"Miranda." Miranda looked up from her spot sprawled on the floor. It had felt like hours since Shepard had left for bed, but had actually been just 10 minutes as the operative had sat in a crumpled heap and the Illusive Man had looked on in distracted contemplation. "Sir?"

"We're not going to be able to keep him much longer. Begin Broken Shield protocols." He sounded like a disappointed parent, hating to say their child needed remedial education, disappointed but accepting what must be done.

"Sir, we wouldn't be able to stop the Reapers even with the full might of the galaxy behind us, and that'll never happen in the first place. Sir, you said it in the begining, even if he were to place a gun to my and every agent's head, we'd back him as no other option exists. Doing this might be the initial falling domino that leads to the fall of humanity."

The Illusive Dick barely acted as though he'd heard her, calmly taking another cigarette puff. "That was because even if he were to remove every agent, he would still be aboard my ship, with my AI capable of disgorging him at destinations of my choice. His latest statements would put even that limited level of control beyond us, and I have no doubt that he has the ability. Furthermore, the latest feeds from EDI show a alarming familiarity with the crew, and your being relegated to the authority of a school matron. When was the last command decision you were included om?"

"The incorporation of..." Miranda started, only to be cut off by a suddenly animated Dick,"The new data feeds for EDI, which had prior to your input been already discussed by the engineering crew with Shepard, and the installation already begun. Miranda, reviewing time stamps on these logs shows you were informed exactly two minutes prior to the installation being finished. Either we find a way to keep you in the process or we find another option. Get your crew back to toeing the line or we'll begin the process of shedding our masks."

With that the link was cut off, his glowing glare focused at her afterimage form still sitting on the floor, as though she'd just forgotten herself in the exchange, until it disappeared Obviously shell shocked from the impact of Shepard's threat, but even besides that she'd never openly contradicted his instructions before. Her changing affect was not mentioned, but perhaps the strongest indicator of his waning control over Shepard or the Normandy.

-.

Jack had been guided to the lower engineering supply area by the voice of the AI, to see a small nest laden with storage boxes obviously shoved hastily to the side along with a small cot having been squeezed in. Seeing the lackluster accommodations Jack had at first been slightly disappointed. She'd thought Shepard would've done slightly better than a storage shed, like the new dog just purchased and unplanned for, so shoved in the laundry room where it could do the least amount of damage. She walked back up to the elevator, thinking about hunting down the spectre before she spotted him through the cargo hold window, just exiting the elevator.

He obviously swept his gaze across the hold, most likely looking for her, before turning to the small gym by the Kodiak. She stopped her contemplation as she saw his eyes as he'd turned to the weight set, picking up the one-twenty labelled bar. The corona of repressed biotics was barely visible, but she'd never have missed the sheer look of fury making the rest of the crew deck suddenly find a need to visit the galley. Within a couple of moments, the deck was clear as the Commander began the do bench curls with a impressive amount of weight. His arms tensed and bulged as he curled the equivalent of two of her rapidly, the speed and regularity showing her he was barely trying, mostly just trying to occupy himself as he wrestled with whatever was irritating him this time.

She had only a moment of hesitation, before chiding her self with a muffled, "Quit being a bitch." She smacked a fist against the window, making a noticeable pop that echoed the hold and jerked his baleful gaze up to his next source of interruption. Seeing it was her made him immediately back down and slow down his reps, before taking the bar in one hand as he used the other to wave her down.

Seeing the wave both elated her in a small contrary part of her psyche, a part that just as quickly began wondering why she was feeling joy at anything and reminding her to never show feeling, the rest of her psyche was stalled in appreciation of the one handed bar swap and wave, a move that would've been pretty intimidating from a krogan, but from a biotic-techie like Shepard made her feel tense and charged at the same time. Still she wasn't a fool, by the time the elevator doors closed and began to descend to the cargo bay, she looked bored and slightly irritated at being summoned. If she could see her reflection, she'd have had a sliver of pride at how utterly bored she looked.

Seeing the doors open to reveal a Jack dressed in her convict's garb reminded Shepard he should top at the Citadel to get everyone some new duds. The only other options for people were the stacks of boxes pushed in a corner with Cerberus logos plastered on the shoulder.

Seriously, for a supposedly secret terrorist organization, shouldn't they do a better job of hiding their personnel than a giant holo interface around the shoulder that flashed "Terrorist lackey" in running script?

Stopping for a moment to chuckle at the mental image of Miranda's enthusiastic response to the idea from the Illusive Dick, he'd finally felt the last knot of tension at their little spat. The thought of their little spying ring hovering invisibly around his neck had him begin to tense before he called out, "EDI?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"As of this moment, who is your direct superior officer?" "You are Commander, baring any further instructions from the Illusive Man." "So, if I say, wanted to have a night without the constant harassment of Miranda or her Boss, I'd just have to say 'Route all comms to my omnitool and inform any inquirers that I've gone to bed'?" "Yes, Commander, though a direct inquiry from the Illusive Dick, as you refer to him, would reveal any such deceptions." Hearing the conversation, Jack had slowed her approach, hearing the title for the Cerberus leader making her snort and Shepard flashing her a quick grin.

"Then make it so, baring a Reaper itself or comms you can't ignore, I need one night without the threat of whiny bitch'itude." "Very well, Commander, logging you out and have a pleasant evening." With a audible click as the AI's comm receiver shut down, the Commander noticed Jack eyeing his hand, which he turned to notice he'd still been holding one-handed during the whole exchange. With a small huff at the fact he'd completely forgotten the substantial weight, he dramatically flipped the end up to catch the weight with both hands, suddenly affecting a man barely able to support the mass as he stagger stepped over to the rack, making a show of failing to make it slide into the slot before another stumbling attempt succeeded.

"Bitch'itude?" Asked Jack with a quirk, her eyes finally able to take in the total sight of him as he'd begun his little stage routine. She really couldn't do much more than grin slightly at his antics, as she'd never in her experience had a actual living person try to make her laugh. Little vids for kids and other entertainments, but never anyone present and making the effort for her specifically. It made her feel uniquely privileged and scared, like she was on a imaginary pedestal waiting for inspection. Throwing the emotional confusion to the side for a moment, she stared at Shepard for a second before walking over to the shoulder lift machine, taking the time to set a reasonable weight before starting.

Seeing her nonchalance at his improvements made Shepard smile for a moment, it hadn't been a second alone with any of his previous companions before they'd remarked on his obvious changes. Jack's lack of familiarity with the old Shepard seemed a blessing in that he didn't have to hide behind the old Shepard standards, didn't have to immediately drop down to a lower weight load the instant he'd noticed one of them coming over or have to hide the near overwhelming irritation at working with Cerberus that had made his own teammates act as though he were a stranger.

"Yeah, got tired of the Dick and acting as though I were only a probationary Commander on this ship, you wanted the data before you'd even take a chance working on this ship and fuck any one of them that claims they'd have been able to convince you otherwise." Jack's biotic aura had started popping as soon as the word 'data' had left his lips, and just as suddenly winked out as he finished his statement. Feeling slightly worn out after one sentence with Shepard was becoming something of a pattern for Jack, though she'd tear the head off anyone stupid enough to point it out.

"What, they thought the guy who talked the host of a intergalactic vanguard into taking itself out would be able to sweet talk me?" Jack said with a sneer, but Shepard could see a small lift to her lips, so considered himself relatively safe to respond,"Dumbass actually thought the best way to save the galaxy was to help destroy it. Stupid doesn't need a lot to be convinced to change sides. So I see you were still able to catch bits of news from the outside."

"Overheard just about every guard on the station talking about it, even caught sight of that infamous video from your suit monitor as you'd talked to him." Thinking back on his statement, she'd noticed one word that made her flash in fury. Jack heard his humor but couldn't help the natural urge to smack down anyone trying to get the best of her,"Fuckers think I'm stupid! I tear that bitch's head-"

"Jack, no!" Hearing the command in his voice made him just as quickly a target and without thinking she'd swept a shockwave at him, fear and shock wiping away whatever momentary rage she'd been feeling as she saw him fly back into the weigh set, the support bar for the over head lift bending back about thirty degrees as his back collided with it before he'd rolled over the top to land in a heap about 3 meters away. She'd started to rush forward to check on him when she saw a flash from his arm and felt everything sweep down, her head suddenly impacting the deck as she couldn't bring her arms up to catch herself.

Her eyes and a bit of neck were the only part of herself she could move and looking down, she could see a light field dancing over her frame. The fact that he'd been able to exclude her head in such a controlled manner even after being pummeled like he had sparked a level of fear she hadn't experienced since she was a child. The helplessness, the cold of knowing there was someone with absolute power over her spite her rage and strength. She thrashed herself around with little success other that blooding her forehead against the deck as she'd tried to lever herself about without success.

A small jolt pulled her attention from her predicament, her gaze snapping up as she saw Shepard hop up as though he'd only slipped on a oil patch of the hold, not having impacted solid metal with forces that would've snapped a ordinary man's spine.

"Jack, let's go ahead and have a little conversation." He said this with a metered calming voice as he walked over to the bench press bench, picking it up and moving it to set it by Jack's prone form. Seeing her eye's twisted in a gaze of hatred and fear, he immediately dropped the stasis field and suggestively patted the spot next to him on the bench. Seeing her stand and uncoil as though expecting another fight, he lowered his head to gaze at the floor before again patting the spot next to him on the bench.