Shepard walked with her head down through the streets. It had been an hour since she'd slipped out the bar's bathroom window, and she hoped all the crew had managed to evade the Alliance. She sent Joker, Jack, the non-humans, and the essential crew back to the Normandy, advising the rest of the crew to scatter. Hopefully they listened and took care in getting back to the ship. She wasn't planning on fleeing, but she didn't want them to be held and questioned, especially on unfamiliar turf.
"Shepard," a voice rang out through her com.
"Joker?" She responded.
"It's Liara, said it's a priority message."
"Send it through," Shepard instructed.
A few seconds later Shepard's com was filled with the soft static of a long-range call.
"Shepard?" Liara's voice rang out choppy.
"Hey Liara. What's going on?"
"Got...message…" the call cut in and out. "Sorry for...connection. Had to encrypt….might...listening."
"Is this about Cerberus?" Shepard asked.
"Yes...important. You better come...me."
"I'm kind of in the middle of some Alliance stuff here."
"I know….investigation. This can't wait…"
"Okay. I'm on my way."
"Be careful." Liara finished before the line clicked dead.
Shepard started moving immediately. Liara obviously needed help with something and that something had to do with Cerberus and the message about the girl. Instead of heading straight for the Normandy's docking bay, Shepard turned North and headed towards the port's shopping district. The shops would have the highest concentration of civilians, and she needed civilians for her burgeoning plan to work.
It didn't take long for someone to recognize her, and she could practically feel whispers of the first human Spectre rippling through the crowd. She borrowed a pen from local shopkeep and started passing out autographs and taking pictures with the gathering crowd. She was never one for self-promotion, but today she'd make an exception. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a posted guard speak into his radio. Now that they were alerted to her location and working on congregating their resources here, she could hopefully give them the slip and make it back to the Normandy before they realized what was up.
Shepard started walking slowly through the crowd towards the East Street exit. The crowd moved with her, providing adequate cover. An eager child down in front was begging for an autograph, so Shepard knelt to sign her paper. While crouched, she unzipped her N7 issue sweatshirt and handed it to the girl. Her eyes lit up and she stumbled out a high-pitched thank you as she struggled to get her tiny arms into the sleeves.
Promising the crowd she would be right back, Shepard slipped inside an open clothing store. The shopkeeper looked alarmed as she barged rather quickly through the racks. She grabbed a random sweatshirt off the shelf and threw it on, tossing the storekeeper a handful of credits.
"You never saw me." She told him sternly and he nodded quickly without counting the creds.
Zipping up the sweatshirt, she pulled the hood over her head and slunk out the back door. Walking briskly and avoiding the main roads, she managed to make it back to the docking bay without alerting any suspicion. Getting on the ship however, would be slightly more difficult.
"Joker." Shepard called on her com
"Commander." he replied.
"Need a diversion at the airlock."
"On it." he assured her, clicking the com dead.
It didn't take long for Joker to appear in the airlock doorway. From the airlock there were a few short steps which then opened up into the rest of the facility. Shepard walked naturally towards the ship, pausing only to grab a few crates which were in the process of being loaded onto the ship for resupply. She held them close to her so her face would be hidden from the dock security cameras.
Shepard could hear Joker speaking to the guards as he walked down the steps as they turned their attention away from the dock floor and towards him. Shepard made her way towards them. After clearing the steps, Joker cried out, and fell, quite convincingly, to the floor. The guards, aware of his condition, ran to assist him. Shepard passed behind the group of men without notice, leapt silently up the steps, and into the safety of the Normandy.
"I think I broke something," she heard Joker groan as the airlock doors slid shut behind her.
Dropping the supply crates to the floor she ran towards the bridge.
"EDI." Shepard called out to the AI.
"Commander." EDI acknowledged.
"Start pre-flight checks, we're taking off as soon as Joker's back on board."
"I'm sorry commander, the ship's docking clamps have been put on Security Lockout. I am unable to leave the docking area."
"Fuck!" Shepard frustratingly hissed. "Can you override it?"
"That would be illegal, Commander."
Shepard paced back and forth in the corridor as the seconds ticked by, her heart racing and a pit in her stomach.
"Nothing's broken by the way," Joker chided as he walked up behind her. "What's going on?"
"I'm being court-martialed," she explained, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"Running's going to make that all better," Joker said, lacing his words with an amused sarcasm.
"I know I'll have hell to pay when I get back, but I trust Liara."
"Docking clamps disengaged," EDI announced to the room in a slightly amused tone for an AI. "Someone must have bumped the switch."
"Well that was lucky," Shepard remarked half-smiling with a breath of relief. "Take us out, Joker."
"Aye, Aye, Commander," he said as he moved around her into his chair.
"Set a course for the Shadow Broker base. We're visiting Liara."
Five minutes of tense flying and one warning shot later, they breached atmo and headed out of the Sol system through the Mass Relay. Shepard made her way to the CIC and made an announcement over the ship's intercom.
"Your attention please." She started, pausing for a few moments to make sure everyone was able to hear her. "Our recent activities in conjunction with Cerberus have become subject to investigation by the Alliance. Everyone aboard this ship is most likely considered a material witness and will therefore be subjected to questioning. Though no official warrants for my arrest have been issued, I do not doubt that one will be soon. I apologize for getting you all further involved with this, and rest assured I will drop you anywhere you wish to go before I return to Earth. I will do my best to keep you out of this mess, but many of you are already marked due to association. When my business is done and I return to Earth to face trial, I intend to do so alone. Returning with me will most likely mean your arrest."
She took a breath and continued on "Due to our hasty departure, we are down to a skeleton crew. These last few trips should take only a week and therefore I see no reason to extend shifts to cover these absences. I will be available in my quarters to make departure arrangements. That is all"
