Twin Fates
By Belle and Tobias
Automatic Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the Mass Effect or any other referenced copy righted material.
Belle's Note: So this is Toby's baby and I won't reveal what I mean because I'm not giving a bit of it away before you read. Let's just say when we first hashed out ME3 this was NOT in the script, but Toby was apparently struck by lightning when he thought of this ripple. 100% credit to him, I hope we get you guys on the edge of your seats for this one.
Toby's Note: I hope you folks enjoy this one. It went through a bit of a process and Belle really helped me work this out. When I told her about my idea she just fell in love with the idea and her excitement for it motivated me to get this written out pretty quick after the last chapter.
Chapter 31: Children with Scars
Earth Date: October 19th, 2186 CE
Location: Normandy SR-2, Mid-transit
"I'm sorry Shepard, but the Asari will not attend this war summit," Councilor Tevos informed John who scowled.
"Councilor, I realize that among your species the Councilor is also a leader. All I'm asking for is for you to appoint someone to represent Asari interests. The Salarians and Turians will attend, as I'm sure Jane will convince Wrex to attend for the Krogan. I'm also convinced the Quarians and Geth will be there as well. Now is the time to pull together, not apart," John stated and Tevos gave him a condescending look.
"I understand what you hope to accomplish, however, we have been down this road before. As I stated the Asari will not be a part of this war council," she said before the transmission cut off. John cursed and slammed the data pad in his onto his desk.
"Damn," John snarled and glanced to his left. Liara was watching from nearby, between EDI's holographic projector and the fish tank.
"It was worth a try John," Liara said and John sighed.
"I'm sorry I didn't even get to use the information you provided me," John said and Liara just smiled at him.
"That's alright. I'm sure I can use the knowledge of Tevos's relationship with Aria for something else we need later," Liara noted. John nodded and turned back to the display in his room.
"I should try and call Tali to ask-" John was cut off as everything seemed to flicker for a moment. The comms in his room turned on shortly after.
"John? EDI just went offline." Joker reported and John frowned, exchanging a glance with Liara who looked annoyed.
"What do you mean offline?" John questioned.
"The diagnostic I ran earlier showed a slight power surge in her core earlier but she noted it was the result of a routine access protocol being run," Liara added.
"I don't know. She's not responding and I can't access the AI core diagnostics," Joker reported, worry clear in his voice. "You better get down to deck three. You're the only one with access codes to override the core door locks."
"Yeah, I'm on it." John replied and sighed before turning to his lover. "Would you mind calling Tali and the Quarian Leadership?"
"Of course, John," Liara said, heading for his desk to access it with her usual grace. John headed for the elevator and wondered just what the AI was up to.
~*TF*~
Jane exited her shuttle in the Normandy's shuttle bay. As she hopped out she considered the advantages of having both ships available. The Okinawa might have the SR-1's engine but it sure did not have the quantum entanglement communications array that the SR-2 did. After half an hour of trying to speak to Admiral Hackett through the comm distortion, Jane gave up and asked Joker to let her board to use the array. Anderson had let her see the schematics so she knew what to expect. She was in her Captain uniform and saluted the various Alliance crew as she headed to the elevator and up to the CIC.
"Captain Shepard," Specialist Traynor saluted.
"Where's John?" Jane asked and Traynor looked at the elevator.
"Something's going on with EDI," she said and Jane nodded.
"He doesn't need me looking over his shoulder on his ship. I'm going to use the array to contact Hackett, the Okinawa is great for a lot, but Normandy's got the stronger comm system," Jane sighed and Traynor nodded. Jane headed into the new heart of the SR-2. Anderson had designed it well, Jane fought the urge to swear at the thought that her brother was too dumb to stay in the Alliance. She shook her head and headed to the comms.
"Shepard?" Hackett seemed confused before he saw her. "Ah, Captain, smart using the SR-2."
"I could barely understand ever other word, Sir," Jane said as she looked at the Admiral.
"Long story short, I was trying to explain that Udina...appointed me as the War Advisory board representative for Earth," Hackett stated and Jane rolled her eyes.
"With the work you are doing on Project Redemption?" she asked and Hackett nodded in understanding. "He was barely tolerable as the Councilor but now as the highest ranking politician..."
"The priority is building the weapon, I will not leave this position unguarded and while we are slowly collecting more and more of the finest members of the galaxy's scientific and engineering community, their safety is essential for our success," Hackett stated.
"How are our colonies doing?" Jane asked and Hackett looked pleased.
"You preparations, the Prothean tactics, and the anonymous writings of a certain incarcerated individual are making the difference, the Reapers are finding things a lot harder than they expected, we're not winning, but the colonies are doing a hell of a lot better than Earth," Hackett said and Jane nodded.
"What's your plan for the War Advisory board?" Jane asked.
"You will be my representative for the War Advisory board. Once you get them collected and the initial meeting is done I want them to here with me at Project Redemption. The security for the project will easily be able to accommodate some VIPs," he stated and Jane stared in shock, her jaw going slightly slack. She was going to be the human voice for the pivotal initial actions of the War Advisory board.
"You want me to speak for you, Sir?" Jane asked and Hackett nodded.
"You know what is at risk, you know better than any other member of the Alliance military just what we are up against. I can think of no one better to be my voice," he said and Jane felt overwhelmed for a moment.
"I didn't learn any of it alone, Sir," she said and he nodded.
"You and your brother put more of yourselves into this war than any other human, I would be honored for you to start this process. Once we have a War Advisory board in order, we can bring them here and the board can make our plans as this thing gets constructed," Hackett said and Jane saluted.
"I will do my best to make sure you have a complete War Advisory board as soon as I can," Jane said and Hackett nodded as he returned the salute.
"I have full faith in you, Captain, Hackett out," he said. As his image blinked out Jane fought the tears in her eyes. To know the highest-ranking man in the Alliance military trusted her this much...she steeled her spine, she had to not just live up to those expectations, she needed to exceed them.
~*TF*~
After seeing EDI take control of the body John followed her into the bridge where she sat down in the co-pilot chair. The pilot did a double take before a large grin filled his face.
"John, have you see this?" Joker said, voice filled with joy. "Check out my new co-pilot!"
"So she installs herself into a new body, a former killbot I might add, without any help from you?" John questioned, doubt plain to see.
"Come on, Spectre, don't you trust me?" Joker scoffed.
"No," John bit out, giving him a look as he crossed his arms.
"That's a fair point." Joker allowed. "Okay let me put it this way, if I knew EDI was going to install herself into a sexy robot body, do you honestly think I'd be able to keep quiet about it? Look at that!" Joker held up his hands as if he was talking a picture of EDI. "I'd have baked a cake!"
"I am right here, Jeff," EDI said awkwardly and quietly.
"Yes EDI, yes you are," Joker drawled. John had the feeling piloting the Normandy had just gotten a lot more complicated.
~*TF*~
"Captain Shepard, you have a call from Krup'avathi Sakeenah," EDI stated and Jane blinked. That was fast, she had messaged the Dramaye ambassador on the Citadel right after Hackett and was preparing to leave.
"Thank you for responding so quickly, Ambassador Sakeenah," Jane said and the Batarian nodded before smiling.
"It is good to see you, Jane," Krup'avathi said. "I am surprised you are inviting us to the war summit. We are not a major part of the Citadel." Jane shook her head.
"The Dramaye are the Batarian people's government now," Jane said. "Your people are pacifists out of choice, but your people do know how to fight and defend your territories when provoked. You deserve a voice on the War Advisory board as a race that is combat experienced. The Dramaye lost Khar'shan decades ago because the Hegemony targeted you and you were outnumbered. Khar'shan has been decimated by the Reapers, Batarians are fleeing Hegemony space, and your people are there to collect and help them." Krup'avathi stared at Jane and nodded.
"The Dramaye do not like to start conflict...but we do know how to stop it," she said as she thought. "You wish for one of our warriors to come and give voice to our small military?" Jane smirked. The Dramaye were not weak fighters, they were extremely well trained. Dramaye special strike teams had been hitting slavers for decades, taking out slave teams and mercenary groups multiple times the size of their strike teams and rescuing slaves, the Batarian slaves would usually join the Dramaye and other races would be returned to their nearest colony. A Dramaye strike team was worth ten Hegemony strike teams.
"You have strike team leaders, choose the best one with the most successes in combat, defense or offense. We need to see the Reapers with all eyes, not just Human, Turian, Asari, and Salarian. Urdnot Wrex of the Krogan will be coming, we are anticipating Admiral Tali'Zorah from the Quarians, and a Geth unit known as Legion to represent the Geth. I ask that you send one of your people," Jane said. Krup'avathi looked thoughtful.
"What of the Elcor, the Volus, the Hanar?" she asked and Jane smiled.
"The Volus are supporting the Turians already, Volus supplies are a key part of the military effort, but they have been a client race of the Turians for so long their fleet relies more on Turian military direction than Volus. The Hanar have been donating materials, including Drell squads to protect key Relays but they are more espionage based in their tactics which is not as useful against Reapers. The Elcor are willing to aid, but by nature they do not do well in waging war, they are raising military volunteers for joining other Council race units. The last four military efforts by Elcor were all directed by VI," Jane explained and Krup'avathi nodded as she thought. The Batarian was looking at something.
"I will contact our military leaders and I will allow them to decide who we send. Our people do not like to engage in violence..." Krup'avathi said but then her eyes narrowed. "...however, Khar'shan is our homeworld and we do owe the Reapers for what they did to her. You will have the Dramaye government's representative's name within the next forty-eight hours."
"I will look forward to greeting your representative," Jane said. "May the rain nurture the soil."
"May the sun nurture the crops," Krup'avathi replied as she blinked out. Jane nodded as she headed out. She should probably get back to the Okinawa, it had been a bitch and a half to get Javik to stay on the ship, he seemed certain Jane was coming to the Normandy to go fight Reapers, not play politics. Jane shook her head as she started out.
"Can you believe it?" one of the door guards said as Jane paused for her scan.
"She's in that mech they got from Mars," the other nodded and Jane froze.
"Who is in what mech?" Jane demanded and the two guards gave her a look.
~*TF*~
"Tell me that again," Jane said, disbelief plain in her voice.
"EDI is now in charge of Dr. Eva's body," John explained. "And Joker is way too happy about it." Jane just stared at him.
"EDI is in the killer robot body that almost killed Kaidan. And Joker's happy about it," Jane said flatly.
"Well, to be fair, it looks a lot different now," John noted as Liara entered the conference room.
"As long as I don't feel compelled to shoot her on sight I think it'll be fine," Jane muttered.
"I'm happy to say that Tali will be at the summit," Liara broke in to change the topic. "She has requested we put on the agenda getting allowances made to have the Geth legally move about Council space." John winced at that.
"I should have thought about that," he admitted.
"I forgot about that too," Jane noted. "I'm sure General Victus will get something written up, especially for the Geth and Quarian fleets."
"If I recall correctly the Geth have a fleet equal to size to the Turians and even without the Civilian fleet the Quarians already out number them. They would be a huge asset," John noted.
"The downside is the time it will take to get everyone at the agreed upon summit coordinates," Liara noted. "At least four days."
"I hate that but it's realistic," Jane noted. "I'm just happy the Dramaye will attend." The conference room doors slid open as Traynor walked in.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Spectres but I found something while scanning Alliance channels," Traynor said. John gestured for her continue. "Grissom Academy is sending out an SOS. A Turian evac transport responded to their distress call so normally I wouldn't say to worry about it but something sounded off in the signal. I asked EDI to analyze it and she informed me it was a fake signal, something the Collectors had used to lure you to trap but this had been altered using Cerberus algorithms. This seems to be covering something called…'a snatch and collar operation'? The academy is only a few hours away."
"Shit!" John snarled and Traynor jerked. "Damn good work, Traynor." John said as he bolted for the door. "EDI! Tell Joker, emergency course change!" Traynor watched the man go running out and felt Jane pat her comfortingly on the shoulder.
"What John forgot to explain is a 'snatch and collar operation' is basically a slave grab," Jane explained, her face in a grim expression. "It's similar to what people call a 'snatch and grab' but what they grab are people. With all those kids if you hadn't spotted it, they would have all been taken before we could have helped."
"Thank you, Captain," Traynor said in relief. "Do you need to call the Okinawa?"
"Already on it," Jane stated as she hit her comm. "Green. I'm not going to be heading over just yet. It looks like we need to jump to Grissom yesterday."
"What's going on, ma'am?" Green said in her ear.
"Cerberus is going after the academy, go FTL and be prepared to assist the Normandy with a potential space fight," Jane ordered.
"Wait...you want me to keep up with Jeff Moreau..." Green stammered.
"I thought he was your hero?" Jane teased her pilot.
"He is! I...I don't know if I can..." Green said and Jane smirked.
"Trust me, Green, I wouldn't be asking if I didn't think you could. I've known Joker longer, but I've seen you fly just as long, you can keep up," Jane said. "See you at Grissom."
"Javik's going to be pissed you went and had fun without him," Green commented.
"There we go, use that spine you have from talking back to the Terror of the Hegemony to take on Jeff 'Joker' Moreau," Jane encouraged. "Shepard out."
"Is the Okinawa pilot really good enough to keep up with Joker?" Traynor asked and Jane nodded.
"Joker graduated flight school a few years ahead of Green, but Green was top of his class, he looked up to Joker. Plus...with EDI's new body...Joker might not be flying with full brain capacity..." Jane considered and Traynor chuckled.
~*TF*~
Earth Date: October 19th, 2186 CE
Location: Normandy SR-2, Just outside Grissom Academy
"What do we got Joker?" John asked as he entered the cockpit. EDI and Joker were working away as Joker brought up a general overlay of the area.
"There's the folks who answered the distress call," Joker noted pointing out the ships surrounding the academy. "A Cerberus cruiser with at least a dozen fighters on blockade duty. Too many for us in a straight up fight. They must want this place bad."
"Green, do we have you patched in?"Jane asked.
"Reading the Normandy loud and clear," Green stated.
"I want to let the Normandy take the lead, she's bigger and stronger, let the Okinawa display the grace of a smaller vessel and give the big girl back up," Jane ordered and John grunted in agreement.
"We're receiving an incoming transmission," EDI spoke up.
"Let's hear it," John ordered and EDI patched the comms in.
"SSV Normandy this is Kahlee Sanders, director if Grissom Academy. We need immediate assistance. Cerberus is attacking the facility. They're after my students!" a woman reported.
"This is Spectre John Shepard, we're blocked on a direct approach." John noted.
"I know they've taken control of the shuttle bays," Kahlee informed him and John scowled.
"Any alternatives?"
"There's an auxiliary cargo port I could probably open." She mused.
"All right. We'll come in by shuttle and get your students out of there," John said and the comm signal cut off as he turned to the pilot he knew could do anything. "Joker can you give us a diversion?"
"Oh boy can I!" Joker said gleefully and Jane rolled her eyes.
~*TF*~
"Keep the shuttle in position! We'll be back!" John said to Cortez as the team double checked their equipment.
"You are keeping your gear on the Normandy?" Garrus asked and Jane shook her head, slightly bashful around the Turian.
"No, I'm keeping a spare set on my shuttle, in case I'm on the Normandy and this situation occurs, I don't have to waste time sending for my gear off the Okinawa," Jane explained.
"Smart move, being prepared," he nodded.
"You've been to the Academy before," Liara commented as they prepared.
"Guest lectured a couple times now. I like to show the biotic kids we are more than just living shield generators, we can be leaders and specialists too. Human and Turian views on biotics are bad. Hell, Krogan and Batarians treat their biotics more like Asari and Salarians do," Jane commented as the shuttle landed in the cargo port.
"Let's go," John said and Jane pulled her pistol. They moved in a tight formation down the hallway.
"Captain, Spectre, I'm locked in the server room around the corner," Kahlee said over the comms. "Cerberus troops are trying to get in."
"Liara, I'll throw a singularity, you throw a warp," Jane suggested and Liara smirked with a nod.
"Fast and efficient," John said with a nod before he engaged the door. Jane threw the singularity between two Cerberus troops, Liara quickly threw a warp. Garrus shot the trooper at the door as John made sure they were covered. "Quick and clean." John nodded at them and they headed to the door.
"Sanders, we're clear. It's me," Jane called. The door opened and Kahlee moved out from behind cover.
"Good to see you again, Captain. Thank you, Spectre, Admiral Anderson always said you were the best," she said moving from Jane to John. "And with Cerberus coming for my students I need the best."
"How many of you are there?" John asked.
"Fewer than twenty. Most were sent home when word of the Reaper invasion spread. But a few volunteered to stay. Some are prototyping tech for the Alliance. Others are biotics. They've been training for military operations, working together as biotic artillery," Kahlee explained and Jane huffed.
"Biotic artillery sounds good in theory, but it's not going to lead to any advancement in careers," Jane stated and Kahlee looked away at that.
"We need an advantage against Reapers and biotics are one of the few things we have superiority with," Kahlee stated and Jane's eyes narrowed. John moved in front of her, recognizing the signs of a fight they didn't have the time for.
"You said something about Admiral Anderson?" John asked and Jane shot her brother a look before stepping back, giving him a look indicating she was pissed but accepting the attempt to change the conversation's direction.
"Yes. We met...God, what's it been? Twenty years ago, when he was a Spectre candidate. I was there when Saren betrayed him. David saved my life that day. He's a good man," Kahlee said and John nodded.
"He was on Earth when the Reapers hit. He stayed behind when I got off world," John confessed. Kahlee's face dropped slightly.
"I hadn't heard...We've been cut off from most news. He's alive?" she asked and Jane wondered about what exactly happened twenty years ago.
"Alive and fighting. He's currently leading the resistance movement," John explained, Kahlee's face brightened at that.
"Good. If we get out of here...Well, just tell him to stay alive," she said.
"A few months of knocking over practice dummies can't prepare your students for war," Jane butted in.
"Agreed, but the Alliance needs every resource it can get, and our students are unique...resources," Kahlee admitted.
"They're still kids," Jane said and Kahlee looked at Jane.
"They wanted to help. How could we say no with the galaxy falling apart?" Kahlee asked and Jane paused. Were she a kid and this happened...yeah...Jane probably would offer the same. "Hang on. I've been trying to get communications working."
"This is Froeberg! There are students trapped in Orion Hall! Cerberus has us boxed in. They're closing fast!" a voice called over the comms.
"Damn it!" Kahlee cried and the Shepards shared a look.
"Orion Hall?" John asked and Jane clapped his shoulder.
"I know the way," Jane said.
"I can get the door open," Kahlee confirmed.
"We bring them back here, and we'll make a run for the shuttle," John said and Jane nodded as she took point.
"Thank you, Spectre, Captain. I'll stay put. With luck, I can regain control of some of our systems," Kahlee nodded
~*TF*~
The door opened to reveal a window, behind it two Cerberus troops and a Cerberus engineer were dragging a young adult. The kid thrashed and cried out.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" John snarled as he emptied his clip into the glass as the student was dragged away by the Cerberus troopers. When his rifle ran dry he slammed his fist on the glass window and watched helplessly as they passed through the door opposite them.
"It's reinforced and coated," Jane noted, scowling. "My biotics didn't do anything. They must have treated it in case a student has a biotic flare up."
"Fuckers," John growled, not really paying attention to his sister but still focused on the student.
"We'll get him back," Liara said and John nodded angrily.
"Damn right we will." John growled. As they headed for the only unlocked door and John changed his thermal clip as voice came out over the station's speakers.
"Children know that we are here to help you," the man said. His voice was modulated, unrecognizable but sounded male to John. "The Alliance has abandoned you. Your parents have abandoned you. Cerberus has not. Your technical skills and biotic abilities will turn the tide of this war. Just surrender yourselves to the next Cerberus trooper you see and you will be taken to safety."
"He sounds very condescending to me," Jane noted as they moved deeper into the facility.
"I hope I get a chance to shut him up," Garrus noted. They moved deeper into a what appeared to be an open communal area. John came to stop when he heard voices of Cerberus troopers. Motioning to the others to follow he quietly headed around the corner. Slightly down the way there was student, encased in a biotic shield. The troopers were standing around him.
"Reiley Bellarmine, drop the barrier, now!" The trooper was ordering. "Nobody's going to hurt you. The file says we need you alive. But your sister? She's optional. You give us trouble, we'll find her."
"The hell you will!" John snarled as he opened fire. The troopers were caught off guard as John and the others shot them in the back. They went down in spray of gunfire and didn't move when they hit the deck. As they moved closer John pushed one of the trooper's bodies out of the way with his foot. "You okay kid?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," Reiley said, breathing hard as he fell to his knees. Jane shot John a look of understanding. The kid must have held the barrier up for awhile.
"Stay here for a moment, play dead until it's safe. When the coast is clear head to Kahlee Sanders in security," Jane said.
"Okay, but my sister, Seanne, is out here somewhere, too," Reiley informed them.
"We'll find her, just rest here for bit," Garrus said. Reiley nodded and John patted him on the shoulder as they moved by him. The next door led into a classroom and they moved through quietly. Jane was looking over a couple of their pads as they walked. When they reached the teacher's desk and Jane read the pad she snorted.
"What is it?" John asked and Jane shook her head, grinning a bit.
"Just a feeling." She said. "I think I know who the teacher is." John gave her a look before shaking his head at her antics. They opened the door into the open area on the opposite side. Troopers were searching the room. One spotted them and tried to call out a warning. Jane's Widow let out a large crack as she opened fire and the trooper went flying back. The room erupted into chaos of bullets and biotics as the twins fell back in sync with Liara and Garrus. John skidded to the right, taking cover behind a planter as Liara's shockwave sent several troops flying away. Garrus hit the engineer trying to place a turret with an overload making the turret explode in his face just before Jane picked the man up in a lift before hurtling him into the troopers Liara had sent flying. They landed in a heap across from them and John sent a grenade skittering along the floor. The explosion made the chance of any of the Ceberus soldiers surviving a moot point. It was quiet for a few minutes as John looked the field over.
"Clear," Jane said as she stood up from behind her own cover.
"Clear," John agreed as he got up as well to join the others.
"Glad to see none of you have lost a step," Garrus noted. "You especially Liara. I've heard you've been sitting behind a desk for the past few months."
"I still did my own personal training regimen in the morning Garrus Vakarian," Liara said with a sniff. "My own reports said you took a few weeks off to pursue other interests. Such as a seminar of human and Turian courtship practices."
"Oh really?" John drawled, amused.
"Can we not talk about this?" Jane groaned, her cheeks flushing, she and Garrus had not been able to speak at all...she wasn't sure if she should be thankful or not.
"Well I think-" John stopped as they rounded a corner into a hallway and saw girl on the floor, leaning against the sofas as she clutched at her side.
"Stay back!" she cried, looking at them in wide eyed panic. "I'll, I'll…"
"Goddess she's bleeding!" Liara exclaimed, all their friendly banter forgotten.
"I have a medkit, hold on kid," Jane soothed as she moved toward the girl. She weakly tried to push Jane away but John knelt next to her.
"Hey, hey, we're not with Cerberus. I'm John Shepard with the Spectres," John soothed. "This is my sister Jane. Captain Shepard with the Alliance and she's a Spectre too."
"I, I know you..." she whimpered. Jane quickly applied medi-gel to the wound to stop the bleeding. "You visited last year...with your varren." Jane smiled.
"I did, you must have been in the younger class," Jane said. The medigel was in good shape. As she bandaged the girl up John realized something.
"Are you Seanne?" he asked and she looked at him in a daze.
"How do you know my name?" she said softly and John sighed in relief.
"We met your brother earlier. He's okay, in fact, Garrus is going to go get him right now," John said giving his friend a pointed look. Garrus nodded and hurried back the way they came. "We saved your brother earlier and we'll get him to take you to Kahlee Sanders in security."
"Oh thank God," she sighed before she winced. Jane jabbed her with a local and tightened the bandages on her side.
"Seanne!" Reiley cried as Garrus escorted the teen to his sister. Seanne burst into relieved tears as she saw her brother and held out her arms to him. He knelt to hug his sister.
"Reiley are you good to carry Seanne back to security?" John asked after they had their moment. "We've cleared a path for you but we need to keep going forward to rescue the others."
"I can do it, Spectre," Reiley said, looking at the man gratefully.
"Good man," John said, standing up. "Give it a few minutes after we move out and then head back to security." As the team moved off Jane glanced back at the students as they moved off.
"What could have been." She murmured.
~*TF*~
The group reached the entrance to Orion Hall and Jane noticed a Cerberus hack station.
"Is that what I think it is?" Jane asked and Garrus moved towards it.
"A Cerberus hub to block communications?" he asked and Jane nodded. An overload blew up the generator and the Ascension logo appeared.
"Shepards, you are miracle workers. Students, if you can hear me, this is Kahlee Sanders. I am still alive, and help is coming," Kahlee's voice said. "Captain Shepard, Spectre Shepard, and an Alliance team are here to rescue us. Stay safe. Get to me if you can, or send me a message if you need help. I'm at the security station near the room where we had Holly's birthday party."
"Alliance?" Garrus huffed.
"I forget which military is supporting the Normandy and Okiawa?" Jane quipped as they rushed to the next door. It opened to reveal a group of students and someone with a familiar face. Said face was throwing two Cerberus troopers.
"Yo, Jack!" Jane cried and Jack turned to look.
"Shepards," Jack said with a smirk. When an Atlas mech started to enter the room. Jack ran, sliding across the floor to protect one of her students. Jane ran to flank on the opposite side.
"Hey Psychotic, want to make a wish?" Jane asked with a crazed grin. Jack laughed as the two biotics grabbed the mech. "How much have you been practicing?"
"Please, you're too goodie two shoes to beat me," Jack shot back. The mech pilot was struggling as the mech began to groan under the biotic strain. the arms began to contort as the two biotics glowed before it was torn into two pieces. The pilot dropped to the ground in shock, looking at his hands as if it were a miracle he survived. He looked up in time for Jane to put a bullet into his skull.
"Kahlee said she was putting out an SOS. I had no idea the Queen of the Girl Scouts would show up with her special needs brother," Jack chuckled before looking up at the students. "All right, amp check! Prangley, those fields were weak. Cerberus isn't gonna lie down out of pity like that girl you took to prom. Grab juice and an energy bar. We move in five." Jack and Jane headed over to the rest of the team and Jane was shocked when Jack punched John across the face.
"Hey! Why do I get hit and Jane gets banter?" John cried and Jack glared.
"Damn it, how many times did I tell you not to trust Cerberus? Jane always knew that," Jack snapped and Jane said nothing, just enjoyed the show.
"You're not telling me anything I don't know, Jack," John huffed.
"Oh, do you feel bad? Well shit..." Jack started, but then Jane moved next to John.
"Knock it off, Jack, we're here to rescue you from Cerberus. John's crew was the one to catch on to what Cerberus was doing and John practically set Joker on fire to get us here," Jane said and Jack looked like she wanted to fight more. "We need to get your kids to safety." Jack looked at Jane, then John and huffed.
"What? No hello for me, Jack?" Garrus teased and Jack gave him a look.
"Bite me, Garrus, better yet, bite her, I bet she likes it that way," Jack snapped and Jane fought the blush.
"Maybe I don't need to..." Jane paused.
"Don't need to what?" Jack snapped and Jane looked up at the students. "Fuh...fine then, we have bigger fish to fry."
"I will trash talk you the second we don't have an audience," Jane hissed under her breath.
"Aw, protecting your Turian boy toy," Jack hissed back.
"Ladies!" John coughed.
"Okay. Right now, all I care about is getting my guys out of here," Jack said.
"Your guys?" John asked and Jack looked up at the students.
"Yeah. I guess so," she said in a tender voice. Jane fought the urge to yank the biotic's chain instead smiling and slapping Jack on the shoulder.
"I can't think of anybody who could care about them more," Jane said.
"Your recommendation got me here," Jack said. "I owe you for that. Besides. They responded well to my teaching style." She looked smug.
"The psychotic biotic!" one of the students above cried.
"I will destroy you," another cried and Jane laughed at the impression.
"Drink your juice, Rodriguez. You couldn't destroy wet tissue paper!" Jack cried up and Jane nodded at her friend. It was nice to see who Jack had become.
"Cortez to extraction team. The Cerberus cruiser is coming back. Two minutes, tops. After that, there's no way we'll get past them," Crotez said over the comms. The team shared a look and John gave Jane a look. There was no way they could make that with these kids.
"Get out of here and back to the Normandy. We'll find another way off the station," John ordered.
"Roget that. Good luck," Cortez said before clicking off.
"Shepard to Sanders. The students are safe, but the shuttle's a no-go," Jane reported to Kahlee.
"Understood. I might know another way off the station, but I need station-wide camera access," Kahlee replied. "Can you disable the Cerberus security ovverride? It's routed through Orion Hall, so it should be nearby." John nodded at that and he quickly headed around the hall. Jane looked at Jack.
"How are the students handling the war?" Jane asked as she looked up at the kids.
"How do you think? They're a bunch of teenagers. Until recently, their biggest concern was getting laid," Jack sighed.
"You don't think they're ready for war," Jane said, she wasn't asking and Jack looked concerned.
"I don't think they have a choice," she confessed and Jane nodded solemnly.
"What do you think about this biotic artillery strike nonsense?" Jane asked.
"It's great in theory. You and I could do some real damage, but them...maybe they'll get it together once they've seen some action," Jack said.
"You don't want them on the front lines," Jane concluded and Jack huffed.
"They'd be better off as support. Put them in the back ranks, helping with barriers and shit. I don't know," Jack huffed and Jane shoved Jack's shoulder.
"You don't want to hurt their feelings..." Jane teased and Jack began to give her a dangerous look. "You like them..." Jane said it in a sing song mocking tone.
"Bitch, next time we get a chance I will fucking end you," Jack whispered and Jane grinned.
"You like me too," Jane teased and Jack began to glow blue.
"Should I worry about your relationship?" Garrus asked as the group came from upstairs.
"We cut Cerberus control in here and got the doors unlocked," John said. "Are you two okay?"
"Take your whore sister before I throw her through the damn doors," Jack huffed and Jane grinned.
"We're good," Jane said. Teasing Jack made her feel confident as she helped John pry open the doors.
"Everyone be ready. We'll go in first and draw their fire," John said.
"We'll shadow you from the second level and hit those fu...those guys from above," Jack said and Jane grinned more at the language catch.
"Just time your shots and stay safe," Jane shot back.
"All right, I didn't bust my ass training you so you could die now. Keep low, pick your targets," Jack ordered her students. As they prepared to move every students' omnitool lit up. A display screen with a man appeared.
"Ah, the famous Shepards," the man drawled. John scowled at him. He wasn't the typical Cerberus soldier. He was wearing a dark black armor with a full helmet. The helmet seemed to be generic but for the dark red line of paint that ran from the top of the helmet to down to past his chin and under to his throat. "I should have known you two would be the pains in my ass."
"Who the hell are you?" Jane demanded, glaring at the video screen displayed on one of the students' omni-tool. "Just a two-bit slaver Cerberus hired to take these kids?"
"No, not really," the man said, his modulated voice grating on John's nerves. "You could say they found me and mine when we were trying to patch things up as it were. When they offered me a chance to take you on I jumped in, with both feet as it were."
"Who the hell are you?" John snarled and the man titled his head.
"Now that would be telling but you can call me by my code name, Scar." The smug and self-named Scar said.
"What do you want?" John growled.
"Why to give subject Zero a chance to do the right thing!" Scar exclaimed, pretending to be surprised. "I'm not a monster like you." The view on the screen changed as he moved away from the camera. He snapped his fingers at someone off screen and a pistol was handed to him. A tied-up teen was thrust at Scar who gripped him by the hair on his head, forcing the poor teen to his knees and then jerking his face to face the camera. "Say hi to Patrick Weekes. Patrick, I believe you know Subject Zero. She calls you one of her most dedicated students I believe. Not too powerful now but your work harder than most according to your aptitude reports. You have potential kid! I kinda like that."
"What's your fucking point?" Jack snarled and Scar chuckled.
"Well, it's simple, Zero. You and the other kids come with us willingly or I paint the walls here with shades of Patrick," Scar said as he thumbed off the safety and pressed the gun to Patrick's temple.
"You son of a bitch!" Jane snarled, biotics flickered over her skin as the helpless rage grew.
"You say such sweet nothings, Captain," Scar snarked. John's eyes narrowed as he stared at the man. Jack looked torn and Jane's eyes were blazing but he knew what he had to do. God forgive him, he knew.
"Is that it?" John said coldly crossing his arms. He felt everyone turn to look at him but he shut it all down. It was just him and Scar but he already had this lunatic pegged. "One boy versus these others? You're going to kill him anyway as soon as you have them in custody and secured. Just to make a point. I heard your troopers earlier you don't care about potential you care about what they can do now so you'll kill him just to make Jack suffer."
They stared at each other. John could feel Scar's eyes boring into him despite that darkened visor. The others were glaring at John, Jack even looked like she was going to scream at him but Jane placed a hand on her shoulder. Jack whirled to face her friend, the two biotics shared the same rage, Jane's flickering biotics let Jack know she was in better control now than her Alliance friend.
"You know he's right," Jane whispered to Jack as the standoff between the two men continued, her voice was shaking with rage. "Patrick's already dead."
"Fuck," Jack hissed. Their quiet conversation was stopped as Scar threw his head back to laugh.
"Damn, Shepard, can't get anything by you!" Scar said. He wasn't even looking at Patrick as he pulled the trigger. The students screamed as they saw their classmate and friend get executed in front of them, his body dropping out of sight. "How did you know I was going to kill him either way?"
"Because I've met men like you before," John stated and Scar's whole posture seemed to change. "I've had to make the hard choices before because of people like you. You thrive on making people suffering."
"You've never met anyone like me before," Scar snarled. "And I'll make you understand that. See you all soon." As soon as the feed cut off John whirled around and smashed a fist into the wall, burying his fist through.
"Damn him!" John screamed.
"Remember this!" Jane shouted, her biotics flickering. The shaken students looked at her. "Cerberus has people it wants and others it will use. They don't care about you, they will tell you whatever lies they think will give them the results they want. They will show you no mercy and they will do whatever they can to you to get you to do what they want. They just murdered your classmate to intimidate you. Imagine what they want to do to you while you're alive. Use those emotions to stay alive and make them pay." The students looked at Jane and then Jack.
"You gonna kill that son of a bitch?" Jack asked.
"Depends who gets to him first," John said and the Shepards shared a look.
"Not the only ones," Garrus growled and Liara reloaded her pistol.
The team headed out first. The beautiful atrium was a war zone. Jane took the higher area while John and Liara moved to the front. Liara and Jane ripping shields from the Cerberus Guardians. Garrus was backing up all, keeping Jane's flank clear while watching John and Liara's backs. With the biotic support from above it was easy to progress, the hardest part was taking out the Atlas mech in the center. Then it was almost too easy to take out the Cerberus forces. The team moved to head towards the shuttle bay.
"That's an impressive barrier, Octavia. Our file says you've been working on shield technology," a Cerberus soldier stated and Jane caught the two troops in a singularity. Garrus and John were quick to pick them off. The team approached the shield.
"I don't know who you are, but stay back," the young woman, Octavia, said.
"I'm Captain Shepard and this is Spectre Shepard. We're the Alliance team here to help," Jane said.
"I didn't buy it from the last guy, and I've got no reason to buy it now," Octavia said and Jane liked the kid.
"The square root of 906.01 equals..." a familiar voice said and Jane's heart ached in relief. She had not wanted to think about the worst for this man.
"30.1," Jane said as she looked at the man. He looked so much better than the last time she had seen him when she left him here.
"Hello, Captain Shepard," he said and she smiled at him.
"David, you know her?" the last student asked.
"Yes. They both rescued me from Cerberus. She sent me here. She made it quiet," David said and Jane could feel her eyes burn. David was so much better. They lowered the shield.
"You did a great job keeping yourselves safe," John said. "The biotic students are up there...stay close. They'll get you out of here."
"Okay. Uh, thanks," Octavia said. As they headed out, David took a few steps forward.
"He looks good," Garrus said, a hand on Jane's shoulder. She placed her hand on his without thinking, accepting the support.
"I remember you. The Normandy crew," David said and he looked down. "Sorry." Jane squeezed Garrus' hand as a tear fell from her eye.
"It was never your fault," Garrus said.
"Has Grissom Academy been all right?" Jane asked.
"Yes. I've been counting," David said.
"Anything in particular?" Jane asked.
"The number of days you lengthened my life," he said. "The security office. I hacked the lock. Guns. Lots of guns. Goodbye." Jane watched David go. She let go of Garrus' hand to wipe her cheeks.
"You made a good call," John said and Jane nodded. She needed to be strong, she was going to keep David safe from Cerberus just like Jack and her students.
~*TF*~
"The shuttle bay and entrance are through the next door," Jane noted as they reached the next area. John hummed and looked up.
"Jane why don't you take the walkway on the left. Garrus take the one on the right. Give us sniper cover as we escort the students," John stated and Jane nodded.
"Good idea," She said moving to the left. She glanced behind her and watched Garrus climb up and felt her heart flutter. Turning back to the walkway she scurried up. Exchanging signals with John and Garrus she moved quickly after through the upper doorway, pulling her rifle free. She barely made it through the door before someone tackled her from above, her sniper rifle knocked out of her hands to go skidding along the walkway.
"Well hello," Scar's modulated voice greeted her. Jane shoved back and sent the man staggering away from her. She glared at the man who seemed to be watching her intently. "I was hoping it would have been your Turian boytoy. I really wanted to put a bullet through his face as you watched."
"Good to know you want to make it personal," Jane growled as gunfire started below, but she knew to trust the others. No doubt Garrus had already seen what she was facing and let John know.
"You really think you can take me?" Scar chuckled, amusement plain to see. "You got your face blown off by a Krogan. What are you going to do?" Jane glared at the man, he hadn't drawn a weapon, based on his body posture, he was looking for a hand-to-hand fight. He also was targeting her.
"John pissed you off calling you out for being the chicken shit coward who shot an unarmed kid," Jane spat and Scar seemed to freeze. "Oh, you can talk shit but you can't take it? Says a lot about you." Scar let out a breath, calming maybe or was he centering himself. Jane had to be careful, his face being hidden meant Jane couldn't see where he was looking, she couldn't see how he was planning to move.
"You want me to lose my cool, so maybe the Turian was just a fling, maybe the one I should aim for is that vegetable in Huerta," Scar stated. Jane felt rage, but she couldn't lose it, not like she did when she raced the Collectors.
"Better than I thought with the shit talk," Jane stated. "Do you want dance or not, chicken shit?" Jane threw a warp but Scar was already rushing her to get in close. Jane ground her teeth as they traded blows, Scar easily anticipating a jab from her. As he moved as if to grab her Jane juked to the left and aimed to stab his ribs. Her eyes winded as he pulled the grab short and she realized it had been a feint. He grabbed her arm and his other arm came down, his elbow jamming into her wrist. Jane grimaced as her hand involuntarily flexed numbing her fingers. Scar knew how to fight hand to hand with a biotic. Fuck. She feinted to the left and before she even threw a right punch he was aiming for her left side. She twisted and tried to kick him but his arm was up. She went for a lift but he was already backing up out of range. He shot her a look; his head tilting to the side and Jane cursed the fact he was wearing a helmet. It suddenly dawned on her, she had never been in a hand to hand fight like this. Every hand to hand battle she had ever had, she had had the ability to see her opponent's eyes, figure out what they were planning based on their line of sight...she did not know how to fight this man.
"I have to say you don't live up to the hype," Scar said a moment before he charged her. He swung for Jane and she ducked past, aiming low and gathering a biotic field in one hand to plant the push in his ribs. At the last moment Scar turned, Jane's arm brushing past and along his back, the biotic field shooting past. Jane buried her other hand into his gut and Scar grunted at the impact but he seemed to accept it. Cold ran down Jane's back, Scar was dangerous and he knew how to fight, he had the advantage. Something was off about his movement and it made her skin crawl. Jane got into another ready stance. She gave a feint for a push and Scar moved to the side she was going anticipating it. He was good. She used a push to throw her up and her eyes widened as he moved, he was going to try and hit her mid-air. She crossed her arms in front, blocking the hit. She rolled backwards and used another push to send her further back. Scar was charging again. Without thinking Jane used the move she made for a Krogan charge. She used another push to throw herself over him. She put too much into it, it was meant for Krogan so she went higher. Then Scar pivoted 180 degrees straight into a jump and he was in the air. His fist was buried in Jane's gut. She would have vomited if her stomach had more in it. She flew backwards, sliding over the walkway, curling inward to protect her belly.
"That was pathetically predictable," Scar taunted as Jane got to her feet. Her stomach hurt, but something bothered her about that hit. This fight was so strange, like she was in an all-out fight with someone who knew her style. Jane chose a different feint, this time she threw some actual biotics. Scar danced to the side. "Give it up, Captain. I can read your every move." He stumbled hard when Jane's rifle slammed into him from her pull. She quickly pulled it to her mid-air as it bounced off him.
"Can you though?" Jane asked as she placed her rifle on her back. "There's something off about you and I bet if I break what it is...you're done." Scar chuckled.
"You think you can figure me out, you hot mess," Scar taunted. "You can't even keep from turning into a light show when you get emotional. Those kids have more discipline than you." Scar clearly wasn't expecting Jane to rush him. He brought his arms up for a block and Jane dropped down. One foot kicking the side of his knee as hard as she could. His armor was good, his knee started to buckle but Jane didn't trust it and pulled back. Scar attempted to dive on her. Not good, the man was taller than her and definitely had more muscle. She wouldn't be able to win in a wrestling match. She quickly tried to use a throw to toss him back on the walkway but he anticipated it, again. Scar tackled her, headbutting her in the nose. Jane cursed, her eyes watering as pain blinded her for a moment. It wasn't broken, thank God, and Jane used the pain to throw herself back, planting her feet into Scar's stomach. As she rolled back she pushed trying to launch him over the side. Scar latched onto her legs with his hands and he only slammed into the ground as Jane rolled to her face. She kicked her legs free and slammed a foot into Scar's helmeted face. A large clang rang out as her boot impacted on his helmet, forcing him to roll away. Jane kip-upped back to her feet as Scar pushed himself up again. She wanted out of this fight, something was so off about Scar and she couldn't put her finger on it. Jane went to throw a singularity but in a dash she never expected he was past where she put the singularity, he had predicted her throw perfectly. He was too close. A flurry of punched and strikes between them. He was good, too good. Jane wasn't sure anymore. As Jane went to elbow his head, he moved perfectly to diminish the force of her blow while sending a perfect strike into her solar plexus. The air forcefully exited Jane's body and they both knew he had the upper hand in that moment. Jane tried to pull back but Scar quickly grabbed her arm, twisting around her and pulling it up behind her back. He yanked Jane tight against him, her back flush with his chest. She tried to pull herself away with her free arm but Scar punched her with his other arm. Dazed she felt him let go of her other arm and pin her arms to her side and against him.
"Now this is an opportune moment," He drawled, his free hand reaching to a pouch on his belt. "Let me just-"
"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HER!" John screamed just before Jane saw an armored blur smash into them. Scar was sent tumbling away as John punched Scar in the face. Jane would have gone with him if John hadn't have grabbed her. John placed Jane behind him, his hands clenched into fists.
"John, John, Johnny-boy," Scar drawled. "You keep ruining my plans."
"It's a shit plan if you can't adapt on the fly," John snarled.
"Oh, like you can do any better?" Scar snapped.
"Oh, I will. Jane, go." John ordered. Jane glanced to the open area, saw Liara below and realized how John had gotten up here so fast. There was also an Atlas mech with an open cockpit. "Cover the students."
"No problem," Jane said without hesitation as she leapt from the walkway, her biotics floating her down to the area below.
"Aw, big brother here to finish what his little sister can't," Scar prodded. John narrowed his eyes at him. "You're nothing compared to me."
"Prove it," John growled and Scar came at him. John narrowed his eyes at him, recognizing it from his sparing with Jacob when he had been alive. John stepped inside the charge and planted his arm out. Scar ran face first into John's fist, staggering back. Then John was on him, trying to get a read on his style as the men exchanged blows. Scar whirled under a quick jab and John realized he was anticipating John drawing his knife. Instead, John shifted his weight and swung at fist at Scar's side. The Cerberus agent grunted as John connected and sent him skidding. It was a mix of some kind, Cerberus fighting tactics and Alliance procedures but it was…rehearsed somehow. Like steps made over and over but never had to have been used before so there was no adaptation, no experience. John pressed his advantage and moved in close. Scar threw a punch at John's face but John titled to the left letting it pass by as he pressed inside. John lifted his forearm up to block Scar's arm from coming back down and punch him in the stomach over and over. Scar made a gagging sound and John hoped he made him vomit in his helmet. Scar kicked out at him and John grunted as Scar connected moving him back.
"Fucking hell, Shepard," Scar wheezed. "You really don't like people touching your sister. You secretly want to play tickle the pickle with her?"
"Taunt all you want mother fucker; you're just covering because I'm kicking your ass." John snapped. "I bet Jane would have whooped your ass if you hadn't ambushed her."
"Please, you Shepards are nothing," Scar growled. "I can kill you anytime I want."
"So why haven't you," John said, smirking at Scar. "Why the big show of taking Jane on with your bare hands, not a weapon on you. Trying to prove something to your boss? I think you're compensating because you know we'd win in a firefight."
"You won't win shit!" Scar shouted just before charging John. Knowing Scar anticipated John to do the same as before John stepped back this time and quickly drew his knife. Scar tried to grab John but he was overextending. John fainted left bring his knife up. Scar dodged back, the blade scraping along a gauntlet. John pressed again and Scar fainted right then left, throwing himself back as if he expected John to try and press a biotic field into him.
'Training in biotic counter tactics,' John thought to himself as he continued to press Scar, jabbing his knife at the man. Scar tried to move further back but all he did was unbalance himself. John pivoted on his heel, bringing his free leg in a sweep, knocking Scar's feet out from under him. The man slammed onto his back but rolled away from John. John rushed him but Scar got to his feet in time, rushing John head on. John saw an easily telegraphed punch but there was an opportunity in it. John took the wild punch to his face but used the opening it gave him to jam his knife into Scar's side. The Cerberus operative screamed in rage and pain, jerking away and off John's knife. He clutched at his side with his right hand as his left twitched lighting up with the glow of an active omni-tool.
"Shoot the walkway!" Scar bellowed. John instantly threw himself to the side as his former place exploded with the impact of a rocket round. John didn't even glance back at Scar as he hustled for the railing and threw himself over. He fell into a bench, smashing the wood as he landed on it. He grunted at the pain but rolled away.
"I got'em!" Jane's voice called out and John felt a thudding as the Atlas mech his sister was piloting moved to take aim, shooting down the Cerberus squad Scar had hidden to give him cover. John looked for the man but he was nowhere to be seen. "John, get your ass down here."
John was quick to get down as Jane began covering the main area, Garrus and Liara were watching Jane's flank as she took on the Cerberus agents. She used the field perfectly and when another Atlas came stomping into the room she quickly began to spray it with rockets, protecting herself with the memorial statue. It was almost too easy. Jane climbed out of the mech as the students began entering the shuttle bay.
"Kahlee, how's it coming?" John asked as he sheathed his knife and yanked his assault rifle to bare. He opened fire, providing cover for the rushing students.
"Shuttles are unlocked," Kahlee stated as Jane and Jack stayed near the door.
"Take the controls and get the students aboard," John ordered as they moved around the corner into the shuttle bay itself.
"Wait! Where the hell is Rodriguez?" Jack cried and Jane looked through the window. Rodriguez was way behind and had company. A few of the Cerberus soldiers had waited for John to move behind and were rushing to cut the biotic student off.
"Jack!" Jane cried as her biotics swirled.
"I like how you think," Jack cried and the two biotics tore through the glass before putting up a barrier. John leapt through the hole and gunned down the Cerberus men before yanking Rodriguez to her feet. He practically carried and pushed her towards the others. One last glance and seeing no others he nodded curtly.
"We're clear, let's move people!" He snapped and they loaded onto the shuttle moments before it's door closed and it took off into space.
~*TF*~
"Joker, we flew out on a Cerberus shuttle. Watch your fire," John called and Jane sent a similar message to Green.
"Right, I've got you on sensors, should just be a minute," Joker said.
"Thank you, Shepards. We'd have never gotten off that station if you hadn't come," Kahlee said.
"Fu...forget that. We kicked some ass. Next place we dock, you're all getting inked. My treat," Jack said. "What do you want? Ascension Project Logo? Glowing fist? Maybe a unicorn for Rodriguez?"
"Screw you, ma'am!" Rodriguez cried happily. Kahlee looked at Jane.
"I can't believe we got them out alive. I was going to suggest that they stick to support roles," Kahlee confessed. "But perhaps they're ready after all." Jane shot a look at Jack who returned it.
"They're definitely ready...but the Alliance needs them in a support role," Jane said and the students did look not pleased.
'Of course not,' Jane thought. 'They were stupid kids who didn't realize that support offered more in advancement.'
"What? We trained for artillery strikes!" Prangley cried.
"We don't need another artillery unit. We need stronger barriers for our front-line squads," Jane said, playing the bad cop.
"This is bullshit!" Rodriguez cried and Jack looked at her students.
"If that's where they need us...that's where we go. Besides, I'm sure we'll get some shots in," she said.
"Shepard, we've got a visual on you now. Preparing to dock," Joker said over the shuttle's speakers. "Hey, Jack, now that you're military, you gonna wear a uniform? Or are you just getting the officer's bars tattooed on?"
"Screw you, fu...flight lieutenant," Jack huffed, catching herself again. Jane chuckled.
"Uh...what the hell was that?" Joker said in genuine confusion and Jane outright laughed as Garrus chuckled from the cockpit.
"Jack promised to watch her language in order to maintain the necessary professionalism we need from our teachers," Kahlee explained.
"What, does she have a swear jar or something? Cause I bet if we emptied that thing, we could afford another cruiser," Joker replied.
"Cover your ears, kids," Jack ordered. "Hey, Joker, fuc-"
~*TF*~
Earth Date: October 20th, 2186 CE
Location: Normandy SR-2, Mid-transit to the Citadel
"Jane," John said as he entered the med-bay. Jane had been using one of the beds to sleep on until she could get back to the Okinawa. "We need to talk."
"John if this is about what happened with Scar I really don't want to talk about it," Jane said coolly. John glared at her.
"It is but not how you think," John said as he handed a data-pad to Jane. "Scar's been watching you."
"What? How?" Jane exclaimed, sitting up as she scrolled through the images. Each was still screen from a video that she knew would play if she tapped it. Some of it was obvious, like news reports, videos of her fight with Dirake but others were more disturbing. He had copies of her training with Naena and videos of her training on the SR-2 during the Collector mission. The information on the files showed how many times each of them was watched. The ones of Jane training were the ones with the most views, the news ones were barely watched more than a few times. It was obsessive and creepy.
"Kahlee was able to access his computer when he had it plugged into the Grissom Academy network. He had nothing detailing anything beyond that mission and personal training files." John said.
"He has security footage of us training on this ship," Jane hissed at John.
"I figured that would happen when we broke from Cerberus." John noted. "EDI had to send the data when she was under the shackles. I'm sure they got a lot we wished they hadn't."
"But why is he so focused on me? He has spent literally hours watching me fight...no wonder he was calling my moves so easily," Jane snapped. "The only footage he has of you is training with me, which we stopped after our fight about Grunt."
"That is the question. All I know is he got more upset the longer we fought. He taunted you but he hates me." John noted. "I've submitted a report to the Council and the Alliance about Scar. I don't think we've seen the last of him."
To be continued.
~*TF*~
Toby AN: Fun fact you guys, shortly before I began writing this chapter Belle finally finished a ME2 playthrough romancing Jack. She absolutely gushed about it and I listened to her for awhile before I got to say something that is oh so sweet and you hardly ever get to say to someone.
I told you so.
*grins evilly* I can't wait till Belle sees all the Jack romance scenes in ME3.
Belle AN: Let me state that I straight up LOVE the Jack romance. My homegirl Jack is adorable and I have somehow totally missed out on the spoilers. I totally am loving her romance and I know nothing so please...don't spoil it for me. I must say making out in front of her students was SUPER weird, but whatever floats her boat.
Frankly, I ADORE the Jack character design from ME3, she looked bad ass in ME2, but in ME3, that hair style is just wicked. At this point in writing Twin Fates I have only played the Jack romance up until just after the Cerberus attack on the Citadel so I've gone dancing with Jack and that's as far as I've gotten. I get annoyed with a CERTAIN someone because he is so invested in MY playthrough but he was right, this is amazing and it is really cool to learn something I didn't know about a game I love.
Toby AN 2: Also during chapter creation Belle and I got into a huge fight over the Scar fight scene. Belle didn't understand what I was going for originally so she re-wrote it separately and we compared them. Suffice it to say, yeah we had a huge blowout but everything ended okay. Its good to have a co-author who you can argue and scream at but remain friends with after. I think it helps make the story better. Please tell us what you think of the scene, we're genuinely curious.
~*TF*~
OMAKE 1
Chief Medical Officer Dufrane sighed again as he read yet another autopsy report about one more altered Cerberus agent. After fifteen minutes he realized it was exactly the same as the last. All the augmentations, biological changes, and cybernetics exactly the same as the last report. What irritated him was the cause of death. He slammed the report down on his desk and stormed out to the morgue. Alliance orders were clear, examine the bodies from Grissom and try to determine how these people were being changed, find weaknesses, and maybe even find a way to reverse the process. As he called all of the staff together for impromptu but mandatory meeting, he was aggravated that those efforts were being curtailed by his staff's sudden childishness. When they were all in front of him, he scowled at them.
"I have just spent the past three hours reading all of the reports from yesterday," He began. "While I am pleased with the details you all have made regarding the alterations you have all left out one key detail. The cause of death. Now I already know some of you will protest that you have filled in that cause I am telling you now, that is not an excusable reason for death. You will document the means of that death not the how or who. You will note if the subject died by gunshot, knife wound, biotics, anything of that nature." He was now shaking with anger. "You will go back and re-do the autopsies for all the subjects from yesterday but you will not use this cause of death ever again." He took a deep breath.
"The cause of death is never, Death by Shepard!"
OMAKE 2
(In an alternate universe where Belle writes for John and Toby writes for Jane)
"Now for this scene we are going to have Jack and John flirting about trying out biotic sex and seeing if they can both float during," Belle explained and Jack grinned happily as John smiled at her gently.
"So can we actually try that?" Jack asked and Belle laughed.
"I suppose we can have you two floating over the bed making out, but we'd have to up the rating for anything else so nothing more than that," Belle scolded knowing the chemistry between the two stars.
"Are you guys done yet?" Toby asked happily and Belle rolled her eyes.
"Why you're just going to bring out your OTP," Belle huffed as Jane and Liara stood next to each other.
"What do you mean? What the hell is OTP?" Toby asked and Belle from the alternate universe looks at the audience ala The Office style.
"Original true pairing. That's right folks, he's a Liara basic bitch," she explains.
"Fuck you!" Toby snapped at her but didn't deny it.
Belle Note: My original Omake here was a little shorter because Toby legit didn't know what OTP meant, so could we get some people letting us know, did you know what OTP stood for, yes or no?
OMAKE 3
"How has the Scar introduction gone so far?" Belle asked. Toby shrugged as he looked over the script for the next chapter. Belle was doing a good job on the summit with the extra representatives.
"I don't know yet but I'm looking forward to it," Toby said. "I know you loved it."
"God I did," Belle said. "I honestly thought it was one of your better ideas."
"Well with two Shepards we need two antagonists. Can't have Kai Leng take them both on at once. Makes him way too op," Toby noted.
"How's the cast taking it?" Belle asked. "You haven't told any of them who he is either and he can't take off his helmet till the filming reveal."
"Well…"
Meanwhile in another location…
"I WILL DESTORY YOU!"
"It was just scene!" Scar screamed as he ran from an enraged Jack.
Back at the office…
"…about how'd you'd expect."
OMAKE 4
"What do you think about this biotic artillery strike nonsense?" Jane asked.
"It's great in theory. You and I could do some real damage, but them...maybe they'll get it together once they've seen some action," Jack said.
"You don't want them on the front lines," Jane concluded and Jack huffed.
"They'd be better off as support. Put them in the back ranks, helping with barriers and shit. I don't know," Jack huffed and Jane shoved Jack's shoulder.
"You don't want to hurt their feelings..." Jane teased and Jack began to give her a dangerous look. "You like them..." Jane said it in a sing song mocking tone.
"Bitch, next time we get a chance I will fucking end you," Jack whispered and Jane grinned.
"Now kiss!" Pales cried from the filming area and Belle turned to give her a look.
"Cut..." Belle sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Oh come on, she's an awesome fan," Toby said and Belle nodded.
"She is...but this is the FOURTH time she has done this," Belle groaned.
"Then let them kiss!" Pales cried.
"My only OTP for Mass Effect is now Jack/John!" Belle cried before a chanting from outside began. "Oh no...I summoned a pairing faction...damn it."
"One of us...one of us..." the chanting got louder and Belle hung her head.
"Arg!" she cried in frustration.
OMAKE 5
"Where the hell is Toby?" Belle demanded. It was another cast meeting for the next chapter but her co-author was absent. Again.
"He said something bees," random minion…er I mean worker replied.
"Is it work related?" Belle asked in genuine concern.
"Ummmm…not so much."
Meanwhile, at an undisclosed location…
"YANG WHY?!" Toby wailed, before clinging to a fellow fan as he sobbed.
"Not our Bumblebee!" Pales howled. The Bee Shippers meeting among the TF staff was in full swing as the outspoken like Toby and Pales mourned with the quiet others.
OMAKE 6 (The April fool's joke that wasn't)
"I don't think we can do this," Belle said looking over the script for the April Fool's joke chapter.
"Why not?" Tobias asked looking up from his own script.
"Ooooh ooooh, ooooh ooooh ooooh!" was the response he got. He looked up at one of the new extras, a very large Amazonian woman.
"We besides Legion not being around for the crotch scene, it plays way too much like a straight rip of Futurama," Belle said.
"But that's what makes it funny!" Toby protested. "And it isn't a straight rip from the episode! Legion says: Please check our hardware formatting. *Legion bangs fist upon crotch* Non-functional."
"Yeah no. Plus John wouldn't act like Zap," Belle said.
"Well, he wouldn't act like Kipp either!" Toby countered. "Plus we need to have Wrex in there too! Think of the challenge to his manhood!"
"He's already trying to live up to the challenge," Belle growled. Toby looked past Belle and winced.
"You give good snu-snu?" Amazonian extra 2 asked.
"I have four quads and hundreds of years to practice," Wrex drawled. "I know everything about pleasing big and dangerous females in snu-snu."
"Where go beautiful blue man but not man person?" Amazonian extra 3 asked. Liara poked her head above the bushed where she was hiding only for John to hiss something to her and shove her back in the hiding place.
"Not to mention the hospital cast bills," Belle said trying not to think of poor Javik. These were one set of primitives that he could not handle. His hips should be healed in a week or so.
"Well maybe we should at least send the new extras home with a check. And those Pimes Legion promised to give them," Tobias said rubbing his chin. Belle lowered her script and stared at him. "What?"
"You basically sold large Geth Primes as giant sexy toys to Amazons," she stated. Toby rolled his eyes.
"Not if they volunteered to go. Something about studying the organic pre-occupation with reproduction."
"Oh God."