It has been six months since the Commander's body has been recovered and brought back to Cerberus. For the Lazarus Project, the sole purpose of which was to bring the Commander back to live. It's an impossible achievement to accomplish – bringing a dead man back to life but Miranda Lawson never stopped, never swayed from her role of leading the Lazarus Project as its director. For the past six months she has worked relentlessly, not allowing anything to distract her from her mission. Not even her personal life could get in her way.
Bring him back alive. That's her only purpose, now. Nothing else mattered. She isn't doing this for show-off or to make sure the Cerberus personnel came to know of or what she is capable of. She isn't here to prove her capabilities or maintain her reputation. No. That's not her intention. She is doing it for humanity, or even the galaxy, but mostly for herself. This is the matter of her life.
She still remembered that terrible day.
That day was supposed to be anything but bad to her. She was happy and anxious to meet him. But there were some doubts and hesitancy from her heart. She knew John would be ecstatic to meet her, finally, but what happens when he came to know about her working with Cerberus for years? Most people regard Cerberus as a terrorist organization and he knew John was no different. There was no reason for him to think of Cerberus as anything but criminals. Her problem was not regarding John's view of Cerberus, but rather herself. Will she be the same woman to him? Whom he loved? Or she will be nothing more than a criminal to him? During the battle of the Citadel, she wanted to stay back there and support him, stay by his side. Not as Miranda though but as Alicia. The battle could've gone either way. Sovereign held its own against several Alliance fleets. But at the end he did it. When John killed the husk of Saren, the shield of the Reaper ship became weak enough for the combined attacks of the Alliance forces to destroy it. Miranda reluctantly left, after rescuing the civilians avoiding everyone. She arrived at a secret Cerberus base to make direct contact with the Illusive Man, to file her reports. To her surprise the Illusive Man even granted her a month leave from work at her request. Her plan was to first meet Oriana, tell him about John. Oriana deserved that much. Miranda knew her sister would be happy for her. She even has plans to spend some time with Oriana before meeting John, face to face.
She brought Oriana to her flat next day. Oriana noticed a silly grin plastered on her sister's face the whole time. Whenever she asked about it, Miranda only gave her a teasing smile and avoided the topic. But after having dinner, she cornered Miranda. To her delight, she found out that Commander Shepard was her sister's long-lost love. They spent several hours talking, laughing and teasing each other before finally retiring for bed.
Oriana was really happy for her sister. Her sister has been through a lot – Running away from her father, meeting John Shepard, then losing him, getting captured and tortured by Henry Lawson and then finally rescuing Oriana. Miranda never stopped. She deserves some rest and peace in her life. But truth be told, sometimes she envied Miranda, that she has someone in her life to whom she meant the world. Oriana felt guilty whenever she felt that way but she just wishes that like Miranda, she also had someone special in her life who would care for her like Commander Shepard does for her sister.
Oriana slumber suddenly broke that night because of a loud noise. She thought Miranda was sleeping but when she went to investigate the source of the sound, she found Miranda sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. Her posture worried Oriana greatly, Miranda looked as if she had no more strength left in her body. Her eyes unfocused. Only streams of tears were falling from her eyes. Oriana quickly realized that Miranda was in some kind of trance. She quickly realized why as her eyes fell on the extranet news. Suppressing her sorrow, she helped Miranda on her feet and guided her to the bed. Oriana called her sister by her name several times, she even shook Miranda's body to get her attention, but all she got was a blank stare.
"Randa, you don't know for sure that he is dead. He was declared MIA, not KIA. There's still hope. You can't just give up." Oriana felt bad, for giving her sister false hope but she had no other option. She knew how much Commander Shepard meant to her sister. He was her everything. She tried again when she got no response. "In your place, he'd never give up on you and what are you doing? You are letting him go? This is not you. He needs you; your John needs your help. You have to be strong."
When he died, Miranda was completely devastated. She was ready to end her life because without him her life has no meaning. But Oriana's words had given her hope that day. She didn't give up. She searched for any news of him, everywhere. She even disguised herself as a fake reporter and interviewed Joker personally about what really happened that day. All her hopes shattered when she learnt what really happened to John. She almost ended her life that day, almost. But the thought of the safety of her sister stopped her. She had to make sure that her so called father can never put his hand on her sister. She knew that he wants Oriana for the purpose of his wicked dynasty. He wanted to create a perfect daughter. He tried to dispose Miranda off when he learned about her….. Defect. That brought tears to Miranda's eyes. She can never…. Never become a….. She could've never given John what he may desired – a family. She cleared her head and tried to calm down. This isn't the time to think about those…. Unpleasant thoughts.
She is the director of the Project and her job is to oversee it. But when the scientists operated on him, she remained away from there. Only inspecting their job once they were finished. For the purpose of the Project, she had to take extended education in genetics and neurology but she could never stand to see them cutting him or worse. If that was another person lying on the table instead of him, she wouldn't have any problems or hesitancy. But this isn't any person, this is her John – for whom she cared most. Occasionally at night, when she is alone in her quarters, she shed tears silently. She didn't even contact her sister since the Lazarus Project began. She only alerted Oriana with a message saying that she won't be able to see her for years. Oriana was sad, but she understood when Miranda explained that she will be working on an important Project. Of course, she didn't provide details to Oriana. It's safe for her without knowing.
Miranda's second in command was Wilson, a Cerberus scientist. She never liked him, and even protested when he got involved in the Lazarus Project. Since, he was under the Illusive Man's command, she couldn't do anything except keeping her eyes on him. Jacob was also there as security head. She trusts Jacob. He is a good man. They became friends when they worked together as partner, a few years back. From the moment, Miranda met him, she knew that he was attracted to her. Well, 99% of the male population is attracted to her. That's nothing new. She knew their desires. Their sole purpose is to get her in their bed. Even thinking about having an affair like that, makes her skin crawl. But Jacob isn't like those other men. He was genuinely interested in her, for a healthy relationship. He still is. She knew that. She had to push him away, rather harshly, when he almost forced her to explain why she didn't want to have anything more than friendship with him. She could have gone into relationship with him but it would have never worked. She can never love anyone else except John. She can't. That boy from her childhood stole her heart away, even without her knowledge. Besides that, the thought of a man touching her or doing something more disgusted her, since that man isn't her John. If John wanted to do it, when they were together, she would have surrendered herself to him gladly. That thought made her cheeks flush red. But that wasn't his intention. He didn't care for her because of her physical beauty, he loved her for who she is. That was true love
21 MONTHS LATER, SINCE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NORMANDY
Miranda was taking a much-needed rest after working constantly for more than two days. After she checked everything was okay, she retreated back to her quarters alerting Jacob. As soon as she fell on her bed, sleep overcame her because she was happy. Yesterday they had done the impossible. They made his heart start. He is still coma but she believes that he will wake up soon. Now, she was having a rather romantic dream in her sleep but it was disrupted when her omni-tool beeped. Immediately she became alerted. The security is very tight inside the facility but to give peace to her mind, she placed some security measures of her own. This was the matter of John's life and she wasn't ready to compromise anything at all. Now, the signal on her omni-tool is indicating an intruder in the D wing. She immediately informed Jacob and ordered him to report to her, once they find what's going on there. Wasting no time she went to the lab, to see John. Whoever the intruder is, he or she is after John. That she realized pretty quickly because there's nothing else that would draw someone else attention. She looked at his peaceful face, sleeping face and her lips curled slightly. She looked at the heart monitor and it displayed that everything was okay. Before she took her place on the tool to the right side of his operating table, she bent down and kissed his forehead lovingly.
"I am waiting for you, John." She whispered while wiping away the tears from her eyes. ". Please don't give up on me."
The sound of the door opening caught her attention. It was Wilson.
"Wilson, what are you doing here, now?" Miranda asked suspiciously.
"I heard from Jacob, that there is an intruder inside the facility. So, I came here to check on Shepard." Wilson answered.
Miranda narrowed her eyes slightly. His answer didn't satisfy her. Wilson coming of his own accord to make sure that John is, okay? That's pretty strange. Miranda became more suspicious than ever but she didn't say anything. Once Wilson left the lab, she opened a private channel and warned Jacob to keep his eyes on Wilson.
"You suspect that he is a traitor, Miranda?" Jacob asked through comm.
"Just keep your eyes open, Jacob." Miranda ordered.
"Okay." Jacob said and ended the connection.
Miranda let out a tired sigh and placed her head beside John's and fell asleep instantly.
3 -4 MONTHS LATER….
"Wilson is everything okay?" Miranda asked.
"It seems so…" Wilson said.
"Did you check your estimates, as I told you too?"
"Miranda, my estimates are okay. I know what I am doing." Wilson said irritated.
Miranda narrowed her eyes. "Don't talk with me in that tone, Wilson."
Wilson gulped in fear because he knew this woman is unpredictable. She can shoot his brains out any time. "Sorry." He apologized.
Miranda nodded. "We still need to do the last surgery before he wakes up."
"Aye." Wilson agreed and investigated the reports in his hand.
John was aware of someone talking near him but he couldn't recognize the voices. He wanted to open his eyes but they felt heavy like a tank and his body felt strange. His body parts were stiff and he slowly started to feel a tremendous amount of pain all over his body. He gasped and opened his eyes. Someone gasped in surprise. The first thing he saw was a woman. Raven hair, blue eyes, perfect skin. It's her. Miri. His Miri. He could recognize her anywhere. Even under the pain, his eyes widened and his heart rate started to beat rapidly inside his chest.
Miranda was engrossed in the data pad in her hand. Suddenly the alarms went off and she heard a loud gasping noise. She turned towards the operating table and her eyes widened.
John was awake.
"He's reacting outside stimuli. Showing an awareness of his surroundings. Oh my god, Miranda. I think he's waking up." Wilson said and saw that Shepard is looking at him with widened eyes.
"Damn it, Wilson! He's not ready yet. Give him the sedative!" Miranda yelled and rushed towards John. She saw him extending his hand towards her, trying to reach her, to touch her.
Wilson turned around to inject the sedative. He injected the sedative but it wasn't working.
"Heart rate still climbing. Brain activity is off the charts!" Wilson yelled in panic.
Wilson didn't saw something that Miranda saw. The sedative wasn't working because it wasn't even reaching his body. There was a faint biotic aura around his body and she could see that it was preventing the sedative to get inside his body. She needed to calm him down and she knew perfectly well how.
"Wilson get the antidotes and the sedative from the next room. Quickly." Miranda said desperately.
Wilson nodded and ran off to get the medications. As soon as he left Miranda wasted no time in taking John's hands in hers. She saw his eyes were searching his face trying to realize whether it's really her.
"It's me, John. I am here. Calm down. Don't try to move." She said trying to calm him down. But his eyes were asking for something more. She knew what he was trying to ask. "I am not going anywhere. Calm down." She pleaded, kissing his knuckles.
Miranda quickly pulled away from John but didn't let his hands go as Wilson entered.
"Heart rate is climbing down…. The sedative is working." Wilson said.
Miranda already knew that since she saw the biotic aura around his disappeared and the sedative entered his body. "Stats falling back into normal range. We almost lost him." Wilson let out a sigh of relief.
Miranda was beyond furious with Wilson. She tried to calm herself down desperately otherwise she will not be able to stop herself from killing Wilson. "Damn it, Wilson! I told you your estimates were off! Run the numbers again." Miranda ordered and looked at John. His eyes were closed again as he was in his unconsciousness state again.
FEW HOURS LATER
John slowly regained his consciousness. He greeted his teeth as a wave of pain rushed over his body. He could hear yells of people, gunfire at his surroundings. For some time now he could hear someone was calling him in his comm. But he couldn't hear anything as his comm was malfunctioning. After few tries, he made it work.
"John! John! Can you hear me?" John heard a female voice in his comm.
"I can. Who are you?" John asked.
"I am your Mi….. I am Miranda Lawson. This facility is under attack. You need to get out from there." Miranda said in comm. "There's a pistol in the locker on the other side of the room. Hurry!" She paused for a moment. "Looks like they set up a barricade to try holding the mechs off."
John moved forward after grabbing the pistol from the locker. He was unfamiliar with the mechanism of the weapon, so Miranda helped him out over the comm. Loading the clips he stepped forward once Miranda opened the door for him. As soon as he got out from the room, he saw a mech walking towards him with a weapon in its hand. His military training kicked in. With a precise headshot he blew its head off. Following Miranda's instructions, he reached the next room and got assaulted by eight mechs. When he took cover, he felt something strange was pulsing inside his body. Out of instinct he waved his hands towards the mechs and as a result a blue biotic sphere appeared out of nowhere and trapped the mechs. They begin to float helplessly in the air. He could still feel the strange feeling inside his body. He again waved his hand a blue energy left his palm and went towards the sphere, and blasted it with such force that it destroyed all the mechs.
"Nice work, Commander. The coast is clear." John heard Miranda's voice in comm. "Don't waste any time. I can't keep the mechs distracted for long." She warned.
He reached an elevator but before he could take it down, he grabbed a grenade launcher from the floor. "Commander, three mechs are heading towards you." Miranda warned him again.
John looked down and indeed saw three mechs came out from a door. Wasting no time, he blasted them away with the grenade launcher. Next, he took the elevator down and rushed forward. On his way he found some logs.
"Progress is slow, but subject shows no signs of recovery. Major organs are again functional, and there are signs of rudimentary neurological activity. In an effort to accelerate the process, we've moved from simple organic reconstruction of the subject to bio-synthetic fusion. Initial results show promise." Miranda's voice was heard in the log.
"The cost of the subject is astronomical…. Over four billion credits so far. But nobody seems to care that we've gone over the budget. I don't know where the boss gets all his money…. Maybe it's better not to know. I just wish he'd kick a little more in my direction once in a while." Said a man's voice.
"John, there's no time to waste. Hurry!" Miranda's voice sounded in his comm. Next the communication was lost after he heard a gunfire and a sound explosion at Miranda's end. Next it was all static. John did as he was told. Proceeding further he helplessly observed through a glass, a large IMR mech was tearing apart the survivors. He put few bullets on the glass but it was impenetrable. Frustrated he moved forward and reached a door. He could hear sounds of firefight on the opposite side of the door. Unlocking the door, he found a man, who has taken cover behind the railing of the bridge and shooting at the mechs who were on the other side. John rushed and slide to the cover beside him.
The man looked surprised after seeing him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still a work in progress." He asked.
"Are you with Miranda?" John questioned him instead of answering.
He got the hint. "Yeah…. Sorry. I forgot this is all new to you right now. I'm Jacob Taylor…. I've stationed here for….. Wait!" Jacob raised himself from cover and destroyed a mech which was shooting at them. He again slid behind cover and turned to John, "How did you get here?"
"Miranda, directed me here." John answered.
Jacob looked concerned. "Things must be worse than I thought if Miranda's got you running around. I'll fill you in, but we better get you to the shuttle first."
"It's your station, Jacob. I'll follow you." John said.
Before Jacob could answer more mechs arrived and started to shoot at them. Jacob looked towards John, "First things first. Let's finish off these metal bastards… We're low on thermal clips. But I'm a biotic. Just give me the order when you want to hit them with good stuff." John nodded in understanding. They both left the cover and started to pound lead on the mechs. With John's instruction, Jacob pulled two mechs into thin air with his biotics and John finished them off with two headshots. The rest of the mechs were also taken down quickly.
"Ready to get off this station?" Jacob questioned, holstering his pistol.
"Before we go anywhere, I need some answers." John said.
"Sure. What do you want to know?" Jacob asked.
"What's your job here?"
"Depends on who you ask. Technically I am Miranda's top lieutenant. But I'm just a soldier. I served five years in the Alliance before this. Now I'm in charge of the station's security." Jacob answered truthfully.
John carefully looked at Jacob for few seconds. His words seemed to be genuine. But he was curious about Miranda.
"When I first woke up, Miranda was talking to me over the radio. We lost contact just before I ran into you and I think you just said that you are her top lieutenant. Who is she?" John asked.
"Miranda Lawson is the station's ranking officer. She led the Lazarus team. It was her job to bring you back to life, no matter what. Should've guessed she'd try to save you. She worked tirelessly for two years. She's not about to give up on you, now. You said…. You lost contact. Could you tell me what was happening?" John noted hint of concern in Jacob's voice.
"There was a gunfire and an explosion right before I lost her." John answered.
Jacob looked visibly concerned after hearing about Miranda. He looked concerned more than a lieutenant should be for his ranking officer. John deduced that there must be some kind of relationship between Jacob and her which goes past their working relationship. Strangely, he felt jealous. He didn't know why, he just felt stupid. Controlling his emotions, he looked towards Jacob.
"She knows how to take care of herself, but I hope she is okay…." Jacob murmured.
"You said they spent two years rebuilding me. How bad were my injuries?" John asked.
"I'm no doctor, but it was bad. When I first saw you, you were nothing but meat and tubes. Anywhere else they'd have put you in a coffin. But Project Lazarus was different. Cutting-edge technology."
"What do you mean? Cloning? Cybernetics?" John asked calmly but he was horrified inside. He was really dead and now who is he? A clone? Or something much worse than that?
"I don't know the details. You'd have to ask the scientists. But I'm pretty sure you are not a clone. They wanted to bring you back, exactly as you were. You're still you…. You just might have few extra bits and pieces now." Jacob said.
"What can you tell me about the Project? Were there other test subjects?"
"Project Lazarus had only one subject. The whole point was to bring you back. Just you." Jacob said.
John couldn't believe this. The whole purpose of this Project was just to bring him back to live? Spending billions of credits just for him?
In the meantime, Jacob continued, "Even that was a challenge. Two years. All the top scientists. The best technology money could buy."
John nodded in understanding. "Do you know anything about this attack? Who's behind it, what they're after?"
"Only if I knew. I was getting ready for some shut eye… then, bam. Bunch of explosions. Next thing I know, every damn mech in the place starts shooting…. At us. I'm guessing it had to be an inside job. You'd need top security access to hack all the mechs."
John let out a sigh and rubbed his face. He immediately grimaced in pain. Then he thought about the crews of the Normandy SR 1. The last thing he remembered was getting spaced and being suffocating and then….. nothing.
"The last thing I remember is the Normandy blowing up. Did anyone else make it?"
"Just about everybody survived. A few servicemen from the lower decks didn't get out. Navigator Pressly was killed by an explosion. But everybody else, including the non-Alliance crew – the asari, Liara, and the quarian….. they all made it out alive."
John released a sigh of relief. At least his friends are still alive.
"Do you know what any of them are doing now?"
"I don't know, Commander. It's been two years. They've moved on. Left the Alliance. Could be anywhere."
"They were my team. If they knew I was alive, they'd come back."
"Maybe you can track them down after we get off the station." He paused and added, "If we get off the station."
"What's the quickest way to the shuttles?"
"Depends where the mechs are thickest. It's probably best if we…" Jacob trailed off as his radio chattered.
"Check. Check. Anyone on this frequency? Anybody still alive out there? Hello?" A familiar male voice was heard. John had heard this voice before. It is the same male voice, he heard in the update logs.
"Wilson? This is Jacob. I'm here with Commander Shepard. Just took out a wave of mechs over in D Wing." Jacob answered the radio call.
"Shepard's alive? How the hell…. Never mind. You need to get him out of there. Get to the service tunnels and head for the network control room."
"Roger that, Wilson. Stay on this frequency." Jacob said.
"Who's this Wilson?" John asked. He didn't like the way Wilson asked about him. It sounded like Wilson was disappointed to hear that he is alive.
"He's the chief medical tech. Answers directly to Miranda. Come on, the service tunnels are this way." Jacob said while moving towards a door. John followed him.
SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER, AT OTHER SIDE OF THE STATION
Miranda was both happy and tired. She was happy because he just woke up. He is alive. There can be no better news than this. At least to her. She was almost jumping in joy because he was alive and also at the success of her hard work for two years. She can't wait to talk to him, after he wakes up. But now she is beyond tired. She hasn't slept for three days in a row. She was asleep as soon she hit the bed.
She didn't know how much time has passed when she woke up from a huge explosion. Alarmed, she went outside her room, only to get attacked by the mechs. She quickly took cover behind a large crate. She tried to understand why the mechs were shooting at her while searching for a weapon. Her eyes fell on a pistol which was lying a few feet away from her on the floor. She flared up her biotics and attacked the two mechs in front of her. They were shredded to pieces instantly. She quickly picked up the gun and tried to get to the lab. But the alarm in her omni-tool suggested that the lab is almost breached. There's no way she can reach there in time. So, she did the only thing she could. She tried to wake John up over the radio. She called him desperately but there was no answer. She almost gave up and considered to go to the lab but suddenly her radio came alive and she heard his voice. His voice. She couldn't explain her feelings when she heard his voice for the first time after two years. Pushing her emotions away at the back of her mind, she tried to guide him out of there. She maintained radio contact with him for continuously until a shot from gun destroyed the radio. She whirled around and her eyes widened. It was a IMR mech and those things are difficult to take down, especially with the weapon she has now. She was wondering how to get out alive, then her eyes fell on something. The mech was standing just beside two explosive crates. Giving it no opportunity, she shot the crates. The explosion caused the mech's system to malfunction and it started to stagger. Seeing the opportunity, Miranda slipped past it quickly.
She hoped that he got out of there and possibly met Jacob. The two of them will be safe. But first, she needed to find out who is behind this massacre. She knew that it was only possible for someone with top security clearance to hack the mechs and she will find out who it was. Then… she will kill him or her, whoever it is. Watching her surroundings and making sure that she was safe for the moment she activated her omni-tool. She checked all the cameras in the station but they were disabled before the attack began. Frustrated, she started to check the hidden cameras she planted herself. Only she has the knowledge about them. She checked them one by one but they were all disabled. Someone had already sabotaged them. At that moment her omni toll beeped. It was a voice message on a secured channel.
"Miranda, I hope I am not late. But you have a traitor among your people. Specifically, among the ones who are directly responsible for bringing John back alive. His name is Wilson, he is a Shadow Broker agent. He is tasked to kill John. – Liara."
Miranda's eyes narrowed in anger. She never liked Wilson, nor did she trust him even for a moment. She even voiced her concern to the Illusive Man, but Illusive Man insisted that Wilson is one of the best out there. And, Miranda needed the best for the success of the Project. Miranda realized Wilson made no move since the beginning of the project because she had her eyes on him always and at that point, they were not sure that they could bring John back. But now…
Bastard, she will kill him once she gets her hands on him. The traitor tried to get her John killed and she can never forgive that. With fury in her eyes, she went to find the traitor and once she gets rid of the traitor, she will find John. While moving she tapped some command on her omni-tools quickly.
CURRENT TIME
John and Jacob reached near the control room. Their path wasn't easy. Every corner of the station was crawling with mechs. They were maintaining radio contact with Wilson. He was guiding them to his location. But suddenly he begins to call for help, "Oh, God! They found me! Help!"
"Wilson? Where are you?" Jacob said.
"Server Room B! Hurry! They are out of control!" Wilson yelled desperately.
"Up those stairs, Commander!" Jacob said.
They both hurried up the stairs and they heard Wilson's voice again, "Oh, God! I'm hit! They shot me!"
When they reached the server room, John saw a bald man hiding behind cover while clutching a wound on his leg. There were two mechs. Before Jacob could react, he shot them down in the blink of an eye.
"Jacob. Shepard. Down here." Wilson called them. "Bastards got me in the leg." He complained.
John saw a medigel on the wall. He took it and gave it to Wilson. That was enough for him to walk around.
"Thanks, Shepard. Never thought you'd save my life. Guess that makes us even now. I thought I could shut down the security mechs. But whoever did this fried the whole system. Completely irreversible." Wilson said.
"We didn't ask what you were doing. Why do you even have security mech clearance? You were in the bio wing." Jacob enquired.
"Weren't you listening? I came here to try and fix this. Besides, I was shot! How do you explain that?"
"You're all strangers to me. Let's get someplace safe, then we'll sort out whose fault it is." John suggested.
"Right, Shepard. We need to find Miranda. We can't leave her behind." Jacob said.
"Forget about Miranda. She was over in D wing. The mechs were all over that sector. There's no way she survived." Wilson protested.
"A bunch of mechs won't drop Miranda. She's alive." Jacob argued.
"Then where is she? Why haven't we heard from her?" Wilson challenged Jacob. "There are only two possible explanations, she's either dead or she's the traitor." Wilson suggested.
Miranda is a traitor? No, she cannot be. John thought. She was doing her very best to keep him alive, if she really wanted him dead, she would've done so long ago. There was no need to wake him up and guide him around the station.
"I don't see why she would do that." John protested immediately. "From what I've heard from Jacob, she worked last two years, bringing me back. If her intention was to kill me, she could've made the Lazarus project a failure and none could've blamed her. Also, she would've never guided me around the station to keep me alive."
Wilson realized he was receiving both angry stares from Shepard and Jacob. None of them believed even for a second that Miranda could be a traitor.
"Okay, maybe she is not a traitor. But she is more likely dead. If we wait for her, we will lose our chance of escaping this goddamn station or get overwhelmed by mechs." Wilson tried to reason with both John and Jacob.
"I don't leave my team behind, Wilson. That's not my style." John whispered coldly. He placed a finger on Wilson's chest and easily pushed him back against a wall. "For all I know, you can be a traitor, Wilson."
"What? You saw I was shot. You helped me…" Wilson argued back.
"I don't trust any of you yet. We will determine who's the traitor later. First, we have to search for Miranda, then get the hell out of here." John ordered.
"Aye, aye, Commander." Jacob falls in line, without wasting anytime.
Jacob realized he needed to tell the truth to the Commander. "Shepard, if I tell you who we work for, will you trust me? The Lazarus Project, the program that rebuilt you… it's funded and controlled by Cerberus." Jacob revealed to John.
Cerberus? Why would Cerberus be so interested in bringing back a human back alive? They were desperate enough to spend billions of credits and huge number of resources. "Why did they try to revive me?"
"I don't know, Commander. That answer is above my pay grade. The Alliance declared you dead. They gave up. Cerberus spent a fortune to bring you back. Look I'd be suspicious too. But right now, we have to work together. I thought you deserved to know what's what. Once we are off the station, I'll take you to the Illusive Man. He'll explain everything, I promise." Jacob explained.
"Well, if I won't get any more answers here, let's get moving." John said. He started to trust Jacob a bit but Wilson didn't seem trustworthy. So, he kept his eyes open.
After few minutes of moving and destroying several more mechs they were near the shuttle.
"Come on. Through here. We're almost at the…" Wilson called them while opening a door. But he stopped when the door opened and he came face to face with a woman. The woman's expression was gentle, but it immediately turned into anger once she spotted Wilson. Wasting no time, she shot him point blank in his head.
"What the hell are you doing?" Jacob said after running to Miranda.
"My job. Wilson betrayed us all." She replied coldly.
"I had a feeling Wilson was just looking for a chance to shoot me in the back." John said. He saw the woman turn towards him. He carefully observed her. She has raven hair with a pair of beautiful blue eyes, pale face and her skin was flawless. Her physical features were perfect. It was screaming for attention. She is beautiful. She looked like an angel. But there was a sudden air of coldness surrounding her. He saw her expression softened when she looked him in his eyes.
Miranda thought John would run to her and take her in his arms at first sight. Sure, he'd be able to recognize her. She didn't change that much for him not to recognize her. But with concern, she found no sign of recognition in his eyes. This confused her.
Maybe he is trying to compose himself in front of Jacob? She found no other explanation other than that.
"Good instinct." She praised him, getting out of her thought. "Some people are far too trusting to ever see that coming." She added looking at Jacob. She again turned towards John. "Come on, let's grab a shuttle and get out of here. My boss wants to speak with you."
"You mean the Illusive Man? I know you work for Cerberus." John asked.
At his revelation there was a strange expression on her face. She was looking…. Uncomfortable? John thought. But she schooled her expression pretty quickly and looked at Jacob, "Ah, Jacob. I should've known your conscience would get the better of you."
"Lying to the Commander isn't the way to get him join our cause." Jacob defended himself.
"Well, since we're getting everything out in the open, is there anything else you want to ask before we go, Commander?" She asked.
"Where were you during the attack?" John asked her.
"Besides trying to save your life? Wilson figured out I was helping you, and he sent a couple of mechs to take me out. I got here as soon as I could. Probably a little too soon, if you ask Wilson."
"What about the rest of the people on the station?"
"This is the evac area. If they're not here now, they're not coming."
"Okay. So, where we are going now?"
"Another Cerberus facility. The Illusive Man is waiting for you there."
"Let's go."
FEW MINUTES LATER, INSIDE THE SHUTTLE
Miranda was sitting opposite of John, beside Jacob. She was observing him carefully. She saw he was looking outside the window, staring towards the dark space. He wasn't even looking at her. Is he disgusted? Did he hate her? Her heart broke at those thoughts. She cleared her mind and requested him to answer some questions about his past life to check his memory. He agreed. To her relief, he answered them correctly. She nodded, satisfied, partially.
AT THE CERBERUS STATION
The shuttle landed in another Cerberus station. John observed it. It looked smaller than the previous one. Miranda was already gone but Jacob was there with him.
"The Illusive Man is here? This station isn't looking like it is heavily secured." John questioned Jacob.
"The Illusive Man wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. Maybe he is here. But I don't know for sure." Jacob answered.
He entered the facility with Jacob following him. There he found Miranda. She was typing in a computer when they entered. She looked up at the sound of the door opening. Their eyes met and maybe for a fraction of second, John felt a connection with her. He couldn't figure out why he was feeling like….. that he knew her, for a long time. She averted her eyes away from his and concentrated on the computer.
"The Illusive Man is waiting for you in the next room." She gestured the stairways to her left.
"That's it? Like that? Aren't you going to take away my weapons?" John asked.
"No." Came the curt reply.
They are going to let me met their boss without securing my weapons? Strange…. Maybe the Illusive Man really isn't here. He will talk through a terminal or something like that. John thought. Descending the stairs, he reached a small dark room with only a table and a small disk on the floor. He stepped on the disk and instantly an orange cylindrical light rose up from the disk towards his head. As soon as the light reached past his eyes, he no longer saw a small dark room instead he saw a very large dark room with tall shadows created by the star directly in front of him. There was a man sitting on a chair and smoking a cigar.
So, this is Miranda's boss, the head of Cerberus – The Illusive man. John thought.
"Commander Shepard." The Illusive man greeted him.
"I thought we'd be meeting face to face." John said.
"A necessary precaution. Not unusual for people who know what you and I know."
"What exactly is that 'you and I know'?"
"That our place in the universe is more fragile than we'd like to think. That one man, one very specific man, might be all that stands between humanity and the greatest threat of our brief existence."
"The Reapers."
"Good to see your memories still intact. How are you feeling?"
"I noticed a few upgrades. I hope you didn't replace anything really important."
"We tried to keep you as intact as possible. We need Shepard, just as you were when you defeated Sovereign."
"What are the Reapers doing that you decided to bring me back?"
The Illusive Man let out a sigh and stood up from his chair. He looked towards the star. "We're at war. No one wants to admit it, but humanity is under attack. While you've been sleeping, entire colonies have been disappearing. Human colonies. We believe it's someone working for the Reapers. Just as Saren and geth aided Sovereign. You've seen it yourself. You bested all of them. That's just one reason we chose you." The Illusive Man paused and released a puff of smoke.
"Sovereign was trying to harvest all life in the galaxy. Why would the Reapers target a few human colonies?" John asked.
"Hundreds of thousands of colonies have vanished. I'd say that fits the definition of 'harvesting'. Nobody's paying attention because it's random and the attacks occur in remote locations. I don't know why they've suddenly targeted humanity. Maybe you got their attention when you killed one of them."
"If this is a threat against humanity, you need to mobilize the Alliance."
"They suffered substantial losses fighting Sovereign. They're rebuilding, still stretched too thin to waste resources verifying the Reaper threat. Blaming the abductions on mercs and pirates is easier and more convenient."
"Fighting a war doesn't seem like Cerberus. Why are you involved?"
"We are committed to the advancement and preservation of humanity. If the reapers are targeting us, trying to wipe us out, Cerberus will stop them. If we wait for the politicians or the Alliance to act….. no more human colonies will be left."
"You could have trained an entire army for what you spent to bring me back." John stated.
"You're unique. 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. And I don't know if the reapers understand fear, but you killed one. They have to respect that."
"If what you say is true….. if the Reapers are behind this….. I'd consider helping you."
"I'd be disappointed if you accepted any of this without seeing for yourself. I have a shuttle ready to take you to Freedom's Progress, the latest colony to be abducted. Miranda and Jacob will brief you."
"I'll get what you're looking for and be back before you know it."
"Good to hear it. Find any clues you can. Who's abducting the colonies? Do they have any connection to the Reapers? I brought you back. It's up to you to do the rest."
John stepped back from the disk on the ground and he was back in the small dark room again. He came back to Jacob and Miranda.
"I'm glad the Illusive Man convinced you to join us, Commander." Jacob greeted.
"I just want to find out what happened to those missing people. I still don't trust Cerberus." John replied honestly.
"Noted. Do you trust me, Commander?"
"You're a good man, Jacob. But you might be working for the wrong people."
"But I thought the same when I was with the Alliance. That's why I am here now."
"You said you served in the Alliance?"
"Five years in total. Stationed all over the galaxy. Even spent a couple of years as a Corsair."
"I've never heard of the Corsairs."
"It was an Alliance initiative. They hired independent star ship captains and used them for missions that fell outside official Alliance jurisdiction. Technically, we weren't part of the Alliance. If we ever got caught, they could disavow any knowledge of us. We were supposed to be free from restrictions and rules, but there was still enough red tape to sink a cruiser. I finally just gave up."
"Why did you join Cerberus?"
"I guess I just got tired of never making a difference. So much of what we did in the Alliance seemed pointless. I thought things would change after the attack on the Citadel. Humanity was finally invited to join the Council. But nothing changed. Politics. Bureaucracy. Same bullshit, different leaders. Cerberus is different. When colonies go missing, we don't commission a team to write a report to figure out what the hell to do about it. We just go and find out." Jacob explained.
"What can you tell me about the colony we're going to?"
This time Miranda answered for Jacob. "Freedom's Progress? It's a typical human settlement in the Terminus Systems. They had a small military force for protections supplemented by mechs and security drones. Average in almost every way, really. Completely unremarkable…. Until the disappearance."
"Any thoughts on what we might run into there?"
"A lot of empty buildings and one giant mystery." She replied.
John nodded and stepped away from her. Every time he is near her or looked into her eyes, he felt a strange connection with this woman. But why? He doesn't even know her.
"Let's move out and find out what's going on out there and who's behind these abductions." John said and followed Jacob to the shuttle.
Miranda watched him go with sadness in her eyes.
You are Miranda Lawson. You don't give up, ever. Her inner self told her.
It is true. She is Miranda Lawson. She has done the impossible by bringing a dead man back to live and now, she can't just give up on him now. It will hurt to stay near him and act as just a professional partner. But she will do it. She will stay with him in every step and help him in his mission. She will remain strong, for him. With determination in her eyes, she followed them to the shuttle.
FREEDOM'S PROGRESS
Miranda and Jacob were sitting side by side on the shuttle observing the Commander. Since boarding the shuttle he hasn't uttered a single word. He was unusually quiet. Miranda wondered, what is going on in his mind right now. His gaze was towards the stars, a look of confusion was evident on his face. Jacob slightly nudged her with his elbow to get her attention. She raised her eyebrow in a questioning manner. In reply, he gestured towards John.
Miranda decided to get John's attention. "We should be there shortly, Shepard. The Illusive Man has put us under your command. Do you have any orders?"
John finally looked at Miranda. "What did you find at the other colonies?"
"Nothing. No signs of attack, no corpses. Not even a trace of unusual genetic material to give us a clue. They just disappear and we've got no target to go after." Jacob replied.
John nodded in understanding. Then his eyes fell on Miranda. The two of them are officially under his command now. He saw that Jacob has no problem in following his orders or work together as a team but with Miranda, he didn't know. Her attitude is cold and he figured out from her behaviour she is an independent person who likes to work alone. If she has problem in following his commands during the battle, all of them will get endangered. So, he had to make sure. "Are you sure you'll be comfortable following my orders?"
"We didn't bring you back from the dead just to second – guess you, Commander. If the Illusive Man says you're in charge, you're in charge." Came Jacob's honest reply.
Miranda realized that John has asked the question to both of them, but it was meant for her. She couldn't blame him; anyone would be asking her who saw her cold mask. "As I said before Commander, the Illusive man has put me under your command and I am ready to follow you wherever you lead us." I am ready to follow you to hell. She thought in her mind.
"What makes you think that this investigation will turn up anything new?" John asked looking at Jacob. Miranda is no fool. She could realize that John is avoiding her purposefully. That hurts.
"At other colonies, official investigators got there first. Sometimes looters or salvage teams as well. We're hoping to be the first ones there this time. Maybe find clues before somebody else disturbs the scene." Jacob explained.
"Our first priority will be looking for survivors." John said.
"That's unlikely, Commander. No one was left at the other colonies. They were completely deserted." Miranda said.
"It will be nice to find somebody. Anything's better than another ghost town." Jacob added.
SOMETIME LATER
The shuttle has dropped them at the colony few minutes ago and since then, they are looking for survivors or any clues. But there was nothing they could find. They found uneaten foods, radio still playing songs. But there was no sign of struggle or fighting.
"Looks like everyone just got up and left right in the middle of dinner." Jacob said.
"Strange. No bodies. No structural damage. No signs of battle." Miranda murmured.
It was true what Miranda said. They have been searching for so long and they found nothing at all. They found a large door in front of them. Luckily it was unlocked. The door chimed open at Miranda's touch. There were mechs present behind the door. At the sight of them, the machines started to fire on them. Jacob and Miranda slid behind the low wall, while John stayed beside the door.
"Strange. Security systems were disabled at other colonies." Miranda said. She sent an overload blast at one of the mechs. It shuddered and blew apart at Miranda's attack. Jacob used his biotics to pull one mech towards him. John took it down with few shots from his pistol. To their right side a door opened and more mechs came out. Biotics and tech attacks combined with gun power was enough to take down the machines within a minute.
"Those mechs shouldn't have been hostile. They should have recognized us as humans." Jacob said.
"Someone reprogrammed them to attack on sight. We're not alone here." Miranda concluded.
John nodded and realized that she was right. Someone is indeed here. Maybe this someone has some clues about the strange disappearance of the humans from the colonies. They halted in front of a door which will give them access to a room. They heard faint voices coming from inside.
"Survivors?" Jacob asked Miranda.
"Maybe. Maybe not." She replied.
"Miranda, can you open this door?" John asked.
She nodded. John and Jacob took cover at the sides of the door while Miranda worked on unlocking the door. Within a minute she unlocked it and the two of them walked in with their guns raised. There were several armed quarians inside the room. They also raised their guns at the two of them. Miranda stepped beside John and raised her SMG at the quarians.
"Stop right there!" One of the quarian soldier warned.
"Prazza! You said you'd let me handle this!" Came a familiar female voice from behind the quarian soldiers. "Wait…. John?" The female quarian asked in disbelief.
"Tali!? What are you doing here?" John asked, happy to see an old friend.
"I'm not taking any chances with Cerberus operatives!" Prazza denied to hear Tali's order.
"Put those weapons down!" Tali yelled angrily at Prazza. Then, she slowly turned towards John. "John? Is that…. You're alive?" Tali asked. She couldn't believe her eyes. The friend whom she thought to be dead for more than two years is standing alive, right in front of her, looking perfectly healthy.
"Cerberus rebuilt me, Tali. In return they asked me to investigate the attacks on human colonies." John said.
"You'll pardon us for not taking you at your word, Cerberus. Give me your guns or….." Prazza threatened them with his gun pointed directly at Miranda. But she was unfazed by his threat.
Tali was frustrated and angry with Prazza. She knew she had made a mistake by bringing him in this mission. She wanted to dissolve the situation but there was a lingering doubt in her mind also. Is it really him? How can, I be sure? I can't trust Cerberus but the Cerberus woman…. I swear I saw her somewhere. But where? She turned towards John for help and her eyes widened. He has stepped directly in front of Miranda and was looking at Prazza. His eyes were flashing with blue colour and a faint blue aura has started to form around him.
"Put your gun down." John said in a cold voice, lowering his own gun. Jacob saw it too and he was too shocked to say anything. Before the situation turns bad, Tali stepped in front of Prazza and whisked the gun away from his hand.
"I ordered you to stand down, Prazza!" Tali warned the quarian soldier. He bowed his head and stepped back. "This is definitely, Commander Shepard!"
Miranda decided to calm the situation. "We're well within our rights to investigate attacks on human colony. I'd like to know what the quarians are doing here." She said in a calm manner.
"One of our people was here on Pilgrimage. His name was Veetor. We came to find him." Tali replied.
"Isn't that a little strange? A quarian visiting a remote human colony?" John asked.
"Quarians can choose where they go on pilgrimage. Veetor liked the idea of helping a small settlement. He was always…. Nervous in crowds." Tali said.
"She means that he was unstable. Combine that with damage to his suit's CO2 scrubbers and an infection from open-air exposure, and he's likely delirious." Prazza added.
"When he saw us landing, he hid in a warehouse on the far side of town. We suspect he also programmed mechs to attack anything that moved." Tali said.
"Veetor's the only one who can tell us what happened here. We should work together to find him." John made the suggestion.
"Good idea. You'll need two teams to get past the drones, anyway." Tali said.
"Now we're working with Cerberus?" Prazza asked in disbelief.
"No, Prazza, you're working for me. If you can't follow orders, go wait on the ship." Tali warned Prazza and turned to John. "Head for the warehouse through the centre of the colony. We'll circle around the far side and draw off some of the drones to clear your path."
"Make sure to keep in radio contact." John said.
"Will do. Good luck, John. Whatever happens….. it's good to have you back." Tali said looking at John. Her squad moved out but she lingered behind. At the end she couldn't take it anymore. She rushed towards John and hugged him tightly. John hugged her back. He felt extremely happy to see Tali again. Tali pulled away and before she left, she said in a teasing tone, "Don't die again, John. Or I will kill you this time."
John chuckled. "I will try."
Tali shook her head and left. During this time no one noticed Miranda clenched her fist in anger, even though her face remained impassive.
The three of them pushed ahead and as Tali predicted they were ambushed by several security drones. The drones had powerful rockets which was dangerous.
"Miranda, take their shields down!" John said. She nodded and with a few taps on her omni-tool she drained away the shield from one of the drones. John finished it off with rapid fire from his assault rifle.
"Damn! We need better guns!" Jacob complained. John threw his shotgun at Jacob to give him more fire power.
"Keep firing." John said. With great difficulty they were able to destroy the remaining drones.
"These weapons are useless. We need better." Miranda also complained.
"Yeah! But for now, we don't have a choice." John said.
Suddenly his radio came alive and they heard Tali's voice, "John! Prazza and his squad rushed on ahead. I told them to wait, but they wouldn't listen! They want to find Veetor and take him away before you get here!"
"We should have expected this." Miranda murmured.
"Come on! We can still catch them." Jacob said.
They rushed towards the warehouse and more drones appeared when they reached there. They heard Tali's voice in the radio while fighting the drones. "Hurry, John! We're inside the loading docks. Veetor has reprogrammed a heavy mech! It's tearing Prazza's squad apart!"
"Those idiots!" Jacob said.
"They did want to get to Veetor first." Miranda said and took down one drone with overload.
"Get your squad into cover and I'll open the loading bay doors." Tali said.
"We'll take cover by the doors. Shepard, you take point." Miranda said when all the drones were destroyed.
They took cover and John informed Tali that they were ready. She opened the door for them and saw several dead bodies of the Prazza's squad lying on the ground. The heavy mech was busy firing at the remaining quarians.
"The mech's got heavy armor plating. Those quarians never stood a chance." Jacob said.
"This is going to be one tough son of a bitch to take down." Miranda warned.
John saw the mech has pinned down several of the quraian soldiers. He fired at the mech trying to distract it and it worked. The mech turned its attention on the three of them leaving the quarians alone. Bullets, biotics and tech attacks flew towards the mech but they weren't enough to take it down.
"That thing has heavy shield." Miranda said.
"Can you take it down?" John asked.
"I can. But it won't be easy." Miranda replied.
"Do what you can." John said. "Jacob and I will try to distract it for you."
According to the plan John and Jacob tried to flank it without exposing themselves. The trick worked. The mech turned its attention away from Miranda. The mech fired its machine gun on John pinning him behind cover. John knew that the cover won't hold for long under the attack of the heavy machine gun. So, he decided to switch cover and signalled Jacob to distract it. Jacob grabbed its attention by firing a shot from his shotgun. John saw the opportunity and tried to jump to the next cover. But when he came out from the cover and was about to ran towards the next cover, his body suddenly jerked in pain. He fell to the ground with a groan. He felt as if his body is on fire. He could hear Jacob and Miranda yelling at him but his body was unresponsive from the pain.
Miranda saw John suddenly fell on the ground exposing himself to the mech. "Jacob get its attention. It must not see the Commander." She yelled and started to walk towards John.
"Miranda! Don't!" Jacob warned which she ignored. Unfortunately, the mech saw her and fired a rocket. Luckily it missed her as the rocket impacted on the ground a few feet from her but the force of the blast threw her away and crush against the container with a sickening thud.
"Miranda!" Jacob yelled in panic. But Miranda was dizzy from the impact and she couldn't lift herself from the ground. Jacob fired on the mech to get its attention but it didn't turn its attention away from Miranda.
John heard Jacob yelling Miranda's name. He opened his eyes in slits while trying to minimize the pain. What he saw made his body shiver. The mech was almost near Miranda and she was sitting on the floor with her eyes closed. Something snapped inside him. He felt the pain disappear and could see his hands started to glow with a blue aura. He felt in his heart that he must save this woman at all cost. Nothing else matters except her.
With the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of the mech, with his whole body glowing with biotics. Jacob's jaw dropped. Seeing a target so close the mech swung one of its hands at him, aiming to crush him with one blow. He easily blocked the mech's blow with his hand. He grabbed its hand and tear it apart from the mech's body easily. John hit the mech with its own arm. The mech staggered back from the blow. It raised the machine gun in its left hand to destroy its enemy. John didn't give his enemy any chance. He jumped on its shoulder and with a mighty blow his hand went through the mech's head. Sparks flew and the mech fell on the ground after stumbling for a few seconds. Slowly its power died and it became still on the ground.
Jacob was still fixed on his spot with his mouth wide open. What he saw was unimaginable. He looked at the Commander again. Shepard easily picked up Miranda's unconscious form in his arms gently. When he looked his eyes were normal again. Jacob walked towards the quarians who were hiding from the mech and John followed. He lay Miranda beside the other injured quarians gently.
"Tali, look after her." He said in a grave voice. Tali nodded and began to check on Miranda. Leaving her there, he and Jacob entered the room where Veetor is. After entering they saw a quarian sitting on a chair with his back turned away from them in front of several screens. The screens were playing several video footages and the quarian was mumbling something to himself, "Monsters coming back. Mechs will protect. Safe from swarms. Have to hide. No monsters. No swarms. No—no-no-no-no."
"Veetor?" John called.
"No Veetor. Not here. Swarms can't find. Monsters coming. Have to hide." Veetor said.
"Nobody's going to hurt you anymore." John said in a gentle tone. But John got no response.
"I don't think he can hear you, Commander." Jacob said.
Suddenly the screens in front of him turned off, all at once. That got his attention. John heard footsteps beside him. Miranda came inside while tapping on her omni-tool. "That will get his attention." Miranda said.
Veetor stood up on his chair and turned to them. "You're human. Where did you hide? How come they didn't find you?"
"Who didn't find us?" Miranda asked.
"The…. The monsters. The swarms. They took everyone." Veetor said.
"Why didn't the colonists fight back, Veetor? What happened?" John asked.
"You don't know. You didn't see. But I see everything." Veetor said and activated the screens where a video started to play.
The three of them came near the screens and watched carefully. "Looks like security footage. He must've pieced it together manually." Miranda said.
"What the hell is that?" Jacob got the others attention. The two of them looked where Jacob was looking. On the footage a creature was visible. It was pushing some kind of life pod away.
"It's a collector." Miranda said.
"Is that some kind of alien?" John asked.
"They're a species from somewhere beyond the Omega 4 relay. Only a few people have ever seen one in person." Jacob said.
"They usually work through intermediaries, like slavers or hired mercenaries. If they're involved with the Reapers somehow, it could explain what happened to the colonies." Miranda explained.
"The Collectors have advanced technology. They could have a weapon that disables an entire settlement at once." Jacob said.
"The seeker swarms. No one can hide. The seekers find you. Freeze you. Then the monsters take you away." Veetor answered.
"Wait! Miranda rewind the video." John said when he saw something on the screen. Miranda did as he said. "Stop right there. Zoom it!" John said. "There! See it?"
"What is that?" Jacob said.
"It looks like some kind of insect. Except it's mechanical." Miranda said looking carefully.
"These things are the seekers." Veetor revealed.
John turned to him. "Why didn't the Collectors take you?"
"Swarms didn't find me. Monsters didn't know I was here." Veetor said.
"The Collectors aren't known for being careless. Maybe his enviro-suit kept him from showing up on their sensors." Jacob said.
"Or they were using technology specifically designed to detect humans. Only human colonies have been hit." Miranda guessed.
"Tell me more about these swarms." John asked Veetor.
"It's how they find you. Seeker clouds. Machines like tiny insects. They go everywhere. They find you. Then they sting you. Freeze you." Veetor explained.
"Sounds like miniature probes, maybe. Find victims, then immobilize them with a stasis field or nerve toxin." Miranda said.
"What happened next?" John asked Veetor.
"The monsters took the people onto the ship, and then they left. The ship flew away. But they'll be back for me. No one escapes!" Veetor said.
"I think that's probably all we're getting out of him, Commander." Jacob said.
"We appreciate what you told us. You were very helpful." John thanked Veetor.
"I studied them. The monsters. The swarms. I recorded them with my omni-tool. Lots of readings. Electro-magnetic. Dark energy." Veetor revealed.
Miranda turned to John. "We need to get this data to the Illusive Man. Grab the quarian and call the shuttle to come pick us up."
At that time, the door behind them opened and Tali came in. "What? Veetor is injured! He needs treatment, not an interrogation!" Tali protested.
"We won't hurt him. We just need to see if he knows anything else. He'll be returned unharmed." Jacob said.
"Your people tried to betray us once already. If we give him to you, we'll never get the intel we need." Miranda added.
"Prazza was an idiot, and he and his men paid for it. You're welcome to take Veetor's omni-tool data, but please. Just let me take him."
"You don't have to take Veetor and go. We could work together. Just like old times." John said.
"I want to, but I can't. I've got a mission of my own. It's too important for me to abandon, even for you. When it's over, and I'm still alive, we'll see what happens." Tali said.
"That sounds dangerous. What are you doing?" John asked.
"I don't think Cerberus needs to hear about it. But it's in geth space. That should tell you how important it is." Tali said glaring at the two Cerberus operatives.
John turned to Miranda. "He's traumatized and he needs medical care. Tali will give us the omni-tool data and take him to the Flotilla.
"Understood, Commander." Miranda said.
"Thank you, John. I'm glad you're still the one giving the orders. Good luck out there. If I find anything that can help you, I'll let you know." Tali said and left with Veetor.
BACK AT THE CERBERUS STATION
On their way back to the Cerberus station, Miranda noticed the scars on John's face has disappeared completely. She wondered how it happened.
When they reached the station, John came to her. "I appreciate what you did for me, Miranda. If it wasn't for you, I would have been dead, again."
Miranda unintentionally blushed at his appreciation. "From what I heard I think we saved each other, Commander." She replied calmly trying to hide her blush that was creeping up her neck. "But I want to know what exactly happened to you back there."
"I…I don't know really. I was okay, then all of a sudden, I felt excruciating pain inside my whole body. My vision turned black and I just…" John tried to explain as best he could.
Miranda was concerned. Was it the cybernetics they used to rebuild him? She needed to be sure. "I have to run a full body scan, Commander. It is important."
"Sure. Tell me what to do." John said.
"Follow me." Miranda said. They came inside a medical lab and Miranda requested him to lie down on the bed. He did as she said.
Miranda started scanning his body from head to toe. Seeing the scan results, she was dumbstruck. How is this possible? She thought. She tried to think of any possible theories but couldn't think of any. She checked the scan results again. There was no trace of cybernetics parts in his body which they used to revive him. They just disappeared from his body and even without them he looks perfectly healthy. The scan result shows it.
A NEW BEGINNING
"Shepard. Good work on Freedom's Progress." The Illusive Man greeted. "The quarians forwarded their findings from Veetor's debriefing. No new data, but it's a surprising olive branch, given our history. You and I have different methods, but I can't argue with your results."
"The data from his omni-tool should be quite useful." John said.
"We're still analysing it. But more importantly, you confirmed the Collectors are behind the abductions." The Illusive Man responded.
"You are saying 'confirmed'. Why I get the feeling that you already knew about them?"
"I had my suspicions. But I needed proof. The Collectors are enigmatic at best. They periodically travel to the Terminus Systems, looking to gather seemingly unimportant items or specimens. Usually in exchange of their technology. When their transactions are complete, they disappear as quickly as they arrived, back beyond the unmapped Omega 4 relay. Until now, we've had no evidence of direct aggression by the Collectors."
"Why is the Omega 4 relay unmapped? What do we know about it?"
"Only that no ship passing through it has ever returned. Our best guess is that the relay reacts differently to Collector vessels, allowing them safe passage. If they can manipulate relays, that's just further evidence of the connection with the Reapers."
"Any ideas on why they've shifted their focus to humans?"
"If they're agents for the Reapers, it could be any number of reasons. Obviously, humanity played a huge role in Sovereign's destruction. That might have been enough to draw their attention. What really concerns me is why they bother abducting the colonists. Once the humans are paralyzed, why not just kill them?"
"What are the Collectors getting from these deals?"
"The Collectors aren't very forthcoming about their motives. Generally, they seek out species with rare genetic mutations or abnormalities. They pay slavers and merc groups exorbitant sums to obtain these specimens. And then they leave. But they've never targeted a single species before. And the previous sample sizes were in the dozens, not the tens of thousands."
"The Collectors are definitely a human enemy, but how do we know there's a connection to the Reapers?"
"Their focus shifted to humanity only after you and the human fleet destroyed Sovereign. The abductions are related, even if the Alliance and the Council refuse to believe it. I won't wait until the Reapers are on the march. We need to take the fight to them."
"I hate waiting, but I'll need a team. A good one." John said.
"I've already compiled a list of soldiers, scientists and mercenaries. You'll get dossiers on the best of them. Finding them and convincing them to work with you could be challenging, but you're a natural leader. I'll continue to track the Collectors. When they make their next appearance, I'll notify you and your team. Be ready."
"Keep your list. I want people I trust – the ones who helped me stop Saren and the geth." John protested.
"That was two years ago, Commander. Most of them have moved on… or their allegiances have changed." The Illusive Man revealed.
"Where's Ashley Williams?" John asked.
"She's still with the Alliance. Promoted, I believe. Her file is surprisingly well-classified. Same goes for Lieutenant Alenko."
"Where's Urdnot Wrex?"
"He returned to Tuchanka and hasn't gone off-world in over a year. He's trying to unite the krogan clans."
"What about Tali? She already helped us on Freedom's progress."
"That was unexpected. I need more intel before I'll commit to that."
"Liara TSoni?"
"She's on Illium. My sources say that she's working for the Shadow Broker. If so, she can't be trusted."
"What about Garrus?"
"The turian disappeared a few months after you were declared dead. Even we haven't been able to locate him."
"You heard any whereabouts of Alicia?"
"No. After her mysterious disappearance from the Citadel, she couldn't be found."
"Okay. I get it. They are unavailable."
"You're a leader Shepard. You'll get who you need."
"You worry about the Collectors; I'll make sure my team's ready."
"Good. Two things before you go: First, head to Omega and find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant salarian scientist. Our intelligence suggests he may know how to counteract the Collector's paralyzing seeker swarms."
"Sounds good. And what else?"
"I've found a pilot I think you might like. I heard he's one of the best. Someone you can trust."
John nodded and the connection with the Illusive Man was terminated. He was back in the small dark room. A figure came limping towards him from behind.
"Hey, Commander! Just like old times, huh?" Joker said.
John turned around and a smile formed on his face seeing his favourite henchman. "Joker!" He spoke and shook hands with his friend.
MEANWHILE AT THE MEDICAL LAB
Miranda was still examining the scan results on the monitor when Jacob got there. He saw that she looked somewhat concerned.
"Miranda, what's going on?" Jacob asked.
Miranda turned around hearing his voice. "Ah, Jacob. You are here. You did a fine job out there." She praised.
"It wasn't me, Miranda. It was him." Jacob answered honestly.
"Yes. I know but you did great too, Jacob." Then she turned back towards the scan results in front of her.
"Miranda. I need some answers." Jacob said.
Miranda sighed, and turned her attention on Jacob. "What do you want to know?"
"Miranda, what the hell was that back there? According to Shepard's file he was never a biotic in his life and now he is reaping out a heavy mech's head with his bare hands? What did you do to him? This is not the Shepard people used to know. The Illusive Man never wanted this. He said that he wanted Shepard back exactly the way he was before his death." Jacob said angrily.
At his accusation, Miranda's eyes narrowed in anger. "Are you trying to blame me, Jacob?"
Her question caught Jacob off-guard, "No. No. That's not what I meant."
"I don't care what you meant, Jacob. But to answer your questions, no, that wasn't me or either of the scientists. We brought the Commander back exactly the way he was before." Miranda answered honestly.
"But how can he have biotics? And that much powerful? That physical strength? It's unimaginable."
"He was always like this, Jacob. I have seen him in combat. We used cybernetics to rebuild him, and I was concerned about his situation on Freedom's Progress. So, I did a body scan. Here see for yourself." She showed him the scan results.
When Jacob saw the scan results his eyes widened in disbelief. He was no expert about medical knowledge, but even he could understand, fairly, easily that the scan results couldn't detect any sign of cybernetics nor implants in the Commander's body.
"How?" Was all Jacob could say, looking at Miranda.
"His body has adapted, healed itself completely on its own, and absorbed the cybernetics since they had no more use. That's a theory of course. Am I sure? No. Because that's the only theory I can come up to."
Jacob could only stare at Miranda looking stunned.
AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATION
"I can't believe it's you, Joker." John said happily.
"Look who's talking. I saw you get spaced." Joker teased.
"Got lucky, with a lot of strings attached. How'd you get here?"
"It all fell apart without you, Commander. Everything you stirred up; the Council just wanted it gone." Joker said shaking his head.
"I should have known…." John murmured. Joker continued, "Team was broken up, records sealed and I was grounded. The Alliance took away the only thing that mattered to me. Hell, yeah I joined Cerberus."
"You really trust the Illusive Man?"
"I don't trust anyone who makes more than I do. But they aren't all bad. Saved your life. Let me fly….." Joker trailed off as his gaze fell on the window. There was a vessel outside the glass window. Its metals were shining by the lights that fell on it. The brand-new Normandy SR-2 was there, waiting for them. "And there's this." Joker said, his eyes were shining with excitement.
"This looks better than the SR-1." John said.
"Yeah. They only told me last night." Joker said. "It's good to be home, huh, Commander?"
John smiled and nodded at him.
SOMETIME LATER
John stepped inside the new Normandy with Jacob and Miranda at his toes.
"Welcome aboard the new Normandy, Commander." Jacob said.
John looked around after he stepped into the CIC. His eyes lit up with admiration. Cerberus really did a great job. He admitted.
"Full crew complement?" John asked after stopping at the command section.
"Yes, Commander. They're at their stations awaiting your orders." Miranda answered.
He looked up at the holographic display of the Normandy in front of him and checked the status of the ship and the various systems. All were indicating that the Normandy is functioning and ready. Miranda's voice broke his thoughts. "I've been looking over the dossiers. I'd strongly recommend starting by acquiring Mordin Solus, the salarian professor on Omega." Miranda said. "We know the Collectors use some type of advanced technology to immobilize their victims. We'll need to develop a countermeasure to protect ourselves."
"Yes, without that countermeasure, we'll be helpless if we ever run into the Collectors." John agreed with her.
"Acquiring Professor Solus seems like the most logical place to start." A feminine voice chimed in.
"Who are you?" John asked, staring at the ship's intercom. He wasn't prepared for anything like this.
"I am the Normandy's artificial intelligence. The crew likes to refer me as EDI." The holographic projection introduced itself.
"Having an AI in charge of the Normandy systems should give us an advantage." John said.
"Actually, I am not in control of the ship, Commander. Due to the potential dangers of a rogue AI, Cerberus has severely restricted my capabilities. During combat, I operate the electronic warfare and cyberwarfare suits. Beyond that, I cannot interface with the ship's systems. I observe and offer analysis and advice. Nothing more." EDI explained.
"Final preparations for take-off are complete, Commander. When you're ready to go, just pick a destination from the galaxy map in the CIC and I'll plot a course." Joker's voice sounded through comm.
Nodding in satisfaction John turned towards Jacob and Miranda. "Besides being part of my team, what are your positions on the Normandy?"
"I'll be your executive Officer of the Normandy. I'll manage the day-to-day operations, such as logistics and maintenance." Miranda answered. John couldn't help but agree that someone as professional as Miranda can do a lot as an Executive Officer but he has a nagging feeling that she also has other duties. "And what are your other duties, aside from keeping an eye on me?"
Miranda knew he will see through it and he didn't disappoint her. With a hint of smile on her lips she answered, "I'm the Illusive Man's agent. You're his most important asset." And my life. She didn't utter the latter part. "My job is to make sure you succeed. Aside from that I send regular reports to the Illusive Man, updating our status."
Hearing her words, a boyish grin appeared on his face. Miranda raised her eyebrows questioningly, "Did I say something funny, Commander?" She asked.
"No. It's that I always hated paper works." He replied shrugging his shoulders.
Don't I know that? You lazy man. Miranda looked away to hide her grin because she must maintain her Ice Queen persona in front of the crew and damn him, he is making it utterly difficult.
Jacob chuckled. John turned his gaze on Jacob becoming serious once again. "What about you, Jacob?"
"I'm the Armory Chief. I'll be in charge of maintaining or upgrading all the weapons, Armor, and any new weapons tech we get our hands on." Jacob informed.
"Jacob and I should return to our posts. Come find us if you have any questions." With that Miranda left. Jacob followed her after saluting John.
As soon as John was left alone a young woman approached him. She was really pretty with short-cut red hair and green eyes. She saluted him with a smile. "I'm Yeoman Kelly Chambers. I've been assigned as your administrative assistant." She introduced herself. "I'll manage your messages, and help you monitor the crew." She stopped looking over John from head to toe. "And I must say, it's such an honour to work under you, Commander Shepard." She flirted which gone unnoticed by John as usual.
"I'm glad to have you on the team, Ms. Chambers." John replied with a small smile.
"Please, call me Kelly." She requested with a flirtatious smile.
"Okay, Kelly. Do you have a moment to talk?" John asked.
"I always have time for you, Commander." She replied with a smile and her cheeks turned red.
"What are your responsibilities?" John asked.
"I'll keep you notified of any messages or appointments you might have. If any of the crew has important business to discuss, I'll make sure you know." She explained.
"Isn't that the type of task better suited for a VI?" John asked curiously.
"Yes, but being your yeoman is just my official role. Unofficially, I observe the crew. Everyone knows how risky our mission is. Many of us may not be coming back. That's a lot of pressure. I have a degree in psychology. I'm good at sensing when people are overly taxed."
"This organization has a dark reputation. Do you have any concerns for them?"
"Not at all. Our methods can be harsh, but Cerberus has noble objectives."
Really? That remains to be seen. John thought. In the meantime, Kelly continued, "We look out for human interests. Advance human technologies. Save human lives. They're good goals."
"It sounds like Cerberus wants to dominate all aliens and put humankind on top?" John pressed.
"Cerberus looks out for humanity, but that doesn't mean we hate aliens. My sister started a dog shelter, but she loved cats too. I love humanity. I also love asari, quarian, turian, salarian, hanar….. that isn't conflict with Cerberus ideals."
"How do you feel about being assigned to the Normandy?"
"I was handpicked by the Illusive Man to help fight the greatest threat known to humanity. How do I feel? Honoured, exhilarated, terrified. But mostly I feel encouraged. Under your leadership, we can't fail." She spoke.
"We will try our best."
She smiled and nodded. "I trust you implicitly. The moment I met you, I knew I could close my eyes, fall back, and you'd be there." She flirted heavily.
"I won't disappoint my crew, Kelly."
"I knew it would be. Thank you, Shepard." She replied.
"Is there anything I should know?" John asked.
"Joker would like to speak you on the bridge. Anything else, Commander?"
"That will be all, Kelly." John dismissed.
She was about to turn back towards her terminal but stopped at John's voice. "We're lucky to have someone like you onboard the Normandy, Kelly."
She smiled back and nodded.
Unknown to them, someone has watched the whole exchange from her office. Miranda gritted her teeth in anger watching Kelly flirting with John. She was angry at both of them. Why did he told her that they were lucky to have Kelly? He just encouraged Kelly's advances. She crushed the bottle of soda in her grip.
If Kelly tries to get into his cabin, Miranda will make sure that she is stopped and she will do it herself. Suddenly, she remembered she has one important work to do. With her hacking skills she quickly bypassed the Alliance security and went into their server. She began to search for two particular names and after a minute she found them: Admiral Hannah Shepard and Councilor David Anderson.
AT THE COCKPIT
"Can you believe this, Commander? It's my baby, better than new! It fits me like a glove!" Joker said to John after turning his chair 180⁰ around. His face was shining with sheer joy. "And leather seats! Military may set the hardware standard, but on a first-gen frigate they could care less if the seats breathe. Civilian sector comfort by design."
At that moment EDI appeared. "The reproduction is not intended to be perfect, Mr. Moreau. Seamless improvements were made."
"And there's the downside. I liked the Normandy when she was beautiful and quite. Now she's got this thing I don't want to talk about. It's like ship cancer." Joker deadpanned.
John chuckled, "Enjoy it, Joker. If we're stuck here, we might as well let them pamper us."
"Ah, does it breach uniform regs if I get that on a crew shirt? Because this is my favorite 'You have no choice!' choice ever." Joker said.
"Technically this is a civilian ship. I'm probably lucky you're still wearing pants." John shrugged his shoulders.
"Yeah, I'll save that for the off-hour cameras. Have an AI watch me 24/7? Jerks." Joker cursed.
"I'll leave you to it, Joker." John smirked and left him there hearing him cursing. He took the elevator to Deck 4. There was two people in the engineering room, a man and a woman. When he stepped near them, they turned around to face him. Their eyes widened in surprise seeing the Commander in front of them.
"You came all the way down here to see us?" The woman said in amazement.
"I'm touring the ship, getting to know my crew." John said.
"I'm Engineer Ken Donnelly, handling the power control systems." Daniels introduced himself. "This is Gabby. That's Engineer Gabriella Daniels, actually. I'm responsible for the propulsion systems." He said indicating towards Gabby and paused. "What can we do for you, Commander?"
"How did you wind up with Cerberus, Ken?" John asked.
"Once you were gone, the Alliance brass descended like vultures, tearing apart everything you'd said. I was very public with my defense for you. I didn't hold back."
"That's an understatement. If Kenneth wasn't such a talented engineer, they'd have court marshaled him for insubordination." Daniels interrupted.
"But it got me noticed by the Illusive Man. He made an offer, and here I am." Donnelly said.
"So why did you join, Gabby?" John asked.
"Kenneth and I have been partners in crime since we graduated from tech academy. When we got the Cerberus offer, I insisted that it include me. He'd fall apart without me."
"Thanks, mum." Donnelly deadpanned.
"Also, I love engines, and the Normandy in state-of-the-art. When I got the opportunity to work on her, I had to jump."
"What do you think about Cerberus?"
"Actually, we don't know much about the organization other than the Normandy team. We know our mission and who's in charge."
"We're off to kick the Collectors right in their daddy bags. That's enough for me."
"Are you set up okay down here?"
"We can't complain. I just wish it didn't take so long to calibrate the FBA arrays….."
"Kenneth, you're complaining."
"What kind of problems are you having?"
"When they upgraded the Normandy design, they got a bit sloppy with the FBA couplings. I won't bore you with the tech, but there is an array of attenuators in the primary power transfer system that channels the field bleed….."
"Kenneth, you're boring the Commander with tech." Daniels interrupted. She looked towards John, "In short, if we had T6-FBA couplings installed, it'd save us a lot of maintenance time each day."
"Why isn't something like that already installed?" John asked.
"It's probably just a design oversight. Efficiency isn't affected. It's a maintenance issue." Daniels said.
"Also, the T6 model can be hard to find. Nashan Stellar Dynamics discontinued them." Donnelly added.
"We could probably find used ones in the Omega markets. But we have no time for shore leave." Daniels said.
"I'll look for it on Omega." John said and left them there.
"I'm amazed Shepard came down to see us." Donnelly said.
"I told you he would." Daniels said. "And he…. He is more handsome than I imagined." She blushed.
"I don't wanna hear that." Donnelly said with a scowl on his face.
Daniels smirked. "Jealous?"
"Shut up!"
AT DECK 3
John exited the elevator on Deck 3. He looked around. There were crew members mingling among themselves. To the left there was a cabin, which he realized was Miranda's and to his right was a med-bay. When his eyes fell on the glass window of the med-bay his eyes widened.
It can't be.
He entered the med-bay quickly. He could feel the eyes of the crew on him but he ignored them.
"Dr. Chakwas?! What are you doing here?" John said.
"John! I watched the Normandy crumble with you on board. Come here." Dr. Chakwas said getting up from his chair. He came near her with a smile. She embraced him tightly.
"It's nice to see a familiar face." John said.
"I feel the same. I wish more of the original crew could be here. The kind of trauma you endured would've changed most people, but not you, I see. Welcome back, son."
He smiled. "Why Cerberus, Doctor?"
"I don't work for Cerberus, I work for you….. on a mission that may be crucial to the survival of the human race. I have faith that your dealings with Cerberus will be ethical. I trust you, John." Dr. Chakwas said.
"How's my mom, Doctor?" John said.
"She…. Is coping. She didn't take your death well. You should contact her as soon as possible."
John nodded. "I will. Anything you need, Doctor?"
"I believe so. This medical bay seems very much like the sick bay on the original Normandy. Only thing missing are my private reserves. I even had a bottle of Serrice Ice Brandy that I was saving for a special occasion."
"I'll keep an eye out for a replacement bottle."
"Oh, you needn't. It's expensive and…"
"This is the least I can do, Doctor. If your own son wanted to give you one, would you have rejected him too?" John asked pouting.
Dr. Chakwas let out a smile. She embraced him again in a motherly hug. "You are my son; John and I can never say no to you."
He smiled back. "See you later, Doctor."
"Don't forget to call your mother." She reminded him. He nodded.
Next John approached the cook of the Normandy. "Commander Shepard, the hero of the Citadel! You did humanity proud that day." Mess Sergeant Gardner said. "Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner here. I can be of service."
"Do you have everything you need?" John said.
"I think I do, but have you ever tried to prepare a decent meal with military provisions? I'm good but I'm no miracle worker. Taking down the Collectors is going to be a tough business. The crew deserves a few fine meals before they throw themselves into the fire."
"What do you need?"
"If I had some quality ingredients….aw, shit. You have got more to worry about than grocery shopping on Citadel. Forget mentioned it." He apologized.
"If I head that way, I'll keep an eye out."
"Much appreciated. Most of this list is probably standard fare for those namby-pambies on the Citadel." Rupert thanked.
John decided to talk with Miranda next. On his way he came face-to-face with Jacob.
"Oh, Commander. I… I am going back to my post." Jacob said.
"It is okay, Jacob. I need to talk with Miranda about some important matters." John said. He saluted and went towards the elevator. John watched him go. He felt a minor tension between Miranda and Jacob. He decided to let it go and knocked on Miranda's door. She opened the door from inside and John stepped in. Her cabin was nice and large. He could see a bed, a sofa and a chair behind her.
"Do you have a minute, Miranda?" John asked.
"No doubt you have a lot of questions. Cerberus isn't as evil as most people believe. If I can help allay any of your concerns, I'd be happy to do so. So, what would you like to know?" She asked.
"I know what we're doing here, but what's Cerberus' long-term goal?"
"The advancement of the human race. Nothing more, nothing less. The salarians have the Special tasks Group. The asari have their legendary commandos for stealth and recon operations. Cerberus is humanity's answer to those organizations."
"But those organizations are regulated by governments. Who keeps Cerberus in check?"
"Nobody. We're privately funded, and our backers trust Illusive Man to make the right decisions. But he's very clear about our goals: protect humanity and serve its advancement."
"What kind of resources are we talking about?"
"We're very well-funded, though I doubt anyone other than the Illusive Man knows exactly how well. But our resources aren't unlimited. Reviving you and rebuilding the Normandy was significant investment. And significant risk. We're all hoping you can do the impossible, Jo… Commander. No pressure."
"What can you tell me about the Illusive Man?"
"Not much that you don't already know. Even I don't have access to most of his background. And you've seen more of him than most ever do. It's rare for him to become directly involved in missions, but you're something special. Whatever else people might say about him, I can assure you he's got humanity's best interests at heart. That includes you and me."
"How can you be so sure of that, if you know so little of him?"
"I didn't get to where I am without knowing how to gauge people's motives and ambitions. Even from brief encounters. He's no saint, and he'd be the first to admit it, but he is committed. Humanity couldn't have a better advocate."
There's nothing changing her mind. She believes what she says and most of all she looks at the Illusive Man with high regards. Now, John was curious about her. She held his attention from the first moment he led his eyes on her. Of course, it was her unearthly beauty that captivated him at first. But there's more to her than her physical appearance. He felt she is someone he can trust. Although she works for Cerberus, her motives seem genuine.
"Tell me about yourself, Miranda." John requested.
Now Miranda was really concerned. Now, they are all alone in her quarters, he had no need to stay professional now or act as if he doesn't know her. But she saw in his eyes that he was being honest. He really has no idea about who she was.
"Do, I really have to, John?" Miranda asked him, directly, staring right into his eyes.
The Commander seemed taken aback at her question and lack of professionalism at her tone, not to mention the fact she just called him by her first name. Intimately. She knew him? But from where and when? He could remember his life with his mother as a teenager but before that…..nothing. He couldn't remember anything at all.
"Do you know me? Please tell me if you do, because there is a certain part of my life I can't seem to remember and it feels very important to me." John said eagerly inching forwards towards Miranda.
Miranda's eyes widened at the revelation. He can't remember me?
What should I tell you? You know everything. Miranda thought looking at his eyes as her eyes started to moisten. For a moment their eyes locked with each other and a hint of recognition passed through his eyes.
"No, Commander, I don't know you, aside from your official records. Please tell me what you can't remember. Are you having any problems? Like headache?" She asked.
Disappointed, John backed down. "No, I feel nothing. Whenever I am trying to remember, it's just blank….a void, nothing else."
"It will come back, eventually. What you've been through is unexplainable." Miranda paused. "You want to know about me? I've spent the last two years learning everything there is to know about you." She paused. That's a lie. I knew everything about you for a long time, John. "Well, you should probably know that I've extensive…." She was interrupted by John.
"Genetic modification." John completed the sentence for her.
Miranda looked at him with widened eyes. He remembers? Does this mean he got his memory back? "How do you know?" She asked. He looked confused.
"I… I don't know." He replied confused.
Miranda wasn't sure whether she was satisfied with his answer or not but she decided to continue. "All right. As I was saying, it's because of my genetic modifications the Illusive Man handpicked me. I'm very good at just anything I choose to do or what I want to accomplish." She said looking at him. John felt as if she just directed those words at him. He didn't interrupt. She continued, "Physically, I'm superior in many ways. I heal quickly and I'll likely live half again as long as the average human. My biotic abilities are also very advanced…. For a human. Add to that some of the best training and education money can buy and, well, it's pretty impressive really."
"Sounds like you were designed to be perfect." John said. She is perfect.
"Maybe, but I'm not. I'm still human, Shepard. I make mistakes like everyone else. And when I do the consequences are severe. Everyone expects a lot from someone with my abilities."
"And you did more than that, Miranda. You did the impossible. You accomplished something which no one ever dreamt of. You brought a dead man back to live. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here now. You are a miracle, Miranda. Never forget that." John appreciated her.
"Thank you, Commander. It meant a lot to me." She couldn't hide the blush that spread over her cheeks.
"Anyways, thanks for the information, Miranda. I will let you work." John turned away to leave but Miranda stopped him by grabbing his wrist. He looked back at her questioningly.
"I never thanked you for saving my life out there, Commander. So, thank you." She said.
"It's what a team-mate should do: look after another. You, Jacob and I are a team, Miranda. So, no need to thank me." He replied with a smile. Then he remembered something.
"Miranda, I have to ask you a favour." John said.
"Yes, Commander. I am here to assist you in anything you need." She replied.
"Back at the Freedom's Progress I saw the display of your biotics. Can you teach me how to control it and use it?" He asked.
"It will be my pleasure, Commander. I will let you know the time." She agreed.
"I appreciate this, Miranda. Talk to you later." He thanked her and stepped outside her cabin. Miranda followed him to the door. Her eyes fell on his impressive physique and she couldn't help but admire it. He wore a tight full sleeve T-shirt over his body but it doesn't hide his abs and the lean muscles on his back or his biceps. That was enough for any woman to drool on him, if she left out how handsome he is. And about that, she noticed the female crew members were ogling him and were giggling among themselves. She knew perfectly well what they were thinking. First Kelly Chambers and now them. She sent an icy glare at their direction which was enough to shut them up.
No one ogles my man. Satisfied she went back to her cabin and closed the door behind her.
John took the elevator back to the CIC and went to talk to Jacob. He was there in the Armory looking over some guns.
"Commander. There hasn't been time to really settle in and take stock." Jacob apologized. "I want to say that working with you is a great opportunity to do something that matters. It's a privilege to serve on the Normandy, Commander."
"You may change your tune if we end up like the original Normandy." John said.
"Maybe. As long as the Illusive Man walks his talk, and you do the same, I'll do my best to make sure we succeed. That's been the condition for my service so far. I have issues with certain actions Cerberus has taken in the past."
"It's good to hear a clear opinion. Sounds like we're two of a kind."
"That honors me more than you, Commander. Let me know if you need anything."
"We need to upgrade the weapons if are to fight against the Collectors. I doubt our current weapons will do any good." John said.
"Agreed, Commander. As soon as we land on Omega, I will look for the supplies." Jacob said.
"And there's something else, Jacob. Can you teach me to use my biotics?" John asked.
"Sure, Commander. Anytime you are free." Jacob agreed too.
"I appreciate this. That's all for now, Jacob." John said and went to the CIC. He decided to take some rest before they reach Omega. He took the lift to Deck 1 and went inside his cabin. His eyes widened and only one word left his mouth, "Whoa!"
CITADEL, ADMIRAL SHEPARD'S APARTMENT
"Hannah, you should calm down. I am sure she is fine." Anderson assured her.
"How can you tell that, David? You don't know for sure. First, I thought my son was dead. Then I got him back after fifteen years of suffering. And two years ago, he died. He died, David! My son is gone, forever. But for all those years when I didn't have my son, I had my friend with me. Karin was there with me in every step. Now, she is also missing. How can you expect me to be calm?" Hannah replied angrily. "Moreover, the Council now denies the very existence of the Reapers. They are completely ignoring the warning. This is an insult to my son's memory! This is what he gets after what he did? I really do hate politics."
"Hannah….." Anderson stopped as Hannah's computer beeped, indicating that she has received a message.
"Another message. Probably ordering me to go back to duty." Hannah scoffed.
"Check it." Anderson advised.
Hannah nodded reluctantly and opened her inbox. The message was sent from an unknown sender. She wondered how a message from an unknown sender came to her inbox, because this email is secured by Alliance military internet security. At first, she decided to delete it but curiosity got the better of her and she finally opened it. Reading the content her eyes widened.
"David…. Come here." She called in a broken voice.
Concerned Anderson went to her computer to see what was bothering her. He looked at the message and his eyes widened in disbelief. The message was very short. It says: Your son is alive and well. Will be arriving soon on Citadel.
ONE HOUR LATER, AT THE CARGO BAY OF THE NORMANDY
"Commander, this will prove to be very difficult at first. After I first got my implants, I never managed to use my biotics, until I get used to my implants. But you don't seem to have any kind of implants, so it may be more difficult for you." Jacob said.
"Great, Jacob." John rolled his eyes. "Except, we don't have much time."
"Yeah. Look we won't give up, until you make any progress. Are you ready, Commander?" Jacob asked.
John nodded. Jacob continued, "So, at first I want to tell you how to channel the energy through your body at will. It's a simple method but also a hard one."
"How so?" John asked curiously.
"You need to focus on your energy that is coursing through your body. You must summon it. How you can do it, I cannot tell. You have to figure it out yourself." Jacob explained.
"What do you mean?" John asked since he had no clue.
"You must feel it. Your mind is the key." Jacob answered.
Feel it? I have never felt anything at all. Well, it won't hurt to try. John thought. He closed his eyes and started to concentrate on the energy inside his body. Five, ten, twenty, even thirty minutes passed, but still nothing. John begins to feel frustrated. How much longer will it take for me just to feel my energy?
Jacob sensed his frustration. "Don't give up, Commander. You will feel it."
John tried but nothing. Then his concentration shifted to the vivid images he sees in his dream every time he slept: A girl falling down from a platform into dark void, her arms outstretched towards him. But he couldn't make out her face as it was always unclear in his dreams. He doesn't know why, but he felt inside his heart that he needed to save that girl from falling into the abyss, no matter what. His determination to save the girl increased and he felt something inside him. A raw, primal power, struggling to get free.
Jacob was leaning against the wall at a safe distance away from John. He was observing John from there. He had to admit that this is more difficult than he thought it would be. He never knew a human who had biotic ability without any implants. Well, except him. He closed his eyes and sighed. Suddenly he felt it. He opened his eyes and his eyes widened. The Commander was bent down on the floor with his eyes closed. Sweat was running down from his forehead from his effort to channel his biotic powers and he succeeded. His entire body was glowing with dark energy.
"Commander! You did it….." Jacob's words were left unspoken as he saw his Commander slump to the ground, unconscious. "What the….." Jacob ran to his unconscious body. John was lying on his stomach face-first to the ground. Jacob gently turned him around and noticed trail of blood at the corner of his lips and under his nose.
"Damn it!" Jacob cursed. He immediately alerted the med-bay about the Commander's condition and called few crew members to carry the Commander to the med-bay.
FEW MINUTES LATER AT THE MED-BAY
Jacob was peering through the glass of the med-bay wall watching the Doctor checking on the Commander. He had no idea what just happened. Then he heard, clicks of high heels behind him and realized she is here. He turned around to face her.
"What happened to him?" She asked without any emotion.
"Dunno. One minute we were practicing, next moment he just collapsed. I brought him here immediately." Jacob answered.
She stepped past him and entered the med-bay, locking the door from inside. With few taps on the computer in the med-bay she blackened the glass preventing anyone from outside to see what was happening. She headed straight to the Doctor, who was busy reading a medical report.
"What do you think, Doctor?" Miranda asked looking towards John's face. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful.
"Mr. Taylor explained to me what happened. He just pushed himself too far. He just needs to sleep. His body needs rest." Dr. Chakwas suggested. Miranda nodded in relief, although she didn't show any emotion.
Dr. Chakwas watched the young woman carefully. There's something about her. When she first heard the name, Miranda Lawson, she thought that Miranda is John's lost love. But noticing her day after day she dismissed that idea because this woman has no emotion, she is always cold, never talks outside business and the crew certainly fears her. When John became alive and she saw both of them talking she noticed the look in Miranda Lawson's eyes. Where there was always coldness in her eyes, they were filled with warmth whenever Miranda looked at John. This observation brought her suspicions back. One thing she is sure about that Miranda Lawson cares for John, more than a XO should care for her Commander and it was genuine. Dr. Chakwas has met many people in her life and she has several experiences and based on her experiences she could tell that this young woman genuinely cares about John. This isn't just an attraction. Her thoughts broke by Miranda's voice, "I will stay here and watch over him for a while. You should take some rest, Doctor."
"It's okay Miss Lawson. It's no problem." Dr. Chakwas protested, she didn't want to leave John.
"I insist. I will be here until you return or he wakes up." Miranda said.
"All right Miss Lawson. I will be back soon." Dr. Chakwas stepped outside the med-bay and closed the door.
Miranda watched the Doctor leave. She sat down on a chair beside John's bed and placed her hand on his forehead. She looked towards his sleeping face and wondered when he will let her live without any worry. This stubborn man was always the cause of her worry, when he was a boy and that haven't changed till now and she knew this won't change ever. She knew that Jacob meant well. This wasn't his fault at all. This is all John's fault. He must have pushed himself beyond his limit as the Doctor said.
"You ass! What I'm going to do with you?" She said with a scowl on her face but she could never stay angry with him for long. That must be part of his charm. She thought and a smile formed on her face.
"You worried me today, John." She murmured clasping their fingers together. He had indeed made her worry today. "Don't you ever do that to me again! Do you understand?" She scolded him, even though he couldn't hear her. Then she bent forward and gently kissed his forehead.
At that moment Dr. Chakwas entered the med-bay and she saw the Cerberus Operative kissing John on his forehead. The way she held his hand, the concern on her face, the way she is looking at him: All these facts made Dr. Chakwas' suspicions grow stronger.
This must be her.
She decided to talk with the woman.
Miranda let his hand go as soon as the Doctor entered the med-bay. But she knew it was too late because the Doctor saw everything.
"Miss Lawson. Do you have a moment to talk? Privately?" Dr. Chakwas asked.
"This place is secure enough, Doctor. Please lock the door." Miranda agreed. The Doctor did as she was told and came near her. Miranda looked at her questioningly, "You have something to talk about, Doctor?"
The Doctor nodded but didn't speak. Instead of speaking she just kept on observing Miranda which made her uncomfortable. Miranda cleared her throat to get her attention. But the Doctor's question threw Miranda off-guard at the next moment.
"Are you his 'Miri'? Are you the one he grew up with?" Dr. Chakwas asked.
Miranda hesitated. She never expected the Doctor to know about John's childhood.
"I know what you are thinking Miss Lawson. Yes, he told me about you. Several times. And you can trust me to let me know the truth." Dr. Chakwas assured. "So, are you the one?" She added softly.
"Yes. I am." Miranda answered.
CONFESSION
"Yes. I am." Miranda's answer confirmed the Doctor's suspicions.
After so many years they have found each other at last. She knew how desperately John searched for this woman. Now, she felt relief seeing that he has succeeded in finding her. He deserves some happiness. They both deserve some happiness. But Miranda is a Cerberus Operative. She has heard all about Cerberus and their ruthless experiments.
How can John love a Cerberus Operative? She thought. Then she realized she is being irrational and unfair. There must be more to this woman than she let everyone see about her. John saw that and truth be told she could see something too. As much as she heard, Miranda was the director of the Lazarus Project, the program whose sole purpose was to bring John back alive. She is amazed, actually more than amazed. Cerberus really achieved impossible.
"How do you feel after getting him back after so many years?" Dr. Chakwas asked the younger woman kindly.
"I don't know." Miranda murmured.
Her answer surprised Dr. Chakwas. What does she mean by 'I don't know'? Isn't she happy to get him back? Or she has already moved on with her life? If she has, I cannot blame her. It's practical to do so.
"What do you mean?" Dr. Chakwas asked. Miranda hesitated to answer. Realizing her hesitation Dr. Chakwas moved closer to her and placed her hand on Miranda's head in a motherly gesture. "You can trust me, child. Whatever you say won't leave this room. That's a promise and I keep my promises." She assured.
Miranda nodded in understanding. "It's not that Doctor. It's just…..."
"Yes?" Dr. Chakwas asked.
"I don't know how to express what I feel. I have never shared this with anybody. It's just…" Miranda hesitated.
"I won't pressure you. You can tell me when you are comfortable." The Doctor said.
"No. No. I must do it now." Miranda paused. "When he died, I was literally destroyed. I was prepared to end my life but the thought of another person kept me going because that person needed me. So, I had to remain strong for that person."
"Do you mind telling me who is that person?"
"I am sorry, Doctor. I am not comfortable in talking about that person."
"Alright. Go on."
"One day the Illusive Man told me that his body has been found and it's my responsibility to bring him back to life. I was overwhelmed. I couldn't think straight. After thinking about him for some time, I got the courage to do it because I had to bring him back, at all cost. I made a promise to myself that I won't stop until I brought him back alive. That was the sole purpose of my life, nothing else mattered at that time. For two years, we worked on him. His body was in worse shape than I imagined. We had to use cybernetics to rebuild his body. It was hard for me to watch, so I directed the project from distance. I only came close to his body when it was absolutely necessary and finally after two long years, we got the success." She paused for a moment and continued, "I was excited when I first met him after he woke up but he didn't recognize me at all." Miranda said with sadness in her voice.
"He didn't?" Dr. Chakwas asked in surprise.
"No and it isn't his fault. He has amnesia. He doesn't remember me or anything about his childhood." Miranda revealed.
"So, this explains his unusual brain activity. The scan showed some signs of trauma in his brain but I couldn't figure out the reason." Dr. Chakwas concluded. "But one thing I don't understand, you said that you used cybernetics to rebuild him, but the scan didn't show any trace of cybernetics in his body."
"You won't believe me if I tell you, Doctor." Miranda said.
"Try me."
Miranda then explained to the Doctor what happened earlier. Dr. Chakwas listened to her carefully but she couldn't think of any explanation either. "I don't know what to say….. but I do believe you."
"Thank you, Doctor." Miranda said.
"Maybe, I can help regarding his amnesia." Dr. Chakwas proposed.
"You can?" Miranda asked genuinely surprised.
"I believe, I can. But not now." Dr. Chakwas said.
"Thank you, Doctor. I…"
"You don't have to say anything. I will leave the two of you alone for now." Dr. Chakwas said with a sly smile while exiting the med-bay. Hearing her comment, Miranda's cheeks turned red. The Doctor left the med-bay with a slight chuckle, amused seeing the cold, hard Cerberus Operative blushing like a teenage girl.
HORIZON
"Get those ammunition boxes over there Michael, and be careful." Ashley Williams ordered one of the soldiers under her command. She has been stationed on Horizon for a while now. Life is boring here. Nothing has happened here since she has been sent here and she doubt that anything will ever happen. She still remembered that horrific day of her life. The destruction of the Normandy and …. His death. At first, she wasn't ready to accept that he was gone but as time passed, she was forced to accept the fact that he is never coming back. After his death everything fell apart. The team got separated, went in their own way, the Council denied the existence of the Reapers even after what he did. They just….. just dishonored his memory. She and the Lieutenant got themselves busy with the Alliance.
And speaking of the Lieutenant, where is he?
She moved forward in search for the Lieutenant. She found him in front of a computer after sometime. His face looked grim.
"Lieutenant…." Ashley started to say but was interrupted by Kaidan.
"I have some news. Both good and bad." Kaidan said.
"What is it?" Ashley asked eagerly.
"Rumor's are that the Commander is alive and….."
"What!? He is alive?" Ashley asked with excitement in her voice.
"Yes but that's not all. The rumour is also that he is working for Cerberus." Kaidan revealed.
"That's…. What!? No way!" Ashely said outraged.
"It seems so and the source of the news is reliable enough."
"I can't believe this. I can't. Working with the terrorists? What has gotten into him?"
"We still aren't hundred percent sure, Ashley."
"Yeah, I hope the latter news is not true." Ashley murmured.
Note: This chapter is large and I have changed a few things which I had intended to do in this revised version of the story. Hope you all will like it. If you are reading this please leave a review, even if you think it is bad.
