Captain Jane Shepard, Corsair Ship Perugia, Behind the Perseus Veil, FTL

"Sit," Jane ordered offhandedly as she stepped into the briefing room. She wasn't entirely sure when the quarian crew began standing when she entered, like the human crew did, but it was annoying. Goddess, this assignment is going to ruin you for Alliance protocols….

Stepping up to the lectern, Jane let her eyes slide over the assembled group. Three quarian marine squad leaders, with their seconds. One human squad leader, with her second. And the mission leader. Tali'Zorah vas Neema. And Xera. Ugh….

"Alright, I know you are all aware of the mission, the goals and who is in charge," Jane sighed as a screen behind her came to life, displaying a world with two large, dark tan continents. Rimming the land masses were strips of dark, to pale green. Massive blue oceans stretched over the rest of the planet. "We're going over it anyway.

"This," Jane jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Is the planet Haestrom as it was, two hundred and sixty three years ago, when the geth forced the quarians off of it."

Pausing, Jane let her eyes sweep over the room, noticing how the quarians had gone almost perfectly still as they stared at the monitor behind her. Except for Tali, who seemed to be engrossed in her omnitool.

"Haestrom, being closer to the edge of the Perseus Veil, was one of the last quarian colony worlds to be taken. As such, the entire population was able clear out, along with most of their gear and equipment.

"This also means that the infestructior should still be intact. A fact that has been corroborated by long range scans as well as spy drone flybys."

Pausing, Jane stepped back and hit another key on her omnitool. The image switched to a dusty looking brown orb. Thick swirling clouds of deep brown flowed over the planet, and occasionally flashed here or there with sickly green lights. The once blue oceans had become a darker brown, similar to that of mud.

"And this, people, is Haestrom, as of six months ago."

At the sight of it, the quarians shifted back and forth slowly in their seats. A gesture Jane had come to recognize as being between worry and sorrow. And she hated putting them through this. But they had a job to do.

"Planets don't end up like this in only two hundred years," Jane nodded to the image. "Not without intervention from an outside force. Or, at least that's what the eggheads...er...zomm'in, I guess would be the khelish word. And the force in this situation would be…."

Another taps on Jane's omnitool, and the image zoomed out, passing Haestrom's moon, past the Mass Relay, and bringing the two inner planets of the system into view. And, more importantly, the sun. The red sun.

"...This is the sun in the Dholen system. Creatively named, Dholen," Jane paused again as a quiet, uncomfortable chuckle rolled through the group. Little bit of tension out, at least.

"Each of your teams will be going down in a different drop shuttle," Jane continued. "Malar'Sann, your team will be dropping near the center of the larger land masses, here." A small red circle appeared. "This was a small urban center."

"Sam'lise, you will be dropping here, near what was, at one point, the beginning of the arctic circle for Haestrom." another red circle came up. "The site is an old science station."

Jane turned to the human squad leader. "Sutter, you will be taking your team to what was, at one time, a floating sea platform," with a gesture a red circle appeared in the center of one of the sickly oceans.

"Kal'Reeger, your squad has worked with Tali before," Jane spoke to the final quarian squad leader.

"Yes, ma'am," Kal said, nodding. "I'm taking Tali to the observatory on the equator."

"That's right," Jane indicated the new red circle. "The Perugia will draw off the geth ship in orbit., while the rest of you drop in hot and making noise. Kal'Reeger, you get the stealth shuttle. In, and out. I want it smooth. And stop calling me ma'am."

"Not going to happen, ma'am," Kal said, tilting his head slightly, in the way quarians indicated amusement, as the others laughed quietly.

"Feh," Jane, shook her head in mock disgust. "Maybe I should move you to one of the distraction teams."

"Now," Jane nodded. "The mission parameters and details will be Tali's…"

Jane looked at the quarian as the girl continued to be engrossed in her omnitool.

*ahem* Jane cleared her through.

Nothing.

"Tali," Jane spoke her name again, louder this time.

Nothing

Then, Xera raised her hand, forestalling more effort from Jane as she leaned over and placed her helmets audio outputs right next to Tali's pickups.

"HEY! TALI!" Xera yelled, causing the other quarian to nearly jump out of her chair.

Tali's head wiped up as she looked quickly around. "What? What's happening?!"

"It's your turn, Tali," Jane said calmly, as she stepped away from the lectern.

"Akee…." Tali whined quietly as her hands covered her visor.

Xera'Raan

"What was that all about?" Xera asked, as the team began to filter out of the briefing room. "Not like you to get so distracted before a mission."

Still standing at the lectern, Tali let her helmeted head drop, clapping her visor on its surface. "I don't want to talk about it."

"What?" Xera half laughed. "Was it really that bad?"

"No, you'll just make fun of me more."

For a moment, Xera blinked, a bit surprised. And a little hurt. "Tali, if it's something important, I wouldn't make fun of you. You know that. Or at least, I hope you do."

Tali was quiet for a moment before she lifted her head up and nodded slightly. "I know, Xera. You are my massan, and I know you would not hurt me intentionally."

Xera's breath caught in her throat for a moment as she blinked away the hot tears in her eyes. Calm, Xera, she admonished herself. She doesn't know. She can't. Accept it, and move on. Your soul can still be next to hers.

"Yeah," Xera said at last, her voice almost at its usual chipper tone. "So...tell me."

Looking down at her hands for another moment, Tali seemed to nod to herself as she sighed. "I was writing a letter to Shepard."

"Oh?" Xera prodded her friend in the side.

"Ah!" Tali's head jerked up to look at Xera directly, as she wiggled back and forth slightly. Ancestors...I love when she does that….

"I mean, not this Shepard!" Tali insisted. "I meant my Shepard!"

The words hit Xera in the pit of her stomach, taking her breath away for another moment.

"Well, you know, not my Shepard," Luckily, Tali took her silence to mean something else. "I mean, the one I served with. The Commander Shepard!"

Swallowing her sorrow, Xera stood slowly and approached Tali, laying a hand over Tali's, stopping the twisting they always did when the girl was nervous or uncomfortable. It was one of the traits Xera liked best about her.

"I know who you meant, Tali," Xera said quietly. "Now what aren't you telling me?"

For a moment, Tali said nothing. She let her head droop as she stared at Xera's hands. Then, taking a deep shuddering breath she looked back at Xera.

"I was writing all the things I couldn't say," Tali said at last, her voice so quiet Xera almost couldn't hear. "How I care. How I love him. What the bond meant and how I would always feel. My gratitude for what he had done for me. What I dreamed of for the future, even though I know it couldn't be."

"Tali…"

"I mean...this mission is dangerous. Really dangerous," Tali began, her words picking up speed. "If..if I don't make it, I don't want to meet the Ancestors regretting words I couldn't say. Even if I couldn't say them to him myself, I want him to at least know at the end…."

Tali's voice broke then, into a quiet sob, as her hands clapped over her visor. Her whole body shook as she slowly sank down onto her haunches.

Xera stepped around the lectern and kneeled down in front of Tali, gathering the girl, the woman she loved into her arms. The one that could never love her back. "I will make sure to bring you home so that when we do get home, you can delete that letter and say those words yourself."

Warden Kuril

"Bring Shepard to us," The Collector demanded. "Bring Shepard to us and you shall be rewarded."

"Rewarded how, exactly?" Kuril asked. "Cerberus has already paid quite well to turn one of my...people...over to him. They aren't the type of people that take well to that kind of betrayal."

"Cerberus is inconsequential," the four, glowing eyes proclaimed. "They have been studied and dismissed. Your reward will be…."

Kuril's eyes widened as he saw the number that came up on his screen. "My...that is a rather….generous offer."

And it was. It was so generous. He would be able to have everything he needed. Why, he would be able to have everything he wanted. He could make sure his people...no...wait...why would he share this!

"Alright, I'll get Shepard for you. It should be easy. There is no escape from this station," Kuril nodded as his fingers slid over the small communication device he had been given. "What about the Shadow Broker? He also wants Shepard."

"The Broker is accounted for," the Collector's voice thrummed deep in Kuril's chest. "The Shadow Broker will receive Shepard from you, and bring him to us."

"Well, then" Kuril's mandibles widened into a turian grin. "I am happy to work with you."

Then without another word, the Collector's image disappeared.

"Yes…" Kuril said quietly, his fingers rolling the small communication device over, and over. "I am very happy to be working with you….."

John Shepard, SR-2 Normandy, Medical

"Well?" John demanded. His face hurt, but he was more concerned by the odd overlay in his vision.

"Cybernetics, and bionics," Mordin nodded to himself as he looked over the datapad for what felt, to John, at the twelfth time. "Highly advance. Never seen some of these designs before. Fascinating. Would enjoy taking them apart. Biological connections astounding. Growing, even. Element Zero nodes, enhanced, according to previous military records. Impossible in humans. Possible in korgan. With risks, of course. Krogan survival rate of Ezo implantation is less than three percent…."

"Uh…" John shifted uncomfortably. He really didn't like the idea of Mordin picking his guts apart. "Professor?"

"Some DNA enhancement as well. Retroviral injection?" Mordin paused long enough to glance up at John's face before shaking his head and picking up another datapad. "No, no, not precise enough for this work. Also not effective on human past utero….."

"Past utero?" John asked, his eyebrows raising in mild alarm.

"He means after being born," Mordin's assistant, Barbara answered as she took the datapad Mordin had put down, and replaced it with a fresh one. The little woman practically flowed around the Professor, placing what he needed or wanted within reach before he asked for them, and picking up what he put down, cleaning behind him.

"Ah!" Mordin nodded as he passed the datapad to Barbara and picked up the one she had just set down. "Yes, nanotech. Interesting! Highly advanced! Years, probably decades ahead of current tech! Most impressive!"

"What does that mean, Doc?" John pressed as he fought down his irritation.

"Nano hub locations...rib bones...upper femur… upper humerus...atlas vertebra...clever, would not have thought of that. No, wait, yes I would. Logical, just not first thought."

"I'm here about the weird vision thing? Hello?"

"Healing massively upgraded. No krogan, but still, many times beyond that of normal human. Probably needed to survive implant procedures. Digestion, also impressive. Uses eighty percent of caloric intake," Mordin paused his eyes shooting up to John's. "Tell me, notice any difference in defecation? Color? Composition? Smell?"

"I..wait what?" John leaned back, away from the crazed scientist.

"Your shit," Barbara supplied, taking the datapad from Mordin's hands and replacing it with a small scanner. One that Mordin immediately began to use on John's lower abdomen. "He wants to know if your shit has changed."

"Oh…" John blushed as he blushed slightly. "Um..I suppose. I hadn't really thought about it, but I suppose I do go less."

"Interesting," Mordin nodded. "Other observations?"

"No...not that I can think of…" John twisted a little. "Can we move on?"

"No," Mordin almost interrupted. "Could be important. Have hypothesis, want to nail it down."

"I believe I can help with that, Professor," Edi added as her orb appeared.

"Ah, yes, Edi, should have asked you first," Mordin seemed pleased. "Do not worry, doctor/patient confidentiality applies, strictly for medical purposes."

"Yes," Edi said, the tone of her voice almost puting the picture of her bowing slightly into John's head. "Commander Shepard's bowel movements have, over the time he has been aboard the Normandy, shown a significant decrease in both regularity and size."

"Okay," John groaned.

"Blood platelet levels have also decreased a total of seventy seven percent, leaving his scat mostly white in color."

Nodding, Mordin tapped a finger on his chin. "Interesting...body appears to be reprocessing biomass. Using it as part of healing increase."

"Come on…" John growled now.

"Urination has seen a similar drop off."

"Okay!" John half shouted, drawing Mordin's attention away from Edi. "I'm here about what I see, not what I crap!"

"Oh, yes, that," Mordin frowned. "Knew that before you came in. Simple cybernetic overlay. Similar to the HUD one gets in when in advanced combat armors. Just built into your head. Other options available as well. Your brain just not capable of accessing them. Might not ever. Seems like Cerberus… what is the term Barbara?"

"Like they throw spaghetti at the wall, to see what stuck" the woman replied, packing away some equipment.

Mordin smirked slightly as he turned back to John. "Yes! Enjoy that metaphor. Quite amusing."

"Well, I am glad you enjoy my discomfort," John muttered. "Why is it coming and going when I get hit in the head then?"

"Jarring your focus," Mordin shrugged dismissively as he turned away and picked up a pair of datapads. "Take a little time. Concentrate. You will figure out how to use it. Like using biotics. Just need practice."

"Can you leave now?" Barbara asked as she stared at John with her cold eyes. "I want to clean up the mess you leave before it interferes with the Professor's work."

"I wish I stayed dead…" John sighed as he dropped down from the exam table and picked up his shirt. "I need Tali. She never made fun of me."

The last thought made him blink for a moment as he quickly left Medical bay. Why did you think of her, now? He demanded.

You know why, dipshit he mocked himself. She is what you think about the moment you wake up and the last thing before you sleep.

"She deserves better than me…."

Warlord Okeer, Korlus

"I don't care, Okeer!" Jedore half screamed in his face. "I want the army you promised me!"

Honestly, Okeer wasn't entirely sure why he didn't crush this human like the insect that she was. He had gotten what he needed from her. He had his...son. The dozens of loose tanks and failed experiments didn't matter anymore.

"Don't you ignore me!" Jedore growled as she grabbed the Warlords arm, trying vainly to turn his around again.

Pausing, Okeer looked down at the human's hand, following it back to the arm, then the woman behind it. "I suggest you remove your hand, if you want to keep it on your body," he sneered.

"You…" Jedore's face went read with anger as she snatched back her arm. Okeer could even see a small vein pulsing at her temple. It was quite amusing to watch.

"Captain," a voice came in through the comms. "There was activity at the Relay. It flashed, we got the signal that looked like a ship, but then it dropped off our sensors."

"Immediately jump to FTL?" Jedore frowned.

"Possible, ma'am."

Looking up at Okeer, Jedore ground her teeth. "Keep a watch. I want security up and alert."

"Yes, ma'am."

A ship. Hard to detect? Okeer pondered. Must be Cerberus. Maybe it wasn't a mistake not to accept their offer. If nothing else, they could get both himself and his son, off this world.

"You…" Jedore took a deep breath before focusing on the Warlord. "I want all of these things," she gestured out the lob window at the rows of growth tanks. "All the ones that are viable, out, in the fields. I want them to kill anything that moves. Do you understand me?"

A slow grin passed over Okeer's face. "I see, yes. I will do as you demand."

Blinking at Okeer's sudden compliance, Jedore dropped her arm and spun on her heel before walking stiffly out the door.

"Yes. Kill anything that moves, indeed…." Okeer chuckled. This is going to be fun!

Quarian Migrant Fleet

"I shouldn't," the quarian said. The wall they was staring at didn't respond. "I know that lives will be lost, you don't have to tell me that!"

Standing quickly, they began to pace their small quarters. "If we don't, then how will they trust us? How can we be one with them?"

Their hands, clasped behind their back, began to fidget slightly as they stopped to look out the small port window.

Outside, the Quarian Migrant Fleet. Fifty thousand ships. Seventeen million quarian lives. Their people needed them. They didn't want to let their people down. They didn't want to send the information. The teams would be killed. The humans would die, as well. The Alliance would break off their treaty. It would be for the best.

They didn't like humans. The humans didn't have the quarian's best interests at heart either. Not like the others did.

Closing their eyes, they tapped the keys on their omnitool. The mission data lept out of the Fleet. It flew through the Mass Relays. It downloaded into geth ears.

"Sir?" came a voice as a knock reverberated through the bulkhead door. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but the Admiralty Board has been trying to reach you."

"Alright," they said, opening their omnitool. Hours had passed. How did they lose so much time? "Tell them my omnitool needs looking after, and that I will be along shortly."

"Yes sir."

There really wasn't any choice. It was for the Fleet.

Jane Shepard, Dholen System Mass Relay

"We are out ma'am," Garcia confirmed. "In system."

"Stealth active," Lema'Sonter called out from her station. "Full effect...no bleed."

"Excellent," Jane nodded. "Tactical?"

The quarian at the tactical station, Semma'Mon, hit a few keys before nodding. "One geth light cruiser, as expected. From what I pick up, it is far more heavily armed than we are."

With a shrug, Jane took a sip of her coffee. "Expected of geth ships. Don't have to worry about a crew to breathe or move around. Leave more room for guns."

"Moving toward planned drop vector," Garcia reported. "Planet slightly off estimates, but compensating."

"Planet activity" Jane demanded, crossing her legs. So far so good. But in her experience, that just meant when it went sideways, it would go hard.

"No change," Semma chuckled. "They have no idea we are here."

"That's the plan Sem," Debra Michles, the co-pilot laughed quietly. "In, drop out. Wiggle our ass to get the geth away. No sweat."

"Glad you are so confident," Lema laughed quietly, in response. "I'm too nervous to enjoy the view behind the Veil."

"Don't you worry, Lema, my dear," Kellogs grinned as she leaned back from her station to give Lema a look. Not that anybody could see it under the visor of her suit. "I'm taking plenty of images, in all wavelengths and every angle I can get! I'll make sure to get you a set of the good ones!"

Lieutenant Brend Kellog, Jane's science officer, was one of the few Alliance people that went 'native', in that she went far enough into the assignment as to request, and receive a quarian envirosuit.

And she had it bad for one Lema'Sonter.

"Oh…" Lema shifted slightly, as she tilted her head. "Thank you, mister Kellogs."

"Ah, call me Brend!" she demanded.

"We are on the bridge, mister Kellogs," Lema chastised the human.

It was all Jane could do, not to laugh. The assignments together had created a close bond between the human and quarian members of her crew, and ships. As close as they were, however, the only soul bonding had been between three pairs of quarians.

Catching up on quarian bonding rituals had been nerve wracking, Jane shook her head as she thought about how simple the quarian ceremony was.

Give a pal'tec vis surden, find a best man, and/or woman, then say a few words in a log. No muss, no fuss. It was something Jane could appreciate, even if a part of her was disappointed in the lack of pageantry the occasion would have elicited with a human wedding.

But, of course, the fact that quarians couldn't truly bond with non quarians slowed Brend down not at all.

And from Lema's body language, the attention seemed to make her a bit uncomfortable, but also pleased. So maybe there was a chance of romance, even if it wasn't a bond. Jane had certainly enjoyed her short fling with Xera.

"Coming up on the drop point now, Captain," Garcia's voice cut through Jane's musings. "Atmo touch in two minutes."

"Very good Garcia," Jane smoothed out the realk that wrapped around her envirosuit, before opening her comm. "Shepard to shuttles, approaching drop points, confirm."

"Shuttle One, boards ready green, ready for deploy," the report came, quickly followed by the same from the other shuttles.

"Very good, shuttle teams," Jane acknowledged. "Goddess and Ancestors watch over you, dropping in three….two….one…."

"Shuttles are away ma'am," Semma reported. "Bay doors...closed."

"Breaking atmo," Garcia added. "Coming about to geth ship."

"Give me two rounds from the main gun, mister Semma," Jane nodded curtly. "I want to give them a good rattle, and draw their attention."

"Yes ma'am," Semma's hands flew of the displays as he ran through the calculations needed for the firing solution. "Primed...shots fired."

"Bank out mister Garcia, curve us around that moon and break for the inner system," Jane ordered. "I want them on our ass."

"Already on it, Captain," Garcia grinned. "This is the shit I live for!"

Jane was about to laugh before red warning lights began flashing on her displays.

"Captain!" Semma shouted. "Geth cruiser was behind the moon, it was using the EM field as a screen. It's powered up and moving to intercept!"

"Emergency evasion," Garcia cursed. "Turn for the Relay?"

"We can't abandon our shuttles," Jane spat as the stood from her seat, striding over to the pilot station. "Besides...there is something about…Inward." Jane said tightly. "Now, aim for the star and full burn."

"Captain!" Semma called out again, a hint of desperation in his voice. "Another Geth cruiser has dropped in on the Mass Relay!"

"Calm, mister Semma," Jane spoke, steadily, as she turned back to face the bridge. "Give me a report on the planet, Kellogs."

"Working," the science officer called, her earlier light hearted flirting gone as she shifted to pure business.

"Damn…" Kellogs cursed. "I am getting a large amount of activity. They definitely know about the shuttles."

Turning grim, Jane nodded. "Alright….Come about to 0.31 mark five. Mister Semma, get me firing solution for all weapons. Every one. And set them to cycle. I want our guns glowing."

"Ma'am!" Semma nodded screens began flashing in and out under his hands. Weapons came online, chambers loaded. Torpedo tubes uncovered. "Systems ready!"

Blinking, Jane, shook her head slightly. "Don't know why I'm surprised by your speed at this point, but good work. Keep your target up."

"Ma'am," Semma confirmed.

"Now, Garcia, you get the hard part," Jane said, patting the pilot on the shoulder. "I want you to skim as close as you can to the ship coming out from the moon, then…" Jane paused for effect as a wide grin spread across her face. Even if her crew couldn't see it, her tone made them all shiver slightly. "Ram the fucker that's sitting on the relay."

At her orders, the entire crew went perfectly silent.

"Umm…" Lema's quiet voice broke the still silence. "Kellogs?"

"Yeah, honey bear?"

"...I don't know what that is, but I will assume it's something sweet," Lemma wriggled in her seat slightly. "But...um...Is the Captain….serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Yes she is."

"Oh. In that case. I'm sorry we didn't get to go to the observatory deck…."

"What?! Fuck that shit! We are living through this!"

*giggle*

Quarian Lexicon

Akee: Quarian expression of mental and/or emotional pain. Like saying 'Ow' but for one's feeling or thoughts. Ie: expression of extreme embarrassment

Massan: Quarian equivalent to a best friend and confidant. As close as one can get without being on a life path. The paths of friendship can share similar paths as those of mating, and at times, they can blur or even switch, before the end.

Pal'tec vis surden: Medallion presented during the Ceremony of Bonding. Literal translation: Symbol of Souls United. Quarians followed a different path, where humans would place a ring upon their bride, a quarian male would present a medallion depicting the future life of the newly bonded pair. Worn on a chain around the neck before the war, they now are carried by every bonded female in a special pocket within their enviro-suits, just above their heart. Usually made from precious metals, the quarians in the fleet now use scrap metals to conserve resources.

Realk: Cloth covering used by the quarians. It is used to describe not just the hood seen on most but any material adornment.

Zomm'in: Term referring to an individual that is intelligent to the point of incoherency to others, as well as leaps of logic that nobody else can follow. Example"Tali'Zorah (Also: Zomm'an: an insult that is an accusation of lack of ethics. Culturally, it is used for the scientists that pushed geth advancement so hard, resulting in the uprising. Example: Daro'Xen, Rael'Zorah)

AN: I'm actually having a bit of an issue not just posting chapters as I write them. I feel like spreading them out to once a week might be better than random? I mean, I do write at least one a week, but sometimes, like this week I get binges. I've written four chapters for the work, one for a Dragon Age work, one for a different Dragon Age work (those two are posted= shameless plug) as well as an Andromeda one that I have not posted yet and am trying to decide if I want to post it, as it's kinda weird.

So, thoughts?

Another side note, I've had a couple spoiler complaints. Honestly, if you are reading FanFic of an eight your old game and are concerned about spoiler? You can kiss it.