The ambient hum of the Normandy seemed more pronounced as Shepard reviewed a stack of datapads on her desk. The reports, ranging from intel about potential allies to dossiers on known threats, painted a daunting picture of the task ahead. And it was Cerberus, of all people, whom she had to bring along. She was in a ship with nobody she could trust.
A soft chime echoed through her quarters, signalling an incoming communication from EDI.
"Commander," EDI's voice, cool and clear, cut through the room's silence, "I've located Archangel. But it seems there's been a complication."
Shepard raised a brow, setting down the datapad. "Isn't there always?" she muttered, more to herself than to the ship's AI. "What's the situation, EDI?"
"It appears that Archangel has been captured. The data suggests he's being held deep within Omega, and the area is heavily fortified."
Shepard sighed, her hand going up to her temple. "Of course he is. What is it with everyone and getting kidnapped lately?" Her thoughts briefly went to Roy, whom she had thrown in the brig. Pissed as she was at him, she couldn't help but admit the irony. "Looks like another extraction is in order. Get me Miranda and Zaeed."
"Affirmative, Commander."
The communication ended, and Shepard's room was once again filled with the ever-present hum of the ship. Maybe she imagined it, but her memories of the Normandy were mostly of... silence. It was a stealth ship, after all. But that didn't mean it had to be quiet. Yet the silence is what stood out to her. Every memory of the Normandy was always eerily quiet. She took a moment to steel herself, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.
Her terminal came to life with Miranda's face, framed by her sleek black hair and her usual cold, analytical demeanor. "Shepard," she greeted her.
"Miranda. Archangel's been nabbed. Looks like we're headed to Omega for a good old-fashioned rescue mission," Shepard said, her tone dry. "Again. Meet me in the armory and get ready to gear up."
Miranda's eyes glinted with a mixture of concern and determination. "Understood, Commander. I'll have everything prepped."
A second window popped up, showcasing Zaeed's rugged face. He looked unperturbed, as if being called for a dangerous mission was just another day at the office. It probably was, come to think of it. "So EDI told me about Archangel. Sounds like my kind of job."
Shepard smirked. "Thought you'd say that. Armory, and gear up."
"Rockets or explosives?" Zaeed said.
"Keep both in hand," Shepard replied. "EDI's provided some schematics, but there's not a lot of detail. I'll be down in a minute."
As the communication links closed, Shepard let out a long exhale. Time and again, the universe seemed to test her patience, but she was never one to back down. Her mind went back to that conversation she had with Nihlus just... well, a long time ago it seemed, though it felt like mere days for her. Just once, she wanted the news to just be about icecream being available. Just that.
She got to her feet with renewed energy and stomped to the door. The idea of going back to Omega wasn't one she relished, but maybe shooting some bastards would cheer her up. She hit the lift and headed for the armory, where Jacob was already fussing over the gear following Zaeed's instructions.
That's a lot of explosives.
It wasn't as good a sign as one would have hoped. The dossiers she had been given had one Keiji Okuda as one of two highly skilled thieves, with a list of "presumed but never proven" jobs that showed a highly skilled demolitions expert. Would have been a better choice, but it was what it was. Her team was pretty thin, so, for now, she had to work with the cards she was dealt. Jacob's inexperience and Jack's unpredictability made them less desirable choices, at least until she got a better handle on them. Roy wasn't even in her thoughts as an option.
Shepard marched to the main console, where a large holographic display table blinked to life as it sensed her presence – EDI's doing, no doubt. It was going to take some time to get used to that AI looking over her shoulder at all times. Jacob, under Zaeed's guidance, was meticulously laying out an assortment of weapons and gadgets on one side. Zaeed and Miranda came to stand across from her, studying the blinking lights on the table which represented various entry points into the low levels of Omega.
"This place is a mess," Zaeed commented, leaning forward to scrutinize the schematics. He ran a hand over his stubbled chin, "Deep in the guts of Omega. No easy in-and-out. Tight corners, potential ambush points." He pointed at different spots as he talked, the hologram dutifully updating with marks and labels as he did.
Miranda circled the table, her cold eyes scanning for vulnerabilities. "Omega's structure gets weaker, less stable the further down you go. It's a haven for the worst of the worst. The location itself is a statement. Come and get him, if you dare."
Jacob frowned, "Seems like overkill just for one person."
Shepard activated the zoom function on the holographic table, focusing on the point that EDI had identified as Archangel's holding place. "It means Archangel made quite a few enemies. Which is a good sign, honestly. Means he was doing something right."
Zaeed chuckled, "Damn straight."
Miranda gestured to a series of service ducts that led from various points into the core of the location. "If we can hack into these, it might give us a discreet entry point. Perfect for a surprise ambush."
Jacob piped up, having come up behind Miranda to look at the map. "But there's no telling what's inside. Omega's service ducts are filled with more than just rats and old tech."
Zaeed, ever the pragmatist, weighed in, "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that a frontal assault on anything inside Omega is a bad idea. We go quiet, and we go smart, and only hit them when we're ready." He raised his hands in mock surrender as the others turned to him. "I know, I know." He then pointed at the holographic projection. "The ducts might be our best bet, but we need to be ready for anything."
Shepard nodded, "We'll take the ducts, but we'll need a distraction. Zaeed, can you rig a few of those explosives near a main entry or a power source? Give us some room to breathe."
Zaeed grinned, "I was hoping you'd say that."
"But don't break anything too important," Shepard added, pointing at Miranda with her thumb. "You heard her, this place-"
"I got it," Zaeed said, his interruption of Shepard more eloquent than anything else he could have said.
Miranda interjected, "We also need to account for extraction. The same way in might not be the best way out, especially if they're onto us."
Shepard looked at the vast maze of Omega's lower sectors. "Let's establish a rally point, somewhere higher up, closer to Afterlife. Once we get Archangel, we push our way up, make them chase us."
Jacob looked skeptical, "It's risky."
"All of this is," Shepard replied with a shrug. "But it's the best shot we've got. We prep now, move at zero hour. I want everyone sharp. This isn't a stroll on the Citadel."
The dim, claustrophobic corridors of Omega's lower levels were a stark contrast to the vibrant, neon-lit streets above. The only source of light in the service ducts were the occasional broken, flickering bulbs, and the soft glow emanating from Shepard's omni-tool. A sickly, humid warmth enveloped the team, bearing the weight of the sludge and darkness that made Omega the formidable maze it was. The smell, well, the smell was bad enough that Shepard had sealed her hardsuit for vacuum. Miranda, as always, was in her catsuit and didn't seem to be particularly affected by the aroma. Zaeed looked disgusted behind the faceplate of his helmet, but with him it was hard to tell sometimes.
The team moved like shadows, their footsteps muffled by the thick air, carrier of decay, dust, and the ungodly chemical mix of a sewer system that hadn't been properly maintained since possibly the time of the Protheans. A memory came to her. Roy, and his comment about how you "gotta keep them separated". He had said that with a kind of musical tone that denoted it being some old piece of music of the kind he always favored, but she couldn't remember the explanation, if any. Her memories kept being patchy and scattered. Miranda seemed sure they would coalesce eventually, once she had started interacting with familiar places and people. She had her doubts.
So far, the only familiar person was Roy. Well, not really. There were others, too, former members of the Normandy who had joined Cerberus – because of her they claimed, after Cerberus rescued them when the Alliance had given them up. But even then she felt a strange distance from them all, like they weren't really who they said they were.
It didn't make any sense. Probably (probably!) because she had been dead.
Damn Roy, stop popping into my head!
Shepard led the way, her assault rifle at the ready. To her right, Zaeed took point, setting small explosives at predetermined junctions. They would need them for the escape. Miranda covered the rear, ensuring no surprises from behind.
A soft ping on Shepard's omni-tool signalled an approaching patrol. With a hand gesture, the team flattened against the walls. A group of three armored mercenaries walked by, their casual banter a sharp contrast to the tense atmosphere.
"...heard the payout is gonna be pretty sweet," one muttered.
"Better be with all this trouble we're going through," said another.
"And all this trouble we a-Hmph!"
Zaeed reached out, grabbing the last mercenary in a chokehold, muffling his screams. With swift, silent efficiency, the other two were neutralized by Shepard and Miranda, the latter freezing one in place with her biotics, while Shepard put a single bullet up the remaining merc so close that the kinetic barriers never had a chance to stop her bullet. They left the bodies tucked in the shadows, continuing their journey deeper into the bowels of Omega.
After what felt like hours but was merely minutes, they reached the junction they were looking for. Their target was not one hundred yards away, not visible but noticeable in the way the surveillance ramped up. Shepard's main HUD lit up with the location of security cameras, and EDI's processing of the sounds painted a clear picture of the numbers ahead of them. At least six people moving, footsteps all but muffled but easily separated from the background by the AI. As per the facility schematics, they expected another six covering the main two entrances. Shepard retraced a few steps after confirming the blind spot was where they though, and gestured at the wall. Zaeed immediately got to work on the duct entrance, while Miranda fired up her omni-tool to start working the security.
"Cutting external comms now," Shepard called, doing so immediately through her omni-tool.
"Understood, good l-" EDI's voice came back, but was interrupted as the external comms were killed.
The AI wishing us luck. How very human of her... It.
It was mere moments before Miranda gave the thumbs up, and immediately Zaeed set the timer on his explosives, giving them a short window to breach. They pushed into the ducts, and set the grate behind them.
The timing was perfect. They arrived to their vantage point as soon as the explosion rattled the hallway, dust and debris blinding everyone momentarily. Shepard was the first to react, kicking the grate and rushing out to the vantage position, and her gun already seeking targets.
Miranda's biotics flared next, lifting a pair of enemies into the air before flinging them aside. Zaeed's method was more direct, his assault rifle thundering as he cut down another two mercenaries. The scene was chaotic, filled with the cacophony of gunfire, shouts, and biotic discharges. Just as the mercs got their bearings and realized they were being attacked, Zaeed's second lot of explosives triggered, these ones placed much closer, and doing substantially more damage. Several large pieces of debris fell and broke through the ground, the degraded metallic floor showing its age and state of disrepair, and taking several of the mercs with them. It was at this point that Shepard realized most of their enemies were placed not too far from one of these holes, a gaping hole that was anything but inviting.
As much as she hated it, it was too perfect. If she placed a singularity behind them, they'd be dragged out and disposed of in one swoop. She stood out of cover, reached back, and concentrated on her amp, waiting for the dark energies of her only biotic trick to gather. And waited.
And they didn't. She realized a moment too late, and several bullets pinged her shields, depleting them rapidly as she ducked down. One of them hit her faceplate, breaking through but luckily at enough of an angle that she herself wasn't directly hit. The debris from her shattered faceplate cut into her skin, and she fell back with a scream of anger, pain, and frustration.
"Miranda!"
It wasn't so much a call as it was a curse. Miranda was already on her way, and fell quickly into cover next to her while Zaeed, now in his element, let out a particularly colorful string of curses towards their enemies.
"Shepard, are y-" Miranda said, but was cut off by Shepard.
"What the hell did you do to my biotics!" Shepard yelled.
There was no immediate answer. Through the broken visor Shepard though she saw a moment of confusion on Miranda's face, but as she took a second look, it was gone. Maybe she had imagined it. Maybe.
More shots hit their position. With infinite anger, Shepard pulled her helmet off and threw it aside, and came out of cover with her assault rifle already primed. Truth is, the mercs were not particularly good with their guns. None of them seemed to have any military experience, given the rather amateurish way in which they tried to move through the battlefield. One, two, three more went down, and as the rest started to look for a way to escape, it was Miranda who came out with full biotic force and swatted two of the last survivors away, throwing them into the pit as if they were ragdolls.
The last two threw their guns and came out with their hands up. Shepard was just about ready to shoot them on the spot. But thankfully, Zaeed came out in front of her, yelling at them to get down on their knees. A bit of chemistry would knock them out long enough for them to finish the job.
Shepard, however, had something else in mind, and with the immediate threat dealt with, she rounded on Miranda. The ambient air felt electrically charged, but it wasn't from the biotics. Shepard's face was taut, eyes ablaze with anger, and every muscle seemed to be vibrating with tension.
"Why the hell didn't my biotics work, Lawson?" Shepard spat, her voice low and dangerous. There was a slight tremor in her hand, betraying the extent of the adrenaline and the anger coursing through her veins.
Miranda stiffened, taken aback by the sudden fury. She composed herself quickly, her perfect posture a sharp contrast to Shepard's aggressive stance. But there was a hint of hesitation in her usually icy eyes. "Shepard, I—"
"Don't play dumb with me," Shepard snapped, stepping closer, her figure looming over the Cerberus operative. "I've seen the dossier you had on me. You knew every damn detail about me, down to the scar on my hip I got when I was 12. So don't tell me you 'forgot' about my biotics."
Miranda, ever the diplomat, took a deep breath before responding, "I am aware of your unique biotic capabilities, or at least, the Shepard I knew had them. But with everything that's happened, with the reconstruction and all, there were... complications."
Shepard's nostrils flared. "Complications? I nearly got myself shot back there trying to call on powers I used to have!" She pointed a finger accusingly at Miranda. "If you had done something to my biotics, I swear—"
Miranda cut her off, raising a hand. "I assure you, Shepard, I did not do anything specifically to tamper with your abilities." Her gaze became intense, searching Shepard's eyes for understanding. "But remember, the technology used to bring you back... it's not perfect. There were bound to be some changes."
There was a long pause, with Shepard's breathing heavy and ragged, her anger barely contained. Finally, she spoke, her voice softer but still laced with bitterness. "Then why the hell wasn't I briefed on this 'change'? You let me walk into that fight blind."
Miranda's gaze faltered, dropping to the floor for a split second before meeting Shepard's eyes once more. "I should have anticipated this. It was an oversight, and for that, I apologize."
Shepard watched her for a long moment, clearly weighing the sincerity of Miranda's words. As with every exchange with Miranda, there was always the feeling that she wasn't giving everything. But this time, it didn't seem like she was lying. And her apology, at least, had sounded sincere. "Just... make sure there are no more 'oversights', Lawson. Next time, it could cost us more than just a helmet."
Miranda nodded slowly. "Understood, Commander."
There was a heavy silence as the tension lingered between the two women. Shepard broke the stares and headed off to the entrance, giving Zaeed a glance as he was securing the two mercs. Or, rather, tossing their unconscious bodies aside and out of view. Without another word, Miranda followed, her omni-tool alight as she worked on the access. The door opened, and Shepard peeked out of cover with her gun at the ready. To their surprise, there was nothing. A small lobby with two corridors, as expected. Shepard looked back, gestured with her head, and let Zaeed take point while she swapped her assault rifle for a shotgun.
It wasn't long before they realized something was amiss. Where cells should have been, there was what appeared to be a lab. Spotless white tables lined the room, holding advanced equipment, data terminals and numerous stasis pods. In the center of the room was a large glass chamber, ominously empty. However... no Archangel, no cells. What caught their attention were the numerous biological hazard labels, in several different styles. Batarian, Asari, even Turian. The lights inside were flickering, the damage from the explosions obviously having had an effect on the power supply, and the entire atmosphere was eery and surreal. They hadn't taken five steps inside before all three of their omni-tools practically shouted out an alarm. Biological hazard detected.
"Shit!" Zaeed yelled, reaching up to his helmet to hit the seals.
The gesture had been almost instinctual, but even as he did it, his urgency seemed to die down. If it was bad, it was probably too late. Shepard and Miranda looked at him, then at each other.
"We might have been the ones to set it loose," Miranda said.
"Or this was a trap from the beginning," Shepard replied.
Miranda shook her head and raised her omni-tool. In moments she was in the facility's systems, and in another, a heavy kinetic curtain fell all around them in the room.
"I'm sealing us in," Miranda said, explaining what had already been obvious to all.
Shepard looked at her, and just nodded.
Author's Notes: Well, retaking this fic after a long hiatus does have its challenges. Keeping a consistent narrative tone (I'm not sure I have tbh), retaking the threads of everything that's F-ed up in the galaxy, and just trying to get back into the swing of things. I think that I left it at an odd place, since it was a big plot twist that wasn't exactly universally well received. Having the clone be the one to run ME2 was always part of the plan, and the "real" Shepard's situation is more setup for ME3 than anything else, so I'm hoping I'll still manage to put out something interesting that'll be worth your time.
Going forward, I think I'm going to keep the chapters a little shorter to manage my schedule better. The burnout I suffered last time had more to do with out-of-fanfic circumstances than anything else, but it was at a point that it did the opposite of letting me have a little bit of a mental escape, so that's how it ended so neglected. I'm going to mix it a bit with other projects (one, specially, that'll be quite different in tone and setting), and hopefully this time strike the right balance.
So anyway, I'm going to give it the good ol' college try once more :)
So! If you like what you see, you can always throw a bit of support (which is GREATLY appreciated) my way at:
tinyurl (period) com (slash) y2q9cop6
Next time, we find out why, exactly, Shepard ended up where she did, and we say hello to some old friends! Until then, ta-ta!
