Chapter 2: The Briefing Room

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"Whats up, Boss?" asked Garrus sardonically casually leaning against Briefing Room table.

"Wait", I said curtly "I don't want to have to repeat this."

Garrus looked concerned for a moment; searching my face for clues, then shrugged his shoulders and went back to his good natured banter with Kasumi to Mordin's amused fascination. Despite the gravity of the situation, I smiled to myself. An ex-cop and an ex-thief becoming friends, and maybe more than friends if my reading of turian body language was accurate. No more crazy than a scarred up old marine and a lovely young quarian girl falling in love I guess.

A few minutes later Jack, Zaeed and Grunt sauntered in from the Mess, Grunt with a delighted childlike grin on his terrifying face, deep in animated conversation about some bloody and violent war story, closely followed by the preternaturally calm Samara and Thane, I no doubt, guilty of interrupting some deeply spiritual meditation exercise. The psychotic and the spiritual, I smirked to myself ruefully, what a crew but somehow it works.

My two ex-handlers Jacob and my Executive Officer Miranda hurried in next, seemingly embarrassed at being among the last to arrive. I willingly cut them some slack considering how rough a transition the last few weeks had been for them having both resigned from Cerberus after the Collector Mission leaving their status aboard the Normandy somewhat dubious. At least in their eyes since I had come to rely both on Jacobs courage and determination and Miranda's cool analytical tactical skill although I still had some nagging doubts about any possible hold the the Illusive Man might have on them. How hope that was just marine paranoia because I would be relying on them even more now.

Lastly, the delightfully odd couple of my quarian girlfriend and her peoples arch-nemesis the geth known as Legion, rolled in covered in oil.

"Shepard!" Tali said gaily wiping her fingers on a rag "sorry we're late, we had just started stripping down one of the power converters. Besides, it's only been an hour since we got back and I didn't think you would miss me…" She studied my face more closely "Kehlah! What's happened, John?" she asked anxiously, instinctively moving forward and placing her hand on mine.

I smiled faintly at her and said quietly "I always miss you when you are not around" then turning to the rest of the ground team "So, ladies, gentlemen, and platform, there is no easy way to say this… I've just finished speaking with Admiral Hackett… The Reapers will be here in a matter of days."

Reactions were predictable. Grunts eyes lit up with predatory delight. The old warriors Samara, Thane, and Zaeed remained calm and stoical, whether it was through their personal philosophies or simply a bone-weary cynicism born of seeing too much death it was hard for me to say. Legion was lucky enough to lack an emotional response and Mordin, ever the scientist, seemed as rational and indefatigable as ever. As far as the rest of my friends and crew, the shock and horror on the faces was enough to almost move me to tears. All except Tali whose expression was thankfully hidden by her helmet. She tightened her grip on my hand and whispered in a grief-stricken plaintive voice "I wanted more time". "I know" I whispered back sadly "me too".

Garrus was the first to recover his wits "How do they know Boss?" he said simply.

I sighed rubbing the back of my neck "An undercover Alliance scientist operating in Batarian space discovered some kind of artifact, a Reaper artifact. She is being held by the Batarians and Admiral Hackett asked me to break her out of prison because she is a personal friend. The Alliance can't risk getting involved with the Batarians itching to go to war, not that they believe in the Reapers anyway but if we break her out it can be written off as just another unprovoked Cerberus terrorist attack on an alien species."

"But a Reaper Artifact, Boss!" said Garrus agitated mandibles flapping. "We saw what happened to the scientists on the derelict Reaper. Remember, we were only on board that thing for a couple of hours and we were still affected by it."

I shrugged "I agree Garrus. From what we know about Reapers there must be a very good chance that she is indoctrinated but even so we still have to break her out to find out what she knows."

"Plausible deniability " said Jacob grimly "I suppose if it avoids war with the Batarians. The Illusive man is big and tough enough to take it. besides he deserves it"

"Trust the Alliance to try to pass the buck on a dirty black ops mission gone sour, always have to look like the good guys. Well it is certainly the kind of pro human operation Cerebus would consider doing with although whether the Batarians will believe that the great Commander Shepard would join such an evil organization, that you are actually part of us... I mean them i'm not so sure. So if this is to be a Cerberus operation, you are going to need a purely human ground team to make it look credible" Miranda said calculatingly.

"Right" I said "and small, just you and Jacob, both known high-level Cerberus operatives plus Kasumi for her hacking and lock-picking skills."

"John, I want to come too" said Tali earnestly, "you know I can hack my way past anything better even than Kasumi"

I sighed "I know you want to come too Tali and nothing would give me greater pleasure to have my favorite quarian covering my back but Kasumi is human so more plausible as a Cereberus agent. besides I dont want to give the Batarians any reason to go after the Migrant Fleet. Garrus, you will be in command of the Normandy. We arrive in the Bahak System in three hours. Dismissed."

A/N Thanks for your reviews and comments