Chapter 9:

I woke up to EDI saying we'd reached Illium. Garrus' voice, by my ear, thanked her, before quietly saying to himself he hoped she hadn't woken me.

"Too late." I mumbled, curling even tighter around him. "'M awake."

"Go back to sleep." He tried, rubbing my arm.

"Can't. Have a date with Miranda today."

"A date?" Bemused.

A soft hum left me. "Told her I wanted to get to know her. So we agreed to hang out on Illium." I yawned, feeling like it damn near expelled my soul with the ferocity of it.

"I've already got competition?" He joked.

"Keep you on your toes." With herculean strength, I lifted myself up on my elbow, looking down at him. Blinking the sleep from my eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not interested in her like that." Quietly. "I just want friends."

His expression softened, reaching up to touch my cheek. I leaned into his touch.

"I'd invite you, but I want it to be just us two." I gave him an apologetic smile.

"I need to recalibrate the cannons. Go ahead and enjoy your day." A chuckle. "See? Not distracting me."

Rolling my eyes, I got up, going to the bathroom to change into my suit so I could start getting ready for the day.

...

She and I were at a restaurant, enjoying a meal and some small talk, when she got a message. Her whole body stiffened, and I was instantly on alert. Whatever it was about, it clearly wasn't anything good.

"My sister..." Her eyes rose to mine. "My sister's location has been compromised."

"What do we need to do?" I asked immediately.

She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering herself, before she typed out several messages. "I'm going to coordinate with an old friend to get her off-planet and to a new location with her family."

"Set it up, and we'll help however we can."

Turns out, her sister and her family were on Illium, and they were on their way to getting relocated. Only, we quickly found out that Eclipse mercs had been hired to keep anyone away from them, to make sure that the person after her sister got her. Between the two of us, we cleared them out, quickly approaching the rendezvous point with the old friend Miranda had contacted.

When we reached it, however, it was clear that he was working with the person who'd hired Eclipse. She almost shot him, but I stopped her. The asari Eclipse merc almost shot him, but I used my biotics to throw her across the room. He went... somewhere- I wasn't paying attention, focusing solely on the asari- and Miranda and I took care of the woman.

Finally, after that trial, she and the man spoke for several minutes, while I kept an eye out, to make sure no one snuck up on us. With their conversation behind them, she led me away, and we came upon a younger woman chatting with two adults. She looked like a mini-Miranda.

That was when she told me that her sister was her genetic twin, and that she'd rescued her from their father when she'd left. I asked if she'd ever talked to her before, and she shook her head. So, of course, I urged her to go ahead and do so. She tried to fight me on it, but I pushed her forward, and she stumbled toward the group.

I watched from afar as they fell into conversation.

...

"Alessia." Liara greeted as I stepped into the large room, where only an hour ago we'd killed the previous Shadow Broker.

"Liara." I smiled. "How are you settling in? Or is it too early to tell?"

The corners of her mouth pulled up. "I am settling in well. It is... overwhelming." A gesture toward the console behind her. "But with this, I can offer you resources and information during your fight against the Collectors."

"While that's great and all, don't forget to come up for air. Don't get so sucked into it all, that you forget to take care of yourself." I reminded her, giving her a look.

She glanced over her shoulder, before beckoning me closer. Curious, I obliged.

"Garrus said there was something you wanted to tell me, that needed to be spoken of in private." From her tone, I had a suspicion that she'd already guessed.

I lowered my voice. "I lost my memory, when Cerberus brought me back. I woke up without any idea of who I was or my past. Nothing. A blank slate. But from the sounds of it- from what I've read and watched in vids- I wouldn't have liked the old me very much. I honestly can't see myself behaving like that, to be honest. Not with how I am right now."

A hand touched my arm, a sympathetic expression on her face. "I am sorry. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for you, to be thrown into this situation with the Collectors. Having Shepard's responsibilities on your shoulders before you even awoke."

"It was harder in the beginning. Now, I feel like I've gotten the hang of it- and it's more that I've just subconsciously stopped caring. Which, if I'm being honest, I like not worrying about if I'm doing something the old me would do. I like doing what I want to do, what I think is right. I think I'm reaching a point where I'll be able to shrug it off as changing and growing."

"From what I've heard of your accomplishments since you came back, I would say you could begin telling people that now, if you'd like. You've done a mix of old Shepard and you now."

I smiled a little. "Thanks, Liara. I appreciate your view." Clapping my hands, I changed the subject. "Now. What can I do for you here?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. In fact, I am going to be digging up information for you, as soon as I am able."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Backing away, now. "I'll leave you to it. If you find anything, let me know."

"I will."

...

Not long after, I found myself back on Omega, Samara with me. I was going to lure her daughter- an Ardat Yakshi named Morinth- out from the shadows, so the justicar could kill her. She'd stressed how dangerous this mission would be, saying that Morinth had a way of convincing her prey to do whatever she wished.

Still, we were going to do this. And, if I had my way, we'd succeed. Her daughter was a serial killer- I had no qualms over killing her.

I walked into the VIP room of Afterlife, my gaze slowly roaming the space. A man stopped me before I got too far, asking if I'd gotten my hands on tickets for Expel 10. An asari had told him she loved the band, and he wanted to get her tickets. I filed that away as I left him.

I convinced the bar tender to give out a round of drinks on the house, before forcibly stopping a man from harassing a dancer. As I danced in the midst of the gyrating bodies, my eyes caught and held those of an asari. She was beautiful, in a dangerous way. The air about her seemed to be darker than the rest of the room.

I'd found Morinth.

She smiled slightly, jerking her head for me to follow her, and led me to a booth that was in the corner, shrouded in shadows.

We chatted for a few minutes, during which I'd used all the information I'd gathered about her likes and desires. Before long, she asked me to join her in her apartment, and I agreed, a part of me eager to see what the fuss was about.

I sat on her couch, my eyes on her, pretending she was all I could focus on. She moved to perch on my lap, and one of my hands settled on her hip, the other on her leg.

"Tell me you would do anything for me." She cooed, her eyes black.

A fuzziness washed over me, a haze that made it hard to think. I wanted to do as she asked. I leaned closer, feeling breathless.

Then, an image of Garrus flashed through my mind and, just like that, I was myself again.

I smiled wickedly, shaking my head. "I'm sorry. I can't do that."

Her eyes widened, returning to their normal color, and she slid off to sit next to me. Staring into my eyes. "What the- Oh, I see. The bitch herself got a helper."

As if on cue, Samara walked in, flinging Morinth across the room with her biotics.

They shouted at each other, throwing furniture and insults, before they became locked in a stalemate- their biotics meeting between them, the energy ready to be released back on the person who faltered first.

Morinth demanded I have her join me instead, while Samara reminded me that she was already sworn to my service.

It was a no-brainer for me.

I used my own biotics to grab the Ardat Yakshi, binding her in place. The justicar advanced on her, before throwing her to the ground and pinning her there. Throwing a fist, the blue energy gathered within, into the other asari's face. Her body went limp, and Samara stood, turning to look at me. She was ready to go, and I agreed.

Sending her back to the ship, I went to speak with Aria, letting her know there was a body to be disposed of at Morinth's apartment and that her problem had been taken care of. She nodded, and I left.

...

Garrus had not been happy upon my return, chiding me about acting as bait for the Ardat Yakshi. Even though everything had gone well, he'd still been upset. I'd soothed him with the fact that if I hadn't, she would have continued killing others and was that not why he'd been on Omega in the first place? To stop crime? He'd said that was fair, but had stood down, all the same.

Now, he and I- along with Mordin and Grunt- were stepping off the shuttle and onto solid ground on Tuchanka.

Mordin had learned of his associate being taken by Blood Pack on the planet, and Grunt was feeling an insatiable bloodlust that consumed him whenever he was out of battle.

Immediately, we were ordered to speak with the clan chief, so off we went.

I was met with Wrex sitting on the hard, stone throne, talking with another krogan. The guards stopped me from approaching, but he caught sight of us- of me- and stood, calling me over.

We spoke for a short time, during which he told me to see the chief scout for information about the missing salarian. With Grunt, he said he needed to undergo the Rite of Passage. The other krogan, who'd stayed silent until now, argued. Saying our Grunt was a mistake and not a krogan. Rage filled me, and I stepped up to him. My voice surprisingly calm, I suggested he take back what he'd said. He laughed in my face.

So, I headbutted him- hard, with all the strength I could muster. He clutched his forehead, while I resisted the urge to do the same, not wanting to show an ounce of weakness, even as I felt a thread of blood slowly moving down my forehead. I'd probably scratched myself on his plating.

He glared at me before walking away without another word. Wrex laughed, shaking his head, before saying he'd missed me.

Leaving Grunt with him, so they could talk about being krogan and what it meant, I led the others to the chief scout. Blood Pack meant Clan Weyrloc, and that meant he was probably being used for something. Or was being tortured. Either way, that just meant we needed to hurry along.

...

Maelon stood there, back to us, tapping away on the holographic keyboard in front of him. He certainly didn't look like he was being held against his will. So, he was doing this of his own free will. These... heartless, disgusting, demented experiments were of his own volition.

I stopped Mordin from killing him, electing to have him suffer with the knowledge that he'd caused all this needless death.

Besides- Mordin wasn't a murderer, and I wasn't about to let him become one. Sure, he killed mercs, but that was in self-defense. This would be an unarmed man, with no way to fight back. Murder.

I then encouraged him to keep the data- it would be disrespectful to the loss and suffering that had occurred here, if we deleted it all. It could potentially be used later, as well. Who knew what time would bring?

...

Mordin returned to the ship, while I went with Grunt and Garrus to speak with the shaman. I had to headbutt another krogan- at this rate, I was going to have a concussion- but we were eventually allowed to start with the Rite.

It went smoothly, until the Thresher Maw appeared. I was stunned, having never seen one before- at least, not since I'd lost my memory- but I recovered quickly and, between the three of us, we took it out after only a few minutes. A few, long minutes, adrenaline flooding my system, egging me on.

And just like that, it was done. Grunt was a full-fledged member of Clan Urdnot.

...

I was sitting in my cabin, going over some documents, when the door opened. Glancing up, I watched Garrus walk into the room.

"You going to come up for air anytime soon?" He asked, coming over to me.

Dropping a kiss on the top of my head.

"In a bit. I'm almost done." I mumbled, my attention back on my screen.

However long later, I pushed back from my desk with a sigh, stretching my arms over my head. Getting up, I saw through the glass partition that he was sitting on the couch, doing something on his datapad.

I went to sit, and he looked up, beckoning me to sit beside him.

"There you are." He wrapped an arm around me, and I leaned against him, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I was filling out reports on the last few missions we've done- I hadn't gotten around to them yet. And I put in a requisition for more funding." I frowned. "Also, I asked when we'd be able to get the new armor that was recommended for the ship put in place. Along with the cannon and shielding upgrades."

"You need to remember to take time for you." He chided gently.

"I know." I sighed. "But there's so much to do. I haven't had the chance since our last meeting here. There's always something."

A message came in on my omni-tool.

"Joker, I'm sending some coordinates over. We're going to get the ship outfitted." I said over the radio.

"Aye, aye, Commander."

"Thanks, Joker. You're the best."

"He's the best?" The turian beside me teased. "What am I?"

"You..." I tapped my chin. "are the greatest."

He chuckled, and I felt it rumble through him. We sat like that for a long while, just enjoying each other's company, while we rocketed toward the Cerberus station I'd been advised to head to.