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Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or any of its characters. They are products of BioWare, EA and certainly not me. This fan fiction is for entertainment purposes; no profit or intrusion of copyright is intended.
Shepard adjusted the combat visor on his head as he looked at himself in the mirror of the Captain's quarters. He ensured of its alignment, glancing around the room to test the rangefinder through which he gazed then positioned the mouthpiece close to his jaw and pressed it against the muscles. "Test. Test"
"Loud and clear, Shepard." Garrus's voice echoed through Shepard's earpiece.
He tweaked the position of the earpiece. "Say that again, Garrus."
"Loud and clear," the Turian repeated.
Shepard nodded and fastened the clasps of his armor, securing it firmly to his body before checking his ammo clips. Attaching his heavy pistol to his hip, he looped the strap for a shotgun over his shoulder, crossing his chest. With a sigh, he turned from the mirror and picked up the grenade launcher and hooked it onto the clasps on his back. He grabbed the sniper rifle and aimed down the scope at the ceiling. Comfortable with its weight, he attached it beside the grenade launcher.
His eyes drifted from the empty bed to the picture frame at the corner of his room. The frame remained where he had thrown it those weeks ago. He hesitated a moment before his jaw set and he turned from the bed, stalking up the stairs to the elevator. Just before leaving, he grabbed the assault rifle from the holder on the wall and then descended to the bridge.
As he walked across the bridge, Miranda and Garrus stood by the airlock. The Cerberus operative tilted her head as she inserted a communication earpiece into her ear then twisted it slightly to ensure it set.
"Can you hear me, Miranda?" Shepard said.
"Loud and clear, Commander," she responded professionally and turned to him, expression stoic and all business.
He resisted the clenching punch of lust that slammed into him the moment she turned and he saw her in the white tight cat suit. Though used to her outfit – she wore it most of the mission – it still caught his breath as nothing was left to his imagination of what she possessed beneath. "Good," he grunted as he passed her then slapped Garrus's shoulder in friendly greeting. "Ready?"
"As ready as I'll be," Garrus stated flatly.
"We're going after Samara first." Shepard eyed Garrus. "You going to fix your armor? I'm sure we can get you a new suit."
Garrus shrugged, following the Commander into the airlock in preparation for exit. "I'm a bit attached to this one. It's been with me a long time and a little crack isn't going to change that."
Shepard nodded. "I guess it's just a reminder that without me, you'd be dead."
"Oh you mean after I saved your ass from thirty mercenaries before a gunship finally brought me down? Is that what you mean?"
Shepard laughed, shaking his head. Garrus smirked and Miranda rolled her eyes though the hint of an amused smile tugged her lips. She glanced beside her to the Turian. "You're welcome." She stated flatly, insinuating she had saved his life.
Garrus laughed.
As he walked through Nos Astra, Shepard purchased a few more upgrades for the crew before continuing to the Administration offices. He wondered how Liara would react to him, gone for so long and suddenly back but with Cerberus. When did he start considering himself Cerberus?
He introduced himself to Liara's assistant who eagerly showed him into the Asari's office. At the sight of her, he paused and a smile tugged at his lips. The smile waivered when he heard her threats, her anger. The Liara he knew from two years ago had changed.
She greeted him warmly and he hugged her tightly in return. Liara dodged many of his personal questions, including his request for her to join his cause. He sensed her stress, uncertainty and anger. After she told him the location of the assassin and Samara, he offered to assist her in gaining the information she desired by hacking the systems.
He withheld the information he possessed regarding the Shadow Broker, even though he knew Liara sought it. He needed her focused and if he handed her the information, there was no guarantee she would be available to him.
With a friendly smile, he left Liara's company in search of information regarding Samara, the Asari Justicar. As the squad walked down the stairs and towards the transport bay, Garrus finally spoke. "She's changed. Different from what I remember."
"Well as everyone has been telling me, you included," Shepard glanced up to his friend. "Two years is a long time. And things change, apparently."
Garrus eyed the Cerberus operative behind him. "Aye. Apparently they do."
Miranda arched a brow at Garrus at the statement but otherwise made no comment.
"It was meant as a compliment," Garrus offered. "From how things have been lately, I'm thinking we should have joined Cerberus a long time ago. You may not have died, Shepard."
"I don't know about that," Shepard searched the area for Officer Dara, the contact name given by Liara. "The Reapers want me dead. They targeted our ship. If not for that Normandy, they would have found me on a Cerberus vessel."
"Hmm, perhaps," Garrus agreed.
At the spaceport, Shepard spoke with Detective Anaya, an Asari in charge of the investigation of a recent murder in the area. Convincing the detective to assist him in finding Samara concluded with too much ease for his comfort. He asked of the Justicars and offered his help in any way possible. Authorities of Illium feared the Justicar would enact her justice upon a human or other race bringing the wrath of the council upon the Asari. Though a Justicar's justice was acceptable by Asari standards, the authorities knew that defending such actions against a non-Asari proved near impossible and politically volatile. The detective permitted Shepard and his team to pass into the crime scene of the murdered merchant in search of Samara.
Past the crime scene tape, they easily found Samara as she dominated in a fight against a handful of eclipse sisters. He watched as Samara questioned the sister and then mercilessly crushed her windpipe with a well placed foot and a precise twist.
He faced the powerful biotic Justicar with unwavering courage and declared himself a friend to her cause. She took him for his word but moments later the detective arrived. Shepard found himself lost amidst their discussion on some sense of honor and protocol. In order to maintain the peace and achieve his goal, he offered to find the information Samara sought; in return she would wait with the detective.
After intimidating a keypass from the volus merchant outside the police station, Shepard and his squad entered the elevator leading to the eclipse hideout. Moving as one machine, the three squad members infiltrated the base easily destroying both mechs and eclipse sisters without trouble. He listened carefully to EDI's instructions regarding the poisonous canisters. Meeting eyes with Garrus then Miranda, he ensured they understood. "Break as few of the containers as possible. The benefits aren't worth the risk." He looked to Miranda. "Understood?"
"Aye, Commander." She replied without hesitation. Garrus nodded his agreement as the team moved forward.
In a small room beside the corridor, Shepard encountered a cowering Asari. She begged his mercy, claiming to know little, even nothing. He questioned her as to the ship Samara sought and learned of its rare cargo, though he fully did not understand its meaning. As the Asari spoke, Miranda's voice whispered softly through the communications device when the Cerberus officer turned to look outside, checking the corridor. "Shepard, she's still an Eclipse sister. She had to murder to get where she is. She's as likely to run away as she is to shoot us in the back." She peered outside the door and up the stairwell.
Garrus grunted and nodded his agreement. Though knowing his squad mates correct, Shepard lowered his weapon, commanding the Asari to run. The Asari, Elnora, ran without hesitation out of the room and to the elevator. Shepard refused to meet the eyes of his questioning crew. "I couldn't just execute her." He stated firmly then grabbed the ammo from the desk and reloaded his assault rifle before stepping out the door and turning up the stairs.
Miranda glanced at Garrus and the two paused a few seconds in understanding before following Shepard up the stairs. Battling through the waves of eclipse sisters and mechs, the team slowly pressed deeper into the eclipse hide out.
Shepard dove behind a crate for cover in the hangar bay, slamming his fist into the assault rifle to force out the jammed clip. He muttered a few choice curses. Garrus fired his rifle into the enemy and Miranda took the opportunity to slip forward, closer and hid behind a few barrels. Her weapons, the pistol and submachine gun executed accuracy and piercing shots at close range. Shepard reloaded his weapon and waited for a lull in the crossfire before lifting up on his knees, bracing his arm on the crate and aimed down the barrel of his rifle.
Firing quick bursts, he shot through the shields of two enemies while Miranda finished them off with precisely placed pistol shots. The sound of an engine ignition blasted through the hangar. Miranda squinted and ducked down as Shepard quickly searched the area. "Gun ship!" he warned and watched for his teammates before taking full cover himself.
The engine sound faded away; Miranda emerged first, resuming her gunfire. The eclipse sister capitalized on the distraction of the gunship and retreated further into the compound. Shepard's team easily defeated the stragglers before exploring the hangar for any useful items and information.
Pursuing the mercenaries, Shepard's team pushed through the next area. Pausing as he crossed a small bridge between platforms, he listened carefully to the muffled whipping of air. Alarmed, he turned back and commanded, "Take Cover!"
Miranda and Garrus ducked behind the columns of the bridge while Shepard raced across the rest of the length just as the gunship elevated before him.
"Shepard!" Garrus called and came out of cover to fire upon the ship. The ship sprayed its bullets over the bridge and Shepard's path, clipping his shields until they drained. He slid into cover otherwise unscathed. Garrus quickly stepped behind the pillar again to slam the clip from his gun and reload.
Miranda peered around her pillar, eyes scanning the area before she stepped out completely and with a graceful extension of her hand and furrowed brow, she summoned her power and shot an overloading bolt towards the gunship from her hand.
The blast hit the gunship, depleting its shields by a quarter. Shepard quickly changed the ammunition in his rifle to better attack the shield and fired on the ship. The ship fired relentlessly upon him. His shield depleted and a few of the bullets hit his chest, knocking him down and away from the stone cover at the buildings ledge.
He grunted at the strike and fell onto his back before reaching out with a hand and pulling himself back into cover. Glancing down, he eyed his armor then felt along the puncture holes with an armored finger. The armor blocked the bullets from penetrating his skin; he sighed in relief then reloaded his weapon.
The gunship retreated, pulling back and out of range. Curious, Shepard peeked over the top of his cover watching cautiously as the gunship hovered just out of rifle range. Miranda and Garrus raced across the bridge, both taking cover beside Shepard against the stone wall, one to either side.
"Are you alright?" Miranda asked coolly. After hesitantly watching the gunship, she turned her attention to Shepard's chest and touched the holes, slipping a slender finger inside to feel; no blood or flesh in the bullet hole, only metal. "It didn't go through."
"Yeah," Shepard nodded and eyed Miranda's pistol, noting only six shots remained. He sat against the cover and pulled two clips from the holding clasps on his side then handed them to her. He peeked up over the banister again. "What the hell is it doing?"
She took the clips and slid one into the holding slip on her boot then loaded the other into her pistol. "It's like its waiting for something."
Garrus watched the gunship through the scope of his sniper rifle. "I think its guns overheated." He fired a shot then cocked the bolt of the gun to send another bullet to the chamber. "Get ready. It's coming back!"
Shepard nodded, checking his ammunition before swinging the gun up over the banister to aim at the ship. Firing its guns, the ship soared towards them, scattered shots hitting all three. Shepard ducked down again as the ship flew over their heads to the other side of the bridge. "Shit!" Exposed, he scrambled to the cover across the five foot platform and dove against the opposite barrier just in time. Miranda and Garrus reacted instantly, finding new cover as well.
Miranda waited for the ship to target her squad mates before emerging to cast another overpowering bolt at the ship.
The dance repeated for twenty minutes as Shepard and his team slowly depleted the shields then the armor of the gunship. Garrus fired the final shot, his sniper bullet piercing the last of the armor of the ship. Losing control, the gunship circled, guns overheated and exploded as the ship twisted and descended before exploding thirty feet below.
With finally a moment to rest, Shepard sighed and leaned back against the cover, sitting down with legs outstretched. Catching his breath, he checked his clips and his guns. Most of his ammo gone, he looked to Garrus. "How are you?"
Garrus inspected his magazines then pulled a clip off of the corpse at his side. "I'm alright. We just better find more soon."
Shepard nodded then turned to Miranda. Despite the fight, her shields never fully dropped; she appeared as graceful and perfect as ever even though he and Garrus looked like they had been to hell and back. He eyed her legs, using the excuse he was looking at her ammo clips. "You alright?"
"Aye, Commander." She responded simply and crouched beside him to check her ammunition. Even though she only had a single clip left for her pistol and empty for her submachine gun, she refrained from expressing it to Shepard.
"Liar," Shepard stated with a grin and placed the pistol from his side and the four corresponding clips onto the ground at her feet. Reaching for her waist, his fingers flicked at the fasteners holding her pistol to her hip, his touch brushing against her as he removed her pistol and attached it to his hip. "Now you're better."
She picked up the pistol, tested its weight. Smirking, she loaded the pistol then snapped a clip to each of the holders on her boots and slipped the third into the small ammo pack at her waist. "Thank you." She holstered the pistol.
Garrus rolled his eyes at the flirtations and planted the butt of his sniper rifle into the ground to help him stand. "When you two are ready? I'll be over there." He pointed to the door twenty feet away.
Shepard glanced down at his armor and the twelve new bullet holes caused by the gunship from staying out of cover too long. Blood seeped from only one, a punctured hole at the side of his chest the opposite side of where Miranda crouched.
With his black armor and brilliant red accents, the blood disappeared against the contrasting colors. He showed no sign of pain or discomfort and concluded the wound shallow as the blood merely dripped and dried quickly.
Miranda inspected his chest and legs, glancing at the bullet holes. She shook her head. "Why don't you stay in cover longer? Eventually they have to reload. Fire then. You're going to get yourself killed." Unable to help herself, she reached out and touched the bullet graze along the side of his visor. "Another inch and …" she trailed off and huffed, standing. "Stupid ass." Her tone instantly switched from gentle concern to teasing amusement.
He pushed to his feet. "Just gotta play the hero and all. Hey, we got the ship down didn't we?"
"I suppose. But Cerberus doesn't have the money to put into another Lazarus project so try not to get yourself killed before we even get to the Collectors."
He grinned, following her. "Worried, Ms. Lawson?" He teased. "Am I still nothing more than an experiment after everything we've been through?"
She continued towards the door, turning slightly to address him though her stride never changed even walking backwards. "Concerned." She could not resist a smile when his grin broadened. "And stop smiling." She chided with a broadening grin of her own before turning away to quicken her pace towards Garrus. She took the pistol from its holster on her hip.
He chuckled and reloaded his last clip into his assault rifle then readied his gun before entering the next room. In the next room, he retrieved evidence of the smuggling of red sand into the compound. Storing it for the detective, they continued into the adjoining rooms. He mercilessly saved the drugged volus who staggered through the hallway claiming his biotic superiority. It tempted him to let the creature stumble into battle but he knew guilt would follow him should the volus die – which was likely.
Inside the next room, Shepard paused and his eyes narrowed at the pacing Asari twenty meters across the room. The Asari Captain Wasea grinned wickedly and with a cast of her hand threw two barrels of red stand towards Shepard. Shepard and his team scattered for cover.
Heavy firepower followed, bullets flying as the red sand canisters burst and the dusty contents exploded into the atmosphere. Shepard and Garrus circled to the right staying far away from the dangerous and deadly red sand. Immediately after the gunfire, two more canisters flew through the air and shattered upon hitting the ground at the center area between the various stacks of crates. Shepard lost sight of Miranda.
Shepard pressed tightly against the crates for cover and took the sniper rifle from his back. Garrus sniped from his position beside the Commander as Shepard fired a few shots as well, blasting the heads off of three roaming mechs.
The red sand dust floated into the air, thinning slightly before another barrel flew and more gunfire followed. After two minutes of unrelenting onslaught, the sand cleared slightly. Shepard searched, squinting to look through the airborne sand for Miranda.
Miranda lay unconscious and limp at the center of the floor surrounded by exploded containers. The crate she used for cover shattered at her feet. Blood pooled on the floor from a wound at her shoulder and stained the white cat suit high on her thigh near the groin. Panic seized him, heart clenching at the sight of her.
He repositioned himself, crouched low and ready to spring. He swallowed the urge to race into the crossfire. Eyes unwavering from Miranda's prone form, he attached his sniper rifle to his back. "Garrus!"
Garrus fired a shot then looked to his left towards Shepard before gazing past the commander to the Cerberus operative on the floor. "Shepard." Garrus warned then ducked as a bullet whizzed by his ear.
Bursting out of the cover, Shepard charged out of cover into the open. Garrus cursed and swung his assault rifle up to lay down a stream of suppressive fire. Shepard focused on the fallen woman, ignoring the choking sand that flooded his lungs and the piercing bullets that depleted his shields. The sand surrounded Miranda, suffocating.
He reached for her, wrapping his right arm around her waist and lifted her into his arms without breaking his stride. Staying low, he ran the rest of the distance to the far crates and out of the red sand. Garrus ducked back into cover, his shields recharging.
Shepard panted as he set Miranda gently against the crate in a sitting position. Her head lulled to the side in unconsciousness. The wounds in her shoulder and upper thigh bled and oozed through the cat suit. He leaned close and sighed in relief at the sound of her shallow breathing. Pulling his assault rifle up, he aimed over the crate and with short bursts of fire, shot two mechs and an Asari.
When the mechs returned fire, he ducked down again and pulled the knife from his boot. He quickly tore off his armored gloves and dropped them at his side then pulled at Miranda's catsuit, slicing away the material from the wounds. "Miranda," He called into his microphone then tucked her hair behind her ear; her earpiece in place, he repeated her name.
He growled at her lack of response and tore the shoulder off of her suit then ripped open the fabric at her thigh. No lustful thoughts rose to his mind as he exposed her porcelain flesh. Bringing the knife to his mouth, he clenched the flat of the blade between his teeth as he aimed and fired, taking out any mechs or enemies that neared his position.
Hiding behind the cover again, he removed the knife from his mouth then reached into the small side satchel of his armor and took out a tube of the medi-gel. "Miranda." He whispered to her, eyes worried. His hand trembled as he tried to tear the medi-gel packet. In his worry, he carelessly lifted his head too high and two shots hit his head, completely lowering his shields. He ducked quickly but not fast enough as the third shot grazed the back of his neck deeply, drawing blood.
He ignored the searing pain and tore open the medi-gel packet with his teeth. Focusing on her wounds, he squeezed half of the pack gel into the wound on her shoulder and with his free hand, massaged the gel into the flesh and around the edges. Immediately the wound began to heal. He squeezed the rest of the gel into the wound on her thigh and repeated the process of massaging the gel into the wound and around its edges.
Blood oozed and dripped from the three inch gash along the back of his neck, leaking from the wound and into his armor. Sticky and warm, it tickled; he shivered but otherwise ignored the sensations. He tossed the empty medi-gel packet aside and again fired the last of his assault rifle ammunition.
He ducked low and cupped Miranda's jaw in his hand, manipulating her head. "Miranda? Come on, woman. Wake up." Worried about her, he carelessly ignored his intuition as three mechs approached from behind around the crate. On one knee beside her, he braced his other foot for balance on the other side of her leg, effectively straddling her as he pushed more of the medi-gel from outside the wound to the still open areas.
Gunfire burst from the mechs that rounded the crates. Without hesitation, Shepard planted his knee close to her hip and leg and twisted to give his back to the enemy, taking the fire willingly and effectively shielding her with his own body.
He gasped, wincing as he fumbled with the shotgun on his back. His shields dropped and four bullets pierced his armor through the back, two puncturing through to the skin as another shot blasted through the center of his unarmored hand. Aiming across his body, he pulled the trigger on the shotgun, blasting the three mechs into dozens of scrapped pieces.
Garrus's voice scratched through Shepard's earpiece. "Shepard, what the fuck are you doing? You gave her the medi-gel, now shoot the fucking mercs."
Shepard nodded. "Yeah … yeah, I know." He staggered in his balance, teeth clenched from the pain of his wounds. They ached, bled and burned. Head hanging low, he breathed deeply to control himself. Blood dripped around his neck and onto Miranda's limp hand. He forced his eyes open and rested his sniper rifle on the crate, focusing intensely through the scope to shoot at the Asari Captain.
Miranda stirred, hand clenching at the warm liquid and her eyes fluttered open. She winced when the sniper rifle fired beside her and moaned softly. She rolled her shoulder and glanced at the wound then down to her thigh and slid her fingers along the healing flesh.
Shepard hid in cover again as he cocked the bolt on his rifle to load another bullet into the chamber. His eyes widened when they met her gaze. "Miranda," he sighed in absolute relief. His right hand wounded; the mech shot scorched his skin, the hole black and pierced through completely. It blistered and puckered. "Stay still," he whispered and reached past her for the pistol she dropped and laid it in her lap. "Just watch my back." He aimed through the scope again.
She clenched the hilt of the pistol and nodded. Her eyes on him, she scanned his body. Blood dripped from him, starting to pool at the floor by his knee. She reached for the medi-gel pack on the side of his waist and pulled it out. Using the knife he left at her side, she cut it open and squeezed some onto her finger.
She waited until he took cover to reload and reached out, rubbing the gel along the back of his neck then on the horrific wound on his hand. He smiled gratefully at that, his lips tweaking almost boyishly charming to one side. She matched his smile, almost nervously. She looked down at his knees and whispered. "You're hurt."
"I'll be fine," he said, softly. Withholding his wince, he aimed again down the sniper rifle and shot. He cocked the gun, reloaded the last bullet into the chamber. He swallowed hard, stilled his breath then fired. The Asari captain finally dropped.
In relief, he collapsed and sat, leaning against the crate with his eyes closed. Miranda's wounds healed slowly and she turned to touch his chest. "Shepard?" worry evident in her voice as she gently shook him. "Shepard, how many pierced your body?"
"Not many," he responded with a stronger voice. "Really. Let's just get the information we need and get out of here."
Garrus approached the two and looked down at Shepard. Silently, he reached down and grabbed the Commander's arm. With little delicacy, he jerked the man to his feet. Shepard clenched his teeth to bite back the pain from the jostled movements. He held Garrus's hostile stare, unwavering. The turian turned away and stalked to the table at the center where the Captain threw her tablet before the fight.
Miranda pushed to her feet, weary not wounded as the medi-gel healed her injuries; she doubled over and coughed. Shepard reached for her unwounded arm and assisted her, using his body to steady her as she waivered on her feet. "Thank you." She whispered but frowned as her fingers traced the bullet holes scattered on his chest piece. "What happened?" She looked to the pool of blood at the center of the floor amidst the red sand.
"You were wounded in the red sand. I wasn't going to leave you there." He responded deeply.
Her expression unreadable, she simply nodded. When she removed her hand from his chest, her frown deepened as she rubbed her thumb against her fingers then looked at her hand. Sticky and splattered in Shepard's blood, she quickly lifted her gaze to his eyes, concerned. "Shepard …"
"I'm fine." He interrupted her. "Let's just get the information we're here for and give it to Samara. I can make it that far and to the Normandy." He offered a playful smirk. "Takes more than a few bullets to stop me."
"Not funny," Miranda stated with a shake of the head. "You could be hurt beneath the armor and have no idea what was pierced."
Garrus tossed the tablet to Shepard. "Then perhaps we should stop standing around here and get back to work, hmm?"
Miranda and Shepard agreed.
End Note: Thanks for sticking with the story. I'm constantly writing and the story is completed far beyond this point. I just don't like to post until I'm certain of each chapter. Reviews are my drug! Send them my way.