MASS EFFECT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I'VE TRIED REPLICATING THE MASS EFFECT GUNS, BUT THEN I GOT A CEASE-AND-DESIST FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. WHOOPS.

So, Alanna met up with a friend, and made a few… what's the opposite of a friend? Right, enemies. Alanna found some enemies.

Mass Effect: Legacy

VIII

"Incoming!"

Alanna dove behind some cover at Tetros' shout, and barely dodged a hail of gunfire. She noted that it was the regular kind, not the bolts of energy she'd been on the receiving end of today.

"Who's shooting at us?" Alanna asked.

"Asari infantry," Mantle reported. "Seven individuals, lightly armed."

"I thought we had a ceasefire going on!" Haley growled.

"Maybe they didn't get the memo." Alanna shifted so that she could peer around her cover. "Hey! Stop shooting, we're not hostile!"

"Says you, Alliance!" an Asari yelled back. "You killed my sister on Elysium!"

Mantle crouched next to Alanna. "Shepard-Lieutenant, I have intercepted communications to the hostile unit. They are refusing orders to stand down."

"Dammit." Alanna sighed. "Okay, we'll do this the hard way. We don't have time to negotiate, and they don't seem to be willing to listen. Tetros, Haley, pin them down; everyone else is with me."

Haley and Tetros began sniping at the Asari; Haley managed to kill one that stepped out of cover, but the others were smart enough to hunker down. That gave the rest of the squad enough time to get in close; Alanna, Korim and Nok blew them away with their shotguns, leaving Mantle with nothing to do.

"Area clear," he said, somewhat unnecessarily.

"This is ridiculous," Tetros spat out. "Are all the Asari on this planet stupid, or just plain insane?"

"Well, I'm not," Alanna said pointedly.

"Right, sorry." Tetros gestured to the bodies. "Anything useful?"

Alanna ran a quick scan. "Just some credits. Come on, let's get this done before an entire Turian fleet gets mad at us."

"Only about two hundred meters away." Tetros pointed directly ahead. "If the entrance is still intact, we'll need to run a security bypass to get to the vault."

Korim laughed tiredly. "Between me, Mantle and Alanna, that'll be the easiest part of our day."

The squad reached the command center without further incident, but if they'd been hoping to meet with friendly Turian forces, they were disappointed. The front half of the command center had been blown apart, and the breach was patrolled by a squad of Adapters.

"Well, crap." Alanna raised her Tsunami. "Fire at will!"

Nok unleashed hell with his machine gun; he did significant damage to one Adapter, before it generated a kinetic barrier to withstand the attack. Mantle took over for killing that one; his disruptor ammo chewed through the barrier in seconds. Alanna managed to freeze another Adapter with her cryo ammo before it could adapt, and Haley shattered it with a well-placed sniper shot. Korim and Tetros tag-teamed another; the former kept it locked down with his biotics, leaving it open for the latter to finish it off.

After a few more minutes of combat, the area was silent, which let Alanna scan one of the more intact Adapters.

"Hey, did you guys notice that these guys only used shields and standard armor? No biotic barriers or anything."

"Pretty sure robots can't be biotics," Haley pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but biotics seem to be the one thing they can't adapt to." Alanna shrugged. "I don't know, maybe whoever built them had never encountered biotics before, or didn't know how to account for it with their robots?"

Korim nodded. "Hey, I'm not complaining."

"Well, I am!" Haley said. "You and Alanna are the only biotics on the squad."

"I guess that makes us the most important people here." Korim patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay, if we need someone punched really hard, we'll call you… wait, no, we have Nok for that."

"So, what, I'm just the good-looking one?"

Korim coughed. "Well, Alanna is an Asari…"

"I will stab you in the goddamn throat."

Alanna's glare was forceful enough to be felt through her helmet. "If you two idiots would knock it off, maybe we can get this mission finished?"

"Sorry," Haley and Korim both muttered.

Tetros peered into the command center. "Looks like the vault is already breached, but it couldn't have happened more than a couple minutes ago. We might not be too late."

"Okay, people, let's hurry it up!" Alanna brought out her shotgun. "Nok, you and I are on point; Haley, Mantle, watch our six."

"Got it," Haley said, all-business.

Mantle's optic blinked. "Affirmative."

The squad didn't get very far into the sloping tunnel leading to the vault before they were attacked by a Shifter, but it only got a single shot off, and then Alanna and Nok killed it.

"I hate those things," Korim muttered. "They're like snakes, only worse."

"Not a fan of snakes?" Alanna asked.

"I don't like anything that moves without legs." Korim shuddered.

"Okay, buddy, just stay calm," Haley teased. "We'll take care of the scary snakes for you. Want some warm milk and a bedtime story, too?"

Korim sighed. "Honestly, I thought you'd wait at least an hour before getting revenge."

Alanna tensed. "Tease later, we've got movement ahead!"

A pair of Adapters rushed out of the shadows, only to be met with a hail of gunfire that tore them apart before they could adapt.

"Shepard-Lieutenant, I am detecting a spike in dark energy," Mantle reported. "Purpose… unclear."

"I'm sure we'll find out soon," Alanna said. "We're almost at the vault."

The vault was much bigger than Alanna had expected, with angular arches that supported the cavern while still looking stylish. Large tables were arranged in neat rows, showing off the many artifacts the Turians had discovered there. Some of the displays were undamaged, but others had been tipped over and shoved aside by the score of robots. They were making room so that four of them could disassemble into their individual components, and reassembled into an upright, segmented ring that floated a few inches above the floor. The hollow section of the ring glowed with an orange light so bright it was impossible to see through.

If Alanna didn't know better, she'd swear that it looked like a doorway…

"I think one of those Adapters is holding something," Tetros noted, just as the robots turned to face them. The Adapter he'd pointed out was indeed carrying something, and marching to the ring.

"Take that one down!" Alanna ordered, marking it with her HUD, and then opened fire with her Tsunami.

Haley managed to blow the leg off the one Alanna had marked, then finished it off with a headshot, but she was nearly knocked off her feet by another Adapter's shot that wiped out her shields. Korim was at her side in an instant, and transferred some of his tech armor to her while her shields recharged.

"Thanks for the assist," Haley said.

"Yeah, love you too." Korim drilled another Adapter with his SMG.

Alanna couldn't help but smirk; even though they bickered often, Korim and Haley were as close as family. She clipped another Adapter with a Throw, but before she could finish it off, the enormous ring let out a rumble that shook her to the bone. A moment later, a pointed leg stepped through the light, and pierced several inches into the floor; two more legs joined it, and the three limbs supported a machine almost five meters tall. Its head was set low in its torso, with high shoulders and long arms; one arm ended in a triangular cannon, while the other had a hand with four sharp fingers. Unlike the other robots, this one glowed with orange energy, and it let out a menacing bass note.

"Take cover!" Alanna shouted, even before the massive robot raised its cannon.

The bolt of orange energy exploded as it hit the ground; the blast was enough to completely strip Nok's shields, and send him flying into a wall with enough force to knock him out.

"Oh, shit!" Korim ducked under another shot from an Adapter. "Alanna, what's the plan?"

"Stay away from the big guy!" Alanna quickly deployed a medical drone to Nok's position, then fired at an Adapter. "Stay at his flanks or rear!"

Haley tried to do just that, only for the robot to swivel ninety at its waist and aim at her. "That might be kind of difficult!"

Alanna swore in several languages. "Okay, new plan! Korim, you and I take down the rest of the Adapters. Everyone else, keep on the move, don't give that thing a stationary target, but keep the pressure on!"

Everyone scattered; Alanna used a Charge to shatter an Adapter into pieces, while also dodging the big robot's next shot. Nearby, Korim hurled a Singularity—much weaker than Alanna's, but still enough to catch two Adapters, and then detonated it with a burst of warp-ammo. By now, there were only a few Adapters left, and they were too busy with the rampaging biotics in their midst to fight the rest of the squad.

Tetros and Mantle kept up a constant stream of fire at the robot's head, while Haley got in close. She fired her shotgun again and again at one leg, hoping to take it out and send the whole thing toppling over. She ducked under the robot's grasping hand, only to get kicked in the chest by an undamaged leg. She landed on her back, winded, and could only watch as that leg reared back to spear her.

"Back off!" In a display of strength that would have surprised even other Krogan, Nok caught the descending leg in his hands. With a roar, he pushed the robot back, and then fired his machine gun one-handed.

"Thanks!" Haley managed, and then fired a close-range concussion round that finally broke off a section of the leg.

Her victory was short-lived, because the robot managed to grab her with its hand; her shields broke instantly, and her armor began to buckle under the pressure.

"No!"

Alanna gathered up as much biotic power as she could manage, and unleashed it all in a single Charge that catapulted her through the air. She slammed into the robot's elbow with same kinetic force as an orbital strike, snapping it clean off. Haley crashed to the ground, the hand still wrapped around her torso, but she was alive.

Now that Haley was out of the line of fire, Nok aimed his missile launcher, and fired one shot after another. He expended all of his remaining shots, and though the robot's chassis was rent and twisted, it was still moving, and it aimed its cannon at Alanna. Before it could fire, the cannon was directly hit by Overloads from Korim, Tetros, and Mantle; something important was badly affected, because the entire weapon abruptly exploded.

Alanna was more exhausted than she'd ever been, several bones were fractured, and blood ran freely down her nose from her efforts, but she still managed to get to her feet. "Kill this thing!"

Without being told to, everyone focused their fire on the robot's head. Even Haley managed to work one arm free to fire her pistol. Finally, after almost thirty seconds of continuous fire, the robot collapsed, and the light flickered and died.

Everyone remained where they were for a moment; the organics were panting from the fighting, and even Mantle was unusually still.

"Is that it?" Korim asked.

"I think so." Alanna limped over to Haley. "Guys, help me get her out of this."

Nok gently pushed her out of the way, and opened up the severed hand by himself.

"Thanks," Haley said, and wrapped one arm around her torso as she got up. "For that, and for the save."

"Thank Alanna," Nok grunted. "If that drone of hers hadn't shocked me awake…"

Haley sighed, and turned to Alanna. "Guess that's two I owe you."

"Oh, you owe me way more than that," Alanna joked, "but we can talk about that later. Right now, let's grab whatever these guys were so interested in."

The artifact in question didn't appear too interesting. It looked like a bladed tuning fork, with an open circle at the base of the handle. Alanna looked closer, and realized that the circle was almost identical to the portal the giant robot had stepped through.

That revelation made her realize something else. "Um, that gateway thing is still on. Should we be worried?"

"Probably," Tetros said, and then cocked his head. "Does anyone else hear something?"

Alanna focused, and heard it—a low whine, slowly rising in volume and pitch. It was coming from the gateway, which now seemed to be vibrating in place. That all added up to one thing in Alanna's mind.

"Everyone, run! It's gonna—"

There was a loud screech as the gateway exploded. Alanna felt a wave of pain, and then everything went dark.

…

Liara sat back in her chair and sighed. She loved Aethyta, she really did, but her father could be so aggravating at times. Aethyta had promised that there would be little chaos in the wake of her political maneuver. Instead, within hours of Tevos' withdrawal from the Asari government's majority, the Asari Republics were in a complete uproar. Many of the younger Asari, those born after the Reaper War, were siding with Aethyta, as was anyone with an ounce of common sense. A good number of Matriarchs, and the citizens they led, had openly sided with Tevos; they were joined by almost half the military, though most of the commandos remained loyal to Aethyta.

The Shadow Broker knew who she supported, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to help Aethyta's faction without getting noticed. Weapons, intelligence, and a small army of mercenaries—all of that was almost impossible to trace back to her, but if Liara wanted Aethyta to have a guaranteed victory, she might have to have a more open hand in affairs.

Not yet, she decided. I can't appear to have favorites. I can do more for the entire galaxy if the Shadow Broker remains in the darkness.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Glyph flew over to her. "Shadow Broker, we have received a signal on the emergency band. It is from EDI."

Liara felt her blood run cold; with her current mission, there was only one reason why EDI would send an emergency alert.

"What happened to Alanna?" she demanded.

"The context was not included in the message, but there was a list of medical supplies requested be sent to a specific location." Glyph was no AI, but it almost seemed concerned. "Marked as 'top priority' was a supply of Asari blood."

Liara nodded. "Have some taken from the ship's stockpile and have it transferred immediately, along with anything else that we have on hand."

"Already done, Shadow Broker. You programmed me to approve such actions without your authorization, if Alanna was involved."

"Good. That's… good." Liara wanted to bury her face in her hands, but over a century of being the Shadow Broker helped her maintain her composure. "I'll handle the rest, Glyph. I want you to take over other operations not marked as urgent."

"Of course, Shadow Broker. Please convey my best wishes to Alanna."

Despite her worry, Liara smiled; once again, she was reminded why she'd kept the little VI all these years. Then she returned to her work; something had happened to her daughter, and if a person was responsible, there was nowhere in this galaxy they could hide from her.

…

"—anna? Hey, Alanna, can you hear me?"

Alanna groaned. "'s goin' on? Oh, my head…"

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Can you open your eyes?"

With some effort, Alanna did so, but almost immediately closed them again when a bright light burned her corneas.

"Hey, doc, dim the light, would you?" Alanna finally recognized the voice as Haley's. "Don't worry, you're gonna be okay."

The lights dimmed to a reasonable level, and Alanna's brain sluggishly took in her surroundings. She was in a medbay, that much she could tell, but it wasn't the Sicily's. Turian medics went from bed to bed, where a dozen other patients were being treated.

"What did I miss?" Alanna asked.

"Quite a lot," Tetros said from the cot next to hers. "You've been out for almost three days."

"Three days!?" Alanna sat up, only to clutch her aching skull, and Haley gently forced her back down.

"Easy, easy." Haley smiled. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Fighting a giant alien robot, and then a big boom." Alanna's eyes went wide. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, we're all good." Haley patted her shoulder. "You and Tetros took the worst of it, but we're all expected to return to duty in a few days."

Alanna sighed. "How bad was it?"

Tetros grumbled. "I had my carapace shattered in twelve places. I've had four surgeries since they brought us to the Eighth Fleet's flagship."

"You lost a lot of blood, and the Turians didn't have any they could give you," Haley said. "You almost didn't make it, but a relief ship came by and was carrying Asari blood that matched yours. Pretty lucky, if you ask me."

Luck had nothing to do with it, Alanna thought. It pays to be the daughter of the Shadow Broker.

"Nok didn't need any help regenerating, and Mantle already repaired himself," Haley continued. "They covered our reports to the Alliance. Korim was out of it until yesterday; he had a few broken bones and a suit rupture, but he's been given a pharmacy's worth of antibiotics, and he's resting on the Sicily."

Alanna nodded slowly. "What about the artifact?"

Haley laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Actually, you managed to keep it safe, but it stabbed you during the explosion. It nicked an artery, which is why you lost so much blood. It's back on our ship, and EDI is running scans."

"I'm surprised the Turians let us take it," Alanna said.

"They started to kick up a fuss, but Primarch Vakarian stepped in; he said that we could study it, as long as we had a Turian observer to represent the Hierarchy." Haley jerked her thumb at Tetros. "He volunteered."

Alanna reached over to her 'cousin' and held out a fist. "Sweet."

Tetros completed the fist-bump. "Glad to be with you, Alanna. I could do without the bodily injuries, though."

"Agreed." Alanna shifted, and groaned when she felt another spike of pain. "Oh, this really sucks."

Haley winced. "Yeah, you had a skull fracture and a concussion. The medi-gel is still fixing that."

Alanna grimaced. "Hey, what about the rest of Atraxus? What's the situation?"

"The robots are gone, and most of the Asari surrendered a few hours after the Eighth Fleet showed up," Tetros said. "They're being held until the Hierarchy completes negotiations with the Asari Republics, but that might take a while."

"Why's that?"

"Not completely sure," Haley admitted. "Something happened a few days ago that shook up the whole Asari government, and it looks like there might be a civil war brewing. All I know is that some Matriarch named Aethyta was put in charge of one side."

Alanna snapped up to a sitting position again. "What!? Ow, shit, my head!"

"Easy!" Again, Haley pushed her down. "Do you know her?"

"She's my grandfather." Alanna shrugged. "Unless there's another Matriarch Aethyta I don't know about."

Haley blinked. "Huh. Small galaxy."

"Tell me about it." Alanna sighed. "How long before I can leave here?"

"The Turians want to keep you for observation for another day, and then they'll let us go back to the Sicily." Haley rubbed her temples. "After we do, we're under orders to return to Earth for debriefing."

"Oh, that'll be fun."

"Considering General Vega and the head of Alliance Intelligence want to speak to you personally, yeah." Haley frowned. "You don't seem worried."

Alanna grinned. "Considering who they are to me, I'm really not." She slowly made herself more comfortable—which was difficult, considering that the beds were made with Turian carapaces in mind. "Thanks for being here, Haley."

Haley smiled back. "Any time, Alanna." She hesitated. "Hey, after we get back to the ship, do you want to have that talk?"

It took Alanna a moment to realize what she was referring to. "Oh. Right. Yeah."

Tetros looked from Alanna to Haley, and then back again. "Should I know what's going on?"

Both women gave him a flat look. "No."

…

It took almost a week for the Sicily to return to Earth; several days to actually get to the Sol system, another day of decontamination and quarantine after encountering unknown alien technology, and another full day of medical examinations, in case the Turian doctors missed something. Finally, the squad—including EDI's body—was escorted to the Lawson estate.

"This is where the head of Alliance Intelligence lives?" Korim craned his neck back to see the entire house. "You could buy a destroyer with the money this place costs! Probably fit the whole crew of one in here, too."

EDI chuckled. "Actually, if you take the entire property into account, the total capital required was almost twice that."

"I don't believe you," Haley said flatly. "No house costs that much."

"It does if you factor in the property's defenses, and the underground command center for Alliance Intelligence."

Tetros' eyes went wide. "Wait. This is Alliance Intelligence HQ? Am I even allowed to be here?"

"This is only one command center," EDI informed him. "And even if you remembered the security codes today, they would be changed as soon as you left. You are not considered a security risk. Besides, you are counted as a member of the Normandy family."

"You just need to show up at more of the reunions," Alanna said, with a friendly elbow to his side.

"It's not my fault I'm off hunting down pirates in the Terminus so often!"

Alanna laughed, then gestured to EDI. "Come on, let's go in before everyone else loses their minds staring at the house."

"I can't believe you're not freaked out by this place," Haley grumbled, while EDI entered the security code for the gate and led them inside.

Alanna shared an awkward look with her. Despite knowing they had to talk, that promised conversation on the Sicily had never happened. Both of them kept making excuses and pretending to be busier than they were.

"Well, I visited here at least once a month for almost forty years," she said. "Never as a soldier, though, so this might feel a little different."

"Only a little for you," Korim said. "We're about to be in a room with EDI, Miranda Lawson, and James Vega. You know, three of the most famous people in the last century?"

"Really?" Alanna's sarcasm was so thick it was almost visible. "I wasn't aware. Not like I haven't had to live with that my entire life."

Korim winced. "Okay, when you put it like that…"

There were no guards inside the manor, but Alanna knew it was far from undefended. Anyone with hostile intentions that somehow made it past the outer defenses wouldn't get a meter past the threshold before getting shredded by everything from remote-detonated mines to an anti-materiel rifle hidden in the far wall. Miranda had done a phenomenal job of hiding it, though; to anyone who didn't already know, the house was covered in marble slabs, expensive wood furnishings, and antique artwork from across the galaxy.

"Director Lawson has asked us to meet her in her quarters," EDI said. "There is no room in the Alliance more secure. We will be able to speak freely there."

The rest of the walk was spent in silence as the squad followed EDI up the stairs. Nok hummed in approval when the wooden steps didn't so much as groan when he stepped on them.

"The stairways are reinforced with miniature Mass Effect generators," EDI explained. "They can be shut down to remove the structural integrity to slow hostile forces."

"All this security seems a little much, even for the head of Intelligence," Haley commented.

Alanna scoffed. "This is the woman who survived Henry Lawson, missions with my father against the Collectors, the Reapers, and Cerberus. Honestly, I'm surprised she didn't just buy an actual fortress and move in."

"Good point."

EDI led them to a set of ornate doors and knocked; a light above the door turned green, and she opened them. Miranda was waiting in a chair by an oak desk, while James leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, and by the opposite side, tapping away at her omni-tool—

"Mom!?" Alanna almost tripped as she walked into the room. "What are you doing here?"

Liara smiled. "I heard my only daughter had been hurt badly enough to require a major blood transfusion. You can't expect me not to show up."

"Okay, that's fair." Alanna accepted the hug her mother offered. "Good to see you in person, Mom."

James coughed. "You know, Lieutenant, you're supposed to salute in the presence of superior officers."

"Not in this room, Vega," Miranda said airily, and stood up. "I'm glad you've recovered, Alanna."

"Thanks, Miranda." Alanna looked over her shoulder and smirked when she saw the rest of her squad—even Mantle and Tetros—frozen in place. "Oh, get over it, guys."

Miranda rolled her eyes and gave Alanna a gentle hug; she then stepped back and tapped at her omni-tool. The doors closed, and there was an almost imperceptible hum.

"There," she said. "This room is now completely secure from all potential espionage. We can now get down to business."

"Agreed," Liara said. "Unfortunately, our schedules mean that this meeting must be short, so listen close.

"EDI has shared all the data regarding the artifact you acquired on Atraxus, and after careful consideration, I can say with certainty that it is not Prothean. In fact, it wasn't even among the original artifacts discovered there. The aliens, which we have codenamed 'Outsiders', deposited the device on the planet after interfering with Haestrom's sun. I suspect the Turians were meant to find it, and bring it to their command center in preparation for this moment."

"So it wasn't just the Alliance these Outsiders have been observing," Alanna realized. "Do we know how far back this goes?"

"Well, the first artifact you discovered is seven hundred millennia old, so I would wager that the Outsiders have been active in some capacity for at least that long." Liara smiled in faint wonder, and Alanna was reminded that her mother had once been an archaeologist. "You haven't been the only ones making discoveries; other squads in the taskforce have also found artifacts of Outsider origin. We've already amassed a small stockpile of various devices, and a treasure trove of data to examine."

"Some of the technology recovered has responded to tests, but others are inert," Miranda added. "Whether or not they are actually dead has yet to be determined. However, you are the only ones to encounter hostile units… aside from those targeted for assassination, that is."

"Speaking of which, have we figured out why the Outsiders are after, well… you?" Alanna frowned. "These attacks feel personal, but I don't think any of you, or Dad, ever met these guys."

"You're right, none of us have ever encountered the Outsiders before." Miranda began to pace; even at nearly a hundred and forty years old, her movements could still make hearts skip a beat. "And this does indeed feel like a personal attack. For some reason, the Outsiders believe that Commander Shepard, or anyone close to him, represents a threat to their plans, whatever they are."

"Maybe it's because Dad stopped the Reapers," Alanna suggested. "He couldn't have done that without all of you. Maybe the Reapers were too much for the Outsiders, and anyone who could beat them is even more dangerous."

"That's the theory we have as well," Liara said. "Considering that you have never been targeted for assassination before, it could be that the Outsiders only see you as a potential threat. That might give you enough leeway to draw them out of hiding, without triggering too much of a response."

Alanna rubbed her head, now free of any pain. "I don't know, that Titan packed a punch."

James chuckled. "Yeah, I remember you calling that big robot that in your report. Good name, kid."

"Thanks." Alanna shrugged. "So, what's our next move?"

Miranda smiled. "For now, the taskforce's mission remains the same: look for signs of the Outsiders, retrieve their technology, and discern their objective. For you and your squad, you're being given a few days' leave."

"Ma'am, we don't need special treatment," Korim protested.

"You aren't getting any," James replied. "You're still technically recovering from injuries, and we're not gonna send you out until you can actually do your job. Don't argue, just be happy to have a few days off."

"We'll have a new assignment for you soon enough," Miranda added. "For now, enjoy yourselves. You're welcome to use my home during your stay on Earth."

Haley blinked. "Really?"

Miranda smiled. "It's a big house, and very few people are here at any one time. I often loan out rooms to Intelligence operatives. This is no different. If we have a new target for you to investigate, you'll receive another medical evaluation before being allowed into the field."

"I'm fine," Nok rumbled.

"My systems are functioning optimally," Mantle added.

Liara walked up to them; she met the gaze of the Krogan and Geth with steady, unblinking eyes.

"You are also on the same squad as my daughter," she said with the tone of one discussing the weather, yet both Nok and Mantle took a step back. "I am not going to risk her life because of your pride. You will receive an evaluation. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," both soldiers replied meekly.

"Mom!" Alanna protested, mortified.

Liara waved her off. "Dear, I've never threatened someone for potentially putting your life at risk, let me have this."

"I give it a nine out of ten," Miranda commented. "Next time, try to smile more. It unnerves and confuses people."

"Thank you, Miranda," Liara said, and then put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Now, I'm going to steal Alanna for the day, but the rest of you can enjoy your leave."

The squad watched, dumbfounded, as Liara practically dragged Alanna out of the room; Miranda and EDI smirked, but James was laughing hysterically.

Tetros recovered first. "So… any good dextro-safe restaurants in Sydney?"

…

"I can't believe you did that," Alanna complained. "That's a lot of respect I'm never going to get back."

Liara rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, a little teasing now and then will keep you humble."

Mother and daughter were sitting on a balcony outside a hotel room Liara had rented under an alias. It had been almost four years since they had seen each other in person, and Liara was determined to enjoy it as much as possible.

"Did Dad ever have to deal with stuff like this?" Alanna asked as she waited for her tea to cool.

Liara chuckled. "I'm told that Kasumi pranked him at least once a week—itching powder in his hair, dye in his coffee, that sort of thing. She even roped Jacob and Zaeed into helping her a few times."

Alanna raised an eyebrow. "And Dad just took it?"

"Oh, no, he escalated things. EDI showed me footage of him stealing Kasumi's hardsuit and coloring it after every prank. Usually something eye-wateringly bright, like pink or yellow."

"Hold on, what? Dad managed to steal from Kasumi?"

"Your father might have gone into the N7 Soldier program, but he also completed the Infiltrator course as well. He was probably the only human to be just as good at stealth as Kasumi."

Alanna shook her head. "And I thought I knew all the stories."

"Oh, there are a few others we never shared." Liara's smile turned smug. "Did you know that every single female member of the first and second Normandy tried to seduce your father at some point?"

"Ew, even Tali and EDI? Even Samara?"

"Well, not EDI, she was happy with Joker." Liara frowned. "I was hoping you'd focus on the fact that your father remained faithful to me."

"Yes, that's nice, but how did you not murder everyone who threw herself at Dad?"

Liara shrugged. "It's all in the context. Miranda's attempt was actually at the Illusive Man's urging, and she stopped after John helped her protect her sister. Jack never really meant it, Kasumi was just messing with him, Samara had a brief emotional breakdown after her daughter's death, Tali had a brief emotional breakdown after her father's death, Kelly just had a brief crush, and Ashley was dead before John and I got together."

Alanna blinked. "Wow."

"I know." Liara's gaze grew distant. "I still remember when things grew serious between us. It was during the Reaper War, and we were between missions on the Citadel. John had helped get your grandfather and I talking, and he'd come to check on us; Aethyta thought we were already bondmates, and said as much. I've seen John stare down everything from angry Krogan to Reapers and never lose his composure, but that simple statement turned him into a stuttering mess."

Alanna listened in fascinated silence. Liara often spoke about her father's accomplishments, but she rarely talked about anything emotional between them.

"After he calmed down, I asked him if he was embarrassed. He held me close and told me that only one thing in the galaxy would make him happier than spending the rest of his life with me." Liara wiped away a few stray tears. "That was spending the rest of his life with me and our children."

Alanna blinked away her own tears, and gave her mother a hug. "I wish he still could."

"So do I." Liara smiled through the heartache she still felt. "But he lives on in you, and I know that he would be so proud of the person you've become."

"Thanks, Mom." Alanna sighed, and decided to change the subject. "So… what happened with Aethyta?"

Liara shook her head. "She decided to take advantage of Tevos' weakened position and tried to enact some cultural reforms. Tevos didn't like that, so she and her closest supporters broke from the Asari Republics. According to my sources, they've got almost half the Asari military on their side, and have started calling themselves the Athamean League. They're trying to use the goddess' name to justify their actions, and claim that Athame chose the Asari as the true inheritors of the galaxy."

"… the hell?" Alanna could feel another headache coming on. "Doesn't the Asari government know that Athame was just a group of Protheans that uplifted our species?"

"The Matriarchs do, but they managed to suppress that information from the public." Liara scowled. "Our religion was already a farce, but Tevos has twisted it into a tool for her ambitions. There are rumors that she's convincing her followers to name her High Matriarch of the Asari."

Alanna frowned. "There hasn't been a High Matriarch in thousands of years. The position was discarded to prevent any one family from gaining absolute power."

"Tevos' argument is that that actually weakened Asari society, and they need a strong leader to carry the Asari into a new golden age."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Liara sighed. "I know. Fortunately, the Asari Republics still have most of the civilian and industrial sectors on their side, so Tevos will either have to take the supplies she needs by force, or make alliances with someone who does."

"Considering how many people she's pissed off, I doubt she'll have many friends."

"Oh, it's better than that." Liara smiled. "The Turians refuse to acknowledge the Athamean League as a legitimate government, and Garrus is prepared to provide military aid to the Republics if war breaks out. They might not be part of the Council anymore, but everyone else is following their lead; the Salarians and Batarians both denounced Tevos' actions, and have refused to recognize her either."

Alanna nodded at the good news. "What about the Alliance?"

"So far, they're just going to wait and see, since the war ended less than two weeks ago; most Asari still hate and fear the Alliance, regardless of faction. The only reason the Alliance would get involved is if Tevos initiated hostilities."

"Hey, as long as that crazy bitch stays in her little corner, she can do whatever she likes." Alanna sighed. "How is the Alliance doing? I'm not exactly high enough in the ranks to find out information like that."

"You think I am?"

"Mom, you're the Shadow Broker."

Liara laughed. "Fair enough. The Alliance suffered some casualties during the war, but nowhere near as many as the Council. If anything, we'll have more troops and ships in a few weeks than we did before the war started. Elysium took the worst damage, but the defenses are already fully repaired, and everything else will be back to normal in a month, at most."

Alanna sighed. "Then we got lucky."

"More like we were extremely prepared, while the Council was overconfident." Liara's smile turned smug, since she had had a large hand in preparing the Alliance. "With Tevos no longer in a position of power, and the Turians formally withdrawn from the Council, the Salarians and Batarians just don't have the unity to be a serious threat to the Alliance."

"I'm fine with that," Alanna said. "That just means we can focus on the Outsiders."

"That's the hope." Liara took her daughter's hand in hers. "Alanna, I need to return to my ship tomorrow morning. I have leads to pursue, and resources to manage."

"I get it, Mom." Alanna gently nudged her. "After this craziness is over, we can spend more time together. Still, it was good to see you again."

Liara blinked away her tears. "Just remember, if you ever need me, I'm a call away."

"So, if I have to hide a body, you've got my back?"

"Please, I taught you better than that—you don't hide a body, you destroy it."

"Right, because there's no murder if there isn't a body." Alanna laughed. "Speaking of impolite things that you know how to do, any dirt on politicians you want to share?"

Liara's smile turned a smidge evil. "Oh, I have plenty."

…

The next evening, after Alanna had said her goodbyes to her mother, she as wandering the streets of Sydney when she got a call from Haley on her omni-tool.

"Hey, Alanna, you busy?"

"Not really," Alanna said. "What's up?"

"You know, since we shipped out as soon as we graduated, we missed out on an N7 tradition." Haley paused. "I'm at this bar a lot of Alliance soldiers go to. Want to grab a few drinks for a belated celebration?"

Alanna thought about it; she wasn't much of a drinker, but Haley was right that they'd missed out on celebrating becoming N7s.

"What about Korim?"

"He's already here. If you hurry, you can watch him try to chug a forty through a straw."

"Emergency induction port!" a distant voice protested.

Alanna grinned. "Send me the address; I'll be right there."

…

The bar wasn't too packed, which Alanna appreciated. Most of the patrons were human, but there was a pair of Krogan, and a few Quarians. Korim was with the latter, and all of them seemed pretty drunk already.

"Are they gonna be okay?" Alanna asked as she sat down next to Haley at a table.

Haley slid her a beer. "Yeah, they'll be fine. Quarians are lightweights; I swear, one of 'em's only had two drinks. By the way, first round's on me."

"Thanks." Alanna downed half her beer, and grimaced. "Ugh."

"Come on, don't tell me you're not a drinker."

Alanna shrugged. "I think the only drink I like is bourbon."

Haley rolled her eyes, and finished off her own beer. "I should have figured you'd only settle for the best."

"Why do you think I have you on the squad?" Alanna raised her bottle, which Haley clinked with an unopened beer.

"Ah, so you did invite me for something other than my looks."

Alanna finished her first bottle, and accepted a second. "How many did you buy before I got here?"

"Eight, but I only had one before you showed up." Haley made a face. "I'm just glad you did. There's a few marines who've been eying me since I got here."

"Please, you can take a whole platoon of marines."

"Well, yeah, but have you ever had to tell someone who's interested in you that you're waiting for someone? It's awkward as hell."

Alanna grinned and held up her beer for another toast. "To avoiding having to shoot down suitors."

"Amen to that." Haley raised her own beer, and the two took a long swig. When Haley glanced back, she grimaced. "Oh, crap, they're coming over, and they look mad."

Before Alanna could say anything, a burly man with black hair slammed his hands on their table. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Alanna raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

The man managed to point at her, despite swaying on his feet. "You don't get to come in here after what your kind did!"

Most of the bar went silent.

One soldier, not from the drunk man's group, stood up. "Whoa, man, calm down."

"Shut up!" the drunk roared. "My whole squad got killed by Asari on Elysium, and this one thinks she can show her face here!?"

Haley started to rise, but Alanna stopped her; she had always thought something like this might happen after the war, and she needed to face it herself.

"What's your name, soldier?" she asked quietly; the more sober patrons recognized the dangerously steady quality of her tone, but the belligerent drunks in front of her didn't.

"Corporal Jake Keller," the man snapped. "Why, you gonna complain to the next soldier you sleep with to get in here?"

Alanna smiled. "No, I just want to make sure I got your name when I fill out my report." She stood up, and tapped the logo on her black hoodie. "The name's Alanna Shepard, N7 Lieutenant."

Keller sputtered. "No! They'd never let a blue bitch be N7!"

"They did." Alanna was a little surprised Keller hadn't recognized her last name, when everyone else in the bar had. He was just too angry, and too drunk.

Keller grabbed her by the front of her hoodie. "Y'don't deserve that! Only reason you should be in a bar is when there's a pole!"

Then he spat in her face.

Crack!

Keller stumbled back, spun around, and fell to his knees. Alanna wiped her face and turned to Haley, who was pulling back her fist.

"Really?"

Haley shrugged. "He crossed a line."

"Fucking—!" Keller spat out blood and staggered to his feet. "Get 'em!"

Alanna and Haley might have had a few drinks, but they were nowhere near drunk. Keller and his friends, on the other hand, were barely able to throw a proper punch. In less than three minutes, the entire group was on the ground, bruised and battered and unlikely to get up for a while.

"Sorry about that," Alanna said to the bartender, who scoffed.

"No need to apologize, LT; I should have tossed those idiots out hours ago when I heard them talking shit about Asari. When the MPs come in to sort this out, I'll tell them they started it."

Haley grinned. "Thanks, Mac."

Alanna blinked. "You know him?"

"Well, yeah, you should always ask the bartender's name."

"Huh." Alanna waved at the bartender. "Thanks, Mac."

"No problem, you two." Mac poured two large steins and held them out. "These are on me, none of that cheap stuff you've been drinking."

Alanna and Haley both accepted the drinks with good cheer, and sat back down to wait for the MPs.

"So…" Haley sighed. "On behalf of all humanity, I'm really sorry about what that guy said."

"It's okay." It actually wasn't; in a way, Alanna had been sheltered for most of her life, and had never experienced the kind of bigotry many Asari faced. Being on the receiving end had stung more than she'd expected. "Thanks for having my back, by the way."

"I always will." Haley hesitated, then took a long swig of her drink to steady her nerves, and leaned against Alanna. "Hey, do you want to—"

The door to the bar abruptly opened, and five MPs marched in. "Okay, what's going on here?"

Alanna sighed and got to her feet to explain things. As she left, she could have sworn she heard Haley mutter 'damn, so close'.

…

The next day, Alanna happened to run into Nok, who was laughing uproariously with a few other Krogan. She noticed that all of them were wearing necklaces decorated with long, bloody teeth.

"Alanna!" Nok waved her over. "Check this out! These guys and I got to go croc-hunting!"

"That's a thing?" As Alanna got closer, she saw that all the Krogan had blood on their hands.

"Yeah!" another Krogan cheered. "There's this place a few of our people set up. They grow these huge crocodiles, and we can pay to wrestle 'em to death! It's awesome!"

Alanna pointed at the necklaces. "And those?"

"Souvenirs," Nok said proudly. "Ten credits a tooth, five if you kill the biggest one in your group. Which I did!"

"I figured you guys would want to hunt something more dangerous," Alanna said, carefully staying out of reach of the enthusiastic Krogan.

"Are you kidding?" Nok flexed his right arm; without his armor, Alanna could easily see the bite-marks on his bicep. "No armor, no weapons, and you have to fight the crocs in the water! I almost got my arm bitten off before I crushed that sucker's skull!"

"Besides," another Krogan added, "you can't wear thresher maw teeth."

Nok laughed again. "I love this place! Hey, Alanna, you want a go? They usually want Krogan for this stuff, but I bet they'll you in!"

Alanna actually considered it. "Nah, I'm good. Maybe I'll kill something bigger than a crocodile and mount its head in my cabin."

Nok grinned. "You should come with me on a maw-hunt on Tuchanka. It's usually all-Krogan, but we sometimes get a few crazy humans who want a go. It's awesome—no better way to show you're the strongest thing on the planet!"

"I actually wanted to go on one of those, but I never got a chance." Alanna crossed her arms. "If we get a chance, maybe we should bring the whole squad."

"Don't forget the maw steaks," another Krogan said as he unsuccessfully tried to scrub the blood off his necklace added. "Nothing tastes better than a slab of meat from a maw you killed yourself!"

Nok nodded, and wiped away a trace of saliva. "Yeah… marinated in its own acid, cooked rare, and served with some charred sweet potatoes… never had a better meal in my life."

"Okay, that actually sounds really good," Alanna admitted. "I'm gonna have to check I can survive eating that. If not, I'll give you my portion."

"Awesome!" Nok went to slap her shoulder, but stopped himself when he remembered how bloody he was. "Oh, yeah, we should get cleaned up."

"Probably a good idea." Alanna gestured to his new scars. "Just don't get eaten by something else before we ship out again, okay?"

"You got it, Alanna." Nok turned to the other Krogan. "Come on, guys! Lunch is on me!"

…

That evening, Alanna found Tetros back in the Lawson estate. He was pacing as he read something on his omni-tool, but stopped when he heard her enter his room.

"Hey, Alanna. What can I do for you?"

"Just checking in," Alanna said. "I thought you'd be enjoying the sights."

"I did some sightseeing yesterday," Tetros protested. "But I couldn't stop thinking about Atraxus. The casualties were pretty bad, Alanna."

"Do you have exact numbers?" Alanna asked, though she dreaded the answer.

"Almost ten thousand killed or wounded," Tetros said grimly. "We haven't had losses like that in a single day since the Reaper War."

"Nobody has." Not even the Alliance had taken casualties like that in the first day of the war with the Council.

"I have a feeling it might get worse," Tetros continued. "The Outsiders have powerful tech, and they only used a probing force on Atraxus. If they have a real army, it… it could get really nasty."

Alanna crossed her arms; she remembered the throngs of terrified civilians on Elysium, and how so many had been killed by frustrated Council soldiers. That had been the briefest taste of what the Reapers had inflicted, and Alanna tried not to imagine something just as bad.

"How prepared is the Hierarchy for a full-scale war?" she asked.

"Better than the rest of the Council," Tetros said wryly. "After the Reaper War, we reorganized our military doctrine. When it comes to a more powerful enemy, we won't try to match force with force—sniping, artillery, and low-yield orbital strikes are the order of business."

"That's a lot of collateral damage."

"Cities can be rebuilt, but only if we survive to rebuild them." Tetros laughed, but it was bitter. "Uncle Garrus told me how the Asari reacted when he suggested they adopt a similar policy. Apparently, one Matriarch laughed in his face, and another broke down in tears."

"Well, with Aethyta in charge, maybe things will finally change." Alanna didn't hold on to much hope on that front; even if Aethyta had all the progressives on her side, the Asari had always been slow to adapt.

"You're doing that thing again."

Alanna blinked. "What thing?"

"You're looking at Asari from the perspective of humans." Tetros reached out and lifted her hand up to her face. "You might have been born on Earth, but your skin is still blue."

Alanna tugged her hand free. "I like to think it gives me a unique point of view."

Tetros shook his head. "You know more about humans than your own species, Alanna. I may not agree with Asari decisions, but you have a responsibility to know your own heritage before you judge it."

"I…" Alanna winced; she had grown up studying Asari culture, but reading about it and truly living it were two very different things. "I know. Kinda hard to want to learn when almost every other Asari I've met has tried to kill me."

"All the more reason why you should. You're the heir to one of the most prestigious Asari bloodlines; you could help lead them into a better future, but you won't get very far if you don't know the culture." Tetros stepped back. "Sorry, that was crossing a line. You get to decide how to live your life, not me."

Alanna smiled weakly. "At least you're not going on about how I'm my father's legacy. It's a little refreshing, to be honest."

"Damn, now I know I should have been to more reunions; I could have told you all this years ago." Tetros chuckled. "Anything else I should be brutally honest about?"

"Well, now that you mention it, weren't you dating some scout from another regiment a couple years back? What ever happened with her?"

"No! No, no, spirits, no!"

"Ooh, now I have to know…"

…

Alanna stepped out of her room and yawned; with her eyes closed, she didn't see Korim until she bumped into him.

"Morning, Korim; sorry about that."

"No worries, Alanna; I was on my way to see you anyway." Korim crossed his arms. "Hey, have you seen Mantle? He kinda disappeared yesterday, and I haven't heard from him."

"He's not answering comms?"

"I haven't tried," Korim admitted. "It's not urgent, just a quick question about his paintjob. Not a lotta Geth paint themselves orange, and I remember another orange Geth from when I was a kid. I was just wondering if he'd transferred bodies between then and now; it happens a lot."

"Weird coincidence if it was him." Alanna activated her comms. "Mantle, where are you?"

"Oh, come on," Korim whined. "You don't need to make a big deal about it."

"And you're not making enough of a deal about it, so man up and talk to him." Alanna waited for a moment. "Mantle, come in."

"Apologies, Shepard-Lieutenant," Mantle responded. "I am in Director Lawson's communications hub. I have been assisting EDI with coordinating other elements of our taskforce. I will be available in three minutes."

"Thanks. Korim and I will see you then." Alanna slapped Korim's shoulder. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"Well, I would have talked to him yesterday, but I was still dealing with that hangover from the other night."

"God, you're such a wuss."

"Bite me."

"If I did, you'd die from an infection."

The two got into a playful shoving match on their way to Mantle. When the Geth exited the door to the comms-hub, he tilted his head.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Nah, I'm good." Alanna pushed Korim forward. "This guy just wanted to see if you two had met when he was a kid."

Korim glared at her. "Wow, okay, just get it all out in the open, why don't you?"

Mantle looked at him. "Where did you think you and I met?"

Korim sighed. "Uh, Pilgrim's Landing, about twenty years ago? I was ten, and I saw a Geth trooper with orange paint. I was wondering if that was you."

For a long moment, Mantle was quiet. "No data available."

Alanna blinked. "Is that the Geth version of saying you forgot?"

"Geth do not forget." Mantle twitched. "There is a gap in my memory files. I know that I spent twelve hours in Pilgrim's Landing, but the files pertaining to my actions have been deleted."

"That's… not good." Korim tapped his fingers together. "How come you seem surprised?"

"The discrepancy was only noticed when I deliberately searched for that file. Interesting." Mantle bobbed his head. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Creator Dor. Would you be willing to assist me in recovering those files?"

"Uh, sure!" Korim gestured to Alanna. "She's really good at data-recovery as well."

Mantle nodded. "Understood. Shepard-Lieutenant, would you assist us if requested?"

"Of course," Alanna said. "Keep me informed, okay?"

Korim sighed. "You just want an opportunity to show me up again, don't you?"

Alanna held a hand over her heart. "Why, Korim, how could you accuse me of being so cruel?"

"I have records of over a dozen times you did that during N7 training."

"You just need to be quicker on the draw, buddy." Alanna glanced over Mantle's shoulder, and saw Miranda gesturing for her to come over. "Later, guys; seriously, let me know what you find out."

"Got it, Alanna." Korim lightly clapped Mantle's shoulder. "Come on, let's go take a look at your brain."

Alanna waited until they were gone before stepping into the comms-hub. "Did you need to speak with me, ma'am?"

Miranda nodded. "I was going to call you, but you came to me first. I wanted to let you know that the logistics for your next mission are almost ready. You should be prepared to ship out in twenty-four hours."

Alanna stood at attention. "Roger that, ma'am. What's the op?"

"There's a particularly vicious band of pirates operating out of the Terminus Systems," Miranda said, and brought up an image of a scarred Batarian on her omni-tool. "They're being led by a rather loathsome specimen by the name of Jalka. If you can think of a crime, either he's committed it, or he ordered someone else to. Murder, kidnapping, slavery—when people think of stereotypical Batarians, he's the one they picture. He's also very cautious, and rarely stays in one location long enough for someone to take a shot at him. But that's changed; Alliance Intelligence caught a break, and we finally know where his real base is. The Seventh Fleet is moving out to destroy his operation, and I'm attaching your squad to assist."

Alanna frowned. "Not that I'm happy scum like this is in our crosshairs, but what about our mission to stop the Outsiders?"

"I'm getting to that." Miranda brought up another image; this time, it was the artifact from Atraxus. Alanna felt a twinge of phantom pain when she thought about how it had stabbed her. "The device you recovered is emitting a signal; it's extremely faint, and we only detected the frequency in another location because we were looking for it. Whatever this other source is, it's inside Jalka's base. Your mission is to assist the Seventh Fleet's assault, locate this new artifact, and retrieve it before the entire base is destroyed. If you happen to kill Jalka in the process, all the better, but he's not your priority."

"Understood, ma'am." Alanna saluted. "We'll get the job done."

"I know you will." Miranda smiled wistfully. "If there's one thing your father gave you, it's your ability to succeed, despite the odds."

"No offense, Miranda, but I like to think I did that on my own." Alanna shrugged. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

Miranda nodded. "Regardless, you should get ready. With a vicious little monster like Jalka, you should expect the worst."

So, Alanna found another piece of the puzzle, and almost died in the process. That's pretty typical for a Shepard, right? Also, lots of interactions between Alanna and her team, because what kind of Mass Effect story doesn't have that after every mission? And I wanted some face-to-face time between Alanna and Liara; too bad it took a near-death experience for the Shadow Broker to actually see her daughter, right?

I've been thinking about something. I've been treating this story as the next Mass Effect game, which made me wonder which voice actors would play which characters. Obviously, any returning characters would keep their voice actors, but I came up with a list of who would voice the new team:

Alanna: Laura Bailey (think of the kind of work she did in Gears 5, and you'll get a good idea of how Alanna sounds)

Haley: Marisha Ray

Korim: Matt Mercer (with a Quarian accent)

Nok: Travis Willingham

Tetros: Liam O'Brien

Mantle: Taliesin Jaffe (while trying to sound as emotionless as possible)

These are all very talented actors. The fact that they are most of the main cast of Critical Role is a coincidence. I'm not completely obsessed with their various campaigns, I swear… but you should all watch The Legend of Vox Machina. Even if you already have, you should watch it again.

Moving on.

As always, please consider buying my book, Alpha Sanction, by Josh Gottlieb. You can find it on my website (link in my profile), or on Amazon as an eBook or physical copy. Sales help motivate me to keep writing the sequel, which I hope to have out this year.

Another way to support me is through my P-atreon page (link in my profile). Donations help me get one step closer to quitting one of my three jobs, and maybe affording a place to live. After that, maybe I can update my stories at least once a week, which would be fun for all of us.

Speaking of donations, I'd like to thank the following patrons:

Serious Muffins: Nimrod009, Matthias Matanovic, John Collins, Red Bard, Aaron Meek, killroy225, Lokthar, Hakuryuken, Anders Lyngbye, the sercher

Incredible Muffins: RaptorusMaximus, michaelb958, Crazyman844, Ben Stueckle

Ultra Muffins: RangersRoll, Adam Costello

Next Chapter: Alanna enters the Terminus, but it might not be the pirates, or even the Outsiders, who are the biggest threat.

I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite Muffin on the Citadel.