on.

A/N: Just a note for people who think Ahsoka is out of character, she's supposed to be. She's been fighting mercs on Omega with Garrus for two years, so it makes sense that she has a darker personality and is more violent.

Chapter II

The Convict

"Why didn't he take me on this mission again?" Ahsoka asked. She was in the main battery with Garrus who was calibrating the weapon systems.

"He didn't want to risk the possibility of you getting sick." Garrus told her not taking his eyes of the counsel.

Ahsoka gave an angry pout, "I'm not from this galaxy! It probably wouldn't affect me."

"Or it would affect you tenfold. We can't risk that."

"Oh please, the worst thing that could possibly happen to me is I grow mandibles and end up as ugly as you." She said smirking.

"As humorous as ever. Why don't you talk to Dr. Chakwas I'm sure she'd like to examine you again."

"At least she's polite about it. Those sideways looks I'm getting are starting to freak me out."

"Please understand, you are a complete unknown. You can't blame the crew for being cautious."

"No offense EDI, but you creep me out to. I'm not used to ships talking to me."

"In that case I will only speak to you if it is essential."

"Okay."

"I have a question actually if that is okay."

"Yes?" she asked.

"Would you like me to inform you whenever Shepard returns from missions that you did not accompany him on and if he brought someone new with him?"

"Yes."

"He just returned with Professor Mordin Solus."

"Thanks EDI."

Ahsoka entered the comm room to find Shepard and Jacob briefing Mordin, so she leaned on the wall and waited for her turn to speak.

"Gas maybe? No spreads to slow. Airborne virus? No slower than gas. Drugged water supply? No effects not-."

Okay, that guy talks way too fast. Ahsoka thought before Shepard interrupted him. "You don't need to guess. We collected samples from one of the colonies. We need you to analyze them."

"Yes, analyze samples, going to need a lab."

"There's a fully equipped lab in the combat deck Professor Solus." EDI said. "If you find anything lacking please place a requisition order."

"Who's that? Pilot? No synthesized voice, simulated emotional inflections. Could be? No, maybe? Have to ask, is that an AI?"

"We call her EDI." Ahsoka said getting his attention, "She takes a little getting used to."

Mordin scanned her with his Omni-tool.

Again? That's the fifth time someone has done that. She thought.

"Female, adolescent, unknown alien species. Even more unexpected for Cerberus to be working with complete unknowns."

"Complete unknown, yeah, I've been getting that a lot." Ahsoka said sarcastically.

"Apologies, scientific curiosity got the best of me. Speaking of which, which way to lab?"

"Follow me professor." Jacob said as he led Mordin out of the comm room.

Shepard started to leave too but Ahsoka stopped him, "Commander, got a moment?"

"Yes?"

"You still haven't told me what exactly your mission is."

"Fair enough. Entire human colonies in a region of space known as the Terminus systems have gone missing. There's no distress signals, no signs of battle, no sign that anything is wrong at all, except that every man, women, and child is gone. We've discovered that a species known as the Collectors are responsible."

"Collectors? When I was still on the Citadel Garrus gave me a data pad on all known races, it said nothing about Collectors."

"Most believe that they're not real, since no one hardly ever sees them."

"What? You can't just go to their home planet?"

"No one knows where their home planet is, except that it is beyond the unmapped Omega 4 relay."

"I see. Any idea why they would want to do this?" Ahsoka asked.

"We believe that they're working for the Reapers."

"Of course. Garrus told me about them, everything you and your team discovered in your fight against Saren and the Geth."

"And that's why I'm assembling a team. If we're gonna win this I need the best."

"Of course. But what would the Collectors want with innocent colonists?... Is there a very quiet spot on the ship where I won't be disturbed?"

"You could try the starboard observation room on deck 3."

"Thanks. Make sure no one bugs me for a bit unless it's urgent or you want me to go on a mission with you."

"Okay."

There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the Force…

Ahsoka slowly opened her eyes. Although she no longer followed the code she found it helped her meditate. I wish I still had at least one of my light sabers. Deconstructing and reconstructing them always had that calming effect. She thought.

"Miss Tano."

"Yes EDI?"

"Ms. Chambers would like to see you in the C.I.C."

One of the crew? "I'll be there in a minute."

"Hello." Kelly Chambers said when Ahsoka approached with a smile. "I'm Kelly Chambers, Shepard's yeoman. It's Soka right?"

"Ahsoka, but I take it you've only heard my name a few times."

"I'm sorry for the mispronunciation. Ahsoka Tano… your name is beautiful."

"Thank you. I like your name too Ms. Chambers." Ahsoka said with a smile. I like this girl a lot already. At least she's actually trying to talk to me.

"Please call me Kelly." Kelly said still wearing her bright smile.

"Is there anything specific you wanted to talk about Kelly?"

"Actually I'd just like to get to know you better."

"Really?" Ahsoka asked a little surprised.

"Other than being Shepard's yeoman it's also my job to make sure the crews' mental health is sound, so it's best I get to know everyone at least a little. I can also tell Shepard if you or anyone else in the crew wants to meet with him whenever he gets back from a mission. Besides, according to what Shepard and Garrus told me, your alone is the galaxy because you're from a different one. That would make a wonderful story to tell."

"Well, I suggest you sit down. My story is a rather long one."

"I've got time."

"Well it starts 15 years ago in my own galaxy on a planet called Shili…"

Ahsoka yawned and stretched her arms. She had fallen asleep on one of the couches in the starboard observation room. It wasn't that the couches were more comfortable than the beds in the crew quarters, she just felt uneasy around them.

"Ms. Tano, Shepard would like to see you on the bridge." EDI said.

She sighed. "I'm on my way."

"You called Shepard?" she asked him. He was standing in front of the galaxy map.

"We'll be docking at the 'Purgatory' in five minutes. I'd like you to join us." He said with a friendly smile.

Ahsoka smiled brightly, "I'll get my armor."

On the shuttle…

"So this 'Jack', what do we know about him?" Ahsoka asked.

"Not much except that he's a powerful biotic and has a history of violence and crimes." Shepard said.

"So were recruiting a renegade?" she asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently."

"From what you told me about the Reapers, we might just need a super biotic. Regardless of how crazy."

"Welcome to the Purgatory." A Turian Blue Suns guard flanked by two Batarians said as Shepard approached, flanked by Ahsoka and Garrus.

Ahsoka's Titan V armor now had blue markings on it similar to Shepard's and the chest had a symbol emblazing upon it (The Jedi crest). She now only carried a sniper rifle(M-92 Mantis), a an assault rifle(M-15 Vindicator), and two M-12 Locust submachine guns.

Shepard carried an M-8 Avenger, and M-92 Mantis, an M-6 Carnifex, and an M-23 Katana.

While Garrus carried a M-15 Vindicator and an M-92 Mantis.

"Your package is being prepped and you can claim it shortly. As this is a high security vessel we ask that you relinquish your weapons." The Turian said.

Shepard drew a pistol and Garrus each drew his sniper rifle followed by Ahsoka drawing one of her SMGs.

"I'll relinquish one bullet. Where do you want it?" Shepard said.

Ahsoka couldn't help but smirk. She knew that even though it was just her, Garrus, and Shepard, she was positive they could take on every damn guard in this prison and come out with minor injuries.

"Everyone stand down." Another Turian said as he approached.

"Shepard, I'm Warden Kuril and this my ship. Your weapons will be returned to you on the way out. You must realize this is just a standard procedure."

"It's my standard procedure to keep my gun." Shepard said still aiming his pistol at the guards.

Shepard and Kuril had a stare down for a few seconds and Ahsoka could sense an ulterior motive in the Turian's black eyes.

"Let them proceed, our facility is more than secure enough to handle three armed guests. We're bringing Jack out of cryo. As soon as the funds clear you can be on your way. If you'll follow me to out processing for the pick-up Commander."

"Let's go."

As Shepard took a step forward Ahsoka grabbed his arm and leaned toward his ear, "He's going to betray us." She said.

"Huh?"

"I can sense these things."

"Listen to her Shepard, trust me on this." Garrus said.

"Alright." Shepard said as they followed Warden Kuril down a hallway with a glass window showing one of the cell blocks.

"Cell block 2." Kuril said as they walked, "As you can see we keep tight control over the population." He continued as Jack's cell was removed by a large mechanical arm. "Each prisoner's cell is a self-contained modular unit. I've blown a few out the airlocks as an example. There is more than one way to control the population." He said as a force field separated two prisoners who started to fight.

Ahsoka clenched her teeth but was careful about what she said, hoping not to cause more problems. "Do any ever try to escape?" she asked.

"We're in space. They have nowhere to go, and they know it." Kuril said, "Continue through here to out processing. We'll hand Jack over as soon as the credits come through." He said before he started down another hallway.

The dark side surrounds that guy.

She followed Shepard and Garrus down another hallway with three cells. Her attention was caught when saw a guard mercilessly beating one of the prisoners. Ahsoka had only seen a display of cruelty like this once, on Zygerria…

"Zygerrian scum! I'll handle that slaver." Anakin said, the venom clear in his voice.

Ahsoka watched as another Togruta, older than her with brighter skin was beat for no reason, she could feel his pain through the Force.

The memory triggered by this scene caused something inside Ahsoka to snap. The guard ceased his action as he was slammed against the wall, he then grabbed his throat as he was lifted a foot off the ground.

"What the?" the guard outside the cell said as he saw this.

"Ahsoka stop!" Garrus said as he noticed what was going on. "Put him down Ahsoka."

Ahsoka didn't seem to be listening as her grip tightened just a bit.

"Ahsoka!" Garrus said more forcefully.

His voice roused her from her fit of rage and she dropped the guard.

Shepard gave her look that she knew meant he wondered if she was mentally stable.

"Sorry," she said coldly as she walked past him.

"What was that about?"

"Ahsoka has very strong feelings against slavery, war, and above all, betrayal. That scene probably reminded her of brutality toward slaves she had seen and triggered a fit of rage."

"Was she a slave?"

"No, but the entire population of her home planet was enslaved once during the war she was fighting and they were terribly mistreated. She witnessed some of it before she managed to free them. Seeing things like that… despite her temper she can be trusted with anything."

"Out processing is right through that door." A man at a counsel said as they entered a large office like room.

Ahsoka eyed the door on the other side of the room warily, but approached with Shepard and Garrus. Then the door opened to an empty cell.

he door opened to an empty cell.f the room warily, but approched "I'm sorry Shepard." Kuril said over the intercom, "But you're more valuable as a prisoner then a customer. Please drop your weapons and proceed into this empty cell."

"Go to Hell!" Shepard said.

"We'll send you there ourselves." Ahsoka said.

"Activate systems!"

Ahsoka drew her Mantis and cocked her neck from side to side. The first guard was shot before he walked through the door. Ahsoka then jumped behind cover.

"Guess you were right again Ahsoka." Garrus said.

"They're mercenaries. What the fuck did you expect?" Ahsoka said before she capped another one.

She heard the howl of FENRIS mechs right before they appeared in the doorway.

Okay, she thought, time to kick it up a notch. She then switched on Inferno Ammo to give her an edge. She shot one merc int the head while Shepard killed the other a hail of incendiary bullets.

"Let's go get Jack! Then I'm going to have a word with Warden Kuril." Ahsoka said and put her sniper rifle on her back.

As they walked through the hallway mercs came in from the other side. Shepard and Garrus ducked behind cover but Ahsoka just kept walking casually towards them.

"Put your hands up!" a Blue Suns trooper said aiming his assault rifle at Ahsoka. She answered by removing the M-12 Locust SMGs from her waist and gunned him and three other troops down in a flurry of bullets.

Shepard was fairly stunned by her skill.

"What? You just gonna sit there?" she asked.

Ahsoka shot the technician before he finished drawing his gun. They looked through the window into the room were Jack waited in cryogenic stasis.

"If you hit that button every cell block on this ship will open."

"We need to get Jack out of cryo. If you can think of a less chaotic solution please tell us." Ahsoka said the last part sarcastically.

"I'm doing it. Be ready." Shepard said.

As the cell thawed out the four YMIR mechs in the room took aim.

"That's Jack?" Ahsoka asked.

It was young women, probably in her early or mid-twenties. Shaved head, upper body clad only in very thin straps covering her nipples and tattoos. From the waist down she wore black pants and combat boots.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked pissed. She growled as she tore the shackles from her neck and wrists. The YMIR mechs prepared to fire. Jack began to glow and with a scream of rage she smashed through all four mechs and the wall.

"Let's go!" Shepard said and took the corridor on their left, leading them to the room Jack had just been in.

"Well at least she'll be able to track." Garrus said as they ran through the hole she made in the wall.

The cell black they walked into was chaos. The prisoners had managed to get ahold of guns and it looked like a full scale war between them and the guards.

"Prisoners!" Kuril's voice shouted over the P.A. "Return to your cells or I'll open every airlock on this ship!"

Ahsoka took cover behind a piece of wreckage and grabbed her sniper rifle.

As she capped prisoners and guards one at a time Shepard and Garrus got in closer with assault rifles blazing.

"I hate mercenaries." Ahsoka said to herself as she capped the last one.

They followed the destruction left in Jack's wake and soon they were up against Kuril.

They entered the room just Kuril killed a prisoner, then he noticed them. "You're valuable to me Shepard." He said and shot at him as Shepard ducked behind cover. "I could have sold you and lived like a King. But you're too much trouble. At least I can recapture Jack."

"Forget it!" Shepard said, "You're a two bit slave trader and I don't have time for it."

"I do the hard things civil governments are unwilling to. This is for the good of the galaxy!" then a large force field covered him so there guns couldn't get through.

"Shot the pylons!" Ahsoka said the she, Garrus, and Shepard snipped the pylons dropping the shield and giving Ahsoka an opening.

"Get over here!" she shouted and force pulled him towards her and shooting him between the eyes with one of her submachine guns.

Jack ran into the docking bay and noticed the large frigate parked outside. Then she noticed the symbol. "Cerberus!" she let out a series of angry screams before a guard appeared aiming at her. Before she could react he was shot from behind her. She looked at Shepard Garrus and Ahsoka.

"What do you want?" Jack asked.

"I'm Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy SR2 and I need you for an important mission."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. You're Cerberus."

"There just funding my mission. I don't answer to them."

"With them, for them, I don't care."

"Look at your options." Ahsoka said. "Stay her and perish in fiery explosions, come with us and survive, or I bring you aboard weather you like it or not."

"I'd like to see you try. You want me on your team? Make it worth my while."

"What do you want?" Shepard asked.

"I bet your ship's got lots of Cerberus databases. You want my help, let me take a look at those files."

"I'll give you full access."

"You better be straight up with me. So why are we still standing here?"

An hour later in the sub deck…

"Who's there!?" Jack shouted aiming her pistol at one of the stairwells.

"Easy Jack it's me." Ahsoka said.

"What the Hell do you want?"

"To talk."

"I don't want to get to know you so you should just leave."

"You're afraid I'll betray you." It wasn't a question.

"Everyone I've ever known has either betrayed me or tried to kill me."

"You're not the only person who's ever been betrayed Jack."

"What, some comrade betray you or something?"

"No, my best friend betrayed me, all my other friends and comrades, and everything we stood for all at once and I was almost put to death because of it. So I'm no stranger to betrayal and I'd never do that." She said fiercely.

Jack's eyes widened slightly at the force in the girls voice. Then she sat on her cot and gestured for Ahsoka to sit across from her. "Alright, let's talk."

A/N: Sorry it took so long. Next time The Council. Tell Who should I pair Ahsoka with?