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Espacole

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"Refits are going well." Miranda reported the moment she stepped through the woman's door and into her office. Without looking up, she rattled off, "Vakarian's Silaris armor is being installed right now, along with a moderate pre-draft power overhaul for the Normandy's abdominal artillery emplacement."

"For?" Shepard asked quietly as she slid into the room and collapsed into the chair opposite the woman. "Another of Garrus' ideas?"

"Jacob and Vakarian's idea, actually." Miranda answered simply, "Cerberus took an interest in a secret Turian weapons program, and Jacob caught wind. Vakarian knew, too, and both forwarded requests for inertial dampeners to be added to the same location alongside a power distribution overhaul. Presumably to come and ask you to outfit the Normandy with one of those proto-types."

"Could we even get one?" Miranda only paused to turn a smile on her before getting back to work and Shepard sighed tiredly. "Right. Secretive terrorist group with hooks in basically every damn body… Silly me, forgetting."

"Do you have to call us a terrorist group?"

"Does Cerberus have to launch covert strikes to cripple alien industries?"

"Touche." Miranda sighed, "But technically speaking, those aren't terror attacks. Those would be industrial sabotage."

"A distinction without a difference." Shepard dismissed easily, waving the woman off when she made to argue further. "As much as I enjoy our back and forth, me being the good guy for once while you defend terrorism by citing definitions, we have actual work to do. So, reports?"

"Very well…" The woman sighed, "Armor replacement is at ninety percent, and should be done within the hour. Refueling and maintenance on all systems was done while that work was underway, and is finished. Supplies have been thoroughly restocked as well, along with some… Additions from you, Ma'am."

"My people deserve to eat well." She defended simply, folding her arms under her bust and resting an ankle on her knee comfortably. "And they deserve to have proper weaponry if the ship ever needs to be defended, or they ever need to be deployed. Avengers are good, but you need more than suppression and volume of fire."

"Ideally, we should never have our crewmen deployed in a combat scenario…"

"What's ideal is rarely what's on the battlefield." Shepard countered simply, "And doing this is right in line with my next step to prepare for the Reapers."

"The Illusive Man wants to speak with you about that…"

"I'm sure he does." Shepard could see Miranda's frown when she didn't agree to meet with him and smiled, "Continue with your reports, XO."

"Very well…" She sighed tiredly, "Doctor Solus reported half an hour ago that he had all the supplies he needed, but refused to let Cerberus managers catalogue it. Security reasons, he said…"

"I'll speak to him." Shepard said quietly, "I'm sure I can at least get you a printout of what he got. Otherwise, leave him be. He won't jeopardize the mission."

"I'm not so worried about the mission as I am Cerberus' security itself." Miranda clarified quietly, sighing and going on when Shepard's eyes narrowed. "He's disabled security and monitoring suites on multiple decks. And not just the ones we expected, in personal spaces. But in halls and other quarters-"

"I don't care about spy suites." Shepard sighed, "Only security."

"He's jeopardizing security across the ship, Commander." Miranda argued hotly, bringing up a list of the hundred or so suites Cerberus used and turning her display around to show the Commander. "Those suites do more than just monitor the crew, Commander. And for more than just our own paranoia, too. One type is meant to monitor behavioral patterns for radical changes. Kind of like when people are suffering from mental trauma or fatigue… Or are being indoctrinated."

"Which one?"

"The series one-forty-two listening device." She answered, "It monitors speech patterns and compares them to our records every twelve hours."

"I want a dossier on it, and an example, delivered to my quarters." She ordered sharply, "I'll have him look it over. If he confirms what you say, I will order him to personally re-install them in every section he took them out of."

"I…" Miranda blinked, apparently surprised, and then nodded and turned her screen back around. "I'll have it done as soon as I can, Commander."

"Good." The woman nodded, "Now, is there anything-"

"Uh, Commander?" Joker's voice cut her off, echoing over the static of the ship's intercom quietly. When she didn't tell him not to the pilot took the opening to speak, "Sorry to, uh, interrupt you, but our… Shuttle is on its way back, mayb ten minutes out, and Nikos is asking for you to meet them. With a… Dolley, and a good mood?"

"A dolley and a good mood…?"

"Those were Miss Goto's words." EDI stepped in, "She also wished for you to know that she retrieved what was hers, and will be on hand for the mission as a result. She wanted me to pass on that Miss Nikos is, to quote, 'fucking insane and she's only coming on this mission because that crazy redhead will keep her from dying.'"

"Colorful…"

"She apparently went one on one with a Cerberus prototype Heracles model and won." The AI explained quietly, "The Heracles assault armor represents a decade of research and development, Commander. If she dispatched it then Miss Nikos is a potent ally. Further, the Illusive Man would no doubt like to know how she dealt with it."

"I'll speak to her about it, EDI. See if she'll sit down for a debrief." Shepard sighed as she stood, armor shifting quietly around her. "Tell them I'm on my way. And, uh… Order the crewmen to leave a dolley for me to take, EDI."

"Right away, Commander."

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The Kodiak shuddered and Pyrrha was out of her seat before she could even think, hands slamming down to keep Legion's still inactive form from rolling around the bay. Penny watched quietly from a few seats away, more than ready to help if Pyrrha needed, but the tremors were mild and typical. And faded as they slipped away from the Relay that had caused them.

"Your friend is safe, Best Friend." Penny reassured her, "Even if the chassis rolled, my sensors tell me it is quite durable."

"They're vulnerable and in my care, Penny." She explained quietly while she adjusted her friend's limbs again, straightening them out into something a bit more respectful. "Even if the effort is technically wasted, it isn't morally wasted."

"Ah, I understand now." The young Huntress answered, hopping up and moving over to pull Legion's legs out straight. "I will assist."

"Thank you, Penny." She couldn't be sure Legion was even aware of their surroundings right now, in their state, but the principle held. And she would not be the first Human to disappoint the Geth. She heard the door open and looked up as Kasumi stepped out of the cockpit, "Miss Goto. How are we doing?"

"About ten minutes out or so, give or take. And the Commander's coming out to meet us with a… Well, a dolley." The master thief sighed, collapsing into one of the passenger seats in a way that was just unfairly graceful. She crossed her legs and brought a hand up to tuck her hood around her head, and Pyrrha caught her smirking under twinkling eyes while she said, "Your Krogan makes a good pilot, Nikos."

Damn it, but why was she smirking?

"Yes, um, he learned in his pod, I suppose." She coughed awkwardly, standing and finding her own seat while the thief watched. "I don't actually know what he was taught in there, though, I'm afraid. Maybe I should, um, ask him about it."

"I hear being direct is generally the best idea, yes." Kasumi nodded, chuckling and shaking her head. "What're you gonna do about the Geth? Commander won't like seeing it."

"She can deal with it." Pyrrha snapped before she could catch herself. Grimacing, she sighed and offered, "Sorry, what I mean is… What I mean is that she doesn't have a choice but to accept them if she wants me. I won't let her hurt Legion."

"Hey, girl, I have your back." Kasumi laughed, holding up her hands in faux surrender. "I have footage of you ripping a damn mech apart with basically your bare hands and a pointy piece of metal. And no sweat, either, it looked like."

"There was…" She blinked, "Some sweat."

"If you say so, Red, but either way, I made it clear to her that you being around makes me feel a lot better about this mission." Kasumi laughed, "Like, having a woman around that can tank bust? Where and how do I duct tape myself to you?"

"I believe that duct taping yourselves together would inhibit your combat capabilities…" Penny murmured confusedly, cocking her head to the side at the thief. "Why would you wish to do that?"

"Uh, Penny, I was-"

"If you wish to be closer to her, you could simply ask." The android pointed out, smiling while Pyrrha's cheeks lit on fire. "As you said, being direct is best. No?"

"P-P-Penny, that's quite enough!" Pyrrha laughed, waving the android off and explaining quickly, before she could tangent again, "Kasumi was only joking! It's a turn of phrase, not a serious consideration."

"Ah." She blinked and smiled, "I see now. It is very funny, Friend Kasumi! I did not know you told such funny jokes!"

"You two are… Absolutely insane." Kasumi sighed, resting her chin on her hand on the arm rest while she looked at them. "Absolutely insane, and I love it. Anyway, we're here."

"We ar-" Pyrrha was cut off as the shuttle shuddered and Grunt spoke over the speaker system. "We've landed. And Citadel Traffic Control can take a bite outta my ass, too."

"Yeah, sounds like a typical run in with 'em." Kasumi chuckled, hopping up and turning as the hatch hissed open and her newly acquired bodyguard came out of the cockpit.

"About time." Shepard grunted once the hatch was open. She was in her armor, and armed, neither of which put Pyrrha at ease as she rose and paid the woman a nod in greeting. She pushed off the dolley and took a step towards them, smile thin but comfortable as she took them all in, "How did the operation? And what did you want a dolley… For..."

The next four seconds passed in a blur as Shepard's hand snapped up for her long-rifle. As she drew it, Kasumi's hand snapped out, pitching a little disk that landed on the weapon's barrel. Pyrrha and Penny both did the obvious, kneeling over the prone, still machine protectively, while Grunt…

Well, Grunt did what was obvious to him.

One fist snapped out and batted the woman's whining, somehow overheated and spasming rifle aside while his other snapped forward and wrapped around her throat. Then he pivoted on a heel and hurled her at the side of the shuttle, narrowly dodging the Omni-Blade wrapped around Shepard's curled fist as it hissed through the air between them. Shepard's armored back slammed into the hull with a heavy thwack and Pyrrha swept in front of her when she tried to lunge at the Krogan again.

"Stop!" She snarled, one hand on Shepard's chest and the other on Grunt's. Both of them were wearing metal, and it was thanks to that she could push them back. To Grunt she said, "Damn it, Grunt, we are allies! Don't attack people without good reason!"

"She pointed a gun at you." The Krogan snarled, pointing a gauntleted finger at the other woman. "That is reason enough for- Battlemaster!"

Pyrrha hissed as her arm was wrenched around by the wrist and pushed up at an awkward angle. Her face slammed into the metal of the Kodiak and she felt the Omni-Blade at her throat before it froze.

"You will not harm my friend, Shepard." Penny said, laser formation blades hovering beside the wide-eyed, hyperventilating woman. "And I do not wish to harm you, either. Please, do not force me to do what I do not want to."

"You… That thing…"

"That thing," Pyrrha ground out, "is my friend. They saved my life, took me to Omega, helped me."

"Geth don't help!"

"It had a hole the size of my head in its chest and stopped to make sure I was okay!" She shouted back, drawing the Commander's eyes back to her. She met them and asked, quietly, "You doubted me once and were wrong to do so, so please, listen. Just this once."

"I don't…"

"You owe me." Pyrrha added heavily, "Pay it back."

"...Fine." The woman growled, pushing off of her and letting her arm go. She backed away, eyes flicking between them anxiously, like they were going to do something to her if she wasn't paying attention. Finally, she settled on staring at the Normandy down the docks and seemed to calm down a bit. Then she murmured, "Debrief in fifteen minnutes. You're going to explain the whole damn story to me. Crystal?"

"Yes, Commander." Pyrrha nodded, "And thank you."

"I owe you." She repeated, turning to meet her eyes, "After this, we're even?"

"We're even." She nodded, straightening and nodding again, more firmly and surely. "I just want to help my friend, Commander. But I know what you went through because of Geth. So… So I can forgive what happened if you give me this."

"Then don't thank me." Shepard ordered sharply, striding away without a backward look or word.

"Well," Kasumi chirped once all was said and done, "I think that went fairly well. Don't you all?"

"I suppose it would depend on your definition of 'well', Friend."

"I mean, no one died." Kasumi shrugged, "And, not gonna lie, I figured someone was at least going to catch a shot. Or a knife. Hey, close one on that, too, eh, Grunt?"

"It wasn an obvious attack. I'd never fall for it." The krogan rumbled, crossing his arms and turning to Pyrrha while Penny folded her swords away. "One look at your machine and she panicked, Battlemaster."

"I saw that, too." She nodded, rubbing her wrist where the woman had almost crushed it. Were it not for her Aura, she would have shattered the bone, Pyrrha was certain. Had she been so rough knowing that, though, or had the panic taken her? "I knew she had some history with them, but I didn't know it went this far…"

"I could'a guessed, but it wouldn't have mattered if I had, Nikos." Kasumi sighed, fists on her hips while she watched the Commander vanish. She turned a look on her, with a quirked eyebrow and a little smile, and asked, "Or would you have left Legion behind, hm?"

"Never."

"Then don't worry about it, Nikos. Just deal with it and get it over with." She waved it off, striding away on too-long legs. She waved for them to follow and called back as they did, "Might wanna get our story straight, Nikos! Always helps to talk it through before somethin' like this."

It sounded so suspect when the rogue said it that way, but… Pyrrha couldn't argue that she was wrong, precisely.

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Sebine :

Yeehaw indeed.

Tpoynt :

Miranda's always got some 'splainin' to do.

Joecola :

Glad you enjoyed it!

Dr Killinger :

*quietly sipping tea*

Trinity-cat-172 :

I always knew that when Legion left to do his own canon stuff would be the roughest bit of this story.

Mcdouggal :

Can you define noble bright and grim bright for me? I recognize the terms, but not quite enough to know them. Glad you enjoyed the story!

Simply Christian :

Nothing like a hive of evil to let our Paragon protag dip a little into the Renegade zone, eh?