Normally, the Collectors would be flying through the Omega 4 relay to reach their base and plan on how to take human colonists for their experiments. Not this time though. Now, the Collectors will take Sheperd to their base and continue orders.

Sheperd's body was hoisted up onto a pod, which was regularly used to carry paralyzed colonists, and took him into the base. About three Collector soldiers pulled the pod. The Collector General crawled out on his multiple legs.

"Be careful with the merchandise…" the General said in his strange, mystical voice. "He needs to be in one piece."

The soldiers entered the base. It was a large rock filled with metal rods that support it as a base. Inside, it reminded people of an insect hive. Millions of pods hung on the ceiling. All of them were full of colonists, human colonists.

The Collectors carried the one most important pod across the rocky floor of the base. They followed along the pipes that ran full of human DNA juice. All for what the General wanted.

Or at least who they thought the General was. He was the only one who could speak multiple languages. He didn't seem like a regular Collector. He crawled on many legs. He had a large head that was filled with glowing eyes.

Most interesting of all, he didn't think with his own mind. He spoke with the voice of the Harbinger, whoever that was. The Harbinger controlled all Collectors by the General. When they hear, "Assuming control!" one Collector rises into the air and glows.

Their skin will crack and reveal light from its body. They would then fall to the ground and speak with the same voice as the Harbinger. This one soldier would have increased power over all Collectors. But when that one fails, the Harbinger finds another one to control.

This process went on and on, continuing as the Collectors did his work. The soldiers followed the piped that led to some sort of alter that the Harbinger had them make. The pipes connected to a machine that continued to grow.

The machine seemed to speak to them. It had the same presence as the Harbinger, but weak. Like, a baby version of it. The human DNA was put into it. Adaptation, as the Harbinger said. The future.

Sheperd's body was propped up at that altar. The machine began to lower. "Assuming control!" the voice of Harbinger called. One soldier began to glow and rise off the ground. He fell back. This controlled Collector grabbed the machine.

He unlatched some sort of lever coming off the pipe. The machine came off the pipes. The Collector fitted the pipe onto Sheperd's pod, pumping the juices onto the body. He placed the machine in the pod, allowing it to crawl into Sheperd's mouth.

Liara slept on the floor of the warehouse. Her face was covered with dry tears when Miranda found her. "Liara! What happened?" Miranda shouted in her accent.

"They killed Feron…" Liara cried.

"He would have been valuable alive…" Miranda muttered as if she was angry. "What about Sheperd? You say he was taken."

"Yes," Liara sobbed. "They… they got him and left. We failed." Miranda grabbed her arm and lifted Liara up.

Miranda starred at Liara with disgust. Last time we let an alien help us… Miranda thought. "I think the Illusive Man wants to speak with you." She claimed.

They walked towards the door of the warehouse. A large man stood by the door, guarding it with his assault rifle. "Hello Liara, I am Jacob Taylor." The man introduced.

"Yes, Jacob was hired by Cerberus after we saved the Citadel, much like you and Sheperd." Miranda commented.

"We are very sorry about your loss." Jacob comforted. "We are also sad." Jacob gave Miranda an angry look.

"Sure…" Miranda muttered, "We can't keep the Illusive Man waiting." The three of them walked to the Kodiak shuttle. This shuttle was designed for carrying people up to the Normandy, which wasn't ready yet.

Cerberus was busy building another Normandy for commander Sheperd, but they don't have him. So, Miranda, Liara, and Jacob flew in the Kodiak up into space. "Beginning FTL speed." The pilot announced.

The Kodiak sped up, instantly reaching a mass relay. Now was the fun part. Lightning shocked the ship, causing it to fly halfway across the galaxy. The relay launched it right in front of the Minutemen Station.

Minutemen Station was a large archway that gleamed with light. The Kodiak slowly pedaled up to one of the station's many docks. The airlock screeched open.

"Over here." Miranda said as she walked toward another door. Jacob and Liara followed into the dark room. All it had was a table in it's center.

Miranda poked around at some of the buttons on the table. Suddenly, a hologram of the Illusive Man appeared. He was the same as he always was. Smoking a cigarette and drinking some sort of whiskey. "Liara T'Soni…" the Illusive Man said.

"Yes," Liara replied, crossing her arms.

"Miranda tells me that you have lost Sheperd's body." The Illusive Man pointed out.

"Yes sir." Miranda answered. ""What shall we do with her?"

"We shall do nothing to Dr. T'Soni." The Illusive Man commanded, looking at Miranda. He then turned his attention to Liara again. "What we need to do now is stop the Collectors. They are a greater threat than ever before now with Sheperd in their hands."

Liara wiped tears off her face and said, "Quit treating Sheperd like he's merchandise!" She instantly covered her mouth. "Sorry, sir, I guess I am just in shock."

"We all are, Liara." Jacob again tried to comfort.

"We know that the Collectors have contacts with the Shadow Broker. If somehow we can get to the Shadow Broker, we may be able to get to the Collectors." The Illusive Man informed.

"Yes sir." Miranda agreed.

The Illusive Man gave Miranda a slight smile then said, "We need to find out where the Shadow Broker is. Do you have any leads?"

Liara looked down in thought. "Yes! An agent for the Broker, Tazzik, I believe, got away with the Collectors. Look him up."

"I will get on that!" Miranda called.

"Anything more on this Tazzik fellow?" Jacob asked Liara.

"Well, he is a salarian," She replied, "and he is very large."

"Just great…" Miranda muttered. "Smart, and strong."

"Now that is xenophobia!" Liara accused. "Just because he is salarian doesn't mean he's smart! That sounds just like something a Cerberus agent would say!"

"Now now girls!" Jacob yelled, stepping between the two.

"Dr. T'Soni!" the Illusive Man ordered. "If you want Sheperd back, get along." Miranda smirked. "You too, Lawson." Miranda's smirk faded.