Sorry for the missed update last month, but rest assured, this story is always on my mind, ADD just makes focusing a little difficult sometimes.

As the crowd slowly dissipated, Kara paid only half attention to the rest of the team, retreating to the depths of her mind. Now that the subject had been raised, she couldn't stop thinking about the Geth. They hadn't tried to repair the sabotage done to the weapons systems on the Alarei. Why wouldn't they? They weren't stupid, they would've known they couldn't flee before being destroyed by the Flotilla, so why not activate the weapons and do some damage before their inevitable death? Did they simply not want to?

And that wasn't the only behavioral oddity that rubbed her wrong, there was also the whole Saren debacle.

The Geth forces they'd encountered during that short campaign were far too few for what an AI collective should be able to field. The Geth had been on their own for nearly a thousand years; they weren't limited by any treaty, and they didn't have any foolish notions of an economy. They were limited only by what they could produce, which as AI's, would be a lot. The amount of ships involved in the attack on the Citadel was far too few for what should have been the culmination of an invasion.

Unless, of course, the Geth forces that allied with Saren were elite forces, the tip of a spear meant to weaken the Citadel species before the rest of their fleet attacked in force.

But if that were the case, where was the assault fleet? Why were Geth attacks limited to fringe human colonies, why hadn't there been reports of attacks across the entirety Citadel space, and again, why was the attack on the Citadel so small? Kara frowned in frustration. She knew too little about the Geth to make any conclusions, but something felt off.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when Rocket gave her a light tap on the neck. "What're you thinking about?"

"The Geth. There's something odd about their behavior. Not just on the Alarei, but during the Saren conflict as well."

"So, what do you think we should do about it?"

"We need to find out more about them, we know next to nothing about them or what their plans are, and I don't want another unknown variable going into the conflict with the Reapers."

"You think we should talk to Shepard about it?"

Kara paused, taking a moment to look at the Human. "Maybe later. She doesn't have the resources to focus on anything other than the Collectors, and the Geth seem content to stay in the Veil. We'll deal with immediate problems first." Kara said as Shepard waved them over as the rest of the team began to leave.

Shepard felt a sense of relief as she stepped off Kara's destroyer and back onto the Normandy. It felt good to be back in familiar surroundings.

As she walked into the CIC, Kelly Chambers approached her. "Ma'am, Jacob and Miranda would like to speak to you when you have time."

"Thanks for the heads up Chambers." Shepard said cordially, feeling somewhat bitter at the fact she'd have to delay the shower she'd been looking forward to.

She entered the Armory, finding Jacob busy with going through their armaments.

Jacob lifted his head as he heard the door open, then snapped off a crisp salute as he saw Shepard. "Commander."

"At ease Jacob. You know, you don't have to salute me. Neither of us are technically military anymore."

"Sorry ma'am." Jacob said, an apologetic smile on his face. "Force of habit."

"I get it. Anyway, Chambers told me you wanted to see me?"

"Yes ma'am. I… received a transmission from my father." Jacob said, his voice heavy.

"And this is news because…?" Shepard inquired.

"Because my father has been MIA for nearly a decade." He responded coldly.

"Were you close with him?" Shepard asked carefully, hoping it wasn't a sensitive subject.

"Yeah. He taught me what it meant to be a man. Standing up for the people who can't, protecting people, helping them. We used to run a soup kitchen back on Earth. I worked there practically everyday right up until I joined the Alliance. Right after I completed boot, my father was supposed to come visit me, to say congratulations. But the ship he was on, the Hugo Gernsback, just disappeared. Until yesterday. I received an automated distress call."

"You received the distress call?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah, I thought it was weird too. It looks like somebody forwarded the message to me personally, but that's not what's on my mind right now."

"You want us to investigate the distress call." Shepard said matter of factly.

"If we've got the time. It's been years since the ship went missing, so it's not like I expect to find anybody still alive down there, but it'd be nice to have closure, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it. We'll check it out if we get the time."

"Thanks Commander."

Shepard nodded goodbye, and left the Armory, taking the elevator to the third deck where Miranda's office was located.

She made her way past the mess hall, and knocked on Miranda's door. "Come in." Miranda's muffled voice called out, and Shepard opened the door.

As she entered the room, Miranda practically bolted out of her seat. "Commander, we need to head to Illium immediately." Miranda said, her voice laden with uncharacteristic worry.

Shepard held up a hand to calm her down. "Slow down. You mind telling me why first?"

Miranda froze, and took a deep breath. "Very well. To make a long story short, I'm a "designer" baby. My father grew me, and eventually a "sister", Oriana, hoping to create a "genetically perfect" human."

"That sounds like a dangerous road." Shepard commented as she crossed her arms.

Miranda nodded. "I wasn't really a person to him, more a symbol of his success. Eventually I had had enough, and I escaped thanks to a friend, Niket. Me and my sister. I left her with a decent couple, and she's been safe ever since."

"Until now."

"I hired someone to keep an eye on her, and I just received word that Oriana and her family are in danger."

Shepard uncrossed her arms. "Then there's no time to waste."

Shepard watched through the Normandy's viewport as the ship sailed towards Illium, the planet growing in size from a speck, to blotting out the stars. Shepard turned to leave as she heard a docking officer contact the Normandy to provide landing clearance. She notified Miranda, as well as Jacob, Kara and Rocket that they were about to land, and they should gear up.

Shepard joined Jacob by the docking umbilical, and heard the elevator come to a stop in the CIC, Miranda, Kara and Rocket stepping off. As they moved to join Shepard, she glanced at Jacob out of the corner of her eye. "You don't mind us helping Miranda out first, do you?"

Jacob shook his head. "This is urgent, and my father's probably dead anyway."

Shepard was about to respond, when she heard Miranda speak from behind her. "I'm surprised you agreed to help. I thought you hated me."

Shepard turned, only to realize Miranda was speaking to Kara. "I do. But your sister isn't Cerberus, and I'm not about to let some rich prick like your father ruin her life."

Miranda gave Kara a look approximating gratidude. "That makes two of us." Miranda said determinedly.

The umbilical doors opened, and Miranda took point, the others following close behind.

They weaved quickly through the throngs populating the walkways towards the bar where Miranda's contact was waiting, quickly enough that Shepard was almost having trouble keeping up.

As they entered the bar, and the Asari came into view, Miranda practically sprinted towards her.

"What's her status Lanteia!"

The Asari looked at her dispassionately. "She's fine, for now anyway. Your father's mercs are closing in, they're setting up in the docks, bay 21. If you're ready, I can take you there right now."

"Lead the way." Miranda said firmly.

Shepard gazed out the window of the sky-car as it sailed towards the docks, other vehicles whizzing past them almost faster than the eye could see. The sky over Illium darkened as the sun disappeared behind the horizon, and Shepard turned her attention to Miranda, who was uncharacteristically fidgety. "Oriana will be fine Miranda." Shepard said calmly.

"I know. I'm just trying to find out how my father knew about Oriana in the first place."

"Did anyone other than you know where she was?" Kara asked.

"Yes. My friend Niket."

"Would no one else recognize her?"

"I rescued her when she was a baby, so nobody would know if they saw her."

"Then Niket sold you out." Rocket said.

Miranda glared at him. "He wouldn't do that."

"Then how else would you explain the presence of your father's men?" Kara countered.

"I…" Miranda's voice died in her throat as they approached the docks.

As the vehicle descended for a landing, Shepard spotted four armed guards near their LZ. She saw one of them gesture towards their car, and they began to approach as the sky-car came to a stop.

As Shepard stepped out, she saw they were wearing sleek black armor. "My father's private security." Miranda whispered.

The leader of the group gazed at Kara, then at the rest of Shepard's team. "Get back in that car and get out of here."

"Do you know who I am?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah, that's the only reason we didn't light you up on approach." The door on the other end of the bay opened, and half a dozen more armored figures poured through.

Rocket flicked his eyes upwards as Miranda and Shepard spoke to the merc, noticing that his reinforcements took position directly underneath a shipping container.

"Thinking what I'm thinking?" Rocket asked under his breath.

"Let's see where things go first." Kara responded, resting her left hand on the grip of her pistol.

Much to Rocket's satisfaction, almost as soon as the words left Kara's mouth, the merc leader raised his weapon.

Kara's hand moved faster than the eye could see, and she fired a single shot straight into his skull.

The man's head burst like a balloon as the superheated projectile flash vaporized the liquid inside his body.

Rocket immediately took aim at the crane above the other mercs, and fired. The bolts melted through the metal "arm", and the container crashed into the ground, crushing the men and women beneath it.

Miranda used her biotics to suspend the remaining three hostiles in the air, where they were subsequently torn apart by fire from Rocket, Kara and Shepard.

Miranda glared at the container that now blocked their path. "What were you thinking?" She shouted. "How are we supposed to get to Oriana now?"

Kara chuffed. "Oh ye of little faith." She said as she approached the right corner of the container, Rocket close behind her. Shepard shot Miranda a bemused glance before following.

Kara placed both her hands on the container and with a grunt, pushed the twenty foot rectangle out of the way. Rocket turned and smirked at the two stunned human women as Kara moved further down the side of the container, moving it as well.

Rocket moved to join Kara, Shepard and Miranda shaking their heads and following shortly after.

Kara drew her pistols and walked through the door the mercenaries had come through, finding herself inside a large loading bay, with cargo being carried up through the floor and ceiling, towards the ships waiting for them far above. Many more crates lined the walls and floor, waiting for their turn to be loaded.

Rocket's ears swiveled as he barely managed to hear voices across the room over the sound of mechanical lifts, and he swung his rifle to face the threat.

Another ten mercenaries approached them, weapons belching rounds as they charged.

Shepard and Miranda took cover, while Kara returned fire, killing three, and wounding a fourth. Rocket, unable to get a clear shot thanks to his diminutive stature, growled in annoyance as he swiftly climbed Kara's body to get a better angle.

He hefted his weapon, taking aim at a pair ducking their heads behind a rectangular crate.

He laid down suppressing fire, sending hissing balls of plasma scorching through the air mere inches from their heads.

Miranda took advantage of the opportunity, using her biotics to pull Rocket's targets into the air, where his rounds blew them apart. She targeted another three mercenaries, yanking them into the hole in the floor where the shipping containers were being pulled through. They disappeared for several seconds, only to reappear atop a crate.

Their excitement at survival was short-lived, as they were quickly put down by combined fire from Shepard's team.

With the last combat effective hostile eliminated, Kara casually moved towards the wounded individual. As she rounded the corner to where they fell, she saw a woman lying motionless on the ground. The plasma had burned through her armor and flesh, and blew her leg apart once it reacted to the water in her body. The parts that were left had been cauterized.

She was on the verge of shock, but Kara figured her odds of survival were safe enough to bet on, even if she didn't intervene. The woman weakly raised her hands.

"You'll live, so long as you don't do anything stupid. Like try to shoot us in the back." Kara said, before turning to leave. Kara felt Miranda move towards the casualty, and she turned, stepping closer in case Miranda tried anything.

"How did you know where to find my sister?" she growled.

The woman's voice came out trembling. "W… we got tipped off b-b-by an informant. Somebody who knew her."

"Where is she?"

"We were about to m-move in when you got here. We were setting up in bay 32, up the elevator."

Miranda scowled, and raised her pistol.

Before she could pull the trigger, Kara bolted forward and jerked her arm to the side, sending the round harmlessly into a nearby crate.

"Let go of me!" Miranda snarled. Kara's grip only tightened, as she turned, and dragged Miranda with her like a stubborn child towards the elevator. While they were doing that, Rocket pocketed the wounded mercs radio, and moved to follow.

For a moment, Miranda considered using her biotics to throw Kara off her, but decided against it. Kara's grip made it clear that if she was thrown, Miranda's arm was coming with her.

"I understand that Cerberus doesn't have any rules regarding ethical behavior, but I do. Try to shoot somebody who isn't a threat again, and I'll make sure you never see Oriana again." Kara growled as they reached the elevator.

Jacob shot Shepard a concerned glance, and she simply shrugged. Miranda was a little too cold for her liking. Having people reign that in wasn't a bad thing as far as she was concerned.

As Rocket joined them in the elevator, he produced the radio, and noted the frequency. He and the rest of the team patched in, and a moment of silence passed before they heard any traffic. "Alpha didn't answer the comm check, assume they're KIA. Somebody's coming up the elevator, and we need more time before we move on the target, over."

Another voice answered. "Solid copy. Charlie is moving to intercept."

"Good luck Charlie. Bravo out."

Shepard and the rest of her team readied their weapons, while Kara stepped between them and the door to the elevator, drawing her pistol, ready to absorb the fire that would greet them.

The doors opened, and Kara spotted five personnel, weapons at the ready. As soon as the doors began to open, Kara fired. The orbs of plasma burned holes through the seam of the doors that had just begun to part, striking their targets with lethal precision, leaving all but one dead.

The final hostile had raised a biotic barrier, disrupting the magnetic field holding the plasma together, causing fiery lances of lightning to crackle angrily in the air, before dissipating.

Jacob and Miranda both used their own biotic powers to attack the survivor, but it had no effect, much to Kara's worry.

Judging by the armor, the opposing biotic was either a Batarian (not likely considering the planet they were standing on) or a human. Either way, Miranda and Jacobs combined attacks should have killed him.

Kara capitalized on the brief distraction, and lunged forward with all her unnatural might, slamming her fist into the biotics armored head, crushing the helmet, and the meaty skull within.

With Charlie squad dealt with, Shepard's team entered bay 32, finding the last four mercenaries.

They found them conversing with a Human male, one Miranda recognized. Miranda approached the man.

"Niket?" Miranda asked numbly.

"Miri." The man responded sadly.

"Why would you do this? How could you help my father find Oriana after helping me escape?"

"It was your choice to leave. If I had known you'd stolen a baby-"

"Stolen? I rescued her." Miranda shouted.

"Rescued her from what? A life of luxury?"

"A life of being treated like a prop by a narcissistic sociopath." Miranda spat. "I'll do whatever I have to to protect Oriana from him, and I won't let anyone threaten her. Not even you." Miranda raised her pistol, but hesitated for a moment. "Sorry Nicky."

Just as she began to squeeze the trigger, Shepard lunged, gripping her arm and jerking it up, sending the round into the wall on the other side of the room.

MIranda glared at Shepard. "What are you doing?"

"You don't want to kill him Miranda." Shepard said firmly.

Niket kept his hands open in a pacifying gesture. "I'll… I'll tell your father what happened, that you got to Oriana before we did and I don't know where she is."

Miranda grit her teeth. "I don't ever want to see you again, Niket."

He was silent for a moment. "You won't."

Bravo squad's leader looked at Niket in disbelief. "We're not leaving here without the target."

Kara growled menacingly, and Rocket snorted derisively at the man. "We just killed the rest of your guys. You really think the four of you losers can take us out?" Biotic energy swirled around Miranda as she readied herself, and the rest of Shepard's team raised their weapons.

The mercenary gazed at them, his expression hidden behind his helmet. "Fuck this." He said, before leaving, his subordinates close behind.

Shepard's team watched from a safe distance as Oriana's family walked through the promenade, Miranda gazing wistfully.

Shepard gazed at her out of the corner of her eye. "You should talk to her."

Miranda shook her head. "No, it's safer for her if I stay out of her life."

Kara huffed. "Your father found her once, and he won't stop until he has her. She'd be safer if she could contact you directly. And, there's no harm in the two of you getting to know each other."

Miranda looked at the ground, considering Kara's words. "I suppose you're right." Miranda took a deep breath, and walked briskly towards Oriana. Whatever they said to each other wasn't meant for the others, and they turned their attention elsewhere as the sisters spoke.

Much to Shepard's glee, Miranda and Oriana hugged each other goodbye before they left, promising to stay in touch. As Miranda rejoined the rest of the team, she shook her head as she saw the slight grin on Shepard's face. "Not. A word." She said firmly as she brushed past them.

Shepard shot Jacob a glance, and the man shrugged. "That went well."

"Better than I expected." Kara said off-handedly.

"Let's get back to the ship. I feel like I could use a shower." Shepard said as she turned to follow Miranda.

When the team arrived back on the Normandy, Kara and Rocket bid farewell to Shepard as she took the elevator to her quarters, while Miranda joined the pair as they took it down. Kara watched the woman shift almost imperceptibly, and then the Hunter cleared her throat. "I'm worried about the Biotic we encountered at the docks."

"Now that you mention it, they were stronger than they should have been. I can handle some Asari with my biotics, and with Jacob's help, they shouldn't have survived our attack." Miranda turned, and her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the woman standing over her. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"When we accompanied Jack to Pragia, we encountered human biotics. Biotics that were also stronger than the norm, strong enough to put Jack on the defensive."

Miranda frowned. Jack was supposed to be the strongest human biotic alive, and only one organization knew what happened to her. "Are you saying that the biotics you encountered were Cerberus? Including the one on Illium?"

"I don't have any hard evidence that they were, but…" Kara trailed off, and Miranda sighed.

"But, it looks like they were." Miranda finished. "But that doesn't make sense. The Illusive Man knew I escaped my father. He helped me hide Oriana."
"Your father also created Human vat babies with biotic abilities. Do you really think Jack Harper would turn his nose up at the opportunity that technology provides?"

Miranda opened her mouth to respond, but snapped it shut before she could say anything else.

Miranda stepped out of the elevator, a frown plastered on her face. Rocket shifted on Kara's shoulder. "Do you have any idea how we're gonna deal with those guys when we see more?"

"Hit them hard and fast. They can't attack and defend at the same time, so as long as we keep them on the defensive, we can handle them."

Rocket grunted as he felt a slight sense of vertigo as the elevator came to a halt. Kara angled towards a crate that came up to just beneath her chest, and Rocket hopped atop it. He yawned, and stretched his arms, before turning around to face Kara. "So it looks like we got some time alone before our next op." Rocket gripped the zipper to his jumpsuit, and pulled it down, stopping just as it reached his pelvis. "You wanna have some fun?"

Kara smirked, and brought a hand to her chin. "I think I'll just watch you." Rocket snickered, and removed his clothes. As soon as he was free, Kara's smile grew wider as she saw the clear liquid dripping from Rocket's tip.

"You sure you just wanna watch?" Rocket asked salaciously as he began to stroke the length of his shaft.

Kara growled as she placed her hand on his chest, pushing him onto his back, while she pulled her top off with her left hand. "Go screw yourself." She said as she leaned back.

Rocket gulped, and began to oblige. Kara felt a pulse between her legs as she watched the thin skin covering his manhood slide up and down hypnotically, stretching the pale, thickening blue veins underneath.

Kara began to purr, a deep rumbling growl resonating from her throat as she began to massage Rocket's legs with her claws, encouraging him.

More of the clear liquid drizzled out of Rocket as he nursed his erection, and as he increased his pace, Kara began to hear slick, wet slaps. She smirked, and decided she felt like contributing. She opened her mouth and let her tongue dangle tantalizingly close to him allowing her saliva to drip down her mouth, and coat the delicious little meat-stick beneath it.

Rocket groaned as he saw the warm, bubbly liquid land on his tip, before it was quickly smeared down his length. He clenched his teeth, and gripped his sack with his left hand, moaning as he felt himself about to burst.

He pumped his hand as fast as he possibly could, his right leg spasming furiously, smacking against the crate he was lying on like a drum, eliciting a giggle from Kara, who leaned close to Rocket's ear.

"Aww, are you enjoying jerking off in my face like a little pervert?" Kara whispered playfully.

Rocket gasped her name as he finally climaxed, and he immediately wrapped his arms around Kara's head, embracing her in his euphoria. He felt the muscles from his base to his tip clench and relax as they shot out alabaster white ejaculate all over his belly.

"Good boy." She murmured, before kissing him. She looked down at his body, and smirked. "Now we have to clean all this up." She said, as she dipped her head, kissing each spot where his cum landed, sucking the fluid off his body. Kara shifted her tongue, feeling the salty, sticky substance slide deeper into her maw as she reached Rocket's penis. She slurped up the last of it, then smiled at him, before stuffing her snout in his crotch and inhaling, her body shuddering as she breathed in his scent. She pulled away, purring in satisfaction. She lovingly placed her right hand against his head, and swallowed.

Rocket smiled, and placed both his hands on her, pressing himself against her, before she pulled away, dragging her fingers down his body. Rocket watched her leave, then laid his head on the cold metal crate. "Flark." He muttered breathlessly.