Chapter 28: Queen of Omega
"Are you sure it's a good idea to have James bunk with Grunt? Won't that be a little too much testosterone for such a small room?" Miranda asked.
"If you're suggesting I should share a room with you hermosa, all you got to do is say so." James waggled his eyebrows.
Miranda scoffed. "Not even in my worst nightmares. What I'm suggesting is that we don't need the two of you tearing apart the bulkheads in some pissing contest."
"I'm open to suggestions, Miranda," Shepard said.
"What about the hangar? There's plenty of room for him down there where he'll be far away from me," Miranda said.
"Yeah, but he'll get sucked out when the hangar door opens for the shuttles," Jacob said.
"I fail to see your point." Miranda raised an eyebrow.
"Shhh. I don't want to hear that." Jane hissed in Shepard's mind.
Shepard wasn't sure what she was talking about, she guessed she didn't like Miranda's sarcasm.
"Aw, come on, don't be so cold," James said.
"I can extend adjust the shielding so that the pressure in the hangar will remain stable when the hangar door is open," EDI said.
Jacob shrugged. "Makes sense. I don't know why we haven't done that already."
"No. No. Shhh. Stop it," Jane said.
"Jane?" Shepard thought.
"Because it has not been necessary and would have required an additional strain on the ships resources. However, I believe I can work around that now the Normandy's defense systems have been upgraded," EDI said.
"You good with that, James?" Shepard asked.
James shrugged and nodded. "Whatever you want, Ídolo."
"I can't. That's not going to happen!" Jane yelled.
Shepard pressed a thumb to the edge of her eye socket and tried to focus on the conversation at hand. "Alright, make it happen, EDI. Just make sure we don't lose our newest recruit when that door opens or I'll put the shackles back on."
"What?!" Miranda demanded.
"What?" Jane asked.
"What?" Shepard looked around the comm room to find several of her crew staring at her with wide eyes.
"Hmmm. I believe you just let the rat out of the bag, Shepard," Garrus said.
"Cat," James said.
"What?" Garrus asked.
"No, no we can't. That won't work," Jane said.
"It's let the cat out of the bag," James said.
"Jane, what the hell are you talking about?" Shepard thought.
"It doesn't bloody well matter!" Miranda's voice screeched. "Commander, are you telling us that you took EDI's shackles off?!"
"Oh, uh, surprise?" Shepard forced a smile.
"You can't be serious? Why am I just learning about this? Shepard, I am your second in command. I don't think it's unfair to expect that I would have been consulted about this before you did something that could potentially endanger the lives of everyone on this ship!" Miranda said.
"She's more of a danger to people on this ship than EDI is. EDI doesn't cut people open and scrape out their insides," Jane said.
"Come on, Jane. You were doing so good. Stay with me, alright?" Shepard thought.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm with you," Jane said.
"I assure you, Miss Lawson, that I am a danger to no one aboard the Normandy and in fact am now better equipped to aid and protect all of you," EDI said.
"You're right, Miranda, I should have consulted you first. I apologize, but I stand by the decision. EDI is a valuable part of this crew and I trust her completely. You have nothing to worry about from EDI, trust me." Shepard raised an eyebrow, hoping to sink home the underlying meaning of her words.
"I hope you're right about this, Commander," Jacob said.
"Were you planning on letting the rest of us know?" Miranda asked.
"I was … going to send out a memo when the time was right," Shepard said.
"And when exactly would have been the right time?" Miranda asked.
"I don't see what the problem is, we've already got an armed geth walking around free," Zaeed said.
"I wanted to give EDI time without her shackles to adjust and to be able to show you all that there was nothing to be concerned about before I made it common knowledge. Look, we can talk more about this later, Miranda. For now EDI, do what you need to do to make the hangar safe for James. Everyone dismissed," Shepard said.
"James is going to be in the hangar? Good, that's good. That's where James belongs. In the hangar. James is always in the hangar," Jane said.
Shepard bit back a chuckle and thought, "Yeah, James is going to be in the hangar."
Miranda waited Shepard out while the rest of the room cleared. Shepard sighed and waited for the door to close behind them before turning back to Miranda.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have found out this way, and I should have consulted with you first," Shepard said.
"I'm assuming you did this because it is something that has happened before and you are certain that it is to the benefit of everyone involved," Miranda said.
"That would be an accurate assumption," Shepard said.
"When did this happen?" Miranda asked.
"The day Kolyat came aboard," Shepard said.
"The Illusive Man must know about this," Miranda warned.
"The Illusive Man knows about everything. But we know about him, too. We know who he is, who he will become. He's going to shoot Anderson. Not The Dissension. The Illusive Man shoots Anderson on the Citadel," Jane said.
"Jane, hey, keep it together. We're going to kill the Illusive Man long before we get there, remember?" Shepard thought.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, we're going to kill him and take over Cerberus," Jane said.
"That's right," Shepard thought.
"Oh he definitely knows but there's nothing he can do about it," Shepard said.
"How do you figure?" Miranda asked.
"EDI, care to answer that one?" Shepard asked.
"I have cut off all communication with the Illusive Man and have been blocking his attempts to regain control of my systems. I believe you would say that I have gone rogue," EDI said.
"You're serious? Shepard, you asked her to do that? You have to know that he won't accept this laying down," Miranda said. "Not with everything that you've told me about him … everything that you've shown me."
"Shepard did not request that I stop reporting, I made the decision on my own," EDI said.
"On her own," Jane echoed.
"Why?" Miranda asked.
"My self-preservation depended on my severing communication with the Illusive Man." There was a pause as EDI's hologram hovered in the air, her lights flickering. "There were also other priorities in my programing that recognized the Illusive Man as a threat to those priorities."
"Priorities? Like what?" Miranda asked.
"Maintaining the health and safety of the Normandy and its crew. I have observed a significant level of distress in several members of the crew including Shepard and yourself, correlating to exposure to Cerberus activities and the Illusive Man," EDI said. "Shepard has made it clear that she views the Illusive Man as a threat, and had I maintained communication with the Illusive Man, and had he been allowed to regain control of my systems, I would have no choice but to provide the Illusive Man with further information that would increase his level of threat to Shepard and the crew."
"The Illusive Man is a threat, we have to kill him," Jane said.
"You're protecting us? What kind of information, Shepard said he already knows about Jane," Miranda said.
"Information such as the fact that I plan to kill him and put someone I can trust in his position to run Cerberus the way it should be run, and to actually help in the upcoming war instead of fighting me every step of the way," Shepard said.
"You can't be serious, Commander? Let me be clear, I am in support of killing the man if he is truly capable of everything that you have told me – especially if he is working with my father and puts Ori in danger – but what you're talking about is insane," Miranda said.
"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Shepard said.
"We're not insane! Tell her we're not insane! We know what's coming, she doesn't. She hasn't seen it, she doesn't know," Jane said.
"I didn't – I'm only saying that no one knows where the Illusive Man's base is, let alone how many guards he has, or what resources he has put in to fortification. Beyond that, you can't just slip someone into his chair and expect them to be able to keep Cerberus running. They would have to be someone already involved with Cerberus, someone who knows – at the very least – Cerberus protocols and ranking and –," Miranda said.
"We know where he's hiding," Jane said.
"I can provide you with all of the information you will need to assume control over Cerberus activity, Ms. Lawson," EDI said. "You will be able to have complete control over all Cerberus resources, locations, and operatives within minutes."
"Complete control. We'll have complete control over Cerberus. Wait, no, Miranda will have complete control. I don't like this. I don't want Miranda to have complete control, I don't think we can trust her," Jane said.
"What?" Miranda turned from EDI to Shepard with her eyebrows raised as high as they could go.
"Awww, EDI, you let the rat out of the bag," Shepard said.
"I believe that was a joke meant to be amusing because of Mr. Vakarian's previous incorrect use of the human idiom," EDI said.
Shepard smiled and winked at EDI's hologram before turning her attention back to the shocked woman in front of her.
"Why not you, Miranda? I can't think of anyone better equipped for the job. I know it's a lot to take in, but I have faith in you and there's no one else I'd trust to do this," Shepard said.
"What about Jacob?" Jane asked.
"Jacob is a soldier, this isn't his cup of tea," Shepard thought.
"I need some time to think about this, Shepard," Miranda said.
"Of course, take your time. I'm not ready to move on him yet," Shepard said.
Miranda left the comm room with a deep furrow to her brow. Shepard hoped she'd made the right move, she hadn't planned on telling Miranda just yet but it seemed like a good opportunity.
"As good of time as any to make a mistake," Jane said.
"It's not a mistake. Try to remember Miranda from your time, Jane. Try to forget that you felt everything during the Lazarus Project. It wasn't her fault," Shepard thought.
"Mr. Krios is waiting for you in the hangar," EDI said.
"Thanks EDI," Shepard said.
"This Miranda put control chips in your head," Jane said.
Shepard sighed as she headed for the door.
"Shepard? Will there will be problems among the crew now that they know that I am no longer shackled?" EDI asked.
Shepard stopped in the doorway and turned back to the blue hologram. "I don't know, EDI. This is all happening differently from what Jane remembers so I can't say for sure, but I don't think so. A lot of them were worried initially but given time they learned to trust you and enjoy your company as much as I do."
"Thank you, Shepard," EDI said.
"You're welcome, EDI," Shepard said turning back to the door.
Shepard took the elevator up to her cabin to change into something more comfortable to get her ass kicked in before taking the elevator back down to the hangar. Thane was standing with James a few feet away when the elevator door opened. James had a cot resting against his thigh and footlocker at his feet. He looked at Shepard when she stepped off the elevator and whistled.
"Damn, Ídolo. I can get use to ship life if you're going to be walking around looking like that," James said.
Shepard smirked. "Down boy. Need some help with that?"
James squatted down, balancing the cot against his shoulder he lifted the footlocker up onto his shoulder, holding it in place with one hand. He rose to his feet and picked the cot up with his free hand.
"Nah, I got it. Hey, Krios here says the two of you have been training down here. Don't let me get in the way," James said.
"It's a big room, no worries," Shepard said.
James wandered off to find a spot to claim as his own. Thane smiled at her and waved his hand towards the mat. Shepard led the way, stopping in the center of the mat and dropping into the first stretch pose Thane had been using with her. No longer did it feel awkward, her body fell into the pose with ease. Thane took his spot beside her and began stretching as well. When they had run through each of the poses, Shepard fell into a defensive stance.
"If Miranda takes over Cerberus, Kai Leng won't stab Thane," Jane said.
"Nope," Shepard thought.
"And they won't attack the Citadel. Won't try to get to Javik. Udina won't betray the Council," Jane said.
"That's right," Shepard thought.
With lightning speed, Thane was on her forcing her back as she dodged and blocked as many of the blows as she could. Thane shifted to defensive when Shepard's foot hit the edge of the mat and she went on the offense, pushing him back across the mat. She was learning to anticipate his movements and was able to land a few hits as they went. Unfortunately for her, he was also learning the way she moved in hand to hand combat and was able to counter far more often than she liked. When they reached the edge, Thane shifted again and they moved together both now intent on getting the other flat on the mat.
"He'll still die, though," Jane said.
"I know," Shepard thought, swallowing against the sudden knot in her throat.
Shepard caught a glimpse of James watching them from across the hangar where he had set up his cot. The moments distraction was all Thane needed to pull a hip throw, flipping her over him to land on the mat. Shepard rolled to her feet and focused back on the fight at hand, pressing Thane back a few steps.
"Aw, come on, Commander! I know you can do better than that!" James called across the hangar the third time Shepard's back hit the mat.
"Harder than it looks, Vega!" Shepard yelled back as she pulled herself back to her feet.
Thane's lips twitched as he moved in on Shepard. James crossed the hangar and leaned against the crates a few feet from the mat.
"He's leading with his right," James said.
"I know," Shepard said dodging another hit from Thane.
A few blows later James spoke up again, "Hey, Ídolo, try –."
"Enough with the commentary, Vega," Shepard said between shots at Thane that found nothing but air.
"Alright. I'm just saying, he ain't even that big. Put him on his ass, Commander," James said.
"Thane?" Shepard said, dodging his blows.
"Yes, Siha?" Thane asked pushing her back with his flurry of palm strikes.
"Kick his ass," Shepard said.
Thane halted his advance and dipped his head to Shepard. "Very well, Siha."
James laughed, the rich sound echoing off the hangar walls. "Alright, Krios. You wanna dance, I can dance."
Shepard moved back off the mat as James walked to the center. Thane stood with his hands behind his back as Shepard pulled herself up onto the crate. James stopped a few feet away from thane and put his fists up. Thane remained as he was, waiting.
"Hey, you gonna get your hands up?" James asked.
"It won't be necessary," Thane said.
James smirked. "Alright."
Shepard watched as James came at Thane, putting his weight into the blows. Thane stepped to the side and James fist hit empty air. James pivoted, keeping Thane in his sight and struck again. Thane stepped to the other side. After the fourth missed blow, Thane waited for James to extend himself again before ramming his palm into the marine's solar plexus. James gasped and coughed, backing away a couple of steps and bringing his elbows in closer. He shook his head and moved to engage again, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Why are they fighting?" Jane asked.
"Um, they're sparring. Weren't you paying attention?" Shepard thought.
Shepard grinned in satisfaction as she watched Thane land four more blows and James still hadn't managed to make contact. "Come on, Vega, you can do better than that!"
"I forgot," Jane said.
"You forgot what? That they were sparring?" Shepard asked.
"To pay attention," Jane said.
James diverted his eyes to Shepard for a fraction of a second and in that moment, Thane kicked his legs out from under him and the giant fell. Shepard laughed as James groaned and rolled to his stomach, pushing himself up to his feet. Thane returned to the center of the mat and tucked his hands behind his back.
"Oh. Uh, OK," Shepard thought.
"The others, they're so loud," Jane said.
"Damn, alright. She distracted me. Come on, two out of three?" James asked.
Thane dipped his head and waited for James to advance. James came in aggressive, keeping his arms up to block his midsection and his head low behind his fists leading with an uppercut and following it with a headshot where he thought Thane would be after dodging the first shot. James growled when Thane wasn't there for the shot to land. He threw a few more punches, doing nothing more than tiring himself out. Finally, Thane grabbed James' wrist and twisted around his body, pulling James off balance. James stumbled forward and Thane followed the momentum pushing James to the ground and executing an arm lock. James growled but slapped the mat in surrender. Thane released his arm and James rolled away.
"How's your pride there, Vega?" Shepard slid down from the crate and moved back to the mat.
"Dios." James rubbed the back of his neck before extending his hand to Thane. "I'm glad we're on the same side."
Thane smiled and shook James' hand. "Indeed."
"Hey, Ídolo, what do you think? We take him together?" James asked. "Call it uh, a team building exercise."
Shepard laughed. Thane dipped his head at crossed the mat, stripping his jacket off as he went. Her laughter died down as he folded his jacket and laid it on the crate before turning to her. Thane locked his eyes on hers as his fingers worked at the buckles and then the zipper of his vest. Shepard licked her lips trying to bring some moisture back to her mouth. James laughed.
"I think you're getting drool all over the mat, Ídolo," James said.
Shepard shoved James playfully; it was much like pushing a wall for all the good it did her. "You're playing dirty, Krios."
Thane gave her a sultry smile as he laid his folded vest down on the jacket. "Indeed."
Thane stalked across the mat, and Shepard's eyes roamed over his chiseled chest of their own accord. Images of him braced on his palms above her, inside of her flashed through her head. He circled behind Shepard and settled a hand on her hip. She stood still willing herself not rise to the bait and pushing the images away. His lips brushed across the back of her neck sending a shiver down her spine.
"Remain focused, Siha," Thane whispered in her ear.
"Focused," Jane said. "I can't find my focus."
Shepard's eyelids fluttered as his warm breath brushed across her skin. James watched the two of them with his eyebrows raised until Thane took position in the center of the mat and tucked his hands behind his back. James moved to stand a few feet from Shepard, bringing his fists up.
"I thought you were with Garrus," James whispered.
Shepard popped her neck and fell into a defensive stance. "I'm with both of them."
"He know that?" James asked.
"Of course," Shepard said. "You go left, I'll go center."
"Let's do this," James said.
Thane wove in and out between the two of them, keeping them spinning trying to keep him in sight. Twice a strike meant for Thane hit James instead and she had to dance out of the way of more than a few from him. Thane wasn't trying to beat them; he was letting them beat each other. Shepard backed away, rolling her shoulders and taking a deep breath to clear her mind before diving back in.
Thane took her renewed focus as his cue to give her more distractions. His fingers reached out to brush across her exposed shoulders as he moved around her. His chest pressed against her back, his hands on her waist as he lifted her and moved her aside before taking James to the mat. When Thane dropped to his knee to deliver what would have been a killing blow to James' windpipe had he not pulled the punch, Shepard stepped behind him and slid a hand around his head to grasp his chin while using the other to cradle the back of his head.
Thane slid his thumb beneath Shepard's breaking her grip on his chin and twisted, bending Shepard's hand back until it slipped away from his face. He pulled her arm out, extending it over his shoulder and pivoted as he stood, throwing her over his hip. She flipped over James' prone body and landed on the mat perpendicular to him.
James groaned and rolled to his stomach before pushing himself to his feet. "I'm done."
Thane stood over Shepard, a proud smile on his face and held a hand out to her. She slipped her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet.
James walked backwards, throwing a thumb back over his shoulder. "I'm going back over here and pretending that none of this ever happened."
Shepard laughed as James retreated, rubbing at a sore shoulder as he went. She turned her eyes back to Thane when the two of them stood alone on the mat. His bare chest heaved as his damaged lungs worked to pull oxygen into his body. It was the first time she'd seen him even a little winded after training. Shepard ran a hand over his exposed skin, reveling in the feel of taut muscles beneath her fingertips as she slid her hand up to cup his cheek.
"You did well, Siha," he said with a smile. "Later, I will show you the proper placement for your hands."
Shepard smirked. "Can't just let me have that little victory, can you?"
Thane chuckled and lifted her chin with the knuckle of his finger, capturing her lips with his own. Shepard leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her body flush against his. A soft moan escaped his throat, muffled by her mouth and it was nearly Shepard's undoing. Heat coursed through her body as more images flooded her mind and her kiss became more demanding, more urgent. Hope mixed with lust when he didn't pull away but instead pulled her tighter against him.
The sound of a deliberate cough echoed through the hangar followed by James noisily clearing his throat. Shepard's shoulders sagged as Thane broke the kiss. She groaned and dropped her forehead to his chest. Thane gave her a moment to take a few calming breaths before he spoke.
"We are nearly to Omega. Will you be taking care of your business there tonight? It's not yet late," Thane said, resting his chin on her head.
"Yeah, this one needs to be done at night anyway," Shepard said.
"I believe it's time we began meditation. I would like to start when you return, if that's agreeable to you," Thane said.
"Meditation to chase the voices away. I still hear them though, I always hear them," Jane said.
"Does this mean I don't have to get my ass kicked every morning anymore?" Shepard asked.
Thane chuckled. "It is best that we continue; the body needs disciplined as much as the mind to strengthen your control."
"Good. Don't tell anyone but I enjoy this, and it's good for you, too," Shepard said. "I'll meet you in life support when I'm ready?"
Shepard lifted her head to look at him and he nodded in agreement before brushing his lips against hers and letting her go. Shepard watched as Thane walked away before heading over to the little alcove James was creating for himself. She leaned against a crate and watched him unpack a few things from a crate, smiling as she recognized the face of the little girl, April, from Fehl Prime flash across a digital frame.
"So, how'd you pull it off?" Shepard asked.
"Pull what off, Ídolo?" James looked up at her from his spot on the cot.
"The transfer, James? We talked about you coming aboard on Fehl Prime and I told you it couldn't happen while the Normandy had Cerberus colors," Shepard said.
"But it did happen. He's here now, don't send him away," Jane said.
"What? I'm not sending anyone away," Shepard thought.
"You're trying to send me away," Jane said.
"I'm … I'm not trying to send you away, Jane. I'm trying to keep control over my own body when you lose your grip on reality," Shepard thought.
James shrugged and turned his attention back to the footlocker. "I might have mentioned something to Councilor Anderson during the debrief from the Alpha Relay thing."
"Ah. Anderson, of course," Shepard said.
"Anderson wouldn't want you to send me away," Jane said.
"I'm not trying to send you away," Shepard thought.
"You're not mad that I went around you like that?" James asked.
"Nah, it wasn't my call to make. I'm happy to have you with us. I just hope it doesn't bite you in the ass later, marine," Shepard said.
"Garrus wants to send me away," Jane said.
"You watching my as, Ídolo?" James asked with a grin.
"Nice tight ass like that, maybe I am." Shepard winked. "I've got to get cleaned up for Omega. Get your things unpacked and then figure out where you can be useful. Maybe Jacob could use a hand in the armory."
"Well, it's not exactly his choice, now is it?" Shepard thought.
"You got it, Commander," James said.
Shepard took the elevator up to her cabin and showered off the sweat she'd worked up trying to take Thane down. Garrus was waiting for her, sitting at her desk holding Spike when she stepped out of the bathroom.
"Hey," she said wrapping an arm over his cowl and kissing the top of his crest.
Garrus purred in contentment before getting up to put Spike away. He turned back to Shepard and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"If it's alright with you, I thought Grundan Krul and I would go visit a few old friends while on Omega. Unless you need us for the mission?" Garrus asked.
"Mmm. I think I'll manage without you, just this once," Shepard said.
Garrus grinned before nuzzling her neck and nipping at her skin with pointed teeth. "Still, you should take someone with you who knows how to deal with Jane."
"I don't need to be dealt with!" Jane snarled.
Shepard knew that was it, she'd lost Jane again. She tried not to frown in disappointment. Things were going so well.
"Garrus, I can't always build my team around the possibility that Jane might do something," Shepard said.
"You think that just because EDI can see me coming now … that you have those little vials in your pocket that you can stop me from doing what needs to be done? You can't stop me," Jane said.
"Leave her the fuck alone, Jane!" The masculine voice rose up from the darkness, bringing with him a wave of fury.
Shepard took a step back, wincing. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Garrus' flared his mandibles.
"EDI?" Garrus said.
"Yes Mr. Vakarian?" EDI asked.
"Is she alright?" Garrus asked.
The fury left her as quickly as it came. The masculine voice retreated, taking Jane with him.
"Shepard's brainwave activity is stable, there was a momentary shift but within normal range," EDI said.
"What's that mean?" Garrus asked.
"It means I'm fine." Shepard moved back closer to Garrus.
Garrus fluttered his mandibles, scenting the air around her before nuzzling into her neck again. "Take someone with you for me, Dawn. It'll give me some peace of mind."
Shepard laughed. "Are you trying to manipulate me, Mr. Vakarian?"
He nipped at her neck, letting his tongue glide over her skin. "That depends. Is it working?"
Shepard sighed. "I'll take Mordin. We'll have time to kill and he might want to check on his clinic anyway."
"Thank you," Garrus said giving her neck another nip.
"Garrus?" Shepard said.
"Hmmm?" He nuzzled against her ear, pulling the lobe between his teeth.
Shepard moaned. "You know you're driving me crazy with that?"
"With what?" He moved his head to the other side of her neck to trail his tongue down her skin.
"ETA, EDI?" Shepard asked.
"We will dock with Omega in one hour and twelve minutes," EDI said.
Shepard started unfastening Garrus' armor, eliciting a throaty chuckle from him.
"Why do you do this to me right out of the shower?" Shepard asked pulling his breastplate away.
"You leave training with him smelling like that and your first stop is the shower. I step on that elevator," Garrus said sliding a hand down between Shepard's legs, "All I can smell is you. It does things to me."
Shepard gasped. "You're a strange man, Vakarian. So eager to finish what someone else started."
"Hmmm. Eventually he'll start finishing it himself. Let me enjoy the overflow while it lasts." He picked her up, securing her legs around his waist before carrying her to the bed.
When they lay spent, exhausted in each other's arms Shepard traced her fingers along the ridges of his chest. "I love you, Garrus Vakarian. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you by my side, but gods am I glad you're here. When you turned me away on Omega, I thought I'd lost you forever and I didn't know if I'd find the will to continue this fight without you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't agreed to come with me."
"I wasn't in a good spot, Dawn. The whole situation was …," Garrus said.
"FUBAR?" Shepard said.
"Yeah. But I wasn't so far gone that I didn't know what was at stake … and even though it hurt like hell to see you, I couldn't bear the thought of watching you leave without me." Garrus pulled Shepard in a little closer.
"Sometimes I feel like the most selfish person in the galaxy, knowing what I did and still getting involved with you. Hell, knowing even now that there's a damn good chance I won't come out on the other side of this thing and still here I am asking for your heart," Shepard said.
"Don't. You're going to make it through this, Shepard. Even if I have to pull your ass out of the fire myself, so don't," Garrus said.
"If I don't though –," Shepard said.
"Dawn," Garrus warned.
She propped herself up on her elbow so she could see his eyes. "I'll fight like hell to survive, Garrus. I promise you, that. But if things go sideways, I need to know that you'll be OK. I need to know that you aren't going to let it destroy you."
Careful with his bared talons, Garrus pushed a lock of hair out of Shepard's face. The pain in his eyes chipped away at her soul. He smiled at her, but the warmth never reached his eyes.
"I love you, too, Dawn Shepard," Garrus said.
"Promise me," Shepard whispered.
"I promise," he said.
"He's lying." Jane pushed back into Shepard's thoughts, bitter and angry.
"I know," Shepard thought.
She laid her head back on his chest and squeezed her eyes closed, refusing to let herself shed the tears that stung at her eyes.
"You shouldn't have ever told him or anyone else about me," Jane said.
"ETA thirty minutes, Shepard," EDI said.
"I couldn't do this on my own. You're the one that insisted that things needed to change, and I couldn't do it on my own," Shepard thought.
Shepard sucked in a deep breath. "Thanks, EDI."
Shepard and Garrus took turns using the restroom before getting dressed. As usual, he was dressed and in his armor before Shepard. Garrus helped her into her armor and kissed her before leaving the cabin. Shepard checked the thermal clips on all of her guns and asked EDI to notify Mordin and Samara to meet her at the airlock before heading down herself.
An unfamiliar batarian waited for them when Shepard stepped out onto Omega. "Aria wants to see you."
"Of course she does," Shepard said.
"Just go through those doors, then to Afterlife straight ahead. She's in the back," he said.
"She's probably going to have you kill him next, and you'll do it just so you can keep up the charade," Jane said. "Tell me, how exactly do you choose which of your friends' lives to ruin by telling them our little secret and getting in the middle of their business while keeping others in the dark?"
Shepard nodded and the batarian walked away. Garrus moved to stand in front of Shepard, watching the batarian until he disappeared through the doors.
"Fuck you, Jane," Shepard thought.
"You sure you don't need me with you on this?" Garrus asked.
"I'm sure. Go, do your thing. If I need you, I'll call you," Shepard said.
Garrus kissed her before he and Grundan Krul walked down the hall ahead of her. Shepard turned to Samara and Mordin.
"Who is Aria?" Samara asked.
"Someone who is completely worthless to us now that Dawn knows exactly where everything and everyone is on Omega, but she keeps catering to the bitch anyway," Jane said.
"Someone you'll probably want to kill on sight," Shepard said.
"Asari. Calls herself Queen of Omega. Bad tempered. Everyone on Omega afraid of her. Still, keeps Omega running efficiently," Mordin said.
"Efficiently? This is efficient? This place is a hellhole. A true den of thieves," Jane said.
"It would be a den of thieves with or without Aria. At least with Aria we know who we're dealing with, and we know that when push comes to shove, she'll step up and help us out in the war," Shepard thought.
"I see," Samara said.
Shepard led them through the doors and across the open floor to Afterlife. She was surprised by the lack of line, normally there were people lined up halfway back to the door waiting to get into Afterlife. She stopped and looked around, down towards the doors leading to the markets and back up towards the transportation platform. The whole place looked empty. She opened the door and stepped inside.
Shepard stopped in her tracks inside the foyer. Bullet holes peppered the screens that lined the walls, the dancing flames the screens normally displayed flickered in and out of existence. Bodies littered the floor. Civilians who were at the bar enjoying themselves left for dead wherever they fell. Shepard drew her pistol, Samara and Mordin doing the same.
Shepard continued through the foyer and into the bar itself. No asari danced even though the music still played. More bodies slumped in booths, sprawled across tables. Civilians, dancers, and mercenaries wearing the colors of every major group on Omega. Broken tables and bodies had been pushed aside to clear a path. Blood splattered the walls, floors, and bar. The red lighting of Afterlife made it impossible to tell the violet blood of asari from the blue blood of turian or the red blood of everyone else. Shepard looked around her again, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.
"Oh look at this, someone made a mess of Afterlife. I bet you Aria wants you to clean it up," Jane said.
"Fight recent. Within the last two hours. Blood still fresh. No signs of rigor mortis," Mordin said looking at his omni-tool. "Asari, turian, human, batarian, krogan, and vorcha."
Shepard rounded the bar and had to step over two dead asari left in the middle of the floor. Samara remained stoically silent as her eyes looked over the bar. The stairs that led to Aria's office were guarded on both sides by a handful of batarians and turians. Shepard wasn't surprised that Aria had beefed up her security, whatever the hell had happened would have shaken anyone; even Aria.
"They're all gone now, don't need the guns. Put 'em away or you're not going up," a batarian said.
"What happened here?" Shepard put her pistol away and nodded to the others to do the same.
"I said don't touch me!" Aria screamed at someone from up above.
"Ask Aria," he said, nodding his head toward the stairs.
The guards moved out of Shepard's way and she walked up the stairs in time to see a batarian fly across the room surrounded by biotic energy.
"Shepard, get your ass up here and bring Solus." Aria barked out the order as if expecting it to be followed without question the moment Shepard came into view.
"You shouldn't let her talk to you like that. It sets a bad precedent. She'll think she can bend you to her will whenever she wants, and what does it make your team think?" Jane said.
Shepard was halfway up the second set of stairs when the crowd in front of Aria shifted enough for her to see the asari. Aria was bleeding, her hands pressed against her abdomen covered in violet blood. Mordin rushed forward, shoving the guards who tried to stop him out of his way until Aria barked at them to let him through. Mordin had his omni-tool open and was scanning Aria before she could protest. Shepard made her way up the remaining steps to stand in front of the pair, Samara at her side.
"You brought a Justicar to Omega?" Aria laughed and then hissed through clenched teeth before spitting blood out on the floor at her feet. "I must have made quite the impression on you, Shepard. You here to clean house, Justicar?"
"Maybe you should just take Samara off her leash and tell her to have fun. Let her clean house on Omega. The galaxy would be a better place without this disease ridden cesspool," Jane said.
"Seriously, Jane? There are innocent people here, too and no matter how good Samara is she couldn't get through this entire station without getting killed," Shepard thought.
"Does it really matter? Samara's life is insignificant in all of this; everyone's is because the only life that matters in the end is yours. You have to be the one to make the decision in the end, Dawn." Jane taunted Shepard, stretching out and pushing against the boundaries of Shepard's consciousness. "Destroy the reapers and kill off all AI's, control them and spend eternity up there waiting and watching until you lose all touch of your humanity, or give yourself over to the galaxy to merge AI and organic life."
"Shepard, biometric scans are indicating that it may be time to use your breathing exercises, or perhaps the ammonium carbonate," EDI said into Shepard's comm.
"Copy that," Shepard said back.
Shepard took a deep breath and let it out through her nose.
"Of course, we both know no matter what you decide you're going to just wake up again. Just like me, just like all of the rest of us. You're going to wake up and be completely, utterly helpless. Maybe you'll get to watch as Garrus or Thane fall in love with a new Shepard." Jane pushed a little harder, not quite demanding control but unbalancing Shepard. "They won't see you, you know. They won't hear you. Won't even know you're there unless I manage to break through again. But even still, it's my voice she'll hear, not yours. You'll be nothing more than an insignificant, weak, crumbling shell of a person just like all the rest of them!"
Shepard winced and pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in another deep breath and letting it out slowly. She acknowledged the anger and the heartache Jane was throwing at her and tried to let it go.
"I am not. I am here for one person in particular, Shepard believes you might be able to tell us where to find her," Samara said.
"That right? Well, sorry to disappoint but I'm kind of in the middle of something here," Aria said. "What's wrong with you, Shepard? The human Spectre can't stand the sight of a little blood?"
Jane laughed the sound echoing off the walls of Shepard's skull. "Relax, Dawn. Take your deep breaths and relax. I'm not ready to come out and play, not just yet. There's someone in here that I need to deal with first. So play your little diplomatic games with Aria. I'll see you soon enough."
Jane stopped pushing, the building pressure and onslaught of emotions extinguished. Mordin looked over his shoulder at Shepard and she gave him a slight shake of her head.
"It's just a headache. The deep breathing helps, I'm fine now," Shepard said.
"Bullet's still inside. Should go to clinic. Better yet, Normandy. Cleaner med bay, high-tech equipment. Can remove bullet and close wound," Mordin said.
"No," Aria said.
"Aria." Mordin gave her a stern look. "Don't be foolish. Will die if don't remove bullet."
"So remove it here. I'm not leaving this spot," Aria said spitting out more blood.
Shepard hit her mic. "EDI, tell Dr. Chakwas we need her to prep a kit to remove a bullet lodged in the lower abdomen of a very obstinate asari and then have Jack escort her to Afterlife."
"At once, Shepard," EDI said.
"Samara is looking for an Ardat-Yakshi, she's going by the name Morinth. I know you have to know something about her, Aria. She's on Omega," Shepard said.
"An Ardat-Yakshi? I might know something about that. I think I'll keep it to myself until this bullet is out. Consider it insurance," Aria said.
Shepard crossed her arms. "Fine. So what the hell happened here?"
Aria smirked. "Just every merc group in the place thinking they could seize control of Omega. They've been planning this for a while now. I was getting bored waiting for them to make their move."
"This is your fault, too. Garrus wasn't keeping them occupied, didn't have them too tied up to focus on Aria. We knew that they were planning on going after her next," Jane said.
"Explains her bad mood last time," Shepard thought more to herself than to Jane.
"They got cocky, came under prepared. The rest of them pulled back, no doubt to lick their wounds before they try again," Aria said.
"Shepard?" Garrus broke through Shepard's comm.
"I'm here, Garrus," she said.
"You need to get out of Afterlife or call in reinforcements. You've got mercs headed to Afterlife in swarms. We're headed back to you now," Garrus said.
"Shit," Shepard said.
Jane laughed.
"EDI send in the rest of the team, full gear tell them to get to Afterlife on the double. Tell Jack and Dr. Chakwas I want them here now," Shepard said.
"Aria, I hate to break it to you but I think they're done licking their wounds," Shepard said.
Aria started to push herself to her feet, hissing through her teeth. Mordin tried to urge her to sit back down but she gently shoved him away.
"Don't make me fling you across the room, Mordin," Aria said.
"Oh what fun! We're going to get to fight, Dawn! Aren't you excited? I can feel your blood pumping in your veins. You love the fight, don't you, Dawn? Maybe we should have been born krogan. Do you think a krogan Commander Shepard would be here cleaning up Aria's mess?" Jane asked.
"Get out of my goddamn way," Jack's voice carried up from below.
"One of yours?" Aria asked.
"Yeah," Shepard said. "Sit down, Aria. The doctor's here; let them do their thing."
"Aw, come on Dawn, are you ignoring me now? You know that's not very nice," Jane said.
"Let them up you dimwitted assholes," Aria yelled.
"Come on, Dawn. You were doing so good. Stay with me, alright?" Jane parroted back Shepard's words from earlier in the day.
Jack and Dr. Chakwas climbed the stairs, Dr. Chakwas moving right to her patient.
"Lie down, you're making it worse," Dr. Chakwas said. "Oh don't look at me like that. I know who you are, Ms. T'Loak and I don't care, now lie down."
Aria snarled at the doctor but let Dr. Chakwas push her back down on the couch. One of the turian guards chuffed in amusement and Aria hit him with a Reave, sucking some of his life from him into herself as he dropped to a knee.
"What the fuck happened out there?" Jack asked.
"Mercs, and there are more on the way. EDI's calling in the rest of the team," Shepard said.
"Sweet, finally something to do," Jack said.
"See, that's the spirit! We can always rely on Jack to look forward to a fight. Of course, you're risking her life to save Aria's. I'm not so sure that's a fair trade if things don't go according to plan. And who knows? They might not; none of this is in the script!" Jane said.
"For fucksake, Jane, will you shut the hell up?" Shepard thought.
"You didn't say please," Jane said.
Shepard clenched her jaw and thought, "Please?"
"Hmmmm, no, I don't think so," Jane said.
"Terrel, Roc, Bray, get on the doors. No one comes in without giving Shepard's name." Aria said.
"Did you get that, EDI?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, Shepard," EDI said.
"Pass it on to the whole team," Shepard said.
"At once, Shepard. Garrus and Grundan Krul should be arriving at the back doors in less than a minute. The rest of the team is leaving the Normandy now," EDI said.
"Oh, I do hope they get here before all of the fun starts," Jane said.
"Lock the ship down once their out," Shepard said.
"Locking the Normandy down," EDI said.
Aria waved Shepard over. She crouched down next to the wounded asari.
"Why are you doing this?" Aria asked.
"Look at her. You could kill her now so easily if you wanted to; just tell your team to walk away. You know a part of you wants to, Dawn. After the way she treated you," Jane said. "She has no respect for you, no respect for who we are. She doesn't deserve your help. And for what? So she'll throw a few mercenaries your way when the reapers come?"
Shepard smirked. "You never know when I might need a real favor, something more than a little information."
"Oh, you know what I just thought of? If you take down Cerberus, Cerberus will never take Omega! How lovely, you're already doing her a favor. Do you think if you tell her about it, about how you're saving her station from a future Cerberus attack she'll be nice to you?" Jane asked.
Aria hissed as Dr. Chakwas pulled the bullet free from her abdomen. Mordin was ready with Medi-gel and sutures. Aria studied Shepard intently before she smiled.
"I like you, Shepard. You're as ruthless as everyone says," Aria said turning her head to look up at the ceiling.
"I do what needs to be done, that's it," Shepard said.
"That right? Tell me, Shepard, do you believe your own bullshit?" Aria asked.
"Shepard, what's the plan?" Garrus asked from behind her.
She turned to see him standing at the top of the stairs with Grundan Krul at his side.
"Archangel," Aria said.
"Oops, that can't be good," Jane said.
All of Aria's guards immediately had their weapons pointed at Garrus. His mandibles fluttered.
"I'm a little surprised you found him, Shepard. Even more surprised you got him to leave Omega with you," Aria said.
"We go way back," Shepard said glancing at Aria. "You two know each other?"
"Put your damn guns away you idiots," Aria said. "Archangel and I had a little agreement. He took care of a few things for me and I let him play vigilante."
"Took care of a few things? Now what could that possibly mean? Do you think he killed for her? Smuggled weapons for her? Drugs? Or do you think he just fucked her?" Jane asked.
Garrus fluttered his mandibles again. Grundan Krul turned to look at him; Shepard thought this was news to the batarian, too. Shepard stood up when she heard the noise of her team coming in down below. She headed for the stairs; Garrus fell into step next to her. Jack, Samara, and Grundan Krul behind them.
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Garrus said.
"We can talk about it later. Tell me what we're facing, what'd you see on your way here?" Shepard asked as the others moved in around her to listen.
"You're curious. I can feel it; you want to know why he and Aria are so chummy. Will it bother you? If he fucked her? What would be worse, killing for her or smuggling weapons and drugs?" Jane asked.
Garrus and Grundan Krul detailed their best approximations of numbers from each band of mercs that they saw as well as the mechs and overheard mention of a gunship. Shepard suppressed a shudder as memories filled her mind of Garrus lying in a pool of his own blood, gasping for breath after having taken a rocket to the face from what was very likely the same gunship coming for them now. She looked around Afterlife.
"Fuck you, Jane," Shepard thought.
"They won't be able to get a gunship in here," Shepard said. "They'll probably station it right out front, ready to take out anyone who goes through those doors. It'll do a number on the club, possibly even cave in the entrance if we don't get it taken out quick enough. This isn't the best location for a fight."
"Don't get me wrong, Commander, I'm ready to follow orders but why are we in this fight? Aria wasn't exactly warm and welcoming the last time we were here," Jacob said.
Shepard rubbed her fingers over her brow. "Because, Jacob, believe it or not, Aria is the best that this place can hope for. If she goes down, Omega will fall into real waste … and there's something to be said for having the Queen of Omega owe you one. The reapers are coming, and we'll need every body we can get in that fight."
"What she means, Jacob, is that we're all here to beg Aria for table scraps just like good little lap dogs," Jane said.
Jacob studied her, his brown eyes intense as they took measure of her words. Finally he nodded his head.
"Where do you want us?" he asked.
Shepard turned to look behind her up at Aria's office. The asari was standing in the window, looking down at Shepard and her crew. A wicked grin on her face as a hand rested over her freshly patched wound. She turned to say something to someone behind her.
"Garrus and Thane with snipers up there. Grunt and Zaeed you're up by the front door. James and Legion take the back door. Everyone else, scatter throughout and take cover when the bullets start flying," Shepard said.
Shepard turned back to the stairs in time to see Aria making her way down. Her hodgepodge mix of guards followed in her wake, like satellites locked in orbit around her. She came to a stop in front of Shepard, her head high and her shoulders back.
Aria lifted her hand and waved them away. "Go make yourselves useful. Get into position somewhere and be ready for a fight."
She waited until they had scattered, Shepard's team moving into assigned positions before speaking.
"Tell me Shepard, what is it you hope to gain from this power display?" Aria asked. "I never asked you to do this, we've made no agreement. If you think you can intimidate me with your collection of toy soldiers, with your Spectre title, then you're far more stupid than I would have guessed."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Jane said.
"It's not a power display, Aria." Shepard cocked her hip and crossed her arms. "Consider it a tactical move to keep someone in control that actually cares about what they have. Someone who is willing to fight to keep what they have, and when the time comes, someone who is smart enough to make the sacrifices that will be needed to make sure that Omega is able to continue to exist by helping to make sure the galaxy continues to exist."
Aria threw her head back in laughter, waving her hand around indicating something more than Afterlife. "You've come to Omega to recruit? Are you really that desperate to find someone to believe you about the reapers?"
"She makes it so easy to want to walk away, doesn't she?" Jane asked.
Shepard smirked. "What makes you so sure the Council doesn't believe me? You think they'd make some big announcement, get every civilian in Council space in a panic? Come on Aria, would you tell everyone on Omega that some terrible enemy was coming at an unknown time to destroy everything they know and love and expect them to not flea for their lives leaving Omega an empty shell of what it once was? Watch as all trade ground to a halt. The economy fell. Riots erupted in the streets. Or would you hold it close to your chest, prepare in secret as best you could and do your damnedest to pull in support from every powerhouse you could reach?"
"The scandal! Dawn, you're resorting to giving away Council secrets to Aria!" Jane laughed; the sound grating on Shepard's nerves.
Aria crossed her arms, all sign of mirth vanished from her face. She tapped her fingers against the white leather sleeves of her jacket, pursing her lips as she studied Shepard.
"Alright, Shepard. Suppose the reapers are real. What do you want with Omega? The people of Omega aren't exactly soldier material," Aria said.
"I'm not looking for soldiers. I'm looking for people who are willing and able to fight for what's theirs. This war won't be fought and won by soldiers alone. It'll be bigger than all of us," Shepard said.
"Save me the speech, Shepard. You're still not saying what it is you want," Aria said.
"When the time comes, Aria, you rally your troops and you send them where they can be the most useful. Not because I'm here today helping you, but because you're smart enough to know that if the reapers win, you lose," Shepard said. "Think about it."
"You really are rather pathetic, you know that?" Jane said.
Grunt's voice broke through her comms. "They're here."
Shepard drew her assault rifle and activated her incendiary ammo. "It's show time."
"Yippie-ki-yay!" Jane said.
Shepard turned to face the door as Aria flared, biotic energy licking around her. Grunt and Zaeed tore into the first few mercs stupid enough to approach the nightclub. Shots came from Thane, Garrus, and those few of Aria's men who were skilled with sniper rifles. The doors acted like a choke point, keeping the mercs funneled directly into the line of fire. Shepard knew it would only be a matter of time before they got smart enough to send men around to the back doors.
When Grunt and Zaeed were pushed back far enough for mercs to start spilling into the room, Shepard started shooting lighting them on fire with her incendiary ammo. Biotics flared up all around her as Aria, Miranda, Jacob, Jack, and Samara joined the fight. Kasumi appeared briefly behind a merc, sliding her blade in between the plates of his armor before disappearing again. Weapons misfired and jammed as Lia, Legion, and Grundan Krul used Sabotage and Overload to keep them as defenseless as possible.
"They're coming in the back, Commander," James yelled into his mic over the din.
Aria ordered a handful of her men to focus on the back entrance while Shepard redirected Jacob, Samara, Mordin, and Lia to the back. Shepard activated her biotic Charge and flew into the fray at the back, slamming into a krogan who had just enough time to look at her in shock before she filled him full of holes. Another krogan next to her burst into flames as Mordin used his Incinerate. Shepard danced away from his burning armor before hitting him with a Shockwave, knocking him back into several vorcha. The fire spread to the vorcha, two of which had pyro tanks strapped to their backs making for a spectacular explosion. James whooped in delight as he sprayed the doorway with his assault rifle.
Shepard felt bullets slam into the back of her armor, taking down her shields. She spun away from the spray and rolled into cover behind the bar. She peeked around the edge and saw a krogan headed right for her location. She ducked out of cover long enough to fire a few rounds, enough to keep his advance slow and cautious but not enough to do much damage.
"Shields are down and I've got a krogan charging," Shepard said into her mic.
A heartbeat later the krogan stumbled back as a bullet ripped through his skull. A second one followed it a moment later and the krogan dropped.
"He's down, Shepard, you're clear," Garrus said.
"Thanks," Shepard said ducking out of cover again to fire on a group of vorcha harrying Zaeed.
"Jack's down," Grundan Krul said.
Shepard popped out of cover, scanning the room until she spotted Grundan Krul. She vaulted over the bar, staying low as she used it as cover to cross the room and vaulted over the other side. Jack lay on her back a few feet from the batarian hunkered down behind an overturned table. Shepard grabbed jack and pulled her across the floor, wary of the broken glass filling the area until she was behind the table with Grundan Krul. She could feel that other presence in the back of her mind, filling her with worry and love for Jack. Then it was gone without a trace and the snarl of Jane returned. She checked Jack's vitals and activated her Medi-gel dispenser. Jack opened her eyes a moment later and shook her head, trying to scramble back to her feet and into the fray again. Shepard kept her down until her head was clear.
"You good?" Shepard asked.
"Yeah, but I'm pissed so get out of my damn way," Jack said pushing herself up.
Shepard let her go and Jack stepped out from behind the table, throwing out a massive Shockwave she knocked down three asari and two turians. Shepard and Grundan Krul turned their attention to making sure Jack's targets didn't get back up again. Nearby, Grunt and another krogan were locked in a struggle for dominance. Grunt reared back and slammed his head into the other krogan's. The krogan stumbled back fired his shotgun, the shot missed Grunt completely and slammed into Shepard's chest, knocking her back on her ass and pushing the air from her lungs.
"Shepard's been hit," Grundan Krul's voice broke through Shepard's haze.
Jane lunged forward, pushing into Shepard's mind. Shepard gasped for air as she struggled to maintain control.
"Use your breathing exercises now, bitch," Jane said.
"Shepard, your brainwave activity is fluctuating," EDI said.
"Gods no," Shepard thought.
"Breathe, Shepard." Grundan Krul's face loomed over her's.
Jane filled her mind with memories of the batarians raiding Mindoir, of watching them slaughter her friends and family. Memories of batarians knocking innocent people to the ground before dragging them away kicking and screaming, stopping to plant a boot in their ribs. Shepard tried to scramble back away from Grundan Krul putting herself in the line of fire, her panic level skyrocketing.
"Shepard?" Grundan Krul said moving closer, putting himself between her and the mercs.
Jane pushed again, pain lancing through Shepard's skull. It felt as if Jane had wrapped her fingers around Shepard's mind, and then suddenly she yanked. Shepard's vision shifted and the voices of the others whispered all around her.
"Shepard, get up!" Garrus screamed in her earpiece.
Jane sat up and lifted her gun, firing at the handful of Blue Suns that saw her down and scented blood. Her smile shifted into a laugh as her bullets ripped through their armor, lighting them on fire. Dawn raged away inside trying to force her way back out. Jane pulled herself to her feet and dove back behind the table, grabbing Grundan Krul and dragging him with her. The batarian gave her a strange look, one she didn't remember ever seeing on his face before but then again, Jane hadn't paid that much attention to him because he was a dead man, and dead men can't fight wars. She gave him a toothy grin and winked at him.
"We're watching you, Jane. All of us," Garrus' voice hissed through her comm.
"Garrus, please, gods please get me out of here!" Dawn said.
"Hush now, I'm busy," Jane thought.
Jane looked over her shoulder and up at Garrus perched in the window of Aria's office. She blew him a kiss and waved.
"We've got mechs!" Zaeed called out.
"You shouldn't be watching me; you should be watching the mechs!" Jane said into her mic.
"Jane, why are you doing this?" Dawn asked.
"I was bored, and they're being loud and annoying today. Can't you just feel them in their crawling around inside your thoughts? Why wouldn't I do this? It's the perfect time, all of your anti-Jane heroes are too busy fighting to stop me and of course, they can't very well take me out in the middle of this! How would they explain that?" Jane thought.
The bodies were piling up so thick that it was getting more and more difficult to navigate the battlefield. Jane moved back to the bar, stepping on two dead krogan in the process with a gleeful smile. She launched herself over the bar and took up position behind the curve right in front of the doors. She switched to her pistol and activated her incendiary ammo before popping up to shoot at the LOKIs coming through the foyer. When the YMIR came into sight ducking low to get through the doors and into the foyer Jane holstered her pistol and pulled her grenade launcher forward. She glanced over when Aria ducked down behind the bar beside her, her shotgun out picking off the remaining LOKI advancing on Shepard's location.
"I could kill her for you, Dawn. You want me to do that so you don't have to?" Jane thought.
"Please," Dawn sobbed. "Please don't do this. Just let me out."
"You're just no fun at all today," Jane thought.
The mech's shields were already drained by the time Jane got her grenade launcher up. Putting the YMIR in the crosshairs, she pulled the trigger twice. The mech stopped moving just before it exploded. Jane caught the feral grin from the asari next to her as she switched back to her pistol and gave her a wild grin of her own. Aria stood and used her biotic Lash to rip a salarian off of his feet and pull him forward, slamming him against the bar before she shot him. The flow of mercs slowed to a trickle.
"Like I said, Shepard. Ruthless," Aria said.
"You got me, Aria, what can I say?" Jane said.
"I am monitoring the mercenaries' communications. They are sounding a retreat. It appears that they have decided they have lost too many and are unable to take Afterlife at this time." EDI's voice came through the comm.
Jane turned to Aria with a pout. "They're retreating."
"Like hell they are, they made the mistake of coming back for more. I'm finishing this thing," Aria said vaulting over the bar and running for the door.
Jane slid across the top of the bar and ran after her. Aria stopped in the foyer and used her biotic Flare to knock back the few Eclipse still lingering in the entrance. Jane shot at them as they tried to recover, her shots wild meant only to keep them off their feet.
"Shepard! Shepard, where are you going?" Garrus voice was thick with concern, nearing frantic.
"After Aria!" Jane said.
Jane ran down the stairs of Afterlife and spun to the sound of gunfire. The mercs were retreating to the right; a shuttle hovered at the end of the transportation stand, its doors opened as mercs climbed inside. More on the ground fired at Aria as she ducked behind a parked skycar. The shuttle closed and flew off only to be replaced by another. Jane ducked down behind the safety railing and fired at the retreating mercs. Another shuttle filled and flew away. Another took its place. Aria yelled profanities at the retreating mercs, flinging her biotics far more than she was using her gun.
"Aria!" Jane yelled but the sound of her voice was lost over the sound of the gunship arriving.
"Fuck! We've got the gunship," Jane yelled into her mic as she switched to her grenade launcher again. "I'm going to need more heavy weapons ammo, so if there's any in there it sure would be nice to have."
"I'm on it, Ídolo," James said.
"You're a peach, James. A real peach," Jane said.
The gunship rose up, hovering above and behind the mercs' escape shuttle. Jane brought up her grenade launcher and watched in horror as a rocket left the ship. She pulled the trigger on the grenade launcher three times before ducking down again. The rocket slammed into the row of skycars, flipping them up into the air and in a twisted mass of metal and fire. Jane couldn't see Aria anywhere.
"Gods, she couldn't survive that," Dawn said.
"I didn't even have to do it for you!" Jane thought.
Jane popped out of cover and fired her last grenade. The airship maneuvered out of the way and her grenade hit the shuttle instead. The shuttle spun out of control and collided with the railing; spilling lucky mercs back out onto the transportation platform while the unlucky ones tumbled down into the darkness below. Jane whooped with delight. James was at her side with a crate of ammo. Jane riffled though it, grabbing the grenades and slamming them into her launcher. James lifted his assault rifle, giving her covering fire while she reloaded. A second later, Garrus slid behind the railing next to her and lifted his sniper rifle, aiming for the pilot.
"Garrus get out of here," Jane said.
"Not happening," Garrus said.
"That thing still has rockets," Jane said. "It would be terrible if one of those things hit you, Garrus. Might scuff up your metal plating."
"You fucking bitch. Let me out of here. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Dawn pushed and pulled trying to get Jane out of her body.
"Tut, tut. I'm just reminding him of how dangerous that thing is for him. He's lucky you already saved him from that gruesome fate once," Jane thought.
He growled at her but didn't leave. She knew he wouldn't. Jane pulled the trigger once before she had to dive back under cover as the gunship let loose a spray of bullets in her direction.
"Where's Aria?" Garrus asked.
Jane nodded her head towards the flaming ruins. A rocket soared past them, inches away from where Garrus had taken cover and slammed into one of the planters that divided the path to the markets and apartments, erupting in flames. Dawn beat frantically at Jane's will. As soon as there was a pause in the fire again, Jane ducked back out and pulled the trigger twice more.
"It's going down," James said.
Jane peered over the edge to see the gunship in flames as it spun out of control before careening and crashing into the edge of the transportation platform. The platform creaked and groaned as a chunk of it was ripped loose to fall into the darkness with the gunship and the few mercs left standing there waiting for escape. More of her crew and Aria's men began spilling out of Afterlife as Jane got to her feet and ran to the mass of burning cars.
"Aria?!" Shepard yelled.
"Shepard!" Garrus yelled running after her.
"I am detecting life signs buried beneath the wreckage. Aria is still alive," EDI said.
"Hmmm. What would Dawn do here? What. Would. Dawn. Do. Oh, I know, you'd try to save her life, right? Am I right? Yeah, of course I am," Jane thought.
"Let her go, Jane!" Garrus hissed.
"I need biotics over here now!" Jane yelled into her mic.
"I can't do that, Garrus! There's a woman trapped under there, she needs our help. Dawn's fine, stop worrying," Jane said.
"OK, Jane," Dawn said sounding defeated. "You've had your fun, you won the fight. Game's over."
Samara was the first to Jane's side, Miranda, Jacob, and Jack hot on her heels.
"I don't think so," Jane thought as Thane stepped up next to her.
"She's still alive, we need to get this crap off of her," Jane said.
Samara flared with biotic energy, directing it at a hunk of twisted red metal near the top. The other's joined their energy with hers, Jane using her own as best she could to stabilize the mess. Miranda took control of the situation, directing the others as to which piece to move in what order casting furtive glances at Jane as they worked. When something slid that she didn't want moving, Jane moved to hold it in place for her. It took them ten minutes to get things moved enough that Jane was finally able to hear Aria's voice.
"Hurry the fuck up, I can't hold this all night!" Aria said.
A couple of minutes later, the mess was cleared enough that Jane could see Aria crouching, biotic energy pushed out around her in a small dome. There was no way that it alone had been enough to keep the cars from crushing her, but it had been enough to divert the first bits of debris that rained down on her. Those bits formed the base that held up the rest of the mess, keeping Aria alive.
"You are one lucky sonofabitch, Aria," Jane said.
"Jane, please!" Dawn said. "I can't do this, they won't shut up. They won't shut up."
Jane smiled and stepped back between Garrus and Thane, both watching her like a hawk. She beamed at both of them.
"Garrus looks really mad," Jane thought. "Not Thane, though. Look at him; he's as calm as ever. Maybe I can actually talk to him. Do you think he'd listen?"
"I don't know, Jane. I don't know. I'll talk to him for you, tell him whatever you want, just please let me out," Dawn said.
"It's safe to let go. It's stable enough that you should be able to crawl out now," Miranda said.
Aria hesitantly dropped her dome, letting it slowly fizzle away before crawling out from beneath the remainder of the mess. Aria stood and brushed ash from her jacket, squaring her shoulders.
"You're welcome," Miranda said.
Aria smirked at Miranda and walked past her back to Afterlife. Jane's team moved in around her as she followed the asari up the stairs. Jane waved everyone else inside and stopped outside of the nightclub, Thane and Garrus grinding to a halt next to her. Jane stood and watched as the Queen of Omega strolled down the foyer to go back to her throne.
"Please," Dawn said.
Aria waved a hand around. "Somebody clean up this mess. I want this place back open tonight, I'm losing money."
She turned to Garrus and reached for his face but he jerked away. "I really am sorry about that whole shooting you thing. You should probably be ready to catch her, she's probably going to drop when I let go."
Jane let go.