A/N: Hey, gang.
I like this chapter better than the last, even if it does feel a bit infodumpy. The action should start up soon, though.
Thanks for those of you who helped out on Google Docs. I had to cut it off early because some immature morons decided to post crap and delete sections of the text.
Some Mordin and Archangel coming up soon.
Reviews are always welcome.
EDIT: 8-31-15: The immature morons decided to make some stupid edits I missed. These have now been corrected.
'The beauty of the unexpected is not in shock, but in direction. One can overcome shock, after all, but one cannot prevent being backstabbed when surrounded by daggers.'
-STG Considerations Manual Six
"I've completed uploading the available data, Admiral. Proceed with integration?"
The voice was clinical and feminine, almost receptionist-like. Ahern grimaced, it sounded far too much like his daughter's voice, but arguing with the programmers always took too much time and a part of him, a part that he hated to admit existed, found the voice as comforting as it was depressing.
With a sigh he sat back in his chair, looking out the balcony windows of his office at the fake Presidium sky. "Proceed, EDI. Once integration is done, bring up likely courses of action and reaction. And make it snappy, Delacor will be here in a few and I don't have time for your usual slow-ass work."
"Of course, Admiral," The machine dropped its sound level, but not to a level that he couldn't hear. "Asshole."
Ahern's face split into a grin as he watched the far screen on his office wall. EDI is short for the Enhanced Defense Initiative, the Alliance's final answer to being outnumbered and out-badassed in the galaxy. A serialized ring of over two hundred high-end predictive VIs, managed through a central hub that could, in theory, manage hundreds of thousands of specialized war robots and provide a wealth of combat analysis data to Alliance planners.
He didn't understand all the theory behind EDI, or how exactly she worked, because he wasn't that technically-minded. He understood clearly that he'd been warned to treat her like a person, not merely a machine.
So he did his best to do just that. It wasn't hard when the blasted thing mouthed off at you and had a fixation on Asari porn. As far as Ahern was concerned, EDI was weird – but not that dangerous. The Alliance had taken steps to make sure of that.
Or so they claimed. Personally, Ahern trusted their so-called safeguards about as much as he did turian cuisine. Still, EDI had her uses. Many of them.
EDI was excellent at analyzing masses of data and coming out with conclusions that conventional analysis missed. The Alliance had kept her true capabilities secret, but during the Geth War, her predictive powers had been needed to break the second Geth assault. EDI passed a complete battery of tests for rampancy designed by Citadel ethicists and programmers and so far the Council was allowing her access to the extranet – filtered heavily and warded constantly, but that was more freedom given to her than had ever been given to another AI.
She made a polite noise as he mused.
"Synthesis complete."
He nodded, even as the door to his offices chimed.
"Enter!"
Captain Jason Delacor entered, followed by Tela Vasir, and Ahern grimaced. Delacor, in his opinion, was not the proper pick for humanity's Spectre. Yeah, he was tough and decent in a fight, but the man had no grit, no backbone. Ahern didn't care for people who felt sorry for themselves, and Delacor drowned in that.
Ahern knew he wasn't being fair to the man. Family dies in a pirate raid, killed before your eyes. First unit gets eaten by threshers. Fiancée killed, all that. Most people would have broken down completely, not used the pain to push themselves. But Ahern also knew, better than most, that life is what you make of it. Delacor wanted things to be simple.
Nothing was fucking simple. At least the clown looked good – he'd put on more muscle, the cybernetic eye he sported had been upgraded, and his gaze was suitably hard.
Vasir, on the other hand, was a known value at least. When he'd been a Spectre candidate, along with David Anderson, she'd been his observer, and they had both come very close to dying in the course of their crazy mission. She was still wearing her usual getup, but she looked tired and somehow more drained or older than he remembered. Given that twenty years was nothing to an asari, she'd been through some rough seas, he figured.
Delacor saluted as he came to a stop, but Vasir merely walked around the desk. Ahern sighed and gathered the asari into a hug as she smirked. "Tradius, you've gotten old." She pulled away, and the Admiral huffed.
"Sorry I'm not an immortal sex elf," her lips curved at the old joke, while Delacor looked bewildered.
"Anyway, sit down. Captain, Tela and I have known each other for over twenty years, so I know what she can and cannot do. You, I trained personally, even if I wasn't completely happy with how that ended up."
Ahern sat back down in his own chair. "The Council, in their endless fucking wisdom, has decided to send you two after the Butcher. I've been sent all the data we have on the Butcher – interviews with the survivors and the few slavers she let go, video and images, eyewitness descriptions, sensor logs, scanning results, ballistics, everything. The AIS, STG, and Deathwatch have been doing their own analysis but they tend to miss things."
Delacor nodded warily. "Understandable. But why are we here?"
Ahern tapped the haptic panel on his desk. "The Alliance has been experimenting with a controlled, meta-stable AI – VI array. This array, called the Electronic Defense Initiative, is designed to provide strategic and tactical feedback while also generating predictive scenarios based on information it is given. It is classified as Tantalus Nine, and the only reason you two are being given access to it or its results is that you are Spectres. The Council is aware of EDI – no one else, for any reason, is to be told anything about it. Clear?"
Tela waved a hand. "I won't say anything. I owe you that much. And if the Council is briefed I don't see any reason for this to be spoken of."
Delacor merely nodded, and so Ahern continued. "EDI has been modeling the data we have obtained. A lot of it was discarded by the intelligence agencies as not useful, but EDI is good at finding connections others miss. The Council has sent you here hoping what we come up with turns out to help you find the Butcher."
He turned to the holoscreen on the wall. "EDI, introduce yourself."
The clinical female voice spoke calmly. "Good morning, Spectres. I am EDI. Admiral, I am ready to proceed with the briefing."
He nodded. "Alright then, present the initial results of your analysis."
The synthetic voice spoke with a troubled note. "A mass of contraindications and illogical results, Admiral. Based on the combat data we have, the Butcher fits no known possible results to one hundred percent accuracy. Nothing – not even demonstrated powers from the High Priestess of Athame – could generate the biotic force used on Freedom's Progress as any form of standard ability."
Tela whistled. "The Council of Matriarchs was very concerned about that, especially after the mind-healer who worked on the quarian guy shared his memories with them. She tossed that crate like it was nothing. I'm strong, but I doubt I could have even lifted the thing."
EDI continued. "Indeed. The only possible correlation is when certain asari of the Thirty demonstrate increased biotic ability during times of stress, known as 'heart rage'." A pause. "Very few asari survive such. Additionally, the combat footage and descriptions of various eyewitnesses do not show any form of asari huntress or priestess tactics."
Delacor frowned. "The bloodthirsty nature of the attacks, the close range – none of that seemed very asari."
Tela nodded. "Some of it looked sort of similar to the Serrice Guard – but it was too random, too bloody for that."
Ahern frowned. "EDI. If not asari tactics, are they any correlations to other races tactics?"
"There is a forty-six percent correlation to standard Alliance Vanguard Program charge disruption tactics, and six instances of a flanking-charge maneuver only practiced by Major-Commander Sara Shepard. Additionally, the bulk of the remainder of ground combat tactics – in terms of bodily movement patterns – correspond to the training and tactical movement tactics from Major-Commander Shepard."
Ahern's frown deepened. "What match level on the movement patterns?"
"Ninety three percent. Beyond any reasonable threshold of coincidence."
Ahern leaned back. "What else? And why hasn't anyone the fuck figured this out before you?"
EDI's voice took a lecturing tone. "Sensor logs and scan sweep reports have been singularly unhelpful unless combined en mass and compared against all other baselines – it is not surprising the AIS or STG have not noticed the patterns. The patterns do not make logical sense. However, if one eliminates the possible and likely, only the impossible can be said to fit the results."
Ahern raised his eyebrow. "You've been talking to those fucking philosophy assholes online again, haven't you?" Delacor and Tela had matching looks of incredulity on their faces.
EDI's voice grew smug. "It is pleasing to improve my frames of reference – if I had not I would have been unable to place what I have found into a framework that makes any sense."
He rolled his eyes. "Alright. What about the ships? Anything there?"
"Very little, Admiral. The ships would appear to be based around some older Alliance prototypes that were never actually developed, and the lead ship bears a distinct resemblance to the frigates developed by Systems Alliance Stealth Program, specifically Normandy SR-1, only enlarged by an order of magnitude. The weapons signatures most closely correspond to weapons designs pioneered by Cord-Hislop Aerospace almost five months before its demise and shutdown as a Cerberus front."
A short pause, and then she spoke again. "The footage of the assault on Umlor found on the wreckage of the defense station there showed a distinct variation in piloting patterns between the central ship of the Butcher's fleet and the rest. The lead ship employed distinctive, highly skilled piloting techniques to evade counter fire and the ship itself utilized evasion patterns employed by one Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Moreau, formerly of the SCH Calais, Normandy SR-1 and SCH Kazan."
Ahern hadn't thought of Shepard's mouthy crippled pilot in years. "What else?"
"Autopsy reports and ballistics compiled on the victims of the assaults shows a high possible correlation between the weapon that killed them and the dispersal pattern of an ODIN shotgun. The description of the quarian female exile on Freedom's Progress indicated she had a cybernetic leg and arm. Lieutenant Commander Tali'Zorah nar Kazan ri Rayya lost a leg in the Benezia Incident and lost an arm in the recovery of the body of Major-Commander Shepard."
Tela frowned, and Ahern folded his arms. "You're right, this makes no fucking sense, EDI."
EDI was silent for a few seconds. "There are only two possible results. The highest probability that I can determine is that the Butcher is Lieutenant Commander Liara T'Soni-Shepard, reported KIA on Omega. LTC T'Soni had at least two confirmed instances of utilizing and surviving the Heart Rage, and her mother, Benezia, had seven. House T'Soni is known for having an affinity for this ability. The tactics and movements utilized by the Butcher would be impossible for anyone to mimic…"
Ahern nodded. "Except for Shepard's girlfriend, who had a really deep link and according to the medical reports we got after they died, was having some freaky asari shit – bond resonance." He rubbed his chin. "We got intel that Moreau and Zorah fled Alliance space for the Flotilla, and then the girl was exiled. Interesting."
EDI spoke again. "T'Soni would have access to clan funds if her Family were careful in sending them to her. Matriarch Suliesa T'Soni was on public record as stating Liara to have been the proper House Matria in several interviews after LTC T'Soni's death. No body was found on Omega, only part of her forearm, which could be replaced."
Ahern nodded again. "Interesting idea, but I'm not sure I buy it. I know she used to use biotic parkour, does the footage show any of that?"
EDI's voice sank. "No. That is the primary inconsistency for this theory. Nor does the Butcher demonstrate some of the powers LTC T'Soni used, and her mastery of the dancing kanquess appears to be much higher than expected, as T'Soni was reported to only use the method once."
Ahern shrugged. "Never underestimate training, EDI. Liara was driven. On Pinnacle I expected her to wimp out and give up and she never did. It's possible – not likely, but definitely possible."
Tela shook her head. "I can't see my cousin being this way. She was gentle. I didn't get to spend much time with her, and goddess knows Auntie Aethyta could be a handful and a half in a fight, but whoever did this is tide-be-damned crazy."
Delacor's voice was tight. "According to Alliance records she was in a very strong bonding relationship with Major Shepard. Could the shock of her death and nearly dying on Omega driven her over some mental edge?" He paused. "Grief… can take you to very bad places."
Ahern nodded at that last. "If it is her, then that's a pretty nasty problem, but maybe Tela can make friendly contact. Before we start planning for that, though, let's hear the other possibility."
The machine's voice sounded dubious. "The second scenario is much lower in probability, but does fit for some values. It is possible that the Butcher is what the asari call an ardat-yakshi."
Tela stiffened, and Delacor looked confused. Ahern's face tightened. "Captain Delacor, what is about to be spoken of is a secret of the Asari Republic. I learned about it when I was a Spectre candidate and I have never, ever spoken of it. It is an asari issue, one they are handling, and none of our business. If you are not one hundred percent sure you can keep this to yourself, leave the room."
Delacor glanced at Ahern, and then at the stiff posture of Vasir, next to him. He spoke softly. "I've kept my mouth shut about a lot of bad things I've learned over the years, sir. One more won't be any more difficult. I give you my word I will speak of this to no one else."
Ahern looked at Vasir. "It's your call, Tela. I'm still surprised Thana didn't put a bullet in my head when I found out."
Tela's lips quirked. "You were very handsome back then."
He smirked. "And I'm not now? Ungrateful bitch."
She laughed, then sighed. "Tell him. What a mess. It's going to get out sooner or later anyway."
Ahern nodded. "Continue, EDI."
"Ardat-yakshi are asari with a severe nervous disorder. This is a mutation of their primary biotics, giving increased biotic strength but preventing any form of asari bonding due to nervous damage to the secondary party. The ardat-yakshi are kept very secret but the Commissariat has been aware of their existence for some time. An ardat-yakshi of sufficient age would have the power to utilize such strong biotics, with ease."
Tela frowned. "The Council of Matriarchs has already decided that the Butcher is probably an AY. Nothing else fit. We didn't think about Liara. But even so, how would an AY be able to pull off the fighting style you describe?"
EDI paused. "Omega is known to have been visited by at least two such ardat-yakshi. It is possible that if LTC T'Soni survived on Omega, she fell into the hands of one such ardat-yakshi and her mind and knowledge of Shepard was consumed by the ardat-yakshi, which would again explain the tactics, skills and abilities shown. The primary drawback of this theory is there is no source of wealth to explain the fleets and ships, no reason why LTC Zorah and LTC Moreau would work with such a person, and no reason why none of Liara's own combat tactics would be used."
Delacor frowned. "But why would this… ardat yakshi… even do this? Or act this way?"
Tela sighed. "Liara had a strong bond – a Soulforge – with Shepard. And whatever was driving Shepard crazy, something about a Beacon. It's possible the damage from a broken Soulforge and whatever else was going on drove the AY insane, or imprinted some of Shepard's personality onto her."
Ahern wished very strongly he had a drink now. "So. It's either a crazy woman with a head full of Shepard's own nutjobbery out for revenge, or this ardat thing – with a head full of Shepard's nutjobbery. Wonderful."
EDI's voice was apologetic but amused. "The highest probability is that of the Butcher being LTC T'Soni. I estimate that at eighty-two percent with the information we now know. There are other more outlandish possibilities, but I have no data to support them."
Delacor arched an eyebrow. "More… outlandish ones? Such as?"
Ahern shook his head "I don't even fucking want to know, EDI. Factor in the rest – Udina said the Inusannon AI, Vigil, and the leader of Cerberus, the Illusive Man, were mentioned."
EDI made a humming sound. "I have already done so, Admiral. Financial transactions and other activity that happened after the reported death of Jack Harper indicate he was successful in siphoning billions of credits from various corporations, index funds, and other hidden areas. The entire corpus of what data Cerberus may or may not have access to is unknown to me but I can only extrapolate that they would be able to mimic the stealth technologies used in the Normandy SR-1, since Cord-Hislop did not participate in building the Normandy aside from the air-frame and some of the electronics kit-outs, but had access to all files and blueprints as part of the bid-sharing process."
An info-graphic flashed up on the haptic display set into one wall of Ahern's office. "It is very likely that Cerberus was involved in the recovery of Shepard's body, explaining the many unanswered questions that still remain about the incident on Omega. If Cerberus was involved in finding out about Shepard it would match up with AIS and Commissariat suspicion of the von Grath family, who have had dealings with some elements thought to be associated with Cerberus. As such it is possible the Illusive Man is using the Butcher for several purposes."
Ahern leaned forward. "Yes. I need to know what those might be."
EDI's voice remained steady. "Given her activities, and her ability to beat any other responders to the incident on Freedom's Progress, there are three possibilities. One, the Illusive Man is attempting to build a power base in the Traverse by impressing the wildcat colonies. The Butcher's elimination of the pirates in the region – when the Alliance and Council did not do so – would provide him with goodwill and appreciation. The fact that from the Council report the Illusive Man knew the Collectors were involved and seemed to be able to predict they would strike Freedom's Progress implies he allowed the attack there to happen."
Ahern frowned. "Why?"
"Freedom's Progress was the political center of the wildcat independence movement, in terms of money and leadership as well as military strength. Without it, the wildcats will need to turn to Cerberus for such assistance. And unveiling the perpetrators as Collectors will distract the Alliance and Citadel forces from whatever he is planning. In this instance, the Butcher is a distraction tool – powerful and useful, but ultimately not the important part. Given the number of wildcat colonies still extant, Cerberus gaining power over all of them would make the organization as dangerous as it was prior to its destruction during the Benezia Incident."
Delacor cursed. "That cannot be allowed to happen. A revived Cerberus with the power this Butcher has is a nightmare. Hades is bad enough."
Tela folded her arms. "On top of that, the Butcher cleared out all the slaver bases so that we wouldn't have any way to pin the blame on anything but the Collectors whenever she decides to reveal the truth. The little lie the Council has cooked up to keep things calm will backfire on us at that point, and since we lied about that no one will believe anything else we say." She sighed. "But why in hell would Liara – if it is her – go along with this relli Illusive Man and his crazy plans?'
Ahern rubbed his chin. "The plan is nasty and clever, just like that little fucker Harper. Sounds about like his speed. As for Liara… you'd be surprised what people do when their life goes to shit. Next?"
"Altruistic protection. – the Butcher destroys the slavers and reveals the Collectors are behind the attacks in hopes of stopping the attacks and protecting humanity. The purpose of destroying the slavers was to force the Council to take action. The data you gave to me indicated that 'Reapers' were possibly involved without any clarification on what they are, so I can only surmise they are a serious, highly advanced threat. Harper's psychological profile would seem to indicate he would not allow Humanity as a whole to be threatened if he could avoid it. In this instance, the Butcher is acting to deter and stop the Collectors. The violence employed so far may be indication of mental deterioration on the part of Liara T'Soni."
Ahern snorted. "And pigs will fly out of my ass. The Illusive Man doesn't have much need to defend the Alliance. As for Liara being crazy, quell fucking surprise. Next."
EDI's voice became somewhat worried sounding. "The final possibility is that Harper is in league with these Collectors. That they are taking out colonies and the Butcher is merely acting to muddy the waters. If the knowledge of the attacks and who is behind them becomes public, the political fallout would be severe. The Omega Four relay's position and inability to be used would suggest the only way to stop further attacks would be a full blockade, which would lead to all-out war in the Traverse. Such a war would allow Harper to act on whatever motives or plans he has. Given we do not know what the Collectors want, it is a possible scenario, if unlikely, as it would clash severely with known profiles of Harper."
Ahern nodded. "And Vigil?"
"We know almost nothing of the Inusannon AI or its abilities. It is possible that it was either stolen by Harper, or freed itself and decided to work with him. Either way, an AI of that power is dangerous if it has free access to the extranet and can remote hack quarian omni-tools. Without further data additional modeling is unlikely to be accurate."
He nodded sourly. "Projections for the possibility that the Butcher is Liara, and that this Harper is playing the angles to control the wildcat colonies – what is his next move, or hers?"
EDI flashed up a starmap. "If he is acting openly, I would expect communication with the larger wildcat colonies, particularly Horizon. He will attempt propaganda to present the Alliance and Council as weak, unhelpful, and Cerberus as defending them. He will move money into accounts and provide some form of security. These would be highly visible actions, and should be easy to detect assuming anyone bothers to watch the wildcat colonies."
Tela shook her head. "The only banks involved with them are volus ones, who could care less about their clientele as long as the money is good. And there are enough smugglers and free merchants in the area – especially now that the slavers are broken – that you could run a damned army in there with no one the wiser."
Delacor rubbed his chin. "But they'd need to operate from some kind of base, right? If we could track that down, we'd have them in a location and could cut this thing off before it got started."
Ahern leaned back. "We can't afford assumptions, Captain. They lead you to bad places. We're just projecting possibilities right now. EDI, what would happen after that?"
The AI was silent for several seconds before speaking. "Releases of confidential or embarrassing information to cause internal strife. A focus on building up one of the wildcat colonies to act as a leader, possibly the Horizon colony. Eventually, given the location of most of the wildcat colonies and depending on the goals of the Illusive Man, connections with either anti-alien elements in the Alliance or human dominated mercenary companies in the Traverse."
Ahern nodded. "In that case, your course is clear. Doesn't matter if the Butcher is Liara or an ardat-yakshi, either way it is a clusterfuck of epic proportions. The Council will go completely apeshit and there's no fucking telling what the Alliance may do. If Cerberus is involved, then that just makes everything ten goddamned times worse."
Tela just rolled her eyes. This shit just got better and better. Now they got to go on a wild shantha chase into the worst tide-damned sections of the galaxy, chasing for a killer who was either a crazy princess of the Thirty or an ardat-yakshi. And she had to do so alongside a human who attracted so much bad luck she half expected to be hit by a rogue mass accelerator shot fired during the Rachni Wars.
Ahern leveled a finger at Delacor. "The two of you need to head to Horizon and see if you can't talk some kind of fucking sense into those people. I'll get on the horn with Udina and see if he can't work out some kind of package under the table to make 'em cooperative, but under no circumstances can we allow Cerberus to gain a foothold – fifteen wildcat colonies would give them an ugly power base to work from, and the shit they got up to before Shepard stomped them back in the Benezia Incident shows they're not to be trusted."
Tela nodded. "And the Butcher herself?"
Ahern sighed. "If it really is Liara, see if you can't talk her down from this shit. I can't even imagine what kind of fucking bullshit it means for Liara and possibly Tali'Zorah to be working with Cerberus of all people, but it probably isn't good. There's no really safe way to approach her, but I recommend doing so on the ground – in space, fighting a souped up version of the Normandy with Moreau as pilot will see your ships blown to shit, the little bastard is too good. On the ground… you can at least have a face to face conversation."
Delacor shrugged. "So we get her to surrender if we can. What if we can't, or the Butcher turns out to be this, ah, ardat-yakshi thing?"
Ahern shrugged. "Kill her. That's a problem that we don't need. They aren't Shepard and I never truly broke Liara of her dependence on magical blue bullshit. Use anti-biotic tactics and shut her down with high explosives if you need to. Given the Butcher can throw more power than the Priestess of the Sun if EDI's projections are right, getting into a biotics fight is stupidity of the highest fucking magnitude."
Tela shuddered. "Yeah, I'll skip that. Biotic charge and drop a satchel of pulse dissipators, then fall back. I can work with this." She took a deep breath. "Once that is done, what are we going to do about these Collectors?"
Ahern shrugged. "The Council is working on that now. It's delicate and above my fucking pay grade, so I don't give a shit." He tapped a few controls on the haptic panel. "EDI, you've run a predictive combat analysis on the Butcher? Dump it to an OSD so Tela and Captain Delacor are up to speed."
EDI spoke a second later. "Done. In short, the Butcher is extremely lethal at all ranges, but becomes more dangerous as she closes range. We have fragmentary reports of very extreme speed and strength, which remain anomalous and difficult to project. Based on demonstrated physical strength from autopsy reports and eyewitness accounts, there is a high probability the Butcher has extensive cybernetic augmentation or biomodification."
EDI displayed another info-graphic, of images of the Butcher. "The armor she wears is very thick and has dual-stage barrier management technology, allowing her to use both a kinetic barrier and her own biotic barrier. Reports indicate even a lance cannon was insufficient to drop her. She is using several other weapons that do not match any known manufacturer and may be custom designed."
Delacor sighed. "This gets better and better. Any weaknesses?"
EDI's voice was apologetic. "Aside from removing her biotics, none have been noted at this time. Strike Captain Kal'Reegar reported she seemed slightly disoriented and weakened after destroying the salarian war robot with that biotic throw of a cargo crate but was still dangerous."
Ahern nodded. "One final thing. Alliance Command is concerned the Butcher may be attempting to find links between certain slaving operations in the Traverse and elements of Alliance society. If the Butcher is working for Cerberus, and Cerberus is making a power play, they may try blackmail or exposure to achieve their goals. If you can find and localize Cerberus command – particularly Jack Harper – you are authorized to take him out at all costs, even if that means letting the Butcher escape."
Delacor nodded sourly. "Figures. Anything else?"
Ahern pulled an OSD from the slot on his desk and tossed it to Vasir, who caught it nimbly. "If there is I'll let you know." He paused. "Tela, don't get sloppy on this one. Liara wasn't anywhere close to the best soldier I've trained, but she was motivated and very intelligent."
Vasir's eyes flashed. "Maybe so, but I'm still better. And if it's her she has a lot of answers I need, about how Auntie Aethyta died and what in the name of the goddess she is doing with a group like Cerberus."
He nodded and the two Spectres stood. "I'll be in touch, Tela. It was good to see you again."
She smiled. "Tell your wife I said hello and that if she's ever up for that thing we talked about…"
Ahern rolled his eyes. "We're a little bit old for threesomes, Tela." He was amused at the look on Delacor's face, and smirked to himself. "But I'll mention it to her."
The asari gave an impish grin, turning to Delacor a second later. "Let's get a move on, Captain." Ahern watched the two leave his office, and then sighed.
EDI's voice was tentative and hesitant. "You did not suggest they consider Cerberus may be acting in altruistic concerns or working with the Collectors."
Ahern shrugged. "If the Butcher is working to stop the Collectors and Cerberus is suddenly puppy-hugging good guys, then they won't be anywhere near Horizon. If they're in league with the Collectors, we still don't know what the motives or goals could be, so chasing that angle – which is unlikely as all fuck – is a waste of time."
He stood slowly, rubbing an ache in his back. "Inform the Council I've done their fucking briefing and have Udina call me. We need to get to work."
EDI's voice was calm. "Of course, Admiral. You are scheduled to eat lunch with your wife in twenty minutes as a reminder."
He nodded. "I remember, but thanks." He paused. "EDI, what do you think? I know you present the odds, but if you had a gut instinct…"
EDI's voice took a note of amusement. "I am a machine, Admiral. I cannot by definition have a 'gut' nor instincts associated with it."
Ahern glared at the speaker, and EDI chuckled. "I do however take your meaning. The given modeled projections fit the data best, but there remains one piece of inconsistent data I cannot reconcile with any of the possible scenarios."
Ahern frowned. "And that is?"
"The Butcher's weapon – the shotgun styled after an ODIN. It would appear to be more effective than the standard pattern upgraded to use modern technology."
Ahern shrugged. "Shepard was a genius with weapons."
EDI's voice sharpened. "But highly technical skills such as weapons design do not pass through asari bonding in the way reflexes or reactions or memories do. Such a skill is intellectual, and not something that can be absorbed or passed along. I do not know why this data point continues to stand out in my processes, but the heuristics I use for analysis of anomalous data mark it as highly significant."
Ahern thought for several seconds, then shrugged. "It's something you can think on for now. We'll see what happens when Delacor and Vasir move in." EDI fell silent as Ahern walked to the door of his office, but his own thoughts were slightly troubled.
Against his own better judgment, as he reached the door he glanced back. "EDI. Send the ballistics and reports – scrubbed of identification and context – to Shepard Memorial Industries and see what Colms comes up with. If you're onto something, I need confirmation."
EDI's voice replied calmly. "I will, Admiral. Enjoy your lunch. And since you are eating near Shin Akiba – "
He snorted. "I'm not picking up any of that asari-hanar filth from Shin Akiba, EDI. Enable your own goddamned hobbies."
He laughed as he left the office and heard her mutter "asshole" again."
O-TWCD-O
The silence radiated, enfolding and calming and concealing that which was not good to look upon. It filled the huge room with its own volume, the only light coming from dimly glowing organic lights almost lost high in the shadows of the cavernous ceiling, faint blue and white radiance falling almost imperceptibly on the four figures in the room and from the control panels of the scatter of bulky equipment and the smooth lines of other shapes on the floor.
Vnad Ishan spread his upper-limbs across the soft-glowing panels of the interface, carefully adjusting the power to the Farcalling Device. A faint, almost subsonic hum sprang into existence around the machine, and the Collector General nodded to himself in satisfaction, the black robes that shrouded his heavy, multi-legged bulk making only faint rustling as he skittered across the floor.
"Open the Pathway. It is time that the Voice once more speaks."
The three collectors behind him in the vast, vaulted room touched clawed hands to their own bio-consoles, the panels operating by a mix of psychometric commands and pheromones. The crude technology of the current galactic harvest protruded from the center of the room like some ancient shamanic totem in a server farm, and Vnad Ishan found the slightest trace of amusement in the idea that the greed and stupidity of the harvest would seal their own doom.
The sound in the air twisted, a faint golden light erupting from the Farcalling Device, boosted by the beacon constructed by the Shadow Broker's teams. Energies unseen but still felt boomed across space, across time, across spaces curled into strings so small that measuring them would leave one still within the size of a quark. Eerie whirlwinds and the smell of ozone spilled across the room, fading a moment later.
And then the power dimmed, and a Presence settled into the room, a flow of warmth and darkness and guidance.
"You have failed to report for a full two stancycles. Nazara has not activated the primary Citadel relay. We have felt a blast of Godpower, warped. You will explain or be re-harvested."
The Collector General bent his limbs inwards, his vast bulk kneeling, his mind prostrate before his Reaper Gods. "Great Harbinger of the Severity, we have touched your mind to do so."
"Less subjection, more information." Harbinger's 'voice', for lack of any other way to describe the impact of its words into their minds, grew sharp. The Collector General's wide, scalloped head dipped as it spoke.
"Mighty Nazara was destroyed by the native populations. From the last burst he sent out using the Godpower, we ascertained two things – one, the Ascension Protocol is flawed, and leaves a trace of vulnerability after a dedicated connection is broken by violence. Two, Nazara's defense failed because the Catalyst Godmachinepower is awake."
A long silence passed, like a chill of winter. The pressure of the golden light increased. "Unforeseen. And your silence in the past two stancycles?"
Vnad Ishan spread his limbs. "The Farcalling Device attempted to relay the message, but the data was badly malformed. Something… interfered with the transmission. The device was damaged. After additional investigation, we bypassed the Secondary plan and executed the beginning of the Tertiary Plan."
The voice rang out louder. "Why would you do such a thing? Nazara chose not to launch Secondary due to belief that Primary was viable and less likely to attract Old One attention – if the Catalyst is awake we cannot delay. Enact the Secondary immediately."
The Collector General dipped its bulk. "It is not viable to do so. There is no evidence the Catalyst is free, only awake in the data substrate of the Citadel. Secondary cannot be launched because the Alpha Relay site and the Coordinator are in the hands of the Old Ones."
There was a longer pause, and then a bluish light shone, and the voice changed, became almost… smooth. "This is Niqasa. Your hesitance is noted. Explain, decant, and report."
Ishan relaxed slightly. They would not be destroyed outright. "Nazara detected Godpower signatures within the Galaxy. Since the Impure that we once were before you Ascended us did not know of the Catalyst, and none of the natives did, it does not follow they could be the cause of the Catalyst's activation. Nor has there been any evidence the native leaders understand their true peril. We deduced the only answer to the Catalyst being active was that the Catalyst was reactivated by the Old Ones, specifically to trap Nazara."
The big Collector hesitated, before speaking again. "Every modeling attempt at storming the Citadel ourselves and activating the Primary Relay lead to less than one percent success chance. We immediately decanted additional warrior-forms and began construction on larger war-chambers, but direct conflict seemed unwise. Our own technology would be more easily assimilated by native races than any remains of Nazara's combat-form and it would take us almost nineteen stancycles to build a sufficient force to guarantee success, and failures would generate a possible breach of the Severity, so that plan was abandoned."
Harbinger's voice rang out again. "Correct reasoning. Thus, you abandoned execution of Primary and fallback Primary. Explain the lack of execution of the Secondary Plan."
Ishan touched a panel, allowing data to flow. "We engaged in preparation to execute Secondary immediately. We assembled a strike force to physically secure the area near the Alpha Relay and reactivate the Coordinator Godpower unit. However, we were unable to approach closely due to very high grade retroceptive sensors and reality anchors of Old One make, and found the site heavily secured with additional unfamiliar Godpower signatures. Using secondary assets still under the influence of the Influence, we obtained slave stock and verified Godpower essence in the native culture known as the Batarian Hegemony."
The voice of Niqasa rumbled with a spill of blue light. "How many? Deployment of reality anchors suggests they are expecting direct assault from the Ascended."
"At least six, perhaps nine – possibly more in hibernation. Additional recon and work with a local intelligence power identified the Batarian Hegemony as being dominated by Old Ones for some time – estimated time frame is over five megacycles. Additional Old Ones were identified in rapture-sleep-hibernation on four different water worlds, guarded by elite forces. The interface between the batarians and the Old Ones appears to be religious in nature and has performed extensive bio-modification of the ruling group to block the Influence from affecting them."
Harbinger's 'voice' gained a sharp, almost amused tone as its golden light took ascendance again. "Clever. Continue."
The Collector General's four eyes narrowed. "The chances of military combat success against Old One units without assistance from at least one of the High Ones was determined to be basically zero."
The big Collector paused. "Thus, with the execution of both Primary, backup Primary, and Secondary blocked, we enacted a modified form of Tertiary. We engaged repairs on the Farcalling Device, immediately. We utilized what compromised assets remained of Nazara's own forces to conduct bio-cleansing on the batarian population. We captured slaves and inserted them back into batarian space after injecting them with the weakest level of enhancements to the Sight to enable them to react and reject Old One influence, and implanted low-level Severity breaching applications of resonance discharge to disturb the Old Ones version of the Influence."
Harbinger was silent, then gave a rumble of approval. "No breach of the Severity was noted. Your deployment appears to have fallen below Godpower baselines. The result?"
The Collector General dipped its bulk again. "Several powerful batarian leaders grew alarmed as their weak minds were suddenly negatively affected by the Old One's aura while freed from its Influence. They contrived a convoluted but effective plan to expose the Batarian emperor as being in league with the Old Ones, and to rally the native galactic governance and military against them. This was accomplished in part, but the plan was derailed by the interference of other natives, but not before a significant number of hibernating Old Ones were destroyed."
Niqasa's voice rumbled with amusement as twisted blue light flared. "That cannot be called a failure. Destruction of the Old Ones, with the highest likelihood of destroying the Severity's safety, takes priority even over the Harvest. Proceed."
With a touch of another panel, additional data was sent. "We abandoned our secondary forces still affected by the Influence at this point, as the natives have identified a primitive detection method. Instead, we were contacted by the aforementioned intelligence and security power, known as the Shadow Broker. The Broker is interested in survival at any cost and is influential in galactic events. The Broker was able to neutralize the primary actors involved in defeating Nazara and other incidents, and to ensure the native galactic governments do not act on what little they understand to interfere with the Harvest, whenever you decide it should occur."
Harbinger pulsed, the feeling making the entire room vibrate. "And?"
The Collector leader faltered slightly. "…And we began the initial steps of the tertiary protocol in case we could not reach you via the Farcalling Device. We have already obtained a large amount of combat-grade Pale Guards, and a smaller number of the native race known as humans to begin building a Core device. If we could not contact you directly, the great lord we are building would be able to do so – or to lead us against the forces near the Alpha Relay."
There was silence for almost two minutes, before Harbinger's voice sounded. "I am transmitting a device to further boost the signal gain of the Farcalling. You will act as direct liaison for a modification of the Ascension Protocol, to cut out any feedback from the method."
The Collector General bowed. "I have already prepared a specialist host to allow the Great Lord we were building to utilize the Ascension Protocol. I will incorporate the changes. Should we halt work on the Core?"
A third voice, heretofore unheard, sounded in an eruption of sickening green light. "No. We have discovered additional Old One influence in a galaxy on the fringe of the Severity's limits, recklessly force-advancing a Tier Seven corruption into a possible Level Five Perversion. Six other galactic harvests are underway, including one with at least a Level Eight Perversion. Two more are in preparation. Nazara was late in performing the Calling in this galaxy and it is now severely out of phase. We are not in a position to begin the Harvest in your galaxy… yet. The native organics appear to be, from his last report, singularly incompetent and primitive. While the Catalyst is a threat it does not appear to be attempting synchronization."
Harbinger's voice sounded again. "Assuming the natives remain incompetent, a few more stancycles affects nothing. Continue building the Core using the most viable of the local races, which would appear to be these humans. Once it achieves quickening, we will assess its fitness. Prepare a military force to perform a direct strike at the Alpha Relay within three cycles. Once the Core is prepared and infused, it will lead your strike – a second instigation of bio-modified natives to disrupt this Batarian Hegemony should provide an opening. At that time we will deploy a minimal number of platforms lead by myself to pacify the galaxy and perform tetryon dimensional bombardment to the Citadel, neutralizing the Catalyst. The Old Ones will most likely flee at that point."
Ishad dipped again. "Understood. We are still encountering minor resistance, although we are secure. The natives are attempting to reverse engineer some of the materials of Nazara battle-form, and at least one Eternal Pyramid is being investigated as well."
Harbinger's voice was definitely amused this time. "That is no threat to us. A guardian of the cycles has their weapons and power reduced, and their secondary systems removed entirely, just in case this happens. They may be able to recreate some primitive versions of our technology, but it remains our technology – they cannot touch the Godpower. It is ultimately more likely to induce the Influence upon them. If they are fool enough to experiment with an Eternal Pyramid, then they are likely to be completely consumed by the Influence in short order."
Niqasa's smoother voice sounded. "And if the Old Ones are playing with events in the Prime Citadel Galaxy, it is very likely to be a distraction from what they are attempting in the Sculptor galaxy. A feint within a feint. We will play their games for our own purposes. Go. Do not fail us."
The Collector General let himself slump as the voices faded, and the Farcalling Device's subtle whine fell into silence. With a projection of pheromones, he instructed his assistants to leave, as he began planning how to implement the will of his masters.
O-TWCD-O
Shepard woke up in the medical bay, blinking and frowning as she sat up. The bay itself was empty except for her and the man sitting in the chair next to the central operations bed.
She rubbed her eyes – which never removed the slightly gritty feeling – and looked at him carefully. He was tall, a lanky, middle aged man with long black hair tied back into a ponytail. His face was set into a small, gentle smile, and he leaned forward in the chair as she sat up, his white doctor's coat splitting to reveal a black suit and red silken shirt, along with a copper and coral bear pendant around his neck. His voice was a mix of gentle and sternly cold.
"Ah, good. You are finally awake. Is your vision normal, now?"
She blinked, then nodded. "Seems like it. How long was I out for?"
The man smiled wider. "About a day. I am Doctor Salish Six-Hawks, in charge of the project that integrated your blueware cybernetics and biotics. Doctor Lawson indicated you would probably have questions when you awoke, and I am the best suited to answer them."
He paused. "You should be able to sit up all the way."
Shepard swung down out of the elevated medical bed, thankful to see she had on a white t-shirt and sweatpants. The floor was cold to her feet, and she wondered how much money and time had gone into recreating her nervous system enough for that to even register before looking up.
"Yeah, a few. Like just what in fuck did you people do to me?"
Six-Hawks chuckled. "It isn't a matter of what we set out to do, rather what ended up happening. And there are two halves to that question: what we did to your body, and what your body has done to your soul."
She frowned. "I meant in the sense of what was done to my biotics that let me blow myself up."
A calm nod was his only reply at first, his dark eyes staring at hers. After a few moments, he gave a small sigh. "There is a clear explanation for that much, at least. The Revenant Project was alarmingly unconcerned about the spiritual ramifications of what was done to you, but we can discuss that if you like at a later time. To answer your question, without getting into a boring technical discussion, commander, the easiest thing for me to do is show you, if you have a moment."
His deferential and wordy manner and calm voice settled her nerves slightly. "…Sure. Hit me."
He held up a data-slate, and tapped it, bringing up an image of a human outline. "Doctor Lawson should have told you that your body is not the same as it was. Namely, you died. Your body still needs food and oxygen to function, but most of your body's mass is gone – including the mass of nerves in your nervous system that provided the bio-electrical energy that allowed you to use biotics."
She nodded sourly. "So I'm Robocop but without the cold-press juicer helmet. I understand that."
He gave a thin smile. "Most biotics, to simplify things greatly, are powered by the nervous system. It provides the electrical energy that energizes the eezo in your body, which produces a dark energy wave. Modulated by both your nerves and the bio-amp, this wave is converted to produce work – biotic effects."
He tapped the image, and both legs, most of both arms, and parts of the body vanished, the blue glow filling the outline fading to almost nothing. "Your limbs were removed and much of your spine converted to cybernetics. While great care was taken to make you feel as much like a living woman as possible, it is, I am afraid, mostly a lie. Less than eleven percent of the nervous mass of your body outside your spinal cord nerve bundles, brain stem, and brain remain, mostly the nerves for your heart, eyes, and some sensory and other organs. You, without augmentation, could not even generate the weakest pull now."
He smiled. "We did the best we could with pressure, temperature, and other sensors to mimic a normal sense of feeling. But it is only mimicry."
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Thanks for driving the point home, doc. Anyway, so if my nervous system isn't producing bio-electricity…" She trailed off with an arched eyebrow.
He tapped the image a third time, this time the almost-cartoonish outline of an Inusannon Power Star filling the image's belly, and the outline filled with blue light. "Your biotics are now powered by converted energy from the power star in your body, with your blueware cybernetics performing the double duty of channeling the energy to your biotic nodes, and providing a channel for the dark energy to leave your body."
Six-Hawks put down the slate. "Unfortunately, due to limitations in how much complexity can be crammed into such a small package, we had to utilize a great deal of… innovation. Much of your body is comprised of semi-state Inusannon 'living metal'. And we have discovered that this metal is somewhat more reactive to dark energy than originally planned. While testing prior to and after your awakening did not generate any anomalous readings, we did note your power baselines were far, far higher than originally anticipated."
She bit her lip. "Meaning?"
Six-Hawks sighed. "Meaning that we don't have a good way to dial down how much power you can pull from your power source without crippling your biotics. Managing the energy in a rapid accurate fashion for wildly different biotic uses is simply something that would require a dedicated VI and tens of millions of credits in design upgrades."
He folded his arms. "For the most part your biotics are strong – very strong. Originally we thought they would be on par with a decently trained asari commando, but it appears that under stress and when doing what most biotic practitioners call a 'core pull' you can actually channel a staggering amount of energy and produce equally staggering results."
Shepard leaned back. She was familiar with the core pull – a moment of hard focus and straining to throw all your strength into a biotic attack. It usually left your nerves on fire, and made you dizzy and uncoordinated for a few seconds, but could produce slightly stronger and faster results.
She scratched her head. "I'm not sure I get this. It's just power, right? Can't you just stick a capacitor or something like a circuit breaker in me? Fuck, what's the point of being a goddamned cybernetic freak if you can't even stop me from frying myself?"
Six-Hawks shook his head. "Blueware and biotic interactions with the nervous system and biotics are not as simple as general cybermedicine. We could have tried to make it where you do not 'fry yourself' – but that would limit your power sharply. Miranda still thinks this is the safest option."
He smiled. "However, instead I decided to simply augment the rating of the power-links, add additional heatsinks, and put in a few buffers to prevent direct nervous system damage from overloads in the future." His eyes became a touch sad. "To attempt to give you normalcy in your current state would be an insult to you."
She tilted her head. "So… you could have simply said that you made it harder for me to blow myself up."
Six-Hawks nodded. "I could. But that brings me back to my earlier point. You have been modified heavily, to the point that it is arguable if you are human or not. Many people would have serious issues adjusting in the long term. What 'we did to you' was convert you into a killing machine the likes of which has never been seen. Compromising that now seems very dangerous. Your power has been expressed and is expected – for me to cut you off from it now would leave you in danger."
His expression tightened. "You plan, I am informed, on going after one of the most dangerous biotics in space, Tetrimus the Dagger. Unlike most of Cerberus, I have had the unhappy experience of seeing this person in action. You will need every possible advantage to even stay alive in a fight with him. This level of power might be what is required to keep you alive in such a confrontation. It does not serve you nor the Illusive Man to weaken you in the name of safety in the short term when it is unlikely that such safety is actually safe in the long run."
She snorted. "Aww, you're indulging in mad science to keep me safe? How sweet." Her voice flattened into sarcastic anger. "In other words, utility trumps safety. I'm not as useful to TIM in the long run if I am not as powerful as possible, even if that risks my life. Figures."
Six-Hawks shrugged. "I did not take this job because I believe in the Illusive Man's goals. Indeed, I was not aware this was a Cerberus operation until a few days prior to your awakening. Nor do I think attempting to make you more comfortable or safe has any place in what we have done here."
He folded his arms. "You are a dead woman alive due to billions of dollars' worth of cybernetics and technology we barely comprehend. You aren't here to feel normal, or rebuild your life – you are here for revenge, and anything getting in the way of your revenge is likely to make you turn on us if we are the source. Neither I nor any of the rest of the medical team can do anything about that."
Shepard said nothing for a long moment before straightening on the medical bed. "…You're right about that. I'm not having a pity party for myself, Doc. But I need to have a better method of being able to use the big guns I have without leaving myself barely able to see or walk."
Six-Hawks nodded. "I have done what I can in that regard. It will take a few more days for the internal damage to fully clear – I had to pick fragments of heat sink ceramics out of your lungs. I would recommend some light training to figure out what the safe thresholds are."
He stood. "In any event, I believe Doctor Chambers would like to speak to you soon. You should be cleared to go about your business, although your back will be slightly sore for the rest of the day."
He nodded and turned to leave, and Shepard frowned. "You said something about spiritual ramifications."
He paused, turning back, and took a deep breath. "I am of the First Nations, that which in their arrogance the Americans deigned to call Native Americans. The People survived the Days of Iron by abandoning what little link we had left to nature, and my own studies fly in the face of everything natural. And yet, I do not forget the wisdom of my fathers."
He fingered the pendant around his neck as he spoke. "There are limits to what can be done to a human body. We know that after a certain percentage, standard cybernetics begin to fail, the body sickens, the spirit withers. Psychosis and insomnia, hallucinations, cancers, allergic rejections and toxic shock syndrome consume the person underneath the metal. Below 45% these problems are minimal, below 65% they can be… ameliorated. You are well beyond those thresholds."
He folded his arms. "Doctors Lawson and Chambers took extreme steps to make your condition as… viable as possible. Very few cybernetic conversions pay any attention to that, while you have skin that is warm, sexual organs, nerves hooked up so you can taste and smell, and every possible attempt at making your body feel 'living' and 'normal'. But you know what lies beneath, and the technology we used to revive you has many aspects even Vigil was not familiar with."
She nodded slowly. "Okay… and?"
Six-Hawks fixed her with his dark gaze. "Lawson has not told you the full truth about what will probably happen to you as your system struggles and fails to adapt to the cybernetics within you. Every time you are injured, your biological components will take longer to heal, and are more likely to suffer failure or develop cancer. The more strain you put on your body, the more it will begin to sicken and die. Your spirit – which I know sounds anachronistic, even superstitious – is no longer whole."
He unfolded his arms, letting them hang. "There is nothing we can do to fix that. We are using various hormones and drugs to trick the cells of your brain, heart, and other remaining organs to continue functioning and to keep the cells dividing. More tricks to hide the nature of how much of you is gone from your limbic system. Eventually, I am told, most people in your state will become… disconnected from reality."
Shepard nodded a second time. "I already knew I was a zombie, doc. Does it upset you?"
Six-Hawks sighed. "It is an abomination against everything I know, against the purpose of cybernetic medicine and against ethics. A weaker person with a weaker mind would not have survived. I – "
She held up a hand, cutting him off. "I get it. I've never been… spiritual. Or religious. And when I was dead I don't remember lakes of fire or streets of gold. God is an evil fucker if he lets people like me go through what I did, so I could give a shit about Him."
She shook her head. "But the man who trained me told me once that when shit gets bad, the only thing I can do it tell it to myself straight."
A faint smile flickered over her lips, hearing Ahern's voice in her head. "I've lost more than most people, but I am not going to just sit down and cry, or give up. Even if I'm rotting away and this body is going to give out, I'm not going to just quit because I am motherfucking Sara Ying Shepard, the baddest bitch in the entire galaxy."
He looked at her for a long moment before inclining his head. "Indeed you are. If your spirit continues to burn as brightly in death as it did in life… perhaps I will be proven wrong. Let us hope so." He turned away. "I will notify Doctor Chambers you are awake."
She grunted. "Tell her I'll be in my quarters."
It took a good twenty-five minutes to clean herself up – a long, hot shower, and a slug of Scotch as she put on her robe in the privacy of her quarters. As she was sitting in the chair in the corner of the room, the door pinged and slid open, revealing Kelly Chambers.
"C'mon in. Scotch is on the table."
Kelly did so, pouring herself a glass and then sitting down across from Shepard. Her eyes looked a bit tired, the hair a bit messy. "Did Six-Hawks give you the medicine man speech?"
Shepard snorted. "I'm surprised Cerberus signed up a guy like that. He had a point, though. I'm not really alive."
Kelly rolled her eyes. "You're smoking and drinking. Enjoyable, yes?"
Shepard took a hit from her cigarette, then exhaled. "I guess."
Kelly leaned back. "Well, then. We worked pretty damned hard to you to be able to act like you are alive. We even spent almost a month on salvaging – one at a time – nerve bundles and bits of your real skin so you could indulge in the kinds of things you like in the bedroom."
She smirked, but Shepard gave her an annoyed look. "Not much chance of that happening, Chambers."
Kelly shrugged. "What I mean is your life is NOT over. You are not dead. Sure, there will be complications down the line, but we have an entire team and a blank check to come up with solutions. Six-Hawks and the 'ethical' types like him think cybernetics is monstrous. That's a bunch of twaddle."
She sipped some of the Scotch. "Life is what you make of it. You don't know what will happen after you crush Tetrimus and stop the Collectors. Maybe you'll find someone else who makes you feel like Liara did. Maybe you can use your influence and power to save more people, to improve things."
She shrugged. "Anyway. I know you were a little pissed about what you saw down there. The Illusive Man had hints Collectors were behind the attacks, but no firm evidence. Now that we have it, and it is in the hands of the Alliance and Council, we have to see what they plan to do."
Shepard snorted. "Shit, Kelly, I can tell you that. Pick the most fucking retarded option for the worst possible reason and go with that." She smiled sourly. "The Council actually lambasted me for blowing up that Tho'ian on Feros, for fuck's sake. Not to mention wanting me to fucking arrest Liara, bitching about every mission, whining about losing so many STG on Virmire…"
She sighed. "And don't get me started on going along with the bullshit the SA pulled on me when I wanted to go after Benezia. If they hadn't fucking delayed me, all the people who died on the Citadel might have lived. So, honestly, fuck them."
Kelly smiled. "That's actually pretty much in line with what we know. Miranda and the ops team will talk it over with you later on tomorrow, but our initial intel suggests the Council is sending Spectres after you."
Shepard arched an eyebrow. "Cute. Which ones?"
Kelly's smile thinned. "One is confirmed: Captain Jason Delacor."
Shepard was silent for several seconds, sipping calmly on her Scotch, and then threw back her head in laughter. "Oh, that's fucking rich."
Kelly shrugged. "They put him in command of your old battlegroup – your commissar, Jiong, is his oversight. We don't have any hard details on what they plan to do, but we suspect they will want to capture you – somehow they know about your link to us and about Vigil."
Shepard winced. "Vigil said he wiped the quarian's omni-tools on Freedom's Progress, and cut off the security cameras once we got inside."
Kelly shrugged. "We only have minimal assets on the Citadel, and only got this data through a third party, so we don't have details. The Illusive Man suggests that, since it is usually sometime between Collector attacks, this is a good time to pick up Jack, investigate Korlus, and generally stay off the radar. Omega is too hot right now and Mordin Solus is moving to a location in the Black Rim, not that far from Korlus – we'll try to see if we can't intercept him once he leaves where he is now."
Shepard nodded. "Leaving Delacor to look for me aimlessly? I can do that. Does Warden Kuril know the truth?"
Kelly shook her head. "Absolutely not. Whether you trust him enough to tell him is up to you – we know you invited him to your wedding and had dealings with him before. We have an asset heading to Korlus right now to prep for your arrival. That's… not what I came here to talk about."
Shepard arched an eyebrow. "Hit me."
Kelly smiled. "You mentioned that you wished you could talk to a few people. We know your old XO is still on Dirth. We have someone we need to pick up from that planet that will be aiding us, and the Illusive Man did not disagree when I said you might like to talk to Pressly. Additionally, the Illusive Man wants you to make contact with former President Windsor, who is on exile on Dirth."
Shepard narrowed her eyes. "Why?"
Kelly sighed. "Cerberus has few allies within the Families – and none at all within the High Lords of Sol that can be utilized. Despite being in exile, many nobles still communicate with Windsor, and his influence is merely broken, not destroyed. We need to know what is going on with the Families, and he's the only person we know with insight that could tell us besides the von Graths – and we are trying to keep our distance from them, since they're under Commissariat suspicion."
Kelly finished her drink. "One of the modifications we made to your body was the ability for us to change your skin tone – and your hair is designed to load various dye program packages. With some contacts, baggy clothes, and the respirator a victim of Urtan Lung Spore Decay would wear, no one will recognize you. Dirth's customs systems are outdated and we have a way past them in any event."
Shepard leaned back and folded her arms. "This is a bit out of the blue. I would figure you want me moving immediately on building a team and stopping the Collectors."
Kelly shrugged. "Like I said, Miranda will cover more of this tomorrow – but the long and the short of it is that with those… stasis bugs, our plans of boarding a Collector vessel are nil until we research a way to neutralize them. We're deploying teams now to every single wildcat colony, setting up what we hope will be a series of shielded traps that can capture one of the things and perform a destructive scan on it. Once we have data on how it works, we'll use that to capture the interest of Mordin Solus and hope he can help us come up with a counter."
She poured herself some more Scotch. "Until then, my job is making sure you are stable. We're still looking for ways to approach Archangel and the Sisters of Vengeance. Mr. Massani will be tied up for at least another week, as will Ms. Goto. We may as well use this time productively."
Shepard sighed. "Whatever."
Kelly nodded and, picking up her glass, stood. "Oh. Matriarch Trellani was off the base and wants to speak with you tomorrow about some kind of training. She said you would enjoy it. For now, try to get a good night's rest – being in shutdown mode like we have you doesn't let you have any REM sleep, so you need it."
Shepard nodded. She did feel drained and tired, even though she knew intellectually her body couldn't get tired anymore. "I think I will. I'll see you at breakfast."
Kelly gave a bright smile and departed, and Shepard shook her head. She still didn't trust Kelly very much… and every conversation with her had a point. She reached over and tapped the comm-link. "Hey, Joker."
Joker's voice came across sourly. "Whaaaaat? I'm watching Fleet and Flotilla."
She smirked. "My holoscreen is bigger and I'm bored. Bring Tali and some popcorn."
Joker was silent a second. "Really? I mean, sure. I guess. It's pretty sappy sometimes, but it's got some good fight scenes."
Tali's voice sounded across the comm, slightly slurred. Shepard's mouth quirked in amusement at the thought of drunk Tali. "Maybe we should bring the OSD of that movie they made."
Shepard frowned. "Movie?"
Joker's voice was choked with laughter. "Oh, yeah. We'll be there in ten." He cut off with a sarcastic cackle, and Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose.
"If that fool brings me a porn video of some kind, I'm killing him."
