Not much to say here really. I am done with scriptual exams, so there should be time again for me to post semi-regulary, seeing as I've never really posted on a regular basis, that argument might not hold much... anyway. Have any of you guys and girls even seen 'A clone apart'? With Danson? I swear that show cracks me the hell up, just too bad LucasArt, now ownded by Disney, have claimed all rights to the Star Wars universe, so for the time being, the show must go on, but can't. If, by any chance any of you people ever meet a lawyer from Disney... kick him in the balls for me. I take full legal and political blame for it.

Also... many of you people are probably wondering why I am hammering down on Jacob like I am, punching him and thinking about tearing him apart. Well, I've completed Mass Effect a few times now, and I knew that an unromanced Jacob ended up with Brynn. Now... I had a Shepard romance him, and expected him to be a good boy, and not a cheating douche. Guess what, surprise: He cheated. I mean, come on! Kaidan didn't cheat on a dead woman he hadn't seen for two years, and Jacob cheats on her because she took responsibility for destroying a system?

Well... now you know why I punched him. Felt like the slap in Citadel was far to mercyful...

Anyway, enjoy the next and second-last chapter on Noveria.

Noveria - What now?

Noveria.

October 10th

19:36 (Port Hanshan time)

"Alright… they're back." Garrus says, probably spotting the five dots making up team Able, as well as the remaining three making up what's left of Delta. And we still haven't heard from Scorch. Switching my helmet back to regular visor-mode, or whatever it's called, I stand up from my seated position next to Jacob and the weird commando next to us. I swear, these guys make the actual clones look like the armor wasn't designed for them in the first place. And then there are the markings on their armor. Jacob didn't feel like chatting, probably because of the fist that met his face earlier. Can't say I regret it, but I almost feel bad for him if Boss or John get their hands on him or his men. Sighing, I look over the railing just in time to spot the eight shadows making their way across the foyer, towards our position.

I actually don't know which would be worse for them: That John got his hands on Jacob, or if Boss did it. I doubt either would care about the Geneva-convention as of now, seeing as both hate what's happened here, and they both know what organization to blame for it. Well, Boss might not, but he'll learn about Cerberus eventually.

"Welcome back Commander… Boss, Nihlus." Garrus says, then adds with a bit more solemn voice; "Any… sign of Scorch?" He asks as Boss and Fixer are the first up the ramp to our position, Liara sagging behind a few meters. I can't see the clones' faces, but she looks absolutely destroyed, and not just in the emotional way. Her right shoulder-armor is gone, dissolved down to her skin which looks like it has received treatment for a burn-mark. A few of the others, Tequila and, under Jane's orders, Wrex, place themselves between the arrivals and our prisoners. Not that I don't understand it, John would probably throw them all at the ceiling if there weren't any friendlies in the way, and Boss might just shoot on sight. I don't yet know what losing Sev has done to him, but I doubt he is happy about it. That's when the thought returns: 'We lost one.' We actually lost a member of the team, something that shouldn't be possible.

"No word since Sev contacted Jane… I take it you haven't heard anything either then?" He asks, turning to look at me and Garrus. For a soldier who's seen more battles than any of us, even Wrex, combined, he suddenly looks like he's seen too much. His shoulders are slumped and his walking is slow and exhausted. He constantly curls up his fists while breathing heavily, almost sounding like someone on the verge of crying.

"Damn… you think he…?" Garrus asks, looking apprehensive to utter the question that, if answered with a yes, would probably break both Boss and Liara down. They both look like shit already.

"No. No there is no way something could happen to him if Sev… if Sev made it his last will to protect him." Boss answers with a snarl, causing Garrus's eyes to widen in a sad understanding of his feelings. I guess Garrus has tried something similar once, though it was never mentioned in the game. Not in the second one anyway. Looking back to the clone, I can see how the very being of Boss is trembling, body shaking and fists tightening enough to give out the sound of synthetic leather and rubber chaffing. This guy is falling apart.

"Boss… not to be too intrusive or unprofessional, but… maybe you should sit down or something. You sound… you don't seem well." I say with an as gentle tone as I can, while still making it somewhat imperative. He seems like he is about to berate me, when Fixer then brushes past us, heading towards the hand-tied operatives. He is faced with a five-hundred kilo krogan standing in his way.

"Get…the…fuck…out…of…my…way…Wrex." He says with a voice so menacingly that it sends shivers down my spine, and he isn't even facing in my direction. Even Wrex seems, for a second, a little taken aback by the lethality in his voice.

"No can do Fix… Jane said they are not to be harmed." He says, shaking his large head, while all the time keeping an eye on the clone. Tequila is keeping a nervous eye on the two, hand lightly hovering above her handgun. Fixer doesn't even budge, keeping his face planted right in front of the old krogan's.

"Can't harm someone who's dead, can you?" He says, and that seems like a good place to cut him off, seeing as pretty much every single captive is staring at him. Jacob, being the only one without a helmet covering his face, looks like he's contemplating choosing between fighting the bugs with his hands tied, or taking his chances with surviving an encounter with two pissed off, combat-bred, aggressive hardened military veterans who just lost one, maybe even two brothers, to creatures bred by Jacob's boss. Can't say I envy the guy.

"Delta Four-Oh, step away from the captives!" Jane suddenly barks, appearing before us like out of smoke. Hell, even I hadn't seen her, and it's no more than five minutes since I talked with her. She's spooky when she does that. Fixer on the other hand, tears off his helmet and sends the captain an angry glare, bordering on what looks like lust for murder. And here I always though Boss would be the one to freak out and go for a gun…

"Oh I'm sorry Captain, but I believe that John'Shepard is a commander, therefore he outranks you. If he says I can murder these Shabuir's (Assholes), then you don't get a say in that." Both are within an inch of each other, and it looks like a really cliché, extremely scary but still cliché, stare down, with a furious red-head on one end, and a pissed off and broken commando on the other.

"Four-Oh. I can perfectly well understand what you are feeling, bu-" Jane says with a calm but deadly voice.

"Bull! You have no idea how I'm feeling! I just lost a brother, maybe even two! What would you do, if someone just stepped up, no reason for it, and took away the people most important to you? Eh?!" He barks, and to Jane's credit she doesn't give an inch of space, pressing herself forward instead to the degree where they are almost touching noses.

"I killed them. And I still live with the sights, the sounds and the regret. I have no doubt you've taken lots of lives out there through the years, but how many unarmed captives have you ever tried butchering in cold blood? It doesn't leave you."Fuuuuuck… what the hell did she just say? Unarmed captives? Killed them? Damn, seems like I… no, I guess it won't do any good to try and force answers from her... and we have more pressing concerns right now.

Before the situation can escalate further though, another person steps into the discussion, demanding a certain amount of respect, by sheer presence. John is the commander, so I guess it's only natural;

"Fixer, I can understand your feelings, and… I share them. The people before you, these… Operatives…" He almost spits out the words, as if he just tasted something he didn't like; "Work for an organization called Cerberus. Seeing as they are all tied up, here's what we're gonna do. The Centurion, under the command of Feltan here, will take the rest of the prisoners and prep them for a trip back to Citadel Space. We, on the other hand, will provide their leader with some… hospitality. Rest assured, he will be well cared for, and eventually we will probably hand him over to whoever wants him and his people. Now, get up and get moving. We're heading back to the ships and then we get the hell off this shithole of a planet."

"What about Scorch? We can't just leave him here!" Boss butts in, leveling a glare at John. The Quarian nods in acknowledgement;

"Don't worry, we won't abandon him. I'm only sending a token force back to the ships, in order to secure our guests. The rest of us will mount a search-and-rescue op, tracking down Scorch and getting him home in one piece. Sounds agreeable?" John says to reassure the weary commando.

"Yes sir! Who will take the prisoners back?" He asks, snapping to a salute, even if he is dead-beat tired. John looks around in a moment of pondering, then looks at me, and I get this nasty sensation that I'm not gonna like whatever's coming my way.

"Corporal Fisher… as well as… Corporal Tequila, will escort mister… what's your name again, Cerberus?" He asks with a loathing tone to his voice while lowering his visor to a face-level with Jacob's eyes, probably giving him the look of death. I'm not sure why, but something in the way John is looking at and speaking to Jacob and his team… gives me a bad feeling, like we're gonna break some conventions along the way. Jacob, to his credit, looks John in what I assume he believes to be his eyes, and responds without missing a beat;

"Lieutenant Jacob Taylor, service number 555125." He answers in a tone that makes me think he's been rehearsed in that sentence, in the case of capture.

"Well, mister Taylor, my name is John'Shepard. I would love to give a… proper introduction, but I have to go help find some guys that your organization has put in danger's line. Just a warning: We've already lost one cherished team-member here, to your sick experiments, and if I find the other to be dead, or if we lose someone else… let's just say I hope you share the Krogans' redundant nervous system. You and your little gang of copycat-racists… you're gonna need it." He says, finishing with a low and, to be perfectly honest, pretty fucking unnerving chuckle. Oooohh damn… this is going to end badly, isn't it?

"Pit a hater of Cerberus with a reputation for slicing off peoples' fingers, against a captive member of said organization, and add the fact that members of the team have died because of said organization… I agree: This could turn ugly."

"Great… just fucking great!"

"Got a plan to prevent anything bad from happening?"

"I'm thinking!" But right now, nothing comes to mind as me and Tequila are singled out to play the roles as guardsmen of the good lieutenant. Before we head off, I ping my comm., using the private channel;

"Hey… Ash, you there?" I just need to hear her voice, to hear her say everything's gonna be alright.

"Yeah, I'm here… Damn you had me pretty nervous when we couldn't contact you guys, and then there was the sound of constant firing… I'm glad you're okay." It already helps to hear her say that.

"Same to you love… I mean Ash… damn, I… I need to get a grip on the whole 'pet-name' thing." I say, not able to hinder a slight blush even despite the situation.

"Yeah, but I think I could get used to being called 'Love'… and maybe you could bring me some flowers and take me to a concert while you're at it." There's a smile in her voice that lifts my spirit. Gods, did I need that.

"I'll see if I can arrange something, okay?" Still, it is a bit odd to be close to each other, yet still having to talk like this. I suppose hugging and such would be a little anti-climatic in this place.

"Alright, you do that. I think there's a band named 'The Temptations' playing on the Citadel in a month… maybe we could go hear them?"

"Never had you figured for a 'Souler' Ash, but what the heck, sure. And Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Stay safe out there… and try to keep Nic safe as well, just… if it isn't too much trouble." I add the last part with a grin, waiting to see if the bugger butts into our conversation to interrupt again. Nothing comes, except the response from Ash;

"You too Thomas. Try and 'convince' that Jacob guy into talking. He's a Cervy, so don't hold back for my sake." She says, ending the comm. as John and Nihlus take point with a joint-squad consisting of everyone but me, Tequila and Jane. The latter then hoists up in Jacobs's arms, forcing him to his feet as troops from the Centurion enters through the shattered doorway, ready to claim the prize that is five terrorist-commandos, wrapped and readied as presents for Christmas. Looking to their side, I notice quite a few of the commandoes are looking at Jacob as we march him through the doorway ahead of them. I wonder if they have something akin to the comradeship in our team. Best not to ponder over it… would just give me a guilty conscience if I did…

…

10th October

SSV Normandy

Deck three: Crew-quarters, gym and brig.

20:11 (Port Hanshan time)

"So… since I'm kinda new here… would you mind explaining a bit more about Cerberus?" Tequila asks, filling her mug with coffee, ignoring the small packets with milk and instead going all black. I think there's a saying about that, though I just can't remember it. Jane, sitting across the room, doesn't break her eyes away from the portable monitors she brought up, using them to keep an extra set of eyes on our newest guest. Jacob is, as might be expected, not invited to join us, but is instead politely relocated in the 2x3m brig. The brig, or just locked-room with a tiny bed, for short, is located just next to the elevator in the gym, and is equipped with cameras in the ceiling to prevent en escape-attempt by our dearest operative. Looking at Jane, I shrug, realizing that she doesn't seem too enthusiastic to tell the tale of Cerberus, so I suppose it's up to me. Again…

"Oh do grow up, you're safe here on the ship. The others are out risking their hides to find Scorch."

"Sorry, sorry…fine, I get it."

"Well… Cerberus… how the hell to put it? They are a pro-human splinter-group that was created back sometime after the First Contact War, and then broke away from the Alliance at one point or another. Now, they mainly, I think, spend the time with insane experiments meant to put mankind on top of the galactic society, and sort of stomp everyone else underfoot. This shit-hole of a port is a good example of what happens when their toys break out, and one of the reasons they are hated, even by humanity. Other than that, I think… right, their leader is called the Illusive Man, though very few know his real name… "I say, putting down my own mug of coffee next to my Raikou on the small table, casting a quick glance at the monitor next to Jane, noticing how Jacob is just slumped against the wall, like he's broken already. Nah, he can't be that weak… or, is he worried about his men? Would make sense I suppose…

"I'm risking a guess that one of those very few is sitting right next to me." Jane says, still not looking up from the monitor. How the…

"Well, since I haven't even been… here… for two months, I'm guessing you're talking about… wait, Thomas? You know his real name?" Tequila suddenly turns from Jane to me with a somewhat startled look in her eyes. Oh come on, two minutes ago, you didn't even know the word 'Illusive Man'. Still, I throw my hands out in surrender, thinking why the fuck not, given all the other messed up things that's happened so far.

"Yeah… I guess I do. It's Jack Harper… unless that's changed too. Far as I know, the guy is actually one of the reasons Saren hates humanity." I say while lifting the mug to my lips, inhaling the sweet smell of freshly made coffee with estevia, an organic substitute for sugar with the same taste, but without the sugar-rush that usually follows. This catches Jane's attention;

"Oh? How is that?" She says, giving me one of her shrewd stares. Damn, I really wish I'd bought that comic right about now…

"Well, apparently he stopped Saren's brother from calling forth some kind of super-weapon that would transform the Turian race into some kind of god-like beings, and then take on the rest of the galaxy. The catch just was… the super-thingy turned out to be some kind of indoctrination, and Harper had to stop the crazy bugger from calling forth the Reapers or something, by killing him. And Saren saw it all. I guess that's why he wants to kill us all… well, that and the whole indoctrination thing."

"That's… weird. I did read the reports on that incident, but they just said it was a terrorist attack… are you sure about that super-Turian thing?" Jane says, giving me a confused look.

"Almost. I only read the short version of the story…guess being a cheap-ass didn't really serve me in the end, did it?"

"Maybe…well, I've gotta use the ladies' room, be back in a couple of minutes." Jane says, getting up and leaves the room. That just leaves me and Tequila alone in here, starring at a monitor of Jacob pacing in his little cell. Oh man, the SR-2 is going to be soooo much fun. Yeah, he'll probably hate my guts for this.

For a few minutes, we just sort of sit there in silence, none of us really willing to start a conversation. It's not that I don't like her. Hell, I admire Tequila for the shit she's been through, and then adjusting to this place. That takes balls. Not literally, of course.

"So… Thomas… I can't help but get the feeling you know this Jacob-guy from somewhere, and he sure as hell seemed to know you." Tequila says, almost causing me to choke on my coffee. Wiping the stains from my mouth and cheek, I send her what I hope is a casual look, but judging from the grin on her face, it probably didn't come off so well.

"I… may have run into him a few times."

"Mm… 'Seems like decent guy, you know, if you take away the part of him working for terrorists and all that."

"He is… and I would regret hitting him, if not for… you know, Sev and all that crap." I say, examining the bottom of my mug, feeling the steam from the remaining coffee hit my eyeballs. Always loved doing that.

"Maybe… but if something happened to more of our people… to Ashley or Teng- to Nicolai… what would you do then?" She asks, giving me a questioning glance, as well as keeping an eye on the monitor.

"Tie him up and leave him on Noveria." I say with a voice that's a bit colder than I meant for, but I mean it. I would leave him and his people here without any hesitation at all…

"Damn… Jane might have something there… you are being hardened by all this, and I'm not sure it's in the good way."

You haven't seen half the shit I've- oh wait… well, I've seen a bit more shit than you… I think. At least more different things, and… I don't know, it doesn't really feel any different." I say, getting up from my chair. I open the door and look down the short corridor to Jacob's cell, wondering what the guy might be thinking right now.

"Mm… I can put myself in your shoes, if it means anything." She says.

"Doubt it. I lost my entire family, and aside from Nic, everyone I knew by getting here. Ever tried getting hit by a freight-train? It fucking hurts." Okay, I didn't mean for it to sound that irritated, and turning around, I notice that the corporal seems to have gotten a bit of a frown on due to my tone.

"Yes… I know what you mean. I lost one of my sisters to those fucking bugs." She says, an amount of sadness in her voice I haven't heard before. Damn, her sister? Fuck, and here I went on and on about me… great job Thomas, pat yourself on the back!

"Fuck… how did it happen?" I know asking is a bad idea, but for some reason I just do it anyway. Tequila sighs, looking deep down her mug before downing the rest in one swig, then turning her face towards me;

"You should know. You all saw it on screen." She just says, causing me to blink just a few more times before, with great intellect, opening and closing my mouth a few times, until the pieces finally falls together.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You… left, during the final battle-scene between the marines and the bugs… only woman to die there… wait, Vasquez?" I ask with a chill running down my spine, as well as a pair of eyes almost falling from their sockets. Tequila just nods, clenching her mug even tighter.

"B-but… you don't even have the same last name?"

"What do… you never looked at the crew-compliments, did you?" She says, almost gaining an entertained tone to her voice. Dafuq is she talking about?

"True, she didn't use the last name Aquila, but her name was Jeannette Aquila Vasquez, private first class… big sis of two, me and Carmen. I wonder how she took all this, her biggest sister dying first, then me disappearing… the universe is a fucked up place, am I right?"

"Damn… now I understand why you left the movie at that time… crap, I'm sorry Teresa. You okay?" How come everyone ending up here loses loved ones in the process?

"It's fine. I guess she went down like she always wanted to: "In a big fucking fireball!" as she would have said. Still, I miss her. She was the reason I entered the corps, you know?"

"I didn't… though I would be lying if I called it a surprise. Hell, the only reason Nic is here, is because I persuaded Anderson, the ship's former captain, to let him work here as cook and auxiliary." I say, causing a slight frown to appear on her face, as well as a smile. I can't help but wonder if something's going on between those two. Hell, Nicolai is obviously out for her, and I can see why. She's like Ash in a few ways: Kickass, brave, deadly when pissed and quite good looking too. Still, I prefer raven-hair and hazel eyes.

"Yeah… he really seems like a decent guy, your friend. He just needs to get his shit together in combat, and he could have been a good marine. And if not, Van Zandt could have had a go at him, and turned him into a first class marine in zip time." I can't help a small chuckle at that. Hell, she has humor too. I think Nic should stick to this one, if that ever happens. Somehow, it spreads to her and we both stand there for some time, grinning like over a lame joke.

"I doubt even that old hard-ass could whip him into shape though. He's got the muscles, but he tends to panic when bullets are flying. Not that I blame him though, rookies are always frightened by their first battle, and the geth aren't even human. You can't scare them away or force them to surrender." She says, gaining a more serious tone.

"Nah, but even among the geth there has to be some decent ones, you know?" I say, remembering Legion, but not being sure enough on it to expressively mention him. Could be we never meet him… fat chance the geth will send a platform to negotiate with a violent quarian… and they probably don't know about Jane yet. Somehow, that has to change.

"I doubt it. 'Would be like looking for a peaceful xeno, and we haven't had much luck there, have we?" She says, emptying her mug and moving to place it in the scrubber, since it's more efficient than wasting water on a dishwasher. As the small device emits the tell-tale thin wall of yellow light, I sigh, looking back at the monitor. Jacob hasn't stopped pacing yet.

"I wonder… why do you think Cerberus pulled a Weyland Yutani out here?" Tequila asks, probably following my gaze.

"No idea. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was for the same reasons as that bastard Bishop: Bio-weapons. Nothing short of a Neutron purge, or a nuke stops these fuckers when an infestation has taken place, and the current galactic powers are too fond of their Garden Worlds to do that."

"But against who? The Council?"

"Again, no idea… however humanity has been annoyed by Batarian slavers for years, so I wouldn't be surprised if a few of their colonies suddenly went dark, the Batarian ones that is. Hell, I wouldn't shed a tear over those four-eyed fuckers, not one." I say, remembering the stories I've caught here and there, how Mindoir was attacked while John was there, how colonies have been all but erased by a fleet of Batarian pirates, supported by their race's leaders. Sure, the Council has bigger problems now, but they've always just ignored it when colonies were attacked, their citizens stolen and sold as slaves.

"Yeah, I've been reading up on that. I swear I don't get why this Alliance we all serve under doesn't get their fingers out of their butt-holes and send the slavers back to the Stone Age. That's what the USCM would have done." She says with a pretty pissed off tone. Seeing as I don't respond, because I have no idea what to say to that, she pulls out her sidearm: Her old VP-70. Why she hasn't changed it to a 'modern' gun, is beyond me.

"I mean, I would gladly take all the political piss it would generate, if it meant I could shove this thing in between the eyes of whatever their leader is called, and just pull the trigger, sending all four eyes flying out the back of his or her skull." She says, starting to take her gun apart on the table.

"No offense, but how come you still hang on to that pistol?" a new voice suddenly asks, and I turn to see Jane standing in the doorway, just a foot behind me. Dammit I hate it when people sneak up on me like that. Tequila doesn't look all that surprised, instead holding up the grip of the pistol as she slides the barrel off it;

"Well, for some reason, gun-powder weapons are better at getting through their shields, right? So… I figured I may as well have one gun that can penetrate those ass-holes, and then use your… whatever your guns fire, against armor and that Jedi-biotic thing. Speaking of which…" She says, suddenly looking at me with far too inquisitive eyes.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that as well…" Jane says, joining Tequila in starring me down like an animal in a zoo. After a few seconds, the whole situation just becomes too weird;

"Okay… what is it?" I ask with an annoyed grin, absentmindedly scratching my head where the hair is starting to return to a normal length.

"When we were attacked, you pulled some kind of green je- biotic stunt, which probably saved all our asses. What was it?" Tequila asks. Oh that… wait, green bio-what?"

"I… have no idea what I did, or what Roku did. Apparently he took over my body for some time when the big xeno was about to kill me, and I blacked out. I haven't even seen the same things you have." I say with a bit of anger laid in. How come people, even those I serve with, always have to look at me like a freak-show when you pull some shit?

"It wasn't 'some shit'. I saved your life, be grateful at the very least."

"Sorry, sorry… but my head still feels weird, and I have no idea of what you did. An 'overload' doesn't really explain much"

"Alright, we've better rectify that a.s.a.p. Let's see if we can't get the screen up and running, and I'll go fetch your cams Tequila. Seeing it on screen again isn't going to make it less awesome." Jane says, walking off for what I suppose is the elevator. Alone in the room again, Tequila and I spend the next minutes discussing ways to punish and torture Batarian slavers. Such fun.

Jane soon returns with a small device, which I recognize as the double-lighting device on top of our helmets. Figures those would be cams as well. Using, not her Omni-tool, but a simple remote and a wire, Jane hooks the recorder up to the screen, and with a few presses of buttons, turns on a vid showing a lot of blurry imaging, probably caused by rapid movements. The scene depicts someone looking down at his or her own feet while stepping over a shattered glass-door.

"Mmnnoo, not that. Fast-forwarding." Jane says, hitting a command that sends the picture spinning until she stops it at just the right time.

"Shit, someone get over to help Thomas, he's- fuck! Die!Just fucking die!" The voice is Tequila's, and she's repeatedly gunning down bugs while wielding her minigun like a scythe, reaping entire fields of acid-splashing monsters with each sweep.

"Wrex! Support Fisher!" A new voice shouts, its two-flanged sound confirms it as Garrus' voice. He sounds a bit desperate, but the picture moves too fast for me to tell properly what's going on, other than masses of bugs being mowed down.

"I'm a little busy here Turian! Do it yourself, you're closer!" A gruff voice responds, and I remember how Wrex was practically beating up the xenos with his bare fists at times, when he couldn't use the gun as a club.

"Corporal, can you- spirits, what was that?!" Garrus shouts again, and the cam turns just in time to depict a xeno the size of an Elcor, flying through the air, and turning further, the cam reveals a person in armor, hovering above the ground while shimmering in green light. Dafuq? Is that… is that me? I think as the picture stops, freezing and focusing on me, hovering in the air like a bad imitation of Green Lantern.

"Oooookay. Just what just happened?" I ask after a few seconds of gawking. Turning my to face the two women, I'm met with one disturbed pair of eyes, and one grinning red-head, looking at me with gleaming eyes. Okay, she's seriously scary at times!

"I haven't got the faintest clue, but a guess could be that Roku is getting more used to your body. If that holds true, then the process could be very similar to what a biotic experiences." Jane says, giving me a look not all that different from what the doc on Eden Prime gave me when I was shouting at Roku without knowing it.

"Ehm… The marine is lost here. What's the regular process a biotic goes through?" Tequila asks, looking at both me and Jane, but mainly at Jane. The captain shrugs, and gives us both a cheery, yet somewhat tired smile, looking like she's remembering good times and bad times. As weird as that might sound.

"Well, when a human is a biotic, we start out not really capable of doing anything more than shifting some air around ourselves, me excluded. Most human biotics go to a station on the edge of the Sol system called Jump Zero, where we're trained to harness our powers. Then we're equipped with nodes and modules to enhance our powers, and boom: after years in training, you've got your own little group of super-humans… or 'Jedi' as you call us, Corporal." Jane directs the last part to Tequila, seeing as she still hasn't given up on the name she labeled Jane and Liara with on Therum. I have to admit, it is quite catchy. Although I shudder to think of Jane combined with a lightsaber. Two times doom in one package isn't a good mix.

Then though, there is the question of what Jane meant when she said 'herself excluded'. Excluded from what, the Eezo? The training? Tequila seems to be thinking the same thing, and Jane seems to be picking up on it.

"Now you're probably wondering what I meant by 'excluded' right? Well, I had some serious trauma in my childhood, and one second I possessed the normal abilities a little girls does, the next, I was on Kaidan's level. Simple as that. And no, I'm not going into details about what happened." She says with a stern voice, hammering down on the point that she won't tell us anymore.

Muttering something about universal injustice, and how she could have been a badass if she had had such powers, Tequila returns to her maintenance of her gun, pulling out a small pin with brushes attached to it, and starts cleaning the inside of the barrel. Seems like discussion is over. I sigh, leaning back against the doorframe while keeping a lazy eye on the monitor, observing how Jacob is slumped against the wall.

Sighing, I stand out from the frame and look around. It bothers me to hell and beyond that my girlfriend is out there fighting bugs, and what do I get? Guard duty.

Typical

"Well… I'm gonna go try and chat up our guest. Anyone feel like joining should apply for the trip now." I say as I leave the room, half-expecting someone to actually follow me, but seeing as no one does so, I shrug and continue the last meters down the corridor to the brig.

This is going to be fun.

The door to the brig is made from hardened graphene-alloys, stitched into Plexiglas. In other words: A Krogan couldn't break it. Force it off the hinges, yes, but break the door? No. there's a stool positioned across from the door, giving whomever sits in it the famous guardsman position, where he then falls asleep, and the convict convinces the guard's dog to give him the keys.

Seeing as I don't bother standing for much longer, I grab the chair and pull it directly in front of the door, catching Jacob's attention. Not like he has a whole lot else to look at anyway. There's a mattress in there, as well as a small toilet, one of those made from stainless steel, and not hidden from view at all. No wonder he hasn't used it.

I know I wouldn't.

"Hello Jacob, how's that jaw doing?" I ask with a strained smile, referring to the punch. A nice purple color is starting to spread across his face, giving one the impression of someone having smattered blueberries all over it. He, on the other hand, doesn't bother with the smile, and just stares me right in the eyes. Gotta give it to the guy: He doesn't lose spirit that easy.

"What's going to happen to my men?"

"The commandoes?" I ask with a slight shrug; "I think that depends on whether or not we get Scorch home alive, as well as everyone else."

"How does that affect anything with the others?"

"Well…. John, being a commander, outranks the Turian captain, and therefore he can order the execution or release of your people. And I would reckon he would be more inclined towards mercy if we didn't lose anyone else. Still, I would imagine he would still want to tear you a new one because of Sev and what happened here." I reply as casually as I can, although I do get a dirty sense of pleasure from being in power over him, in some way being able to decide whether or not he'll lose some limps to John's 'educational methods'. And as much as it should sicken me, I don't really regret the feeling.

"I… isn't there something I can do to make him spare my men?" Jacob sounds pretty beat up. Man, the guy cares more about his people than his own life. That, right there, deserves respect.

"Well… there are two things. One: You tell John, Nihlus or Jane everything they want to know, should they interrogate you before any eventual torture. Or two: you can pray. If I were you, I'd go for 1, although a prayer is always handy. Tell me… do you know why John hates Cerberus so much?" I ask with a smug smile. Could be interesting to see if he's a knowing grunt or if he's idealistic and has been fed some lie, or, just hasn't been told.

"Something about a deal that went wrong with the Migrant Fleet, and he was captured by our operatives. Other than that, I don't really know." Okay, so he is the 'just hasn't been told' category.

I think I can work with that.

"Well, the way I've heard it, he was abducted by Cerberus operatives pretending to be selling a ship to the Quarians, and then he was tortured and experimented on for weeks. He then escaped, landed on a colony-world ruled by humans, he joined their military out of convenience after a slaver-attack, followed them on their next mission to a place called Akuze, where he then ended up as the sole survivor from an attack by Tresher Maws, supposedly let loose by Cerberus, and was in the end picked up by Alliance forces. So that's the quick rundown of why he hates your boss, and why he would probably gladly castrate you and chop the breasts of Miranda where after he would have Wrex rape her, without batting an eyelash… if Quarians do indeed have eyelashes." After my little speech, Jacob looks like he just ate something foul.

I'm not sure if it is due to the revelation of John's reason to hate Cerberus, or the images of John's acts of vengeance upon himself and Miranda. I'm starting to be a little worried due to the fact that I'm not feeling sorry for this guy at all.

"You really need to get your shit together. You can't go becoming some senseless prick this soon."

"Thank you, I know. I just don't feel any pity for him, and I don't know why. I mean, hell, deep down I like the guy. He even had this crappy dad who turned his own crew into slaves and whores. Not the best way to grow up, and yet he did fine."

"Hmm… maybe I should take a look at you synapses tonight… might cause some messed up dreams, but should be better than doing it while you are awake."

"Alright… tell me if you find anything. I would blow a fuse if that Thorian-thing still had some presence in my head."

"Nah, I doubt that is the case. I would have detected it by now then."

"Fuck… why didn't she tell me?" He says, forcing my attention back to the guy in front of me.

"Who, Miranda? Don't worry, I'm sure it was nothing personal, and she simply felt that since you don't trust the Illusive Man, it would be risky giving you more reason to distrust him. It's perfectly normal for her. I think." Something in my words must have hit a switch in him, because he suddenly hammers a fist against the glass, looking at me with a mix of confusion, fear, curiosity and anger. I can't help but back up a little, despite the fact that he wouldn't be able to harm me through the door.

"There! There it is again! How the hell do you know that kind of stuff?!" He demands. There it is again. The reason why playing smart isn't a good idea. Gets people pissed at me, that's what it does.

"I doubt you want to know how I know so much about Miranda… but do you actually want to know how I know you, Jacob?" I ask with an as calming voice as I can, mindful that I can summon two armed and deadly soldiers with a second's notice. So I'm not really worried he should suddenly fling me to hell with a biotic trick. I actually don't know if biotics can go through walls.

"Actually I'm reeeaal curious about that." He says, adopting a more casual attitude while leaning against the wall.

Okay, so Jacob isn't afraid of me anymore, if he ever was that is. And I seem to have made him relax a bit more. He's not warming up for a biotic charge to smear me against the wall at least. That's a good thing. If he trusts me, or even 'likes' me, is a whole other story.

Leaning back in the chair, I copy his relaxed stance with my own, just to pretend I'm not a bit nervous about this whole situation. Don't get me wrong, I'm still ready to tear him apart if Ash or Nicolai die out there, but for now, we're friendly. I even have an idea as to how I'm supposed to know Jacob this well. I wonder how he will react. Well, time to find out.

"Well… how much do you remember about your dad?" I ask with a careful voice, looking for reactions. I am 'rewarded' with a pair of wide and surprised eyes. Figures…

"My dad's none of your concern. Besides, he's probably dead." He answers with a renewed tone of hostility.

Alright, careful in that field. Touchy subject apparently, not that I blame him or wonder about it. As I remember it, his dad has been missing for about eight years now, seeing as it was ten in 2184. Still, I need to know if he actually is. And that might lead to some awkward situations.

"What makes you think that?" I probe.

"Because he went missing eight years ago. Listen, what the fuck has this got to do with how you know me?" He says, looking like a guy ready to smash his way through the door.

"It does. The ship your dad served on, the Gerns-something? It crashed on an uncharted world, with most of the crew surviving. Now, before we go any further, remember that I don't have to answer any questions you ask, and if you push it, I'm just going to leave. Then you won't see me again until John starts interviewing you. Are we clear?"

"Sure. Now, what… how do you know about that ship, and what do you know?"

"Well first, I'm not going to answer how I know of it, but it crashed on a remote planet, and most of the crew survived, like I said. Far as I know, your dad is alive as well." My answer seems to stun him into silence, as he just slumps back against the wall. Wow… I hadn't actually expected him to just believe me like that.

I decide I might as well get the rest cleared while he's quiet. Besides, he can't really deny my story, unless he actually finds his dad and asks him in person. But come on… what are the odds of that happening?

"As for how I know you? Through your dad. Knew him for some years before he disappeared, and he mentioned you… I understand you weren't as close as he would have wanted, but there it is." I say, leaning back in the chair and getting comfortable while he digest the 'information' I just gave him.

It really is weird, being on the positive end of an interrogation or conversation with a member of Cerberus like this, but I can't complain. Sure as hell beats being drugged by a Cervy, shipped back to some outpost and having my brain dissected. While he's quiet, I cast a glance at my crono, seeing as I'm still in armor. It really just seemed like a waste of time removing the suit, only to have to put it on again if they should need more help out there. Although, it isn't the most comfortable experience sitting down in. The plates on my thighs and ass are chaffing, and it causes my muscles to fall asleep.

Never thought that could happen to butt-cheeks.

"Now… why don't you tell me a bit about what happened here on this planet?" I ask, causing him to give me an annoyed look, like he's thinking 'aren't we past that shit yet?'

"Guarantee the safety of my men, and then we'll talk." He says, causing me to cringe inwardly. How come I'm not even surprised? Bastardly compassion, always fucking up my conversations. Wait what? Where did that come from?

"Hmm… there seems to be some sort of… disorder in a few of your brain-functions. They are mainly the ones controlling sympathy and raw emotions. They seem to be caused by damage from either too high sound or a hemorrhage… you haven't been listening to ultra-high music, have you?"

"…No, not that I know of. Only sounds that have annoyed me have been the sound of gunfire and that pissin' whining tone inside my head the last time we were at the Citadel."

"Whining tone?"

"Yeah, remember? I complained about this high-pitched noise in my ears?" Oddly enough, that hasn't resumed since we left the Citadel.

"I haven't heard anything like that… I'll take a look at it tonight. For now, just try to a bit more friendly with Jacob, okay?"

"Can you fix it?"

"Are you trying to insult me?"

"Just help me, okay?" I really don't want to end up brain-damaged.

"Hey, my home is my castle, it's going to be alright."

"I don't have the authority to guarantee that… but I'll try and put in a good word. Now, let's talk about your squad then, and how you got our armor." I ask, looking at Jacob who, in return, seems to be in inner turmoil. Clock's ticking, come on…

"We… I don't know who or how we got this armor, but it kicks the hell out of our old models. As for my team?" He says, then looks down again. His lips are moving, I can see that much, but I can't hear what he's saying. Might be he's praying, which could mean he won't tell me anything, as that was kinda what option two was about.

After some minutes of silence, during which I start examining various scratches and marks on my armor, he finally looks up again. He looks like someone who hasn't slept for days. Dude, what the hell just happened over two minutes?

"Fine… we're a SpecOps team called Mjolnir-six; designated clean-up squads supposed clean up where experiments have gone wrong. I don't know how many teams there are, but each consist of six people, all trained so that the team can handle any type of situation." He says, then looking down again, as if to take a breather.

Mjolnir-six? I can't say it's a stupid name. It actually sounds pretty badass, but why would Cerberus name a squad after Nordic mythology? Thinking back, I do seem to remember one of the operatives having a strange symbol on his armor. What was it?

"A picture of a key entering a lock."

Ah, yes that was it. I wonder, if the team is trained to handle anything, wouldn't it be logical if that guy was the team's slicer and hacker, like opening doors? It does seem appropriate to use that kind of emblem in that case.

"So… what's the story of your squad? Why is Cerberus suddenly labeling stuff after Nordic mythology when you usually label things after Greek mythology?"

"I'm so gonna get fired or jailed for this…" Jacob mutters, rubbing his forehead. Good, when people are like that, they are more likely to give up something good. I can't help a small giddy jump in my chair which, thankfully, goes unnoticed by Jacob as he looks at me again.

"Ever heard of the Vikings?"

…

Normandy Crew Quarters

22:17 (Hanshan time)

Wading back into the crew quarters, I can't help feeling a bit giddy and exited. Jacob pretty much either just lied to my face, or he told me an awesome amount of fact. Damn if I'm not smiling like an idiot right now.

Apparently I am, seeing how Jane and Tequila are looking at me when I enter the room, both with a raised eyebrow, and a look as if to determine whether or not I have gone insane.

"So… you seem awfully giddy Corporal. What gives?" Jane says, looking me over. Her eyes, those sharp green eyes, sometimes make me feel uneasy when it's like she's drilling into my soul.

I wonder if Turians are turned on by that.

"Just… had a small chat with our guest. You could say it was a friendly, if weird interrogation." I say while pulling out a chair.

Both the women sigh, exchanging looks that probably means something I don't want to know. How come women always have to do that around me? Seriously, what did I do wrong this time?

"You… didn't tell him about yourself, right?" Tequila says, looking a bit worried. Ahh, so that's why.

"Tell him about myself? Nah... Could have been funny though, going all 'Hey Jacob, I know you from a future where you are a bland guy and everyone hates you… also I've seen you bang Jane and- OH FUCK!" I slap my hands over my mouth as I realize what I just said. Feeling a rain of hellfire coming my way, my entire body is shriveling and shaking upon the knowledge that I probably just gave Jane a reason to take my life and dump me somewhere dark. Slowly turning my eyes from a startled Tequila, I end up looking at Jane who, as might have been expected, looks like someone just threw a brick at her face.

In any other situation, I would have laughed at the face, but now, I'm just downright terrified. This is going to be a hard one to escape from with my life and body intact. The air around Jane is already shimmering, and the rage and fear in her eyes is causing me to back up against the wall, turning over my chair in the process. Then, no one says a thing for what feels like hours, with Jane just moving her mouth without sound coming out. For some reason, this scares me a hell of a lot more than her shouting.

"What?" She says, slowly stepping around the table in my direction. So far, this is the closest I've been to pissing myself during my time here.

The worst is her voice though. Where other people would be hysterical, maybe even using their biotics to paint the wall with me, Jane just calmly walks towards me while looking perfectly peaceful. The only giveaway is the shimmering in the air around her, and the way her eyes are twitching. It creeps the hell out of me.

I try backing up further, but am stopped by the hull, causing me to look to my front and find a Jane Shepard marching towards me, a picture of serenity if not for the eyes screaming for blood, death and nuclear destruction.

"I- it was a joke, you know, like if I said we could all die now or that a race of bugs would- I mean, bad example it was… I- it was just a bra- a brainfart, like Miranda being nice or- fuuck, I have no idea what I'm saying anymore… please don't hit me?" I half-way hold up my hands to deflect a blow that never comes. Mentally, this is some of the scariest shit I've done so far, only topped by the attempted suicide on Feros. Socially? I think I just murdered whatever standing I had with Jane, and Tequila? I suspect she's gonna avoid me from now on. If I make it out of this one, I'll start doing proper stuff, like keeping a log or helping old ladies across the street, anything!

"A joke?"

"Yeah?"

"So… let's just say it isn't a joke. Why in the name of the collective amount of planes in Hell, would I do… that guy, in whatever sick fantasy you imagined? Is it because you like interracial sex? Do you find it kinky to imagine parings for people who have no interest in becoming part of it?"

"No wait, it's not-"

"Like that? Then what is it like Thomas?"

"I… for the love of Mara! He's a member of the team in Hudson's second story, and when he was there, you and Jacob fell in love, happy?" Whatever she was thinking before, it looks like she's done a serious one-eighty, because instead of punching me, she sends a blue-shinning fist straight into the metal bulkhead, making a dent in the wall of solid steel. Divines! That could have been my face!

The look on her face when she looks at me again is even scarier than earlier: She's smiling! It's not a happy smile, like the one Ash sometimes sends people, no, it looks more like the guy from the Shinning, and causes Goosebumps to appear all over my body. I swear: That woman isn't normal!

"Well then… I'll look forward to meeting this 'Hudson' of yours, and then I'm going to rip off his balls and feed them to him. Now, where is he?" Jane has got the most wicked scowl on her face, looking like the Joker from Batman, minus the makeup.

"Ehm… in Canada, about one hundred and fifty years ago." I say, causing Jane's scowl to fully develop into a vicious snarl.

"God-fucking-Dammit! I hate the fact that some perverted Reindeer-molester has scripted my life up for millions of fucking geeks! I swear, if I ever get my hands on him, he'll wish he never introduced his time to me!" She shouts, causing a haze of biotic energy to erupt around her and topple Tequila's mug, spilling droplets of coffee into the air.

"Hey, watch where your floating hits, that was a full mug!" Tequila sneers, trying to use the cup to collect the floating coffee before Jane's biotics wear off. This actually seems to make Jane snap out of her fit of anger, as she becomes aware of the almost comical sight of the corporal colleting flying coffee.

"Right, sorry… I… it just pisses me off." Jane says, dissolving the biotic field. That would have made us all happy, if not for the fact that Tequila, as Jane's biotics dissolve, is holding her mug upside-down in an attempt to scoop up a large blob of the brown liquid. It, as well as the collected coffee, splashes against the floor instantly, followed by curses by the corporal as she throws her mug against the table in irritation;

"Dammit girl, stop doing that! I almost had it all!" She shouts, but then cracks into a smile.

For a moment, I have no idea what the hell is going on. I mean, this is just too weird, and now Jane starts smiling too! The next thing will be they both- and there we go. They are both laughing away. Wonderful and I'm left standing like some dumbfuck who didn't get the joke.

Watching the two hardcore soldiers laugh like mad-women though, is an entertaining experience, if anything. That said, I'm still freaked out over this whole thing. One minute, Jane looks like she could paint the hull with my brain, and the next she's laughing because Tequila spilled coffee. I know I've asked this before, but when the fuck did the universe stop making sense? Must have happened somewhere down the way…

"Well, it's never dull here, is it?" Tequila finally asks, managing to get some air in-between her fits of laughter.

I'm not sure if she asked me, Jane or just aloud, because I'm still dumbstruck as to how the hell this situation took a turn for the better that easy, or that fast.

"Dios… or Dioses… whatever 'God' is in pluralism… what the hell is wrong-" I start with a hand to my forehead as the intercom interrupts me.

"Doctor Chakwas to sick-bay. Doctor Chakwas to sick-bay, and make it two minutes ago!" Joker's voice comes in over the speakers, causing all of us to look at each other, and without a word we storm for the elevator.

…

SSV Normandy

Mess Hall

22:40 (Hanshan time)

Half the ship is assembled outside the med-bay as we exit the elevator, and the remaining ground-crew has returned as well, most of them being among the crowd gathered outside the room. My heart skips a few beatings as I search the heads of crowd for the heads of the two people I give more than a fuck about.

Luckily, I spot both Nicolai and Ash pressed against the glass-panels to the room before I start panicking, and I start walking toward them, all the while I'm conjuring up images and scenarios of why they are all standing around the med-bay, pressed against the glass like goldfish in an overcrowded bowl.

As Jane, Tequila and I start squeezing our way through the crowd, most of the regular crew seems to have had enough and leaves the group, leaving only a few technicians and the rest of the ground-team. Wait… someone's missing. We have… we have Wrex here, and Garrus, Tali and Ash. There's Nic too, and Liara, John and Nihlus is here as well and… Where's Kaidan?

"Nihlus, what happened?" Jane demands, grapping a hold on the spectre. Looking at him, I can see the exhaustion and dread on his face. My stomach turns into ice instantly, causing my knees to buckle.

"I… look for yourself." He says, moving away so that the three of us can peek into the room.

For a few moments, none of us can say anything, until Tequila finally seems to get a grip on herself;

"Shit!"

Dun dun duuuuun!

Sorry, had to use that one as an Author's note, instead of just writing it in reviews when something awesome has happened.