Hello people.

Now, before you use your pitchforks (well deserved), allow me to say it: I am stupendously late. Sorry but, between enrolling for my major, finding a job and... another personal thing, I felt so drained that every time I touched the writing scripts my arms fell off, and my brain screamed to stop.

It is weird to explain, but all I felt was the need to play some games either alone or with friends or sleep after coming back to work and studying for exams. Every time I tried to write, my hands froze, or I wrote bullshit.

It took getting Covid and being forcefully stuck inside my house to give me some semblance of calm, enough to retry. And I truly needed it because I fear the next parts will be tricky to make and even harder to make it clear what I am trying to pass here.

Hope you will still enjoy it. The few foolish faithful still following me. After Jack's mission, and something else about Lena's past, the crew will split for some last missions (Lena's return to Omega to finish some loose ends, her dealing with Kelly and her own demons.) and then the end game with the collector's base, followed by the epilogue where Shepard will meet all the other Claymores. And wonder how in the galaxy's balls are humans stranded here.

Have a good read, folks.

11 May 2185. Normandy sr-2. Armoury.

All pieces fell into their place as Lena checked once again her gear. She was ready to go and, to be fair, almost excited for this mission. A first in months.

They had reached just yesterday the Dakka system and were now orbiting the planet Pragia where Jack claimed her torturers had turned her into what she was today. They were here to destroy that place.

"Piece by bloody piece if necessary!" As eloquently said by Jack. Salt the Earth and allow Jack's nerves to be put to rest. Lena had volunteered the second Shepard had briefed the group about this mission: coming from a similar background, Lena understood Jack better than anyone else inside the ship and was eager to help.

"Ready?" asked Shepard inside, already fully suited and armed. Lena holstered her sword, nodded and followed him toward the shuttle. Inside, Jack was already waiting, armed to the teeth and a strange, unsettling scowl adorning her face. Next to her, strapped with security belts, was the bomb prepared by Cerberus's agents to blow the entire place sky high. The only other agent for this mission, Miranda, was at the pilot's seat already. For this one, Shepard had decided to bench all hands possible, including the crew.

"Ready, Shepard," confirmed Lena. "Let's blow this place sky-high."

Jack chuckled and sat on the bomb as if afraid that it would disappear from her sight.

"I have memories of that shit place, but nothing more," announced Jack.

"Will have to spelunk for a while before knowing where to place this big boy."

"Fine by me," replied Shepard. "The place is abandoned, and Pragia is a rainforested hellhole. Worse can attack us are rats and spiders."

The shuttle closed, and her engine started as Miranda warned the crew to strap down for departing. They all complied and waited for the ride to end.

Jack, in particular, kept fidgeting and moving on her seat. Shepard knew that Jack needed this, as much as she loved to put the tough bitch act. He knew from Kelly and EDI that the woman kept having nightmares, and worse, at night. Things that only alcool seemed to quiet. The commander hoped this trip would finally put everything at rest.


Pragia. Cerberus secret facility. 21 minutes after the departure.

"You weren't kidding when you called this place a rainforested hellhole." lamented a thoroughly soaked Lena.

"Got more water today than in all my life."

"Pragia has always been like this." chuckled darkly Jack, just as wet.

"That's why the landing pad is elevated. To avoid the rampant jungle. The rest can choke on weeds, though."

As if to emphasize her words, Jack pointed at the walls and stained glasses covering the squad, overwhelmed by thick roots and green foliage as the rain hammered without pause the walls outside. Droplets fell on the grounds, and the whole building smelt of damp, rotten musk to the point that everyone decided to keep their helmet on to stop the smell, regardless of the air quality.

"Scans are inconclusive. Too many energy signatures." warned Shepard "Probably some old jamming device still in effect."

"No surprises there." snarled Jack. "Cerberus built this hellhole to last. Bastards. Come, Shepard. This is just the atrium of hell. For the true shit, we need to go deeper.

The trio moved more inside the facility, guided by Jack's uncertain memory. They found rotten remains of the facility: a bed, a weapon, and a piece of steel from a rack. Sometimes patches of dried blood.

The group stopped only when they reached a large, glass-covered room. It was a large room, wide enough to accommodate all the Normandy's crew, and the glass walls allowed what little light the word offered to wash the place. Someone had used cement barriers to create a makeshift arena at the centre of the steel covered floor, now broken and useless.

"This is where they made us fight," announced Jack sombrely.

"Over there." the girl pointed at an elevated floor nestled just next to the room's only exit.

"Is where the assholes looked."

"Fightings were part of the experiments?"

"No idea Shepard. For all I know, they did it to get off." scoffed Jack.

"I only know that sometimes they woke me up, dragged me away from the cell, and made me fight other kids. I refuse, I get zapped; I win, I get dopamine."

"They conditioned you to fight?" asked Shepard. "Like a war beast?"

"That they did", confirmed Jack. "And it worked. I still get fuzzy when I kill someone. And you, Lady Oscar? Got anything similar back at your hell?"

Lena looked at the broken arena, the helmet covering her face, but the strength she used to clutch one of the broken walls was enough proof of her rage.

"Mandatory fights among trainees were normal back in the cove." answered Lena. "And it was not rare for some of us to die. The orders were to spar with live weapons and protections?" she let out a loud chuckle. "You don't waste protection on trainees."

"And you started this forced training at?" continued Shepard

"No idea. Once you get the mutation stable, they send you into the grinder. I am not sure how old I am, Shepard, but I once saw a child that looked no more than six fighting inside the arena. And yet she held the Claymore without a problem. Something about being a prodigy or some other crap. Still died at the graduation."

"How do you become what you are, officially, I mean? Or you took this Claymore title because you wanted it? It is a kick-ass title." asked Jack, curious. "You never spoke about it."

"Because there was nothing remarkable to say. They give you and the survivor of your batch a sword, divide the warriors into two groups with the express rule of not cooperating and let loose some Yomas. You survive, you graduate; you die, you are worm food. Mine was a batch of twenty, all survivors from the seventy girls they cut open. Me and two others were the only ones alive after the hunt."

Jack eyed Lena with what, for a second, looked kinship to Shepard.

"Maybe you should tell boy-scout where is your old prison. To give it a good romp."

"That place is already gone. Destroyed during the rebellion of the seven ghosts, alongside most of Rabona and rivers of blood. They are no more."

"The what?" asked Shepard.

"Nothing important." dismissed Lena. "Come on, Jack, let's find a place for your bomb."


11 minutes later.

"Security officer Zemkl. The subjects are going loose. They are disrupting the facility! Zero is going to get loose. Permission to terminate her!"

"Negative. All subjects are expendable, but not Zero. Keep Jack alive!"

This was the only fragment Shepard managed to recover from a broken Omni-tool still clutched on the bones of a now-dead guard. The trio had found it as they delved even deeper into the facility. Now they were inside what looked like an underground joint corridor, leading, assuming the signs were true, to the officers' mess hall. It was a cramped, tight gut of a place where roots had already invaded the roof and the air smelt of damp metal. The emergency lights were still functioning, though, alongside some energy. Cerberus truly built these places to last.

"This isn't right," commented Jack as she heard the transmissions.

"I started the riot, not the others. What the fuck is this idiot saying?"

"Does it matter now?" asked Shepard.

Jack looked at the corpse and grimaced.

"I suppose not. Okay, let's forget it and keep moving. We still need to find our weak spot. Come on. I see a door just ahead."

"I see it," added Lena. "Look jammed too."

"Give me a second, and I will crack it," announced Shepard as he began fidgeting with the system.

"You know, Lady Oscar," said Jack as she and Lena both waited for Shepard to finish.

"Seeing that dead ass corpse rekindled some memories. About me escaping. There was a security guard like him between me and freedom. I remember how he begged for his life as I squashed his head. Fun times."

"Your point?"

"Just wondering how you got out from your hell." Continued Jack.

"Doubt they just let you out. And you spoke about ghosts. Do you truly believe about that spooky shit, or is another fancy title from your home planet?"

"I don't want to talk about it." deadpanned Lena.

"Oh, come on. I am showing you my hell. Why can't you tell me something about yours? Can't blame me for being curious; people like us are not exactly a dime and dozen. Have been since I set foot on the damn Normandy. I even offered to get shit faced drunk if you beat me at my own game. I still own you for that, by the way."

"I don't want to talk about it," repeated Lena, and this time it was final.

Jack looked at Lena's silver orbs, and this time relented.

"Fine, you ass. Keep yourself more locked than a nun's crotch. It's not like I really give a fuck anyway."

"Door's open," said Shepard as he moved away from the now unjammed door.

"Finally," announced Jack as she strutted forward. "Now, if memory still is worth some shit, just past the mess hall we should find"

The bullets hit Jack's shield with enough strength to make her stagger. The woman snarled as another shot went past her defences and bore straight through the hip. Blood mingled with dirty water as Jack's bloodshot eyes saw the figures of her attackers.

Vorcha. Blood pack. A whole heap of them.

"Lena! Catch her!" ordered Shepard, and Jack felt someone grabbing her still falling corpse and moving her away with lightning speed. Just quick enough to avoid the final salvo that would have killed her in her spot.

Jack swore and puked as she dropped her away from the door and in a safe spot, spitting blood and vomit in equal measure.

"What the fuck!" she screamed as Lena put her down and moved toward the door. Bullets flew past it in a storm as the Claymore readied her weapons.

"This place is supposed to be a fucking desert! Not some happy go shooter mercenary playground!"

"Ask the stupid question later, Jack." urged Shepard as he administered medi-gel on her wounds. The gel quickly closed the wound and made Jack once again combat operative. At least for the time being.

"Done, but after this mission, is bed duty for you for almost a week."

"Fine. But now get out. I want to fuck those assholes!"

"Wait! Lena, give me some numbers."

The Claymore cautiously peeked at the edge of the now broken door. She quickly retreated as shots rained upon her, breaking the hinges."

"Ten. Mostly Vorcha, but I saw some big figures among them. Krogan, maybe."

"Ten, better than I thought," said Shepard as he moved on the other edge of the door, rummaging for something on his suit.

"Three grenades, then I cover you with suppressive fire, Lena, charge as I spray them. Jack, have fun as Lena distract them."

"Gladly!"

"Okay, people. Three, two, one, go!"

Shepard threw the grenades blindly inside the room as bullets flew just outside his arm. The disks exploded, filling the halls with both shrapnels and blinding lights. Creatures swore and howled in pain as the barrage stopped for a split second.

Shepard used this second; he threw himself inside the hall, flat on the ground and firing at every movement both his eyes and the helmet could glimpse. Once an officer's mess hall, the room was now a broken heap of rubble, shattered windows, overgrown plants, and dented walls with little cover bar some shattered divisions once used as private rooms and crates.

As he fired, Lena charged. The first enemy, a Vorcha, didn't even have time to scream: one swipe and his head was gone. Another tried to run, only for Lena to grab her new Claymore and fire a shot that bisected him. A Krogan roared and charged at her, only to fly in the air all of a sudden and then come back to the ground with the strength of a bullet.

"This is MY hellhole, you blood pack junkie assholes!" roared Jack as more and more biotic power washed the rooms.

"You. Are. Not. Welcome!"

Three more Vorcha exploded, panicking the rest. A Krogan tried to stem the retreat, only to have Shepard cave his head with a high powered shot. A rout started, but only one Vorcha managed to escape, barely dodging one of Jack's biotic spheres of the ten ambushers.

The shattered halls became silent once more as blood dripped together with water. All in all, they had been lucky.

"Fucking lump sized pieces of shit," grumbled Jack as she kicked one of the corpses.

"This was supposed to be a walk in the memory lane. Now I have a fucking bullet in my hip. Why are they here anyway?"

"Ask them later," said Shepard briskly. "Miranda, this is Shepard. The zone is hot. Blood pack. Stay sharp and keep the engine ready in case someone decides to give you a visit. Shepard out."

"Re...ve...d" Miranda's answer was a garbled mess thanks to the planet, but enough for Shepard.

"Okay ladies, change of plane. No more happy walking down to memory lane. Lena, on point, me and the centre and Jack behind. Check every nook and cranny before moving. Double time people!"


31 minutes later. Testing chambers.

The newfound enemies made the descend far more cautious and slow. The trio moved now quietly, not whispering a word as they moved deeper and deeper inside the facility. More of Jack's memories returned as they moved, alongside the horrors.

"Here are the other subject's cells." Whispered Jack as they reached a hallway. A hallway filled on its side with minuscule cubicles two meters by two.

"And here is where they made their test." continued as they passed the cells and reached a place filled with individual rooms, all with locks on the outside and filled with what to Shepard looked torture instruments.

"We tried lowering the room's temperature to below zero to urge a change in the subjects' biotic potential. Didn't work out. As a by-product, the subjects died. Meaning that we will not try this treatment on Jack."

Said a voice on a data-pad inside the torture room. Jack snarled at this. The man in the transmission looked like a scientist, proudly showing his Cerberus logo.

"This is not right. They didn't kill other children for my safety."

"Is that hard to believe?" asked Lena. "Using lesser test subjects to improve on better ones was quite common back at my place."

"You don't get it, Lena! I survived because I was the toughest. Because they hit me with the worst they could conjure and spat it back at their face. This...this is all wrong!"

"Careful up there." warned Shepard. "Next room, my scanner showed heat signature. Lots of heat signature. They are not even trying to hide them. Be ready."

"Bring it on." snarled Jack.


The room with all the heat signature proved to be some kind of observation hall. Far better preserved than the others just passed. Krogans and Vorcha milled around both the elevated floors and the lower ground. The former ended in front of a giant, now stained window.

"The window of my cell." breathed Jack quietly as she saw it.

Everywhere the mercenaries had placed their crates of supplies as new, portable lights illuminated the place like small suns.

As the trio entered, all faces turned toward them but did not fire, allowing the squad to look for cover.

"Aresh, this is Kureck." said the bigger Krogan inside the hall, the leader. The gnats that killed my squad are here. Do you want them dead? Then raise the pay! You promised us valuable salvage, but this place is a dump."

The words gave Shepard the hope that this day would not end in a bloodbath.

"Fine." continued Kureck as someone replied in his inter-comm.

"We will put them down. Then I am coming to you."

Shepard sighed. Of course not.

"Get them!"

A Wave of Varrens charged their positions as Vorcha fired their gun and Krogan took their heavy weapons.

The roars of the slavering beasts became loud whines as they met Lena's blade; paws and heads flew in the air as the remaining pack creatures met a predator far deadlier than them.

Vorcha died, their bodies ruptured, as Jack ripped them apart with her biotics left and right.

"What the hell are you doing?" snarled Kureck as he saw the unfolding battle.

"They are only three of them. Kill them already!"

One of his Krogan bodyguards charged Lena in response. His lopped head flew in the air a few seconds later.

"Idiots. Fine! You want a job well done: you do it yourself."

Bellowing a battle cry, Kureck jumped down from his position and charged Lena's position, firing wildly as he moved. The Varrens and Vorcha battling the Claymore felt the brunt of the barrage. They died in droves as both blood and entrails sprayed Lena's helm, blinding her for a second. All Kureck needed: he charged the Claymore, hitting her square in the chest with his massive frame. Lena flew in the air and fell on a pile of boxes, scattering with a crunching sound, but when Kuresh raised his shotgun to finish her, she was already gone.

Puzzled, Kuresh tried to see where she had gone, only to roar in pain as pieces of his flesh flew in the air, courtesy from Lena's avenging counterattack.

"Damn Pyjack!" roared Kureck as he tried to regain some composure.

"How did you survive that?"

"Because she is tougher than you will ever be, asshole." snarled Jack as she focused her power in one strike.

Seeing the danger, Kureck tried to raise his gun to the new threat but proved one second too slow.

"Enjoy the trip."

The sphere hit Kureck with enough strength to destroy Kureck's flesh on contact. He screamed for a split second before his disembowelled body flew in all directions, spraying the room with blood and entrails. The gory spectacle proved too much for both Vorcha and Krogans, and they both broke and scattered away from the trio. Shepard picked some of them with his sniper rifle but let others away.

"Don't follow," he ordered when the last straggler was gone.

"We have a job to do. Lena, you okay? My armour tells me you have some broken bones. You should"

A squelching sound stopped Shepard as he witnessed something moving inside Lena's flesh. The armour's hud gave him the green light a few seconds later.

"Right. Sorry, stupid question. Move out, let's meet this, Aresh."


5minutes later. Jack's cell.

The one called Aresh proved to be a young man in his prime, his bald face scarred and showing eyes full of suffering. Dressed in normal fatigue, he showed no signs of fear as a trio of heavily armoured people invaded his space. On the contrary, he darted without hesitation toward Jack.

"Hi, subject Zero. Fancy seeing you once again."

"Who the fuck are you? And how do you know me?" demanded Jack surprised. "I never saw your shitty face before!"

"My name is Aresh, and I was a subject inside this facility, just like you."

This revelation sent a ripple inside the room. Even Jack stopped her rage for a second.

"To think I always assumed I was the only survivor."

"Answer the question, asshole!" raged Jack as she called her power.

"Simple. We all knew your face. After all, they experimented on us so that you would not die."

The shockwave of biotic that Jack discarded almost sent everyone on the floor. The room's sparse furniture exploded as Jack barely contained her rage.

"Why coming back?" asked Shepard, trying to defuse the situation.

"Are you the one that hired the mercs?"

"Yes. It was me. I want to rebuild this place build by piece. I will restart the Teltin facility."

This part left everyone speechless.

"...Why?" asked Lena, flabbergasted. "Why resuming the horror. Wanna tell me you and the other children volunteered for this?"

"Of course not. Most of us came from Batarian slavers. The others? Poor kids from Earth, or just straight-up kidnapped. The things they did to us...That is why I want to restart the facility: all this pain MUST have a reason in the end."

"Are you fucking nuts!? Okay, maybe others got it as bad as me, but this is not a reason to restart this fucking hell! Newsflash: what you are doing is messed up!"

"Well...this is a surprise. Jack, we can blow this place up, but what about him?" asked Shepard.

"That's easy." snarled Jack. She exerted her biotics and trapped Aresh's whole body inside a blue prison. A Prison that she slowly started to tighten.

"No!" said both Lena and Shepard.

"Jack, he is trapped in his past. Killing him won't change anything! But if you let him go, then maybe you can finally move away from yours." said Shepard

"Jack", continued Lena "I understand your rage, I truly do. But that's why you must let him go! You, me, Aresh, we all bore the scars of madness inside your soul. But it is not by killing our own that we will silence our pain, and he is like US! The only difference is that he was not strong enough to keep the demons at bay. Besides, do you think splattering his brain will make you sleep better at night? Let him go. Please."

Jack snarled like a beast as she looked at the struggling form of Aresh. Foaming at the mouth, the trapped man said only two words.

" ."

"He wants to restart this place. He must die!"

"Oh, Please. A broken man with no actual funds and connections restarting the facility? No chance in hell. The shoddy quality of his mercenaries are proof of this. Let it go, Jack." Replied Shepard.

"Don't let your past control you."

Jack spat on the ground as many emotions swirled inside her mind.

"Fuck!" she screamed finally as she freed Aresh.

"Get the fuck out of my way!" Snarled Jack as her eyes flamed

"Go!"

He did. Addled with madness as he was, Aresh saw something inside Jack's mind and ran as fast as he could.

"Fuck!" groaned Jack as Aresh finally disappeared from her sight.

"You did the right thing, Jack," said Shepard

"Save your goody-two-shoes bullshit, Shepard. It is done, and I do not wish to speak about it. Give me some minutes, then we place the bomb and get the fuck out of dodge. Clear?"

"Of course. Take your time."


Normandy's shuttle. 18 minutes later.

Miranda flew at max speed as the shuttle moved as far away as possible from the now doomed facility. Inside the trio, all strapped on their seats, waiting for Miranda to give them the okay signal and start the fireworks. Jack kept fidgeting with the trigger firmly lodged on her hands.

"Commander, we are free to proceed," announced Miranda inside the ship's comm.

Shepard grinned.

"Heard that?"

Jack's smile was nothing short of pure bliss as she pulled the trigger.

The explosion was so powerful that it broke the shuttle's orbit. The ship bucked as the energy discharge almost managed to send the whole craft down. Lena could see a veritable firestorm destroying thousands of acres of rainforests from the windows. It took all of Miranda's skill to regain some form of control and avoid the worst of the blast.

"Well, it is done. How do you feel now, Jack?"

"Reborn, Shepard. I feel...reborn!"


Normandy Sr-2. 1 hour later.

Lena sighed as she came outside the showers and dressed up. After getting inside that green hell and traipsing through this universe's equivalent of an Organization base, the Claymore had felt the need to clear her mind with hot water. Thankfully, what was back at her island was a luxury here was a common occurrence, so she remained under the water for almost half an hour, washing away all the memories.

"Wonder how she will deal with the after-effects." murmured by herself as she dried herself and dressed up.

"I remember most of my companions refusing to believe that we were free for some days, doing nothing more than our routine."

The Claymore shrugged at such memories and decided to drop the debate. Jack was a tough girl; she would be fine. Right now, all that Lena wanted was to go back to her cabin and relax.

Mutely, the Claymore moved through the corridors, uncaring the unnerved glances that the crew now launched at her. Kelly's affair and how she ended still haunted her reputation inside the ship. A small part of her still quailed at this: she had gotten used to being considered an actual person, and losing it now stung. On the other hand, another part of her stubbornly refused to let it go; there were too many bad memories behind Kelly's action, both about the Organization and herself.

"Raina, I am home!" beamed Lena as she opened the door and went inside. She saw Raina playing with some of the toys won back on Illium...alongside Kelly, as she entered.

The words inside her mouth died inside her throat as the Claymore felt rage boiling inside her flesh.

"What is SHE doing here? Growled Lena at her daughter.

"L-lena, I" stammered Kelly

"I am NOT talking to you, shut your trap!" barked Lena as her eyes never left Raina. The child, unperturbed, left her toys and looked back at her mother without fear.

"She is here because I feel lonely, and so I invited her."

"You inv...after all she did?"

"Yes!" replied Raina. "And I do not regret it."

A tense pause filled the room as both Claymores refused to back down.

"Is...is better than I go." stammered Kelly moving toward the door.

"Good day, Lena."

"Get the fuck out!" growled Lena as she let her pass.

When the door closed and the two Claymores were left alone, both girls refused to talk for many long seconds.

"This is the last time you let her inside our room!" finally declared Lena.

"Or?" challenged Raina.

"O by the goddesses' sake!" snarled Lena. "Why do you keep defending her?! What she did is exactly why they did to US!?"

"The Organization did the mutation, but who helped them catch their prey?" replied Raina. Lena felt her body freezing at this accusation.

-Does...does she know?- her mind roared in fear

"Fine!" Lena backed down. Do whatever you want when I am out for work, but if I see her once again when I am back, I will make her go."

Raina huffed but said nothing against it. She moved back on her toys as Lena angrily sat on the bed. The child's mind decided at that moment that it was time to end this charade. She only needed an ally in case things went south.


See you next time, hopefully with a decent timeline