Just want to say thanks to those reading this. Hope you will stick with me as I update this on the weekends.

"The colony has completely gone dark Shepard. Not even any distress signals," Joker said, as the shuttle to Freedom's Progress landed. "I hate it when it's too quiet."

"Me too, Joker," Laura responded. "Keep the scans up, I don't want any surprises."

"Will do," said the pilot before killing the radio feed. "So EDI, anything to add to this operation?"

"No Mr. Moreau, but you will be the first to know," the AI said.

Bullshit. That thing will kill you all the first chance it gets.

But Cerberus would not have put faith in something that wasn't human if they were not absolutely that it would help.

Don't believe them for a second. They will use you and Shepard until they can spit the both of you out.

I hate this shit.

Just shut it and help Shepard save the galaxy.

Again.

"I've detected two things. Patching to Commander Shepard," EDI noted as she opened the radio channel directly to Shepard's suit. "Shepard, I've detected a Quarian craft as well as electronic spikes that indicate-"

"The powering up of mechs?" she asked sarcastically as gunshots resounded over the channel. "Yeah I noticed. Tell Joker to get off his ass and help you scan next time."

"Commander, I do not require-"

"Obviously you do need help. Now shut up so I can concentrate!" the commander shouted.

Joker snorted at the AI while flicking on the HUD displays of Shepard, Miranda, and Jacob. "I hate this part," Joker grumbled as another LOKI mech was shot down.

Even though Joker could walk two years previously, going out to Noveria was terrifying. But at least he felt like he could do something to help back then. Now? It was back to watching, orbiting, scanning, informing, and worrying. Joker sighed, knowing that there was nothing that could be done.

At least I've got leather seats.

A sharp intake of breath from Shepard drew the pilot's attention back to the screens. "Tali?"

"Is that you Shepard?"

If Joker were drinking anything it would have been all over the displays. "Tali?"

"It would appear that the quarians are also interested in what happened to this colony," EDI noted.

Joker rolled his eyes at the machine's avatar. "Remind me what the 'I' in AI stands for?"

"Certainly Mr. Moreau, it stands for 'Intelligence' of course."

"Right, so why do you feel the need to state the obvious?" he asked before hitting the mute button.

Tali had just opened the large bay doors as a particularly large mech was activated. Shepard's HUD identified it as a YMIR Mech, but all Joker knew was that it had a new paint job courtesy of the quarian team it just stomped into smears on the warehouse floor. After taking cover, Shepard sent Miranda left and Jacob right before hefting the rocket launcher off of her back and took a steadying breath. "Joker?"

"Working on the cameras boss," he said quickly as he accessed the appropriate systems. "I've got eyes on everyone and everything. Good to go on three," he said as he tapped into the team's channel. "One…Two…Three."

It was pure poetry in motion. Miranda used Overload, as Jacob made good use of his shotgun, and charging up the middle was Shepard releasing the contents of her rocket launcher. The mech never stood a chance, and it was not long before Miranda and Tali were arguing what to do over Veetor. With the data uploaded to the Normandy, Tali and her remaining squad left with Veetor as Laura boarded the shuttle.

"So, Collector's eh?" asked Joker as Shepard made her way to the cockpit. "Not the most creative name for a race."

Laura chuckled, "Probably not."

"So…Tali?"

"Busy, being a respectable member of quarian society."

"Right, right," Joker said as he rubbed his beard. "I'd offer you a seat but…"

"Oh don't worry," Laura said as she sat on EDI's avatar.

"Have I mentioned I love you?" he asked with a laugh.

"Sap."

"So was it rough seeing our favorite quarian?" he queried.

"It was tough for the both of us. Everyone thinks I'm dead obviously."

"Yeah, for some reason people can't seem to shake that idea, seeing how you've only been 'alive' for all of three days," the pilot quipped.

"I miss everyone from the old crew, but at least I've got you."

"Sap."

"Touché."

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