a/n: That's right everyone. I couldn't decide so Shepard does both Elysium and Torfan. My time line fit so huzzah, you get the best of both worlds. I think there maybe this one and one more chapter at least in Genesis.

-brittsis

Ten men and women all wearing hard suits and carrying weapons left little room in the small shuttle. The first lucky few had already claimed the chairs. The rest were forced to stand, gripping onto the hand straps that hung from the roof. The Major's group was already attacking, keeping the enemy's attention so they could sneak around the back. If everything worked out, they'd be off Torfan in under five hours. Rae should have known better.

The shuttle took a sudden turn and the pilot cursed. Pushing through the bodies, Rae entered the cockpit and leaned against the man's chair. "What was that Corporal?"

"AA guns ma'am." He cursed swiftly under his breath and avoided another shot.

"Intel didn't mention any AA guns!" Rae growled and slammed her helmet on her head, locking it in place.

"They must've been under ground ma'am because they suddenly appeared and started shooting at us." The shuttle lurched as one of the blasts grazed the side.

"Set us down Corporal. We'll walk from here."

"Yes Ma'am. I'll get you as close as I can."

Rae nodded and opened up communication. "Major come in."

"What do you want Shepard!" Rae could hear the man cursing and gun fire. "We're a little busy here."

"I need you to send a team to take out the AA guns. With them up we can't evacuate the civilians."

"If you want the damn things down, take them down yourself!" The Major growled. "Intel was scrambled. We've got heavies out here and taking damage."

Rae growled. It seemed intel had dropped a lot of balls. "Sir yes sir."

She closed the channel just as the shuttle landed. The squad filled up and lined up, awaiting her orders. Rae climbed out and the pilot took off, avoiding fire while quickly leaving. "Mission parameters have changed soldiers. The Major is taking heavy fire so we need to take care of the AA guns. Gunnery Chief Dickson."

"Yes sir!" The soldier stepped forward, pulling her sniper rifle from her weapons pack.

"Take Winslow and Retch to the guns and disable them. Make it quick and quite, only engage when you have to. Once the guns are done, group up the with Major."

"Sir yes sir!" The three saluted her before splitting off at a jog.

Rae turned back to the remainder of her squad. "That means the last of us have to complete the mission. Push through and get the civvies out. It's going to be dangerous, I admit it. But they wouldn't have assigned this mission to us if we couldn't do it. So buckle up soldiers and let's give them hell!"

The cave was oddly silent and unguarded. After the initial push her squad had encountered no resistance. According to intel, they were more than half way into the cave and should have come across more than a few guards. It worried Rae. Nothing was ever easy.

'Maybe the Major has them all distracted.' Bodie tried to ease her tension.

Rae shrugged but didn't speak. Motioning to the others, she turned the corner and slowly made her way down the corridor.

'Do you hear that?'

Rae nodded. She could hear shuffling, as if someone wasn't completely picking their feet up. At the end of the hall was a door with a large data lock. Frowning, Rae motioned their back up engineer forward and escorted her to the door. With silent commands she ordered her squad to spread out along the corridor and protect their back sides. It didn't take long for the engineer to get the door unlocked. Rae pushed it open slowly. The room inside was dark, the light from the hallway being the only source of light. She turned her gun's light on and slowly made her way inside.

"You…. You…. You're human… did you…. You come to rescue…" A man stuttered as her beam crossed over him. His clothes were ripped and dirty and he wore a metal collar around his neck. His fingers itched at his neck, trying to peel the collar away.

"Shhh,,," Rae cautioned and knelt besides the man, pulling her canteen out. "Slowly now."

The man gulped greedily at the water and whimpered when she took it away. Rae knew if she gave him too much it would only make him sick. "How long have you been here?"

"Four… no no no… five… that's right five." The man twitches, his fists banging against his head. "They don't…. no this one cant…. I cant…"

"It's okay." Rae pulled his hands down and called for a medic. The medic rushed forward and quickly examined the man.

"It's not good LC. He's malnourished, dehydrated, and had multiple lacerations." The medic unwrapped an energy bar, broke off a piece and gave it to the man. "He needs more than battle field care."

Rae nodded and stood up, raking the room with her light. She could make out other shapes huddling in the corners, hiding from her. "Everyone in here, Vince and Arnold guard the door. Everyone else, be kind, go slow."

The soldiers filed in and split around the room. Lights were set up. There were about fifty in the room, all in varying degrees of injury. Now that the room was lit, Rae spotted the cell on the far side of the room. A man squatted inside, naked except for the collar around his neck. He rocked back and forth, mumbling to himself. She could see the dirty bandage that wrapped the bloody stump that was his right arm and scars that littered his body. Some of the marks were fresh while others were long time healed. Rae called the engineer to unlock the cell door as she tried to talk to him through the bars.

"It's okay." Rae squatted down, holding out her canteen. "Are you thirsty."

"Thirst.. Yes thirsty. But mustn't drink. They drug the water. Make me see.. Make me feel." Rae's heart stopped as he spoke. She knew that voice.

"Charles…"

The man stopped rocking and turned. His eyes widened in wild disbelief as he stood and rushed the bars. Rae stood her ground as he rammed his body against the bars, snarling. "No.. no. I told you. You can't use her. NEVER USE HER!"

"Shepard." The engineer called to her. "The door is unlock but do you want to unlock it."

Rae stood and rushed to the door, throwing it open. She entered the cage and took a step forward. "Charles it's Raegan."

He shook his head his hand going to his neck and digging at the collar. "It won't work." He growled and paced the room. "You can't break me, not with her. You took my arm but you can't take her."

Rae walked closer, her hand out stretched. "I'm here Charles. Take my hand, I'll take you home."

He snarled and lashed out with his hand. "There is no home. Just this cell. But you won't break me." He laughed coldly. "I won't be your slave!"

Rae rushed forward, grabbing a hold of him as his nails cut deep into his own neck. She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her. "Is this fake?" She kissed him fiercely, urging him to remember. He froze for a brief second before tearing away from her, returning to his corner. He began his rocking again, mumbling. Now that she was closer she could tell it was the Marine Hymn over and over. In an attempt to keep himself sane he latched onto the chant that had been beat into their head while in boot.

"First to fight for right and freedom; And to keep our honor clean. We are proud to claim the title; Of United States Marine." Rae chanted with him before snapping to attention. She knew how to get to him now.

"Operations Chief Freeman, Attention!"

Charles reacted before his mind could process the command. Rae grinned and dropped into her command voice. "About face! March forward, halt! Look at yourself. You shouldn't be allowed to be called a Marine anymore." She stalked around him. "Tell me, Are you a Marine?"

"Sir yes sir."

"What was that? I think I heard a mouse cough! I said, are you a Marine!"

"SIR YES SIR!"

"That's more like it Freeman. Now act like a Marine. Stand tall." Rae took a step back, opening the cell door. "Get out of here Marine. Fall in line. GO!"

Rae was rewarded with action. Charles ran out of the room and stood in the middle of the room at attention. He stood tall, chest out, and waited for his command. Sighing Rae commanded her troops to gather everyone else. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

Rae could see the light at the end of the cave when all hell broke loose. Communications broke out in cries for help and gun fire. The unit called for the Major but he wasn't answering. Some squad leaders called out retreat while other cried for assistance. The Batarians were beating back their assault with superior forces and weapons. Rae looked back at her group and snarled.

"This is Lieutenant Commander Shepard. I need an update."

"Shepard, this is Lieutenant Grimms. The Major isn't responding. He's in shock and not responding to me." Rae could hear gun fire as the woman spoke. "We're currently pinned down. Squad one through three are pulling back. Squad six is pinned down and squad seven isn't responding. Half the unit is dead or wounded."

'You need to retreat Rae. Get out while you can.' Bodie cautioned as he moved through her group of soldiers and civilians.

"All squads hold." Rae spoke into her comms, growling her orders. "I am declaring the Major unfit for duty. Anyone second it?"

"I do sir." Grimms responded.

"Lieutenant Dunns of squad six thirds it."

Rae nodded, "According to chain of command Lieutenant Commander Shepard is now in command. I am ordering you to stand your ground. Gunnery Chief Dickson, did you get those guns down!"

"That's an affirmative. My team and I are now in heaven ma'am. Picking targets with our rifles and sending them to hell."

"All snipers circle around and join them. Keep firing until not a single one is down. Anyone with biotics better keep hitting them. If your tired eat a god damn energy bar. Engineers take down their turrets and heavies. All squads converge and push together. I repeat all squads converge and push together." Rae ordered quickly and motioned for her second in command to step forward. Turning to him, she spoke quickly. "You're to follow through with the mission. Get the injured to the shuttles and out of here. Afterwards, hit the Batarians from behind. Understood."

"Yes sir." He saluted her then ordered the group forward. Rae watched them disappear before pulling her shot gun out.

'You're not doing what I think you're going to do.' Bodie cursed when he noticed Rae stretch her neck.

"If you mean charge right down the middle and shoot everything? Then yes, that's what I'm going to do." Rae grinned at him.

'You're going to get killed.'

"No I'm going to get the payback I've always wanted." Rae turned her comms back on as she jogged out of the entrance, right for the battle.

"To me soldiers! To me!" She called out as she shot the first Batarian in the back with her shot gun. "If we stand together we'll win this thing. Remember the fallen, remember the taken. Today humanity bites back and we teach these bastards a lesson. Let me hear your battle cry! HOO-RAH!"

"HOO-RAH!" The comm was flooded and they rushed forward.

Only a third of the unit survived the attack. Only a third of them was capable of walking away from the bloody mess. The Batarians surrendered after their numbers fell. Only twenty remained in the end. Rae had them lined up, hands tied behind their back and put on their knees. She raised her pistol to the first one and placed it firmly against the four eyed bastard's forehead. He closed his eyes when she pulled the trigger. None of the remaining unit complained as she moved down the line, executing each of them. With each squeeze Rae remembered. She pictured her family, squeeze. Sydney, squeeze. Coach, squeeze. The fifteen year old girl, squeeze. The last one was crying, begging for his mercy. Rae lifted her pistol and placed it against his head.

'Rae don't do this.' Bodie pleaded with her, his hand ghosting on her shoulder. "Have mercy."

Rae closed her eyes, remembering him. His smile, his scent, the love in his eyes. She almost didn't squeeze it, she almost listened to him. But then a new memory came rushing forward. Charles smiling at her with his knowing grin suddenly turned to his cowering form in the cell.

"This is mercy," Rae responded in a growl, her eyes catching fire with fury. She squeezed the trigger and watched the body drop.

"Burn the bodies," Rae commanded, returning her pistol to her hip and turning from the dead forms. "They don't deserve a proper burial."

Rae returned to the Einstein thirty hours after leaving it. She hadn't stopped until they double checked the caves and burned all the bodies. They gathered what intel they could from the site then made it a crater. She had watched the explosion from orbit and was strangely satisfied as the inferno consumed everything. The ship's infirmary was filled with the critically wounded and the ship's docking bay was working as a second infirmary for the rescued civilians and other wounded. Rae had received several wounds, including a gun shot wound to the arm. The bullet had made it through her depleted barriers, past her shields, and into her armor to lodge itself into her arm. She now sat on a makeshift table as one of the combat medics dug the lug out.

"God damn it, can't you just take it out?" Rae cursed as the medic prodded around the wound.

"Sorry Ma'am but I need to make sure I won't damage your arm further by taking it out." The medic apologized before raising a portable x-ray to her arm. It took a picture quickly which the medic than examined.

"Officer on deck!" One of the guards called out as Carole exited the elevator. All of the soldiers snapped to attention and waited for the as you were. Settling back onto the table, Rae dug into her pants pocket and pulled out her flask. She took a quick slug of it before the medic tore it from her grasp.

Rae was reaching for it again when Carole pulled it out of reach and dropped it in her own pocket. "That wouldn't be advisable Lieutenant Commander."

"Well if the medic would just take this damn bullet out I could retire to my bunk and get drunk in peace." Rae growled out as the medic began to apply antiseptic to her arm.

"Be nice to the doctors Shepard. They have sharp needles." Carole cautioned. "When you're done here come to quarters. We have much to discuss and I have the good stuff in stock.":

"Yes ma'am." Rae hissed as the medic used a scalpel to open the wound a little more.

"You did good down there Shepard. You held the unit together."

Rae's arm was in a sling and partial cast. The bullet had hit and broke the bone. The medigel would take care of the wound but only time would heal the arm. She had other minor wounds but they'd only take a few weeks to mend the skin back together. Just a few more scars to add to her collection, nothing new.

She knocked on Carole's door and entered when the door opened. The woman was sitting in her lounge area, drinking a whiskey. Rae joined her and accepted the glass that was presented to her. They sat in silence, neither wanting to acknowledge the situation. Charles was locked in the brig, for his and the crews safety. The doctor had treated his wounds and redressed his stomp, but there was nothing he could do for the man's mind. Only time and therapy could heal the unseen wound.

"Thank you Raegan." Carole spoke first, sitting forward in her seat and putting a hand on Rae's knee. "You found him."

"He's still lost Carole, you and I both know that." Rae stood from her chair, draining her glass in one gulp. "I don't know if we're ever going to get him back." She paced the room, wanting to hit something.

"But we're going to try." Carole sighed and rubbed her face. "I already spoke with my husband. He's going to retire and take care of Charles in Florida. We've already highbred a personal nurse and therapist to stay with them. We're getting a bigger place to accommodate."

Rae nodded. "And what about you Carole?"

"I just reenlisted. Maybe in five years I'll retire as well, but for now I'll remain Captain of the Einstein. What about you Raegan?"

Rae stopped her pacing and looked at the woman. Technically Rae could get out next year, earlier if she pushed the right buttons. She achieved her goal, the name Shepard was a beacon of hope. Or it was. After her actions on Torfan though, things may have changed. She had feelings for Charles, she knew that now. But did she want to leave the Alliance?

"I don't know Carole." Rae poured herself another whiskey then offered the bottle to Carole. "He thought I was an illusion, a phantom. I couldn't… I couldn't put him through that torture again."

Carole accepted the bottle and poured herself another glass. "Why don't you hold off any decision until we hear what the doctor has to say. We're going straight to Earth and getting everyone help."

Rae nodded, "I can do that."

"Miss Shepard's presence stresses Mister Freeman. He can't grasp that she's real. Studies show that the collar released a chemical into his blood stream that caused him to hallucinate." The doctor spoke calmly to the three of them. Charles's father had joined them in the hospital while Charles was getting the full work up. "We assume that the chemical makes the wearer picture their desires being ripped from them."

"What's your recommendation then doctor?" Carole asked.

"I recommend that Mister Freeman get therapy daily until his reality can be restored. In the mean time," The doctor turned to look at her. "I recommend that you remain absent Miss Shepard. Maybe in a year or two he can accept that you're real and you're not going anywhere. Now if you excuse me, I have other patients to attend to."

"Thank you doctor." The three of them thanked him then remained in silence. It was several minutes until Charles's father excused himself to get them all coffee.

"Raegan…" Carole started.

"He asked me to marry him." Rae spoke quickly the growled as she scrubbed her face. "He wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and I couldn't say yes. It stuck in my throat. I was scared."

"That's understandable child. With everything you've been through."

Rae shook her head. "No I'm just a fucking coward. Now the doctor says maybe, if he believes I won't go anywhere." Rae cursed, "I can't promise that Carole. God damn it I love him, there I said it. But I can't make a promise like that."

Carole sat silent for a few minutes before pulling the girl in for a hug. "Don't completely disappear from us Raegan. Where are you going?"

"To fight for humanity. Brass wants to talk to me but then I go back out to the stars." Raegan replied and hugged the woman back.