Chapter 30: Mutiny
"Dawn! Wake up!" Jane screamed.
Shepard's eyes shot open, her heart racing in her chest as she jumped out of bed her hands up ready to defend herself. Her eyes frantically searched the room but found nothing, no threat of any kind lurked in the shadows. Shepard ran her shaky hands through her hair and plopped back down on the edge of the bed.
"Good morning!" Jane said.
"What the serious fuck, Jane?" Shepard said aloud.
"You overslept. EDI's been trying to get you to wake up for the last ten minutes," Jane said. "I was helping."
"Are you alright, Shepard?" EDI asked.
"Yep, I'm just peachy," Shepard said.
"We have arrived at the Citadel. Thane is waiting for you in the hangar, and Samara wishes to speak with you at your earliest convenience," EDI said.
"Fantastic. Thanks, EDI," Shepard said.
"Late night, huh? You're exhausted, maybe you should get some more sleep," Jane said.
"I can't do that," Shepard thought.
Shepard dressed and made her way to the hangar, stopping off in the mess hall to grab a light breakfast to eat on her way down. Jane started signing something she called the Bohemian Rhapsody, filling Shepard's mind with her off-kilter voice. Shepard decided she wasn't even going to ask why Jane was singing the 'classic' song and just let it go content that she wasn't yelling obscenities or making threats instead. She kissed Thane good morning, before walking out onto the mat and beginning her stretches.
James decided he was less interested in watching after getting beat by Thane and stayed to his little corner of the hangar while Shepard and Thane sparred. Jane switched up songs, turning to another she deemed a classic called Psycho Killer. Shepard grit her teeth and shook her head before taking deep breaths and reminding herself that what Jane was doing didn't matter in that moment. She focused on Thane, watching for the smallest shift that might telegraph his movements to her. She focused on her breathing, keeping it steady and the feel of the air as it moved in and out of her lungs. Jane's singing quieted to a barely there whisper in the back of her mind, like hearing a radio play in someone else's apartment.
When Thane finally called an end to match, Shepard had found herself on the mat a total of six times, but avoided going down another seven and had even taken Thane down twice. She beamed at him when he acknowledged her greater focus and improving skill. She left the hangar feeling proud and hopeful for the days to come until Jane reminded her that Samara was waiting to speak with her. She let out a sigh and made her way up to her cabin to shower and change.
Disappointment settled into her chest to see that Garrus wasn't there when she left the steam-filled bathroom to get dressed. She found her clothes and pulled them on in silence. The night before, spending time with Thane as he tortured her with touch had been fantastic. He'd taken her right to the edge of losing control, right to the brink of begging for him to take her and then slowly brought her back down again with gentle caresses and slow breathing. Shepard was fairly certain the drell had been doing some research. She didn't know what was more amusing, imagining him watching human porn to learn about her body or spending hours poring over anatomical diagrams and reports. He didn't say and she wasn't going to ask.
She'd felt euphoric until she settled into her bed, completely alone for the first time since Jane made herself known. The continued silence from Jane and the others was shifting from unnerving to concern. The silence, something she thought she desperately missed was maddening. She nearly climbed out of bed to find Garrus and beg him to hold her so she could sleep, or to convince Thane to join her instead with the promise that sleep was all she intended. It kept her awake until the early hours of the morning, just as panic started to set in she finally fell asleep.
"What are you going to tell her?" Jane asked, interrupting Shepard's thoughts.
Shepard paused with her shirt half over her head. She took a deep breath and pulled the fabric down, settling it into place around her torso.
"I don't have a clue," Shepard thought.
"Why not tell her the truth?" Jane asked.
"I don't think I can handle trying to convince another crew member that I'm not crazy and the voices inside my head are real. Not right now," Shepard thought.
"You could always just show her," Jane said.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Shepard thought.
"Why not?" Jane asked.
Shepard sighed and padded across the floor with bare feet to retrieve her hairbrush. "Because … I can't be certain you wouldn't decide to hurt her."
"Why would I hurt Samara?" Jane asked.
"I don't know why you do half the shit you do, Jane. You've made threats towards the crew before, and whether you regret it or not, you shot Garrus," Shepard thought.
"Garrus was an accident, and as for the threats, I don't mean them. Not really. I just get confused sometimes and say things I don't really mean," Jane said. "You don't understand what it's like in here."
"Oh but I do! Thanks to you, I've been in there, too. Remember?" Shepard thought as she sat down to put on clean socks.
"Of course I remember, but that's nothing compared to how long I've been in here. The years and years that I've spent listening to them, doing everything that I could to hang on to my sanity so that I could find a way to break through. You don't understand," Jane said.
Shepard slipped on her boots. "I just don't think it's a good idea, Jane."
"How about if Thane is there? That way if he thinks I'm hurting Samara, he can just knock us out," Jane said.
"Why do you want to do this so bad?" Shepard asked, the sound of her voice breaking the stillness of the room.
"I just want someone to understand," Jane said. "Who better than a nearly thousand year old asari who can see inside here. See me. Me. It doesn't matter how many times I slip up and take over, they never see me. All the see is you, all they care about is you. Keeping you safe. I just want someone to see me. Please."
"What makes you think she'd even be willing to meld with us? Especially after I tell her that's how her daughter died," Shepard thought as she tied her boots.
"You could at least try," Jane said.
Shepard left her cabin and stepped into the elevator. "I'll think about it. Let's see how things go."
She took the elevator down to the third deck and hesitated outside of the starboard observation. Shepard wiped her sweaty palms on her thighs before knocking. When she heard Samara tell her to come in, she hit the door release and took a deep breath. Samara was sitting in the middle of the floor, gazing out the window at the Citadel docks.
"Four hundred years I hunted my daughter. She left countless bodies in her wake, and now she is dead but I do not understand how," Samara said.
Shepard stepped inside just far enough for the door to close behind her.
"I expected her death to be at my hands. I expected to feel the relief of redemption in the moment of her death. I find myself wafting between confusion and gratitude toward you, Shepard," Samara said.
"Gratitude is good; it'll make her more willing. Just ask her," Jane said.
Shepard took another steadying breath, relieved herself that at the least Samara did not seem upset because she was denied killing Morinth herself. Samara turned to look over her shoulder at Shepard.
"She had you in her grip. I saw it with my own eyes. I thought surely you were going to die. I felt the pain of my failure to save another innocent life from Morinth's twisted desires, but instead she fell." Samara stood and turned to face Shepard. "Please, Shepard, explain this to me. I have spent the night searching for answers and I have none."
Shepard searched Samara's face and the raw emotion she saw there, the pleading in her eyes told Shepard that she couldn't lie to Samara no matter how damaging the truth might be. Shepard chewed on her lip. Samara took a few steps closer to Shepard, her brow furrowing.
"I do not understand. Would you deny me this explanation?" Samara asked.
"No," Shepard said softly. "I'm just not sure how to explain it, and I'm not sure you'll believe me either way."
"You can make her believe, though. All you have to do is show her. Let her join with you and she'll see it all for herself," Jane said.
"Alright, Jane. Alright. I'll ask her," Shepard thought.
Samara dropped her gaze to the floor. "I see. If it is the truth that you speak, then it is the truth that will be heard. Sit with me, Shepard. I am patient; I will wait for you to find the words."
Shepard nodded her head and took a seat on the couch. Samara settled in beside her and averted her gaze to the window, giving Shepard the space she needed to wrestle with her thoughts.
Shepard watched the skycars zoom by in the distance and thought about how unreal the normalcy of it all seemed. "Do you remember when I asked you about reincarnation?"
Samara glanced at Shepard. "I do."
"I've been trying to find answers of my own for something that's been going on inside of me since before the old Normandy was attacked. Since before Sovereign attacked the Citadel." Shepard picked at the dry skin around her thumbnail. "I haven't found them but some of the others are trying to help me figure it out."
Samara turned on the couch, her eyes calmly roaming over Shepard's face. Shepard avoided her gaze and instead focused on her hands, the observation window, the shelves in the room, and just about anything that she could other than the asari sitting next to her. Shepard brushed past the more awkward details of how she first came to learn about Jane, only touching on what Liara had found and what Dr. Tulina helped her to uncover further. She didn't speak about what it felt like, or her fears. She didn't speak about the way it had changed every aspect of her life echoing back through the years even before Jane was there. She didn't talk about the way it made her question her own existence or the terrible things that had occurred as a result of her changing things. She didn't talk about the ever present dread that she was going to die in this war and wake up again, a voice locked inside the head of another Shepard trapped with a sea of other voices that had long since cracked.
Instead she presented the case as fact, relying on the support that Dr. Chakwas and the others could provide her story if it was needed. She tried to focus on what they did know of her situation, that Jane was somehow able to remain conscious through Shepard's reconstruction but it had damaged her psyche, ignoring the uncomfortable way Jane bristled at the subject. She talked about Jane's recent ploys for control and how she had succeeded a few times already with mixed results, ignoring Jane's insistence that it wasn't her fault or that she was only trying to help. She talked about the shift in her brainwave patterns that EDI had detected when Jane was pushing for control, and the methods that they had found so far to help combat Jane.
At some point in her rambling, Shepard realized she was stalling. She glanced at Samara to see the asari watching her with those ancient wise eyes, still and unflinching. Shepard chewed on her lip.
"I knew who Morinth was before I even found you on Illium. I knew where she'd be, but I didn't know how to tell you. So I waited for you to ask for my help and thought that I could just follow your plan because it's always worked before." Shepard cleared her throat. "Things were different this time, so much has changed."
"That girl and the others like her would still be alive," Samara said quietly.
"Maybe. I don't know that we could have gotten to her any sooner. I'm sorry," Shepard said.
Samara turned trained her eyes on her hands, resting in her lap. "I see."
"So you don't think I'm crazy?" Shepard squirmed on the couch.
Samara stood and crossed to the window, her hands clasped in front of her as she looked out over the Citadel. "Asari have long lives, Shepard, and mine is nearing the end. I have lived nearly a thousand years and there is only one thing that I know with certainty."
"What's that?" Shepard asked.
Samara turned her head to look at Shepard over her shoulder. "As much as we like to believe we understand how the universe works, it will always continue to hold secrets beyond our understanding."
Shepard smirked and nodded her head as Samara returned to the couch, sitting to where she could face Shepard squarely.
"I do not see how this explains her death," Samara said.
Shepard glanced at Samara sitting passively and unreadable. "When Morinth attempted to force a meld, Jane and the others attacked her through that link. Overloaded her system and burned her out somehow. I don't know how else to explain it."
"No, I think that about sums it up," Jane said.
"I see," said Samara.
Shepard cleared her throat and squirmed in her seat. "Jane has, ah, she's asking to talk to you. She wants – gods this is awkward – she wants you to meld with me so that you can see her in person. I don't think it's a very good idea; it could be dangerous for you even though she swears she wouldn't hurt you." Shepard raked a thumbnail across her forehead. "And of course that's a level of intimacy you're probably not comfortable with, even without the intent of … uh, so I get it if you don't want to but I told her I'd tell you she asked."
"Can you not tell me what she wishes to say?" Samara asked.
"Yeah, no – totally it's just that you're the only one around who has the ability to actually see her face, hear the words from her own mouth. She just wants to be seen," Shepard said.
Samara stared out the window in silence for so long that Shepard started to think she had made the asari uncomfortable. "Hey, listen, Samara don't worry about it, alright? I completely understand. I wouldn't want to do it if I were in your shoes, either."
"Way to sell it, Dawn. Thanks," Jane said.
"I'm not going to try to force her to do something she doesn't want to do," Shepard thought.
"I will join with you, Shepard," Samara said. "I owe them a debt I cannot otherwise repay."
Shepard's eyebrows shot up. "Samara, I just told you that they're all incredibly unstable and that they killed Morinth through the melding … Jane says that she doesn't want to hurt you but I don't know that she won't try to harm you … even if she doesn't the others might. Some of them may not even understand that what you're doing is any different from what Morinth was doing."
"Damn it, don't do this! Don't you dare talk her out of this! I need this, Dawn. I need it," Jane said, her final words carrying with them a sense of desperation Shepard felt to her core.
"This is a risk I am willing to take, Shepard. Please, allow me the opportunity to thank them for doing what I have tried and failed to do for four-hundred years," Samara said.
Shepard ran her hands through her hair. "I'll only agree to it if Thane is present. If something goes wrong, he can stop me from losing control."
"Thank you," Jane said.
"Don't make me regret this, Jane," Shepard thought.
"Very well," Samara said.
"EDI, will you ask Thane to please come to starboard observation." Shepard shook her head in disbelief, this seemed crazy to her.
"I won't. I'll be good, I promise. I won't hurt Samara and I won't let any of the others hurt her either," Jane said.
"Mr. Krios is on his way," EDI said.
"Thanks, EDI," Shepard said.
"You are welcome, Shepard. Would you like for me to alert Dr. Chakwas so that she can be present in the event of injury to Justicar Samara?" EDI asked.
Shepard cringed and glanced at Samara. "No, I think she'd storm in here and insist it doesn't happen at all. If we need her though, call her in."
"Very well, Shepard. I will continue to monitor you and will alert Mr. Krios if scans reveal instability," EDI said. "However, without a comparison of the brain activity of either a human or an asari during a normal melding, I may not be able to adequately detect any other abnormalities."
Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded her head in acknowledgement. The door opened and Thane stepped inside a couple of feet before coming to a stop. His hands tucked behind his back and his eyes locked on Shepard.
Shepard rubbed the back of her thumbnail across her forehead as she moved to him. "Samara is going to meld with me so that she can talk to Jane directly."
"What do you need from me, Siha?" Thane asked putting a steadying hand on Shepard's elbow.
"I need you to be here in case something goes wrong. If it looks like Samara is being harmed at all …" Shepard looked let her words trail off and looked at him with pleading eyes, begging him to understand.
"Nothing is going to go wrong," Jane said.
"I will do as I must, Siha," Thane said.
Shepard settled down to the floor to sit opposite of Samara. Thane stood behind Shepard, ready to wrap his arms around her throat and deprive her of oxygen until she passed out if required.
"I have never joined minds with a human before." Samara rubbed her palms over her knees.
"Well, you're about to join with about a thousand of them, most of which are fifty shades of crazy. Are you sure you want to do this?" Shepard asked. "It's a big risk."
"Dawn, relax. Just trust me, please," Jane said.
"I am sure." Samara rubbed her hands across her legs again before looking up at Shepard with blackened eyes.
"See you on the other side," Jane said as Samara took hold.
There was no coaxing; no verbal cue like with Liara but the abrupt presence in Shepard's mind much the way Dr. Tulina had delved in when Shepard awoke frantic with the intense buzzing in her head. She willed herself to relax and opened herself to Samara. She found herself standing next to her surrounded by a sea of darkness. Whispers of madness sounding as loud as screams pressed in around them. Voices wailed, bemoaning the loss of those taken in the war. Others angry and filled with ridicule lashed out; blaming Shepard for making them feel pain again. Those confused by their sudden presence demanded to know who they were and how she had gotten inside.
Shepard felt Samara's resolve waver as the onslaught of voices pressed against her. The ancient asari steeled herself at Shepard's side, the connection strengthening. The intensity of the voices died down as the darkness pulled itself back, like tendrils of a fog revealing a mass of people surrounding them. Most of them seemed to shift in and out of existence before Shepard's eyes as they wandered aimlessly. Others had their faces turned to something no one else could see, relieving their own memories oblivious to anyone around them. Some had eyes were filled with horror; others anger, love, agony, or sorrow. Those closest to Shepard seemed the most solid, the most real, and they watched Shepard and Samara with interest moving in closer.
"Samara?" A blond woman, angry red scars crisscrossing her face and arms pushed forward.
"Samara is here with us? Is she dead, too?" A brunette with a square jaw touched Samara's hand.
"She's not dead, Brooke. She's just come to visit me!" Another Shepard chirped. "We're going to have tea together!"
"She's not hear to have tea with you, idiot," a masculine voice spoke out from somewhere in the crowd.
Shepard wasn't sure how she could tell, but she was certain that he was the one that threatened to take a turn controlling her the first time Jane managed to take over. A shudder ran down her spine. Her eyes scanned the area but she couldn't pick him out.
"Yes she has! She's come to have tea and tell me all about how wonderful things are with the reapers gone now," she said.
"I have come to say thank you," Samara said turning to take in the crowd. "I am sorry; I have not yet seen the reapers. I do not know how things will be after the war."
Hands reached out to touch Samara and Shepard, tugging at their clothing, their fingers, and Shepard's hair. Panic started to well up inside of Shepard and Samara turned to look at her in concern.
"They frighten you," Samara said.
Shepard nodded her head reluctantly.
"They can't hurt you," a masculine voice, identical to the first but somehow still unique spoke from behind Shepard.
Shepard spun to face him and she knew at once that this was John. Shepard grinned and opened her mouth to say hello but John grabbed her and crushed her to his chest, slapping her back like they were longtime friends – or family; she supposed in some odd way they were.
"Oh." Shepard chuckled and returned the affectionate pat before pulling away.
John held her at arm's length and looked her over. "Sorry, Commander."
"That's alright, John. It's nice to put a face to a name," Shepard said.
Shepard took in his rugged features. The thin scar cutting through his close cropped dark hair, his five o' clock shadow, and his piercing blue eyes. He grinned at her again as she turned to Samara.
"Shouldn't be here. Shouldn't be here. It's going to make her angry. Going to make them all angry." Another female Shepard crept up behind John, shaking her head as her hands fluttered helplessly in front of her, her eyes making sharp, jerky movements.
John didn't pay her any mind so neither did Shepard.
"Samara, this is John. He's been trying to help me with Jane a little," Shepard said.
"She's going to get angry and I'll forget again. I don't want to forget. Shouldn't be here." The Shepard sounded more agitated, more insistent.
Shepard studied the face until a name crept into her mind. "Sarah?"
"Don't call me that!" Sarah yelled, her face contorting in rage before settling back down into paranoid confusion. "Sarah's dead. She died. She's dead, not real. Not here. This is just a dream."
"It's good to see you again, Samara." John held out his hand to Samara. "Sorry that's probably confusing for you. It's hard to remember in here sometimes that everyone out there doesn't know me the way I know them."
Shepard felt the flicker of remorse roll off of John and she wondered if Samara had felt it too. If she had, she didn't acknowledge it in any way. Shepard watched Sarah out of the corner of her eye, afraid that John might be wrong and she might decide to attack. A moment later another woman – Ramona, Shepard realized – came and wrapped an arm around Sarah, leading her away with soft murmurs.
Samara shook his hand and smiled. "It is nice to meet you. Thank you, for your part in stopping Morinth."
"Happy I could help, ma'am. I just wish there was more that I could do for Dawn," John said.
"Dawn?" Samara asked her brow knitting in confusion.
Shepard raised her hand. "It's my first name."
Samara smiled. "I see."
A sudden hush fell over the mass of Shepards.
"Jane's coming," John said.
He pointed as the group began to part, drifting away from one another to clear a path for a redheaded woman with intense green eyes. Shepard had never seen her face before, but the second she laid eyes on it she knew it unmistakably. Jane smirked as Shepard met her gaze. She pushed through the crowd and came to a stop in front of Shepard. Shepard bit the inside of her cheek as she warred with the desire to punch the other woman in her freckle smattered face and hug her at the same time.
Jane held a hand out to Shepard. "Dawn."
"Jane." Shepard slowly shook the offered hand.
And just like that, Jane dismissed Shepard completely. Her eyes stopped on John long enough to cast him a withering glare before she turned to Samara with a warm if slightly manic smile that made Shepard's skin crawl. John shifted beside Shepard, edging himself forward until he was all but standing in front of her.
"Samara, thank you so much for agreeing to this," Jane said, sticking her hand out to Samara.
Samara shook her hand and bowed her head. "I am told that all of you are responsible for ending Morinth. I wished to express my gratitude."
Jane slung an arm around Samara's shoulder, and Shepard tensed. Samara glanced at Shepard and offered her one of her soothing beatific smiles.
"Walk with me, Samara. There's so much I want to tell you," Jane said.
Samara and Jane started walking, the sea of people parting to let them pass. Shepard started to follow but John put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. She turned to look at him with alarm.
"This is our best chance to talk," John said.
"I can't leave Jane alone with Samara!" Shepard protested.
"If ever there was anyone who can handle Jane, it's that asari right there, Commander," John said.
"But … what if I lose her in here or something? What if – dear gods, what if she loses me?!" Shepard asked.
"I can't swear to it, but I'm pretty sure that can't happen. And if it does, well, I'll make sure you get back out myself, ma'am," John said.
Shepard looked back, her eyes searching for Samara as more protestations formed on her lips but the asari had already vanished in the sea of people pressing back in around Shepard. The others reached for her and Shepard latched on to John's arm. His chuckle rumbled through her side.
"They can't hurt you, not really," he said again.
"That's not what I'm afraid of," Shepard whispered.
John patted her hand still clinging to his bicep with a calloused hand. "I know."
A terrifying thought raced through Shepard's mind, enough to rouse the interest of everyone surrounding her. "Who was the last one? Before me?"
The crowd shifted again and a woman stepped forward, dark skin shifting seamlessly into dark peach fuzz hair not at all unlike Jack's haircut. Her eyes a deep olive green locked onto Shepards.
"I was," she said.
"Ruby." Shepard tried not to question how it was she was able to know their names or the uneasy feeling it gave her.
"That's right," Ruby said. "Me. Ruby. It's my life you stole."
Shepard took a step back reflexively as the woman's anger flared. John squeezed her hand, steadying her.
"I didn't steal your life. This is my life. I didn't ask for any of this anymore than any of you did," Shepard said.
"My life. My ship. My crew. My lover. It's all mine!" Biotic energy flared around Ruby.
John stepped in front of Shepard, shielding her from the mad woman's ire. "Back off, Ruby. You know that none of this is her fault."
"Somebody's got to take the blame. Might as well be her," Ruby said.
John raised his arm, and Shepard didn't see the pistol in his hand until it was too late. The sound of gunfire rapport echoed around them, drowning out the sound of Shepard's sudden yelp. Ruby fell as the first red trickle started to spill from the hole in the middle of her forehead.
Shepard ripped her arm away and turned on John, her eyes wide. "What the hell did you do?!"
Chaos broke out once more as the crowd scattered, pulling away from Shepard and John. Some or the women wailed in terror, some giggled like children. The later disturbed her far more than the former.
John put the gun away, and shrugged. "She's fine."
Shepard glanced back at Ruby and watched with incredulity as the woman pulled herself back to her feet. All traces of blood and bullet wound vanished from her smooth skin. She glared at John before casting a sneer in Shepard's direction and disappearing into the crowd.
"Come on, Commander. We won't have a lot of time," John said waving a hand out at the darkness.
Shepard watched him warily, beginning to question just how unstable John himself was. "Where are we going?"
"Away from Jane's flock," John said heading through the crowd.
Shepard looked around her and chewed her lip before following after him. Part of the crowd followed after them – followed after John, she realized but the majority stayed behind. Shepard glanced behind her nervously, picking up her pace until she walked beside John.
"What do you mean Jane's flock?" Shepard asked.
He glanced at her. "Most of them cling to Jane like she's our salvation. Some just don't know what else to do. Others cling to her because they want the power that she has. Because they miss the death and destruction. They feed her their crazy and get her riled up. Most of the time when she's abusing you, it's because they're whispering in her ear."
"What do you mean?" Shepard asked.
"Jane by herself isn't so bad. But after Cerberus, she lost her hold. Broke down and they moved in on her." John stopped and turned to Shepard. "Not all of us made it through the war in one piece, not all of us woke up again the same person we were when we died. Some of us are … well, more than broken. More than just a little crazy."
Shepard rubbed her arms and looked back at the twenty or so following them and nodded her head in their direction. "What about them?"
"When I started standing up to Jane – to the others – a few of them started following me." John looked around at the nothingness. "It's not normally like this." He held his hand up to look at the hairs on the back of his knuckles. "This place, this is only Samara's influence. We don't get to see each other, just the incessant noise. I'm not even really sure if this is what I really looked like. You can see me, right?"
The sudden shift in topic left Shepard confused. She watched John, scrutinizing him as confusion flickered across his eyes. "Yeah, I can see you. I can see all of you right now."
"I don't – where's Jack?" John asked.
Shepard's eyebrows twitched. "Jack's probably in her hidey hole under engineering. She's safe."
"Safe. Yeah, good." John cleared his throat and looked at his hand again. "Sorry, Commander. I forgot what I was saying."
"That's alright. Take your time," Shepard said.
John shook his head and started walking again. "We don't have time. Normally, it's just the voices and the feeling of being surrounded. Constantly surrounded by people you can't see or feel. They talk, talk, talk. All of the time. It never stops. They talk about the reapers, dying, the people they loved. They talk about you and what you're doing. Some of them they get real obsessed. They got so used to the pattern never changing and then you went and broke the mold and they don't know how to handle it."
"So, what – they're encouraging Jane to take over?" Shepard asked trying to keep up with his long stride.
"In a nutshell. Jane has sheltered us, kept us together for so long. She was our rock. Our strength that kept us hanging on to what little sanity we had left." John abruptly stopped again and looked back at the group keeping their distance but still following. "Her determination and sheer will to find a way to fix things gave us all hope. But now she's confused. She doesn't know what she's fighting for anymore – or who she's fighting against."
"She's fighting against me." Shepard scoffed.
"Yeah, but she thinks in her own twisted way that she's fighting for you. At least I think that's what she thinks." John turned his piercing blue eyes on Shepard. "Did you know that when you first started feeling her she was so excited? She was so proud of you. You. Commander Dawn Shepard. You were going to be the one to break the cycle. You were going to be the one to finally give us rest."
"I don't understand why she stopped believing that? She told me that I needed to find a way to change things, and damn it if things aren't changing. They may not be perfect, but I'm doing the best I can. I don't know what else to do," Shepard said.
John grabbed Shepard, pulling her into another bone crushing hug.
"Oh! OK. You're hugging me again." Shepard said patting his back before pulling herself free.
He grabbed her upper arms and looked at her, the intensity in his eyes setting her teeth on edge. "No, no. You don't understand, Commander. You're our only hope. You have to keep fighting her. You have to keep changing things, this has to end. No matter the cost."
"John … please let go of me." Shepard fought to remain calm.
John released Shepard and paced in front of her instead, rubbing his hands across his fuzzy scalp. "Sorry, Commander. Sorry. I just – I need you to understand how important you are. How vital you are. And I can help you. You have to be protected from her flock. I have to keep you safe."
"OK … how are you going to do that?" Shepard asked.
"Mutiny, ma'am." John came to an abrupt halt in front of Shepard.
"Mutiny?" Shepard raised her eyebrows.
"Yes ma'am. I mean Commander. If I can win over enough of the other Shepards, I can take Jane down." John's tone became excited as the feverishness to his eyes ramped up.
"What do you mean? Kill her? Can she be killed?" Shepard asked, remembering the bullet he'd put in Ruby's head, reminding herself that it wasn't real. It couldn't have been real.
"No, no she can't be killed but I can replace her. I think. I'm almost certain. She's not fit to lead anymore. It's not her fault, but that doesn't change the fact." John started to pace again. "I don't know how to explain it but Jane is in a different place than the rest of us. It's like … she's around us and not with us. I think she acts like … like a filter, keeping you from hearing the rest of us."
"The Veil." Shepard braced her elbow in her palm and rubbed her fingers across her lower lip as she remembered the way Liara had first described what she saw in Shepard's mind.
"Yes! Yes! The Veil. Jane is The Veil. I can be The Veil." John ran his hands over his face. "I just need to figure out how."
Shepard glanced at the group as their excited voices made their way to her ears. They huddled together, their heads bowed down whispering about the veil and killing Jane. She turned her attention back to the agitated man standing in front of her.
"How have you done it before? Isn't that what you were doing when you were helping me with Morinth?" Shepard asked.
John shook his head. "No, Jane was still there. I just … stepped through her. It's easiest when she's recovering or distracted."
Samara and Jane appeared next to Shepard, materializing out of nothingness. Shepard jumped and John growled, taking a few steps back from Jane.
"I hope John hasn't been filling your head with lies, Dawn. Don't let him confuse you. He doesn't want what's best for you, he's only thinking of himself," Jane said.
"Go to hell, Jane," John said with a snarl.
"Shepard, I must end the joining. I can feel myself weakening," Samara said.
Shepard kept her eyes on John even as she turned her head in Samara's direction and nodded. "Alright."
Shepard felt herself slipping gently away from the place of nothingness, the last thing she saw was John throwing himself at a smiling Jane. Back firmly in her body, aware of her breathing once more, Shepard opened her eyes. Samara stared at her curiously but spoke before Shepard could open her mouth.
"I must rest now, Shepard," Samara said.
Shepard turned to look up at Thane standing behind her. He held a hand out to her. Shepard slid her hand into his and let him pull her to her feet. She looked down at Samara and hesitated when she saw the watery look to her eyes.
"Please, Commander. We will talk more later." Samara pulled her biotic energy up into a ball between her hands, her eyes taking on that glowing silver sheen as she entered her meditation.
Jane's strained voice broke through Shepard's reluctance to leave. "Thank you, Dawn."
Shepard and Thane left Samara to her meditations, stepping out of the starboard observation. Thane pulled Shepard up short with a hand around her waist.
"Are you alright, Siha?" Thane asked.
Shepard forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Really. I mean that wasn't the most pleasant experience and I don't know what Jane said to her but I've got other things to focus on right now. Anderson's probably wondering why the hell we've been docked for so long and I haven't been to see him yet. I should get going."
"I only told her my story, and showed her hers," Jane said.
"Rila and Falere," Shepard thought.
"She had a right to know, didn't she? Isn't that what we do now? Save our friends from future pain?" Jane asked.
"Indeed. I will be searching out my contacts. I presume Garrus will be doing the same. The Council still insists that you have guards, however," Thane said.
"She's going to try to save Rila, isn't she? Move them to another monastery or something," Shepard thought.
"Mmm. Grunt and Vega. No one will come near me with those two," Shepard said.
"You'd have to ask her, I'm just the messenger," Jane said.
"They needn't be near you to kill you, Siha," Thane said.
Shepard ran a thumb across his cheek. "I know, but I can't walk around in a bulletproof bubble so it'll have to do."
"There's an idea." Garrus rounded the corner and stopped a couple of feet from Shepard.
She felt Thane's hand slip away from her waist but let hers linger on his cheek a moment longer.
She chuckled and flashed a smile at Garrus. "No, Vakarian. You are not designing a bulletproof bubble to stick me in. Get the thought out of your head."
His mandibles fluttered lightly as he returned her smile. Garrus leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers before pressing his mouth to the same spot.
"I'm sure I could make millions of creds off the idea. It'd make for a nice retirement," Garrus said.
Thane chuckled. "And still she would not use one."
Shepard winked at him. "Of course not. If bullets can't get in, they can't get out."
"Hmmm. Yeah, that would be one hell of a design flaw." Garrus turned his attention to Thane. "I could use your help tracking down someone on the Citadel if you've got the time."
Thane bowed lightly. "I'm happy to be of service."
Shepard watched as the two of them walked away, Garrus talking quietly gesturing widely with his hands while Thane nodded his head every so often. Shepard made her way to the AI core, having a feeling she'd find Kenn in there with Lia and Legion. She stepped through the door and drew up short.
Kenn and Lia were standing in the middle of the AI core, Legion stood at the back and EDI's blue hologram hovered over her access point. Lia had her mask off, looking up into Kenn's face as he caressed her cheek. They pulled away from one another when the door opened, Lia's cheeks turning a bright red. Kenn stepped in front of her, instinctively wanting to protect the female quarian while she was in a vulnerable state. Lia patted his shoulder and he glanced behind him before nodding and stepping aside.
"That's kind of adorable," Jane said.
"Should I uh … should I come back later?" Shepard asked.
Lia grinned and slid her mask back into place. "Of course not, Shepard. I hope you're not angry. I couldn't resist showing him; I know that you asked me to keep it a secret for now. He's the first quarian I've spent any time around since … well, since this," Lia said pointing at her mask, "and I know he's leaving today."
Kenn shifted from foot to foot nervously. "Uh, Commander, hello."
"Hi Kenn." Shepard chuckled and patted him on his shoulder. "Relax, kid. You guys aren't in trouble. I've only asked Lia to keep it to herself for her safety, and because I want to make sure it's revealed to the Migrant Fleet as diplomatically as possible. Which is why you can't tell anyone about this."
"Oh, of course. I won't, I promise. I doubt anyone would believe me anyway." Kenn shifted to, settling his glowing gaze on Shepard's face. "You plan to bring this to the Migrant Fleet?"
"This could help save your people and repair relationships with the geth. I just need to make sure it's presented to the right people at the right time because I won't allow this to become another reason to fight the geth, to subjugate the geth." Shepard looked at Legion. "Have you talked to him much? Asked him about the war, about Rannoch?"
"Do you really think that this will be enough to change their minds over a centuries old ingrained prejudiced? We couldn't even always change their minds when faced with certain destruction," Jane said.
"I think it's a damn good start," Shepard thought.
Kenn's head twitched briefly toward Legion, uncomfortable with the reminder of the geth's presence. "Lia has told me some of it."
"Legion won't hurt you, Kenn," Lia said. "He's our friend."
"She's right. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you unless you were doing something to hurt him, the ship, or its crew. You really have nothing to worry about." Shepard put her arm around Lia and pulled the quarian in against her side. "And he's definitely our friend."
"Our friend," Jane echoed. "How will you save him?"
Shepard swallowed against the lump of sadness balled up in her throat and thought, "I don't know."
Lia bumped her hip against Shepard's and slid her arm around Shepard's waist. "You humans are so touchy feely."
Shepard smiled at the humor and warmth in Lia's voice. "Yeah, but you love me for it. You're lucky you put your mask back on or I'd be overcome with the urge to give you touchy feely kisses all over your face."
Kenn made a strangled gasping noise and Lia nearly doubled over in laughter. "Shepard, to a normal quarian that would amount to a death threat."
"But you're no normal quarian." Shepard winked at Kenn. "He's just jealous that I can't give him touchy feely kisses all over his face."
"You know you're making a mistake, don't you? Getting attached to her, keeping her on the Normandy. You could be endangering her life, and for what?" Jane asked.
"The reapers are coming, Jane. Everyone's life is in danger. She's happy here. She's learning to fight. This might actually be the thing that saves her life when the reapers hit. We don't know what happened to her in your times," Shepard thought.
Legion's head swiveled toward Kenn, drawing Shepard's attention. His optics grew brighter and his iris contracted. "Creator-Kenn, your heart rate is unstable. Do you require medical assistance?"
"I believe Kenn is experiencing what organics refer to as embarrassment. It is a natural, biochemical response to Shepard's teasing," EDI said.
Shepard squeezed past Lia to stand next to Legion. His optics glowed brightly, the iris expanding and contracting as he became more animate in Shepard's presence, relaxing into a stance mimicking hers. Shepard ran her fingers over a cluster of small holes in Legion's shoulder.
He fluttered the plating around his optics. "Shepard-Commander."
Shepard smiled. "Hey, Legion. Looks like we need to have Jacob patch you up again soon."
Legion looked down at the holes, or perhaps Shepard's hand making contact with his platform. "This platform is ninety-nine point three percent intact and remains fully functioning. We do not yet require repairs."
Shepard rested her hand on his shoulder. "Alright, Legion. Let's just make sure we keep you that way. OK?"
"Yes, Shepard-Commander." Legion turned and put a hand on Shepard's shoulder earning him a toothy grin.
Shepard let her hand slide away and headed for the door, stopping to look back at the quarians. "We'll be here for at least a few hours. You're welcome to hang out on the Normandy until then if you'd like. Thanks again for your help on Omega."
"Keelah, no, thank you for getting me out of that place," Kenn said.
Shepard nodded her head. "Anytime."
She told EDI to have Grunt and James meet her at the airlock for guard duty and everyone else was free to do as they wished. Shepard left the quarians to get her armor on and check her weapons before meeting her guards at the airlock and stepping out onto the Citadel.
As she made her way to Anderson's office, Shepard noticed the general sense of unease that permeated the Citadel. Humans clustered in small groups, casting wary eyes at every turian that walked by. Turian civilians seemed scarce, and when she did see one, they seemed to keep their eyes straight ahead and walk as quickly as they could. C-Sec patrolled heavily, especially in the lower wards. Their uniform didn't seem to provide them any protection from the curses, slurs, and threats humans threw at the turian officers.
"This place feels like a warzone waiting to happen," Jane said.
"Like the timer on a bomb ticking away," Shepard thought.
Shepard stopped when she saw a human civilian getting in the face of a turian C-Sec officer. The man's body language screamed aggression, even as the turian officer remained calm. Shepard could tell by the tight mandibles and the death grip on this assault rifle held against his chest that the officer was really anything but calm. Shepard shook her head and approached the loudmouth.
"He's going to tear him apart the second that idiot touches him," Jane said.
"I know," Shepard thought.
"You're all a bunch of fucking terrorists! Don't stand there and act like you're not one of them just because you're a damn cop!" The human had his nose about three inches from the C-Sec officers and was just about to jam his finger into the turian's armored chest.
Shepard grabbed the man's wrist and wrenched it back. He screamed, whether from shock or pain she didn't know and didn't care. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"You fucking bitch! Let go of me! Goddamn terrorist-loving traitor." Spittle flew from his lips.
"I'd break it for that," Jane said.
James made a tsking sound as Shepard wrenched the man's wrist back further, not quite to the point of snapping. "You see, he has to wait for you to actually touch him before he beats the shit out of you but I don't. He could have already arrested you just for being up in his face, but he's been patiently waiting, hoping you'd be stupid enough to touch him." Shepard glanced up at the officer as the man buckled to his knees. "Sound about right, Officer …"
The turian saluted Shepard. "Calagius. That would be an accurate assessment, Spectre Commander Shepard."
Shepard nodded in acknowledgement of his formality, her own hand a little too busy at the moment to return his salute. She shoved the man back, watching him fall on his ass and then scramble to regain his footing. "Piss off and don't let me see you in another officer's face or next time I'll break your damn wrist if you're lucky."
The man glared at her as he backed away a few feet before turning tail and running. Grunt chortled; the sound carrying after the man and making him look back over his shoulder. Shepard turned to Calagius and held out a hand to him. The turian adjusted his assault rifle, lowering it in her presence now that there was no immediate threat and shook Shepard's hand.
"How bad is it, Officer Calagius?" Shepard asked.
"Ma'am?" he said.
Shepard looked around them, her eyes lingering on the groups of uneasy humans. Calagius followed her eyes, taking in the signs of unrest.
"We've had a few minor riots since the announcement and turian – human related violence has increased by roughly thirty-five percent." Calagius cleared his throat, his mandibles flaring. "Humans being the primary aggressors in the majority of reported cases."
"Gods, it's only going to get worse. If you've got an idea to stop The Dissension, you should get on it before there's riots in the streets. We both know the Council isn't prepared to deal with that and with the majority of C-Sec's officers being turian … good cop or not, that's going to be hard to not take personally," Jane said.
"Damn, Commander. This is no bueno." James shifted, twisting at the waist to scan the area.
"There's not a lot we can do not knowing who they are. We can't divert from the collectors completely to deal with this. We can't be everywhere, can't do everything," Shepard thought.
"I say if they're stupid enough to pick a fight with C-Sec unarmed, let them get shot," Grunt said.
Shepard smirked and Calagius' mandibles fluttered lightly. "Shooting unarmed civilians is generally frowned upon, Grunt. No matter how stupid they are." She focused her attention back on Calagius. "Just try to remember that they're acting out because they're scared and they don't know what else to do. That doesn't excuse their behavior though, so don't cut them any slack. If they're breaking the law, they're breaking the law. We both know you should have already put him in cuffs and run him in. Don't let them get in your head, keep your cool."
"You're right. We don't know who they are, anyone could be with them. Calagius here could be with them," Jane said. "Maybe that's why he was letting the man press him."
"Yes ma'am." Calagius saluted Shepard again.
"Maybe, but I won't act on that sort of fear. They're all innocent until I have a reason to think otherwise," Shepard thought, returning Calagius' salute before walking away.
At Anderson's office, Rebecca stood when she saw Shepard and her team.
"Councilor Anderson has been expecting you. He said to send you in when you arrived," Rebecca said.
"Thank you." Shepard nodded at the secretary before making her way back to stop in front of the four guards posted outside of Anderson's door.
Two asari commandos flanked two humans in Alliance gear. Shepard assumed the asari were Tevos' contributions, a sign of solidarity and support for both the humans and the Council. The two men in Alliance uniform moved to block Shepard's passage. The markings on their armor identified them as both being Service Chief in rank. Men who in another time, another life would have immediately stepped aside and saluted. Instead, they saluted James.
Shepard bit back the humiliation the two strangers were trying to heap on her. Reminding herself that she was where she needed to be and one day, she'd have her dog tags back around her neck where they belonged. The asari commandos watched, alert but appearing bored by their human counterparts display of muscle.
"Still stings, though, doesn't it?" Jane said.
"Yeah. Yeah, it does," Shepard thought.
"Council Spectre Commander Shepard. Councilor Anderson is expecting me," Shepard said, asserting her full title.
"He's expecting you, and he's Alliance." One of the men said indicating James.
"Didn't say anything about a krogan." The other said, nodding his head at Grunt.
"They do realize that The Dissension is a turian organization right?" Jane said.
"They are my guards while on the Citadel as per Council orders." Shepard cracked her neck.
"Do we have a problem?" James asked stepping up beside Shepard.
"No sir," the first man said.
"Then I suggest you two stop acting like FNGs, show the Commander here some respect and do your jobs. I'm pretty sure your orders were to protect the Councilor, not harass his guests," James said.
Jane snickered, her amusement wearing down the sharp edges of Shepard's growing anger.
"Give me a moment to check in with the councilor. Wait here, please." He stepped inside Anderson's office when James cocked an eyebrow.
A few moments later he returned, holding the door open for Shepard and her team. Anderson stood behind his desk, his hands clasped behind his back. A salarian, STG based on his dress and demeanor stood a few feet away while another man in Alliance armor stood on Anderson's opposite side.
"Don't let 'em get to you, James. I know where I stand in the eyes of most people, but I do what needs to be done anyway," Shepard said.
"It ain't right, Ídolo. You saved their asses, all of them. You've earned their respect a hundred times over." James shook his head, his brow furrowed.
"He always was a little naïve," Jane said a little wistfully.
"I know, James. It is what it is." Shepard came to a stop in front of Anderson's desk and saluted.
He nodded to the chairs and she sat down. Grunt and James remained standing behind her.
"Shepard, why am I not surprised to see you here?" Anderson settled back into his chair.
Shepard grinned. "I happen to have a very legitimate excuse to be here, Councilor. You informed Dr. Chakwas and Ms. Lawson that some of my medical records could only be released to me in person."
Anderson scoffed but a grin spread across his face before he turned his attention to Shepard's guards. "Lieutenant Vega, Urdnot Grunt. Good to see both of you again. Glad to see Shepard is taking her orders to have guards with her seriously."
James saluted Anderson. "Yes sir. It's good to see you as well, Councilor."
"Councilor." Grunt dipped his head.
"Where's Vakarian? I expected to see him glued to your side," Anderson asked.
"He's getting in touch with some of his old contacts." Shepard shifted, leaning forward in her chair. "Though after seeing the state of things on my way in here, I kind of wish I had kept him with me."
"You think he's going to run into trouble?" Jane asked.
"Let's just hope he doesn't. And if he does, he doesn't do anything brash," Shepard thought.
Anderson grunted in agreement. "Mmm. It's not good, Shepard. But so far we've managed to keep things relatively calm. We still haven't seen any sign of The Dissension taking direct actions, it seems almost as if they're content to sit back and watch the tension unfold between turians and humans. It doesn't feel right to me, though. My gut is telling me that they're planning something. I just don't know what."
"Blowing up embassies, holding civilians hostage, storming facilities … could be anything," Jane said.
"Of course they are. What it is will depend on what their numbers are and what they can pull off. Have you found out anything more about them?" Shepard asked.
Anderson shook his head and grimaced. "I'm afraid the Council's hands are tied. You got my report? The Council is stepping back to allow the Primarch to investigate the matter internally. We've declared our opposition to the group, and will continue to look into them in regards to the Citadel but we aren't reaching outside of the Citadel unless the Primarch fails to take care of this or things escalate."
"So they're doing nothing. Just like old times," Jane said.
"For how long? How long does Primarch Fedorian have to 'take care of this'? How far does it have to escalate before the Council steps up and actually does something other than make pretty speeches?" Shepard asked.
Anderson stood and paced back and forth in front of his desk. "I wish I knew, Shepard. I've been pushing for more resolute action, and so has Sparatus' replacement – Acting Councilor Quentius. But Tevos and Valern won't be moved."
Jane fed images of Quentius to Shepard, filling her in on the turian's general policies and outlook on turian-human relations. "Had you not saved the Destiny Ascension, he'd be the permanent councilor now."
"What about Sparatus? How's the investigation going?" Shepard asked.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss that, Shepard. All I can say is that there has been nothing to change the Council's original opinion on the matter," Anderson said.
"So they haven't found anything incriminating," Jane said.
"And the missing Spectre? What was her name?" Shepard asked as she watched Anderson's agitated pacing.
She knew how infuriating it must be for him to have to deal with politics and red tape. Anderson was a man of action, not a man of words. Still, Shepard didn't think that there was anyone better fitted to serve as the first human member of the Council. He definitely was a better choice than Udina.
"Protalus. There's been no word on her. She's gone underground. No reported sightings, she hasn't attempted to access the Spectre systems, she hasn't even attempted to access her private accounts." Anderson stopped and pressed his palms to his desk, shaking his head. "It's a damn mess, Shepard."
"They're not going to find her if she doesn't want to be found. Unless she turns up dead," Jane said. "If they want to bring her in, they're going to have to send a Spectre after her. Even then, they'll have to send someone not turian to be sure they don't lose another."
The comm on Anderson's desk buzzed. "Sir, you're next meeting is in fifteen minutes."
Anderson let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, thank you Rebecca."
Shepard stood and rolled her shoulders while Anderson walked around the desk to shake her hand.
"Here, I'll forward you your medical records." Anderson opened his omni-tool.
Shepard watched as his fingers glided over the holographic display. A moment later her omni-tool pinged. She was content to let the message sit until she was back on the Normandy but the look in Anderson's eyes told her she needed to open it right away. Shepard lifted her arm and opened the screen, pulling up the message from Anderson. Her eyes skimmed over the headings containing her name and vital statistics until she found what she was looking for.
Tucked up in the upper right hand corner were the words, "Apartment 32. Tiberius Towers on the Silversun Strip. 1800 hrs. Bring dinner and your people."
Shepard closed the omni-tool, her face as passive as ever. "Thanks, Anderson. I'm sure Dr. Chakwas will be glad to have these."
"Maybe he has something he can't tell us about here," Jane said. "Or maybe he's hoping we have something we can't tell him in front of the guards."
"Either way, looks like we're setting up an impromptu dinner party at Anderson's," Shepard thought.
Anderson chuckled and patted Shepard on the back, guiding her to the door. "I'm sure you'll be cursing me when they're running their tests."
"Never," Shepard said with a grin.
She glanced at the time on her omni-tool on her way out. It was just after 0800 hours, she had the whole day to kill. Shepard made her way through the Citadel, stopping at various stores to snag what tech and supplies she could find, constantly aware of the tension in the atmosphere the entire time. Much to Grunt and James' dismay, she made it a point to stop and have friendly chats with just about every turian C-Sec officer, shop owner, or disgruntled civilian she came across.
She asked EDI to see if she could ascertain whether an Alliance News Network reporter named Diana Allers and investigative journalist named Emily Wong were on the Citadel. When EDI confirmed that they were, Shepard had EDI send them a message on her behalf requesting a meeting at a time they could all agree on. Shepard wasn't surprised when the return message from Emily came through minutes later telling Shepard to name the time and place and she'd make it happen.
"You think the media coverage will draw them out?" Jane asked.
"There's a chance. If nothing else, maybe hearing some inspiring words from a familiar face can help ease tension," Shepard thought.
Diana took a little longer to get back to her than expected. Shepard hoped she hadn't made a mistake by thinking that the reporter would be the right choice. Shepard had a lot of respect for the Diana of Jane's memories, the woman was a little ruthless and knew how to cut to the quick but she was fair and did a decent enough job of being objective. Nearly an hour and a half had passed before she heard back from Diana. Her response was simple, she was willing to meet with Shepard in one hour but only if they could do the interview aboard the Normandy. Shepard smiled at the tenacious ultimatum and sent her a message agreeing to her terms. She forwarded the time and location to Emily before stopping off to grab a quick lunch with James and Grunt.
Shepard waited outside of the Normandy for the two reporters; again she was not surprised when Emily was the first to show up with all of her enthusiasm. Shepard made idle chit chat with the reporter, off the record while they waited for Diana. Emily blushed when James made a show of bowing over her hand held loosely in his during introductions. Shepard snorted indelicately and gently slapped the marine's armored chest with her gauntleted hand. Shepard was proud that Grunt remembered his manners and didn't try to intimidate the poor woman for standing too close to Shepard.
Diana arrived and James' jaw dropped. The leggy, busty woman was always fond of skin tight dresses that showed far more cleavage than anyone else even remotely associated with the Alliance could get away with.
"Commander Shepard? I'm Diana Allers." Diana extended her hand to Shepard. "I must admit I was a bit surprised to receive your message – sent to me personally."
Shepard smiled and shook Diana's hand. "Let's just say I have a strong appreciation for reporters who focus on the facts and not what sensationalist spin they can put on things to get higher ratings. Ms. Allers, this is Emily Wong. She's an investigative journalist that's been working on the Citadel for some time now. I've asked her to join us as well."
The two reporters shook hands, acknowledging that they were familiar with one another's work before turning back to Shepard expectantly.
"Before I take you aboard, I'd like to set some ground rules." Shepard waited for both women to nod before continuing. "I will be taking you to the comm room for the duration of this interview. You will not turn your cameras on until we are in the comm room, and anything that you see or hear outside of the comm room is strictly off the record."
Shepard saw the immediate pout come to Diana's mouth but the woman nodded in acquiescence. Emily seemed unbothered by the demands and waited patiently for Shepard to continue.
"This will not be a free for all interview. There are some things that I simply cannot discuss with you at this time, and other things that although might seem viable topics would only detract from the topic I would like to focus on." Shepard looked back and forth between the women as she spoke, making sure that they were keeping up and weren't going to fight her on the points. "If at any point I can't answer a question I will let you know and I ask that you move on. If this goes smoothly, I would consider future interviews with the two of you to discuss other viable topics."
"If you don't mind my asking, what is the topic you would like to discuss?" Emily asked.
"The Dissension," Shepard said.
Emily nodded her head while Diana seemed to mull it over before asking, "Perhaps you can make it more clear which topics you consider viable and which topics you're hoping to avoid?"
"Certainly," Shepard said with a nod of her head. "Topics I would consider discussing at a later time would be the reapers, the collectors, the geth, and the fact that I'm alive after the old Normandy went down and I was spaced. Topics I would like to avoid – for the time being are Cerberus, the details of any arrangements I may or may not have with either the Alliance or the Council in regards to my presence with Cerberus, and any questions involving any members of my crew unless they have consented to have those questions answered."
"And me," Jane said.
"They've got no reason to ask about you, thank gods," Shepard thought.
"Commander, with all due respect ma'am, those are the very topics that my viewers are going to be the most interested in hearing about when it comes to you," Diana said.
"I know, Ms. Allers, and I am prepared to make a brief statement touching on some of those topics. The statement will not allow for follow up questions, however. If you are not interested in what I have to offer, Ms. Allers, I understand," Shepard said.
"Oh no, I'm definitely interested and I can agree to your terms," Diana said.
Shepard nodded her head before turning to Emily. "Ms. Wong?"
"Absolutely, Shepard. Thank you for giving me this opportunity," Emily said.
Shepard nodded her head. "If you two will follow me."
Shepard led them into the Normandy and quickly through the armory into the comm room. Diana couldn't help but to soak in as much of the ship as she could see as they went. Once the two reporters where in the comm room, Shepard excused herself for a moment and stepped out into the hall making sure the door closed behind securely.
"EDI, send a message to all crew letting them know that I am with reporters and to avoid the comm room until further notice. You and Legion should probably both lay low until this is over as well," Shepard said.
"Good idea. Allers is a good reporter and a good woman, but let's not tempt her," Jane said.
"Understood, Shepard," EDI said.
Shepard went back in the comm room to find Diana and Emily already set up and waiting for her. Shepard ditched her armor and weapons on the floor, tucking them into a corner and running her hands through her hair. Shepard grinned as Emily made some adjustments, shifting Shepard's hair and clothing until she thought she was camera ready. Shepard was just glad that neither of them tried to pull out a makeup bag.
With both of the cameras rolling, Shepard tucked her hands behind her back and began. "As many of you watching this already know, I am Council Spectre Commander Shepard. Although it will not be the focus of this interview, I would like to clarify a few things for those of you watching."
Shepard shifted her weight slightly. "I was the commanding officer of the SSV Normandy SR-1. The SSV Normandy SR-1 was attacked by another vessel, one we have since identified as a collector ship. The Normandy was destroyed. Many fine men and women lost their lives that day, and I was one of them. My body was recovered and put into stasis while transported to an undisclosed facility where I was revived and restored using experimental technology over a two year period."
"And now every scientist in the galaxy wants to get their hands on you," Jane said.
"Although I have not been technically restored to active duty with the Alliance Navy, neither have I been officially stripped of my rank. My Spectre status has, however, been officially restored." Shepard gently cleared her throat. "As I suspect most humans, if not most of all species know by now, humanity is facing a dire threat as the collectors attack and abduct entire human colonies outside of Alliance and Council protected space. It is my current mission to bring an end to these abductions."
"That was vague. It implies that the Council and Alliance support what you're doing without directly saying so. Let's just hope it was vague enough to not piss off the higher ups," Jane said.
"I hope that this helps to clear up some of the confusion about my death, subsequent reappearance, and speculations about my rank and loyalties. That being said, there is something else that I would like to address and I have invited Emily Wong and Diana Allers to join me in discussing." Shepard glanced at the two women as she said their names. "As you have heard by now, there is an anti-human organization calling themselves The Dissension who have declared war on humanity despite the very adamant and very public disavowal made by both the Council and turian Primarch Fedorian. It has also been suggested that Councilor Sparatus could be involved with this organization. Councilor Sparatus denies the accusations, and has recused himself from the Council and submitted himself for investigation."
Taking that as her cue, Diana jumped right in. "Commander Shepard, what can you tell us about The Dissension?"
"At this point, little is known about the group or what exactly it is that they want other than for humanity to be removed from galactic society. To the best of my knowledge, they have not identified a leader, have made no specific demands, and have yet to take actions warranting the classification of terrorism," Shepard said. "The group is being investigated on multiple-fronts and information will likely be released to the public as it is discovered and deemed appropriate by the Council and respective governments."
"'Deemed appropriate' … that's political speak for we'll tell you the least amount we can get away with," Jane said.
"Commander, my resources tell me that you may have been key in uncovering The Dissension. Do you care to comment on that?" Emily asked.
Shepard schooled her carefully crafted mask of authority before her eyebrow could twitch in surprise. Emily had definitely been doing her homework. Shepard wondered exactly who her contacts where and what resources she had access to.
"During a visit to a prison vessel, it was discovered that there was a list of people interested in attempting to purchase me in an auction, should the warden of the prison be able to capture me. He was unable to do so, clearly." Shepard allowed herself a small smile. "The list was retrieved and on that list was a name that eventually led back to a turian who was found on the Citadel. The turian was placed under arrest for his attempts in human trafficking among various other crimes. It was during interrogation that this turian named The Dissension and their intent to purchase me at this auction."
"So there were other names on that list? Other people who were seeking to purchase you at this auction," Diana said.
"They're good. Too good, don't let them trip you up. You really should have insisted on reviewing their footage before any of it was released," Jane said.
"Yes, there were other names but I am not at liberty to reveal those names or their connections at this time as it is still an ongoing investigation," Shepard said.
"Did this turian divulge what it is that The Dissension wanted you for?" Diana asked.
"From what I was able to ascertain, The Dissension intended to use me as leverage against the Alliance. I do not know the nature of how they intended to do this, only that they hoped it would convince the Alliance to back out of galactic politics or risk starting a war," Shepard said.
"Which they've gone and declared anyway, and if they aren't snuffed out fast, they'll inevitably get," Jane said.
"Commander, there was an incident on the Citadel not too long ago involving a large group of dead turians in the warehouse district. Was this related to The Dissension?" Emily asked.
Shepard felt Jane's satisfied smirk creep through. "Maybe they do have a reason to ask about me."
"Yes. A group of turians associated with The Dissension made another attempt to abduct me. I was forced to defend myself, and consider myself lucky and grateful that I have a supportive team that came to my aid." Shepard shifted her weight again, hoping they wouldn't question her further on that night.
"You're taking credit for my kills, Dawn. That's not very nice," Jane said.
"No, I'm saying that I had to defend myself and my team helped. That's not a lie." Shepard thought, growing agitated by Jane's interruptions while she was trying to choose her words carefuly.
"Reports show that a turian politician, Joram Talid, was recently killed while in C-Sec custody. The nature of his charges have not been disclosed, and an investigation into his death is still ongoing," Emily said. "My resources suggest that a turian Spectre may have been responsible for Talid's death. Commander, can you tell us if this was also related to The Dissension? It is no secret that Talid's campaign revolved around anti-human views."
"Who the hell are her resources? That's classified, isn't it?" Jane asked.
Dianna glanced at Emily, her eyebrows raised. Shepard wasn't sure if she was more impressed by Emily's investigative skills or her grit when it came to asking the hard questions. Apparently, Diana was equally impressed – or perhaps feeling threatened, Shepard was unsure.
"As it still involves an ongoing investigation, I am unfortunately unable to comment on Mr. Talid or any crimes he may or may not have committed prior to his death. I am also unable at this time to speculate on whether his death was caused by a Council Spectre," Shepard said.
"The Council isn't going to like this at all," Jane said.
"I'm not sure I care," Shepard thought.
"Is there anything that you can tell us about the investigation into Councilor Sparatus?" Diana asked.
"I have not yet been given any details about the investigation. I know only that the other councilors appear to remain unconvinced of the accusations, even as they remain objective on the matter," Shepard said.
"Fantastic doublespeak. I think you may just have a knack for this stuff," Jane said.
"Do you believe that the councilor was involved?" Emily asked.
"It is my personal opinion that Councilor Sparatus is not involved with The Dissension. That being said, I have no evidence to support this opinion, and am only speaking from personal observations and interactions with the councilor. I believe that he has acted with honor in the matter, and I fully expect for him to be cleared of all charges," Shepard said.
"You realize that even if he is cleared, that accusation will linger over his head and taint public opinion for as long as he's in office. He'll never be trusted again," Jane said.
"If the councilor is not involved, why do you suppose he was named?" Emily asked.
"Again, I can only offer speculation but I believe that Councilor Sparatus is in a powerful position as a member of the Council, and it would add credence to The Dissension if they could convince the galactic community that Councilor Sparatus was among their ranks." Shepard waved a hand dismissively to emphasize her point as she continued. "Strategically speaking, if the councilor was indeed among The Dissension, I believe his name would have been a closely guarded secret likely only known to those top ranking individuals within the organization."
Shepard held a hand out, palm up. "Because of his position of power, were he genuinely involved with the group, releasing his name would only cripple their organization because as we have seen, it warrants the removal of the councilor from that position of power." Shepard held out her other hand. "Whereas naming an innocent man in a position of power opens the door to the possibility of convincing the public that they are stronger than they truly are if they can convince the public of his guilt."
"As much as that makes sense, the layman isn't going to grasp that. They're going to believe he was named because it's the truth. We both know it," Jane said.
"The Dissension has openly declared war against humanity. As you have said yourself, Commander, both the turian Hierarchy and the Council have opposed this declaration but what does this mean for humanity?" Diana asked.
"The Alliance is not considering this an idle threat, nor are they considering this a threat made by the Hierarchy, but rather a threat made by one very specific group." Shepard wanted the fact that The Dissension were acting outside of Hierarchy to be emphasized as much as possible. "The fact that this group happens to be turian holds no bearing to the Alliance, as they are clearly not speaking or acting for all turians and certainly not for the Hierarchy."
"Tsk tsk, you don't know that. You don't really know what the Alliance's stance is on this. You're not really in the Alliance loop anymore. Careful, Dawn, you're treading into unfamiliar territory and you're going to get your ass handed to you over it," Jane said.
Shepard fought the urge to wince. Jane was right; she was coming close to making claims that could get her in serious trouble. Hell, this entire interview could get her in serious trouble. She hadn't cleared the idea with the Council or the Alliance; she was acting on her own and skating on thin ice.
"Yes, but outside of the Alliance's stance, what does it mean for humanity, Commander?" Dianna asked.
"I can only make speculations based on observations, Ms. Allers. From what I have seen here on the Citadel today, I would say that what we can expect is for tensions to continue to run high while both humans and turians – as well as the rest of the galactic community – wait to see what The Dissension will do now that their declaration has been made." Shepard looked down at the floor in front of her for a moment before returning her eyes to the cameras positioned behind and to the sides of the two reporters.
"The Dissension is doing what it can to strike fear into the hearts of every human. We are a strong race, and we do not cower easily. Unfortunately, because The Dissension is an ambiguous term we have no faces to put to this enemy other than those they claim to represent – turians." Shepard could feel herself getting choked up, tears threatening her eyes as she thought about how easily this thing could get out of hand. "For many humans, their desire to protect themselves and their loved ones from this unknown enemy has led to them retaliating against any turian they cross paths with. They are letting their fear turn to hatred, and that is a very dangerous path to take. It is a path we have walked far too many times in human history, and it is one that I sincerely hope to see us avoid now."
"Strong words coming from someone working with Cerberus," Jane said.
"Don't give me that crap," Shepard thought.
"I'm just telling you how they're going to see it, Dawn. You've associated yourself with a group that is considered to be an anti-alien terrorist organization and here you are spouting off inclusive idealism in the face of an anti-human terrorist organization. You're branding yourself a hypocrite," Jane said.
A long silence stretched between the three of them, broken only by the quiet hum of the cameras. Shepard struggled with the heavy truth of Jane's words. They would think she was a hypocrite. Just as she was beginning to really question the wisdom of doing the interview, Emily broke the silence as she pushed her short hair behind her ear.
"Commander, do you have any parting words for our viewers?" Emily asked.
Shepard cleared her throat and nodded her head. "To The Dissension, if any of you are watching; know that we will not be intimidated, we will not be cowed, we will not be broken. To the Hierarchy, I thank you for your public support of peace and your swift actions on dealing with this organization."
"To the turian civilians, C-Sec officers, and soldiers who are finding themselves suddenly in a hostile environment filled with wary glances, angry words, and aggressive behaviors towards you simply because you are turian – I am truly sorry." Shepard gave a sad shake of her head. "Know that not all of humanity sees you as the enemy, and there are those of us who are fighting to set things right again."
"To the humans who have found themselves suddenly suspicious of their neighbors, afraid of their co-workers, or who are otherwise tempted to lay blame at the feet of every turian you meet I beg you to remember the times in our history when we were faced with similar threats." Shepard paused, tilting her head to the side and making herself remember, too. "Remember both the honorable and the dishonorable ways that we dealt with those threats, then remember the costs of both and choose the honorable path. Thank you, that is all."
"The dice haven't been cast yet, you can still tell them you've changed your mind," Jane said.
"How soon will this air?" Shepard asked.