Chapter 1 : The Normandy
At the outskirts of the small town of Akoba, east of Volgograd and close to the border which separated the former nations of Russia and Kazakhstan, stood a large facility sanctioned by the Alliance.
The organization which had led humanity deep into space and later all over the galaxy was the ambassador of Earth, representing every human country as a whole, to the Council and its alien species. The Alliance enjoyed the right to own and manage top-secret facilities on any spot they chose all over Earth.
It was the only international organization to enjoy this right in the human world. Being founded and led by the four most powerful nations of the planet gave it everything it wanted. Such was the reason of the existence of an Alliance prison on the territory of the Greater Russian Union – one of the superpowers heading the organization.
This remote prison, lost in the steppe at the center of Eurasia, saw little traffic. Bystanders were few and far-between as the inhabitants of Akoba – being mostly employees of the Alliance, knew not to wander around the area without a good reason.
However, today was a special day for it saw the release of a very controversial figure from five long years of confinement inside the walls of the facility. The gates slid open with a creak to reveal the form of a blonde woman walking out, a sports-bag slung over her shoulder.
She made a few steps, before pausing and looking around. Behind her, the gate squeaked to a close and she could only watch her surroundings with a sense of apprehension. She felt lost. The deserted scenery around her didn't help.
Five years, she thought. Five years and it's the first time I've ever seen the outside of this place.
Her fist balled and she started pacing ahead with determination towards the city. Once she'd crossed the first half of the empty parking lot, she found herself approaching a lone sky-car. Leaning against the side of the hood was a woman who seemed to be waiting for someone.
The ex-convict stopped and watched as the woman uncrossed her arms and walked up to her. She couldn't help but leer at this visitor whose stride held a sensual component – though it was doubtful she was doing it on purpose. Tall, dark hair, impressive curves... these traits weren't lost on her.
"Magna Shepard?" The woman asked, her cold blue eyes set on her.
If I'd thought a beautiful woman would greet me out... Shepard shook her head to stop her derailing thoughts. She eyed the woman in weary fashion. "Who's asking?" Her voice was rough but it didn't seem to deter her.
"My name's Miranda Lawson," The woman extended a hand. "I'm here on behalf of my employer. He would appreciate if you'd agree to meet with him."
Shepard glanced at the polite gesture and narrowed her eyes. "What's this about?"
Miranda's lips curved in a faint smirk. "I cannot divulge anymore details – not here anyway. But if you agree to come with me, I assure you your questions will be answered." she said as she drew her hand back.
"How do I know this isn't some kind of elaborate trap?" Shepard asked, her eyes wandering towards the sky-car. Miranda seemed to have come alone.
"Well I can't give you anything else but my word." She replied. "Obviously you aren't forced to come with me and I doubt you would let me capture you easily."
Shepard felt her muscles stiffen, an action Miranda seemed to have noticed because she soon raised a hand in a peaceful gesture. "I apologize, it was poor wording on my part." Receiving a mere nod in acknowledgment, she continued. "Look, Shepard I'm only here to take you to my employer, that's all there is to it. He's got a job for you, something which he's sure you'd be interested in."
The hint of annoyance in Miranda's voice wasn't lost on Shepard and she knew she was being difficult for its own sake. After so much time in prison, there wouldn't be many job opportunities for her, she realized. Besides, she was intrigued by Miranda's offer.
It wasn't everyday one was approached by a cryptic woman who promised you a job right out of prison.
"Alright," Shepard conceded. "I'll meet your boss but I make no promises."
Miranda smiled. "Of course," she gestured to her car. "If you would."
Having her entire life in her bag, Shepard boarded the car and together they left the parking lot without one backward glance in the direction of the place that had been her home for the last five years.
A two-hour long flight later saw them in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Miranda had been silent for most of the ride, answering Shepard's questions with curt, unhelpful answers. It was once they entered a non-descript building in a wealthy neighborhood of the city that the woman started to talk.
They stood in the hall of a medium-sized skyscraper, the place seemed to be empty. Shepard watched her step aside and point towards stairs that seemed to lead to an underground level.
"The Illusive Man is waiting for you in the other room." Miranda encouraged her forward with a polite wave.
Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Down there?"
"I know how it looks, She-"
"Do you, really?" Shepard cut her off with a snarl. Miranda remained silent, staring straight at her, as if proposing a challenge. She huffed. "This better not be a trick or you'll regret this." Shepard warned.
"I assure you, it is not." Miranda bowed a little as if to prove her good will. "You'd better go now, he doesn't like to wait."
Shepard walked past her. "Right."
The stairs seemed to darken with every step she took. It merely took her down one level but Shepard felt it last a long time to reach it. She remained on guard all the way down. A part of her was still expecting to end up in an ambush. It wasn't like she hadn't made enemies in her past.
The pitch black room that greeted didn't help her suspicions. She wished she had some kind of weapon with her when she crossed the threshold and looked around for any sign of movement. There seemed to be none.
A circular platform at the center of the room caught her attention. It was the only furniture around and seemed to glow in the darkness.
Shepard hesitated for an instant before stepping on it. For a moment nothing happened until the circle around her started to emit a warm ray which rose up her body to engulf her in a virtual space. In mere seconds, the darkness of the room flickered to show her images of a man sitting in an armchair ahead of her, a star floating in his background.
Shepard squinted when she caught the sight of a small bright dot on his face before it blinked out of existence. He exhaled, a cloud of smoke painting the air in front of him.
"Magna Shepard." The man said in greeting.
Shepard couldn't quite make out his features through the darkness of the images but the three bright dots of pale blue in each of his eyes were disturbingly fixated on her. He sounded older than she expected and looked to be at ease in the strange setting.
"Illusive Man," she crossed her arms over her torso. "I thought we'd be meeting face to face."
He took the time to tap his cigarette against the ashtray by his side before answering her. "A necessary precaution. Not unusual for people who know what you and I know."
Shepard grated her tongue against the teeth at the side of her mouth. This Illusive Man seemed to be just as cryptic as Miranda. "What exactly is it that 'you and I know'?" she asked, feeling the irritation rising in her.
He took another drag of his cigarette, all the while, his eyes stared straight through hers. "I assume you aren't entirely up to date with the happenings of the world. The news in prison are remarkably filtered, after all."
She felt her jaw clench and took a step forward. "Cut to the chase, what do you want?"
The Illusive Man dropped his cigarette aside and rose to his feet, walking a few steps towards the hologram in her image that stood in the center of his room. His face now rid of the shadows, Shepard watched him with attention.
Here was a man who knew how to command authority through natural charisma. He looked old enough to have known the First Contact war but she doubted he'd been in the military, he didn't have the posture, the mannerism but he didn't need them.
Shepard imagined that if he hadn't served in the Alliance during the first war humanity fought in space right after encountering their first aliens – a species called Turian – for almost a year before ending the conflict in a draw, the Illusive Man might have been a mercenary turned businessman upon seeing opportunities brought on by the discovery of the Council and its many different species.
There was still one question that remained in her mind after all this speculation: How did this man get his cybernetic implants in his eyes. It didn't look like anything she'd ever seen before and the artificial hue they emitted only added to his persona.
"I'm offering you to work for Cerberus." He said, bringing her back to the present.
"Cerberus?" she echoed. That was a name she'd heard before. "Hold on. Why would I want to work for terrorists?"
The Illusive Man's gaze hardened. "Cerberus isn't as evil as you believe. You and I are on the same side; we even have similar methods."
"I see where this is going." she interrupted him. "Look, whatever information you think you got on me; you're wrong."
He rejoined his armchair, unphased. "I seem to remember a certain Lieutenant who didn't back down in a dire situation and turned around the fate of a battle on her own without thinking about the losses she was going to provoke."
Shepard tensed. "Why did you bring me here, Illusive Man? I won't ask again."
"Because you have one quality no one else from the Alliance has: you are ruthless." he leaned forward, dropping an elbow on his knee as he pointed at her. "I need your determination and your ability to lead people to their deaths if need be if we want to survive."
"Survive?"
At her words, he stood up again. "We're at war. No one wants to admit it but humanity is under attack. While you've been locked up, entire colonies have been disappearing. Human colonies. Nobody's paying attention because it's random and the attacks occur in remote locations. But every day more colonies vanish than the last."
She stared at him for a moment. "Okay, I'll bite. If this is a threat against humanity why isn't the Alliance doing anything?"
"Blaming the abductions on mercs and pirates is easier. And more convenient." He replied. "Admitting there is a threat would also be admitting they're powerless to stop it. You, of all people, know the Alliance isn't willing to do what needs to be done."
Shepard sighed. He had a point. The last five years proved it. "But why Cerberus? Fighting a war doesn't seem like you. Why are you involved?"
"We are committed to the advancement and preservation of humanity. If someone is targeting us, trying to wipe us out, Cerberus will stop them. If we wait for politicians or the Alliance to act… no more human colonies will be left."
"And you decided to get me." She shot back. "Me! Why?"
An enigmatic smile graced his face. "You're unique, Shepard. Not just in ability or what you've experienced, but in what you represent. You stood for humanity at a key moment. You're more than a soldier – you're a symbol."
She chortled. "You mean at Torfan? What I did there was all covered up. Nobody knows what I did."
"That's where you're wrong." He pointed at her with his cigarette. "Everybody in Cerberus looks up to your actions against the Batarians. You went against orders and attacked their fortifications when the odds were against you. You turned the tide of the battle with only twenty-five people under your command."
"There were only three of us at the end." She looked away.
"The men and women you lost died as heroes, Shepard." He assured her. "Thanks to your actions and their sacrifice, humanity's position was strengthened in the galaxy. I need you to do it again, for everybody's sake."
She clasped her hands behind her back. "If this is a war, I'll need an army. Or a really good team."
The Illusive Man grinned. "We'll discuss the details later. First, we need to get you off Earth." he said. "There's a shuttle waiting for you on the roof. Take it, it'll guide you to a Cerberus base from which we can begin our preparations. Miranda will accompany you."
"Miranda, uh?"
"She's a dedicated member of Cerberus and an invaluable asset. You can trust her."
Shepard sighed. "You're the boss."
"Before you go, Shepard." He added. "According to your file, you were on the verge of being promoted to Lieutenant-Commander before your deployment on Torfan. Cerberus uses the same ranking system for its military branch so I'm promoting you Staff Commander."
"Well. Thank you." She wasn't sure of her feelings on the matter.
Staff Commander - Shortened into 'Commander' in practice - was the rank just under Captain in the Alliance Navy. The mission she was assigned would no doubt require a ship and the Illusive Man had made it sound like she would be the one in command of the day to day matters. In that case, why not promote her directly to captain?
The Illusive Man pressed a button and a small holographic screen appeared at his side, pulling Shepard out of her thoughts. "You need all the authority you can get, if you want to accomplish your mission. Commander."
He tapped on the screen and put an end to the conversation. All of a sudden the images were gone and Shepard found herself in an empty room once again.
The sun was hitting the roof hard when Shepard and Miranda arrived. After leaving the darker stairways, they were blinded by the light for a moment before Shepard could make out the form of a shuttle – a typical short-range space vehicle. They weren't common in planetary atmosphere outside of the dedicated surface-to-space traveling agencies. Their very existence was inconceivable before 2148 and the discovery of the mass relays.
The first one humanity encountered was orbiting the sun just past Charon, a moon of Pluto. The gigantic construct had awed the world and when the first reconnaissance teams had investigated it, there was no doubt in mind the relay was artificial.
It consisted of two fifteen-kilometer long curved metal arms surrounding a set of revolving gyroscopic rings five-kilometers across. Inside these rings, a massive core of glowing blue light pulsed. This core was made of a substance until-then-unknown and unnamed: the element zero. The basis of galactic civilization.
This element only existed – albeit in great quantity – at very specific spots of the Milky Way and the Council was keeping a close eye on these sources. For a good reason, element zero was the substance that enabled the mass relays to work and allowed its users to engage in faster-than-light space travel through the distortion of space and time.
The science of mass effect fields eluded many but it soon became used everywhere in human space-related instruments. Without the mass effect generator in Shepard's shuttle, the vehicle wouldn't have been able to leave Earth's atmosphere and sift through the incredible distance that separated the human homeworld from the Charon relay at such a quick pace.
However, shuttles were not designed to endure long space-flights. Even if there was a great number of mass relays in existence, scattered all over the galaxy, there were still societies that lived far away from them, in remote star-systems. People often needed large spaceships equipped of their own core of element zero to travel to these places in addition to the mass relays themselves.
Shepard concluded the Cerberus base they were going to wasn't far away from a relay. An odd situation for such a secret organization. All open mass relays were subject of heavy monitoring by Council forces – at least, in Citadel Space. It seemed more probable their destination was located in the Terminus Systems, away from the Alliance and the Council.
There was a man waiting for them in the shade of the vehicle's lateral door hanging above him. He looked to be about the same age as the Illusive Man but it took nothing away of his imposing build. Short cropped hair and a face that testified of the many difficult encounter he'd had in his life, the man stood there in his Cerberus uniform, waving them forward.
"Come on in, now! We ain't got all day!" His rough voice couldn't conceal the typical cockney accent, betraying his origins from the small independent nation that was once a world power and now relied on the support of the European Confederation and the United States of North America to scrap by.
"I didn't know you were here, Zaeed." Miranda smiled at the man as she boarded the vehicle.
"Good to see you too, kid." he said. "I take it the old man didn't tell her anything about me?"
"Tell me what?" Shepard asked when she approached them.
He turned around to face her and extended a hand. "Zaeed Massani. The Illusive Man appointed me to help you and Miranda take down whoever's abducting our people out there."
At least I'm not going to be alone with her. "Good. We need all the help we can get." she replied before shaking his hand. Out of the corner of the eye, Shepard saw Miranda frown at the gesture.
Zaeed smirked. "Damn right. Now come on, strap in. We gotta leave now." he announced before tapping against the closed door that led to the cockpit. A moment later, the lateral door slid close and the shuttle roared to life.
"Where's the hurry?"
Miranda looked at her. "You'll see when we arrive, Shepard."
Inside the shuttle, Zaeed, Shepard and Miranda were silent as they sat in the cargo space as their pilot – another Cerberus agent named Gomes – was taking them through the Charon relay. The transition from sub-light to faster-than-light travel was subtle, its effects eased by the mass dampeners of the vehicle.
"We're through the relays." Gomes announced through his cockpit. "ETA ten minutes."
"Got it." Miranda shouted over the hum of the engine.
Shepard leaned forward and looked at her. "So where are we going exactly? It doesn't sound like we'll be too far from civilization. Isn't that a little dangerous for a secret hideout?"
"All Cerberus stations are mobile, Shepard." she replied as if it was common knowledge. "We aren't planning to be there forever. Once we're ready, we take off for our mission and the station will be moved someplace else. That's why we need to hurry."
Shepard pursed her lips. "Well you're certainly prepared."
"Damn right we are." Zaeed nodded. "Cerberus isn't some kind of Alliance knock-off, we know what we're doing."
"Though recruiting people isn't your strong suit, is it?"
"We can't afford to be public. We are a criminal organization by many standards, after all." Miranda said, annoyed. "You have to understand you're a special case. Cerberus normally doesn't approach people, it's the other way around."
"I noticed." Shepard smirked.
Zaeed laughed. "Don't let it go to your head."
"The Illusive Man is very impressed with you. It's the reason I was ordered to fetch you so you could meet him. He's betting a lot on you, Shepard." Miranda explained. "I'm eager to see if you can live up to his expectations."
"Doesn't sound like you're too happy with the way things are." Shepard noted. "What's the matter Lawson ? Worried you're not his favorite anymore ?"
"I've proven my value to the Illusive Man. Let's hope you're able to do the same."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you naturally this bitchy, or is it just me ?"
Miranda frowned. "I have the utmost respect for your abilities, Shepard. It's your motivations that concern me. I believe in what Cerberus stands for. Only time will tell if you prove to be an asset or a liability to our cause."
Great, what's that supposed to mean? "And what are my motivations, Miranda?"
She sat straighter, as if surprised. "You should know. I'm not the one who spent five years in prison."
"Oh I see how it is." Shepard sneered at her. "You're worried I'm going to use Cerberus to get back at the Alliance, aren't you?"
Miranda was silent for a moment. "It certainly crossed my mind."
"Hey Miri." Zaeed fixated her with a hard stare. "Knock it off. Shepard just got here, give her time to adjust, alright?"
Miranda glared at him and crossed her arms. "Alright."
Shepard and Zaeed shared a look but remained silent. She wouldn't admit it but she regretted he had put himself between them. Shepard was starting to enjoy arguing with Miranda just to get a reaction out of her. The woman's aloof persona was grating on her nerves and piercing through it to see her irritation was a great reward to her. It was only unfortunate that the moment was cut short by Gomes announcing he'd started the docking procedure.
In minutes, the shuttle was sealed to the space-station and the lateral door slid open to reveal an airlock. These vault-rooms had once been thought of as redundant after the discovery of the mass effect fields which could capture an atmosphere for some time but the Alliance scientists insisted to keep using airlocks as a safety measure in case the mass effect generator of a facility or a ship in space failed.
As per Zaeed's words, Cerberus seemed to be imitating the Alliance for many things.
Once the airlock procedure was over, the party of three entered a large hall filled with tables and benches. The room seemed empty save for one couple who were waving them over.
"Hey it's about time you guys got here!" One of them, a man in his mid-twenties wearing an Alliance cap, exclaimed in obnoxious fashion.
"Joker! Where have your manners gone, my poor boy?" another voice chided him with amusement. It was the middle-aged woman sat at his side.
Miranda walked past them, Gomes following her. "I need to talk to the Illusive Man. You should meet with these two, they're going to be part of your team." She slipped to her in a passing comment, ignoring the couple on her way.
Zaeed nodded at her. "I've got to check our gear before we go. See you in five, Shepard." he told her before going in Miranda's direction, greeting the two people on his way.
Shepard shrugged and approached them. "And who are you?"
"This is the great Shepard they were talking about?" Joker asked to his companion. "Damn they weren't kidding."
She blinked. "Meaning?"
"Your reputation precedes you, commander." the older woman interrupted him before he could go on. She stood up and offered her a hand. "Please forgive him, he's not as annoying when you get to know him. I'm Dr. Karin Chakwas, medical officer."
"Chakwas. Pleasure to meet you." Shepard said, shaking the woman's hand.
"Likewise. And this is Jeff-"
"Jeff Moreau, I'm your ship's pilot, ma'am!" he exclaimed as he shot up to his feet and gave her a crisp military salute, banging his knee against the table in the process. "Ouch!"
"Careful, Jeff." Chakwas put a hand on his shoulder.
"What is it? Are you hurt?" Shepard asked when he didn't seem to recover from his accidental bump.
"It's nothing commander, really."
"Nothing, indeed." Chakwas added in a dry tone. "For someone living with Vrolik syndrome, that is."
"Doc!" Joker complained. "Not cool, I mean it."
Shepard looked between the two of them. "Something I should know?"
He gave her a wary glance and sighed. "Well I guess I can't keep it a secret from you if you're going to be our commanding officer." he said. "I've got Vrolik syndrome, you know? Brittle bone disease. The bones in my body never developed properly, they're basically hollow, too much force and they'll shatter. Even with crutches and my leg braces it's hard to get around. One wrong step and crack! It's very dramatic! But I've learned to manage my condition, ma'am. Put a ship in my hands and I'll make it dance for you just don't ask me to get up and dance unless, you know, you like the sounds of snapping bones."
"I can vouch for him, Shepard." Chakwas said. "His condition won't keep him from his job and as a pilot, he's the best, really."
"I see."
Her curt reply had the two of them worried. They glanced at each other before turning back to her. "I promise it's not gonna be a problem for the mission, ma'am."
Shepard nodded. "We'll see that when the time comes, Moreau. We don't even have a ship yet."
They both frowned. "What?" she asked.
"Commander-"
"You mean the Illusive Man didn't tell you?" Joker exclaimed. "I knew it. See? You can't trust anyone who makes more than you do!" He told Chakwas.
"They only told us yesterday, Jeff." The doctor reasoned with him.
"Ah whatever!" Joker threw his hands up in frustration. "Come with me, commander. You have to see her."
He limped ahead of Shepard with Chakwas trailing close behind towards the bay window on the side of the station which gave view to darkness. Punching a switch on the wall, he looked back to Shepard with satisfaction as on the other side of the window lights came to life.
Shepard watched the lights illuminating a large, curved shape occupying a whole hangar the size of the station's length. Her eyes trailed over the little wings attached to the back of the figures, its main propellers looked nothing like she'd seen on a ship before in person. The vessel's hull started a large cylinder at the back to finish a thin and elongated nose at the front.
Everything, from the shape to the colors reminded her of a prototype the Alliance had first flown out during the Skyllian war against the Batarians. One that had been lost to an unknown enemy a couple of years earlier.
She caught sight of an inscription on the ship's hull: SR-2.
"It can't be." she murmured before turning to Joker and Chakwas. "It's Alan Bartlett's ship, isn't it? The Normandy?"
"It's a replica, commander." Chakwas nodded.
"It's better than that, it improved a lot of things from the original." Joker explained, a hint of excitement in his voice. "See this?" He pointed at the center of the ship's hull where multiple lines of side windows superposed over each other. "It's got two additional levels, this ship's twice as big as the Normandy."
"You knew the original Normandy?"
She saw the two of them sober up and look down. "Yeah, we were part of Bartlett's team, commander."
His words caught her off-guard. The death of Alan Bartlett's was one of the few bits of information that had filtered through to her during her detention. She hadn't expected to team up with the people who had worked for him.
"We were aboard when the Normandy was attacked." Chakwas told her. "It all happened so fast."
"How many of you survived?"
"Most did." The doctor replied. "The people on the lower deck didn't have that chance, unfortunately. And of course, Bartlett..."
"It's my fault, commander." Joker looked down.
"No, Jeff! How many times-"
"Don't go there, Doc." he interrupted her. "I've heard it enough times, I don't need you to remind me again."
Chakwas shook her head. "He's not going to listen to reason anytime soon." she shrugged. "Anyway, Commander. We were hoping you'd agree to have this ship carry on the Normandy name, as an homage to the old crew."
Shepard nodded. "Of course, that won't be a problem."
They both looked relieved. "Thank you, Commander."
"Shepard!" Miranda's voice cut through the conversation. She stood on the opposite side of the hall, watching her with an expectant look. "The Illusive Man wants to talk to you."
"We'll continue this talk another time." Shepard told them. "I expect to see you two on board when I come back."
"You got it, ma'am." They both saluted her the military way before departing towards the boarding corridor.
Shepard crossed the room, walking past Miranda towards the backroom without sparing her another glance. She found herself surprised when the meeting room proved to be empty. Instead, there was the same kind of platform on the ground that there had been back in Tbilissi.
She had expected to see the Illusive Man in flesh this time around. By every appearances, Cerberus' leader was more cautious than she would have thought. The scanning lights went up her body once she set foot on the device and soon, Shepard was greeted by the familiar sight of her new employer sitting in his armchair, in the middle of a large room with a star in the background.
"Commander Shepard," The Illusive Man acknowledged her, raising his eyes from the datapad in his hands. "I take it you've met some of your crew."
Shepard crossed her arms over her chest. "You could say that. I also happened to find out you're housing a complete copy of the most advanced prototype ship the Alliance ever invented."
The Illusive Man was unmoved by the revelation.
"That thing cost billions in taxpayer money." She leaned over towards him. "How the hell did Cerberus manage to do that?"
He took a drag of his ever-present cigarette before answering. "Cerberus is very-well funded but I won't hide from you that this project was a significant strain on our resources. I hope you realize now the extent of the hopes you're going to carry, Shepard."
She shook her head. "I came here finding a Normandy replica and some of Bartlett's crew waiting for me. Since we're on the matter now, is there anything else you'd like to tell me?"
He rose from his seat. "Information is my business, Shepard. There's no one more qualified for this mission than anyone who worked with Bartlett. But that's beside the point. You know everything you need to know for the moment."
She pursed her lips but chose to remain silent as he kept going. "There's another reason for this meeting." He dragged on his cigarette. "Your timing's perfect, Shepard. We've got a situation."
That got her attention. "What kind of situation?"
"Freedom's Progress, a human colony, ceased all communications two hours ago. We believe it's another attack. Before you do anything, I need you to go there. Find any clue you can and report back to me."
"What do you think I'll find there?"
He turned back towards his armchair and poured himself a drink. "If I knew that I wouldn't be sending you."
Shepard nodded. "I'll get what you're looking for and bring it back before you know it."
He brought the glass to his lips, pausing before taking a sip. "Glad to hear it."
Shepard hurried down the boarding corridor leading to the entrance on the side of the Normandy's cockpit. There, another airlock was waiting for her and she was reassured to find that the ship's security was on level with the protocols she had observed during her time with the Alliance.
Once the doors slid open, she went straight for the cockpit. Jeff Moreau was waiting for her, sat in a body-length armchair.
"Where to, commander?"
"Freedom's Progress, you can find it?"
He nodded. "That won't be a problem."
"Good. Do it now, Moreau." She ordered, turning back.
He sent her a look over his shoulder. "Just call me Joker, ma'am."
"Now, Joker! There's no time to lose." She pressed.
"Got it, commander!"
In the hangar, the gates slid open, revealing the void of space to the Normandy SR-2. The ship's engines burned to life and the figure of the vessel floated out of the station and into the unknown. Thousands of light-years away, the colony of Freedom's Progress awaited them.
Satisfied, Shepard walked out of the cockpit, the door slid open upon detection of her presence and gave the commander a direct view of the entire deck. Right ahead of her, a narrow corridor with on each side, a row of computer consoles – some of them manned by agents in Cerberus fatigues – which gave way thirty feet further into a large half-almond shaped room.
In the middle of the deck stood the CIC – Command & Information Center – adorned by a large holographic picture of the Milky Way floating above it. The CIC followed the same shape as the room – albeit in a much smaller way – and allowed operatives to use its sides as desks to put their consoles on while at the back, a stepping platform allowed the commanding officer to look over them and work on the map.
Behind the CIC was a the large wall adorned of three doors. Two of them – on each end of the wall – allowed the crew to travel into a second part of the current deck while the one in the middle – right behind the CIC – gave way to an elevator which allowed access to the remaining decks.
Joker's right to be excited, Shepard thought. It's a beautiful ship, too beautiful, it feels unreal.
"Shepard!"
She snapped her head up. Miranda was waving at her. She was standing before the CIC, accompanied by a small, young dark-skinned woman.
"The Normandy's just left dock, I take it we're leaving for Freedom's Progress?" The Cerberus operative continued as Shepard approached them.
"That's right."
"Good." Miranda nodded. "Meet Samantha Traynor, Shepard. She's going to be your yeoman." She gestured towards the woman at her side.
"It's an honor to finally meet you, Commander." The small woman saluted her as an officer, though she didn't look like the military type. Her voice held an accent similar to that of Zaeed, except, softer. "I've studied your profile extensively and I must say you're even more impressive in person."
Shepard saw the expression on the woman's face and knew she was looking at the long scar that split her right eyebrow and ran over the bridge of her nose before finishing its course on her left cheekbone.
For a moment, Shepard felt a tingle at the back of her head and the background of the Normandy blurred away, replaced by the yellowish hues of a planet she remembered very well. There were screams of pain and terror echoing from afar just as she caught a glimpse of flames dancing on the horizon.
She shook her head. The woman was still smiling in front of her. Samantha – something, she'd said? "I'm sorry, what did you say your name was, again?"
"Traynor. Samantha Traynor, ma'am." She replied immediately.
"You look distracted, Shepard." Miranda noted.
She scowled at her supposed second-in-command even as she felt her heartbeat rising, bumping against her ribcage. "Something you wanted, Miranda?"
"I just wanted to check in with you." Miranda replied, looking down at the datapad in her hands. "The journey to Freedom's Progress will only be a couple of hours, we should be careful. We were notified of the attack not that long ago, it's possible it's still going on when we arrive."
"What are you saying?"
"Well. Maybe we should wait before going-"
Shepard shook her head, smirking. "You still don't get it, do you? I'm in charge of this mission, you're under my command. I say we go in, we go."
"Operative Lawson makes a valid point, Shepard." A new voice chimed in. "In every other case, the authorities were notified long after the attacks. Freedom's Progress is an exception and should be treated as such. There is no telling what you might encounter on the ground and you may not be ready to face what will be waiting for you."
The voice didn't sound natural and seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Who are you?"
A beep behind her back, had Shepard twirl around just in time to see a blue holographic chess piece appear on one of the CIC's consoles.
"I am the Normandy's artificial intelligence. The crew like to refer to me as EDI." the hologram explained.
"Shut that thing down!" Shepard barked. "I don't want that on my ship!"
"Have I offended?" EDI asked, adopting a cautious tone.
Miranda rolled her eyes. "Shepard just spent five years in Alliance detention. She's been monitored without interruption for just as long by an A.I." She was nonplussed by the dirty look Shepard sent her way.
"Your distrust is logical, Shepard." EDI said. "However, I am no threat to you or anyone else. I only observe to offer analysis and improve the life conditions and efficiency of the crew on board. My purpose is not to monitor you to find any supposed deviant behavior."
"Why should I trust you?" Shepard snarled.
"The Illusive Man insisted to get me on board." EDI explained. "He believes my presence to be just as crucial as yours, Shepard."
She looked over to Miranda who nodded. Shepard bit her tongue, her shoulders deflating. "So be it."
"You shouldn't worry, commander." Samantha said. "EDI's only here to make sure you don't kill us all."
Her head snapped towards the yeoman. "What did you say?" Her sharp tone took everyone by surprise, there was a moment of uncertain silence on the deck.
Samantha Traynor and Miranda shared a confused look. "I just said EDI's a great companion to the crew." she repeated slowly.
Shepard just stared at her.
"Are you doing alright, Shepard?" Miranda's tone was very much like Traynor'.
Her heart-rate was rising with every second. "Fine." she replied, biting her tongue for a moment. "We should... uh... move on to the preparations of the mission."
Samantha pursed her lips. "Before you do that, Commander, I just received an urgent message I believe you'll want to get it in your quarters." she said. "Just take the elevator and go up to the first deck."
The yeoman's voice ended the pregnant atmosphere that had seeped around them and the operatives on the deck resumed their work as Shepard nodded at the young woman. "Thank you." she said, swallowing tightly.
She left towards the elevator without another glance from the rest of the crew except Miranda and Samantha who were staring after her. "Why's she acting weird, all of a sudden?" The tallest of the two asked.
Samantha just smiled. "You have to remember she spent the last five years on Earth. I think she's just readjusting to life in space."
"Really?"
"Yes, sometimes the artificial air and the lack of natural gravity can mess with your mind if you're not used to it."
Miranda shrugged. "If you say so. Get back to work now, yeoman, I've got to prepare."
Shepard stumbled out of the elevator and onto the first deck. The world around her was blurring and the noise of her own heartbeat muffled the ambient sound of the captain's cabin. She barely registered the look of her new quarters before she erupted into fits of brutal coughs. Using the wall as a support, she dragged herself further into the cabin even though she had no idea what she wanted to do.
"My scanners have detected your elevated heart rate and your hyperventilation." EDI's voice echoed in the small room. "Shepard, do you need me to call for help?"
"EDI..." Shepard gasped. "- watching me?"
"I have cameras, microphones and other probes in each part of the ship."
She fought another cough, feeling the tears filling her eyes. "Off."
"Vocal commands are not going to work on my systems, Shepard." EDI explained. "I was programmed to be fully autonomous.
"How- How do I shut you off?" Shepard had to shake her head violently to clear her vision.
"There is an emergency switch under my console by the door of your cabin." EDI said. "However, I would not recommend deactivating me from this room, Shepard. Your body is giving off alarming signals."
She stumbled back into the entryway and started fumbling under the small console protruding from the wall like a low-hanging shelf. EDI's hologram materialized on it. "Shepard, I must advise you against-"
Her fingers found and flicked the switch, immediately cutting the A.I. off the cabin. "Fuck you." she breathed before her body stiffened. What's happening to me?
Horrified, Shepard found herself choking for air. She couldn't manage to get her lungs to breathe anymore. Her hands flew up to her throat but it was a vain fight and she realized it felt like a metaphorical plastic bag had been wrapped against her head, blocking her airways.
The pressure in her head rose and tears were falling down her cheeks. Soon enough, her vision darkened before she blacked out and her body fell down on the floor, unmoving.