When In Doubt

Outside the Normandy's medical bay, Thane was wringing his fingers and feeling helplessly uneasy. All of Kasumi's attempts to get in contact with Garrus and Kaidan's shuttle had been in vain – for whatever reason, the Kodiak wasn't receiving or emitting a signal of any sorts. Thane's mind spun with the possibilities. Any number of things could have happened, and he feared that none of them were good. Thane whispered a silent prayer to Arashu, begging her to protect the only two remaining crew members who hadn't yet returned. He also added in one to Kalahira, Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife. Just in case.

"... will end badly. Whenever that is." Jacob noticed that Thane appeared to be deep in thought. He swept past the drell, heading for the med-bay. Jacob had never trusted him, and with Shepard gone, he hadn't been sure how the assassin would react. After all, he was bound only to her. What was stopping him, or any of the others for that matter, from leaving or, even worse, turning against the remaining crew? Then Jacob realized that it was the same thing that banded all of them together: the belief that Shepard was somewhere out there, badly beaten but alive. And counting on her team to rescue her.

Thane's obsidian eyes lifted at the sound of Jacob's footsteps. The time had come for them to address the most pressing matter at hand. While neither of them fully trusted each other, they were forced into becoming the main decision-makers onboard the Normandy, seeing as the chain of command had become warped and tangled from recent events.

"What are Miranda and Liara up to?" Jacob asked Thane, whose task it had been to monitor the situation in the medical bay to make sure that nothing got out of hand.

"They have been kept separate, as previously decided. Neither of them have so much as looked at each other," Thane reported.

Mordin took a deep sniff and glanced back and forth between the conversation and his spinning omni-tool, impressing the other two with his mastery of multi-tasking. "Preferable to alternative, it would seem." He paused his flurry of motion, sparing a moment of his precious time to glance through the med-bay window before returning to the program on his omni-tool. "Still, confrontation is inevitable. Would rather deal with it immediately. Time, running short."

Jacob had requested Mordin's presence precisely for his ability to quickly and accurately analyze situations and provide logical advice on how to proceed. He just hoped that the salarian's direct manner didn't set off Miranda or Liara; the last thing they needed was those two jumping at each other's throats without Garrus around to stop them.

"We should act quickly," Thane agreed.

"And make sure that those two don't try to kill each other," Jacob said, jerking his thumb to indicate Miranda and Liara. With Garrus and Kaidan MIA, defusing a conflict between the two powerful biotics wouldn't be as simple as a few sharp, well-aimed words. And despite the fact that both women had sworn themselves to the mission, Thane feared that recent developments might drive them apart, even at the cost of Shepard's safety. He just prayed that they all lived long enough to learn from their mistakes.

Jacob approached Miranda, who was posted at one of the beds closest to the door. The girl laying down appeared to be semi-lucid, and Jacob could hear Miranda murmuring comforting words to her sister. "You're safe now, Ori. The bad people can't get you here..."

"How has she been holding up?" Jacob inquired, placing his hand at the small of Miranda's back. She looked over at him, smiling wearily.

"She's doing well. Surprisingly so. When I saw her in that warehouse, with all the other prisoners, she looked so sick." Miranda turned back to the patient, brushed a few locks of hair away from her face. Jacob saw that Oriana's features seemed to be distorted, not quite a perfect mirror image of her twin, Miranda. But he supposed that was mostly due to the swelling and bruising. Miranda noticed him eyeing her face and said, "Most of the damage is superficial. Nothing time and a nose job won't fix."

Miranda, joking. Jacob allowed himself a smile. Seeing Oriana safe and healing was doing Miranda a world of good. Even so, there were still other matters that complicated the situation. "I wish Garrus would come back," she said in a low voice to Jacob. "No one can talk sense to that asari besides him."

Jacob's eyes flicked over his shoulder to the other side of the room. "Yeah." He swallowed and glanced back down at the girl on the bed. "We should get that taken care of."

Liara had a data pad in her hands as she stood guard alongside the bed where the girl she believed to be Oriana lay. Although she appeared to be immersed in whatever she was reading, in reality, Liara was unable to prevent her mind from wandering, her thoughts straying to the current predicament. The only reason she'd ordered Thane and Grunt to bring the captive back was because she thought that Lawson would appreciate it. To Liara, the girl in the bed was just a stranger. Honestly, she had no interest vested in Miranda's personal issues.

Yet there she was, standing at the side of the bed in the medical bay. She could have been upstairs, monitoring comm traffic with Kasumi and Daryn. She could have been getting some well-needed rest. Instead, she was involving herself in a conflict she pretended not to care about.

"Between you and Dr. Chakwas, this young woman has received the best of care. She will recover nicely, I think," Thane said as he approached the asari.

"Oh... yes," Liara replied, startled by his silent approach. "Hello, Thane." He returned the greeting with a dip of his head. Liara noticed his inky eyes flick over to the screen of the data pad. He probably knew that it was mostly just for show.

"I'll never hear the end of it from Shepard if I don't offer you something to eat," Thane said, gesturing with one hand towards the mess hall. "I insist that you rest; you've been over-exerting yourself, and this might be your only chance."

"You just want me out of here so you can get rid of Oriana!" she shot back. Thane's eyes widened in surprise and he shifted his weight backwards, away from Liara. She didn't blame him – she'd shocked herself, too. "I'm sorry," she blurted out immediately. "You're right. I am... tired." She set her data pad down on the empty bed next to her and turned to gaze at her unconscious, vulnerable patient. "But I'm not leaving this girl. She's... she could be..." Liara trailed off. Her eyes snapped back to Thane, giving him a hard look. "You're the one that found her. What did you tell her before bringing her back?"

Thane's normally rod-straight posture softened, and he let one hand rest at the foot of the bed, near the girl's ankles. As he recalled the exact moment Liara questioned him about, his eidetic memory took over and he slipped into anamnesis. "Pale figure, broken and bleeding. Eyes unbelieving, never expected to open again. Questioningly, whispers her sister's name. I nod. She cries for her guardian angel." Thane returned to the present, blinking. "I had never met Oriana before, but in that moment, I felt sure that she was Miranda Lawson's sister."

Hearing Thane's eidetic recitation made Liara yearn for Feron. She remembered how, when they'd been trying to get Shepard's body away from the Shadow Broker, Feron would be able to use his perfect memory to expose the Broker's plan and help their mission. Liara stared off into the distance for a moment. There she was, almost two and a half years later, once again in the position of trying to save Shepard from the Shadow Broker. It made her want to cry a little bit. Somehow, she felt like she'd failed Feron. He'd died for Shepard; he had died for her. And now they were right back where they started.

Yet there was still time, time to save the commander and make sure that Feron's sacrifice hadn't been in vain. Feron hadn't given up when they were searching for Shepard the first time around. Neither would Liara.

"So you believe that this is the real Oriana, and that the other one is an impostor?" Liara asked, tilting her head to the side to indicate Miranda and Jacob.

Thane looked conflicted. "I am the wrong person to judge who truly is Lawson's sister."

"Operative Lawson hasn't even been over here to look at this girl. She won't listen to anything I have to say because she doesn't trust me, and she thinks she's always right and I'm wrong," Liara said, a note of frustration creeping into her voice.

It dawned on Thane that this conflict wasn't merely about determining which girl was actually Oriana. The root of the issue was Liara and Miranda's opinions of each other. And the fact that they were both as stubborn as mules, unwilling to compromise unless Garrus forced them to. No Garrus, no compromise.

"Perhaps if she were to examine this one, she would be able to better judge who is really Oriana," Thane suggested.

Liara threw a quick glance over her shoulder, then looked back at the drell. "Thane, I'm almost positive that this is the real Oriana. I saw her back where the Shadow Broker's prisoners were being held, and I can guarantee you that she," Liara said, pointing to the bed, "is the same girl." She gave an impatient huff. "But she's blinded by her prejudice. She won't see reason."

Thane considered Liara for a moment. He couldn't quite figure out why she was so adamantly insisting that the Oriana he had rescued was, indeed, Oriana. One thing he did know was that it was more than just wanting to prove Lawson wrong. Liara wasn't petty like that, at least Thane didn't think she was. And maybe it wasn't out of concern for Miranda herself but... Liara had seen Oriana before, back at the prisoner holding warehouse. Maybe some tenderness had grown for the abused young woman, and Liara felt obligated to help the innocent girl.

Liara regarded him, cocking her head to the side pensively. "I'm sure an eidetic testimony would go a long way in convincing her to at least consider the alternative," she suggested, hoping that if Miranda wouldn't listen to her, she'd at least listen to the drell, whose perfect memory would be indisputable evidence to help her case.

Thane looked uncertain. "Operative Lawson is notoriously... obstinate. I'm not sure anything that either of us say will influence her decision."

Liara stared hard across the room for a good three seconds before saying, "Well maybe it shouldn't be her decision."

Thane had feared that Liara would say something along those lines. "Garrus will be able to amend the situation, when he returns. Shepard might even -"

"You don't know when Garrus is coming back," Liara replied, her deep blue eyes flaring, temperature rising. "It could be tomorrow. It could be never. We need to deal with this, now." Her jaw clenched visibly. "One way or another."

Thane held his hands up, as if he were surrendering, or perhaps trying to physically prevent Liara from marching over there and giving Miranda a piece of her mind. "I will ask Dr. Chakwas to perform a DNA test. Surely the results will show her reason," Thane said, trying to pacify the impassioned asari.

His plan of action satisfied her, for the moment. "Okay. Let me know if she agrees."

Thane nodded and strode to the other side of the room. He let out a relieved sigh. That was one land mine averted; that left the rest of the minefield before him.

Thane signaled discreetly to Jacob, indicating that they needed to meet outside the medical bay to report their findings. Jacob excused himself from Miranda's side, then went to discuss the next step with Thane.

"Were you able to persuade her to examine the other girl, if only to determine that she was not the right one?" Thane asked in a hushed tone.

Jacob glanced back through the doors, then back to the assassin. "No," Jacob said. "She's sure that the Oriana we found is the real one. You know how Miranda is: once she gets an idea in her head..."

"... she never lets go," Thane finished grimly. Jacob nodded. "Do you think she will agree to DNA testing?"

Jacob considered the proposition for a moment. "I don't see why not. We could just tell her we're trying to figure out who the other one is, if she's not Oriana."

"Very well. I will alert Doctor Chakwas." Jacob was about to head back into the medical bay when Thane said, "I believe it would be reasonable for Samara to be present as we proceed. Should things take a turn for the worse." The justicar had taken on an Ardat-Yakshi. She could handle whatever Liara and Miranda had to throw at each other. Probably.

The assassin was thorough, Jacob would give him that. He bobbed his head and then started heading towards the elevator. "It might also be pertinent for Jack to be in attendance," Jacob heard Thane call after him. Jacob smirked. Very thorough indeed.

With Thane off locating Dr. Chakwas and Jacob retrieving Samara and Jack, there was no one left keeping an eye on Miranda and Liara. Liara seized her chance to confront the Cerberus agent, once and for all.

"I know what this is really about," Liara said, leaving her charge's side and facing Miranda. Miranda slipped her hand out of Oriana's, who stirred in response to the movement, then walked towards the center of the med-bay.

The two women were facing off, cowboy-showdown style. At any moment they could have drawn their pistols and started shooting. "And what might that be?" Miranda asked, her voice icy as a cryo blast.

Liara's eyes narrowed. "You don't trust me because, to you, I'm an alien." Miranda snorted even though she knew it was the truth. "Of course you're a bigot. You're with Cerberus; I shouldn't have expected anything more of you."

Miranda's fists clenched and she widened her stance defensively. "You don't know anything about Cerberus. We make things happen. And you aliens can't stand the fact that we've accomplished more in two decades than you have in two centuries." Her voice was filled with venom, finally releasing all the thoughts she'd held back when Garrus was around.

"I was on the team that stopped Saren and Sovereign. I stopped a Reaper invasion!" Liara retorted. "That's more than you've accomplished in your pathetically short lifetime."

Miranda barked out a laugh. "I headed the Lazarus Project. I brought Shepard back from the dead and that's the only reason we're going to be able to stop the Reapers now."

Liara perched a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. "That would have never happened if I hadn't brought you her body."

"You're right, because you are incapable of accomplishing what Cerberus did. Cerberus is the only organization to ever bring someone back to life," Miranda countered.

"You're just jealous," Liara jeered, "that after devoting two years of your sad life to obsessing over Shepard, she still likes me better and thinks you're a bitch."

Miranda's biotics flared up. That was the final straw. The asari wasn't getting away with that one. "Take that back, or I will drag you off this ship by your scrawny blue neck." Her voice was heavy with a threat that she intended to carry out.

Liara, too, became wreathed in blue. Her sneer widened."Watching you try would be most amusing." Without another wasted second, the two biotics cut loose all the dark energy that had been building up.

A moment later, Thane returned with Dr. Chakwas. The doctor had taken to preoccupying herself with discussing possible treatment for Kepral's syndrome and strode into the med-bay unsuspectingly, right into the midst of the raging biotic storm within.

It took Thane a moment to realize what was going on before he came to his senses. "Both of you, stop -" He was cut short by the whomp of a warp finding its mark. He was knocked flat on his ass.

"Cease this nonsense immediately!" Dr. Chakwas demanded authoritatively. She was used to rowdy crew members, but this was being blown completely out of proportion. Medical supplies were strewn about, some suspended in mid-air by a turbulent singularity towards the edge of the room. If the two women weren't stopped soon, they could have a real disaster on their hands.

"Doctor!" Thane shouted, trying to warn her of the throw field that was headed her way. After realizing that Chakwas was not a biotic and had no way to defend herself, he sprung forward to block the wave of dark energy with a barrier of his own. He barely managed to keep the barrier around both of them as the attack washed over their crouched forms. He grabbed the doctor by the shoulders, tearing her attention away from the sight of her med-bay being turned into a battlefield. "Find Jacob: he will bring reinforcements!" There was no way Thane would be able to defuse the situation by himself. The entire room looked as if someone had sprayed the walls and floor with a fire hose loaded with gasoline and dropped a match, every inch of every surface engulfed in blue flame.

Chakwas nodded, but before she dashed back out through the doors, she called, "For Christ's sake, think of the patients!"

The doctor's voice made Liara hesitate. The last thing she wanted was anyone, besides Lawson, to get hurt. With Tali laying vulnerable on one of the back gurneys, and both Orianas in the room, Liara knew that she and Miranda were risking all of their lives. Yet she couldn't afford to back down. Not when she had the chance to prove, and once for all, who the superior being was.

Miranda seized Liara's pause as an opportunity to attack. She lunged forward, winding her fist back and swinging forward to hit Liara with a massive throw field. Liara dodged, but only barely; the energy charged straight toward the AI core, knocking a crate of medigel off a shelf in the process.

As the crate's contents clattered all over the floor, Jacob entered with Jack and Samara in tow. At first, he hadn't believed Dr. Chakwas' frantic plea for help, but the doctor wouldn't lie or joke about anything like this. And Jacob had a feeling that Miranda and Liara would eventually come to this. It had only been a matter of timing before the two of them, who'd been at each other's throats from the beginning, would come to physical blows.

"Both of you, stop right now before someone gets hurt!" Jacob yelled as loudly as he could. Miranda and Liara barely spared him a passing glance. Time for Plan B. He gestured for Thane and Samara to restrain Liara, while he and Jack would take care of Miranda. The four of them sprung into action.

Thane and Samara wasted no time putting Liara into a biotic stasis. Her movements became sluggish, and eventually her biotics were completely overpowered by the justicar and the drell assassin. Though she still struggled halfheartedly, she knew the fight was over.

On the other side of the room, Jacob and Jack weren't having as much luck. Miranda still fought against them, determined to keep fighting until that snobby blue bitch was picking her teeth up off the floor...

Overjoyed at the opportunity to knock around the Cerberus cheerleader, Jack sent a thundering shockwave towards her, turning over crates and beds as she did so. Jacob just barely managed to protect Oriana, who had woken up and was watching with wide eyes, from the blast. "Jack! Not helping!" he roared in her direction.

But the potential endangering of Oriana's life distracted Miranda, just long enough for Jack to get in a good, solid throw. The Cerberus agent was blown back against the far wall. She collapsed to the floor and was in the process of picking herself back up, when Jacob held up his hand, glowing blue. "Don't move."

She didn't attack, but she looked pissed as hell. She lurched to her feet with the aid of the wall and jabbed her finger towards Liara, who Thane and Samara had released from stasis.

"I want her off this ship, immediately," she demanded, straightening.

"That's not going to happen," Jacob said curtly. Miranda looked at him like he was a traitor, but Jacob didn't waver. He was used to Miranda's techniques of manipulation.

Liara spoke up from the other side of the room. "If anyone, it's you who should be kicked off the ship! Your recklessness could have gotten them killed."

Samara and Thane shared a worried look. They feared that they were heading towards another fight. One that might end in serious injury or death.

Miranda and Liara continued to trade accusations and insults, their words bouncing back and forth like a ball over a tennis court, with the others trying to calm them down as well as they could. The whole group of them were making so much noise that no one noticed the Oriana that Miranda had rescued slip out of her bed, or the high-pitched drone of Tali's heart monitor flatlining.

Liara was on the verge of focusing more dark energy for another attack when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw an empty bed with rumpled sheets. The one Miranda's Oriana had been in. The one she was convinced was fake. Her head snapped up. Behind Miranda, she saw a long, surgical knife glittering in the hands of the girl who apparently was not Oriana. The knife moved closer to Miranda's neck, ready to slit her throat...

No time for a warning. She let the energy bubbling at her fingertips burst forth, headed straight for Miranda. Thane, unable to muster up an attack soon enough to protect Miranda, dove into the Cerberus agent, tackling her to the ground and out of harm's way. Liara's warp sailed straight into the infiltrator Oriana, knife still raised. She yelped. There was a sick crunching, squishing sound as her head slammed into the wall. The knife slipped out of the infiltrator's limp hand, clattering to the floor.

For a moment, everyone was silent, processing what had just happened. Then, Samara said, "Summon Doctor Chakwas. Tali requires attention..." Jacob sprinted out of the room. Samara went to Tali's side to see what she could do for the quarian. It turned out that no damage at all had been done to her; the heart monitor's cable had only been torn from its socket. The infiltrator must have tripped over it when acquiring the surgical knife and sneaking behind Miranda, Samara, and Thane.

Miranda stood up, stunned. She looked down at the ground, where the girl she'd so vehemently protected, the one who had tried to kill her, lay dead. Then, she looked up at Liara. Really looked at her. Acknowledging that the asari had just saved her life. Liara dipped her head ever so slightly, signifying their truce.

Thane glanced between the real Oriana, who was still unconscious with an oxygen mask covering most of her face, and the impostor on the floor. Evidently, the Shadow Broker planned on infiltrating the Normandy by tricking them into trusting the fake Oriana. He hadn't counted on the fact that they'd be able to save the real Oriana as well.

At that moment, Dr. Chakwas arrived with Jacob. She gaped at the mangled body on the ground.

Thane rubbed the back of his neck, then gestured down at the impostor. "I suppose we will not be needing that DNA test after all, Doctor."

Jack wrinkled her nose, then nudged the Shadow Broker's infiltrator with the toe of her boot. "But you might want to get a mop."