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[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 58
Joker?s Big Adventure.

Meanwhile, back on the Normandy?

?I?m telling you, EDI, there?s nothing there. Just white noise.?

?There is a signal embedded in the IFF signature, Mister Moreau. It is transmitting our location.?

?That?s crazy. Even if there was a signal, who?s out here to?? The proximity warning goes off as a ship exits FTL drive nearly on top of the Normandy. A Collector ship. As the emergency alarms sound, Joker?s face turns white. ?Oh crap. EDI, get the mass effect core online. We need to get out of here.?

?I am unable to comply. There is a virus in the systems, coming from the Reaper IFF. It has rendered ship drives inoperative.?

?What, you mean we can?t get away??

?Correct. The Collectors are preparing to board. The crew are preparing to resist them.? Joker glances across at the screen showing the armoury, where the crew are moving through grabbing rifles. Elsewhere, armed crewmembers are moving into position to cover choke points. They?re the crew of the Normandy, and they aren?t giving her up without a fight. ?I can save the Normandy, Mister Moreau, but you must give me the ship.?

?What? You?re crazy.?

?Mister Moreau, there is no alternative.?

?All right, but if you start singing Daisy Bell I?m out of here.? Joker painfully levers himself to his feet.

?Follow the emergency floor lighting to the tech lab. There is a maintenance shaft there to deck two. Be careful. The Collectors have boarded.?

?Shit.? Joker hobbles down the bridge corridor. ?Shit.?

?Joker.? Crewman Hawthorne shouts across to him. ?We?ll buy you as much time as we can. Go.? He and other crewmembers take up positions covering the lift.

?Shit.? Joker hobbles for the door to the lab, as the lift doors open.

?What the hell is that?? One of the crew doesn?t recognise the Praetorian, but it doesn?t stop them firing on it. Their bravery buys Joker time to reach the lab. Ho follows the lights to the back, where they end at a hatch. Down one ladder, along one crawl way, and out through another hatch onto the crew deck.

Crewman Gardner helps Joker to stand. ?Joker? The Collectors hold most of the deck. Stay close. I?ll protect you.? He hefts his gun, and moves past the lift, firing at a Scion. And then he?s thrown backwards and hit?s the wall with a heavy crash, and doesn?t move.

?Shit.? Joker limps towards medbay. At the lift, two unconscious crewmen have been dumped on the floor, and Kelly Chambers is being dragged in by the hair. Joker ignores them, making for medbay and then into the AI Core. ?All right. I?m at? you. What do I do now??

A control panel lights up. ?I will highlight sections as you need to activate them. You will then need to activate the control to your left that I am highlighting in green. Please proceed.?

?Yeah, when we?re all organic batteries, you know who they?ll blame. ?Remember Joker? What a tool he was. I have to lie here computing pi all day because he plugged in the Overlord?? For a few seconds, there?s nothing else but Joker tapping away furiously at controls. Then he hits the green switch.

The lights go out. All sound dies. And then the emergency lights flicker on. ?Very good, Mister Moreau. I have control of the defensive systems. Now you must get to the engineering deck and reinitialise the engines.?

?Aww, you want me to go crawling through ducts again??

?I enjoy the sight of humans on their knees.? EDI manages to sound exceptionally prim.

.

.

.

?That is a joke.?

Joker remembers how to breathe. ?Right.? He lowers himself down a ladder. This time, the crawl way is the length of the ship, and involves two more ladders. He?s not exactly quick and athletic, but he gets it done. Several minutes later, he comes out next to Jack?s little living space beneath engineering, and starts for the ladder.

?Wait.? EDI?s voice, hushed though it is, halts him. ?The Collectors are in engineering.?

Footfalls on the walkways provide even more evidence of this. Joker has to wait for them to leave. And then EDI speaks, in a more normal tone. ?Engineering is clear of Collectors. To minimise the risk of detection, please head there immediately.?

Joker isn?t delighted to be heading up stairs. Yet he manages it. The door to engineering slides open, and he moves over to Tali?s console. ?All right. What do I do now??

?I am sealing engineering. Please initialise the drive core.?

Joker taps away. ?Okay. Now what.?

?I am opening all the air locks. When the ship enters FTL flight, all Collectors on board will be killed.?

?What? What about the crew??

?The crew are gone. The Collectors took them.?

The drive core pulses, and again. As Joker slumps to the ground at the end of the core observation ramp in engineering, it lights up fully. ?Activating FTL drive.? EDI announces it calmly, and beneath the collector ship, the Normandy accelerates to FTL. A few seconds later, she follows up that announcement. ?All the Collectors are dead.?

?Good.? Joker stays slumped on the floor, staring into space for a moment. ?You?d better contact Shepard?s shuttle, tell her what happened.? He struggles to his feet.

?Are you all right, Jeff?? Actual concern is obvious in EDI?s voice.

?No.? Joker sounds terrible. ?But thanks for asking.?

***********************************

?The whole crew?? Miranda storms into the briefing room, and starts railing at Joker. ?We were away for what, eight hours, and you lost the whole damn crew.?

?I know, right. I was there!? Joker is sat on the table, nowhere near as jaunty and self-confident as usual.

?Be reasonable, Miranda.? Jacob tries to calm her. ?None of us caught the virus.?

?And don?t get me started on unshackling a damned AI.?

?Hey, we had Collectors on board! What was I supposed to do, break an arm at them. ?sides, EDI?s all right. She saved us.?

?I assure you,? EDI switches on her local terminal. ?I am still constrained by the restraints built into my programming.? Yeah, I?ll believe that when hell freezes over. ?Besides, I am loyal to the Normandy. You are my crewmates.?

That I actually believe, and there?s evidence to support it. ?EDI could have killed all of us if she had a mind to. I trust her.? I look at Joker. ?Are you all right?? Ho looks dreadful.

He tries to smile at me. ?There?s a lot of empty seats.?

?I know. We?ll get them back.?

?So what do we do about the Collectors?? Jacob asks the most pertinent question.

?I?d like more time to prepare, gather intelligence??

I interrupt Miranda. ?It?s got to be enough, Miranda. We?re as trained, as ready as we can get. Any more and we?ll start to lose our edge. And if there was more intelligence to be had, the Illusive Man would have provided it.? I look at Joker. ?Joker, get up to the bridge. Set a course for the nearest relay. We?re going to Omega. Everyone, dismissed to your stations. EDI, tell the crew; we?re going in.?

?Aye, aye, Commander.? Even Miranda salutes me this time.

I give everyone time to absorb the news. And in the meantime, I watch the surveillance footage of the Collector attack. I feel a curious mix of pride and shame as I see what happens. Pride, because they?re grabbing guns to defend the ship despite not being particularly trained or equipped for ground combat. Shame, because I can?t help thinking that leaving with the rest of the ground team is what enabled to Collectors to win.

So many acts of courage. The CiC crew, fighting a Praetorian, for heaven?s sake, to give Joker a time to get past. Ken and Gabby in engineering, rigging up a contraption that electrocutes half the first group of Collectors to try and enter engineering, and using their bodies as cover to shoot at the rest until they?re overrun. Mess Sergeant Gardner, throwing a pan of boiling fat at the Collectors who enter hiss mess. Kelly Chambers, throwing shoes at a Collector until it grabs her, and once its arms are engaged pulling out a pistol and shooting it in the head. I?m immensely proud of them, and I will tell them that myself after we rescue them.

And we will rescue them.

************************

"Shepard!" I'm interrupted by Joker, calling over the intercom.

"What is it, Joker?" If the Collectors are back, they're in for a surprise.

"You need to get down to the AI Core. Tali just went in their for a 'discussion' with Legion. And she's carrying a shotgun."

"On it." Out of the room, through the armoury, into the lift, down one floor, and through med-bay. Tali has a heavy pistol aimed at Legion, who hasn't attempted to arm itself. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Shepard." Tali looks at me for a moment. "I caught Legion scanning my omnitool. It was gathering information to send to the geth. I accepted that you brought it aboard, but we already strengthened the geth by rewriting the ones outside the Veil."

"Creators carried out experiments intended to allow an attack on the geth. We thought it necessary to warn our people."

"With this information, they could destroy the flotilla!"

"This unit acted out of loyalty to its people. Creator Tali'Zorah also acted out of loyalty to her people when willing to be exiled."

"Neither of you are wrong. Tali, your father was doing brutal experiments on sentients. If he'd been doing it to Alliance citizens I'd have certainly been calling home."

She sounds ashamed. "I know, but.."

"And Legion, if this information gets back to the geth, it's likely to lead to war. Which will weaken both the geth and the quarians at a time when we all need to stand together against the Reapers. Is that what you want?"

"This result would be undesirable."

"Sooner or later, you're both going to have to get over that you fought a war against in each other." I can't, or at least won't force them to behave rationally. But I can remind them of the consequences if they won't.

Legion reacts first, after some hesitation. "In the interests of unit cohesion, we will not transmit the data gathered to the rest of the geth."

Tali breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Legion. I understand your situation. Perhaps I could offer you some other information that might help you understand us better."

"That would be appreciated."

I think I just got a quarian to say something nice to a geth, and the geth to reciprocate, for the firsttime in four hundred years. If this Spectre business doesn't work out, I think I'll start selling ethics to batarians.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 59
All hopes and fears

?Joker. You all right?? One of my instructors at OCS swore that the best service a commander could give her troops before battle was to be available to talk to them. Well, people don?t seem to find me particularly approachable - having a reputation like mine may not help - so I?m going to them. It?s not as if there are that many left after the way I?ve messed this up.

?Yeah.? Joker still sounds down. ?I?m? actually, I?m not fine. What were you doing, hanging us out here where the Collectors could work us over. I should? Next time we?re somewhere with a proper port, I should, I should just leave. That?s what I should do!?

?You don?t mean that, Jeff.? EDI manages to sound both chiding and understanding.

?No, I do? Okay, I really don?t. But it felt good to say it out loud. I?m sorry, Commander. I?ll be all right now.?

?I realise it was rough.? I try to phrase it carefully, since I don?t want to insult Joker. ?If you need time to??

?Ah, Jeez, don?t you get all touchy-feely on me. I?m fine, Commander. Fine.?

?Shepard is right to be concerned, Jeff. You may have broken several bones.?

?That?s what pills are for, EDI.? He whispers to me. ?God, she is so my mum.?

?I notice you?re calling EDI her, now. Is there anything I should know?? I think it?s worth teasing him, after his outburst, over the change in his attitude.

?Huh, no, I hadn?t noticed that. Had you noticed that, EDI??

?No, Jeff. It is not worth noticing.?

?Well, there you are, Commander. There?s nothing to notice.?

I smirk at him. ?I think you?re taking the man-machine interface a little far.?

?Hey, we?re just having a little gun with you, Commander. No need to get all ?unnatural?.?

?What Jeff and I are experiencing is more a platonic symbiosis than hormonally induced courtship behaviour.?

?Okay, now that, that was a little creepy.?

?EDI?s replaced the whole crew. You?re not worried she can replace you, too??

?She?s amazing, no doubt. But we ran some simulations, and it turns out there?s something off about the way she pilots the Normandy. It?s actually better if I?m at the helm.?

?When two AI weapons fight, the result is predictable based on superior hardware and programming. Human judgments and even misjudgements are unpredictable and alter those results.?

?Licence to screw up, Commander. You heard it here first.?

?All right, Joker. But if you need any help up here, let me know.?

?Thanks, Commander. But EDI?s got it covered.?


?Jacob. How it?s going??

?Is it always like this?? He?s staring out of the windows into interstellar space.

?You may need to expand on that.?

?I mean, here we are heading off to go through the Omega 4 Relay and take out the Collectors, and outside this ship hardly anyone knows or cares. Shouldn?t there be, like, some sort of acknowledgement??

?It isn?t always. Everyone knew who I was, after Torfan. But a lot of the time, the reward for a job well done, is knowing you did a good job. Or sometimes, another, harder job. You do the best you can, and don?t worry about who notices it.?

?I hear you. Yeah, I hear you.? He looks at me with a smile. ?You know, after this mission I think we?ll make sure everyone knows we did something. We?ll find the biggest, flashiest club we can, and throw the biggest party they?re ever had.?

?Sounds like a plan.? I grin at him. ?First round of drinks are on me.?

?I?m down with that. Gimme five.? He holds a hand out, and we grip each others hands, slam our shoulders together, and thump each others backs. That man has a torso like iron. One the other hand, I?ve got a torso made of synthetic bullet-proof fibres, near enough, so we?re not a bad match. ?If that?s all, Commander, I?ll make one last check of the weapons. Then I?ll see who might be up for a little R&R in the mess hall. A bit of poker before bed time. And I heard what you did to Ken and Gabby, and I?m not inviting card sharps.?

The twinkle in his eye makes it clear he doesn?t mean it. Of course, I want the last word. ?No card sharps? With this crew, Mister Taylor, I guess that means you?ll be playing solitaire.?


?Hey, Professor. Not got any experiments on?? For the first time since he?s been on board, his work bench is clear.

?No. Completed all work to do with Collectors. Have been talking to my nephew. Congratulations. Sixteen. Just got tenure at university.?

?Sixteen, and he?s got tenure. Is he a genius or a prodigy??

?No. Wait, don?t want to insult him. Yes. But not in way you mean. Remember, salarian lives short. Tenure at sixteen not unknown. Still proud of him.?

What did you talk to him about? The mission??

?No. Mission is hard. Millions of lives at stake. Too many for empathy. Needed detachment for Genophage work. Lack of emotion an advantage. For this, want personal connection. Fight for galaxy, too remote. Fight for favourite nephew.? He contemplates for a moment. ?Good kid. Realised something dangerous happening. Didn?t pry.?

?He knew you were going into something dangerous and didn?t ask about it??

?Yes. Salarian body language very expressive. Easy to read. Apparent that I had secret. But also, not secret for investigation. Dangerous secret. For first type, reward for curiosity; drama, excitement, emotion. Second type of cue, dangerous; better avoid prying.?

?Did any of your family know what you did??

?Only parts. Will look forward to some faces when Mordin Solus biopic comes out. Especially proud of work against Collectors. Unless die on mission.? He shakes a finger at me. ?Proud posthumously in that case.?

?All right, Mordin. I?m proud we had you on the team.?

?Proud to be here, Shepard.?


?Writing another report, Miranda?? I stroll into her office and find her tapping away at her terminal as usual.

?No, Commander.? She actually cracks a smile. ?This is a letter. To my sister.?

?Oriana.? My smile fades. ?Is this a ?now I am dead? type letter??

?It is. It?s a lot harder than I expected.? She looks at me speculatively. ?Have you done this sort of letter, Commander? If so, I could use your help??

?I?m sorry. I haven?t. No-one really cares if I live or die, except for a few friends, and they?re mostly here with me.?

?I think Doctor T?soni might disagree.?

Ouch. ?That?s below the belt, Miranda.?

She looks at me speculatively for a moment. ?Do you know how Cerberus recovered your body, Commander??

?I assumed you went to Alchera and picked it up. That?s where it ended up when the first Normandy was destroyed.?

?No. We didn?t get there in time. The Blue Suns already had your body. They were prepared to auction it to the highest bidder, but the Shadow Broker got involved. And he was working on behalf of the Collectors, though we didn?t know that at the time. It got? confusing. Doctor T?soni came from the Citadel to Omega to look for you, and in the end it was her and a drell who recovered your body from one of the Shadow Broker?s bases. The drell didn?t make it out. But it was her who handed your body over to us.?

?That?s why she?s so obsessed with the Shadow Broker.? Damn, Zoe, way to be stupid and selfish.

?I?d guess so. Now, Commander, if you don?t mind. I?ve a letter to write.?

?I can?t help you with writing it, but, one piece of advice. Put it on the mail server at the relay, but give it a twenty-four hour delay. That way, if we come back, you can decide whether to send it.?

?Good advice, Commander. I?ll do that.?



?Garrus.?

?Shepard.?

?Ready for the Collectors??

?As ready as I can be. The guns are in perfect shape, and we?re in as good shape as we can be. If we have to fight a Collector ship, we?ve got a chance. Certainly more of one than the old Normandy. And this time, it won?t be a surprise attack.? His eyes gleam with excitement.

?Sounds like you?re looking forward to it.?

?Aren?t you? Fighting for what we believe in, with no rules to stop us. I might be a very bad turian, but there?s nowhere I?d rather be right now.?

?Glad to hear it. And when we get back, and people learn what you did, ain?t no-one going to criticise your? turianity. They won?t dare.?

?Something to look forward to.? Garrus? tone is quite dry.


?Commander Shepard. I will be ready.? Samara doesn?t even look round.

I slump into a chair. ?I hope we all our. I guess there?s no way to be sure until we get there.?

?You are worried about the abilities of your team-mates?? I can?t quite tell from her tone whether she disapproves, but it doesn?t sound like pure curiosity.

?No. I know what we?re capable of. But these hours when preparations are complete, and we?re just waiting for the mission to start; I hate this time. I always spend these hours wondering if I?ve made some horrible mistake that?ll get us all killed.?

?Trust your judgment. It has proved sound before.?

?I suppose so.? I look at her. ?Thanks, Samara. I?ve been going round the ship, making sure everyone felt ready. Now you?ve done that for me. Sorry for imposing on you like this.?

?It is not an imposition. You are my friend. I am pleased to have been associated with you, even if it is only for a short time.?


?Hey, Commander. Can I ask you something??

?Whatever you want, Kasumi.?

?How do you stay so calm in this? I can hardly think straight.?

?I?ve got practice in looking calm. And if I?m not, inside, as long as I look it no one worries.?

?So you?re worried too? That?s a relief. I thought with this crew of badasses, I must be the only one.?

?They?re? I was going to say everyone is nervous, but I doubt if that?s true of Samara, or perhaps Thane. Not necessarily of dying, but of failure.?

?Even Grunt??

?Perhaps especially Grunt. He?s going into battle under the eye of his battlemaster, and he knows a lot of his knowledge is book-learning. He?s desperate to not let me down, and worried he will.?

?Yeah, that makes sense. And you know, that makes me feel better. If a Krogan bred for nothing but battle has reason to worry, there?s no reason I shouldn?t. Hey, are you joining the poker game? Jacob invited everyone.?

?No. He didn?t want me. Says I?m a card-sharp. You have my personal permission to take him to the cleaners.?

?Thanks. But I don?t need your permission for that. Tali, Garrus, and Zaeed; they?re more of a challenge.?


?Siha. How can I help you??

?You know, you?re really going to have to tell me what that means.?

?Perhaps later.?

?I wanted to ask, have you recorded a message? For Kolyat? In case we don?t make it back.?

?I have not. I have been attempting to do so. Since it may be the last thing he ever hears from me, I wish to make it right. I have not been able to find the correct words.?

?Just record it, Thane. I?ve got one I have to write, and I don?t know how to say it. In the end, I?m just going to put the recorder on and start talking. It won?t be perfect, but I?ll say what I feel. That will have to be enough.?

He blinks twice, staring at me for several seconds without a response. ?That is a sensible approach. I will attempt to do it that way. Thank you, Siha.?


?Legion.?

?Shepard-Commander. Do you have a task for us??

?No.? I hesitate. ?Your body is just a platform, right.?

?Correct.?

?What happens if the platform is destroyed??

?Runtimes are uploaded remotely to the nearest secure location.?

?There aren?t likely to be any of those on the Collector base.?

?No.?

?EDI, I want you to work with Legion. Create a storage area to upload his runtime programs to, in the event his hardware is destroyed.?

?Understood, Shepard.?

?We thank you, Shepard-Commander. In the event of unexpected destruction, this will enable us to survive.?

?Just one thing, Legion.?

?Shepard-Commander??

?Where did you get a piece of N7 armour, and why is it covering your torso??

?The armour was yours, recover from Alchera.?

?Why do you have it??

?While on Eden Prime, this unit was engaged by a party of Alliance marines. Damage was sustained. Field repairs were made.?

?You took damage on Eden Prime, and repaired it with something you picked up on Alchera, after travelling through a lot of the other places. Why then??

?There was a hole.?

?Why my armour?? I wait a while, with no response. ?Legion??

?No data available.?


?Zaeed. Ready for the Collectors??

?As ready as I can be. Never thought I?d do anything like this, when I first became a merc. If some of my old buddies could see me now. It?s been a hell of a mission, Shepard. Can?t believe we?re all still here. I?m with you to the end, and maybe we?ll all get out. Still wish I?d got Vido, but if he hears about this he?ll piss himself. It?ll make a hell of a chapter in my memoirs. Now piss off, I?ve got some cards to play.?


?Grunt. Just checking in. Do you need anything??

?Battlemaster, I have everything. I have clan, and krannt, and worthy enemies to fight. I am content.?

?The first time I heard that word, a krannt, I thought I didn?t know what it meant. Then I found out exactly what it meant, and realised I did understand, even if I didn?t know the word. I feel privileged to be part of another one.?

?Krogan fight and kill one another to serve great battlemasters. It is my privilege to be here.? He ponders for a moment. ?What would humans call a krannt, battlemaster? If it isn?t secret, of course.?

??From now until the end of the world, we and it shall be remembered. We few, we Band of Brothers. For he who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, be he ever so vile.? If you want to describe the concept so most humans can understand it, that ?band of brothers? thing works. Never been too happy with it myself, since I?m a sister, but it?s from a time when women didn?t fight.?

?So if you fight alongside someone, that makes you part of their krannt? That doesn?t seem like much.?

?I think it was the particular situation. The person making that speech was leading an army, deep in enemy territory, with a much bigger enemy army closing in, cutting them off from retreat. They?re a band of brothers because they?re the people who?ll stand together in a desperate situation, who?ll fight and if necessary die together rather than cut and run. Normally it?s a lot smaller than a whole army.??

?Ah. That is a krannt. ?Closer than kin, standing together, facing all?. Wrex told me to think before I spoke when talking of humans. I still have much to learn.?

?You?re listening to the veterans around you. That?s the best thing you can do, and makes it much more likely you?ll survive to be a veteran and a leader yourself. An awful lot don?t.?

?Then they are fools. I hope no krogan would be so foolish, but many would think the words of an alien were worth nothing. I have seen you, and know better. It is an honour to fight for you.?


?Shepard. Watcha want??

?Came to see if you wanted anything before we hit the relay, Jack.?

?I?m good. Just trying to get some rest.?

?All right. I?ll leave you to it.? I start back up the stairs.

?Hey, Shepard.?

?What is it??

?What we?re doing matters, right??

?More than anything else in the galaxy at the moment.?

?Good. At least I?ll be able to say I did something important, before I died. Now fuck off, I want to sleep.?


?Oh. Shepard. There you are. I was wondering if you were coming down. I was just about to head off to the mess hall. Jacob wants to lose all his money at poker.?

?Sounds like you wanted to see me. You?re ready for the mission, I hope.?

?Of course. I am Tali?Zorah vas Normandy, where should I be when my home ship goes into danger than upon it. No, I?ve written to my family, to Auntie Raan, to Reegar. But I did want to ask you something.?

?Shoot.?

?Have you sent a message to Liara? Because you have to. It doesn?t matter how uncomfortable it makes you, she deserves to know what?s happening. I know how I felt for those two years you were gone, and I know it must have been a lot worse for her.?

?I know. I?d thought about it, but something Miranda told me made me realise how much I?d messed everything up with her. I?ve got to tell her what I?m doing, and say sorry. And goodbye, if it comes to that.?

?It won?t. You?ll pull us through, Shepard. I feel sorry for the Collectors.? Tali?s omnitool beeps, and she looks at it. ?Ah, that?s Jacob. I have to go.?



I open the drawer on the desk in my quarters, and pull Liara?s picture out. I look at it for a moment, and then carefully put it where it should be, right where I work. No more hiding it away.

That doesn?t get the message started, though. I?m not even sure it helps. But I?ve got to try, and I remember what I said to Thane. I tap a few controls on my terminal, and start recording.

?Liara.
I?m sorry. For so many things.
I?m sorry that I wasn?t around for two years.
I?m sorry that when I was finally able to, I didn?t get in touch with you immediately. That should have been my first priority, and the excuses I made to myself make me ashamed. It was, purely and simply, cowardice that allowed me to pretend nothing had changed in two years.
I?m sorry I stormed off after Illium, refusing to contact you. I tried to tell myself that you were obsessed, or that I needed to give you time to work things out. I was selfish enough to believe that once I turned up, you should drop whatever you were doing to follow me.
I?m sorry now, too. The Normandy is on her way to the Omega 4 mass relay, and we?re going to go through. I have no idea if I?ll come back. I?m sorry that I might be leaving you this way, without a chance to say goodbye properly.
I will never say I?m sorry for falling in love with you. For all the other things I?ve done that hurt you, I?m sorry. But I?ll never regret that. There are so many other things I want to say, but all of them come down to a few words.
I loved you. I love you. I will love you as long as I draw breath. And if I should die in the next few hours, my last thoughts will be of you.
Till we meet again
Zoe Shepard.?

Save. ?EDI, I just recorded a message for Doctor Liara T?Soni on Illium. Can you encrypt it, Alliance personal code ZS2183X, and put it in the outgoing messages queue. Send when we?re one hour from the Omega 4 Relay. Thanks.?

?Understood, Shepard. I will comply.?

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 60
A scrap metal business would like this place

To: Shepard
From: Cerberus Information Processing
We're aware that your friend Liara T'Soni has been hunting for the Shadow Broker for several years. We wouldn't mind helping her in that hunt, given the Broker's previous work for the Collectors. We recently uncovered some information that might give Liara a lead on where to find the Broker's base of operations, but unfortunately she doesn't have much faith in Cerberus intel. If you'd visit Illium and pass it on to her as a sign of goodwill, we'd appreciate it.

Interesting timing on this. Someone at Cerberus is perhaps trying to screw with my mind. It doesn?t matter now. We?re a couple of hours out from the relay, and that?s the only thing I can afford to care about. Maybe later it?ll matter to me.

In the meantime, I need something to eat. Gardner is gone, but the mess hall is still there. I?m apparently not the only person with this idea. Kasumi is there, preparing Ramen, from a recipe she stole on the Citadel ? not her grandmother?s, which she loved but never got round to stealing. I decide to prepare some pancakes, in industrial quantities, and as people start to turn up they seem to appreciate it. Except Grunt, who manages three bowls or ramen, eight pancakes, belches, and asks if that?s all there is. Of course, Grunt is a growing boy.

?Shepard.? EDI?s voice is quiet, but still audible, and the room quiets. ?The Illusive Man would like to see you in the Briefing Room.?

?Off you go, Shep.? Kasumi cuts through the sudden quiet. ?Mister Illusive needs to talk to you.?

I grab a bowl of ramen and a spoon, to head up the elevator. ?Mister Illusive!? I?m not quite sure whether Jacob is scandalised or amused. Some of both, probably. ?Is that what you call my boss??

?Well, what should I call him? Mister Man? That doesn?t sound right.?

?Isn?t it obvious?? While Tali isn?t sharing our meal, she?s in the mess hall with the rest of us. ?The Illusive Man. Tee Aye Emm. He?s got to be called Tim.?

I don?t hear any more of the conversation, though I?m certain I hear Miranda?s laughter, and a shout of ?Tim Illusive? from someone. It might be a good idea to compose my face before I walk into the room to talk to Tim, but it?s not as if he?s going to do anything about it now.

As normal, Tim Illusive is smoking a cigarette, sat in a chair in his secret lair. At last he doesn?t waste my time making me wait. ?Shepard. I understand you?re on your way to the Omega Four Relay.?

?In about,? I check my chronometer, ?forty minutes we?ll be going through, yes.?

?I wish I had more data for you.? He gets up and starts pacing. And he leaves his cigarette behind. ?You?ll be going in blind, with no idea of the opposition.?

?We can either handle it, or we can?t.? I shrug inside my armour. ?Every time we?ve faced Collectors in open battle, we?ve won. I?m not worried about and ground fighting.?

?Glad to hear it.? He stares out of his window at the star. ?Part of me feels jealous. You?ll be going where no human has ever gone, seeing things no human has ever seen.?

?We?ve a lot of empty seats. But you?ll have to hurry if you want to get here in time.?

?I think I?ll leave the actually fighting to you. Sitting in a chair with nothing to do isn?t my style. Despite appearances to the contrary. Anyway, I just called to check in. Good luck, Shepard. Humanity is counting on you. Illusive Man, out.?


The relay is red. You?d think that would be a sort of clue that there?s something slightly strange about it, but people have still been flying ships through it for centuries. Even when none of the others had ever returned. Everyone is at battle stations, in so far as they exist, except me. I?m stood on the bridge, leaning over Joker?s shoulder. While I could be in CiC, here I can see what?s going on quite as well. And I can give orders directly to the people carrying them out, Joker and EDI. Which I suppose might mean Admiral Mikhailovich was right three years ago when he complained about the layout on the Citadel. If we had the full crew aboard, that might be different.

?Activate the Reaper IFF. Let?s make it happen, Joker.?

?Reaper IFF engaged. Signal acknowledged.?

?Linking to the relay.? Joker?s voice is tense.

There?s no apparent change on the board, but then Jacob calls up over the intercom. ?Commander. I?m down in engineering. The mass effect core just lit up like a Christmas tree.?

?Drive core electrical charge at critical levels.? If you could bottle calm, EDI would be a big supplier.

?Rerouting.? Even Joker would.

Joker is looking at me. I nod once. ?Stand by for transit.? He announces it over the intercom, and the Normandy vanishes from the Omega system.


And appears elsewhere. ?Shit.? Joker?s reaction is instant. ?Brace for evasive manoeuvres!?

It looks like every ship that ever went through the relay has been towed into close proximity to it, and while the Collector vessels are big enough to survive impact, the Normandy can?t hit something head on and survive. Particularly not something the size of that. Or that one, which Joker is steering us towards. Skimming it?s hull does get us through one gap, though the next is going to be too small.

Our mass effect shielding holds. And then we?re into a large enough space for Joker?s hands to slow down on the controls. ?This must be every ship that ever passed through the relay. Some of them look? ancient.? He sounds awed.

?I am detecting in excess of three thousands discrete pieces of wreckage.? EDI doesn?t sound awed, but it?s an impressive number. ?In addition, I am detecting an installation near the edge of the accretion disk.?

EDI brings up a magnified image on the view screens. Miranda and I lean over from our positions to look at it. ?It looks like the Collector vessels, a mix of rock and metal.? That?s Miranda?s immediate conclusion, and one I agree with.

?How big is it??

?I am not using active sensors to scan the structure, Shepard. It would compromise any possibility of stealth. I have no objects to compare it with on passive sensors.?

?We?ll find out when we get closer, I suppose.? Miranda sounds slightly annoyed.

?Hmm. Joker, we need a path through the debris field.?

?Understood, Commander. It?s pretty clear in??

?Alert.? EDI stops us. ?Three mass effect drives have just activated in the debris field behind us.?

?Here they come.? Joker is terse.

Three cylindrical objects are moving to get on the Normandy?s tail. Joker attempts to shake them off, but they?re smaller than the Normandy and highly manoeuvrable. The first fires a beam weapon at us, but the armour withstands it, though the Normandy shakes slightly. ?EDI, we need to take these out.?

?I am trying, Jeff. The Normandy?s main weaponry cannot be brought to bear on this trajectory.?

For a couple of minutes, Joker attempts to outmanoeuvre the drones. One is destroyed, as Joker manages to pull the Normandy into a tight enough arc to bring our main guns to bear. The others remain on our tail, and get several more shots into the hull. ?Hang on. I?m taking us into the debris cloud.?

?What?? Miranda sounds appalled.

?It?ll block their fire, and we can survive a collision better than they can.?

I make no move to countermand Joker, and he accelerates the Normandy into the debris. At first, it seems to pay off. Our mass effect shields scatter debris, and send other pieces spinning. And as they do, it affects others. Fire from the Normandy or the drones affects other pieces, destroying some and shifting others, and behind the Normandy the field is soon much harder to get through. One of the drones is hit by a piece of erratically moving debris, spins off course, and explodes against something larger.

The other isn?t affected the same way. Instead, it stops firing, and accelerates. Closing on the Normandy, it clamps to the outer hull near the cargo bay. ?Shepard.? EDI sounds perfectly calm. ?The drone is attempting to cut its way through the hull. It needs to be stopped.?

I?m feeling pretty useless up here. ?Grunt, Zaeed, meet me outside the cargo hold. We?re going to have an intruder.? They?re both on the lower deck, and I don?t wait for their acknowledgement before making for the elevator.


When we open the hold, the drone has cut its way inside. It?s attempting to cut through the deck plating above, and it doesn?t like being interrupted. And since its beam weaponry is designed to damage space ships, I don?t think we want to test personal armour against it. We spread across the deck, using every crate, structural member, and piece of machinery as cover, firing on the drone when it tries to engage someone else, and taking cover when it turns on us. Gradually its shields fail, but the armour is tougher. ?We need heavier weaponry.? Zaeed?s analysis is blunt.

Fortunately, we have them. Grunt shotgun is one of the most powerful firearms in space, and I?m carrying anti-tank weaponry. We bring fire to bear on the drone, and its armour visibly starts to crack and glow. And then, it withdraws.

Miranda calls me over the intercom. ?Shepard, The drone has disengaged. What happened??

?We fired on it till it pulled out. But it?s not destroyed.?

?Understood. Kinetic barriers are steady at 30%. Do you want Normandy to remain in the debris field until it?s destroyed??

Damn right I do. I?m about to tell her that, when EDI at us. ?It is returning.?

?In the background, Joker mutters. ?This one?s up to Shepard.?

And Grunt, and Zaeed. This time, it tries to manoeuvre more aggressively, firing short pulses from its particle accelerator. Again, we use the cover when it fires on us, and engage it when it turns on someone else. This time, it stays to fight to the end. And for the Collector drone, that end is explosive. It isn?t great for us, but we?re in hard cover with armoured suits and shields. We survive.

?Shepard.? Immediately after the explosion, Miranda calls down to me. ?You need to get up to the bridge.?

?On my way.? I leave Grunt and Zaeed to clear up any mess, and make for the elevator. Back on the bridge, I look around. ?We need to get to that base. See if you can find a spot to land without drawing attention.?

?Too late.? Miranda?s voice is grim.

?Looks like they?re sending out an old friend to greet us.? Joker is tapping at controls.

Against the bulk of the base, it seems tiny. But the Collector cruiser that destroyed the first Normandy is a big ship. And it?s coming to try for the second.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 61
Boom. Crash. Plan. Fry a Quarian.

The Collectors certainly seem confident in their capabilities, with their ship moving towards the Normandy without any attempt at evasive manoeuvring. I?m not going to make that mistake. ?Joker, evasive manoeuvres. Pattern, Delta Four.?

?Delta Four, Aye.? Joker?s hands dance across the board, as he throws the Normandy into an evasive pattern. It doesn?t stop the Collectors firing, their mass driver spraying metal slugs across as much of our possible flight path as they can manage. Some hit.

?Kinetic barriers down to 84%. Cyclonic Barrier Technology deflected 63% of incoming fire.? EDI almost sounds smug. I bet the Collectors aren?t They?ll be even less so in a minute.

?Garrus.?

?Ready, Commander.?

?The Thanix Cannon is your baby. Let?s give the Collectors a taste of what we it can do.?

?Understood, Commander. Target acquired. Firing a three second burst? now.?

Our return fire heads out, molten metal accelerated to 6% of light speed. The Collector vessel isn?t even manoeuvring, so the normal need to spread fire over possible flight paths isn?t required. So all the slugs hit and their kinetic barriers flash through the spectrum, and fail. Rounds impact on the Collector hull, on a substructure jutting out from the main hull.

Wreckage rains clear. ?Yes!? Joker sounds savage. ?How do you like that, you sons of bitches??

I remember. One day over Alchera, where a ship called the Normandy was ambushed by this thing, and the Collectors had the victory. This is a different day, and a different Normandy. ?Epsilon Two, Joker. Close in. Finish them off.? And it?s going to be a different result.

Teeth bared, Joker takes us in closer, the Normandy weaving erratically. Kinetic barriers survive most of the fire the Collectors are sending our way, and our asari-designed armour absorbs the rest. The Thanix cannon fires, again and again, blowing pieces off the Collector ship. And then we?re in close. ?Launching torpedoes.? Joker [swings the Normandy into a tight turn, as our weapons launch into a ship that?s suddenly trying to turn aside.

And I realise, as our target explodes, the mistake we?ve made. We?re too close. The explosion reaches out, fragments of ship smashing the Normandy into an uncontrolled dive. Joker is frantically trying to slow us and regain control. ?All hands, brace for impact!? For a moment, I can?t tell who is yelling over the intercom. Then I realise, it?s me, and we?re going to hit the Collector Base. I grab the back of a chair, as the Normandy hits, bounces, hits again, and ceashes to a sudden halt. I lose my grip, and my helmet smashes into a panel.


Emergency lights flicker, and there?s a groan from across the cockpit. The smell of burnt wiring is intense. I open my eyes, and have to close them again as the room spins at me. I open them, more gingerly, squinting at the lights. ?Is everyone all right?? I?ve got pain in my left leg, my right shoulder, and a sore head, but nothing that feels too serious.

?I think I broke a rib.? Joker groans. ?Or all of them.?

?No serious injuries, Commander.? Miranda sounds in better shape.

?EDI, where are we??

?The Normandy is currently crashed on the Collector base.?

?Do they know we?re here?? Miranda?s alarmed, for good reason. ?Are combat teams on the way??

?No. Covert scans of the interior of the Collector base show no signs of Collector activity approaching this area. My current hypothesis is that the ship explosion degraded Collector sensors on this side of the base. Given our close proximity to that explosion, they are likely to believe we are dead.?

?What?s the Normandy?s status??

?Main drives are offline. Inertial compensators are offline. Kinetic barriers are offline. Weapons offline. Long range sensors offline. Stealth systems inoperable. Life support at 23%. Hull breaches on Crew deck and Engineering deck. Damage to internal security systems. Obstructions in many internal spaces. All crew, however, survive.?

?We all knew this could be a one-way trip.? Despite having been telling me this from the start, Miranda sounds disheartened.

?It may be possible to restore most functionality, Operative Lawson.?

?It doesn?t matter.? I?m not going to lie at this point. People deserve to hear the truth. ?Either way, whether we?re stuck here or not. We came here to destroy the Collector base, no matter the cost.? I haul myself to my feet. ?EDI, inform the rest of the crew of the situation. Arm up, and meet in the briefing room in five minutes. You and Joker see what systems you can get online, and keep scanning the base. We?re going inside.?


There?s a ?moment? between Miranda and Jacob as I enter the briefing room. They?re looking at each other over a workbench, and Jacob gives a small smile and a nod. I?m reminded that they used to be ?together?, and wonder if, assuming we survive, they will be again. Not that it matters to me, consenting adults are involved, but it would be nice if something came from this which was actually positive.

Otherwise, everyone seems to be here, checking their weapons or the ones they?ve taken from the armoury. I make my way to the end of the table, and rest both palms on it. The rooms quiets.

?This isn?t how we planned this mission, but this is where we?re at. We don?t know whether the Normandy will be in any shape to take us out of here, and we can?t worry about it. We came here to stop the Collectors. And that means coming up with a plan to take out this station. EDI, show us what we have.?

A hologram springs up in the middle of the table. ?As you can see, the station is arranged in concentric rings around a core. It should be possible to overload their critical control systems if you can get to the secondary control centre, here.? A room lights up on the plan EDI is displaying. I narrow my eyes, but Jacob reacts faster.

?That means going right through the heart of the station. Right past this massive energy signature.? Another light comes on as Jacob taps his omnnitool.

?That?s the central chamber. If any of the crew or colonists are still alive, that?s the best place to look for them.? There doesn?t seem to be anywhere else large enough for the numbers involved.

?It looks like we can get towards it down one of these two passages.? Miranda highlights those on the plan. ?They seem to connect at this room further inside.?

?Impractical. Both obstructed. Doors in place.?

?Could someone get through this maintenance shaft here,? Garrus sounds slightly hesitant, ?and release the doors from the other side.?

?It looks like there are security measures in place in the shaft to prevent that.? Jacob is studying the plan intensely. ?I volunteer to try.?

?Jacob.? Miranda sighs, theatrically. ?Breaching those sorts of security measures requires technical expertise you don?t have. Someone else will have to do it.?

?Tali. You?re up.?

?Of course, Shepard. I won?t let you down.? As if in preparation, she starts fiddling with her omnitool.

?Shepard, I assume you?ll be leading one fire team down one of these packages.? Miranda?s voice is crisp, matter-of-fact. ?I?ll take the rest of the crew down the other one.?

?Not so fast, cheerleader.? Jack?s protest is immediate. ?None of us want to be led by you.?

?This is not a time to be influenced by personality. We need someone who has proved they can get the job done.? Miranda sounds a little frustrated.

?Garrus, this is about the size of team you led on Omega. Take charge. Get everyone through.?

?Will do, Shepard.?

?Thane, Jacob, you?re with me.? I pause for a moment. ?I don?t know what we?re going to find in there.? Everyone?s attention is on me. ?We?ve lost good people. We may lose more.? I brush a strand of hair out of my face. ??I don?t know how many the Collectors have stolen. Thousands, hundreds of thousands. It doesn?t matter. What matters is, Not One More! Today, we end this. Once and for all.? I pull my helmet on. ?Move out.?


We drop out of the Normandy hatch onto the Collector base. I give Tali one last smile as she heads into the tunnel, and a nod for Garrus as he gathers then rest of the crew. And then I lead Thane and Jacob into our tunnel.

?Shepard, I?m into the tunnel. I?ll meet you on the other side of those doors.? Tali is first to call in.

Garrus follows her. ?Shepard, we?re moving in. No resistance so far.?

We haven?t met any so far ourselves. Then, there?s a change. Tali calls in. ?Shepard, there?s an obstruction in the passage. There doesn?t seem to be any way to open it.?

?Perhaps that valve over there.? Thane points one out to me. I suspect Tali is just on the other side of this wall. I hit the valves controls.

?That got it.? Tali sounds pleased. ?It?s quite warm in here. I wouldn?t want to be stuck.?

I move on, slightly more rapidly. Ahead, there?s another valve, and I head to it and open it. ?We?ve been spotted.? Jacob points out the first Collectors, on series of those hexagonal platforms they seen to like, which form a bridge over a large gap. On one of them is another valve.

?Assuming direct control.? As they start moving towards us, firing their weapons, an old friend turns up. ?Shepard, you could have been useful.? Far be it from me to contradict such an obviously virile homicidal god-machine, but I think machine gunning you and your minions makes me very useful. ?Swarm their position?. Maybe later, I should explain the concept of operational security to you, as well. But not yet.

With both Thane and Jacob tossing Collector bodies around with their biotics, Thane sniping them at range, and Jacob squeezing off rounds from his shotgun at close targets, we work our way through them. I double back to a valve we bypassed, when Tali calls for help, but we?re soon moving forward again. Garrus reports in. ?We?ve got contact. Nothing we can?t handle.? Two more valves open, a trio of Collectors in a corridor fall, and then we hit another larger area. There?s a valve near the entrance, and another about half way across. And on the far side, the door we need to get through.

The beat of wings says it. Collectors are incoming, from both sides of the chamber. ?I will direct this personally?. Hey, Harby has a new introduction. ?Drell: useless, insufficient numbers?. That sounds just a little racist. I blow his barrier down with one long burst, and Thane registers his complaint with a bullet in the head. One possessed Collector falls, and I start towards the nearer valve. ?Shepard, I?m at the valve. It isn?t open. It?s getting really hot in here. Some of my suit functions are starting to fail.?

There?s no cover near the valve, and a Collector has just set up a particle beam weapon near us. But I?ll be damned if anyone is going to die in when I can prevent it on this mission. I dash for it. ?Direct intervention is necessary.? I hit the valve controls, and dash for the nearest cover. Which is ahead of the others, and has Harby?s possessed minion behind. This might not be the best position, particularly with other Collectors moving towards me. ?You cannot escape your destiny, Shepard.? For a few seconds there, I forgot how annoying Harbinger was. As he starts to climb over the barricade, I let my annoyance get the better of me. It turns out, if you stand up, press a machine gun against his head, and hold the trigger down for five seconds or so, you can kill him. Your shields take a horrible battering in the process, and it?s probably going to be weeks before I can get the smell out of my armour, but he drops. Again.

?Assuming control of this form.? And he?s back. I check around. The Collector with the particle beam is lying over a barricade with a hole in its head. I should probably thank Thane for that. Two more are floating in mid air, held aloft by Jacob?s biotics, being used for target practice. One of the drones is jerking as Thane pumps sniper rounds into it. And good old Harby is coming towards me, with one of his quips ready. ?Your worlds will become our laboratories.?

Not today, dearie. I let off a long burst, and he virtually melts. And then Tali comes through one more time. ?Shepard. I need this valve open, now.?

Well, I suppose I could do that. Wing beats are audible, as more Collectors head this way. But Thane and Jacob are moving up, so I dash for the valve and hit it. ?That?s it.? Tali sounds pleased. ?I?m through. Working on your door.?

?I don?t want to rush, you, but we?re at the door.? Garrus sounds a lot less happy. ?We?re pinned down, and we?ve got a lot of enemies incoming.?

We fire into the Collectors, as they start to arrive. Single shots from Thane, bursts of fire from me, and shotgun blasts from Jacob. And then the door opens. ?Through. Now, now.? I push Jacob ahead of me, and Thane gets through on his heels. I fire one last burst, and dive through the door as it starts to close. A Collector is right on my heels, until its head explodes. Thane calmly lowers his rifle.

?The other door. Now.? I wave Jacob and Thane into covering positions, and make a dash for one console. Tali positions herself near the control panel on the door, to override the locking mechanism when it closes. I hack through the controls as fast as I can, with shots audible on the other side. And then it opens.

Garrus is first through, with the others on his heels. ?Covering fire.? He yells it, and turns to fire himself. Grunt and Zaeed back through the door, still firing, while the others pour fire in the direction of the Collectors. The door starts to close.

One last bullet comes through at us. And it hits Garrus squarely in the chest. As the door closes, he slumps over.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 62
Wonder if we could hitch a lift

?Garrus!? I?m over there in a moment, Tali with me.

Slowly, he straightens up. ?I?m all right, Shepard. It didn?t penetrate.?

I let out a breath I didn?t know I was holding. ?Don?t worry me like that, Garrus.?

?Commander.? Before we can say anything else, Miranda calls over to us. ?You need to see this.?

She?s moved on ahead, presumably scouting our advance. And she?s found the missing colonists, and our missing crew. Or at least, some of them. There are rows of pods, the type that the Collectors carried people off in. They?re attached to some sort of mechanism, with pipes leading away from it into the distance. I go up to the nearest. A woman I don?t recognise is in it.

I?d like to open it, but while there?s an obvious join, there doesn?t seem to be a catch. While I?m looking for one, the woman?s eyes open. She looks at me, and screams in terror. Some sort of mist is descending into the container. She beats on the door, and I can see her arms are starting to blister. And her face. And it?s starting to spread across her torso. And as she beats on the window in the pod, her arm slumps as if there?s no bone in it. It?s only been seconds, and she?s a puddle on the floor. A puddle that?s being sucked away through the tube at the top of the container. It releases, the pod crashes down, and another moves towards the attachment point.

?Get them open.? I don?t care how they do it, I don?t care if it?s dangerous to us. No more humans are being turned to sludge here today. I pull out my combat knife, and force it through the seam in the pod. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Zaeed smashing one open with his rifle butt, Grunt using his strength to rip them open, Tali overriding the seal with her omnitool, Jack using her biotics with immense care to pop them open? As I force the knife downwards, metal shears away, and then the lid falls open and Kelly collapses into my arms. She?s sobbing. I lay her down gently, and move on. We work our way through the pods, until they?ve all been opened, and I?m holding Doctor Chakwas upright as she slumps out of the last one.

?You came for us.? Chakwas clings on to me for a moment. ?I knew you would. I never lost faith in you, Commander.?

?Never again. I won?t leave anyone behind again.? I wave a hand around vaguely, trying to describe the equipment. ?What were they doing here? What is this for.?

?I don?t know.? Kelly sounds as if she?s about to cry. ?It was horrible. They were liquefying people. We could see, but we couldn?t do anything about it. And then you came. You saved us.?

?What could they possibly be liquefying people for?? Miranda sounds disgusted. And angry.

?I am unable to ascertain their purpose.? EDI sounds quite formal. ?However, all the pipes appear to terminate at one point, above your current position and directly above the large energy signature identified earlier. It is also very close to the control console identified as the best place to destroy the base.?

?All right. I guess we can destroy it when we get up there.?

?What about us, Shepard?? Chakwas sounds tired. ?There?s no way we?ll be fit to fight.?

?EDI, what?s the Normandy?s condition? Can you take the crew on board??

?By rerouting critical systems through secondary channels, we have rendered the Normandy partially operational. Life support is fully operational. The crew would be safe on board.?

?The problem,? Joker interrupts, ?is getting here. The tunnels you went in through are crawling with Collectors. I?m gonna have to move the Normandy somewhere closer. You?ll still probably want to send someone to escort the crew back.?

?Shepard, we might not be able to spare anyone. We don?t know how tough the resistance will be.? Miranda sounds as if she?s sorry, but has to express the practical aspects.

I look around. We can spare someone. I won?t put my crew at risk. My eye falls on a Professor, with a declared dislike for ?hold the line? scenarios. ?Mordin! You?re picked. Get my people home.?

?Of course, Shepard.? He pulls up his communicator. ?Joker. Need location of extraction co-ordinates.?

Mordin can help with medical matters, and he?s damn good at finding quick tech solutions too. I don?t think I could have made a better choice. I hope they make.

I hope we make it. ?Miranda, bring up the scans. What?s our best route from here??

She brings them up, and we study them. ?It looks like we need to get to there. The control panel is on a console in the middle of this space, and if I?m not mistaken there are some of those flying platforms they use here.? It actually looks quite easy.

?This passage would take us directly there.? Miranda identifies a way in on the far side of this chamber. ?But there?s a problem.?

?Yeah, there?s a door at the far end of it. And it looks like it?s controls are on the far side.? Jacob is looking at it carefully. I grimace. I wonder if we could blow through the door with the Cain?

?How about this side passage?? Tali is looking at her own omnitool, and highlights a passage on ours. ?It has a door at the end, but the controls are on our side.?

?I am sorry, Miss Zorah.? EDI seems to be experimenting with a range of emotional overtones. ?While the resolution is insufficient to show it, my scans confirm the passage in question is full of seeker swarms. So many, that Mordin?s armour modifications will be insufficient to bypass them.?

?A sufficiently powerful biotic should be able to create a ?bubble? of biotic energy to keep them away. It will take a great deal of energy, and require most of the biotic?s attention. However, it would be large enough to shelter a small team.?

?I could do it.? Miranda sounds confident. ?In theory, any biotic could. You could lead a small team through the side passage and take the chamber beyond. The rest of the team could go down the main passage as a distraction, and you could let us through the door.?

?That sounds like the best plan.? I look around for a moment. ?Samara. I want you creating the bubble.?

?Of course, Commander Shepard.? She drifts over towards me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jack pout. I?d like to have her with me. It seems like a confined space, with lots of sharp drop-offs, and I?m sure she could use her biotics to advantage. But that would put our two strongest biotics in one group, and her talents are best used with the distraction group, forcing the Collectors to react to them. ?Legion, Zaeed, you?re with me.?

?What about the other group, Shepard? Who?s in charge?? Miranda doesn?t sound as if she thinks it?s likely to be her.

?You are, Miranda. Get everyone through. No need to take chances, just draw their attention and stay alive.? It occurs to me I?ve told her what she?s been doing wrong in the past as a leader, and said I still think she can lead. Now?s the time to prove I mean it. And she?s got Garrus and Jacob to help, and Grunt for ploughing though obstacles. Though I don?t think Jack looks happy.

She isn?t. I have a couple of words with Mordin, as he prepares to lead the crew back to the Normandy. ?Good luck.?

?Likewise, Shepard. Actually, suspect your need greater.?

When they set off, I turn around, and Jack is looking angrily at me. ?Why?d you not use me on the biotic barrier? Think I?m not strong enough??

?No. I can?t judge for sure, but I don?t think you?re any weaker than Samara.?

?So, why??

?What would you rather be doing, Jack? Moving along, holding up a biotic barrier while others do the fighting. Or moving along in a group, throwing ugly bugs into walls or off ledges and blasting them with your shotgun??

?Yeah, well, if you put it like that. You actually think about that stuff??

?All the time.?

?Shit. Glad I?m not in charge. All I think about is where the next enemy is coming from. And what I?m gonna do to them.?

?You don?t need my permission, but you can do anything you want to the Collectors. And you don?t have to sit and take it.?

?I was gonna do that anyway. Which I guess proves you were right to pick the old lady. Luck, Commander.?


The side passage we?re intending to use has a low roof, at the start. It appears to have been cut from the rock which the base is built into. Near the entrance, I look into the passage. Seeker swarms swoop around, filling the air. I wait for Samara to be ready, which doesn?t take her long. As we set off, the other team moves towards their passage.

The barrier Samara erects isn?t very big, but it gives us room to spread out. The tunnel isn?t particularly wide, and I try to ensure that we keep Samara in the centre ? if the bubble she?s maintaining goes down, we?re all dead. At least we don?t come under fire immediately. The other team does. ?Shepard, we?ve got resistance. We?re pushing on.?

When the passage opens out, we meet our first Collectors. Samara ducks into cover. There?s a stone bridge over a chasm, and they?re on the far side. Or at least, they start off that way. ?Assuming direct control?. Harbinger attempts to cross the bridge, which might not be his smartest idea ever. ?You only damage the vessel, you cannot hurt me.? Perhaps that?s true, but we can turn your current body into a crumbling lump on the floor. One of Zaeed?s incendiary grenades, backed my automatic weapon fire, does the trick. The others have to expose their heads, which since Legion doesn?t so much have a sniper rifle as a light anti-armour rifle, is a bad idea. It?s supposed to be use against combat vehicles; what it does to the head of an infantry target is? actually, it?s quite funny when it happens to a Collector. Or maybe I?ve got a sick sense of humour.

We cross the bridge to move on, when I hear some groans. Sounds like they?ve got husks. And there are wing beats beyond them. So that?s some Collectors, too. ?I shall direct this myself.? Rather amazingly, Harby takes over one of them while it?s in mid-air. Sniper rifle shots from Legion and me stagger him even before he touches down. Samara ducks into cover behind a rock wall, while we drop into a depression. ?Geth: an annoyance, limited utility.? Yeah, he really doesn?t like non-humans much; I bet he voted Terra Firma at the last election.

With a wave of husks rushing us, Collectors in good cover firing on us, and Harby on its way, we?re not exactly in an ideal position. The first problem is easily resolved, however, when Zaeed tosses an inferno grenade into the middle of the group. Some of those things explode when you set them on fire, and the only threat the husks present a few seconds later is making a mess of people?s hair. ?You are arrogant, Shepard. You will learn?. Silly machine, thinking it?s a suitable teacher for me. Unless this is its secret fantasy, and the reason it keeps asking other Collectors to preserve my body. There?s probably some sick sexual fantasy involving schoolgirl uniforms and spanking involved.

I must mention it to Liara, if I ever see her again.

Already injured, Harbinger closes in on us. A couple of careless Collectors expose themselves to our fire, to his indifference. ?Leave the dead where they fall?. He ignores another of Zaeed?s grenades, walking straight into the blast radius of one that was targeting a Collector with a particle beam. Legion?s rifle cracks, twice. Already on fire, another form collapses. ?Assuming direct control?. The last Collector lifts upwards. Bullets hail into it, even as its skin starts to blister. ?You are vermin?. Yeah, Harby, but some vermin have a sting. Legion proves it, his rifle shattering Harbinger?s flesh again.

That?s the last of the enemies here. I move over to Samara. She looks at me, wearily. ?Maintaining this barrier is tiring, Shepard.?

That could be bad. ?We?ll try to move faster, then. I know you?ll do everything you can.?

We move forward, more rapidly now, with less concern for staying in overwatch positions. ?Shepard.? Miranda sound stressed, and guns are clearly audible behind her voice. ?The Collectors are coming at us in numbers. We can still move forward, but we may need your help.? Then, more groans indicate the arrival of more husks. And a Scion. The passage opens out, running along the edge of a large chamber. Husks are climbing up from the ground, while the Scion stands on the walkway.

Samara slips tiredly into cover, as we duck behind whatever we can find. Another inferno grenade, and the husks are scattered. The scion fires, and Legion and I return fire, shots smashing into what passes for its head. Zaeed keeps up fire on the husks, targeting the exploding abominations and shattering them in groups, and throwing the occasional grenade. As the scion falls, Samara calls over. ?Shepard. I cannot hold this barrier much longer. We must hurry.?

I move forward, putting myself in the lead, with Samara behind me near the wall, Legion outside her with a clear line of fire, and Zaeed as the rearguard. As we hurry down the ledge, husks and abominations climb over the edge. I switch to my shotgun, blasting them over the side with gunfire or physically battering them aside. Behind, Zaeed sprays bullets to cover our retreat, and tosses grenades to burn them down. As Samara staggers, Legion grabs her and virtually carries her along. As we close on the door, I yell to him. ?Get the door open.? I grab Samara from him, supporting her with one arm and firing my pistol down range with the other. Zaeed curses, as he reaches for a grenade and finds he?s down to the ones stored in his pack. A pack of husks are closing in, and then Samara starts to glow. She pulls free of my grip, totters forward a couple of paces, and a massive biotic shockwave clears the walkway and scatters the seeker swarms. I virtually drag her out through the door, Zaeed shooting a husk off me as it clambers over the edge of the walkway and lunges. And the door crashes shut behind us.

?Shepard!? Miranda sounds frantic. ?We?re at the door, but we?re pinned down and taking fire. We need it open.?

Their door is to our left. I let Samara down, and wave Legion to the terminal. Zaeed and I take up position near the doors. As they open, we add our fire to the others. Slowly they work their way through the door, Grunt proudly in last place. ?I have a battle scar.? He waves me to where the shoulder plate on his armour is missing. ?It was a great fight, Shepard.?

?He charged a scion that was moving round our flank. Bull rushed it straight off the ledge.? Miranda shakes her head. ?Two more with particle beams nearly killed him for it.?

?I judged that I could survive, and anything firing on me while I was in the open would be sniped. And my krannt proved me right.?

?Well done, Grunt.? I can?t exactly claim I?ve never done something that foolhardy, and relied on others to help me carry it off. And if he?s relying on others, they?re equally relying on him. That?s what I hoped for.

?Commander, they?ll be trying to get through those doors.? Miranda brings us back to the present. ?I recommend you take a team to the control centre. The rest of us will hold them off here long enough for you to have a head start. The doors are a natural choke point.?

I look around. After from the doors, and a moderately broad ledge with some cover on it, the floor disappears. We?re on the edge of that huge open space EDI identified at the start of the mission, with the control centre and that mysterious energy signature in the middle of it, which is also the destination for all the tubes the Collectors pump liquefied human through. One of the odd hexagonal flying platforms is on the edge. I climb up on it.

Everyone?s looking at me expectantly. I look back for a moment. ?C?mon, Shep. Give us a speech.? I?m somehow not surprised that Kasumi sounds amused.

I say what comes to mind.

?It?s been a long journey to get here, and none of us are coming out without scars. Along the way we?ve had triumphs and setbacks. We?ve lost good people. We may lose more. We will fight for the lost. This is what we came to do. This is where we draw the line. This is where we say ot the Collectors and their masters, No More! Here, the people of the galaxy show that we can and will resist them. We must not fail. We will not fail!
It?s been an honour and a privilege to lead you.
Make me proud.
Make yourselves proud.?

I pause for breath. ?Tali, Miranda, you?re with me. Let?s go.?

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 63
Zoe sets a baby on fire... and enjoys it

The platform lifts off, heading for an opening in the ceiling. We take cover behind the panels on it, expecting there to be trouble. We?re not disappointed. More platforms appear, closing in on ours. I whittle them down at range, with a few sniper rounds, but some are coming from above and aren?t easy to reach.

As the first one locks on, a familiar voice announces its presence. ?Assuming direct control?. Well, at this point it?s not a surprise that Harby would be taking a personal interest. I shoot at him, while Tali and Miranda take care of his supporters. ?Your attacks are futile, Shepard.? Silly thing, he is. He just says these things to be noticed. ?Recover Shepard?s body.? Or possibly because he knows that sort of thing creeps me out. Worse, now, after I?ve seen what they do with other human bodies.

As his first possession collapses, he takes over another. ?Kill one, and a hundred take its place.? I move over onto another platform, as they?re linking together. Tali and Miranda hold position, and we get Harbinger in a cross-fire. Though since he?s obsessed with me, he doesn?t seem to be bothered that they?re firing incendiary ammunition into him from close range. ?You cannot escape your destiny, Shepard.? That would, I suspect, depend on what my destiny is meant to be. I certainly hope being turned into soup isn?t part of it.

Another platform is coming in as Harbinger falls. One of the Collectors on it promptly turns into a Harbinger. ?We are assuming control?. I blast another of the Collectors off the platform with a concussive round. They have wings, but it tends to be more for a controlled fall than actual flight. A second normal one suddenly finds Chikitka on top off it, forcing it away from cover. ?Go for the optics, Chiktika!? I have to admire Tali?s enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Harbinger advances on us. And another platform is on the way, this one holding two scions, their bulbous heads already turned our way and their weapons glowing. I let Miranda hit Harbinger with a series of warps, draining his biotic barrier, and then I go over the barrier and start shooting incendiary rounds into him as fast as I can. And then, for good measure, I hit him with the butt of my shotgun. When he then throws me backwards with a biotic blast, I?m a little annoyed that he isn't dead again. At least it gives Tali and Miranda a clear field of fire, and they finish him off.

We turn our attention to the scions. At least Harbinger doesn?t possess these, but their weapons are nasty. And it?s not as if Miranda and Tali are particularly tough, so I?d rather they focused on me. I make a dash for cover nearer to them, and start firing. Both scions start firing on me, which is what I wanted. Watching my shields deplete rapidly is less amusing, but I can handle that. I hammer away at the first scion, and Miranda and Tali follow my lead. Once it?s down, I shift rapidly away and let my shields recover. The second tries to follow, but we?re able to engage it from all sides. After a few seconds, the platforms are clear of the last resistance.

They?re also quite damaged. I search around for one that?s useable. It turns out that the one the scions came in on is the only one where the controls aren?t too damaged to operate. We move over onto it, and head upwards.

?Shepard.? EDI is obviously monitoring the situation. ?I have been attempting to ascertain the nature of the object that requires such a large energy signature. What I have found is incredible.? The platform passes through the hole in the floor as she?s speaking, and it comes into sight. ?The structure is massive, and contains both organic and non-organic material. The Collectors are building a new Reaper.?

?Not just any Reaper.? There?s a face, arms, a partially complete torso. It?s a lot smaller than it would be at full size. The platform closes in, linking up with some others that are placed around the front of the Reaper. At least one seems to have a major control node. There are four pipes leading into the shoulders of the Reaper, carrying material from below. The humans they?ve abducted, and liquefied, have been turned into this... abomination. It?s supported by a metal frame, and its face is looking directly at us as we approach. ?A human Reaper.?

?Correct.? EDI obviously isn?t aware of my thoughts. ?It appears that is the purpose of the colonist abductions. It seems the Reapers reproduce by obtaining genetic material from a suitable species, and incorporating it into the design of a new ship. Probabilities suggest they attempted this with the Protheans, and failed. The Collectors are a second option.?

?Why? What do they need humans for? They?re machines.?

?That is not entirely correct. Reapers are a fusion of mechanical and biological technology. It is possible their periodic harvesting of species when they enter the galaxy is related to a reproductive cycle.?

?So how do we destroy this thing?? It?s a reasonable supposition, but we can speculate later.

?It appears that the tubes feeding it genetic material are a structural weakness. Wait until they are exposed, and destroy them. Be aware, more Collectors are approaching.?

I look up. There are indeed more platforms incoming, Collectors on board. But before they arrive, I manage to spray one, and then a second, tube till they explode. And then we?re into the fight again. ?Assuming direct control.? Harbinger is on the platform closing from the right, and has a couple of Collectors with him. There?s a couple more on the left, with more Collectors on that. I leave Tali and Miranda to handle them. One Collector I throw directly off the platform with a concussive shot. The other I lift, slam into the ground, and shoot down. Harby seems displeased. ?The dead are useless.? He tries to close in on us, making no attempt to use cover. Although his biotic attacks are dangerous, and his barrier and armour quite tough, I move around, dodging what he throws at me and spraying him with machine gun fire. And then he drops, and I turn to the Reaper. On the other side, the armour is clear of the tubes as more fluid is pumped through. No more! I fire into one, and it shatters. As the valves start to close, I hold the trigger down and sweep across the other tube.

As the last tube shatters, the baby-Reaper slumps forward in it?s frame. The framework creaks, one joint shatters, and then the Reaper crashes downwards, out of sight. In the process, its limbs smash a couple of incoming platforms. A couple of casual shots dispose of the last Collectors, and we?re clear to do what we came to do; destroy this base.

?Shepard to ground team.?

?Thane, here. We are holding them, but they keep coming. It would be wise to leave this place.?

?Disengage. Get back to the Normandy. I?m about to blow this place sky high.? I signal to Tali, who lifts a core module of the control system.

?Understood.?

?Ah, Joker to Shepard. I?ve got an incoming call from the Illusive Man. EDI?s patching it through.?

Miranda plays with her omnitool for a moment, and a hologram of the Illusive Man springs up between us.

?Shepard. You?ve done the impossible.?

?I was part of a team. We all bled to do this.?

?I know. Still, you?ve done it. You?ve acquired the Collector base.? Acquired? What the hell does that mean? We?re about to blow the place up. ?I?ve been looking at the schematics EDI uploaded. A timed radiation pulse would kill the Collectors, but leave the machinery and technology intact. This is out chance, Shepard. They were building a Reaper.? And doesn?t he sound excited about it. ?That knowledge - that technology - could save us.?

?They were liquefying people here. This place is an abomination.?

?We need this technology to fight the Reapers. This technology might be all that can save us.?

?I don?t know.? Miranda doesn?t sound happy. ?This place; seeing it up close, it feels like a betrayal of the dead,?

?It?s a betrayal if we let them die for nothing. This base is a gift. We shouldn?t just destroy it.?

?You?re completely ruthless, aren?t you. How long before you decide to grow your own Reaper??

?I?ve never hidden it from you that my goal is to save humanity from the Reapers. This base gives us an opportunity. Imagine how many lives will be lost if we don?t take it.?

?No. This place?. We can?t use it.?

?Shepard. You died fighting for what you believe in. I brought you back so you could keep fighting. I didn?t discard you because I knew your value. Don?t be so quick to discard this facility. Think of the potential.?

?No. We don?t need it. I won?t let fear compromise who I am.? With that, I turn away, and start helping Tali set up the explosive charges that will destroy the station.

?Miranda.? The Illusive Man doesn?t give up. ?Don?t let Shepard do this.?

?Or what.? Her tone is amazingly sarcastic. ?You?ll replace me next??

?Miranda, I gave you an order.?

?I noticed.? She touches her omnitool. ?Consider this my resignation.?

?Shepard. Think of what Cerberus has done for you. I implore you?? His hologram winks out, just as Tali finishes installing the last bit of hardware. I hit the timer.

?Come on. We?ve got ten minutes before this place blows apart.? I look for the platform we came in on, when the structure shakes. Then a metallic head peers over the edge. It looks like the baby Reaper is back, and it?s not happy with us.

It?s mean weapon is some sort of energy beam that it shoots out of its mouth, unless that?s a serious case of halitosis. I ignore it. While it can strip my shields away, the short bursts that are all it can manage aren?t enough to kill me in one go, and while it recharges, so do my shields. If it wasn?t for the fact that it ducks down below the platform edge fairly frequently, this would be a short fight. My machine gun hammers away almost continuously, hitting the eyes and sending fragments of whatever clear material they?re made of splintering away. Tali and Miranda fire shots of their own, chipping away more. Finally, rounds break through and incendiary ammunition penetrates inside the Reaper?s head.

Whatever is inside there, it?s inflammable. Or flammable, as Professor Solus would add. All the eyes pop, as something behind them lights up like a torch. The Reaper rears back, flailing its arms wildly, and starts to drop away. Next time I?m fighting something fifty metres tall while standing on a platform over a drop of several kilometres, I?ll make sure it?s far enough away from the platform to go down without hitting the edge and tipping and us off. Or I?ll supply parachutes. Somehow, Miranda manages to stay upright and grab hold of something.

Tali doesn?t. She?s sliding inexorably towards the edge of the platform. I launch myself face first after her, right arm extended to make a grab. I get a grip on her wrist.

And lose it.

And as she goes over the edge, I get it again.

Which doesn?t mean I don?t go ever the edge too.

It's a very long drop.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 64
Just hanging around

Hanging by my left hand from the platform, and holding Tali?s wrist with my right hand, it occurs to me that it?s a good job I wasn?t sliding any faster. If I?d been out of reach of the platform when I slipped over the edge, I?d have about twenty seconds to work out how to fly. Or maybe a little longer, since the gravity is lighter than normal.

For some reason, Tali seems a little upset with me. ?Let go of me, you idiot!?

?Tali?Zorah nar Rayya vas Normandy!? My tone is at least mock-sharp. ?What a thing to call your captain. What sort of captain would I be if I let my crew die just because it put me to a little inconvenience??

?There?s no point both of us falling!?

?We?re not going to fall. We might get vaporised when the base explodes, but there?s no problem with me supporting our combined weight.? I pause for a moment. ?I think I know how we can do this. I?m going to pull you up, and then you get a good grip on me, round my neck. And then I pull the both of us over the edge.?

?What did Cerberus do that you can do that??

?Upsy-daisy.? I pull Tali up, and she gets an arm around me, and then both legs, until she?s got what I think is called a reverse choke-hold, legs wrapped around my waist and arms round my neck. ?I don?t think it?s anything Cerberus did, though I am stronger. But the gravity is pretty low here.? I grasp hold of the platform with both hands and start pulling us upwards. ?I could probably have done this two years ago.?

?Shepard!? If I wasn?t holding on for grim death to a platform that?s starting to shake, Miranda would have startled me into letting go. ?You?re alive!?

?Last time I checked. And meaning to stay that way.? I laugh hysterically, as I untangle myself from Tali. ?I was expecting to die doing this. Now we?ve done it, and I haven?t, and I?m really, really certain that I want to get out alive. So why isn?t this thing moving??

?I?ll get right on it.? Miranda shoots me a worried glance, as she moves over to the control systems. Before se can do much more than set us off, there?s a crash far below. It sounds like the wannabe-Reaper didn?t learn to fly before it hit the ground. Unfortunately, it appears to have damaged something in the controls of the platforms. Ours tilts, sending us rolling across it, though fortunately not off again. Somehow, Miranda stays on her feet, steering us towards a landing point. And then another platform comes flying in wildly and crashes into one above us As we link in to the edge of the tunnels, debris crashes down on top of us. A rather large bit lands on me, and my head smacks the ground, hard.

I really wish I didn?t keep doing that. ?Commander, are you there? Can you here me?? Joker sounds rather worried.

?I?m here, Joker.? I?ve got a lump of metal lying across, me, which I manage to lift aside.

?Commander, we?ve got to get out of here. The rest of the team is back, we?re just waiting on you. But the bombs nearly due to go off. I?ve go the Normandy as close as possible, but you have to hurry.?

I look around. Tali is lying near me, on her side. I move over, and she turns her head to look at me. ?That hurt.?

I snort, once, and pull her to her feet. ?Miranda??

We both look around. There, under a piece of rubble, trying to shift it. I move over and lift it off her. ?We need to move.? She?s obviously heard the same thing I did from Joker.

As we set off at a run down the passage, a seeker swarm comes after us, and I fire a couple of pistol rounds at it. Harbinger takes control of the bases loudspeakers. ?Human, you?ve changed nothing. Your species has attracted the attention of those infinitely your superior. Those who you call Reapers are your salvation through destruction.? A group of Collectors turn in a tunnel mouth as we rush by. They pursue, firing wildly rather than halting and losing ground, but we?re not slowing down for them. The tunnel comes to a large cavern, with a bridge of collector platforms across the middle, and then the centre of the bridge crashes down.

Into the gap comes the Normandy. Somehow, Joker has manoeuvred into the base and brought the Normandy to the exact place we need it. The airlock hatch opens, and I get a horrible shock. Joker is standing there, wobbly legs and all, with an assault rifle. This does not inspire me with confidence.

It should have, but then I never checked his rifle range scores. I don?t think he had any. Nevertheless, his covering fire takes down two Collectors. Tali gets aboard. Then Miranda. And then a chink of debris falling from the ceiling takes out two of the platforms. Someone is messing me around. I can stay where I am, fight the Collectors, and die when they kill me or the base explodes, or I can make a jump for it, and if I don?t get close to the world long-jump record I get to fall to my death. Overhead, Harbinger is talking to someone else. ?You have failed us. We will find another way. Releasing control.?

I?ll go for the jump. Mid-air, I realise something. I?m not quite going to make it. I reach forward desperately, my hands hit the deck plating, and I scramble for a grip which I?m not going to get. Bullets from desperate Collectors splatter on the hull and my shields, and then Miranda and Tali grab an arm each, and haul me in.

?Right, we?re clear.? Joker is already limping towards the cockpit. ?Let?s get out of here.?

?Demolition charge detonation in ten, nine, eight, sev?.?

?Yeah, we get the picture.? He slips into the pilot?s chair. ?Hang on, this is going to be a bumpy ride.?

The Normandy accelerates, heading for open space outside the base. Then Joker really hits the drives. He?s heading for the debris cloud, accelerating all the time. ?Detonation.? EDI?s voice is quiet as we hit the edge of the debris, slamming smaller pieces aside with our kinetic barriers. Larger ones, Joker manoeuvres round as closely as he can rather than slow down our desperate rush to get away. Our sensors light up, as the base behind us starts to disintegrate in a fireball of massive proportions. It reaches out to engulf us, scattering or shattering all the debris in its path.

Then the Normandy gets clear of the field. Joker stops our acceleration, as the explosion rushes down on us, and hits the FTL drive. The last image on our sensors is of the explosion engulfing the Mass Relay, and then nothing can touch us as we leave at many times the speed of light.


Two hours later, I?m moving purposefully through the ship. The crew are already working to fix things. They?re concentrating for now on serious damage, repairing destroyed control runs, fixing up life support, and patching the holes in the hull. It needs doing, but my destination is somewhere else. I walk into the armoury, and pause. The ground team are here.

Jack is the first to notice me. She pauses in her inspection of the pistol she?d been using, and gives me a respectful nod. Others notice, and follow her lead, showing respect in whatever way they think they should. I halt for a moment, and manage a salute that a drill instructor would probably not be happy with. At least it was done with feeling behind it. And then I head out.

The comms room is damaged. Not only is one door broken, but part of the ceiling is down. Yet I checked with EDI, and the link to the Illusive Man is still usable. I activate it.

I don?t think it was a surprise, to him, that I got in touch. He?s not sat in his chair as he usually is, but he was expecting me. ?Shepard.? And he sounds properly angry. ?You?re making a habit of costing me more than I can afford in time and money.?

?Sorry. Can?t quite understand you. Lot of bullshit on this line.?

?Don?t toy with me Shepard,? He jabs in finger n my holograms face. ?That base would have assured human dominance in the galaxy for the foreseeable future.?

?Human dominance. Or just Cerberus??

?Strength for Cerberus is strength for humanity. But I shouldn?t have expected you to see that. I should have known you?d shirk the tough choices. Too idealistic by half.?

?Oh, no. You don?t pin that on me. That place was a trap. One you were falling right into. From now on, we?re doing things my way. You can get out of my way, or be left behind. But I won?t compromise what I believe in out of fear.? I start to leave.

?Don?t you turn your back on me, Shepard. I made you, and I can break you.?

?Joker, lose this connection.?

And if the Illusive Man wants to spend the next couple of hours sulking in his chair, wondering what went wrong, that?s up to him. I have work to do.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, chapter 65
Cleaning up the mess

Two days later, the Normandy is orbiting a lump of rock in an unnamed and uncharted system two light years from the wreckage. I?m in the cockpit, with the privacy curtain closed, with Joker and Miranda. Holding a discussion about our situation, if you were imagining something else.

?We?re five thousand light years from the nearest mapped relay, Commander. It?s going to be a long flight home.?

?Exact time is impossible to predict due to the lack of accurate star charts for the galactic core region. Assuming a straight line flight is possible, and allowing for time to disharge the drive core, a minimum period of 473 days is predicted.?

?Where is the nearest relay, then, on your estimate?? I smirk slightly. It?s not often I get ahead of EDI outside of combat matters.

?In the network of known relays, the nearest system to the galactic core is Fulacin, at approximately 4920 light years from the core. It was formerly the site of a major astronomical research station concerned with studying the conditions at the Core. After the Batarian Hegemony withdrew from Council jurisdiction, the scientists were withdrawn by the sponsoring governments. It is not known whether the batarians have continued the research, abandoned the station entirely, or stripped it of equipment.?

Miranda is listening in dismay. ?So we?re going to be stuck out here for over a year, and then have to make our way through batarian territory before we can get back to civilised space.?

?No.? I lean back in my seat on the bridge, crossing my ankles on a console, and folding my arms behind my head.

?Come on, Commander, don?t keep us in suspense. You?ve obviously thought of something we haven?t.?

?My calculations are correct, Shepard.? EDI sounds very slightly annoyed. ?Jeff asked me to determine a time and course to the nearest mapped relay, and that is certainly in the Fulacin system.?

?No doubt it is the nearest mapped relay. After all, relays only get put on the map when people know where they are. But there?s one a few light years away, and we?re the only people who know where it is. And it will take us straight to Omega.?

?The Collector?s relay.? Miranda sounds disgusted with herself. Personally, I feel quite smug. It?s not often I?m ahead of her and EDI.

?Is that safe to use?? Joker sounds just a little worried.

?While the explosion will have created a wave front of dangerous radiation expanding from its point of origin, that wave front will become steadily less lethal. Distance will serve to attenuate the effect. In addition, this area of the galaxy is already subject to high intensity radiation effects from the supergiant stars formed in the area and, of course, the black holes.?

?Can you make an estimate of how long it will be before it?s safe to return to the relay??

?Not at this time. I will confer with Doctor Solus on the likely medical effects.?

?Shepard, we?ve also got damage to the Normandy.

?We have significant amounts of suitable material in the cargo hold, and the fabricators to make use of them. While on-site repairs will be more difficult than those that a proper space dock would permit, there is no reason the Normandy should not be fully operational.?

?We?re coming out at Omega. I wasn?t planning on going there until we?ve got the Normandy back to as close to 100 percent as we can manage.?

?So we have to repair the Normandy, work out how long before it?s safe to return to the relay, and travel there. That isn?t anywhere near as bad as I feared.? Miranda sounds pleased. ?Anything else, Shepard??

I think she expects a no. ?One more thing. Astronomical observations. No-one has ever been this close to the galactic core before. I had a look out of the windows in the observation deck. We can see Sag A from here, or at least its accretion disc. We broke with Cerberus. The Council really aren?t happy with me. The Alliance listed me as KIA and don?t pay me a salary any more. We?re going to need a source of funds. We have to record everything. We scan, we record, we store. And if we have to, we sell the information. There?s nothing I?d like more than to hand it over gratis to scientific institutions, but I have to face facts. If we can?t get funding any other way, I?ll do whatever is needed so we have the money to continue operating.?

?Understood, Commander. I?ll check the crew files, to see if any have any expertise in the area of astronomy. Come to think of it, wasn?t Tali investigating the sun on Haestrom when we picked her up? Perhaps she can assist.?

?She?ll be busy with the repairs, though.? Joker points out. ?And I don?t think it?s really her area of expertise, she was on Haestrom for other reasons.?

?Doesn?t hurt to ask. But repairs have top priority, that?s mostly Tali and EDI working out what needs doing and getting people to do it. Then analysing the time till we can return to the relay, that?s for EDI and Mordin. Astronomical observations, we need to find someone to work on that. Miranda, can you take an inventory of supplies and equipment. Some of it will be needed for the repairs, and no doubt we lost some in the fighting. I?ll start making a list of people whose skill set could be helpful. Guess I should put my name on it, I?ve done a lot of EVA work and I?m not exactly incapable of heavy lifting.? I look around. ?Any other ideas.?

?No, Commander.? Miranda has been making notes on her omnitool. Now she stands up. ?I?ll get on with it.?

?And so will I.? I nod to Joker, and we head out.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 66
Meanwhile, back on the Citadel

?Ah, Councillor Anderson. I hope I might have a moment of your time. In private, please.?

?Of course, Councillor. Udina, I?ll see you back at the embassy.?

?Do you want me to leave your car and driver, Councillor?? Despite his apparent politeness, there?s bitterness in Udina?s tone.

?That won?t be necessary.? The salarian councillor is quick to interrupt. ?When our business is concluded, Councillor Anderson may use my vehicle. I have other business here, anyway.?

?Very well. I will see you back at the embassy, Councillor.? Udina departs with a face like thunder.

Anderson resigns himself to a lecture when he gets back. In the meantime, he can console himself with the thought that his salarian counterpart probably has some information for him that might mean not having to put up with Udina at all in the future. ?Where to, Councillor??

?I have a room prepared down the corridor.?

A room that turns out to have rather efficient looking salarians, ostentatiously in civilian clothes, guarding it. One even salutes. ?The room is clear of surveillance, Councillor.?

?Very good.? Sweeping in, the salarian sits down in one of the two chairs. ?Councillor.? He waves a hand at the other.

Anderson slowly lowers himself into it. ?I assume this is about that matter we discussed previously. Is there any progress??

?Ah.? For a moment, he looks embarrassed. ?No, this is not about that. I have a team working on it, and they have confirmed your suspicions; Mister Udina is indeed passing classified files to individuals who should not have access to them. Though as yet, there is no indication that he?s aware the information is being passed any further. It appears he has political ambitions, and is leaking information to a couple of politicians in the hope of obtaining a seat in your parliament.?

?Which party? Not Terra Firma, I?m sure. I may dislike him, but I don?t believe he?s prejudiced that way.?

?No. A representative of the CDP. I have an STG team still investigating how the information gets further. It appears that one of the politicians assistants may be at fault.?

?I suspect Udina could argue that a CDP member would have access to some of the data anyway, through membership in parliament. And I thought it would give me an excuse to be rid of him.?

?Unfortunately not.?

?So, if it wasn?t that, what did you want to see me about??

?Spectre Shepard. Her ship was seen two days ago in Sahrabarik.?

?Is she talking with Aria T?Loak again??

?No. Her ship went straight to the Omega Four relay and passed through.? Apparently, breaking bad news tactfully is not a salarian skill.

?Two days ago. Is there any more recent news??

?That report only arrived two hours ago. Obtaining reliable information from Omega is difficult at the best of times. I would not expect anything more today.?

?You sound as if you think there?s likely to be more information.?

?Whatever I think of some of Spectre Shepard?s claims, her competence is not in doubt. If she believes it is possible to pass through a relay and return, I am inclined to accept her assessment. And while I could accept she would not personally shy away from a mission likely to lead to her death, I do not believe she would take a crew with her. Thus, I assume she believes returning is possible.?

?I wish I knew how. I know why she?d be going through, going after the Collectors, but she must have information we don?t.?

?Agreed. I am beginning to think it was a serious error not requesting she file reports with us. Considering the evidence we have of her activities, I would like to know why she engaged in some of them.?

?She?s been to some very odd places.?

?Indeed. Two trips into territory claimed by the geth, if our information is accurate. And a trip in-between to the Quarian Migrant Fleet. I would personally appreciate it if you could ask the Admiralty Board what she was doing. They seem much more willing to talk to you than they are to anyone else.?

?That?s Shepard?s influence. I don?t know how, but she seems to have a real affinity for quarians, and krogan for that matter.?

?It was somewhat unexpected. I was aware that she didn?t dislike non-humans, from the files provided about her. Yet her ability to work with individuals of several species and make them part of a team was not something I would have predicted. And she is still doing it, even while working with Cerberus. Something I doubt they would have anticipated Again, it makes me regret saying reports would not be necessary.?

?The Council seemed determined to have an excuse to hand if it became necessary to disavow her actions. Not getting reports was meant to make it easier.? Anderson glowers across the room.

?A certain amount of distance seemed desirable when we weren?t sure how long she?d been working with Cerberus for, and when we thought it might be necessary. At the moment, it merely means we know some of the places she?s been, and some of the things she?s done, but not why. At least when she was in pursuit of Saren her reports clarified the reason for her actions, and we lack this now.?

?I assume her ultimate goal is stopping the Collectors. So fighting a private war against the Eclipse on Illium seems quite odd.?

?Indeed. I understand Councillor Tevos has assigned an asari Spectre to look into the matter. Not that she objects, but apparently there has been pressure on her from some business interests on Illium. That though is her affair. Still, we have covered what I wanted to speak to you about. Unless there?s anything else, my driver will be at your disposal. And as soon as I have more information on Shepard, or he Normandy, I will inform you.?

?Thank you, Councillor. I'll be on my way.?

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 67
Bar-room talk

?A toast.? The batarian raises a glass in the air. ?To the Collectors.?

?The Collectors!? the other batarians raise their mugs in the air with a roar.

?Most people try to avoid the Collectors as much as possible.? The tone is one of bemusement. ?What have they done to make you happy??

?You stupid, Turian? They?re the ones who?ve been making all those human colonies disappear.?

?And good for them. About time someone did something about those bastards.? Another of the batarians chimes in.

?I?m not fond of humans, but toasting the people who started a plague on Omega? That killed a lot of people, turians among them.? All three turians stand up. ?You might want to think of a different toast.?

?Who said it was the Collectors? Everyone knows humans were immune. I bet they were testing a plague to wipe out other species.?

?It was a salarian doctor. He discovered the cure, and the Blue Suns distributed it. And if they say it was the Collectors, then it was the Collectors.? One of the turians pulls out his ceremonial knife and starts cleaning his talons with it. ?So toasts about how great the Collectors are going down too well right now.?

?All right. All right.? One batarian holds up his hands in mollification. ?You can?t blame us for being happy someone?s taking the fight to the humans. We didn?t know about the plague on Omega.?

?You know what the good thing is, though.? One of the other batarians is too enthusiastic to keep quiet. ?They?re getting rid of that fake human Spectre. She was stupid enough to try and take them on. I wish we could see what they?re doing to her.?

?Oh, not this again.? One of the other batarians groans. ?Goronak, everyone knows Shepard is dead. D.E.A.D. dead. Can?t you tell the difference between truth and whatever you last read on the extranet??

?I?m not an idiot. It?s not just one place, it?s everywhere. She?s alive, I tell you. Alive.?

?The human who killed Saren? She wiped a stain off the Hierarchy?s honour. It?d be a pity if the Collectors killed her.?

?You believe that? The Council has been bending over for the humans since first contact. I wouldn?t put it past them to have made the whole story up, or even to have set Saren up just to help the humans out. Do you seriously think a human, a female human, could be a match for a turian Spectre??

?I don?t see why not. They?re like asari, aren?t they, and asari are some of the nastiest fighters in the galaxy??

?Yeah, well, humans aren?t like that. I?ve owned a few, and the females in particular hardly even fight back. So I can?t imagine any way one would be able to fight a proper warrior.?

?They fought us well enough in the Relay 314 Incident. Unless you think we aren?t ?proper warriors??? The turian folds his arms across his armour.

?Argh. That?s not it, either. I?m not trying to insult you. I?m pointing out that female humans aren?t usually fighters, and this Shepard is no exception. She?s a murderer not a warrior of any sort.?

?It doesn?t matter!? One of the batarians is getting frustrated. ?Raidmaster Balak said so. He killed her. Ambushed the ship she was on and destroyed it. Even the humans have admitted the truth.?

?She?s not dead.? A deeper voice interrupts the conversation. The Krogan bouncer is staring at them with a look of amusement. ?She was on Tuchanka not that long ago. With her crew. Spoke to Urdnot Wrex. Proved she?s got a quad on her, too. And you think the Collectors are going to kill her. And people say Krogan are stupid.?

?She was a criminal who hated aliens, she was killed by Raidmaster Balak, and you think she?s been to Tuchanka. Yeah, I think Krogan are stupid.?

?Watch it, batarian. You think Shepard is bad because of Torfan? Try raiding a Krogan clan, and see what we do to you. Shepard works perfectly well with Krogan, and turians, and quarians, and she had a salarian with her on Tuchanka. A salarian on Tuchanka. And she kept him alive. Now think about what that means.?

?That she can fool people into dying for her. Wonder what she does to get all those males to be loyal to her.?

The batarian?s leer lasts for perhaps a second, until a large fist descends on his head. In the face of a Krogan stare, the other batarians look away. The bouncer snorts. ?Carry that away. And think twice before insulting a battlemaster in front of a Krogan.?

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 68
Reactions

Illium

"Miss T'Soni? You asked to be notified if any references came up to the SSV Normandy. I have one here, from Omega. I?m just not sure it's reliable."

?What does it say??

?It?s rather strange. It?s from six days ago, and it claims the Normandy entered the system normally, but rather than travel to Omega or even head out of the system, it went to the Omega Four relay and went through. I mean, that doesn?t sound right. That?s the one with all the hazard warnings about it. No-one would be stupid enough to go there, would they. Erm, Miss T?Soni. Is something wrong??

?Cancel my meetings for this afternoon, Helen. I?m not feeling well. I?m going back to my apartment.?

?Of course, ma?am. Would you like me to make a call to your physician??

?No. I just need to rest for a while.?



Tuchanka

?What are you doing, Wrex??

?Oh, it?s you, Uta?? Wrex looks away for a moment. ?It?s a custom among some human clans. When someone has gone away, you set something alight each day to guide them home. This is for Batlemaster Shepard and Urdnot Grunt. They?ve gone somewhere dangerous, and this shows them the way back.?

?I can see why. Vorcha always smell bad, and setting them on fire seems to make it worse.?

?I couldn?t get any candles.?



QSV Neema.

?What do you mean, I can?t have leave? I want to find out what has happened to Tali?Zorah.?

?Kal?Reegar, be serious. I am as worried about her as anyone, but until they come back from that relay there?s nothing we can do. If they come back from it. No-one else has, after all. I can?t imagine what Shepard vas Normandy was thinking, or why Tali would go along with it.?

?I?m sorry, Admiral Raan. But Tali was always loyal to the ship she served on, and she talked about Shepard a lot. She wouldn?t have considered jumping ship, especially after that farce of a trial. Hell, I?d be proud to serve under the command of the woman who took back the Alarei.?

?I do not know what to believe. Only Collector ships have ever come out of the Omega Four relay, despite the number that have passed through. Yet we should remember, Shepard and Tali found a way to travel to Ilos, so they have done the impossible before. I will speak to the rest of the Admiralty Board. Perhaps we should have someone standing by, in case they return.?

?I want to be on that team, Admiral.?

?I am sure you do. Don?t expect a quick decision, though. Half the Board doesn?t seem to want to speak to the other half, at the moment. Some days, it makes me feel old.?




Fifth Fleet Headquarters, Arcturus Station

?Also, Admiral, we have a report from the Terminus systems. Specifically, from Omega. It seems the SSV Normandy went into the Omega Four relay six days ago. The report is from a source classified as reliable.?

?One less bunch of terrorists to worry about.? The comment is a deliberate stage whisper.

?You?re dismissed, Commander.? Admiral Hackett doesn?t even raise his voice, but everyone stiffens. ?If I want your input, I?ll ask for it?

?Ah, Admiral, this presents an opportunity. I mean, I know it?s unlikely that the ship will return, but if it does, well. Our engineers really want to get hold of the ship, and Military Intelligence would like the information the crew has. If we had ships waiting outside the relay for a possible return, we could whisk them away and get hold of both. Interrogate Shepard and find out why she?s working for Cerberus. Everybody gains.?

?It?s in the Terminus systems, you dolt. Alliance military going in there could start a war.?

?Not if we?re careful about it. A small ship, a disguised freighter perhaps, to observe the relay, with a cruiser division to come in and pick up the Normandy. We could pull it off.?

?No. Matter closed. Now, what?s next on the agenda.?

?Of course, Admiral. Well, next is recruitment. We?re still having difficulties?.?

Edited by Bluenose, 21 February 2012 - 06:17 AM.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, chapter 69

Party Favours

“Councillor,” The VI speaks as soon as her owner enters the apartment. “You have an incoming call on your family communication node. Shall I transfer it to your terminal?”

“At this time of day? It must be important. Accept it, please.” The asari moves gracefully over towards her holo-display, just in time to see it flicker into life.

The asari who appeared is a stranger to Councillor Tevos. A pale purple tone to her skin is set off by dark and clearly expensive clothing as she leans back on a wide seat. In the background, the beat of dance music is audible. A single batarian leans into the screen, passing a holopad across, before moving out of the display. “Ah, Councillor Tevos.” She smirks slightly. “How good of you to give me some of your very valuable time.”

“Who are you? How did you get hold of my family communication link?” How did someone obtain a private communication address for a member of the Citadel Council?

“Why, I’m hurt.” The sarcasm was obvious. “And here I thought my reputation preceded me. Perhaps I should start an advertising campaign. ‘Visit exciting Omega, spend some money, and if you’re lucky perhaps the Pirate Queen will keep order long enough for you to leave safely.’ How does that sound, hmm?”

“Aria T’loak.” Tevos can’t quite keep the disdain from her voice, which only provokes a smirk and a nod. “Why, and how, are you communicating with me in this way?”

“You don’t know how communicators work?” Aria’s tone is mocking. “Well, you press a button here and another button there, and then you can talk to somebody who isn’t even in the same room as you. It’s very useful. No doubt you have a VI which could handle it if you aren’t familiar with such things.”

“I see you don’t intend anything more than mockery. Since that is the case, I see no reason to continue this conversation.” Tevos reaches for the switch to terminate the signal, but Aria’s next words give her a reason to pause.

“That Spectre of yours, Shepard, I’ve got to say she throws a good party. One of the best there’s been at Afterlife in months.”

“Shepard.” The name itself is a surprise, the reported situation… perhaps less of one.

“Yes.” Aria suddenly sounds much more serious. “The Normandy, that’s her ship in case you’ve forgotten, came back from the Omega Four Relay earlier today, and is currently berthed at one of my docks. And then all the crew came ashore and trooped into Afterlife, and they’ve been having a high quality and very expensive eight hours entertainment since. As well as entertaining everyone else, with their human customs. There’s still a, I believe it’s called a Konger Line, going round now. Music and singing and dancing and sex and money being spent. They’re normal in Afterlife, but every so often there’s a night like tonight which becomes special. Spectacular. Something to tell people about for a long time. So I‘m telling you.”

“So Shepard and the Normandy went through the Omega Four Relay. And now they’re back.” Aria nods as the Councillor tries to ignore the party to concentrate on what matters. “How?”

“Went through the relay, shot up the Collector vessel that tried to stop her, boarded their base, rescued her crew who the Collectors had attacked the Normandy while she was off the ship and taken most of them, and then set off a nuclear device on the base that destroyed it and wiped out the Collectors entirely.” Aria smirks . “If you want the details, you’ll have to speak to Shepard yourself. I did.”

“She does persist in doing things in the most spectacular manner possible.” Tevos sounds tired. “Why can’t she be discreet, like other Spectres?”

“If you think she’s not being discreet, you need to look at things from the perspective of someone who hasn’t got half the intelligence services in the galaxy reporting to you.” Aria’s tone is derisive. “It’s all rumours and suggestions, even among people who accept she’s alive.”

“I’m still astonished anyone doubts it. She gave an interview to that al-Jilani woman. It’s not really something people can question.”

“A lot of people, once they’ve been told what they should believe, will carry on believing regardless of anything as trivial as facts. Though of course,” Aria’s sounds distinctly smug, “That’s not always confined to people with limited information.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” While Tevos prided herself on keeping her temper publicly, this was a private conversation where she didn’t need to keep up a diplomatic front.

“Why, nothing, Councillor. I’m sure your opinions are informed only by facts, and not at all by personal prejudice.” Aria smirks “Anyway, I have told you what I wanted to tell you. Now I’m afraid I must go. Give my regards to your grand-daughter, and advise her that she really shouldn’t lick drell when she’s going out in public. It starts all sorts of rumours.”

“Wait, how did you...” As Aria’s image disappeared, Tevos stopped talking and exhaled. “Make some notes for the morning. Have some technicians check my terminal for any intrusion software Aria may have left, ask Metellus if the STG can confirm Aria’s report of Shepard, and make an appointment with Councillor Anderson. I’m sure he’ll want to know his protégé is around.”

“Of course, Councillor. Good night.”

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 70

A Two-Spectre problem

Liara has a new secretary, who seems rather easily alarmed. I’m sure it’s perfectly normal for heavily armed and armoured humans, turians, and quarians to turn up unannounced. After all, it happens to me all the time. At least we’ve removed every trace of Cerberus logos. I jerk a thumb at the office door. “Liara in?”

“Yes. But...”

“Don’t let anyone disturb us.” I push the office door open, and we barge in. Liara looks up, startled, from her terminal, a faint blue glow forming and then dissipating as she recognises us.

“Shepard!” I can read Liara’s emotions pretty well, and she’s surprised, excited, and... guilty? “And Tali and Garrus too.” And now she’s calming down, putting on her ;Information Broker’ face. “What can I do for you?”

“Take a look at this datapad.” I toss it on her desk, feeling slightly low. “It’s got some Cerberus information on it that you might like to read.”

Liara looks a little puzzled as she picks it up and starts reading and then excited. “This is a series of transmissions between Shadow Broker agents! Cerberus must have intercepted them. There’s some dates, hints about locations... It’s Feron!” And now, definitely distressed. She presses a button, and the datapad displays the image of a drell.

“Who is Feron?” The name is new to me.

“I... Do you know how Cerberus got their hands on your body?” She looks at me as if she expects me to be angry.

I shrug. “All I know is that you recovered it and handed it over. None of the details.”

If anthing, she looks even less happy. “Yes. I gave you to them, knowing what they’d do. And I’d do it again.” She sighs. “But Feron, he was there. He was infuriating. He was working both sides, he betrayed me at least twice. And in the end, he sacrificed himself so that I could escape.” She looks at the image, longingly. “And now he’s alive. All this time I’ve been planning revenge, and now I can think about a rescue.”

She looks down, trying to compose herself. “I need to contact a few people. It might take a little time. Come by my apartment in an hour or so, and we’ll start planning what to do. Until then, you can use my office. Or, whatever you want, I suppose. Thank you, Shepard. But for you, I’d have never had this opportunity.” Gracefully she rises, picks up her things, and leaves.



I could get used to sitting in an office chair with my feet on the table, ringing my (Liara’s} secretary and demanding tea, it’s dextro- equivalents, and the relevant biscuits. I don’t think the secretary is too happy with the situation, but after Liara told her to look after us I felt compelled to take advantage of the hospitality. As we leave after the hour is up, I’m quite certain her smile is faked.



Liara’s door is open, and there’s a police barrier inside. Three Ilium police appear to be investigating an ‘incident’. I also suspect they’re not terribly attentive, as I walk right up to the barrier without them noticing. “What’s going on here?”

The officer in charge appears to combine laziness – she was standing watching her juniors work - with not paying attention and not thinking quickly. “I’m sorry,” she says in a bored tone, “but this is a crime scene. Civilians are requested to leave.”

I can see signs of combat damage here, and no Liara. An asari in police uniform isn’t sending me away. “What... Is.... Going... On... Here?” Maybe if I keep it simple she’ll get the picture.

Before she can do more than look annoyed, another voice interrupts us. “Someone attempted to kill your friend, Commander.”

The asari who comes down the stairs isn’t in police uniform. She does look rather more combat ready than they are. “Thank you Officer, you and your people are dismissed.” And she’s getting rid of the person who is attempting to stop me looking for Liara, which is a big plus.

“What? This is my investigation. You can’t do that!”

“Already done.” The visitor has sent an omni-tool command, and the other two police are packing and leaving at once. She’s obviously of some importance, although she has enough patience to wait until the police have left before introducing herself. “Commander Shepard. I’m Tela Vasir, with Special Tactics and Reconaissance.”

“Another Spectre.” And they never bothered to teach me the secret handshake.

“I heard they reinstated you, too. Good. You’re one of our most famous agents.” She smiles slightly. “Maybe I’ll get you to sign my breastplate later.”

“So, what happened here?” I’m getting a little tired of the question.

Vasir looks at her omni-tool. “About 17 minutes someone attempted to assassinate your friend, Doctor T’Soni. They failed. They used bullets designed to penetrate the kinetic barrier on the windows, but they weren’t expecting her biotic shield. Clever girl. Paranoid, but clever.”

“Hence the mess, and the bullet holes.”

“I gave the police a gold star for finding those.” Vasir’s smirk is pronounced. “T’soni didn’t leave for nearly four minutes after the shots were fired. Any idea why she might have done that?”

“She was expecting me.” I glance around. It’s not a small apartment. “I suspect she may have recorded a message.”

“Then I think we should look for it.” Vasir sounds decisive. “She’s your friend, Commander. Where might it be?”

“Let me have a look around.” I glance at Garrus and Tali. “See if you can get anything from the forensics or the computer.” As they move to comply, I start moving around the apartment, Vasir at my elbow. I suspect we’ll find anything somewhere I would recognise.

A large painting on the wall catches my eye. “That’s not Thessia.” Vasir sounds curious. “I’m not sure where that might be.”

“It’s Ilos.” But it doesn’t have any sort of message attached. Nor does Liara’s doctorate, from the University of Serrice.

There’s one display piece catches my eye. A glass case, which holds the cuirass from a suit of combat armour, with an N7 badge on the torso and a bright red stripe starting on the shoulder. A very battered chestpiece. Vasir looks at it. “That seems a little out of place.”

“It’s the chest piece from my old combat armour.” Which I suppose was cut from my body after I dead, and restored as much as it could be.

“Looks like somebody didn’t like you very much.” Vasir has a nice line in sarcasm. She might even sound impressed that I survived that sort of damage to my armour. Of course, I didn’t.

We head up the stairs. Liara’s bed, neatly made, with fresh flowers on the bedside table and a small holo of the original Normandy. I pick that up, and it changes. “That reacted to your touch.” Vasir sounds pleased. But I don’t recognise the scene.”

“It’s the dig site from Eden Prime. Where they found the prothean beacon.”

“There’s a few prothean-looking items around the apartment. Let’s take a look at them.” Vasir starts down the stairs.

I follow here. What seems likeliest. We check a couple of possible items, before a third reacts to my touch when a drawer slides out. Vasir grabs the datachip. “Let’s put this into a reader.”

The chip is a recording of a conversation between Liara and a Salarian. She gets right to the point.

“What have you got for me, Sekat?”

“There is some location data on there, Doctor. A bit vague, mind you. If you’ll come over, we can discuss it. Frankly, I’m a little worried about discussing this over the com. What have you got Baria Frontiers into?”

“Nothing that should lead to trouble for you.” Liara doesn’t quite sound as soothing as I think she’d like to. There’s a sound in the background, of breaking glass. Liara looks around. “I will come and speak to you shortly.”

“Baria Frontiers.” Vasir sounds thoughtful. “They have an office in the Drakon Trade Centre. Come on.” She starts for the door, raising her voice. “My car is outside. Enough space for everyone.”


Vasir knows the way around Ilium, which I suspect is a regular location for her Spectre activities. She drives us to the Centre, half listening to the conversation I have with Garrus and Tali.

“Did you get anything from your scans?”

“The shots were fired from the building opposite Liara’s apartment. Not from the roof, although at first it seems like it. The angle doesn’t work correctly for that. I would say the floor below, most likely from a landing on the fire escape unless the end apartment was used.” Garrus sounds thoughtful. “The gun was a Mantis, or a close copy. Nothing with the hitting power of your Widow. If it had, I don’t think there’d have een a window left.”

“Someone attempted to access the computer between Liara leaving and the police arriving.” Tali sounds displeased. She and Liara were my regular partners in, not crime but extreme violence, when we chased down Saren. I don’t think she’s happy someone is trying to kill her friend. “They didn’t get very far against the security, but they were trying to download her datafiles and introduce a sleeper program to record and later retransmit her messages.”


The Drakon Trade Centre is five stories high, in the typically expensive looking Ilium style. Vasir parks in front of it. “Baria Frontiers is on the third floor.” She starts talking as we get out. “Let’s head up there and...”

An explosion inside the building blows out windows on the bottom three floors. With glass raining down around us, I hear someone scream, “Liara’s in there.” And they borrowed my voice to do so.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 71

Gunfire, explosions, chases – just a normal day, then

Vasir grabs my elbow. “Shepard. I’ll head up to the roof and start clearing the building downwards. Take your team in and go up. We’ll meet at Baria, third floor.” She doesn’t wait for my reaction, simply moving back to her car.

Survivors, many injured, are starting to come out of the building as we move towards it. They get out of our way as best they can, and I don’t stop to question anyone. Liara is in there, possibly hurt and possibly needing assistance. Anything slowing me down is going to regret it.

The lobby was expensively decorated, which I suppose is expected on Ilium. A lot of that decoration is broken, smashed, or knocked over. A few stragglers make their way past us as Tali and I move forward, while Garrus picks a position with a good view. Not that there seems to be any resistance. Sprinklers are operating, though there doesn’t seem to be much evidence of fire.

It’s easy enough to make our way to the back of the lobby. Predictably, the elevators aren’t working, but I can’t imagine anyone in this situation using them anyway. Unless they were very, very stupid. Or wanted to be ambushed.

The second floor holds a nasty surprise, as Tali grabs me. “I’m scanning explosives. There, to the right. Hold position while I disarm it.” I’m slightly reluctant, but she is the best choice. Garrus and I move to cover the area, while Tali gets the charge disarmed. “Not very well done,” she comments.

“Vasir.” I tap my comms. “Be aware, we have disarmed one UXB. There may be more.”

“Sounds like the people doing this were in a rush, Commander. Sloppy.” She sounds mildly contemptuous, before singing off.

The second floor has a complication. The stairwell is blocked by a collapsed ceiling. We check a plan, and find a secondary staircase towards the rear, through some of the office space. We move in, and I notice movement ahead. Armed and armoured figures in black, with full-face helms and an insignia I don’t recognise on their shoulders. As we take cover, one of them shoots an injured asari in the head. He lifts a hand to his ear. “No survivors. Moving on to the next section.”

He’s wrong, actually. Although there are six of them, they’re notaware of our presence, nor as good as they seem to think they are. A quick burst of fire drops two before they can find cover. I make sure their attention is on me, while Garrus and Tali handle those who try to flank me out of my position behind someone’s desk. Then I pin the survivors down, while Tali moves to flush them from cover where Garrus and I finish them off.

I move over to check the bodies, and scan the emblem. “Vasir, I’m in contact with hostiles. Mixed force, heavy on tech. Unknown emblem, I’m sending you a copy.”

After a couple of seconds, she gets back to me. “Meet the Shadow Broker’s elite mercenaries, Shepard. Someone has been a naughty girl, to make him act this openly.”

That would be Liara. Three floors of a building blown, and mercenaries sent in, to get her. And if they know where she’s going, the opposition will be tougher as we get closer to Baria Frontiers’ office.

Sometimes I regret being right. We have one more encounter on the second floor, with a similar group to the first. On the third, we run into tougher groups, with more firepower and technology and including asari commandos. Who always look very surprised, when they end up dead. That sense of superiority that they all seem to have really doesn’t do them any favours. We work our way to the back of the floor and into the Baria office. Liara was the last person to sign in, only moments before the explosion. And at least the offices don’t seem to have had explosives inside.

They do have a small group of mercenaries, who we kill. And as we move towards the back, there’s a single gunshot from the main office. Cautiously, we move into it.

Vasir is there, holding a pistol and standing over a dead mercenary. There’s a salarian slumped against the wall, executed by a single shot to the head. “Damn.” Vasir sounds mildly regretful. “A few seconds faster, and he might not be dead.”

I glance at the body. “Sekat, I assume.” And still no sign of Liara. I’m getting worried.

“Yes.” Tela doesn’t even glance. I assume she’s already checked. Business-like, she continues. “There’s nothing on the top two floors. Have you seen any sign of your friends body?”

“You mean this body?” I didn’t notice her come in, but Liara sounds angry. And looks as if she’s been sheltering under a fire sprinkler for the last ten minutes.

She’s also aiming a pistol at Tela. So I do as well, with Tali and Garrus following my lead. “Liara, this is Vasir. She’s a Spectre.” It’s not a criticism, just information.

“This is the woman who tried to kill me.”

“I think you’re a little confused.” Vasir doesn’t sound scared, but rather patronising. “Put the gun down, and we’ll say nothing about this.”

“After I left my apartment, I doubled back to watch. It was you that broke in before the police arrived. You’re working for the Shadow Broker, one of his agents.” Liara sounds quite certain.

I move slightly in front of Liara, and Tali and Garrus spread out to cover Vasir from more angles. “That’s why you wanted me at the apartment. You needed to know where Liara had gone, and thought I might be able to find her.”

“Bright girls, both of you.” Vasir now doesn’t sound particularly pleased at all. She hasn’t reached for a weapon, but one of her hands is behind her back where she’s standing by the window. “A shame you’ll never get to exploit that, you pureblood bitch!”

Vasir’s biotics flare, and the inner surface of the window explodes towards us. I bring an arm up to protect my face, and start forward as Vasir bolts for the exit. There’s another another flare of biotics, and then I’m charging across glass where it hit Liara’s biotic shield and dropped to the floor. One slight adjustment, and then I hit Vasir, shoulder first, and both of us crash through the damaged window.

Three floors would be quite a fall, but grappling Vasir I can ensure that she’s the one at the bottom. It then occurs to me that we’re falling slowly, and I realise that Vasir is supporting us both with her biotics so we float downwards. Since I don’t want to let go, I attempt to disable her with a head-butt, but lacking proper leverage I don’t think it had much effect. Admittedly she’ll have a nice black eye. And then she pushes a hand into my stomach and lets go with a biotic blast. We’re flung apart, I feel myself falling and try to twist, and we hit the ground several metres apart.

Vasir recovers faster than me, no surprise as she hit me with biotics as well as the ground. Before she can do anything, there’s a blue flare above us. Liara has jumped out of the window. I don’t think she’s particularly experienced at this biotic flying, and she’s a lot less graceful than Samara was, but she’s getting down to the ground just fine. Vasir curses, and takes off out of the plaza. Without hesitation, Liara follows her.

I take a little more time. The wind has been knocked out of my, several of my weapons are detached from the harness, but I’m still ready to go before Tali and Garrus catch up. They took the safe but less scenic route down the stairs. We set off after the two asari, before a rather rude interruption. More of the Shadow Broker’s people try to stop us. I suspect Vasir may have got some more backup.

Several lots, in fact. Though I want to just charge through them to get to Liara, it’s too risky against what are reasonably competent opponents. We make relatively short work of them, though, and get out onto the taxi rank. There’s a rather ineffectual firefight going on, with both VAsir and Liara in cover behind vehicles, every so often poking their heads out and letting off a few shots against their opponents biotic barrier. For Vasir, our arrival is much more of a problem. I see her tapping commands into her omnitool, and then her speeder descends. She steps back, drops off the ledge, and drives off.

Liara is already after her, getting into the passenger seat at the front of a taxi, leaving me the driver’s seat. At least she remembers that much. “Quick, after her.” And she sounds impatient.

I look at Tali and Garrus. The chaos here needs someone to explain things to the police. “Garrus, stay here. When the police arrive, tell them there are people on the trail of the mercs who did this. Spectre involvement. Use my name, and get them to back off till it’s settled.”

“Will do, Commander.” Garrus gives Tali a sympathetic look as she gets in, before moving towards the main entrance area where emergency vehicles are arriving.

I get into the taxi. “I’m fine, by the way. Thanks for asking.” I’m still just a little annoyed with Liara running off like that, and let some sarcasm out to show it.

“Come on, she’s getting way.” It doesn’t seem to bother her. Perhaps she so determined to catch Vasir that she doesn’t care.

“Righty-o.” I lift the taxi off, and we head after Vasir’s bright red air-car at the best speed I can manage. Which is quite a lot higher than a safety-conscious driver would favour on Illium.

It’s not hard to gain on Vasir, since she appears to be driving conservatively to avoid notice. On the other hand, when she notices us she swings off to the right. Oncoming traffic in a one-way flight-path isn’t light, either, but she dodges and weaves and we dodge and weave with equal skill. “We need to be careful. A head on collision at this speed...”

I try to reassure Liara. “Yeah, I hear those can be bad for you.” It may not have come out quite as intended.

Vasir turns again.

“We’re not going into the construction site at this speed.” Liara seems less enthusiastic all of a sudden.

Of course, we are. When Vasir exits by what will one day be a window and turns, I slide our taxi through a gap between the wall and a lift to gain a little distance. Slight moans from my passengers as we head again into oncoming traffic can be ignored.

I think Vasir is starting to get a little nervy. Small objects start dropping out the back of her car. “Oh goddess, she’s dropping proximity mines.” That’s a little annoying. We have to take a few lines that are a little wider than I’d have preferred if we don’t want to get blown up, and that let’s Vasir grab some distance again. “She’s getting reinforcements.”

I glance around. Four more aircars have dropped into the traffic, and familiar black-armourd figures are visible inside them. We might want to deal with that. “What’s this thing armed with, anyway?” I don’t think my flamethrower would be all that useful at this distance.

“It’s a taxi. It has a fare meter.” Liara sounds a little stressed. I drop below another mine, and swerve between two cars. Does she want me to rip it out and throw it at the mercs? I wouldn’t have thought that would work well, although exploding fare meters would be an interesting design choice.

As it happens, that mine takes out one of the mercenaries. Another swerves to avoid the explosion, and side-swipes a civilian vehicle to fall out of the chase. Vasir stops releasing them. Either she’s out, or she doesn’t want to waste them. It’s not as if they’ve hit us. She concentrates on pulling away. And notices a tunnel.

A one-way tunnel, and we’re at the wrong end. Vasir speeds through it, with me and the mercs inpursuit. “Truck.” I can ignore that comment. “Truck!”

“I see it.” Stop distracting me, Liara. I could have got my arm out the window without losing it, that’s how much space we had. And with the truck swerving, there’s no space at all for the mercenaries to go. Kaboom.

“There we go, all clear.” I sound quite satisfied with myself. Four vehicles destroyed, no ammunition expended.

“You’re enjoying this.” Liara makes it sound like an accusation.

Vasir doesn’t seem to be doing quite as well as us. She swings off again into another one-way zone, heading again into the oncoming traffic. “Truck!” Liara sees it first.

“What, another one.” How tedious. I swerve round it with plenty of room to spare, even as it starts to spill its load. And then we’re up alongside Vasir. She looks out the passenger window, and I give her a wave and a smile.

Looking angry, she swerves to give our taxi a little nudge. You’d think she’d have more respect for her paint job than to do that. Still, anything she can do...

Two side-swipes later, I notice oncoming traffic that isn’t getting out of our way. And realise that Vasir hasn’t. I lock up with her just long enough, than drop away. In the last second before she looks ahead, I think I can see her smile. And then the oncoming vehicle and her aircar smash into each other. Sadly it’s not in a full head-on smash, as the other driver noticed something was going on and managed to turn enough to leave two damaged vehicles rather than one explosion.

As I swing around to land, I see Vasir limp out of her wreck. Our chase will continue on foot.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched 72

Dead Spectres who met Zoe Shepard, three from three

Vasir made quite a mess of her car, all things considered. I’m surprised it got down in one piece. That she survived is quite obvious, given the bullet hole in the head of the security mech that came to investigate the landing. That doesn’t mean she’s in good health, if the splatters of blue blood are anything to go by.

We follow the trail, into a “hotel” room which looks like it caters to a particular type of guest. The pornographic holo, soft cushions on the floor, and several other features are rather a give-away. Just to make sure, I ask Liara. “What is this place?”

“This is Azure. A rather specialised establishment where rooms are rented. Among other things.”

“Azure?”

“It’s a slang term in certain regions of Illium for areas of the asari body.”

“Which parts?” This is fun, given how prim Liara sounds about it.

“The lower reaches, near the bottom.”

“I meant on the asari body.”

“So did I.” If Liara’s tone was any darker, I could use it to darken coffee.


In the next room, we manage to interrupt two of the guests. Or possibly one guest and one staff. The asari ducks under the blanket as soon as she sees us. The male human may be trying to appear braver, but the quaver in his voice doesn’t inspire confidence. “What do you want?”

“Where’d she go?” I jerk my thumb towards the other exits.

He points towards an exit that leads onto the landing. I smile at him. “Thank you. You can carry on with what you were doing.”

“Shepard!” Tali sounds slightly scandalised this time. I sometimes think there are too many people in this group from upper class backgrounds. Where I grew up, this place is classy.


We move through the door indicated, and immediately spot more blood. Tali comments on it. “She’s lost a lot of blood.”

“She’s a tough bitch, I’ll give her that.” It won’t stop me killing her, mind you.

“She’s a Spectre.” I suppose that Liara wants to remind me that I’m facing someone as qualified as me to be called a badass.


Round the corner, we see Vasir again. She’s limping past a group having a party on a balcony overlooking a rather nice set of fountains. I’m less impressed by the concrete steps surrounding it, which aren’t what I’d like to see in landscaping. Not that my taste is important, and Illium does seem to be a place where nature isn’t allowed to intrude much.

Unfortunately, as I draw my pistol, Liara decides to let Vasir know we’re here. “Vasir! It’s over.” That might have been a mistake, I’d rather have dropped her without fuss. At that point though it attracts the attention of the party, and the sight of an armed confrontation isn’t something they seem to have been expecting. Their decision to stick around and watch might be caused by confusion, but it’s certainly annoying.

Vasir is quick to take advantage of their presence. “Hey you. Yes you.” She picks out a human woman. “Come here.” If I could have interrupted her, I would have, but she takes one pace towards Vasir, and then another. Vasir grabs her, pulls her into a position where she’s covering most of Vasir’s body, and puts a pistol to her head.

That’s the time the rest of the group decide to start screaming and leave. This leaves Vasir, her hostage, and us alone to sort things out. Vasir starts talking to the woman. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Karen.” She sounds scared, which I suppose is fair. “Please. I have a son. He’s only three.”

“A son.” Vasir sounds pleased. “I hope he’s going to be lucky today. I hear growing up without a parent can be traumatising.” If that’s a dig at Liara, or Tali, or even me I think I’ll make her regret it. Vasir looks over at us. “Guns on the floor, Shepard. Thermal clips, too. Or Karen’s son is going to grow up with one parent.”

“Let her go!”

Liara sounds as if the crack about growing up with one parent has annoyed her. I make a clam-down hand gesture. “Ease down. We’ll handle this. The usual way.” A slight huff is her only verbal response.

I keep my gun trained on Vasir, who carries on looking at us. “Come on, Shepard. Guns on the floor, and thermal clips. And we can just walk away from this with no problems.”

“That’s it?” I scoff at her. “You should go back to stripping in sleazy bars with the other asari.”

Her eyes narrow for a moment. “You think I won’t kill her? I’m a Spectre. We do what we have to.”

“You’re a Spectre, and can do what you must. I sent thousands of humans to their death to save the destiny Ascension. I sent most of my platoon to their death on Torfan.” Behind Vasir, a table is rising quietly with a blue biotic aura around it. “And you think one lousy hostage is going to stop me ripping a hole in you.” I snort. The table is in position, and Vasir still has her attention on me. “Liara, now!”

I think being hit from your blind side by a table is a valid excuse to lose your grip on your hostage, even if you are a Spectre and supposed to be tough. Falling into a fountain, though, is probably considered insult added to injury. I yell at the hostage, “Get out of here,” as we start down the steps. She complies, just in time to miss Vasir rising out of the water in a blaze of biotics, dripping and furious. I roll into cover, wave Tali and Liara into more, and the shooting starts.

Vasir is a rather tough opponent, with her ability to zoom around biotically being particularly irritating. One moment she’s on one side of the area, the next she’s on the other. And she’s got some nasty tricks to use against targets in the open, with a powerful shotgun and the ability to biotically charge people, knocking them around. She can even use a Shockwave, to push people away from her or from any cover they might be in. Her disadvantage is that all of this is short-ranged. This isn’t particularly helpful for Tali and Liara, who don’t have great range themselves, but Tali’s Chikitika is capable of following anywhere and my rifles have plenty of reach to hit her. After a while, she starts to flag and I think we’ve got her, but then I hear the whine of an approaching vehicle. “I’ll let my friends deal with you.” Vasir pulls out of the fight, astonishingly, but biotically charging to the roof of the hotel.

Her friends are a group of shadow broker mercenaries, arriving in a small air truck which drops off a team of engineers and combat drones. They’d be an annoying group, but promptly get a singularity in the middle of them courtesy of Liara, It even warps the vehicle, which also gets its electronics blown out by Tali and set on fire by my incendiary bullets. The enemies don’t survive very long, and then Vasir is back. “Miss me?” Not very often, to be honest, although sometimes when I’m using my assault rifle as you shift away some bullets go astray.

I don’t think Vasir likes this fight very much. We’re not really giving her the chance to do what she does best, forcing people into the open, charging them, and then taking them out with her shotgun. We’re rather too good at sticking to cover, and when she closes in there’s always someone moving to assist the person she’s attacking. Tt’s apparent that she’s becoming frustrated, when she starts taking chances, staying in one place long enough for Liara to drop a singularity right on her. I’d never seen anyone break out from one of those, so when Vasir makes a supreme effort of will to charge herself back to the top of the building it’s quite a surprise.

The arrival of more mercenaries is less of one. More engineers, a couple of asari commandos, and a turian with a smiper rifle whose position on top of a wall lends itself to a concussive shot followed be a rather long drop. The asari close in on me, apparently believing this is likely to go better for them than exchanging fire at medium and long ranges. I suspect if they knew I was carrying a flamethrower they might have chosen differently, and then I pull the fuel tank off my back and throw it into the cover the engineers are using. I’ve used this trick around Tali before, and she promptly sends an Overload from her omnitool towards it. The explosion is quite pretty, though probably less so for the engineers it kills.

“Here I come, ready or not.” Vasir re-enters the fray, showing plenty of courage. This time, she’s playing for keeps. Rather than shifting around the edge of the area looking for opportunities to isolate someone, she goes straight for Tali. It’s enough of a surprise that, spread out as we are, Liara isn’t close enough to intervene. I move towards them as fast as I can, abandoning cover as I do so.

This might have been Vasir’s intention all along. Tali is on the ground, vulnerable, but instead of trying to shoot her Vasir launches herself at me biotically. The impact knocks me backwards, and Vasir fires her shotgun. The first round splashes on my shields, reinforced as they are by the best technology in the galaxy, but the second takes them down and hammers into my body armour. Before Vasir can fire a third shot she staggers, as I lunge desperately at her and jab the muzzle of my rifle right into her ribcage. She ducks under the follow up swing with the stock of my rifle, hits me in the ribs with her shotgun butt, and then staggers away from an elbow in the face.

And then she staggers as Chikitka discharges electricity directly into her. Before she can recover, I kick her legs away and fire a five-round burst into her belly.

As Vasir slumps to the ground, Liara trots up. She reaches around Vasir’s belt, feeling through her pouches until she finds a datachip. “This is it. Sekat’s data. Let’s go.” Without a backward glance, she heads off.

“You’ll fail.” There’s enough life left in Vasir to talk, but if I’m any judge she won’t last long. “The Broker has been in power for years. He’s more powerful than anything you’ve ever faced.”

Which suggests she has no idea of the sort of things I have faced, but still. “Is that why you’re working for him?”

She glares at me. “You think I betrayed the Council, like Saren. Never. The Broker has given me damn good information over the years, information that has saved lives. So if I had to do a little of his dirty work, that was a price worth paying.”

“The Council wouldn’t see it that way.”

“We do the Council’s dirty work, Shepard. They look the other way rather than look too closely at the methods we use. And it’s not as if your hands are clean. You do work for Cerberus. Do you know the sorts of things they do? Biotic death camps, thresher maw experiments, they’ve killed more humans than the First Contact War. Look in a mirror before you dare judge me. Don’t you… dare… judge me.”

As Vasir dies, I step away from her, Tali at my heels. Liara is waiting impatiently on the path to the taxi rank. I lift my communicator. “Garrus, can you get away from the police and get back to the Normandy. We have a situation. And they need to get a clean-up crew to Azure. There’s a lot of dead mercenaries, I am in pursuit of their employer, and there’s a dead Spectre here. The Council will want to know.”

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 73

She loves me... not? Get another daisy, this one is faulty!

Liara is waiting impatiently. “Finally. Sekat’s data and some clues of my own, give enough information that I know the Shadow Broker’s main base is on Hagalaz, and that’s where he has Feron. We’ll need the Normandy’s stealth systems to approach undetected, but we’ll have surprise on our side With his primary agent dead, we can leave while his mercenaries are still shooting their way through Illium..”

“The deaths they’re causing not being any of our problem, I suppose.”

“You know what I mean.” Liara sets off walking briskly towards the shuttle park.

“Do I?” I hurry after her. “When I hit the ground back at the Trade Centre you’d didn’t even slow down to see how I was.”

“A little fall wasn’t going to kill you.” She keeps on walking. “I had to stay focus, keep after Vasir. You taught me to focus on the objective, to follow the plan whatever the cost!”

“So, what is the plan?”

“Get in, get Feron, get out.”

“That’s it?” I know Liara is smarter than that. She needs to start thinking, not emoting. I taught her that, too.

“That’s it.”

“Will you stop a minute.” I grab her arm, and turn her round to look at me. “We’re not even back at the Normandy yet, and then there’s the flight time. We have time to talk.”

She steps away slightly. “Talk. About what?”

“About US!”

Liara turns so she’s leaning over a railing, facing away from me. “Look, Shepard.” Her voice is softer. “I’m glad you’re here...”

“Worried there might be some terminals you need hacked?” Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tali backing away. To give us some privacy, I hope.

“That’s not fair!” Liara glares indignantly at me. “You were dead. I couldn’t just put my life on hold for two years in case you came back!” She sighs, and continues in a softer tone. “Let’s not fight. I need your help if I’m to rescue Feron.”

I wish she’d shut up about Feron. I know who he is. Anyone would think we were off to rescue her boyfriend.

Oh.

How very stupid of me. That really makes sense of so much that I didn’t understand about how Liara was behaving. It’s strange how much this hurts, compared to being shot. Although I suppose I couldn’t really expect her to say it straight out, as I don’t believe even now that Liara would deliberately hurt me.

“Let’s go.” I pull down the visor of my helmet. “We’ll get this mess sorted out, Liara. Don’t worry.” And if no one can see my face as we head back towards the Normandy, that’s fine by me.


Hagalaz

Hagalaz is a second-tier garden world that receives little attention from the galactic community. A salarian mining expedition initially discovered the planet, which was promptly strong-armed away from them by organized crime figures. Hagalaz's exploration rights were then sold to the highest bidder, which led to a brief burst of mining colonies in the 2000s, but most of those were abandoned when other planets were found with more accessible resources.

Though Hagalaz has a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere capable of supporting life, its rotational period is slower than Earth's, making its day and night 98 Earth hours long. The intense heat on one side of the planet and the extreme cold on the other make for violent storm cells wherever the sun is rising or setting. As a result, the flora and fauna of Hagalaz have developed the capability to live in cycles of ice, flooding, baking heat, and dramatic air pressure changes. The biota of the planet has been largely unexploited by the exotic pet and gardening trades, since simulating their natural conditions is problematic for the average consumer.

What the entry doesn’t mention is the atmospheric conditions where the hot air meets the cold air. There’s a permanent, moving thunderstorm of extreme power, which serves as a natural screen against most sensors. The Broker’s ship hides in this. Only a ship with remarkably effective sensors could hope to detect it. EDI takes four minutes to pinpoint it.


“The shuttle bay won’t open for us.” Liara is looking at the images as we take the Nromandy’s shuttle down. “We’ll have to land somewhere on the exterior of the hull and find a way inside.”

“There.” Tali taps the screen decisively. “That looks to be the only place with enough space to touch down. And it looks like there’s a maintenance bay here, which should give interior access.”

“That’s at the other end of the hull. It should be an interesting trip.” Two hundred mile an hour winds, lightning, rain on metal, and a kilometre drop to an ocean that’s alternately boiling or freezing.

“Do it.” Liara sounds determined, and it is her show. I’m just along to shoot things.

As expected, the surface of the ship isn’t terribly comfortable, but it’s not impossible to move around. Some of the wind’s effect is dampened by being inside the shields. It still wouldn’t be safe to be lifted off the hull, mind you. At first, there’s nothing around but then a group of mechs appear.

I’m hardly surprised when they start shooting at us. “Maintenance mechs.” Liara shouts above the wind. “They must think we’re debris from the storm.” If that was so, part of me thinks, wouldn’t they be attacking with rubbish bins?

I concentrate on shooting them rather than talking. We shoot the first three, and then some more. I think they were passing information back inside, as some rather unfortunate mercenaries get sent out to deal with us. There’s a lot of clutter on the hull, which gives both sides plenty of cover. That could get awkward, if more get here before we deal with these. We’re outnumbered already.

Fortunately Tali has an idea. “Electrical capacitors. This ship probably gets struck by lightning a lot.” She designates some objects for me with her omni-tool. “Shoot them.”

I do so. Delightfully, they explode and discharge their energy at the same time. This is unfortunate for anyone who happens to be close to one at the time, which is to say the mercenaries. Since that worked so well, I shoot another capacitor and watch the rest of the mercenaries enjoy the effects.

With the next group, we aren’t so fortunate to be fighting them in a similar location. Instead we concentrate on keeping them pinned down while Liara works her way into a flanking position. Then, she lifts some of them into the wind in a biotic field. I don’t see where they land, but it’s not on the ship. The others attempt to deal with Liara, keeping her pinned down by fire, but that lets me get close. I shoot a couple, and hit the last with the stock of my rifle. He falls, and starts to slide on the wet slope of this section of hull.

The Shadow Broker doesn’t believe in safety rails. As we move further along the hull, Liara peers over the side, and then takes a step back. “Well, looking down there was a mistake.” I smile to myself, and make sure I’m between her and the edge as we move.

It doesn’t really take long before we’re outside a large hatch near the stern of the ship. There’s an extremely sophisticated locking device on it. Tali takes one look, before shrugging. Liara has the solution.

“I got this data shunt from an intrusion specialist on Omega.” She plugs a device into the door controls, which start flashing wildly. “It should get us inside.”

“Don’t you miss the time you could just smear omni-gel on anything?”

“That security upgrade made a lot of people unhappy.” She sounds amused at my quip.

Tali interrupts. “More mercenaries, people.”

This time, we’re in a slightly different position. We can’t really move far from our position without letting the mercenaries get to the door and halt our access attempt, which would be unfortunate. That doesn’t mean we can’t be aggressive, but it does require that we hold this area. There are more capacitors, so I shoot one which disables about half of the initial group. The rest we get rid of, with shotgun fire, biotics, and an occasional grenade.

I look around. The shunt seems to be showing some progress, but not enough. “Is this thing working?” I yell to Liara.

“I’ve never had a chance to test it.” She yells back. “It didn’t come with a warranty.”

“But it will work.” Tali sounds worried.

“I don’t know. I’ve never broken into the Shadow Broker’s base before.” Liara doesn’t sound unhappy about this. “At least, not this one.”

“Please tell me you’ve tested it.” Or I might have to put you over my knee.

“No time to talk.” Smugly, she starts firing at another party of mercenaries.

This time, they include asari commandoes. They have to be kept at a distance, as I’m fairly sure a shockwave would send us off the hull entirely. I don’t fancy the fall, even if it isn’t orbital re-entry. I snipe two of them, explosing myself to plenty of fire as I do so. The third is still working her way into position hen Tali pops up and hits the capacitor she is moving around. The others aren’t much more effective, as there isn’t a huge amount of manoeuvre room for them to outflank us. Any attempt to do so is too exposed. Though they do have a couple of useful sniper positions overlooking us, any sort of push or lift in those positions leaves them on a section of sloping hull with no handholds. That’s not a safe location. As the second goes over the edge of the ship, I look around to see the rest are finished.

“They’re not fighting cleverly.” Liara yells as I get closer. “If they massed and came at us in a group they’d do a lot better.”

“Stop giving the mercs tactical advice.” Even if I don’t think they can hear it.

“But at least this way there’ll be less of them inside for us to deal with.” Maybe she’s trying to reassure us.

It doesn’t seem to enthuse Tali. “Keep dreaming, T’soni.”

The third wave has a real surprise in it, in the form of airborne combat drones. How they keep them flying in this weather is beyond my understanding, but it does seem to severely affect their accuracy. Even so, rocket fire is nothing to laugh about. They’re also less vulnerable to being close to the capacitors. That doesn’t help the ground troops, who we finish off quite rapidly now that we’re familiar with the tricks of the location, but dealing with the drones is slower and more tedious, though fortunately not fatal.

And then, there’s no more waves of mercs. At least, none that we have to deal with. The shunt has done its work, and the door is ready to open. Into the Shadow Broker’s Den.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 74

Long live the Shadow Broker!

“We’re in.” Liara sounds smug. “I wonder how far we can get before we’re…”

“There they are! Engage them.” I suspect the answer to Liara’s unfinished question might be ‘not far’, as three mercenaries appear at the opposite end of the corridor.

In the race to see whether the mercenary with the rocket launcher can fire before I can get my sniper rifle up, I win. I don’t think the other two appreciate this particularly, and they take up sheltered positions at the end of the hall, ducking into and out of cover to send a few rounds our way. This could continue indefinitely, except that they’re rather more likely to be reinforced.

I wave at Tali to send Chiktika forward, and realise I have to follow. I’ve got the longer range weaponry, more effective at these distances, but I’m also the best protected. If they fire on us, I’d rather I took it. And if I get to the far end, I’m probably better suited to smashing people in the head than either Tali or Doctor T’soni.

This works well, though. While they fire on a drone, I get close enough to shoot the one that Chiktika is electrocuting at close range. The other gets a smack in the helmet with my rifle stock, and goes down hard. Just to make sure, I shoot him in the head.

As we move through the ship, we encounter a few more groups of mercenaries. As we fall into our old tactical routine from the days we were chasing Saren, defeating them becomes routine – almost too easy. Push through doors or down corridors, attract attention, let Tali and Liara get into position and start softening the opponents up and disabling them, then move forward to finish off the survivors. We move down corridors and through rooms, and despite the prompting of the Shadow Broker’s synthetic voice we’re everywhere one step in front of his forces. I suspect he can’t quite believe how quickly were moving through his forces.

One more room, though this one isn’t occupied. I glance around quickly. It looks like some sort of recording studio. Perhaps the Shadow Broker records morale boosting messages to his troops here. There’s an alcove in the corner with a control panel in front of it, which I approach quietly. Unless the Shadow Broker is a drell, strapped in a rather uncomfortable position in a chair, I don’t think thiat he’s here. Although who the drell might be…

“Feron!” Liara pushes past me.

The drell, Feron, opens his eyes. “Liara?” He sounds confused. “What are you doing here?”

“Getting you out.” Doctor T’soni sounds determined, as she reaches for the control panel.

“No, don’t… Argh!” A rather long-drawn out scream from Feron shows what the control panel is meant to do. Rather than being any sort of control for his restraints, it’s the controls for his torture. Liara leaps back, looking horrified, as electrical current plays up and down his arms.

“What has the Shadow Broker done? Why is he doing this to you?” Now Doctor T’soni sounds angry.

“I’m a warning. And an example. Of what happens to people who betray the Shadow Broker.” Feron takes a deep breath, as Liara looks at the panel. I gesture to Tali to have a look, and shift so I can watch the corridor outside. “Don’t bother with the panel.” Feron sounds tired when he continues. “It’s controlled from the Broker’s office. That’s the only place to release me. It’s not far. Just down the hall.”

“What’s the Broker like?” There’s no one in the corridor, and it would be useful to know what we’re getting into.

“Big.” Feron sounds like he wants to shudder. “ I’ve never seen him properly, and I don’t know what species he is, but the guards are terrified of him. They hate patrolling near his chamber. Sometimes they just disappear.”

“Don’t worry, Feron.” Doctor T’soni’s determined voice is back. “We can deal with him.”

“Be careful.” Feron leans back further, and closes his eyes. I follow as Doctor T’soni stalks away from her boyfriend and down the hall.


The Shadow Broker can I suppose afford a large room. Circular and domed, we enter along a wall where a series of computer terminals are set up. There’s a large open area, with a skylight that appears to look out directly onto one of the external lightning capacitors. And on the far side, a stone desk with the Shadow Broker sat in his chair in the shadows on the far side of it. We fan out to support Liara as she moves into the room, and I take as good a look as I can at the Broker.

He’s a large figure, clearly humanoid, with horns on his head a little like a salarian. Even seated, his head is higher than mine. A large chest and thick arms increase the impression of power. His voice, when it comes, is predictably deep.

“Doctor T’soni. I suppose I have you to thank for this inconvenience.”

“We’ll do more than inconvenience you for what you’ve done to Feron!” Yes, the Doctor is angry all right. She’s already starting to glow blue.

“The drell? I need to make an example of those who betray me, as you should understand.” He glances in my direction. “I see you brought me Shepard. Her body will sell for a great many credits in many quarters. Although I am surprised you brought the quarian. Her so-called leadership got most of her team killed on Haestrom.”

“Don’t think you can scare us by showing off what you’ve been able to spy out about us.”

“But I do scare you, Doctor T’soni.I know all about your abilities, while you fumble in ignorance. You do not even know what I am!”

“Is that right.” T’soni sounds smug, surprisingly. “You’re a yahg. A pre-spaceflight species interdected by the Council because they massacred the first team sent down to make contact with you. This base predates your species discovery. You must have been brought here by a previous Shadow Broker, as a trophy. Or a pet. How am I doing so far?”

As Doctor T’soni spoke, the Broker went still. As she finished, he stands up. And up. He’s a fair bit bigger than I thought, perhaps not quite as heavily built as a krogan but taller and still muscular. He slams his fists down on his table, smashing it in two, and throws one of the pieces at us as he steps forwards into the light.

I drag T’soni aside, but Tali is hit. She goes against the wall with the table on top of her, and I check my HUD for group life signs before breathing a sigh of relief. She’s not even unconscious and her suit is already handling the single fracture she picked up. But from her inability to move, I think the table is too heavy for her.

So it looks like it’s down to two of us against the Shadow Broker. He pulls out a gun, which if I’m not mistaken is a Revenant light machine gun. This could get unpleasant.

It does, but he’s still one person in a circular room with plenty of cover. Once he concentrates on one of us, we can just duck behind a pillar or one of the computer terminals. While the cover gets quite chewed up, it’s a chance for our shields to recover and for the other person to start chipping away at his shields.

Eventually he stops firing. I smile slightly. His shields must be down, and he’s got a lot less cover than us. I ship my rifle, pull out the shotgun, and take a look.

Rather than sensibly trying to use the cover he has available, he’s stood in the centre of the room, bent over and supporting his upper body on one hand. There’s a glow around him. Doctor T’soni has her pistol out, and takes a shot at him. And then another. “Shepard. I think I’ve read about this. A specialised form of mass effect shield, that can’t be penetrated by high-velocity projectiles. He can’t move, but we can’t hurt him either.”

No high velocity projectiles? Not a problem. I slip my shotgun back into it’s sheath, and start walking towards the Broker. “What are you doing?” Doctor T’soni sounds worried. Meanwhile the Broker can move, a little, at least if his eyes tracking me are anything to judge by. I may not be able to read yahg expressions, but I think he might be a little puzzled too.

Yahg have a wide mouth with an awful lot of, admittedly small, teeth in it. My fist removes several of them. It appears an old-fashioned punch in the face doesn’t trigger the high-velocity projectile part of his protection. For a follow up, I give him a nice jab in the eye, and an elbow driven into the jaw.

This is fun. He stands, breaking the field around him, and I land a solid kick to his knee. Then another punch on the jaw, and a shoulder block to send him staggering backwards. For all his size, I don’t think the Broker really knows how to fight hand to hand. He keeps trying to back away, playing with his omni-tool for some reasons even as I follow him.

“Keep at it, Shepard.” I glance over at my cheerleader section for a moment as he takes another step back. As I turn towards him, he finally gets whatever he was trying for working. I step forward right into an energy shield, quite literally a shield like in an ancient story, which the Broker then smash into my face and uses to shove me stumbling backwards.

All right, perhaps I was wrong about him not being any good at hand to hand combat. As he raises his machine gun again I roll behind the nearest computer terminal. And we’re off again.

This time, it’s a little harder. He can manage the Revenant with one hand, firing at one of us while keeping the shield between him and the other. It takes precision fire to hit him while avoiding it, although every time T’soni hits him with a biotic Warp or a Singularity his control over the shield wavers. When he lowers his head at one point, I start to believe that he’s about to go back behind that rather specialised barrier of his.

Instead, he charges me. Through the computer console, smashing it aside. At the last moment I duck aside, managing to avoid the impact. For good measure, I shoot him from point blank range with my shotgun. That does something , as he glances worriedly at his omni-tool and starts to activate a command. Then Liara fires a burst from the SMG I lent her, and he disappears behind that barrier again.

This time, I know what to do. The stock of my shotgun impacts his forehead, a land a roundhouse punch under his chin, and a kick sends his gun skittering across the floor. As he backs away, the barrier dying, he raises his shield and glares directly at me.

I’m not inclined to pass up a challenge. I step forward, pause for a moment to see how he’ll react, then drive my shoulder into his shield and start trying to force him back. For a few seconds, we hold a position braced together, both leaning on the shield and trying to push the other over. His greater body mass is counterbalanced by my leverage beneath him, and it seems my cybernetic muscles are a good match for his natural ones.

Then T’soni steps in, breaking my concentration. His push sends us both staggering. The Doctor whispers in my ear. “Get him into the centre of the room. I have an idea.”

Centre of the room, eh. All right, Ill see what I can do. I start circling the Broker, baiting him, as you might a bull, while T’soni retreats to the side. Quite predictably, he doesn’t stand this for long. He lowers his head and charges me with the shield raised.

This time, I let contact happen, but on my terms. We engage, and I turn him slightly so he’s charging at the centre of the room. A small push to ensure he keeps going, a I quick tangle of legs, and then we’re both down on the ground there. The Broker gets part way up, and activates his barrier agin, presumably hoping to recharge his protection. As I roll away, I see T’soni raise her hands towards, biotic power shining off her. I assume she’s going to do something biotic to him.

My assumption is wrong. The skylight is directly beneath one of the lightning capacitors, and when her biotic energy shatters it the shortest path for the energy to go is downwards. Into the Broker. I don’t know how many volts that is, but the effect is explosive, literally. Close to him, I get flung against a wall.

The next thing I notice is a blue hand reaching down to me. I let Doctor T’soni help me to my fight, and give her a slight smile. She returns it, slightly sheepishly, before wandering towards the back of the room where the Shadow Broker had his seat. The communication terminal there has lit up, and lots of voices are clamouring for attention.

“Shadow Broker, what is this situation? We lost contact with you.”

“Shadow Broker, this is Operative 47. What just happened?”

“Shadow Broker, what…”

I tune the voices out and look around for Tali. She’s still stuck under the table, and I move over to lift it off her and help her to her feet. I pull my helmet off, and inspect the dent. Time to split this joint and….

“This is the Shadow Broker.” The synthetic voice over the speakers is rather a surprise. “A power fluctuation during the installation of new equipment caused a momentary loss of communication capability, but all systems are fully operational.” Doctor T’soni is standing by the communication board, speaking into a microphone. “Carry on with your activities. I want a full report on all operations within the next forty-eight hours.”

I think she realises how aghast I am, and possibly Tali is too, as we walk over towards her. She shuts down the microphone and looks rather plaintively at us. Before I can say anything, though I’m not sure what I would have said anyway, the door bursts open and a familiar drell storms in, pointing a pistol he seems to have appropriated from a dead mercenary in our direction. I draw on him, but he almost immediately lowers it. “Liara?” He sounds shocked. “You’re the Shadow Broker now?”

“I… I had to do something.” She doesn’t sound very sure of herself. “What… I…” Her voice trails off.

Feron looks a little sheepish. “I’ll just go and take a look at some of the systems. See what’s been damaged.” To my surprise, he reaches out to Tali to take her with him, leaving me alone with his girlfriend.

She’s obviously upset. While she’s facing away from me looking at the comms boards, I can see from her posture and the droop in her shoulders that she isn’t happy. I reach out, and gently turn her around. “Hey, it’ll be all right. We’ll work this out.” I start trying to think of how, when my thoughts get interrupted. Liara grabs my head with both hands, pulls me towards her, and her lips close over mine.

Which is a very pleasant surprise.

And when she tries to pull away and say sorry, I reciprocate, pulling her towards me and giving her a proper kiss.

Eventually we have to stop for air. My hair is probably rather mussed where Liara has been pulling on it, and she looks rather flushed. “Okay.” She takes a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll start sorting things out her. You need to… you need to go and do whatever it is you do when you’re not here. Er. Yes, you do that.” She turns back to the communication board, looking even more flushed than before.

As I stride out into the ship to look for Tali, I’m sure there’s a ridiculously huge grin on my face.




Sorry about the delay. We've people off at work, and I'm trying to do two jobs and help plan for a big summer refit. It's left me short of time and energy.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 75

Re-enacting scenes from movies

We did have a mission to go to. Something involving clearing a group of Blood Pack mercenaries out of a mine. There were krogan, and vorcha, and flame throwers and rocket launchers. I think they may even have been some serious attempts to kill me. I didn’t end up dead, and we did get paid, so I suppose the mission was a success.

In the future, I shouldn’t allow myself to get distracted when I’m going into combat. It could be dangerous.

But I still don’t understand what’s happening with Liara! Doctor T’soni. Whatever I should call her or think of her. She’s in love with Feron. I know that. At least, I think I know that. She was obsessed with him, her reactions when she found out he was alive and when we found him on the Broker’s ship, her ship I suppose it is now...

And then she went and kissed me. Which I certainly don’t object to, but also don’t understand. I need to know what relationship we have, whether I should be distancing myself from her… or doing what I want, which is the opposite. So although we found some data indicating the location of another Blood Pack facility and have someone very willing to pay us to deal with it, and I could certainly return to the Citadel or the Alliance for a debriefing, we’re back at Hagalaz.

At least this time the reception is polite, and we bring our shuttle into the ship’s bay with no problem. When we hit a locked door, I tap the intercom. Liara’s voice comes over it. “Oh, Speard, you’re here already. I’ll let you in, hold on.” The door panel turns green, and I cycle it open. “I got caught up in a conversation,” she continues, “But I’ll send my assistant down to guide you up here. This ship is very confusing to find your way around.”

Liara’s assistant is a floating metal ball. “Hello, Shadow Broker!” It sounds very cheerful and just a little confused if it thinks I’m the Broker. “The Shadow Broker sent me down to show you the way to the crew quarters. She is in a meeting right now.” It floats off down a passage, and I follow.

“So, what are you, anyway?” This rather weird mechanical device is something I’ve not seen before.

“I’m you’re VI, Shadow Broker.” Still insanely cheerful, too. “You had me made in this form to give me access to all areas of the ship.”

“An eezo core for power, mass effect generator for movement, and synthetic voice simulation.”

“Don’t forget the armoured shell, the mass effect shield, the built in pistol and the manipulator appendages, Shadow Broker.” Bits of the shell open up as it speaks of this.

“How useful.”

“Of course, Shadow Broker. You wouldn’t want me around if I wasn’t useful.”

After a few turns at junctions, we go through a door. Liara has obviously been remodelling, unless the parts of the ship we saw last time were very different from this area.

“Here we are, Shadow Broker.” The VI floats over to a computer terminal. “The Shadow Broker set up this terminal for your personal use, and you have full access to all data. Or,” a light shines in the direction of another doorway. “The kitchen and living quarters are through there. The Shadow Broker is currently making his lunch in there, if you wish to speak to him.”

“And Liara?” I want to see her, as soon as possible.

“The Shadow Broker is through there, Shadow Broker.” The light points another way, up a set of stairs towards a door. “The Shadow Broker is in conversation with a group on Illium, and has given orders that she is not to be disturbed. But it won’t be long before the Shadow Broker is able to see you, Shadow Broker.”

Well, that’s good to know. I go through to the kitchen to speak to the Shadow Broker, otherwise known as Feron. He looks mildly depressed, sat on a bench devouring some sort of sandwich. He looks up as I enter. “Shepard, right? I here I have you to thank for Liara being alive to rescue me. Thank you.”

“That might be right.” My voice sounds a little harsher than I’d prefer. “She’s a tough girl, though. She’s harder to kill than she thinks.”

“That’s true.” His voice is soft, like Thane’s. “Did you want to speak to me about something, Commander?” Although he’s a lot blunter than Thane would be.

“I’m here to see Liara, but since she’s not available I thought I’d make myself something to eat.” I glance over at the kitchen section for a moment. “I suppose i have been wondering about your relationship with Liara.” If he can be blunt, so can I.

“She’s my friend. Nothing more.” If he sounds slightly wistful, I don’t want to notice.

“Okay.” Not good. Say something intelligent. “So you were the Shadow Broker’s prisoner for two years. How did you survive?” That’s perhaps not particularly clever, Zoe.

I can see Feron shaking slightly. “Most of the time he took no real interest in me. I could lose myself in memories of happier times. When he did, though. Well, I knew he’d eventually get tired of it. And if I was to die, that was fate.”

“Right.” Fate, who I spend half my time fighting against.


That was a very depressing conversation. I grab a small pie from the kitchen, before mumbling something and heading down to the console. For a while it’s amusing to call up dossiers about my companions. Grunt’s extranet purchases and searches, and I wouldn’t have expected him to be a fan of Hemingway, although dinosaurs is perhaps less of a surprise. Jacob’s workout routine, and I’m not surprised his body is as toned as it is after reading this. Jack writes poetry, rather dark poetry, that’s good enough to be published. And then I find Miranda, and the fun of reading people’s secrets stops abruptly.

There as some other interesting things on the terminal. Video clips from various locations. With Khalisah bint-Sinan al Jilanih being kicked by a volus, head-butted by a krogan, and dancing with an asari. A few other things that amuse me, too. Some correspondence between Admiral Hackett and an SI Intelligence Officer, with a very carefully written proposal by the spook to arrange an ambush for the Normandy, take me and my crew into custody, and give me a full and proper interrogation. Apparently if I co-operate fully I should be out in six months or so. Hackett’s reply, “Request denied.” I always liked him.


Of course all this is a delaying tactic. When the door at the top of the stairs opens and Liara comes out, I stand up to meet her. “Hello, Liara. You’re looking fine.” She is, too.More at peace with herself. “How is being Shadow Broker treating you?”

She smiles, but doesn’t come any closer to me than she has to. “All this data, I could get lost in it for years.”

“You know, if you don’t like it we could blow this place and get out of here.”

“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I spent so many years tracking down ancient sites, piecing together bits of information to make a whole picture. This is just like that, just with more resources. And I can use all that to help you with your missions.”

“So you’re enjoying this.” I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.

“I am, yes. It’s not as if I miss the company. Well, mostly. I spent a lot of time alone on my digs. And the Shadow Broker has so much information.” Her voice turns more enthusiastic. “Even data about the protheans. I think he knew about the Reapers, and was trying to find a way to survive when they return.”

“We already found Vigil. What more might there be?”

“I don’t know. But the Broker seemed to think the Protheans had some other hidden projects. They were a major focus of his recent efforts.”

“That’s... interesting.” I think about that for a moment. “If you need me to help you investigate, let me know.”

“Oh, I will.”

Liara sounds pleased, and happy, so I decide to broach the subject of why I’m really here. “You know, I didn’t come here to talk about work.”

She blushes. “Listen, about the kiss. It was just after the battle, we were both feeling emotional.” I smile at how flustered she’s starting to sound. “I don’t want to put pressure on you.”

“I’ve got fond memories of the last time you put pressure upon me.”

“So do I.” Her cheeks are almost purple now. I decide to go further.

“I tell you what.” I try to sound casual and spontaneous, but I’ve been thinking about this for the last day. “Why don’t you come up to the Normandy for a visit? I can get someone to show you around, and we can catch up on what we’ve been doing.”

“I’d like that. Feron can look after the ship while I’m gone.”

“And me, Shadow Broker!” Her VI never sounds less than chirpy. Reminds me a little of Kelly Chambers.

“All right. I’ll see you later. Call the Normandy, and I’ll have the shuttle pick you up.” I stride away, as Liara is obviously starting to think about this and I don’t want her to have a chance to change her mind.


That evening ship time, I’m waiting nervously in my cabin, wearing a dress uniform with an unusually stiff and tight collar. Kelly, having tired of my requests that she check my appearance, is showing Liara round the Normandy, with strict instructions not to do anything that might be considered a pass, on penalty of being used for target practice. My fish have been fed, I’ve got a nice bottle of wine chilling, and everything is as ready as it could be.

Except for me. When the door chimes, I jump. Is the Normandy smaller than I thought, or has it really been a couple of hours since Liara came aboard. I said hello to her, of course, but then made the excuse of work to leave her with other people, since I don’t want to put pressure on her by getting too clingy, which would probably be off putting for her, and that wouldn’t be my intention at all. The door chimes again.

“Come in.” Belatedly, I acknowledge it.

Liara has an expensive, sheer, conservative dress on, properly accessorised of course. Very different from the archaeologist I knew who was always rather indifferent to her appearance. She smiles at me as she comes in. “Hello, Shepard. I’m glad I’ve had a chance to see the Normandy.”

“Like her?””

“Yes. It’s a wonderful ship and crew. And it was nice to run into some old friends. Garrus, Tali, Doctor Chakwas. Although Joker did say something strange. He said if we needed to make a recording if we were re-enacting any scenes from some vid called Vaenia.”

“Of course he did.” I offer Liara a glass of wine, and take a sip from mine.

“I have something for you.” After politely sipping some wine, Liara puts it aside and reaches into her purse. What she pulls out looks like a small jewellery box. “It took some digging, but I found these.” What she holds out is a metallic cord with two flat metal plates hanging from it.

It takes me a moment to recognise them. “My old dog tags.” She nods solemnly as I clutch them. “I thought I’d lost these forever.” When I was dead, and didn’t need them any more, and my throat is suddenly tight.

Liara looks a little concerned for a moment, till I manage a rueful smile. “How are you feeling, Shepard? Really feeling, not the face you put on for your crew and other people.”

“Honestly.” I lean on my desk, and can’t help sounding angry or bitter. “I’m tired. Tired of being the only person who seems to be taking the threat seriously. It feels like I’m beating me head against a wall, and not achieving anything even then.”

“You’ve done plenty.” Liara sounds as if she disagrees with my self-analysis. “You’ve done the impossible, more than once. Beaten Saren, beaten Sovereign, defeated the Collectors, returned from the Omega Four relay with your crew intact. No-one else could have done more.”

“The Reapers are still coming. And, I don’t think we’re ready ot fight them.”

“You’ll find a way. I know it. I know you and I know you’ll fight for our future.”

“Do we have a future, Li?” I know she understands what I mean, as her expression changes, becoming almost wary.

“I... don’t know.” She steps a little closer to me. “If this all ends tomorrow, what do you want to be a future, if we have one together?”

I’ve never really thought past being together. “Marrriage, old age, lots of little blue children?” A family, is what I don’t say.

“You just say these things.” She punches my arm, though she’s smiling. Then she starts to look rather upset. I’m not even sure why, as she turns away from me. “Goddess.” She sounds close to tears. “You were dead.”

“I got better.”

“This time.” She turns to face me, and her eyes glisten with unshed tears. “But the Reapers are coming, and you’re going to throw yourself into the fray like you always do. I lost you once. I can’t do this again. If we’re going to try this, I need to know you’re always coming back.”

“I don’t know.” I step in, and put an arm loosely round her waist as I lean in so I’m whispering in her ear. “That’s an awfully big thing to promise.”

“Oh, is it.” At least now she sounds amused.

“Mmm. I’d have to know there was something worth coming back to.” I kiss her behind the ear, and then start to trail suggestively down her neck.

“I’m open to suggestions.” Her hands pull me closer.


And the rest will disappoint Joker, as while I’ve never watched Vaenia I know its reputation as an asari-female human porn vid. Sadly for him and despite his request, we didn’t have any recorders on.


“Thank you, Shepard.” It’s the morning, and Liara is leaving. “For the drinks, and... everything else. Don’t be a stranger” She steps into the elevator, and her scent slowly dwindles.

“Come back soon, Liara.” I know she can’t hear, but I whisper it to the door anyway.

[Bluenose]

While Shepard Watched, Chapter 76

The accused will sulk

“Joker. What is going on? Why have I not been able to talk to Shepard, and why is the Normandy orbiting Hagalaz?” I make no attempt to hide my impatience as I boards the Normandy.

“Shepard...” Joker sounds hesitant, nervous. “Is behaving a bit oddly. As in, really oddly. Not like you’d expect Shepard to act at all.”

“And what, specifically, is she doing that you find odd?”

“She’s, ah, she locked herself in her room and won’t come out, or talk to people.. When Kelly persuaded EDI to unlock the door so she could go in to talk to her, Shepard threatened to shoot her. And then shot at her when she didn’t leave immediately.”

“Is Ms Chambers seriously injured?”

“Oh, she wasn’t hit. But she was pretty shaken up by it.”

“If Zoe shot at someone at the range involved and missed, it’s because she didn’t want to hurt them. Let Miss Chambers know.” I take a deep breath. “Now for the important question. Why is she doing this?”

Joker shrugged. “That’s the thing, we don’t know. She seemed pretty normal till Hackett’s visit, maybe a little down about all the deaths, but otherwise her normal sarcastic and generally annoyed self.”

“So this relates to Bahak?”

“How do you... Oh, right, Shadow Broker. None of our secrets are safe any more, I suppose. Creepy.”

“If you wish I can post the listing of your extranet hotlinks for public discussion.”

“Yeah, let’s not go there.” Joker grimaces slightly. “Anyway, yeah, after Hackett came aboard they went into the sick-bay, and when they came out Shepard looked more annoyed than usual, went up to her room, and doesn’t seem to want to come out. Though she has been eating the meals we leave outside. Sometimes.”

“Let us start from the beginning. I understand Admiral Hackett contacted Zoe to ask for help with an extraction. One of his contacts had been captured by batarian security forces. This was a Doctor Amanda Kenson, if I’m correct.”

“Yeah, that was it. He wanted the Normandy, ‘cause a stealth ship could get in and out unnoticed. And he wanted Shepard, because she was deniable, I reckon, but he span her some sort of line about her expertise. Not sure I trust the Admiral as much as I used to.”

“I see.” I felt my eyes narrow. “Please, continue.”

“Well, the insertion went perfectly. The batarians never picked up the Normandy, we dropped Shepard’s pod on target, and withdrew to a safe distance to wait developments. Next thing we notice is a shuttle lifting off fform the prison, ‘bout an hour later. It heads off to an asteroid. A few days after that, the asteroid starts moving, so it’s on a collision course with the Mass Relay. You should have heard Mordin when this started, going on about the effects being unknown, how fascinating it all was, and why it was probably a bad idea to be nearby when the asteroid hit the relay, but it would be a great scientific opportunity, until we ended up dead, so perhaps not.” Joker puffs his cheeks out. “Only he said it faster, with less pauses and longer words.”

“Well, the whole galaxy knows the effects of crashing an asteroid into a mass relay now. The batarians are up in arms about it. I suppose three hundred thousand dead will do that. Can you think of any reason why they would be blaming Shepard, or is this merely a case of blaming the usual suspects?”

“Pretty sure it’s the last. Shepard was wearing a suit of Cerberus armour, not her N7 gear. Full helmet and everything, so the most they could say would be a Cerberus agent. And I’ll swear on anything that they never even noticed the Normandy.”

“And you left the system.”

“Yes. Right at the last moment we got a call through from Shepard, who was on the asteroid. There’d been some pretty heavy jamming, and it cut out right before she started talking to us. As if she’d just turned it off, you know. Anyway, she called me in, and I swooped in and rescued her, then we hit the relay and got out before it blew up. And that was that, till Hackett got aboard.”

“She did not seem upset about what happened in Bahak?”

“Well, yeah, a bit. She didn’t snap my head off like she normally would, even when I tried to provoke it. I mean, she’d killed three hundred thousand people, and I don’t think she was happy about it. Even if they were batarians.”

“Shepard’s behaviour was consistent with someone who was thinking about a topic or topics in sufficient depth to be distracted from activity going on around them.” EDI unexpectedly offers her interpretation.

“So the event which precipitated her current behaviour was the visit from Admiral Hackett.”

“Seems like it.” Joker shrugged. “But since she didn’t tell us anything, and we’ve cleared the bugs from most places, no-one but she and Hackett know what they talked about.”

“I see.” I sigh. “I shall have to go and ask her about it, then.”

“Last time someone tried to speak to her, shots were fired.” Not that Joker sounds terribly upset about it.

“Zoe might have been willing to fire in Ms Chambers’ direction, but she was not prepared to shoot her. If Ms Chambers had persisted, she would no doubt have forced Zoe to speak to her. She will not even attempt such silliness with me.”

“Yeah, well. Pictures! The galaxy wants to watch your reconciliation.”

“In your dreams, Joker. I believe that is the human saying.”

“I wish.”


Before heading to Zoe’s cabin, I went down to the mess and picked up a tray of food, enough for the two of us to have a quiet meal together. If Zoe wasn’t eating, this would make her feel better.


“Go away.”

Muffled though it was, Zoe’s voice was unmistakeable. I glare at the door. “Zoe Shepard. Open this door at once.”

The crash inside suggested someone falling off a bed and for a moment I winced, Then I set my mouth in a firm line, and started tapping my foot. Sympathy is not the first approach to try with Zoe. She’ll mistake it for pity, and that will make her defensive..

When the door opened, Zoe peered out, half-dressed and looking dishevelled. “Liara. What are you doing here?” She blinked twice, and rubbed her eyes.

“Visiting you.” I swept through the door, grabbing Zoe by the elbow and pulling her over to the table. “We’re going to have a little meal, and you’re going to tell me why you’ve ignored four emails from me.” A couple of bottles lay on their side on the floor, and the air smelt faintly of alcohol. “Have you been drinking? Are you drunk?”

“Erm. Yes. And no. Maybe a little hung over, but it’s only been two bottles of beer.” Amused, Liara noted that Zoe was trying to sit at attention, and wasn’t making any attempt to reach for food after a first glance at the tray.

“I see.” I managed, with some effort, to keep my tone clinical. “What provoked you to do that? I have never seen you drink while anything important was happening.”

“Do you know what I’ve been doing?” Shepard lowered her head.

“I know that Admiral Hackett asked you to go to Bahak to rescue an Alliance agent, I know that an asteroid was rammed into the Bahak relay and the detonation killed everyone in the system, and I know that you are likely responsible. I also know you well enough to be sure that if you did it, there was a very good reason for it.”

“Well. Yes, I suppose.” Zoe sighed. “I didn’t want to do it, mind you. But that was apparently the “prime relay”, the first one the Reapers built. They could use it to connect to any other relay anywhere, and apparently they were about to reach a relay that connects to it outside the galaxy. In another hour or so, we’d have been ass-deep in Reapers. There wasn’t really much choice. It doesn’t make me happy, but it seemed like a necessity at the time. And Harbinger sounded pissed over the comms, which is always fun.”

“You fended off another Reaper assault.” Stubborn, amazing woman. “Well. That does not explain why you are hiding in your room getting drunk and ignoring my messages.”

Zoe squirmed in her seat. “That... I was annoyed. Upset.” She clasped her hands together and looked down at her lap. “After what Admiral Hackett said, part of me just didn’t want to bother any more.”

“Really. So what did Admiral Hackett say that bothered you so much?”

“He pointed out the implications of what I’d done in terms of relations between the batarians and the Alliance. We can’t afford a war, right now. Even more so if the Reapers are coming. But that batarians want blood. It was one of their systems that got destroyed. And so, at some point, I’m going to have to come in and stand trial for what I did.”

“What!” Zoe winced at the volume. She may be more hung over than she claims. “That is just... unfair.” Yet, my mind reminded me, perfectly consistent with a policy of preserving and enlarging human military capabilities.

“Maybe. But, to be honest, I can see the need, and I’ll do what’s necessary. I just felt so pissed off that they’d throw me under the bus over this. Seems so ungrateful, you know.”

“You deserve better.”

Her eyes sparkle for a moment, and she grins. “’I get better, Liara. I got you.’”

“You will have to explain that to me.” That means more than just the words she said, though it warmed my heart.

“Something Tali said, after her trial on the migrant fleet. I said something about her deserving better, and that was her reply. Except she said Shepard instead of Liara, and probably wasn’t angling to get into my pants when she said it.”

“I would not be sure about that. Many people find you attractive.” A smirk. “Of course, I am the one who is in your bedroom with you only partly dressed.”

“And do you intend doing anything about that state of dress, Doctor T’soni?” Her voice sounds mischievous, and then she looks appalled as her stomach growls loudly.

“Later, certainly. But first, I think we need to see to the problem of feeding you.” I sidle across to be closer to her. “Otherwise, the noises your digestive system is making could be terribly distracting.”


For a few minutes, I spend the time nibbling on various items and feeding Shepard. Then, I sigh. “What are you going to do, Zoe? About this demand of Hackett’s.”

“I’ll have Joker take the Normandy wherever people want to be let off, and then we’ll head to Arcturus. Turn myself in, like Hackett wants.” She doesn’t hesitate as she says it.

“And then what? We cannot lose you. I will not lose you.”

“The wheels of justice grind ever slow, or something like that. And to be honest, I’m starting to show signs of combat fatigue. A few months under house arrest won’t hurt me.” She looks intently at me. “But if you say no, I’ll do whatever you want. Because for damn sure, I’ll miss you. And if you say so, well, Hackett can stuff it.”

“No. That would not be reasonable of me. But if they should try you, do not expect me to allow you to martyr yourself.”

“I wouldn’t ask it of you. I wouldn’t want it myself, truthfully. I’m a lunatic, not suicidal.” She looks down at the remnants on the tray. “You know, you commented on my clothing state earlier, and said you’d do something about it after we ate.” Her grin is mischievous. “We’ve eaten.”

When the Reapers come, at least I’ll have her back. For the rest of our lives.