Miranda sat down with a heavy sigh, displeased with how the current events had gone. She knew she was nearing the edge of her emotional tether… Shepard was getting to her. One more straw… And…
Her eyes gazed down at her flashing terminal. A new message. She opened it, her eyes darting quickly over the page.
Agent 406, we are sorry to inform you Project Off-World was a failure. Eclipse Mercenaries managed to invade before the operation was complete. Persons of interest were re-transferred to an unknown Eclipse base and out of Cerberus notice. Cerberus Operatives maintaining the mission were killed.
Miranda jumped to her feet, banging the table with the palms of her hands. She quickly moved out of her office, catching up to Shepard with long strides. She grabbed the Commander's shoulder, spinning the woman about, an angry scowl spreading across her lips. Several crew in the mess stopped to stare at her. Shepard was glaring at her with a dangerous flash in her eyes.
"My sister and her family are missing, thanks to you," Miranda growled, her hand still clutched tightly around the Commander's shoulder.
Shepard slapped it off, glaring right back at her, a frown forming on her own lips.
"That's Cerberus' fault for not accounting for a possible interference. Not mine."
Miranda's face flushed red, growing more angry. Her eyes searched Shepard's with hate.
"I asked you if we could oversee it. We could have stopped them."
"We were busy."
Miranda grew exasperated.
"Not busy enough for Zaeed or Garrus, or Thane or Tali."
She paused, staring past Shepard into space, her frown becoming deeper.
"Then again, maybe its better you didn't go. You'd just have screwed things up."
Miranda turned away from Shepard, who stood still, the situation fully unravelling itself to her. She spoke to the Operative's back.
"I did what had to be done in all of those cases. You don't like the way I handled it? That's your call."
"The refinery workers on Zorya?"
"Vido would have gotten away if we'd extinguished the fires. And I didn't set the refinery alight, Zaeed did.
"Allowing Koylat to take his mark?"
Shepard dipped her head. "Nothing I could have done about it."
"Tali?"
"She was acquitted of the charges against her. I merely told the truth. Are you done, Miranda?"
The Cerberus Operative turned back to her, and she seemed hot and flustered.
"The Suicide Mission?"
Shepard's smile widened.
"Finally we come full circle." She bowed her head. "Yes, using you to maintain the biotic barrier was a big mistake. I'm sorry Thane died when I dragged your ass to safety. I admit to my poor judgement there."
Miranda looked dangerous, but Shepard stood, cold as ice.
"Thane's death might not have been planned, but other choices were. What about sending Jacob through the ducts?"
"He made it, didn't he? It was a freak bullet to the head that killed him."
"The whole point was to open the door. If it was done sooner, by a tech expert, he wouldn't have been shot."
Shepard shrugged.
"It's not my fault you lot don't like each other, didn't want to follow Samara's or Mordin's orders. It's not my fault Samara was killed getting the crew back to safety. And…" her grin grew wider "It's not my fault you survived."
Miranda scowled. "I would've died too if Grunt wasn't with me."
"Duly noted. Next time I won't make that mistake."
Miranda started pacing, trying to find some way to take Shepard down, to prove her motive. She looked up.
"It's not your fault for all of this, you say. It's also not your fault that Garrus and Zaeed held firm to you, and performed outstandingly, and hence managed to survive, and because they were so primed that you had better protection yourself. I admit as well as anyone there was a fair amount of risks involved, but on top of them, you still shaped events to how you wanted. In the end, Shepard, the way it went was your fault. Even if nobody else in this whole damned galaxy sees that, I will. I swear, I will."
Shepard's eyes narrowed, as did Miranda's, and, at that, Miranda turned on her heel and stomped back into her office, the door closing behind her. Shepard could feel the ire pouring out even through the solid bulkhead.
Ah, another victory. She could get very, very used to this.
Finally, the string that had been holding her attention toward Miranda snapped, and she looked around at the group that had gathered to watch Miranda's little outburst. Several of the crew dissipated, now the fight was over. Some remained, and she eyed them a moment before turning dismissively.
"Back to work, all of you," she stated clearly. She made her way back to the elevator, talk beginning to pick up behind her.