…

"I am free and that is why I am lost."

(Franz Kafka)

…

MFV Normandy, January 16th, 2:56 PM, 2185

…

I leaned back in my chair as we all sat down inside of the briefing room to officially make Jack a member of the crew. Part of me was still unsure about her stability, or lack thereof, but seeing what she was capable of, she'd be great ally to have regardless. While Miranda got her files organized, I thought back to when she first come aboard, curious if it could provide me with any indication of how this meeting might go.

When she had come on the ship, she looked extremely nervous, though not in an outward way. Her face seemed to be in a perpetual pout, as if the entire world was a nuisance to her. However, her body language betrayed the thoughts going through her head. She was reluctant to move too fast, and kept her hands very close to her body.

My best guess was she suspected we were lying to her, and was trying to get a sense for her surroundings as fast as possible. I noticed that after she had spotted one of our quarian crew members she relaxed just slightly, but immediately seized up again after seeing one of our human crew. Her demeanor got even worse while visiting the med bay.

Dr. Chakwas must have looked like the devil to Jack, because the entire time her gunshot wound was being patched up she looked like she was holding back a bowel movement. It was only after we had given her a new set of clothes she started to relax. She now wore a leather jacket, jeans, and a pair of combat boots. The jacket and jeans were "donated" by one of our female human crewmembers, mostly due to her intense objection to wearing the normal crew uniform.

I'd have to pay Sarah for that. She was none too pleased having to give up her genuine leather jacket.

"Alright… here we go." Miranda announced, smiling as she handed me a datapad. I browsed over it for a moment, squinting as I finished reading it.

"What's all this?" I asked, not knowing what it was supposed to do with it.

"This is the official crew introduction I drafted." She quickly answered, now looking confused as well. "Why?"

I shook my head, standing up as I placed the datapad back onto the table.

"I think we can dispense with the formalities at this point." I started, walking around the table as I focused exclusively on our new guest. "Jack, I'd like to officially welcome you to the MFV Normandy. As we've agreed on, I've had Miranda here dig up the Cerberus files you wanted."

I looked at Miranda, who nodded and handed Jack the other datapad. She immediately snatched it from her, shooting daggers before quickly looking over it.

"I've arranged a residential pod for you on the starboard side of the ship." Miranda redirected as Jack seemingly ignored her. "If you need anything-"

"I'm not going to stay in any of those little "pods" you have down there." She then interrupted, looking directly at me as she jumped out of her chair. "I'll find a place below engineering, somewhere quiet."

"…Fair enough." I reluctantly agreed, letting a deep breath escape my mouth as I held my hands tighter behind my back. "Let me know if you find anything useful on those files, the Migrant Fleet has an ongoing reward for any information that leads to Cerberus facilities."

"What kind of reward?" She asked in a sly tone, looking at me out of the corner of her eye before turning back to the datapad.

"Well, normally we offer a selection of supplies, but in your case, I'm sure I could give you a reward of your choice." I nodded, getting a mildly confused look from her before she returned full focus.

"That'll do." She agreed, letting a small smile cross her lips before she closed the datapad and put it in her pocket.

"Wait, Sean!" Miranda objected, looking very confused. "You're going to let her stay in the heart of the ship? What if she breaks something?"

"Don't worry, princess, I'll make sure not to break any of your shiny toys." Jack shot back at her, saying "shiny toys" in a mock imitation of her Australian accent.

Miranda didn't look pleased one bit, but luckily, she stayed quiet. She turned to me, shaking her head before quickly walking out of the room. Now it was just me and Jack.

"I don't need some snobby spook-type shadowing me, Sean." Jack immediately stated, crossing her arms as she leaned back slightly.

"She's just doing her job, Jack." I chastised, letting another sigh escape my mouth as I took a few steps around the table. "I don't want any incidents. We're all friends here."

"The only friends I need are the ones who stay out of my way." She deflected, narrowing her eyes on me again. "When's this Shepard character coming back? I don't like staying in one system too long."

"He should be back soon, don't fret so much." I reassured, allowing my facial features to soften slightly. "Once he's returned with our other guest we'll be heading home."

"Home?" She immediately questioned, suddenly sounding very defensive.

"My home. Reach." I clarified, cocking my head slightly. "Once there, we'll do a small resupply mission before heading to Fehl Prime to assist in-"

"Whatever. Just let me know when we're out of this system." Jack interjected, waving her hand dismissively as she walked out of the room without another word.

I had to admit, I agreed with Miranda with this one. She'd be a tough nut to crack, though seeing how disjointed she was already, more cracking was probably a bad idea.

…

MFV Normandy, January 16th, 3:16 PM, 2185

…

I walked back down into the medbay, looking to clear my head as I inspected the man who we had "rescued" from Ferris Fields, John Clay. Behind the screen we had put up, he was hooked up to several IV lines and had developed several blisters brought on by frostbite on the face, arms, and hands. Despite Mordin's best efforts, he was still mostly paralyzed and had been put into a medically-induced coma to reduce the mental and physical strain on his body.

The "Seeker" creature had bitten him multiple times in the backside, right at the base of the spine. Morin believed that no matter how effective of an antidote he concocted, the amount of time the paralytic agent had spent in his body likely will have rendered him bedridden or unable to walk for the rest of his life.

Before putting him under, we used a visual eye tracking program to gleam some information from him, albeit very basic.

He had been working in the cafeteria when the attack came. All radio communications were cut, and then he saw the Collector ship come down through the atmosphere. He described a "deafening droning noise" as the brown swarms of Collector Seekers descended on the unprepared colony. He attempted to take shelter in the freezer, but when he tried to close the door, someone else tried to get in too, letting several of the creatures inside.

I could only imagine how terrifying it must have been.

"Sean, is there something I can help you with?" Karin asked, walking over to me as she entered the medbay.

"Um… yes, actually." I nodded, quickly walking over to her. "I was curious about your opinion regarding our new guest. Professionally speaking."

"Well, I believe she's likely suffered a lot of trauma." She stated matter-of-factly, taking a seat at her desk as I ran my hand against the opposite end of it. "During my residency at Johns Hopkins, I observed several patients who displayed many of the same mannerisms as her."

"Johns Hopkins?" I repeated, letting a smile cross my face for a moment as I focused on her eyes. "Man, it really is a small world when you boil it all down."

"What do you mean?" She questioned, looking confused as I leaned forward.

"I grew up in Maryland. Lived in Catonsville for most of it." I clarified, holding a hand up to my chest as my smile slowly faded. "I… sometimes miss it."

My thoughts suddenly drifted back to my childhood home, and the time I had spent there. I recalled the smell of the air after a rainstorm, and the sounds the frogs would make as the sun went down in Old Catonsville. I could still hear the creaks of the front steps as I walked up them after a long day of school, and the cracking noises they'd make after being frozen during the winter.

All I could see were my mother and father's faces at the top of those stairs, smiling at the sight of me.

"Are you well, Captain?" Karin asked with a concerned look, leaning against her desk as she looked up at me.

"Yeah." I nodded, taking a deep breath and refocusing myself. "Anyways… how would you recommend directing her? She already has quite the volatile personality."

"If you want my opinion, she's in need of direction." She suggested, folding her hands as I sat down next to her. "From what I've read of her dossier, she's been unable to find stable footing for much of her life. Gently probe her, let her speak about her experiences, but above all else, don't give her a reason to distrust you. You do that, she'll follow your orders without question."

"I hope you're right, doc." I said with bated breath. "I saw what she was capable of in that prison. It wasn't pretty."

"Just be patient with her." She stated with finality, putting her hand on my arm. "I'm not asking that you try to fix her."

"I understand." I nodded, staring into space for a moment before my omni-tool began beeping furiously.

I looked down in surprise, opening it to see it was Shepard.

"Sean, are you there?" He questioned immediately, sounding rather impatient was I stood up and began walking towards the door.

"Yeah, I'm here." I replied, instantly on alert as I made my way back to the elevator. "What's up?"

"I need you down in the hangar, we've got something we need your help with." He quickly explained as I reflexively moved to push the wrinkles out of my shirt.

"Roger that." I agreed, punching in the bottom deck as I readied myself mentally.

I could only guess what this Krogan, Okeer, was like, considering the shit he's been involved in over previous decades. As the elevator hit the bottom of the shaft and the doors slid open, I was immediately greeted with something I hadn't expected.

There was a large tank of brackish liquid with a Krogan inside of it. It was being carefully unloaded from the shuttle by the hangar crew as I walked over, making eye contact with Shepard, Tali, and Mordin as they watched Okeer direct the process.

"Careful, my creation is far more valuable than you can possibly imagine!" He both threatened and boasted at the same time. He wore a set of heavy armor with olive green and black accents that appeared to have seen its fair share of wear and tear.

I honestly didn't know why I expected a krogan genius to dress any differently than the other members of his race.

"So, what's the story?" I asked with cocked eyebrows, not liking the possible implications of this new development.

"Okeer was hired by a Blue Suns commander to create a small army of genetically-engineered krogans." Shepard began to explain, leaning his head slightly towards me as he kept his eyes firmly focused on Okeer and the tank. "It didn't really work out for them, but Okeer was willing to join us in exchange for saving his "ultimate creation" and bringing it aboard."

"Gee, that doesn't seem at all dubious." I replied with a thick layer of cynicism obvious in my voice. "You think he and this thing are safe?"

"Time will tell." He finished as Okeer walked directly towards us with the normal krogan scowl on his face.

"The tank will require power soon; its internal power supply is running low." He said in a deep voice before his eyes landed on me. "Who are you?"

"My name's Sean. I'm the second-in-command, and one of the designers of this ship." I established, crossing my arms as I stared directly into his beady eyes. "If you need power and a space for this thing, the aft cargo room should suit your needs just fine."

"Hmph… very well." He agreed with a small chuff, looking between me and Shepard for a moment before walking between us towards the doors in the back.

I shook my head as he moved out of sight, focusing back on Shepard.

"Look… I've got enough problems with Jack. He's not going to be a problem too, is he?" I questioned, not at all pleased with the current climate in the ship as Shepard's face lit up.

"Speaking of which, how did everything go on your end?" He immediately asked afterwards, earning a sideways glare from me. He pursed his lips, nodding as he looked away towards where Okeer had gone.

"So what's so special about the krogan in the tank?" I reluctantly inquired, looking specifically at Mordin and Tali who had been very quiet during Shepard and I's conversation.

"Genetically-constructed krogan produced with assistance of Collector technology." Mordin quickly summarized, putting his hand on his chin. "Supposedly contains traces of all major Krogan clan bloodlines. Impossible to confirm without test."

"Great, so now we have two Krogans for the price of one." I sighed, rubbing my forehead as I felt pressure building up behind my skull. "Um… I'll let you handle him. I still need to find out where Jack is."

"You don't even know where she is?" Tali questioned, crossing her arms and sounding worried.

"She absolutely refused to use the crew pods, so she's somewhere in the guts of the ship." I sheepishly replied, pointing my thumb towards Engineering.

"Well… alright then." Shepard finished with a confused expression, shaking his head. "Let me know where she is when you find her, I'd like to meet her later."

"Will do." I agreed, walking off as I glanced at the large tank once more, still not sure how I'd handle dealing with not just one Krogan, but two of them.

Things were getting more interesting by the hour around here.

…

MFV Normandy, January 16th, 4:21 PM, 2185

…

I slowly walked through Engineering, making sure not to miss any possible disturbed panels or access ducts as I searched for Jack. Despite having asked several of the crewmen down here if they had spotted her, only one out of eight people, Gabriella Daniels, saw her. She last spotted her going down the ladder to the auxiliary Reactor Heat Control station.

It was a small little room cut off from the rest of Engineering that could be used to manually adjust the reactor's heat output in the event control over the main station was lost. All things considered, it was a redundant feature that Lydia had easily taken control of, but it was there regardless.

If Jack was looking for a quiet spot where no one would bumble into her, that'd be the place.

I made my way down the narrow hallway below the reactor, feeling the ambient heat against my back as I finally spotted the hatch I was looking for, propped open with a metal bar. I approached, moving slowly to quiet my footsteps as I began hearing music playing in the background.

Oddly enough, I recognized it. Or, at least it sounded familiar.

Once I had reached the hatch, I carefully peeked over the edge to see Jack laying quietly in a hammock tied between two support beams, eyes closed and hands held together as she nodded to the rhythm of the track.

"I know you're there, shithead." She said without opening her eyes, letting her biotics flare up just enough that I could see the field around her. "I've got a motion sensor hidden up there, so don't even think about trying to sneak up on me."

"One can never be too careful, I suppose." I nodded, knowing I should have suspected her to do something like that. "Permission to enter?"

"Fine, whatever." She agreed, looking back at the wall in front of her as I jumped down, landing on the bottom hull plate with a solid thud.

"I remember this song from a few years ago… I think I know the name of the group, but not the actual track title…" I pondered, listening to it play softly. "Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, correct?"

"Heh… I didn't take you for someone that listened to this kind of stuff. It's called Awake." She scoffed, briefly allowing a small smile to cross her face before reverting to her frown. "It helps pass the time. Being on ships is too fucking boring, all cooped up in one spot."

"I can understand that completely. By the way, nice little hidey hole." I complemented, nodding in approval as she turned and looked over at me with a glare. "What?"

"What are you doing down here, Sean?" She questioned, looking more annoyed than anything else. "I'm not a fan of this chit-chat bullshit. Is there something you want, or are you just here to make sure I'm not breaking anything in your shiny ship?"

"No need for hostilities, I'm just here to ask a few questions." I reassured, taking a seat on a nearby crate.

You would have thought I ordered her to eat shit from the face of disgust she gave me.

"Ugh… fine, if it'll get you to go away." She agreed with great reluctance, pausing the music as she gave me her full attention. "What the fuck do you need to know?"

"I was curious about your biotics." I began, leaning forward onto my knees as I looked directly into her eyes. "You're the only person I've seen who can create a biotic field without an amp. How is that?"

"No fuckin' clue." She answered bluntly with a raised eyebrow, cocking her head to the side. "I grew up thinking what I did was normal. It was only after getting out I learned it wasn't. Didn't matter to me though. It just helped me get what I want."

"Are you always this impulsive?" I shot back, noticing the reoccurring trend in her thoughts.

"I take what I want, when I want. It doesn't matter who, as long as I'm alive." She gloated, allowing herself a smile as she held her handgun up in the air, looking at the sides of it before swapping it out with a datapad. "Don't worry. As long as you keep sending these files my way, I'll do whatever the hell you want."

"What exactly are you looking for in those files, anyway?" I prodded further, eliciting a quick glance from her before she focused back on the datapad. "If there was something incriminating in them, we would've acted on it already."

"I'm just learning about myself. Looking through the dirt Cerberus has on me, I might be able to find a spot where it hurts them eventually." She explained, scrolling through raw lines of text files and occasionally running over a picture or graph. "That is, if your little bounty for Cerberus facilities is still good."

"It's good, though it sounds like you'll be doing your thing either way, with or without us." I rebutted, shaking my head as I crossed my arms. "In the grand scheme of things, though, I know quite a lot of people, myself included, who'd love to get another crack at Cerberus."

"Get in line." She snubbed in an annoyed tone, focusing back on her datapad. "Any of those pricks we run across are mine to kill… but you're welcomed to watch."

"That's an appealing thought, but I am someone who respects the color of the law." I shot back, trying to continue the conversation as she rolled her eyes. "Taking life isn't something I've done lightly, yet you seem to revel in it. Why?"

"The less people there are to fuck with me, the better my chances of survival are." She stated matter-of-factly, letting another small smile cross her face. "Even a boy scout like you knows that."

"Just because it's true doesn't mean it's right." I argued, crossing my arms as I shook my head.

"What, you being a boy scout?" She quipped, chuckling as I tried and failed to suppress my own smile. "I had you pegged for that hours ago."

"Heh, If you think I'm a boy scout, wait until you meet Shepard." I said through a stifled laugh as she raised her eyebrows. "He's the full military discipline package."

"Military jocks are so boring… though so far you've given them a run for their money." She continued to mock as I allowed myself a smile. She seemed confused by my expression, suddenly looking both very curious and annoyed.

"OK… what's with all the questions and this friendly bullshit?" She asked in a mildly hostile tone, getting out of her hammock and walking towards me. "What do you want?"

"You've completely lost me." I replied slowly, turning my head slightly as several internal alarm bells began ringing in my mind.

"Don't play dumb, everyone I've run into has their motives." She accused, beginning to pace back and forth in front of me. "I saw the way you were looking at me in that prison. Is this about sex? If it is, you better fucking say so."

Her sudden hostility and strange theories as to why I was spending time with her immediately caught me off-guard. I sat there, unable to say anything for five whole seconds before I decided a change of tone was needed.

"Listen, out of all the things on my priority list, sex with you isn't even written down." I said my own level of hostility, standing back up and using my height to look down at her. "Did it ever occur to you once that I just wanted to know more about you?"

"You don't need to know someone to know where to put it." She shot back, looking me up and down. "Or are you just another pussy who's scared of me?"

"I only fear danger where I want to fear it." I boasted, leaning towards her as a faint biotic field could be seen forming around her. "Besides, I have a wife and child. You've offered me nothing I don't already have."

"Then why the goddamn questions?" She asked, looking more confounded than angry as she continued to pulse with biotic energy. "Why have me here at all?"

"I'm asking these questions because I see the potential in you, not as a living weapon, but as a good person and valuable member of the team." I tried to simmer down, lightening my tone just slightly as she continued to narrow her eyes on me. "I've seen the worst people turn a new leaf, and I think you can too, given time."

Her biotic field dropped as a pure dumbfounded look filled her face. She just stared at me with silent confusion as I felt the air around me change.

"I'll take that as sign the conversation has gone on long enough." I cut off while I still could, standing back up and walking towards the ladder. "Good talking with you, Jack."

She shook her head, staring at me for a few moments and turning her music back on as I climbed the ladder back into the maintenance hallway.

Any amount of closure or healing with her was going to be a long, tough process, but I was being honest about what I thought about her. Still, she was easily confused and highly dangerous, so me and Shepard would have to be careful when dealing with her.

She could have easily pasted me down there… or worse.

…

Five Minutes Later

…

Having spoken in detail to Jack, I figured it only made sense to do the same with Okeer before we left. I walked through the doorway that led to the hangar bay, pausing for a moment to take another breath in preparation before opening it up and walking through.

Okeer hadn't wasted time setting up his strange equipment, creating a disjointed yet serviceable lab space. The centerpiece of this lab was the tank that held this "super krogan". The brackish water had grown slightly clearer, leaving the subject inside easier to look at.

Before I could come any closer, a loud bang rang out through the room as Okeer set down one of the crates that had been here already in the back. He turned, immediately focusing on me the moment he noticed I was here.

"Ah, the ship designer." He stated in a deep voice, quickly walking over to me. "Have you come to look at my creation?"

"I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was curious." I replied, folding my arms as I looked back up at the naked krogan. "Tell me… what exactly is this project of yours?"

"It is my life's work, my message and ultimate proof to the galaxy that the krogans are still to be feared and respected." He boasted, holding both his arms outwards towards the tank before turning back to me. "This is my ultimate creation."

"Impressive, I must admit." I nodded, walking over to get a closer look.

The krogan, for lack of better words, looked young compared to all the others I've seen. His skin was bright and well-colored, and none of the naturally-forming "plates" had finished forming into whole pieces yet. It was especially noticeable with his forehead plate, which was segmented into various separate pieces.

"Once finished, my creation will wreak havoc on those we call our enemies." He redirected, making a fist with one of his hands. "It will be a sight to behold."

"Yeah, our enemies." I nodded, focusing now on Okeer exclusively. "I'm sure you're already aware that the Collectors are the ones behind the missing human colonies. Right?"

"Your Commander brought it up in my lab." He acknowledged, looking hard into my eyes once more. "I've dealt with them on occasion, and only when it was of benefit to me. All they've given me is now built into my creation."

"You ever run into any large, bug-like creatures during your dealings with the Collectors?" I prodded further, getting a strange glance from him. "Brown, flying creatures with a shell and glowing eyes?"

"I can't say I have, though knowing their level of biotechnology, such a creation on their part wouldn't surprise me." He replied, leaving me mildly disappointed before his expression turned much softer. "Why? Do you believe these creatures are the ones behind your missing colonists?"

"We know it for a fact, actually." I corrected, letting myself smile. "While investigating Ferris Fields, we managed to capture one of the creatures for study. If you'd like, visit Mordin in his lab on Deck 1. Hell, you might be able to help him come up with a countermeasure."

"Hm… despite how much I loathe Salarians, I suppose I can't pass on an offer such as this." He begrudgingly agreed, giving me a curt nod. "Very well, I will visit him."

"I appreciate it." I said with finality, returning his nod as I walked towards the door, only to hear him following behind me.

"I also admit I am curious about something." He said, stopping me in my tracks. "I've seen many ships in my time, but I've never seen one like this. You said you helped design this vessel, correct?"

"I co-designed the Phantom-class with my best friend and colleague, Dr. Nemo." I answered truthfully, folding my hands behind my back as I straightened my back. "Why?"

"The technology aboard this vessel is fascinating, if not archaic in nature." He stated, seemly with equal parts curiosity and mocking.

"Archaic?" I repeated, feeling mildly insulted as I crossed my arms. "What, just because we've built a ship that doesn't rely entirely on automation?"

"Not just the lack of automation, but the style of the mechanical components as well." He clarified, looking at the electrical conduits that lined the ceiling before smiling. "I adore it! I haven't seen engineering this brutally simple since my people built their last warships."

"Heh… I'm glad you like it. Our goal was to make sure any little piece of the ship could be replaced at a moment's notice without impacting the performance." I added, re-visualizing the Normandy in my head. "And with internal cross-bracing of the superstructure and the highest grade titanium available, she can take quite a beating."

"I must get a better look at it, but later." He nodded, sounding quite pleased with my boast. "For now, I must finish stabilizing my tank-bred and setting up my lab."

"See you later, Okeer." I finished once again, nodding before walking out of the room with a spring to my step.

Part of me still could help but feel there was something going on with Okeer. He seemed incredibly obsessed with this "creation" of his, almost to the point of infatuation. I didn't understand what could possibly be so important about a single, genetically-engineered krogan.

I was always under the impression that the krogans sought to find a cure to the Genophage that had devastated them, but Okeer seemed more interested in showing the galaxy just how "powerful" one true krogan could be.

I suppose only time would tell how good this "tank-bred" would be. To me, if Okeer's experiment doesn't harm me or my crew, I welcome a good fighter.

At least I've met another individual who can appreciate Dan and I's engineering.

…

A/N: Another chapter, long awaited and carefully written. I hope everyone enjoyed it! Sorry for being a bit off the radar again, the peak season at work was hellish and gave me very little time to write.

I've also commissioned another piece for my story, drawn and colored by the talented nikadonna on Tumblr this time featuring Dan and Dimitri. If you wish to see it in detail follow this link: sta . sh / 0120sogh23n9 (As usual, due to and its fear of links, the spaces must be removed.)

I'd love to read any reviews, I'm always up for suggestions or constructive criticism. Stay tuned!