Striding through the halls of the Presidium, Commander Shepard's party made for an impressive spectacle, drawing curious stares and looks of awe from the crowds.

Keeping the Normandy's arrival on the Citadel discrete was a near impossible task, so Shepard decided to be bold with their arrival and take the entire ground team with him as they cut their way through the heart of galactic commerce and politics.

The news of the Collector defeat had already spread throughout much of the galaxy and Shepard felt no reason to hide the faces of those that helped end the threat. He knew that neither the Council nor the Alliance would likely ever formally honor the men and women that saved countless thousands from a gruesome fate, but he refused to hide them from the public. He proudly walked alongside his team, happy to have the crowds associate each and every one as members of his crew.

Shepard led the way, clad in the black N7 battle armor that had faithfully carried him through the last six months of brutal combat. Flanking the Commander was his XO, Miranda Lawson, and the turian, Garrus Vakarian. Like the Commander, Garrus had donned the well-worn armor that had seen him safe through the Collector campaign. Miranda, as was her style, chose a skintight, black leather outfit that emphasized her toned and attractive body. She walked close beside the Commander, rocking her hips with a grace and purpose that turned heads.

Shepard stole a glance at the raven-haired beauty walking beside him and smiled. Over the last two days, Miranda had obviously been working through some complex emotional turmoil. And while he didn't have a full understanding of everything that had tied her up in knots, the Commander could appreciate the life altering decisions she'd recently been forced to make. But now, it was plain that she'd turned a corner and was once again the poised and confident woman that had captivated him so dramatically. Her presence next to him buoyed him, fueling his resolve and drive.

Grunt, Mordin, Jacob, and Tali all followed closely behind as Kaumi and Thane kept a discrete distance, choosing to adopt a lower profile, and watching for improbable threats.

Conspicuously absent was their unlikely ally, the geth platform, Legion.

Shortly after getting underway from Omega, Legion had advised Shepard that it was time for the programs contained within his platform to rejoin the rest of the geth beyond the Perseus Veil. Just before reaching the relay, a small geth frigate rendezvoused with the Normandy and retrieved Legion, reducing the Normandy's crew by one.

Arriving at the human embassy, the team piled out of the elevators and proceeded into the spacious reception area of the human Councilor's office. The pretty female receptionist's face registered shock as the group led by the Commander filed into the small space.

"Spectre John Shepard and crew of the Normandy SR2 to see Councilor Anderson," Shepard announced. At the Commander's side, Garrus and Tali chuckled as the receptionist's jaw dropped at the site of the bizarre group of individuals before her.

"Uhh… Of course, Spectre Shepard… Let me announce your arrival to the Councilor," the poor girl finally managed to blurt out.

"No need, Diana," David Anderson said in a deep, gravelly voice. "I could have heard this group coming all the way from the Wards." The Councilor had just emerged from his office. The tall, dark skinned military man approached Shepard and extended his palm in welcome.

Taking Anderson's hand, the Commander noted that while his former mentor was still just shy of fifty, the gray within his closely cropped hair was increasing and a few more fine wrinkles lined his forehead.

"I thought you might make a more discrete entrance, Shepard," Anderson said with a wry grin.

"You know me, sir. I was never one for subtlety," Shepard said, still clutching the Councilor's hand warmly. "Besides, not really any way to conceal the Normandy's arrival on the Citadel these days."

"Sure enough," Anderson said in a strangely wary voice and then surveyed the impressive group of characters before him. He gave a friendly nod to the familiar faces of Garrus and Tali and studied with curiosity the austere looking drell man and massive krogan. But his eyes settled for an extra moment on the strikingly attractive dark-haired human woman clad in black leather that stood flanking Shepard. She returned his gaze with a smoldering look that nearly caused the Councilor to flinch.

Of course he'd seen the woman before when she accompanied the Commander to the Citadel nearly six months ago. He later learned her name was Miranda Lawson, though Alliance Intelligence had record of her using several other aliases. Back then, she had prominently worn the emblem of Cerberus just above the left breast of her outfit. That unmistakable symbol, he noted, was now absent. Still, this woman was infamous among Alliance Intelligence circles, having been known to be a key member of the Illusive Man's inner circle for more than a decade. As Anderson studied her, he wondered what unpredictable elements the woman was bringing to Shepard's entourage—and how his former protégé had come to trust her.

"Well, it's one helluva an impressive team you have with you, Shepard," Anderson said and then raised his voice an octave and addressed the group. "Though I'm not sanctioned by the Citadel Council or the Alliance to formally recognize or even acknowledge your actions, I want to tell you all that you've done a tremendous thing for humanity and the greater galaxy. I only know a fraction of what you've accomplished over the last half year, but even that is damn impressive. Sincerely, thank you all."

A few of the team looked around at each other hesitantly, a little taken aback by the gracious human Councilor. They had become accustomed to taking their cue from Commander Shepard, and as he was smiling appreciatively and shaking Anderson's hand once again, the rest of the team relaxed, and nodded in acknowledgment with a few "thank you, sir's" mixed in.

Anderson continued to survey the group for another moment and then turned to Shepard. "Now, Commander, I think it's time we spoke in private. There's a lot we need to discuss."

"Agreed, sir," Shepard said and motioned for Miranda, Tali and Garrus to follow him into the Councilor's office. "But I'll be needing my command staff for this debriefing," he said in a confident voice that suggested his terms were non-negotiable.

Anderson gave Shepard a curious look and once again allowed his gaze to settle an extra tick longer on Miranda, and then shrugged. "Fair enough. Let's get started."

Shepard nodded and turned to the remainder of the team. "The rest of you are dismissed and free to take some time for yourselves. I'll see you all back on the Normandy by 1900 Citadel time."

Over the next ninety minutes, as Councilor Anderson sat behind his desk, cup of coffee in hand, Shepard, Miranda, Tali and Garrus systematically laid out all the relevant details about their mission against the Collectors, including the shocking discovery that the strange and reclusive aliens were, in fact, the remnants of the Prothean race, corrupted and augmented by the Reapers.

They recounted the team's acquisition of the IFF device from the derelict Reaper corpse before its orbit decayed and revealed the nature of the geth schism and how, with the help of a lone geth platform, had repurposed the Reaper virus to return the heretics back into the main geth fold, effectively ending their aggression toward organics. And while Garrus and Tali exchanged sideways glances as Shepard suggested that the geth might even be counted as potential allies against the Reapers, Anderson seemed intrigued.

Finally, they reported the shocking details of what they'd found lurking deep within the Collector's massive station. The discovery of the human-Reaper construct and its eventual destruction stunned the Councilor. And as Miranda detailed the process the Collectors had used to liquefy the abducted humans and use the broken-down genetic material to facilitate Reaper procreation, Anderson stared back at her in horror and looking a little ill.

Composing himself, Anderson finally spoke again in a quieter voice. "It's as disturbing as your initial reports suggested, Shepard. And you believe the purpose of this Reaper embryo was to take the place of Sovereign?"

"That's one possibility," Shepard said. "But there's no way to know for sure. My gut tells me they intended to mow through every human colony in the Terminus to complete the thing and then make another run at the Citadel, with the Collector and heretic geth forces in support. But it's just guesswork at this point. The real significance is that they chose to target humans alone for that purpose."

"Yes," Miranda interjected. "And we still don't fully understand why the Reapers find humanity so distinctive or see us as a threat to be singled out. One possibility is human genetic diversity offers some kind of added benefit to the Reapers. But again, we can't say for sure. For all we know, it may have been Shepard himself. He was revealed to the Reapers as the primary contributor of Sovereign's defeat, explaining the Collector's pursuit and attack on the original Normandy. His actions may have simply raised their awareness of the unique resistance we would pose to an invasion."

"That gives me such a warm fuzzy when you put it that way, XO," Shepard said, cracking a wry grin despite the awful subject.

Miranda shot the Commander a withering glare. "The comment wasn't intended to inflate your ego any further, Commander," she said. But then her expression softened as she locked eyes with Shepard and almost appeared to be stifling a grin.

Anderson starred back in silence, glancing back and forth between Shepard and Miranda. "Did you pull anything concrete from that base before taking it out?"

"Yes," Miranda said decisively and then pushed a data tablet across the desk.

"What's this?"

"A likely trajectory of Reaper forces as they travel to our galaxy," Miranda said. "The vast majority of the information we downloaded from the Collector base has proven to be extraordinarily difficult to decrypt. However, thanks primarily to the powerful VI Cerberus installed on the Normandy SR2, we have been able to identify a record of Reaper-to-Collector transmissions. Using this data, we are able to extrapolate a rough velocity and heading and conclude that the origin of these transmissions has been steadily approaching our galaxy."

Anderson furrowed his brow and stared back at Miranda. "You're saying the Reapers are traveling from dark space to the Milky Way as we speak. Right now?"

"Correct," Miranda said. "In fact, they've been moving steadily nearer for some time. We estimate that the Reaper broadcasting this signal to the Collectors began approaching shortly after the Battle of the Citadel, two and a half years ago."

The Councilor turned back to Shepard, a probing look in his eyes. "Shepard?"

Shepard nodded solemnly. "It's true, Admiral. They're on their way."

"Apparently we just slowed the bastards down when we took out their shortcut into the galaxy through the Citadel relay," Garrus interjected. "They're relentless sons of bitches. Once Sovereign went dark they probably just dusted off their FTL drives and decided to go on a little road trip."

Miranda resisted the reflex to roll her eyes at the turian's droll assessment. "At something close to 30 light-years per day—or, more than double of what our fastest ships are capable of. We have no understanding of how this is possible or how they're fueling their journey across such a vast distance."

"And we don't know how many are in the force that's coming?" Anderson asked.

"No," Shepard said. "But the evidence suggests there could potentially be a lot."

Anderson sat behind his desk and absorbed the information. "You have a signal. You have an approximate speed. Do you know when and where they'll arrive?"

Again, Miranda took the lead on explaining the limitations of the incomplete data the Normandy had acquired. "Because we only have a partial picture of the Reapers' travels, there's no way to be certain of an arrival timeline. But our initial estimates are anywhere from three to seven months from now. The specific entry point into the galaxy is also nearly impossible to know, but it seems logical to assume they'd target a mass relay somewhere along the outer rim—possibly one that's unmapped—in order to gain quick access to the major populated systems."

Anderson swallowed and looked back in stunned silence as he gripped the edge of his desk, steadying himself after absorbing the news. "It's everything we've feared, Shepard," he said in a quiet voice. "Three to seven months… It only reinforces my decision to step down as Councilor."

"I was wondering when you'd be getting to that, sir," Shepard said. "Care to explain how giving up your Council seat helps the cause?"

Anderson gathered his thoughts and pointedly looked at each of the individuals gathered around his desk, sizing them up. "What I'm about to tell you doesn't leave this room," he said firmly before looking back to the Commander. "These are dark days for the Alliance, Shepard. There's a shadow war underway within the Systems Alliance between loyalists that want to continue our partnership with the Council races and hardliners that sympathize with Cerberus and its humanity-first stance. The future of the Alliance as we've come to know it is hanging in the balance."

Anderson took a long, dramatic breath before continuing. "Thanks in large part to widespread Cerberus infiltration, extremists are gaining significant influence within some of the most critical elements of our military and political apparatus. There are a growing number within the Alliance that view the Collectors' incursions against our far-flung colonies as an excuse to rein-in the human outposts in the Terminus and bring them to heel, using whatever methods necessary."

"That sounds ominous," Shepard said dryly. "But there's already a lot of hard feelings in the Terminus and other colonies over the Alliance's lack of action against the Collectors," Shepard said.

Anderson nodded. "And no doubt the Alliance coming in and pushing its weight around now could easily escalate the unrest and turn it into an all-out civil war. The resentment coming from the frontier colonies is palpable. I've never seen the tension this high, Shepard."

Miranda gave Anderson a puzzled look. "You must have known Cerberus agents have been among the Alliance ranks for years. But they've always been a select minority, placed in key positions to help influence policy. What's changed?"

"That's true," Anderson agreed. "But in recent months, those elements have grown more bold. As I'm sure you're aware, after the Battle of the Citadel, Cerberus influence grew significantly. Many more sympathizers sprang up in the wake of seeing humanity take such a beating while helping to protect the Council and the Citadel. A number of high-ranking military and political officials became outspoken against the Alliance's coalition with the turians, asari and salarians and our efforts to fight the geth in territory far from home. It started slow, but over the last year the momentum's been picking up. A number of Alliance agencies are hanging in the balance with more government officials becoming more outspoken all the time."

Miranda nodded somberly, knowing that while she had been dedicated fully to the Lazarus Project, the Illusive Man was no doubt expanding his strategy to affect meaningful policy change within the Systems Alliance.

"But there's more to this than just Cerberus getting their hooks in and challenging the old guard," Anderson explained. "There are even more unpredictable elements in play here, Shepard. Over the last several months, Alliance Intelligence operators have been secretly making raids throughout the Sol system and even into Citadel space, abducting both humans and non-humans. It's becoming all too common for even notable government officials to be picked up for one reason or another, packed off to black sites and then subjected to extreme interrogation and coercion methods." Anderson paused and let out a long, deliberate breath. "It's an attack on the very soul of the Alliance. We're in danger of falling down a very slippery slope toward an autocratic and extremist state of galactic human governance."

Shepard stared back at his former commanding officer, a thoughtful look on his face. Had the Alliance really changed that much in less than three years?

"And now, you've kicked up one hell of a hornets nest, Commander," Anderson said.

Shepard looked a little taken aback. "Meaning what exactly, sir?"

"You've got enemies on all sides of this, Shepard. The Alliance loyalists are pissed that you hitched your wagon to Cerberus, indirectly aiding their efforts to gain mainstream acceptance beyond the fringe elements and frontier outposts."

Miranda gave the Commander a sympathetic look. "I'm afraid that's not unexpected, John. The Illusive Man always intended for your partnership to help broaden Cerberus' appeal among the more conservative human elements and temper the organization's extreme reputation."

Anderson gave Miranda a curious look, catching the woman's informal use of the Commander's first name. Miranda quickly averted her eyes from the older man and silently kicked herself for the slip.

"It couldn't be helped, Anderson," Shepard said forcefully. "The Alliance was sitting on their hands while the Collectors decimated colonies in the Terminus. Someone needed to act."

"I know, Shepard. And I'll admit it; in retrospect, it was a blunder. But you have to understand that no one knew for sure that it was even really you out there. Hell, for a while we thought Cerberus simply cloned you so they could trot your image around the galaxy and hold up your good name as being married to their cause. Even I couldn't be sure it was really you when we first met here six months ago. For god's sake, Chief Williams, Dr. T'Soni, and Moreau all reported seeing you spaced with no apparent means of survival. In the end, we had to have our medical techs pour over the scans we collected from the security checkpoints before we could be sure you were the same John Shepard I knew before." Anderson shrugged. "Once I had that information, I fought to get the Alliance behind you and tried to marginalize your association with Cerberus. But I lost that battle."

Shepard sighed, conceding the unbelievable nature of his return from the brink of death. "Well, that's done now, Admiral. I've completely cut ties with the Illusive Man. The same goes for Lawson here and the rest of the former Cerberus crew. They're all with me now and I'm running the Normandy under my Spectre authority, for whatever that's worth."

"And that's the other side of it, Shepard. We're hearing rumblings that the Cerberus sympathizers within the Alliance are viewing you as a traitor. And while that fact helps make a case for you with the Alliance's old guard, the Illusive Man hasn't been shy about throwing your name around the last few weeks and aligning himself with what you accomplished in the Terminus. As we speak, Cerberus is busy spreading propaganda about how you and they took down the Collector threat, which is proving to be a boon to their recruitment efforts in the colonies and closer to home."

Shepard looked conflicted. "Anderson, I'm not going to defend the Illusive Man's methods, but the perception in the Terminus is that Cerberus is the only legitimate organization that's looking out for their interests. And frankly, Cerberus did help bring down the Collectors. They put me back together, gave me a crew, a ship, and damn near unlimited funding. I broke ties with them because I disagreed with the way the Illusive Man intended going about fighting the Reapers. But at least they've actually been doing something to prepare." Shepard's expression hardened. "All I've gotten from the Council and the Alliance are denials and attempts to discredit me."

Anderson leaned back in his chair, placed his hands in his lap, and sighed. He understood the frustration Shepard felt. It must have been maddening from his perspective. "That's not entirely accurate, Shepard," Anderson said carefully.

Shepard leaned forward in his chair and fixed his stare on the Councilor. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, I wasn't entirely truthful with you when we spoke before. I'm sorry." Anderson admitted. "The fact is we did recover a significant amount of debris from Sovereign. Alliance R&D is in possession of significant material, as is the turian military and salarian STG research divisions. The asari won't admit they have anything, but that's obviously bullshit. The Council still isn't sold on the idea that the Reaper threat is everything you claim it to be, but there's pretty wide consensus that what we faced during the Battle of the Citadel was beyond the geth's capability."

"And yet the Council still went out of its way to paint me as some kind of lunatic conspiracy theorist," Shepard said, his voice tinged with resentment.

"I know. You didn't deserve that, but even after all you'd done, humanity still had very little influence with the Council. But you have always had supporters within the Alliance— Admiral Hackett and myself included—and we pushed back as much as we could."

Shepard leaned back in his seat again, an odd look of resignation on his face.

Anderson paused and took a sip from the coffee cup on his desk. "Neither the Alliance nor any of the Council races will openly acknowledge the threat, but that's really just to avoid mass panic across their populations. I can tell you that there are back-channel efforts within the Alliance Navy to do whatever we can to prepare. We've intentionally inflated fears over geth and batarian aggression to bolster our defense spending, up recruitment, and turn out new warships in numbers beyond what we lost at the Battle of the Citadel. We've even been quietly working with the Turian Hierarchy to ease the Treaty of Farixen restrictions on dreadnought numbers for both our navies. The turians may not entirely buy the Reapers in the form you've described, but those people have been fighting wars long enough to recognize the early signs of a new threat—and understand the danger in ignoring it."

Garrus snorted a laugh. "I think that goes without saying," he said. "Seeing Sovereign knock our dreadnoughts around like toys wasn't good for our collective ego."

Anderson nodded in agreement. "But the chaos within the Alliance military and political leadership is threatening to sabotage all these efforts. That's why I'm stepping down as Councilor. I have to help Admiral Hackett get our house in order and force these agitators into the open." He picked up the data pad Miranda had given to him and held it up. "This information only makes it more urgent."

"Alright," Shepard said with a sigh. "But if you're busy propping up the Alliance, who's going to maintain the dialog with the Council and keep that well from being poisoned?"

"Udina," Anderson said flatly. "He's coldblooded and overly ambitions, but he's a true believer in the need for humanity to be a player in the galactic community. He'll work to keep the Alliance engaged with the Council and keep us from pulling back toward isolationism. We don't like each other, but there's mutual respect there. He's already on board with the decision. I'll stay on officially as his military attaché, but will be free to spend most of my time dealing with the crisis at home."

Shepard studied the Councilor for a few seconds. "Okay, I know what you're doing. What do you need from me? Where can the Normandy help?"

Anderson looked at him with a grave expression. "For now, Shepard, I need you to drop off the radar and lay low for a while."

Shepard didn't bother trying to hide his displeasure. "Sir, that's ridiculous," he said pointing to the data pad Anderson was still holding. "The Reapers could be here in a matter of months. I'm not sitting on my hands while we wait to see where they finally drop in."

"Shepard," Anderson said. "I'm not asking you to remain idle. By all means, follow up any leads you have and get me more intel on the Reapers. But I can't have you mixed up in all this political wrangling—not yet anyway. You're too divisive at this point."

Miranda turned to Shepard with a sympathetic expression. "He's right, Commander. Despite all the successes, you're a polarizing figure. Inserting yourself into this power struggle could be incredibly destabilizing."

"Listen to your XO, Commander," Anderson counseled. "She knows what she's talking about." He then turned to address Miranda directly. "In fact, Miss Lawson, I believe you may have some first-hand insight into how Cerberus might influence regime change."

Miranda flushed slightly but didn't respond to the jab at her dubious past, instead returning his gaze with a cold stare of her own. She was well aware that Alliance and Council Intelligence services had tracked her clandestine activities for years.

Anderson turned back to the Commander. "I want to also caution you about overplaying your Spectre status. The Council's in an awkward position after you acted under their authority while accepting funding and resources from Cerberus. With all the noise the Illusive Man is making now, they could very well look for a reason to disavow you."

Shepard shrugged dismissively. "Well, again, they didn't leave me much of an alternative."

"Agreed," Anderson said. "But you've got a target on your back now more than ever. There are forces in play that won't hesitate to take you out if given the right opportunity. You know what kind of collateral damage could result from that."

Shepard let out a long sigh, seemingly conceding the struggle for the time being. "Alright, I'll keep my distance—for now. But don't expect me to sit on the sidelines for long."

"I don't. When the time's right, I'll get you back in the game. But first I need to get back on the ground and assess the situation personally. In the meantime, I'll authorize resources and a resupply for your ship. But I'd advise you not to linger on the Citadel. The longer you're here the more attention you'll attract."

Shepard nodded slowly, a pensive expression on his face as he sifted through all they'd just discussed. "Point taken. We'll be underway again as soon as the re-provision's complete. I'll setup on Illium. Liara has an influential presence there that we can leverage."

"That's a sound plan, Commander," Anderson said. "I'm afraid I can't offer you any official Alliance support yet. You're still technically listed MIA, but Hackett and I will keep pressing to have your rank and status restored. We want you back in the family, Shepard."

"Thank you, sir."

Anderson looked Shepard square in the eyes, a sympathetic expression on his face. "Son, I meant what I said before. I'm damn proud of what you and your crew have accomplished. I'm ashamed the Alliance and I weren't there standing behind you. You've done a helluva thing."

Shepard's group then stood up and once again shook hands with the Councilor.

As they walked out of the Anderson's office, Miranda turned her head to find him watching her intently. But this wasn't the typical leering she was accustomed to receiving from men. Instead, Shepard's former commanding officer seemed to be sizing her up, pondering just how far he could trust the mysterious woman.

Without thinking better of it, she flashed a brief smile of reassurance to the man just as the doors slid shut behind her.

Eight days later, Miranda sat comfortably in the forward cabin of a chartered shuttle, rapidly approaching the asari world of Illium. Kasumi was in the seat across the aisle from her, curled up and happily sleeping away the final hours of their journey. Aside from the pilot and crew, the two women had the vessel to themselves, Miranda having booked a private transport for the trip to and from Eden Prime, where she had just spent the last week with her sister, Oriana.

After their meeting with Councilor Anderson, Miranda had stayed on the Citadel with the rest of the Normandy's crew to help oversee the resupply prior to the ship's voyage to Illium. Less than twenty-four hours later, Shepard had taken the ship out of her docking bay and set out once again, minus his XO and master thief.

Initially, Shepard had proposed simply taking Miranda in the Normandy as a brief detour on the way to Illium. But she had quashed the notion, pointing out the unwanted attention the Normandy's arrival on Eden Prime would inevitably bring. So the Commander had given in to his XO's more discrete plan of arranging a private transport off the Citadel, using an alternate identity.

However, the extra caution Shepard seemed to exhibit in matters that involved Miranda didn't relent all together. He wanted her to bring Grunt along for protection, fearing the expected Cerberus retribution attempts. She had scoffed at the idea, telling him he must be mad if he thought she was going to allow that overgrown, infantile krogan anywhere near Oriana. After more than a decade of high-risk missions she assured him she'd be fine on her own. But he didn't budge, countering with the insistence that she at least bring Kasumi and refusing to take no for an answer. Finally, she acquiesced to his stubbornness and agreed to bring their enigmatic master thief along.

Later, Miranda mused that he had likely intentionally started off with the offer of sending Grunt, knowing she'd refuse outright, and then be more agreeable to the idea of bringing Kasumi. Damn, perhaps he's learning some of the finer points of the trade, she had later thought to herself. She was beginning to find his over-protectiveness toward her a little aggravating, but still, it was touching to see how much he cared.

But in the end, Miranda found she was grateful to have her unlikely friend along for the trip. Kasumi was friendly and approachable to virtually everyone on the Normandy, but Miranda and she seemed to have hit it off more easily than the operative ever would have imagined likely. In many ways, the two were kindred spirits and the XO felt more relaxed with her around.

Just before the two set off to catch their commercial transport, Miranda learned that they would not be the only ones missing the Normandy's journey to Illium. Thane Krios had come to the Commander and announced that he could no longer continue serving onboard. The drell that Shepard had formed such a close friendship with was staying behind on the Citadel.

Thane explained that his condition was steadily deteriorating and he feared that he couldn't be an effective member of the crew much longer. Furthermore, he desperately wished to salvage the relationship with his son, Kolyat, who sill resided on the station.

Shepard was pained to see his new friend leave, but he respected him tremendously and wouldn't stand in the way of a dying man hoping to spend his final years with family.

The drell's decision to part ways with the crew could have been predicted, but Jacob's decision to leave caught even Miranda a little off guard.

She spoke with him briefly just before they both left on their separate ways and Jacob had assured her that he wasn't leaving on account of the relationship Miranda maintained with Shepard. Though, he refused to give any specifics about where he'd be off to next, he explained that he needed to carve out a new path of his own. She could respect that and wished him the best.

So with an ever dwindling crew, the Normandy had departed the massive space station as Miranda set off on her own journey.

She felt for Shepard, understanding the growing toll it was taking on him each time another member of the crew set off from the ship's company. Added to that, their conference with Anderson provided little comfort. In the end, she briefly considered postponing her visit with Oriana, but then quickly abandoned the idea. Miranda needed to see for herself that her sister was safe and that the protection in place was acceptable. Besides, Shepard was a strong and resilient man, and since Garrus and Tali didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, she resolved to go ahead with her plans.

And now, as she approached the very world where so much had begun to change for her, Miranda was filled with a renewed sense of self-confidence and drive. Yes, they had learned the terrifying truth that a Reaper vanguard could arrive in the galaxy within a matter of months, but she was determined to meet the threat head-on, alongside the most capable man she had ever known. The man she no longer hesitated to admit to herself that she was madly, deeply, intensely in love with. She smiled to herself at the thought, once again self-assured and unapologetic about the passion she felt for Shepard.

In fact, Miranda now felt a little foolish for how she had distanced herself from Shepard in the days leading up to their arrival on the Citadel and for allowing Jack to get under her skin so thoroughly. But that was in the past now and she was resolved to move forward.

And the time spent with her sister had done wonders for her soul.

The two spent much of their time together at a serene lakefront park, just outside the settlement where Oriana's parents had been provided lucrative positions in teaching and agriculture, respectively. Kasumi would join the sisters occasionally, but often enjoyed exploring the colony on her own and doing what she called "window shopping."

Oriana, who had only just turned nineteen, was incredibly insightful and possessed a disarming charm that effortlessly cracked Miranda's considerable outer walls. As they spent the days together, Miranda was shocked to see how easily she allowed herself to open up to her younger sibling. There was only one other person in the operative's life that could claim the same talent, and he was half a galaxy away.

Miranda told her sister nearly everything about the life she'd lived up to that point. She leveled with her about their father's obsession with a perfect heir and the continuity of his legacy. She told her of the harrowing escape she'd made when Oriana was only an infant. And she even came clean about her long association with Cerberus. Miranda knew that there were a hundred ways she could be exposed as a rogue Cerberus agent, so she decided it was best for her sister to hear the truth from her own lips.

Through all the revelations, Oriana didn't flinch and remained amazingly unflappable. Miranda had feared her sister wouldn't understand the reasons she had been taken from their father so early in life, but after absorbing all the details, Oriana simply smiled, grasped her elder sister's hand warmly, and said, "Thank you."

After the harsh judgment she had received from Niket over the choice to steal her infant sister away, those two little words were music to Miranda's ears. The elder Lawson sister finally could allow all the angst and self-doubt she'd been carrying around over the decision to dissolve away.

When the subject turned toward Shepard, Miranda hesitated to tell the whole story. But inevitably that barrier crumbled too. Oriana was astounded at the science involved in reviving the Commander, but what the girl really wanted details about was who the man was to her older sister. She lit up in eager anticipation when Miranda finally got to what Oriana called the "juicy bits" of the story. So, reluctantly at first, Miranda told the complete tale of how she'd become close with the Commander and where their relationship was heading.

"Randa, you absolutely light up when you're talking about him! You're in love with him—admit it!" Oriana had declared.

Miranda resisted her younger sister's expectant look for a moment, but finally buckled under the girl's youthful enthusiasm—it was infectious. "Yes, I suppose I am," she had said with a steadily growing smile.

Colony development, huh? Miranda had thought as she sat there with her sister, thinking of the field that Oriana had once told her she'd like to pursue. That girl could easily become a skilled counselor—or interrogator.

When the week was up and after Miranda had confirmed for the seventh time that Oriana's protection detail was sufficient and intact, the two sisters reluctantly parted. Miranda, for the first time in her life, had begun to understand what it was to have an actual family and experience the joy of having something so… normal.

And while part of Miranda longed to remain on Eden Prime and carry on with the fantasy, she couldn't deny the horrible danger that was steadily descending on them. And as blissful as her time with Oriana had been, she felt the undeniable pang of longing when her thoughts turned to Shepard. Having a genuine relationship with her sister was amazing, but her family wasn't complete without him.

And now, as the transport breached Illium's atmosphere and began its rapid descent into Nos Astra, Miranda began to feel butterflies of anticipation stir in her stomach.

"Three minutes to Nos Astra arrival," the shuttle's VI announced over the passenger cabin speakers. Miranda looked to her left and smiled as Kasumi stretched out her arms and yawned, finally awakening from her nap. The operative then quickly ensured the modest baggage she'd brought on the trip was in order, including the M-12 Locust submachine gun concealed in her handbag, and prepared to disembark.

A few minutes later, the two women were striding through the busy spaceport, heading for the Normandy's docking birth. Nearing the frigate's location, Miranda parted ways with Kasumi, briefly embracing her friend warmly before parting ways.

"I'll see you in a few hours then," Kasumi called to Miranda. "Have fun!"

Miranda waved and then turned to continue off toward the heart of the Nos Astra's Commercial District. Her plans for this evening didn't involve returning to her duties on the Normandy just yet.

She smartly navigated the hectic market quarter, moving through the crowds with purpose, until she found her destination. The women's clothing boutique, Mystique, was tucked away in a popular corner of the mezzanine level. Peering within, several asari and human women could be seen mulling around racks of stylish dresses, trendy suits, and sexy, but classy, lingerie.

Miranda entered the shop and approached an elegantly dressed asari sales clerk and asked to retrieve the order she'd placed via the extranet site. Before leaving Eden Prime, Oriana had insisted on helping to plan a special night out for her sister and Shepard, including helping to pick out some new outfits and other necessities.

Thirty minutes later, after trying on her purchases and ensuring everything fit to her satisfaction, Miranda walked out of the boutique with several bags over her shoulder, and the Locust SMG still concealed within the handbag she kept close on her left hip. It was just after 1400 hours local time and she still had several more stops to make.

Next, Miranda found her way to the day spa & salon that Oriana had recommended and where over the next two hours she allowed herself to be pampered and spoiled. It was a little alien at first for her to indulge so extravagantly, but she eventually relaxed and gave into it. If she wanted to turn the corner in her life and embrace the person she hoped to become, especially when the future was so uncertain, it was time to let go and live a little.

When she finally emerged from the salon, Miranda looked even more radiant than usual. Checking the time, she hurried next to the resort hotel she'd booked before leaving Eden Prime. Checking in under an alias, Miranda quickly made her way up to the eighty-seventh floor, entered her room and surveyed the surroundings with satisfaction.

It was a spacious and luxurious suite, tastefully decorated—unlike the racy Azure—and offered a sweeping view of the Nos Astra skyline through the room's panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. Miranda noted with approval that the champagne she'd ordered was already present, chilling in a bucket atop the wet bar.

She set down her bags and checked the time. Any minute now, she thought. And then on cue, the door opened behind her and Kasumi walked in, a small package under her arm.

"Of course you wouldn't knock," Miranda said with a wry grin.

Kasumi shrugged. "It doesn't suit me. Anyway, the locks on these doors are child's play. Here's the precious cargo." The thief handed the item over to Miranda with a wicked smile and a wink.

"Thank you," Miranda said. "You're a lifesaver."

"Anytime, honey. Shepard's a lucky guy."

Miranda smiled appreciatively as Kasumi fled out the way she came in, bound for a little evening reconnaissance of the Nos Astra attractions.

Opening the bag Kasumi had delivered, Miranda inspected the contents approvingly. She then activated the sub-dermal switch on her left arm to activate her Omni-tool. "EDI, can you give me a status on the Commander's location?"

"Commander Shepard is currently in his quarters preparing to leave the ship and proceed to your location, Miss Lawson. He has advised that Mr. Vakarian will be the officer on watch for this evening."

"Good. Did he receive the package I sent to the Normandy?" Miranda asked.

"Yes, Miss Lawson. He is in possession of the item you forwarded and appears to be bringing it along."

"Excellent. Thank you, EDI."

"My pleasure. Enjoy your evening, Miss Lawson. Logging you out."

Miranda then proceeded to unpack and finish sorting out the room. She was pleased that everything was running on schedule and began to feel her excitement grow, anticipating Shepard's arrival.

An hour later, the door to their suite clicked as the lock disengaged and Shepard walked in with a garment bag slung over one shoulder.

He stopped just inside as the door closed behind him and stared at the stunningly beautiful woman standing before him in the center of the room.

Miranda, wearing one of the hotel's luxurious white satin robes, flashed a brilliant smile.

"Hey," Shepard managed after finding his voice. How does she make a simple bathrobe look that sexy?

"Hey, yourself," Miranda said seductively. "I see you got the message—and the package I sent."

Shepard gave her an interested look. "I did," he said. "So… We're going out tonight?"

"Yes. But not for a little while," Miranda said as she cocked her head to the side and flashed him a suggestive look. "First, we enjoy this beautiful room for a while." She then untied the belt loops fastened around her waist and gracefully slipped the robe off her shoulders, allowing the garment to float to floor.

Shepard's jaw dropped as Miranda stood before him, the robe laying around her ankles, and wearing the same black, lacy babydoll he had teased her with that night in his quarters almost two weeks ago.

Miranda looked at Shepard, beaming as he admired her. "Commander, your XO needs you."

A few hours later, and long after the champagne bottle had been emptied, Miranda sat at the end of the plush, oversized bed in the suite's bedroom. Having slipped into the dress she'd picked up at the boutique earlier in the day, she pulled on the fine leather 6" heel platform shoes Oriana had insisted she purchase to complete the outfit.

Standing, she walked across the room and studied her image in the full-length mirror, ensuring that everything fit just right.

As with nearly everything Miranda wore, the crimson red sleeveless dress was form fitting, but elegant. The silky, floor-length garment featured a long slit that ran up the front of her right leg, nearly to the waist, and a deep, V-neck top that tied behind her neck and accentuated her full breasts, exposing a tantalizing amount of cleavage.

Perhaps this was a little too much for tonight, she briefly thought to herself. But then quickly dismissed the notion. Miranda didn't do understated.

Satisfied, Miranda fastened the sparkling silver and gemstone choker necklace around her neck to complete the outfit.

Shepard emerged from the bathroom a moment later wearing the fashionable black suit Miranda had selected for him and had sent over to the Normandy. She turned from the mirror and looked at him approvingly, pleased with her choice and the fit.

He stopped inside the doorway and smiled at the stunning woman standing near their thoroughly disheveled bed and whistled softly. "Miri, you look gorgeous."

Pleased with his reaction, she smiled back at him, finding that she liked that he'd begun using the affectionate nickname. "Thank you. You're looking very dashing yourself, Commander," she said with a barely suppressed giggle.

Still grinning at how beautiful Miranda looked in the sultry red dress, Shepard finally snapped out of it. "So… An asari ballet?"

Miranda shot him a mock glare. "Yes, an asari ballet," she said. "It's supposed to be amazing. And the symphonic accompaniment has won dozens of awards."

"But Swan Lake? Really?"

"They put their own spin on it," she said and shrugged. "But what can I say? The asari love Tchaikovsky." And don't you think you can indulge me a little after the welcome gifts I provided?"

"You have me there, Miss Lawson."

"And if you're on your best behavior, you may be fortunate enough to see me model a few of my other recent purchases," Miranda teased.

"In that case, bring on the ballet!"

"You are shameless, Commander," she said with a sarcastic grin, shaking her head. "Do you think the Normandy will survive a night without its captain?"

Shepard laughed. "Oh, I think they'll manage. But Garrus did want to send along a chaperone when I told him you and I were going out on the town tonight."

Miranda raised an eyebrow. "And you said?"

"I told him no chance. It's just me and my girl tonight."

"Good answer, Commander."

"Besides, I have my personal biotic bodyguard with me and I brought along a little accessory of my own to go with the suit," Shepard said and pulled one side of his jacket away to reveal the Predator semi-automatic pistol hanging from his shoulder holster.

"Hmm, and then there's this." Miranda pulled up her gown high above one knee, revealing the top of her stocking and garter strap—and the ultra-compact Phalanx pistol strapped to the inside of her left thigh. "I also come prepared," she said with a wink.

Shepard smiled and let out a long, slow breath. "You have no idea how much you just turned me on."

"Save it," Miranda said playfully. "We still need to make our dinner reservations."

A little while later, the couple emerged from the upscale seafood restaurant where they'd just dined and began to make their way to the performance.

Stepping out onto busy street, Shepard contentedly wrapped an arm around Miranda's slim waist and pulled her in close to his side. Placing a hand on his chest, she reciprocated the gesture and smiled up at him as they continued on their way. They'd planned to travel the short distance to the performing arts hall via a subterranean high-speed rail line that let out right at the Nos Astra theater district.

The station wasn't difficult to find. Restaurants and bars all around were emptying out as crowds began to flood the pathways leading to the transit hub, many others obviously heading toward the same destination as Miranda and Shepard.

Miranda squeezed Shepard's hand, encouraging him to move a little faster. "We better pick up the pace, Commander. I know you would hate to be late to the show," she said with a flirtatious wink.

Shepard laughed and smiled down at her. "Of course, anything for my lovely XO."

Miranda appreciated the good sport he was being, knowing full well that an asari ballet wasn't exactly the kind of entertainment the Commander typically went in for. But she felt confident that she had sufficiently incentivized him earlier in the evening, so he was happy to indulge her. In fact, since her return from Eden Prime, it seemed he'd be agreeable to just about anything she suggested. She smiled to herself at the thought, not ashamed at the pleasure she took in having him wrapped around her finger.

Turning the corner, the wide entrance to the train station came into view, just about twenty meters ahead. About a dozen people were hurriedly entering under the large, sweeping archway that hung over the entrance and began descending the flight of stairs leading to the lower level train depot. As they approached the mouth of the tunnel leading down, Miranda once again took hold of Shepard's right arm, nestling herself closer to him.

But just as they neared the stairs, the former Cerberus operative's well-trained eye caught sight of a sudden movement above and to the right. Glancing up, she immediately picked out a lone figure upon the walkway one level above them.

Leaning over the railing, a tall, dark-skinned human female clad in a long gray overcoat was peering down at her and Shepard, scrutinizing the couple. As Miranda met the woman's eyes, the observer quickly averted her gaze, turned and marched off in the opposite direction.

Miranda was accustomed to being ogled by both men and women. And Shepard could easily be recognized from all the vids that had portrayed his actions over the years. But generally, Illium's cosmopolitan population tended toward discretion where celebrities were concerned. In fact, the famous of the galaxy would often flock to the asari world largely because their privacy was respected and few would bother them in public. But the way this woman seemed to be intently watching both her and Shepard had tickled Miranda's instincts and set off alarm bells in her head.

Miranda turned back toward Shepard, just as they were about to reach the first step of the stairwell leading down to the station. "Shepard…"

But before Miranda could finish her thought, a lot of things happened very rapidly.

First, Shepard pulled down hard on Miranda's left arm, hauling her low to the ground just as the unmistakable report of a high-caliber rifle shot echoed from within the tunnel ahead of them.

Glancing quickly over to Miranda, Shepard confirmed she was unhurt and then released her arm. Plunging his hand under the left side of his coat, he pulled the Predator from its holster and trained the weapon down toward the bottom of the tunnel where the shot had originated.

Shepard's attention focused ahead of them, Miranda remained close to the ground and whipped her head around, trying to reacquire the female spotter that had been standing on the high walkway a moment before. But the woman had vanished.

The crowd around Shepard and Miranda was temporarily frozen, startled by the loud noise of the single sniper shot. Then, emerging from behind a mass of people to their right, two burly looking human men methodically marched forward with heavy assault rifles pressed up against their shoulders and aimed toward the couple.

"John!" Miranda shouted and immediately summoned a powerful biotic barrier just as the two men opened fire.

Shepard turned toward Miranda's warning just as her biotic shelter engulfed them. Incendiary rounds peppered the barrier, reflecting off the translucent blue bubble and ricocheting into the walls of nearby shops, exploding in a shower of sparks and white-hot fire.

If the sudden attack from their flank fazed Shepard, he didn't show it. With measured precision, the Commander raised his pistol, took careful aim at the closest attacker, and fired two controlled bursts of three rounds each, striking the gunman in the chest and head.

Miranda watched, fighting to maintain the barrier a little longer, as Shepard's salvo brought down the concealed shields of the man on the left and then penetrated his unprotected head. The attacker's life was instantly snuffed out as a red puff of blood and smoke erupted from the back of his skull.

Shocked into action by the violent sound of automatic rifle fire and the cacophony of rounds bouncing off Miranda's barrier, a ripple of panic erupted through the crowd and the area echoed with shouts of terror and confusion as people began to scatter, running in all directions.

As his partner collapsed to the ground in a lifeless heap, the second gunman quickly executed a combat roll to the left and ducked behind several asari bystanders cowering in terror, forcing Shepard to hold fire.

Still crouched with one hand planted on the floor and a leg outstretched in front of her, Miranda looked like a predatory cat ready to pounce. The glamorous dress she wore offered no ballistic protection whatsoever, but it at least didn't restrict her movement.

"I've got him!" she shouted, allowing the barrier to drop while she retrieved the pistol from its holster under her dress.

Shepard nodded and swung his weapon back down toward the tunnel, where the original attack had come from, confident Miranda would cover his six while he scanned the area below for the sniper.

Quickly jumping back to her feet, Miranda pointed her weapon downrange and tracked the assassin as he began to duck in and out from behind the panicked bystanders.

Then Miranda caught a flash of movement out the corner of her eye. She glanced quickly to the left, keeping her pistol trained in the direction of the assault rifle wielding gunman, and saw the woman she'd spotted a few moments earlier bolt forward through the crowd with a menacing shotgun aimed directly at Shepard.

Instinctively, Miranda shot out her left arm and yanked the shotgun out of the female assassin's hands with a powerfully accurate biotic pull. The weapon was sent skipping across the floor with a harsh metallic clanging.

Reacting to the gun being hurled across the platform, Shepard recognized that Miranda had engaged a new threat and was now vulnerable to the remaining man with the assault rifle. In a single, controlled movement, he reached back with his left hand and grabbed Miranda's right hip, pushing her to the side and out of the line of fire from the tunnel below, and whirled around a hundred and eighty degrees.

Instantly acquiring his target, Shepard fired three more quick shots, threading an impossible needle around several terrified bystanders, striking the man in the head and knocking him off his feet.

Shepard's push and spin of her backside allowed Miranda to face off with the formerly shotgun-toting woman. The female attacker had recovered quickly from the loss of her heavy weapon, had shrugged off her overcoat and was in the process of pulling a backup from a hip-mounted holster. But Miranda was faster. Aiming at center of mass with her compact pistol, she emptied the full eight round magazine into the woman's chest, sending her twisting and hurtling backwards, arms flailing like a ragdoll, as the rounds impacted her unarmored body.

"Clear behind, John!" Miranda shouted.

Shepard nodded back to Miranda and advanced toward where the man he'd just fired upon had fallen. The crowd parted and fled in all directions as the Commander methodically moved forward, his pistol still aimed at the spot where the attacker had been a second before.

He found the man splayed on the ground, a ragged one-inch diameter entry wound in his forehead. A permanent expression of shock was emblazoned on the dead man's face.

"Got him." Shepard called out as he raised his weapon again and rapidly scanned the area for any other threats.

Satisfied there wasn't anyone else lurking in the shadows, Shepard quickly strode back to Miranda and placed a hand on the side of her waist. "Are you okay?"

Miranda, breathing hard from the sudden attack, nodded reassuringly. "Yes, I'm fine. Should we go downstairs and find that sniper?"

"No. If they're still setup, we're easy targets moving down those stairs," Shepard said, shaking his head. "Besides, the shooter probably bolted after these guys went down. Let's let the locals handle it. I'm sure they'll be here any second."

"Okay," Miranda said and then gave a deep sigh. She looked at Shepard, a disappointed pout on her face. "I suppose we're not going to make the show now, are we?"

Shepard gave a sympathetic smile and pulled her in close to his body, wrapping his arms around her. "Damn."

Author's note:

Sorry for the long delay in getting this chapter out, folks. The holidays kicked my ass and I've been a little under the weather. Plus, this was a bit longer of a chapter than what I've put out so far. But I really wanted to bookend it with the Anderson revelations about the state of the Alliance and the attack on Shepard and Miranda. We'll get an idea of who those guys are next chapter, but for now I wanted to just wrap it up and publish.

I'm playing around with the timeline just a tad to avoid the whole "Reapers will arrive in two days!" nonsense. I have to have a little more time to play with in order to let the next few scenes play out without having it seem like Shepard's ignoring an imminent threat. The end result will still essentially be the same; I'm just dragging it out a bit.

I'll be back with more soon!

3/20/14 – Went back to cleanup some dreadfully clumsy passages and dialog. Hopefully this long chapter will flow a bit better now.