THE "BASTION"

SHADOW BROKER RESIDENCE

ILMNOS, IALESSA SYSTEM

LATE NOVEMBER 14th, 2188

MIRANDA HAD SPIED Flynn sitting and working on his omnitool and called him over. Apparently unhearing, he continued as he had been.

"Flynn!" Miranda insisted. Flynn raised his head, looked askance at her and then went back to what he'd been doing. It was going to be one of those days. She called him again and saw him stop. His body posture bespoke great disinclination. Eventually the omnitool shut off and he made his obviously-reluctant way over.

"This is important, yeah?" He growled at her. "There're thin's to be doin'." He ignored her companions.

Shepard had stood back as Flynn approached.

"Major Ryan Flynn," Shepard began as he thrust a hand forward, "been a long time."

Flynn disdained the hand. His eyes held nothing but contempt for his old commander.

"Not fookin' long enough." Instead, Flynn pivoted and thrust a hand at Jack, who was watching Shepard put his hand away with a look on his face that she couldn't decipher. After a moment she dropped her hand into Flynn's and shook it vigorously.

"Well, now – it's herself." Flynn said. "I have'ta say I've heard a lot about'cha but not that ye were such a serious looker." He made of point of giving Jack an appreciative once-over not missed by either Shepard or Miranda.

Jack held his hand and arched an eyebrow as he complimented her.

"Careful you don't choke on your own bullshit." She gave his hand another shake. "I will say it's weird to meet someone who doesn't automatically kiss his ass. I thought I was the only one."

Flynn gave her a lop-sided smile.

"Everyone knows who ye are, so. Sure, bullshittin's an unner-appreciated artform," his smile broadened, "an' I bet ye are, as well."

Jack rolled her eyes and grinned a crooked grin at Shepard and Miranda as she released the Irishman's hand.

"Let's keep 'im. He's way more suave than Grunt." Jack indicated the young krogan who huffed.

"Keep talking, Zero," Grunt growled. "You don't know how good you got it."

"Do you remember anything about the attack?" Shepard asked, deciding to keep it professional.

"They attacked, I killed a couple an' grabbed one for ya," Flynn said simply. "They shot me an' here I am, wastin' time wi' a feckin' gobshite."

"Flynn!" Miranda admonished. "This is hardly necessary."

"It's all right, Miranda," Shepard told her. "I think Major Flynn's earned an attitude."

Another look of contempt from Flynn as he turned his attention to Miranda. "They got yer crew an' me mates. Whatcha gunna do abou' it?"

"It's a small universe," Shepard told him, not fazed by the man's insolence. He'd lived with far more obnoxious people in his day. "We're giving the prisoners the night and ourselves a chance to rest and recoup. I'm already planning to gear up to try and find the trail of the ships that attacked you."

"Hain't tha' generous of ye? Why th' fook are ye standin' here yappin', aside from lovin' th' sound o' yer own voice, then? Any traces they leave'll be gone soon enough!"

"We have prisoners, Flynn," Miranda's voice was disapproving of his treatment of his old Commander. Regardless of their past, Shepard still deserved respect. "We can't just go running into the dark and yelling. We won't be any good to them in the shape we're in."

Flynn stepped around her as he cracked his knuckles.

"Foine. I'll go crack th' bas'ard open an' beat 'is fookin' arse awake."

Shepard reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him. Flynn looked at the hand and then up the arm into Shepard's face. The look in Flynn's eyes was so dark Jack's biotics flared on sheer instinct.

"You won't. We don't torture people," Shepard told him, not releasing the arm. Flynn smiled an unpleasant smile and his voice was low.

"I c'n go dig up a few dozen batarians tha' would call ya a damn liar."

Shepard blinked and glared at his old squadmate for another long second and then released him. He couldn't honestly argue the point so he didn't. That was then and this was now.

"You've got a good memory," Shepard stated, iron in his voice. Flynn was unimpressed.

"I've got an exceptional fookin' memory," Flynn grated and Shepard could see the disdain in his eyes shift into blatant contempt. "An' ye got a selective one… big fookin' hero."

"You've got something to say – say it." Shepard's features hardened. The women could feel the tension ramping between the two men. Jack shot a look at Miranda who sent her a short nod. Intervention looked necessary.

"Fook you, backstabber."

Shepard stiffened and as he did, everyone around him noticed. Flynn was suddenly the centre of attention. Grunt tensed. Vnkar looked fascinated. A few asari stopped in their duties and watched. If Flynn noticed he certainly didn't care.

"Say that again," Shepard intoned, low and dangerous.

"Back. Stabbin'. Fooker."

"You best back that up, boy." Shepard thrust his head forward at the accusation.

It was Jack – of all people – who stepped forward as Flynn's face darkened.

"Hey! This is the present, not the past. Join us in it." Blue snaked past the eyes of the two still-glaring N7's. "Now."

Shepard glanced at Jack and after another few tense moments took a step away. Flynn jammed a hard finger into Shepard's chest as he stepped away.

"This hain't over. They don' know ye like yer ol' friends know ye."

Shepard glared back.

"You tell them whatever you like."

Miranda reached over to pull Flynn back.

"Flynn, enough! We need to work together on this. We need to be prepared."

He shook her hand off.

"Ye do whatcha fookin' loike. I'm gunna go find me mates." Without waiting, Flynn turned and began to walk away.

"Flynn, we go when I say we do. You're still under contract and still under my orders!" Miranda reminded him, trying to help regain some control over the situation. Flynn stopped and snorted in derision.

"Go way outta that! You? Ye got no ship an' no crew an' I'd say yer mission were over, so." He resumed his stomp away. "Ask me bollocks. Ye stay wi' yer feckin' messiah." His omnitool flared and he stuck it into the air. "An' once again I don' get paid but tha's no surprise!"

Miranda rattled out a frustrated huff of air and looked to Shepard. He could see the roiling emotions warring in her eyes.

"Some people are slow to change," Shepard told her. He waved after Flynn. "He's your crew, Miranda."

Jack just shrugged.

"I still like him."

"Me too," Grunt added. "Doesn't waste time on subtlety."

"Dammit!" Miranda shook her head and with another frustrated sigh and followed the irate Irishman. She didn't like admitting it but she needed his stubborn, impossible hide.

"The mission's not over!" She corrected him sharply, boots clicking on the floor as she sped after him. "You will get paid, dammit!"

Jack shook her head as she watched the two leave.

"That was tense. Old friends, huh?"

"Thanks."

"For?"

"The reminder. I keep forgetting all the things I left undone."

"You had more important things to worry about."

Shepard smiled into that lovely face and her faith in him.

"Flynn was the first to step up and give me a vote of confidence when Conner was killed." Shepard watched the two stop and continue to argue. After an harangue from Flynn the couple continued on. "He even argued with Major Kyle when he wanted to appoint someone else in my place. The man's got more medals than I do and deserved every one. He was a real damn hero. Once."

"So what the hell happened between then and now?"

"I don't know." Shepard shook his head. "I honestly can't remember but I suspect it was something I did – or didn't do and should have. When we fall we fall hard."

"Pasts," Jack muttered, hating the word. "We can only do what we can." She chuckled suddenly as Miranda and Flynn vanished around a bend. "We're not the only ones."

"How do you mean?" Shepard asked.

"Just not somethin' I ever expected to see – Cheerleader chasin' a guy." Jack sniffed and reassessed. "Or maybe it's a mutual thing."

"Jack… that's preposterous." Shepard looked incredulous at the idea. Miranda and Flynn? The idea was untenable. The man wasn't remotely that woman's type.

"Oh, they got a past. She's chasin' him all right. She just doesn't know it yet." Jack looked up at him through her eyelashes. "I kinda know what it feels like."

Shepard just stared at her for a few moments, unsure of what to say.

"Flynn and Miranda…?" He shook his head. "No. No - that's as ridiculous as…"

Jack put hands on hips, her eyes darkening.

"You and me?"

"There's nothing ridiculous about that," Shepard said sternly.

Jack relented.

"I know how it looks now but she needs somebody like that, just like you do – someone that'll always tell you the uncomfortable truth – and never kiss your ass."

"Just to remind her she's human?"

Jack shrugged.

"Could also be a mutual thing. Sometimes people just need an' never know why. Jus' know that they do."

"Stranger things have definitely happened," Shepard conceded.

"How far would that have gone?" She asked, gesturing to the now distant Flynn.

"Could never tell with him," Shepard smiled and indicated they were to move on. He needed to find Liara to debrief. "But probably not far with you around."

"Damn right. Small damn universe, though," Jack told him.

"Too small, sometimes," He agreed. As they turned a corner, a grim-faced man stepped into his way, hand out.

"They say you're the one to talk to," he said in Shepard's voice, "Name's Shepard – and you are?"

Jack took a step back when she spied the man's companion.

"Holy shit," she muttered, "Way too fuckin' small."