Chapter 4
"It's unfortunate the Lazarus facility was destroyed. But given that it had fulfilled its purpose, perhaps it's for the best. How many survivors were there?"
The Illusive Man took a long drag of his cigarette, holding it in for a moment before letting it out in a thin wisp of smoke.
"Only Commander John Shepard, Operative Taylor, and myself," Miranda answered, clasping her hands behind her back.
"I'm going to need a casualty list from you, Miranda. I realize many of those who died on that station were your friends and colleagues. I promise you Cerberus will ensure that their families and next of kin will be taken care of."
Miranda had never gotten to know her subordinates on the project very well and she suspected the Illusive Man knew it. She had pushed her staff hard, and although it had not won her any friends, the project had been successful, despite being prematurely abbreviated.
She nodded in polite agreement to maintain the charade of concern. "It's the least we can do."
The Illusive Man blinked and the blue holographic rings that had replaced his irises rotated slightly. Miranda had more or less gotten used to the visual effect of the Illusive Man's optical implants but she could see why others might find it unnerving. Part of her wondered if that effect was intentional.
"It says in your report that Dr. Wilson turned out to be a traitor. It's impressive that he was able to hide his plot for so long. I'll have to inform the other cell leaders to be aware to the possibility that there may be more security leaks. It's a shame you couldn't capture him for questioning."
Miranda bristled as she remembered Shepard suggesting the same thing earlier on the Lazarus station. The rings in the Illusive Man's eyes rotated again as he picked up the glass sitting on the armrest of his chair, swirled the contents around a few times, and took a sip.
"Miranda, I requested that you conduct this debriefing in-person because I have a mission for you. You don't have to accept immediately, however. If you need some time off to recover from the Lazarus Project, I understand."
Miranda knew the offer had been extended more as a professional courtesy than anything else. She had never requested any time off since joining Cerberus but the Illusive Man was nothing if not impeccably polite.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary."
Smiling thinly, the Illusive Man brought up a holographic display on his desk.
"Over the last several months, Cerberus has intercepted Alliance intelligence reports about human colonies in the Terminus being attacked."
That was hardly newsworthy. Human colonies were generally poorly defended, those in the Terminus even less so. In the aftermath of the Battle of the Citadel, the Systems Alliance Navy had simply been stretched too thin. Miranda frowned. A personal meeting to discuss a few missing colonies? Where's he going with this?
"Normally, something like this we would leave to the Alliance. But we've discovered a disturbing pattern to the attacks. I've already dispatched reconnaissance teams to a number of the sites and all of them have reported the same thing: entire colonies disappearing with no visible signs of attack."
"Do we have any intelligence on new technologies that might be capable of this?" Miranda asked, her mind already working through possible explanations. The Illusive Man shook his head.
"I have a research team testing several theories but I doubt they'll find any answers. The strangest part of the pattern is that all of these colonies are located in systems where we know the Protheans were once active."
Miranda quickly realized what the Illusive Man was implying.
"You suspect these attacks might be connected to the Reapers?"
The Illusive Man lit another cigarette.
"I do. I was reluctant to do this, but I've moved up the timetable for my plans concerning Commander Shepard. If the Reapers are on the move, we'll have to adapt."
Rising to his feet, the Illusive Man put one hand on the back of his chair and stared out at the massive star that illuminated the room, bathing it in a soft, blue light.
"Miranda, do you remember a conversation we had two years ago about Shepard and the Reapers. You called him an icon, a beacon the Council and the rest of the galaxy would follow."
Miranda recalled that conversation as if it was yesterday. Two days later, the SSV Normandy had been destroyed in a surprise attack by an unknown ship. The majority of the crew had survived but Shepard had not. Those events had begun a long, torturous hunt for his body that had in turn led to the Lazarus Project.
"You were correct about Shepard being an icon but wrong when you said the galaxy would follow him. The Council and the Alliance distanced themselves from his warnings about the Reapers within six months of his death. Dead or alive, Shepard is no longer capable of rallying the galaxy against the Reapers."
"So he's worthless to us? After four billion credits and two years we brought back a discredited Spectre?"
The Illusive Man turned to face Miranda.
"No. He's still much more than that. Shepard is not a hero because Alliance propaganda or the media chose to portray him as one. Shepard is a hero because he did what no other being in the galaxy, human or otherwise, was able to do: He faced a Reaper and he killed it."
Settling into his chair, the Illusive Man began manipulating the holographic displays hovering above his desk.
"Shepard has been exposed to raw data on the Reapers. The beacons on Eden Prime and Virmire, the Conduit on Feros, the Prothean VI on Ilos. Shepard knows more about the Reapers than any being in the galaxy. If we're going to fight the Reapers, we'll need his help."
The Illusive Man punched a command into a console on his desk. Miranda's omnitool beeped.
"I've sent you the intel you will need for the first part of your new mission. A colony called Freedom's Progress was the latest to be hit. Maybe Shepard will be able to see something the Alliance and our own investigators missed at the other colonies."
Miranda arched an eyebrow.
"I hardly need to accompany Shepard personally. I can monitor his progress remotely. If your suspicions about the Reapers are wrong, I'll be able to better respond from one of our operations hubs."
The Illusive Man poured himself another drink.
"I've never been wrong before and I don't think this time will be the first. The patterns fit too strongly for this all to be a simple coincidence. You've always trusted me, Miranda. I'm asking you to put your trust in me once more."
Crossing one leg over the other, the Illusive Man tapped the end of his cigarette in an ashtray.
"You're not simply babysitting Shepard. This may turn out to be an extended mission, just like your last one. You know Shepard better than any of my other agents. I need you to assist him in his mission and monitor him."
The Illusive Man stubbed out his cigarette and his easygoing manner disappeared.
"Bringing Shepard back was a tremendous risk. I did it because I believed the stakes are too high not to take that risk. But if at any point you feel Shepard has become a liability to the ultimate objectives of the mission, I need you to do what you have to. You always do."
The Illusive Man leaned back in his chair and smiled. Miranda felt a chill run down her spine.
Miranda was going over the Illusive Man's intelligence on Freedom Progress when Shepard strode up the stairs that led to the communications centre.
"Not really the trusting type is he, your Illusive Man?"
Miranda didn't look up from her console. Shepard had no doubt encountered the holographic projection system the Illusive Man used for most of his face-to-face meetings. In all her time with Cerberus, even she had only been in the same room as the reclusive mastermind less than a dozen times.
"I would have thought you of all people would understand. You executed a number of high level assassinations as an N7 operative and as a Spectre. It would be irresponsible of the Illusive Man not to take certain precautions." She deliberately avoided looking at him. "Nonetheless, the Illusive Man is very impressed with you. I'm eager to see if you can live up to his expectations on this mission."
Shepard crossed his arms.
"I can't have anyone disobeying my commands when we get there."
Miranda had been a bit peeved to learn Shepard had been put in charge of the mission. Although she could still technically override him if she felt it necessary, in practice she would be reporting to him as the leader of this mission. Seems I can't completely conceal my frustration.
"I know who I report to. As long as you don't do anything to betray Cerberus, I'll follow your orders."
"What the matter, Lawson? Worried you're not his favourite anymore?"
Stopping her work at the console, Miranda looked up at Shepard and gave him a polite smile.
"I've proven my value to the Illusive Man. Let's hope you're able to do the same."
Shepard cold grey eyes narrowed at the challenge.
"Are you naturally this bitchy, or is it just me?"
For a moment, Miranda almost lost her composure. Who the hell does he think he is? She had hoped Shepard would surprise her but it seemed he fit the stereotype of a patriarchal Alliance officer perfectly. Just another insecure, misogynistic, control freak unable to accept that not everyone would snap to attention when he demanded it. Who does that remind me of? God, Shepard even smirks the same way he used to.
Although her cheeks flushed slightly, Miranda had had years to perfect her control over her emotions and she quickly recovered.
"I have the utmost respect for your abilities, Shepard. It's your motivations that concern me. I believe in what Cerberus stands for. Only time will tell if you prove to be an asset or a liability to our cause."
If Shepard had been expecting a more emotional reaction, he didn't show it.
"What do we know about this colony we're going to?"
"You were sent all the intelligence I was. It's in your omnitool."
Miranda was hardly in the mood to brief Shepard on intelligence he should have been reading himself and she had decided to let him know it. We might have to work together, but I'm not here to do his work for him.
"As I understand it, you're my executive officer on this mission. Humour me."
Miranda gritted her teeth. "Freedom's Progress is a typical human settlement in the Terminus Systems. They had a small military force for protection, supplemented by mechs and security drones. Average in almost every respect and completely unremarkable until the disappearance of its entire population."
Shepard gave her a smile and a pat on the arm. "That wasn't so hard, was it, Lawson?"
Turning to Jacob, he waved his hand in the air in a circle.
"Come on Taylor, we're moving out. Mount up!"
When she was sure Shepard wasn't looking, Miranda shook her head. She would have to have a discussion with the Illusive Man about this. She was willing to do many things for Cerberus. Working under this tactless idiot was asking too much.
Shepard stood in the darkened room, examining a deep gash in one of his shoulder pads where a stray round had gouged a trench into his armour. Seeing Tali'Zorah on Freedom's Progress had reminded him it had been two whole years since the destruction of the Normandy. For him, returning to life had been like awakening from a bad dream but for the rest of the galaxy, life had gone on. It had been something he had been aware of on a superficial level, but running into Tali had finally made it real to him.
Brushing away the thin film of dust that coated his face, Shepard watched as the holographic projectors rematerialized his image in front of the Illusive Man.
"Shepard. Good work on Freedom's Progress. The quarians forwarded their findings from Veetor's debriefing. No new data, but it's a surprising olive branch, given our history. You and I have different methods, but I can't argue with your results."
The image created by the holographic projectors flickered slightly. Shepard was no tech specialist, but based on what the instructors had taught him back at the Academy, the flickering meant one of two things: either the distance the image was being transmitted over was very great or the equipment was substandard. Based on what he had seen of Cerberus thus far, he doubted it was the latter.
"Not every negotiation has to take place behind the barrel of a gun. Diplomacy can sometimes achieve what force can't."
The Illusive Man smiled. For some reason that Shepard couldn't place, that only succeeded in making him appear less human
"Diplomacy is great when it works, but difficult when everyone already perceives you as a threat."
The Illusive Man took a long drag on his cigarette and Shepard suddenly realized how badly he was craving one. When was the last time I had one? It had probably been on the Normandy, putting together that mission report after a run-in with a band of turian smugglers. He remembered that moment because Chief Williams had stuck her head in the door, asking him if he wanted in on an impromptu poker game a few of the crew had started in the cargo bay.
The Normandy had had a good crew but he'd never gotten very close to any of them. He'd always made an attempt to get to know each of them, checking in routinely to discuss personal matters but that had been as part of his job as their commanding officer, ensuring they didn't get wound up too tight to do their jobs. Strangely, he'd always gravitated more towards his nonhuman crewmembers, perhaps because he'd felt the cultural barriers provided a kind of emotional buffer that kept their interactions at a comfortable distance - warm, but not overly personal.
"More importantly, you confirmed the Collectors are behind the abductions."
Shepard realized he had temporarily zoned out and chastised himself for it. Letting down his guard or displaying weakness in his present company could be a potentially fatal mistake. Nicotine withdrawal's starting to get to me. I wonder if anybody on this station smokes?
He promised himself he'd find a cigarette the next time he had a chance.
"Why do I get the feeling you knew about them already?"
"I had my suspicions but I needed proof. The Collectors are enigmatic at best. They periodically travel to the Terminus Systems, looking to gather seemingly unimportant items or specimens. Usually in exchange for their technology. When their transactions are complete, they disappear as quickly as they arrived; back beyond the unmapped Omega 4 relay."
The Omega 4 relay had a dark reputation, somewhat like the old Bermuda Triangle back on Earth. The first time he'd seen it, Shepard had been a freshly minted lieutenant on the frigate SSV Granicus, passing through the Omega system on a long range reconnaissance patrol. Upon receiving the proximity transmissions from the warning beacons emplaced all around the relay, Captain Jamison had immediately ordered the helmsman to take a long detour, giving the infamous landmark a wide berth. Unlike the Bermuda Triangle, the Omega 4 relay was no myth. Few ships disappeared in its vicinity anymore, but that was because few captains dared even approach the general area.
"You didn't bring me back to chase ghosts and rumours. What do the Collectors have to do with the Reapers?"
"The Collectors have never targeted a single species before. And the previous sample sizes were in the dozens. Not the tens of thousands. The patterns are there, buried in the data."
Shepard drew the connection immediately. "Every colony hit has been within three days travel of the old Prothean beacon network."
The Illusive Man looked surprised."I'm impressed. I didn't realize Miranda had briefed you on that data yet."
Shepard couldn't remember how many nights he'd fallen asleep at his desk on the Normandy, trying to correlate the information implanted in his mind by the beacons and the Conduit with data he'd taken from Vigil, the Prothean VI. The Reapers had been methodical in dismantling the Prothean Empire, working their way outward from the core worlds in concentric circles, always following the most efficient path as would be expected from a race of sentient machines. The pattern of attacks on human colonies hadn't quite been as predictable, but when the Illusive Man mentioned patterns, the similarities become apparent.
"The Council and the Alliance want to believe the Reaper threat died with Sovereign. You and I know better. I won't wait until the Reapers are on the march. We need to take the fight to them. That's where you come in."
Shepard kept his expression neutral. It felt strange to have someone with the resources to help him finally say those words, after he'd lobbied the Citadel Council and Alliance to take the threat seriously for almost a year.
Fate, or whatever force it was that decided these things, certainly had a strange sense of humour. That it would be Cerberus, that most elusive and dangerous of old foes, that would become his only allies. He'd spent a good portion of his time as an N7 and later as a Spectre trying to hunt them down but in the end it had been they that had found him.
"If this is a war, I'll need an army. Or a really good team."
The Illusive Man leaned over a holographic console mounted on his armrest.
"I've already compiled a list of soldiers, scientists, and mercenaries. You'll get dossiers on the best of them. Finding them and convincing them to work with you could be challenging, but you're a natural leader."
Freelancers. Potentially dangerous, potentially volatile, but potentially extremely effective. And ultimately expendable, Shepard thought to himself. He pulled up the list and glanced over it. He recognized few of the names. The few he did know, he knew mostly by reputation.
"I'll continue to track the Collectors. When they make their next appearance, I'll notify you and your team. Be ready."
The Illusive Man put out his cigarette and flicked it into an ash tray.
"What happened to my old team?"
"You've been gone a long time. Things have changed. Most of them have moved on... or their allegiances have changed."
A part of Shepard strangely felt relieved. As a young officer singled out by the upper brass for his potential early in his career, he'd been assigned few long term postings. It allowed for few strong bonds to develop with his subordinates and colleagues but it had suited him. He'd quickly mastered the skill of familiarizing himself with a new command and earning their trust in a very small amount of time.
"I've got a ship and crew awaiting you already. A few of them you may recognize. But if I may offer a suggestion?"
Shepard looked at the Illusive Man suspiciously.
"Head to Omega first and find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant salarian scientist. Our intelligence suggests he may know how to counteract the Collectors' paralyzing seeker swarms."
"Is that all?" Shepard asked, sensing the Illusive Man wasn't finished with him yet.
"Just one more thing. This is a high risk operation. There will be casualties and people will die. Can you accept that?"
Shepard closed his eyes.
"Yes."
If Miranda had been annoyed with Shepard before, now she was furious. For once we catch a break and find an actual eyewitness and he goes and hands him over for nothing. Idiot! All they had left to show for the mission was an omnitool with the musings of an insane quarian recorded on it and the vague promise of Shepard's old crewmate that she would forward any additional intelligence the Migrant Fleet recovered in the future.
The Illusive Man looked surprised to see her as she established the holographic link. "This had better be urgent, Miranda. I'm working on a number of other projects, all of which require my close attention."
Miranda put her hands on her hips.
"I did what you asked. I took him to the colony and gathered what intelligence I could. We would have gotten more but he insisted on releasing that quarian back to the Migrant Fleet. The man is a complete and utter moron. I request reassignment to another project effective immediately."
The surprised look on the Illusive Man's face turned to displeasure.
"I'm not sure I would have done the same, but Shepard made the right call. The recordings on the Quarians' omnitool were surprisingly informative and we've already begun receiving additional intelligence from the Migrant Fleet."
Miranda furrowed her brow.
"He's a liability. His performance has proven unsatisfactory, he is completely unpredictable and he's an overemotional idealist."
The Illusive Man looked amused. Miranda wasn't sure why, but she suddenly preferred his displeased expression.
"I disagree. I reviewed Operative Taylor's mission report. Commander Shepard is an exemplary marksman and a very experienced soldier. I expected nothing less. He's a Spectre and a former N7. Are you sure your judgment hasn't been compromised by your personal interactions with him?"
Swivelling in his chair, the Illusive Man played back a recording of her conversation with Shepard before the mission.
"He's a control freak with misogynistic tendencies attempting to hide deep insecurities through an obsessive need to assert his dominance," Miranda protested. The Illusive Man stopped the recording.
"No, he's a calculating tactician who used a probing attack to test your defences. You're a difficult target due to your experience as a field agent so he chose to go after your one vulnerability: your pride. He was testing you, experimenting to see if he could provoke a response. Judging from your reaction, it appears he succeeded."
The Illusive Man put a cigarette between his lips and lit it.
"You're one of my most capable agents, Miranda. I give you the most important assignments because I know you won't disappoint me. You can handle Shepard. You know him better than anyone else in my organization. If you'd still like reassignment, I can arrange that but I still believe you're my best agent for this mission and I know you can see it through to completion."
Miranda knew she was being manipulated but she couldn't resist it. Shepard had outsmarted her and she needed another chance to meet his challenge.
"Reassignment won't be necessary. I'll take the mission with Shepard."
The Illusive Man nodded approvingly but left her with a warning.
"You made the mistake of underestimating him. Don't allow it to happen again. Shepard is far more than what he appears."
With that the Illusive Man cut the link. Miranda straightened the collar of her bodysuit and left the communications centre. Shepard wouldn't catch her offguard so easily the next time.