Chapter 7

? - ?

The darkness would be comforting if it wasn't for the splitting pain in her head. She felt different, as if she weren't herself. She looked down, she recognized her features. Her pale arms with freckles dotted down them, her muscular frame, her… breasts…

It was then that she realized she was naked. Looking herself over, she didn't have a scrap of clothing on her. "What the hell?" she asked, her voice sounding both familiar and distant at the same time. "Where… where am I?" The only response she got was another sharp spike of pain to her head.

Staying silent now, she sat alone in the darkness for a while, noticing that she wasn't standing or sitting. Instead, she was simply floating in the dead center of nothingness. She peered around to see if her eyes could pierce the veil of darkness surrounding her but trying to look only made her head pound harder.

"-ard was-!" came a shout, startling her out of her loneliness. She looked around again, ignoring the pain in her head.

"Hello?" she called out to the void.

"-ell someo-" came another as if from nowhere.

"Please! I'm here!" she shouted as she tried in vain to move around.

Suddenly, she felt a jerk on herself as if a cord tied to her had suddenly grown taut. She felt slightly nauseous as the pain in her head grew, the feeling of being whipped backwards by a cord not helping in the slightest. Then, the voices grew louder, and the silence dimmed.

Medical Bay – SSV Normandy SR2

She groaned as she felt the pain now constantly throbbing in her skull. Opening her eyes, she immediately slammed them closed and held an arm over her face as a blindingly bright light filled her eyes. "What the hell! Can someone dim the lights?"

Suddenly, all noise around her stopped. "Shepard!" came the voice of Karin as she rushed to her side. "Apologies Shepard, we didn't expect you awake for a while," said the woman as she turned down the intensity of the light and tilted it away from her patient.

Finally, Shepard opened her eyes again and looked up to see the silver-haired woman staring down at her in concern. "Where am I?"

"You're in the medical bay on the Normandy. Operative Lawson and Lieutenant Taylor brought you back here after what happened on Omega," came the woman's caring voice.

"Oh… right…" groaned the spectre as she looked away from them all.

Karin apparently looked away and began lashing out in aggravation. "Now, someone explain to me why I wasn't told that Shepard had suddenly developed biotic abilities!?" she snapped.

Miranda responded with the same hardline tone she always did. "We hadn't intended for Shepard to be using her abilities yet, so, it was not necessary for you to know."

"I'm her doctor!" growled the older woman as she got into Miranda's face. "She is my patient! If you expect me to do my job here, then I need to know everything, and I mean EVERYTHING that happened to her!"

"Apologies doctor, but access to the Lazarus Project files is classified," said Miranda, her face a mask of stone once more. "However, since Shepard decided to jumpstart her training into biotics, I suppose it wouldn't be out of order to go ahead and send you her BNM files. They should give you the information that you need," said the woman before she turned and finally walked out of the room.

Karin snorted as she watched her go. "Good to see that Cerberus hasn't strayed too far from the Alliance in insufferability," said the doctor before she turned back to Shepard.

Jacob chuckled in the background. "You're not wrong there. She's a handful."

"Jane, how are you feeling?" asked the woman as she leaned over the table again.

"Like a krogan headbutted me. Like… four times," she said as she reached up to rub her own forehead. But she found a small, cold, pad resting there instead.

"Leave that be," said Doctor Chakwas as she reached up and redirected the spectre's hands. "After that stunt you pulled, your body temperature shot up and you need to cool down. You nearly cooked your brain inside your skull."

"Oh…" said the woman as she closed her eyes again. "So, that's why my head hurts…" she said with a heavy sigh. But her eyes suddenly snapped open and she jerked her head towards the doctor. "Where is Garrus?" she asked urgently, her attempt to sit up immediately blocked by the doctor.

"Over here, Shepard," came the voice of the turian from the next bed over, sounding waspier than usual.

She turned her head and saw him laying on his side, the easiest to do for a turian with their diamond-shaped torsos on a medical bed designed for humans. Despite the awkward position, he seemed relaxed as he looked back at her, half of his face wrapped in bandages. "Really? Couldn't tell it was you under there," she said jokingly.

He chuckled, then groaned. "Ah… damn you Shepard, don't make me laugh," he said with a sigh.

Jacob shook his head from behind Chakwas and looked between them. "Two of the toughest sons of bitches in the galaxy. Wiped out two entire gangs and sent one running, took down a rampaging krogan and a gunship, and then blasted with gunfire and missiles. Yet here you both are only two hours afterwards joking with each other."

Garrus merely looked over at Jacob. If he felt pain from the side of his face, he didn't show it. Shepard just closed her eyes and gave him a thumbs up. "You're working with the team leader of the crew that took down Sovereign. The awe will wear off eventually."

"Heh, if you say so Shepard. Just keep up the good work and this whole situation will be over in no time," said the soldier before he turned and left the medbay.

Chakwas returned to Shepard's side and reapplied the cooling pad, making it slightly colder. "Just lie back and rest for now. Once your temperature has gone down you can try moving around again. Until then, please just relax so I don't have to fix more of you," said the woman with a smirk.

"Only if I can stay home from school today," said the spectre as another sharp pain hit her brain.

"I'll think about it," said the woman as she stepped away. "That goes for you too, Vakarian. No getting out of your bed until the medigel reconstructs what's left of your face," snapped the woman before collecting her datapads and leaving the medbay.

Shepard turned her head and looked through the window, seeing the doctor make a beeline for the XO's quarters. "Hmm… maybe Miranda has met her match."

"Miranda? Was that the one that picked us up?" asked the turian next to her.

Refraining from nodding, Shepard simply answered, "Yeah. Operative Miranda Lawson." Holding a hand up, she pointed to the door. "The guy that just left is Lieutenant Jacob Taylor."

"I had noticed the nametag, as well as the emblem on their uniforms," he said, any amusement gone from his voice.

"Ugh…" groaned Shepard, realizing that she was going to have to explain this situation to literally every one of her old crew. "Look…"

"Are you Shepard?" asked Garrus sternly as he peered at her from the other bed. "I need to know now what I'm dealing with."

Gathering herself, the woman inhaled deeply before letting out a heavy sigh. "Look, I don't know what I am, alright?" she sniped back as she stared at the ceiling. "All I know is I woke up on a dying space station that was under Cerberus' command. I escaped with Lawson and Taylor, and afterwards they informed me that I was the subject of a two year long medical experiment."

"Experiment?" asked Garrus, his tone less serious now.

"Something like that," she said as she raised a hand up and flexed it in front of her eyes. "They said they had gotten ahold of my body from Alchera. The planet's temperatures had put my remains into some kind of cryo state, and then they artificially did the same thing before spending billions trying to bring the rest of me back to life."

"And they succeeded?" he asked, almost in awe.

"Apparently," she said as she stared at the back of her hand. "But I have no way of knowing if that's the truth. I could just be a clone of the original, a fake." The thought had crossed her mind a few times. Perhaps she wasn't Shepard, and instead she was some kind of fraud walking around in a manufactured body built by Cerberus. She frowned momentarily before the turian's laughter caught her ears. Turning her head, she glared at him as he groaned again from the pain. "What the hell is so funny."

"Concern like that is indicator enough that you're you," he said shaking his head. "Not to mention the work you did back on Omega. Doesn't matter if you're in your original body with new parts, or you're a clone. It doesn't take away from the fact that you're you."

She smiled slightly at him before looking back up at the ceiling. "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you."

"I'm still concerned about this apparent partnership you have with Cerberus, however," he said as he leaned back again, taking pressure off his neck.

"Let's just say I'm using them to figure out why the Collectors are harvesting humans. Their boss, the Illusive Man, thinks it's related to the Reapers. And as much as I want to put a bullet between his eyes, I have to agree with him," she said as she clenched a fist. "The modus operandi is there, and I don't intend to leave things at Sovereign being dead."

Letting out a small quiet chuckle, Garrus looked back to her. "So, you pull my cloaca out of the fire just to throw me back into it," he said, his remaining mandible twitching in amusement. "Well, I'm here for you Shepard. Whether it's fighting Collectors, Reapers, or Cerberus when they eventually betray us," he said, letting out a sad sigh. "It's good to be back with a team."

She looked over at him for a moment, noticing the sudden drop in his tone. She knew there was something hidden beneath the surface of those predatory eyes, one of which was covered with bandages. But she didn't intend to pry. He of all people knew about her open-door policy, and if he wanted to talk, he knew she'd be there. So, instead of pressing him, she nodded and groaned as another head pain hit her. "Welcome back, Garrus."

XO Quarters – SSV Normandy SR2

The door slid open as the spectre approached it and she immediately saw Operative Lawson sitting at a desk, working on a terminal. The desk itself was placed in front of another door behind the woman, no doubt the entrance to her actual quarters.

The raven-haired woman looked up from her terminal, and for a brief moment, Shepard saw what her resting face looked like before it once again transformed into a mask of stone. "Spectre. Good to see you up and walking again so soon."

Nodding, Shepard spun the small chair in front of the desk before sitting in it backwards, her arms crossed over the back. "Fever has gone away, and I no longer feel like a thresher maw is trying to escape my skull."

"Good. Your springboard record is as immaculate as always," said the woman before she turned away from the terminal to give the spectre her full attention. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I need to know a few things," said the redhead as she rested her head on her arms. "Since Lazarus Station, we've been moving at a pretty fast pace. And I've been game to pick up speed, but I need to pump the brakes for a few and find out exactly what changed inside me."

"Ah…" said the operative with a nod. "You're here to ask about the biotics?"

"Yes, but it's more than that," said Shepard as she sat up in the chair and stared at the woman. "I need to know what's changed. What have you done inside that wasn't the same as I used to be."

"It's rather simple, Shepard. We've made you a lot harder to kill," said Miranda as she crossed her legs beneath the desk. "For starters, most of your skeleton, skin, and muscles are woven with synthetic nanofibers. They lattice over your bones and harden them, making them nearly unbreakable. In your skin they're woven together to make it harder to puncture and bruise your epidermis. In your muscle, they're layered and respond to signals from your cerebellum that cause them to contract and relax with your own movements."

Shepard eyed the woman curiously, annoyed that the woman's face showed little more emotion than if she had just read off the ingredients of a bottle of tap water. "So, because of this, I'm stronger, faster, and harder to kill?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," said the operative as she shrugged. "The fibers in your skin protect you from a lot of blades and sharp objects. They also protect your internal organs from trauma should you suffer a strong enough blow to your abdomen. Those in your muscles give you strength, but not superhuman. You're above average by human standards. It puts you on par with your typical batarian weightlifter, allowing you to lift around 400 kilograms, perhaps more or less depending on the situation." Reaching down, Lawson slid her a datapad across the desk allowing Shepard to see the extensive applications. "These same microfibers can also be used to channel medigel directly into a wound, allowing for the fixing of internal wounds as well as being more effective on external."

Shepard's brows furrowed. "I'm sorry… you can pump medigel inside me? Is that healthy?"

Miranda chuckled, though her mask never dropped, making it sound like she was just humoring her. "It's a specialized form of medigel. You have a small injection container of it in your armor, and we stock it on the ship as well. Unlike regular medigel, it's a liquid, and can be guided through the microfibers to almost any skeletal or muscular injury you may have. When its work is done, it goes inert and is evacuated from your body through urination."

"I just urinate it out?" asked Shepard, bewildered at the advancement.

"It's not as bad as you're thinking, Shepard. The worst side effect you'll see from it is having blue urine for a day," said the operative.

Shepard shook her head, then reached up and rubbed her skull. She knew she'd never be able to feel the nanofibers beneath the skin, but she tried anyway. "Isn't that kind of technology still untested?"

"By Alliance standards, yes. But Cerberus has different standards and we don't drag our heels on testing in the science wing. We're fully funded thanks to the Illusive Man, unlike the civilian sector that gets the back seat from the Alliance in favor of ship technology," said the woman as she leaned forward slightly. "On that note, you also have cybernetics installed into your spine, and your eyes and ears are partially synthetic."

Shepard's eyebrow shot up as she reached up and placed a hand on her ear. "Why?"

"The Illusive Man doesn't skimp on his investments," she said as she swiped to another screen on her datapad. "We've seen what you're capable of. And in some of the battles we have on record, you've attempted feats where your survival hinged on your crewmates' creative thinking and expediency. He doesn't want you to have to rely on them as much this time around. So, your hearing and vision have been slightly altered to react to adrenaline in your body."

"I have a berserker mode now?" asked Shepard with amusement.

Miranda cracked a smile and shook her head. "Nothing so dramatic. When you enter battle, your hearing and vision are heightened, and your spinal augmentations allow for faster reaction speed. You already had a very impressive reaction reflexes before the augments, but we've made them better."

"Wait, why didn't I experience any of these when I was on Omega or Freedom's Progress?" asked Shepard curiously.

"We hadn't turned them on yet by that point. You're supposed to go through extensive training to get used to your new senses before using them in actual battle or they could hinder you more than help. We would have turned them on for Omega if we thought you would be fighting, but our plan had been to pick up Vakarian without much of a fight," said the woman with a sigh. "I knew you were a magnet for disaster, but I had no idea until I saw those bombs go off in Archangel's base."

"Too bad you couldn't enhance that aspect of me," said Shepard with a cheeky grin, making Miranda shake her head. "I want you to activate the enhancements."

The XO's eyes widened. "Shepard, you haven't had any training…"

"And I'm not going to if they're off. Any advantage against the reapers is one I'm willing to take. And I'm not shy about that. We'll be handling mostly low level thugs when we go after Solus, so it's a perfect opportunity to try them," she said, her face as stern as a statues. She could see Miranda fighting against herself to argue, but ultimately the woman gave up.

"Alright, Shepard. We'll do things your way," said Miranda as she glared at the spectre.

"Now… the biotics," she ordered.

Miranda let out a sigh and ran her hand through her bangs to remove them from her face. "I don't know how to tell you this without upsetting you, so I'm just going to come out and say it," said the operative as she returned the woman's stare. "You've always been capable of being a biotic."

"That… doesn't make any sense. Why did my…" asked Shepard, but she stopped as Miranda continued.

"I don't know. When we were piecing you back together, we noticed the biotic nodes in your nervous system. They were underdeveloped, but healthy enough to be nurtured," said Miranda as she shrugged. "We went looking for any records pertaining to anatomical scans, and they all came back marked as negative for biotic potential."

Shepard looked down at the floor in front of the desk as she sighed. "Which means…"

"Which means that someone knew you were a biotic, but suppressed the information," finished the raven-haired woman. "There's a zero percent chance that the Alliance missed your biotic potential over and over again with every physical and neurological examination you've had in the military. Someone had to be doctoring the information."

"Perhaps an admiral and a captain well known within the Alliance…" she growled as images of her mother and father floated in her mind.

"They'd certainly have the pull," said Miranda as she waved her hand carelessly. "The question is, why?"

"I'll have to ask," said Shepard as she sat up in the chair and looked at the woman again. "So, you nurtured my nodes during my resurrection and installed a biotic amp as well?"

Nodding, Miranda gave a business-like smile. "We did. While we were instructed to bring you back exactly as you were, we also concluded that the benefit of giving you biotics was too great to leave them as they were." She eyed Shepard for a long moment. "Do they bother you?"

Shepard let out a heavy sigh before shrugging. "On the one hand, it's good for combat. Being able to manipulate objects and opponents on the field is invaluable. That will definitely come in handy."

"But…" replied the operative as she waited for the conclusion.

"But… I'm already questioning whether I'm really me or not. Whether I'm actually Jane Lilith Shepard, or some clone with advanced brain mapping. And all the upgrades were one thing, but the biotics kind of add to that anxiety that I'm not who I think I was," said the woman as she closed her fist.

Nodding in understanding, Miranda sat back in her chair. "I see. Well, given how little you trust me, I don't know if my words will be able to move you at all. But you are you. Your brain is the same one we had to cut out of your helmet from Alchera, and while your body is mostly cloned tissue regenerated through the Lazarus project, all of it originally belonged to you."

Shepard stared at her for a long moment before nodding and looking at her hand again. "I've had these three freckles my entire life and you managed to keep them there. Is the rest of my body the same?"

Miranda gave Shepard a stern glare. "I'm very meticulous in my work. While you're probably missing a birthmark or two on the parts of your body that wasn't necessary in medical records, I can assure you that most everything that existed does so now as well."

"I appreciate the attempted assurance," said Shepard before her glare hardened as well. "So, who's gonna train me to use them?" she asked curiously.

"Jacob and I both are biotics that can teach you how they work. But it's more than just learning how to aim and throw. Learning biotics is a lot more complicated than learning to fire a weapon," said Miranda as she laced her fingers together and gave Shepard a plain look. "Jacob, while he can teach you some, isn't a skilled instructor. I, on the other hand, can if you'd like me to."

Shepard eyed the woman curiously before giving a small smirk. "You just want the chance to boss me around for a change…"

For a brief moment, Shepard saw the crack in her armor as a small smirk curled at the edge of Miranda's mouth. But it went as quickly as it arrived. "I won't lie, the chance to toss you against the wall a few times is incredibly tempting. But if you wish to train, then it must be quick. Our current mission involves collecting specialists who are well known for being in danger, or a danger to others. So, we can't linger for long."

"Understood. We'll save the training for after we're done on Omega. In the meantime, I'm gonna get something to eat before we head back out," said the spectre as she stood up again. As Jane got up from her seat, she saw a brief moment of understanding from Miranda. She didn't know if the woman felt sympathy for her, or if she related in some way. But it was a refreshing change of pace from her normally icy demeanor. Smiling to the XO, she turned away and left the room once more.

Afterlife – Omega Station

The long lines at the club were obnoxious to say the least. Not to mention those inside. So many people packed in one place was a disaster waiting to happen. She knew this, and Aria likely knew this as well. But there were no rules on Omega. If someone died from stampeding, then they died. She huffed as she entered the door with one of those in line shouting after her about cutting. Ignoring the offensive language, she barged into the now alternating doors and headed directly for the stairs.

When she arrived, the turian guard took one look at her and nodded towards the stairs leading up towards Aria's chambers. Moving quickly, she saw the woman standing with a drink and staring out over the crowd in the club. "Take a seat, Shepard," said the woman as she absent-mindedly waved her drink towards the long couch. Shepard took the offer and sat with one leg across her knee. "You've been making waves."

"I usually opt for canonbombs versus just diving," said the woman sarcastically.

Aria chuckled lightly before finally turning to her. "I had thought you intended to take your friend Garrus back with you. But instead, you annihilated the Gowthra clan of the Blood Pack, killed the leadership of the Eclipse Omega branch and the Blue Suns, and now I'm hearing you're a biotic. You're just full of surprises."

Nodding, Shepard sighed. "Turns out the friend was a fake. Garrus wasn't actually here; it was someone impersonating him."

Aria's eyes narrowed at the implication. "Apologies, but it was the information we had. And we gave it to you. If you're trying to pry more information out of me, you'll still have to offer something in return."

"I thought you'd say that. Which is why I brought this," said Shepard as she held up a data disk.

Aria eyed the woman briefly before her eyes turned to the disk. "I assume that's information that you wish to trade?"

"It's information you need, in fact. Because hatred is a powerful thing, and when three gangs on Omega get together to finally deal with a problem, they tend to want to take care of all their problems at once while the treaty lasts," said the redhead as she smirked slightly.

Aria's gaze narrowed as she sat on the couch. "You have a list of people who planned to use the gangs' union to overthrow me?"

"I do indeed," said the spectre as her smirk vanished from her face.

Aria gave an almost seductive smile as she leaned back against the cushy couch. "Shepard! I had always thought us as somewhat adversaries. But after finally meeting, you appear to be the best thing that's happened to me in years. Outside spectre perspective on assassinating me, and now you offer me a list of examples to make. Will your next gift come with a ribbon tied around it?"

"If I have time," said Shepard with a business-like grin. She knew she was upsetting the balance of the Terminus Systems. Leaders fall, some are overthrown, some are assassinated. It always leads to a power vacuum where the strongest emerges to take control. But she had prevented that potential outcome and indeed secured Aria's place as the leader of Omega. She sorely hoped this didn't come back to bite her in the end. "Right now, I need information on Mordin Solus."

Nodding, the asari set her drink aside. "The salarian. He's a doctor working in the quarantine zone."

"Quarantine zone?" asked Shepard curiously as she lowered the disk.

"Currently, there's an outbreak in the Sector Seven Housing District," said the woman sternly. "It's an airborne virus that spreads through every species and slowly kills them. Every species except human."

Shepard's brow arched at the claim. "Except humans? Does that mean…?"

"I don't know what it means exactly. But I have the entire sector locked down until the pandemic ends. I don't need that shit spreading into other parts of Omega and shutting the whole station down," said the woman with a nod. "The salarian you're looking for is running a clinic directly in the center of the outbreak. He said he's working on a cure but hasn't gotten back to me."

"Are you going to let me in?" asked Shepard as she held the disk forward.

"I'll have someone radio ahead and have them open the gates for you. Do me a favor and take care of that whole mess while you're in there," said the asari with a smile as she reached forward and took the data disk. Turning to her batarian guard, she tossed it and smacked him directly in the face. "How the hell did this shit get past you?"

"Uh… Apologies Aria. They must have created a new network during the assault on Archangel. We didn't have time-" stuttered the batarian before the asari waved him off.

"Excuses. Get that back to security. I want a list of targets by 700 tomorrow," said the woman, getting a nod from the batarian. The man quickly took the disk and left. Aria turned back to Shepard with a small smile. "Once you get what you need, I hope we can continue our beneficial relationship."

Shepard tilted her head slightly as she eyed the woman. "I guess that depends. There's no reason we can't continue to be civil," said the spectre as she finally stood up again. "Now, I've got a doctor to grab. So, I'll be on my way."

Sector 7 Quarantine Zone – Omega Station

"I'm not a fan of you leaving me dry docked after we just ruinited, Shepard," came Garrus' voice over her comm.

She smirked as she led the party she had brought with her through the front door of the quarantine zone. Miranda and Jacob followed her in, all of them with their environmental suits sealed. "Sorry Garrus. You've still got some of your face to piece back together, and this airborne virus, whatever it is, affects every species except human. If you took an armor breach and got exposed, I'd never forgive myself."

"Fine. But I'm not staying on this ship for much longer. I'll chew through the hull if you try to make me," he said, getting a chuckle from Shepard.

"So, tell me about this sector. Whose territory is it?" asked Shepard as she raised her weapons and moved through the streets beyond the now sealed gateway.

"Gozu District. Not a bad place to live before the virus hit. Lots of high-end apartments, clean streets, and the Blue Suns ran protection there prior to the quarantine under Second Lieutenant Tarak. From what I could tell from my view in the building, they pulled most of their men to come after me," he said almost proudly.

Jacob spoke up behind her. "The Blue Suns are probably back at base licking their wounds. I don't think we'll be seeing much of them in here."

"If not, you'll probably run into the Rogue Squad," he said, causing Shepard to raise a brow. "They're one of the smaller gangs on Omega and basically get the scraps from the washouts of othere gangs."

"Rogue Squad? Doesn't that seem a bit…" started the spectre as she tried to find a word.

"Juvenile? Yeah, well they drew in mostly outcasts from the other gangs. People thrown out of other gangs for assault, addiction, behavioral problems, stuff like that," came his voice again as she turned the corner. She saw two figures aiming weapons at her from behind a barricade, but they immediately raised them.

"Those are Aria's people. Let them through,"came the voice of an asari. "Good luck in there. The pandemic will be the least of your worries shortly."

"Comforting…" came the droll voice of Miranda through the comm.

"I wouldn't call it smart, but it'd make sense if Rogue Squad were trying to take as much Blue Suns territory as they could while the Blue Suns are out of commission," said Garrus as he no doubt watched through her suit camera.

The trio continued through what looked like an abandoned restaurant for cover, entering one door and exiting the other when Jacob asked, "Do they have the numbers to hold it?"

"Numbers? Sure. They've got plenty of has beens. But they don't have the organization. Every other station cycle the leader gets a shot in the back and someone new takes over. No, they won't hold at all. The Talons, however," responded the turian as he trailed off.

"They sound menacing,"said Jacob as their pace slowed to a walk. While she wanted to get Solus and get out quick, she wasn't about to walk headlong into enemy fire over impatience.

"They are. They get things done with an eerie efficiency. And they rarely take new members into the fold. They're nearly as thorough as you are about picking new members, Shepard," responded Garrus. "Luckily, I've never had a run in with them. I've even helped them from time to time to make my job easier."

"Think we'll run into them?" asked Jane curiously as she waved the Cerberus operatives into cover.

"I doubt it. They know not to stick their noses out too far. But I wouldn't be surprised if they took advantage of the cleaning you're about to give the sector," said the turian. "Either way, Shepard, be careful. The Rogue Squad aren't that smart, but they can overwhelm you fast."

"Noted. Going silent for the moment," she said as she cut the comm to everyone but her ground squad. "We've got a barricade set up in front of a restaurant with two unknowns in front."

"Not as stupid as Garrus implied. This street has no cover and it's the only way further into the district," said Miranda as she hid behind the corner.

"I guess this is where my talents come in," said Shepard as she opened her omni-tool and went to work. Within seconds, her armor shimmered before vanishing completely. On her HUD, she could easily see her heartbeat being portrayed as well as the statistics from her other stealth modifications. Her steps felt different as she felt the soles of her boots change to sound-dampening materials. Stepping out from her cover, she spoke softly. "I'm going to give them one chance to back down. If they refuse, I'm going to give you a signal. When I do, shoot towards them and draw their attention."

"Understood," said Jacob as he checked his gun to make sure it was ready.

It took her less than a minute to slowly walk towards the barricade with the pacing guards. It was set up higher than street level to give them a view advantage. But it would do little to help them against a truly skilled team. As she approached the barrier, she slinked out of the shadows of the small street and stepped up behind the barrier. Directly behind it was a doorway that led inside the restaurant where more men were cavorting amongst themselves. Slipping off to the side of the building, she opened her omni-tool, her helmet allowing only her to see it through her visor and keeping it invisible to outsiders. Within seconds, she hijacked the intercom system inside.

"Rogue Squad. This is Spectre Jane Shepard asking for you to lower your arms while my squad and I pass through to get to the clinic. We hope to assist in curing the plague," she said, her voice projecting out of the intercom. Immediately, everyone inside grabbed their weapons and stood up, looking around as if they were being talked to by the divine. "Will you lower your arms?"

"Like hell. Who does this spectre think they are?" asked someone from inside. "Where is she? Get out there and secure the district!" shouted the gruff voice. Mercenaries flooded out of the restaurant and climbed onto the barrier, their weapons ready. "Get out here, Spectre! We know you're there!"

Shepard rolled her eyes before turning the corner and walking slowly directly behind them. "Miranda, Jacob, now."

The pair of them began to fire on the barrier, the rounds pinging off shields and the barricade as she snuck behind them. The gang of mercs began returning fire down the road as she raised her omni-tool and fired adhering explosives between the legs of several members of Rogue Squad. Shaking her head at their antics before stepping inside the restaurant. Almost immediately, she noticed another one hiding on the inside, his sturdy batarian frame up against one side of the open door.

"You two make sure you're out of sight," she ordered before leaning against the other side of the door from the terrified merc.

"We're clear, Shepard," responded Miranda. Reaching up, she tapped her omni-tool and felt the violent explosion splash against the wall of the store. Were it less sturdy, it would have knocked her flat. But she was more than prepared for the hellfire. Within seconds the small congregation on the barrier were either groaning in agony or dead as her explosives ripped them apart.

The batarian that was hiding next to the door was flung wide and crashed through tables and chairs before rolling finally to a stop and coughing heavily. "Most targets neutralized. Approach cautiously." She stepped towards the batarian man who pulled his helmet off to allow himself to cough blood onto the floor. Scrambling to his feet, he watched as she shimmered back into existence. His four eyes widened as she stepped up to him, her brows furrowing as she looked down at him. She knew he was no combatant. His armor could barely be called as such, and did little more than keep the radiation leaking from eezo shipments off of him. Despite the terror on his face, he got to his feet and limped out of the back of the restaurant.

Within a minute, they had joined her again with minimal gunfire outside of the restaurant. "A few out there tried to put up a fight when we approached, but they're out of commission now," said Jacob as he nodded to her.

"Good. Less resistance when we come back through," said Miranda as she began tailing the spectre once more.

"One was inside, but he's gone for the moment. Probably won't see him again," said the spectre as she followed his path out of the back door. But she immediately heard gunfire and sprinted to the exit. "They couldn't have seen us yet…"

"They probably just took out our escapee," said Miranda as she crouched in close as well.

Shepard growled as she stuck her head out the door and saw the truth of Miranda's words. The batarian was now bleeding and gasping as he leaned against a nearby wall. His attackers were more goons from Rogue Squad that had no doubt heard her entrance into the restaurant.

Immediately she felt her vision blur around the edges before everything in front of her grew crystal clear. She could not only see the attackers, but she could also make out every pockmark on their worn-down armor. "Shepard?" came Jacob's voice as he looked at her in confusion. His voice was loud and deep in her ears even being muffled by his helmet's speaker.

Stepping out into the doorway she felt her muscles tighten as she clenched her fists. Bursting from the door, she ignored the loud shouts from her crew. It felt like she was running slower, as if she were sprinting through a shallow layer of water. But despite the extra weight added to her speed, the guns of the squad in front of her were raising just as slowly. Within seconds she had closed the gap.

The first of the two humans screeched in terror as he raised his weapon and tried to fire. But the spectre grabbed it and yanked, pulling him forward as he fist shot forward directly into his exposed throat. He made a loud squelching noise as he dropped his weapon and reached up for his neck, attempting to gasp in air that would never come. Turning to the other, Shepard saw the gun go off. And even with the slow movement of the attacker, the round flew far too fast for her to dodge. Instead, it slammed into her shield and bounced off as she lunged forward. Grabbing his gun arm, she hooked her other between the human's legs and lifted him up bodily before brutally slamming him down directly onto his head, causing both of her crew to stop at the loud crunch that sounded.

Releasing the now crumpled form, she stared down at them with anger burning in her eyes. "What the hell was that?" asked Jacob in surprise. But he stopped in his tracks as she looked up at him. "Holy shit…"

Ignoring his awe at her grimly glowing eyes, she turned towards the slumped form against walked to his side. She could still hear him growling as he clenched the wound in his gut. "D-Damn humans… First you infect us with this virus, now you come to finish the job?" he grumbled as he gripped his pistol, barely able to lift it.

Kneeling down, she reached up and pulled her helmet free. Staring at the wound, she could tell from the amount of blood and the location on the batarian's body that it hadn't hit anything important. "Are you alright?"

"Get the hell away from me you near-sighted skash!" he snapped as he tried to lift the weapon at her.

She knocked the weapon away with ease before glaring into two of his four eyes. "Lenak!"

He seemed stunned into silence for a long moment. She wasn't immediately sure if it was because of the glow in her own mesmerizing him or if her use of one of the batarian languages shocked him. But she wouldn't have long to wonder. "You speak… Kar'Toka?"

"I speak enough. Now, I need information, and you need medigel. Are you going to cooperate, or should I go find someone else and let you bleed to death?" she snapped back at him as she held up a small medigel applicator.

He looked from her eyes to the tube, then back to her eyes again. "P-Please… the medigel…"

Nodding, she tore open the suit around the entry wound before snapping off the lid and applying the gel. As the numbness began to set in, she saw his posture begin to relax. After dressing the exit wound, she pulled out another and pressed it into his hand. "Here. Take this in case something else happens."

The man looked down at the gift before looking back up at her. "Why… why would you do this for me?"

"I told you, I need information," she said sternly before standing back to her full height. "A moment ago, you said humans spread this disease. Why?"

He snorted in disdain. "It doesn't affect humans. It kills everything else. How could it not have been a human?"

She thought about it for a long moment before nodding. "I guess it does look pretty bad for us. With a near perfect mortality rate it's too strong to be a naturally occurring virus, especially cross species."

"The only other species it doesn't kill are vorcha, who are immune to all disease. A human virus wouldn't kill a vorcha, but why would a vorcha virus not kill humans?" he said with a sigh of relief as the second dose of numbness kicked in.

"I don't care who started it. I'm going to make sure it ends," she said firmly, getting an almost awed look from him.

"Your words… sound sincere." He let out a horrific cough before looking back up to her. "I've been sick for a day now. I did well to hide it from them. So, I have nothing to lose from helping you."

"I heard Mordin Solus is working on a cure already. Do you know where I can find him?" she asked, her tone less severe than before.

The batarian almost cringed at the name. "The mad doctor. He's dangerous. More likely to kill you than help you."

She tilted her head respectfully. "In risk versus reward, is he not worth the risk as opposed to dying to disease?"

"It's hard to tell with him," said the man as he wiped blood from his hand onto his pantleg. "A week after the outbreak, people began to quickly notice the lack of effect it had on humans. Solus set up a clinic and many humans volunteered to clear their names. After the Blue Suns left, Rogue Squad took over most of the areas in Gozu District and their first attempted act of dominance was to force the humans out of the clinic and execute them."

Jacob stepped in to ask a question. "Wait, but Rogue Squad has humans in it," he said motioning to the bodies nearby.

"Yes, but those humans were vouched for by Varnak Mar, the leader," said the batarian as he stifled another cough.

"Convenient…" growled Miranda as she placed a hand on her armored hips.

"The convenience didn't last. Mordin stunned them all with some kind of neural toxin from his gun. Had one made for each species. Even the krogan leader could barely move as he set the machines on them without blinking. I've rarely seen such coldness in killing," said the man as he shook his head. "I am… was… a member of Rogue Squad. I figured he'd annihilate me the moment I stepped inside the clinic."

Shepard looked him up and down. "Can you walk?"

The batarian stared at her for a moment before getting to his feet. "Barely. I can if I go slow."

"We're headed to the clinic now. We'll get you inside safely so you can get the cure if he has one to offer," she said before sliding her helmet back into place and sealing it.

CODEX ENTRIES

BNM | Medical | Biotics
An acronym that stands for Biotic Neural Map. Once an individual has been discovered to have biotic potential, a medical scan is given that maps out the entirety of their body. This map points out all of the location of every biotic node in a person's nervous system, allowing doctors and biotics experts to gauge the biotic potential of their patient. These maps are used to create amplifiers that increase and amplify the effectiveness of their biotics, or dampen them if they become hazardous to the individual.

HUD | Technology | Military
An acronym short for Heads-Up Display. Usable in any omni-tool linked armor, the heads-up display is a computerized projection of all data the wearer needs to know on a constant basis. The data shown on the helmet can be set by the user and can encompass anything from the battery life of the armor, heat sink reserves, or identify friend or foe markers that make it easy to tell people apart on the battlefield.

Near-Sighted | Derogatory Linguistics | Kar'Salk
In the languages of other species, this can commonly mean lacking the ability of foresight. But to batarians, whose culture evolved around their eyes, near-sightedness is an insult with a range from calling someone stupid, to outright calling them brain dead. It's one of the few insults that never made it into common slang, meaning that if you're called this by a batarian, they assuredly meant it as an insult.

Skash | Derogatory Linguistics | Kar'Salk
A rudimentary insult towards women in batarians society. Without any easy way to translate, it simply refers to batarian women who cheat on their husbands and close their eyes during copulation as a simple gesture of if the act wasn't seen, it didn't happen.

Lenak | Linguistics | Kar'Toka
Spoken in the authoritative language of Kar'Toka, it means simply "Enough of your nonsense."