Shepards eyes opened, expecting the inside of his cabin. He was instead greeted by a starry sky. He blinked a couple times, then squinted. He knew this sky.
Terra Nova?
He felt the grass underneath his hands and forearms. Taking a bit of it in hand for a second. He took a slow breath in before sitting up. He stared up at the stars for a few moments. His eyebrows slowly scrunched towards each other in confusion.
How...?
He pushed himself up to his feet. He already knew where he was. He had laid upon this hill many times before to stare at the stars. An image he could recall to nearly perfect detail.
"Sh-Shepard…" He felt his heart sink as he heard Talis voice. Turning around to see her sitting down, leaning against a rock. Blood oozing from a gunshot wound in her abdomen.
He tried to run to her, each step felt as if he was running through mud. Each time he finally got a step further, the rock seemed to stretch equally as far. "Do you not… care?"
The words chilled him to the bone. He looked up to see a blinding light flying towards the planet, it was the X-57 asteroid about to collide with his homeworld.
Shepard awoke from his nightmare with a jolt, his eyes flicking around at the ceiling. He was covered in sweat, the image of the dream burned into his brain. He lay there for a few minutes, contemplating what his brain just created. Finally getting up for a shower.
It was a little past two in the morning, Shepard had slept for over twelve hours. Not something that happened often for him. He gave credit to Kaidan, he was right about needing sleep. He eventually left his room, feeling quite hungry. Remembering he last ate when he had been out with Tali.
He was in the mess hall, eating quietly. His mind dwelled upon the dream he had. It wasn't often that he remembered them. He could recall nearly every detail of this one.
While lost in thought, the sound of the crew quarters opening up dragged him out of his mind. Looking up as he heard quiet footsteps approaching. Williams stopped as she saw the commander. Even half asleep she would recognize him and give a half-hearted salute. "Commander."
With a wave of short his hand and a "At ease." She continued, going to grab a bottle of water. She had noticed that the quarian had not come back aboard, as her sleeping pod remained unused.
Williams had asked Kaidan, but he didn't elaborate at all though. Only that she'd be remaining on the Citadel and to talk to Shepard about it. She would've as well but Kaidan had also told her not to bother him because Shepard hadn't slept all night.
"So…" She cleared her throat as she looked at Shepard, who sat looking at his tray. His eyes were dull and clouded, lost in thought again. When he heard her start talking. He snapped right out of it.
Looking over to her and setting his spoon down. "Yes, Williams?" His tone was calm and cool. A curious look in his eye. Really he was looking for something to distract his mind.
"What happened on the Citadel?" It was a rather vague question. She figured it was a fair one though. Early in the night both Kaidan and Garrus left in a hurry, but at least tried to mind the others sleeping. Wrex stomped out as well a while later, he did not care about the others sleeping though.
He thought for a moment, folding his hands together on top of the table as he thought of a way to answer. "Me and Tali went to meet someone at the Citadel. Some Batarians attacked us. Tali, got hit…" He paused for a second, looking at his right hand for a few moments before clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his head. "She's in the hospital, she should be fine. I suspected Balak and uh…"
He picked up his spoon, fiddling with it for a few moments. "Well he was on the Citadel, but it was more of a, wrong place, wrong time. He didn't actually set it up."
She drank from the bottle for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "Did he tell you that?" She set the bottle to the side. Crossing her arms.
He shook his head, smirking slightly. "No, he didn't really get the chance to mention it. The council told me after he was dead."
With this she only became more curious. "The council told you? Why, and how would they know?" He gave a short sigh, starting to explain what they had been up to. She was not pleased by the end, he had suspected such an outcome. "They knew he was on the Citadel? And they were just going to let him go?!"
He held a hand up before slowly bringing it down, reminding her to be quiet as people were sleeping. Slowly nodding. "Yeah, I don't think Udina knew, Anderson definitely didn't till the incident. They were basically showing a sign of good faith to the hegemony by letting him return."
She was silent for a couple minutes, contemplating the situation. Only shaking her head lightly. "What the hell… You would think that with what he's done, they'd be less willing to just... let him go"
He sat back in his chair. Crossing his arms, shrugging slightly. "Well they didn't reprimand me or anything. So that is something."
She was rolling the water bottle back and forth between her two hands to keep her hands busy. "So, Tali will be back once she's out of the hospital?"
He stood up, taking his tray to the sink. "I… uh" He cleared his throat as he started to clean it. "I'm not certain that she'll want to, it's a dangerous life in the alliance, and she's barely seen the half of it."
"I'm sure she'll come back aboard at the chance." This made him pause his cleaning for a moment, looking over at Williams.
"Are you and Tali friends?" He was curious why she seemed interested in Talis return, he also was hoping to divert the conversation away slowly.
"Oh, uh. No." She shook her head and wove it off. He turned back to the sink as she spoke. "I think Adams got used to talking about the ship with someone, now in his spare time he's been bugging me about the ship."
"Well, just start telling him about your rifle. Then you both get to learn something." He put the tray away. Starting to walk towards his cabin. "Get some sleep Williams."
He entered his cabin, not because he was tired, but because he was hoping to get away from the conversation about what happened aboard the Citadel.
Sitting at his desk and looking through some requisition forms from the crew. He wouldn't have the last say on whether or not they'd be provided, but if they provided a good reason for it, he'd sign it and send it up the chain. If they found reason enough, it'd be provided.
The next few hours went by and he spent most of it reading and drinking coffee. It was a long, boring process. It helped Shepard keep his mind busy though. The forms didn't last forever though. Eventually he had gotten to the last form.
Jeff Moreau
He didn't know the pilot very well. He had spoken with him a few times, mostly just a general check in. Everyone called him Joker, he had initially gone with 'Moreau'. Although after being asked not to treat him like an old man. He went by Joker just the same.
Seat cushions?
A strange request if he had ever seen one. Then again, he didn't see Joker get out of his chair too often. In fact there was a single time he could remember seeing the man out of the pilot's seat. The pilot had been in the mess early in the morning. Walking in a rather uncomfortable looking way.
Shepard had been too preoccupied with the retrieval of Doctor T'soni to really notice. He squinted his eyes slightly as he looked at his computer screen for a second before approving it and sending it forward. Sitting back in his chair in silence now. He wasn't totally certain why he approved it, deciding he would eventually talk to the pilot about it.
He sat back with his legs propped up on the table in front of him, leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed. His hands folded together and lay on his stomach. He kept his mind clear, and started pacing his breath. Lulling his mind into a meditative state.
He sat there for hours. Every so often the dream would resurface. It had felt so real in the first few moments, he would've sworn he had been back on Terra Nova. His eyes slid open as he could hear heavy footsteps approaching his door.
Wrex.
The door slid open without a knock, Shepard already looking at the hulking Krogan in the doorway. "Where's Tali?" There was a tone of aggression in his voice that Shepard had not often heard. Wrex was quite the enigma to Shepard.
First Williams, now Wrex?
Raising an eyebrow, his fingers began to drum the back of his hand lightly. "She's in a hospital on the Citadel, Wrex. Do you want me to get a message sent to her?" His eyes flicked to the computer, he had been hoping Iromak would've gotten into contact by now. His eyes returned to Wrex.
"No. I need to teach her a trick with- Hospital? Why is she in the hospital?" Shepard sighed, reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose. He was hoping to avoid this subject, while everyone else seemed persistent on it.
"She got shot, she'll be fine. You already helped me take care of things. That's why I needed help on that ship in the docks." He dragged the hand down his face, bringing his eyes up to look at Wrex.
"Well, when will she be back?" The old Krogans' voice sounded less angry. Shepard shrugged, bringing his boots off his table and onto the ground.
"I… don't know Wrex. I'll know when she wakes up. That's about it." He turned to his computer and flicked on the screen. More of looking for something to distract himself. Wrex didn't leave, seeming to be unsatisfied with the answer, so he continued. "It depends on how her immune system handles it. I'll let you know. Okay?"
Wrex stood there for a few moments, weighing his options of response. Giving nothing but a short grunt before stomping off again. The door sliding shut.
You're going to be alright. I promise.
The words echoed in his head as he stared at his right hand, rubbing his index finger and thumb together slowly. He hated making promises, only having made two serious promises in his life.
Now three.
They would be arriving on Noveria tonight. Shepard was, once again sitting in his cabin. He knew he needed to have a chat with Doctor T'soni. He didn't have any clue where to start. A knock at his door pulled him from his train of thought.
"Come in." He turned his chair to look at the door. It slid open to show Liara standing in the doorway. He could already tell that she was here for the same reason he needed to talk to her. "Doctor T'soni. How may I help you?"
She stepped in, looking around his room for a moment. Feigning interest in her surroundings as she moved to the chair next to Shepard's desk. "Please, call me Liara."
He watched her for a few moments, his gaze gaining an inquisitive look to it. "Well. Liara, what's going on?" He put his hands together and let them lay upon his lap.
"You said that my... mother... was on Noveria, correct?" He nodded, raising an eyebrow as he felt like he knew what was going on. "May I join you on your expedition there?"
He took a slow inhale, his eyes were focused on hers. He had been wondering what her preference would be in this situation, now he was presented with it. Releasing the breath before speaking. "Do you know what may happen there?"
She stared at him for a few moments. He could see something in her eyes that he couldn't pin down. Pulling his chair towards her and leaning forward. "If you want to go, you may join us."
She began to nod before he put a hand up to stop her. "But she is allied with Saren, if she tries to stop us. I will do what I have to." It was an uncomfortable way to approach the subject of killing her mother, but he had to make sure where things stood.
She nodded again, the two held eye contact for a moment before he sat back. Crossing his arms. "Then it will be you, Kaidan, Williams and myself. I'm also going to request that you carry at least a pistol, to protect yourself."
His attention was suddenly pulled to a green light on the side of his computer that suddenly started blinking. Liara had noticed his sudden shift. An inquisitive look gleamed in her eyes as she watched him.
He flicked the screen on, almost forgetting that Liara was still there. Clicking through a few tabs before opening his messages. Letting a slightly disappointed exhale put as it was a return message on the requisitions he had sent.
"Waiting for news?" Her voice snapped him out of the strange focus he had on the computer. Blinking a few times before looking at her. Slightly unsure of how to respond.
"I-" He cut himself off as he looked at the computer again. Shaking his head. "No, uh… not really. Requisitions came back, I thought it was something else." He looked through what got approved. Raising an eyebrow as he saw Joker's cushions actually got approved.
"So you were expecting something else?" Liara leaned one arm on his desk to support herself. Tilting her head slightly as she looked at him.
He stared at the messages for a few moments, hoping something from Iromak would pop up. "Yeah…" He sat back, looking at Liara. "I'm just a little impatient. Is there anything else I can help with?"
Liara watched him for a couple seconds before shaking her head and standing. "No. Thank you for allowing me to go." She turned and started walking out. He only gave her a short nod, looking back at his computer.
It took approval of Shepards Spectre status to get into Noverias port. He wasn't bothered by it. It did however mean at least one person knew he was there. Meaning one person might be alerting the Matriarch to his presence. That bothered him, only mildly though.
He took the lead with Kaidan and Williams on either side of Liara. He had ordered the two alliance soldiers to protect the Doctor in the event of a firefight. Her lack of armor made her a likely target so she had to be protected.
While walking down the platform, he could see a security checkpoint up ahead. Walking up and stopping as a guard held her hand up. "This is an unscheduled arrival, you better have a good reason."
Shepard squinted at her through his visor, his head turning slightly to the right as he watched her. "The name is Shepard. Spectre, here on duty. Working for the council"
After a few seconds pass, the two glaring at each other the whole time. She finally responded. "We still have to verify that, in the meantime, we'll have to take your weapons. Standard procedure. Sergeant Stirling." The sergeant started to move forward. Stopping suddenly when Williams raised her shotgun to point at the approaching guard.
He simply shook his head. "That's not gonna happen." Shepards left hand clenched into a fist, Kaidan who was on his left, in response moved between the Doctor and the guards. His rifle raised at the turian.
Shepards right hand moved up to the pistol on his hip. The turian guard raised the barrel of his rifle in response, pointing it directly at Shepard.
"This isn't a fight you can win, son." Shepards voice was cold and mean. His eyes shifted to the turian. His gaze watching the others trigger finger.
The room was filled with silence for a moment as everyone waited for the other to make the first move. A voice breaking the tense moment as it blared in over the intercom. "Captain Matsuo, stand down. Spectres are allowed to carry weapons on the station."
Once the weapons were all lowered. He noted that the captain was notably less tense than when he arrived. Moving on to the checkpoint. Ignoring the blaring alarms, only stopping because of a woman starting to talk to him. "I'm sincerely sorry about that. They should've known to let you pass. I'm Gianna Parasini, are you looking for anything in particular, Spectre?"
He looked at her for a second, looking back to the group of guards near the entrance, then back to her. "A Matriarch came through here a few days ago. Where is she?" His tone was firm and calm. He already didn't like this place from the small introduction.
She raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical look for a second. "The privacy of our clients is one of our priorities. Her whereabouts isn't something that I can disclose openly to just anyone."
Shepard had heard rumors about this place, as well as searched the available records that the alliance had on it. Research facility dedicated to keeping things quiet for their customers. Outside of council governed space so his spectre status didn't hold actual sway.
He looked back to the three following him, pointing a thumb at the stairs ahead of them. Kaidan nodded, taking point and walking down the stairs, Liara and Williams following him.
Parasini was curious as to why he had them leave. He turned around, placing his hands on the counter between them and leaning forward. "Miss Parasini, I imagine the things that go on behind the scenes in a place like this are…" He paused, searching for the right word. "Unscrupulous."
"Spectre-" She started to speak, only to be cut off.
"Commander." He held eye contact as he spoke.
"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow at his sudden interruption.
"Commander Shepard, of the Alliance Navy. That's my rank. Spectre is the authority given to me by the Council." He kept his cold eyes trained on hers.
"Commander. I would not know of such things. I am a secretary for Mr. Anoleis. That's all." She seemed tense, she hadn't dealt much with spectres, and they were known to be wild cards.
"Yes, I'm sure you are totally oblivious to anything going on, plausible deniability and all that." He leaned over the counter, talking in a quieter tone. "However, plausible deniability only goes so far. When this place's secrets get ousted, and they will, everyone who works here. Will be criminals in some form or another."
Her head was turned slightly to the right, her eyes watching him with caution. Leaned forward slightly to hear him in his hushed tone. Only nodding rather slowly at his statement. "Maybe these secrets get out sooner rather than later, one of those secrets being the current location of Matriarch Benezia."
He watched her for a moment before continuing. "Then, it would only take the signature of a spectre to clear the person's name who released the files. Then maybe a Commander in the alliance could recommend them for a job." She stared at him, blinking once or twice. She knew exactly what he was suggesting.
Finally she responded, speaking in a whisper. "Mr. Anoleis doesn't let me handle the delicate files" She put a bit of emphasis on her words. She leaned in closer to talk. "I could tell you where the Matriarch is, but I don't have anything that could be potentially leaked."
She looked around, double checking that they hadn't been heard before speaking again, even quieter this time. "Go talk to Lorik Qui'in." With that, she turned around and walked away, as if they hadn't spoken in the first place.
He wasn't exactly excited about playing the in-between game with Parasini and Qui'in. It was better than leaving the planet empty handed though, after a lot of footwork and an unfortunate accident with the security guards in Qui'ins office, Mr. Anoleis was in handcuffs and being escorted out. He had a solid lead on the Matriarch and a way to get to her.
Showing the garage pass that Parasini had given him to the guard. The group of four entered the Mako that had been freshly prepared for their departure and drove out through the snowy terrain to find Matriarch Benezia.
Once they had arrived and entered, it took about twenty minutes to find any trace of the people that ran this place. The bodies they found belonged to some guards who ran a checkpoint. The windows in the ceiling had been broken in, and a couple geth troops laid dead on the ground. Confirming Shepards suspicions on what they'd be facing.
"Why do you think she'd attack a facility she was allowed in?" Williams had finally spoken up. Looking at the dead geth on the ground. Giving it a cautionary kick to confirm it was actually dead.
"Cleaning house. Whatever was going on here, either the Matriarch, or Saren, doesn't want any chance of it slipping out. Let's hope someone is still alive to tell us what is going on." Shepard gestured for them to keep moving.
While they were moving towards the tram station. Kaidan finally spoke up in a hushed voice. "Do you hear that?" It was one move of Shepards hand and he was silent. Something had been crawling in the vents, it was hard to tell if it had been following. It had yet to attack them though. So he wasn't going to kick the beehive out of curiosity.
It felt as if they were being watched every step of the way. They were able to make it to the tram without incident. The ride was slow, uncomfortable and cold. The entire time, Shepard speculated as to the reason for this facility. The tram stopped and they were once again on the move.
It didn't take more than a couple doors to find what remained of a security team and a group of what appeared to be scientists. One of which laid halfway in a vent that was open. The creeping feeling that he was once again being watched crept up his spine.
Liara had not been braced for the gruesome sight. She was looking away, doing her best not to throw up. Ashley stayed close to her. Her shotgun at the ready.
He only heard a quiet metal creaking before the sound of Williams' shotgun going off. He turned and raised his rifle in that direction. Seeing Williams pushing the Doctor away from a vent that had opened up. He wasn't at all sure what to call the thing that was pulling itself out of the vent.
He did know that after a few seconds of sustained fire, it was dead. Laying on the ground with numerous bullet holes on it from the three of them.
"What the hell is that thing…?" Kaidan spoke up, prodding it with his foot lightly. He had never seen something like that before, and would've been fine never having seen one at all.
"It must be connected to what the Matriarch is doing here. Let's go." Shepard gave a short wave of his hand and they were on the move again.
It took quite a bit of searching and clearing, as well as fishing through the pockets of dead men for some keycards, till they found what the Matriarch had arrived for.
They rounded a corner to find a black robed asari standing in front of a massive containment unit, it held something similar to what they killed earlier but much larger. "Mother?" Liara spoke out.
God dammit.
Shepard brought his rifle to the ready as Benezia turned her head to look at them. "My daughter…" She turned her body and stepped towards them. Kaidan took cover on the right, bringing his rifle up to aim at the Matriarch as well.
Benezia looked at Shepard, her face twisted in disdain. "So, you decided to bring her into this? Did you think you could sway my loyalties with my own daughter?"
Shepard kept himself placed between the Matriarch and Liara. Watching her cautiously. "She asked to be here. I didn't want it to be like this."
Benezia turned her eyes back to Liara. "Is this what you truly want to do, Liara?" It was a subtle flick of her wrist and the two doors at the back of the room slid open. Geth and a few asari started entering through them, Kaidan moving to cover the left and Williams covering the right side. A fury of gunfire raining on the sides.
Shepards attention remained focused on Benezia. "I don't want to do this Mother, but you aren't giving us much of a choice." Liara held the pistol in hand, it was pointed at the ground. She didn't have any real intention to use it against her mother. One lift of an open palm from the Matriarch and Shepard felt himself lifting off the ground. His eyes widening as he felt it.
Fucking biotic!
He started firing shots at her, the ones he kept on target only glanced off her barrier. She scoffed at him and made a quick push forward with her hand. His rifle dislodge from his hand as he was thrown towards the wall and hit with a hard thud.
He felt like every inch of skin was covered in fire, yet he wasn't being burned. Like his body was being crushed but death would not alleviate him from it.
John. John! JOHN!
His whole body felt like the after effects of a bottle of ryncol. He could just barely hear a woman shouting past the horrible ringing in his ears. His eyes flicked open, he was surrounded by sand. The sun that burned the ground made it unbearable to stay submerged in. He pushed himself up out of the burning grains. Suddenly feeling like he was spinning helplessly through the air. Watching the sun tear across the sky to reveal the night time in mere seconds.
JOHN!
WHERE ARE YOU!
He could feel his heart sink into his chest as the womans voice filled every spot in his mind. He felt stuck in place for what felt like years. Staring into the sky, watching each star disappear, one by one. In this moment, he felt hopless to stop anything. Everything froze as he felt something shaking his shoulder
Shepard. Wake up.
His eyes flicked open to see the asari looking down at him, he paled for a moment. his eyes widening as if he saw a ghost. Quickly realizing Holding one of his hands in hers, her other hand on his shoulder. "Shepard. Shepard! Get up, I don't-'' She was cut off as she was being lifted from the ground by her mothers biotics. Then tossed back, notably lighter compared to the heavy hit he took against the wall.
"You will not stop us 'Shepard''" She sneered his name out at him as she walked towards him. He drew his pistol off his hip and started shooting as fast as he could. Only managing to break her barrier as it overheated.
With a swift kick, his pistol was clattering across the floor. He attempted to kick her back. Quickly stopped as she swung him back in the air with her biotics. His back dragging along the wall. "You cannot hope to stop-" She was cut off by a single pistol shot digging in between her shoulder blades.
She had a stutter in her step. Barely stopping herself from falling from the shot. Her hands falling to her sides. Shepard falling down to the ground with a thud. "Mother…" Benezia fell down to her knees as Liara ran to her. Dropping the pistol to the ground as she took her mother into her arms, Benezia leaning back into them. The dying mother began speaking to her child, in a quiet tone. Benezia brushed Liara's cheek with the back of her hand gently.
Shepards head had taken more than a couple knocks from Benezia tossing him about. So he was currently trying to get a bearing on what direction was up. Williams and Kaidan had been making sure the geth hadn't got the chance to get a foothold in the room. They kept on the alert, but it seemed like things were calming down now.
Liara was holding her mother for a long time. Rocking back and forth quietly. Williams, who Shepard had tasked with keeping Liara safe. Was now on one knee, next to the crying Asari. Only resting a hand on Liara's shoulder.
After a lot of talking with a walking corpse of an Asari commando. He released the Rachni queen. He had a feeling that this was going to bite him in the ass sooner rather than later. He still had one more task to surpass. Killing the rachni horde that laid deep in the facility.
Thanks to their searching and mapping, he already knew where they needed to go, and what they had to do. It was, at first, an unsettling prospect. Till he had a slight epiphany.
Crossing twenty meters covered in raging rachni was a daunting challenge until he had Liara pull him back across the room with her biotics. He didn't want to be tossed about by biotics, yet again. He did find it preferable to dying by the rachni or a neutron purge.
Once the deed was done. They left in silence. Shepard was having trouble getting a grip on his mind, the feeling of sand grating against his skin was all he could think of. He wanted out of that armor, trying his best to brush off the feeling. They returned to the Normandy after the long journey back.
Liara had disclosed what her mother had said about the Mu relay to Shepard. He added it to his report. Something he was not looking forward to sending back to the council.
When they were available, he spoke with the council. He was barely paying attention to their inquiries though. His mind trailing to the feeling of sand covering his skin again. He wasn't even sure what it was that the turian councilor was that set him off. He only cut the communications and left to take a shower. The Normandy returned to the Citadel again, stating to Pressly that it was to collect the approved requisitions.
Shepard checked in on Liara after he gave her some time alone. She didn't say much. He was more of there as a shoulder to cry on, and cry she did. It was a quiet cry, occasionally mumbling something about her mother. They sat on her bed for a long time till mental exhaustion overwhelmed her mind and she fell asleep. Leaving her half covered in a blanket.
After confirming his suspicions of a concussion with Chakwas. She told him to stay awake for the next four hours, while doing minimal work. For him, this meant sitting in his cabin and listening to quiet music to try and soothe his headache.
Nearly an hour passed with him thinking about the rachni he released. A knock came at his door. His eyes opened and a puzzled look appeared on his face.
No one knocked on that door when Anderson was in charge.
Quickly snapping himself out of that line of thought, he looked over at the door. "Come in." Garrus opened the door, stepping in. Shepard was never good at reading turian social queues, but he could tell something was bothering Garrus. "How can I help, Garrus?"
He gestured to the chair, which the turian sat in, a bit awkwardly as it was better sized for someone of a smaller stature. Garrus began to delve into his history with C-Sec and some of the things that had happened when he still worked aboard the Citadel. Namely, he focused upon Dr. Saleon.
After a long, and frankly, disturbing talk, Shepard agreed that they would go after the man should he ever become known to them. Garrus left after that. Shepard waited a few more hours, finally finishing the allotted time Chakwas had said to stay up before finally falling asleep.