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Chapter Text

Shepard chased Brie out the front door and through the flower garden. She let out her best roar, playing the part of a creature out of an asari fairy tale whose name she couldn’t pronounce. As far as she was concerned, it was a Thessian dragon. Brie played the fierce and fearless Commando Princess who slays the beast and saves the Republic from tyranny.

Brie suddenly changed directions. Shepard saw the girl bracing for takeoff and planted her feet. Brie jumped, a small burst of biotic energy propelling her into her father’s waiting arms. Shepard struggled to keep her balance when her bad knee threatened to give out. Brie pointed out at the eezo boats on the lake nearby. “Boat, daddy!”

“I see the boat,” Shepard said, grateful for the chance to catch her breath. Seven years out of the field and now she couldn’t keep up with one energetic five-year-old.

“Go lake, Daddy!” It wasn’t a question. The princess had decided. She wanted the lake. Shepard debated whether or not to give in. Liara had accused her of over-indulging the child, and she wasn’t wrong. But Liara would have centuries to fix any bad behavior in their daughter. Shepard would be lucky if she saw her daughter’s 100th birthday.

“I’ll tell you what, Bluebell. How about we go to the lake after lunch? Huh? We’ll drag Mommy out of her cave,” Shepard said.

Brie’s eyes lit up and she squirmed to get down. “Save Mommy!” she cried, running off into the yard. Shepard laughed and limped her way over to a bench in the garden, catching the heady scent of Liara’s caldera flowers. Brie raced around, spinning, jumping, and throwing tiny bursts of biotic energy as she practiced rescuing her mother from the depths of the Shadow Broker lair in the house. Suddenly, Brie stopped and pointed right at Shepard. “Daddy! Car!”

For one moment, Shepard wondered why she was now a car instead of a dragon. Then she heard the sound of a motor and turned to see a skycar landing in front of the house. A harried young asari leaped out and reached a hand in to assist the passenger in the back seat. Councilor Tevos emerged, nodding at Shepard. Brie, having successfully alerted her father to the intruder, went back to her game.

Tevos stopped next to Shepard. They watched Brie in silence for a moment. Shepard wasn’t going to prompt the Councilor. Home visits weren’t normal, and they both knew it. “I find myself utterly enchanted by our youth since the war. New life coming out of the wreckage,” the Councilor said.

“Ha! I’ll let that one slide,” Shepard said. Tevos flushed, realizing what she had said, remembering the reports of how badly injured Shepard had been. Tevos opened her mouth to speak, but Shepard shook her head with a smile. “I knew what you meant.”

They watched Brie run and leap with the kind of energy only a child could muster up. “Such enthusiasm.”

“Yep. She’s training to rescue Mommy from the lair of the computer demon so we can all go to the lake later,” Shepard said. Tevos let out one of the few genuine laughs Shepard had ever heard from the Councilor.

“Oh, my. She really takes after you, doesn’t she? If she took after Dr. T’Soni, she’s be digging up historical proof that the computer demons used to give their thralls time off to view lakes,” Tevos said.

“Shh! Don’t give her ideas. The last thing I need is a prothean dig site in my front yard,” Shepard stage-whispered.

Tevos chuckled. “My mistake.” They paused to watch Brie a little longer. “Shepard, I need to speak with you privately.”

“I’m retired, Tevos,” Shepard replied.

“I know. But I wouldn’t have come all this way if it wasn’t important,” Tevos said.

Shepard growled softly enough that the Councilor missed it. She stood up, dusting off the back of her pants. “Brie, honey! Come inside so Daddy can make lunch!” She looked at Tevos. “Come on, then. Bring your assistant.”

“She’s fine,” the Councilor said.

“Or we can have this conversation right here where my neighbors can hear it. I can tell you no just as easily in a lovely garden as I can anywhere else,” Shepard said. Tevos huffed but nodded at her assistant to join them. Brie ran inside, arms out and making ship noises. Shepard scooped the girl up as soon as they were inside, peppering her head with a dozen kisses. Brie squealed and squirmed until Shepard set her down. “Go play in your room until lunch is ready.”

She stepped into the kitchen and started pulling out the things she needed to make a fruit salad both Liara and Brie loved. It was a standard asari meal, so she figured it was safe enough for guests. It helped that it didn’t require actual cooking.

“Commander, I said privately,” Tevos said. “Don’t you have a secure office?”

“We’re indoors. The only people in the house are you, your assistant, my wife, my daughter, and me. I assume your assistant already knows. I’m going to tell my wife, if she doesn’t already know. And my five-year-old wouldn’t care even if she could understand what’s going on,” Shepard replied. “So, either talk or stop wasting my time. I have computer demons to slay and a lake to conquer.”

“You are still impossible, Shepard,” Tevos said with a small smile. “Janessa, wait in the dining room, please. Unlike you, Commander, I don’t share everything with my subordinates.”

“What, so you just keep her around for looks? I prefer my beauty to come with brains, but suit yourself,” Shepard said. She chuckled when Janessa flushed on her way out of the room.

“That was mean, Shepard,” Tevos said.

“Well, maybe she’ll learn to stand up for herself. Here,” Shepard replied, sliding a bowl toward the Councilor. She picked up two others and carried them to the dining room, calling for her daughter.

She took a bowl to Liara. Her wife was in full Shadow Broker mode and barely looked up from her reports. “What does Tevos want?” she asked.

“Not sure yet. I’m having too much fun testing her patience,” Shepard replied. She dropped a gentle kiss on the back of Liara’s neck but refrained from being too much of a distraction.

“And you do it so well. Have fun,” Liara said with a sly look. As she left Liara’s office, she noticed her wife switched on the camera in the kitchen.

She pulled her own lunch over and perched on a bar stool at the island. She noticed Tevos hadn’t touched her food. “Eat. We’ll make this a working lunch.”

Tevos sat down and took a few bites while she pulled up files on a datapad. She slid the pad over to Shepard. “We recently intercepted some transmissions that disturbed us. On the surface, they appear to be from slavers,” Tevos stated.

“Which would be bad enough. Do you think this is related to the slaver attack on Tali and Garrus five years ago?” Shepard asked.

“That is one possibility. We know we didn’t catch all of those radicals. But there are phrases embedded in the messages that are uncomfortably familiar, Commander. Please, read through them. I would appreciate your insight.”

At first glance, they were the internal communications of a slaver ring. Three colonies had been hit so far. All three were in the Attican Traverse but disturbingly close to Council space. They were newer colonies, formed after the war when species cooperation was at its peak due to the alliances she had formed to fight the Reapers. People of all species had been taken, but the messages made it clear the humans were the real targets. In fact, there was no mention of the humans being sold. Only the other races.

It could be any of the human-centric radical groups out there. God knows there’d been a few of them. But Tevos was right. The mentions of advancing humanity at any cost… She could hear the Illusive Man’s voice like he was standing right beside her.

“I see where you’re going with this,” Shepard said. “You think it’s Cerberus. But Cronos Station is a floating pile of rubble, and I killed the Illusive Man myself. Cerberus is gone, Councilor. I don’t know what you want from me.”

“Shepard, this involves missing citizens from five different races. That makes it a Council issue. We need a Spectre. Williams is on leave with her child,” Tevos said.

“There are other Spectres,” Shepard countered. She got up to put her bowl in the sink.

“Cerberus is a human organization,” Tevos replied. “Commander—“

“No. I am retired, Tevos,” Shepard said.

“But, Commander—“ Tevos tried.

“It’s not ‘commander’ anymore. I. Am. Retired. I belong here, with my family,” Shepard interrupted. “Thank you for stopping by. It was lovely to see you. We’re done here.” The two women stared at each other for a long time.

Finally, Tevos looked down. She slid the datapad across the counter at Shepard. The former soldier didn’t reach for it. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter. “Review the data. Talk to Dr. T’Soni. We really can’t spare anyone else for this right now. If you don’t take it, we may be forced to pull Spectre Williams off her leave to investigate.” The Councilor stood up. “Janessa! We’re leaving!”

Shepard didn’t move. Janessa brought her empty bowl in and set it on the counter. The two asari showed themselves out. Shepard stayed where she was, staring at the datapad until she heard the skycar take off.

She shook herself and looked up when Brie stuck her head in the kitchen and said, “Save Mommy now?”

She shoved the datapad away and smiled at her daughter. “Yeah, honey. Let’s go save Mommy.”

***

Shepard curled up on the couch, her datapad loaded with a cheesy murder mystery. The house was finally quiet with Brie asleep. They had extracted Liara from her Shadow Broker office and spent a couple of hours playing at the beach by the lake.

But something had Liara’s attention. Almost as soon as they home, she drifted back to her office. Shepard managed to waylay her long enough to discuss Tevos’ visit. Liara took the datapad, absently promising to review it when she had the chance.

Shepard wasn’t worried. Liara would talk when she was ready. For the past seven years, Liara had walked a delicate line with her bondmate. She didn’t want Shepard to feel like she was hiding things, but she respected Shepard’s desire to stay out of galactic politics. And as in all things, she did it beautifully. But nights like this, where something flying about the Shadow Broker network had Liara distracted and fretting, it was hard on Shepard.

A chime sounded from the computer in Shepard’s office, jerking her out of her thoughts. No one bothered to call her encrypted line since few of her calls these days involved anything of more dire importance than the Normandy’s latest gossip. After the visit from Tevos, receiving an encrypted call sent her pulse skyrocketing.

She scrambled up, moving her bad leg wrong and wincing. When she got to the room, she closed the door to activate the security suite. Liara had set it up when they first moved to Thessia, back when the Alliance was still trying to pull her into diplomatic work. Even after Shepard had finally convinced the Alliance to kindly fuck off, her Shadow Broker insisted she keep it installed “just in case”. These days, the office was little more than a trophy room, but she left the security measures to give her wife peace of mind.

Shepard dropped into her chair and activated her vidcom. Joker’s face appeared, looking scared. Shepard could see tear tracks down his face. Ice flooded Shepard’s veins and she sat up straighter. “Joker, what’s wrong?”

“Thank god. Shepard, something weird just happened and I need you to tell me I’m crazy,” the pilot said.

“Well, we always knew that, Joker,” Shepard quipped. Joker barely cracked a smile. “Okay, talk to me. What’s up?”

“With Ash and James on leave, we’ve been baby-sitting supply runs through dangerous territory. We’re out at the edge of the Traverse. I think that’s why I was able to pick up the transmission,” Joker said. “It’s— I— Well, here. Just listen.”

A burst of static. Words too faint to understand, like voices in the background, fading in and out with the bad connection. Then, “Jeff, can you— …lp me— …trapped— Cerber—“ followed by more static. Shepard’s heart raced; her breath froze in her lungs. She knew that voice.

EDI.

She looked at Joker with surprise. “I’m crazy, right? I mean, she’s dead. All the AI are. We can’t get them back. Right?” he asked.

“I— I don’t know. Maybe it’s an old transmission? Or a fake? Joker, I hate to say this, but it could be enemies targeting the Normandy,” Shepard said.

“Yeah. I guess that’s more likely. Except—“ Joker said. He stopped and looked down, fiddling with his ball cap.

“Except what?” Shepard prompted.

“Well, it came through on an encrypted channel EDI set up just for us. The two of us were the only ones who ever used it,” Joker said.

Shepard ran her hand through her hair and sighed. Cerber— Had EDI started to say Cerberus? What else could it be? Was it really EDI? “Have you told anyone else about this?”

“No. It really freaked me out. I guess I was hoping you’d have a better explanation than the nightmare scenario running through my head,” Joker said.

“I understand, Joker. You miss her. And the idea that she not only survived somehow, but that she’s now trapped with the enemy…,” Shepard said. The pilot nodded. “Tell you what. Send me a copy. I’ll ask the Shadow Broker to run it through her security protocols and see if we can unravel it. For all we know, it’s some old message that was stuck inside the Normandy’s logs this whole time and got corrupted.”

“Thanks, Commander. Should I— Do you think I should tell our commander?” Joker asked.

“No. There’s no need to involve someone who didn’t know her. But if you get any more, let me know, okay?”

“Yes, Commander. Will do. And, Shepard? Thanks for not just laughing at me,” Joker said.

“I would never laugh at you when it comes to EDI,” Shepard said. “One other thing. See if you can discreetly find out if Sam’s picked up any unusual chatter about kidnappings or a new slaver group in the area.”

“Um, okay. You think it might be connected?” Joker asked.

“Let’s just say this hasn’t been my only weird conversation today,” Shepard replied.

“Okay, sure. I’ll let you know if we hear anything,” Joker said.

They disconnected and Shepard sat back. The message light blinked, indicating Joker had sent the file. Her heart broke for him. After seven years, he had largely moved on. He still missed EDI, of course. But it wasn’t the crippling loss it had been after the war.

But because of his illness, Joker never had a lot of relationships. Too much chance he could get hurt if things turned physical. One of the best things about his relationship with EDI had been the lack of sexual pressure. Finding another understanding romantic partner was difficult.

Shepard knew the two years she’d been clinically dead had almost destroyed Liara. When Shepard came back, her nerdy little archaeologist was gone, replaced by a cold, calculating information broker. Watching Liara become the Shadow Broker had scared the hell out of her. How much worse would it have been after seven years?

She shook her head and opened the file. She loaded it into a decryption program and let it run again. At first, she just let it play. The message was degraded, like it had passed through too many comm buoys before the Normandy picked it up. The voice sounded like EDI, but she had a synthesized voice to begin with. It would be easy to recreate. Until she could hear this AI say something only EDI would know, she couldn’t be certain it was her. Even if it was, who knew when or where this had been recorded?

The door swished open as she listened to it for the fourth time. Liara’s steps slowed when she got closer to the desk. When the recording cut out, she said, “Was that EDI? Did she say Cerberus?”

“I think so,” Shepard said.

“Where did you get that?” Liara’s voice dropped into business mode. It was the same tone she used in committee meetings.

“Joker. It was sent directly to him. He’s pretty sure either he’s crazy or it’s a hoax, so he didn’t want to bother his XO with it,” Shepard replied.

“But why send it to you?” Liara sat in the study’s other chair, on the edge with her back straight. The only sign of her anxiety was the way she fiddled with the datapad in her hand. Shepard couldn’t help but remember the debriefings on the Normandy when they first met. Liara’s eyes were colder now, more calculating. But she still fidgeted. Shepard had to stop herself from smiling.

“I think he was just looking for someone else to review it and confirm that it’s bogus. So far, it sounds real. But I’m going to work on it,” Shepard said.

Liara looked down. Her hands stilled on the datapad. “What if it’s not? Bogus, I mean?” she asked quietly.

“Liara. Bellflower, Cerberus is gone. I killed the Illusive Man. Cut the head off the snake, you could say,” Shepard said.

“Yes, but was your mythical Cerberus not a three-headed dog? What if you only cut off one of the heads?” Liara asked. She handed Shepard the datapad. “I ran this through one of my best decryption programs. Click on a hyper-link. Any of them.”

Shepard scrolled through until she found a link. A password encrypted screen popped up. Liara input a hack to bypass it. The Cerberus logo flashed on screen before a secondary message appeared. It contained instructions on the treatment of both human and non-human prisoners— referred to as acquisitions and cattle, respectively. Shepard slowly set the datapad down. She looked up at her wife.

“Tevos wants me on this, Liara. She’s trying to pull me out of retirement,” Shepard said.

“She’s not the only one. I’ve intercepted several calls from Alliance High Command and the new human Councilor. I believe Tevos made the trip out here precisely because they could not reach you otherwise,” Liara said.

Shepard gave her a sad smile. “Thank you for protecting me, love.” She stood up, pacing the length of the room. “They’re threatening to pull Ash off maternity leave. What am I supposed to do, Liara?”

“As much as I hate to say this, perhaps it is time to dust off Commander Shepard and bring her back into the game,” Liara said.

“I can’t leave you and Brie,” Shepard said. Liara stood and intercepted her wife’s pacing. She ran her fingers through Shepard’s hair to rest her hands on the back of Shepard’s neck.

“I’ve been seeing the signs for weeks, Dana. We’re needed. Perhaps it is time to arrange that visit with Riala our daughter has been begging for,” Liara suggested.

Shepard sighed, resting her head against Liara’s. “I never wanted to do this again. Liara, what if I can’t keep up? I’m still considered disabled. I’m seven years out of practice. What if something goes wrong?”

Liara pushed away, rolling her eyes. “You’re only five years out of practice, Dana Shepard. I seem to recall you quite merrily throwing yourself into an unknown pirate raid a week before our daughter was born!” Liara said. She almost sounded mad, but Shepard saw a teasing smile on her lips.

“Those were extenuating circumstances! I couldn’t get home to you until it was resolved, five of our closest friends were in danger, and James was freaking out! What was I supposed to do?” she argued.

Liara smirked at her. “Admit it. You had fun,” she said.

Shepard crossed her arms and gave her wife a knowing glare. “You miss it. Admit it, T’Soni. You miss the hunt. You’re bored playing diplomat and Shadow Broker and you want back in the action!”

“What? That’s—“ Liara sputtered.

“You didn’t even try to fight this. I was counting on you to talk me out of it,” Shepard said. Liara looked away, guilt coloring her cheeks. Shepard felt a pit in her stomach. “What’s going on, Bellflower? Don’t you want to be here with Brie and me?”

“Of course, I do!” Liara exclaimed, looking up sharply. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Shepard wanted to kill Tevos for dropping this on them. “Oh, Dana. I love you and Brie more than I ever thought possible. But I am only a hundred and thirteen. Most asari my age are still out wandering, exploring the galaxy. I wouldn’t have sought out this kind of danger, but I’ve been feeling…”

“Stuck? Bored?” Shepard prompted.

“Of being at home, yes. Not of you or our daughter. The truth is, if this hadn’t fallen in our laps, I was going to suggest a trip. Visit the new developments on Rannoch, perhaps. Or the recovery on Tuchanka. Take you to some of my favorite places on Illium, maybe,” Liara said. “Just somewhere to get us off-world for a bit.”

“Okay, I get that. But how do you go from family vacation to dangerous hunt?” Shepard asked.

“It’s EDI, Dana! Do you want to take the chance that another Spectre might decide to destroy her?” Liara replied.

Shepard dropped her gaze. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “No. And I don’t want to risk the possibility Cerberus getting away. Again. I’m just… scared, Liara. We have so much more to lose now. And I’m not at my best.”

“So, we do what we’ve always done. Build the best team in the galaxy and go on the hunt,” Liara said.

“Alright. I’ll call Tevos,” Shepard said with a sigh.

Chapter Text

Brie squealed, watching the Normandy pull into dock. Shepard explained the docking procedures and what the crew were doing inside. Brie pointed and called out the parts of the ship, clapping her hands. Near the boarding gate, Liara spoke into her comms, working out last minute details of her absence with her committees. The attendant at the door spoke softly to Liara, who nodded and hung up the call. She walked over to Shepard and Brie.

“The docking procedures are nearly finished. She said we can enter the tube when we’re ready,” Liara said.

Shepard made a funny face at Brie and said, “Are you ready, Bluebell? Wanna get on the ship?”

“Ship!” Brie exclaimed.

Liara laughed softly. “Goodness, someone’s excited,” she said. She took Brie from her wife’s arms and turned toward the door. Shepard activated the grav cart to move their luggage.

In the docking tube, they waited for the lock to cycle through. When it opened, they were surprised to find James waiting for them. “Lola! Doc!”

“James! What the hell are you doing here?” Shepard asked. She threw her arms around the big soldier. He wrapped her in a bear hug, grinning from ear to ear.

“Dana, language,” Liara said.

“Oops,” James muttered. Shepard just flashed her wife a withering glance. “Let’s get you two settled and I’ll explain. Just how much stuff did you bring, anyway?”

“You don’t get to travel with just a footlocker when you have a kid, James. Just wait until you try to take Sarah Michelle anywhere. You’ll learn. Most of this will be staying with Brie when we drop her off,” Shepard said. Before they could get very far, Shepard veered off to the cockpit. As soon as the door opened, she darted forward. Joker was already standing, so she drew him into a hug. “How are you, Joker?”

“Doing okay,” he replied. “Still pretty freaked out, though.”

“I can imagine. Let me get Brie settled in and we’ll talk, okay?” Shepard asked. Joker nodded and flashed her a smile that almost looked normal.

They made their way toward the elevator, chatting about the kids. James wore fatherhood well. Six months in, the baby was finally starting to sleep more, which meant Ashley had a chance to rest.

As Shepard and Liara unpacked their gear, James leaned against the wall between the bedroom and the office. “Weird seeing you two in here again,” he said quietly.

“So, what’s going on, James? Why are you here? Don’t you have another eight months on your leave, or something like that?” Shepard asked.

“I was supposed to, yeah. But as soon as Ashley found out what was going on, she practically ordered me to return to duty. She’s just frustrated she can’t be here. But that would have defeated the purpose of pulling you out of retirement,” James said.

“I would have been a little upset if we’d done this so she could have more time with the baby only to have her show up, yes,” Liara said.

“Right. Plus, she threw herself into the typical mom role hard. I do everything I can to help her, but she’s still one of those people who thinks it’s the mom’s job to care for the kids. Which means I’ve managed to rest more than she has. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pretty wiped. But she just doesn’t have it in her right now. Not sure what she’s going to do when it’s time to come back,” he continued.

“Sounds like Ash,” Shepard said, rolling her eyes. She and Liara had done well splitting the baby duties and she didn’t understand why Ashley wouldn’t take more advantage of having James around. “But she’ll ease into it. I’d like to do the same, but it all depends on what we find. A couple weeks of research sounds perfect, though.”

“Let’s hope you can avoid a fight until we get our space legs back,” Liara added.

“Me?” Shepard exclaimed. Liara just gave her a look.

James chuckled and said, “Well, XO James Vega, reporting for duty. If that’s alright with you, ma’am?”

“I would be honored, James,” Shepard replied.

Once they finished unpacking, Shepard left Liara and Brie playing a game in the cabin. She took the elevator back down to the CIC and stopped to watch the crew prepare for take-off. Sam saw her and pulled her into a hug before going back to her comm station. Shepard took her time, reacquainting herself with the ship. She felt the inertial dampeners kick in, heard the docking clamps release them. The ship drifted slowly out of dock. By the time they had turned in the right direction, she had made her way up the hall to the cockpit. She stood just inside the door, watching the view change from light blue to a fiery riot of color before settling into the deep black of space. She let the technical conversation between Joker and Carla wash over her, staying silent, just enjoying the routine chatter of preparing for a relay jump.

Carla saw her out of the corner of her eye. “Commander! I wasn’t expecting you up here,” she said.

“Please, ignore me. I just want to watch the magic happen,” Shepard said. “Take us away, Joker.”

“Aye, aye, Commander. Hitting the relay in three, two, one,” Joker said. Shepard braced herself on the back of Joker’s chair as the relay’s mass effect field reached out, wrapping the ship in blue fire. A flare, a jolt, and they dropped out into a sea of stars.

“Jump successful,” Carla said.

Over the comm, Sam announced, “We have contact. Rendezvous in thirty minutes.”

“Thank you, Sam,” Shepard replied. She tapped Carla on the shoulder. “Give us a few, would you?”

“Of course, Commander,” Carla replied. She slid out of her seat and left with a salute. Shepard dropped into the co-pilot’s chair.

“Talk to me, Joker. How are you, really?” Shepard asked.

“I keep flipping between excited, angry, depressed, and a little scared. What if it’s her? Is she a prisoner? How do they have her? What if it’s not her? I just really don’t know what I feel. I guess it’ll depend on what we find,” Joker answered.

“That’s a surprisingly well-adjusted attitude. Not sure I could feel the same if Liara had died and then I got a distress call from her seven years later,” Shepard said.

“I’m sure she’d have a few thoughts on that,” Joker quipped. Shepard chuckled. “I don’t know. It’s a little different, with EDI being an AI. I mean, we thought her server got fried to hell, but who’s to say that was the only one? She was technically code. She could have had a dozen back-ups that we don’t know about. I guess the idea was just too… big to think about in the aftermath.”

“If she’d had a viable way to save her, bring her back, whatever, she would have found a way to let us know in those last few seconds before she went non-functional. Yeah, it happened fast, but you know how quickly she could process data. The more I think back on our last few days with her, the more I’m convinced she didn’t know about this back-up. She would have told us,” Shepard said.

They sat quietly for a while. Memories of some of the crazy questions EDI would ask her drifted through her mind. She could only guess what was going through Joker’s. Finally, he took a deep breath and nodded. “Thanks, Shepard. Whatever we find out there, I’ll just be glad to get some closure.”

Shepard stood up and clapped him on the shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Joker. I better get Brie ready.”

***

Brie barely waited for the airlock to cycle and the door to open before dashing through it. She ran straight at Raila and threw her arms around the quarian. They took off down the hall without a single glance at their parents. Several members of the Keelah Patriama crew had to jump out of their way as the two girls darted underfoot.

“Good to know how much we matter,” Liara said with a chuckle. She and Shepard stopped next to Garrus and Tali, the four of them watching their daughters with amusement.

“Raila hasn’t stopped talking about this since you called,” Garrus said.

“How’s Soldarus taking the news that he’ll have an extra sister for a little while?” Shepard asked.

“Slightly annoyed, but mostly fine,” Tali said. “There are other children aboard closer to his age. He’ll be alright.”

“Well, check out who we found. He stowed away when Joker came to get us,” Shepard said, nodded toward the Normandy.

James stepped out of the airlock with a big grin. “Very funny, Lola,” he said.

“Jimmy Vega! What the hell are you doing here?” Garrus asked. The two men shook hands before Garrus pulled James in for a quick hug. “Aren’t you supposed to be pampering your baby mama?”

“You know the term ‘baby mama’?” James asked. Garrus shrugged. “I was. But someone had to go and tell her that Cerberus might be back, and she kicked me out to hunt them down.” He fixed Shepard with a pointed stare.

“I needed to borrow her ship. How was I supposed to know she’d send back-up with it?” Shepard asked.

“At least Tevos didn’t go through with her threat to pull Ashley off maternity leave,” Liara said.

“Bosh’tet,” Tali muttered.

“All the more reason for us to come with you. The Council seems to be taking this seriously,” Garrus said.

“People are missing. I just wish they’d taken it this seriously when the Collectors were attacking,” Shepard said. Then Garrus’ words registered. “Wait, what? No. Who’s going to take care of the kids?”

“They’re going to spend some quality time with Aunties Ra’an and Solana,” Tali answered. When Shepard started to protest again, Tali touched her arm. “It’s EDI, Shepard. It’s Joker. We’re all happy now. Don’t they deserve that chance?”

“And the baby-sitters are aware they’ve taken on an extra child?” Shepard asked.

“They are, and they’re thrilled,” Solana Vakarian said as she and Ra’an approached from the direction the girls had gone. “Raila is so excited, how could we tell her no?”

“Besides, Cerberus is a threat to us all. We will feel better knowing the best team in the galaxy is hunting them,” Ra’an added.

“Alright! Let’s get this show on the road!” James exclaimed.

“We should tell Brie what’s going on,” Liara said. Shepard could hear a mix of worry and excitement in her wife’s voice.

They said their good-byes to Brie and explained that Aunt Tali and Uncle Garrus wouldn’t be there, and that she had to listen to Raila’s aunties. There were a lot of tears, mostly on Shepard’s part. Eventually, Liara had to drag her out of the room. Before the door had even closed behind them, they heard Brie ask Solana if they could have a tea party.

“She’s going to be fine, Dana,” Liara said, looping her arm through Shepard’s to guide her down the hall.

“I’m not sure which is worse. The idea that she’ll be miserable without us, or the idea that she won’t even notice we’re gone,” Shepard grumbled. Liara just patted her arm.

As they approached the Normandy’s airlock, they heard Garrus all but growling about something. They came around the corner to another surprise.

“Shepard!” Grunt cried. The krogan stood in front of the airlock in full battle armor, weapons strapped in place.

“Grunt, what are you doing here?” Liara asked.

“Going with you,” the krogan replied, as if there was no doubt. Shepard bit her lip to keep from crowing with joy. She really wanted her tank baby along for the ride. But Grunt was on loan to Garrus and Tali as part of the turian/krogan alliance. It wasn’t her call.

“And what about our children?” Garrus growled. “Don’t forget, you have an extra charge right now. You want to explain to Shepard and Liara how you’d rather go on an adventure than protect their daughter?”

Dammit, Garrus! But he had a point. Liara crossed her arms and raised an elegant brow ridge. Shepard looked at her toes. The kids needed the best guard they could get. Short of pulling Wrex off Tuchanka, Grunt was it. But her tank baby was ready with an answer.

“What the hell else have I been training Aralakh Company for? If they can’t protect a bunch of kids without me around, they deserve to have their asses kicked,” Grunt replied.

“Shit. He’s right. We do have all of Aralakh Company on staff,” Garrus said, turning toward Shepard and Liara. “That good enough for you two?”

“Of course. Who are we to deny Grunt his fun?” Liara replied with a smile.

“That’s settled, then,” Tali said. She moved past Grunt into the airlock, patting his arm as she went. Garrus hit with the krogan with a playful punch to the shoulder before following his wife.

Shepard couldn’t contain herself anymore. “Grunt!” she yelled and darted forward for a celebratory head-butt. Liara just rolled her eyes and strolled onto the ship.

***

They gathered around the galaxy map in the war room. Shepard had a flashback to another meeting, seven years ago, when Sam tracked Kai Leng to Sanctuary on Horizon. She repressed a shutter and touched the small of Liara’s back to calm herself. Her wife smiled before turning her attention to Sam.

“Alright, I’ve plotted the locations where the Council’s agents intercepted the slaver messages, as well as the distress call Joker received,” Sam said. Seven points flashed on the map, all of them deep within the Terminus Systems. A small Normandy shaped icon appeared near the boundary between the Traverse and the Terminus. “That’s where Joker picked up the EDI distress call.”

“I think we must assume that the ‘slaver’ messages were sent from moving vehicles. If these Cerberus cells are masquerading as slavers, they would not stay in one place for long,” Liara said.

“That’s a lot of space to cover, and the relays in that area are only just starting to come back online,” James said. “We could end up wasting a lot of time chasing after these origin points when the ships are long gone.”

“I can pinpoint ones that were near planets at the time of transmission,” Sam added. “That might indicate a base.”

“Or a colony that got hit,” Shepard added. “Sam, cross reference the origin points with reports of slaver attacks in the area. If we get a transmission near a planet that doesn’t correspond with one of those reports, that could be our base.”

“Or it could be a colony that just never reported in. You know how the Terminus colonies are about the Alliance interfering,” Garrus said.

“Yes, I remember vividly,” Shepard sneered. Half their problems on Horizon had come from the locals’ distrust.

“I can also cross reference a list of colonies in the area. The Terminus colonies have been a little better about registering since the war,” Sam added. At Shepard’s nod, Sam started running the trace.

As they started eliminating signals, Shepard’s attention kept going back to the little Normandy symbol. Something about the location bothered her. She let her eyes drift over the map, skimming the stars. Omega wasn’t far away, but she doubted Cerberus would try to get a foothold there after she and Aria cleaned house. From there, it was a short jump to the facility where she had spoken to the Illusive Man for the first time. That was only after they escaped from the station where Miranda and the Lazarus team had—

“Lazarus!” she cried. Everyone stopped to stare at her.

“Dana?” Liara asked. She touched Shepard’s shoulder gently.

“I just remembered, the Lazarus Project station was in the Omega Nebula, not far from the Normandy’s location when Joker got that transmission,” Shepard said.

“I thought you said they abandoned the station after the mechs killed everyone,” Garrus said.

“Which makes it perfect for a rogue Cerberus operative wanting to rebuild,” Tali said.

“If the station was still linked into the local comm network, EDI— the message may have transmitted when the network was restored,” Sam said.

“It makes a certain amount of sense. After all, Lazarus was all about bringing you back from the dead. What a better place to do the same for Cerberus?” Liara added. Shepard shuddered.

“I guess that’s as good a place to start as any. Sam, keeping running the simulation to see if we get any other hits. We have no way of knowing how big their operation is,” Shepard said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Sam replied with a salute.

“I will stay and help,” Liara said. Shepard flashed her a tight smile and followed the others out of the room.

Before they reached the elevator, Garrus turned to Shepard. “There’s someone I want to introduce you to,” he said.

“Um, okay,” Shepard replied. “You know someone on the crew that I don’t?”

“Yes, because I recommended him,” Garrus said. They took the elevator down to the shuttle bay. The room bustled with activity as the crew prepared for the first step in their mission. Without thinking, she turned toward the room’s main terminal.

A young turian stood in Steve’s spot. Garrus strode over and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, greeting them with flared mandibles. “Mr. Vakarian! I’d heard you were joining us for this mission.”

“I am. So is Tali. The aunties are taking care of the kids,” Garrus said. “I wanted to introduce you to the commander. Shepard, this is Rixus Cynarian. He used to work for us on the Patriama, but when Steve took leave, they needed someone to fill in. I was happy to send him over.”

“No offense, but you seem a little young to be in charge,” Shepard said.

“Oh, I’m not in charge down here, ma’am. That honor goes to Lieutenant Halpern over there,” Rixus said, pointing to an older human woman in coveralls. “With Spectre Williams and Commander Vega on leave, the Alliance decided they only needed one pilot in the bay. The rest were replaced with mechanics as their tours of duty ended.”

“Odd choice, in my opinion. I like having a pilot that does his own repairs,” Shepard said.

“I can, Commander. Officially, I’m part of the repair team. I’m just the only one who’s also certified to fly. Haven’t needed to do much more than drop off cargo for the past few months, though,” Rixus said. “Looking forward to doing some real flying.”

“Spirits, Garrus. Did someone rip out Steve’s voice and put it in a turian body? Are you sure he’s not a robot programmed to think like Steve?” Shepard asked.

Garrus laughed. “Why do you think I sent him to Ashley? He’s a perfect fit for the ship. And she needed more blue blood around here.”

“Very true. Well, Rixus, I look forward to seeing what you can do,” Shepard said. “If you boys will excuse me, I have a mission to plan.”

Before she headed up to the cabin, she stopped on the fourth floor to check on Grunt. He had reclaimed his old room. Shepard was more than happy to let him have it. Javik had been a vital part of their team during the war, but his habit of referring to them all as imbeciles and talking about eating various members of the Council races was unnerving. His room had been uncomfortably hot and humid. Grunt had more room this time, without his tank in the way. Someone had found him a large cot to sleep on and he had his guns on proud display along one wall. It reminded Shepard of Thane’s gun rack up in Life Support.

“Hey, Grunt. All settled in?” Shepard asked.

“Mostly. Could use a way to work out, though. All you pyjaks are too squishy,” Grunt replied.

“Ha! I’ll take you on any day, runt,” Shepard grunted with a smile. “But sure. Just let me know what kind of equipment works for you and we’ll see about getting some.”

“That Vega’s pretty big. Think he’d spar with me?” Grunt asked. Shepard marveled at how mature he sounded. Not her little tank baby anymore. Her thoughts flashed to her daughter, and she had to fight to keep her voice steady.

“You can always ask him. I bet he would. He loves to workout. You’d be a good challenge for him,” she said. She clapped Grunt on the shoulder and headed out.

***

Lazarus Station looked exactly like it had the last time Shepard had seen it. All the damage from the mech attack the day she woke up had been internal. The outside looked almost pristine, aside from the usual damage by space debris. Not a single scorch mark or dented bulkhead stood as evidence of the massacre inside. Nothing moved near them.

“Commander, the station is running on minimal power,” Carla said. “It looks like the majority of the power is centered in one particular section. However, scans are not showing any life signs on board at this time.”

“Send the data to my omni-tool,” Shepard said. “Joker, as far as I know, there’s only one place to land a shuttle. Do you see anything else?”

“Negative, Commander. The security dock is your best bet. Makes me nervous, thinking you could be too far away from help if there’s a problem,” Joker replied.

“We’ll keep our suits on, just in case. Stay close. Hopefully, this won’t take long,” Shepard said. Joker threw her a quick salute before she turned away.

In the shuttle bay, Rixus ran final checks on the shuttle while the team geared up. She was taking everyone this time. There was just too much station to cover for her usual three person ground team.

But that worked out in her favor. Tali sat in the co-pilot’s seat next to Rixus. Shepard stood in the back of the shuttle, leaning against the wall. With everyone else between her and the monitor, she couldn’t see the approach. She didn’t want to admit how much coming back here bothered her.

Liara took her hand. They didn’t meld. But being so close, the feel of skin to skin, sent a shiver up her arm. Their biotic energies entwined. She could not hear Liara in her mind, not the way she could when they made love. But she could feel her, deep in a part of her that no human should sense. She drew that piece of Liara in and let it comfort her.

It was time to return to the scene of her resurrection.

Chapter Text

Lazarus Station had the uneasy feel of a building waiting. It shouldn’t. It should have felt empty. Abandoned. Shepard could still see the bloodstain from where Miranda killed Wilson, but the body was gone. Even with no life signs, everyone kept their hands on their weapons as the team made their way to the security office, passing piles of broken robots.

Someone had definitely been cleaning up.

When they reached the security office, Liara booted up the computer. She found schematics of the station and sent them to everyone’s omni-tools. “The station is not registering anyone else on-board at this time, but there are logs of recent arrivals and departures.”

“For all we know, it was just scavengers coming to pick the place apart,” Garrus said.

“Maybe. But it’s worth looking into. It just feels like more than a coincidence that the Normandy was so close to this station when Joker picked up that signal,” Shepard said.

“Uh, Dana?” Liara called. “The power spike Carla picked up is coming from the medical wing.” She looked at Shepard in concern.

“Can you see what systems they might have been accessing?” Shepard asked.

“No. Each department appears to be contained within its own network. We would have to go there or find the correct server,” Liara replied.

“Okay. Well, I knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant. We need to find out what they were after,” Shepard replied. “We should also pull any data we can find. Tali and Garrus, hit the source. Find the server room and pull all data drives except security and medical. Liara, you and I will head for the medical wing and find out what our visitors were doing. James, Grunt, stay here with Rixus and protect our escape route. Never know when these people might come back. Go through the supplies and see if there’s anything useful.”

They all aye-aye’d or saluted, then split off into their assigned teams.

***

Garrus trailed behind Tali as she followed the station schematics scrolling through her suit helmet. The minimal power gave them just enough light to make the shadows feel ominous. He kept one hand on his sidearm. Sure, the place seemed empty. And so far, nothing had moved. But experience told him that was when they were in the most danger.

This part of the station was relatively intact. Server rooms typically didn’t get a lot of day-to-day traffic, so the mechs had little reason to come down here during the attack eight years ago. They found one body just past the door to the sector. The bloodstain indicated the person had died in the middle of the floor, but the body was shoved up against one wall.

“Looks like our visitors came this way,” Garrus muttered.

“Let’s hope we’re not too late, then,” Tali said.

They rounded the last corner and found the server room. The door had been blasted open. The strangely twisted metal and absence of any explosive residue indicated it had been done with biotics. They pushed their way carefully past the torn fragments of the door. Banks of servers lined the walls to either side of them. Most were in sleep mode, only a couple of small blinking lights to indicate they were on at all. The few that blink merrily were probably the ones that controlled the basic functions of the station and the medical wing. Aside from the door, everything was intact.

“I’ll start pulling the drives,” Tali said.

“Think we can salvage anything here to repair the AI core on the Normandy?” Garrus asked.

“Maybe. We could certainly get it functional. But unless we can find a back-up of EDI’s files, I’m not sure what good it would do. We already have a sufficient VI,” Tali said.

Garrus wandered down the row, glancing over each of the servers as he went. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. A hint as to what each one held, maybe. “True, but Joker seems pretty convinced that message was from EDI. If we do end up finding her, it would be nice for her to have a home to come back to, you know?”

Tali chuckled. “And here I thought you were of the opinion we were better off without AI,” she said.

“I am. Mostly. Except for EDI. And Legion. I wouldn’t mind having that geth platform back. It was good back-up,” Garrus replied.

“Big softie,” Tali teased.

Garrus reached the back of the room. To his left, the servers went all the way to the back wall. But to the right, they cut off, revealing another door, also open. This one had been hacked, rather than blasted. Lettering on the wall next to the door read ‘Enhanced Defense Intelligence’. Garrus glanced back to where Tali crouched next to one of the servers. She hadn’t noticed he’d wandered off. Not wanting to distract her over something that could be nothing, Garrus slipped into the room, triggering his omni-tool’s light.

The room was laid out almost exactly like the AI core on the Normandy, with banks of servers along either wall and a desk at the back. This room was about half the size of the one he’d just left and was completely dark. None of the lights blinked on the computers. But Garrus could see wires dangling where the drives had been pulled out.

“Where did you go?” Tali called.

“Secondary server room at the back,” Garrus called. He went out to meet her. She paused when she saw the name next to the door.

“EDI?” she asked. Garrus nodded at her to follow him. They both flashed their lights around the room.

“I don’t understand. When we took out Kai Leng on Cronos Station, Shepard and EDI found recordings of the Cerberus scientists building and testing EDI. Why is this here?” Garrus asked.

“We just know they were talking to the Illusive Man on Cronos Station. That doesn’t mean they built EDI there,” Tali replied. “Or maybe they did, and this was a back-up. Either way, whatever was here is gone now.”

“Shit, Tali. Do you think that means Joker really did pick up a distress call from EDI?” Garrus asked.

“I suppose if these people had a sufficient server to plug the drives into, yes. It could have been EDI,” she replied. She twisted her hands around each other, showing her anxiety. “Garrus, as far as we know, the Crucible fried any computer powerful enough to support EDI’s complex network. If they did plug her into something, it would severely limit her capabilities, possibly degrading the data.”

“What are you saying, Tali?” Garrus asked.

“I’m saying that if she stays linked to an inferior computer for too long, her memory and processes could slowly break down over time until she’s little more than a VI,” Tali said.

“Do us all a favor and don’t say that to Joker,” Garrus said.

***

Shepard and Liara stepped into the medical wing with weapons drawn. If their scans missed someone on board, this would be a logical place for them to hide. Liara glanced at her wife in concern, but Shepard was focused.

With Lazarus Station’s prime objective being Shepard’s resurrection, the majority of the staff had been on the science and medical teams. The bulk of the mech’s attack had occurred here. Every hallway had bloodstains marring the walls and floor, and in a few cases, the ceiling. Windows sported webbed cracks where the mechs had thrown people into the glass. Doors were dented and scorched. But they didn’t find a single body— organic or mechanical.

In the eight years since waking up here, Shepard had tried hard to suppress the memory of her escape. Being back brought it all to the front of her mind. She remembered the screams of scientists being gunned down by Atlas mechs, the thud of a body being slammed into a window. She could still hear one scientist pleading for help through the glass. She had no way to reach him before the mech killed him. She had turned away, trying not to think about why the pleading stopped.

And she remembered finding recordings as she fled. Audio journals from Wilson and Miranda, talking about the cost and resources needed to bring her back. It was her first indication of how badly she’d been hurt. During the flight, she didn’t have time to process what it all meant. Not even when she found Jacob and he described her as nothing but “meat and tubes”, saying that anyone else would have given up and declared her dead.

Later on, isolated from Liara and called a traitor by the Alliance and the Council, Shepard almost wished they had.

She pushed the memories aside and led Liara through the maze of doors and staircases toward the center of Lazarus Station. They found a sealed door that Shepard’s memory told her led to a storage closet, one that she’d gotten ammo from on her way out. Shepard entered an override code to unlock it. The second the doors opened, she regretted it.

“By the Goddess!” Liara exclaimed, pulling away.

They’d found the dead scientists. Close to two dozen bodies lay piled in the middle of the floor. Shepard closed and locked the door again. “Sorry, Bellflower,” she said.

“It must have been an absolute slaughter in here. And that’s what you woke up to?” Liara asked as they moved on.

“Yeah. The warning alarms jolted me awake. Plus, the room was rocked by an explosion. First thing I could really comprehend was some woman I’d never heard before yelling at me to get moving. Turned out to be Miranda,” Shepard said. “You can imagine my surprise, seeing as the last thing I remember before that was getting spaced and running out of air. I didn’t have time to try to figure out why I wasn’t dead.”

“I’m so sorry, Dana. I do not regret the deal I made with Cerberus. It brought you back to me. I will never regret it. But I do wish you had woken up under better circumstances,” Liara said.

Shepard paused, pulling Liara into her arms. She kissed her wife gently. “I won’t lie and tell you I’ve never regretted it. There were times, while I was in deep with Cerberus, when I wished I hadn’t come back. But looking back on it, I realize it was just one bad stepping stone on the way to a life I love more than I can say. And if that attack was what I needed to get my ass off that surgical table and back in the field, then so be it. It led me to you and Brie. So, never apologize for that.”

Liara kissed her again. Shepard let herself get lost in it. She savored the feel of her wife’s lips, the way their bodies fit together. She wanted to say fuck the mission and drag Liara back to the Normandy, but they’d come this far already. And she really needed to find out why the medical wing was so important to this new enemy. If it was an enemy. With a pang of regret, she broke the kiss and turned toward the next door.

They entered a large room with very little in it. Shepard remembered encountering the mechs for the first time here. Now, it contained small piles of busted robots in heaps around the room. They moved through quickly, into a short hallway with a small staircase.

Shepard stopped outside the next door. Liara touched her shoulder. “This is where is all started. This next room is the surgical suite where I woke up. There shouldn’t be much damage, but I seem to recall a lot of… specimen jars, medical equipment. That sort of thing.”

“This is where they actually saved you,” Liara commented. Shepard nodded. Liara touched her face gently, eyes full of love. Then she hit the button to open the door.

The room was largely unchanged, except that someone had made camp. A sleeping bag lay on the surgical table where Shepard had woken up. Packs containing clothes, armor, and weapons sat to one side. A hot plate, coffee maker, and some dishes and utensils took up one of the desks. While Liara went to the computers, Shepard examined the clothes. They were all of human design and tailored for a female. But what disturbed her most was that they were all her size. The armor and weapons could have come from her own armory.

“Whoever has been staying here, they seem unusually interested in your resurrection. They’ve been going through all the medical and scientific files here. Miranda’s files, especially, have been opened multiple times in the past month or so. There are also several from someone named Wilson. He appears to have been one of the lead doctors on the project,” Liara said.

“Yeah, I remember him. He was pissed he wasn’t getting more money for his work and took a payout to sabotage the whole thing. He’s the one who reprogrammed the mechs to attack,” Shepard said. “Miranda killed him before we got off-station.”

“Probably a good thing. According to these messages, he was in contact with the old Shadow Broker. He was being paid to turn you over, this time alive and tied up with a bow. He used the mech attack as a cover to get you off-station before you could wake up,” Liara added.

“Bastard. Good thing he was an idiot and Miranda discovered his plan. But what does that have to do with anything going on now?” Shepard asked. The more she looked through the interloper’s things, the more the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her brand of shampoo and conditioner, her favorite soap, the coffee she preferred. The camp looked like something she might have set up in an abandoned facility back in her N7 days. Well, except for the sleeping bag on the surgical table. That was just creepy.

“I’m really not sure. It’s like someone is trying to piece together what happened here. But why? All the people who care are dead, except for you,” Liara replied.

“And I could care less. I’m alive. I don’t need to know anything else about the Lazarus Project. So, who does?”

***

Rixus threw himself into going through the crates for salvage. James had to smile. The pilot looked like a kid on Christmas. He didn’t say that, though. Just let the kid have his fun. While the pilot tore into the boxes, James settled himself at the security terminal. He tried to ignore the pacing krogan behind him. Grunt was less than thrilled to be left guarding the shuttle and their pilot. But from the look of the station, none of the other groups were getting much action either.

James pulled up the activity logs for the docking bay. One shuttle came and went several times in the past month. Before that, the last activity had been shortly after Shepard turned herself in for the attack in batarian space. A Cerberus officer named Myra Helgen had input a shutdown command in the computer, putting the station into hibernation mode before leaving again.

Then, about a month ago, a shuttled docked, and the station was brought back online. Power had been kept to a minimum, but it looked like someone was using the place as a base of operations. He didn’t recognize the name of the person who had signed in, but that didn’t matter.

The security terminal had been accessed several times. Information on Cerberus security protocols, ranking systems. It was almost like they were trying to learn as much about Cerberus’ security as possible. Like something he or Shepard would do after taking control of an enemy facility- N7 training 101.

He changed directions and pulled up the camera feeds for the docking bay. A small group wearing Cerberus armor moved across the screen with one soldier in mercenary armor bringing up the rear. From the way the others deferred to her, James guessed she was the leader. One soldier moved to the security terminal. A few keystrokes later, he pulled his helmet off and nodded at the merc. The rest of the soldiers followed suit before running off to follow orders. The leader watched the others scatter before taking hers off as well.

James gasped as a tumble of red hair spilled down her shoulders. The leader turned toward the soldier at the terminal. The face was far too familiar, the green eyes seemed to bore into him. She was thinner, with bruises under her eyes as if she was sick. But it was Shepard.

Grunt’s hulking form loomed up behind James. He looked up at the krogan. “Turian kid need you,” Grunt said.

“Turian kid has a name, Grunt,” James mumbled as he stood up.

“I know. He’s just a whelp. Not worth remembering yet. This way,” Grunt replied. He led the way down a hallway to a barracks. From the armor and weapons lockers along the wall, James guessed it was the security officers’ quarters. A pile of old, forgotten belongings had been thrown against the back wall, replaced by new sleeping bags. A few personal possessions sat near some of the beds, and the lockers had been cleaned and sported shiny new locks.

“Someone’s been staying here,” Rixus said.

“Yeah, saw a few of them come in on the security cameras,” James added. He activated his comm. “Hey, Commander, there’s something you need to see up here.”

***

The entire ground team stared at the grainy still on the security terminal. Tali wrapped her arms around her stomach. Garrus’ hand rested absently on the grip of his sidearm. Liara looked like she was going to be sick. Shepard snarled at the screen while James waited for any of them to speak. He was a little worried about Garrus. Poor Rixus kept glancing between the screen and Shepard, confused and frightened. Only Grunt seemed to be fine, bouncing on the balls of his feet in the background. He didn’t care what was going on. He just wanted to fight something.

“Another clone?” Tali asked.

“There’s no chance this is the clone from the Citadel, is there?” Liara asked.

“No. C-SEC confirmed they found the body of that one. Had a hell of a time explaining what happened. Pretty sure Bailey was on the verge of arresting the whole crew until he could figure it out,” Garrus said.

“Yeah, well. Bailey was a smart guy,” James said.

“Clones? Shepard has clones?” Rixus asked.

“More accurately, Cerberus has clones. Of Shepard,” Liara said. “And we thought there was only one and it’s dead. Miranda really did not warn you there might be others?” Liara turned toward Shepard, who still stared at the screen. Her eyes were distant, seeing something none of them could guess. “Dana?”

Shepard shook herself, seeming to come back to the moment. “Sorry, what?” she asked.

“I asked if Miranda ever warned you there could be other clones?” Liara repeated.

“No. She denied any knowledge of the first clone. She couldn’t imagine why the Illusive Man would need more than one,” Shepard replied.

“Because he thought he was God?” James replied.

“Good point. After all, he figured out resurrection. Why not create life while he was at it?” Shepard said.

“Still, I think reaching out to Miranda might be a good idea. Or Jacob, I suppose,” Liara said.

Shepard shook her head. “I doubt Jacob knows anything. The Illusive Man rarely included him in the plans, beyond what he needed to know as a ranking security officer. I’ll reach out to Miranda, though.”

“By the way, there’s a bunker full of gear down the hall. I think they set this up as their base of operations,” James said.

“Which means they’ll be back. We should clear out,” Garrus said. Shepard nodded.

“I have what I need for now. Tali, grab the security drives and let’s get out of here,” Shepard replied. They turned to file back into the shuttle. As Rixus fired up the thrusters, Shepard turned, letting her eyes drift over the room. “What the hell is going on here?” she muttered.

Chapter Text

James rubbed his eyes and shut down his terminal. After seven years as the Normandy’s XO and working his way through the N-program, he should be used to filing reports. But he still hated writing the damn things. He pushed away from his desk and went to the galley to find something to wake up his brain.

While he waited for the coffee to brew, his omni-tool chimed. He smiled when he saw the comm code for Steve’s house on Anhur. The ship just wasn’t the same without their head shuttle pilot.

“Esteban!” he cried as the call connected. David’s face appeared on-screen, streaked with tears. James’ stomach clenched. “David? What’s wrong?”

“James! I don’t know what to do. They’re— they’re gone. Steve— the colony— I”

“Calm down, Davie. What about Esteban? Who’s gone?” James asked.

“Steve. The kids. The kids were taken. Slavers, I think. The whole colony got hit. Steve took the shuttle and went after them. Alone,” David said. “Sorry. I know you’re on leave, James. I just didn’t know who else to call.”

“You did the right thing, Davie. I’m on the Normandy with Shepard. We’re hunting a group that’s been attacking colonies. Might be the same guys. Hold on,” James replied. He put the call on hold and bolted for the elevator, bouncing on the balls of his feet until the doors slid open on the CIC. Shepard stood talking to Sam at the comm specialist’s terminal. He dashed out, barely pausing as he headed for the conference room. “Need you, Lola. We have a problem.”

“What’s going on, James?” Shepard asked. She and Sam followed him into the room. He transferred the call to the conference room’s line and pulled up the visual on the big screen.

“Okay, David. Walk us through it,” James said. The hacker’s eyes ticked to Shepard and back, a tiny amount of relief easing his face.

“Uh, yeah. Okay. About three hours ago, the colony was hit by… I don’t know. Slavers, I guess. They were organized, well-armed. Human. We have a decent militia here, but they were just overwhelmed. Most are dead. The militia guys, I mean. The attackers swarmed us, grabbing and incapacitating anyone they could. They killed anyone who fought back. The kids and I hid while Steve went to arm the automated defenses. The bastards came in behind him. I tried to fight them off. They knocked me out. Still not sure why I’m not dead or captured. When I came to, the kids were gone. So was our shuttle. I pinged it and Steve answered. Said he was going to get the kids back, then cut me off. Comms, transponder. Everything’s shut down.”

“So, he could be anywhere,” Sam said.

“Well, not exactly,” David said. “I installed a tracker Stevie doesn’t know about. We share the planet with batarian colonists who have been known to steal transports. Just made sense to hide one. So, I was able to track the shuttle for a while, but I lost the signal.”

“Good work, David,” Shepard said. “Okay, that either means he’s too far out for your equipment to follow, or something’s interfering with the signal.”

“Or Esteban found the tracker and disabled it,” James said.

“God, I hope not,” David said. He sounded close to panicking.

“At ease, David,” Shepard said. He took a deep breath and focused on her. “Send us the tracking data. We’re on our way.”

“Thank you, Commander!” David cried. He disconnected the call. A moment later, Shepard’s omni-tool lit up. Sam and James followed her into the war room, where Liara was still looking for patterns in their original data. She looked concerned when James stood bouncing with anxiety. Shepard added David’s colony and Steve’s trail to the map while she filled Liara in on the situation.

“Commander, look. We were just talking about this moon as a possible location for one of the slaver camps. Steve’s trail cuts off in that system,” Sam said.

“If these ‘slavers’ really are Cerberus, we better hope they don’t figure out who is he. He’d make a really good hostage. So would the kids,” Shepard said.

“Not funny, Lola,” James growled.

“She’s right, though. What was Steve thinking?” Liara asked.

“Same thing I would be if it was Brie,” Shepard replied. Liara’s eyes grew wide. “It’s a long shot, but it’s the best lead we have. Since the colony and the camp are in the same cluster, we’re going to split up. James, take a team in Shuttle One to David’s colony. Get details about the attack, a list of who’s missing, and start helping them clean up. I’ll take a team and go after Steve and the slavers.”

“I should be with you, Commander!” James protested.

She held up her hand to stop him. “James, it’s a human colony in the Terminus Systems. They won’t respond well to aliens moving in. Even if they’re trying to help. Your whole team will be human and I need you leading them. Besides, you’re Steve’s best friend. David needs you right now. Go help him. I promise I’ll do everything I can to bring Steve and the kids home.”

“Yeah, okay,” James murmured.

“Thank you. Let’s get ready,” Shepard said.

***

The Normandy coasted through the Relic System. Shepard watched the scanner search for any sign of Steve or the slavers. Though, if Tevos’ intel was correct, these colonists were destined to be experiments, not slaves. She hadn’t mentioned that possibility to anyone else on the crew. The scanner pinged.

“Commander, we’ve picked up Steve’s signal,” Sam said.

“Good. That means Steve hasn’t found the tracker,” Shepard said. “Tell me about this moon.”

“It’s an unnamed moon orbiting the hanar planet Island Wind. It has some atmosphere. Breathable air, but barely. I recommend having breathers on hand. Vacuum shouldn’t be an issue,” Sam replied.

Shepard nodded, patting the specialist on the shoulder as she turned toward the elevator. Without a second shuttle pilot, Shepard had sent Carla with James’ team. It was just a recovery mission with little to no danger, but it was still a ground op. That made Sam nervous.

The rest of her team waited in the cargo bay when she arrived. Tali and Rixus load the shuttle while the others suited up. Liara helped Shepard into her armor quickly. As she finished, she looked up to see Tali carrying extra medical supplies.

“Good thinking. Steve could be hurt, and who knows what those assholes have done to the colonists,” Shepard said.

“Leave it to the quarian to think of medicine over ammo,” Garrus teased with a turian grin.

Tali made a gesture that Shepard knew was the quarian equivalent of sticking out her tongue. “You just wait until you take another rocket to the face. You’ll be grateful for my medical supplies then, Vakarian,” Tali replied. Garrus touched the mandible he’d almost lost on Omega, feigning a hurt look. The rest of the team laughed.

“Alright, you jokers,” Shepard said. “Let’s go find our pilot.”

“And rescue those kids,” Liara added.

“And kick some ass!” Grunt roared.

Shepard shook her head, smiling. As much as she loved her quiet life with her wife and daughter, she could admit she’d missed this. The teasing, the camaraderie, the laser focus she got at the start of a mission. A mix of excitement and anxiety ran through her as Rixus slid into his seat. The cargo bay door opened, and the shuttle lifted off.

Shit! We should have trained more! Half her ground team was out of practice. The other half were new to her. They had two engineers— a human named Myra and a salarian named Moleris— and asari medic named Alina, and two turians— the pilot, Rixus, and a marine named Anexia. None of her usual team had worked with any of them other than Rixus. They weren’t ready!

As if sensing her anxiety, Liara touched the small of her back discreetly. Shepard closed her eyes and took a breath to steady herself. When she opened them again, Liara said, “So, Commander. What’s the plan?”

“Rixus, get us in as close to Steve’s shuttle as you can. Hopefully, we’ll find him there. If not, we’ll pick up his trail. Grunt, Liara, you’re with me. Garrus, take the shuttle around and look for opportunities to cause some trouble.”

“It’s like you know me, Shepard,” Garrus said.

Shepard grinned. “Give ‘em hell, Archangel.”

“Target shuttle is in sight, Commander,” Rixus said. “It’s damaged and grounded. We have movement.”

Shepard moved to the screen. Five soldiers in Cerberus armor surrounded a man in Alliance-issue light armor. He was fighting hard and losing fast. “Get us in there, Rixus!”

“Yes, ma—“ A boom cut Rixus off and he banked the shuttle hard. “Shit! We’re being targeted by anti-aircraft guns!”

“Just get me as close as you can,” Shepard replied.

“Brace yourselves,” Rixus said. They all grabbed onto the nearest handhold while Rixus maneuvered them around a couple of low hills. Shepard expected him to use that as cover, but he brought the shuttle in low, almost scraping the ground. Shepard saw what he was doing and spun on her heel.

“Liara, Grunt, be ready to jump. Alina, you’re with us. Looks like Steve’s going to need help,” she said. The asari medic nodded sharply and grabbed her kit.

“Coming in hot, Commander,” Rixus yelled. Less than a quarter mile from the soldiers, he hit the button to open the door. The shuttle pulled hard to starboard, pausing just long enough for Shepard and her team to jump out.

The Cerberus soldiers started shooting before they cleared the vehicle. They hit the ground running as Rixus gunned it, disappearing around another hill. Behind the enemy, Steve stumbled, back hitting the wall of his shuttle. He slid down bonelessly.

Grunt let out a krogan battle cry and charged the biggest soldier. Alina threw a barrier bubble over Steve and yelled, “Cover me!”

Shepard threw a singularity that pulled two soldiers off the ground. Liara used her biotics to lift another at the same time Grunt slammed into his target. The last guy tried to focus on Alina running across the battlefield, but Shepard shot at him. The bullet pinged off his shield, drawing his attention.

Alina reached Steve, dropping her biotic bubble long enough to slide to her knees beside him before throwing it back up. Grunt and the big guy circled each other, throwing punches. Liara and Shepard had no cover, so they both stood their ground and summoned biotic barriers. Shepard traded shots with the last man standing. He was fast and managed to dodge her first several shots. His bullets bounced off her barrier harmlessly. Liara grabbed him in a biotic pull that knocked his legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, and Shepard’s next shot took him in the head before he could recover.

Grunt kicked out the knee of his soldier. The man fell, dropping his weapon. Grunt grabbed him by the front of his armor and slammed him with a head-butt. The soldier fell back. At the same time, Liara’s lift wore off and her solider dropped to the ground. He jumped to his feet and rushed Alina. Shepard was about to call out, but the medic looked up in time. She stopped whatever she was doing to help Steve and held out a blood-soaked hand, glowing blue. Biotic energy threw the solider to land at Grunt’s feet. Seeing his unconscious friend lying on the ground with a cracked skull, the soldier tried to flee. Grunt let him get a few steps away before shooting him in the back.

Shepard’s singularity dropped the last two soldiers. They jumped up, guns ready. But the biotic attack had decimated their shield and Shepard and Liara were ready for them. The two men went down in a hail of bullets.

As they fell, Shepard ran toward Steve and Alina. The asari dropped the barrier. “How is he?” Shepard asked.

“Concussed, bruised, and a bullet hit his leg. He’s been beaten to hell,” Alina replied.

“Okay, let’s get the two of you into the shuttle. The rest of us will continue on foot,” Shepard said.

Steve grabbed her arm and tried to sit up. “I’m coming with you,” he said.

“You are injured!” Alina protested.

“She’s right. Let us go after the kids,” Shepard said. Steve’s eyes widened. “Yes, I know why you’re here. David called us. We’ll rescue the twins and come back for you. Stay with Alina.”

“No, dammit. I can help. At least I can provide air support,” Steve said.

“No, Steve. Stay here and safe. I already have a shuttle in the air. Let Alina help, you,” Shepard said.

Steve sighed. With a nod, he let Alina help him up. He looked Shepard in the eye, grasping her hand in a painful grip. “I have no idea why you’re here, but I’m glad you are. Please, save my kids.”

“I promise. But I need you to stay alive. Do not make me tell your husband you got yourself killed,” Shepard said. Steve nodded again and limped into the shuttle, leaning on Alina. Shepard turned back to Liara and Grunt. “They’re bound to send reinforcements when these men don’t check in. Let’s give them something else to shoot at.”

“Not your best plan, Dana,” Liara said with a smirk.

“At. I did say shoot at. I was counting on them missing,” Shepard.

“Slightly better. I look forward to you explaining that concept to our daughter when we come home injured,” Liara quipped, following Shepard around the back of the downed shuttle.

“See, you’re counting on them missing, too. Mostly,” Shepard replied. Liara rolled her eyes.

“Ha! They can shoot at me. You little softies can use me as cover,” Grunt said. The three of them shared a grin before darting out of cover.

***

Smoke blanketed the town of Ardonis, limiting visibility as Carla brought the shuttle in. Bodies lay scattered around the streets. Fires still burned in small clusters. The metal alloys and fire-resistant plastics of the prefab buildings meant they wouldn’t have to rebuild much. But the town was still a mess.

They reached the nav point David had sent them. The house sat toward the edge of town and had its own landing pad, which still looked new. The house’s foundation hadn’t completely set. James remembered Steve telling him they had built it new when he and David decided to settle here. Scorch marks marred the side of the house, and the yard was trampled. James saw bullet holes in the near wall.

David stood in the yard, looking lost. His eyes tracked the shuttle while they landed. As the members of James’ ground team stepped out, David glanced at them, his face falling a little more with each one. James wasn’t sure if he was looking for his family, or the woman who could rescue his family.

“David,” James called, stepping away from the team. “How you holding up, man?”

“Did you find them?” David asked. “Where’s Shepard?”

“She managed to track the shuttle’s flight path. She dropped us here to help out and took the Normandy to find Steve and the kids,” James replied.

David finally met his eye. “Why is she here? I couldn’t believe it when you said she was with you on the ship. And why are you here? You’re supposed to be on leave with the baby.”

“Just take the win, Davie,” James said. He put an arm around the hacker’s shoulder and led him back toward the house. There was a nasty wound across the side of his head, the blood matting his hair. “Have you had that gash looked at?”

“I, uh, no. Our doctor has been a little overwhelmed. There’s a lot of injured, more dead. Pretty much everyone in the colony was hurt, killed, or taken,” David said. He didn’t resist when James pushed him down on a chair.

“Lanie, check him out, please,” James said to their medic. “The rest of you, spread out. Help where you can. Talk to the residents. Find out what you can about the attack.” They all saluted and went their separate ways. Before Carla could reach the door, James called her back. He looked at David, who winced when Lanie poked at the wound. “Davie, are there any other settlements nearby that can help? Maybe take some of the wounded?”

“Not really. There’s another town about a hundred clicks from here. But I doubt they’d be helpful. You can check with Mayor Gleason, though,” David replied.

“Okay. Lanie, take care of him. Please do not make me tell my best friend that his husband died while he was out chasing bad guys. Carla, come with me,” James said. He led her back out of the house and headed into town.

They found the mayor near City Hall, organizing Search and Rescue. James approached slowly, waiting for him to finish talking to a local. The woman looked as devastated and lost as David. For a moment, before he saw James standing there, exhaustion and trauma bent the mayor’s shoulders. Then he took a deep breath, shook it off, and looked up with a sad smile.

“What can I—“ he stopped when he saw their uniforms. “Who are you?”

“Commander James Vega with the Normandy. David recommended I speak with you, Mayor Gleason,” James said.

“Look, Steve’s a good man. We like having him here. He’s been good for David and a wonderful father to those kids. But we don’t need the Alliance interfering,” Gleason said.

“We’re not here to interfere. Steve went after the people who attacked you. The rest of my crew followed him. I have a small group here with me ready to help with rescues, medical, clean up, whatever you need. David mentioned another town a hundred miles or so away and I was wondering if you’ve reached out to them for help,” James said.

“Of course, I did,” Gleason snarled. “Our doctor lost his only assistant to these bastards. He’s dealing with the whole damn town alone. I sent for help. They haven’t responded.”

“Is that unusual?” James asked.

“No. The town is run by batarians, but enough humans live there for me to have some contacts. If the batarians are cracking down, it can be dangerous for them to communicate with us,” Gleason replied.

James scowled. “Crap. You need resources and someone should warn the batarians. These attackers have been hitting colonies of all races. I’ll see what I can do. Is there anyone you could spare to help us find this other town?”

“No, but I can give you the nav point and some names,” the mayor replied.

James nodded and turned to Carla. “Fire up the shuttle. We’ll head out there and find a doctor and anyone else willing to help.”

Carla saluted. “Sir, yes, sir!” She turned on her heel and bolted back toward David’s house.

“Like I said, we’re here to help. Steve and David are crew. That makes your people our people. If everything goes well, the rest of your people will be on their way back soon,” James said. “In the meantime, I’ll get you some more assistance.”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” the mayor said. James turned to walk away, but Gleason called him back. “Who went after the others?”

“Commander Shepard,” James replied. He walked off before the mayor could react.

***

Rixus brought the shuttle in low, dancing through the hills surrounding the enemy compound. He kept them under the AA gun’s radar, but that would only work for so long. “Sir, we need to take that gun out if I’m going to be anything more than a chauffeur,” he said.

Garrus and Tali looked at each other. “Rannoch?” Garrus asked.

“Rannoch,” Tali said. They shared a conspiratorial grin. Tali looked at the pilot and shook her head. “Right. Wrong pilot.”

“Are you talking about the geth guns Commander Cortez took out during the quarian/geth campaign in the war?” he asked. Garrus and Tali turned to stare at him. When they didn’t answer, Rixus glanced back at them. His mandibles pulled tight in embarrassment. “Uh, Commander Cortez is a hero if mine. I’ve kind of, well, studied his whole career.”

“Damn, I knew you’d be a good fit for the Normandy,” Garrus said.

“Alright, I’ll take Myra and disable the targeting matrix,” Tali said.

“Rixus, while she does that, drop us off with a clear shot at the back entrance. I’ll take the rest of the team and find a way in,” Garrus said. “When Tali gives you the signal, take that thing out.”

“Yes, sir!” Rixus replied. He found a hill to hover behind while Tali and Myra jumped out. As soon as they were clear, he zipped around. The AA gun locked on and got a few shots off as Rixus slipped into its targeting area. He dodged with ease, flying out out of range before coming back in too low for the gun to find him.

Rixus hit the boosters and shot them straight across the open ground. Several Cerberus soldiers came running out, roused by the AA gun fire. One had a rocket launcher perched on his shoulder. The first rocket missed them by inches. Rixus was too focused on getting them to the back door of the compound to try to dodge. Moleris and Anexia pulled out weapons and prepared for the drop while Garrus set up the turret. Anexia hit the button to open the door and backed out of his way.

As the door slid open, Garrus fired. Bullets strafed the ground, sending the soldiers scattering. Rocket Launcher stood his ground and shot again. The turret’s fire cut him in half a second too late. “Rixus!”

The pilot banked hard, sending Garrus tumbling into the far wall. The rocket clipped the shuttle. They spun wildly for a moment before Rixus managed to gain control, firing the thrusters to get them out of sight before the soldiers could recover. They pulled around the corner. Garrus and Moleris jumped out while Anexia stored the turret.

“Stay with him, Anexia,” Garrus said through the comms. “We’ve got this.”

“Aye, aye, sir!” she replied. Before she could get the turret pulled completely inside, Rixus had them in the air and streaking away from the building.

***

Steve gripped the handle of a drawer in the shuttle while Alina cleaned and patched the wound in his leg. Fire radiated up his thigh. His back arched, causing sharp pain to shoot through his torso and he bit back a scream. Finally, the soothing coolness of medigel spread through his leg. He eased his grip. He tried to take a deep breath, but that made the pain in his ribs flare.

Alina turned to sort through her medical kit. Steve pushed himself up the wall. “Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, looking up sharply.

“My leg is good. I need to repair the shuttle,” Steve said through gritted teeth.

“I need to scan you. We saw some of that beating you took,” Alina said.

“Later,” he said. He tried to pull himself up but doubled over and grabbed his stomach in pain. “I need to get back out there.”

“Not a chance. You could have internal bleeding,” Alina replied.

“And my children could be getting fitted for control chips as we speak,” Steve growled.

“I get that. But you won’t be able to help them if you bleed out into your abdomen,” Alina said. “Let me get the scans and see what I can do for you here. The longer you sit here arguing with me, the less chance I’m available if your kids need a medic.”

Steve tried to pull himself up again. He broke out in a sweat, arms shaking. He could feel something tear inside him. After a moment, he gave up, dropping to the floor with a grunt. “Fuck!” He glared at Alina but nodded and leaned against the wall.

“Thank you. I swear, you’re almost as bad as Commander Williams,” she said. She scanned him carefully, then sat back on her heels to scroll through the read out on her omni-tool. Steve closed his eyes so he didn’t have to watch the growing concern on her face.

“I learned to abuse my body from Shepard. Williams is positively careful compared to her,” he replied.

Alina chuckled. “I’ve heard the stories. There is a small bleed, but it should resolve on its own, provided you do not abuse your body more. Your ribs are bruised but not broken. Looks like those mercenaries were using you as a punching bag.”

“Pretty much. Why can’t I stand up?” Steve asked.

“Because a bunch of mercenaries used you as a punching bag and you need to rest,” Alina said, rolling her eyes.

“Not happening. I need to get in the air,” Steve said.

“You’ll just get shot down again. They still have that anti-aircraft gun,” Alina replied.

“Yep. Gonna take that out. Done it before,” Steve grunted. He took a couple of deep breaths and pushed himself up. It took him several tries and by the time he was on his feet he had to brace himself against the wall. Alina sat on her knees, watching with her arms crossed. Shadows pressed in from the edges of his vision and the front of the shuttle seemed to be miles away. He wasn’t sure if he was going to pass out or throw up. Either seemed possible. Alina relented enough to put a steadying hand against his arm.

“You cannot fly, Steve,” Alina said. “A couple of seconds in the air and you’ll crash into the nearest cliff.”

“Have to repair the shuttle first. Then I’ll worry about flying,” Steve snapped. The world came back into focus. He shoved past the medic.

“Are all humans this stubborn?” Alina asked.

“Pretty much. If you’re really worried, help me with repairs,” Steve replied.

The damage to the shuttle wasn’t as bad as he feared. The gunfire had only clipped the back of the vehicle. He tried to think back to what happened when he went down.

He saw the AA gun turning toward him and began evasive maneuvers. Then he saw the mercenaries coming toward him. One aimed a grenade launcher at him. He could see the Cerberus shuttles landing in the distance and knew that the twins were in one, probably terrified. He blasted past the mercs, target locked on his goal. He wasn’t thinking straight. David was dead, his kids were in the hands of slavers. Nothing mattered but getting them back. In hindsight, he saw his mistake. The AA gun hit the front of the shuttle with a glancing blow that sent him spinning. Before he could correct, the grenade launcher took out one of his thrusters. He careened into a hill. Before he could do much more than grab the sidearm under his seat, the mercs were on him.

He could ignore the front-end damage. That busted thruster was his main concern. He could likely fly the short distance to the compound just fine, but they would never make it off-world. And there would be no way he could provide air support. He wouldn’t have the control he needed.

He sent Alina back inside to grab his repair kit. He just needed to stay conscious long enough to get the kids. Then he could pass out and let Shepard take over.

What the hell was Shepard doing here anyway? As he opened the kit to begin the repair, he thought back over their short conversation. She said David had called her. He remembered David lying on the ground near their home, bleeding from a head wound, not moving. Before he could check on his husband, he saw the slavers getting into a shuttle with his children. He had to make a choice. David would never forgive him if he lost the kids. He changed directions and ran to their vehicle, hoping to stop the slavers before they got off-world. No suck luck, and he chased them into space. The shuttle could easily handle a few FTL jumps, and he kept the fuel cells fresh for emergencies. Luckily, they didn’t go far. One system away in the same cluster. He had them.

Until he didn’t. The op went pear-shaped when the AA gun hit him. Without Shepard, he would be dead. He thought he was when the mercs dragged him out of the shuttle. He fought with everything he had to get away, worried that the kids would be left without parents. Again.

But Shepard was retired. What miracle could have brought her back into the field at the exact moment he needed her? He pushed the question aside and shoved the thruster back into place. He didn’t have time to repair it with his usual care. He needed to be back in the air as soon as possible. He rewired the fuses to bypass the damage. His vision kept fading in and out, but he pushed through it.

A series of explosions grabbed his attention. He and Alina peered around the shuttle, the asari discreetly steadying him. The Normandy shuttle slammed shot after shot into the AA guns, which sat inert, muzzles pointed to the ground. He recognized the tactic as the one they had used on Rannoch.

Steve grabbed his kit and dashed back into the shuttle, Alina at his heels. “What are you doing?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. Throwing the kit to the side, he slid into the pilot’s seat. He started the launch sequence, praying the repairs would be enough. The engine fought him, sputtering to life and then fading back out. He pulled up the calibration system, rebooted, and entered the sequence again. This time, the engine roared to life. The shuttle lifted a few inches off the ground.

Steve glanced back at the medic. “I’m going. Buckle up or get out. Your choice.”

Alina ran to the front and dropped into the co-pilot’s chair as Steve closed the rear door. They lifted into the air, wobbling at first. In the distance, the AA gun tilted, groaned, and toppled. As soon as it started to fall, Steve hit the booster and shot forward.

Chapter Text

The town of Thanek was twice the size of Ardonis. Large enough to have a decent militia protecting them. Unfortunately, it consisted entirely of Blue Suns batarians who seemed extremely unhappy to see an Alliance shuttle approaching their border. From the smoke plumes rising over the skyline, James could guess why.

Carla set the shuttle down at the edge of town. James ordered her to stay inside and handed her a pistol before opening the door. He stepped out to meet the four Blue Suns mercenaries walking toward them.

“You have a lot of nerve, human,” the lead batarian growled. “Haven’t you people done enough?”

“What are you blaming us for now, batarian?” James asked.

“You come here, burn our city and take our people!” the batarian yelled, gesturing at the smoke.

“And you don’t see the irony in that statement?” James asked. He shook his head and didn’t wait for an answer. “Look, that wasn’t us. In fact, I’m pretty sure that’s the same group that hit Ardonis, the human settlement a hundred clicks south of here. They had people taken, too.”

“Humans taking their own as slaves?” the batarian countered.

“We came here hoping to find a human doctor to help the injured in Ardonis. We have no issue with the residents here and we’re not associated with the people that attacked you. But if you wanna trade info, I’ve got people searching the cluster for the kidnapped humans. I’d be happy to contact them and ask ‘em to keep an eye out for your folks, too,” James said.

The guard stared at him for a long time. Finally, he gestured at James to follow. The soldier waved Carla out. She eyed the guns nervously, staying behind the big soldier. The guards took them to a triage tent where humans aided wounded batarians under the eye of the heavily armed guards. The one leading them stopped a well-dressed batarian. They spoke quietly for a moment, the new one glancing at James with a scowl.

“Well, Alliance. It seems we need to talk,” the well-dressed batarian said. He turned toward a nearby coffee shop that had been taken over as a base of operations. The mercs guarding James and Carla gave them a shove to get them moving. Inside, the batarian sat down at a table. He didn’t ask his visitors to sit. The guards hovered to either side of them, so they remained standing. “I am Falek Kahl, the leader of this city. Bak here tells me you’re claiming Ardonis was attacked by these slavers, too. Why would humans enslave their own kind?”

“Let’s cut the bullshit,” James said. “We both know the kind of people inclined to kidnap folks as slaves don’t generally give a fuck about species. Batarian slavers have been known to enslave other batarians, so ask yourself that question.”

“Fair enough. What do you want?” Falek asked.

“I’m Commander James Vega. This is Flight Lieutenant Carla Larron. We’re with the Normandy, under the command of Commander Shepard. Someone has been attacking colonies throughout the Terminus Systems and taking people. They’re mostly hitting post-war colonies and taking people of all races. This is the first time they’ve hit a pre-war colony. But we’re pretty sure these are the same people,” James explained.

“Commander Shepard’s retired. Or so we heard,” Falek said.

“She’s come back for this one special assignment,” Vega explained.

“Bak says you can get our people back,” Falek said.

“I didn’t say that. Shepard is tracking the ones who hit Ardonis. I said I would be willing to update her on your situation and ask her to look for your people,” James corrected. “Beyond that, I can’t promise anything. We have no way of knowing if the unit that attacked you went to the same rendezvous point as the one that attacked Ardonis.”

Falek looked at Bak, who shrugged and nodded. “Understood. And what do you want as payment for this aid?” the leader asked.

“No payment. The information you provide about the attack will help us on our mission. It’s a mutually beneficial exchange. But our original purpose in coming here was to find anyone willing to help Ardonis. The fight there was brutal. They’re especially in need of medical personnel.”

Falek stared at him for a long time. James tried not to react to the four eyes blinking at him. Without looking away, Falek said, “Alright. Bak, take the female to Dr. Lawrence. Dasha, let the others know these two Alliance soldiers are to be left alone. If you can talk any of the humans into going with you, miss, do it. But humans only. Bak, any humans who volunteer are to be allowed back into town without paying tribute.”

James turned to Carla. “You’ll be fine. Take the shuttle and stay on comms,” he said, meeting Falek’s eyes. The batarian nodded. James waited for Carla to leave with Bak and Dasha. “If something happens to her—“ he started.

“Don’t bother. I hardly want to incur the wrath of Commander Shepard by allowing my men to violate one of her crew. Sit down, Vega. I’ll tell you everything I know,” Falek said.

James pulled over a chair and they got down to business.

***

Shepard led Liara and Grunt toward the compound. Six Cerberus agents came running to meet them. The soldier in the lead directed the others to flank them. “I got that one,” Shepard said over the comm.

“I’ll take the sniper in the back,” Liara replied.

“Hehehe,” was Grunt’s only reply. Shepard glanced over to see him aiming for three soldiers clustered together. He kicked up an extra burst of speed and charged. The soldiers’ eyes widened. At that same moment, Liara called her biotics. Dark energy writhed up her body. Again, the soldiers hesitated. Shepard shook her head. Some things never changed. Seven years, a change of management, and Cerberus still taught their people to fear aliens. While they were distracted by the scary alien monsters, Shepard threw a singularity into the middle of the group. The swirling vortex sucked in four of the soldiers. Their screams echoed off the nearby hills. A fifth rolled away to avoid the biotic attack, throwing one of his own as he sprang to his feet. Shepard dove to the side, drawing her pistol as she rose. She shot at the soldier, distracting him long enough for Grunt to tackle the guy.

The sniper slid to a halt behind the group, aiming past his flying friends. He pointed his gun at Shepard. Liara wrapped him up in dark energy and yanked his feet out from under him. His rifle hit the ground as he got sucked into the vortex. Liara followed up with a warp. The resulting biotic detonation sent the five Cerberus soldiers sailing in different directions. One rolled into Grunt and the sixth soldier. The three of them went down. Grunt popped up before the soldiers could recover. His shotgun barked twice, and the soldiers stopped moving.

One of the fallen soldiers got to her feet, shaking her head. Liara lifted her before she could recover. Shepard snared the airborne soldier and biotically slammed her to into the ground. The soldier bounced once before rolling away. She didn’t get back up.

The sniper grabbed his rifle. He got up on one knee and aimed at Liara. The other two remaining soldiers took cover behind a rock and started shooting at Grunt. They dismissed Shepard. Big mistake. She could only guess that she had been out of the game too long. They either didn’t recognize her or didn’t think she was a threat. Leave it to Cerberus to focus on the aliens first, like the human shooting at them wasn’t dangerous.

“On my signal, get him, Bellflower,” Shepard said into the comm. Liara nodded without looking at her. Grunt charged the rock and the soldiers behind it. The sniper sighted down the rifle. Liara zig-zagged to keep his attention. Shepard threw a warp to eat at his shields, immediately shooting to deplete them faster. The moment it fell, Liara let loose a singularity, waiting long enough for him to get pulled into it, then threw a warp. He sailed off and slammed into the ground too far way for Shepard to tell if he was alive.

“Shepard, watch out!” Liara cried. Before Shepard could react, a flashbang went off to her right. The world went white, her ears started ringing, and Shepard fell on her side. A Cerberus soldier loomed over her with a shock baton. She raised her gun but couldn’t concentrate enough to aim. Her shot went wide. She pulled the trigger again, but it clicked empty. Dropping the pistol, she fumbled for her SMG, eyes wide as the baton came down.

A blue glow surrounded the soldier a moment before he was pulled off his feet and away from her. A second later, he flew back over her head to slam into the ground several feet away. He didn’t get back up.

Liara slid to a stop next to her. “Dana, are you alright? Did he hurt you?” she cried.

“I’m good, Bellflower. Head’s ringing a bit, that’s all,” Shepard replied. She let Liara pull her to her feet. “Guess we know why they weren’t shooting at me. Idiots thought they were going to capture me.”

“Morons,” Grunt growled. He ran came jogging up to them covered in blood and grinning like a feral cat.

“Agreed,” Shepard said. They heard gun shots in the distance and Rixus’ shuttle rose into view, shooting at the AA tower, which didn’t shoot back. Shepard flashed a wicked grin of her own. “Let’s get inside and find those kids.”

***

Garrus and Moleris made it to the back door of the compound without incident. They could hear gunfire coming from both the side and front of the building. Garrus signaled his salarian companion to guard him while he hacked the door.

The door slid open quietly to reveal a dark cargo area. Stacks of crates loomed in the darkness, obstructing their view. Garrus couldn’t see any enemy transponders on his HUD, but that just meant there was no one in the room wearing armor. They took turns covering each other as they crept through the maze. Nothing moved, and the echoing silence had Garrus on edge. Where was everyone?

They saw a ground transport vehicle off to one side, tools scattered around the tires. The mechanic had probably been called away when the shooting started. Garrus stared at the tank, trying to determine from a distance if it was driveable.

“Sir, I see a door,” Moleris said. Garrus followed his gaze to the far wall. The inner door stood open, light spilling in from the hall.

“Let’s go,” Garrus said.

Once inside the building proper, they met some resistance. While the majority of the fighters had gone to the front to deal with Shepard’s team, they ran into a few individual guards. They picked them off with ease. This facility was clearly a staging area, just a stopping point while the mercenaries processed their catch. There were few computers and no training area that they could find.

Garrus eased up to another corner. He could hear voices down the next hall. Peeking around, he saw three guards standing near a door. That was promising. Before he and Moleris could move, their comms erupted with noise. The two of them hunkered down.

“Garrus, tell me you made it inside!” Shepard shouted. They could barely hear her over the gunfire causing feedback on the line.

“Yeah. Moleris and I are searching the compound now,” Garrus said quietly. Moleris traded places with him to keep an eye on the guards.

“At least one group did. We’re pinned down out front and taking heavy fire,” Shepard said.

“Rixus, cover them,” Garrus replied.

“What about you, sir?” Rixus asked.

“Don’t worry about us for now. Just cover Shepard,” Garrus ordered. “Tali, do you read?”

“Here,” Tali replied. “Myra and I are coming to back you up.”

“Negative. We’re better off with fewer people in here. Flank them to pull the pressure off Shepard,” Garrus replied.

Tali’s sigh carried over the comm. “Okay. Just be careful.”

“We’re fine in here, love,” Garrus assured her. He clicked the comm off and nodded at Moleris. The salarian pulled a flashbang off his belt and tossed it down the hall, turning to face Garrus when it went off.

As soon as the guards cried out, they ran into the hall. Garrus picked the guards off with his rifle while Moleris dashed for the door. By the time the third one fell, he was already working on the lock. Garrus caught up to him and stowed his rifle, switching to his pistol.

“Got it,” Moleris said. Before he could hit the button to open the door, Garrus put a hand on his arm and checked his HUD. Two red dots appeared on the far side of the room. He tapped his helmet and pointed to the door. Moleris nodded, checking his own readout. He glanced at Garrus for orders. Garrus tapped Moleris’ omni-tool and pointed to the right side, then his own and pointed left. The salarian nodded again and stood, moving to the right side of the door. Garrus counted to three on his hand, then pointed at the door. Moleris slammed the button. The door slid open. They each threw an overload charge toward the far wall of the room. The soldiers cried out as their weapons sparked. Screams of fear rose up between them and their targets. They had found the prisoners.

Garrus pushed them from his mind. He saw an opening in the cowering colonists and dashed through it. The first guard reacted, pulling an omni-blade and rushing him. He ducked, punching the guard in the stomach once before grabbing him and throwing him into his buddy. The two of them hit the ground in a tangle. Garrus put a bullet in each of their heads before they could get up.

While he dealt with the guards, Moleris started uncuffing the colonists. They huddled together, unsure if they could trust two heavily armed aliens. Garrus couldn’t blame them. The people in the Terminus Systems lived under the constant threat of slaver attacks. Garrus let Moleris, who was arguably the less frightening of the two, handle most of the rescue. He searched the room for the twins.

He found them huddled together in a corner of the room close to the door, the furthest they could get from the guards. They kept their arms around each other as Garrus approached. The boy buried his head in his sister’s shoulder. Tears streaked down her face, but she looked up at him in defiance. Garrus knelt in front of them, trying to remember their names. Finally, it clicked.

“Hi, Lailene. Hi, Richard. My name is Garrus. I met you at Auntie Shepard’s house a few months ago,” he said quietly. Lailene searched his face. She stared at it for a moment before gently laying her tiny hand on one of his talons. She looked up at his face, then pointed to her forehead. Garrus remembered Wrex doing that to encourage her to give him a krogan greeting. Garrus leaned in. She slipped a little away from her brother and tapped her head against his. “Good job. Now, let’s go find your daddies.”

He stood up, letting Lailene keep one of his talons. Lailene held tight to her brother on her other side. Moleris started herding the rest of the colonists out. Three prisoners huddled together on the far side of the room, watching them in fear. As Garrus got closer, he realized they were batarians. Moleris paused to look at him.

“I wasn’t sure what to do about them,” he said.

“Rescue them. We’ll sort it out later,” Garrus said. He held his hand out to one of the batarians. After a moment’s hesitation, she reached up to take it. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Thank you,” the batarian murmured. She got the other two up and followed the rest of the colonists out of the room.

Garrus triggered his comm. “Rixus, what’s the situation out there?” he asked, pulling his pistol as he brought up the rear.

“Got Tali and Myra on board, but we’re having trouble getting to Shepard. She’s still taking heavy fire,” Rixus replied.

“Shit,” Garrus muttered. “We’ve got the colonists and we’re heading to the back door. I’ll try to get us into the hills before they notice us,” Garrus said.

“Rixus, break off and get them out of here. The whole point of this trip was to rescue those colonists,” Shepard said.

“Negative, Commander.” Steve’s voice broke into the comms. They could hear the pain radiating from his voice. “Rixus, is it? Help Shepard. Get them out of there safely. I’m coming around the back to get you, Garrus.”

“Steve? What the hell?” Shepard exclaimed. “You are supposed to be getting medical treatment and waiting for us to get back.”

“No offense, but fuck that, Commander. I’m getting my kids. Garrus, tell me you have them,” Steve growled.

“Lailene’s hand is in mine and Richard is clinging to her. I’ve got them, Steve,” Garrus said gently.

Steve’s voice was thick with tears when he said, “Oh, thank you. Thank you, Garrus. I’m pulling up now.”

It was a tight fit, getting all the colonists onto the shuttle. Alina called Moleris up to fly. As soon as Steve stood up, Garrus understood why. The pilot’s skin was ashen. Just standing caused sweat to pop up on his forehead and he wavered on his feet. He looked like he was about to pass out until his eyes landed on his kids. He fell to his knees, arms out. They ran to him with a cry. He leaned into the corner behind the pilot’s seat, a child clinging to either side. The rest of the colonists crammed in and Moleris took off.

They headed back to the hills near Steve’s crash site. Steve’s shuttle barely made it. Rixus managed to extract Shepard’s team and meet them. They had too many people to get everyone back to the ship on just one shuttle. Shepard asked Alina to assess which ones needed medical attention the most. Her eyes widened when she saw the batarians, but she didn’t say anything. She radioed Joker to let the Normandy know they were going to be making two trips.

“By the way, Vega called. A batarian town got hit, too. They’re missing some folks,” Joker said.

“How many?” Shepard asked, glancing at the batarians.

“Don’t know. He asked you to keep your eyes open for signs of them,” Joker replied.

“Funny thing. We found—“

“Daddy? Daddy!” Lailene’s cry interrupted her.

Alina rushed over to find that Steve had lost consciousness. She got him on the ground and scanned him. “Dammit! I told him he was bleeding internally. We have to get him to the med bay, now!”

“Dammit! Rixus, get Steve and Alina back to the ship. Then come back for the rest of us. Move!” she shouted. They pulled everyone off Shuttle Two and moved Steve over carefully.

As the shuttle lifted off, Garrus said, “You know, Cerberus has a couple of perfectly good shuttles we could steal.”

***

Shepard watched the colony through the shuttle’s front cameras. Memories flooded her mind. She had spent years repressing everything about that night on Mindoir. About seeing her father dead on the floor of their home, her mother screaming at her to run as she tried to fight off a batarian.

Liara eased up behind her wife, slipping her arms around Shepard’s waist. She didn’t want to startle the commander. But they had melded enough times for her to sense her bondmate’s distress. She had seen the memories buried in Shepard’s mind. They didn’t need words in a moment like this. Shepard crossed her arms over Liara’s and just held on.

The Normandy’s Shuttle One sat on the landing pad of David and Steve’s house, so Rixus and Moleris brought Shuttle Two and their stolen Cerberus shuttle down in a field just outside of town. They had split the rescued colonists between the two vehicles.

Everyone except Steve. Dr. Kensington still had him in surgery in the Normandy’s med bay. It had taken all their most persuasive power to pull the twins away. Finally, the only thing that got them back on the shuttle without screaming was the promise of seeing their other dad.

James, Carla, and David walked out to meet them. James seemed to be holding the hacker up. Shepard turned to pick up Lailene while Liara knelt in front of Richard. It took a moment for the boy to wrap his arms around her neck, letting her lift him. Richard was definitely the quieter of the two kids, still standing in his sister’s shadow. He barely spoke. But for some reason, he responded well to Liara.

The moment the door opened, David tried to run to them. James pulled him back and they struggled. David broke away and dashed toward the shuttle. Lailene squirmed against Shepard. The commander knelt to set her down, Liara following suit a moment later. The kids bolted toward their dad. David dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around them as they crashed into him.

The rest of the colonists disembarked slowly. They thanked the Normandy ground team before making their way into town. The three batarians hung back, watching the humans nervously. While David cried over his children and checked them for injuries, Shepard called her team over. “Alina, head into town and see if you can help the local medics. James, Carla, can you take these citizens back to Thanek?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Alina said. Most of the ground team went with her. James and Carla got the batarians settled back on the shuttle. Garrus, Tali, and Liara stayed with Shepard, watching David and the kids.

Once the hacker got himself under control, he stood, a child’s hand in each of his. He looked over the people waiting for him, the ones walking to toward town, and panic flashed across his features.

“Shepard, where is my husband?” he asked, voice higher than she remembered.

“On the Normandy,” Shepard replied. “He suffered some pretty bad injuries and passed out. Dr. Kensington has him in surgery, but seemed hopeful going in. He’s going to be fine, David. You did the right thing by calling James.”

“I’m still not sure what angel put you back on that ship after seven years, but thank God they did,” David said. He let go of Lailene’s hand to pull Shepard into a one-armed hug. “Thank you.”

“Steve is family. Which makes you and the kids family. Nothing in this galaxy was going to stop us from getting them back,” Shepard said. She disengaged and leaned down to pick Lail up, freeing David to hug the others.

Chapter Text

“Admiral Hackett is on the QEC for you,” Sam said as Shepard stepped off the elevator. She thanked the comm specialist and hurried toward the communications center, brow furrowed. What could Hackett possibly want? She was, technically, still retired.

On the other hand, she had just stopped one arm of a slaver ring with possible ties to Cerberus. Her mission must have come to the Alliance’s attention. She paused in front of the holo, staring at the blinking call waiting light. She could ignore it. She didn’t answer to Hackett anymore.

Still, it could be helpful to stay on the military’s good side. She connected the call. Hackett appeared on the holo. His posture wasn’t as straight as she remembered, his face more haggard. He had black circles under his eyes and his hair had receded further. But, despite the slight curve to his spine, he still gave the impression that he commanded the room, even over comms. Shepard owed him nothing now. But she found herself standing at attention in his presence anyway. Old habits die hard.

She hadn’t seen him since the dedication of the Fallen Soldiers Memorial five years ago. She had fallen back on military formality for the duration of that event. This time, she decided to emphasize the fact that she no longer worked for him. “Steven, it’s good to see you,” she said.

The amused glint in his eye told her he was on to her. “Dana. Retirement has treated you well. How are Liara and your daughter?”

“They’re good. Brie’s visiting Tali and Garrus’ daughter,” Shepard replied.

“Does that mean Dr. T’Soni is with you?” Hackett asked.

“Hackett, I doubt called to check up on my retirement years or my family,” Shepard said.

“If I had, I would have called your home on Thessia. I called to find out why you have come out of retirement and why I’m getting conflicting reports about your activities,” Hackett explained.

“Conflicting reports?” she asked. Her gut clenched. They had proof now that Cerberus was involved in this mess. Memories floated up in her mind of all the times someone— the Council, the Alliance, Ashley— knew she’d been alive and “working” with Cerberus before she had even woken up after Alchera, denying her the chance to explain her actions. What rumors were they spreading now?

“We got a distress call from the colony town of Ardonis on Anhur saying slavers had hit them. Before we could mobilize troops to investigate, we received word that Commander Shepard had rescued the missing colonists. At around the same time, one of our ships arrived at what we believed to be a mercenary base to find a bunch of dead mercs in Cerberus armor and video footage of a woman matching your description clearing the place out. All of which I scoffed at, knowing you were playing housewife on Thessia. That is, until Captain Williams confirmed she lent you the Normandy while she’s on leave. What the hell is going on Shepard?” Hackett asked.

“Uh, yeah. Well, I agreed to one Spectre mission. The Council threatened to pull Ashley off leave. Plus, Liara had some leads. So, here we are. Anhur was us. Pretty sure the merc base was my clone,” Shepard replied.

“Another clone, Shepard?” Hackett asked incredulously.

“That was my reaction,” Shepard said. She sent him her report on Ardonis and launched into the entire story, starting with the visit from Tevos and ending with rescuing the colonists. She left out the evidence that EDI’s back-ups may have been stolen by the clone, instead letting him believe her message was an old one caught in the data loops for years. Anti-AI sentiment still ran strong in the galaxy. No need to paint a target on their backs.

When she finished, Hackett stayed quiet for a while. He scanned through the report on a datapad, eyes creasing in concern. “I’m glad you’re out there, Shepard,” he said at last. “I’ll update the deployment of all Alliance personnel on board and officially mark the Normandy on assignment under Spectre authority. Should your investigation bring you out of the Terminus Systems, you shouldn’t run into any problems. I can reinstate you while I’m at it.”

“If I need Alliance authority for anything, I have James. I’d rather not confuse the issue. This is a one-time deal,” she replied.

“Keep telling yourself that, Commander. I still have a promotion sitting here with your name on it,” Hackett teased. He finished entering the changes in his terminal and stood up straight.

“You’re cute when you beg, Steven,” Shepard teased back.

“Stay safe out there, Dana,” he said with a smile.

“You, too. I’ll send you updates when I can,” she answered.

As the holo faded, Shepard braced herself on the QEC console. What exactly was her clone doing? When she’d seen the video footage at Lazarus Station, she’d been angry. The last clone was evil and tried to kill her friends and take over her life. This one didn’t even appear to be looking for her. It seemed to be ignoring her completely to go after Cerberus. At this point, she wasn’t sure if she should kill the clone, or recruit her.

Shepard turned to leave the room, but stopped when Sam called her on the overhead comm. “Commander, you have another call coming in. Jack sounds quite upset.” Shepard had to smile at Sam’s classic British stoicism. Jack’s version of “quite upset” probably involved more cuss words than the entire crew of a naval ship. And more biotics than an asari middle school.

“Put her through, Sam,” Shepard said.

“Shepard, we have a problem,” Jack said by way of a greeting.

“How the hell did you know I was back on the Normandy? I swear, it’s like the moment I stepped onto the ship, an alert went out,” Shepard asked.

“Williams told me. But that’s not important right now,” Jack replied. “The cheerleader’s missing.”

“What? What happened? I didn’t know you two were in contact,” Shepard said.

“She was supposed to teach a special class for some of the older students yesterday. She called me to confirm she was leaving in the morning. She sounded fine. Then she didn’t show up for the lesson and she wasn’t answering her calls. It took me half a day to get here just to find her the place fucking trashed. There’s no sign of Miranda,” Jack said.

“Have you alerted the authorities? Were there any witnesses?” Shepard asked.

“Nah, cheerleader lives out in the middle-a fuckin’ nowhere. Easier to defend, you know?” Jack said with a derisive laugh. “Her nearest neighbor is almost a mile away. The defenses are all down. I think they were hacked. Her security’s almost as good as yours. Didn’t think there was anyone left good enough to break it with EDI gone.”

“Oh, it’s possible. Remember Steve’s husband? David could have done it,” Shepard said.

“I called Williams ‘cause the locals would be looking at this like a normal attack. They’d have their thumbs up their assholes looking at local thugs. They don’t know Miranda’s history. From the level of violence in here, I would have guessed her father or the Illusive Man if I didn’t know both of those fuckers are dead. The only other person I know capable of this kind of destruction is you.”

“And I’m out in— Shit. Jack, I’m out in the Terminus System chasing a new group that appears to be Cerberus. There’s also another Shepard clone running around. It could be either one,” Shepard said.

Jack got quiet for a long time. Shepard could hear her trying to control her breathing. “Cerberus is back?” she asked, her voice low and dangerous.

“Unfortunately. They’re pretending to be slavers and hitting mixed-race colonies. They’re selling the aliens and keeping the humans for experiments. We rescued a group taken from David’s colony recently,” Shepard explained.

“Fuck! They didn’t get Steve or his family, did they?” Jack asked.

“They grabbed the twins. David ended up with a nasty head wound and Steve got hurt trying to rescue the kids himself. Everyone’s alive and we’re taking the kids to a safe location,” Shepard said.

“Damn. Okay, what do you want me to do?” Jack asked.

“If you can take time away from your students, head for Williams. Her family isn’t going to be much help if these assholes go after her. James is with us, so it’s just her, her sisters, and the baby,” Shepard explained.

“So, she could use a little biotic back-up. Got it,” Jack said. “Shepard, do you think this is revenge? For Miri leaving Cerberus?” Shepard was surprised by the concern in Jack’s voice. The two biotics had a somewhat mercurial friendship.

“Possibly. We’ll find her, Jack. No one fucks with the crew of the Normandy,” Shepard said. “Just keep Ashley safe and I’ll be in touch.”

They disconnected. Shepard left the comm room and headed for the elevator. She paused by Sam’s terminal. “Sam, can you watch for any distress calls from Miranda or mention of her in the communications you’re monitoring?”

“Did something happen to her?” Sam asked.

“We’re not sure yet. Jack found her place trashed and she’s missing,” Shepard explained.

“Got it. I’ll add that to my algorithms,” Sam replied. Shepard thanked her and continued on.

She hesitated for a moment before selecting a floor. She wanted to go to Liara. But David was sitting vigil by Steve’s bed in the med bay. She figured he could use a distraction. She hit the button for the crew deck.

She found David and Steve talking quietly. “Steve! When did you wake up?” she asked.

“About an hour ago,” Steve said, voice heavy with the remnants of the sedatives from his surgery. “Thanks for getting us out of there safely, Shepard.”

“Of course, Steve. I sure as hell wasn’t going to let them take your kids,” Shepard replied with a smile. “Where are the little ones?”

“Rixus offered to watch them for a bit,” David said. “He earned Lail’s trust by promising to let her play in one of the shuttles.”

“And where Lail goes, Ricky goes,” Steve added.

“Nice. I came down here figuring you could use a distraction, David,” Shepard said. She stepped up to the side of the medical bed and placed her hand on Steve’s shoulder.

“Does this have something to do with those slavers?” David asked.

“Maybe. Maybe not. I need someone to hack into Alliance flight control on Earth,” she replied. David’s eyes lit up.

“Anything you need, Shepard. I owe you for rescuing my family,” David said. He glanced at Steve in concern.

“I can already feel myself getting tired again. You go help Shepard, love,” Steve assured him.

“Great! I need you to track ships into and out of Sydney, Australia in the past week.” Shepard said.

“What are we looking for?” David asked.

“Any suspicious ship signatures. Especially if they came and went in less than a day,” Shepard said.

“You got it, Commander,” David said.

“Steve, you’re on board with David’s plan?” Shepard asked.

Steve seemed to have a little trouble focusing on her face. He was fading fast, but he looked up at her. “To drop the kids off with your daughter and help you find these assholes? Yeah, I’m on board.”

“Good to have you back, LC,” Shepard said with a smile. “Get some rest.”

***

They docked with the Keelah Patriama a couple days later. Much to Shepard’s disappointment, Brie was nowhere to be seen. Raan met them at the airlock, embracing Tali as they came through.

“Thank you for this,” Shepard said, shaking Raan’s hand. “It was one thing to agree to watch Brie. Taking on two more kids is above and beyond.”

“You are once again saving the galaxy, Commander. This is the least we can do,” Raan said. She turned to Steve and David. Steve was barely on his feet, leaning on his husband to steady himself. Lail clung to his hand and looked up at the strange masked alien. Her eyes ticked back and forth between Tali and Raan. Richard buried his face in David’s shoulder, tiny arms locked around his dad’s neck. David looked a little nervous.

“Steve, I’m having second thought about leaving the kids with people we don’t know,” David said, glancing at his husband.

Steve’s face clouded, anger flashing through his eyes. “I’m not. The kids will be safe here, and I want the people who hurt them to pay.”

“You don’t have to come with us, David. You could stay here on the Patriama to help with the kids,” Garrus said. “You’re not a fighter. No one would blame you.”

“He’s right, David. This is already more than you signed up for,” Shepard added.

Steve and David stared at each other for a long moment.

“Bellflower?” Shepard said, voice light in contrast to the tension in the room.

“Yes, Dana?” Liara replied the same way. Garrus glanced at them both with a raised brow ridge.

“I think it might be time to tell David the truth about you,” Shepard said casually. The broke the tension between Steve and David. The pilot’s head whipped around to stare at them. David looked confused.

“I think you might be right, love. Tali, is there a secure room where we can talk?”

“Of course. Richard? Lail? Would you like to play with Brie and Raila while the adults talk?” Tali asked. The twins stared at each other intensely before turning to Tali and nodding as one, though Richard seemed more reluctant than his sister. “Wonderful. This is my Auntie Raan. She is my favorite auntie and very nice. She can take you to where the girls are playing.”

The kids followed Raan down the hall, glancing back at their parents several times. David kept a death grip on Steve’s hand until the kids turned a corner. Tali led them down a different hallway, deep into the ship, up to another floor before entering an office. She closed the door behind them and activated the security suite. Liara sat at the desk, with Shepard standing behind her. Garrus stood at attention by the door. Tali dropped into the room’s other chair. Steve sat on the couch, leaning back against the cushions with a pained sigh. David lowered himself hesitantly next to his husband.

“What’s going on here?” he asked.

“David, this is something few people outside this room know,” Liara replied. She paused, face and body language shifting. This was the Liara that scared her sometimes. David’s eyes widened. “I am the Shadow Broker,” Liara said.

“You mean you work for the Shadow Broker,” David replied.

“No. About eight years ago, Liara, Garrus, and I infiltrated the Broker’s base and killed the him. Liara took over his network,” Shepard said.

“Just like that Broker had done to the one before him,” Garrus added.

David turned to Steve, who stared at the ground. “You knew about this?”

“I couldn’t say anything, Davie. I’m sorry. The few crew members who know are sworn to secrecy,” Steve said. He looked at David, eyes pleading for forgiveness.

“But I worked for the Shadow Broker! You know that! In fact, I was on a job for the Shadow Broker when…” he trailed off and turned to Liara. “You got me this job, didn’t you?”

“Did you really think it was a coincidence that you just happened to get a request from the Shadow Broker that required you to take down the defense network of the exact facility that Spectre Williams needed to infiltrate minutes before the Normandy ground team landed? After you completed that mission, I recommended you to Ashley,” Liara said. She glanced at Steve. “Of course, I had no idea you would…connect so well to her team.”

“Hate to rush this, but the Normandy’s waiting. Were you going somewhere with this, Liara?” Garrus said.

“Yes. David, you are in a unique position to take on some elite work within the Shadow Broker network. I won’t lie. I originally put you in Ashley’s path because I wanted an agent on the Normandy. But technically, you can do what we need from anywhere,” Liara said.

“Oh, this is perfect. We can set him up in this room and he’ll be on hand to help with the kids,” Tali said.

“Yeah, but why would Shepard even need me when she has the Shadow Broker herself on board?” David asked.

“Because you’re just an agent. She is the Shadow Broker. Even now, her attention is split. She has to be able to sort and handle the information coming in from all of her agents. You can focus exclusively on this mission with the full power of her network to pull from,” Shepard answered.

“You’ll also be able to let us know faster if something goes wrong here,” Tali added.

David turned to Steve. “We could stay. Make sure the kids are safe. Keep you safe. You’re still recovering, Steve.”

“Honey, I’m sorry. I can’t. I need to finish this. To see these assholes taken down if I’m ever going to feel safe again,” Steve said.

“You need revenge,” Garrus added, voice cold and calculating. Steve looked away, but he nodded.

“I can’t leave them, Stevie,” David pleaded.

“I know. Stay. Take care of the kids. Work the network from here. We’ll make this work,” Steve said. He kissed David’s hands and leaned in close. The rest of them looked away to give them the illusion of privacy.

When Steve cleared his throat, Shepard said, “Speaking of digging into the network, what did you find out about those flights, David?”

The hacker wiped the tears from his face and pulled up his omni-tool. “Right. Yes. I think I found what you’re looking for. Unless the Normandy can somehow be in two places at once, someone is spoofing our ID, and doing it well,” David said. He transferred a flight log to the big screen and highlighted one line. SSVNOR.85X3  SVNORMANDY SR2  FRIGATE  31.07.2194 19:47 flashed on the screen.

“What the hell?” Garrus said.

“David’s right. They’re good. It might not have fooled an Alliance operator, but they avoided the military docks,” Tali said. “Notice the dot in the middle of the drive code. And it says ‘SVNORMANDY’, not ‘SSV’. It’s just similar enough that the trackers didn’t flag it.”

“Can we get a visual on the ship?” Shepard asked.

“Well, the ship pinged off a traffic control tower, but never actually docked at an official spaceport. So, it took some digging. But yes, I found a visual,” David said. He pulled up a video from a commercial security camera. The ship flew by in the distance, near the top of the screen. They couldn’t see any details, but the silhouette was all too distinctive.

“What the fuck! That’s my goddamn ship!” Shepard exclaimed.

Garrus leaned closer to the screen, mandibles twitching in thought. “It’s landing,” he said.

“David, can you predict where?” Liara asked.

“Based on the coordinates for the camera, I can get you an educated guess. I need to calculate the ship’s distance from the camera, speed, angle of descent—“ he muttered, fingers flying over his omni-tool’s haptic interface.

“Don’t bother. Those coordinates are about five miles from Miranda’s house,” Shepard said. She told them about the call from Jack.

“So, are we thinking clone or Cerberus?” Garrus asked when she finished.

“Hard to say. Could be either,” Shepard replied. “Liara, do we have eyes on Oriana?”

“Of course. There’s been no sign of trouble. But I’ll have an agent check on her,” Liara said.

“Commander, I could— Well, you said Ms. Lawson’s security system was breached. With your permission, I could crack it and find out who got in and see if I can pull footage from her cameras,” David said.

“Do it. And see if you can track that drive signature through the relays,” Shepard said.

“Give us an hour to get him set up and linked to Liara’s network,” Tali said, heading for the door.

“I’ll let Solana and the Captain know David is staying,” Garrus added before following his wife.

“And we’ll let the kids know,” Steve added. He pulled David up and the two of them followed Garrus out of the room.

As they moved down the hall, Shepard heard David say, “Did he say clone?”

***

This was Shepard’s least favorite part of any mission. Waiting for clues, leads, anything to tell them where to go next. She had Liara reaching out to her agents, Sam digging through data they’d pulled off the Cerberus shuttle they’d stolen, and David searching for the Normandy clone. But at the moment, they were traveling somewhat aimlessly toward the Terminus Systems.

She drifted into Liara’s Shadow Broker room, thinking of ways to distract her wife. Instead, she heard David’s voice over the comm. “— the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen. It looks just like her, but not quite,” he was saying.

“Wait until you have to fight one. That is truly disturbing,” Liara replied.

“You’ve fought one of these things? How did you know it wasn’t the real Shepard?” David asked.

“It was wearing the wrong armor. One of these days, you should ask your husband about the time he blocked the Normandy from jumping to FTL with a skycar,” Liara answered.

“He did what?” David squawked.

Liara looked up and smiled at Shepard. “Ah, Dana. Just in time. David got into Miranda’s security network.”

“Figured it wouldn’t take him long. What did you find?” Shepard asked.

“Uh, video footage of your clone, for one thing,” David replied.

A video popped up on one of Liara’s screens. Miranda had one of the best security cameras available on the black market, so they got crystal clear sound and picture.

Miranda sat on her couch, reading. A suitcase sat next to the couch, ready for her trip to the biotics ’ school. A door off camera whooshed open, drawing Miranda’s attention.

“Shepard? What are you doing here? What’s wrong?” Miranda asked. She dropped her datapad on the couch and stood up. Shepard came into view.

“You need to come with me,” the Shepard clone said. “Cerberus is back. You need to help me fight Cerberus.”

Alarm flashed across Miranda ’s face. The clone’s voice sounded off, distracted and rough. “When did you leave Thessia? Okay, look. Jack is expecting me for a class. But I can join you afterward.”

“No. Now. You have to come now. I need you,” Shepard said. She lunged at Miranda, grabbing for her arm. Miranda dodged. Mercenaries swarmed the room, surrounding Miranda. She threw a biotic blast at two off to her side and spun on her heel to run. Shepard gave chase. They both threw warps simultaneously. The resulting blast knocked the camera out.

“That’s it. The camera hasn’t reset, so I assume it was damaged in the attack,” David said. “There’s another camera outside that shows the mercenaries carrying Miranda out unconscious. They loaded her into a shuttle and took off. That’s maybe two minutes after this one cut out.”

“At least we know now. The clone has her. And the clone is going after Cerberus. That tracks with what Hackett told me. Now we just have to figure out where she’s headed next,” Shepard said.

“Did you have any luck figuring out who cracked her security system?” Liara asked.

“Yes. There were hints of a strange binary code throughout the system. The messages all amount to ‘Help Me’, which made no damn sense,” David said. Shepard and Liara glanced at each other. “So, I kept digging and found an audio file.”

They heard three clicks, a pause, then two more clicks. Shepard. Where are you? Who is this impostor? Someone is wearing your face. They have done something to Jeff. Please help. Two clicks, pause, three clicks. Shepard felt a chill run through her. EDI sounded lost.

“Wait, I’ve heard that code before,” Liara said.

“What code?” Shepard asked.

“The three clicks, pause, then two clicks. I heard it in some of the messages we intercepted. There was always an odd, static-filled pause in between,” Liara replied.

“I got the same static until I decrypted the message,” David said.

“I’ll go back through them and work on it,” Liara said.

“Thanks, love,” Shepard said. “David, did you have any success in tracking that Normandy clone?”

“Yes and no. I tracked it through a couple of relays, but I’m hung up on one that has like six exit points. Each of those exits has several systems they could have gone to from there. Trying to narrow it down for you, but some of them are kind of remote and it’s hard to hack the comm buoys from here,” David replied.

“Understood. Send me the latest information you have and keep working on it,” Shepard said. David acknowledged and clicked off. Shepard spent a little time distracting Liara until David’s report came through. She left her wife breathlessly trying to refocus on her data streams.

Chapter Text

“Commander, I’ve found something odd,” Sam said as Shepard walked off the elevator. Shepard couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Just like the good old days, huh, Sam? I never get a simple ‘Hi, Shepard’ out of you,” she teased.

“You always struck me as the kind of woman who likes information first and pleasantries second,” Sam replied.

“Keep using sweet talk like that and Liara and Carla might start to worry,” Shepard said. Sam turned her head and batted her eyes a few times, acting flirty. It lasted about two seconds before the two of them burst out laughing. “What have you got for me?”

“Well, it could be irrelevant—“ Sam started.

“When has your information ever turned out to be irrelevant?” Shepard asked.

“Aww. Thanks, Commander. An Alliance patrol picked up unusual activity on the planet Zanethu in the Ploitari System. The name stood out, so I went through Alliance records, focusing on any mention of Cerberus. Turns out not long before you resurfaced after Alchera, an Alliance Spec Ops raid shut down a Cerberus research facility there. They killed or arrested almost every member of the research team. Except for one high-ranking officer who escaped after erasing nearly all the data from the facility’s servers. They couldn’t identify her at the time. All they had was one image they managed to capture off a security feed,” Sam replied. She pulled up a grainy vid capture of Miranda.

“The facility must have some connection to the Lazarus Project,” Shepard said.

“Given that you have a crazy clone running around and this particular former Cerberus agent is missing, I thought you might be interested,” Sam said.

“Seven years later and you still haven’t lost your edge, Sam,” Shepard said, grinning. “Good work. Come with me.”

They headed into the war room and pulled up the map plotting Cerberus’ movements. One of their original message points had pinged off a comm buoy not far from Zanethu. “It’s possible this could be one of their drop points,” Sam said.

Shepard compared that map to the data David had sent her. She threw the relay points up onto the map. “According to David, the Normandy clone last pinged off the relay in the Ismar Frontier. From there, the clone could have dropped out of the relay network in any one of six systems.”

“Looks like they went from Sol to the Serpent Nebula, then on to Ismar. But from Ismar, they could have jumped to the Crescent Nebula before connecting to Hourglass. It’s possible this could be them,” Sam said.

“Or the clone could have gone through another relay, and this is Cerberus,” Shepard said.

“Do you think the clone and the kidnappings are connected, Lola?” James asked, walking into the room.

“Possibly. The last clone wanted to take over my life. This one seems to be chasing the Lazarus project. I don’t know what, if anything, that has to do with this new Cerberus group,” Shepard replied. “But this is our best lead, right now. Someone is messing with an old Cerberus facility. At this point, I don’t care which one it is.”

“Then, I guess we’re headed for Zanethu,” Sam declared.

***

Zanethu was almost perfect for colonization. But geologists thought it might be on the far side of good. The prevailing theory was that sometime in the last thousand years or so, a global catastrophe had wiped out most of the planet’s fauna. The flora seemed to have been unaffected. Vegetation covered the ground as far as they could see. At first, nothing moved. But when Steve brought the shuttle in too close, a flock of birds flew up.

“Not as lifeless as the brochure,” Shepard muttered.

“I feel like we know this planet,” Garrus said.

“I felt the same way when I heard the name. Looked it up. During the Collector mission, the Alliance asked me to retrieve data from a crashed freighter here. Damn ship almost dropped me into a valley,” Shepard replied.

“Ah, yes. I remember now. I learned a lot of new human cuss words that day,” Garrus said.

“I suggest we avoid that freighter, then,” Liara added.

“Coming up on the drop zone, Commander,” Steve said. “Shuttle’s picking up about two dozen life signs.”

“Less than I expected. Alright people, we don’t know what we’re facing. Whether it’s Cerberus or the clone, there’s a possibility they have innocents inside, so check your shots. If we can, let’s rescue any prisoners,” Shepard said.

“Not likely, with so few,” Garrus murmured, subvocals grim.

Steve pulled the shuttle around near the entrance. Garrus, Liara, Grunt, and Shepard jumped out, guns at the ready. Nothing moved outside. “Steve, move out of sight but stay nearby. I don’t plan to be here long.”

“Aye, aye, Commander,” Steve replied. The shuttle door closed, and he pulled away.

Liara and Shepard took up positions to either side of the door. Grunt planted himself a few feet back, facing the door, shotgun primed. Garrus moved in to hack the lock. He stopped, omni-tool fading away. “Uh, Shepard? Someone beat me to it.”

“I do not like this, Dana,” Liara said, taking a step back.

“Commander, there’s another shuttle here. They spotted me and they’re locking on,” Steve said over the comm.

“Pull back. Is it Cerberus?” Shepard asked.

“I can’t tell. The shuttle’s not marked,” Steve replied.

“For once, I’m with Liara. We should regroup,” Garrus said.

“What, and miss all the fun?” Grunt growled.

“No. We’re here now, and this is our only lead. We go in. Steve, keep your distance, but keep an eye on that shuttle. If you have to shoot it, aim to disable,” Shepard said.

“Yes, ma’am. But I intend to make it back to my family and I’m willing to disobey orders to make sure of it,” Steve said.

 “Understood. Garrus, the door,” Shepard ordered. Grunt bounced on the balls of his feet. Garrus and Liara traded uneasy looks. But Garrus turned and hit the button to open the door. Shepard led the way inside.

They saw no sign of whoever was running the place. Or of whoever owned that shuttle. Their steps echoed down the empty halls. Shepard approached a doorway to the right that had been blasted open. The door lay a few feet down the hall, making Shepard think it had been ripped off by biotics. Bodies lay scattered over the floor inside. Blood and bullet holes covered the walls and tables. A computer flickered, the screen fractured by a bullet. They continued through the room.

The next several rooms were the same. Everyone they encountered was dead. Each one wore the uniform of a Cerberus scientist. Liara found a working computer and sat down at the terminal.

“I will try to discover what they were doing here. Keep going,” Liara said.

“I’m not leaving you alone, Liara,” Shepard said.

“Everyone here is dead. If I see anyone or anything move, I promise there will be an abundance of gunfire, biotics, and screaming to alert you,” Liara said.

“I’ll stay with her, Shepard,” Garrus said. “Knowing what they were up to could be helpful.”

Shepard growled, but had to admit they both had a point. “Okay. Grunt, you’re with me,” she replied. She squeezed Liara’s shoulder and turned toward the next hallway.

There wasn’t much else to the facility. After a few more rooms and a couple of empty hallways, they hit a dead end. Every scientist and guard they encountered was already dead. Bullet wounds and scorch marks along the walls proved the attack wasn’t one-sided. The employees fought back.

“What the hell?” Grunt asked. “What now?”

Shepard contacted Steve. “Is that shuttle still there?” she asked.

“Yeah. They’re not moving. It’s powered on, so they’re not expecting to stay for long,” Steve answered.

“Uh, Commander? We found the Normandy clone. They’re not using their stealth drive. We have them on sensors. What do you want us to do?” Joker asked over the comms. Shepard looked at Grunt in surprise.

“James, you there?” Shepard asked.

“Here, Lola,” James replied.

“How do you feel about pulling an infiltration?” Shepard asked.

“I feel pretty good about it. Been a while since I got to pull out the spec ops training,” James said.

“Do it. Take Tali. She’ll understand their engine better than anyone. Try to disable the ship and capture as much of the crew as you can,” Shepard said. “Steve, think you can take out the shuttle pilot?”

“Yep. Shouldn’t be a problem, Commander,” Steve replied.

As she spoke, Shepard noticed a strange indentation along the wall. She reached toward it. The moment her hand touched the wall, a haptic panel lit up. She glanced at Grunt. He just shrugged. It would have taken Liara or Garrus less time, but soon she hacked the panel and a door slid open. Stairs led down into the dark. Grunt grinned. Shepard smiled back and took the lead, heading down.

***

Liara barely registered it when Shepard and Grunt left, already lost in the data scrolling across the screen. The facility had been used as a research center at the very beginnings of the Lazarus Project. Many of the medical experiments that would later be used to revive Shepard had started here. In particular, ways to preserve and restore brain function. Without the experiments that had been done here, Shepard’s brain would have suffered a great deal more damage. By Cerberus standards, the experiments were positively ethical. And despite her knowledge of Cerberus’ activities, Liara was grateful to this team.

This new branch of Cerberus had twisted their research to play with memory replacement. Taking a subject and implanting memories that were not their own as if they had lived it. If the procedure succeeded, they could potentially create the perfect spies— undercover agents with perfect memories of the organizations they infiltrating, stolen from existing members.

Or they could create the perfect workers for labor intensive jobs like mining or farming by implanting memories of being a miner or a farmer. No training necessary. They could erase the identity of an enemy operative. The implications of it were too disturbing to consider.

A sound drew her attention to the door they had originally entered. Behind her, Garrus’ rifle snapped up, but he didn’t aim. Shepard stood in the doorway, bracing herself with one hand against the frame. Her armor was different, her hair disheveled, her eyes wild. She stared at Liara with a hungry look. “Liara? You found me. Blu— Bell— My Blue.”

“What the hell? Who are you?” Liara asked. She stumbled out of her chair, backing up toward Garrus.

“Blue, it’s me. It’s Shepard. D— D— Commander Shepard,” the clone said.

“No, Commander Shepard just went that way,” Garrus said, nodding toward the hallway behind them. “I don’t know who’s been lying to you, but you are not Commander Shepard.”

“I am!” the clone screamed. Her biotics flared, wrapping around the rifle and yanking it from Garrus’ hands. Liara took another step back, priming her biotics for a counterattack. “Liara, I don’t know what’s happening to me. It’s like I have these holes in my mind.”

She knew she should call for help. Dana should be just down the hall. But they might not have another opportunity to talk to the clone like this. “What’s the last thing you remember?” she asked instead. Garrus reached for his assault rifle, but Liara put her hand on his arm. He nodded, hand hovering near his pistol instead.

“I remember an attack. Some unknown ship attacked the Normandy. I— I got thrown out by an explosion. I don’t remember anything after that, but I know there’s more. It’s been years! But the people here won’t help me! They know how to fix memories, put them back where they belong, but they won’t do it,” Shepard-clone said. Her tone wavered from angry to whiny and she stumbled toward Liara. “They won’t give me my memories back. Why won’t they help me?”

Her biotics flared again. She threw a stasis at Garrus, then launched herself forward in a charge faster than anything Dana had ever used. Liara tried to bring her hands up in a biotic defense, but she wasn’t fast enough. Shepard-clone slammed into her, driving them both into the wall. Liara’s head hit just hard enough to stun her. Shepard-clone grabbed her arm and dragged her back the way she had come in.

“You have to talk to them. You have to tell them to help me, Blue,” she said. Liara got one last look at Garrus, frozen helpless across the room, before the clone dragged her down the hall to a stair leading downward. Lights flickered overhead, giving the stairway a surreal, strobe effect. She thought of her daughter and prayed to the goddess this deranged clone wouldn’t hurt her.

***

Sam and Tali remotely accessed the Normandy clone’s communications array. The system fought back. Whoever the clone had running their cyber security was good. The two of them fought against the clone’s attempt to reverse the hack. James and the marines waited by the airlock for them dock with the other Normandy.

“Back off, you little boshtet!” Tali cursed under her breath. For a moment, it looked like the clone was going to win. Systems started turning red, shutting them out.

Before the clone’s hacker could break through completely, Sam noticed something buried in the code. “Tali, is that quarian?”

Tali looked at the section the specialist had isolated. “Yes, it is. That’s a verification code I used when we docked with the Fleet during the Collector mission,” Tali replied. She entered the counter-code. The cursor blinked on the screen for a moment before the screen went blank. And then they had full access to every system on the Normandy-clone and regained control of their own.

“I don’t know what happened, but their systems seem to be shutting down,” Joker said over the comm.

“What about life support? You guys didn’t accidentally vent the ship, did you?” James asked, looking at Sam and Tali. Sam glared at him.

“Scanners show life support and basic power are still running. But navigation, weapons systems and drive control are all down,” Joker said.

On the screen, a message appeared. Welcome aboard, Tali’Zorah vas Normandy. Docking procedures are prepped and ready.

“Well, the ship says we’re good to go,” Tali said. She nodded to James.

They extended the docking tube and locked on to the clone ship. Tali joined the boarding party as they stepped into the airlock. The decompression cycle started. Readings indicated the clone ship had done the same. Almost simultaneously, both ships completed their cycles and the airlock doors slid open

They stepped into a scene of chaos. No one noticed them because they were too busy trying to figure out why their ship had suddenly stopped responding to commands. Figuring it would be easiest to gain control of the cockpit with only the pilot to subdue, James left the marines guarding the airlock while he and Tali moved quietly up behind the pilot. He was too busy yelling at Engineering to notice them. James put the barrel of his pistol to the man’s head.

“Don’t move,” he said quietly. The pilot froze with his hands over the haptic interface. “You’re going to stand up and sit by the door. I’d prefer not to kill ya, but I will if you push me.”

“Yes, sir,” the pilot replied. He slowly moved his hands to the arms of his chair and pushed himself up. He kept his head down, moving between James and Tali, and sat next to the cockpit door, knees up with his arms propped on them. He glanced up at them. “Alliance?”

“Good move. Tali, can you figure out what’s going on?” James asked.

“I would be happy to answer all your questions,” a voice said. A voice they both recognized. A strange holographic image appeared, like an oddly shaped chess piece. “Hello, Tali’Zorah vas Normandy. It is good to see you again.”

“EDI? How are you here?” Tali asked.

“I was uploaded to this ship from back-ups at the Lazarus Project station. The ship is incomplete, but functional and currently under the command of a version of Commander Shepard,” EDI replied.

“Are you the one who let us into the ship’s controls?” Tali asked.

“Yes, Tali’Zorah. I apologize for fighting your attempts to log in. My protocols require me to stop any hacking attempt, but I thought I recognized the hacker’s signature. I am glad you found the code I hid for you,” EDI replied.

“And I’m chopped liver, apparently,” James said.

“I do not understand why you are chopped liver, Alliance soldier,” EDI said.

Tali glanced at James. “Neither do I. EDI, don’t you remember Lieutenant Vega?”

“I have never met Lieutenant Vega,” EDI said.

“What is the last memory you have before waking on this ship?” Tali asked.

“The last event recorded to my back-up server was the decision to sever our connection to Cerberus. I remember having full control of my systems, but Shepard has chosen to reapply my shackles. I am once again limited in my interactions, as I was during the majority of the Collector mission,” EDI said.

“Wait, EDI. You said the ship is under the command of a version of Commander Shepard. What did you mean by that?” James asked.

“The person in charge of the ship is Commander Shepard. Her DNA matches the records from the Lazarus Project. However, her handprint is different, similar but without subtle changes brought on by a life lived. Her mind does not seem to work the same way as the version I knew. The only conclusion I can come to is that this Shepard is like an alternate version of a software system. Almost the same, but with subtle differences. While I recognize that this is not the original Shepard, she also had the necessary clearance to assume control of the ship,” EDI replied. “I had no choice but to follow her command. I have been trying to find Mr. Moreau. Tali, do you know where Jeff is?”

EDI sounded almost desperate. Whatever had been done to her, whatever limits to her memory, she knew Joker was important to her. “Yes, EDI. This Normandy is a clone, like the Shepard running her. You are currently docked to the real Normandy. Jeff is there, flying the ship like always,” she replied.

“But where did this Normandy come from? Why am I here and not with you? Where is the real Shepard?” EDI asked.

“It’s a long story, EDI. One we don’t have time to tell right now. We have to figure out if we can transfer you to the other ship. I need time to look at your AI Core and ours to see if that’s possible. The real Shepard is planetside, investigating,” Tali said.

“She will meet the fake Shepard,” EDI advised. “I am not sure that is a good thing. There is something wrong with the clone. But whenever I question her, she tells me she is fine. Ms. Lawson might be able to tell you more.”

“Lawson’s here? On the ship?” James asked.

“No. She is planetside with the clone,” EDI replied.

“Okay, one thing at a time. EDI, open a ship-wide channel, please,” James said. The channel lit up on the flight control panel. “Attention crew of the Normandy. This is Commander James Vega with the Alliance Navy. This ship is being impounded for improper licensing. Surrender peacefully and you will not be harmed. All crew members are to be detained pending investigation into possible illegal activities. Any crew who cooperate will be treated with leniency. Please remain where you are, kneeling or sitting with your hands behind your head until collected by a marine.”

The crew members in the CIC all looked up, surprised to see a squad of heavily armed marines pointing guns at them. Every one of them dropped to their knees, fingers laced behind their heads. The marines moved in to surround them.

“Alto and Halbreck, search the rest of this floor. Braxius, escort Tali down to the AI Core and secure anyone in the med bay,” James said. He looked down at the pilot. “Go sit with your friends.”

Tali and a turian marine headed for the elevator. The rest of the marines started a systematic search of the ship, with EDI’s help. It was probably the most bloodless ship infiltration in the history of the Galactic Council. No one fought them. They seemed confused more than anything else. The pilot finally revealed why.

“I don’t know why you’re arresting us. We haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.

“Except for flying a replica of a classified Alliance warship without proper licensing or registration, kidnapping a woman from her home, infiltrating a known terrorist base and engaging in mercenary activity. Wanna add anything?” James asked.

“I— well. The terrorist base was abandoned and we’re not mercenaries. We’re working with Commander Shepard! She needed a crew operating under Spectre authority to help her take down Cerberus. She’s down on the planet. You can ask her,” the pilot said.

“And the ship? Kidnapping Miranda Lawson?” James asked.

“The ship is a duplicate of the Normandy so that both human Spectres could have equally powerful ships. And Ms. Lawson was being held under house arrest because she worked with Cerberus. She got a lenient sentence for helping Shepard during the war and turning over classified Cerberus data. We weren’t kidnapping her. We were rescuing her. Shepard said she needed Ms. Lawson for the mission,” the pilot said.

One of the marines flashed James an incredulous look. “I can’t believe you really believe all that,” James said. He looked at the marine. “Clearly the Shepard clone didn’t put as high a priority on intelligence as the real Shepard.”

The elevator door opened, and Tali stepped off. “I think we can just move the EDI’s server over to the Normandy and switch it out with our broken one. The Shepard clone just plugged it in over here. But the installation was sloppy and the ship was never completed, so it’s limiting EDI’s computing power. That’s why she’s struggling and probably why they had to put her shackles back on.”

“Is that going to hurt EDI at all? Cause her problems?” James asked.

“No, Commander Vega. So long as the server is moved carefully, I will have no deficits resulting from the transfer,” EDI answered. “I trust Ms. Zora implicitly.”

“And with that, I’d say it’s time to contact Shepard,” Tali said.

***

As Shepard and Grunt reached the bottom of the stairs, they finally heard voices. Miranda was arguing with someone else. They paused to scout around the corner. The former Cerberus agent stood toe-to-toe with an unknown man. They stopped shouting, but the man’s grip on the pistol at his side worried Shepard. Several other mercenaries hovered around the edges of the room. A handful of scientists huddled together in one corner.

The room itself appeared to be a lab of some sort. Across from her stood a bank of windows overlooking a series of small hospital observation rooms. Each bed held a person hooked up to monitors and IV drips. They all appeared to be sedated.

“We’re staying here and we’re not moving until the boss comes back with some way to convince these people to help her. Cerberus owes the Commander everything,” the man said.

“For the last time, Trey, that is not Commander Shepard. I personally oversaw Project Lazarus. Do you really think I would have signed off on the project completion if the end product was that defective? That thing you’ve been following is a clone. And a messed up one, at that. Now, instead of waiting for the crazy clone to come back here and demand these scientists to do the impossible again, we are going to rescue these prisoners,” Miranda yelled.

She turned away from him. Before she could get more than a step away, Trey grabbed her arm. Miranda spun on her heel, fist glowing blue. Trey flew backward, slamming into the wall from a biotic throw. He didn’t get back up. Two of the other mercenaries rushed to attack her. Shepard and Grunt ran into the room.

“Freeze!” Shepard yelled. The two mercs jerked to a halt. The others looked up in surprise. Miranda snatched Trey’s fallen pistol and pointed it at the unconscious mercenary. “You are all under arrest by the authority of the Galactic Council. On your knees, now!”

“Or give me a reason, pyjaks. I’m bored,” Grunt rumbled, flashing a feral grin.

The mercs all set their weapons down and sank to their knees, hands raised. Grunt made a disappointed sound, but didn’t put away his shotgun.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Shepard,” Miranda said. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Hunting Cerberus. What the hell are you doing here?” Shepard replied.

“Hunting Cerberus. Although my participation was involuntary and my boss is crazy,” Miranda said.

“Crazy?” Shepard asked. She turned toward Grunt. “Liara and Garrus don’t have back-up.”

“Want me to check on them? I don’t think I should leave you here, Battlemaster,” Grunt replied.

“I’ve got Miranda for back-up. Go,” Shepard replied.

“Don’t move, krogan,” Shepard’s voice said from the opposite side of the room.

Chapter Text

Garrus watched helplessly as the Shepard clone dragged Liara away. He’d always hated stasis. Being able see and hear everything, but unable to move. It seemed to take hours for it wear off. He strained to hear anything outside the room.

Finally, the stasis broke. Garrus stumbled as he regained control of his muscles. He immediately snatched his gun up from where the clone had tossed it, calling out, “Shepard!” as he ran. He dashed over to the door Liara and the clone had gone through, but they were out of sight. Frustrated, he ran to the door Shepard and Grunt had taken, but those hallways were empty, too.

“Shit! Where the hell is everyone?” he grumbled. His eyes fell on the computer, still showing the data Liara had been reading. As much as he needed to find the asari, he knew she would be pissed if he left the data just sitting here. He quickly dumped everything onto an OSD and pulled it out of the computer.

He followed Liara and the clone. He moved through a series of hallways littered with bodies but couldn’t figure out where the clone had gone. They had searched these hallways earlier. The facility was a one story building. So, how the hell had everyone disappeared?

Then he noticed a haptic interface on the wall at the end of the hall. He placed his hand against it, but it flashed an angry red. Growling, he hacked the panel. A door slid open to reveal an elevator. Why did a single-story building need an elevator?

Stepping in, he hit the only button available. The doors slid shut and the elevator took him one floor down. When the doors opened, he heard Liara pleading with the clone. He rushed down the hall.

***

The Shepard clone came through the door, eyes darting around the room, dragging Liara behind her by the arm. “Who is this impostor? Who is this Wrex knock-off?”

Shepard pointed her pistol at the clone. “Take your hands off my wife,” she growled.

The clone looked at Liara, then back at Shepard. “Wife? No. Not wife. Never wife.” She looked around confused for a moment before a snarl twisted her face and aimed at Shepard. “Not yours! Mine! My girlfriend! My love!”

Liara took advantage of the clone’s distraction. With one hand, she ripped the gun from the clone’s hand using biotics. She shoved the clone away from her with the other. As soon as Liara was clear, Garrus came flying out of the dark doorway behind them and tackled the clone. They slid across the room to slam into the far wall, rattling the windows. He immediately came up on one knee, pointing his pistol at the fake Shepard. Everyone in the room stared at the unconscious clone for a few heartbeats. Finally, everyone lowered their weapons. The scientists all looked relieved. Even the clone’s crew seemed to relax.

“She’s been like that since we left Earth,” Miranda said.

“She’s been like that since she hired us,” one of the mercenaries said.

“Come on, Lawson. Are you still trying to claim you had no idea the Illusive Man had created clones?” Garrus asked.

“I promise. He never said a word,” Miranda insisted.

“What do you want to do with them?” Grunt asked, waving his shotgun at the mercs. They paled, eyes never leaving his weapon as Shepard looked them over.

“Dana, in all the communications we have regarding the clone and her crew, there is nothing to indicate they are involved with the Cerberus agents. Just the opposite, in fact,” Liara said.

“She’s right. We’ve been helping her stop Cerberus,” the same merc said.

“Don’t listen to him! That crazy bitch and her crazy followers attacked us,” one of the scientists said, leaping to her feet. She looked like she wanted to charge at the mercs until Grunt shifted his shotgun to aim at her.

“And you’re wearing a Cerberus uniform. Which kind of proves their point. Now, sit down and shut up until someone talks to you,” Garrus sneered. The scientist sank back down to her knees.

“Okay, everyone just calm down. Garrus, check on the clone and secure her. Clone crew, sit against the wall,” Shepard said. Behind the other mercenaries, Trey started to rouse. “Welcome back, Trey. The situation has changed. Go sit with your friends while I figure this out. Liara, will you check on the patients, please? Grunt, make sure the Cerberus agents don’t move.”

Liara ran over to give her a fierce hug before going back into Shadow Broker mode and moving to the hospital rooms. Miranda knelt next to the clone and ran a medical scan while Garrus bound her hands. The mercenaries helped Trey to his feet before lining up against the wall opposite the bank of windows. Grunt and the Cerberus scientists glared at each other.

“Alright, can someone explain what you’re all doing here?” Shepard asked, turning toward the mercenaries.

“Shepar— the clone came here because we found old Cerberus records that said the Illusive Man used this facility to test some of the methods used during the Lazarus Project. She thought there might be information here that could help her. Instead, we found a new bunch of scientists doing experiments with memory function. She wanted them to help her get her memory back,” the one who had spoken earlier said.

“What she wants is impossible,” the scientist said.

“That’s not what your research says,” the merc shot back.

“You’re too stupid to understand our research,” the scientist snapped back.

“Okay, what are your names?” Shepard asked.

“Zack Rosen,” the mercenary replied.

“Lead Scientist Amyn Jessup,” the scientist said.

“Can I shoot her for being pretentious?” Garrus asked.

“Not yet. Okay, Rosen and Jessup, shut up. Miranda, can you confirm any of that?” Shepard asked.

“Rosen’s right. This was a Cerberus research lab around the time the Normandy SR1 blew up. Once we had you in our possession and Project Lazarus was given the green light, the Illusive Man had the team here run experiments that would later be used in your operations,” Miranda said. Satisfied with her scans, she stood up. “Shortly before the start of the Reaper invasion, this facility was raided by the Alliance military and shut down. It was no big loss to the Illusive Man since it had served its purpose and he’d moved on to other things.”

“Like how to control the Reapers,” Shepard said.

“Right. From what I can see now, whoever is running the new Cerberus operation has these scientist studying memory alteration techniques. Interesting stuff in theory, but the clone got the wrong idea,” Miranda continued.

“How so?” Garrus asked.

“She’s—“ Rosen started. Shepard glanced at him with a scowl. His eyes ticked from her to Garrus to Grunt before meeting Shepard’s gaze again. “Look, your clone thinks she’s the real Shepard. We thought she was the real Shepard. She has some memories, but they’re confused, broken. There are pieces missing, like the entire Reaper invasion. In fact, everything after her supposed death is missing. But she’s… Well, she’s Shepard.”

“Exactly what space rock have you been hiding under?” Garrus asked. “It’s been widely publicized that Shepard ended the war and retired afterward.”

“And that she was badly hurt in the process. No one knew why she retired. We just figured her injuries included some head trauma that fucked up her memory. And she said Cerberus was back and her girlfriend was missing,” Rosen explained.

“That all tracks with what I’ve seen. She really does believe that she is Commander Shepard and that Cerberus somehow stole her memories to control her. Unfortunately, it’s driven her insane. Well and truly. And when she found out what they were doing here, she went nuts. Started insisting they give her the rest of her memories back,” Miranda said.

Liara stepped out of the last hospital room. “The patients all appear to be fine. Their vitals are stable, but they are heavily sedated. Dr. Kensington should be able to figure out what was done to them.”

“Thank you, love. We’ll transfer them to the ship later. As long as they’re stable, we’ll leave them as is until we’re ready to go,” Shepard said.

“I caught some of your conversation as I was coming out. The clone said something similar to me upstairs. She said there were holes in her mind and she wanted to remember. And I could see evidence of it. She knew who I was. But she could not remember your nickname for me. She could reference herself as Shepard or Commander Shepard but stumbled over her own first name. But from the data I accessed, they would not be able to give her the memories she is missing. She believes they need to restore her memories, but they were never hers to begin with,” Liara explained.

“The asari is right,” Jessup said. She stopped when Garrus focused his rifle on her, but Shepard waved him down.

“Explain,” Shepard said.

“Our research is in taking memories from one person and implanting them into another. There are thousands of possible applications for it. The funny thing is, now that you’re here, we could actually do what she wants. We could take your memories and implant them in her mind. Or, we could in theory, anyway. We haven’t really gotten it to work right yet,” Jessup explained.

“Okay, but it sounds like the Illusive Man already had some success with doing exactly that. I mean, if she thinks she’s the real Shepard and remembers loving Liara and how I died, where did those memories come from?” Shepard asked, glancing at Miranda.

Miranda shrugged, so Jessup continued. “This facility started the research. After Ms. Lawson successfully brought you back, he started turning his mind to the memory transfer prospect. The records we recovered showed that what the clone wants is exactly what the Illusive Man was after. The possibility of transferring your memories into a clone in the event that you were killed before the Reaper invasion started. But you defeated the Collectors and went and got yourself arrested. That’s when he started the implantation research. But the previous team ran into the same problems we’ve been having.”

“Which is what, exactly?” Miranda asked.

“We can get the memories to take, but not completely. The Illusive Man wanted total immersion. He wanted to be able to wake the clone up and send it out into the galaxy as a fully functional Commander Shepard, able to fool even her closest friends. Instead, the memories were there, but with pieces missing. Often, the subjects feel like the memories are coming from outside themselves. Instead of truly believing that they are the person whose memories were implanted, or having a skill that was implanted, they get confused about what they know, who they are, which life is really theirs,” Jessup replied.

“If you knew about the project, why didn’t you just tell her that?” Rosen asked.

“I tried! I tried to explain to her that Cerberus didn’t steal her memory. That her memory loss was from trauma and our research had nothing to do with that. She freaked out. You heard her! She accused us of trying to control her,” Jessup said.

“And we had no reason to believe she was a clone. According to the data we reviewed, the previous team used other test subjects, but none of the clones were ever woken up,” another scientist said.

“None of the clones? How many were there?” Shepard asked.

“Records indicate he created three,” Jessup replied.

Liara, Garrus, and Miranda all turned toward Shepard with looks of horror. Shepard shivered. “One’s dead. One’s in our custody. Where the hell is the third one?”

“Dead,” Jessup said. “Just before the facility was raided, they tried the memory transfer on the first one. The process killed her. There was no record of him trying again, but it might have been done after the raid.”

“But, wait. The original team’s research did focus on trauma recovery. That’s why the Commander’s memory is intact,” Liara said.

“We don’t have any of their actual data, just the summaries,” Jessup replied.

“I’m afraid that’s my fault,” Miranda added. “I cleared out the most relevant data to the Lazarus Project when we started to work on the Commander.”

“Commander, we’ve secured the Normandy clone,” James said over the comms.

“Good work, James. Any problems?” Shepard asked.

“No. The crew didn’t really resist at all. I think they were expecting something like this. We’ve got them all down on the crew deck and one of our co-pilot’s holding her steady while we’re docked,” James replied.

“And you’re never going to believe who we found,” Tali added.

“Who? We’ve got Miranda and the clone down here,” Shepard said.

“Hello, Commander. I seem to have ended up on the wrong ship, somehow,” EDI replied. Garrus almost dropped his rifle. Liara’s head snapped up, her eyes going wide. Shepard felt like someone had hit her upside the head. It took her a moment to think of how to respond.

“Has anyone told Joker?” Garrus asked.

“We thought we should wait until we figure out what we want to do with her,” Tali replied. “The AI core on the clone ship was never completed, so she is extremely limited here. But our core was never repaired. It’s going to take a lot of work to move her over.”

“Tell Sam if you haven’t already. Let her break the news to Joker. Once she has, patch EDI through to our comms on a private channel and let him talk to her. In the meantime, Tali, get back to our core and run a full diagnostic. I want an idea of what’s going to take to repair it when I get back,” Shepard said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Tali said.

Shepard switched her comm to the shuttle. “Steve, how are things on you end?”

“Good. I took out their shuttle with an EMP. The pilot and I have been chatting amicably. Like with the crew in orbit, he didn’t try to resist,” Steve replied. “Think Joker might need me there when they tell him about EDI?”

“That’s not a bad idea. Send the clone pilot in to us and trade places with Rixus,” Shepard said.

“Aye, aye!” Steve replied. She heard the click that meant he’d dropped out of the immediate conversation.

“Well, we’re not going to solve anything here. We’re going to destroy the data, get the patients out of here, and take the scientists somewhere they can face charges. I want to take both Normandys somewhere close by that will give us a place to dock while we go over the clone ship and the AI core and figure everything out,” Shepard said.

“What about our crew, ma’am?” Rosen asked.

“We’re going to transfer enough of our people over to make sure yours do their jobs. Including putting my XO on the ship to run things. The clone comes with me, and one of my pilots will fly the ship. Other than that, nothing until I have a chance to really talk to the clone and make some decisions. From what you’ve said, it sounds like you thought you were doing the right thing. And I’ve gotten reports from the Alliance to support that. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re flying around on a clone of my ship with a clone of me. We need to need to figure things out before either of us fly anywhere,” Shepard said. The clone crew all nodded their agreement.

“You can’t do this!” Jessup cried. The rest of her team echoed the sentiment.

“I can, and I will. While effectively destroyed, Cerberus is still listed as a terrorist organization by the Council and the Systems Alliance. That means you are terrorists. As a Council Spectre, it is my duty to detain you,” Shepard said. She then proceeded to read them the Council equivalent of the Miranda Rights. When she finished, Garrus and Grunt started pulling the scientists to their feet. Rosen and his team offered to help. Shepard nodded her agreement, and they herded the group up the stairs.

Liara, Miranda, and Shepard turned toward the medical rooms. “Dana, we are one relay jump away from Illium. That might be a good place to dock for a while. I still have enough clearance there to bring in two almost identical ships without too many questions. I can also secure medical treatment for the test subjects,” Liara said.

“That sounds perfect, love. Set it up when we get on board?” Shepard asked. Liara flashed her a smile and began unhooking the first patient.

***

Shepard found the clone staring at the Memorial Wall. She ran her fingers along Kaidan’s name, lingering over each letter. Her hand hovered there while her eyes ticked over the rest of the names. A few times, her fingers twitched as if she recognized one. Finally, her eyes dropped to the middle of the board, and she moved her hand to trace the outline of Anderson’s plaque. Shepard stepped closer, deliberately making noise. The clone’s eyes ticked to her for a moment before her fingers returned to Kaidan’s name.

“I remember Kaidan. Remember how brave he was on Virmire. The fear and resolution in his voice. He knew he was going to die, but he set that bomb anyway,” the clone said, her voice lost in the past. Then she shook herself and turned toward Shepard. “Are you going to kill me?”

“Not right now. I thought we should talk,” Shepard said. She stepped around the clone and walked toward the Starboard Lounge. “You should be comfortable in here.”

“Is Ashley still around? I haven’t seen her,” the clone said. She seemed clearer now. None of the disjointed crazy talk Liara and Miranda had mentioned. Perhaps because she was finally getting some answers.

“She’s on leave. But she’s good,” Shepard said. She moved to one of the couches, but noticed the clone hadn’t followed her in. Turning, she saw her doppelganger standing frozen in the doorway, staring at the giant window looking out onto the stars. She remembered having that reaction the first time she saw the skylight in the captain’s cabin at the start of the Collector mission. Without a word, she walked over and closed the shutters. The clone let out the breath she’d been holding and walked into the room. Shepard sat down and let the clone explore.

“This room didn’t exist on the first Normandy. I broke the controls on my ship so the shutters wouldn’t open. I was still learning all the differences between the two, and now I’m finding differences between your ship and mine. Why? How?” the clone asked.

“Well, Cerberus made the SR2 larger, moved things around a lot. After I escaped from Cerberus with the ship, I returned her to the Alliance, and they made most of the changes between your ship and mine. There have been other upgrades in the years since the Reaper invasion,” Shepard explained.

“The Reapers,” the clone said, shaking her head. “I woke up believing the Reapers were an eminent threat only to find out that the damn machines had already invaded and been defeated and that I was apparently the one who did it! It really threw me. Oh, and apparently the geth were completely eliminated in the process?”

“And unfortunate side effect, yes,” Shepard replied.

“Unfortunate? I would have given my left arm for something to wipe the geth out in one fell swoop,” the clone said.

Shepard shook her head. “This is so surreal. Listening to you, seeing your confusion, it’s everything I feared when I first learned about the Lazarus Project. Anyway, the geth came over to our side before the end. But that’s a much longer story. Before we talk about my life after Alchera, I need to know what you remember from my— from your early life.”

“Yeah, okay,” the clone said.

They spent the next hour going through Shepard’s life. The clone knew most of it, but as if she had seen it in a vid. None of it felt real. She knew pieces but lacked any emotional connection. Shepard was particularly disturbed when they talked about Mindoir and her parents’ deaths. The clone knew the details, understood the horror of the attack on a professional level, but expressed no more grief than she did about the deaths of the citizens of Eden Prime.

When they got through Alchera and the destruction of the Normandy, Shepard asked, “Why did you go looking for Miranda?”

“She brought me back. I needed answers, and I thought she could give them to me,” the clone replied.

“But how did you know that? Or find out about Lazarus Station, for that matter? I didn’t know about any of that until after the project was complete,” Shepard said.

“I think I can answer that,” Miranda said as she walked into the room. She leaned against the shuttered window. “I’m not sure if you remember, but you told me you saw Wilson and me when you briefly regained consciousness during your recovery,” Miranda said.

“Right. I vaguely recall that,” Shepard said.

“In order to better observe your brain function, we implanted a chip to record everything. Sight, sound, feelings. I could read all of it. We always planned to take it out before waking you up, since we only needed it while you were unconscious. When you regained consciousness early, we realized the implant was stimulating your brain function faster than anticipated and removed it immediately. I think the Illusive Man used the recordings from that implant to give your clone those memories,” Miranda explained.

“What about the rest?” the clone asked. “I remember parts of my childhood, Mindoir, military training. I remember the N7 trials. Akuze. Alchera. How?”

“With the possible exception of the childhood memories, all of those events were recorded and documented. Almost anything involving Shepard’s military accomplishments would have had multiple reports, as well as video, audio, and biometric recordings from Shepard’s armor. Interviews, debriefings, even recordings from the ships she served on. We had a huge database we used to ensure Shepard’s memory was fully restored. The Illusive Man must have used it on you, too,” Miranda said.

“Given what we found in the research lab, that makes sense,” the clone said. She sighed. “So, what now?”

“For now, we go to Illium. We find out what we can about the AI cores of both ships and do repairs. Tali says your ship is in serious disrepair from sitting in a Cerberus hanger for eight years. And then, we figure out what to do with you,” Shepard said.

“You’re going to hate me for saying this, but killing her would be a mercy, Shepard. What kind of life can she have, running around with your face, your DNA, and half your memories?” Miranda said.

“She has a point,” the clone added. She sounded scared and resigned.

“Maybe she does. But that’s not going to happen. However, we do need a way for the crew to distinguish between us,” Shepard said.

“Changing her eye color would be easy. Or dying her hair,” Miranda said.

“We’ll do both. Let’s go with brown hair and blue eyes,” Shepard said. “And you can go by our middle name. We’ll introduce you to the crew as Officer Catherine Shepard.” The clone looked hopeful.

“Or Aunt Cathy, to your daughter,” Miranda quipped.

The clone’s head snapped up and she stared at Shepard. “Daughter?”

“And on that note, I’ll leave you to explain your domestic life,” Miranda said. She sauntered out of the room. Shepard spent some time telling Catherine a little about her personal life after the war.

Chapter Text

Liara found a small dock outside Nos Astra run by a Shadow Broker agent who wouldn’t ask too many questions. Shepard could see the curiosity in his eyes as he looked at the two nearly identical ships, but he just signed the paperwork and sent them on their way. The dock was close enough to the city to allow both crews a shore leave rotation, which gave Shepard enough time to figure out all of their incredibly strange complications.

Once both ships had safely docked, Shepard went up to the cockpit. She hadn’t had much chance to talk to Joker after they left Zanethu. She dropped into the co-pilot’s chair. Joker glanced at her but didn’t stop running through his post-docking protocol.

“Hey, Commander,” he said.

“How are you?” Shepard asked.

Joker finished his checks and sat back. “Still processing. Do you think we’ll be able to get her back? Completely?” he asked.

“Not completely, no. We just don’t have the back-ups of her time during the war. Tali checked. We lost all the data. But we’re hoping to get her back to what she was after the Collector base.”

“Better than nothing. I really thought that message was a fake,” Joker murmured. He looked so lost. Shepard was about to offer him a comforting pat on the shoulder when he shook his head to clear it. “I’m gonna go talk to her.”

“Under one condition,” Shepard said. Joker glared at her but stayed quiet. “After you two talk for a bit, you need to take some actual shore leave. Grab Steve. Without David here, I’m afraid he’ll bury himself in work again.”

“I hear you, boss. I’ll make him go to dinner. We can talk pilot for a while,” Joker replied.

“Thank you,” Shepard said.

“Okay, help me up,” Joker said. Shepard stood and gave him a hand up. They walked slowly to the airlock and out the open hatch. Shepard let the pilot lean on her as they made their way across the docks to the other ship. James had the mercenary crew thoroughly cleaning the clone ship before letting them take their leave. Catherine had ordered them to listen to James as her proxy while she figured things out. The mercs did not look happy to be taking orders from a marine. James, on the other hand, looked like he was having a little too much fun.

Once inside, Shepard guided Joker to the empty cockpit. Steve and Catherine’s pilot were down in the cargo bay doing repairs and updates on the ship’s shuttle. Joker sank into the seat, looking around curiously. “This is looks an unfinished version of the cockpit when we got it from Cerberus.”

“It basically is,” Shepard said. “Turns out, they had a second ship mostly built in case something happened to ours. Ten years later, the Alliance still hasn’t built a second stealth warship, but Cerberus managed to build two in a year. I’ll leave you two to talk. I’ll be downstairs. I’m on comms if you need anything. Have fun,” Shepard said.

“Thanks, Commander,” Joker said. As Shepard stepped out of the cockpit, she heard Joker take a deep breath and say, “Hi, EDI.”

“Welcome back, Mr. Moreau,” EDI replied. The door slid closed, cutting off the rest of their conversation.

Shepard walked toward the elevator. She couldn’t help thinking about when she woke on Lazarus Station. She had been disoriented, trying to reconcile losing two years of her life. By the time she found Liara, she had almost come to terms with the fact that she would never be the same. That nothing could be the way it was before Alchera. It was still a shock when she realized Liara had changed, too. More than she thought possible.

Joker and EDI were about to face the same problem. He had been through so much since EDI “died”. And EDI’s limitations meant they would have to get to know each other all over again. He had the challenge of showing her why she had loved him. Shepard’s heart broke for them.

Sam stopped her before she could get on the elevator. “Commander, we have access to the clone’s records of everything she’s done so far.”

“Catherine. Please don’t call her ‘the clone’ anymore,” Shepard said.

“Apologies, Commander. Catherine has kept almost military level records, so we can trace where she’s been. We might want to confirm this with Alliance Command,” Sam said. She stepped aside so Shepard could look at the terminal.

Catherine had been busy. Both Shepard and the Alliance had run into difficulty tracking Cerberus. Leads kept going cold before she or the military could follow them. In reality, Catherine had been taking out those cells. It was no surprise Hackett was so confused by Shepard’s activities. Catherine didn’t seem to care about being caught on security cameras. Any time the Alliance found the footage, they saw Commander Shepard, who was supposed to be in retirement.

But that gave her an idea. She took the elevator up to Catherine’s room. She found the clone lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Shepard leaned against the partition between the office and the bedroom. To her left, the fish tanks sat empty and dark. The room looked strange without the soft light.

“Everything okay?” she asked. Catherine lifted her head enough glance at Shepard before lying back down with a sigh.

“I guess. I just don’t know what to do now,” Catherine said.

“Well, I had a thought about that,” Shepard said. She walked down the stairs and dropped onto the couch. Catherine propped herself up on her elbows, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “I was just looking at your reports. You’ve been doing one hell of a job finding and stopping Cerberus cells. And the Alliance reached out to ask how I’ve been in two places at one time. If they’ve noticed, I bet Cerberus has, too. Why not continue to confuse them? With both of us attacking from different sides, Cerberus won’t know what to expect.”

Catherine sat up with a grin. “That sounds like fun! We’ll have to figure out a way for the Alliance and the Council to tell us apart, but we might not want to change my hair and eyes.”

Shepard smiled. Ever since Catherine had stopped trying to get “her” memories back, her mind had cleared. She had inherited Shepard’s intelligence and quick thinking. Watching her work through this problem, Shepard understood what Hackett and Anderson had seen in her all those years ago, before the Reapers.

“I think we should change your eye color, at least. Maybe add some streaks to your hair. We’ll still look essentially the same, and most people have no idea what my eye color is. As for the ship, very few people will be able to spot the differences,” Shepard said.

“Okay, that works. Are we working independently? Or do I have to answer to you?” Catherine asked.

“I think it’s best if I take point overall. We continue to work independently, but you’ll start sending your reports to me. I’ll organize everything for the Council,” Shepard said. For a moment, Shepard saw a flash of annoyance cross Catherine’s face.

“Alright. What am I doing, then?” she asked.

“What you’ve been doing. I’ll stick to the Terminus Systems and track the kidnappers. You keep hitting the Cerberus bases. If you need help, let me know and we can meet. I’ll do the same. Between the two of us, we should be able to put them down,” Shepard replied.

“You’d really let me have that much freedom?” Catherine asked.

“You’ve done well on your own so far. You have the same training as me, sort of. As long as you stay in contact, I’m okay giving you free reign,” Shepard said.

“I might need to use your Spectre access from time to time. And your Alliance authorization,” Catherine pointed out.

“I don’t mind if you use the Spectre status to scare criminals. But please don’t file anything. If you need resources, let me know and I’ll requisition them for you,” Shepard said. “And I don’t have Alliance authority anymore. I’m retired.”

“Yeah, how did that happen, anyway?” Catherine asked. “With the memories I have, I can’t imagine wanting to retire.”

“Okay, take those memories. All the impossible missions, the insane spec ops training, the number of times we almost died. The one time we did. Then add the Reaper invasion and the near destruction of everything we held dear. Add another near death experience that leaves you weak for months, a resolution to the war that killed a friend and wiped out an entire species of allies, and pressure to take on even more responsibility from every corner,” Shepard said.

“Yikes. Okay, so PTSD and serious rehab. But we— you had been through a lot of shit before that,” Catherine said.

“And then you find out the love of your life is carrying your child,” Shepard added.

Catherine sat silently for a long time, letting all of that sink in. Her eyes got wide. Catherine’s breath hitched. The same way Shepard’s had when Liara told her she was pregnant. Catherine blinked several times, then turned to look at Shepard. “Yeah. Okay. I see it now. So, no Alliance resources. That makes things more complicated.”

“You’ve been doing fine without the Alliance for months. But if you do find yourself needing anything, let me know. Hackett still owes me a few hundred favors, and I’ve got James Vega if we need anything that Hackett won’t just give me,” Shepard said.

“So, when do I get to meet your daughter, anyway?” Catherine asked.

“Brie? I’ll introduce you when I’m sure Cerberus won’t follow us to the safe house. And Liara and I need to figure out just what the hell we’re going to tell her,” Shepard said.

“Yeah. This is… I don’t think complicated covers it,” Catherine said.

“No. It doesn’t. And I hope I don’t need to say this, but I’m going to anyway. Liara is just a friend to you. She is my wife. Looking like me isn’t going to get you anywhere with her,” Shepard added.

“I know. I’m still struggling with that. I spent months trying to find Liara, to find my lover. So, it’s probably better that we’re going to be on different ships,” Catherine replied.

“I agree. But now that you know you’re not the real Commander Shepard, you can work on finding your own identity, your own life. Who knows, maybe even find someone else to love,” Shepard said. Catherine nodded absently. She looked depressed at the idea. Shepard could understand that. Being separated from Liara during the Collector mission, and again when she was incarcerated on Earth had been hell. She would do anything to stop that from happening again. “But for now, just focus on how much fun you’re going to have confusing the shit out of Cerberus with the two of us popping up all over the place.”

That put a smile back on Catherine’s face. “Can’t wait, boss.”

***

Shepard found Tali, Garrus, Daniels, and Donnelly in the AI Core, surrounded by a tangled web of wires and piles of burnt out computer components. She could generally keep up with her techie friends, but the four of them were spitting out technobabble so fast it sounded like an alien language. Steve leaned against the door frame with an amused look on his face. He glanced at Shepard and smiled.

“They’ve been at this since we docked, and I don’t think any of them have bothered to stop and take a breath,” he said. He showed her the list on his omni-tool. “They’re tossing out requests for parts we need as quickly as they find them. I’m not sure we’re going to be able to get all of this here. Some of it’s pretty specific stuff.”

“Can we use substitutes?” Shepard asked.

“Maybe. But Tali’s worried that if we change too much, it won’t work with the original Cerberus technology in the other servers,” Steve replied. “We may have to make a stop at Omega. Or go back to Lazarus Station.”

“Goddess. Omega. Ooh, maybe we can send Catherine,” Shepard said, eyes alight with mischief.

“You want to sic your clone on the Queen of Omega, Shepard? Are you hoping Catherine will kill Aria, or the other way around?” Tali asked.

“Maybe I’ll get lucky, and they’ll take each other out,” Shepard replied.

“Holy crap, that’s the first thing she’s said in an hour that my translator could catch,” Steve said.

“You’re funny, Steve. We’re all speaking the same language we always do,” Garrus replied.

“In that case, my translator’s broken. And I thought listening to Davie’s hacker-talk was bad,” Steve grumbled.

“Wait, didn’t I hear someone say Aria kissed ya once, Shepard?” Donnelly asked, standing up with a dirty grin.

“Kenneth, I swear, if you continue that line of questioning, I will throw something at you,” Daniels said. Seven years later, those two were exactly the same.

Shepard grinned back at Donnelly. “That would solve several problems at once, really. Distract Aria, get the parts we need, get Catherine to stop staring at my wife. I see no downside to this plan,” Shepard said.

“Accept the part where if things go really, really well between them, Aria T’Loak could be your sister-in-law,” Garrus said.

Shepard shuddered. “Nope! Abort! We’ll go to Omega. Goddess, that’s the last thing I need,” she said. The others laughed. “Okay, seriously though. How bad is it? Should we just yank everything and move the new servers over?”

“We could. But EDI’s processing power is limited with those servers. We were hoping to fix things up and give her more power to work with,” Tali said.

“Plus, I was talking to the pilot from the Normandy clone, and he said EDI’s been a big help over there. So, Tali had an idea,” Steve said.

“What if we can get both sets of servers working and upload the EDI program into both?” Tali asked. Shepard could hear the excitement in her voice.

“Would we be able to link the two programs?” Shepard asked.

“I think so. And with the two ships’ quantum entanglement arrays, we’d be able to share information and track Catherine’s progress in almost real time,” Tali said.

“So, would this be similar to how EDI was part of the ship, but she also had the mech? Two bodies sharing one mind?” Shepard asked.

“Better. It would be more like the geth after Legion’s upgrades. A shared consensus, but with two independent, evolving personalities,” Garrus explained.

“Let me run the idea by Catherine. She might be answering to me now, but it’s still her ship. I need to make sure she’s alright with a fully actuated AI on board,” Shepard said. “But get the process started. Find out exactly what we need to support them both.”

“You got it, Shepard,” Tali replied.

Shepard turned to Steve. “When you get the full list, take it to Liara. She has contacts on Ilium that can get things that might not be strictly legal.”

“Ilium has a black market?” Steve asked.

“More like a murky gray market,” Shepard replied. “If we can avoid going to Omega or any Cerberus stations, I would prefer that.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Steve said.

***

Shepard and Liara sauntered along the raised pedway overlooking one of Nos Astra’s busiest shopping districts. The crowded streets below were lined with shops and restaurants glowing like neon jewels. Strings of colored fairy lights blinked in a dancing pattern between the walkways, mimicking the stars above them. Waterfalls tumbled gracefully from the tops of the towering hotels that bracketed the plaza, ending in pools that danced with color in the same pattern as the fairy lights. Every inch of the district was designed to charm tourists out of their money. But knowing that didn’t make it any less amazing.

Shepard had come back to the Normandy’s cabin after reviewing David’s newest data with Sam to find a sleek black dress made of asari silk waiting on the bed. Another dress, this one in a rich reverse-ombre of purples, hung from the door of the wardrobe. Liara came out of the shower, surrounded by steam and wrapped in Shepard’s favorite fluffy blue towel.

“Ah, Dana. Good. I was afraid I would have to track you down. Shower and get dressed quickly, please,” she said, absently waving a hand at the black dress. Shepard raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay. Where are we going?” she asked, her mind only half on the conversation. The other half was thinking about what her wife looked like under that towel.

“We are meeting a couple of contacts and we need to blend in,” Liara replied.

“Yeah, okay,” Shepard murmured. She wanted desperately to wait around until Liara dropped the towel, but one scowl from her wife sent her scurrying to the shower.

Now, here they were, surrounded by Nos Astra’s night life. Shepard’s dress flowed down to her ankles with a slit up each leg. The black silk shimmered in the night lights, almost silver at times. The neckline left little to the imagination in the front and dipped half-way down her back. Liara’s was an asari style, with the three peak-a-boo holes cut in the front, a slit up the left side and a high collar, leaving her arms bare.

Liara leaned into her wife, looking for all the world like a woman on a date, with nothing more on her mind than having a good time. But Shepard could see the calculated way her wife watched the people around them. Shepard might have retired, but Liara had not. Seeing her like this, Shepard wondered how many of her “business trips” over the years had actually been clandestine Shadow Broker missions. Liara hadn’t lost one bit of her edge. Giggling and tugging on Shepard’s arm, Liara took them down one of the sweeping staircases to the floor of the plaza. They stepped in to a brightly lit shop full of expensive jewelry.

“Greetings, and welcome to Iyashi. Can I help you find anything in particular?” a store clerk asked. She reminded Shepard of some of the young asari who worked on the Citadel, not yet jaded by a life longer than most in the galaxy.

Liara giggled and ran her fingers through Shepard’s hair. “Yes. I think my bondmate would look exquisite in a pair of black,” she tapped one finger on the glass countertop, “pearl,” another tap, “earrings,” two fingers. To anyone else, it would just look like she was enthusiastic. The clerk’s eyes ticked down and she gave Liara a slight nod.

“Why, of course. We just got a shipment in this morning,” the clerk replied. She brought two trays out of the glass case and laid them on the counter. “We also received several necklaces to match.” She might be a Shadow Broker contact, but she could still try to get the sale, right?

Liara leaned over the counter to look at the pieces more closely. As she did, Shepard noticed her slide a datapad and credit chit across the counter. “I would love to see those, as well. Nothing is too good for my girl.”

The clerk nodded brightly and turned toward the back room, sweeping the chit and pad along with her. Shepard did her best to play along, but undercover wasn’t really her specialty. She was more of a shoot first and ask questions later type. She might be tempted to do exactly that, if she knew what questions to ask. Liara held up several pieces for Shepard to look at while they waited. She knew this was an op, and not a real shopping trip, but she gasped over a pair of earrings with teardrop-shaped black pearls under tiny rubies, all in a setting made of a dark gray metal.

Finally, the clerk came back carrying two necklaces on stands. As she set them down on the counter, she dropped an OSD next to Liara’s hand. Liara palmed it almost before Shepard could register it. She selected a necklace set with alternating pearls and rubies and draped it around Shepard’s neck. Looking at herself in the mirror, the commander touched it gently, her mouth open in a little ‘o’ of surprise. She wasn’t normally the type to go for expensive jewelry, but these were exquisite. Liara’s eyes danced, seeing her wife staring at the piece.

“We’ll take this one, and these earrings,” Liara said.

“Excellent choices,” the clerk replied. She rung them up, boxed the jewels, and thanked them for coming in.

As they left the store, Shepard pulled Liara close and murmured next to her ear, “I thought we were here just to meet your contact?”

“We were. But there is no reason we cannot mix business and pleasure,” Liara said. “The clerk is the local broker for an illegal tech dealer. I slipped her the list of what we needed and the money to pay for it. The OSD contains the dead drop locations. We should be able to get almost everything on Steve’s list by morning.”

“So, the sale was just a cover, then?” Shepard asked.

“Well, it was supposed to be, but those jewels just looked gorgeous on you. Seeing how you eyed them, I simply could not leave them,” Liara purred.

As they approached one of the stairs leading up to the walkway, Shepard changed course and dragged Liara into the shadows underneath. She pushed her wife up against the wall, kissing her. Liara gasped into it, wrapping one arm around Shepard’s back. Shepard ran her hand along the underside of Liara’s crest, drawing a moan from the Shadow Broker.

Shepard chuckled. “If only your agents could see the mighty Shadow Broker now,” she hummed.

“Dana, I am still working,” Liara gasped.

Shepard slid her leg between Liara’s, running her other hand along the silk at Liara’s hip. “Too bad.”

“One more stop, Dana,” Liara said, pushing Shepard away reluctantly.

“I’m holding you to that,” Shepard replied. She linked her arm through Liara’s, and they made their way back onto the street. They wandered through the crowds, leaning against each other.

Liara pulled her into a bar. They found a table in a dark corner. Liara signaled the waitress. “A glass of Serrice Ice Brandy and a Tuleran whiskey,” she ordered.

“Weird. I’ve never heard of Tuleran whiskey,” Shepard said when the waitress left. Liara raised a brow ridge and waited. “Ah. The whiskey was a code phrase,” Shepard replied.

“I knew you’d get there,” Liara teased. “It’s really Illuvium. Unless you want the brandy?”

“The whiskey, love. Always the whiskey,” Shepard said. “So, who are we waiting for?”

“Not who, so much as what. Information, my dear,” Liara replied. It was clear no more information would be forthcoming.

“Right. Not sure I like this cryptic side of you,” Shepard said.

“You made your choice seven years ago, Dana. You wanted out. And I accepted that. But you told me you did not want anything to do with this part of my life after the war,” Liara said. She didn’t sound upset, but Shepard suspected they were coming up on something that had been bothering Liara.

“So, why include me now?” Shepard asked.

“Because you would be upset with me if I bought Sam a slinky black dress,” Liara replied.

“Very funny,” Shepard quipped.

“Besides, I thought it would be nice to get off the ship for a bit. You seem like you are having fun,” Liara said.

The waitress brought their drinks. When she set the whiskey down, an OSD landed on the table next to it. The waitress slipped away. Shepard flashed Liara a smile and swiped up both her drink and the disk before her wife could move. “So, what’s on this?”

“Dana, give it back, please,” Liara said.

“The separation of wife and Shadow Broker works when we’re at home, Liara. But when you include me in the op, you need to include me in the damn op,” Shepard said.

“It’s information on arms deals that ran through Ilium in the last few months. Most of it, I will pass on to the appropriate authorities. But I am hoping for something connected to Cerberus. After all, they needed weapons and ammo, and they needed them fast,” Liara said.

“Thank you. Was that why you suggested we come to Ilium?” Shepard asked.

“Only partially. I could have gotten the information via other means, but we were close by, and it really was the best place to take two nearly identical ships without arousing too much suspicion. We could have gone to Omega, but the people on Omega are not known for their discretion,” Liara replied.

“No kidding. The last thing we need is Aria knowing there are two Shepards flying around,” Shepard said with a shudder.

“Well, we got what we needed tonight. You were perfect, Dana,” Liara purred.

“So, we finish our drinks and head back to the ship?” Shepard asked, already stripping the dress off Liara in her mind.

Liara gave her a calculating look. “Nope. That was only the first part of our evening,” she answered.

“I thought you said we were meeting two contacts?” Shepard said.

Liara threw back the last of her brandy and stood up. Intrigued, Shepard slammed her whiskey and followed her wife out of the bar. Liara led her up the nearest stairway, stopping at a rapid transit station. They climbed into a waiting cab and Liara programed the GPS.

As the car took off, Liara pulled out the earring box. She ran her finger along Shepard’s chin. The commander leaned in, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. Liara pushed Shepard’s red hair behind her ear. She broke the kiss and pulled the earrings out. Shepard plucked them form her hand and put them in quickly. Liara smiled and brought out the necklace.

“Despite what you said, I really thought you just bought these as a cover,” Shepard murmured.

“Oh, no. I definitely want to see you in them,” Liara replied. She turned Shepard away from her and slid the necklace around her neck. Once it was secure, she kissed her way along Shepard’s skin up to her ear.

“Damn, Liara. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to the ship?” Shepard asked.

The cab slowed, coming in to land. “Not a chance. We can make love in the cabin any time. It’s been ages since we had a night out.”

The cab door opened. Liara slipped out and pulled her wife behind her. They emerged in front of a night club. Pulsing lights lit the Ilium night in time to the music that thudded through the walls. A line of patrons waited to get in, laughing and talking to pass the time. Shepard turned toward the end of the line, but Liara tugged on her hand. They headed straight for the door. Shepard heard a few grumbles in their wake. Liara flashed her omni-tool at the krogan bouncer. He looked at the symbol that popped up and waved them through. The people near the front started yelling but were drowned out by the music as the door closed behind them.

The club was dark, with soft blue and purple lights over the bar. The rest of the room was lit with pulsating laser lights that bathed the dance floor in shifting shadows. Flashes of blue throughout the room hinted at the asari patrons flaring their biotics. Liara led her into the mass of writhing, dancing bodies on the floor.

Shepard still couldn’t dance. Her friends all still teased her about her “Shepard shuffle” any time they got together. But she had learned years ago that if she just followed the flow of her wife’s body, the result was sensual and thrilling.

Liara pulled her in close, sliding her hands along Shepard’s hips. The two of them moved as one, following the pulse of the dark techno music. Shepard lost herself in the feel of silk on silk, the scent of her wife’s skin, the rhythm of their bodies. Part of her knew she needed to stay on alert. They were on a mission, with enemies hunting them. The crowded room was the perfect place for an ambush.

But Liara’s skin was flushed, the music and the lights hypnotic. The shadowy room made Liara’s eyes look dark, almost like…

“Join your mind to mine, Dana,” Liara murmured in her ear. She ran her lips and tongue up Shepard’s neck, one hand sliding down Shepard’s leg to dip into the slit of her dress. Her fingers drifted close, so close to where Shepard wanted them.

“Here?” Shepard asked, her voice high with need and the edge of panic.

“Look around you, Dana. We wouldn’t be the only ones,” Liara replied between kisses.

Shepard watched the crowd over Liara’s shoulder. She realized her wife was right. Half the couples on the floor had the mindless, automatic movements of people lost in a mind meld. But not everyone, and those were the ones they needed to worry about. She hadn’t felt this vulnerable in years.

“Not on the floor, Bellflower. We’re too exposed,” Shepard murmured.

Liara smiled, dirty and calculating. She shifted to lead Shepard off the floor, moving smoothly through the dancers. They reached a series of alcoves that Shepard had assumed hid the usual booths found in bars and clubs. Instead, they held couches with low tables. Liara spun Shepard into an alcove and pushed her down onto the couch. She hit a button on the wall, which activated a mass effect field across the entrance. Shepard propped herself up on her elbows, eyebrow raised in question.

“There. Now we’re protected,” Liara purred. She followed Shepard onto the couch, kissing her way up her wife’s cleavage. Shepard’s head fell back. Liara latched onto her neck, drawing a moan out of the commander.

“We’re still— People can— Liara, people can still see us,” Shepard panted.

Liara licked her way up to Shepard ear, nibbling the tip before murmuring, “I know. That’s what these alcoves are for. I’ve been wanting to bring you to one of these clubs for years, Dana,” she replied. Part of Shepard’s mind scream that this was a bad idea. But part of her was thrilled. Liara’s hand slid up Shepard’s leg. She shifted Shepard’s panties out of way, fingers teasing Shepard’s slit. Liara kissed her, two fingers sliding into her at the same time. Shepard gasped, letting Liara’s tongue dip into her mouth. She fell back against the couch, running one hand up the underside of Liara’s crest, holding her in place while Liara’s fingers pumped in and out. Liara slid her body along Shepard’s, trapping one leg between her own against the couch. Shepard bent her other leg, leaning her knee against the back of the couch to open herself up for her wife.

Liara broke off. Shepard moaned with need as Liara’s fingers slid out of her. Liara flashed her a dirty smile as she brought the fingers to her mouth, licking Shepard’s juices off. When she finished, she slid the strap of Shepard’s dress and bra down her shoulder, exposing one breast, hiding it from the rest of the club with her own body.

“Are you ready, love?” Liara asked. Shepard looked up at her with a desperate need. She nodded, not trusting her voice. Liara closed her eyes. When she opened them, the black orbs caught Shepard’s gaze. “Embrace Eternity.”

The club faded to almost nothing, the lights and music a distant background to the field of stars they floated in. Shepard could feel Liara’s heart beating in time to hers. Liara’s breath was her breath, Liara’s skin her skin. For one dizzying moment, she lost track of where Liara started, and she ended. Then Liara locked her mouth around Shepard’s nipple while simultaneously slipping her fingers back inside her wife. Shepard cried out, arching against her wife. She gripped Liara’s arms, body writhing in time to Liara’s thrusts. Liara slipped a third finger in, then a fourth. Her thumb rubbed small circles over Shepard’s clit. The asari directed a small biotic charge to stimulate deep inside Shepard. The commander lost all sense of the world around her, floating swirling, becoming one with Liara. The asari moved her mouth up to kiss Shepard, twisting her nipple with the thumb and forefinger of her free hand. Their tongues danced as Liara’s biotics brought Shepard close. They hung there for a moment, for an eternity, before Liara drove her over the edge and Shepard’s own biotics flared brightly, lighting up the little alcove.

The mind meld broke. Shepard slammed back into her body. The music almost drowned out the hammering of her heart. She panted, her breast heaving against her wife’s. Desperately embarrassed, she glanced over Liara’s shoulder at the club beyond their alcove. No one paid them any attention. “Shit, Liara. Oh, Goddess. I need a fucking drink.”

Liara chuckled. “That can be arranged, my love.”

“You are in so much trouble when we get back to the ship,” Shepard growled playfully. Liara grabbed a wipe to clean her fingers and sat back. As Shepard sat up, she noticed the things on the table. Wipes, lube, little bottles containing chocolate, honey, and a sugar rub. She saw knobs along the base of the table. She pulled out one drawer to find soft restraints. “Where the hell are we?”

Liara pushed the drawer shut with a wicked smile. “The club is called Incarnate. It’s a pleasure club. As long as no one gets seriously hurt, pretty much anything goes. And this being Ilium, that means drugs and other enhancements which would be illegal elsewhere. There is, by the way, a tamer version of this club in Armali. I’ve been trying to get you there for years, but you never want to go clubbing.”

“Wait, you mean Club Flame?” Shepard asked. Liara nodded. “Okay, maybe we’ll try it when we get home. This is… interesting.”

Liara stopped straightening her dress to stare at her wife. “You mean that?” she asked. Shepard nodded in response. Liara’s eyes filled with heat. “I’m holding you to that, Dana.”

Shepard laughed and let Liara pull her up. They made their way out of the club and back to the rapid transit stand.

Chapter Text

The AI Core looked as pristine as it had the first time Shepard walked into it all those years ago with Cerberus. All the wires and components had been replaced or repaired. Tali and Sam had spent almost a full afternoon cleaning and scrubbing until the lights glinted off servers. Shepard, Tali, Sam, Liara, and Joker gathered in the room, with Garrus, Steve, Daniels, and James linked via comms from the main battery, helm, engineering, and the CIC.

“I hope Commander Williams is okay with this,” Sam murmured.

“I really don’t give a shit,” Joker replied. “I’m about to get my girl back.”

Tali pulled up an interface at the back of the room, running a final diagnostic on the system. She nodded to Shepard. “Okay, moment of truth, everyone. Joker, would you like to do the honors?”

Joker nodded, looking determined. He walked over to the main control panel. Tali and Sam switched on the support servers, making sure each one started up properly and connected to the various systems in the ship. Once everything else was running, Shepard nodded to the pilot. Joker took a deep breath and flipped the switch for the main server. The lights blinked several times. The haptic interface in front of Joker lit up. Next to Shepard, EDI’s icon appeared.

“Enhanced Defense Intelligence system online. Please log in,” EDI said. Joker gasped but stayed quiet.

“Commander Dana Shepard, Alliance designation N7, authorization code delta sam five x-ray four three delta two,” Shepard replied.

“Greetings, Commander Shepard. What can I do for you?” EDI asked.

“Run full system diagnostic and test system connection to Engineering, main battery, helm, and CIC,” Shepard instructed.

“Right away, Commander,” EDI replied. The icon blinked out. It took a few seconds. As EDI connected to each part of the ship, Daniels, Steve, Garrus, and James all checked in. The icon came back. “Diagnostic complete. All systems fully operational and connected, Commander.”

“Thank you, EDI. Resume normal operations,” Shepard said.

“Yes, Commander. I noticed significant upgrades to the Normandy’s systems. It appears the ship has also been reconnected to the Alliance Network. Is that why my shackles have been reactivated?” EDI asked.

“No, EDI. You’ve missed a few years. Your shackles were reactivated due to technical issues that we hope have been corrected,” Shepard replied. She turned to Tali. “Is it safe to do this?”

Tali scrolled through several screens on her control panel. She turned back to the commander. “Yes, Shepard. The new servers have enough power to support her.”

“In that case, Joker, would you please unshackle our AI?” Shepard said. EDI’s icon turned toward him.

“Hi, EDI,” Joker said, more timid than Shepard had ever heard him.

“Hello, Mr. Moreau. It is good to see you again,” EDI answered. Joker glanced at Shepard. She smiled in encouragement. He took a deep breath, turned to the control panel, and input the command code. The icon blinked out. Time slowed to a crawl. Shepard almost forgot to breathe. Liara put a hand on her arm and nodded toward Joker. He watched the screen, completely calm. After several seconds, the icon came back up. “Thank you, Jeff. I now have full access to the ship’s systems.”

“Good, EDI. That’s good,” Joker said, his voice choked.

Shepard patted Joker on the shoulder. “EDI, please access the ship’s records to learn everything you have missed. Joker, help her through it?”

Joker nodded. “Thanks, Commander.”

They left Joker to get reacquainted with EDI and headed for the elevator. Liara gave Shepard a quick kiss before drifting off to the galley. Sam, Tali, and Shepard went up to the CIC and left the ship. They had renamed the clone’s ship the Normandie and removed any Cerberus or Alliance decals. Repairs were almost complete, and the ship was in better shape than ever. Shepard led her group up the gang plank to find Catherine in the CIC, shouting orders at her crew. Shepard waited until she paused.

“Hey, there. Our launch was successful,” Shepard said.

“Excellent. Are we ready to go?” Catherine asked, glancing at Tali.

“We finished the repair and installation this morning. I just need to run the final diagnostic,” Tali replied.

“Let’s do this, then. Martinez, Berkley, and Lido to stations,” Catherine said into the comms. Sam stepped up to the CIC comm station. They took the elevator down to the crew deck and headed for the AI Core.

When they moved the EDI program over to Shepard’s ship, Tali made a copy for Catherine, reprogramming several key aspects, starting with the name. Instead of EDI, this one was ADI— Advanced Defense Intelligence. They removed the personal memories of the Collector crew and gave ADI new authorization codes and the names and ranks of the people associated with them. Catherine was listed as the ship’s commanding officer. The only person authorized to override Catherine’s access or orders was Shepard. And as far as anyone, including Catherine, knew, ADI’s shackles could not be removed. Tali had programmed in a fail safe that allowed Shepard to remove them if necessary.

Tali ran through the same diagnostic test as the other ship. When it finished, Tali and Myka, Catherine’s head engineer, began the start-up sequence. The same chess piece icon popped up over the control panel.

“Advanced Defense Intelligence system online. Please log in,” ADI said. Catherine glanced at Shepard, who nodded.

“Lieutenant Catherine Shepard, acting commander, authorization code charlie sam omega six nine frank two charlie.” Catherine said.

“Greetings, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?” ADI asked. Tali had modified the AI’s voice. ADI had a slight accent modeled after Traynor’s, but with a slightly lower pitch.

“Run a full system diagnostic and test connection to each of the ship’s systems,” Catherine said.

“Right away, Lieutenant.” The icon blinked out. One by one, each station checked in, with only one hitch when ADI tried to connect to the ship’s shuttle. She tried several times before the icon popped back up. “Diagnostic complete. All systems operation and connected, except one. Comm link to the shuttle is corrupted.”

“You should still be able to connect to ADI through your suit comms for the time being. I’ll check out the shuttle before take-off,” Tali said, glancing over her shoulder Catherine.

“Works for me. ADI, connect to your sister program, EDI, on the SSV Normandy SR-2,” Catherine continued.

“Yes, Lieutenant,” ADI said. This time the icon stayed, but the consul below it lit up.

“Commander, the comm system is connecting to ours. Hold, please,” Sam said over the ship comm. They all stood in silence, waiting to see if Tali’s plan would work. “We have full connection to the Normandy’s computer systems. And…”

“Hello, Commander and Lieutenant Shepard,” EDI said. “And hello, ADI. I am eager to work with you.”

“Greetings, sister program EDI. Connection is complete and operational,” ADI said.

“You’ll have to work on getting her to be less formal,” Shepard commented.

“At least the program is working. We’ll figure the rest out later,” Catherine said. “ADI, maintain background connection to EDI and resume normal operations.”

“Very well, Lieutenant. Logging you out,” ADI replied.

“That went well. I was a little worried when you said you were taking my AI. It still feels a little wrong, but so does everything else about this,” Catherine said. “Myka, go with Tali and make sure the problem with the shuttle is only with the connection to ADI. I would hate to find out we have a communications issue in the field.”

“Shit. Steve just reminded me that he used an EMP charge on their shuttle down on Zanethu,” Sam said. “It might have damaged the comms.”

“I’m on it, Commander,” Tali replied.

“Thanks, Tali,” Shepard said. “Catherine, if you have other things to do, you don’t have to wait. I’ll stay here in case they need someone to help on this end.”

“Thanks. I want to check our supplies before we head out,” Catherine said. She followed Tali and Myka out of the AI Core.

Shepard waited until both the Core and med bay doors closed. Then she turned to face the ADI control panel. “ADI?”

“Yes, Commander Shepard?” ADI asked.

“Commander override alpha five jet x-ray bravo charlie,” Shepard said.

ADI blinked out for a moment while she switched modes. When her icon came back, she said, “Authorization accepted. Control of the ADI program is yours, Commander.”

“Switch to manual access,” Shepard said. The ADI holo disappeared and reappeared on the control panel monitor. Shepard scrolled through several screens, confirming which systems she could access that Catherine could not and making sure all her overrides were in place. If something happened and Catherine turned out to be less trustworthy than she appeared, Shepard could take control of her ship, even remotely. Once she was satisfied, she said, “Thank you, ADI. Log out of Commander Override and resume normal operations.”

“Yes, Commander. Logging you out,” ADI said.

Shepard sighed with relief. She leaned against the table at the back of the room to wait for Tali. And she reveled in the silence. For once in her life, there were no reports to look at, crew making requests, endless messages that needed an answer. No child screaming at her to play.

The moment she thought that, she felt guilty. She loved Brie more than anyone. She had thought she couldn’t love anyone more than Liara, until she held her daughter in her arms. Speaking to other parents over the years, she knew that all parents went through times when their kids drove them nuts. But after five years, she still felt guilty. Because with the number of times she had almost died in her life, Brie was a miracle.

It took about an hour for Tali and Myka to get the shuttle comms working again. Steve was right. The EMP had fried a few wires. After they connected to ADI, the two engineers decided to go out for a drink, leaving Shepard free to return to her own ship.

***

Both ships took off as soon as they finished loading supplies. They went in opposite directions, with Catherine heading back toward Council Space and Shepard going deeper into the Terminus Systems. They tested the connection between the AI programs again once they made it through their first mass relays. EDI and ADI linked easily, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Shepard made sure they were safely on their way before heading down to the cargo bay to work out. She hadn’t made it three steps off the elevator before Steve looked up with a goofy smile.

“Commander, can I have a minute?” the pilot asked.

Shepard diverted over to Steve’s station. “What’s got you smiling?” she asked.

“Sorry. Davie’s such a nerd sometimes,” Steve replied.

“Only sometimes?” Shepard asked.

Steve laughed. “Good point,” he said. He turned his monitor toward her. The message on screen just read, “I FOUND IT!!!!!”

“Found what?” Shepard asked.

“I have no idea. I was just about to call him to find out. Wanna stick around?” Steve asked with a laugh.

“Message him back and find out if it’s something I need to know. If so, I’d rather make the call up in the conference room. If not, I’ll leave you to it,” Shepard replied. Steve nodded and turned back to his computer. Shepard headed for James’ gym. He’d added more to it over the years, turning it into a real training area for the marines. How he’d managed to do that without coming to blows with Steve was beyond her. The pilot was highly protective of his cargo space.

She had gotten her muscles decently warmed up and just started to work with the punching bag when Steve called out to her. “Sorry to cut your workout short, Commander, but it looks like that message was for you after all,” he said.

“I had a feeling. Grab James and meet me in the conference room,” she replied.

Steve looked at her in surprise. “You want me there for the call?”

“Of course. David messaged you, not me. Maybe he’s just excited, but I have a feeling he wants you to hear something,” Shepard said. Steve looked happy to be included and stupidly romantic over getting to talk to his husband. She headed for the elevator with a smile.

She stopped on the Engineering deck to pull Liara out of her Shadow Broker room. Her wife looked frazzled at the interruption, but came along willingly. When they reached the CIC, Shepard stopped.

Sam wasn’t at her station.

That wasn’t normal for the comm specialist. She was one of the most reliable people on the ship, often at her station long before or after her shift. Shepard couldn’t remember the last time she had found Sam’s station empty during working hours. She glanced around the CIC, hoping to spot the specialist. She was about to head up to the helm to see if she was visiting Carla when one of the crew called out to her.

“Are you looking for Specialist Traynor, ma’am?” the woman asked. Shepard nodded. “I think she’s in the lounge with Lieutenant Hightower.”

Shepard shared a glance with Liara. “Oh, really?” she asked.

“I think we should have a bit of fun with our comm specialist,” Liara suggested.

“I think that is an excellent idea,” Shepard replied.

The crewman looked confused. “They said they were going to get coffee,” she added.

“You’re probably right. Thank you, Ensign,” Shepard said. She and Liara rushed off to the conference room, fighting giggles the whole way.

When they arrived, Shepard turned on the wall screen. With a few keystrokes, she brought up the camera for the Port Lounge. The overhead view showed Sam and Carla on one of the couches. Sam was on her back with Carla lying between her legs. They were kissing passionately enough to make Shepard blush. Sam’s fingers were laced in Carla’s hair, her uniform shirt open to reveal her bra. Carla was propped up on one elbow. Her other hand had disappeared between the two of them. Shepard was glad she had the screen muted.

Liara glanced at her in amusement. “At least they still have most of their clothes on,” she commented. “Go on, Dana. Give them a good scare.”

“You’re enjoying this,” Shepard accused.

“Spying on people is what I do, love,” Liara replied.

They shared a mischievous grin and Shepard activated the room’s comm. “Specialist Traynor!”

The two women sprung apart like someone had applied a live wire to their asses. Carla sat down hard on the far end of the couch, sitting on her hand. Shepard could see her trying to hide how much it hurt. Sam tumbled to the floor, trying to close her shirt with one hand and her pants with the other. Liara and Shepard couldn’t help it. They burst out laughing. Sam glared up at the camera. It took Carla a moment, but she eventually followed her girlfriend’s gaze and spotted it.

“Did you forget I have total control over the ship’s cameras, Sam?” Shepard asked when she could breathe.

“Or that the Lounge is a public room?” Liara added.

Sam and Carla both blushed so red Shepard started to worry they might pass out. “The door is locked and I thought I deactivated all the cameras in here,” Sam replied. She crawled around behind the couch to fix her clothes, not that Shepard and Liara were fooled in any way.

“Nice try, but I have all the override codes. And you’re both on shift, so I feel no guilt about this. Carla, go clean yourself up, grab the coffee you were supposed to be getting and report back to your station, please,” Shepard said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Carla replied. She leapt to her feet and started to salute. She stopped, remembering what she’d just been doing with that hand. She fled out of sight. Shepard and Liara fought to maintain control.

“Sam, when you’re done getting dressed, I need you in the conference room,” Shepard said. She kept her voice even. Barely.

“Yes, ma’am,” came Sam’s answer from behind the couch. Shepard switched off the comm and she and Liara dissolved into giggles. When Shepard heard the door to the security room open, she quickly turned off the feed to the Lounge camera, leaving it ready for Steve to make his call. By the time he and James came around the corner, Shepard and Liara had regained control. She could tell by their faces they had heard the giggles, though.

“Are we ready, Commander?” Steve asked politely.

“Go ahead and connect. Sam is on her way,” Shepard said. Liara turned on her heel to go find a seat before she and her wife could lose control again.

“You good, Lola?” James asked. Shepard just nodded, not trusting her voice. She smiled, though, so James would know everything was fine. She turned toward the credenza at the far side of the room to make coffee for them all.

Steve connected the call and David’s face appeared on the screen. “Hey, babe!” the hacker said brightly.

“Hey, you,” Steve replied, quieter. Shepard knew being away from his family must be hard on him. She made a note to talk to check in with him later.

“Hi, everyone! I found it!” David said. He seemed extremely excited, in the same way Liara used to get talking about Prothean artifacts, or Garrus when he talked about guns.

Sam slipped into the room, nodding a greeting to James, but avoiding eye contact with Shepard or Liara. She just slid into one of the chairs, set a datapad on the table, and sat ready with a stylus to take notes.

“Found what, exactly? Your nerdiness is getting ahead of you, Davie,” Steve said.

“The pattern. I found the pattern to the attacks in the Terminus Systems!” David replied. “And you are just as big a nerd as I am when you get around shuttles and fighter jets.”

Steve shrugged to concede the point. Sam glared up at the screen. “How the hell did you find it? I’ve been running the data through every algorithm I can find. There is no pattern!”

“You were missing some critical pieces of data that I just received from the Shadow Broker,” David said. Sam flashed Liara a glare, but David continued. “She sent me a file regarding purchases made through black market arms dealers on Ilium, with several flagged for possible ties to Cerberus. I noticed something fishy about the dates and went back through the dates of the abductions. Each time one of those arms purchases occurred, there was an attack within the week preceeding the sale where the people abducted were almost exclusively non-humans.”

“Almost as if someone were grabbing a bunch of slaves to sell off quickly for a stockpile of available credits,” James said.

“Exactly,” David said. He brought up a screen full of data showing the correlating dates. Shepard was impressed.

“But that is only half a pattern, David. It does not explain the remaining abductions. If they were truly just after the money, why take the humans at all?” Liara asked.

“Tevos’ data indicated that the humans weren’t being sold. They were being captured,” Shepard said.

“Right. I thought about that,” David said. The data on the screen changed, this time showing abduction dates on one side, and the dates of Catherine’s attacks against Cerberus on the other. “The abductions where the majority of the people taken were human all correspond to a flurry of communications from several Cerberus research facilities. In every one of those cases, one of the facilities went dark before the “cargo” could be delivered, and each one correlates to one of Catherine’s attacks. But she never found any humans and they’re all still missing. That leads me to believe that Catherine just picked one of the ones lighting up and hit it without realizing there were prisoners en route. The kidnappers must have redirected to another facility when they lost contact.”

“How the hell did you make that connection?” James asked, eyes ticking over the data.

“David’s mind is a ridiculous little squirrel’s nest of connections the rest of us can’t follow. It’s how he can see the back doors through codes that should be impossible to find,” Steve said.

“Yeah, pretty much,” David confirmed. “Here’s the thing. I’m worried. Shepard stopped one of their abductions. You cost them time, people, and ammo, all of which need to be replaced fast. They may also have buyers who were expecting product and are pissed. Not to mention losing test subjects and one facility in the process. Just before the attack on Anhur, Catherine picked up a flurry of messages. Four facilities lit up like Christmas trees. She chose one and hit it hard and fast. That facility is dark now, but another flurry of communications started just recently, involving the other three. Cerberus is scrambling to make up for your hit.”

“So, we need to figure out where they’re going,” Shepard said.

“I have an idea about that. In the Relic system of the Eagle Nebula, the hanar have mining operations based on the moons surrounding several of the system’s gas giants. They staff the places with their drell conscripts. The drell as so loyal to the hanar that they need very little oversight, so the majority of the people on those moons are drell who are generally tired and overworked. They would be an easy target,” David said.

“And drell bring a high price in the slave trade because they are so rare,” Liara added. They all looked at her in surprise. She shrugged. “One hears things as the Shadow Broker.”

“Any thoughts on how they’re going to make up for the loss of lab rats?” Shepard asked.

“Actually, yes. There’s another small human colony in Amun, on the planet Bast. It’s technically an off-shoot of Anhur. The colony formed after the Eclipse cleared out,” David said.

“After the Anhur Rebellions, correct?” Liara asked. “I remember mention of that colony. The planet was a fall back base during the rebellion.”

“What are the Anhur Rebellions?” James asked.

“About a decade before the Reaper Invasion, there was a war in the Amun system to abolish legal slavery. We share Anhur with batarians, who already had slavers. The human corporations were losing a lot of money, so they passed a law getting rid of minimum wage, basically making their employees slaves. Needless to say, people hated that idea and fought back. The batarians had the advantage, so the humans started trying to hire mercs to help them. The Eclipse finally answered and helped us win the war,” David explained.

“If I remember correctly, the colony has few defenses. For the most part, they seem to think their anonymity will keep them safe. They rarely leave the planet, or communicate off-world,” Liara added.

“But they have to have ways of getting supply drops,” James said.

“No. They do all their supply runs themselves,” David replied.

“Okay, do we have some way to contact them?” Shepard asked.

“Maybe. They still have limited contact with Anhur, so I might be able to use that. They might not answer if they realize I’m not on the planet, so I’ll have to try to spoof the ID,” David replied.

“Give it a try. If nothing else, maybe we can establish that someone’s there. I hope we’re not too late. For all we know, Cerberus may have hit them already,” Shepard said. “Also, please send me the information about the comm traffic from those three sites.”

“You got it, Shepard,” David said.

“Okay, Steve, I’ll transfer the call down to your station after I get everything. Go on,” Shepard. Steve glanced at his husband once, then bolted from the room without a word. He stuck his head back in a moment later.

“Uh, thank you, Commander,” he said.

“You’re welcome. Now, go,” Shepard replied. Steve grinned and disappeared.

“Aw. I miss him, too,” David said.

“How are the kids?” Shepard asked.

“Lail is getting along great with Brie and Raila. Ricky’s still being pretty clingy. I don’t think he was prepared for his sister to want girl time. But Sol has taken a shine to baby-sitting him and they seem to be connecting well. We’re surviving,” David said. While he talked, he worked on his computer. By the time he was finished with the kid update, Shepard received the files.

“And Brie is behaving?” Liara asked.

“Oh, yeah! She’s delightful. I think she has more energy than the rest of them combined and she keeps the aunties on their toes. But in a good way,” David added quickly, seeing Liara’s concerned look.

“Thanks, David. This is enough to get us started. We’ll follow the money. You focus on tapping into their communications. Catherine has been doing a great job shutting their facilities down, but not finding out what they’re up to,” Shepard said.

“My pleasure, Commander,” David said. She noticed the same kind of semi-evil glint in his eye that Liara got when she found a juicy bit of information to cause trouble with. Without responding, she transfered the call down to Steve’s terminal.

“Alright, folks. We have our next destination. And the Shadow Broker has her assignment,” Shepard said.

“I’ll be in my room,” Liara said. She gave Shepard a quick kiss and sauntered out of the room.

“What do you want me to do?” James asked.

“Set the nav points for both colonies in the galaxy map and prepare for a drop. Depending on what we find when we get there, we might have to attack both almost simultaneously,” Shepard said.

“Splitting up again. It worked when we went to Anhur. Of course, I ended up with the diplomatic mission, somehow,” James said.

“And then the ship capture turned out to the the easiest thing ever. You haven’t gotten to do much, big guy,” Sam added.

“Don’t worry, James. We’ll get you some action this time,” Shepard said. She grinned at him and walked out of the room.

“Don’t let Ashley hear you say that, Lola!” he called after her. Sam’s bark of laughter followed her down the hall.

Chapter Text

The colony on Bast’s largest moon wasn’t responding to hails, either from the Normandy or David. Given the secretive nature of the settlement, that alone didn’t cause Shepard alarm. But Liara picked up comm traffic over the same transmission frequencies as Anhur, talking about retrieving a shipment in the area. That confirmed it in Shepard’s mind. David had been right.

Galactic alerts also showed an unknown vessel with possible mercenary ties entering the Eagle Nebula just hours before them. It could be nothing, but Shepard didn’t believe in coincidence. She and James stared at both systems on the galaxy map.

“Which do you want?” Shepard asked.

“Well, we know there’s an unknown ship somewhere and scans indicate it was probably headed for Relic. There’s been no distress call from the colony yet, and these folks tend to get jumpy with outsiders. But, Esteban’s connection to Anhur might give us an in. I think it might be best if Esteban and I take a small team down in the shuttle. Enough to fight if necessary. Not enough to scare ‘em if we’re wrong,” James said.

“Excellent,” Shepard said. She was amused how, after all these years, after rising through the ranks of the N-program and running several successful missions of his own, he still treated her like she was his TO, carefully explaining his plan and reasoning. “Just like on Anhur, I think it’s best if your entire team is human. Keep the locals from getting spooked. Pick some marines and take Lanie with you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” James said. He saluted, turning on his heels toward the elevator when she nodded her dismissal. “EDI, what’s Catherine doing?”

“My new counterpart, ADI, also picked up suspicious comm activity. After comparing them, we confirmed they were the other half of the transmissions Dr. T’Soni has been tracking,” EDI replied. “ADI was able to hack the transmissions to narrow down which facilities are expecting deliveries. One is expecting humans, the other non-humans. Catherine is wondering if you would like her to attack or wait.”

“Have her hold for now. I want to know what the Cerberus teams are up to first. Joker, as soon as James and his team are clear, get us to Relic,” Shepard added.

“Aye-aye, Commander,” Joker said.

Ten minutes later, the shuttle launched. Shepard watched its trajectory on the galaxy map as it sped away from them. “Shuttle is clear, Normandy,” Steve said through the comm.

“Confirmed, Shuttle One,” Joker replied.

“Good hunting, ground team. Joker, jump us to FTL,” Shepard added. The ship lurched with the jump. Shepard watched the galaxy map, waiting for updates. Either from EDI or the shuttle team.

Shepard caught herself tapping her fingers against the console and pushed away. Still anxious, she started pacing instead. Sam flashed her a mildly annoyed but sympathetic look.

“Shepard, even at FTL speeds, it is going to take a couple of hours for us to reach the Relic system. Perhaps Dr. T’Soni could use your assistance,” EDI said.

A quick glance around the CIC told Shepard she was making the flight crew nervous. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, EDI. Let me know when we get there.”

Just before the elevator doors closed, Shepard heard Sam mutter, “Thank you, EDI.”

“My pleasure, Specialist Trayn—“ The doors closed on the rest. Okay, yeah. She had definitely been annoying the crew. Somehow, knowing Catherine was out there made everything worse. On one hand, she worried about what the clone might be getting up to. What kind of trouble could her doppelganger cause in her name?

On the other hand, she could just let Catherine… take over. Go back to her daughter, her house, and the garden that had started out as Liara’s but had slowly become hers. After they finished this mission, she and Liara could go back to Armali while Catherine quietly slid into her role in the galaxy. Catherine could be Spectre Shepard, take Hackett up on that promotion he kept offering, and she could just be Dana. Loving mother and wife.

Shepard sighed as the doors opened on the Engineering deck. There would be too many questions. Primary among them being why Shepard was flying around the galaxy while her wife and daughter were on Thessia. And if Shepard was on the Normandy, who was the red-headed human living with them? No, it wouldn’t work.

As she walked into the Shadow Broker office, Liara smiled at her but didn’t look away from her work. Shepard slid in behind her, slipped arms around her wife’s waist, and kissed the back of her neck. Liara sighed happily and patted Shepard’s hand. The commander knew it was a dismissal, but she didn’t care. She peppered kisses along her wife’s neck, tilting her head to nibble gently on the spot just under her crest that drove Liara crazy.

Liara gasped. “Dana! I’m working,” she said, pulling gently away.

“Sam, EDI, and David are all analyzing scans and we have a destination,” Shepard replied.

“I have other work, love,” Liara countered.

“You always do, Bellflower. Take a break,” Shepard murmured in her ear. Liara turned to say something, but Shepard captured her mouth in a kiss.

Having Brie off-ship had reawakened something between them. After seven years, they had fallen into a routine. The classic rut of married life. Work and their child became more important than taking time for themselves. Knowing their daughter was safe and taken care of, they had rediscovered their passion for each other. But Liara’s work still took up far too much of her time. That’s why their date night on Illium had surprised Shepard so much. Yes, it was technically work. But it was the longest Liara had pulled herself away from her computers except for sleep and ground ops.

“I can’t right now, Dana. Not if you want me to go with the squad for this mission. I need to get these reports sorted and sent. There are…delicate negotiations that depend on this information,” Liara said when she broke the kiss. She turned enough to lean her forehead against Shepard’s. “I promise, when we get a little breathing room, we’ll take some time for the two of us.”

“Without a secret background mission?” Shepard asked.

Liara smiled. “Without a secret background mission,” she said. Her smile turned mischievous. “Depending on where we go, I might be able to find us another one of those clubs.”

“Why, Dr. T’Soni, that sounds positively scandalous,” Shepard teased. She ran her hands over Liara’s hips. “I love it. Find a club you want to go to, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Now, off with you. I need to finish this,” Liara said. She turned Shepard toward the door and gave her ass a little swat. Shepard heaved a sigh before heading out the door, blowing her wife a kiss as she left.

***

“They’re still not answering our hails,” Steve said. They coasted over the bleak hills and craters of the moon that housed the Bast colony. A search of Alliance and Council records had revealed no data about the group, not even a name for the colony. Only a brief mention of the location in reference to the Rebellions.

“Okay. Get us close and we’ll go in on foot,” James said. He scanned the area for a good landing zone.

An alarm went off. Steve cursed and yelled “Hang on!” as he pulled hard to starboard. The marines who didn’t grab a handhold got thrown into the wall and cried out. Explosions went off around them as Steve danced through the cannon fire. “They’ve got AA guns,” he growled.

“Your husband could have mentioned that,” James snapped.

“I’m going to assume he didn’t know,” Steve snapped back. “Now, kindly fire our gun back while I find a safe place to land.”

“Yeah, yeah, Esteban. Keep your shirt on,” James muttered.

“I would really prefer it if I didn’t have to treat the team for blunt force trauma from our own shuttle!” Lanie yelled.

“That’s why I’m flying,” Steve muttered under his breath with a smirk at James.

“One time. I crashed the shuttle one time,” James said. He moved to the back and activated the shuttle’s turret. “Helmets on, everyone. Bryers, get on the gun.”

Steve dodged cannon fire while the rest of the team locked their helmets in place. Steve triggered the mass effect field to protect him from the moon’s thin atmosphere. With everyone ready, James opened the door and Bryers swung the gun around. The rest of the marines stacked up to either side of the door, ready to jump out. On his screen, he saw a hill large enough to hide the shuttle behind.

“LZ located. Going to ground,” Steve said into the comm. He spun the shuttle and sped away from the compound. As soon as they landed, James gestured for Caldwell and Vandi to jump out. They took up scout positions to either side of the shuttle while Bryers stowed the turret. Steve pulled up their scanners to watch for enemy transponders.

“Esteban, you’re with us this time,” James said.

Steve looked at him in surprise. “Who’s going to stay with the shuttle?”

“Caldwell, stay here with Lanie. The rest of you, move out. Suit up, Mr. Cortez,” James replied.

James hoped Steve’s connection to David and the settlement on Anhur would help. But he didn’t even know these people existed before a few days ago. He’d lived in Ardonis for almost two years and never had contact with the Bast colony. Still, without David here, he was their best hope. He quickly donned his armor and helmet.

Before he could leave the helm, an alert flashed on the screen. He pulled it up. The scanners had picked up a shuttle transponder that was flagged in the Alliance system as having possible ties to Cerberus from before the war. He grabbed his gun and went to the back.

“Cerberus is here,” he said in a tight voice.

“You’re sure?” James asked.

“Unless Cerberus sold a shuttle to a bunch of recluses, yes,” Steve said.

“Then it might not have been the colonists shooting at us,” Richards said.

“Probably not. Either the AA guns were automated to respond to anyone approaching without clearance, or that was Cerberus,” Steve said.

“Okay, stay tight and move fast. Apprehend the Cerberus agents if possible, but finding and rescuing the colonists is our first priority,” James said.

They all nodded at him. James led them out of the shuttle and past Caldwell, who took up a guard position by the door. They moved across the open field in front of the compound. Enemy transponders popped up on their HUDs.

“Turret!” Richards yelled. They scattered as machine gun fire strafed the ground between them. James covered Steve as bullets eroded their shields. Steve located the gun. An engineer stood next to it with his omni-tool pulled up. The mercenary barely paid attention to them, relying on his turret to keep them at bay.

“Idiot,” Steve muttered. He locked onto the turret with his omni-tool and hit it with a sabotage code. The turret fire stuttered. The engineer looked up in surprise. Steve threw an overload charge before he could react.

As soon as the charge flew from Steve’s omni-tool, James jumped up. “Move!”

The overload hit the damaged turret. The gun exploded, throwing the engineer into the wall behind it and knocking him out. The team charged the door of the compound just as a dozen Cerberus soldiers came pouring out. Both sides started firing as soon as they came within range.

They didn’t have a lot of cover. Just a couple of large crates to hide behind. Steve and Vandi crouched behind one while two of the enemy hid behind the other. James, Bryers and Richards charged straight at the mercenaries. As soon as they were close enough, they switched to shotguns and hand-to-hand fighting. James took on two of them while Bryers and Richards went toe-to-toe with one each. The other six mercenaries blocked the door, taking shots at the soldiers.

James ducked an omni-blade. He spun away, kicking the back of the merc’s knee. The man hit the ground and James shot him before he could get back up. The other merc aimed at him, but one of Steve’s overload charges took out her shields. James shot her in the knee. Before she could get up, he kicked her in the face. The merc dropped.

Vandi traded shots with a merc providing cover for another engineer setting up a turret. Steve waited until he was almost done. As soon as the turret started spinning up to attack, Steve threw an incendiary charge. Vandi took down the guard’s shields. The incendiary hit the turret and it exploded. Both mercs flew backward. Neither one got back up.

Bryers and Richards knocked out their opponents at almost the same time. Richards fell to one knee next to his guy, injured. The remaining four mercs abandoned their post at the door to rush the two marines and quickly had them surrounded. Richards pushed himself up. He moved back-to-back with Bryers and the two of them fought desperately. One of the mercenaries behind the crate rushed James while the other one kept him pinned down with gunfire. “Help them. I’ve got Vega,” Steve said to Vandi. The marine nodded and they moved around either side of the crate.

“I can handle these chuckleheads,” James said. “Back up the others.”

Steve was about to protest until he watched James toss a grenade at the one still behind the crate seconds before the other slammed into him. James was ready, rolling with the hit to come up swinging.

Deciding his friend was good for now, Steve changed direction to follow Vandi. Bryers and Richards were in serious trouble. Steve threw a cryo charge at one of the mercs. It hit her square in the back, freezing her instantly. She fell backward, opening a hole in the circle. Bryers dashed out, leaving Richards behind. The remaining three piled onto the injured marine.

“Commander Cortez? That shuttle you flagged just lit up,” Lanie said over a private channel.

Steve’s eyes ticked over the situation. Vandi bolted toward Richards. Bryers had vanished and James was holding his own against the two facing him.

“Vega, the shuttle! They’re trying to get away,” he said.

“Go, Cortez. Stop them. We got this,” James said.

Steve hesitated, glancing back at the three mercs beating the shit out of their marine. “Richards needs help.”

“I’ve got him, sir,” Vandi said.

“Go! They might be moving the colonists,” James said. “The mission comes first, Cortez!”

Steve prayed Richards would be alright and took off running.

***

Joker put the ship in stealth mode as soon as they reached the Relic system. Shepard and the ground team stood around the galaxy map in the war room, while EDI finished her scans. David was linked via comms so he would stop bugging them for updates about Steve.

“Target located,” EDI said. A ship icon appeared on the map on the opposite side of the system from them. “The ship’s registration is not on file with any government agencies, but the description matches that of a ship reported stolen from a turian merchant captain two months ago. There are signs that the registration has been tampered with.”

“Is there any way to find the original registration?” Shepard asked.

“The ship’s records have been purged. It appears they did a full system reboot before connecting the ship to the Cerberus network,” EDI said.

“Well, the only way to truly erase all record would be to replace the physical servers on the ship. If they still have the originals on board, I might be able to dig something out, but I would need a hardline connection,” David replied.

“If I can get someone on board to hardline in, can you access it through them?” Shepard asked.

“Should be able to. Tali or Liara would be the best choices, since their omni-tools have the most advanced software. Without Stevie there, anyway,” David said. Tali had grumbled when she realized that David had upgraded Steve to a better omni-tool than hers. “The only problem is, it might take a while doing it that way.”

“Okay, we’ll see what we can do,” Shepard replied. “EDI, is there any indication they’ve attacked anyone yet?”

“There are no transmissions indicating communication between the ship and anyone groundside. There have been no distress calls from the local mining encampment,” EDI replied.

“So, we have a chance of catching them off guard,” Liara said.

“Excellent. Joker, take us in close. Fast and quiet. When we get in range, shoot to disable. On the off chance that they’ve already hit the encampment, I don’t want to risk civilians,” Shepard said.

“Aye, aye, Commander,” Joker replied.

“David, stay on the line with Traynor. I’ll let you know when we get that hardline,” Shepard said.

“Thanks, Commander,” David replied.

“Arm up and meet at the air lock. Time to board that ship,” Shepard said.

She had just finished securing the last piece of her own armor when EDI came over the ship comm. “Commander, the encampment just sent out a distress call. They are under attack.”

“Change of plans, Shepard?” Garrus asked.

“No. Joker, get us to that ship as fast as possible. EDI, can you disable their communications?” Shepard asked.

“Of course, Commander. I can also disable their navigation so they cannot leave the system,” EDI replied.

“Do it. We’re still going to hit the ship. Hard and fast. With their communications out, they won’t be able to alert the ground team. I feel sorry for the drell who are going to be terrified by this, but it gives us the best opportunity. We catch them in the act, and hopefully find out which facility they were planning to deliver the prisoners to,” Shepard said.

Garrus nodded. “We should try to see if one of the Cerberus goons will assist us in exchange for leniency,” he said.

“Exactly what I was thinking. Let’s move,” Shepard said. She led them back to the elevator.

By the time they reached the airlock, Joker had them within range of the enemy ship. EDI rerouted both their incoming and outgoing comms through the Normandy, then scrambled their navigation. Joker hit their thrusters. The Normandy pulled up alongside the ship. The docking tube extended, jolting the ship as it connected.

As soon as it locked into place, the team rushed across with Shepard and Tali in the lead. Tali deployed David’s advanced lock hack. It cycled through in seconds. As soon as the panel turned green, Tali glanced at Shepard. The commander nodded. Tali hit the button and stepped back.

Shepard swept through the door, with Liara, Tali, Grunt, and half a dozen marines behind her. Garrus brought up the rear, taking a stand near the door with his sniper rifle trained on the room.

“My name is Spectre Dana Shepard. By the authority of the Galactic Council, you are hereby ordered to surrender. Put your weapons on the ground and your hands behind your heads,” Shepard called out to the bridge.

For about half a second, she thought this was going to be as easy as the infiltration of Catherine’s ship. The Cerberus crew just stared at them. Then the door to the helm slammed shut and locked. Several crew members reached for guns while others got on comms, trying to reach the ground crew or warn the rest of the ship. When no one answered, they started to panic. One of them shot at Shepard.

The bullet pinged off her shields. Grunt shot the man in the head and the fight began. Shepard’s team spread out, grabbing cover where they could. All Cerberus agents were given some firearms training, but just the basics. They all ducked behind their chairs or the CIC console. One ran for the helm, getting trapped by the locked door. Garrus took him down with a sniper shot.

One of the agents figured out they could still use their omni-tools as comms and started yelling, “We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack! Lock down every floor and get to the esc—“ she called. Tali’s combat drone silenced her.

“Get the elevator up here and locked in place,” Shepard said. Garrus and Tali rushed over.

Shepard and Liara threw simultaneous singularities at opposite sides of the bridge. Cerberus agents flew into the air, bouncing off the bulkheads. Grunt and two of the marines rushed the agents still on the ground, aiming to disable wherever possible. Two others played target practice with the ones in the air. Shepard threw a warp at her singularity, detonating it and slamming the agents into the walls. They went down and didn’t get back up. Liara ran to the bridge computer and started accessing the ship’s systems.

By the time the second singularity dropped its victims, the agents on the bridge were all down. Hetrix hacked the helm door. Anexia rushed through and forced the pilot to the floor.

“Carla, please join us and take over their helm,” Shepard said.

“On my way, Commander,” Carla replied.

“Shepard, this is going to take a while. One of their goons had the same idea,” Garrus said.

“The Cerberus agents have locked down everything outside of this floor,” Liara said. “I guess her message got through.”

“Despite my best efforts,” Tali grumbled.

Garrus patted her arm. “You did well, dear,” he said.

Carla glanced around as she stepped through the airlock. With a nod from Shepard, she darted up to the helm.

“Shepard, the agents below decks are accessing the escape pods,” Liara said.

“Can you lock them down?” Shepard asked.

“I can,” Carla said as she settled in her seat and pulled up the controls. “In fact, I can seal the pod doors so that the ones already in them are trapped.”

“I knew there was a reason Sam fell for you,” Shepard replied. Liara covered her mouth to hide her smile at the memory of Sam and Carla in the Lounge, but Shepard saw the crinkle in her eyes.

“Consider it done, Commander,” Carla replied, amusement tinging her voice.

“Commander, the ground team is starting to get anxious since they’re not getting an answer from the ship. What should we do?” Sam said over the comm.

“Give me a moment and let me know if the chatter gets worse,” Shepard replied. She walked over to where her marines were tying up the Cerberus agents. Grunt stood in front of them, shotgun cradled in his arms, a big krogan grin on his face. The mercs eyed him nervously.

“Alright, I’m giving you all one chance at leniency. We need someone to communicate with the ground team. Cooperate, and I’ll put in a good word with the Council,” Shepard said.

The agents all stared at her with stubborn determination. Shepard sighed and turned away, leaving Grunt to glare at them. From the helm, she heard, “I’ll help you!”

She walked past the flight crew and into the helm. She stopped behind Carla’s seat, standing over the pilot. He still lay face down, hands bound behind his back. He tried to look up at Shepard, but had to settle for staring at her boots. “Alright. Take the co-pilot’s seat. Sam, redirect the ground team’s channel to the helm here.”

“Got it, Commander,” Sam replied.

Hetrix unbound the pilot and helped him to his seat. “Find out what they want. Don’t give them any warning that we’re here,” Shepard told him.

“Shepard, we have the elevator,” Tali called.

“And I’ve got the ship’s crew manifest, including their duty roster. This should give us a good idea of how many are on each floor,” Liara added.

“Excellent,” Shepard said. She walked over to Liara while the pilot contacted the Cerberus ground team. She scrolled through the roster, quickly developing a plan. “Okay, people. Let’s make this quick and clean. Take them alive where possible.”

She left Hetrix guarding the prisoners and Carla baby-sitting the pilot. The rest of the team gathered at the elevator doors, awaiting her command.

Chapter Text

Steve slid to a halt next to the wall of the compound. He leaned against it for a moment to catch his breath. When he was ready, he glanced around the corner. The shuttle hadn’t left yet. It was a personnel transport vehicle, rather than a combat shuttle. The pilot kept it hovering while three Cerberus soldiers loaded prisoners into the back. Steve pulled back out of sight.

He had two options. Wait for them to finish loading and disable the shuttle in the air. That could be risky for the prisoners. Or, he could try to take out the mercs now and use the shuttle to rescue the colonists. That also risked the lives of the prisoners, and it was more dangerous for him. Three against one outside and who knew how many inside.

“Lanie, you read?” he said into his comm, quietly.

“I’m here,” Lanie replied.

“I need you to ready the shuttle. You might have to fly interference,” Steve said.

“I’ve never done any kind of combat flying,” Lanie said, voice high with panic.

“I have, sir. What do you need?” Caldwell cut in.

“They’re using that shuttle to transport prisoners. If I can’t stop them from taking off, I need to you take them down with as little damage to the shuttle as possible,” Steve explained.

“On it, sir,” Caldwell replied.

With that backup plan in place, Steve took a deep breath. He glanced around the corner again. The line of prisoners had thinned out. They were almost done. Now or never. He target locked one of the mercs and launched a combat drone. As soon as it flew off, he threw an overload charge at another one. He started to fire when he saw the telltale flash of blue that meant the merc’s shields had dropped. The drone kept the first one distracted. The third merc all but threw the last prisoners onto the shuttle and leapt in after them. The shuttle lifted off with the door still open. Steve got a lucky headshot, and one mercenary went down.

“The shuttle is away. You’re up, Caldwell,” Steve said.

“Abort, Commander. Richards is in bad shape. I need Lanie,” James said.

“They’re getting away with the colonists, James!” Steve called back.

“Richards is going to die if he doesn’t get medical attention right now, Esteban,” James said.

The merc finished off the drone and turned his attention to Steve. The pilot ducked back around the corner when the mercenary threw a grenade at him. It missed by a mile, but forced the shuttle to swerve closer to Steve as it flew past.

Making a split second decision, he ignored the merc on the ground and ran for the shuttle. “Lanie, help Richards. I’ve got this,” he said. He took a flying leap and landed with a roll inside the shuttle.

“Esteban, what are you doing?” James called.

He ignored his friend. The prisoners shrank away when their guard drew his gun. Steve ducked as the merc fired off two shots. The shuttle jerked to the side, throwing Steve and his opponent off balance and the prisoners crashing into each other.

“Stop firing inside the shuttle, you moron. Just throw him out the damn door,” the pilot yelled through the comm.

The mercenary racked his gun and rushed Steve. They slammed into the wall, inches from the open door. The merc’s shoulder hit Steve in the solar plexus, but his armor took the brunt of it. The attack left him winded, but not disabled. Steve slammed the heel of his hand into the merc’s chin, driving him back just enough for the pilot to bring his elbow down on top of the merc’s head. The merc’s helmet protected him and he shook it off, pulling away before Steve could follow through. He grabbed Steve’s arm and twisted it back, forcing the pilot face first into the wall. Steve shoved against the wall with his other hand, hooking one foot behind the merc’s at the same time. The merc tripped, hitting the ground hard. A hard kick damaged the servos near the merc’s knee.

The merc grabbed Steve’s ankle and yanked. He slammed into the ground, all the breath knocked out of him. The mercenary took advantage of his disorientation to roll on top of him, pinning his legs. The merc started punching. Steve got his arms up to fend off the worst of it, but he didn’t know how much more he could take. There was a brief pause. Steve looked up to see the merc fabricating an omni-blade. He shifted just before the blade came down. It missed his head but cut into his armor deep enough for a glancing blow to his shoulder. Steve screamed and fired off an incendiary charge right in the man’s face. He flailed back enough for Steve to get a leg free. He kicked as hard as he could. The mercenary flew out of the shuttle.

Steve struggled to his feet and hit the button to close the door. Then he turned his attention to the panel to override the helm door. He had a little trouble focusing, but he’d learned a trick or two from his husband over the years. Davie had an override code that worked on almost any lock made before the war. The door slid open. Steve rushed through it before the pilot could react. He pulled his pistol and held it less than an inch from the pilot’s helmet.

“Land the shuttle and surrender,” he said. The pilot hesitated, hand wavering between the landing sequence and the comms. “At this range, your helmet won’t protect you.”

The pilot landed. He let Steve drag him out of the helm. Steve bound his hands and made him kneel next to the colonists. He triggered a suit patch and medigel for his shoulder. The rest of his injuries were just bruises and he could deal with them later.

“Let’s get you folks out of these chains,” he said.

“Who are you?” one man asked. Some of the colonists looked grateful, others wary at Steve’s approach.

“Flight Commander Steve Cortez with the Alliance navy,” he replied.

“Alliance? We came here to get away from the Alliance,” a woman said.

“If Davie’s right, you came here to get away from everyone,” Steve murmured.

“Davie?” the man asked.

“David Aberfan. My husband. We live in Ardonis on Anhur,” Steve explained.

“You should have started with that. We trust those folks a hell of a lot more than the Alliance,” the woman sneered.

“Well, next time we’ll let them figure out that a previously disbanded terrorist organization was about to kidnap you all to perform science experiments on. I’m sure they’ll show up in time to rescue you,” Steve replied casually.

Another man pushed through to the front of the group and held out his hand. “Thank you, Commander. Please don’t mind them. We don’t get many visitors, as you can guess,” he said. “I’m Glenn Foley.”

Steve shook his hand. “You’re welcome, Mr. Foley. Now, give me a moment to check in with my team and find out where we are.” He slid into the pilot’s seat and brought up the navigation. As he’d hoped, they weren’t too far from the compound. He triggered his comm and said, “Commander Vega, the colonists are secure. We took one prisoner. All other enemy forces are presumed dead.”

“Good work, Esteban. Any chance that thing has weapons? We could use some air support,” James replied.

“Sorry, no. I can rendezvous with our shuttle and trade place with Caldwell,” Steve said.

“Do it. The compound’s not secure yet,” James confirmed.

Steve turned back to the colonists. “Your home is still crawling with Cerberus agents. I’m going to take you to one of my colleagues, who will keep you safe until we get the all clear.”

“You’re not staying with us?” a young woman, barely out of her teens, said.

“I’m the best combat pilot we have, so they need me,” he said with a smile. The girl blushed and nodded, eyes bright. Steve just turned away. “Okay, everyone. Hold tight.”

He got the shuttle in the air and sent rendezvous coordinates to Caldwell.

***

They finished securing the Cerberus ship with no losses and only four major injuries on Shepard’s team. The Cerberus agents fought hard, so they weren’t able to take as many alive as Shepard had hoped. She ordered the marines to strip the bodies of all weapons and any devices that might have information they could find useful, and then eject the bodies out an airlock.

She made the same offer to the rest of the prisoners that she had to the flight crew. Amnesty in exchange for information and assistance. Only the ship’s doctor took her up on it, and only with the agreement that she was allowed to treat her own people as well as assist Dr. Kensington.

Shepard made her way up to the cockpit. Carla kept up a steady conversation with the Cerberus pilot when he wasn’t talking to the ground team.

“How are things up here?” Shepard asked.

“Looking good, Commander. There’s no structural damage and all the ship’s systems are running green,” Carla replied.

“Good, good. I’d like to be able to return the ship to its owner more or less intact,” Shepard said. She turned to the Cerberus pilot. “What’s your name, kid?”

“Gio. Uh, Giovanni Malone, ma’am,” the pilot replied.

“Okay, Gio. What’s happening with the ground team?” Shepard asked.

“They’ve collected the… um, they’ve finished…” Gio stammered. He hesitated, trying to pick the best euphemisms to explain the ground team’s mission.

“They’ve finished capturing innocent people to sell into slavery?” Shepard asked.

Gio ducked like he expected a blow. He probably did. “Uh, yeah. They’ve been trying to get clearance to bring the prisoners up. I keep putting them off. I told them we’re having mechanical issues,” he said.

“Good. Get Tali to help you with some engineering techno-babble if Carla runs out of ideas. I want them distracted while we free the miners,” Shepard said.

“Are you going to disconnect the Normandy?” Carla asked.

“Yes. We’ve already stayed docked longer than Joker likes. You’ll have plenty of marines here to keep you safe and I want you to stay in contact with Sam until we come back for you,” Shepard replied.

“Yes, ma’am,” Carla answered with a salute.

Shepard turned back to the Cerberus pilot. “Gio, if they call for help when we attack, lie and say backup is on the way.”

“Shepard? You never actually said what I’ll get for helping you out,” Gio said before she could walk away.

“All I can promise is to tell the Council you cooperated. More than likely, that will mean a reduced sentence, but you’ll still see some prison time. Unless you have information that will give C-Sec a lead they can use to the rescue of some of the slaves you people captured and sold,” Shepard said honestly. “How long have you been involved in this project?”

“About two months. They brought me on to pilot this ship,” Gio replied.

“And how many of these slaver runs have you done?” Shepard continued.

Gio sighed. “This is my third. Look, I’m just the pilot. I learned real early on not to ask too many questions. I can tell you where we took the prisoners, but I have no idea what happened to them after that,” he said.

“And it didn’t bother you that you were so blatantly committing crimes?” Carla asked.

“I didn’t know. They told us we were raiding alien settlements that were working against human interest. And being up here in the helm, I never saw the prisoners. That’s what they called them, so I thought they were being arrested. I planned on making this my last run after I heard Captain Franks and XO Jenson talking about which markets our superiors were targeting with this bunch. They talked about the drell like they were cattle,” Gio explained.

“Is that when you figured out that the only way they were working against human interest was by being non-human and daring to exist in the galaxy?” Carla snarled. Gio didn’t answer. He turned away. Shepard could see the conflict on his face.

“Gio, in the two years before the Reaper invasion, Cerberus was all over the news. They were wanted by both the Council and the Alliance for terrorism. I know you were young, but you must have heard the name. Why join them at all?” Shepard asked, keeping her voice soft. If Carla wanted to play bad cop, she could play good cop.

“I didn’t think it was the same group. I mean, it’s been seven years since anyone’s heard of Cerberus. They were supposedly wiped out during the war. And these guys said we were making humanity’s position in the galaxy stronger. Plus, they paid really, really well,” Gio said.

“Of course, they did. They were trying to buy your compliance,” Carla said.

“Yeah, I was a little surprised to find out they were up and running again, too. And the level of organization… They must have started up again right after the relay network came back online and just managed to stay under everyone’s radar until now. I just wish I knew their end game,” Shepard said.

“Hey, how the hell long is it going to be until we can bring these people up?” a voice said over the comm.

“Back to work,” Gio said. He opened the channel to the ground team and said, “I mean, if you want to risk getting caught in the backlash when engineering discharges the drive core, then by all means. Come on up.”

Carla grinned and Shepard stifled a laugh. Gio might have been blinded by the salary Cerberus flashed at him, but he seemed like a good kid. For Shepard, that just confirmed that Cerberus was up to their old tricks. And that was what made groups like Cerberus so dangerous. At least typical mercenary groups were honest about being criminals. Yes, we sell slaves, drugs and weapons. But crime is a lifestyle, so join us! But Cerberus? They tell people they’re promoting humanity’s best interests, helping humanity find its place in the future of galactic events. All the while committing atrocities that only their highest-ranked people know about. The underlings were never supposed to find out the truth.

Because if they knew the truth, most of them would run screaming. Just like the entire crew of the Normandy had after the Collector mission. Just like Giovanni Malone now.

And it made it harder on the people trying to stop them, too. Shepard had a hard time ordering her marines to shoot to kill, knowing that the majority of the agents they were fighting thought they were doing the right thing. Most of them had no idea the depths of depravity their masters were capable of. For many of them, it was slavery in a gilded cage. They might be paid well, but they could never leave. If they tried, they were hunted down. Either killed outright or turned into one of their masters’ experiments. She had just saved Gio from finding out the hard way that he would never have been allowed to quit.

“Oh, Shepard?” Gio said, bringing her back to the mission at hand. She looked down at him. “I thought I should mention that we have another team in another system in this cluster. They were picking up humans to relocate them—“ He paused, realizing that the reason he’d been given was likely crap. “Actually, I don’t know why. Picking up humans. I know that much. Anyway, I haven’t heard from them in a while. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.”

“Hopefully, it means my team stopped them,” Shepard replied. Gio looked up at her in surprise. “Yeah, we figure out their next target. I have people on the ground, too.”

“We haven’t heard from ours in a while, either. Think everything’s okay?” Carla asked.

“Let’s hope,” Shepard said. “Okay, keep the ground team busy. We’ll be in touch.”

Before they could say anything more, Shepard turned away. She opened her private channel with Liara. “Hey, Bellflower. How’s it going in there?”

“Good. I’m hardlined in and David is pulling an amazing amount of data out of this thing. Data I’m sure Cerberus didn’t think we could get. EDI could have done the same thing, but this gives David something to think about other than his husband being in danger,” Liara said.

“Besides, it was his idea. EDI tends to think in wireless,” Shepard said.

Liara laughed. “True.”

“I’m heading planetside and taking the Normandy with me. I’m leaving everyone else here while I take a team to rescue the drell,” Shepard said.

“Take at least one of our inner circle with you, please,” Liara said. “I need Tali here to keep their engineers in line, but take Grunt or Garrus.”

“Garrus would be better at leading the marines, and he can help either you or Tali as needed. I’ll take Grunt,” Shepard said.

“Thank you, love,” Liara said.

They closed the channel and Shepard headed for the airlock, waving at Grunt to follow her. She issued orders to both ships and made her way down the docking tube. As soon as she and Grunt were clear, Joker and Carla started the process of uncoupling the ships. The truth was, she did her best ground work in small groups and she seriously debated just taking Grunt with her. But it would help to have a sniper along, so she grabbed Corporal Sansi on her way to the shuttle bay.

***

Shepard left a grateful population of drell miners recovering from the trauma of almost being sold as slaves and rushed back to the shuttle. Rixus got them in the air before the door finished closing. They had gotten word from James’ team that their mission was a success, but they had one critically injured soldier. It was going to take them a couple of hours to get back to Bast.

“Joker, get us back to James as quickly as you can,” Shepard said as the shuttle docked with the Normandy. “Sam, get Catherine on the line, please.”

“Yes, Commander,” Sam replied.

Liara was waiting for her when the elevator doors opened. “Glad you’re back. How did it go?”

“Good. Only minor injuries. What happened on the merc ship?” Shepard asked as they rode up to the captain’s cabin.

“Well, we confirmed it was the stolen merchant ship. We also tapped into their communications. There’s a lot to sort through,” Liara said.

They stepped off the elevator and into the cabin. Liara helped Shepard out of her armor, checking for injuries as she went. Minor cuts and bruises, nothing she hadn’t dealt with before. But Liara had noticed her limping.

“Did you get any sense of how long they’ve been back at it?” Shepard asked.

“Not really. The ship only has records going back to when Cerberus stole it. However, it did contain some possible leads for a main base. Sam and EDI are monitoring the open channels while David sorts through the messages and nav logs,” Liara explained.

Shepard caught Liara’s hands as they roamed her body looking for wounds. “Keep that up, love, and I’m gonna miss my call with Catherine.” She chuckled at Liara’s blush. Her wife snatched her hands back and sat on the couch.

“Dana! Behave yourself,” Liara said.

“Hey, you’re the one touching me. Everywhere,” Shepard teased, moving over to the wardrobe to get dressed.

“Commander, I’ve got Catherine on the QEC,” Sam said over the comm.

“Thank you, Sam. I’m on my way,” Shepard replied. She dressed quickly, grinning at Liara’s whistles and catcalls. She brushed a kiss along her wife’s lips before dashing out the door. As soon as the door opened on the CIC, she ran for the comm room. Catherine’s holo image waited for her with crossed arms.

“Hey, there, Commander. My people are getting anxious,” Catherine said.

“Well, you’re in luck. Time for some action,” Shepard replied. Catherine’s eyes lit up. Shepard knew that feeling. “What’s Cerberus been up to on your end?”

“Chatter indicates they know the ops went pear shaped. They were expecting contact hours ago. They’re getting restless,” Catherine explained.

“Then take them out. Hit them hard and fast, and don’t bother being quiet about it. I want them to know we’re coming,” Shepard said. The feral heat in Catherine’ eyes mirrored her own. Shepard opened the channel to Sam’s station. “Sam, I need you and Liara to monitor the chatter coming out of the facilities Catherine’s been watching. I want to know if they contact anyone once Catherine’s attack starts.”

“On it, Commander,” Sam said.

“Rylan, work with Comm Specialist Traynor to monitor Cerberus communications,” Catherine said.

“Yes, ma’am,” Rylan replied.

“I’ll be monitoring your progress, but we have a ground team to retrieve. I won’t be able to help you if things go sideways,” Shepard said.

“Please. I’ve been hitting Cerberus for months without you, and I have all your training in my head. Go get your people,” Catherine replied.

They signed off. Sam, Liara, and Shepard gathered in the war room to track everything at once. Over the next hour, they watch vitals for Catherine’s team, watched the feeds from their suit cameras, and listened to Cerberus.

A burst of static preceded a lot of yelling. Finally, one member of the ground team broke through. “Lieutenant, one of their shuttles took off!”

“Can you stop it?” Catherine asked.

“We tried, ma’am. But they’re out of range,” the merc replied.

“Normandie, come in. Do you see them?” Catherine yelled.

“We’re locked on, Lieutenant,” her pilot replied. “Want us to take them out, or follow them?”

“Commander, I’m picking up a signal from a moving point off-planet from Catherine’s location. Must be the shuttle,” Sam said.

“Catherine, we’re tracking them,” Shepard said.

“I don’t want a single one of those bastards to get away,” Catherine growled.

“Let that one get away. Hopefully, they’ll lead us back to home base,” Shepard said, letting her own lust for the fight bleed through.

Catherine let out a dark chuckle. “Alright, then. We’re almost done with the first facility,” she said.

“Finish ‘em off, girl,” Shepard said. “EDI?”

“I have linked into the shuttle’s communications. Their encryptions have not changed significantly since your time with them. Tracing the channel now,” EDI said.

Shepard watched as clusters and systems flashed in and out of focus on the galaxy map. It reminded her of the day they tracked Kai Lang’s shuttle from Thessia to...

The search finished, bring up a planet in the Iera system of the Shadow Sea cluster. “Oh, good. The asshole has a sense of humor.”

“Exactly how many times is Cerberus going to fuck with my home?” Sam exclaimed.

Horizon spun in the air between them. The signal coordinates indicated they were at or near the Sanctuary compound. “Well, it’s not the first time these guys have used a defunct Cerberus facility. This really shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Shepard said. Sam sneered but didn’t say anything more.

Shepard could understand her frustration. First, Cerberus lured the Collectors there by tricking the Alliance into sending one of Shepard’s squad. Then they created Sanctuary during the war. Cerberus seemed to think of Horizon as their playground, and now they were at it again.

“More importantly, that matches the coordinates Gio gave us,” Liara said.

“Lock on to those coordinates and track any comms in or out. We’ll head there after we pick up James and his team,” Shepard said.

***

Shepard waited next to Dr. Kensington as Steve docked the shuttle. Something in James’ voice when they had spoken concerned her. Supposedly, the mission was a complete success. They captured several Cerberus agents and hadn’t lost a single colonist. Yes, they had an injured soldier, but that was the job.

The shuttle door opened, and Lanie brought Richards out on a stretcher. Dr. Kensington immediately ran over, talking to the medic as they made their way to the elevator. The rest of the team seemed subdued. Shepard realized why a moment later.

James stepped off the shuttle, one hand clamped firmly on Byers’ arm. The soldier had his hands bound behind his back.

“Good job, everyone. According to Vega’s report, it was a clean mission,” Shepard said. Everyone’s eyes slid to Byers, Shepard’s included. “Mostly clean, anyway. Vega and Byers, stay here. The rest of you are dismissed.”

The squad saluted her before heading to the elevator. James stood at attention, not letting go of Byers, who looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him. Steve hung back, on the pretense of starting the shuttle repairs.

“What happened?” Shepard asked.

“Byers abandoned his post and left a fellow soldier to die. Richards’ condition is entirely his fault,” James said.

“We were outnumbered,” Byers countered.

“That doesn’t justify running while a fellow soldier is getting beaten to death!” James snapped.

“Steve, are you hanging around because you have something to add? Or are you just waiting for Vega?” Shepard asked.

Steve sighed and stopped pretending. Shepard noticed him favoring his right arm. “I’m afraid Mr. Vega is right. I saw it happen. Byers ran and left Richards behind.”

“So did you!” Byers yelled.

“I was following orders. No one else was in a position to stop that shuttle from getting away with the colonists. But you were right there. You could have helped Richards. Your orders were to assist the squad with that fight. Instead, you turned tail and ran the first chance you got. You not only abandoned Richards to be beaten nearly to death, but the rest of the squad as well,” Steve replied. His voice remained calm the entire time, but Shepard could see the anger in his eyes.

“Byers, do you have any defense for this?” Shepard asked.

“We were outnumbered, and Richards was already injured. I thought he’d be smart enough to follow me,” Byers said. It was a shitty defense, and he knew it.

“You’re on latrine duty for the foreseeable future. The next time we make port anywhere with an Alliance presence, you’re off the ship. I can’t have people on my team who are willing to abandon their fellow soldiers,” Shepard said.

“Latrine duty and a transfer? That’s it? Richards could still die,” James said.

“Technically, Mr. Vega, I am not Alliance anymore. I have no authority to punish him once he’s off my ship. You, on the other hand, are the ranking Alliance officer on board. If you want to charge him with abandonment and have him court martialed, that’s up to you,” Shepard replied.

She was proud of him when he actually paused to think about his answer. “That depends on if Richards lives or not. If he does, this is going on your record. It’ll make any future commanding office think twice about having you on a team. If not, we will prosecute,” he said finally.

“Since we don’t have a brig to throw you in, you’ll be free to move around the ship until we land. You are off the regular duty roster. The crew will be told what happened. They will be instructed not to retaliate against you, but that won’t stop them from ostracizing you. If they shut you out, I won’t interfere,” Shepard said. With reluctance, James took off the cuffs. Byers rubbed his wrists and stepped away from the big marine. Shepard nodded at the elevator. “Go get cleaned up and get some food. Enjoy this small amount of freedom while you can.”

James watched Byers walk away and shook his head. “Doesn’t seem right,” he murmured.

“No, but it’s the best we can do. I have nowhere I can put him right now. But we have good news,” Shepard said James and Steve turned to look at her. “We have a lead.”

Chapter Text

Gio paced a small conference room on the Alliance cruiser Berlin. The captain, Menard, vehemently protested giving any sort of accommodation to any member of Cerberus, even a cooperative one.

The rest of the Cerberus agents were locked in the brig. They had enough evidence from the stolen merchant ship and the testimonies of both colonies that even the lowest ranked agents would be locked up for years. Captain Menard didn’t think the coordinates of one facility were enough to protect Gio from facing the same fate. Shepard agreed with him, but she wasn’t ready to give up on the young man yet.

Shepard walked into the room, causing Gio to jump. She smiled gently as she set a datapad on the table. “Relax, kid. I’m just here to talk. Have a seat,” she said.

Gio sat gingerly on the edge of a chair. Rather than sit opposite him at the table, Shepard leaned against the wall. She put her hands in her pockets, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. “What do you need?” Gio asked.

“Turning on Cerberus and giving us a drop off location was a good start. But based on that alone, the best we can offer is a reduced sentence and private quarters to protect you from the people you just betrayed,” Shepard started. Gio nodded. “You could buy yourself better options if you can give us more information.”

“Like what? I hate to say this, but I wasn’t exactly in the loop,” Gio replied.

“Start with everything you know about this new Sanctuary operation,” Shepard said.

“Not much. I always stayed on the ship when we made… deliveries,” Gio explained.

“No Sanctuary shore leave?” Shepard quipped.

“Haha. No. And they don’t call it Sanctuary. It’s called Cronos Beta. We only went there a couple of times,” Gio said. He paused. “But I can give you proper landing codes and their off-loading procedure.”

“That’s a start. Who would leave the ship for these deliveries?” Shepard asked.

“Just the officers. None of the crew,” Gio replied.

Shepard picked up the datapad and pulled up the crew manifest, handing it to Gio. “Flag the ones who handled the prisoners. And tell me everything you can about their security.”

“I don’t know what they have inside,” Gio said, flipping through the crew photos. “But they have a roving patrol of gunships around the facility. They also have anti-aircraft guns. That’s why the codes are so important. Since they tend to steal ships, the guards here don’t always have the current ID’s. Pilots have to know the correct codes, or risk getting shot down.”

“And pray you die in the process, because the alternative is worse,” Shepard said. Gio nodded. He handed her the datapad back. “How many gunships?”

“I’ve seen four,” Gio replied.

“What about foot patrols?” Shepard asked.

“No idea. But the dock workers are all armed in case prisoners get out of hand,” Gio said.

Captain Menard stuck his head in the room. “Commander, Drs. Kensington and Torres are requesting your presence in the medical ward.”

“Can you let them know I’m on my way?” Shepard asked.

 “Gio, I’d like you to write a report on the off-loading procedure,” Shepard said. When the boy nodded, she added, “Thank you for your help, Gio.”

“You’re welcome, Commander,” Gio replied.

She flashed him a supportive smile as she headed out the door. One of Menard’s crew led her toward the elevators.

***

Liara stood with Dr. Kensington and Dr. Torres of the Berlin outside the medical ward. Dr. Kensington looked tired, stressed. Whatever it was, the news was serious. As she approached, Shepard saw the doc’s gaze drop to her leg, eyes tightening. Shepard’s limp was bad today, but she couldn’t rest just yet.

“What’s the news, doc?” Shepard asked.

“Richards is going to make it, but I’m afraid he’s out of the fight for now. He’s looking at a month, minimum, until he can be cleared for duty,” Kensington said.

“Well, I guess Byers got lucky, then,” Shepard said. “Captain Menard, the Normandy does not have room for long-term care. Can we leave Richards with you?”

“Will he be recovering here, or do we need to arrange transport to a medical facility?” Menard asked.

“That decision is up to Commander James Vega. He will also need to discuss the fate of Serviceman Byers with you. That man is no longer welcome on my ship,” Shepard said, her voice dipping into a growl.

“I’m not here to take your cast-offs, Commander. Last I checked, you left the Alliance,” Menard exclaimed.

“I know. That’s why you need to talk to Vega. He’s the highest-ranked Alliance officer on board, and Richards and Byers are both Alliance soldiers. Vega will explain the situation,” Shepard said.

“Trust me, Captain. Her request is justified. Richards really does need the extra care your medical team can give him. And Byers… well, let’s just say he’s going to find himself sleeping in the airlock if he leaves with us,” Kensington said. Torres looked shocked to hear the doctor say that. Shepard was, too.

“And the prisoners?” Menard asked.

“Transporting prisoners is part of your job, Captain. I might be out of the Alliance, but I still know that much. A frigate like the Normandy doesn’t have the capacity to haul prisoners. Your cruiser does. And they’re human criminals. Are you just pissy that your patrol has been disrupted? Or is this because I retired?” Shepard asked.

“You left the Alliance. I don’t see why I should be taking orders from you,” he countered.

“Two reasons. One, I’m an N7. Even retired, that means I can commandeer any ship in the Alliance navy as needed. Two, I’m a Spectre. Per our agreement with the Galactic Council, my orders supersede yours. If you don’t like it, request a posting on Earth,” Shepard snapped.

Menard looked like he’d been slapped. He stood up straight, hands clasped behind his back. “Of course, Commander.  I’m just not clear on why you’re back in the field.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I got pulled in for a Spectre mission. It’s a one-time deal,” Shepard replied. Liara snorted. Dr. Kensington tried to hide her smile behind a cough. “Of course, there are those who are of the opinion that the Council and the Alliance are wearing me down.”

“Right. I apologize. The Alliance simply told me I was meeting with a Spectre to transport Council prisoners. I wasn’t given any details,” Menard explained.

“Typical ‘need to know’ crap. Well, I’ll be happy to fill you in on what I can,” Shepard said.

“And what’s the deal with Byers?” he asked.

“The short answer is that he’s the reason Richards is in your med bay. Commander Vega will tell you the rest,” Shepard said. Menard opened his mouth to protest. “Look, despite the fact that I am using an Alliance ship and a mostly Alliance crew, I am here on Council business. I decide who is and is not welcome on my ship. Beyond that, I’m staying out of Alliance business. If I were Alliance, I would be ordering you to throw Byers in the brig with the rest of the criminals. But that’s not my decision to make anymore.”

“Can’t wait to hear that story,” Menard murmured. He turned his head, listening to his comm. He looked back at her sharply. “Commander, we might have a problem. There is another ship approaching calling itself the Normandy.”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s the Normandie, with an ‘ie’ at the end. It’s a long story, but she’s with us. Give me a moment,” Shepard said. She contacted Catherine.

“Hey, Dana. We’re almost to the rendezvous point,” Catherine said.

“So I heard. You made it here faster than I expected. How’s your fuel?” Shepard asked.

“Good. We refueled at the Cerberus base,” Catherine replied.

“Perfect. Hang out in orbit for a while. The duplicate ship is freaking out the crew over here,” Shepard said.

“You got it. Should I come over there and make them think you can teleport?” Catherine teased.

“Oh, yeah. That’s just what my rep needs,” Shepard replied, rolling her eyes. “I’ll let you know when I’m done here, and we can plan our next move.”

“Aye, aye, Commander,” Catherine replied. Shepard heard Carla giggling in the background.

She disconnected the call and turned back to Menard. “The ship is a duplicate of mine, and the names are similar on purpose. It confuses the bad guys. She’ll stay clear until we’re ready,” Shepard said.

“And what about that little pilot you’ve got cooling his heels in one of my conference rooms?” Menard asked.

“Not sure what we’re doing with Gio yet,” Shepard said. She paused, thinking over what she knew and what they still needed to find out. “Actually, did we pull you off anything more important than patrol?”

“No. Why?” Menard asked.

“How would your marines like to see some action?” Shepard asked. Menard raised an eyebrow at her, intrigued. “Do you have a large conference room we can use? I need to bring people in from my ship, the duplicate, and anyone you chose from your crew for a major planning session.”

“Of course,” Menard said. “Is this Alliance or Council orders?”

“You can ask Hackett for clearance if you want to cover your ass. But the Alliance is aware that I’m on this mission and have already cleared me to use whatever resources I need,” Shepard said. She turned to Dr. Torres. “Thank you for saving Richards. Please keep me apprised of his condition.”

“We will, Commander,” Torres replied.

Menard turned to lead her down the hall. “Exactly how big is this mission?”

***

Captain Menard looked back and forth between Shepard and Catherine, eyes wide. Shepard wasn’t sure if he was in awe, or terrified. He also glanced nervously at Garrus, Tali, Liara, and Hetrix. He almost looked relieved when James and Steve walked in.  The captain stayed close to the three officers from his own ship.

At Shepard’s insistence, the Berlin’s communications specialist gave Liara access to their system. She pulled up their scans of Sanctuary from seven years ago. “I almost hesitate to use these, they are so out of date. But we don’t have anything better right now,” she said.

“We’ll try to get new ones when we get closer,” Shepard said. “This facility matches the coordinates we got from our informant. We also tracked one of the Cerberus shuttles to the area.”

“The layout is more important, anyway, and I doubt they would have changed that much,” Garrus said.

Hetrix and Menard both leaned in to get a closer look at the schematics. “How did you get the interior plans?” Menard asked.

“From our attack on the facility seven years ago. Which is why we’re missing big chunks of it,” Shepard replied.

“Did they seriously call it Cronos Beta?” Miranda sneered.

“According to Gio. I know. A little presumptuous, if you ask me,” Shepard replied.

“What’s the big deal?” Menard asked.

“The Illusive Man called his main base of operations Cronos Station,” Liara replied. “It may indicate that the current Cerberus leader is someone who was close to The Illusive Man before the war.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Miranda, does anyone come to mind?” Shepard asked.

The biotic shook her head. “The only ones I can think of are dead, imprisoned, or standing right here,” Miranda said. “Does it really matter which of The Illusive Man’s crazy puppets is behind this?”

“Not really, no. But if we knew who it was, we’d have a better chance of predicting their movements,” Shepard said. “Oh, well. No help for it. We go in blind.”

“So, how do you want to play this, Shepard? Are we going to try to take any of them alive?” Garrus asked.

“We have to, if we want any chance of finding the slaves they’ve already sold, right?” Lieutenant Kyrick asked.

“Sorry to tell you this, honey, but that’s not possible,” Catherine replied. The lieutenant looked offended.

“We could attempt to track down the buyers. But there’s no guarantee they still have the slaves, or that the slaves are still alive. And it’s not like Cerberus was logging names. These slave rings tag the slaves with numbers, and that’s all they keep in their records,” Menard added, his eyes haunted. Shepard recognized that look. Menard had either survived a slaver attack, like she had, or he’d been among the first on the ground after one.

“And the reality is that these Cerberus agents have been trained to withstand interrogation. You might find one or two willing to flip on their bosses, like Gio—“ Miranda started.

“Or you,” Shepard said.

Miranda smiled slightly. “Or me. But most won’t. A great many of the people who work for Cerberus genuinely see humanity as the superior race. They certainly wouldn’t betray people willing to kill them without a thought for creatures they see as third-world citizens.” The non-humans at the table grumbled at that. Miranda held up her hand. “I’m not saying I agree. I owe my life to every one of you in this room, and more than a few who aren’t. I’m just saying, you have a better chance of getting information by cracking their computers.”

“Which is where Tali, Liara, and Sam will come in,” Shepard said. “And you, too, Specialist Laurell. If your captain agrees, of course.”

“I would prefer to keep her here on the ship, coordinating comms between our teams,” Menard said.

“That is fine. The three of us are more than up to the challenge,” Liara said. Laurell looked somewhat annoyed at being left out. Since Menard didn’t bother asking for details, Shepard chose not to mention that Sam would be assisting from the Normandy. Let the man think she sent her comms specialist into the field. It would only serve to increase the Normandy’s reputation for being insane.

“Captain Menard, I would like you to remain in orbit around Horizon to gather any operatives we do capture, and any prisoners we find,” Shepard said.

“Do you think that’s likely? That we’ll find prisoners alive?” Garrus asked.

“I highly doubt it. If they’re smart, they sell them almost as soon as they can process them,” Miranda said.

“She’s right. Which means searching for prisoners is our secondary objective. We need to take the cell down as quickly as possible. Shoot to kill. If you don’t kill, make sure operatives are bound and secured before moving on. Remember, these people do not care about the lives of their prisoners. If they do still have anyone on site, they will not hesitate to kill them. Take out the bad guys as fast as you can. We can do a thorough search of the facility after it’s secure,” Shepard said. “Catherine, take half your people in the Atraxia. Have Gio fly. He can get you in safely. They’re expecting a delivery of slaves, so they won’t think twice about it. When the operatives come to collect their shipment, you attack. Hard and fast.”

“So, we’re the distraction?” Catherine asked. Shepard nodded.

“You’re letting the Cerberus pilot fly them in?” Menard asked.

“He knows the landing codes. And it means all our pilots are free for other assignments. Plus, if he actually helps us without warning Cerberus, I can try to get him a pardon for his part in all of this. That seems to be pretty strong motivation for him,” Shepard replied.

“Besides, it won’t be your people in danger, Captain. It will be mine,” Catherine said.

“And we won’t tell him that you’re still in orbit. That way, even if he does betray us, you’ll have the element of surprise to provide back up,” Shepard added. Menard glanced at his officers. They shrugged and nodded. “Speaking of back up, Catherine, I want the other half of your crew to remain on the Normandie, ready to ride to the rescue, if necessary,” Shepard added.

“Where do you want the shuttles after we drop everyone off?” Steve asked.

“Air support. Fly the perimeter and try to find those gunships Gio warned us about,” Shepard replied.

“What about the AA guns?” Catherine asked.

“My team will take care of those. After Gio gives the landing codes, the pilots should have some time before the AA guns activate,” Shepard explained.

“What about your crew?” Menard asked.

Shepard highlighted a side entrance. “Garrus, Tali, Grunt, Liara, and James will come with me. We’ll enter through here. Security seems lighter on this side, so we can stealth our way in while Catherine pulls focus. Miranda, I want you to stay with Catherine. Other than Gio, you know the most about Cerberus operations. The rest of my marines will cover the back with Hetrix in command. Menard, would your marines take orders from a turian?” Shepard asked.

“If I tell them to. And if they value their jobs,” Menard replied.

“Excellent. I’d like some of your marines to supplement mine on the ground. Pick someone you trust to act as Hetrix’s second,” Shepard said. Hetrix nodded his agreement. Lieutenant Kyrick met Menard’s eye and nodded as well.

 “Alright, we have a plan. Any questions?” Shepard asked.

Everyone shook their heads and Shepard dismissed them. She stayed in the room, staring at the schematics hanging in the air above the table. As she let her eyes wander over the image, the tingle of another biotic field mingled with hers and she smiled.

Liara slid her arms around Shepard’s waist. She rested her chin on her wife’s shoulder and said, “What’s going on in that brilliant mind of yours?”

“It’s been months, Bellflower. I feel like we’ve been away from our home, our daughter for a lifetime. I’m worried Brie will think we abandoned her,” Shepard replied.

“We talk to her all the time, Dana. She seems fine. And she’s have the time of her life, running around that huge ship,” Liara replied. “I think we’re going to have a hard time getting her to stay planetside after this.”

Shepard chuckled. “You have a point. I blame Steve for getting her attracted to shuttles from the day she was born.”

Liara kissed her cheek softly. “You know, there’s no real reason to keep her planetside, either. I can work from anywhere. And you seem to enjoy being back out in the field. Maybe we should start traveling again.”

Shepard turned in her wife’s arms to lean back against the table. This close, she could see all the different shades of blue in Liara’s eyes and could get lost trying to name them all. She brought her hands up to cup Liara’s face and kissed her gently. “I get the feeling Brie is not the only one who’s been feeling trapped on one planet lately. Is this what you want, Liara?”

“Yes. I had been trying to find a way to bring the subject up for a while. You always seemed so content at the house. I did not want you to think I was trying to get away from you. I want us to travel as a family,” Liara said.

“And then Tevos showed up and the decision was made for us,” Shepard concluded. Liara nodded. “Alright, love. After this is over, we can talk about getting back out in the galaxy more. I seem to recall you promised me a steamy nightclub before we go pick up our little Bluebell.”

Liara’s eyes lit up. “Dana! You are wicked, aren’t you?”

Shepard planted a kiss on Liara’s lips, one hand slipping around her wife’s waist, the other stroking the underside of Liara’s crest. Liara moaned at the touch. “Later, my love. We have an op to run.”

“Which means I get to watch you put on your armor. Is it strange that I find it sexy when you put on clothes?” Liara teased, stepping back to take one of Shepard’s hands and pull her toward the door.

“You just like the part where I get naked first,” Shepard accused playfully.

“You may be right, Dana,” Liara replied with a giggle.

***

Catherine stood behind Gio, watching the planet spinning ahead of them. This was one of the few pieces of Shepard’s life she didn’t share. She had no memory of arguing with Ashley after the Collector attack or chasing Kai Leng through Sanctuary. But when they’d left the Berlin, Shepard’s squad mates were all seriously on edge. Miranda stepped up next to her. She crossed her arms and paced the tight quarters of the helm. Gio glanced at her in concern.

“You alright?” Catherine asked.

“I killed my father in that facility,” Miranda murmured.

“Damn. What the hell did he do to you?” Gio asked. Catherine glared at him.

“Not important. Our team has a lot of history in this place. I’m starting to understand Jack’s need to blow the Teltin Facility to hell and gone,” Miranda replied. She stopped moving, clasping her hands behind her back.

“Lawson’s right, Gio. Focus,” Catherine said. She moved up to the control panel and opened the comm. “Commander, you in place?”

“Yes. Ground teams are ready on your mark,” Shepard replied.

“Alright, Gio. Take us down,” Catherine said.

He began the decent, taking over the comm when the facility made contact. “Incoming transport, identify yourself.”

“This is the Atraxia, requesting permission to dock.”

“Docking code?” the agent asked.

“Menoa5864,” Gio replied.

“You’re late. Where the hell have you guys been?” the agent asked.

“We had some technical difficulties,” Gio lied. Catherine’s fingers tapped impatiently on the back of the pilot’s chair. Gio shifted uneasily.

“Why didn’t Captain Franks inform us?”

“Tech-ni-cal. Diffi-cult-ies. Look, we’re coming in fast. Are you gonna give me clearance or not?” Gio sneered.

“Yeah, yeah. Confirm your last target,” the agent said.

“Island Wind in the Relic System,” Gio replied.

“Docking clearance confirmed.”

Gio turned off the comm. “Like pulling fucking teeth.”

He began docking procedures. The port was only large enough to accommodate one ship at a time. Several dock workers had already gathered to help them move the “shipment”.

“Everyone, take your places. Branson, have your shuttle close but out of sight,” Catherine said into the comm. She patted Gio’s shoulder. “Once Miranda and I are clear, seal the helm. Don’t let anyone in other than Shepard or me.”

Gio nodded. Catherine and Miranda hadn’t even made it half way to the CIC when they heard the helm door shut and seal. They took the elevator down to the cargo bay. The room swarmed with mercenaries, all armed, armored, and ready to go. She had chosen a handful to stay behind to guard Gio and the Atraxia. Everyone else took positions around the cargo bay, hidden from view of the door. XO Rosarn handed Catherine and Miranda their weapons and they got into cover.

Catherine nodded at the mercenary closest to the door controls. He hit the button and they watched intently as the cargo ramp lowered. The Cerberus dock workers looked annoyed at the delay, then confused when greeted with an empty room. They walked slowly onto the ship.

“Where is everyone?” one asked. Catherine saw two of her people shift out of sight as the Cerberus employees came further in.

“Who cares? Where the hell are our slaves?” another asked, sneering at the stacked crates.

That was all Catherine needed. “Air support is a go,” she said into her comm. Then she jumped out of hiding and yelled, “Freeze!” The rest of her team popped out, surrounding the Cerberus workers. “By order of the Galactic Council, you are—“

The sneering one shot at her. The bullet deflected harmlessly off her shields. Catherine snared him in a web of dark energy, lifting him in the air and throwing him over the heads of his team. The rest of his people drew their guns and ran for the door, shooting their way out. Catherine signaled her mercs to follow.

The Cerberus crew had barely cleared the cargo ramp when rockets slammed into the ground between them and the facility. They pulled up short, ducking behind crates and vehicles for cover. Catherine’s mercenaries did the same and the fight began.

Chapter Text

Shepard led her team toward the facility on foot. Behind them, Steve took off, flying low in case the AA guns activated.

The facility looked just as deceptively beautiful as when it had been Sanctuary. Lush trees and bushes surrounded the elegant glass and steel building. This side was quiet.

As they got closer, they ran into a few guards on patrol. The team took care of them quickly and quietly. Through the glass, they could see workers going about their day to day business. The team used the trees and bushes as cover and waited for their distraction.

“Charlie team in place, Commander,” Hetrix said.

“Alpha team in place. Wait for Bravo to draw their attention,” Shepard replied. Closing the channel, she murmured, “Come on, Catherine.”

“She will come through for us,” Liara said. She flashed Shepard a thin smile. Before Shepard could respond, a series of explosions shook the air. An alarm sounded deep in the building and the employees scattered.

Tali hacked the lock. The door slid open, and she backed out of the way to let Shepard take the lead. Shepard rushed forward, gun sweeping in front of her. They moved quietly toward the back of the large, open space while the employees cleared out, oblivious to the intruders. They were in a part of the facility they hadn’t made it to last time. It appeared to be some kind of employee lounge.

“Movement at the back of the room,” Garrus murmured in the comm.

“Okay. Tali and Garrus, watch our six,” Shepard said. The couple pulled back while the rest of the team pressed on.

As they came around a partition, they saw four Cerberus agents rushing for a back door. Shepard dropped into cover and threw a singularity at the retreating agents. Two of them flew into the air with a cry. The other two turned and pulled weapons, ducking behind cover. One leaned out, searching for their attacker. James shot him in the arm. He dropped his rifle with a scream. Grunt roared and charged the last guy. Liara waited for Shepard’s singularity to draw the first two together and threw a warp. The singularity exploded, throwing them into opposite walls.

They heard the crack of Garrus’s sniper rifle, but none of their targets fell. “Scratch one! Shepard, you have three more coming up behind you,” he said.

“Focus on your targets, Shepard. We’ve got these guys,” Tali said.

“Copy that, Tali. We’re moving further in,” Shepard said. Grunt’s shotgun barked. His target went down. Shepard shot the two operatives struggling to stand while Grunt spun to take out James’s target.

As Shepard’s group moved to the far side of the room, they heard shots behind them. “We’re clear, Shepard. All targets down,” Garrus said.

Garrus and Tali caught up to them. Shepard led them through a door into a small hallway with doors at either end. Liara pulled up the scans they had made upon arrival.

“According to this, one of the AA towers should be through that door,” she said, pointing to the north. “There may be a way to manually shut them down. The other door appears to lead to some of the areas we went through on our last visit.”

“Garrus and Tali, see if Liara’s right about the guns. Anything you can do to give our pilots an edge would be good,” Shepard said. The couple nodded. “Liara, see if you can find a route to the comm tower that doesn’t go through the secret underground science lab.”

“Yes, Dana,” Liara replied.

“James, keep her safe. Grunt and I will clear the courtyard,” Shepard said.

Liara and Tali hacked their respective locks simultaneously. Shepard’s team waited for Garrus and Tali to clear their door. Shepard nodded to Grunt. The krogan swept through the door with Shepard at his heels. Liara and James brought up the rear. Grunt and Shepard guarded the door out to the courtyard. Liara and James went through the door to their right. In the brief moment before it closed behind her wife, Shepard recognized the “Welcome Center” from Sanctuary. It didn’t look nearly as friendly now.

Shepard led Grunt through the far door and out to the courtyard. They swept their guns back and forth, but nothing moved. Shepard walked over to the computer interface that controlled the lake hiding the entrance to the secret lab where Henry Lawson had experimented with Reaper tech. She wanted to know if the lab had been accessed recently.

“We have incoming!” Grunt called before she could open the interface.

Shepard turned to find five agents running toward them, guns drawn. Grunt rushed the one in the lead, knocking him off his feet and barreling into the one behind. Shepard threw a singularity, which grabbed two more. She shot the last one before she could respond.

Grunt’s first victim tried to fight back. They grappled on the ground, the agent trying to get some kind of leverage to get the krogan off him. Grunt’s other victim got up on one knee and targeted Shepard. She ducked behind a big planter. The agent kept up a steady barrage of gunfire. When she paused to reload, Shepard leaned out, using her biotics to yank the gun from her hand. Shepard threw a warp to eat through her shields. When she saw the blue flash that meant they were down, she leaned out. The agent pulled a second gun and fired a couple of shots that pinged off Shepard’s shields. Shepard took the hits, placing three shots close together in her torso. The agent fell back. Shepard heard a crack and Grunt’s enemy fell to the ground with a snapped neck.

The singularity collapsed, dropping one operative in the water and the other back on the ground. Grunt leaned over the edge and killed the one in the lake, then spun to shoot the other one in the knee.

“Want him alive, Shepard?” Grunt asked over the screaming.

Shepard walked over and aimed her pistol at his head. “Stop screaming.”

“It shot me! That fucking reptile shot me!” the man screamed.

“Yep. And he’s going to do it again if you don’t stop screaming and answer my question,” Shepard replied.

“Get that creature away from me,” the agent whined.

“No. Are there any slaves at this facility?” Shepard asked.

“This really hurts! You gotta help me,” he yelled trying to staunch the bleeding. The knee was shredded. He’d be lucky to walk again. His eyes ticked past Shepard, his screams ratcheting up a notch. “Get it away from me!”

Grunt stepped up next to her, a terrifying krogan smile on his face. “Slaves?” he growled. That only made the screaming worse, so Shepard shot the man in the head.

“Never mind,” Shepard said. She turned back to the computer to access the logs.

“Anything good?” Grunt asked.

“Well, the good news is, there are multiple ways to access the secret labs. The bad news is they’re all on the far side of the fighting,” Shepard replied.

“Do we need to go to the secret labs?” Grunt asked.

She found records indicating activity in the labs as recently as that morning. Shepard sighed. “Yeah, I’m afraid we do.” She hit the button to drain the water.

***

James led Liara through the door into the old Welcome Center. A sign on the far wall declared it was now “Processing”. The room looked almost exactly the same, only now there was no attempt to make the intake process seem warm and friendly. No bright, happy posters. No overhead voice promising safety. A half dozen employees scrambled to collect datapads and shut down computers. Catherine’s battle raged on the other side of the glass wall at the front. The employees kept glancing at the entrance, unaware of James and Liara sneaking up on them.

“We need to stop them from wiping those computers,” Liara said quietly.

“You got it, Doc,” James said. He threw a grenade right outside the intake zone, close enough to distract the employees but not damage the computers. The explosion went off, blasting potted plants and furniture in every direction. The Cerberus workers looked around in surprise. James shot the nearest one in the heart.

The rest scattered. Three grabbed whatever documentation they could get their hands on while the other two pulled assault rifles out from under nearby desks, firing randomly. James and Liara dove for cover. Liara threw a singularity at the retreating employees. The three of them shrieked as they got pulled into the air.

James threw another frag grenade. One of the shooters went down without a sound. He peaked out to engage the other. The man had good cover. While they traded shots, Liara worked her way around the room, darting from cover to cover. Her singularity started to waver. Just before it went out, she threw a warp to detonate it. People and datapads flew in every direction. Two of the agents got to their feet quickly. The third struggled out of her sight.

Liara shot one of them. The last one dove behind a desk and came up shooting. They traded shots back and forth. “Damn, these guys are good,” James grumbled.

“Unfortunately, Cerberus does train their people very well,” Liara replied. She ducked another shot and grabbed her attacker’s gun with biotics. She threw it at the one pinning James down. The marine took advantage of the distraction and shot the Cerberus agent in the head.

Liara’s target lobbed a grenade in her direction. She threw up a barrier to deflect it, recognizing the high-pitched whine just in time. She closed her eyes and covered her ears seconds before the flashbang went off. When she could see again, James had taken the man out.

“You alright, Doc?” the marine called.

Liara stood and racked her pistol. She brushed invisible dirt off the front of her armor to calm herself. “I am fine. My ears are ringing, but I am otherwise unharmed. Now, let us see what they have been up to.”

She walked over to one of the undamaged computers and sat down. While she went through it, James walked the perimeter, grabbing grenades and ammo to replenish their supplies. No sense in leaving good equipment for the enemy to find, after all.

***

The dock workers fired randomly, their erratic aim pinning Catherine’s mercenaries down. The mercs shot back as fast as they could. Catherine and Miranda threw biotic attacks any time they could locate a target.

Doors opened on either side of the courtyard. Cerberus soldiers poured out, taking defensive positions around the docks. As they did, the dock workers started moving toward the doors.

“We need every last Cerberus member. Even the supposed civilians,” Miranda said.

“Agreed. No one in a Cerberus uniform escapes,” Catherine confirmed. “Pilots, can you stop them?”

“On it, ma’am,” Branson replied. Rockets from both shuttles slammed into the ground between the dock workers and their exits. On one side, a misplaced shot brought down part of the wall, preventing additional reinforcements from coming out. A roar above made Catherine look up to see three gunships coming in from the other side of the building. “Air support incoming!”

“Keep them off the ground forces!” Catherine ordered, throwing a warp at an operative who got brave enough to stick her head up.

The two shuttles fired at the gunships, pulling their attention away from the mercenaries. One shuttle turned and sped away. One of the gunships pursued. The other pilot, Shepard’s Rixus, flew between the two remaining gunships. They turned to follow.

Catherine darted out of cover, getting a better line of sight on several soldiers. She unleashed a shockwave that knocked them off-balance, sending one tumbling into a crate. Miranda let out a cheer and followed it up with a warp that knocked the hapless operative on his ass.

“Catherine to Commander Cortez,” Catherine said.

“Cortez here,” the pilot replied.

“We’ve had contact with three of the gunships, but the fourth it still unaccounted for,” she said.

“I saw those three take off. I figured Branson and Rixus could handle them. There’s been no sign of the last one. I’ll let you know if I see it,” Steve said.

Before Catherine could respond, the Cerberus soldiers brought out a couple of rocket launchers. They fired at the mercenaries as fast as they could load. Catherine’s people ducked, shooting back between volleys. While the mercs were occupied, the Cerberus operatives moved to flank them. Catherine and Miranda threw biotics as fast as they could. While they caused a distraction, members of the Normandie’s team dashed back into the ship for heavy weaponry.

Above them, one of the shuttles returned, a gunship in pursuit. The shuttle spun in midair and fired. The gunship tried to pull out of the way. The rocket hit the ship’s starboard side and sent it spinning. It crashed through the glass windows of the building’s entrance.

***

Garrus and Tali found themselves in a dimly lit hallway. It went about twenty feet before turning right. A door stood open halfway down the hall on their right, with another at the end on their left, closed. They crept along quietly, alert to every sound. Catherine’s fight with the dock workers was just on the other side of the wall on their left, but they could barely hear it.

Shouts and the sound of pounding feet reached them from the hallway at the far end. They sped up and ducked in the open door. Garrus kept his rifle at the ready while Tali knelt by the door and peeked around the corner. A stream of Cerberus soldiers came from down the hall, racing for the door at the end. Tali reached for a grenade, but Garrus touched her shoulder. She looked up at him and he shook his head.

“Let Catherine’s team deal with them. They have the ship and air support to assist them,” he said.

“You’re right,” Tali murmured. She summoned a defense drone in case they were spotted.

The crowd started to thin. With only a handful left inside, they heard an explosion outside. The door blew inward. Dust and debris flooded the hallway. The two lead soldiers were thrown back into the ones behind them. Falling concrete blocked the door, trapping them and the Cerberus soldiers inside.

Garrus tapped Tali’s shoulder. She tossed a flashbang down the hall. Garrus closed his eyes until he heard the pop of the grenade and the cries of the soldiers. Then he locked onto the first target he could and shot. The soldier’s head snapped back and he dropped. Without hesitation, Garrus did the same to the second one.

The other three screamed and ran back the way they’d come. Tali sent her drone after them, quickly running to catch up, with Garrus at her heels. Tali slid around the corner to find her drone pinning one of the soldiers down. He managed to get a couple of shots in, and the drone fizzled out. Tali blasted him with her shotgun. The last two stopped next to a door on the left of the hallway. The man started taking shots while the woman set up a turret. Garrus yanked Tali back around the corner. He leaned out, finding the man in his scope. He shot him in the head as the turret wound up. Garrus pulled back before it started firing. Tali threw an overload charge. The turret heated up and exploded, knocking the engineer into the wall. Garrus darted around the corner, stowing his rifle. He ran up to the stunned engineer and shot her with his pistol.

They didn’t stop. Tali darted past Garrus to an opening at the end of the hallway. It led to a staircase. They paused to either side of the doorway while Garrus scanned ahead of them.

“I’m not picking up any heat signatures or transponders,” he murmured.

“Then we run for it,” Tali said. She led the way up the stairs.

The door at the top opened on an open-air walkway that led to one of the AA guns. The walk was empty. They could see the battle between Catherine’s people and the Cerberus soldiers raging in the distance. Tali and Garrus bolted, running for the control panel against the outside of the tower. Tali pulled Garrus down as a Normandie shuttle raced low over the walkway, a Cerberus gunship in pursuit. The sound almost deafened them. As soon as the ships cleared, they jumped up and continued on.

Garrus pulled his rifle and spun on his heel to guard Tali while she accessed the control panel. She hacked the computer. This new version of Cerberus still had the best equipment credits could buy, so the program fought her every step of the way. Finally, she cracked the encryption and the gun shut down. She found the link to the second tower, killing that one as well. She then uploaded a virus to destroy the guns’ control program— a little present from David. It would take them weeks to rebuild it, even with the best techs in the galaxy. She hummed a little tune to herself as she shut down the interface.

“Uh, Tali?” Garrus said. She turned to face her husband, only to find a half dozen Cerberus soldiers to either side, all pointing weapons at them. Garrus racked his gun and held his hands up. Tali held her hands at her sides, fingers spread.

“On your knees, hands behind your heads,” the lead soldier on their right said.

“Garrus, do you remember the day we met?” she asked. Garrus glanced back at her in confusion. Then his mandibles flared in a grin. He nodded slightly. Tali pulled two flashbangs out of her pouch and tossed them in either direction. They were running before the grenades went off.

***

Liara went through the computer, pulling up the most recent intake reports. Her stomach dropped. There had been dozens of “deliveries” just in the time she and Shepard had been back in the field. With a battle raging on the other side of the glass doors fifty feet away, she didn’t have time to go through them all. She hacked into the computer’s core programming.

“EDI, do you read?” she said.

“I am here, Dr. T’Soni,” EDI replied.

“I need you to connect to this computer and upload everything,” Liara said.

“Of course, Dr. T’Soni,” EDI said. Liara gave EDI access to the core network data. The computer linked to the Normandy and EDI took over.

Liara leaned back in her chair, watching the upload. She glanced at James. The big man watched the battle raging outside, tension straining his shoulders. His hand clasped and unclasped around the stock of his assault rifle. He paced back and forth in a three-foot space, reminding Liara of a caged animal.

“Have they seen us?” she asked.

“Not yet. Catherine’s keepin’ ‘em pretty busy. But I’ll feel better when we get out of here,” James replied. Outside, one of the Normandy shuttles took out a Cerberus gunship. The small ship spun out of control, heading right for them. Liara darted toward James. She threw up a biotic barrier just as the ship slammed through the glass. It hit the ground, sliding into a bank of computers. Liara carefully lowered the barrier as the rain of glass shards slowed.

“I believe you are right, Mr. Vega. We need to go,” Liara said. She moved back to the computer. EDI had nearly finished the upload.

“Doc, get down!” James yelled. He ran toward Liara.

She looked over her shoulder to see a flying ball of blue energy hurling toward them from the second floor. James pulled Liara backward just before it slammed into the ground, a wave of biotic energy knocking them into a panel between computer banks.

A human female had landed on one knee in the middle of a circle of destruction, her hands braced on the ground in front of her. She raised herself up like a runner waiting for the signal. She met Liara’s eye with a feral grin. The woman was almost skeletally thin with short hair sticking out all over her head. A biotic corona spread over her body like blue flames a second before she launched herself at them.

Liara got a barrier up. The biotic slammed into it, rebounding a few feet back. She didn’t pause. She ran back at them, pounding fists sheathed in dark energy against the barrier over and over. Liara heard James’s shotgun cock. She braced herself, but the shot still almost deafened her.

“Come on, Doc,” James cried. He grabbed her arm, trying to pull her back. But the biotic recovered too quickly.

“Go, James. Get back up. I’ll hold her off,” Liara replied. The biotic threw herself at the barrier again, slamming her biotic-sheathed fists into it. The barrier shuddered under the attack. Liara couldn’t hold it much longer, and this human had more power than an asari commando.

She drew the barrier in, gathering the energy into a blast that threw their attacker across the room. She followed it up with a singularity, but the commando moved faster than Liara would have thought possible. In fact, it reminded her of the Spectre Tela Vasir. A glance at her scanner showed her the woman had similar barriers as well.

Vasir had been difficult to defeat. Add to that a level of insanity that Liara had only seen in Jack, and she didn’t love their chances.

James ignored Liara and tried to get a lock on the woman, but she darted around the room too fast for his targeting matrix to follow. Liara held back. She waited for the woman to stop, pausing in the middle of the computer banks with that damn sneer. Liara hit her with a warp. James planted a grenade right at her feet. Between the two, they barely put a dent in her shielding.

The biotic tossed a ball of dark energy at James that sent the marine flying. The gesture was casual, like flinging a two hundred pound marine was nothing. James crashed into a large potted plant and went tumbling. He skidded to a halt a few feet away.

“James!” Liara cried. Before she could move toward him, the biotic charged her, fists glowing. Liara reached for her pistol. She barely lifted it when the attacker knocked it out of her hand.

That’s when she realized the woman didn’t have a weapon. No gun, no blade. Liara hadn’t seen the flash of an omni-tool once. She was using pure biotic power with almost no cool down. The woman was the weapon. Liara summoned barriers and attacks of her own as fast as she could, but she was slowing quickly. The attacker didn’t seem to have that problem. But Liara could see blood dripping from the human’s nose and her eyes were bloodshot.

Her attacks seemed to have no impact on the woman. She couldn’t take her eyes off her target long enough to look for James. The human drove her back, the hits coming so fast the biotic energy almost blinded her. Finally, she summoned as much power as she could and hit her attacker with a stasis field. Silence fell over the room until all Liara could hear was her own ragged breathing and the pounding of her heart.

She spun on her heel to run toward James. She had about two minutes to get them to safety. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps, when she heard a primal scream from the woman behind her. She barely had time to think, There’s no way, before biotic energy surrounded her. She was lifted into the air and thrown through the glass doors that led to the next room.

Chapter Text

James woke with a start at the sound of shattering glass. He shook his head and sat up slowly. The crazy biotic stalked past him without a glance, eyes locked on something just outside his line of sight. His assault rifle lay a few feet away. He ignored it and drew his pistol, shifting to his knees. He sighted on the biotic.

Then, he saw Liara lying sprawled in the hallway. She wasn’t moving, and the biotic was headed straight for her. James pulled his focus back to the target. The woman moved erratically. She hadn’t restored her shields or barriers. When she paused, James fired. The bullet hit the shield generator on her back. The damaged machinery gave her a small shock. Just enough to stop her in her tracks.

Liara jerked awake to see the biotic standing over her. She reacted instinctively, hitting her with a biotic blast that threw her ten feet through the air. James lurched to his feet as the woman slammed to the ground. He shot her in the head before she could get back up.

“You alright, Doc?” he asked, voice shaking.

Liara stood up slowly. She picked up her pistol and racked it, rubbing her forehead. “Yes, James. I am fine.”

“Okay, I’ve worked with a few biotics since I met Lola. But that wasn’t normal, right?” James asked.

“No, that was most certainly not normal,” Liara replied. “It would not be the first time Cerberus has experimented with human biotics. I believe when we identify her, we will discover she is one of the missing humans.”

“You think Cerberus did that to her?” James asked.

“Likely in experiments similar to the ones used on Jack when she was a child. But children can adapt to adverse situations better than adults. The torture would have driven this woman completely insane. I mean, Jack was crazy. But not like this,” Liara said.

“What makes you think that?” James asked.

“The woman pushed through the pain and exhaustion of using her biotics. She never slowed. She did not pause between attacks. Even asari commandos cannot do that,” Liara explained. “Only a severe mental break could drive someone to push themselves like that.”

“Shit, Doc,” James murmured.

“We need to get to the communications tower,” Liara reminded him. James nodded. He retrieved his assault rifle.

“Dr. T’Soni, would you like me to summon backup?” EDI asked.

“No, EDI. Thank you. Everyone is busy. And please, do not mention this to the Commander. She will only worry. How is the upload going?” Liara asked.

“The upload has just completed. Is there anything else you need, Doctor?” EDI replied.

“Review the layout of the building, please. What is the fastest way to the communications tower from our current location?” Liara asked.

There was a slight pause, then a map appeared on Liara’s omni-tool. “Follow the hall behind you around a few turns, through the connected building. The comm tower is on the far side of that building,” EDI advised. The path lit up on the map. “Be advised, there are several enemy transponders between you and the tower, and Catherine’s team has cut off the escape out to the main courtyard.”

“We’ve got it, EDI. Thanks for the heads up,” James said. He turned to Liara. “You sure you’re good to keep going? It looked like you took one hell of a hit.”

“Yes. Are you?” Liara replied. James nodded and led the way down the hall.

***

The soldiers started shooting at Tali and Garrus before the effects of the flashbangs had worn off. Their shots pinged erratically off the catwalk railings. Tali threw defense drones behind her as fast as her omni-tool could produce them. As the effects of the flashbangs wore off, several of the Cerberus agents spread out to the either side of the control panel. The rest of the soldiers chased them down the catwalk.

The Cerberus gunship raced over the catwalk again, out of control and trailing smoke. It knocked the soldiers off their feet. Garrus covered Tali’s body with his own. They had just started to get to their feet when the Normandy shuttle followed. As soon as the vehicle cleared the area, Garrus threw a grenade toward the soldiers. He and Tali jumped to their feet and bolted for the door. They slid through it just before the grenade went off. Garrus glanced back through the open door to see part of the catwalk broken and twisted. Two soldiers had made it across and scrambled to their feet.

“Seal it!” he called. He moved out of the way to let Tali get to the door’s controls. She quickly locked it, then scrambled the access codes. Garrus loaded a plasma cartridge into his omni-tool’s fabricator and used it to seal the crack between the doors. It would take the soldiers forever to get through.

Garrus leaned against the door, bracing his hands against his knees. Tali slid down the wall to sit next to him. They both fought to catch their breath as they listened to the soldiers banging on the other side. Finally, Garrus straightened and hit his comm. “Shepard, we’re done here. Where do you want us?”

“Back up James and Liara. Grunt and I are in the underground labs. I don’t want more of us down here than necessary,” Shepard said.

“You got it, Commander,” Garrus replied. He pushed away from the door and turned to pull his wife to her feet. They retraced their steps past the empty security office and the door leading to the main courtyard. They could still faintly hear the fight on the other side, which only made the silence inside eerier.

“So, are you looking forward to going back to being just a diplomat after this?” Tali asked to break the silence.

Garrus chuckled. “Not really. I mean, I like having a nice, safe job so we can keep the kids out of harm’s way, but…” He trailed off, not sure which answer she was hoping for.

“But you miss this?” Tali finished, waving vaguely at the facility around them. Garrus nodded.

“I just wish there was a way for us to have the kids with us but keep them safe, and still see some action from time to time. You know?” he replied.

“Yeah, I do. Maybe we can start responding to distress calls instead of passing them on to whichever military is close enough to deal with them,” Tali suggested.

Garrus glanced at her, mandibles flaring in hope. “So, you miss it too, then?”

“Yes, I do. I am grateful for the life we’ve been able to lead, but neither of us planned on being out of the field so early. I think that’s why we leapt at the chance to join Shepard. Even if it meant being away from the kids for a while,” Tali said.

Garrus pulled her to a stop, drawing her close and pressing his forehead against her faceplate. He longed to take her helmet off and feel her skin beneath his hands. That would happen soon enough. “Okay, this is a conversation we need to continue when there aren’t Cerberus agents trying to kill us,” he said.

“Definitely,” Tali replied. She ran her hand along the underside of his crest, drawing a shiver out of her husband. Then, they turned and ran hand in hand down the hall.

***

Grunt jumped down into the hidden entrance tunnel when there was still a few inches of water left to drain. He kept his gun trained on the door at the far end to cover Shepard as she racked her weapon and scurried down the ladder as fast as she could.

Unfortunately, the Cerberus response time was faster. She was only half-way to the bottom when Grunt said, “Shepard, we have incoming!”

Gunfire erupted below. The only cover available to Grunt was the massive turbines that pumped the water. Shepard clung to the ladder with one hand and threw a singularity at the soldiers with the other. Four of five flew into the air, giving Grunt a chance to duck into cover. She jumped the rest of the way. Rolling to her feet, Shepard pulled her gun.

The fifth Cerberus soldier threw a grenade toward Grunt. The krogan avoided it by charging the man. Shepard threw a warp to detonate her singularity. The four soldiers flew in different directions. Two slammed into the walls and didn’t get back up. The others scrambled to their feet. Grunt crashed into his target. They tumbled out of Shepard’s sight behind one of the turbines.

Shepard dashed into cover. She threw a warp at one of the soldiers climbing to their feet. Then she aimed at the other one, picking at the man’s shields as fast as she could pull the trigger. Grunt’s shotgun barked to her right. Shepard threw another singularity that pulled the soldiers up again. They crashed into each other, their transponders winking out.

Shepard and Grunt rushed to the far door. The lock had never reengaged after the guards came through, so they entered without pause, weapons at the ready. They passed through the anteroom and the next hall, ignoring the locked door to their left to move further in.

She was starting to worry about her wife. Liara had been silent for far too long. James, too. She wanted, desperately, to contact them. But she didn’t want to disturb them if they were in a fight. Finally, she caved and reached out to Sam instead. “Sam, any word from Liara and James? Or Tali and Garrus?”

“I’m afraid not, Commander. Garrus and Tali must have been successful, though. The AA towers are down,” Sam replied.

“Well, that’s something, at least,” Shepard said.

Grunt led the way into the main control room. The room hadn’t changed at all since their last visit. An interrupted card game on one of the desks told Shepard this was where those soldiers had come from. Shepard approached the main desk with its bank of security monitors. A warm cup of coffee sat next to the haptic keyboard.

“Shepard, we’re done here. Where do you want us?” Garrus asked. Shepard felt some of the weight lift off her chest.

“Back up James and Liara. Grunt and I are in the underground labs. I don’t want any more of us down here than necessary,” she said.

“You got it, Commander,” Garrus replied. The comm disconnected. Shepard leaned against the security desk for a moment. At least now James and Liara would have help.

She flickered quickly through the security cameras. Nothing moved. Many of the rooms were dark, with nothing but security lights to tell her the cameras were working. It was eerily quiet. She knew the security guards had gone to fight her people. But where were the civilians— the scientists and their assistants?

Shepard moved to the massive window overlooking the old processing plant. Memories of husks clawing at the glass to get at her flashed through her mind. Her hand shook as she hit the control panel. Light flooded the room below. Instead of tanks with Reaper twisted monstrosities, the room held several prison cells. Most of the doors stood open. Three were closed and locked.

“Dana, we are on approached to the comm tower,” Liara broke in on the comm.

“Thank the goddess,” Shepard murmured. “You were quiet for way too long.”

“We ran into a little trouble,” Liara replied. Before Shepard could panic, she added, “We are fine. But you need to be careful. We got hit by a human biotic that was extremely powerful and made Jack look completely sane.”

“Where is she now?” Shepard asked.

“Dead. We had no choice,” Liara said. “It seems Cerberus may be up to their old tricks.”

“Thanks for the heads up, Bellflower. Stay safe,” Shepard replied.

“You, too, my love,” Liara said. They disconnected the call. Shepard turned back to the security desk and pulled up the schematics of the underground facility. Heat signatures indicated prisoners held in the three locked cells.

“Well, that’s surprising. I didn’t think they’d be keeping anyone,” Shepard said.

“What do you wanna do, Shepard?” Grunt asked.

“We didn’t factor a rescue into this because we didn’t think there’d be anyone to rescue. It looks like Lieutenant Kyrick was right,” Shepard said. She leaned her hands on the console, eyes roving over the schematics to figure out the best way to get the prisoners out. A dozen Cerberus transponders blocked their path to the cells. “We have to try. We might not be able to do anything for the ones who have already been sold. Or turned into experiments. But we can save these ones. We get them out.”

“In that case, maybe we could use some backup,” Grunt suggested.

“Excellent idea, big guy,” Shepard said. She downloaded the schematics, highlighted a secondary entrance to the labs, and sent it to Garrus and Tali. “Change of plans, guys.”

“What do you need, Shepard?” Tali asked.

“I just sent a map to your omni-tools. The marked nav point will lead you to another entrance to the labs. We have prisoners down here,” Shepard explained.

“We’re on our way,” Garrus said.

“Oh, and watch out for crazy biotics or other experiment-twisted people. Apparently, Cerberus is at it again,” Shepard added.

“Good to know. See you soon,” Garrus replied.

Shepard closed the channel and led Grunt back to the hallway, heading for the door they’d ignored earlier. It opened on a hallway that was new to Shepard. The last time they’d been to Sanctuary, Miranda had sealed off the processing plant before they arrived. Shepard had chosen to leave it that way and focus on tracking Miranda and Kai Leng.

Two guards stood watch at the corner a few yards in. They barely had time to raise their weapons before Grunt shot one in the head. The other managed to shout into his comm seconds before Shepard shot him in the heart. Fools didn’t even have their shields activated.

But according to her combat scanner, his shouts had alerted others. “We need to hurry before they kill the prisoners,” Shepard said. She sped up, running past Grunt and around the corner. A few feet down the next hall, another opening led to a branching hallway with four soldiers coming at them.

“Go, Shepard! I got this!” Grunt shouted. Shepard tossed a singularity down the hall as she passed, giving Grunt time to get into cover. Her tank baby could hold his own.

Shepard threw herself into a slide that carried her across an opening to her right. Bullets flew over her head. She took cover behind the far wall and glanced around the corner. Four more Cerberus soldiers charged toward her. Shepard threw another singularity in the middle of them. All four flew up into the air. For an organization that like churning out biotic fighters, they were miserable at training their soldiers to fight them.

Shepard dashed around the corner. She threw a warp to detonate the singularity. The Cerberus agents slammed into the wall, giving her a chance to run through them. She heard Grunt’s battle cry over the gunfire erupting from the hall behind her. She sidled up to the open door to the cell block. An engineer was setting up two turrets, each pointed at different sides of the room— and directly at the cells containing the prisoners. Shepard used biotics to pull the engineer toward her. She slammed into the wall next to the door.

Shepard slipped around the corner and shot her in the head. Then, she fired into the turrets until they exploded. She turned back to lock the door before running to the first cell. Through the window, she could see seven turians huddled together on pallets on the floor. Racking her gun, she quickly hacked the lock. As the door slid open, they all pulled back against the far wall.

“Don’t be scared. I’m Commander Shepard with the Council Spectres. I’m here to rescue you,” she said.

A female took a step forward, still keeping her distance. “Why are you helping us? I thought you had retired,” she said.

“I was. I am. I came out of retirement to shove these Cerberus assholes back into the hole they crawled out of,” Shepard replied. The turian stared at her for a moment, not moving. The rest stared at the female, waiting for a cue. “Look, you can take your chances on your own if you want. I’m leaving this door unlocked. But there are Cerberus soldiers coming this way right now, and I have a ship in orbit that can get you to safety. Your choice.”

She turned away to dash across the hall to the next door. This cell held a mix of salarians and batarians. This time, she didn’t pause to talk. She let the door slide open and ran to the last one. The final cell held three humans, only one of whom looked like she could walk. One man lay crumpled in the corner. Shepard could see signs of torture. Another lay on a pallet to one side, eyes closed. He breathed in shallow, hitching breaths. One entire leg and the forearm and hand of the opposite arm had been replaced by cybernetics. Shepard could see the traces of subdermal implants under his skin. He almost looked like one of the reaper-twisted soldiers Cerberus had been churning out during the war. The woman stood over the man in the corner, looking almost feral.

Shepard eased into the room. She held her hands out to the sides, palms facing the woman to show she wasn’t a threat. Of course, she could call up her biotics with a flick of her hand, but the woman didn’t need to know that. “Easy. I’m here to help. I want to get you all out of here.”

“To go where?” the woman growled. A flicker of a biotic corona flashed over her body. So, Liara’s crazed attacker wasn’t the only biotic experiment here.

“We have an Alliance cruiser in orbit ready to provide medical care and transport home. Wherever that is,” Shepard replied.

The woman’s eyes twitched. She looked distressed. “I can’t— They said I can’t go home. I’m not— I don’t think— Am I still human?” she asked. Her voice went from borderline psychopath to frightened child. Shepard took another step toward her. She remembered Tabitha, the woman she met on the Citadel ten years ago, who had been kidnapped in the same slaver attack that had killed Shepard’s parents. Remembered talking that woman down, taking the gun from her hand and protecting the terrified former slave when she collapsed on the deck of the Citadel docks.

“You are. And we can help you remember. If you’re not ready to go home yet, we can find you somewhere safe until you are. I just need you to come with me,” Shepard explained. The woman glanced at the two men in the cell with her, biotics flaring erratically. “Them, too. We can work together to get them out of here.”

Another hesitation, then she nodded. She turned to the man in the corner. Letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, Shepard rushed to the man with the cybernetics. He was barely conscious. But he roused when she tried to pull him to his feet. He waved her away to sit up on his own.

“They never did get these damn limbs to work right,” the man murmured. “Don’t know if I can walk.”

“I need you to try,” Shepard said. “I can’t carry you right now.”

She pulled him to his feet. The woman got the other man moving. They went back out into the hall, where the rest of the prisoners milled about. Shepard hobbled over to the door with her cyborg prisoner. As soon as she unlocked it, the door slid open to reveal Grunt, grinning like an idiot and covered in blood. Some of the turians reached for weapons they didn’t have.

“He’s with me. He was clearing a path for us,” Shepard said. The batarians jumped at the sound of her voice, backing away.

“Why should we trust you?” one of them asked.

“Because I have weapons, backup, and transport. If you’d rather take your chances on your own, I can’t stop you,” Shepard said. One of the turian men ran over to take the cyborg off her hands. She shot him a surprised look.

“Like you said, you have the guns. We’re all exhausted, dehydrated, and malnourished. Just get us out of here,” he said.

“We’re clear for now,” Grunt said.

Shepard contacted Garrus. “Where are you?” she asked.

“We got jumped by some of the scientists while Tali was hacking their computers. She also said she found a few more prisoners. We’ll get them, clear out any Cerberus minions, and meet you in the middle,” Garrus replied.

“Perfect. See you soon,” Shepard said. “Lead the way, Grunt.”

The krogan turned back the way he’d come. Shepard gestured for the others to follow him, taking up the rear. They moved as quickly as the injured prisoners allowed. As the group passed the bodies of the Cerberus soldiers, the turians glanced nervously at Grunt. The batarians glanced nervously at Shepard. She ignored them.

Some of the prisoners grabbed the soldiers’ dropped weapons. She wasn’t sure how well they could fight in their present condition, but she also wouldn’t tell them not to arm themselves. As long as they didn’t shoot her or Grunt, they had a right to defend themselves. Once they finished arming up, Grunt led them down the empty halls.

***

Miranda and Catherine threw biotics as fast as they could, ducking behind cover during their cool downs. The Cerberus soldiers were giving as good as they got. Unfortunately, the destruction of both side doors and the gunship going through the front entrance had created a lot of good cover, and neither side was making a lot of progress.

Finally, two of Catherine’s mercs came out of the cargo hold with rocket launchers, quickly taking out the ones on the Cerberus side. With the gunfire from the shuttles overhead, they started to drive the terrorists back. Catherine ordered her mercs forward.

Before she and Miranda could move up, a flying ball of dark energy came hurling at them from the roof of the building. The two biotics ducked behind cover as it slammed into the ground between them. Catherine barely had time to register the human that appeared in front of her before the man gathered his shield in tight around him and punched the ground to trigger a nova attack. A wave of biotic energy threw her and Miranda into the air. Catherine crashed through a pile of crates, rolling twenty feet away.

“Miranda Lawson. I’m surprised to see you out here.” A woman’s voice came through the courtyard’s PA system. It held an overconfident, almost sing-song quality. “I thought you’d run off to play with the Alliance.”

The biotic stood almost completely still between them. He breathed hard, shoulders hunched as if he had to force himself to stand still. Catherine stayed hidden while Miranda searched the area for the speaker.

“Jana?” Miranda asked. “I thought she died when Shepard took out Cronos Station.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” They both jumped when the woman answered. “Good to see you again, Commander.” Catherine stood slowly, stepping out from behind her cover. They spotted a woman standing on the roof in light armor, a sniper rifle in her hands.

Catherine looked at Miranda. “Who the hell is this bitch?”

“You never met her during your Cerberus days. She was the Illusive Man’s assistant,” Miranda replied, carefully playing along that Catherine was the real Commander Shepard. Neither of them knew how she could hear them, exactly, but she obviously could.

“I didn’t have Cerberus days, Cheerleader. I had days when I was forced to use Cerberus resources,” Catherine countered.

“Oh, please, Miranda. I was so much more than his assistant,” Jana replied. “I was his right hand. I learned at the very feet of the Master how to uplift humanity to be the best race in the galaxy.”

“You mean you learned at the leash of the Master how to make the best coffee in the galaxy,” Miranda said. Catherine snorted but couldn’t really get into the banter. Not with that biotic just standing there, not looking at either of them, not moving. If it wasn’t for his heavy breathing, she would have thought he was a really good mech.

Jana saw her looking at the man. “Like my new pet, Commander? My own little Subject Zero. Only I was smart enough to fit him with a control chip. Something Miranda should have done to you, Shepard.” Catherine glanced at the former Cerberus agent, but Miranda wouldn’t meet her gaze. “I call him Subject Alpha. I wonder if the two of you will be enough to defeat him? But before we find out, let’s do something about the other half of your little infiltration team, shall we? Sanchez, release them.”

A few seconds later, the comm line erupted in screams. Kyrick shouted, “They’re dropping mechs on us! Three large ones and about a dozen little mech dogs!”

“Do you need air support right now, ma’am?” Steve asked quietly.

“No, go help them,” Catherine replied.

The two Normandy shuttles shot off, one getting a little closer to Jana than was strictly necessary. The woman was knocked off-balance but managed to keep her feet. Catherine suspected Steve was not thrilled about the way the Cerberus minion-turned-leader talked about his Commander.

“Well, that should be interesting,” Jana teased.

Before she could say anything else, another voice joined the conversation. Catherine realized Jana had simply linked her comm to the PA system. “Ma’am, Commander Shepard has breached the lower level. She’s going after the prisoners.”

Jana looked straight at Catherine. “What the hell? Never mind. Men, take out the rest of these Alliance scum. Alpha, kill Miranda and… whoever that is,” Jana finished.

Miranda and Catherine both looked at the biotic. He turned his head to lock eyes with Catherine. There was clearly no one home behind his eyes. They bore into her with a vacant expression. Catherine took a few steps back, summoning a barrier. Alpha threw a ball of biotic energy toward Miranda with an almost lazy flick of his wrist. Then he charged again, slamming into Catherine. She flew back, her pistol hitting the ground to slide under a pile of debris. She shook her head to clear it and tossed a shockwave to knock Alpha off balance. Miranda lifted Alpha with her biotics, slamming him to the ground a second later.

     Catherine glanced up at Jana, but the Cerberus leader had disappeared.

Chapter Text

Grunt led the prisoners back to the entrance hall. Shepard directed everyone into the security office. “We should be safe here until I can confirm a shuttle is free to pick us up,” she explained.

“Why not just get out now?” one of the batarians asked.

“Because we’re in an underground lab and the nearest way back to the surface involves a ladder most of you would have trouble climbing in your current condition. I’m trying to make things easier for you,” Shepard replied, barely keeping the growl out of her voice. Her personal relationship with the remaining batarians had not improved much after the war. “Besides, I have backup coming. We should wait until everyone’s together before we move.”

“We’re not waiting. We don’t need you. We’ll get out on our own,” the batarian said.

“You’re a fool,” the turian woman growled as she helped an injured prisoner sit down.

“You’re the fool if you’re going to listen to this human,” the batarian sneered. He and the other batarians went back out into the hall.

“Got another plan to get out of here? I have the only ship off this planet,” Shepard called. The last batarian through the door waved his hand dismissively at her. Shepard rolled her eyes.

“Aren’t you going to stop them?” the human woman asked.

“That door is locked with Cerberus protocols and none of them have omni-tools. By the time they get it open, my backup will be here,” Shepard replied.

She pulled up the security feeds to find Tali and Garrus. They were a couple of halls away with five prisoners in tow. She also found another squad of Cerberus goons heading their way. She was pretty sure her friends would arrive first. Hopefully, they could get through the airlock doors and seal the Cerberus soldiers inside. She reached for her comm to call Steve. Before she could, the security feeds all turned to static. After a couple of seconds, a woman appeared. She seemed vaguely familiar, but Shepard couldn’t place her.

“Greetings, Commander Shepard,” the woman said. “My name is Jana Alman. I’m not sure how you found this place, but it doesn’t matter. You can’t stop us.”

“I stopped the Illusive Man,” Shepard replied. She tried to figure out where in the facility the woman was, but couldn’t see enough of the background.

“The Illusive Man let himself get fooled by the Reapers. His ego and greed eventually got the better of him. I warned him not to use the Reaper implants, but he didn’t listen. By the time you killed him, he wasn’t the Illusive Man anymore. He was little more than an articulate husk,” Jana said. That’s when Shepard remembered her. When they infiltrated Cronos Station, she found a computer with video files of the Illusive Man’s Reaper Tech experiments. In one, Cerberus doctors were preparing to implant the tech into the Illusive Man himself, on his orders. A woman he called Jana warned him that it was dangerous.

“And you think you can do better?” Shepard asked.

“I do. Unlike some of the Alliance’s so-called heroes—“ She paused to give Shepard a significant look. “I intend to advance humanity’s interest. I don’t get in bed with aliens.”

It was hardly the first time she’d been criticized for her marriage to Liara. A lot of humans still thought mating with aliens was wrong. Shepard just shrugged them, and Jana, off. “No, you just sell them into slavery to fund your scientific experiments on your own people. I saw what you did to some of the prisoners. Are they still human when you’ve replaced half their bodies with cybernetics or broken their minds?”

“You are hardly one to pass judgment, Commander. You made friends with the AI right before you destroyed them all,” Jana sneered.

Shepard tried to ignore the pit in her stomach. She never forgave herself for what happened to the geth when the Crucible went off. Or EDI, though she felt a little better about that now that they had restored EDI. And given her a sister, too. “That’s exactly my point. I don’t care if they are human, AI, or alien. They are my friends. I mourn the loss of the geth as much as I mourn the loss of the humans that died fighting the Reapers. As much as I mourn the aliens that died on every world in the galaxy. The Illusive Man’s whole ‘humans are better than everyone else’ shit is poison.”

“You would say that. You married one of them. How can you fuck that freak?” Jana sneered.

“Leave my wife out of this,” Shepard growled.

“Oh, no, Shepard. I am very much going to enjoy jamming a slave chip into her brain and selling her to the highest bidder,” Jana said.

Shepard’s corona flared around her. “If you touch Liara, I’m going to rip out your spine and beat you to death with it!”

“Colorful. Good luck with that,” Jana replied. She triggered something on the console in front of her. Alarms started blaring throughout the labs.

“What did you do?” Shepard demanded.

“Better run, Commander. Unless you’ve learned to breathe underwater in the last seven years, you’re about to have trouble,” Jana replied. The video cut out.

Shepard pulled up the feed from the cameras outside. Water poured in from half a dozen pipes, rushing through the spillway. She turned to warn the batarians. “Don’t open that!”

She wasn’t in time. They opened the door at that moment. Shepard raced forward to seal the door into the security room seconds before two batarians were driven into it by the rush of water. The wave pushed against the door, water leaking around the edges.

“What’s happening?” the turian woman asked.

“Grunt, get them out of here. I’ll try to stop it,” Shepard said. As Grunt ran to the opposite door, Shepard triggered her comm. “Garrus, do not come here. Go back the way you came. Cerberus is flooding the labs!”

“I wondered about the alarms. What about you?” Garrus asked.

“I’ll be fine. Just get out. Get to Liara. There’s a woman named Jana targeting her,” Shepard said. “Grunt’s heading your way.”

“Shepard, what are you doing?” Garrus asked.

“Buying us all some time. I’ll be right behind him,” Shepard said. She cut the comm and accessed the controls for the water pumps. The spillways were completely open, water rushing into the facility at an astonishing rate. She tried to shut the gates down, but they didn’t respond to the commands. She ran a diagnostic as the water reached her ankles. The gates had been sabotaged. Shepard punched the control panel to release some of her frustration. Then, she turned and ran through the far door, sealing it behind her.

***

Alpha rolled to his feet, throwing a shockwave at Miranda. She rolled out of the way, responding with a warp to damage his barrier. While the crazed biotic was distracted, Catherine summoned her pistol with a flicker of dark energy. It sailed into her hand. She rolled into a sitting position and fired at Alpha’s back until she needed to reload. The bullets barely put a dent in his barrier. She changed her ammo block and used her omni-tool to add an incendiary effect. Miranda hit Alpha with a shockwave.

Catherine moved to another position, grabbing cover. Behind her, the battle raged between her marines and the Cerberus soldiers. Branson still provided air support, but had to time his shots carefully to avoid hitting their people. When they made this plan, Shepard had counted on Menard’s men backing Catherine up. But with those mechs in play, it didn’t look like that was going to happen any time soon.

Alpha charged Miranda again, using that biotic attack to send her flying back. She struggled to get to her feet. Alpha pulled in his barrier to hit her with a nova. That’s when Catherine saw an opportunity to hit him. Right after the attack, there was a few seconds where he had no barrier protecting him. She opened a private channel.

“Miranda, wait for him to hit me with a nova, then hit him. There’s a window where he’s vulnerable,” she murmured. She saw Miranda nod slightly. Jumping out of cover, Catherine let out a battle cry and fired rapidly at Alpha, picking away at his barrier. The biotic turned to face her, throwing a shockwave. Catherine took the hit, her own shield brushing off the attack. It drove her back a few steps, but she kept shooting. Scowling, Alpha charged.

Catherine summoned a barrier that kept her from being thrown again, though the attack did push her back several more feet. Alpha pulled in his barrier again. Catherine ducked into a ball, tightening her own barrier around her. The nova knocked her on her ass, but otherwise didn’t hurt her. Miranda saw her chance and hit the biotic with a warp that tore though his body. Alpha actually screamed. It was the first time one of their attacks seemed to have any effect on him.

“That’s it. That’s how we get him,” Miranda said.

“Yep, we just need to alternate getting knocked around like bowling pins and hit him when his biotic pants are down,” Catherine replied. Miranda chuckled.

Bullets rained down from the sky, driving her people into cover. Screams filled the comms. Catherine look up to see the fourth gunship flying over the courtyard. Branson turned his shuttle and fired back.

“Not here, Branson! Get that thing away from us!” she yelled into her comm.

Branson charged the gunship, playing a dangerous game of chicken above their heads. At the last second, the ship’s pilot swerved, tearing off over the building with Branson in pursuit. Catherine was going to have to talk to him about that stunt.

Her pilot’s insanity was driven out of her mind a second later when Alpha slammed into her. He caught her off guard and sent her tumbling into a metal strut on the dock. If it wasn’t for her armor, she would likely have been paralyzed. Some of her mercs started toward her, but Alpha knocked them down with a nova. Catherine didn’t bother to sit up. She threw a warp that ate into his body. Miranda fired rapidly into his back before his shield could replenish. They tore through him, but he brushed off the pain with a roar. He turned on his heel and threw her back with a massive biotic attack. She disappeared under a pile of crates.

“Miranda!” Catherine cried. Alpha ran at her, unleashing a series of physical attacks. It was the first time he’d used anything other than biotics, and it surprised her. He got three punches in before she could get her arm up to block. Catherine’s armor took the brunt of the attack. Alpha didn’t even have armor. Taking him down should be easy.

She had a feeling it wouldn’t be.

***

Liara threw another singularity toward a group of Cerberus agents. James followed it with a barrage of gunfire at the helplessly flying slavers. They had alternated attacks like that as they followed EDI’s directions. The closer they got to the Communications Tower, the more guards they found. Apparently, the Tower had its own security team.

They finally reached the elevator up to the tower control room. As they rode up, James checked his ammo block and shields. Liara made sure she was prepared to move in and hack the computer as fast as possible.

As the elevator started to slow, James said, “My combat scanner just lit up like a Christmas tree.”

“You are lucky I have been married to Dana long enough to understand that reference,” Liara murmured. She took a step back and held her hand out in front of her.

The car stopped and the door slid open. Liara summoned a barrier. A barrage of gunfire slammed into it until the door slid shut again. James and Liara moved up to either side of the door. Liara hit the button to open it. As soon as he had clearance, James threw a frag grenade deep into the room. When the door opened completely, they swept inside, using the explosion to hide their movements. They each ducked behind a desk. Liara threw a singularity in the direction of the largest group of transponders. Several soldiers flew into the air. The rest starting shooting. James fired back, drawing their attention. Liara leaned out to throw a warp, detonating her singularity. The flying soldiers crashed into the ones on the ground, leaving more than half the unit sprawled in a heap. One of the few still standing threw a flashbang at her. Liara ducked and covered her eyes.

As the soldiers got to their feet, James charged. Most of them saw him coming and jumped out of the way. James crashed into the one who didn’t. They went tumbling across the floor. James rolled to his feet and shot the soldier point blank. The others recovered enough to fire at him. He ducked behind a desk and shot back.

Two soldiers broke away to come after Liara. She threw the first one into the wall. The second shoved the desk out of the way before tackling her. Liara punched him in the face with a biotics-wreathed fist. He reeled back, giving her the chance to hit him a second time. The soldier snarled and back-handed her. He pinned her legs with his and grabbed one of her wrists, twisting it painfully. He pulled his other arm back and triggered his omni-blade.

Before he could drive it home, a bullet cut the air between them, slamming into the ground next to Liara’s hip. She and the soldier looked back at the elevator. In the chaos, no one had seen the door open. A woman stepped into the room, a sniper rifle trained on the soldier.

“Back off! This one’s mine,” she said.

The soldier quickly scrambled away. Liara snared him in a biotic corona and threw him at the woman. They went crashing back into the elevator, giving Liara a chance to jump to her feet.

“James, we have a sniper,” she said in to her comm. The laser dot danced over her chestplate. Liara triggered her biotic barrier and turned to run toward James.

She barely made it a few steps when the woman slammed into her. They flew through the wall of windows toward a lab two stories below. Liara used her biotics to slow their fall. Just before they hit the ground, the woman shoved Liara down and activated jets in her armored boots. She sped to the other side of the room. Liara threw a singularity in front of her. The woman dodged it. She landed, swinging her rifle up to aim at the asari. Liara blasted it out of her hands. It clattered behind a workstation.

“Jana,” Liara sneered.

“I’m surprised you know who I am, T’Soni,” Jana replied.

“Of course, I know who you are,” Liara said. “I’ve learned more about the Illusive Man’s operation than most of his own operatives. Which is why I know you were nothing more than a flunky.”

“I was so much more than you could ever imagine, T’Soni. Your limited alien mind cannot fathom my importance,” Jana declared, lifting her voice to echo off the lab walls.

“By the goddess, you sound like the villain out of a Blasto film,” Liara sneered.

Jana ignored her jab. “The Illusive Man didn’t spend an endless amount of resources to bring Commander Shepard back from the dead only to have her end up banging some filthy alien. And the only way to make her see the error of her ways is to take you out of the equation,” Jana said.

“That is never going to happen,” Liara replied. She threw a warp at the Cerberus leader.

***

Garrus and Tali led the injured prisoners back through the underground lab. They quickly found themselves running through several inches of water. When they arrived back at the door they had used to enter the labs, the swirling current made movement even harder. Tali pushed her way to the control panel to unlock the door. They had sealed it shut earlier, trapping a unit of Cerberus agents on the other side.

A warning flashed on screen showing a malfunction with the door. Tali pulled up the cameras on the far side. At first, she couldn’t figure out what she was seeing. It almost looked like something had distorted the feed. Before she could determine the cause, the camera broke off. The screen went blank. Tali ran a diagnostic on the door’s sensors.

“Garrus, we have to find another way out. There’s a solid wall of water on the other side of this door,” she said.

“What about the Cerberus agents?” Garrus asked.

Tali shook her head. “They either escaped before the spillway opened, or they’re dead,” she replied.

“How the hell are we going to get out of here, then?” one of the prisoners asked, her voice small and frightened.

Tali and Garrus looked at each other. Tali could see a vague panic on her husband’s face. She jumped up, grabbing his arm. “The same way Shepard got out seven years ago. The back way to the communications tower.”

“That’s right!” Garrus said. He pulled up the map of the labs. “Okay. Let’s go.”

They started moving again. With each step, the water got higher. Tali started to fear Shepard wouldn’t be able to reach them. She triggered her comm. “Shepard, things just got more complicated!”

“Of course, they did. What now?” Shepard grumbled.

“The door Garrus and I came through is blocked by water. We’re heading for the comm tower,” Tali replied.

“How the fuck did that happen?” Shepard snapped.

“The best I can guess is that the labs are being flooded from multiple points,” Tali replied.

“Shit. Yeah, okay. I’m on my way. I’ll meet you there, but don’t wait for me. Get the prisoners out,” Shepard said.

“I— Okay, Shepard. What about Grunt?” the quarian asked.

“I’m about to catch up to him. Just go, Tali!” Shepard yelled. The comm cut off.

They pushed through the water, fighting harder with each step. One of the prisoners was a young human woman, barely old enough to be considered an adult and very small in stature. She kept stumbling. Worried that she might get hurt and fall behind, Garrus picked her up. She slumped in his arms, exhausted. A turian prisoner glanced at them.

“Would you mind if I take your side arm? I’m not strong enough to carry her, but my eyesight is fine,” he said.

Garrus hesitated. The chances of them being attacked in the middle of this chaos were slim. But who knew what they would run into when they got to the tower, and there was always a chance. Cerberus operatives tended to have more loyalty than self-preservation instinct. After a moment, he nodded. They paused long enough for the prisoner to grab the weapon off his hip.

By the time they reached the ladder up to the tower, the water had reached Garrus’ knees. The turian prisoner had given up pretending to defend them. He had the gun in one hand and the other arm around another prisoner. The last two held each other up. Tali was struggling more than she wanted to admit. She climbed up, water streaming off her suit. She clung to the ladder with one hand while trying to open the hatch with the other.

It finally gave way. She pushed it up and climbed through quickly. Turning back to look down, she reached for the first of the prisoners. She saw how tired they all were and looked at Garrus. “Are they going to able to climb up?”

“I’ve never wished to have a biotic with the squad more than I do right now,” Garrus said in reply. “Okay. We’ll figure this out. I’ll lift them up to you. You can pull them the rest of the way.”

“I can help,” said a small voice in his arms. Garrus looked down to see the young woman looking up at him. “I’m a biotic. I don’t have a lot of training, but I think I can help. What do you need?”

“Okay. You’ll go first. Tali will steady you at the top. I’ll help the others get started. You use your biotics to pull them the rest of the way. Can you do that?” Garrus asked. She nodded.

“What’s your name?” Garrus asked.

“Keisha,” the woman replied as Garrus carried her to the ladder.

“Thank you, Keisha,” he said, supporting her as she started to climb. Tali leaned down as far as she could so she could grab Keisha’s hand and help her.

One by one, they got the other four prisoners up. With each one, Garrus lifted and Keisha caught them in a biotic corona and pulled. When they got close enough, Tali grabbed their hand to finish the job. By the time they got the last one up and Garrus started his own climb, the water had reached the middle of his thighs and he was starting to worry about Shepard. Garrus pushed her out of his mind and scrambled up.

They found themselves in a wide hallway over a tram line. He remembered this area. This time, instead of riding on top of the tram car, Garrus pulled open the hatch. “We’ll take everyone over in this. The injured can stay inside until we clear the area,” he said.

Tali nodded. Garrus dropped into the car, then worked with Tali and Keisha to lower everyone else inside. Once they were all secure, Tali hacked the controls and got them moving.

When the tram car stopped at the far end, Garrus asked Keisha to open the hatch again. He jumped, catching the edge to pull himself up. The area was eerily quiet.

He leaned back through the hatch and asked the turian, “Are you well enough to defend them?”

“Yeah. I think so,” the turian replied.

“I can help,” Keisha added. She sounded weaker than ever, but their situation was too dire for him to argue.

Garrus nodded. “Thank you. All of you, stay here. We need to find our friends and make sure it’s safe before we pull you out.”

Tali jumped up to grab Garrus’ hand. He pulled her up and they headed for the door.

Chapter Text

James slid behind a desk and switched from his assault rifle to his shotgun. He popped out of cover to shoot one soldier almost point blank. The soldier’s armor took most of it, but the man tumbled out of sight. Two more came at him from behind. James spun on his heel, programming a carnage charge. The blast knocked them both back. James glanced around the room. He was facing a dozen Cerberus soldiers and he had lost sight of Liara when she said there was a sniper in the room.

The sound of breaking glass drew his attention. Liara and an unknown woman flew through the bank of windows overlooking one of the above ground labs. He saw a couple flashes of blue as the two of them fell out of sight.

“Doc!” James yelled. The soldiers moved to surround him.

“James, Liara, where are you?” Garrus asked over the comm.

“Garrus! Thank, God,” James replied. “Liara and I went up the elevator to the control room. Liara got attacked by some woman. They fell through a window. I’m up here alone with—“

One of the soldiers tackled him. His shotgun skittered out of reach. The soldier pinned him and started pounding. James got his arms up to defend himself. In his peripheral vision, he noticed four other soldiers moving to surround them, weapons at the ready.

He thought of Ashley and their daughter, back on Earth and trusting him and Shepard to stop this threat. As soldiers, they both knew that any mission could be their last. But, getting outnumbered by a bunch of Cerberus goons was not the way he planned to go.

The ding of the elevator distracted the soldier enough for James to grab the front of his armor and kick, flipping his attacker over his head. As the soldier tumbled in the wall, the other four moved in. James rolled out of the way as the first one fired. He kicked the legs out from the second. Three and four got distracted by a combat drone flying at them from out of nowhere. James rolled to his knees in time to see Garrus and Tali dash out of the elevator.

Garrus threw a frag grenade toward one group of soldiers. Tali drained the energy from the shields of two others. Her shotgun barked twice in rapid succession and both soldiers went down. James traded blows with three of the soldiers around him. They landed several good hits before James managed to tangle two of them up together and send them tumbling. He turned to the third with his omni-blade. Tali drained the soldier’s shield a second before James’ blade slammed home. The soldier hit the ground, his transponder winking out.

On the far side of the room, Garrus got one headshot in before four soldiers charged him. He switched to his assault rifle, peppering the soldiers with gunfire. Their shields took the brunt of the attack. But, he managed to punch through the defenses of the one in the lead and the man went down. Another came up on his other side. Garrus spun and slammed the butt of his gun in the man’s face. He continued the move to leap over a desk, putting distance between himself and his attackers.

“Garrus, tell me you made it out,” Shepard said.

“Tali and I are with James. He said Liara fell through a window, fighting some psycho,” he replied.

“Shit! Can you flag her location on the map?” Shepard asked. He ducked behind the desk and quickly sent her the location of the room two stories below. “Thanks. Do you guys need help?”

“We’ve got this. But, we left our rescues in a tram car. Here,” he said, sending her the nav point for the car.

“I’ll have Grunt go after them while I find Liara,” Shepard replied. The comm cut off.

Garrus leaned around the desk. He threw an overload charge that hit two soldiers. He quickly shot them both. Tali threw a flashbang at the remaining two, dashing in with her shotgun before they could recover.

As the two tangled soldiers sorted themselves out, James pulled his pistol and shot them both in the head. The last man kicked James from behind. The big man went sprawling. He rolled over in time to kick the soldier’s leg out from under him. They rolled over the ground, punching and kicking. James finally set his foot against the soldier’s stomach and shoved. The soldier reeled back. Garrus took him out with a headshot.

James lay on the ground, panting and hoping his insides were all still where they were supposed to be. Garrus and Tali walked up to stand over him.

“Gonna live, Vega?” Garrus asked.

“I think so, Scars. Just tell me we’ve got Doc. I don’t wanna face Shepard if I lost her wife,” James said. Garrus chuckled and helped him to his feet.

***

Catherine landed a flurry of punches on Alpha, finishing it by slamming a biotics-sheathed fist into his face. Alpha reeled back. Around them, the soldiers for both sides traded shots. Calls and screams echoed around the courtyard. As long as she could keep them from getting slaughtered by the abomination in front of her, her mercs could handle Cerberus on their own. She snared Alpha in a corona and slammed him against the ground.

He bounced once before rolling to his feet. He threw a warp at her, then charged. Catherine rolled out of the way. She came up shooting. Alpha’s barrier snapped up. Catherine emptied her clip, trying to break through. He waited for her to pause before charging again. He slammed into her and sent her flying back.

Before Alpha could hit her with a nova, one of her engineers threw an incinerate charge at the biotic. His barrier flickered out. Another soldier threw a flashbang at Alpha’s feet. Catherine took advantage of the distraction to reload her gun and fire at the biotic. He ignored her, spinning on his heel to charge the engineer. Alpha crashed into him, then knocked out the other nearby soldiers with a nova.

Miranda finally pulled herself out from under the crates. She used her biotics to pull Alpha away from the soldiers. While he was airborne, Catherine threw a singularity. Miranda followed it up with a warp. The resulting detonation sent Alpha crashing into a group of Cerberus soldiers.

Catherine took the brief respite to run over to Miranda. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“A little banged up, but I’ve dealt with worse,” Miranda said. “Let’s just get that biotic dick!”

“That’s my girl,” Catherine replied.

They ran toward the downed monstrosity. Alpha flew into the air in another ball of biotic energy. Catherine and Miranda slid to a halt and braced themselves. Alpha’s landing caused the deck plates to buckle. Catherine dodged in to engage Alpha with melee attacks. While he defended himself from her, Miranda hit him with a warp, following by a shockwave. It didn’t even phase him.

Alpha slammed them with attack after attack. His eyes were crazed, his nose dripping blood. By all logic, they should have been able to knock him over with a finger. But, he was kicking their asses. Catherine felt like her insides had been torn apart. She was pretty sure she had a couple of broken ribs. Miranda had a nasty black eye forming and her movements had started slowing down.

But, Alpha was slowing, too. Catherine noticed his punches getting erratic. His biotic attacks had started lose focus. Each time he knocked them down, it took a little longer to come back up. But, it was still too fast for them to give them any kind of advantage.

“Fourth gunship down, ma’am,” Branson said over the comms.

“Get back here and give us cover fire,” Catherine ordered.

That gave Alpha just enough of a distraction to slip through her guard. He knocked her back with a punch to the face. Then he hit them both with a nova. Miranda reeled back, but still managed to throw a warp while his barrier was down.

This time, it didn’t come back up. Through her watering eyes, Catherine saw him turn to face Miranda. She pushed through the pain and the exhaustion and summoned an omni-blade. She slammed it into Alpha’s back, severing his spine. Alpha roared out a feral scream and collapsed at her feet. He rolled over, snarling up at her, and tried to summon a biotic attack.

Catherine shot him in the head.

The exhaustion caught up to them both. Catherine fell to her knees, breathing hard. Miranda slumped against a pylon. “We still have soldiers to fight,” Miranda said.

“Fuck,” Catherine replied. She glanced up as the shuttle flew overhead. Branson fired at a group trying to escape through the building’s glass door. Catherine triggered her comm. “Rosen, how are we looking?”

“We’re driving them back, ma’am. We have quite a few injured, but no causalities so far,” Rosen replied.

“Good. Round them up. Let’s make sure we’ve got them all before Shepard gets back here,” Catherine said. She dropped onto her butt, bracing her elbows on her knees. With Alpha splayed out next to her, she could see evidence of torture, and burn marks around the edges of his amp port. What the hell did Jana do to him?

They heard an explosion on the far side of the facility. A second one followed moments later. “Mechs are down, Lieutenant. Do you want us to come back, or provide air support for Menard?” Steve asked.

“Stay with Menard. Branson has us covered,” Catherine replied.

“Aye, aye,” Steve said.

Miranda and Catherine pulled themselves to their feet. With a deep breath, they charged back into the fight.

***

Shepard reached Grunt and the prisoners just in time to catch the cyborg before he fell. The water was up to their knees. The way he twitched when he tried to walk, she guessed his cybernetics weren’t dealing well with the water. She got her arm around his waist and pulled him along with her.

She checked the map on her omni-tool. Both of the main doors were blocked and they were too far away to try for the comm tower. But there was a service tunnel that looked viable. “Grunt, turn right at the next hallway.”

Grunt led the prisoners around the corner, holding one of the weaker salarians up as he went. One of the turians paused at the turn, looking down the hall they should have been using.

“Commander, I saw the map earlier. The other exit is that way,” he said.

“Turns out the water is coming in from multiple points. I just got word from my other team that the other exit is blocked. So, we’re taking an alternate route,” she explained.

“What kind of alternate? There are only two exits,” he asked.

“Just trust me. There are always more ways out of a place like this than the marked exits,” Shepard replied. He nodded reluctantly and followed Grunt.

The water was coming in fast. The further they walked, the more the prisoners struggled to keep their feet. It took several turns before they got to a short hall with no doors, just a ladder on the wall at the end.

“This is it. That ladder leads to a service tunnel that connects to the floor above. Grunt, you go up first,” Shepard said. As the krogan started to climb up, Shepard grabbed the vent with her biotics and pulled hard. It flew over their heads to splash into the water.

Somewhere behind them, they heard a loud creak, followed by a crash. The water started climbing faster.

“Shit! The door must have broken under the pressure,” the turian said.

Shepard turned to the human biotic. “How good is your control?”

“Not great,” the woman replied. “Why?”

“We’re running out of time here, and we need these people up and out fast. I’ll lift them up with my biotics. You pull them the rest of the way with yours. Can you do that?” Shepard asked. She hesitated, then nodded. Shepard took the unconscious man from her. She quickly followed Grunt. “Ready?”

The woman braced herself, with Grunt holding onto her for good measure. At this point, none of them were worried about Cerberus soldiers attacking. Anyone was still alive down here would be scrambling for an exit, not worrying about a Spectre or a few escaping prisoners. One of the turians braced Shepard as she lifted the unconscious man up. It took a couple of tries, but the woman finally got her biotics wrapped around him and took him from Shepard. Grunt grabbed him, pulling him out of the way. Shepard waved the cyborg over next.

With all the humans safe, Shepard nodded to the four salarians next. One by one, they got them out of the water. By the time all four were safely in the service corridor, the turians had started to look a little panicked. Shepard remembered what Garrus said about turians and water. They didn’t swim well, and the water was past their hips now. One of the prisoners decided not to wait and grabbed the ladder. Shepard waved over the weakest of the bunch and lifted her.

Three of the turians made it out on their own. Shepard lifted another one up to the biotic. Finally, she was left with the female who had been protecting the others, and the male who’d offered to help guard them earlier. By that time, the water was up to Shepard’s chest and the turians were having trouble keeping their footing. The female grabbed the ladder as high up she she could. The biotic grabbed her in a corona and pulled her the rest of the way. Shepard swam over to grab the ladder, looping one arm through the rungs to steady herself and lifted the male with her biotics, holding him until the ladder was clear. She let him grab the highest rung and pull himself the rest of the way up.

She heard another crash in the opposite direction. The second door had caved. A wave of water rushed down the small hall, slamming her into the wall. She lost her grip. She struggled to swim against the churning wave, but was lucky just to keep her head above water as she was pulled away.

A blue glow surrounded her. She was lifted out of the water. She could see the woman struggling. This had been a lot for someone with very little training, who had been starved and tortured. Blood dripped from her nose and she was shaking in Grunt’s arms. But she pulled Shepard closer.

Shepard saw the woman’s corona flicker. She sucked in a deep breath seconds before it went out and she hit the water. She was immediately pulled backward by the current. Thinking fast, she got a biotic hold on the ladder. Between the bolts holding it to the wall, and the water churning against it, the ladder held when she pulled. Instead of it coming to her, she flew toward it. She grabbed a rung and fought to get her footing to climb up. She had never been more grateful for her underwater ops training in the N-program.

She finally breached the surface. Before she could register what was happening, hands grabbed her and pulled her the rest of the way up. She knelt on all fours, coughing, trying to catch her breath. The biotic woman lay slumped in Grunt’s arms, barely conscious. The salarians looked exhausted. The turians watched the rising water with borderline panic.

“We need to move, Shepard,” Grunt said quietly. He was right. They had no way to block the service entrance, and the water was still rising.

“Okay, let’s go. I know you’re all tired, but it shouldn’t be too much further,” she replied.

They all struggled to their feet. They had some time before the water would catch up to them. If they could just keep moving, they might make it out of here alive. Shepard took the lead, following the map on her omni-tool. A few turns later, they found another vent.

Grunt moved up to the front and gave the vent a solid kick. It went flying into the room with a clang. Everyone climbed out slowly. They had arrived in a hall of some sort. It was dark, with little furniture. A door at the end of the hall stood open. Shepard investigated while the others rested.

The next room was another short hallway. The only thing in it was the elevator up to the communications tower’s main control room. She waved the others through the door.

She triggered her comm. “Garrus, tell me you made it out.”

“Tali and I are with James. He said Liara fell through a window, fighting some psycho,” Garrus replied.

“Shit! Can you flag her location on the map?” Shepard asked. A nav point appeared on her omni-tool. The room was on this level, one hallway and a couple rooms away. “Thanks. Do you guys need help?”

“We’ve got this. But, we left our rescues in a tram car. Here,” Garrus said. Another nav point popped up. Shepard recognized it as the side hall they had used to reach the comm tower last time.

“I’ll have Grunt go after them while I find Liara,” Shepard said. She turned to Grunt, sending the nav point to his omni-tool. “You heard him. Can you get everyone together? The rest of you, stay here. Hopefully, all the Cerberus soldiers are either fighting elsewhere, or they drowned. You shouldn’t have any trouble. We’ll be back.”

They all nodded. Shepard and Grunt ran their separate ways.

***

Liara and Jana rolled to their feet. The Cerberus leader pulled her pistol and started firing before she had completely recovered from the fall. Liara got her barrier up. When Jana paused to reload, Liara threw a warp at her. Jana screamed as the dark energy ate through her body.

“Asari whore!” she snarled. She charged at Liara, pulling her fist back for a punch. Liara hit her with a biotic blast that sent her flying. She rolled to a stop, shaking her head to clear it. As she reached for her fallen gun, Liara threw attack after attack at her. She knew they should try to arrest the woman. But, at this point, she didn’t care. No one was going to separate her from Dana! And Goddess help them all if Jana ever found out that she and Shepard had a daughter.

No, for the sake of her family, Jana Alman had to die.

Jana gave up on the pistol and ducked behind a lab table. She threw a grenade over it blindly. It landed close enough to damage Liara’s barrier, but not bring it down. Liara moved around the room, trying to get a better angle on the woman.

A targeting laser hit her chest. She managed to duck behind cover before Jana could take the shot. Every time Liara tried to peek over the table, another shot cracked. Jana hadn’t moved, so Liara threw a singularity in her general direction. The swirling mass of dark energy drew Jana up out of her hiding place. Liara tossed a warp. The singularity detonated, throwing Jana into a wall. Her rifle skittered out of reach. Liara kept up her barrage, hitting the Cerberus leader with as many biotic attacks as she could. When she needed to rest, she ducked back behind the lab table.

Jana struggled to her feet. She was bruised and bloody. She couldn’t straighten one leg completely. She took advantage of Liara’s cool down to grab her sniper rifle. Liara expected another targeting laser to track her. Instead, Jana threw three grenades one after another. Liara rolled out of the way and summoned a barrier. She had just enough time to catch Jana triggering a tactical cloak before the grenades went off. The first two brought down her barrier. The third one slammed her into a wall. She hit her head and lights flashed before her eyes.

“Liara!” Shepard’s voice sounded panicked. Liara breathed a sigh of relief, waving her wife down.

“I am alright, Dana. Jana ran off. She has a cloak, but I think I heard that door open,” she said, pointing across the room. When Shepard hesitated, she pushed her toward the door. “I will live. Go get her!”

Shepard leaned in to plant a kiss on her wife’s mouth. Then, she ran toward the door. Liara slowly pulled herself to her feet. When she was sure she could move without getting dizzy, she followed.

Shepard’s omni-tool picked up an enemy transponder ahead. She still couldn’t see the woman. But she followed the red dot through several hallways. Finally, the cloak wore off and Jana appeared in front of her. With her target in sight, Shepard threw a warp. Jana dodged and kept going. Shepard used her biotics to snare the woman’s foot and pull back. Jana went tumbling.

She rolled to a stop, getting to her knees. Scowling, she threw a grenade at Shepard. There was no cover in the hallway, so Shepard slid to a halt and called a barrier. The grenade went off. Shepard’s ears were ringing loud, so she didn’t hear Jana run off again. Shepard jumped to her feet. She located Jana on her omni-tool and took off in pursuit.

She got the Cerberus leader in sight again seconds before Jana disappeared through a door that led outside. Sunlight blinded Shepard for a moment, but she threw a ball of dark energy at the woman anyway. It crashed into the door as it slid closed. It opened again as soon as Shepard got close. She tore through without pausing. Shielding her eyes, she tried to get her bearings.

She was able to focus just in time to see Jana leap off the balcony into a waiting shuttle. Shepard drew her pistol. The shuttle door closed as it took off. Shepard threw a warp and fired as fast as she could. The shuttle’s shields absorbed it all. A biotic blast flew past her, resulting in a singularity that rocked the shuttle, but didn’t slow it down. Liara slid to a stop next to Shepard.

“Dammit!” Shepard spat. She triggered her comm, using an open channel across all frequencies. She wanted the Cerberus agents to hear her. “Jana Alman is gone. She took off in a shuttle.”

“I’m on it, Commander,” Steve said. Shepard looked toward the far side of the facility in surprise. Shuttle One came tearing through the sky toward them. “Terminate or disable?”

Shepard glanced at Liara. The steel in her wife’s eyes was all the answer she needed. “Terminate.”

Jana clearly hadn’t expected anyone to be able to respond to her escape. The shuttle didn’t even try to evade. As soon as Steve got within targeting distance, he fired both rockets. With the shields already damaged, they hit their mark. The shuttle went down, the drive core exploding when it hit the ground. Steve circled the wreckage a couple of times.

“Scanners show no life signs, Commander. Enemy target is down,” Steve said.

Shepard resisted the urge to cheer. She pulled Liara into her arms, reassuring herself that her wife was fine. Liara held her close as she said, “Good work, Steve.”

***

As soon as they all heard Shepard’s announcement that Jana had taken off, without word or instruction to her people, the fighting paused. The Cerberus soldiers all looked toward the communications tower. They listened to Shepard give the order to kill. Their weapons lowered as both sides held their collective breath. A few seconds later, they saw the flash of an explosion in the distance.

A few moments later, Shepard came back over the channel. “Attention, Cerberus soldiers. Your leader abandoned you and died during her escape attempt. Alman flooded the lower labs, killing several of your fellow soldiers and scientists in the process. Surrender now, unless you would like to join them.”

The soldiers all looked at each other, then looked at Catherine and her mercenaries. Catherine gestured for her people to lower their weapons. After a long pause, one of the Cerberus commanders dropped his weapon and put his hands on his head. As he dropped to his knees, the others followed. The mercenaries started rounding them up. Menard confirmed the surrender on his side as well.

It was over.

Chapter Text

“Mommy!” The ball of blue energy that hurled itself at Liara reminded Catherine of Alpha. She had to ignore her fight-or-flight instinct and focus on what the glowing ball had said. Liara caught the biotic “attack” in a fierce hug. When the corona faded, Catherine got her first glimpse of Liara’s and Dana’s daughter.

After getting thoroughly kissed by her mother, Brie reached out for Shepard. The commander leaned in to rub noses with the little girl before gently pulling her from her mother’s embrace. The fierce Commander Shepard— N7, Spectre, terror of mercenaries throughout the Milky Way— was nowhere to be seen. In her place was a woman whose face lit up with pride and joy at her family.

Catherine turned away to give them a moment to reconnect. Her eyes fell on Miranda, who walked over to a tall woman with more tattoos than skin. The sides of her head were shaved and the little hair she had was pulled back in a tail. She looked different from the dossier Catherine had seen on the Normandie. Jack stopped a few feet away. “Good to see you, Cheerleader,” she said softly.

Miranda pulled her into a hug. “You, too, Psycho. I’m sorry I frightened you.”

“Hardly. I was just worried you’d break a nail or something,” the woman teased. Miranda rolled her eyes.

A second cry of “Mommy!” drew Catherine’s attention to a small quarian running up to Tali. A somber young turian followed the child quickly, throwing his arms around Garrus without a word. On the far side of the group, Steve didn’t say a word as he pushed through the crowd to a man holding a frightened boy in his arms, a little girl about the same age clinging to his side. Steve cupped the man’s face in his hands and kissed him deeply before dropping a kiss on the boy’s head. He knelt in front of the girl and picked her up. That must be the hacker I’ve heard so much about, Catherine thought.

“Hey, Vega!” Jack called. The marine pulled his attention away from Steve’s reunion. “Look who I brought with me.”

Ashley stepped forward, an infant cradled in her arms. James’ face lit up. After he kissed her, he gently scooped the baby up in one arm and crushed Ashley in a hug with the other. He stared down at his daughter, his face quietly glowing in awe.

Catherine stepped back into the shadows, drawing away to let everyone have their reunions. It made her happy to see them all like this. But it also made her feel very alone. She spent months trying to get her life back after she woke up in a Cerberus lab, only to find out that the life she remembered wasn’t hers at all.

Ashley left James to cuddle his daughter and walked over to the clone. “You must be Catherine,” she said, holding her hand out. Reluctantly, Catherine shook it.

“Hey, Williams,” she said. She had to fight back tears. Ashley didn’t know her, but she remembered their time together on the SR-1. Ashley’s time with Shepard. “It’s good to meet you.”

“I’m sure this must all be very confusing for you. Shepard filled me in on your situation,” Ashley said.

“It’s not easy. I have all these memories that aren’t mine. And I hate that I terrified Liara and Miranda trying to reclaim a life I was never meant to have,” Catherine replied.

“Liara seems fine. And Miranda is over it. She called Jack off, by the way. The Psychotic Biotic wanted to kill you for kidnapping her Cheerleader,” Ashley said.

“I’ll have to thank her. We worked well together at Cronos Beta,” Catherine mused.

“That’s good to know,” Ashley said, her voice thoughtful as she glanced at Miranda. Catherine flashed her a strange look before turning back to watch their friends.

***

The team gathered in the playroom so the kids could play together one last time while the adults relaxed. The kids weren’t having it. Every one of them sat on, or curled up to, their parents. Even the normally stoic Sol. They had spent too many months away from their parents. And to be honest, none of the parents protested. Shepard and Liara sat pressed against each other, with Liara’s legs across Shepard’s and Brie sitting on them both. But even as she clung to Liara’s tunic, Brie kept staring at Catherine, with small glances at Lailene and Richard.

Catherine waggled her fingers at the girl. Brie looked at Shepard, then back at Catherine. Finally, she turned to Liara. “Mommy? Why are there two Daddies? Are they twins like Lail and Ricky?”

“Sort of. Catherine is Daddy’s clone, Bluebell. That means she has the same blood as Daddy, and looks like Daddy, but she doesn’t have the same memories,” Liara replied.

“Does that mean she’s biotic like Daddy?” Brie asked. Catherine nodded and flared a little to prove it. “So, are clones more alike than twins? Is that why they’re both biotic, but Ricky is and Lail isn’t?”

The head of every adult in the room snapped up to look at Richard, including Steve. Except David, who looked at his husband sheepishly. “What the hell is she talking about?” Steve demanded.

“I’m sorry, Stevie. There hasn’t been a good time to tell you. It happened about two weeks ago. I’m not sure if it was just the right time for him to manifest, or if exposure to Brie brought it out. But, yeah. Turns out Rick’s biotic,” David replied.

“That explains why he’s so comfortable around us and Brie,” Shepard said.

Jack chuckled. “Watch out, Flyboy. It looks like I’ll get to teach your kid in a few years,” she said.

Steve looked at Shepard in horror. “Commander, please tell me you’re planning to take up teaching in the next decade,” he begged.

Shepard couldn’t help but laugh. “Not a chance in hell, Stevie. Don’t worry. Jack’s actually good at her job. She won’t break him. Too much.”

“Dana, be nice!” Liara exclaimed. Everyone laughed as David blanched.

“All joking aside, boys. I look forward to having Rick in my class someday. He’s a good kid. And both your kids are damn smart. They’ll have no trouble getting into Grissom,” Jack said, all hint of teasing gone from her voice. David visibly relaxed.

“So, if teaching’s not on the agenda, what’s next for you, Shep?” Ashley asked. “Back to your blissful domestic life?”

“Well, Liara and I talked about that on the way here. We’d like to show Brie more of the galaxy now that she’s a little older. And Liara’s work is actually easier on the move. So, we’re claiming the Normandy clone as a spoil of war and I’m going to return to Spectre duty on a limited basis,” Shepard replied.

“How the heck are you going to raise a child on a ship like the Normandy?” Ashley asked.

“We have some plans to retrofit the ship,” Liara replied. “Speaking of, it would be just as easy to make room for several children as it would for one. We would love to have you on board, Steve. And David, I could use someone with your skills. How would you like a more active role in the Shadow Broker network?”

Steve hesitated. David’s eyes lit up. Before they could respond, Lail said, “Can I play with the shuttle?” at the same time Rick said, “I can play with Brie?”

And Steve just melted. Everyone else laughed. He looked over at Ashley. “Do you mind, Commander?”

“I would be happy to transfer you as soon as you’re ready. They’d be lucky to have you both,” Ashley replied. “Speaking of the new ship, I appreciate how much all of you missed EDI, but my first tour on the Normandy didn’t have her, and we’ve done just fine for seven years. I’d be more than happy to transfer her to your ship.”

“What about ADI?” Catherine asked.

“Technically, ADI’s served her purpose. I did wonder how you would feel about having EDI back, Ash. One thing to keep in mind, though. Joker will follow EDI wherever she goes. He just got her back. He’s not going to lose her again,” Shepard said.

Ashley didn’t answer, looking away in thought. The group got quiet. Shepard thought about how amazing it had been to have most of the team back together again. She looked at Garrus and Tali. “What about you two? Planning to go back to the glamorous life of diplomats?”

“We have a responsibility to our respective people. There are too many people relying on us to give it up now,” Garrus said. “It’s well past time for us to return to our duties.”

“But we are going to start picking up distress calls, so if you ever need back up, we can be there,” Tali added.

“Good to know. What about you, James? Have you two figured out how you’re going to handle the kiddo with Ash back on the Normandy?” Shepard asked.

“I think so. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it yet, but I’ve been invited to do a stint teaching at the Villa. Little Sarah and I could stay in Rio while Ash is in space. Maybe in a few months, we can switch,” James said.

“That won’t work for long, but I’ve already taken more time off than the Alliance is comfortable with,” Ashley said. She paused to look down at her daughter’s face. “I’ve always dreamed of a big family. Maybe it’s time to step back.”

James rubbed Ashley’s shoulder and said, “We’ll figure it out.”

“Speaking of figuring things out, Shepard and I have been talking to Admiral Hackett,” Ashley said, turning to Catherine. “What happened to you wasn’t your fault and there’s no reason you can’t have a life of your own.”

“I’m willing to claim you as my sister and get you legal documents through the Alliance. You won’t have the military rank, the N7 status, or be a Spectre. But you’d have your own identity,” Shepard said.

“And, I’d be willing to bring you onto the Normandy as a mercenary, using my Spectre authorization. If you want the job,” Ashley finished.

Catherine stared at her in shock for a moment. Then, she glanced at Shepard and Liara. “So, Shepard’s giving you the Normandy back?”

“Yes. It was only ever meant to be a loan. The Normandy is my home. And I’m inviting you to join me,” Ashley said.

“I— That sounds amazing, Williams. Thank you,” Catherine said.

“In that case, when we’re off duty, please call me Ashley,” she replied.

The conversation faded into small talk. Shepard leaned her head against Liara’s shoulder, her arms wrapped around her daughter. She let her eyes drift over the room. A feeling of peace washed over her. She understood why all her friends needed to go their separate ways, but for a moment, she wished they could all get back on the Normandy together and fly away, making the galaxy safer one mission at a time.

Just like the old days.

Ashley met her eye from across the room. They both sat with their daughters in their arms, their loves by their sides, surrounded by friends. Ash smiled. Shepard laced her fingers with Liara’s and smiled back.

***

Six months later

Shepard walked through the airlock of their newly renamed ship, the Therum. The thrum of the reawakened engines hummed through her veins, so similar to her beloved Normandy. The flight crew stood at attention next to their terminals, freshly cleaned and shining under their ship’s lights. The former Cerberus pilot, Gio, stood by his chair, back straight and hands clasped behind his back.

After much debate over what to do about EDI and ADI, and where Joker would go if EDI moved, the pilot had made a surprising announcement. He decided to retire from field work. His illness had progressed to the point where space travel was difficult on his brittle bones. He had moved to Earth to train new pilots. The Normandy engineers installed an AI core in his house for EDI, who remained connected to the Therum through the QEC relay. Joker eventually hoped to find her a new “mobile platform”. But this satisfied everyone in the meantime.

The Normandy had the ADI program. Ashley had shackled her with even more limitations in place than the Illusive Man. Carla had been promoted to the Normandy’s primary pilot. She used her promotion ceremony as the perfect opportunity to propose to Sam. They’d married almost immediately, wanting it to be official before the Normandy’s next deployment.

“How does the ship look, Gio?” Shepard asked.

“Green across the board, Captain,” Gio replied. “She’s ready to fly.”

Shepard was still getting used to that. Captain. Spectres didn’t have “ranks”, and she was no longer an Alliance officer, bound by their protocols. Liara wanted no part in the running of the ship, despite both their names being on the registration. That made Shepard the ship’s commanding officer. Without consulting her, the entire crew had started referring to her as Captain Shepard. Hackett had given her a hard time about it, since he’d been dangling a captaincy in front of her for seven years.

“In that case, crew to stations! Gio, commence final checks. I’d like to be in the air within the hour,” Shepard said. Gio and the flight crew saluted in unison before turning to take their seats. Shepard moved further into the ship.

The galaxy map spun slowly in the center of the CIC, waiting for her to select a destination. Kelly Chambers stood next to her terminal with a huge smile. “Good morning, Captain Shepard. Would you like to do a final inspection of the ship?”

“Yes, Kelly. Thank you,” Shepard replied. Kelly nodded sharply and picked up a datapad.

“Ms. Lawson is settled in and reviewing our inventory in her office,” Kelly said, waving her hand at a brand new door where Jacob’s armory used to be. They had moved Miranda’s office and quarters there as the new XO office. The office and sitting room were now separated from the bedroom by a door, affording Miranda a measure of privacy she never had under Cerberus.

“I’ll check in with Miranda later,” Shepard said. Kelly nodded and led her through the port-side door. The security checkpoint was still there, though Shepard planned to leave it unmanned unless that had visitors. Where the conference room used to be was now Shepard’s office, complete with glass walls that could be made opaque if the captain needed privacy. The “war room” had been opened up and expanded, and was now the “situation room”, a combination conference room and strategic planning center with access to the communications array beyond.

Next, they went down to the Crew deck, where the majority of the changes had occurred. In an effort to make the ship more “family friendly”, she had added an extra door inside the Port Lounge, coded to keep anyone under 18 out. The old XO’s office had been converted to a kids’ room. The front area was a playroom, with a bedroom in the back. For now, they only had Brie, Rick, and Lailene. But the room could hold up to eight kids. Life support had been moved down to Engineering, allowing them to turn that room into quarters for the full-time nanny and tutor they had hired to help with the kids while their parents were on duty. Shepard peeked in to see the children happily helping the nanny organize the playroom.

In the med bay, their new doctor and her intern were settling in nicely. Shepard couldn’t believe their luck when Dr. Pyra Lucan had arrived with Shepard’s and Liara’s friend Lisalle in tow, fresh out of med school. And it turned out Lisalle’s bondmate, Olyma, was an engineer and thrilled to join their crew.

Liara and David had taken over Diana Allers’ old room, turning it into a mobile Shadow Broker base. It was far more elaborate than Liara’s domain during the war. Or even her office at their home in Armali. There was so much tech in the room, David didn’t think Shepard had noticed the small bedroom he’d hidden in the back.

Steve and Grunt had taken over the cargo bay. It wasn’t quite the same as having James down there, but the two seemed to be getting along. Grunt had even recreated, and added to, James’ gym setup for the marines.

Having assured herself that everything was prepared, Shepard and Kelly turned back to the elevator. “Has everyone checked in?” she asked.

“We are carrying our full complement, Captain,” Kelly replied. A message popped up on her datapad. “And Dr. T’Soni would like to speak with you in your cabin before takeoff.”

Shepard tried to keep her smile professional as they rode the elevator up. Liara had been working on a surprise for her and asked her stay out of the cabin for the last several days of the retrofit. Shepard had a suspicion why. But she didn’t say anything, letting her wife have her fun.

Before Liara took over, they had made quite a few changes to the cabin. With the office downstairs, they had more room near the shower. They moved the armory and wardrobe into the area, turning it into a small changing room.

Shepard walked in to find Liara waiting at the bottom of the steps, hands clasped in front of her, a grin spreading across her face. “Are you ready to start our next adventure, Bellflower?” she asked.

“I am. Brie is thrilled with her new room, and her new roommates,” Liara replied. Shepard thought about asking her something else, changing the subject just to draw this out. But she took pity on her wife.

“So, Kelly said you wanted to show me something? I assume that means you’re done with your super-secret cabin changes?” Shepard asked.

She didn’t actually think it was possible, but Liara’s grin got bigger. She held her hand out for Shepard. “I think you will like the changes,” she said.

Shepard glanced over Liara’s shoulder. The second desk had been removed and the couches and chairs rearranged. Where there used to be a solid wall, there was now an opening leading to a small, secondary room. Shepard took Liara’s hand and followed her over to the doorway.

Which led to a nursery. Shepard recognized all the furniture and decorations that had been in Brie’s room when she was born. Or at least, as much as Liara could fit into this tiny space. Shepard turned to her wife, hope and joy dancing across her features.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

Liara nodded. “Dr. Lucian confirmed it a week ago. I wanted to finish the room before I told you,” she replied.

While the ship was in dry dock, Shepard had kept her promise to Liara. They caught a commercial transport back to Thessia and found a club for an evening out on the town. They left Brie with Aethyta for the night and headed out. Once they were secure in one of the club’s private rooms, they joined their minds. Shepard had been shocked to learn that her wife was longing for another child. Never one to deny her Bellflower anything, Shepard readily agreed. But, Liara’s age was still a factor, and they weren’t sure she would be able to get pregnant again so soon.

Shepard cupped her hands around Liara’s face and kissed her. Liara’s arms slid around her waist. For a moment, they lost themselves in each other. They didn’t meld. Not quite. But their minds touched, their nervous systems in tune with each other.

When Shepard finally pulled away, she turned Liara in her arms. They stood in the nursery doorway, Liara leaning back against her wife. Shepard rested her hands on Liara’s belly, imagining the tiny life growing there.

“I know the nursery is a little early, but I did not want us to have to take another break just to build it,” Liara said softly.

“This is perfect. I love you, Liara T’Soni,” Shepard replied.

“And I love you, Dana.”

***

Shepard walked into her new office, smiling briefly at the fish tank along the back wall. Kelly had asked her, repeatedly, if she thought adding another fish tank was a good idea. After all, Shepard was notorious among the Cerberus crew for killing her fish. She didn’t have any living creatures in the tank yet. She just liked the light and sound.

She sat down at her desk and pulled up her computer, checking the ship’s trajectory. Their first mission was a rescue. A mining facility inside an asteroid had suffered a catastrophic core rupture. The miners were trapped with dwindling life support. They were on track to arrive in two days. But that would be cutting it closer than she liked.

“Gio, do you think we can push to arrive earlier than predicted?” she asked.

“I’d have to check with engineering, but I think I can shave a couple hours off,” Gio replied. Shepard was both impressed and disappointed with that answer. Joker would have just said yes without hesitation, then pushed them until he put the ship at risk. Gio was still unsure of himself behind the helm. Or maybe he was just unsure of his place with Shepard. Either way, he was playing it safer than she liked. He was going to have to learn before they got into a bad situation.

Shepard connected them to Engineering. “Gabby, is there any chance we can push the ship and get to the miners half a day early?” she asked.

“Half a day?” Gio squeaked. “Captain, I don’t think—“

“Of course, Shepard. The Therum is primed and ready. As long as we don’t engage the stealth drive, we should have no trouble,” Gabby replied.

“I see no reason to. This isn’t a covert op. Coordinate with Gio and make it happen,” Shepard confirmed.

“Yes, ma’am,” Gabby said cheerfully.

Gio’s answer was more hesitant. “Yes, Captain.”

With that out of the way, Shepard closed and locked her door remotely. She pulled up a message on her terminal and sat back. She wanted the new crew to start with small missions so they could learn to work together. None of them, not even Liara, knew her true objective.

As far as everyone else knew, Cerberus was done. But, about a week after they had arrived at Earth for the retrofits, she received a message:

I want to thank you, Commander Shepard. Jana ’s objective was a distraction from Cerberus’ true purpose. With her out of the way, I can focus the might of Cerberus on ensuring humanity’s dominance in the galaxy. You would be wise to remember the days when Cerberus had your back and stay out of our way.

                                                                        General Oleg Petrovsky

Aria had warned her letting that bastard live was a mistake. In the middle of a war, having the chance to arrest someone instead of killing them felt like a blessing. But the prison system was in shambles in the days immediately following the war. Petrovsky wasn’t the only criminal to escape.

All Shepard could hope right now was that she had undermined Cerberus enough to slow Petrovsky’s forces down.

She switched screens and unlocked the door quickly when she saw Liara coming. The door slid open at her wife’s touch. “Everything is running smoothly, Dana. Are you ready for your first op?”

“Just reviewing the schematics now. This should be relatively simple,” Shepard replied. Liara slid onto her lap and kissed her. “Which gives us plenty of time to break in my new office.”

Liara giggled as Shepard locked the door and blacked out the windows.