tali looked around the table for someone to save her before Wrex killed her.
"I think she means, there is more of the legend to love" Tali sighed a relief, looking at Liara in an appreciation. Wrex didn't say anything he just frowned and pursed his lips.
"And the camaraderie, the friendship? I think that is your secret weapon" Brooks said with a smile. She looked down at hologram, still hacking its way through.
"It's just part of our job. We do what we can for everyone else" Shepard said.
Garrus held his hand up. "Wait.. job. You mean the rest of you are getting paid for this?" He said in a sarcastic tone. Everyone just giggled between themselves.
"Here we go" Brooks said as the hack completed, information spread across the table. Brooks narrowed her eyes to look through it. "Wow. Those mercs who were after you? They brought a lot of weapons and big ones at that"
The hologram turned into a large Mech suit. Kaidan stepped forward to get a closer look. "Mechs? Why do they need that much heavy firepower?" Glyph floated past Kaidan and Brooks shoulder. It flashed as looking down towards the middle of the table.
"It seems this machine is ready to rebel" Javik said in a sharp and loud voice. Glyph stopped flashing looked up towards everyone.
"I have just monitored the Commanders spectre access codes being used inside the Citadel Archives" Glyph brought up a small diagram of the Archives. They were a lot bigger than just this diagram.
"The Archives are going into emergency lockdown. Whoever is hacking your files are there right now!" Brooks shouted. Shepard knew this would be their only shot to find out who wants her dead.
"Alright. What do we know about this place?" Shepard asked, looking at Garrus. He had the best knowledge from C-sec. He worked there before joining up with Shepard to take Saren down.
"The council keep sensitive historical information there. Real hush-hush stuff. Even I couldn't get inside it" Shepard started to turn away from the table.
"Then we are heading there now! Gear up and we-" She stopped dead in her tracks. A Volus holding a pizza box stood in front of her. She turned and looked straight at Vega. "What's with the Volus?"
Vega looked at everyone as they stared at him, then back at Shepard. "Pizza delivery guy" He said shrugging his shoulders. "I got the munchies"
Shepard looked back at the Volus. He waved the pizza in front of her. "Double pepperoni" Brooks walked around the table, standing where Shepard was before.
"Too bad you can't bring everyone. The Archives are too big for you to cover with a small team" Shepard turned around with a smirk on her lips.
"Who says we can't bring everyone? All hands on deck for this one" Everyone's faces lit up.
"Hell, yeah" Vega said with a fist bump. "But who takes point with you?" He asked pointing at her. The whole crew started to make small noises at Shepard, clearing their voices. Shepard smiled and shook her head, the Volus followed suit and cleared his voice.
"Ahem. Who is going to pay this bill?" James jogged over and paid the bill. The crew started to get ready, whilst eating pizza. Shepard wanted to take Gemma and Wrex on point with her. Kaidan led the next group calling it the Hammerhead group, he was taking Thane, James, Liara and Tali. Garrus lead the next group calling it the Mako Group, which he missed very much, unfortunately, the Mako got destroyed with the SR-1. He was taking Edi, Brooks and Javik with him.
As they were leaving, Cortez and Joker were going to fly them all in. Kaidan pulled Gemma to the side. "Please be okay. And remember to not overuse your Biotics"
Gemma looked up, smiling at him. "Don't worry. I will be safe. At least we will both be close by" She game him a quick kiss. and started to walk off. "I love you"
Kaidan smirked as he watched her walk away. "I love you, too"
The crew flew into the higher levels of the Archives. "They are locked deep below where we will land. Maybe a direct breach for maximum surprise?" Brooks said through the comms to the rest of the crew.
"Good idea. You are starting to learn the ropes now" Shepard said in approval.
"Hell, hang out with us long enough, and you'll learn ropes, knives, bombs, thresher maws..." Cortez said in a depressing voice. They started to come into land.
"But try not to hang around for too long. Or you'll start to make friends with Asari" Wrex said in a low, laughable voice. Everyone started to make their way into a huddle. Each stepping out of the space cars.
"I heard that" Liara snapped back. Wrex's low laugh could be felt through the flooring. James grabbed the bomb they needed to get through the ceiling.
"The Archives are pretty deep underneath us. It could be hard for us to get in" Brooks said. James was the last one over and pulled up the large bomb into their view.
"Not really" He placed the bomb on the floor, walking away to a safe distance. It started to beep, getting more high pitched the closer it got to detonating. Soon it gave way and exploded underneath them. Everyone started to gather around and jump through. Wrex pushed his way to the front, wanting to be the first to get through.
"Krogan first. See you at the party, princesses" They all got into position, making their way down the ladders to a boxed office. The computers were on but there was no one around. This mystery person who wanted Shepard dead, must of evacuate the Archives. The groups split up, Shepard went into the middle of the room, whilst each of the groups went above them on the catwalks. Garrus went ahead and soon had 4 lasers around his body. The same being done to Shepard and Kaidan.
"Not this again!" Shepard snarked. Everyone split up in their own covers. The doors opened around them, the same mercs from before flooding in. Luckily because everyone was split up, they didn't get surrounded. Gemma, Shepard and Liara used their Biotics as much as they could since the room as small enough the mercs were getting cornered.
Garrus used his sniper to get the mercs closing in on Shepard's team. She looked up as one merc fell to the floor in front of her, she smirked at him and nodded in appreciation. Javik's gun was coming to good use as the beam was bright, making some of the closer mercs stop to shield their eyes, giving the rest of the crew time to kill them. Thane kept to the shadows and was able to break a few of the mercs necks whilst they had their back to him. Wrex hardly used his gun and just ran around head-butting them all in his path. Shepard lost sight of Brooks and tried to find her. The room was full of laughter as Wrex knocked each merc down. Tali sent out her attack drone and shot any mercs that tried to close in on her. "Garrus, where is Brooks?"
"That's enough" A voice rang across the room. Shepard looked up and saw a woman holding onto Brooks by the neck. A gun to held out towards everyone. She pushed Brooks off the ledge to the floor, she landed with a thump. "Drop your weapons"
Brooks looked up and started to walk towards Shepard. "You bitch" Shepard looked around and saw nothing she could use to her advantage. She looked around and nodded at everyone and started to slowly place her gun on the floor. Gemma lit up blue, but Shepard commanded her with her hand to stop.
"Whatever you think you're getting away with. There is nowhere you can run, nowhere you can hide where we won't find you" Shepard said in an aggressive voice. Brooks stood by Shepard, them both looking up.
"Hide? Why?" the mystery woman shrugged her shoulders. She stood into the faint light. "I'm Commander Shepard. I never hide" Shepard took a step back, it was her twin. But she didn't have a twin so a clone? She was the same as Shepard to the T, just a little bit more skinner. the whole crew slowly dropped her hands to their side, looking at the clone.
"Well that's not something you see every day" Gemma said in a quiet voice. The clone ran and jumped off the ledge, landing gracefully in front of them.
"Who are you?" Shepard asked as the clone walked over. She took another step back, dipping her head. The clone closed the distance between them. Leaning on her hip, giving Shepard an insulting look.
"Your not the only Shepard they brought back to life, but at least one of us will do something about it" She said in a sarcastic tone. Shepard leaned to the side, copying the clones movements.
"Where did you come from?" Shepard asked in an annoyed voice, her patience was wearing fine. Reapers, Cerberus and now a damn clone, who needed to get some meat inside her. The clone pointed at Shepard.
"From the same DNA as you" Wrex stood closer to Shepard. Watched the clones every move.
"She is your clone" He said in a deep voice, wanting to sound more threatening. The mercs around kept most of their guns on him. But Wrex just smirked at their little try of making him worried for his life, which didn't work a bit.
"Cerberus spared no expense resurrecting you.. with me" The clone said as she walked around Shepard, her eyes watching. "I was created for spare parts in case you needed an arm, or heart, or lung"
"Where have you been this whole time?" The clone started to walk off, waving her arms and hands around with expression.
"I was in a coma until I woke up six months ago. While you were in a nice jail cell on Earth. I was learning about what it meant to be a Human" She walked back to Shepard, standing in front of her, "Amazing what a person can do with enough neural implants"
Shepard wade her options, she could kill this clone or get her on their side. "Well if you are me, then that means we are on the same side" The clone smirked, waving her hand in the air.
"We aren't even in the same league" Shepard realised they were not getting out of this without a fight. She shook her hand at her side getting Gemma and Wrexs attention to get ready.
"Did the Illusive man send you?" Shepard was both curious and trying to get them more time to find an escape route.
"No. He abandoned me when he got what he wanted. Which was you" The clone said stepping closer. Shepard stood her ground, not wanted to look worried.
"Well, what is your point if you're trying to kill us? We hate Cerberus just as much as you" Gemma said in a sharp voice. Kaidan moved a little closer to the railing to look over to make sure she was okay.
"Because I don't have her memories. I'd never fool my supposed friends" The clone turned her back, Gemma wanted to use that as a chance to kill her. But knew it was too risky. "The ones who abandoned their duty to join the cult of Shepard" She turned around and looked at Kaidan, he took his gaze off Gemma and onto the clone staring each other down. "Like you, Major Alenko, I would have left the other on Virmire, what's her name? Ashley something? But now you joined Shepard and have shacked up with one of her crew members"
Kaidan went to open his mouth, but Gemma shouted. "I'd watch what you say, bitch. Before I slap you with a warp!" Kaidan smirked. The clone looked from him to Gemma and moved closer. They stared at each other but the clone backed off. Gemma held in so hard not to let her Biotics show her rage.
"Anyway, I'm you Shepard, but perfected. I'm you without the wear and tear. The doubts, the failures. I'm the lone wolf you were always meant to be" She walked closer to Shepard then shot her head up to the crew on the catwalks. "Without the emotional baggage holding me back"
Wrex laughed. "No one will believe you are Shepard. You may look like her, but you can even smell your different" He said in a deeper voice as before. Smirking his lips to show his teeth, the mercs moved a little closer to him.
"They will when I'm flying her ship" The clone said, not taking her eyes off Shepard. Shepard knew what was about to happen and placed her fingers on her comms.
"This is Commander Shepard. Initiate Normandy lockdown! Transmitting command codes now!" She pulled her omni-tool up and started to type the codes through. The clone laughed and pulled her own Omni-tool up, scanning Shepard.
"Good idea. Too bad the signal was blocked" She said in a snarky and laughable voice. "Traynor, this is Shepard. Prep the Normandy for emergency departure, we are leaving" She looks up with a smirk and then back down to her omni-tool. "Sending the command codes now"
There was a short silence until Traynor replies. "Acknowledged, Commander. Prep is underway" Shepard had finally had enough of waiting. She walks closer to the clone, inches from each other.
"It will be a very cold day in hell until someone takes my ship!" The clone walked back a few paces.
"It won't be stealing it if I'm you" The clone starts to walk out of the door. "Execute them. The cult of Shepard ends today" Shepard looks around one last time, she sees the Citadel model hanging above them. Nodding at Gemma, Shepard grabs her pistol and shoots the arms of the model, letting it fall on the mercs, whilst Gemma places multiple singularities around the rest of the crew to give them time to get back into cover.
The crew started to make quick work of the mercs. Some had shields, but Garrus's sniper made quick work of that. Everyone gave it their all, fighting their way to the doors the clone had left through before. "Have we still got everyone?" Shepard asked. Everyone checked in fine. Some scrapes and bruises, but nothing too bad.
Everyone fought through, making jokes along the way. Vega showing off his shots and Liara reassuring everyone that if they die, at least they would die together. Which didn't make anyone feel reassured. "Right, that is all of them. But where did the other you go?" Garrus asked from above them.
"She would have made her way into the Archives. Stay in your groups" Shepard made her way to the main doors, as everyone else used the ones above them. "Team Mako you are on point"
"Right, What is a Mako?" Brooks asked in a confused voice.
"Something we could do with about now" Garrus replied in a laugh. Shepard could imagine rampaging through the Archives with the Mako.
The Archives turned out to be huge. It took everyone nearly 20 minutes to get to the other side. Shepard had to travel through the tubes to get to the other side, whilst Glyph went on ahead to find the clone. But it kept getting confused with Shepard and the clone. The other groups were making good progress only getting into small firefights.
The clone was very aggressive down the comms to her crew, threatening to have their head and kill them if they didn't get Shepard. They were getting closer as the Mako team called through that they were pinned down. Shepard found them and started to shoot the mercs on the catwalks. She let her crew got up the ladder, but it started to get to her and the firepower was overwhelming for her. She called in for backup when a rain of bullets showed up above her. The whole crew lined up and killing the last of the mercs. "Haha, this is why I love hanging out with you guys. Why shoot something once when you can shoot it forty more times" Wrex said laughing,
Shepard made her way up the ladders. "The.. other me can't be far. Keep up the pressure. Let's move" The crew starts to split up once more to cover more ground. As they got deeper into the Archives. Shepard found data about post wars and events. One was based on an interrogation of a Human by the Turains, mostly just insulting each other and the Turians wanting to take Earth for themselves.
They didn't seem to come into any more trouble as they went deeper in, finding more logs and one about the Krogan rebellions. "They must have 1000s of years worth of data down here" Wrex said as he watched the hologram of the Krogan beating up a Salarian and Asari.
"I just want to know what the... other me wants to find down here" Soon assassins started to show up. Shepard thought how Thane would love to fight them since no other assassin was like him. Gemma used a shockwave to push them off balance whilst Wrex ran through them, knocking each one down. Shepard shot them between the eyes just in case they weren't dead.
"Shepard, this is team Hammerhead. Enemy contacts ahead. We will draw their fire" Thane said over the comms. Shepard wanted to get moving faster, she didn't want to leave her crew fighting alone for too long. Shepard got through an open planned office, which had mercs everywhere. They all got into cover. Gemma threw another shockwave, making some of the electrics to fire and electrocute the mercs. Wrex took on the armoured mercs and shot them with his shotgun, then headbutted them.
The rest of the crew in the catwalks got the upper hand and shot any mercs that were hiding down below. "Alright, everyone keep moving forward" Shepard commanded. She stopped to find another memory of when the law against AI begun. Shepard only watched part of it till she carried on. The archives were going more underground. Anther firefight ahead could be heard.
"You know, if you say pretty please, I might let you live" Vega shouted. They walked through the doors and Wrex instantly started charging. Garrus, Thane and Javik all used their sniper rifles to get the mercs from the end of the room. Liara used her Biotics to forces their bodies into the air for them to be shot my Vega.
"Say pretty please and Wrex might have a break" Tali said. Shepard held back her laughter. She liked having everyone along, even under pressure they will make light of the situation.
"The Prothean on the other hand, makes no promises" Javik shouts back. He was loving this, the Citadel was a beautiful place. But to have a firefight inside its deepest places was like the best present for him. But more so would the Reapers seeing him as they slowly died. Glyph was floating around the fight. The bullets didn't harm its hologram. Glyph floated around asking for the mercs to stop and he doesn't understand what the floating butler means.
"Where is the target, Glyph?" Shepard asked in a hurry. Glyph floated back towards Shepard.
"The other you is searching for a secret vault. She wished to not be disturbed" Shepard looked up at Glyph, confused. "I thought she was you" It said in a quiet voice.
"Well, she isn't me. Find her again" Shepard said in a sigh. As they started to make their way to the next room, another memory came through. This time it was about the 'Geth' attack on the Citadel over 3 years ago. Gemma watched it as well.
"I thought that fight was a Reaper invasion, with the help of Geth?" Shepard started to walk off, not wanted to see any more of the lies the Council tells.
"Yeah, that's correct. The Council didn't want to believe it was Sovereign. They are still full of Bullshit like they were 3 years ago" Gemma smirked. The hologram started to flash, making Shepard turn around to look.
"Spectre status recognised. Commander Shepard" The VI says. Shepard walks back over next to Gemma. A hologram picture of Sovereign popped up.
"The unknown aggressor is believed to be a Reaper. A sentient machine that wants to kill all advanced life in the Milky Way. This Reaper named Sovereign was killed by the Firth fleet" A man's voice said over the speakers. Gemma looked over at Shepard, she was gobbed smacked by what she just heard.
"Well, I'll be damned. The fuckers listened" Shepard said quietly. "Come on, we don't have time for this" They walked out to a large opened warehouse, which was storing all the data modules. It was the biggest room so far. Shepard saw team Mako being pinned down by a heavy mech.
"Team Mako here. We are pinned down, trying to take down this mech" Shepard got their attention for them to move so she could deal the mech. It started to make its way towards her. Gemma was able to put up a large barrier around them so the bullets wouldn't hit them. Shepard gave it all she got, using her disrupter bullets to pierce through its armour. At the right time, Wrex ran into the mech, making it fall to the ground.
"And here is an 800-pound Krogan with a boom" He shouted as the mech below up. Everyone knew they had to make it to the other side. But the mercs were flooding in. They couldn't pin Shepards groups since they were all split up. Gemma kept her barrier up, saving time with having to go into cover each time. Mako team was on their left making a clear path for Shepard and Hammerhead was killing the mercs on the other catwalks, since they all intertwined with one another.
Shepard was close to the next doors, but then the platform below them raised with five heavy armoured mercs. Gemma got rid of her barrier, forcing Shepard into cover. Gemma started to run towards them, a small mass effect field in front. Each bullet bouncing off. She raised her body in the air and thumped down on the ground with a Nova. All the mercs fell to the ground. Shepard threw herself out of cover and shot the last. Wrex was close behind making sure they all stayed on the ground. "Looks like we saved everyone's ass again. Hah" Wrex shouted.
"Everyone keep on pushing forward. We need to find the other me" Shepard got to the next door. It was another office room with memory holograms.
"Right! I might throw up if everyone is okay with that" Brooks said in a shy voice. Shepard was impressed with how well she was doing so far.
"Commander, the other you asked me to pass on a message for you" Glyph said as it came back, floating next to Shepard. "Shepard, save yourself the trouble. Once I have what I came for, you won't matter anymore" The clones voice rang through Glyph. Shepard was trying to guess what it was that she wanted. "Now, go drone! Deliver it!"
Glyph disappeared once more and Shepard found another memory. This one was the day the Genophage was launched, showing Salarians and Turains in the Shroud. A building Shepard used to cure the Genophage which had the same purpose to launch it all those years ago. It got destroyed with Moridin inside since the Reaper and Thresher Maw that was fighting had broken its supports.
They fought on. The room was bigger than the others. The clone was getting more angry with Shepard still being alive, threatening her mercs even more. Glyph pointed out that the clone doesn't care for collateral damage and had more of a temper then Shepard. She found another memory, by their exit. The first-ever assigned Spectre. A salarian prisoner being offered to the Spectres because he used civilian lives to his advantage. Shepard was disgusted in the idea of it.
They made their way through another corridor. "Hammerhead do you copy?" But there was no response. Shepard started to run faster. She got around the corner and saw Mako team.
"Hammerhead have gone on ahead, Commander. We will follow" Brooks said. Their group went on as more mercs arrived. Shepard could tell they were getting desperate. They started to make mistakes, getting themselves killed easier. The room was small and the memory holograms had been destroyed, most likely by the gunfire.
"Shepard, we see the clone. Mako team going in" Garrus says. Shepard wanted them to wait for her. The clone could have dozens of mercs with her and a small team can't just take her on. One of the memories started to boot up, it was one of Shepard, becoming the first Human Spectre.
They got to the next room, it was empty. But they could hear the shouting of the crew and saw Brooks needing help. They started to run, but a forcefield trapped them inside one of the tubes. Shepard looked around seeing if there was a switch. "Brooks, Garrus. Anyone on this frequency?" But saw the clone walking towards her. Shepard tries to shoot but forcefield blocks her shots.
"The short answer is no" She walks closer, shaking her head at Shepards attempt to shoot. "The longer answer involves your friends being trapped in iridium vaults and forgotten for... well ever" Gemma starts to try and force the field to drop with her Biotics, but to no luck. "Keep wasting your energy. Biotics are useless against the field"
"Others know about this, about you. The Alliance will hunt you down!" Shepard snaps back. Wrex looks to the side and sees someone walking up behind the clone.
"What do you think, Staff Analyst Brooks? Will the Alliance hunt us down?" Then an arm draped over the clone. Brooks, on the clones side. Smiling at Shepard, walking confidently.
"I wouldn't know. I don't actually work for them" Brooks says a new accent Shepard hadn't heard before. Wrex wasn't really surprised. Something about Brooks rubbed him the wrong way from the beginning.
"Who the hell are you? And do you really not think I won't track you down?" Shepard asks. Wanting more time, so they could find a way to escape.
"My name doesn't matter. I never keep one for more than a few days" Brooks replies. Her voice more of a posh London accent. But Shepard wasn't convinced. She probably had a lot of different accents. "And if the Illusive man hasn't found me yet, neither will you" she says, confidently.
"Your Cerberus?" Shepard couldn't be too surprised. That was probably how the clone and she found each other. Wanted revenge for more shit the Illusive man had done.
"Was. Mr Illusive and I didn't see eye to eye. He has become indoctrinated, whereas I prefer the whispers in my head to be my own" Shepard already knew the Illusive man was indoctrinated. Since he wanted to use the Collector base against them. but really to aid them.
"Why didn't you come to me? We could've worked together" Brooks smirked at her.
"In a way we did. I'm the one who put together all your dossiers for your 'suicide mission'" She says using air quotes. As if that mission was a joke. "There was that Salarian doctor, Asari justicar, that Drell. They were all mistakes. We were a pro-human group who started looking for aliens to help" Wrex grunted at her. "So I bided my time, and when I found a you that agreed. I woke her up"
"What was the point of it all?" Shepard asks, not fully understanding what they wanted to accomplish.
"All we really wanted was your Spectre codes" Shepard looked back on when the doors in the space car lot, locked her and Garrus in it. "But then you survived the hit and insisted on bringing your damned Asari into it, so I had to tie up some loose ends" Shepard remembered when they found Khan dead. Brooks had snuck in before to kill him. "But then your sexbot just to go and recover the data. So here are: Forced to.. contain this situation" She says pointing at Shepard in the field.
Shepard had heard enough, she held her hand up. "Just a fair warning: No one who has betrayed us has survived" Brooks and clone talked quietly between them. Shepard wasn't done. "You two may think you have won right now. But you just wait. I will take both your heads and mount them in the CIC as a warning to others with a shit idea like you both are doing right now" Shepard says as she leans against her hip, crossing her arms over her chest.
"That sounds all very dramatic. And if someone like... Commander Shepard made the threat. I'd be worried" Brooks says walking closer. Acting more confident ten before. "But you're not Shepard. Not anymore"
"You had Miranda, I have her. But mine has more bite" The clone says. Shepard knew right now Miranda would rip them both apart.
"It was fun, while it lasted" Brooks says, as the clone walks over to the nearby panel. Shepard follows her to watch.
"What are you doing?" Curiosity getting the better of her, but also worry.
"Setting things right" The clone types on the panel. "Remember this?" A hologram of the Council comes through when Shepard first became a Spectre. "Except somewhere along the way, you forgot about your entire species. You've saved more alien lives than you have Human"
"I don't care what species they are. Every life counts, but maybe a clone wouldn't understand that. And maybe you forgot I save our ENTIRE species from the Collectors" Shepard shot back. The clone seemed to be becoming annoyed.
The clone laughed at her remark. "You know the one thing they can duplicate? Our handprint. Life gives it a shape, not DNA... Which is a problem" She turns back to the panel. "Computer, update Council records. Subject: Shepard. Human Spectre" The clone looks at Shepard as she talks.
"Accessing records. Please input new data" The computer commands. The clone places her hand on the panel. A hologram hand appearing in front of them. "Biometric identifier updated. Good day, Commander Shepard"
The clone and Brooks start to walk out. "Now if you excuse me. The Normandy needs it's captain. So... I should go" The clone says slowly, turning back towards Shepard.
Shepard raises her eyebrow in confusion. There was something that the clone meant, which Shepard does. "Farewell, Commander. I guess this is where 'legends' go to die" Brook says in a teasing voice, swaying her hips as they walk out. The tube started to pull everyone inside its vault.
"Refresh my memory. Don't we usually win these things?" Wrex asked. The first time ever not knowing what to do.
"She said 'I should go" Do I really sound like that?" Shepard asked, not thinking on the task at hand.
"For as long as I've known you, yeah" Wrex replies. Shepard couldn't see much so lit up her omni-tool. Wrex shrugged his shoulders, not know what Shepard wanted him to say.
"Maybe we could turn out attention to the vault we have been sealed into forever?" Gemma asked, trying to get their attention back. Shepard starts to pace, twiddling her fingers.
"How come I was never told this before? I have always been open to feedback?" Gemma shook her head and started to think of a way out of there.
"Well,I thought all humans sounded like that, like some weird Earth custom or something?" Gemma carried on working on her omni-tool, bringing up the oxygen levels, which was dropping.
"I give us an hour tops until we run out of air" But Wrex nor Shepard even acknowledged what she said.
"Maybe it's: I Should Go? I SHOULD go? 'I' should go..." Shepard said pacing up and down, Wrex following her movements.
"Commander, can we talk about this AFTER we get out of here, please" Gemma shouted. Shepard stopped pacing and looked back at her, finally catching on.
"Hm? Oh, Glyph, you still out there?" They waited for a reply. Glyph location popped up on Gemmas omni-tool, he was right outside the vault.
"Yes, Commander" Shepard started to walk to the edge where Glyph was on the other side,
"Unlock this damn thing, and go get the others.No one steals my ship, not even me!"
The rest of the crew was able to get out and huddle back up. Shepard ordered them all to make their way back to the entrance they first used. There were no more mercs, just dead bodies everywhere. Joker met them on the roof, only being able to fit 2 more with Shepard in the car to get to the Normandy.
Everyone started to make the same noises as before wanting Shepard's attention. "Garrus, Edi. You're with me" They both climbed in, Vega making a sighing noise. "What's wrong?"
"I never get picked for anything" Vega says, slumping his shoulders.
"Joker will come back for you all" That still didn't help Vegas moods, and most of them as pissed off about Brooks, them taking her in as part of the crew and she fucked them all over.
"Right we are going. They're on my ship" Joker shouts as he lifts the car in the air.