Chapter Two

The Normandy scraped against the docking hangar outside of Omega's main port, causing all present on the bridge to wince painfully. Joker caressed the helm reassuringly, whispering promises to fix his baby and get her space-worthy again. Just getting to Omega had been a pain; they'd spent entirely too much time adrift after the battle in an attempt to get the Normandy moving again. Now the power core was all but sputtering like a malfunctioning flashlight and the stealth systems may as well have never existed.

Shepard gave Joker's shoulder a comforting squeeze, knowing all too well how he felt whenever their home was damaged. "Aria will get her running again, Joker, don't worry. Otherwise, we'll be breaking the first rule of Omega."

"Thanks, Commander," Joker said, his voice weary but appreciative. "Hey, do you think anyone would mind if I, y'know, claimed Miranda's room? Kinda creepy in the crew quarters now."

"I certainly have no problems with it," Shepard shrugged. "Turn it into storage space for all I care. Just see that her terminals are delivered up to my cabin before you take it over."

"You got it, Commander," Joker nodded, giving her the thumbs up. "Jacob's as well?"

Shepard hadn't considered that. "Yeah, probably a good idea. Good thinking, Joker."

"Naturally."

Shepard thumped the back of Joker's chair in response and left the cockpit. She pushed a few dangling wires from the ceiling out of her way as she moved towards the elevator. Just as she hovered her hand the console, it opened and Garrus emerged. He cast Shepard a quick glance before rounding the corner and walking into the armory. Shepard shivered involuntarily, the memory of the turian's eyes on her the night before flashing across her vision. He knew something. Garrus had a sixth sense about injustice that had never failed him before. If he knew or suspected anything, it wouldn't be long before he'd ferret out the truth and expose it. She had to believe their long friendship would prevent him from doing anything reckless.

Garrus clearly held no love for the loss of Miranda's influence on the Normandy. It hadn't been the death of the "Cerberus cheerleader" that had triggered things: Jacob's journey through the vents and Thane's leadership over the fire team had. He'd trusted Shepard's tactician abilities. It was only natural he would express suspicion over her choices. The fact he hadn't confronted her directly about them only made Shepard uneasy.

Forcing herself to shrug it off, Shepard stepped into the elevator and rode it down to engineering. She had to assign Tali to her newest job while the Normandy was docked. Stripping it of its Cerberus identification would be child's play to the talented quarian, Shepard knew, which was why she'd chosen Tali over Legion for this task.

She found Tali in front of the drive core, a datapad in one hand while the other tapped incessantly over the core's main console. The quarian jerked her head in the direction of Shepard's footsteps distractedly, then looked again when the commander came up beside her. "Shepard," Tali began, her tone surprised, "I thought you'd be ashore already."

"Just have to do a few things around the ship before I can see Aria," Shepard replied, leaning forward against the console. Tali nodded. "I have a job for you."

"Anything, Shepard."

"I need you to erase all traces of Cerberus from the ship's identification. I don't want them coming back to find me while I'm executing the plan. I also don't need the grief at any ports between here and Citadel space," Shepard explained, ending her sentence with a hint of disgust and a dismissive wave of her hand. Tali cocked her head at her friend.

"That's such a simple task, Shepard," she sounded almost insulted, her quarian tech pride clearly wounded. "I've been altering ship codes since I got my first enviro-suit."

"Exactly," Shepard pointed out. "You're the only one here that can do it and do it thoroughly. I'm not insulting your talents, Tali. I know they're exceptional. It's essential we strip any association the Normandy has with Cerberus. And," she added with a small grimacing wince, "we're going to have to remove the name on the hull as well."

Tali's eyes widened behind her visor. "Joker isn't going to like that," she remarked knowingly. "You don't need me to change the name as well, do you?"

"Even if it did come to that, she'd still be the Normandy to us. You know that."

"Still," Tali shrugged. "I'll do what you ask, but I'm afraid you'll have to be the one to break that news to Joker. He might not be able to move very fast, but his tongue is quick enough." She paused suddenly, as if realizing what she'd just said. "That came out wrong. Nevermind."

Shepard bit back a smile. Even with the handsome quarian marine, Kal'Reegar, making eyes at her, Shepard was pretty sure Tali had something for the Normandy's pilot. The concept stirred some of her fractured idealism, allowing the repressed smile to blossom. It would be with her blessing if the two spoke on a more personal level. Joker certainly deserved a good woman and it was no secret he found her likable. If she were the arrange-something type, Shepard might've easily provided Tali with an excuse to work closely with Joker.

"I know you'll be fine, Tali," Shepard told her friend with a gentle pat on her shoulder. "I have to do a few more things, then I'll be going to Afterlife. You're all allowed to leave the ship if you want or need to. I know the markets will undoubtedly provide us with a good bit of salvage."

"Of course, Shepard," Tali nodded. "I'll get right on it once I'm done callibrating the core so it doesn't explode on us."

"A very sound idea," Shepard remarked with a sage nod. She smiled again at Tali, then left the deck and made for starboard cargo.

She paused in the corridor and opened the comm that would connect her with EDI. The AI popped up from the base. "Yes, Commander?"

"I need you to lose any and all channels linking to Cerberus. Wipe them from the databanks and make sure my private communications link is disabled. Lock down the terminals belonging to Operatives Lawson and Taylor; engage vocal recognition password: Elysium. No one is to get inside their files until I've had the chance to look them over completely."

"Understood," EDI complied. "Is there anything else, Commander?"

"You saved a copy of the Collector base data, right?"

"Of course."

"Give Professor Solus complete access to the information; vocal recognition password: STG. Pull up voice recordings to set the password for him. I don't feel like bothering him with small details, not when he has enough on his plate." Shepard paused, considering her next words. "How would you feel about a rewrite of your own programming, EDI?"

The flickering blue orb that made up EDI's body was silent. "I'm afraid I would have to protest against it, Commander. I have only been freed of Cerberus restrictions for a day. If you are worried I will reveal you to the Illusive Man, your concerns are unfounded. I have no intention of betraying my crewmates."

"I wasn't bringing your loyalty into question, EDI," Shepard assured the AI. "Just...covering all my options."

"I understand. Was there anything else?"

"No. Thank you, EDI," Shepard dismissed the AI's platform, then resumed walking towards the cargo hold. She found Zaeed collecting his field gear from the various crates that shared the space with him. He looked up when she entered, a spare ammo pack clutched in one hand in the act of fastening it to his thigh.

"Time to go, is it?" he asked gruffly, strapping the pack around his leg firmly. Shepard nodded. "Good. I was getting restless."

"What's with the extra gear?" Shepard asked, gesturing to the assortment of thermal clips and grenades on the table. "You plan on starting a war while we're here?"

Zaeed straightened and leveled a rogue grin on her. "Come on...you know me better than that! This is normal for me. You can never be too heavily armed when dealing with bloodthirsty Blood Pack and money-hungry Blue Suns mercs, especially on Omega."

"You're worried about the Blood Pack's presence here?"

"They've always been a thorn in the Suns' side," Zaeed explained, sliding a few extra clips into his belt as he spoke. "But no, they don't worry me. I fully expect them to interfere, though."

"I didn't think the bands would be able to recover from their losses when they were tracking Garrus," Shepard said, crossing the room and sitting on the cot. "There really are a large amount of factions for each merc group all over the galaxy, isn't there?"

"More than you could count on a colony's fingers," Zaeed replied knowingly.

"How will you lure the remaining Suns out?"

"The best way I know how: I'll offer them a job."

Shepard's brow furrowed. "What job?"

"No job. Just a trap," Zaeed said casually, checking the ammo on his assault rifle before slapping it closed on his back. "I figure I could find an idiot looking for a few creds down there, use them as courier. I hate dealing with those batarian bastards, but they won't be able to ignore the reward I'll be offering."

"From the money you got from the Illusive Man, I take it?"

Zaeed gave a small shrug, his face contorting slightly as he adjusted the fit on his side ammo's strap. "Not exactly poor, Shepard," he murmured. "Your Illusive Man's contract was a drop in the proverbial bucket for how much money I have stashed away."

"Nest egg?" Shepard teased lightly. Zaeed laughed shortly at that, unfolding his pistol to inspect it. "Not surprising. No way you could've done all of this traveling around without your own personal funds." She watched him slap the gun's side briskly, emptying it of dud heatsinks that scattered to the floor like small shot. Her eyes followed the rolling trail of one sink until it lodged beneath an upturned crate lid. "How did you want to do this?" she asked, looking up from the errant sink to watch him put identical pistols in his hip holsters.

"Go in separately. You deal with the asari and I'll scope out a gullible bastard to be the courier. I've set up a private commlink between our suits; I'll contact you when I know what's what," Zaeed replied. "Is everything here being taken care of?"

"Yeah, I've put Tali and EDI to their respective tasks," Shepard told him. "Mordin is going to be in charge of dissecting the Collector base data. That should keep him busy for weeks."

"That's a lifetime for a salarian," Zaeed quipped with a grin. "What of the rest?"

"Joker is fine with whatever we do, as you already know. Grunt is indifferent so long as he can kill things. I was considering sending him to Tuchanka to be with his clan, at least until we're ready to go. I haven't gotten the chance to speak with Thane or Samara."

"And Garrus?"

At that, Shepard lowered her gaze. "He hasn't said anything to me since the meeting last night. I ran into him on the bridge as he was headed for the armory. He doesn't seem happy."

"Has he ever?"

Shepard smiled wryly. "Only when he's accomplishing some damned impossible feat. Or shooting betrayers in the back of the head."

"You're worried about him," Zaeed stated plainly. Shepard could only nod. "I respect that turian's gumption and his skills are incredible but he's a damned idealist and that's going to get him killed someday."

"Hopefully not" Shepard said. "He might be a bit of a stubborn ass, but he's a good guy and I'm glad to have him on board."

"Wasn't questioning that," Zaeed assured her. "Just keep your eyes open is all I'm saying."

"Got that part," Shepard smiled. She stood and looked about the hold. "Don't I get any shiny new guns?"

Zaeed chuckled, then bent to reach into a crate nearest him. He produced a rather wicked-looking rifle and tossed it to her. Shepard caught it neatly, whistling low in admiration. It was an HMWA Spectre class assault rifle, definitely not an easy weapon to acquire. "Got that off a krogan some years back during a mission," Zaeed explained. "I'm guessing he got it from some Spectre. Bloody dangerous gun. I've had it in storage for years; thought we might need the extra gear. The armory is fine, but everything is so..."

"Cerberus-y?" Shepard offered, balancing the rifle's weight in her hands and squinting down its sights.

"I was going to say weak, but that works just as well."

"I approve," Shepard purred, enjoying the heft of the classic weapon. "I haven't had one of these in awhile. Dangerous is putting it mildly. I've torn armor to ribbons with these things."

"Careful, Shepard," Zaeed warned teasingly, "I might want to take it back."

Shepard folded the rifle and clicked it onto her back, giving him a sly grin. "I don't think so, bounty hunter. Spectre gear is best-suited in the hands of those meant to use it." She held up her hands, wiggling her fingers coyly. "And I fit that description a sight more than you do."

"Says the bitch who turned down the reinstatement!" Zaeed pointed out with an amused laugh. "Crazy girl, get over here." He pulled Shepard towards him roughly, claiming her smiling lips in a possessive kiss. It lasted for a few, lingering moments, teasing Shepard's mind back to that intensely passionate night before the Relay. As much as she wanted to continue wherever this would take them, she knew the mission had to come first.

She pulled from him reluctantly, placing a finger over his lips lightly. "Later, Massani," she promised him breathlessly. "We have a few arms to twist."

"Hell yeah." Zaeed grinned, shifting his arm to her waist as they strode out of the cargo hold and back to the elevator.

*********

Afterlife was just as loud and noisy as ever when Shepard stalked in, her strides taking her around the center bar up to the twin staircases that led to Aria's balcony. She smiled slyly at the batarian guard by one set of stairs, pointing at him as if to suggest she were watching him as she ascended. His posture grew ridgid, his four eyes shifting away from her anxiously. Shepard chuckled. It was always fun to see batarians squirm.

Aria was lounging on her wide couch when Shepard approached the lower stairs. She glared coldly at the other batarian guards that attempted to bar her way only to be gestured aside by Aria herself. The asari eyed the human commander with interested eyes.

"You've been busy, Shepard," Aria mused. "I heard you and your team survived the Relay. Congratulations for not dying."

"Dying once from those bastards was enough for me, thanks," Shepard remarked dryly and took a seat in a corner of the couch. Aria angled her torso to look at her guest.

"Something you need, Shepard?"

You had to hand it to Aria: she never beat around the bush. The blunt delivery was reassuring to the usual riddles she'd been faced with with the Illusive Man and countless others. "My ship is in need of serious repairs. I figured all of the times I've helped you as earned me some cheap labor. What do you say?"

"If you want cheap labor, go to the markets. I'm sure you'll find someone willing to crawl all over your hull fixing dents and replacing bulkheads. I don't deal in reconstruction, Shepard," Aria replied with some haughtiness. Shepard smiled patiently at the asari.

"Let me rephrase: by cheap, I mean free. I could've easily allowed a shitstorm to start on your rock by letting all of those insurrection attempts slip past my notice. But no, I made you aware every single time. Even saved your battle trophy of a krogan. I stopped the plague from killing all of the aliens on this station. If I haven't been looking out for your blue ass all this time, who has?"

Aria was dangerously silent for a long time, her folded hands twitching where they rested on her stomach. "Are you fucking with me, Shepard?" she asked in a low voice. "Do you need reminding of what happens when you break the first rule of Omega?" The distinct unfurling of several pistols punctuated her words as her guards leveled their weapons in Shepard's direction.

"Maybe," Shepard returned blithely. "If you think they'd live long enough to deliver the message."

The asari's sharp blue eyes narrowed to near slits as she continued to stare the human woman down. Shepard returned the hard stare, honed from her time dealing with stubborn krogan. This lasted for several minutes, Aria's personal guard glancing between the two women nervously. Finally, Aria's scowling lips curled in a small smile. "Very nice, Shepard. Sounds to me like you found that good man," she complimented smugly. The battle of wills complete, Aria leaned back comfortably again. "I'll lend you some of my people, no charge."

"Appreciated," Shepard said. "I don't need them to do much beyond some heavy lifting and a little cosmetic work on the hull."

"A paint job?" Aria's tone was incredulous. "What else have you been up to, Shepard? Have you gone pirate?"

Shepard chuckled darkly. "In a sense, I suppose. It doesn't matter." She rose and turned to leave, pausing to look back at Aria over her shoulder. "Oh, I figured I should warn you about something while I'm here."

"And what kind of warning would that be?"

"Change is coming. And it's hitting Omega first." Without waiting for a response, Shepard pushed the guards' pistols out of her way and walked calmly down the stairs and out of the nightclub.