Twin Fates

by Tobias5

Fate played as much a role in Shepard's defeat of the Reapers as did his skill. What if fate had different plans? Did you know that the Shepard on Mindoir was born as a twin? What if both had survived the raid? How would the Reapers have dealt with TWO great heroes instead of one? It's time to find out just how much better and worse things get with TWO Shepards fighting a war.

24. Chapter 23

Twin Fates

By Belle and Tobias

Automatic Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the Mass Effect or any other referenced copy righted material.

Toby's Note: *Goes to tell the audience about the following chapter, but sees them all watching. Begins smiling widely as he imagines their reactions to the following chapter. Begins to snicker despite Belle staring at him. Starts to laugh in a clichéd villain way. Belle drags him away from the Author Note spot but not before Toby begins to cackle madly*

I hope you all trimmed your finger nails because this one will be a real nail biter! Mwha ha ha ha ha ha!

Belle's Note: *sighs at his theatrics* But seriously, I honestly think this is one of the best chapters we've written and it was totally Toby's idea for this. As soon as he suggested this I was totally a fan of it. Many times when we hash out chapters our individual plans get mixed up or we step on each other's toes and, sometimes, we totally fight it out. But when Toby suggested this, I was totally on board and I loved it. Even when there were hiccups we were in total agreement with the main path of this chapter. Toby was even so excited he started writing it before I got 22 written. So I really hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 23: Not Gonna Die Tonight

Earth Date: March 22nd, 2186 CE

Location: Rosetta Nebula, Alpha Draconis System, Normandy SR-2

"That it?"

"Yup that's it, John, 2175 Aeia. The distress signal is coming from there," Joker noted. John grunted and watched over Joker's shoulder out the front window as they entered into an approach over the planet.

"It was named after an Asari scientist. This remote planet appears to have been on the list of forbidden mass relays that led to uncharted space. The little data available comes from one far-off probe flyby that reports two planets orbiting a white dwarf star." EDI chimed in from the left and John glanced at her hologram. "My own scans yield far more interesting results. The planet is within the habitable zone of the star. It has oceans of liquid water and a thin nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere consistent with carbon-based plant life. It is possible this is an as-yet-unexplored garden world."

"Let's make a note of that and send a report to…to…" John trailed off as he realized again he had almost said to send a report to the Alliance like he was still an Alliance officer. Scowling as he got annoyed with himself he re-focused on EDI. "Actually after we explore the crash site I'll submit a report to the council. This seems to be a pretty quiet system. They might like establishing a presence this far out if it's in a peaceful system."

"Yes Spectre. Shall I notify your sister and Jacob to assemble in the hangar?" EDI inquired and John nodded, turning to head for the shuttle.

"Please do EDI."

~*TF*~

The ride down on the shuttle was quiet. Jacob was staring at the monitor as Ensign Parker flew the shuttle down to drop them off. Jane seemed to be bored by the whole thing and was scratching the top of Blasto's head. John glanced over at the monitor as Jacob sucked in a breath. They were flying over the wreck now and it looked like the Gernsback had slammed into the beach. As they landed John thought it was a miracle they hadn't come up short and crashed into the ocean. After Parker opened the doors for them and they hopped out EDI contacted them on their comms.

"I have run scans of the ship. I detect no life signs but there may be useful technology or information inside." She informed them as they headed down the beach.

"It doesn't appear to be too hostile to human life," Jane noted checking her omni-tool as they walked. "Air is clean, temperature is a bit high but pleasantly so. I'm almost positive we'll find survivors."

"It appears to be mostly intact," Jacob said as they got closer. "Looks like it was stripped after the crash. They'd have tried to get a beacon up as soon as possible."

"There by the airlock, they created a walkway with hull fragments," John noted pointing to a deteriorated walkway that was rusted and hole ridden but might be possible to cross. As they headed for the walkway, John found a terminal atop old crates. It was old with erosion on it from years of being exposed to the elements but it was surprisingly functional. Curious John powered it up. It seemed to be caught on survivor's journal single entry.

"…along with this anymore. We've done horrible things to the crew." The man spoke and John felt a chill go up his spine. He saw Jacob stiffen out of the corner of his eye and Jane shot John a concerned look behind Jacob's back. "The condition they're in, they don't understand what we're doing to them. Distract them for two seconds and they forget what you did before the bruises show. It's got to stop. I'm talking to the others as soon as-" The journal stopped at that point.

"That's not good," John noted eyeing the walkway and considering trying to cross to investigate.

"John over here," Jane called. John turned to his right and saw Jane had gotten an older holographic projector running. A VI program was running and speaking. As John approached with Jacob, Jane accessed the control panel. The VI stopped repeating its message as Jane worked.

"From the look of it, this beacon's been here awhile," Jane noted. "Why would they wait years to activate it?"

"Pause in beacon protocol, eight years, two hundred thirty-seven days, seven hours. Pause is recorded as: RECORD DELETED by Acting Captain Ronald Taylor." The VI chimed in as Jane typed away.

"That's not right. My father was first officer," Jacob clarified.

"Ronald Taylor was promoted under emergency command protocols. Other flagged issues: Unsafe deceleration. Local food and neural decay. Beacon activation protocols." The VI reported and John gave Jane a look who nodded.

"I got the verbal interface working," Jane explained and John shot her a grateful look.

"Who's in charge now? Where are the survivors?" John asked the VI.

"Captain Harris Fairchild reported killed following unscheduled suborbital descent. First Office Ronal Taylor promoted in field to acting captain." The VI chimed in and John frowned.

"But where is he now?" Jacob asked.

"The location of the remaining crew of the Hugo Gernsback is unknown. This beacon has been unattended for several maintenance cycles." The VI explained and Jane scowled.

"But why? It's been here for years." Jane mused.

"What about the neural decay it mentioned earlier?" John asked and the VI seemed to think that was directed at itself.

"Impairment of mental function due to chemical imbalance begins within several days of ingesting local flora, regardless of decontamination or preparation. Impact on higher cognitive abilities and long-term memory is cumulative, but significant within a standard month." The VI explained. "It is not known if neural decay is permanent. Data collection was not completed."

"That might explain a lot," John noted. "If their food stores were contaminated in the crash they could have been trying to fix the beacon but ran out of time before they could."

"But the beacon works now and he activated it over eight years later. Why?" Jane countered.

"This beacon became functional after three hundred fifty-eight days, twelve hours, following the unscheduled suborbital descent of the Hugo Gernsback. Activation was triggered after eight years, two hundred thirty-seven days, seven hours, on the authority of acting Captain Ronald Taylor. Pause in beacon protocols is recorded as: RECORD DELETED."

"Come on let's get going," John said gesturing up the beach. John let Jacob move ahead of them a bit.

"John if he wasn't affected by the neural decay…" Jane began in a low voice.

"I know," John said softly back to her. "I don't want to say anything until we know for sure." They were quiet for a few minutes as they walked. Blasto barked in warning and John saw a woman in a dirty, degraded jumpsuit running towards them. Jane gestured at Blasto to stand down and the woman ran up to John.

"You came? From the sky? The leader said someone would come! He delayed for so long, but he still has power!" she declared triumphantly. She gestured behind her up the beach and towards a path up the hill into the jungle. "Some have lost faith. The hunters! They will have seen your star. They will not let you help him."

"Whoa, slow down," John said soothingly. "What are you talking about? I can't understand you."

"I-I, uh…don't remember how to say it. He's our leader and we serve so…we can go home. But some want to fight him. They were, they were cast out." John frowned seeing someone moving up the beach behind her and taking cover by some debris. "He exiled them, so they hunt his machines and those who help him. They don't believe that rescue will come." John's eyes widened as he saw the man pop up, pistol in hand.

"Watch out," John barked, rushing the woman and wrapping her in his arms and whirling them around so his back was to the man. His shots rang out but impacted harmlessly on John's shields barely dwindling them. John moved her to cover behind some debris.

"Hunters! They won't stop until the leader is dead!" The woman exclaimed as she collapsed behind cover.

"Kill them!" The man screamed, his voice guttural as several other hunters emerged from the woods. "Agents of the liar! He will not escape!"

"Take them down easy if you can!" John ordered, drawing his pistol. He opened firing taking time to aim carefully. He shot one hunter's pistol destroying the decayed gun and shifted his aim to the leader, shooting him in the hand. Biotics flared on either side of him as Jane and Jacob used their powers to snatch and crush the other's weapons. It was over quickly and the hunters fled back into the woods.

"You okay?" John asked, reaching down to help the woman to her feet.

"They want to kill him but I just want to go home," she sobbed, ignoring his hand to cuddle into a ball and begin wailing. John sighed but moved away from her.

"My father wouldn't let this go on. Something is very wrong here," Jacob stated and Jane shot John a look.

"Let's go further up the beach and follow this path. We need to find someone who can explain what happened here," John stated leading them up the beach.

~*TF*~

The group moved inland, the hunters seemed to have run off, none had shown any biotic ability.

"I wish we had a crew list to check for biotic ability," Jane muttered and Jacob nodded.

"They didn't seem to have any," John said. "And if any do have the ability they may not have the mental discipline to bring them out."

"I just worry what a mentally impaired biotic might do," Jane commented and John winced at the thought. Slowly they approached a camp and Jane stared at the large statue in the middle of the camp.

"Oh...that's not something you just build," she muttered.

"You have to push someone to make that," Jacob growled. As they entered the camp Jane noticed something.

"John, they're all women," Jane said to her brother and John grunted.

"I noticed," he said curtly not angry at her, but not pleased with what they were finding.

"You have his face!" a woman cried, pointing at Jacob.

"Not good," Jane whispered.

"You...you are cursed with his face!" another woman cried, moving away. The women seemed docile and as they moved deeper into the camp Jane noticed something else.

"Oh fuck..." she sighed and John looked to where Jane was staring. Several small children were collected in a tent, the sound of their arrival had caused the children to creep from the tent to look at the newcomers.

"There were no children on the Gernsback," Jacob stated, his voice cold. The children were a mix of races, but several showed a clear resemblance to Jacob. A woman approached the group, offering a data pad.

"I cannot remember how to...read...but you must...You are cursed with his face, but your words and actions are not his. We want to go back to the sky...take us to the sky," she begged and Jacob took the data pad from her. He read it over.

"If that says what I suspect it will this is bad," John said and Jane stared at the women and the children. If the neural decay decreased mental ability and these children were raised on the food from birth...this was bad.

"EDI, check for the nearest rescue crew, Cerberus or Alliance," Jane ordered on her comm.

"An Alliance vessel capable of rescue is the closest," EDI reported.

"Contact them, tell them this is a message from me. We need a rescue of the Hugo Gernsback's surviving crew. Give them all the information we've gotten about the neural decay and tell them...we have children born on this planet too. This is a Code 261, 207, 273, 187...this is a place where a lot of bad things happened," Jane said as Jacob turned to them. Jane looked at the women and shuddered. There but for the grace of God...Ronald Taylor was going to regret this.

"How bad is it Jacob?" John asked and Jacob scowled.

"It's a crew logbook. Some of them thought the beacon repair was taking too long. They were afraid they'd run out of supplies and lose their minds to the decay." Jacob said. "My father restricted the ship food for himself and the other officers so they wouldn't be affected. Everybody else had to eat the toxic food and hope for treatment later. The rest is a casualty list. A few mutinied over the decision. My father and the officers turned the mechs on them. There were five after the crash: medical, engineering, bridge staff. Should've had no problem fixing the beacon and keeping people safe. All the officers were killed within the same week, about a month after the beacon was repaired."

"I'm sorry," Jane said as her fears were confirmed. John sighed and took the data pad from Jacob, backing up the logbook to his omni-tool.

"Let keep this safe as evidence," John said as he handed the pad to Jane. "Let's go meet Ronald Taylor." The team advanced into the jungle from the camp, discovering that Ronald had hold himself up with his mechs to keep the hunters out. Too bad they weren't a group of mentally impaired captives.

~*TF*~

John's mood got darker and darker as they basically walked through everything. The mechs and hunter's equipment was out dated and worn down. No one was capable of performing the maintenance needed to keep it running. Even the YMIR mech, a prototype it seemed, was no match for the team. Jane easily ripped it apart with her biotics and none of them even drew their heavier weapons, using pistols to disarm the hunters and destroy the security mechs. Ronald Taylor's excuses over the comms were grating at his nerves as they walked. When they finally reached him John felt his anger over the situation spike into rage. He lived behind walls, sleeping in a bed with plush comfort overlooking a beautiful cliff. Jacob's anger fed John's and as they walked towards the older man John forced himself to holster his pistol to keep himself from shooting him on principal. Jane signaled for Blasto to remain on lookout.

"You're here!" Ronald exclaimed happily, moving towards them. John moved past the man to gaze out over the scenic view and clamped his hands on the makeshift railing hard. He took a deep breath to center himself, ignoring that his hands were crushing the weakened metal. "I knew a real squad would blow through just fine. Sorry if the mechs scuffed your pads. I'll get you something nice when we get back to Alliance space. I've got to have some back-pay coming."

"What about your crew, Acting Captain?" Jacob said coldly.

"Total loss. The toxic food turned them wild. They propped me up here in some kind of ritual behavior. Waiting for a chance to signal has been hell." Ronald said and Jacob shook his head as John sighed. Jane glared at the man, her armor creaking as she gripped her own biceps to keep herself from strangling the monster.

"That's the best you can do?" Jacob demanded.

"You let all your people talk back like that, uh who are you exactly?" Ronald said looking at John, who turned around and crossed his arms.

"I'm Spectre John Shepard of the Normandy. I believe you're acquainted with Mr. Taylor." John said tersely. Ronald jerked in shock and whirled around to face Jacob.

"Taylor? Jacob? No, not Jacob!" Ronal exclaimed as Jacob approached his father.

"Why not me?" Jacob demanded. "Would ten years of this look better to anyone else in the galaxy?"

"You have to understand this isn't me. The realities of command-" Ronald began.

"Don't, don't you dare," Jane said coldly. "All of us here have been in command before. You can't justify that argument with us."

"I'm not unreasonable, Captain. But ten years? What happened?" John snarked.

"Goddamnit, why did you do this to your crew?" Jacob snapped. John saw a hunter approaching but Blasto snarled at the man and snapped his jaws at him keeping the man away.

"There was resistance to the plan. Mutiny. We had to take a hard line to keep order. And things settled down. As the decay set in, we made sure the crew were comfortable." Ronald began softly. "Some even seemed happier. Ignorance is bliss, right? And they were grateful for guidance, like an instinct. Pure authority was... easy. At first. Months in, the effect lowered inhibitions. They got territorial. Rank, protocol - they couldn't understand. We had to establish dominance. After a while the perks seemed... normal."

"That's it? You created a harem and played king? Ten years in a juvenile fantasy?" Jacob demanded as John watched more hunters gather and watched them with sharp eyes. Jane drew her pistol, causing the hunters to pause, but keeping her attention on the conversation.

"I can't point to where it all went wrong. But when the beacon was ready, revealing what happened didn't seem like a good idea." Ronald said, facing his son.

"Bullshit, you were ashamed," Jane snarled and John agreed with her. "You know how you acted, how others would see you. But I don't understand why activate the beacon now?"

"This planet has some strange cycles to it. I've seen some plants around I never saw before, odd weather. Maybe some just adapted a little too well." Ronald explained. "Then those hunters came. I'd feel it if they got their hands on me now. They want blood. I'd prefer to keep it."

"You're a damn coward. You got drunk on your authority and when your little fantasy came crashing down you called for someone to save you from the mess you made." John snapped glancing from keeping watch to glare at Ronald.

"Enough of this, EDI, what's the time on that rescue?" Jane interjected.

"The SSV Doss will be arriving in two days," EDI said over the comms.

"We can have everyone evacuated and treated in a few days," Jane said as she made a note to thank Captain Desmond for his speedy response. "What do we do with him?"

"He's not worth the fuel to haul him out, or the air he's breathing. He's damned lucky I don't even think he's worth pulling the trigger," Jacob snarled aiming his pistol at his father. John watched him carefully before Jacob holstered his pistol. "I don't know who you are. Because you're not any father I remember."

"We'll secure him for an Alliance court. For every year here, he'll have ten to think about it," John said, producing some cuffs from a pouch on his belt and handing them to Jane to cuff the man.

"Give him all the time in the galaxy," Jacob growled turning from the man. "The man who did this doesn't know right from wrong."

"I'm sorry Jacob, I did the best I could," Ronald said as Jane cuffed the man.

"I'm ten years past believing that," Jacob bit out over his shoulder as he walked away.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 24th, 2186 CE, Early Morning

Location: Rosetta Nebula, Alpha Draconis System, Planet 2175 Aeia

Chakwas, Kasumi, Garrus, Tali, Jack, and a few of the crew had gathered the Gernsback survivors together. They had set up a triage for Chakwas to work and treat survivors. Ronald Taylor was being guarded by a few, less than kind Normandy crew members who had volunteered to keep the creep confined in a cargo container. John had not wanted the man to set foot on the Normandy. As the survivors of the crash were being cared for John came and went, but Jane stayed at the camp, waiting for the Doss to arrive.

"What do you think, Doc?" Jane asked as Chakwas looked over the eldest of the children that morning.

"They may not have their full faculties, but they were as good mothers as they could be. The children are physically fine, whether they will mentally ever overcome this...we will see how they react to the detoxification. They haven't had any of the toxic food since we got here, so I'm hopeful," Chakwas said.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived," Garrus stated as he approached Jane. They watched as the SSV Doss landed near the beach. A few minutes and an Alliance crew from the Doss approached.

"Captain," Jane said with a nod as she noticed Captain Desmond had accompanied them

"C-" Captain Desmond began only for Jane to hold up her hand.

"Just a Spectre right now," she said and he nodded.

"I have a team collecting samples, we will start to take the victims for treatment," he said as the Alliance soldiers began to help the victims to the Doss. "Where is he?" Jane led Desmond and his MPs to the cargo container that held Taylor.

"This is him," Jane said as she flung the doors open and Ronald looked up. Jane felt vindicated as she noticed John had let the man only have a blanket and a bucket for his waste, along with bottles of water.

"We should leave him here," one of the Cerberus volunteers grunted and Desmond nodded.

"Too bad we believe in the justice system," he said giving Jane a nod as his men took the man into custody.

"We need to remember what makes us different than animals sometimes," she sighed as she watched them escort the man off.

"What a piece of work," Garrus huffed.

"Hard to believe he's Jacob's father," Jane said, shaking her head.

"We can't pick our families," Garrus commented and Jane wrapped an arm around his.

"Yeah we can..." she ran her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand before she headed to the shuttle to return to the Normandy.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 24th, 2186 CE

Location: Omega System, Normandy SR-2 Mid–FTL Transit

"Everything go alright with the prisoner transfer?" John asked as he and his sister went over the latest supply reports in his cabin.

"Ronald Taylor will be tried on multiple accounts of kidnapping, rape, child endangerment, and murder. I think the Alliance may even have to dig up some older laws regarding settlers. Some colonists tried to do what he did," Jane noted and John sighed. "How's Jacob taking everything?"

"Oh he had it out with the Illusive Man," John said, an amused look coming over his face. "Turns out Miranda sent it to him. She thought she was doing him a favor."

"That woman confuses me," Jane confessed. "Sometimes she's a cold hearted bitch but other times she does sweet things like that."

"Like someone else I know," John said in amusement as he gave Jane a pointed look and Jane gave him a look filled with irritation.

"Still Jack has been glaring at her a lot ever since Pragia I think-"

"Spectres, Jack and Miranda are in the middle of a... disagreement in the starboard observation room. Can you head it off before they tear out a bulkhead?" Joker chimed in over the comms and John shook his head as Jane sighed.

"We'll handle it Joker," John replied heading for the elevator with his sister following.

"Take pictures!" Joker requested and Jane laughed. Shortly after as they stepped off the elevator onto the crew deck the entire Normandy seemed to lurch. John crashed into the wall opposite the elevator and Jane tumble to the ground. A few crewmen screamed in fear and alarms began to blare.

"Sudden decompression in the starboard observation room!" EDI declared over the comms. "Emergency force fields in place. No crew lost." John got to his feet and narrowed his eyes down the hall as a female scream of rage came from their destination and the ship shuddered as a loud explosion of impacting biotics range out.

"Shepard-"

"I'm on it!" John shouted cutting EDI off as he stormed to the room with Jane following. The doors flew open as he got there as EDI cleared the way for them. Jack and Miranda were locked in combat trying to kill each other. Their bodies glowed with biotics and Jack's nose was broken and her straps had been torn from her, only the red marks on her body gave any indication she hadn't entered the room topless. Miranda had a forming black eye and the top of her white jumpsuit was torn revealing a lacy black bra beneath. The two women were lunging at each other again but Jane grabbed both in separate biotics fields, flinging them to opposite walls. The force she was using made her force her body into a T-pose, her jaw gritting in the effort. Both women glared at her and their biotics crackled as they began to prepare to overpower the female Spectre.

"ENOUGH!" John bellowed as he stepped fully into the room. "What the hell is going on in here?!" He noticed the observation room window was smashed with an emergency force field in place and Miranda's desk was missing.

"That bitch tried to crush me with my own desk and almost killed me!" Miranda screamed.

"Well it wouldn't have gone through the window if you hadn't countered it with your own biotic field princess!" Jack screamed back at her. Jane snarled and shook both women with her fields, hard.

"You almost killed everyone on this deck because of your bullshit!" John shouted at them both. "Jane escort Jack to Zaeed's old quarters!" John noticed among the crew watching that Samara was with them. "Samara take Miranda to the conference room. Ensign Cooper get Chakwas and Mordin to treat them."

"But John-!"

"NOW!"

~*TF*~

As Jane led Jack into the elevator the former prisoner glared at her friend.

"You got lucky, Shepard," Jack barked and Jane felt her temper snap. Jane grabbed the biotic, kicking her solidly in the gut before slamming her into the elevator wall, yanking both arms up, entwining her legs with Jack's, forcing them to fall to the floor, Jack first.

"Luck? You want to talk luck?!" Jane growled into Jack's ear.

"Fucking get off me!" Jack snarled and Jane's biotics wrapped around them.

"Don't you fucking dare move a muscle," Jane growled and Jack froze. Never in all their spars had Jane had the upper hand like this. Never had the Spectre shown such savagery. "You nearly got yourself killed! Did you think about that?"

"I wasn't trying..." Jack was interrupted as Jane slammed her forehead into the back of Jack's head, bouncing the psychotic biotic's head against the floor.

"Stupid! You put a fucking desk through a window of a space ship in light drive!" Jane roared in Jack's ear. "It wasn't Miranda's biotic field that did that, you used enough force to do that! You could have killed her, yourself, and everyone else on this FUCKING SHIP!" Jack froze, wetness falling onto the back of her neck. Jane pressed her face to the back of her friend's head. A sob in her throat. "Jack...in all likelihood, you and Miranda would have died. Why the fuck would you risk your life for that bitch?"

"Let me go," Jack said and Jane pulled away as the elevator opened. The two women looked at each other. Jane's eyes were tearful as she looked at Jack and the psychotic biotic felt her head swim. No one had ever cried for her before. Jane got up and offered Jack a hand. Jack took it as they walked to Zaeed's old room. She turned to face Jane, angry tears in her eyes and Jack suddenly felt weird. "I would have been..." she never expected the slap across the face.

"Jack, you would have been sucked out into the void too! I don't give a flying fuck about Miranda! You! You could have been killed doing that!" Jane roared and Jack froze. She hadn't been thinking, the Cerberus bitch had spoken and Jack reacted. "Cerberus tech is the only reason you are alive right now!" Jack opened her mouth and was shocked when Jane hugged her. "You stupid, impulsive maniac. Don't risk yourself for her! She is NEVER worth you risking your life over. You want to take her on...you wait till this mission is over. We might die to save the galaxy, but don't risk your life over Miranda Fucking Lawson." Jack didn't know what to do as Jane stood back. "I have your back Jack. John has your back. Kasumi...Tali...Garrus...so many of us will watch out for you. Don't let that bitch win by risking your life on taking her out."

"Fuck, Shepard...you ever hit me like that again and I'll put you through a window," Jack said and Jane smirked at her.

"Spar with me when I'm this scared again and we'll see who comes out on top," Jane said. "You do know you are grounded, right?" Jack looked down, suddenly unable to meet Jane's eyes.

"Whatever...Mom..." she said.

"Love you too, bitch," Jane said as she crossed her arms by the door. Jack watched the Spectre wipe the tears from her eye and felt a strange warmth in her chest. It made her a little happy before she remembered she was pissed at being grounded.

~*TF*~

Several hours later John was at the end of the conference table glaring at both of the women who had caused damage to the Normandy. Jack was opposite Miranda and they were glaring at the other. Jane was behind Jack and Samara was behind Miranda who had replaced her destroyed white jumpsuit with a black one while Jack had replaced her straps with a black shirt and thick leather vest. Both women had been patched up.

"I watched the security recording EDI made of your catfight." John began.

"John, it was not a catfight!" Miranda protested and he glared at her.

"Oh from my point of view it was," he said coldly. "Jack was clearly spoiling for a fight and you provoked her into one."

"All the bitch had to do was admit that what Cerberus did to me was wrong!" Jack snarled.

"It wasn't Cerberus, not really. But clearly you were a mistake," Miranda taunted. Jack growled and went to lunge for Miranda but Jane clamped a hand on her shoulder, hard.

"Our mission is too important to let personal feelings get in the way." John snapped, slamming a hand on the table.

"Fuck your feelings, I just want her dead," Jack snarled.

"You both know what we're up against. Save your anger for the Collectors and settle your personal grudges off this ship if you both survive the mission!" John snapped.

"I can put aside my differences, until the mission's over," Miranda agreed.

"Sure. I'll do my part. I'd hate to see her die before I get a chance to filet her myself," Jack snarled.

"You both stay a deck away from each other from now on," John ordered. "If you endanger the lives of anyone on this ship again I'll personally throw you off the ship myself. Am I clear?"

"Yea whatever," Jack growled.

"Yes, John," Miranda agreed.

"Jack you're assigned to Zaeed's old quarters now, I no longer trust you that close to the engine," John noted. Jack opened her mouth to disagree but Jane's hand on her shoulder tightened. Jack just nodded. "Miranda stay in the quarters with Samara now even after the starboard observation room is fixed. Kasumi will move in there. Dismissed, both of you."

John sighed in relief as they left and rubbed his forehead.

"We need to keep them apart for a few days," Jane said and John looked up. It seemed Jane had stayed behind to speak with her sibling.

"There's a Cerberus mission to rescue one of their operatives. I'll take Miranda and Jacob in a shuttle to sort it out. Probably Mordin too just in case we need a medic for the agent," John mused. "You and Garrus can take the Normandy and retrieve the Hammerhead. EDI has the coordinates."

"You'd trust me with your ship?" Jane asked in surprise and John laughed.

"A lot more than leaving those two alone on it." John allowed. "Besides Garrus will be in charge. I have him listed as third in command after Miranda. Despite the Illusive Man's objections."

"I'd have paid money to have seen that conversation," Jane laughed.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 24th, 2186 CE

Location: Omega Nebula, Fathar system

"Oh, and no sucky face with your boyfriend while I'm gone," John said as he and Jane looked over the Hammerhead information in the communication room.

"First off, I will point out that I have only ever mocked your relationship with Liara after we both clearly knew she was able to handle it. I honestly am worried Garrus is going to bolt," Jane said, marking a path into the volcano to get the Hammerhead on the holographic display. "Secondly, Garrus will be treating this job with the respect it deserves. While he's not the best turian by turian standards, he is a good friend and one of the best teammates either of us have ever served with."

"I'm teasing and you know it," John grinned and Jane gave him a look.

"You do not tease Garrus in front of me or me with Garrus until this relationship is solid. I've been alone for a long time, John, it's a tender wound," Jane said as she looked at her brother and John paused.

"Is everything okay?" John asked and Jane sighed.

"Kaidan messaged me last night," she said and John's face dropped. Kaidan. Well shit.

"How did he message you?" John asked and Jane gave him a look. He was pulling the Big Brother shit she hated.

"He only sent me a message digitally, we didn't talk or anything," Jane sighed. "He's come to terms with you being...well...you. Seeing the things we have done on this mission...he apologized."

"Well he fucking should have!" John growled and Jane placed a hand on his arm.

"John...you need to stop," Jane said. "Kaidan will always be very special to me. I will always love Kaidan for being the first man to love me."

"Does Garrus know?" John asked and Jane blushed.

"I'm not saying I'm still in love with Kaidan or anything, I'm saying...he messaged me. He apologized for leaving how and when he did. He apologized for Horizon. Told me a little about his personal life. He hasn't been with anyone since me, just a few dates, but...nothing serious," Jane sighed and John looked at his sister. She looked lost in thought as he wrapped an arm around her and hugged her. She was stiff at first, like she had always been, but she relaxed into his brotherly hug.

"Are you having second thoughts about Garrus?" John asked and Jane pulled away.

"Of course not!" she cried and John could see the look in her eyes. Determination and loyalty. No, Jane wasn't hesitant about her relationship with Garrus. John would have to root for his turian buddy.

"Tell him when you get the chance, he deserves to know," John said and Jane sighed.

"Fine," she said.

"Ah, Shepards, mission ready, time to depart," Mordin said from the door. Jane nodded at John, patting his shoulder as she headed out. Garrus was in front of the CIC, he nodded at John as Jane moved to show him her path for the Hammerhead on her omni-tool. John headed to the elevator with Mordin, it was time to head out.

~*TF*~

"We'll be there by tomorrow afternoon," Joker said as Jane and Garrus stood on the bridge.

"That works out well," Jane said and Garrus nodded.

"Puts us ahead of schedule to meet with the shuttle team," Garrus said and the two turned to walk away but Jane put a hand on Garrus's arm as went to head for the weapons room.

"You got a minute to talk?" Jane asked and Garrus blinked.

"Sure," he said and the two headed toward the elevator. "So...uh...is this going to be a...pleasant chat?"

"Something came up and I just wanted to let you know about it," Jane said as they reached the second floor and Jane led him into her room. She looked around. Blasto was missing, odd. She closed the door and locked it.

"Should I be worried?" Garrus asked and Jane shook her head.

"No, I just wanted to be fully honest with you, that's all," she said.

"You're having second thoughts about us," Garrus sighed and Jane quickly caught his hand.

"No...that's not it at all. I just wanted to let you know that Kaidan sent me a message last night, that's all. I'm not responding," Jane explained and Garrus blinked at her.

"Why are you telling me?" he asked and she held his hand between hers as she looked up into his eyes.

"I didn't want to hide anything from you," Jane said. "You matter to me, Garrus, and I don't want to make the same mistakes I did before with you. I won't respond to Kaidan anyway until after this mission. It's none of his Goddamn business what I'm doing right now." Garrus squeezed her hands lightly as he looked at her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at their hands and not her. "We're aliens. Our species aren't even that similar down to our DNA. Are you sure you don't want something closer to home...like Kaidan?" Jane pulled her hands away and grabbed his head, pressing her lips to his. She hoped he watched the vids Mordin had sent both of them on Human-Turian relationships. Garrus was blinking at her as she pressed her front to his and kept her hands on his cheeks, just above his mandibles.

"I want this, Garrus, I want you. Kaidan and I had our time and he really hurt me," Jane said, stroking her right hand gently down the left side of his neck, the part that wasn't damaged by the rocket. "Garrus, the only time you ever hurt me was when you tried catching rockets with your face or protecting me from my stupidity with your own body." He chuckled as he rested his hands on her shoulders.

"I thought that wasn't funny," he said and she sighed.

"It's not, I mean it, nearly losing you scares me," Jane said and Garrus' mandibles jumped. "I want this. Kaidan is not a part of this. Plus, we sort of have to survive taking on the Collectors before I plan to even worry about him again." Garrus nodded.

"I can live with that," he said and Jane smiled. "I'm...actually glad you told me about this." Jane felt relief.

"Good, I want to be honest with you Garrus, in every way," Jane explained and he nodded.

"I appreciate it," he said, pulling her closer and Jane blinked, a slight blush on her cheeks as they were closer.

"Garrus?" she asked and he made a hum of affirmation that he heard her. "What are you doing?"

"Do you not like this?" he asked, one arm slipping around her all the way while the other hand gently cupped her cheek. Jane stared up into his eyes, he was taking control and it felt...pretty nice.

"I do," she said. "But you are on duty." He grinned, his mandibles jumping in a roguish way.

"We're fine..."

"Hey Jane, John's contacting you," Joker called over the comms. The two quickly separated.

"It's like he has ESP on this kind of thing," Jane groaned. "Patch him through Joker. What do you want, John?"

"So, have you noticed Blasto is missing yet?" John asked and Jane blinked.

"Yeah, I noticed he wasn't in my room...oh no," Jane groaned.

"Don't worry, he's with me," John chuckled. "Though he seems to have made himself a little hideaway in the shuttle's cargo area. Also tell Gardner I found out who stole that ham last night."

"EDI, please make a note to account for Blasto before shuttle launches, he has taken a liking to sleeping in the shuttle," Jane sighed.

"Will do Spectre Shepard," EDI said and John chuckled.

"Please keep my varren safe," Jane sighed.

"Sure thing," John laughed. "Did you tell Garrus yet?"

"Yes, we are finishing that conversation now," Jane said.

"Remember what I said..." John started.

"Hanging up now!" Jane snapped, clicking off her comms and Garrus looked at her for a second.

"I take it the moment is over," he said and Jane laughed.

"Yeah...I think the moment is over, but, I hope we have another one soon," Jane said and Garrus nodded as he headed out. Jane sighed. "Stupid brother and stupid varren." She flopped into her hammock.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 25th, 2186 CE

Location: Omega Nebula, Fathar system, Leaving planet Lorek

"I hate that varren," Miranda snarked. John just laughed as he scratched Blasto's backend just above his tail. The varren whined and arched into it. Just like most animals he couldn't reach that spot to scratch and was enjoying it immensely.

"I have admit he's growing on me," John allowed as Ensign Parker made the shuttle jump at the first relay in their flight plan to rendezvous with the Normandy. "Jane has him well trained."

"Historically varren have been trained as attack animals to be released and let to run free," Mordin noted. "Human training methods of their animals differs, allows controlling of the animal in complex situations. If results are repeatable should be recommended to the council for possible widespread use."

"I think Jane would love that," John noted.

"Spectre, there are several ships approaching us," Parker spoke over the comms. John got up and moved into the cockpit and looked out the window. He narrowed his eyes at the sight out the window.

"Those are Hegemony scout ships. They carry of compliment of ten apiece. They usually use them for hit and run strikes," John noted.

"There's at least five of them and they're blocking our flight path," Parker noted just as the comms came to life.

"Cerberus shuttle! We demand your surrender to us! We have come to take into custody the sibling of the murderer and racist Jane Shepard!" The lead ship demanded.

"Shit," John snapped. "Parker about face, random relay destination jumps!"

"Sir shouldn't we call the Normandy?" Parker asked even as he turned the shuttle around.

"I'm more concerned with not getting shot out the sky again, besides I'm sure they've already jammed our outgoing messages," John noted as the shuttle flew for the relay.

"Confirmed, all I'm getting is white noise!" Miranda spoke up from the back.

"Hopefully we'll lose them as we execute multiple jumps," John said as they made the first jump.

"Sir this shuttle can only make a few jumps before I have to discharge," Parker noted, "Four maybe five jumps tops."

"I hope that's enough."

~*TF*~

"Why don't you ever take me anyplace nice?" Jane sighed as she looked at Zeona out the cockpit window.

"To be fair, I just fly the ship," Joker responded and Jane nodded in defeat.

"Since John put me in charge, I'm going to stay on the ship and I figured since you planned the retrieval, you would take a team to get the Hammerhead," Garrus said and Jane nodded.

"What he is not saying is, he remembers how you drove the Mako," Joker added and Garrus shot the pilot a look.

"Is that why Tali is with Chakwas with a minor fever?" Jane asked and Garrus coughed into his hand, she huffed as she turned to head out. "Jokes on you all, I'm far better with a Hammerhead than I am with a Mako. Makos are like bricks with wheels." Jane headed down, pinging Kasumi and Jack.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 25th, 2186 CE

Location: System Unknown, Planet Unknown

It wasn't enough. Parker had pushed the shuttle but had been forced to discharge the engines after five jumps. They had a few minutes to wonder if they had lost their pursuers but no such luck. A few minutes before the shuttle engines were finished discharging the Batarian ships appeared through the relay. John had noted an M class planet in their system that looked vaguely familiar. Ordering Parker to make for it they had done their best to evade shots from the pursuing ships. Just as they entered the atmosphere they took a heavy hit. It had sent them careening off course and they had crashed in a thick jungle near the planet's equator.

John awoke with a ragged gasp and looked around wildly. His enhanced shields had activated just in time but he had been thrown from the shuttle. He was on his back about thirty yards from the burning wreckage. He tested himself and besides being sore nothing felt broken. As he sat up his armor made creaking and groaning sounds. His helmet tumbled off as he moved and fell by him, dropping to the muddy ground to clatter in pieces. He looked down at himself. His armor was wrecked and barely holding together. His left gauntlet sparked and his omni-tool was shattered. If his shields hadn't have held he would be worse off, maybe even dead. As he was forcing himself to his knees he heard a bark. Glancing up sharply he saw Blasto come bounding from the trees to lick his face happily.

"Good to see you too, boy," John muttered. Using the varren to steady himself John got to his feet. He ached but moved towards the shuttle. Pushing aside some of the braches and smaller tree debris in his way he came to the clearing the shuttle's impact had created. The front end was destroyed and most of the shuttle was burning. Mordin was hobbling around not too far from it. He had a splint over his left knee and was attending to Miranda who was propped up against a fallen tree. The poor woman had a field cast from just above her ankle up to her hip on her right leg. It explained why Mordin was using a splint, he must have used what he had on her. Her right arm was also torn up and covered from her finger tips to just past her elbow in bandages. Jacob's shirt was missing and his upper body was covered in bandages and there was a make shift eye patch on his right eye. He was trying to sort through some of the shuttle wreckage and John noticed that was where the man's shirt hand gone. He was using it to protect his hands as he handled hot shuttle pieces.

"Shepard, oh man, am I glad to see you," Jacob said making his way to him.

"What's the word Jacob?" John asked and Jacob scowled.

"Most of our supplies are destroyed. I've been trying to get at the emergency beacon but with the shuttle on fire, it's made things difficult." Jacob noted. He looked at Miranda and Mordin before turning back to John. "Parker's dead and Miranda's right side was almost crushed from shuttle debris. Mordin's knee is broken and I lost my eye in the crash. I also got cut up pretty bad. Blasto made it out okay but you got flung from the shuttle on impact. I thought you might have been dead."

"I would have been if I hadn't opted for those enhanced shields that Grunt and I picked up on Tuchanka," John noted as he approached Miranda and Mordin. "As it is my equipment is wrecked."

"Your Revenant made it but the barrel was crushed. Most of our weapons and equipment were destroyed in the crash." Jacob noted.

"So it's totally FUBAR," John summed up as he reached Mordin. "How is she doc?"

"Ms. Lawson has several broken and crushed bones. I have her stabilized but unable to fuse bones back together. Medical kit was mostly destroyed in the crash," Mordin noted with a sniff. "Shepard I recommend leaving this area. Pursuers likely to find us soon. Have fashioned a crutch and stretcher from shuttle debris."

"I agree, doc. Jacob, can you carry one end of the stretcher?" John asked and Jacob nodded. "If we can move Miranda, let's do it. We need to find shelter. I can try and come back for supplies and the beacon."

~*TF*~

The cargo container opened and Jane nodded in appreciation of the Hammerhead. Cerberus might be using Alliance specs, but damn if they didn't make a nice looking vehicle.

"Oh baby, I am going to ruin you," Jane whispered.

"Excuse me?" Kasumi asked and Jack snickered.

"You heard me," Jane grinned as she headed for the ship.

"This is high quality tech," Kasumi commented as they boarded the ground vehicle.

"Be higher quality if it wasn't Cerberus," both Jane and Jack muttered before giving each other a biotically illuminated high five.

"Kasumi, you pull up the locations of the data packets and I'll drive," Jane said, strapping into the pilot seat.

"Why the hell did you bring me then?" Jack demanded.

"Always better to have more than two pairs of eyes on a mission," Jane said as she turned on the Hammerhead and listened to the hum of the engines. "Oooo, that's nice."

"Do you need a moment alone, Shep?" Jack sneered and Jane grinned as she gunned it, shooting out of the cargo container. The Hammerhead handled way better than the Mako. "Jesus fucking Christ, Shepard, the fuck is wrong with you!"

"I got this," Jane purred as she began to go, ignoring how Jack and Kasumi began to hug in the back. She wasn't driving THAT bad.

"Sorry to bug you, Shepard..." Joker began.

"The volcano is about to erupt," EDI finished. The three women shared a moment of silence.

"Fuck," Jack groaned.

"Kasumi, plot us the fastest path out of here and then lock yourselves in," Jane ordered as the paths appeared on the screen. "This is not going to be regulation flying."

"Has any of it been?" Kasumi muttered before she began to scream as Jane used the jets to rush upward as the lava began to rise. Jane always did like Hammerheads more than Makos and while she was rough, she hadn't wrecked a Hammerhead yet.

"Fuck, Shepard!" Jack cried as Jane shot the Hammerhead up along a wall, with the lava directly below them.

"I hope you taped your nipples under that shirt as well," Jane grinned as she shot at debris as she flew out, the Normandy was over the next rise and she jetted in, scrapping the bottom of the Hammerhead as she landed in the cargo bay. "Whooo! That was a ride." Kasumi was curled in a ball in her seat while Jack glared at Jane.

"Who the fuck gave you a license?!" Jack roared.

"But did you die?" Jane shot back as she got out of the Hammerhead as the Cerberus crew stared at her in a mix of horror and awe. "Joker we made it on, let's head back to the rendezvous."

"Yeah, I know, I'm pretty sure the whole ship knows too," Joker commented and Jane's grin widened.

"You all are overly dramatic," Jane teased as she headed to the showers.

~*TF*~

A few hours later Jane was writing a report to the Alliance sharing the Cerberus specs on the Hammerhead when EDI pinged her.

"What is it EDI?" Jane asked.

"Shepard, you need to see something," EDI stated and Jane blinked.

"What is it?" Jane asked the hologram.

"Garrus has it up in the communication room," EDI explained and Jane felt that hollow fear. That creeping bad feeling she hadn't felt since the last Normandy was destroyed. No...not again. She bolted for the elevator and the ride up felt eternal and she threw herself into the communication/conference room. The entire team was there, Grunt, Samara, Kasumi, Legion, Jack, Thane, Tali, and Garrus. Jane moved to Garrus as he pulled up the hologram. Jane's heart dropped. Igrotor Kres'gath's image was talking as footage of the Normandy's shuttle being attacked in space was playing behind him.

"I am speaking to Jane Shepard of the Systems Alliance," Kres'gath said and Jane's hands fisted. "For your crimes against the Hegemony we have decided to harm you as you have harmed us." The shuttle was falling down to the planet, clearly damaged and Jane's heart was in her throat. Garrus' arm around her shoulder and his hand holding her arm kept her grounded even as her biotics flickered around them. "We have your brother downed. He will suffer for your sins. We will do to him as you have done to us. He will be hunted down and made a spectacle to show your weakness, your stupidity, and your foolishness. For the Hegemony!"

"Who the fuck is that guy?" Jack asked and Jane felt like the room was lost, only Kres'gath's image and Garrus were truly there.

"That is Igrotor Kres'gath, the father of one of the Batarians I desecrated the bodies of," Jane said in a cold voice, her killing voice.

"Targeting your brother is a cowardly move," Samara said, her opinion on Kres'gath's misdirected revenge clear by her narrowed eyes.

"That's because he is afraid of Jane," Tali explained. "From what the Flotilla knows, he has been behind more than a few attempts on Jane's life. He is at risk of losing his position in the Hegemony."

"So this is his last chance to get revenge with his government's help?" Grunt asked.

"Apparently," Garrus said as Jane studied the planet, it wasn't any in the system John was supposed to be in.

"He is stupid if he thinks either Shepard is easy meat," Grunt said. Jane took a deep breath, rage would do no good.

"Garrus?" Jane asked and Garrus squeezed her arms. "Mind if I commandeer this vessel?"

"Is it to rescue John?" Garrus asked and Jane gave him a look. "I'm only asking so Miranda can't complain later."

"Yes," Jane said.

"At you leave," Garrus said.

"EDI, try and find that shuttle," Jane ordered. "Legion, Kasumi, and Tali, all of you work on hacking the Hegemony's communications, see if we can find out where Kres'garth is. As soon as we have a location, let me know. I'm going to contact some of my friends in the Spectres. More than a few would be willing to help me take out the Batarians."

"What about the Alliance?" Garrus asked and Jane nodded.

"Some of them too," Jane stated. The team broke into action, more than a few looking into their own contacts for some help without Jane's asking.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 26th, 2186 CE

Location: System Unknown, Planet Unknown

"This was all I was able to salvage from the shuttle doc," John said as he moved into the cave. A few hours of walking they'd found a cave in a hillside. It didn't go very far into the hill but was dry and the entrance was easy to cover with vegetation. After making a makeshift fire John had stripped off his broken armor and let Mordin take it to make a stronger splint for his leg and locked the pieces to clamp over Miranda's arm and leg. John's jumpsuit was mostly intact and his boots still functioned. He was relieved he still had his knife and his belt. He gave the few supplies he had to Mordin. The planet was infested with pyjaks and John had killed one and cooked it for dinner last night.

"Excellent, these medical supplies will keep Miranda unconscious and prevent infection for a few days. Rations will also feed us for a few days. Problems?" Mordin inquired seeing the blood stains on John's clothing.

"Batarians," John said tersely. "They set a trap at the shuttle but Jacob and I handled it. We're actually going to lead them away so you may not see us for a few days."

"Ah, understood. Regret being unable to fix the comms," Mordin apologized but John waved it off.

"Mixed blessing, prevents them from locating us by our comms signals. I'll try and meet back with you in a few days." John said, standing up. "You guys should have enough rations to last a couple of weeks between the two of you."

"Stay safe, Shepard."

"You as well, Mordin."

~*TF*~

"I believe that is where they are located," Chirum explained to the crew in the communications room.

"Please send calculations," Legion requested and Chirum nodded. The geth's optics flickered a bit before he too nodded. "The data points to a 98.82% probability that the Salarians are correct." Jane swore.

"They must have jumped randomly trying to avoid them," Jane sighed, her hands fisting in helpless annoyance. "It will take us days to get there."

"The comforting side is that the message is only repeating now. If the batarians had found John, dead or alive, they would be showing it off. The repeating message of them searching the jungle means that John Shepard is free and alive," Samara said and Jane nodded. She took a few calming breaths as Garrus carefully squeezed her shoulder with one hand. She reached for it, holding it as she looked at the screen. It would take them days to get there and they were the closest.

"Still we followed that fake signal..." Tali began before stopping.

"Don't worry, Tali, John will make it," Jane said with a slight smirk.

"The fuck you smiling about?" Jack asked and Jane looked at the newest Batarian taunt. The jungle behind them as they searched the wrecked shuttle was on repeat, but it was comforting to Jane. The varren tracks, the foot prints, clearly John, Mordin, and Blasto were alive as well as at least one other human.

"The batarians think John is weaker than me...probably because of his discharge from the Alliance," Jane began as she paused the footage. "They don't know about John's N5 training."

"What's N5?" Garrus asked and Jane smirked.

"N7 applies to Alliance personnel who have graduated from the Interplanetary Combative Training or ICT program but there are multiple other N certifications that fall under it. You have to qualify for each rank to climb to the next. N1 is passing N school. N2 through N4 are basic courses everyone can do but N5 qualifications are up the individual. You have to prove your worth and you have to show you have skills that you can bring. I double qualified with sniping and biotics, but John was worried. He always said he was just a man, a solider. He didn't know how to stick out so he decided to give himself an edge. There is a human environmental training course our special forces can take. Basically it is a specialized survival course that has a ten percent completion rate. One in ten finishes but that applies to teams of applicants. Only John applied to go through it solo and by his own ability, passed all the scenarios," Jane explained her eyes glowing with gleeful hate as Kres'gath's frozen image. "He was taught to survive in hostile environments. Desert, ice, even aquatic and non-atmospheric environments. He passed them all. He even earned a commendation for rescuing a downed civilian shuttle during his desert hell."

"Hell?" Garrus asked and Jane nodded.

"The training course is called Planetary Survival but the soldiers call it the Hell Run. You spend a full two weeks on each planet, given basic supplies for two days but a beacon for extraction. You only pass the course if you don't signal the beacon till the fifteenth day. Those who pass the course are called Destroyers, but because John is the only N7 to complete the course solo, he got a specialty rank they created just for him," Jane said, her grin growing wider. "John is the creator and currently the only Hades. He also told me the easiest place he had to survive, was thick jungle." Jane turned from the image and headed down. What she didn't tell the others was something John had confided in only her. After his Hell Run he said he felt like the course had brought the animal in him to the surface. She had seen it, when he got that look in his eyes, full of fire, hate. John scared her when that light came to his eyes. "I'm going to call in some favors. EDI, an Alliance ship is going to bring me some of my N7 toys as we travel." As she left the group looked at the jungle and felt hope begin to grow. The Batarians hadn't found John yet and if the jungle was an environment he could use...there was a chance he could make it.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 27th, 2186 CE

Location: System Unknown, Planet Unknown

A centipede like bug crawled over John's left cheek. He remained still even as its sharp feet gave him minute slices as it passed over his skin. He felt something slimy slip down his back and pass over his left ass cheek. The Batarians were grumbling while looking for him. John's eyes flickered from the pond of mud he was buried in to glance up at Jacob resting up in a tree ready to drop down on them. Still John waited. One of the Batarians eyed the mud pile and tossed a rock into it to try and flush something out. John felt it smack his left hand and break a finger. He still didn't move. The Batarian grunt and hurried to catch up with his squad. There were five. John slowly stood, mud sliding down his body as he unsheathed his knife. He crept quietly up to the last one. He quickly grabbed the man's chin, jamming his mouth shut before slitting his throat. As the Batarian died, John eased him to the ground. He hurried up to the next and just as one in the middle glanced back, John buried his knife in the next one's head.

"There he is!" the Batarian screamed raising his gun. Just before he could fire Blasto burst from the foliage, barking as he tackled the one aiming at him, sinking his teeth into the Batarian's throat to bite. John jerked his knife free as the other two whirled around and raised their guns. Jacob dropped from the trees and jammed the sharpened tree limb into one. John threw his knife at the other burring it up to the hilt in the other's face as he pulled the trigger. John dove to the right but felt a burning in his left side. He skidded along the ground but watched the Batarian fall, dead. John winced and pressed a hand to his side. As he got to his feet he checked the wound. The bullet had grazed him but it should be fine.

"You okay John?" Jacob asked. John nodded as he pressed his hand back to his side.

"When we settle in for the night I'll look it over but for now let's head back to our supplies. I should clean it and wrap it in-"

Jacob shoved John to the side, throwing him to the ground. Gunfire rang out and Jacob flew back.

"Jacob!" John screamed and rolled over. He saw three Batarians further up the way. John scrambled behind a tree as they shot at him.

"Come out Shepard and die like the filth you are!" One of them mocked him. John growled as they laughed. Then one screamed and the gunfire stopped. John looked around the tree and saw Blasto in the mix. He scrambled to his feet and charged at them. One saw him approaching and raised his gun but was too slow. John rammed his knife into the Batarian's gut. He was inches from the man's face and watched him gurgle. The other two aimed at him and John kicked the man in front of him off his knife into them. The three crashed to the ground and Blasto lunged ripping out one of their throats. John took three large steps to them and stomped his foot on the other's face. The one he gut stabbed tried to raise his gun with one hand while holding his bleed stomach. John kicked it out of his hand and crouched by him.

"If you live, you tell your boss I'm going to kill him," John stated to the bleeding man. Then John hurried back down the way to Jacob. Leaning down he checked the man's pulse even though he knew better. He was dead. John sighed and fished out from his belt the only thing he hadn't given Mordin. He enlarged the body bag and carefully moved Jacob into it. He sealed it and hefted the man who saved his life onto one shoulder. He'd find a safe place to put his body until they were rescued.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 28th, 2186 CE

Location: Normandy-SR2, In transit

"Jane! They're broadcasting!" Joker cried over the comms and the crew rushed to the communication room to pull up the feed. Igrotor Kres'gath was projected but it was weird, it took Jane a moment to realize this was being shot from a body cam. As she watched she realized what it was, a group of Batarians were being given orders.

"...our evidence shows he should be there," Kres'gath stated. "You are going to hunt him and show the galaxy the weakness that is the Shepard line." He approached the camera and looked into it. "Are you watching, Jane Shepard? Because you will see it in real time when we capture your brother. Go!"

"He sounds confident," Garrus growled and Jane nodded.

"He's making a big mistake," Jane stated.

"What do you mean?" Kasumi asked.

"He's broadcasting this in real time, which means there won't be stopping this feed unless someone shuts down the camera," Jane replied.

"So?" Jack asked.

"Keep watching," Jane said. Carefully paying attention to the land, the forest, and anything else. The base was basic, a stop and drop structure used for quick base set ups before structures could be built.

Time passed so slowly as Jane watched the Batarian team hunt for John. Some people left slowly while others stayed.

"Sir, tracks!" The lead Batarian said after an hour, kneeling by the ground in the commander's view point. As the commander approached there were thick, recent boot tracks in the jungle mud.

"Spread out, find him!" the commander ordered. The team spread out and as they did Jane got a better count of their numbers. A team of seven, including the commander. As they spread out Jane watched carefully, she wished there were more views, but it seemed only the commander was broadcasting. As the commander turned left, he saw one of his men step on a tripwire made from a vine. There was a snap of cracking wood and a branch snapped forward, burying sharpened wooden spikes into the Batarian's face. Jane winced, John knew how to make non-fatal traps, the fact that he was making distinctly fatal ones was not good. He was embracing the animalistic rage. He was mad.

"Stop!" The commander bellowed but not in enough time. Another man screamed and the commander's view whirled to the right. An old tree trunk smashed into another team member from above, crushing the man to death.

"Sir!" a man said beginning to approach the commander.

"No one move!" The commander bellowed. "The human has rigged the area with primitive traps made from plants! They won't show up on our scanners like metal would! Filthy beast!"

"What do we do sir?" Another from the left asked.

"Make your way to me carefully! If you see anything suspicious shoot it!"

Jane was entranced, this was being transmitted directly into space. There was no way a Batarian leader would allow this to go out any other way. The Hegemony kept rigid control of its propaganda and to allow such failure to be broadcast was unforgivable. Kres'gath was going to be exiled for this. Still, Jane kept quiet, many of those traps were fresh. They had to be to retain so much force. Traps like that left for more than a few hours became less effective. John had to have been setting these traps up only minutes before the Batarians reached this area.

A choking scream from the right. The commander whirled to look and saw one of his men being yanked into the trees, a noose made from a vine around his neck.

"Shoot into the trees!"

"Holy shit," Jack whispered as the Batarians began to spray the trees and Jane's heart was in her throat. No...no... She gripped her biceps tightly, nails digging into her own flesh. Garrus carefully pried her hands off her own arms.

"Cease fire, cease fire!" The commander bellowed. Slowly the gunfire stopped. It was quiet for a moment before something came crashing to the ground. It was the one that had been taken, riddled with bullets but his face was bulging, the noose had clearly killed him first. Jane let out a shaky breath.

"He's still alive," Garrus whispered in her ear and she nodded.

"Ammo check! Does anyone have incendiary rounds or grenades?"

"Qurthsnar does sir! Two incendiary grenades!" A man from the commander's left commented.

"Qurthsnar, flush the area. Burn that fucker out!" The commander ordered. Silence. "Qurthsnar?" The view moved and only two troopers remained.

"He was right there!" The other trooper exclaimed, fear plain in his voice. "Where did he go?!"

A batarian's scream echoed from the thick jungle and they whirled around. The savagery of the attack was starting to scare Jane. Was this what her opponents saw? Was this how she appeared to the Hegemony? This was terrifying.

"Oh, by the pillars of Strength and Superiority, please let us survive," One of the troopers whimpered.

"Stow it! Keep a look out!" The commander barked. He was watching the jungle, looking. A soft thumping and rolling sound from his feet caused the commander to look down. Qurthsnar's grenades rolled to rest at his feet, the pins pulled.

"MOVE!" The commander screamed, the camera shaking wildly as he leapt away and rolled away. The grenades went off and his troopers screamed in agony as they were burned alive. The commander watched the inferno before he got to his feet, the darkened jungle lit by the burning fire.

"Shepard, you cowardly human filth, show yourself!" The commander screamed. He fired randomly into the woods before the view began slowly turning as he scanned the jungle. As he turned right, John's face was just there inches from him. John was covered in mud and filth, blood splattered on him, the left side of his face was starting to swell. The commander tried to scream but the camera jerked and he gurgled. John just growled, a deep primal sound and the commander jerked again, falling to the ground. The camera rolled and gave a view of John lit by the raging fire, holding a combat knife dripping blood from when he had shoved it under the commander's jaw up into his brain. John quickly turned and headed back into the jungle quickly disappearing from the camera's view.

"Fuuuuuck..." Jack muttered as the camera kept rolling.

"He's mad," Jane said.

"He is also hurt," Samara added.

"Use that image to help Chakwas prepare the med bay," Garrus ordered and Jane kept watching. She knew John wasn't going to reappear...but it was terrifying. Hours later the feed cut.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 30th, 2186 CE

Location: Normandy-SR2, In transit

Jack and Jane were sparring and it was intense. Samara was acting as the ref due to the tension coming from Jane. The Alliance soldier knew she needed a check in place...just in case.

"You think you can beat me?" Jack grinned. Her expression changed to shocked when Jane vanguard rushed, a move the biotic still wasn't sure how the Adept had learned. Jane switched from biotics to full on hand to hand. Jack was good when it came to a biotic fight, but using her fist...not so much. Jane caught the psychotic biotic with an upper cut before grabbing the woman in a judo throw and then pinning her. "Fuck you, Shepard! This is a biotic fight." Jane's biotics activated, holding the biotic down as Jane got up.

"That better?" Jane asked as she moved away from Jack. She released Jack and the woman swore as she got up.

"Fuck you," Jack huffed and Jane shook her head as she raised an eyebrow.

"Another round?" Jane asked.

"Fuck that, I bit my tongue when you dropped me, I'm out, bitch," Jack huffed and Jane watched her go.

"She would have been far more aggressive with you a few weeks ago," Samara commented and Jane nodded.

"I think her explosion therapy worked," Jane said and Samara nodded.

"I wonder if others have considered such a tactic," Samara pondered and Jane chuckled as she stretched.

"You worry for your brother," Samara said and Jane nodded.

"I do...John's strong and I know he can do this, but he's got the others. The ship was in bad shape in the vid and we never saw the body the Batarians were dragging off from the wreckage, but it wasn't John and it wasn't Miranda, which means either the shuttle pilot or Jacob are in the Batarians' grasp," Jane sighed. "We saw no one else with him during that night hunt and they've not broadcasted again since that fiasco."

"The body was not moving and while the Batarians tried to hide it, we both know that he was dead, that is why your brother did not rescue the body," Samara said and Jane nodded. John would have come for a teammate taken alive, the body was either Jacob or the pilot and likely killed on impact by the shuttle crash. John would have tried to honor the man but he would more than likely focus on the living people first.

"Still, he's not going to last forever," Jane sighed.

"We will be there tomorrow, you yourself said we need to go in with purpose. Will you reveal your plan?" Samara said and Jane nodded.

"Once we get a good scan of the planet and know what's going on, I will," Jane explained.

"What will you do with Kres'gath?" Samara asked and Jane looked at the Justicar.

"That depends on what state John is in," Jane replied and Samara nodded.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: March 31st, 2186 CE

Location: Ismar Frontier, Faia System, Planet Zorya

John awoke to vomit. He rolled over and promptly vomited out the remains of the pyjak he had eaten last night. He coughed thickly, his left side felt like it was on fire and he was burning up from a fever. He pushed himself away from the mess he had made and panted. He forced himself to sit up in the early morning dawn and looked at his left side. He gently peeled away the makeshift bandage and winced. The wound was yellow and puss filled. The center was a deep greenish black color. He shifted a water bowl fashioned from a tree trunk closer to the coals of his camp fire. Blasto was watching him work as he heated the water as best he could till it boiled. He hissed as he cleaned the wound and winced as it burst open again to seep filth. He wrapped it with the cleanest cloth he had and rested against the tree, panting.

"I have to go back to Mordin," John mused to himself. He was sweating and his body ached, the cuts from that insect on his face throbbed. He had a hard time drawing in breath on his left side and he knew this wound would kill him if it wasn't treated right. John forced himself to his feet to take care of himself. As he finished urinating, which was agony as he kidneys throbbed, a voice boomed out over the trees.

"SHEPARD!"

"What the hell does he want?" John wondered as he moved back into his camp, recognizing a Batarian voice.

"WE FOUND YOUR SALARIAN AND CRIPPLED WHORE! I KNOW YOU KNOW WHERE OUR CAMP IS. BE THERE BY MIDDAY OR WE KILL THEM!"

"Fuck," John cursed and glanced at Blasto who was by his side watching him carefully. John sighed and patted Blasto on the head.

"Stay Blasto," John said and headed into the jungle as the varren whined in concern as John left him behind.

~*TF*~

"They made it," Jane grinned as she saw the ships on the edge of the Faia System.

"Is that ship really the Terror of the Hegemony?" Joker asked and Jane pulled up the close up. A very talented artist had painted a likeness of Jane in a 1940 pin-up style on the side of the ship with her uniform skintight and ripped in some places as she held up a fist that was glowing with biotics. "Yes...yes it is."

"What kind of fan would do that?" Garrus chuckled and Jane smirked.

"A turian I saved from batarian slavers and gave that ship," she said and Garrus' head jerked to look at her.

"Oooo, competition..." Joker taunted.

"Chirum sent some friends who have a word or two with a few other others," Jane said.

"Linking communications now," Tali said as the four ships were in contact.

"Shepard, good to work with you again," Julius Rex said.

"I love what you've done with The Terror of the Hegemony," Jane said and there was a laugh.

"Haerron here with STG, I like the name," a salarian chuckled.

"Enough talk Haerron, this is Sesik, we will aid in the decimation of the Batarian space and air support as long as the Quarians can cut the communications," Sesik snapped. Ah, a salarian without a sense of humor.

"What a boshtet," Tali whispered and Jane nodded.

"This is Captain Zaenne'Xema vas Fehok," a female voice said. "We will block the ship's communications to the planet. Just confirming we get full salvage rights."

"The ships and the buildings are all yours," Jane said. Tali coughed at that.

"Shepard, there are at least six batarian ships..." Tali gasped and Jane nodded.

"And that's my only brother, I'd buy the Flotilla a ship to save him," Jane said. "Alright, here's the basic plan, only the Normandy is going to send a ground team..."

~*TF*~

"SHEPARD ITS TIME! SHOW YOURSELF!" Igrotor Kres'gath bellowed into the bullhorn he had.

"He won't show," Miranda murmured from the ground. She was sitting there, a Batarian holding a gun squarely at her head. Mordin was next to her in the same position.

"Oh, he will, and then I will show everyone just how weak you humans really are," Igrotor snarled. "He will be punished for his sister's transgressions. Then after she has seen this broadcast we will find her and take her too! I will make her my personal slave!"

"Sir, he's there!" one of his men called. There stepping from the trees was John Shepard. Igrotor grinned fiercely as he saw the state of the Spectre. The left side of his face was swollen and turning a dark purple. He bled from numerous cuts and a filthy bandage was caked with blood and filth on his left side. He walked with a limp but his expression was blank as he walked into the camp.

"Finally, I have you," Igrotor gloated. "My name is Igrotor Kres'gath and I am here to punish you for the sins your people have committed against mine."

"Liar," John said coldly staring at Igrotor with eyes that made him swallow. "You're here because of my sister. She scares you so you want to, no, need to hurt her. To try and show her you're not scared of her. Which you are."

"SILENCE!" Igrotor bellowed belting John with a backhanded slap in the swollen part of his face. The skin split open and thick, purplish blood began to seep out. "You are nothing before my people! I will show the entire galaxy this!"

"You can," John agreed. "If you agree to let Miranda and Mordin go."

"After you die I will send them home with your head," Igrotor said gleefully. "But you will stand there and do nothing."

"Just get it over with," John muttered.

"Begin the broadcast!"

~*TF*~

The ground team slipped out of the borrowed Salarian shuttle, above, the Quarians were blocking the communications of the Batarian ships as EDI helped coordinate an attack. While the batarians were skilled hit and run attackers, the STG forces and the Normandy were a well oiled machine, striking and taking them out in formation. The Quarians would dive in now and again with the Terror of the Hegemony helping out. The ships couldn't reach the ground force, but the message Kres'gath was broadcasting was uninterrupted. They would notice if their signal wasn't going out, but they wouldn't notice if they weren't getting pings from the ships.

"Shepard, you all need to move, your brother is getting beaten," Joker informed the ground team.

"How did they get him," Kasumi wondered as they quickly moved through the jungle.

"They had to get hostages," Jane said as they reached Blasto's location, thankful the varren was easy to track. As they entered John's makeshift camp Jane froze as she saw the body bag Blasto was guarding. Slowly she opened it. What was left of Jacob's face greeted her and she closed the bag. "Grunt, take this back to the shuttle."

"I want to fight," he growled and Jane turned.

"We don't leave our own behind," she ordered and Grunt paused before grabbing the bag, pulling Jacob into his arms. "Blasto, follow. Grunt, follow us once you've gotten Jacob settled with Blasto." Jane indicated the varren guard the body and the Krogan headed back. She and the team moved towards the location of the broadcast. There were a few batarians outside of the perimeter, guards, easy to take down with the team she had. Thane and Jane were quick to take them down silently while Kasumi and Garrus shorted out their comms. No warning for the rest. They moved with deadly precision until they reached a vantage point.

"Fuck," Jane growled low as she assessed the scene. John and Kres'gath were in the center with a few guards, not enough. Miranda and Mordin were being held by two guards with a few look outs on the roof. A one last man was filming and judging by the angle was only showing John taking the beating. He wasn't defending himself. "Here's the plan..."

~*TF*~

"Stay down damn you!" Igrotor screamed even as John got back up. As John turned his defiant but crushed face to Igrotor the Batarian screamed in rage. John noticed the two guards on the building jerk and then fall, sniper shots. The cavalry had arrived.

"You are nothing do you hear me!" Igrotor shrieked. "Nothing but filth beneath my boot!"

"Then why can't you keep John down?" A familiar voice spoke up and John felt relief shoot through him as Jane de-cloaked in her Fury armor. Igrotor screamed in rage at her just as she used her blades to remove the heads of the two batarians guarding Mordin and Miranda. A cloaked Kasumi had taken control of the camera Igrotor's man had been using to film his beating of John. She had expanded the view and gave the galaxy a view of the entire camp just before Jane had shown herself. They saw the Batarians holding guns to two people's heads as John took the beating he could have stopped to spare their lives before she narrowed it back down on Igrotor, keeping Jane's rescue out of the shot.

"I'll kill you both, human bitch!" Igrotor screamed. Jane scoffed and slammed the Batarian to his knees with a gesture of her hand and a biotic field.

"Better men than you have tried, Igrotor," Jane sneered as she approached. "Under my authority as a council Spectre I'm placing you under arrest."

"No," John said and Jane paused, giving him a look.

"You sure about this?" Jane asked and John nodded. She crossed her arms and stepped back.

"Let him up." John ordered. Jane's biotic field released the angry batarian.

"Are you truly that weak human?" Igrotor scoffed. John just looked at him and pointed in front of him.

"Fight me. If you can knock me out, they'll let you go. Just you and me. A noble, proud Batarian against a beat, exhausted piece of human filth." John challenged. Igrotor scoffed but approached John.

"I will break you, Shepard!" Igrotor cried throwing a punch at John. John caught his punch with his left hand. Igrotor's eyes widened and John glowered.

"That's what you don't get," John said and buried his right fist in Igrotor's stomach. The man doubled over and vomited. John's grip on his fist tightened and Igrotor's fingers and hand bones broke. John let him jerk his hand back as he screamed in pain. He stared at John in shock as the Spectre took a step forward, grabbing the batarian's shoulder and punched him again and again in the face. John let go of his shoulder after ten good shots and Igrotor reeled back, clutching at his ruined face.

"How are you doing this?!" Igrotor demanded. "You are wounded, beaten, rotting. You should be dead!"

"I already have been, Igrotor," John growled. "I've been to hell and back. My body has been broken, burned, carved, spaced." John punched him in the face again, spinning the Batarian around and making him crash to the ground.

"You-you're a monster," Igrotor slurred through a broken jaw. John knelt by the other man and glared at him in his eyes.

"I'm okay with that, because I'm the monster that fights other monsters. I protect everyone no matter who they are or what world they call home safe from monsters like you," John said, "But I don't kill the helpless and that is what you currently are." John stood and turned to make his way back to his sister. He paused for a moment.

"But I'm not above petty revenge," John said and turned around to stomp on Igrotor's ankle. The Batarian shrieked as John crushed his ankle.

~*TF*~

Jane stared at the writhing Kres'gath. She walked over to him slowly, approaching with the casual grace of a large cat. Death glowed in her eyes as she approached him.

"Human bitch...what you did to my son...do you plan to do that to me?" he gasped as Jane stood over him, leaning down. He glared at her.

"I'm the Terror of the Hegemony and you sentenced your son to death when you sent him to steal children," Jane stated. "As for what I'm going to do to you...nothing. You are under arrest. The Council will decide what to do with you because you aren't worth my time to kill." She got up and looked over to Kasumi.

"Camera's off, Shepards," Kasumi said. "That's a fitting sequel to your video, She-Shep."

"Good, cause I'm gonna pass out..." John said before Jane's biotics caught him. Garrus and Thane approached, quickly pulling out two stretchers.

"Mordin," Jane called and the Salarian hobbled over. His omni-tool flared over John and he looked grim.

"Multiple abrasions and cuts. Large wound on left side showing signs of gangrenous infection. One lung appears to be rotting due to bacterial infections. Blood poisoning. Multiple broken bones and cuts. Poisoned flesh on face...possibly from native centipede species. Contusions and other damage by beating. Several organs are in danger of shutting down and his liver and kidneys are over worked. He needs serious medical attention," Mordin stated.

"Did you all hear that?" Jane called on her comms.

"I have viable treatments for him," Miranda gasped as she was placed on a stretcher. "I still have access to my Lazarus facilities."

"Shuttle, can you get us from here?" Jane asked.

"Of course," the salarian pilot replied.

"You can take Kres'gath to the Council," Jane added.

"Our pleasure," the pilot responded.

~*TF*~

As soon as they boarded the Normandy Chakwas was quick to stabilize John before helping Mordin and the two worked on Miranda as the Cerberus agent explained where to take the ship.

"I thought your Lazarus Station was destroyed," Jane said and Miranda scoffed.

"Like we would abandoned that station. It is invaluable," she explained as Jane stayed close to her brother. She watched Miranda with suspicion. "I made a complete set of organs for him just in case he was wounded. I even have cloned skin for grafts."

"Efficient," Jane commented as she finished writing a message to Liara. John's girlfriend needed to know what was going on. "Do you need help?" Miranda gave her a look.

"John trusts you and while you did help me with Oriana, I do not trust you," Miranda said as Mordin finished patching her up. Jane nodded in agreement to her statement.

"Reasonable, but you know I don't trust you that much either," Jane said. "However, I honestly just want to help John."

"I can handle it alone," Miranda said as she got off the table and limped to her new room with Samara. Jane watched her go as Kasumi uncloaked.

"Unbeknown to her, you will not be letting her handle it alone," Kasumi commented and Jane nodded. "That's some nice cloaking on that outfit."

"Yours is better," Jane said. "Want to do me a solid?" Kasumi grinned. "I'll let you upgrade the suit while I talk to Tali about some custom hacking programs."

"You're almost as good a thief as me," Kasumi grinned and the two looked at John.

"Don't tell my brother about this," Jane said.

"Wouldn't dream of it, She-Shep," Kasumi said.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: April 3rd, 2186 CE

Location: Classified, Project Lazarus Station

Miranda headed into the Lazarus Station, unaware of Jane slipping in with her in her newly upgraded Fury armor. It was almost easy to move through the station. As they passed terminals, Jane would slip the various spy programs Tali had developed into the system. Jane would need to buy the Quarian some of that Turian chocolate for this. The station looked fine, Jane had trouble believing it had been distressed at all, Cerberus had money to burn apparently. Still as they got deeper in she saw damage from gunfire and scorch marks. Mechs were destroyed, bodies had been left to rot where they had been killed and Jane felt a chill run through her.

Miranda moved slowly, mostly due to her own injury and it gave Jane plenty of time to work. Still, it was close, she nearly lost the Cerberus agent a few times. The station was clearly designed with form being accentuated. Vast views of space made Jane nervous, stations were better with less windows in her opinion. A few labs had massive windows that must have allowed people and supervisors to watch teams working on various things. This was a research and development station for sure but all of it was dedicated to medical and one subject in particular. A few rooms had vats of something with pieces floating. They were probably heading for one of those at the moment. Then everything ground to a halt. Miranda was approaching a door that Jane's suit could detect several sensors she wouldn't be able to pass through. With all the doors they went through Jane was stuck. She couldn't risk being found out on her way back. Miranda worked swiftly entering several access codes. Jane blinked as the woman entered code after code. Over a dozen and each one signaled the disabling of a lock. Whatever was in the room was well protected.

Jane let Miranda go, wherever John's cloned parts were, Jane couldn't follow. She began working on downloading Tali's spyware. What Jane thought would be a quick in and out turned into a long wait. Over three hours later Miranda emerged with several canisters for organ transplants on a cart. Odd that it had taken so long to get them, they should have just been in tanks. Jane followed Miranda back to the Normandy, careful to give the Cerberus agent room. Jane noticed a small stain on Miranda's sleeve. It looked like a bloodstain near the elbow. Odd for her to have gotten blood there just transferring organs from a cloning tank to travel containers. Still, Jane couldn't exactly ask her about I but it gave Jane an uneasy feeling. The skin graft for John's face appeared to be perfectly shaped for his face already as it floated in the canister.

~*TF*~

Earth Date: April 5th, 2186 CE

Location: Normandy SR-2, Mid-Transit

John awoke with a deep breath as he slowly opened his eyes and looked around. He was in the medical bay in one of the beds. The lights were low indicating it was night time or at least early morning. Movement to his left drew his attention. Miranda was examining his left side and smiled at him.

"Good to see you're awake John," she said softly. "The transplants appear to be stable you should be on your feet within the next day or so."

"Transplants?" John questioned and Miranda gave him a smug look.

"I was able to convince your sister to allow me to return to the Lazarus station. I had cloned several viable organs for you during the process. I had replacements just in case for this very scenario," Miranda explained and John sighed.

"I should have known." He grumbled and a soft sigh from his right drew his attention. He turned and saw his sister sleeping in a chair nearby.

"She hasn't left you since I completed the surgery," Miranda said and John smiled.

"I'll bet," He said and as Miranda turned to leave John looked back at her.

"Miranda," He called softly and she turned to face him. "Jacob saved my life. He was shot saving me. He was good friend."

"Thank you John, that's good to know. Your sister found him and made sure to get his remains back to the ship. You should get some sleep," she murmured before heading out of the medical bay. John sighed and laid his head back down.

"That sounds good," he muttered as he drifted off. "I'm sure Liara will give me hell for getting hurt again."

~*TF*~

Toby Note: Ha ha ha ha ha! That was fun! Theme of this chapter, specifically the John scenes while being hunted is Not Gonna Die by Skillet. If you didn't like it you can blame Belle for it though. She encouraged me to write it when I had the idea. She loved it too. *big grin showing teeth and all*

Belle Note: *smiling happily* This was a GREAT chapter to write and I had a ton of fun. I do hope you all enjoyed it and all the shout outs we slipped in here. Hopefully, you got a few clues on things to come too.

OMAKE 1

Because I feel bad that Pales was the one Belle tortured. She's much better now by the way!

"Now see here?" Toby said, showing Pales around. "This where we keep the Reapers for show time."

"Release us human scum!" Harbinger demanded from the fish tank Toby and Belle kept them in. Unlike the game universe each Repaer was barely foot long and floated in the water. "If you do so we shall make your death swift and painless!"

"Can they do anything to us?" Pales asked, worriedly looking at the Reaper fish tank.

"Nah, they're just cranky," Toby said getting a jar of fish food and dropping some down into the tank. The Reapers swarmed to the top and began nibbling. "He's just cranky I haven't fed them in a month."

"You have to feed them?" Pales asked and Toby grinned.

"Only because it aggravates them to have to eat," Toby explained and saw Garrus walking by. "Oh Garrus come over here for a second! I want you to meet Pales."

"I recognize you. You look much than before," Garrus said and Pales smiled at the Turian as they shook hands. Toby noticed Garrus had a thick script under one arm.

"Is that chapter 24?" Toby asked and Garrus nodded.

"Just the rough draft. Belle handed it out for the cast to look over. Wants us to make sure we would say what we do," Garrus explained and Toby nodded.

"Authenticity and accuracy as always. So up next is the studio creation center. We're currently getting the sets built for the ME3 arc so why not have a sneak peak at-"

"Oh Tobias Fiften…" A sultry voice called out behind them. All three people paused but Toby got a dopy grin on his face. They turned around to find Elizabeth Comstock waiting for them. The femme fatal was in her Burial at Sea outfit and was lighting a cigarette. "I do believe you agreed to take me dancing the next time I stopped by this multiverse. And since you finally have an AO3 account now would be a good time to find a story universe to go dancing in."

"Yes ma'am!" Toby said snapping his fingers and his casual clothes changing into a high end zoot suit. "Gotta go, Garrus please take care of our guest!" Toby hurried to join the femme fatal, offering his arm to Elizabeth who took it and they walked off into a tear. Garrus shook his head.

"He always gets like that around that woman. Belle was right to say she's his waifu." Garrus said before turning his attention to pales. "So what would you like to see next?"

And it was at this moment Pales realized Toby had left Garrus alone with them to do whatever they liked.

OMAKE 2

Jane stared at the writhing Kres'gath. She walked over to him slowly, approaching with the casual grace of a large cat. Death glowed in her eyes as she approached him.

"Human bitch, you are a monster...what you did to my son...what do you plan to do to me?" he gasped as Jane stood over him, leaning down. He glared at her.

"I'm the Terror of the Hegemony and you sentenced your son to death when you sent him to steal children," Jane stated. Her body began to glow. Kres'gath's hand began to glow biotic blue and he began punching himself in the face. "Stop hitting yourself."

"Oh God, not this again," John sighed as Garrus helped him to stand.

"Stop it!" Kres'gath cried out as he hit himself again.

"You stop. Stop hitting yourself," Jane cackled as the batarian kept hitting himself in the face.

"That's pretty funny," Kasumi chuckled as she kept the camera rolling.

"Remind me never to make your sister mad," Garrus stated.

"Tell me about it," John groaned as they left Jane behind to play with her victim.

OMAKE 3

"You got a minute to talk?" Jane asked and Garrus blinked.

"Sure," he said and the two headed toward the elevator. "So...uh...is this going to be a...pleasant chat?"

"Something came up and I just wanted to let you know about it," Jane said as they reached the second floor and Jane led him into her room. She looked around. Blasto was missing, odd. She closed the door and locked it.

"Should I be worried?" Garrus asked and Jane shook her head.

"No, I just wanted to be fully honest with you, that's all," she said.

"You're having second thoughts about us," Garrus sighed and Jane quickly caught his hand.

"No...that's not it at all. I just wanted to let you know that Kaidan sent me a message last night, that's all. I'm not responding," Jane explained and Garrus blinked at her.

"Why are you telling me?" he asked and she held his hand between hers as she looked up into his eyes.

"Because I want you to take me now, not wait for the night before we might die! Take me, take me here and now like the powerful turian stud you are!" Jane cried. Garrus grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards him.

"You're right," he said as his hand began to-

Belle: Okay, ow! (rubbing her head from where Toby smacked her)

Toby: I don't get you, you don't get to.

Belle: (crossing arms and mumbling) I'm just going to up the rating when you least expect it.

Toby: Like I won't notice.

Belle: (sticks tongue out at him before opening a new word document to write Mature ME fanfiction)

OMAKE 4

"Shepard you cowardly human filth, show yourself!" The commander screamed. He fired randomly into the woods before the view began slowly turning as he scanned the jungle. As he turned right he heard a deep growling click. A hazy outline with glowing green eyes was watching him. Him a deep metallic ring the figure impaled the commander and lifted him high into the air. The commander's camera caught the creature de-cloaking. Revealing a large humanoid with dread locks, a mesh body suit and thick metal armor. He had on a thick metal helmet but took it off to reveal a horrific face. Sunk yellow eyes and four mandibles around a fleshy mouth with fangs.

"Want some candy?" The alien growled before laughing deeply and proceeding to rip off the commander's head and spine.

Happy Halloween 2019!